country. The chief town of Gleawceastrescyre or Gloucestershire, was Gleawanceaster Gloucester, on the R. Sæferne Severn, opposite which last the river forms an island, anciently called Olanige, and now Alney. When the English and Danes were exhausted by repeated battles, Edmund king of England, and Canute king of the Danes agreed to decide the sovereignty of the country by single combat on this island: after a dubious and equal fight, they consented to divide the kingdom between them; but the Dane soon after seized the whole, upon the death of Edmund, not without suspicion of having rid himself of his rival by poison. Lower down the Severn, was Fethanleag Frethorn, where a battle was fought between the Saxons and Britons and in the Southern part of the county, upon the R. Afene, was Bricgstow Bristol. The people, who dwelled upon the Severn, particularly upon the estuary of the Severn, were distinguished by the name of Hwiccas, and are supposed to have given name to Worcestershire.-Wigeraceasterscyre, as the Saxons called this last county, contained only one town of any consequence, viz. Wigeraceaster, now called Worcester, on the left bank of the Sæferne: above it, was Augustines Ace, or Augustine's Oak. At this latter place, Augustine, the Apostle of the English, and the British bishops, met to decide about the observance of Easter, the preaching of the Gospel, and administration of Baptism according to the ritual of the Romish church; but, after some squabbling, they separated with as little agreement as before. 26. In Wæringscyre, or Warwickshire, the chief town was Wæringwic Warwick, on the Avon, Couentre Coventry, celebrated for the legend of the lady Godiva, and Stretford Stratford on Avon, the birth-place of the great bard of Nature, Shakspeare: he was born here, A.D. 1564, and died in 1616.-The Saxons called the county of Northampton Northafendonscyre, or North-Hamtunscyre; on the N. it was separated from Leicester, Rutland, and Lincoln (as it is at the present day), by the R. Weolud or Welland, which runs into the Afene or Nen. Near the springs of this latter river, stood Hamtun, or North-Hamtun Northampton, as it was latterly called, by way of distinguishing it from the other Hamtun, in Hampshire : it was destroyed by the Danes, but rose from it's ruins, and was the place, where many of our Princes held their Parliaments, on account of it's situation in the heart of England. Descending the Nen to the borders of Cambridge and Huntingdon, we meet with Medeshamstede, which derived it's name from a whirlpool in the river, called Medeswell, fancied to be of immense depth: after Wolpher, king of Myrcia, had here dedicated a religious-house to St. Peter, it came to be called Burh, or sometimes Gildenburh (from the gilding in the monastery), and finally Petriburgus or Peterborough.-In Bedanfordscyre, now Bedfordshire, the only important town was Bedanford or Bedicanford Bedford, on the North bank of the R. Ouse: near it, Cuthwulf, the Saxon, (about A. D. 572), so defeated the Britons in a pitched battle, that they were compelled to give up many of their towns to him; Offa, the great king of Myrcia, chose this town for his burial-place. 27. The chief place in Huntandunescyre Huntingdonshire, was Huntandune Huntingdon, on the N. bank of the Usa f.: higher up the river stood S. Neod or St. Neots, which derived it's name from Neod, a learned and holy man, who spent his 7 But Thame was stronger, and of better stay; life in propagating the doctrines of Christianity, and was buried here. The N.E. boundary of the county was formed by Cingesdelf King's Delf, which connected the two rivers Nen and Usa, and was cut in order to drain, in some measure, the adjoining Witlesmæære, still called Wittlesee Meer.-Rutland was called Rotelond by the Saxons.-Lincolnescyre Lincolnshire is divided into three great parts, Holland, Kesteven, and Lindsey, the two last of which, the Saxons named Ceorcefne, and Lindesige. It's chief town was Lincolne or Lindcylne, called Lindum Colonia by the Romans, and now Lincoln; it stands upon the R. Witham, which runs into The Wash, near Icanhoe or Boston, so named from Botolph, a pious Saxon, who had a monastery here.-In Snotingahamscyre, now Nottinghamshire, the chief town was Snotingaham Nottingham, on the left bank of Treonta (or Trenta) fl. the Trent.Lægreceasterscyre Leicestershire, was so called from it's chief town Legerceaster or Ligoraceaster Leicester, on the R. Leire, now known as the Soar.-Derbyshire was named Deorbiscyre, and it's N. part Peaclond, now The Peak: it's capital was Deoraby or Derby.-In Staffordscyre Staffordshire, we may notice Stafford Stafford, a little to the left of the P. Treonta, Licetfeld Lichfield, where many Christians are said to have suffered matyrdom under Diocletian, Tamanweorthege Tamworth, and Seccandun Seckington; at this last place Ethelbald, king of Myrcia, was assassinated by Beared, in the civil war, A.D. 749, soon after which the latter was put to death by Offa, and thus suddenly lost the kingdom he had acquired by guilt.-In Scrobbesbyrigscyre Shropshire (or Salop, as it is often called), were Scrobbesbyrig Shrewsbury, it's capital, on the R. Sæferne; Wrecenceaster, lower down the same river, called by the Romans Viraconium, and now Wroxeter; Maserfeld Oswestry, which derives it's name from Oswald, king of Northumberland, having been here conquered, and slain, by Penda the Pagan king of Myrcia, who caused his dead body to be torn in pieces with the most barbarous cruelty. The last county, which we have to mention in Myrena Rice, is Cheshire, called by the Saxons Ceastercyre and Cestrescyre; it's chief town was Ceaster Chester, on the R. Dee, sometimes also called Lægeceaster, from the Roman Legion Vicesima Victrix having been quartered there. The N. W. part of Cheshire is a peninsula, being washed on the E. by the Mersey, and on the W. by the Dee; it was called Wirheale, a name which it has preserved to our own times in that of Wirral.-Such of the Myrcians, as inhabited the midland counties of Warwick, Stafford, Worcester, and Salop, appear to have been called Middel-Anglas. 28. NORTHANHYMBRA RICE, or Northanhumbra Rice, the kingdom of the Northumbrians, touched to the S. upon Myrcna Rice, to the E. upon the German Ocean, to the N. upon the country of the Peohtas, or Picts, and to the W. upon the Irish Sea: the people were called Nothanhymbras, or Northymbras, and are supposed to have derived their name from lying to the N. of Humber fl., as mention is made of people lying to the S. of this river, under the appellation of Suth-Hymbras. Northanhymbra Rice extended as far N. as the wall of Antoninus, and included the two kingdoms of Dearne, and of the Beornicas, which were separated from each other by the R. Gwæde or Twæde, Tweed; the latter having been that part of the Northumbrian kingdom, which was in Scotland, and the former, that which lay in England. These two kingdoms were afterwards reduced to one; and thus, together with the six others already described, formed the Heptarchy, which, prior to this period, had consisted of eight kingdoms. Northanhymbra Rice contained the six English counties of York, Lancaster, Westmorland, Cumberland, Durham, and Northumberland; besides those Scotch counties, which lie to the S. of the Firths of Forth and Clyde. 29. Euorwicsyre or Eborascyre, as it was sometimes called, Yorkshire, is by far the largest county in the whole kingdom: it's chief city was Eoferwic or Euorwic York, a corruption of the old name Eboracum, by which it was known to the Romans; it was situated on the R. Ouse, still so called. To the S. E. of this, wa Godmundinghain Godmanham, near Market Weighton, remarkable for a very renowned idol-temple, which was burnt by the Northumbrians, when they embraced Christianity. The R. Ouse receives on it's right bank two other rivers, called Guerf Wharfe, and Winwæd Air; between them was the little district Elmete, the name of which is still preserved in that of Berwick-in-Elmet, near Leeds, or Lhydes, as the Saxons called it. In this district lay the Winwidfeld, now Winn Moor, where Oswy, king of Northumberland, routed Penda the Myrcian, and that to the great advantage of both nations; for he delivered his own people from the hostile ravages of the Pagans, and converted the Myrcian nation to the Christian faith. Farther S., upon the borders of Lincoln and Notts, was Hethfelda Hatfield, where Ceadwalla, king of the Britons, and Penda, king of the Myrcians, slew Edwyn, the first Christian king of the Northumbrians, with his eldest son Offrid, a. D. 933.-In Lonceasterscyre Lancashire, we may notice the capital Lonceaster Lancaster, at the mouth of the R. Lune, and Manigceaster Manchester, called Mancunium by the Romans, in the S. part of the county.-Westmorland was named Westmoringaland; and Cumberland Cumbraland, or sometimes Cumerland. The capital of the latter was Carleol Carlisle, on the R. Eden, which suffered severely from the ravages of the Picts and Scots, and of the Danes: it was a little below the Vallum Hadriani, or Picts' Wall, already noticed, and which the Saxons called Severes Weall.-The county of Durham is not mentioned in the annals of the Saxons by any distinct name: it's chief city was Dunolm Durham, on the R. Weorg or Wear.-Northan hymbraland or Northymbraland Northumberland, is the Northernmost county of England: in it we may mention Hagustald or Hextolderham Hexham, on the right bank of the R. Tina Tyne. To the N. of this last were Hæfe Heugh and Care Carry-Couts, betwixt which places there was some hard fighting between the Picts and Saxons; and farther E., lay Cyningesclife Clifton, where an encounter took place between the king of the Northumbrians and certain rebels. In the N. part of the county was Bebbanburh Bambrough, taken and burnt by Penda the Myrcian, near which William Rufus built his castle of Malueisin to blockade Mowbray, who was in rebellion against him.-Within the limits of the Beornicas, we have only to mention the Niduari in Dumfries, about the R. Nith, and the Stræcledwealas in Galloway; the latter of whom were Britons, who had fled hither from the Saxons; but, being in their new settlements much harassed by the Peohtas and Scottas, they migrated to the banks of the Clwyd, in N. Wales, and thus obtained their name from this river. 30. WEALON, called also Walon and Wales, touched to the E. on Myrena Rice, and was washed on the other sides by the sea. The people were called Weallas, and were the original Britons, who by degrees took refuge here from their Saxon oppressors, and successfully maintained their freedom during the struggles, which were going on in the rest of the country. They inhabited, not only the territory which we still call Wales, but likewise the English counties of Hereford and Monmouth; the latter became an English county in the reign of Henry the Eighth. The name Weallas is thought to be derived from a Saxon word, signifying wanderers or foreigners, and to have been first applied to the Britons, when they had been driven out of England by the German invaders : thus, the Saxons called the Welsh, Britwealas; the Cornish Britons, Cornwealas; and the Gauls, Galwealas. Wales was likewise called Cambria, a name which is deduced by historians from the Britons having been a tribe of the Celta or Gauls, known under the denomination of Cimbri, or Cumeri, and which name (in common with the Gomeræi and Germani) they derived from Gomer, the eldest son of Japhet. The inhabitants of Wealon were likewise called North-Wealas, to distinguish them from the West-Wealas, who had taken refuge in Cornwall (hence called Cornwealas), and from the Stræcledwealas, whom we have above mentioned as having fled to Scotland. They were separated from Myrcna Rice by an immense ditch, which Offa, king of the Myrcians, dug from the mouth of the Dee to that of the Wye; this ditch, called by the British Claudh Offa, and by us, Offa's Dyke, formed, for a long time, the boundary between the two people, and was so strictly adhered to, that a law was passed, by which any Welshman, who was found armed to the E. of it, was to lose his right hand. 31. The South Western part of Wales was named Deomod, from the Dimetæ, who are described as dwelling here, during the dominion of the Romans in our island: the only place which is mentioned in it is S. David's, at the Westernmost point of the country, called by the Saxons S. David, or David Mynster.-Brecknock, near the source of the Usk, was called Brecenanmere (as was also the meer itself), and was taken by Ethelfled to the S. E. of it, near the mouth of the same river, stood Ligeceastre Caerleon, the Isca Silurum of the Romans, and the station of the Legio II. Augusta, to which last circumstance it owes it's name.-In Herefordseyre, or Herefordshire, the chief town was Hereford Hereford, on the R. Wye, which derived it's chief interest from the devotion and martyrdom of Ethelbert, king of the East Angles, who, while he sought in marriage the daughter of Offa, king of Myrcia, was basely murdered by the wife of the latter: being afterwards ranked amongst the martyrs, a church was erected to his memory, which was soon honoured with the episcopal dignity.-The inhabitants of Radnorshire were called Magesætas.-Muntgumri or Muntgumni was the name given both to the county, and town of Montgomery.-Wales is said to have been divided, at an early period, into three territories or kingdoms; viz. North Wales, South Wales, and Powisland: the latter of these extended into Cheshire and Shropshire, and to it also belonged the country between the Wye and Severn.-The Island of Mona, the principal and latest seat of the Druids, was called Monege, Mancyn, and Mevania, until the Angles got possession of it; after which they named it Anglesege: it is now known as Anglesey, and is separated from the Welsh county of Caernarvon, by the Menai Strait, over which a magnificent bridge of one arch has been lately thrown by the British Government. To the N. of this Mona, midway between England and Ireland, lies the I. of Man, likewise called Mona by the Romans, but by the Saxons, generally, Mevania. MODERN ENGLAND AND WALES. 32. The shores of England and Wales are washed on the E. by the German Ocean, or North Sea, on the S. by the English Channel, on the W. by St. George's Channel and the Irish Sea; to the North, England confines with Scotland, from which it is separated by an imaginary line, extending from the Solway Firth, over the Cheviot Hills, and along the R. Tweed. England, together with Wales and the I. of Man, contains 43.890 square miles: the population of the three collectively, as ascertained in 1821, amounted to 12,258,600 souls, but, since that time, it has very materially increased. It's greatest length, from the Land's End to Berwick-on-Tweed, is 370 miles; and it's greatest breadth, from Lowestoft (near Yarmouth) to St. David's Head, is 260 miles. 33. The government of Great Britain is a limited, or mixed monarchy, being a combination of a monarchical, and popular government. The executive power vested in the king; the legislative is shared by him and the people, or their representatives, in Parliament. The King's power, though limited, is very great. He convenes, adjourns, and dissolves the Parliament. He can withhold his assent from any bill, and prevent it's passing into a law. He nominates his ministers, as well as the great officers of church, and state. He is the fountain of honour, and confers dignities, and titles. He pardons criminals, and has the prerogative of declaring war, making peace, and forming treaties and alliances. He is the supreme commander of the army, and navy, and the temporal head of the Church. His person is inviolable, and, in the eye of the law, he can do no wrong. The crown is hereditary, and females are capable of succession; but the Sovereign must profess the Protestant religion.-The Parliament, to whom the legislative power belongs, consists of the King, the Peers, and the Commons; being divided into two assemblies, called The House of Lords, and The House of Commons. The former is composed of the lords temporal, and spiritual, i. e. the hereditary nobility, with the archbishops and bishops. The number of English peers is indefinite, and may be increased at pleasure, by the Crown; 16 peers represent the Scotch, and 32 the Irish nobility. The president in the House of Peers is, generally, the Lord Chancellor.-The House of Commons is composed of representatives from the counties, cities, and boroughs of the Empire, in all 658; viz. 513 for England and Wales, 45 for Scotland, and 100 for Ireland. The elections for counties are made by freeholders, who have a certain valued rent; and for cities, and boroughs, according to their charters and customs. A president, called The Speaker, is chosen by the members, at the first meeting of parliament. The Commons have power to impeach the greatest Peer; but their chief privileges are, levying money, and imposing taxes for the public service.-The power of Parliament is absolute and unlimited, being under no control. It can regulate the succession to the Crown, alter the established religion, and change the constitution of the Empire. A bill may originate in either House, except bills relating to taxation, which must proceed from the House of Commons: before a bill is passed into a law, or Act of Parliament, it must be agreed to by a majority of both houses, and receive the Royal assent, either in person, or by commission. Appeals from the decision of the supreme courts of the Empire, may be taken to the House of Peers. Every Peer may vote by proxy in the senate. The duration of a Parliament is limited to seven years; but a dissolution generally takes place before the expiration of that term, when a new election is made. 34. The established form of religion in England, is Episcopacy; but the Presbyterians, and other numerous sects, comprehended in the general appellation of nonconformists, as well as the Roman Catholics, enjoy the sweets of religious liberty, under the influence of a legal toleration. The Church of England is that branch of the reformed church, which was established in England after the separation from the Romish Church, which took place in the reign of Henry VIII., who renounced the Pope's supremacy, the English having been the first people to throw off the yoke of Rome. The Church of England is commonly called a Lutheran church, from it's having been modelled, to a very considerable extent, by our great reformers, on the doctrines of Martin Luther, so far as they are in conformity with the authority of the Holy Scriptures; but it is as different from the Lutheran churches established on the continent, as it is superior to them in the purity, dignity, and decency, both of it's doctrines and ceremonies. The wise and pious Archbishop Tillotson has thus written concerning it :-"I have been, according to my opportunities, not a negligent observer of the genius and humour of the several sects and professions in religion. And, upon the whole matter, I do, in my conscience, believe the Church of England to be the best constituted church, this day, in the world; and that, as to the main, the doctrine, and government, and worship of it, are excellently framed to make men soberly religious: securing men, on the one hand, from the wild freaks of enthusiasm ; and, on the other, from the gross follies of superstition. And our church hath this peculiar advantage, above several professions that we know in the world, that it |