did require, have now retired myself to a private Country life, and so may with that conceited Macaronick Poet1 say, "Et quoniam mea sit quâ scribo penna badilus, Et faciam drusias fossa cavando manus;" cannot therefore make such discourse as the worthiness of the subject requireth, being hereby destitute of those helps which the City affordeth; yet notwithstanding, rather than my native Country should any longer lie obscured with darkness, I have adventured (in some sort) to restore her to her worth and dignity, being animated hereto by the examples of many grave and worthy men; as that most learned and never enough admired Antiquary, William Camden, Esquire, Clarenceux King of Arms, who most exactly hath discovered the whole Continent of all Britannia; and that industrious and well-deserving Master John Speed, who, in that his great and elaborate History of England, hath well spoken of all the Shires, and, by his great travail and expences, hath for further grace thereto added the Maps of each Shire, the plot of every City and great Town therein inserted, never before performed by any; by others, who have illustrated several Counties, as namely that grave and sage Lawyer William Lambarde, of Lincoln's-Inn, Esquire, who from the depth of Antiquity hath restored the County of Kent; which comes in view again by the expert herald John Philipot, Esq. Somerset officer at arms: the eloquent and noble gentleman, Richard Carew, Esquire, who very worthily hath surveyed all Cornwall; and that excellent Surveyor John Norden, Gentleman, who hath briefly described the Counties of Middlesex and Hertford, and since then hath made certain Chorographical Tables of some Western Shires, and a fine Prospective of the City of London. Being also encouraged by many my good Friends of worth, among whom I cannot let pass unremembered (without a thankful acknowledgement) the kind assistance and good directions of my ancient and much respected friend and kinsman, John Beaumont of Gracedieu in the County of Leicester, Esquire; as also of that expert Genealogist, my good friend and kinsman, Master Augustine Vincent, by his place Rouge Croix Officer at Arms, who very kindly from the Tower hath imparted to me many worthy Notes, elsewhere not to be had or found, whose labours also in this kind for the County of Northampton ere long will come to light. "In this Description I have run through in every Town (as occasion was offered) the four Sections [Antiquity, History, Armory, and Genealogy]. As for the Topography of this County, at the request of a Friend of mine I rectified, certain years passed, Christopher Saxton's Map of this County, with an addition of. eighty towns, which was graven at Amsterdam by Iodocus Hondius, 1602, and since imitated by Master Speed, in his great History of Britain, with an augmentation of the Plot of the Town of Leicester, and reduced into a lesser form, and here inserted; and of those places which are of a more eminent site, I have briefly spoken something throughout; and where any natural passage offered itself to be spoken of, I have there a little digressed, and written what I thought, not thinking it altogether impertinent to give satisfaction to the Reader in this kind. And to the end likewise that this Discourse might give content in some sort to each, I have of purpose (where conveniently I might) used such Historical Digressions, as with fitness might upon the precedent Treatise have dependence; like unto those artificial Cooks and Confectionaries, who, in setting forth of a feast or banquet, do fit several dishes and conceits for several palates. I have observed, as near as could be ascertained, the times of the foundations of all Monasteries, Abbeys, Religious Houses, Churches, Chapels, Houses of Nobility, or other memorable places of note, which hereafter, perhaps, may give light to some other passages. Concerning the Titles of Land herein expressed, where Manors, Lands, or Tenements, did descend by an Heir-general, or were granted by the King's Letters Patents, or by any such eminent grant, I have there made bold to set down the same, which I have done for this purpose, that the Antiquity of continuance of them in a Name or Blood might be discovered, and the ancient Owner (so far as could be found) might be known; not intending to derogate any thing from any man's right or title, or to move any doubts or questions to the same. In setting down of Tenures I have been very sparing, least for my over-boldness I might be justly censured. The Socage Tenure I have expressed; and 'Merl. Coccaio, Sonol. di Zantionella. no no certainty of any other, unwilling to give any cause of offence; for well I know there are more differences, and more strange proceedings and carriages in these businesses, than in any one thing of so common a nature: yet, no doubt, they might be rectified, if the truest and most probable Records and Evidences were accepted. Offices and Inquisitions are very uncertain, sometimes clean contrary to truth, which are passed and concluded with such proofs as for that time are delivered. Those Cases of Law which of later times have happened within the Shire, I have briefly remembered; in some shewing some arguments and reasons of the judgment. As touching the Genealogies and Arms of the Gentry, I have forborn to write of the modern, only speaking of the old and antient, whose Families are now extinct; lest perhaps, for not giving to each one now living his own content, I might be without cause challenged; only some few of my Friends I have remembered, upon whose kindness I have presumed, that they will accept in good part whatsoever I have delivered. For the state of the Church, I thought good to set down in the same manner as I find it expressed in an old Manuscript, made anno 1220, in the fifth year of Henry the Third, wherein is discovered what Churches were Rectories, what were appropriate. If Rectories, who was the Patron; who the Incumbent; what Chapels belonging unto them, and how they were to be served, whether by a Chaplain resident, or on certain days, or ex gratiá: if appropriate, to what Monastery or Religious House belonging; and in some, how the Vicar was endowed, and with what, and to whom, the Tithes were to be paid. I have further added, out of the Records in the Office of the Auditors of the Press, by the means and help of Sir Francis Gofton, Knight, one of the Auditors, what value they are now of in the King's Books. And further, I have shewed who are the now Patrons of every Church. For the Roman Antiquities, or any other of note, I have briefly touched so many as have come to my knowledge. Lastly, I have added all the Arms in all the Church Windows in the Shire, and the Inscriptions of the Tombs, which (for the most part) I have taken by my own view and travel, to this end, for that perhaps they may rectify Armories and Genealogies, and may give testimony, proof, and end to many differences. For of my own knowledge I can affirme, that the Antiquity of a Church Window, for the proof of a match and issue had, hath been delivered in evidence to a Jury at an Assizes, and hath been accepted. I have also added the names to most of the Coats, for which I had any proof or probable conjecture thereto. If the blazon do not give satisfaction, I must confess I have not followed that conceited blazon of Gerard Leigh, or others of later times, but delivered in such terms as myself was best acquainted with, and would serve for any one's understanding. Thus, gentle Reader, have I made known unto thee my whole intendment, desiring thy favourable acceptance of these my labours and endeavours [which (as they be) unto thy friendly censure I submit them all, and myself."] In concluding the Book, in 1622, he adds, "If there be any thing worthily done, which may give content or satisfaction to the Reader, it is what I desired; if any thing omitted, Bernardus non videt omnia; if any thing mistaken, erroneous, or fault-worthy, I must crave pardon. My intention was, that Truth might be discovered; and that those clouds of darkness and black mists, wherewith this County's lustre hath long been shadowed, might at length be dispersed; and that her Sun's glorious rays, so long eclipsed, might rilucer, shine out to the view of every one; which now doth rilumbre, somewhat clear appear, and by some more happy genius and judicious pen may hereafter be better illustrated. But where the Sun's bright beams could not pierce into, I have to those oscure grotte, dark caves and vaults, brought candle-light, my own conceit and conjecture, which (as they are) I submit to the favourable censure of the more learned and judicious.”—It only remains to transcribe a part of Mr. Burton's valediction "To the Reader" in 1641. "Gentle Reader, as in the beginning I spake unto thee, so at the end give me leave a little farther to express myself. This work was first begun 1597, not many years after my coming to the Inner Temple, not with an intendment that ever it should have come to public view, but for my own private use, which, after it had slept a long time, was on a sudden raised out of the dust, and by force of an higher power drawn to the press, having scarce an allowance of time for the furbishing and putting on a mantle. But now, Georgé Marquis of Buckingham, 4 F 2 being being come to a second impression, which I have much desired, as well to certify such errors as first escaped, as to make answers to the exceptions taken against it, I will now speak something in brief unto them. Some first strike at the main, holding it unfit that a book of this nature should come in publick. What their reasons should be I never yet could learn. For myself, I was altogether unwilling to the setting it forth; not for the matter or subject, but my own insufficiency, it requiring a more judicious head. But that it is fit that a work of this kind should be published, I must needs assent thereto; and truly say, that if all the Shires were illustrated in the same manner, much light and benefit would arise thereby. They perhaps distaste that Truth should be discovered; sed magna est Veritas, et prævalet. In discovering of titles and tenures, I have been exceeding wary not to prejudice any in the least degree; and for those few genealogies inserted, I have ascended no higher than might stand with truth; neither have I endeavoured to wrench or screw any into a family but what were justly issuant. And what I have spoken of any, I have related it sincerely; imitating therein Leandro Alberto, in his Description of Italy, Mr. Lambarde, Mr. Camden, Mr. Carew, and others; not with an intention of soothing or fawning, for I ever hated base and servile flattery; neither have I any such cause, for that I have means sufficient to my own content; neither have I any relation or dependency upon any-I am free. But, sith their humour is to live in obscurity and blindness, let them nuzzle themselves still in their own ignorance, die in darkness, be buried in forgetfulness, and receive that doom which Henry of Huntingdon imposeth upon their like. Next I have been taxed, for that, having taken upon me the profession of another study, learned and profitable, I have yet addicted myself to the study of Antiquities; terming it an over-curious searching after things past without profit, led for the most part by conjectures and uncertainties. To them first I answer, that the study of the Laws I have not neglected, though the practice thereof I have discontinued, as not having an able body (as in the Preface I said) to support the laborious pains thereof, or to endure the extremity of heat and cold occasioned by long travail (otherwise sound and healthful); as also not having a spirit apt for such contentious proceedings. But for their misconceit of this worthy study of Antiquities, and me a lover thereof, I must say with Sidonius Apollinaris, "Qui non intelligunt artes, non mirantur artifices;" but the most judicious well know what the study is; and, as Mr. Camden truly said, "Studium sanè plusquam difficile, in quo quantopere sudandum, ut nemo ferè sentit, sic nemo facilè credit; nisi qui et ipse aggressus fuerit." But surely they would be somewhat mollified, if they would but consider the true character thereof; which is, the recovering of that was almost perished, the renewing of old and obsolete, the bringing up of Truth from the cave of Ignorance and Envy, the restitution of errors to true knowledge, of lameness to uprightness, of wrong to right, of darkness to light, of dead to life; these, then, being the effects, who justly can except against it? I must needs say, that, where pregnant proofs cannot be had, conjectures may well be made. For, as Sebastian Munster, in his Preface to his Cosmography, dedicated to the Emperor Charles the Fifth, well said, "In Antiquitatum annotationibus conjecturâ potiùs quam certitudine nitamur oportet, ubi veritas se ipsam manifestè non probat, quibus conjecturis usi sunt B. Rhenanus et Bilibaldus Perkheimerus in suis descriptionibus Germaniæ." The like saith Livy, " Antiquis in rebus si quæ veris similia pro veris accipienda." To make an apology for that which need not, is but in vain; but for conclusion, there is no science whatsoever which is not beholden to this noble study, especially the knowledge of the Common Laws; witness the old Year-books, the Reports of the grave and reverend Mr. Keilwey, Mr. Plowden, the Lord Dyer, the Lord Coke, to whose Preface to the tenth part I refer thee for farther satisfaction. Let me desire therefore (courteous Reader) with Henry Bracton, sometimes a reverend Judge of the Common Pleas, and a writer of the Laws, "Ut si quid superfluum vel perperàm positum in hoc opere inveneris, illud corrigas et emendes, vel conniventibus oculis pertranseas, cum omnia habere in memoriâ et nullo peccare, divinum sit potius quam humanum;" requesting, lastly, thy gentle acceptance of this my work, not for any worth or merit it can challenge, but for my own labour, travail, and endeavours. WILLIAM BURTON. From Lindley, near Hinckley, com. Leic. 1641," |