Caliope's cabinet opened wherein gentlemen may be informed how to adorn themselves for funerals, feastings, and other heroick meetings : also, here they may know their place and worth with all the degrees and distinctions of honour in the realm, shewing how every one ought to take place with the titles due to them, with other things of antiquity very observable / by James Salter.

England when first Inhabited, by whom, how and why named; its Governments, &c.

BErosus saith that Samothes (called also Me∣sech, brother to Gomer, the sixth Son of Japhet the Son of Noah came into this Land about 252. years after the Flood 3632 years past, and called it Samothea; in which name it continued until Albion the Son of Neptune (who descended of Cham) entred the same; and named it Albion. This Albion reigned a∣bout 562. years after the Flood, in the year of the worlds creation, 2219. and 3370. years since. It continued in the name of Albion 608 years, until Brutus Julius arrived, who con∣quered

the same Anno mundi, 2828. and 2764. years since he changed the name of it into Brittain.

It is at this day called England, from the Angli, with which inhabited part of Germany. Ptolomy calleth them Angeli in the Heptarchy. They inhabited Cambridgeshire, Isle of Ely, Norfolk, and Suffolk, long named East An∣glia.

These Angles and Saxons, Anno Dom. 620. having driven the Brittons into Wales and Cornwal, &c. In some time after Egbert ha∣ving reduced the Heptarchy into a Monar∣chy, and ruling absolute, called it England, from his own Countrey in Germany

The former Heptarchy of seven Kingdoms, now a Monarchy, was divided into Provinces, Shiercs, and Counties, by Aluredus, brother to Etheldred, who reigned Anno Dom. 872. Wales was divided by Henry the 8th.

The Shires were divided into parts or hun∣dreds, in every of which was contained ten Tythings, containing ten men. The Officer of this Tything the Saxons called Techingman, we Tythingman. In some places they are cal∣led Headboroughs. Ten of these Tythings yielded a hundred men: the number now is uncertain. York-shire is divided into Ridings. And in Kent they have Wapentaches instead

of Tythings, which took that name from viewing of Weapons.

The word Shiere cometh of the Saxon word Scyran, which signifieth to cut, or di∣vide. Every one of these Shieres in times past was governed per Comitem, whom we call Earle, Quali praefectus regins; therefore it took the name of a County, à Comite. Of latter time, and still is chosen yearly in every County, an Officer by the King, which in La∣tine is named Ure comes, as one appointed in the Earles stead: We call him Sheriff, the Sax∣ons called him Scyregegrapa, which is as much as an Officer to collect Rents and Revenues under, and for another.