BERKSHIRE, or the County of BERKS. S an Inland County, in the Diocese of Salisbury, and in the Oxford Circuit; à molt pleafane Country, 1/20 Miles in Cir cumference, contains about 527000 Acres, and 16906 Houses: The Air is good, and the Soil fruitful; yielding plenty of Corn, Cattle, Wild-fowl, Wooll, and Wood, efpecially Oak. The Thames and Kennet are its principal Rivers. It gives the Title of Earl to Henry Bowes Howard, the prefent Earl of Berkshire, defcended from Thomas Howard, who was created Earl of Berkshire, Viscount Andover, and Baron of Charleton, by King James I. Market-Towns. READING, the Shire-Town, Saturday. Abington, M. & F. Hungerford, Wedn. Windfor, Saturd. Newbury, Thurid. Wallingford, T. & F. Faringdon, Tueid. Maidenhead, Wedn. Wanting, Saturday. Eafl-Ifley, Wedn, Okingham, Tueld. Reading, 32 Miles Weft of London, feated at the Fall of the Reading. Kennet into the Thames, confifts of three Parifnes, and is pretty populous; noted for its Trade in Malt, and Manufacture of Cloth. Abington, on the Thames, five Miles from Oxford, is a neat Abington. Town, having two Parishes, a Grammar-School, an Hofpital, and a Town-boufe in the Market-place. This is one of thofe few Borough-Towns that fend but one Member to Parliament, whereas the greatest Part fend two, and London four. It gives the Title of Earl to Montague Venables Bertie, Son of James Bertie, who was created Earl of Abington by King Charles II. in 1682. Windfor, alfo on the Thames, 20 Miles from London, ftands Wind'or. upon a Hill; on the Top of which is the Castle of Windfor, a Windfor Royal and moft ftately Palace, to which belongs a fair Chapel, Caftic. wherein are installed the Knights of the most Noble Order of the Garter, and a magnificent Hall for the Installation-Feast. What is remarkable befides, is the great and fpacious Terrass on one fide of the Cafle, yielding a moft pleasant Profpect of feveral Counties. This Terraf was finished in the Reign of King Charles II. who kept his Court here, and laid out vaft Sums of Money to beautify this Palace: In the Chapel whereof, Henry VIII. and Charles I. are intombed. Wallingford, alfo on the Thames, has been a Town of great WallingNote, the Guallena of the Ancients, and the chief Place of the ford. Atrebatii. In the Saxons Time it was fortified with a good Wall and Cafle, and had twelve Parish-Churches. But now there is but one Church, and of its Wall and Castle nothing to be feen but their Ruins. Maiden head. Bedford. Dunstable. Maidenhead is on the Thames. Hungerford and Newbury upon the Kennet. Hungerford noted especially for the Goodness of its Trouts, and Plenty of Craw-Fish. Faringdon for its Cloathing. Okingham and Newbury for the Title of Baron they gave, the first to his late Royal Highness Prince George of Denmark, and the last to the Duke of Southampton. A BEDFORDSHIRE. N Inland County, in Lincoln Diocefe, and in the Norfolk Circuit, 73 Miles in Circumference, contains about 260,000 Acres, and about 12,170 Houfes; is a fruitful Country, well ftor'd with Corn and Cattle, especially the North Parts of it. Market-Towns. BEDFORD, the Shire-Town, Tuefd. and Sat. Dunstable, Wedn. Woburn, Friday. Leighton, Tuefd. Biglefwade, Tuesd. Luton, Mond. Potton, Saturday, Bedford, upon the Oufe, 38 Miles North of London, contains five Parishes. Anno 1548. King Edward VI. created John Ruffel Earl of Bedford, who was then Baron of Taveflock, Lord Prefident of the Council, and Lord High Admiral: Which Dignity continued in a direct Line, till the late King William dignify'd William Ruffel with the Title of Duke of Bedford, now enjoy'd by John Ruffel, his Grandfon. Dunstable, fuppofed to be the ancient Magiovinium, is noted for its excellent Larks; Woburn for its Fuller's Earth, and Ampthill, a Manor belonging to the Crown, for the Title of Viscount it gives to the Earl of Ailebury. BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, or the County of BUCKS. Nother Inland County, in Lincoln Diocefe, 138 Miles in A Circumference, contains about 1411000 Acres, and 18390 Houses; is very plentiful both in Corn and Pafture, particularly the Vale of Ailesbury, which feeds an infinite Number of Sheep, yielding excellent Wool. The Tame, Oufe, and Coln, are its principal Rivers. Market-Towns. BUCKINGHAM, the Chief, Saturday. Ailebury, Saturd. Marlow, Saturd. Amersham, Tuesd. Wendover, Thurf. Newport Pagnel, Sat. Beaconsfield, Thurfd. Iving, Friday. Chefham, Wednefd. Winlaw, Thurfd. Rijborough, Saturd. Buck ham. Buckingham, 44 Miles from London, ftands upon the Oufe, Bucking- Ailebury gives the Title of Earl to Thomas Bruce, the prefent Ailesbury. There is alfo in this County a Place call'd Eaton, fituate upon Eaton. Afcot, a Manor in this Shire, gives the Title of Viscount to the Ascot. Duke of Chandos. A CAMBRIDGESHIRE. N Inland County, in the Diocese of Ely, 130 Miles in Circumference, contains about 570000 Acres, and 17347 Houfes; abounds in Corn and Pafture, Fish, Wild-Fowl, and Saffron. 'Tis true, the North Parts of it, call'd the Ile of Ely, are full of Marbes, and fubject to be overflowed by the Oufe, and other Rivers, which make 'em unhealthful, and yield but little Corn: But this Defect is abundantly fupply'd by their Plenty of Cattle, Fish, and Wild-Fowl. In this County, not far from Cambridge, are the Hills called Hog-Magog-Hills, fortify'd by the Danes with three Intrenchments, part of which are still to be seen. Market-Towns. O CAMBRIDGE, the Shire-Town, Saturday. Cambridge, upon the Cam, 44 Miles North of London, is the Cambridge, Camboritum of the Ancients, now called Cantabrigia. In the Romans Time, Cambridge was one of their Colonies, and of the 28 Cities of Britain: Which Roman Colonies had their Schools of Learning, in which both the Roman and British Youth were taught C 4 taught feveral Arts and Sciences. Lucius, a British Monarch, and the first Christian King, was inftructed in the Chriftian Faith by the Doctors of Cambridge; among whom were Eluanus and Meduinus, fent by the King to Rome, for his fuller Satisfaction in Matters of Faith. Whether it were King Lucius, or Pope Eleutherius, that granted great Privileges to this University, I fhall not determine. Certain it is, that it is most ancient, it being counted an Univerfity from the latter End of the second Age, when both Lucius and Eleutherius were living. 'Tis true, it came to Ruin by the Invafion of the Saxons and Danes; by whom the Mufes were foon put to Flight; but they were afterwards recalled. Thus we must look upon Cambridge, 1. As a Town; and, 2. As an University. As a Town, it confifts of 14 Parishes. In Point of Situation, and good Air, 'tis granted that Oxford has the Advantage of Cambridge: But 'tis governed (as Oxford) by a Mayor, in Subjection to the Univerfity: To which he takes a folemn Oath, when he enters upon his Office, that he fhall maintain the Pri vileges, Liberties, and Customs thereof. As for Honorary Titles, Cambridge has been dignify'd, not only with the Title of an Earldom in feveral eminent Perfons, but allo that of a Dukedom in three Sons of the late King James, who died in their Infancy. But her late Majefty was pleased to revive it in the Perfon of George Auguftus, the Electoral Prince of Hanover; whom the created Baron of Tewksbury, Viscount NorthAllerton, Earl of Milford-Haven, Marquifs and Duke of Cambridge: Now his present Majesty King GEORGE the Second. As an University, which is the Glory of Cambridge, here are twelve Colleges and four Halls, all endowed, which the Halls in Oxford are not: And whereas Oxford is an Univerfity within a Town, Cambridge, on the contrary, is a Town within an Univerfity; molt of its Colleges being feated in the Skirts of the Town, which afford them the more delightful Walks and Gardens, St. John's-College, Trinity-College, Sidney Suffex College, Founded in 1506, by the fame. 1542, by Edw. Stafford, the laft Duke 1584, by Sir Walter Mildman, Chan- 1598, by Frances Sidney, Countess of Suffex. Of all which Colleges, Trinity and St. John's College are the moit beautiful. But King's College out-dces them all by its most ftately Chapel, one of the finest Pieces of Architecture in the World. Clare-Hall, Trinity-Hall, Catherine-Hall, The Halls. (1343, by Richard Bader. E1347, by Mary de St. Paul, Countess of Pembroke. Founded in 1353, by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich. 1459, by Robert Woodlarke, Chancel lor of the Univerfity. By the Foundations of the aforefaid Colleges and Halls, a certain Number of Fellows and Scholars are kept and maintained by each College or Hall: And each of thefe is ruled according to the Rules and Statutes of the Founder. Over each College and Hall there is a Head, call'd Mafter; except the Head of King's College, who goes by the Name of Prooft; and the Head of Queen's College, by that of Prefident. Over the whole Univerfity there is, firft, a Chancellor, chofen by the Univerfity, who is ufually one of the prime Nobility. Al new Chancellor may be chofen at Cambridge every three Years, or continue in the fame Office durante tacito Confenfu Senatus Cantabrigienfis: But the Chancellor of Oxford is so durante vità. Under the Chancellor there is a Commissary, who holds a Court of Record for all privileged Perfons and Scholars under the Degree of Master of Arts, where all Caufes are tried and determined by the Civil and Statute Law, and by the Custom of the University. Next to the Chancellor, is the Vice-Chancellor, who actually governs in his Stead the University. He is yearly chofen upon the third of November. At Cambridge the Batchelors of Arts complete their Degree in Lent, beginning at Ah-Wednesday. And the first Tuesday of July is always Dies Comitiorum, or the Commencement, wherein the Maflers of Arts, and the Doctors of all Faculties, complete their respective Degrees. Here three Years after a Man has taken the Degree of Batchelor, he may take that of Mafler of Arts; |