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MONMOVTH-SHIRE. CHAPTER VI.
* 1.1MONMOUTH-SHIRE, from Mon∣mouth Town, and that from Mon∣nowe-water bearing name, is alto∣gether inclosed on the North, and is separated from Hereford-shire with the same River,* 1.2 upon the East both it and Wye divides this Countie from Gloucester-shire. The South-side wholly is washed by the Severne Sea, and some of her West part by Rempney is parted from Glamor∣gan, and the rest lyeth bordered upon by Breknock-shire.
* 1.3(2) The forme thereof is Scallop-wise, both long and broad, shooting her North point to Llantony, and her South to the fall of Rempney, betwixt which two are twenty-foure English miles: and from Chep∣stowe East, to Blanagwent West, are not altogether nineteene: the whole in circuit draweth some what neer to seventy-seven miles.
* 1.4(3) The Ayre is temperate, healthfull and clear, the soyle is hilly,* 1.5 wooddy, and rich, all places fruit∣full, but no place barren. The Hils are grazed upon by Cattle and Sheepe, the Vallies are laden with Corne and Grasse, never ungratefull of the Hus∣bandmans paines, nor makes frustrate his hope of expected increase; whose springs abundantly ri∣sing in this County with many streames, doe fatten the soyle even from side to side.
* 1.6(4) Anciently the Silures inhabited this Shire, whose chiefe Citie by the Emperour Antonine is named Venta Silurum, by the Welsh Caer-went, and was by Tathie the British Saint,* 1.7 made an Academie, and a divine place for worship. So likewise Caer-lion now, once Isca, was, where the second Roman Legi∣on called Augusta lay, as by their Coines, Altars, Tables, and Inscriptions there found, and daily therein digged up, doth evidently appeare.
* 1.8By the report of Giraldus, in this Citie was the Court of great Arthur, whither the Romane Embas∣sadours resorted unto him, and as Alexander Elsebi∣ensis writeth, therein was a Schoole of two hundred Philosophers, skilfull in Astronomie and other Arts. Which is the more credible,* 1.9 for that Amphibalus St. Albans instructer, was therein born, and Iulius and Aaron, two noble Prot••-Martyrs of great Britaine, in this Citie received the crowne of Martyrdome, where their bodies were also interred. But as all things finde their fatall period, so this Citie for beautie, circuit, and magnificall respect is laid in the ruines of her own decay; neither may any more lament the losse of glory then Monmouths Castle, which captive-like doth yeeld to conquering time. Her down-cast stones from those loftie turrets,* 1.10 do shew what beautie once it bare, standing mounted round in compasse, and within her wals another mount, whereon a towre of great height & strength is built, which was the birth-place of our Conquer∣ing Henry,* 1.11 the great Triumpher over France, but now decayed, and from a Princely Castle, is be∣come no better then a regardlesse Cottage. In this Town a beautifull Church built with three Iles is remaining, and at the East end a most curious built (but now decayed) Church stands, called the Monks Church: In the Monastery whereof, our great An∣tiquary Geffrey, surnamed Manmouth, and Ap Arthur, wrote his History of Great Britaine: whose pains as they were both learned and great, so have they bred great pains among the learned both to defend and to disprove. The Townes situation is pleasant and good, seated betwixt the Rivers Monnowe and Wye: three Gates yet stand, besides that Tower or Lock of the Bridge, and a Trench or tract of Wall run∣ning betwixt them on each side down to the River, containing in circuit about eight hundred paces. The Towne is in good repayre, and well frequen∣ted, governed by a Maior, two Bailiffes, fifteene Common Counsellers, a Towne-Clerke, and two Sergeants for their attendants. It is in Latitude re∣moved from the Equator 52. degrees, and 8. mi∣nutes, and from the West-point of Longitude is set in the degree 17.36. minutes.
Religious Houses erected and suppressed in this Shire,* 1.12 for greatest account have been in Caer-lion, Chepstow, Gold-cliffe, Munmouth and Llantony; which last stood so solitary, and among hils, that the Sunne was not seene to shine there, but onely betwixt the houres of one and three.
This Shire is strengthned with fourteen Castles,* 1.13 traded with sixe Market Towns,* 1.14 divided into sixe Hundreds, wherein are situated one hundred twen∣ty and seven Parish Churches,* 1.15 and is not accounted among the Welsh-shires, being subdued by Henry the second, who passing the Nant Pen-carne, a small Brooke and of no danger,* 1.16 yet held fatall by the Welsh, over-credulous to a Prophecie of Merlin Sil∣vester the Brittish Apollo, who had foreshewed that when a stout and frecled fac'd King (such as Henry was) should passe over that Ford, then the power of the Welsh-men should be brought under; where∣by their stout courage was soone abated, and the whole Countie the sooner in subjection to the Eng∣lish. The Names of the places in this Shire are ex∣pressed in a Table, Alphabetically gathered in the Page ensuing upon the rest of this Map.