Barklhire,

ARKSHIRE hath Wiltshire on the welt, HampShire on the South, Surrey on the Eaft, Oxford and Buckinghamshire on the North. 'Tis in Form of a Lute, the Belly towards the Weft,the Neck extending to the Eaft. In length about forty Miles, viz. from Cole ful to Windfor, and about twenty Miles in the broadeft part. Very plentiful of Grafs, Grain, Fish, Fowl, Wool and Wood, &c.

The Natural Commodities are firft, Oakes;of Trees, Bark fhire hath abundance in all kinds. The Oaks in Windfor-Forreft, (as all other English Oak) are the beft, 1. for firmness, for, when entred with Bullet, it remaineth firm round about it, whilst all the Oak does cowardly split about the paffage. 2. For con venience of Portage, our four principal Forrests ly ing either on the Sea or Navigable Rivers, viz. NewForreft on the Sea, Shire-wood on the Trent, Dean on the Severn, Windfor-Forreft on the Thames.

Secondly, Bark. Whence the Name of this County, It is effential for making of good Leather; for, he that stays for Leather-fhooes made without Bark, may long time go Bare-foot.

Thirdly, Trouts. A dainty Fish, being found in the swiftest Streams and on the hardest Gravel. Of this kind there are Great and Good in the River of Kennet nigh Hungerford. They are best in May and de

cline with the Buck. After their full growth, they decay in goodness, tho their Head ftill thrive. Note, a Hog-back and little Head is a fign any Fish is in fea

fon.

As for Manufactures, the chief is Clothing: For the Antiquity of it. 1. Cloth, is of the fame date with the Civility of our Land; indeed the Britains went naked, which Custom a Beggar continuing, gave a reason thereof, by faying, All my Body is Face. 2. Fine (narrow) Cloth, begun-about, i. E. III. 3.Broad-cloth(wherein the Wealth of England is folded up) began in the Reign of Henry 8. Jack of Newbury, ('tis faid) was the first that introduced it. Minerva was held the Foundress of Weaving, fo great is the ingenuity thereof.

For Buildings, Windfor-Castle, a Royal Seat ever fince the Conqueft, brought to modern Beauty, chiefly at the cost of E. 3. It is a Caftle for Strength, and a Palace for State, and hath a Colledge, Chappel, and Alms-Houfe. In this Palace is most remarkable, the Hall for Greatnefs, Winchester-Tower for height, and the Terrace on the North-fide for Pleasure. Nor boasteth it so much that it confifteth of two Great Courts, as that it contained two Great Kings, John of France, and David of Scotland Prifoners therein together, as also that it was the Seat of the Hononrable Order of the Garter.

Many pleasant Seats are in this County, on the Kennet and Thames, which feem dutifully to attend at diftance on Windfor-Castle, as Alder-mafton, Ingle-field, &c.

For Proverbs. One is peculiar to this County, viz: The Vicar of Bray, will be Vicar of Bray ftill. Bray is a Village here, named from the Bibroges, ancient British Inhabitants. The Vivacious Vicar living under Henry 8. Edward 6. Queen Mary and Queen

Elizabeth

Elizabeth was a Papift then Proteftant, then Papift then Proteftant again. He found the Martyrs fire (near Windfor) too hot for his Temper, and being Taxed for a Turn-coat, Not fo, faid he, for I always kept my Principle, to live and dye the Vicar of Bray. General Proverb!

1. When our Lady falls into our Lords lap: Then let England beware of a fad Mishap; Al. Let the Clergy-man look to his Cap.

This Prophecy about 130 years old implies that the Bleffed Virgin offended with the English, for abolishing her Adoration, watcheth an Oppertunity of Revenge on this Nation: And when her day (25th. of March) chanceth to fall on the day of Chrift's Refurrection, fome fignal Judgment is intended to our State and Chuch-men efpecially. Such co-incidence has hap'ned juft fifteen times fince the Con queft. An. 1095. when King Rufus made a fruitlefs Invalion of Wales. 1106. King Henry 1. fubdueth Normandy, and D. Robert his Brother. 117. the fame King Henry forbideth the Popes Legate to enter England. 1190. and King Richard 1. Conquereth Cyprus, in his way to Paleftine 1201. in King John's days, The French invade Normandy 1212. King John refigneth his Kingdom to the Pope. 1285. Nothing remarkable but Peace and Plenty. 1296. in the Reign of Edward 1. War begun with Scotland which ended in Victory. 1380. The Scots do much harm to us at Peryth Fair. 1459. Lancaftrians worsted by the Yorkifts, in fight 1543. King Henry 8. entred Scotland, and burnt Edenburgh, Hitherto this Proverb has had but intermitting Truth at the moft, feeing no Conftancy in Cafualties. But the fting (will fome fay) is in the taile thereof, And I behold this Proverb born An!

1554. For then Queen Mary fetteth up Popery and Martyreth Proteftants. 1627. 3. Car. 1. The unprofperous Voyage to the Ifle of Rees. 1638. 14. Car. 1. The firft Cloud of Trouble in Scotland. 1649. The first compleat Year of the English CommonWealth (or Tyranny rather) which fince, bleffed be God, is returned to a Monarchy. The next Concurrence will be in the Year 1722. But it matters not tho our Lady falls in our Lords lap, whilft our Lord fits at his Fathers right hand, if to him we make our Addresses by serious Repentance. II. When Hemp is fpun, England is done. I look upon both this and the former to be coyned by a Roman Mint-Mafter, and even of the fame Age. It is faced with a Literal, but would be faced with a Mystical fenfe. When Hemp is fpun, when that Commodity is fpent, and none left for Sails, Cordage, &c. England (whofe ftrength confifts in Ships) would be reduced to a doleful Conditi

on.

But know, under HEMPE are couched the Initial Letters of Henry 8. Edward 6. Mary, Philip, and Elizabeth, as if with the Life of the last, the Happiness of England fhould expire, which Time hath confuted. Yet to keep this Proverb in Countenance, it may pretend to fome Truth, because then England with the Addition of Scotland, loft its Name in Great Britain by Royal Proclamation.

III. When the Black Fleet of Norway is come and gone,
England build Honfes of Lime and Stone,
For after Wars you shall have none.

p. 215.

Some make it fulfill'd in 88, when Lord Bac. Eff the Spanish Fleet was beaten, the Surname of whofe King was Norway. "Tis true the English afterwards built handfome Houfes of Lime and Stone. But the remainder, After, Wars

you

you fhall have none, was proved falfe by the Civil Wars. IV. England is the Ringing Ifland. So called by reafon of the most tuneable Bells which it affords.

V. When the Sand feeds the Clay,
England crys Well-a-day.

But when the Clay feed the Sand,
It is merry with England.

That is when theSeafon is very wet,the Sandy Ground amounting to about a fifth part only of the English Soil, is rendred fruitful, yet cannot make any Compenfation to the damage received in the Claiy ground, being about four fifth parts of the whole; and on the other fide, by reafon of this Difproportion a drought never caufeth a dearth in England. VI. England were but a fling (i. e. a flight thing) Save for the crooked Stick, and the grey Goofe-wing: That is, the ufe of Archery. On which they defervedly put a great Value, because they were therein fo much skill'd. VII. England is the Paradife of Women, Hell of Horfes, Purgatory of Servants: Law and Cuftom allows the Women defirable Advantages, allowing the third of their Husbands Eftates with the fairest respect and kindeft ufage : As to Horfes, befides overviolent Riding, Racing and Hunting, they are Tormented in Carts and Waggons. For Servants, whether Apprentices or Covenant Servants we conceive the Proverb to be Erroneous; fince Apprentices are well used for their Money, and other Servants for their Fidelity. VII. AFamine in England begins first at the Horfe-Manger: That is, if Peafeor Oats, HorfeGrain be dear,it will not be long ere Wheat and Rye be fo too. VIII. The King of England is the King of Devils: That is, the Mobile has as great an Ambition to be Worshipped by Chrift's Vice-gerant, as ever