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 ...

Remarks on Somersetshire, &c.

SOmersetshire abounds in Corn, Cattle, Wooll, Woollen-Cloath, Serges and many other valuable Commodities: On the North-West it opens to the Irish Sea, and for the rest it is Bounded by Devonshire, Dorsetshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire; it containes 42 Hundreds, 2 Bishopricks, viz. Bristol, Bath and Wells, which are accounted Cities, 385 Parishes, 35 Market Towns, 9 Rivers, 45 Bridges, 2 Forrests, and 18 Parks: It sends Members to Parliament 18, viz. Bath 2, Bridgwater 2, Bristol 2, Ilchester, 2

Milborn Port 2, Minhead 2, Taunton 2, Wells 2, and 2 Knights of the Shire.

Bath, in this Shire, is very Antient, famed for its Min∣eral Waters, Curing Diseases in many People; said to be First found out by Bladud an Antient British King; Bath and Wells joyntly together make one Bishoprick, tho' Wells is principally esteemed for its curious Cathedral, held to be Built by Inas King of the West Saxons. At Pen the Bri∣tains were Overthrown by Kenwald, King of the West Saxons, and afterward the Danes by Edmund Ironside; Bridgwater is noted for a great defeat given the Danes Anon Dom. 845: And for the Battel of Sedgmore near it, beeween the late King James's Forces and the Duke of Monmouth, Anno 1685; wherein the latter was totally Routed.

Glassenbury, the Avalonia of the Romans, is famed for the Burying Place of Joseph of Arimathea, the first Preacher of the Gospel in this Island, and here it is thought King Arthur was brought and Buried; Cadburn is remarkable for a greak Defeat King Arthur there gave the English-Saxons; Banesdown (Mons Bandonicus) was doubtless some Encampment of the Romans, as appears by the Coins found there; and on the Top there remains the Ruins of some Noble Castle, said to be one of the Palaces of King Arthur, tho' some Writers have placed this Town in Cornwal; Ilchester is of good repute; Taunton for its Memorable Siege in the Civil Wars, and Bristol for the great Trade it drives, and the many Sieges it has endured.

On Mendip Hills, and several Places on the Shoar of the River Froom, is store of Pit-Coal: In the Quarrey at Kingh•••• are found Spiral Stones in the form of Snails; at Ochyhale near Wells is a deep Cave, in which are many Rivulets and hollow Recesses, The Monument of Stones near Stanton Drew near Pensford is very remarkable, being great Tracts of some vast Foundations; St. Vincent's Rock

is famous for the Stones found there, nearly resembling Dia∣monds, being equal to those of India in lustre but not hardness.

The Seats of the Nobility are Clevedon Court, belong∣ing to the Earl of Bristol; Hinton St. George, Court of Ewick, Lenn Court and Walton, to the Lord Paulet; Connington, to the Lord Clifford: Wells Palace and Banwell, to the Bishop of Bath and Wells; Bristol Palace, to the Bishop of Bristol: With divers Houses of the Gentry pleasantly Sighted, &c.