which lieth in Buquhamnesse, I find no mention of anie Ile situat vpon
that coast, neither greatlie from thence, vntill we come at the Forth,
that leadeth vp to Sterling, neither thought we it safetie for vs to
search so farre as Thule, whence the most excellent brimstone commeth, &
thereto what store of Ilands lie vnder the more northerlie climats,
whose secret situations though partlie seene in my time, haue not yet
bin perfectlie reueled or discouered by anie, bicause of the great
aboundance of huge Ilands of ice that mooueth to and fro vpon their
shores, and sundrie perilous gulfes and indraughts of water, and for as
much as their knowlege doth not concerne our purpose, wherfore casting
about, we came at the last into the Firth or Forth, which some call the
Scotish sea, wherein we passe by seuen or eight such as they be, of
which the first called the Maie, the second Baas, and Garwie the third,
doo seeme to be inhabited. From these also holding on our course toward
England, we passe by another Ile, wherein Faux castell standeth, and
this (so far as my skill serueth) is the last Iland of the Scotish side,
in compassing whereof I am not able to discerne, whether their flats and
shallowes, number of Ilands without name, confusion of situation, lacke
of true description, or mine owne ignorance hath troubled me most. No
meruell therefore that I haue béene so oft on ground among them. But
most ioifull am I that am come home againe: & although not by the Thames
mouth into my natiue citie (which taketh his name of Troie) yet into the
English dominion, where good interteinement is much more franke and
copious, and better harborough wherein to rest my wearie bones, and
refresh at ease our wetherbeaten carcasses.
The first Iland therefore which commeth to our sight, after we passed
[Sidenote: Lindesfarne or Holie Iland.]
Berwike, is that which was somtime called Lindesfarne, but now Holie
Iland, and conteineth eight miles; a place much honored among our
monasticall writers, bicause diuerse moonks and heremits did spend their
times therein. There was also the bishops see of Lindesfarne for a long
season, which afterward was translated to Chester in the stréet, &
finallie to Duresme, Dunelme, or Durham. It was first erected by Oswald,
wherein he placed Aidanus the learned Scotish moonke, who came hither
out of the Ile called Hij, whereof Beda speaking in the third chapter of
his third booke, noteth, that although the said Hij belong to the kings
of Northumberland, by reason of situation & néerenesse to the coast; yet
the Picts appointed the bishops of the same, and gaue the Ile with the
see it selfe to such Scotish moonks as they liked, bicause that by their
preaching they first receiued the faith. But to returne to Lindesfarne.
After Aidan departed this life, Finanus finished and builded the whole
church with sawed timber of oke, after the maner of his countrie, which
when Theodorus the archbishop of Canturburie had dedicated, Edbert the
bishop did couer ouer with lead.
[Sidenote: Farne.]
Next vnto this is the Ile of Farne, and herein is a place of defense so
far as I remember, and so great store of egs laid there by diuerse kinds
of wildfoule in time of the yeare, that a man shall hardlie run for a
wager on the plaine ground without the breach of manie, before his race
be finished. About Farne also lie certeine Iles greater than Farne it
selfe, but void of inhabitants; and in these also is great store of
[Sidenote: Puffins.]
puffins, graie as duckes, and without coloured fethers, sauing that they
haue a white ring round about their necks. There is moreouer another
[Sidenote: Saint Cuthberts foules.]
bird, which the people call saint Cuthberts foules, a verie tame and
gentle creature, and easie to be taken. After this we came to the Cocket
Iland; so called, bicause it lieth ouer against the fall of Cocket
water. Herein is a veine of meane seacole, which the people dig out of
the shore at the low water; and in this Iland dwelled one Henrie
sometime a famous heremite, who (as his life declareth) came of the
Danish race. And from thence vntill we came vnto the coast of Norffolke
I saw no more Ilands.
Being therfore past S. Edmunds point, we found a litle Ile ouer against
the fall of the water that commeth from Holkham, & likewise another ouer
against the Claie, before we came at Waburne hope: the third also in
Yarmouth riuer ouer against Bradwell, a towne in low or little England,
whereof also I must néeds saie somewhat, bicause it is in maner an
Iland, and as I gesse either hath béene or may be one: for the brodest
place of the strict land that leadeth to the same, is little aboue a
quarter of a mile, which against the raging waues of the sea can make
[Sidenote: Little England.]
but small resistance. Little England or low England therefore is about
eight miles in length and foure in bredth, verie well replenished with
townes, as Fristan, Burgh castell, Olton, Flixton, Lestoft, Gunton,
Blundston, Corton, Lownd, Ashebie, Hoxton, Belton, Bradwell, and
Gorleston, and beside this it is verie fruitfull and indued with all
commodities.
Going forward from hence, by the Estonnesse (almost an Iland) I saw a
small parcell cut from the maine in Orford hauen, the Langerstone in
Orwell mouth, & two péeces or Islets at Cattiwade bridge; and then
[Sidenote: Merseie.]
casting about vnto the Colne, we beheld Merseie which is a pretie Iland,
well furnished with wood. It was sometime a great receptacle for the
Danes when they inuaded England; howbeit at this present it hath beside
two decaied blockehouses, two parish churches, of which one is called
east Merseie, the other west Merseie, and both vnder the archdeacon of
[Sidenote: Foulnesse.]
Colchester, as parcell of his iurisdiction. Foulenesse is an Ile void of
wood, and yet well replenished with verie good grasse for neat and
sheepe, whereof the inhabitants haue great plentie: there is also a
parish church, and albeit that it stand somewhat distant from the shore,
yet at a dead low water a man may (as they saie) ride thereto if he be
skilfull of the causie; it is vnder the iurisdiction of London. And at
this present master William Tabor bacheler of diuinitie and archdeacon
of Essex hath it vnder his iurisdiction & regiment, by the surrender of
maister Iohn Walker doctor also of diuinitie, who liued at such time as
I first attempted to commit this booke to the impression.
In Maldon water are in like sort thrée Ilands inuironed all with salt
[Sidenote: Osithe.]
[Sidenote: Northeie.]
streames, as saint Osithes, Northeie, and another (after a mersh) that
beareth no name so far as I remember. On the right hand also as we went
[Sidenote: Ramseie.]
[Sidenote: Reie.]
toward the sea againe, we saw Ramseie Ile, or rather a Peninsula or
Biland, & likewise the Reie, in which is a chappell of saint Peter. And
then coasting vpon the mouth of the Bourne, we saw the Wallot Ile and
his mates, whereof two lie by east Wallot, and the fourth is Foulnesse,
except I be deceiued, for here my memorie faileth me on the one side,
and information on the other, I meane concerning the placing of
Foulenesse. But to procéed. After this, and being entered into the
Thames mouth, I find no Iland of anie name, except you accompt Rochford
hundred for one, whereof I haue no mind to intreat, more than of
Crowland, Mersland, Elie, and the rest, that are framed by the ouze.
Andredeseie in Trent, so called of a church there dedicated to saint
Andrew, and Auon (two noble riuers hereafter to be described) sith I
touch onelie those that are inuironed with the sea or salt water round
[Sidenote: Canwaie.]
about, as we may see in the Canwaie Iles, which some call marshes
onelie, and liken them to an ipocras bag, some to a vice, scrue, or wide
sléeue, bicause they are verie small at the east end, and large at west.
The salt rilles also that crosse the same doo so separat the one of them
from the other, that they resemble the slope course of the cutting part
of a scrue or gimlet, in verie perfect maner, if a man doo imagine
himselfe to looke downe from the top of the mast vpon them. Betwéene
these, moreouer and the Leigh towne lieth another litle Ile or Holme,
whose name is to me vnknowne. Certes I would haue gone to land and
viewed these parcels as they laie, or at the least haue sailed round
about them by the whole hauen, which may easilie be doone at an high
water: but for as much as a perrie of wind (scarse comparable to the
makerell gale, whereof Iohn Anele of Calis one of the best seamen that
England euer bred for his skill in the narow seas was woont to talke)
caught hold of our sailes, & caried vs forth the right waie toward
London, I could not tarie to sée what things were hereabouts. Thus much
therefore of our Ilands, & so much may well suffice where more cannot be
had.
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE THAMES, AND SUCH RIUERS AS FALL INTO THE SAME.
CAP. XI.
Hauing (as you haue séene) attempted to set downe a full discourse of
all the Ilands, that are situat vpon the coast of Britaine, and finding
the successe not correspondent to mine intent, it hath caused me
somewhat to restreine my purpose in this description also of our riuers.
For whereas I intended at the first to haue written at large, of the
number, situation, names, quantities, townes, villages, castels,
mounteines, fresh waters, plashes or lakes, salt waters, and other
commodities of the aforesaid Iles, mine expectation of information from
all parts of England, was so deceiued in the end, that I was faine at
last onelie to leane to that which I knew my selfe either by reading, or
such other helpe as I had alreadie purchased and gotten of the same. And
euen so it happeneth in this my tractation of waters, of whose heads,
courses, length, bredth, depth of chanell (for burden) ebs, flowings,
and falles, I had thought to haue made a perfect description vnder the
report also of an imagined course taken by them all. But now for want of
instruction, which hath béene largelie promised, & slacklie perfourmed,
and other sudden and iniurious deniall of helpe voluntarilie offered,
without occasion giuen on my part, I must needs content my selfe with
such obseruations as I haue either obteined by mine owne experience, or
gathered from time to time out of other mens writings: whereby the full
discourse of the whole is vtterlie cut off, and in steed of the same a
mangled rehearsall of the residue set downe and left in memorie.
Wherefore I beséech your honour to pardon this imperfection and
rudenesse of my labour, which notwithstanding is not altogither in
vaine, sith my errors maie prooue a spurre vnto the better skilled,
either to correct or inlarge where occasion serueth, or at the leastwise
to take in hand a more absolute péece of worke, as better direction
shall incourage them thereto. The entrance and beginning of euerie thing
is the hardest; and he that beginneth well, hath atchiued halfe his
purpose. The ice (my lord) is broken, and from hencefoorth it will be
more easie for such as shall come after to wade through with the rest,
sith "Facile est inuentis addere;" and to continue and finish, is not so
great a matter in building, as to attempt and laie the foundation or
platforme of anie noble péece of workmanship, though it be but rudelie
[Sidenote: Thamesis.]
handled. But to my purpose. As I began at the Thames in my description
of Ilands, so will I now doo the like with that of famous riuers; making
mine entrie at the said riuer it selfe, of whose founteine some men make
as much adoo, as in time past of the true head of Nilus, which, till of
late (if it be yet descried) was neuer found: or the Tanais, whose
originall was neuer knowne, nor shall be: for whilest one placeth it
here, another there; there are none at all that deale with it exactlie.
Wherefore leaning to such mens writings as haue of set purpose sought
out the spring of the Thames; I affirme that this famous streame hath
his head or beginning out of the side of an hill, standing in the
plaines of Cotswold, about one mile from Tetburie, néere vnto the Fosse
(an high waie so called of old) where it was sometime named Isis, or the
Ouse, although diuerse doo ignorantlie call it the Thames euen there,
rather of a foolish custome than anie skill, bicause they either neglect
or vtterlie are ignorant how it was named at the first. From hence it
runneth directlie toward the east (as all good riuers should) and
[Sidenote: Corinium.]
méeteth with the Cirne or Churne, (a brooke called in Latine Corinium)
whereof Cirncester towne (by which it commeth) doth take the
denomination.
From hence it hasteth vnto Créekelade, aliàs Crekanford, Lechlade,
Radcotebridge, Newbridge, and Eouesham, receiuing by the waie an infinit
sort of small streames, brookes, beckes, waters, and rundels: and here
on this side of the towne diuideth it selfe into two courses, of which
the one goeth straight to Botleie and Hinkseie, the other by Godstow, a
village not farre off. This latter spreadeth it selfe also for a while
into sundrie smaller branches, which run not farre yer they be reunited,
and then beclipping sundrie pleasant meadowes, it passeth at length by
Oxford, of some supposed rather to be called Ouseford of this riuer,
[Sidenote: Charwell.]
where it meeteth with the Charwell, and a litle from whence the
originall branches doo ioine and go togither by Abbandune (aliàs Sensham
or Abington as we call it) although no part of it at the first came so
néere the towne as it doth now, till a branch thereof was led thither
[Sidenote: Some write, that the maine streame was brought thither
from which ranne before betweene Andredeseie and Culenham.]
the maine streame, thorough the industrie of the moonks, as (beside the
testimonie of old records thereof yet extant to be séene) by the decaie
of Cair Dour, now Dorchester it selfe, sometime the throughfare from
Wales and the west countrie to London, which insued vpon this fact, is
easie to be seene. From hence it goeth to Dorchester, and so to Thame,
where ioining with a riuer of the same denomination, it looseth the name
of Isis or Ouse (whereof Ouseneie at Oxford is producted) and from
thenceforth is called Thamesis. From Thame it goeth to Wallingford, and
so to Reding, which in time past, of the number of bridges there, was
[Sidenote: Pontium.]
called Pontium; albeit that the English name doth rather proceed from
[Sidenote: Saint Marie ouer Rhee.]
Rhe, or Ree, the Saxon word for a water-course or riuer; which maie be
séene in Ouerée, or Sutherée, for ouer the Ree, or south of the Rhee, as
to the skilfull doth readilie appéere; yet some hold (and not altogither
against probabilitie and likelihood) that the word Sutherée is so called
of Sudrijc, to wit, the south kingdome, wherevnto in part the Thames is
a bound. But that holdeth not in denomination, either of the said church
or name of the foresaid countie. Other affirme likewise, that Reding is
so called of the Greeke word ([Greek: rheô]) which is to ouerflowe.
Certes, as neither of these coniectures are to be contemned, so the last
c[=o]meth most neere to mine aid, who affirme, that not onelie the
course of euerie water it selfe, but also his ouerflowing was in time
past called Rhe, by such Saxons as inhabited in this Iland: and euen to
this daie in Essex I haue oft obserued, that when the lower grounds by
rage of water haue béene ouerflowen, the people beholding the same, haue
said; All is on a Rhe, as if they should haue said; All is now a riuer,
albeit the word Riuer be deriued from the French, and borrowed by them
from the Latins, but not without corruption, as it was brought vnto
them. I will not here giue notice how farre they are deceiued, which
call the aforesaid church by the name of S. Marie Auderies, or S. Marie
ouer Isis, or Ise: but I will procéed with the course of this noble
streame, which, howsoeuer these matters stand after it hath passed by
[Sidenote: Kenet.]
Reding, & there receiued the Kenet, which commeth from the hilles that
[Sidenote: Thetis.]
lie west of Marleborough (& then the Thetis, commonlie called the Tide
that commeth from Thetisford) hieth to Sudlington otherwise called
Maidenhead, and so to Windleshore (or Windsore) Eaton, and then to
Chertseie, where Erkenwald bishop of London sometime builded a religious
house or cell, as I doo read.
From Chertseie it hasteth directlie vnto Stanes, and receiuing an other
[Sidenote: Cole.]
streame by the waie, called the Cole (wherevpon Colbrooke standeth) it
goeth by Kingstone, Shene, Sion and Brentford or Bregentford, where it
méeteth the Brane or the Brene (another brooke descending from Edgworth)
whose name signifieth a frog, in the Brittish speach. Vpon this also sir
John Thin had sometime a statelie house, with a maruellous prouision to
inclose and reteine such fish as should come about the same. From
[Sidenote: Brene.]
Brentfoord it passeth by Mortlach, Putneie, Fulham, Batterseie,
Chelseie, Lambeth, and so to London. Finallie going from thence vnto the
sea, it taketh the Lée with it by the waie vpon the coast of Essex, and
[Sidenote: Darwent.]
another that commeth from Abreche not far off, and the Darnt vpon Kent
side, which riseth néere to Tanrige, and commeth by Shoreham, vnto
[Sidenote: Craie.]
Derntford, wherevnto the Craie falleth. And last of all the Medwaie a
notable riuer (in mine opinion) which watereth all the south and
southwest part of Kent, and whose description shall insue.
Hauing in this maner bréefelie touched this noble riuer, and such
brookes as fall into the same; I will now adde a particular description
of each of these last by themselues, whereby their courses also shall be
seuerallie described to the satisfaction of the studious. But yer I take
the same in hand, I will insert a word or two of the commodities of the
said riuer, which I will performe with so much breuitie as is possible.
Héereby also finding out his whole tract and course from the head to the
fall thereof into the sea. It appeareth euidentlie that the length
thereof is at the least, one hundreth and eightie miles, if it be
measured by the iourneies of the land. And as it is in course, the
longest of the thrée famous riuers of this Ile, so it is nothing
inferiour vnto them in aboundance of all kind of fish, whereof it is
hard to saie, which of the three haue either most plentie, or greatest
varietie, if the circumstances be duelie weighed. What some other write
of the riuers of their countries it skilleth not, neither will I (as
diuerse doo) inuent strange things of this noble streame, therewith to
nobilitate and make it more honorable: but this will I in plaine termes
affirme, that it neither swalloweth vp bastards of the Celtish brood, or
casteth vp the right begotten that are throwne in without hurt into
their mothers lap, as Politian fableth of the Rhene, Epistolarum lib. 8.
epi. 6. nor yéeldeth clots of gold as the Tagus dooth: but an infinit
plentie of excellent, swéet and pleasant fish, wherewith such as inhabit
néere vnto hir bankes are fed and fullie nourished.
[Sidenote: Salmons.]
What should I speake of the fat and swéet salmons, dailie taken in this
streame, and that in such plentie (after the time of the smelt be past)
as no riuer in Europa is able to excéed it. What store also of barbels,
trouts, cheuins, pearches, smelts, breames, roches, daces, gudgings,
flounders, shrimps, &c: are commonlie to be had therein, I refer me to
them that know by experience better than I, by reason of their dailie
trade of fishing in the same. And albeit it seemeth from time to time,
to be as it were defrauded in sundrie wise of these hir large
commodities, by the insatiable auarice of the fishermen, yet this famous
riuer complaineth commonlie of no want, but the more it looseth at one
time, the more it yéeldeth at another. Onelie in carps it séemeth to be
[Sidenote: Carps a fish late brought into England
and later into the Thames.]
scant, sith it is not long since that kind of fish was brought ouer into
England, and but of late to speake of into this streame, by the violent
rage of sundrie landflouds, that brake open the heads and dams of diuers
gentlemens ponds, by which means it became somewhat partaker also of
this said commoditie, whereof earst it had no portion that I could euer
heare. Oh that this riuer might be spared but euen one yeare from nets,
&c! But alas then should manie a poore man be vndoone. In the meane time
it is lamentable to see, how it is and hath béene choked of late with
sands and shelues, through the penning and wresting of the course of the
water for commodities sake. But as this is an inconuenience easilie
remedied, if good order were taken for the redresse thereof: so now, the
fine or prise set vpon the ballasse sometime freelie giuen to the
merchants by patent, euen vnto the lands end (Iusques au poinct) will be
another cause of harme vnto this noble streame, and all through an
aduantage taken at the want of an (i) in the word ponct: which grew
through an error committed by an English notarie vnskilfull in the
French toong, wherein that patent was granted.
Furthermore, the said riuer floweth and filleth all his chanels twise in
the daie and night, that is in euerie twelue houres once; and this
ebbing & flowing, holdeth on for the space of seauentie miles, within
the maine land: the streame or tide being alwaies highest at London,
when the moone dooth exactlie touch the northeast and south or west
points of the heauens, of which one is visible, the other vnder the
earth, and not subiect to our sight. These tides also differ in their
times, each one comming latter than other, by so manie minuts as passe
yer the reuolution and naturall course of the heauens doo reduce, and
bring about the said planet vnto those hir former places: whereby the 36
[Sidenote: The iust dist[=a]ce betwéene one tide and another.]
common difference betwéene one tide and another, is found to consist of
twentie foure minuts, which wanteth but twelue of an whole houre in
foure and twentie, as experience dooth confirme. In like sort we sée by
dailie triall, that each tide is not of equall heigth and greatnesse:
for at the full and change of the moone we haue the greatest flouds, and
such is their ordinarie course, that as they diminish from their changes
and fuls, vnto the first and last quarters; so afterwards they increase
againe, vntill they come to the full and change. Sometimes also they
rise so high (if the wind be at the north or northeast, which bringeth
in the water with more vehemencie, bicause the tide which filleth the
chanell, commeth from Scotland ward) that the Thames ouerfloweth hir
banks néere vnto London: which hapneth especiallie in the fuls and
changes of Januarie and Februarie, wherein the lower grounds are of
custome soonest drowned. This order of flowing in like sort is
perpetuall, so that when the moone is vpon the southwest and north of
points, then is the water by London at the highest: neither doo the
tides alter, except some rough winds out of the west or southwest doo
[Sidenote: The streame oft checked in hir entrance into the land.]
kéepe backe and checke the streame in his entrance, as the east and
northeast do hasten the comming in thereof, or else some other
extraordinarie occasion, put by the ordinarie course of the northerne
seas, which fill the said riuer by their naturall returne and flowing.
And that both these doo happen eft among, I refer me to such as haue not
sildome obserued it, as also the sensible chopping in of thrée or foure
tides in one naturall daie, wherof the vnskilfull doo descant manie
things.