England Described, Treatise · County 24 – County 26
Northfolk or Norfolk.
PEople of the North.
It is a Region large and ſpacious, and in manner all thorowout a plain champion, unleſſe it be where there riſe gently ſome pretty Hils; paſſing rich, exceeding full of Sheep, and ſtored with Coneys, repleniſhed likewiſe with a great number of populous Villages: for beſides twenty ſeven Mercat Towns, it is able to ſhew Villages and Countrey Towns ſix hundred twenty and five, watered with divers Rivers and Brooks, and not altogether deſtitute of Wood.
A man may collect the goodneſſe of the ground by this, that the Inhabitants Ex infima plebe non pauci reperiuntur quin ſi nihil litium ſit, lites tamen ex ipſis Juris apicibus ſerere calleant. Camdenus.are of a paſſing good complexion, to ſay nothing of their exceeding wily wits, and the ſame right quick in the inſight of our Common Laws: inſomuch as it is counted, the only Countrey for beſt Lawyers.
One ſaith, that three hundred and forty niſi prius were tried there at one Aſſizes.
It is a pleaſant Countrey for ſports, Hawking and Hunting.
Thetford the Ford of Thet, of good There are three Churches.bigneſſe, yet it hath but few Inhabitants.
Harleſton a good Mercat.
Norwich a famous City by reaſon of the wealth, number of Inhabitants, the reſort of people, fair buildings, and many fair Churches (it containeth thirty two Pariſhes, and fourty two Chappels and Churches) the painfull induſtry of the Citizens, and their courteſie unto ſtrangers.
The Market, Croſſe and Cloiſter of the Cathedral there, are the faireſt in England.
It is pleaſantly ſituate on the ſide of an Hill, compaſſed about with ſtrong Wals, (in which are orderly placed many Turrets, and twelve Gates) unleſſe it be on the Eaſt-ſide, where the River is a fence thereto..
It is three miles about. The Arms of the City are the Caſtle and Lion.
A City whoſe Antiquity Alexander Ʋrbs nunc ampla eſt, nobilis florens, celebris, & civitatum omnium ſecundum Londinum (univerſi Regni Emporium) multo maxima auguſtiſſima que . Nevilli Norvicus. No one Shire of England hath three ſuch Towns as Norwich, Linn and Yarmouth. Speed.Nevil hath moſt learnedly and elegantly ſet down in Latine.
It hath been long famous for the ancient cloathes, or ſtuff, called Worſted, but hath lately abounded in variety of weaving through the invention and induſtry of the Dutch and French Flemmings which inhabit there in great numbers.
There is a great Houſe there of the Duke of Norfolks, now the Earl of Arundels, where there are very fair Granaries, and the beſt Bowling-alley in England.
There is alſo an Hoſpital, where an hundred of men and women are maintained.
Matthew Parker was born here.
Yarmouth a very convenient Haven, and as fair a Town, beautifully built, and well fenced, both by the natural ſtrength of the place, and alſo by the skilfull induſtry of mans art.
It hath but one Church, yet the ſame is very large, having a high Steeple to adorn it. It is famous for fiſhing and merchandizing.
There are two long Streets in it, each of them a mile long, one called the Dean-ſtreet, the other the Key: There is alſo another Street, called the Middle-ſtreet, and many rows, as they call them after the manner of Holland. There is alſo a fair Market place.
Holt a Town ſo called of an Holt or tuft of trees, and for the Mercat well▪ known.
Aileſham a Mercat Town of good reſort.
Worsted, where the ſtuff worſted in ſo great requeſt amongſt our Anceſtors was firſt made; and hence ſo named, as Dornicks, Camery, Calecut, had in like manner their denominations from the places where they were firſt invented and made.
Walſingham. This Village is very famous by reaſon of the beſt Saffron growing there.
The Family of the Walſinghams Knights, fetched firſt their name and original from hence: out of which houſe flouriſhed that Sir Francis Walſingham Secretary to Queen Elizabeth, a man as of deep inſight, ſo alſo of as rare and painfull induſtry in the weightieſt affairs of the Realm.
Lynne peradventure ſo named of the waters broad ſpreading. So Lynne imports in the Welch tongue.
This is a large Town encompaſſed with a deep Trench and Wals, for the moſt part thereof divided by two ſmall Rivers that have fifteen Bridges, or thereabout over them. It is called old Linne, and Linnum Regis, that is, Kings Linne; yet by reaſon of the ſafe Haven which yeeldeth moſt eaſie acceſſe, for the number alſo of the Merchants there dwelling, and thither reſorting, for the fair and the goodly houſes, the wealth alſo of the Townſmen, it is doubtleſſe the principal Town of this Shire, except Norwich onelyonly.
Merſhland, a little moiſt Merſh-Countrey, as the name implieth, a ſoil ſtanding upon very rich and fertile mould, and breeding abundance of Cattel: inſomuch as that in a place commonly called Tilneyſmeth there feed much about thirty thouſaud Sheep.
In this Province there be Pariſh Churches about ſix hundred and ſixty.
In Norfolk and Suffolk there are more Pariſhes than in any other Counties, ſix hundred and odde in Norfolk, and above five hundred in Suffolk.
Northamptonſhire.
THis County is ſituate in the very middle and heart (as it were) of England. On the Eaſt lie Bedford and Huntingdonſhires. On the South Buckingham and Oxfordſhires: Weſtward Warwickshire: Northward Rutlandſhire, and Lincolnſhire, ſeparated from it by Avon the leſſe, and Welland two Rivers.
It is a champion Countrey, exceeding populous, and paſſing well furniſhed with Noblemens and Gentlemens Houſes, repleniſhed alſo with Towns and Churches; inſomuch as in ſome places there are twenty, and in others thirty Seeples with Spires or ſquare Towers within view at once.
The ſoil very fertile both for Tillage and Paſture, yet nothing ſo well ſtored with Woods, unleſſe it be in the further and hither ſides. But in every place, as elſwhere alſo in England, it is over-ſpread, and (as it were) beſet with Sheep.
Brakley a place full of Brake or Fern, the Students of Magdalen▪ Colledge in Oxford, uſe the Colledge there for a retiring place.
Torceſter, ſo called of Towrs. It hath a large Church in it.
Hard by at Eston-Neſſont there is a There is the earlieſt Park of England. The King was went to have veniſon thence before he had it out of his own Parks.fair and beautifull Houſe belonging to the Knightly Family of the Farmers.
Sacy-Foreſt ſtored with Deer, and fit for game.
Avon a general name of all Rivers. This Aufona or Nen is a notable River, which after a ſort runneth through the middle part of this Shire.
Dantrey is a through-fare Town, well known at this day by reaſon of the Innes there.
Faweſly where have dwelt a long time the Knightleys deſcended from thoſe more ancient Knightleys of Gnowſhall in the County of Stafford.
Wedon in the ſtreet. It is a pretty through-fare ſet on a plain ground, and much celebrated by Carriers, becauſe it ſtandeth hard by the famous way there commonly call'd of the people *Of that, and the other famous wayes in England, ſee Burtons Commen. on Antoninus his Itinerary through Britain.Watlingstreet. Lelands Itinerary.
Holdenby-Houſe, a fair patern of ſtately and magnificent building.
Northampton, ſo called from its ſituation upon the North-bank of the River Aufon. The City for Houſes is very fair, for circuit of good largeneſſe, and walled about: and from the Wall there is a goodly Proſpect every way to a wide and ſpacious plain Countrey.
There are ſeven Pariſh Churches within the Wals, whereof the Church of Alhallows is principal, ſtanding in the heart of the Town, and is large and well builded. Lelands Itinerary.
Mercat Wellingborow.
Kettering a Mercat Town well frequented.
Higham-Ferrers. The excellent ornament of this place was Henry Chichley *He was brought up in New-Colledge in Oxford, where he proceeded Doctor of Law.Archbiſhop of Canterbury, who built All-Souls Colledge in Oxford, and another here, where he placed ſecular Clerks and Prebendaries, and withall an Hoſpital for the poor.
Oundale, there is a fair Church, and a Free-School for the inſtruction of children, and an Almeſ-houſe for poor people.
Fothering-hay Caſtle, environed on every ſide with moſt pleaſing medows.
Here Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded.
Upton, ſo called, becauſe it is highly ſituate.
Peterborow, becauſe the Monaſtery Petriburgus, or Petropolis.was dedicated to Saint Peter. See Monaſticon Anglicanum, p. 63.
Baibroke Caſtle.
Rockingham Caſtle.
Welledon.
Maxey Caſtle.
There belong unto this Shire three hundred twenty ſix Pariſhes.
Nottinghamſhire.
IT is limited Northward with Yorkſhire, Weſtward with Darbyſhire, and in ſome parts with Yorkſhire, and on the South-ſide with Leiceſterſhire. The South and Eaſt parts thereof are made more fruitfull by the noble and famous River Trent, with other Riverets reſorting unto it.
The Foreſt of Shirewood in the Weſt Ab arborum proceritate, & in frequentia veprium, Lympida Sylva noto ſatis nomine dicitur. Twini Comment.part ſtretcheth out a great way. It yeeldeth ſtore of wood to maintain fire. It hath a grea… number of Fallow-Deer, yea and Stags with their ſtately branching heads feeding within it.
Mansfield there is a great Mercat paſſing well ſerved, and as well frequented. The firſt Earl of Mansfield in Germany was one of King Arthurs Knights of the Round-Table, born and bred at this Mansfield.
Nottingham (the principal Town, which hath given name unto the Shire) is ſeated on the ſide of an Hill. The Town for the natural ſite thereof is right pleaſant: as where, on the one hand lie fair and large Medows by the Rivers-ſide; on the other, riſe Hils with a gentle and eaſie aſcent: and is plentifully provided of all things beſide, neceſſary for mans life.
It is both a large Town and well builded for Timber and Plaiſter, and ſtandeth ſtately on a climbing Hill. It hath a fair Market place and ſtreet. The Caſtle ſtandeth on a rocky Hill on the Weſt-ſide of the Town, and Line Riveret goeth by the roots of it. Lelands Itinerary.
For largeneſſe, for building, for three fair Churches, a paſſing ſpacious and beautifull Mercat place, and moſt ſtrong Caſtle, it maketh a goodly ſhew.
Newark, as one would ſay, the new work, of the new Caſtle. Here King John finiſhed the moſt weariſom courſe of his troubleſom life.
Little-borough, a little Town indeed, and truly anſwering to the name.
Workenſop a Town well known for the Liquorice that there groweth, and proſpereth paſſing well.
Blithe a famous Mercat Town.
Wollerton a fair Houſe built by Sir Francis Willoughby.
There are in this County an hundred ſixty eight Pariſhes.