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* 1.1GLOCESTER-SHIRE, in the Saxons Tongue, Gleaucesderschyre, lyeth bordered upon the North with Worce∣ster and Warwick-shires, upon the East with Oxford and Wilt-shire; upon the South altogether with Sommerset-shire: and upon the West with the Ri∣ver Wye and Hereford-shire.
* 1.2(2) The length thereof extended from Bristow upon the River Avon in her South, unto Clifford upon another Avon in her North, are about forty eight miles; and her broadest part from East to West, is from Lechlad unto Preston,* 1.3 containing twenty eight: the whole circumference about one hundred thirty eight miles.
* 1.4(3) The forme whereof is somewhat long and narrow: the Ayre thereof is pleasant, sweet and delectable: and for fruitfulnesse of soyle heare Malmesbury and not mee:* 1.5 The ground of this Shire throughout (saith he) yeeldeth plenty of corn, and bringeth forth abundance of fruits;* 1.6 the one through the na∣turall goodnesse only of the ground, the other through the diligent manuring and tillage, in such wise, that it would provoke the la∣ziest person to take paines. Here you may see the High-wayes and common La••es clad with Apple-trees and Peare-trees, not engraf∣ted by the industry of mans hand, but growing naturally of their owne accord: the ground of it self is so inclined to beare fruits, and those both in taste and beauty far exceeding others, and will endure untill a new supply come. There is not any Country in England so thicke set with Vine yards as this Province is, so plentifull of in∣crease, and so pleasant in taste. The very wines made thereof carry no unpleasant tartnesse, as being little inferior in sweet verdure to the French Wines: the houses are innumerable, the Churches pas∣sing faire, and the Towns standing very thick. But that which ad∣deth unto all good gifts (a speciall glory) is the River Severne, then which there is not any in all the Land, for Chanell broader, for Streame swifter, or for Fish better stored. There is in it a dai∣ly rage and fury of waters, which I know not whether I may call a Gulfe or Whirle-poole of waves, raising up the sands from the bottome, winding and driving them upon heapes: sometimes over∣flowing her bankes, roveth a great way upon the face of her bor∣dering grounds, and againe retireth as a Conqueror into the usu∣all Chanell. Vnhappy is the Vessell which it taketh full upon the side: but the Water-men well ware thereof, when they see that Hydra comming, turne the Vessell upon it, and cut thorow the midst of it, whereby they checke and avoid her violence and danger.
* 1.7(4) The ancient people that possessed this Province, were the DOBUNI, who spread themselves further into Oxford-shire. But betwixt the Severne and Wye were seated part of SILURES, or Inhabitants of South Wales. And upon what ground I know not, let Lawyers dispute it, the Inhabitants in some part of this Shire enjoy a private custome to this day, that the goods and lands of Condemned Persons fall unto the Crown but only for a Yeare and a Day, and then returne to the next Heyres, contrary to the custome of all England besides.
* 1.8(5) The generall Commodities of this Shire, are Corne, Iron and Wools, all passing fine, besides Pasturage, Fruits and Woods, which last are much lessened by making of Iron, the only bane of Oke, Elme and Beech.
* 1.9(6) These with all other provisions are traded thorow twenty five Market-Townes in this County, whereof two are Cities of no small import: The first is Glocester, from whom the Shire taketh name, seated upon Severne, neere the middest of this Shire, by Antonine the Emperour called Glevum, built first by the Romans, and set as it were upon the necke of the Si∣lures, to yoke them, where their Legion called Colonia Glevum, lay. It hath been walled about, (excepting that part that is de∣fended by the River) the ruines whereof in many places ap∣peare; and some part yet standing, doth well witnesse their strength. This City was first won from the Britaines by Cheulin the first King of the West-Saxons, about the yeare of Christ 570. and afterwards under the Mercians it flourished with great honour, where Osrik, King of Northumberland, by the sufferance of Erhelred of Mercia, founded a most stately Mo∣nastery of Nuns, whereof Kineburgh, Eadburgh, and Eve, Queenes of the Mercians, were Prioresses successively each after other.
* 1.10(7) Edelfled a most renowned Lady, Sister to King Edward the elder, in this City built a faire Church, wherein her self was interred; which being overthrowne by the Danes, was after∣wards rebuilt, and made the Cathedrall of that See, dedicated unto the honour of Saint Peter. In this Church the unfortunate Prince, King Edward the second, under a Monument of Ala∣blaster doth lye; who being murdered at Barkley Castle, by the cruelty of French Isabel his wife, was there intombed. And not far from him another Prince as unfortunate, namely, Robert Curthose, the eldest sonne of William the Conquerour, lyeth in a painted woodden Tombe in the middest of the Quire; whose eyes were pluckt out in Cardiffe Castle, wherein he was kept prisoner twenty six yeares, with all contumelious indignities, untill through extreame anguish he ended his life. And before any of these, in this City, say our British Historians, the body of Lucius our first Christian King was interred: and before his dayes the Britaines Arviragus.
The graduation of this County I observe from this City,* 1.11 whence the Pole is elevated in the degree of Latitude, 52. and 14. minutes, and in the Longitude from the West 18. and 5. minutes.
(8) The other City is Bristow,* 1.12 faire, but not very ancient, built upon the Rivers Avon and Fro••me, for trade of Merchan∣dize a second London, and for beauty and account next unto Yorke. This City standeth partly in this County, and partly in Sommerset-shire: but being a County of it selfe, will acknow∣ledge subjection to neither.
(9) A City more ancient hath been Circester,* 1.13 by Ptolemy called Cerinium; by Antonine, Durocornovium; by Giraldus, Passerum Vrbem, The Sparrowes City, upon a flying report, that Gurmund a Tyrant from Africke,* 1.14 besieging this City, tyed fire unto the wings of Sparrowes, who lighting in the Towne upon light matter, set flame upon all. The circuit of whose walls extended two miles about, wherein the Consular Port or wayes of the Romans met and crossed each other. This City was won from the Britaines by Cheulin, first King of the West-Saxons: afterwards it was possessed by the Mercians; and last∣ly by the Danes under Gurmund (the former no doubt mistaken for him) wherein a rable of them kept the space of a yeare,* 1.15 An∣no 879. and never since inhabited, according to the circuit of her walles.
(10) Places of memorable note are these:* 1.16 the Iland Al∣ney neere unto Glocester, wherein Edmund Iron-side the Eng∣lish, and Canutus the Dane, after many battels and blood, fought in single combat hand in hand alone, untill they compounded for the Kingdomes partition:* 1.17 Barkley Castle, where King Ed∣ward the second was thorow his fundament run into his bowels with a red burning Spit:* 1.18 Tewkesbury, the fatall period of King Henry the sixt his government, and the wound of the Lanca∣strian Cause; for in a battell there fought in Anno 1471. Prince Edward, the only son of King Henry, had his braines dashed out in a most shamefull manner, the Queen his Mother taken prisoner, and most of their favourites slaine and beheaded. And at Alderley a little Towne standing eight miles from the Se∣verne, upon the hilles to this day are found Cockles, Periwinkles and Oysters of solid stone,* 1.19 which whether they have been Shel-fish and living creatures, or else the sports of Nature in her workes, let the Naturall Philosophers dispute of and judge.
(11) The places of piety,* 1.20 set apart from other worldly Services, and dedicated to religious uses by the devotions of Princes, erected in this Shire, were Tewkesbury, Deorhust, Glo∣cester, Minching, Barkley, Kingswood, Circester, Winchcombe and Hales; which last was built with great cost by Richard Earle of Cornwall, King of the Romans, wherein himselfe, and his Dutchesse were interred. Their son Earle Edmund brought out of Germany the blood of Hales, supposed and said to be part of that which Christ shed upon his Crosse. In this place with great confluence and devotions of Pilgrimage it was sought to and worshipped, till time proved it a meere counterfeit, when the glorious light of the Gospell revealed to eye-sight such grosse Idolatries, and the skirts of Superstition were turned up, to the shew of her owne shame.
(12) Dukes and Earles that have borne the title of Gloce∣ster,* 1.21 the first of every Family are by their Armes and Names within the Card expressed, ever fatall to her Dukes, though the greatest in blood and birth. The first was Thomas Woodstocke, son to King Edward the third, who in Callis was smoothered in a Feather-bed to death. The second was Humfrey brother to King Henry the fift, by the fraudulent practise of the malignant Cardinall and Queen, made away at Saint Edmundsbury, And the last was Richard, brother to King Edward the fourth, who by the just hand of God was cut off in battell by King Henry the seventh.
(13) This Shires division is principally into foure parts,* 1.22 subdivided into thirty Hundreds, and them againe into two hundred and eighty Parish-Churches▪ whose names are insert∣ed in the Table upon the other part of this Card.