all Beholders using this Speech to her Leaders O Lord when shall I come to the place of my Purgation but having her eyes uncovered and seeing her self clearly escaped she fell upon her knees and with Tears gave thanks to her deliverer whereby she recovered her former honour and in memory thereof gave 9 Mannors to the Minster of Winchester according to the number of the Plow shares this King was as unkind to his Wife as to his Mother for having Married Editha the beautiful and indeed vertuous Daughter of Earl Godwin because he had taken displeasure against the Father he would shew no kindness to the Daughter he had made her his Wife but conversed not with her as his Wife only at board but not at bed or if at bed no otherwise than David with Abishag and yet was content to hear her accused of Incontinency whereof if she were guilty he could not be Innocent so that what the virtues were for which after his death he should be reputed a Saint doth not easily appear it seems he was chast but not without injury to his Wife Pious but not without ingratefulness to his Mother just in his present Government but not without neglect of Posterity for through his want of Providence in that point he left the Crown to so doubtful a Succession that soon after his Decease it was translated out of English into French and the Kingdom made servile to another Forreign Nation In the year 1184. A Priest at Andover praying before the Altar was slain with Thunder likewise one Clark and his Brother were burnt to death with Lightning and soon after a shower of blood rained in the Isle of Wight two hours together In the year 1250. King Hen. 3. in whose nature it seemed an inseparable quality to be violent in every thing he had a mind to have done and that sometimes without due respect to his Majesty as appears by what follows This King having a design to advance his half Brother Ethelmare to the Bishoprick of Winchester was not satisfied in sending a strict command to the Monks to chuse him but goes to Winchester in Person and the Clergy being met he gets up into the Pulpit and Preaches a Sermon to them taking for his Text these words Justice and Peace have kissed each other from whence he raised this Doctrine That whereas the rigor of Judgment and Justice belonged to him and other Kings who were to Rule the Nations so quiet peace and tranquillity belonged to the Clergy and this day saith he I hope they will both kiss each other for I doubt not but that both for your own good and my desire you will chuse my Brother Bishop this day with many other words to the same purpose whereby the Monks perceiving the earnestness of his desire held it in vain to deny him and thereupon elected Ethelmare but because he was no Priest they did it with this reservation If the Pope did allow thereof but the Pope resolving to make his advantage thereof as well as the King exacted 500 marks of Church Revenues for his Confirmation which made Matthew Paris a Monk to utter this bitter lamentation O Pope the chief of Bishops why dost thou thus suffer the Christian World to be defiled worthily worthily therefore art thou driven out of thine own City and See and like a Runagade and another Cain art inforced to wandâ—r up and down O thou God of just vengeance when wilt thou draw forth thy Sword and imbrue it in the blood of such wretched Oppressors The Pope it seems was then fled from Rome for fear of the Emperor of Germany and though he would neither reform these grand abuses in himself nor others yet Robert Crosthead the stout and learned Bishop of Lincoln resolved to reform the Monks and Fryâ—ers but they appealing to the Pope the Bishop went to him and plainly told him That all Offenders escaped punishment because his heart was so open and ready to receive Bribes from them The Pope dismist him and sent him back with â—n angry Countenance and reproachful words he was â—t this time at Lyons where a while after the Council breaking up Cardinal Hugo Preached a Farewell Sermon â—o the Citizens and among other benefits which they â—ad reaped by the Popes residence in their City reckoned up this for a principal one That whereas at their â—oming to Town there were but three or four Bawdy Houses â—n Lyons now at their departure they left but one but indeed â—hat reached from one end of the City to the other whereby we may observe that France had some part of the Popes Blessings as well as England But it seems the People had no very good opinion of â—he proceedings of this King Henry both against the Lords and the Church and not only Men but Women â—ndertook to reprehend him for the same for Isabel Widdow to the Earl of Arundel a young Lady having â—eceived a repulse from the King in a matter which she â—lledged was hers in Equity presumed to speak thus to â—is face O my Lord King why do you turn away from Justâ—ce we cannot now obtain right in your Court you are placed as 〈◊〉 middle Person between God and us but you neither govern â—s nor your self neither are you afraid to vex the Church divers ways at present as well as you have formerly nor by several â—ppressions to afflict the Nobles of the Kingdom The King â—eing fired at this free discourse looking on her with a â—cornful and angry countenance spake thus to her with â—loud voice O my Lady Countess what have the Lords of England given you a Charter and hired you to be their Advoâ—ate and Orator because they know you have your Tongue at will No my Lord said the Countess They have made me no Charter but the Charter which your Father made and which your self confirmed swearing to keep the same inviolably and constantly and often extorting mony upon promise that the Liberties therein should be faithfully observed which yet you have not kept but have broken without regard to Honour or Conscience therefore you are found to be a manifest violater of you Faith and Oath for where are now the Liberties of England so often fairly ingrossed in Wriâ—ing so often granted so often bought and paid for I therefore though a Woman and all the Natural Loyal People of the Land appeal against you to the Tribunal of the dreadful Judge and Heaven and Earth shall bear us Witness that we are used unjustly and God the Lord of Revenges right us The King saith the Author abashed at these words asked her if she did not look to obtain her suit upon favour since she was his Kinswoman she replied that seeing he had denied that which the Law gave how could she hope to obtain her suit by favour Therefore said she I do appeal to the presence of Christ against those also of your Counsellors who bewitch and dull your Judgment and draw you
is in the Diocess of London and out of it are elected 8 Parliament Men For the County 2. Westminster 2. London 4. and gives the Title of Earl to Charles L. Sackvil who is also Earl of Dorset NORFOLK hath the German Ocean on the North and East thereof Suffolk severed by the River Waveny on the South Cambridgshire parted by the River Owse and part of Lincolnshire on the West it is 50 miles East and West and 30 North and South all England saith Dr. Fuller may be carved out of Norfolk represented therein not only to the kind but the degree thereof for here are Fens and Heaths and Light and Deep and Sand and Clay-ground and Meadows and Pastures and Arable and Woody and sometimes Woodless grounds so that herein is sufficiency of profit and pleasure collectively in this County it abounds in Corn Worsteds Stuffs Wool Coals and Rabbets who are an Army of Natural Pioneers whence men have learned the Art of undermining they thrive best in barren ground and gow fattest in the hardest Frosts their flesh is fine and wholsome if the Scottish men tax our language as improper and smile at our Wing of a Rabbet let us laugh at their Shoulder of a Capon great store of Herrings and very good are caught nigh Yarmouth and vast profit raised out of them We may conclude the natural Commodities of this County with this memorable passage of a modern Author who writes thus the Lord F. W. assured me of a Gentleman in Norfolk who made above Ten Thousand pound of a piece of ground not 40 yards square and yet there was neither Mineral nor Mettal in it he after told me it was a sort of fine Clay for the making of a choice sort of Earthen Ware which some that knew it seeing him dig up discovered the value of it and sending it into Holland received so much mony for it It is recorded that one chief occasion of the Danes invading this Kingdom proceeded from the following Accident About the year 867. one Lothbrook a Nobleman of the Royal Family of Denmark being upon that Shoar his Hawk in pursuing her Game fell into the Sea he to recover her got into a small Cockboat alone and by a sudden Tempest was driven with his Hawk to the Coast of Norfolk near Rodham where being seized for a Spy he was sent to Edmund K. of the East Angles but having declared his birth and misfortune the King took affection to him for his skill in Hawking and his other good parts and preferred him but Berick the Kings Falconer envying this favour as they were hunting together in a Wood privately murdered him and hid him in a Bush Lothbrook was soon missed and by no inquiry could be found till it pleased God his Dog which would not forsake his dead Masters Corps came fawning to the King several times and then went back to the wood which the King observing at length followed the Hound who brought him to the place where Lothbrook lay and Berick being found guilty of the murder was sentenced to be put into Lothbrooks Boat without Tackle or Sail as he arrived here but behold the Event the Boat returned to the same place in Denmark from whence it had been driven for Berick as it were to be punished for this Murther here the Boat being known Berick was taken who to free himself from that bloody Fact added Treason to Murther affirming That King Edmund had put Lothbrook to death in Norfolk In revenge whereof Inguar and Hubba the 2 Sons of the murdered Lothbrook being made Generals of a Danish Army arrived in England and burnt up the Country sparing neither Sex nor Age and breaking into Norfolk sent this Message to K. Edmund That Inguar the most victorious Prince dreadful both by Sea and Land having brought divers Countries under his subjection was now arrived in these parts where he meant to winter and requireth thee Edmund to be subject and a vassal to him to yield up to him thy hid Treasures and all other the riches of thine Ancestors and so to reign under him which if thou refusest to do he adjudges thee unworthy both of life and Kingdom Edmund hearing this proud Pagan Message after advising with his Council returned this answer Go said he and tell thy Lord that Edmund the Christian King for the love of a Temporal life will not submit himself to a Pagan Duke unless he will resolve to become a Christian whereupon Inguar and Hubba with their furious Danes pursued the King to Thetford who raising an Army gave them Battle but being overpowered by his Enemies he retired to Framingham Castle where pitying the terrible slaughter of his People he submitted himself to the Danes but because he would not renounce the Christian Religion these bloody Heathens beat him with sticks and whipt him with rods but he still fervently calling upon the name of Jesus they were so inraged that binding him to a stake they with their Arrows shot him to death and cutting off his head scornfully threw it into an hedg But his body was afterward honourably buried at St. Edmundsbury from whence that Town had its name At Walsingham in this County there was a Chappel built in the year 1601. dedicated to the Virgin Mary and renowned throughout England for a Pilgrimage to our Lady of Walsingham and those who did not visit and present her with offerings were counted irreligious hear the description of Erasmus an Eye-witness concerning this place About four miles from the Sea side saith he standeth a Town that lives on nothing else almost but the resort of Pilgrims to this place there is a Colledge of Regular Canons which hath scarce any other Revenues than from the liberality of this Virgin for the greater oblations are preserved but the Mony and other Offerings of smaller value go to the maintenance of the Fryers the Church is fair and neat yet the Virgin dwells not therein that honour forsooth she hath done to her Son she hath her Church to her self in the right hand of her Son neither doth she dwell there for all this for the building is not yet finished small light there was in it but by Tapers or Wax-Candles yielding a pleasant smell and when you come into it you would say it were an heavenly habitation indeed so bright shining all over it with precious Stones and Gold and Silver This Chappel with all the Trinkets therein fell in the general destruction of Popish Monasteries by K. Henry 8. At St. Bennet in the Holm there was a great Abby built by Canutus the Dane which was afterward so fortified by the Monks with Walls and Bulwarks that it seemed rather a Castle than a Cloyster insomuch that K. William the Conqueror could not win it by assault till a Monk betrayed it into his hands upon condition he himself should be made Abbot thereof which was done accordingly but the King presently hanged up this new Abbot for a Traitor and so
being envied and hated by Ethelfride another King was forced to fly to Redwald King of the East Angles who being both afraid and corrupted by Ethelfride intended to betray Edwin into his hands of which conspiracy he had notice by a friend who persuaded him to fly and save himself to whom Edwin said Whither shall I fly that have already sought for shelter almost in all the Provinces of the Realm and if I must needs be slain I had rather the King should do it than some other unworthy Person Edwin being afterward alone and solitary there appeared one to him saith the Reverend Bede who said I know well the cause of thy heaviness what wouldst thou give him who would deliver thee from this fear and reconcile thee to Redwald again I would said Edwin give him all that ever I could make And what said the other if I make thee a mightier King than any of thy Progenitors Edwin answered as before Then said the other And what if I shew thee a better kind and way of life than ever was shewed to any of thy Ancestors wilt thou obey my Counsel Yes said Edwin I will do it with all my heart Then the other laying his hand on his head said When this token happeneth to thee then remember this time of Tribulation and the promise which thou hast made and the words which I have said unto thee And so he vanisht out of his sight presently after his Friend came to him bidding him be of good cheer For the heart of Redwald said he which formerly sought thy destruction now by the mediation of the Queen is turned so that he is resolved to keep promise with thee and to protect thee whatever comes of it Not long after Redwald raised a great Army in Edwins quarrel and gave Battle to Ethelfride on the borders of Mercia where Ethelfride was slain and Edwin quietly made King of Northumberland yet all this while he remained a Pagan though Ethelburga his Queen and Paulinus a learned Bishop continually persuaded him to imbrace the Christian Faith Hereupon a new affliction fell upon him for Quincelinus and Kinâ—gilsus Kings of the West Saxons envying and hating Edwin hired a Villain privately to murther him who watching his opportunity when the King had but a few with him run at him with an invenomed Sword but one of the Servants interposing received the wound through his own body the King also being somewhat wounded by the Swords point which came through the King lay long sick of this wound but upon his recovery he raised a great Army and went against those West Saxon Kings who had so basely sought his destruction and withal promised to Jesus Christ That if he obtained the Victory he would presently be Baptized and his Queen being then delivered of a Daughter he caused it to be Baptized with twelve more of his Family Then advancing against his Enemies through the assistance of Christ he obtained a notable Victory putting the whole power of his Enemies to flight and so returned home with Honour and Victory yet did the Pomp and Glory of the world so dazle his Eyes that he neglected to perform his vow of being Baptized for though he willingly heard Paulinus Preach and gave over his Idolatrous Services yet withal told him That he could not suddenly leave the Religion of his Fore-fathers nor be Baptized but upon mature deliberation and with the serious advice of his Council Paulinus observing these difficulties continually prayed to God on his behalf whereupon the Vision of Edwin aforementioned appeared to Paulinus who watching his opportunity came to the King and laying his hand on his head asked him If he remembred that Token the King well remembring it was so affected that he was ready to fall down at Paulinus his feet but Paulinus not suffering it said unto him Behold O King you have vanquished your Enemies and have obtained your Kingdom now perform your promise which was to imbrace the Christian Faith and to be obedient to our Lord Christ The King after consultation with his Nobles was himself with many more of his Subjects Baptized by Paulinus and presently after all the Idols with their Altars were cast down and destroyed We read likewise that during the Heptarchy of the Saxons in England there were two Kings in Northumberland called Ostrich and Eaufride who before their coming to the Crown had been instructed and trained up in the Christian Religion by this worthy Bishop Paulinus but after they came to Kingly Dignities they renounced Christ and returned to their filthy Idols whereupon as they forsook Christ he forsook them and within one years space both of them were slain by Cadwalla King of the Brittains In the Reign of K. Edward 1. 1276. there happened the greatest rot of Sheep in England that ever was known which continued 25 years and came it was thought by one infected Sheep of incredible greatness brought out of Spain by a French Merchant into Northumberland In his Reign also John Duns called Scotus was born at Emilden in Northumberland though others for his name say in Scotland who being brought up in Merton Colledge in Oxford was wonderful learned in Logick and in the crabbed and intricate Divinity of those days wherein he grew to such perfection that he was called The Subtile Doctor he went from thence to Paris where as he was once sitting at Table in respect of his learning with Charles the Bald Emperor and King of France he behaved himself like a slovenly Schollar not at all gentilly whereupon the King jestingly asked him Quid interest inter Scotum Sotum What is between a Scot and a Sot he merrily yet confidently answered Mensa The Table as though the Emperor were the Sot and he the Sot Another time the Emperor gave him two large Fishes and one little one in a Dish bidding him carve to two other Schollars who were tall men himself being little Mr. John lays the two great Fishes on his own Trencher and gives them the little one The Emperor smiling said In good Faith Mr. John you are no fair Carver yes if it please your Highness very fair said he for here pointing to himself and the two great Fishes be two great ones and a little one and so is yonder pointing to the Schollars two great ones and one little one He went thence to Colen where he died miserably for being taken with an Apoplexy he was too hastily buried and after a time revived and making means in vain by a lamentable voice to call for help after he had a long time knocked his head against the Grave-stone dashed out his Brains and so yielded up his vital breath as was afterward discovered whereupon these Verses were made by an Italian Quaecunque humani fuerant jurisque Sacrati c. All learning taught in Human Books and couch'd in Holy Writ Dun Scotus dark and doubtful made by subtilty of wit No marvel that to doubtful Terms of life himself was
plenty of all things especially Fish it is adorned with a very stately Market place wherein standeth their Common Hall of Timberwork a very handsome building About 6 miles from Salisbury upon the Plains is to be seen a huge and monstrous piece of Work for within the circuit of a Pit or Ditch there are erected in the manner of a Crown certain mighty and unwrought stones whereof some are 20 Foot high and 7 broad upon the heads whereof others like overthwart pieces do bear and rest cross-wise with Tenents and Mortesses so that the whole frame seemeth to hang whereof it is commonly called Stone-henge Near Badmington is a place called The Giants Cave whereof there are 9 in number some deeper than others being two great long stones on both sides and a broad one to cover them both these are thought to be some ancient works either of the Romans Danes or Saxons In the Year 975. Queen Elfrida having barbarously murdered K. Edward her Son in Law to set up her own Son K. Etheldred afterward repenting of her cruel Fact and to pacifie the crying Blood of her slain Son built the two Monasteries of Amesbury and Worwel in Wiltshire and Hamshire in which she lived and died with great Penance but these and the like Foundations being built with Rapine and Blood have felt the Woe pronounced by the Prophet That the Stone in the Wall shall cry and the Beam out of the Timber shall answer it woe to him that buildeth a Town with Blood and establisheth a City with Iniquity In the Year 1154. K. Stephen seizing into his hands the Bishop of Salisburys Castles and Goods a Synod was called by the Popes Legate to right him where the King was summoned to appear to answer for his imprisoning of Bishops and depriving them of the r Goods which being a Christian King he ought not to do The King by his Attorney answers That he had not arrested him as a Bishop but as a Servant who ought to make up his Accounts about his Employments This answer caused some Debates they not presuming to excommunicate the King without the Popes leave and therefore they fell from Authority to Submission falling at his Feet and beseeching him to have pity on the Church and not make dissention between the Kingdom and the Priesthood which shews the great magnanimity and courage of K. Stephen that he was able to pull down the high Spirits of the Prelates in that time this rich Bishop of Salisbury who built the Castle of the Devizes and divers other strong Castles in this County being now thrown out of all his Grandeur was so swallowed up of over much grief that he ran mad and spake and did he knew not what In 1275. K. Edward 1. calls a Parliament at Salisbury without admitting of any Church-men to sit therein and Marchian his Treasurer acquainting him That in Churches and Religious Houses there was much Treasure to be had if it were lawful to take it He made no scruple of it but caused it to be seized and brought into his Exchequer but finding that he had thereby displeased the Clergy he bid them ask what they would have who required the Repeal of the Statute of Mortmain which hindered devout People at their death from giving all their Estates from their Children to the Church To which the King answered That it was a Statute made by the whole Body of the Realm and therefore it was not in his Power who was but one Member of that Body to repeal it In another Parliament at Salisbury this King requires certain of his Lords to go to the Wars in Gascoign who all excusing themselves the King in a great rage threatned they should either go or he would give their Lands to others that should Upon this the Earl of Hereford High-Constable and the Earl of Norfolk Marshal of England declare That if the King went in Person they would attend him otherwise not Which answer offended the King more and being urged again the Earl Marshal protested he would willingly march in the Front if the King went himself But the King told him he should go with any other without him I am not bound to do so said the Earl neither will I take this Journey without you The King swore by God he should either go or hang And I swear by the same Oath said the Earl I will neither go nor hang and so without leave departs shortly after the two Earls assembled many Noblemen and 1500 Souldiers wherewith they stand on their own Guard but the King being obliged to go to France condescends to their Demands and desires them that since they would not â—o they would do nothing prejudicial to himself and the Kingdom in his Absence and upon his return the King solemnly confirmed the two great Charters which appeased the present disturbances In the 4. of Q. Mary 1454 exemplary Justice was done upon a great Person for the Lord Sturton a man much in the Queens favour because he was an earnest Papist was for a Murther committed by him arraigned and condemned and he with 4 of his Servants were carried to Salisbury and there in the Market-place hanged he having this favour to be hanged in a silken Halter and his servants in places near adjoining where the Murther was committed Not long since saith Mr. Clark a Souldier in Salisbury in the midst of his Cups drinking and carousing in a Tavern drank a Health to the Devil saying That if the Devil would not come and pledge him he would not believe there was either God or Devil whereupon his Companions being struck with horrour hastened out of the Room and presently after hearing a hideous noise and smelling a stinking savour the Vintner ran up into the Chamber and coming in he missed his Guest and found the Window broken the Iron Bar in it bowed and all bloody but the man was never heard of afterward Wiltshire is divided into 29 Hundreds wherein are 23 Market Towns 304 Parish Churches and is in the Diocess of Salisbury It elects 34 Parliament-Men and gives the Title of Earl to Charles L. Pawlet as Salisbury doth to James Lord Cecil and Marleburgh to William L. Ley. WORCESTERSHIRE hath Staffordshire on the North Warwickshire on the East Glocestershire on the South Hereford and Shropshire on the West It is a County rich and populous the soil is very fertile producing besides Corn Cattle and Wood abundance of Apples and Pears which yield pleasure to the sight and also profit for with the juice they make great quantity of Sider and Perry both very pleasant and wholsome Drinks The City of Worcester is most pleasantly seaâ—ed and is admirable both in respect of the Antiquity and Beauty thereof It standeth in a place rising somewhat with a gentle ascent by the Rivers side which hath a fair Bridge with a Tower over it it is well and strongly walled and the Inhabitants are much enriched by the Trade of Clothing It is 1650 paces
as some think which occasions vapours to break violently out of the Earth The Natives who dwell about these Meers are healthy and live long but strangers are subject to much sickness In the Year 1580. Sept. 23. at Fennystanton in this County one Agnes Wife to William Linsey was delivered of an ugly strange Monster with a black Face Mouth and Eyes like a Lion which was both Male and Female In 1584. there happened a strange thing at Spaldwick in this Shire Mr. Dorrington one of the Gentlemen Pensioners to Q. Elizabeth had a Horse which died suddenly and being opened to see the cause of his Death there was found in his heart a Worm of a wondrous form as it lay together in a kall or skin it resembled a Toad but being taken thence the shape was hard to be described the length of it divided into 80 Grains which spread from the Body like the branches of a Tree was from the snout to the end of the longest grain 17 Inches having 4 Issues in the grains from whence dropped a red Water the Body was 3 Inches and an half about the Collar being like that of a Mackrel this prodigious Worm crawling about to have got away was killed with a Dagger and being dried was shewed to many Honourable Persons as a great rarity We read that Henry Holland Duke of Exeter and E. of Huntington who married the Sister of K. Edward 4. was driven to such want that passing into Flanders Philip de Comines saith he saw him running on Foot and bare leg'd after the Duke of Burgundy's Train begging his Bread for God's sake whom the Duke of Burgundy at that time did not know though they had married two Sisters but hearing afterward who it was allotted him a small pension to maintain him till not long after he was found dead upon the shore of Dover and stripped all naked but how he came by his death could never by any inquiry be brought to light It is observed by Mr. Speed that the ancient Families of this County have been more outworn proportionably than in any other few now remaining whose Sir-names were eminent in the Reign of K. Hen. 8. the reason whereof may probably be because this Shire being generally Abby Lands after their dissolution many new purchasers planted themselves therein But Let 's not repine that Men and Names do die Since Stone-built Cities dead and ruin'd lie This County is divided into 4 Hundreds wherein are 6 Market Towns and 69 Parish Churches and is in the Diocess of Lincoln out of it are elected 4 Parliament men for the County 2. for Huntington 2. It gives the Title of Earl to Theophilus L. Hastings KENT in the Saxon Heptarchy was an entire Kingdom by itself an honour which no other County attained to it hath the Thames on the North the Sea on the East and South Sussex and Surrey on the West from East to West it is 53 Miles and from North to South 26. The upper part of it they say is healthful but not so wealthy the middle they account both healthful and wealthy the lower they hold to be wealthy but not healthy as which for a great part thereof is very moist It is every where almost full of Meadows Pastures and Corn fields abounding wonderfully in Apple-trees and Cherry-trees the Trees are planted after a very direct manner one against another by square most pleasant to behold It is plentiful of Fowl Fish and all sorts of grain It hath Villages and Towns exceeding thick and well peopled safe Roads and sure Harbours for Ships with some Veins of Iron and Marble The Air is somewhat thick and foggy by reason of Vapours arising out of the Waters This County hath 2 Cities and Bishops Seas was strengthened formerly with 27 Castles graced with 4 of the Kings Houses The Kentish People in Caesars time were accounted the civilest among the Brittains and had the Priviledge to lead the Van in all Battles for their valour shewed against the Danes and those of Cornwall Devonshire and Wiltshire the Rear They esteem themselves the first Christians since their King and People received the Christian Faith before any other of the Saxons in 596. yea and long before that time Kent received the Gospel for it is recorded that Lucius the first Christian Brittish King in this Island built a Church for the service of Christ at Dover endowing it with the Toll of that Haven They glory that they were never conquered but were compounded with by the Norman Conqueror of whom our English Poet writes thus Stout Kent this praise to thee doth of most right belong Thou never wast enslaved impatient wert of wrong Who when the Norman first with Pride and Horrour sway'd Threwst off the servile Yoak upon the English laid And with a Courage great most bravely didst restore That Liberty so long enjoy'd by thee before Not suffering foreign Laws should thy free Customs bind And thereby shewedst thy self o' th noble Saxon kind Of all the English Shires be thou sirnam'd the free And foremost ever placed when they shall marshall'd be Of their throwing off the Norman Yoke Mr. Sâ—â—den thus explains it When the Norman Conqueror had the day he came to Dover Castle the Look and Key of the Kingdom that he might with safety subdue Kent also a most strong and populous Province and secure himself from the Invasion of Enemies which when Stygand Archbishop of Canterbury and the Abbot of St. Austins who were the chief Lords and Governours of Kent understood they assembled the Commons and told them of the dangers of their Country the miseries of their Neighbours the Pride of the French and that the English till then were born free and the name of Villains or Bondsmen not heard among them but now slavery only attends us said he if we submit to the insolency of our Enemies And therefore these two Prelates offered to command them and to dye with them in the defence of their Freedom and Country whereby the People were so extreamly encouraged that they concluded to meet at a day appointed at Swanscomb two Miles West from Gravesend where being come accordingly and keeping themselves private in the Woods they waited the coming of William the Conqueror filling up all the way by which he was to pass with each of them a great green Bough in his hand whereby they might hide their number from being discovered and if occasion were fall upon the Normans the next day the Duke came by Swanscomb and was much amazed to see a Wood as it were marching toward him for being as he thought free from the Enemy he was now beset on all sides with Trees and knew not but all the other vast Woods thereabout were of the same nature neither had he leisure to avoid the danger for the Kentish men immediately enclosing his Army about displayed their Banners and throwing down their Branches at the sound of a Trumpet prepare their Bows and Arrows ready for
on Houses as well as Persons The King increased and enlarged it so that it now containeth 5 very large inner Courts incompassed with fair buildings of curious Workmanship Now whereas other Royal Pallaces found their fatal Period as Holdenby Oatlands Richmond Theobalds Hampton Court had the happiness to continue in its former Estate of which one thus writes I envy not its happy Lot but rather thereat wonder There 's such a rout our Land throughout of Pallaces by plunder Osterly-House must not be forgotten built in a Park by Sir Thomas Gresham who here magnificently entertained and lodged Q. Elizabeth Her Majesty found fault with the Court of this House as too great affirming That it would appear more handsome if divided by a Wall in the middle What doth Sir Thomas Money commanding all things but in the night time sends for Workmen from London who so speedily and silently apply their business that the next morning discovered that court double which the night had left single before it is questionable whether the Queen next day were more contented with the conformity to her fancy or more pleased with the surprise and sudden performance thereof whilst the Courtiers disported themselves with their several expressions some avowing it was no wonder he could so soon change a building who could build a Change Others reflecting on some known differences in this Knt's Family affirmed That any house is easier divided than united Edward the 5. sole surviving Son of K. Hen. 8. and Jane his Wife was born at Hampton Court in this County 1537. He succeeded his Father in this Kingdom and was most eminent in his Generation saith Dr. Fuller seeing the Kings of England fall under a five fold Division 1. Visibly vicious given over to dissoluteness and debauchery as K. Edward the Second 2. Rather free from Vice than fraught with Virtue as King Henry the Third 3. Those in whom Vices and Virtues were so equally matched as it was hard to decide which got the mastery as in King Henry 8.4 whose good qualities beat their bad ones quite out of distance of competition as K. Edward 1.5 Whose Virtues were so resplendent no faults humane frailties excepted appeared in them as in this K. Edward He died July 5. 1553. and pity it is that he who deserved the best should have no Monument erected to his memory Smithfield in London being Bonners Shambles and the Bonfire General of England no wonder if some sparks thereof were driven into the Neighbourhood as Barnet Islington and Stratford Bow where more than twenty Persons were Martyred as in Mr. Fox it doth appear nor must we forget Mr. John Denly burnt at Vxbridge who began to sing a Psalm at the stake and Dr. Story there present caused a Faggot to be hurled in his face which so hurt him that he bled therewith however we may believe that this Martyrs Song made good melody in the ears of the God of Heaven The last pitcht Battle in England between the two Houses of Lancaster and York was fought at Barnet 1472. by K. Edward 4. who hearing that the Earl of Warwick on the behalf of K. Henry the 6. was with his Army incamped on a Heath near Barnet he marched toward them upon April 13. being Easter Eve and came that evening from London thither where he would not suffer a man of his Army to stay in the Town but commanded them all to the Field and lodged with his Army nearer to the Enemy than he was aware by reason of a thick mist raised as some say by Fryar Bongey the Conjurer which made it so dark that it could not well be observed where they were incamped In taking his ground he caused his People to keep as much silence as was possible thereby to keep the Enemy from knowing of their approach great Artillery they had on both parts but Warwick had more than K. Edward and therefore in the night time they shot continually at the Kings Army but did little hurt because they overshot them as lying nearer than was conceived on Easter day early in the morning both Armies are ordered for Battle the Earl of Warwick appointed the command of his Right Wing which consisted of Horse to his Brother the Marquess Montacute and the Earl of Oxford the left Wing likewise consisting of Horse was led by himself and the Duke of Exeter and the main Battle of Bills and Bows was conducted by the Duke of Somerset on K. Edwards part the Van was commanded by Richard D. of Glocester the main Battle in which the unfortunate K. Henry was Prisoner was led by K. Edward himself and the L. Hastings brought up the Rear after exhortations for incouraging their Souldiers the fight began which with great valour was maintained for six hours without any apparent disadvantage on either side only Warwicks Van seemed by the courage of the Earl of Oxford to overmatch King Edwards which made some flying toward London carry the news that the Earl of Warwick had won the Field and so perhaps he had indeed but for a strange misfortune which happened to the Earl of Oxford and his men for they having a Star with streams on their Liveries as K. Edwards men had the Sun the Earl of Warwicks men by reason of the mist not well distinguishing the badges shot at the Earl of Oxfords men who were of their own side whereupon the Earl of Oxford cryed out Treason Treason and fled with 800 men at length after great slaughter made on both sides K. Edward having the greater number of men caused a new recruit of fresh Souldiers to come on whom he had reserved to that purpose which the Earl of Warwick observing being a man of an invincible courage nothing dismayed rushed into the midst of his Enemies where he adventured so far that amongst the press he was struck down and slain though some write that seeing the desperate condition of his Army the Earl leapt on his Horse to fly and coming to a Wood where was no passage one of K. Edwards men came to him and killed him and stript him to his naked skin The Marquess Montacute thinking to relieve his Brother lost likewise his life and left the victory to King Edward There were slain on both sides at least Ten Thousand Men and hereby King Edward again got the Kingdom and King Henries Friends not being afterward able to raise any considerable power on his behalf he was soon after sent to the Tower and there murdered by the Duke of Glocester I shall not speak any thing in this place concerning London as having already published a book of the same price with this of Historical Remarks and Observations of the ancient and present state of London and Westminster wherein the most considerable particulars relating thereto for several hundred years are succinctly discovered The County of Middlesex is divided into 7 Hundreds wherein are 4 Market Towns and 73 Parish Churches besides those in London and Westminster It