England Described, Treatise · County 27 – County 31
Northumberland.
THe Ground it ſelf for the moſt The Nobility and Gentry of the North, are of great antiquity, and can produce more ancient Families, then any other part of England, many of them Gentry before the Conqueſt; the reſt came in with William the Conquerour.part is rough, and hard to be manured, ſeemeth to have hardened the Inhabitants, whom the Scots their neighbours alſo made more fierce and hardy, while ſometimes they keep them exerciſed in warres, and other whiles in time of peace intermingle their manners among them, ſo that by theſe means they are a moſt warlike Nation, and excellent good Light-horſe men. And whereas they addicted themſelves wholly to Arms; there is not a man amongſt the better ſort, that hath not his little Tower or Pile: and ſo it was divided into a number of Baronies: the Lords whereof in times paſt before King Edward the Firſt his dayes went commonly under the name of Barons, although ſome of them were of no great living. But a wiſe and politick deviſe this was of our Anceſtours, to cheriſh and maintain Martial Proweſſe among them in the marches of the Kingdome, if it were nothing elſe, but with an honourable bare Title.
Toward the Sea and Tine, by diligence and good Husbandry it becometh very fruitfull; but elſe where it is more barren, rough, and (as it were) unmanurable. And in many places Sea-coles are digged up in great plenty to the great gain of the Inhabitants, and commodity of others.
Thrilwale Caſtle, not great, but ſtrongly built.
Otterburn, where there was a field moſt valiantly fought between the Scots and Engliſh; in which the Victory waved alternatively too and fro three or four times, and fell in the end to the Scottiſh.
*Axelodunum.Hexham.
New-Castle *So called, becauſe Robert de Curtois Son of William the Conquerour built there a new Caſtle out of the ground againſt the neighbouring Scots.upon Tine, the very eye of all the Towns in theſe parts, ennobled by a notable Haven, which Tine maketh, being of that depth, that it beareth very tall Ships, and ſo defendeth them, that they can neither eaſily be toſſed with tempeſts, nor driven upon ſhallows and ſhelves. It is ſituate on the riſing of an Hill. It is adorned with four Churches, and fortified with moſt ſtrong walls, which have ſeven Gates in them, with many Towers.
It is wealthy, partly by entercourſe of traffick with the Germans, and partly by carrying out Sea-coles, wherewith this Countrey aboundeth, both into foraign Countreys, and alſo into other parts of England.
Portus, Caſtrum, Carbo, Salmo, Salina, Molaris,
Murus, Pons, Templum, Schola ſunt novi gloria Caſtri.
Hurſt. A Sylva nomen accepit, nec aliunde ſejactat, quam a minaci Caſtello. Lel. Comment. in Cygn. Cant.
Tinmouth-Castle, a ſtately and ſtrong Caſtle.
Morpeth a famous little Town.
Morpith-Caſtle, ſo called, from the death of the Picts in that place.
Withrington an ancient Caſtle, which gave the name unto the Withringtons Gentlemen of good Birth, and Knights, whoſe valour in the war hath been from time to time remarkable.
Warkworth a proper fair Caſtle. There is a Chappel wonderfully built out of a Rock hewen hollow, and wrought without beams, rafters, or any pieces of Timber.
Alnwick or Anwick, a Town ennobled Alnevicum.by the victory of the Engliſhmen over the Scots, and fortified with a goodly Caſtle. The Earls of Northumberland kept their Court at that Caſtle.
Emildon. Here was born John Duns, In Dunſton a little village within the Pariſh of Emildon.called Scotus, becauſe he was deſcended of Scotiſh bloud, who being brought up in Merton-Colledge at Oxford, became wonderfull well learned in Logick, and in that crabbed and intricate Divinity of thoſe dayes: yet as one ſtill doubtfull and unreſolved, he did overcaſt the truth of Religion with miſts of obſcurity. And with ſo profound and admirable ſubtilty, in a dark and rude ſtile, he wrote many Works, that he deſerved the title of the Subtile Doctor: and after his own name erected a new Sect of the Scotiſts. But he died pitifully, being taken with an Apoplexy, and over-haſtily buried for dead; whiles upon return of life, nature (though too late) was about to diſcuſſe the violence of the diſeaſe: and he, making means in vain by a lamentable noiſe for help, after he had a long time knocked his head againſt the Grave-ſtone, daſhed out his own brains, and at laſt yeelded up his vital breath.
Norrham or Northam. There is a Caſtle upon the top of an high ſteep Rock, and fortified with a trench.
Berwick the utmoſt Town in England, Berwicus.and the ſtrongeſt hold in all Britain. It is well neer compaſſed about with the Sea. and Twede together.
Upon the Weſt parts of Northumberland, the Picts-Wall is; in ſome of the waſte ground the Wall is to be ſeen of great height, and almoſt whole.
The Roman Britains being continually moleſted by the often incurſions of the barbarous people called Picts. The Emperour Severus built a Wall of ſtone, An hundred miles long.with great wiſdome and induſtry to ſtrengthen the Northern parts of Britain, againſt the many inrodes of the Picts. At every miles end of this Wall was a Tower, and in the Wall a Pipe of Mettal betwixt the Tower or Sentinel-houſes, that ſo ſoon as a man had ſet his mouth to this Pipe, they might hear through all the Sentinels, where the enemy was, and ſo in a ſhort time giving warning from one end of the Wall to the other.
There are about fourty ſix Pariſhes in Northumberland.
Oxfordſhire.
ON the Weſt-ſide it joyneth upon Gloceſterſhire; on the South, which way it runneth out fartheſt in breadth, it is diſſevered from Barkſhire by the River Iſis or Tamis; Eaſtward it bordereth upon Buckinghamſhire; and Northward where it endeth pointed, in manner of a Cone, or Pineapple, hath Northamtonſhire of one ſide, and Warwickſhire on the otherſide, confining with it.
It is a fertile Countrey and plentifull▪ wherein the plains are garniſhed with Corn-fields and Medows, the Hils beſet with Woods, ſtored in every place not only with Corn and Fruits, but alſo with all kind of Game for Hound or Hawk; and well watered with fiſh-full Rivers.
Hoch-Norton, for the ruſtical behaviour of the Inhabitants in the age afore-going, it grew to be a Proverb, when folk would ſay of one rudely demeaning himſelf, and unmannerly after an Hoggiſh kind, That he was born at Hocknorton.
Woodstock a woody place. Here is one of the Kings Houſes full of ſtate and magnificence, built by King Henry the Firſt, who adjoyned alſo thereunto a very large Park compaſſed round about with a ſtone wall, which John Roſſe writeth to have been the firſt Park Wedgenock Park in Warwickshire is one of the moſt ancient Parks in England.in England.
Our Hiſtorians report, that King Henry the Second being enamoured upon Roſamond Clifford, a Damſel ſo fair, ſo comely and well-favoured without compariſon, that her beauty did put all other women out of the Princes mind; inſomuch as ſhe was termed Roſa mundi, the Roſe of the world; and to hide her out of the ſight of his jealous Juno the Queen, he built a Labyrinth in this Houſe, with many inextricable windings, backward and forward: which notwithſtanding is no where to be ſeen at this day.
She was buried at Godſtow with this Epitaph in Rhyme.
Hic jacet in tumba Roſa mundi, non Roſa munda,
Non redolet, ſed olet, quae redolere ſolet.
The Town it ſelf having nothing at all to ſhew, glorieth yet in this, that Jeffrey Chaucer our Engliſh Homer was there bred and brought up.
Banbury a fair large Town. It is famous Nunc autem conficiendo Caſeo notiſſimum. So Camden. Dr Holland engliſheth that thus. Now the fame of this Town is for Zeal, Cheeſe and Cakes. Though that is but an unhandſome conjunction, and there is no ground for it in Camden, yet in Mr Wheatlyes time (to my knowledge) it was famous for zeal, and I hope is ſo now.for Cheeſe and Cakes.
Hanwell, where the Family of Cope hath flouriſhed many yeers in great and good eſteem.
Broughton, the ſeat of my Lord Say and Sele.
Iſlip the native place of that King Edward, whom for his religious piety and continency, our Anceſtours and the Popes vouchſafed the name of Edward the Confeſſor.
Oxford a fair and goodly City, whether Oxonia or Oxonium. Quodcunque habuit ab initio nomen, pulcherrimum & ſaluberrimum habet ſitum regionemque, omnia neceſſaria affatim miniſtrantem, bonarum que litterarum celeberrimam ſcholam, ut omnes, qui alias Europae Academias adierunt, facilè agnoſcunt. Lhyd. Com. Brit. Deſcrip. Fragment.a man reſpect the ſeemly beauty of private houſes, or the ſtately magnificence of publick buildings, together with the wholſome ſite or pleaſant proſpect thereof. It was from its ſituation in ancient times, called Bello ſitum.
Iſidis vadum Saxonice Ouſeford, & Ouſenford, corrupte Oxford. Hiſtoria circumfertur adfirmans hanc urbem olim ab amaenitate ſitûs Belloſitum dictum fuiſſe: Joannes Roſſus hinc edoctus, hoc idem affirmat. Let. Comment. in Cygn. Cant.
Oxonienſis Univerſitas Schola ſecunda Eccleſiae, imo Eccleſiae fundamentum. Matthew Paris Hiſt. Angl. pag. 945.
In the Councel of Vienna, it was ordained that there ſhould be erected Schools for the Hebrew, Greek, Arabick and Chaldaean Tongues, in the ſtudies of Paris, Oxford, Bonony and Salamanca, as the moſt famous of all others, to the end that the knowledge of theſe Tongues might by effectual inſtruction be throughly learned.
Here are 17 Colledges, and 7 Hals.
Dorcheſter, a Town known in times paſt to the Romans. Vide Lel. Commentin Cygn. Cant.
Henley upon Tamis, The Inhabitants of it for the moſt part are watermen.
This County containeth two hundred and eighty Pariſh Churches.
Richmondſhire.
IT takes the name from a Caſtle.
Moſt of it lieth very high, with ragged Rocks, and ſwelling Mountains, whoſe ſloping ſides in ſome places bear good Graſſe, the bottom and Valleys are not altogether unfruitfull. The Hils themſelves within, are ſtored with Lead, Pit-coal and Copper.
Nappa an houſe built with Turrets, and the chief ſeat of the Medcalfs, thought to be not long ſince the greateſt Family for multitude of the ſame name, in all England: For I have heard that Sir Chriſtopher Medcalf Knight, and the top of this kindred being of late High-Sheriff of the Shire, accompanied with three hundred men of the ſame Houſe all on Horſe-back, and in a Livery, met and received the Juſtices of Aſſizes, and ſo brought them to York. So Camden.
Bolton-Caſtle, a ſtately Caſtle.
Richmond, the chief Town of the Countrey, well peopled and frequented.
Hourby-Caſtle.
There are contained in this Shire an hundred and four Pariſhes beſides Chappels.
Rutlandſhire.
IT is the leaſt County of all England. Lying in form almoſt round like a circle, it is in compaſſe ſo farre about, as a Light-horſman will ride in one day.
It was called Rutland, as one would Rutlan-Caſtle in Wales is ſo named, being built on a ſhore of red earth.ſay Red-land, the Earth in this Shire is every where red, and ſo red that even the Sheeps fleeces are thereby coloured red: the Engliſh-Saxons called Red in their tongue Roet and Rud.
Uppingham a place upon an high aſcent, whence that name was impoſed, a well frequented Mercat Town.
The Vale of Catmoſe a field full of Woods.
Okeham is in the midſt of it, ſo called from Oaks.
This ſmall Shire hath Pariſh Churches fourty eight.
Shropſhire.
ON the Eaſt-ſide it hath Staffordſhire; Commitatus Salopienſis.on the Weſt Mongomeryſhire and Denbighſhire; on the South-ſide Worceſter, Hereford and Radnorſhires, and on the North Cheſhire.
It is repleniſhed with Towns and Caſtles ſtanding thick on every ſide, in regard of repelling and repreſſing the Welſhmen in the Marches bordering hereupon. Whence our Anceſtours by an ancient word, named the Confines of this Shire toward Wales, the Marches, becauſe they were Bounds and Limits between the Welſh and Engliſh; and divers Noblemen in this Tract were called Barons of the March, and Lords Marchers, who had every one in their Territory a certain peculiar juriſdiction, and in their own Courts miniſtred Law unto the Inhabitants, with ſundry Priviledges and Immunities.
Biſhops-Caſtle, ſo called, becauſe it belonged to the Biſhops of Hereford, whoſe Dioceſſe and Juriſdiction was large in this Shire.
Clun-Caſtle, ſo called from the River Clun.
Ludlow, it ſtandeth upon an Hill, a Town more fair than ancient.
Bridgnorth, ſo called of Burgh or Burrough, and Morfe (heretofore a Foreſt) adjoyning. A Town fortified with Walls, a Ditch, a ſtately Caſtle, and the Severn: ſeated alſo upon a Rock, out of which the wayes leading into the upper part of the Town were wrought out.
Wenlock, now known for the Lime.
Huckſtow-Foreſt.
Routon-Caſtle.
Tong-Caſtle, there is a Bell for the bigneſſe of it very famous in all thoſe parts adjoyning.
Draiton.
Wem.
Morton-Corbet, a Caſtle of the Corbets. Shrewsbury the famouſeſt Town of Salop in Latine Salopia.this Shire, it ſtandeth moſt pleaſantly.
It is ſeated upon an Hill of a reddiſh Earth, and Severn, having two very fair Bridges upon it. Neither is it ſtrengthened only by nature, but fortified alſo by Art; it is like a Horſe-ſhoe in the opening place. There is a ſtrong ſtately Caſtle.
It is a fair and goodly City well frequented and traded, full of good merchandize, It hath a fair Library and School-houſe▪ and Brewhouſe.and by reaſon of the Citizens painfull diligence, with Cloth making, and Traffique with Welſhmen, rich and wealthy. For, hither (almoſt) all the Commodities of Wales do conflow (as it were) to a common Mart of both Nations.
It is inhabited both with Welſh and Engliſh, ſpeaking both Languages.
One of the rarities there is their Cakes, ſuch as cannot be made ſo well in any other place of England.
Shrawerden Caſtle.
Knocking-Caſtle.
Oſweſtre, a little Town encloſed with So called from Oſwald King of the Northumbers:a Ditch and a Wall, fortified alſo with a pretty Caſtle, in it there is great Traffick of Welſh Cottons.
Whittington-Caſtle.
Whit-Church, or Album Monaſterium.
Elleſmer a little Territory, but rich and fruitfull.
In this Region there are about an hundred and ſeventy Pariſhes.
It had the great Lawyer, Ployden; the rich Squire Thin; the great Hebrician, Broughton; the ſtrong man, the Baron of Burford; the witty Jeſter, Tarleton.