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 ...

CHAP. VIII. The Succession of the Fifteen Saxon Kings that were Sole Monarchs of England; with what Memorable Things happened in Peace and War during their Reigns; as Wonderful Sights, Prodigies, and Remarkable Ac∣cidents, &c. Till the time the Danes wrested the King∣dom (with much strugling) from them Anno Dom. 1017, about 230 Years after they made their first Invasion. Together with a Description of the Counties of England, one by one, after every Kings Reign; which will be con∣tinued throughout the Work, giving an Account of what is or has been Rare or Remarkable in each of them, &c.

The Reign of King Egbert, the First Sole Saxon Monarch of England.

WHEN the contending Petty Kings of the Saxons had for many Years Elbowed each other, and (discontented with a Part) strugled who should become Masters of the Whole, and Amass the Light Crowns into one more Ponderous,

we find Fortune (or rather Providence) gave this ad∣vantage to Egbert, the Seventeenth King of the West Saxons; though to attain it, he waded (as I may term it) through a Sea of Blood in his Wars with the Welsh (for so I must henceforth stile the poor remainders of the Antient British Race, as taking upon them that Epi∣thite, and calling their Principality Wales, after the Name the Saxons had many Years before given it) also with the Cornishmen who Rebelled against him, and were assisted with Supplies from Armorica, or Britany in France; in his Wars against Bernulf King of Mercia, and his subduing the Kingdom of Kent, and compelling the East, South, and Angle Saxons to submit to him. In these Enterprizes, which took him up for the most part the Nineteen Years he Reigned as Petty Monarch over the West Saxons, about one Hundred Thousand are held to be Slain on all sides; so that the Crown, purchased at so large an expence of Lives, being set on his Head (as has been said) at Winchester, he commanded the Name of Saxons to be changed into that of Englishmen; corresponding with the Name given to the Country they Inhabited, That by this change they by degrees might forget the Distinctions they be∣fore were under, and so firmly Unite as one Kingdom and People, not tending to different, but one and the same Interest. This Egbert, gaining, through many difficulties, what he long before aspired to, made divers good Laws for the better Establishment of his new acquired Soveraignty; so that the Welsh (though they put not themselves under his Protection, yet desirous to be at Peace) sent him many Presents out of their divided Dominions, of North and South Wales, which Provincees (for no more must I call them Kingdoms) were Governed by Petty Princes. After this, Egbert made a Progress through the greatest part of England,

appointing Judges and other Magistrates, to see the Laws put in Execution against Offenders, and to re∣dress the Wrongs and Grievances of such as were Op∣pressed, being received every where with great respect; and then thinking to lead a quiet Life, he found by sad experience the Inconstancy of Fortune.

The Danes having been formerly worsted and driven out of this part of the Island, again took Courage to Invade it, Landing from 33. big Ships, and divers smaller Transport Vessels, an Army of 23000 of their best Souldiers; and before Egbert could raise his Forces to oppose them, they Ravaged the Country, Burning and Destroying all in their way, not sparing the Men from their Swords, nor the Women from their inordinate Lusts, destroying in a more dreadful manner the Religious Houses, and those that Inhabited them; Ravishing the Nuns, and Ripping open some Women with Child for Pastime. This made the grieved King hasten towards them, with such Forces as he could readily get together, to prevent the further desolation of his Country; commanding his Lieutenants to raise what Forces they could, and hast to joyn him; but ere they could do it, he fought the Danes, and was overthrown by them in a bloody Battel, loosing 5000 common Souldiers, two of his Dukes commanding under him, and two Bishops; by his Valour hardly winding himself out of the press of his Enemies, and escaping. However, the Danes finding the Courage of the English to be beyond what they expected, losing a great many Men, and perceiving the Country in Arms against them, thought it the safest way to depart with the Rich Booty they had got in the spoile of the Counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Middlesex, &c. But the second Year after they Landed with greater ••orces at Holy Head in Wales, and between Fear and

[illustration]

[illustration] map of Barkshire

BARKSHIRE

Perswasion, the Welsh were prevailed on to joyn with them; but Fortune turning on the English side, Egbert gave their United Forces a great Overthrow, on the Marches of South Wales; yet having tasted the sweet∣ness of the Riches and Plenty this Kingdom afforded, They made another Invasion in the last year of this Kings Reign; Sacking the Isle of Sheppy by Kent, and with much difficulty were expelled it: This Egbert was the First Sole Monarch of the English Saxons, he began his Reign as such Anno Dom. 819, and Reigned Seventeen Years, and was Buried at Winchester.

Having promised to give a (Brief) Description of England and its Rarities, &c. To make good my Word I conceive no better Method to do it in, than placing the Counties, and what I find in them worthy of Remark, after the respective Reign of each Sole Monarch, taking them Alphabetically, and first of

Barkshire Described, &c.

THis County is bounded on the North, with part of Oxfordshire, and part of Buckinghamshire; on the East, with part of Middlesex, and part of Surry; on the South, with Hampshire; and partly on the West, with Wiltshire. It is Rich in Clothworking, Fat Pasture, abundance of Cattle, rare Artificers, Rivers stored with Fish of divers sorts, particularly the River Kennet abounds with Trouts.

It Containes 140 Parishes, 20 Hundreds, 12 Market Towns, and 3 Rivers of note; and to the Parliament, Ab∣ingdon sends one Member, New Windsor two, Reading two, and Wallingford two, besides two Knights of the Shire. The Towns Memorable for things of Note are these viz.

At Reading was Interred the Body of King Henry the

First, in a Collegiate Church of an Abby, Founded by him∣self, as also his Queen, and Daughter, Maud the Empress. This place is also Memorable for the Birth of William Laud Arch Bishop of Canterbury, the Son of a Poor Clothier.

At Englesfield the Danes were defeated. Wallingford is the Gallena of Ptolomy, it was the Antient station of the Romans, and chief City of the Atrebants. Windsor was Builded by King Edward the Third, who Instituted the most Noble Order of the Garter. The Burying Place of Henry the Sixth, Edward the Fourth, Henry the Eighth, and King Charles the First; Eaton was Founded by King Henry the Sixth, and Renouned as a Nursery for bringing up of Youth, being one of the chiefest Free-Schools in England. Sunning was an Episcopal See during the Resi∣dence of Eight Bishops, which afterward was translated to Sherbourn, and so to Salisbury, where it now is fixed.

At Wantage King Alfred (Sir Named the Scourge of the Danes) was Born. Waltham in the East of this County, was an Antient station of the Romans, as also was Sinodum in the North, as appears by many Roman Coins and Medals of their Emperours Digged up there.

Newbury is Renowned for the Birth of Thomas Hide, a famous Historian; and Memorable for the Two great Battels between the King and Parliament in the late Civil War. As for Castles that of Windsor in this County is accounted the most Exalted of all others, having not only been the Burying Place, but Pallace of divers Kings; and much delighted in by King Charles the Second, who made it his chosen place of Pleasure and Retirement; being, be∣sides its delightful situation, advanced on a high Hill, arising with a gradual ascent, which affords the pleasantest Prospect imaginable. On the North side of this County the River Thames glides, washing its verdant Banks in many Meanderings with its Silver Streams; and out of it

goes many Creeks, which much advantages those parts of the County by cheap Water-Carriage from London, and other places. It is likewise Beautified with some Seats of the Nobility, which give a good Prospect to Travelers, viz. A Noble Seat of the Earl of Craven near Newbery, the Earle of Clarendon's at Swallowfield, Hurly belonging to John Late Lord Lovelace Barron of Hurley; with a great many stately Houses belonging to the Gentry of the County; so that it claimes an Equality with most of the English Counties.

The Reign of Ethelwolf, the Second Sole Monarch of England, &c.

EThelwolf, the Eldest Son of Egbert, upon his Fathers decease declined the Crown, as being then Bishop of Winchester; rather affecting a Religious Peaceable Life, than to Incumber himself with the weighty Af∣fairs of Government. But the Nobles perceiving Troubles would arise, if they altered the Succession, used many cogent Arguments to perswade him to lay aside his Pall for a Crown, but their Reasons prevailed not, till they had dealt with his Clergy in a manner to constrain him to a compliance; whereupon bestowing his Bishoprick on Swithin his Tutor, he was solemnly Crowned at Winchester, and settling the Civil Affairs as the times allowed, finding part of his Dominions Oppressed by the Danes, he raised great Forces and Encountered them in divers Battels, and in a Bloody one at Ockly in Surry destroyed the greater part of their Army, killing and taking Prisoners their chief Captains or Leaders, which made the routed Danes,

that survived the Fatal day, retired to the extremities of Kent; where straightened for Food, and roving to get it, many of them were slain by the Country People. This King Marryed Osburga a fair Lady, Daughter to his Butler, by whom he had Ethelbald, Ethelbert, Ethel∣bred, and Elfride; who Succeeded in the Kingdom suc∣cessively; but she Dying, he took Judith, Daughter to the King of France, in a second Marriage; by whom I do not find he had any Children.

In this Kings Reign the Picts were destroyed by Kenneth King of Scotland; their chiefest City Camelon Stormed, and as well Women and Children as Men, who retired thither for safety, put to the Sword, in revenge of the Death of Alpine the King of Scots Father, who being Overthrown by Burdus King of the Picts, was taken Prisoner, and had his Head struck off on a publick Scaffold, and fixed on the Wall of Came∣lon, but soon taken thence by some Scots who came thither in Pictish Habit; and so implacable were the Scots, in the utter extirpating this Nation (which had long stood a boundary between them and the Southern parts of the Island, being in a manner placed in the middle of it) that having destroyed all the People that fell into their hands, they slew their Cattel, and suffered them to Rot on the Ground; rooted up their Corn, and layed their Towns and Villages level with the Ground; not sparing Churches, nor any Religious Houses, pursuing the Flyers to their last Refuge, viz. The strong Castle of Maidens, now called Edenbourough Castle, straightly Besieging them; so that the Besieged having endured extream Famine, and dispairing of relief, desperately Sallying, broke (in the Night time) through the Leagure; and as many as escaped, fled into England, craving Aid of Ethelwolfs Lieutenants, or Tributary Regents, in Northumberland,

and other Northern Counties; but little was done at this time, by reason the King expected an Invasion by the Danes, who were preparing in Denmark, to succour their distressed Forces that kept but slender footing in England; and others of the Picts, who before had escaped the miserable desolation of their Country, fled to Norway, and Denmark; and there, in consideration of Refuge and present Support, resigned their Interest in Pictland, in their own, and the Names of the rest of their Nation, that survived the slaughter: Which giving the Danes a colourable Title to make their Claim, occasioned great calamities to England and Scot∣land, to the subduing the former, after a long continu∣ed War, as in the sequel will appear.

Thus fell the Pictish Kingdom, and was Annexed to Scotland, Anno Dom. 839. After, as some Historians Record, they had continued under a Succession of Kings 1173 Years. But its setting in Blood happen∣ed not without dreadful Omens and Prodigies; at Ca∣melon, their chief City, the Bishops Crosier Staff, he Officiating at the Altar, was reduced to Ashes by Lightning: A dreadful Comet appeared, and two Firey Armies were seen in the Air, running at each other with Burning Spears; a noise of Clashing of Arms, and Neighing of Horses, was affirmed to be heard in England and Pictland, without any visibility of either; which then were little minded, but afterward looked on as the Forerunners of the dire calamities that ensued.

Upon this destruction of his Neighbours Kingdom, Kenwolf was much perplexed, because till now they stood as a Barricado to hinder the Incursion of the Scots; whereupon he sent Ambassadors to Kenneth, peaceably to suffer those of that Nation that were scat∣tered in his and other Countries, to return and Rebuild their Ruinated Towns; but he would by no means

harken to it, which constrained him to Fortify the Towns in the Northern Marches, and put strong Ga∣risons into them. And having a great love for the Clergy, of whose number he had been, he freed all Church-Lands from Tribute and Regal Services; and being desirous to see Rome, of whose Magnificence he had heard many wonderful Relations, settling his Af∣fairs in the best manner he could, with divers of his Clergy and Nobility, he Sailed thither, and was Enter∣tained with such Magnificence, that in recompence of his Reception, he confirmed Peter Pence to that See; and after his Return gave Annually, during his Life, Three Hundred Marks to the Bishop of Rome.

This Ethelwolf, Eldest Son to Egbert, Began his Reign Anno Dom. 837, and Continued it Twenty Years.

Buckinghamshire Described, &c.

BUckinghamshire is bounded with Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, Hartfordshire, Mid∣dlesex, and Barkshire. It abounds in Corn, Pastures, large Cattle, and numerous Flocks of Sheep feeding on its gradual rising Hills, and has in it divers stately Forrests and Chaces.

Buckingham, the Shire-Town, is of very Antient stand∣ing, and was Fortified by Edward the Elder, sole Monarch of England, against the Invading Danes, Anno Dom 913, and still shews the Ruins of a stately Castle, Built on a Hill. Stoneystratford in this County is Memorable for being the station of the Romans, by them called Lactorodum; and here Edward Repulsed the Danes; and since the Con∣quest a stately Monumentual Cross was raised in Memory

[illustration]

[illustration] map of Buckingamshire

BUCKINGHAM SHIRE By J. Seller

of Elenor Queen to Edward the First, who going with him to the Holy War, sucked the Poison from a Wound given him by a Sarazen with an Impoisoned Knife, and by that means, at the Hazzard of her own, saved his Life; when all others failed, as will more largely appear when we come to speak of his Reign.

Chilton was the Birth-Place of the Learned Sr. George Crook, a Famous Lawyer.

Amersham, or Agmondisham, took its Name from the Great Agmond, and gave Birth to John Surnamed Amersham, and divers other Learned Men.

Windover gave Birth to Roger Surnamed Windo∣ver, Historian to King Henry the Third. Houton did the like to Roger Goad, a very Learned Man of great Repute.

This Shire is divided into Eight Hundreds, viz. those of Newport, Buckingham, Cotslow, Ashendon, Ailesbury, Burnham, Disborough, and Stocke. It sends Members to Parliament for Alesbury two, Amer∣sham or Agmondisham two, Buckingham two, Chipen-Wiccomb two, Marlo two, Wendover two, and two Knights of the Shire.

It Contains One Hundred Eighty Five Parishes, Eleven Market Towns, and is Watered with Two considerable Rivers, viz. The Thames on its South side, and the River Ouse, on which the Town of Buckingham is seated, and in a manner is surrounded with it, unless a little on the North side it lies open; and over this River are three fair Stone Bridges.

Ailesbury is likewise very pleasantly situated in the midst of most delightful Meddows, and Pastures, and the Vale bearing its Name, is accounted the most Fertil in Europe.

As for the Churches in the Principal Towns of this County, they give a goodly Prospect to Travellers, and

are not only well Adorn'd and Fair without, but very Beautiful within.

The Noblemens Seats of Note, are Buckingham-House, and Whadon, lately belonging to George Duke of Buckingham; Cheynes one of the Seats of William Duke of Bedford; Latimers, one of the Seats of William Duke of Devonshire; Ashbridge, part in Bucks, and part in Hartfordshire, one of the Seats of John Earl of Bridgwater; Wing and Ethrop, the Seats of the Earl of Carnarvan; Laurendon, one of the Seats of the Earl of Lichfield; Overwinchendon-House, one of the Seats of the Lord Wharton, with divers stately Houses, many Newly Erected, belonging to the Gentry; and that which makes it so well Inhabited is the Wholsomness of the Air, which contributes to, and continues a Healthful Constitution.

The Reign of Ethelbald the Third Sole Manarch of England.

EThelbald was Eldest Son to Ethelwolf by Osburga his first Queen, and in his Fathers Lifetime held the Kingdom in a great measure, as if he had been his Co-Partner. His Valour the Danes experienced in divers Bloody Battels, in many of which he Prevailed, killing numbers with a mighty Faulchion he used in Fight, which few but himself could wield; yet after the toiles of War giving a little respite to his wearyed Body, Judith his Stepmother came attended with di∣vers Lady's to Congratulate his Success, in a very splendid Dress, so that her Snow-white Breasts ap∣pearing half Naked, added to her Beauty, she being then but very Young, the King was so Charmed or Infatuated, that he became Enamoured of her; and though upon his Address she strongly urged, she was his Fathers Widow, and the Daughter of a King, and that it was inconsistent with the Law of God, and her Reputation, to yield to his desires; her Repulses served but as Air to make the Fire of his Passion blaze to a greater degree, till at last, between willing and unwilling, tempted by Ambitious Inclinations of being a Queen Consort, rather than Dowager, she yielded to be his Wife: And though the Match was highly opposed by his Nobles, who layed before him the Scandal it would bring upon his Children, if he had any by her, and perhaps for his Sins a Punishment upon the Nation, he persisting in his Reso∣lution, was Marryed; though with little Ceremony tending to Magnificence, as usual at the Weddings of the former Kings. And indeed this brought much trouble on the King and Nation; for whilst he Dalli∣anced with his Incestuous Bride, and pursued his wan∣ton

Pleasures, the weighty Affaires of Government were layd aside, and as it were altogether neglected; which gave the Danes great advantage to recruit their Forces, that had been not only weakened by War in the former Reign, but with Famine, attended on by a grievous Pestilence; and when he had Reigned Two Years and Three Months, without doing any thing Memorable, he Dyed Suddainly, supposed by an Appo∣plexy, though some conclude he was Poisoned: After which, Queen Judith, fearing some Mischief might be∣fal her, by reason she had upon this Marriage incurred the hatred of the People, procured leave from Ethelbert, Brother and Successor to Ethelbald, to be Transported to France; but a Storm arising, the Ship was driven on the Coast of Flanders, where undertaking to Travel by Land to her Fathers Court, she was surprized on her Journey by Baldwin Forrester of Ardenna, who com∣pelled her to be his Wife, and by kind usage won so much upon her Affections, That Writing in her own and his behalf many moving and submissive Letters to the King her Father, he not only forgave what had happened, but created her Husband Earl of Flanders, to hold that Country as his Tributary; and from this Match Lineally descended Maud Wife to our William stiled the Conquorer, also Baldwin Earl of Flanders, who was King of Jerusalem, and another of that Name who was by the Latins Invested with the Imperial Diadem of Greece, upon their taking the famous City of Constan∣tinople Anno Dom: 1284. This Ethelbald was Third Sole Monarch of England, Ending his Reign with his Life, Anno Dom. 860.

[illustration] map of Bedfordshire

BEDFORD SHIRE By John Seller

Remarks on Bedfordshire, &c.

BEdfordshire is a very Pleasant In-Land County; it is Bounded with Northamptonshire, Huntingtonshire, Cambridgshire, Hartfordshire, Buckinghamshire, &c. It is plentiful in Cattle, Fowle, Corn, fat Pastures, Forrests, Parks, replenished with store of Timber and Deer; consist∣ing of Plains, pleasant Valleys, and gradual rising Hills, and is said to yeild the best Barley in England, especially in the North parts.

It containes One Hundred and Sixteen Parishes, Nine Hundreds, Ten Market Towns, and One considerable River. It sends Members to Parliament Four, viz. Bedford two, and two Knights for the County.

Bedford, the Shire Town, has been to its cost the Scene of much Action; especially in the Wars between King Stephen and the Empress Maud, Mother to Henry the Second, and in the Wars of the Barons, against King John, and was raz'd to the ground by King Henry the Third, but soon Rebuilt, and ever since flourished in much tranquility and splendor. In a Chappel not far from the Town, Offa the great King of the Mercians was Buryed, which being demolished by the overflowing of the Ouse, his Spectrum is said often to have appeared on the Water of that River.

There is a little Rivolet at Asply near Wobourn in this County, which is famous for its Petrifying Quality, being said to Turn Wood into Stone; and that a Wooden Ladder happening to fall into it, was some time after taken up again all Stone. And that not only the Pivolet or Brook, but the Earth in the Banks of it has the same Vertue. So that it is justly accounted one of the Wonders of our Isle.

Dean is a pleasant Town, Eminent for the Birth of Francis Dillingham, a very Learned Man; as Layton

Buzzard for the Birth of William Sclater; Dunstable called by the Romans Magiovinium, the latter Name being taken from a notable Thief called Dun, who with his Accom∣plices Inhabited it, and for that cause called Dunstable, or Duns Inning Place; it also gave Birth to that Leared Author, John Sirnamed Dunstable.

The River Ouse Waters this County with its pleasant Meanders, passing through Bedford, and hath over it a handsom Stone Bridge, with two Gates upon it. This County is likewise Beautified with some of the Seats of the Nobility, as those of Anthony Grey Earl of Kent, at Wrest-House and Harrold; the Earl of Bullinbrooks at Bletsho and Melchborn; the Earl of Allesbury's at Ampthil and Clophil; Its Hills produce the best Marl, with abundance of Blue Stone like Slate: And the whole County is plentiful in all sorts of Provision, and divers pro∣fitable Manufacturs.

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.

The Reign of Ethelred, Fifth Sole Monarch of England.

EThelred, the Third Son of Ethelwolf, upon his com∣ing to the Crown, Anno Dom. 866, found himself engaged in a dangerous War against the Danes, who with their main Strength, almost in all parts, Invaded the Kingdom; so getting strong footing with several Armys in the North, East, and South, he was at a stand into which quarter he should advance, which gave them opportunity to over-run many fertil Counties; and be∣ing as yet Pagans, they used unheard-of Cruelties under the Leading of Hungar and Hubba, two of their Dukes, who by some are stiled Kings. They took the City of York by Storm, and set it on Fire, upon which Walketulus, an Earl of the East Angles, gave them Battel, but was Overthrown, and most of those he commanded slain; and flushed with this Victory, they destroyed many famous Churches, also the Monasteries of Croyland, Berdoxey, Midlesham side, or Peterborough, and Ely; and the Abbess of Coldingham, to prevent Ravishment, cut

off her Nose and upper Lip; and by her Example the Nuns did the like, to preserve their Chastity by their Deformity, but were nevertheless Defloured, and after∣ward in despight Immured in their House, and Fire being put to it, they perished in the Flames. And so terrible they became in those Parts, That Burthred Vice Roy of Mercia, to save the ruin of the Country, made Peace with them, as likwise did Offride and Ella, stiled Dukes of the Northumbrians, and were thereupon con∣strained to joyne their Forces with them against Ethel∣red, which some Authors call a Rebellion, and that with great reason; for it was taking part with Invaders a∣gainst their Lawful Soveraign.

These things happening whilst the King was busied in other Parts of the Land, he no sooner found a little leasure, but taking courage he Marched Northward, and in a great Battel Overthrew the Dainish Northern Army, in conjunction with many of his Subjects, whom they had compelled, as is said, to the Field under their East Angle and Mercian Leaders, slaying Agner, ac∣counted one of their Kings, Nine Earls, and a great number of common Souldiers: Yet Fourteen Days after they put the King to Flight at Basing, after a Battel of Twelve Hours, and within Thirty Days did the like at Merton, the King receiving a Mortal Wound as he was in the Pursuit, at Whitingham, of which he Dyed, when he had Reigned Five Years, viz. Anno Dom. 872, and was Buryed in the Monastery of Wimbourn. He was the Fifth Sole Monarch of England.

Remarks on Cornwal, &c.

COrnwal, the Antient Cornubij, seemes to take its Name from its pushing into the Sea in the form of a Horn. It abounds with Mines of Tin, which is the best and finest in all Europe; Stone Quarries, Corn, Fruits, Cattle; and, as some hold, there might be much Silver Digged in several places: It is the Extremity of England Westward. On the North, and partly the West, it has the Irish Sea; on the South, the Channel; and on the East, Devonshire: It is divided into Nine Hundreds, and con∣tains 161 Parishes, 22 Market Towns, and seven Rivers. It sends Members to Parliament 44, viz. Bodmin two, Bassiney two, Camelford two, Dunhived two, Eastlow two, Fowey two, Grampound two, Helston two, St. Ger∣mins two, St. Ives two, Kellington two, Leskerk two, Lostwithiall two, St. Mawes two, St. Michael two, New∣port two, Penryn two, Port-Pigham two, Saltash two, Tregonye two, Truro two, and two Knights of the Shire.

Camelford, in this County, is very famous for the Battel where Mordred was Slain, and King Arthur received his Mortal Wound. There has lately been digged up peices of Armour in that place.

Tintagal Castle gave King Arthur (that Miracle of British Valour) Birth. At Castle-Dennis, the Ruins of the Daines Trenches, upon their first Invasion, are to be seen.

St. Germans is a very stately Place, and was Antiently an Episcopal See, but removed to Bodmin, and from thence by King Edward the Confessor to Exeter in Devonshire where it remains.

Cradoc is likewise noted for the Birth of John Travisa, a Learned Writer. This County is famed for its exceeding high Mount overlooking the Sea, with a curious Bay on which stands Pensance, commanding the Harbour.

[illustration] map of Cornwall

CORNWALL

The Seats of the Nobility are Stow, Wolston, Stanbury, Clifton and Lanow, belonging to the Earl of Bath, Luby∣drock and Truro, to the Earl of Radnor, Boconock to the Lord Mohun of Okehampton, Terrise, to the Lord Ar∣undel Barron Trerise.

The Cliffs to the Sea Coast produce Samphire, Sea Holley, and the Inland part abounds with Rosa Solis, wild Hysop, Marjorum, Garlick, growing naturally, as also Chestnuts.

The Reign of Alfrid, Sixth Sole Monarch of England.

ALfrid, by some called Elfride, Fourth Son of Ethel∣wolf, being at Rome when his Brother Dyed, was fetched from thence to succour and support his Bleed∣ing Country, at the point to be lost to a Merciless Enemy; he had the Crown placed on his Head Anno Dom. 872, and finding a greater necessity to be in the Field than the Pallace, he caused Forces to be raised in all his Dominions free from the Danish Subjection; for in stead of befriending the Northumbrian and Mercian Dukes, that had joyned with them against Ethelred, they sorely oppressed those Countries; making them as it were Slaves to perform all servile offices, not leaving them any thing they could properly call their owne; Billeting Souldiers in their Houses, as Guards over them, rather than Guests, who constrained the poor Inhabitants to feed them with what should sustain the wants of themselves, and their necessitous Children; as also to supply them with Money, or else their Lives were liable at every distaste taken by their Lord Danes, to pay for the Defect.

Such treatment as this being the usual Rewards of all those who by their own Treachery and perfidiousness endeavour to bring in Foreigners to Subdue and Enslave

their Native Country: And yet this is the sole Aim of those Brutes among us, that glory in the Name of Iacobites, who would bring in the late King James by the Arms of the French, and thereby subject the Na∣tion to the will of that insulting Tyrant Lewis the Fourteenth, and so entail Slavery for ever on them∣selves, and their Posterity. And if they only were to feel it, might they have their wishes; But since others must suffer with them, should their Attempts succeed, I hope that God that has so lately brought to light their cursed Designes, will still continue to defeat all the enterprizes of such Profligate Villans, and preserve the Sacred Life of His Majesty from all their Hellish Machinations, and thereby these Nations in that Peace and happiness which through God's goodness they now enjoy under His Majesties Auspicious Reign. I hope the Reader will pardon this Digression, which only Zeal to my King and Country, and a just indig∣nation against those Miscreants, who are continually labouring to embroil us in Blood and Confusion, has Extorted from me. — But to proceed.

By these their Cruel and Arbitrary proceedings, the King finding no Truce nor Oathes were binding on their part, resolved to gather his Forces into a Body, and give them Battel, causing Publick Prayers to be put up for his success, but before it could be effectu∣ally done, upon notice of it, they Marched into Devon∣shire, taking Exceter, whilst they were parlying with the King for a Truce; after which he narrowly escaped the Ambush they layed to intrap him and take his Life; whereupon having gotten as many Forces as he could together, he pursued them in their March to∣wards Bristol, which City they intended to Sack; but they facing about and a fierce Fight ensuing, the King was overthrown, his Army scattered, and he forced to

fly into the Woods for shelter, where fiting his Bow and Arrows in a poor Shepherds Cottage, he was sharp∣ly reproved by the Houswife (she not knowing him) for letting a Cake burn on the Hearth, for want of turn∣ing it, saying, How now, you Lubber, must I give you House-roome for doing nothing? Why did not you turn the Bread? Yet I warant you would be ready to Eate it ere it is half Baked.

The King, finding he was in great straights, and much grieved at the misery his Subjects groaned under, at last bethought him of a Stratagem to Redress it; viz. He put himself into the Habit of a Bard or Harper, and went into the Danish Camp, playing on his Harp un∣suspected, and by that means taking notice of their Luxurious manner of living, and sluggish security, he went thence and collected his scattered Forces, and falling upon them near Abingdon in the Night time, when they little expected the danger so near, he made an incredible slaughter of the un-prepared Danes, so that nothing but Crys and clashing of Swords were heard throughout the Valleys; and here Hubba, one of their great Captains, was Slain, and their Banner Rafan taken, being the Danes chief Standard, having on it the figure of a Raven done in Nedlework, Imbrodered by the Daughters of Lodbroke, Sisters to Hungar and Hubba, which was in high Estimation, because they had Prophesied Victory should ever attend the Danes wherever it was Displayed in the Field. And soon after the Battel was over, Hubba was Buryed, and a mighty Hill of Stones cast on him as a Monument, which gave Name to the place of his Burial, which is called Hubblestow, or Stone, to this day.

The King pursuing this advantage, and for the En∣couragement of his Souldiers having shared the Spoiles taken from the Danes amongst them, followed the Re∣treating

Enemy, and within a while gave them two other great Defeats, one at Ethan-Dun, the other at Rhoaf-ceaster, now Rochester, raising the Siege they had layed before it.

After this, they Recruited and brought another Raven Standard, to the Field, in hopes of better success. But near Alesford in Kent, they received another great Overthrow, so that the Waters in the Ditches, Ponds, and Rivers adjacent, were coloured with Blood; and from thence he chaced them into Essex, through the Thames, in passing which River, pursu'd by the Enemy, and their own fears, many (for haste) missing the Fords, were smothered in the Deeps.

This however sufficed not the King, whose main Aime was to drive them out of the Kingdom, and so give Peace and Rest to his tired and distressed Subjects; wherefore he Marched to a place then called Beaufleet, where Hastinges a Dane, who newly arrived with Eighty Ships, had fortified and received his flying Country∣men; and here likewise Fortune was on his side, he giving them the Rout; and lastly they were quite discomfited at Boultington by Severn, and at the Isle of Mesig, or Mersey in Essex, at the River Ligea or Ley, which goeth to Ware, and carryed up their Ships, but Alfred Trenching and Drying it, they could not bring them back; whereupon they fled into Northumberland, and then to Denmark.

The King, now at leasure, made many good Laws; one for the Banishing of Theives, insomuch that few Robberies were committed for many Years after. He di∣vided the Kingdom into Shires, Hundreds, and Tythings, and made them Responsible to the party that should be Robbed, if they neglected to Guard or secure the Roads, which was so effectually done, that it is said by some Historians, That Gold-Bracelets, and other things of

[illustration] map of Palatine

THE COUNTYE PALATINE OF CHESTER

value, were fastned to Posts in Cross Ways, and none were so adventurous as to take them away. This King is reported to divide the Natural Day into three parts, Eight Hours he spent in Prayers and Contemplations, Eight in Publick Affaires, and the remainder in Neces∣saries and Recreations; he is esteemed as a great lover of Learning, and Founded the first common School in Oxford, now called Ʋniversity Colledge; he Founded likewise the Monasteries of Ethelingsey, Shaftsbury, and Winchester; he was very Liberal to the Poor; he turned the Laws, and divers other Books into English; and Dying, he left all his Treasure to Pious Uses: He be∣gan his Reign Anno Dom. 872, and Reigned Twenty Six Years. He was the Sixth Sole Monarch of England.

Remarks on the County Palatine of Chester, &c.

THis County is an Antient Palatinate, and one of the Pleasantest Counties in that part of England; famous for producing Kine, of whose Milk is made the best Cheese in the Nation, from which the County seemes to take its Name. Its Pastures are exceeding Rich, and Corn-Land produces ex∣traordinary Crops; it abounds with Fish, Fowl, Sheep, and some Goats: It is Bounded with Lancashire, Yorkshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Darbyshire, Flintshire, Den∣bighshire, and the Ocean. It Contains Eighty Six Parishes, One City, Seven Hundreds, Thirteen Market Towns, and Nine Rivers; and gives denomination to a Bishop of its Diocess. It sends Members to Parliament Four, viz. The City of Chester two, and two Knights of the Shire.

The City of Chester is famous in many respects, as for its Minster, Castle, and Stone Bridge; and has particular to it a Chief Justice, for the Entertainment it gave King Edgar, who was Rowed in a Barge on the River Dee, by

Eight Kings, whilst himself held the Helm, as their Su∣preame Sovraign.

It was made a Principality upon Hugh Lupus, a Noble Norman, being Invested in it by William the Conqueror; To be holden as Freely by his Sword, as the King himself holds England by his Crown; which was the Tenure of all Counts Palatines; more like Princes than Subjects, as a modern Author has it.

Its stately Minster was Builded by Leofrick an Earl, to the Honour of St. Werburga; and in it was Buryed the Body of Henry the Fourth Emperour of Germany; and it gave a Title to the Eldest Sons of our Kings who by Birthright are Earls of Chester.

Calvely is a very Pleasant Town, giving Birth to Hugh Calvely a great General against the French, in the Reign of Edward the Third, Sr. Robert Knowles and divers others of Note.

Eccleston is Memorable for the Birth of Thomas, thence called Eccleston. Banbury is a plesant seated Town, as also Wrenbury. The large Rivers Dee and Mersey, Flow very spaciously on its Western part; Chester being advan∣tageously situate on the former, and Fordestham on a branch of the latter; on the East side it has many pleasant Hills, with very fertil Valleys: Northwich is likewise pleasantly situate on a stream of Mersy, over which is a curious Bridge, as there is at Dutton, Coxton, &c.

The Seats of the Nobility are Clifton, alias Rock, Savage and Fordsham belonging to the Earl of Rivers; Gawsworth and Alford belonging to the Earle of Macles∣field; Dutton belonging to the Lord Gerard Barron of Gerards Bonley; Dunham Massey the Seat of the Late Lord Delamer, Earl of Warrington. Besides many stately Houses of the Gentry.

The Reign of Edward the Elder, Seventh Sole Monarch of England, &c.

EDward, Sirnamed the Elder, Eldest Son to Alfred or Elfride, began his Reign Anno Dom. 901. But not long had he been in the Throne, ere his Brother Adel∣wold, envying his advancement to the Regal Dignity, conspired to supplant him; and in order to it, raised a Rebellion: But finding he was too weak to maintain his Pretensions, he fled with part of his Forces to the Danes, who were by this time returned, and had gotten some strong holds in the North; and they for to colour their design made him King in Title, tho' not in Effect; and with them joyned the Welsh, Northumbers, and those Scots that bordered on the River Tweed: Against these joynt Forces the King Marched, and at St. Edmund's Ditch, he gave them Battel, but lost the day, tho' the Danes gained a bloody Victory; for in the Fight two of their Kings were slain, viz. Chrochrichus and Ethel∣wald: However, to put a stop to their further advan∣cing, he built the Castle of Hartford, and many other strong places, and then having recruited his broken Troops with the whole power of the Western and South∣ern Counties, that remained entirly under his obedience, he again advanced his Standard, and gave the Danes and their Confederates Battel at Wodens-field, near Wolverhampton in Staffordshire; where the chance of War turning on his side, brought him a great Victory: There his Rebellious Brother Adelwold, with two Kings or chief Leaders of the Danes, viz. Covilfus and Heal∣den, were slain. This Battel was Fought Anno 910.

Upon this Edward settled his Northern Territories, as far as Northumberland; and upon the Death of Eld∣red, who had Marryed Elfleada his Sister, he Establi••••

her in those Counties that were formerly in the possession of the Mercian Kings before spoken of, and Anno Dom. 915, he gave the Danes and their Confederates another great Overthrow, killing Turktilus, a reputed King, with two Earls Virutes and Scurfa, the Dukes of Bedford, Buckingham, &c. also Duke Edrick, whom the Danes had made King of the East Angles, being Vanquished, was Slain by his Subjects. And then appointing his Sister, a true English Heroin, (who having endured the sharp pangs of Child-Birth, had forsook her Husbands Bed, saying The Pleasure was not worth the Pain she suf∣fered, resolving never more to run the like hazzard) as it were in some degree his Partner in the Kingdom, she soon made it known that her delight was more in the rough Fields of Battel, than in the downey Bed of Love; for attired like an Amazonian Queen, she ac∣companied her Brother in his Wars, and mainly assisted him by her Prowess and Counsells, being a Lady of great Politicks in Martial Affairs. In a Battel against the Welsh, she took their Standard, slew their General, and took his Lady Prisoner, whom she used very courte∣ously: She divers times chased the Danes, and in Per∣son Stormed the Town of Derby, (Garrisoned strongly by the Enemy) she also beat them out of Tamworth, Litchfield, Watersbury, Elderbury, and Leicester, which she Repaired and Fortified; also the Town and Castle of Rincorne: She Builded Brimsbury, and lay'd a Bridge over the Severn; and in a set Battel Overthrew the Yorkshire Forces that were in Rebellion against the King; and so having manifested her self to the World as the Wonder of her Sex for Heroick Vertues, and set an Illustrious Pattern for their Imitation, She Dyed, when she may be said to have Reigned Eight Years, as Co-Partner with the King her Brother, in the one and Fortieth Year of her Age, and was Buryed at Gloucester,

in a Church which she and her Husband had Founded; where a stately Monument was erected to her Memory. And Henry of Huntington in his Works makes the following Encomium upon her.

Victorious Elfled, ever famous Maid, Whom weaker Men, and Nature's self obey'd: Nature your softer Limbs for Ease design'd, But Heav'n inspir'd you with a Manly Mind; You only, Madam, latest Times shall sing, A glorious Queen, and a triumphant King: Farewel, brave Soul! Let Caesar now look down, And yield thy Triumphs greater than his own.

The King upon the Death of his Heroick Sister, ••reatly lamented her loss, and retired for a time from ••••l Business, but finding his Country yet Called for his ••id, he shook off his Melancholly, and took a Progress 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those parts of his Kingdom he had not as yet well ••uieted, appointing Governours, and making such ••aws as might restrain the Oppression of his People, ••nd settling his Dominions to the borders of Scotland, ••••e Welsh also submitted.

In this Kings Reign John Patrick Erigena, a Britain, ••rote a Book about the Lords Supper, shewing therein ••••me Abuses the Roman Church had put upon that ••••crament, and how it ought to be worthily Received, ••••cording to our Blessed Saviours Institution, and sent ••••to Rome; which so offended the Pope, (whose Leaden ••ord by this time had so got the Ascendant over the ••eel Ones of Princes) that he wrote to the Clergy to ••evail with the King that the Author might be deli∣••••red into their hands, to be Censured as they should ••••e fit; which with some reluctancy being granted, ••••ough the Author proposed to prove it true by Scrip∣ture,

and gave many reasons for what he had done, the Clergy in the Popes Name Condemned both him and his Book; him as a Heretick, and his Book as Erroneous and Heretical; when being degraded and delivered over to the Secular Power, he suffered Death in the Flames, and is worthily accounted amongst the Martyrs.

This Edward was the Seventh Sole Monarch of Eng∣land. He Reigned Twenty Four Years, and was Buryed at Winchester amongst his Royal Ancestors.

Remarks on Cumberland, &c.

CUmberland extends to the extremity of England North∣ward, as being Bounded that way by Scotland; on the East, with Northumberland and Westmoreland; on the West, by the Irish Sea, and part of Scotland; on the South, with Lancashire: It abounds in Hills, but of no extraordi∣nary height; and produces great store of Cattle, and a good sprinkling of Corn, but not many Fruit Trees. At New∣lands are Copper-Mines, at Refwick Black-Lead and Lapis Calaminaris: It Contains one City, viz. Carlisle (which gives Title to a Bishop) Fifty Eight Parishes, Nine Market Towns, and two remarkable Rivers: It sends Members to Parliament six, viz. Carlisle two, Cocker∣mouth two, and two Knights of the Shire.

Carlisle, the Metropolis of the County, is very Antient, held to be Built by Leil a British King, long before the com∣ing of Caesar, and is by Ptolomy called Lugovallum, it was a flourishing City under the Romans, and upon their depar∣ture Demolished by the Picts, and utterly ruined by the Danes; but again Rebuilded by King William Rufus, who Built there a strong Castle to prevent the Scots Incursions; and by King Henry the first it was made a Bishops See; it has been often taken by the Scots, but wrested from them a∣gain: It was Besieged in the late Civil War, and made a

[illustration] map of Cumberland

CUMBER¦LAND

strenuous Defence. The other Places of Note are Cocker∣mouth, Werkinton, Egremond, Penroth, Keswick, and Bampton, near which is to be seen part of the Ruins of the Picts Wall, which reached from Sea to Sea, at East and West: At Salkeld in this County, upon the River Eden, is a Monumental Trophy of Victory, consisting of 77 Stones, called by the Inhabitants Long Megg and her Daughters, one of which to wit, that called Long Megg, is 15 Foot high from the Ground, and the rest 10; supposed to be placed in Remembrance of some Roman Victory. The Nobilities Seats are Gray-stock Castle, Grumb Castle belonging to the Duke of Norfolk; Naywoth alias Noword Castle belonging to the Earl of Carlisle; Kirkosward and de Acre Castles belonging to the Earl of Sussex. Cocker∣mouth Castle belonging to the Duke of Somerset; Rose Castle the Bishops Seate.

The Reign of Ethelstan, Eighth Sole Monarch of England.

EThelstan, Eldest Son to Edward, and Eighth Sole Monarch of England, began his Reign Anno 925, and was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames, by Adelme Arch Bishop of Canterbury, and is held by some to be the first Anointed King of England; but I suppose they mean the first Saxon King, for it is held by Antient Writers to be used in the Coronation Ceremonies of di∣vers British Kings a great while before. Long he had not been Established in his Throne, ere Elfried a Nor∣man and one he trusted in weighty Affairs, raised a Re∣bellion against him, causing great commotions in the Kingdom; but in the end he was taken, and his Party dispersed; upon which he utterly deny'd he was the occasion of it, and laboured to lay it on others; where∣upon the King, unwilling to search deep into the mat∣ter,

least he should create himself powerful Enemies a∣mong the Nobility, was at that time contented that Elfred should go to Rome and purge himself of the fact, upon Oath before the Pope. But hereupon not freed from a Jealousie he conceived of Edwin his Brother, whom Elfred had accused as a Person aspiring to the Throne, he was made away privately with the Kings consent; yet, tho' too late, being better informed he was so grieved, that to attone (as he conceived) for guiltless Blood, he caused the Assassines to be put to Death with exquisit Torments, and Founded divers places, dedicating them to Pious uses; as St. Germans in Cornwal, St. Petrocus at Bodmyn, Plympton Priory, Middleton and Michelney, &c. He Fortified Exeter, and quelled the Cornishmen that Rebelled against him; and upon Disorders committed by the Scots in the Northern Borders, he Marched into that Kingdom, gave them a great Overthrow, and made the whole Nation submit their Crown to him, which he placed on the Head of Constantine upon his Submission, saying, It was more Honour to make a King than to be a King. However, he imposed a Tribute on the Kingdom, and to shew the mightiness of his Strength, made a vast dint in a Stone with his Sword at Dunbar, causing it to be Recorded as a Mark of his Title to the Kingdom of Scotland; but soon after, Constantine repenting his Submission, Leavyed Forces and Invaded England, joyning with Anlafe the Dane; but at a place called Bromingfield he was Overthrown; for the English seem∣ing to retire, (and the others supposing they had really done it) Rallyed on the loose Troops of their Enemies and beat them down in great numbers, obtaining a great Victory, and Killing 20000 of their Enemies, a∣mong which Willfert Prince of the Guentes, and Howel Prince of North Wales, and Seven Dukes who came to

the assistance of the Scots, Malcolm Heir apparent to Scotland was much Wounded; whereupon King Ethel∣stan setled the English Borders beyond the Tweed, ta∣king in the three Southern Counties, strongly Garrison∣ing Edenburg Castle and other Fortresses; so that Con∣stantine finding that he was unable to make further op∣position, betook himself to a Contemplative Life, in the Abby of St. Andrews, where in a short time after, he Dyed: Hereupon Ethelstane caused the Scots Nobles to Swear Fealty to him, and injoyned them to pay him Yearly twenty Pounds in Gold, three Hundred Pounds in Silver, and 2500 Head of Cattle, Hounds, Hawks, &c. So that the Scots mourned many Years for their joyning with the Danes to Invade England: And indeed a little before the fatal Battel, a Fountain of Blood-Coloured Water issued out of the side of a Moun∣tain in Galloway, and Coloured divers Streams into which it run for many Miles; and a Monster was Born with the Members of both Sexes, and a Head like a Swine, the Back of it full of Bristles, and the Nailes like Claws; another in Northumberland of the Male Sex, having one Belly and two Thighs and Legs, but divided upwards into two entire Bodies, with two Heads and four Arms; and when one Head Slept, the other Waked; when one Eat, the other refused sustenance, and always Quarelled the one with the other; till one Dying, its Stench Killed the other.

Anlafe, the Danish General, having lost the greater part of his Forces, hoped by a Treacherous Policy to gain his end; whereupon disguising himself, he entered the Kings Tent by Night, with forty of his Followers, in hopes to have found him there, and Slain him; but Providence so ordered it, that he was absent; yet a Bishop newly arived at the Camp had taken up his Quarters there, who starting up and perceiving their Murderous intentions, so Manfully lay'd about him

wth a Battel-Ax, that he slew five Petty Princes of the Danes, 12 Dukes, and divers Souldiers; but none coming timely to his Rescue, he was beaten down with a weighty Stone thrown at him, and slain; and though the Danes here missed their main aim, yet they were not so much discouraged, but sending to Denmark, more Forces came to their assistance, and among the rest a mighty Giant, named Colbron, who with a Bar of Iron he used in Fight, had (as the Danes report) dashed many Hundreds in Pieces; with these Recruits they entered England, ravaging the Country as far as Win∣chester, to which they lay'd Siege, offering at the same time to raise it and depart, so the King could provide a Champion that should dare to combate Colbron, so as to overcome him; but on the contrary, to have the City delivered to them; whereupon it is said that the famous Guy Earl of Warwick being returned from Forraign Lands in the Habit of a poor Pilgrim, like another David, offered the King his service; when all his Nobles and Men at Armes declined it, as being scared at the mighty Stature and Bulk of this second Pagan Goliah, which the King at first refused, supposing him to be a Madman; yet in a Vision being admonished to it, he consented; and the combate was Fought be∣tween them in Hide Mead, wherein, after a fierce En∣counter of two Hours, Guy became Victor; where∣upon the Danes raised their Siege and fled, but in the pursuit many of them were destroyed, and soon after chased out of the Country, so that he setled the Realm in Peace, and divers Princes sent to congratulate his Suc∣cess, with many Rich Presents; Hugh King of France sent him a Sword said to be that of Constantines the Great, and reported to have in the pummel one of the Nails that fastned our Saviour to the Cross, as also his Spear, being that where with Longinus pierced his side,

[illustration] map of Darby

The County of DARBY By John Seller

[illustration]

Otho the Emperour sent him a Landskip richly set with Pretious Stones; and the King of Norway a larg Ship with rich Guilded Decks and Purple Sails.

This Ethelstane caused the Bible to be Translated in∣to English; which is accounted the first time it ever was in our Language: And when he had Reigned Fifteen Years, he Dyed, and was Buryed with much solemnity at Malmsbury, where his Tomb remained some Hundreds of Years with an Epitaph in his praise, as a good Prince, and a great lover of Justice.

Remarks on Derbyshire, &c.

THE County of Derby, tho' somewhat Hilly in divers parts, yet it is a very pleasant County, watered with the River Derwent, and other Rivers abounding with Fish: It has in it a great number of Forrests and Parks stored with Deer; It breeds an excellent sort of Large Cattle and abun∣dance of Sheep: It abounds also with various sorts of Stones, as Free-Stone, or durable Greet-Stone; and in some places Lime-Stone, which is useful both in Building and Husbandry, for the Manuring of the Land. Here is also Alabaster, Crystal, Black and Grey Marble, which is not only very durable, but Polishes well. And for Mill-Stones and Whet-Stones, here are several Quarries of them, in the working whereof many Persons are Employed. But the chiefest Commodity of this County is Lead; which for the Goodness and Plenty thereof, yields to no Place in the World: And famous for this, is the Peak of Derby-shire, commonly called the Devil's Arse; which is indeed the most remark∣able thing in this County. This Peak or Cave called the Devil's Arse, is a great Rock or Castle upon an high Hill, under which there is a Cave in the ground of a vast bigness; the Name seemes to be taken from its having two Buttocks sticking out in form like a Mans, bending to the Ground: The Arch of the Rock is extream high, and through it Drops

of Water are continually falling: Those that are minded to enter into it must have good store of Lights, for going between two Rocks near together, they loose the sight of Day; which makes the place look dreadful and affrighting; and perhaps gave rise to all those fabulous stories of Spirits and Phantoms, which are reported of it; the recital whereof, is neither worth my Pains, nor the Readers.

Eldenhole is another remarkabls place, and one of the Wonders of the Peak; It is distant two miles from Castle∣ton, a Town in the High-Peak. The hole of this Cave is about 30 Yards long, and 15 Yards broad on the Top; de∣scending directly down into the Earth, which is much strait∣ned when it cometh 40 Yards deep: The Waters which trickle down from the Top thereof do congeal into Stone, and hang like Isicles in the root of it: Some are hollow within, and grow Taper-wise, very white, and not unlike to Crystal.

But the greatest Wonder of the Peak is that of Buxton-Wells, where nine Springs arise out of a Rock, within the compass of eight or nine Yards, eight of which are Warm, and the ninth very Cold: These Springs run from under a Square Building of Free-Stone; and about 60 paces off, receive another hot Spring, from a Well inclosed with four flat Stones, called St. Ann; near unto which another cold Spring bub∣leth up. These Springs have been found by daily Experience very good for the Stomach and Sinnews; and very pleasant to bathe the Body in. The wonderous Vertues whereof, are thus describ'd,

Unto St. Ann the Fountain sacred is, With Waters Hot and Cold its Springs do rise, And in its Sulphur Veins there's Med'cine lies: Old Mens numb'd Joynts new Vigor here acquire, In frozen Nerves this Water kindleth Fire; Hither the Cripples halt, some help to find, Run hence, and leave their Crutches here behind

The Barren hither to be Fruitful come; And without help of Spouse go Mothers home.

This County contains 106 Parishes, and is divided into six Hundreds. It has eight Market Towns, and 13 Rivers. It is Rich in Pasture, and Memorable for many great Acti∣ons that have happened in it. It sends Members to Parlia∣ment four, viz. Derby two, and two Knights of the Shire. It is Bounded with Yorkshire, Notinghamshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Leicestershire.

Derby, the chief Town, is commodiously situate on the Western Bank of the River Derwent, and in the North-East end of it stands a Bridge of Free-Stone, and upon the Bridge a fair Chappel, called St. Mary's Chappel. But besides Derwent, which empties it self six Miles lower into the Trent, this Town has the conveniency of a Brook rising Westward, and running through it under nine several Bridges. The Town is large and populous, containing five Parish Churches, of which that of All Saints is the fairest, whose Tower-Steeple, (in which are eight Tuneable Bells) was built at the only charge of the Young-Men and Maids, about the Reign of Queen Mary the First; and is equall'd for Height and Beauty, by few in the Nation. In short, 'tis a Town of good Trade; and very famous for its Ale, which is accounted the best and strongest in the Kingdom.

Ripton (the Antient Ripandunum) is a pleasant place; here Ethelbald, the ninth King of the Mercians, slain at Egelwald, was by his Subjects Interred; and from hence Burdred the last King of Mercia was expelled by the Danes, together with his Queen Ethelwith. At Melburn, John D' Bourbon, taken at the Battel of Agincourt in France by our Henry the 5th, was kept Prisoner: Little Derby was an Antient Collony of the Romans, as appears by their Coins and Medals digged up there at sundry times. The Seats of the Noblemen are Palsover Castle, the Antient seat

of the Duke of Newcastle; Haddon, the seat of the Earl of Rutland; Hadwick and Chatsworth, the seats of the Duke of Devonshire; Berthy, the seat of the Earl of Chesterfield; Sherley, the seat of the Lord Ferrers Sutton, &c.

The Reign of Edmund, Ninth Sole Monarch of England.

EDmund, Brother to Ethelstan, began his Reign Anno. Dom. 940. He was Crowned at Kingston up∣on Thames, but scarce settled in the Throne before the Danes, perswading the People of Northumberland and other Northern Counties to joyn with them, advanced against him with a puissant Army; to whom he gave a great Overthrow near Northampton, and had various success against them in divers other Battels. He caused the Eyes of the two Sons of Dunmail to be put out, for theirs and their Fathers Rebellion against him; and then to quiet his People, made many good Laws to re∣strain Rapin and other Injuries, that for want of such boundaries between Princes and Subjects they had sus∣tained in many of the former Reigns; and upon these Laws, Magna Charta, or the Great Charter of England, seems very much to be grounded.

Anlafe the Dane retaining some footing in the Nor∣thern parts of England, and Southern Sheirs of Scotland, Laboured to perswade Indulph King of Scots to break the League he had made with Ethelstan, urging that Edmund who now Reigned, was a supine Person, no ways fit to bear the weight of Government, and there∣fore they might easily gaine their designes in subduing the Kingdom; but Indulph would by no means be tempt∣ed to break his Oath: Whereupon the Dane thinking to do it without his Aid, sent for more Forces, who

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Landing in the Humber, Elgarine, Governor of Nor∣thumberland, either through fear, or hopes of Advance∣ment, declared he was descended of Danish Blood; and breaking the Trust King Edmund had reposed in him, he Joyned such Forces as he could raise with Anlafe; whereupon the King sent to Indulph for Aid, according to the Articles of Treaty to assist each other in case of Invasion; and with all expedition he sent him 10000 well apointed Soldiers; with which, and his own For∣ces, he fell upon the Danes, and Routed them at the first onset, making a terrible slaughter in the pursuit. In this Battle, as the King had commanded, the Treache∣rous Earl Elgarine was taken alive, though he would willingly have dyed on the Swords of those that secured him; when being adjuged a Traytor to his Country, he was drawn in peices by the strength of Horses: And after this great Victory, he settled the Northern Coun∣ties that had been much harrassed and weakened by the Enemy, and upon his return granted large Priviledges to St. Edmunds-Bury in Suffolk, rebuilding many ruined places. And now the Irish Invading the Western Coasts with many small Vessels, were beaten off, divers of them slaughtered, and most of their Ships Burnt. Greater things were in projection to be done by this King, had not an untimely Death prevented him; for one day seeing a Gentleman that served him (and for whom, by reason of his Faithfullness, he had a singular esteem) hard pressed by a Ruffiain in single Combate, and at the point to be slain, he unadvisedly rushed in to his Rescue; and receiving the points of their Swords in his Body, whilst he thought to seize them with his Hands, he dyed of the Wounds, when he had Reigned Six Years, and was Interred at Glastenbury, being the Ninth sole Monarch of England, Anno Dom. 946. He was fifth son to King Edward: At his death he left his

Brother Edred or Eldred, Protector of the Realm, com∣miting to his care Edwye and Edgar his two Sons, who were in their Minority.

Remarks on Devonshire, &c.

DEvonshire, by reason of the advantage of the Sea, and its many spacious Havens, is not only of great account in it self, but to its Neighbouring Counties. It produces many rich Manufactories, and contains divers stately Towns: It has in it rich veins of Tin, store of Cattle, Corn, fat Pastures: Containing the City of Exon, a Bishops See, 394 Parishes, 33 Hundreds, 37 Market Towns, and 23 Rivers, small and great. It sends Members to Parliament 26, viz. Exeter, Plymouth, Plimpton, Totness, Oakhampton, Honiton, Barnstaple, Tavistock, Ashburton, Tiverton, Beralston, 2 Each; and 2 more out of these three Towns, Clifton, Dartmouth, and Hardness, and 2 Knights of the Shire; in all 26. It is Bounded with Somerset∣shire, Cornwal, the Irish Sea, and Channel.

Exeter, the only City of this County, is of great Antiqui∣ty, for the Castle called Rugemont was once the Palace of the West Saxon Kings, and afterward of the Earls of Corn∣wal, and the Walls and Cathedral were Builded by King Ethelstane, and is situate on the River Ex.

Torbay in this County, some few Miles from the North East of Dartmouth, is singularly remarkable for the De∣scent made here on the 5th of November 1688, by the then Prince of Orange, but his now present Majesty King William the Third (whom God long preserve) with his Forces from Holland, to save this Nation from Popery and Slavery, which had then bid fair for it; but upon his Landing vanish'd like Mists before the Morning Sun.

Plymouth, seated on the River Plym, is renowned by be∣ing the birth-place of that great Sea Captain, Sr. Francis

[illustration] map of Devonshire

DEVON SHIRE

Drake; Tinmouth was the place where the Danes Land∣ed when they first Invaded the Western Parts, and suffered much by the French in the Year 1690; Crediton was a Bishops See till it was removed to Exeter by Edward the Confessor; Hubblestone was the burying-place of Hubba the Dane, Brother to Hungar, slain in Battel not far from thence. In the Parish of Comb-Martin it is Recorded, That William Wimondham Refined out of Oar digged there 270 Pound weight of Silver, afterward Coined for Elinor Dutches of Bar. The Seats of the Nobility are pleasantly situate in this County, viz. Potheridge and Wenbury, seats of the Late Duke of Albemarle; Chud∣leigh the seat of the Lord Clifford Baron of Chudleigh; and the Lord Bishop of the Diocess his Palace at Exeter.

The Reign of Edred, &c. Tenth Sole Monarch of England.

EDred or Eldred, as is said, being left Protector of the Realms and Persons of Edwye and Edgar, he continued for a time in that station; but using many Arts to win upon the Affections of the People, finding he should meet with no great opposition in making him self King, contrary to the Trust reposed in him, he got to be Crowned at Kingston upon Thames in Surry: But Wolstan, Arch Bishop of York, having laboured to oppose it, and not being able to do it, became his Ene∣my; practising many underhand Treacheries against him, siding with Anlafe the Dane, who lurked with a few Forces in the Northern parts, till Recruits came to him, and then by the Bishops means, the People of Northumberland Received him as their King.

This Rouzed Edred, and made him advance North∣ward with a great Army, and sundry Battles were fought, in which Edred for the most part was Victori∣ous,

slaying a great number of his Enemies; so that the Dane opressing the People by grievous Taxes, and Ex∣torting Money from them to send into Denmark, and other parts, for the raising and bringing over more Forces, they grew weary of his Government, and Mutinying in Tumultuous manner, constrained him (for fear of his Life) to quit all Claim and Title of a King over them; however they set up Ericus in his stead but King Edred seizing their strong holds, and punishing with Death and other penalties such of the Ring-Leaders of the Faction as fell into his hands, he very much put a stop to his Enemies proceedings, many of them submitting to Mercy, and others fled: Yet being too secure, Arch Bishop Wolstan took the advan∣tage of it, giving notice to the Danes and their Faction, who gathering their scattered Forces lay'd an Am∣bush for him in his return, and in a narrow way inclo∣sed by Woods, rushing out on the Rear of his Army, slew a great many of them before the Front could face about, by fetching a compass to succour them; how∣ever, after a sharp Fight they were repulsed, and many of them destroyed. For in Revenge of Wolstans Treachery he Burnt the Abby of Rippon, and other places, where the Clergy had sided with his Enemies; but gave sums of Money to be distributed among the Poor who suffered by the War, which gained him Envy by some, and Praise by others; so that the Northern Nobles endeavoured to gaine Edwye his Eldest Nephew to their Party that they might the more colourably rise in Arms, under a pretence of the Young Princes Right to the Crown; but he, given up wholly to Pleasure, rather consulting his Ease, and what might best grati∣fie his Appetite, than the Toiles and Hazzards of War, gave little or no heed to the Overtures made him for immediate rising to a Throne; and indeed his Uncles

[illustration]

A Mapp of DORSETSHIRE

By Iohn Seller Hydrog: reg: at the west end of y^e Exchang London

[illustration]

tender care of him was such, that he may truly be said to live happier under his Tutelage, than when he came to sway the Scepter, as will more plainly appear in the succeeding Reign.

This King made St. Germans in Cornwal a Bishop See, which was afterwards translated to Cridington by Canute King of the Danes, Reigning Sole Monarch in England; and at last it was settled at Exeter by Edward the Confessor, where it now remaines. He began his Reign Anno Dom. 946, and continued it Nine Years, and was Buryed at Winchester, and is accounted the Tenth Sole Monarch of England. In his time a violent Earthquake happened, throwing down many stately Buildings, especially in the Northern parts.

Remarks on Dorsetshire, &c.

DOrsetshire is very spacious and fertil, breeding great numbers of Cattle in its rich Pastures, and is much re∣nowned for its Linnen and Woollen Manufactures: It pro∣duces abundance of Corn, and the Isle of Portland joyning (as it were) to it, furnishes us with plenty of Free-Stone, used in building Churches and other stately Fabricks in London, &c. It is Bounded with Wiltshire, Somersetshire, Hampshire, Devonshire, and the Channel. It Containes 248 Parishes, divided into 29 Hundreds, 19 Market Towns, and four Rivers. It sends Members to Parliament 20, viz. Brid∣port 2, Croft-Castle 2, Dorchester 2, Lyme Regis 2, Melcom Regis 2, Pool 2, Shaston 2, Weymouth 2, Wareham 2, and 2 Knights of the Shire. It has in it a great many Parks stored with Venison.

Dorchester, the chief Town in this Shire, is of great Antiquity, and was called by the Romans Durnovaria, be∣ing of pleasant situation, and its Buildings Rich and Populous.

Banbury was Antiently the Court of many West Saxon

Kings; at Cern, Austin the Monk Preached up Christianity on his first Arrival in this shire; and by the consent of the People destroyed their Idols, and among the rest one called Hell.

Shaftsbury is famed for the History of the Prophecy∣ing Eagle (probably a Man whose Name was Aquila) in this place was Buryed the Body of Edward the Son of Edgar, Murthered at the command of his Step-Mother, in Corfe-Castle. At Winbourn Minster, Builded by Cuthburga Queen of Northumberland, was Intered the Body of Ethelred.

Nor must we forget Lime in this County, which is Me∣morable for the Landing of James late Duke of Monmouth there, with about fourscore Gentlemen from Holland; in the Year 1685, being the first Year of the late King James's Reign. And tho' he brought so few along with him, yet in a few Days after his Landing, he was several Thousands strong; and gave the Kings Forces a considerable Repulse at Philips-Norton; and had he gain'd the Day at Sedgemore (which in all probability he had done, had he not been betray'd) It is verily believed the greatest part of England had Declared for him; so great an Aversion, even at that time, the Nation had against King James and Popery; and I am sure they have no reason to be fonder of him since. But Heaven had decreed our Deliverance to be the Work of another hand: And therefore the unhappy Duke after his Defeat at Sedgmore, was taken at Ringwood in Hampshire, and from thence brought up to London, and two days after Beheaded upon Tower-Hill; whose Death was follow'd by abundance of barbarous Executions in this County; so that there is hardly a Town in it, but what can shew some Bloody Tokens of King James his Cruelty; The Quarters of the poor Macerated Wretches having been placed upon Poles set up in the High∣ways, for many Miles together: As we shall shew more at large, when we come to King James's Reign.

Sherburn was Antiently an Episcopal See, and so con∣tinued a long time, in whose Cathedral were Interred the Body of the Kings Ethelbert and Ethelbald. Maiden Castle, a∣bout a Mile West of Dorchester and Badbury Castle, ap∣pear by Coin, and other Marks digg'd up and found about them, to have been Garisons of the Romans, if not builded by them. The River Stowr in this County abounds with Tench of an extraordinary bigness: In the Isle of Purbeck are veins of Marble, tho' not continued, but scattering here and there, as Cambden observes, yet run a great way under Ground: Great store of the best Hemp growing in England, is found between Bemister and Bridport; and near Stur∣pain, on the side of the River, there is a plentiful production of Madder. The Hills in Dorsetshire are few, and those for the most part gradually rising, some Crowned with pleasant Woods, and others with Corn in its season, and flocks of Sheep: It is Beautified with several Seats of the Nobility, viz. Hook Castle, the Duke of Boltons; Cranbourn-House, the Earl of Salisburys; Wimbourn St. Giles, the Earle of Shaftsburys. The Houses of the Gentry are likewise very stately, as well in the Towns, as seperate; so that it may be ranked among the most delightful Counties of England.

The Reign of Edwye, the Eleventh Sole Monarch of England.

EDwye, Eldest Son to Edmund, and Nephew to Edrid, began his Reign Anno Dom. 955, finding Affairs in a forward settlement (the Danes being for the most part expelled the Land, or had turned their Forces on the Scots, as knowing they had been foiled on this side, and had but little hopes of fixing in the Southern parts of the Island) He was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames, and there is reported to have drawn a Lady

(near a kin to him, and Married to a Nobleman) aside, after a Ball or Dancing bout, as if he had some matter of importance to relate to her, and behind the Cloth of Arras forced her to his Lust, which being much complained of by the Nobility, he proposed for the re∣paration of her Honour to take her to be his Wife, but her Husband opposing it, and willing to pass over the high Injury his Prince had done him, rather than his Country should suffer by any publick Mischief that might ensue thereon from Popular Fury or Factions at Court, the matter seemed hushed for a time; but whe∣ther the King feared the private Revenge of an abused Husband, or having an inclination to a free Enjoyment of the Lady, I determine not, but so it was ordered, that he in conclusion caused the Husband to be Mur∣thered, and took his Lady, now free from the bonds of Marriage by the untimely Death of her Husband, not for a Wife, (as he had before proposed) but for his Concubine; which makes some Authors believe her Ambition, to glitter so near a Throne, tho' in a Tinsel splendor of ignominy, made her consenting to the latter crime, however she enclined to the former; yet this unprincely action created him such a hatred in the minds of his Subjects, That all, except his Flatterers, extreamly murmured against him; and Bishop Dunstan sharply reproving him for his Vices, he Proscribed him as an Enemy or Traytor; so that, to save his Life, he absconded in England a while, and then fled into Flanders.

Of these disorders in Government, and Disaffections of the People, the Danes taking advantage, joyned with the Welsh, and Invaded the Northern Borders, having many Irish, and some Scots, as Auxiliaries joyned with them; so that most of those Counties being violently Oppressed, and finding the King slow to relieve them,

[illustration] map of Durham

THE BISHOPRICK of DURHAM By Iohn Seller.

having united their Forces and expelled the Enemy, renounced their Allegiance to him, and chose his Bro∣ther Edgar King, a young Prince of an active Spirit, who had assisted them in the War; to which with little opposition the whole Nation consented, and here∣upon Edwye being Deposed, Dyed of Grief, and was Buryed at Winchester. In his time there was a great contention between the Monks and Marryed Priests; the former opposing the latter, as not capable of Offi∣ciating in holy Orders, according to the Cannons of the Church of Rome; and they again alledging those Cannons were contradictory to the Holy Scriptures; so the Controversy was put to the King to determine, and in this indeed he gave a right Judgment, declaring for the Married Priests; which is the only commendable thing noted in his Reign. He Reigned four Years, and was the Eleventh Sole Monarch of England.

Remarks on the Bishoprick of Durham, &c.

THE Bishoprick of Durham, tho' small in circumfer∣ence, abounds in plenty of all things, as Cattel, Corn, Pastures, Fruit-Trees, Woods, Forests and Parks; and is Watered with divers pleastant Streams stored with Fish. It has to the North and West many pleasant Hills, and is Bounded with Northumberland, Westmorland, York∣shire, and the German Ocean. It has in it the City of Durham, which is a Bishops See, and is a Palatine, having divers Priviledges above many Counties. It Contains 118 Parishes, 6 Market Towns, and 11 Rivers: It sends Members to Parliament 4, viz. Durham 2, and 2 Knights of the Shire.

It gained the Title and Priviledge by the great Fame and Renown of St. Cuthberd, for the Interment of whom, the

Cathedral was first Bulded by Bishop Aldwin, and much enlarged by Bishop Careleph: His Tomb was with much Devotion Visited by Edward, Ethelstane, and divers other Saxon Kings; and by William the Conqueror this Bishop∣rick was made a County Palatine: There is a place called Gallile in the West End of the Church, where is to be seen the Tomb of venerable Beda. Binchester (the Benovium of the Romans) was famed for their chief station in the North, and many of their Coins have been found in Earthen Ʋrns, upon Digging up old foundations.

Chester in the Street (the Condercum of the Romans) is a Place of great Antiquity, pleasantly situate, and well Inhabited.

At Nevil's Cross near Durham, the Scots were defeated, and David their King made Prisoner by one Copeland, and carry'd Prisoner to the Tower; for which service Copeland received of the King five Hundred Pounds per Annum. In this Bishoprick, near Darlington, are three wonderful deep Pits, called Hell Kettles, supposed to be sunk by an Earthquake. In this Palatine also stands Bernard Castle, famous for the many Sieges it has held out against the Scots: Over the River Weer, with which the City of Durham is almost encompassed, are two well built Stone Bridges, one from the South, the other from the North Road, leading into the Town.

This Palatine has a Jurisdiction within it self to Try Criminals, and other Matters, from which in many cases there lyes no Appeal. The Seats tho' few, are very Antient, and yet Magnificent Structures, viz. Durham Place and Aukland Castle, the Bishop Seats being the principal.

The Reign of King Edgar, Twelfth Sole Monarch of England.

EDgar, the Second Son of Edmund, began his Reign Anno Dom. 959, at which time the Danes (weary∣••d out with War) began to think of settling a Peace ••ith the English, upon consideration they might rest at ••uiet in some Northern Counties, and have other Ad∣••antages which (considering the uncertainty of the ••en state of Affairs) was not thought amiss to be ••lowed them, they owning the King their Superiour, ••nd to continue as it were his Subjects: And so King ••dgar having received the Crown at Bath, from the ••ands of Odo Arch Bishop of Canterbury, applied him∣••elf to the Government of his Kingdom, and recalled Dunstan from Banishment; yet by this means some Divines of Oxford Ʋniversity were Branded in the Cheek, and Banished; for Affirming The Church of Rome ••o be the Whore of Babylon, Monkery an Offensive Contagion; Their Vows of Celibacy an encouragement to Sodomy, and other Ʋncleaneness. He made very strict Laws against Drunkenness, which was very rife in his time, causing Cups to be made with certain Pins or Marks, and a penalty to such as should exceed the allowed Draught: And England being then pestered with Wolves, who destroyed much small Cattle, and some People, he made a Law, That those who held Lands of the Crown should Yearly bring in a cerrain number of Wolves Heads, under a Penalty of forfeiting their Tenures; And Ludwal, the Prince of Wales, was alloted to bring in three Hundred Wolves Heads Yearly in consideration of the Lands he held in subjection to the Crown of England: Where∣upon upon such dilligent search was every where made, that ••n a few years there was not one to be found in England,

except such as were kept tame, nor ever since has there been otherways any of the breed in this Country, tho' Neighbouring Ireland not long since abounded with them.

This Edgar Yearly rid the Circuit, to take notice of the abuses and corruptions of his Judges, and severely Punished their remisness in the Administration of the Laws: But notwithstanding all these good Qualities, he was very much blemish'd with Incontinency, not sparing Wives or Daughters, where his desires lead him to pursue the enjoyment of his unlawful Pleasures: He begat a Daughter, whom he named Edith, on Wolfe-child a veiled Nun, who was afterward for a consider∣able sum of Money Cannonized by the Pope, and attemp∣ting to gaine the possession of Odwina, a Western Dukes Daughter, her Mother whom he solicited to give her into his Arms, preferring the preservation of her Cha∣stity to the Kings Anger, and all his Golden Promises, contrived a Stratagem to defeat him, which she effected, by laying her waiting Maid in her Daughters Bed, with whose wanton toying in the Dark he was so pleased, that tho' he discovered the Fraud the next Morning, he not only commended the Dutchess, but gave his Bedfellow the Reward he had promised the Yong Lady, and kept her as his Concubine.

Soon after this, hearing by Fame of the great Beauty of Duke Orgarius's Daughter, that she was even a Phoenix in nature, for incomparable Features, being by this time a Widower, he resolved if what was repor∣ted proved true, to take her to Wife; and in order to be better certified, he sent Earl Ethelwold, one of his Courtiers, to view her, who falling in Love with the Lady, wooed her for himself, and Married her, excu∣sing it to the King, by telling him, That she had Beauty enough for a Subiect, but not for so great a Prince: How∣ever

this did not so well satisfy him, but he resolved to see her, and so Invited himself to the Earls House.

Ethelwold, mistrusting to what intent he had done it, being conscious his Wives Beauty would enflame him, laboured to excuse his unpreparedness, but in vain; whereupon he acquainted his Wife with it, and in∣treated her to deforme herself, by appearing in a homely Dress, and by discolouring her Face, if she had any regard to his Life, or her own Chastity; telling her how her prevailing Charms had made him betray his Trust.

But this Ambitious Woman (proud of her Beauty) gathering from his discourse she might have been a Queen, and not now altogether out of hopes to be so, promised the Earl (for the better hiding her Anger) to obey him; but on the contrary, when the King was set at Dinner, she came before him Adorned with Jewells, and all her costly Ornaments, having much added by Art to her Natural Beauties, so that she ap∣peared in his Eyes like a glittering Angel; yet he dis∣sembled his Anger with Ethelwold for the present, till that Afternoon going a Hunting with the Earl in his Forrest, he singled him out, and after many reproaches, struck him through with his Javelin, as he was about to fall on his Knees and begg Pardon; and in a little time after took the Lady to Wife, by whom he had Ethelred afterward King of England. For this and his other wicked practices, Dunstan whome he had made a Bishop, and his great Favorite, Enjoyned him as a Penance, Not to wear his Crown for seven Years, which Injunction he submitted to, but left not his La∣scivious courses.

This Edgar brought the Kingdom to a Flourishing condition, and is accounted the greatest of the Saxon Monarchs, being once at Westchester he had eight Kings

and Princes to Row his Barge on the River Dee, as we have already noted, in our Remarks on Cheshire. He is said to compass the Island with almost an incredible Navy of Ships, viz. 3600, settling and strengthening the Sea-Ports, leaving Guard-Ships to defend them a∣gainst the Landing of Pirates or other Enemies; by which Undertaking he brought such a Terror on Scot∣land, that their King sued for Peace, and payed an An∣nual Tribute to have it confirmed.

He Restored and Founded 47 Monasteries: And in the presence of his Nobility, on Christmas Day, Anno Dom. 974, he Confirmed the Abby of Ramsey, which his Cousin Alwin had Founded, and made the Abby which Bishop Oswald had Builded, a Cathedral Church; He brought the Welsh under an intire Subjection to England, aloting their Princes Pensions, as his Servants, clearing the Seas of Rovers, and intended to War on France, to compol that King to a reparation of the Damages his Merchants had sustained on the French Coasts, by Embargoes and Seisures of their Goods. But whilst great things were in his mind, his Debauch∣eries having much wasted his Natural Strength, he Dyed when he had Reigned Sixteen Years, and was honourably Entombed at Glastenbury; which as yet boasts some remains of his Monument.

In the sixth Year of his Reign, the Heavens seemed as on Fire, the Stars to appearance darted Beams at each other, as if Creation had been about to dissolve. A Monsterous Fish was taken on the Coast of Sussex, with a Face and Hair like a Man, and a Scaly Circlet like a Coronet on its Head, and upon its being drawn up, sent forth a mighty noise like the roaring of a Lion.

[illustration] map of Essex

ESSEX By J: Seller.

Remarks on the County of Essex, &c.

ESSEX is not only considerably Large, but is every where sprinkled with Towns and Villages of note, and is abundantly stored with Cattle, by reason its advantageous Meadows, Marshes, and other Pastures, which lying low produce store of Grass in the driest seasons; as for Cheese and Butter, it produces very great quantities, as also very good Corn, and store of Saffron, Hops, &c.

It is Bounded on the South with the River Thames, and Kent, the River washing its verdant Banks as far as the Hope; on the West with Hartfordshire, and Middlesex; on the North with Cambridgshire and Suffolk, and on the East with the Ocean; It is divided into 20 Hundreds, which containe 415 Parishes; It has 27 Market Towns, and seven Rivers; It sends Members to Parliament eight, viz. Colchester 2, Harwich 2, Maldon 2, and two Knights of the Shire.

Colchester in this County is of great Antiquity, held to be Built by the Antient British King Coilus, from whom it seems to derive its Name; and in it was Born King Lucius the first known Christian King in the World: Constantine the first Christian Roman Emperour, as also Helena his Mother, Empress to Constantius and Daughter to King Coilus; It is also Memorable for its Long Siege in the late Civil War.

Malden is very Antient, having been the Royal Seat of the Trinobantes, of which Cunobeline was King, when our Saviour was Born. It was taken by the Emperour Claudius and Named Camalodunum, wherein he placed a Roman Garison, but Rased to the Ground by Queen Bonduca or Boadicia, after a mighey Defeat given the Romans in Re∣venge of their breach of Trust, and the Rape of her Daugh∣ters; which we formerly mentioned.

Walden famous for Saffron growing about it, from whic•• it takes the Name of Saffron Walden, and for giving Birth to that Learned Statesman Sr. Thomas Smith, Se∣cretary of State to Queen Elizabeth: At Tilbury the said Queen rendezvouzed her Forces to oppose the Spanish In∣vasion 1588; and there is now a strong Fort, commanding the Mouth of the Thames.

Chelmsford, accounted the Shire Town, is of very com∣modious Building and situation, the Assizes being usually held there. Braintry, Cogshal, Harwich, and other Towns, adorn this County. There is a Proverb peculiar to this County, which is, He may fetch a Flitch of Bacon from Dunmow, This Proverb took its rise from a Custom formerly practis'd in the Priory of Dunmow, first founded by Juga, a Noble Lady, for Black Nuns, Anno 1111. but afterwards converted into a Priory for Friars, who ordained, That if any Person from any part of England would come thither, and humbly kneel on two stones, yet to be seen at the Church Door before the Convent, and solemnly take the following Oath, he might demand a Gam∣mon or Flitch of Bacon, which should be freely given him:

You shall Swear by the Custom of our Confession, That you never made any Nuptial Transgression, Since you were married Man and Wife, By Houshold Brawls, or contentious strife: Or otherwise in Bed, or at Board, Offended each other in Deed or Word: Or since the Parish Clark said Amen, Wished your selves unmarried agen; Or in a Twelve-Month and a Day, Repented not in thought any way; But continued true, and in Desire, As when you joyn'd hands in holy Quire. If to these Conditions without all fear, Of your own accord you will freely Swear,

A Gammon of Bacon you shall receive, And carry it hence with love and free leave. For this is our Custom at Dunmow well known; Tho' the sport be ours, the Bacon's your own.

And pursuant hereunto, it appears upon Record, That ••ichard Wright, of Badsworth in Norfolk, in the 23d. ••f Hen. 6. and Stephen Samuel of Little Easton in Essex, ••n the 7th. of Edward the 4th, and Thomas Lee of Coxhall in Essex, in the 2d. of Hen. 8. Took the aforesaid ••ath, and demanded and received their Bacon.

Amongst the many Noble Seats in this County, That ••oyal House called Audley-End, (not far from Saffron-Walden) justly claims the first place, Built by Thomas ••oward Earl of Suffolk, Treasurer to King James the first. ••hen there is New-Hall, a very Noble Seat of the late Duke of Albemarles, and Bently belonging to the Earl of Oxford; Copt-Hall a seat of the Earl of Dorcets; Leez ••riory, a seat of the Earl of Manchester; St. Osith, a ••at of the Earl Rivers; Havering, a seat of the Earl of ••indseys; Park-Hall, a seat of the Earl of Angleseys; ••oulsham-Hall, Moulsham Friery, and Bishops-Hall, ••ats of the Lord Fitz Walter; Gosfield-Hall, and Spring-••lace, seats of the Lord Grey of Wark: Easton-Lodg ••nd Achdon-Place, seats of the Lord Maynard; Tols∣••ury, a seat of the Lord Howard of Escrick; Lawfield-Hall, the Lord Carews Seat: It contains likewise many ••urious Parks, Chases, Warrens, and is stored with Fish, ••owl, and all other Necessaries.

The Reign of Edward, Thirteenth Sole Monarch of England, and by some Sirnamed the Martyr.

EDward, Eldest Son to Edgar, began his Reign upon the Death of his Father, Ann Dom. 975; he was Crowned at Kingston on Thames by Dunstan, who had been promoted to the Bishoprick of Canterbury by his Father. At his Accession to the Throne, a terrible Blazing Star appeared, which rising East by South, continued visible twenty Nights; ushering in a griev∣ous Famin; so that the poorer sort were compelled to Eat Grass, Leaves, and Bark of Trees, whereupon many Thousands dyed; yet it continued but a Year, and then another mischief succeeded, which had like to have put the Nation in confusion, viz.

Several Years past, tho' the Popes Cannons prohibit∣ed it, the Clergy had priviledg to Marry, without any hinderance to them in performing their Functions, and keeping their Spiritualities: But Arch Bishop Dun∣stan, who aimed at the Popedom, or at least aspired to a Cardinals-Cap, finding it was displeasing to the Roman See, because the charge of Wives and Children must of necessity debar the Clergy from sending to Rome such liberal Contributions as otherways they might have done, and so hinder Grist from coming to the Popes Mill, he to ingratiate himself with that See, stired up the Monks and Ʋnmarried Priests, against those that had taken Wives, and they dealing underhand with divers unthinking People, Tumults arose thereon, and much mischief was done: For Duke Alfarus encouraging the Married Priests and their party, the King with all his Authority had much ado to prevent a General In∣surrection. At last it was agreed, That an Assembly of both Parties should meet, and dispute the matter,

according to Scripture and Cannons; and a place for that purpose was prepared in a large upper Room where Dunstan (as chief Orator for the Monks) had cunningly placed his Chair on a Post or Beam strongly fixed; and as some Authors believe had contrived a Device, by taking out some Pins, to let the Floor fall, upon a signal given; so the press being very great, after a hot Debate had been held for a while, and no∣thing Agreed on, Dunstan stamping, and saying, They shall fall before us, &c. The Floor first trembled, as with the motion of an Earthquake, and then fell down, leaving nothing but Dunstan's Chair that had been sure∣ly seated aloft, which being looked upon as, and cryed up for a Miracle, in the behalfe of the Monks, they thereupon carried the day: And the Married Priests were left at liberty to Enjoy their Wives, but outed of their Benefices.

This is that Dustan of whom a story goes, That to prevent Idleness, he was working at the Goldsmiths Trade in a Cell near Glassenbury, and whilst he was framing a Chalice of Gold, the Devil in the shape of a Beautiful Woman appeared to him, endeavouring to Tempt him to Lewdness; but he by Inspiration know∣ing it to be a Fiend Transformed, on a suddain, as it was peeping over his Shoulder, he catched it by the Nose with red hot Tongs, and made the Devil rore so loud, that all the People in the Village were Affright∣ed at the horrid Noise, and thereupon the seeming Lady Vanished.

And now the Danes, hoping for great advantages from these disturbances, prepared a considerable Fleet; but a Storm arising, they were driven on the Coast of Scotland, and many of them broken among the Rocks, about 6000 Men perishing: However, being recruited, they gave some disturbances on the Northern Borders,

many of the Scots joyning with them but they made no great Advance, for the Marches were strongly Guard∣ed; yet many Disorders happened at Court, by reason of the Kings Youth, not having experience in the Poli∣tick Intreagues of State: His Mother-in-law, who aimed to set her Son Ethelred (whom she had by Edgar, after Ethelwold her Husband was slain) upon the Throne, maintained a secret Faction to Depose or Murther him; the latter whereof was in a little time effected: For the King being perswaded to go a Hunting in a Forrest near Croft-Castle, the place where she and her Son Re∣sided, his Train (as 'tis thought purposely) left him in the Chase of a Stag; whereupon he not caring to stay in an unfrequented place, made to the Castle to pay his Step-Mother and Brother-in-law a visit, as also to get some Refreshment, the weather being exceeding hot, when knocking at the Gate, she (who had seen him out of the Window) came down and welcomed him in, with all the Blandishments and Flatteries im∣maginable, Intreating his Highness to alight and accept of whatever her mean Habitation would afford: But he Re∣ply'd, He came not to pay a set Visit, but came that way after his Game, and had lost his Company, and therefore at this time would sit on Horseback, and take a glass of Wine till some of them might chance to come up with him. Hereupon she hasting to fetch some Wine, gave the Sign to a desperat Ruffian, who was her Servant, that when the Glass was at his Mouth he should strike him in with a Dagger, which he performed; at which un∣expected Wound, the Young King perceiving the Treachery, set Spurs to his Horse; but through loss of Blood, fell from his Sadle in a little way Riding, and his Foot hanging in the Stirup he was dragged about the Field, till a Shepherd took him up, in whose Arms, giving a groan or two, he Dyed. This was no sooner

[illustration] map of Glocestershire

GLOCESTER SHIRE

noised abroad, but the common sort were immediatly for Revenging it on the Queen and all her Adherents, that should be found any ways concerned in it; but finding the Nobles, who for the most part were of her Faction, cold in the matter; and she protesting not to be consenting to the Murther, but that her wicked Ser∣vant had done it surprisingly and unexpected to her, in revenge of his Kinsman whom the King had caused to be Hanged some time before, for reproaching him in giving his consent to the turning out of the Married Priests, and had upon perpetrating so horrid a wicked∣ness fled beyond the Seas, the business by degrees was hushed up, and she laboured to have her Son Ethelred Crowned: But Arch Bishop Dunstan strongly opposed it, saying, That at his Baptism having befouled the Font, it was Ominous to the Church; that he would be a Contem∣ner, if not an Abolisher of its Religion; and a long while it was contested, till Dunstan found the Queens Faction so strong that he durst no longer refuse it.

King Edward being thus made away, was in a man∣ner privately Buryed at Waltham, and afterward his Body removed into the Monastery at Shaftsbury. He Reigned 4 Years, and was the 13th Sole Monarch of England.

Remarks on Gloucestershire, &c.

GLoucestershire is made Fruitful by the River Severn, Branching almost unto all parts of it; it contains much Woodland and Gradual Hills, Feeding great store of Tame Cattle, and Venison. It abounds in Corn, Wool, Cheese, and Butter: On the North it is bounded with Worcestershire, and Warwickshire; on the East, with Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire; on the South, with Somer∣setshire, and part of the Severn; on the West, with Here∣fordshire,

and Monmouthshire. It Contains one City, a Bishops See, viz Gloucester, 30 Hundreds, divided into 280 Parishes, 27 Market Towns and 12 Rivers. It sends members to Parliament 8, viz Cirencester 2, Gloucester 2, Teuksbury 2, and 2 Knights of the Shire.

Gloucester City is the antient Gelenum of the Romans; In it Robert Brother to the Empress Maud, was kept Pri∣soner, being taken in the War against King Stephen; its Cathedral is of Excellent Architecture and much noted for its Whispering Place, wherin the least sound may be dis∣tinctly heard at a considerable distance: It was won from the Britains by Chewlin King of the West Saxons Anno Dom. 570 and in this City a Monastery of Nuns was Founded by Osrick a Saxon, wherin 3 Queens of the Mer∣cians were successively Prioresses.

In Alny-Isle, a place near Gloucester, was fought the Combate between Edmund Ironside the Saxon King, and Canute the Dane, and the division of the Kingdom ther∣upon made, as in his Reign will further apear. Ciren∣cester or Circester was an antient Station of the Romans; in it was born the Learned Thomas Rutham, some time Bishop of Durham. The next places of note are Dursly, Cam, Todington, Yate, Westbury, Sudly Castle, Tewksbury, in whose field the Fatal Battel was fought which ruined at that time the House of Lancaster Anno 1471, in which Prince Edward was slain, Queen Margaret taken Prisoner, and the Duke of Somerset Earl of Devonshire &c. Were Beheaded. At Aderly on the top of certain Hills are found Stones in the form of Oy∣ters, Cockles &c. and near Puckle Church is a Vein of blue Stone. At Lessington are Stones that represent Stars, of the circumferance of a single Penny, and the thickness of half a Crown, they grow together in Columns about 3 or 4 Inches long, and being singly put into Vinegar, they naturaly move, and tend towards union. The Seats of the

Nobility are Badminton and Wallastons Grange, seats of the Duke of Beaufort; Stowel, a seat of the Earl of Strafford; Berkely-Castle, a seat of the Earl of Berkley's; Campden-House in Campden, a seat of the Earl of Gainsboroughs; Overnorton, a seat of the Lord Viscount Say and Seal's; Corfe-Court and Cockbury, seats of the Lord Coventry; Glocester Pallace, the Bishops seat: It has in it also a great many Parks, Forrests, and all accom∣modations for Recreation, &c.

The Reign of Ethelred, Fourteenth Sole Monarch of England.

EThelred began his Reign Anno Dom. 979; he was the third Son of Edgar, and came very Young to the Crown, for I find that being informed of the manner of his Brother Edwards Death to make way for him to the Crown, when he was but ten Years old, he not only detested the crime, and refused to be made King, but wept and complained so abundantly for the deceased, that the Queen in a great passion snatched a Wax Taper from the Alter (nothing else being at hand) and beat him so sorely with it, that it gave him an Anti∣pathy against Wax Tapers all his life time, he never enduring any to be in his sight; so that he may be re∣puted to be between Ten and Eleven Years Old when he came to the Throne; so that the Danes promising themselves great advantages by reason of his Minority, Landed in great numbers.

This King Ethelred, by some called Eldred, was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames by Arch Bishop Dun∣stan, not (as is said) by his good will, but he was com∣pelled to perform that Office; yet instead of a Bene∣diction, he Bann'd him as one that Swam to the Throne in the Stream of his Brothers Blood (as he Phrased it)

speaking also as it were Prophetically, of the great losses England would sustain in this Kings Reign; and in∣deed Queen Alfreda being soon sensible of the Blood-guiltiness that cried against her, and fearing the fury of the People, built two Monasteries of Nuns at Amesbury, where she lived a solitary Life till she Dyed.

The King being but slow in his preparations, by which means he got himself the nickname of the Ʋn∣ready, Swane, King or chief Leader of the Danes, and Olaf King of Norway, who assisted him, got strong pos∣session of divers of the most fertil Counties, (being secretly encouraged by Duke Edrick, a Treacherous Cour∣tier, who discovered to them all the Kings Counsels) and Fortified the Towns and Castles, casting up works to secure what they gained, as they made their En∣croachments. However, at length the King gave them Battel, and tho' he cannot be said to lose it, the parting being somewhat doubtful on either side, yet he lost so many of his People that he could not get together a sufficient Army to oppose them; so that to save the rest of his Country from Spoil, he was constrained to comply with the Enemies exorbitant demands, com∣pounding for his Quiet at 10000 l. Then they raised him to 16, 20, 30, and 40000 Pounds; compelling the People to find them Provisions in their Houses where they were Quartered, and to see in many places their Wives and Daughters Ravished before their Faces, not daring on pain of their Lives to gainsay it; The Peo∣ple calling them Lord Danes, corruptly now Lurdane, a by-word for a Lazy Fellow.

But Elfrick Earl of Mercia, and Algarius his Son, being found contributes and abettors to the Misery of their Country, the King caused their Eyes to be put out, and they confin'd to certain Limits during Life.

And now the King plainly perceiving what a mise∣rable condition the Kingdom was in, between private Traitors and professed Enemies, he resolved to take a violent and speedy course (as he thought, to end the War at once) and thereupon sent secret Messages throughout the Kingdom, That upon the Ringing the Allarm-Bell, on St. Brices Day, the 13th of November, Anno Dom. 1002, the People in all Cities and Towns should fall on the Danes as they lay scattered, and had no time to get to their Arms, or in any great Body, and Massacre them; and accordingly it was put in execu∣tion; so that many places flowed with Danes Blood, the injured and imaged People not sparing either Sex of that Nation; so that Guni-Child, King Swane's Sister, was slain at Dorchester. This Honour (if I may right∣ly term it one) the Women, by I know not what Tra∣dition, totally ascribe to their Sex, tho' no doubt both Sexes were Actors in the Danish Tragedy; which had been more Bloody, had not Duke Edrick given Swane notice, tho' somewhat too late in the main, of the De∣sign; by which means he saved himself, and a great many of his followers: and storming at his Loss, Re∣paired it with all speed, sending for Recruits from Norway and Denmark: It was supposed in this Slaughter about 24000 fell; but to Revenge it, being Recruited, the Danes grievously oppressed the Country, Burning and Destroying in all places where they came; so that although the King to the Impoverishing himself, gave them 30000 Pounds for Peace, they observed it but a few Days; for having wrested a great Sum of Money from Alphegus, who Succeeded Dunstan in the Arch Bishoprick of Canterbury, and slain 900 Monks and Men in Religious Orders, They Stoned the good Bishop to Death at Greenwich in Kent.

The King seeing these proceedings, sent Emma his Queen with his two Sons, to her Brother Richard Duke of Normandy, and shortly after, not able to endure the Destruction the Enemy made, followed them. But at length Swane was Murthered by his own Men, for de∣nying them their share of Plunder, or restraining them from their Insolencies over the English: However they chose Canute his Son King. Of which change, Ethelred thinking to make advantage, at the solicitation of his Friends returned; but perceiving several Trea∣sons hatching against him; That his Councells were betrayed by some he confided in, and that he was too weak to withstand the Enemies fury, he fell into a Melancholly and Dyed, as is supposed of Grief, and he was Bury'd in St. Paul's London. He Reigned 37 Years, unless we exclude the time he was absent in Normandy, which by some is accounted between two and three Years. He was the Fourteenth Sole Monarch of England.

Remarks on Hampshire, or Hantshire.

HAmpshire is not only considerable for its Fertility in Corne, Cattle, Fowle, Fish, and its producing store of singular good Honey, but for its commodious Sea-Ports, open∣ing to the South, for the conveniency of Shipping outward or inward bound, especially Southampton, Antiently Hamo's Haven; It is Bounded on the North with Barkshire, on the East with Surry and Sussex, on the South with the Chan∣nel, and on the West with Wiltshire and Dorsetshire; It Containes one City, viz. Winchester which is a Bishops See; and is divided into 39 Hundreds, 253 Parishes, 20 Market Towns, and 4 Rivers; It sends Members to Parli∣ament 26, viz. Knights of the Shire two, Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, Yarmouth, Petersfield, Newport, Stockbridge, Newton, Christchurch, Whit∣church,

[illustration] map of Hampshire

HANT ••HIRE

Limington, and Andover two each: Note, That to this County belongs the Isle of Wight.

As for Winchester, the only City, it was the Antient Venta-Belgarum of the Romans, it is held to have been Founded by Rudhuidibras an Antient British King, and was the Royal Seat and Place of Crowning the West Saxon Kings for many Reigns. The Cathedral was Built by King Kenwolfe, and made the Burying-Place of the Kings. Henry the Third was Born in this City, and many Men of great fame.

Southampton was Built out of the Ruins of the Antient Clausentium, and after many Devastations Re-Edified in King Richard the Seconds time. It's said to take this latter Name from Hamo a Roman slain there, viz. Hamo's Haven, or Southampton.

At Basingstoke was Born John of Basingstoke, the first English Author of a Greek Grammar; and at Odiam, William Lilly, first Master of St. Paul's School: Other Places in this County are Famous for the Birth of worthy Persons and memorable Transactions; as Andover, Warblington, Hide, Illchester, Wickham, Okely, &c. Besides the strength of Portsmouth and the Citadel to secure the Coast, here are Hurt-Castle and Calshot-Castle stand∣ing as it were in the Sea; and many other advantages for the protection of Shipping. The Rocks afford Samphire and the White Cliffs abundance of Wild Thyme, Marjorum, and Rosemary.

The Seats of the Nobility are Basing-House, Abbstone and Hackwood, seats of the Duke of Boulton; Farn∣borough Place, a seat of the Earl of Anglesey; Rockborn, a seat of the Earl of Shaftsburys; Wharlwell, a seat of the Lord La Warrs; Mottessant, a seat of the Lord Sandys; Breamore, a seat of the Lord Brooks; Wolve∣sey-House, the seat of the Lord Bishop of the Diocess.

The Reign of Edmund, who from his Valour and Hardiness was Sirnamed Ironside, Fifteenth Sole Monarch of England.

EDmund Ironside began his Reign in a very trouble∣some time, Anno Dom. 1016, when the Danes had possessed the greater part of the Kingdom; taking on him the Crown rather out of pity to his bleeding Coun∣try, than desire of Soveraignty; and indeed did more than could be reasonably expected from him, with such slender Forces and little Treasure; for immedi∣atly seting up his Standard to recover a great part of the Kingdom at a point to be lost, he gave Canute Battel at Penham near Gillingham, where he Overthrew him with much slaughter on both sides; then he Fought him again with the like success at Sherestane in Worce∣stershire; and likewise in a third Battel near that place, notwithstanding Ederick the Traiterous Duke, though seemingly siding with the King, gave out in the midest of the Battel that the King was Slain; upon which Defeat, the Danes fled to London, and were pursued by Edmund who drove them thence. He discomfited them at Oteford in Kent, and had clear'd the Kingdom of them but for Edrick's Treachery, who in a sixth Battel the King Fought at Assendune near Roachfor in Essex, commanding a part of the Kings Army, he purposely fled, upon which the Souldiers fell into Rout and Disorder, so that the King was compelled for his safety to Retreat towards Gloucester, whither his scattered Forces resorted to him; and after a little Refreshment he caused other Troops to be raised, and again dis∣played his Standard in the Field, often Skirmishing with the Danes, and slaying great numbers of them, sending likewise a Challenge to Canute their King, to

end the War by single Combate; who accepting it, the two Kings in the sight of both Armies prepared on the day appointed, viz. the 15th of July, in a little Island called Olway, made so by the winding of the Se∣vern; and about ten in the Morning the Combate be∣gan, both of them having strong and large Swords: They had not long continued it, and given to each o∣ther mighty Blows, but the Blood flowed plentifully from their Wounds, and Edmund being a Prince of exceeding strength, pressed so hard upon Canute, that driving him to the Brink of the River, he cryed out (tho almost Breathless and Faint, by effusion of Blood) What need is there for us, Noble King, thus to endanger our Lives? The Kingdom is large enough for us both: If you will then consent to divide it between us, our hands will be strengthened against our Enemies, and we shall Live together in Peace and Ʋnity, as Brothers.

King Edmund pausing hereupon a while, considered That if he slew Canute, the Danes might not stand to the Award of leaving the Land, as having experienced their breach of Truce, and that being mostly Pagans, they held it but a small matter to break their Word or Oaths with Christians, and that other Commanders might come over with fresh Forces to work new Troubles, the Country being already very much wast∣ed; he at last concluded (upon Canute's dropping his Sword, in token he Submitted) to shake Hands with him, and embrace the offer: Whereupon King Ed∣mund having the first Lot, chose the Southern, Eastern, and Western Counties, as far as the Borders of Yorkshire; and Canute then seemed to be contented with the Nor∣thern Counties, as far as the Borders of Scotland; Mu∣tually Swearing to assist each other against all Invaders; and for a time they lived Peaceably in Co-Partnership. But Ederick, the Traytorous Duke, perceiving the

Danes by reason of the swarms that came frequently from Denmark to be the stronger, laboured to ingrati∣ate himself with Canute, (tho' he held fair with Edmund, who would not be perswaded by his faithful Counsel∣lors to take him out of the way, tho' his Treasons were apparent:) And thinking he should merit much of the Dane by destroying King Edmund; at least, That he should have some part of the Kingdom assigned him; he one day, as the King was disburdening Nature at the lower end of his Garden, conveyed himself by a back way under the Vault, and with Impious Hands Thrust a short Spear in at his Fundament and up his Body till it peirced his Heart; so that giving an extraordinary Groan, he instantly Dyed.

The Traytor not satisfied with this, but desirous to carry some Testimonial of the Regicide with him, crept up at the hole, and with his Sword cut off the Kings Head, and so privately made his Escape to Canute; and at his approaching him, cryed out, Hail, Sole Mo∣narch of England! Behold the Head of thy Go-Partner: Canute inwardly detesting so base a Treachery, yet outwardly dessembling his Resentment, received it as a Grateful Present, promising the Bringer to Advance him above all the Nobles of the English Nation; and in∣deed in one sence he did it, as he deserved; for whilst he was expecting high Promotion, he caused him to be Arrested, and his Head being stricken off, was placed on the highest part of the Tower; for by this time he was advanced with an Army to London, and the English (upon the consternation they were in at the surprizing News of the Kings Death) not opposing him, in a short time the whole Kingdom submitted to him; so that being Crowned Sole Monarch, he put a Period to the Saxon Reign, about 566 Years from the Establishment of the Heptarchy.

[illustration] map of Hartfordshire

HARTFORD SHIRE By John Seller

This Edmund was the Fifteenth Sole Monarch of England: He began his Reign Anno Dom. 1016, and continued it about one Year. He was a Prince aboun∣ding with Courage, Courtesie, and Strength; a lover of Humanity, and very Merciful to those that Submitted to him; and so Good-natured, That he hardly could be induced to believe any Treachery against him.

Remarks on Hartfordshire, &c.

HArtfordshire is a very pleasant Inland County pro∣ducing large crops of Corn, especially Barly, of which the best Malt is held to be made: It abounds with pleastant Orchards and Gardens, has in it divers Parks stored with Deer; It produces large and small Cattle in great abun∣dance, and is sprinkled with Woods, and adorned with plea∣sant Hills, Meadows, and Inclosiures; and is particularly noted for the great quantities of Black Cherries, that are at the proper season sent from thence to London; many of the Trees that produce them growing in the Hedg-rows, in Fields, and along the Roads, casting a pleasant shade in Summer time, to refresh the weary Traveller.

It is Bounded with Cambridgshire, Essex, Middlesex, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire; and divided into Eight Hundreds, viz. Odsey, Edwinstree, Hitching, Broadwater, Broughing, Hartford, Dacor, and Caisho Hundreds; and these again into 120 Parishes: It has 18 Market Towns and one River of note, viz. Ware River; though it is Watered with many small Streams.

It sends Members to Parliament Six, viz. St Albans two, Hartford, the Shire Town, two; and two Knights of the Shire. In this County are divers Places worthy of note, as

St. Albans, raised out of the Ruins of old Verulam, an Antient Roman station: It is Memorable for the Death of St▪ Alban, the British Proto Martyr, who suffered there

in the Tenth Persecution, raised by Dioclesian the Roman Emperour, who being Buryed here, and a stately Monu∣ment raised on his Grave by Offa the great King of the Mercians, seems to have given it its Name. This Place is also famous for two Battels fought here; The first between Richard Duke of York and King Henry the sixth, the 23d of May Anno Don. 1455. In which the King was defeated with the slaughter of the Duke of Summerset, Earl of Northumberland, Lord Clifford, and 5000 of lesser note: The second on the 17th of February Anno Dom. 1460, where King Henry the sixth and his Queen Mar∣garet gained the Victory over the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, and the Earls of Arundel and Warwick.

Barnet is famed for its Market and Medicinal Waters, and for the great Victory gained by Edw. the 4th on the 14th of April Anno Dom. 1471 against the Earls of Warwick and Oxford, in whose Field that great Earl was slain, since called The Battel of Barnet-Field. Here was Born John Barnet Bishop of Worcester, then of Bath and Wells, lastly of Ely, Lord Treasurer in the Reign of Edward the Third.

Ware, Hatfield, and Hodsdon, are all three seated on the River Lea; and near unto Ware is Amwel-Spring, famous for being the Head of the New-River, which so plentifully furnishes the City of London with Water.

Langly, commonly called Kings Langly, gave Birth to Edmond of Langly, fifth Son to Edward the Third, and the first Burial-place of Richard the Second, afterward re∣moved to Westminster. Abbots Langly was the Birth∣place of Nicholas Break-spear, advanced to Pope of Rome, by the Name of Pope Adrian the Fourth; who made the Emperour Frederick of Germany hold his Stirrop.

Oister supposed by Cambden to have been the Camp of the Roman Lieutenant Ostorius, the next of note are Wea∣thamsted, Baldock, Redburn, Helmsteadsbury, Gates∣den,

Hemsted, Cottered, Grohambury, which produced many famous Men. The Seats of the Nobility curiously adorn it, and are these: More Park, once the delightful seat of the Late Ʋnfortunate Duke of Monmouth; Caisho∣bury and Hadam-Hall, the seats of the Earl of Essex; Totteridg, the seat of the Earl of Angleseys; Hatfield, Hartford-Castle, Bigrave, Chesunt, and Quickwood, seats of the Earl of Salisburys: With divers seats of the Gentry rendering a pleasant Prospect in all Parts.