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CAMBRIDGE-SHIRE, written by the English-Saxons, Grent-brig-scyre,* 1.1 lyeth boun∣ded upon the North with Lin∣colne-shire and Norfolke; upon the East with Norfolke and Suf∣folke;* 1.2 upon the South with Hart∣ford-shire and Essex; and upon the West with Bedford and Huntington-shires.
* 1.3(2) This Province is not large, nor for ayre great∣ly to be liked, having the Fennes so spread upon her North, that they infect the ayre farre into the rest: from whose furthest point unto Roiston in the South, are thirty five miles; but in the broadest is not fully twenty: the whole in circumference, traced by the compasse of her many indents, one hundred twenty and eight miles.
* 1.4(3) The Soile doth differ both in Aire and Com∣modities; the Fenny surcharged with waters: the South is Champion, and yeeldeth Corne in abun∣dance, with Meadowing-pastures upon both the sides of the River Came, which divides that part of the Shire in the midst, upon whose East-banke the Muses have built their most sacred Seat, where with plen∣teous increase they have continued for these many hundred yeers.
* 1.5(4) For from ancient Grantcester, Camboritum by Antonine, now famous Cambridge, the other breast and Nurse-mother of all pious literature, have flowed full streames of the learned Sciences into all other parts of this Land and else-where: ancient indeed, if their Story be rightly writ,* 1.6 that will have it built by Can∣taber a Spaniard, three hundred seventy five yeeres before the birth of our Saviour, who thither first brought and planted the Muses. This Citie Grantce∣ster by the tyranny of time lost both her owne beau∣tie and her professed Athenian Students, so that in Bedaes dayes seven hundred yeers after the Word became flesh, it is described to lye a little desolate Citie, and as yet retaineth the name, without any memorie of circuit by wals.
Of this City, in the yeer of Christ Jesus 141. as the Monk of Burton doth report, nine Scholars received their Baptisme, and became Preachers of the Gospel among the Britaines, which (as he saith) happened in the reigne of Hadrian the Emperour. But when the Picts, Scots, Huns and Saxons had laid all things wast, and with their savage swords cut out the leaves of all civill learning, this (as the rest) yeelded to destru∣ction, and so lay forlorn till the Saxons themselves became likewise civill;* 1.7 when Sigebert the first Chri∣stian King of the East-Angles, from the example of France, whither he had beene banished▪ built Schooles in his Kingdome, and here at Grantcester the chiefe, recalling thither the professors of Arts and Sciences, as the Story recordeth, and Traditions do hold.
But afterwards, as it seemeth, their increase being straitned, the Students complained (as the Prophets did to Elisha) that the place was too little for them to dwell in,* 1.8 therefore inlarging more North-ward sea∣ted themselves neer unto the Bridge, wherupon the place began to be called Grant-bridge, though others from the crooked River Came will have it named Cambridge.* 1.9 This place (though sacred and exemp∣ted from Mars, as Sylla once spake, when he spared Athens,) the Danes in their destructions regarded no whit, wherin they often wintered after their spoiles, and left the scars of their savage sores ever behinde them. And in the yeer 1010. when Suen in his fierce∣nesse bare downe all before him, this place was no place for Schollers to be in: Warres loud Alarums ill consorting the Muses milde Harmonies. Yet when the Normans had got the Garland on their heads, & these Danish stormes turned into Sun-shine dayes, Gisle∣bert the Monk, with Odo, Terricus, and William, all three of the like Monasticall Profession, in the reigne of K. Henry the first, resorted unto this place, and in a publike Barne read the Lectures of Grammar, Logick, and Rhetoricke, and Gistebert Divinitie upon the Sab∣bath and Festivall dayes. From this little fountaine (saith Peter Blessensis) grew a great River, which made all England fruitfull, by the many Masters and Teachers pro∣ceeding out of Cambridge, as out of a holy Paradise of God. The first Colledge therein endowed with Pos∣sessions was Peter-house,* 1.10 built by Hugh Balsham Bi∣shop of Ely, in the yeer of Grace, 1284. whose godly example many others followed, so that at this day there are sixteen most stately Colledges and Hals, for building, beautie, endowments, & store of Students, so replenished, that unlesse it be in her other Sister Oxford, the like are not found in all Europe.
But at what time it was made an Vniversitie, let Robert de Remyngton tell you for me. In the Reigne (saith he) of King Edward the First, Grantbridge, of a Schoole, by the court of Rome, was made an Vniversitie, such as Oxford is. Lastly, the Meridian line cutting the Zenith over this Citie,* 1.11 is distant from the fur∣thest West-point, according to Mercator, 20. de∣grees, 50. scruples, and the Arch of the same Me∣ridian, lying betweene the Aequator and Verticall-point, is 52. degrees, 20. scruples.
)5) Another Citie formerly in great fame is Ely,* 1.12 by the Saxons Eli••, had in account for the repute and holinesse of Votary Nunnes there residing; built first by Audrey wife to one Tombret a Prince in this Pro∣vince,* 1.13 who had this place as a part of her Dowrie: she having departed from her second Husband Eg∣bert King of Northumberland, devoted herself to the service of God, and built here a Monastery, whereof she became the first Abbesse. This in the Danish deso∣lation was destroyed, but soone after reedified by Ethelw••ld Bishop of Winchester, who stored it with Monks; unto whom King Edgar granted the jurisdi∣ction over foure Hundreds and a halfe, within these Fennes and the East-Angles limits, which to this day are called The Liberties of S. Audrey: after whose ex∣ample many Nobles so enriched it with large Reve∣news, that as Malmesbury saith, the Abbot thereof laid up yeerely in his owne Coffers a thousand and foure hundred pounds. And of latter times the Monks therof became so wealthy, that their old decaied Church they renu∣ed with new & most stately buildings, which is now the Cathedrall of the Diocesse, and for beauty giveth place to no other in the Land. Eight other foundati∣ons set apart from secular use in this Province, were at Thorney, Charteres, Denny, Elsey, Beach, Barnwel,* 1.14 Swasey and Shengey, all which in the dayes of King Henry the Eight came to the period of their surpassing wealth, and left their Lands to the dispose of his Will.
(6) The generall commoditie of this Shire is Corn,* 1.15 which in the South, and Champion part doth abun∣dantly grow, as also Saffron, a very rich Spice. Some Woods are there, and Pasture both pleasant and profi∣table. The North part thereof is Fenny, but withall fruitfull, whereof Henry of H••ntington and William of Malmesbury thus do write: This Fenny Country is pas∣sing rich and plenteous, yea, and beautifull also to behold, wherein is so great store of fish, that strangers doe wonder, and water-fowle so cheape, that five men may therewith be satisfied with l••sse then an halfe-penny.
(7) Places of ancient note in this Shire are these,* 1.16 the Erminstreet-way, which upō the lower west parts of this Countie, thorow Roiston, runneth forthright unto Huntingdon. And from Reach a Market-Towne standing neer to the River Came, a great Ditch and Trench is cast all along New-Market-Heath, which for the wonder conceived thereat, is of the vulgar cal∣led The Devils ditch, being in truth made for a de∣fence against the Mercians by the East-Angles,* 1.17 whose Kingdome is inverged.* 1.18 The Gogmagog hils neere Cambridge retaine the remembrance of the Danish Station, where as yet on their tops is seen a Rampire, strengthned with a three-fold Trench, whereof Ger∣vase of Tilbury tels us many a prety Tale.
(8) This Shire is divided into seventeen Hundreds,* 1.19 wherein are seated eight Market-Towns, and hath bin strengthened with seven Castles, and God divinely honoured in 163. Parish-Churches.