England Described, Treatise · County 16 – County 17
Hertfordſhire.
FAmous for a good Air, and fair Houſes of Gentlemen, and Wheat.
It lieth on the Eaſt, and partly on the South-ſide of Bedfordſhire: The Weſt-ſide is encloſed with Bedfordſhire and Buckinghamſhire: the South with Middleſex, the Eaſt with Eſsex, and the North with Cambridgeſhire.
A rich Countrey in Corn, Fields, Paſtures, Medows, Woods, Groves, and clear Riverets. There is ſcarcely another Shire in all England that can ſhew more good Towns in ſo ſmall a compaſſe.
In Ware in this County, there is
1. The Head of the River that runs into Tames.
2. A great Bed which is about three yards at leaſt every way about, at both the ſides and ends.
Roiſton a Town well known, it is very famous, and paſſing much frequented for Malt.
It parts four Shires, Cambridgeſhire, Bedfordſhire, Hertfordſhire and Huntingtonſhire.
Aſhwell, The Well or Fountain among the aſhes, where there is a ſource of the ſprings bubling out of a ſtony bank overſhadowed on every ſide with tall aſhes, from whence there floweth at certain Veins, continually running ſuch ſtore of water, that forthwith being carried within banks, it carrieth a ſtream able to drive a Mill, and all of a ſudden, as it were, groweth to a good big River.
Whethamſsed a Town plentifull in Wheat, whence it took its name; which place John of Whethamſted there born, and thereof named, a man in King Henry the Sixth his dayes much renowned by his due deſert of learning, made of more eſtimation.
Biſhops-Hatfield in times paſt belonging to the Biſhops of Ely, whence it Godwin. de Praeſulibus Ang. ſaith, it is reported that Bradwardine was here born.was named Biſhops-Hatfield, which John Morton Biſhop of Ely re-edified. The Earle of Salisbury hath an Houſe there.
There were ſeven Parks in the Mannor of Hatfield.
Hertford, it hath given name to the whole County, and is reputed the Shire Town, it is ancient.
Hodeſdon a fair thorow fare.
Saint-Albans. It was famous for nothing Vide R. Uſſeri. de Britannic. Eccleſ. primord. cap. 7.ſo much as bringing forth Alban a Citizen of ſingular holineſſe and faith in Chriſt, who when Diocleſian went about by exquiſite torments to wipe Chriſtian Religion quite out of the memory of men, was the firſt in Britain that with invincible conſtancy and reſolution ſuffered death for Chriſt his ſake. Whereupon he is called our Stephen, and the Protomartyr of Britain.
Fortunatus Presbyter the Poet wrote thus of him,
Albanum egregium faecunda Britannia profert.
Fruitfull Britain bringeth forth
Alban a Martyr of high worth.
The Abbey of St. Albans was the L. Herberts Henry the 8th. See▪ Monaſticon Anglicanum.firſt of England, whether becauſe Adrian the Fourths Father called Breakſpear was Monk there, or from Saint Alban himſelf Proto-martyr of England.
This Town was raiſed out of the ruins of Verolamium, it is a fair and large Town.
Redborne or Red water is ſeated upon that common and military high-way, which we call Watling-ſtreet.
Hamſted a little Mercat Town called Hehan Hamſted ſituate among the the Hils by a Riveret-ſide.
Kings-Langley, in which was born, and thereof tooke name, Edmund Langley King Edward the Third his Sonne, and Duke of York.
Over againſt Kings-Langley, in a manner, there is Abbots-Langley, ſo called, becauſe it belonged to the Abbots of St. Albanes: wherein was born Nicholas ſurnamed Breakſpear, afterwards Biſhop of Rome, known by the name of Pope Hadrian the fourth, whoſe breath was ſtopped in the end with a Flie that flew into his mouth.
Watford a Mercat Town.
Welwen. Here the murder of the Danes began, when they were generally murdered; and it was ſo called, becauſe the weal of that Countrey (as was then thought) was there firſt wone. But who well conſiders the ſequele of the ſtory, ſhall find little weal that enſued of this deed. Graftons Chron.
Rickemauſworth alſo a Mercat Town.
Caiſhobery. Here Sir Richard Meriſin Knight, a great learned man, and who had been uſed in Embaſſages to the mightieſt Princes under King Henry the Eighth, and King Edward the Sixth began to build an Houſe, which Sir Charles his Sonne finiſhed.
Bernet famous for the Beaſt Mercat there kept.
This County hath an hundred and twenty Pariſhes, eight Hundreds, and eighteen Market Towns.
Huntingdonſhire.
IT confineth Northward and Eaſtward upon Cambridgeſhire, Southward upon Bedfordſhire, Weſtward upon Northamptonſhire.
A Countrey good for Corn and Tillage: and toward the Eaſt, where it is fenny, very right and plentifull for the feeding of Cattel: elſwhere right pleaſant, by reaſon of riſing Hils and ſhady Groves.
Kimbolton.
Saint-Neots, commonly called Saint-Needs, ſo named of one Neotus, a man both learned and holy; who travailed all his life time in propagating of Chriſtian Religion.
Ainsbury, it was named Ainulphsbury of one Almulph likewiſe, an holy and devout man, which name continueth ſtill alſo in one part of it.
Huntingdon, in the publick Seale Hunterſdune, Leland cals it Venantodunum, the Hill or down of Hunters. This is the chief Town of all this Shire, to which it hath given alſo the name.
Godmancheſter a very great Countrey Town, and of as great name for Tillage; ſituate in an open ground, of a light mould, and bending for the Sunne. There is not a Town in all England which hath more ſtout and luſty Husbandmen, or more Ploughs a going: For, they make their boaſt that they have in former time received the Kings of England, as they paſſed in their progreſſe this way, with nineſcore Ploughs, brought forth in a ruſtical kinde of pomp, for a gallant ſhew.
When King James came firſt into England, here the Bailiffs of the Town preſented him with ſeventy Teem of Horſes, all traced to fair new Ploughs, in ſhew of their Husbandry, of which when his Majeſty demanded the reaſon, he was anſwered, That it was their ancient Cuſtome, whenſoever any King of England paſſed thorow their Town, Howes Chron.ſo to preſent him. Beſides they added, That they held their Lands by that Tenure, being the Kings Tenants. His Majeſty took it well, and bad them uſe well their Ploughes, being glad he was Land-lord of ſo many good Husbandmen in one Town.
Saint-Ives of Ivo a Perſian Biſhop, who (as they write) about the year of Chriſt 600, travelled thorow England, preached diligently the Word of God, and to this Town, wherein he left this life, left alſo his name.
Ramſey a wealthy Abbey.
In this little Shire are numbred ſeventy eight Pariſhes, four Hundreds, and ſix Market Towns.