wholesome for cattell as the first; although in the mouth more pleasant
for the time: for thereby they become oftentimes to be rotten, or to
increase so fast in bloud, that the garget and other diseases doo
consume manie of them before the owners can séeke out any remedie, by
Phlebotomie or otherwise. Some superstitious fooles suppose that they
which die of the garget are ridden with the night mare, and therefore
they hang vp stones which naturallie haue holes in them, and must be
found vnlooked for; as if such a stone were an apt cockeshot for the
diuell to run through and solace himselfe withall, whilest the cattell
go scot free and are not molested by him. But if I should set downe but
halfe the toies that superstition hath brought into our husbandmens
heads in this and other behalfes, it would aske a greater volume than is
conuenient for such a purpose, wherefore it shall suffice to haue said
thus much of these things.
[Sidenote: Corne.]
The yéeld of our corne-ground is also much after this rate folowing.
Through out the land (if you please to make an estimat thereof by the
acre) in meane and indifferent yeares, wherein each acre of rie or
wheat, well tilled and dressed, will yeeld commonlie sixtéene or twentie
bushels, an acre of barlie six and thirtie bushels, of otes and such
like foure or fiue quarters, which proportion is notwithstanding oft
abated toward the north, as it is oftentimes surmounted in the south. Of
mixed corne, as peason and beanes, sowen togither, tares and otes (which
they call bulmong) rie and wheat named miscelin here is no place to
speake, yet their yéeld is neuerthelesse much after this proportion, as
I haue often marked. And yet is not this our great foison comparable to
that of hoter countries of the maine. But of all that euer I read, the
increase which Eldred Danus writeth of in his De imperio Iudæorum in
Aethiopia surmounteth, where he saith that in the field néere to the
Sabbatike riuer, called in old time Gosan, the ground is so fertile,
that euerie graine of barleie growing dooth yéeld an hundred kernels at
the least vnto the owner.
Of late yeares also we haue found and taken vp a great trade in planting
of hops, whereof our moorie hitherto and vnprofitable grounds doo yeeld
such plentie & increase, that their are few farmers or occupiers in the
countrie, which haue not gardens and hops growing of their owne, and
those farre better than doo come from Flanders vnto us. Certes the
corruptions vsed by the Flemings, and forgerie dailie practised in this
kind of ware, gaue vs occasion to plant them here at home: so that now
we may spare and send manie ouer vnto them. And this I know by
experience, that some one man by conuersion of his moorie grounds into
hopyards, wherof before he had no commoditie, dooth raise yearelie by so
little as twelue acres in compasse two hundred markes; all charges borne
toward the maintenance of his familie. Which industrie God continue!
though some secret fréends of Flemings let not to exclaime against this
commoditie, as a spoile of wood, by reason of the poles, which
neuerthelesse after three yeares doo also come to the fire, and spare
their other fewell.
[Sidenote: Cattell.]
The cattell which we breed are commonlie such, as for greatnesse of
bone, swéetnesse of flesh, and other benefits to be reaped by the same,
giue place vnto none other: as may appeare first by our oxen, whose
largenesse, height, weight, tallow, hides, and hornes are such, as none
of anie other nation doo commonlie or may easilie excéed them. Our
shéepe likewise for good tast of flesh, quantitie of lims, finesse of
fléece caused by their hardnesse of pasturage, and abundance of increase
(for in manie places they bring foorth two or thrée at an eaning) giue
no place vnto anie, more than doo our goates, who in like sort doo
follow the same order, and our déere come not behind. As for our conies,
[Sidenote: Meall and Disnege.]
I haue séene them so fat in some soiles, especiallie about Meall and
Disnege, that the grease of one being weighed, hath peised verie néere
six or seuen ounces. All which benefits we first refer to the grace and
goodnesse of God, and next of all vnto the bountie of our soile, which
he hath indued with so notable and commodious fruitfulnesse.
But as I meane to intreat of these things more largelie hereafter, so
will I touch in this place one benefit which our nation wanteth, and
[Sidenote: Wine.]
that is wine; the fault whereof is not in our soile, but the negligence
of our countriemen (especiallie of the south partes) who doo not inure
the same to this commoditie, and which by reason of long discontinuance,
is now become vnapt to beare anie grapes almost for pleasure & shadow,
much lesse then the plaine fields or seuerall vineyards for aduantage
and commoditie. Yet of late time some haue assaied to deale for wine, as
to your lordship also is right well knowen. But sith that liquor when it
commeth to the drinking hath bin found more hard, than that which is
brought from beyond the sea, and the cost of planting and keeping
thereof so chargeable, that they may buie it far better cheape from
other countries: they haue giuen ouer their enterprises without anie
consideration, that as in all other things, so neither the ground it
selfe in the beginning, nor successe of their trauell can answer their
expectation at the first, vntill such time as the soile be brought as it
were into acquaintance with this commoditie, and that prouision may be
made for the more easinesse of charge, to be imploied vpon the same.
If it be true, that where wine dooth last and indure well, there it will
grow no worse: I muse not a little wherefore the planting of vines
should be neglected in England. That this liquor might haue growne in
this Iland heretofore, first the charter that Probus the emperour gaue
equallie to vs, the Galles, and Spaniards, is one sufficient testimonie.
And that it did grow here, beside the testimonie of Beda lib. 1. cap. 1.
the old notes of tithes for wine that yet remaine in the accompts of
some parsons and vicars in Kent, & elsewhere, besides the records of
sundrie sutes, commensed in diuerse ecclesiasticall courts, both in
Kent, Surrie, &c: also the inclosed parcels almost in euerie abbeie yet
called the vineyardes, may be a notable witnesse, as also the plot which
we now call east Smithfield in London giuen by Canutus sometime king of
this land, with other soile there about vnto certeine of his knights,
with the libertie of a Guild which therof was called Knighten Guild. The
truth is (saith Iohn Stow our countrie man, and diligent traueller in
the old estate of this my natiue citie) that it is now named Port soken
ward, and giuen in time past to the religious house within Algate.
Howbeit first Otwell, the Archouell, Otto, & finallie Geffrie erle of
Essex constables of the Tower of London, withheld that portion fr[=o]
the said house, vntill the reigne of king Stephan, and thereof made a
vineyard to their great commoditie and lucre. The Ile of Elie also was
in the first times of the Normans called Le Ile des vignes. And good
record appéereth, that the bishop there had yearelie thrée or foure
tunne at the least giuen him Nomine decimæ, beside whatsoeuer ouer-summe
of the liquor did accrue to him by leases and other excheats, whereof
also I haue seene mention. Wherefore our soile is not to be blamed, as
though our nights were so exceeding short, that in August and September
the moone which is ladie of moisture, & chiefe ripener of this liquor,
cannot in anie wise shine long inough vpon the same: a verie méere toie
and fable right worthie to be suppressed, because experience conuinceth
the vpholders thereof euen in the Rhenish wines.
[Sidenote: Wad.]
The time hath béene also that wad, wherwith our countrie men died their
faces (as Cæsar saith) that they might séeme terrible to their enimies
in the field, and also women & their daughters in law did staine their
bodies & go naked, in that pickle to the sacrifices of their gods,
coueting to resemble therin the Ethiopians, as Plinie saith li. 22. cap.
[Sidenote: Madder.]
1. and also madder haue béene (next vnto our tin and woolles) the chiefe
[Sidenote: Rape.]
commodities, and merchandize of this realme. I find also that rape oile
hath beene made within this land. But now our soile either will not or
at the leastwise may not beare either wad or madder: I saie not that the
ground is not able so to doo, but that we are negligent, afraid of the
pilling of our grounds, and carelesse of our owne profit, as men rather
willing to buie the same of others than take anie paine to plant them
[Sidenote: Flax.]
here at home. The like I may saie of flax, which by law ought to be
sowen in euerie countrie-towne in England, more or lesse: but I sée no
successe of that good and wholesome law, sith it is rather
contemptuouslie reiected than otherwise dutifullie kept in anie place of
England.
Some saie that our great number of lawes doo bréed a generall negligence
and contempt of all good order; bicause we haue so manie, that no
subiect can liue without the transgression of some of them, and that the
often alteration of our ordinances dooth much harme in this respect,
which (after Aristotle) doth séeme to carie some reason withall, for (as
Cornelius Gallus hath:)
[Sidenote: Eleg. 2.]
Euentus varios res noua semper habet.
But verie manie let not to affirme, that the gréedie corruption of the
promoters on the one side, facilitie in dispensing with good lawes, and
first breach of the same in the lawmakers & superiors, & priuat respects
of their establishment on the other, are the greatest causes whie the
inferiours regard no good order, being alwaies so redie to offend
without anie facultie one waie, as they are otherwise to presume, vpon
[Sidenote: Principis longè magis exemplo quion culpa peccare solent.]
the examples of their betters when anie hold is to be taken. But as in
these things I haue no skill, so I wish that fewer licences for the
priuat commoditie but of a few were granted (not that thereby I denie
the maintenance of the prerogatiue roiall, but rather would with all my
hart that it might be yet more honorablie increased) & that euerie one
which by féeed friendship (or otherwise) dooth attempt to procure oughts
from the prince, that may profit but few and proue hurtfull to manie,
might be at open assizes and sessions denounced enimie to his countrie
and commonwealth of the land.
Glasse also hath beene made here in great plentie before, and in the
time of the Romans; and the said stuffe also, beside fine scissers,
shéeres, collars of gold and siluer for womens necks, cruses and cups of
amber, were a parcell of the tribute which Augustus in his daies laid
vpon this Iland. In like sort he charged the Britons with certeine
implements and vessels of iuorie (as Strabo saith.) Wherby it appéereth
that in old time our countriemen were farre more industrious and
painefull in the vse and application of the benefits of their countrie,
than either after the comming of the Saxons or Normans, in which they
gaue themselues more to idlenesse and following of the warres.
[Sidenote: Earth.]
If it were requisit that I should speake of the sundrie kinds of moold,
as the cledgie or claie, whereof are diuerse sorts (red, blue, blacke
and white) also the red or white sandie, the lomie, rosellie, grauellie,
chalkie or blacke, I could saie that there are so manie diuerse veines
in Britaine, as else where in anie quarter of like quantitie in the
world. Howbeit this I must néeds confesse, that the sandie and cledgie
doo beare great swaie: but the claie most of all, as hath beene, and yet
is alwaies séene & felt through plentie and dearth of corne. For if this
latter (I meane the claie) doo yeeld hir full increase (which it dooth
commonlie in drie yeares for wheat) then is there generall plentie:
wheras if it faile, then haue we scarsitie, according to the old rude
verse set downe of England, but to be vnderstood of the whole Iland, as
experience dooth confirme:
When the sand dooth serue the claie,
Then may we sing well awaie,
But when the claie dooth serue the sand,
Then is it merie with England.
[Sidenote: Vallies.]
I might here intreat of the famous vallies in England, of which one is
called the vale of White horsse, another of Eouesham, commonlie taken
for the granarie of Worcestershire, the third of Ailesbirie that goeth
by Tame, the rootes of Chilterne hils, to Donstable, Newport panell,
Stonie Stratford, Buckhingham, Birstane parke, &c. Likewise of the
fourth of Whitehart or Blackemoore in Dorsetshire. The fift of Ringdale
or Renidale, corruptlie called Ringtaile, that lieth (as mine author
saith) vpon the edge of Essex and Cambridgeshire, and also the Marshwood
vale: but for somuch as I know not well their seuerall limits, I giue
ouer to go anie further in their description. In like sort it should not
[Sidenote: Fennes.]
be amisse to speake of our fennes, although our countrie be not so full
of this kind of soile as the parties beyond the seas, to wit, Narbon,
&c: and thereto of other pleasant botoms, the which are not onelie
indued with excellent riuers and great store of corne and fine fodder
for neat and horsses in time of the yeare (whereby they are excéeding
beneficiall vnto their owners) but also of no small compasse and
quantitie in ground. For some of our fens are well knowen to be either
of ten, twelue, sixtéene, twentie, or thirtie miles in length, that of
the Girwies yet passing all the rest, which is full 60 (as I haue often
read.) Wherein also Elie the famous Ile standeth, which is seuen miles
euerie waie, and wherevnto there is no accesse but by thrée causies,
whose inhabitants in like sort by an old priuilege may take wood, sedge,
turfe, &c; to burne: likewise haie for their cattell, and thatch for
their houses of custome, and each occupier in his appointed quantitie
through out the Ile; albeit that couetousnesse hath now begun somewhat
to abridge this large beneuolence and commoditie, aswell in the said Ile
as most other places of this land.
[Sidenote: Commons.]
Finallie, I might discourse in like order of the large commons, laid out
heretofore by the lords of the soiles for the benefit of such poore, as
inhabit within the compasse of their manors. But as the true intent of
the giuers is now in most places defrauded, in so much that not the
poore tenants inhabiting vpon the same, but their landlords haue all the
commoditie and gaine, so the tractation of them belongeth rather to the
second booke. Wherfore I meane not at this present to deale withall, but
reserue the same wholie vnto the due place whilest I go forward with the
rest; setting downe neuerthelesse by the waie a generall commendation of
the whole Iland, which I find in an ancient monument, much vnto this
effect.
Illa quidem longè celebris splendore, beata,
Glebis, lacte, fauis, supereminet insula cunctis,
Quas regit ille Deus, spumanti cuius ab ore
Profluit oceanus, &c.
_And a little after_: Testis Lundonia ratibus, Wintonia Baccho,
Herefordia grege, Worcestria fruge redundans,
Batha lacu, Salabyra feris, Cantuaria pisce,
Eboraca syluis, Excestria clara metallis,
Norwicum Dacis hybernis, Cestria Gallis,
Cicestrum Norwagenis, Dunelmia præpinguis,
Testis Lincolnia gens infinita decore,
Testis Eli formosa situ, Doncastria visu, &c.
OF THE FOURE HIGH WAIES SOMETIME MADE IN BRITAINE BY THE PRINCES OF THIS
ILAND.
CAP. XIX.
There are, which indeuoring to bring all things to their Saxon
originall, doo affirme, that this diuision of waies, (whereof we now
intreat) should apperteine vnto such princes of that nation as reigned
here, since the Romanes gaue vs ouer: and herevpon they inferre, that
Wattling street was builded by one Wattle from the east vnto the west.
But how weake their coniectures are in this behalfe, the antiquitie of
these streets it selfe shall easilie declare, whereof some parcelles,
after a sort, are also set downe by Antoninus; and those that haue
written of the seuerall iournies from hence to Rome: although
peraduenture not in so direct an order as they were at the first
established. For my part, if it were not that I desire to be short in
this behalfe, I could with such notes as I haue alreadie collected for
that purpose, make a large confutation of diuerse of their opinions
concerning these passages, and thereby rather ascribe the originall of
these waies to the Romans than either the British or Saxon princes. But
sith I haue spent more time in the tractation of the riuers than was
allotted vnto me, and that I sée great cause (notwithstanding my late
alledged scruple) wherfore I should hold with our Galfride before anie
other; I will omit at this time to discourse of these things as I would,
and saie what I maie for the better knowledge of their courses,
procéeding therein as followeth.
First of all I find, that Dunwallon king of Britaine, about 483 yeares
before the birth of our sauiour Iesus Christ, séeing the subiects of his
realme to be in sundrie wise oppressed by théeues and robbers as they
trauelled to and fro; and being willing (so much as in him laie) to
redresse these inconueniences, caused his whole kingdome to be surueied;
and then commanding foure principall waies to be made, which should
leade such as trauelled into all parts thereof, from sea to sea, he gaue
sundrie large priuileges vnto the same, whereby they became safe, and
verie much frequented. And as he had regard herein to the securitie of
his subiects, so he made sharpe lawes grounded vpon iustice, for the
suppression of such wicked members as did offer violence to anie
traueler that should be met withall or found within the limits of those
passages. How and by what parts of this Iland these waies were conueied
at the first, it is not so wholie left in memorie: but that some
question is mooued among the learned, concerning their ancient courses.
Howbeit such is the shadow remaining hitherto of their extensions, that
if not at this present perfectlie, yet hereafter it is not vnpossible,
but that they may be found out, & left certeine vnto posteritie. It
seemeth by Galfride, that the said Dunwallon did limit out those waies
by dooles and markes, which being in short time altered by the auarice
of such irreligious persons as dwelt néere, and incroched vpon the same
(a fault yet iustlie to be found almost in euerie place, euen in the
time of our most gratious and souereigne Ladie Elizabeth, wherein the
lords of the soiles doo vnite their small occupieng, onelie to increase
a greater proportion of rent; and therefore they either remooue, or giue
licence to erect small tenements vpon the high waies sides and commons;
wherevnto, in truth, they haue no right: and yet out of them also doo
raise a new commoditie) and question mooued for their bounds before
Belinus his sonne, he to auoid all further controuersie that might from
thencefoorth insue, caused the same to be paued with hard stone of
eightéene foot in breadth, ten foot in depth, and in the bottome thereof
huge flint stones also to be pitched, least the earth in time should
swallow vp his workemanship, and the higher ground ouer-grow their
rising crests. He indued them also with larger priuileges than before,
protesting that if anie man whosoeuer should presume to infringe his
peace, and violate the lawes of his kingdome in anie maner of wise,
neere vnto or vpon those waies, he should suffer such punishment without
all hope to escape (by freendship or mercie) as by the statutes of this
realme latelie prouided in those cases were due vnto the offendors. The
names of these foure waies are the Fosse, the Gwethelin or Watling, the
Erming, and the Ikenild.
[Sidenote: Fosse.]
The Fosse goeth not directlie but slopewise ouer the greatest part of
this Iland, beginning at Dotnesse or Totnesse in Deuonshire, where Brute
somtime landed, or (as Ranulphus saith, which is more likelie) at the
point of Cornwall, though the eldest writers doo séeme to note the
contrarie. From hence it goeth thorough the middle of Deuonshire &
Summersetshire, and commeth to Bristow, from whence it runneth
manifestlie to Sudberie market, Tetburie, and so foorth holdeth on as
you go almost to the midde waie betweene Glocester and Cirnecester,
(where the wood faileth, and the champeigne countrie appeareth toward
Cotteswald) streight as a line vntill you come to Cirnecester it selfe.
Some hold opinion that the waie, which lieth from Cirnecester to Bath,
should be the verie Fosse; and that betwixt Cirnecester and Glocester to
be another of the foure waies, made by the Britons. But ancient report
grounded vpon great likelihood, and confirmed also by some experience,
iudgeth that most of the waies crossed ech other in this part of the
realme. And of this mind is Leland also, who learned it of an abbat of
Cirnecester that shewed great likelihood by some records thereof. But to
procéed. From Cirnecester, it goeth by Chepingnorton to Couentrie,
Leircester, Newarke, and so to Lincolne ouerthwart the Watlingstreet:
where, by generall consent of all the writers (except Alfred of
Beuerleie, who extendeth it vnto Cathnesse in Scotland) it is said to
haue an end.
[Sidenote: Watling stréet.]
The Watlingstréete begun (as I said) by Dunwallo, but finished by
Gutheline, of whome it is directlie to be called Gutheline stréet,
though now corrupted into Watlingstréet, beginneth at Douer in Kent, and
so stretcheth through the middest of Kent vnto London, and so foorth
(peraduenture by the middest of the citie) vnto Verolamium or
Verlamcester, now saint Albons, where, in the yeare of grace, one
thousand fiue hundred thirtie & one, the course thereof was found by a
man that digged for grauell wherwith to mend the high waie. It was in
this place eighteene foot broad, and about ten foot déepe, and stoned in
the bottome in such wise as I haue noted afore, and peraduenture also on
the top: but these are gone, and the rest remaine equall in most places,
and leuell with the fields. The yelow grauell also that was brought
thither in carts two thousand yéeres passed, remained there so fresh and
so strong, as if it had béene digged out of the naturall place where it
grew not manie yéeres before. From hence it goeth hard by Margate,
leauing it on the west side. And a little by south of this place, where
the priorie stood, is a long thorough fare vpon the said street, méetly
well builded (for low housing) on both sides. After this it procéedeth
(as the chronicle of Barnwell saith) to Caxton, and so to Huntingdon, &
then forward, still winding in and out till it not onelie becommeth a
bound vnto Leicestershire toward Lugbie, but also passeth from
Castleford to Stamford, and so foorth by west of Marton, which is but a
mile from Torkeseie.
Here by the waie I must touch the opinion of a traueller of my time, who
noteth the said stréet to go another waie, insomuch that he would haue
it to crosse the third Auon, betwixt Newton and Dowbridge, and so go on
to Binford bridge, Wibtoft, the High crosse, and thence to Atherston
vpon Ancre. Certes it may be, that the Fosse had his course by the
countrie in such sort as he describeth; but that the Watlingstréet
should passe by Atherston, I cannot as yet be persuaded. Neuerthelesse
his coniecture is not to be misliked, sith it is not vnlikelie that
thrée seuerall waies might méet at Alderwaie (a towne vpon Tame, beneath
Salters bridge) for I doo not doubt that the said towne did take his
name of all three waies, as Aldermarie church in London did of all thrée
Maries, vnto whom it hath béene dedicated: but that the Watlingstréet
should be one of them, the compasse of his passage will in no wise
permit. And thus much haue I thought good to note by the waie. Now to
returne againe to Leland, and other mens collections.