Teave a little River Teavistock commonly Tavistoke fluorisheth a Town in times past famous for the Abbay there Of the River Plime the Town adjoyning to it is called Plimmouth sometimes named Sutton Of late time it became of a poor fisher Village to be a great Town and for the number of Inhabitants grown to that passe as now it is to be seen that it may be compared with a City Such is the commodiousnesse of the Haven which without striking sail admitteth into the bosome thereof the tallest Ships that be and doth harbour them very safely and is sufficiently fortified against hostility The whole Town is divided into four Wards governed by a Maior ordained there by King Henry the Sixth and under him every Ward had in times past a Captain set over it each of them likewise had his inferiour Officers The Circuit of this Town is not great but much renowned it is among forrain Nations and not so much for the comodious Haven as the valour of the Inhabitants in Sea-services of all sorts From hence was Sir Francis Drake that famous Knight and most skilfull man at Sea In the year 1577. putting to Sea from hence he entered into the Straits of Magellane and in two years and ten moneths thorow many alternative varieties of Fortune God being his guide and Valour his Confort was the next after Magellaenus that sailed round about the world Whereupon one wrote thus unto him Drake peragrati novit quem terminus orbis Quemque semel mundi vidit uterque polus Si taceant homines facient te sidera notum Sol nescit comit is immemòr esse sui Plimpton a Mercate Town well frequented Dertmouth a Port Town by reason of the commodious Haven defended with two Castles much frequented by Merchants and furnished with good shipping Excester so called from the River Isc and by the Saxons Ex. It is a Bishops See It is situate upon a little Hill gently arising with an easie ascent to a pretty height environed about with Ditches and very strong Walls and containeth in circuit a mile and an half having Suburbs running out a great way on each side In it there are fifteen Parish Churches and in the very highest part thereof neer the East-gate a Castle called Rugemont at this day commended for nothing else but the antiquity and situation thereof For it commandeth the whole City and Territory about it and hath a very pleasant prospect into the Sea Joseph Iscanus was born here and from hence took his surname a Poet of a most excellent wit whose writings were so well approved as that they had equal commendation with the Works of ancient Poets For his Poeme of the Trojan Warre was divulged once or twice in Germany under the name of Cornelius Nepos The Civil Government of this City is in the power of four and twenty persons out of whom there is from year to year a Maior elected who with four Bailiffs ruleth here the State This City hath three Dukes Tawstoke a very ancient Towne for elegant building and frequency of people held chiefe in all this Coast The Inhabitants for the most part are Merchants who in France and Spain trade and traffick much Out of this Towns School there issued two right learned men and most renowned Divines John Jewel Bishop of Salisbury and Thomas Harding the publick Professour in Lovain who most hotly contended and wrote learnedly one against the other concerning the truth of Religion This Shire containeth thirty three Hundreds thirty seven Market Towns three hundred and ninety four Parishes Dorsetshire IT is bounded on the North-side with Somersetshire and Wiltshire on the West with Devonshire and some part of Somersetshire on the East with Hampshire On the South part where it carrieth the greatest length it lieth all open to the Sea Some say there are within six miles compasse round about Dorchester three hundred thousand Sheep It is a fruitfull soyl and a great Ship Countrey Lime a little Town situate upon a deep Hill so called of a small River of the same name running hard by Shaftsbury a Town of note Baurtport or more truly Birtport is placed between two small Rivers which there meet together In respect of the soil yeelding the best Hemp and skill of the people for making Ropes and Cables for Ships it was provided by a special Statute to remain in force for a certain set time that Ropes for the Navy of England should be twisted no where else Portland an Island so called of one Port a noble Saxon who Anno 703. infested and sore annoyed these Coasts Weymouth a little Town upon the mouth of Wey a small River over against which on the other side of the Bank standeth Kings-Melcomb divided from the other only by the Haven between Pool in calm weather when the waters are still resembleth a Pond whence it receiv'd its name A Mercat Town exceeding rich and wealthy beautified with goodly Houses Frau or Frome the greatest and most famous River of all this tract Dorchester is the head Town of the whole Shire and yet is neither great nor beautifull It hath but three Parish Churches The Forest of White-Hart When King Henry the Third came hither to hunt and had taken other Deer he spared a most beautifull and goodly White Hart which afterwards T. de la Lynde a Gentleman of this Countrey with others in his company took and killed But the King put them to a grievous Fine of money for it and the very Lands which they held pay even to this day every yeer by way of Amercement a peece of money into the Exchequer which is called White-Hart silver Shirburn Town or Castle is sited in the hanging of an Hill a pleasant and proper seat It is the most populous and best haunted Town of this Country and gaineth exceeding much by cloathing It containeth thirty four Hundreds eighteen Market Towns and two hundred and fourty eight Parishes Durham or Duresme DUresme the chief Town in Latine Dunelmum a County Palatine and a Bishops See It is seated on high it is shaped in form of an Egge The River Teise or Teisis commonly Tees boundeth the South part of this County It first beateth upon Bernard-Castle built and so named by Bernard Balliol the great Grand-fathers Father of John Balliol King of the Scots Hartle-Poole a good Towne of Trade and a safe Harbour for fishing By the Tine there is situate a memorable Town called Gateshead or Goateshead The common people think it is farre more ancient than New-Castle itself This name was given unto this place by occasion of some Inne that had a Goats-head for the Sign Jarrow the native soil of venerable Bede Thomas Wolsey Cardinal who in his high prosperity wanted nothing but moderation and Cuthbert Tunstall who for singular knowledge in the best Sciences sincere holinesse of life a singular Ornament to his native Countrey were Bishops of Durham Essex A Countrey
Emperour Severus in the reverse whereof we read COL. EBORACUM LEG VI VICTRIX Severus had his Palace in this City and here at the hour of death gave up his last breath with these words I entered upon a State every way troublesome and I leave it peaceable even to the Britains Valerius Constantius surnamed Chlorus an Emperour surpassing in all Vertue and Christian Piety ended his life also in this City and was deified This Emperour begat of his former Wife Helena Constantine the Great who was present in York at his Fathers last gasp and forthwith proclaimed Emperour York was in great estimation in those dayes since the Romane Emperours Court was there held Our own Countrey Writers record That this City was by Constantius adorned and graced with an Episcopal See Alcwin of York Schoolmaster to Charles the Great first Founder of the University of Paris and the singular honour of this City From Paulinus the first Archbishop consecrated in the Year of our Redemption 625. there have sitten in that See threescore and five Archbishops unto the Year 1606. in which Dr Tobie Matthew a most Reverend Prelate for the Ornaments of Vertue and Piety for learned Eloquence and continual exercise of Teaching was translated hither from the Bishoprick of Durham Cawood a Castle Selby a little Town well peopled and of good resort where King Henry the First was born East-Riding It is the second part of this Region it lieth Eastward from York Stanford-Bridge of the Battell there fought it is called Battle-Bridge Wreshill a proper and strong Castle Howden a Mercat Town it hath given name to a little Territory adjoyning called of it Howdenshire Metham it gave both surname and habitation also to the ancient House of the Methams Humber an arm of the Sea whereof also the Countrey beyond it by a general name was called Northumberland It is one of the broadest arms of the Sea and best stored with Fish in all Britain Wighton a small Town of Husbandry well inhabited Drifield a Village well known by reason of the Tomb of Alfred that most learned King of Northumberland and the Mounts that are raised here and there about it Beverley a great Town very populous and full of Trade John surnamed de Beverley Archbishop of York a man both godly and learned after he had given over his Bishoprick as weary of this world came hither and ended his life in contemplation about the Year of our Redemption 721. Cottingham a Countrey Town of Husbandry Kingston upon Hull but commonly Hull For stately and sumptuous Buildings for strong Block-houses for well furnished Ships for store of Merchants and abundance of all things it is become now the most famous Town of Merchandize in these parts The Town is a County incorporate by it self Headon Patrington Rosse from whence the honourable Family of the Barons Rosse took their name Kelnsey a little Village Constable-Burton so called of the Lords thereof Sureby Bridlington North-Riding This carrieth a very long Tract with it though not so broad for threescore miles together even as far as to Westmorland Scarborough-Castle a goodly and famous Castle Within it there is Ting-tong-Wells which go two miles under the earth toward an Hill called Weapness in which passage there is an Iron-gate and by that way the people in the time of Civil Wars brought in their Goods and Cattel and so supplied the Castle The Hollanders and Zelanders use to take marvellous plenty of Herrings upon this Coast and make a very gainfull Trade thereof having anciently first obtained Licence by an ancient Custom out of this Castle Cliveland it taketh that name of steep Banks which we call Cliffs for there runne all along the side thereof cliffie Hils Sken-grave a little Village much benefited by taking great store of Fish Kilton-Castle within a Park Skelton-Castle appertaining to the ancient Family of the Barons Brus who derive their Descent from Robert Brus the Norman Wilton-Castle Y are a Mercat Town well known Stokesley a little Mercat Town Gisburgh a small Town very pleasant and delightfull Ounsbery-Hill or Rosebery-Topping it mounteth up a mighty height and maketh a goodly shew a farre off so often as the Head therof hath his cloudy Cap on lightly there followeth rain whence they have a proverbial Rhime When Rosebery-Topping wears a Cap Let Cliveland then beware a clap Kildale a Castle Pickering a good big Town belonging to the Dutchy of Lancaster situate upon an Hill and fortified with an old Castle unto which a number of small Villages lying there round about do appertain whence the Countrey adjoyning is commonly called Pickering-Lith The Liberty of Pickering and Forest of Pickering Kirkby-Morside it lieth hard unto the Hils whereof it had that name a famous Mercat Town Rhidal a goodly pleasant and plentifull Vale adorned with three and twenty Parish Churches through the midst whereof runneth the River Rhie Malton a Mercat Town well known and frequented for Corne Horses Fish and implements of Husbandry Newborrough a famous Abbey unto which we are indebted for William of Newborrough a learned and diligent Writer of the English History Gilling-Castle belongs unto that ancient and worshipfull Family which of their fair bush of Hair got their name Fairfax The Forest of Galtres notorious for a solemn Horse-running wherein the Horse that out-runneth the rest hath for his prize a little golden Bell Sherry-Hutton a fair Castle Hinderskell a little Castle Others call it Hundred-skell of a number of Fountaines that spring up and rise there Northallertonshire a little Countrey watered with the Riveret Wisk and taking the name of Northalverton a Town having in it on Saint Bartholomews day a great Fair of Kine and Oxen. In this County there are four hundred and fifty nine Parishes under which are very many Chappels for number of Inhabitants equal unto great Parishes A CATALOGUE of some Books lately Printed and in The Press a Printing And sold by HENRY MARSH at the Princes-Armes in Chancery-lane near Fleetstreet Folio THe Sovereigns Prerogative and the Subjects Priviledge comprised in several Speeches Cases and Arguments of Law discussed between the late King Charles and the most eminent Persons of both Houses of Parliament Together with the Grand Mysteries of State then in agitation collected and revived by Tho. Fuller B. D. in Fol. Quarto That delightfull Peece entituled Gemmarius Fidelis or The Faithfull Lapidary experimentally describing the richest Treasure of Nature in an Historical Narration of the several Natures Vertues and Qualities of all Precious Stones With an accurate Discovery of such as are Adulterate and Counterfeit very necessary for all Gentlemen Merchants and Tradesmen Large Octavo The Rogue or The Life of Guzman de Alfarache the witty Spaniard the fifth and last Edition corrected with many Additions never before printed Small Octavo The Ascent to Bliss by three steps viz. Philosophy History and Theologie In a brief Discourse of Mans Felicity with many remarkable Examples of divers Kings and
pingues pecudes in macellis veniunt ut non modo universum Cantium hujus locis commoda sentiat verum etiam civitas Londinum non nihil emolumenti inde percipiat Twini Comment. De Rebus Britan. l. 1. p. 31. Priests-Town Or Loncaster from the River Lone Carlton-Curlew They cannot prenounce the letter R. Camd. Brit. And Burtons descript. of Leicestershire Bishop Latimer was also born at Thurcaston in Leicestershire It was so called of the Zouches sometimes Lords thereof Burtons descript. of Leicestershire The largest next Yorkshire It is well stored with all kind of provision it abounds with fish and fowl The roof of the Church is richly guilt Mr John Fox the Authour of the Acts and Monuments was born here There are so many steps in the steeple from the bottom to the top as there are dayes in the years At the George there is one of the fairest Inns of England Lincolnia The greatest Bell of England He was great with Henry the 6th he built a Free-School at Wainflet his name was Patten of the worshipfull family of which he was descended * More than in Yorkshire The chiefest at this day of all the Kings houses A City rather in shew then the Palace of a Prince and for stately port and gorgeous building not inferiour to any in Europe Weavers Monum. * It is most sweetly situate upon the Thames served with all kind of necessaries most commodiously The air health full it is populous rich and beautifull Nordens Speculum Britanniae It is convenient for situation hath a noble Bridge navigable River 2. Strictly governed 3. Opulent hath abundance of all kinds of provision 4. Ancient and enjoyeth many Immunities Of St Pauls Cathedral See Mr Dugdales History and of the Bishops of Pauls Londinum copia negotiatorum commeatu valde celebre Tacitus The Inner-Temple is the mother and most ancient of all the other houses of Court Burtons descript. of Leicestershire Dr Reynolds Sions praises This work viz. the Arches Chappel and stone-bridge over the Thames was thirty three yeers in building Stow. Speeds Chron. Stows and Speeds Chron. in Edw. the 3d. Thomas Greshamus Cives Londinensis Mercator Regius ex ordine Equestri qui patriae ornamento Mercatorum usui Perystillium pulcherrimum Excambiam Regium Elizabetha nominavit Londini extruxit aedes quas in urbe habuit amplissimas bonarum literarum professioni dicavit constitutis in iisdem Sacrae Theologiae Juris Civilis Medicinae Astronomiae Geometriae Rhetoricae praelectionibus cum honestis salariis Camd. Annal. rerum Anglic. pars â—â— p. 286. Vide etiam pag. 189. The new Ex change Monasterium Westmonasteriense Regum angliae inauguratione sepultura Insignium Regalium custodia celeberrimam Camd. Annal. rerum Anglic. par 1o p. 60. Vide plura ibid. Monasticon Anglicanum p 55 c. L. Herb. Henry the 8th Neer hereunto are the two Houses of Parliament Ex infima plebe non pauci reperiuntur quin si nihil litium sit lites tamen ex ipsis Juris apicibus serere calleant Camdenus There are three Churches Vrbs nunc ampla est nobilis florens celebris civitatum omnium secundum Londinum universi Regni Emporium multo maxima augustissimaque Nevilli Norvicus No one Shire of England hath three such Towns as Norwich Linn and Yarmouth Speed There is the earliest Park of England The King was wont to have venison thence before he had it out of his own Parks * Of that and the other famous wayes in England see Burtons Commen on Antoninus his Itinerary through Britain * He was brought up in New-Colledge in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Law Petriburgus or Petropolis Ab arborum proceritate in frequentia veprium Lympida Sylva noto satis nomine dicitur Twini Comment. The Nobility and Gentry of the North are of great antiquity and can produce more ancient Families then any other part of England many of them Gentry before the Conquest the rest came in with William the Conquerour * Axelodunum * So called because Robert de Curtois Son of William the Conquerour built there a new Castle out of the ground against the neighbouring Scots Alnevicum In Dunston a little village within the Parish of Emildon Berwicus An hundred miles long Wedgenock Park in Warwickshire is one of the most ancient Parks in England Nunc autem conficiendo Caseo notissimum So Camden Dr Holland englisheth that thus Now the fame of this Town is for Zeal Cheese and Cakes Though that is but an unhandsome conjunction and there is no ground for it in Camden yet in Mr Wheatlyes time to my knowledge it was famous for zeal and I hope is so now Oxonia or Oxonium Quodcunque habuit ab initio nomen pulcherrimum saluberrimum habet situm regionemque omnia necessaria affatim ministrantem bonarumque litterarum celeberrimam scholam ut omnes qui alias Europae Academias adierunt facilè agnoscunt Lhyd. Com. Brit. Descrip Fragment rutlan-Rutlan-Castle in Wales is so named being built on a shore of red earth Commitatus Salopiensis Salop in Latine Salopia It hath a fair Library and School-house and Brew-house So called from Oswald King of the Northumbers Asserius an ancient Writer calleth this Countrey alwayes Somertunensis that is Somertunshire * Used about Cloath Glastonia Monasterium viderint parentes nostri amplitudine ac magnitudine perpaucis in universa Europa quantum autumo postponendum Godwinus De Conversione Britanniae ad Christianam Religionem Vide plura ibid. Et Monasticon Anglicanum p. 1 2 c. Of Ogo a British word which betokeneth Den Fontanensis Ecclesia Fountain Church Bathonia Vrbs non mode antiqua verum etiam celebris Romanorum Monumentis multis liquidò in muris comparet qua itur à porta meridionali ad borealem Lelandi Comment in Cygneam Cantionem Vide Johnsonum De urbe Thermis Bathonicis A Bishops See and famous Port. In Henry the 7th his time Stephen Gennings Maior of London founded a free Grammar-School there where he was born There is a Corporation So called from Tame the River running beside it Cadaverum Campus The field of dead bodies a number of Christians was there martyred under the Emperour Dieclesian A small Countrey bare and cold it keepeth snow lying upon it a good while A Market Town Dr Lightfoot was born there Southfolk or people in respect of Norfolk Here Bishop Steven Gardiner was born Godw. de Praesul Ang. Comment Stoke Clare the Dukes of Clarence * A large sweet well watered Town a Town in Orchards Here was born Cardinal Wolsey of whom see a pithy description in Herberts Henry the 8th pag. 314 315. See more in Camdens Britania there The Kings Town Regio-dunum Tamesinam sic dictum quod ad Tamesini fluvii ripam situm sit Lel. Kings Kingston upon the Thames so called to distinguish it from Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire Quanta illic Romanae antiquitaris aemulatio Quantum speciosae picturae Quantum auri Quantum denique omnia genera ornamentorum Diceres Coelum esse stellis interpolatum Lel. Comment in Cygn. Cant. Battersega Nomen loco inditum ut ego conjicio ex cymbis Leland Comment. in Cygn. Cant. A low or clayish rode or hide The Southwork or building because it standeth South ove against London the Suburbs whèreof it may seem in some sort to be In Latine Cicestria Called Seals It is the Shire Town Ripa Baron Buckhurst Sanders Glover and manyother Martyrs suffered in Warwickshire It stands South of Lichfield Coventria quasi Coventus trium a Covent of three sorts of Monks Or rather of an Elephant being not so little as a yard in length Speed See Mr Dugdales Antiq. of Warwickshire illustrated Westmaria Westmorlandia There were Lords also of Kendale From the River Lone Aballaba The Sessions and Assizes are there kept Wiltonia of Wilton sometime the chief Town and of the River Willy Crecolada non insignis olim ut vulgus indoctum somniat Grecanicis scholis Lel. Comment in Cygn. Cant. Vide Burtoni Graec. Ling. hist. p. 52. Et Godwin de Praesul Ang. Comment de Theodoro Archiepisc Cant. p. 61. Cyppanus in the Saxon tongue is to buy and Cyppen a buyer as with us Cheapen and Chapman Sarisburia Roger of Salisbury built this stately Church also The Cathedral was longer in building than the Jews Temple for it was above fifty years in building and do you not think the Founders did intend by proportioning the Doors to the Moneths and the Windows to the Dayes and the Pillars to the Hours of the Year that you should learn this instruction Not a Moneth nay not a Day nay not an Hour should be let passe without something of Religion Mr Annesley on 1 Chron. 12. 32. It had also Bishop Abbot and Davenant Our old Historians termed it for the greatnesse Chorea Gigantum the Gyants dance Our Country-men reckon this for one of our miracles Leporarium Of Marga marle which we use in stead of dung to manure our grounds It lieth near a chaulkie-hill which our Ancestours before they borrowed this name Chaulk of the Latine word Calx named Marle Wigorniensis Comitatus Vnum est satis mirabile quia aqua illa per medium annum est salsa scilicet à nativitate Domini usque ad festum sancti Johannis Baptistae per aliud verò medium temporis est dulcis Sed quod mirabilius est pro illo tempore quo est sali necessaria si non hauritur superfluit per aliud verò temporis vix semper excrescit Gervas in lib. de Ociis imperialibus citatâ—…r Pet. Bechor Reduct Moral l. 13. c. 3. De Anglia Vigornia and Wignornia Some say it is as big as the twelve Counties in Wales The Scots call it don-Don-Castle from the River Don. Holy-hair The Englishmen dwelling beyond Trent called the hair of the Head Fax There is also a Family in this Countrey of Gentlemen named Fairfax of the fair bush of their Hair Pontefract A French name brought in by the Lacies Normans for the English word of broken bridge Lelands Itinerary * Eboracum Eburacum is derived from the River Vré by Vre or a long the side of Vre See Burtons Comment on Anton. his Itin. p. 60 61. why it is called Eboracum The Kings-Town built by King Edward the First There are also high and low Burton houses Or the North-part of this Countrey
so frequented that they of Hereford and Worcester complaining that the confluence of people thither impaired their Mercates procured that by Royal Authority the Mercat day was changed There are an hundred and seventy six Parishes eight Market Towns and an eleven Hundreds in this County Hertfordshire FAmous for a good Air and fair Houses of Gentlemen and Wheat It lieth on the East and partly on the South-side of Bedfordshire The West-side is enclosed with Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire the South with Middlesex the East with Essex and the North with Cambridgeshire A rich Countrey in Corn Fields Pastures Medows Woods Groves and clear Riverets There is scarcely another Shire in all England that can shew more good Towns in so small a compasse In Ware in this County there is 1. The Head of the River that runs into Tames 2. A great Bed which is about three yards at least every way about at both the sides and ends Roiston a Town well known it is very famous and passing much frequented for Malt. It parts four Shires Cambridgeshire Bedfordshire Hertfordshire and Huntingtonshire Ashwell The Well or Fountain among the ashes where there is a source of the springs bubling out of a stony bank overshadowed on every side with tall ashes from whence there floweth at certain Veins continually running such store of water that forthwith being carried within banks it carrieth a stream able to drive a Mill and all of a sudden as it were groweth to a good big River Whethamssed a Town plentifull in Wheat whence it took its name which place John of Whethamsted there born and thereof named a man in King Henry the Sixth his dayes much renowned by his due desert of learning made of more estimation Bishops-Hatfield in times past belonging to the Bishops of Ely whence it was named Bishops-Hatfield which John Morton Bishop of Ely re-edified The Earle of Salisbury hath an House there There were seven Parks in the Mannor of Hatfield Hertford it hath given name to the whole County and is reputed the Shire Town it is ancient Hodesdon a fair thorow fare Saint-Albans It was famous for nothing so much as bringing forth Alban a Citizen of singular holinesse and faith in Christ who when Dioclesian went about by exquisite torments to wipe Christian Religion quite out of the memory of men was the first in Britain that with invincible constancy and resolution suffered death for Christ his sake Whereupon he is called our Stephen and the Protomartyr of Britain Fortunatus Presbyter the Poet wrote thus of him Albanum egregium faecunda Britannia profert Fruitfull Britain bringeth forth Alban a Martyr of high worth The Abbey of St. Albans was the first of England whether because Adrian the Fourths Father called Breakspear was Monk there or from Saint Alban himself Proto-martyr of England This Town was raised out of the ruins of Verolamium it is a fair and large Town Redborne or Red water is seated upon that common and military high-way which we call Watling-street Hamsted a little Mercat Town called Hehan Hamsted situate among the the Hils by a Riveret-side Kings-Langley in which was born and thereof tooke name Edmund Langley King Edward the Third his Sonne and Duke of York Over against Kings-Langley in a manner there is Abbots-Langley so called because it belonged to the Abbots of St. Albanes wherein was born Nicholas surnamed Breakspear afterwards Bishop of Rome known by the name of Pope Hadrian the fourth whose breath was stopped in the end with a Flie that flew into his mouth Watford a Mercat Town Welwen Here the murder of the Danes began when they were generally murdered and it was so called because the weal of that Countrey as was then thought was there first wone But who well considers the sequele of the story shall find little weal that ensued of this deed Graftons Chron. Rickemausworth also a Mercat Town Caishobery Here Sir Richard Merisin Knight a great learned man and who had been used in Embassages to the mightiest Princes under King Henry the Eighth and King Edward the Sixth began to build an House which Sir Charles his Sonne finished Bernet famous for the Beast Mercat there kept This County hath an hundred and twenty Parishes eight Hundreds and eighteen Market Towns Huntingdonshire IT confineth Northward and Eastward upon Cambridgeshire Southward upon Bedfordshire Westward upon Northamptonshire A Countrey good for Corn and Tillage and toward the East where it is fenny very right and plentifull for the feeding of Cattel elswhere right pleasant by reason of rising Hils and shady Groves Kimbolton Saint-Neots commonly called Saint-Needs so named of one Neotus a man both learned and holy who travailed all his life time in propagating of Christian Religion Ainsbury it was named Ainulphsbury of one Almulph likewise an holy and devout man which name continueth still also in one part of it Huntingdon in the publick Seale Huntersdune Leland cals it Venantodunum the Hill or down of Hunters This is the chief Town of all this Shire to which it hath given also the name Godmanchester a very great Countrey Town and of as great name for Tillage situate in an open ground of a light mould and bending for the Sunne There is not a Town in all England which hath more stout and lusty Husbandmen or more Ploughs a going For they make their boast that they have in former time received the Kings of England as they passed in their progresse this way with ninescore Ploughs brought forth in a rustical kinde of pomp for a gallant shew When King James came first into England here the Bailiffs of the Town presented him with seventy Teem of Horses all traced to fair new Ploughs in shew of their Husbandry of which when his Majesty demanded the reason he was answered That it was their ancient Custome whensoever any King of England passed thorow their Town so to present him Besides they added That they held their Lands by that Tenure being the Kings Tenants His Majesty took it well and bad them use well their Ploughes being glad he was Land-lord of so many good Husbandmen in one Town Saint-Ives of Ivo a Persian Bishop who as they write about the year of Christ 600 travelled thorow England preached diligently the Word of God and to this Town wherein he left this life left also his name Ramsey a wealthy Abbey In this little Shire are numbred seventy eight Parishes four Hundreds and six Market Towns Kent THis name Cantium and the name Kent was given by reason of the form and situation The Helvetian Countreys were called by the French Cantons This Countrey by the old Geographers is called Angulus an angle or corner of Land Or of the British word Cainc they call their great woody Forest in Staffordshire yet Kanc. It is the pleasantest Countrey of England This Region extendeth it self in length from West to East fifty miles and from South to North six and twenty The upper part
Earls of Pembroke Sudbroke the Church whereof called Trinity-Chappel standeth neer the Sea a moor for many miles together Abergenny It is fortified with Wals and a Castle This Shire containeth Parish Churches an hundred twenty seven Northfolk or Norfolk PEople of the North It is a Region large and spacious and in manner all thorowout a plain champion unlesse it be where there rise gently some pretty Hils passing rich exceeding full of Sheep and stored with Coneys replenished likewise with a great number of populous Villages for besides twenty seven Mercat Towns it is able to shew Villages and Countrey Towns six hundred twenty and five watered with divers Rivers and Brooks and not altogether destitute of Wood A man may collect the goodnesse of the ground by this that the Inhabitants are of a passing good complexion to say nothing of their exceeding wily wits and the same right quick in the insight of our Common Laws insomuch as it is counted the only Countrey for best Lawyers One saith that three hundred and forty nisi prius were tried there at one Assizes It is a pleasant Countrey for sports Hawking and Hunting Thetford the Ford of Thet of good bignesse yet it hath but few Inhabitants Harleston a good Mercat Norwich a famous City by reason of the wealth number of Inhabitants the resort of people fair buildings and many fair Churches it containeth thirty two Parishes and fourty two Chappels and Churches the painfull industry of the Citizens and their courtesie unto strangers The Market Crosse and Cloister of the Cathedral there are the fairest in England It is pleasantly situate on the side of an Hill compassed about with strong Wals in which are orderly placed many Turrets and twelve Gates unlesse it be on the East-side where the River is a fence thereto It is three miles about The Arms of the City are the Castle and Lion A City whose Antiquity Alexander Nevil hath most learnedly and elegantly set down in Latine It hath been long famous for the ancient cloathes or stuff called Worsted but hath lately abounded in variety of weaving through the invention and industry of the Dutch and French Flemmings which inhabit there in great numbers There is a great House there of the Duke of Norfolks now the Earl of Arundels where there are very fair Granaries and the best Bowling-alley in England There is also an Hospital where an hundred of men and women are maintained Matthew Parker was born here Yarmouth a very convenient Haven and as fair a Town beautifully built and well fenced both by the natural strength of the place and also by the skilfull industry of mans art It hath but one Church yet the same is very large having a high Steeple to adorn it It is famous for fishing and merchandizing There are two long Streets in it each of them a mile long one called the Dean-street the other the Key There is also another Street called the Middle-street and many rows as they call them after the manner of Holland There is also a fair Market place Holt a Town so called of an Holt or tuft of trees and for the Mercat well known Ailesham a Mercat Town of good resort Worsted where the stuff worsted in so great request amongst our Ancestors was first made and hence so named as Dornicks Camery Calecut had in like manner their denominations from the places where they were first invented and made Walsingham This Village is very famous by reason of the best Saffron growing there The Family of the Walsinghams Knights fetched first their name and original from hence out of which house flourished that Sir Francis Walsingham Secretary to Queen Elizabeth a man as of deep insight so also of as rare and painfull industry in the weightiest affairs of the Realm Lynne peradventure so named of the waters broad spreading So Lynne imports in the Welch tongue This is a large Town encompassed with a deep Trench and Wals for the most part thereof divided by two small Rivers that have fifteen Bridges or thereabout over them It is called old Linne and Linnum Regis that is Kings Linne yet by reason of the safe Haven which yeeldeth most easie accesse for the number also of the Merchants there dwelling and thither resorting for the fair and the goodly houses the wealth also of the Townsmen it is doubtlesse the principal Town of this Shire except Norwich onely Mershland a little moist Mersh-Countrey as the name implieth a soil standing upon very rich and fertile mould and breeding abundance of Cattel insomuch as that in a place commonly called Tilneysmeth there feed much about thirty thousaud Sheep In this Province there be Parish Churches about six hundred and sixty In Norfolk and Suffolk there are more Parishes than in any other Counties six hundred and odde in Norfolk and above five hundred in Suffolk Northamptonshire THis County is situate in the very middle and heart as it were of England On the East lie Bedford and Huntingdonshires On the South Buckingham and Oxfordshires Westward Warwickshire Northward Rutlandshire and Lincolnshire separated from it by Avon the lesse and Welland two Rivers It is a champion Countrey exceeding populous and passing well furnished with Noblemens and Gentlemens Houses replenished also with Towns and Churches insomuch as in some places there are twenty and in others thirty Seeples with Spires or square Towers within view at once The soil very fertile both for Tillage and Pasture yet nothing so well stored with Woods unlesse it be in the further and hither sides But in every place as elswhere also in England it is over-spread and as it were beset with Sheep Brakley a place full of Brake or Fern the Students of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford use the Colledge there for a retiring place Torcester so called of Towrs It hath a large Church in it Hard by at Eston-Nessont there is a fair and beautifull House belonging to the Knightly Family of the Farmers Sacy-Forest stored with Deer and fit for game Avon a general name of all Rivers This Aufona or Nen is a notable River which after a sort runneth through the middle part of this Shire Dantrey is a through-fare Town well known at this day by reason of the Innes there Fawesly where have dwelt a long time the Knightleys descended from those more ancient Knightleys of Gnowshall in the County of Stafford Wedon in the street It is a pretty through-fare set on a plain ground and much celebrated by Carriers because it standeth hard by the famous way there commonly call'd of the people * Watlingstreet Lelands Itinerary Holdenby-House a fair patern of stately and magnificent building Northampton so called from its situation upon the North-bank of the River Aufon The City for Houses is very fair for circuit of good largenesse and walled about and from the Wall there is a goodly Prospect every way to a wide and spacious plain Countrey There are seven Parish Churches
more fair than ancient Bridgnorth so called of Burgh or Burrough and Morfe heretofore a Forest adjoyning A Town fortified with Walls a Ditch a stately Castle and the Severn seated also upon a Rock out of which the wayes leading into the upper part of the Town were wrought out Wenlock now known for the Lime Huckstow-Forest Routon-Castle Tong-Castle there is a Bell for the bignesse of it very famous in all those parts adjoyning Draiton Wem Morton-Corbet a Castle of the Corbets Shrewsbury the famousest Town of this Shire it standeth most pleasantly It is seated upon an Hill of a reddish Earth and Severn having two very fair Bridges upon it Neither is it strengthened only by nature but fortified also by Art it is like a Horse-shoe in the opening place There is a strong stately Castle It is a fair and goodly City well frequented and traded full of good merchandize and by reason of the Citizens painfull diligence with Cloth making and Traffique with Welshmen rich and wealthy For hither almost all the Commodities of Wales do conflow as it were to a common Mart of both Nations It is inhabited both with Welsh and English speaking both Languages One of the rarities there is their Cakes such as cannot be made so well in any other place of England Shrawerden Castle Knocking-Castle Oswestre a little Town enclosed with a Ditch and a Wall fortified also with a pretty Castle in it there is great Traffick of Welsh Cottons Whittington-Castle Whit-Church or Album Monasterium Ellesmer a little Territory but rich and fruitfull In this Region there are about an hundred and seventy Parishes It had the great Lawyer Ployden the rich Squire Thin the great Hebrician Broughton the strong man the Baron of Burford the witty Jester Tarleton Somersetshire THis County is very large and wealthy The North-side whereof the Severn Sea beateth upon The West part confineth with Denshire in the South it bordereth first upon Devonshire and then upon Dorsetshire Eastward upon Wiltshire and North-East upon part of Glocestershire The soil very rich yeelding for the most part thereof passing great plenty both of Pasture and Corn and yet not without stony Hils exceeding populous and full of Inhabitants furnished also with commodious Havens and Ports sufficiently As it is soul so it is fruitfull which makes them comfort themselves with this Proverb What is worst for the Rider is best for the Abider This name grew from Somerton a famous Town in ancient time and of all others in the Shire most frequented Dunster-Castle is enclosed round about with Hils saving to the Seaward built by the Mohuns a right noble and mighty Family which flourished from the very Conquerours dayes under whose Reign that Castle was built unto the time of King Richard the Second Cheder famous for five things 1. Cheese 2. * Teazers 3. Garlick 4. Mills there is a spring whereby many Mils are turned about 5. Cliffs a great Rock cleft asunder Evel a great Market Town West-Camalet and East-Camalet or Queens-Camalet two Towns Winecaunton a great Market Ilchester there is a Market there kept Montacute fo termed because the Hill riseth up by little and little to a sharp point It hath given name to that right honourable Family of Montacute Longport a Market Town well frequented Wellington a pretty Market Town Sir John Popham dwelt here a man of an ancient worshipfull House and withall a most upright Justicer and of singular industry Taunton or Thonton from the River Thone A very fine and proper Town and most pleasantly seated one of the eyes of the Shire The Countrey here most delectable on every side with green medows flourishing with pleasant Gardens and Orchards and replenished with fair Mannor-houses wonderfully contenteth the eyes of the beholders Athelney a pretty Island a place famous for King Alfreds shrouding himself therein when the Danes had brought all into broil Somerton the Shire Town in times past There is kept a Fair of Oxen and other Beasts from Palm-Sunday untill the midst of June with much resort of people the Countreymen all thereabout are very great Grasiers Breeders and Feeders of Cattel Bridgwater a great and populous Town King Henry the Eighth adorned it with an Earldom Bruiton The Glassy Isle so called Propter amnem scilicet quasi vitrei coloris in marisco circumfluentem Monasticon Anglicanum Vide plura ibid. Here flourished the famous Abbey of Glastenbury the beginning whereof is very ancient fetched even from that Joseph of Arimathaea who enterred the body of Jesus Christ and whom Philip the Apostle of the Gauls sent into Britain for to preach Christ See Dees British Monarchy Ochy hole a Cave or Den far within the ground wherein are to be seen certain Pits and Riverets Congerbury so named of one Congar a man of singular holinesse This County is famoused by three Cities Bath Wells and Bristow Wells a little City with an Episcopal See so called of the Springs or Wells which boyl up there For multitude of Inhabitants for fair and stately Buildings it may well and truly challenge the preheminence of all this Province It hath a goodly Church and Colledge The Church it self all thorowout is very beautifull but the Frontispiece thereof in the West-end is a most excellent and goodly piece of Work indeed for it ariseth up still from the foot to the top all of Imagery in curious and antique wise wrought of stone carved and embowed right artificially and the Cloisters adjoyning very fair and spacious A gorgeous Palace of the Bishops built in manner of a Castle fortified with Walls and a Mote standeth hard by Southward and on the other side fair houses of the Prebendaries In the Reign of Henry the First Johannes de Villula of Tours in France being elected Bishop translated his See to Bath since which time the two Sees growing into one the Bishop beareth the title of both so that he is called The Bishop of Bath and Wells Selwood a Wood thick of Trees whereof the Countrey adjoyning is called Selwoodshire Bathe of the hot Bathes in times past callid in Latine Aquae calidae It is seated low in a plain environed round about with Hils almost all of one height out of which certain rilles of fresh River waters continually descend into the City to the great commodity of the Citizens Within the City it self there bubble and boil up three Springs of hot water of a Blewish or Sea-colour thin vapours and rising up from thence a kind of strong sent withall by reason that the water is drilled and strained through veins of Brimstone and a clammy kind of earth called Bitumen which Springs are very medicinable and of great vertue to cure bodies over-charged and benummed with corrupt humours For by their heat they procure sweat and subdue the rebellious stubbornnesse of the said humours From eight of the clock in the forenoon unto three in the afternoon they are
Alliance is in these parts of great name Chartley there is a Castle Beaudesert the House of the Lord Paget Lichfield This City is low seated of good largeness and fair withall divided into two parts with a shallow pool of clear water which parts notwithstanding joyn in one by the means of two Bridges or Causeys made over that have their sluces to let out the water It was beautified with a very goodly Cathedral Church which being round about compassed with a fair Wall Castle-like and garnished besides with fair Houses of Prebendaries and with the Bishops Palace also mounting upon high with three Pyramids or Spires of stone making an elegant shew and for elegant and proportional building it did yeeld to few Cathedral Churches but is now demolished Burton upon Trent a famous Market the Bridge there hath 38 Arches Blithfield a fair House of the ancient Family of the Bagots Needwood-Forest was very large Moorland so called because it riseth higher into hils and mountains and is less fruitfull which kind of places we call Moors Leek a well known Market Town Wotton a little Countrey Village there lying under Weverhill Wotton under Wever Where God came never This fond Rime the neighbour Inhabitants use of it Yet in so hard a soil it breedeth and feedeth beasts of large bulk and fair spread The River Dow or Dove doth swiftly runne along the most part of the East-side of this County and separateth it from Darbyshire if it chance to swell above the banks and overflow the Medows in April it maketh them so fruitfull that the Inhabitants use commonly to chant this joyfull note In April Doves flood Is worth a Kings good Utcester it is situate upon the side of an Hill with a gentle ascent a Town more rich in gay flowring Medows and in Cattel than fair built Tutbury-Castle in times past large and stately There are accounted an hundred and thirty Parishes in this Shire Suffolk IT hath on the West-side Cambridgeshire on the South the River Stour which divideth it from Essex on the East-side the German-Sea and on the North two little Rivers ouse the least and Waveney which flowing out as it were of the same fountain runne divers wayes and sever it apart from Norfolk It was famous for worthy Ministers in the very beginning of Reformation In the entrance of Queen Elizabeth to the Crown it was moved at the Council-Table Whether it was not dangerous for some Politick respects to alter the Religion before established Sir Nicholas Bacon who was of the County of Suffolk demanded Which was the true Religion acccording to Scripture the Protestant or Popish it being answered the Protestant Leave that to God then said he to defend it It is a large Countrey and full of Havens of a fat and fertile soil unlesse it be Eastward being compounded of Clay and Marle by means whereof there are every where most rich and goodly Corn-fields with Pastures as battable for grazing and feeding of Cattel Great store of Cheeses are there made which to the great commodity of the Inhabitants are vented into all parts of England nay into Germany France and Spain also There are also Woods and Parks New-Market a Town lately built as the very name imports Here lieth out a great way round about a large plain named of this Town New-Market-Heath consisting of a sandy and barren ground yet green withall There are great Ditches called The Devils Ditches St. Edmunds-Bury or Bury a renowned Town A place for situation and wholsomenesse of air so excellent that Camden saith Sol non vidit urbem situ elegantiorem Many of the Gentry live there There are two Churches in one Churchyard where there are Lectures several dayes in the week Here was born Richardus de Bury Bishop of Durham the Governour of Edward the Third when young and famous especially for a work which he entituled Philobiblos in the Preface of which he confesseth Ecstatico quodam librorum amore potenter se abreptum He was well acquainted with Petrark the Italian and other learned men of that age Bradwardine Archbishop of Canterbury and Richard Fitzralph Armachanus Walter Burleigh Robert Halcot and other most famous men of that age were his Chaplains Lidgate a small Village yet in this respect not to be passed over in silence because it brought into the world John Lidgate the Monk whose wit may seem to have been framed and shapen to the very Muses themselves so brightly reshine in his English Verses all the pleasant graces and elegancies of speech according to that age Clare a noble Village it gave name to the right noble Family of the Clares Earls of Clare Sudbury that is the South-Burgh it is populous and wealthy by reason of cloathing there Mont-chensie Nettlested Offton the Town of Off a King of the Mercians Lancham a pretty Mercat Hadley a Town of good note for making of cloaths Higham Bentley Walpet that is the Wolves-pit a Mercat Town Stow and Needham two little Mercat Towns Ipswich * a fair Town resembling a City situate in a ground somewhat low which is the Eye of this Shire as having an Haven commodious enough fenced in times past with a trench and rampire of good trade and stored with wares well peopled and full of Inhabitants adorned with twelve Churches and with goodly large and stately Edifices plentifull in shipping Mendlesham there is a Market and Fair Ufford the seat in times past of Robert de Ufford Earl of Suffolk The roof of this Church and other parts of the Quire are curiously engraven with sundry kinds of Works and Pictures all burnisht and guilt with gold Weevers Ancient Funer Mon. Rendelisham that is Rendils Mansion place Woodbridge a little Town beautified with fair houses Framlingham-Castle a very fair and beautifull Castle fortified with Bank Ditch and Walls of great thicknesse wherein are thirteen Towers and inwardly furnished with buildings right commodious and necessary Parrham a little Town Barons Willoughbey of Parrham Oreford Aldburgh that is the old Burgh or the Burgh upon the River Ald. An Harbour very commodious for Sailers and Fishermen and thereby well frequented Dunwich it lieth now desolate Blithborow a small Town it hath a Mercat and a Fair Southwold a Town well frequented through the benefit of an Haven Wingfield it hath given name to an ancient and renowned Family Dunnington the habitation of the ancient Family of the Rousses Heuningham the residence of a Family of that name of very great Antiquity Halesworth a Mercat Town Hoxon ennobled by reason of King Edmunds Martyrdom Brome there dwelt a long time the Family of Cornwalleis of Knights degree of whom Sir John Cornwalleis was Steward of Edward the Sixth his houshold while he was Prince and his Sonne Sir Thomas for his wisdom and faithfulnesse became one of the Privy-Councel to Queen Mary and Controller of her Royal House Eaye an Island Beddingfield it gave the name to an ancient
fair stone Market place supported with Pillars round about The Church it self is not great but very fair and neat having a Spire-steeple of stone rising up passing high Selsey the Isle of Sea-Calves now famous for good Cockles and full Lobsters Amberley there is a Castle Arundel Petworth a house of my Lord of Northumberland where there is a very fair stable Horseham an indifferent Market Michel-grove that is Great-Grove Old Shoreham a Village Stening a great Market and at certaine set dayes much frequented Lewes this for frequency of people and greatnesse is reputed one of the chiefest Towns of the County it is seated upon a rising almost on every side There are six Churches in the Town High-hills called the Downs which for rich fertility giveth place to few valleys and plains Pemsey or Peremsey Marsh of Pevensey the next Towne adjoyning Herst-Mounceaux Ashburnham it gave the name to a Family of great Antiquity Hastings It is accounted the first of the Cinque-Ports Winchelsey a fair Town Rhie a very commodious Haven There is an usual passage from hence into Normandy Echingham Bodiam a Castle belonging to the ancient Family of the Leaknors Ashdown-Forest under which standeth Buckhurst the Habitation of the ancient House of the Sackviles Waterdown-Forest This Province containeth Parishes three hundred and twelve Warwickshire IT is bounded on the East-side with Northamptonshire Leicestershire and the Watlingstreet way on the South with Oxfordshire and Glocestershire on the West for the greatest part with Worcestorshire and on the North-side with Staffordshire It is divided into a plain champion and a woody Countrey which parts the River Avon running crookedly from North-East to South-West doth after a sort sever one from the other Edge-hill There is the Vale of the Red-horse so termed from a shape of a Horse cut out in a red Hill by the Countrey people hard by Essenhull It takes its name from the situation standing Eastward from Monks-Kirby and upon a rising ground Pillerton Shipston a Mercat of Sheep in times past Kinton a Mercat of Kine Compton in the Hole because it lieth hidden under the Hils thence a noble Family hath taken the name Shugbury stones resembling little stars are there found which the Lords of the place surnamed thereupon have long shewed in their Coat-armour Southam a Mercate Town well known Leamington a Mercat Town so caled of Leame a small Brook that wandereth through this part of the Shire Chesterton the Habitation of that ancient Family of the Peitoes Rugby a Mercat chiefly for Butchers Newenham Regis Kings Newenham to distinguish it from Newenham Paddox the King was anciently possest of it There are wholsome Wells Upton so called because it stands upon an ascent Bagginton which belonged sometime to the Bagots Stoneley a stony place Warwick is the principal Town of the whole Shire It standeth over the River Avon upon a steep and high Rock and all the Passages into it are wrought out of the very stone It stands in a dry and fertile soil having the benefit of rich and pleasant Medows on the South part with the lofty Groves and spacious thickets of the woodland on the North It hath a very strong Castle the seat in times past of the Earls of Warwick The Town it self is adorned with fair houses A place of strength and health in the same Fort You would conceive a Castle and a Court The Orchards Gardens Rivers and the Air May with the Trenches Rampires Walls compare It seems no art no force can intercept it As if a Lover built a Souldier kept it D. Corbets Iter Boreale Blacklow-Hill here Piers de Gaveston was by the Nobles of the Kingdom beheaded Charl-Cot the habitation of the renowned ancient Family of the Lucies Knights which place long ago descended hereditarily to them from the Charlcots Stratford upon Avon a little Mercate Town there is a stone Bridge supported with fourteen Arches Bitford a Mercat Town Studly-Castle Coughton the principal mansion house of the Throckmortons Beauchamps-Court so named of Baron Beauchamp of Powick Henley a pretty Mercat Town Aulcester a small Mercat of Wares and trade but much frequented for the Corn-Fair there holden Wroxhall there is a little Priory Killingworth there is a most ample beautifull and strong Castle encompassed all about with Parks Bremicham or Bremingham full of Inhabitants and resounding with Hammers and Anvils for the most of them are Smiths The lower part thereof standeth very waterish the upper riseth with fair buildings Sutton-Coldfield It standeth in a wooddy and on a churlish hard soil but in an excellent air and full of all manner of pleasures There is a Grammar-School Coleshull so called from the River Cole Maxstock-Castle is neer to it Meriden This place situated upon London-road hath from some Innes and Ale-houses built for the receipt of Passengers grown of late times to the credit of a Village Coventry It is a City very commodiously seated large sweet and neat fortified with a strong Wall and set out with right goodly houses among which there rise up on high two Churches of rare workmanship standing one hard by the other and matched as it were as concurrents the one consecrated to the Holy Trinity the other to Saint Michael One and the self same Bishop carried the name both of Coventry and Lichfield Leofrick the first Lord of this City being much offended and angry with the Citizens oppressed them with most heavy Tributes which he would remit upon no other condition at the earnest suit of his Wife Godina unlesse she would her self ride on horse-back naked through the greatest and most inhabited street of the City which she did indeed and was so covered with her fair long Hair that if we may believe the common sort she was seen of no body and thus she did set free her Citizens of Coventry from many paiments for ever At Gosford-Gate there hangeth to be seen a mighty great Shield-bone of a wild Bore which Guy of Warwick slew in hunting when he had turned up with his snout a great pit or pond which is now called Swansewell but Swineswell in times past Ausley-Castle Brand Caledon Whitmore-Park Though it be for the most part woody yet is in some places so moorish as that the ground beareth nothing but mosse which being in one place white gave occasion doubtlesse for its name Dugd. Antiq. of Warwickshire Willowby because of the Willows Cester-over neer unto which the High port-way Watlingstreet Nun-Eaton or Eaton Mancester a very small Village Atherstone a Mercat Town of good resort Merival Pollesworth Sir Francis Nethersole a Kentish Gentleman of an ancient house sometimes Oratour to the University of Cambridge Secretary to the Queen of Bohemia hath erected a School-house there In this County there are an hundred and fifty eight Parish Churches VVestmerland IT is so called because it lieth all of it among Moors and high Hils and was for the most part unmanured
Such barren places the Northern Englishmen call Moors and West-moreland is a Western-moorish Countrey It is bounded on the West and North-side with Cumberland on the East with Yorkshire and the Bishoprick of Durrham The Barony of Kendale and Candale of the River Can which running thorow upon stones cutteth thorow it Kendale-Kirke by Kendale a Town of very great Trade and resort with two broad and long streets crossing the one over the other and a place for excellent cloathing and for industry so surpassing that in regard thereof it carrieth a great name For the Inhabitants have great traffique and vent of their wollen Cloaths throughout all parts of England In the River Can are two water-falls where the waters have a downfall with a mighty noise Kirkby-Lonsdale whither all the people round about repair to Church and Mercat Wharton-Hall the seat of the Barons Wharton Kirkby-Stephen a Mercat Town well known Musgrave there are two little Villages of that name which gave name unto that martial and warlick Family of the Musgraves Burgh under Stanemore a small poor Village fenced with a little Fortresse Apelby memorable for its antiquity and situation onely It standeth in a pleasant site encompassed for the most part with the River Eden for its antiquity it deserves to be counted the chief Town of the Shire The Castle is the common-Goal for malefactours Whellep-Castle Brougham In this Shire are contained six and twenty Parishes VViltshire IT is altogether a mediterranean or midland Countrey It is enclosed with Somersetshire on the West Berkshire and Hampshire on the East on the North with Glocestershire on the South with Dorsetshire and a part of Hampshire A region which as it breedeth a number of warlike and hardy men who in old time with Cornwall and Denshire together challenged by reason of their manhood and martial prowesse the prerogative of the English Army of that Regiment which should second the main Battel so it is exceeding fertile and plentifull of all things yea and for the variety thereof passing pleasant and delightsome Wansdike a Dike of wonderfull work cast up for many miles together The Saxons made it as a limit to divide the two Kingdom of the Mercians and West-Saxons asunder For this was the very place of Battel between them while each strove one with another to enlarge his Dominions Greeklade so called of Greek Philosophers as some are ready to believe who as the History of Oxford reporteth began there an University which afterwards was translated to Oxford Camdens Britan. This though Leland dislikes other learned men approve See M. Seldens Illustrat of Draytons Polyolb High-worth highly seated and well known Wood-Town or Wotton-Basset It hath his primitive name from Wood the addition proves that it belonged to the noble House of the Bassets Malmesbury a very neat Town and hath a great name for cloathing See Monasticon Anglicanum p. 49. of the Monastery here Maidulphi Urbs that is Maidulphs City and afterwards short Malmesbury Aldelme the chief of Maidulphs Disciples being elected his Successour built there a very fair Monastery and was himself the first Abbot thereof He was canonized a Saint and on his Festival day there was here kept a great Fair at which usually there is a Band of armed men appointed to keep the peace among so many resorting thither He was the first of the English Nation who wrote in Latine and that taught Englishmen the way how to make a Latine Verse Primus ego in Patriam mecum modò vita supersit Aonio rediens deducam vertice Musas This Monastery among other famous Clerks great Scholars brought forth William surnamed thereof Malmesburiensis unto whom for his learned industry the History of England both Civil and Ecclesiastical are deeply indebted Colne an old little Town situate upon a stony ground having in it a fair Church to commend it Chippenham of note at this day for the Market there kept There is now nothing worth the sight but the Church built by the Barons Hungerford as appeareth every where by their Coats of Armes set up thereon Cosham a little Village Castle-Comb an old Castle Leckham the possession of the noble Family of the Bainards Lacock a Monastery The Castle De Vies the Devizes built by Roger Bishop of Salisbury He built also the Castle of Malmesbury and Shireburn Trubridge that is a sure and trusty Bridge in great name and prosperity by reason of cloathing and sheweth the remains of a Castle Bradford so named of a broad Ford Long-Leat the dwelling place of the Thins a very fair neat and elegant house in a foul soil Maiden-Bradley A Maiden infected with the Leprosie founded an house here for Maidens that were Lepers Stourton the seat of the Lords Stourton so called of the River Stour Werminster exceeding much frequented for a round Corn-Market Sarisbury-Plains they are but rarely inhabited and had in late time a bad name for robberies there committed Heitesbury an ancient Mansion place of the Family of Hungerford Yanesbury-Castle a very large warlike Fence or Hold fortified with a deep and double Ditch Wardour a proper fine Castle Hindon a quick Market Wilton so called from the River Willey a place well watered and sometime the head Town of the whole Shire which thereof took the name It is now a small Village having a Maior for the head Magistrate and in it a fine House of the Earls of Pembroke Salisbury There is a stately and beautifull Minster which with an exceeding high spired Steeple and double crosse-Isles on both sides The Windows in the Church as they reckon them answer just in number to the dayes the Pillars great and small to the hours of a full yeer and the gates to the twelve Moneths Mira Canam Soles quot continet annus in unâ Tam numerosa ferunt aede fenestra micat Marmoreasque capit fusas tot ab arte columnas Comprensas horas quot vagus annus habet Totque patent portae quot mensibus annus abundat Res mira at verâres celebrata fide Daniel Rogers It hath a Cloister for largenesse and fine workmanship inferiour to none whereunto joyneth the Bishops Palace a very fair and goodly house and on the other side a high bell Tower and passing strong withall standing by it self apart from the Minster every street is watered It is the second City in all this Tract well inhabited and frequented plentifull of all things especially of Fish adorned with a very stately Market place wherein standeth their common Hall of Timber work a very beautifull Edifice It boasteth chiefly of John Jewel long since Bishop there a wonderfull great and deep Divine a most stout and earnest maintainer of our Reformed Religion against the Adversaries by his learned Books Clarindon a very large and goodly Park very fit for the keeping and feeding of wild beasts About six miles from Salisbury in the Plains before named is to be seen a
huge and monstrous peece of work Stone-henge Within the circuit of a Ditch there are erected in manner of a Crown in three ranks or courses one within another certain mighty and unwrought Stones whereof some are eight and twenty foot high and seven foot broad upon the heads of which others like overthwart peeces do bear and rest crosse-wise with small tenents and mortesis so as the whole frame seemeth to hang Everly-Warren a Warren of Hares Savernac-Forest of great name for plenty of good game and for a kind of Ferne there that yeeldeth a most pleasing savour In remembrance whereof their Hunters-horn of a mighty bignesse and tipt with silver the Earl of Hertford keepeth unto this day as a Monument of his Progenitors Atibury an uplandish Village Rockley a little Village Kenet Marleborow It was most famous by reason of a Parliament there holden wherein by a general consent of the States of the Kingdome there assembled a Law passed for the appeasing of all Tumults commonly called The Statute of Marleborow Ramesbury a pretty Village which hath pretty Medows about it Littlecot a place worthy to be remembred because of the late Lord thereof Sir John Popham who being the chief Judge in the Kings-Bench executed Justice against malefactours to his high praise and commendation This County containeth in it three hundred and four Parishes Worcestershire SO called of the principal Town in it Here are many Salt-pits which the old Englishmen in their Language named Wiches Warwickshire confineth on the East of this County Glocestershire on the South it is bounded Westward with Herefordshire and Shropshire North-East with Staffordshire it hath so temperate an air and so favourable soil that for healthfulnesse and plenty it is not inferiour to the neighbour Countreys and in one part for dainty Cheese surpasseth them It yeeldeth store of Pears of which they make a bastard kind of Wine called Pyrry which they drink very much although it be as other drinks of that kind both cold and full of wind In every place there are sweet Rivers which afford a great abundance of the most delicate kind of fishes Severn that noble and renowned River carrieth his stream along through the midst of the Shire from North to South and Avon that cometh down out of Warwickshire to meet with Severn watereth the South-part thereof Beawdly worthily so called for the beautifull site thereof standeth most pleasantly upon the hanging of an Hill and hovereth over the River on the West-side on late dayes well known for the admirable talnesse of Trees growing in the Forest of Wyre adjoyning which now in manner be all gone Delicium rerum Bellus Locus undique floret Fronde Coronatus Virianae tempore Sylvae Kidderminster a fair Town and hath a great Mercat of all Commodities well frequented parted in twain by little River Stowre that runneth thorow it There is a very beautifull Church Hertlebury-Castle Holt-Castle so called of a very thick wood there Frankeley the Family of the Littletons planted by John Littleton aliàs Westcote the famous Lawyer Justice in the Kings-Bench in the time of King Edward the Fourth to whose Treatise of Tenures the Students of our Common-Law are no lesse beholden then the Civilians to Justinians Institutes Bromesgrove a Mercat Town Grafton Droitwich some term it Durtwich of the Salt-pits and the wettish ground on which it standeth where three fountains yeelding plenty of water to make salt of divided asunder by a little Brook of fresh water passing between by a peculiar gift of nature spring out out of which most pure white Salt is boiled for six Moneths every year viz. from Mid-sommer to mid-winter in many set furnaces round about Richard De la Wich Bishop of Chichester was here born whom Pope Urban the fourth canonized for a Saint Fekenham-Forest Worcester the principal City of this Shire an ancient and beautifull place It standeth in a place rising somewhat with a gentle ascent by the Rivers-side that hath a fair Bridge with a Tower over it it is well and strongly walled There are fair and neat Houses many Churches It is a Bishops See The Cathedral Church is a passing fair and stately building adorned with the Monuments and Tombs of King John Arthur Prince of Wales and divers of the Beauchamps Powick famous for Cherries Hanley-Castle Upton a Mercate Towne of great name Malvern-Hills great and high Mountains which for the space of seven miles or thereabout do as it were by degrees rise higher and higher dividing this Shire from the County of Hereford Bredon-Hills farre lesse Elmesley-Castle Washborn a Village whence came the surname to a very ancient and worshipfull Family in this Tract Eovesham so called as the Monks write of one Eoves Swinherd to Egwin Bishop of Worcester A very proper Town situate upon an Hill arising from the River A Town well known for the Vale under it named thereof The Vale of Evesham which for plentifull fertility hath well deserved to be called the Granary of all these Countreys so good and plentifull is the ground in yeelding the best Corn abundantly Charlton now the seat of the Dingleyes Oswaldslow-Hundred so called of Oswald Bishop of Worcester who obtained it for himself of King Edgar Augustines-Oke at which Augustine the Apostle of the Englishmen and the Bishops of Britain met and after they had disputed and debated the matter hotly for a good while touching the Celebration of Easter preaching Gods Word also to the English Nation and of administring Baptisme according to the Rites of the Roman Church in the end when they could not agree they departed on both sides with discontented minds upon their dissenting opinions There are in this Shire an hundred fifty and two Parishes Yorkshire THe County of York the greatest Shire by farre of all England is thought to be in a temperate measure fruitfull If in one place there be stony and sandy barren ground in another place there are for it Corn-fields as rich and fruitfull if it be void and destitute of woods here you shall find it shadowed there with most thick Forests So providently useth nature such a temperature that the whole Countrey may seem by reason also of that variety more gracefull and delectable It is farre greater and more numerous in the circuit of her miles then any Shire of England The length extended from Hart-Hill in the South to the mouth of Tees in the North is neer unto seventy miles the breadth from Flambrough-head to Horn-Castle upon the River Lun is eighty the whole circumference three hundred and eight miles Speed Helmsley a Mannor in Yorkshire hath two Parks and a Chase in it it is said to be about an hundred fourty six miles compasse it had fourty thousand timber Trees and two hundred Acres of wood There are many Free-holders there It is famous for Wool Grasing Corn Rivers and Fountains There are the Gips upon Yorkshire Woolds which in the drought of Summer when
beside At this day there are 9285. Parishes in the Kingdom There is in no place of the world greater and larger Dogs nor better Hounds That the British Hounds and Mastives excell those of other Nations See Burtons Comment on Antoninus Itin. pag. 219 220. Of all the Doggs in Europe ours bear the name They were in most request both for those baitings in the Amphitheaters and also in all other publick huntings among the Romanes Magnaque taurorum fracturi colla Britanni Claudian The Cock is a bold and stout Bird and will fight valiantly with his adversaries and presently crows when he obtains victory See Pliny lib. 29. cap. 4. The Cocks also there give not over the fight till death parts them There are three principal Rivers in England Thames in the South-East Severn in the South-West Trent a Northern River Isis the principal and Prince of all the English Rivers afterward entertaineth Tame and by a compound word is called Tamesis His ita compositis hinc Plantageneta regressus Fluctibus aequoreis trajectis venit in arcem Urbis Londini quam praeterlabitur amnis Piscosus Thamesis famae celeberrimus inter Albionis rivos Oclandi Anglorum Praelia The Thames swelleth with the accesse of the flowing tide of the Sea about Lx Italian miles by water from his mouth Neither to my knowledge is there any other River in all Europe that for so many miles within Land feeleth the violence of the Ocean forcing and rushing in upon it and so driving back and with-holding his waters to the exceeding great commodity of the Inhabitants bordering thereupon The second River of England is Severn the head of it is the Hill Plinlimon in Montgomery-shire He slowly wandereth through this Shire Shropshire Worcestershire and last of all Glocestershire infusing a certain vital moisture into the soil every where as he passeth untill at length he mildely dischargeth himself into the Severn-sea Trent by his due right challengeth to himself the third place among all the Rivers of England It runneth out of two Fountains being neer neighbours together in the North part of Staffordshire among the Moors Certain unskilfull and idle headed have dreamed that it was so named of Trente a French word which signifieth Thirty and thereupon also have feigned that thirty Rivers runne into it and as many kinds of fishes live therein We have more glorious Universities Colledges Schools and Churches than any Nation of the world There are two famous Universities in England Oxford and Cambridge Five great Schools in England Westminster Eaton Winchester Pauls and Merchant-Taylors School For Churches Doctor Heylin in his Geography shews which are the best It is famous beyond Seas also for its fine Wooll which is our golden Fleece The most considerable Ports on the East-side of the Island are New-castle Hull Lynne Yarmouth Harwich Colchester Sandwich on the South-side lies Plymouth on the West Chester Our Language consists partly of French Danish Saxon and Pictish Language The English-Saxon Tongue came in by the English-Saxons out of Germany who valiantly and wisely performed here all the three things which imply a full conquest viz. the alteration of Lawes Language and Attire Camd. Remains He saith also there that our Tongue is as copious pithy and significative as any other Tongue in Europe There is in English as true strains of Eloquence as strong and fine expressions as elaborate and solid pieces of fancy as in any Language whatsoever Howels Instruct for Travel Sect. 12. George commonly called St. George was the Patron both of our Nation and of the most honourable Order of Knighthood in the world The first and last Heresie that ever troubled this Island was inbred by Pelagius but that was amongst the Britons and was suppressed by the zeal of the Saxons who liked nothing of the British breed and for whose sake it suffered more happly then for the foulnesse of the opinion The sweating sicknesse call'd for the propriety by which it seized on the English Nation chiefly Sudor Anglicus It followed onely Englishmen in forrain Countreys no other people infected therewith There is a good course taken to secure this Land from forreigne Invasion by burning of Beacons Beacon of the old word Beacnian that is to shew by a signe for these many hundred years they have been in great request and much used among us in some places by heaping up a deal of wood in others by barrels full of pitch fastened to the top of a Mast or Pole in the highest places of the Countrey at which by night some do alwayes watch that by burning the pitch the enemies coming may be shewed to all the neighbour inhabitants This Realme was first divided into Circuits by King Henry the Second who appointed twice in the year that two of the most grave and learned Judges of the Land should in each Circuit administer Justice in the chief or head Towns of every Countrey Of these Judges one sitteth on matters criminal concerning the life and death of malefactours the other in actions personal concerning Title of Lands Debts or the like between party and party The first Circuit heretofore did comprehend the Counties of Wilts Somerset Devon and Southampton The second contained the Counties of Oxford Berks Glocester Munmouth Hereford Worcester Salop and Stafford The third had in it the Counties of Surrey Kent Essex and Hartford The fourth consisted of the Shires of Buckingham Bedford Huntingdon Cambridge Norfolk and Suffolk The fifth of the Shires of Northampton Rutland Lincoln Nottingham Darby Leicester and Warwick The sixth and last of the Shires of York Durham Northumberland Cumberland Westmerland and Lancaster So that in these six Circuits are numbered thirty eight Shires The two remaining are Middlesex and Cheshire whereof the first is exempted because of its vicinity to London and the second as being a County Palatine and having peculiar Judges and Counsellors to it self The seven Kingdoms Kent South-Saxia West-Saxie East-Saxia Northumberland Mercia and East-Anglia were governed by so many several Kings Ethelbert was King of Kent Sebert of East-Saxon Erpenwald of the East-Angle Edwine of Northumberland Kingill of West-Saxon Peada of Mercia Ethelwolf of the South-Saxon King Alfred ordained the Division of Shires Hundreâ—… and * Tithings that every Englishman living legally might be of a certain Hundred or Tithing out of which he was not to remove without security There are one and fourty Shires in England every Shire consisting of so many Hundreds and every Hundred of a number of Boroughs Villages or Tithings England was divided into seven Kingdomes by the Saxons after into Provinces Shires or Shares and Countreys by Alured In these Shires there is appointed in troublesome times a Deputy under the King to see that the Commonwealth sustain no hurt Now every year some one of the Gentlemen Inhabitants is made Ruler of the County wherein he
Parishes Buckinghamshire IT brings forth Beech-trees plentitifully which the English Saxons in elder times called Bucken whence Buckingham the chief Town and so the whole Shire took the name from Beech-trees The Countrey generally is of a rich plentifull soil and passing full of inhabitants who chiefly imploy themselves in grazing of Cattel there is store of Mutton and Beef Chiltern got that name according to the very nature of the soile of Chalkie Marle which the ancient Englishmen termed Cylt or Chilt Marlow a pretty Town of no mean credit taking name of the said Chalk commonly termed Marle which being spread upon Corn-ground eaten out of heart with long tillage doth quicken the same again so as that after one yeers rest it never lieth fallow but yeeldeth again to the Husbandman his seed in plentifull measure High Wickham or Wicombe rather from the turning of the River Thames the Germane Saxons term any winding reach of River and Sea a Wick and Comb a low valle This Town for largenesse and fair building is equal to the greatest Town in this Shire and in that it hath a Maior for the Head Magistrate Colbroke-Pontes is parted into four chanels over which stand as many Bridges for the commodity of passengers whence it tooke its name Hamden gave name to an ancient and well spread Family in these parts Some say one of that name was High-Sheriff when William the Conquerour came into England There is part of the House at great Hamden yet standing which hath been built ever since the time of William the Conquerour They have ancient Records one of which runs thus Osbert Hamden Lord of Great Hamden one of the Commissioners for expulsion of the Danes Ailesbury a fair Market Town compassed about with many most pleasant green Medows and Pastures of which the whole Vale is termed the Vale of Ailesbury Ascot the principal mansion house of the Dormers from whence descended the Dutches of Feria in Spain and others of noble note Stony Stratford named so of Stones the Streetway and a Fourd The houses are built of a certain rough stone which is digged forth in great abundance at Caversham hard by and it standeth upon the publick street commonly called Watling-street which was a military high-way made by the Romans and is evidently to be seen yet beyond the Town with the Bank or Causey thereof and hath a ford but now hardly passable Newport-Painel so called of Sir Fulcod Painel the Lord thereof Here are an eleven Market Towns and an hundred and eighty five Parishes Cambridgeshire CAmbridgeshire is famous for fish and fowl Cambridge a most famous Mart and Store-house of good Literature and Godlinesse standeth upon the River Cam which turning into the East divideth it into two parts and hath a Bridge over it whence arose the name Cambridge Neither is there wanting any thing here that a man may require in a most flourishing University were it not that the Air is somewhat unhealthfull arising as it doth out of a fenny ground hard by There are sixteen Colledges in it Saint Ides is one of the famousest Markets of England it serves several Counties The Isle of Ely There are several Etymologies of it given by Camden Ely a Bishops See * the City hath an unwholsome Air by reason of the fens round about although it be seated somewhat higher Hard under Cambridge Eastward neer unto Sture a little brook is kept every yeer in the Moneth of September the greatest Fair of all England whether you respect the multitude of buyers and sellers resorting thither or the store of Commodities there to be vented Neer unto Cambridge on the South-East side there appear aloft certain high Hils called Gogmagog On the top of them is a very large Fort entrenched strengthened with a three-fold Rampire Wisbich amongst Fennes and waters It hath eight Market Towns and an hundred and sixty three Parishes Cheshire IT is very pleasant and plenteous in all things needfull for mans use and therefore had the name of the Vale Royal of England from Edward the First The Grasse and Fodder there is of that goodnesse and vertue that Cheeses are made there in great number of a most pleasing and delicate taste such as all England again affordeth not the like no though the best dayriwomen otherwise and skilfullest in Chees-making be had from hence This Region hath alwayes bred more Gentry than the other Countreys in England For you have not in all England again any one Province beside that in old time either brought more valorous Gentlemen into the field or had more families in it of Knights degree The Breretons Manwarings and Venables are the most noble Families in that County On the South-side it is hemmed in with Shropshire on the East-side with Staffordshire and Darbyshire on the North with Lancashire and on the West with Denbigh and Flintshire The River Dee called in Latine Deva breeding very great plenty of Salmons ariseth out of two fountains in Wales and thereof men think it took the name for Dwy in their tongue signifieth two This River no sooner is entered into Cheshire but it passeth by Banchor a famous Monastery It fostered and brought up as some write the most wicked Arch-heretique Pelagius who injuriously derogating from the grace of God troubled a long time the west Church with his pestiferous Doctrine Prosper Aquitanus in this Verse of his termeth him the British Adder Pestifero vomuit coluber sermone Britannus A British Snake with venemous tongue Hath vomited his poison strong Chester * or West-Chester of the West situation Cestria de castris nomen quasi castria sumpsit This City built in form of a quadrant four square is enclosed with a wall that taketh up more then two miles in compasse and hath eleven Parishes Neer unto the River standeth the Castle upon a rocky Hill built by the Earls where the Courts Palatine and the Assizes as they call them are kept twice a year The Houses are very fair built and along the chief streets are Galleries or Walking-places they call them Rows having shops on both sides through which a man may walk dry from one end to another It is called the County Palatine of Chester because the Earls thereof had Royalties and Princely priviledges belonging to them and all the Inhabitants owed Allegiance and Fealty to them as they did to the King One Hugh Wolf was made Earl of Chester by William the First and the County given him in Fee Tenendum sibi Haeredibus it a vere ad Gladium sicut ipse Rex tenebat Angliam ad Coronam And as the King so he for his Heirs had their Barons by that name specially known King Edgar in magnificent manner triumphed over the British Princes For sitting himself in a Barge at the fore-deck Kennadie King of the Scots Malcoline King of Cumberland Macon King of Mann and of the Islands with all the Princes of Wales
brought to do homage and like Watermen working at the Oar rowed him along the River Dee in a triumphant shew to his great glory and joy of the beholders King Henry the Seventh made it a County by it self incorporate Bunbury contractly so called or Boniface-Bury Boniface was the Patron Saint there Beeston-Castle hath a wall of a great circuit Here are very famous Salt-pits or Salt-wiches five or six miles distant asunder where brine or salt water is drawn out of pits which they boile over the fire to make salt thereof These were known unto the Romanes and from hence was usually paid the Custome for salt called Salarium Nantwich Middle-wich Nortwich Nantwich which the River Wever first visiteth is reputed the greatest and fairest built Town of all this Shire after Chester It is called the White-wich or Salt-pit because the whitest salt is there boiled North-wich is called the Black-salt pit Congleton a Mercat Town famous for Gloves Purses and Points of Leather Kinderton the old seat of the ancient race of the Venables who ever since the first coming in of the Normans have been of name and reputation here and commonly are called Barons of Kinderton Brereton hath given Name to the worshipfull ancient and numerous Family of the Breretons Knights Before any Heir of this House of the Breretons dieth there are seen in a Pool adjoyning bodies of trees swimming for certaine dayes together so Camden but some deny this Middle-wich there are two Wels of salt water parted one from the other by a small brook Maclesfield one of the fairest Towns of this County Lee from whence there is a Family bearing the same surname that is not only of gentle bloud and of especial note but also farre and fairly propagated into a number of branches Camd Britan. High Leigh in Cheshire I think gave Names to all the renowned Races of that Name in this County Two distinct Descents of the same Name have their seats in the same place and there have continued in a long succession of their Ancestors Knights and Esquires of much worth one is Thomas Leigh the other is Peter Leigh Esquires King of Cheshire Lime in Cheshire a great Family of the Name of the Leighs of whom there have been many famous Knights Sir Peter now the Possessor thereof King of Cheshire Nor thou magnanimous Leigh must not be left In darkness for thy rare fidelity To save thy faith content to lose thy head That reverent head of good men honored Daniels Second Book of Civil Warres Cholmundeston or Cholmeston anciently the Lands of the Leighs of Rushall in Staffordshire King of Cheshire pag. 74. It containeth thirteen Market Towns and sixty eight Parishes Cornwall IT extends in length to about seventy miles the breadth in the largest place passeth not thirty Carews Surveigh of Cornwall Speed computes the length sixty miles and the breadth forty It is called by later Writers Cornubia in Latine of all Britain it doth bear most Westward because it waxeth smaller and smaller in manner of an Horn and runneth forth into the Sea with little promontories as if they were Horns on every side Others would have it so called of one Corin and do call it Corinea Camd. Brit. There is digged here wonderfull store of Tin yeelding exceeding much profit and commodity whereof are made houshold Pewter vessels which are used thorowout many parts of Europe in service of the Table and for their glittering brightnesse compared with silver-plate Terra admodum sterilis fructum magis ex cultorum industria quam ex sua bonitate praebet sed fert uberius plumbum nigrum album hoc est stannum in quo effodiendo maximè consistit vita incolarum Polyd. Verg. Angl. Hist. l. 1. The Kings of England and Dukes of Cornwall in their times have reserved to themselves a praeemption of Tinne by the opinion of the learned in the Law as well in regard of the Propriety as being chief Lords and Proprietaries as of their Royal Prerogative Not only Tin is here found but therewith also Gold and Silver yea and Dyamonds shaped and pointed angle-wise smoothed also by Nature it self whereof some are as big as Wall-nuts and inferiour to the orient Dyamonds in blacknesse and hardnesse only So plentifull is this Countrey of grain although not without great toil of the Husbandman that it hath not only sufficient to maintain it self but also affordeth often times great store of Corn into Spain Besides a most rich Revenue and Commodity they have by those little Fishes that they call Pilchards which swarming as one would say in mighty great skuls about the shores from July unto November are there taken garbaged falted hanged in the smoke laid up pressed and by infinite numbers carried over into France Spain and Italy unto which Countreys they be very good chaffer and right welcome merchandize and are there named Fumados Michael a Cornish Poet and of Rhymers in his time the chies hath these Verses of Cornwall Non opus est ut opes numerem quibus est opulenta Et per quas inopes sustentat non opulenta Piscibus stanno nusquam tam fertilis ora The people thre are civil valiant hardy well pitcht in stature brawny and strong limbed such as for wrestling to speak nothing of that manly exercise and feat of hurling the Ball which they use so farre excell that for slight and clean strength together they justly winne the prize and praise from other Nations in that behalf Godolphin-Hill right famous for plentifull veins of Tin but much more renowned in regard of the Lords thereof bearing the same name who with their vertues have equalled the ancientnesse of that House and Linage That name in the Cornish Language came of a white Eagle and this Family hath anciently born for their Arms in a Shield Gules an Aegle displayed Argent between three Flower-deluces of the same Shield Falemouth-Haven is as noble as Brundusium it self in Italy of exceeding great capacity for it is able to receive an hundred Ships which may ride therein so apart by themselves that out of never an one of them the top of anothers Mast can be seen and most safe withall under the wind by reason that it is enclosed on every side with brims of high rising banks The Gullet on either hand as well for the defence and safety of the place as for terrour to enemies is fortified with Block-houses to wit the Castle of Maudit Eastward and toward the West the Fort Pendinaes both built by King Henry the Eighth Foy a Town most renowned in former ages for Sea fights which the very Arms of the Town do witnesse as being compounded of the Cinque-ports Arms Padstow a pretty Market Town so called short for Petrockstow of one Petroch a Britan canonized a Saint by the people who spent his dayes here in the service of God Edward the Third erected Cornwall into a Dukedome and invested Edward his Sonne
a Prince most accomplished with Martial Prowesse in the yeer of Christ 1336. Duke of Cornwall by a Wreath on his Head a Ring upon his Finger and a silver Verge Since which time the King of Englands eldest Sonne is reputed Duke of Cornwall by birth Launston the chief Town The Promontory named the Lands end the most Western point of the Kingdom It containeth nine Hundreds two and twenty Market Towns an hundred sixty and one Parishes Cumberland IT took the name of the Inhabitauts who were the true and natural Britans and called themselves in their own language Kumbri This Countrey although it be somewhat with the coldest as lying farre North and seemeth as rough by reason of Hils yet for the variety thereof it smileth upon the beholders and giveth contentment to as many as travel it Of all the Shires we have it is accounted the best furnished with the Roman Antiquities Burtons Comment on Antoninus his Itin. p. 13. At Newlands there are copper or brasse Mines Skiddaw-Hill is very high Skiddaw Lauvellin and Casticand Are the highest hils in all England Solway Frith so called of Solway a Town in Scotland standing upon it Under this Burgh within the very Frith where the salt water ebbeth and floweth the Englishmen and Scotish by report of the Inhabitants fought with their Fleets at full Sea and also with their Horsemen and Footmen at the ebbe Hard by the Riveret Dacor standeth Dacre-Castle of signal note because it hath given surname to the honourable Family of the Barons Dacre Carlile This ancient City is fortified with strong walls of stone with a Castle and Citadel as they terme it Here begun Picts-wall or simply by way of excellency The Wall the limit of the Roman Province continued through this Countrey and Northumberland and ending in Walls-end Here are nine Market Towns and fifty eight Parishes Darbyshire IT is a plentifull Countrey there are many Minerals and several kinds of Stones Darby is the chief Town of all this Shire a Town of good trade There be five Churches in it Of which the greatest named All-Hallows dedicated to the memory of All-Saints hath a Tower-steeple that for height and singular fine Workmanship excelleth They had a famous Minister there one Chappel which was brother to him that was of Cambridge and went afterward into Ireland He did much good in Darby When King James came thither a witty Butcher in the Town said thus to him Jemmy for a Chappel and a Steeple We may compare with any people The Assizes are there kept for the whole Shire and the best nappy Ale is brewed there in two places especially It is the ancient and peculiar drink of the Englishmen and Britains and very wholsome Henry of Aurenches the Norman Arch-Poet to King Henry the Third merrily jested on it in these Verses Nescio quid Stygiae monstrum conforme paludi Cervisiam plerique vocant nil spissius illa Dum bibitur nil clarius est dum mingitur unde Constat quod multas faeces in ventre relinquit Of this strange drink so like to Stygean lake Most terme it Ale I wot not what to make Folk drink it thick and pisse it passing thin Much dregs therfore must needs remain within The wealth of this Town consisteth much of buying of Corn and selling it again to the mountains for all the Inhabitants are a kind of Badgers Thomas Linaker the famous Scholar was born here and so was Mr. Cotton the famous Minister of Boston and Dr. Wilmot neer it Chesterfield a Market Town The Peak which signifieth to appear aloft is severed from Staffordshire by the Dove a most swift and clear River It is plentifull of Lead also Stibium or Antimony Mill-stones likewise are here hewed out as also Grinde-stones and Whet-stones to give an edge unto iron tools Under the old Castle called the Castle in the Peak there is a Cave or Hole within the ground called the Devils Arse Devils Arse in Peak that gapeth with a wide mouth and hath in it many turnings and retiring rooms This Hole is reckoned one of the wonders of England There are several other wonders in the Peak Ashburn in the Peak There is a place called Elden-Hole which lies two miles distant from Castleton a Town in the high Peak it is within the Peak Forest it descendeth directly down into the earth it is about thirty yards long and fifteen yards broad at the top of it but is much straighter when it cometh fourty yards deep You may see into it about sixty yards being as farre as the light which cometh in at the mouth of the Hole will give light to see it is fearfull to look into being a face of rock on each side About sixty years since one Mr. Henry Cavendish eldest brother to Sir Charles Cavendish who had spent all his dayes in travel had been at Jerusalem and several other parts of the world and hearing of this place came to it and caused Engines to be made or to let a man into the Hole which being done one George Bradley of the Peak Forest was let down in a rope fourscore yards And then another Engine was made to let him go further and from thence he was let down fourscore yards further and at the end thereof a third Engine was made whereby he was let down almost fourscore yards further at the top of the rope was fastened a Bell which he was to ring if he could go no further or would return back when he was let down almost the third fourscore yards he rung the Bell and being drawn up he was much affrighted remained speechlesse for a time and was struck with lamenesse but after he recovered his speech he declared that as he descended down were bones of Deer Sheep and other Cattel and also of men and that he was affrighted but how or in what manner he could not tel he lived several years but never was in perfect memory nor sound of his limbs Within the Town of Buxton there is a Bath called Buxton-Well which cureth very many Diseases There are two springs of water the one within a hand breadth of the other the one is very hot the other cold as ice There are eight Market Towns six Hundreds and an hundred and six Parishes in this County Denshire OR Devonshire A Countrey harborous on either side with commodious Havens enriched with Tin-mines especially Westward garnished with pleasant medows sightly with great store of woods and passing well replenished with Towns and buildings There is not any place almost in all England where the ground requireth greater charges For in most parts thereof it groweth in manner barren if it be not over-strewed and mingled with a certain sand from the Sea which is of great efficacy to procure fertility by quickening as it were and giving life unto the Glebe and therefore in places far from the shore it is bought at a dear rate On
famous no doubt in the Romans time The Archbishop of Canterbury was called Totius Angliae Primas the Archbishop of York Angliae Primas without any further addition Anselme for recompence of the service he had done in oppugning the marriage of Priests and resisting the King for the investiture of Clerks was by Pope Urbane endowed with this accession of honour that he and his Successours should from thenceforth have place in all General Councels at the Popes right foot who then said withall Includemus hunc in orbe nostro tanquam alterius orbis Papam Canterbury is one of the famousest Cities in England It hath had a rare Cathedral though now much ruinated by reason of these later times The Cathedral is in the midst of the City a fair Church the body of which is within a little as large as Pauls in London between the body and the Quire a very high Steeple where hangeth a Bell called by the name of Bell-Harry being one of them which King Henry brought out of France There is also in this Steeple four Spires much like to Sepulchres in London There is on each side of the great West-gate two other Steeples the one called Dunston-steeple the other Arnold-steeple in each of which are a very pleasant ring of Bels In the same Cathedral there was the famousest Window that ever was known in England for which there was offered as some say by the Spanish Embassadour 10000lb being the whole History of Christ from his Nativity to his Sufferings but is now battered to pieces In the Quire of this Cathedral is buried Prince Edward called the Black Prince whose Monument is there of brasse The Dean and Prebends had very fair Houses within the bounds of the said Cathedral which was like a little City and so much power formerly that the Maiors Sword was not suffered to be held up within the Gates of the Deanry There is underneath this Cathedral a great Congregation of French living in the City and the Dutch also have a Church in that place which was called the Bishops Palace Within the bounds of the said Deanry there is a free School called The Kings School wherein are two Masters and many Scholars formerly wearing Gowns that are there brought up and many from thence sent to the University There was one Schoolmaster * some years before he died affirmed he had had thirty seven Masters of Arts of his bringing up There are many Churches in the City and Suburbs There are two Markets a week The Maior and Aldermen are cloathed in Scarlet and they keep the Sessions in the same City The City is walled and hath a Mote about it the Wall being so broad that two or three men may go a-brest with gallant Watch houses called Citadels all built with flint-stone There was an old Castle but it hath been for many years demolished and some of the Works or Forts are yet standing that were when the Danes came in one or two of which were made use of when the last rising was there There are two Hospitals in the City one for Ancient people and the other for Children The Isle of Thanet it is eight miles long and four broad a right fertile soil Goodwin-Sands a sandy dangerous place In the Reign of William the Second certain Lands in Kent which did once belong to Godwin Earl of Kent were overflowed and covered with sand which to this day do bear the name of Godwins Sands See Kilburns Survey of Kent pag. 262 263. How Tenterden Steeple was said to be the cause of Goodwins Sands Sandwich one of the Cinque Ports Dover The Town is seated between high Cliffs more famous for the commodiousnesse of the Haven such as it is and for ready passage into France then for any elegance or great trade There is a most stately Castle like unto a pretty City fortified strongly with Bulwarks and many a Tower It is the strongest hold of all England and most commodious for the French Sandgate-Castle and Satlwood a Castle Hith it signifies an Haven or Harbour one of the Cinque Ports Rumney-marsh a fruitfull soil it feedeth a number of Herds of Cattel sent hither from the furthest parts of Wales and England to be fatted There is at Bilsington a Priory built by John Maunsel Weaver in his Funeral Monuments saith He saw a Pedigree of the Maunsels from Philip de Maunsel who came in with the Conquerour untill these our times Wie Here was born John Kemp Archbishop of Canterbury and one of the great Benefactors to the University of Oxford He was Bishop of Rochester Chichester and London Archbishop of York first and afterward of Canterbury twice made Cardinal Bis primas ter Praeses bis Cardine functus This Province hath three hundred ninety eight Parishes and sixty four Hundreds Lancashire IT is a large populous and well wooded Countrey The County Palatine of Lancaster famous for the four Henries the Fourth Fifth Sixth and Seventh Kings of England derived from John Gaunt Duke of Lancaster is upon the South confined and parted by the River Mersey from the County Palatine of Chester the County of Darbyshire bordering upon the East the large Countrey of Yorkshire together with Westmerland and Cumberland being her kind neighbours upon the North and the Sea called Mare Hibernicum imbracing her upon the West Their Kine and Oxen have goodly Heads and fair spread Hornes and are in body well proportionate withall Warringdon Rochdale a Mercate Town well frequented Manchester a Town of great antiquity from Main a British word which signifieth a Stone It is seated upon a stony hill and beneath the Town there are most famous quarries of stone It farre excelleth the Towns lying round about it for the beautifull shew it carrieth for resort unto it and for cloathing in regard also of the Mercate place the fair Church and Colledge John Bradford the famous Martyr was born here Letherpool or Lirpool so named of the water spreading it self in manner of a Pool whence there is a convenient passage over into Ireland and much frequented and in that respect more notorious than for any antiquity Ocmeskirk a Mercate Town well known by reason of the Sepulture there of the Stanleys Earls of Derby whose chief seat Latham is hard by a stately house Wiggin a Corporation with a Maior and Burgesses Bolton upon the River Irwell Preston a great fair Town and well inhabited Hornby a fair Castle Lancaster the chief Town of this Region There are thirty six Parishes in this Shire but those very populous and spacious six Hundreds and fifteen Market Towns Leicestershire IT hath bordering upon it on the East-side both Rutlandshire and Lincolnshire on the North Notingham and Derbyshire and Warwickshire on the West and on the South-side lieth Northampton The whole Shire yeeldeth great abundance of Peas and Beans more than any other Country insomuch that there is an old by-word of the same commonly known to all
men viz. Leicestershire Bean-Belly Burtons descript. of Leicestershire The South-East-side of this Shire is exceeding rich ground yeelding great increase of Corn in abundance of all kinds affordeth many good and large Sheep-Pastures breeding a Sheep to that height and goodnesse so that as I have credibly heard neither Lemster nor Cotswould can exceed them if one respect either largenesse of the body finenesse of the Wooll or goodnesse of the breed Id. ib. Leicester standeth upon the River Leire now called Sore it signifies the City standing upon the River Leir It is a Town of great antiquity and standeth in the center and heart of the Shire bearing the proportion of an heart and being in the very midst and heart of the Land It is situate in a most rich delicate and pleasant soyl and delicious air it wants only a navigable River Harborow a Town famous for a Fair of Cattel there kept Carleton all that are born there whether it be by a peculiar property of the soyl or of the water or else by some other secret operation of nature have an ill favoured untunable and harsh manner of speech fetching their words with very much ado deep from out of the throat with a certain kind of wharling Lutterworth a Mercat Town it hath a fair Church That famous John Wicliffe was sometimes parson of this Church a man of a singular polite and well wrought wit most conversant also in the holy Scripture Neer to this Town there is a Spring so call'd that within a short time turneth straws and sticks into stones Cathorp It came to one Cook a Merchant of the Staple in the time of Henry the Fourth whose Daughter and Heir was married to William Harper of Rushall in the County of Stafford and from thence by descent to Leigh It was not many years since belonging to Sir Edward Leigh of Rushall Burtons descript. of Leicestershire Hinkley Burton-Lazers so called from a famous Hospital which was there founded for the use of Leprous people to whose Master all the lesser houses of that kind were subordinate as he himself was to the Master of the Lazers at Hierusalem Bosworth an ancient Mercat Town Here Henry Earl of Richmond with a small power encountred in pitch-field with King Richard the Third and overcame and slew him and then with joyfull acclamations was proclaimed King in the very midst of slaughtered bodies round about Ashby de la Zouch a most pleasant Lordship now of the Earls of Huntingdon but belonging in times past to the noble Family De la Zouch Cole-Overton or Orton famous for Pit-coal It is so called of the Cole-mines which are there in great abundance Mount-Sorehill famous only for a Mercat there kept Lough-borough a Mercat Town next Town to Leicester in this Shire whether a man regard the bignesse or building thereof or the pleasant Woods about it Melton-Mowbray a Mercat Town bearing name of the Mowbrayes sometimes Lords thereof Within this Shire are two hundred Parish Churches six Hundreds and twelve Market Towns Lincolnshire A Very large Countrey reaching almost threescore miles in length and carrying in some places above thirty miles in bredth passing good for yeelding of Corn and feeding of Cattel well furnished and set out with a great number of Towns and watered with many Rivers The Diocesse here is the largest of England After three Bishopricks were taken out of it it containeth four whole Counties and parts of two usually thus exprest it had under it two Bs two Hs two Ls. The whole Shire is divided into three parts whereof one is called Holland a second Kesteuen and the third Lindsey Crowland or Croyland a raw and muddy Land as Ingulph the Abbot of this place interprets it a Town formerly of good note among the Fenne-people It is seated like unto Venice In the Moneth of August they have sometimes spread a Net and at once drawn three thousand Mallards and they use to term these Pools or watery Plots of theirs their Corn-fields In regard of this their taking of Fish and Fowl they paid yearly in times past to the Abbot three hundred pounds of our money and after so much to the Crown Spalding a fair Town enclosed round about with Riverets Boston a famous Town standing on both sides of the River Witham which hath over it a wooden Bridge of a great heigth well frequented by means of a commodious Haven unto it the Market place is fair and large and the Church maketh a goodly shew as well for the beautifull building as the greatnesse thereof the Tower-steeple of it which riseth up to a mighty height doth salute passengers and travellers a great way off and giveth direction also to the Sailers In the Coat of Boston for the Corporation there are three Crowns relating to the three Kingdoms the Crest a Ramme lying upon a Wool-sack the Ram signifying the great Sheep-walks in the fens round about and the Wool-sack that it was a Staple-town The Supporters of the Coat are two Mare-maids signifying that it is a Port-Town Stanford it was built of rough stone whence it hath the name A Town well peopled and of great resort endowed also with sundry immunities and walled about It is beautified with seven Parish Churches or thereabout and sheweth an old Hospital Belvoir or Beauvoir-Castle so called of the fair Prospect mounted upon the top of a good steep Hill It belongs to the Earl of Rutland The Vale of Bever a very pleasant place lieth under the Castle The Vale of Bevell barren of Wooll is large and very plentifull of good Corn and Grasse and lieth in three Shires Leicester Lincoln and much in Nottinghamshire Lelands Itinerary Grantham a Town of good resort adorned with a School built by Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester and with a fair Church having a Spire-steeple of a mighty height Lincolne This City is large well inhabited and frequented it standeth upon the side of an Hill and thence hath its name from its situation or because it hath been a Colony There are fourteen Churches the Minster is a fair one and in one of the Steeples there is a very great Bell rung by sixteen men called great Tom of Lincoln Camden honourably mentions two learned Bishops of Lincoln Robert Grosthead and his Master Thomas Cooper Wainfleet it bred William Wainfleet Bishop of Winchester a worthy Prelate founder of Magdalen-Colledge in Oxford a man that singularly well deserved of learning Alford a Mercat Town Castor an ancient Castle Mercate-Rasin so called of a Mercat there well resorted unto Gainsborrow a Market Town standing upon the River of Trent Grimsby an old Market Town Here was Archbishop Whitgift born There are in this Shire six hundred and thirty * Parishes thirty and one Hundreds and thirty Market Towns Middlesex IT is severed from Buckinghamshire by the River Cole on the West-side from Hertfordshire on the North-side by a known
and the strongest hold in all Britain It is well neer compassed about with the Sea and Twede together Upon the West parts of Northumberland the Picts-Wall is in some of the waste ground the Wall is to be seen of great height and almost whole The Roman Britains being continually molested by the often incursions of the barbarous people called Picts The Emperour Severus built a Wall of stone with great wisdome and industry to strengthen the Northern parts of Britain against the many inrodes of the Picts At every miles end of this Wall was a Tower and in the Wall a Pipe of Mettal betwixt the Tower or Sentinel-houses that so soon as a man had set his mouth to this Pipe they might hear through all the Sentinels where the enemy was and so in a short time giving warning from one end of the Wall to the other There are about fourty six Parishes in Northumberland Oxfordshire ON the West-side it joyneth upon Glocestershire on the South which way it runneth out farthest in breadth it is dissevered from Barkshire by the River Isis or Tamis Eastward it bordereth upon Buckinghamshire and Northward where it endeth pointed in manner of a Cone or Pineapple hath Northamtonshire of one side and Warwickshire on the otherside confining with it It is a fertile Countrey and plentifull wherein the plains are garnished with Corn-fields and Medows the Hils beset with Woods stored in every place not only with Corn and Fruits but also with all kind of Game for Hound or Hawk and well watered with fish-full Rivers Hoch-Norton for the rustical behaviour of the Inhabitants in the age afore-going it grew to be a Proverb when folk would say of one rudely demeaning himself and unmannerly after an Hoggish kind That he was born at Hocknorton Woodstock a woody place Here is one of the Kings Houses full of state and magnificence built by King Henry the First who adjoyned also thereunto a very large Park compassed round about with a stone wall which John Rosse writeth to have been the first Park in England Our Historians report that King Henry the Second being enamoured upon Rosamond Clifford a Damsel so fair so comely and well-favoured without comparison that her beauty did put all other women out of the Princes mind insomuch as she was termed Rosa mundi the Rose of the world and to hide her out of the sight of his jealous Juno the Queen he built a Labyrinth in this House with many inextricable windings backward and forward which notwithstanding is no where to be seen at this day She was buried at Godstow with this Epitaph in Rhyme Hic jacet in tumba Rosa mundi non Rosa munda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet The Town it self having nothing at all to shew glorieth yet in this that Jeffrey Chaucer our English Homer was there bred and brought up Banbury a fair large Town It is famous for Cheese and Cakes Hanwell where the Family of Cope hath flourished many yeers in great and good esteem Broughton the seat of my Lord Say and Sele Islip the native place of that King Edward whom for his religious piety and continency our Ancestours and the Popes vouchsafed the name of Edward the Confessor Oxford a fair and goodly City whether a man respect the seemly beauty of private houses or the stately magnificence of publick buildings together with the wholsome site or pleasant prospect thereof It was from its situation in ancient times called Bello situm Isidis vadum Saxonice Ouseford Ousenford corrupte Oxford Historia circumfertur adfirmans hanc urbem olim ab amaenitate sitûs Bellositum dictum fuisse Joannes Rossus hinc edoctus hoc idem affirmat Let. Comment in Cygn. Cant. Oxoniensis Universitas Schola secunda Ecclesiae imo Ecclesiae fundamentum Matthew Paris Hist. Angl. pag. 945. In the Councel of Vienna it was ordained that there should be erected Schools for the Hebrew Greek Arabick and Chaldaean Tongues in the studies of Paris Oxford Bonony and Salamanca as the most famous of all others to the end that the knowledge of these Tongues might by effectual instruction be throughly learned Here are 17 Colledges and 7 Hals Dorchester a Town known in times past to the Romans Vide Lel. Commentin Cygn. Cant. Henley upon Tamis The Inhabitants of it for the most part are watermen This County containeth two hundred and eighty Parish Churches Richmondshire IT takes the name from a Castle Most of it lieth very high with ragged Rocks and swelling Mountains whose sloping sides in some places bear good Grasse the bottom and Valleys are not altogether unfruitfull The Hils themselves within are stored with Lead Pit-coal and Copper Nappa an house built with Turrets and the chief seat of the Medcalfs thought to be not long since the greatest Family for multitude of the same name in all England For I have heard that Sir Christopher Medcalf Knight and the top of this kindred being of late High-Sheriff of the Shire accompanied with three hundred men of the same House all on Horse-back and in a Livery met and received the Justices of Assizes and so brought them to York So Camden Bolton-Castle a stately Castle Richmond the chief Town of the Countrey well peopled and frequented Hourby-Castle There are contained in this Shire an hundred and four Parishes besides Chappels Rutlandshire IT is the least County of all England Lying in form almost round like a circle it is in compasse so farre about as a Light-horsman will ride in one day It was called Rutland as one would say Red-land the Earth in this Shire is every where red and so red that even the Sheeps fleeces are thereby coloured red the English-Saxons called Red in their tongue Roet and Rud. Uppingham a place upon an high ascent whence that name was imposed a well frequented Mercat Town The Vale of Catmose a field full of Woods Okeham is in the midst of it so called from Oaks This small Shire hath Parish Churches fourty eight Shropshire ON the East-side it hath Staffordshire on the West Mongomeryshire and Denbighshire on the South-side Worcester Hereford and Radnorshires and on the North Cheshire It is replenished with Towns and Castles standing thick on every side in regard of repelling and repressing the Welshmen in the Marches bordering hereupon Whence our Ancestours by an ancient word named the Confines of this Shire toward Wales the Marches because they were Bounds and Limits between the Welsh and English and divers Noblemen in this Tract were called Barons of the March and Lords Marchers who had every one in their Territory a certain peculiar jurisdiction and in their own Courts ministred Law unto the Inhabitants with sundry Priviledges and Immunities Bishops-Castle so called because it belonged to the Bishops of Hereford whose Diocesse and Jurisdiction was large in this Shire Clun-Castle so called from the River Clun Ludlow it standeth upon an Hill a Town
and worshipfull Family Flixton or Felixton so named of Faelix the first Bishop of these parts Mettingham where there is a Castle Luthingland of Luthing the Lake Comerley Town Burgh-Castle now ruined Sommerly-Hall my Lady Wentworths House famous for fair Walks and Ponds There is one long Walk encompassed with Fir-trees on each side The Parishes in this County amount to the number of five hundred seventy five Surrey FRom the West it boundeth partly upon Barkshire and Hantshire from the South upon Sussex and from the East on Kent toward the North it is watered with the River Tames and by it divided from Middlesex It is a Countrey not very large yet wealthy enough where it beareth upon Thames and lieth as a plain and champion Countrey It is likened by some unto a course freeze garment with a green gard or to a cloath of great spinning and thin woven with a green list about it because the inner part is but barren the outward edge or skirt more fertile Chertsey a kind of Island Fernham so named of much Fern growing in that place Guildford a Mercat Town well frequented and full of fair Innes Ockam where that great Philosopher and Father of the nominals William de Ockham was born and whereof he took that name as of the next Village Ripley George Ripley a ring-leader of our Alchymists Oatlands a fair house of the Kings neer unto which Caesar passed over Tames into the Borders of Cassivelaunus For this was the only place where a man might in times past go over the Tames on foot and that hardly too which the Britains themselves improvidently bewrayed unto Caesar Ockley so named of Oaks Rhiegate the Rivers course Holm-Castle Beckworth-Castle Effingham Kingstone a very good Mercat Town for the bignesse and well frequented It had beginning from a little Town more ancient then it of the same name In which when England was almost ruinated by the Danish Warres Aethelstan Edwin and Ethelred were crowned Kings upon an open stage in the Market place whence it was called Kingston Leland Comment. in Cygn. Cant. Camd. Brit. Shene so called of its shining brightnesse now Richmond wherein the most mighty Prince King Edward the Third when he had lived sufficiently both to glory and nature died King Henry the Seventh built it and gave it that name of Richmond of the Title he bare being Earl of Richmond before he obtained the Crown of England He had scarce finished this new work when in this place he yeelded unto Nature and ended his Life Here Queen Elizabeth also died None-such a retiring place of the Princes and surpasseth all other houses round about which King Henry the Eighth in a very healthfull place called Cuddington before selected for his own delight and ease and built with so great sumptuousnesse and rare workmanship that it aspireth to the very top of ostentation for shew so as a man may think that all the skill of Architecture is in this one piece of work bestowed and heaped up together So many Statues and lively Images there were in every place so many wonders of absolute Workmanship and Workes seeming to contend with Roman Antiquities that most worthily it might have this name that it hath of None-such Hane quia non habeant similem laudare Britanni Saepè solent nullique parem cognomine dicunt The Britains oft are wont to praise this place For that through all The Realm they cannot shew the like and None-such they it call The House was environed about with Parks full of Deer it had such dainty and delicate Orchards such Groves adorned with curious Arbours so pretty quarters Beds and Alleys such Walks so shadowed with Trees that it was exceeding pleasant Wandle a clear Riveret full of the best Trouts Woodcot a pretty Town Croidon there was the Archbishops house of Canterbury There are Charcoals Bedington a fair house beautified with a delightfull shew of pleasant Gardens and Orchards Addington Aguilon situate in a most fertile soil Merton It is famous for the Statute of Merton enacted here in the 21. of King Henry the Third and also for Walter de Merton Founder of Merton Colledge in Oxford borne and bred here Wimbledon there is a goodly House beautifull for building and delectable for fair profpect and right pleasant Gardens built in the year 1588. when the Spanish Armado made sail upon the coast of England Wandlesworth Putney Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth was born there Batersey Lambeth Canutus the Hardy King of England there amidst his cups yeelded up his vital breath It was the Palace of the Archbishop of Canterbury Southwark the Burrough of Southwork the most famous Mercat Town and place of Trade in all this Shire It is large and populous In the Reign of King Edward the Sixth it was annexed to the City of London and is at this day taken for a member as it were of it Sterborow-Castle This County hath in it an hundred and forty Parish Churches Sussex THe Region of the South Saxons a word compounded of the site thereof Southward and of the Saxons who in their Heptarchy placed here the second Kingdom It is above threescore miles long and somewhat above twenty miles broad It lieth upon the British Ocean all Southward with a strait shore as it were farre more in length than breadth How be it it hath few harbours by reason that the Sea is dangerous for shelves and therefore rough and troublous the shore also it self full of Rocks The Sea-coast of this Countrey hath green Hils on it mounting to a greater height called the Downs which because they stand upon a fat chalk or kind of Marle yeeldeth corn abundantly The middle tract garnished with Medows Pastures Corn-fields and Groves maketh a very lovely shew The hithermore and northern side thereof is shaded most pleasantly with Woods like as in times past the whole Countrey throughout which by reason of the Woods was hardly passable The Wood Andradswald taking the name of Anderida the City next adjoyning took up in this quarter a hundred and twenty miles in length and thirty in bredth It is full of Mines in sundry places where for the making and fining whereof there be Furnaces on every side and a huge deal of Wood is yeerly spent to which purpose divers Brooks in many places are brought to runne in one chanel and sundry Medows turned into Pools and Waters that they might be of power sufficient to drive Hammer-mils which beating upon the iron resound all over the places adjoyning Boseham a place environed round about with Woods and the Sea together Chichester lieth in a champion plain A City large enough and walled about built by Cissa a Saxon the second King of this Province and of him so named It hath four Gates opening to the four Quarters of the World from whence the streets lead directly and crosse themselves in the midst where the Market is kept a
command the fire-crosse to be carried an ancient custome in cases of importance which was two fire-brands set in fashion of a Crosse and pitched upon the point of a spear Sir Richard Bakers Chron. in the Reigne of King Edward the 6th The Saxon Heptarchy This Island most flourished then and in the Conquerours time it was farre better inhabited then at the present * So named because there were ten persons in each of them whereof each was surety for others good abearing Lamberts Perambulat of Kent Totius Angliae de Aluredo Rege sic scribit Ingulphus Abbas Croulandensis pagos Provincias in comitatus primus omnium commutavit Comitatus in Centurias in decimas divisit ut omnis indigena legalis in aliqua centuria decima existeret Seldeni Janus Anglorum Abbay Town The vale of the white Horse is a very fruitfull vale and full of Gentry it is both in Barkshire and Wiltshire A very ancient Town and the best Town of all Barkshire Lelands Itinerary MS. to H. 8. Others say Abington New Windsore Oppidum antiquum nobile magnificum situ denique tam amaenum ut cum alio quocunque jure optimo de palma contendat quam mihi vel in ipso castri vertice quo sol splendidius sanè nihil aspicit decentissimè gestare videtur Lel. Comment in Cyg Cant. See Histoire d' Angle-terre Par Du Chesne l. 15. p. 670 671 672 Camd. Britanin Barkshire An Order verily of all the Orders of the Christian world if it be to be compared with any other most ancient and most famous Milles of Nobil. Polit. and Civil p. 88. The Order of the Garter exceeds in majesty honour and fame all chivalrous Orders in the world Selden Illustrat of Drayt. Polyolb 16th Song See more there and Lel. Com. in cygn. Cant. and Seld. Tit. of Hon. 4to pag. 363. Vir pugnacissimus Joannes Chandos Periscelidis eques primarius Gallisque propter summam virtutem sub Ed. 3. bellator notissimus Spelman Aspilogia Splendor loci omnis in scholae publica quam erexit Vindelisorae in alumnos Rexâ—longe pientior quam fortunatior Lelandi Comment in Cygneam Cantionem Bedfordia the River Ouse runs thorow the Town in the middest A tale of vain credit is reported of Dunstable that it was built to bridle the outragiousnesse of a thief named Dun by King Henry the First but certain it is the place was formerly held by the Romans Speed Yet Sir John Hayward in the Life of King Henry the First pag 282. saith Dun was a famous thief amongst others commander over the rest and of him the place was called Dunstable There is a Countrey in Germany bearing Beech-trees named Buchonia and with us a Town in Norfolk called Buckenham fruitfull of Beech Pontes in France and our Tunbrige and others are so called of Bridges Cambridge and Huntingtonshire have but one Sheriff * Sedes est Cathedra Episcopalis Ipsum solum fertilitate omnes alias Angliae regiones adaequat plerasque superat pascua succulento virent gramine agri denso laetantur segete prata aquis irrigua luxuriant Sed alia est ubertas nobilior in qua mihitriumphare videtur triginta concionatores simul floruerunt qui ex oppido solo natales suos derivarent quod de nulla alia civitate Londino excepto affirmari posse credo Willeti Epistola Dedicat. ad lib. 2. Samuelis Vide plura ibid. It begins on the 8th of September and lasts about a fortnight It is called Sturbridge-Fair Cheshire chief of men Lancashire fair women King of Cheshire Yet Banchor is in Flintshire * It is chiefly one street of very mean building Lel. Itin. Cestria Episcopalis magnifica celeberrima Angliae urbs amplitudine superbo aedificiorum nitore cultissimorum hortorum elegantia commendata duo passuum millia in circuitu colligit Ecclesias Parochiales novem Cathedralem elegantem exhibet praeter loca alia sacra ut hospitalia nosocomia religioni nuncupata Georgius Bruin theat. Vrbium praecipuarum totius mundi Salinae Anglicè The Wiches videlicet Nantovicum Nortovicum Dirtovicum in quibus locis sal purissimus conficitur Leland Cheshire excelleth for white salt not only all other Shires in England but also all other Countreys beyond the Seas King of Cheshire A rebus of a Brier and a Tun Adlington the chief seat of that race of Leighs of Adlington which is one of the great names of Gentry in this County whereof these have had a very ancient continuance here from many Knights and Esquires down to the present owner Sir Vrian Leigh Knight King of Cheshire In Richard the Seconds reign this was Ancestor of Sr Peter Leigh of Lime in Cheshire that now is Cornwallia The farthest Shire of England westwards so called from Cornu Galliae being cast out into the Sea with the shape of a Horn Carews Surveigh of Cornwall Vide Polyd. Verg. Camden in the close of Cornwall commends that Carew and acknowledgeth he received much light from his Description of this Countrey The Cornish are a race of men stout of stomack mighty of body and limb which live hardly in a barren countrey Sr Francis Bacon in his Hist. of H. 7th The places every where bear British names Black-lead is also found there Two other Hils in that Tract In Latine Carleolum It flourished in the time of the Romans as divers tokens of Antiquity now and then digged up there and the famous mention of it in those dayes do sufficiently prove The foundation of it was laid by young men and maids and part of it built by them as appears in letters there on the Steeple In Anglia est Castrum quod dicitur Pech in quodam monte situm in cujus montis latere est foramen apertum de quâ— sicut de quad am fistula ventus non modicus saepe spirat cujus Dominus dictus Gulielmus Penerelli cum in animalibus dives esset subulcus ejus unam gravidam suem in pascuis amisisset pro ipsa quaerenda dictum foramen intravit quod tamen nec dum aliquis perscrutatus fuerat Cum ergo per opaca foraminis percurrisset tandem in locum lucidum devenit scilicet in Camporum planitiem spatiosam ad quam ingressus Messores colligentes maturas segetes reperit inter quos suem perditam quae suculas ediderat adinvenit Habito ergo verbo cum praeposito terrae illius scropham recepit dimissus ab illis ipsam nove grege per idem soramen ad domum Domini sui reduxit Mira res ait Gervasius qui apparet Anglicus fuisse vel multum in Anglia commoratus de messibus subtèrraneis venerat in nostro hemispherio hyemalia frigora videt Pet. Berchor Deduct Moral De Anglia In Latine Devonia Devonia nobilium ingeniorum ferax Camd. The commodities of this shire Cloath Kerfies Lead Silver Loadstone At the mouth of
large in compasse fruitfull full of Woods plentifull of Saffron and very wealthy encircled as it were on the one side with the main Sea on the other with Fish-full Rivers which also do afford their peculiar Commodities in great abundance The Air is temperate and pleasant only towards the waters somewhat aguish insomuch that in one Hundred they will ask a stranger merrily Whether the Bayliff of the Hundred hath yet arrested him Waltham Forest of the Town Waltham It was stored very full with Deer that for their bignesse and fatnesse withall have the name above all other Rochford it hath given name to an Hundred It is aguish Rumford the glory whereof dependeth on a Swine Mercat Brent-wood a Mercat Town Engerstone a Town of note for nothing else but the Mercat and Innes for travellers Chensford a good big Town situate in the heart of the Shire between two Rivers Of note onely for the Assizes Cogeshall a Mercate Town Maldon for the number of the Inhabitants and the bignesse it is worthily counted one of the principal Towns in all Essex and in Records named The Burgh of Maldon It is a Haven commodious enough and for the bignesse very well inhabited being but one especial street descending much about a mile in length upon the ridg of an Hill answerable to the termination of Dunum which signified an hilly and high situation Colchester a proper and fine Burrough well traded and pleasantly seated as being situate upon the brow of an Hill stretching out from West to East walled about beautified with several Churches some of which were lately demolished The Inhabitants affirm that Flavia Julia Helena the Mother of Constantine the Great was borne and bred there Harewich a most safe Road whence it hath the name The Town is not great but well peopled fortified by Art and Nature Walden of Saffron * called Saffron Walden among the fields looking merrily with most lovely Saffron A very good Mercat Town Here Sir Thomas Smith Secretary to Queen Elizabeth a wise and learned man was born Audley-end a magnificent House built by the Earl of Suffolk where there is a spacious and very broad Gallery Barrington-Hall where dwelleth that right ancient Family of the Baringtons Lees-Abbey now the Seat of the right Honourable Lord Rich Baron Lees and Earl of Warwick It contains twenty Hundreds one and twenty Market Towns and four hundred and fifteen Parishes Glocestershire ON the West-side butteth on Monmouthshire and Herefordshire on the North on Worcestershire on the East upon Warwickshire and Oxfordshire both on the South with Somersetshire A pleasant Countrey and fruitfull in Corn Wooll Apples and Pears and Severn full of Salmon Commonly through all Glocestershire there is good plenty of Corn Pasture and Wood saving in Coteswold where the great flocks of Sheep be and yet in some places there groweth fair Corn Lelands Itinerary Forest of Dean or Dean-Forest was wholly bespread with thick tall Wood It is between two navigable Rivers Wie and Severn It was a wonderfull thick Forest and in former ages so dark and terrible by reason of crooked and winding wayes as also the grisly shade therein that it made the Inhabitants more fierce and bolder to commit robberies Since that rich Mines of Iron were here found out those thick woods began to wax thinne by little and little Tewksbury It is a great and fair Town having three Bridges to passe over standing upon three Rivers famous for the best Mustard One may carry it in bals a long way Glocester the head City of this Shire It lieth stretched out in length over Severne on that side where it is not watered with the River it hath in some places a very strong Wall for defence A proper and fine City both for number of Churches and for the buildings Above the Quire in an Arch of this Church there is a Wall built in forme of a Semi-circle full of Corners with such an artificial devise that if a man speak with never so low a voice at the one part thereof and another lay his ear to the other being a good way distant he may also hear every syllable Cotswold it took its name of Woulds and Cotes that is Hils and Sheepfolds Here feed in great numbers flocks of Sheep long necked and square of bulk and bone by reason of the hilly and large situation of their pasturage whose Wooll being most fine and soft is had in passing great account among all Nations Barkly honoured with a Castle whereof the Lord Barklies are entituled Camden a Mercat Town well peopled and of good resort Near unto it standeth Weston where there is a fair House which maketh a goodly shew built by Ralph Sheldon for him and his posterity Hales in late time a most flourishing Abbey and deserving commendation for breeding up of Alexander of Hales a great Clerk and so deeply learned above all others in that subtil Divinity of the Schoolmen as he carried away the surname of Doctor Irrefr agabilis the Doctor ungain said as he that could not be gain-said Winchelcomb a great Town and well inhabited Cyrencester a famous Mercat Town both for Corn upon the Monday and for Wooll and Yarn on the Friday Bibery There is a spring under the side of a Hill which is so forcible that it serves to drive a Mill about a stones cast from it Strowd whence the name of Strowdwater where are multitudes of rich Clothiers fair building and famous also for dying of Cloaths by reason of the nature of the water It containeth thirty Hundreds two hundred and eighty Parishes Hantshire ON the West it hath Dorsetshire and Wiltshire on the South the Ocean to bound it on the East it joyneth to Sussex and Surrey and on the North it bordereth upon Barkshire A small Province it is fruitful in Corn rich in plenteous Pasture and for all commodities of sea most wealthy and happy Wools Cloathes and Iron are the general Commodities of this Shire Ringwood a well frequented Mercat Town New-Forest King William of Normandy pulled downe all the Townes Villages Houses and Churches farre and neare cast out the poore Inhabitants and when he had so done brought all within thirty miles compasse or thereabout into a Forest and Harbour for wilde Beasts Hurst-Castle commandeth Seaward every where South-hanton a Town populous rich and beautifull from whom the whole Shire deriveth her name Andover Winchester * in Latin Wintonia a City flourishing even in the Romans times It is indifferently well peopled and frequented having plenty of water by reason of the River conveyed divers wayes into it it containeth about a mile and half in circuit within the Wals which open at six Gates and have every one of them their Suburbs reaching forth without a good way It is adorned with magnificent Churches and a Bishops See There is a fair Colledge which William Wickham Bishop of this See built for a School out of which both for Church