Chorographia, or, A survey of Newcastle upon Tine the estate of this country under the Romans : the building of the famous wall of the Piets, by the Romans : the ancient town of Pandon : a briefe description of the town, walls, wards, churches, religious houses, streets, markets, fairs, river and commodities, with the suburbs : the ancient and present government of the town : as also, a relation of the county of Northumberland, which was the bulwark for England, against the introdes of the Scots : their many castles and towers : their ancient Cheviot-Hills, of Tinedale, and Reedsdale, with the inhabitants.

OF THE NOBLE AND ANCIENT FAMILIES OF THE NORTH, AND THEIR CASTLES.

THE North parts of England hath been in the Romans time, and in after ages, the Bulwarks and Fortresses of England, against the inrodes of the Scots; New∣castle for the East parts of this land, and Carlile for the West.

The two great Princes of the North, were the Earles of Northumberland at Alnwick, and Westmerland at Raby Castle in the Bishopprick of Durham. The first famous for the great overthrow he gave Malcolme, King of the Scots, and his Sonne Edward, slain at his Castle of Alnewick. The second Earle made famous for taking David King of Scots prisoner, and the over∣throw of his Army at Nevils-Crosse, neer Durham.

The Lord Dacres, and Lord Lumleyes were famous in their generations; the first lived in Cumberland, in his many Castles, the other in the Bishopprick of Dur∣ham, in Lumley Castle; both of them having lands in Northumberland, who held their land of the King in Knight service, for his warres against the Scots.

The Bishops of Durham had their Castles in the frontiers, in Norhamshire and Elandshire.

The Nobility and Gentry of the North, are of great antiquity, and can produce more ancient Families,

then any other part of England; many of them Gentry before the Conquest; the rest came in with William the Conquerour. The Noblemen and Gentry of the North, hath been alwayes imployed in their native countrey, in the warres of the Kings of England, against the Scots; all of them holding their lands in Knights service, to attend the warres in their own persons, with horse and speare, as the manner of fighting was in those dayes.

Some Gentlemen held their lands in Cornage, by blowing a Horne, to give notice that the Scots, their enemies, had invaded the land. The Scots their neighbouring enemies, hath made the inhabitants of Northumberland fierce and hardy, whiles sometimes they kept themselves exercised in the warres; being a most warre-like Nation, and excellent good Light-Horsemen, wholly addicting themselves to Mars and Armes, not a Gentleman amongst them, that hath not his Castle or Tower; and so it was divided into a num∣ber of Baronies: the Lords whereof, in times past, be∣fore King Edward the first's dayes, went commonly under the name of Barons, although some of them were of no great living. It was the policy of the Kings of England, to cherish and maintain Martiall Prowesse among them, in the Marches of the Kingdome, if it were nothing else, but with an honourable bare title. Some Gentlemen of the North are called to this day Barons.

The Ancient Families and Names of the Gentry are many, which hath continued from William the Con∣querour, unto these late dayes.

• The Grayes of Chillingham, and Horton, Barons of Warke-castle.
• Ogles of Ogle-castle.
• Fenwickes of Wallington.
• Widdrington of Widdrington-castle.
• Delavale of Seaton-Delavale.
• Ridleyes of Williams-Weeke.
• Muschampes of Barsmore, the chiefe Baron of Nor∣thumberland in Edward the first's reigne.
• Mitfords of Midford.
• Fosters of Edderston.
• Claverings of Callalie.
• Swinburnes of Swinburne, now of Capheaton
• Radliffes of Delston.
• Harbottle of Harbottle-castle, extinct.
• Haggerston of Haggerton.
• Hebburne of Heburne.
• Blankenship of Blankenship.
• Fetherstonhaugh of Fetherstonhaugh.
• Herons of Chepehase.
• Horsley of Horsley.
• Craster of Craster.
• Laraines of Kirkharle.
• ...

• Collingwoods of Eslington.
• Whitfield of Whitfield.
• Carnaby of Halton.
• Lisles of Felton.
• Strudders of Kirknewton.
• Selbyes of Twisel.
• Eringtons of Bewfrom.
• Weldon of Weldon.
• Bradforth of Bradforth.
• Rodom of Little Haughton.
• Carres of Ford-castle.
• Creswell of Creswell.
• Halls of Otterburne.
• Thirlwall of Thirlwall-castle.
• Killingworth of Killingworth.

These ancient Noble Families continued many years valiant and faithfull unto the Kingdom of England, and flourished all in their times; untill the two powerfull Earles of the North rose in rebellion in Queen Elizabeths reigne, who drew along with them many Gentry of the North, who overthrew themselves and confederates, and many ancient families of the North. Since many ancient names have been extinct, for want of Heires Male, and have been devolved upon other names and families.

Since the union of both Kingdoms, the Gentry of this Country hath given themselves to idlenesse, luxury

and covetousnesse, living not in their own houses, as their ancestours hath done, profusely spending their revenues in other Countries, and hath consumed of late their ancient houses.

The Castles in the North are many and strong. Morpith-Castle, so called, from the death of the Picts in that place.

Alnewick-Castle, where the Earles of Northumber∣land kept their Court; famous for two battels fought against the Scots, who received a shamefull overthrow, by the valour of the Earles of Northumberland.

Upon Tweed and Borders, are Wark-castle, a Baro∣ny of the Grays. Norham-castle belonging to the Bi∣shops of Durham. Barwick upon the left banck and river, a strong Town of Warre, opposite sometimes against the Scots; the farthest bounds of the English Empire. Upon Till (a River falling into Tweed, above Norham) is Ford-castle. To the West beyond the River, riseth Floddon-Hill, made famous by the death of James the fourth, King of Scotland, slain in a me∣morable battell by Thomas Howard, Earle of Surrey, Generall of the English, in the reigne of Henry the Eighth.

Upon the East Sea is Bambrough-castle, and Dun∣stonbrough-castle, builded by the Saxons, and some∣times the Royall Seats of the Kings of Northumbers.

Bambrough-castle afterward converted into a Priory, and did homage and vassalage to their Lord Priour.

Many battells and skirmishes hath been in this North, and alwaies hath been victorious against the Scots. Besides the forenamed battels of Alnewick-castle, and Floddon; at Solommosse fifteen thousand Scots were put to flight, eight hundred slain, and one and twenty of their Nobles taken prisoners, by the English.

There was Lord Wardens of the East, West, and middle Marches appointed, who had power by Martiall Law to represse all enormities and outrages committed in the Borders. They had their Laws, called Border Laws.

In the North toward the Borders, is many Hills; one of them most eminent, called Cheviot Hill, upon the top of it is Snow to be seen at Midsummer; and a Land mark for Sea-men that comes out of the East parts from Danzieke, through the Baltick Seas, and from the King of Denmarks country; it being the first land that Marriners make for the Coast of England. These Chiviot Hills is made famous for the hunting of the Earl of Northumberland: at the hunting the Earl Duglas of Scotland who met him with his forces, and engaged one the other, where was great bickerings and skirmishes, to the losse of many men; where both Earles fought valiantly, called to this day Cheviot Chase.

There is many Dales, the chief are Tinedale and Reedsdale, a country that William the Conquerour did not subdue, retaining to this day the ancient Laws and Customs, (according to the County of Kent) where∣by the lands of the father is equally divided at his death amongst all his sonnes. These Highlanders are famous for theeving, they are all bred up and live by theft. They come down from these Dales into the low Countries, and carry away horses and cattell, so cun∣ningly, that it will be hard for any to get them, or their cattell, except they be acquainted with some Master Thiefe; who for some mony (which they call Saufey mony) may help they to their stoln goods, or deceive them.

There is many every year brought in of them into the Goale of Newcastle, and at the Assises are con∣demned and hanged, sometimes twenty or thirty. They forfeit not their lands (according to the tenure in Gavel∣kind) the Father to Bough, the Sonne to the Plough.

The people of this Country hath had one barbarous Custome amongst them; if any two be displeased, they expect no law, but bang it out bravely, one and his kindred against the other, and his; they will subject themselves to no Justice, but in an unhumane and bar∣barous manner, fight and kill one another; they run together clangs (as they terme it) or names.

This fighting they call their Feides, or deadly Feides, a word so barbarous, that I cannot expresse it in any other tongue. Of late, since the union of both King∣doms, this heathenish bloody custom is repressed, and good laws made against such barbarous and unchristian misdemeanours and fightings.

In this North Country groweth plenty of hadder or ling, good for Cattell to feed upon, and for Moor-Fowle, and Bees; this hearbe yeeldeth a flower in June, as sweet as Hony, whereof the Picts in time past did make a pleasant drink, wholsome for the body of Man.

Upon the West parts of Northumberland, the Picts Wall is, out of the ruines of which is built many Tow∣ers and Houses in that part where the Picts Wall stood; in some of the wast ground the Wall is to be seen of a great height, and almost whole, many stones have been found with Roma upon it, and all the names of the Roman Emperours, Consuls, and Proconsuls, both in Stone and in Coine of Silver and Brasse, with their Emperours Image upon them; So the Picts Wall goes through Northumberland into Cumberland, where I end my Peregrination and Travell, keeping my selfe within the limits and bounds of Northumberland.