vpon the Nene in Huntingdon shire, but now vnknowne, sith it was twise
raced to the ground, first by the Saxons, then by the Danes, so that
the ruines thereof are in these daies not extant to be séene. And in
like sort I am ignorant where most of them stood, that are noted with
the star. I find in like sort mention of a noble citie called Alcluid
ouer and beside these afore mentioned, sometime builded by Ebracus of
Britaine, as the fame goeth, and finallie destroied by the Danes,
about the yeare of Grace 870. It stood vpon the banks of the riuer
Cluda, to wit, betwéene it and the blanke on the north, and the Lound
lake on the west, and was sometime march betwéene the Britons and the
Picts, and likewise the Picts and the Scots; neuerthelesse, the
castell (as I heare) dooth yet remaine, and hath béene since well
repared by the Scots, and called Dombrittain or Dunbritton, so that it
is not an hard matter by these few words to find where Alcluid stood.
I could here, if leisure serued, and hast of the printer not require
dispatch, deliuer the ancient names of sundrie other townes, of which
Stafford in time past was called Stadtford, and therfore (as I gesse)
builded or the name altered by the Saxons, Kinebanton now Kimbalton.
But if anie man be desirous to sée more of them, let him resort to
Houeden in the life of Henrie the second, and there he shall be
further satisfied of his desire in this behalfe.
[Sidenote: When Albane was martyred Asclepiodotus was legat in Britaine.]
It should séeme when these ancient cities flourished, that the same
towne, which we now call saint Albons, did most of all excell: but
chéefelie in the Romans time, and was not onelie nothing inferior to
London it selfe, but rather preferred before it, bicause it was newer,
and made a Municipium of the Romans, whereas the other was old and
ruinous, and inhabited onelie by the Britons, as the most part of the
Iland was also in those daies. Good notice hereof also is to be taken
by Matthew Paris, and others before him, out of whose writings I haue
thought good to note a few things, whereby the maiestie of this
ancient citie may appeare vnto posteritie, and the former estate of
Verlamcester not lie altogither (as it hath doone hitherto) raked vp
in forgetfulnes, through the negligence of such as might haue deserued
better of their successours, by leauing the description thereof in a
booke by it selfe, sith manie particulars thereof were written to
their hands, that now are lost and perished. Tacitus in the
fouretéenth booke of his historie maketh mention of it, shewing that
in the rebellion of the Britons, the Romans there were miserablie
distressed, "Eadem clades" (saith he) "municipio Verolamio fuit." And
here vpon Nennius in his catalog of cities calleth it Cair municip, as
[Sidenote: Sullomaca and Barnet all one, or not far in sunder.]
I before haue noted. Ptolome speaking of it, dooth place it among the
Catyeuchlanes, but Antoninus maketh it one and twentie Italian miles
from London, placing Sullomaca nine mile from thence, whereby it is
euident, that Sullomaca stood néere to Barnet, if it were not the
verie same. Of the old compasse of the walles of Verolamium there is
now small knowledge to be had by the ruines, but of the beautie of the
citie it selfe you shall partlie vnderstand by that which followeth at
hand, after I haue told you for your better intelligence what
"Municipium Romanorum" is: for there is great difference betwéene that
and "Colonia Romanorum," sith "Colonia aliò traducitur a ciuitate
Roma," but "Municipes aliundè in ciuitatem veniunt, suísq; iuribus &
legibus viuunt:" moreouer their soile is not changed into the nature
of the Romane, but they liue in the stedfast fréendship and protection
of the Romans, as did somtime the Ceretes who were the first people
which euer obteined that priuilege. The British Verolamians therefore,
hauing for their noble seruice in the warres deserued great
commendations at the hands of the Romans, they gaue vnto them the
whole fréedome of Romans, whereby they were made Municipes, and became
more frée in truth than their Colonies could be. To conclude
therefore, Municipium is a citie infranchised and indued with Romane
priuileges, without anie alteration of hir former inhabitants or
priuileges; whereas a Colonie is a companie sent from Rome into anie
other region or prouince, to possesse either a citie newlie builded,
or to replenish the same from whence hir former citizens haue beene
expelled and driuen out. Now to proceed.
In the time of king Edgar it fell out, that one Eldred was abbat
there; who being desirous to inlarge that house, it came into his mind
to search about in the ruines of Verolamium (which now was ouerthrowne
by the furie of the Saxons & Danes) to sée if he might there come by
anie curious peeces of worke, wherewith to garnish his building taken
in hand. To be short, he had no sooner begun to dig among the rubbis,
but he found an excéeding number of pillers, péeces of antike worke,
thresholds, doore frames, and sundrie other péeces of fine masonrie
for windowes and such like, verie conuenient for his purpose. Of these
also some were of porphyrite stone, some of diuerse kinds of marble,
touch, and alabaster, beside manie curious deuises of hard mettall, in
finding whereof he thought himselfe an happie man, and his successe to
be greatlie guided by S. Albane. Besides these also he found sundrie
pillers of brasse, and sockets of latton, alabaster and touch, all
which he laid aside by great heaps, determining in the end (I saie) to
laie the foundation of a new abbaie, but God so preuented his
determination, that death tooke him awaie, before his building was
begun. After him succéeded one Eadmerus, who followed the dooings of
Eldred to the vttermost: and therefore not onlie perused what he had
left with great diligence, but also caused his pioners to search yet
further, within the old walles of Verolamium, where they not onelie
found infinite other péeces of excellent workemanship, but came at the
last to certeine vaults vnder the ground, in which stood diuers idols,
and not a few altars, verie superstitiouslie and religiouslie adorned,
as the pagans left them belike in time of necessitie. These images
were of sundrie mettals, and some of pure gold, their altars likewise
were richlie couered, all which ornaments Edmerus tooke awaie, and not
onelie conuerted them to other vse in his building, but also destroied
an innumerable sort of other idols, whose estimation consisted in
their formes, and substances could doo no seruise. He tooke vp also
sundrie curious pots, iugs, and cruses of stone and wood most
artificiallie wrought and carued, and that in such quantitie, besides
infinite store of fine houshold stuffe, as if the whole furniture of
the citie had béene brought thither of purpose to be hidden in those
vaults. In procéeding further, he tooke vp diuerse pots of gold,
siluer, brasse, glasse and earth, whereof some were filled with the
ashes and bones of the gentils, the mouths being turned downewards
(the like of which, but of finer earth, were found in great numbers
also of late in a well at little Massingham in Norffolke, of six or
eight gallons a péece, about the yeare 1578, and also in the time of
Henrie the eight) and not a few with the coines of the old Britons and
Romane emperours. All which vessels the said abbat brake into péeces,
and melting the mettall, he reserued it in like sort for the
garnishing of his church.
He found likewise in a stone wall two old bookes, whereof one
contained the rites of the gentils, about the sacrifices of their
gods, the other (as they now saie) the martyrdome of saint Albane,
[Sidenote: This soundeth like a lie.]
both of them written in old Brittish letters, which either bicause no
man then liuing could read them, or for that they were not woorth the
keeping, were both consumed to ashes, sauing that a few notes were
first taken out of this later, concerning the death of their Albane.
Thus much haue I thought good to note of the former beautie of
Verolamium, whereof infinite other tokens haue beene found since that
time, and diuerse within the memorie of man, of passing workemanship,
the like whereof hath no whers else béene séene in anie ruines within
the compasse of this Ile, either for cost or quantitie of stuffe.
Furthermore, whereas manie are not afraid to saie that the Thames came
sometimes by this citie, indeed it is nothing so; but that the Verlume
(afterward called Vere and the Mure) did and dooth so still
(whatsoeuer Gildas talketh hereof, whose books may be corrupted in
that behalfe) there is yet euident proofe to be confirmed by
experience. For albeit that the riuer be now growne to be verie small
by reason of the ground about it, which is higher than it was in old
time; yet it kéepeth in maner the old course, and runneth betwéene the
old citie that was, and the new towne that is standing on Holmehirst
crag, as I beheld of late. Those places also which now are medow
beneath the abbaie, were sometimes a great lake, mere, or poole,
through which the said riuer ran, and (as I read) with a verie swift
and violent course, wheras at this present it is verie slow, and of no
such deapth as of ancient times it hath beene. But heare what mine
author saith further of the same. As those aforsaid workemen digged in
these ruines, they happened oftentimes vpon Lempet shels, péeces of
rustie anchors, and keeles of great vessels, wherevpon some by and by
gathered that either the Thames or some arme of the sea did beat vpon
that towne, not vnderstanding that these things might aswell happen in
great lakes and meres, wherof there was one adioining to the north
side of the citie, which laie then (as some men thinke) vnwalled, but
that also is false. For being there vpon occasion this summer passed,
I saw some remnant of the old wals standing in that place, which
appeared to haue béene verie substantiallie builded; the ruines
likewise of a greater part of them are to be séene running along by
the old chappell hard by in maner of a banke. Whereby it is euident
that the new towne standeth cleane without the limits of the old, and
that the bridge whereof the historie of S. Albane speaketh, was at the
nether end of Halliwell stréet or there about, for so the view of the
place doth inforce me to coniecture. This mere (which the Latine copie
of the description of Britaine, written of late by Humfrey Lhoid our
countrie man calleth corruptlie "Stagnum enaximum" for "Stagnum
maximum") at the first belonged to the king, and thereby Offa in his
time did reape no small commoditie. It continued also vntill the time
of Alfrijc the seuenth abbat of that house, who bought it outright of
the king then liuing, and by excessiue charges drained it so
narrowlie, that within a while he left it drie (sauing that he
reserued a chanell for the riuer to haue hir vsuall course, which he
held vp with high bankes) bicause there was alwaies contention
betwéene the moonks and the kings seruants, which fished on that water
vnto the kings behoofe.
In these daies therefore remaineth no maner mention of this poole, but
onelie in one stréet, which yet is called Fishpoole stréet, wherof
this may suffice for the resolution of such men, as séeke rather to
yéeld to an inconuenience, than that their Gildas should séeme to
mistake this riuer.
Hauing thus digressed to giue some remembrance of the old estate of
Verolamium, it is now time to returne againe vnto my former purpose.
Certes I would gladlie set downe with the names and number of the
cities, all the townes and villages in England and Wales, with their
true longitudes and latitudes, but as yet I cannot come by them in
such order as I would: howbeit the tale of our cities is soone found
by the bishoprikes, sith euerie sée hath such prerogatiue giuen vnto
it, as to beare the name of a citie, & to vse Regale ius within hir
owne limits. Which priuilege also is granted to sundrie ancient townes
in England, especiallie northward, where more plentie of them is to be
found by a great deale than in the south. The names therefore of our
cities are these:
London.
Yorke.
Canturburie.
Winchester.
Cairleill.
Durham.
Elie.
Norwich.
Lincolne.
Worcester.
Glocester.
Hereford.
Salisburie.
Excester.
Bath.
Lichfield.
Bristow.
Rochester.
Chester.
Chichester.
Oxford.
Peterborow.
Landaffe.
S. Dauids.
Bangor.
S. Asaph.
Whose particular plots and models with their descriptions shall insue,
if it may be brought to passe, that the cutters can make dispatch of
them before this chronologie be published. Of townes and villages
likewise thus much will I saie, that there were greater store in old
time (I meane within three or foure hundred yeare passed) than at this
present. And this I note out of diuerse records, charters, and
donations (made in times past vnto sundrie religious houses, as
Glassenburie, Abbandon, Ramseie, Elie, and such like) and whereof in
these daies I find not so much as the ruines. Leland in sundrie places
complaineth likewise of the decaie of parishes in great cities and
townes, missing in some six, or eight, or twelue churches and more, of
all which he giueth particular notice. For albeit that the Saxons
builded manie townes and villages, and the Normans well more at their
first comming, yet since the first two hundred yeares after the latter
conquest, they haue gone so fast againe to decaie, that the ancient
number of them is verie much abated. Ranulph the moonke of Chester
telleth of generall surueie made in the fourth, sixtéenth, &
nineteenth of the reigne of William Conquerour, surnamed the Bastard,
wherein it was found, that (notwithstanding the Danes had ouerthrowne
a great manie) there were to the number of 52000 townes, 45002 parish
churches, and 75000 knights fées, whereof the cleargie held 28015. He
addeth moreouer that there were diuerse other builded since that time,
within the space of an hundred yeares after the comming of the
Bastard, as it were in lieu or recompense of those that William Rufus
pulled downe for the erection of his new forrest. For by an old booke
which I haue, and sometime written as it séemeth by an vndershiriffe
of Nottingham, I find, euen in the time of Edw. 4. 45120 parish
churches, and but 60216 knights fées, whereof the cleargie held as
before 28015, or at the least 28000: for so small is the difference
which he dooth séeme to vse. Howbeit if the assertions of such as
write in our time concerning this matter, either are or ought to be of
anie credit in this behalfe, you shall not find aboue 17000 townes and
villages, and 9210 in the whole, which is little more than a fourth
part of the aforesaid number, if it be throughlie scanned.
Certes this misfortune hath not onelie happened vnto our Ile & nation,
but vnto most of the famous countries of the world heretofore, and all
by the gréedie desire of such as would liue alone and onelie to
themselues. And hereof we may take example in Candie of old time
called Creta, which (as Homer writeth) was called Hecatompolis,
bicause it conteined an hundred cities, but now it is so vnfurnished
that it may hardlie be called Tripolis. Diodorus Siculus saith, that
Aegypt had once 18000 cities, which so decaied in processe of time,
that when Ptolomeus Lagus reigned, there were not aboue 3000: but in
our daies both in all Asia & Aegypt this lesser number shall not verie
readilie be found. In time past in Lincolne (as the fame goeth) there
haue beene two and fiftie parish churches, and good record appeareth
for eight and thirtie: but now if there be foure and twentie it is
all. This inconuenience hath growen altogither to the church by
appropriations made vnto monasteries and religious houses, a terrible
canker and enimie to religion.
But to leaue this lamentable discourse of so notable and gréeuous an
inconuenience, growing (as I said) by incroching and ioining of house
to house, and laieng land to land, whereby the inhabitants of manie
places of our countrie are deuoured and eaten vp, and their houses
either altogither pulled downe or suffered to decaie by litle and
litle, although sometime a poore man peraduenture dooth dwell in one
of them, who not being able to repare it, suffereth it to fall downe,
& thereto thinketh himselfe verie friendlie dealt withall, if he may
haue an acre of ground assigned vnto him whereon to kéepe a cow, or
wherein to set cabbages, radishes, parsneps, carrets, melons, pompons,
or such like stuffe, by which he and his poore household liueth as by
their principall food, sith they can doo no better. And as for wheaten
bread, they eat it when they can reach vnto the price of it,
contenting themselues in the meane time with bread made of otes or
barleie: a poore estate God wot! Howbeit what care our great
incrochers? But in diuers places where rich men dwelled sometime in
good tenements, there be now no houses at all, but hopyards, and
sheads for poles, or peraduenture gardens, as we may sée in castell
Hedingham, and diuerse other places. But to procéed.
It is so, that our soile being diuided into champaine ground and
woodland, the houses of the first lie vniformelie builded in euerie
towne togither with stréets and lanes, wheras in the woodland
countries (except here and there in great market townes) they stand
scattered abroad, each one dwelling in the midst of his owne
occupieng. And as in manie and most great market townes, there are
commonlie thrée hundred or foure hundred families or mansions, & two
thousand communicants, or peraduenture more: so in the other, whether
they be woodland or champaine, we find not often aboue fortie, fiftie,
or thrée score households, and two or thrée hundred communicants,
whereof the greatest part neuerthelesse are verie poore folkes,
oftentimes without all maner of occupieng, sith the ground of the
parish is gotten vp into a few mens hands, yea sometimes into the
tenure of one, two or thrée, whereby the rest are compelled either to
be hired seruants vnto the other, or else to beg their bread in
miserie from doore to doore.
There are some (saith Leland) which are not so fauourable when they
haue gotten such lands, as to let the houses remaine vpon them to the
vse of the poore; but they will compound with the lord of the soile to
pull them downe for altogither, saieng that if they did let them
stand, they should but toll beggers to the towne, therby to surcharge
the rest of the parish, & laie more burden vpon them. But alas these
pitifull men sée not that they themselues hereby doo laie the greatest
log vpon their neighbors necks. For sith the prince dooth commonlie
loose nothing of his duties accustomable to be paid, the rest of the
parishioners that remaine must answer and beare them out: for they
plead more charge other waies, saieng; I am charged alreadie with a
light horsse, I am to answer in this sort and after that maner. And it
is not yet altogither out of knowledge, that where the king had seuen
pounds thirteene shillings at a taske gathered of fiftie wealthie
householders of a parish in England: now a gentleman hauing three
parts of the towne in his owne hands, foure housholds doo beare all
the aforesaid paiment, or else Leland is deceiued in his Commentaries
lib. 13. latelie come to my hands, which thing he especiallie noted in
his trauell ouer this Ile. A common plague & enormittie, both in the
hart of the land and likewise vpon the coasts. Certes a great number
compleine of the increase of pouertie, laieng the cause vpon God, as
though he were in fault for sending such increase of people, or want
of wars that should consume them, affirming that the land was neuer so
full, &c: but few men doo sée the verie root from whence it dooth
procéed. Yet the Romans found it out, when they florished, and
therefore prescribed limits to euerie mans tenure and occupieng. Homer
commendeth Achilles for ouerthrowing of fiue and twentie cities: but
in mine opinion Ganges is much better preferred by Suidas for building
of thrée score in Inde, where he did plant himselfe. I could (if néed
required) set downe in this place the number of religious houses and
monasteries, with the names of their founders that haue béene in this
Iland: but sith it is a thing of small importance, I passe it ouer as
impertinent to my purpose. Yet herein I will commend sundrie of the
monasticall votaries, especiallie moonkes, for that they were authors
of manie goodlie borowes and endwares, néere vnto their dwellings,
although otherwise they pretended to be men separated from the world.
But alas their couetous minds one waie in inlarging their reuenues,
and carnall intent an other, appéered herin too too much. For being
bold from time to time to visit their tenants, they wrought off great
wickednesse, and made those endwares little better than brodelhouses,
especiallie where nunries were farre off, or else no safe accesse vnto
them. But what doo I spend my time in the rehearsall of these
filthinesses? Would to God the memorie of them might perish with the
malefactors! My purpose was also at the end of this chapter to haue
set downe a table of the parish churches and market townes thorough
out all England and Wales: but sith I can not performe the same as I
would, I am forced to giue ouer my purpose: yet by these few that
insue you shall easilie see what order I would haue vsed according to
the shires, if I might haue brought it to passe.
_Shires._ _Market townes._ _Parishes._
Middlesex. 3 73
London within the walles, and without. 120
Surrie. 6 140
Sussex. 18 312
Kent. 17 398
Cambridge. 4 163
Bedford. 9 13
Huntingdon. 5 78
Rutland. 2 47
Barkeshire. 11 150
Northhampton. 10 326
Buckingham. 11 196
Oxford. 10 216
Southhampton. 18 248
Dorset. 19 279
Norffolke. 26 625
Suffolke. 25 575
Essex. 18 415
OF CASTELS AND HOLDS.
CHAP. XIV.
It hath béene of long time a question in controuersie, and not yet
determined, whether holds and castels néere cities or anie where in
the hart of common-wealths, are more profitable or hurtfull for the
benefit of the countrie? Neuertheles it séemeth by our owne experience
that we here in England suppose them altogither vnnéedfull. This also
is apparent by the testimonie of sundrie writers, that they haue béene
the ruine of manie a noble citie. Of Old Salisburie I speake not, of
Anwarpe I saie nothing more than of sundrie other, whereof some also
in my time neuer cease to incroch vpon the liberties of the cities
adioining, thereby to hinder them what and wherin they may. For my
part I neuer read of anie castell that did good vnto the citie
abutting theron, but onelie the capitoll of Rome: and yet but once
good vnto the same, in respect of the nine times whereby it brought it
into danger of vtter ruine and confusion. Aristotle vtterlie denieth
that anie castle at all can be profitable to a common wealth well
gouerned. Timotheus of Corinthum affirmeth, that a castle in a common
wealth is but a bréeder of tyrants. Pyrhus king of Epire being
receiued also on a time into Athens, among other courtesies shewed
vnto him, they led him also into their castell of Pallas, who at his
departure gaue them great thanks for the fréendlie intertainment; but
with this item, that they should let so few kings come into the same
as they might, least (saith he) they teach you to repent too late of
your great gentlenesse. Caietanus in his common-wealth hath finallie
no liking of them, as appéereth in his eight booke of that most
excellent treatise. But what haue I to deale whether they be
profitable or not, sith my purpose is rather to shew what plentie we
haue of them, which I will performe so far as shall be néedfull?