England Described, Treatise · County 39
VViltſhire.
IT is altogether a mediterranean or Wiltonia of Wilton ſometime the chief Town, and of the River Willymidland Countrey. It is encloſed with Somerſetſhire on the Weſt, Berkſhire and Hampſhire on the Eaſt; on the North with Gloceſterſhire; on the South with Dorſetſhire, and a part of Hampſhire.
A region, which as it breedeth a number of warlike and hardy men, who in old time with Cornwall and Denſhire together challenged by reaſon of their manhood, and martial proweſſe the prerogative of the Engliſh Army, of that Regiment which ſhould ſecond the main Battel; ſo it is exceeding fertile, and plentifull of all things; yea, and for the variety thereof paſſing pleaſant and delightſome.
Wanſdike a Dike of wonderfull work, caſt up for many miles together.
The Saxons made it as a limit to divide the two Kingdom of the Mercians and Weſt-Saxons aſunder: For this was the very place of Battel between them, while each ſtrove one with another, to enlarge his Dominions.
Greeklade, ſo called of Greek Philoſophers, as ſome are ready to believe; who (as the Hiſtory of Oxford reporteth) began there an Univerſity, which afterwards was tranſlated to Oxford.
Camdens Britan.Crecolada non inſignis olim ut vulgus indoctum ſomniat, Grecanicis ſcholis. Lel. Comment. in Cygn. Cant. Vide Burtoni Graec. Ling. hiſt. p. 52. Et Godwin. de Praeſul. Ang. Comment. de Theodoro Archiepiſc. Cant. p. 61.
This (though Leland diſlikes) other learned men approve.
See M. Seldens Illuſtrat. of Draytons Polyolb.
High-worth highly ſeated, and well known.
Wood-Town or Wotton-Baſſet. It hath his primitive name from Wood, the addition proves, that it belonged to the noble Houſe of the Baſſets.
Malmesbury, a very neat Town, and hath a great name for cloathing.
See Monasticon Anglicanum, p. 49. of the Monaſtery here.
Maidulphi Urbs, that is, Maidulphs City, and afterwards ſhort Malmesbury. Aldelme the chief of Maidulphs Diſciples being elected, his Succeſſour built there a very fair Monaſtery, and was himſelf the firſt Abbot thereof. He was canonized a Saint, and on his Feſtival day, there was here kept a great Fair, at which uſually there is a Band of armed men, appointed to keep the peace among ſo many reſorting thither. He was the firſt of the Engliſh Nation, who wrote in Latine, and that taught Engliſhmen the way how to make a Latine Verſe.
Primus ego in Patriam mecum, modò vita ſuperſit,
Aonio rediens deducam vertice Muſas.
This Monaſtery among other famous Clerks, & great Scholars, brought forth William ſurnamed thereof Malmesburienſis, unto whom for his learned induſtry, the Hiſtory of England both Civil and Eccleſiaſtical are deeply indebted.
Colne an old little Town ſituate upon a ſtony ground, having in it a fair Church to commend it.
Chippenham, of note at this day for Cyppanus in the Saxon tongue is to buy, and Cyppen a buyer, as with us Cheapen and Chapman.the Market there kept. There is now nothing worth the ſight but the Church, built by the Barons Hungerford, as appeareth every where by their Coats of Armes ſet up thereon.
Coſham a little Village.
Caſtle-Comb an old Caſtle.
Leckham the poſſeſſion of the noble Family of the Bainards.
Lacock a Monaſtery.
The Caſtle De Vies, the Devizes, built by Roger Biſhop of Salisbury. He built alſo the Caſtle of Malmesbury and Shireburn.
Trubridge, that is, a ſure and truſty Bridge in great name and proſperity by reaſon of cloathing, and ſheweth the remains of a Caſtle.
Bradford, ſo named of a broad Ford.
Long-Leat, the dwelling place of the Thins, a very fair, neat and elegant houſe in a foul ſoil.
Maiden-Bradley. A Maiden infected with the Leproſie, founded an houſe here for Maidens that were Lepers.
Stourton the ſeat of the Lords Stourton, ſo called of the River Stour.
Werminſter exceeding much frequented for a round Corn-Market.
Sarisbury-Plains, they are but rarely inhabited, and had in late time a bad name, for robberies there committed.
Heitesbury an ancient Manſion place of the Family of Hungerford.
Yanesbury-Castle a very large warlike Fence or Hold, fortified with a deep and double Ditch.
Wardour a proper fine Caſtle.
Hindon, a quick Market.
Wilton, ſo called from the River Willey, a place well watered, and ſometime the head Town of the whole Shire, which thereof took the name. It is now a ſmall Village, having a Maior for the head Magiſtrate, and in it a fine Houſe of the Earls of Pembroke.
Salisbury. There is a ſtately and Sarisburia. Roger of Saliſbury built this ſtately Church alſo. The Cathedral was longer in building than the Jews Temple, for it was above fifty years in building, and do you not think the Founders did intend, by proportioning the Doors to the Moneths, and the Windows to the Dayes, and the Pillars to the Hours of the Year, that you ſhould learn this inſtruction? Not a MonethMonth, nay not a Day, nay not an Hour ſhould be let paſſe without ſomething of Religion. Mr Anneſley on 1 Chron. 12. 32.beautifull Minſter, which with an exceeding high ſpired Steeple, and double croſſe-Iſles on both ſides. The Windows in the Church, as they reckon them, anſwer juſt in number to the dayes, the Pillars great and ſmall, to the hours of a full yeer, and the gates to the twelve Moneths.
Mira Canam, Soles quot continet annus, in unâ
Tam numeroſa, ferunt, aede, feneſtra micat.
Marmoreaſque capit fuſas tot ab arte columnas,
Comprenſas horas quot vagus annus habet.
Totque patent portae, quot menſibus annus abundat,
Res mira, at verâres celebrata fide.
Daniel Rogers.
It hath a Cloiſter for largeneſſe and fine workmanſhip inferiour to none: whereunto joyneth the Biſhops Palace, a very fair and goodly houſe: and on the other ſide a high bell Tower, and paſſing ſtrong withall, ſtanding by it ſelf apart from the Minſter, every ſtreet is watered.
It is the ſecond City in all this Tract well inhabited and frequented, plentifull of all things, eſpecially of Fiſh, adorned with a very ſtately Market place, wherein ſtandeth their common Hall of Timber work, a very beautifull Edifice. It boaſteth chiefly of John It had alſo Biſhop Abbot and Davenant.Jewel long ſince Biſhop there, a wonderfull great and deep Divine, a moſt ſtout and earneſt maintainer of our Reformed Religion againſt the Adverſaries by his learned Books.
Clarindon a very large and goodly Park very fit for the keeping and feeding of wild beaſts.
About ſix miles from Salisbury in Our old Hiſtorians termed it for the greatneſſe Chorea Gigantum, the Gyants dance. Our Countrymen reckon this for one of our miracles.the Plains before named, is to be ſeen a huge and monſtrous peece of work Stone-henge. Within the circuit of a Ditch, there are erected in manner of a Crown, in three ranks or courſes one within another certain mighty and unwrought Stones, whereof ſome are eight and twenty foot high, and ſeven foot broad; upon the heads of which, others like overthwart peeces do bear and reſt croſſe-wiſe, with ſmall tenents and morteſis, ſo as the whole frame ſeemeth to hang.
Everly-Warren, a Warren of Hares.Leporarium.
Savernac-Foreſt of great name for plenty of good game, and for a kind of Ferne there, that yeeldeth a moſt pleaſing ſavour. In remembrance whereof, their Hunters-horn of a mighty bigneſſe, and tipt with ſilver, the Earl of Hertford keepeth unto this day, as a Monument of his Progenitors.
Atibury an uplandiſh Village.
Rockley a little Village.
Kenet.
Marleborow. It was moſt famous by Of Marga marle, which we uſe in ſtead of dung to manure our grounds. It lieth near a chaulkie-hill, which our Anceſtours before they borrowed this name Chaulk of the Latine word Calx, named Marle.reaſon of a Parliament there holden, wherein by a general conſent of the States of the Kingdome there aſſembled, a Law paſſed for the appeaſing of all Tumults, commonly called, The Statute of Marleborow.
Ramesbury a pretty Village, which hath pretty Medows about it.
Littlecot, a place worthy to be remembred, becauſe of the late Lord thereof Sir John Popham, who being the chief Judge in the Kings-Bench, executed Juſtice againſt malefactours to his high praiſe and commendation.
This County containeth in it three hundred and four Pariſhes.