England Described, Treatise · County 22 – County 23
Middleſex.
IT is ſevered from Buckinghamſhire by the River Cole; on the Weſt-ſide, from Hertfordſhire; on the North-ſide by a known crooked limit; from Eſſex on the Eaſt with the River Lea, from Surrey and Kent on the South by the Thames.
It is a ſmall Shire, in length not twenty miles, in circuit not above ſeventy miles, yet for the fertility thereof it may compare with any other Shire: for the ſoil is excellent fat, fertile and full of profit. Nordens Speculum Britaniae.
For Air paſſing temperate, and for ſoyl fertile, with ſumptuous houſes, and pretty Towns on all ſides pleaſantly beautified, and every where offereth to the view many things memorable.
Uxbridge full of Innes, it ſtretcheth out in length.
Harrow-hill, the higheſt Hill of all this Country, under which Southward there lie for a long way together, exceeding rich and fruitfull fields, eſpecially about Heſton a ſmall Village, that yeeldeth ſo fine flour for manchet that a long time it hath ſerved for the Kings mouth.
Hampton-Court a Royal Palace of The chiefeſt at this day of all the Kings houſes.the Kings, a work of admirable magnificence, built out of the ground by Thomas Wolſey Cardinal, in oſtentation A City rather in ſhew then the Palace of a Prince: and for ſtately port and gorgeous building not inferiour to any in Europe. Weavers Monum.of his riches. It was enlarged and finiſhed by King Henry the Eighth ſo amply, as it containeth within it five ſeveral inner Courts paſſing large, environed with very fair buildings wrought right curiouſly, and goodly to behold.
The neateſt pile of all the Kings houſes. Godwins Annal.
It is called Hampton-Court, Hampton of the Pariſh of Hampton, which ſtandeth not farre thence: Court in regard of the Majeſty and princely beauty. There are two Parks, the one of Deer, the other of Hares. Nordens Speculum Britaniae.
Thiſtleworth, or Iſleworth.
Brentford a fair thorow-fare and frequent Mercat.
Fulham the place of Fowls, where the Biſhop of Londons houſe was.
Chelſey a place garniſhed with fair and ſtately houſes.
London *It is moſt ſweetly ſituate upon the Thames, ſerved with all kind of neceſſaries moſt commodiouſly. The air health full, it is populous, rich and beautifull. Nordens Speculum Britanniae., the Epitome or Breviary of all Britain, the ſeat of the Britiſh Empire, and the King of Englands chamber.
King Luds re-edifying Troinovant (firſt built by Brute) and from thence leaving the name of Caer Lud, afterwards turned (as they ſay) into London, is not unknown, ſcarce to any that hathbut lookt on Ludgates inner Frontiſpiece.
Seld. Illuſtrat. of the eighth Song of Drayt. Polyolb.
Georgius Braun or Bruin in his Theatrum Praecipuarum totius mundi urbium, in three great Volumes in Folio, mentions London in the firſt place of his firſt Volume.
Sir Robert Dallington in his view of France; comparing the City of Paris with London, ſaith, That Paris is the greater, the fairer built, and the better ſituate: London is the richer, the more populous, the more ancient.
Howell in his Londinopolis makes a parallel of it, with the other great Cities of the world, and ſo doth Gainsford in his Glory of England, lib. 2. ch. 17.
For the ſpace of above one thouſand five hundred fourſcore and ſix years it hath flouriſhed more for the ſtatelineſſe and magnificence of her goodly buildings, for the large extent of her bounds and juriſdiction, for the Religion and civility of her Inhabitants, for the Wiſdome and Honour of her Magiſtrates, for the profeſſion of Arms, all good Letters and Arts, not to ſpeak of her Traffique and Commerce with all Countreys and Ports of the known world, more than any other knowne City whatſoever throughout all Chriſtendom. Burtons Comment. on Antonin. his Itin. through Britain, pag. 154, 155. See more there, and 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164. See alſo M. Calamy and M. Hardie his Sermon preacht before the Londoners.
Caput atque Metropolis totius inſulae Trinovantum ſive Londinium ſive Londinum, urbs potens & amaena, quam fluviorum Rex Thameſis pererrat. Adolphi a Dans vita Elizabethae.
Quicquid habet miri Memphis, pretiive Corinthus,
Illion antiquum, Graecia magnificum,
Roma ecquid ſanctum, Campania deliciarum,
Subtile Hetruſci, ſplendidulum Heſperii:
Quicquid opum Venetis, doctrinae quicquid Athenis,
Metropolis Britonum dicat id omne ſuum.
Stradlingi Epig. l. 1. p. 1.
Tacitus, Ptolomee, and Antonine call it Londinium; Ammianus Lundinum, and Auguſta, the Inhabitants London.
It is ſituate in a rich and fertile ſoyl, abounding with plentifull ſtore of all things, and on the gentle aſcent and riſing of an Hill, hard by the Thames It is convenient for ſituation, hath a noble Bridge, navigable River. 2. Strictly governed. 3. Opulent, hath abundance of all kinds of proviſion. 4. Ancient, and enjoyeth many Immunities. Of St Pauls Cathedral. See Mr Dugdales Hiſtory, and of the Biſhops of Pauls. Londinum copia negotiatorum & commeatu valde celebre. Tacitus.ſide, which by his ſafe and deep chanel able to entertain the greateſt Ships that be, daily bringeth in ſo great riches from all parts, that it ſtriveth at this day with the Mart Towns of Chriſtendom for the ſecond prize, and affordeth a moſt ſure and beautifull rode for ſhipping.
King James being diſpleaſed with the City, becauſe ſhe would not lend him ſuch a Summe of Money, he told the Lord Maior and Aldermen one day, That he would remove his own Court, with all the Records of the Tower, and the Courts of Weſtminſter-Hall to another place, with further expreſſions of his Indignation; The Lord Maior calmly heard all, and at laſt anſwered, Your Majeſty hath power to do what you pleaſe, and your City of London will obey accordingly; but ſhe humbly deſires, that when your Majesty ſhall remove your Courts, you would be pleaſed to leave the Thames behind you.
It is for Antiquity honourable.
Ammianus Marcellinus called it in his times, and that was twelve hundred yeers ago, an old Town: and Cornelius Tacitus in like manner, who lived in Nero his dayes, 1540. years ſince, reported it to have been a place very famous for freſh trade, concourſe of Merchants, and great ſtore of victuals, and all things neceſſary.
The Tower of London, a moſt famous and goodly Citadel, encompaſſed round about with thick and ſtrong Wals, full of lofty and ſtately Turrets, fenced with a broad and deep ditch, furniſhed alſo with an Armoury or Magazine of warlike Munition, and other buildings beſides: ſo as it reſembleth a big Town.
The Tower containeth a Kings Palace, a Kings Priſon, a Kings Armoury, a Kings Mint, a Kings Wardrobe, a Kings Artillery. Gainsford.
In the yeer 1235. Frederick the Emperour ſent to Henry the Third three Leopards in token of his Regal Shield of Arms, wherein three Leopards were pictures, ſince which time thoſe Lions and others have been kept in a part of this Bulwark, now called the Lions Tower, and their Keeper there lodged. Stows Survey of London.
There are twelve chief Companies out of which the Lord Maior is to be annually choſen.
Twelve Innes ordained for Students The Inner-Temple is the mother and moſt ancient of all the other houſes of Court, Burtons Deſcript. of Leiceſterſhire.of our Common Law, whereof four being very fair and large, belong to the Judicial Courts, the reſt unto the Chancery.
Herein ſuch a number of young Gentlemen do ſo painfully ply their Books and ſtudy the Law, that for frequency of Students it is not inferiour either to Angiers, Cane, or Orleans it ſelf, as Sir John Forteſcue in his ſmall Treatiſe of the Laws of England doth witneſſe. The ſaid four principal Houſes, are the Inner-Temple, the Middle-Temple, Grayes-Inne, and Lincolns-Inne.
John Leland the famous Antiquary was born in London, Biſhop Andrews, Mr. Gataker, M. Calamy, Sir Thomas More. Chaucer, Edmund Spenſer the famous Engliſh Poets were born in London.
If any City in the world may at this day be called, as Jeruſalem once was, a Dr Reynolds Sions praiſes.City of Truth, a holy Mountain, in regard of the Doctrine of truth and holineſſe preached therein, then certainly London may. Inſomuch that Foraigners, Hungarians, Germans, Batavians, others learn our Language, and come over to this City, that they may hear our Preachers, and read our Engliſh Divines.
London-Bridge is an admirable Workmanſhip of ſtone hewen out of This work, viz. the Arches, Chappel, and ſtonebridge over the Thames was thirty three yeers in building. Stow.the Quarry, upon nineteen Arches, beſides the Draw-bridge, and is furniſhed on both ſides with paſſing fair houſes joyning one to another in manner of a ſtreet, that for bigneſſe and beauty it may worthily carry away the prize from all the Bridges in Europe.
The whole City is divided into ſix and twenty Wards: and the Councel of the City conſiſted of as many ancient men, named of their age in our tongue Aldermen, as one would ſay Senatours, who each one have the over-ſeeing and rule of his ſeveral Ward.
The chief Magiſtrate is the Lord Maior and two Sheriffs, whereof the one is called the Kings, the other the Cities Sheriff.
In Henry the Sixths Reign Godfrey Bolein was Lord Maior of London (being the Anceſtor of two renowned and virtuous Queens of England, Anne Speeds Chron.ſecond wife to King Henry the Eighth, and Elizabeth their Daughter) through whoſe great vigilancy and providence, the City ſtood ſo well guarded, that the Kings peace was dutifully kept, notwithſtanding the great Lords of both the Factions (Yorkiſts and Lancaſtrians) were with ſo great Troops of followers lodged within, and about the ſame.
In Edward the Thirds Reign, Henry Stows and Speeds Chron. in Edw. the 3d.Picard Maior of London, in one day ſumptuouſly feaſted four Kings, Edward the Third King of England, John King of France, the King of Cyprus then arrived in England, David King of Scots.
See the courage and piety of a Lord Maior in King James his time in Wilſons Hiſtory of Great-Britain, p. 106.
The Merchants meeting place ſtanding upon Pillars, which the common Thomas Greſhamus Cives Londinenſis, Mercator Regius, & ex ordine Equestri, qui patriae ornamento, & Mercatorum uſui Peryſtillium pulcherrimum (Excambiam Regium Elizabetha nominavit) Londini extruxit, & aedes, quas in urbe habuit ampliſſimas bonarum literarum profeſſioni dicavit, conſtitutis in iiſdem Sacrae Theologiae, Juris Civilis, Medicinae, Aſtronomiae, Geometriae & Rhetoricae praelectionibus cum honeſtis ſalariis. Camd. Annal. rerum Anglic. pars …. p. 286. Vide etiam pag. 189.people call the Burſe, and Queen Elizabeth with a ſolemn Ceremony named, The Royal Exchange, was ſet up by Sir Thomas Greſham Citizen and Knight; a magnificent work, whether you reſpect the Model of the building, the reſort of Merchants from all Nations thither, or the ſtore of wares there. Which Sir Thomas Greſham, being withall an exceeding great lover of Learning, conſecrated a moſt ſpacious houſe his own habitation to the furtherance of Learning, and inſtituted the Profeſſours of Divinity, Law, Phyſick, Aſtronomy, Geometry, and Muſick, with liberal Salaries and Stipends, to the end that London might be a place, not only furniſhed with all kind of Traffick, but alſo with the Liberal Arts and Sciences.
There is alſo a fair and goodly Library in Sion-Colledge, containing an hundred twenty and one foot in length, and above five and twenty foot in breadth.
In the Reign of King James, Robert Earl of Salisbury, cauſed to be erected The new Ex change.a ſtately building in the Strand, which upon Tueſday the tenth of April, in the yeer 1609. was begun to be richly furniſhed with Wares; and the next day after, the King, the Queen and Prince, with many great Lords and Ladies came to ſee, and then the King gave it the name of Britains Burſe.
Weſtminſter was called in times paſt Thorney, of Thorns, now Westminſter of the Weſt ſituation, and the Monaſtery.
A City of it ſelf, having its peculiar Magiſtrates and Priviledges.
It is renowned for the Abbey Church, the Hall of Juſtice, and the Kings Palace.
This Church is famous eſpecially by Monaſterium Weſtmonasterienſe Regum angliae inauguratione, ſepultura, & Inſignium Regalium custodia celeberrimam. Camd. Annal. rerum Anglic. par. 1o. p. 60. Vide plura ibid. & Monasticon Anglicanum, p 55, &c.reaſon of the Inauguration and Sepulture of the Kings of England.
William the Conquerour and Matilda his wife were firſt crowned at Weſtminſter, and ſince them all other Kings and Queens of this Realm have been there crowned. Stows Surveigh of London.
It is a Church of very fair Workmanſhip, ſupported with ſundry rows of Marble Pillars, a peece of work that coſt fifty yeers labour in building.
It was founded by King Edward the Confeſſour.
King Henry the Seventh for the Burial of himſelf and his children, adjoyned thereto in the Eaſt end a Chappel of admirable elegancy: Leland calleth it, The wonder of the world, all the curious and exquiſite work that can be deviſed, is there compacted.
It is reported, That the Chappel L. Herb. Henry the 8th.coſt ten thouſand pound, or as others ſay fourteen thouſand pound.
There is a Collegiate Church, and famous School: Forty Scholars in their due time are preferred to the Univerſities.
Here are buried the Prince of Engliſh Poets Geffrey Chaucer: as alſo he that for pregnant wit, and an excellent gift in Poetry of all Engliſh Poets came neereſt unto him Edmund Spenſer.
Iſaac Caſaubone.
William Camden Clarenceux King of Arms.
Weſtminſter-Hall is the greateſt Hall in England, and the very Praetorium, or Hall of Juſtice. In this are the Judicial Neer hereunto are the two Houſes of Parliament.Courts, the Upper-Bench, the Common-Pleas, and the Chancery; and in places neer thereabout, the Starre-Chamber, the Exchequer, Court of Wards, and Court of the Dutchy of Lancaſter. In which at certain ſet times (we call them Terms) Cauſes are yeerly heard and tried.
This Judgement Hall King Richard the Second built out of the ground, as appeareth by his Arms engraven in the ſtone-work, and many arched beams.
There are a hundred twenty and one Churches, more than Rome it ſelf can ſhew.
Redcliff, ſo called of the Red cliff, a pretty fine Town and dwelling place of Sailers.
Enfield-Chaſe a place much renowned for hunting.
In this County without the City of London are reckoned Pariſhes much about ſeventy three, with the City, Liberties, and Suburbs an hundred twenty and one.
Monmouthſhire.
IT is encloſed on the North-ſide with the River Munow that ſeparateth it from Herefordſhire: on the Eaſt-ſide with Wye running between it and Gloceſterſhire: on the Weſt with the River Remmey, which ſevereth it from Glamorganſhire; and on the South with the Severn.
The Eaſt part is full of Graſſe and Woods: the Weſt is ſomewhat hilly and ſtony, yet not unthankfull to the Husbandman.
Monmouth the chief Town of the Shire.
Munow and Wye at their confluence do compaſſe it almoſt round about, and give it the name. On the North-ſide, where it is not defended with the Rivers, it was fortified with a wall and ditch. In the midſt of the Town, hard by the Mercat place ſtandeth a Caſtle, which (as it is thought) John Baron of Monmouth built. It was the Birth place of Henry the Fifth that triumpher over France, and the ſecond Ornament of the Engliſh Nation.
It glorieth alſo that Geffrey Ap Arthur, or of Munmouth, Compiler of the Britiſh Hiſtory was born and bred there: a man well skilled in Antiquities, but (as it ſeemeth) not of antique credit; ſo many toyes and tales he every where enterlaceth out of his owne brain, as he was charged while he lived.
Chepstow a famous Town, and of good reſort, ſituate upon the ſide of an Hill, riſing from the very River, fortified round about with a Wall of a large circuit, which includes within it both Fields and Orchards. It hath a very ſpacious Caſtle ſituate over the River.
Strighall Caſtle, it belongs to the Earls of Pembroke.
Sudbroke, the Church whereof called Trinity-Chappel ſtandeth neer the Sea, a moor for many miles together.
Abergenny, It is fortified with Wals, and a Caſtle.
This Shire containeth Pariſh Churches an hundred twenty ſeven.