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HANT-SHIRE, by the Saxons written Handeschyr, lying upon the West of England, is bordered upon the North by Barke-shire, up∣on the East with Surrey and Sussex, upon the South with the British Seas, and Ile of Wight, and upon the West with Dorset and Wilt-shire.
* 1.1(2) The length thereof from Blackwater in the North upon Surrey, unto Bascomb in the South upon the Sea, extended in a right line, is fifty foure Eng∣lish miles: and the bredth drawn from Petersfield in the East, unto Tidworth in the West, and confines of Wilt-shire, is little lesse then thirty miles, the whole circumference about an hun∣dred fifty five miles.
* 1.2(3) The Ayre is temperate, though somewhat thicke by reason of the Seas, and the many Rivers that thorow the Shire doe fall, whose plentie of fish and fruitfull in∣crease, doe manifoldly redeeme the harmes which they make.
* 1.3(4) The Soile is rich for Corne and Cattle, pleasant for pasturage, and plenteous for Woods; in a word, in all commo∣dities either for Sea or Land, blessed and happy.
* 1.4(5) Havens it hath, and those commodious both to let in, and to loose out ships of great burthen in trade of Merchan∣dize, or other imployments: whereof Portsmouth, Tichfield, Hamble, and South-hampton are chiefe: besides many other creekes that open their bosomes into those Seas,* 1.5 and the Coast strengthned with many strong Castles,* 1.6 such as Hurst, Calshot, South-hampton, Saint Andrewes, Worth, Porchester, and the South Castle, besides other Bulwarkes, or Block-houses that secure the Countrey: And further in the Land, as Malwood, Winchester, and Odiam, so strong, that in the time of King Iohn, thirteene English-men only defended the Fort for fif∣teene dayes against Lewis of France, that with a great Hoast assaulted it most hotly.
* 1.7(6) Anciently it was possest upon the North by the Se∣gontians, who yeelded themselves to Iulius Caesar, and whose chiefe City was Vindonum, Caer Segonte, now Silcest••r; and upon the South by the Belgae, and Regni, who were subdued by Plantius and Vespasian the Romans, where Titus rescuing his father, straitly besieged by the Britaines, as Dio and Forca∣tulus doe report, was grasped about with an Adder, but no hurt to his person, and therefore taken for a signe of good luck. Their chiefe Town was Rincewood,* 1.8 as yet sounding the name: and more within Land inhabited the Manures,* 1.9 as Beda calles them, whose Hundreds also to this day give a relish of their names.
* 1.10(7) Neere Ringwood, and the place once YTENE, from God and peoples service, to Beast and luxury, thirty-six Parish-Churches were converted and pulled downe by the Conque∣rour, and thirty miles of circuite inforrested for his Game of Hunting, wherein his sonnes, Richard and Rufus, with Henry the second sonne to Duke Robert, his first, felt by hasty death the hand of Iustice and Revenge: for in the same Forrest, Richard by a blasting of a pestilent aire, Rufus by a shot ta∣ken for a Beast, and Henry as Absalom, hanged by a bough, came to their untimely ends. At so deare a rate the pleasures of dogs, and harbour for beasts were bought in the blood of these Princes.
(8) The generall commodities gotten in this Shire, are Woolles, Clothes and Iron, whereof great store is therein wrought from the Mines, and thence transported into all parts of this Realme, and their Clothes and Karsies carried into ma∣ny forraine Countries to that Counties, great benefit, and Englands great praise.
(9) The Trade thereof, with other provisions for the whole, are vented thorow eighteene Market-Townes in this Shire,* 1.11 whereof Winchester, the Britaines Caer Gwent, the Ro∣mans Venta Belgarum, and the Saxons Windaneasder is chiefe, ancient enough by our British Historians, as built by King Rudhudibras,* 1.12 nine hundred yeares before the Nativity of Christ: and famous in the Romans times for the weavings and embroderies therein wrought, to the peculiar uses of their Emperours owne persons. In the Saxons times, after two Calamities of consuming fire,* 1.13 her walles were raised, and the Citie made the Royall Seat of their West-Saxons Kings, and the Metropolitan of their Bishops See, wherein Egbert and Elfred their most famous Monarches were crowned:* 1.14 and Henry the third, the Normans longest raigner, first tooke breath: And here King Aethelstane erected six houses for his Mint:* 1.15 but the Danish desolation over-running all, this Citie felt their fury in the dayes of King Ethelbright, and in the Normans time, twice was defaced by the mis-fortune of fire, which they againe repaired and graced with the trust of keeping the publique Records of the Realme. In the civill Warres of Maud and Stephen, this City was sore sack∣ed, but againe receiving breath,* 1.16 was by King Edward the third appointed the place for Mart of Wooll and Cloth. The Cathedrall Church built by Kenwolf, King of the West-Saxons, that had beene Amphibalus, Saint Peters, Swythins, and now holy Trinitie, is the Sanctuary for the ashes of ma∣ny English Kings: for herein great Egbert, Anno 836. with his sonne King Ethelwolfe,* 1.17 857. Here Elfred, Ox∣fords Founder, 901. with his Queene Elswith, 904. Here the first Edmund before the Conquest, 924. with his sonnes Elfred and Elsward: Here Edred, 955. and Edwy, 956. both Kings of England: Here Emm••, 1052. with her Danish Lord Canute, 1035. and his sonne Hardicanute, 1042. And here lastly the Normans, Richard and Rufus, 1100. were interred; their bones by Bishop Fox were gathered and shrined in little guilt coffers fixed upon a wall in the Quire, where still they remaine carefully preserved.
This Cities situation is fruitfull and pleasant,* 1.18 in a valley un∣der hils, having her River on the East, and Castle on the West, the circuit of whose walls are well-neare two English miles, containing one thousand eight hundred and eighty paces; tho∣row which openeth six gates for entrance, and therein are se∣ven Churches for divine service, besides the Minster, and those decayed: such as Callendos, Ruell Chappell, Saint Maries Ab∣bey, and the Fryers, without in the Suburbs, and So••ke; in the East is Saint Peters, and in the North Hyde Church, and Mo∣nastery, whose ruines remaining, shew the beauty that for∣m••tly it bare. The Graduation of this City by the Mathema∣ticks, is placed for Latitude in the degree 51, 10 minutes, and for Longitude 19, 3 minutes.
(10) More South,* 1.19 is South-hampton, a Towne populous, rich, and beautifull, from whom the whole Shire deriveth her name, most strongly walled about with square stone, con∣taining in circuit, one thousand and two hundred paces, ha∣ving seven Gates for entrance, and twenty-nine Towers for defence, two very stately Keyes for Ships arrivage, and five faire Churches for Gods Divine Service, besides an Hospitall, called Gods house, wherein the unfortunate Richard, Earle of Cambridge, beheaded for treason, lyeth interred. On the West of this Towne is mounted a most beautifull Castle, in forme Circular, and wall within wall, the foundation upon a hill so topped, that it cannot be ascended but by staires, carry∣ing a goodly prospect both by Land and Sea, and in the East without the walles a goodly Church sometimes stood, called Saint Maries, which was pulled downe, for that it gave the French direction of course, who with fire had greatly en∣dangered the Towne: In stead thereof, is now newly erected a small and unfinished Chappell. In this place (saith learned Cambden) stood the ancient Clausentium,* 1.20 or Fort of the Ro∣mans, whose circuit on that side extended it selfe to the Sea▪ This suffered many depredations by the Saxon Pirats, and in Anno 980. was by the Danes almost quite overthrowne. In King Edward the thirds time, it was fired by the French, under the conduct of the King of Sicils sonne, whom a coun∣trey-man encountred and strucke downe with his Club. Hee crying Rancon, that is, Ransoms, but hee neither understand∣ing his language, nor the law that Armes doth allow, laid on more soundly, saying, I know thee a Frankon, and therefore shalt thou dye: And in Richard the seconds time it was some∣what removed, and built in the place where now it standeth. In this Clausentium, Canute to evict his flatterers, made triall of his Deity, commanding the Seas to keepe backe from his seat: but being not obeyed, he acknowledged God to be the only Supreme Governour, and in a religious devotion gave up his Crown to the Rood at Winchester.* 1.21 More ancient was Silce∣ster, built by Constantius, great Constantines sonne, whose mo∣nument (say they) was seene in that City, and where another Constantine put on the purple Roabe against Honorius, as both Ninius and Gervase of Canterbury doe witnesse.* 1.22 Here∣in by onr Historians record, the warlike Arthur was crown∣ed. Whose greatnesse for circuit contained no lesse then four∣score acres of ground, and the walles of great height, yet standing two miles in compasse about. This City by the Da∣nish Rovers suffered such wrack, that her mounted tops were never since seene, and her Hulke (the walls) inmured to their middle in the earth, which the rubbish of her owne desolati∣ons hath filled.
(11) Chiefe Religious houses within this Country ere∣cted,* 1.23 and againe suppressed were these, Christs-Church, Beau∣lieu, Wherwell, Rumsey, Redbridge, Winchester, Hyde, South∣hampton and Tichfield. The honour of this Shire is dignified with the high Titles of Marques, and them Earles of Winche∣ster and South-hampton; whose Armes of Families are as thou seest, and her division into thirty seven Hundreds, and those againe into two hundred fifty three Parishes, as in her Table shall appeare.