Pics Wa!!. Thanet. The Pics Wall is worth our Notice, being a Piece of Roman Antiquity, little of which is now remaining When the Romans fettled here by Force of Arms, they were always harrafs'd by the Pics, on the fide of Scotland. To stop their Inroads, the Emperor Hadrian caufed a Wall of Earth to be built, extending from the German to the Irish Sea, the Space of 80 Miles, or 27 French Leagues, and caus'd it to be pallifado'd, Anno 123. Severus the Emperor built it up of Stone, with Turrets from Mile to Mile, and a Garrison therein. But the Pitts, nevertheless, broke in through this Wall more than once. At last, Etius, a Roman General, rebuilt it of Brick, in 430. but 'twas not long before it was pull'd down by the Picts. It was 8 Foot thick, and 12 Foot high from the Ground: Some Part of it is still to be feen, both in Northumberland and Cumberland. Vortimer's At Stonar, the chief Place of the Ifle of Thanet in Kent, is to Sepulchre in be seen the Sepulchre of Vortimer, King of the ancient Britons, the Isle of who having vanquish'd the Saxons in many Battles, and at last driven them out of the Ifland, order'd, before his Death, that he would be buried here, on a fond Conceit that his Corpfe would fright them from landing any more upon this Coaft. In that, Scipio-like, who having fubdued the Carthagenians, ordered his Tomb to be turned towards Africa, to fright them from the Coaft of Italy. But the Britons found the Difference between a King in the Field, and one in the Grave. Alney, an fle in the Severn. Alney, in the Severn, is an land famous in Hiftory for the fingle Combat fought in it (Anno 1016.) betwixt the Saxon King Edmund, firnamed Ironfide, and Canute, King of Denmark, his Competitor for the Crown of England, in the View of their refpective Armies: In which Canute being over-match'd by Edmund, they embraced each other, and agreed to divide the Kingdom between them, the South of England being allotted to Edmund, and the North to Canute. Edmund dying foon after, Canute feiz'd upon the whole, and was the first of the three Danish Kings that wore the Crown of England. The Isle of The Ile of Wight, near Portsmouth in Hampshire, is noted not Wight, for- only for its Fruitfulness, and excellent Wooll, but alfo for its merly a Kingdom. having been once advanced to the Title of a Kingdom, by King Henry VI. in behalf of Henry Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, his great Favourite, who was crowned King of Wight, and of the Ifles of Jerfey and Guernsey, in 1445. but dying two Years after, the Isle of Wight loft by his Death the Title of a Kingdom. For King Edward IV. the next Succeffor to Henry, bestowed this Ifland upon his Father-in-law, Richard Woodville, Earl Rivers, with the Title of Lord of Wight, as the Earl of Derby is Lord of the Isle of Man. Abbies. In the Times of Popery here were feveral Abbies, two among the reft chiefly to be mentioned. I. Called Langley Abbey, near Watford in Hartfordshire (the Birth-place of Nicholas Break Spear, is pear, who being elected Pope, took the Name of Hadrian IV.) II. The Abbey of St. Edmund's Bury in Suffolk, which was incomparable, for its Magnificence and Revenues. СНАР. V. Of the Populoufnefs of England, and the yearly Country IS, doubtless, a great Advantage for a Country to be Populousness is, and, and that in feveral Refpects. 1. For the Confumption of its Commodities. 2. For the Improvement of Trade. 3. For the Strength and Wealth of the State. The Republick of Holland, the most populous State of Europe, confidering its Extent, is fo well convinc'd of this Truth, that The freely receives all Strangers that come thither to settle. The Magiftrates take care of all poor Families that feek a San&tuary there, till they are in a Condition to fupport themselves. All Religions are tolerated, though none but Protestants have a Share in the Government. 'Tis true, England is not altogether fo populous, but comes little short of it: Though great Numbers of Meh, Women and Children, tranfport themfelves yearly into Foreign Parts, especially to the Plantations, in Afia, Africa and America, most of whom live and die there. But then their Lofs is happily supply'd by a perpetual Concourfe of Foreigners: Otherwife England would go near to be unpeopled in lefs than half an Age. 'Twas happy for Us, that the Saxons and Danes agreed at last together, and intermarried: Next to whom the Narmans came in; who contributed to people the Country. In the Reign of Henry III. this Nation fwarm'd with Pottevins, whom that Prince took into his Protection. In Queen Elizabeth's Reign, when the Low-Countries groaned under the Perfecution of their Spanish Governor, above 3000d Flemings came to take Sanctuary here. And when James I. came from Scotland to take Poffef fion of the Crown of England, he drew hither after him an infinite Number of Scots. From that Time to this, London particularly has been conftantly fupply'd with Foreigners from most Parts of Europe; but above all with French, of whom we reckon at least 30000, who fled from their Country under pretence of Perfecution. To be convinc'd of the Populoufnefs of England, 'tis but compating its Towns and Cities; particularly those we call MarketTowns. First, there are 28 Cities, or Bishops Sees, though there are but 26 Dipceffes. The Reason of it is, that Bath and Wells, Litchfield and Coventry, are united Sees, C Amongst Amongst thofe Cities, London alone, confidered in its whole Extent, according to the Bills of Mortality, does probably contain one Million of Souls. Next to which York, Norwich, Salifbury, Exeter, Canterbury, Briftol, Shrewsbury, Gloucester, Worcefter, Oxford and Chefter, are the most confiderable. As for Market-Towns, there are above 650; befides many good Towns in which no Market is kept, and an infinite Number of Villages. Yearly Rent of Lands and The yearly Rent of all the Lands in England and Wales is comHoufes. puted to be Ten Millions Sterling. And that of Houses not let with the Lands, Two Millions. In all Twelve English Millions. Befides her prodigious Wealth in Jewels, Plate, Hoards of Money, rich Moveables, Merchandize, &c. C H A P. VI. England divided into 40 Counties, fhewing the Extent of each, the Number of its Parishes, MarketTowns, and Members of Parliament. The Counties afterwards divided into Maritime and Inland. WHEN the Romans were poffeffed of this Country, they WHEN guished it by the different Names they gave to its Inhabitants; VIZ. ATREBATII, to the Inhabitants | CORNAVII, of Cheshire, Staf of Berkshire. ford, Warwick, Wilts, and Worcester Shires. DAMMONII, of Cornwall and Devonshire. DOBUNI, of Gloucefter, and Oxfordshire. DUROTRIGES, of Dorfetfhire. inghamshire, Bedfordshire, OTTADINI, of Northumberand Hartfordshire. land. CORITANI, of Lincolnshire, REGNI, of Suffex and Sur- tingham, Northampton and TRINOBANTES, of Essex and Middlesex. ALFRED, one of the Saxon Kings, firft divided England into Counties; vixe Length Of all which Counties, the laft is of the greatest Extent, reaching in Length 80 Miles, or 27 Leagues. Cornwall is 70 Miles long; Lincolnshire and Suffex, 60; Cumberland, Glexcefterbire, Kent, Norfolk, and Somerfetfhire, about 50 Miles each. The The Word Shire, which terminates the Names of most Counties, fignifies originally a Partition, or Divifion: But, being ufed alone, 'tis a fynonimous Word with County. To the 473 Members of Parliament, mentioned in the Catalogue, p. 19. there are to be added 16 from the Cinque Ports, 45 from Scotland, and 24 from Wales, making in all 558. which is the Number of the House of Commons fince the UNION. Seven of the aforefaid Counties lie upon the German Sea, viz. Northumberland, Lincolnshire, Suffolk, Devonshire, Suffix, Dorfetfhire, Cornwall. Two at the Severn's Mouth, viz. Somerfetfhire and Monmouthshire. And Four upon the Irish Sea, or St. George's Channel. viz. Cheshire, Lancashire, Cumberland, and Westmorland. A particular Defcription of each County: Wherein Notice is taken of the Shire and Market-Towns, and of fuch Places as fend Members to Parliament, having a prefix'd; and of Thofe, whence Noblemen take their Titles. TH HE Advantages of England over moft Countries in Europe, and her Populoufnefs, cannot be better made out, than by a particular Defcription' of her Counties. I therefore thought it proper to give the following fuccinct Account of 'em, for the Satisfaction of thofe who aim at a perfect Knowledge of this Kingdom. BERK |