laie first a laine or two of white morter tempered with haire vpon
laths, which are nailed one by another (or sometimes vpon reed or
wickers more dangerous for fire, and made fast here and there with
saplaths for falling downe) and finallie couer all with the aforesaid
plaster, which beside the delectable whitenesse of the stuffe it
selfe, is laied on so euen and smoothlie, as nothing in my iudgment
can be doone with more exactnesse. The wals of our houses on the inner
sides in like sort be either hanged with tapisterie, arras worke, or
painted cloths, wherin either diuerse histories, or hearbes, beasts,
knots, and such like are stained, or else they are seeled with oke of
our owne, or wainescot brought hither out of the east countries,
whereby the roomes are not a little commended, made warme, and much
more close than otherwise they would be. As for stooues we haue not
hitherto vsed them greatlie, yet doo they now begin to be made in
diuerse houses of the gentrie and wealthie citizens, who build them
not to worke and feed in as in Germanie and else where, but now and
then to sweat in, as occasion and néed shall require. This also hath
béene common in England, contrarie to the customes of all other
nations, and yet to be séene (for example in most stréets of London)
that many of our greatest houses haue outwardlie béene verie simple
and plaine to sight, which inwardlie haue beene able to receiue a duke
with his whole traine, and lodge them at their ease. Hereby moreouer
it is come to passe, that the fronts of our stréets haue not béene so
vniforme and orderlie builded as those of forreine cities, where (to
saie truth) the vtterside of their mansions and dwellings haue oft
more cost bestowed vpon them, than all the rest of the house, which
are often verie simple and vneasie within, as experience dooth
confirme. Of old time our countrie houses in steed of glasse did vse
much lattise and that made either of wicker or fine rifts of oke in
chekerwise. I read also that some of the better sort, in and before
the times of the Saxons (who notwithstanding vsed some glasse also
since the time of Benedict Biscop the moonke that brought the feat of
glasing first into this land) did make panels of horne in stéed of
glasse, & fix them in woodden calmes. But as horne in windows is now
quite laid downe in euerie place, so our lattises are also growne into
lesse vse, bicause glasse is come to be so plentifull, and within a
verie little so good cheape if not better then the other.
I find obscure mention of the specular stone also to haue béene found
and applied to this vse in England, but in such doubtfull sort as I
dare not affirme it for certeine. Neuerthelesse certeine it is that
antiquitie vsed it before glasse was knowen, vnder the name of
Selenites. And how glasse was first found I care not greatlie to
remember euen at this present, although it be directlie beside my
purposed matter. In Syria phenices which bordereth vpon Iurie, & néere
to the foot of mount Carmell there is a moore or marris, wherout
riseth a brooke called somtime Belus, and falleth into the sea néere
to Ptolemais. This riuer was fondlie ascribed vnto Baall, and also
honored vnder that name by the infidels, long time before there was
anie king in Israell. It came to passe also as a certeine merchant
sailed that way loden with Nitrum, the passengers went to land for to
repose themselues, and to take in some store of fresh water into their
vessell. Being also on the shore they kindled a fire, and made
prouision for their dinner, but bicause they wanted treuets or stones
whereon to set their kettels on, ran by chance into the ship, and
brought great péeces of Nitrum with him, which serued their turne for
that present. To be short, the said substance being hot, and beginning
to melt, it mixed by chance with the grauel that laie vnder it; and so
brought forth that shining substance which now is called glasse, and
about the time of Semiramis. When the companie saw this, they made no
small accompt of their successe, and foorthwith began to practise the
like in other mixtures, whereby great varietie of the said stuffe did
also insue. Certes for the time this historie may well be true: for I
read of glasse in Iob, but for the rest I refer me to the common
opinion conceiued by writers. Now to turne againe to our windowes.
Heretofore also the houses of our princes and noble men were often
glased with Berill (an example whereof is yet to be séene in Sudleie
castell) and in diuerse other places with fine christall, but this
especiallie in the time of the Romans, wherof also some fragments haue
béene taken vp in old ruines. But now these are not in vse, so that
onelie the clearest glasse is most estéemed: for we haue diuerse
sorts, some brought out of Burgundie, some out of Normandie, much out
of Flanders, beside that which is made in England, which would be so
good as the best, if we were diligent and carefull to bestow more cost
vpon it, and yet as it is, each one that may, will haue it for his
building. Moreouer the mansion houses of our countrie townes and
villages (which in champaine ground stand altogither by stréets, &
ioining one to an other, but in woodland soiles dispersed here and
there, each one vpon the seuerall grounds of their owners) are builded
in such sort generallie, as that they haue neither dairie, stable, nor
bruehouse annexed vnto them vnder the same roofe (as in manie places
beyond the sea & some of the north parts of our countrie) but all
separate from the first, and one of them from an other. And yet for
all this, they are not so farre distant in sunder, but that the
goodman lieng in his bed may lightlie heare what is doone in each of
them with ease, and call quicklie vnto his meinie if anie danger
should attach him.
The ancient manours and houses of our gentlemen are yet and for the
most part of strong timber, in framing whereof our carpenters haue
beene and are worthilie preferred before those of like science among
all other nations. Howbeit such as be latelie builded, are c[=o]monlie
either of bricke or hard stone, or both; their roomes large and
comelie, and houses of office further distant from their lodgings.
Those of the nobilitie are likewise wrought with bricke and hard
stone, as prouision may best be made: but so magnificent and statelie,
as the basest house of a baron dooth often match in our daies with
some honours of princes in old time. So that if euer curious building
did florish in England, it is in these our yeares, wherin our workemen
excell, and are in maner comparable in skill with old Vitruuius, Leo
Baptista, and Serlo. Neuerthelesse, their estimation more than their
gréedie and seruile couetousnesse, ioined with a lingering humour
causeth them often to be rejected, & strangers preferred to greater
bargaines, who are more reasonable in their takings, and lesse wasters
of time by a great deale than our owne.
The furniture of our houses also exceedeth, and is growne in maner
euen to passing delicacie: and herein I doo not speake of the
nobilitie and gentrie onelie, but likewise of the lowest sort in most
places of our south countrie, that haue anie thing at all to take to.
Certes in noble mens houses it is not rare to sée abundance of Arras,
rich hangings of tapistrie, siluer vessell, and so much other plate,
as may furnish sundrie cupbords, to the summe oftentimes of a thousand
or two thousand pounds at the least: whereby the value of this and the
rest of their stuffe dooth grow to be almost inestimable. Likewise in
the houses of knights, gentlemen, merchantmen, and some other wealthie
citizens, it is not geson to behold generallie their great prouision
of tapistrie, Turkie worke, pewter, brasse, fine linen, and thereto
costlie cupbords of plate, worth fiue or six hundred or a thousand
pounds, to be deemed by estimation. But as herein all these sorts doo
far excéed their elders and predecessors, and in neatnesse and
curiositie, the merchant all other; so in time past, the costlie
furniture staied there, whereas now it is descended yet lower, euen
vnto the inferiour artificers and manie farmers, who by vertue of
their old and not of their new leases haue for the most part learned
also to garnish their cupbords with plate, their ioined beds with
tapistrie and silke hangings, and their tables with carpets & fine
naperie, whereby the wealth of our countrie (God be praised therefore,
and giue vs grace to imploie it well) dooth infinitelie appeare.
Neither doo I speake this in reproch of anie man, God is my iudge, but
to shew that I do reioise rather, to sée how God hath blessed vs with
his good gifts; and whilest I behold how that in a time wherein all
things are growen to most excessiue prices, & what commoditie so euer
is to be had, is dailie plucked from the communaltie by such as looke
into euerie trade, we doo yet find the means to obtein & atchiue such
furniture as heretofore hath beene vnpossible. There are old men yet
[Sidenote: Thrée things greatlie amended in England.]
dwelling in the village where I remaine, which haue noted three things
to be maruellouslie altered in England within their sound remembrance;
& other three things too too much increased. One is, the multitude of
[Sidenote: Chimnies.]
chimnies latelie erected, wheras in their yoong daies there were not
aboue two or thrée, if so manie in most vplandish townes of the realme
(the religious houses, & manour places of their lords alwaies
excepted, and peraduenture some great personages) but ech one made his
fire against a reredosse in the hall, where he dined and dressed his
meat.
The second is the great (although not generall) amendment of lodging,
for (said they) our fathers (yea and we our selues also) haue lien
[Sidenote: Hard lodging.]
full oft vpon straw pallets, on rough mats couered onelie with a shéet
vnder couerlets made of dagswain or hopharlots (I vse their owne
termes) and a good round log vnder their heads in steed of a bolster
or pillow. If it were so that our fathers or the good man of the
house, had within seuen yeares after his mariage purchased a matteres
or flockebed, and thereto a sacke of chaffe to rest his head vpon, he
thought himselfe to be as well lodged as the lord of the towne, that
peraduenture laie seldome in a bed of downe or whole fethers; so well
were they contented, and with such base kind of furniture: which also
is not verie much amended as yet in some parts of Bedfordshire, and
elsewhere further off from our southerne parts. Pillowes (said they)
were thought méet onelie for women in childbed. As for seruants, if
they had anie shéet aboue them it was well, for seldome had they anie
vnder their bodies, to kéepe them from the pricking straws that ran
oft through the canuas of the pallet, and rased their hardened hides.
[Sidenote: Furniture of household.]
The third thing they tell of, is the exchange of vessell, as of treene
platters into pewter, and wodden spoones into siluer or tin. For so
common were all sorts of tréene stuffe in old time, that a man should
hardlie find foure péeces of pewter (of which one was peraduenture a
[Sidenote: This was in the time of generall idlenesse.]
salt) in a good farmers house, and yet for all this frugalitie (if it
may so be iustly called) they were scarse able to liue and paie their
rents at their daies without selling of a cow, or an horsse, or more,
although they paid but foure pounds at the vttermost by the yeare.
Such also was their pouertie, that if some one od farmer or husbandman
had béene at the alehouse, a thing greatlie vsed in those daies,
amongst six or seuen of his neighbours, and there in a brauerie to
shew what store he had, did cast downe his pursse, and therein a noble
or six shillings in siluer vnto them (for few such men then cared for
gold bicause it was not so readie paiment, and they were oft inforced
to giue a penie for the exchange of an angell) it was verie likelie
that all the rest could not laie downe so much against it: whereas in
my time, although peraduenture foure pounds of old rent be improued to
fortie, fiftie, or an hundred pounds, yet will the farmer as another
palme or date trée thinke his gaines verie small toward the end of his
terme, if he haue not six or seuen yeares rent lieng by him, therewith
to purchase a new lease, beside a faire garnish of pewter on his
cupbord, with so much more in od vessell going about the house, thrée
or foure featherbeds, so manie couerlids and carpets of tapistrie, a
siluer salt, a bowle for wine (if not an whole neast) and a dozzen of
spoones to furnish vp the sute. This also he taketh to be his owne
cléere, for what stocke of monie soeuer he gathereth & laieth vp in
all his yeares, it is often séene, that the landlord will take such
order with him for the same, when he renueth his lease, which is
commonlie eight or six yeares before the old be expired (sith it is
now growen almost to a custome, that if he come not to his lord so
long before, another shall step in for a reuersion, and so defeat him
out right) that it shall neuer trouble him more than the haire of his
beard, when the barber hath washed and shauen it from his chin. And as
they commend these, so (beside the decaie of housekéeping whereby the
poore haue beene relieued) they speake also of thrée things that are
growen to be verie grieuous vnto them, to wit, the inhansing of rents,
latelie mentioned; the dailie oppression of copiholders, whose lords
séeke to bring their poore tenants almost into plaine seruitude and
miserie, dailie deuising new meanes, and séeking vp all the old how to
cut them shorter and shorter, doubling, trebling, and now & then seuen
times increasing their fines, driuing them also for euerie trifle to
loose and forfeit their tenures (by whome the greatest part of the
realme dooth stand and is mainteined) to the end they may fléece them
yet more, which is a lamentable hering. The third thing they talke of
is vsurie, a trade brought in by the Iewes, now perfectlie practised
almost by euerie christian, and so commonlie that he is accompted but
for a foole that dooth lend his monie for nothing. In time past it was
"Sors pro sorte," that is, the principall onelie for the principall;
but now beside that which is aboue the principall properlie called
"Vsura," we chalenge "F[oe]nus," that is commoditie of soile, & fruits
of the earth, if not the ground it selfe. In time past also one of the
hundred was much, from thence it rose vnto two, called in Latine
"Vsura, Ex sextante;" thrée, to wit "Ex quadrante;" then to foure, to
wit "Ex triente;" then to fiue, which is "Ex quincunce;" then to six,
called "Ex semisse," &c: as the accompt of the "Assis" ariseth, and
comming at the last vnto "Vsura ex asse," it amounteth to twelue in
the hundred, and therefore the Latines call it "Centesima," for that
in the hundred moneth it doubleth the principall; but more of this
elsewhere. See Cicero against Verres, Demosthenes against Aphobus, and
Athenæus lib. 13. in fine: and when thou hast read them well, helpe I
praie thée in lawfull maner to hang vp such as take "Centu[=u] pro
cento," for they are no better worthie as I doo iudge in conscience.
[Sidenote: By the yeare.]
Forget not also such landlords as vse to value their leases at a
secret estimation giuen of the wealth and credit of the taker, whereby
they séeme (as it were) to eat them vp and deale with bondmen, so that
if the leassée be thought to be worth an hundred pounds, he shall paie
no lesse for his new terme, or else another to enter with hard and
doubtfull couenants. I am sorie to report it, much more gréeued to
vnderstand of the practise; but most sorowfull of all to vnderstand
that men of great port and countenance are so farre from suffering
their farmers to haue anie gaine at all, that they themselues become
grasiers, butchers, tanners, shéepmasters, woodmen, and "denique quid
non," thereby to inrich themselues, and bring all the wealth of the
countrie into their owne hands, leauing the communaltie weake, or as
an idoll with broken or féeble armes, which may in a time of peace
haue a plausible shew, but when necessitie shall inforce, haue an
heauie and bitter sequele.
OF CITIES AND TOWNES IN ENGLAND.
CAP. XIII.
[Sidenote: Six and twentie cities in England.]
As in old time we read that there were eight and twentie flamines and
archflamines in the south part of this Ile, and so manie great cities
vnder their iurisdiction: so in these our daies there is but one or
two fewer, and each of them also vnder the ecclesiasticall regiment of
some one bishop or archbishop, who in spirituall cases haue the charge
and ouersight of the same. So manie cities therefore are there in
England and Wales, as there be bishopriks & archbishopriks. For
notwithstanding that Lichfield and Couentrie, and Bath and Welles, doo
séeme to extend the aforesaid number vnto nine and twentie: yet
neither of these couples are to be accounted, but as one entier citie
and sée of the bishop, sith one bishoprike can haue relation but vnto
one sée, and the said see be situate but in one place, after which the
bishop dooth take his name. It appeareth by our old and ancient
histories, that the cities of this southerlie portion haue beene of
excéeding greatnesse and beautie, whereof some were builded in the
time of the Samotheans, and of which not a few in these our times are
quite decaied, and the places where they stood worne out of all
remembrance. Such also for the most part as yet remaine are
maruellouslie altered, insomuch that whereas at the first they were
large and ample, now are they come either vnto a verie few houses, or
appeare not to be much greater in comparison than poore & simple
villages. Antoninus the most diligent writer of the thorough fares of
Britaine, noteth among other these ancient townes following, as
[Sidenote: Sitomagus.]
Sitomagus, which he placeth in the waie from Norwich, as Leland
[Sidenote: Nouiomagus.]
supposeth (wherin they went by Colchester) to London, Nouiomagus that
lieth betwéene Carleill and Canturburie, within ten miles east of
[Sidenote: Neomagus.]
[Sidenote: Niomagus.]
London, and likewise Neomagus and Niomagus which take their names of
their first founder Magus, the sonne of Samothes, & second king of the
Celtes that reigned in this Iland; and not "A profunditate," onelie,
as Bodinus affirmeth out of Plinie, as if all the townes that ended in
Magus should stand in holes and low grounds: which is to be disprooued
in diuerse cities in the maine, as also here with vs. Of these
moreouer sir Thomas Eliot supposeth Neomagus to haue stood somewhere
about Chester; & George Lillie in his booke of the names of ancient
places, iudgeth Niomagus to be the verie same that we doo now call
Buckingham, and lieth farre from the shore. And as these and sundrie
other now perished tooke their denomination of this prince, so there
[Sidenote: Salisburie of Sarron.]
are diuerse causes, which mooue me to coniecture, that Salisburie
dooth rather take the first name of Sarron the sonne of the said
Magus, than of Cæsar, Caradoc or Seuerus (as some of our writers doo
imagine) or else at the least wise of Salisburge of the maine, from
whence some Saxons came to inhabit in this land. And for this later
not vnlikelie, sith before the comming of the Saxons, the king of the
Suessionenses had a great part of this Iland in subiection, as Cæsar
saith; and in another place that such of Belgie as stale ouer hither
from the maine, builded and called diuerse cities after the names of
[Sidenote: Sarronium.]
[Sidenote: Sarronsburg.]
the same from whence they came, I meane such as stood vpon the coast,
as he himselfe dooth witnesse. But sith coniectures are no verities,
and mine opinion is but one mans iudgement, I will not stand now vpon
the proofe of this matter, least I should séeme to take great paines
in adding new coniectures vnto old, in such wise to deteine the heads
of my readers about these trifles, that otherwise peraduenture would
be farre better occupied in matters of more importance. To procéed
therefore. As soone after the first inhabitation of this Iland, our
cities began no doubt to be builded and increased, so they ceased not
to multiplie from time to time, till the land was throughlie furnished
with hir conuenient numbers, whereof some at this present with their
ancient names, doo still remaine in knowledge, though diuerse be
doubted of, and manie more perished by continuance of time, and
violence of the enimie. I doubt not also but the least of these were
[Sidenote: Greater cities in times past when husbandmen
also were citizens.]
comparable to the greatest of those which stand in our time, for sith
that in those daies the most part of the Iland was reserued vnto
pasture, the townes and villages either were not at all (but all sorts
of people dwelled in the cities indifferentlie, an image of which
estate may yet be seene in Spaine) or at the lestwise stood not so
thicke, as they did afterward in the time of the Romans, but chéefelie
[Sidenote: The cause of the increase of villages.]
after the comming of the Saxons, and after them the Normans, when
euerie lord builded a church neare vnto his owne mansion house, and
thereto imparted the greatest portion of his lands vnto sundrie
tenants, to hold the same of him by coppie of court roll, which rolles
were then kept in some especiall place indifferentlie appointed by
them and their lord, so that the one could haue no resort vnto them
without the other, by which means the number of townes and villages
was not a little increased. If anie man be desirous to know the names
of those ancient cities, that stood in the time of the Romans, he
shall haue them here at hand, in such wise as I haue gathered them out
of our writers, obseruing euen their manner of writing of them so
neare as to me is possible, without alteration of anie corruption
crept vp into the same.
{ Trenouanton.
{ Cair Lud.
1 London { Londinum or Longidinium.
otherwise { Augusta of the legion Augusta
called { that soiourned there,
{ when the Romans ruled
{ here.
[Sidenote: Leouitius placeth Yorke in Scotland de eclipsibus.]
[Sidenote: A legion conteined sixtie centuries, thirtie manipuli,
thrée cohortes.]
{ Cairbranke.
{ Vrouicum or Yurewijc.
2 Yorke { Eorwijc or Eoforwijc.
otherwise { Yeworwijc.
called { Eboracum.
{ Victoria of the legion victrix
{ that laie there sometime.
{ Duroruerno aliàs Duraruenno.
3 Canturburie. { Dorobernia.
{ Cantwarbirie.
{ Cair Colon.
{ Cair Colden.
{ Cair Colkin of Coilus.
{ Cair Colun, of the riuer that
{ runneth thereby.
4 Colchester. { Colonia, of the colonie
{ planted there by the Romans.
{ { Plin. lib. 2.
{ Coloncester. { ca. 75.
{ Camulodunum. { Tacitus.
{ { Ptolome.
{ Cair Lud Coit, of the woods
{ that stood about it.
5 Lincolne. { Cair Loichoit, by corruption.
{ Lindum.
{ Lindocollinum.
6 Warwijc { Cair Guttelin.
had sometime { Cair Line or Cair Leon.
9 parish { Cair Gwair.
churches. { Cair Vmber.
{ Cair Gwaerton.
7 Chester vpon { Cair legion.
Vske was a { Carlheon.
famous { Cairlium.
vniuersitie { Legecester.
in the time { Ciuitas legionum.
of Arthur.
8 Carleill. { Cair Lueill.
{ Cair Leill.
{ Lugibalia.
{ Cair Doill.
{ Cair Maricipit.
{ Cair Municip.
9 S. Albanes. { Verolamium.
{ Verlamcester.
{ Cair Wattelin, of the street
{ wheron it stood.
{ Cair Gwent.
10 Winchester. { Cair Gwin.
{ Cair Wine.
{ Venta Simenorum.
{ Cair Churne.
{ Cair Kyrne.
11 Cisceter. { Cair Kery.
{ Cair Cery.
{ Cirnecester.
{ Churnecester.
[Sidenote: * Cair Segent stood vpon the Thames, not farre from Reding.]
12 Silcester. { [*]Cair Segent.
{ Selecester.
{ Cair Badon.
13 Bath. { Thermæ.
{ Aquæ solis.
14 Shaftesbyry. { Cair Paladour.
{ Septonia.
{ Wigornia.
{ Cair Gworangon.
15 Worcester. { Brangonia.
{ Cair Frangon.
{ Woorkecester.
16 Chichester. { Cair Key or Kair Kis.
{ Cair Chic.
{ Cair Odernant Badon.
{ Oder.
17 Bristow. { Cair Bren.
{ Venta Belgarum.
{ Brightstow.
{ Durobreuis, corruptlie { Durobrouis.
18 Rochester. { Rofcester. { Dubobrus.
{ Roffa. { Durobrius.
19 Portchester. { Cair Peris.
{ Cair Porcis.
{ Cair Maridunum.
{ Cair Merdine.
20 Cairmarden. { Maridunum.
{ Cair Marlin.
{ Cair Fridhin.
{ Cair Clowy.
21 Glocester. { Cair Glow.
{ Claudiocestria.
{ Cair Beir.
{ Cair Leir.
22 Leircester. { Cair Lirion.
{ Wirall, teste. Matth. West.
{ 895.
23 Cambridge. { Grantabric.
{ Cair Graunt.
{ 24 Cair Vrnach, peraduenture
{ Burgh castell.
{ 25 Cair Cucurat.
{ 26 Cair Draiton, now a
{ slender village.
{ 27 Cair Celennon.
{ 28 Cair Megwaid.