for the Education of Youth a free School and for decay'd Gentlemen a well indowed Hospital But the chief Beauty of it as heretofore so now is a most stately and magnificent Castle the Seat of Sir Fulk Grevill the late Lord Brooks by whom it was repaired at his great cost and charges In short this Town injoy's a good Trade chiefly for Mault and the rather as being the Place where the Assizes and general Sessions for the County are kept It s Market which is kept on Saturdays is great and well furnished with all sorts of Provisions But that which has added the most Lustre to this Town is the honourary Titles wherewith it has been dignify'd for several Ages Of Earl first in the person of Henry de Newburg Created Earl of Warwick by Wisliam the Conquerour Anno 1076 and continued in five more of his name viz. Roger William Waleran Henry and Thomas de Newburg From whom it passed through several Families either by Marriage or Bloud allied to the former Till at last the Title of Earl was by King Henry VI turned into that of Duke in the person of Henry Beauchamp who was made and crowned King of the Isles of Wight Jersey and Garnsey and soon after created Duke of Warwick 'T is true the Title of Duke went no further and that of Earl was renewed in the person of Richard Nevil who married Ann the Duke's Sister From him it went to George Duke of Clarence who married Ann Daughter of Richard Nevil and from George to Edward Plantagenet his Son From these it came to two Dud eys successively to wit John and Ambrose descended from the Lady Margaret Daughter of Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick And in the Year 1618. King James I. conferred it upon Robert Lord Rich of Leeze in whose Line it continued till Charles his great Grandson died without Issue Upon whose Death Robert Rich Earl of Holland his Cousin german succeeded in the Earldom of Warwick and so injoy'd both Titles Which fell by his Death to his Son the Right Honourable Edward Rich the present Earl of Warwick Near Warwick is a Cliff most delectably seated among Groves and fresh Streams and called Guy-Cliff from the Hercules of England Guy of Warwick Who having left off his noble and valiant Exploits betook himself as the Story say's to this Place where he led a kind of Hermetical Life and built a Chappel wherein he was interred But though Warwick be the County-Town and a considerable Place upon other accounts yet here is another of greater importance which therefore doth deserve a particular Description in this place before we proceed to the List of the Market-Towns And that is Coventry a City so called from an old Convent or Monastery founded by King Canute It stands upon a small Stream called Sherborn which joyning with another Stream runs not far from thence into the River Avon 'T is a fair neat and large City beautify'd with handsom Houses and spacious Streets besides a Cross of curious Workmanship and its two Churches of St. Michael and of the Holy Trinity that are loftily built It was formerly begirt with a fine Wall with 13 Gates giving entrance into the City and what with the Convent and the translating the See Episcopal from Lichsield hither it grew exceeding rich and wealthy 'T is true now it has neither Convent nor Episcopal See more than in the Ruin and Title and yet it does still continue its old Wealth being the best City for Trade in all these Parts and more than ordinarily frequented for an Inland Town Among other its Manufactures here are great quantiâ—ies of Cloths made and vended And its Market for Provisions is kept on Fridays It belonged once unto the Earls of Chester and after wards by many Conveniances to John of Eltham Earl of Cornwal whereby it became annexed to that Earldom Nor did it lose any thing but rather gain much by that Annexation Henry the VI laying unto it several adjacent Towns and Villages and making it with them a County Corporate clearly distinct from that of Warwick Thus Coventry though within the Confines of Warwickshire became exempted from its Jurisdiction And in the very first Year of the Reign of William the Conquerour it was honoured with the Title of an Earldom in the Person of Edwin a Saxon with whom the Title died and lay buried till the Reign of King James I when George Villiers the late Duke of Buckingham's Father was created Duke of Buckingham and Earl of Coventry Anno 1623. The other Market-Towns are Shipton Sat. Rugby Sat. Tamworth Sat. Nun-Eaton Sat. Henley Mun. Southam Mun. Sutton Cofield Mun. Aulcester Tue. Kyneton Tue. Atherston Tue. Coleshill Wedn. Stratford Thu. Bromicham Thu. Among which Stratford seated upon the Avon is one of the prsncipal it being a good Town well inhabited and driving a good Trade of Malt. It contains two Parish Churches and has over the River a fair Stone-bridge with several Arches Tamworth stands part in this County and part in Staffordshire where you will find it described Aulcester is seated on the Confluence of the Alne and the Arrow and not far from their fall into the Avon Shipton on the Stower Coleshill on the Cole Kyneton on a small River that runs into the Avon Rugby upon the Avon Nun-Eaton and Atherston near the Auker Henley on the Alne and Bromicham on the Rea. Among which Henley is called Henley in Arden to distinguish it from Henley in Oxfordshire Bromicham is a large and well built Town very populous and much resorted unto particularly noted few years ago for the counterfeit Groats made here and from hence dispersed all over the Kingdom It drives a great Trade of Iron and Steel Wares Saddles and Bridles which find good vent at London Ireland and other Parts But besides those Market-Towns there are three Places Shughury Lemington and Menham Regis of note for some particular Things The first for the Astroits or Star-Stones found about it Lemington for two Springs of Water that issue out there within a stride of each other but of different taste and operation the one being fresh and the other salt though at a great distance from the Sea Menham Regis for a Spring the Water whereof looks and tasts like Milk If drunk with Salt it loosens if with Sugar it binds the Body Said to be Sovereign against the Stone good to cure green Wounds Ulcers and Imposthumes and apt to turn Wood into Stone To conclude this County which formerly was part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Lichsield Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire but four Members to sit in Parliament Viz. 2 by Warwick and 2 by Coventry Westmorland WESTMORLAND one of the worst Counties in England lies in the North-West and is called Westmorland as lying among Moors and Fells or high Hills for the most part unmanured
the Prince of Orange's Forces coming this way from the West Which two days after was followed by his Desertion of that Place and soon after by the Desertion of the Crown and Government Moreover this City has been for several Ages honoured with the Title of an Earldom 1. in the persons of Patrick and William D'Evreux successively 2. In two Williams surnamed Long-Espèe the first a base Son of King Henry II. by Rosamond 3. In two Nevils both Richards by their Christen-names 4. In the person of George Duke of Clarence who married Isabel Daughter of Richard Earl of Warwick 5. In Edward eldest Son of King Richard III. 6. In Margaret Daughter of George Duke of Clarence created Countess of Salisbury by King Henry VIII And lastly in the Family that now injoy's it the first being Robert Cecil Lord of Essendine and Viscount Cranborn created Earl of Salisbury by King James I. Anno 1605. From whom is descended the present Earl James Cecil Lastly this City is a Place well inhabited and frequented injoying a good Trade And its Markets on Tuesdays and Saturdays are very considerable for all sorts of Provisions The other Market-Towns are Marlborough Sat. Malmsbuâ—y Sat. Chippenham Sat. Werminster Sat. Troubridge Sat. Cricklade Sat. Bradford Mund. Swindon Mund. Calne Tue. Auburn Tue. Lavington Wedn. Wilton Wedn. Highworth Wedn. Devizes Thu. Hindon Thu. Wooten-Basset Thu. Downton Frid. Amersbury Frid. Westbury Frid. Mere Marmister Among which Marlborough or Marleburgh is next to Salisbury the most considerable Town in this County The Town called anciently Cunetio in Antonine's Itinerarium as the River Kennet was upon which it stands but by the Normans in whose Time this Town revived out of the Ruins of the old it was named Marleburgh as being seated in a chalky Soil which in some Places is still called by the name of Marl. A Town stretched out from East to West upon the ascent of a Hill watered by the Kennet not far from the head of it and having the conveniency both of a Forest and Chase in its Neighbourhood the first called Savernake-Forest and the other Aldburn Chase It had once a Castle belonging unto John surnamed Sans Terre who afterwards was King of England The Castle still famous in our Law-Books for a Parliament there held in the Reign of King Henry III. in which were made the Statutes from hence called of Marleburgh for the suppressing of Tumults But King Charles 1. at this Coronation made it yet more notable in making it the Honour as it was the Neighbour of James Lord Ley Lord Treasurer created by that King Earl of Marlbourough Anno 1625. Which Title continued in three Persons more of his Name and Family and since the late Revolution was conferred by our present King upon the Right Honourable John Churchill the present Earl of Marlborough This Town has suffered very much by the frequent Misfortune of Fire under which it groans to this day Near unto this Place is a Village called Rockley from divers Stones like Rocks pitcht up on end Among which there sometimes breaks forth a violent Stream of Water called Hungersbourn by the Country-people by whom 't is reputed as the fore-runner of a Dearth Malmesbury another good Town stands in the North-West Parts of the County pleasantly seated on a Hill near the Spring of the River Avon over which it has six Bridges being almost incircled with that River Chippenham and Bradford are also seated on the Avon and Troubridge near it Amersbury or Ambresbury commonly pronounced Ambsbury on the other Avon near the Stone-henge and but 6 miles North of Salisbury Upon which River near the Confines of Hampshire you will find also the Town called Downton or Duncton Calne is situate on a River so called which runs from East to West into the Bristol Avon This Town is noted for the Provincial Synod held here in the Year 977 to determine the hot Disputes in those Times between the Monks and the Priests concerning Celibacy But whilst they were debating the Matter in hand the Convocation-house suddenly fell down by which Fall several were slain and many cruelly wounded Wilton is seated between two Rivers the Willy Northward and the Nadder Southward From the first it took its Denomination as the whole County from Wilton Once the chief Town thereof and a Bishops See honoured with the Residence of nine several Bishops But by translating the See to Salisbury and carrying thither withall the Thorough-fare into the West-Country which before was here it fell by little and little to decay So that it is at present but a mean Town Yet still a Borough-Town the Place where the Knights of the Shire are chosen and where the Sheriff keeps his monthly County-Courts Werminster of old Verlucio a Town in former Time of very good account is seated at the Springs of the River Willy otherwise called Willybourn Westbury and Devizes are two Borough-Towns that is such Towns as fend Burgesses to Parliament The first situate on the Broke a small River that falls into the Avon Devizes at the very head of another Stream bearing the Name of the Town which likewise do's empty it self into the Avon I pass by the rest as Inconsiderable to take notice of Clarendon a fine spacious Park lying near to and Eastward of Salisbury 'T is seated upon a Hill on which stand twenty Groves severally inclosed and each a mile in compass Adorned in Times past with a Royal House which in process of time is falnto ruin But more remarkable for that in the Reign of Henry the Second Anno 1164 here was made a certain Recognition and Record of the Customs and Liberties of the Kings of England before the Prelates and Peers of the Kingdom for the avoiding Dissentions between the Clergy the Judges and Barons of the Râ—â—lm Which Act was called The Constitutions of Clarendon whereof so many as the Pope approved have been set down in the Tomes of the Councils and the rest omitted But that which has added more lustre to Clarendon is its being Dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom first in the person of Edward Hyde sometime Lord Chancellour of England who was created Viscount Cornbury in Oxfordshire and Earl of Clarendon by King Charles II Anno 1661. Upon whose Death at Rouen in Normandy Dec. 19th 1674 he was succeeded in his Title by his eldest Son Henry Hyde the present Earl of Clarendon To conclude this County which formerly was Part of the Kingdom of the West-Saxons and its Inhabitants part of the Belgae as the Romans called them is now in the Diocese of Salisbury Out of it are chosen besides the two Knights of the Shire no less than 32 Members to fit in Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns New Sarum or Salisbury Wilton Downton Hindon Westbury Heytesbury Calne the Devizes Chippen ham Malmesbury Cricklade Great Bedwin Lurgershal Old Sarum Wootton Basset and Marlborough But we must not omit the famous Caves that ly in
Rivers it is almost incompassed It lies about 8 miles from the Sea between two Hills upon one of which stands the Church and upon the other a Castle It s chief Trade is of course broad Cloaths here made And here is a Custom common to most other Market Towns of this County to hire Servants at their Fairs to which end such as want either Service or Servants do resort hither Egremont and Ravenglass are seated not sar from the Sea The first on the Banks of a River over which it has two Bridges Ravenglass betwixt two Rivers which together with the Sea incompass three Parts of it White-Haven is situate on a Creek of the Sea at the North end of a Hill where is a great Rock or Quarrey of hard white Stone which gives name unto it This Harbour is of late much improved in its Buildings being well frequented and inhabited and driving a good Trade to Ireland Scotland Chester Bristol and other Places Whose chief Trade is of Salt and Coals here plentifully digged up for which they bring in exchange several good Commodities Keswick seated in a Valley hemmed in with Hills has been a famous Town for Copper Mines and much frequented by mineral Men who had here many Smelting Houses But now it is gone to decay Not far from this Town is dug up Wadd or Black Lead in great plenty Formerly they reckoned in this County 25 Castles few of which are remaining most of them being decayed and gone to ruin Lastly this County which in the time of the Heptarchy was part of the Kingdom of Northumberland and whose Inhabitants as well as those of most part of the North besides were called Brigantes by the ancient Romans is partly in the Diocese of Carlisle and partly in That of Chester For the South Part of it called Copeland lying betwixt the Rivers Duddon and Darwent is within the Arch. Deaconry of Richmond in Chester-Diocese and all the rest of the County in the Diocese of Carlisle Out of this County besides the two Knights of the Shire there are but four Members chosen to sit in Parliament 2 from Carlisle and 2 from Cockermouth In the North Parts of it is a Tract called Gillesland from whence the Earl of Carlisle intitles himself Baron Dacre of Gillesland and South-Westward near the Sea stands the Barony of Millum In short this County became first an Earldom in the Reign of King Henry VIII who bestowed the Title upon Henry Lord Clifford Anno 1525 in whose Issue it continued till the Year 1642 the last that injoyed it being also a Henry Clifford Of an Earldom it became a Dukedom in the Person of the late Illustrious Prince Rupert second Son of Frederick Prince Elector Palatine and of Elizabeth his Wife the only Daughter of King James the first being Created Duke of Cumberland and Earl of Holderness by King Charles I. his Uncle Anno 1643. He died without Issue at Whitehall Nov. 29. 1682. And the Title of Duke of Cumberland is now in the Person of his Royal Highness Prince George of Denmark Of the Isle of Man Isle of Man The Isle of Man lying most of it opposite to Cumberland between this County and the North of Ireland this I think therefore to be the most proper Place to take notice of it This Island runs in Length from North to South about 30 miles and in Breadth where it is broadest 10 miles The Whole divided into two Parts North and South the Inhabitants of the one having affinity with the Scotch and the other with the Irish And in these Parts defended by Two Castles are reckoned 17 Parishes and but 5 Market Towns It is generally an High-land on the Sea-Coast and that well garded with Rocks The middle part of it runs up into high Hills The highest of all called Seafull has this very remarkable in it That from the Top of it on a clear Day one may easily behold three Kingdoms at once viz. England Scotland and Ireland England Eastward Scotland Northward and Ireland Westward The Air of this Island is sharp and subject to high Winds but 't is healthful And as sharp as it is in Winter yet the Frosts are short and the Snow does not ly very long in the Valleys The Soil is pretty fruitful both in Corn and Pasture affording good store of Wheat and other Grain and feeding good Flocks of Sheep and Herds of Cattle but none of the biggest size Here are also red Deer abundance of Conies and Fowl of sundry sorts In a little adjacent Island called the Isle of Calf is abundance of Puffins a sort of Sea Fowl that breeds in Cony-holes chiefly used for their Feathers and Oyl made of them But their Flesh being pickled or salted as it has a Fish-like taste so it comes little short of Anchoves And as for Fish both the Sea and Rivers yield great plenty of it It s chief Places are Douglas Laxi and Ramsâ—y on the East Shore Rushin on the South and Peel with its strong Castle on the West Shore 'T was about the Year 1340 that this Island was conquered from the Scots by William Montacute Earl of Salisbury who was thereupon honoured with the Title of King of Man Afterwards it was sold to the Lord Scrope who being convicted of Treason forfeited it to the Crown Henry IV. gave it to Henry Pierce Earl of Northumberland the last that kept it with the Title of King But he proving also false to his Sovereign the King gave it to William Lord Stanley whose Grandchild Thomas Lord Stanley was created Earl of Derby In whose House this Estate has continued hitherto with the Title of Lord of Man though a King in effect For he has here all kind of Civil Power and Jurisdiction over the Inhabitants and the very Nomination of the Bishop of Man but still under the Fief and Sovereignty of the Crown of England And as to the Bishop he must be presented to the King for his Royal Assent then to the Archbishop of York for his Consecration Which is the Reason why the Bishop of Man is no Lord of Parliament none being admitted to that Honour but such as hold immediately of the King himself Derbyshire DERBYSHIRE or as some spell it DARBYSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East by Nottinghamshire on the West by Cheshire and Staffordshire on the North by Yorkshire and on the South by Leicestershire And it lies so in respect to the rest of ENGLAND that the South Parts of this County are in a manner the Center of it It is in Length from North to South about 34 miles and in Breadth from East to West 16. The Whole divided into six Hundreds wherein 106 Parishes and 10 Market Towns The Temperature of the Air of this County is very wholsom as most of the Inland Counties are Next to the River Trent wherewith the South Parts of it are irrigated that of chief note is Derwent which crossing the Country from North to
Breadth from East to West 32. The Whoâ— divided into six Hundreds wherein 61 Parisheâ— and 26 Market-Towns The Number of Parishâ— but small in so large a quantity of Ground but that there are many Chappels of Ease equal to Parishes elsewhere for Multitudes of People Here the Air is sharp thin and piercing seldom troubled with Fogs And the Inhabitants accordingly are healthfull comely strong and long-lived not subject to many Diseases The Soil differs much according to its different nature and situation some Parts being Mountainous and of the Champain Country some very fruitfull some Mossy and the rest Moorish The Champain Country is very good for Wheat and Barley but that which lies at the bottom of the Hills is best for Oats From the Mosses which are not unlike the Irish Bogs some of them many Miles in Compass the common People get Turves for their Firing And sometimes they dig up Trees out of them which serve both for Building and Fewel Cambden seems to be of Opinion that they are subterraneous Trees growing under Ground as some other Plants do The Mountainous Part which lies Eastward is full of stony craggy and barren Hills bare of Wood and the Habitation of Foxes Conies Otters c. Amongst these Hills some are of a prodigious height especially Pendle-Hill on the top whereof grow's a peculiar Plant called Cloudsberry as coming from the Clouds But one thing besides is remarkable in this Hill that whenever the Top of it is covered with a Mist 't is an infallible Sign of Rain The Country in general is well watered with Rivers the chief whereof are the Mersey the Rible and the Lon all three running from East to West into the Irish Sea The Mersey Waters the South Parts and serves for a Boundary betwixt this County and Cheshire the Rible waters the middle and the Lon the North Parts Besides these Rivers and many others of less note here are several great Meers or Lakes as Merton and Winder or Wimander Meer This last divides part of Lancashire from Westmorland reaching about 10 miles in length and 3 or 4 in breadth It has as most Lakes in the North a clear pebbly Bottom whence the Saying that this Lake is all paved with Stone And it breeds great store of Fish particularly Trouts Pikes Pearches Eels and Skellies But there 's one sort of Fish peculiar to it and not to be found elsewhere except in Vlles Water another Lake bordering both upon Cumberland and Westmorland Charre is the Name of it and 't is a dainty Fish whereof many Pies are yearly sent abroad for Presents In short tho' this Country in general cannot be called a fruitfull Country yet what is good of it yields abundance of good Grass and Corn the fairest Oxen in England and in general all sorts of Provisions Fish and Fowl particularly here 's great plenty of and in the River Lon near Cockerfand Abbey is great store of Salmon To make Linnen here grows a great deal of Flax for Fewel the Country yields not only fat Earth but good Coals and for Building Quarries of good Stone Lancaster the Shâ—re Town bears from London North-West and by North and is distant therefrom by common computation 187 miles thus From London to Stafford 104 for the particulars whereof I refer you to Staffordshire Then from Stafford to Stone 10 to Newcastle 6 more thence to Warington 20 to Wigan 14 more to Preston 14 more then to Garstang 10 and to Lancaster 15 more A Town pleasantly seated in a good Soil on the South-side of the â—iver Lon near its fall into the Sea From which River it came to be called Loncaster since turn'd into Lancaster as from Lancaster the whole County took the Name of Lancashire The Town not very well peopled nor much frequented There are in it several fair and long Streets from the Length whereof this Town I suppose might be called Longovicus by the Emperor Antonine And yet there is but one Parish-Church which indeed is large and fair It stands on the side of a Hill on the top of which is the Castle now made use of for the County Goal both for Debtors and Malefactors and for keeping the Assizes for the County Besides the Church and Castle two of the chief Ornaments of this Town here 's a fair Stone-Bridge over the Lon supported by five Arches To which add the Market-house or Town-hall where the Mayor and his Brethren keep their Courts It s Market which is kept on Saturdays is commonly well furnished with all sorts of Provisions but Fish and among the rest Salmon especially Lastly this Town is of sufficient Fame in the Annals of England for those noble Persons which have successively born the Titles of Earls and Dukes of it the greatest Princes in their time for Revenues of any Subjects in Christendom Of which House there have been four Kings of England all under the Name of Henry viz. Henry the fourth the fifth the sixth and the seventh The last by marrying with Elizabeth Daughter and Heir to Edward IV. of the House of York did happily unite the two Houses of York and Lancaster Whose Competition for the Crown of England under the Names of Red and White Roses had caused more Blood-shed than the Conquest of France by the English The Market-Towns of this County besides Lancaster are Manchester Sat. Leverpool Sat. Clitheroe Sat. Dalton Sat. Blackborn Mund. Poulton Mund. Cartmill Mund. Hornby Mund. Hawkshead Mund. Wigan Mund. Frid. Rochdale Tue. Chorley Tue. Ormskirk Tue. Kirkham Tue. Prescot Tue. Coln Wedn. Haslington Wedn. Warington Wedn. Preston Wedn. Frid. Sat. Bury Thu. Garstang Thu. Vlverston Thu. Besides Leigh and â—reat Eccleston whose Market-days I am ignorant of Manchester is seated upon a stony Hill in the South-East Parts of the County between the Rivers Irk and Irwell both which empty themselves not far off into the Mersey This Town called by Antonine the Emperour Mantunium was a Station of the Romans And it is to this day a Town much beyond Lancaster in beauty and populousness It s chief Ornaments are the Colledge and the Market-Place but above all the Collegiate Church beautified with a small Quire of excellent Workmanship Honoured besides with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Charles Montague the present Earl of Manchester derived to him from his great Grandfather Henry Montague Viscount Mandeville created Earl of Manchester by King Charles I. Anno 1625. being then Lord Treasurer and President of the Council and afterwards Lord Privy Seal And lastly 't is a noted Place for its Linnen and Woollen Cloths as also for its Cottons which are held in great esteem Leverpool is the next Place of chief note in this County T is an excellent Sea-port commodiously seated at the fall of the River Mersey into the Sea where it affords a safe Harbour for Ships and a convenient Passage into Ireland To the immortal Praise of the Family of the Mores of Banck-hall
New Buckenham ly not far from Thetford to the Eastward Diss and Harleston on the Waveney Watton Windham Hingham Swafham and East-Derham do not ly far asunder about the middle of the County Further to the Northward you will find Repeham Caston Fakenham Walsingham Holt Aleâ—ham Worsted North Walsham and Hickling this last in a Marsh-Ground not far from the Sea Downham is upon the Ouse over which it has a Bridge leading into Cambridgeshire Snetham North of Lyn is seated on a bivuler not far from the Sea Burnham-Market and Cromere are two Sea-Towns in the North Parts of the County Between which is Clay another Sea-Town on three sides incompassed with Waters and once a Market Town but now discontinued And near it Wayborn-hope a noted Place amongst Seamen as is Winterton Ness or Point in the East which is very coldly seated And yet it is observed that the Ground about Winterton is one of the richest and fattest in England Among the aforesaid Towns Walsingham was formerly renowned as for its Colledge of Canons so for the continual Concourse of Pilgrims to this Place Who came hither to pay their Superstitious Devotion to the Blessed Virgin at a Chappel near the two Wells called to this day the Virgin Mary's Wells It was also a Place of note for its good Saffron Near Burnham-Market within 2 Miles from it to the Westward is a small Country-Town called Brancaster the Ruins of an ancient Town known by the Name of Branodunum Seated near the Sea-shore and a Place of good account in the time of the Romans who kept here a Garrison Not far from Hickling in the North-East Parts is the ancient decay'd Abbey of St. Bennet's in the Holme built by the Danish King Canute An Abbey so fortified afterwards by its Monks with Walls and Bulwarks that it seemed rather a Castle than a Cloyster and yet was betrayed by a Monk to William the Conqueror The Bishop of Norwich retains to this Day the Title of Lord Abbot of St. Bennets And it is observable that hereabouts both Cockles and Perwinkles are digged out of the Ground Lastly this County which is the largest in England next to Yorkshire but much more populous was Part of the Kingdom of the East-Angles in the time of the Heptarchy and its Inhabitants part of the Iceni as the Romans called them It is observed of the People in this County that they are notably industrious for Plough and Manufactures insomuch that one shall hardly see a Beggar throughout all the Country And yet which one would wonder at they are notable Wranglers and generally so well versed in the Quirks of the Law that they create more work for the Assizes than almost all the Circuit else Accordingly Norfolk is the County which commonly yields the best Breed of Lawyers and has furnished the Courts of Justice with many an emiment Man in the Laws of England But a great Antiquary has made another material Observation That in this County are a hundred Families of ancient Gentry that never were attainted of high Treason Which if it be true the Gentry here have had better fortune than the Dukes Dutchesses and Earls of Norfolk His Grace Henry Howard the present Duke of Norfolk derives his Title from his noble Ancestor John-Lord Howard created Duke of Norfolk by King Edward IV. Anno 1483 and descended from the Lady Margaret Dutchess of Norfolk Daughter of Tho. de Brotherton Earl of Norfolk first Son of King Edward I. Out of this County are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire ten Members of Parliament Viz. Two out of each of these following Places Norwich Kings I yn Yarmouth Thetford and Castle-rising Northamptonshire NORTHAMPTONSHIRE an Inland County is bounded on the East with the Counties of Cambridge Huntington Bedford and Buckingham on the West with Rutland Leicestershire and Warwickshire Northward with the Counties of Lincoln Rutland and Leicester Southward with Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire This County being long but narrow runs in Length from North to South ahout 50 miles and in Breadth from East to West but half The Whole divided into 20 Hundreds wherein 326 Parishes and 13 Market-Towns Here the Air is temperate and healthfull the Soil as rich either for Corn or Grass as in any Place in England And the Inhabitants find such a Profit here by Grazing and Tillage that they improve the Ground every where Insomuch that it is said there is less waste Ground in this County than in any other As for Rivers and other fresh Streams 't is as well watered as most Counties are It s principal Rivers are the Nen and the Weland both having their Rise here besides the Ouse which rises in the South Parts near Bucking hamshire A further Proof of the excellency of this County might be fetched from its Populousness For it is so garnished with Towns that in many Places 20 or 30 Steeples present themselves at one view And considering its Extent 't is said to be honoured with the Seats of as many if not more of the Nobility and Gentry as any County in the Kingdom Northampton the chief Place hereof ly's North-West from London and by common Computation is distant from it 54 miles thus From London to Barnet 10 thence to St. Allans 10 and to Dunstable 10 more from Dunstable to Stony Stratford 20 and to Northampton 10 more A Town pleasantly seated on the Banks of the River Nen where it meets with two Rivulets one from the North the other from the South And though it has suffered much by the sore hand of the Dane and other Calamities and of late particularly by the dreadfull Fire which buried it all in Ashes in September 1675 yet it has raised it self again more glorious than before So that for Circuit and Beauty it may at this time be ranked with many Cities Fortified heretofore with good Walls and a strong Castle and seated in so good an Air that once the Students of Cambridge had a mind to remove their University hither Here the Inhabitants drive a considerable Trade especially of Leather and its Market which is on Saturdays is well served with Provisions This Town is the Place where the County-Goal and the Assizes are kept Of special note for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable George Compton the present Earl of Northampton Devolved to him from his noble Ancestor William Lord Compton and Lord President of Wales Created Earl of Northampton by King James I. Anno 1618. The other Market-Towns are Peterborough Sat. Oundle Sat. Higham-Ferrers Sat. Rothwell Mund. Thrapston Tue. Towcester Tue. King's Cliff Tue. Wellingborow Wed. Braâ—kley Wed. Daventry Wed. Kettering Frid. Bodkingham Among which Peterborough is seated in a Nook or Angle of the County bordering upon Cambridgeshire and Huntingtonshire where formerly had been a Gulf or Whirlpool of an exceeding depth 'T is seated on the River Nen over which it has a Bridge leading into Huntingtonshire A Town of no great account but for being a
fortified with a strong Castle wherein a Garrison is kept The Town is not very large but well built and well inhabited and as it has a commodious Key it injoy's a pretty good Trade Several Vessels belong unto this Town imploy'd especially in Herring-Fishing Season which are taken on this Coast in great plenty This Place is also noted for its famous Spaw which is much resorted unto But of late in a more particular manner for giving the Title of Earl to the Right Honourable Richard Lumley newly created Earl of Scarborough Between this Town and Whitby to the Northward is Robin Hoods Bay so called from Robin-Hood that noted Robber in the Reign of Richard I. About which is found a sort of Jeat or black Amber Whitby another Sea-Town is commodiously seated on the River Esk at its Influx into the Sea A pretty neat Town with a Bridge over the River and driving a good Trade chiefly for Allum and Butter Here is a Custom-House and great many Vessels belonging to the Town Formerly a Place of note for its Abbey but chiefly for the Abbess thereof S. Hilda so famed in her time for working of Miracles One of which Tradition tells us was her ridding this Part of the Country of Snakes which infected it much and conjuring of them into the Sea by her fervent Prayers Which is backed by those who aver that at the Root of the craggy Rocks that are upon the Shore therely Stones scattered here and there naturally as round as a Bullet In which Stones being broken are found stony Serpents wrapt round but most of them headless Not far from Whitby is Mulgrave an ancient Castle situate near unto the Sea and first built in the Time of Richard II by Peter de Mauley Who being pleased with it called it Mouligrace that is a fine Seat But as it proved a grievous Yoke to the neighbour Inhabitants they nicknamed it and called it Moultgrave since turned into Mulgrave by which Name it go's to this day It continued in this Line for 7 Generations and all of them called Peters too The Issue male failing it passed through several Families till it came to the Sheffields Out of which House Edmund Lord Sheffield of Butterwick Lord President of the North was created Earl of Mulgrave by King Charles I. Anno 1625. To whom succeeded in the Title Edmund his Grand-Son by Sir John Sheffield his second Son Who dying in the Year 1658. left his Title to his Son and Heir the Right Honourable John Sheffield the present Earl of Mulgrave Some miles West from Mulgrave Castle is a small Sea-Town called Skeningrave not to be omitted were it but for the following Account of the Seal-fish Hereabouts near unto Hunt-Cliff at low Water appear Rocks not far from the Shore about which the Seal-fish come in great Sholes and in fair and warm Weather ly sleeping and sunning themselves But as it has been observed while they ly thus asleep one of them is upon the Watch and acts the part of a Sentinel Who upon the appearance of any Danger gives the Signal by flouncing into the Water the Noise whereof awakes the rest and so they make their escape They are not afraid say's my Author of Women but only of Men and therefore they that catch 'em put on Womens Cloaths If when they are chased they find themselves too far from the Water their Way is with their hinder feet to fling Sand and Gravel backward in the Pursuers faces which forces 'em sometimes to quit the Sport Some miles from this Coast to the Southward is a Tract of Land called Cleveland taking that Name as Cambden tells us of the Cliffs or steep Banks which run all along the side thereof and at the foot of which the Country spreads it self into a fine fruitful Plain A Territory besides of a good extent which gave the Title of an Earl to Thomas Lord Wentworth created Earl of Cleveland by King Charles I. But leaving no Issue the Title died with him Anno 1670. King Charles II. conferred the Title of Dutchess of Cleveland upon Barbara Villiers Daughter to the Lord Viscount Grandison who was slain in the Civil Wars the Earl of Castlemain's Wife and Mother of three Dukes viz. the Duke of Southampton the Duke of Grafton and the Duke of Northumberland In this Tract I mean Cleveland is an ancient Castle called Danby seated near unto a large Park and a goodly Chase of the same Name It belonged anciently to the Lord Latimer and was sold with other Lands belonging to that Family to Ralph Nevil Earl of Westmorland who forthwith gave the same to his Son Sir George Nevil And not long after King Henry VI. summoned him to the Parliament by the Name of Lord Latimer Whose Issue male failing in Queen Elizabeths Time the Estate was divided between his two Daughters The Castle with the Lands adjoyning fell to the share of Mary Wife to Sir John Danvers of Wiltshire By whom she got Sir Henry Danvers Created by King James I. Lord Danvers of Danby and by King Charles I. Earl of Danby But he dying without Issue the Title lay dormant till revived by Charles II. By whom the Right Honourable Thomas Osborn now Marquess of Caermarthen was created Baron of Kineton and Viscount Latimer in the Year 1673 and Earl of Danby the next Year Gisborough is pleasantly seated in a Flat between Mulgrave and the River Tees A mean Town to what it was when it had its rich Abbey but of some note however for being the first place where Allum was made in England Not far from which is Roseberry-Topping a Hill Pyramid-like serving to Sailers for a Land-Mark and being to the Country-people a certain Sign of Rain when they see a Cloud over it Almost at the top of it is a Spring of Water coming out of a huge Rock counted good for sore Eyes Stokesley is a Market-Town well watered with fresh Streams Yarum but a mean Town is seated on the Tees which divides this County from the Bishoprick of Durham and over which it has a fair Stone-Bridge North-Allerton a large Borough-Town stands near the Wisk a small Stream that falls into the Swale And Thirsk is a small Borough-Town that had once a very strong Castle Bedal Middleham and Masham are all three in Richmondshire The first seated on the Swale and a small Stream that falls there into it Middleham and Masham on the Youre And not far from Masham is Aldborough an ancient Borough-Town New Malton Pickering Kirby-Moreside and Helmley ly all four Eastward not far distant from each other nor from the Sea The first a Borough-Town is seated on the Banks of the River Derwent over which it has a Stone-bridge and contains 3 Parish Churches being well-inhabited and accommodated with good Inns for Travellers It s Market on Saturdays is counted one of the best in all the County for Horses living Cattle Provisions and most Country-Commodities especially Tools for Husbandry The other
Fee-simple make Leases and Grants and sue in her own Name without the King which is not in the power of any other Feme-covert or married Woman to do A Queen Dowager or Widow-Queen is still Respected as a Queen in her Widowhood and keeps a Court accordingly And though she should marry a private Gentleman as did Queen Catharine King Henry the Fifths Widow she does not lose her Dignity By the Sons and Daughters of England I mean the King's Children So called because all the Subjects of England have a special Interest i◠Them though their Education and the Disposing of Them is only in the King The Eldest Son commonly called the Prince of Wales is born Duke of Cornwal and afterwards created Prince of Wales Upon his Birth he is by Law of full Age to sue for the Livery of the said Dukedom as if he were full a Years of Age. But so much of the Lands 〈◊〉 Demesns of it have been Alienated that h◠Revenues are chiefly out of the Tin-Mines i◠Cornwall Which with all other Profits of the Dutchy amount yearly to the Sum of 140◠Pounds and the Prince's whole Revenues to about 20000 l. When King Edward I had compleated the Conquest of Wales He divided it into Seven Shires to which Henry VIII added five more out of the March Lands Over each of the Seven Shires King Edward placed a particular English Lieutenant and over the whole he designed a Vicegerent The Welch being disgusted at this He sent for his Queen then great with Child to Caernarvan where she was delivered of a Son Upon the News whereof the King assembled the Chief Men of that Nation and offered to name them a Governour born in Wales who could not speak one word of English and against whose Life they could take no just exception Such a one when they had all sworn to obey he named his young Son Edward Whereupon He created him Prince of Wales and since that time the Kings of England eldest Sons have been called Princes of Wales Whereas while Normandy was in the Power of the English which lasted till the Reign of King John they were stiled Dukes of Normandy The Investiture is performed by the Imposition of a Cap of Estate and a Coronet on the Princes Head as a Token of his Principality by delivering into his hand a Verge of Gold the Emblem of Government by putting a Gold Ring on his Finger in token that he must be a Husband to his Country and a Father to her Children and by giving him a Patent to hold the said Principality to Him and his Heirs Kings of England By which Words the Separation of it from the Crown is prohibited and the King keeps to himself an excellent Occasion of obliging unto Him his Son when he pleases In Imitation of which Custom John I King of Castille and Leon made his Son Henry Prince of the Asturias a Country so Craggy and Mountainous that it may not improperly be called the Wales of Spain And all the Spanish Princes ever since have been honoured with that Title The Mantle worn in Parliament by the Prince of Wales has for Distinctions sake one gard more than a Duke's his Coronet of Crosses and Flower de luces and his Cap of State indented His Arms differ from the Kings only by addition of a Label of three points And his peculiar Device is a Coronet beautified with three Ostrich Feathers inscribed with ICH DIEN that is I serve Alluding perhaps to that in the Gospel The Heir while he is a Child differs not from a Servant Which Device was born at the Battel of Cressy by John King of Bohemia serving there under the French King and there slain by Edward the Black Prince Since worn by the Princes of Wales and by the Vulgar called the Princes Arms. In short the King of England's Eldest Son has ever since been stiled Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain and Cornwal and Earl of Chester and Flint these Earldoms being conferred upon him by Letters Patent As Eldest Son to the King of Scotland he is Duke of Rothsay and Seneschal of Scotland from his Birth Though he is a Subject yet the Law looks upon his Person as so Sacred that it is high Treason to imagine his Death or violate his Wife The Younger Sons of England depend altogether upon the King's Favour both for Titles of Honour and Revenues sutable to their Birch For they are not born Dukes or Earls but are so created according to the Kings Pleasure Neither have they as in France certain Appanages but only what Revenue the King pleases to bestow upon them They are indeed by Birth-right as well as the Prince of Wales Counsellors of State whereby they may fit themselves to manage the weighty Affairs of the Kingdom The Daughters are called Princesses And to violate them unmarried is High Treason The Title of Royal Highness is common to all the King's Children All Subjects ought to be uncovered in their Presence to kneel when they are admitted to kiss their hands and to be served on the Knee at Table unless the King be present Lastly all Persons of the Royal Bloud being a Lawful Issue have the Precedency of all others in England As for the King 's Natural or Illegitimate Sons and Daughters they are commonly created Dukes and Dutchesses and bear what Surname the King pleases to give them King Henry I. and Charles II. of blessed Memory are noted to have had the most of any CHAP. XII Of the Nine Great Officers of the Crown NEXT to the Royal Family the Great Officers of the Crown come of course to be Inquired into which are Nine in Number Viz. The Lord High Steward The Lord High Chancellor The Lord High Treasurer The Lord President of the Kings Council The Lord Privy Seal The Lord Great Chamberlain The Lord High Constable The Lord Earl Marshal The Lord High Admiral The Lord High Steward of England is the highest Officer under the King His Office not unlike that of the Mayre of the Pallace under the ancient Kings of France is to rule and govern the Kingdom under the King in Time of Peace and War during his Reign Which Power being thought too large and exorbitant for a Subject to have this Great Officer has been discontinned ever since Henry of Bullingbrock Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster afterwards King of England under the Name of Henry IV. Only at a Coronation also for the Trial of a Peer or Peeress for Treason or Felony or some other great Crime the King makes a High Steward for that Time Who during his Stewardship is called His Grace and bears a white Staff in his hand which he openly breaks when the Business is over and so ends his Office By virtue of his Office at a Coronation he sits Judicially at the King's Pallace at Westminster Where he receives the Bills and Petitions of all such Noblemen and others who by reason of their Tenure or otherwise
Places to amongst the numerous Towns that are here few can boast of any Beauty Stafford the Shire-Town from whence the County takes its Name bears from London North-West and is distant therefrom 104 miles thus From London to Northampton 54 miles for the particulars whereof I refer you to Northamptonshire from thence to Coventry 20 miles to Lichfield 20 more and thence to Stafford 10. A Town pleasantly seated on the Banks of the-River Sowe which washes its South and West Parts with a Bridge over it Formerly fenced with a Wall except where it was secured by a large Pool or Water on the North and East Here are two Parish-Churches a free School and a fine Market-Place The Streets are large and graced with many good Buildings And its Market which is kept on Saturdays is well served with most sorts of Provisions This Town did formerly belong to the noble Family of the Staffords first with the Title of Earl hereof and afterwards of Lord or Baron Henry Stafford was the last of that Line who dying Anno 1639 the Family of the Staffords died also with him But the next year after William Howard Knight of the Bath and second Son of Thomas Earl of Arundel and Surrey having to Wife a Daughter of the last Lord Stafford was by King Charles I. created Viscount and Lord Stafford Who being found Guilty of High Treason by his Peers Dec. 7th 1680 was beheaded upon Tower-Hill Dec. 29. But the Title was in the late Reign revived in his Son Henry the present Earl of Stafford Lastly though Stafford be the County-Town yet it is not the chief either for extent or beauty it being out-done by Lichfield a City and County of it self seated in a low and Moorish Ground on a shallow Pool by which it is divided into two Parts both joyned together by a Bridge and a Causey and making up a City of indifferent bigness In the South Part which is the greater of the two stands a Grammar-School for the Education of Children and an Hospital dedicated to S. John for the Relief of the Poor In the other Parts there 's nothing considerable but a fair Cathedral and that sufficient of it self to renoun the Place First built by Oswin King of Northumberland about the Year 656 who gave the Bishops hereof many Possessions Afterwards being taken down by Roger de Clinton the 37th Bishop of this Diocese that which now stands was built by him and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and S. Chad. Besides the Cathedral this City has 3 Parish Churches And its Weekly Markets kept on Tuesdays and Fridays are well served with Provisions But Lichfield is not only honoured with a Bishops See 'T is dignify'd besides with the Title of an Earldom in the person of the Right Honourable Edward Henry Lee who was created by Charles II. Baron of Spellesbury Viscount Quarendon and Earl of Lichfield Anno 1674. The other Market-Towns are Newcastle Mund. Stone Tue. Betles Tue. Pagets Bromley Tue. Tudbury Tue. Walsall Tue. Ridgeley Tue. Penkridge Tue. Brewood Tue. Leek Wedn. Vtoxeter Wedn. Wolverhampton Wedn. Checkley Thu. Burton Thu. Eccleshall Frid. Tamworth Sat. Among which Newcastle commonly called Newcastle under Line from the Rivulet Line upon which it is seated and that to distinguish it from Newcastle upon Tine in Northumberland is a large Town but mean in its Buildings most of 'em being thatched Vtoxeter and Tudbury are seated on the River Dove Stone and Burton upon Trent the first in the Road from London to Chester and the last famous for its Bridge leading into Derbyshire Pagets Bromley on the Blithe and Checkley on the Teane Tamworth is seated on the Tame where the Auker falls into it with a Stone-Bridge over each It stands part in this County and part in Staffordshire one part washed by the Tame and the other Part by the Auker In short 't is a good Town beautified with a large Church and strengthened with a small but strong Castle Walsall is seated on the top of a high Hill pretty well built and driving a good Trade of Nails Spurs Stirrups Bridle-bits and Bellows made here in great plenty Penkridge a Place of good Antiquity seated near the River Penk is now only famous for its Horse-Fair and chiefly for Saddle-Nags And Brewood for that the Bishops of this Diocese had here their Pallace before the Conquest Wolverhampton was only called Hampton till such time as one Vulver a devout Woman inriched the Town with a Religious House It stands upon a Hill and has a Collegiate Church annexed to the Deanry of Windsor About four miles from this Place stood the Oak where the late King Charles took Sanctuary for some Days after his Defeat at Worcester till he was conveyed to the House of Mrs. Jane Lane who was a chief Instrument in his Conveyance beyond Sea From whence this famous Tree came to be called the Royal Oak Lastly this County formerly Part of the Kingdom of Mercia and its Inhabitants part of the Cornavii is now in the Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry Out of it are elected besides the two Knights of the Shire eight Members of Parliament Viz. two out of each of these following Towns Stafford Lichfield Newcastle under Line and Tamworth CHAP. XV. Of Suffolk Surrey and Sussex Suffolk SVFFOLK a large Maritime County is bounded on the East with the German Ocean on the West with Cambridgeshire Northward with Norfolk and Southward with Essex Called Suffolk q. d. Southfolk in opposition to Norfolk which lies North from it It contains in Length from East to West about 45 miles in Breadth from North to South where broadest at least 30. The Whole divided into 22 Hundreds wherein 575 Parishes and 30 Market-Towns A strong Argument of its Populousness Here the Air is counted so wholsom that some London Physicians have prescribed it for the Cure of their consumptive Patients As to the Soil the Eastern Parts all along the Coast for five or six miles Inland are generally heathy sandy and full of bleaâ— Hills yet such as yield abundance of Rye Pease and Hemp and feed abundance oâ— Sheep The more Inland Part commonly called high Suffolk or the Wood-Lands is for the moâ—â— part Clay-Ground and is husbanded chiefly for the Dairy this County being noted foâ— its excellent Butter The Southern Parts along the Borders of Essex and Cambridgeshire are much of the same nature for Wood and Pasture-Ground But the Parts about Bury and to the North-West from thence are generally Champain abounding with excellent Corn of all sorts And as for Parks here are reckoned in this County near upon fifty For Rivers few Counties are so well watered Besides the little Ouse and the Waveney which part it from Norfolk here is the Stoure which severs it from Essex the Orwell or Gippe the Ore Blithe Deben and Breton c. Ipswich the chief Place hereof bears from London North-East and is distant from thence 55 miles thus From London to Colchester 43 miles
another Coast-Town ly's 2 miles North-East of Orford Pleasantly seated in a Dale between the Sea on the East a high Hill on the West where stands a large and old-built Church and a small River that runs to the Southward This is a long large and plain-built Town with mean Houses Chiefly noted for its Fishery for which they have a commodious Key at Slaughden a quarter of a mile Southwards and along the Beach towards Orford Conveniencies above other Towns for the drying of their North-Sea-Fish A little North of the Town is a Village called Thorp whence several Parts of the County are served with Lobsters and Crabs Saxmundsham lies North of Alborough and at some distance from the Sea upon a small River Dunwich on the Sea-shore was the first Bishops See of the East-Angles for the County of Suffolk Then a Town capable of that Dignity now ruinous decay'd and for the greatest part worn into the Sea However it do's still contain two Parish Churches Fishing of Sprats in Winter and of Herrings Mackerels Soles and the like in their proper Seasons is the chief Imployment of its Inhabitants as it is with those of Alborough Swold or Sowold a few miles more Northward stands also by the Sea-side Seated on a pleasant Cliff the Sea on the East the Harbour on the South the River Blithe with a Draw-bridge on the West and a small Neck of Land on the North. So that it is almost incompassed with Water especially at every floud And besides the natural Situation of the Place which renders it a Town of good strength here are planted on the Cliff several Pieces of Ordnance It s Bay called Swolds Bay so famous for Ships to ride in is chiefly made by the Shooting forth of Easton Ness a little North of it which is the most Eastern Part of all England Lestoft is the most Northern Sea-Town of this County and a good thriving Place It s chief Trade consists in fishing for Cod in the North Sea and at home for Herrings for which it lies most conveniently over against the chief Herring-Beds Beckles and Bungay are both seated on the banks of the Waveney The first has two Parish-Churches and a Grammar-School with ten Scholarships for Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge Here the Womens Imploy is to knit Worsted Stockings whilst at Diss in Norfolk on the other side of the River they imploy themselves in knitting of Silk ones Halesworth Framlingham and Eye make a kind of Triangle The first is a thriving Town for Retail Trade dealing much in Linnen Yarn and Sale Cloth Framlingham a good large Town is seated upon a Clay-hill near the head of the River Ore Defended by a spacious tall Castle of Saxon Work well walled and double ditched on one part with a large Meer on the other part This Castle had once no less than 13 high Towers and was counted so strong that Robert the rebellious Earl of Leicester against King Henry the Second took up his Quarters here Its Inworks are now much defaced there being only a large Dwelling-house a Grammar-School-House but the Outworks are more like a Castle than the Ruins of one Eye a pretty large Market-Town and an ancient Corporation is situate in a watery Place It shew's a fair Church with the Ruins of a Castle and of an ancient Benedictine Abbey called S. Peter's The Womens Imploy in this Town is making of Bone-lace This Corporation is a Peculiar of the Crown an Honour of ancient Time and has been given in Joynture with the Queens of England Buddesdale some miles West of Eye is but a little Borough-Town seated according to its Name in a Dale Here is a Grammar-School indowed with certain Scholarships assigned to Bennet or Corpus Christi Colledge in Cambridge Hadleigh and Lavenham are both seated on the River Breton and Bilston on a Rivulet that falls into it The first a Town of great account formerly for its Clothing has a fine Church which is a great Ornament to it and is a Peculiar of Canterbury Of some note for the Martyrdom of Dr. Taylor their sometime famous Minister who suffered here for his Religion But whereas Hadleigh is seated in a Bottom Lavenham on the contrary stands on an Eminence This also has a comely and spacious Church and Steeple injoy's a pretty good Trade and is something the more frequented for its famous Lecture Bilston or Bildeston is noted for its Blues and Blankets And the Women here either spin corded Wool for the Clothier or white Work for the Packer Neyland Sudbury Clare and Haverill are all four seated on the River Stower The first in a rich Bottom is a good Country Town noted for its Clothing but chiefly for its Bays and Sayes wherein the Inhabitants drive a Trade with London Sudbury is a good large Town having a fair Bridge over the River Stower which leads into Essex It contains 3 Parish Churches and drives a good Trade of Cloathing being chiefly noted for Says as Colchester in Essex for Bays Of some Note besides for giving the Title of Baron to his Grace the Duke of Grafton Clare is a Town of more antiquity than beauty having nothing to boast of but the Ruins of a Castle and Collegiate Church but that it gave both Name and Title to that noble Family surnamed De Clare who in their Times were Earls of Hartford Clare and Glocester The last of that Name was Gilbert de Clare who died Anno 1295. He had a Sister and Coheir Elizabeth by Name the Wife of William de Burg Earl of Ulster in Ireland by whom she got a Daughter their sole Heir To this great Heiress Lionel the third Son of King Edward III was married and upon his Marriage made Duke of Clarence the Termination of the Title being only changed not the Place denominating And from this Change the second King of Arms is surnamed Clarencieux as appertaining formerly to the Dukes of Clarence Besides this first Duke of Clarence I can find but two more Viz. Thomas second Son to King Henry IV Lord Admiral who was slain in France and George Brother to King Ed. ward IV Lord Constable But in the Year 1624 the first Title of Clare was revived in the person of John Holles Lord Houghton Created Earl of Clare by King James the first To whom succeeded John Holles his eldest Son then Gilbert Holles the late Earl and upon his Decease the Right Honourable John Holles the present Earl of Clare Haveril on the edge of Suffolk Essex and Cambridgeshire is a small and plain Market-Town not far from the Head of the Stower adjoyning to the Saffron Grounds The principal Trade here is Fustians As for Newmarket I refer you to Cambridgeshire Mildenhall a large and populous Market-Town is seated on the Banks of a River that runs from East to West into the Ouse almost over against Littleport in Cambridgeshire Here is a fair Church with a very tall Steeple And its Market does chiefly abound with Fish and
High Admiral of England an Office held by Patent and of so great a Trust that it has usually been given to Princes of the Royal Bloud For the Lord High Admiral is Intrusted with no less than the Management of all Maritime Affairs with the Government of the King's Navy with Power of Decision in all Causes Maritime aswell Civil as Criminal of all Things done upon or beyond the Sea in any Part of the World in all Ports and Havens upon the Sea-Coasts and all Rivers below the first Bridge next towards the Sea In short the Admiralty being in a manner a separate Kingdom from the rest the Lord High Admiral may be reputed at least the Viceroy thereof A Multitude of Officers high and low are under him both at Sea and Land some of a Military others of a Civil Capacity some Judicial others Ministerial And under him is held the High Court of Admiralty the Places and Offices whereof are in his Gift The last High Admiral of England was the late King when Duke of York For since he came to the Crown the Office was executed by Seven Lords Commissioners as it is to this day CHAP. XIII Of Their present Majesties King WILLIAM and Queen MARY With a brief Account of Their Accession to the Crown KING WILLIAM our present Monarch is the only Issue of the late Illustrious Prince William of Nassaw Prince of Orange and of the Deceased Princess Royal Mary eldest Daughter to King Charles I who was wedded to the foresaid Prince in the Year 1641. His Majesty was born in Holland Nov. 4th 1650 ten days after his Fathers Death and was Christened by the Names of William Henry William being his Fathers Name and Henry his Grandfathers The House of Nassaw is an Ancient and most Illustrious Family so called from Nassaw a Town and County in Weteravia a Province of Germany That Branch of it from whence the King is descended had their usual Seat at Dillenburg not far from Nassaw before they settled in the Low-Countries whence for Distinctions sake they were named the Earls of Nassaw of the House of Dillenburg Otho of Nassaw who died Anno 1190 was the Founder of the present Family of the Princes of Orange out of which descended Adolph Earl of Nassaw who was chosen Emperour in the Year 1292. By the Marriage of Engelbert the seventh Earl of this House with Mary Daughter and Heir of Philip Lord of Breda in Brabant that Town and Barony with many other fair Estates in the Netherlands was added to the Family And by the Marriage of Henry the tenth Earl of Nassaw Anno 1515. with Claude of Chalons Sister and Heir of Philibert Prince of Orange this Principality bordering upon Provence and Dauphene within the Dominions of France accrued to the Family So much the worse for having so ill an Neighbour as the present French King who has long since rapaciously seized upon it but left however what he could not take away the King 's just Title to it In short our Gracious King William is the 18th Earl of Nassaw beginning with Otho aforesaid and the 7th Prince of Orange of his Family beginning with Rene of Nassaw Son of Henry and Claude who succeeded Philibert his Uncle in the Principality of Orange A Family as much honoured for the personal Merit of the Princes of it as any other in Europe and to which the States of Holland ow the Liberty and Greatness they injoy All the World knows how great a Patron and Assertor of the Belgick Liberties against the Spaniard was the most noble and generous Prince William of Nassaw one of his Majestieâ— Ancestors And to pass by the generous Exploits of his noble Successors till the present King William 't is well known what his Majestly has done to rescue not only his Native Country but the best Part of Europe from its Oppressors It has been of late Years both at home and abroad the Maxim of some Princes to outvy each other in preying upon and destroying not only their Neighbours but their own Protestant Subjects by all Methods of Perfidiousness and Cruelty To establish or maintain their Tyranny they went about to introduce a general Ignorance For where Subjects part with their Reason 't is easy for them to part with their Liberty witness those miserable Inslaved Countries where Popery domineers On the contrary the House of Orange has always appeared against that ravenous and inhumane Principle And as if Providence had appointed them for a Check to Tyranny God has been pleased accordingly to bless their just Indeavours Never the Liberty of England and the Protestant Interest in general lay more at stake than it did in the late Reign 'T is plain there was a general Design to extirpate Herely in a Popish Sense and to inslave all Europe The Plot was laid in the Reign of blessed King Charles who with a shew of Proteslantism made the Way smooth for Popery At last when all Things were finely prepared to the hand of his next Heir King Charles go's off the Stage and his Brother to play the last Act enters and ascends the Throne No Prince more Courteous more Obliging or more Promising at first than He was to his new Subjects The Church of England Triumphed in his Exaltation and Addressed Him from all Parts of the Kingdom as their Tutelaâ— Angel The People in general look'd upon him as an Incomparable Hero who would quickly make it his Business to pull down the Hector of France and to carry the Glory of England beyond all his Predecessors In short so great were the Hopes of this King that Edward III and Henry V the most glorious Monarchs of England were upon his Account to be hissed out of our English Chronicles No body dreamed of a Popish Catechism to be the first step to this Glory nor of an Army to be raised for the defence of it Under whose shelter besides a secret League with France the Prerogative began presently to swell above its Banks the Laws to be Overwhelmed the Liberty and Property of the Subject Invaded the Church of England Crushed that had raised the King to the Throne Popery crowing over all the Nation and to crown all their Hopes presto a Prince of Wales In short to speak in terms of War the Miner was fix'd and we must either Surrender or be Stormed This was our Condition when the Prince of Orange our present King undertook our Deliverance and effected it under God in a miraculous manner Upon whose Approach our Mass-Hero fled left us to shift for our selves and the Popish Party to the mercy of the Rabble This hapned Dec. 11th 1688 a fatal Year in this and the foregoing Age to Popery iâ— England In that state of Anarchy what could the Nation do less than provide for a Settlement under the gracious Influences of the Prince Which was accordingly done in as regular 〈◊〉 Way as the present state of Affairs would â—ow King James having thus deserted the
eldest Son is Frederick the Heir apparent born in the Year 1671 and the two others are Christiern and Carolus The Duke of Glocester is the only Son and Heir of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Denmark He was born July 24th 1689 and on the 27th he was Christened at Hampton-Court by the Lord Bishop of London and named William the King and the Earl of Dorset Lord Chamberlain of His Majesties Houshold being Godfathers and the Lady Marchioness of Hallifax Godmother CHAP. XIX Of the Nobility of England THE English Nobility is divided into five Degrees Viz. Duke Marquess Earl Viscount and Baron And they are called the Peerage of England because they are all Peers the Barons as well as the rest They have also all of them the Title of Lord. All these Honours are given by the King who is the sole Fountain of Honour and whatever Title a Subject of England receives from any forein Prince is not only Insignificant here but Unwarrantable by Law All Noblemen at their Creation have two Ensigns which signify two Duties Their Heads are adorned in token that they are to assist their King and Country with good Counsel in time of Peace and they are girt with a Sword as being to support the King and defend the Kingdom with their Lives and Fortunes in time of War A Duke is created by Patent Cincture oâ— Sword Mantle of State Imposition of A Cap and Coronet of gold on his head and a Vergâ— of gold put into his hand A Marquess and aâ— Earl by Cincture of Sword a Mantle of State with a Cap and Coronet put upon him by the King himself and a Patent delivered into his hand Viscounts and Barons are made by Patent and these sometimes by Writ whereby they are called to sit in the House of Lords All the Peers have Coronets but with these Distinctions A Baron has six Pearls upon the Circle a Viscount the Circle of Pearls without number an Earl has the Pearls raised upon Points and Leaves low between a Marquess a Pearl and a Strawberry-leaf round of equal height and a Duke Leaves without Pearls Only the Dukes of the Royal Blood bear like the Prince of Wales a Coronet of Crosses and Flower de Luce. Which is the same with the King 's excepting the Arches Globe and Cross on the top of the King's Crown But the greatest Distinction amongst the Nobles is their Parliament Robes in their several Gards on their Mantles and short Cloaks about their Shoulders For a Baron has but two Gards a Viscount two and a half an Earl three a Marquess three and a half and a Duke four Besides that the Mantle of a Duke Marquess and Earl is faced with Ermine that of a Viscount and Baron with plain white Furr Dukes were at first so called a ducendo being anciently Generals and Leaders of Armies in time of War Marquesses from their Government of Marches and Frontire-Countries Earls in Latine Comites because they had the Government of Counties Viscounts in Latine Vice-Comites as being Assistants or Deputies in the Government of Counties Barons according to Bracton quasi Robur Belli the safety of the King and People in Time of War depending upon their Courage and Skill in Martial Affairs Anciently a Duke was made so for Term of Life then held by Lands and Fees till Dukes came to be Titular and Hereditary In those Times likewise there was no Earl but had a County or Shire for his Earldom who for the support of his State had the third Peny out of the Sheriffs Court issuing out of all Pleas of that County whereof he was Earl Also those Barons only were accounted Peers of the Realm that held of the King per integram Baroniam which consisted of 13 Knights Fees and one third part that is of 400 Marks each Knights Fee being 20 l. And whoever had so much was wont to be summoned to Parliament But then 100 Marks was as much as 2000 pounds at this day as may be guessed by comparing the Prices of Things 'T is true King Henry III after he had with much ado suppressed his Barons called by Writ unto Parliament only such great Men as had continued loyal or were like so to be Which Example being followed by his Successors they only were accounted Peers of the Realm that were so called by the King 's special Writ Till Barons came to be made by Patent as well as by Writ and at last most by Patent which makes it hereditary But there are Barons in England that have noâ— share in the Peerage as such viz. the Barons of the Exchequer and the Barons of the Cinque-Ports Such as these the Earls Palatines and the Eath of England Marches had anciently under them and such there are yet in Cheshire The chieâ— Burgesses of London were also called of oâ— Barons All Dukes Marquesses and Earls at this day have their respective Titles from some Shire or part of a Shire Town or City Castle Park or Village Except two Earls whereof one is Officiary and the other Nominal the first being the Earl Marshal of England and the last the Earl Rivers who takes his Denomination from an Illustrious Family Barons are so denominated from their chief Seat or a Castle belonging to the Family Which is not to be divided amongst Daughters if there be no Sons but must descend to the eldest Daughter None of these Honours can be lost but these two Ways Either by want of Issue male except where the Patent extends to Issue female as sometimes it does Or else by some heinous Crime and then it cannot be restored to the Bloud but by Act of Parliament A Duke has the Title of Grace given him and the other Peers that of Lordship on Honour Accordingly we commonly give to these the Epithet of Right Honourable All Dukes and Marquesses Sons are called Lords by the Courtesy of England and the Daughters Ladies I say by the Courtesy of England for the Law makes no such Distinction but looks upon all as Commoners that have no Right to sit in the House of Peers Of an Earl none but the eldest Son is called Lord though all the Daughters be Ladies And as for the Issue of Vicounts and Barons none of their Sons is Lord nor of the Daughters Lady A Dukes eldest Son is called Lord Marquess and the younger Sons by their Christen-names with the Title of Lord prefixt as Lord William Lord Thomas c. A Marquesses eldest Son is called Lord of a Place and the younger Sons as those of a Duke that is by their Christen-names with the Title of Lord prefixt as Lord William Lord Thomas An Earl's eldest Son is born as a Viscount and called Lord of a Place In point of Precedency this is the Rule Af-the Princes of the Bloud the first amongst the Nobility are the Dukes and these are thus followed Viz. Dukes Marquesses Dukes eldest Sons Earls Marquesses eldest Sons Dukes younger Sons Vicounts Earls