Page 41
BEDFORD-SHIRE. CHAPTER XXI.
BEDFORD-SHIRE, seated in the South-East of this Iland, is a plaine and Champion Coun∣trey, and lyeth bounded upon the North with Huntington-shire;* 1.1 upon the East with Cam∣bridge and Hartford-shires; and upon the West with Bucking∣ham and Northampton-shires.
* 1.2(2) The forme thereof is somewhat ovall, and not very large: for from Tilbroke in the North, un∣to Studham in the South,* 1.3 are but twentie foure Eng∣lish miles; and from Turny in the West, unto Hat∣ley Coking in the East, are not fully foureteene; the whole in circumference, about seventie three miles.
* 1.4(3) The Aire is temperate, and the Soile bounti∣ous, especially the North, whose borders the fruit∣full Ouse with her many windings watereth. The South is more leane, and with greater industry bringeth forth Barley, no better else-where. Gene∣rally, this Countie is Champion, though some places be sprinkled with Pasturage and Woods.
* 1.5(4) The ancient Inhabitants knowne to the Ro∣mans, that held in this Shire, were part of the Catti∣euchlani, a stout and warre-stirring people: and yet upon the report of Caesars proceeding,* 1.6 sent him their subjection for peace. But when that conque∣ring Nation had brought Britaine into a Province under Rome,* 1.7 their Legions lay at Sclanea and Magin∣tum, which are now Sandy and Dunstable, places of memorable note in this Shire. After them the Saxons coveting for so faire a Seat, first disposses∣sed the Britaines, under the leading of Cuthwulfe the West-Saxon, about the yeere of Grace 572. who making it their owne, was lastly enjoyed by the Mercians, as a part of their Kingdome.
* 1.8(5) In the yeere of Christs Incarnation 1399. immediately before those Civill Warres, that rent in pieces the peace of this Land, betwixt the Prin∣ces of Lancaster and Yorke, the River Ouse neere un∣to Harwood, stood suddenly still, and refrained to passe any further; so that forward, men passed three miles together on foot in the very depth of her Channell; and backward, the waters swelled unto a great height: which was observed by the judicious, to foretell some unkind division that shortly should arise.
* 1.9(6) This County, among the common calami∣ties of the Land, when it lay trampled under the feet of the Danes, sustained a part: and after that, in the time of King Stephen, when the Civill Warres thundred betwixt Maud the Empresse and himselfe, the Shire-town was sore wasted, with great slaugh∣ter of men: so when the Barons forsooke their alle∣geance to King Iohn, the Towne and Castle were rendred up unto their hands, and lastly, by King Henry the third, laid levell even with the ground, some ruinous wals appearing towards the Ouse, but not a stone left upon the Mount where stood his foundation.
(7) This Towne by the Britaines was called Let∣tidur; by the Saxons, Bedanford; and of us, Bedford:* 1.10 being the chiefest in the County, from whom it ta∣keth the name, and is most fruitfull, and pleasantly seated, having the Ouse running thorow the Towne in the middest, and a faire Stone-Bridge built over the same, whereon are two Gates to locke and im∣peach the passage,* 1.11 as occasion shall serve. At the first entrance standeth S. Leonards Hospitall for Lazars: and further inwards, S. Iohns and S. Maries Chur∣ches: within the Towne, S. Pauls, a most beautifull Church, S. Cuthberts, and S. Peters: without the Towne standeth the Fryers, S. Loyes, Alhallowes, and Caudwell Abbey: not farre thence, sometimes stood a Chappell upon the Banke of Ouse, wherein (as Florilegus affirmeth) the body of Offa the great Mer∣cian King was interred,* 1.12 but by the over-swelling of that River, was borne downe, and swallowed up: whose Tombe of Lead (as it were some phantasti∣call thing) appeared often to them that seeke it not,* 1.13 but to them that seeke it (saith Rosse) it is invisible.* 1.14 This Towne is governed yeerely by a Major, two Bailiffes, two Chamberlaines, a Recorder, a Town-Clerke, and three Sergeants with Mases.
(8) A tale of vaine credit is reported of Dunsta∣ble,* 1.15 that it was built to bridle the outragiousnesse of a theefe named Dun, by King Henry the first: but certaine it is the place was formerly held by the Ro∣mans, whose Legions there lay, as appeareth by the Coines there usually found, which from Magintum are corruptly called Madning-money.
(9) Castles in this Shire are Woodhill,* 1.16 Eaton, Tems∣ford, and Amphill, an honour now appertaining to the Crown. And places of Religion, built by devout persons, but for Idolatrous abuses againe abolished, were at Bedford,* 1.17 Harwood, Helenstow, Newenham, Chicksand, Wardon, Woburne, and Dunstable. All these, with their like, felt the hand of Henry the eight to lie so heavy upon them, that they were not able to su∣staine the weight, but were crushed to pieces, and fell to the ground.
(10) The Graduation of this Countie, taken for the Shire-Towne, is placed from the Equator in the degree of 52. and 30. minutes for Latitude, and is removed from the first West point of Longitude, 20. degrees and 16. minutes.
(11) Whose Princely Families that have borne the Titles both of Dukes and Earles,* 1.18 within the Map it selfe by names, and their Armes are insert∣ed, as thou seest; and whose Counties division are into nine Hundreds, wherein are seated ten Mar∣ket-Townes, and one hundred and sixteene Parish-Churches.