England's remarques giving an exact account of the several shires, counties, and islands in England and Wales. In every of which you have I. How the county is bounded. II. The length, breadth, and circumference. III. The temperature of the air, and fertility or barrenness of the soil. IV. What commodities each shire or county affordeth. V. In what dioces, and how many parishes in it. VI. The number of Parliament-men, hundreds, and market-towns. VII. In every shire you have the name of the city or shire-town, with the latitude thereof, and how it bears, with the reputed and measured distance of the same from London, the road to the same; how governed, and the coat of arms, and what other things are therein remarkable. VIII. You have the names of such noble families as have been dukes or earls of each county since their first constitution. IX. Whatsoever is eminent or remarkable thorow-out the whole kingdom. To which is added a travelling map, describing the principal roads thorow-out England.

Staffordshire.

THis County is bounded on the East by Derby∣shire and Warwickshire. On the West by Shropshire and Cheshire. On the South by Wor∣cestershire. And on the North by Cheshire.

It containeth in length 45 miles. In breadth 28 miles. And in Circumference 142 miles.

The Air of this Shire is very healthful, yet in the North parts and Moorlands it is very sharp, the Wind blowing sharp, and the Snow lying long.

The Soil on the South parts is very rich and fruitful, but the North more barren in respect of the Mines. The Meadows are very fruitful, being moistned with Springs and Rivers which run by them; so that they be green in the midst of Win∣ter; and Woods it wanteth none, witness the Cank.

The chief Commodities are Copper, Lead, Iron, Alabaster, and Pit-Coals.

It is in the Diocess of Litchfield and Coventry, and hath in it 130 Parishes.

Out of it are elected 10 Parliament Men.

• Knights 2
• Litchfield 2
• Stafford 2
• New-Castle under-Line 2
• Tamworth 2

Its Division is into 5 Hundreds, viz.

• ...Pyrehill,
• ...Totmonslow,
• ...Caddlestone,
• ...Seisdon,
• ...Offelwe.

And in these Hundreds are 18 Market-Towns, viz.

• New-Castle under-Line Monday.
• Stow, Tu.
• Betles, Tu.
• Pagets Browley, Tu.
• Tutbury, Tu.
• Walsall, Tu.
• Ridgley, Tu.
• Pankridge, Tu.
• Brewood, Tu.
• Littlefield, Tu. & Fr.
• Leeke, Wed.
• Wolverhampton, W.
• Ʋtoxiter, W.
• Chickly, Th.
• Burton on Trent, Th.
• Ecleshall, Friday.
• Stafford, Sat.
• Tamworth.—

The principal City is Lichfield, lying in the Latitude of 52 deg. 50 min. Its bears from London N. W. and is distant therefrom 94 miles. Thus,

From London to Barnet 10 miles. to St. Albans 20. to Dunstable 30. to Stony-stratford 44. to To∣ceter 50. to Daventry 60. to Coventry 74. to Coles∣hill

82. to Lichfield 94. But by a more accurate admeasurement upon the Road, it is found to be distant from London 118 miles.

This City of Lichfield was known by Beda by the name of Lucedfeld, which Rosse doth inter∣pret to be The Field of Dead Bodies, for the num∣ber of Saints under the rage of Dioclesian there slain; and for this cause it may be that the City bears for her Arms in an Escutcheon, a Landskip, with divers Martyrs in several manners Massa∣cred. But,

The Shire-Town is Stafford, which is yearly Governed under 2 Bailiffs (annually elected out of 21 Assistants, called the Common-Council) a Recorder, a Town-Clerk, and 2 Serjeants at Mace.

The Arms of this Town is, Or, on a Cheveron Gules, a True-lovers knot of the first.

• Ralph Stafford, Earl of Stafford.
• William Howard, Viscount Stafford.

Things Remarkable in this County.

Upon the 23d of September, Anno 1459. being the 38th year of K. Henry the 6th. A bloody Battel was fought upon Blore-heath in this County, by Richard E. of Salisbury in the quarrel of York, against James Lord Audley, General for K. Henry the 6th. in which the Lord James was slain, with many of the Gentry of Cheshire; who in great fa∣vour had received the Young Prince's Livery of Swans, and in his Right manfully fought and lost

their lives; namely, Sir Hugh Venibles, Sir Tho∣mas Dutton, Sir Richard Molineux, Sir William Trowthek, Sir John Leigh, Sir John Donn, and Sir John Edgerton, Knights; and of common Sol∣diers there were slain 2400. Also the two Sons of the E. of Salisbury were taken Prisoners and sent to Chester.

In Pensneth Castle (saith Cambden) is a Coal-Pit, which was set on fire by a Candle through the negligence of a Digger, the smoak of it is commonly seen, and sometimes the Flame.

In this Shire they manure their Land with Lime.

The People about Wotton observe, that when the VVind sits West, it always produceth Rain: But the East and South Wind here bring fair weather, unless the Wind turn from the West into the South.

If the River Dove overflow its Banks, and run into the adjacent Meadows in April, it makes them extream fruitful.

This River uses to rise extreamly within 12 hours space, but it will in 12 hours return again within its Banks. But the River Trent, being once up, and over its Banks, flows over the fields 4 or 5 days together, ere the superfluous Water can get away.

The little River Hans, runs under ground for three miles together.

Mr. Cambden saith, that Necham speaks of a Lake in this County (but says not where) that foreshews things to come by its Roaring: and no wild Beast will enter into it.

Gervase of Tilbury tells of a Lake called Mahall, near Magdalen in this Shire, that Hunters, when they and their Horses are tired do drink of (though it be in the hottest weather) they both become presently as fresh, as if they had not run at all.