The History of the Worthies of England, Part 1 · Chapter 19

The History of the Worthies of England · Part 1 · Chapter 19

p. 52CHAP. XIX. Of the Number of Modern Shires or Counties in England; And why the WORTHIES in this Work are digested County-wayes.

I Say Modern, not meaning to meddle with those antiquated ones, which long since have lost their Names and bounds, as**Rob. de Gloucester, & Codex, Wigornienfis. Winchelcomb-shire united to Gloucester-shire, **Camdens Brit.Howdon-Shire annexed to York-shire, and Hexham-Shire to Northumberland. As little do we intend to touch on those small Tracts of Ground, the County of Poole and the like, being but the extended Limits and Liberties of some Incorporations.

We add Shires or Counties, using the words promiscuously as the same in sense. I confess, I have heard some Criticks making this distinction betwixt them, that such are Shires which take their Denomination from some principal Town, as Cambridgeshire, Oxford-shire, &c. Whilest the rest not wearing the Name of any Town, are to be reputed Counties, as Norfolk, Suffolk, &c. But we need not go into Wales to confute their Curiosity (where we meet Merioneth-shire, and Glamorgan-shire, but no Towns so termed) seeing Devon-shire doth discompose this their English Conceit; I say, p. 53English Shires and Counties, being both Comitatus in Latine.

Of these there be nine and thirty at this day, which by the thirteen in Wales, are made up fifty two, England (largely taken) having one for every Week in the year.

Here let me tender this for a real Truth, which may seem a Paradoxe, that there is a County in England, which from the Conquest, till the year 1607 (when Mr. Camdens last Latine Britannia was set forth) never had Count or Earl thereof, as hereby may appear,

Now this may seem the more strange, because Comes and Comitatus are relative. But, under favour I humbly conceive, that though Bark shire never had any Titular, Honourary or Hereditary Earl, till the year 1620. (when Francis Lord Norris was created first Earl thereof) yet had it in the Saxons time (when it was first modelled into a Shire) an Officiary Count, whose Deputy was termed Vice-comes as unto this day.

Why the Worthies in this Work are digested County-ways.

First, this Method of Marshalling them is new, and therefore I hope neverthelesse acceptable. Secondly, it is as informative to our judgements, to order them by Counties according to their place, as by Centuries (so oft done before) according to the time; seeing WHERE is as essential as WHEN to a mans being. Yea both in some sort may be said to be jure divino, understand it ordered by Gods immediate providence, and therefore are coupled together by the Apostle, Acts 17. 26. And hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. If of their habitation in general, then more especially of the most important place of their Nativity.

The Spirit of God in Scripture taketh signal notice hereof,**Psal. 87 6.Ps 87:6 The Lord shall count when he writes up the people, That this man was born there. **John 1. 44.John 1:44Philip was of Bethsaida, the City of Andrew and Peter; and all know how St. Paul got his best Liberty, where he saw the first light in Tarsus a City of Cilicia.

When Augustus C…ar issued out a decree to taxe the whole World, it was ordered therein, that**Luke 2. 8.Luke 2:8 every own should go into his own City, as the most compendious way to prevent confusion, and effectually to advance the businesse. I find the same to expedite this work, by methodizing the Worthies therein according to the respective places of their Nativities. If some conceive it a pleasant sight in the City of London, to behold the Natives of the several Shires, after the hearing of a Sermon, passe in a decent equipage to some Hall, there to dine together for the continuance and increase of Love and Amity amongst them: Surely this Spectacle will not seem unpleasant to ingenuous Eyes, to see the Heroes of every particular County, modelled in a body together, and marching under the Banners of their several Eminencies.

Here may you behold how each County is Innated with a particular Genius, inclining the Natives thereof to be dexterous, some in one profession, some in another; one carrying away the credit for Souldiers, another for Seamen, another for Lawyers, another for Divines, &c. as I could easily instance, but that I will not forestall the Readers Observation; seeing some love not a Rose of anothers gathering, but delight to pluck it themselves.

Here also one may see, how the same County was not always equally fruitful in the production of worthy persons; but, as Trees are observed to have their bearing and barren years: So Shires have their rise and fall in affording famous persons, one age being more fertile then another, as by annexing the dates to their several Worthies will appear.

In a word, my serious desire is, to set a noble emulation between the several Counties, which should acquit themselves most eminent in their memorable off spring. Nor let a smaller Shire be disheartned herein, to contest with another larger in extent, and and more populous in persons, seeing Viri do not always hold out in proportion to Homines. Thus we find the Tribe of Simeon, more numerous than any in Israel (Judah and Dan only excepted) as which at their coming out of Egypt, afforded no fewer, p. 54than**Num. 1. 23.Num 1:23 fifty nine thousand and three hundred. Yet that Tribe did not yeild Prince, Preist, Prophet, or any remarkable person; Apocrypha, Judith only excepted. Multi gregarii, pauci egregii; and Multitude with Amplitude is never the true Standard of Eminency, as the judicious Reader by perusing and comparing our County Catalogues, will quickly perceive.

A Case of Concernment propounded, and submitted to the Equity of the Reader.

It is this. Many Families time out of mind, have been certainly fixed in eminent Seats in their respective Counties, where the Ashes of their Ancestors sleep in quiet, and their Names are known with honour. Now possibly it may happen, that the chief Mother of that Family, travelling in her Travel by the way side, or by some other Casualty, as visit of a friend, &c. May there be delivered of the Heir of her Family. The Question is, whether this Child shall be reputed the Native of that place where his Mother accidentally touched, or where his Father, and the Father of his Fathers have landed for many Generations.

On the one side, it seemeth unreasonable to any man according to his Historical conscience, that such a casual case should carry away the Sole credit of his Nativity. This allowed, & tota Anglia Londinizabit, a Moiety almost of the Eminent Persons in this Modern age, will be found born in that City, as the Inn-general of the Gentry and Nobility of this Nation. Whether many come to prosecute Law-Suits, to see and to be seen, and on a hundred other occasions, among which I will not name, saving of house-keeping in the Countrey.

One Instance of many. I find by the Register of St. Dunstans, in the West, London, that Thomas Wentworth afterward Earl of Strafford was born in that Parish, and Christned in the Church aforesaid, his Mother big with Child, probably coming thither for the conveniency of a Midwife. Now what a wrong is it to deprive Woodhouse, Wentworth in York-Shire, where his Family hath continued in a noble Equipage for many years, there possest of a large Revenue, of the honour of his Nativity?

On the other side it is clea… in the Rigour of the Law (and I Question whether Chauncery in this case, will or can afford any Remedy) that the Minute of the Birth of any person at any place, truly entitles the same to his Nativity. This is plain by the Statutes of those Colledges in either University, that confine Fellowships to Counties, and it will be said, transit onus cum honore, the burthen as well as the Profit is to be conveyed on the same occasion.

Reader, the case thus stated, is remitted to thy own arbitration. However thus far I have proceeded therein, in this following Work, that when such Alterations (for I can give them no better term) and accidental Straglings from the known place of their Family shall appear unto me, I am resolved to enter them in those places accordingly. But until I receive such Intelligence, I will confidently admit them in that place which is generally known in persons of Honour for the principal habitation of their Family.