and Wat Tiler in East-Smithfield where in an overture of treaty Wat Tiler behaving himself with extraordinary insolence was in presence of the King stabb'd by Sir William Wallworth Lord Mayor of London with a Dagger in memory whereof the City of London hath to this day a Dagger for its Coat of Arms. This City hath had the honour to entertain several great Kings Princes and Nobles but the grandest transaction that London can boast of was that most stately Cavalcade which his present Majesty made through it the 29th of May An. 1660. when he returned from a long Exile to the Government of these Kingdoms But the year 1666. was fatal to it by reason of that most dreadful fire that consum'd all before it from Grace-Church Street to the Inner Temple destroying to the number as is generally computed of 13000 dwelling-houses and this preceded but the year before by the fiercest Pestilence that ever raged within the cognisance of the Weekly Bills In this City King Stephen kept his Court at Crosby-house in Bishopsgate-street King Edward the third in Cornhil where now the Pope-head Tavern stands King Henry the eighth at Black-friers and sometimes at Bridewell once a Regal Palace where also the Emperour Charles the fifth was lodg'd when he came over into England The Palace of St. James's which is in the Pomaeria of London and which was first built for a Spittle for Maiden Lepers hath been the Birth-place of his present Majesty K. Charles the 2d his Highness James Duke of York Henry late Duke of Glocester the Lady Elizabeth the Lady Mary late Princess of Orange and all the Children of his present Highness by his late Dutchess Edgar Duke of Kendal James Duke of Cambridg deceast the Lady Henrietta and the Lady Lady Katherine deceast Mary now Princess of Orange the Lady Anne yet unmarried as also of two Daughters both soon hasten'd to a better World by his present Dutchess Other persons of eminent note and immortal memory were born at London viz. Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury in the Reign of K. Henry the 2d by four of whese Courtiers he was murther'd in Canterbury Church Anno 1170. after a long contest with the King Sir Jeoffry Chaucer the most famous of ancient English Poets who flourisht in the Reigns of K. Henry the 4th Henry the 5th and part of K. Henry the 6th Edmund Spencer styl'd also the Prince of English Poets who flourisht in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth John Leland Sir Thomas More Bishop Andrews The Tower of London is very eminent for the Confinement Murther and Execution of Illustrious persons to mention all especially those who have been meerly Prisoners would be almost endless but the most memorable Imprisonment was that of two Kings at one time in the Reign of King Edward the third viz. of David King of Scots and of John King of France the first a Prisoner 11 years the other four Here the unfortunate King Henry the sixth after Edward the fourth had got the Crown from him by Conquest was basely murther'd by King Edward's Brother Richard Duke of Glocester afterward King of England Here George Duke of Clarence another Brother was by the practice of the said Duke of Glocester drown'd in a Butt of Malmsey but the most fatal Tragedy of all was the murther of King Edward the fourth's two Sons poor harmless children viz. Edward commonly entitled King Edward the fifth and his Brother Richard Duke of York and all by the order and contrivement of their Dear Uncle of Glocester who as most great persons have their peculiar Sports and Recreations was principally taken with that of killing men especially those of nearest kin for such he chiefly markt out for death out of meer kindness to himself that he might the sooner obtain the possession of that Crown he had long since aspir'd to and indeed he got it sooner and kept it longer so easie it is for one witty man to delude a Multitude than a curious descanter upon the worlds affairs would have allow'd a person so getting it however what he got by the death of others he lost by his own only more handsomely not by treachery but fairly in the field In Christ-church in London three great Queens had their Sepulture viz. Margaret the Daughter of King Philip of France sirnamed the Hardy and second Wife of King Edward the second of England Isabel the Daughter of the French King Philip the Fair and Wife to King Edward the second of England Joan the Daughter of the said Edward and Isabel and married to David King of Scots Westminster hath been the most constant residence of the Kings of England since the Conquest till Whitehall was built by Cardinal Wolsey It will be needless to mention all the Kings that have been crown'd and buried here in regard since the Conquest there are not very many who have not been buried and fewer that have not been crown'd in Westminster Abby At Isleworth now Thistleworth a Village pleasantly situate upon the River Thames Richard King of the Romans and Earl of Cornwall had a stately Palace which was burnt to the ground in a tumultuous sally that was made upon it by certain Malecontents of the London Mobile In Surry are places of as eminent note as in most Counties of England In the first place Lambeth is chiefly renowned for being the principal Palace and most usual residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury from the time of Archbishop Baldwin who first founded it and made it his Seat in the year 596 and from whom it hath continued so to this day the most reverend and learned Prelate Dr. Sancroft late Dean of Pauls being worthily advanc'd to this high Dignity and having here his present residence Here Canutus sirnamed the Hardy the third and last of our short-liv'd Dynasty of Danish Kings ended his days of a surfeit as most Writers affirm by eating and drinking over freely at a Wedding Feast Croydon is another Seat belonging to the Archbishops of Canterbury and where the Reverend Dr. Gilbert Sheldon late Archbishop lies buried having a most statety Monument newly elected to his memory the Artful Contrivance and skilful Workmanship of Mr Jasper Latham the present City Mason At Ockly in this County Ethelwolph Son of Egbert won a great Battel over the Danes Oatlands is not more famous for being a Royal Palace than for the Neighbourhood of Coweystakes where Julius Caesar pass'd the Thames into the Borders of Cassibesaunus Putney is chiefly considerable in story as being the Birth-place of one of the most advanced Statesmen and Favourites for he was but the Son of a Black-smith that our Nation hath produced viz. Thomas Cromwell chief Minister of State for the time to King Henry the eighth and by him created Earl of Essex who nevertheless had the ill fate falling under his Princes displeasure to be beheaded on Tower-Hill Wimbleton where the Earl of Bristol hath a pleasant seat still retains the memory of a
notable defeat given by Cheaulin King of the West-Saxons to Ethelred King of Kent with the slaughter of two of his Dukes in the year of our Lord 560. At Richmond to which in former ages the Kings and Queens of England retired for pleasure as of late to Hampton-Court and Windsor there deceased that victorious Prince King Edward the third Anne the Daughter of the Emperour Charles the fourth and Wife of King Richard the second Henry of Richmond the seventh of that name King of England and that learned and renowned Princess Queen Elizabeth of happy memory Kingston upon Thames a very pleasant and much frequented Market Town was probably the usual place of Coronation of the Saxon Monarchs for there was kept the Chair of Instalment but the Kings most particularly mentioned to have been there crown'd were King Athelstan Edwin and Ethelred Guilford a Town otherwise of especial note is also famous for having been the Royal Seat of the English Saxon Kings Merton is doubly upon record first for the untimely death of Kenulph King of the West-Saxons who was here slain by Kineaâ—d King Sigeberts Brother next for the Parliament there held An. 21 of K. Henry the third which Parliament produc'd an Act which to this day is called the Statute of Merton Okeham hath its chief credit as being the native place of that famous English Philosopher William de Okeham Likewise Ripley no less by the birth of that learned Chymist George de Ripley In Essex Colchester which is the County Town hath the honourable tradition of having been built by the ancient British King Coilus but that which redounds chiefly to its honour is that it is said to have brought into the world three persons of immortal memory viz. Lucius the first not only British but European King that embrac'd the Christian Faith Constantine the first Roman Emperour who openly proprofessing Christianity gave countenance and protection to the Christians of all parts and put an end to those heavy Persecutions which they groaned under so many Ages and if by his extraordinary bounty and munificence to the Clergy he made an inlet to that pride and ambition among them which hath proved mischievous to Christendome ever since it was an errour on the right hand and however succeeding otherwise an evidence of his pious generosity and zeal for Religion and Vertue Helena the Wife of Constantius born also in England and as it is generally suppos'd in York and Mother of the said Constantine her fame shines bright in History for her piety in general and particularly for the fame of her being Inventrix Crucis The next Town of note in this County is Maldon a very ancient Town and the Seat Royal of the Trinobantes of whom Cunobelinus was King about the time of our Saviours Nativity it was taken by the Emperour Claudius and made a Roman Garison being call'd by the Romans Camalodunum rased to the ground by Queen Bunduca or Boadicia after a mighty defeat given to the Romans in revenge of some high affronts and indignities she received from them but was afterwards rebuilt and is of some reputation at this day though doubtless far short of its pristine splendor At Walden famous for Saffron as is already mentioned was born Sir Thomas Smith Secretary to Queen Elizabeth Kent as it is a large County is enobled with very many Towns and places of note in the first place Canterbury is a City of that eminence that next to London there is hardly a City in England memorable upon so many accounts It is said to have been built 900 years before Christ it is the principal of the Archiepiscopal Sees of England it was given by Ethelbert King of Kent to Austin the Monk and his Companions upon whose preaching 10000 were baptized in one day By the said Austin the Cathedral is said to have been founded in which eight Kings of Kent were interred Even the misfortunes of this City have been also memorable for it suffer'd very much several times by the fury of the Danes especially in the Reign of Ethelred when 42000 of the Inhabitants were sacrific'd to their fury and revenge it hath had the honour of the Coronations Nuptials and Interments of several great Kings and Princes Here King John and his Queen Isabel were Crown'd King Henry the third and King Edward the first Married Edward the Black Prince King Henry the fourth and his Q. Joan were Interred and also with far more cost and magnificence that great Prelate and even to adoration adored Saint Thomas a Becket of whose rich and stately Tomb mention hath been elsewhere made Rochester said to be built by one Roff Lord thereof is also a City and not much inferiour in repute to Canterbury Several Counties there are which have no City the Bishops See being but in one of half a dozen Counties but Kent is the only one County that hath two This City was also miserably harrass'd by the Danes and suffer'd very much ruine by two dreadful Fires viz. in the Reign of King Henry the first and King Henry the second but being very much restored by the munificence of King Henry the third it hath continued a flourishing City ever since Maidstone a pleasant and well-seated Town is the more memorable by the great defeat given there to the Earl of Holland who headed the Kentish-men rising for the King by Fairfax General of the Parliament Forces Feversham is enobled by the Burial of King Stephen and his Queen Maud. Dover besides the renown of its Castle said to be built by Julius Caesar and the great honour of the Government thereof hath given reception and entertainment to many great Kings and Princes Queenborough Castle was built by King Edward the third Wye a Sea-port Town where the learned and famous J. Kemp Archbishop of Canterbury was born Horsted is chiefly noted for the Monument now defaced of Horsa one of the first Leaders of the invading Saxons the Brother of Hengift The like Monument was made for Catigern another of the Brothers at Circotes-house which is standing to this day Black-heath hath been the place of several grand Recounters in the Barons Wars in King Henry the third's time as also of Wat Tiler in King Richard the second 's time and of Michael Joseph and the Lord d' Auhenie in King Henry the seventh's time But that which gives the greatest glory and re-renown to this place is the memory of that grand appearance at his Majesties Restoration when all the Gentry and Nobility of the Nation and all the Pomp and splendor of the City of London met to receive his Majesty and his two Brothers and conduct them through the City to the Royal Palace of Whitehall and even the armed part of the Nation that but lately had drawn the Sword against him now met him with the highest acclamations of welcome In Buckinghamshire Buckingham the Shire Town was fortified by King Edward sirnamed the Elder against the fury of the Danes and
Wheathamstead chiefly noted for the birth of John of Wethamstead a profound Philosopher Other places Hertfordshire noted for famous men Ware for Richard de Ware Treasurer of England under Edward the first and William de Ware who was Scotus his Teacher and flourisht under King Henry the third Baldock for Ralph Baldock created Bishop of London by King Edward the first Rudburn for Thomas Rudburn Bishop of St Davids who flourisht An. 1419. Helmstedbury for Sir Edward Waterhouse Chancellour of the Exchequer in Ireland under Queen Elizabeth Gatesden for John de Gatesden who flourisht An. 1420. Hamstead for Daniel Dike Cottered for Edward Symonds Gorham-berry for Sir Nicholas Bacon Nor may we here omit other eminent men of this Shire viz. Sir Henry Cary a great Souldier in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth by whom he was created Baron of Hunsden and Lord Chamberlain John Boucher Baron Berners And of learned men Alexander Nequam who died An. 1227. Nicholas Gorham who flourisht An. 1400. Roger Hutchinson Thomas Cartwright and Hugh Legat. In Norfolk the chief City and Episcopal See Norwich seems to have sprung out of the ancient Venta of the Romans and is chiefly Famous for its sufferings having been sackt and burnt by the Danes in the year 1004. And in the Conquerours time reduc't to utmost exigence for siding with Earl Radulph against the said King William The Cathedral was Founded by Herbert who translating the Bishoprick ftom Thetford to Norwich was the first Bishop of Norwich Thetford the ancient Sitomagus of the Romans is a place of much remark for antiquity It was the Royal Seat of the Kings of the East-Angles and the unfortunate place where King Edmund the Martyr was overthrown by the Danes The Bishoprick which is now of Norwich was translated from Elmham to Thetford in the Reign of King William the Conquerour Lyn a Sea Port Town was made Liber Burgus and honoured with the gift of a rich Cup by King John and had their Charter inlarg'd by King Henry the third for their good Service against the Outlawed Barons and in King Henry the eighth's time other priviledges were added and the name changed from Lyn Episcopi to Lyn Regis Yarmouth boasts the antiquity of its foundation from the time of the Danes Elmham is considerable for having been a Bishops See for several Ages first divided with Dunwich in Suffolk next sole till it was translated to Thetford thence to Norwich In Sussex the City Chichester boasts the Foundation of Cissa the second King of the South-Saxons and had the Bishoprick translated thither in King William the Conquerours time from Selsey which till then had been the Episcopal See Lewis a Town little if ought inferiour to Chichester is sufficiently of name in History as having been one of the places appointed by King Athelstan for the Coinage of his Mony and for the strong Castle built by Earl William de Warren Here also was a bloody battel fought between King Henry the third and his Barons in which the King receiv'd a cruel Overthrow Pensey a little Sea Town but great in Story as the Landing place of King William the Conquerour when by one Victorious battle he gain'd the Crown of England with the slaughter of King Harold and his two Brothers Leofwin and Goroh and about 67000 men Hastings being the Town near which this successful held was fought hath gotten so much the greater name and the very place of fight retains to this day the name of Battle-field Buckstead a place in some respect of as great note as any hath been nam'd For here in the thirty fifth year of King Henry the eight the first Great Iron Guns that ever were cast in England were cast by Peter Baude and Ralph Hage In Cambridge-Shire the Town of Cambride is of too high a renown for its many Halls and Colledges the habitations of the Muses richly indow'd for the advancement and incouragement of Learning to be here pass't by and too well taken notice of and describ'd by others to be longer insisted on Eli the Bishops Seat and denominating City of the Diocess is said to have been built by one Audry who was first wife of one Tombret Prince of these parts and afterwards of Egbert King of Northumberland from whom departing She here betook her self to a devout life and built a most stately Monastery of which She her self became the first Abbess This place is also recordable for the Birth of several Learned men viz. Andrew Willet who died An. 1621. Sir Thomas Ridly Dr. of the Laws who died An. 1629. Richard Parker who died here An. 1624. Everton in this Shire gave Birth to John Tiptoft Son of John Lord Tiptoft Earl of Worcester and Lord High Constable of England Triplow is memorable by the Birth of Elias Rubens a Writer of grand repute who flourisht An. 1266. Everden gave both Birth and Sirname to John Eversden another learned Writer Of this County were also Matthew Paris and Sir John Cheek Tutor to King Edward the sixth and Richard Wethershet who flourisht in the year 1350. At Caxton was born William thence Sirnamed Caxton the first Printer in England Wisbich brought forth Richard Hocloet a man eminent for Learning An. 1552. Linton is only note-worthy for the Birth of Richard Richardson one of the Translatours of the Bible who deceas't An. 1621. Milton as 't is generally believ'd gave birth to Thomas Goad a Writer of good note Mildred brought forth Andrew Mervail Minister of Hull a Learned Father of a Learned and Witty Son for so was that Andrew who died but a few years since he was a Member in the late long Parliament for the Town of Hull a man of very acute parts had he not fail'd in his affection to the Government as several of his Writings testifie Of this County were Michael Dalton a Learned Writer and also Edward Norgate In Huntington-Shire St Neots so call'd from Neotus a Holy and Learned man is memorable for the defeat given to the Earl of Holland by the Parliament Forces in the late Civil Wars An. 1648. as also for being the Birth-place of two eminent men viz. Francis White Bishop of Ely and Hugh thence Sirnamed of St Neots who deceas't Anno 1340. Godmanchester qu. Gormoncester from Gormon the Dane is concluded to have been the Old Durisiponte of the Romans and some think from the nearness of the name the same with Gunicester where Macutus had his Bishoprick At this Godmanchester was born a man who made too much noise in the world to be forgotten Stephen Marshal one of the chief of those Zealous Trumpetters of the late times who from the Pulpit stirr'd up to War and Bloodshed in the Name of the Lord. At St Ives was born Roger thence Sirnam'd of St Ives who flourisht An. 1420. At Cunnington the Learned Antiquary Sir Robert Cotton Moreover from Huntington the Capital place of this Shire sprung two very famous men Gregory of Huntington who died An. 1610. and Henry
his Queen Ethelwith At Melburn John D. of Bourbon taken at Agin Court was kept prisoner Little Chester an ancient Colony of the Romans as appears by what Coins have been digg'd up thereabout In Nottinghamshire the County Town Nottingham hath not wanted its share in the grand rencounters that have been in this Nation the Castle hereof was kept by the Danes against the Mercian King Burthred and also against the English Saxon Monarchs Elthelred and Alfred At Newark in this County King John who was poyson'd at Swinsted Abby is said to have drawn his last breath At Stoke near Symnel's party was utterly defeated and his upholders John de la Pool Earl of Lincoln Thomas Garadine Chancellour of Ireland Fr. Lord Lovel and others were slain with 4000 of their men and he himself taken prisoner June 16th An. 1487. At Mansfield was born the first Earl of Mansfield in Germany one of the Knights of King Arthurs Round Table In Warwickshire the Town of Warwick is sufficiently fam'd in story over and above what is related of Guy of Warwick and his great adventures and above all things the antiquity of the foundation is remarkable if as the tradition goes it were built by Gurguntus 375 years before the Nativity of our Saviour however the Castle looks great and savours much of Antiquity Coventry being joyntly one Bishoprick with Leichfield is memorable besides the beauty of the brave action of Countess Godiva the wife of Leofrick the first Lord thereof well known in History One of the Gates of this City is call'd Gofford Gate which is the more notable by the Shield-bone of some very large beast some say a wild Bore slain by Guy of Warwick some say an Elephant with the snout whereof a pit was turn'd up which is now Swanes Mear At Backlow-hill in this County Pierce Gavestoâ— was taken and beheaded by a party of the Nobles At Wolny An. 1469. King Edward the fourth his Forces were discomfited by his brother George Duke of Clarence and Richard Earl of Warwick and the King himself taken prisoner In Northamptonshire the County Town Northampton hath been the Subject of many warlike bronts An. 1106. it suffered much by the contests of the Conquerours three Sons Robert William and Henry An. 1263. being held by the Barons against King Henry the third it was taken by surprize and the Walls thrown down An. 1459. King Henry the sixth was here taken prisoner by the Earl of Warwick and March with the slaughter of Humphry Stafford Duke of Buckingham John Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury the Lords Egremont and Beaumont but the greatest misfortune that e're befel this Town was in this our Age viz. An. 1675. when by an accidental Fire it was almost all burnt down to the ground yet lay it not long buried in ruin for it was immediately rebuilt and now appears in far greater splendour then ever Here Earl Rivers Father to Edward the fourth's Queen taken at Grafton was beheaded by Robin of Risdal together with his son John Higham Ferrers in this County hath been honour'd with the birth of a very great Prelate of this Nation viz. Henry Chichly Cardinal and Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the Reign of King Henry the sixth This Chichly was the founder of All-Souls Colledge in Oxford Edgecot is signalis'd by a bloody battle fought near it on Danes More July the 26th An. 1469. by Robin of Risdal and Sir John Coniers against William Herbert Earl of Pembroke who together with his Brother Richard the Lord Rivers the Queens Brother and Richard Woodvil were taken prisoners carried to Banbury and beheaded At Fotheringhay Castle Mary Queen of Scots was kept a long time prisoner and was at last beheaded In Leicestershire Leicester the County Town is principally famous by the tradition of its having been built by King Leir great in the Catalogue of ancient British Kings qu. Leir-cester Lutterworth in this County ows its chief credit to the famous John Wickleff who was Parson of this place in the reign of King Henry the 4th Bosworth a Town of no great note but for the memory of a most signal battle fought near it on Redemore August 22d 1485. which put an end to all Controversies between the two houses of York and Lancaster and in which fell that most Tyrannical of English Kings Richard the third with four thousand of his men and some say though we are not bound to believe it with the loss but of ten men on the Earl of Richmonds side Cleycester of which there are now scarce any ruins remaining was once a famous City in the West part of this Shire and by the Romans call'd Bennone In Rutlandshire some mention as close adjoyning though generally affirm'd to be situate rather in Lincolnshire the Town of Stamford for the reputation of an ancient University and said to have been founded by that Ancient British King Bladud who found out the vertue of the Bath-Waters In Lincolnshire Lincoln the chief Town and only City of this Shire is not only eminent for its antiquity and for that it was once acounted one of the chiefest and the best traded Cities of England and made by King Edward the third the chief Mart for Lead Wool and Leather But also for a great battle fought by Randolph Earl of Chester and Robert Earl of Glocester against King Stephen who was here taken prisoner as also for the success of King Henry the third who won it from the Barons it is said to have had once fifty Parish Churches Wainfleet had been doubtless a place of little note but for the birth of William Wainfleet Bishop of Winchester who living in the reign of King Henry the sixth with whom he was great in favour built here a Free-School and founded Magdalen Colledge in Oxford Grimsby likewise though an ancient Market Town hath its chiefest repute from its being the Birth-place of Dr. Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of King James Bullingbrook is enobled by the memory of the Birth of King Edward the first and King Henry the fourth Swinesstead Abby the place where King John received from the hands of Simon a Monk thereof that baleful potion that gave him his end at Lincoln Harstill laments the death of that mirâ—our of that Conjugal love Queen Eleanor the wife of King Edward the first In the North-Riding of Yorkshire York the chief of this Shire and second City of England was a Colony of the Romans and a place of great account among them and ever since to this day a splendid and flourishing City several Emperours here kept their Court and particularly Severus had a Palace here in which he breathed his last Here also Constantius Chlorus the Father of Constantine the Great is said to have departed this life nor does the death of these two Emperours more ennoble this Place than the Birth of the Learned Alcuin who was Tutour to the Emperour Charles the Great Some write that it was first made an Episcopal See by
still shews the ruins of a strong and stately Castle built upon a hill Stony-Stratford was a Station of the Romans and by them call'd Lactorodum Here the said King Edward the Elder gave a stop to the violent incursions of the Danes upon those parts and this is one of those places where the first of that name since the Conquest rais'd a stately monumental Cross in memory of Queen Eleanor At Chilton in this Shire was born that learned Writer in the Law Sir George Crook Amersham so call'd qu. Agmondsham is not only eminent by the name of the great Agmond from whom it takes denomination but by the birth of several learned Writers especially John sirnamed from the place of his Nativity Amersham and John Gregory of the present Age whose posthume works are worthily reckon'd among the principal of English Writings At Windover was born Roger thence sirnamed de Windover Historian to King Henry the third At Houton Roger Goad a man of good repute for learning In Barkshire are several places of note Reading boasts the Interment of King Henry the first in a Collegiate Church of an Abby founded by himself together with his Queen and his Daughter Maud the Empress He also built here a strong Castle which was rased to the ground by King Henry the second But this Town is yet more remark'd by the birth of William Laud who of a poor Clothiers Son of Reading was advanc'd to the highest Ecclesiastical Office and Dignity of the Nation viz. the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury nor is it to be forgotten how manfully this Town was held out in the time of the late Civil War by Sir Jacob Aston against the whole power of the Earl of Essex General of the Parliaments forces for a whole twelve month's time but at length it was taken by the said Earl And from this place in the Reign of King Henry the second a learned Writer viz. Hugh of Reading took both Birth and Sirname At Inglefield the Danes received a great defeat from King Ethelwolf Wallingford the Gallena of Ptolomy was an ancient Station of the Romans and the chief City of the Atrebates From this place Richard of Wallingford took his birth and consequently his Sirname Abington besides that it was a place of much action in the time of the Civil Wars in his late Majesties Reign gave birth to Sir John Mason Privy Counsellor to King Henry the eighth King Edward the sixth Q. Mary and Qu. Elizabeth as also to Sir John Smith Latin Secretary and Master of Requests to King James Windsor is renowned as having been built by King Edward the third and as the place where was first instituted that most illustrous Order of the Knights of the Garter by that most victorious Prince and of which the greatest Kings and Princes of Europe have been fellows from the first Institution to this day and likewise for the Interment of King Henry the sixth King Edward the fourth King Henry the eighth and King Charles the first whose Body hath been since remov'd to Westminster and interr'd in King Henry the seventh's Chappel Moreover this place gave birth to a person of great fame for his learned Writings viz. Roger hence sirnamed of Windsor Eaton nearly adjoyning and almost contiguous to Windsor is a place besides the fame of being built by King Henry the sixth trebly renown'd for learning first as a Nursery for the bringing up of Youth being one of the chiefest Free-schools in England secondly as a place of maintenance and encouragement for the studious and well advanc'd in learning thirdly as the Birth-place of several learned men particularly Samuel Collins William Oughtred the great Mathematician and Matthew Stokes At Ratcot Bridge Robert Vere Duke of Ireland was put to flight by the Duke of Glocester the Earls of Arundel Warwick and Derby with the slaughter of Sir Thomas Molineux Constable of Chester This Radcot is by some reckon'd in Oxfordshire Sunning is sufficiently signal in history as having bin an Episcopal See for the residence of eight Bishops which See was translated to Shirbourn and afterwards to Salisbury where it still remains Wantage is enobled by the Birth of that great mirrour of a Prince for Virtue Learning and Valour King Alfred sirnamed the Scourge of the Danes Waltham in the East of this County was an ancient Station of the Romans so likewise Sinodum in the North. Newbury a Town of sufficient note in this Shire is yet more noted by the birth of Thomas Hide a learned Writer and also by two great Fights fought in the time of the late Civil Wars between the Forces of his late Majesty and the Parliament Army under the Earl of Essex Spene and Pesemere two places of no other note than by the birth of two eminent Writers the first of William Twisse the other of William Lyford In Hantshire Winchester the ancient Venta Belgarum of the Romans is said to have been built by that famous Rudhudibras great in the Catalogue of the old British Kings It was the Seat Royal of the West Saxons and chief Epicopal See and still remains the Episcopal See of a great part of that which was the West Saxon Kingdom It was honour'd with the Coronations of King Egbert and King Alfred and the Birth of King Henry the third Here in the Cathedral built by King Kenwolf King of the West Saxons were interred King Egbert King Ethelwolf King Alfred with his Queen Elswith the first Edmund King Edred and King Edwy Queen Emma and her Husband the Danish King Canutus as also his Son Hardy-Canutus and after the Conquest King William Rufus and his Brother Richard Here King Athelstan kept his Mint At St. Peters in the Suburbs of this City was born John Russel created Bishop of Lincoln by King Edward the fourth and Lord Chancellour of England by King Richard the third This City also brought forth two persons of illustious memory for learning viz. Lampridius sirnamed of Winchester a Benedictine Monk who flourisht An. 980. and Wolstan of Winchester a Benedictine likewise accounted in those times an eminent Poet who flourisht An. 1000. Southampton built out of the ruines of the ancient Clausentium and after many devastations reedified in King Richard the second 's time is a most pleasant and well fortified Town with a goodly Castle proudly advanced on a Hill In a Maison dieu or Hospital here lies interr'd the body of Richard Earl of Cambridge who was executed for Treason in the Reign of King Henry the fifth In the Parish of St. Michael in Southampton was born Arthur Lake Bishop of Bath and Wells who died An. 1602. as also Sir Thomas Lake Secretary of State to King James At Basingstoke John sirnamed of Basingstoke the first English Author of a Greek Grammar who died An. 1252. William Paulett Baron of Basing and Marquess of Winchester 〈…〉 to King Henry the seventh and Lord Treasurer to King Henry the eighth Edward the sixth Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth
he died An. 1572. and lastly Richard White who studying at Doway began to grow famous for Learning An. 1611. At Andover was born Robert Thomson a man of Military fame who made an Expedition to Spain An. 1553. At Warblington Henry Bishop of Salisbury in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth He died An. 1615. At Hide John stil'd the Monk of Hide an Historian who flourish'd An. 1284. Odiam hath its chief repute from the birth of William Lilly the first Master of Pauls School He died of the Plague and was buried in the Porch of St. Pauls Anno 1522. Ilchester seems by its ruins to have been a very eminent City of the Romans and the principal of these parts in antient times At Wickham in this Shire was born the famous William thence sirnamed of Wickam Bishop of Winchester who died An. 5 H. 4. At Okeley William Warham Bishop first of London afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury in the Reign of King Henry the 7th In the Isle of Wight Thomas James the chief if not only Ornament of that Island for eminence of Learning Other famous men this Shire hath brought forth Beavise of Southampton whose acts of Chivalrie had perhaps stood greater in real History had they not been so much falsified by Romantick stories Sir John Wallop whose valour and conduct in Sea-affairs have kept his memory alive Richard Rich Baron of Lees Abby in Essex and Lord Treasurer of England in the Reign of King Edward the sixth and Ancestor to the present Earls of Warwick And for Learning R. Sherburn Bishop first of St. Davids then of Chichester under King Henry the seventh John White Bishop first of Lincoln then of Winchester and accounted in his time not the meanest of Poets who died about 1560. Thomas Bilson Bishop of Winchester who died about An. 1618. Michael Reneger William Alton a Dominican who flourisht An. 1330. David Whitehead who died An. 1571. Nicholas Fuller who died An. 1626. Charles Butler who died An. 1640. Thomas Sternhold Groom of the Bed-chamber first to King Henry the eighth then to King Edward the sixth who owes his fame in Poetry not so much to the Elegancy of Rhimes as to the fortune of his having been one of the first Translators of Davids Psalms into English Metre which by reason they hapned to be generally sung in Churches have been ever since preferred to several better Translations In Bedfordshire Bedford the County Town hath to its cost been the Scence of much action in the Civil Wars between King Stephen and the Empress Maud it suffer'd much havock and devastation and afterwards fell into the hands of the Barons in their Wars against King John And lastly was ras'd to the ground by King Henry the third but being rebuilt again hath flourished ever since in much tranquility and splendour In a Chappel not far from this Town the Body of the great Mercian King Offa is said to have been interr'd concerning which there goes a pretty odd story which it were pity to forget viz. that the Chappel being overwhelm'd by an Inundation of the River Ouse upon whose banks it stood the Leaden incloser of King Offa's body hath been often seen of those that declin'd the sight but never could be seen of those that sought to see it Dean in this Shire is eminent for the birth of Francis Dillingham a person of good note for Learning as likewise Laiton Buzzard for the birth of William Sclator Sandy was an ancient Roman Station by the name of Selenae and Dunstable another by the name of Magintum however some vainly have deliver'd that it was built by King Henry the first to repress the insults of a notable sturdy Thief call'd Dun and thereupon call'd Dunstable This Town is moreover signalliz'd by the learned Author John sirnamed hence of Dunstable In Suffolk Ipsich qu. Gipswich from Gipsa is said to be the Founder thereof besides its flourishing Estate in shipping-trade goodly buildings populacy of inhabitants though much harrass't in ancient times by the Danes is particularly noted for the birth of that great Pageantry of Fortune Cardinal Woolsy whose father was a Butcher of this Town St. Edmundbury a Town which seems to commence its Fame from the barbarous Murther of that Royal St Edmund King of the East-angles by the Danes For the Expiation whereof Canutus erected here that Stately Monastery which was once accounted the most Rich and Magnificent of Europe This place is also memorable for a Parliament here held in the Reign of King Henry the sixth Exning the Birth-place of St Audri sister to King Ina. Renlisham the place where Redwald the first Christian King of the East-angles kept his Court. Lidgat a place chiefly memorable for the Birth of John thence Sirnamed Lidgate one of the chief of our ancient Enlish Poets In Hertfordshire St Albans rais'd out of the ruins of Old Verulamium an ancient Roman station is extoll'd not only for the memory of that great British Protomartyr Albanus and that most stately Monastery erected by the Mercian King Offa but also for two great battels here fought the first on the 23d of May Anno 1455 between Richard Duke of York and King Henry the 6th in which the King was defeated with the slaughter of the Duke of Somerset the Earl of Northumberland and the Lord Clifford and 5000 common Souldiers the 2 d. on the 17 th of February Anno 1460. where King Henry and his Queen Margaret had the better against the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk and the Earls of Arundel and Warwick Nor is it to be omitted that Sir John Mandevil famous for his Travels had here his birth Barnet is not more fam'd for its rich Market and the great concourse to its Wells than for the memory of that grand Victory gain'd by King Edward the fourth on an Easter-day being the 14 th of April An. 1471. against the Earls of Warwick and Oxford in which Field the great Earl of Warwick was slain But had there been nothing else to give Fame to this Town it must have been mentioned for the Birth of John Barnet Bishop first of Worcester then of Bath and Wells lastly of Ely and Lord Treasurer of England in the Reign of King Edward the 3 d. Langly commonly call'd Kings Langly is of repute in History for the Birth of Prince Edmund thence sirnamed of Langly fifth Son to King Edward the third and the first interment of King Richard the second whose body was afterwards removed to Westminster Nor much less Abbots Langly so is another Langly term'd that lyes Easterly for the birth of Nicholas Break-spear advanc't to the See of Rome by the name of Pope Adrian the fourth a man of true English mettal and that would not bate an Ace of his Pontifical greatness for he made the Emperour Frederick hold his Stirrup the better to help him into the Saddle Oister near St Albans is supposed by Cambden to have been the Camp of the Roman Lieutenant Ostorius Weathamstead qu.
in many respects as for its Minster for its Entertainment of King Athelstan who hence settihg forth in a Barge upon the River Dee was rowed by Kennadie King of the Scots Malcolm King of Cumberland Macon King of Man and several Princes of Wales By being made so great a Principality by the Investiture of Hugh Lupus by King William the Conqueror The Minster of this City was built by Earl Leofric to the Honour of St. Werburga repaired by Hugh Earl of Chester And in this Minster was buried the Body of Henry the Fourth Emperor of Germany At Calvely was born Sir Hugh Calvely a Soldier of great fame in the Reign of King Edward the Third As likewise was Sir Robert Knowles of this Shire Ecleston gave Birth to Thomas thence Sirnamed Ecleston Bunbury is noted by the birth of Robert Braffy who died Anno 1558. Wrenbury boasts of George Patin another learned Writer Moreover the World owes to this Shire several other great men viz. Sir Thomas Aegerton Lord Keeper Anno 1596. Sir Humphrey Starky Sir Henry Bradshaw Sir Randal Crew and Sir Humphrey Davenport all grand Pillars of the Law Ralph Ratcliff a person eminent for Learning and Captain John Smith the first setler of the Plantation of new-New-England in the Reign of King James In FLINTSHIRE The Castle of Flint which was founded by King Henry the Second and finished by King Edward the First gave Reception to King Richard the Second when he came out of Ireland In DENBYSHIRE Denby was walled about and fortified with a Castle by Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln in the Reign of King Edward the First In CAERNARVONSHIRE Caernarvon is memorable as having been raised by King E. 1. from the Ruins of that ancient City which is called by Antonine Segontium and by Ninius Caer-Custenith and where as Matthew Westminster reports was found the Body of Constantius the Father of Constantine the Great Anno 1283. In MERIONETHSHIRE the principal Town Harlech is only worth memory for its stately Castle In CARDIGANSHIRE Cardigan the Shire-Town was walled about and fortified with a Castle by Gilbert de Clare who was Lord of the whole County by the Gift of King Henry the First In BRECKNOCKSHIRE Hay is remembred by its Ruins to have been once a place of Account for it is reported in History to have been ruined and demolished in the Rebellion of Owen Glendour It is judged by the Coins there found to have been an ancient Seat of the Romans Bealt Buelth the Buleum Silurum of Ptolomy is famed as the Seat of Aurelius Ambrose who possessed the whole Country and after gave it to Pascentius Son of Vortiger And likewise for the last Prince of the Britains who was here by Treachery slain But Brecknock being now the fairest Town of the Shire carries the Name and Primacy In CAERMARDENSHIRE Caermarden the Shire-Town the Maridunum of Ptolomy and Muridunum of Antonine is not so note-worthy for its large Castle and strong Wall as for being the Birth-place of that most famous old British to give him the most favourable Title Prophet Merlin In GLAMORGANSHIRE The chief Town and Episcopal See Landaff with its Castle and Cathedral is not so famous as the Town of Caerdiff as having been the Seat and Residence of that renowned Fitz-Hammond and his Norman Knights who after the Conquest of Rhesus Prince of Wales kept here his Court in the Reign of William Rufus and built here a strong Castle in the Hall whereof are yet to be seen the Ensigns of the said Fitz-Hammond and his Knights In this Castle hath been for a long time and is still kept the Audit for the Earl of Pembroke's Estate in Wales In MONMOVTHSHIRE Monmouth the County-Town is yet far more considerable upon several respects first as being delivered by Geraldus to have been the place where great King Arthur kept his Court. Next as an Academy of Philosophy and Arts giving Residence to two hundred Scholars and Birth to Amphibalus whose Disciple our great Protomartyr St. Albanus was and two other noble persons of our first Martyrs And likewise as the Birth-place of that noble Prince King Henry the Fifth In RADNORSHIRE Radnor the ancient Magnos of Antonine and the station of the Pacentian Regiment and fortified with a Castle is yet inferior in beauty of Buildings to Prestain In PEMBROKESHIRE though Pembroke is the County-Town yet St. Davids is the more remarkable as being an Episcopal See and once an Archbishoprick translated from Isca Legionum by that great Archbishop Devi whom we call St. David In MONTGOMERISHIRE Montgomery is remarkable for its pleasant scituation and strong Castle and the Title of an Earldom first given by King James Anno 1605. to Philip second Son to Henry Earl of Pembroke and still continuing in his Grandchild Philip now Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery In the Isle of ANGLESY Beaumorris is not more noted for being the principal Town than for the frequent transportation of Passengers hence to Ireland and the fame of having been built by King Edward the First A true and perfect LIST OF THE NOBILITY OF ENGLAND With their principal HOUSES and the COUNTIES which they are in DUKES * HIS Royal Highness James Duke of York and Albany and Earl of Vlster His Seats St. James's Middlesex Richmond Surrey The Dukedom of Cumberland extinct by the death of Prince Rupert The Lord High Chancellor of England The Lord High Treasurer of England The Lord President of the Privy Council The Lord Privy Seal Henry Howard Duke of Norfolk and Earl Marshal of England Earl of Arundel Surrey Norfolk and Norwich Baron Howard Moubray Segrave Brewes of Gower Fitz-Alan Clun Oswaldestre Maltravers Graystock and Castle-Rising His Seats Norfolk House in Arundel Buildings Middlesex Arundel Castle Sussex Albury and Waybridge Surrey Duke's Place in Norwich Norfolk Work-Sop Nottingham Sheffeild-Mannor York Graystock Castle and Drumbugh Castle Cumberland Charles Seymour Duke of Somerset Marquess of Hertford Viscount Beauchamp and Baron Seymour His Seats Marlborough House and Allington House Wilts * George Villers Duke Marquess and Earl of Buckingham Earl of Coventry Viscount Villers and Baron of Whaddon His Seats Wallingford House near Whitehall Middlesex Colledge-Hill London Buckingham House and Whadon Buckingham Bishop's Hill in the City of York and Helmsey Castle York * Christopher Monk Duke of Albemarle Earl of Torrington Baron Monk of Poltheridge Beauchamp and Teyes His Seats Nun Appleton and Burley on the Hlil Rutland Garrenton Leicester Albemarle House Middlesex New Hall Essex Potheridge and Wenbury Devonshire Cletherow Castle Lancaster * James Scot Duke of Monmouth and Bucclugh Earl of Doncaster and Dalkelth Baron of Tindal Winchester and Ashdale His Seat More Park Hertford So-Ho Square Middlesex * Henry Cavendish Duke Marquess and Earl of Newcastle Earl of Ogle Viscount Mansfeild Baron Ogle Beutram and Bolsover His Seats Welbeck Abby and Nottingham Castle Nottingham Bolsover Castle Derby Ogle Castle Bothal Castle Heple Tower Northumberland Slingsby Castle York Blore Hall Stafford
Equivalent in Wealth and Strength to a far greater people and that Conveniencies for Shipping and Water-Carriage do most eminently and fundamentally conduce thereunto CHAP. II. That some kind of Taxes and Publick Levies may rather increase then diminish the Wealth of the Kingdom CHAP. III. That France cannot by Reason of natural and perpetual impediments be more powerful at Sea then England and the low Countries CHAP. IV. That the people and Territories of the King of England are naturally as considerable for Wealth and Strength as those of France CHAP. V. That the impediments of Englands greatness are Contingent and removable CHAP. VI. That the Power and Wealth of England has increased these last 40 years CHAP. VII That one 10 part of the whole Expences of the King of England Subjects is sufficient to maintain 100000 Foot 40000 Horse and 40000 men at Sea and defray all other charges of the Government both ordinary and Extraordinary c. CHAP. VIII That there are spare Hands enough amongst the King of Englands Subjects to earn two Millions per Annum more then they now do and that there are also Imployments ready proper and sufficient for the purpose CHAP. IX That there is Money sufficient to drive the Trade of the Nation CHAP. X. That the King of Englands Subjects have Stock Competent and Convenient to drive the Trade of the Whole Commercial World THE INTRODUCTION OR THE ORIGINAL OF TRADE PLAINLY Demonstrating it's Increase The Means and Methods used to bring it to the Perfection it is arrived to at present And of the great Benefit reaped thereby both in General and Particular CHAP. I. THat Inland Maritim Trade Traffick are with Gods Blessings on mens Indeavours the chief Pillars and â—upport of all Nations and from whence they had their first rise and greatness is so evident that Arguments to prove it would be ineffectual yet from the World 's Original it had not it's perfection nor indeed could it till Mankind increased and by spreading wide in the Earth Peopled it's vast Immensity nor then for some thousands of Years was it National but rather in secret between man and man few People knowing the Benefit of any other commodities then what were of the native growth of those Countries they inhabited nor so could Riches abound for Coyn was for the most part useless or indeed not mentioned till the days of Abraham the Patriarck Exchange of Goods being the only Traffick and consequently on that score few Traded for more then they had present occasion to use by Reason many things were not of lasting quality and for that they for the most part Travelled from place to place Their chiefest Riches consisted in Cattle but at last when they Builded Cities and Towns and found the conveniency of a Settlement they extended their Traffick farther and one City Traded with another which still spread wider yet long was it ' er they found means to plough the Bosom of the Sea and to hold Commerce and Traffick with remote Nations which no sooner was brought to my Perfection but Riches abounding and Plenty Flowing in on every side men then and not till then began to give their thoughts large scope and not contented with the Portion of Earth alotted them began to grow emulous aspire to universal Soveraignty as likewise to plant Colonies in till then unhabitable Islands which had not Shipping been invented must have continued without inhabitants as at this time past doubt for want of discovery many do in the remote Seas especially under the Artick Pole whose extremity renders them unaccessible or at least unhabitable and of all Nations the Greeks were the first that brought Navigation to any Perfection by which they grew opulent and extended their Colonies to thâ— utmost Orient acquiring the Empire of the then known World their Fame growing every where great nor could the Romans bring their Warlike Expeditions to any perfection till they were Lords of the Sea and inriched themselves by Traffick bringing into that one City the Stores of all Nations so that from Cottages of Shepherds who lay'd her first Foundation she soon became Magnificent thrusting up her Lofty Spires bedecked with Gold so high that they in a manner kissed the Clouds and rendered her the awfull Mistriss of the Universe and by Trade and Industry more then by Arms kept up her Reputation for six hundred Years when ranging the World to find out Countries unconquered at last from Gallia or France under the leading of Caesar they entered Brittain a Place then wild and rude not knowing how to use the abundant plenty that Nature bestowed upon them but refusing all manner of Dainties fed upon Roots of Herbs and Barks of Trees not Tilling any Ground nor sowing Corn otherwise then scattering it on the untilled Surface of the Earth and harrowing it over with Bushes suffering their Cattle Fowl and Fish of which they had store to continue useless scarcely knowing any shoar but their own Their Traffick or Merchandise for the most part amongst themselves and that but mean their chief Riches consisting as Strabo saith in Ivory-Boxes Sheers Onches Bitts Bridles Chains of Iron Wreaths Glass coloured and the like which they usually delivered to each other as currant Coyn for what their necessity required but no sooner had the Romans Civilized them and instructed them in such Arts as were most sutable to their Capacities and might stand them in greatest stead but they began to Build Houses living before for the most in Huts and going naked and turned their Leather Boats into Tall Ships Furrowing the Seas broad back and discovering many Nations to them till then unknown So that by Traffick abroad and Improvement at home this Island grew famous and spread it's Name to the utmost Limit of the known Earth so that being rightly termed the Store-House of the Western World all the Neighbour-Nations Traded hither so that those Ports and Havens that were for a long time useless were now filled with Ships of all Nations So that Silver and Gold was had in Abundance and Coyns in imitation of those the Romans Stamped with the Effigies of their Kings and Princes which then were many each County containing two or three and they for the most part at variance amongst themselves which gave the Romans an opportunity to become Conquerors at an easier rate then otherwise they could During the four hundred Years and odd that the Romans Governed here by their Lievetenants and sometimes by their Emperors in Person Rome and after her Constantinople the new Seat of Empire abounded with our Stores so that more Tribute was pay'd by this Island then by France and Germany tho Ten times as large but the fame of Brittains Wealth proved her unhappyness for the Goth breaking in upon the Roman Empire whose spreading Top was too large to be supported by the slender Bole her Branches was torn off on every side so that to support their own the Romans were forced to recall
their Legions who took with them the Flower of the Brittish-Youth and left her open to the Picts and wild-Irish who spoiled and wasted all her pleasant Places with Fire and Sword and after them the Saxons who were called in to expell them far worse so that of a Flourishing Island it became for many Years a place of Ruin and desolation all her Nobility Slain and the residue of her Natives forced to betake themselves to the Fastnesses of Mountains so that Strangers having grasped the Scepter which then Multiplyed into seven from thence called the Heptarchy of the Saxons Trade again ceased all the Ships either Sunk or Burnt in the Ports but no sooner was the Bloody Tempest over but the wounded Island again began to lift up her Head Forraign Nations again came in with the growths of their distant Soil and so she again became a Store-House of Wealth but especially when the sole Monarchy was reduced under Egbert the nineteenth King of the West-Saxons under whom things Flourished in a peaceful manner But soon after as if Fate had envied her happyness the Danes no less Bloody then the Saxons had been made an Invasion tempted by the glittering Wealth of this fair Isle and never left off till they had grasped the Scepter and reduced it to the obedience of Canute under whom again she Flourished more then ever and so continued to do Trade increasing and Arts duly improved till the Conquest by the Norman-Duke who for a while put a stop to her aspiring yet soon after gave incouragements to Industry by Grants Charters and large immunities and from him through the Reigns of several Peaceful Kings the current of her Prosperity continued Maritim affairs being prosecuted with such Success that our Sailers began to Plough till then unknown Seas and so Succesfully that they brought home great store of Riches opening a way to those that succeeded to bring to perfection what at this day renders us happy in all temporal Blessings Having thus far proceeded in general to shew what Brittain has been in her infancy I shall now proceed to give the Reader an account of such matters as have more immediately conduced to the prosperous and Flourishing Estate wherein she has for many Years past remained and does at present remain which chiefly next Heaven we must attribute to her store of Shipping and Expertness in Navigation so long incouraged by her indulgent Kings who in Peace and War have maintained the Soveraignty of the Seas with Navies almost incredible so that no Neighbour-Nation durst disturb our Traffick Not to insist upon King Arthure who found out the Russian Tracts and passed on conquering almost to the utmost Orient attended by a Squadron of three hundred Ships nor Edgard his Successor who Ploughed the Bosom of the deep with four hundred Sail asserting his Soveraignty on the Main to the admiration of the Neighbour-Nations Nor was Canute the Puissant Danish King then Reigning in Brittain less formidable on his watery Empire being proud to have annexed to his Style Lord of the Ocean Nor Edward the Confessor less Potent in Naval forces as appears by the many Ships of War he set forth to give Battle to his Brother in Law Godwin Earl of Kent who kept the Seas with a great number of Ships that spoiled and wasted the Coasts of Brittain as appears in the Reign of that King tho indeed Heaven at that time prevented the Shedding of English-Blood by sending just as they were about to ingage a thick Fogg to cover the Face of the Deep so that none could see a Ships length By this means Seamen were brought up and fitted for Navigation in such sort that in the Nonage of the Norman-Conquest as is before said Traffick abroad began to Flourish nor was Manufacture that Sinew of a Nation less regarded People being incouraged thereto not only by the Princes themselves with large Indulgencies but by such Wealthy Peers and others as more sought the good of the Publick-Weal than their own Private interest which ever redounds in the end to their profit For tho the Poor be never so industrious yet wanting what to Trade with their Industry will faint but if they have imployment to improve themselves Lands and all things else will be improved and advanced to a higher Estimate and the growth of England be made of value equal if not exceeding any European Commodity whatsoever So that this spot of an Island may nay is rightly termed the Store-House of the World who can subsist of her self but without whose Commodities few Nations can maintain their Grandure But to the purpose The Kings after the Conquest intending to make this their constant Seat and making little esteem of their Ancient Inheritance the Dutchy of Normandy did not let to increase the Grandure of this Kingdom by granting large Priviledges and immunities to those that were Industrious but especially to the City of London the chief residence of Royalty named by many Kings their Royal Chamber Nor was any thing thought too dear that might conduce to her Felicity as appears by the Charter granted by King William the first commonly called the Conqueror which was in these words William King greeteth William Bishop and Godfry Porters and all the Burgesses within London French and English and I grant you that I will that you maintain and injoy all your Laws that you did in the days of King Edward meaning the Confessor 's and I will that each Child be his Fathers Heir and further I will that no man wrong you and so God keep you This free concession gave scope to Trade being much augmented by succeeding Kings so that Tradsemen growing numerous they so prevailed upon the Benign Bounty of the Reigning Princes that they after long Fraternities obtained at several times to be incorporate in distinct Bodies or Companies to Implead or be Impleaded as one man The account of which as it happened in divers Kings Reigns shall in the following Chapters be set down beginning at the first of the twelve and so to proceed in order CHAP. II. The Original of the Companies of the City of London viz. the Principal twelve of the time of their being incorporated and by what Kings and Queens As likewise the names of all the other Companies as at this day they stand confirmed 1. THe Mercers tho then Trading for the most part in Stuffs of the Native growth were inabled to be a Company and Permitted to Purchase twenty pounds per Annum Lands in the seventeenth Year of King Richard the second 's Reign Anno Domini 1393. 2. The Grocers tho at that time not brought to half the Perfection that now it is called Pepperers before were Incorporated by the name aforesaid in the twentieth Year of King Edward the third Anno Dom. 1345. 3. The Drapers for the most part Woollen were Incorporated in the seventeenth of King Henry the sixth Anno 1430. having been a Fraternity from the time that King Edward the
third so earnestly promoted the Woollen Manufacture by admitting the Flemins and other Nations the free use of Manual Operation within his Dominions That so his Subjects might learn the Craft and not be beholden to other Nations to work the growth of our own Country and pay them extraordinary Rates by the advance of Exportation and Importation for what might be otherwise ordered to the Advantage and Glory of our own Nation by setting many thousands of Poor people on work otherwise incapable of getting whereby to subsist 4. The Fishmongers a Vocation no less advantagious to this Kingdom by their incouragement of the Fishing-Trade of which hereafter I shall speak were in former times two Companies viz. Stock-Fishmongers and Salt-Fishmongers but in the beginning of the Reign of Henry the Eight Anno 1509. did bear their Arms as at present they do and in the twenty eight Year of the King Anno 1536 were United and incorporated in one Body without distinction 5. The Goldsmiths an Ancient Craft so I may rightly term it for formerly those that sold worked likewise their own Plate were Incorporated and confirmed in the sixteenth Year of King Richard the Second's Reign 6. The Skinners had the Favour to be incorporated in the first Year of the Reign of King Edward the third Anno 1327. and were made a Brotherhood in the eighteenth of King Richard the Second's Reign 7. The Merchant-Taylors had their first pattent of Arms granted by Sr. Thomas Holne Clarencieux King at Arms being then called Taylors and Linnen Armourers viz. in the twenty first of King Edward the fourth Anno 1480. and since Incorporated by Henry the Seventh by the name of Merchant Taylors viz. in the seventeenth of his Reign Anno 1501. 8. The Haberdashers or Hurrers formerly so called were Incorporated a Brotherhood of St. Catharine in the twenty sixth of Henry the sixth Anno 1447. and by the name of Merchants Haberdashers confirmed in the seventeenth Year of Henry the seventh 9. The Salters had their Arms and as many suppose were confirmed in the twentieth Year of Henry the Eighth 1530. being a Company of good Esteem The Iron-Mongers had the Favour to be Incorporated in the third Year of King Edward the fourth Anno 1462. at which time they were greatly increased and the Mines of our Nation much improved 11. The Vintners formerly called Wine-Tunners were Incorporated in the Reign of King Edward the third after he had Conquered all Normandy and by that means ingrossed most of the French Vintage But were not confirmed till the fifteenth of Henry the sixth 12. The Cloath-Workers had their Arms granted by Thomas Benolt Clarenceux in the twenty second Year of Henry the Eighth but the time of their Incorporation uncertain And thus in brief have I declared the Original of the twelve Principal Companies upon whom the greatest Stress of Trade depends and by whose prudent Management and Industry Brittain Flourishes and at this day lifts up her Head above her Neighbour Nations Those that remain are these whose names I shall only recite because they tend not much to our purpose the Dyers Brewers Leathersellers Pewterers Barbers Chyrugeons Armourers White-Bakers Wax-Chandlers Tallow-Chandlers Cutlers Girdlers Butchers Sadlers Carpenters Cordwainers Painters Curriers Masons Plumbers Inholders Founders Embroiderers Poulterers Cooks Coopers Bricklayers and Tylers Bowyers Fletchers Blacksmiths Joyners Plaisterers Weavers Fruterers Scriveners Botlemakers and Horners Stationers Marblers Wool-packers Farriers Paviers Lorimors or Lorinors Brown-Bakers Wood-mongers Vpholsterers Turners Glaziors Clarks Watermen Apothecaries and Silk-Throwsters All of these are Fraternities and most of them Incorporated and have Charters of Priviledge and large Immunities tho in the days of our Forefathers many of them were not known not having brought their several Trades and Crafts to perfection for many of which they were obliged to be beholden to Strangers but the Natives of this Kingdom being naturally Ripe-wited and of a toward Genius soon became Arts-Masters and out-did their Teachers so that at this day no Nation under Heaven can exceed them if the Materials be alike in all respects But having given the Reader an account of the Respective Companies whose industry at home improve to a Miracle what is brought to them from distant Lands I shall proceed to give a Relation of the Respective Merchants whose Traffick by Sea Inriches the Land whilest the Land finds them with wherewithal to drive on their Commerce with all Nations from whence any Valuable Merchandise is brought But before I Lanch altogether into the Ocean I think it would be necessary to relate the Incorporation of the Merchant of the Staple who once were the chiefest boast and most profitable to this Nation Nor indeed less profitable to others as France Flanders Holland Saxony and many other Countries the chief Mart being Established at Calis a little before taken from the French by King Edward the third the profit of our English Wool then chiefly obliging the Flemings to side with us against their Potent Neighbour The Merchants of the Staple having been a long while a Fraternity were Incorporated by the aforesaid King Edward the third and by him indowed with many large Priviledges tho at this day the Woollen Manufacture being greatly increased every one buyes his Commodity where he can find it best Cheap so that there remaining no fixed Staple these Merchants are not now of such Repute as formerly CHAP. III. Of the several English Merchants Trading into most parts of the time of their Incorporating and Improvment of Navigation THe English Merchants Trading by Navigation who by visiting remote Countries and Trafficking with the Inhabitants bring in the store of the whole World are chiefly these and their Incorporations mostly as followeth 1. The Merchants Adventurers were Incorporated by King Edward the fourth from which time they Traded with good Success until the Reign of Queen Elizabeth who for a further incouragement to their Industry not only confirmed them but inlarged their Priviledges 2. The Merchants of Russia or Muscovia who having improved their Trade and Commerce in that Remote Kingdom to the Inriching their Native Land were Incorporated by King Edward the sixth greatly incouraged by Queen Mary and had their confirmation with an Augmentation of their Priviledges from the ever favourer of Navigation the Bounteous Queen Elizabeth 3. The Merchants of Elbing were Incorporated by Queen Elizabeth and by her greatly incouraged she like a prudent Queen and Patroness of her Country well knowing that by Traffick not only her Revenues would be improved but likewise her People be Inriched and she rendered formidable to her aspiring Neighbours tho since upon some distast they have left Trading in that place and Trade at Hambourg and other free Cities and Ports 4. The Turky-Merchants or Merchants of the Levant were likewise Incorporated by the same Queen and were confirmed with a large addition to their Priviledges by King James 5. The Merchants of Spain or more properly Spanish Merchants or such of our Nation as
Royal Navy can be made which till it be is of no Effectual use but lies at charge And we see likewise upon their occasions that Merchants are put to great straights and inconveniencies and do pay excise-rates for the carrying on their Trade Now if 24,000 able Bodyed Tradesmen whereby 6000 per Annum brought up and fitted for Sea-service and for their incouragement allowed twenty Shillings per Annum for every Year they had been at Sea even when they stay at home not exceeding six pound for those who have served six years or upwards it follows that about 72000. pound at the medium of three pound per man would so satiate the whole number and so forasmuch as half the Sea-men which manage the Merchants Trade are supposed to be always in Harbour and are about 40000 together with the said half the Auxiliaries last mentioned would upon Emergencies man out the whole Royal Navy leaving to the Merchant 12000 of the able Auxiliaries to perform their business in Harbour till others come home from the Sea I say that more then this Summ 72000 pounds per Annum is Fruitlesly spent over-paid by the Merchants whensoever a great Fleet is to be fitted out Now these whom I call Auxiliary Seamen are such as have another Trade besides wherewith to maintain themselves when they are not imployed at Sea and the charge of maintaining themselves the 72000 pounds per Annum I take to be little or nothing for the Reasons above-mentioned and consequently an easie Tax to the people because levied by and paid to themselves As we propounded that Ireland should be Taxed with Flax and England by Linnen and other Manufactures of the same so I conceive that Scotland might be Taxed as much to be paid in Herrings as Ireland in Flax. Now these three Taxes of Flax Linnen and Herrings and the maintenance of the Triple Militia and of the Auxiliary Seamen above-mentioned do all five of them together amount to 1,000,000 pounds of money the raising whereof is not a Million spent but gain'd to the Common-Wealth unless it can be made appear that by Reason of all or any of them the Exportations of Wollen Manufactures Lead and Tin are lessened or of such Commodities as our own East and West India Trade do produce for as much as I conceive that the Exportation of these last mentioned Commodities is the Touch-stone whereby the Wealth of England is Tried and the Pulse whereby the Health of the Kingdom may be discerned CAP. III. That France cannot by Reason of natural and perpetual Impediments be more Powerful at Sea then England or the low Countries POwer at Sea consists chiefly in men able to fight at Sea and that in such Shipping as is most proper for the Seas Wherein they serve and those are in these Northern Sea-Ships from between 300 to 1300 Tuns and of these such as Draw much Water and have a deep latih in the Sea in order to keep a good Wind and not to fall too Leward a matter of vast advantage in Sea-Service wherefore it is to be Examined first Whether the French King has Ports in the Northern Seas where he has most occasion for his Fleets of War in any Consists above to receive the Vessels above-mentioned in all Weather both in Winter and Summer Seats for if the French King could bring to Sea an equal number of Fighting men with the English or Hollanders in small Float Leward Vessels he would certainly be of the weaker side for a Vessel of 1000 Tuns man'd with 500 Fighting men with five Vessels of 200 Tuns each man'd with 100 men apiece shall in common Reason have the better offensively and defensively for asmuch as the great Ship can carry such Ordnance as can reach the small ones at a far greater distance then these can reach or at lest hurt the other and can batrer and sink at a distance when a small one can scarce pierce Moreover it is more difficult for men out of a small vessel to enter a tall Ship then for men from an higher place to leap down into a lower nor is small Shot so effectual upon a tall Ship as vice versa And as for Vessels drawing much Water and consequently keeping a good Wind they can toke or tear Leward Vessels at pleasure and secure themselves from being boarded by them Moreover the Windward Ship has a fairer mark at a Leward Ship then vice versa and can place her shot upon such parts of the Leward Vessel as upon the next tack will be under Water Now the French King having no Ports able to receive large Windward Vessels between Dunkirk and Vshant what other Ships he can bring into those Seas will not be considerable as for the wide Ocean which his Harbours of Breas◠and Brovage do look into it affordeth him no advantage upon an Enemy there being so great a Latitude of engaging or not even when the Parties are in sight of each other◠wherefore altho the French King were immensly rich and could build what Ships he pleased both for number and quality yet if he have not Ports to receive and shelter that sort and size of Shipping which is fit for his purpose his Riches will in this case be Fruitless and a meer expence without any return or profit Some will say that other Nations can't build so good Ships as the English I do indeed hope they can't but because it seems too possible that they may sooner or later by Practice and Experience I shall not make use of that Argument having only bound my self to shew that the Impediments of France as to this purpose are natural and perpetual Ships and Guns do not fight of themselves but men who act and manage them wherefore it is more material to shew that the French King neither has nor can have men sufficient to man a Fleet of equal Strength to that of the King of England The King of England's Navy consists of about 70,000 Tuns of Shipping which requires 36,000 men to man these men being supposed to be divided into eight parts 1 ◠part must be Persons of great Experience and Reputation in Sea-Service another ⅛ part must be such as have used the Sea seven Years and upwards half of them or ¼ part must be such as have used the Sea above a twelve Month viz. 2 3 4 5 or six Years allowing but one quarter of the whole compliment to be such as never were at Sea at all or at most but one Voyage or upon one Expedition so that at a medium I reckon the whole Fleet must be men of three or four Years growth one with another Fournier a late judicious Writer making it his business to persuade the World how considerable the Kings of France was or might be at Sea in ninety two or ninety three Pages of his Hierography saith that there was one place in Britany which had Furnished the King with 1400 Seamen and that perhaps the whole Sea coast of France
Reader not thinking his Arguments of any Weight at all in the present case nor indeed does he make his comparison with English or Hollanders but with the Spaniards who nor the Grand Senior the latter of whom has greater advantages to be Powerful at Sea then the French King could never attain to any illustrious greatness in Naval Power having after attempted but never succeeded in the same nor is it easie to believe that the King of England should for so many Years have continued in his Title to the Soveraignty of the narrow Seas against his Neighbours ambitious enough to have gotten it from him had not their impediments been natural and perpetual and such as we say do obstruct the most Christian King CHAP. IV. That the People and Territories of the King of England are naturaly as considerable for Wealth and Strength as those of France THe Author of the State of England among the many useful truths and observations he has sets down the proportion between the Territories of England and France to be as thirty to eighty two the which if it be true then England Scotland and Ireland with the Islands unto them belonging will altogether be near as big as France tho I ought to take all advantages for proving the Paradox in hand I had rather grant that England Scotland and Ireland with the Islands before mentioned together with planted parts of new Found-Land new England new Netherland Virginy Mary-Land Caulin Jamaica Barmuda's Barbado's and all the rest of the Carib Islands do not contain more Territory then France and what planted Land the French King has also in America a. And if any man will be Heterodox in behalf of the French Interest I could be contented against my Judgment to allow the French King's Territories to be a seventh sixth or fifth part greater then those of the King of England believing that both Princes have more Land then they do imploy to its utmost use And here I beg leave among the several matters I intend for serious to interpose a jocular and perhaps a Ridiculous digression and which I indeed desire men to look upon rather as a Dream then a rational Proposition Which is if that all the moveables and People of Ireland and the High-lands of Scotland were transported into the Kingdom of Great Brittain that then the King and his Subjects would thereby become more Rich and Strong both offensively and defensively then now they are It s true I have heard many wise men say when they were bewailing the vast Losses of the English in preventing and suppressing Rebellions in Ireland and considering how little profit has returned either to the King or Subjects of England for these five hundred Years doing and suffering in that Countrey I say I have heard Wise men in such their Melancholies wish that the People of Ireland being saved that that Island were sunk under Water Now it troubles me that the Distempers of my Mind in this point carry me to Dream that the Benefits of these Wishes may Practically be obtained without sinking that vast Mountainous Island under Water which I take to be somewhat difficult for altho Dutch Engineers may drein its Bogs yet I know no Artists that could sink its Mountains If ingenious and Learned men amongst whom I reckon Sr. Thomas Moore and Des Cartes have disputed that we who think our selves awake are or may be really in a Dream And if the greatest absurdity of Dreams is but a Preposterous and Tumultuary Contexture of Reallities I will crave the umbrage of these great Men to say something too of this wild Conception with Submission to the better Judgments of all those that can prove themselves awake If there were but one man Living in England then the benefit of the whole Territories could be but the third Lively-hood of that one Man But if another man were added the Rent or Benefit of the same would be double if three triple and so forewards until so many were Planted in it as the whole Territory could afford Food unto for if a man would know what any piece of Land is worth the true natural question must be how many Men will it feed and how many Men are there to be fed But to speak more Practically Land of the same quantity and quality in England is generally worth three or four times as much as in Ireland And but one quarter and a third of what it is in Holland because England is four times so well Peopled as Ireland and be a quarter so well as Holland And moreover where the Rent of Land is advanced by reason of the multitude of People there the number of years purchase for which the Inheritance may be sold is also advanced tho perhaps not in the very same Proportion for twenty Shillings per Annum in Ireland may be worth but eight pound and in England where Tithes are very sure about twenty pound in Holland about thirty pound I suppose that in Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland there may be above 1800,000 People or about ⅕ part of what is in all the three Kingdoms Wherefore the first question will be whether England Wales or the Lowland of Scotland can't afford Food that is to say Corn Flesh Fish and Fowl to a ⅕ more People then are at present planted upon it with the same Labour that the said ⅕ part does now take where they are for if so then what is propounded is naturally possible Secondly it is to be inquired into what the moveables which upon such removable must be left behind are worth for if they are worth less than the advancement of the price of Land in England will amount unto then the Proposal is to be considered 3. If the relict Land and the immovables left behind upon them may be sold for money or if no other Nation shall dare to meddle with them without paying well for them and if the Nation who shall be admitted shall be less able to prejudice and annoy the Transplanters into England then before then I conceive the whole proposal will be a pleasant Dream indeed As to the first part whether England and the Lowlands of Scotland will mantain one fifth more then they now do that is to say nine Millions of Souls in all I say first that the said Territories of England c. contain about thirty six Millions of Acres that is four Acres for every Head Man Woman and Child but the united Provinces do not allow ½ Acre and England it self rescinding Wales has but three Acres to ever Head according to the present State of Tillage and Husbandry Now if so considered that England having but three Acres to a Head do so abound in Victuals as that it makes Laws against the importation of Cattle Flesh and Fish from abroad and that the Dreining of the Fens improving of Forrests inclosing of Commons Sowing of cinque-Foyl and Clover-Grass be grumbled against by Landlords are the way to depress the
the Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire so called of one Eoves a Swinheard to Egwin Bishop of Worcester so Renowned for its Fertility and excellent kind of Corn it yields that it is called the Granary of those parts The Vale of Alisbury in Buckinghamshire is also particularly taken notice of for its Pleasant Meadows and Rich Pastures Nor are the Sheep-Pastures near Knetworth in Hartfordshire which is called the Garden of England to be forgotten Portholm Meadow also in Huntingtonshire is reckon'd among the Notabilia of that County The like may be said in a great measure of the Pasturage However there are some places so peculiarly remark'd either for the Largeness or Richness of their Pastures that the mention of them cannot well be omitted The Isle of Shepey in Kent being about 21 Miles in compass is without question so denominated from the numerous Flocks of Sheep which it feedeth No less celebrated is Rumny-Marsh heretofore a part of the Sea under the Name of Romanum Mare which by common Speech is easily corrupted into Rumnense Marshium Of this Marsh Twine in his Commentary De rebus Anglicis making a particular mention thus concludes Denique unde tot pingues peeudes c. Lastly saith he Whence so many Fat Cattle come to the Shambles that not only all Kent is largely supplied from this place but even the City of London also in some measure fares the better In the Marsh-Country of Norfolk commonly called Marsh-Land the Soyl is so very Mellow and Fruitful that in a certain large Mead called Tilneysmeth there are said generally to feed no less than 30000 Sheep at a time Wormleighton in Warwickshire breeds Sheep of so large a size that there are scarce the like to be seen elsewhere Lemster upon the River Lug in Herefordshire feeds a Breed of Sheep which yields so Fine and Delicate a Wool that our Noble Poet Draiton in his Polyolbion compares it to the Wool of Apulia and Tarentum which hath been always accounted the Finest Wool of Europe The Bread also of Lemster is no less noted by reason of the Fineness of its Flower insomuch that Lemster Bread and Weably Ale are united into a Proverb as Leigh observes in his Description of England Likewise the Sheep of Cotswold i. e. a place of Sheep-Cotes or Folds upon a Hill in Glocestershire yield so Fine a Wool that nothing but the Spanish Wool can outvy it and this advantage it owes to a Present that was made by King _____ to _____ King of Spain very much to the prejudice of England as it hath since proved Somerton once the chief Town as some say of Somersetshire and gave the denomination to the Shire consists almost wholly with the Country thereabout of Grasiers and Breeders of Cattle After the Wool of Lemster and Cotswold that of the Isle of Wight comes next in estimation Besides those places above-mentioned there is one more which for its largeness and Fruitfulness alike is worthy to be mentioned viz. The Vale of the Whitehorse which is partly in Wiltshire and partly in Barkshire For Fruit there is scarce any County in England that is not tolerably well stor'd in one sort or other but above all for Cherries and now of late for Pippins Kent bears the Name and particularly Tenham which is commonly styl'd the Parent of Fruit Gardens But the first Pippins brought over that is about 100 years since were Planted in that part of Lincolnshire called Holland and about Kirton in the same Shire Nor are our Cherries of much longer date being first brought over from Flanders in the Reign of King Henry the Eight and Planted in Kent with that Success that one only Orchard of but 32 Acnes is said to have produced in one year as much as yielded 1000 l. For all sorts of Apples and Pears and for great quantity of excellent Syder which furnish London and many other parts Worcestershire Glocestershire and Herefordshire are the principal Counties Vines we have very frequent among us of several sorts producing for the most part a very Sweet and Pleasant Grape and good quantities of Wine I have heard say have been formerly made At this day there are two places principally Eminent for making of Wine viz. Claverton in Somersetshire a Seat of Sir William Bassets where there are said to have been made some years no less than 40 Hogsheads of a very pleasant and palatable Wine and in Kent belonging to Collonel Blunt At Hatfield-House in Hertfordshire belonging to the Earl of Salisbury there is a parcel ground called the Vineyard no doubt from the Plenty and goodness of the Vines there Planted And in Glocestershire there are several places called Vineyards out of which in former times they yearly payed Rent-Wines from the Plenty of Vines no doubt here growing Moreover it is found in Ancient Records that several Towns of this Shire payed Rent-Wines as Dr. Fuller in his Worthys particularly observes Of other Productions BEsides those Beasts and Cattel which are of advantage for Food and Cloathing and which no Country of Europe perhaps of the World bring forth more fair and large than England There are some Beasts of service which being common to England with other parts of Europe are generally commended to be of a more excellent Kind than any especially that which is the most serviceable of all others viz. the Horse with all manner of respects considered is doubtless the most noble and useful of all four-footed Beasts for though the Elephant Camel and Dromedary with which most places of Asia and many of Africa abound are more remarkable for vast bulk of body especially the Elephant and consequently more capable of carriage and bearing of great burthens yet the same greatness of bulk renders them on the other side more unfit for expedition and for the Ass and Mule which indeed are fairer larger and more numerous in Spain and other Countries of Europe than in this Kingdom they are not certainly to be compar'd either for shape service or expedition with the forementioned Animal nor was ever any Grandee of Spain journying on his Mule with the Grand Pa and Spanish gravity so comely a sight as a well accoutred Cavalier on horseback and of all parts of England Montgomeryshire is commended for excellent Horses The Truth is the Spanish Jenet that of Barbary Race commonly therefore called the Barbary The Count of Oldenburgh's Breed in Germany have the Name before all others for Swiftness delicacy of Shape and Neatness of Mark or Colour but for Courage Ability of Body either for Travel Draught or Carriage sufficient Swiftness and Agility Tractableness for the Great Saddle and Management in War the Horses of English Breed are reputed hardly matchable by those of any other Country And our Dogs much less by the Testimony of divers Eminent Authors Ortelius in his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum affirms that there is no part of the Earth where there are better and larger Dogs to be seen especially Hounds he might
great lump or mass like that of Newcastle but as it is laid on in great pieces burning sheer away into Ashes each piece like Wood. Up and down in several parts of Darbyshire and Staffordshire there is a sort of Pit-Coal which is commonly called Cannel-Coal perhaps as it were Candle-Coal because it burns clear like a Candle this Coal is of a bright shining gloss and withal of so tough and solid a substance that they frequently make thereof Standishes Salt-Sellers Candlesticks and other such like Utensils which appear as it were of a courser sort of Jett In Staffordshire Pensneth-Chace is particularly made mention of for plenty of Pit-Coal In Leicestershire Coal-Overton in the Hundred of West-Goscot and other parts of the North of this County where there is store of Pit-Coal of a Bituminous nature very hard and fast In Warwickshire Bedworth In Somersetshire Mendip-hill and several places on the shore of the River Frome In Richmondshire the tops of certain Hills In the Isle of Anglesey there is said to be great store of an Aluminous Matter out of which it is thought might be made very good Alum and Copperass but nothing of this nature hath been brought to that perfection as the Alum-works in Yorkshire through the great Industry of Sir John Bourchier who in the Reign of King James made away with a considerable Estate for the carrying on of this great work in lieu whereof he obtain'd the grant of a Patent from the King whereby he was Invested with the whole benefit of the said Alumwork which was valued at a Thousand Pound a year but however matters were carried his Grandchild Mr. Richard Bourchier is now reduc'd to utmost necessity receiving no relief by vertue of the Patent for the loss of the Paternal Estate But Gesborough in this Shire is most particularly noted for an Alum-Mine which some say was first found out by Sir Thomas Chaloner Tutor to Prince Henry As for the Stone-Quarries of England they must indeed be confess'd inferior to those of Italy Greece and other parts for all Curious kinds of Marble Alabaster and Porphyrie of Marble the Parian was Anciently accounted the best However we have many Structures both publick and private to shew which being built of our own native Free-stone want not their State and Elegance The principal Magazine of this Commodity is the Isle of Portland in Dorcetshire which hath supplied many of the grand Buildings of England Likewise the Isle of Purbeck in the same Shire hath Veins of Marble which though not continued but scatteringly here and there as Cambden observes yet run a great way under ground At Edgcomb House near Plimouth in Cornwall there is digg'd good quantity of a Stone which is of great use and Ornament in Building also on the Moors of the said County there is found a sort of Stone which is thence called the Moor-stone of which there are frequently made Chimney-Pieces and Ornaments of Windows and Doors besides another sort of the colour of Marble In Nottinghamshire there is digg'd a soft Stone at least much softer than Alabaster with which being burnt and made into a Plaster they generally floor their Upper-Rooms this Plaster being well laid as soon as it comes to be dry proves harder than any Plaster of Paris and is wonderful durable In Herefordshire hard by Snodhill-Castle is a Quarry from whence they say there is digg'd forth very good Marble At a place called Peter's post in Yorkshire is a famous Quarry of Stone also near Shirburn in the same Shire Nor is that near Manchester in Laneashire inconsiderable besides a Quarry of a fine Reddish-stone on the Banks of the River Irwell in the same Shire Moreover what we want in Alabaster Porphyrie Marble c. is more than compensated to us by Stones of a greater value particularly in Cornwall there are found in great quantities Stones of a natural Smoothness formed into Angles and considerably large some of the bigness of a Walnut or thereabout and of such a lustre that many scruple not to call them Diamonds and probably they might pass for such did not the cunning Lapidary know how to distinguish the true Orient Diamond from others by its Adamantine hardness and solidity Likewise St. Vincents Rock at Bristol affords plenty of these English Diamonds commonly called Bristol Stones At Shugbury in Warwickshire is a sort of precious Stone at least by some so accounted called Astroites from a mark it hath upon it resembling a Star And on the Rocks of Guarnsey there is a hard Stone called an Emeril Nor are we wholly destitute of Marble and Alabaster though doubtless short for Beauty and Fineness to those of Italy and Greece in some parts of Staffordshire there is digg'd a sort of Alabaster thought to be the best in England Fullers-Earth Potters-Earth Marl Lime Slate Tobacco-Pipe-Clay c. There are large Veins in several parts particularly Woburn in Bedfordshire abounds in Fullers-Earth as also Rigate in Surry In some parts of Wiltshire the store of Marl that is found there gives Appellation to one of the chief Towns of that Shire viz. Marlborough and in divers parts of Lancashire is found a Marl which very much enriches the Land Near Nonsuch in Surry is a large Vein of Potters-Earth Near Walsal in Sussex are store of Lime-Pits And not many Miles from Pomfret in Yorkshire it being averr'd by some that no less than 2000 l. a year usually made of the Lime thereabouts In some parts of Cornwall there is Slate of three sorts and colours viz. The Blew the Grey and the Sage-colour particularly at a place called Walling-slate in Cornwall is digg'd up great store of Slate As also at Collyweston in Northamptonshire at Pool in Dorcetshire and in the Isle of Wight the best Tobacco-Pipe-Clay And to the Mill-stones of the Peak before mentioned we may add those digg'd up at Mowcup in Cheshire There is a sort of Earth called Talcum us'd by Painters and Colourers of which store is dig'd up in several parts of Sussex And the best of Saltpeter is said to be found in Northamptonshire Out of the Salt-pits of England is extracted so white and fine a sort of Salt that the most refined Sugar looks not more white and fine it is also commonly made up into Masses in the form of Sugar-Loaves Most of these Wiches the most noted are in Cheshire all denominated accordingly viz. Nantwich Middlewich and Northwich Nantwich besides the consideration of its Salt-pit which is generally called the Whitewich is next to the City of Chester it self the most Eminent Town of all Cheshire Middlewich hath two Pits between which there runs a small Brook and parts them The Pit in Northwich is called the Black-wich I suppose because the Salt drawn hence is Blacker and Courser than any of the rest In Worcestershire there is also a place of principal note for these Wiches or Salt-pits viz. Droit-Wich or Dirt-Wich where there are three Wells whose water from
three Miles of London And within the City several but the most noted that at the Postern-gate by Tower-hill and that called Crowders-Well hard by Cripple-gate Aleyceston in Huntingtonshire where there are two small Springs one whereof being fresh is accounted good for the Eyes the other a little Brackish for Scabs and Leprosy Buxton in Derbyshire where within the compass of 24 Foot there arise out of a Rock from under a Square Structure of Free-stone 9 Springs whereof one only is cold all the rest very warm But among all these it would be an unpardonable oversight to pass by unmention'd that famous Well of St. Winifrid commonly called the Holy-Well in Flintshire formerly much frequented partly by way of Pilgrimage partly for the great Virtue it was reputed to have in the Cure of many Maladies through the easie Faith no doubt and fond Credulity of the deluded Vulgar who are always apt to pay high Adoration and ascribe miraculous Cures to the Bodies â—elicks or any Memorials of persons recommended to them for Saints for here the Tradition goes that the Virgin Saint Vinifrid being here Beheaded a Fountain immediatly sprung up as if the Earth bewailing her Martyrdom burst forth into a â—ood of Tears and the Pebble-stones at the bottom of the said Fountain being observed to be of a Reddish colour we are to suppose that they retain to this day the tincture of the Virgins Blood Those Springs and Waters that are on the top of high Hills must be allowed to have something of Rarity in them in regard to those that are not sufficiently vers'd in the knowledge of natural Causes and Productions it may seem wonderful that the Water should rise so high above the common Surface of the Earth Particularly on the high Hills of Carnarvanshire are two Meers Also a Spring on the top of MoilenlyHills in Denbyshire Likewise among the Wonders or Rarities of England may be reckoned those Ditches which stand yet as Monuments of the Art and Industry of our Forefathers First That on Newmarket-heath which is commonly called the Devils-Ditch Secondly Wansdike in Wiltshire a work of many Miles extent cast up in memory of a Battle between the Mercians and West-Saxons Thirdly Clough d'Offa or Offa's ditch a work not inferior to the former mention'd and much upon the same occasion made Of the Populacy of the English Nation THe Populacy of a Nation is best estimated from the number of its Towns and Cities The Kingdom of England proportionably to its circumference is scarce inferior to any Kingdom or Country of Europe which is also accounted the the most Populous of all the four parts of the World except France and the Low-Countries which last being accounted no bigger in compass than York-shire is judged to contain as many Towns and Inhabited places as ten times the Circuit thereof in most other Countries and to some much superior particularly Spain late esteem'd the most considerable Monarchy of Christendom and that it continues not so to this day we may in a great measure imâ—â—te to the paucity of people in that kingdom for doubtless there is nothing that conduceth more to the Strength Grandure Prosperity and Riches of a Nation than the Populousness thereof especially where Industry is in the least incourag'd and Idleness discountenanc'd Wherefore that Nation that will ever hope to flourish ought to use all means and endeavours possible for the increasing of its People and to avoid as much as may be all occasions of Depopulation The principal causes of the Dispeopleing of Spain which according to the Testimony of several Creditable Authors hath been Anciently much better Peopled than at present have been first the multitude of Monasteries and Religious Prisons those Receptacles of forc'd Chastity and as they are ordered Impediments of the Worlds Lawful Increase Next the Violent Expulsion of the Moors out of Spain after that by a long establish'd settlement and being habituated to the same Customs Manners and Religion they were become as it were one Body with the rest of the People Lastly Those vast Colonies sent out of Spain to maintain and possess the ample Conquests or rather Ambitious and Bloody Invasions and Depopulations made by the the Spaniards there The Cities and Market-Towns of England are in number 607. to which the rest of the Burrough Towns that is such as send Burgesses to Parliament and all the Inhabited Villages whereof some are conderable being added make above 10 times the number so that all the Parishes of England and Wales are reckon'd 9285. and doubtless within the said circumference which is generally computed to be about 1352 Miles might be very well comprehended five times as many Towns or Places of Habitation if all the Forrests Chaces and unimproved vast Heaths and Commons were taken in and improved to the best advantage It is not to be wondred at that next to being born under a Happy Climate the living under a Happy Government the greatest advantage and Strength of a People is to be numerous proportionably to the extent of Territory they possess Since in the first place it is apparent enough that in a well Inhabited City the People must needs be so much the better able to defend themselves from any Force or Opposition Next if it be a place of any Trade take any particular number of what Trade soever and it is not to be imagin'd that they should be e're a whit the poorer but rather the richer than if the Inhabitants had been fewer For admit them of the same Trade or Imployment a profitable and corresponsible Trade is the more lively and vigorously carried on by many hands and suppose them of several Occupations the circulation of Money from the one to other helps all in general Though 't is true that in a straggling Town or City whose parts lye disjoyn'd and far asunder the people however considerable in number cannot be so assistant to each other in mutual Aid Society or Commerce as in a regular and well compacted City So likewise in a Kingdom that Prince who hath never so large an Empire yet if thinly Peopled or divided into several parts remotely distant and interrupted from mutual intercourse by long Voyages of Land and Sea cannot be look'd upon as so powerful a Prince as he that hath the like number of People in one intire and united Dominion Certainly no Monarch of the World much less of Christendom whoever he be that hath added most to his Empire by never so many new made Conquests can pretend to so large a share or portion of the Earth as the King of Spain who nevertheless as the transactions of a few late past years have made appear hath born but his fourth part with other Princes and States in opposition to a Prince far inferior to him in Jurisdiction and what should be the reason of this but that his Dominions lye so remote from each other and his Kingdom of Spain which his Residence there chiefly enables
rebuilding the stately Bridge over the Thames the Royal Exchange splendid before but now rebuilt far more splendid the New Bethlehem or Bedlam in Gresham-Colledge Sion-Colledge the Colledge of Physicians now a very graceful Edifice with the Theatre for Anatomy-Lectures at the upper end of Warwick-lane the Halls belonging to the several Companies most of them built much more to advantage than formerly Doctors Commons and over against it the Office of Armory towards Pauls-Wharf near which before the Fire stood Baynards-Castle an ancient and noble House sometime belonging to the Earls of Pembroke the several Inns of Court and Chancery many of them wonderfully improv'd both as to Structure and pleasant Permenades the two Inns of Serjeants in Chancery-lane and Fleetstreet the latter whereof is amplifi'd into a larger extent of Ground and number of fair Houses the Canal by the Fleet cut straight along from Holborn-bridge down to the Thames at Puddle-Wharf with the new built Bridge over it the Hospitals of Sutton call'd the Charterhouse of Christ-Church near New-gate of St Bartholomews near Smithfield Bridewel once a King's Palace now a House of Correction the Earl of Bridgewater's House in Barbican the Earl of Thanet's and the Bishop of London's Palace commonly call'd Peterhouse in Aldersgate-street then between Temple-bar and Westminster a Street so full of Noblemen's Palaces that there is scarce the like in any one City of Europe especially some years since before several of them were pull'd down out of whose Ruines nevertheless there have sprung up so many little Towns as it were pleasantly situate upon the Thames-side those pull'd down are Essex-house Exeter-house out of part whereof there is built a neat Exchange part of Salisbury-house Durham-house and York-house belonging to the Duke of Buckingham and now very lately Woreester-house those standing are Somerset-house which belongs to the Queen and where she oft-times hath her residence the Savoy once a Palace but of late years made use of for an Hospital of lame Souldiers Bedford-house part of Salisbury and Suffolk-house belonging to the Northumberland Family near Westminster is the principal Seat-Royal of England his Majesty's most usual Place of residence Whitehal built by Cardinal Woolfie a Palace more of Convenience than State excepting the Banquetting-house a piece of Architecture accounted parallel to the best in Italy and not to omit the Magnificences of Westminster being so near the Cathedral and the Old Palace which contains Westminster-hall the largest Room in Europe the Parliament-house and other Courts of Judicature from Whitehal a pleasant Park leads to St James's the Palace and usual residence of his Royal Highness the Duke of York on the other side of the Park a neat House of the Earl of Arlington Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houshold and near it Tarthall belonging to the late Lord Stafford over against St James's on the Road towards Kensington a noble House of the Duke of Albemarl built by the late Lord Chancellor Earl of Clarendon and near it Barkley-house Newport-house and others Among the Buildings of later years several noble Piazza's or Squares some not inferior to that of Piazza Navona at Rome The first Covent-garden Square grac'd on two sides with lofty Portico's on the other with the Prospect of Bedford-Garden on the fourth with the Front of a goodly Church Next Lincolns-Inn Square the largest of all 3. Bloomsbury Square opening to a fair Prospect of Southampton-house not far from which is an elegant new built House of the Honourable Henry Mountague late Ambassador to the Court of France 4. Leicester Square on the one side whereof is the Prospect of Leicester-house adjoyning to which is also Newport-house 5. St James's Square whose each side is a Pile of most splendid Edifices Lastly That in So-ho-Buildings a very pleasant Square having a large square Garden-plot in the midst adorn'd with Fountains Statues c. This is commonly call'd Kings-Square for the Magnificence thereof York the first City of Yorkshire and the second of England is a large stately pleasant rich populous and well fortified City The chief Magnificences whereof besides several beautiful Structures both publick and private are the Cathedral the Great Gate the Stone-bridge over the Ouse having one only but very huge Arch the Princes House call'd the Mannour and a famous Library Bristow or Bristol qu. Brightstol or Brightstow i. e. a splendid or illustrious Place in the British Caer Oder Nant Badon i. e. the City Oder in the Valley of Badon a large cleanly pleasant and well traded City situate some part in Glocestershire but most in Somersetshire and yet in a manner distinct from both being a County of it self incorporate It hath large Streets and divers fair Buildings both publick and private besides its Churches a strong Castle the Bishop's Palace the Tolbooth for Merchants a fair large Key affording a most pleasant Prospect of Ships coming up to the very Town and the Goutes or Sinks that carry the Water under ground render the Streets exceeding neat and clean Canterbury the chief City of Kent and the Metropolitan See of all England pleasant both for Situation and Buildings and of principal esteem for its Cathedral which is accounted among the chief of the Cathedrals of England besides which it hath several fair Chuches It s other publick Buildings are the Houses of the Dean and Prebends a noble Free-School call'd the Kings-School two Hospitals the Watch-houses or Cittadels upon the Wall which is broad enough for two Coaches to go abrest upon it it had also a noble Castle but that hath been long since demolish'd Rochester is not only preferrable as a City to all the Places in Kent next to Canterbury for its fair Building and pleasant Situation upon the River Medway But the chief Grandure of this City consists in its Cathedral and stately Bridge Of which more in its due place Exeter is particularly taken notice of by William of Malmsbury for the beauty of its Buildings the richness of its Inhabitants the flourishing state of its Trade and Commerce and the confluence of Strangers thither the greatness of its Trade and Riches by a daily Commerce both with this City and other Parts of the Nation The most eminent of its Structures are the Wall giving entrance by six Gates and adorn'd with divers Watch-Towers a strong and stately Castle and a vary noble and sumptuous Cathedral Salisbury Cathedral is accounted in some respects the noblest in England at least there are very few equal to it The City is pleasantly water'd with clear Rivulets running through the length of each Street and the Market-place very large and handsom Glocester is pleasantly situated upon the River Severn It hath been anciently much celebrated for its Monastery of Nuns built by Keneburgh Eadburgh and Eve and is at present for its stately Minster Worcester hath a Wall about it one thousand six hundred and fifty paces in circuit with a seven-fold entrance of Gates and five Watch-Towers for ornament and
The grand Ornaments of any City are the publick Buildings thereof and next to the Churches Palaces and Bridges are the Monumental Structures that present themselves most obviously to the view of Passengers in Streets and High-ways as Aqueducts Arches and the Columnal or Imagery-Works erected as Trophies in memory of some great Action or Person as also Places for publick Games and Spectacles For Structures of this kind never any City of the World was so famous as old Rome whose Circus's Amphitheaters Columns Pyramids Tryumphal Arches Equestrian Statues c. next to the massie Pyramids of Egypt were accounted the greatest Pieces of Art and Magnificence the World ever saw Nor are the Pyramids Columns and Aguglia's of the present Rome altogether unmemorable Of Monuments of this nature in England the Crosses erected in Streets and publick Places were the chief And of those the principal were Coventry-Cross and in this City Charing-Cross and that of Cheapside which last was certainly the noblest Piece of Workmanship of this nature as well for the largeness as the curiousness of the Imagery that ever was seen Next The Aqueducts or Conduits have been accounted no small Street-ornaments in many Towns and Cities but the mention of those that were in London may serve for all the rest The chief that were in London before the Fire of 66. were the Standart in Cheapside a Structure that might have pass'd for a noble Piece of Workmanship had it not stood so near so rich a Cross Another at the lower end of Cheapside Another in Cornhil That in Fleetstreet hard by Shoe-lane end and another in Holborn near Holborn-Bridge besides several others of less Note The only Conduit lately erected now standing is a pretty little Structure between Cow-lane and Snow-hill Since the Fire other kind of Monuments have been rais'd which add not a little to the Ornament of the City in general and give peculiar Grace to the Places where they stand The chief whereof is the Monument erected where the Fire began a Pyramid of stately heighth and curious Workmanship Another Monument much of the same nature is design'd and the Edifice rais'd some yards above the ground at the lower end of Cheapside at or very near the Place where the Conduit formerly stood A very rare Design as appears by the Model which I have often seen at the House of the ingenious Designer thereof Mr Jasper Latham the City-Mason At the Stocks-Market is an Equestrian Statue in Stone of his present Majesty And another more excellent than that in Brass of his late Majesty of happy Memory in the Place where Charing-Cross stood In Covent-Garden Square is a Columnal-Dial which only wants somewhat of Magnitude to make it a very graceful Ornament to the Place Our Theaters at present are only two That of his Majesty's Servants between Bridges-street and Drury-lane and that of his Royal Highness's Servants in Salisbury-street with a majestick Front towards the Thames side Artificial publick Bagno's have not been known in England till of late The only one yet built is aside of Newgate-street a pretty well contriv'd Piece of Building had it been more publickly expos'd to view on the Street side The Gates of Towns and Cities are not the least of Ornaments to the said Towns and Cities Of the chief of them except those in London we have toucht in the respective Places to which they belong The principal Gates of London are Ludgate Newgate Aldersgate Algate Bishopsgate and Temple-bar and the two Gates at Westminster between Whitehal and Kings-street most of them not inferior in Magnificence to the chief in Europe But to close all that hath been said of publick Ornaments there remains one thing more not to be neglected by any Admirer of Art which is a Piece of Sculpture in Stone representing the Resurrection over a Gate in Shoo-lane that gives entrance into a Caemetery or Burying-place which belongs to St Andrews-Church This Piece of Carving I have heard commended by the best of Artists in this way for the noblest Piece of Workmanship in its kind that hath been seen in England Towns and Places of England eminent for some remarkeable Accident Person or Transaction THE principal Things that render any Town or Place remarkable are either the Glory and Antiquity of its Original some notable Revolution of Government Accidents hapning there whether prosperous or adverse Battels fought or other grand Action perform'd in or near it and the Birth Residence or Death of Princes and other eminent Men. For most if not all of those Remarks there are many Towns and Cities of England famous and principally of all that which is the principal of all our Towns and Cities London for the most part the Seat of Kings from its Original with which as the City Westminster is so united in Place that it seems in a manner one and the same City so thē mention and discourse of them cannot well be separated Of the Antiquity Splendor of Government Flourishing Trade and Magnificence of Structure in all which London hath the pre-eminence not only of all the Places of England but perhaps of all Europe several have discours'd at large besides what we may haply have occasion to touch at elsewhere It can't be imagin'd but that in a City which hath been a flourishing City for so many Ages many remarkable Accidents must have hapned and great Actions been perform'd in the mention whereof however all possible brevity must be us'd King Lud who reign'd here a little before Caesar's arrival if he were not the first Founder as some think he was at least not only the Enlarger but also the Denominator For among other things he built the West-Gate which to this day retains the Name of Ludgate and what was before of a City by the Name of Trinobantium took the Name of Caer-Lud and the present appellation of London is fancy'd by many to be deriv'd from him as it were Luds-Town About the year 285. here Alectus Lieutenant to the Emperor Diocletian was slain by Asclepiodotus D. of Cornwal and together with him was slain his Companion Gallus at a Brook which from him still retains the name of Gall-brook or Wall brook Here Sigebert third King of the East-Angles who began his Reign in the year of our Lord 596. and Ethelbert King of Kent who began his Reign in the year of our Lord 562. built the Cathedral of St. Pauls in the very place as 't is said where there had been a Temple of Diana In the Reign of Edmund sirnamed Ironside this City was closely besieg'd by the Danes but the Siege was soon rais'd by that valiant Prince King Edmund About the year 1077. the Tower of London was built by K. William the Conqueror whose Successour K. William Rufus built new walls about it Anno 1135. in the Reign of K. Stephen the greatest part of this City was consumed by an accidental Fire In K. Richard the Seconds time was the great Rencounter with Jack Straw
of Huntington renowned for his History who flourish't An. 1248. Other Celebrated men of this Shire were William Whitlesey Archdeacon of Huntington who died An. 1375. Henry Saltry who flourisht 1140. William Ramsey a famous Poet. John Young and John White In Wiltshire Wilton the Denominating and once the Principal Town of the Shire is so much the more notable a place by how much the more despicable it now appears as a strange example of the various turns of fortune and mutations of human affairs having only the name left of a Market Town else but a pitiful Village consisting of one only Parish Church which is said to have been a Town of about seventeen or eighteen Parish Churches and having no Memorial or Monument of antiquity which hath been the Theater of so many grand Transactions Here Egbert the Westsaxon and at last Sole Monarch of the English encountred Bernulf King of Mercia and slew him in Battle but in this very place he afterwards received a terrible overthrow from the Danes At Edindon King Alfred gave the Danes a very notable defeat Bradford is memoris'd for a bloody Battle fought between two great Competitors in the Saxon Heptarchy At Woodensbury An. 590. Cheaulin King of the West-Saxons encountring the Britains who joyn'd with his Nephew Cealrick was put to flight and his Son Cuth slain Here also Ina the West-Saxon fought with Ceolred the Mercian Old Sarum was a place made choice of by the Romans for a strong encamped habitation as by the ruins thereof at this day appears Here the Britains receiv'd a fatal overthrow from Kenrick the Saxon besides what spoil was afterwards done by Canutus Caln is famous for that great Assembly which put an end to the controversy about the Marriage of Priests by reason of a disaster which happened by the fall of the Room to the destruction of several people of all sorts Brokenbridge and Cosham places doubly famous in History First as having been ancient Roman Seats next as the Courts of some of the Saxon Kings Crekelade memorable for the Fame of an University said to have been anciently here erected and from hence removed to Oxford Malmsbury qu. Maidulphsbury from Maidulphus a person of renown both for Sanctity and Learning is no less memorable for the famous Monastery there erected by the said Maidulphus then for the birth of two great men viz. William thence sirnamed of Malmesbury a Celebrated Historian and Thomas Hobbes of this present Age and but a few years since deceast a man of much Earning and more cunning Sophistry for the maintenance of those principles he maintained thereby In Dorsetshire Dorchester the chief Town only boasts of some antiquity as from the Roman name Durnovaria Badbury was anciently the Court of the West-Saxon Kings At Cern Austin broke down the Idol of the Saxon God Hell Shaftsbury is fam'd for the History of the Prophesying Eagle most probably a man whose name was Aquila Here was enterr'd the Body of Edward the Son of Edgar Murthered by his Mother-in-Law at Corfe Castle At Winburn-Minster built by Cuthburga Wife in second Marriage to a King of Northumberland the Body of King Ethelred was buried Shirburn was an Episcopal See for a long time in the Cathedral whereof were buried the bodies of King Ethelbald and King Ethelbert In Somersetshire the principal place is the City of Bath Brit. Akamancester Lat. Aquâ solis Badissa very famous and much frequented for its hot Bathing-Springs which our old British Traditions will have to be the invention of Bladud an ancient British King Bath and Wells joyntly together make one Bishoprick Wells is principally esteem'd for its Cathedral which is said to have been built by Inas King of the West-Saxons Pen now a small Village is memoris'd for a great overthrow given to the Britains by Kenwald King of the West-Saxons and afterwards to the Danes by K. Edmund Ironside Bridgewater is otherwise a Town of very good note and of memory for a notable defeat given here to the Danes by Ealstan Bishop of Shirburn An. 845. Glastonbury Avalonia is principally renowned for its Monastery deliver'd to have been founded by Joseph of Arimathea the first Preacher as some Writers affirm of the Gospel in this Island In the Church-yard of Glastonbury in King Henry the second 's Reign was found a Corps of a large demension which by several circumstances was concluded to be the Body of King Arthur Cadbury is recordable for the defeat given by King Arthur to the English Saxons Banesdown Mons Badonicus is a place renown'd for several other of King Arthurs Victories and where King Alfred overthrew the Danes and brought Gorrum to the Sacred Font. Camalet a steep Hill was doubtless some Fort or Encampment of the Romans as appears by the Coins there found moreover on the top thereof there remains to this day the Vestigia of some noble Castle which is said to have been a Palace of King Arthur This Town some Writers have placed in Cornwal Ilchester appears also by the like demonstration to have been a station of the Romans and is still of that repute that it is the chief place of Gaol-delivery for the County In Oxfordshire Oxford besides the glory of its famous University and the Magnificence of its Stately Colledges Here more frequent Parliaments have been call'd than in any place of England next to Westminster and particularly the last Parliament call'd by his present Majesty and held here in March 1681. Here Maud the Empress was besieg'd by King Stephen and with great difficulty made her escape in a disguise by night and got over the Thames on the Ice This place his late Majesty King Charles the first made his chief Head Quarters during the greatest part of the Civil War between him and the Parliament till the City was taken by Sir Thomas Fairfax General of the Rebels Forces It is moreover famous for being the birth-place of that Martial Prince King Richard the first sirnamed Ceur de Lyon Woodstock besides that it hath been anciently a stately Palace belonging to the Kings of England claims a particular place in the book of Fame upon several accounts In the first place here it was that King Henry the second built a sumptuous Bower for his Paramour Rosamund Clifford who for her singular beauty and in allusion to her name was styl'd Rosa Mundi Next it was the Birth-place of Edward the Black Prince lastly in the Town of Woodstock was brought up and educated that most renowned of English Poets Sir Geoffry Chaucer Islip cannot be forgotten so long as the memory of King Edward the Confessour lasts who was here born In Glocestershire the City of Glocester Glenum Colonia Glenum eminent for its Cathedral of which more elsewhere is also not obscure in History Here Earl Robert Brother to the Empress Maud was kept prisoner for some time but much more famous if we may not say infamous was the keeping of this City by the Parliament-Forces under
Collonel Massy against his late Majesty King Charles the First and the great Battle here fought for the raising of the Siege It was won from the Britains by Cheulin King of the West-Saxons An. 570. Here a Monastery of Nuns was founded by Osric King of Northumberland of which three Queens of the Mercians were successively Prioresses viz. Kineburg Eadburg and Eve Here was born Robert called the Monk of Glocester who flourish'd under Henry the second and also Osbernus sirnam'd Claudianus a Benedictine Monk Alny Isle a place near Glocester where after several bloody Battles between King Edmund Ironside and Canutus the Dane the matter was at last decided between them by single combat and a division of the Kingdom made Cirencester or Circester a place of memorable note as won from the Britains by Cheulin the West-Saxon this City is doubtless Ptolomies Corinium Antonines Durocornovium Giraldus his Vrbs Passerum which last denomination it takes from a tradition of one Gurmund an African Tyrant who set it on fire by tying to the tails of Sparrows certain combustible matter which he put fire to It was won from the Britains by Cheulen King of the West-Saxons next possess 't by the Mercians lastly by the Danes under Gurmund An. 879. But that which is to be said greatest of this for it's antiquity and remark is that that it was anciently one of the principal residencies of the Romans by whom it had been rais'd to a high pitch of magnificence and grandure At Cicester was born Thomas Ruthal Bishop of Durham At Duresby Edw. Fox Bishop of Hereford At Cam near Duresby Edward Trotman Judge of the Common Law who was buried in the Temple Church May the 29th An. 1643. At Todington Richard Son to Sir William Tracy who flourish'd under King Henry the second This Richard wrote a Book entitled Preparatio ad Crucem of much esteem in those times At Yate Thomas Neal Chanter to Bishop Bonner he was eminent for Learning and flourish'd An. 1576. At Westbury John Carpenter Bishop of Worcester At Sudely Castle Ralph Lord Sudely Lord Treasurer and Knight of the Garter under Henry the sixth Other Noted men of this Shire were Tideman de Winchcomb the Kings Physitian Abbot of Benle Bishop first of Landaff afterwards of Worcester John Chedworth Bishop of Lincoln Anthony Fitz-Herbert Judge of the Common Pleas. Thomas de la More Knighted by King Edward the first he wrote the Character of King Edward the second a Manuscript now in Oxford Library Sir Thomas Overbury Son to Sir Nicholas William Winter Vice-Admiral of England under Queen Elizabeth John Sprint John Workman and Richard Capel Tewksbury-field gave a very fatal blow to the House of Lancaster An. 1471. in which Prince Edward was slain and Queen Margaret taken Prisoner together with the Duke of Somerset the Earl of Devonshire and others who were beheaded Here was born the famous Alan of Tewksbury who flourish'd under King John Hales a once flourishing Abby but chiefly to be remembred for the birth of Alexander de Hales sirnamed Dr. Irrefregabilis who died An. 1245. In Worcestershire Worcester the chief City is questionless the ancient Branconium of Antoninus and Ptolomie though since call'd by the Latins Vigornea and by the Britains Caer Wrangon some think it to have been built by the Romans for a bound to the Britains The Cathedral of St Mary in Worcester besides the fame of its State and Beauty is the Repository of the Bodies of King John and Prince Arthur Eldest Son to King Henry the seventh But that which gives greatest renown to this City is the memory of the happy preservation of his present Majesty from being taken at the fatal Battle of Worcester where the great Gallantry and Valour of His Majesty and his Party was utterly overpowr'd by the treble forces of the Usurpers At Eversham An. 1265. King Henry the third gain'd a most triumphant Victory over his Barons with the slaughter of Simon Montford and seventeen Lords and the taking of Humphry Bohun Prisoner In Herefordshire the City of Hereford besides that it is the Principal City an Episcopal See and noted for its Cathedral is also memorable for the birth of Adam de Orleton Bishop of Hereford Roger of Hereford a Writer of Astronomy who flourish'd under Henry the second An. 1170. John Davies of good repute for Poetry And also Charles Smith Bishop of Glocester in the reign of King James Bradwardin Castle gave both birth and sirname to that Thomas de Bradwardin Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who for his deep knowledge in Theologie and skilful management of Disputations is stiled the profound Doctor At Ashperton was born John Grandison Bishop of Exeter Other memorable persons of this Shire were Robert Devereux Earl of Essex great in deeds of Arms and a person of great power and favour with his Prince yet brought to an untimely end Richard Hackluit whose Book of Voyages is of good repute among the studious in Geography and History William Lemster a Franciscan and learned Doctor John Guillam the noted Herald whose Systeme of Heraldry is accounted the best that hath been written of this Subject In Shropshire besides Shrewsbury the County Town a noted Mart for Cloth and Frizes brought hither from Wales and sent to London and other parts of England there are very remarkable ruins of some ancient places which were certainly Towns or Cities of great spendour or resort as Wrocckester Vriconium the ancient Vsoconia of which Okenyate is a small remainder Oswaldstree retains its name from Oswald the 11th King of Northumberland who was here slain in battel by Penda King of the Mercians In Staffordshire the County Town Stafford anciently Bitheny from Bertelin a holy man is said to have been built by King Edward the Elder and was made a Corporation by King John Tamworth was doubtless anciently a place of more spendour and amplitude than at present for here the Mercian Kings for a long time kept their Court. Litchfield though not the County Town is yet the most eminent place of the County as being a City and Episcopal See joyntly with Coventry the chief Church and now Cathedral was built by the Northumbrian King Oswin upon the Conquest he gain'd over the Pagan Mercians and here Wulferre and Celred were interr'd it was for some time an Arch-bishoprick by the means of King Offa at the request of Bishop Eadulph At Bloreheath in this County a cruel battel was fought between the two Houses of York and Lancaster in which there fell on the Duke of York's side Sir Hugh Venables Sir William Trowthec Sir Richard Mollineux and Sir J. Egerton c. with 2400 and the two Sons taken prisoners of the Earl of Salisbury General of the Yorkists In Darbyshire besides Derby the County town there are memorable Ripton Ripandunum where was interr'd Ethelbald the 9th King of the Mercians who was slain at Egiswald by his Subjects and whence Burthred the last King was expell'd by the Danes with
the Emperour Constantius but this is more certain that it was made an Archbishoprick in the year of our Lord 625. At Leeds in the West-Riding Oswye King of Northumberland encountred the united Forces of Ethelbald Son of Oswald King of Northumberland Ethelbert King of the East-Angles and Penda King of the Mercians to all whom he gave a mighty defeat slew Penda and Ethelbert and put Ethelbald to flight Selby a Town of good trade and resort but most memorable for the birth of King Henry the first this is by some accounted in Lincolnshire Wakefield is a Town not more considerable for its Cloathing than for the memory of a great battle fought between the Houses of York and Lancaster besides a defeat given in the late Civil Wars to the Earl of Newcastles Forces by Sir Thomas Fairfax Pomfret Castle was built by Hildebert de Lacy a Norman Hallyfax qu. Holy Hair anciently Horton the birth-place of Joannes de Sacrobosco Rotheram chiefly boasts in the birth of Thomas of Rotheram Archbishop of York In the East-Riding Stanford Bridge from the battle there fought commonly called Battle-Bridge Drifield is remembred by the Tomb of Alfred King of Northumberland here buried Beverly though a Town of flourishing trade is yet more fame-worthy as the last retirement and place of decease of the Learned John Archbishop of York in the Reign of Oswick An. 721. who was thence sirnamed John de Beverly Newborough Abby gives fame to it self by giving name to that Old English Historian William of Newborough Kingston upon Hull besides the repute of its Trade and Merchandise is honour'd with the fame of being built by King Edward the first nor are there wanting who will add the reputation of Andrew Mervail a Burgess of this place of whom elsewhere Exeter in Devonshire is both of sufficient antiquity for the Castle call'd Rugemont was once the Palace of the West Saxon Kings and afterwards of the Earls of Cornwal and the Walls and Cathedral were built by King Athelstan and also memorable for several transactions here was born that most renowned Latin Poet of England Josephus hence sirnamed Iscanus or Joseph of Exeter At Plimouth that great Honour of England for Sea affairs Sir Francis Drake took Shipping for the Circum-navigation of the World An. 1577. Teignmouth is noted for the place of the Danes first arrival in England Hubbleston the Burial place of Hubba the Dane Crediton the ancient Episcopal See of this County till it was removed to Exeter Camelford in Cornwal is guess'd by those pieces of Armour that have been digged up thereabout to have been the place of Battel where Mordred was slain and where King Arthur received his mortal wound Tintagel Castle gave birth to this great Miracle of British Valour King Arthur At Castle Denis the Ruins of those Trenches are yet to be seen where the Danes encamped at their first Invasion of this Land At Caradoc was born John Trevisa a learned Writer who died Anno 1400. St. Germains a place chiefly fame-worthy for having been an ancient Episcopal See At Truroe was born John Arundel a renowned Sea-man in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth Bodmin the next place to which the Bishop's Chair was removed from whence it was translated by King Edward the Confessor to Exeter where it hath remained ever since This County hath brought forth several learned men viz. Hucarius sirnamed the Levite who flourished Anno 1040. Simon Thurway who flourished Anno 1201. John Sir-named of Cornwal who flourished Anno 1170. Michael Blawnpain who flourished Anno 1350. Godfrey Sir-named of Cornwall In NORTHVMBERLAND at a place called Otterburn a great Field was fought between the English and Scots Alnwick is of note for the mighty Victory which the English here gained over the Scots and for that the Earls of Northumberland in ancient times here kept their Court. Emildon brought forth that great Contradiction of his own name for Niceties of Wit and Subtilties in School-Philosophy Duns Sir-named Scotus In the Western parts of Northumberland are yet to be seen some parts of the Picts Wall In WESTMORLAND The Aballaba of Antoninus is thought to have been a place of very great note in the time of the Romans by the antique Roman Coins that have been there found in digging and the station of the Aurelian Maures and it is still so considerable that the Castle thereof is the place where the Assizes for the County are kept Burgh or Burgh under Stainmore is undoubtedly the Ruins of an eminent Town which was called Verterae and where a Roman Commander in the declining time of the Empire is said to have kept his station with a Band of Directores Ambleside Amboglana not far from Winander Meer is judged the Ruins of some famous City of Roman foundation or improvement both by the paved ways that lead to it and the Coins of Roman Stamp oft digged up there In CVMBERLAND Carlisle Luguvallum or Leucophibia of Ptolomie if not illustrious in its Original for it is delivered to have been built by that Leil who is great in the Catalogue of British Kings was at least a flourishing City under the Romans and being demolished by the Picts and utterly ruined by the Danes was restored by King William Rufus who also built there a Castle and by King Henry the First made a Bishop's See The Bishoprick of DVRHAM gained that Title and Privilege by the great fame and renown of St. Cuthbert for the interment of whom the Cathedral of Durham was first built by Bishop Aldwin and afterwards pulled down and rebuilt by Bishop Careleph The Tomb of this adored Saint was visited with great devotion by King Egfred Alfred Danish Guthrun Edward and Athelstan This City was by King William the Conqueror raised to a County Palatine There is a place called Gallile in the West end of the Church where is to be seen the Tomb of Venerable Beda Binchester Benovium by the Coins there digged up seems to have been a place of great account among the Romans So likewise Chester in the Street Condercum At Nevil's Cross near Durham the Scots were defeated by Queen Philippa Wife to King Edward the First by the Conduct of the Lords Piercy Moubray and Nevil In LANCASHIRE Lancaster the County-Town gives Title of Family from John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster to four Henries Kings of England viz. Henry the Fourth Fifth Sixth and Seventh Manchester Mancunium an ancient Fort and Station of the Romans Rible-Chester from Rhibel a little Brook near Clithero a Town of Antiquity and Station of the Romans as appears by the pieces of Coin and Statues there found But that which renders it most of memory is that it hath been reported the richest Town of Christendom Near Duglas a small Brook not far from the Town of Wiggin King Arthur is said by Ninius to have put the Saxons to flight At Billangho Anno 789. Duke Wade was put to flight by Ardulph King of Northumberland In CHESHIRE Chester is famous
Length 3000 Miles and when it over-flows not it portenteth some fatal disaster to the King or Kingdom and by this means the Land is Fertilized for as for Rain there is none The chief Places of Traffick are Alexandria a famous Sea-Port founded by Alexander the great and Cairo commonly called Grand Cairo and in these Center the Trade of the whole Country Therefore omitting Places of lesser note I shall only take a View of these two Cities and their Commerce with such as Trade in those parts and first of Alexandria Alexandria first founded by Alexander the Great in Expedition to Conquer the World is the chief Maritim City of Egypt and from all parts of the Kingdom are thither brought Flax Hemp Hony Wax Rice Balsoms Dates Drugs and Spices and the Country in general produceth abundance of Palm Trees besides hither are brought the Plenty of Arabia India and Persia as Spices Drugs Silks c. so that the Custom-House is accountable yearly for great Summs of Gold The nature of the Palm Trees that grow in that Country is this they always grow in Cupples twisted or twined viz. Male and Female the Female Palm only bears Fruit and that not without the Male for if the Male Palm be cut away the Female will not bear the Fruit is Cods with Seed and pleasant Juice the Pith of these Trees is excellent in tast and very nourishing of the Leaves they make Fans Mats and Baskets of the outward Husks of the Cod Cordage and of the inward Brushes the Fruit they bear is like a Fig which serves the Inhabitants for Meat green and dryed for Bread The Weights used here are four sorts first the Quintar of Zera second the Quintar of Forfor third the Quintar of Zaidin the fourth the Quintar of Mina the first is found to be English 112 pounds the second 93 pounds English the third 134 pounds English the fourth the 167 pounds English Averdupois Weight The Measures are two-fold viz. the Pico Barbaresco which is used for the Measuring of Cloath both Linnen and Woollen and is in Length 25 â…ž English Inches and the Pico Turchesco with which is Measured Silks fine Stuffs Cloath of Gold c. and is found to be 22 ¼ English Inches as for wet and dry Measures they are of little use the Customs being to sell by Weight for the most part CHAP. XXVII A View of Cairo and the Trade Weights Measures and Customs thereof CAiro is a famous City Situate in the vast Plain beneath the Mountains of Mucatun and not above 2 Miles from the Bank of Nilus adorned with many stately Buildings as Pallaces Colledges Temples and the like and has in it a large Burse or Exchange of 3 Story high the first of which consists of Ware-Houses for Gross Goods in the second is laid up Musk Amber Silks Spices and the like and in the third the Merchants who have Ware-Houses there lodg with their Retinues which Merchants are of 6 sorts first the Native Egyptians secondly the Arabians or Moors thirdly the Merchants of Europe Christians fourthly the Turks fifthly the Jews and sixthly the Christians of Affrica as Greeks Armenians c. The Lord of this City and Country is the grand Signeour who governs by his Bashaw or vice-Vice-King The Commodities Traded for by the Europian Merchants are Flax Rice Balsoms Puls Fruits Cottons Sugars Hemp and the like which according to the overflowing of Nilus the Soil yields in plenty or Scarcity so that when they have a plentiful Year they make a Feast to Nilus or the River God as they Term him and exceedingly Rejoyce thereto The yearly Revenue of this Kingdom accrueing by Customs and other ways amount to 3 Millions of Sheraffes each valued at 8 Shillings Sterling one Million of which is sent to the grand Signeur one for maintaining the forces of the Kingdom and the other to enable the Bashaw to keep his Court. The Customs are either payed in Species or compounded for at 10 per cent only Money entred pays but one and a half per cent but outward all Commodities pay 11 per cent which is accounted the Soldan's Custom The Customs of Alexandria are farmed by the Jews at 20000 Medins per diem which according to computation amounts to 55000 pounds per Annum Sterling Their Weights and Measures are the same with those of Alexandria The Currant Coyns in Egypt are Spanish Royals of 8 which they call Piastre and Dollers the Meden the Asper the Soltana Xeriffe and Cheqeen the value of each as before recited Their Accounts are variously kept some in one sort of Coyn and some in another The chief Trade driven here by the European Christians is by the French and Venetians the English having of late declined it as having the growth of the Country or the same Commodities at cheaper Rates in India and Aleppo And thus much for the Continent of Egypt CHAP. XXVIII A View of the Isles of the Sea appertaining to Africa with their Commodities Trade Weight Measures c. THe Isles are these viz. Madagascar Zocotara St. Thomas the Canary Islands the Islands of Assores or Tarceras The first abounds in Ginger Cloves and Silver Mines and was discovered by the Portugals Anno 1506. The money in use amongst the Natives are Glass Beads of Cambaia which passes currant amongst them their Weights and Measures are few and those uncertain The second lyeth in the Mouth of the Red Sea 10 Degrees Northward from the Equator and yieldeth Cattle and Corn but the chief thing Traded for is Aloes which are sold by the Quintar which Averdupois English is 93 pound The third lies under the Equinoctial in which is a Colony of Portugals the chief Commodity it yieldeth is Sugar of which so much is made as ladeth yearly 50 Vessels of good Burthen their Weights and Measures being the same with those used at Lisbone as indeed wherever the Portugals Plant themselves they impose their own Weights and Measures on the Inhabitants Fourthly the Canary Islands which are 7 in number under the Protection of the King of Spain are very Fruitful abounding in Sugar-Canes and those Birds we call Caâ—â—ry Birds and in Canary Wine which takes it's name from the Islands of which 4 or 500 Tuns are yearly exported and dispersed over Europe There is likewise Wood of Excellent use for Dyers Hither the English trade and for the growth of the Island Exchange Says Serge Bays Linnen c. Their Weights Measures and Coyns are the same with those of Sevil of which in order I shall speak Fifthly the Islands of Assores or Tarceras directly under the Meridian were first discovered by the Flemings and abound in Cattle Corn Wood and the like but are of little use some for Harbouring and re-victualling of Ships in their Voyage to the East-Indies as are many other small Islands lying in that vast Ocean And thus much shall suffice for Africa and the Trade thereof CHAP. XXIX A View of Asia and of the Trade
pay'd or if a Ship be Fraighted for 200 Tuns over or under 5 Tuns are the allowance either over or under and no more If Wines be Fraighted and by the way a great part of them Leak out yet the Fraight is due the defect being in the Cask tho some are of opinion that unless eight Inches of Wine be left in each Cask it is in the Election of the Fraighter whether they will pay Fraight or throw the remainder up to the Master for his Fraight If a Ship be taken in War and afterwards retaken and proceed on her Voyage the property is not altered but when the Voyage is performed the Fraight becomes due If any one contract with a Mariner for Fraight who is not impowered by the owners and loss happens that Mariner is Subject to an Action only and the Master or Owner free If a Ship agree for so much per Month to be pay'd at her return and She upon her return be cast away yet the Fraight is to be pay'd for so many Months as She was abroad on that occasion as Mariners that dye at Sea c. CHAP. CXIX Of Wrecks what may properly be termed such according to the Laws Marine and Common with Instructions for owners and Masters in case of a Wreck A Wreck is properly when a Ship is cast away and no live thing escapes to Shoar and then those upon whose Grounds the Goods are cast by the Sea ought unless they are Perishable to keep them a twelve-month to see if any will claim them and if any do take such Goods and contrary to the known Laws convert them to their own use they are upon Conviction of the same to pay four times the value to the owner and as much to the King but if the Goods are Perishable then the Sherif Corroner or Bailif in whose Jurisdiction they are found may sell them but must be accountable for so much money to those that can make out the Goods were theirs and to prevent such Wrecks as much as may be all Fisher-men upon severe Penalties are forbid to Fish with Lights in the Night But if Goods Wrecked be not owned or Sued for within a Year and a Day they fall to the King's Exchequer by the Law of Oleron and the Islue must be tryed before the Judges of the Wrecks always provided this Law do not extend to Pirates Sea-Rovers Robers Turks or Enemies to the Christian Faith and if any who unjustly detains any such Wrecked Goods shall refuse to deliver them or satisfaction to the full value he shall be Imprisoned and if a Lords Bailiff be therein found to offend the Lord is obliged to deliver his Balif's Body to the King And as for Custom Wrecked Goods rarely pay any but if the Ship be cast away or all the Goods or the Major part of them saved in such a case they pay an easie Custom as the Labour of saving them was more or less difficult and in that case light Goods as Silver and Gold according to value shall pay less then heavy and Gross Goods All Wrecks of Whales or great Sturgeon are properly the Kings There are other sorts of Wrecks as Flotsam Jetsam and Lagan or Ligan the former is when a Ship is Sunk and the Goods are found Floating on the Sea The second is when a Ship is about to sink and to endeavour to save her the Goods are cast into the Sea notwithstanding which the Ship Perishes and the third is when Goods are cast over to lighten the Ship and She perishes not but a Buoy is fixed to note the place that so they may be possibly recovered especially such Goods as sink down-right in these cases the King shall have Flotsam Jetsem and Lagan provided the Ship perishes or when the owners of the Goods are not known but when the Ship Perishes not they belong to the Merchant who upon proof will recover them These three are commonly the Kings grant within the high and low Water marks by prescription as it appears by those in the West Countries who prescribe to have Wrecks as far as they can see a Humber Barrel If a Ship be ready to Perish and all the men for preservation of their Lives escape in their Long-Boat yet if the Ship drive afterward into any Port it is no Wreck and the like if a Ship be taken by Pirates and after taking out the Men and Goods turned it a Drift All owners claiming Wrecks must make their Proof by their Cocquets or Marks Personal Testimony upon Oath or the Books of Entery in the Custom-House and if any such Wreck belongs to the King the party must Sue out a Commission to hear and determine and that by the Oaths of twelve men or else he may bring his Action at Law and make his proof by Verdict but let him be careful that such his Action be brought within a Year and a Day or it will not lye all Flotsams Jetsams and Legans appertain by grant of Charter to the Lord high Admiral and must be decided if found upon the high Sea in the Court of Admiralty Wrecked Goods tho such as are prohibited are not Forfeitable by Reason they were not brought in but by the Wind and Tide contrary to the will of the Owner as by Law is supposed If the Wreck happen by the negligence or fault of the Master he is lyable to make Satisfaction but if otherwise the Owners and Fraighters sustain the loss CHAP. CXX Of Averidg and Contribution according to the Law Marine if Goods are cast overboard in a storm c. and what Goods may in such a case be Ejected and what not IF when a Ship is Fraighted and at Sea a storm arises the Master if he finds the Ship in danger may by the consent or rather by consulting his Mariners throw such heavy Goods overboard as may tend to the Lightning or saving the Ship and if the Mariners refuse to consent then it is Lawful for him to command it to be done always provided that he throw over the coarsest Goods and those that are most Ponderous and in that case the rest of the Goods in the Ship shall contribute to those thrown over-board the Sailers Cloaths and Provision excepted If they are thrown over before half the Voyage is made then the contribution shall be according to what the Goods cost but if when above half the Voyage then proportionable to what those that remain are sold for But upon the arrival of the Ship at the Port intended the Master and Part of his Crue must swear that such Goods were thrown over for the preservation of the Ship and the rest of the Goods and if afterwards the Merchant bring his Action against the owners or Master they may plead the special Matter which will remain in Bar to the Plaintifs proceedings but if any of the Ships Tackling be lost no Averidge or Contribution shall be made unless the Masts be cut by the Board c. or if
as one Acre of Land may bear as much Corn and feed as many Cattle as twenty by the difference of the Soyl some Parcels of Ground are naturally so defensible as that 100 men being possest thereof can resist the Invasion of 500. Bad Land may be improved and made good Bog may by dreining be made Meadow Heath Land may as in Flanders be made to bear Flax and Clover-grass so as to advance in value from 1. to 100. the same Land being built upon may centriple the Rent which it yieldeth as pasture one man is nimbler and stronger and more patient of Labour than another one man by Art may do as much work as many viz. one man with a Mill can grind as much Corn as 20. can pound in a Mortar one Printer can make as many Copies as an hundred can write by hand one horse can carry as much upon Wheels as five men upon their backs and in a Boat or upon Ice as 20 so that I say again the first point of this general position needs little or no proof But the second and more material part of this Conclusion is that this difference in Land and People arises principally from their Situation Trade and Policy To clear this I shall compare Holland and Zealand with the Kingdom of France Holland and Zealand do not contain above 1. Million of English Acres whereas the Kingdom of France contains above 80. Now the original and primitive difference holds proportion as Lands to Land for it is hard to say that when these places were 1st planted whether an Acre of Land in Holland was better then the like quantity in France and Zealand Now is there any reason to suppose but that therefore upon the first Plantation the number of Planters was in proportion to the quantity of Land wherefore if the People are not in proportion as the Land the same must be attributed to the Situation of the Land and to the Trade and Policy of the People The next thing to be shewn is that Holland and Zealand at this day is not only 80th as rich and strong as France but that it hath advanced to the 3d. or thereabouts which I think will appear upon the ballance of the following Particulars viz. As for the Wealth of France a certain Map of that Kingdom set forth An. 1647. represents it to be 15 Millions whereof six did belong to the Church the Author thereof as I suppose meaning the Rents of the Land only And the Author of a most judicious Discourse of Husbandry supposed to be Sir Richard Weston doth from reason and experience shew that Lands in the Netherlands by bearing Flax Turnips Clover-grass Madder c. will easily yield 10 pound per Acre so as the Territories of Holland and Zealand should by this account yield at least 10 Millions per Annum yet I do not believe the same to be so much nor France so little as aforesaid but rather that one bears to the other as about 7 or 8 to one The People of Amsterdam are one 3d part of those in Paris or London which two Cities differ not in People a 20th part from each other as hath appeared by the Bills of Burials and Christenings from each but the value of the Buildings in Amsterdam may well be half that of Paris by reason of the Foundations Grafts and Bridges which in Amsterdam are more numerous and chargeable than Paris Moreover the Habitations of the poorest People in Holland and Zealand are twice or thrice as good as those of France but the People of the one to the People of the other being but as 13 to 1. the value of the Housing must be as about 5 to 1. The Shipping of Europe being about 2 Millions of tuns I suppose the English have about 5000000 the Dutch 900 thousand the French 100 thousand the Hamburgers and the Subjects of Denmark Sweden and the Town of Dantzick 250 thousand and Spain Portugal Italy c. 250 thousand so as the Shipping in our case of France to that of Holland and Zealand is about 1 to 9 which reckoned great and small one with another at 8 pound per Tun makes the worth to be 800 thousand pounds to 7 Millions 2000000 pounds the Hollanders Capital in the East-India Company is worth about 3 Millions where the French has little or nothing The value of the Goods exported out of France into all parts are supposed quadruple to what is sent to England alone consequently in all about 5 Millions but what is exported out of Holland into England is worth 3 Millions and what is exported thence into all the World besides is sextuple to that Summ. The Moneys yearly raised by the French King as the same appears by the Book intituled the State of France dedicated to the King printed An. Dom. 1669. and set forth several times by Authority is 82 Millions of French Livers which is about ½ Millions of pounds Sterling of which Summ the Author sayes that one 5th part was abated for Nonvaluers or Insolvencies So as I suppose not above 5 Millions were effectually raised but whereas some say the King of France raised 11 Millions as the ⅕ of the Effects of France I humbly affirm that the Land and Sea forces all the Buildings and Interleguments which we have heard by common Fame to have been set forth and made in any of these last 7 years needed not to have cost 6 Millions Sterling wherefore I suppose he hath not raised more especially since there were ⅕ insolvencies when the Tax was at that pitch But Holland and Zealand paying 67 of 100 pay'd by all the United Provinces and the City of Amsterdam paying 27 of the said 67 it follows that if Amsterdam hath pay'd 4000 pound Flemmish per diem or about 146000 per Annum or about 80 thousand pound Sterling that all Holland and Zealand have paid above 2 Millions per Annum now the Reasons why they pay so much I think are these viz 1. the Author of the State of the Netherlands saith so 2dly Excise of Victuals at Amsterdam seems above half the Original value of the same viz ground Corn pays 20 Stivers the Bushel or 63 Gilders the Last Beer 113 Stivers the Barrel housing ⅙ of Rent fruit ⅛ of what it cost other Commodities 1 7 ⅛ 1 9 1 12 Salt ad libitum all weighed Goods pay besides the premises a vast sum now if the expence of the People of Amsterdam at a Medium and without Excise were 8 pound per Annum whereas in England 't is 7 pound then if all the several Imposts above named raise it 5 pound more there being 160 thousand Souls in Amsterdam the Sum of 800 thousand pound Sterling per Annum will thereby be raised 3dly Though the Expence of each Head should be 13 pound per Annum 't is well known that there be few in Amsterdam who do not earn much more than the said Expence 4thly If Holland and Zealand pay
commodities did not then yield a third part of the present Value which shews that not only Shipping but Trade it self has increased somewhat near that Proportion As to money the interest thereof was within these fifty Years at Ten pound per cent forty Years ago at eight pound and now at six pound no thanks to any Laws which have been made to that purpose for as much as those who can give good security may now have it less but the natural fall of interest is the effect of the increase of money Moreover if Rented Lands and Houses have increased and if Trade has increased also it is certain that money which payeth those Rents and driveth on Trade must have increased also Lastly I leave it to the consideration of all observers whether the number and Splendor of Coaches Equipage and Houshold Furniture have not increased since that time To say nothing of the postage of Letters which have increased from one to twenty which argues the increase of Business and Negotiation I must add that his Majesties Revenues is near triple and therefore the means to pay and Bear the same has increased also CHAP. VII That one tenth Part of the whole expence of the King of England's Subjects is sufficient to maintain one hundred thousand Foot forty thousand Horse and forty thousand men at Sea and defray all other Charges of the Government both ordinary and extraordinary if the same were regularly Taxed and raised TO clear this point we are to find out what is the middle Expence of each Head in the Kings Dominions between the highest and the lowest to which I say it is not probably less then the Expence of a Labourer who earns about eight pence a day for the wages of such men is four Shillings a Week without Victuals or two Shillings with it wherefore the value of his Victuals is two Shillings per Week or five pound four Shillings per Annum Now the value of Cloaths can't be less then wages given to the Poorest Maid-Servant in the Country which is thirty Shillings per Annum nor can the charge of all other necessaries be less then six Shillings per Annum more wherefore the whole charge is seven pound It is not likely that this Discourse will fall into the Hands of any that lives at seven pound per Annum and therefore such will wonder at this Supposition but if they consider how much the number of the Poor and their Children is greater then that of the Rich altho the personal Expence of some Rich men should be above twenty times more then that of a Labourer yet the expence of a Labourer above mentioned may well enough stand for the Standard of the expence of the whole Mass of Mankind Now if the expence of each man one with another be seven pound per Annum and if the number of the Kings Subjects be Ten thousand then the tenth part of the whole Expence will be seven thousand but about five thousand or a very little more will amount to a years pay for one hundred thousand Foot forty thousand Horse and forty thousand men at Sea Winter and Summer which can rarely be necessary and other ordinary charge of the Government in the time of deep and secute peace was not 600000 per Annum Where a People thrive there the Income is greater then the Expence and consequently the tenth part of the Expence is not the tenth part of the Income Now for men to pay a tenth part of their expence in a time of greatest exigency for such it must be when so great forces is requisite can be no hardship much less a deplorable conditon for to bear the tenth part a man must needs spend a twentyeth part less and Labour a twentieth part more for half an hour per diem extraordinary both which in common Experience are very Tolerable here being very few in England who do not eat by a twentieth part more then does them good and what Misery were it instead of wearing Cloaths of twenty Shillings per Yard to be contented with that of nineteen Shillings few men having skill enough to discern the difference Memorandum that all this while I suppose all of these Ten thousand of people are obedient to their Soveraign and within the reach of his Power for as things are otherwise so the Calculation must be varied CHAP. VIII That there are spare Hands enough amongst the King of England's Subjects to earn two Millions per Annum more then they now do and that there are also Imployments ready proper and sufficient for the purpose TO prove this point we must inquire how much all the People could earn if they were disposed or necessitated to Labour and had work whereupon to imploy themselves and compare the Summ with that of the Total Expence abovementioned deducting the Rents and profit of their Land and Stock which properly speaking saveth so much Labour Now the proceed of the said Land and Stock in these Countries is about three parts of seven of the whole Expence so as where the expence is seventy thousand the Rent of the Land and profit of all Personal Estate interest of money c. must be about thirty thousand and consequently the value of the Labour forty thousand that is four pound per Head but it is to be noted that about a quarter of the Mass of Mankind are Children Males and Females under seven Years old from whom little Labour is to be expected it is also to be noted that about another tenth part of the whole people are such as by Reason of their great Estates Tythes Dignities Offices and professions are exempt from that kind of Labour we now speak of their business being or ought to be to Govern Regulate and direct the Labours and Actions of others so that of Ten Millions there be about six thousand a half or two thirds which if need requires might actually Labour and of these some might earn three Shillings a Week some five Shillings and some seven Shillings that is all of them might earn five Shillings a Weak at a medium one with another or at least Ten pound per Annum allowing for Sickness and other Accidents whereby the whole might earn fifty six thousand pound per Annum that is twenty five more then the Expence The Author of the State of England saies that the Children of Norwich between six and sixteen Years old do earn twelve thousand pound per Annum more then they spend Now for as much as the people of Norwich are a three hundredth part of all the people in England as appears by the Accompt of Hearth-money and about the five hundredth part of all the Kings Subjects throughout the World it follows that all his Majesties Subjects between six and sixteen Years old might earn five thousand per Annum more then they spend Again forasmuch as the number of People above sixteen Years old are double the number of those between six and
sixteen and that of each men can earn double to each of the Children it is plain that if the men and Children every where did do as they do in Norwich they might earn twenty five thousand pound per Annum more then they spend which estimate grounded upon matter of Fact and Experience agrees with the former Altho as has been proved the people of England do thrive and that 't is possible they might Superlucrate twenty five thousand pound per Annum yet 't is manifest they do not nor twenty three which is less by two thousand herein meant for if they did Superlucrate twenty five thousand then in about five or six Years time the whole Stock and Personal Estate of the Nation would be double which I wish were true but find no manner of Reason to believe wherefore if they can Superlucrate twenty five but not actually Superlucrate twenty three nor twenty nor ten nor perhaps five I have then proved what was propounded viz. that there are spare hands among the Kings Subjects to earn two Millions more then they now do But to speak a little more particularly concerning this matter it is to be noted that since the fire of London there was earned in four Years by Tradesmen relating to building only the Summ of four Millions or one Million per Annum without lessening any other sort of Work Labour or Manufacture which was usually done in other four Years before the said occasion but if the Tradesmen relating to Building only and such of them as wrought in and about London could do one Million-worth of Work extraordinary I think that from thence and from what has been said before that all the rest of the spare Hands might very well double the same which is as much as was propounded Now if there were spare Hands to Superlucrate Millions of Millions they signifie nothing unless there were Imployment for them may as well follow their Pleasures and Speculation as Labour to no purpose therefore the more material point is to prove that there is two Millionsw-orth of Work to be done which at the present the Kings Subjects do neglect For the proof of this there needs little more to be done than to compute how much money is paid by the King of Englands Subjects to Forreingers for freight of Shipping 2. The Hollanders gain by their Fishing-Trade Practised upon our Seas 3. What the value of all the commodities imported into and sent into England which might by diligence be produed and Manufactured here to make short of this matter upon perusal of the most authentick accompts relating to these several particulars I affirm that the same amounteth to above five Millions whereof I propounded but two Millions For a further proof whereof Mr. Samuel Fortry in his ingenious discourse of Trade exhibited the particulars wherein it appears that the Goods imported out of France only amount yearly to 2600,000 pounds and I affirm that the Wines Paper Cork Rosin and Capers and a few other Commodities which England can't produce do not amount to one fifth part of the said Summ from whence it follows that if Mr. Fortry has not erred the two Millions here mentioned may arise from France alone and consequently five or six Millions from all the three Heads last above specifyed CHAP. IX That there is money sufficient to drive the Trade of the Nation SInce his Majesties happy Restauration it was thought fit to call iâ— and now Coyn the money which was made it the times of Usurpation Now it was observed by the general consent of Casheers that the said money being by frequent revolutions well mixed with the Gold was about a seventh part thereof and that the said money being called in was about 800,000 pound and consequently the whole 5600,000 pound or five Millions and a half whereby 't is probable that some allowance being given for hoarded money the whole Cash of England was then about six Millions which I conceive is sufficient to drive the Trade of England not but that the rest of his Majesties Dominions have the like means to do the same respective fully If there be six Millions of Souls in England and that each spendeth seven pound per Annum then the whole expence is forty two Millions or about 800,000 pounds per Week and consequently if every man did pay his expence Weekly and that the money could circulate within the compass of a Week then less then one Million could answer the ends proposed But forasmuch as the Rents of the Lands in England which are paid half yearly are eight Millions per Annum there must be four Millions to pay them and forasmuch as the Rent of Housing of England paid quarterly are worth about four Millions per Annum there needs but one Million to pay the said Rent wherefore six Millions being enough to make good the three sorts of Circulation above mentioned I conceive what was proposed is proved at least till something better be held forth to the contrary CHAP. X. That the King of England's Subjects have Stock competent and convenient to drive the Trade of the whole commercial World NOw for the further Incouragement of Trade as we have shewn that there is Money enough in England to manage the affairs thereof so we shall now offer to consideration whether there be not competent and convenient Stock to drive the Trade of the whole commercial World To which purpose it is to be remembred that all the Commodities yearly exported out of every part of the last mentioned World may be bought for forty five Millions and that the Shipping imployed in the same World are not worth above fifteen Millions and consequently that sixty Millions at most will drive the whole Trade abovementioned without any trust at all but forasmuch as the Grovers of Commodities do commonly trust them to such Merchants or Factors as are worth but such a part of the full value of their Commodities as may possibly be lost upon the sail of them which is rather to be expected it follows then less then a Stock of sixty Millions nay then half of the said Summ is sufficient to drive the Trade above mentioned it being well known that any Tradesemen of good Reputation worth five hundred pound will be trusted with above one thousand pounds-worth of Commodities where less then thirty Millions will suffice for the said purpose of which Summ the Coyn Shipping and Stock already in Trade do at least make one half And it has been shewn how by the Policy of a Bank any Summ of money may be made equivalent in Trade unto near the double of the same By all which it seems that even at present much is not wanting to perform what is propounded but suppose twenty thousand or more were wanting it is not improbable that since the generality of Gentlemen and some Noble-men do put their Younger Sons to Merchandise that they will see it reasonable as they increase in the number of Merchants