[illustration]

NORFOLCKE

[map of Norfolk]

NORTHFOLK.

CHAPTER XVII.

NORTHFOLK is an Island inclining to an oval form, closed on the South part with the Rivers of Wavenay, and the lesser Ouse, which divides it from Suffolk. On the East and North with the German Ocean; on the West toward Cambridge-shires, with some branches of the greater Ouse; toward Lincolis-shire, with that part of the Neve which passeth from Wisbitch into the Washes.

It containeth in length (from Tarmouth to Wifbitch) about fifty miles. In breadth (from The•ford to Wells) about thirty. The whole Circuit is about two hundred forty two miles.

The Name ariseth from the situation of the people, who being the Norther-most of the Kingdom of East-Angles, are therefore called the Northfolk, as the Souther-most Southfolk.

The Air is sharp and piercing, especially the Champion and near the Sea; therefore it delayeth the Spring and Harvest, the situation of the Countrey inclining thereto, as being under the 53 degree of Latitude.

The Soil diverse: about the towns commonly good; as Clay, Chalk, or fat Earth, well watered, and with some Wood: upward to the Heaths naked, dry and barren: Marsland and Flegge exceed∣ing rich: but Marsland properly for Pasture, Flegge for Corn.

(2) The parts from Thetford to Burneham, and thence Westward, as also along the Coast, be counted Champion: the rest (as better furnished with Woods) Woodland. The Champion aboundeth with Corn, Sheep, and Conies and hesein the barren Heaths, (as the Providence of our Ancestors hath of old disposed them) are very profitable: For on them principally lie our Fould courses, called Page  [unnumbered] of the Saxons (whose institution they therefore seem to be) Paldyocum, that is, Liberty of fold or fo••∣dage. These heaths by the compasture of the sheep (which we call Tathe) are made so rich with Corn, that when they fall to be sown, they commonly match the fruitfullest grounds in other Coun∣tries: and laid again, do long after yield a sweeter and more plentiful feed for Sheep: so that each of them maintain other, and are the chiefest wealth of our Countrey. The Woodland (fitter for grass) is maintained chiefly by feeding of Cattel, yet well stored with Corn and Sheep.

The Coast is fortunate in Fish, and hath many good harbours, whereof Lynn and Tarmouth be the mother-ports, and of great traffique: Wells and Blackeney next in estimation.

The whole County aboundeth with Rivers and pleasant Springs, of which the Ouse is the chiefest, by whose plentiful branches, the Isle of Ely, the Towns and Shires of Cambridge, Huntington, and the County of Suffolk vent and receive Commodities. The next is Hi•rus or Yere, passing from Norwich to •armouth, where it receiveth the Bure coming from Aylsham, both of them of great service for water carriages, but very notable for their plenty of fish: for some one man out of an hold upon the Bnr•, hath drawn up ordinarily once a year, between two Nets, above five or six score Bushels of Fish at one draught. The Waveney and the lesser Ouse are also Navigable and of great use. The residue I omit.

(3) The people were anciently called the ICENI, as the also of Suffolk, Cambridge-shire, and Huntington-shire, and supposed to be of them whom Caesar nameth Cenimagni; Ptolomy, Simeni; some Tigeni. Their manners were likely to be as the rest of the Britains, barbarous at those times, as ap∣peareth by Caesar and Tacitus. Neither can I otherwise commend their successors the Saxons; for so also their own Countreyman Ethelward termeth them. Since the entry of the Normans, they have been counted civil and ingenious, apt to good Letters, adorning Religion with more Churches and Monasteries, than any Shire of England, and the Laws and Seats of Iustice (for many ages) Page  [unnumbered] with some excellent men; from whom most of our chief Families, and some of the greatest Nobility of the Kingdom, have taken advancement. And herein is Northfolk fortunate, that as Crete boasted of an hundred Cities, so may she of an hundred Families of Gentlemen, never yet attainted of high Treason. How the Government of this County was about Caesars time, is uncertain, but (agreeable no doubt to the rest of the Britains) under some peculiar Toparch or Regulus, as Tacitus termeth him. The latter Romans held it by two Garrisons, one at Gariannum neer •armouth; the other at Branodunum, now called Brancastre, both of horse, and commanded by the Comes Maritimi Tractus, as Mercellinus calleth him, and termed after Comes Littoris Saxonici. Upon the entry of the Saxons, this County with Suffolk fell in the portion of the Angles, and about the year five hundred sixty one, were together erected into a Kingdom by Vffa, of whom the succeeding Kings were tituled Vffines. But having suffered many Tempests of Fortune, it was in the year 870, utterly wasted and extinct by Hungar and Hubba the Danes, who overthrew the vertuous King Edmund about Thetford, and after martyred him at S. Edmundsbury. Yet they did not long enjoy it: for King Edward shortly recover∣ed it from them, and annexed it to his other Kingdoms. The Da•es notwithstanding inhabited abundantly in these parts, so that many of our Towns were sounded by them, a•d a great part of our people and Gentry are risen out of their bloud.

(4) This Kingdom of East-Angles was after allotted to an Earldom of that name by William the Conquero•r, who made Radulph a Britain, marrying his Kinswoman, Earl thereof; but gave the greatest parts of this County about Wimonham, Keninghall, Lenn, Burnham, Fulmerstone, &c. to W. de Albany, Pincerne, and W. de Warranna Forrestario, who to strengthen themselves (according to the use of that time) with the homage and service of many Tenants, divided large portions of the same amongst their friends and followers; so that most of the Mannors and Lands in the parts afore∣said, were in those days either mediately or immediately holden of one of them. And as Northfolk Page  [unnumbered] and Suffolk were first united in a Kingdom, then in an Earldom, so they continued united in the Sheriff-wick till about the fifteenth year of Queen Elizabeth.

(5) The Towns here are commonly well built, and populous; three of them being of that worth and quality, as no one Shire of England hath the like, Norwich, Lynn, and Yarmouth: to which for ancient reputation (as having been a seat of the Kings of East-Angles) I may add Thetford, known to Antoninus, Ptolomy, and elder ages by the name of Sitomagus, when the other three were yet in their infancy, and of no esteem: For I accept not the Relations of the Antiquity and State of Norwich in the time of the Britains and Saxons, though Alexander Nevil hath well graced them. Her very name abridgeth her Antiquity, as having no other in Histories but Norwich, which is meer Saxon or Danish, and signifieth the North-Town or Castle. It seemeth to have risen out of the decay of her neighbour Venta, now called Castor, and as M. Cambden noteth, not to have been of mark before the entry of the Danes, who in the year 1004, under Swane their Captain, first sackt, and then burnt it, even in her infancy. Yet in the days of Edward the Confessor it recovered 1320 Burges∣ses. But maintaining the cause of Earl Radulph aforesaid against the Conquerour, they were by famine and sword wasted to 560, at which time the Earl escaping by Ship, his wife upon composition yielded the Castle, and followed. In William Rufus time it was grown famous for Merchandise and concourse of people; so that Herbert then translated the Bishoprick from Thetford thither, made each of them an ornament to other. In variety of times it felt much variety of Fortune: By fire in Anno 1508. By extreme plagues, whereof one in Anno 1348, was so outragious, as 57104 are reported to have died thereof between the Calends of Ianuary and of Iuly. By misery of war was sacked and spoiled by the Earl of Flanders and Hugh Bigod, Anno 1174. In yielding to Lewis the French, against their natural Lord King Iohn, Anno 1216. By the disinherited Barons, Anno 1266. By tumult and insurrection between the Citizens and Church-men: once about the year 1255. Page  [unnumbered] which if Henry the third had not come in person to appease, the City was in hazard to be ruined the second time in Anno 1446, for which the Mayor was deposed, and their Liberties for a while seised. In Edward the sixths time, by Ketts rebellion, whose fury chiefly raged against this City. Since this it hath flourished with the blessings of Peace, Plenty, Wealth, and Honour: so that Alexander Nevil doubteth not to prefer it above all the Cities of England, except London. It is situate upon the River Hierus, in a pleasant valley, but on rising ground, having on the East the Hills and Heath called Mussold for Musswould, as I take it. In the 17 year of King Stephen it was new founded, and made a Corporation. In Edward the firsts time closed with a fair Wall, saving on a part that the River defendeth. First governed by four Bayliffs; then by Henry the fourth in Anno 1403, erected in∣to a Majoralty and County; the limits whereof now extend to Eatonbridge. At this present it hath about thirty Parishes, but in ancient time had many more.

(6) Lynn having been an ancient Borough, under the government of a Bayliff or Reve, called Praepositus, was by King▪ Iohn in the sixth year of his Reign made Liber Burgus, and (besides the gift of his memorable Cup, which to this day honoureth his Corporation) endowed with divers fair Liberties. King Henry the third in the Seventeenth year of his Reign (in recompence of their servi•• against the out-lawed Barons in the Isle of Ely) enlarged their Charter, and granted them further, to choose a Major Loco Praepositi: unto whom King Henry the eighth, in the sixteenth year of his Reign, added twelve Aldermen, a Recorder, and other Officers, and the bearing of a Sword be∣fore the Mayor. But the Town coming after to the same King, he in the ewenty ninth of his Reign, changed their name, from Maior & Burgensis Lynn Episcopi, to Maior & Burgenses Lynn Regis.

(7) ••rmouth is the Key of the Coast named and seated by the mouth of the River •ere. Begun in the time of the Danes, and by small accessions growing populous, made a Corporation under Page  [unnumbered] two Bayliffs by King Henry the thrid, and by his Charter, about the fifteenth year of his Reign, walled. It is an ancient member of the Cinque Ports, very well built and fortified, having only one Church (but fair and large) founded by Bishop Herbert in William Rufus days. It maintaineth a Peer against the Sea, at the yearly charge of five hundred pound, or thereabout: yet hath it no possessions as other Corporations, but like the Children of Aeolus and Thetis; maria & 4 ventos, as an Inquisitor findeth Anno 10. H▪ 3. There is yearly in September the worthiest Herring fishing in Europe, which draweth great concourse of people, and maketh the Town much the richer all the year, but very unsavory for the time. The Inhabitants are so courteous, as they have long held a custom to feast all persons of worth, repairing to their Town.

(8) The Bishoprick of Norwich had first her seat at Dunwich in Suffolk, and was there begun by Faelix, who converted this County, and the East-Angles to the Faith. Being brought out of Bur∣gundy by Sigebert (the first Christian King of the East-Angles) he landed at Babingley by Lynn, and there builded the first Church of these Countries, which in his memory, is at this day called by his Name. The second he built at Sharneburn then of wood, and therefore called Stock Chappel. After Faelix and three of his Successors, this Bishoprick was divided into two Sees; the one with eleven Bishops in succession, continuing at Dunwich; the other with twelve, at Elmham in Northfolk. Then united again in the time of King Edwin, the entire See for twelve other Bishops remained at Elmham, and in the Conquerours time was by his Chaplain Arfastus (being the thirtieth) translated to Thetford, from thence by Herbert (his next Successour save one) bought of W. Rufus for 1900 pounds, and brought to Norwich. This Herbert (sirnamed Losinga a Norman) builded the Cathedral Church there, and endowed it with large possessions. Not far from thence he also builded another Church to S. Leonard, a third at Elmham, a •ourth at •ynn, (S. Margarets a very fair one) and the Page  [unnumbered] fifth at Yarmouth before mentioned. By the Cathedral Church he builded a Palace for the Bishops, and founded the Priory there (now converted to Dean and Chapter) and another Priory at Th•t∣ford. Since his time the Bishops See hath immoveably remained at Norwich, but the ancient Possessions are severed from it▪ and in lieu thereof the Abbey and Lands of S. Benedict of Holme annexed to it. The Commodities of this County I have contained in these four Verses.

This Description of Norfolk, I received from the Right Worshipful, Sir HENRY SPELMAN Knight.