The History of the Worthies of England, Part 2 · County 20
KENT, In the Saxon Heptarchie was an entire Kingdome by it self, an honour which no other sole County attained unto. It hath the Thames on the North, the Sea on the East and South, Sussex and Surrey on the West. From East to West it expatiateth it self into fifty three miles: But from North to South expandeth not above twenty six miles. It differeth not more from other Shires then from it self, such the variety thereof. In some parts of it; Health and Wealth are at many miles distance, which in other parts are reconciled to live under the same Roof; I mean abide in one place together. Nor is the wonder great, if places differ so much which lie in this Shire far asunder, when I have *Hartlibs Leg. pag. 170.read, that there is a farm within a mile of Graves-End, where the cattle alwayes drinking at one common Pond in the Yard; if they graze on one side of the House, the butter is yellow, sweet and good; but if on the other, white, sowrish, and naught. Yet needeth there no Oedipus to unriddle the same, seeing one side lieth on the chalke, and hath much Tre-foile; the other on the Gravel abounding onelyonly with Couch-grass.
A considerable part of this County is called the VVealde, that is, a VVood-land ground, the Inhabitants whereof are called the VVealdish-man. And here, Reader, I humbly submita small Criticisme of mine to thy censure. I read in M. *In his Chron. pag. 845. parag. 30.Speed in VVyats Rebellion how Sir Henry Isley and the two Knevets conducted five hundred VVelch men into Rochester. I much admired how so many Cambro-Britans should straggle into Kent, the rather because that Rising was peculiar to that County alone; since I conceive these VVelch men should be Wealdisk-men, viz. such who had their habitation in the woodie side of this shire.
However, the goodness of the soyl generally may be guessed from the greatness of the Kentish breed, where both the Cattle and the Poultry are allowed the largest of the land, A Giant-Ox fed in Rumney-Marsh was some 6 years since to be seen in London, so high, that one of ordinary stature could hardly reach to the top of his back.
Here let me observe a slip of the penn in Industrious Master Speed. The Aire, saith he, of Kent is both wholesome and temperate (which is confessed most true, but mark what followeth) as seated nearest to the Equinoctial, and farthest from the Northern Pole. But let his own general Map be appealed to as judge, being therein both true and unpartial, and it will appear that some part of Devonshire lieth South of Kent well nigh a whole Degree, or threescore miles. Thus we see other mens, other men see our mistakes; so necessary is mutual Candor and Charity, because he who forgivet h to day may have need to be forgiven to morrow. And yet I deny not but that Kent of all English Counties is nearest to France, not because Southern-most, but because the Sea interposed is there the Narrowest.