[Sidenote: Brunt Keysy.]
wherein is an Ile, called Brunt Keysy, in which was sometime a
parish-church, and but a chapell at this present, as I heare. There are
also two other Iles, but as yet I know not their names.
We haue (after we are passed by these) another Ile, or rather Byland
[Sidenote: Portland.]
also vpon the coast named Portland not far from Waymouth or the Gowy, a
prettie fertile peece though without wood, of ten miles in circuit, now
well inhabited, but much better heretofore, and yet are there about
foure score housholds in it. There is but one street of houses therein,
the rest are dispersed, howbeit they belong all to one parish-church,
whereas in time past there were two within the compasse of the same.
There is also a castell of the kings, who is lord of the Ile, although
the bishop of Winchester be patrone of the church, the parsonage whereof
is the fairest house in all the péece. The people there are no lesse
excellent slingers of stones than were the Baleares, who would neuer
giue their children their dinners till they had gotten the same with
their slings, and therefore their parents vsed to hang their meate verie
high vpon some bough, to the end that he which strake it downe might
onlie haue it, whereas such as missed were sure to go without it, Florus
lib. 3. cap. 8. Which feat the Portlands vse for the defense of their
Iland, and yet otherwise are verie couetous. And wheras in time past
they liued onlie by fishing, now they fall to tillage. Their fire bote
is brought out of the Wight, and other places, yet doo they burne much
cow doong dried in the sunne, for there is I saie no wood in the Ile,
except a few elmes that be about the church. There would some grow
there, no doubt, if they were willing to plant it, although the soile
lie verie bleake and open. It is not long since this was vnited to the
maine, and likelie yer long to be cut off againe.
Being past this we raise another, also in the mouth of the Gowy,
betweene Colsford and Lime, of which for the smalnesse thereof I make no
great account. Wherefore giuing ouer to intreat any farther of it, I
[Sidenote: Iardsey.]
[Sidenote: Gardesey.]
cast about to Iardsey, and Gardesey, which Iles with their appurtenances
apperteined in times past to the Dukes of Normandie, but now they
remaine to our Quéene, as parcell of Hamshire and iurisdiction of
Winchester, & belonging to hir crowne, by meanes of a composition made
betwéene K. Iohn of England and the K. of France, when the dominions of
the said prince began so fast to decrease, as Thomas Sulmo saith.
[Sidenote: Iardsey.]
Of these two, Iardsey is the greatest, an Iland hauing thirtie miles in
compasse, as most men doo coniecture. There are likewise in the same
twelue parish-churches, with a colledge, which hath a Deane and
Prebends. It is distant from Gardsey full 21. miles, or thereabouts, and
made notable, by meanes of a bloudie fact doone there in Queene Maries
daies, whereby a woman called Perotine Massie wife vnto an honest
minister or préest, being great with childe by hir husband, was burned
to ashes: through the excéeding crueltie of the Deane and Chapiter, then
contending manifestlie against God for the mainteinance of their popish
and antichristian kingdome. In this hir execution, and at such time as
the fire caught holde of hir wombe, hir bellie brake, and there issued a
goodly manchilde from hir, with such force that it fell vpon the cold
ground quite beyond the heate and furie of the flame, which quicklie was
[Sidenote: Horrible murther.]
taken vp and giuen from one tormentor and aduersarie to an other to
looke vpon, whose eies being after a while satisfied with the beholding
thereof, they threw it vnto the carcase of the mother which burned in
the fire, whereby the poore innocent was consumed to ashes, whom that
[Sidenote: Gardsey.]
furious element would gladlie haue left vntouched, & wherevnto it
ministred (as you heare) an hurtlesse passage. In this latter also,
there haue béene in times past, fine religious houses, and nine castels,
howbeit in these daies there is but one parish-church left standing in
the same. There are also certeine other small Ilands, which Henrie
[Sidenote: S. Hilaries.]
the second in his donation calleth Insulettas, beside verie manie rocks,
whereof one called S. Hilaries (wherein sometime was a monasterie) is
fast vpon Iardsey, another is named the Cornet, which hath a castel not
[Sidenote: Cornet. Serke.]
passing an arrow shot from Gardsey. The Serke also is betwéene both,
which is six miles about, and hath another annexed to it by an Isthmus
or Strictland, wherein was a religious house, & therwithall great store
of conies.
[Sidenote: Brehoc.]
[Sidenote: Gytho.]
[Sidenote: Herme.]
There is also the Brehoc, the Gytho, and the Herme, which latter is
foure miles in compasse, and therein was sometime a Canonrie, that
afterward was conuerted into a house of Franciscanes. There are two
other likewise neere vnto that of S. Hilarie, of whose names I haue no
[Sidenote: Burhoo, aliàs the Ile of rats.]
notice. There is also the rockie Ile of Burhoo, but now the Ile of rats,
so called of the huge plentie of rats that are found there, though
[Sidenote: Turkie conies.]
otherwise it be replenished with infinit store of conies, betwéene whome
and the rats, as I coniecture, the same which we call Turkie conies, are
oftentimes produced among those few houses that are to be seene in this
Iland. Some are of the opinion that there hath béene more store of
building in this Ile than is at this present to be seene, & that it
became abandoned through multitudes of rats, but hereof I find no
perfect warrantise that I may safelie trust vnto, yet in other places I
read of the like thing to haue happened, as in Gyara of the Cyclades,
where the rats increased so fast that they draue away the people. Varro
speaketh of a towne in Spaine that was ouerthrowne by conies. The
Abderits were driuen out of Thracia by the increase of mice & frogs; and
so manie conies were there on a time in the Iles Maiorca and Minorca
(now perteining to Spaine) that the people began to starue for want of
bread, and their cattell for lacke of grasse. And bicause the Ilanders
were not able to ouercome them, Augustus was constreined to send an
armie of men to destroie that needlesse brood. Plin. lib. 8. cap. 55.
[Sidenote: Causes of the desolation of sundrie cities and townes.]
A towne also in France sometime became desolate onelie by frogs and
todes. Another in Africa by locustes and also by grashoppers, as Amicla
was by snakes and adders. Theophrast telleth of an whole countrie
consumed by the palmer-worme, which is like vnto an huge caterpiller.
Plinie writeth of a prouince vpon the borders of Æthiopia made void of
people by ants and scorpions, and how the citizens of Megara in Grecia
were faine to leaue that citie through multitudes of bées, as waspes had
almost driuen the Ephesians out of Ephesus. But this of all other
(whereof Ælianus intreateth) is most woonderfull, that when the
Cretenses were chased out of a famous citie of their Iland by infinit
numbers of bees, the said bees conuerted their houses into hiues, and
made large combes in them which reached from wall to wall, wherein they
reserued their honie. Which things being dulie considered, I doo not
denie the possibilitie of the expulsion of the inhabitants out of the
Ile of Burhoo by rats, although I say that I doo not warrant the effect,
bicause I find it not set downe directlie in plaine words.
[Sidenote: Alderney.]
Beside this there is moreouer the Ile of Alderney a verie pretie plot,
about seuen miles in compasse, wherin a préest not long since did find a
[Sidenote: _Comment. Brit._]
coffin of stone, in which lay the bodie of an huge giant, whose fore
téeth were so big as a mans fist, as Leland dooth report. Certes this to
me is no maruell at all, sith I haue read of greater, and mentioned them
alreadie in the beginning of this booke. Such a tooth also haue they in
Spaine wherevnto they go in pilgrimage as vnto S. Christophers tooth,
but it was one of his eie teeth, if Ludouicus Viues say true, who went
thither to offer vnto the same. S. August. de ciuit. lib. 15. cap. 9.
writeth in like sort, of such another found vpon the coast of Vtica, and
thereby gathereth that all men in time past were not onlie far greater
than they be now, but also the giants farre exceeding the huge stature
[Sidenote: _Iliad. 6._]
and height of the highest of them all. Homer complaineth that men in his
time were but dwarfes in comparison of such as liued in the wars of Troy.
[Sidenote: _Iliad. 5. & 7._]
See his fift Iliad, where he speaketh of Diomedes, and how he threw a
stone at Æneas, (which 14. men of his time were not able to stirre) and
[Sidenote: _Vergilius Aen. 12._]
therewith did hit him on the thigh and ouerthrew him. Virgil also noteth
no lesse in his owne deuise, but Iuvenal bréefelie comprehendeth all
this in his 15. Satyra, where he saith:
Saxa inclinatis per humum quæsita lacertis
Incipiunt torquere, domestica seditione
Tela, nec hunc lapidem, quali se Turnus, & Aiax,
Et quo Tytides percussit pondere coxam
Aeneæ: sed quem valeant emittere dextræ
Illis dissimiles, & nostro tempore nata.
Nam genus hoc viuo iam decrescebat Homero,
Terra malos homines nunc educat, atque pusillos,
Ergo Deus quicunque aspexit, ridet, & odit.
But to returne againe vnto the Ile of Alderney, from whence I haue
digressed. Herein also is a prettie towne with a parish-church, great
plentie of corne, cattell, conies, and wilde foule, whereby the
inhabitants doo reape much gaine and commoditie: onelie wood is their
want, which they otherwise supplie. The language also of such as dwell
in these Iles, is French; but the wearing of their haire long, & the
attire of those that liued in Gardsey and Iardsey, vntill the time of
king Henrie the eight, was all after the Irish guise. The Ile of Gardsey
also was sore spoiled by the French 1371. and left so desolate, that
onlie one castell remained therein vntouched.
Beyond this, and neerer unto the coast of England (for these doo lie
about the verie middest of the British sea) we haue one Iland called
[Sidenote: Bruchsey.]
the Bruch or the Bruchsey, lieng about two miles from Poole, whither men
saile from the Fromouth, and wherein is nought else, but an old chapell,
without any other housing.
Next to this also are certeine rocks, which some take for Iles, as
Illeston rocke néere vnto Peritorie, Horestan Ile a mile from Peritorie
by south, Blacke rocke Ile southeast from Peritorie toward Teygnemouth,
and also Chester, otherwise called Plegimundham: but how (to saie truth)
or where this latter lieth, I cannot make report as yet, neuerthelesse
sith Leland noteth them togither, I thinke it not my part to make
separation of them.
[Sidenote: Mount Iland.]
From hence the next Ile is called Mount Iland, otherwise Mowtland,
situate ouer against Lough, about two miles from the shore, and well
néere thrée miles in compasse. This Iland hath no inhabitants, but
onelie the warrenner and his dog, who looketh vnto the conies there:
notwithstanding that vpon the coast thereof in time of the yeere, great
store of pilchards is taken, and carried from thence into manie places
of our countrie. It hath also a fresh well comming out of the rocks,
which is worthie to be noted in so small a compasse of ground. Moreouer
in the mouth of the créeke that leadeth vnto Lough, or Loow, as some
[Sidenote: S. Nicholas Iland.]
call it, there is another little Iland of about eight acres of ground
called S. Nicholas Ile, and midwaie betweene Falmouth and Dudman (a
[Sidenote: Greefe.]
certeine Promontorie) is such another named the Gréefe, wherein is great
[Sidenote: Inis Prynin.]
store of gulles & sea foule. As for Inis Prynin, it lieth within the
Baie, about three miles from Lizards, and containeth not aboue two acres
of ground, from which Newltjn is not far distant, and wherein is a poore
fisher-towne and a faire wel-spring, wherof as yet no writer hath made
mention. After these (omitting Pendinant in the point of Falmouth hauen)
[Sidenote: S. Michaels mount.]
we came at last to saint Michaels mount, whereof I find this description
readie to my hand in Leland.
The compasse of the root of the mount of saint Michael is not much more
than halfe a mile, and of this the south part is pasturable and bréedeth
conies, the residue high and rockie soile. In the north side thereof
also is a garden, with certeine houses and shops for fishermen.
Furthermore, the waie to the mountaine lieth at the north side, and is
frequented from halfe eb to halfe floud, the entrance beginning at the
foot of the hill, and so ascending by steps and greeces westward, first;
and then eastward to the vtter ward of the church. Within the same ward
also is a court stronglie walled, wherein on the south side is a chapell
of S. Michaell, and in the east side another of our ladie. Manie times a
man may come to the hill on foot. On the north northwest side hereof
also, is a Piere for botes and ships, and in the Baie betwixt the mount
and Pensardz are seene at the lowe water marke, diuers roots and stubs
of trées, beside hewen stone, sometimes of doores & windowes, which are
perceiued in the inner part of the Baie, and import that there hath not
onelie beene building, but also firme ground, whereas the salt water
doth now rule and beare the maisterie. Beyond this is an other little
[Sidenote: S. Clements Ile.]
Ile, called S. Clements Ile, of a chapell there dedicated to that saint.
It hath a little from it also the Ile called Mowshole, which is not
touched in any Chard. As for Mowshole it selfe, it is a towne of the
maine, called in Cornish Port Enis, that is, Portus insulæ, whereof the
said Ile taketh denomination, and in tin workes néere vnto the same
there hath beene found of late, speare heds, battell axes, and swords of
copper wrapped vp in linnen, and scarselie hurt with rust or other
hinderance. Certes the sea hath won verie much in this corner of our
Iland, but chéefelie betwéene Mowshole and Pensardz.
Hauing thus passed ouer verie neere all such Iles, as lie vpon the south
coast of Britaine, and now being come vnto the west part of our
countrie, a sudden Pirie catcheth hold of vs (as it did before, when we
went to Iardsey) and carrieth vs yet more westerlie among the flats of
[Sidenote: Sylley Iles or Syl.]
Sylley. Such force dooth the southeast wind often shewe vpon poore
trauellers in those parts, as the south and southwest dooth vpon
strangers against the British coast, that are not skilfull of our rodes
and harborowes. Howbeit such was our successe in this voiage, that we
feared no rocks, more than did king Athelstane, when he subdued them
(and soone after builded a colledge of preests at S. Burien, in
performance of his vow made when he enterprised this voiage for his safe
returne) nor anie tempest of weather in those parts that could annoie
our passage. Perusing therefore the perils whereinto we were pitifullie
plunged, we found the Syllane Ilands (places often robbed by the
Frenchmen and Spaniards) to lie distant from the point of Cornewall,
about three or foure hours sailing, or twentie English miles, as some
men doo account it. There are of these (as I said) to the number of one
hundreth fortie seauen in sight, whereof each one is greater or lesse
than other, and most of them sometime inhabited: howbeit, there are
twentie of them, which for their greatnesse and commodities excéed all
the rest. Thereto (if you respect their position) they are situat in
maner of a circle or ring, hauing an huge lake or portion of the sea in
the middest of them, which is not without perill to such as with small
aduisement enter into the same. Certes it passeth my cunning, either to
name or to describe all these one hundreth fourtie seauen, according to
their estate; neither haue I had anie information of them, more than I
haue gathered by Leland, or gotten out of a map of their description,
which I had sometime of Reginald Woolfe: wherfore omitting as it were
all the rags, and such as are not worthie to haue anie time spent about
their particular descriptions, I will onelie touch the greatest, and
those that lie togither (as I said) in maner of a roundle.
[Sidenote: S. Maries Ile.]
The first and greatest of these therefore, called S. Maries Ile, is
about fiue miles ouer, or nine miles in compasse. Therein also is a
parish-church, and a poore towne belonging thereto, of threescore
housholds, beside a castell, plentie of corne, conies, wild swans,
puffens, gulles, cranes, & other kinds of foule in great abundance. This
fertile Iland being thus viewed, we sailed southwards by the Norman
[Sidenote: Agnus Ile.]
rocke, and S. Maries sound vnto Agnus Ile, which is six miles ouer, and
hath in like sort one towne or parish within the same of fiue or six
housholds, beside no small store of hogs & conies of sundrie colours,
verie profitable to their owners. It is not long since this Ile was left
desolate, for when the inhabitants thereof returned from a feast holden
in S. Maries Ile, they were all drowned, and not one person left aliue.
[Sidenote: Annot.]
There are also two other small Ilands, betwéene this and the Annot,
whereof I find nothing worthie relation: for as both of them ioind
togither are not comparable to the said Annot for greatnesse and
circuit, so they want both hogs and conies, wherof Annot hath great
[Sidenote: Minwisand.]
[Sidenote: Smithy sound.]
[Sidenote: Suartigan.]
[Sidenote: Rousuian.]
[Sidenote: Rousuiar.]
[Sidenote: Cregwin.]
plentie. There is moreouer the Minwisand, from whence we passe by the
Smithy sound (leauing thrée little Ilands on the left hand, vnto the
Suartigan Iland, then to Rousuian, Rousuiar, and the Cregwin, which
seauen are (for the most part) replenished with conies onelie, and wild
garlike, but void of wood & other commodities, sauing of a short kind of
grasse, or here & there some firzes wheron their conies doo féed.
Leauing therefore these desert peeces, we incline a little toward the
[Sidenote: Moncarthat.]
[Sidenote: Inis Welseck.]
[Sidenote: Suethiall.]
[Sidenote: Rat Iland.]
northwest, where we stumble or run vpon Moncarthat, Inis Welseck, &
Suethiall. We came in like sort vnto Rat Iland, wherein are so manie
monstrous rats, that if anie horsses, or other beasts, happen to come
thither, or be left there by negligence but one night, they are sure to
be deuoured & eaten vp, without all hope of recouerie. There is
[Sidenote: Anwall. Brier.]
moreouer the Anwall and the Brier, Ilands in like sort void of all good
furniture, conies onelie excepted, and the Brier (wherein is a village,
castell, and parish-church) bringeth foorth no lesse store of hogs, and
wild foule, than Rat Iland doth of rats, whereof I greatlie maruell.
[Sidenote: Rusco.]
[Sidenote: Inis widd[=o].]
By north of the Brier, lieth the Rusco, which hath a Labell or Byland
stretching out toward the southwest, called Inis widdon. This Rusco is
verie neere so great as that of S. Maries. It hath moreouer an hold, and
a parish within it, beside great store of conies and wild foule, whereof
they make much gaine in due time of the yeare. Next vnto this we come to
[Sidenote: Round Iland. S. Lides.]
the Round Iland, which is about a mile ouer, then to S. Lides Iland,
(wherein is a parish-church dedicated to that Saint, beside conies,
wood, and wild foule, of which two later there is some indifferent store)
[Sidenote: Notho. Auing.]
the Notho, the Auing, (one of them being situat by south of another, and
the Auing halfe a mile ouer, which is a iust halfe lesse than the Notho)
[Sidenote: Tyan.]
and the Tyan, which later is a great Iland, furnished with a
parish-church, and no small plentie of conies as I heare. After the Tyan
[Sidenote: S. Martines.]
we come to S. Martines Ile, wherein is a faire towne, the Ile it selfe
being next vnto the Rusco for greatnesse, and verie well furnished with
conies & fresh springs. Also betwixt this and S. Maries, are ten other,
smaller, which reach out of the northeast into the southwest, as
[Sidenote: Knolworth.]
[Sidenote: Sniuilliuer.]
[Sidenote: Menweth[=a].]
[Sidenote: Vollis. 1.]
[Sidenote: Surwihe.]
[Sidenote: Vollis. 2.]
[Sidenote: Arthurs Ile.]
[Sidenote: Guiniliuer.]
[Sidenote: Nenech.]
[Sidenote: Gothrois.]
Knolworth, Sniuilliuer, Menwetham, Vollis. 1. Surwihe, Vollis. 2.
Arthurs Iland, Guiniliuer, Nenech and Gothrois, whose estates are
diuers: howbeit as no one of these is to be accounted great in
comparison of the other, so they all yéeld a short grasse méet for
sheepe and conies, as doo also the rest. In the greater Iles likewise
(whose names are commonlie such as those of the townes or churches
standing in the same) there are (as I here) sundry lakes, and those
neuer without great plentie of wild foule, so that the Iles of Sylley,
are supposed to be no lesse beneficiall to their lords, than anie other
whatsoeuer, within the compasse of our Ile, or neere vnto our coasts.
[Sidenote: Wild swine in Sylley.]
In some of them also are wild swine. And as these Iles are supposed to
be a notable safegard to the coast of Cornewall, so in diuerse of them
great store of tin is likewise to be found. There is in like maner such
plentie of fish taken among these same, that beside the feeding of their
swine withall, a man shall haue more there for a penie, than in London
for ten grotes. Howbeit their cheefe commoditie is made by Keigh, which
they drie, cut in peeces, and carie ouer into little Britaine, where
they exchange it there, for salt, canuas, readie monie, or other
merchandize which they doo stand in need of. A like trade haue some of
them also, with Buckhorne or dried whiting, as I heare. But sith the
author of this report did not flatlie auouch it, I passe ouer that fish
as not in season at this time. Thus haue we viewed the richest and most
wealthie Iles of Sylley, from whence we must direct our course
eastwards, vnto the mouth of the Sauerne, and then go backe againe vnto
the west point of Wales, continuing still our voiage along vpon the west
coast of Britaine, till we come to the Soluey whereat the kingdomes
part, & from which foorth on we must touch such Ilands as lie vpon the
west and north shore, till we be come againe vnto the Scotish sea, and
to our owne dominions.
[Sidenote: Helenus. Priamus.]
From the point of Cornewall therefore, or promontorie of Helenus (so
called, as some thinke, bicause Helenus the son of Priamus who arriued
here with Brute lieth buried there, except the sea haue washed awaie his
sepulchre) vntill we come vnto the mouth of Sauerne, we haue none Ilands
at all that I doo know or heare of, but one litle Byland, Cape or
Peninsula, which is not to be counted of in this place. And yet sith I
[Sidenote: Pendinas.]
haue spoken of it, you shall vnderstand, that it is called Pendinas, and
beside that the compasse thereof is not aboue a mile, this is to be
remembered farder thereof, how there standeth a Pharos or light therein,
for ships which saile by those coasts in the night. There is also at the
verie point of the said Pendinas, a chappell of saint Nicholas, beside
the church of saint Ia, an Irish woman saint. It belonged of late to the
Lord Brooke, but now (as I gesse) the Lord Mountioy enioieth it. There
is also a blockhouse, and a péere in the eastside thereof, but the péere
is sore choked with sand, as is the whole shore furthermore from S. Ies
vnto S. Carantokes, insomuch that the greatest part of this Byland is
now couered with sands, which the sea casteth vp, and this calamitie
hath indured little aboue fiftie yeares, as the inhabitants doo affirme.