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John Leland |
Biography |
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John Leland (?1506-1552) librarian, poet, and antiquary, was probably of a Lancashire family, but born in London, where he was at St Paul’s School when William Lilly was headmaster. He went to Christ’s College, Cambridge and then after an episode as tutor to the Duke of Norfolk’s son, to Oxford (possibly All Souls), and then to Paris. In 1529 he was made a chaplain to Henry VIII, possibly at Wolsey’s suggestion. With Nicholas Udall, he composed verses for the Royal Entry of Anne Boleyn leading up to her coronation on 1 June 1533. He seems to have adopted Cromwell as patron, and in 1533, with the Dissolution of the Monasteries threatened, he received the King’s ‘moste gratius commission ... to peruse and diligently to serche al the libraries of monasteries and collegies of this yowre noble reaulme’ and to list all their significant books’.1 By 1536, when an Act of Parliament decreed that all religious houses with an income of less than £200 per annum were to be closed down, there was a serious threat that the books he had been cataloguing would be destroyed or acquired by foreigners, especially ‘young Germans’, who were apparently bearing them off and publishing them, which was also a severe loss of prestige to English scholarship. He therefore started gathering in ‘many good autors, the which other wise had beene like to have perischid to no smaul incommodite of good letters, of the whiche parte remayne yn the moste magnificent libraries of yowr royal Palacis’. Another part, he says, ‘remayne yn my custodye’; for his journeys on these missions soon acquired an added aim. He started, he says, by reading histories of England, but after that I had perpendid the honest and profitable studies of these historiographies, I was totally enflammid with a love to see thoroughly al those partes of this your opulente and ample reaulme, that I had redde of yn the aforesaid writers : yn so muche that al my other occupations intermittid I have so travelid yn yowr dominions booth by the se costes and the midle partes, sparing nother labor nor costes, by the space of these vi. yeres paste [from 1546], that there is almoste nother cape, nor bay, haven, creke or peere, river or confluence of rivers, breches, waschis, lakes, meres, fenny waters, montaynes, valleis, mores, hethes, forestes, [chases], wooddes, cities, burges, castelles, principale manor placis, monasteries, and colleges, but I have seene them; and notid yn so doing a hole worlde of thinges very memorable. He had conceived a massive programme of writing and publication. This was to include a record of all the British and English writers from the Druids to Henry VII, to be called De viris illustribus. According to his colleague John Bale, antiquary, bibliographer, Catholic monk-turned-Protestant-bishop, and dramatist, he was not only an excellent oratour and poet, but ‘lerned in many sondrye languages, as Greke, Latyne, Frenche, Italion, Spanyshe, Brittyshe, Saxonyshe, Walshe, Englyshe, and Scottyshe’. Then there would be a topography of England based on his own travels and all the authorities he had researched, which would make ‘the olde glory of your renowmid Britaine to reflorisch thorough the worlde’; a county-based history of England and Wales to be called De Antiquitate Britannica, or else Civilis Historia, with a pendant on the islands of Britain; and a genealogical work De Nobilitate Britannica, tracing the great families back to their Saxon origins. We know of this programme because Bale in 1549 published his letter to the King, said to have been written in 1546. But it was never to be finished, ‘For why, the next yeare after, both the king deceaced,[118] and Leylande also by a most pytiefull occasion fell besides his wittes’.2 But according to another friend, it was ‘suche a frenesy’ that he seemed unlikely to recover. He did not, and died three years later in 1552. But his work circulated in manuscript, and was to provide materials — and inspiration — for all subsequent antiquaries and topographers.3 The antiquary Thomas Hearne published his Itinerary in 1710–12, and his Collectanea (Collected notes) in 1711, in multi-volume editions. Anthony Hall had already published his history of British writers in 1709 as Commentarii de scriptoribus Britannicis in four volumes. Here we are mostly interested in the topographical notes made on his journeys, the Itinerary. There is no attempt to make them a continuous narrative: they follow a roughly chronological order, but are jottings of whatever caught his interest. He notes the salt pans at Cockersands Abbey; the Roman remains at Lancaster; the fact that he could have crossed by the Bay route, and what the mileage whould have been; that he saw goats in the rocks by Beetham. He notes mileages, and the bridges he crosses. He lists rivers and their courses, forests, market towns (Workington was ‘a lytle prety fyssher town’), abbeys and priories (naturally), castles and ruins, and ‘Thyngs learnyd of a man of Westmerland’, which include gentlemen of name in the county. In practice, we learn that the routes through North West England do not seem to have changed between 1540 and 1650. But the main thing that comes over, and is reinforced vigorously by Bale in his running commentary on the Letter to Henry VIII, is that to explore and write about Britain is an act of patriotism: ‘By thys worthye propertye (sayth Cassiodorus) is the noble citezen knowen. He seketh the commodite, praise and aduauncement of hys countreye’. In this period this was largely accomplished by linking it with the classical past, and showing that not only had Roman and Greek writers known and praised it, the Romans had lived there and left many material signs of their occupation. Moreover, there was a major civilisation before them, of the ancient Britons who had among other things built Stonehenge. This was to set the agenda for all subsequent writers, most notably Camden. 1. John Bale The laboryouse iourney [and] serche of Iohan Leylande, for Englandes antiquitees geuen of hym as a newe yeares gyfte to Kynge Henry the viij. in the. xxxvij. yeare of his reygne, with declaracyons enlarged (London: S. Mierdman for John Bale, 1549) sig. B viijv. Re-edited, with Bale’s commentaries removed, by Lucy Toulmin Smith (see below). Return 2. The laboryouse iourney sig. D vjr. Return 3. Bale is is very anxious that if he should not recover, someone else should take over his work: sig. D vijr. But he is even more concerned that Leland’s work in rescuing and preserving manuscripts should become a patriotic nationwide project: ‘Thus am I not alone in opynyon concernyng Iohan Leylande and such other for Antiquitees sake, but haue so manye more with their good willes to assiste me as naturallye fauoreth Englande’. He laments the way they have been treated as waste paper (as does Ascham after him), giving graphic examples. He hopes that some can still be rescued, and copies made of them, using the new technology: ‘ And for that purpose (I thynke) God hath in thys age geuen the noble art of prentynge’. Return Leland’s ‘New Year’s Gift’ to Henry VIII From The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543. Parts I to III edited Lucy Toulmin Smith (London: George Bell & Sons, 1907) pages xxxvii-xliii. [page xxxvii]The Laboriouse Journey and Serche of JOHAN LEYLANDE FOR ENGLANDES ANTIQUITEES, Geven of hym as a Newe Yeares Gyfte to King Henry the viii. in the xxxvii Yeare of his Raygne. To my Soveraigne Leige King Henry the eight: Firste I have conservid many good autors, the which other wise had beene like to have perischid to no smaul incommodite of good letters, of the whiche parte remayne yn the moste magnificent libraries of yowr royal Palacis. Parte also remayne yn my custodye. Wherby I truste right shortely so to describe your moste noble reaulme, and to publische the Majeste and the excellent actes of yowr progenitors (hitherto sore obscurid booth for lak of enprinting of such workes as lay secretely yn corners, and also bycause men of eloquence hath not enterprisid to set them forthe yn a florisching style, yn sum tymes paste not communely usid in England of wryters, otherwise welle lernid, and now yn such estimation that except truethe be delicately clothid yn purpure her written verites can scant finde a reader;) that al the worlde shaul evidently perceyve that no particular region may justely be more extollid then yours for trewe nobilite and vertues at al pointes renoumed. 1 Farthermore parte of the examplaries curiousely sought by me, and fortunately founde in sundry places of this yowr dominion, hath beene enprinted yn Germany, and now be yn the pressis chiefly of Frobenius that not al only the Germanes, but also the Italians them self, that counte, as the Grekes did ful arrogantely, al other [page xxxix] nations to be barbarus and onletterid saving their owne, shaul have a directe occasion openly of force to say that Britannia prima fuit parens, altrix, (addo hoc etiam & jure quodam optimo) conservatrix cum virorum magnorum, turn maxime ingeniorum. And that profite hath rysen by the aforesaide journey in bringging ful many thinges to lighte as concerning the usurpid autorite of the Bishop of Rome and his complices, to the manifeste and violente derogation of kingely dignite, I referre my self moste humbly to your moste prudente, lernid and highe jugement to discerne my diligence in the longe volume wheryn I have made answer for the defence of youre supreme dignite, alonly lening to the stronge pilor of holy Scripture agayne the hole College of the Romanistes, cloking theire crafty assertions and argumentes under the name of one poore Pighius of Ultrajecte in Germayne, and standing to them as to theire only ancre-holde agayne tempestes that they know wylle rise if treuth may be by licens lette yn to have a voice in the general concile. Yet here yn onely I have not pitchid the supreme marke of my labor whereonto yowr Grace moste like a princely patrone of al good lerning did animate me: but also considering and expendinge with my self how greate a numbre of excellente goodly wyttes and writers, lernid with the beste, as the tymes servid, hath beene yn this your region, not only at suche tymes as the Romayne Emperours had recourse to it, but also yn those dayes that the Saxons prevailid of the Britannes, and the Normannes of the Saxons, could not but with a fervente zele and an honeste corage commend them to memory, els alas like to have beene perpetually obscurid, or to have bene lightely remembrid as oncerteine shadowes. Wherfore I, knowing by infinite variete of bookes and assiduus reading of them who hathe beene lernid, and who hath writen from tyme to tyme in this reaulme, have digestid in to foure bookes the names of them with theire lyves and monumentes of lerning, and to them addid this title, “De viris illustribus,” following the profitable exemple of Hieronyme, Gennadie, Cassiodore, Severiane, and Trittemie a late writer: but alway so handeling the [page xl] matier that I have more exspatiatid yn this campe then they did, as yn a thing that desired to be sumwhat at large, and to have ornature. The firste booke begynning at the Druides is deductid on [to] the tyme of the cumming of S. Augustine yn to Engelande. The secunde is from the tyme of Augustine on to the advente of the Normans. The thirde from the Normans to the ende of the most honorable reigne of the mightty, famose, and prudent Prince Henry the VII. your Father. The fourth beginnith with the name of your Majeste, whos glorie in lerning is to the worlde so clerely knowen, that though emonge the lyves of other lernid menne I have accurately celebratid the names of Bladudus, Molmutius, Costantinus Magnus, Sigebertus, Alfridus, Alfridus Magnus, Æthelstanus and Henry the firste, Kinges and your progenitors; and also Ethelwarde, secunde sunne to Alfride the Greate, Hunfride Duke of Glocestre, and Tipetote Erie of Worcester; yet conferrid withe yowr Grace they seme as smaule lighttes (if I may frely say my jugemente, yowr highe modeste not offendid,) yn respecte of the day-starre. Now farther to insinuate to yowr Grace of what matiers the writers, whose lyves I have congestid ynto foure bokes, hath treatid of, I may right boldely say, that beside the cognition of the thre tunges, yn the which parte of them hath excellid, that there is no kinde of liberale science, or any feate concerning lerning, yn the which they have not shewen certeine argumentes of greate felicite of wytte; yea and concerning the interpretation of holy Scripture, booth after the auncient forme, and sins yn the scholastical trade, they have reignid as in a certeine excellency. And as touchinge historical knowlege there hath beene to the numbre of a fulle hunderith, or mo, that from tyme to tyme hath with greate diligence, and no lesse faith, wold to God with like eloquens, perscribid the actes of yowr moste noble predecessors, and the fortunes of this your realme, so incredibly greate, that he that hath not seene and thoroughly redde theyr workes can little pronunce yn this parte. Wherfore after that I had perpendid the honest and [page xli] profitable studies of these historiographies, I was totally enflammid with a love to see thoroughly al those partes of this your opulente and ample reaulme, that I had redde of yn the aforesaid writers : yn so muche that al my other occupations intermittid I have so travelid yn yowr dominions booth by the se costes and the midle partes, sparing nother labor nor costes, by the space of these vi. yeres paste, that there is almoste nother cape, nor bay, haven, creke or peere, river or confluence of rivers, breches, waschis, lakes, meres, fenny waters, montaynes, valleis, mores, hethes, forestes, [chases], wooddes, cities, burges, castelles, principale manor placis, monasteries, and colleges, but I have seene them; and notid yn so doing a hole worlde of thinges very memorable. Thus instructed I truste shortely to see the tyme that like as Carolus Magnus had emonge his treasours thre large and notable tables of sylver richely enamelid, one of the site and description of Constantinople, another of the site and figure of the magnificente cite of Rome, and the thirde of the description of the worlde; so shaul yowr Majestie have this yowr worlde and impery of Englande so sette forthe yn a quadrate table of silver, if God sende me life to accomplische my beginninges, that yowr grace shaul have ready knowlege at the firste sighte of many right delectable, fruteful, and necessary pleasures, by the contemplation thereof, as often as occasion shaul move yow to the sight of it. And be cause that it may be more permanente, and farther knowen than to have it engravid in silver or brasse, I entende (by the leave of God) withyn the space of xii. monethes following, such a description to make of your reaulme yn writing, that it shaul be no mastery after for the graver or painter to make a like by a perfecte exemple. Yea and to wade farther yn this matier, wheras now almoste no man can welle gesse at the shadow of the auncient names of havens, ryvers, promontories, hilles, woddes, cities, tounes, castelles, and variete of kind[r]edes of people, that Caesar, Livie, Strabo, Diodorus, Fabius Pictor, Pomponius Mela, Plinius, Cornelius Tacitus, Ptolemaeus, Sextus Rufus, Ammianus Marcellinus, Solinus, Antoninus, and divers others [page xlii] make mention of, I truste so to open this wyndow that the lighte shall be seene so longe, that is to say, by the space of a hole thousand yeres, stoppid up, and the olde glory of your renowmid Britaine to reflorisch thorough the worlde. This doone I have matier at plenty al ready preparid to this purpose, that is to say, to write an history, to the which I entende to adscribe this title, De Antiquitate Britannica, or els Civilis Historia. And this worke I entende to divide yn to so many bookes as there be shires yn England, and sheres and greate dominions yn Wales. So that I esteme that this volume wille enclude a fiftie bookes, wherof eche one severally shaul conteyne the beginninges, encreaces, and memorable actes of the chief tounes and castelles of the province allottid to hit. Then I entende to distribute yn to vj. bokes such matier as I have al ready collectid concerninge the isles adjacent to your noble reaulme and under your subjection. Wherof thre shaul be of these isles, Vecta, Mona and Menauia, sumtyme kyngedoms. And to superadde a worke as an ornament and a right comely garlande to the enterprises afore saide, I have selectid stuffe to be distributid into thre bookes, the whiche I purpose thus to entitle, De Nobilitate Britannica. Wherof the first shaul declare the names of kinges, quenes, with theyr childerne, dukes, erles, lordes, capitaines and rulers yn this reaulme to the coming of the Saxons and their conqueste. The secunde shaul be of the Saxons and Danes to the victorie of Kinge William the Greate. The thirde from the Normans to the reigne of yowr moste noble grace, descendinge lineally of the Britanne, Saxon and Norman kinges. So that al noble mene shaul clerely perceyve theyr lineal parentele. Now if it shaul be the pleasure of Almightty God that I may live to performe these thinges that be al ready begune and in a greate forwardnes, I truste that this yowr reaulme shaul so welle be knowen, ons payntid with his natives coloures, that the renoume ther of shaul gyve place to the [page xliii] glory of no other region; and my great labors and costes, proceding from the moste abundant fonteine of yowr infinite goodnes towarde me, yowr poore scholar and moste humble servante, shaul be evidentely seene to have not al only pleasid but also profited the studius, gentil, and equale readers. This is the briefe declaration of my laborius yorneye, taken by motion of yowr highenes, so much studiyng at al houres the fruteful praeferremente of good letters and aunciente vertues. Christe continue your most royale estate, and the prosperite with succession in kingely dignite of your deere and worthily belovid sunne Prince Eduarde, graunting yow a numbre of princely sunnes by the moste gratius, benigne, and modeste lady your Quene. Joannes Lelandius Antiquarius scripsit. From The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543. Parts VII and VIII edited Lucy Toulmin Smith (London: George Bell, 1909). Preston and Lancaster [page 8] From Ribyl bridg to Preston half a mile. Preston hath [page 9] but one paro[che] chirch. The market place of the toun is fair. Ribil goith round aboute a greate peace of the ground aboute toune, yet it touchith not the toune self by space of almost half a mile. Penwardine semid to me more then half a mile from Preston, and ther goith Ribil stonding in respect of the toune of the farther side of Ribil, the wich ther devidith the dicecese of Chestre from the dioecese of York. Penwardine is a paroch chirch and celle to Eovesham Abbay, and standith in Chester dicecese. Preston is in Yorke dioecese. From Preston to Garstane x. mile. A mile without Preston I rode over Savok [Savick] a bigge brooke, the wich rising in the hilles a iii. or iv. miles of on the right hond not veri far of goith into Ribil. After I rode over Brok water rising a vi. miles of in the hilles on the right hond, and goith at the last into Wyre. Calder rising about the same hilles goith also into Wyre. I rode over hit. By the tounes ende of Garstane I rode over a great stone bridge on Wyuer [Wyre] or I cam to hit. Wyre risith a viii. or tenne myles from Garstan owt of the hilles on the right hond, and cummith by Grenehaugh a prety castel of the Lorde of Darbys, and more then half a mile thens to Garstane in Aundernes [Amunderness]. Sum saith that Garstan was a market toune. Wyre ebbeth and flowith a iii. miles beneth Garstane, and at a chapel of Alhalowes a x. miles from Garstan goith into the maine se. Or I cam to Garstane by a mile and a halfe I left Merscowe [Myerscough]a great parke partely enclosid with hegge, partely al on the moore side with pale. On the right it is replenishid with redde deere. The Erle of Darby hath hit in farme of the [king.] From Garston to Sainct Mihels [on Wyre] a village a ii. miles, and a mile lower on the farther side be the places of Mr. Kyrkeby of Raudeclif [Rawcliffe], and Mr. Boteler of Raudeclif. So a vii. Myle [page 10] to Alhalois village, and then to the se. Raudeclif of Wimmerlaw [Wimmerleigh] a mile from Garston hath hys place at Wimmerlaw. Up toward the hilles by Grenehaugh [Castle] be iii. [forests of redde deere, Wyredale, Bouland, and Blestale. They be partly woody, partly hethye.] The ground bytwixt Morle and Preston enclosid for pasture and corne, but were the vaste mores and mosses be; wherby as in hegges rowes by side grovettes ther is reasonable woodde for buildding, and sum for fier, yet al the people ther for the most part burne turfes. Likewise is the soile bytwixt Preston and Garstan; but alway the moste part of enclosures be for pasturages. Whete is not veri communely sowid in thes partes aforesaid. Al Aundernesse for the most parte in time past hath beene ful of wood, and many of the moores replenishid with hy fyrre trees. But now such part of Aundernesse as is toward the se is sore destitute of woodde. From Garstane I passid partely by more ground, partely by pasture and sum corne, and so riding over Goker [Cocker] river, that makith no great course or he cumme to the sandes by Cokerham village not a mile of, apon the which sandes I passid over Koker river ons or twis again not without sum feere of quikkesandes. At the ende of the sandes I saw divers salt cootes, wher were divers hepes of sandis taken of salt strondys, owt of the wich by often weting with water they pike owt the saltnes, and so the water is derivid into a pit, and after sodde. Thens to Cokersand an abbay of Cistertienses about half a mile of, standing veri blekely and object to al wynddes. One William of Lancastre was founder of that house about King Henri the 2. tyme. From Kokersand Abbay I roode over the sandes, marking [page 11] the salt cotes, and a mile of over Condar riveret [trillinge Lancashire, by the sands to] the se. So to a meane place cawllid Ascheton of the kinges [fo. 85]. lande, wher Mr. Leyburne knight usith to lye, and from thens a ii. or iii. miles to Lancastre. Lancastre Castel on a hille strongly buildid and wel repaired. Ruines of an old place (as I remembre of the Catfelds) by the castel hille. The new toune (as thei ther say) buildid hard by yn the descent from the castel, having one paroch chirch wher sumtime the priori of monkes alienis was put doune by King Henry the v. and given to Syon Abbay. The old waul of the circuite of the priory cummith almost to Lune bridge. Sum have therby supposid that it was a peace of a waul of the toune. But yn deade I espiyd in no place that the toune was ever waullid. The old toune (as they say ther) was almost al burnid and stoode partely beyounde the Blak Freres. In thos partes in the feeldes and fundations hath ben found much Romayne coyne. The soile about Lancastre is veri fair, plentiful of wood, pasture, medow and corne. If I had kept the hy shore way from Lancastre to Cumbreland I should have gone [by] Cartemaile [Cartmel] a sand, wher a fresch water doth cum, a vii. miles; to Conyhed [Conishead] sande, whither a river resortith, a viii. miles; to Dudden sandes, wither a river resortith, a iiii. miles. Furnis Abbay up in the montaines a iiii. miles of. Cartemaile and Conished priories of Blake Chanons. I rode over Lune toward Warton a vi. miles of, wher Mr. Kitson was borne. A ii. mile from Lancastre the cunteri began to be stony, and a litle to wax montanius. Half a mile from Warton I passid over Keri [Keer] river, cumming out of hilles not far of, and ther ebbing and flouing, and about Lunesandes going into the salt water. Warton is a preati streat for a village. The ground beyound Warton and about is veri hilly and mervelus rokky onto Bytham [Beetham] a v. miles of. In the rokkes I saw herdes of gotes. [page 12] By Bitham is a greate parke and a goodly place yn hit of the Erie of Darby. By Bytham rennith Byth water a preaty [river,] and by likelihod [shuld resort toward Kennet.] Thens I roode over a great bek caullid Staunton Bekke, and so ridding a ii. miles farther cam to a soile lesse stony and more fruteful of corne, as sum whete, much ootes and barle, or bigge, and so to Kendale riding over Ken river. Ther be about Kendale divers fair wooddes, as Master Parris [Parr’s] parke, and many other. Kendale is countid as baronry, wherof Mr. Par is possessor. From The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543. Parts IX, X, and XI edited Lucy Toulmin Smith (London: George Bell, 1910). Rivers of Cumbria and Lancashire [page 44] Owt of a charte of Merton-College. The next river by se movith by Cairluel bakward on the same shore. There is a water made cumming from Chiswik [Keswick] to the se. The next to that cumming to the se is there cawllid Eske. Next to that Doden [Duddon], and betwixt them is set Millum. Next upward into Lancastreshire is set the mowth of the river of Leven. Then Kent River cumming to the se. After is sett Ribyl. And then Mersey Water. [page 45] Lancastreshire. [fo. 60.] The hedde of Lune River by al æstimation must be yn Coterine Hille, or not far fro the root of it. Owt of this hille risith Ure, Sawle, and Edon. [Swale and Eden] Howbeit M. Moore of S. Caterines Haul in Cambridge thus enstructed me of Lune Ryver. Yt risith yn a hil cawlled Crosho, the which is yn the Egge of Richemontshire, and issueth owt of iii. or iiii. heddes. He woold it should be first cawlled Lune in Dentdale, though the name of Dent seme to shew otherwise. North fro Dentdale ys Garsedale, and thorough that rynneth a water that after cummeth into Sebbar [Sedbergh] Vale, and ther is also a water meeting with Garsedale Water, and a lytle lower yn one streame they go ynto Dentdale Water, which he supposeth to be the streame that afterward is cawlled Lune. Beside the waters afore it receyveth at the foote of Sebbar Vale a great brook, the which cummeth owt of the north betwixt Westmereland and Richemundshire. This ryver runneth a vii. miles or it cum to Dentdale Foote, and hath receyved into his botom the waters afore-saide. Fro Dentdale Foote yt entereth into Landesdale, [Lonsdale] peraventure so corruptely cawlled for Lunesdale, and runneth yn it a viii. or ix. myles sowthwarde; and yn this dale is Kyrkby, a very great and famose paroch [parish] a iiii. myles fro the foote of Dentdale. Fro Lunesdale yn whos foote ys Hornby Castel longing to the Lord Montegle half a myle fro the Lune. Fro thens it runneth to Lancastre, (set on the sowth side of Lune) corruptely spoken for Lunecastre viii. miles of, wither it ebbeth and floueth. Sum say that the north arme upward is principal streame of Lune, the which is not of estimation til yt cum ynto Lunesdale. The ruines of old walles about the bridg were onely of the suppressid priory. Westmorland and Cumberland [page 46] Borow a now a vyllage, set in Lunesdale a vi. myles beneth the foote of Dentdale, hath beene by likelyhod sum notable town. The plough menne find there yn ering lapides quadratos [‘squared stones’], and many other straung thinges : and this place is much spoken of, of the inhabitans there. In Westermerland is but one good market town cawlled Kendale, otherwise, as I wene, Kirkby Kendale. Yt hath the name of the river cawlled Kent, unde et [From whence the name’]Kendale, sed Emporium lanis pannis celeberrimum [‘but a market famous for cloth’]. In the towne is but one chirch. The circuite of the paroch by the cuntery adjacent hath many chapels, and divers yn the town self. Abowt half a myle of on the east side of the towne is on a hil a parke longging to yowng M. Par, the chyfest of that name, and ther is a place as it were a castel. Kent ryver is of a good depthe, not wel to be occupied with botes for rowllyng stones and other moles. Yt risith of very many heddes, be lykelyhod springging withyn the same Shire. (A vii. or viii. myles fro Kentdale, wher is a mere communely caullid Kenmore [Kentmere].) A ii. myles abowt Kendale they cum to one good botom, and so to Kentdale towne that standeth on the west side of yt. The Hed of Kenne Rever. It risethe at Kenmore in a poole somwhat large about a myle in compase and muche fishe in it. The place of the heade and all the Baronye of Kendale is in Westmorland, and kepithe Sher [Shire] Courts at Apleby, and bysyde thethar [thither] cummythe all Westmerland. Kenne nuage [Stow has probably copied it wrongly] and more is a 8 myles flat nothe from Kendall on the way to Perithe [Penrith], and ther is a chapell longynge [belonging] as a parte onto Kendale paroche. Kentmore Haul, Gilpins howse. The first parte of the river descendithe in betwyxt 2 hilles. New bridge 2 miles lower of tymber. Then [page 47] to Barley a smaule bridge of stone in Staueley hamlet, a myle lower. Thens 2 myles to Bowstone bridge of stone, then to Burnes syde a myle, wher the Bellenghams dwell and is of stone. Then to Kendall a myle and halfe lower, and rennythe thrwghe Stramangate bridge of stone havynge 8 or 9 arches, and the paroche churche by est is towchid with this ryver; and thens a quartar and more of a myle it goythe to Nether-bridge of stone of 3 or 4 arches standynge playne este toward Yorke, and then 4 or 5 miles to Leuenbridge of stone and then to ... Kendale Gates notable as wayes but not defensible. Stricland Gate to Stricland village north-ward. Stramangate named of the bridge. Kyrkegate, the greatyst stret lyethe northe and southe. Pronte river goithe into Ken ryver a myle above Stramangate bridge. Ther longithe about a 30 chapells and hamlets to the hedd chirche of Kendale. The parsonage was inpropriate to S. Mari of Yorke. The castle is by est halfe a quarter of a myle from the towne. [Leland, vii, f. 62 contd.] Appleby is the Shire towne, but now yt is but a poore village, having a ruinus castel wherin the prisoners be kept. Ther is an old castel on the . . . side of Edon Water cawlled Burgh. [Brough]. Abowt a dim [‘half a mile’] fro the castel is a vill[age cawll]ed Burgh[am], [Brougham] and ther is a great pilgrem[age to owr lady.] [Supplied by Hearne]. At Burgham is an old castel that the commune people. ther sayeth doth synke. Abowt this Burgham plowghmen fynd in the feldes many square stones tokens of old buildinges. The castel is set in a stronge place by reasons of ryvers enclosing the cuntery thereabowt. There is a very greate lake, or mere, wherof part is under the egge of Furnes Felles, cawlled Wynermerewath [Windermere], wherin a straung fisch cawlled a chare, not sene els there in the cuntery as they say. [page 48]
Ther is in Westmerland, as it is said, a famose stone as a limes of old time, inscribed. Withyn a myle of Perith, but in Westmerland, is a ruine, as sum suppose, of a castel withyn a flite shotte of Loder and as much of Emot Water, stonding almost as a mediamnis [‘halfway mark’]
betwixt them ; the ruine is of sum caulled the Round Table, and of summe Arture's Castel. A myle lower m[etithe] Loder and Emot at Burgham Castel. [Moves on to County Durham.] [page 50] From Cairluel to Burge on the sandes vi. myles. From Burg to Workington xii. myles. From Workington to S. Bees xiiii. From S. Bees to Fumes [Furness] by the se cost xiiii. myles. Lancashire. From Fumes to Lancastre xii. myles. From Lancastre to Preston xx. miles. Eske flu. limes est Scotiae et Angliae [‘The River Esk is the border between Scotland and England’]. Cumberland. Lithel flu. defluit in Eskam [‘flows into the Esk’]. Lither defluit in Eskam at Motel Lithel [Liddel Strength, Cumberlan]. At Motel Lithel was a moted place of a gentilman cawled Syr Water Seleby, the which was killyd there, and the place destroyed yn King Edward the thyrde, when the Scottes whent to Dyrham,
and theyr king was take by Copland at Dyrham on a hil therby wher was many Scottes buried. Bolnes [Bowness] ys at the poynt or playne of the ryver of Edon, [Eden] wher ys a lytle poore steple as a fortelet for a brunt, and yt ys on the hyther syde of the ryver of Edon,
abowt a viii. myles from Cair Luel. [Carlisle] Abowt this Bolnesse ys part of the [page 51] Pict wal evidently remayning, and yt may be supposed that Cumberland,
yt is cawled Bolnes, as who showld say the Wal yee, or poynt, or end. ( I doute yet of this. Margin) Burgh yn the sand stondeth a myle of fro the hyther banke of Edon. Yt is a village by the which remayne the ruines of a greate place, now clene desolated, wher King Edward the fyrst dyed.
Burgh stondeth from Bolnes iii. myles, and iiii. myles or v. fro Cair Luel. Burgh longid sumtime to the Morvilles. Here was a xv. yeres ago the Lord Maxwel sore woundid, many [sl]aine, and [drou]nid in Edon. [Str]ife ther . . . tuaine. ... ge ... Scotland . . . and [took hym] prisoner.
[Words seen by Hearne are now gone. Stow omits.] At Drumbuygh a the Lord Dakers father builded apon old ruines a prety pyle for defens of the contery. Drumbuygh ys almost yn the mydde way bytwyxt Bolnes and [Burgh]. The stones of the Pict wal
wer [pulled d]own to build Dumbuygh. For the wal [ys very n]ere yt. Netherby is a vii. myles north fro Cairluel, and Eske ryver rynneth on the north side of yt. Ther hath bene mervelus buyldinges, as appere by ruinus walles, and men alyve have sene rynges and staples
yn the walles, as yt had bene stayes or holdes for shyppes. On the one side of yt is the Batable ground; so that it is as a limes Angliae et Scotiae [‘border between England and Scotland’].
The ruines be now a iii. myles at the lest from the flowyng water of Sulway sandes. The gresse groweth now on the ruines of the walles. Rokclif a preaty pile or castel of the Lord Dakers over Edon on the farther ripe, about a iiii. mile from Cairluel. The towne of Cokermuth stondeth on the ryver of Coker, the which thwartheth over the town, and Coker runneth yn Darwent hard at the point of the castel of Cokermuth. [page 52] The ryver of Dargwent [Derwent] after that he cummeth to a strayte curse, casteth owt an arme of his abundant water that maketh a poole, or lough,
cawlled Use, and afterward strayteth, and at the last cummeth ynto Dargwent, and so maketh an isle. Forestes. The great forest of Englewood (Engylwood). The forest of Nicol longing to the Du[ke of] Lancastre. The forest of Einerdale. A xxx. yeres ago not far fro the chapel of [the] Moore, the which is in Come Whitton a par[och] in Gillesland, and stondeth a vi. myles est from Cairluel, was fownd a grave,
and theryn [bon]ys inusitatae magnitudinis [‘of an unusual size’]. [Wythyn] a quarter of a myle of Cairl[uel a xx. yerejs ago was take up [pypes of an old conduyte, whos hedde by lykelyhod ... wiled Typping Castel ...] This conduct semed to be the conduit of ... d
not ... The cyte of Cairluel is yn cumpace scant a myle, and ys walled with a right fayre and stronge wal ex lapide quadrato subrufo [‘made of squared reddish stone’]. In the wal be iii. gates,
Bocher gate (south), Caldew gate (west), and Richard gate (north). The castel being withyn the towne is yn sum part as a closer of the walle. Leyland. The Irisch men cawle bale a town, and so peraventure did the old Scottes. Thus might be said that Lugubalia soundeth ‘Luele towne’. In the cyte be ii. paroche chyrches, of the which the one is yn the body of the cathedral chyrch, yn the which be Canons Regulars as els be yn no cathedral chyrch of Englande.
The other is of S. Cuthebert. Ther is yn the towne a chapel of S. Albane, and also withyn the walles ii. howses of freres, Blake and Gray. [page 53] In diggyng to make new building yn the towne often Cumberland, tymes hath bene, and now a late, fownd diverse fundations of the old cite, as pavimentes of streates,
old arches of dores, coyne, stones squared, paynted pottes, mony hid yn pottes so hold and muldid that when yt was stronly towchid yt went almost to mowlder: as yn M ... glalbys howse yn diggyng for the squaryng
[of] his gardin and orchard the which ston[d]eth much sowth. [Th]e hole site of the towne is sore chaungid. For wher as the stretes were and great edifices, now be vacant and garden plottes. The cite of Cairluel stondeth in the forest of Ynglewood. The body of the cathedral chyrch is of an older building then the quyer. And [yt ys as] a filial deriveid from S. Osw[ald's fast] by Pontfreyt. [In the] feldes abowt Cairluel yn plowghing hath be [fownd diverse cornelines and other stonys] wel entaylid for [seales, and yn other places of Cumbarland in plowinge hath be found brickes
conteyninge the prints of antique workes.] The lenght of Cumbreland by the shore is from a water cawled Dudden, the which devideth Furnesland fro Cumbreland, onto a lytle water or mere cawlled Polt Rosse, the which devideth
the cownte of Northumberland on the est side from Cumbreland. The bredeth of Cumbreland is from a water cawled Emot that divideth on the sowth side on the one part Cumberland from Westmerland ontyl he enter ynto the ryver of Edon ii. myles fro Pereth by est,
and so on the est side of Edon up to a broke cawled [Blank is original. Cookbun Beck is intended.] ... the which divideth lykewise Cumbreland fro Westmerland, onto the ryver of Eske on the north side,
the which devideth Cumbreland fro the batable grownd [The Debatable Ground] ontil yt cum to the arme of the se, the which divideth England fro Scotland. [page 54] Market townes yn the Shyre. Cairluel. Pereth a market towne by sowthe, xvi. myles fro Carluel, w[here] as a strong castel of the kinges, and [stonjdeth on a lytle water by force cut owt of Peterel. But Pereth stondeth [not]able
dim. [‘hialf’] a myle fro the river of Emot, [and a] myle fro the towne or caste[l of B]urgham, that longeth to the Erie of [Cumb]reland. In Perith ys one paroche chirch, and a gray freres. [Cokejrmuth a market towne stondyng on the [westsyde] of Darwent river iiii. or v. [myles fro the se shore, and] xx. myles fro [Carluel.] Also on the west syde of Darwent is a prety creke wher as shyppes cum to, wher as ys a lytle prety fyssher town cawled Wyrkenton [Workington], and ther is the chefe howse of Sir Thomas Culwyn. On the est side of the ysle, where as the water of Darguent risith, is a lytle poore market town cawled Keswike, and yt is a myle fro S. Herebertes isle that Bede speketh of. Divers springes
cummeth owt of Borodale, and so make a great lowgh that we cawle a poole; [Derwentwater] and ther yn be iii. isles. Yn the one Lord’s island] ys the hedd places of M. Radclyf, [Ratcliffe
an other is cawled S. Hereberts isle, here is a chapel, the iii. Ys Vycar isle, ful of trees lyke a wyldernes. Abbays or priores [priories] yn Cumbreland. The Chanons of Cairluel. Wetherhaul, a selle of S. Mary Abbay, iii. myles sowth est above Cairluel apon the ryver of Edon, on the same side of the ryver of Edon that Cairluel doth. Lenercost an abbay of Blake Chanons viii. myles fro Cairluel, apon the north side of the ryver of Yrthyng. [page 55] [Ho]lme Cultrayne Abbay of white monkes. [S.] Beges [St Bees] yn Caupland [Copeland] hard on the west se, a selle longing to S. Mary Abbay of Yorke, abowt xxvi. myles or more playne west. Caldher Abbay of whyte monkes yn Cape[land] d not very far from S. Beges, and nere to Egremont Castel. At Kiley [Kyloe] primis annis Henrici 8 [‘in the first year of Henry VIII’] not far from Norham yn the lordship of the Bisshop [of Dyrham,] was fownd,
bet[wixt ii. stonys,] bokels of an arming girdel, typpes and barres of [the same of pure] gold, a pomel and a crosse [for a sword of golde, bokels and typps of gold for spurres. D. Ruthall had some of them.] [Castles] Egermont ... myles by sowth from Cokermuth. Yt [fo. 72.] longith to the Lord Fizgualter. Yt stondeth by the market towne of Egremont. At Cokermuth, a good market towne, a castel of the Erl of Northumbreland, the wich joyneth hard to the towne. Bowe Castel longging to the King x. myles est fro Cairluel. On Kirkebek. Nere abowt Bou Castel alias Belcastel be fownd Briton brikes, with entayled worke and portretures, yn the old fundations. Fro Bowe Castel to Naward a fair castel of the Lord Dacers iiii. myles sowt fro Naward, viii. myles fro Cairluel. Millum a castel longing to S[er] John Hudelstan stonding on the river of Dudden or Dudden Sandes. (Apon a creke by the se side) a XL. yere ago fisch was fownd ther of an infinite greatnes. Hyghhed Castel a vi. or vii. myles [from] Cairluel by sowth. Yt stondeth on Yve Bek Kirke Oswald Castel sowth sowth est, xii. myles fro Cairluel, and sowth fro Naward. Yt stondeth almost on Edon.[page 56] Perith a a castel of the kinges b[y the] towne of Pereth xvi. myles so[wth] fro Cairluel, and v. myles sowth w[est] from Kirkoswald. Ther cummeth at [Ingjmer Medow [owt] of Peterel [a g]ut to Penrith, [and at Carlton] half a [myle] of yt runneth ynto Emot, alias Eymont. Strikland Bisshop of Cairluel did the cost to dig [it.] Graystok Castel of the Lorde Dacors, xiiii. myles fro Cairluel sowth, and iii. myles west fro Perith. Rose a castel of the Bisshops of Cairluel [vi. myles] fro Cairleul by [sowth west.] Bisshop Kight made hit very [fresh.] Ruines of castels desolated and townes. [fo. 72 b.] Remember to aske by the Itineray how the old townes stoode. In the forest of Ynglewood a vi. myles fro Cairluel appere ruines of a castel cawled Castel Luen. ......... [page 146] Thyngs learnyd of a man of Westmerland. There is a greate broke caulled Owse Water [Hawes Waterbeck], in Westmerland. The hede of this watar lyethe about a myle by west from the hedde of Loder, that cummethe by Shap Priorye.
The place where it risethe is caullyd Mardale. First it rennith aboute halfe a mile in a narow botom, and then stagnescit, makinge a poole of a 2. mils in lenght, and then it cummithe again in alveum [‘into its channel’],
and so renninge halfe a mile, it goithe by Bampton village strait into Loder [Lowther]. Bampton is 3. mils lower then Shap. The poole cummith agayne to a narow botom, and betwixt the lower end of the poole and the mouthe of Ose into Loder is a bridge of stone. On Loder be no more bridges of stone but Shap Bridge a this syde Browgham. Ther be about halfe a mile lower then Brougham on the west ripe of Aymote [Eamont] ryver, hard by the ripe, certeyne caves withe in a rokke, as haul chaumbers and othar necesary romes. The castell of Pendragon is by the farther ripe [bank] of Suale, and ther the ryver is a marche [border] betwixt Richemontshire and Westmarland. Pendragon is not far distaunt from the very hed of Swale. Ther standithe yet muche of this castell. Gentlemen of name in Westmerland. Loder [Lowther]. Mosgrave. Thwarton. Sandeford. Sawkille [Salkeld]. The way on Watlyngestrete from Borow Bridge to Carlil. Wattelyngestrete lyethe about a myle of from Gillinge and 3. miles from Richemount. From Borow Bridg to Caterike 16. miles, xii. to Lemig [Leming] [page 147] a pore village, and vi. to Caterike. Thens x. good miles to Gretey [Greta],
then v. miles to Bowes, a very exeedinge poore land, thorowghe fayre, and viii. myle to Burgh [Brough] on Stane More, and v. so to Appleby about a 4. miles, and v. to Browham [Brougham]
where the strete cummithe thrughe Whinfelle Parke, and ovar the bridgs on Eimote and Loder, and levinge Perithe [Penrith] a quartar of a mile or more on the west syde of it goithe to Cairluell
xvii. miles from Brougham. The toune of Brougham is now very bare, and very ill buyldyd. Yt hathe bene some very notable thinge. Eydon [Eden] ryver rennythe within a quartar of a myle of Broughe. Mayden Castell, where now is nothinge but an hille diked, is harde on the est syde of Wathelynge Strete, v. miles a this syde Browgh. |
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