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

The Reign of Edward, called the Confessor, Nine∣teenth Sole Monarch of England.

EDward, commonly stiled the Confessor, being arrived in England, was received by the People with great demonstrations of Joy; and that Flattering Earl of Kent possessed him that he was the chief Instrument of his Restauration; tho' indeed, like a stanch Courtier, he Sailed with all Winds, usually adhering to him who was most powerful; for certain it is that Leofrick the Earl of Chester moved the Estates on Edwards behalf, urging his Right to the Crown, as being the true Heir descended from the Antient Saxon Kings, under whom

the Nation had enjoyed its Rights and Priviledges, without Infringments or Invasion: He urged his Fa∣thers Merits, and the Battels he had Fought against the Danes, in the defence of the English Nation; and many other things. So that they generally concuring with him, Edward was Accepted and Crowned at Win∣chestor, by Edsine Arch Bishop of Canterbury; yet Good∣win so far insinuated into his favour, that he took Edith his Daughter to Wife, a very virtuous Lady, much affecting a Religious Life, so that Ingultus Abbot of Crowland, who flourished in her time, makes a large En∣comium on her Learning, Wisdom, Humility, Mode∣sty, and Behaviour.

In the beginning of this Kings Reign new Troubles arose, the Danes, Irish and Welsh, in a manner all at once, Invading the Kingdom, doing great Mischief, and destroying all before them with Fire and Sword; but being met by Alfred, the Martial Bishop of Worcester, he gave them a great Overthrow. In the fifth Year of his Reign there fell so great a Snow in January, that covering the Ground, and being of a prodigious deep∣ness, and continuing so till the middle of March, much Cattle and Fowl perished for want of Food. And the January following, a terrible Earthquake happened, causing the Ground to Open in divers places, over∣throwing many stately Buildings, destroying much People, and Cattle; also at the same time such fearful Lightnings happened, That the new sprung Corn was Burnt up, whereupon a Dearth ensued, and many dyed of Hunger.

Malcolm, the true Heir to the Crown of Scotland, fly∣ing into England to avoid the Fury of Mackbeth, (a Bloody Tyrant, who had slain the King, and Usurped the Kingdom) Edward aided him with 10000 Men un∣der the Leading of Syward Earl of Northumberland, who

by the Mothers side was Grandfather to the Young Prince, who Besieging Mackbeth in his Castle of Dun∣sinane, and he attempting to Escape, was slain by Mask∣duff, Sheriff of Fife, whose Wife and Children Mackbeth had cruelly Murthered; and soon after, by the Valour of the English, Malcolme (Sirnamed Conmer) was placed in the Scots Throne, making a strict League with King Edward, and paying him 10000 Marks for the charge of the War.

After this he Banished Goodwin and his five Sons, for being Turbulent in the Government, and endeavor∣ing to raise Commotions; but about two Years after, they were Recalled, and received into Favour; and Goodwin being one day at Dinner with the King, the Cupbearer coming in, got a slip, and had like to have spilt the Wine; but as one Legg failed, he recovered with the other, and saved both the Wine and his Cre∣dit; whereupon the Earl of Kent Jestingly said, I see one Brother hath helped the other: This suddainly put∣ing the King in mind how by his Treachery his Brother Alfride was slain by Harrold the Dane, In a heat replied, And so would my Brother Alfride have helped me, if Good∣win had not been: The Earl perceiving the Kings anger, which he little expected at that time, thinking to ex∣cuse himself of so notorious a crime, took a piece of Bread, and wished it might Choak him, if he were any ways concerned in Betraying the Prince into the hands of Harrold; and accordingly his Wish was answered, for putting it into his Mouth it stuck in his Throat so that it could not be got upwards nor downwards, by which means he was Suffocated and Dyed before he could be well removed from the Table; which I the rather remark, That it may stand as a dreadful warning to all the Rash Imprecators or Evil Wishers of our Age, being a Sin too often practised on trivial occasions,

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

and I am apt to fear frequently as false in many matters as this of the Earl of Kents, which pulled down Gods immediate Judgment upon him, and hastily snatched him out of the World. The King soon after this falling into displeasure with Queen Emma his Mother, abridg∣ed her of her Dowry, and got her accused of Adultery; when by the Law then called Ordealium she was Tryed in the following manner:

Her Eyes were blinded with a thick Veil, and nine Plowshares newly taken out of the Fire, laid a Yard distance from each other, in an even row, over which she was to pass for her Purgation; and if she did it without touching any of them, she was to be adjudged Guiltless; so being led by a Priest, her Feet being bare, she passed over, missing every one of them; which being done, and she not knowing it, Cryed out, O Lord when shall I come to the place of my Purgation? she having her Eyes uncovered, and perceiving she had pas∣sed the danger, she fell on her Knees, and gave thanks to God for her deliverance. This King is likwise accounted to be over severe to his Virtuous Wife Edith, who being wrongfully accused of Incontinency, was Imprisoned, and at last confined to a Religious Life, in the Monastery of Wilton. In this Kings Reign a Blazing Star appeared, and was seen for seven Nights all over Europe. The Abby of St. Peter's Westminster, founded in a place formerly called the Isle of Thorns, was Beautified and much Enlarged by him; he remov∣ed the Bishops See from Credington in Devonshire to Exeter in the same County; and was the first of our English Kings that is said to have The Gift conferred upon him of Curing the Disease called Struma, now the Kings-Evil: And the first also that sealed his Patents with that stately Seal now called The Kings Great Seal. He remitted the remainder of the Tax called Dane Gelt;

moved to it, as some say, upon seeing a fearful Appa∣rition dancing about a heap of Money in his Closet, that had been exacted from the People under that de∣nomination; and towards the close of his Reign he collected all the useful Laws made by his Predecessors, into one Body, and out of them compiled a select Body of Law, held at this day to be the Ground of our Common Law.

This Edward, Seventh Son to Ethelred by Emma his Second Wife, was Born at Islip in Oxfordshire, and brought up to a great degree of Learning, which he improved in his Banishment. He began his Reign Anno Dom. 1042, and Reigned Twenty Years, Six Months, and Twenty Seven Days, Dying the Fourth of January of a lingering Fever, and was Buried in Westminster Abby, where in the second Year of the Reign of the Late King James, one of the Choristers searching his Tomb, found a plain Golden Crucifix, Inscribed to be this Kings, and delivered it into the Hands of the said King James; who esteemed it as an extraordinary Relick, by reason this Edward (after his Death) was Canonized a Saint at Rome, tho' for what Extraordinary Vertues I know not.

Remarks on the County Palatine of Lancaster, &c.

LAncashire was settled as a Palatinate or Dutchy upon John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, by King Edward the Third, and continues in many particulars unaltered to this day (tho' it is annexed to the Crown) keeping a Dutchy Court, and Trying most Causes within it self. It abounds in Corn, pleasant Woods, Parks, and Forrests; and produces great store of large Cattle and Wooll. It is Bounded with Westmorland, the Irish Sea, Cheshire, and Yorkshire;

[illustration] map of Lancashire

LANCASHIRE by John Seller

having many commodious Ports and Havens: And is di∣vided into Six Hundreds, containing 62 Parishes, 27 Market Townes and 6 Rivers: It sends Members to Par∣liament 14, viz Clithero 2, Lancaster 2, Liverpool 2, Newton 2, Preston 2, Wigan 2, and two Knights of the Shire.

Lancaster, the Shire Town, is Commodiously Situate on the South Banks of the River Lon, from whence it might probably take the Name of Loncaster, and now by corruption Lancaster: It has a Curious Bridge Leading to it, and in it a famous Church. It gave Title (from John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster) to four Henries, Kings of England, viz 4th 5th 6th and 7th: It is a place of great Antiquity, Considerable Trade, Pleasant Building, and has a stately Castle.

Manchester, the Antient Mancunium of the Romans, was highly prized by them, where the Ruins of their Forts and Works are found in the digging of Foundacions. Rib∣chester taks it's Name from Rible a little Brook near Clithero; it is a Town of great Antiquity, and was a stati∣on of the Romans, as appears by their Coins and Statues that have been digg'd up there, and Tradition Reports it to have been once the Richest Town in Christendom: Near Duglas, a small Brook, not far from the Town of Wiggan, King Arthur put the Saxons to the Rout with great Slaughter; at Belango the Saxons Fought a mortal Battel with each other.

Near Furness-Fells in this County, is a standing Water, accounted the greatest in England, called Minander-Meer; being 10 Miles in Length, and all along paved at the bottom with flat Stone; and it is said a Fish called a Chare is found here and in no other Waters. Also the the River Lune near Cockerfand-Abby, abounds with Trout, Pike, and some Salmon. In this County is the Antiently Famous Castle called Hornby Castle, Induring many Sieges. There

are scatered up and down in Lancashire divers Quarries of useful Stone for Building, and some Mineralls; upon its Hills are many pleasant Springs and Rivers, and some places naturally abound with Wi•••• Thime, Marjorum and Cardus, and many other Physical Herbs.

The Seats of the Nobility give a gratful Prospect to the Travellers, and are Clithero Castle, belonging to the late Duke of Albemarle; Alburn Tower, to the Earl of Derby; Halfal to the Earl of Macclesfield; Hornby Castle, to the Lord Morley and Mount-Eagle; Wood-acre Hall, Ashton Hall, and Short••n Hall, to the Lord Gerard of Gerards Bromley, Wigan the Bishop of Chesters Place; besides divers Seats of the Gentry, as famous in Pr••spect, for most part, as those mentioned; and to conclude, it has produced many famous Men, serviceable in Church and State.