[illustration]
BUCKINGHAM SHIRE [map of Buckinghamshire]
Page [unnumbered]BUCKINGHAM-SHIRE.
CHAPTER XXI.
BUCKINGHAM, for the plenty of Beech-trees there growing, and those in the elder time of the Saxons called Buck•n, may well be supposed from them to have the name, as after∣ward the whole Shire had hers from this Town Buckingham.
(2) In form it somewhat resembleth a Lyon Rampant, whose head or North-point touch∣eth the Counties of Northampton and Bedford; whose back or East part is backed by Bedford and Hertford-Shires: his loines or South-borders rest upon Bark-shire, and his breast th• West side is butted upon wholly by Oxford-shir•. The length thereof from Waisbury in the South, to Braidfield in her North, are thirty nine miles; the breadth at the broadest, from Ashbridge in the East, to Brenwood Horrest in the West, are eighteen; the whole in Circumference one hundred thirty eight miles.
(3) The Air is passing good, temperate and pleasant, yielding the body health, and the mind content. The soil is rich, fat, and fruitful, giving abundance of Corn, Grass, and Meat. It is chiefly divided into two parts by the Chiltren hills, which run thorow this Shire in the middest, and be∣fore time were so pestered with Beech, that they were altogether unpassable and became a receptacle and refuge for Theeves, who daily endammaged the way-faring man; for which cause Laestan Abbot of S. Albans caused them to be cut down: since when those parts are passable, without any great in∣combrances of trees; from whose tops, a large and most pleasant prospect is seen. The Vale beneath is plain and champion, a clayie soil, stiff, and rough, but withall maruellous fruitful, naked of woods, but abounding in meadows, pastures, and tillage, and maintaining an infinite number of sheep, whose soft and fine fleeces are in great esteem with the Turks as far as Asia.
Page [unnumbered](4) The ancient Inhabitants •hat were seated in this Shire, were the Catteuchlani, mentioned by Ptolomy, and them dispersed thorow the Tract of Bedford, Hertford, and this. These yielded them∣selves with the first to Caesar under the Romans subjection, whose over-worn Empire ending in Britain, the Saxons by strong hand attained this Province, and made it a part of their Mercian King∣dom: yet was it first subdued unto them by Cherdike the West-Saxon, whose memory is i•part conti∣nued in the To•n Chersey, upon the West of this Country, where in a sharp and bloudy battle he was Victor over the Britains. So also Cuthwul•e a West Saxon at Alesbury in the year of grace 592, overcame the Britains, and bare down all things before him; yet no sooner was their Heptarchy weaned, and their Monarchy able to stand alone, but that the Danes, before their strength and growth was confirmed, waxed upon them; and they not able in so weak a hand to hold fast that weight of greatness they had so grasped, gave place to their Conquerours, who did many harms in this Pro∣vince▪ for in the year 914, the Danes furiously raged as far as Brenwood, where they destroyed the City Burgh, the ancient seat of the Romans, afterwards a Royal house of King Edward the Confessor, which they utterly destroyed.
(5) The Shire-Town Buckingham, fruitfully seated upon the River Ouse, was fortified with a Rampire, and Sconces on both banks, by King Edward the elder, saith Marianus the Scotish Wri∣ter; where in the heart of the Town hath stood a strong Castle, mounted upon a high hill, which long since was brought to the period of her estate; now nothing remaining besides the signs, that there she had stood. The River circulates this Town on every side, that only on the North ex∣cepted, over which three fair stone bridges lead, and into which the Springs of a Well run, called S. Rumalds, a child-saint born at Kings-Sutton, canonized, and in the Church of this Town en∣thrined, with many conceited miracles and cures: such was the hap of those times, to produce Saints of all ages and sexes. This Town is governed by a Bayliff, and twelve principal Burgesses; Page [unnumbered] and is in the degree removed from the first point of the West for Longitude 19, 33 scruples, and the North-pole elevated in Latitude for the degree of 52, 18 scruples.
(6) A Town of ancient note is Stony Stra•ford, the Romans Lactorodum, being built upon that an∣cient Causey-way which is called VVatling Street, where remain the marks thereof even unto this day. At this place Edward the elder stopped the passage of the Danes, whilst he strengthened Torcester against them: and herein, King Edward the eldest since the Conquest, reared a beautiful Cross, in memory of Eleanor his dead Queen, as he did in every place where her Corps rested, from Herdby in Lincoln-shire, till it was received and buried at VVestminster.
(7) Places intended for Gods true worship, built by devout persons, and sequestred from world∣ly imployments, were at Launden, Luffeld, Bidlesden, Bradwell, Nothey, Ankerne, Missenden, Tekeford, Patrendune, Asbridge, and Alesbury: Asbridge in great repute for the bloud (supposed out of Christs sides) brought out of Germany by Henry the eldest son of Richard King of the Romans, and Earl of Cornwall, whereunto resorted great concourse of people for devotion and adoration thereof. But when the Sunshine of the Gospel had pierced thorow such clouds of darkness, it was perceived apparently to be onely honey clarified and coloured with Saffron, as was openly shewed at Pauls Cross by the Bishop of Rochester, the twenty fourth of February, and year of Christ 1538. And Alesbury for the holiness of S. Edith was much frequented, who having this Town allotted for her Dowry, had the world and her husband farewel, in taking upon her the vail of devotion, and in that fruitful age of Saints became greatly renowned, even as far as to the working of miracles. These all in the storms and rage of the time, suffered such shipwrack, that from those turmoiled Seas, their Merchandise light in the right of such Lords as made them their own for wreacks indeed.
Page [unnumbered](8) With four Castles this Shire hath been strengthened, and thorow eleven Market-Towns her Commodities traded; being divided, for service to the Crown and State into eight hundreds, and in them are seated one hundred fourscore and five Parish-Churches.
