Cranwell * Crumpton * Carrell * Iohn Cobham Cuttes D. * Syr William Damsell * Thomas Darrell * Robert Deane * Dalyson Richard Déering Delahay Iames Dalton * George Darrel Iohn Delapynd Gaius Dixon William Drayner * Digges * Thomas Duke E. Daniell Euering Vincent Engham Ralfe Edolf Fraunces Eglesfield F. Syr Thomas Fane Thomas Fane George Fogge. * Henry Fane Thomas Fyneux Symond Fifeld Thomas Farby Alexander Fisher Thomas Fluyd Robert Fylmer Iohn Franklyn Moyle Fynche * Thomas Fisher * Ralfe Fynche G. * The Lady Golding Syr Thomas Guldeford Edmund Gay George Goldwell Thomas Gréeke William Gybs Henry Gylman Thomas Godden * Richard Garthe * Barnabe Gooche * Norton Gréene H. Syr George Howard * Syr Perceuall Hart. Syr Iames Hales William Hamon Richard Hardes Roger Herleckenden * Christopher Harflete * Honywood * Iohn Heyton Thomas Honywood Henry Haddes Iohn Harper Martyn Herleckenden * Edward Hales * Richard Heron. Ralf Hayman Abacuk Harman Thomas Hamon William Holmden * George Harte I. * Syr Humfry Iylbert Iohn Iden William Isley Paul Ihonson * Martyn Iames. K. Syr Thomas Kempe * Richard Knatchbull L. * William Louelace Serieant at the Lawe * Thomas Louelace Iohn Lennard Richard Lone Anthonie Light. Thomas Lewson William Lewknor Lée * William Lambade M. * Roger Manwood Iustice of the common place George Multon Edward Monings Iohn Moyle William Midleton Walter Meyny Anthony Meyny William Mount. * Edward Martyn Moore N. Syr Henry Neuill Lorde Aburgeuenny * Alexander Neuill Valentine Norton * Thomas Neuill * Thomas Neuill O. Henry Oxenden Iohn Orwell P. * Thomas Potter * Payne William Partridge Ciriac Petit. Henry Petit. William Petit. William Pordage Richard Parkar * Iames Peckam * Iohn Pet. * Palmer R. * Syr Iohn Ryuers * Thomas Randall Walter Roberts * Iohn Roberts William Roper Robert Rudstone Richard Rogers Robert Rychers William Raynes S. * Syr Henry Sidney Knight of the Garter Lord Deputie of Ireland and Lord President of Wales Syr Warham Seintleger Syr Thomas Scot. Anthony Sandes Iohn and Edw. Sibyll Vincent S. Nicholas Iohn Sidley Christopher Samson William Swanne William Swanne Thomas Stoughton * Charles Scot. * Frauncis Sandbache * Reynold Scot. * Somers * Frauncis Shakerley * William Sydney T. Iohn Tuftone Thomas Tourney Roger Twisden Morice Tichebourne Iohn Twyne Thomas Tuttesham William Tylghman * Iames Tebolde Iohn Tebolde * Robert Thomas * Frauncis Thynn * Richard Tomeyo W. Syr Thomas WalsinghaÌ„ Thomas Wootton * Thomas Watton * Thomas Whetenhall * Ralfe Weldon * George Wyat. * Thomas Wale Thomas Willoughby Frauncis Wilford Iohn Wybarne Richard Waller Iohn Wylkyns Thomas Waren William Weston Dauy Wylkyns Robert Walker * Edward Wyat. * Robert Wyseman The names of the Kentish writers drawne for the most part out of the Centuries of Maister Iohn Bale Androgeus Comes Ethelbertus Rex Lotharius Rex Eadricus Rex Wightredus Rex Heddius Stephanus Tobias Cantianus Neotus Aldulphius Serlo Fridegodus Haimo Folchardus Obsernus Eadmerus Aernulphus Elmerus Odo Cantianus Alexander Cantuariensis Eadmundus Gryme Radulfus Roffensis Richardus Pluto Richardus Douerensis Sampson Durouermus Radulfus Maidston Geruasius Dorobernensis Solitarius Presbyter Nigellus Wireker Alexander Theologus Simon Stokius Ioannes Cantianus Haimo de Feuersham Thomas Spottus Simon Mepham Petrus de Ikham Guilielmus Pagham Ioannes Tanetos Thomas Chillenden Guilielmus Starnfield Thomas Pontius Simon de Feuersham Martinus de Clyuo Thomas de Stureia Reginaldus Cantuariensis Radulphus Strodus Thinredus Douerius Guilielmus Thorne Richardus Maidston Guilielmus Gillingham Ioannes Wrotham Ioannes Oldcastle Dominus Cobham Ioannes Langdene Guilielmus Whyte Guilielmus Beckley Ioannes Capgraue Guilielmus Stapilhart Ioannes Fisher Ioannes Frithe Simon Fishe Thomas Wiat Senior Leonardus Digs Ioannes Ponetus Richardus Turnerus Elizabetha Regina Hytherto almost altogether out of Maister Bale to the whiche these may bee added that haue written since Ioannes Colpeper Thomas Digs Thomas Harman Edouardus Deering Thomas Potter Reginaldus Scot. Alexander Neuille Georgius Harte Guilielmus Darrel Thomas Twyne Hitherto of Kent in particularitie and by way of Table Whereof some part is drawne out of credible Records part is spoken of mine owne knowledge and part is fetched from other men by information For the first forte I holde my selfe sufficiently warranted but in the other twaine if either by want of memorie I haue not taken all or by too muche credulitie haue mistaken any I pray pardon for it and desire the Reader either to correct or supplie it by his owne discretion and iudgement Now a fewe wordes of the Welshe Hystorie and then to the diuision of the Shyre Countrie it selfe ¶ A short counsell as touching the Bryttishe hystorie ALbeit that I am iustly occasioned before I make myne entrie to speake largely for confirmation of the credite of oure Bryttishe or Welshe hystorie the faith wherof is by William Petite and Polidore Virgile called into question for as muche as I shal be enforced to vse it as a ground worke of my whole frame and building yet for that I mynde not in any part of this my labour to handle with many wordes matters in controuersie being otherwise sufficiently charged with things more incident to my purpose and no lesse fit to be knowne And bycause also that matter hath alreadie founde more learned and diligent patrones I will with fewe wordes passe it ouer contenting my selfe if I shall haue added to other mens heapes one small proofe or twaine whiche by chaunce I gleaned after them and referring suche as desire more aboundant testimonies to the reading of Iohn Leland and Syr Iohn ap Rese two learned men that haue plentifully written therein The state of the matter is this whether Geffrey of Monmouthe be the authour of the Bryttish storie as William Newborow and Polydore charge him or the translatour thereof onely out of the Bryttishe as him selfe in his booke professeth Whereof must néedes ensue That if the worke be his owne it hath no more credite then he him selfe being the author coulde bring vnto it But if he did only translate that whiche Walter the Archdeacon of Oxforde brought out of NormaÌ„die and deliuered vnto him Then doth not the estimation depende vpon Geffray but vpon some other whâ—â—soeuer he were that first wrate it Now that it may appeare vnto you that he was only the interpreter of that whiche came out of Normandie I will call to witnesse Henrie the Archdeacon of Huntington who liued in the time of king Henrie the first and was somwhat before William Petites dayes who as him self confesseth was borne in the beginning of the reigne of king Stephan about whiche time Geffray of Monmouthe was on liue also This Henrie besides a learned hystorie of the realme wrate thrée seuerall treatises whiche I haue séene One intituled De miraculis Angliae An other De serie ReguÌ„ potentissimorum And the thirde De origine Regum Brytannorum In this latter he sayth playnly That at such time as he trauayled towardes Rome he founde in an auncient Librarie of the Abbay
Chartre contenting my selfe to yéelde to the conquerour the thankes of other mens benefites séeing those whiche were benefited were wisely contented as the case then stoode to like better of his confirmation or second gift then of King Edwardes first graunt and endowment And to the end that I may proceede in some manner of array I will first shew which Townes were at the beginning taken for the Fiue Portes what others be now reputed in the same number secondly what seruice they ought did in times passed lastly what priuiledges they haue therefore by what persons they haue been gouerned If I should iudge by the commune and rude verse Douer Sandwicus Ry Rum Frigmare ventus I might say that Douer Sandwiche Rie Rumney and Winchelsey for that is Frigmare ventus be the Fiue Portes Againe if I should bee ruled by the Rolle whiche reciteth the Ports that send Barons to the Parleament I muste then adde to these Hastings Hyde for they also haue their Barons as wel as the other and so should I not onely not shewe whiche were the first Fiue but also by addition of two others increase bothe the number and doubtfulnes Leauing the verse therefore for ignorance of the authour and suspition of his authoritie and forsaking the Rolle as not assured of the antiquitie I will flye to Henrie Bracton a man bothe auncient learned and credible which liued vnder King Henrie the third and wrote aboue thrée hundreth yeares since learnedly of the lawes of this Realme He I say in the third booke of his worke and treatise of the Crowne taking in hand to shewe the articles inquirable before the Iustices in Eire or Itinerant as wee called them bycause they vsed to ride from place to place throughout the Realme for administration of iustice setteth foorth a speciall fourme of writtes to bee directed seuerally to the Baylifes of Hastings Hithe Rumney Douer and Sandwiche commaunding them that they should cause twentie and foure of their Barons for so their Burgesses or Townesmen and the Ciâ—â—â—â—ns of London likewise were wont to be termed to appeare before the Kings Iustices at Shipwey in Kent as they accustomed to doe there to enquire of suche pointes as should bee giuen them in charge Whiche done he addeth moreouer that for so muche as there was oftentimes contention betwéene them of the Fiue Portes and the inhabitants of Yarmouth in Norfolke and Donwiche in Suffolke there should be seuerall writtes directed to them also retournable before the same Iustices at the same day and place reciting that where the King had by his former writtes sommoned the Plées of the Fiue Ports to be holden at Shipwey if any of the same townes had cause to complaine of any beeing within the liberties of the saide Portes he should be at Shipwey to propounde against him and there to receaue according to lawe and iustice Thus muche I recite out of Bracton partly to shew that Shipwey was before King Edward the firsts time the place of assembly for the Plees of the Fiue Portes partly to notifie the difference and controuersie that long since was betweene these Portes and those other townes But purposely and chiefely to proue that Hastings and Hithe Douer Rumney and Sandwiche were in Bractons time accompted the Fiue principall hauens or Portes whiche were endowed with priuiledge Neither yet will I deny but that soone after Winchelsey and Rye might be added to the number For I finde in an olde recorde that King Henrie the third tooke into his owne handes for the better defence of the Realme the townes of Winchelsey and Rye whiche belonged before to the Monasterie of Fescampe in Normandie gaue therfore in exchaunge the Manor of Chiltham in Gloucester shyre diuers other landes in Lincolne shyre This he did partly to conceale from the Priors Aliens the intelligence of the secrete affairs of his Realme partly bycause of a great disobedience and excesse that was committed by the inhabitants of Winchelsey against Prince Edward his eldest Sonne And therefore although I can easely be led to thinke that he submitted them for their correction to the order and gouernance of the Fiue Portes yet I stand doubtfull whether he made them partners of their priuiledges or no for that had been a preferment and no punishment but I suspect rather that his Sonne King Edward the first by whose encouragement and aide olde Winchelsey was afterward abandoned and the now Towne buidled was the first that appareiled them wyth that preeminence By this therefore let it appeare that Hastings Douer Hithe Rumney Sandwiche were the first Ports of priuiledge which bycause they were Fiue in numbre bothe at the first gaue and yet continue to all the residue the name of Cinque Portes although not onely Winchelsey and Rye be since that time incorporated with them as principals but diuers other places also for the ease of their charge be crept in as partes lims and members of the same Now therefore somewhat shal be saide as touching the seruices that these Portes of duetie owe and in déed haue done to the Princes wherof the one I meane with what numbre of vessels in what manner of furniture and for howe long season they ought to waite on the King at the Sea vpon theyr owne charges shall partly appeare by that whiche wée shall presently say and partly by that whiche shall follow in Sandwiche and Rumney The other shal be made manifest by examples drawn out of good hystories and bothe shal be testified by the woordes of King Edward the first in his owne Chartre The booke of Domesday before remembred chargeth Douer wyth 20. vessels at the Sea whereof eache to be furnished with one and twentie men for fiftéene dayes together and sayth further that Rumney and Sandwiche aunswered the like seruice But nowe whether this like ought to be vnderstoode of the like altogether bothe in respect of the number and seruice or of the like in respect of seruice according to the proportion of their abilitie onely I may not hereby take vpon me to determine For on the one side if Rumney Sandwiche and the residue should likewise find twentie vessels a péece then as you shall anone sée the fiue Portes were subiect to a greater charge at that time then King Edward the first layd vpon them And on the other side if they were only chargeable after their proportion then know I not howe far to burthen them séeing the Record of Domesday it selfe bindeth them to no certeintie And therfore leauing this as I finde it I must elsewhere make inquisition for more lightsome proofe And firste I will haue recourse to King Edwarde the firste his Chartre in which I read that At ech time that the King passeth ouer the sea the Portes ought to rigge vp fiftie and seuen ships whereof euery one to haue twentie armed souldiers and to mainteine them at their own costes by the space of fifteene
William Becley in the reigne of King Henrie the sixt But nowe lately to repaire the losse of that dissolution Maister Roger Manwoode a man borne in the Towne and aduaunced by vertue and good learning to the degrée of a Serieant at the Lawe hathe for the increase of Godlinesse and good letters erected and endowed a faire Free Schoole there from whence there is hope that the common wealth shall reape more profite after a fewe yeares then it receaued commoditie by the Carmelites since the time of their first foundation This only is that whiche I had to say either of the present or passed estate of this place whiche done I will procéede to the narration of suche other thinges as long since happened thereaboutes partly for the illustration of the antiquitie of the towne partly for the setting forth of the cōmoditie of the hauen but chiefly for the obseruation of the order whiche I haue beegonne whiche is to pretermitte nothing woorthie note that I finde in stoarie concerning the place that I take in hand But bycause that whiche I haue to say dependeth altogether or for the greater parte vpon the Hystorie of the Danes whiche many yeares together disquieted this land it shal bée fitte aswell for the better explication of the thinges presently in hand as also for the more easie vnderstanding of other matters that must hereafter followe to disclose so compendiously as I may the first beginning procéeding and ending of the Danishe affaires warres and troubles within this Realme Aboute the yeare after Christe seuen hundreth foure score and seuen thrée vessels of the Northe East Countrie men whose ancestors had before within the compasse of one hundrethe and fourtie yeares sacked Rome in Italie foure seuerall times and whose ofspring afterward wonne Normandie from the Frenche King shewed them selues vpon the westerne shoare of England being sent before hand as it is supposed to espie the cōmoditie of the hauens the aduauntage of arriual the wealthe and force of the inhabitants to the end to prepare the way for greater powers then were appoin to followe These had no sooner set some of their men on lande but the Reeue or officer or Beorhtricke or Brictricke then King of the West Saxons had knowledge therof who came vnto them and demaunding the cause of their arriual would haue carried them to the Kings presence but they in their resistance slewe him wherevpon the people of the Countrie adioyning addressed themselues to reuenge and assembling in great numbers beate them backe to their ships not without the losse of some of their company And this was the first attempt that euer the Danes for so our hystories cal by one general name the Danes Norwais Gottes Vandals others of that part made vpon England after whiche tyme what horrible inuasions miseries calamities and oppressions followed shall appeare anone Not long after this enterprise a fewe ships of them made the lyke assay in Scotland and within short space after that also some other of them entred Tynemouth Hauen in the North parte of England and taking some small booties retourned to their vessels Now by this experiment they had gained sufficient knowledge of that for whiche they first came therefore thinking it fit tyme to assay further they rigged vp a greater numbre of ships armed more store of chosen souldiers entred the Riuer of Thamise with fiue and thirtie sayle landed in despight of the people fired spoyled herried and preuailed so farre that Egbert who then had the Monarchie ouer all England was faine to come with all his power to the reliefe and rescue But suche was the will of God for the punishement of Idolatrie and superstition which then ouerwhelmed this Realme that the Danes in stead of being discomfited by the Kings repaire were merueilously encouraged by his misfortune For after that they had once gotten the better in the field against him they were so embouldened therby that notwithstanding he afterward and some other valiant Princes following by great prowesse abated their furie in parte yet adioyning themselues to the Britons that then were in great emnitie with the Saxons and swarming hither out of their owne Countrie in such flightes that the number of the slaine was continually supplied with greate aduauntage they neuer ceassed to infeste the Realme by the space of thrée hundreth yeares and more during the reignes of fiftéene seuerall Kings till at the last they had made Etheldred flye ouer into Normandie leaue them his Kingdome During all whiche time howe mightely their forces increased vnder Hinguar Hubba Halfden Guthrum Aulaf and Hasten their Nauie being rysen from thrée ships to thrée hundrethe and fiftie at the least howe pitiously the East West Southe and Northe parts of the Realme were wasted the townes Cities religious houses and Monasteries of eache quarter being consumed with flames howe miserably the common people were afflictted men women and children on all sides going to wracke by their tempestuous furie howe marueilously the Kings were amased the arriualles of these their enemies being no lesse sudaine then violent howe barbarously the monuments of good learning were defaced the same suffering more by the immanitie of this one brutishe Nation then by all the warres and conquestes of the Pictes Scots Romanes and Saxons and finally how furiously fire and swoord famine and pestilence raged in euery place God and men Heauen and the elements conspiring as it were the fatall destruction of the Realme I may not here stand to prosecute particularly but leauing eache thing to fitte place I will procéede with King Etheldred and so to my purpose This man aboue all other was so distressed by their continual inuasions that since he wanted force to make his longer defence he thought it best to giue money for their continuall peace And therefore charging his people with importable tributes he first gaue them at fiue seuerall payes 113000. l. afterward promised thē 48000. yearely hoping that for asmuch as they seemed by the manner of their warre rather to séeke his coyne then his kingdome to rob then to rule at the least this way to haue satisfied their hunger but like as the stone called Syphinus the more it is moisted the harder it waxeth so no giftes could quenche the golden thirste of these gréedie raueners but the more was brought to appease them the more stonie and inexorable they shewed thēselues neuer ceassing euen against promises othes hostages to execute their accustomed crueltie Herevpon King Etheldred hauing nowe exhausted the whole treasure of his Realme and therefore more vnable then euer he was either by power or praier to help himself or to relieue his subiectes determined by a fine policie as he thought to deliuer bothe the one and the other For whiche purpose by the aduise of one Huna the generall of his armie he wrote letters to eache part of the Realme commaunding that vpon S. Brices day which is the morowe after Sainct
obserueth a thing touching Wreck or rather Varech as the custome of Normandie from whēce it came calleth it not vnworthy the recital that is that of auncient time if a ship were cast on shoare torne with tempest and were not repaired by suche as escaped on liue within a certaine time that then this was taken for Wreck and so vsed along the coast But Henrie the first sayth the booke disliking the iustice of that custome ordeyned that if from thēcefoorth any one thing being within the vessell arriued on liue then the ship and goods should not be seised for wrecke This decrée had force during all his reigne and ought of congruence to haue endured for euer Howbeit after his death the owners of lande on the Sea shoare shewing themselues more carefull of their owne gaine then pitifull of other mens calamities returned to the olde manner Which their vnmerciful couetise as I suppose prouoked king Edward the first by the statute that we call Westminster the first to make restitution of King Henries lawe whiche euen to this daye remayneth in force thoughe not altogether so heauie against poore men afflicted by misfortune of the Sea as that former vsage was yet in déede neyther so easie as Christian charitie would nor so indifferent as the lawes of other countries do afford And therfore I will leaue it as a thing worthy amongst other of reformation when God shall giue time There was at this place a College valued in the Recordes at ninetie thrée pounds of yearely reuenue In whiche king Edward the seconde after the buriall of his father and before his owne Coronation helde the solemnitie of a whole Christmas Motindene of Mod and dene ' that is the proude valley a name imposed as I thinke for the fertilitie I Haue not hitherto foūd any thing touching the house of Motindene in Hetcorne saue onely that the heade therof was called Minister and that the house it selfe was of the yearely value of sixtie poundes Neyther would I haue aforded it so much as paper or place here but only that you might vnderstande with what number of buildings varietie of sectes and plentie of possessions Poperie was in olde time prouided for and furnished No corner almoste without some religious house or other Their suites and orders were hardly to be numbred and as for their landes and reuenues it was a world to beholde them I finde that the yerely extent of the clere value of the Religious liuings within this Shyre amounted to fiue thousande poundes Bishoprickes Benefices Friaries Chaunteries and Sainctes offerings not accounted whiche thing also I doe the rather note to the ende that you may sée howe iuste cause is giuen vs bothe to wonder at the hoate zeale of our auncestours in their spirituall fornication and to lament the coldenesse of our owne charitie towardes the maintenaunce of the true spouse of Iesus Christ For if euer nowe moste truly is that verefied which the Poet long since sayde Probitas laudatur alget Canterbury is called in Saxon Cātparabyrig that is to say The citie or court of the men of Kent whiche also agreeth with the Brittishe worde Caer Kent signifying the Citie of Kent It is termed in Latine diuersly of some Doruernum and Daruernum of others Durouernum of some Dorobernia and of some Dorobrinia All whiche names Leland coniectureth to proceede eyther of the Riuer called Stowr as we haue shewed or else of the Brittishe worde Dour whiche signifieth water bycause the countrey thereaboutes is plentuously stored therwith One other late writer taketh it to be called Daruernum as if it were Dour ar guerne that is the water neare the Fenne or Marish TO the ende that confusion auoyded eche thing may appeare in his proper place it shal not be amisse to part the treatise of this Citie into twaine whereof the firste shall conteine the beginning increase and declination of the Citie it selfe The seconde shal set foorth the erection and ouerthrowe of the Religious houses and buildings within the same The authour of the Brittishe storie affirmeth that one Rudhurdibras or as some copies write it Lud Rudibras a King of the Britons almost nine hundreth yeares before the Incarnation of Christ builded a Citie whiche he called Carlem or as Henrie of Huntingdon in his recitall of the cient Brittishe Cities nameth it Caer Kent that is to say the Citie or rather the chiefe Citie of Kent For in the processe of the same Hystorie it appeareth in déed that at suche time as Vortiger King of the Brittons intertained the Saxon Captaines Hengist and Horsa he soiourned at Canterbury the heade Citie of all that countrie and that prerogatiue it reteined in the time of the Saxons them selues also For by the testimonie of Beda and Mathewe of Westminster it was when Augustine arriued in Kent Caput Imperij Regis Ethelberti the chiefe place in all the dominion of King Ethelbert To this Augustine the sade King gaue after a manner as I coniecture the Lordship or royaltie of the same citie For I reade as I haue before shewed that he gaue him his owne Palaice and builded another for him selfe at Reculuer and it is to be séene in the auncient Saxon lawes that of olde time the Archebishops had their Coynage within the Citie I finde also in the booke of Domesday that King Edwarde the Confessour had onely one and fiftie Burgesses whiche yealded him rent within this Citie and two hundreth and twelue other persons owing him suite and that the Castle of Canterbury and the residue of the inhabitauntes were subiecte to the Bishop and the Religious houses Howbeit the Bishops were neuer absolute owners hereof till the time of King William Rufus who as the Annales of Sainct Augustine say Dedit ciuitatem Cantuariae Anselmo ex solido quam Lanfrancus tenuerat ex beneficio This Citie since the vnion of the Kentishe kingdome to the West Saxon hath béene chiefly maynteined by two things Firste by the residence and hospitalitie of the Archebishop and Religious persons and then by the liberalitie and expence of such as either gadded to S. Thomas for helpe and deuotion or trauailed towardes the Sea side for their priuate affaires and businesse Amongst the Bishops Theodore a Grecian borne and the seuenth and last of those that came out of Italy Lanfranc the first Norman aduaunced by the Conquerour and Simon Sudburie that liued vnder King Edward the thirde haue béene the most beneficiall vnto it Of the whiche Theodore by licence of Vitelianus then Pope founded within the Citie a Schole or College wherein he placed Professours of all the liberall Sciences which also was the very paterne to the schole that Sigbert the King of Eastangle afterwarde builded but whether that were at Cambridge or at some other place besides within his kingdome I leaue to Doctour Caius of Cambridge and Maister Key of Oxforde to be disputed and to indifferent Readers to be adiudged The Reuerend father Mathew
in setting vp of sumptuous housinge so he spared no coste in garnishing Greenewiche til he had made it a pleasant perfect and Princely Palaice Marie his eldest daughter and after Quéene of the realme was borne in this house Queene Elizabeth his other daughter our most gratious gladsom Gouernour was likewise borne in this house And his deare sonne King Edward a myracle of Princely towardnesse ended his lyfe in the same house One accident more touching this house and then an ende It hapened in the reigne of Queene Marie that the Master of a Ship passing by whilest the court lay there and meaning as the manner aad dutie is with saile and shot to honour the Princes presence vnaduisedly gaue fyre to a peice charged with a pellet in sted of a tampion the which lighting on the Palaice wallranne through one of the priuie lodginges and did no further harme ¶ Blackheathe ADioyninge to Greenewiche lyethe the plaine called of the colour of the soyle Blackheathe the which besides the burthen of the Danishe Camps whereof we spake euen now hath borne thrée seueral rebellious assemblies One in the time of Kinge Richard the second moued as it shal appeare anon in Dartford by Iack Straw whom William Walworth then Mayor of London slowe with his Dagger in Smithfielde in memorie whereof the Citie had geuen them for increase of honour a Dagger to be borne in their shield of armes Iack Cade that counterfeit Mortimer and his fellowes were leaders of the second who passing from hence to London did to death the Lord Say and others in the time of King Henrie the Sixt. These two besides other harmes that vsually accompanie the mutinic and vprore of the common and rascal sort defaced fouly the Records and monuments both of the law and Armourie The parts of Rolles remayning yet halfe brent doo witnesse the one And the Heraldes vnskill comming through the want of their olde Bookes is sufficient testimonie of the other The third insurrection was assembled by Michael Ioseph the black Smith and the Lorde Audley vnder the reigne of Kinge Henrie the Seuenth at whiche time they and their complices receaued their iust deserte the common number of them being slaine and discomfited and the leaders themselues taken drawne and hanged Of this last there remaineth yet to be séene vpon the Heathe the places of the Smithes Tente called commonly his forge And of all thrée the graue hilles of suche as were buried after the ouerthrowe These hillockes in the West Countrie where is no smal store of the like are called Barowes of the olde Englishe word BurgHer whiche signifieth Sepulchres or places of burying which word being a spring of that olde stocke we doe yet reteine aliue The first and last of these commotions were stirred of a griefe that the common people conceaued for the demaund of two subsidies of whiche the one was vnreasonable bycause it was taxed vpon the Polls and exempted none were he neuer so poore The other was vnseasonable for that it was exacted when the heades of the common people were full of Parkin Warber The third and midlemoste grewe vpon a grudge that the people tooke for yeelding vp the Duchie of Angâ—ow and Maynie to the King of Sicil The comming in of whose daughter after that the King would néedes haue her to wife notwithstanding his precontract made with the Earle of Armenac was not so ioyfully embraced by the Citizens of London vpon Blackheathe wearing their red Hoodes Badges and blewe gownes as in sequele the Marriage and whole gouernment it self was knowne to be detested of the countrie Commons by bearing in the same place Harnesse Bowes Billes and other Weapon But bicause I cannot without paine and pitie enter into the consideration of these times and matters I will discourse no farther thereof but crosse ouer the next way to Lesnes and prosequute the rest of the bounds of this Bishopricke Lesnes mistaken as I thinke for LesÆ¿es Leswes whiche signifiethe Pastures I Could easily haue beléeued that the name Lesnes had béen deriued out of the Frenche and that it had béen first imposed at the foundation of the Abbay saying that I finde the place registred in the Booke of Domesday by the very same and none other calling And therfore I am the rather led to thinke that the name is Saxon and there miswritten as many other be by reason that the Normans were the penners of that booke Lesnes for Leswes the word whiche in the Saxon tongue signifieth Pastures and is not as yet vtterly forgotten forasmuche as till this day Pastures be called Lesewes in many places This is my fantasie touching the name wherein if I fayle it forceth not greatly since the matter is no more weightie Concerning the Hystorie of the place only I finde that Richard Lucy a priuie Counselour of the State and chiefe Iustice of the Realme in the time of King Henrie the second founded an Abbay there the temporalties wherof amounted as I finde to seuen poundes sixe Shillings and eight pence But as for the extent of the whole yearely value I haue not learned it Earethe in some olde euidences Eard deriued as I gesse of Aerre Hyðe that is the olde Hauen FOr plaine example that oure Elders before the conquest had their trialles for title of land and other controuersies in each shire before a Iudge then called Alderman or Shyreman of whom there is very frequent mention in the Lawes of our auncestours the Saxons the whiche some yeares since were collected and published in one volume and for assured proofe also that in those dayes they vsed to procéede in suche causes by the oathes of many persons testifying their opinion of his credit that was the first swearer or partie after the manner of our daily experience as in the oath yet in vre and called commonly Wager of Lawe is to be séene I haue made choice of one Hystorie conteining briefly the narration of a thing done at this place by Dunstanc the Archbishop of Canterbury almost a hundreth yeares before the comming of King William the Conquerour A rich man saith the text of Rochester being owner of Cray Earithe Ainesford and Woldham and hauing none issue of his body deuised the same lands by his last wil made in the presence of Dunstane and others to a kinswoman of his owne for life the Remainder of the one halfe thereof after her death to Christes Church at Canterbury and of the other halfe to Saint Androwes of Rochester for euer he died and his wife toke one Leofsun to husband who ouerliuing her reteined the Land as his owne notwithstanding that by the fourme of the deuise his interest was determined by the deathe of his wife Herevpon complaint came to one Wulsie for that time the Scyreman or Iudge of the Countie as the same booke interpreteth it before whome bothe Dunstane the Archebishop the parties them selues sundrie other Bishops and a great multitude of the Lay people