OXLADE FAMILY HISTORY

"Dwellers in the Valley of the Oaks"

HISTORY of BERKSHIRE

ATTREBATII

AS in France, so also in Britaine, next adjoining unto the Belgae are Attrebatii, which name beeing now altogether out of use, the place which they inhabite is commonly called Barkshire. For let this stand as graunted (seeing Caesar writeth that forrainers comming out of Gallia Belgica inhabited the sea coasts of Britaine, and reteined still the names of their countries) that these or Attrebatii came hither from the Attrebates of Gaule: who, as Ptolomee recordeth, held the maritime part of Gaule, lying upon the river Sein, and namely that verey country which after a sort lieth full opposite and over against our Atrebatii. It was not, therefore, without good cause if Caesar wrote that Comius Attrebatensis was of great authority in these countries, namely among his owne countrimen, and that after hee was by Caesar vanquished, he fled hither. What time, as Frontinus writeth, whiles his ships were grownded upon a shelfe, hee commaunded his sailes to be hoised up, and so disappointed Caesar (who pursued him) of his purpose: who kenning afarre-of his full sailes, and supposing that with a good gale of forewind hee sailed away, gave over further pursuit. Whence these Attrebatii were so called, it resteth doubtful. For whereas some fetch the original from attrech, which in the old Gauls tongue they would have to signifie a land of Bread, I neither approve or disprove their opinion. Sufficient it may bee for us to have shewed from whence they came into Britain; as for the derivation of their name, let others search for it.

BARKSHIRE

THAT countrie which wee call Barkshire, the late Latine writers terme Bercheria, and was sometime by the English Saxons named Berrocscyre. Which name Asserius Menevensis deriveth from a certaine wood called berroc where grew good store of box, others from a naked or bare oake (for so much the name beroke it self importeth), unto which the Inhabitants in daungers and troublesome times of the commonwealth were wont in old time to resort, there to consult about their publike affairs. The North part hereof the river Isis, which afterwards is called Tamisis, that is, the Tamis [Thames], running with a winding channell full of reaches, but yet carrying a very gentle streame, doth pleasantly water it, and first severeth it from Oxfordshire, afterwards from Buckinghamshire. The South side, where it beareth toward Hantshire, the river Kenet cutteth through, untill it runnes into the Tamis. In the West, where it bordereth upon Wiltshire and carrieth the greatest breadth, as also in the middle part, rich it is of it self and full of commodities, yeelding corne in plenty, especially where it falleth lower to a valley: which I wote not from what shape of a white horse imagined to appeere in a whitish chalky hill, they terme The vale of Whitehorse. As for the East part that confineth with Surrie, it groweth very baraine, or at least wise the soile is lesse fertile, as standing upon forrests and woods that take up a great ground in length and breadth.

In the West march thereof, neere unto Isis, standeth Farendon, seated high: famous now for a mercate there kept, but in times past for a certaine Fort which Robert Earle of Glocester built against King Stephen, who notwithstanding wonne it with bloudy assaults, and laid it so levell with the ground that now it is not to bee seene. But the plot of ground whereon it stood, as we find in the Chronicle of Waverley Abbey, King John in the yeere of our Lord 1202 prevented by divine inspiration, graunted with all the appertenances to the building of an Abbay for the Cistertiens order.

From hence the river, having with a great turning compasse after much wrestling gotten out towards the North, passeth a long hard by many villages of smal reckoning, till at length with a returne, and disporting himselfe with winding branches and divisions, he commeth to Abbendon, a proper towne and populous, called at first by the English Saxons Sheovesham, then Abbandune, no doubt of the Abbay rather than of one Abben, I wote not what Irish Eremite [hermit], as some have written. A place this was (as we finde in an old booke of Abbendon) upon the plaine of an hill very faire and delectable to see to, a little beyond the towne which now is called Suniggewelle, betweene two most pleasant riverets, which, enclosing within them the place it selfe (as it were a certaine nooke), yeeld a delightsome sight to the beholders, and a meete succour to the Inhabitants. The very same was in times past called Sheovesham, a City famous, goodly to behold, full of riches, compassed about with most plentuous fields, with greene medowes, spatious pastures, and flockes of cattell spinning forth milke abundantly. Heere was the Kings seat, hither resorted and assembled the people when soever there was any treaty about the chiefe and higher affaires of the kingdome. But so soone as Cissa King of the West Saxons had built the Abbay, it beganne by little and little to lay down the old name and to be called Abbandun and Abbington, that is, Abbay-towne. This Abbay had not long flourished when all of a sodaine in a tempestuous fury of the Danes it was subverted. Yet soone after it was reared againe through the bounty of King Edgar, and afterwards by the meanes and travaile of the Norman Abbats grew by little and little to such magnificence that among all the Abbaies of Britaine for richeness and statelinesse it would hardly give place to any. Which the very rubble and ruines at this day doe testifie. As for the towne, albeit a long time it had a great stay of the Abbay, yet since the yeare of our salvation 1416, in which King Henrie the Fifth built a bridge over the river (as witnesseth a verse written in a window of Saint Helens church there) and turned the kings high way hither for to make a shorter passage, it beganne to bee frequented and traded so that among all the townes of this shire it goes for the chiefe, hath a Major in it, and maketh great gaine by that steeped barly sprouting and chitting againe which the Greekes terme byne and wee Malt: and besides, hath a Crosse of singular workemanship in the mids of their mercate place, which by report in the reigne of King Henrie the Sixth the Brotherhood of Saint Crosse, instituted by him, did erect.

As Cissa founded this monasterie for Monkes, for Cilla (out of an old booke I speake), the sister of King Cedwalla, built the Nunnerie at Helnestowe nere the Tamis, where her selfe was Ladie Abbasse over the Virgins, who afterwards were translated to Witham. And whiles the warre grew hote betweene Offa and Kinulphe, when a Castle was there built, the Nunnes retired themselves out of the way. For after that Kinulph was overthrown, whatsoever lay under his jurisdiction from the towne of Wallingford in the South part from Ichenildstreete unto Essebury, and in the North side to the river Tamis, King Offa usurped and seized into his owne hands.

Neere unto it Northwest lieth Lee, which by the daughter of a certaine worshipfull knight surnamed thereupon de Lee fell into the familie of Besiles, and thereof it came to be called Besiles Lee: and from that house in right of marriage, to Richard Fetiplace, whose progenitor Thomas brought some honor to his posterity by matching with Beatrice the base daughter of John the First, King of Portugall and widdow to Gilbert Lord Talbot, of whom they are descended. But now let us returne. Hard by Abendon, Ocke, a little river that runneth by the South side of the towne (over which in times past Sir John of Saint Helenes, knight, built a bridge), gently falleth into Isis. This Ocke springeth in that vale of Whitehorse scarce a mile or two from Kingston Lisle, in old time the possession of Warin de Insula or Lisle, a noble Baron. From whom, when a Sir John Talbot, the younger sonne of that renowmed warrier John Earle of Shrewsburie, was descended by his mother, hee was created by King Henrie the Sixth Lord Lisle, like as Warin de Insula in times past in regard of the possession of this place (as if that dignity were annexed thereto), and afterwards Vicount Lisle by a Patent without any such regard. This title, through the gratious favor of kings, flourished still in his posterity one after another successively. For, briefly to knit up their succession, when Sir Thomas Talbot, sonne of the said John, departed this life without issue, beeing deadly shot into the mouth with an arrow in a skirmish defending his possessions against the Lord Barkley, Sir Edward Grey, who had married his sister, received the same at the hands of King Richard the Third, and left it to John his sonne and successour. Whose onely daughter and heire King Henrie the Eighth assured to Sir Charles Brandon, and thereupon created him Vicount Lisle. But when as shee died in tender yeares before the marriage was solemnised, hee also relinquished that title. Which King Henrie afterward bestowed upon Sir Arthur Plantagenet, base sonne to King Edward the Fourth, who had wedded Elizabeth, sister to Sir John Grey Vicount Lile and widdow to Edmund Dudley. And when hee deceased without heires male, the said king honoured therewith Sir John Dudley, sonne of Edmund by the same Elizabeth Grey, who in the time of King Edward the Sixth was created Duke of Northumberland and afterward attained by Queene Marie. His sonne Sir Ambrose Dudley, being restored in bloud, was by Queene Elizabeth on one and the selfe same daie created Lord Lisle and Earle of Warwicke, who ended his life issuelesse. And now lately Sir Robert Sidney his sisters sonne was honoured with the stile of Vicount Lisle by King James, who had before created him (beeing Chamberlane to the Queene his wife) Baron Sidney of Pensherst.

5. Then runneth the river Ock aforesaid betweene Pusey, which they that are named de Pusey hold it yet by the horn from their ancestors, as given unto them in ancient time by King Canutus the Dane, and the two Dencheworths, the one and the other, wher flourished for a long time two noble and auncient houses, to wit, de Hide at the one and Fetiplace at the other, which families may seeme to have sprung out of one and the same stocke, considering they both beare one and the same coat of armes. Then entertaineth Ock a namelesse river which issueth out of the same vale at Wantage, called in the English Saxon tongue Wanating, where some time there was a Manour house of the kings, and the place wherein Aelfred, that most noble and renowned king, was borne and bred, which at his death hee bequeathed to Alfrith. Long time after, it became a mercate towne by the meanes and helpe of Sir Fulk Fitz-warin that most warlike knight, upon whome Roger Bigod Mareschall of England had bestowed it for his martiall prowesse, and at this daie it acknowledgeth for Lords thereof the Bourchiers Earles of Bath, descended from the race of the Fitzwarins, of whose familie some were here buried.

6. Isis, being departed once from Abbendon, straitwaies receiveth into it out of Oxfordshire the river Tame (of which elsewhere), and now by a compound word being called Tamisis, first directed his course to Sinodun, an high hill and fensed with a deepe trench, where stood for certaine in old time a fortresse of the Romanes: for the ground, being now broken up with the plough, yeeldeth otherwhiles to the ploughmen store of Romane peeces of coine, as tokens of antiquitie. Under it at Bretwell there was a Castle (if it were not upon this hill) which King Henrie the Second wonne by force a little before that he made peace with King Stephen. From hence Tamis holdeth on his way to the chiefe citie in times past of the Attrebatians, which Antoninus termeth Galleva of Attrebats, Ptolomee Galeva, but both of them through the carelesnesse of the Scriveners name it wrong for Gallena, and they likewise in their Greeke copies have thrust upon us ?????? for Gallena by transposition of letters. I have thought it was so named in the British tongue, as if it were Guall hen, that is, The old rampire or fort. Which name being still kept, and ford added thereto, which is a shallow place in the river, the Englishmen in old times called it Guallengaford and Wallengaford, and we at this day, shorter, Wallengford. In King Edward the Confessors time it was counted a burgh and contained (as we find in that Book wherin King William the First took the Survey of all England) two hundred threescore and sixteene hages, that is to say, Houses, yeelding nine pounds de Gablo, and those that dwelt there did the King service on horsebacke, or by water. And of those Hages eight were destroied for the Castle. In old time it was compassed about with walles which, as men may see by their tract, tooke up a mile in circuit. It hath a Castle situate upon the river, verie large (I assure you) and stately: so fortified in times past that the hope in it (as imprenable and invincible) made divers over-bold and stowt. For when England burned (as a many may say) in a generall flame of warres, we read that it was by King Stephen belaied once or twise with sieges, but all in vaine. The greatnesse and magnificence thereof I much wondered at when I was young and remooved thither from Oxford (for a place it is now for the Students there of Christchurch to retire unto), as having a double range of walles about it, and being compassed round likewise with a duple rampire and ditch: and in the mids of it there standeth a tower or Keepe, raised upon a mightie high mount, and in the steep ascent whereof by steps we saw a Well of an exceeding depth. The Inhabitants are verily perswaded that it was built by the Danes, but I should rather judge that some thing was heere erected by the Romanes and afterwards rased by Saxons and Danes, what time as Sueno the Dane, ranging and roving this way, spoiled and harried the countrey. That it was at length reedified under King William the First we know assuredly by Domesday book, seeing that it yeeldeth record (as even now I noted) of eight Hages or Houses destroyed for the Castle.

Yet William Gemeticensis makes no mention of this castle when he writeth that William of Normandie, having defeited Harold, led his armie forthwith to this citie (so he termeth it), and after he had passed over the Tamisis at the ford, pitched his tents heere before he came to London. At which time Wigod an Englishman was Lord of Wallenford, who had one onely daughter given in marriage to Robert D’ Oyley, of whom hee begat Mawd his sole heire, first wedded to Miles Crispin, and after his death, through the goodnesse and favour of King Henrie the First, maried unto Brient, called Fitz Counte.

Who being brought up in warlike feats, and taking part with Mawd the Empresse, most manfully defended this Castle against King Stephen, who had raised a fort just over against it at Craumesh: and he made it good, untill that peace so much wished of all England was concluded in that place, and that most grievous dissention about the crowne between King Stephen and Henrie the Second ended. For then the love of God tooke such place in the hearts of the said Brient and his wife that they cast off this fraile and transitorie world and devoted themselves in religious life unto Christ. so was this Honour of Wallengford escheated into the Kings hand. Which appeareth out of an old Inquisition in the Exchequer, by these words: To his most beloved Lords, the King our soveraigne Lord, his Justices and Barons of the Exchequer, the Constable of Wallengford sendeth greeting. Know ye that I have made diligent Inquiry by the Knights of my Bailiwicke, according to a commandement of my Lord the King, directed unto me by the Sheriffe: and of the Inquisition thus made, this is the summe. Wigod of Wallingford held the honour of Wallingford in King Harolds time, and afterwards in the daies of King William the First. He had by his wife a certaine daughter whom hee gave in marriage to Robert D’ Oyly. This Robert begat of her a daughter named Mawd, who was his heire. Miles Crispin espoused her, and had with her the honour aforesaid of Wallingford. After the decease of MIles, our soveraigne Lord King Henrie the First bestowed the foresaid Mawd upon Brient Fitz Count, who both tooke themselves to a religious life, and King Henrie the Second seised the honour unto his hand, &c. Yet afterwards in the time of King Henrie the Third it belonged to the Earles of Chester, and then to Richard King of the Romans and Earle of Cornwall, who repaired it , and unto his sonne Edmond, who within the inner Court founded a collegiate Chappell, who dying without issue, it fell againe to the crowne and was annexed to the Dukedome of Cornwall, since which time it hath by little and little decaied. And verily about the time when that most mortall Plague which followed the conjunction of Saturne and Mars in Capricorne reigned hotely throughout all Europe in the yeere of our Lord 1348, this towne was so dispeopled by reason of continuall mortalitie there, that whereas before time it was passing well Inhabited and had twelve Churches in it, it can shew now no more than one or two. But the cause of this desolation the Inhabitants lay rather upon the bridges of Abbindon and Dorchester, whereby London portway [traffic] was turned from thence.

7. From hence Southward the Tamisis passeth most mildly between verie rich and fertile fields on both sides, by Monks-ford, which King Henrie the First gave unto Girald Fitz-Walter, from whence the Noble family of the Carewes is descended. To this house much lands, honour, and reputation accrewed in Ireland by descent, and in England by matching in mariage with right noble families of the Mohuns, Dinhams, and others. Not farre from hence is Aldworth, where be certaine tombes and portraictures bigger than the ordinary proportion of men, which thereupon the unlearned multitude keeps a-wondering at, as if they had been giants, whereas indeed they were but of certaine Knights of the Family de la Beche, which here had a Castle, and is thought in the raigne of King Edward the Third to have beene extinguished for default of issue male. And now at length Tamisis meeteth with Kenet, which River, as I said ere-while, watering the South part of this shire, at his first entry when he hath left Wilshire behind him, runneth under Hungerford, named in old time Ingleford Charnam-street, a very small towne, and seated in a moist place, howbeit it hath given name and title to the honorable family of the Barons of Hungerford, which was first raised to greatnesse by Walter Hungerford, who under King Henrie the Fifth, being Seneschall or Steward of the kings house, was for his warlike prowesse liberally rewarded by the said king and infeoffed in the Castle and Barony of Homet in Normandie, To have and to hold unto him and his heires males by homage and service, to find the King and his heires at the Castle of Roan one Launce with a Fox taile hanging downe thereat, which pleasant conceit I thought not amisse to insert here among serious matters. The same Walter in the raigne of Henrie the Sixth, being high Treasurer of England and created withall Baron Hungerford, as well by his singular wisedome as his marriage with Catherine Peverell (descended from the Moels and Courtneys), mightily augmented his state. His sonne Robert, who wedded the daughter and heire of the Lord Botereaux, enriched the same house verie much, Sir Robert likewise his sonne, who matched with Aeleanor, the daughter and heire of William Molines (whereupon he was summoned among the Barons of the Realme by the name of Lord Molines), and during the civill warre betweene the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke was beheaded at Newcastle, advanced the name not a little. His sonne Thomas, slaine at Salisbury while his father was living, left his only daughter, named Marie, whom Edward Lord Hastings tooke to wife with a great and rich inheritance. But Walter, brother to the said Thomas, begat Edward Hungerford, father of that Walter whom King Henrie the Eighth created Baron Hungerford of Heitesbury, and condemned him afterwards for a crime not to be spoken of: howbeit, Queen Marie restored his children unto all his estate, save onely the name and title of Barons. Not farre from hence Southward is Widehay, the seat for a long time of the Baron Saint Amand, whose inheritance Gerard Braybrooke entred upon in right of his wife, whose eldest Niece by his sonne Gerard, named Elizabeth, by her mariage brought the same unto William de Beauchamp, who being summoned to the Parliament by the name of William Beauchamp de Saint Amando, flourished among other Barons, like as his sonne Richard, who left no issue lawfully begotten.

Kenet, keeping on his course downward from thence between Hemsted Marshall, which sometimes was held by the rod of Marshalsee, and appertained to the Mareschals of England, where Sir Thomas Parry Treasurer of Queene Elizabeths houshold built a very proper house, and Benham Valence, in a Parke so called because it belonged to William de Valencia Earle of Pembroch. But Queen Elizabeth gave it to John Baptista Castilion, a Piemontes, of her privie chamber for faithfull service in her daungers. So the river passeth on to that old town Spinae whereof Antonine made mention: which retaining still the name as at this day called Spene, but now in sted of a towne it is a very little village standing scarce a mile off from Newbury, a famous towne that arose and had beginning out of the ruins of it. For Newbury with us as is much to say as The new burgh, in respect, no doubt, of that more ancient place of habitation which is quite decayed and gone, and hath left the name also in a peece of Newburie it selfe which is called Spinham Lands. And if nothing else, yet this verily might prove that Newburie sprang out of Spine, because the inhabitants of Newbury acknowledge the village Spene as their mother, although in comparison of Spene it be passing faire and goodly, as well for buildings as furniture: become rich also by clothing, and very well seated in a champion plaine, having the river Kenet to water it. this towne at the time that the Normans conquered England feel to Emulph de Hesdin Earle of Perch, whose successour Thomas Earle of Perch being slaine at the siege of Lincolne, the Bishop of Chalons his heire sold it unto William Marescall Earle of Pembroke, who also held the Manore of Hemsted hard by (whereof I have spoken), and his successors also Mareschals of England, untill that Roger Bigod for his obstinacie lost his honor and possessions both, which notwithstanding by intreaty he obtained againe for his life time.

Kenet passeth on hence and taketh into him Lamborn, a little river, which at the head and spring therof imparteth his name to a small mercate towne that in old time, by vertue of King Aelfreds testament, belonged unto his cousin Alfrith, and afterward to the Fitz Warins, who of King Henry the Third obtained libertie of holding a mercate, but now appeartaineth unto the Essexes, Knights: a familie that fetcheth their pedigree from William Essex Under-treasurer of England under King Edward the Fourth, and from those who in times past carried the same surname and flourished as men of very great fame in Essex. From thence he runneth under Dennington, which others call Dunnngton, a little castle but a fine and proper one, situate with a faire prospect upon the brow of a prety hill full of groves, and which inwardly for the most part letteth in all the light. Built, they say, it was by Sir Richard de Abberbury, Knight, who also under it founded for poore people a Gods-house. Afterward it was the residence of Chaucer, then of the De la Poles, and in our fathers daies of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke.

10. Kenet, having now finished a long course by Aldermaston, which King Henrie the First gave unto Robert Achard, from whose posterity by the Delamares it came at length in right of mariage to the Fosters, a familie of Knights degree, falleth at the last into Tamis, presently after it hath with his winding branches compassed a great part of Reading. This towne Reading, called in the English Saxon tongue Rheadyge, if Rhea, that is, The River, or of the British word redin, that signifieth fearne (which groweth heere in great plentie) excelleth at this day all other townes of this shire in faire streets and goodly houses: for wealth also of the townsmen and their name in making of cloth, although it hath lost the greatest ornaments it had, to wit, a beautifull Church and a most ancient Castle. For this the Danes kept as their hold (so Asserius writeth) when they made a rampier betweene Kenet and Tamis, and into this they retired themselves for safety when at Inglefield (a village neere unto it, which gave name to an ancient familie) they were by King Aethelwolfe discomfited and put to flight. But King Henrie the Second so rased it (because it was a place of refuge for King Stephens followers) that nothing now remaineth of it but the bare name in the next street. Nigh whereunto King Henrie the First, having plucked downe a little Nunnerie that Queene Alfrith had founded in former times to make satisfaction for her wicked deeds, built for Monks a stately and sumpteous Abbay, and enriched it with great revenewes. Which Prince, to speake out of his very Charter of the foundation, Because three Abbaies in the Realme of England were in old time for their sinnes destroied, to wit, Reading, Chelseie, and Leonminster, which a long time were held in Lay mens hands, by the advise of the Bishops, built a new Monasterie of Reading and gave unto it Reading, Chelseie, and Leonminster. In this Abbay was the founder himselfe, King Henrie, buried with his wife, both vealed and crowned for that shee had beene a Queene and a professed Nunne, and with them their daughter Mawde, as witnesseth the private Historie of this place, although some report that she was enterred at Becc in Normandie. this Mawde, as well as that Lacedemonian Ladie Lampido whom Plinie maketh mention of, was a Kings daughter, a Kings wife, and a Kings mother: that is to say, daughter of this Henrie the First, King of England, wife of Henrie the Fourth, Emperour of Almaine [Germany], and mother to Henrie the Second, King of England. Concerning which matter have you here a Distichon engraven on her tombe, and the same verily in my judgment conceived in some gracious aspect of the Muses:

The daughter, wife, the mother eke of Henrie, lieth heere,
Much blest by birth, by mariage more, but most by issue deere.

11. And well might she be counted greatest by her issue. For Henrie the Second her sonne, as John of Saliburie, who lived in those daies, wrote, was the best and most vertuous King of Britaine, the most fortunate Duke of Normandie and Aquitain, and as well for valiant exploits as for excellent vertues highly renowned. How courageous, how magnificent, how wise and modest he was even from his tender yeeres, envy it selfe can neither conceale nor dissemble: seeing that his acts be fresh and conspicuous; seeing also that he hath extended forward and held on a continued traine the titles of his vertue from the bounds of Britaine unto the marches of Spaine. And in another place of the same King, Henrie the Second, the most mighty King that ever was of Britaine, shewed his puissance about the river Garumna, and laying siege to Tolose, with fortunate successe terrified not onely those of Provinces as farre as to Rhosne and the Alpes, but also by raising fortresses and subduing nations, he made the princes of Spaine and France to quake for feare, as if he had beene ever more at the point to set upon them all. I will also, if it please you, adjoine heereto a word or two concerning the same King out of Giraldus Cambrensis. From the Pyrenean mountaines, saith hee, unto the Westerne bounds and furthest limits of the North Ocean, this our Alexander of the West hath stretched forth his arme. As farre therefore as nature in these our parts hath enlarged the land, so farre hath hee marched with Victories. If the bounds of his expeditions were sought for, sooner would the globe of earth faile than they end. For where there is a valiant and courageous minde, howsoever earth and land faile, victories cannot faile; well may there be wanting matter of triumph, but triumphs will never be wanting. How great an addition to his glorious titles and triumphs was Ireland! With how great valour and praise-worthy prowesse pearced he through the very secrets and hidden places of the Ocean! But lo heere an old verse of his death, which briefely in one word containeth fully both all this and also the renowne of his sonne King Richard the First:

A wounder great, the sunne was set, and night there followed none.

12. For so farre was King Richard his sonne from bringing darknesse with him that, with the beames of his victories atchieved in Cypres and Syria, he made our countrey of England most famous and renowned through the world. But these are things without our Element. Let us returne againe from persons to places. This Monastery wherein that noble King Henry the First was buried is now converted to be the Kings house, which hath adjoining unto it a very goodly stable stored to the full with princelike and most generous steeds. But as touching this place, listen also the Poet describing the Tamis as he passeth heereby:

From hence he little Chawsey seeth, and hastneth for to see
Faire Reading towne, a place of name, where Cloths ywoven be.
This shewes our Aelfrids victorie, what time Begsceg was slaine
With other Danes, whose carcasses lay trampled on the plaine,
And how the fields ydrenched were with bloud upon them shed.
Whereas the Prince in Stable now hath standing many a stede
Of noblest kind, that neigh and snort into the aire alowd,
Tracing the ring and keeping pace that stately is and prowd,
Whiles they desire to learne withall in our warres for to serve.
But where (alas) is piety? Such cursed deeds deserve
Purged to be by sacrifice. A King of Normans Race,
Henry the First, enterred heere, now turn’ d out of his place,
An outcast lies dishonoured. Who seekes his tombe shal misse.
For Covetise envied that King the small mould which was his.
But see how Princes monuments it ransacks where it is.

13. Scarce halfe a mile from Reading, betwixt most greene and flowring medowes, the Kenet is coupled with the Tamis, who now runneth with a broader streame by a small village called Sunning, which a man would mervaile to have beene the Sea of eight bishops who had this shire and Wiltshire for their Diocese (yet our Histories report is much); the same afterwards by Herman was translated to Shirburne, and in the end to Salisburie, unto which Bishopricke this place still belongeth. ‡Heereby falleth Ladden, a small water, into the Tamis,‡ and not farre off standeth Laurents Waltham, where are to be seene the foote foundations of an old fort and divers Romane coines often times digged up, ‡ and next to it Billingsbere, the inhabitation of Sir Henry Nevill issued from the Lords Abergeveney.‡ From Sunning the Tamis passeth by Bistleham, now called short, Bisham, at first a Lordship of the Knights Templars, them of the Montacutes ‡and amongst them William, the first Earle of Salisburie of his familie, founded a Priory, wherein some say hee was buried. Certes his wife, the daughter of the Lord Grandison, was buried there, and in the inscription of her tombe it was specified that her father was descended out of Burgundie, cosin-german to the Emperour of Constantinople, the King of Hungary, and Duke of Bavare, and brought into England by Edmund Earle of Lancaster.‡ Now it is the possession of Sir Edward Hoby, Knight, of me especially to be observed, whose singular kindnesse toward me the often consideration thereof shall keepe so fresh that it shall never vanish out of my remembrance.

Thamis, having now left Bisham behind it, fetcheth it selfe with a compasse about to a little towne named in the former ages Southealington, afterward Maidin-hith, and at this day Maidenhead, of the superstitious worshipping of I wote not what British Maidens-head, one of those eleven thousand Virgins who, as they returned from Rome into their country with Ursula their leader, suffered as Martyrs at Colein in Germaine, under that scourge of God Atilla. Neither is this towne of antiquity, for no longer agoe then in our great Grandfathers daies there was a Ferrey in a place somewhat higher, at Babhams End. But after they had built heere a bridge of timber piles, it beganne to flourish with Innes and goe beyond her mother Bray hard by, which notwithstanding is farre more ancient, as having given name to the whole Hundred, This parcell of the shire I have beene of opinion that the Bibroci, who yeelded themselves under Caesars protection, inhabited in times past. And why should I thinke otherwise? The reliques of them remaine yet most evidently in the name. For Bibracte in France is now also drawen shorter into Bray, and not far from hence Caesar passed over the Tamis with his armie, as I will shew in due place, what time as the people of that small Canton put themselves to the devotion of Caesar. Certes, if a man should hunt for these Bibroce elsewhere, he should, I beleeve, hardly find them.

14. Within this Hundered of the Bibroci, Windesore beareth a goodly shew: in the Saxon tongue, haply of the winding shore called Wyndleshora, for so it is named downe in the Charter of King Edward the Confessour, who in this forme of words made a grant unto the Monks of Westminster: To the praise of almighty God, I have granted as an endowment and a perpetuall inheritance to the use and behoofe of those that serve the Lord Windle-shore with the appertenances. And I have read nothing more ancient concerning Windsore. But the Monks had not long held it in possession when William of Normandie, by making an exchange, drew it backe to himselfe. For in this tenure [tenor] goeth his Charter: With the consent and favour of the venerable Abbot of Westminster, I have made a composition for Windlesor to be the Kings possession, because that place seamed profitable and commodious by reason of water hard adjoining to it, and the wood fit for game and many other particulars lying there meet and necessary for kings; yea, and a place very convenient to receive and entertaine the King. In lieu whereof I have granted to the Monks Wokendune and Ferings. Surely a Princes seat cannot lightly have a more pleasant site. For from an high hill that riseth with a gentle ascent, it enjoieth a most delightfull prospect round about. Fore right in the Front it overlooketh a vale lying out farre and wide, garnished with corne-fields flourishing greene with medowes, decked with groves on either side and watered with the most mild and calme river Tamis. Behind it arise hils everywhere, neither rough nor over high, attired, as it were, with woods, and even dedicated, as one would say, by nature to hunting game. With the pleasantnes of this place Princes were allured very often to retire themselves hither, and heere was Edward the Third that most puissant King borne to conquer France, who heere built new out of the ground a most strong Castle, in bignesse equall to a pretie Citie, fortified with ditches and bulwarks made of stone, and forthwith after hee had subdued the French and Scots, held at one and the selfe same time John King of France and David King of Scotland prisoners together in the same. This Castle is divided into two courts: the inner, more toward the East, containeth in it the kings pallace, than which for the order and contriving there can be no building more lightsom, nor more magnificent. On the north side, where it looketh down to the river, Queene Elizabeth adjoined a most pleasant Terrace or open walking place. The utter base court hath at the very first entrance a most stately Church consecrated by King Edward the Third unto the blessed Virgine Marie and to Saint George of Cappadocia, but brought unto that sumpteous magnificence which now we see it carrie by King Edward the Fourth and Sir Reginald Bray. In this place, King Edward the Third, for to adorne martiall prowesse with honors, the guerdon of vertue, ordained that most noble and order and society of knights whom (as some report) for his owne garter given forth as signall of a battaile that sped fortunately, hee called Knights of the Garter, who weare on their left legge somewhat under the knee a blew garter caryng this Empresse [motto] wrought with golden letters in French, Hony soit qui mal y pense, and fasten the same with a buckle of gold as with the bond of a most inward society, in token of concord and unity, that there might bee among them a certaine consociation and communion of vertues. But others there be that doe attribute it unto the garter of the Queene or rather of Joan Countesse of Salisburie, a Lady of incomparable beauty, which fell from her as she daunced, and the King tooke up from the floore: for when a number of Nobles and Gentle men standing by laughed thereat, he made answere againe that shortly it would come to passe that garter should bee in high honour and estimation. This is the common and most received report, neither need this seeme to be a base originall thereof, considering how, as one saith,

Nobility lies under love.

There be also, that would have the invention of this order to be much more ancient, father it upon King Richard the First, and are verily perswaded that King Edward at length brought it into use againe, but how truely I know not. Yet in the verie booke of the first Institution which William Dethicke Garter, principall King of Armes, a Gentleman most studious in all such things as concerne Honour, shewed unto me, thus we read. Richardo cum contrra Turcas et Agarenos &c., that is, When King Richard warred upon the Turks and Saracens, Cypres and Acon, and was wearie of so lingring delay whiles the siege continued long, in wonderful care and anxiety, at length upon a divine inspiration, by the commng in and apparition (as it was thought) of S. George, it came into his mind to draw upon the legs of certaine choise Knights of his a certaine Garter or tach of leather, such onely as he had then readie at hand, whereby they being distinguished and put in minde of future glorie promised unto them, if they wonne the victorie, they might be stirred up and provoked to performe their service bravely, and fight more valiantly, in imitation of the Romanes, who had such variety of Coronets wherewith militarie men for divers and sundry causes were rewarded accordingly, to the end that by these instigations (as it were) cowardise being shaken off, the valour of mind and courage of hart might arise and shew it selfe more resolute. But upon what occasion soever it began, the mightiest Princes of Christendome reputed it amongst their greatest honour to be chosen and admitted into this companie: and since the first institution thereof there have been already received and enrolled in this order, which consisteth of six and twentie Knights, two and twentie Kings or thereabout, besides our Kings of England, who are named Soveraignes thereof, to speake nothing of Dukes and others most high calling verie many. And here I am willing to set down their names that were first chosen into this order, and be commonly called the Founders of the Order: for their renowme is not to be abolished, who in those daies for stowt courage and warlike prowesse had few or no peeres, and were in that regard advanced to this honour.

Edward the Third King of England

Sir Thomas Holland

Edward his eldest Sonne, Prince of Wales

Sir John Grey

Henrie, Duke of Lancaster

Sir Richard Fitz-Simon

Thomas Earle of Warwicke

Sir Miles Stapelton

The Captall de Buch

Sir Thomas Walle

Ralph Earle of Stafford

Sir Hugh Wrothesley

William de Monteacute Earle of Sarisburie

Sir Nigel Loring

Roger Mortimer Earle of March

Sir John Chandos

Sir John Lisle

Sir James Awdeley

Sir Bartholomaeus Burgwash

Sir Otes Holland

Sir John Beauchampe

Sir Henrie Eme

Sir John Mohun

Sir Zanchet D’ bridgecourt

Sir Hugh Courtney

Sir Walter Paveley

15. On the left side of the Church are the houses of the Custos or Deane and twelve Praebendaries. On the right side standeth an house not unlike to the Graecians Pyrtaneum, wherein twelve aged militare men, Gentlemen borne, are maintained: who wearing a red or skarlet kirtle [gown] reaching downe to their ankles, with an upper mantle of purple over it, are bound daily to bee present at divine service, there to commend unto God in their prayers the knights of this Order. Betwixt the two Courts before said, there riseth up an high mount, on which is set a round tower, and and hard by it ariseth another loftie tower, called Winchester Tower of William Wickham Bishop of Winchester, whom King Edward the Third made overseer of the worke when he built the Castle. Some report that the said Wickham, after hee had built and furnished this Tower, in a certaine inner wall engraved these words, this made <and finished> Wickham, which maner of speech in the English tongue, that seldome maketh distinction of cases, carrieth such a doubtfull construction that uncertaine it is whether he made these buildings, or the buildings made him. Hereof information was given to the King by some privie back-biters for to worke him a displeasure, and that in such termes as if Wickham did arrogantly challenge to himselfe all the honour of the building. Which when the King tooke in verie evill part, and sharply rebuked him for it, he made him this answer, That he had not arrogated and ascribed to himselfe the praise of so sumptuous and princely an aedifice, but accounted this building and peece of work to have been the meanes of all his dignities and preferments. “Neither have I (quoth he) made this Castle, but this Castle hath made me, and from low estate raised me unto the Kings favour, unto wealth and dignitie.” Under the Castle toward the West and South lieth the towne of good bignesse and populous withall, which from the time of King Edward the Third began to flourish, and the other, which standeth farther off and is now called Old Windsore, fell by little and little to decay. In which (whiles William the First raigned, as we read in his booke), there were an hundred Hages, or houses, whereof two and twentie were quit from Gable, out of the rest there went thirtie shillings. No other memorable thing is here to bee found but Aeton, which is hereto adjoyned by a wooden bridge over the Tamis, and in it a faire Colledge and a famous Schoole of good literature, founded and built by King Henrie the Sixth, wherein, besides the Provost, eight fellowes, and the singing Choristers, there are threescore Scholars, instructed in Grammar, and in due time preferred to the Universitie of Cambridge. But this towne and college is in Buckinghamshire and not in Barkshire.

16. Now there remaineth nothing to say more of Windsore, but that there is an honourable family of Barons surnamed of Windsore, who fetch their originall from Walter the son of Other, Castellan of Windsore in the time of King William William the First, from whom also Master Robert Glover, most studious and skilfull in Heraldrie, and who in the company of Heralds bare the title of Somerset, hath prooved the Fitz-Giralds in Ireland, Earles of Kildare and Desmond, to bee derived. Neither thinke much of our labour to runne over these verses of Windsore taken out of the Poem entituled The mariage of Tame and Isis and penned certaine yeeres past, wherein father Tamisis endevoureth to set forth as well the dignitie of the place as the majestie of Queene Elizabeth, keeping her Court therein.

And now the tour-supporting bankes at Windsore mount on hie,
That with their loftie-headed tops reach to the cloudy skie.
Which when he saw, and had withall greeted that learned Eaton,
Where masters too too rigorous have schollers overbeaten
His sea-like head he lifting up in this wise gan to say:
“Thy long discourse (o Windsor) I wish thee now to stay,
Of high-rais’ d mounts, of temples, wals that rise with stately staire,
Of yron-bound beames, of battlements, and pinnacles so faire,
Of gamefull parks, of meadowes fresh, ay spring-like pleasant fields,
Of goodly gardens clad with flowers, that wholesome Zephyrus yeilds,
Of nurseries, gilt-mariage bowers, and sumptuous tombes of Kings
Relate no more, but make an end of all such glorious things.
What though thou much renowned be by many a Georgian Knight,
And Nobles clad in mantles rich, with costly garter dight,
Doe cause thy name to shine so much, and thence to thy great praise
Through out the world are spred abrode so bright and glittering raies,
That Burgunde despiseth now his goodly Toison D’ or,
And France of colars garnisht faire with cockles set no store,
Nor Rhodes, with Alcal and Elba, regard the robes with Crosse
Sightly beset, so that they count their Orders all but drosse,
Compar’ d with Knighthood this of thine, which onely bears the name.
Cease now to joy, cease now at length to wonder at the same.
All yeeld to one, what ev’ r thou hast in one is drowned all,
For greater glorie grows to thee, and honour more doth fall,
In that there dwels upon my banke, and seated is in thee,
Elizabeth” (and therewith Tamis, seeming to bow his knee
And gently crouch, obeisance made, and then he thus went on).
“Elizabeth, of Englishmen sole Goddesse, Saint alone.
Whose praise-worth vertues if in verse I now should take in hand
For to comprize, on Meliboc, a hill that high doth stand,
I might as easily set the Alps, or number all my sand.
If some I would in silence passe, what ever I suppresse
Will greater proove than all the rest. If I my selfe addresse
Her formost acts, and travailes old to count, I then shall find
That those of present times to them will draw away my mind.
Say that of justice I relate: more shin’ s her mercies lore.
Speake I of her victorious armes? Unarm’ d she gained more.
That piety now flourisheth, that England feares no warre,
That none rules law, but unto law all men obedient are,
That neighbour Scots be not enthral’d to Frenchmen rigorous,
That Irish wild doe now cast off their fashions barbarous,
That shag-hair’ d Ulster Kern doth learne civility anew,
The praise and thanks is hers alone. What is not her due?
Those Goddesses that vices chase, and are beseeming best
A Prince so rare, are seated all and shrined in her brest.
Religion first puts her in mind to worship God aright,
And Justice teacheth to preferre before all gaine the right.
Prudence adviseth nought to doe rashly without fore-cast.
Then Temperance perswades to love all things both pure and chast,
And Constancie her resolute minde doth settle firme and fast.
Hence justly she, ALWAYS THE SAME claimes and keepes to the last.
Who can descrive in waving verse such noble vertues all?
Praise-worthy parts shee hath alone, what all yee reckon shall.
Then happinesse, long life and health, praise, love, may her betide,
So long as waves of mine shall last, or streame and banks abide,
So long may shee, most blessed Prince, all Englands scepter sway.
Let both my course and her life end in one and selfe-same day.

17. The rest of Barkshire which lieth southward from Windsor is shadowed with woods and thickets, commonly called the Forrest of Windesore, in which the townes and villages stand but thinne (whereof Ockingham is of greatest name, by reason of the bignesse thereof, and trade of clothing), but verie full it is of game in everie place. Now, for as much as we have often times made mention, and shall still, of the Forrests, what is a Forrest is, and the reason of that name, if you desire to know (but see you laugh not hereat), take it here out of the blacke booke of the Exchequer: A Forrest is a safe harbor and abiding place of deere or beasts, not of all whatsoever, but of wilde, and such as delight in woods: not in every place, but in some certaine and meet for that purpose, and hereupon a forrest hath the name, as one would say, Feresta, that is, a station of wild beasts. And incredible it is how much ground the kings of England have suffered every where to lie untilled and set apart for to empale and enclose such deere, or as they use to say, have afforested. Neither can I think that anything else was the cause thereof, but only the overmuch delight in hunting, or to maintaine the Kings houshold (although some attribute it to the infrequencie of people to inhabit the countrey), seeing that since the Danes were heere, they for a long time afforested more and more, and for the maintenance and keeping of such places ordained most straight lawes, and an overseer, whom they cal Protoforestarius, that is, Chiefe forester or Master of the Forests, who should heare causes belonging unto Forrests and punishe either by death or losse of a limb whosoever killed Deere within any parke or chase. But John of Sarisburie shal in his own words tell you these things briefely out of his Polycraticon: That which you may marvell more at, to lay gins [traps] for birds, to set snares to allure them with nooze or pipe, or by any waies laying whatsoever to entrappe or take them, is often times by vertue of an Edict made a crime, and either amerced [fined] with forfeiture of goods, or punished with losse of limme and life. You have heard that the fowles of the aire and fishes of the sea are common. But these ywis belong unto the King which the Forrest Law taketh hold of and claimeth, wheresoever they flie. with-hold thy hand, forbeare, and abstaine lest thou also be punished for treason, fall into the hunters hands as a prey. Husbandmen are debarred their fallow fields whiles Deere have libertie to stray abroad, and that their pastures may be augmented, the poore farmer is abridged and cut short of his grounds. What is sowen, planted, or graffed [grafted], they keepe from the husbandmen that be tenants, both pasturage from heardsmen, drover and graziers, and Bee-hives they exclude from floury plots; yea, the verie Bees themselves are scarcely permitted to use their naturall libertie.Which courses, seeming too inhumane, were the occasion otherwise of great troubles and uproares, so long unto in the end by the rising and revolt of the Barons there was wrested from King Henrie the Third the Charter de Foresta, wherein those rigorous lawes being made void, he granted others more indifferent, whereunto they are bound even at this day who dwell within compasse of the Forrests. And from that time, two Justices were appointed for these causes, whereof the one overseeth all Forrests on this side the river Trent, the other all the rest beyond Trent as farre as Scotland, with great authoritie. Throughout all this Province or country (as wee find in the Survey booke of England), The Taine or Kings Knight, holding of him as Lord, whensoever he died, left unto the King for a reliefe all his armour, one horse with a saddle, and another without a saddle. And if he had either hounds or hawkes, the were tendred and presented unto the King, that hee might take them if he would. When Gelt was given in the time of King Edward the Confessour generally throughout all Barkshire, an Hide of Land yeelded three pence halfepenny before Christmas, and as much at Whitsontide. Thus much of Barkshire, which (as yet) hath given the title of Earle to no man.
Within this shire are Parishes 140.

18. These Regions which hetherto we have travailled thorow, that is to say, of the Danmonii, Durotriges, Belgae, and Attrebatii, what time as the Saxons bare Soveraigne rule in Britane, fell to the Kingdome of the West-Saxons, which they in their language called Weast Seaxanric, and themselves Geguysis of Cerdics Grandfather, who first erected this Kingdom. Whence they were termed Gervissi, and by others also Visi-Saxones from their West-situation, like as the Westerne Gothes are named Visi-Gothi. These at the length in the best and flourishing time of the Empire reduced the English Heptarchie into the Saxons Monarchie; which notwithstanding afterward, through the lither [weaker] cowardise of their Kings, quickly aged and soone vanished. So that herein that may be verified which we daily see. The race or issue of the most valiant men and noblest Families, like as of the of-spring of plants, hath their springing up, their flowring and maturitie, and in the end begin to fade, and by little and little to die utterly.

Source: www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/gloceng.html

Last changed: 2711/2006, 15:45:00