retaineth to name Wodens-burg At this place in Anno 590. Ceaulin the West-Saxon receiued such a foyle of the Britaines and his Countrey-men that he was forced to forsake his Kingdome and to end his dayes in exile becomming a pittifull spectacle euen vnto his enemies And in this place Ina the West-Saxon joyned Battle with Ceolred the Mercian whence both of them departed with equall losse The like was at Bradford by Keâ—â—lwach and Cuthred at Wilton betwixt Egbert and Beornwolfe at Edindon where King Elfred was vanquisher of the Danes and at Wilton where the Danes wonne the day against him With as bloudy successe though not happening by sword was the issue of that Synod assembled at Colne a small Towne in this Countie in the yeare of Christ Iesus 977 where being hotly debating for the single life and against the marriages of the Clergie what wanted by the Word to proue their diuorce was supplyed by a Stratagem and that very bloudy for suddenly the maine timber brake and downe fell the floore with the Nobles and Prelates the Gentlemen and Commons whereby a great number were hurt and many more slaine onely Dunstan the President and mouth for the Monkes escaped vntouched the Ioist whereon his Chaire stood remaining most firme which confirmed the sentence of their separations whom God had conioyned and became the fall and snare of much incontinencie in both sexes 7 The chiefest Citie of this Shire is Salesburie remoued from a higher but a farre more conuenient place whose want of water was not so great in the mother as is supplied and replenished in the daughter euery street almost hauing a Riuer running thorow her middest and for sumptuous and delicate buildings is inferiour to none The Cathedrall a most rich magnificent Church was begun by Richard Poore Bishop and with fortie yeares continuante was raised to her perfect beautie wherein are as many windowes as there are dayes in the yeare as many cast pillars of Marble as there are houres in the yeare and as many gates for entrance as there are moneths in the yeare Neither doth this Citie retaine true honour to her selfe but imparteth hers and receiueth honour from others who are intituled Earles of Salesburie whereof eight noble Families haue beene dignified since the Normans Câ—â—quest This Cities situation is in the degree of Latitude 51. 10 minutes and from the first West point obserued by Mercator 18 Degrees and 31. minutes of Longitude 8 Ouer this old Salesburie sheweth it selfe where Kâ—nâ—â—k ouercame the Britaines and where Canutus the Dane did great dammage by fire This formerly had beene the Seat of the Romans as likewise was Lecham as by their Coines digged vp is apparant so were Brokenbridge and Cosham the Courts of the Saxon Kings But Fortune long since hath turned her face from all these as lately she did from many ancient and religious foundations planted in this Prouince whereof Malâ—â—esburie was the most famous I will not with Monmouth auouch the foundation thereof vnto Mulmutius but by true Records from Maidulph a Scot a man of great learning that therein built a Cell and lead an Hermits life whereof Beda calleth it the Citie of Maidulph and we by contraction Malmesburie Adelme his Disciple and Successor built here a faire Monastery which Athelstan the Monarch richly endowed and left his body after death there to rest Neither hath any graced this more then William her Monke in recording to posterities the Chronicles of our Land concerning both the Church and Common-weale wherein himselfe liued and wrote those Histories 9 Ambresburie for repute did second this built by Aâ—fritha King Edgar his wife to expiate the sinne of murder which she committed vpon yong Edward her sonne in law that hers might be King In this place Queene Eleanor widow to King Henry the third renounced all royall pompe and deuoted her selfe vnto God in the habit of a Nunne Other places erected for pietie were at Salesburie Lacock Stanley Wilton Luichurch Farnleg Bradstole Briopune and Brombore These grafts growne to full greatnesse were cut downe by the Pruiner least the cankers thereof should infect the whole body as by them was alledged and their Reuenewes bestowed vpon farre better vses both for the bringing vp of youth and the maintenance of estate BARK-SHIRE CHAPTER XIII BARK-SHIRE whether of the Eoâ—-woods there sited according to the censure of Asserius Meneuensis or from a naked and beare-lesse Oke-tree whereunto the people vsually resorted in troublesome times to conferte for the State I determine not onely the Countie a long time hath beene so called and bounded with other in manner as followeth The North-part is parted by Thamisis from Buckingham and Oxford-shires the South neere Kennet doth tract vpon Hampshire the East is confined with the Countie of Surrey and the West with Wiltshire and Glocestershire is held in 2 The forme of this Shire doth somewhat resemble a Sandall for a mans foot lying long-wise from East to West in which part she is broadest the middle most narrow and then spreading wider like to the heele though for her rich endowments and stately magnificence it may be well accounted the heart of the whole 3 The length thereof from Inglesham in the West to old Windsor in the East extendeth vnto fortie miles from Inkpen to Wightham the broadest part from South to North are twentie-foure the whole in Circumference about one hundred and twentie miles 4 The Ayre is temperate sweet and delightfull and prospect for pleasure inferiour to none the Soile is plenteous of corne especially in the Vale of White-horse that yeeldeth yearely an admirable encrease In a word for Corne and Cattle Waters and Woods of profit and pleasure it giues place vnto none 5 Her ancient Inhabitants by Ptolemie and Caesar were the Attrebatâ— and them of those that descended from Gallia among whom Comius conquered by the Dictator was of good respect and could doe much with the Britaines who as Frontinus reporteth vsed this stratagem though it proued nothing at last he flying before Caesar to recouer ayd of these Attrebatians light bedded vpon a shelfe in the Sea whereupon hoysting his sailes as before a fore-winde gaue shew to his pursuer that they were in swift flight so that hopelesse to hayle them he gaue ouer the chase yet no sooner had Caesar made ouer among them but that some of these people by name the Bibroces yeelded him subiection which prued the ruine of all former libertie But when the Romans had rent their owne Empire and retired their Legion into a narrower circuit the Saâ—â—ns set foot where their forces had beene and made this Countie a parcell of their Westerne Kingdome The Danes then setting their desire vpon spoiles from their â—oauing Pinnaces pierced into these parts and at Redding fortified themselues betwixt the Riuers Kennet and Thamâ—â—sis whither after their great ouerthrow receiued at Ingeâ—efield by the hand of King Ethelwolfe they retyred for their further safetie 6 This Towne King
three Arch-Flamins whose seates were at London Caerlion and Yorke all of them conuerted by King Lucius into Christian Bishops Sees let vs onely insist vpon the three last by the same King appointed to be Metropolitanes ouer the rest among whom London is said to be chiefe whos 's first Christian Arch-bishop was Thean the builder of S. Peters Church in Cornehill for his Cathedrall as by an ancient Table there lately hanging was affirmed and tradition to this day doth hold Our British Historians doe bring a succession of fifteene Arch-bishops to haue sate from his time vnto the comming of the Saxons whose last was Vodius slaine by King Vortiger for reprehending his heathenish marriage with Râ—wâ—n the Daugher of Hengist At what time began the misery of the Land and of holy Religion both which they layd wast vnder their prophane feete vntill Ethelbert of Kent the first Christian Saxon King aduanced Christainitie Augustine to the Arch-bishopricke of Canterbury when London vnder Melitus became subiect to that See 6 At Caerlion vpon Vske in the time of great Arthur sate Dubritius a man excellently learned and of an holy conuersation he had sate Bishop of Landaffe a long time and with Germanus and Lupus two French Bishops greatly impugned the Pelagian Heresie infecting at that time the Iland very farre whose fame and integritie was such that he was made Arch-bishop of all Wales but growne very old he resigned the same vnto Dauia his Disciple a man of greater birth but greater austeritie of life who by consent of King Arthur remoued his Arch-bishops See vnto Meneuia a place very solitary and meete for meditation the miracles of the man which are said to be many changed both the name of the place into his owne and robbed Caerlion of her Archiepiscopall seate This See of S Dauids as in an ancient Register belonging to that Church is recorded had seauen Bishops Suffraganes subiect vnto it which were Exceter Bathe He eford Landaffe Bangor S. Asaph and â—eâ—nes in Ireland notwithstanding eyther for want of Pall carried into Britanny by Arch-bishop Samâ—son in a dangerous infection of sicknesse either by pouertie or negligence it lost that Iurisdiction and in the dayes of King Henry the first became subiect to the See of Canterbury 7 Yorke hath had better successe then eyther of the former in retayning her originall honour though much impaired in her circuit challenging to haue beene some time Metropolitane ouer all the Bishops in Scotland and although it was made equall in honour and power with Canterbury by Pope Gregory as Beda relateth and had twelue Suffragan Bishoprickes that owed obedience onely foure now acknowledge Yorke their Metropolitane but Canterbury the Superiour for William the Conquerour thinking it dangerous to haue two in like authoritie least the one should set on his Crowne and the other strike it off left Yorke to be a Primate but Canterbury onely the Prinâ—â—â— of all England 8 The Lichfield was made an Archiepiscopall See by Pope Hadrian the first at the suit of Offa the great King of Mercia is manifested by Mathew of Westminster vnto whose Iurisdiction were assigned the Bishoprickes of Winchester Hereford Leicester Sidnacester Helmâ—am and Dunwich and whose first and last bishop was Aldwin That Winchester also had intended an Archiepiscopall Pall the same Author recordeth when Henry Bloys of the bloud royall greatly contended with the Arch bishop of Canterbury for superioritie vnder the pretence of being Cardinall de latere to him an Archiepiscopall Pall was sent with power and authoritie ouer seauen Churches but he dying before that the designe was done the See of Winchester remained in subiection to Canterbury And that long before the See of Dorchester by Oxford had the Iurisdiction of an Arch-bishop is apparant by those Prouinces that were vnder his Diocesse which were Winchester Oxford Lincolne Salisbury Bâ—estow Wells Lichfield Chester and Excester and the first Bishop of this great circuit Berinuâ— was called the Apostle and Bishop of the West Saxons which in his next successor was diuided into two parts Winchester and Dorchester and not long after into Lichfield Sidnacester and Legecester and lastly the See remoued from Dorchester to Lincolne as now it is And thus farre for the diuision of this Realme both Politicke and Ecclesiasticke as it hath stood and stands at this day 9 But the whole Ilands diuision by most certaine Record was anciently made when Iulius Agricâ—la drew a trench or fortification vpon that narrow space of ground betwixt Edenbrough Frith and Dunbretton Bay making the Southerne part a Prouince vnto the Romane Empire Afterwards Hadrian the Emperour seeing perhaps the Prouince too spacious to be well gouerned without great expense drew backe these limits almost fourescore miles shotter euen to the mouth of the Riuer Tyne whence he fortified with a wall of admirable worke vnto Carlile which stood the Lands border while it stood as a Romane Prouince yet the conquering Saxons did spread againe ouer those bounds and as seemeth enlarged their gouernment to that first Tract as by this inscription in a Stone Crosse standing vpon a Bridge ouer the water of Frith appeareth I am a free March as Passengers may ken To Scots to Britaines and to Englishmen 10 But afterward William the Conquerour and Malcolme King of Scotland falling to an agreement for their limits arreared a Crosse vpon Stanemore where on the one side the portraiture and Armes of the King of England was sculptured and of the King of Scots on the other a piece whereof is yet remaining there neere to the Spittle thence called the Rev-Crosse there erected to be a Meare-stone to either Kingdome His successors also abolished the two partitions in the West whereby the Welsh became one Nation and Kingdome with the English It is also said that King Stephen to purchase friendship with the Scottish Nation gaue vnto their King the Countie of Cumberland who with it held both Westmorland and Northumberland but as Newbrigensis writeth he restored them to King Henry the second wisely considering his great power and right to those parts KENT CHAPTER III. KENT the first Prouince appearing in the South of this Kingdome is bounded vpon the North with the famous Riuer Thamisis on the East with the Germane Ocean on the South with Sussex and the narrow Seas and vpon the West and Sussex and Surrey The length thereof extended from Langley in the West vnto Ramsgate Eastward in the Isle of Thanet is about 53. English miles From Rother in the South vnto the Isle of Graine Northward the bredth is not much aboue 26. and the whole circumference about 160. miles 2 Informe it somewhat resembleth the head of a hammer or Battle-axe and lyeth corner-wise into the Sea by Strabo Caesar Diadorus and Ptolemie called Cantium of Cant or Angle or Corner either of Caine a British word which signifieth Bushes or Woods whereof that Countie in those former times was plentifully stored 3 The ayre though not very
Henry the first most stately beautified with a rich Monastery and strong Castle where in the Collegiate Church of the Abbey himselfe and Queene who lay both veiled and crowned with their daughter Maud the Empresse called the Lady of England were interred as the priuate History of the place auoucheth though others bestow the bodies of these two Queenes else-where The Castle King Henry the second razed to the ground because it was the refuge for the followers of King Stephen From whence the North-pole is raised in Latitude 51 degrees and 40 minutes and in Longitude from the first West-point obserued by Mercator 19 degrees and 35. minutes 7 A Castle and Towne of greater strength and antiquitie was Wallingford by Antonie and Ptolemie called Galtena the chiefest Citie of the Attribatians whose large circuit and strong fortifications shew plainly that it was a place of the Romans abode and since in a conceiued safetie hath made many very bold especially when the sparkes of Englands ciuill dissentions were forced to flame in case of the Crowne betwixt Maud the Empresse and King Stephen whither her selfe and associates resorted as their surest defence 8 But of farre greater magnificence and state is the Castle of Windsor a most Princely Palace and Mansion of his Maiestie I will not with Ieffrey affirme it to be built by King Arthur but with better authoritie say it was so thirsted after by the Conquerour that by a composition with the Abbat of Westminster whose then it was he made it to be the Kings Possession as a Place besides the pleasures very commodious to entertaine the King In this Castle that victorious Prince King Edward the third was borne and herein after he had subdued the French and Scots held he at one and the same time as his Prisoners Iohn King of France and Dauid King of Scotland Neither was it euer graced with greater Maiestie then by the institution of the most honourable Order of the Garter a signall Ornament of Martiall Prowesse the inuention thereof some ascribe to be from a Garter falling from his Queene or rather from Ioan Countesse of Salisbury a Lady of an incomparable beautie as she danced before him whereat the by-standers smâ—â—ing he gaue the impresse to checke all euill conceits and in golden Letters imbelished the Garter with this French Posie HONI SOIT QVI MALY PENSE And yet that worthy Clarenceaux alledging the booke of the first institution findes the inuention to be more ancient as when King Richard the first warred against the Turkes Saracens Cypres and Acon he girt the legs of certaine choise Knights with a tache of leather which promised a future glory to the wearers The most Princely Chappell thereof is graced with the bodies of those two great Kings Henry the sixt and Edward the fourth whom the whole Kingdome was too little to containo the one of Lancaster the other of Yorke where they rest now vnited in one mould with a branch of both those Houses euen King Henry the eight who there lyeth also interred and rests in the Lord. 9 Other places of note in this Shire are Sinodum in the North and Watham in the East both of them places of the Romans residence as by their monyes these oftentimes found appeareth Neither was Sunning the least in this Tract that had beene the Seat of eight Bishops before the See was translated thence vnto Shirburne or that to Salisbury Wantage also is not wanting of honour in bringing to life that learned and most valiant King Ealfred the scourge of the Danes and great Monarch of the English And Finchhamsted for wonder inferiour to none where as our Writers doe witnesse that in the yeare a thousand one hundred a Well boyled vp with streames of bloud and fifteene dayes together continued that Spring whose waters made red all others where they came to the great amazement of the beholders 10 The riches and sweet seats that this Country affordeth made many deuout persons to shew their deuotions vnto true pietie in erecting places for Gods diuine seruice and their exemptions from all worldly businesse such were Abington Redding Bysham Bromehall Henâ—ey Hamme and Wallingford whose Vâ—tarie abusing the intents of their Founders ouerthrew both their owne Orders and places of professions all which were dissolued by Act of Parliament and giuen the King to dispose at his will MIDDLESEX CHAPTER XIIII MIDDLESEX so called in regard of the situation as seated betwixt the West-Saxons and East-Angles was sometimes together with Essex and Hartford-shire that part and portion which the East Saxons enioyed for their Kingdome it lyeth bordered vpon the North with Hartford shire vpon the West by Colne is seuered from Buckingham the South by Thamesis from Surrey and Kent and on the East from Essex by the Riuer Lea. 2 The length thereof extended from 〈◊〉 in the East to Morehall vpon Colne in the West is by measure nineteene English miles and from South 〈◊〉 in the North to his Majesties Mannour of Hampton-Court in the South are little aboue sixteene miles the whole Circumference extending to ninetie miles 3 In foâ—â—e it is almost square for ayre passing temperate for soile abundantly fertile and for pasturage and graine of all kindes yeelding the best so that the Wheat of this Countie hath serued a long time for the manchâ—t to our Princes Table 4 It lyeth seated in a vale most wholesome and rich hauing some hils also and them of good 〈◊〉 from whose tops the prospect of the whole is seene like vnto Zoar in Egypt or rather like a Paradise and Garden of God 5 The ancient Inhabitants knowne to Caesar were the Trinobants whom he nameth to be the most puissant in the Iland whose chiefe Citie and State yeelding him subiection made the whole with lesse losse to the Romans to beare the yoke of their owne bondage and to come in vnder termes of truce But when their forces in these parts were spent and the Empire shaken by intestine warres the Saxons setting their eyes vpon so faire a soile made their footing as sure herein which lastly with Hartford and Essex was the portion of the East-Saxons Kingdome 6 Fiue Princely Houses inheritable to the English Crowne are seated in this Shire which are Enfield Hanworth White-hall S. Iames and Hampton-Court a Citie rather in shew then the Palace of a Prince and for stately Port and gorgeous building not inferiour to any in Europe At Thistleworth once stood the Palace of Richard King of the Romans Earle of Cornewall which the Londâ—ner in a tumultuous broile burned to the ground many other stately Houses of our English Nobilitie Knights and Gentlemen as also of the worshipfull Citizens of London are in this Shire so sumptuously built and pleasantly seated as the like in the like circuit are no where else to be found Neere vnto Thamesis entrance into this Countie is kept the remembrance of Caesars entrance ouer Thamesis by the name of Coway-Stakes stucke fast in the bottome to
of Cornwall whereunto resorted great concourse of people for deuotion and adoration thereof But when the Sunne-shine of the Gospell had pierced thorow such clouds of darkenesse it was perceiued apparantly to be onely hony clarified and coloured with Saffron as was openly shewed at Pauls Crosse by the Bishop of Rochester the twentie-fourth of Februarie and yeare of Christ 1538. And Alesbury for the holinesse of S. Edith was much frequented who hauing this Towne allotted for her Dowrie bad the world and her husband faâ—ewell in taking vpon her the veile of deuotion and in that fruitfull age of Saints became greatly renowned euen as farre as to the working of miracles These all in the stormes and rage of the time suffred such shipwracke that from those turmoiled Seas their merchandise light in the right of such Lords as made them their owne for wreacks indeed OXFORD-SHIRE CHAPTER XXI OXFORD-SHIRE receiueth her name from that famous Vniuersitie and most beautifull Citie Oxford and this of the Foord of Oxen say our English-Saxons though Leiland vpon a ground of coniecture will haue it Ousford from the Riuer Ouse by the Latines called Isis which giueth name likewise to the adioyning Iland Ousney The North point of this Shire is bordered vpon by the Counties of Warwicke and Northampton the East with Buckingham the West by Glocester-shire and the South altogether is parted from Bark-shire by Thamisis the Prince of British Riuers 2 The blessings both of the sweet-breathing heauens and the fruitfull site of this Counties soile are so happie and fortunate that hardly can besaid whether exceeds The aire milde temperate and delicate the Land fertile pleasant and bounteous in a word both Heauen and Earth accorded to make the Inhabitants healthfull and happie The hils loaden with woods and Cattle the vallies burthened with Corne and Pasturage by reason of many fresh springing Riuers which sportingly there-thorow make their passage whereof England Charâ—â—ll 〈◊〉 and Isis are chiefe which two last making their Bed of Marriage 〈…〉 together in one channell and name 3 The length of this Shire is from Cleydon in the North-west vnto 〈◊〉 in her South-East neere vnto Thamisis and amounteth almost to fortie miles the broadest part is in her westerne Borders which extending from the said Cleydon in the North vnto Faringâ—â—◠〈…〉 the Riuer Isis in the South are scarcely twentie sixe and thence growing narrower 〈…〉 in Circumference about one hundred and thirtie miles 4 The ancient Inhabitants knowne to the Romans were the Dobuni part whereof possessed further Westernly into Glocester-shire and nearer Eastward betwixt the bowing of Thamises were seated the Ancalites who sent their submission vnto Iulius Caesar when report was made that the Trinobantes had put themselues vnder his protection whereof followed the Britaines seruitude vnder the proud yoke of the all-coueting Romans yet afterwards this Counties people being very puissant as Tacitus termes them and vnshaken by warres withstood Ostorius Scapula the Roman Lieutenant choosing rather to yeeld their liues in battle then their persons to subiection Of latter times it was possessed by the Mercian Saxons as part of their Kingdome though sometimes both the West-Saxons and the Northumbrians had the dispose of some part thereof for Beda affirmeth that K. Oswold gaue the then-flourishing Citie Dâ—rchester vnto Berinus the West-Saxons Apostle to be his Episcopall See whence the good Bishop comming to Oxford and preaching before Wulpherus the Mercian King in whose Court Athelwold the South-Saxons heathenish King was then present he with all his Nobles were conuerted to the faith of Christ and there baptized whereby Berinus became the Apostle also of the South Saxons 5 Otherplaces of memorable note either for actions therein happening or for their owne famous esteeme are the Râ—ll-rich-stones standing neere vnto Enisham in the South of this Shire a monument of huge stones set round in compasse in manner of the Stonchâ—nge of which fabulous tradition hath reported forsooth that they were metamorphised from men but in truth were there erected vpon some great victory obtained either by or against Rollo the Dane who in the yeare 876. entred England and in this Shire fought two Battles one neere vnto Hoch-Norton and a second at the Scier-Stane 6 Rodâ—os likewise remaineth as a monument of Oxfords high-stiled Barle but vnfortunate Prince Robert de Vere who besides the Earledome was created by King Richard the second Marquesse of Dublin and Duke of Ireland but at that Bridge discomfited in fight by the Nobles and forced to swimme the Riuer where began the downefall of his high mounted fortunes forbeing driuen forth of his Country lastly died in exile and distressed estate But more happie is this Countie in producing farre more glorious Princes as King Edward the Confessor who in Islip was borne Edward the victorious blacke Prince in Woodstocke and in Oxford that warlike Coeur de Lion King Richard the first the sonne of King Henry the second first tooke breath 7 Which Citie is and long hath beene the glorious seat of the Muses the British Athens and learnings well-spring from whose buing fountaine the wholesome waters of all good literature streaming plenteously haue made fruitfull all other parts of this Realme and gained glory amongst all Nations abroad Antiquitie auoucheth that this place was consecrated vnto the sacred Sciences in the time of the old Britaines and that from Greeke-lad a Towne in Wilt-shire the Academie was translated vnto Oxford as vnto a Plant-plot both more pleasing and fruitfull whereto accordeth the ancient Burlaus and Necham this latter also alledging Merlin But when the beautie of the Land lay vnder the Saxons prophane feete it sustained a part of those common calamities hauing little reserued to vphold its former glory saue onely the famous monument of S. Frideswids Virgin Conquest no other Schoole then left standing besides her Monasterie yet those great blasts together with other Danish stormes being well blowne ouer King Elfred that learned and religious Monarch recalled the exiled Muses to their sacred place and built there three goodly Colledges for the studies of Diuinitie Philosophie and other Arts of humanitie sending thither his owne sonne Ethelward and drew thither the yong Nobles from all parts of his Kingdome The first reader thereof was his supposed brother Neote a man of great learning by whose direction King Elfred was altogether guided in this his goodly foundation At which time also Asserius Meneuensis a writer of those times affaires read the Grammar and Rhetoricke and affirmeth that long before them Gâ—â—das Melkin Ninius Kentigern S. German and others spent there their liues in learned studies From which time that it continued a Seed plot of learning till the Norman Conquest â—ugulâ—us recordeth who himselfe then liued No maruell then if Matthew Paris calleth Oxford the second Schoole of Christendome and the very chiefe Pillar of the Catholike Church And in the Councell holden at Vienna it was ordained that in Paris Oxford Bononia and Salamanca
Emperour and expert Souldiers imployed in euery Prouince Iulius Frontinus subdued these Silures vnto the Romans where continually some of their Legions afterward kept till all was abandoned in Valentinians time 4 The Saxons then made themselues Lords of this Land and this Prouince a part of their Mercians Kingdome yea and Sutton the Court of great Offa their King 5 But Hereford after raised of the ruines of old Ariconium now Kenchester shaken in pieces by a violent Earth quake grew to great fame through a conceiued sanctity by the buriall of Ethelbert King of the East-Angles slaine at Sutton by Offa at what time he came thither to haue espoused to his Daughter whose graue was first made at Marden but afterwards canonized and remoued to this Citie when in honour of him was built the Cathedrall Church by Milfrid a pettie King of that Country which Gruffith Prince of South-Wales and Algar an Englishman rebelling against King Edward Confessor consumed with fire but by Bishop Remesiu was restored at now it is at what time the Towne was walled and is so remaining in good repaire hauing sixe Gates for entrance and fifteen Watch-towers for defence extending in compasse to fifteen hundred paces and whence the North-Pole is obserued to be raised 52. degrees 17. minutes in Latitude and is set from the first point of the West in Longitude 17. degrees and 30. minutes being yearely gouerned by a Maior chosen out of one and thirtie Citizens which are commonly called the Election and he euer after is knowne for an Alderman and clothed in Scarlet whereof foure of the eldest are Iustices of Peace graced with a Sword-bearer a Recorder a Towne-Clerke and foure Sergeants with Mace The greatest glory that this Citie receiued was in King Athelstans dayes where as Malmesbury doth report he caused the Lords of Wales by way of Tribute to pay yearely besides Hawkes and Hounds twenty pound of Gold and three hundred pound of Siluer by waight but how that was performed and continued I finde not 6 Things of rare note in this Shire are said to be Bone well a Spring not farre from Richards Castle wherein are continually found little Fishes bones but not a sinne seene and being wholly cleansed thereof will notwithstanding haue againe the like whether naturally produced or in veynes thither brought no man knoweth 7 But more admirable was the worke of the Omnipotent euen in our owne remembrances and yeare of Christ Iesus 1571. when the Mareley hill in the East of this Shire rouzed it selfe out of a dead sleepe with a roaring noise remoued from the placewhere it stood and for three dayes together trauelled from her first site to the great amazement and feare of the beholders It began to journey vpon the seuenth day of February being Saturday at sixe of the Clocke at night and by seauen in the next morning had gone fortie paces carrying with it Sheepe in their coates hedge-rowes and trees whereof some were ouer-turned and some that stood vpon the plaine are firmely growing vpon the hill those that were East were turned West and those in the West 〈◊〉 set in the East in which remoue it ouerthrew Kâ—â—nasten Chappell and turned two high-wayes 〈◊〉 hundred yards from their vsuall paths formerly trod The ground thus trauelling was aboâ—◠〈…〉 six Acres which opening it selfe with Rockes and all bare the earth before it for foure hundred yards space without any stay leauing that which was Pasturage in place of the Tillage and the Tillage ouerspread with Pasturage Lastly ouerwhelming her lower parts mounted to an hill of twelue fadomes high and there rested her selfe after three dayes trauell remaining his marke that so laid hand vpon this Rocke whose power hath poysed the Hils in his Ballance 8 Religious Houses built by the deuotions of Princes and stored with Votaries and reuenewes for life were in this Shire no lesse then thirteene most sweetly seated in the places as followeth at both the Herefords Barron Ewayot Clifford Moneâ—â—e Acornebury Lemster Linbroke Peterchurch Kilpek Dore and Wiggemore and suspected of hypocrisie were called in question by King Henry the eight and so strictly pursued that some faults were apparant whereby they were laid open to the generall Deluge of the Time whose streame bare downe the walles of all those foundations carrying away the Shrines of the dead and defacing the Libraries of their ancient Records VVORCESTER-SHIRE CHAPTER XXV VVORCESTER-SHIRE is a Countie both rich and populour and lyeth circulated vpon the North with Stafford 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 East with Warwicke and Oxford-shires vpon the South with Glacester shire and the West by Maluerne Hils is parted from Hereford shire the rest lyeth confronted vpon and in part diuided from Shâ—op-shire by the Riuer Dowles 2 The forme thereof is triangle but not of equall proportion for from North to South are thirtie two miles from South to North-West twenty two and from thence to her North-East point are twenty eight the whole in Circumference is one hundred and twentie miles 3 The Ayre in this Shire is of a fauourable temperature that giues an appetite for labour diet and rest the Soyle is fertile and to me seemed inferiour to notice other in this Land for besides the abundance of Corne in euery place spread the Woods and Pasturage in her hils and plaines sweet Riuers that water the vallies below and Cattle that couer the tops of higher ground the Fields Hedge-rowes and High-wayes are beset with fruitfull Peare-trees that yeeld great pleasure to sight and commodious vse for with their iuyce they make a bastard kinde of Wine called Perry which is both pleasant and good in taste Many Salt Springs also this County affordeth yea and more then are commonly in vse such with the Germans our ancient Predecessors were esteemed most sacred and holy so that as Tacitus writeth to such they wontedly resoted to supplicate their Gods with their deuout prayers as to places neerest the heauens and therefore the sooner to be heard And Poets in their faynings will haue the Nymphs residence in shady greene groues and bankes of sweet Springs if so then as Hellicon this County affords both such are the Forrests of Wâ—re and Feckenham the great woods of Norton and most faire Chase of Maluerne And for waters to witnesse what I say is the Seueraâ— that cuts this Shire in the midst Teme Salwarp and Auon all of them making fruitfull their passage and stored with Fish of most delicious taste 4 The ancient people possessors of this Shire were the CORNAVII inhabitants of Chesse-shire Shrop-shire Stafford and Warwicke-shires subdued by the Romanes in Claudius Caesars time and after their departure made a portion of the Mercian-Saxons Kingdome and in Bedaes time were called the Wicij whereof it may be this Shire had the name vnlesse you will haue it from the Salt-Pits which in old English are named Wiches or from the famous Forrest of Wyre Howsoeuer true it is that the County doth hold the name from her
as markes to be shot at whom the hand of the skilfull soone hit and quite pierced vnder the ayme of King Henry the eight who with such Reuenewes in most places relieued the poore and the Orphane with Schooles and maintenance for the training vp of youth a worke no doubt more acceptable to God and of more charitable vse to the Land SHROP-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXV SHROP-SHIRE is both large incircuit well peopled and very fruitfull for life It lieth circulated vpon the North with the County Palatine of Chester vpon the East altogether with Stafford-shire vpon the South with Worcester Hereford and Raduor-shires and vpon the West with Mountgomery and Denbigh 2 The forme thereof is almost ciruclar or round whose length from Weoâ—ertoâ— below â—odlane South to Ouer neere vnto the Riuer Trent in the North is thirtie foure miles the broadest part is from Tong in the East to Oswestre sited at the head of Morda in the West twentie and fiue miles the whole in circuit about extending to one hundred thirtie and foure miles 3 Wholesome is the Aire delectable and good yeelding the Spring and the Autmne Seede time and Haruest in a temperate condition and affoordeth health to the Inhabitants in all seasons of the yeare 4 The soile is rich and standeth most vpon a reddish Clay abounding in Wheat and Barley Pit-coales Iron and Woods which two last continue not long in league together It hath Riuers that make fruitfull the Land and in their waters containe great store of fresh-fish whereof Seuerâ—e is the chiefe and second in the Realme whose streame cutteth this Countie in the middest and with many windings sporteth her selfe forward leauing both pastures and meadowes beâ—â—â—â—ed with flowers and greene colours which euery where she bestoweth vpon such her attendants 5 This Riuer was once the bounds of the North-Britaines and diuided their possession from the Land of the Saxons vntill of latter times theirs began to decay and the Welsh to increase who enlarged their lists to the Riuer Dee So formerly had it separated the Ordouices from the Cornauji those ancient Inhabitants mentioned by Ptolemie The Ordouices vnder Caractachus purchased great honour whilest he a Prince of the Silures remoued his warres thence among them where a while he maintained the Britaines libertie with valour and courage in despight of the Romans His Fort is yet witnesse of his vnfortunate fight seated neere Clune Castle at the confluence of that Riuer with Temd where in remembrance of him the place is yet called Caer-Caradoc a Fort of his wonne by P. Ostorius Lieutenant of the Romans about the yeare of grace 53. The Cornauji were feared vpon the North of Scuerne and branched into other Counties of whom we haue said 6 But when the strength of the Romans was too weake to support their owne Empire and Britaine emptied of her Souldiers to resist the Saxons set foot in this most faire soile and made it a part of their Mercian Kingdome their line likewise issued to the last period and the Normans beginning where these Saxons left the Welshmen tooke aduantage of all present occasions and brake ouer Seuerne vnto the Riuer d ee to recouer which the Normans first Kings often affayed and Henry the second with such danger of life that at the siege of Bridge-north he had beene slaine had not Sir Hâ—bert Syncler receiued the arrow aimed at him in stepping betwixt that Shaft and his Soueraigne and therewith was shot thorow vnto death In the like danger stood Henry Prince of Scotland who in the strait siege of Ludlow begirt by King Stephen had beene plucked from his saddle with an iron hooke from the wall had not Stephen presently rescued him Anno 1139. 7 This then being the Marches of England and Wales was sore afflicted by bloudy broiles which caused many of their Townes to be strongly walled and thirtie two Castles to be strongly built lastly into this Countie the most wise King Henry the seauenth sent his eldest sonne Prince Arthur to be resident at Ludlow where that faire Castle became a most famous Princes Court And here King Henry the eight ordained the Counsell of the Marches consisting of a Lord President as many Counsellers as the Prince shall please a Secretary an Atturney a Soliciter and foure Iustices of the Counties in Wales in whose Court were pleaded the causes depending and tearmely tried for the most part in presence of that honourable President 8 But the Shire-Towne Shrewesburie for circuit trade and wealth doth farre exceed this and is inferiour to few of our Cities her buildings faire her streets many and large her Citizens rich her trade for the most part in the staple commodities of Cloth and Freeses her wals strong and of a large compasse extending to seauenteene hundred pases about besides another Bulwarke ranging from the Castle downe vnto and in part along the side of Seuerne thorow which there are three entrances into the Towne East West ouer by two faire stone-bridges with Towers Gates and Barres and the third into the North no lesse strong then them ouer which is mounted a large Castle whose gaping chinkes doe doubtlesse threaten her fall This Towne is gouerned by two Bailiffes yearely elected out of twentie-foure Burgesses a Recorder Towne-Clerke and Chamberlaine with three Sergeants at Mace the Pole being raised hence from the degrees of Latitude 53. 16. minutes and from West in Longitude 17. degrees 27. minutes 9 Yea and ancienter Cities haue beene set in this Shire such was Roxalter or Wroxcester lower vpon Seuerne that had beene Vricomum the chiefest Citie of the Cornauij Vsoconia now Okenyate neere vnto the Wrekin and vnder Red-Castle the ruines of a Citie whom the vulgar report to haue beene famous in Arthurs dayes but the peeces of Romish Coines in these three doe well assure vs that therein their Legions lodged as many other Trenches are signes of warre and of bloud But as swords haue beene stirring in most parts of this Prouince so Beads haue beene bid for the preseruation of the whole and places erected for the maintenance of Votaries in whom at that time was imputed great holinesse in Shrewesbury many at Couâ—â—ere Stowe Dudley Bromefeld Wigmore Hamond Lyleshill Bildas Bishops-castle and Wenloke where in the Raigne of Richard the second was likewise a rich Mine of Copper But the same blasts that blew downe the buds of such plants scattered also the fruits from these faire trees which neuer since bare the like nor is likely any more to doe That onely which is rare in this Prouince is a Well at Pichford in a priuate mans yard whereupon floteth a thicke skum of liquid Bitumen which being cleare off to day will gather the like againe on the morrw not much vnlike to the Lake in the Land of Iewry The Countie Palatine of CHESTER CHAPTER XXXVI CHESSE-SHIRE the Countie Palatine of Chester is parted vpon the North from Lanca-shire with the Riuer Mercy vpon the East by Mercey Goit and the
for the whole Empire giuing to those Captaines that serued here many Ensignes of great honor yea Claudius gaue Plantius the first Prefect of that Prouince the right hand as he accompanyed him in his Triumph and his owne Triumph of Britaine was set out with such magnificence that the Prouinces brought in golden Crownes of great waight the Gouernours commanded to attend and the very Captâ—ines permitted to be present at the same A Nauall Coronet was fixed vpon apinnacle of his Pallace Arches and Trophees were raysed in Rome and himselfe on his aged knees mounted the staires into the Capitoll supported by his two sonnes in Law so great a ioy conceiued he in himselfe for the Conquest of some small portion of Britaine ENGLANDS GENERALL DESCRIPTION CHAPTER II. THE Saxons glory now neere to expire by his appointment who holdeth both times and Kingdomes in his all ordering hand their owne Swords being the Instruments and the Danes the maules that beat their beautifull Diadem into pieces the Normans a stirring Nation neyther expected nor much feared vnder the leading of William their Duke and encouragement of the Romane Bishop an vsuall promoter here of broken titles made hither sodainly into England who in one onely battell with the title of his sword and slaughter or Herold set the Emperiall Crowne thereof vpon his owne head which no sooner was done but the English went downe and the Normans lording it became Owners of those Cities which themselues neuer built possessed those Vineyards which they neuer planted dranke of those Wells which they neuer had digged and inhabitted those houses filled with riches for which they neuer had laboured for they found it to be as the land whereupon the Lord set his eye euen from the beginning to the end of the yeare not onely drinking water of the raine of heauen but hauing also riuers of waters and fountaines in her valleyes and without all scarsitie whose stones are yron and out of whose mountaines is digged brasse This made them more resolute at first to settle themselues in this fairest and fruitfullest part of the Iland the Conquerour vsing all policie both Martiall and Ciuill to plant his posteritie here for euer How he found the Land gouerned we shewed in the Heptarchy but his restlesse thoughts were not contented with conquering the Nation and their Land vnlesse he also ouercame their very Customes Lawes and Language 2 Touching the distribution of the Kingdome whereas other Kings before him made vse of it chiefly for the good of the people and better ministring of Iustice he made vse of it to know the wealth of his Subiects and to enrich his Coffers for he caused a description to be made of all England how much land euery one of his Barons possessed how many Knights fees how many Plow lands how many in villenage how many head of beasts yea how much money euery man from the greatest to the least did possesse and what rents might be made of entry mans possession the Booke of which inquisition yet in the Exchequer was called Domesday for the generalitie of that Iudgement on all the Land Whereunto we may adde his other distribution of this Land worse then any former when thrusting the English out of their possessions he distributed their inheritances to his Souldiers yet so that all should be held of the King as of the onely true Lord and possessor 3 For the Lawes by which he meant to gouerne he held one excellent rule and purpose which was that a People ought to be ruled by Lawes written and certaine for otherwise new Iudges would still bring new Iudgements and therefore he caused twelue to be chosen out of euery Countie which should on their oath without inclining one way or other neither adding nor detracting open vnto him all their ancient Lawes and Customes By whose relation vnderstanding that three sorts of Lawes formerly were in the Land Merchenlage West Saxonlage Danelage he had preferred these last himselfe and people being anciently deriued from those Northerne people had not all the Barons bewayling to the King how grieuous it was for a Land to be iudged by those Lawes which they vnderstood not altered his resolute purpose yet in bringing in the strange formes of Norman Processe and pleading in the French tongue which continued till Edward the thirds time that grieuance was but slenderly preuented So likewise did he much alter the old Courts of Iustice where these Lawes should be ministred but whereas the ancient Kings of England according to Moses his example sate in person in the seate of Iustice to right the greater affayres of their Subiects as William Laâ—bert sheweth in King Alfred Edgar Canutus c. and proues out of the Kings Oath out of Bracton Britaine Saxon Lawes c. King William not onely continued this but besides erected some other Courts of Iustice as the Exchequer and certaine Courts and Sessions to be held foure times euery yeare appointing both Iudges some to heare causes others to whom appeales should be made but none from them and also Prefects to looke to good orders Those last Polydor calleth Iustices of Peace but their institution seemes to be farre later and no lesse is his errour on the other side in saying the Conquerour first instituted Sheriffes and the tryall by twelue men which were both ancienter 4 And because the Conquerour for honour of Bishops caused them to remoue from small obscure places to Cities of more renowne we haue therefore reserued to this last place that diuision of this Kingdome which is according to Iurisdiction Episcopall Formerly in the yeare of saluation 636 Honorius the fift Archbishop of Canterbury first diuided England into Parishes which at this day are contained vnder their seuerall Dioâ—â—sans and these againe vnder their two Metropolitanes Canterbury and Yorke in manner following CANTERBVRIE Bishoprickes Counties Parishes Canterbury Kent 257. Rochester 98. London Essex 623. Middlesex Hertford-shire part Lincolne Lincoln-shire 1255. Leicester-shire Huntington Bedford-shire Buckingham-shire Hertford-shire part Chichester Hertford-shire 250. Suffex Winchester Hant-shire 362. Surrey Wight Isle Gernesey Isle Iersey Isle Salisbury Wilt-shire 248. Bark-shire Exester 〈◊〉 shire 604. Cornewall Bath and Wells Sommerset-shire 388. Gloucester Gloucester-shire 267. Worcester Worcester-shire 241. Lichfield and Couentry Warwicke-shire 557. Warwicke-shire part Stafford-shire Derby-shire Shrop-shire part Hereford Shrop-shire part 313. Hereford-shire Ely Cambridge-shire 141. Ely Isle Norwich Norfolke 1121. Suffolke Oxford Oxford-shire 195. Peterborow Northamton 293. Rutland-shire Bristow Dorset-shire 236. Glamorgan Landaffe Monmouth-shire 177. Brecknock-shire Radnor-shire S. Dauid Pembroke-shire 308. Caermarden Bangor Caernaruon-shire 107. Anglesey Isle Merioneth-shire Denbigh-shire S. Asaph Denbigh-shire part 121. Flint shire part YORKE Yorke Yorke-shire 581. Nottingham-shire Chester Chesâ—â—re 256. Richmond-shire Cumberland part â—anca-shire Flint part Carlile Cumberland part 93. Westmorland Durham Durham 135. Northumberland Sodor Man Iland 17. Totall Bishoprickes 27. Parishes 9285. 5 To speake nothing of these twentie-eight Flamins the Priests of Idolatry and the
impeach his designes and further at Stanes a Maire-stone once stood for a marke of Iurisdiction that London had so farre vpon Thamesis 7 Which Citie is more ancient then any true record beareth fabuled from Brute Troynouant from Lud Ludstone But by more credible Writers Tacitus Ptolemy and Antonine Londinium by Aminianâ—â— Mercellinus for her successiue prosperitie Augusta the greatest title that can be giuen to any by Britaines Londayn by Strangers Londra and by vs London This Citie doth shew as the Cedars among other trees being the seat of the British Kings the chamber of the English the modell of the Land and the Mart of the world for thither are brought the silke of Asia the spices from Africa the Balmes from Grecia and the riches of both the Indies East and West no Citie standing so long in same nor any for diuine and politicke gouernment may with her be compared Her walls were first set by great Constantine the first Christian Emperour at the suit of his mother Qu Helen reared with rough stone and British Bricke three English miles in compasse thorow which are now made seauen most faire gates besides three other passages for entrance Along the Thamesis this wall at first ranged and with two gates opened the one Doure-gate now Dowgate and the other Billinsgate a receptacle for Ships In the midst of this wall was set a mile-marke as the like was in Rome from whence were measured their stations for carriage or otherwise the same as yet standeth and hath beene long knowne by the name of London Stone Vpon the East of this Citie the Church of S. Peters is thought to be the Cathedrall of Restitus the Christians Bishops See who liued in the raigne of Great Constantine but since S. Pauls in the West part from the Temple of Diana assumed that dignitie whose greatnesse doth exceed any other at this day and spires so high that twice it hath beene consumed by lightning from heauen Besides this Cathedrall God is honoured in one hundred twentie one Churches more in this Citie that is ninetie six within the wals sixteene without but within the Liberties and nine more in her Suburbs and in Fâ—z Stephens time thirteene Conuents of religious Orders It is diuided into 26 Wards gouerned by so many graue Aldermen a Lord Maior and two Sherifs the yearely choice whereof was granted them by Patent from King Iohn in whose time also a Bridge of stone was made ouer Thames vpon nineteene Arches for length breadth beautie and building the like againe not found in the world 8 This London as it were disdaning bondage hath set her selfe on each side far without the walls and hath lefther West-gate in the midst from whence with continuall buildings still affecting greatnesse she hath continued her streets vnto a Kings Palace and ioyned a second Citie to her selfe famous for the Seat and Sepulchre of our Kings and for the Gates of Iustice that termely there are opened onely once a Bishops See whose title died with the man No walls are set about this Citie and those of London are left to shew rather what it was then what it is Whose Citizens as the Lacedemonians did doe impute their strength in their men and not in their wals how strong toeuer Or else for their multitude cannot be circulated but as another Ierusalem is inhabited without walls as Zachary said The wealth of this Citie as Isay once spake of Nilus growes from the Reuenewes and haruest of her South-bounding Thames whose traffique for merchandizing is like that of Tyrus whereof Ezekiel speakes and stands in abundance of Siluer Iron Tinne and Lead c. And from London her channell is nauigable straitned along with medowing borders vntill she taketh her full libertie in the German Seas Vpon this Thamesis the Ships of Tharsis seeme to ride and the Nauy that rightly is termed the Lady of the Sea spreads her saile Whence twice with luckie successe hath beene accomplished the compassing of the vniuersall Globe This Riuer Canutus laying siege against London sought by digging to diuert and before him the Danes had done great harmes in this Citie yet was their State recouered by King Elfred and the Riuer kept her olde course notwithstanding that cost In the times of the Normans some ciuill broiles haue beene attempted in this Citie as in the dayes of King Iohn whereinto his Barons entred and the Tower yeelded vnto Lewis And againe Wat Tyler herein committed outragious cruelties but was worthily struck downe by the Maior and slaine in Smithfield This Cities graduation for Latitude is the degree 51. 45. minutes and in Longitude 20. degrees 39. minutes 9 In this Countie at Barnet vpon Easter-day a bloudy battell was fought betwixt Henry the sixt and Edward the fourth wherein were slaine one Marques one Earle three Lords and with them ten thousand Englishmen ESSEX CHAPTER XV. ESSEX by the Normans exsessa and by the vulgar Essex is a Countie large in compasse very populous and nothing inferiour to the best of the Land 2 The â—orme thereof is somewhat Circular excepting the East part which shooteth her selfe with many Promontories into the Sea and from Horsey Iland to Haidon in the West the broadest part of the Shire are by measure fortie miles and the length from East-Haâ—â— vpon Thamesis in the South to Sâ—urmere vpon the Riuer Stow in the North are thirtie-fiue miles the whole in Circumference one hundred fortie sixe miles 3 It lyeth bounded vpon the North with Suffolke and Cambridge-Shires vpon the West with Hertford and Middlesex vpon the South by Thamesis is parted from Kent and the East-side thereof is altogether washed with the German Sea 4 The ayre is temperate and pleasant onely towards the waters somewhat aguish the soile is rich and fruitfull though in some places sandy and barren yet so that it neuer frustrates the husbandmans hopes or fils not the hands of her haruest-labourers but in some part so fertile that after three yeares glebe of Saffron the Land for 18. more will yeeld plentie of Barley without either dung or other fatning earth 5 Her ancient Inhabitants knowne to the Romanes were by Caesar called the Trinobants of whom in the former Chapter we haue spoken and in our History shall speake more at large But this name perished with the age of the Empire the Saxons presently framed a new and with Hertford and Middlesex made it their East-Saxons Kingdome vntill that Egbert brought this and the whole into an entire and absolute Monarchy the Daues after them laid so sore for this Prouince that at â—eamfleet and Hauenet now Shobery they fortified most strongly and at Barklow besides the hils mounted for their burials the Danewort with her red beryes so plentifully grow that it is held and accounted to spring from the bloud of the Danes which in that place was spilt and the hearb as yet is called from them the Danes-bloud neither yet were they quelled to surcease that quarrell but at Ashdowne
passe ouer and to smoother farre greater exployts of the Britaines which notwithstanding long in these parts they could not doe for the wrongs of the Icenians growing intolerable who by the Romane Souldiers were put out of their rightfull possessions their Princes accounted no better then Slaues and their Queene whipped in most ignominious manner vnder Boduo they wrought their reuenge as in the History Christ assisting shall be further related Next to these Icenians were the Saxons that got their footing into these parts and of them this with Norfolke Cambridge shire and the I le of Ely was made their East-Angles Kingdome though as it seemeth euer in subiection either to the Mercians or to the Kings of Kent whose off-spring ending in S Edmund the Martyr after the Danes had laid it most desolate Edward the Elder subdued it vnto his West-Saxons Monarchy and that likewise ending in King Edward the Confessor many Noble Normans got their possessions in these parts whose off-spring are plenteously replenished in this Shire to this day 5 The commodities of this Shire are many and great whereof the chiefest consisteth in Corne in Cattle Cloth Pasturage Woods Sea-fish and Fowle and as Abbo Floricensis hath depainted this Countie is of a greene and passing fresh hue pleasantly replenished with Orchards Gardens and Grouesâ— thus he described it aboue six hundred yeares since and now we finde as he hath said to which we may adde their gaine from the Paâ—le whose Cheeses are traded not onely thorowout England but into Germany France and Spaine and are highly commended by Pantaleon the Physitian both for colour and taste 6 And had Ipswich the onely eye of this Shire beene as fortunate in her Surname as she is blessed with Commerce and buildings she might 〈◊〉 haue borne the title of a Citie neither ranked in the 〈…〉 and seat doth equall most places of the Land beâ—â—◠〈…〉 about both by a Rampire of earth mounted along her North and West parts and places of entrance where gates haue stood which no doubt by the Danes were cast downe in the yeare of Iesus Christ 991. when they sacked with spoyle all these Sea-coasts and againe in the yeare one thousand laid the streets desolate and the houses on heapes yet afterwards recouering both breath and beautie her buildings from Stâ—ke-Church in the South to Saint Margarets in the North now containe 19â—0 paces and from S Helens in the East to S. Matthewes Church in the West are no lesse then 2120. full of streets plenteously inhabited wherein are twelue Parish-Churches seated besides them suppressed such were Christ-Church S Georges S. Iames the White the Blacke and Gray Fryers The Site of this Towne is remoued from the Equator vnto the degree 52. 25 minutes and by Mercators obseruation from the first West points 22. degrees 9 minutes and is yearely gouerned by two Bailiffes and ten Port-men all wearing Scarlet with twenty-foure of their Common-Councell in purple a Recorder a Towne-Clerke fiue Sergeants whereof one is for the Admiraltie a Beadle and Common Cryer all in blew with the Townes Armes on their Sleeue The other Eye of this shire is S. Edmundâ—bury By Abbo the Royall Towne wherein at the day-breake of the Saxons conuersion Sigebert King of the East-Angles founded a Christian Church and vpon the occasion of King Edmounds buriall who at Hoxon was shot to death hath beene euer since called S Edmunds-bury where was built to his honour one of the fairest Monasteries in the world begun by King Canute much affrighted with the seeming appearance of that Martyrs Ghost who to expiate the Sacrilegious impietie of his Father Suenus enriched the place with many endowments and offred vp his owne Crowne vpon the 〈◊〉 Martyrs Tombe For the beautie and buildings of this Abbey and Towne let Leyland for me declare 〈…〉 finely seated so delicately vpon the easie ascent of an hill 〈…〉 stately Abbey either for reuenewes or incomparable 〈…〉 then a Monastery so many Gates for entrance and some of them brasse so many Towers and a most glorious Church vpon which attend three others standing all in the same Church-yard all of them passing fine and of a curious workmanship Whose ruines lie in the dust lamenting their fall mouing the beholders to pietie their case Neere vnto this Towne a great Battle was fought by Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester against his Soueraigne King Henry the second but was worthily ouercome by Richard Lucy the Kings high Iustice himselfe and wife taken with many Flemings and Englishmen slaine 7 Other places worthy of remembrance this Countie affords such is Exâ—ing in the West formerly famous for the birth of S. Andrey daughter to King Anna one of the three names of the Shires diuision Rendlâ—sham in the East where Redwald the first Christian in this Kingdome held his Court and Hadley in her South where Guthrum the Dane whom Elfred baptized was buried And things of stranger note are the limits of the East-Angles Territories running along New-market heath vulgarly called the Diuels-ditch the like fable is formally told by Nubrigensis that at Wulpet in the heart of this Shire two greene boyes of Satyres kinde arose out of the ground from the Antipodes beleeue it if you will and Ralfe Coggeshall in the Monuments of Câ—lâ—hester declareth that a Fish in all parts like a man was taken neere Orford and for sixe moneths was kept in the Castle whence after he escaped againe to the Sea As strange but most true was a crop of Pease that without tillage or sowing grew in the Rockes betwixt this Orford and Aldebrough in the yeare 1555 when by vnseasonable weather a great dearth was in the Land there in August were gathered aboue one hundred Quarters and in blossoming remained as many more where neuer grasse grew or earth euer seene but hard solide Rockes three yards deepe vnder their rootes 8 Places separated from common vse and deuoted to God and his seruice by religious Princes were at S. Edmunds Ipswich Ikleworth Blithborow Clare Iaeston Burgh Castle wherein Sigebert King of the East-Angles entered the profession of a Monke but was thence forced by his people to fight against the Mercians in which Battle he was slaine And Dunwich where Foelix founded his Episcopall See These with many others in this Countie were suppressed in the fall of the Monasteries and their Reuenewes assumed by King Henry the Eight NORTHFOLKE CHAPTER XVII NORTHFOLKE is an Iland inclining to an ouall forme closed on the South part with the Riuers of Waueney and the lâ—sser Ouse which diuides it from Suffolke On the East and North with the Germane Ocean on the West toward Cambridge-shire with some branches of the greater Ouse toward Lincolne-shire with that part of the neue which passeth from Wisbitch into the Washes It containeth in length from Yarmouth to Wisbitch about fiftie miles In breadth from Thetford to Wels about thirtie The whole Circuit is about two hundred fortie two miles The Name ariseth from the
situation of the people who being the Norther-most of the Kingdome of East-Angles are therefore called the Northfolke as the Souther-most of the Southfolke The Ayre is sharpe and piercing especially in the Champion and neere the Seaâ— therefore it delaieth the Spring and Haruest the situation of the Country inclining thereto as being vnder the 53. degree of Latitude The Soâ—e diuers about the Townes commonly good as Clay Chalke or saâ— earth well watered and with some wood vpward to the Heaths naked dry and barren Marsland and Flegg exceeding rich but Marsland properly for Pastere Flegg for Corne. 2 The parts from Thetford to Buruham and thence Westward as also along the Coast be counted Champion the rest as better furnished with woods Woodland The Champion aboundeth with Corne Sheepe and Conies and here in the barren Heaths as the prouidence of our Ancestors hath of old disposed them are very profitable For on them principally lie our Fould courses called of the Saxons whose institution they therefore seeme to be Paldyoeun that is Libertie of fold or fouldage These Heaths by the Compasture of the sheepe which we call Tath are made so rich with Corne that when they fall to be sowne they commonly match the fruitfullest grounds in other Countries and laid againe doe long after yeeld a sweeter and more plentifull feed for sheepe so that each of them maintaine other and are the chiefest wealth of our Country The Woodland fitter for grasse is maintained chiefly by feeding of Cattell yet well stored with Corne and Sheepe The Coast is fortunate in Fish and hath many good Harbours whereof Lenn and Yarmouth be the mother-ports and of great traffique Wels and Blakeney next in estimation The whole Countie aboundeth with Riuers and pleasant Springs of which the Ouse is chiefest by whose plentifull branches the Isle of Fly the Townes and Shires of Cambridge Humington and the Countie of Suffolke vent and receiue Commodities The next is Hierus or Yere passing from Norwich to Yarmouth where it receiueth the Bure comming from Aylsham both of them of great seruice for water-carriages but very notable for their plenty of 〈◊〉 for some one man out of an hold vpon the Bure hath drawne vp ordinarily once a yeare betweene two Nets about fiue or six score busness of Fish at one draught The Waueney and the lesser Ouse are also Nauigable and of great vse The residue I omit 3 I he people were anciently called ICENI as they also of Suffolke Cambridge-shire and Huntington-shire and supposed to be of them whom Caesar nameth Cenimagni Ptolemie Simeni some Tâ—gens Their manners were likely to be as the rest of the Britaines barbarous at those times as appeareth by Caesar and Tacitus Neither can I otherwise commend their Successors the Saxons for so also their owne Countryman Ethelwerd termeth them Since the entry of the Normans they haue beene accounted ciuill and ingenious apt to good Letters adorning Religion with more Churches and Monasteries then any Shire of England and the Lawes and Seats of Iustice for many ages with some excellent men from whom most of our chiefe Families and some of the greatest Nobility of the Kingdome haue taken aduancement And herein is Northfolke fortunate that as Crete boasted of an hundred Cities so may she of an hundred Families of Gentlemen neuer yet attainted of high Treason How the gouernment of this Country was about Caesars time is vncertaine but agreeable no doubt to the rest of the Britaines vnder some peculiar Toparch or Regulus as Tacitus termeth him The latter Romans held it by two Garrisons one at Gariannum neere Yarmouth the other at Branedunum now called Brancastre both of horse and commanded by the Comes Maritims Tractus as Marcellinus calleth him termed after Comes Littoris Saexonici Vpon the entry of the Saxons this Countie with Suffolke fell in the portion of the Angles and about the yeare fiue hundred sixtie one were together erected into a Kingdome by Vffa of whom the succeeding Kings were tituled Vffines But hauing suffred many Tempests of Fortune it was in the yeare 870. vtterly wasted and extinct by Hungar and Hubba the Danes who ouerthrew the vertuous King Edmund about Thetford and after martyred him at S. Edmundsbury Yet they did not long enioy it for King Edward shortly recouered it from them and annexed it to his other Kingdomes The Danes notwithstanding inhabited abundantly in these parts so that many of our Townes were founded by them and a great part of our people and Gentry are risen out of their bloud 4 This Kingdome of East-Angles was after allotted to an Earledome of that name by William the Conquerour who made Radulph a Britaine marying his kinswoman Earle thereof but gaue the greatest parts of this Countie about Wimondham Keninghall Lenn Buruham Fulmerstone c. to W. de Albany Pincernae and W de Warranna Forrestario who to strengthen themselues according to the vse of that time with the homage and seruice of many tenants diuided large portions of the same amongst their friends and followers so that most of the Manours and Lands in the parts aforesaid were in those dayes either mediately or immediately holden of one of them And as Northfolke and Suffolke were first vnited in a Kingdome then in an Earledome so they continued vnited in the Sheriffe-wicke till about the fifteenth yeare of Queene Elizabeth 5 The Townes here are commonly well built and populous three of them being of that worth and qualitie as no one Shire of England hath the like Norwich Lenn and Yarmouth to which for ancient reputation as hauing beene a seat of the Kings of East-Angles I may adde Thetford knowne to Antonius Ptolemie and elder ages by the name of Sitemagus when the other three were yet in their infancie and of no esteeme for I accept not the Relations of the Antiquitie and State of Norwich in the time of the Britaine and Saxons though Alexander Neuil hath well graced them Her very name abridgeth her Antiquitie as hauing no other in Histories but Norwich which is meere Saxon or Danish and signifieth the North-Towne or Castle It seemeth to haue risen out of the decay of her neighbour Vinta now called Castor and as M. Cambden noteth not to haue beene of marâ—â— before the entry of the Danes who in the yeare 1004. vnder Sweno their Captaine first sackt and then burnt it euen in her infancie Yet in the dayes of Edward the Confessor it recouered 1320. Burgesset But maintaining the cause of Earle Radulph aforesaid against the Conquerour they were by famine and sword wasted to 560 at which time the Earle escaping by ship his wife vpon composition yeelded the Castle and followed 〈◊〉 William Rusuâ— time it was growne famous for Merchandise and concourse of people so that Herbert then translating the Bishopricke from Thetford thither made each of them an ornament to other In varietie of times it felt much varietie of Fortune By fire in Anno 1508. By extreame plagues whereof
pleasantly seated hauing the Ouse running thorow the Towne in the middest and a faire Stone-bridge built ouer the same whereon are two Gates to locke and impeach the passage as occasion shall serue At the first entrance standeth S. Leonards Hospitall for Lazars and further inwards S. Iohns and S. Maries Churches within the Towne S. Pauls a most beautifull Church S. Cuthberis and S. Peters without the Towne standeth the Fryers S. Loyes Alhallowes and Caudwell Abbey not farre whence sometimes stood a Chappell vpon the Banke of Ouse wherein as Florilegus affirmeth the body of Offa the great Mercian King was interred but by the ouer-swelling of that Riuer was borne downe and swallowed vp whose Tombe of Lead as it were some phantasticall thing appeared often to them that seeke it not but to them that seeke it saith Rosse it is inuisible This Towne is gouerned yearely by a Mator two Bailiffes two Chamberlaines a Recorder a towne-Clerke and three Sergeants with Mases 8 A tale of vaine credit is reported of Dunstable that it was built to bridle the outragiousnesse of a theefe named Dun by King Henry the first but certaine it is the place was formerly held by the Romanes whose Legions there lay as appeareth by the Coines there vsually found which from Magmium are corruptly called Madning-money 9 Castles in this Shire are Woodhill Eaton Temsford and Amphill an honour now appertaining to the Crowne And places of Religion built by deuout persons but for Idolatrous Abuses againe abolished were at Bedford Harwood Helenflow Newenham Chicksand Wardon Woborne and Dunstable All these with their like felt the hand of Henry the Eight to lie so heauie vpon them that they were not able to sustaine the waight but were crushed to peices and fell to the ground 10 The Graduation of this Countie taken for the Shire-Towne is placed from the Equator in the degree of 52. and 30. minutes for Latitude and is remoued from the first West point of Longitude 20. degrees and 16. minutes BVCKINGHAM-SHIRE CHAPTER XXI BVCKINGHAM for the plentie of Beech-trees there growing and those in the elder times of the Saxons called Eucken may well be supposed from them to haue the name as afterwards the whole Shire had hers from this Towne Buckingham 2 In forme it somewhat resembleth a Lyon Rampant whose head or North-point toucheth the Counties of Northampton and Bedford whose backe or East-part is backed by Bedford and Hertford-shires his loines or South-borders rest vpon Bark shire and his breast the West side is butted vpon wholly by Oxford-shire The length thereof from Waisbury in the South to Bradfeild in her North are thirtie nine miles the breadth at the broadest from Ashridge in the East to 〈◊〉 wood Forrest in the West are eighteene the whole in Circumference one hundred thirtie 〈◊〉 miles 3 The ayre is passing good temperate and pleasant yeelding the body health and the minde content The soile is rich fat and fruitfull giuing abundance of Corne Grasse and Meate It is chiefly diuided into two parts by the Chiltren billes which run thorow this Shire in the middest and before timâ— where so postered with Beâ—â—h that they were altogether vnpassable and became a receptacle and refuge for theeues who daily endammaged the way-faring man for which cause 〈◊〉 Abbot of S. Aâ—baâ—s caused them to be cut downe since when those parts are paâ—â—able without any great incumbrances of trees from whose tops a large and most pleasing prospect is 〈◊〉 The Vale beneath is plaine and champion a clayie soile stiffe and tough but withall marueilous 〈◊〉 full naked of woods but abounding in medowes pastures and tillage and maintaining an infinite number of sheepe whose soft and fine fleeces are in great esteeme with the Turkes as farre as Asia 4 The ancient Inhabitants that were seated in this Shire were the Catlieuchlani mentioned by Ptolemie and them dispersed thorow the Tract of Bedford Hertford and this These yeelded themselues with the first to Caesar vnder the Romanes subiection whose ouer-worne Empire ending in Britaine the Saxons by strong hand attained this Prouince and made it a part of their Mercian Kingdome yet was it first subdued vnto them by Cherdike the West-Saxon whose memory is in part continued in the Towne Chersey vpon the West of this Countie where in a sharpe and bloudy battle he was Victor ouer the Britaines So also Cuthwulfe a West-Saxon at Alesbury in the yeare of Grace 592. ouer came the Britaines and bare downe all things before him yet no sooner was their Hepâ—archie wained and their Monarchie able to stand alone but that the Danes before their strength and growth was confirmed waxed vpon them and they not able in so weake a hand to hold fast that weight of greatnesse they had so grasped gaue place to their conquerours who did many harmes in this Prouince for in the yeare 914. the Danes furiously raged as farre as Brenwood where they destroyed the City Burgh the ancient seat of the Romanes afterwards a royall house of King Edward the Confessor which they vtterly destroyed 5 The Shire-Towne Buckingham fruitfully seated vpon the Riuer Ouse was fortified with a Rampire and Sconses on both bankes by King Edward the elder saith Marianus the Scotish Writer where in the heart of the Towne hath stood a strong Castle mounted vpon a high hill which long since was brought to the period of her estate now nothing remaining besides the signes that there she had stood The Riuer circulates this Towne on euery side that onely on the North excepted ouer which three faire stone-bridges lead and into which the springs of a Well run called S. Rumalds a child-saint borne at Kings-Sutton canonized and in the Church of this Towne enshrined with many conceited miracles and cures such was the happe of those times to produce Saints of all ages and sexes This Towne is gouerned by a Bayliffe and twelue principall Burgesses and is in the degree remoued from the first point of the West for Longitude 19. 33. scruples and the North-pole elenated in Latitude for the degree of 52. 18. scruples 6 A Towne of ancient note is Stony-Stratford the Romans Lactorodum being built vpon that ancient Causey-way which is called Watling-street where remaine the markes thereof euen vnto this day At this place Edward the elder stopped the passage of the Danes whiles he strengthened Torcester against them and herein King Edward the eldest since the Conquest reared a beautifull Crosse in memory of Eleanor his dead Queene as he did in euery place where her Corps rested from Herdby in Lincolne-shire till it was receiued and buried at Westminster 7 Places intended for Gods true worship built by deuout persons and sequestred from worldly imployments were at Launden Luffeld Bidlesden Bradwell Nothey Ankerne Missenden Tekeford Partrendune Ashridge and Alesburie Ashridge in great repute for the bloud supposed out of Christs sides brought out of Germany by Henry the eldest sonne of Richard King of the Romanes and Earle
This City was first won from the Britaine 's by Cheulin the first King of the West-Saxons about the yeare of Christ 570. and afterwards vnder the Mercians it flourished with great honour where Ofâ—â—k King of Northumberland by the sufferance of Ethelred of Mercia founded a most stately Monastery of Nunnes whereof Kineburgh Eadburgh and Eue Queenes of the Mercians were Prioresses successiuely each after other 7 Edelsted a most renowned Lady sister to King Edward the elder in this Citie built a faire Church wherein her selfe was interred which being ouerthrowne by the Danes was afterwards rebuilt and made the Cathedrall of that See dedicated vnto the honour of S. Peter In this Church the vnfortunate Prince King Edward the second vnder a Monument of Alablaster doth lye who being murdered at Barkley Castle by the crueltie of French Isabel his wife was there intombed And not farre from him another Prince as vnfortunate namely Robert Curthole the eldest sonne of William the Conquerour lyeth in a painted woodden Tombe in the middest of the Quire whose eyes were pluckt out in Cardiffe Castle wherein he was kept prisoner twenty six yeares with all contumelious indignities vntill through extreame anguish he ended his life And before any of these in this Citie say our British Historians the body of Lucius our first Christian King was interred and before his dayes the Britaines Aruiragus The graduation of this County I obserue from this Citie whence the Pole is eleuated in the degree of Latitude 52 and 14. minutes and in Longitude from the West 18. and 5. minutes 8 The other Citie is Pristow faâ—re but not very ancient built vpon the Riuers Auon and Froome for trade of Merchandize a second London and for beautie and account next vnto Yorke This Citie standeth partly in this Countie and partly in Sommerset shire but being a Countie of it selfe will acknowledge subiection to neither 9 A Citie more ancient hath beene Ciâ—cester by Ptolomie called Corinium by Antonine Duroâ—â—â—noâ—ium by Giraldus Passerum Viâ—em The Sparrowes Citie vpon a flying report that Guâ—mund a Tyrant from Africks besieging this Citie tyed fire vnto the wings of Sparrowes who lighting in the Towne vpon light matter set flame vpon all The circuit of whose walâ— extended two miles about wherein the Consular Port or wayes of the Romans met and crossed each other This Citie was wonne from the Britaine 's by Cheulin first King of the West-Saxons afterwards it was possessed by the Mercians and lastly by the Danes vnder Gurmund the former no doubt mistaken for him wherein a rable of them kept the space of a yeare Anno 879. and neuer since inhabited according to the circuit of her walles 10 Places of memorable note are these the Iland Alâ—ey neere vnto Glocester wherein Edmund Iron-side the English and Canutus the Dane after many battles and bloud fought in single Combat hand to hand alone vntill they compounded for the Kingdomes partition Barkley Castle where King Edward the second was thorow his fundament runne into his bowels with a red burning Spit Tewkesbury the fatall period of King Henry the sixt his gouernment and the wound of the Lancastrian Cause for in a Battle there fought in Anno 1471. Prince Edward the onely Sonne of King Henry had his braines dashed out in a most shamefull manner the Queene his mother taken prisoner and most of their fauorites slaine and beheaded And at Alderley a little Towne standing eight miles from the Seuerne vpon the hilles to this day are found Cockles Periwincles and Oysters of solid stone which whether they haue beene Shel-fish and liuing creatures or else the sports of Nature in her workes let the Naturall Philosophers dispute of and judge 11 The places of pietie set apart from other worldly Seruices and dedicated to religious vses by the deuotions of Princes erected in this Shire were Tewkesbury Deorhust Glocester Minching Barkley Kinswood Circester Winchcombe and Hales which last was built with great cost by Richard Earle of Cornwall King of the Romans wherein himselfe and his Dutchesse were interred Their son Earle Edmund brought out of Germany the bloud of Hales supposed and said to be part of that which Christ shed vpon his Crosse In this place with great confluence and deuotions of Pilgrimage it was sought to and worshipped till time proued it a meere counterfeit when the glorious light of the Gospell reuealed to eye-sight such grosse Idolatâ—ies and the skirts of Superstition were turned vp to the shew of her owne shame 12 Dukes and Earles that haue borne the title of Glocester the first of euery Family art by their Armes and Names expressed euer fatall to her Dukes though the greatest in bloud and birth The first was Thomas Woodstocke sonne to King Edward the third who in Caâ—â—is was smoothered in a Feather-bed to death The second was Humfrey brother to King Henry the fift by the fraudulent practise of the malignant Cardinall and Queene made away at S. Edmundsbury And the last was Richard brother to King Edward the fourth who by the iust hand of God was cut off in Battle by King Henry the seauenth HEREFORD-SHIRE CHAPTER XXIIII HEREFORD-SHIRE formerly accounted within the limits of Wales lyeth circulated vpon the North with Worcester and Shrop-shire vpon the East with Maluerne Hils is parted from Glocester-shire vpon the South is kept in with Monmouth-shire and vpon the West in part with the Hatterall Hilles is diuided from Brecknok and the rest confined with Radnorshire 2 This Counties Climate is most healthfull and temperate and Soyle so fertile for Corne and Cattle that no place in England yeeldeth more or better conditioned sweet Riuers running as veynes in the body doe make the Corne bearing grounds in some of her parts rightly to be tearmed the Gilden Vale and for Waters Wooll and Wheate doth contend with Nilus Colchos and Egypt such are Lemster Irchenfeild the bankes of Wye Luge and Frome 3 The ancient people knowne to the Romanes whose power they well felt before they could subdue them were the Silures placed by Ptolemie in this tract and branched further into Radnor Brecknok Monmouth and Glamorgan-shires at this day by vs called South-Wales and by the Welsh Debeubarth Their Originall as Tacitus coniectureth by their site coloured countenances and curled haire was out of Spaine and as both he and Plinie describes them were fierce valiant and impatient of seruitude which well they shewed vnder Caraâ—â—cus their Captaine and nine yeares scourge to the Roman assaulters for whose onely Conquest and that made by treachery the Victor in Rome triumphed with more then a vsuall Aspect and with so equall an hand bare the Scoale of Resistance that their owne Writers euermore terme it a dangerous Warre For the Legion of Marius Valens they put to flight and that with such hauock of the Associates that Osterius the Lieutenant of Britaine for very griefe gaue vp his ghost and Veranius vnder Nero assaulted them in vaine But when Vespasian was
chiefe Citie Worcester 5 Which is most pleasantly seated passing well frequented and very richly inhabited This was the Branouium mentioned by Antouine and Ptolemie called by the Britaines Caer-Wrangon by Ninius Caer-Cuorcon and by the Latines Vigornia This Citie is seated vpon the East banke of Seuerne and from the same is walled in triangle-wise about extending in circuit one thousand sixe hundred and fiftie paces thorow which seauen Gates enter with fiue other Watch Towers for defence It is thought the Romanes built this to restraine the Bertaines that held 〈◊〉 beyond Seutrâ—e This Citie by Hardy Canute in the yeare of Christ 1041. was sorely endangered and set on fire and the Citizens slaine almost euery one for that they had killed his Collector of the Danish Tribute yet it was presently repaired and peopled with many Burgesses and for fifteene Hides discharged it selfe to the Conquerour as in his Doomesdayes is to be seene But in the yeare 1113. a sodaine fire happened no man knew how which burnt the Castle and Cathedrall Church Likewise in the ciuill hroyles of King Stephen it was twice lighted into a flame and the later laid it hopelesse of recouery Notwithstanding from those dead Ashes a new Phenix arose and her building raised in a more stately proportion especially the Cathedrall dedicated to S. Mary first laid by Bishop Sexwolfe in Anno 680 since when it hath beene augmented almost to the Riuer In the midst of whose Quire from his many turmoiles resteth the body of King Iohn the great with-stander of the Popes proceedings vnder a Monument of white Marble in Princely Vestures with his portraiture thereon according to life And in the South-side of the same Quire lyeth intombed Prince Arthur the eldest Sonne to King Henry the seauenth his Monument is all blacke Iette without remembrance of him by Picture This City is gouerned by two Bailiffes two Aldermen two Chamberlaines and two Constables yearely elected out of twentie-foure Burgesses clothed in Scarlet assisted with fortie-eight other Citizens whom they call their Common Counsellors clad in Purple a Recorder Towne-Clerke and fiue Sergeants with Mace their Attendants Whos 's Geographichall Position is distant in Longitude from the West-Meridian 18. degrees 10. scruples hauing the North-Pole cleuated in Latitude 52. degrees and 32. scruples 6 Places of further note for memorable antiquitie is Vpton of great account in the Romane time wheresome of their Legions kept as witnesse their Monies there often found the admirable Ditch vpon Maluerne hils drawne by Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester to diuide his Lands from the Church of Worcester the Saxons our Augustines Oke where he the English Apostle met with the British Bishops for the vniforme celebration of Easter from whence both parts departed with discontented minds after many hot word and thwarting disputes 7 Neither is it without admiration to me that many places of this Shire lye farre within the Precincts of other Prouinces as Aulston Washbornes Cuttesden Paxford Hanging Easton Northwickâ— Blockley Burlode in Glocester-shire and Goldcote Aldermerston Newbold Treddenton Armiscote Blackwell Darlings-cote Shiâ—â—â— Tydâ—â—ton Olbarrow in Warwick-shire Dudley in Stafford-shire and Rochford in Hereford-shire whither I must referre the Reader to finde out these and the like in these Westerne Tracts 8 Religious places erected in this Shire and deuoted vnto God by deuout persons were Bredon Brodlege Euesholme Alnecester Cochell Fladbury Maluerin Pershore Stodlege Westwoods and Worcester plenteously prouided for and further secured by many priuiledges both which they abused as were the inditements of all such in the dayes of King Henry the eight at whose Barre himselfe being Iudge they were found guiltie and receiued sentence of their ends and destruction 9 Castles for defence built in this County ruinate or in strength were Hartlebury Holt Handley Norton Elmeley and Worcester besides his Majesties Mannour of Tichnell VVARWICKE-SHIRE CHAPTER XXVI VVARVVICKE-SHIRE so called from her Shire-Towne is bounded vpon the North with the Countie of Stafford vpon the East with Watling-street-way is parted from Leicester shire and the rest bordered vpon by Northampton shire the South part is butted by Oxford and Glocester shires and all her West with the Countie of Worcester 2 The forme thereof is not much vnlike to a Scallop shell growing from her Westerne head and spreading her body wider with many indents The length thereof from Newton in the North to Lâ—ug Compton in the South are miles thirtie and three and the broadest part of this Shire is from Hâ—well grange in the West vnto Hill morton in the East distant asunder twentie fiue miles the whole in Circumference about one hundred thirtie and fiue miles 3 This Shire is sited neere vnto the heart of all England and therefore participates with her in the best both for ayre and soyle wanting nothing for profit or pleasure for man The South part from Auon that runneth thorow the midst of this Countie is called the Feldon as more champion and tractable to be stirred for Corne which yearely yeeldeth such plentifull haruest that the husbandman smâ—â—th in beholding his paines and the medowing pastures with their greene mantles so imbrodred with flowers that from Edg-hill we may behold another Eden as Lot did the Plaine of Iordon before that Sodome fell The Woodland lyeth vpon the North of Auon so called in regard of the plentie of Woods which now are much thinner by the making of Iron and the soile more churlish to yeeld to the Plough 4 The ancient people that possessed this Prouince are by Ptolemies description called the Cornaâ—â—ij wherein after were seated the Mercian-Saxons a part of whose Kingdome it was and greatly sought after by the West-Saxons whose King Cuthred about the yeare of Christ Iesus 749 in Battle slew Ethelbald at Seckington neere vnto Taâ—worth And not farre from thence King Edward the 4. as vnfortunately sought against that stout make-King Richard Neuil Earle of Warwicke neere vnto which vpon Blacklow-hill Pierce Gaueston that proud and new-raised Earle of Cornwall was beheaded by Guy Earle of Warwicke assisted with the Earles of Lancaster and Hereford And surely by the testimony of Iohn Rosse and others this County hath beene better replenished with people who maketh complaint of whole Towneships depopulations altogether laid waste by a puissant Armie of feeding sheepe 5 Notwithstanding many faire Townes it hath and some of them matchable to the most of England The chiefe thereof is Couentree a Citie both stately for building and walled for defence whose Citizens hauing highly offended their first Lord Leofricke had their priuiledges infringed and themselues oppressed with many hauie Tributes whose wife Lady Godina pitying their estates vnceslantly sued for their peace and that with such importunacie as hardly could be said whether was greater his hatred or her loue at last ouercome with her continuall intercessions he granted her suir vpon an vnciuill and as he thought an vnacceptable condition which was that she should ride naked thorow the face of the
giue the name to this Prouince seeing the earth doth staine the wooll of her sheepe into a reddish colour Neither is it strange that the staine of the soyle giues names vnto places and that very many for haue we not in Chesse-shire the Red Rocke in Lancashire the Red Banke and in Wales Rutland Castle To speake nothing of that famous Red Sea which shooteth into the Land betwixt Egypt and Arabia which gaue backe her waters for the Israelites to passe on foote all of them named from the colour of the Soile 3 The longest part of this Shire is from Caldecot in the South vpon the Riuer Ey 〈◊〉 to Thistleton a small Village seated in the North not fully twelue miles and from Timwell East-ward to Wissenden in the West her broadest extant is hardly nine the whole circumference about fortie miles 4 The ayre is good both for health and delight subiect to neither extremity of heat nor cold nor is greatly troubled with foggy mists The Soile is rich and for Corne and tillage giues place vnto none Woods there are plentie and many of them imparked hills feeding heards of Neate and flockes of sheepe Vallies besprinkled with many sweet Springs Graine in abundance and Pastures not wanting in a word all things ministred to the content of life with a liberall heart and open hand Onely this is obiected that the Circuit is not great 5 The draught whereof that I may acknowledge my dutie and his right I receiued at the hands of the right Honourable Iohn Lord Harrington Baron of Exton done by himselfe in his yonger yeares Neere vnto his house Burley standeth Okham a faire Market-Towne which Lordship the said Baron enioyeth with a Royaltie somewhat extraordinary which is this If any Noble by birth come within the precinct of the same Lordship he shall forfeit as an homage a shooe from the horse whereon he rideth vnlesse he redeeme it at a price with money In witnesse whereof there are many Horse-shooes nayled vpon the Shire-Hall doore some of large size and ancient fashion others new and of our present Nobilitie whose names are thereupon stamped as followeth Henry Hastings Roger Rutland Edward L. Russell Earle of Bedford Raphe L. Euwer of Parram Henry L. Bertley Henry L. Mordant William L. Compton Edward L. Dudley Henry L. Winsor George Earle of Cumberland Philip Earle of Montgomery L. Willoughby P. L. Wharton The Lord Shandois Besides many others without names That such homage was his due the said Lord himselfe told me and at that instant a suit depended in Law against the Eirle of Lincolne who refused to forfeit the penaltie or to pay his sine 6 Her ancient Inhabitants knowne to the Romones and mentioned in Ptolemit were the Coritanâ— and by him branched thorow Leicester Lincolne Nottingham Darby-shire and this who with the Icemans were subdued by P. Ostorius vnder the yoke of Claudius the Roman Emperour and at their departure by conquest the Saxons made it a Prounce vnto their Mercian Kingdome whose fortunes likewise comming to a full period the Normans annexed it vnder their Crowne 7 This Countie King Edward Confessor bequeathed by his Testament vnto Queene Eadgith his wife and after her decease vnto his Monastery at Westminster which William the Conquerour cancelled and made voyd bestowing the Lands vpon others the Tithes and the Church vnto those Monkes That the Ferrers here first seated besides the credit of Writers the Horse-shooe whose badge then it was doth witnesse where in the Castle and now the Shire-hall right ouer the Seat of the Iudge a Horse-shooe of iron curiously wrought containing fiue foot and a halfe in length and the bredth thereto proportionably is fixed The Castle hath beene strong but now is decayed the Church faire and the Towne spacious whose degree of Longitude is 19. 46. scruples and the North poles eleuation in Latitude 53. degrees and 7. minutes 8 Let it not seeme offen siue that I to fill vp this little Shire haue inserted the seate of a Towne not sited in this County for besides the conueniency of place the circuit and beautie but especially it being for a time an Vniuersitie did moue much yea and the first in this Iland if Iohn Hardings Author faile him not that will haue Bladud to bring from Athens certaine Philosophers whom here he seated and made publike profession of the Liberall Sciences where as he saith a great number of Scholars studied the Arts and so continued an Vniuersitie vnto the comming of Augustine at which time the Bishop of Rome interdicted it for certaine Heresies sprung vp among the Britaines and Saxons But most true it is that in the Raigne of King Edward the third vpon debate falling betwixt the Southerne and Northerne Students at Oxford many Schoole-men withdrew themselues hither and a while professed and named a Colledge according to one in Oxford Brasen-nose which retaineth that name vnto this day This was so great a skarre vnto the other that when they were recalled by Proclamation to Oxford it was prouided by Oath that no Student in Oxford should publikely professeor reade the Arts at Stanford to the preiudice of Oxford 9 As this Shire is the least in circuit so is it with the fewest Market-Townes replenished hauing onely two And from Societies that seed vpon the labours of others was this Land the freest for besides Rihall where Tibba the Fâ—lconers Goddesse was worshipped for a Saint when Superstition had well-neere put Gods true honour out of place I finde very few neither with more Castles strengthened then that at Okham whose ruines shew that a Castle hath beene there LEICESTER-SHIRE CHAPTER XXX LEICESTER-SHIRE lying bordered vpon the North with Nottingham-shire vpon the East with Lincolne and Rutland vpon the South with Northampton shire and vpon the West with Watling-street-way is parted from Warwick-shire the rest being bounded with the consines of Darby is a Country Champion abounding in corne but spary of woods especially in the South and East parts which are supplyed with pit-coales plenteously gotten in the North of this Prouince and with abundance of Cattle bred in the hilles beyond the Riuer Wreak which is nothing so well inhabited as the rest 2 The Ayre is gentle milde and temperate and giueth appetite both to labour and rest wholesome it is and draweth mans life to a long age and that much without sicknesse at Carleton onely some defect of pronunciation appeareth in their speech 3 The soile thus consisting the commodities are raised accordingly of Corne Cattle and Coales and in the Rockes neere Beuer are sometimes found the Astroites the Starre-like precious Stone 4 The ancient people that inhabited this Countie were the Coritani who were spread further into other Shires but after that the Romans had left the Land to it selfe this with many more fell to be vnder the possession and gouernment of the Mercians and their Kings from whom the English enioyeth it at this day 5 In Circular-wise almost the compasse of this
Shire is drawne indifferently spacious but not very thicke of Inclosures being from East to West in the broadest part not fully 30. miles and from North to South but 24. the whole circumference about 196. miles whose principall Citie is set as the Center almost in the midst from whom the Pole is eleuated 53. degrees and 4 minutes in Latitude and for Longitude 19. degrees 22. minutes 6 From this Towne the Shire hath the name though the name of her selfe is diuersly written as Legecestria Legora Legeo-cester by Ninius Caer-Lerion by Mathew of Westminister if we doe not mistake him Wirall and now lastly Leicester ancient enough if King Leir was her builder eight hundred fortie and foure yeares before the birth of our Sauiour wherein he placed a Flamine to serue in the Temple of Ianus by himselfe there erected and where he was buried if Ieffery ap Arthur say true but now certaine it is that Ethelred the Mercian Monarch made it an Episcopall See in the yeare of Christ Iesus 680. wherein Sexwulph of his election became the first Bishop which shortly after was thence translated and therewith the beautie of the Towne began to decay vpon whose desolations that erectifying Lady Edelsted cast her eyes of compassion and both reedified the buildings and compassed it about with a strong wall where in short time the Cities trade so increased that Matthew Paris in his lesser Story reporteth as followeth Lege-cester saith he is a right wealthy Citie and notably defended and had the wall a sure foundation were inferiour to no Citie whatsoeuer But this pride of prosperitie long lasted not vnder the Normans for it was sore oppressed with a world of calamities when Robert Bossu the Crouch-backe Earle of that Prouince rebelled against his Soueraigne Lord King Henry the second whereof heare the same Author Paris speake Through the obstinate stubbornesse of Earle Robert saith he the noble Citie Leicester was besieged and throwne downe by King Henry and the wall that seemed indissoluble was vtterly raced euen to the ground The peeces of whose fragments so fallen downe remained in his dayes like to hard rockes through the strength of the Morter cementing whole lumpes together and at the Kings command the Citie was set on fire and burnt the Castle raced and a heauit imposition laid vpon the Citizens who with great summes of money bought their owne Banishments but were so vsed in their departure that for extreame feare many of them tooke Sanctuary both at S. Edmunds and S. Albanes In repentance of these mischiefes the Author thereof Earle Robert built the Monastery of S. Mary de Praetis wherein himselfe became a Canon regular and for fifteene yeares continuance in sad laments serued God in continuall prayers With the like deuotion Henry the first Duke of Lancaster built an Hospitall for an hundred and ten poore people with a Collegiate Church a Deane twelue Canons Prebendaries as many Vicars sufficiently prouided for with reuenewes wherein himselfe lyeth buryed and it was the greatest ornament of that Citie vntil the hand of King Henry the 8. lay ouer-heaiue vpon all the like foundations and laid their aspired tops at his owne feete The fortunes of another Crouch-backe King Richard the Vâ—â—â—per were no lesse remarkable in this Citie then the former Robert was both of them in like degree of dishonourable course of life though of disterent issue at their deaths the one dying penitent and of deuout esteeme the other leauing the stench of Tyranny to all following ages who from this Citie setting forth in one day with great pompe and in Battle aray to keepe the Crowne sure vpon his owne Helmet in a sore 〈◊〉 field yeelded both it and his life vnto the head and hands of Henry of Richmond his Conquerour and the next day was brought backe like a Hogge naked and 〈◊〉 and with contempt without teares 〈◊〉 buried in the Gâ—â—y-Fryers of this Citie whose suppression hath suppressed the plot place of his graue and onely the stone-chest wherein he was laid a drinking trough now for horses in a common Inâ—e retaineth the memory of that great Monarchs Funerall and so did a stone in the Church and Chappell of S. Maries inclose the corpse of the proud and pontificall Cardinall Wolsey who had prepared for himselfe as was said a farre more richer Monument 7 Otherplaces worthy of remembrance in this Shire were these In the West where a high Crosse was erected in former times stood the faire Citie Cleycester the Romans BENONNES where their Legions lay and where their two principall wayes crossed each other as the Inhabitants report Loughborrow in the North-verge was as Marianus affirmeth taken from the Britaine 's by Cuthwolfe their King about the yeare of Christ 572. At Redmore neere Bosworth Westward in this Countie the Kingdome of England lay in hazard of one Battle when King Richards Field was fought where the Land at once was freed from a Tyrant and a wicked Vsurper Neither may we passe Lutterworth as the least in account where the famous Iohn Wickliffe Englands Morning-starre dispersed the clouds of all Papisticall darknesse by preaching the Gospell in that his charge and stile of his pen so piercing in power that the man of Sinne euer since hath beene better knowne to the world 8 Religious houses by Princes erected and by them deuoted to God and his seruice the chiefest in this Shire were at Leicester Grace-Dieu Kerby Bellers and at Burton a Spittle for Lazers a disease then newly approched in this Land for the erection whereof a common contribution was gathered thorow the Realme the Patients in this place were not so much deformed in skin as the other were in the defects for the soule whose skirts being turned vp to the sight of the world their sâ—â—mes were discouered and those houses dissolued that had long maintained such Idolatrous sinnes LINCOLN-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXI THe County of Lincolne by the Normans called Nicolshire is consined on the North with Humber on the East with the German Ocean vpon the South is parted from Cambridge and Northampton-shire by the Riuer Nyne and on the West from Nottingham and York-shires by Dun and Trent 2 The length of this Prouince extended from Barton vpon Humber in the North vnto Stanford vpon the Riuer Nyne in the South are miles by our English measure fiftie fiue and the bredth thereof from Newton in the West stretched vnto Wintbory vpon her East Sea containeth thirtie fiue The whole in circumference about one hundred and eightie miles 3 The Ayre vpon the East and South part is both thicke and foggy by reason of the Fennes and vnsolute grounds but therewithall very moderate and pleasing Her graduation being remoued from the Aequator to the degree of 53. and the windes that are sent of her still working Seas doe disperse those vapours from all power of hurt 4 The forme of this County doth somewhat resemble the body of a Lute whose East coasts lye bowe-like into the German
Market-place doth compare with the best Many strange Vaults hewed out of the Rockes in this Towne are seene and those vnder the Castle of an especiall note one for the story of Christs Passion engrauen in the Walls and cut by the hand of Dauid the second King of Scots whilst he was therein detained prisoner Another wherein Lord Mortimer was surprised in the non-age of King Edward the Third euer since beating the name of Mortimers Hole these haue their staires and seuerall roomes made artifically euen out of the Rockes as also in that hill are dwelling houses with winding staires windowes chimneys and roome aboue roome wrought all out of the solide Rocke The Castle is strong and was kept by the Danes against Burthred Ethelred and Elfred the Mercian and West-Saxon Kings who together laid their siege against it and for the further strength of the Towne King Edward surnamed the Elder walled it about whereof some part as yet remaines from the Castle to the West-gate and thence the foundation may be perceiued to the North where in the midst of the way ranging with this banke stands a gate of Stone and the same tract passing along the North part may well be perceiued the rest to the Riuer and thence to the Castle are built vpon and thereby buried from sight whose circuit as I tooke it extendeth two thousand one hundred and twentie pases 7 In the Warres betwixt Stephen and Maud the Empresse by Robert Earle of Glocester these Wells were east downe when also the Towne it selfe suffered the calamitie of fire but recouered to her former estate hath since increased in beautie and wealth and at this day is gouerned by a Maior and sixe Aldermen clad in Scarlet two Sheriffes two Chamberlaines a Towne-clerke and sixe Sergeants with Maces their Attenders whose position hath the Pole eleuated fiftie three degrees 25. minutes in Latitude and hath the Meridian nine degrees and 25. minutes This Towne hath beene honoured by these Princes titles and these Princes dignified with the Earledome of Nottingham whose seuerall Armes and Names are in the great Map expressed Religious houses that haue beene erected and now suppressed in the compasse of this Countie chiefly were Newsted Lenton Shelford Southwell Thurgarton Blith Welbeck and Radford in Nottingham the White and Gray Fryers besides a little Chappell dedicated to Saint Iohn All which shew the deuotions of those former times which their remembrance may moue if not condemne vs that haue more knowledge but farre lesse pietie DARBY-SHIRE CHAPTER XXXIII DARBY-SHIRE lyeth inclosed vpon her North parts with Yorke-shire vpon the East with Nottingham-shire vpon the South with Leicester-shire and vpon the West is parted with the Riuers Doue and Goyt from Stafford and Chesse-shires 2 It is in forme somewhat triangle though not of any equall distance growing from her narrow South-point still wider and in the North is at the broadest for from Stretton neere the head of Mese to New-Chapell seated neere the head of Derwent the two extreames from North to South are thirtie eight miles but from the Shire-Oakes vnto the meeting of Mersey and Goyt the broadest part of all this Shire is not fully twentie nine the whole in circumference extendeth to an hundred and thirtie miles 3 The ayre is good and very healthfull the sile is rich especially in her South and East parts but in the North and West is hilly with a blacke and mossie ground both of them fast handed to the Ploughers paines though very liberall in her other gifts whose natures thus dissenting the Riuer Derwent doth diuide asunder that taketh course thorow the heart or midst of this Countie The ancient people that possessed these parts in the times of the Romans assaults were the Coritani whom Ptolemie disperseth thorow Northampton-shire Leicester Rutland Lincolne Nottingham and this Shire who were all of them subdued by P. Ostorius Scapula Lieutenant in this Prouince for Claudius the Emperour But Romes Empire failing in Britaine by the intestine Warres among themselues the Saxons a more sauage and fearefull Nation soone brought it vnder their subiection and made this a Prouince vnto their Mercians Kingdome whom the West-Saxons first wanne and againe lost to the Normans 5 It is stored with many Commodities and them of much worth for besides Woods and Cattle Sheepe and Corne euery where ouer-spreading the face of this Countie the Mill-stone Crystall and Allablasâ—er the Mines of Pit-coale Iron and Lead are of great price whereof the last is mentioned in Flinie who writeth that in Britaine in the very crust of the ground without any deepe digging is gotten so great store of Lead that there is a Law expresly made of purpose forbidding men to make more then to a certaine stint Whose stones are plenteously gotten in those Mountaines and melted into Sowes to no small profit of the Countrey There is found also in certaine veines of the earth Subium which the Apothecarits call Antimonium and the Alâ—thmists hold in great esteeme 6 Places for commerce or memorable note the first is Darby the Shire-Towne called by the Danes Deâ—aby seated vpon the West banke of Derwent where also a small Brooke rising Westward runneth thorow the Towne vnder nine Bridges before it meets with her farre greater Riuer Derwent which presently it doth after she hath passed Tenant Bridge in the South-East of the Towne But a Bridge of more beautie built all of Free-stone is passed ouer Derwent in the North-East of the Towne whereon standeth a faire stone Chapell and both of them bearing the names of S. Maries fiue other Churches are in this Towne the chiefest whereof is called Aâ—hallowes whose Steeple or Bell-Tower being both beautifull and high was built onely at the charges of young men and maids as is witnessed by the inscription cut in the same vpon euery square of the Steeple Among the miserable desolations of the Danes this Towne bare a part but by Lady Ethelfleda was againe repaired and is at this day inâ—orporated with the yearely gournment of two Bailiffes elect out of twentie-foure brethren besides as many Burgesses of Common Counsell a Recorder Towne-Clerke and two Sergeants with Mace whose Graduation is obserued from the Equator to be 53. degrees 25. scruples and from the first point in the West 19. degrees 2. scruples 7 Little-Chester by the Romish Mony there daily found seemeth to haue beene ancient and that a Colonie of the Roman Souldiers there lay Yet of farre greater fame was Repandunum now Repton where Ethelbald the ninth King of the Mercians and fifteenth Monarch of the Englishmen slaine at Seggeswald by the treason of his Subiects was interred and whence Burthred the last King of that people was expulsed with his Queene Ethelswith by the rage of the Danes after twentie two yeares raigne But with a more pleasing eye we may behold Melborne the memoriall of Englishmens great valour where in that Castle was kept Prisoner Iohn Duke of Burbon taken captiue in the Battle of Agincourt
certaine vault or little Chappell vnder the ground wherein he was supposed to haue beene buried might beget much wonder and admiration but that L. Zius confirmeth that in ancient times they had a custome to preserue light in Sepulchres by an artificiall resoluing of gold into a liquid and farry substance which should continue bruning a long time and for many ages together THE BISHOPRICKE OF DURHAM CHAPTER XXXIX THe Bishopricke of Durham containeth those parts and Towne-ships that 〈…〉 the Reuer Tees and Derwent and all along the German-Sea 〈…〉 on the North witâ— Northumberland and their Iurisdictions parted by the 〈…〉 touched by Cumberland Westmorland and from 〈…〉 Riuer Tees and by the same water on her South from Yorke-shire 〈…〉 By the German-Sea 2 The forme thereof is triangle 〈…〉 for from her South 〈◊〉 vnto the West-point are about thirtie miles from thence to the North-east and 〈…〉 are likewise as many and her base along the Sea-shore are twentie 〈…〉 Circumference about one hundred and three miles 3 The ayre is sharpe and very piercing and would be more 〈◊〉 not that the 〈◊〉 from the German-Seas did helpe much to dissolue 〈◊〉 and snow and the store of coales therein growing and gotten doe warme the body and keepe backe the cold which 〈…〉 besides their owne vse doth yeeld great commodities vnto this Prouince by trade thereof 〈◊〉 other parts 4 For Soile it consisteth much alike of Pastures 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 grounds the East is the richest and most champion the South more moorish but 〈…〉 without either grasse or graine notwithstanding 〈…〉 with as great gaine both in rearing vp Cattle and 〈…〉 groweth so neere to the vpper 〈…〉 wheeles doe turne vp the same Some hold their substance to be a clammie kinde of clay hardned with heat abounding in the earth and so becomming concocted is nothing else but Bitumen for proofe whereof these Coales haue both the like smell and operation of Bitumen for being sprinkled with water they burne more vehemently but with oyle are quite extinguished and put out 5 The ancient Inhabitants knowne vnto Ptolemie were the Brigantes of whom we haue spoken in the Generall of Yorkeshire they being subdued by the romans after whom the Saxons made it a part of their Northumberlands Kingdom at first a Prouince belonging to the Deirians and enioyed by Ella their first King afterwards inuaded by the Danes and lastly possessed by the Normans whose site being so neere vnto Scotland hath many times felt their fury and hath beene as a Buckler betwixt them and the English for which cause the Inhabitants haue certaine freedomes and are not charged with seruice as other Counties are so that this with Westmorland Cumberland and Northumberland are not diuided into hundreds in those Parliament Rolles whence I had the rest which want I must leaue for others to supply 6 Ouer this Countie the Bishops thereof haue had the Royalties of Princes and the Inhabitants haue pleaded priuiledge not to passe in seruice of warre ouer the Riuer of Tees or Tyne whose charge as they haue alledged was to keepe and defend the corps of S Cuthbert their great adored Saint and therefore they termed themselues The holy-werk-folkes And the repute of this Cuthbert and his supposed defence against the Scots was such that our English Kings in great deuotion haue gone in pilgrimage to visit his Tombe and haue giuen many large possessions to his Church such were King Egfred Aelfred and Guthrun the Dane Edward and Athelstan Monarch of England and zealous Cannte the greatest of all who came thither bare-footed and at Cuthberts Tombe both augmented and confirmed their Liberties This Saint then of nothing made Durham become great and William the Conquerour of a Bishopricke made it a County Palatine at that time William Careleph Bishop of the Diocesse pulled downe the old Church which Aldwin had built and with sumptuous cost laid the foundations of a new wherein S. Cuthberts Shrine in the vacancy of the Bishops was the Keeper of the Castle-keyes In the West of this Church and place called Gallile the Marble Tombe of venerable Beda remaineth who was borne at Iaerro in this Countie and became a Monke at Weremouth whose painefull industâ—es and light of learning in those times of darknesse are wonderfull as the volumes which he wrote doe well declare And had the idle Monkes of England imployed their times after his example their Founders expectations had not beene frustrate nor those foundations so easily ouerturned But the reuenge of sinne euer following the actions of sinnes dissolued first the largenesse of this Counties liberties vnder the raigne of King Edward the First and since hath shaken to peices those places herein erected vnder the raigne of King Henry the eight such were Durham Sherborne Stayndrâ—p Iarro â—eremouth and Egleton all which felt the reward of their idlenesse and wrath of him that is jealous of his owne honour 7 Things of rare note obserued in this Shire are three pits of a wonderfull depth commonly called the Hell-Kettles which are adioyning neere vnto Darlington whose waters are some what warme These are thought to come of an Earth-quake which happened in the yeare of Grace 1179. whereof the Chrenicle of Tin-mouth maketh mention whose record is this On Christmas day at Oxeâ—hall in the Territorie of Darlington within the Bishopricke of Durham the ground heaued vp aloft like vnto an high Tower 〈…〉 all that day as it were vnmoueable vntill the euening 〈◊〉 then fell with so horrible a noise that it made all the neighbour dwellers sore afraid and the earth swallowed it vp and made in the same place a deepe pit which is there to be seene for a testimonie vnto this day 8 Of no lesse admiration are certaine stones lying within the Riuer Weere at Butterbre neere Durham from whose sides at the Ebbe and low water in the Summer issueth a certaine salt reddish water which with the Sunne waxeth white and growing into a thicke substance becommeth a necessary salâ— to the vse of the by-dwellers 9 And places of elder times had in aâ—rount by the Romans were Benonium now Binchester and Câ—ndereum Chester in the street where their monies haue beene digged vp and at Codercuâ—â— so much that Egelrik Bishop of Durham was therewith made exceeding rich VVESTMORLAND CHAPTER XL. VVESTMORLAND by some late Latine Writers is câ—lled Westmaria and Westmorlandia by some later Westmoria and in our English Tongue Westmorland It came to be thus named in our language by the situation which in euery part is so plenteously full of Moores and high hils teaching one to another that Westmorland with vs is nothing else but a Westerne moorish Country Hauing on the West and North-side Cumberland on the South-part Lanca-shire on the East-side Yorkeshire and the Bishopricke of Durham 2 The length thereof extended from Burton in her South to Kirkland in her North-part is 30. miles the broadest part from East to West is from the Riuer Eden to Dunbal
solitary combred with hilles as Copland is 3 The ayre is piercing and of a sharpe temperature and would be more biting were it not that those high hilles breake off the Northerne stormes and cold falling snowes 4 Notwithstanding rich is this Prouince and with great varieties thereof is replenished the hilles though rough yet smile vpon their beholders spread with sheepe and cattle the vallies stored with grasse and corne sufficient the Sea affordeth great store of fish the land ouer-spread with varietie of fowles and the Riuers feed a kinde of Muskle that bringeth forth Pearle where in the mouth of the Irt as they lie gaping and sucking in dew the Country people gather and sell to the Lapidaries to their owne little and the buyers great gaine But the Mines Royall of Copper whereof this Country yeeldeth much is for vse the richest of all the place is at Keswick and Newland where likewise the Blacke Lead is gotten whose plentie maketh it of no great esteeme otherwise a commoditie that could hardly be missed 5 The ancient Inhabitants knowne to the Romans were the Brigantes whom Ptolemie disperseth into Westmorland Richmond Durham York-shire and Lanca-shire But when the Saxons had ouer borne the Britaines and forced them out of the best to seeke their resting among the vast Mountaines these by them were entred into where they held play with those enemies maugre their force and from them as Mariama doth witnesse the Land was called Cumber of those Kumbri the Britaines But when the State of the Saxons was fore shaken by the Danes this Cumberland was accounted a Kingdome it selfe for so the Flower-gatherer of Westminster recordeth King Edmund saith he with the helpe of Leoline Prince of South-Wales wasted all Cumberland and hauing put out the eyes of the two sonnes of Dunmail King of that Prouince granted that Kingdome vnto Molcolm King of Scots whereof their eldest sonnes became Prefects This Prouince King Stephen to purchase fauour with the Scots what time he stood in most need of ayd confirmed by gift vnder their Crowne which Henry the second notwithstanding made claime vnto and got as Newbrigensis writeth and laid it againe in the Marches of England since when many bickerings betwixt these Nations herein haue hapned but none so sore against the Scotish side as was that at Sallome-Mosse where their Nobilitie disdaining their Generall Oliuer Sinclere gaue ouer the Battle and yeelded themselues to the English which dishonour pierâ—ed so deeply into the heart of King Iames the fift that for griefe thereof he shortly after died 6 Many memorable Antiquities remaine and haue beene found in this County for it being the Confines of the Romans Possessions was continually secured by their Garrisons where remaine aâ— this day parts of that admirable wall built by Seuerâ—s also another Fortification from Wâ—rkinton to Elus Mouth vpon the Sea-shoare toward Ireland by Stilico raised when vnder Theodosius he suppressed the rage of the Picts and Irish and freed the Seas of the Saxons Pirats Vpon Hard-knot hill Moresby Old Carleil Pap-castle along the Wall and in many other places their ruines remaine with altars and Inscriptions of their Captaines and Colonies whereof many haue beene found and more as yet lie hid 7 The chiefest Citie in this Shire is Carlile pleasantly seated betwixt the Riuers Eden Petterell and Caud by the Romans called Luguvallum by Beda Luell by Ptolemy Leucopibia by Nuâ—tuâ— Caer-Luâ—lid and by vs Carlile This Citie flourishing vnder the Romans at their departure by the furious outrages of the Scots and Picts was deiected yet in the dayes of Egfrid King of Northumberland was walled about but againe defaced by the ouer-running Danes lay buried in her owne ashes the space of two hundred yeares vpon whose ruines at length Rufus set his compassionate eye and built there the Castle planting a Colony of Flemings to secure the Coasts from the Scots but vpon better aduisement remoued them into Wales After him Henry his brother and successour ordained this Citie for an Episcopall See whose site is placed in the degree of Longitude from the first West part 17. and 2. scruples and the Pole thence eleuated from the degree of Latitude 55. and 56. scruples 8 West from hence at Burgh vpon the sand was the fatall end of our famous Monarch King Edward the first who there leauing his warres vnfinished against Scotland left his troubles and soone missed life to his vntimely and soone lamented death 9 And at Salkelds vpon the Riuer Eden a Monument of seuentie seuen stones each of them ten foot high aboue ground and one of them at the entrance fifteene as a Trophie of Victory was erected These are by the By-dwellers called Long Megge and her daughters NORTHVMBERLAND CHAPTER XLII THe County of Northumberland hath on the South the Bishopricke of Durham being shut in with the Riuer Derwent and with Tyne the North is confined vpon Scotland the West vpon part of Scotland and part of Cumberland the East-side lyeth altogether vpon the Sea called Mare-Germanicum 2 The forme thereof is Triangle and differs not much in the sidings for from her South-East vnto the South-West-point are neere vnto 40. miles from thence to 〈◊〉 North-point are sixty miles and her base along the Sea-shoare 45. miles The whole in circumâ—â—â—â— is about one hundred fortie fiue miles 3 The Ayre must needs be subtile and piercing for that the Northernly parts are most exposed to extremitie of weathers as great winds hard frosts and long lying of snowes c. Yet would it be farre more sharper then it is were not the Germane Seas a ready meanes to further the dissolution of her Ice and Snow and the plentie of Coales there gotten a great helpe to comfort the body with warmth and defend the bitter coldnesse 4 The Soile cannot be rich hauing neither fertilitie of ground for Corne or Cattle the most part of it being rough and in euery place hard to be manured saue onely towards the Sea and the Riuer Tyne where by the great diligence and industrious paines of good husbandry that part is become very fruitfull 5 The ancient Inhabitants of this Country mentioned by Ptolemie were called OTTALINI OTTADENI and OTTADINI which by an easie alteration as M. Cambden saith if it had â—ene called OTTATINI signifying about the Riuer Tyne or on the further side of Tyne 〈…〉 this people were planted there would haue beene much consonance both with the name of the Inhabitants and the Position and Site of the Prouince 6 The chiefest commoditie that enricheth this Countie are those Stones Linthancraces which we call Sea-coales whereof there is such plentie and abundance digged vp as they doe not onely returne a great gaine to the Inhabitants but procure also much pleasure and profit to others 7 No place of this Prouince vents forth so many of these Sea-coales into other regions as Newcastle doth being the very eye of all the Townes in this County for it doth not onely minister reliefe
is fourescore and two miles 3 The ayre is so cold and sharpe being bordering vpon the 〈◊〉 parts and for her shelter hauing but a wall of water They haue few woods onely they light sometimes vpon so subterranean trees buried vnder the ground by digging vp the earth for a â—lammie kinde of 〈◊〉 which they vse for fuell 4 The soile is reasonable fruitfull both for Cattle Fish and Corne yet it rather commendeth the paines of the people then the goodnesse of the ground for by the industry of the Inhabitants it â—eeldeth sufficiency of euery thing for it selfe and sendeth good store into other Countries It hath fields by good manuring plenteous of Barley and Wheat but especially 〈…〉 and from hence it comes that the people eate most of all Oaten-bread It beares abundance of 〈◊〉 and Flaxe and is full of mightie flockes of sheepe and other Cattell yet are they smaller in body then we haue in England and are much like to the Cattle in Ireland that are neighbouring vpon it 5 This commoditie makes this Iland more happie then we are here for the people are there free from vnnecessary commencements of Suites from long and dilatory Pleas and from friuolous feeing of Lawyers No Iudge or Clerks of the Court take there any penny for drawing Instruments or making of Processes All Controuersies are there determined by certaine Iudges without writings or other charges and them they call Deemsters and chuse forth among themselues If any complaint be made to the Magistrate for wrongs eyther done or suffred he presently taketh vp a stone and fixeth his marke vpon it and so deliuereth it vnto the partie plaintiffe by vertue of which he both cals his aduersary to appearance and to produce his witnesses If the case fall out to be more litigious and of greater consequence then can easily be ended it is then referred to twelue men whom they terme The Keyes of the Iland Another happinesse enricheth this Iland namely the securitie and gouernment thereof as being defended from neighbour enemies by Souldiers that are prest and ready for on the South-side of the I le stands Bala-Curi the Bishops chiefe place of residence and the Pyle and a Block-house standing in a little Iland where there is a coÌ„tinuall Garrison of Souldiers And it is so well managed for matter of rule and ciuill discipline that tuery man there possesseth his owne in peace and safetie No man liues in dread or danger of losing what he hath Men are not there inclined to robbing or theeuing or licentious liuing 6 The Inhabitants of this Iland are for the most part religious and louing to their Pastors to whom they doe much reuerence and respect frequenting daily to diuine Seruice without diuision in the Church or innouation in the Common-weale The wealthier sort and such as hold the fairest possessions doe imitate the people of Lanca-shire both in their honest carriage and good house-keeping Howbeit the common sort of people both in their language and manners come nighest vnto the Irish although they somewhat rellish and fauour of the qualities of the Norwegians 7 Things not worthy to be buryed in the graue of obliuion are that this Iland in the midst thereof riseth vp with hils standing very thicke amongst which the highest is called Sceafull from whence vpon a cleare and faire day a man may easily see three Kingdomes at once that is Scotland England and Ireland This I le prohibits the customary manner ofbegging from doore to doore detesting the disorders as well Ciuill as Ecclesiasticall of neighbour Nations And last not least that deserues to be committed to memory is that the women of this Country wheresoeuer they goe out of their doores gird themselues about with the winding-sheete that they purpose to be buried in to shew themselues mindfull of their mortalitie and such of them as are at any time condemned to dye are sowed within a sacke and flung from a rocke into the Sea 8 The whole Isle is diuided into two parts South and North whereof the one resembleth the Scotish in speech the other the Irish It is defended by two Castles and hath seauenteene Parishes fiue Market-Townes and many Villages A Chronicle of the Kings of MAN CHAPTER XLIIII IT is here very pertinent to the purpose to insert a small History of this Iland that the atchieuements heretofore had may not be vtterly buryed although they are waxen very old and almost torne from remembrance by the teeth of Time It is confessed by all that the Britaine 's held this Iland as they did all Britaine But when the Nations from the North ouerflowed those South parts like violent tempests it became subiect to the Scots Afterwards the Norwegians who did most hurt from the Northerne Sea by their manifold robberies made this Iland and the Hebrides to be their baunt and erected Lords and petry Kings in the same as is expressed in this Chronicle written as is reported by the Monkes of the Abbey of Russin A Chronicle of the Kings of MAN ANno Dom. 1065. Edward of blessed memory King of England departed this life and Harald the Sonne of Godwyn succeeded him in the Kingdome against whom Harald Harfager King of Norway came into the field and fought a Battle at Stainford-bridge but the English obtaining the victory put them all to flight Out of which chase Godred surnamed Crovan the sonne of Harald the blacke of Iseland came vnto Godred the sonne of Syrric who Raigned then in Man and honourably receiued him 2 The same yeare William the Bastard Conquered England and Godred the son of Syrric died his sonne Fingal succeeding him 3 An. 1066. Godred Crovan assembled a great Fleet and came to Man and sought with the people of the Land but receiued the worst and was ouercome The second time renewing his Forces and his Fleet he failed into Man and ioyned Battle with the Manksmen but was vanquished as before and driuen out of the field Howbeit what he could not at first bring to passe with power in those two seuerall onsers he afterward effected by policie For the third time gathering a great multitude together he arriued by night in the hauen called Raâ—sey and hid three hundred men in a Wood which stood vpon the hanging hollow brow of an hill called Sceafull The Sunne being risen the Manksmen put their people in order of Battle and with a violent charge encountred with Godred The fight was hot for a time and stood in a doubtfull suspence till those three hundred men starting out of the Ambush behinde their backes began to foile the Manksmen put them to the worst and forced them to flie Who seeing themselues thus discomfited and finding no place of refuge left them to escape with pitifull lamentation submitted themselues vnto Godred and besought him not to put to the sword such poore remainder of them as was left aliue Godred hauing compassion on their calamities for he had beene nursed for a time and brought vp among
them sounded a retreat and prohibited his Host any longer perfuie He being thus possessed of the I le of Man dyed in the Iland that is called Ile when he had raigned sixteene yeares He left behinde him three sonnes Lagman Harald and Olaue 4 Lagman the eldest taking vpon him the Kingdome raigned seauen yeares His brother Harald rebelled against him a great while but at length was taken prisoner by Lagman who caused his members of generation to be cut off and his eyes to be put out of his head which crueltie this Lagman afterwards repenting gaue ouer the Kingdome of his owne accord and wearing the badge of the Lords Crosse tooke a iourney to Ierusalem in which he dyed 5 An 1075. all the Lords and Nobles of the Iland◠hearing of the death of Lagman dispatched Ambassadours to Murecard O-brien King of Ireland and requested that he would send some worthy and industrious man of the Bloud Royall to be their King till Olaue the sonne of Godred came to full age The King yeelding to their request sent one Dopnald the sonne of Tade and charged him to gouerne the Kingdome which by right belonged to another with lenitie and gentlenesse But after be was come to the Crowne forgetting or not weighing the charge that his Lord and Master had giuen him swayed his place with great tyranny committing many outrages and cruelties and so raigned three yeares till all the Princes of the Ilands agreeing together rose vp against him and made him flie into Ireland 6 An. Dom. 1111. Olaue the sonne of Godred Crouan aforesaid began his raigne and raigned fortie yeares a peaceable Prince He tooke to wife Affrica the daughter of Fergus of Gal-way of whom he begat Godred By his Concubines he had Raignald Lagman and Harald besides many daughters whereof one was married to Summerled Prince of Herergaidel who caused the ruine of the Kings of the Ilands On her he begat foure sonnes Dulgal Raignald Engus and Olaue 7 An. Dom. 1144 Godred the sonne of Olaue was created King of Man and raigned thiritie yeares In the third yeare of his raigne the people of Dublin sent for him and made him their King Which Mure-card King of Ireland maligning raised warre and sent Osibeley his halfe brother by the mothers side with 3000. men at Armes to Dublin who by Godred and the Dublinians was slaine and the rest all put to flight These atchieuements made Godred returned to Man and began to vse tyranny turning the Noblemen out of their inheritances Whereupon one called Thorfin vtters sonne being mightier then the rest came to Summerled and made Dulgal Summerleds sonne King of the Ilands whereof Godred hauing intelligence prepared a Nauie of 80. Shippes to meet Summerled And in the yeare 1156. there was a Battle fought at Sea on Twelfth day at night and many slaine on both sides But the next day they grew to a pacification and diuided the Kingdome of the Ilands among themselues This was the cause of the ouerthrow of the Kingdome of the Iles. 8 Ann 1158. Summerled came to Man with a fleet of fiftie three saile put Godred to flight and wasted the Iland Godred vpon this crossed ouer to Norway for ayde against Summerled But Summerled in the meane time arriuing at Rhinfrin and hauing gathered together fleet of 160 ships couerting to subdue all Scotland by the rust iudgement of God was vanquished by a few and both himselfe and his sonne slaine with an infinite number of people 9 The fourth day after Raignald began to raigne but Godred comming vpon him out of Norway with a great multitude of Armed men tooke his brother Raignald and be rest him both of his eyes and genitall members On the fourth Ides of Nouember An. Dom. 1187. Godred King of the Ilands dyed and his body was translated to the I le of Ely He left behinde him three sonnes Raignald Olaue and Yuar He ordained in his life time that Olaue should succeed him because he onely was borne legitimate But the people of Man seeing him to be scarce ten yeares old sent for Raignald and made him their King I his caused great diuision and many turbulent attempts betweene the two Brethren for the space of thirtie eight yeares which had no end till at a place called Tnigualla there was a battle strucke betweene them wherein Olaue had the victory and Raignald was slaine The Monkes of Russin translated his body vnto the Abbey of S. Mary de Fournes and there interred it in a place which himselfe had chosen for that purpose 10 An. 1230. Olaue and Godred Don who was Raignalds sonne with the Norwegians came to Man and diuided the Kingdome among themselues Olaue held Man and Godred being gone vnto the Ilands was slaine in the I le Lodhus So Olaue obtained the Kingdome of the Isses He dyed the twelfth Calends of Lune Anno 1237. in Saint Patrickes Iland and was buryed in the Abbey of Russin 11 Harrold his sonne succeeded him being foureteene yeares of age and raigned 12 yeares In the yeare 1239. he went vnto the King of Norway who after two yeares confirmed vnto him his heyres and successours vnder his Seale all the Ilands which his predecessours had possessed 12 An. 1242. Harrold returned out of Norway and being by the Inhabitants honourably receiued had peace with the Kings of England and of Scotland The same yeare he was sent for by the King of Norway and married his daughter In the yeare 1249. as he returned homeward with his wife he was drowned in a tempest neere vnto the coasts of Radland 13 An Dom. 1249. Raignald the sonne of Olaue and brother to Harrold began his raigne and on the thirtieth day there of was slaine by one Yuar a Knight in a meadow neere vnto the holy Trinitie Church and lyeth buryed in the Church of S. Mary of Russin 14 In the yeare 1252. Magnus the sonne of Olaue came to Man and was made King The next yeare following he went to the King of Norway and stayed there a yeare 15 In the yeare 1265. Magnus Olaues sonne King of Man and of the Ilands departed this life at the Castle of Russin and was buryed in the Church of S. Mary of Russin 16 In the yeare 1266. the Kingdome of the Ilands was translated by reason of Alexander King of Scots who had gotten into his hands the Westerne Ilands and brought the I le of Man vnder his dominion as one of that number HOLY ILAND CHAPTER XLV THis Iland is called Lindisfarne by the Riuer Lied that is opposite vnto it on the Coast of Northumberland Beda termeth it a Deiny Iland The Britaine name it 〈…〉 for that it twice euery day suffreth an extraordinary inundation and ouer-flowing of the Ocean in manner of an Iland which twice likewise makes it continent to the Land and returning vnto her watrie habitation layes the Shoare bare againe as before It is called in English Holy-Iland for that in ancient times many Monkes haue beene accustomed to
addict themselues to trauell into forraine Countries 4 Yet in the meane while lest I should seeme too difectiue in my intendments let me without offence in this third though short Booke giue onely a generall view of that Kingdome vpon obseruations from others which to accomplish by mine owne suruey if others should hap to faile and my crazy-aged-body will giue leaue is my chiefe desire knowing the Iland furnished with many worthy remembrances appertaining both vnto them and vs whom God now hath set vnder one Crowne and the rather for that their more Southerne people are from the same Originall with vs the English being both alike the Saxon branches as also that the Picts anciently inhabiting part of that Kingdome were the inborne Britaines and such as thither fled to auoid the Romane seruitude whose names began first to be distinguished vnder Dioclesian the Emperour when they were termed Picts for painting their bodies like the Britaines as such Flauius Vigetius which is more strengthened for that the Northerne Britaines conuerted by Saint Columb are called Britaine Picts 6 Their manner were alike saith Diodorus Siculus and Strabo and their garments not much different as by Sidonius Apollinaris may be gathered where he seemeth rather to describe the moderne Wild-Irish then the antike Gete Notwithstanding this Nations Originall by some hath beene deriued from Scota the supposed Daughter of the Egyptian King Pharoah that nourished Moses afterwards married vnto Gaithelus the son of Cecrops Founder of Athens who first seating in Spaine passed thence into Ireland and lastly into Scotland where his Wife Scota gaue Name to the Nation if we beleeue that they hit the marke who shoot at the Moone 7 But that the Scythians came into Spaine besides the Promontory bearing their Name Scythiâ—um Silius Italicus a Spanyard borne doth shew who bringeth the Concani a Nation therein seated from the Massagetae which were the Scythians and the Sarmatae whom all confesse to haue bin Scythians were the builders as he saith of the Citie Susanna in Spaine And how from Spaine they possessed themselues of Ireland at the time when the Kingdome of Iulah flourished Ninius the Disciple of Eluodugus doth tell and their owne Histories of Nemethus and Delas besides Cisnerus and others doe shew who were first knowne by the name of Scots as is gathered out of Prophyry alledged by S. Ierome in the raigne of Aurelianus the Emperour Gildas calleth them the Irish-Spoilers Giraldus A Scotish Nation descended from Ireland which in regard of them by Eginbardus is termed The I le of Scots by Beda The I le inhabited by the Scots and by other Historians Scotland the great as their seate in Britaine was called Scotland the lesse 9 Scotlands South part in Galloway washed with the warer of Solway Bay toucheth degree 56. of Latitude and thence inbosoming many Loughes and In-lets vpon the East and West extendeth it selfe vnto the degree 60 and 30 minutes whose Longitude is likewise laid betwixt the degree 13 and 19 and the same growne very narrow being so neere the North-Pole as lying directly vnder the hindermost Starres of the Greater Beare 11 And these againe are subdiuided into Sherifdomes Stewardships and â—â—â—wickes for the most part inheritory vnto honourable Families The Ecclesiasticall Gouernment is also subiect vnder two Metropolitan Arch-bishops which are of S. Andrewes the Primate of Scotland and of Glasco whose Iurisdictions are as followeth S. Andrewes Dunkeld Aberdon Murray Dunblan Brechin Rosse Cathanes Orkeney Glasco Galloway Argile Iles. Amongst the things worthy of note of Antiquitie in this Kingdome most memorable was that Fortification drawne from Abercorne vpon the Frith of Edenborough vnto Aleluya how Dunbritton opening vpon the West Sea where Iulius Agricola set the limit of the Romane Empire past which saith Tacitus there was no other bounds of Britaine to be sought for and that here the second Legion Augusta and the 20. Legion Victrix built a part of the Wall certaine Inscriptions there digged vp and reserued at Dunloyr and Cader doe witnesse as also an ancient coped monument of an high and round compasse which as some thinke was a Temple consecrated vnto the God Terâ—â—â— others a Trophey raised by Carausius who fortified this Wall with seauen Castles as Ninius doth declare 13 Ninian a Britaine is recorded to haue conuerted the South-Ficts vnto the Faith of Christ in the raigne of Theodosius the younger and the Church in Galloway bearing his name doth witnes it so likewise in the same age Palladius sent from Pope Coelestine became an Apostle vnto the Scots whose reliques lay enshrined at Fordoâ— in Mernis as was verily supposed but that Christianitie had beene formerly planted in this vttermost Prouince is testified by Tertuilian in saying the Britaines had embraced the faith farther then the Romans had power to follow or persecute them whereupon Peter Monke of 〈◊〉 Spaine concludeth their conuersion to be more ancient then the Southerne Britaines 14 But touching things obseruable for the present surely admirable is the report of the plenty of Cattle Fish and Fowle there abiding their Neat but little yet many in number Fish so plentifull that men in some places for delight on horse-backe hunt Salmons with Speares and a certaine Fowle which some call Soland-Geese spreading so thicke in the ayre that they euen darken the Suns light of whose flesh feathers and oyle the Inhabitants in some parts make great vse and gaine yea and euen of fishes brought by them abundant prouision for diet as also of the stickes brought to make their nests plentifull prouision for fuell 16 No lesse strange then any the fore-mentioned waters but more lamentable is the remembrance of the great inâ—ndation happing by the sodaine rising of Tay. which bare away the Walles and Towne of Berth and with it the Cradle and yong sonne of King William into the Sea wherein the Royall Insant with many others perished the King and his Courtiers hardly escaping the danger with life The ruine of this Towne raised another more famous and more commodiously seated euen Perth since called Saint Iohns-Towne 17 Ilands and Ilets yeelding both beautie and subiection to this Scotish Kingdome are the Westerne the Orknayes and the Shetlands reckoned to be aboue three hundred in number the Inhabitants for the most part vsing the frugalitie of the ancient Scot. 18 The Westerne lying scattered in the Deucalidoman Sea were anciently ruled by a King of their owne whose maintenance was out of their common Coffers and the Regall Authoritie neuer continued in line all succession for to preuent that their Kings were not permitted to haue wiues of their owne but might by their Lawes accompany with other mens as the like Law was in the other parts of Scotland that the Virginitie of all new wiues should be the Landlords prey till King Malcolme enacted that halfe a marke should be paid for redemption The residence of those fore-mentioned Kings was chiefly in Ila Bunals and Iona now Columbkill where as Donald Munrâ—
magnanimitie 9 But the Citie which fame may iustly celebrate alone beyond all the Cities or Townes in Ireland is that which we call Diuelin Ptoleâ—ie Eblana the Latinists Dublinium and Dublinia the West-Britaines Dinas Dulm the English-Saxons in times past Duplin and the Irish Balacleigh that is the Towne vpon hurdles for it is reported that the place being fennish and moorish when it first began to be builded the foundation was laid vpon hurdles 10 That it is ancient is perswaded by the authoritie of Ptolâ—mie That it was grieuously rent and dismembred in the tamultuous warres of the Danes and brought afterwards vnder the subâ—ection of Eadgar King of England which his Charter also confirmeth wherein he calleth it the noble Citie of Ireland is written by Saxo Grammaticus That it was built by Harold of Norway which may seeme to be Harold Harâ—ager when he had brought the greatest part of Ireland into an awfull obedience vnto him we reade in the life of Griffith ap Sâ—â—an Prince of Wales At length it yeelded vnto the valour and protection of the English at their first arriuall into Ireland by whom it was manfully defended from the fierce assaults as well of Auscoulph Prince of the Dâ—blinians as afterwards of Gottard King of the Isles since which time it hath still augmented her flourishing estate and giuen approued testimony of her faith and loyaltie to the Crowne of England in the times of any tumultuous streights and commotions 11 This is the royall seat of Ireland strong in her munition beautifull in her buildings and for the quantitie matchable to many other Cities frequent for trafficke and intercourse of Merchants In the East Suburbs Henry the second King of England as Hâ—ueden reporteth caused a royall Pallace to be erected and Henry Loundres Archbishop of Diuelin built a Store-house about the yeare of Christ 1220. Not farre from it is the beautifull Colledge consecrated vnto the name of the holy Trinitie which Queene Elizabeth of famous memory dignified with the priuiledges of an Vniuersitie The Church of S. Patricke being much enlarged by King Iohn was by Iohn Comin Archbishop of Dublin borne at Euesham in England first ordained to be a Church of Prebends in the yeare 1191. It doth at this day maintaine a Deane a Chanter a Chancellor a Treasurer two Archdeacons and twentie two Prebendaries This Citie in times past for the due administration of Ciuill Gouernment had a Prouost for the chiefe Magistrate But in the yeare of mans redemption 1409 King Henry the fourth granted them libertie to chuse euery yeare a Maior and two Bailistes and that the Maior should haue a gilt sword carried before him for euer And King Edward the sixt to heape more honour vpon this place changed the two Bailiffes afterwards into Sheriffes so that there is not any thing here wanting that may serue to make the estate of a Citie most flourishing 12 As the people of this County doe about the neighbouring parts of Diuelin come neerest vnto the ciuill conditions and orderly subiection of the English so in places farther off they are more tumultuous being at deadly feuds amongst themselues committing oft times Man-slaughter one vpon another and working their owne mischiefes by mutuall wrongs for so the Irish of Leinster wasted Leinster with many Townes in the same Prouince in the yeare 1294. And in the yeare 1301. the men of Leinster in like manner raised a warre in the winter season setting on fire the Towne of Wykâ—â—lo Rathdon and others working their owne plague and punishment by burning vp their sustenance and losing their Castle by depredation 13 Matter of obseruation and no lesse admiration among them is the Giants dance commonly so called and so much talked of which Merlin is said by Art Magicke to haue translated out of this Territorie vnto Salisburie Plaine which how true it is I leaue to the vaine beleeuers of miracles and to the credulous obseruers of antiquitie 14 In this County haue beene erected many famous Monasteries Abbies and religious houses consecrated to deuout and holy purposes As the Monastery of Saint Maries of Oustmanby â—ounded for preaching Friers vnto which of late dayes the Iudiciall Courts of the Kingdome haue beene translated also the magnificent Abbey called S. Thomas Court at Dublin builded and endowed in times past with many large priuiledges and reuenewes of King Henry the second in expiation of the murther of Thomas Arch-bishop of Canterbury Likewise Tiutern Monastery or the notable Abbey which William Marshall Earle of Pembrooke founded and called De roto for that he had vowed to God being tossed at Sea with many a sore and dangerous tempest to erect an Abbey wheresoeuer he came to land and being after shipwracke cast vpon land in this place he made performance of his vow accordingly THE PROVINCE OF CONNAVGHT CHAPTER IIII. THis Prouince named by Giraldus Cambrensis Conachtia and Conacia by the Irish Conaughty and by English-men Connaught is bounded East-ward with part of the County of Leinster North-ward with part of Vlster West-ward with the West-maine Ocean and on the South it is confined with a part of the Prouince of Mounster closed in with the Riuer Sbennon and butting against the Kingdome of Spaine 2 The forme thereof is long and towards the North and South ends thinne and narrow but as it growes towards the middle from either part it waxeth still bigger and bigger extending in length from the Riuer Shennon in her South to Enis Kelling in her North 126. miles and the broadest part is from Tromer in her East to Barragh-Bay in her West containing about fourescore miles The whole in circuit and compasse is aboue foure hundred miles 3 The aire is not altogether so pure and cleare as in the other Prouinces of Ireland by reason of certaine moist places couered ouer with grasse which of their softnesse are vsually termed Boghes both dangerous and full of vaporous and foggie mists 4 This County as it is diuided into seuerall portions so is euery portion seuerally commended for the soile according to the seasonable times of the yeare Twomond or the County Clare is said to be a Country so conueniently situated that either from the Sea or Soile there can be nothin wisht for more then what it doth naturally afford of it selfe were but the industry of the Inhabitants answerable to the rest Galway is a land very thankfull to the painefull husbandman and no lesse commodious and profitable to the Shepheard Maio in the Roman Prouinciall called Mageo is replenished both with pleasure and fertility abundantly rich in Cattle Deere Hawkes and plenty of Hony Slego coasting vpon the Sea is a plenteous Country for feeding and raising of Cattle Le-Trim a place rising vp throughout with hilles is so full of ranke grasse and forrage that as Solinus reporteth if Cattle were not kept sometimes from grasing their fulnesse would endanger them And Roscoâ—en is a Territory for the most part plaine and fruitfull feeding many Heards