The present state of England. Part III. and Part IV. containing I. an account of the riches, strength, magnificence, natural production, manufactures of this island, with an exact catalogue of the nobility, and their seats, &c., II. the trade and commerce within it self, and with all countries traded to by the English, as at this day established, and all other matters relating to inland and marine affairs : supplying what is omitted in the two former parts ...

The Riches of the Eng∣lish Nation.

And first of the Arable Pasture and Fruitage.

THe Riches of any Nation, I mean the Native and Inland Riches, (for by Imported Commodities, the Barrenest Na∣tion in the World may be Rich,) consist chiefly in the Arable, the Pasturage, the Fruits, and other Plants of peculiar Use and Advantage. The Rich Veins of Earth for Mettals and other sorts of Minerals, and the Plenty of Fish and Fowl; all which things are both profitable in them∣selves, and for the Manufactures they produce; and though common to this Na∣tion, with the greatest part of the Earth in general, yet it will not be from the pur∣pose to discover how far the English Nati∣on excels in each of them, and what parts of the Nation are most peculiarly fam'd and commended for this or that Producti∣on. As to the Arable, it would be in vain to particularize any one part of England more

than another, since so great Plenty of all sorts of Corn and Grain is produced in all parts of this Nation. Nevertheless, it is worth the observing, how some Counties are more peculiarly celebrated for this or that Grain: I have heard it affirm'd, that the very best Wheat in England is from a Vale near Hessen in Middlesex, lying South∣ward of Harrow on the Hill; however a∣mong the four W's of Herefordshire, Wheat is one, the other three being Wool, Wood and Water. Moreover for Oates, if there be any where one sort better than another, the best Oats are said to be in Lancashire, and in greater abundance than any other County; and for Barly and Malt, Bedford∣shire hath among some a particular men∣tion. Moreover, for what is said in gene∣ral of some places above others: It is suf∣ficiently considerable which is reported of the Town of Godmanchester in Huntington∣shire, in reference to the great Name that Town hath for Tillage, and its Prae-emi∣nence above all the Towns of England; besides for number of Stout and Able Husbandmen, namely that the Inhabi∣tans of this Place us'd in former times to meet the Kings of England as they pass'd this way in their Progress, in a kind of Ru∣ral Pomp and Pageantry of show, with no

fewer than 180 Ploughs; and in this manner King James at his first coming to the Crown of England was received in his Journey from Scotland, with 70 Team of Horses, fitted with all their Furniture to as many New Ploughs; the King expres∣sing much Delight and Satisfaction at so Brave and Happy a Sight, and highly ap∣plauded the Industry and well deserved Prosperity of the people of that Place. Remarkable also is the Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire, so called of one Eoves a Swinheard to Egwin Bishop of Worcester, so Renowned for its Fertility and excellent kind of Corn it yields, that it is called the Granary of those parts. The Vale of Alisbury in Buckinghamshire, is also parti∣cularly taken notice of for its Pleasant Meadows and Rich Pastures. Nor are the Sheep-Pastures near Knetworth in Hart∣fordshire, which is called the Garden of England, to be forgotten. Portholm Mea∣dow also in Huntingtonshire is reckon'd among the Notabilia of that County. The like may be said in a great measure of the Pasturage: However there are some places so peculiarly remark'd either for the Large∣ness or Richness of their Pastures, that the mention of them cannot well be omitted. The Isle of Shepey in Kent being about 21

Miles in compass, is without question so denominated from the numerous Flocks of Sheep which it feedeth. No less celebra∣ted is Rumny-Marsh, heretofore a part of the Sea, under the Name of Romanum Mare, which by common Speech is easily corrupted into Rumnense Marshium: Of this Marsh, Twine in his Commentary, De rebus Anglicis, making a particular men∣tion, thus concludes, Denique unde tot pingues peeudes, &c. Lastly, saith he, Whence so many Fat Cattle come to the Sham∣bles, that not only all Kent is largely sup∣plied from this place, but even the City of London also, in some measure fares the better. In the Marsh-Country of Norfolk common∣ly called Marsh-Land; the Soyl is so very Mellow and Fruitful, that in a certain large Mead called Tilneysmeth, there are said generally to feed no less than 30000 Sheep at a time. Wormleighton in War∣wickshire, breeds Sheep of so large a size, that there are scarce the like to be seen elsewhere. Lemster upon the River Lug in Herefordshire, feeds a Breed of Sheep which yields so Fine and Delicate a Wool, that our Noble Poet Draiton in his Polyol∣bion, compares it to the Wool of Apulia and Tarentum, which hath been always ac∣counted the Finest Wool of Europe. The

Bread also of Lemster is no less noted by reason of the Fineness of its Flower, inso∣much that Lemster Bread and Weably Ale are united into a Proverb, as Leigh ob∣serves in his Description of England. Like∣wise the Sheep of Cotswold (i. e. a place of Sheep-Cotes or Folds upon a Hill) in Glocestershire, yield so Fine a Wool, that nothing but the Spanish Wool can outvy it, and this advantage it owes to a Present that was made by King _____ _____ to _____ _____ King of Spain, very much to the prejudice of England, as it hath since proved. So∣merton once the chief Town, as some say, of Somersetshire, and gave the denomination to the Shire, consists almost wholly, with the Country thereabout, of Grasiers and Breeders of Cattle. After the Wool of Lemster and Cotswold, that of the Isle of Wight comes next in estimation. Besides those places above-mentioned, there is one more, which for its largeness and Fruitfulness alike, is worthy to be men∣tioned, viz. The Vale of the Whitehorse, which is partly in Wiltshire, and partly in Barkshire. For Fruit, there is scarce any County in England that is not tolerably well stor'd in one sort or other; but above all for Cherries, and now of late for Pip∣pins, Kent bears the Name; and parti∣cularly

Tenham, which is commonly styl'd the Parent of Fruit Gardens: But the first Pippins brought over, that is about 100 years since, were Planted in that part of Lincolnshire called Holland; and about Kirton in the same Shire: Nor are our Cherries of much longer date, being first brought over from Flanders in the Reign of King Henry the Eight, and Planted in Kent, with that Success, that one only Orchard of but 32 Acnes, is said to have produced in one year, as much as yielded 1000 l. For all sorts of Apples and Pears, and for great quantity of ex∣cellent Syder, which furnish London and many other parts, Worcestershire, Glocester∣shire and Herefordshire, are the principal Counties.

Vines we have very frequent among us of several sorts, producing for the most part a very Sweet and Pleasant Grape, and good quantities of Wine, I have heard say, have been formerly made. At this day there are two places principally Eminent for making of Wine, viz. Claverton in Somersetshire, a Seat of Sir William Bassets, where there are said to have been made some years, no less than 40 Hogsheads of a very pleasant and palatable Wine, and in Kent belonging to Collonel Blunt. At

Hatfield-House in Hertfordshire, belonging to the Earl of Salisbury, there is a parcel ground called the Vineyard, no doubt from the Plenty and goodness of the Vines there Planted. And in Glocestershire there are several places called Vineyards, out of which in former times, they yearly payed Rent-Wines, from the Plenty of Vines no doubt here growing. Moreover it is found in Ancient Records, that several Towns of this Shire payed Rent-Wines, as Dr. Fuller in his Worthys particularly observes.