The history of England giving a true and impartial account of the most considerable transactions in church and state, in peace and war, during the reigns of all the kings and queens, from the coming of Julius Cæsar into Britain : with an account of all plots, conspiracies, insurrections, and rebellions ... : likewise, a relation of the wonderful prodigies ... to the year 1696 ... : together with a particular description of the rarities in the several counties of England and Wales, with exact maps of each county / by John Seller ...

The Reign of Ethelbert, Fourth Sole Monarch of England.

EThelbert, Second Son to Ethelwolf, (a Prince of an Active Spirit) immediatly Succeeded his Brother Ethelbald, being Crowned ten days after his Death, the imergency of Affairs not allowing longer delay, or much Ceremony in the performance, by reason the Danes were again become powerful, so that as well as the time would permit, having setled the Western parts of his Kingdom, and that he might not leave an Enemy at his Back, made the Welsh his Friends; he commanded the Nobles and Gentry to Muster as many as could be spared from Tilling the Ground and Har∣vest, and were able to bear Arms; and with them so Accoutered for the War, to repaire to his Standard; and being Obeyed in this, he Marched towards the

Enemy, whom he found Ravaging with their usual cruelties the Inland Counties, as far as the Western Borders of Bedfordshire, sending Heralds before him to demand the reason, Why they Invaded his Country, and destroyed so many Innocent People, stripping the Towns and Villages of all that was valuable, and laying many of them in Ashes. But they with threats dismissing his Messen∣gers, without any satisfactory answer, Ethelbert gave them Battel, which continued for a time Bloody and doubtful, as if Victory knew not to which side to en∣cline; but when the Sun was descending in the West, a Band of Peasants came to the Kings assistance, with Forks, Sythes, and other Harvest Instruments, and falling on the Danes with loud crys, they taking this to be a Reserve, and thinking there might be more sheltered behind the Woods and Hills, hereupon imme∣diatly gave back, and the King taking advantage of their fears, pressed on so furiously in the head of his Army, that from an orderly Retreat, they fell into Rout and Confusion in all parts of their Army, so that a miserable slaughter ensued, which had been much greater, but that Night put an end to the pur∣suit, and a mighty Storm of Hail falling compelled the English to shelter, as many as could, in the neighbour∣ing Towns and Villages, and the Flyers to betake them to Woods and other places of Refuge; though on either side, before this could be done, many were grievously hurt by the falling of the Hail Stones, which were of a prodigious bigness, and did much mischief both to Cattle and People in divers other places.

This Defeat (as considerable as it was) discouraged not the Danes; for being recruited, they sent their Ships about to the Southern part of the Island with some ••orces to amuse the English, by Landing at Southampton,

Plymouth, and other Sea Ports, and with what Plunder they could get, immediatly retired to their Ships, though many came short, as being slain by the Peasants; how∣ever this made them more revengful, for gathering strength from new comers of their Nation, who Land∣ed from a Fleet on the Southern Coast, they wasted Hampshire, stormed Winchester, defended by a good Garison, and layed it in Ashes; but the King coming suddainly with an Army, a great number of them were slain, and the rest compelled to retire to their Ships, several of which were Burnt by Wild-Fire thrown a∣mongst them before they could get to Sea, and divers of the Danes perished in the Flames and involving Waves. In his time two Blazing Stars appeared, one in the North East and another in the South West, both within half a Year of each other; the first continued Fourteen Days, and the latter Seven. He began his Reign Anno Dom. 860, and Dyed Anno Dom. 865, having held a troublesom Reign for the space of Five Years. He was Buryed at Sherburn.

Remarks on Cambridgshire, &c.

CAmbridgshire is for the most part exempted from Hills and Woods, being much applyed to the breeding of Cattle, though it abounds in Corn-Fields, and is Watered with many pleasant Streams, and has belonging to it the fertil Isle of Ely: It is Bounded with Northfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hartfordshire, Bedfordshire, Huntingtonshire, and Lincolnshire: It Contains One Hundred and Sixty Three Parishes, Eight Market Towns, and One River; also the Bishoprick of Ely. It sends Members to Parlia∣ment, viz. Six. Cambridge two for the Town, and two for the Ʋniversity; and two Knights of the Shire. As for the Places Noted in it, the first in rank is Cambridge, which

[illustration] map of Cambridgeshire

CAMBRIDGE SHIRE

tho' no City, is enobled above many others, for its many famous Structures dedicated to Learning, as Caius Colledge, Founded by John Caius Doctor in Physick, Anno 1557. Christs Colledge, Founded by Queen Margaret 1506, Clare Hall, Founded by Elizabeth Daughter to Gilbert Clare Earl of Leicester, Anno 1326; Corpus Christi Colledge, by John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, 1344; Emanuel Colledge, by Sir Walter Mildmay, 1588; Jesus Colledge, by Doctor John Alcock, Bishop of Ely; St. John's Colledge, by the afore named Queen Margaret, 1506; Catharine Hall, by Doctor Woodlack, Provost of Kings Colledge, 1459; Kings Colledge, by King Henry the sixth, 1441; Magdalen Colledge, by the Lord Audley 1509; Pembrook Hall, by Mary Countes of Pembrook, 1343; Peter House, by Hugh Balsam Bishop of Ely, 1280; Queens Colledge, by Margaret Queen to King Henry the Sixth, Anno Dom. 1448; Trinity Colledge, by Henry the Eighth, Anno Dom. 1546; Trinity Hall, by William Bateman, Anno Dom. 1354. These famous Structures are Renowned for the many Learned Divines and Statesmen that have been brought up in them, to the Honour and Credit of the Kingdom, giving it considerable advantages of that kind over others; there is in this Renown∣ed Town many stately Churches and Antient Monuments of very curious Workmanship.

Ely, the Bishops Seat, from whence the Diocess takes its Name, is held to be Built by Audry Wife to Tombart a Prince in those Parts, and afterward Marryed Egbert King of Northumberland, from whom departing, she here be∣took her self to a Devout Life, Building a Monastery, of which she became the first Abbess; and is famous for the Birth-place of divers Learned and Eminent Persons, as Andrew Millet, Sr. Thomas Ridley, Doctor of Laws; Richard Parker, &c. The next Places of Note are Ever∣ton, Triplow, Everden, Caxton, Wisbich, Linton,

Milton, Mildred; from which places proceeded many Emi∣nent Men, both in Church and State. At Caxton was Born William, thence sirnamed Caxton, who first set up the Ingenious Art of Printing in England, It is like∣wise Beautified by divers Seats of the Nobility, viz. Thor∣ney-Abby, the Seate of William Duke of Bedford, New∣market, belonging to the Earl of Suffolk, Kertling, alias Catlidg, belonging to the Lord North and Grey of Rol∣ston, Ely Place and Wisbich Castle, the Seats of the Lord Bishop of the Diocess. It is Watered with many small branching Rivers, but the chief of Note is Cam, on whose Banks Cambridge is advantageously seated, and gives the County its Name.