Britain, or A chorographicall description of the most flourishing kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the ilands adjoyning, out of the depth of antiquitie beautified vvith mappes of the severall shires of England: vvritten first in Latine by William Camden Clarenceux K. of A. Translated newly into English by Philémon Holland Doctour in Physick: finally, revised, amended, and enlarged with sundry additions by the said author.

[ A] RUTLAND-SHIRE.

RUTLAND, in the old English Saxon tongue 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is en∣vironed within Leicester-shire, unlesse it be on the South∣side, where it lieth upon the river Welland, and on the East∣side, where it butteth upon Lincoln-shire. A Country no∣thing inferiour to Leicester-shire either in fruitfull qualitie of soile, or pleasantnesse, but in quantitie onely, as being the least County of all England. For, lying in forme almost [ B] round like a circle, it is in compasse so farre about, as a light horseman will ride in one day. Whence it is, that the Inhabitants tell a tale of I wote not what king, who should give to one Rut so much land as he could ride about in one day: and that he, forsooth, rode about this shire within the time appoin∣ted, and so had it given him, and named it by his owne name Rutland. But let such fables bee packing: I would not have the trueth prejudiced with an extrava∣gant tale.

And where as the earth in this shire is every where red,* 1.1 and so red that even the sheepes fleeces are thereby coloured red: whereas also the English-Saxons called [ C] Red in their tongue Roet and Rud; may we not suppose that this Countrey was na∣med Rutland, as one would say a Redland? For, as saith the Poet.

Conveniunt rebus nomina saepè suis. The names, as often times we see, With things themselves full well agree.

Now, that places in all Nations have had their names of rednesse, Rutlan Castle in Wales, built on a shore of red earth, Redbay, Redhill, Redland, The Red Promontory, The Red-Sea also betwixt Aegypt and Arabia, Erytheia in Ionia, and a number besides [ D] may proove most evidently: So that there is no cause why we should give credit to fables in this behalfe. As for this little County, it may seeme to have beene ordained a Shire or County but of late daies. For, in King Edward the Confes∣sors time, it was counted a part of Northampton-shire, and our Historiographers who wrote three hundred yeeres agoe and upward, reckoned it not in the number of Shires.

Wash or Guash, a little river, which runneth from the West Eastward through the middle of it, divideth it in twaine. In the hithermore or South part riseth Uppingham upon an high ascent,* 1.2 whence that name was imposed, not memora∣ble for any thing else, but because it is counted a well frequented Mercat towne, [ E] and hath for to shew a proper Schoole, which together with another at Okeham R. Ihonson a Minister of Gods word, in a good and laudable intent, for the training up of children in good literature lately erected, with the money he had gotten to∣gether by way of collection. Under this standeth Drystoke, which in no wise is to be passed over with silence, considering it hath been the habitation from old time of a right ancient race of the Digbyes: which (I grieve to utter it, but all men know it) hath now caught a deepe steine by Sir Everard Digby drawne into that cur∣sed crew, who most horribly complotted with one divelish flash of hellish Gun-pouder to blow up both Prince, and Country. More Eastward upon the river Welland, I saw nothing remarkeable, unlesse it be Berohdon, now Barodon, which [ F] Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke held,* 1.3 with South Leffingham, now South Luf∣fenham, and other Hamelets,* 1.4 by service to be the Kings Chamberlaine in the Ex∣chequer.

On the further part beyond the river, among the hils, there spreadeth below a ve∣ry pleasant and fruitfull vale, named at this day The vale of Catmose, happily of

Coet maes, which signifieth in the Brittish tongue a field full of woods. In the middest [ A] whereof Okeham sheweth it selfe, which by the like reason may seeme to have ta∣ken the name from Okes: where, hard by the Church which is large and faire, re∣maine the crackt and decaying walls of an old Castle: which, Walkelin de Ferrari••s built in the first times of the Norman Kings. And that it hath been the dwelling place of the Ferrars, besides the credit of writers, and generall report, the great horse shoes, which in times past that family gave in their armes, fastned upon the gate and in the hall, may sufficiently proove. Afterwards it belonged to the Lords of Tatteshall: But when King Richard the second had promoted Edward, the Duke of Yorkes sonne, to the Earledome of Rutland, he gave unto him this Castle also. But within our Fathers remembrance it befell unto Thomas Cromwel,* 1.5 and was repu∣ted [ B] the seat of his Baronie:* 1.6 whom King Henry the Eighth advanced to the highest pitch of dignity: and streightwaies when by his plotting and attempting of many matters he had cast himselfe into the tempestuous stormes of envy and displeasure, bereft him on a sudden both of life and dignity.

* 1.7Over against it Eastward, there standeth Burley most daintily seated, and over∣looking the vale: A stately and sumptuous house now of the Haringtons, who by marrying the daughter and heire of Colepeper, became Lords of so faire an inheri∣tance; that ever since they have flourished in these parts, like as before time the Colepepers had done, unto whom by N. Green the wealthy and goodly Livelod of the Bruses in part had descended. As for those Bruses, being men of the chiefe No∣bility [ C] in England, they were engraffed into the Roiall stocke and family of Scot∣land: out of whom by Robert the eldest brother, the race Roiall of Scotland are sprung-like as by Bernard the younger brother, the Cottons of Connington in Hunting∣don-shire (of whom I have written already) and these Haringtons.* 1.8 In which regard and gracious respect King James advanced Sir Iohn Harington branched from that stem that the ancient Lords Harington, to the title of Baron Harington of Exton, a towne adjacent, where he hath also an other faire house.

Moreover, on the East side, by the river Guash, stands Brigcasterton, whereof I will say more afterward, and Rihall: where, when superstition had so bewitched our an∣cestours, that the multitude of their pety Saints, had well neere taken quite away [ D] the true God, one Tibba a pety Saint or Goddesse, reputed to bee the tutelar patro∣nesse, of Hauking,* 1.9 was of Foulers and Faulkoners worshipped as a second Diana: Essendon also is neere adjoyning; the Lord whereof Sir Robert Cecil, a good sonne of a right good father (the strength and stay of our Common-wealth in his time) was by King James created Baron Cecil of Essendon in the first yeere of his reigne.

This little County King Edward the Confessor, by his last Will and Testament bequeathed unto his wife Eadith,* 1.10 yet with this condition, that after her death it should come to S. Peter of Westminster. For, these be the very words of the said Testament. I will, that after the death of Queene Eadith my wife, ROTELAND with all the appertenances thereto, be given to my Monastery of the most blessed Saint Peter, and be [ E] yeelded up without delay for ever unto the Abbot and to the Monkes there serving God: yet King William the Conquerour cancelled and made voide this Testament, who re∣serving a great part of it to himselfe, divided the rest betweene Countesse Iudith, whose daughter was married to David King of Scots, Robert Mallet, Oger, Gislebert of Gaunt, Earle Hugh, Aubrey the Clerk, and others: And unto Westminster, first he left the Tithes, afterwards the Church onely of Okeham and parcels thereunto appertaining.

This County hath not had many Earles. The first Earle of Rutland, was Ed∣ward, the first begotten Sonne of Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke, created by King Richard the Second upon a singular favour that he cast unto him during his [ F] Fathers life, and afterwards by the same King advanced to the honour of Duke of Aumarle. This young man, wickedly projected with others a practise to make away King Henry the Fourth, and streight waies with like levity discovered the same: But after his Fathers death, being Duke of Yorke lost his life fighting

[ A] couragiously amid the thickest troupes of his enemies in the battaile of Agin∣court. Long time after, there succeeded in this Honour Edward the little young Sonne of Richard Duke of Yorke, and he together with his Father, during those deadly broiles of civill warre, was slaine in the battaile fought at Wakefield.

Many yeeres after, King Henry the Eighth, raised up Sir Thomas Mannours, to be Earle of Rutland, who in right of his Grand-mother Aeleonor was possessed of a goodly and faire inheritance of the Barons Roos, lying in the countries round a∣bout, and elsewhere. In his roome succeeded his Sonne Henry, and after him like∣wise Edward his Sonne, unto whom if I should say nothing else, that commenda∣tion of the Poet was most aptly and truly appliable.

[ B] —Nomen virtutibus aequat, Nec sinit ingenium nobilitate premi.

His name so great with vertues good, he matcheth equally, Nor suffreth wit smuthring to lie under Nobility.

But he, by over hasty and untimely death, being received into Heaven, left this dignity unto John his Brother: who also departing this life within a while, hath for his successor, Roger his Sonne, answerable in all points to his ancient and right no∣ble [ C] parentage.

This small Shire hath Parish Churches 48.

[illustration]

[illustration]

LINCOLNIAE Comitatus vbi olim insederunt CORITANI

Notes

• * 1.1

  The na•••• Rutland.
• * 1.2

  Upping
• * 1.3

  Fines 1
• * 1.4

  Edw. 3
• * 1.5

  Barons Crom∣well.
• * 1.6

  See Earles of Essex.
• * 1.7

  Burly.
• * 1.8

  Baron Haring∣ton.
• * 1.9

  The Faulkoners Saint. Baron Cecill de Essendon.
• * 1.10

  Earles of Rut∣land.