uateamiamm ^^•^ ^^ k^ ..^ CJ^ji^*^ ^^ g^-a ^ SIR ]R. GREEN¥IJL]L« Sir Richard Greenvii-l was Vicc-Admiral under Lord Thomas Howard, son to the Duke of Norfolk, "wlio was sent with a squadron of seven ships to America, to intercept the Span- ish galleons laden with treasure from tlie West-Indies, Sir Rich- ard, who Iiappencd to be separated from the rest of the squadron, unfortunately fell in with the enemy's fleet of fifty-two sail, Avhich he engaged and repulsed fifteen times. He continued fighting till he was covered with blood and wounds, and nothing remained of his sliij) but a battered hnik. He died on board the Spanish fleet tlirce days after, expressing the highest satisfaction at the moment of death, at his havinn: acted as a true sailor ouirht to have done. He was grandfather of the famous Sir Bevil Ghee.will. GREAT BRITAIN &c. 3 The Mountains lift up their lofty heads, and ^ive a gallant prospect to the lower grounds ; all having mines in their bowels, or are cloathed with sheep or woods. The bridges are eiglit hundred and fifty-seven, the chief being Rochester Bridge over Medway, Bristol Bridge over Avon, and London Bridge over the Thames, of which a German poet thus truly speaks ; AVe saw so many woods, and princely bow'rs. Sweet fields, brave palaces, and stately tow'rs, So many gardens drest with curious care, That Thames with royal Tyber may compare; The churches before the suppression of the abbies were exquisite. The women are generally hatulsome, without the adulteration of art. In an absolute women (say the Italians) are required the parts of a Dutch woman, from the girdle downwards; of a French woman from the girdle to the shoulders, over which must be placed an English face. As their beauties, so their prerogatives are greatest of any nation, neitlicr so servilely submissive as the French, nor so jealously regarded as the Italian, but keeping so frne a decorum, that as England is termed the purgatory of servants, and the hell for servants, so it is acknowledged a paraclise of women : the Italians say, that if a bridge was built over tJic Narrow Seas, all the women of Europe ■would run into England ; for here they have the upper hand in the streets, the upper place at table, the thirds of their husbands' estates, and an equal share in all lands ; privileges other women are not acquainted with ; they were highly esteemed formerly by foreigners for iheir modesty and gravity, but the women of this age are so addicted to the light garb of the Frencli, that they have lost much of their reputation abroad. The wool .is exceeding fine, of which is made excellent broad cloaths, dispersed over the world, to the great benefit of England, as well in return of much money as in setting to work many poor people. . Having gone through the method of the old verse, we will now look on the men, who are conmionly of comely features and grey eyed, pleasant, bountiful, courteous, and resembling the Italians in habit and pronunciation. In war they are able to endure, and ready- to undertake the hardest enterprize, and for courage are deservedly renowned abroad. King Edward III. and his son, carried their victorious arms through France. Henry VI. was crowned King at Paris. The Duke of Bedford was Regent of France, and being slain, ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IX was LurieJ in Roan, wliose monument when Cliarles Till, c.iiup io see, a r;obIeman advised him to raise it ; nay, answered be. let him re»t in peace bein? dead, of wliom in war, whilst he lired, a 1 France stood in fear. Marshall Biron said, he liked not the English march of the drum, because it was so slow. Sir Roger Williams, a gallant soldier, answered, that as slow a s it w as, yet it had gone through all France. Our are our groat English having the stronirest at world . \\' liat ships do in 88. Drake, and after Cavendish, Esq. andthrecmonths the globe of the ard Greenvill, Queen Eliza- ajjainst a navy This single ves- with in turns by- great ships, great St. Philip prince of the lies, was one, knight sunk two and" killed 1000 called bv the n. GKiiE>:yixx. wooden walls security, the been accounted, sea in the whole service did our Sir Francis him Thomas in three years travelled about earth. Sir Rich- in a ship of beth's, fought ot'the Spaniards, sel being fought fifteen other whereof the of 1500 tons, twelve sea apos- yet this raCant ol'theirbestships men. He is Spaniards stiU, Don Richard of the Greenfield, and they fright their children with him. Our nation without vanity may assume the praise, considering its narrow limits, to have produced as many scholars, admirable in all degrees of knowledge, as any country on this side near the Alps, and received the christian faith, as some say, from St. Peter and Paul ; and Lucius was the first Christian King in Europe. Among other ■worthy men, Jewel, Andrews, and Dr. JRevnolds are famous : of the last the following account is remarkable : This John Reynolds had a brother named William, who was bred a prolestant. and John was trained up in popery beyond sea; AV illiam, out of an honest zeal, to reduce his brother, made a journey to him : after a conference between them, it so fell out, that John being overcome by his brother's argu- njenis returned into England, where he became a strict protestant, and GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 5 William being convinced by the reasons of his brother John, staid beyond sen, where he proved a violent papist; of which strange accident, Dr. Althaster, who had tried bgth religions, made this ingenious epigram : Bella inter geminoss plusquam civilia fratres^ SfC. In point of faith some undermin'd jars. Between two brothers, kindled civil wars : One for the churches' reformation stood ; The other thought no reformation good: The points proposed, they traversed the field With equal skill, and both together yield. As they desired his brother each subdues, Yet such their fate, that each his faith did lose ; Both captives, none the prisoners thence to guide, The victor flying to the vanquish'd side. Both joyed in being conquer'd (strange to sai) And yet both mourn'd because both won the day. The government of England is monarchical, of a happy constitution, wherein the King hath his full prerogative, tlie nobles due respect, and the people among other blessings extremely happy in this, that they are masters of their own purses, and have a strong hand in making their own laws. Of all the seniories in the world (saith P. Coniines, the French historian) the realm of England is best governed, (he people least oppressed, aud the fewest houses and buildings des- troyed in civil war. It is always temperate, the air thick, and subject to winds, rain, and dark clouds; therefore Gundamore, the Spanish ambassador to King James 1. bid the Spanish post commend him to the sun, for he had not seen Jiim here a great while, and in Spain he should be sure to find him. The ocean on the coast of this island, abounds with fish, and tlie meadows with corn, cattle, and other necessaries. A Spaniard boasting, that they had excellent oranges, lemons, and olives in their country, which ours wanted ; Sir Roger Williams replied, it is true, they do not grow here, yet all (his is but sauce, whereas we have dainty veal, and well-fed capons tx> eat w ith them ; with many other delicate dishes worth the name of victuals indeed. There are more parks, forests, and chaces iu England, than in all Christendom beside, and in no place in the world greater and larger dogs, much in request by the Romans both for their baiting in their amphitheatres, and other huntings ; the English cock is bold and stout, will fight valiantly with his adversary, and crows after the 6 ADMIRABLE CUKIOSITIES IX victory, vrhicli seldom happens till death parts thcra. There are forty shires or counties in England, every shire consisting of so many bundieds. Sec. and every hiuiclred a number of boroughs, villages, or tythings, &:c. I shall now proceed to the natural and artificial rarities in every county, with remarks on persons, places, &c. Earthquakes, tempests, sieges, battles, and other occurrences, whereby my countrymen may observe, that there is hardly any thing worth wondering at abroad, ■whereof nature or art hath not written a copy at home. I shall not confine myself to methodize matters as to time, so as to let slip any thing considerable. I have placed the counties alphabetically for the ready finding of them. BERKSIIIKE. (Wliether so called from a stripped off, or bark-bared oak, is uncer- tain,) has AViltshire, west ; Hampshire, south; i?urry, cast; O.Tford and Buckinghamshire, north. The air is temperate, the soil plen- luous of com, cattle, and woods, so that for profit and pleasure it gives place to none. Windsor Castle is a princely palace, both for strength and state, having a college for learning, a chapel for devotion, and an alms-house of decayed gentlemen for charity ; it is said to be built by King Arthur, and William tlie Conqueror, by composition with the Abbot of W estniinster, whose then it was, made it to Ije the Kirk's possession. In this castle the victorious King Edward III. was born, and herein, after he had subdued the French and Scots, he kept at one time John King of France, and David King of Scots, prisoners ; and graced it witff the hosiourable order of the garter, the institution whereof some ascribe to a garter occasionally falling from the Coun- tess of Salisbury : others say it was given in testimony of that bond of aflection, wherewith the knights and fellows were bound one to another, and all of them to the King ; nay, some make it yet more antient, relating that when King Richard 1. warred against tlie Turks and Saracens, in the Holy Land, and that the tediousness thereof, began to discourage his soldiers, he tied about the legs of several knights, a garter or thong of leather, the only stuff he had at hand, that as the Romans used to bestow crowns and garlands for encouraffc- ment, so this might provoke them to fight valiaiitly for their King and honour. King Ldward III. found a chapel erected in this castle by King Henry, with maintenance for eight canons, to whom he added a dean, fifteen canons, twenty-four poor knights, and other officers and GREAT BRITAIN &c. 7 servants, to pray for the good estate of the sovereign and brethren of tl.P most noble order : the sovereiirn and kniglifs have tlicir particidar laws and consliiiitions, and Klnic Edward appointed divers ceremonies, and distinct habits. 8t. George, the jinttern of Christianity and for- titude, is entitled to the patronage of litis order, and tlie beautiful chajiei in AVindsor castle (where his daj-, being April '2i, is usually celebrated and new knights installed) was consecrated by that King to his memory; there are of this order twenty-si v knights, of which the King of England is one, and is so honourable, that eight emperors, twenty-one foreign Kines, twenty foreign Dukes, Princes, and Noble- men have been fellows of it. The ensign is a blue garter, buckled on the left leor, on Avhich these words are introduced, hoiti soil qui mat if pinse, evil be to him that evil thinks. About their necks they wear a blue ribband, at the end hangeth the image of .St. Cieorgc ; the hall is remarkable for greatness, Winchester Tower for heights, and the . terrace walk on the north side for pleasure : but King Charles II. added such magnificence to it both w ithin and without, that now for grandeur, state, and pleasure, it exceeds any palace in Europe. The chapel is graced witii the bodies of King Henry \ 1. and King Edward IV. and those whom the whole kingdom was too little to contain (the one being of the House of Lancaster, and the other of York) lie now united in one mould with the branch of both those houses, King Henry A III. who lies there interred, and likewise King Charles I. In the reign of King Henry VIII. 1544, Anthony Parsons, a priest, Robert Testwood, a singing man. and Henry Filmer, churchwarden, who had articled against their superstitious vicar, were all burnt at Windsor; when Parsons was fastened to the stake, he laid a great deal of straw on the top of his head, saying, this is God's hat, 1 am now armed like a soldier of Christ. Robert Testwood was condemned for dissuading the people from pilgrimages; for walking in Windsor Chapel, he saw multitudes of pilgrims Hocking out of Devonshire and Cornwall, w ith candles to offer at the shrine of King Henry, at Windsor; Testwood's spirit was moved at this idolatry-, and exiiortcd them to leave that false worship performed to dumb images, and worship the living God; shewing them how God plagued his own people, the Jews, for going a whoring after such stocks and stones, and would plague them and their posterities if the\' did not reform ; this so pre- vailed, that some said, They would never go on pilgrimages again ; another company were licking and kissing a white lady of alabaster Ijehind the high altar, rubbing their hands ujjon it, and then stroking their heads and faces, which so provoked him, that with a key in 8 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IX Lis hand be struck off a piece of the image's nose, saying, see good people, this is nothing but a piece of earth, that cannot help itself, how is it then like to help you? When these three were burning, King Henry VIII. came by the place, and hearing of their christian patience and death, turning his horse, said, Alas poor innocents I a better speech for a private person than a prince, who is bound not only to pity but to protect oppressed imiocence; however on this occasion oth.'r persecuted people were pardoned and preserved. There is a proverb in this country, " That the Vicar of Bray will be Vicar of Bray still.' Bray is a village of this Shire, and the antieut vicar thereofliving under King Henry VIII. King VI. Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth, was at first a papist, then a protestant, then a papist, and then a protestant again ; he had seen some parties burnt two miles off, at Windsor, and found the fire too hot for their tender temple: and being taxed by one for being a turncoat. No, said he, that is your mistake, for I always keep my principle, whicli is, to live and die the Vicar of Bray ; and there are some still of this savinor principle, who though they cannot turn the wind, will turn their mills, so that whatever it bloweth, their grist will be sure to be groimd. In 1100, at Finchamstcad, a well boiled up with streams of blood for fitteen days, a- d the waters dbcoloured all others where they came, and great flames of fire were seen in divers places. In 13-lS was a greaf plague all over Europe ; and Wallingford being a more considerable town than now it is, was almost dispeopled. In 1?37, Cardinal Ottobond came as Leg.ite from the Pope to King Henry V. and lying at Ostly Abby, there happened a difference between his servants and the scholars at Oxford, in which a brother of his was slain, and the legate got into a steeple, till the King's officers coming from Abingdon, conveyed him to Wallingford, aticr which the cardinal cursed the scholars and the university, so that ihe colleges grew desolate, and the students were dispersed for iialf a year, till the monks and masters of the University were forced to so barefoot and bare headed a great way to the legate's lodgings, and ujwn their submission, and great men's intercession, were absolved, and the T niversity was restored to its former estate, such was the pride of the superior, and the bate spiritedness of the inferior clergy in those days of popery and slavery. In 1431, certain lewd persons began an insurrection at Abingdon, for which the chief author, one Mundeville, a weaver, was hanged. In 16-17, several enthusiastic women at New- bury, pretended to divine revelations and dreams, ^^herein glorious GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 9 thing -were discovered (o them, and the chief of them had astonishing gestures and tits, and declared she had a revelation that such a night she should be taken up into Heaven, at which time many of her delu- ded followers assembled, and took their solemn leave of her with tears, and the hour being come, out they go to see her ascension ; it was a moonshine night, and, as they expected an angel to fetch her up in a chariot, a cloud covering the moon, they all cried out, " Behold he comes in the clouds," but the cloud soon vanished, and their hopes frustrated ; after awhile comes a flock of wild geese, upon which they again cry out, " He comes, he comes;" but when the wild geese were gone, they were fain at length to return home as wise as they came, having made tliemselves ridiculous to the spectators. Reading is the chief town in this shire. It is divided into twenty hundreds, hath twelve market towns, one hundred and forty parishes, and out of it are elected nine parliament men. Eaton adjoins to Windsor, by a bridge over the Thames, wherein is a fair college and a famous school tbunded by King Henry VI. in which, besides the provost, eight fellows, and the singing choristers, there are sixty scholars instructed in grammar, and in time preferred to the Universitj of Cambridge. BEDFORDSHIRE Hath Northampton, north ; Huntingdon and Cambridge, east ; Hertford, south ; and Buckingham, west. In 1399, before the wars of Lancaster and York, on New-years-day, the deep river between Suelstone and Harwood, two villages near Bedford town, called Ouse, stood still, and divided itself, so that for three miles, the bottom re- mained dry, and backwards the waters swelled to a great height, which wonder was thought to presage the division of the people and King : and in a little town in this county it rained blood, the drops appearing in sheets hung out to dry. In 1580, there fell such rains in Septem- ber and October as caused floods in divers places ; in Newport, cottages were borne down, and the corn lost; in Bedford water came up to the market-place, houshold stuiF swam about the houses, wood, corn, and hay were carried away ; and at St. Need's in Huntingdon- shire, while the inhabitants were in bed, the waters brake in with such violence that the town was defaced, and swans swam down the market- place ; Godmanchester was also overthrown and the castle destroyed. At St. Need's, in King Henry VII's. time, there fell hail stones eighteen inches about. At Asply near Woburn in a little rivulet, the earth c 10 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IN whereof iurncd wood into stone, and a ladder which was once wood, was duff out all stone, was to be seen in a monastery hard by : take the strange operation of it fron the poet. The brook that on her bank does boast that earth alone (Much rooted in this isle) conyerteth wood to stone. This little Asply's earth we anciently instile, Amongst sundry other things, a wonder of the isle. In 1507, Thomas Chase, a zealous opposer of popery, was brought before the Bishop at Woobum, who proposed divers questions to him, intermixed with reproaches. Chase defended the truth boldly, for which he was committed to the Bishop's prison, so called Little Ease, manacled witli fetters, and almost starved, which not prevailing, was more severely used, and at length privately murdered for fear of an uproar, the Bishop ordering him to be prest to death, he calling upon God to receive his spirit, and then reporting he had hanged himself in prison. In 1506, William Tilsworth was condemned by the Bishop of Lincoln, and burnt in this county ; at his burning, his only daughter, a religious woman, was compelled to set fire to her dear tat her ; and John Clark her husbaml, with many others did penance by bearing faggots, and were burnt in the check w ith an hot iron : Thomas Bernard and James Melvin, labourers, were both burnt for religion, in this shire. The chief town is Bedford, pleasantly seated : without the town there formerly stood a chapel upon the river Ouse, where the body of Off.i the great Mercian King was interred; but by the over swelling of that river was swallowed up, whose tomb of Lead, (as if it were some phantastical thing) appears to them that sought it not, but to them that seek it (saith Ross) it is invisible. In the reign of King Henry III. while a parliament was setting at Northampton, an outrage was com- mitted by one Falcacius, who seized upon Henry Braybrook a judge, upon the bench at the assizes at Dunstable, and clapped him prisoner in Bedford castle, because thirty verdicts had passed against him upon trials at law tor lands which he had forcibly entered upon ; the judge's wife came to the parliament, and with her tears and complaints, so moved them that all other matters laid aside. The clergy as well as laity attended the King to besiege the castle ; Falcacius the governor was gone into Wales to raise more forces to maintain his rebellion, leaving his brother lieutenant with a desperate crew of villains, and ammuuitioTi and provision for a year's siege ; yet after two mouths it was taken by GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 11 slomi, llie lieiitonanl and all his companions hanged, and the castle ptdled down (o the ground, as a den of thieves, to dot r others. This Falcacius was a Frenchman born, and a bastard, and came over in King John's time very mean, by whom for his courage he was made governor of Bedford castle, against the barons, where by rapine he got much monev, King .John forcing a lady, a great heiress, to marrj him; when this casile was levelled to the eanh, and his estates seized, he prevails with the Bishop of Coventry to bring him to the King at Bedford, where throwing himself at his feet, he emplore* mercy for his former trood services, which he obtained, upon condition to be perpetually banished ; and the King was so incensed at the keeping of this castle against him, that he commanded all Frenchmen to depart under a severe penalty. In 1565, Henry Cheney, high sheriff of Bedfordshire, was created Baron of Tuddington, in his youth he was wild and venturous ; v\itness his playing at dice with Henry II. King of France, from whom he won a diamond of great worth at a cast, and being asked by the Kinj how he would have done if he had lost, I have (said he in a hufhng bravery) sheep's tails enough in Kent, (where he liad an estate, with their wool, to buy a better diamond than this. In his latter age he was much reduced, dying without issue. Dunstable is seated in a chalky ground, well inhabited, and full of inns, lialh four streets, and in every one a pond of water for the use of the inhabitants ; it is reported to be built to bridle the outrages of a thief called Dun, by King Henry I. but certain it is, that the place was held by the Romans^ yet i?ir John Heyward saith. Dun was a famous thief, and a commander over the rest, and of him it was called Dunstable. This county is divided into nine hundreds, wherein are two market to«ns, and one hundred and sixteen parish churches, and elects four parliament men. BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Hath cast, Hertford and Bedford ; west, Oxford ; north, Northampton and Huntingdon ; and south, Herefordshire; so named from the plenty of beech trees, which the !>axons called Bucken, with which it "was for- merly so over-run, that it became a refuge for robbers, and occasioned that proverb in this country, " here a bush, and there a thief." In 1665, January i^Oth, about six at night, was an earthquake in some parts of Buckinghamshire, with an unusual noise in their air, but it 12 ADMIilABLE CURIOSITIE.^ IN •was quickly oyer : it much firiglited the people to feel their chairs and stools quake under them, and to hear tables clatter in the rooms, and the -whole house to shake. King William 1. gave a manor and certain lands in Buckinghamshire on condition, that the possessor should find straw or litter for the King's bed when he came that way ; which shews the aheration of grandeur since that time. The best and largest sheep in Enffland are in the vale of Aylesbury, where ten pound or more is given for a breed-ram, so that a foreigner by the price would guess it To be rather some engine or battery, than the creature so called. Foreigners admire that our English sheep do not, as in other countries, follow their shepherds like a pack of dogs, but wander all abroad ; and the popish priests tell their ignorant folks, that this disobedience happens, because we hare left our great shepherd the Pope, a very profound reason ; whereas our sheep cj'd the same long before our ^eparation from Kome : for being freed from the fear of wolves, which devour their llocks beyond sea, they feed safely in their fields, w^inting neither guide to direct nor guard to defend tliem. Roger Wendover was born at Wendover, bred a Benedictine it St. Albans, and was the. King's histori English Kings monk, generally as being near staple news and the remarkable reign, and their locked up in the and never sufier. in that King's, if so. they had to be impartial. blow on their coming near the as being hereby doing them began his chro- conquest, and 1555, which others still con- Lady Hester to Sir Thomas PAKIS. an ; for our had always a of St. Alban's, London, the books, to ■write passages of their chronicles were King's library, ed to be openetl nor his son's lite; encouragement not fearing a leelh, though heels of truUi, tied up from hurt; this Roger nicies at the continued it to M. Paris and tinned. The Temple, wit'e Temple, was bom at Latimers. sic had four sons and nine daughters, w ho lived to ^ £^ ^ ^^ ^ M, FAPxIS. Matheh Paris, a Bencdicliuo of llie monastery of St. Al- ban's, stands in tlie first rank of our monkish historians. lie was no inconsitIeral>le poet and oriitor for (he time in which lie flou- rislietl ; and is said to have nnderstood Painting, Architecture, and the Miilheieaiies. lie vas Author of tlie " Historia Major," and " Historia Minor." wliicii is an aliridirment of the former; to which is prefixed his portrait, lie is censured for a mixture of fable in liis History ; but this censure affects the cliaracter of the age, rather than ihiit of the Autlior. Matiiew Paris gives us tlie most p:irficui:ir II i>tory of llie \\ andering .few that is to be found ill any anllior. He recei\ed this account from an American Archbishop, and one of his domestics, who were here in the reign of Henry III. :iiid wlio nftirmed that they had their relation from the \\ anderer himself. It is to be concliidevl hence, that there was such an Impostor, and that he well acted his part. GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 15 be so exceedingly married, and multiplied, that she saw seven hundred extracted from her own body ; Vives tells of a village in Spain of one Jiundrcd houses, whereof all the inhabitants issued from one old man, and says, .the Spanish language did not afford a name whereby the youngest should call the oldest, since they could not go above the great grand father's father. Had the offspring of this lady been contracted into one place, they were enough to have peopled a large city ; this lady died in l6'56. Sir Edward Cook, that famous lawyer, was born in this shire. One time a parliament was called, and the court-party being jealous of his activity against them, as not having- digested the discontend he liad received from thence ; to prevent which, and confine him to his countr}', he was pricked sheriff, he thereupon scrupled to take the oath, alledging, that the sheriff is bound thereby to prosecute lollards, wherein the best christians may be included ; but no excuses would serve, he must serve the office, yet his friends thought it an injurious degradation for a Lord Chief Jnstice to attend on the judges at the assizes. Buckingham is in the shire town seated upon the River Ouse, it had formerly ramparts, and a strong castle on a high hill, whereof nothing now remains but some small signs of such a place. It is divided into eight hundreds, wherein are fifteen market towns, one hundred and eiglity-five parish churches, and elects four parliament men. CAMBRIDGE Hath north, Lincoln and Norfolk; east, Norfolk and Suffolk; south, Hertford and Essex ; and west, Bedford and Huntingdon ; so named from the River Cam, which divides it in the midst; upon the east bank stands the famous University, from whence for many hundred years have issued the streams of learned sciences. It is ancient indeed if built by one Cantabria a Spaniard, three hundred and seventy-five years before our Saviour : it was formerly called Grantchester, and in Bede's time, about seven hundred years after Christ, was laid in ruins by the tyranny of the times, and is described as a little desolate city without inhabitants, or any memory of its being encompassed with walls ; the monk of Burton reports, that in the year 141, nine students received baptism, and became preachers of the gospel, among the Britons, in the time of Adrian the Emperor ; but when the Picts, Scots, Huns, and Saxons, had laid all waste, and with their savage swords cut out the leaves of all civil learning, this town as the rest fell to 14 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIE? IX destniction and lay forlorn, till the Saxons became civilized, wh^'n Sigiben the first christiaa Kin? of the East-ADjles, bv the example of France, \\hither he had been banished, built schools, and here at Gramchester or Cambridge the chief, recalling hither the professors of arts and sciences ; who beean so to increase, that the place grew teo liitle for ihe students; and therefore inlarging more northward, thej seated themselves near the bridse, upon which it was called Grant- bridse, and afterward Cambridge. It was again much damaged by the Danes, but after the Norman conquest, three monks resorted to thi« place, and in the reign of Henry ). read lectures in a bam, in gram- mar, logic, rhetoric." Sec. and "one Gislebert read divinity upon the Lord's and other festival days : from this little foimtain grew a great river, which made all England fruitful. The first college endowed was Peter House, built by the Bishop of Ely 12S4, whose worthy example others foUoyred, so that now there are sixteen colleges and halls, which for building, beauty, endowments, and number of students, exceed any in Europe, except her sister Oxford. By King Edward L of a school Cambridge was made an university, in whose reign a great pan of the town, and the church of St. Mary's was burnL In 1626^ a codfish was brought to the market in Cambriage for sale, in the maw was found a book bound up in canvas, being several trea- tises of Mr. John Frith's : this fish was caught upon the co.ost o^ Lin, and being cut open, the garbage was thrown by, which a woman looking upon espied the canvas, and taking it out, found the book wrapped in it, much soiled and covered over with slime ; this was looked on with admiration, and the vice-chancellor, examining the particulars, the leaves being opened and cleansed, these treatises con- tained in it, •• A preparation for the cross. A preparation for death. The treasure of knowledge, A mirour or looking-glass to know our- selves by. A brief instruction to teach one willingly to die.'' They were all reprinted, and how useful the reviving of them by such a special providence was, may be dbcerned by such as Lived since those times. In 1(540. in Cambridge the River Cam became red as bloo doth another called painters oak ; it is certain, sailh our author, that divers antient families in E:igland are lore-warned of their deaths b_v oaks bearing strange leaves. An earthen pot was found near Fov, gilded and g-raven with letters, in a stone chest, full of brick eartl;, the ashes it is thought of some Roman. At Treraaton, in the'ehancel of the church, a leaden collin was dug up, in which was fouiuf tlie proportion of a Inrge man's body, but l)eing touched it turned to dust. It was thought to be the body o( Uuke Orgdatus, who married his daugliter to King Edgnr, by an inscription on the coffin, that signified it was the b'.xly of a duke, whose heiress was married to a prince. An exceeding great carcass of a man was found by the tinners, at a village near the Lands-end, called Trebegean. There is a story of St. Kain's Well, that whoever drinks first of this water, whether husband or wife, they are sure to get the mastery ; a fit fable for the vulgar to believe. In the west parts of Cornwall, during the winter, swallows arc found in old deep tin works, and holes of the sea cliifs. On the shore of this shire, about fortv years ago, a huge mass of amljcrgreese was found by a poor tisherninn, of great value. King Arthur, sou to L'terpendragon, was bora at Tin- tagle Castle, and was monarch of Britain : lie may b.-^ tern:ed the British Hercules. 1. For his iilegitimale birth, both being bastards, begotten on other men's wives, and yet their mothers honest women; both deluded by art magic, tlie last by Merlin, other men coming to them in the form of their husbands. 2. In his painful life, one being famous for his twelve labours, and the othiT for his twelve victories against the Saxons, and both had been greater, had they been made less, and the report of them reduced witlun the compass of probability. 3. In their violent and painful deaths, our Arthur's being as lamentable, and more honourable, not by i'eminine jealousy, but masculine trea- chery, being murdered near the place «herc he was born : As tho' no other place, on Britain's spacious earth. Were worthy of his end, but where he had his birth. As for his round table, and his knights about if, the table never met with much credit among the judicious. The Cornish-mcu are ijene- raly valiant, and King Arthur made them his vanguard, as appears bj these verses : Brave Arthur -when he meant a field to fight, Us Cornishmen did first of all invite ; Only to Cornish against Caesar's swordi, lie the firit blow in battle still affurds. GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 23 Ycf tliey sometimes abused their valour to rebellion, as in the reign of King ilenry VII. upon raising a subsidy granted by parliament, against the Scots, tliey made a commotion, the ring-leaders being Flammock a lawyer, and Joseph a smith, who assembled an army, and went to Taunton, where they slew the provost Peryn, a com- missioner of the subsidy, and marching on, J. Tuchet and L. Audley, joined them, and -were their leaders. At last they came to Blackheatli, intending to come to the King at London, and incamped on the top of the hill ; the King sent the E.irls of Oxford, Essex, Sunblk, and others to encompass the liill, that none might escape, himself incamping St. George's Fields ; the Lord Danbeny set upon them, and won Deptford Bridge, though strongly defended, and their arrows being reported to be full a yard in length, and assaulting them every via.y, killed 2000, and took many prisoners, diver* of whom the King pardoned, but none of the ringleaders. Lord Audley was drawn from Xewgate to Tower hill in a coat of iiis own arms, reversed and torn, and there beheaded; Flaramock and Joseph were handed and quartered, and their quarters set upon a stake. It is memorable how Joseph the black- smith cheered himself at his going to execution, saying, " that he hoped by this, his name and memory Avould be everlasting ;" so dear even to vulgar spirits is perpetuity of name, though with infamy, -what is it then to noble spirits whcii joined with glory ? They were guilty of another rebellion in the secoiul jear of King Edward VI. for injunc- tions being set forth by that pious prince tor r/moyiiig images out of churches, and that the ministers should dissuade the people from praying to saints, or for the dead, from the use of beads, ashes, and processions ; from masses, dirges, praying in an unknown tongue, &c. and commissioners went abroad to sec tliera executed. Mr. Body as he was pulling down images in Cornwall, was stabbed with a knife, in the body, by a popi^h priest; hereupon the people flocked from several parts, and taking up arms, comnnltetl divers outrages. These religious mutineers sent several articles to the King, requiring to have the Latin mass, and the six articles of Henry A'lII. (called the bloody articles) revived again. Now though the King knew reason would little prevail wilh unreasonable men, yet he sent ihem an answer, and a general pardon if they would lay down their arms : the answer about the six articles is worth rehearsing ; " You require, said the King, to have the statute of the six articles revived, do you know what you ask ? do you understand w liat safety and ease you enjoy without them ? these laws were indeed made, but as soon repented of; for they were too cruel and bloody to be endured by our people : Oh I poor ignorant 24 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IN subjects, how are rou ensnared and deceived by sublle Iravtors .' we out of pity took them away because they were bUxxly, and you out of ignorance desire ihem agaiu : you kno^¥ full well they made us to be cruel and severe, and gave us cause to draw our swords very often ; they were like a whetstone to our swords, and for your sakes oidy we left oiF the use of them : and since our mercy inclineih us to write our laws in milk and equity, how came you to be so blind as to desire thej should be writ in blootl ; assure yourselves and be confident, that we make account of nothing under Heaven so much as this : To have our laws obeyed, and this cause of f iod which we have undertaken, to be thoroughly maintained, from which we will never remove a hair's breadth, nor give place to any creature living, much less to any subject, but wherein we will venture to our own royal persoa, our crown, trea- sure, realm, and all our estates, whereof we assure you of our high honour : And as to the common-prayer, which you are against, it can- not certainly offend any reasonable man that the service of God is changed from an unknown tongue, since it is only to make him under- stand what before he knew Hot. and thereby to give his consent to those prayers which he hath most need of, and to effect his conscience there- with, since God requireth the heart only, and that we should offer a reasonable service to him. He concludes ; we for our parts desire to live no longer than to be a father to our people : and as God hath made us your rightful King, so hath he commanded you to be obcdieut, by whose great Majesty we solemnly protest, you shall feel the power of the same Gotl in our sword, which how mishty it is no subject knoweth ; how puissant no private man canjudfg^; and how mortal no English heart can think : therefore embrace our mercy while it is offered, least the blooerwent runs through the middle of it. Here is the best lead in England ; likewise mill-stones, chrystal, alabaster, whetstone, pitcoal, and iron. Remarkable in this county is the peak, wherein is a cave called the Devil's Arse, which is a great rock or castle on a high hill, under which is a cave in the ground of a vast bigness, so named by reason of its seeming to have two buttocks sticking out like a man's bending to the ground, the arch of the rock is very high, and through it drops of water fall ; with lights they enter into it, and going between two rocks near together, lose the sight of day ; the passage "is so low that they creep on their hands and knees, and Come to a dark river running slowly, beyond which they cannot pass. There is another high hill called Malm Tour, or Mam Tor, because maimed, or broken at the top like an old ruined wall, from which the sand falls continually, yet the hill is not diminished, ha\ ing a spring of matter from whence it is recruited. Elden Hole is remarkable twa 28 ADMJKAliLE CL KIOSITIES IN miles from Castleton, in the Higli Peak : the hole is thirty yard* long, and fificen broad on tlie top, descending directly into the earth, hut slraiffhter forty yards deep ; you may see into it above sixty yards, as far a^ tlie light coming in at the mouth will admit : throw a stone in and you may hear it strike ten limes on the sides of the rock in its fall, and no more. The Earl of Ecicester in Queen Elizabeth's time, hired a poor man to be let down with ropes, and to hang in the middle while they threw down stones, thereby to know tlie depth, having a pole in liis hand to keep the stones from hurting him ; being let down one liundred yards, he was drawn up again : but whether from the fear of the rope breaking, or the stones knocking him on the head from above, or the ghosts and spirits supposed to be there, it is certain he fell stark mad, and died eight diys atter. And about seventy years since, Mr. Henr3- Cavendish, who had tx>en at Jerusalem, and other parts of the of this place, to be made, and was let tlown by yards and by eighty yards another eighty at the lop of the a bell, lo ring if fiirtlier ; wlien the third four- rung the bell, up, was speech - and struck with he recovered his clared, that as tliere were bones &c. also of men, affrighted, but manner he could several years, in h is perfect sound of bis and flows like salt. At Buxton the compass of and the ninth world, hearing caused engines one C. Bradly a rope eight another engiiie further : and by yards further ; rope was fastned he could go no he was let down score yards he andbeingdrawn less for a time, lameness ; after speech, he de- he descended of deer, sheep, and that he was how or in what noltell: helived but never was senses, nor limbs. Not far the sea, thoush not at the same mn, llOBBS, hence is a fountain which ebb: hours, neither is it is a hot bath, where out of the rock, within eight yards, nine sprijigs arise, eight of them warm, very cold ; ihesc run from imder a stone buiklin and about eight wn MH. HOEBS. Mr. IIoBBS was born in Malmsbury, \\'il(s, from -whence he obtained the name of Mabusburicnsis, and educated in Mag- dalen Hall, Oxford, where he took his degree of Bachelor of Arts; from whence he was taken into the Earl of Devonshire's family before he was twenty years of age, and soon after traveled with his son into France and Italy. And after variety of travels abroad, he returned into England, and settled in the house of his patron the Earl of Devonshire, where he lived many years in ease and plenty, rather as a friend and confidant, than a tutor or instructor. lie was of very extensive genius, improved by great labour and sedulity, and had the reputation both abroad and at home, of a great philosopher and mathematician; Charles I[. having learned mathematics of him, at his restoration, allow- ed him a pension of a hundred pounds a year out of the Exche- quer, though he was a contemner of all money and riches. As to his peculiar notions in religion and policy, Avith which he infected many ingenious gentlemen, they are too difficult to be excused, and too dangerous to be palliated; he died in the ninety- first year of his age. GKEAT BRITAIN, &c. 29 pacc8 off receive .inothcr hot spring from a well inclosed wilh four ilat stones, called St. Anns, near wliich a cold spring bubbles up; it is found by experience, (hat great cun s have been done by these waters, being good for (he stomach and sinews, and pleasant to bath ia ; (he effecl thus described by Mr. Hobbs. i Un(o St. Anne the fountain sacred is, AVith waters hot and cold its springs do rise, And in its sulphurous veins there's medicine lies. Old men's numb joints, new vigour here acquire, In frozen nerves this water kindleth fire; Ilitlier the cripples halt some help to find. Rim hence and leave their crutches here behind. The barren hither to be fruitful come, And without help of spouse go mother's home. Pool's Hole is another cave so called, by some, from a famous thief of that name, who seizing upon travellers, robbed and murdered them here ; it is scaled at (he bottom of a hill, and (lie entrance so narrow lliat (hey are forced to stoop much : furdier in it is liigher, but dark ; when tiicy go in with ligiils, the roof seems to shine widi sparks of fire ; going further over rocks, and stones, like mounlains and vallies, a blind river murmuring against the rocks; passing this over, (hey creep up anotiier high rock to a dark cave; on (he ccilinir hang stones like gammons of bacon ; tliere is also a yellow stone like a lion with a rough main, and another like an old man lying on a bed. Not far hence is another rave, called Pool's Bedchamber, all of plain stone, where is a rock like a bed, and a s(one like a cliamber-pot. Joan Was(, a blind woman in Derby, was mar(yred in this county, who was rather, saidi Dr. Fuller, an object of mercy, than a subject of cruelty : she was a silly soul, and indeed an innocent, though no fool: this poor woman had a clear apprehension of God's truth, for the (estimony whereof she was burnt by Bains, the bloody Popish Bishop, wlio as he began with Mrs. Joyce, one of (he best, and tiiis Joan \V^as( one of (lie meanest biith in (his diocese, so no doubt had Queen Mary lived, he would have made his cruelty meet in persons of a middle condidons. This Mrs. Joyce being asked, why she would not be present at mass, and receive the sacramen(, answered, because slie found them not in God's word, otherwise said she, I would with all my heart reverence and esteem tlicm. The bishop replied, if thou wilt believe no more than is wriKen in (he scriptures, thou art in a tianmable condition: at uhich she was amazed, telling liini, his words 30 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IN were ungodly and wicked. Beins brougli( to the stake, slie prayed eaniestlv that God would abolisli idolatrous mass, to which ahnost all the multitude, and the sheriS" himself, cried Amen ; then taking a cup of beer, she said, " I drink uufeiirnedly to all that love the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and wish the abolishment of Poperj." Her friends pledijed her, and several did penance for it afterward; When the tire was put to her, she neither strived nor struggled, but with her hands litt up to Heaven, quietly gave up the ghost. Sir Huffh \\ illoughby was born of an ancient family at Risely in this county: in the reign of Edward II. he was employed by the king- and the merchants of London to tind out the north-east passage to the East-Indies, having three ships, with a large commission, not dated from the year of our Lord, but from the year of the world 5513, because in their long voyage they might have occasion to present it to foreign princes. They departed from Deptford, May 10, 1553, and after much foul weatlier steered X. X. W; but August 2, a tempest arose, whereby one ship was divided from the rest, and they never saw it again : Sir Hugh holding on his course discovered a land, which for ice he could not come near, in 7'2 degrees, called Willougliby land, but it appeareih by a will found in the pocket of a person of quality, that in January 1554, Sir Hugh and most of his company were then in health, ihoug-h all soon after were frozen to death iu the haven of Arzina in Lapfand* the next summer some other English ships coming to the place, found the ship entire, and all the men frozen to death, with an account of the passages of their voyage. Lapland hath since been surrounded by the English ; the west part belongs to the King of Sweden, and the east, to the ^luscovites ; they are generally Heathens, as poor in knowledge as estate, paying their tribute in furs, whose little houses are but great holes, wherein they live in the ignorance of money. Tliere is a custom in this barbarous country {as eye witnesses report) that it is death to marry a maid without her friends consent : so that if any man have affection for a maid, a ilay is appointed for both their friends to meet and see the young couple run a race ; the maid hath the advantage of starting, and third part of the race, so that it is impossible except she be wUling ever to be overtaken ; if the maid out run him, he must never make any further motion to her under a penalty ; but if she have any affection for him, though she at first run hard to try his love, yet she pretends to stumble or halt, so that he may overtake her. Thus none are compelled to marry against their wills : so that in this poor country married people are richer iu content than in other GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 31 lands, where so many forced matches cause feigned love, and real unhappincss. In April IGGO, about Chesterfield it rained white ashes, so that the fields looked like snow. This year, November 20, the River Derwent at Derby, and five miles above and below, for three or four hours, was totally dried up, and no water came to the mills ; the boats were all aground, the fishes on the sand, so that children took them up, and the people went over dry-shod, though Derwent is an inland river, and never ebbs or flows, and is at Derby one hundred feet broad, and seven or eight deep, with a quick fierce stream. November llth 166?, happened a whirl-wind at Derby, whereby the town was damaged five thousand pound in four minutes : it blew the tiles off the houses, threw down barns, trees were torn up by the roots, it overturned stone walls, and broke gates fastened with iron bars into pieces ; this wind was accompanied with flames of fire, and some affirm it rained blood. The ale of Derbyshire is counted the best and strongest; it is tlie old drink of England, though a French poet in the days of King Henry III. merrily jested on it in these verses ; Of this strange drink, so like the Stygian lake, (They call it ale) I know not Avhat to make; Men cbink it thick, antl vent it passing thin, Much dregs therefore, must needs remain within. This county hath six hundreds, 10 market towns, 106 parishes, and elects four parliament men. DEFONSHIRE Ilath the narrow sea south; the Severn, north; Cornwall, west; Dorset and Somerset, east. The natives arc ingenious in any im- ployment ; and Queen Elizabeth used to say of their gentry, they were all born courtiers with a becoming confidence. There was plenty of silver formerly found in the Parish of Comb Martin, and King Edward 1. fetched miners out of Derbyshire io dig if, turning to great profit as appears by a record in the Tower of London. Eor William Wymondham accounted for 270 pounds weight of silver, and he was fined 521 pound 10 shillings weight. In his 24th year was brought to London in fined silver, in wedges, 70-t pounds, 3 shillings, 1 penny-weight ; next year 360 miners were pressed out of the Peak and Wales, to dig it, and great was the 32 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IN profit in silver and lead. In the reign of Edward III. this silver was considerable towards the maintenance of the wars. These mines beinff neglected by the wars of Lancaster and York, were agaia re-enleredf by one Bulracr, an artist, in Queen Elizabeth's time, who presented a silver cup. made thereof", to the Earl of Bath, with this inscription alluding to the metal : In Martin's Comb, I long lay hid. Obscure, depressed widi grossest soil, Debased much with mixed lead, Till Bulmer came, whose skill and toil Reformed me so pure and clean. As richer no where else is seen. This countv hath many commodious havens, among which Totness •was famous for Brute's tirst entrance, of whom the poet writes thus : The gods did guide his sail and course, The winds were at command, At Totness was the happy shore, Where first he came to land. The Danes Tinmoufh to about the year King of the west steward to know ■whomtheyslew. to return to their mouth prevent- of the invaders. port Sir Francis liant sea captain year 1577, and ten months, fortunes, pro- liis guide, and sort, sailed Of whom are lowing lines. first entering at invade this land 7S7.Brightrick, Saxons, sent his their demands, vet were forced ships ; but Piy- ed the entrance From this Drake, that va- sct forth in the in two years and through various vidence being valour his con- round the world w riiteu the fol- glB r. DJ^AIiE. 5TR i\? IDJlAJiE. Sir Francis Drake, before Le had (he royal sanction for Ills depredations, was a famous free-booter against the Spaniards, The Queen made no scrui)le of employing so bold and enterpri- sinsf a man against a people who were themselves flie greatest free-booters and plunderers amongst mankind. He was the first Englishman tliat enompassed (lie globe. Magellan, whose ships passed the Soutii Seas some time before, died in his passage. In 1587, lie burnt one hundred vessels at Cadiz, and suspended the threatened invasion for a year; and, about the same time, took a rich East India canaek near the Terceras, by which the English gained so great insight into trade in that part of the world, that it occasioned the establishment of the East India Company. In 1558, he was appointed V^ice-Adniiral under Lord Effing- ham, and acquitted himself in (hat important command with his usual valour and conduct. Ob. 2Sth Jan. 1595-6. GREAT BRITAIN, &c. .'33 Drake M-hom the incompass'd world so fully knew, M'hom both the poles of Heavea at once did view : If men are silent, stars and sun will care To register their fellow traveller. As he lived most of his time, so he died, and was buried at sea; when his corps was cast out of the ship, this verse was made on him : Though Rome's religion should in time return, Drake, none thy body will ungrave again: There is no fear posterity should burn Those bones which free from fire in sea remain. The Lord C. Howard from Plymouth impeached the entrance of the Invisible Spanish Armada in 1588, to their own shame, and his immortal honor. The commodities of this shire are wool and cloathing ; corn is plenteous, also fish and fowl. Exeter city has ditches and walls a mile and a half in circuit, fifteen parish churches, and a castle called Rugemont, commanding the city and country about, Mith a pleasant prospect to the sea. The Kiver Lid, by Lidford, runs under ground, the stream sinking so deep that it is invisible, but supplies to the ear what it denies to the eye, so great is the noise thereof. In the Parish of North Taunton, near an house called Bath, is a pit, but in the winter, a pool, not maintained by any spring, but by the fall of rain water, and dry in summer, of wliich it is observed, (saith Dr. Fuller) that before the deatli of any prince, or other accidents of importance, it will, though in a dry hot season, overflow its banks, and so continue till that which is prognosticated be fulfilled ; and that it overflowed four times in eighty years last past. Tiie hanging stone is one of the bound-stones parting Comb Martin from the next parish, so named from a thief, who stole a sheep and tied its four legs together, and carried it as a porter does his knot, but resting on this stone, the sheep struggled and slipped liis legs over tlie thief's neck, and happened to hang him. We may add to these wonders the Gubbings, which is a sort of Scythia in England, and they pure heathens within ; this place lyeth near Brent Tor on the Edge of Dartmouth. It is reported, that about 200 j'ears ago, two strumpets being with child fled thither, to whom certain debauclied fellows resorted, and that this was their origin ; they are a people by themselves, exempt from all authority F 34 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IN cccleslastial or civil : they dwell in cottages like s^\ ine, being rather holes than houses, having all in common," and are multiplied without marriage into many hundreds; their language is the dross of the dregs of Devonshire speech, and the more learned a man is. the less they understand him : during our civil wars no soldiers quartered amonff them, for fear of Ijcing quartered by them : their •wealth consists of other men's goods, for they live by stealing sheep on the moor ; it is in vain to search their houses, being a work beneath a sheriff and above the power of a constable ; tlieir swiftness is such as they will out-run horses : so healthful they out-live most men ; ignorant of luxury, the extinguisher of life: they hold together like bees, and if you offend one, all revenge his quarrel. In 9j9, Edgar, a Saxon king, hearing of the beauty of Elfreda, only daughter to Orgdatus, Duke of Devonshire, and founder of Tavistock Abbey, senThis favourite, the Earl of Eilielwold, who could well judge of beauty, with commission, if he found her such as fame reported, to bring her with him, and he would make her his queen; the young Earl upon sight of the lady was so surprised, that he courted her himself, and procured her father's consent, if he could obtain the King's. The Earl posted back to the King, relating, that the lady was fair indeed, but not answerable to the report of her, yet desired of the Kijig that he might marry her, as being her father's heir, thereby to raise his fortune. The King consented, and the marriage was solemnized, yet the fame of her beautj- spread more than before: so that the king doubting he had been abused, resolved to try the truili : and pretending to hunt in the Duke's park, came to his house. Ethelwold suspectiiig thb, acquainted his wife with the wrong he did her and the King, iutreating her earnestly to cloafh herseTf so as might least set forth her beauty, as she tendered his lite; but she resolving to be revenged, and thinking now was the time to make the most of her beauty-, longing also to be queen, Avould not be accessary to her own injury, but decked herself in her richest ornaments, which so improved her beauty, that the King was as- tonished, and resolved to be quit with his perfidious favourite ; yet dissembling his passion, he went to hunting, where taking Ethelwold at an advantage he ran him through ; and having made fair Elfreda a widow, he took her to wife. ^Ve read tliat Ordulphus, son of Orgdatus, Earl of Devonshire (whether this is certain or no) was a giant-like man. and could break bars of iron with his hands. Agues Priest was burnt at Exeter in the year 1538: her husband and her own children were her greatest persecutors, from whom she fled, GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 35 because they would force licr to go to mass ; she was condemned by Troublefield, JJishop of Exeler, for den3ini^ the sacrament of the altar. After her condemnation, she refused to receive any money, saying, she was going to a city where money had no mastery: she was a simple woman to behold, little of statue, and about lifly-niuc years old. One Child, the last of the family, was of antient extract at Plira- stock, and had great possessions ; it happened that hunting in Dart- more, he lost both his company and way in a deep snow ; so killing Lis horse, he crept into his hot bowels for wannth, and writ thus with his blood : Whoever find and brings me io my tomb, The land of Plimstock, that shall be his doom. The night after it seems he was frozen to death, and being first found by the monks of Tavistock, they hastily provided to inter him in their own Abbey; his own parishioners at Plimstock stood at the ford of the river to take the body from them ; but they must rise early, yea, not sleep at all, who over-reach monks in matter of profit; for they east a slight bridge over the river, carried over the corps and inferred it; this is since better built, and is called Guile Bridge to this day. Nicholas and Andrew Tremain were twins, and younger sons of Thomas Tremain, of Colaconib, Esq. such was their likeness in all parts of face and body, as not to be distinguished but by tJieir dift'erent habits, which they would sometimes change to make sport, and occasioned many mistakes; they felt alike pain, though at a distance, and without any notice given, they equally desired to walk, travel, sit, sleep, eat, and drink at the same time, as their father attested ; in this they differed, at Newhaven in France, one was a captain of a troop, the other a private soldier : here they were both slain in the year 13G4, death being pitiful to kill them together, to prevent the lingering languishing of the surviver. In 1336, John de Bcigny, Lord of Ege-lifford, having been a traveller and a soldier in his youth, retired home, married, and had three sons ; of these the youngest went to tight against the Saracens in Spain, whose valour the father heard much commended, which made him more patiently endure his absence, but when Death had bereft him of his two eldest sons, he was often heard to say, Oh! if I might but ouce embrace my son, 1 would be contented to die 36 ADMIRABLE CLRIOSiTlES IN prcspnllv. His son returnins unexpectedly, the old man expired -with ail estasv of joy ; thus if Heaven should take us at our word in all our random desires, we should be drowued in the deluge of our own passion. T. Stuckly was a younger brother of an antient family near Ilfracomb, a man of great "parts, which himself knew loo well ; havinff prodigally spent his patrimony, he entered on several projects; the fir^t was the peopling of Florida, then newly found out in the ^^'est Indies. So conlident was his ambition, that he blushed not to tell Queen Elizabeth, that he would chuse rather to be sovereign of a mole hill, than the highest subject to the greatest prince in Christen- dom; adding, that he %vas sure to be a prince before his death. I hope, said tjie Queen, I shall hear from 30U when you are settled in your principality. I will write unto you (quoth Stuckly.) In what lanffuage : said the queen. He rej)Hed, in the stile of princes, to ourdear sister. But his project of Florida being blasted, he treache- rously attempted what he could not loyally atchieve, going into Ireland and thence into Italy, where he got into favour whh Pope Pius V. boasting, that with 5000 soldiers he would beat all the English out of Ireland. " The Pope gave him many titles in Ireland, as Earl of AVexford, Marquis of Leinsler, &c. and furnished him with SOO men, paid by the King of Spain, for this Irish expedition, in passing to which, Stuckly lands in Portugal, just ^hen King Sebastian, with two Moorish kings, were going into Africa ; Stuckly scorning to attend, is persuaded to accompany them. Landing in Africa, Stuckly gave this seasonable council, " that they should refresh their soldiers two or three days, some of whom were sick by the tempestuous passage :" but this would not be heard, King Sebastian was furious to engage, and so in the battle of -Ueaser, their army were totally defeated, and Stuckly lost his life. A fatal figlit, where in one day was slain, Three kings that were, and one that would be fain. This battle was fought in '15T8, where Stuckly with his SOO men behaved themselves valiantly, till overpowered with multitudes ; and so ended this bubble of ostentation. In the wars between Edward II. and the barons, one John Pou- drass, a tanner's son of Exeter, gave out, that he was the true Edward, the eldest son of King Edward I. and by a false nurse changed in his «radle, and that King Edward was a carter's son and laid in his GREAT BRITAIN, ic. 37 place; for wliicli forgen', being hanged and quartered, be confessed at his death, that lie had a familiar spirit in his house, in likeness of a cat, that had assured him he should be King of England, and that he served this syiini three years to bring his design about. King Richard III. lay in Exeter Castle, and being told that the name of it was Rugeniont, he was much startled, having heard wizards say, that he should never prosper after he had met with Rugemont; but the devil or his oracle spoke low or lispinff, desiring to hide his folly and ignorance ; or King Richard's guilty conscience being frighted, mistook him, seeing not Rugemont, but Richmond, the title of King Henry Vll. was the dettruction of this usurper. In the reign of King Edward IVth, Sir John Hawksford, Lord Chief Justice, living at Aniiory, of a great estate, and without chi Idren, grew melancholy, and calling the keeper of his park, charcrcd him with negligence in suffering his deer to be stolen, commanding him if he met with any one in his night's walk, that would not stand or speak, he should not tail to kill him, whoever he were. Having thus provided to end his doleful days, he in a dark night conveyed himself out of his house, and walked alone in liis park ; the keeper in his circuit hearing one coming towaril him, asked who was there, but no answer being maile, bid him stand, which he would not, so the keeper shot him dead, and coming to see, found it to be his master. In 1 J58, Twilord was burnt down hy straw in a chimney, which fired the house and town, so that in an hour and a half it consumed 400 houses, to the loss of £150,000. in money, plate, merchandise, household-stuff, and houses, 30 persons, men, women, and children were burnt; yet by providence, an alms-house, with several poor people, was preserved almost amidst the flames. October 21, 1632, in the church of Witny Comb, during sennon, happened a great darkness, and a terrible thunder like cannon, the darkness so increasing that the people could not see each other, extraordinary lightning filled the church with fire, smoak, and a smell like brimstone, a ball of fire came in at the window, and passed through the church, which so affrighted (hem that some fell on their knees, others on their faces, and one upon another, crying out of burning and scalding, all giving up themselves for dead. Mr. G. Lyde, the Minister, was in his pulpit, and had no harm, but was a sad spectator of the sufferings of others, the lightning seizing on his wife, and burning her cloatlis and body, and another woman by her in the same manner, but her maid and child sitting at the pew door Lad no hurt : another woman attempting to run out had her cloaths ,? /A *>i p- ■i; <:> ,./ v> 38 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IN burnt, and her flesli torn off her back, almost to the bones; another had her body so terribly burnt, ibat she died; one Master Hill had his head so violently struck against the wall that he died, his son sitting by him received no hurt; another man had his head cloven, his skuU rent in three places, and his brains thrown upon the ground whole, the hair of his head through the violence ot the blow, stuck fast to a pillar ; some seats in the body of the church were turned upside down, yet those which sat in them had little hurt. A man going out of the cliancel, his dog running before, was whirled about and tVll down dead, but the master stepping back was preserved: the church was much torn, and a beam breaking in the midst fell down between the minister and the clerk, and hurt neither, and where the sieeple and church was most rent, the least hurt was done; one maid was killed by tlie stones, which fell from the steeple as fast as it'thrown by an hundred men: a pinicle of which beat through into the church. The pillar against which the pulpit stood, being wJiite was turned black: there were three persons killed, and sixty-two hurt, divers had their linen burnt, their outward garments not being singed. The lightning passed, and the people in a terrible amaze, a gentleman said, neighbours in the name of God, shall we venture out of the church? the minister answered, let us make an end of prayer, for it is better to die here than in another place ; but the people seeing the church so terribly rent over their heads, they durst not proceed in their devotions, but went out. At that time a Bowling-AUey near the church yard, vras turned into heaps and pits, as if plowed, and at Brixton, near Plymouth, fell hailstones as big as a turkey's egs, some of five, six, and seven ounces. This cotmty hath 33 hundreds, 32 market towns, 394 churches, and elects 26 parliament men. DORSETSHIRE Hath Devonshire, west : Somerset and Wiltshire, nonh ; Hantshire, east ; and the Narrow Seas south. It abounds in wheat, cattle, wool, and kersies. Dorchester the chief town, was formerly walled, where- of some part standeth on the west and south sides ; the trench like a quadrate, contains one thousand seven hundred paces, it was destroyed by the Danes. Bedbury is now a decayed castle, though once the court of the West Saxon Kings ; so is Cerne, where Austin GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 39 (he monk broke down the altars of the Saxon God Hell, ■whom they worshipped as the preserver ofheaUh. Sbaftsbury likewise whirein Aquilla, (cither man or eagle) is reported to liave prophesied of future times: in this city, was buried, Edward son of Edgar, who was murdered at Cort-Castle by his step-mother, to make way for her own son. In the reign of Edward II. the Earl of Lancaster married a lady from Camelford, who was taken from him by one Richard Martin, a lame dwarf, who challenged her for his wife, alledgiiig he had lain w ith her before the Earl married her ; the lady being examined con- fessed it was true, and the ugly fellow in her right claimed the two earldoms of Lincoln and Salisbury. In 131 1, the church of Middleton, with all the monuments, were consumed by lightning. In 1348, a plague was brought from beyond sea into the towns on the sea coast of Dorsetshire, which raged so, that scarce the tenth man was left alive in the kingdom. In 130(i, King Pliilip sailing out of Germany into Spain, was driven by a tempest upon (he coast of England, and landing at Wcymoutii, was invited by Sir Thomas Trenchard to his house, who sent word to King Henry Vll. of his arrival; he glad to have his court honoured by so great a Prince, sent the Earl of Arundel to wait upon him with a'gallant troop of three hundred liorse, and for more state lie came by torch-light. Though King Philip had reasons to hasten his journey, jet not to distate King Henry he came post to Windsor, where after magnificent entertainment. King Henry, when they were private, laying his hand upon King Philip's arm, said, " Sir, you have been saved upon my coast, 1 hope you will not suffer me to wreck upon yours." The King of Castile asking him what he meant: " I mean (saith the King) that hair-brained fellow the Earl of Suffolk, who being my subject, is protected in your country, and begins to play the fool "when all others are weary of it." The King of Castile answered, " I thouglit Sir your felicity had been alx)ve these thoughts, but if it trouble yuu'l will banish him." King Henry answered, that his desire was to have him delivered up ; the King of Castile a little confused said, " That can I not do with my honor;" well then, said the King, the matter is at an end; at last the King of Castile, who much esteemed King Henry, said, " Sir, you shall have him, but upon your lionor yon shall not lake away his life." " 1 promise it upon my honor, said King Henry ;" and he kept his promise, tor he was not put to death during his reign ; yet he took such order that his sou 40 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IX Henry the VIII. cut off his head : this Earl had lately eone orer to Flanders to the Lady Margaret. King Henry's sworn enemy, which made the Kins doubt of his"intearions ; after King Philip had received the Order of the Garter, aud King Henry that of the Golden Fleece, the King of Castile departed. In 153s, at Blackmore, in the parish of Armitage, a piece of ground of three acres removed over another close, with the trees and fences thereon, stoppin? up an high-way which led to Ceme, the hedges inclosincr it as before, and the trees standing upright, only one oak of twenty ioad fell down ; in the place whence it removed remained a great deep pit. In 1613, Auffust Slh, the town of Dorchester was consumed with fire, save a few houses near the church, and ffoods to the value of two hundred thousand pounds, yet no man perished therein. In June, 1653, a black cloud was seen over the town of Pool, which dissolved into a shower of blood, and fell warm upon men's hands, some ereen leaves widi those drops upon them were sent to London. The Forest of is so called, be- coming hither to taken other deer, beautiful white aftenvard Tho- a gentleman and killed, for laid a fine upon whole county, they hold pay to year a sum of Eschequer,call- Silver. Myself, havepaidashare Vk ho nevertasted so tbat it seems, is sooner eaten Mr. Ignatius at Lime Regis, sent to Exeter, a merchant in last came to be mayor, and was a justice of peace twenty-four years DR. TV1.1LJ: the White Hart causeHenrylll. lmnt,aud haviuf he spared a Lart, which mas de Lynd, w'-ih others took which the King hin, and the and the lands this day every manev into the ed. White Hart sa th Dr. Fuller, for the sauce, any of the meai. Kings venison than digested. Jordan was born and when young to be brought up this city, he at GREAT BRITALN, &c. 41 yd his boofiiiniiig was very mean, ■\vliicli he was always ready to acknow- ledge ; when some threatened him w itii law suils, and that they would not give over wliile he was worth a groat, he cheerfully told (hem, (hat he sliould be then but two-pence poorer than when he first came to Exeter: tor, said he, " 1 brought but six-pence with me hither:" he wouhl often say he wondered what rich men meant they gave so little to tiie poor, and yet raked so much together for their children; do you not see, said he, what becomes of it? reckonino- up divers examples of such as heaped up much for their cliildreji, wiio consumed it all ; on the other side, he spoke of sucli as had small beginnings, and became rich, particularly himself; " I came, said be, but with a groat or six-pence to this city, had 1 had a shilliiii; in my purse I had never been Mayor of Exeter." In his troubles in the star-chamber, when one (old him he was sorry that tlie loril keeper ■was against him, he answered, " I liave a greater lord keeper than him, the Lord is my keeper I will not lie afraid." He was famous for justice and charity in his life, and at his death left large legacies to the poor of this city and county. This County liath tweiif_\-nine hundreds, nineteen market towns, and two hundred aud forty-eight parishes, and elects twenty parlia- ment men. DURHAM Hatli Northumberland, north: divided by the River Uerwent and Tync ; York, south ; the German Ocean, east ; Cumberland and "Westmoreland, west. It abounds with coal, lead, and iron. Near Darlington, whose waters are warm, there arc three pits wonderful deep, called Hell-Kettles, judged to come of an earthquake in 1179. For on Christmas Day at Oxoidial, (lie ground heaved aloft like a tower, and continued immoveable till even, and then fell with so horrible a noise, as affrighted the inhabitants, and the earth swallow- ing it up, made in the place three deep pits ; it is, reported that B. Tonston put a goose into one of the pits, which was found in the River Tees; if so, these kettles have passages under ground. From (he River Weer at Buttcrby, in summer issues a salt redish water, and growing thick, becomes salt, which the people use. In the reign of William I. Wolstan was Bishop of Durham, and Lanfrank reporting him insufficient from want of learning, the King commanded him to put ofi" his pontifical robes, and leave his bishop- rick, when by divine inspiration, Wolstan answered, " A better tha» G 42 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IX you, O Kins', bestowed these robes upon me, and to liim will I restore them;" and going to King Edward the Confessor's slirine, who made him a Bisiiop, and putting ofl' his robes, he struck his staff upon his monument, wbicli stuck tast (saith the author) in the stone, and coiikl not be drawn forth but by himself, which so terrified both Lanfrank and the King, that they iutreatcd hira to take his robes a""ain and keep his Bishoprick. When King Edward III. was victorious in France, the Scots with David Bruce their King, invaded England with sixty-two tliousand men, and marched to Durham, supposing none but priests and shepherds were left at home, such vast numbers IxMn? abroad upon service, but they found it otherwise, for several lords in (lie north, with the Bishop of York, Durham, and others of the clerffv, gathered — I, ~rcat forces, that by the animation of Queen Piulippa (who such though big will person through encouragethem Scots at Xovils feated theirirreat King Daviil pri- Earls of Fife. ray, Sutherland. Arch-Bishop (i| and others, and sand Scots; yet valour, especi- who had two in liis body, his wound>\l wiihan and other wca- his hand: and to be !ake;i, en- l)r(;voke)he Eii- a;:d .lolin Cop- "f Roxboronirh Jiim to yield. *^i*-'-J-'J--i'' JT JJ JLJL< IJT J' ^.V. ,1^. j^j„jj, gj^^.^^.g^ him so fiercely over his face wilh his gauntlet as beat out two of his leelh: but since lie could not force a death, he must >ubmil to be a j>riNoner, he was conveyed by Copland out of the field; (he Qiicen r.'lrcd to Xewc;ist!e to attend the event of the bnlCe. and hearin* iviiig David \jas taken, sent to thce-.iptain to d.-livcr up his royal child, rode m the troops, to meetino- t]ie Cross, they de- army, and took soner, with (he .Montcith, Mur- Douglas, the ^t. Andrew's, .^lewfilteenthou- not for want if ally in the King ^pears hanjinor leg t estate afforded him a mansion house for every week in the year, is a clear instance of human frail felicity, was joungest daughter to Ralph Earl of AVestmoreland (of which family Raby was the chief seat) who had twenty-one children, but she exceeded her sisters in honor, being married to Richard Uuke of \'ork ; she was blessed with three sons, each born in several kingdoms, Edward (aflerward Edward IV.) was born at Bourdeaux, George at Uubling, and Riciinrd at Eolhcriiigay. This was her liappiness ; behold her miseries ; she saw her husband killed in battle, George Duke Clarence her second son drowned in a but of Malmsey, King Edward her eldest son cut ofl by intemperance in the prime of his years, his two sons butchered by their uncle Crookback Ilichard, and he himself not long after slain at Bosworth ; she saw her own reputation publickly murdered at Paul's Cross by that son, taxing his eldest brother as a bastard ; and yet she was not haughty in her good, nor dejected in her ill estate, an argument of an even and steady soul ; indeed she lived to see Elizabeth her grand-child married to King Henry All. but had little comfort thereby, the party of the Yorkist* were so depressed by him; she lived thirty-five years a widow, and died the tenth of Henry VII. 1423, and was buried by her husband in the church of Foiheringay i'l Northamptonshire, the choir of which being demolished by King Henry Vlll. their bones lay in the church- yard without any monument, till Queen Elizabeth coming thither in progress, ordered them to be interred in the church, and two tombs to be erected over them ; so their bodies Avrapped in lead were removed from their plain graves, and their coffins opened ; the Duchess Cicely had about her neck a silver ribbon with the pardon from Rome, penned in a fine Roman hand, so fair to be read as wrilteji but yesterday : this lady was a benefactress to Queen's College in Cambridge. In former ages the bishops had the royalties of princes over their country, and the inhabitants pleaded the privilege not to pass tl»e River of Tees or Tyne to serve in war, whose cliarge they alledgjed was to defend 44 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IN the corps of St. Cuthbert, their adored saint, and called themselves The Holy Werk Folks; the repute of this Cuthbert, and his supposed defence against the Scots vras such, that several of our kings went to his tomb oti pilgrimage, and gave large possessions to his church ; among others King Canute came thither bare-foot, and at Cuthbcri's tomb enlarged and confirmed their liberties. This county hath four wakes, one hundred and eighteen parishes, and elects four parliament men. ESSEX Hath Kent, south ; divided by the River Thames : Suffolk, nonli ; severed by the River Stour ; Cambridge, Hertford, and Miildlesex, west; the two latter almost partetl by the River Lea: the Crcrman Ocean, east. This shire produccih plenty of saffron about Walden, a fair market town which coloured it with the name It hath the best oysters called Wallfleet, thought by Pliny to have been servetl in the Roman kitchen. Likewise cloth, stuffs, and hops. The air of the east parts is not counted healthful : those parts next the sea are called the hundreds, fruitful in cattle. The vulsar wits astonish strangers with the stock of poor people in those parts^ atfirming, they have five hundred cows, and nine hundred sheep, which are indeed but five cows and nine sheep in these himdreds. The chief town is Colchester, buih by Coilus the British Prince in 124, wherein the first Christian King, Empress, and Emperor in the world were boni, that is. King Lucius, Helena, and Constantine, of whom the poet sings ; From Colchester there arose a star, The rajs whereof gave glorious light Throughout the world in climates far, Great Constantine, Rome's Emperor bright. The most famous antiquity is Camolodunum, near Meldon, the royal seat of Cunobelin, King of the Ginobantes (as by money therein minted appeareth about our Saviour's birth.) which city Claudius won trom the Britons, and therein placed a colony of Romans : in the east promontory, in 1370, the teeth of a giant " were found (if they were not of an elephant) of a great size i in the rei^n of Queen Elizabeth more bones as monstrous were digged up." The monks write, that a pilgrim was sent by St. John Baptist to King EnRABT.E CURIOSITIES IX he may fetch a flitch of bacon from Dunmow : this depends on a custom in the Priory of Dunmow, founded by Juga, a noble lady, for black nuns. III]." But the properly was after" altered into a male nunnery ; and the friars were merry when they ordained, that if anr person would come and kneel on two stones yet to be seen at the diurch door before the convent, and take the ensuina: oath, he might demand a gammon of bacon, which should be freely given him. You shall swear 'by the custom of our confession, That you never made any nuptial transgression Since you were married man and wife, By houshold brawU or cootentious strife. Or otherwise in bed, or at board, Offend each other in deed or word ; Or since the parish clerk said Amen, ^Vished yourselves unmairied again, Or in a twelve-month and a day, Repented not in thought anv way, But continued trn^, and in desire, As when you join'd hands in Holy Choir; Jf to these conditions without all fear. Of your own accord you will freely swear, A gammon of bacon vou shall receive. And carry it hence with love and free leave: For this is our custon at Dunmow well known, Tho' the sport be ours the bacon's your own. it appears by an old record, that Richard Wright of Norfolk in 1465, and S. Samuel of Little Eaton in 1465, and Thomas Lee of Coxhall in Essex 1511, took this oath, and received their bacon. Randolph Peveril at Hartfield Peveril, in great esteem with King Edward the Confessor, married the daughter of Ingerick his Kinsman, of great nobility among the English Saxons; this lady was so beautiful that she conquered William the Conqueror, who to obtain her enriched St. Martin's le Graml in London, founded by her father and uncle King Edward : preferred her two brothers, William Peveril to be keeper of Dover Castle, and Pain was made Baron of Bourn in Cambridgeshire : he solicited her by the messengers of the devil's bed-chamber, subtle pimps and bawds, and visited her (like Jupiter) in a golden shower: by these allurements from a King, she was brought to his bed, unto whom she bore a son named William, who was Lord of Nottingham; but his mother touched with remorse GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 4^ y of conscience, to expiate her giiilt founded a nunner at Harpsfield to St. Mary Magdalen, wherein slie spent her days. In 1I7I, at St. Osylhs was seen a dragoa of wonderful bigness, ■wliich wherever it moved, burnt the houses. King Edward III. commanded Hubert de Burg, Earl of Kent, to be apprehended, who having notice, rose at midnight, and fled into a church in Essex ; tlie olKcers found him on his knees before the high-, altar, wilii the popish sacrament in one hand, and the cross in the other, yet they seized and carried him prisoner to the Tower of London : Roger Niger, then bishop, made complaint to the King of this violence done to the holy cliurch, and would not be satisfied till the Earl was carried back to the church again, though well guarded there; however this saved (lie Earl's life, for the King's anger cooled, and he was reconciled to him. In 1510, in Dengey hundred near Soufhminster, mice over-run those marshes, tearing up tiic grass by (lie roots, and poisoned it with (heir venomous teeth, so (hat (he ca((le whicli grazed tiiere died; at lengdi a number of strange painted owls came, no man knew wiience,. and devoured all (he mice. Thcr<> liappened the like in Essex. In 1548, forty-four persons suffered martyrdon in this coun(y, anuing whom was William Hunter, a young man of nineteen years old, born of religious parents, who instructed him in the truth, and sent iiim ajijirent ice to London, where refusing to go to mass, lie went home to his parents at Brentwood; and going into a chapel there, found a bible, which whilst he was reading, a sumner came in, and asked him, " Whether he could expound the scripture?" he answered, " he did oidy read it to his comfort."^* The Sumner replied, " i( was never a merry world since the biblp came forth in Iviglish." Hunter answered, " say not so,, for tj()d"s sake, for it is (iod's book, out of which every one ought to . harn how to please (jod ; and I pray God that we may have (he blessed bible amongst us." " Ay," said (he sunnier, " I know your mind well enough ; you are one of (liose that do not like the Queen's laws, but you and many more must (urn over a new leaf, or else you will broil fiir it.'' " Pray Ci'od give me grace, said Hunter, (hat I may believe his word and confess his name, whatever comes of it." " Nay," said the siMuncr, " you coifess the devil's name, and will all go to him." The sumner (hen fe(ched a jjriest out of a blind ale- house, who finding Hiniter reading, reviled him, what he thought of (lie blessed sacrament of (he al(ar, Avhether it were not really Christ's body and blood? Hunter said,, " he found no such thing !»- 4S ADMIllABLi: CLRIOSITIES JN jcripture.'' '• All," quolh ihe vicar, " now I fiiitl you are an heretic." Hunter replied, '• would vou and I were botU tied to the stake, to tr\" which of us \\ould stick, closest to our t'lith." The Priest inforuiins asainst hira, lie was brought before Bishop Bonner, who finding him firm to his principles, set him in the stocks in his srate-house, where he lav two davs with a crust of brown bread, and a cup of cold waier : alter imprisoiunent three quarters of a year, the Bishop condemned and sent him to Brentwood to be burnt, where his father and mother came to hiiu, beseecliing God he might continue constant to the end ; his mother addeil, she was happy in having such a child, who could find in his heart to lose his life for Christ's sake. At the stake he kneeled down and read the .51st p?alm. Then the sheriff said, here is a letter from the Queen, if thou wilt recant thou shall live, otherwise thou shall be burnt. No quolh William, I will never recant ; and so he was fastened to the stake : He then said good people pray for me while you see me alive ; adding. Son of God shine upon me ; and the sun immediately shone out of a thick cloud so full in his face that he was forced to turn his head aside. Fire Ijcing kindled he lift up his hands to Heaven, saying Lord I Lord I receive my spirit ; and so ended his litV in the flames. J. Lawrence was burnt at Colchester whose legs beinslame with irons, and his body weak with cruel usage, he was carried to the stake in a chair, and burnt ilierein. Many young children alx)ut the fire crying out to hira, Lord strengthen thy servant and keep thy promise ; which seemed an effect of divine providence, who out of the mouths of babes and sucklings had ordained strength. Thomas Hawks gentleman was troubled for refusir:g to baptize his child after the popish fashion. This man going to the stake , promised his friends fo give them some solemn token of the comfort of his conscience : so whilst his body was burning, he raised up himself, and having ihe sense, yet no fear of the fire, joyfully clapped his hands over his head, to the admiration of all. There was an idol called the Rood of Dover court, to which mul- titudes went in pilgrimage : divers zealous protestants at Dedham, much tioudled to see this wicked idolatry, went in a frosty moon shine night, ten miles to the place where this idol was, they found the church doors open, the priests boasting the power of this rood was such, that no man could shut them. These persons took the imag^ ,and carrying it a quarter of a mile off, there burnt it ; for which three of them were hanged in chains. In 1605, a great Porpus was taken at Westham, in a little creek alive, a mile and an half within the land, and a icvf days after a A\'hale came up the Thatues. whose length was judged to CIREAT BIUTAIN, Sec. 49 exceed (be largest ships in the river ; but fasting the fresh water ; slip returned (o sea. This county bath 20 hundreds, 21 market towns and Ij parislu's ; it elects 8 parliament men. GLOCESTEESHIRE Ilath Worcester and Warwick north ; Oxford and Wiltshire east; Somerset south ; Hereford, with the river Wye west. Malmsbury, the old historian thus describes it; the grounds of this shire tliroughont, saitli he, ^icld plenty of corn and fruits, one through the natural goodness of the ground, the other by diligent manuring and tillage, so that it would provoke the most lazy to take [wins ; here the highways aiul lanes arc full of apple and pear trees, not ingrafted by the industry of man, but growing up naturally; the ground itself is so inclined io bear fiuit ; and those in taste and beauty far exceeding others, and will endure till a new supply come ; there is not any county in England so thick set with vineyards as this, so plentifulof increase, and so pleasant in taste ; the wines made therct)f arc little interior to the French, the, houses are innumerable, (he churches fair, and the towns very (hick, bu( that which atlds a greater glory to it, is the River Severn, not any in the kingdom exceeding it for breadth, swiftness, or store of fish ; (liere is in it a daily gulph or whirlpool of waves raising up sands from (he bottom, driving them upon heaps, and sometimes overflowing its banks a great way on the bordering grounds, and then returns into its usual channel; unhnppy is the vessel which it taketh full upon the side, but the watermen being aware of it when they see it coming, (urn (heir vessels, and cutting through the midst of it, avoid the danger ; this encounter of the salt aiul freshwater, is called (he higre, and by some (he eager, for its fierceness, which is terrible w ith the flashing and noise to those that see and hear it, much more to some who feel it, of which no reason can be rendered, since the Thames wherein is the same cause liath no such disturbance. Here how the poet describes this Higrc. Until they be embraced In Severn's sovert'igu arnjs with those tumuUiious waves, Shut ii|> in narrow bounds, the Iligre wildly raves. And flights the stragling flocks, the neighbouring shores to fly, As far as from the main It comes with hedious cry. And on the angry front the curled foam doth bring Tile billows against the banks when fiercely it doth fling, H 50 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IN Throws up the slimv ouze. and makes the scaly brood, Leap madding to the land, affrighted from the flood ; 0"erturns the toiling barge, -whose steersman doth not launch, And thruii the furrowing beak into her dreadful pauach. In the second year of the reign of King Richard the Illd. when the Duke of Buckingham intended to pass his annyover the Severn, there was so great an inundation that men were drowned in their beds, houses overturned, children carried about the fields, swimming in their cradles, and beasts drowned even upon the hills ; which continued ten days, and is still called The Great Water. In 1575, Feb. 54. being a hard frost after a flood, there came dcmn the Severn a swarm of flies and beetles, indeed to be about an hundred quarters ; the mills were damned up wilii ihem for four days, and tlien cleansed by digging them out with shovels. In 1607, a mighty West wind continuing 16 hours, brought the Sea into the Severn (after a great rain and a sprinc; tide) with such violence that it began to overflow its banks from the .\iount in Cornwall along on both sides into Somerset and Glocestershire. In some places the water rose 3 foot, in others 5 and 7, and in some towns and villages hiffher than the tops of the liouses: so that SO persons were drowned, much cattle, divers churches and parishes overwhelmed, with raucli harm in Wales, the damages being reckoned above 90000 pounds. In 755, Kenwulf, King of the West Saxons, giving himself up to debauchery, coming to Merton to visit a wench he kept, was there slain, and buried at Winchester. About 1050, Godwin the subtle Earl of Kent, cast a covetous eye on the Nunnery of Berkley in Crlocestershire, so he left there a handsome young man, seemingly sick, for their charity to recovery. The Abbess was a fine noble lady ; Godw in gives the young man charge so long to counterfeit till he had debauchedthe ab- bess and as many nuns as he could, and letl him rings, jewels, girdles, and such toys, to give them when they eame to visit him : the young man willing to undergo such a task, so played his part, that in a short time he accomplished his purpose, and then told his lord how he had fared ; the Earl goes and tells the king that such a nunnery was become a bawdy house, procures a visitation, gets them turned out. and begs the land. This Godwin had a mind to another rich manor in Sussex, called Boscham, and complimented it out of ihe Arch-Bishop of Canterbury ; for coming to him he said. Da raihi Basium, give me a buss or kiss, an usual favour from a prelate ; the Arch-Bishop an- swers. Da tihi Basium, 1 give thee akbs, andkiised him ; upon which Ciodwin goes to Bosham. and takes possession thereof; aud though SIR T. 3IOSE, Sir Thomas More, was the first Laj-ChanccUor upon record, and presided in the Chancery with great abilities. He was no less qualified for this great office, from his extensive knowledge of law and equity, than from the depth ot his penetra- tion, and the exactness of his judgement. He was condemned for denying the supremacy of Henry VIll. liis facetiousness remained with him to the t.cofl"old : and that way of nillery had been so customary to liim, that death did not discompose him, nor put liim out of his ordinary humour ; which some too justly censured as little and indecent, and as having more of the stoick than the christian in it. He was beheaded on the sixth of June, in the fit\v-third year ofliis age; a man of great capacity, and eminent viriues, wlio in his youth had freer thoughts, but was afterwards corrupted by superstition, became fierce for all the interests of the superstitious clergy, and wrote much in defence of the old abuses. GREAT BUITALV, &c. 51 here vms no intention in him that passed it away, nor valuable consi- derafion, but a mere circumvention, yd sticli was Godwin's power, and the Arcli-fJisliop's poorness of spirit, tliat lie quietly enjoyed it. These ricli manors oi' Berkley and Boscham are both now met in the Earl of Berkley, his ancestors being long since possessed of them. In 12/6, the monastery of Gloucester was burnt, in King Henry Vlllth's time, James, son to sir Alexander Bainham, of this couuty, was burnt for reliffion ; he was bred in learning, of a religious conversation, much addicted to ])rayer, and a diligent reader of the holy scriptures. He studied llie law, wherein he was merciful to his clients, ready to give counsel to widows, fatherless, and atiiicted, without a reward , at last he was complained of to Sir Thomas Moore, Lord Chancellor, who at his house at •ed with frowns withdraw hiui Tvhich not pre- sed hira to be a garden (called of truth,) and liim : this not saw him racked he was lamed, would not ac- tauce, nor dis- tlieii was hi> «nd his gooils at last he was jure, and carried faggot in Saint but her by he ed than escaped a fire in his con. could not be asked God and giveness in a gregation, who Sm T, MO ORE. Chelsea, labour- and flatteries to from the truth, vailing, he cau- tied to a tree in by him the tree cruellyscourged succeeding, he in the Tower till because he cusehisacquain- cover his books ; wifeini prisoned, confiscated, yet persuaded to ab- a torch and a Pauls Church; rather exchanir- fire, feeling such science that he quiet till he had the world for- Protestant con- met privately in a warehouse in Bow Lane: on the Lord's day he went to St. Austin's, the next parish to St. Paul's, that the antidote might be brought Jiear the place of poison, where standing up with a New Testament in his hand, he declared before all the peopk' wiiii tears, that he had denied God, and prayed all the congregation to be warned by hie 52 ADMIR.\BLE CURIOSITIES IS fall not to do the like : for. said he, if I should not return again to the truth, this word of God (holdina: up the Testament) would damn me both bod V and soul in the day of judgment : and intrcaied them all, rather to die presently, than to do as he had done, for he would not feel such a hell in his conscience again, for all the world ; for this he was apprehended again and cruelly handled : the Bishop of London putting him in the stocks, and whipping him barlwrously a fortnight, to force him asain to recant, but all in vain, so he was condemnett to be burnt, and in the midst of the flames, which had half consumed his arms and legs, he spake these words: " Oh you Papists, behold " you look for miracles, and here now you may see a miracle, for in ♦' this fire I feel no more pain than if I were in a bed of down or '• roses.'" William Dangerfield of this county (with his wife) was imprisor.ed and so cruely used, that his leffs was almost eaten up with the irons ; after awhUe the Bishop sent and told him his wife had recanted, who was as well learned as he, and persuadetl him to sign a recantation, which they brought ; hayinff sijrned it they let Jiim go to his wife, and shewing his recaiuation, her heart was ready to break, crying out, '" Alas husljand, thus long we hare continuetl one, and hath Satan now so far prevailed with you. as to cause you to break your vow '\^iiich you made to God in your baptism?"' this so wrought with him that he repented of his apostacy, and soon after through extreme cruelty they l:oth died in prison. In 1375, February 16th, an earthquake happened in Glocester, Worcester, Hereford, York. Bristol, &c. the people running out of their houses for tear. In Tewkesbury, Bredon, and other places, dish«, and books in studies fell down ; in Norton Chapel the people being at prayers, and feeling the ground move, ran out. Part of Riihing Castle fell down, w.th divers brick chimnies- in gentlemen's houses. In 1(550, November 30, about sun-rise, the sky opened in theS. W. over Siandish, five miles from Glocester, and there appeared a terrible fiery sword, shaking with the point downward : the hilt seemed blue, the sword of great length, moving to and fro, and coming lower toward the earth ; there was a lonff flame of fire toward the point, spark- ling and flaming, to the astonishment of the spectators: at Inst the heavens closing, the sword vanished, and the tire fell to the earth, and ran upon the ground. Glocester is the chief city, stretched out over the Severn. The cathedral is beautil'ul. consistins: of a continued window work, but hath GKEAT BRITAIN, &c. 53 the loudest praises from (he whispering' place wilhin, (hus described by Mr. F. Bi;con ; tiicre is a chinch ;if Cilouccsler, saitli he, wiiere if you speak against a «all sot'ily, another shall liear your voice better a great way ottthau near at hand ; I suppose there is some vault, or aisle behind the wall, and some pas-^age to it toward the further end of that wall, against which you speak, so as the voice of him that speaketh, slideth along the wall, and then enterttli in at some passage, and commuiiicaleth with tlie air of (he iiollow: for it is somewhat preserved bv the plain wall, but tiiat is too \\eak to give an audible sound till it Jiatli comiiiuiiicated with the back air. In this cliurch lies the unfortunate Robert Duke of Niirmandy, eldest son to William the ('onqueror, in a painted wooden tomb in the choir, whose eyes were burnt out in Cardiff Castle, where he was prisoner twenty-six years. Here also the unhappy King Edward II. lies under a monument of alabaster, deposed by Parbamcnt, who setting at London sent several bishops, lords, and gentlemen, in the name of the state to Kenalwortli Castle, to represent to him, tiiat the Commonwealth l|ad such an irreconcilable dislike of his government, the particulars whereof had been opeiied at the general assembly at London, that they were resolved he should be King no longer : that yet these dislikes had not extended so far, as for his sake to exclude his issue; but that with universal applause, the Parliament had elected his eldest son Edward for their King: that if would be acceptable to God, if lie willingly gave over an earthly kingdom for tlie good of his country, which they said could not otherwise be secureil : that his honor would be never the less after his resignation than before ; only the comnioin>eallh would not sutler him to reign any longer : anil finally they presumed to tell him, that uriless he did freely renounce his crown, the people would neither endure him, nor any of his children for their sovereigns; but dis- claiming all homage and fealty, would elect one for their King of another blood and family. The King liaving heard of their message, fcfl down as half dead ; but being somewhat recovered, not to himself, but to a senle of his misery, lie brake forth into sighs and tears : and being (saith Sir Thomas de la More) more ready to sacrifice his body for Ciirist's cause, than to behold tiie disinheriting of his sons, or occasion the perpetual clistnibancc of the kingdom, as knowing that a shepherd should lose his life for his flock, answered thus; that he knew that for his many sins lie was fallen into tiiis calamity, and therefore hatii tlie less cause to take it greviously ; that he was sorry the people of the kingdom were so exasperated against him, as utterly to abhor Lis having any longer the sovereignty over them ; but yet it was 54 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES L\ greatlj to his liking, seeing it could be no otlierwise on his behalf, that his eldest son Mas so gracious in their sight ; and gave them thanks for chuiiug him their King. This being said, they proceeded to the short ceremonies of his resignation, ■which consisted principally in tiie surrender of the crown, and other ensigns of majestj", for tlie use of his son the new King Edward. Being thus unkinged, the Ambassadors returned joyfully to the Parliament at London, with the resigned ensigns, and an account of their employment: he being now deprived of his royalty, crown and dignity, remained with his kinsman the Earl of Leicester, shut up like a monk; but his cruel wife Queen Isabel, who had been the great instrument of his misfortunes, being told by her wicked couihsellor Adam Tarllon, Bisliop of Hereford, that the Earl was too kind te him, she ordered Thomas (iourney and John Maltravcrs to take the King into their custody, who carried him from Kenalworih to Corft" Castle, and then to Bristol, where they shut him up in the Castle; till upon discovery of a design to send him beyond the sea, they conveyed him to Berkley Castle; by the way tliese villains exercised divers cruelties towards him, not permitting him to ride but by nijiht, that he might not be seen of any, forcing him to ride bare Iieaded, when he would have slept they hindered him, neither wonhl give him sucli meat as he could eat, but such as he most loatlied; they contra- dicted lam in every thing he said, persuading him he was mad, and endeavoured by all ways to break his Jiearf; yea, they otten gave him poison in his drink, but the strength of nature overcame it : one put a crown of hay on his liead, the rest made a scorn of liim : they were afraid any of his friends should meet him, and to prevent his being known, resolved to cut off his hair and beard, comiitff by a ditch commanded him oft' his horse to be shaven, the setting him on a Kiole-hill, a barber came to shave him with a bason of cold water out of the ditch, telling him that must serve at present; the miserable King looking steridy upon him, answered, tliat whether they would or no, he would have warm water for his beard ; and to make ffood iiis word, he shed forth a shower of tears. At length lie was brought to Berkley Castle, and courteously received by Thomas Berkley, Lord thereof, wlio was allowed a hundred shillings a day for keeping him prisoner. But Queen Isabel bein^ troubled that her husband lived, consults again with the wicked Bishop of Hereford, pretending that she had frightful dreaius, that if her husband should be restored, he would burn her for a traitor, or banish her ; the Bishop and others of tiie nobility and cleriry finding themselves egually guilty, became uneasy GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 5S while the king lived, and sent chiding letters to the keeper, pretending they gave him too much liberty, and kept him too high : the Bishop adding this line at the end ; " Edizardum acctdere nolite timere lonum est." " To shed King Edward's blood Refuse to fear, I count it good." Never was the fallacy of pointings, or ambiguity of phrase more mischievously used for the destruction of a king, or defence of the contrivers, being so craftily worded in a double sense, that the keepers might find sufficient warrant, and himself sufficient excuse. The keepers ffucssing at the meaning, took it in the worst sense, and putting Lord Berkley out of the castle, shut up the King in a close chamber, where, with the stench of dead carcases in the cellar underneath him, he was almost poisoned ; of which he made complaint to some carpen- ters who worked at liis window : but these wretches perceiving this would not do, they rushed one niglit into his chamber, and casting as many bolsters on him as fifteen men could carry, pressed them tlown hard, and not content with that, lieated an iron spit red hot, and thro' a pipe like a trumpet thrust it up his body, that no marks of a violent death mis-ht be seen; but tliey were heard, for when thus doubly murder- ing him, he was heard to roar all the castle over. Gournej' and Mal- travers, his murderers, expecting rewards, had the reward of murderers, for the Queen and Bishop Tarlcton disavowing the command, threat- ened to question them for the King's death, so they fled beyond the sea, and Ciournev, three years after being taken in France, and sent for England, was in the way upon tlie sea beheaded ; Maltravers flying into Germany, had the grace to repent, but lived miserably-. Thus died tliis unfortunarte prince, in 1J27, lialfayear after his deposing. Never was any king turned out of a kingdom in such a manner : many kingdoms have been lost by tlie chance of war : but this before the dice were cast, no blow struck, no battle fought, done forcibly, and yet without force : violently, and yet with consent; both parties agreed, yet neitlier pleased : for the King was not pleased to leave his kingdom, and the Queen Mas not pleased to leave him his life, thougli he often declared, nothing grieved him so much as that the Queen his wife would never be persuaded to come and see him; and swore devoutly, that he could never like any other woman ; if so neither Gavestone nor the Spencers, Jiis wicked tavourites, had so far debauched him, as to make him disloyal to his queen : but she thinking not sale 56 ADMIRABLE CL1?I0SITIES IX to leave him a part t^ hereby he might discover the whole, it occasioned his miserable end. Glocester hath 30 hundreds, 25 market towns, 280 churches, and elects eight parliament meu. HAMPSHIRE Halli Berkshire, north; Siirrj and Sussex, east; the Sea, south; Dorsetshire and A\'ilfshire, west : from north to south, is 54 miles, antl from east to west, 30. It is fruitful in corn and pasture, and hath all (he advantages of the sea, also wool, cloth, and iron ; ^\'inchesler city flourished in the time of the Romans, and indifferently peopled ; it is about a mile and a half within the walls, hath six gates, several mag- nificent cliurches, and is a Bishop's see. Dr. Heylin says, the Order of the Knights of the Round Table, was instituted by Arthur King of Britain, one of tlie world's nine worthies. It consisted of 130 kniglits, tlie names of the principal were Sir Lancelot, Sir Tristam, Sir Lama- rock, Sir Gawen, &c. all placed at one round table to avoid quarrels about priority, and the round table in the great Hall at Winchester, is falsly called Arthur's, it being not of sufficient antiquity, nor con- taining but 24 seats. In 939, Edgar the Saxon King, hearing the daughter of a \\esteru Duke praised for her beauty, wns so inflamed that lie made a journey into those parts, and coming to Andover commanded the Virgin io be brought to his bed : the mother, tender of her dauffhter's honour, brought her maid in the dark to the King. In the morning, this late maid made haste to rise : the King loth to part with his supposed fair lady asked why she made such haste : who told hi;n, she had a deal o^' work to do, and that her lady would be angry if she did not rise and dispatch it : but being kept longer than her time, she ujion her knees besceched him to free her from her angry mistress, alledging, that she who had been embraced by the King, ought not to serve any other. He perceiving the deceit, reproved ihe Lady, and turned it into a jest ; but the girl pleased him so well, that he made her his concubine, whereby she ruled over them who lately commanded her, and loved her intirely, keeping to her alone till he was married to the fair Elfrida ; he debauched a nun named ^\'olt'child, on whom he Ix'gat Edith, after counted a Saint. He did the like with Ethelfleda, D. Ordmard's daughter, who for her beauty was called the white, on whom he begat his eldest son Edward ; for which 7 years penance was enjoiued him by St. Dunstau. GREAT BRITAIN, &:c. 57 This Edward succeeded bim at 12 jcars old, in nliose reign ^as a miserable famine and murrain of cattle, and a fearful comet appeared, all thouirht to be signs of divine pleasure, for the •nrong done to the mar- ried cleriTT, wlio were turned out of their livings, only for having ■wives according to the law of God. The unmarried Priests said, that Christ respected neither the person nor the place, but had only regard to those that took up the Cross of penance and followed him; but they little understood the i- cumbrance of marrying, else they would have felt the condition of married men was more truly taking up the cross and enduring penance, than their careless single life. The churchmen being divided, the nobles and others took part on cither side, and both raised forces in their own defence ; the fire was blown from a spark to a flame, but by mediation arras were laid, aside, and the cause was referred to a council at Winchester, where after a lonij debate, when it was like to go against the unmarried monks, it was determined by a rood, or image of a man that stood against the wall, by the persuasion of the great oracle St. Dunstan, who bid the.n pray devoutly, and give diligent ear for an answer; the idol being as good natured as lliey were devout, was easily persuaded to give them this advice, " Ciod forbid it should be so, God forbid it should be so ; vou have judged well once, and to change that again is not good :" this was authority sufficient io suppress the married priests, who now with their wives went down the wind. Yet they made ar.othcr attempt : for persuading the people this was but a trick of the luonks, who placed a man behind the wall, that with a trunk spoke through the mouth of t' e rood, they desired the cause might be heard once more ; this at last was appointed at Cleve in Wiltshire, whither the prelates, nobles, gentlemen and com- mons came ; the council being sat, and the controversy growing hot, either by the Avcakness of the foundation, or weight of the people, the chamber where they sat fell -down, and the multitude with it, many were hurt, and some killed ; onh- Archbishop Dunstan escaped, for tlie post whereon the chair was sat stood firm, which the monks said A\as a miracle, he being their mouth against the married priests, ■whose cause fell with this fall, and the people's affections being drawn from them, they had liberty now to accompany with their wives without cure, though not without care : and all this happened by the preservation of Dunstan upon the post, which yet is not so strange since the monks report, that the beam of his house being sunk once out of its place, and the whole building like to fall and knock him on the'Fead, he made it return into its place, only by making the sign of I 58 ADMIRABLE Ct'RlOSITlES 1\ tlie cross thereon ■with his finger ; so powerful was he in such wooden miracles , yea, liis very liarp coulil do miracles, as when of itsdf it suns: a hynui melodiously ; and llie Virg-in Mary is said to have come fo solace liim with her songs, and angels used (o sing familiarly willi him : he whipped devils that came in the shape of dogs, foxes and bears ; but his greatest exploit was, when the devil knowing he- was nnmarried, came to tempt him in the shape of a handsome brisk wrtich, for the saint got her by the nose with a pair of hot burning pincers, and thereby spoiled a good face, making her roar dreadfully. Thus these sottish monks deluded the peojile with ridiculous stories, which rather disgraced than honoured those whom they designed to magnify. Southampton is populous and rich, from which the county derives its name : the famous Kins: Canute's Hatterers persuaded him he was greater than Alexander, Cifsar or Cyrus, and had more than human power : to convince these fawning courtiers, being at Southampton, he commanded his chair of state to be set on the shore when the sea began to flow, and setting down in the presence of his attendants, he spake thus, " Thou sea art part of my dominion, and tjie grouml whereon I set is mine, neither was there ever any that durst disoijey my command, or breaking it e-scaped unpunished, I charge thee therefore that thou presume not to come upon my land, nor wet these royal robes of thy lord that are about me." The sea not heeding his threats, but keeping its usual course first wet his skirts, and tlien l\\% thishs, who rising up, thus spake in the hearinj of them all, •• Let all the world's inhabitants know, that vain and weak is the power of their Kings, and tliat none is worthy of the name King, but he that keeps both heaven and earth, and sea in obedience, and bindeth them in an everlasting law of subjection." Afier this he would never suffer the crown to be set upon his head, but crowned therewi h the picture of our Saviour on the cross at Winchester. This King reigned nineteen years in glory, died at Shat"tsbury, and was buried in the old Monastery at Winchester, to which he gave many rich jewels ; one was a cross, said to be worth all the revenues of England in one year; thb church being new built, his bones with other Saxon Kings were taken up, and preserved in sfilt coSers in the choir thereof. In 1053, King l:]dward the Contessor dispossessed his mother Queen Enmia of all her estate, because after his father's death she raarri«i King Canute, and seemed to favour her children by him more tlian the former, and committed her to the Abbey of Worwell ; yea, he so fiir hearkened to an aspersion of her uuchastity with Alwin Bishop GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 59 of Winchester, (hat to clear lierself slie was fain to pass the trial of ordeal in tliis manner; nine i)!()nijhsiiares red liot were laid at unequal she must pass and blindfold, she was judged terrible trial she damage, to the them all, using her leaders; " () I come to the gat ion?" But uncovered, and escaped, she fell and wilh tears her deliverer, covered her Iio- menujry thereof to the Minster being the num- shares; this king to his wile, as for having mar- beaut il'ul and ter of Karl God- liated (ho father, no kindness to conversing with distance, which over bare foot and if uninnt innocent; this passed wilhout astonishment of this speech (o Jiord w lien shall place of my pnr- having her ejes seeing herself on lier knees, gave thanks to whereby she re- nour, and in gave 9 manors of Winchester, bir of plough- was as unkind to liis mother, ried Editha, the virtuous (laugh- he'wo'ni;r"J.ew THE COi^^FESSOR. (he chuigliter, her as his wife only at Iward, but not at bed, or no otherwise than IJavid wilh Abishag, and yot was conlent to hear her accused of incon- tinency, whereof if she «ere gnilty, she could not be innocent, so (hat (he virtues for which after his deadi he was reputed a saint, do not easily apjjear ; it seems he was chaste, but not wilhout injury to his wife; pious, but not without ingratitude to his mother; jnst in his present government, but not wilhout neglect of j)osterity, for through his want of providence he left (lu- crown so doubtfid, tliat atler his decease it Mas translated out of English into French, ard the king- dom made servile to a foreign nation. In llSl, a priest atAndover, praying before the altar, was slain with thunder; likewise one Clark and his brother were burnt to death with lightning; and a shoucr of blood raiJied ui the Isle of Wight for two hours toircther. 1\.ING EBWAMB eO ADMIRABLE CURIOSITJKS IX In 1550, King Henry III. T\hose nature seemed violent in every tiling, designing to advance his balf brother Ethelinare toihe Uishoprick of Winchester, he was not satisfied in sending a strict command to the monks to choose him, but goes to Winches'er, in person, and the Clergy being met, he gets up into the pulpit, and preaches a sermon on tiiis text : Justice and Peace have kissed each other. From whence he raised this doctrine, that wliereas the rigour of Judgment and Justice belonged to him and other Kings, who were to rule the nations, so quiet, peace and tranquility lielonged toihe Cler^ry. and this day, saith he, 1 hope thej- will both kiss each other, for I doubt not but both for Tour own good, and at my desire, you will choose my brother to be Bishop : w ith other words to that purpose, whereby the monks perceiving his earnestness, elected Kihelmare ; but Iknus no Priest, they did it with this reservation, i*' the Pope did allow thereof : but the King, exacted 500 marks for his confirmation, which made Mat. Paris a monk, utter this lamentation, " O Pope the chief of bishops, why dost thou thus sufler the christian world to be defiled, worthily art thou driven out of thine own City and i?ee, and like a renegado. and another Cain, art inforccd to wander up and down : O thou God of just vengeance, vheu wilt thou draw forth thy sword, and imbnie it in thebtoodof such Tvrctched oppressors?'- The Pope was then fled from Rome, for fear of ihe Emperor of Ciermany, and though he would neither reform these grand abuses in himself nor others, yet Rob, Grosthead. the stout and learned Bishop of Lincobi. resolved to reform the monks and friars; but they appealing to the power, the Bishop plainly told him, that all offenders escaped punishment, l)ecause his heart was so open, and ready to receive bribes from them ; the Pope dismist him with reproachful words : he was then at Lyons, where a while the council breaking up, Cardinal Hugo preached a farewell sermon to citizens ; anil among other benefits which they had reaped by the Pope's residence in their City, reckoned up this for a principal one, that whereas at their coming to town there were but 3 or 4 bawdy Jiouscs in Lyons, now at their departure they left only one, but indeed that reached from one end of the City to the other : so that France had some part of the Pope's blessings as well as England. But the people had no good opinion of the proceedinj^s of King, Henry against the Lords and the Church, and not only men, but women reprehended hioiforthe same: for Isabel, widow to tlie Earl of Arundel, a young lady, having received a repulse in a matter which she aUedged was hers in equity, presumed to speak thus to his face ; O my Lprd King, why do you turn away from Justice ? Wo canuot now obtain right in your Court, you are placed as a middle person GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 61 between GoA and us, buf you neitlier govern us, nor yourself, neither are you afraid to vex the Church divers ways, nor by several oppressions to afflict the Nobles of the Kingdom. Tlie King being fired at this free discourse, looking on her with a scornful countenance, spake tiius with a loud voice, " O my Lady Countess, w liat have the Lords of England given you a charter and hired you to betlieir advocate and orator, because tJicy know you ha^'E your tongue at will ?" " No my Lord,'' said the Countess, " they have made me no Charter, but the Charter which your father made, and which you yourself confirmed, swearing to keep the same inviolably, and often extorting money upon promise that tlie liberties therein should be failhfully observed, which yet 30U have not kept, but have broken without regard to honour or conscience, tliercof you are found to Ije a manifest violator of your Faith and Oath : for wliere are now tlie liberties of England so often fairly ingrosscd in writing, so often granted, so often bought and pai/1 for ? I therefore a woman, and all the loyal people of the land, appeal against jou to the tribunal of the Dreadful Judge, and Heaven and Earlh shall hear us witness that we are used unjustly, and God, the Lord of Revenges, right us." The King surprized at these words, asked if she did not look to obtain her suit upon favour, since she was his kinswoman ; she replied,'' that seeing he denied what the law gave, how could she hope to obtain her suit by fivour?" therefore said slie, " I do appeal to (he j)resence of Christ against those also of your counsellors, who bewitch and dull your judgment, and draw you out of (he path of truth, gaping only at'ter their own advantage." Hut the King remained incorrigible, and the Lady lost her charges, hopes and travel. In 1255, King Henry III. kept his Christmas at Winchester, where new grievances arose ; the merchants of Gascoign having their wines taken from (hem by his officers, without satisfaction, complain to the Prince, he to his father, who being told their clamour was unjust, as relying on the Prince, he said, see now, my blood and my own bowels oppose me : the Prince's servants likewise relying on their master, commit many outrages, neither was the Prince free ; for it is Said, he caused the ears of a young man to be cut off, and his eyes to be plucked out as he travelled, which occasioned great disturbances. In this king's reign, a child was born in the Isle of Wight, who at 18 years old was scarce three feet high, whom the Queen carried about witli her as a monster in nature. In the reign of King Edward III. Southampton was fired by the Frcnclij under the King of Sicily's son, a couutryman encountered and 63 AD.MIR.1BLE CURIOSITIES L\ knocked hun down with his club, the Prince cried out, rancon, rancon, (that is, he would pay him a ransom) but he neither understanding liis iangunee nor the law of arms, laid on more severely, saying, I know thee to be Francon, (or Frenchman) and thou shalt die, and so killed him. In 1534, the conditions of marriage between Queeu .Mary and Kinj^ Philip of Spain, were agreed to in Parliament upon ihefe articles : I. That King Philip should admit of no stranger in oilico, but only natives. 2. That he should alter uoiliing of the laws and customs of the kingdom. 3. That he should not carry the Queen out of the realm withouf her own consent, nor any of her children wiiluuit consent of the council. 4. That if he outlived the Queen, he shoidd clKd'.enge no riffht to the kingdom, but it should descend to the next heir. 5. That lie should carry none of the crown jewels nut of llu^ kingdum, nor any ships or ordnance. Lastly, that neither directly or indirectly, he should en- in the wars and France. It posed in Par- supremacy of be restored, sentcd to with the six years Edward VI. had ation of ihePro- in the hearts of liage thus a- lords and gen- to 'fetch over Spain, who ar- ampton, July was met by the Chester, where ried, ihe dispa- princcs being garded, though and she 38 years peror's .\mbass- that in consi- raarriage, the Emperor had Ej CALTEm'. siven to Kin Kingdom of Naples and Jerusalem, anil Garlcr the church, in the presence of the King and Quc.-n and nobles, both ta:;gle Eiigluiid bitween Spain was also prr- lianienl, that the tlie Pope should wiiich was as- diflicuhy ; for reiirn of King si)r<'ad a planl- tesiai.t religion many.TlHMuar- greed, several tiem -11 were sent the Prince tVoni rived at Souih- 20, |jj4, and Queen at Wiii- tliey were mar- rity of years in not much r^- he was but 27, oltl. The Eni- ntior declared, deration of tiis Phil'p his son, the KiiiT at arms, in k^^ ^^^ ED^IUJNiD Edmcxd Spe.vcer stands distinguised from almost all other poets, in that faculty by ■« hich a poet is distinguished firom other writers, namely, invention ; and excelled all his contemporaries in harmonious versification. The stanza of Spencer, and the old %Tords which constantly occur in his works, contribute to give this great poet an air of peculiarity: hence it is that almost all the imitations of him resemble the original ; it is to be regretted that such vigour of imagination and harmony of numbers, should have been lavished upon an endless and uninteresting allegory, abounding with all the whimsies of knight-errantry. It ought at the same time to be remembered, that it was much more interesting in the days of Elizabeth llian it is in the present age. Par- n;ibus proved a very barren soil to him. The Queex was far from having a just sense of his merit ; and Lord Burleigh, who prevented her giving him a hundred pounds, seems to have til ought the lowest clerk in his office a more deserving person. It was very hard that a genius who did honor to his country, should set less by writing, than a journeyman mechanic employed in printing his works. He died in want of bread 1599. GREAT BRITAIN', &c. 65 of Spain niul Eiijilnnil, ])rorl;iim!'(l (ho (iilo and s(yle of (hose tw(r Princes, Philip and Mary, l)y (Iio Grace of Ciod, Kina^ arid Queen of Ennjlaml, IVanee, Naples, Jernsaleni and Ireland, Defenders of tho Failli, I'rinces of S|Min and Sicily. Arch-dukes of Austria, Dukes of ililan, niiriTundy and Rral)ant,C(nints of Ilahspurn-, Flanders and Tyrol. Inllieyear loOS, at t'hrist's ("luircli, one ,) . Ilitchel, a carpenter, lyinir in hed uith his -v^ife and a young child, was himself ami child both burnt to death with liirlitniiur, no fire ajjpearinor outwardly upon Lim, and jet he lay burninir almost three days, till quite consumed to ashes. In I(/IP, one Bernard C.dvert of Andover, ritl from St. George'* Church in Southwark to Dover, and thence passed to Calais in France, and returned back to St. George's Church the same daj-, setlin"- out at three in themofninir, and returning about ei<;ht at night t'resli nnd lusty. Portsmouth is a convenient port : the Isle of Wight belongs to tliis County. It hath 39 hund reds, I: SFEKCEPi. oats and barley; the Ford of Harts, hath Essex, east ; south ; Ruck- Bedford and north. It is meadows, groves indeed the gar- for delight ; it " that such a%. Hertfordshire, purchase for the in England can good towns in so their teams of advanced from coach, being equipage, much and stature, fat is their care in feeding tiicm ; innocent di- name the per- Fuller,who had fore a Justice, 64 ADMIRABLE CURIOi^ITIES IN the man brought his five horses along with him, alledging, that if he Mere the thief, these were the receivers, and so escaped. The most famous antiquity is Verolamium. now ruined, and the footsteps liardly seen, though in great account with the Romans, and one of their free cities: it was plundered by Boadica. that eternized Queen of the Icenians. when 70000 Romans perished by her revenginsf sword. The Hiagnilicence thereof for stately architecture was discovered by the large arched vaults found by King Ed^ar, which were tiUed up by Eldred and Edmer, Abbots of St. Albans, being lurking holes for whores and thieves. Hear what our famous Spencer says of it : I was that City which the garland wore, Of Britain's pride delivered unto me. By Roman victors : this I was of vore ; Though nought at all but ruins new I be, And lie in mine own ashes as von see. Verlam I was : what boots it that I was, Since now I am but weeds and useless grass? Another English poet writes thus in the name of Watling. one of the four imperial highways. Thou saw'st when Verlam once her head aloft did rear, Which in her cinders now lies sadly buried here, With alabaster, tuch, and porphj-ry adorn'd. When well near in her pride TrojTiovant she gcom'd. A nameless author writes thus upon it: Stay thy foot that passest by, And a wonder here descry ; Churches that interr'd the dead, Here themselves are buried, Houses where men slept and wak'd. Here in ashes under rak"d. And (to the poet to allude) Here is com where ouce Troy stood: Or if you the truth would have, Here's a city in a crave. A wonder, reader, think it then. That cities thus should die like men : And yet a wonder think it none. For many ciues are thus gone. GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 63 Out of the ruins of this city arose the town of St. Albans, remark- able for Alban the martyr, for about tiie year 180, Kinff Lucius reigned in Britain, who hearing of the miracles done by the Christians in divers places, sent letters to Eleutlierius, Bishop of Rome, desiring to receive the Christian faitii ; the good Bishop was glad of tliis request, and sent him two preachers, Faganus and Damianus, by whose faithful endeavours, it pleased God, the King and many of his people were converted and baptized, and the temples of idols and other monuments of Gentilism subverted : thus the true religion increased, and superstition and idolatry decreased, many bisliops being ordained over the people, and all things settled in good order ; after which this religious king sent again to Lleutherius for the Roman laws, by which he desired to govern his people : Eleutlierius returned answer, that the Roman and Imperial laws might have their defects, but the law of God could not ; advising him to study the scriptures, and out of them by the council of his realm, to enact laws for the government of his kingdom; for, saith he, you are God's vicar in your kingdom, and it behoves you to unite your people in I lie faith and service of .Jesus Christ, and to maintain, rule, govern, and defend them from all that would do them wrong, &c. The Christian t'aitii thus received by the Britons, flourished 216 years, till the coming of the Saxons; but the Romans continuing Heathens, raised much trouble against its professors ; lor Lucius dyiiiir without issue, and tlie nohles disagreeing about a successor, the Romans stepping in, took the Crown into their handsj whence great misery ensued to the Kingdom ; for sometimes idolatrous Romans reigned, and then the christian liritons, according to the fortune of war: the first remarkable perseculion was under Dioclesian and Maximin, which raged so extremely, that in Bntany and other places 17000 martyrs suHcred for the name of Christ: in this persecution a famous preaclier called Amphibolus being searched for to be imprisoned, he to escape the fury of his persecutors hid himself in tlie house of Alban a citizen of Verulam, who was at that time a Heathen, but observing Amphibolus to continue day and night in watching and prayer, he began to hearken to the divine instructions of this good man, and forsaking idolatry became a sincere chrislain ; the enemy hearing this minister was in his house, soldiers were ordered to searcii for him, which Alban having notice of, he put on the cloatlis of Amphibolus, and offered himself to them, who bound and carried him before the judge at that time sacrificing to his idols; he perceiving the business, said, since thou hadst rather convey away the redel and traitor to our Gods, than deliver him up to undergo due punishment for his blaspheming our K 66 ADMIRABLE CL'RIOSITIES IN deitieS; look what torments he shouhl have suffered if he had been taken, the same shalt thou endure if thou refuse to practice the rites of our religion : Alban regardless of these threats, with Divine fortitude, bokilv told the judge, that he would not obey his commandment. Then said the judge, of what house and stock art thou ? Alban answered, it is no matter of what stock I am, but if thoudesirestto know ray religion, be it known to thee that I am a Cliristian, and employ myself in the exercise of their holy religion; ihejud^e demanded his name; my parents, said he, named me Alban, and f honour and worship the true and livins God, who made all things of notliing. The judge inraged, said, if thou desirest to prolong thy life, come and sacrifice to our Gods ; Alban answerc"ok- THUMBERLAXD, and Charles Neville Earl of 'Westmore- land: and having secured the former, he sent him to York, where he was beheaded. He also defeated the forces of Leonard Dacre, which he raised in order to rescue the Queen of Scot«. After this he was appointed Lord Chamberlain; and when the Spanish invasion was expected, he had the charge of the Queens person, with 2000 horse and 34,000 foot. He died in 1596. and by his wife, the daughter of Sir Thomas Morgan, he had four sons, George, John, Edmund, and Robert, who were all knighted. His daughter Catherine was married to the Lord Admiral Charles Howard, Earl of Nottingham ; and Philadelphia to Thomas, Lord Scroop of Bolton. GTiEAT BRITAIN, &c. 69 of the Earl of March, (King Henry being prisoner among lliem) encoiintereil them, where afler .1 stout resistance, the Queen's army routed the other, of \Nhich about two thousand were shiin, and the Iving and Queen, and the Prince her son, met jojl'uUy together, tho' their joy continued not long, King Henry being deposed soon after, and Edward IV. proclaimed king, by the assistance of the citizcius of London, their wives being enamoured with the l>eautiful Earl of March. Near Fishpool Street in St. Albans, certain anchors were lately dig<'ed up, which is strange, and is worth enquiry into. There is a brook near St. Albans, called Wenmcre, or Womere, wtich never breaks out but it fortels scarcity or danger to onsue, as the vulgar believe. At Ashwell arise so many springs together, that they presently drive a mil!, and become a river. Sir Henry Cary, kinsman to Queen Elizaljeth, was made Baron, of Hunsdon, a valiant man, and a lover of men of their hands, not maliciouTi : cholerick, but ^tr. Cole once tills Lord, OH grudge, gave illie ear. Cole or fnur for if, Lord's servant* Cole with their " you rogues," " cannot I and change a blow must interpose." rel was begun same minute, pressed a north - for which aletter returiiedhimby postscript being her own hand, " I doubt ry, whether the me more joyed meeting himr some forme him a box on returned three upon which the swarmed about drawn swords ; said the Lord, my neighbour or tw o but you Thus the quar- and ended tho This Lord sup- ern commotion, of thanks was the Queen, the all written of as foUoweth : much, my Har- victory given me, or that you were by God JLORB MUNSBON. appointed the instrument of my glory ; I assure you for my country's good the first might suffice, but for my bcart's content, the second more pleasetii ; it likes mc not a little, 70 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IN that with a ffood testimony of your faith, there is seen stout courage of your mind, that more trusted to the goodness of your quarrel, than to the weakness of ^your number; weU, I can say no more, beaiiis est iUe S£i~iis. quern cu7ii domimis -cenerit, inieniet facienlem sua mandata ; happy is the servant, whom, when his lord comctli, he shall "find doing bis commands :" that you may think you have done nothing for your profit, (though you have done much for your honour) I intend to make this journey somewhat increase your livelihood, that you may not say to yourself, perdilur quod facluni est ingrato; what is done for an ungrateful person is lost." Your loving kinswoman, Eliz, ilcg. Three times was this lord in election to be Earl of Wiltshire, but "iome accident, still hindered it, when he lay on his death-bed the Queen visited him, causing his patent for that earldom to be drawn, his robes to be made, and both to be laid upon his bed ; but this lord» who could never dissemble sick or well, said, ■' Madam, seeing you did not count me worthy of thb honour while I was living, 1 count myself unworthy of it now I am dying:" he died in 1395. This countv hath eight hundreils, eighteen market towns, one hun- dred ajid twenty parishes, and elects six parliament men. HEREFORDSHIBE Hath Worcestershire and Shropsliire. nonh : Glocestershire, east t Monmouthshire, south: Brecknockshire and Radnorshire, west. The air is healthv. as appears by the inhabitants, many aged people, which in other countries are confined to their beds and chimney cor- ners, are here found in the fields, both able and willing to work ; Serjeant Hoskin entertained King James I. in this county, and provi- ded ten aged people to dance the morris before him, all of them making up more than a ihoujand years, what was wanting in one being Supplied in the age of another. This county excels in wood, wheat, wool, water, and excellent apples, of which the best cider is made. In a little fountain called Bonewell, near Richard's Castle, the wafer is full of the bones of fishes, or frogs, being so small as hardly to be distinguished, and can never be emptied of them, but as some are drawn out others succeed. Marcley Ilill is in the east part, and began to open at six in the evening, and this hill with a rock under it GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 71 made at first a mighty Ijcllowing noise, and then lifted itsflf up a great height, and began to travel, carrying along the trees -^vhich grew upon it, the sheep-folds and flocks of sheep aljiding thereon ; in the place whence it moved was a gaping distance forty feet wide, and eighty ells long ; passing along it overthrew a chapel, removed a yew tree in tlie church-yard from west to east, thrust before it highways, houses, and trees, anil made tilled ground pasture, and turned pasture into tillage : having walked from .Sunday evening till Monday noon, it stood still and moved no more, mounting to a hill twelve fathoms high. ■ In the reign of William the Conqueror, Walter Bishop of Hereford, attempted the chastity of a sempstress, w honx under pretence of work- ing for him he brought into his chamber, but she resisting, wounded him in the belly witli her scissars, whereof he died. In 1233, before the wars between King Henry I lid and his barons, appeared at Hereford ti\ e Suns at once, and a circle of a crystal colour, two foot in breadth, as it were compassing all England. In ihe Reign of King Henry I\'tli. Owen Glendour, being by the Welch made their King, got together a considerable force, and brake into Herefordshire, making spoil of the country, none opposing them but the Lord Edmund Mortimore, who was then at the castle of Wigmore : he assembling the country and joining battle was overthrown •by them, taken prisoner, fettered and cast into adungeon ; tVom whence King Henry would not be persuaded to deliver him, rather wishing him his two sisters in heaven, they being all three competitors for the crown with him. If Glendour had known how to use this victory, he might have cone far in freeing the Welch from the English yoke, but having killed 1000 English, he lliouglit it enough for that time, and retired. Sir John Oldcastlc, Lord Cobham, was born in this county, a valiant man, and a follower of Wicklitf, for which he lost his life ; this worthy lord embracing his doctrines, and being a zealous defender of them, exposeil himself to the malice of his popish adversaries. Arundel Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, called a synod of the clergy, who charged him with 24G articles of heresy, and make greivous complaints ofhim to King Henry V^th. who having patiently heard these blooil-thirsty w olves, desired that b: cause he was of noble blood, and his knight, they would reduce him with gentleness rather than rigor, promising that himself would discourse him of these matters ; so lie sent for the Lord Cobham, advising him as an obedient child to submit to the church, and acknowledge his fault ; this christian knight answered, Most worthy i'rince, I am always ready and willing to obey you, <( 72 ADMIKABLE CURIOSITIES IN ■fthoni I know fo be the minister of God bearing the sword for tlie punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of tho>e tliat do well ; unto you next tomv eternal God. 1 owe all obedience, and submit all I have to you, being ready to obey at all times whatever you shall in the Lord command me : but as for the Pope and his spirituality, I owe them neither suit nor service, knowing him by the Scriptures to be tlie great anti-christ, the son of perdition, the open enemy of God, and the abomination standing in the Holy place". Wlien the King heard this stout answer, he left him to the Bishops, not daring to do otherwise, the princes of that age being miserably priest-ridden by the Pope and Clergy: then the Arch-Bishop persuaded him to recant what he had written, else threatening to condemn him as an heretic : tlie Lord Cobliam answered, ''do as you think best, for 1 am at a point that which I have written I will stand by to the death :'' ilie Arch-Bishop came again, saying, " he was ready to absolve hiuiif he humbly desire it:'" " no," said the Lord Cobham, *' 1 will not. for I never yet tn?spassed against you:'' then kneclinir down and lifting up liis hands and eyes toward Heaven, he said, •'! humbly confess my sins unto thee O eternal and everlasting God : in my frail youth I oliended tiice O Lord, by pride, covefousness, wrath, and uncleanness : many men have I hurt in mine anger, and have committed many other horrible sins : of which, good Lord. I ask thee forgiveness;" and then weejiing. he stood up and said, *' Lo good people, for breaking God"s laws and his lioly commandments, the prelates never yet curbed me ; but for their own laws and traditious they handle me most cruelly, and therefore tliey and their laws shall according to God-s promise be utterly destroyed.." Then they proceeded to read the sentence of condemnation; to whom the Lord Cobham cheerfully said, " Though you judge my body, which is but a wretched thing, 3'et I am sure you can do no more to my soul than Saian could do to Jobs ; for he that created it, will, I doubt not, of his infinite mercy, save it : and as tor my confession of faith, 1 will stand to it to the verv- death, by tlie grace of my etenial God ;" then turning to the people, he spake thus aloud, " Good people, for God"s sake beware of these men, or else they will beguile you, and lead you blindfold into Hell with themselves;" and tailing on his knees he prayed thus for his enemies, " Lord God Eternal I 1 beseech thee of thine infinite mercy to forgive my perse- cutors, if it be thy blessed will."' Tlien he was sent back to the Tower, from whence he escaped into AV'ales, and lay concealed four years, though a great sum was oflered to bring him dead or alive. The Lord Powis^ either for love of money, or hatred to religiouj GREAT BRITAIN, Sec. 73 sought divers ways to play the Judas, and at last apprehending him, sent him to London, where he was drawn through tlie Streets to the new gallows in St. Giles's fields, and first hanged, and then burnt on the gallows; such was the end of this godly martyr of Christ. The papists charged him with treason, but it hath ever been the practice of the devils instruments to accuse God's servants rather for sedition than religion, because Princes are more careful of their own honour than of God's : thus they dealt with our Saviour, and St. Paul, who were accused for stiring up tumults. But his death did not go unpunished, for the archbishop who condemned him was struck with a discease in his tongue, that he could neither swallow nor speak a word, and so was starved to death. Robert Devereux Earl of Essex, was born in this county in 1587, of whose life and death 1 have given an account in the History of the Unfortunate Court Favourites of England, &c. to which I refer the reader. Hereford city is seated amongst pleasant meadows and cornfields ; Lcnister is famous for wool, w liich they call Lemster Oar ; of which Mr, Drayton thus writes : Where lives the man so dull, on Britain's farthest shore. To whom did never sound the name of Lemster Oar ? That with the Silk.worm's web for smallness may compare, AV'herein the winder shews his workmanship so rare : So doth his fleece excel all others in the land, Being neatly bottom'd up by Nature's careful hand. This county hath 1 1 hundreds, 8 market towns, 156 parishes, and ckcts 8 parliament men. HUNTLYGD OXSHIRE Is surrounded with Northampton, Bedford and Carabridgeshires, hardly 20 miles outright : it is good for corn, tillage and cattle. Huntingdon called in their public seal Huntersdone, the hill or down of ■hunters, gives name to the shire. Godmanchester is a great town for tillage, no place having more ploughs, or stout husbandmen; they boast that formerly they received the kings of Engfend in their progress this way, with 180 ploughs, in a rustical kind of pomp, as a gallant show. When King James L came into England, the Baililfs of this town presented him with 70 L 74 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IN leams of horses, all traced to new ploughs, to shew their husbandry ; the Kins demandin? the reason, was told, '• It was their ancient custom, when the King- of England passed through their town so to present him, and that thej hehl tlieir lands by that tenure, being the Kins's tenants:" the King was pleased, bidding them use well their ploughs, and glad he was the landlord of so many good husbandmen in one town. St. Ives is another town, so named from Ivo, a Persian bishop, ■who. it is said, about the year b'OO, travelled through England^ preachinff the gospel, and dying in this place left his name to it. There are two little springs at Ayleweston, one fresh and the other brackish, the latter is good for scabs and leprosy, and the other for dim sights. The Lake of Witismeer, and other meers near it in this shire, oft rise tempestuously in calm weather, and make water-quakes, the ground near it being rotten and hollow, which occasions vapours to break violently out of the earth ; the natives of these meers are healthy and live long, but strangers are subject to sickness. In 15S0, at Fennystanfon, one Agnes, wife to William Linsey, was delivered of a monster with a black face, the mouth and eyes like a lion, which was both male and female. In 15S4, at Spaldwick, Mr. Dorrington, gentleman pensioner to Queen Elizabeth, had a horse died suddenly, being opened, there was found in his heart a worm, which as it lay together in a caul, resenibled a toad, but being taken from thence, the length of it divided into SO grains, (which spread tVom the body like the branches of a tree) was 17 inches, having four issues in the grains, whence dropped a red water, the body was three inches and a half about, like a mackarel : this prodigious worm being killed and dried, was shewn as a rarity. Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter and Earl of Huntingdon, v.ho married the sister of King Edward 1\'. was so miserably poor in Flanders, that Philip de Comines saith, he saw him running bare legged after tlie Duke of Burgundy's coach, begging an alms for God's Jake, whom the Duke at that time did not know, though they had married two sisters, but hearing who he was, allotted him a small pension to maintain him, and not long after he was found dead upon the shore at Dover, stripped naked, but how he came by his death was never known. It is observed that the ancient families of this county have been more outworn proportionably than in any other, few now remaining:, whose surnames were eminent in the reigu of King Heury GREAT BRITAIN, &c. 75 VIII. probably because this shire being generally abbey lands, after their dissolution, many new purchasers were planted therein, but. Let's not repine that men and names too die, Since stone.built cities dead and ruia'd lie. This county hath four hundreds, six market towns, 69 parishes, and elects four parliament men. KENT In the Saxon Heptarchy, ivas a kingdom of itself; it hath the Thames, north ; the Sea, east ; Sussex, south ; and Surry, west ; from east to west, it is 53 miles, and from north to south, 26. The upper part (they say) is health}', but not so wealthy : the middle part both healthy and wealthy; the lower part wealthy but not healthy, being very moist : it is full of meadows, corn-fields, apple trees, and cherry trees ; the trees are planted directly one against another by squpae, very pleasantly. It hath plenty of fowl, fish, and grain; hath villages and towns thick and well peopled, safe roads and harbours for ships, with some veins of iron and marble: the air is foiTgy by vapours rising out of the waters. This county hath two cities and bishops' sees, Canterbury and Rochester, it had formerly twenty-seven castles, with four of the king's houses. The Kentish people in Cicsar's time, were counted the civilrst among the Britons, and had the privilege to lead the van in all battles for their valour ; and those of Cornwall, Devonshire, and AViltshire the rear : they esteem themselves the first Christians, since their king and people received the Christian faith before the other Saxons did, in 59(j ; yea, long before that, it is recorded Lucius the first Christian British king in this island, built a church at Dover, endowing it with the toll of that haven. They glory that they were never conquered, but compounded with the Normans, so the poet sings; Stout Kent, this praise to thee doth most of right belong, Thou never wast enslav'd, impatient wert of wrong; And when the Norman first with pride and horror swayed, Threw'st off the servile joke upon the English laid^ 76 ADMIUABLE CURIOSITJtS IX And with a courage great, most bravely didst restore, That liberty so long enjoy'd by thee before : Not suffering foreign laws should thy free customs bind, And thereby shewd'st thyself of noble Saxon kind; Of all the English shires, be theu surnam'd the free, And foremost ever plac'd when tliey shall marshall'd be. Mr. Selden \^Tiles thus. " AVhcn William (he Conqueror had got- the day he came the lock and key that he might strong and po- and secure him- vasiou of ene- ■nhen Stigand, Canterbury and Austins, who lords and gover- derstood, they commons, and danger of their series of their the pride of the tlieEnglislnvere the name of vil- was not heard t3ut now slavery said they, if we insolency of our offered to com- with them in freedom and by the people encouraged, concluded to meet at Swanscomb, two miles from Gravesend, wliere keeping private in tlie woods, they waited the coming of Duke William, with each a green bough in his hand, to hide their number, and if occasion were, to fall upon the Normans; next day the Duke came by Swansconib, and was amazed to see a wood marching towards him, for being, as he thought, free from enemies, he was now beset on all sides with trees, and knew not but all the other vast woods about was of the same nature; neither had he leisure to avoid the danger, for the Kentish men inclosing his JOHX SELDEN. to Dover Castle, ot the kingdom, subdue Kent, a pulousprovince self from the in- mies ; whichy Arch-bishop of the Abbot of St. were the chief iiorsof Kent, un- assembled the told I hem the countrj', the mi- neighbours, and French and that born free, and lain or bondman among them, only attends us, submit to the old enemies, and raand and die defence of their country, where- >^® JOHiX SE1.DEN. JoiiN StLUEN, soinc(i'.r.es stilcd " Tlie great dictator of Icarii- in: TATIOE, T H i: T^' .A T E H TOUT, JoHX Tatlor. a native of Glocester, was intended bj his parents for a scholar, but his inclinatioa not leading him to learning, though it did to poetry, he was taken froai school before he had gone through his accidenc-e, and bound apprentice to a waterman. Alter he had quitted the oar, he kept a yictualling- house. the Phoenix, Long-Acre, where he hung up his own head for a sign, with this incription : '• There's maov a head stands for a sign; Then, gentle reader, whj- not mine:" He, according to Mr. AVood, did great service to the roral cause, in the reijn of Charles I. br his lamjjoons and pasquils. The works of Tatlor, which are not d«titute of natural humour abound with low jingling wit, which pleased and prevailed in the reign of James I. and which too often bordered, at least, upon bombast and nons^'nce. He was countenanced b_v a few persons of rank and ingenuitj ; but was the darling and admiration of numbers of the rabble. He was himself the father of some cant words, and he has adopted others which were onlv in the mouths of the lowest \-ulgar. His rhvming spirit did not evaporate with his youth, he held the pen much longer than he did the oar, and was the poetaster of half a century. Ob. 1654. aet. 74. GREAT BIIIT.AIN, Sec. 8.3 and twelve new penny -wliite loaves which he sopped therein, the j)owcrt'iil fume ■yvlieieof conquered this conqueror, and laid him asleep. to the preserva- beet", and uncx- of" tiie \vairer ; estate toprovide though a landed about the year In IGJ2, A. lived at Saint Isle of Thanet ; estate, and mar- ard Lewkner's arrowing debau- himscU' into his estate; coni- night he fell in- his wife, a vir- resolving to mis- first struck lu.T on the jaw, patienUy, say- but he raged tli& and she rising to struck her wilh knife on the TAYJLOjR tion of liie roast- pccted winning lie spent all his for his belly, and man, died poor IbSO. 8prackliiig, estj. J^avrence in (lit? he had a good ried Sir Jlich- daughter, but died, brought troubleandspcnt ing home one to a rage against tuous lady, and chief her, he Avitli his dagger which she boro ing little to him, more against her go away, he the chopping d The bone"!; su,;: THE ITATEH POET den ' he tS; dashed her on thcforeheadwith the cleaver, so she fell down bleeding, but recovering herself on her knees prayed God to forgive him as she did, and to pardon her own sins ; while she was thus praying, her bloo«orihumberland, who led King Richard's rear never struck a stroke, uor many others, who followed him more for fear than love ; so he who had deceived many, was deceived by many, which was foreseen by some, who caused this rhyme to be set upon the Duke of Norfolk's tent, the night before the fight. Jack of Norfolk be not too bold, For Dickon thy maiter is bought and soid. Yet this Duke continued firm to King Richard, and lost his life ia his quarrel. On King Richard's side about a thousand were slain. Sir William Catesby, one of his chief counsellors, was two days at^er beheaded at Leicester. This battle was fought August 20ih i4S5, cootinuinff above two hours. The Earl knighted several in the field, and kneelinst down rcturnetl thanks to Almiffiity God for this victory ; commanding all the wouudetl men to be cured, whereat the people clapt theirhands, and cried. King Henry! King Henry! of which Sir William Staidy taking advantage he took the crown off King Rich- ard, who was found in the field, and set it on the Earl's head, as though he had been elected King by the voice of the people. The body of King Richard w"as stripi, not a rag being left to cover his naketlness, and being taken up, was trussed behind a pursuivant at arms, his head and arms hanging on one side of the horse, and his legs on the other : thus all besmeared with blood and dirt, he was brought to the Grey Friars Church in Leicester, and lay a miserable spectacle, till with small funeral pomp he was there buried. But King Henry VII. caused a tomb to be set over him, with his picture in alabaster, which at the suppression of that monastery was defiiced, and his grave overgro^TD with nettles is not to be found; only the stone chest, wlTerein GKEAT BllIT.AIN, &c. 89 his corpse lay, is made a (lrinkitio much of his patience, now see the cad the Lord made with him; whilst enslaved to Hernando, he was sent to sea in a Flemish vessel, which was taken by an English ship, and so he safely landed at Plymouth, Decemljer 2d, 1590, and died soon after. Sir \\'illiam Mounson. of an ancient family in this shire, was from his youtli in the sea service, wherein he attained to great perfection : Queen Elizabeth having cleared Ireland of the Spanish forces, to prevent a relapse, altered the scene of war from Ireland to Spain, from defending to invade, and Sir Richard Levison being Admiral, and >lounson Vice Admiral, they in 1605, went to Portugal, where with- out drawing a sword they killed many trading on the coasts, no ships daring to go in or out of their hurb mrs ; there they had intelliffence of a rich corract bound to Sisimbria, of 1600 ton, richly laden from the East Indies, and resolved to assault it, though it seemed in an invincible posture, and was a giant to our pigmy ships, and had in her tiiree hundred Spaniards. The Marquis de Sancta Cruze lay hard bv with thirteen ships, and all were secured by a well Ibrtified castle : but nothing is Impossible to the English valour, with God"s blessing. After an hot dispute for some hours, with the invincible arguments of fire and sword, the Carract was conquered, the wealth taken therein, amounting to a million of crowns. But though the goods miffht be Talued, the ffood got thereby was inestimable ; for ever after the Spaniards beheld the English with admiring eyes, and quitted the thouffhts of invasion. This worthy knight died in the reign of James I. In 1614, great inmidatious happened in Lincolnshire, and the parts adjacent, the sea entering twelve miles into the land. In 1606 at Brampton, near Gainsborough, an ash tree shook both in body and boughs, and there proceeded[ from thence sighs and groans, like those of a man troubled in his sleep, as if he felt some sensible torments. Many climbed to the top, where they heard the groans more plainly than below. One being at top spoke to the tree, but presently came down astonished, and groveling on the earth speechless three hours, and then reviving said, Brampton, Brampton, thou art much bound to pray. The author of this news was Mr. Vaughan, a minister there present, who heard and saw these passages, and told Mr. Hildershaiu GREAT BRITAIN, &«. 93 of them. 'J'lic Earl of Lincoln caused one of (he arms of the ash to he loppfd off, and a hole to be bored into the Ixidj, and then was the sounil or hollow voice heard more audible than before, but in a kind of speech they could not understand. In I0T)6, was a storm of thunder in Lincolnshire, with Iiailstones l)igirer than pidijcon's eggs, and some like pullet's eggs, and there followed a terrible tempest, attended with an unusual noise ; at Welborn it overthrew most of the houses to the ground, tore up trees by the roots, scattering abroad much corn and hay, but by providence, only one boy was killed. At Willingore the next town, it overthrew some liouses, killing two children with the fall. In the church of the next town it dashed tlie spire-steeple to pieces, and so rent the stone and timber work, that only the body of the steeple was left standing. It threw doMn many houses, trees, and out-houses in this town, and in two others at a distance ; it had the appearance of fire, and moved in a circle, though its general course was direct. It passed through Nottinghamshire, some hail stones were nine inches about, it extended above sixty yards in breadth. In the Forest of Sherwood it overthrew one thousand trees, and brake one short off in the body three feet thick. It overthrew wind-mills, boats in the river, and in one town of fifty houses it left but seven standing. That evening over Derby town appeared a fiery sword lianging in the air ; strange fires were seen hanging over Nottingham, so that some coming home from a country market thought the town to be on fire in three places. April 26, lb(jl, at Spalding, Bourne, &c. it rained wheat, some grains were thin and liollow, others firm, and would grind into flower, pecks of it were taken out of church leads, and other houses leaded, and several who were eye witnesses brought uj) quantities to London. There is a proverb in this country, " As mad as the baiting bull of Staujford ;'' the origin;d was this, Larl Warren Lord of this town in the timeof King John, standing upon the castle walls of Stamford, saw two bulls fighting for a cow in (he meatlow, till all the butcher's dogs pursued one of the bulls (being mad with noise and multitude) quite through the town. This so pleased the Earl, that he gave all those fields called the Castle-Meadows, where the bull duel began, for a common to the bu(chers of the town, after the first grass was mown, upon condition they find a mad bull the day six weeks before Christmas, for continuing the sports yearly. Some think the men must be as mad av the bull to take delight in such dangerous pastime, since by God's providence, more than man's care, no more mischief is done. t> 94 ADMIRABLE CURIOSITIES IN Sir William Hussee was bom in this county, be was Lord Chief Justice to King Edward IV. and lived till King Henrv V'll. in whose first parliament many members were returned, who being King Henry's friends, were attainted bj Richard III. and disabled to sit in parlia- ment, and it being incongruous they should make laws for others, who were themselves outlawed, King Henry remitted the case to the judges; who agreed with Sir William Hussee upon this safe opinion, mixed with law and convenience : " That the knights and burgesses attainted by course of law, should forbear to come into the house till a law were passed for reversing their attainders." It was moved incidx?ntly. what should be done for the King himself, who likewise was attainted; the rest agreed with Sir William Hussee, " That the crown takes away all defects and stops in blood, and that by the assumption thereof, the fountain was cleared from all attainders and corruptions.' He dietl in the JOth of Henry VII. Pereerine Berty, Lord Willoughby, of this county, was a valiant commander both in France and the Netherlands, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth ; he could not brook the flatteries of the court, saying, " He was none of those little animals who could creep on the ground." The camp was his element, being a great soldier with suitable mag- nanimity. When one sent him an insulting challenge whilst he lay sick of the gout, he returned answer; '• That though he was lame of his hands and feet, yet he would meet him with a piece of rapier in his teeth." He once in a battle took a Spanish gennet managed for the war, intended for a present to the King of Spain, and was desired by a trumpeter from the general to restore it, oiTering 1000 pounds for him, or a hundred a year during his lite; the lord replied, '■ That had it be«n any coimuander, he freely would have sent him back, but being but a horse, he loved him as well as the King of Spain himself, and would keep him."' This lord lies buried under a stately monu- ment at Eresby. -This county hath 30 hundreds, 35 market towns, 630 parishes, and elects 12 parliament men. MIDDLESEX Air is healthful, especially about Highgate, divers long visited with sickness, not curable by physic, have recovered by that salutary air. The soil is fruitful, hath on all sides sumptuous houses and pretty towns; Hanow Hill is the highest in this coiuity, under which lies CAP.DIN.AL ITOISET. This extraordiiiarj person was son to an honest poor man of Ipswich in Suffolk, and by means of a Laudsome education, Lis own parts and dexterity, }ie raised himself through variety of pre- fcnueiits, to the highest stations both in church and state, and to the splendor and magnificence of any prince in Europe. Henrv VII. successively made him Dean of LincoLn, Chief .\lmorer, and a Privy Counsellor. He enjoyed still greater favors under Hexry \ III. who made him Bishop of Tournay, after of Lincoln, and finally .Irchbishop of York, the Pope through the interest of the two kings of England and France made him a Cardinal, and like- ■svise Legate a Latere, by \yhich he had a power superior to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. Ilis abilities were equal to his great offices ; but these were by no means equal to his ambition. He was the only man that ever had the ascendant over Hexuy ; but his friendship for him did not " exceed the love of women :" the violence of that passion was not only too strong for the ties of friendship, but of every law human and divine. Had the Cardinal not opposed it, he had perhaps been safe. He fell into disgrace soon after the King's marriage with Anne Bolen. Ob. 29th Nov. 1.530. GREAT fiRlTAlN, &c. 95 fruitful fields, cspccialy about Heston, that the King's nierly made QueeiiElizaheth iicj' from tliese took her wheat own use. Hamp- royal palace, Cardinal Wol- nificeiit in his that we may ad- keeping and his ing. He bestow- Henry Vlllth, to be a honour, and when other found their fatal Holdenby, Oat- Theobalds, and ton Court con- former state, of thus writes : which yields such fine flouv bread was for- thereof, and received no nio- villages, but in kind for her ton Court is a first built by spy, one so mag- liouse building, mire his house- house furnish- ed this on King who erected it and enlarged it, royal palaces period, such as lands Richmond NonsuchHarap- tinued in its which a person CAMDj wojlsey. I envy not it's happy lot, But rather thereat wonder; There's such a rout our land throughout, Of palaces by plunder. But it it is now rebuilt with extraordinary splendor, bj King Wil- liam and Queen Mary. Osterly House built in a park of Sir Thomas Greshara, who here magnificently entertained Queen Eliza- beth, who found fault with the court as too great, saying, " it would appear more handsome if divided by a wall in the middle.'' Sir Thomas in the night sends for workmen from London, who so speedily and silently apply their business, that the next morning discovered that court double which the night had left single ; it is questionable whether the Queen was more pleased or surprized with the sudden performance thereof ; the courtiers said it was no w onder, he could so soon diange a building, who could build a Change: others reflecting on some dilFcr- ences in his family, affirmed, ' ' that any house is easier divided than 96 ADMIRABLE CL'KIOSITIES IN" united." Edward Vl. son of Kin? Henry V'lII. and Queen Jane, was born at Hampton court, 1537. He succeede