called Wapentakes, and for this reason: when a person received the government of a Wapentach, all the Elders came before him on an appointed day, and when he alighted from his horse, they all rose up; he set up his lance, which all present touched with theirs, and thus, by a contact of arms, they all bound themselves to each other in a public league of peace :-hence the name, from wepun arms, and tac to touch. There were also other jurisdictions superior to a Wapentach, called Thrihingas, or Trithings, each of which was the third part of a province: but, in some parts of England, these Trithings were called Lathes, and in others, again, Rapes. The several divisions of Hundreds, Wapentakes, Lathes, and Rapes, are still in use, as Sub-divisions of the English counties, although a few of them are portioned off into Wards and Divisions: the word Trithing is likewise maintained to the present day, under the corrupted form of Riding, in Yorkshire, which is divided into three parts, viz. the East Riding, the North Riding, and the West Riding. At the first division of the English counties, there were only 32; but, when William the 1st, took a survey of the kingdom, they were 36: there are now 40. 12. CANTWARA RICE was bounded on the N. by EastSeaxana Rice, on the W. by Suth-Seaxna Rice, and on the two other sides it was washed by the sea. It was founded by the famous Hengist, and corresponded with the modern county of Kent; the people were called Cant-ware, or KentishMen. It's metropolis was Cantwaraburh, Canterbury, on the R. Stour, in which was the famous Mynster, built by St. Augustine, or Austin, whom Gregory the Great sent over to Britain, to convert the Saxons: Ethelbert gave it, with the royalty, to Austin, upon his being consecrated Archbishop of the English nation, when he here fixed his own, and his successors' residence. 13. We may likewise mention Hrofceaster, now called Rochester, at the mouth of the R. Medawæge, or Medway; Raculf Reculver, and Reptacester Richborough, at the mouths of the Stour, and which were known to the Romans by the names of Regulbium and Rutupiæ; Dofre Dover; Andredesceaster Newenden, in Andre desleag, or the Wealds of Kent, both of which carry with them evident traces of the Roman Anderida. The last mentioned place was remarkable from the remnant of the Britons having been there massacred, without distinction of age or sex, under the direction of Ella and Cissa. 14. SUTH-SEAXNA RICE, or the kingdom of the SouthSaxons, was bounded on the E. by Cantwara Rice, on the N. by East-Seaxna Rice, on the W. by West-Seaxna Rice, and on the S. by the sea: it contained the two counties of Surrey and Sussex, which the Saxons knew by the names of Suthrige and Suth-Seaxe. It's chief city was Cisseceaster, Chichester, not far from the coast of the English Channel, and so called after Cissa, the second king of the South-Saxons. 15. We may likewise mention Peuenesea Pevensey, and Hæstingas Hastings, on the sea-coast, near the borders of Kent; at the former of these, William the 1st effected an undisturbed landing, A.D. 1066, and at Hastings, only a few days afterwards, the famous battle was fought between him and Harold, in which the latter monarch lost his life, and the Normans obtained possession of the kingdom. Guildford, on the R. Bradan or Wey, in Surrey, was called Gyldeford; and below it, close upon the borders of Sussex, was Aclea Ockley, where Ethelwolf made a great slaughter of the Danes. Upon the Southern banks of the R. Temese or Thames, were Cingestun Kingston, which derived it's name from the Saxon kings Ethelstan, Edwin, and Ethelred, having been crowned here, Lambhythe Lambeth, and Suthwere Southwark, the Southern part of our great Metropolis. 16. WEST-SEAXNA RICE (or Wessex, as it is sometimes called,) touched to the E. on Suth-Seaxna Rice, to the N. upon Myrcna Rice and the Bristol Channel, and to the S. upon the English Channel; it was founded by Cerdic, but did not arrive at it's full extent for many years afterwards. It contained the seven counties of Southampton, Berks, Wilts, Dorset, Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall, the last of which was not added to it till a late period of it's history. 17. In Hamtunscyre or Hampshire, the two chief cities were Wintanceaster (or Ceaster) Winchester, the metropolis of the West Saxons, and Hamtun (or SuthHamtun, as it was latterly called,) Southampton; they were both situated on the R. Itchin, the former near it's source, and the latter at it's junction with the sea. Besides these, we may mention Cerdicesford Charford, near the borders of Wilts, on the R. Avon, and Yttingaford Ifford, towards the mouth of the same river, the inhabitants round which were all driven out by William the Conqueror, and the whole district turned into a chace, known to us now as the New Forest. The famous harbour of Portsmouth, on the English Channel, was called Portesmuth, a name, which, it is said, to have obtained from one Porta, who, with his two sons, crossed over to Britain, and landed at this place, whence he seized upon the surrounding country. The little strait separating the I. of Wight from the main, was called Solente, a name which it still preserves: the island itself was known to the Saxons as Wiht, and it's chief place, Wihtgarabyrig, is now corruptedly called Carisbrook Castle, from the last part of the old name: the Romans called Wiht, Vectis.--The only places of any note in Bearwucscyre or Berkshire, were, Windlesofra Windsor, on the Thames, now famed for it's magnificent castle, which is a royal palace; Ræding Reading, near the junction of the Kennet and Thames, Englafelda Englefield, so called from a victory obtained there by Ethelwolf over the Danes, and Æscesdun Ashdown, where Alfred the Great defeated the same robbers in a bloody battle, A.D. 871. Near the last-mentioned place, is an enormous figure of a horse, cut on a high, steep hill, and covering near an acre of ground; it is visible for a distance of 12 miles, and is supposed to be a memorial of Alfred's victory. 18. In Wiltunscyre, or Wilts, the chief city was Searbyrig (or Særesberi), the Sorbiodunum of the Romans, now called Old Sarum: during the reign of Richard the 1st, the inhabitants moved lower down the river, to a more convenient situation, at the modern Salisbury. Not far from Old Sarum, is a very remarkable, ancient monument, now called Stonehenge, consisting of a great collection of stones of immense size, which, from their being some erect, some inclined, and most of them quite down upon the ground, seem to have once formed an entire building, probably a Druidical temple; from the vastness of the structure, as well as from the enormous stones, of which it is composed, this singular and interesting ruin is justly considered as one of the wonders of antiquity. We may likewise mention Merantun Marden, in the centre of the county, where a battle was fought between Ethelred and the Danes; a little above it, is Wodenesdic, or Wansdike, a great ditch, running across the county, for many miles, in an East and West direction, and supposed to have been once the common boundary between the Myrcians and West Saxons, who fought many battles in this neighbourhood, whilst striving to enlarge their territories. But the line of demarcation between the two people, was afterwards fixed farther North, at the forest of Brædene, or Braden; this part of the country was dreadfully ravaged by Ethelwald Clito, and his Danish followers.-The inhabitants of Dorsetshire were called Dornsætas by the Saxons, in the same way, that they had been named Durotriges by the Romans: their chief city was Dorcesceaster, now Dorchester, on the R. Frome, or Froome. To the S. of it, lay Port, or Portland, still called the I. of Portland; and farther E. was Corfes-geate, Corfe Castle, where Edward the Martyr was basely murdered by direction of his step-mother, Elfrida.-Sumersetescyre, Somersetshire, was separated on the N. from Myrena Rice, by the R. Afene, or Avon, which still forms the boundary between this county and that of Gloucester: upon it stands Bath, famous for it's therma, or warm springs, whence the Romans named it Aquæ Solis, and the Saxons Bathanceaster, or otherwise Ace-mannes ceaster (i.e. urbs hominum ægrotantium). Not far from it, was Peonna, where Kenwalch, the West Saxon, defeated the Britons, with dreadful slaughter, a. D. 858, subsequent to which, A. D. 1016, Edmund Ironside overthrew the Danes in the same place, and drove Canute, who had seized on the government, to the greatest straits. Farther S. was the R. Pedrida, or Parrett, in which, where it is joined by the R. Tone, is Æthelinga-igge, now called Athelney I.; this little island was famous for the shelter it afforded to king Alfred, when the Danes had completely overrun the country. 19. Devonshire was called Defenascyre, by the Saxons, and the people themselves were termed Defenas. It's chief city was Exanceaster, Exeter, named Isca Damnoniorum, by the Romans, and situated not far from the mouth of the R. Exa, or Exe: considerably above it, lay Beamdune, Bampton, where Kinegils, king of the West Saxons, routed the Britons, who had taken refuge from their oppressors in this quarter of the country. To the South of Exeter was Tegntun, now called Bishopsteignton, near which the Danes landed, A. D. 800, and, having killed the commanding officer of the place, commenced their horrible ravaging of the island.-The inhabitants of Corncall were known to the Saxons by the name of Cornwealas; they were not reduced till the time of Athelstan, who removed the Britons out of Devon, and made the R. Tamar the boundary between the two counties. Tamermuth was (as it's name implies) at the mouth of this river. It is remarkable as the native place of St. Ursula, a virgin of extraordinary sanctity, who, with 11,000 other British virgins, is said to have gone on a pilgrimage to Rome; on their return from which place, they were all massacred by Attila, the Hun, at Cologne, on the Rhine, where their bones are shown to the present day but the whole of this legend, however, is thought to have taken it's rise from an inscription, "Ursula et Undecimilla virgines;" proper names being mistaken for numbers. Above Tamermuth, was Hengestesdun, or Hingston Down, where the Britons were defeated by Egbert, with great slaughter. Gafulford, now called Camelford, on the Western side of the county, was celebrated for another furious battle between the Britons and Saxons, A. D. 820, and as the place where king Arthur is reported to have been slain: this hero is, likewise, said to have been born at the neighbouring Tindagium, now Tintagell. The Western point of the Island, now called the Land's End, was known to the Saxons as Penwihtsteort, an appellation, which is still preserved in the adjacent island of Penwith. 20. EAST-SEAXNA RICE, or the kingdom of the East Saxons, was bounded on the S. by Cantwara Rice, and Suth-Seaxna Rice; on the W. by Myrena Rice; on the N. by the kingdom of the East-Englas; and on the E. it was washed by the sea: it contained the two counties of Essex and Middlesex, with the Eastern half of Hertford. Middel-Seaxe Middlesex, was so called from the Saxons, who inhabited it, lying in the middle, as it were, betwixt the South Saxons, the West Saxons, the East Saxons, the Myrcians, and the Jutes of Kent. It's chief city was Lundene, Lundone, or Lundune, London, on the Thames, the capital of the kingdom, and the metropolis of that with the waves Of wealthy Thamis washed is along, Upon whose stubborn neck (whereat he raves In forreine lands; and all, which passen by, Spenser, Faery Queene, III. ix. 45. the Heptarchy: Vortigern is said to have surrendered it, together with the whole territory of the East Saxons, to Hengist, to procure his own liberty. London, even at this early period, was resorted to as a mart by many nations, both by sea and land, especially after the Saxons embraced Christianity, when it flourished with renewed splendour. Ethelbert, king of Kent, (under whose favour Sebert reigned here,) built a church in honour of St. Paul, which, being afterwards rebuilt, became a great and flourishing structure. It has been imagined, that a temple of Diana formerly stood upon the site of our great cathedral, and the conjecture is supported by the old records (the remains of which have been found), and other concomitant circumstances. From the time this church was built, it became the seat of the bishops of London; of whom, the first under the Saxons, was Melitus, a Roman, consecrated by Austin, Archbishop of Canterbury: in honour of this Austin, and contrary to the injunction of Pope Gregory, the pall and metropolitical see were removed from London to Canterbury. Several kings and bishops were buried in this cathedral in very early times. About a mile to the West of London, stood Westmynster, Westminster, now forming a part of our immense metropolis. It derived it's name from it's Westerly situation, and from the famous minster built there. A temple of Apollo is said to have formerly occupied it's place, until it was thrown down by an earthquake, in the time of Antoninus Pius; from the ruins of this, Sebert, king of the East Saxons, raised a church to St. Peter, which, being ruined by the Danes, was afterwards repaired. Edward the Confessor chose it for his burying place; subsequent to which period, many kings, queens, princes, and noblemen, have been interred in it. It is now famous as the place where the kings of England are crowned. 21. East-Seaxe, or Essex, was separated from Middlesex, as it still is, by the R. Liga, or Lea: it's two chief towns were Mældun, Maldon, called Camulodunum, in the time of the Romans, and Colneceaster, Colchester. Besides these, we may mention Assandun, Ashdon, in the N. part of the county, celebrated for the fatal battle fought there between Edmund Ironside and Canute the Dane.-The principal town of Heortfordscyre, or Hertfordshire, was Heortford Hertford, situated on the Lea, near it's confluence with two other streams, called Benefica Beane, and Memera Maran: Ware, a little E. of Hertford, was called Arwan, a name which, likewise, seems to have been applied to the upper part of the R. Lea. In that part of Heortfordscyre, which belonged to the Myrcian kingdom, stood Verlamceaster Verulam, the old capital of Cassivelaunus, and anciently called Verolamium. It was, likewise, named Watlingaceaster, from it's lying on the Watlingastreet, or Watling-Street, already described. It gave birth to one Alban, a person eminent for his sanctity, and singular steadiness in the Christian faith; he was the first martyr for the Christian religion in Britain, having suffered death during the reign of Ďiocletian. In the wars between the Saxons and Britons, Verulam was reduced to ruins, subsequent to which, Offa, the powerful king of Myrcia, founded over against it (about A. D. 795) a spacious monastery, called St. Albane, after the protomartyr of Britain, and endowed it with ample privileges. 22. EAST-ENGLAS, or the kingdom of the East Angles, touched to the S. on East-Seaxna Rice, to the W. on Myrcna Rice, and towards the other sides, upon the sea: it contained the three counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridge. 23. The chief place in Suthfolc or Suffolk, was Eadmundesbyrig Bury St. Edmunds, which obtained both it's name, and principal importance from King Edmund, who being barbarously murdered by the Danes, and proclaimed a royal martyr, his shrine became an object of great veneration: the town was formerly called Bedericsgueorde. To the E. of it lay Domuc Dunwich, on the sea coast, where the bishops of the East Angles resided; below it was Gyperwic Ipswich.-In Northfolc, or Norfolk, we may mention Northwic Norwich, near the confluence of the Wenson and Yare; to the E. of it, upon the sea-coast, stood Garmuth, or Iermuth, Yarmouth, named also Cerdicesora, from Cerdic having here first landed on the coast, and fiercely attacked the Iceni, prior to his founding the kingdom of Wessex.—Cambridgeshire was called Grantabrycgscyre by the Saxons, and the town itself, Grantanbrycge, a name which is still preserved in the neighbouring Granchester. The town stands upon the R. Cam (whence it's name), and is probably the same with the Roman Durolipons; Sigebert, king of the East Angles, was either the founder or restorer of a college here, which has since expanded into a flourishing seat of the Muses, whence religion, politeness, and learning, are diffused over the whole kingdom. It did not, however, escape the horrors of war, but was several times ravaged by the Saxons, Danes, and Normans. In the N. E. part of the county is the Island of Ely, called Elig, or Ely, by the Saxons, and said to have derived it's name from the vast quantities of eels, taken in the fens, by which it was surrounded: there was a town, also, named Elig or Ely. 24. MYRCNA RICE, or the kingdom of the Myrcians, touched to the E. on the sea, the East-Englas, and the East-Seaxna Rice; to the S. upon the West-Seaxna Rice; to the W. upon Wealon; and to the N. upon Northanhumbra Rice: the people were called Myrce (or Myrcas). It extended from the German Ocean to the Bristol Channel, and contained 16 counties, in the very heart of England; viz. Buckingham, Oxford, Gloucester, Worcester, Warwick, Northampton, Bedford, Huntingdon, Rutland, Lincoln, Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, Stafford, Salop, and Chester, together with the Western half of Hertford (the eastern half being reckoned, as we have seen, to the kingdom of the East-Saxons). 25. In Buccingahamscyre or Buckinghamshire, the chief town was Buccingaham Buckingham, at no great distance from the source of the R. Usa (or Wusa), Ouse. Below it were, Cerdicesleag, where Cerdic fought a bloody battle with the Britons, and Ægelesbyrig Aylesbury: Clitern, on the Southern borders of Bucks and Oxford, still keeps it's name in Chiltern Forest, and the Chiltern Hills, which last pass nearly through the centre of Bucks. To these hills is annexed a nominal office, under the Crown of Great Britain, called Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, the acceptance of which enables a Member of Parliament to vacate his seat, as he cannot be appointed by the Crown to any office without resigning his trust as a Representative in the House of Commons. The Saxons called Oxfordshire Oxnafordscyre, and the city itself, Oxnaford or Oxeneford. The latter, situated at the junction of the Charwell and Isis (as the Thames is here called), was, originally, only famed for the monastery founded by Frideswide; but, when the storm of the Danish war was over, Alfred founded three colleges here, one for grammarians, another for philosophy, and a third for divinity: he, and his three sons, made it their residence. It was, during the stormy period after his death, successively burnt four times by the Danes. It has risen, however, like the Phoenix, from the flames, with renewed strength and beauty, to be one of the brightest ornaments of our |