Anglorum speculum, or The worthies of England, in church and state Alphabetically digested into the several shires and counties therein contained; wherein are illustrated the lives and characters of the most eminent persons since the conquest to this present age. Also an account of the commodities and trade of each respective county, and the most flourishing cities and towns therein.

Derbyshire.

DErbyshire hath Yorkshire on the North, Noting∣hamsh. on the East, Leic. on the South, and Staff. and Cheshire on the West. The River South Darwent falling into Trent, runneth through the mid∣dle thereof. It is in length 38 Miles, and 29 Miles in the broadest part thereof. The South and East thereof are very Fruitful, whilst the North part (called the Peak) is Poor above and Rich beneath the Ground. Yet is the fair Pasture near Haddon, (be∣longing to the Earl of Rutland) so Rich▪ that one proferred to surround it with Shillings to purchase it, which because to be set Side-ways (not Edgeways) was refused. Of Natural Commodities, there is in this County the best Lead in England. The Mi∣ners as a particular Common-wealth are Governed with Laws peculiar to themselves, often confirmed by Act of Parl. Of which Laws one is this, 16 E. 1. c. 2. That whosoever Stealeth Oar twice shall be fined, and the third time struck through hit Hand with a Knife unto the haft into the Stow, and shall there stand untill Death, or loose himself by cutting off his Hand. As for Buildings, there is Chatsworth, erected by the Mag∣nificent Lady Eliz. Cavendish Countess of Shrewsbury: A Stately Structure upon the Bank of Darwent;

The Garden on the backside, with an Artificial Rock compleateth the place with all Pleasure. Of Wonders, the Chief is Maim or Mam Tor, that is the Mother-Hill, from which incredible heaps of Sandy Earth fall, yet it is not visibly diminished; And Buxtom Well dedicated to St. Anne, sending forth both cold and warm Water, by which Queen Mary Queen of Scots received much refreshing, of which Mr. Hobbs,

Huc Mater fieri cupiens accedit inanis, Plenaque discedit puto nec veniente Marito. Where Wives may breed tho desperately Bar∣ren, Sans Husbands help, as Conies in a Warren.

Saints.

St. Alkmund, Son to Alred King of Northum. slain in Battle, occasioned by the Vice-Roy of Worcester, in pursuing of his Title to some Lands, was not∣withstanding reputed a Martyr. However it was believed Miracles were done at St. Alkmunds Church, where his Body was interred, whither the Nor∣thern People made Pilgrimages, till discomposed by the Reformation.

Martyrs.

Joan Wast, a blind Woman in Derby, and an In∣nocent tho no Fool, was burnt for the Testimony of the truth, by the Command of B. Bains.

Cardinals.

Rog. Curson, of Worshipful Extraction, bred in

Oxf. was afterwards Doctor in Paris, and lastly a Cardinal in Rome, by the Title of St. Steph. in Mount Celius, He Accompanied Pelagius when the City Damiata in Egypt was taken under Jo. Brenn King of Jerusalem. He wrote many Books, and came over into England as the Popes Legate, in the Reign of H. 3.

Phil. de Repingdon (or Repton) became D. D. in Oxf. A great Assertor of the Doctrine of Jo. Wickliff. but he recanted An. 1483. and became a Persecuter, wherefore he was termed (by those he molested) Rampington. He was made Abbot of Leicester An. 1400. Chancellor of Oxf. 1405. Bishop of Lincoln 1408. and was created by Pope Greg. 12. Card. of St. Nerius, &c. tho he had solemnly sworn he would make no more Cardinals till the Schisme in Rome were ended. He resigned his Bishoprick An. 1420.

Prelates.

Will. Gray, Son to the Lord Gray of Codnor, was as Honourable. He first studied in Baliol-Coll. in Oxf. then at Ferrara in Italy, where he was an Auditor of Guarinus of Verona. He was made by King H. 6. Procurator in the Court of Rome, and was freely Elected to the Bishoprick of Ely. An. 9. E. 4. 1469. he was Lord Treasurer, the last Clergy-man that e∣ver was preferred to that Office, until Bishop Jux∣ton in our daies, enjoyed it. He dyed 1478 and lies buried in the Church of Ely.

Since the Reformation.

Geo. Cooke. D. D. Brother to Sir Jo. Cooke Secr. of State; was born at Trusley and bred in Pemb. Hall in

Camb. and then Minister of Bigrave in Hertf. Hence successively made Bishop of Bristol and Hereford, a Grave, Meek man and much beloved. He was in the same Condemnation with the rest of his Bre∣thren, for subscribing the Protest in Parl. in defence of their Priviledges; so that to prevent his want, he was relieved by his Rich Relations. He dyed a∣bout the year 1650.

Statesmen.

Sir Jo. Cook, younger Brother to Sir Francis, was born at Trusley of Ancient and Worshipful Parentage. He was bred Fell. of Trin. Coll. in Camb. and there became an Eminent Rhetorick Lecture. And having Travelled beyond the Seas, he returned Rich in foreign Language, Observations and Experience. Be∣ing related to Sir Fulk Grevil Lord Brook, he was made Secretary of the Navy, then Master of the Re∣quests, and at last Secr. of State. He was a good Protestant, and dyed 1644.

Capital Judges and Writers on the Law.

Jo. Stathom, born in the Reign of King H. 6. wrote an Abridgement of the Laws, much esteemed for its Antiquity, tho (as I heard) not much fol∣low'd, at this day; in which Book I found a passage, viz. that the Miller of Matlock took Toll twice, because he heard the Rector of the Parish Read— Tolle, Tolle, that is, Crucifie him, &c. A Felonius Fruit of Latine Service.

Sir Anth. Fitz, Herbert, Son of Ralph H. Esquire, was born at Norbury. He was first the King Serj. at Law, and then 14. H. 8. One of the Justices of the Com. Pleas. He wrote that Treasure of the Com∣mon-Law,

de Naturâ Brevium and a choice Abridge∣ment of the Laws, &c, And 'tis Pity that there is not due and speedy care taken for the setting forth a new and more Correct Edition of the latter. He lies in∣terred in Norbury-Church.

Sea-Men.

Sir Hugh Willoughby, Extracted from a Right wor∣thy and Ancient Stock at Riseley in this County, was An. ult. E. 6. Employed for the North-East Passage, and made Captain Gen. of a Fleet for Discovery of unknown Countries. Their Commission bore date from the year of the World 55••5. because they might have occasion to present it to Pagan Princes, They departed from Debtford May 10. 1553. & steering N. N.E. by a Tempest Aug. 2, they lost the Bonaventure, the two other Ships, viz. the Bona Esperanza, Admiral, and the Good Confidence (which were all that were left) being Shattered. Sir Hugh, holding on his Course, descried a Land 160 Leagues from Synam (an Isle belonging to the King of Denmark) in lat. 72. deg. Which therefore was then called Willough∣by-land; But in Jan. 1554. He with most of his Company was Frozen to Death in the River or Haven called Arzina in Lapland. And the Bonaventure re∣turning safe performed afterwards Great Service in opening the Trade to Moscovy. And now for your Diversion. Note that in Lapland it is Death to Mar∣ry a Maid without her Parents or Friends Consent, wherefore, the Rights of all being saved. The Maid must run with her Sweet-heart (not for Tryal of Skill, but of her Will) and having the Advantage of a considerable part of the Race, has it meerly in her own choice, to signifie her dislike of his Person by out-running him, or her consent to Matrimony

by a Voluntary Hault (under pretence of tying her Garter) before she comes to the end of the Race. All Parties being hereby concluded, it is Penal for the Man to renew the motion of Marriage, after a Repulse in the manner aforesaid.

Physicians.

Th. Linacer, born in Derby, bred in Oxf. and be∣yond the Seas, was the first Restorer of Learning in our Nation; a Man of an honest Conversation. His Translation of Galen is not inferior to the Original, in Purity of Style. King Hen. 7. and 8. were both his Patrons; He founded two Publick Lectures in Oxf. and one in Camb. for Physick. 'Tis said that a little before his Death he turned Priest, and began to Study the Scripture, with which formerly he was unacquainted, insomuch that, reading the 5, 6 and 7 Chapters of St. Math. he vowed that either this was not the Gospel or we were not Christians. He dyed An. Dom. 1524. and lieth buried at St. Pauls under a stately Monument built by Dr. John Caius another Phoenix of the same Profession, springing from Li∣nacer's Ashes, and coming into general Credit after his Death.

Writers.

Th. Asburn, D. D. was one of the Synod which Condemned Wickliff for Heresie. Yet he asswaged the fury of the enraged People, when they threat∣ned to burn the Convent about the Augustinian Fry∣ers Ears, because Pateshul one of their Order, in a Sermon Preached by him, had some passages in Wick∣liff's Favour.

Benefactors to the Publick since the Reformation.

Eliz. Hardwick, (whose third Husband was Geo. Earl of Shrewsbury) a Lady of undaunted Spirit founded a stately Alms-house for 12 poor People in Derby. The Queen of Scots having been committed to her Husband the aforesaid Earl, Queen Eliz. ask∣ing the Countess (at Court) how that Queen did, Madam (said she) she cannot do ill while she is with my Husband, and I begin to grow Jealous, they are so great together. Upon which the Queen gave Order that the Queen of Scots should be removed into the Custody of others; and 'tis probable the Earl thought himself well rid of her, whose Custody was both Chargeable and Dangerous to him.

There is a Free-School in Derby built by that Cor∣poration, endowed with 60 pounds a year, in which I believe Mr. Fletcher, (thrice Bayliff of that Town) was very Instrumental. 'Tis a noted Priviledge of that Town, that none of the Townsmen pay Toll at Lond. tho in some cases the Londoners pay Toll at Derby.

Stow relates that divers well disposed Citizens of Lond. desirous (as yet) not to be named, being born in or near to Ashburn in the Peak in the County of Derby, combining their loving Bene∣volence together, have Builded there a Free-School-house, with convenient Lodgings for a Master, and Liberal Maintenance allowed thereto.

Noted Sheriffs.

Jo. Vernon, [monarch H. 8.] Arm. related possibly to Sir Geo. Vernon, who in the beginning

of Queen Eliz. for his vast Revenues and Retinue, was called King of the Peak, and left two Daughters Coheirs, Eliz. married to Sir Jo. Manners, Ancestor to the present Earl of Rutland, and Marg. to Th. Stanley, a younger Son of the House of Darby. Yet the Alliance of this John (in this and the Neigh∣bouring Counties) will remember their Motto Ver non semper floret.

Notes

• De Mir. pecci.
• Surv. Lond.