Remaines of a greater worke, concerning Britaine, the inhabitants thereof, their languages, names, surnames, empreses, wise speeches, poësies, and epitaphes

Britaine

WHereas I have purposed in all this Trea∣tise to confine my selfe within the bounds of this Isle of Britaine, it cannot be imper∣tinent, at the verie enterance, to say some∣what of Britaine, which is the onely subiect of all that is to be said, and well knowne to be the most flourishing and excellent, most renowmed and famous Isle of the whole world: So rich in commodities, so beautifull in situation, so resplendent in all glorie, that if the most Omnipotent had fashioned the world round like a ring, as hee did like a globe, it might haue beene most worthily the onely gemme therein. For the ayre is most temperate and wholesome, sited in the middest of the tempe∣rate Zone, subiect to no stormes and tempests as the more Southerne and Northerne are; but stored with infinite delicate fowle. For water, it is walled and garded with the Oc••an most commodious for trafficke to all parts of the world, and wate∣red with pleasant fishfull and navigable rivers, which yeelde safe havens and roads, and furnished with shipping and Say∣lers, that it may rightly be termed the Lady of the sea. That I may say nothing of healthfull Bathes, and of Meares stored both with fish and fowle; The earth fertile of all kinde of graine, manured with good husbandrie, rich in minerall of coles, tinne, lead, copper, not without gold and silver, aboun∣dant in pasture, replenished with cattell both tame and wilde, (for it hath more par••es than all Europe besides,) plentifully wooded, prouided with all complete provisions of Warre,

beautified with many populous Citties, faire Borroughs, good Townes, and well-built Villages, strong Munitions, magnifi∣cent Pallaces of the Prince, stately houses of the Nobilitie, fre∣quent Hospitals, beautiful Churches, faire Colleges, as well in other places, as in the two Vniversities, which are comparable to all the rest in Christendome, not onely in antiquitie, but also in learning, building, and endowments. As for governement Ecclesiasticall and Civill, which is the very soule of a king∣dome, I neede to say nothing, whenas I write to home-borne, and not to strangers.

But to praise Britaine according as the dignitie thereof re∣quireth is a matter which may exercise, if not tier the happiest wit furnished with the greatest variety of learning; and some already have busied their braines and pennes heerein with no sma••l labour and travel: let therefore these few lines in this be∣halfe suffice, out of an antient Writer. Britaine, thou art a glori∣ou••••sle, extolled and renowmed among all Nations; the navies of Tharsis can not be compared to thy shipping bringing in all pretious commodities of the world: the Sea is thy wall, and strong fortificati∣ons doe secure thy Portes: Chivalrie, Cleargie, and Merchandize do flourish in thee. The P••sans, Genoveses, and Venetians do bring thee Saphires, Emeraldes and Carbuncles from the East: Asia ser∣veth thee with Silke & Purple, Affrica with Cinamon and Balme, Spaine with Golde, and Germanie with Silver: Thy Weaver Flaunders dooth drape Cloth for thee of thine owne Wooll; Thy Gascoigne dooth send thee Wine:* 1.1 Bucke and Doe are plentifull in thy Forrests: Droves of Cattle, and Flockes of Sheepe are vpon thy Hilles: All the perfection of the goodiust ••and is in thee: Thou hast all the Foule of the aire. In plenty of Fish thou doost surpasse all Regions. And albeit thou art not stretched out with large limites, yet bordering Nations clothed with thy Fleeces, doe woonder at thee for thy blessed plenty. Thy Swordes have beene turned into Plow-shares: Peace and Religion flourish in thee; so that thou arte a Mirrour to all Christian Kingdomes.

Adde heerevnto (if you please) these few lines out of a farre more antient Panegyrist in the time of Constantine the Great. O happy Britaine and more blisfull then all other Regions: Nature

hath enriched thee with all commodities of heaven and earth, wherein there is neither extreame colde in Winter, nor scorch∣ing heate in Summer; wherein there is such aboundant plenty of Corne, as may suffice both for Bread and Wine: wherein are Woodes without wilde Beasts, and the Fields without noysome Serpents; but infinite numbers of milch Cattle, and Sheepe weighed downe with rich Fleeces: And that which is most com∣fortable, long dayes, and lightsome nights.

So that, not without cause, it was accounted one of the fairest and most glorious Plumes in the triumphant Dia∣deme of the Roman Empire, while it was a Province vn∣der the same;* 1.2 and was truely called by Charles the Great, The Store-house, and Granary of the whole westerne world.

But whereas the saide Panegyrist falleth into a gladsome admiration, how from hence there hath risen gratious prin∣ces, As good gods honoured throughout the whole world. That if ever, as it was lately to our glorious ioy evidently, & effe∣ctually verified in our late Soveraigne, of most deare, sacred and ever-glorious memorie QV••ENE ELIZABETH, the ho∣nour of her time, and the mirrour of succeeding ages: so with an assured confidence, wee hope it will likewise bee prooved true in her vndoubted and rightfull successor, our dread Lord and Soveraigne. That to his endlesse honour MERCIE and TRVTH, RIGHTEOVSNES and PEACE may heere kisse together; and true RELIGION, with her atten∣dants IOY, HAPPINES, and GLORY, may heere for ever seate themselves vnder him; in whose person the two migh∣tie kingdomes of England and Scotland hitherto severed, are now conioyned, and beginne to close together into one, in their most antient name of BRITAINE.

If any would vndertake the honour and precedence of Britaine before other Realmes in serious maner (for heere I protest once for all, I will passe over each thing lightly & slightly) a world of matter at the first view would present it selfe vnto him. As that the true Christian Religion was planted heere most auntiently by Ioseph of Arimathia, Si∣mon Zelotes, Aristobulus, yea by saint Peter, and saint Paul,

as may be prooved by Dorotheus, Theod••••••, Sophronius, & before the yere of Christ 200. it was propagated, as Ter∣tullian writes to places of Britaine ••accessa Ro••anis, whither the Romans never reached, which can not be vnderstoode, but of that parte which was afterward called Scotland. The kingdomes also are most auntient, helde of God alone, ac∣knowledging no superiours, in no vassalage to Emperour or Pope.* 1.3 The power of the Kings more absolute, than in most other kingdomes, their territories very large; for the Kings of England, beside Ireland, have commaunded from the Isles of Orkenay, to the Pyrene Mountaines, and are de iure, Kings of all France by descent. The Kings of Scot∣land, beside the ample realm of Scotland commands the 300 Westerne Isles, the 30. of Orkney & Schetland. Also, which was accounted a special note of maiesty in former ages, the Kings of England, with them of Fraunce, Ierusalem, Naples, and afterward Scotland, were antiently the onely annointed Kings of Christendome: which manner beganne among the Iewes, was recontinued at length by the Christian Em∣perors of Constantinople, with this word at the annoynting, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.4 that is, Be holy; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Be worthie; and from thence was that sacred ceremonie brought to vs and the other kingdomes.

As for that admirable gift hereditary to the annoynted Princes of this Realme,* 1.5 in curing the Kings Evil, I referre you to the learned Discourse thereof lately written. Ney∣ther would it be forgotten, that England in the opinion of the Popes (when they swayd the world, and their authori∣tie was held sacred) was preferred, because it contained in the Ecclesiasticall Division, two large Provinces, which had their severall Legatinati, whereas Fraunce had scantly one, That Scotland was by them accompted an exempt kingdome,* 1.6 and a Peculiar properly appertaining to the Ro∣man Chappell. And which was accompted in that age a matter of honour, when all Christianitie in the Counsell Constance was divided into Nations, Anglicana Natio was one of the principall and no sub alterne. As also, that in times

past, the Emperour was accounted Maior filius Ecclesiae, the King of France, Filius Minor, and the King of England, Fi∣lius Tertius, and Adoptivus. And so in generall Councells, as the King of Fraunce had place next the Emperour on the right hand, so the King of England on the left; and the Kings of Scotland, as appeereth in an antient Roman Pro∣vinciall, had next place before Castil••. The Archbishops of Canterbury, who were antiently stiled Archbishoppes of Britaine, were adiudged by the Popes, tanquam alterius or∣bis Pontifices Maximi, and they had their place in all general Councells, at the Popes right foote. The Title also of De∣fensor fidei, is as honourable, and more iustly conferred vp∣on the Kings of England, than, either Christianissimus vpon the French, or Catholicus vpon the Spaniard. Neither is it to be omitted, which is so often recorded in our Histories, when Brithwald the Monke, not long before the Conquest busied his brain much about the succession of the Crown, because the blood Royall was almost extinguished, he had a strange vision, and heard a voyce, which forbade him to be inquisitive of such matters, resounding in his eares. The kingdome of England is Gods owne kingdome, and for it God himselfe will provide. But these, & such like are more fit for a graver Treatise than this. I will performe that I promi∣sed, in handling nothing seriously, and therfore I will bring you in some Poets, to speake in this behalfe for mee, and will beginne with olde Alfred of Beverlie, who made this for Britaine in generall, which you must not reade with a cen∣sorious eye; for it is, as the rest I will cite, of the middle age, having heeretofore vsed all of more auntient and better times in an other worke. But thus saide he of Britaine.

Insula praedives quae toto vix eget orbe, Et cuius totus indiget orbis ope. Insula praedives, cuius miretur, & optet, Delicias Salomon, Octavianus opes.

For Scotland, one lately in a far higher straine, and more Poetically, sung these;

Quis tibi frugifera 〈…〉〈…〉, Aut aris gravides, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 p••••dere 〈…〉〈…〉, Et nitidos auro monces, ferr••{que} rigent•••• De{que} met all••feris manantia 〈…〉〈…〉: Quae{que} bea••t alias communia commoda g••••tes••

For England a very olde Epigr••••••tist made these with a Prosopopoeia of Nature, the indulgent mother to England, which doth comprise as much as the best wittes can nowe conceive in that behalfe.

Anglia terra ferax, tibi pax secura quietem, Multiplicem luxum merx opulenta dedit. Tu nimio nec stricta gelu, nec sydere fervens. Clementi coelo, temperie{que} places. Cùm pareret Natura parens, vario{que} favore, Divideret dotes omnibus vna locis: Seposuit potiora tibi, matrem{que} professa Insula fis ••oelix, plena{que} pacis, ••••t. Quicquid amat luxus, quicquid desiderat vsus, Ex t•• proveniet, vel aliunde tibi.

Accordingly it is written in the Blacke booke of the Ex∣chequer, that our Auncestors termed England, a Store-house of Treasure, and a Paradise of Pleasure, in this verse;

Divitijs{que} sinum, delicijs{que} larem.

So that not without cause Pope Innocentius the fourth,* 1.7 most willingly, and especially desired to see Divitias Londi∣ni, & delicias Westmonasterij. In these respects, to conclude, most truely our Lucan singeth of this our countrey;* 1.8

The fairest Land, that from her thrusts the rest, As if she car'd not for the world beside, A world within herselfe vvith vvonders blest.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gascoigne then vnder the crown of England.
• * 1.2

  Alfred•• 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.3

  Tho▪ Moore in the Debellation Parl. 43. Edw. 3.
• * 1.4

  Curopalares.
• * 1.5

  Charisma of do∣ctor Tooker.
• * 1.6

  Epist. Bonif. sept. ad •• d. 1. reg. An∣gl••••.
• * 1.7

  Mathew Paris.
• * 1.8

  Samuel Daniel.