The History of the Worthies of England, County 6
DENBIGH-SHIRE.
DENBIGH-SHIRE hath Flint-shire, Cheshire, and Shrop-shire on the East, Montgomery and Merionith-shires on the South, Carnarvonshire (divided by the River Conwey on the West) being from East to West thirty one, from North to South twenty miles.
The East part of this County (towards the River Dee) is fruitful, but in the West the industrious Husbandman may be said to fetch his bread out of the fire, paring off their upper Turfs with a Spade, piling them up in heaps, burning them to Ashes, and then throwing them on their barren ground, which is much fertilized thereby.
Natural Commodities.
Amelcorne.
This English Word (which I find in the English *In his Brit. in the description of this County.Cambden) is Welsh to me. Let us therefore repair to his Latine Original, where he informeth us, that this County produceth plenty of Arinca. Here the difficulty is a little changed, not wholly cleared. In our Dictionaries Arinca is Englished
1. Rice; but this (though a frequent name of many in this Country) is a grain too choice to grow in Wales, or any part of England.
2. Amelcorn; and now having run round, we have not stirred a step, as to more information of what we desired a kind of.
At last with long beating about, we find it to be RYE, in Latine more generally called Serale. *Nat. Hist. lib. 28. cap. 16.Plinles Pen casts three dashes on this Grain, being (it seems) no friend to it, or it to him.
1. Est tantum ad arcendam famem utile, Good only to drive away famin, as not pleasant at all.
2. Est, (licet farre mixtum) ventri ingratissimum, as griping the Guts.
3. …ascitur quocunqne solo, any base ground being good enough to bear it.
However, (whatever his forraign Rye was) that which groweth incredibly plentiful in this County; is very wholsome, and generally in England, Rye maketh moistest bread in the dryest Summer, for which cause some prefer it before Wheat it self.
Buildings.
The Church of Wrexham is commended for a fair and spacious building, and it is questionable, whether it claimeth more praise for the artificial Tower thereof, or for the
Organs.
These were formerly most *Comb. B…it. in D…nbigshirefamous (the more because placed in a Parochial, no Cathedral Church) for beauty, bigness and tunableness: though far short of those in worth which Michael Emperor of Constantinople caused to be made of pure *Zonaras Tom. 3.Gold, and beneath those in bigness which George the Salamitan Abbot, made to be set up in the Church of his Convent, whose biggest Pipe was *B…schius de Monast. Germ. fol. 107.eight and twenty foot long, and four spans in compass.
The first Organ which was ever seen in the West of Europe, was, what was *Marian. Scot. in Chron. sub An. 757.sent Anno 757. from Constantine the Grecian Emperor, to Pipin King of France. And their general use in Churches began about the year 828. I read that the form of this instrument was much improved by one Bernard a Venetian (who was absolutely the best *Sab…llicus Enne. 10. lib. 8.Musician in the World) with addition of many Pipes thereunto.
What is become of Wrexham-Organs, I know not, and could heartily wish, they had been removed into some Gentlemans house, seeing such as accuse them for superstitious in Churches must allow them lawful in private places. Otherwise such Moroso's deserve not to be owners of an articulate voice sounding thorough the Organ of a Throat.
But, to return to the buildings in this County, Holt Castle must not be forgotten; How well …t is now faced and repaired without, I know not; I know when it was better lined within, than any Subjects Castle (I believe) in Europe at that time, viz. when in the possession of William Lord Stanley. When the ready mony and plate therein (besides Jewels and rich Houshold-stuff) amounted unto*Lo…d B…coas Henry … … venth, pag. 133. forty thousand Marks, got by the plunder of Bosworth field. But as the River Dee, running by this Castle, is soon after swallowed up in the Irish Ocean; so it was not long before this vast treasure, upon the Owners attainder, was confiscated into the Coffers of King Henry the seventh.
Prelates.
LEOLINE being born in the Marches, he had a double name, to notifie him to posterity. One, after the Welsh-mode à Patre, *B…shop Good… in the Bishops of Saint Asaph.Leoline ap Llewelin ap Yuyr, the other according to the custom of the English Clergy, à Patria, Leoline de Bromfield, a most*Camb. Brit. in De…b. …. fruitful tract of ground in this County. Under King Edward the first, Anno 1293. he was consecrated Bishop of Saint Asaph, and deserved right well of that See, by his manifold Benefactions, appropriating some Churches to his Chapter.
As for a portion of Tithes in the Parish of Corwen, appropriated to the Fabrick of the Church,*Bis…op Godwin ut prius. he reduced it to its former estate. The first and last instance (for Precedent I dare not call it) which I have met with, of a Church legally appropriated, which reverted to its presentative propriety. Had King Henry the eighth, at the dissolution of Abbies, followed this example, the Church had been richer by many pounds; the Exchequer not poorer by a penny. I find also, that he asked *Idem. Ibid.leave of King Edward the first to make a Will, which may seem very strange, whether it was a Court-complement, or ex gratia cautela, or because Welsh Bishops in that age might not Testamentize without Royal assent. By his Will he bequeathed much of Plate, rich Vests and Books to the Canons of that Church and his Chaplains, dying Anno Dom. 1313.
Since the Reformation.
GODFREY GOODMAN was born of wealthy Parentage in this County, bred under his*G…briel …. Uncle (of whom hereafter) in Westminster School, then in Trinity Colledge in Cambridge, where he commenced Doctor of Divinity, successively preferred P…ebendary of Windsor, Dean of Rochester, and Bishop or …. He is … joyned to the Prelates before (though he lived long … ) the Reforma…on, because he agreed with them in Judgement, dying a professed Romanist, as appeareth by his Will Yet the Adversaries of our Hierarchy have no cause to triumph thereat, who … charge Popish compliance on all his Order, being able to produce of two hundred Bishops since Queen Elizabeth but this only instance, and him a person of no great eminency; not only disavowed by his fellow Prelates, but imprisoned in the late Convocation for his erronious Opinions.
Indeed in this Discourse he would be constantly complaining of our first Reformers; and I heard him once say in some passion, That Bishop Ridley was a very Odde man; to whom one presently returned, he was an Odde man indeed my Lord, for all the Popish party in England could not match him with his equal in Learning and Religion. To give Goodman his due, he was a harmless man, hurtfull to none but himsel…, pitiful to the poor, hospitable to his neighbours, against the ruining of any of an opposite judgement, and gave the most he left to pious uses. He was no contemptible Historian, but I confesse an under-match to Doctor Hackwell. But I remember the Ring bequeathed to me in his Will with the Posie thereof, Requiem Defunctis; and therefore I will no longer be troublesome to his Memory, who was made Bishop 1624. and some seven years since deceased in Westminster almost 80. years of age.
Writers since the Reformation.
VVILLIAM SALESBURY was born in this County, where his family flourisheth at this day. This Gentleman out of a love to his Native language, Amor patriae ratione valentior omni, composed a short English and Welsh, Dictionary, first privately presented to, and approved by King Henry the eighth, (being a Tuthar, by his Fathers side of Welsh extraction) and then publickly printed, Anno Dom. 1547.
Some captious spirits will quarrel the usefulness thereof, seeing the Welsh did not want, and the English did not wish a Book of that natnre. But, let them know that it is useful for both Nations; to the English for attaining, to the VVelsh for retaining that Language.
Attaining. For being an original Tongue, an Antiquary is lame without it, (which I find by my own defect) to understand the (few of many) remaining Monuments of that Nation.
Retaining. That Tongue as well as others by disuse being subject not only to Corrup…ion, but Oblivion, by the confession of the Natives of that Countrey. Indeed all Dictionaries of Languages are very useful, VVords bringing Matter to the Tongue, and as*In Cratylo. Plato well observed, foreign. A Name or Word is an instrument of Instruction, and ushere…h Knowledge into our Understanding.
However, seeing nothing can be begun and finisht at once, Salesbury his Book, (as the first in this kind) did rather essay, than effect the work, and since hath been completed by others. He died about the year, 1560.
Benefactors to the Publick since the Reformation.
Sir THOMAS Son of RICHARD EXMEW, was born at Rythin in this County. Being bred in London a Goldsmith, he thrived therein so well, that Anno 1517. he was Lord Mayor thereof, besides other Benefactions in his own Country: and to Saint Mary Magdalen in Milk-street, London, (where he lies buried.) He made the*Stows Survey of London. pag. 578. Water Conduit by London-wall at More-gate. foreign, (so Pindar begins his Poems) Water is a Creature of absolute and common Concernment, without which we should be burnt with the thirst, and buried with the filth of our own bodies.
GABRIEL GOODMAN, Son of Edward Goodman, Esq was born at Rythin in th…s County, afterwards Doctor of Divinity in Saint Johns Colledge in Cambridge, and Dean of VVestminster, where he was fixed for full forty years; though by his own parts and his friends power, he might have been what he would have been in the Church of England. Abigail said of her Husband, Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But it may be said of this worthy Dean, Goodman was his name, and goodness was in his nature, as by the ensuing Testimonies will appear.
1. The Bible was translated into VVelsh on his cost, as by a note in the Preface thereof doth appear.
2. He founded a Schoole-house, with a competent salary in the Town of his Nativity; as also, erected and endowed an Almes-House therein for twelve poore people.
3. He repaired the House for the Minister (there called the Warden) of Rythin, furnishing it with Plate and other Utensils, which were to descend to his Successors.
4. He purchased a fair House with Land thereunto at Chiswick in Middlesex, where with his own hands he set a fair Row of Elmes, now grown up to great beauty and height, for a retiring place for the Masters and Scholars at Westminster in the heat of Summer, or any time of Infection. If these Lands at this Day be not so profitably employed, as they were by the Donor piously intended, it is safer to bemoan the sad effect, than accuse the causers thereof.
There needs no other Testimony of his Honesty and Ability, than that our English Nestor, the Lord Treasurer Cecil, made him one of the Executors of his Will, to dispose of great sums to charitable uses; which Trust he most faithfully discharged. He died in the year 1601. and is buried in the Collegiate Church of Westminster, whereof he so well deserved, as of all England, Mr. Cambden performing his Perambulation about it on his expences.
Sir HUGH MIDDLETON, Son of Richard Middleton was born at Denbigh in this County, and bred in London. This is that worthy Knight, who hath deserved well of London, and in it of all England. If those be recounted amongst Davids worthies, who breaking through the Army of the *2 Sam. 23. 16Philistines, fetcht water from the Well of Bethlehem, to satisfie the longing of David (founded more on fancy than necessity,) how meritorious a work did this worthy man perform, who to quench the thirst of thousands in the populous City of London, fetcht water on his own cost, more than 24. miles, encountering all the way with an Army of oppositions, grapling with Hills, strugling with Rocks, fighting with Forrests, till in defiance of difficulties he had brought his project to perfection? But, Oh wha… an injury was it unto him, that a potent Person, and idle Spectator should strike in; (Reader I could heartily wish, it were a falsho…d what I report) and by his greatness possess a moity of the profit, which the unwearied endeavours of the foresaid Knight had purchased to himself!
The Farewell.
I heartily wish this County may find many like Robert Eari of Leicester (by his bounty much advancing the building of a new Church in Denbigh) who may willingly contribute their Charity for the repairing of all decayed Churches therein. Yea, may it be happy in faithful and able Ministers, that by their pains they may be built up in the Faith of the Lord.