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DARBY-SHIRE, which the English Saxons called Deorbi∣cire,* 1.1 lyeth inclosed upon her North parts with York-Shire; upon the East with Notting∣ham-shire; upon the South with Leicester-shire; and upon the West is parted with the Rivers Dove and Goyt from Stafford and Chesse-shires.
* 1.2(2) It is in forme somewhat triangle, though not of any equall distance, growing from her narrow South-point still wider, and in the North is at the broadest: for from Stretton neere the head of Mese, to New Chappell seated neer the head of Derwent,* 1.3 the two extremes from North to South are thirty eight miles: but from the Shire-Oakes unto the meeting of Mersey and Goyt,* 1.4 the broadest part of all this Shire, is not fully twenty-nine;* 1.5 the whole in circumfe∣rence extendeth to an hundred and thirty miles.
* 1.6(3) The Aire is good, and very healthfull: the soyle is rich, especially in her South and East parts: but in the North and West is hilly, with a blacke and mossie ground, both of them fast-handed to the Ploughers paines, though very liberall in her other gifts: whose natures thus dissenting, the River Der∣went doth divide asunder, that taketh course thorow the heart or midst of this Countie.
* 1.7(4) The ancient people that possessed these parts in the times of the Romans assaults, were the Coritani, whom Ptolemie disperseth thorow Northampton, Lei∣cester, Rutland, Lincolne, Nottingham, and this Shire, who were all of them subdued by P. Ostorius Scapula,* 1.8 Lieutenant in this Province for Claudius the Empe∣rour. But Romes Empire failing in Britaine, by the in∣testine warres among themselves, the Saxons (a more savage and fearfull Nation) soon brought it under their subjection, and made this a Province unto their Mercians Kingdome, whom the West-Saxons first wanne, and againe lost to the Normans.
* 1.9(5) It is stored with many Commodities, and them of much worth; for besides woods and cattle, sheepe and corne, every where over-spreading the face of this County, the Mill-stone, Crystall, & Ala∣blaster, the Mines of Pit-coale, Iron, and Lead, are of great price: whereof the last is mentioned in Pliny, who writeth,* 1.10 that in Britaine, in the very crust of the ground, without any deep digging, is gotten so great store of Lead, that there is a Law expresly made of purpose, for∣bidding men to make more then to a certain stint. Whose stones are plenteously gotten in those Mountaines, and melted into Sowes, to no small profit of the Countrey. There is found also in certaine veines of the earth, Stibium, which the Apothecaries call Anti∣monium, and the Alchymists hold in great esteeme.
* 1.11(6) Places for commerce, or memorable note, the first is Darby the Shire-towne, called in the English Saxon-Tongue Nordhwodrhig,* 1.12 and by the Danes Deo∣raby, seated upon the West banke of Derwent, where also a small Brook rising westward, runneth thorow the Towne under nine Bridges, before it meets with her farre greater River Derwent, which presently it doth, after she hath passed Tenant Bridge in the South-East of the Towne.* 1.13 But a Bridge of more beauty, built all of Free-Stone, is passed over Derwent in the North-East of the Towne, whereon standeth a faire stone Chappell, and both of them bearing the names of Saint Maries: five other Churches are in this Town, the chiefest whereof is called Alhallowes, whose Steeple or Bell-Tower being both beautifull and high, was built onely at the charges of young men and maides, as is witnessed by the inscription cut in the same upon every square of the Steeple. Among the miserable desolations of the Danes, this Towne bare a part, but by Lady Ethelfleda was a gaine repaired, and is at this day incorporated with the yearly government of two Bailiffes elect out of twenty-foure brethren, besides as many Burgesses of Common-Counsell, a Recorder, Town-Clerke, and two Sergeants with Mace: whose Graduation is ob∣served from the Equator to be 53. degrees, 25. scru∣ples, and from the first point in the West, 19. de∣grees, 2. scruples.
(7) Little-Chester (by the Romish Mony there daily found) seemeth to have beene ancient,* 1.14 and that a Colonie of the Roman Souldiers there lay. Yet of farre greater fame was Repandunum, now Repton,* 1.15 where Ethelbald the ninth King of the Mercians, & fifteenth Monarch of the English-men, slain at Seggeswald by the treason of his subjects, was interred: and whence Burthred, the last King of that people, was expulsed with his Queene Ethelswith, by the rage of the Danes, after twentie-two years reign. But with a more pleasing eye we may behold Melborne,* 1.16 the memori∣all of English-mens great valor, where in that Castle was kept Prisoner Iohn Duke of Burbon, taken cap∣tive in the Battle of Agincourt, and therein detained the space of nineteene yeares.
(8) Things of stranger note are the hot Water-springs, bursting forth of the ground at Buxton,* 1.17 where out of the rock within the compasse of eight yards, nine springs arise, eight of them warme, but the ninth very cold. These runne from under a faire square building of Free-stone, and about threescore paces off, receive another hot spring from a Well, inclosed with foure flat stones, called S. Annes; neere unto which, another very cold spring bubled up. The report goeth among the by-dwellers, that great cures by these waters have been done: but daily ex¦perience sheweth, that they are good for the sto¦mach and sinewes, and very pleasant to bathe the body in. Not farre thence is Elden-hole,* 1.18 whereof strange things have beene told, and this is confident∣ly affirmed, the waters that trickle from the top of that Cave (which indeed is very spacious, but of a low and narrow entrance) doe congeale into stone, and hang as ickles in the roofe. Some of them were shewed at my being there, which like unto such as the frost congealeth, were hollow within, and grew Taper-wise towards their points, very white, and somewhat Crystall-like. And seven miles thence, upon a mounted hill, standeth a Castle, under which there is a hole or Cave in the ground of a marvel¦lous capacity, which is commonly called The Devils Arse in the Peake,* 1.19 whereof Gervose of Tilbury hath told many pretty tales, and others doe make it one of the wonders of our Land.
(9) As in other Counties the devotions of the re∣ligious have been made apparent in the erection of places for Gods peculiar service;* 1.20 so in this have bin founded 8. of that nature, which were Dale, Dere∣lege, Darby, Repton, Bechif, Graiesley, Faverwell, and Pollewerke: whose peace and plenty stood secure from all danger, till the blustering windes arising in the reigne of King Henry the eight, blew off the pi∣nacles of their beautious buildings, and shook asun∣der the revenewes of those Foundations which ne∣ver are like againe to be laid.
(10) This Shire is divided into sixe Hundreds wherein have been seated seven Castles,* 1.21 and is still traded with eight Market-Towns, and replenished with one hundred and sixe Parish-Churches: whose names follow in the Table annexed.