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NORTHAMPTON-SHIRE situ∣ated neere unto the middest of England, by the Saxons was written Norþafendonscire, lieth separated upon the North from Lincolne-shire by the River We∣land;* 1.1 from Huntington-shire on the East is parted by the water Nene: her South is bounded with Buckingham and Oxford-shires, and the West from Warwick with Wat∣ling-street-way, Avon and Weland, is divided from Leicester shire.
* 1.2(2) The forme of this County is large and nar∣row, broadest in the South-west; and thence shoot∣ing still lesser like unto a Horne, nor not much un∣like to the forme of Cornwall:* 1.3 and from the en∣trance of Cherwell into this shire, unto the fall of Weland and Nene neere unto Crowland, are by measure fourtie sixe miles; and the broadest part is from Ouse unto Avon,* 1.4 which is not fully twenty: the whole in circumference one hundred and nine∣teene miles.
(3) The aire is good, temperate, and healthfull: the soile is champion, rich, and fruitfull, and so plen∣teously peopled, that from some Ascents, thirty Pa∣rish Churches, and many more Windmilles at one view may be seene: notwithstanding the simple and gentle sheepe, of all creatures the most harmelesse, are now become so ravenous, that they begin to de∣voure men, wast fields, and depopulate houses, if not whole Town ships,* 1.5 as one merrily hath written.
(4) The ancient people knowne to the Romanes, and recorded by Ptolemy, were the Coritani, who pos∣sessed this County, and were branched further tho∣row Leicester, Lincolne, Nottingham, Rutland, and Dar∣b••e-shires: these joyning with the Icenians, with them were fettered with the chaines of subjection when for Claudius,* 1.6 Publius Ostorius Scapula entred his Lieu∣tenantship in Britaine, and in battle subdued all be∣twixt the Rivers Nene and Sabrina. But when the Ro∣mans were content to let go that which so long was desired, and had cost so much in the getting, the Saxons, a most warlike Nation, put into these parts, and made it a portion of their Mercian Kingdome: but their government also grown out of date, the Nor∣mans seated themselves in these faire possessions, the branches of whose Stems are spread abroad in these parts, most fruitfull and faire.
* 1.7(5) Commodities arising in this Shire, are chiefly gotten by tillage and plough, whereby corn so plen∣tifully aboundeth, that in no other County is found more, or so much: the pastures and woods are filled with Cattle, and every where sheepe loaden with their fleeces of wooll.
* 1.8(6) The chiefe Towne in this Shire is Northamp∣ton, whereof the County taketh name, which for cir∣cuit, beauty, and building, may be ranked with the most of the Cities of our Land. It is seated at the meeting and confluence of two Rivers, the greater whereof beareth to name Nen. This Towne hath beene built all of Stone, as by many foundations re∣maining to this day is seen, and is walled about both strong and high, excepting the West, which is defen∣ded by a River parted into many streames. In the depredations of the Danes,* 1.9 Suen their King set this Town on fire, and afterwards it was sorely assaulted by the disobedient Barons of King Iohn,* 1.10 who named themselves The Army of God: but the loyaltie of this Towne stood nothing so sure unto King Henry his sonne, whence the Barons with displayed Banners sounded the Battle against their Soveraign. And yet after this a wofull field of Englands civill division was fought, whence Richard Nevel the stout Earle of Warwicke, led away prisoner that unfortunate man King Henry the sixth.* 1.11 Upon the West part of this Towne standeth a large Castle, mounted upon an hill, whose aged countenance wel sheweth the beau∣tie that she hath borne, and whose gaping chinkes doe daily threaten the downe-fall of her walles. To this upon the South the Towns wall adjoyneth, and in a rouud circuit meeteth the River in the North, extending in compasse two thousand one hundred and twenty pases: whose site so pleased the Students of Cambridge,* 1.12 that hither they removed themselves upon the Kings Warrant, in mind to have made it an Universitie: from whence the North-Pole is ele∣vated 52. degrees, 36. scruples for Latitude, and in Longitude is removed from the West 19. degrees and 40. scruples; being yearly governed by a Maior, two Bailiffes, 12. Magistrates, a Recorder, Towne-Clerke, a Common-Councell of fourtie eight Bur∣gesses, with five Sergeants to execute businesse.
(7) But the devotions of the Saxon Kings made Peterborow more famous,* 1.13 formerly called Meddes∣well, where Wolphere King of Mercia began a most stately Monasterie to the honour of S. Peter,* 1.14 for sa∣tisfaction of the bloud of his two sonnes, whom he had murdered in case of Christianity: but himselfe being for the like made away by his mother, his bro∣ther Penda continued the worke, with the assistance of his brother Ethelred, and two sisters Kineburga and Kineswith. This among the Danish Desolations was cast downe, yet was it againe restored to greater beautie by Ethelwold Bishop of Winchester, with the help of King Edgar, and of Adulph his Chancellor, who upon prick of conscience, that in bed with his wife had over-laid and smoothered an infant their onely son, laid all his wealth upon the reedifying of the place,* 1.15 and then became Abbot thereof him∣selfe. The Cathedrall is most beautifull and magni∣ficall, where in the Quire lie interred two unfortu∣nate Queenes: on the North side Katharine Dowa∣ger of Spaine,* 1.16 the repudiate wife of King Henry the eight, under an Hearse covered with black Saye, having a white Crosse in the midst: and on the South side,* 1.17 Mary Queene of Scotland, whose Hearse is spread over with black velvet. The Cloister is large, and in the glasse-windows very curiously portrayed the History of Wolthere the Founder, whose Royall Seat was at Wedon in the street converted into a Mo∣nasterie by S. Werburg his holy daughter, and had beene the Roman Station, by Anto••ine the Empe∣rour called Bannavenna. So likewise Norman-chester was the ancient City Durobrivae, where their Soul∣diers kept, as by the monies there daily found is most apparent.
(8) Houses of Religion devoted to Gods Service by the pious intents of their well-meaning Foun∣ders,* 1.18 were at Peterborow, Peakirke, Pipewell, Higham, Davintree, Sulby, Sausecombe, Sewardesleg, Gare, S. Dewy S. Michell, Luffeild, Catesby, Bruch, Barkley, Finshed, Fa∣thringhay, Wedon, and Withrop, besides them in Nor∣thampton, all which felt the stormes of their owne destruction that raged against them in the reigne of K. Henry the eight, who dispersed their revenewes to his owne Coffers and Courtiers, and pulled the stones asunder of their seeming ever-sure Founda∣tions; and in the time of young Edward,* 1.19 his sonne, whose mind was free from wronging the dead, the Tombes of his own Predecessours were not spared, when as Edward slain at Agincourt,* 1.20 and Richard at Wakefield, both of them Dukes of Yorke, were after death assaulted with the weapons of destruction, that cast downe their most faire Monuments in the Col∣legiate Church of Fatheringhay Castle.
(9) Eight Princely Families have enjoyed the ti¦tle of the Earledome of Northampton, whereof the last, Henry Hayward late Lord Privie Seale, a most ho∣nourable Patron to all learned proceedings (that I may acknowledge my dutifull and humble service) hath most honourably assisted and set forward these my endevours.* 1.21
(10) This Shires division, for service to the Crowne, and imployments of business, is into twenty Hundreds, hath been strengthened with ten Castles, and is still traded with ten Market-Townes, and God honoured in three hundred twenty sixe Pa∣rish Churches.