England Described, Prolegomena – Treatise
PROLEGOMENA.
EUrope the leaſt of the four parts of the World (yet the moſt populous and eminent for Arts and Armes) is divided into Vide Bertii Europae Univerſalis Deſcript.ſeveral Nations and Countreys, Albion or Great-Britain, Spain, France, Germany, Rhetia, Vindelicia, Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, Sarmatia, Dacia, Maeſia and Greece.
Britain or Britanny, which alſo is Britannia, quae Ptol. Albion, inſula maxima Europae in oceano Galliae obverſa. Ferrarii Lexicon. Geographicum. Vide Twini Comment. derebus. Albioniois, Britannicis. L. 1. p. 9, 10, 11, 12. Munſteri Coſmog. univerſ. l. 2. Camd. Britan. pag. 1. Britanniam omnium inſularum quas continet terrarum orbis: nobiliſſimam eſſe, & multis retrò, ſeculis extitiſſe, cunctorum jam poenè literis ac linguis percrebuit, ſive naturam loci, ſituſve ſpeciem atque pulchritudinem ſpectes, ſive gentis rerumque à gente geſtarum magnitudinem. Nevvilli Norvicus.Albion, the moſt famous Iſland, without compariſon, of the whole world. It is ſeated as well for air as ſoil, in a right fruitfull, and moſt milde place. Britain was generally called the great Iſland. See Burtons Annotat. on Clements firſt Epiſt. to the Corinth.The air ſo kinde and temperate, that not only the Summers be not exceſſive hot, by reaſon of continual gentle windes that abate their heat (which as they refreſh the fruits of the earth, ſo they yeeld a moſt wholſom and pleaſing contentment both to man and beaſt:) but the Winters alſo are paſſing milde: for therein falling often with ſtill ſhowers (to ſay nothing of the Air it ſelf, ſomewhat thick and groſſe) diſſolveth the rigour of the cold ſo; and withall the Sea which compaſſeth it, with moderate warmth, doth comfort the Land in ſuch wiſe, as that the cold with us is much more remiſſe than in ſome parts of France and Italy.
It is now called England, in Latine Anglia, in French Angle-terre.
Of the ſeveral Etymologies of which word, ſee Hiſtoire d' Angle-terre Par Du Cheſne, l. 6. p. 195. And Munſters Univerſal Goſmography, l. 2.
Britanniam laſciviae
Culparier justè negas?
Tamen fateri cogeris
Quòd inſula eſt, non continens.
Hugenii Epig. l. 6.
Great Britain (conſiſting of England and Scotland) contains one thouſand eight hundred thirty ſix miles in compaſſe.
This Iſland (as Camden, Twine, Verſtegan imagine) was broken off from the Continent of France. See Twine, De Rebus Britannicis.
The Bodies of the Inhabitants are of Omnium Europae populorum bellicoſiſſimi & ſtrenuiſſimi ſunt Britanni. Bodin in Meth. Hiſt. c. 5. de recto Hiſtor. judicio.an excellent Conſtitution, their Demeanour right courteous, their Natures gentle, and their Courage moſt hardy and valiant, whoſe Manhood by exploits atchieved both at home and abroad, is famouſly renowned thorow the whole world.
King Edward the third, and his Quam exiſtimatis fuiſſe Galliae faciem, auditores cum Edvardus III. Angliae Rex, Philippum Valeſium Galliarum Regem ad Creſſiacum vicit? Ubi interempti Gallorum circiter XXX. millia & inventi inter Cadavera Joannes Rex Bohemiae, decem Principes, octoginta Barones, mille ducenti Equites, flos totius Nobilitatis Galliae; Philippus autem vix fugâ evaſit, qui noctu ad urbem Brayum deveniens, Praefecto ad portas quaeren i; Qui va la? Miſerabili voce reſpondit: La Fortune de France. Achillis Conſultatio de principatu inter provincias Europae. Vide Humfredi. Lhyd. Fragmentum Commentarioli Britannicae Deſcriptionis prop. fin. Terra Gallica frequens ſuit tam pretium quam ſcena fortitudinis Anglicanae, praeliaque de Creſſey, Poictiers, Agincourt aeterna manent ſtupendae noſtratium victoriae monimenta. Praefat. ad expeditionem in Ream Inſulam. Vide plura ibid.Sonne did bear their victorious Arms thoroughout all France. King Henry the Sixth was crowned King of France at Paris.
Our famous Kings Henry the Fifth, Edw. 3. and K. Henry the Eight, were the moſt worthieſt Warriers that our Nation ever had. Sir Roger Williams his brief Diſcourſe of Warre, pag. 37. See pag. 8, 9. & 58. Phil. de Commines Hiſt. l. 6. c. 2, 3.
Sir Francis, and Sir Horatio Vere, Sir Thomas Morgan, Sir John Vide Spelman. Aſpilogiam. p. 95.Norris, by their ſingular knowledge in military affairs, and exploits moſt valiantly and fortunately atchieved in the Low-Countreys, have added exceeding much honour and glory to themſelves. See Dr. Dillinghams Veres Commentaries.
Sir Roger Williams alſo was a famous Commander.His name and fame was dreadfull to the French people abſent, inſomuch that women in France to fear their young children, would cry, The Talbot cometh, the Talbot cometh. Grafton in Henry the ſixth. See Speed there.
John Lord Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury marched four and twenty years together with victorious arms over a Johannes Talbotus Comes Salopienſis vir clariſſimus, fortiſſimuſque, cujus virtute populi Anglicani nomen maximè Gallis formidolcſum extiterat. Polyd. Verg. Ang. Hiſt. l. 23.great part of France. Camden cals him Englands Achilles. See Froiſſarts Chron. c. 130. of the victory of the Engliſh at the great battel of Creſſy.
The Duke of Bedford was Regent of France, and being ſlain in a battel on Land before Veronil, was buried in Roan, and together with him all the Engliſh mens good fortune in France. Whoſe Monument, when Charles the Eighth King of France came to ſee, and a Nobleman ſtanding by, adviſed him to raſe it: Nay, anſwered he, let him reſt in peace now being dead, of whom in warre, whiles he lived all France had dread.
Marſhal Biron ſaid, He liked not the Engliſh March (being beaten by the Sir Clement Edmunds in his obſervations, on Caeſars Commentaries, ſaith, We got moſt of our victories from the French by our good Archers. See Sir Thomas Elyoth Governour, pag. 83. And Aſchams Toxophilus, l. 1. p. 29. Bello ſunt merepidi optimi ſagittarii. Bertius Deſcript. Angl.Drumme) it was ſo ſlow: Sir Roger Williams anſwer'd him, That yet it had gone through all France. See the Diſcourſe of the National Excellencies of England, Part 1. Chap. 1. Of the Warres of the Britains, and their Courage. Chap. 3. Of the Daniſh Invaſion. Chap. 4. Of the Norman Conqueſt. Chap. 5. Of Warres with Spain. Chap. 6. Of Warres with France. Chap. 7. Of Warres with the ſeventeen Provinces. Chap. 8, 9. Of Warres with Scotland. Part 2. Chap. 2. Of the Engliſh Courage.
Our wooden Walls, the Ships, are a great ſafety to this Nation. The Engliſh Navy is the ſtrongeſt in the world. What ſervice did our Ships do us in 88?
Sir Francis Drake, and after him Thomas Candiſh Eſquire, within the ſpace of three yeers and three moneths, travelled about the Globe of the whole Earth.
This Iſle hath preſcribed in all ages for the Dominion *See Dees Britiſh Monarchy.of the Seas that incompaſſe it. Vide Seldeni Mare clauſum. lib. 2. c. 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 30, 31, 32.
Sir Richard Grenvile in a Ship of He is called by the Spaniards yet Don Richard of the Greenfield, and they fright their children with him. Vide Camd. Annal. rerum Anglic. part. 4. p. 40.Queen Elizabeths, fought againſt a great Navy of Spaniards. This ſingle veſſel was fought with in turns by fifteen other great Ships, whereof the great St. Philip of 1500 Tuns, Prince of the twelve Sea-Apoſtles was one: It ſunk two of their beſt Ships, and killed a thouſand men. It was ſunk at laſt, having firſt to the full anſwered its name.
Without vanity our Nation may Habingtons History of Edw. the 4th. p. 134. See more there. Fuere viri ſemper in inſula eruditiſſimi, qui tanquam doctrinarum riv…li ab illo fonte decurrentes, non modo Angliam, ſed Galliam quoque mellifluo diſciplinarum nectare irrigarunt. Polyd. ver. hiſt. Arg. p. 15. Vide l. 4.aſſume to it ſelf the praiſe, conſidering the narrow limits of the Iſland, to have produced as many Scholars, admirable in all degrees of knowledge, as any Countrey on this ſide the Alpes. Beda, Bradwardine, Scotus, Wicliffe, Ockam, Baconthorp, Joannes de ſacro Boſco, Cuthbert Tunſtall, Pool, Colet, Lilie, Linacer, Pacaeus, Fiſher, More, Stapleton, Leland, Camden, Juel, Whitaker, Rainolds.
Sir Philip Sidney, a man of excellent parts, learned and valiant.
Our Engliſh mens pronunciation of the Latine tongue is condemned much by Outlandiſhmen.
A Herald brought a Letter of Defiance from the King of England in very good language, and ſo excellently well penned, that I am perſwaded it was never of Engliſh mans doing. Phil. de Comin. in his Hiſtory, lib. 4. ch. 5.
They write good Latine, though Car hath written an Oration, De Scriptorum Britannicorum paucitate.
In Edward the Thirds time there was a Letter directed to the Pope in The Letter is in Walſingham.juſtification of making it Treaſon, to bring in Papal proviſions, which was ſo excellently penn'd, as did not only move admiration, but aſtoniſhment. Cito poſt Rex direxit Papae illam famoſam Epiſtolam pro libertate Eccleſiae contuenda, quam praeſentibus duximus inſerendam. Walſing. Hiſt. Angl. Edw. 3. p. 161.
There are ſundry opinions, whence this word Britain had the original derivation. Camden diſlikes that from Camd. Brit. p. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.Brutus.
Some ſay, It is moſt probably derived Caeſar qui primus Romanorum hujus inſulae nomenfrom Brit, which in the ancient Britiſh ſignifies painted, and the word Tain, ſignifying a Nation; the Britains litteris commendavit, eam Britanniam appellavit, quem omnes ferè, Latini Scriptores ſecuti, idem nomen haud mutavere. Commentarioli. Britan. Deſcrip. Fragmentum per Llhyd. Ille Brutus ſive Brito (ſic enim nominandus erat, ut ex ejus nomine, Britanniae aliquo pacto dicta videretur) fertur à principio inſulae potitus imperio, ac Britannorum gentis autor fuiſſe, nec diu deinde viſus in terris. Polyd. Verg. Angl. Hiſt. lib. 1. Fama perrebuit, an verax neſcio, (nec virorum magnorum, Nennii, Galfridi Monumethenſis, Pontici Virunnii, Alexandri Nechamii, &c. nec non Joh. Lelandi horum omnium acerrimi defenſoris, patrocinio indiget) Brutum Albanium (quem volunt Aſcanii Trojani Albae Italorum conditoris nepotem) Britanniam aut Albionem cum ſuis occupaſſe; hinc antiquitus (ut aiunt) à Bruto nomen obtinuit. Wheloci notae in Bed. Hiſt. Eccleſ. Gentis. Angl. l. 1. Vide Seldeni Praefat. ad Analecta Anglo-Britan. Anglia Oceani Polygonia inſula, quam Britanniam vocant à Bruto Trojanorum duce, qui profugus in hanc terram venit, vidit, vicit. Adolphi à Daus vita Elizabethae.uſed to diſcolour and paint their bodies, that they might ſeem more terrible in the eyes of their enemies.
Camden in his Britannia, p. 26, 27. ſeems rather to incline to this Etymology.
Brith ſignifieth blew-coloured, ſc. with woad, hence Britons.
The Greeks gave to this Iſle the name Camd. Brit. p. 23, 24. Albion ab albedine rupium ab auſtro albarum, dici quidam volunt, quale quid Albion in ſummitate montis Alpium apud Strabonem prae ſe fert. Wheloci notae in Bedae Hiſt. Eccleſ. Gentis Anglorum, lib. 1. cap. 1. Vide Polyd. Verg. Angl. Hiſt. lib. 1. Vide RR. Armach. Primord. Eccleſ. Brit. pag. 721. & 733. Albion ab Albione Nep… uni filio ibidem regnante ſic appellāta. Circa annum mundi 2220. Quod verò aliqui eam ab albis rupibus, ſic vocatam affirmant, ridiculum eſt: mirorque viros alias perſpicaces, in tanta luce conniviſſe, omniumque locorum & hominum nomina Etymologiis Latinis obſuſcare: Cum omnibus conſtat Latinos minimam Italiae partem tunc temporis poſſediſſe. Commentarioli Britannicae Deſcript. Fragmenta, Auctore Humfredo Lhyd.Albion for difference ſake. Seeing they have in fabulous wiſe named Italy Heſperia of Heſperus the ſonne of Atlas; France Gallatia of a ſonne of Polyphemus: I cannot otherwiſe believe, but in the ſame vein alſo of fabling, they called this Iſland Albion, of Albion Neptunes ſonne: which thing Perottus and Lilius Giraldus have put down in writing. Unleſſe a man would derive it rather of foreign, which as Feſtus witneſſeth, in Greek ſignifieth white, whence the Alpes alſo have their appellation: for it is environed with white Rocks.
England is called Albion ab albis rupibus, whereby it is ſpecially conſpicuous: So was an Iſle in the Indian-Sea called Leucas white. Seld. on Drayt. Polyolb. Song firſt.
This Etymology is diſliked by Lhoyd, but defended by Sir John Price, in his Defence of the Britiſh Hiſtory.
England bears a great ſway in the affairs of Europe.
Speed in his Chronicle ſaith, The great affairs of Europe mainly depended Ita illa quaſi Heroina, & honoraria arbitra inter Hiſpanos, Gallos & ordines ſedit, ut illud patris uſurpare potuerit. Cui Adhaereo praeeſt. Et verum ſit quod ille ſcripſit, Galliam & Hiſpaniam eſſe quaſi lances in Europae libra, & Angliam lingulam ſive libripendem. Camd. Annal. rerum Anglic par. prim. p 271.upon the Directions of Queen Elizabeth, who ſitting at the Helm of the Ship, arbitrated and guided their eſtates both in Peace and Warre. See more there to this purpoſe in his 9th Book, chap. 24. p. 880.
The Engliſh have been very helpfull to the Netherlands in their warres, and atchievers of the greateſt exploits amongſt them.
Heinſius in his Oration made after the taking of the Buſſe ſaith, Anglorum ſanguine ſtat haec reſpublica, This Commonwealth ſtands by the bloud of the Engliſh.
The firſt of all Provinces this Iſland of Britain, by common conſent, Britannorum inacceſſa Romanis loca Chriſto verò ſubdita. Tertul. adverſ. Jud. cap. 7.received the Chriſtian Faith.
The glorious Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt Gildas teſtis eſt, Britannos jam inde ab initio orti Evangelii, Chriſtianam recepiſſe religionem. Polyd. Verg. Hiſt. Angl. l. 2. Vide R R. Armach. in Primord. Antiquitat. Britan. p. 3. & 27. & 740. & eruditiſſimum D. Hen. Spelm. in apparatu. Concil. Brit. pag. 12. & Godwinum De prima Britanniae noſtrae ad fidem Chriſtianam converſione.(ſaith Gildas Albanius, ſurnamed the Wiſe, the moſt ancient of our Britiſh Hiſtorians) which firſt appeared to the world in the later time of Tiberius Caeſar, did even then ſpread his bright beams upon this frozen Iſland of Britain. And it is generally received for a truth, that Joſeph of Arimathea laid the foundation of our faith at Glaſtenbury.
He that hath written of Honour Military and Civil, lib. 4. cap. 19. ſaith, The chief place of Honour and Precedency in Europe appertaineth to the Kings of England. And one of the reaſons he gives is, Becauſe the King and people of England received the Goſpel and Chriſtian Faith before France or Spain.
There have been more Kings and Princes of the Bloud Royal, Confeſſors and Martyrs in England, than in any one Province in Europe. Faſciculus temporis.
See Gainsfords Glory of England, Chap. 21. & 27. concerning our famous Kings here, and of famous Kings and Princes that came hither.
Claudia Rufina of the Britiſh Nation is celebrated by the Apoſtle Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 21.and alſo by Martial.
It is apparent that this Iſland had the firſt Chriſtian King in the world, and clearly in Europe. If priority of time Vide Spelman. Epiſt. Ded. ad Lib. de Concil. Seldens Illuſt. of Drayt. Polyolb. Song 8.ſwayed it, and not cuſtome (derived from a communicable attribute given by the Popes) that name of Moſt Chriſtian ſhould better fit our Sovereigns than the French.
Vide Polyd. Verg. Angl. Hiſt. l. 2. p. 41.
We had alſo the firſt Chriſtian Emperour M. Selden ſaith there alſo, that Conſtantine the Great was born here.Conſtantine.
The firſt King that ever renounced the Popes Supremacy was King Henry the Eighth.
The firſt King that ever wrote againſt the Pope, to prove him to be the Antichriſt, was King James.
England hath been an Aſylum for the Regina Elizabetha Proteſtantibus in Gallia ſubvenit, Galloſque in Angliam confugientes nullo non humanitatis genere proſequuta eſt, ut etiam & Belgas, quorum magna multitudo, Albano nihil niſi Caedem & ſanguinem ſpirante, in Angliam ut in aſylum ſe receperant. Qui Reginae permiſſu Norwici, Colceſtriae, Sandwici, Maidſtonae, & Hamptonae ſedes poſuerant magno ſanè Angliae emolumento. Artem enim conficiendi levidenſas quas Bayes & Sayes vocant, & id genus alia linea & lanea varia textura primi in Angliam intulerunt. Camd. Annal. rerum Anglic. pars prima. p. 148. Vide Humfredum de nobil. l. 2. p. 252, 253, 254.diſtreſſed Proteſtants of other Countreys.
The Armes of England are three Leones tres aureos gradienteſque, oribus obverſis, in ſcuto puniceo geſtabant Reges Angliae; & eorum ad exemplum, leones frequentiſſimè noſtris in clypeis videre eſt. Biſſaei notae in Ʋptonum. Polydorus Vergilius, Wilielmo, quem vocant, Conqueſtori, Tres Leones accomodat jubatos aureos in clypeo rubeo. Sed & tribus etiam liliis (ut hodiè ſolet) commixtos: oblitus lilia ab Edwardo tertio, accedente jam Gallia, fuiſſe annexa. Spelman. Aſpilogia p. 44.Lions paſſant gold in a field gewls. The Lion ſignifies fortitude and generoſity.
Three Flour-delices were ſince that time annexed thereto by Edward the Third, by reaſon of his claime to the Crown of France.
The State is Monarchical.
A Kingdom of a perfect and happy Subſidium vocamus quod ſingulis capite cenſis viritim pro ratione bonorum & agrorum imponitur. Verùm nec haec, nec illa taxatio (quindenarum & decimarum) unquam imponitur niſi ex ordinum conſenſu in Parliamento. Camd. Annal. rerum Angl. par. 1. p. 80.compoſition, wherein the King hath his full Prerogative, the Nobles all due reſpects, and the People, amongſt other bleſſings, perfect in this, that they are maſters of their own purpoſes, and have a ſtrong hand in the making of their own Laws.
Of all Seniories in the world that I know, the Realme of England is the Countrey where the Commonwealth is beſt governed, the People leaſt oppreſſed, and the feweſt buildings and houſes deſtroyed in Civil Warre, and the lot of misfortune falleth upon them that be authours of the Warre. Phil. de Commin. Hiſt. l. 5. c. 18.
England is not ſubject to Imperial and Romane Lawes, as other Kingdoms are, but retaineth her ancient Laws.
It is governed by the Municipal or Common Law, a Law proper to the Nation.
The Commonalty of England is the beſt Commonalty in the world, and The Engliſhmen are the beſt ſhot in the world, ſaith Philip de Commines l. 1. c. 3. p. 10.the beſt Infantry, or Foot-ſouldiers, in whom the principal ſtrength of an Army conſiſts.
It was once the ſaying, That the Sir Walt. Ral. Hist. See Gainsfords Englands Glory, Chap. 24. … And Sir Francis Bacons Hiſtory of Henry the Seventh, pag. 74.Husbandry and Yeomandry of England, were the freeſt men in the world.
The Merchant of England ſurpaſſeth all other Nations. See Gainsfords Glory of England, ch. 26.
England aboundeth with all ſorts of Cattel, except Aſſes, Mules, Camels and Elephants. No Countrey yeeldeth ſuch plenty of Beeves and Sheep.
A Countrey alwayes moſt temperate. Britannia beatiſſima eſt inſularum, foecunda frugibus & arboribus, copioſa rivis & nemoribus, jucunda volucrum & ferarum venatibus, ferax avium multi fluviis, & diverſi generis terra; mari, & fluviis alendis autem mira pecoribus, & jumentis, Fluviis abundat valde piſcoſis, fontibus praeclara copioſis: Et quidem praecipuè iſicio redundat & anguilla, nec non & halecia, & oſtrea mire in ea redundant. Huntingd. Hiſt. lib. 1. Ager non ſterilis, ſed mirè foecundus eſt, excepto quod merum non gignat, nec illic largo vinea pubeſcat foetu. Genus hominum non ſolutum, non agreſte, ſed maxime cultum, qui per totum terrarum orbem, vel literis, vel armis clari habentur. Non ſilebo luculentam corporis pulchritudinem qua cunctas gentes & nationes vincunt. Adolphi à Dans vita Elizabethae. Vide plura ibid.The Air is thick, and ſo it is much ſubject to winds, clouds and rain: and therefore in regard of the thickneſſe of the Air, it is neither oppreſt with too much heat, or too much cold.
It is ſomewhat cloudy. Gundamore being here, bid the Spaniſh Poſt, when he came to Spain commend him to the Sunne, for he had not ſeen him a great while, and in Spain he ſhould be ſure to find him.
The Ocean which beateth upon the Coaſt of this Iſland aboundeth with all manner of Fiſh.
There are no where in all the world, either more dainty Oiſters, or greater ſtore.
The ſoil is fruitfull in Mines of Lead, Iron, Tin and other Minerals; eſpecially A Spaniard boaſting of his Countreys Citrons, Orenges, Olives, and ſuch like, Sir Roger Williams anſwered him; yea, but (ſaid he) in England, we have dainty Veal, and well fed Capons to eat with this ſauce, and many delicate diſhes worthy the name of ſuſtenance indeed. Gainsfords Glory of England, lib. 2. chap. 13.it abounds in Coal, a neceſſary and rich Commodity. It is repleniſhed alſo with all ſorts of Grain, with Medows and Paſtures, in which innumerable flocks of Cattel feed.
Cardan exhorted Edward the Sixth, to plant Olives, and was fully perſwaded they would proſper in this Iſland.
Many places in Gloceſterſhire, and elſewhere in England, are called Vineyards, ſeeing it hath afforded Wine; and ſurely it may ſeem to proceed rather from the Inhabitants idleneſſe, than any diſtemperature and indiſpoſition of the Aire, that it yeeldeth none at this day. Camd. Brit. in Gloceſterſhire.
In Hantſhire he ſaith, We had Vines in Britain, ſince Probus the Emperours time, rather for ſhade than fruit.
The People are tall of ſtature, well-favoured, and fair countenanced, for the moſt part gray-eyed. The women moſt fair and beautifull, do go very decently and comely attired. We feed moſtwhat on fleſh. The drink which we uſe, and do make of malt, is in deed very good, wholſome and pleaſant.
There are more Parks, Foreſts, England a great miſtreſſe of Hunting.Chaſes in England, than are found in all Chriſtendom beſide.
At this day there are 9285. Pariſhes in the Kingdom.
There is in no place of the world Ortel. Theat. Orbis terrarum.greater and larger Dogs, nor better Hounds.
That the Britiſh Hounds and Maſtives excell thoſe of other Nations. See Burtons Comment. on Antoninus Itin. pag. 219, 220.
Of all the Doggs in Europe ours Camd. Brit. in Hantſhire. See him alſo in Middleſex. Moloſſi nullibi terrarum praeſtantiores ſaevioreſque ſunt. Lucae de Lind. Deſcript. Orbis.bear the name. They were in moſt requeſt, both for thoſe baitings in the Amphitheaters, and alſo in all other publick huntings among the Romanes.
Magna que taurorum fracturi colla Britanni.
Claudian.
The Cock is a bold and ſtout Bird, and will fight valiantly with his adverſaries, and preſently crows when he obtains victory. See Pliny, lib. 29. cap. 4.
The Cocks alſo there give not over the fight till death parts them.
There are three principal Rivers in England, Thames in the South-Eaſt, Sunt duo flumina caeteris clariora. Tameſis & Sabrina quaſi duo brachia Britaniae, per quae ſibi ſuas & alienas effert & infert divitias. Huntingd. Hiſt. l. 1. Tameſis fluviorum omnium, qui Britanniam alluunt facile princeps. Lel. praefat. in Cygn. Cant.Severn in the South-Weſt, Trent a Northern River.
Iſis the principal and Prince of all Tame and Iſis meet neer Wallingford in Barkſhire, as Jordan is compounded of Jor and Dan.the Engliſh Rivers, afterward entertaineth Tame, and by a compound word is called Tameſis.
His ita compoſitis, hinc Plantageneta regreſsus
Fluctibus aequoreis trajectis venit in arcem,
Urbis Londini, quam praeterlabitur amnis
Piſcoſus Thameſis, famae celeberrimus inter
Albionis rivos.—
Oclandi Anglorum Praelia.
The Thames ſwelleth with the acceſſe of the flowing tide of the Sea, about Lx Italian miles by water from his mouth. Neither to my knowledge is Camd. Brit. in Surrey. See more there.there any other River in all Europe, that for ſo many miles within Land feeleth the violence of the Ocean forcing and ruſhing in upon it, and ſo driving back and with-holding his waters, to the exceeding great commodity of the Inhabitants bordering thereupon.
The ſecond River of England is Sabrina Tacitus.Severn, the head of it is the Hill Plinlimon in Montgomery-ſhire. He ſlowly wandereth through this Shire, Shropſhire, Worceſterſhire, and laſt of Camd. Brit. in Montgomery-ſhire.all Gloceſterſhire, infuſing a certain vital moiſture into the ſoil every where as he paſſeth, untill at length he mildely diſchargeth himſelf into the Severn-ſea.
Trent by his due right challengeth to himſelf the third place among all the Rivers of England.
It runneth out of two Fountains being neer neighbours together in the North part of Staffordſhire among the Camd. Brit. in Staffordſhire.Moors. Certain unskilfull, and idle headed, have dreamed, that it was ſo named of Trente a French word, which ſignifieth Thirty, and thereupon alſo have feigned, that thirty Rivers runne into it, and as many kinds of fiſhes live therein.
We have more glorious Univerſities, Vigent duo Gymnaſia alterum apud Oxonium ſupra Thameſim, alterum Cantabrigiae non longè ab Elienſis urbis paludibus In haec ingenuorum adoleſcentium ingens numerus ad perdiſcendas liberales diſciplinas concurrit: profeſſoribus enim ſtipendia, alimentaque diſcipulis antiquâ Regum liberalitate, & optimorum Antiſtitum teſtamentis perſolvuntur. Paul. Jov. Britanniae Deſcriptio.Colledges, Schools and Churches, than any Nation of the world.
There are two famous Univerſities See my Book of Religion and Learning.in England, Oxford and Cambridge.
Five great Schools in England, Weſtminſter, Eaton, Wincheſter, Pauls and Merchant-Taylors School.
For Churches Doctor Heylin in his Geography ſhews which are the beſt.
It is famous beyond Seas alſo for Lana Anglica verum fuerit Belis Vellus Aureum, cui Inclytus ille militaris Ordo Velleris Aurei, ſuam originem & Burgundiae Duces magnas opes debuerunt. Camd. Annal. rerum Angl. pars. prima. pag. 90.its fine Wooll, which is our golden Fleece.
The moſt conſiderable Ports on the Eaſt-ſide of the Iſland, are New-caſtle, Hull, Lynne, Yarmouth, Harwich, Colchester, Sandwich; on the South-ſide lies Plymouth; on the Weſt, Cheſter.
Our Language conſiſts partly of French, Daniſh, Saxon and Pictiſh Language.
The Engliſh-Saxon Tongue came in Anglicum Idioma non ſolum Belgico & Alemannico, ſed etiam Graeco & Hebraico in multis convenire inſpicienti ſacile patebit. Seldeni Praefat. ad Analecta Anglo Brit. Saxonica lingua eo olim in honore fuit (fortè quod è Graeco plurima retuliſſet) ut doctiſſimo ipfi Bedae Anglo-Saxoni inter laudes detur, fuiſſe doctum in Saxonica lingua. Spelm. Praefat. ad lib. de Concil. Vide plura ibid.by the Engliſh-Saxons out of Germany, who valiantly and wiſely performed here all the three things, which imply a full conqueſt, viz. the alteration of Lawes, Language and Attire. Camd. Remains.
He ſaith alſo there, that our Tongue is as copious, pithy and ſignificative, as any other Tongue in Europe.
There is in Engliſh as true ſtrains of Eloquence, as ſtrong and fine expreſſions, as elaborate and ſolid pieces of fancy, as in any Language whatſoever. Howels Inſtruct. for Travel. Sect. 12.
George (commonly called St. George) was the Patron, both of our Nation, and of the moſt honourable Order of Knighthood in the world.
The firſt and laſt Hereſie that ever troubled this Iſland was inbred by Pelagius; but that was amongſt the Britons, and was ſuppreſſed by the zeal of the Saxons, who liked nothing of the Britiſh breed, and for whoſe ſake it ſuffered more happly then for the foulneſſe of the opinion.
The ſweating ſickneſſe call'd for Vide Polyd. Verg. Ang. Hiſt. l. 26. in Henrico 7timo, pag. 568. Speeds Chron. in Edw. 6.the propriety by which it ſeized on the Engliſh Nation chiefly, Sudor Anglicus.
It followed onelyonly Engliſhmen in forrain Countreys, no other people infected therewith.
There is a good courſe taken to ſecure this Land from forreigne Invaſion by burning of Beacons.
Beacon of the old word Beacnian, Specula. Lamb. Perambul. of Kent.that is, to ſhew by a ſigne; for theſe many hundred years they have been in great requeſt, and much uſed among us: in ſome places by heaping up a deal of wood, in others by barrels full of pitch faſtened to the top of a Maſt or Pole in the higheſt places of the Countrey, at which by night ſome do alwayes Camden in Hantſhire.watch, that by burning the pitch the enemies coming may be ſhewed to all the neighbour inhabitants.The Scots in ſuch danger command the fire-croſſe to be carried (an ancient cuſtome in caſes of importance) which was two fire-brands ſet in faſhion of a Croſſe, and pitched upon the point of a spear. Sir Richard Bakers Chron. in the Reigne of King Edward the 6th.
This Realme was firſt divided into Circuits by King Henry the Second, who appointed twice in the year, that two of the moſt grave and learned Judges of the Land, ſhould in each Circuit adminiſter Juſtice in the chief or head Towns of every Countrey. Of theſe Judges one ſitteth on matters criminal, concerning the life and death of malefactours; the other in actions perſonal, concerning Title of Lands, Debts, or the like, between party and party.
The firſt Circuit heretofore did comprehend the Counties of Wilts, Somerſet, Devon and Southampton.
The ſecond contained the Counties of Oxford, Berks, Gloceſter, Munmouth, Hereford, Worceſter, Salop and Stafford.
The third had in it, the Counties of Surrey, Kent, Eſſex and Hartford.
The fourth conſiſted of the Shires of Buckingham, Bedford, Huntingdon, Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk.
The fifth of the Shires, of Northampton, Rutland, Lincoln, Nottingham, Darby, Leiceſter and Warwick.
The ſixth and laſt, of the Shires of York, Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland, Weſtmerland and Lancaſter. So that in theſe ſix Circuits are numbered thirty eight Shires. The two remaining are Middleſex and Cheſhire: whereof the firſt is exempted, becauſe of its vicinity to London; and the ſecond as being a County Palatine, and having peculiar Judges and Counſellors to it ſelf.
The ſeven Kingdoms, Kent, South-Saxia, The Saxon Heptarchy. This Iſland most flouriſhed then, and in the Conquerours time it was farre better inhabited then at the preſent.Weſt-Saxie, Eaſt-Saxia, Northumberland, Mercia and Eaſt-Anglia, were governed by ſo many ſeveral Kings.
Ethelbert was King of Kent.
Sebert of Eaſt-Saxon.
Erpenwald of the Eaſt-Angle.
Edwine of Northumberland.
Kingill of Weſt-Saxon.
Peada of Mercia.
Ethelwolf of the South-Saxon.
King Alfred ordained the Diviſion of Shires, Hundre…, and *So named, becauſe there were ten perſons in each of them, whereof each was ſurety for others good abearing. Lamberts Perambulat. of Kent.Tithings, that every Engliſhman living legally, might be of a certain Hundred or Tithing, out of which he was not to remove without ſecurity.
There are one and fourty Shires in England, every Shire conſiſting of ſo many Hundreds, and every Hundred of a number of Boroughs, Villages, or Tithings.
England was divided into ſeven Kingdomes by the Saxons, after into Totius Angliae (de Aluredo Rege ſic ſcribit Ingulphus Abbas Croulandenſis) pagos & Provincias in comitatus primus omnium commutavit. Comitatus in Centurias & in decimas diviſit, ut omnis indigena legalis in aliqua centuria & decima exiſteret. Seldeni Janus Anglorum.Provinces, Shires, or Shares, and Countreys by Alured.
In theſe Shires there is appointed in troubleſome times a Deputy under the King, to ſee that the Commonwealth ſuſtain no hurt.
Now every year, ſome one of the Gentlemen Inhabitants, is made Ruler of the County wherein he dwelleth, whom we call in Latine Vicecomitem, as one would ſay, the Deputy of the Comes, or Earl, and in our tongue Sheriff. It is his duty to gather the common moneys of the Prince in his County, to collect and bring into the Exchequer all fines impoſed, even by diſtreining: to be attendant upon the Judges, and to execute their commandments: to aſſemble and empanel the twelve men, which in cauſes do enquire of the Fact, and make relation thereof, and give in their Verdict to the Judges (for Judges with us ſit upon the right onelyonly of a cauſe, and not upon the fact) to ſee condemned perſons executèd, and to examine and determine certain ſmaller actions.
OF THE Several Counties IN ENGLAND.
CAmden begins with Cornwall, and ends with Northumberland, I ſhall mention the Counties of England, rather according to the Letters of the Alphabet.