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SVTH-SEX, a word compound∣ed of the side thereof South∣ward, and of the Saxons, whose Kingdome was the second in their Heptarchie, is written by them Suðex,* 1.1 and by us Sussex, lieth stretched along the Brit∣tish Seas. The North confronts upon Surrey and Kent, and the West butteth upon Hampshire.
* 1.2(2) For forme it lieth long and narrow, so that all her Rapes doe run quite thorow the Shire, and containeth from Westbarting in the West, to Kent ditch that divides it from Kent in the East, sixtie foure Miles, but in the broadest part little above twentie, the whole in Circumference, about one hundred fiftie eight Miles.
* 1.3(3) The Aire is good, though somwhat clouded with mists, which arise from her South bordering Sea, who is very prodigall unto her for Fish and Sea∣fowle, though as sparing for Harbours or Ships ar∣rivage, and those which she hath, as uncertaine for continuance, as dangerous for entrance.
* 1.4(4) Rich is the Soile and yeeldeth great plentie of all things necessary, but very ill for travellers, especially in the winter, the land lying low and the wayes very deepe, whose middle tract is garnished with Meadows, Pastures, and Corn-fields; the Sea-Coast with Hills which are called the Downs, abun∣dantly yeelding both Graine and Grasse, and the North side overshadowed with pleasant Groves and thicke Woods, where sometimes stood the famous Wood Andradswald, containing no lesse then an hundred and twentie Miles in length,* 1.5 and thirtie in bredth, taking the name of Anderida a Citie ad∣joyning: both which were won from the Britaines by Ella the first Saxon King of this Province, and the place made fatall to Sigebert King of the West-Sax∣ons, who being deposed from his Royall Throne, was met in this Wood by a Swine-herd, and slaine in revenge of his Lord, whom Sigebert had mur∣dered.
* 1.6(5) The ancient people in the Romans time were the Regni of whom we have spoken, and who were subdued by Vespasian the Leader of the second Le∣gion under Aulus Plautius, Lieutenant in Britaine for Claudius the Emperour. But after the departure of the Romans, this with Surrey was made the South-Saxons Kingdom:* 1.7 yet that giving place to the West-Saxons, as they in time to the Normans, it became a Province under the Conquerours power, who gave to his followers much land in these parts.
* 1.8(6) The place of most account in this Shire is Chi∣chester, by the Britaines called Caercei, and by the Saxons Cissan-Ceasr, a Citie beautifull and large, and very well walled about, first built by Cissa the second King of the South-Saxons, wherein his Roy∣all Palace was kept. And when K. William the first had enacted that Bishops Seas should be translated out of small Townes unto places of greater resort, the Residence of the Bishop (untill then held at Selsey) was removed to this Citie, where Bishop Raulfe be∣gan a most goodly Cathedrall Church: but before it was fully finished, by a sudden mischance of fire was quite consumed. Yet the same Bishop, with the helping liberalitie of King Henry the first, began it again, and saw it wholly finished; whose beauty and greatnes her fatall enemy still envying, againe cast downe in the dayes of King Richard the first, and by her raging flames consumed the buildings both of it and the Bishops Palace adjoyning, which Seffrid the second Bishop of that name reedified and built anew. And now to augment the honour of this place, the Citie hath born the Title of an Earldome; whereof they of Arundell were sometimes so stiled. Whose Graduation for Latitude, is removed from the Equator unto the degree fiftie, fiftie five mi∣nutes; and for Longitude, observing the same point in the West, whence Mercator hath measured, are twentie degrees.
(7) With whom for frequencie, bignesse, and building, the Towne Lewes seemeth to contend, where King Athelstan appointed the mintage of his Moneyes,* 1.9 and William de Warron built a strong Ca∣stle, whereunto the disloyall Barons of King Henry the third in warlike manner resorted,* 1.10 and fought a great Battle against their own Soveraigne and his sonne, wherein the King had his horse slaine under him, Richard King of the Romans surprized and ta∣ken in a Wind-mill, and Prince Edward delivered unto them upon unequall conditions of Peace: But a greater Battle was fought at Battle, when the ha∣zard of England was tried in one dayes sight,* 1.11 and Harold the King gave place to his Conquerour by lo∣sing of his life, among sixtie seven thousand, nine hundred seventie foure Englishmen besides; whose blood so spilt, gave name to the place, in French, Sanguelac. And the soyle naturally after raine be∣comming of a reddish colour, caused William of Newbery untruly to write,* 1.12 That if there fell any small sweet showers in the place, where so great a slaughter of the Englishmen was made, presently sweateth forth very fresh blood out of the carth, as if the evidence thereof did plainely declare the voice of blood there shed, and cryed still from the earth unto the Lord.
(8) But places of other note in this Shire are these:* 1.13 From Basham Earle Harold taking the Sea for his delight, in a small boat was driven upon the coast of Normandie, where by Duke William he was retained, till he had sworne to make him King after Edward Confessors death; which oath being broken; the Bastard arrived at Pensey,* 1.14 and with his sword re∣venged that Periurie. At West-Wittering also Ella the Saxon before him had landed for the conquer∣ing of those parts, and gave name to the shore from Cimen his son.* 1.15 But with greater glory doth Grome∣bridge raise up her head,* 1.16 where Charles Duke of Or∣leance father to Lewes the twelfth, King of France, taken prisoner at Agincourt, was there a long time detained.
(9) The commodities of this Province are many and divers,* 1.17 both in Corn, Cattell, Woods, Iron, & Glasse; which two last, as they bring great gaine to their Possessors, so doe they impoverish the Countie of Woods; whose want will be found in ages to come, if not at this present in some sort felt.
(10) Great have been the devotions of Religious persons in building and consecrating many houses unto the use and only service of Christ;* 1.18 whose Bead men abusing the intents of their Founders, have caused those foundations to lament their own ruines: for in the tempestuous time of King Henry the Eight, eighteene of them in this Countie were blowne down, whose fruit fell into the lappes of some that never meant to restore them again to the like use.
This Country is principally divided into six Rapes, every of them containing a River,* 1.19 a Castle, and For∣rest in themselves, besides the severall Hundreds whereunto they are parted, that is, the Rape of Chi∣chester into seven, of Arundell into five, of Bramber into ten, of Lewes into thirteene, of Peuensey into seventeene, and of Haslings into thirteene, in all fif∣tie six, wherein are seated ten Castles, eighteene market Towns, and three hundred and twelve Pa∣rish Churches as in the Table following appeareth.