Britain, or a chorographicall description of the most flourishing kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Ilands adioyning, out of the depth of antiqvitie : beavtified with mappes of the severall Shires of England / written first in Latine by William Camden ; Translated newly into English by Philémon Holland.

William Camden

Date:: 1610

Credit: Britain, or a chorographicall description of the most flourishing kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Ilands adioyning, out of the depth of antiqvitie : beavtified with mappes of the severall Shires of England / written first in Latine by William Camden ; Translated newly into English by Philémon Holland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

191/1348 page 163

$A Therewere alfo inthe reigne of Henrie the Eight (Ihope without offence I may Ípeake the truth) many religious places, Monuments of ourfore fathers pietie and de- votion, to the honor of God , the propagation of Chriftian faith and good learning, | andalfo for the reliefe and maintenance of the poore and impotent, to wit, Monafte- Monafteries ties or Abbaies, and Priories, to the number of 645 : of which when by permiffion of ™ DER Pope Clement the feuenth , fortie were {upprefled by Cardinall VVolteiesmeanes, who then had begun to found two Colleges , one at Oxenford, the other at Ipfwich : ftraightwaies , AU the xxxvj. yeere otthereigne of the faid Henrie the Eight, afüdden floud (as it were) breaking thorow the banks with a maipe ftreame , fell B upon theEcelefiafticall State of England; which whiles the world ftood amazed,and England groned thereat , bare downe and utterly overthrew the greateft part ofthe Clergie , together with their moft goodly and beautifullhoufes. For, thatleave which the Pope granted to the Cardinall;the King with affent ofthe Parlament took to himfelfe. VVhereupon, in the yeere of our Lord, 1556. all religious houfes every one, together withall their livings and revenewes, as many I meane as might difpend by yerely rent 200. pound or under, (and thofe amounted to the number of 376) were granted tothe King. And in the yeere nextfollowing, under a faire pretence & fhew of rooting outfuperftition , allthe reft , together with Colleges , Chanteries and : Hofpitals were left to the difpofe and pleafure ofthe King. At which time, the reli- An hundred C gious houfes remaining , in number 605. were furveied , valued or taxed. Colled- Monks Ali. ges there were , befidesthofe in the Vniverfities, 90-Hofpitals 110. Chanteries and «0s, King tree Chapels 2374. All which for the moft part , fhortly after were every whete pul- od T nh led downe , their revenuesfold and made away , and thofe goods and riches which folved be- the Chriftianpietie of Engli(h nation had confecrated unto God, fince they firft fere profeffed Chriftianity were in a momentas it were difperfed, and (to the difpleafure ofnoman be it fpoken) profaned. THE STATES AND DEGREES D of England. So Px 2S S touching the divifion of our Common-wealth, itconfifteth of & / \ay@.-) a King or Monarch;Noblemen or Gentry, Citizens, Free-borne, $2 whom we call; Yeomen, and Artifans or Handicraftfinen. |... —— wiS2 Tus Kinc,whonrour anceftors [the Englith- Saxons] cal- T+ Xing SU M9.) led Coning and Cyninz (in whichname is implied a fignification 3) NES both of power and skill) and wee. name contra&ly , King, hath PRISE fc overaigne power and abfolute command among us,neither hol- Edeth he his empire in vaffallage , nor receiveth his invefture or enftalling of another, ne yet acknowledgeth any fuperiour but God alone: and asone faid , 4//verily are under bim, and bim[elfe under none , but God onely : Alfo, hehath very many rights of Maieftie peculiar to himfelfe,(the leamed Lawyers terme them, Sacra facrorz, that is; Sacred, and Individua;that is, infeparable, becaufethey cannot be fevered: and the common fort -Reia//praregatives), which they terme , The flowers of his Crowne , in NUT sphich reffect they affirme that the recall matcriall Crowue is adorned with flowers. Some s. of thefe, are by pofitive or written law ; others, by right of cuftome,which by a filent confent of all men without law , prefcription; of time hath allowed, the King iuftly enjoierh:: and moft defervedly ; confidering that His watchfull care defendeth the ftate F of all his painfulllabour maintsineth the quiet of all his carefullinduftry, uphaldeth the dex Seneca: lights of all,and his bufie emploiment offordeth cafe toall. Bur thefe are points of a loftier, difcourfe,andnot ofthe argument nowin hand. Thefecond ornext tothe King, is his. firft begotten fonne : who, like as among T*« Prince, theRomans, the heire apparent, and affigned fucceffonr to the Empire, was firft . entituled, Princeps Inventutis, thac is, Prince of the youth ; and afterwards (as flatte- O 2 rie$

Licence and re-use

Contents