Cambria triumphans, or, Brittain in its perfect lustre shevving the origen and antiquity of that illustrious nation, the succession of their kings and princes, from the first, to King Charles of happy memory, the description of the countrey, the history of the antient and moderne estate, the manner of the investure of the princes, with the coats of arms of the nobility / by Percie Enderbie, Gent.

HELY.

HELY Son of Dinellus, governed the Brittains one or not fully one year:* 1.1 of this Prince the Isle of Ely took it Name, saith Geffrey.

Hoc vero nomen (saith Mr. Cambden) Beda ab anguillis deduxit, unde nonnulli Insulam anguillarum dixerunt; Polidorus Virgilius à Greco 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quod paludem denotat; alii ab Helig Britannico quod salices significat, quarum, cum aliarum arborum sit impatiens, est feracissima tum soli natura, tum quod contra irrumpentium omnium impetus satæ, saepius{que} caesa innumera hærede, ut Pliniano verbo utar, profuerunt, ex quibus hic & alibi corbes texuntur, quas nunc Brittanni Baskes vocant.

The Name of Ely (saith Mr. Camb∣den) Beda deriveth from Eeles, insomuch that some call it the Isle of Eeles; Polidor Virgil will have it named from the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifieth a Marrish or Fennish place; others bring it from the Brittish word Helig, which signifieth an Osier or Sallow, which kind of twigs grow there in great abundance, though otherwise the Isle is bare of Trees and Tim∣ber; but these grow partly from the nature of the soil, and partly are planted to stop and hinder the irruptions of the water, and bring such a numerous encrease, that they supply Tradesmen for the making of Baskets not only there but in the Countries round about. This Isle hath in it a City of the same Name, had in account for the repute and holinesse of Votary Nuns residing there, built first by Audrey wife of Tombreta Prince in this Province, who had in this place a part of her Dowry;* 1.2 she having departed from her second Husband Egbert King of Northumberland by his leave and consent, devoted her self to the service of

God, and built there a Monastery whereof she became the first Abbesse; This in the Danish desolations was destroyed, but soon after reedified by Ethelwold Bishop of Winchester, who stored it with Monks, unto whom King Edgar granted the jurisdiction over four hundred and a half, within these Fens and the East Angle-limits, which to this day are called the Liber∣ties of St. Audrey. After whose Examples the Nobles so enriched it with large Revenues, that as Malmesbury saith, The Abbot thereof laid up yearly into his own Coffers, a thousand and four hundred pounds. And of latter times the Monks thereof became so wealthy that their old decayed Church they renewed with new and stately Buildings, which is now the Cathedral of the Diocesse, and for beauty giveth place to no other in England. Comes Pal. speaking of this Hely saith, A quo splendor Imperii Brittannici coepit in orbe Romano per filios maximos belli duces apparere: From whom the splendor and glory of the Brittish Empire through the Va∣lour of its Martial Children began first to display its beam in the Roman Orb or Hemisphere. Com. Palat. (though others allow, as Howes and Fabian, but one year to his Reign) saith, He∣lius Regnum annis quadraginta gubernat, tres filios generat, Luddum, Cassuellanum, Nen∣nium; whose very names manifest a certain excellancy: And he further saith, that Giraldus affirms, Pirrhi mansionem fuisse Castrum Manubri, quod aetate sua fuerat adhuc turribus & pro∣pugnaculis eximium, ab occidente portum habebat extensum, à Circio & Borea sub ipsis mae∣nibuss vivarium egregium tam sui venustate quam profunditate aquarum valde conspicuum.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr. Howes.
• * 1.2

  Anomus Maps in Camb. sh.