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.

MONMOUTH-SHIRE.

MOnmouth-shire may be called an English-Welsh County; For whereas formerly all Welsh Coun∣ties sent but one Knight to Parliament, this had the priviledge of two, and it is not subject to the Welsh Jurisdiction, but to the Governance of the itinerant Judges, who ride Oxford Circuit. As for Manufactures, the best Caps were formerly made at Monmouth, where the Cappers Chappel doth still remain. The Statute of the 13th. of Queen Elizabeth, c. 19. (Enacting that Caps should be worn by all persons) was repealed an. 39. Eliz.

Princes.

Henry of Monmouth, Son to King Henry 4. (by Mary one of the Daughters and Heirs of Humfrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford) and whom he succeeded on the Throne, (being the fifth of that Name) and began his Reign March 20. an. 1413. Being extravagant in his Youth, he had been by the King his Father, expel∣led his Council, (substituting his younger Brother, the Duke of Clarence President in his stead) for the same. No sooner was his Father dead, but he reclaimed him∣self, and became a Glory to his Country, and a constant Terror to his Enemies; yea, and banished all his idle Companions from Court, allowing them a competency for their subsistence. When the Lord Chief Justice (who had secured him when Prince, for striking him for the Commitment of some of his lewd Companions) he not only forgave him, but rewarded his Justice. In

his Reign a Supplication was preferred, that the Tem∣poral Lands given to pious uses, but abusively spent, might be siezed on by the King. This was wisely a∣warded by Chichley Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, by putting the King on the design of recovering France. Yea, this King by his Valour, reduced Charles 6. King of France to such a condition, that he resigned his King∣dom into his hand, and our King Henry 5. was ac∣cordingly Crowned in Paris King of France. There the French found him as good (or rather worse) as his Promise, which he made to the Dolphin, (who sent him a Barrel of Paris Tennis-Balls) sending such Eng∣lish-Balls, that they proved fatal to them. He dyed at Boys St. Vincent, ult. Aug. 1422. and was brought over with great Solemnity, and interred in Westminster-Abbey.

Saints.

St. Amphibalus, a Citizen of Carlion. See the Saints in Hereford.

St. Aaron, a wealthy Citizen of Carlion, was Mar∣tyred under Dioclesian the Emperour, 30••. Note, that the three first British Martyrs, viz. Alban, Am∣phibalus and Aaron have, the first a Latine, the second a Greek, and the third an Hebrew Name.

St. Julius of Carlion, suffered with Aaron aforesaid. Note, that Carlion (now a small Town) was once a great City, reaching a Mile in length, and compre∣hending St. Julian's, a House of late Sir William Her∣bert's, now a Mile distant from the Town.

Cardinals.

Geffery of Monmouth, is avouched by some to have been made Cardinal, but it is improbable, that so much

honour should be done unto him whilst living, who was so solemnly disgraced after his death; his Books being then publickly prohibited by the Court of Rome. See Writers in this Shire.

John of Monmouth, D. D. and Canon of Lincoln, was chosen Bishop of Landaff, 1296. after that See had been 7 years vacant. He was a Learned and Pious Divine. Besides other Benefactions to his See, he pro∣cured the Rectory of Newland, in the Forrest of Dean, to be appropriated thereto; But Bishop Kitchin after∣wards impoverished the same, more then all his Prede∣cessors had endowed it in 400 years. This John dyed April 8. 1322. and was buried in St Maries Chappel.

Walter Cantilupe, Son to William the elder, Lord Cuntilupe, (whose prime residence was at Abergavennie in this County) was made (by Henry 3.) Bishop of Worcester. He would not yield to the Popes Legate, who complained of many Clergy-men keeping their Livings against the Canons, intending to make room for the Popes Favourites, or force such irregular incum∣bents to a Composition. He was one of a keen nature, whose two-edged spirit did cut on both sides, against the King and Pope. Against the former, he sided with the Barons, to whom he promised Heaven for the re∣ward of their Rebellion against their Prince, though it cost him an Excommunication from the Pope, who was the more forward in denouncing that fatal Sen∣tence against him, because he had told Rusland his Le∣gate, coming hither 1255. that he would preferr him to be hang'd on the Gallows, rather then ever consent to such expilation of the Church, as aforesaid. Lying on his death••bed, he was touched with true remorse for his disloyalty, and obtained Absolution. He dyed February, 1267. whom I behold as Uncle to Thomas, the Sainted Bishop of Hereford.

Souldiers.

Richard de Clare, alias Strongbow, born (probably) at Stringule Castle, was Earl of Stringule and Pembrook. A person of effectual performance. It happened that Mac Murugh, an. 1167. being expelled his Territo∣ries, for several Tyrannies, by the Lords of Meath and Conaight, repaired to King Henry 2. and invited him to Ireland. That Politick King sent over this R. Strongbow (with 1200 Men) who possessed himself of the Ports of Leinster and Mounster, with large Lands thereunto belonging; insomuch that the King growing jealous of his greatness remanded him home, and com∣manded him to surrender his Acquest into his hands, which done, he received them by regrant from the King, save that Henry reserved the City of Dublin for him∣self. This Strongbow is commonly called Domitor Hi∣berniae, the Tamer of Ireland. Yet some of the great Lords there did still retain the Power and Title of King; Witness the Preface in the Commission, where∣by King Henry 2. made William Fitz-Adelme his Lieu∣tenant of Ireland, Archiepiscopis, Episcopis, Regibus, &c. Salutem. This Earl dyed at Dublin, 1177.

Sir Roger Williams, born of an ancient Family at Penross, was first a Souldier of Fortune under the Duke of Alva, and afterwards served Queen Elizabeth. A man extreamly forward to Fight. When a Spanish Captain challenged Sir John Norris to fight a single Com∣bat (which was beneath him to accept, being a Gene∣ral) this Roger undertook the Don. And after they had fought some time (both Armies beholding them) without any hurt, they pledged each other a deep draught of Wine, and so friendly departed. Another time at mid-night, he assaulted the Camp of the Prince of Parma, nigh Venloe, slew some of the Enemies, and

pierced to the Tent of the General. He bravely de∣fended Sluse, whilst any hope of help.

William Herbert, Earl of Pembrook, with Sir Richard his Brother, were both valiant Men, and as fast Friends to King Edward 4. as professed Foes to Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick. Leading the Army of the Welsh, in the Battle of Banbury, with their Poll-Axes, they twice made way through the Battle of the Northern men (which sided with King Henry 6.) without any Mortal Wound. There passeth a Tradition in the No∣ble Family of the Herberts of Chierbury, that this Sir Richard their Ancestor, slew that day 140 Men with his own hands, in passing and repassing through the Army. Guns not being then in fashion, the Poll-Axe was the next Mortal Weapon, especially in such a dead Hand as this Knight had. He is reported also to be of a Giants Stature, the Peg being extant in Mont∣gomery Castle, whereon he used to hang his Hat at din∣ner, which no Man of an ordinary height can reach with his hand at this day. However, both these brave Brethren, circumvented with the subtilty of their Foes (Odds at any time may be bet on the side of Treachery, against Valour) were brought to Banbury, beheaded and buried, the Earl at Tinterne, and Sir Richard at Abergaveny in this County.

Writers.

Jeffrey of Monmouth, (alias ap Arthur) Translated and Compiled the various British Authors into one Vo∣lume. He hath many things from the British Bards, which though improbable, are not therefore ipso facto untrue; yet Humanum est errare; and Tradition ha∣ving run a great way from its clear Original, may swell into a rapide Stream, violently forcing Rubbish into its own Channel, which shall render the waters thereof

impenetrable by the Eye, and ungrateful to the Palate His Book is prohibited by his Holiness, whilst the lying Legend is permitted to be read without controul. If Jeffrey be guilty of mistakes, they are such as make not for the Popes advantage. He was Bishop of St. Asaph, and flourished 1152.

Thomas of Monmouth, wrote an History of St. Wil∣liam, the Child that was Crucified by the Jews in Nor∣wich, in hatred of our Saviour. He flourished 1160 under King Henry 2.

Benefactors to the Publick.

AMP. Henry Plantagenet, first Duke of Lancaster, was born in Monmouth Castle, the chief Seat of his Ba∣rony. He is commonly Sirnamed the Wryneck, and by others more rightfully the good Duke of Lancaster. He was Head of the Guild of Corpus-Christi in Cam∣bridge, and the first Founder of a Colledge, so called in that University. Indeed the Land was little he confer∣red thereon, but great the Countenance of so eminent a person, in procuring and setling their Mortmain. He dyed 1361. and was buried in the Collegiate Church at Leicester, which he Founded. Blanche his only Daugh∣ter, which had Issue, was Married to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster.

Since the Reformation.

W. Johnes, born in Monmouth, was forced thence for not being able to pay 3 s. and 4 d. Flying to Lon∣don, he became first a Porter, and then a Factor, and going over into Hamborough made such a Vent for Welsh Cottons, that what he found Drugs at home, he left Dainties beyond Sea. He Founded a fair School in Monmouth, allowing 50 pounds yearly for the Master,

with 100 pounds Salary to a Lecturer, besides a State∣ly Almshouse for 20 poor Folk, each of them having 2 Rooms and a Garden, with half a Crown a Week; All which Benefactions he submitted to the oversight of the Honourable Company of Haberdashers in London, who at this day right worthily discharge their trust here∣in. He dyed 16—.

Memorable Persons.

William Evans, was two yards and an half in height, being Porter to King Charles I. He was somewhat lame, knocking his Knees together, and going out squal∣ling with his Feet; yet made he a shift to Dance in an Antimask at Court, where he drew little Jeffrey the Dwarf out of his Pocket. He dyed 163—.

Note, this was made a Shire, an. 27. Henry 8. but not solemnly setled till 5 years after. An. 1607. the Moor in this County sustained by the breaking in of the Severn Sea.