being despoil'd by Sueno King of Danemark about the Year of our Lord 1013. 4. Shirburn 't is pleasantly seated on an hanging Hill and is the most remarkable and best frequented Town in all this Country it gaineth exceedingly by Clothing Anno Dom. 704. an Episcopal Seat was Erected in this place by Aldeme the First Bishop there Consecrated it was afterwards remov'd to Sarisburg Shirburn being kept in reserve for a retiring place 5. Winburn a fair Town seated on a piece of an Hill between Two Rivers 't is large in Compass replenished with Inhabitants but few fair Buildings except that its Church claims our observation upon the account of the Sepulchre of Ethelred King of the West Saxons who lieth there Interr'd however it retaineth even to this day divers tokens of the Majesty of the Romans Somersetshire Belgae COmitatus Somersettensis is bounded on the North with the Severn Sea on the West it confineth on Devonshire on the South it bordereth first upon Devonshire and then upon Dorsetshire on the East it hath Wiltshire and North-East a part of Glocestershire It is a large and wealthy Region the Soil of which is very rich yielding exceeding plenty of Corn and Pasture 't is very Populous and sufficiently furnished with commodious Ports and Havens The Principal Towns are these 1. Taunton a proper Town pleasantly situated 't is reputed to be one of the Eyes of the Shire 2. Bridgewater a great and populous Market-Town agreeably situated near the Banks of the Severn Sea and is by some thought to have been so called from the Bridge and Water which is near it 3. Bruiton a Town memorable for little else than that the Noble Family of the Mohuns is here Entomb'd unless we mention the late extraordinary Processions which the Women of the Town made on the Conclusion of the late Peace Near this place was Founded the Abbey of Glastenbury fetching its original even from Joseph of Arimathea who Enterr'd the Body of our Saviour In the first Age of the Primitive Church very Holy Men applied themselves diligently to the Service of God in this place who were maintained by an Allowance from Kings they Instructing Youth in Religion and in the Liberal Sciences these Men embrac'd a Solitary Life that they might the more quietly study the Scriptures till at length Dunstan a Man of a subtle Wit when he had once by an Opinion of his Holiness and Learning wound himself into an Acquaintance with Princes he brought in the Benedictine Monks he being made Abbot of the Convent after that he had obtain'd from the hands of many good Princes a Royal Revenue When they had flourished 600 Years they were dispossessed by King Henry the VIIIth the Monastry being raz'd even to the ground nothing now but the Ruines appearing of it Arthur the Brittish Worthy is thought to have been Buried in this place 4. St. Philips Norton a large great Market-Town so nam'd from a Church Consecrated to St. Philip. 5. Welles a Town so nam'd from the Springs found in it like as Susa in Persia Croia in Dalmatia and 〈◊〉 in Macedonia for multitude of Inhabitants and for stately Buildings it justly challengeth the Preheminence of this Province It hath a noble Market-place sustain'd with Columns as also a stately Church and Colledge Endowed with many rich Livings and Revenues the Church throughout is very beautiful but especially the Frontespiece thereof at the West end is a Master-piece the Cloysters adjoining to it are likewise very fair and spacious 6. Bath an ancient City so called from the Baths in it beautified throughout with very fair and noble Buildings for the receipt of Strangers 't is seated in a low plain environ'd about with Hills of an equal height out of which certain pleasant Streams of fresh River Water continually descend into the City to the advantage and comfort of the Citizens within the City Three Springs of Hot Water boil up of a Blewish or Sea Colour sending up from them thin Vapours and a kind of strong Scent by reason that the Water is drill'd and strain'd through Veins of Brimstone and a clammy kind of Earth called Bitumen which Springs are very Medicinable and of great Virtue to Cure Bodies overcharg'd with Corrupt Humours for they open the Pores resolve attenuate digest consume and draw forth Superfluities and at the same time strongly heal and dry the whole Habit of the Body In the Reign of Henry the Ist A. D. 1110. Johannes de Villula being Elected Bishop of this place translated his See to Bath since which time the Two Sees growing into one the Bishop beareth the Title of both and is called the Bishop of Bath and Wells 7. Bristol this City standeth partly in Somersetshire and partly in Glocestershire it is sufficiently defended both by Art and Nature being situated on the meeting of the Frome and Avon not far from the influx of the Severn into the Ocean a City exceeding Populous and exceeding Cleanly there being Sinks made under ground for the conveyance of all the filth and nastiness into the Rivers It hath Twenty Churches reckoning the Cathedral and that of Ratliff into the Number the Cathedral was first Built by Robert Fitz-Harding Son to one of the Kings of Danemark An. Dom. 1248. and honoured with a Bishops See by King Henry the VIIIth Anno Dom. 1542. The principal Building next the Church is an ancient Castle of such great strength that Maud the Emperess having taken King Stephen Prisoner thought this the safest place to secure him in 't is furnished with all things necessary for Man's Life that next after London and York of all the Cities of England it may justly challenge the chief place 't is so commodiously seated for Trade and Traffick that the Haven admitteth Ships with full Sail into the very bosome of the City which hath drawn People of many Countries thither the Citizens are for the most part rich Merchants who Traffick all over Europe and make Voyages even to the remotest known parts of America Wiltshire Belgae IN Latin Wintonia is enclos'd with Somersetshire on the West Barkshire and Hampshire on the East on the North with Glocestershire and on the South with Dorsetshire and a part of Hampshire 'T is a Midland Region plentiful in all things and for its variety pleasant and delightful The Principal Towns are these 1. Malmsbury a fair Town famous for Clothing not far from hence dwelt Aldeme a very Learned Man he was the first of the English Nation that wrote in Latin and the first that taught Englishmen the measures of a Latin Verse Primus ego in patriam mecum modo vita supersit Aonio rediens deducam vertice Musas Geer Lib. 3. 2. Chipenham a large Town of great note for a Market kept there 't is pleasantly seated on the River Avon 3. Edindon a small Town remarkable for Clothing here King Alfred in a memorable Battel most fortunately Vanquished the Danes reducing them to such Extremities that they all
Swore in a set form of Oath made for that purpose immediately to depart from England 4. Trubridge a fair Market-Town of great repute for the great number of Clothiers which Inhabit it it sheweth the remains of a Castle belonging to the Dutchy of Lancashire 5. Werminster a Town very remarkable for a great Corn Market which is kept Weekly here and exceedingly much frequented it being almost incredible to relate what great numbers of people resort to it 6. Wilton formerly the head Town of the whole Shire 't is a place well watered but is now fallen to decay through the Bishop of Salisbury's turning away the passage that lay through it into the West Country 7. Salisbury Sorbiodunum or Sarum a City well Inhabited seated on the River Avon which watereth every Street of it 't is plentiful in all things but especially in Fish 't is adorned with a very stately Market-place wherein standeth their Common-Hall made of Timber a very Beautiful Building It is particularly famous for its Minster which has Three hundred sixty five Windows Twelve Gates and as many great and small Pillars as there are Hours in a Year nor is its Cloyster for largeness or Workmanship inferior to any in England 8. Marlborough a fair large Town pleasantly situated and well frequented in this Town King Henry the IIId held a Parliament N. B. Toward the North about 6 Miles from Salisbury is to be seen an huge and monstrous piece of work Insana Substructio for in the circuit of a Ditch there are erected in form of a Crown in three ranks one within another certain large mighty unwrought Stones whereof some are Twenty eight foot high and Seven broad which are so artificially or rather wonderfully plac'd one upon another that the whole frame seemeth to hang 't is much wonder'd at both from whence they were brought the Country affording none such as also by what means they were set up Some have thought them to be no Natural Stones but Artificially made of pure Sand and of some unctious matter incorporated together Pliny tells us that the Sand of Putcoli covered over with Water becometh forthwith a very Stone which if true our Conjecture is the more probable it seeming to confirm what Historians tell us That they were erected by the Britans in Memory of Ambrosius Aurelianus who was Slain here by the Saxons as he was Fighting manfully for the Defence of his Country Hampshire IN Latin Hamptonia is bounded on the West with Dorsetshire and Wiltshire on the South with the Brittish Channel on the East it hath Sussex and Surrey and on the North Barkshire 'T is a small Province fruitful in Corn furnished with well grown Woods abounding with Pasture and for Sea Commodities rich and happy The Principal Towns are these 1. Ringwood a Town in ancient times of great Fame but now little better than other good frequented Market-Towns 2. Christ-Church a Town so named from a Church therein Dedicated to Christ 't is seated between two Rivers it was Fortified in old time with a Castle and Beautified with an ancient Church and Twelve Prebendaries endowed with considerable Rents and Revenues which continued in great repute till the time of King Henry the VIIIth 3. Southampton a Town so named from its situation 't is situated in a very commodious place between two Rivers for a great number of fair Built Houses much renown'd for Inhabitants and concourse of Merchants Wealthy fenced round with a double Ditch strong Walls and Turrets standing thick between for the defence of the Haven it hath a strong Castle of square Stone cast up upon a Mount of great heighth several of the Roman Emperors Coins are now and then digged up here which sufficiently shew the Antiiquity of this place Memorable it is for that Canutus the Puissant King of England and of Denmark rebuked a Sycophant in this Town who flattered him That all things in the Realm were at his Command He ordered his Chair to be set upon the Shore when the Sea began to flow and then in the presence of many he said unto the Sea as it flowed Thou are part of my Dominions and the ground on which I sit is mine neither was there ever any that durst Disobey my Commands and escape Unpunished wherefore I charge thee that thou come not upon my Land neither wet the Cloaths and Body of thy Lord but the Sea flowing on still without any Reverence of his Person wet his Feet then he retiring back said Let all the Inhabitants of the World know That vain and frivolous is the Power of Kings and that none is worthy of so sacred a Name but He to whose Command the Heaven Earth and Sea by bond of an everlasting Law are Subject and Obedient after which he never put his Crown upon his head 4. Alrefford a fair Town standing on the bank of the River Alre it hath a very spacious Market-place built by Lucy Bishop of Winchester An. Dom. 1220. 5. Winchester Wintonia formerly the Seat-Royal of the Kings of the West-Saxons a City adorn'd with several Magnificent Churches as also with a Bishop's See it hath been oftentimes defaced both by Fire and other Misfortunes but it seems now perfectly to have recovered its self Edward the IIId appointed in this place a Mart for Wool and Cloth which was generally called the Staple it is well Peopled hath plenty of Water and containeth about a Mile and an half in Circuit within the Walls as concerning the round Table in the Hall of this City vainly fancied by some to have been King Arthur's any man that vieweth it well may easily perceive that it is not so ancient This City slourished in the time of the Romans in which the Emperors of Rome seem to have had their Houses of Weaving and Embroidering peculiar to their own Persons and Uses 6. Portsmouth a Port Town strongly Fortified both with a Wall and Block-Houses a Garison being continually kept in Pay for the defence of it 't is situated on the very mouth of the Haven and is always but especially in time of War well frequented as being more favourable and better affected to Mars and Neptune than to Mercury 7. Basingstoak a Market-Town well frequented situated on the descent of an Hill on the North side of which standeth a very fair Chappel Consecrated to the Holy Ghost by William the first Lord Sands who was Buried there Isle of Wight VEcta Insula it belongeth to and is opposite to Southampton from East to West it stretcheth out near 20 Miles in length and spreadeth in the midst where it is broadest 12 Miles the place of greatest repute is 1. Newport the chief Market-Town of the whole Isle it hath several Castles and Block-houses for its defence Barkshire Attrebates IN Latin Barcheria on the North part 't is sever'd from Oxfordshire and afterwards from Buckinghamshire by the River Isis on the South it beareth towards Hampshire where the River Kenet cutteth through it till it runs
of Winchester 6. Lincoln a place in former days of great Strength and Note being one of the best Peopled Cities in all the Saxon Heptarchy and of great Merchandise and Trassick both by Sea and Land it had formerly Fifty Churches but is now much decay'd it having suffered much damage in the Wars of King Stephen and of Henry the IIId with his Barons as also both by Fire and Earthquakes the chief Fame it now hath is for its Minster one of the stateliest Piles in England and perhaps in Christendom high seated on an Hill and from thence discern'd over all the Country The City is seated on the side of an Hill where the River Witham bendeth his course Eastward famous it is in respect that Vortimer the Warlike Briton who often discomfited the Saxon Armies ended his days and was here contrary to his Commandment Buried 7. Wainfleet a Town deservedly remarkable in that it Bred William Wainfleet Bishop of Winchester the Founder of Maudlin College in Oxford Nottinghamshire IN Latin Nottingamia hath on the East Lincolnshire on the North Yorkshire on the West Derbyshire and on the South side Leicestershire The Air is pleasant and healthful the Soil rich and clayey and for Corn and Grass so fruitful that it claims the second place before any other in the Realm The Principal Towns are these 1. Stoke a little Village famous for the Victory obtain'd by King Henry the VIIth against Sir John de la Pool Earl of Lincoln who being by King Richard the IIId declared Heir apparent to the Crown Rebelliously opposed himself against his Sovereign and in this place sighting Manfully both he and most of his Followers lost their lives 2. Nottingham a fair Town seated on the Trent but very high upon an Hill which overlooks it for Buildings fair Streets and a spacious Market-place not giving way to many Cities but of most fame for a Royal and magnificent Castle which for Strength Stateliness and Prospect may justly challenge the Precedency of most in England it is mounted upon an huge steep work on the West side of the City it was Built by William the Conqueror to bridle the English David the IId King of Scots and Roger Mortimer Earl of March were detain'd a long time Prisoners in this Castle Memorable it is for that King Charles the I st first set up his Standard in this place occasion'd on the unhappy Differences between him and his Parliament August 22. 1642. 3. Southwell it is adorn'd with a very beautiful Church Consecrated to the Virgin Mary 't is a Town not very fair to outward view but strong ancient and of great fame the Archbishop of York has a stately Palace in this place Derbyshire IN Latin Darbia hath on the East Nottinghamshire on the South Leicestershire on the West Steffordshire and on the North-side Yorkshire it resembles the Form of a Triangle but not with equal sides The Air is good and healthful and the Soil rich and fertile especially in the South and East Parts The Principal Towns are these 1. Derby a fair Town well traded and resorted situated on the River Darwent which on the East side of it affords to the Eye a pleasant and delightful Prospect running down and carrying a full and chearful Stream under a beautiful Stone-Bridge upon which formerly a fair Chappel was Erected which is now gone to decay it is adorn'd with Five Churches the greatest of which named Alhallows and Dedicated to the Memory of All Saints is peculiarly remarkable for its lofty Spire and the Tomb of the Countess of Shrewsbury 2. Peak so called from its Hills and Mountains from this place we have our Lead and Milstones and the Apothecaries their Antimony 3. Buxton a Town memorable for Nine Water-springs which arise out of a Rock within the compass of Eight Yards Eight of them are Warm but the Ninth is very Cold these run under a very fair square Building of Free-stone and about Sixty Paces off receive another Hot Spring from a Well inclos'd with Four flat Stones called St. Anns near unto which another very Cold Spring bubbles up The Inhabitants report that great Cures have been effected by these Waters and daily experience sheweth that they are good for the Stomach and Sinews and very pleasant to Bathe the Body in The Town is lately adorn'd with very beautiful Buildings Having now Describ'd the Regions of the Coritani we will next survey the Provinces of the Cornavii who if we may believe Ptolomy seem to have Possessed Warwickshire Worcestershire Staffordshire Shropshire and Cheshire Warwickshire Cornavii IN Latin Warwicus hath on the East Northamptonshire and Leicestershire on the South Oxfordshire and Glocestershire on the West Worcestershire and on the North Staffordshire It s Air and Soil are equally desirable the Air is extreamly healthful and the Soil in the South part yieldeth such a plentiful Harvest that the Husbandman smiles to behold his pains so well rewarded The Principal Towns are these 1. Warwick this Town was the ancient Praeciduum of the Romans it standeth on the River Avon upon a steep and high Rock and all the Passages to it are wrought out of the very stone it is yet apparent that it was formerly Fortified with a Wall and Ditches towards the South-West it sheweth a Castle strongly Fortified both by Art and Nature 't was in a good state upon the entrance of the Normans but hath lately suffered much by Fire 2. Henly a pretty Market-Town which had formerly a Castle adjoining to it belonging to the Family of the Montforts 3. Killingworth a beautiful strong Castle encompassed with Parks given by Queen Elizabeth to Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester 4. Bremicham a Town full of Inhabitants resounding always with Hammers and Anvils they being most of them Smiths 5. Coventry a City so called from an old Convent and Religious House which gave Name to it beautified it is with a well-Built Wall large Streets handsome Houses and two fair Churches Dedicated to the Holy Trinity and St. Michael it was formerly the only Mart and City of Trade in all these Parts notwithstanding that it is destitute of all the advantages which a Navigable River might afford it 6. Edgehill a small Village famous for the Battel fought between the Forces of King Charles the I st and those of the Parliament in which both sides claim'd the Victory Worcestershire IN Latin Wigornia hath on the East Warwickshire on the South Glocestershire on the West Herefordshire and Shropshire and on the North Staffordshire The Air of this Shire is temperate and the Soil fertile abounding with Corn Woods Pasture and every thing that is necessary for the Life of Man The Principal Towns are these 1. Kidderminster a fair Town hath a great Market it is well frequented divided into two parts by the River Stour it is adorn'd with a very beautiful Church 2. Worcester the principal City of this Shire it being truly admirable both in respect of its Antiquity and Beauty
produceth such numbers of Cattel of such large proportion that even Spain can scarce afford the like The Principal Towns are these 1. Manchester a very beautiful Town far excelling all others round about it 't is of good resort and is famous for Clothing the Market-place is large and spacious 't is also adorn'd with a very fair Church and College Founded by Thomas Lord Delaware it was in former times called Mancunium and was made a Fort and Station of the Romans 2. Riblechester though it be at present but a small Town yet by Tradition it hath had the repute of the richest Town in Christendom and is reported to have been the Seat of the Romans which the many Monuments of their Antiquities Statues Pieces of Coin and other several Inscriptions digged up from time to time by the Inhabitants may give us sufficient persuasion to believe 3. Warrington a fair Market-Town known by reason of the Lords thereof sirnam'd the Butlers who obtain'd of Edward the First the liberty of a Market for it 4. 〈◊〉 a good well frequented Town famous for it Antiquity but more famous for a convenient passage from this place to Ireland 5. Ormeskirk a Market-Town remarkable for the Sepulchres of the Stanleys the Earls of Darby 6. Preston a Town of good resort so named from the Religious Men dwelling in it 7. Lancaster it was formerly the chief Town of this Shire but at this day it is neither well peopled nor much frequented most of its Inhabitants are given to Husbandry the Territory round about being well Manur'd lying open fresh and fair and not void of Woods Roman Coins are often digged up here and here they say was the plot of ground in which the ancient Town was planted which was destroyed by the Scots An. Dom. 1â—â—2 't is sufficiently famous in our English Annals for those Noble Persons who have successively born the Title of Earls and Dukes of it the greatest Princes for Revenues of any Subjects in Christendom Westmorland IN Latin Westmoria is bounded on the West and North with Cumberland on the East with Yorkshire and the Bishoprick of Durham and on the South with Lancashire The Air is sharp and piercing purging its self from Mists and Vapours but the Soil for the generality is so unfertile that it can hardly be brought to any fruitfulness by the industry and painful labour of the Husbandman The Principal Towns are these 1. Appleby a Town pleasantly seated encompass'd for the most part with the River Eden but it is at present so slenderly Inhabited and the Buildings so rude and simple that were it not for its Antiquity it deserveth not to be accounted the Shire-Town and to have the Assizes kept in the Castle which is the common Goal for Malefactors in short all the beauty lies in one broad Street which from North to South riseth with an easy ascent of an Hill in the upper part standeth the Castle in the lower the Church and by that a very good School Founded by Robert Langton and Miles Spenser Doctors of Law 2. Kirkby Lonsdale a Town situate on the East side of this Shire the tract of Land lying about it being called Lonsdale it hath a very good frequented Market all the People round about repair hither on Sundays to Church 3. Kirkby Stephen a fair Market-Town of good resort 4. Kendall situate in a Dale on the River Can from whence it had its Name it is the chief Town in Westmorland having two long fair broad Streets crossing one another it is of great Trade and Resort and for the diligent and industrious practice of the Inhabitants so excels the rest that in regard thereof it carrieth a super-eminent Name above them and hath great Vent and Traffick for her Woollen Cloaths through all the parts of England Famous it is for giving the Title of Earl to John Duke of Bedford Regent of France in the time of King Henry the Sixth Cumberland IN Latin Cumbria on the North boundeth on Scotland on the South and West the Irish Sea beateth upon it and Eastward above Westmorlanâ— it confineth on Northumberland It s ancient Inhabitants though known to the Romans by the name of Brigantes were the natural Britons who called themselves 〈◊〉 The Air is piercing and of a sharp temperature and would be more biting were it not that the high Hills oppose and break off the Northern Storms and dissolve the falling Snows The Province is very rich the Vales smile with Corn and the Hills with Pasture the Sea affords plenty of Fish and the Land is overspread with variety of Fowls The Principal Towns are these 1. Keswick a little Town seated in a very pleasant Soil being compass'd about with Hills King Edward the Third ordained a Market in this place by the procurement of Sir Thomas Darwentwater the Lord of it Famous it was in times past for its Copper-Mines it being at this day much Inhabited by Mineral Men who have here their Smelting house by Darwent-side which with its foâ—ible Stream and their ingenious Inventions serveth them in stead for easy Bellows-works Hammer-works Forge-works and Sawing of Boards not without admiration of such as behold it 2. Cokermouth a rich frequented Market-Town seated in a Valley between two Hills its Buildings are fair and beautiful upon one of the Hills standeth the Church on the other a very strong Castle the Gate whereof carrieth in the Front the Arms of the Percus 3. Papcastle an ancient Castle but at this present almost ruinated however memorable it is in that for a great number of Monuments it layeth claim to a Roman Antiquity among which was found a large Vessel of Greenish Stone engraven with little Images which serveth now for a Sacrarium Regenerationis in St. Brigids Church hard by Several Authors tell us that Fonts were adorn'd with Pictures of Holy Men to the end that such as were Baptized might have before their Eyes the Pictures of those Men whose deeds they were to imitate so saith Pontius Paulinus for in the first Plantation of Christianity among the Gentiles such only as were of full Age after they had been Instructed in the Principles of the Christian Religion were admitted to Baptism and that but twice in the year viz. at Easter and Whitsontide except on urgent occasions at which times they which were to be Baptized were attired in White Garments Exorcised and Exsuffled with sundry Ceremonies which I leave to the Learned in Christian Antiquities 4. Solway-Frith within this very Frith where the salt-Salt-waters ebb and flow the English and Scots by report of the Inhabitants fought with their Fleets at full Sea and with their Horse and Footmen at the ebb which seems no less marvellous than that which Pliny reported not without wonder of the like place in Caramania this Arm of the Sea is called Solway-Frith from Solway a Town of Scotland bordering upon it 5. Penrith a little Town of an indifferent Trade Fortified on the West side with a