Historical antiquities, in two books the first treating in general of Great-Brettain and Ireland : the second containing particular remarks concerning Cheshire / faithfully collected out of authentick histories, old deeds, records, and evidences, by Sir Peter Leycester, Baronet ; whereunto is annexed a transcript of Doomsday-book, so far as it concerneth Cheshire, taken out of the original record.

THE PREFACE.

BEcause I intend to search into the Beginning of Things, it will be necessary to shew in the Frontis∣piece the Original Plantation of Nations, as we find them Recorded in Holy Scripture, the most Ancient, True, and Perfect History in the World.

I. Adam, the first Monarch, and the first Man; who, with Eve his Wife, were both Created by God in the Beginning of the World; to whom God gave Power of Begetting their Like, and to multiply by Generation, as he did to other Creatures.

• This Adam lived 930 Years, and had several Sons and Daughters; but three have their Names especially Recorded in the First Book of Moses, called Genesis, Chapter v.
  • 1.
    • II. Cain, eldest Son of Adam, was a Tiller of Ground: He slew his Brother Abel, and was therefore banish∣ed, and dwelt in the Land of Nod, on the East of Eden, Gen. c. 4. He built a City, and called it (after the Name of his Son) Enoch.
    • III. Enoch, Son of Cain.
    • IV. Irad, Son of Enoch.
    • V. Mehujael, Son of Irad.
    • VI. Methusael, Son of Mehujael.
    • VII. Lamech, Son of Methusael, had two Wives, Gen. 4.
      • ...Adah,
        • Jabal, an Orderer of cattel; the first Heards∣man.
        • Jubal, the first Inventour of Instrumental Musick.
      • ...Zillah,
        • Tubal-Cain, the first Ar∣tificer in Brass and Iron.
        • Naamah, a Daughter.
  • 2. Abel, or Hebel, the se∣cond Son of Adam, was a Feeder of Sheep; he was kill'd by his Brother Cain, Gen. 4. v. 8.
  • 3.
    • II. Seth, born Anno Mundi & Adami 130: He lived 912 Years, and died Anno Mun∣di, 1042.
    • III. Enos, Son of Seth, was born Anno Mundi 235, li∣ved 905 Years, and died Anno Mundi 1140.
    • IV. Kenan, Son of Enos, born Anno Mundi 325, lived 910 Years, and died Anno Mun∣di 1235.
    • V. Mahalaleel, Son of Kenan, born Anno Mundi 395, liv'd 895 Years, and died Anno Mundi 1290.
    • ...

• ...
  • ...
    • VI. Jared, Son of Mahalaleel, born Anno Mundi 460, li∣ved 962 Years, and died Anno Mundi 1422.
    • VII. Enoch, Son of Jared, born Anno Mundi 622, li∣ved 365 Years, and was then translated into Hea∣ven by God, Anno Mundi 987.
    • VIII. Methusalah, Son of E∣noch, born Anno Mundi 687, lived 969 Years, and died Anno Mundi 1656, in the Year of the General De∣luge.
    • IX. Lamech, Son of Methusa∣lah, born Anno Mundi 874, lived 777 Years, and died Anno Mundi 1651. vivente Patre ejus.
    • X. Noah, Son of Lamech, born Anno Mundi 1056, lived 950 Years; to wit, 350 Years after the General Flood, and died Anno Mun∣di Conditi 2006.

{fleur-de-lys} Hence it is (saith Sir Walter Raleigh, in his Hi∣story of the World, Lib. 1. Cap. 6. Sect. 4.) that the Heathen Gods fetch their Original. Many Learned Men conceive, that Adam was the first Saturn; Cain, the first and ancient Jupiter; Ja∣bal, the first Mercury; Jubal, the first Apollo; Tubal-Cain, the first Vulcan, which hath some re∣semblance in the Name: Lactantius, Lib. 4. Cap. 27.

Lamech, the seventh from Adam, had 77 Children, saith Josephus, in his History of the Jews: But those four above-named were very famous.

Of the Posterity of Sem after the Flood.

Noah was an Husbandman, and Planted a Vineyard, Gen. c. 19. In the six hun∣dredth Year of his Age, Anno Mundi Conditi 1656. hapned the General De∣luge, wherein all the People of the old World were drowned, except Noah, and his three Sons, and their Wives, Gen. c. 7. And from those three Sons was the whole Earth again replenished.

Noah lived 950 Years, and died Anno Mundi 2006. Anno post Diluvium 350.

I. Sem, Son of Noah, had Issue five Sons; Elam, and Ashur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.

And the Children of Aram were Uz, and Hul; and Gether, and Mash, Gen. 10, ver. 22.

Sem was born 98 Years before the Flood, lived 600 Years, and died Anno Mundi 2158, & Anno post Diluvium 502.

Cham, or Ham, younger Son of Noah.

Japhet, Son of Noah: Some think he was the eldest Son.

II. Arphaxad, Son of Sem, was born the second Year after the Flood, lived 438 Years, and died Anno Mundi 2096. post Diluvium 440.

{fleur-de-lys} Sem and his five Sons inha∣bited the Countrey of Asia, begin∣ning at Euphrates, and extending to the Indian Ocean.

Of Elam came the Elamites, whence proceeded the Persians. Ashur made his abode in Nineveh, and called his People Assyrians. Of Arphaxad came the Chaldeans. Of Aram came the Aramaei, called by the Greeks, Sy∣rians: And of Lud came the Lydians.

And Uz, Son of Aram, dwelt in Trachonita, and in Damasco, (a Coun∣try situate between Palestine and Sy∣ria, named Coelen:) Otrus, called also Hul, (or else he was the Son of Hul) inhabited Armenia. Gether had Ba∣ctria. From Masus came the Masians, who dwelt in a Fort called Prasine. Josephus de Antiqu. Judaeorum, lib. 1. cap. 7.

III. Salah, Son of Arphaxad, born in the thirty fifth Year of his Father's age, post Diluvi∣um 37, lived 433 Years, and died Anno Mundi 2126, post Diluvium 470.

IV. Eber, or Heber, Son of Salah, born in the thirtieth Year of his Father's age, post Di∣luvium 67, lived 464 Years, and died Anno Mundi 2187, post Diluvium 531.

From him were his Posterity called He∣brews. He had two Sons, Peleg, and Joktan, Gen. 10.

And the Children of Joktan were, Al∣modad, and Sheleph, and Hazermaveth, and Jerah, and Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, and Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: And these inhabi∣ted from Mesha, to Sephar, a Mount in the East, Gen. 10. ver. 30.

V. Peleg, Son of Eber, born in the thirty fourth Year of his Father's age, post Diluvi∣um 101, lived 239 Years, and died Anno Mundi 1996, post Diluvium 340. He died before Noah; and in his days was the Earth divided, Gen. 10.25.

VI. Reu, or Regeu, Son of Peleg, born in the thirtieth Year of his Father's age, post Di∣luvium 131, lived 239 Years, and died Anno Mundi 2026, post Diluvium 370.

VII. Serug, Son of Regeu, born in the thirty second Year of his Father's age, post Di∣luvium 163, lived 230 Years, and died Anno Mundi 2050, post Diluvium 394.

VIII. Nahor, Son of Serug, born in the thirtieth Year of his Father's age, post Dilu∣vium 193, lived 148 Years, and died Anno Mundi 1997. post Diluvium 341. He died in the Life-time of Noah.

IX. Terah, Son of Nahor, born in the twenty ninth Year of his Father's age, post Di∣luvium 222. He lived 205 Years, and died Anno Mundi 2083, in Haran, post Dilu∣vium 427.

X.

• Abraham, Son of Terah, born in the seventieth Year of his Father's age, post diluvium 292. He lived 175 Years, and died Anno Mundi 2123, post Diluvium 467. Gen. 25.7. * 1.1
  • Sarah, first Wife of Abraham; Daughter of Haran.
    • Isaac, born Anno Mundi 2049, and died Anno Mundi 2228. —
      • 1 Esau, the elder twin, born An∣no Mund. 2108. He was Father of the Edomites
      • 2 Jacob, the youn∣ger Twin, Son of Isaac, born An. Mund. 2108. call'd also Israel, Gen. 35.10. Jacob died aged 130 Years, An. Mundi 2238. Gen. 47.9.
        • Zilpah con∣cubine to Jacob, and handmaid to Leah.
          • ...Gad.
          • ...Asher.
        • Billah con∣cubine of Jacob, and handmaid to Rachel.
          • ...Dan.
          • ...Nephtali.
        • Leah, elder Daughter of Laban, Wife of Jacob.
          • 1 Reuben.
          • 2 Simeon.
          • 3 Levi.
          • 4 Judah; of him David descended.
          • 5 Issachar.
          • 6 Zabulon.
          • Dinah, a Daughter, defiled by Sichem, Gen. 34.
  • Keturah, second Wife of Abraham. * 1.2
• Nachor, Son of Terah, had to wife Mil∣cah Daugh∣ter of Haran. * 1.3
  • 1 Huz.
  • 2 Buz.
  • 3 Kemuel, Father of Aram.
  • 4 Chesed.
  • 5 Hazo.
  • 6 Pildash. Gen. 22.22.
  • 7 Jidlaph.
  • 8 Bethuel, a Syrian, Gen. 28.5.
    • Rebekah, Wife of Isaac; she was Married An. Mun∣di 2088.
    • Laban; he lived in Padan Aram, Gen. 28.5. &c. 31.
      • Leah, elder Daughter of Laban, Wife of Jacob.
        • ...Joseph.
      • Rachel, youn∣ger Daugh∣ter of Laban, Wife of Ja∣cob.
        • ...Benjamin.
      • And ma∣ny Sons, Gen. c. 31.
• Haran, Son of Terah.
  • ...Lot.
  • ...Milcah.
  • Isca, called also Sarah, Joseph. de antiq. Jud. lib. 1. ca. 7.

For the Children of all these, see Genesis, Chapter 46. See also Chap. 49. & Lib. 1. Chronicorum, Cap. 1. ad Cap. 10.

So much touching the Posterity of Sem.

Of the Posterity of Cham, or Ham, younger Son of Noah, Gen. cap. 10.

• CHam, or Ham, Son of Noah, with his Posterity, inhabited Egypt; Psalm 105. ver. 2.3.
  • 1 Cush.
    • ...Seba.
    • ...Havila.
    • ...Sabta.
    • ...Raamah.
      • ...Sheba.
      • ...Dedan.
    • ...Sabtecha.
  • 2 Mizraim.
    • 1 Ludim.
    • 2 Ananim.
    • 3 Lehabim.
    • 4 Naphthuim.
    • 5 Pathrusim.
    • 6 Caslubim, out of whom came Phili∣stim.
    • 7 Caphtorim.
  • 3 Phut.
  • 4 Canaan, from whom his Posterity were called Canaanites, and the Land Ca∣naan, afterwards called Judaea.

These possessed all the Country from Gaza to Egypt. Ludim, Ananim, Lehabim, onely inhabited Lybia. Josephus de Antiqu. Jud. lib. 1. cap. 7.

Naphthuim, Pathrusim, Caslucim, and Caphtorim, the Ethiopian War overthrew their Cities long time ago, so that their Country was not known to Josephus.

Cush begata 1.4 Nimrod, a mighty man in the Earth: And Nimrod set∣led the Confines of his Colony about Babylon. The beginning of his King∣dom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the Land of Shinar. Out of that Land went forth Ashur, who builded Nineveh, and Rehoboth, and Cala, and Resen a great City be∣tween Nineveh and Cala: Gen. cap. 10. ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

{fleur-de-lys} This Nimrod was also called Belus, as some conjecture. The Tow∣er of Babel was built, and the Con∣fusion of Languages began, Anno Mun∣di Conditi 1787. saith Isaacson in his Chronology: but others refer it ad Annum 1757, being the Year wherein Peleg was born, in whose days the Earth was divided.

And Canaan begat Sidon his first-born, and Heth, and the Jebusite, and the Emorite, and the Girgasite, and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, and the Arvadite, and the Ze∣marite, and the Hamathite: And afterwards were the Families of the Canaanites spread abroad; and their Borders were from Sidon as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza, as thou goest unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lashah, Gen. 10.15.

Joshuah overcame the Canaanites, Anno Mundi 2496; and post Diluvium 840, he en∣tred into the Land of Canaan.

Sidon, Son of Canaan, builded Sidon a Ci∣ty in Phoenicia.

Of the Hevaeans, Jebusaeans, Chettaeans, Girgasenes, Eudaeans, Semaeans, Samarians, are nothing remaining, but their Names in Scripture; for the Hebrews razed down their Cities.

Of the Posterity of Japhet, Genesis chap. 10.

• JAphet, Son of Noah, and eldest Son, as most Men are of Opinion, had seven Sons.
  • 1 Gomer.
    • 1 Ashkenaz.
    • 2 Riphath.
    • 3 Tagarma.
  • 2 Magog.
  • 3 Madai.
  • 4 Javan.
    • 1 Elishah.
    • 2 Tarshish.
    • 3 Kittim.
    • 4 Dodanim.
  • 5 Tubal.
  • 6 Meshech.
  • 7 Tiras.

By these were the Isles of the Gentiles divided in their Lands, every one after his Tongue, after their Families, in their Nations, Gen. 10.5. So reads the Septua∣gint: But Junius reads,—Ab his divisae sunt posteà Regiones Gentium; By these were afterwards divided the Countreys of the Nations.

Gomer was the Founder of the Gomarians, the Nations anciently being called after the Names of their first Author originally: And from Magog were the People of that Countrey called Magogaei, which the Greeks afterwards named Scythians: Madai gave name to the Madians, whom the Greeks called Medes: From Javan, the Jonians and Greeks took their Original: From Thubal the Theobelians took their Names, afterwards called Iberians: Meshech gave name to the Meschates, since called Cappadocians: And Tiras gave name to the Thirians, whom the Greeks called Thracians.

So Ashkenaz gave name to the Ashkenarians, after named Rhegii by the Greeks: Rip∣hath propagated the Riphataeans, afterwards called Paphlagonians: Togarmah propaga∣ted the Tygranians, afterwards by the Greeks called Phrygians.

Elishah, Son of Javan, whom Josephus calleth Ebishah, gave name to the Ebi∣zaei, over whom he ruled, afterwards called Aetolians: Tharshish propagated the Tharsi, which was the ancient name of the Cilicians: Chittim obtained the Island Kittim, now called Cyprus: Dodanim is omitted by Josephus, who mentions but three Sons of Javan.

These Nations were inhabited by the Posterity of Japhet, who began to make their aboad from the Mountains of Taurus and Amanus, and entred Asia even to Tanais, and Europe unto Gades, not before inhabited. Thus Josepus, lib. 1. de Antiquitate Ju∣daeorum, cap. 7.

Now because it is impossible to trace down exactly the Original of our Nation from these so ancient Beginnings,, in regard no ancient Histories (which have been hither∣to preserved) have recorded any thing of these more ancient Ages next following; and what Histories are now extant of the more ancient Times, are all very Fabulous, and full of Uncertainties, except what is contained in Holy Scripture, which princi∣pally toucheth the Affairs of the Jews; I shall therefore begin from those Times wherein we find more certain Truths recorded by the most Authentick Historians, and so trace them downwards to this day.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Abraham had also by Hagar an Egyptian, the Handmaid of Sarah, a Son called Ishmael, born An. Mundi 2034. and died Anno Mundi 2171.
• * 1.2

  By Keturah he had Issue Zim∣ran, Jerkshan, Me∣dan, Midian, Ish∣bak, and Shuah, Gen. 25.2.
• * 1.3

  Reumah, Concu∣bine to Nachor, Gen. 22.24. Nachor had by Reuma these children, Tebah, and Gaham, and Thaash, and Maachah, Gen. 22.
• a 1.4

  That is, Of Cush descend∣ed Nimrod.