England Described, Treatise · County 35 – County 36
Surrey.
FRom the Weſt it boundeth partly upon Barkſhire and Hantſhire; from the South upon Suſſex; and from the Eaſt on Kent; toward the North it is watered with the River Tames, and by it divided from Middleſex.
It is a Countrey not very large, yet wealthy enough, where it beareth upon Thames, and lieth as a plain and champion Countrey. It is likened by ſome unto a courſe freeze garment with a green gard, or to a cloath of great ſpinning, and thin woven, with a green liſt about it, becauſe the inner part is but barren, the outward edge or skirt more fertile.
Chertſey a kind of Iſland.
Fernham, ſo named of much Fern growing in that place.
Guildford a Mercat Town well frequented, and full of fair Innes.
Ockam, where that great Philoſopher and Father of the nominals William de Ockham was born, and whereof he took that name, as of the next Village Ripley, George Ripley a ring-leader of our Alchymiſts.
Oatlands a fair houſe of the Kings: neer unto which Caeſar paſſed over Tames into the Borders of Caſsivelaunus. For See more in Camdens Britania there.this was the only place where a man might in times paſt go over the Tames on foot, and that hardly too, which the Britains themſelves improvidently bewrayed unto Caeſar.
Ockley, ſo named of Oaks.
Rhiegate, the Rivers courſe.
Holm-Caſtle.
Beckworth-Caſtle.
Effingham.
Kingstone a very good Mercat Town The Kings Town. Regio-dunum Tameſinam ſic dictum quod ad Tameſini fluvii ripam ſitum ſit. Lel. Kings Kingston upon the Thames, ſo called to diſtinguiſh it from Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire.for the bigneſſe, and well frequented. It had beginning from a little Town more ancient then it of the ſame name. In which, when England was almoſt ruinated by the Daniſh Warres, Aethelſtan, Edwin and Ethelred were crowned Kings upon an open ſtage in the Market place, whence it was called Kingston. Leland. Comment. in Cygn. Cant. Camd. Brit.
Shene, ſo called of its ſhining brightneſſe, now Richmond, wherein the moſt mighty Prince King Edward the Third, when he had lived ſufficiently both to glory and nature, died.
King Henry the Seventh built it, and gave it that name of Richmond, of the Title he bare, being Earl of Richmond, before he obtained the Crown of England. He had ſcarce finiſhed this new work, when in this place he yeelded unto Nature, and ended his Life. Here Queen Elizabeth alſo died.
None-ſuch a retiring place of the Princes, Quanta illic Romanae antiquitaris aemulatio? Quantum ſpecioſae picturae? Quantum auri? Quantum denique omnia genera ornamentorum. Diceres Coelum eſſe ſtellis interpolatum. Lel. Comment. in Cygn. Cant.and ſurpaſſeth all other houſes round about: which King Henry the Eighth, in a very healthfull place called Cuddington before, ſelected for his own delight and eaſe, and built with ſo great ſumptuouſneſſe and rare workmanſhip, that it aſpireth to the very top of oſtentation for ſhew: ſo as a man may think, that all the skill of Architecture is in this one piece of work beſtowed, and heaped up together. So many Statues and lively Images there were in every place, ſo many wonders of abſolute Workmanſhip, and Workes ſeeming to contend with Roman Antiquities, that moſt worthily it might have this name that it hath of None-ſuch.
Hane quia non habeant ſimilem laudare Britanni,
Saepè ſolent, nullique parem, cognomine dicunt.
The Britains oft are wont to praiſe this place: For that through all
The Realm they cannot ſhew the like, and None-ſuch they it call.
The Houſe was environed about with Parks full of Deer, it had ſuch dainty and delicate Orchards, ſuch Groves adorned with curious Arbours, ſo pretty quarters, Beds and Alleys, ſuch Walks ſo ſhadowed with Trees, that it was exceeding pleaſant.
Wandle a clear Riveret full of the beſt Trouts.
Woodcot a pretty Town.
Croidon, there was the Archbiſhops houſe of Canterbury: There are Charcoals.
Bedington a fair houſe, beautified with a delightfull ſhew of pleaſant Gardens and Orchards.
Addington.
Aguilon ſituate in a moſt fertile ſoil.
Merton. It is famous for the Statute of Merton, enacted here in the 21. of King Henry the Third, and alſo for Walter de Merton Founder of Merton Colledge in Oxford, borne and bred here.
Wimbledon, there is a goodly Houſe, beautifull for building, and delectable for fair profpect, and right pleaſant Gardens, built in the year 1588. when the Spaniſh Armado made ſail upon the coaſt of England.
Wandleſworth.
Putney. Thomas Cromwell Earl of Eſſex in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, was born there.
Baterſey.Batterſega. Nomen loco inditum ut ego conjicio ex cymbis. Leland. Comment. in Cygn. Cant. A low or clayiſh rode or hide. The Southwork or building, becauſe it ſtandeth South ove againſt London, the Suburbs whèreof it may ſeem in ſome ſort to be.
Lambeth. Canutus the Hardy King of England there amidſt his cups yeelded up his vital breath.
It was the Palace of the Archbiſhop of Canterbury.
Southwark, the Burrough of Southwork, the moſt famous Mercat Town and place of Trade in all this Shire. It is large and populous. In the Reign of King Edward the Sixth, it was annexed to the City of London, and is at this day taken for a member (as it were) of it.
Sterborow-Caſtle.
This County hath in it an hundred and forty Pariſh Churches.
Suſſex.
THe Region of the South Saxons, a word compounded of the ſite thereof Southward, and of the Saxons, who in their Heptarchy placed here the ſecond Kingdom. It is above threeſcore miles long, and ſomewhat above twenty miles broad.
It lieth upon the Britiſh Ocean all Southward with a ſtrait ſhore (as it were) farre more in length than breadth: How be it it hath few harbours, by reaſon that the Sea is dangerous for ſhelves, and therefore rough and troublous, the ſhore alſo it ſelf full of Rocks.
The Sea-coaſt of this Countrey, hath green Hils on it, mounting to a greater height, called the Downs, which becauſe they ſtand upon a fat chalk, or kind of Marle, yeeldeth corn abundantly.
The middle tract, garniſhed with Medows, Paſtures, Corn-fields and Groves, maketh a very lovely ſhew.
The hithermore and northern ſide thereof is ſhaded moſt pleaſantly with Woods, like as in times paſt the whole Countrey throughout, which by reaſon of the Woods was hardly paſſable. The Wood Andradſwald taking the name of Anderida the City next adjoyning, took up in this quarter, a hundred and twenty miles in length, and thirty in bredth.
It is full of Mines in ſundry places, where for the making and fining whereof there be Furnaces on every ſide, and a huge deal of Wood is yeerly ſpent, to which purpoſe divers Brooks in many places are brought to runne in one chanel, and ſundry Medows turned into Pools and Waters, that they might be of power ſufficient to drive Hammer-mils, which beating upon the iron, reſound all over the places adjoyning.
Boſeham a place environed round about with Woods, and the Sea together.
Chicheſter lieth in a champion plain▪ In Latine Ciceſtria.A City large enough, and walled about, built by Ciſsa a Saxon the ſecond King of this Province, and of him ſo named. It hath four Gates opening to the four Quarters of the World: from whence the ſtreets lead directly, and croſſe themſelves in the midſt, where the Market is kept; a fair ſtone Market place, ſupported with Pillars round about.
The Church it ſelf is not great, but very fair and neat, having a Spire-ſteeple of ſtone, riſing up paſſing high.
Selſey the Iſle of Sea-Calves, now Called Seals.famous for good Cockles, and full Lobſters.
Amberley, there is a Caſtle.
Arundel.
Petworth a houſe of my Lord of Northumberland, where there is a very fair ſtable.
Horſeham an indifferent Market.
Michel-grove, that is, Great-Grove.
Old Shoreham a Village.
Stening a great Market, and at certaine ſet dayes much frequented.
Lewes, this for frequency of people It is the Shire Town.and greatneſſe, is reputed one of the chiefeſt Towns of the County, it is ſeated upon a riſing almoſt on every ſide. There are ſix Churches in the Town.
High-hills, called the Downs, which for rich fertility giveth place to few valleys and plains.
Pemſey or Peremſey Marſh of Pevenſey, the next Towne adjoyning,
Herſt-Mounceaux.
Aſhburnham, it gave the name to a Family of great Antiquity.
Hastings. It is accounted the firſt of the Cinque-Ports.
Winchelſey a fair Town.
Rhie, a very commodious Haven: Ripa.There is an uſual paſſage from hence into Normandy.
Echingham.
Bodiam a Caſtle belonging to the ancient Family of the Leaknors.
Aſhdown-Foreſt, under which ſtandeth Baron Buckhurſt.Buckhurſt, the Habitation of the ancient Houſe of the Sackviles.
Waterdown-Foreſt.
This Province containeth Pariſhes three hundred and twelve.