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THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
J HE
TORY
AND
ANTIQUITIES
OF THE
CITY of BRISTOL;
COMPILED FROM
Original Records and authentic Manuscripts,
In public Offices or private Hands ; Illuftrated with COPPER-PLATE PRINTS.
By WILLIAM BARRETT, Surgeon, F. S. A.
I/'
//^
BRISTOL: , ;
Printed by WILLIAM PINE, in Wine-Street ;
And fold by G. Robin-son- and Co. London; E. Palmer, J. B. Becket,T. Mjlls, J. Norton, W. Browne, W. BuLGiN, and J. Lloyd, Bookfdkrs in Bnjlol ; and by Bull and MfiVLtK, in Bati,
' in/ l^C
CoUega Library
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL ^
Levi Ames, Efq; Mayor ;
The Worfhipful the Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of BRISTOL.
G ENTLEME N,
TO you is the History of Bristol with propriety infcribed, to which you have a natural and pecuHar Claim. By public Spirit, Virtue and Loyalty, your predeceffors procuring Liberties and ample Privileges by Charters from our Kings and Queens raifed this City to an high rank in the nation, and by the fame their iucceflors have exalted it to the dignity of being the Second City in the kingdom.
Reformed as it is in its Police, enlarged in the number and extent of its Buildings, and increafed in its Trade and Opulence, may it long flourifh by your vigilant and a6live Care, by the great Credit and Reputation of its Merchants, and the Virtue and Industry of the Citizens; and by ufmg the natural local advantages of improving its Port and Harbour to the utmoft, may the Honour be yours of compleating its Grandeur, that Ships may refort hither more and more from every Quarter of the Globe, and the Commerce and Profperity of the City continue to advance to lateft pollerlty.
J have the honour to be,
Worjhipful SIRS,
Your 7710/1 obliged and obedient
Humble Servant,
S'.^.M^X WILLIAM BARRETT
[ V 3
R E F A C E.
T TOW the Hiftory of Briftol, fo long expelled, is at length offered to the -*■ -*• public the reader may be curious to know. Twenty years have elapfed fince colleftions for the defign were fought for with great afJiduity and no fmal! expence, and fome progrefs made in compiling it, and even the copper- plates were engraved for the work in folio ; but the author, engaged in a bufinefs that commanded all his time and attention, receiving no encouraf^e- ment to proceed, and finding there was more likelihood for him, " oleum et operam perdere," fat down contented with his firfl; lofs and wholly defifted from the undertaking, locking up his papers for feveral years, intending to leave them to one of more leifure and to a time more aufpicious and favour- able to the undertaking. Retiring from bufinefs into the country and often confined by the gout, he thought he fliould find fome amufcment in this lite- rary employ, and refumed the long intermitted tafk, that he might leave it in a lefs unfiniflied ftate to be compleated and publifhed hereafter. At this time a worthy Do£tor of one of our univerfities, defervedly efteemed by all for his fingular humanity and friendly difpofition, vifited him and warmly folicited him to proceed with the work and publifii it himfelf in his life-time ; for pofihumous works were often neglected, feldom executed to the author's mind, and not unfrequently loft. In a letter afterwards he ui'ged the matter ■with great earneflnefs, and moff generous tender of his friendfhip, concluding with the following fpirited expreffions, which he applied to this occafion. " Hominem te durum et pene crudelem, qui tam infignes libros tam diu teneas. Sine per ora hominum ferantur, &c. Ouofque tibi et nobis invi- debis ? Tibi laudem, nobis maximam voluptatem. Magna etiam longaque expeftatio efl quam frulirari adhuc et differre non dcbcs. — Habe ante ocuLOS MORTALiTATEM ! Dcfiuc fludia tua infinita ilia cunctatioiic frau- dare, quas cum modum excedat, verendum efl, nc inertiae etdefidias vel etiam timiditatis nomen accipiat." This added a fpur to irrefuluti«n, and the " habe ante oculos mortalitatcm" made an impreffion irrefiftable, applied to one in a declining ftate of health and years. In a word, the work was imme- diately refumed and profecuted without intcrmifTion, and then offered to the public, who have liberally patronized it, as the lilt of fubfcribers will fhew,
which
vi PREFACE.
vhich would do honour to any work, and cannot but excite in the author a due fenfe of gratitude.
Some readers may perhaps be furprized at the length of tliis Iliftory, whilfl others may exprefs their wonder at its being comprized in one volume : the former may think it unneceffary to defcend to minute particulars, whilfl the latter will judge every thing not fully related and every authority not quoted in the original words an omilTion. — The author has endeavoured to fleer a middle courfe, and will readily give his reafons. Had he been more brief, he could not have given fo much information about the religious houfes, the caflle, and their governors, their antiquities, nor of the manners of thofe times ; nor indeed of their prcfent flate. The reader muft have contented himfelf with a fuperficial view of things, fuch as his own eyes and obferva- tion might have prefented him with,' in which cafe he would have turned away difplcafed at not being informed more than he knew before. On the contrary, if he had been more prolix, and tranfcribed at length the feveral Latin deeds of endowment, original authorities, and charters, he muft have filled a large folio or two quarto volumes. The learned antiquarian would receive much fatisfaftion doubtlefs in perufing the aniient deeds and authentic documents in the original ; but as all fuch are long and tedious, if the prin- cipal matters contained therein be noticed, the reft would unnecefTarily fwell the volume, and ferve only a certain clafs of readers: and therefore though the beginning of the original deed is often given, the tranflation follows in Englifh for the eafe and information of the lefs learned reader ; but fometimes •where the deed is very important and curious, and not too long, the whole is given. The number of Latin deeds, that might with propriety have found a place here, is fuch as alone would have filled a volume. They were col- lefl.ed at different times, the greatefl number by thelate Mr. Alexander Morgan, (whofe indefatigable pains and induftry in this way for many years, as well as Mr. Haines's, fhould have their due praife) befides others tranfcribed from Dugdale, Stevens, and Rymer ; but to refer to them and to abridge others was judged to be in general fufficient, though to avoid deforming the page few marginal references arc fet down, but the great ftorehoufe of Tanner is conftanily referred to. The original deeds and copies colle£led for this Hiftory have been procured with fo much labour, it would be a great lofs to have them difpcrfcd, after the extrafls for this work have been made from them ; it is intended therefore to lodge them in fome public repofitory, pro- bably the Briftol Library. ^Vhocver confidcrs well the time and trouble employed in making fuch a collodion, will readily agree to the propriety of fuch a iTieafure. As
PREFACE.
Vll
Astothofe manufcripts of Rowley, now firft publiflicd ; whatever judgment be formed about them, they are here faithfully tranfcribcd, that by producing all the evidence the judicious reader may be enabled the better to form his opinion concerning that controverfy.
Before I conclude I muft add, that by a manufcript in Corpus Chrifti college library, Cambridge, CCCCV. p. 26. cntituled " Conflitutiones Villa; Briftollias," (which I did not receive till the lad flieet of this work was printed off) it appears, among other curious particulars, how they were enabled to build ihe old bridge, which I have faid " no where appears," fee p. 79. " Petunt burgenfes fibi reflitui pontem Avenae.&c." i. e. " The burgelTesalfo defire that the bridge of Avon be reftored to them and the rents upon the bridge, which bridge they and their anceftors built new from the brink orftream (filo) of the water at their own charges together with the alms of the faithful, and have fupported until this day, and are ready perpetually to fupport it ; and in aid of fupporting it they have erefted certain rents upon the fame bridge ; and for the Indulgence of thofe who help, and prohibition of thofe who would deduft from it, they have a bull of Pope Innocent 3d. the predecefTor of Honorius and Gregory. They alfo defire to be reftored to them the rents of a certain houfe and ground, which they bought at the head of the bridge on the fouth fide, for which they have the charter of the abbot and convent of Keynfham, of whom they hold the faid ground ; and alfo have the confirmation of King John con- cerning the faid ground, upon which great part of the faid bridge is founded and fupported." — They fay alfo, '•' that out of the profits of the guild merchants and of the town they fupport eight bridges, the pavement or pitching, five con- duits of water, the Key (Kayam) before the flrips, and the public officers; and that the murage is expended only in inclofing and fortifying the town and fuburb, for which it was granted; and that no waggon, no packhorfe, no man, fhall unload his burden, without firft paying the cuftom to the prepofitor, (nifi cuftumetur ad prepofitum,) &c."
Though there is no date to this curious manufcript, it muft be about the year 1314, for they defire therein " to choofcamayor and bailiff's whom they know will be more ufeful and faithful to their Lord the King," who were chofen in that year.
The author having thus endeavoured to fulfil his engagements to the public muft now take his leave, requefting the candid reader's favour to excufc all omiflions and errors ;
Ouos aut incuria fudit Aut humana parum caveat natura.
ERRATA.
Page i8, line 19, for unlikely read unlike to,
20, 1. 17, for Tacitor r. Tacito.
37) '• 35) f""" po"" ^, porro ; ioT pacaverat r. paraverat,
68, 1.-9, for j'n r.fx. wj. 1. 25, for were r. rvai. 164, 1. 27, for 1131 r. 1311. 321, 1. 1, dele " Hinton and."
381, 1. 27, dele markofreferenceovcr"/in(;ry,"and place it over"ycK«</e</," '•»• 429, rote, for eruptit'c r. eruption on, 433, 1.20, ioi charged r. changed. 556) '• 37) for 1 Sept. r. i March, 571, 1. 29, for handards x.Jlandards.
Diredions to the Binder where to place the Plates.
1. The large Plan of the City to front the title-page.
2. The Roman Camps to face p. 18.
3. The old Plan of the City to face p. 51.
4. The fecond Plan of the City to face page 57.
5. The Hotwells to face p. 92.
6. The Cathedral and Crane Views to face p. 87.
7. The View of Vincent's Rock to face p. 94.
8. The Exchange. The print to be cut in the middle.
9. The front to face p. 140, the back to follow it.
10. The Bridge to face p. g6.
11. The oldCaftle to face p. 196.
12. Ditto to face p. 200.
13. The Cathedral to face p. 246.
14. Abby Gate Iloufe to face p. 287.
15. Ichnography of the Cathedral to face p. 292.
16. View of the Cathedral, &c. to face p. 294.
17. CoRer's Monument, to face p. 299.
18. St. Mark's Church to face p. 344.
19. St. James's Church to face p. 383.
20. Religious Device on a Tomb to face p. 400. ci. All Saints Church to face p. 438.
22. ColQon's Monument to face p. 444.
23. Views of the Exchange to face p. 460.
24. The Back View to face p. 461.
25. Chrift Church and the High Crofs to face p. 4C4.
26. Coopers' Hall to face p. 505.
27. St. Stephen's Church to face 510.
28. Merchant's Hall to face p. 516.
29. Rcdcliff Church to face p. 574.
30. The Fac Simile of Rowley's Manufcript to face p. 637.
C ix J
SUBSCRIBERS.
His Royal Highness PRINCE WILLIAM.
TH E Right Rev. die Lord Bifliop of St. Afaph. John Acland, Efq; Mr. Acraman.
Mr. Gawin Alanfon, Briftol. Rev. Edu'. Aldridgc, Vicar of North Petherton, Mr. Richard Aldridge, Briaol. Mrs. Aldridge, ditto. Mr. Samuel Allen, ditto. Mr. James Allen, architeft, ditto. Mr. John Allen, organift, ditto. Levi Ames. Efq; Mayor of Briftol, 2 copies, Mr. M. Ancrum, Briftol. Mr. J. P. Anderdon.
John Anderfon, Efq; Alderman, Briftol. Mr. Thomas Andrews, ditto. John Archer, Efq; Welford, Berks, Mifs Archer. Mr. Edward Alh. John Audry, Efq; Notion, Wilts. Mr. Aaron' Auftin, Briftol.
B
Earl of Berkeley, 2 copies.
The Right Rev. the Lord Bifhop of Briftol, 2 copies.
The Right Rev, the Lord Bifliop of Bath and Wells,
Lord Belgrave.
The Hon. George Berkeley, 2 copies.
Mr. A. B. Briftol.
Rev. Mr. Backhoufe, Fellow of Bennet Col- lege, Cambridge.
Dr. Bain, Phyfician, Hotwells, Briftol.
Rev. Slade Baker, Briftol.
Jeremy Baker, Efq; ditto.
John Baker, Efq; ditto.
Samuel Baker, Efq; Dundrv.
Rev. Sackville Spencer Bale.
Mr. Balme, F. C. Magdalen Col. Cambridge.
C. W. Bampfylde, Efq; Hcftercomb, Somer- fetfliire.
Rev. Dr. Barford, Fellow of Eton College.
Rev. Dr. Barker, Mafter of Chrift College, Cambridge,
Dr. Barnes, Mafter of PeterHoufe, Cambridge,
Vv'illiam Barnes, Efq; Redland.
Mr. Anthony Barrett, Notion, Wilts.
Rev. W. T. Barrett, Reaor of High Ham, Somerfetftiire.
Mr. Samuel Barry, Biiilol. ,
John Bairy, Efq;
Sir Francis Baftet, Bart. M. P.
Mr. Thomas Batchelor, Briftol.
Thomas Bathurft, Efq; Lidney Park,
William Battcrflsy, Elq;
Mr. Benjamin Baugh, Briftol,
Mr.. Robert Bavley, CUftoiv
Mr. William Baylis, Briftol.
Mr. John Bayly, attorney at law, ditto.
Zachaiy Bayly, Efq; Widcomb, Bath.
Mr. Thomas Baynton, Briftol.
MelTrs. Bazleys, ditto.
Dr. Beadon, Mafter of Jefus Col. Cambridge.
James Bccket, Efq; CoUeftor of Salt Duties, Briftol.
Mr. J. B. Becket, bookfeller, ditto, 3 copies,
Jofeph Beck, Efq; ditto, 2 copies.
Mr. Thomas Bedoe, ditto.
Mr. James Bcnce.
Mr. H. Bengough, ditto,
Mr. John Bennett, ditto.
Bennet College Cambridge Library.
Benyon, Efq; F. C. St. John's College,
Cambridge.
Mr. John Pain Berjew, apothecary, Briftol. Rev. Mr. Berjew, Vicar of All Saints, ditto, James Bernard, Efq;
Dr. Bidle, Phyfician, Windfor.
Mr. Matthew Biggs, Briftol.
Mr. Edward Bird, ditto.
Mr. John Birtill, ditto.
Rev. Wiliam Blake, Vicar of Stockland.
Mr. Richard Blake, Briftol.
WiUiam Blake, Efq;
Mr. Thomas Blagdon, ditto.
Mrs. BliiTet, Clifton.
Mr. Bond, Caius College, Cambridge.
Rev. Mr. Borlafe, Regiftrar to the Univerfity
of Cambridge. Rev. Jonathan Boucher, Epfom. Mr. Bowden, wine-merchant, Briftol. Rev. Mr. Boycott, Caius College, Cambridge. Mr. Bradford, Fellow of Bennet College,
Cambridge. Mr. Nehemiah Bradford. Edward Bricc, Efq; Briftol. Nathaniel Brice. Efq; ditto. Matthew Brickdale, Elq: M. P. for Briftol. Richard Bright, Efq; Briftol. Lowbridge Bright, Efq; 2 copies, Briftol Library Society. Briftol Education Society,
Mi. Broderip,
X
SUBSCRIBERS.
Mr. Brodrip, apothecary, Briftol.
Mr. Robert Brodrip, ditto.
Rev. Mr. Broughton, Rcftor of St. Peter's,
ditto. Mr. James Brown, ditto. Mr. Henry Brown, ditto. Mr. F. Brown, Surgeon, ditto. Mr. Wm. Biowne, bookfeller, ditto, 3 copies, Jacob Bryant, Efq; Cvpcnham, Bucks. Mrs. Ann Bryan, Briftol. Rev. John Bull, ditto. Daniel Bull, Efq; Calnc, Wilts. Rev. Mr. Bull, Briftol. Mr. Francis Bull, ditto. Mr. Thomas E. Bull, ditto. Mr. William Bulgin, ditto. Hon. Mrs. Bulteel.
Mr. Daniel Burges, attorney at law, Briftol. John Berkley Burland, Efq; Mifs Townly Buiy. Robert Bufli, Efq; Briftol. Mr. George Bufli, merchant, ditto. Mr. William Bufli, ditto. Dr. Bufick, Harwood Profcftbr of Anatomy,
Cambridge, Rev. Mr. Bywater, Magdalen Col. Cambridge,
C
Earl of Clarendon,
Earl Camden,
Mr. Thomas Cadell, Briftol.
Rev. Dr. Camplin, ditto.
Rev. William Camplin, ditto.
Rev. JoJin Camplin, ditto.
Rev. Dr. Cafberd, ditto.
Mr. John Caftelman, Surgeon, ditto.
Mr. "Robert Caftle, ditto.
Mr. G. Cattcot, ditto.
John Cave, Efq; ditto, 2 copies,
Stephen Cave, Efq; ditto,
Mr. William Cave, junr. ditto.
Mr. Thomas Cave, ditto.
Dr. Samuel Cave, Phvfician, at Liftjon.
Mr. John Chandler, Briftol.
Rev. Mr. Chamberlayne, \'ic. Provoft of Eton
College, Mr. Thomas Chamber, Briftol, Mr, Edward Pye Chamberlain, ditto, Robert Claxton, Efq; ditto, Mr, John Chi vers, ditto. Mr. John Clark, ditto. Rev, Thomas Clark, Henbury, Mr, Peter ClilTold, ditto, Mrs, Clayficld, ditto. Mr. Edward RoUe Clayfield, ditto, Mr. Charles Morgan Clayficld, Oxford. William Coatcs, Efq; ditto. Rev. Dr. Coleman, Maftcr of Bcnnct College,
Cambridge. James Coles, Efq; Robert Coleman, Efq; Briftol, B. F, Coleman, Efq; ditto.
Mr. Collier, Profeflbr of Hebrew, Trinity
College, Cambridge. Mr. Robert Collins, Briftol. Thomas Collinfon, F^fq; London, Rev. Alexander Colfton, \'icar of Henbury,
Gloceftcrfhire. Mrs. Colfton, Filkins, Oxfordfhire. Rev. John Collinfon, Long Afhton, 4 copies. Mr. Collins, Briftol, Rev. Thomas Cockayne, Stapleton. Rev. Dr. Cooke, Provoft of King's College,
Cambridge. Mr. John Court, BriftoL Mr. "William Court, ditto. Mr. Charles Court, ditto. Mr. John Cox, ditto. Samuel Cox, Efq; ditto. H. Hippifley Cox, Efq; Stone Eafton. Rev. Mr. Cranke, Fellow of Trinity College,
Cambridge. Mr. John Crocker, Briftol. Rev. Dr. Croflman, Reftor of Monkton, So-
merfetfhire. Mr. Richard Cruttwell, Bath, F. C, Cuftj Efq; Lincoln's Inn,
D
Rev. James Dallaway, Trinity College, Oxford,
Rev. Dr. Dampicr, Dean of Rochefter,
Heniy Dampier, Efq; Middle Temple,
Mr, Thomas Danfon, Briftol,
Mr, William Daniel, ditto,
John Daniel, Efq; ditto.
Thomas Daniel, Efq; ditto, 2 copies.
Mr. Edward Daniel, ditto,
Thomas Darch, Efq;
George Daubeny, Efq; Alderman, ditto.
John Daubeny, Efq; ditto.
Rev. Dr. Davics, Head Maftcr of Eton School.
Mr. John Davics, Briftol.
Rev. Edward Davis, Prebendaty of Llandaff.
Mr. Davis, Fellow of Trinity Coll, Cambridge.
Francis Dawes, Efq; St, Peter's Coll, Camb,
John Dcverell, Efq; Cliflon.
"Mr, William Dibdin, Briftol,
Mrs. Mary Dimfdalc.
William I3inwoody, Efq; Twidee.
Mr, John Dowell, Briftol.
Mr, William Dowcll, ditto,
Lieut, Col, Robert Donkin.
Lieut. Rufane Shawe Donkin.
Mr. Henry Durbin, Briftol.
Mr. William Dyer, apothecary, ditto.
Mr. W. Dyer, ditto.
Mr. William Dymock,
Dr. Duck, ditto,
Mr. D>kcs, F. Com. Magdalen College, Camb,
Dr. Archibald Drummond, Ridgeway, Glocc-
fterfliire. Dr. Colon Drummond, Briftol. Rev. Dr. Drurv, Head Mafter of Harrow
School, ' Right
SUBSCRIBERS.
XI
Right Rev. Lord Bifhop of Exeter.
Hon. John Elliott. Pembroke Hall, Cambridge-
Hon. EdwMrd James Elliott, ditto.
Right Rev. Bifhop of Elphin, at Cambridge.
Mr. T. Eagles, Briflol.
Rev.Mr. Eafterbrook, ditto.
Goodenough Earl, Efq; Pitminfter, Somerfet.
Mr. George Eaton, Briftol,
Edinburgh Univerfily Libraiv.
Alexander Edgar, Efq; Alderman, Briflol.
Rev. Mr. Edwards, ditto.
Samuel Edwards, Efq; ditto.
Mr. J. Edye, ditto.
Ifaac Elton, Efq; Stapleton.
Rev. Abraham Elton, Clevedon Court,
Abraham Elton, Efq;
Mr. William Elton, Briftol.
Mr. Philip Elliott, ditto.
Mr. J. K. Efcott, ditto.
Rev. J. Prior Efflin, ditto.
Mr. William Evans, ditto,
Mr. H. F. Evans, ditto.
Dr. Farr, Phyfician, Taunton.
Dr. Farmer, Mailer of Emanuel Col. Camb.
Mr. Thomas Farley, merchant, Worcefter,
Mr. Samuel Fear, Briftol.
William Fellows, Efq; F. Com. St. John's
College. Cambridge. Rev. Mr. Fifher, Cains College, Cambridge. Mr. George Fiflier, Briftol. Mr. Thomas Flower, ditto. Rev. Thomas Ford, L. L.D. Reftor of Melton
Mowbray, Leicefterfhire. Mr. Patrick Foreham, Briftol. Rev. Mr. Foftcr, at Eton. Samuel Franklyn, Efq; Barrifter at Law. John Freeman, Efq; Letton, Herefordfhire. Mr. William Fripp, Briftol. Mr. William Fr\', ditto. Mrs. Anna Frv, ditto. Mr. Edmund Fr)-, London. Mr. Jofepii Storr Er}', Briftol, Mr. Samuel Fn,-, ditto. Mr. Jofeph FuiTel, ditto.
G
Samuel Gallon, Efq; Birmingham.
Rev. Edmund Gappcr, Charlton Adam, So-
mcrfctfhirc. Mr. James George, Briftol. Mr. Hugh George, ditto. Sir Philip Gibbcs, Bart. Hilton Park, near
Woolvcrhampton. Mr. "William Gibbons, Briftol, Nathaniel Gifford, Efq; ditto. Mr. H. Gillam, ditto.
Dr. Glvn.v, Clobcry Phyfician, Cambridge. Dr. Glynn's Friend, anonymous.
Mrs. Ann Goldney, Clifton, 3 copies.
Mr. Samuel Gomond, Briftol.
Henry Goodwin, Efq; Clifton, 2 copies,
Peter Goodwin, Efq; Charlton, 2 copies.
Rev. Thomas Goodwyn, Vicar of Pitminfter.
Rev. Thomas Goddard, Vicar of South Pe-
therton and Clevedon, Somerfctfhire. Rev. Mr. Goodall, of Eton. Mr. Jof. Goodale, Briftol. Milncr Goftip, Efq; Thorp Arch, Yorkfliire. Rev. Dr. Gooch, Prebendaiy of Ely. Rev. Dr. Gordon, Prebendary of Lincoln. John Gordon, Efq; Briftol. William Gordon Efq; ditto. John Gore, Efq; Barrow Court, Somerfetftiire. Edward Gore, Efq; Kiddington, Oxfordfhire. Mr. Thomas Griffiths, Briftol. Rev. Mr. Gregory, F. C. of Trinity Hall,
Cambridge. Rev. Mr. Grefly, Reclor of Allcr, Somerfet. Mrs. Graves, reliftof the late Admiral Graves, Mr, Kingfmill Grove, Thombury.
H
Lord Flov.ard, of Walden, Eflex.
John B. Hale, Efq; Alderly, Glocefterlhire.
Mr. J. Williams Harding, Briftol.
Mr. Richard Hale, ditto.
Mr. Jofeph Hall, ditto.
Mr. G. W. Hall, ditto.
Rev. Dr. Hallam, Dean of Briftol.
Edmund Trowbridge Halliday, Efq;
Mr. Thomas Hanmer, Briftol.
Dr. Hardwick, Sodbury.
Rev. James Hardwick, L. L. B. Vicar or Ty-
thcrington, Glocefterfhirc. Rev. Mr. Hart, St. George's, Kingfwood. Edward Harford, Efq; Briftol. Jofeph Harford, Efq; ditto. Charles Jofeph Harford, Efq; ditto. Charles Harlord, Efq; ditto. Mark Harford, Efq; ditto. Samuel Loyd Harford, Efq; ditto. Mr. Richard Swymmer Harford, ditto. J. Scandrel Harford, Efq; ditto. John Harmer, Efq; Penpark. Thomas Harris, Efq; Alderman, 5 copies. John Harris, Efq; Sherifl' of Briftol. Mr. W. Harris, Deputy Chamberlain of ditto. Mr. James Harris, Briftol. James Harvey, Elq; ditto, jvlr. Jofeph Haflciiis, ditto. Mr. Jofeph Ilaythorn, ditto. Mr. Rich. Hawkefwcll, Chamberlain of ditto, Richard Haynes, Efq; Wick, Glocefterftiirc. Capt. Thomas Haines, Briftol. Jol, Haynes, Elq; Clone, Ireland. Rev. Dr. Head, Ma ftcr of Rugby School, Rev. Mr. Heath, of Eton. Rev. Dr. Heath, Fellow of Eton College, Sir Ifaac Hciird, Garter King of Arms. 2 Dr.
xu
SUBSCRIBERS.
Dr. William Heherdcn. PhvPician, London.
Mr, T. Hellicar, Briftol.
Mr. JolephHcUier, Dundn,'.
Anthony Henderfon, Efq; Briftol.
Mr. William Henley, ditto.
Mr. C. Hcincman, ditto.
Mr. Thomas Hetling, ditto,
William Hicks, Elt]: Bitton,
Mr. Jcr. Hill, junr. Briftol.
Mr. William Hill, ditto,
Mr. Richard Hill, ditto.
Mr. Benjamin Hill, ditto.
Rev. Mr. Hill, Relident at the Englifh Faftory
at Lifbon. T. C. Hippifley, Efq; Briftol. Henry Hobhoufe, Efq; Hatfpcn, Somerfet. Thomas Hobhoufe, Efq; at the Temple. Mr. Robert Hodgfon, Briftol, Mr. William Hooper, ditto. Rev. D. Horndon, ditto. Mifs Howard, Levcnham, Lincolnfliire. Mr. Matthew Howell. Mr. James Hughes, attorney, Briftol. Mr. John Humphries, ditto. Mr. Hughes, ditto. Mr. James Hunt, Liverpool. Mr. Hunter, Fellow of Sydney Col. Cambridge,
I
Mr. Walter Jacks, Briftol.
Dr. John Jacob, Phyfician, Salifbuiy.
Mr. Jacob, Fellow of King's Col. Cambridge.
Jefus College Library, Cambridge.
Mr. Jof. James, Briftol.
St. John's College Library, Cambridge.
Rev. Mr. Johnes, Briftol, 2 copies.
Mr. William Jones, ditto.
Mr. James Jones, ditto.
Mr. Johnrton, Vice Provoft of King's College,
Cambridge. Dr. Jowell, King's Profcffor of Civil LaM',
Trinity College, Cambridge. ]amcs Ireland, Efq; Briflington. Rev. Dr. Ireland, Reftor of Chrift Church,
Briftol.
K Mr. Kcene, Briftol. Mr. Kelfon, ditto. Rev. Mr. Kerrich, Prefident of Magdalen
College, Cambridge. Rev. Dr. Keys, Dean of Lincoln. Mifs King, Nafli Houfe, Wraxal. Mr. Henry King, Alvefton, Glocefterfhire. Mr. H. King, junr. Briftol. King's College Library', Cambridge. Mr. Jacob Kirby, Briftol. Samuel Knight, Efq; Cambridge.
Right Rev. Lord Bifhop of Landaff. Right Rev. Lord Bifliop of Lincoln,
Mr. Lambert, Trinity College, Cambridge, William Gore Langton, Efq; Newton Park, Somerfetfliire.
Mr. William Lane, of Cork.
Rev. Dr. Langford, Under Mafter of Eton School,
Rev. Charles Lee, Mafter of Briftol Gram- mar School.
Mr. John Lcdyard, Melkfliam, Wilts,
Mr. John Lewlly, Briftol.
Mr. John Lewellin, ditto,
Mr. William Lewis, ditto. *
Mr. John Lewis, ditto.
Mr. H. Link, ditto.
Lady Lippincott, Stoke Bifliop, Glocefterflilrc.
Mr.Lockier, Briftol.
Mr. Jofcph Llovd, Briftol. 3 copies.
Mr. Jofcph Lock, Briftol.'
' Lumbe, Efq; Cambridge, 2 copies.
Mrs. Lonfdale Linton, Cambridge,
Mr. Low, Surgeon, Briftol.
Mr. John Robert Lucas, ditto.
Dr. Abraham Ludlow, Ph)lician, Briftol.
W. P. LuncU, Efq; ditto.
James Fownes Luttrell, Efq; Somerfctniirc.
M
Mr, John Maddick, Briftol,
Dr. Mahony, Hotwells, ditto.
Rev. Mr. Manfcl, Public Orator of Cambridge Univcrfity.
Mr. John Marks, Tetbury.
Mr. Martin, Profeftor of Botany, Sidney Col- lege, Cambridge,
Rev. Mr. Maftcrs, Reftor of Landlcach.
T. J, Matthias, Efq; Scotland Yard, London.
The Hon. T. Maude, F. Com. of St, John's College, Cambridge.
Mr. Jofcph Maurice, Briftol.
Mr. John Maxfc, ditto.
Mr. Andrew Maxfc, ditto.
Mr. Matthew Meafe, ditto.
Mr. Thomas Meafe, ditto.
Mr. Merrick, attorney, Briftol.
Mr. Merril, bookfeller, Cambridge,
Mr. William Meyler, Bath.
Mr. Diederick Mcyeroff, Briftol.
William Miles, Efq; Alderman, ditto.
Jeremiah Mills, Efq; Harlcy-ftrcet, London, 2 copies.
Mr. Thomas Mills, Briftol.
Mifs Virtue Mills, ditto.
Dr. Milncr, Mafter of Queen's College, Cam- bridge.
Rev. ]ohn Milton, Briftol.
Dr. Moncrieff, Phyfician, Briftol,
Mr. Thomas Morgan, attorney, ditto.
Mr. John Morgan, ditto.
James Morgan, Efq; ditto.
John
SUBSCRIBERS.
XIll
John Morgan, Efq; Briftol.
Mr. John Morgan, ditto.
Mr. Peter Morris, junr. ditto.
Mr. John Mortimore, ditto.
James Morris, Efq; Cambridge.
Lady Moftyn, Kiddington, Oxfordftiire.
Mr. James Mofs, Briftol.
Mr. James Mounlfher, ditto.
Samuel Munckley, Efq; ditto.
N Mr. John Nailor. Briftol. Mr. Thomas Nafh, ditto. Sir Stephen Nafh, Knight, ditto. Rev, Dr. Nafh, Bevere, Worcefterfhire. Rev. Mr. Nafmith, Bennet Col. Cambridge. Richard Nelmes, Efq: Briftol. Rev. James New, Reftor of St. Philip's, ditto, Mr. Newton, Fellow of Jefus Col. Cambridge. Mr. Edward Nichols, Briftol. Mr. John Padmore Noble, Surgeon, ditto. Rev. Dr. Norbury, Fellow of Eton College. Mr. North, Caius College, Cambridge. Mr. Norcrofs, Pembroke Hall, ditto. Mr. Norton, bookfeller, Briftol, 6 copies. Mr. Onefiphoiiis Norman, ditto. Mr. Norrisj Trinity College, Cambridge.
O
Mr. Okes, Surgeon, Cambridge. Rev.Mr.Olderfhaw, Emanuel Col. Cambridge. Mr. William Oldham, Briftol. Mr. Jer. Olborne, attorney, ditto.
The Right Hon. William Pitt, Chancellor of the E.xchequer, M. P. for Cambridge, &c.
Right Rev. Lord Bifhop of Peterborough,
Hon. Mr. Percival, Lincoln's Inn.
Mr. John Page, Briftol.
Mr. Arthur Palmer, ditto,
Mr. James Palmer, ditto.
Mr. Henry Palmer, ditto,
Mifs Palmer, ditto.
Thomas Partridge, Efq; Cotliam, ditto.
Mr. William Parfons, ditto.
Rev. Mr. Parkinfon, Fellow of Clirift College, Cambridge.
Mr. Henry Pater, Briftol.
Mr. Thomas Patty, ditto.
Rev. Samuel Peach, Eaft Sheen, in Surr)'.
Mr. Richard Pearfon, Briftol.
Pembroke Hall Library, Cambridge.
St. Peter's College Librarj', ditto.
Mr. John Peters, Briftol.
Rev. Mr. Peckard, Maft«r of Magdalen Col- lege, Cambridge.
Dr. Pennington, Phyfician, ditto.
Edward Phcllips, junr. Efq; M. P. for the county of Somcrfct.
Mr. Thomas Pierce, Briftol,
Mr. William Pine, Briftol, 12 copies.
Mr. Edmund Pitts, Burcomb, Wilts.
Richard Plaifter, Efq; Briftol.
Dr. James Plomer, Phyfician, ditto.
Mr. Nicholas Pococke, ditto.
Rev. Mr. Porter, Cambridge.
Mrs. Porter, ditto.
Rev. Mr. Powis, Prebendary of Briftol,
Onefiphorus Power, Efq; Briftol.
Richard Pottinger, Efq; Burlington-ftreet,
London. John Powell, Efq; Briftol. Mr. Profter, ditto. Mr. John Pumel, junr.
R
Mr. William Rackfter, Biiftol.
Mr. G. Rackfter, ditto.
Mr. Raine, Fellow of Trinity Col. Cambridge,
Mr. William Randolph, Briftol,
Rev. F. Randolph.
Mr. John Rawlins, Briftol.
Rev. Robert Ready, Reftor of Bufcot, Berks.
Rev.T. Rcnell, P'rebendar)- of Winchcfter.
Mr. Thomas Reynolds, Briftol.
Mr. Richard Reynolds, ditto.
Hon. Richard Rider, Lincoln's Inn.
Dr. Thomas Rigge, Phyfician, Briftol.
Rev. Mr. Rimbron, ditto.
Mr. Archibald Robe, ditto.
Mr. Thomas Roberts, ditto,
Mr. Samuel Rogers, ditto.
Mr. James Rogers, ditto.
Mr. G. Rogers, ditto.
Rev. Dr. Robbins, ditto.
Mr. Joleph Rogers, ditto.
Rev. Dr. Roberts, Provoft of Eton.
William Roberts, Elq; Wandfworth.
Sir James La Roche, Bart. Briftol,
Mr. John Roach, ditto.
Mr. James Room, ditto.
G.Rofe, Efq; M. P. Weftmlnfter,-
Mr. Edward Rolfer, Briftol.
Mr. John Rudhall, ditto.
Mr. John RulTel, Wraxal.
Mr. Thomas Rutter, Briftol.
James Sadler, Efq; Briftol.
Mr. George Salway, ditto.
Edward Sampfon, Efq; Hcnbuiy, Glocefter- ftiire, 2 copies.
Mr. Thomas Saunders, Briftol.
Mr. Sandiver, Surgeon, Newmarket,
Rev. Mr. Savage, Eton.
James Scarlet, Efq; F. Com, of Trinity Col- lege, Cambridge.
Rowlcs Scudamorc, Efq; Briftol.
Mr. Seagcr, attornev, ditto,
Mr. ScwarJ, ditto.
Rev.
XIV
SUBSCRIBERS.
Rev. Samuel Seyer, Redland.
Mr. Seymour, Briftol.
Mr. T. bhapland, ditto.
Mr. Jofcph Shapland, ditto,
Mr. Alexander Sheddcn.
Re\'. Mr. Shipton, ditto.
Mr. Shepherd, Provoft of King's College,
Cambridge. MifsWall Shelford, Cambridgeniirc. Mr. Robert Simpfon, Briftol. Rev. Richard Symes, Rcflor of St, Werburgh,
ditto. Mr. Samuel Simmons, Newland, Gloceflerfh. Denham Skeat, L. L. D. Henbury. Henry Skirme, Efq; Lincoln's Inn. Rev. Dr. Jofcph Aivvell Small, Minifter of St.
James's, Briftol, 2 copies. Sir John Smith, Sydling, Dorfet. J. \Vildboar Smith, Trinitv Col. Cambridge. Mr. Smith, Fellow of John's Col. Cambridge. Robert Smith, Efq; Clifton, Jofcph Smith, Efq; Briftol. Rev. Dr. Smith, Mafter of Caius College,
Cambridge. Mrs. Smith, of ditto.
Rev. Mr. Smith, Biddeford, Dcvonfhire. Partridge Smith, Efq; Weftholme. Mr. Smith, Surgeon, Briftol. Sir John Hugh Smyth, Bart. Afhton Court,
Somerfetftiire. Lady Smyth, ditto. Thomas Smyth, Efq; Stapleton, Hugh Smyth, Efq; ditto. Mr Robert Southcy, Briftol. Mr. Thomas Southev, ditto. Samuel Span, Efq; ditto. Francis Spilfbury, Efq; London, Rev. Mr. Spry, \'icar of Bedminfter, &c,
cumRedcliff, Briftol. William Stephens, Efq; Broad-ftrect, London. G. Stevens, Efq; Flampftead. Mr. James Stevens, Briftol. Mr. William Stephens, ditto. Rev, Lewis Stephens, Reftor of Scmly, Wilts, Mr, Edward Stephens, Rev. Mr. Stevenfon, Eton. Robert Steward, Elq; F. Com. of St. John's
College, Cambridge. Rev. Edw. Stillingftect, of Kcll.*ield, Yorkftiire. Mr. T. Stock, Briftol, Thomas Stratton, Efq; ditto. Thomas Strong, Efq; F. S. A. Mr. William Studlcy, Briftol, Rev. Dr. Sumner, Eton. V r. James Sutton, Briftol. Mr. Walter Swayne, ditto. J, Symmon<ls, Efq; Profcffor of Modern Hif-
tory, Cambridge, Mr, John Symmons, Surgeon, Bath,
Rev. Mr. W. Tandey, Briftol.
Mr. J. Mayo Tandey, ditto.
Mr. Tew, Fellow of Eton College,
Mr. Thackeray, Surgeon, Cambridge,
Mr. Thomas Thomfoii.
Mr. George Thynnc, F. Com. of St, Johii's
College, Cambridge, F. Thrufton, Efq; Wefton, Norfolk. James Tobin. Efq; Briftol. Mr. Richard Tombs, ditto. Mr. John Townfend, Surgeon, ditto, Richard Greaves Townly, Fulborn, Cam-
bridgefhire. Sir John Trevillian, Bait. Member for Somcr-
fctfhire. Trinity College Libraiy, Cambridge. Sir Thomas Trollop, Bart. F. Com. of St,
John's College, Cambridge. Mrs. Margaret Tucker, Briftol, Mr. Philip Debell Tucket, ditto. Martin Tunftall, Efq; Rev. Dr. Turner, Mafter of Pembroke Hall,
Cambridge. William Turner, Efq; Belmont, Wraxal,
3 copies. Rev. John Turner, Archdeacon of Taunton. Edmund Turner, junr. Efq; F, R, and A, S,
Panton Place, Lincolnftiire, John Tyler, Efq; Redland. Thomas Tyndall, Efq; BriftoU Richard Tyndall, Efq; ditto, John Tindale, Efq; ditto,
V
• Hon. John Villers, Efq; F, Com. of St. John's
College, Cambridge. Richard Vaughan, Efq; Briftol,
W
Mr, John Wadham, junr, Briftol. Mr. Daniel W'ait, ditto. Sir William Wake, Bart. Mr. Walefbry, F. Com. Trinity Col, Camb, Mr, Walford, Caius College, ditto. Mr, John Waring, Briftol, Mr. F, Ward, attornev, ditto, Walter Waftficld, Efq; Cliippenham. Mr, Edward M'atkins, Stoke Bifhop, William Weare, Efq; Briftol. J. F. Waare, Efq; ditto. Mr. Francis Weaver, ditto, Mr, William Webb, ditto. Mr. John Weeks, ditto. Mr. Walter Wcllick, ditto. Mr. Jofeph Were, ditto. Mr. Henry Whatley, ditto. Rev. Mr. John Wheeler, Upper Grofvenor- Itreet, London,
Thomas
SUBSCRIBERS.
XV
Thomas Whilhead, Efq; Ilambrook.
Mr. Thomas Whitehead, Biillol.
Mr. James Whitakcr, ditto.
Mr. Whitchurch, Surgeon, at Backwell, So-
merletfhirc. Mr. Whitmore, Fellow of St. John's College,
Cambridge. H. Whitmarth, Efq; Bats Place, near Taunton. Rev. Mr. Wylde, Yatton, Somerfetfliire. Mr. Jofeph Whittuck, Briftol. Rev. George Wilkins, Reftor of St. Michael's,
ditto. '
Mr. William Williams, ditto. Mr. Luke Wilmot, ditto. Mr. Thomas Willis, ditto, Mr. T. Wiltdiire, ditto.
Wm. VVilberforce, Efq; Member for Yorkfliire. Mr. James Windey, attorney, Briftol. Sir William V\ inne, Doftors Commons. Mr. John Winpenny, Briftol. Mr. Jofeph Winpenny, ditto.
Mr. John Winwood, Briftol.
Rev. Mr. Woolafton, Fellow of Trinity Col- lege, Cambridge.
Leighton Wood, Efq; Briftol.
Mr. Abel Wood, ditto.
Thomas Woodall, Efq; ditto.
George Woodroofc, Efq; Lincoln's Inn,
Mr. John Woodward, Briftol.
Mr. Matthew V\'organ, ditto.
Samuel Worrall, Efq; Clifton.
Samuel Worrall, junr. Efq; Town Clerk of Briftol.
Mr. Matthew Wright, Briftol.
Rev. Mr. Wyatt, Fellow of Pembroke Col- lege, Cambridge.
Y Mr. Yeatman, Surgeon, Briftol. Ch. Ifaac Yorke, Efq; F, Com. of Queen's College, Cambridge.
ADDITIONAL SUBSCRIBERS.
LORD Eufton, Trinity College, Cambridge. Lord Heniy Fitzroy, ditto. Hon. Dudley Rvder, M. P. ) ^ , . , „■ Hon. PhiHp Yorke, M. P. \ Cambndgeflnre. Dr. John Hey, Norrifian ProfefiTor of Divinity,
Sidney College, Cambridge, Mr. Edwards, of Norfolk. Mr. Wilkinfon, ditto. Mr. Johnfon, ditto. Rev. Dr. Grape, ditto. Lord Ongley, Trinity College, Cambridge. William Hall, Efq; ditto. H. F. Mills, ditto.
C. L. Dundafs, Efq; ditto,
R. N, Ogle, Efq; ditto.
T. Clapham, Efq; ditto.
H. J. R. Soame, Efq; ditto.
Auguftus Cavendifli, Efq; ditto;
Rev. Mr. Hutchinfon, ditto.
Rev. Dr. Lort, F. R. and A. S.
Francis Fownes Luttrel, Efq; London.
Mr. William Hare, jun. Briftol.
Mrs. Mary Were, Wellington.
Mr. Jofeph Atlay, Briftol.
Mr. David Lewis, ditto.
Ml-. Hyatt, Attorney at Law, Shepton-Mallet.
CONTENTS.
[ xvii ]
O N T E N T S.
Chap. I. ^~\ F Briftol in general : its origin, names and antiquity, page 7. — ^^ of the Abone of Antonine, Roman coins 1 3 — Roman camps 1 8 — Iter to Caer-Went from Bath 24, &c.
Chap. II. — Of the city in the Saxon and Norman times, Turgot's account of it 31 — Anglo Saxon Earls Lords of it 35 — on Saxon coining by Turgot 37 — coins of Harold, W. 1. and Robert Earl of Glocefter &c. ftruck. at Briftol 40 — Mr. Canynges cabinet of ancient monuments by Rowley 44 — of the city in W. 1. H. 2. 3. times &c. 46.
Chap. III. — Defcription of the city as firft laid out, plan, ground plot 51 — river Froom 52 — rife and progrefs of the Avon 53 — walls, gates &c. 54 — middle ftate of the city and plan 57 — religious houfes 58 — hermitage of St. Brendan with the form of flnitting up in it for life 61 — chapels, hofpi- tals, chantries 62 — of making the Quay 66 — of the Bridge 73 — chapel on it 79 — view of the old Bridge 80.
Chap. IV. — Of the city in its prefent improved ftate 82 — of floating the {hips ahvays 87 — of Hungroad and Kingroad 89, 90 — of the Hotwells 91, 92 — of the Xew Bridge 96 — number of houfes 100 — conduits 101 — markets &c. 102 — bounds of the city 105 — defcribed in Latin verfe 113.
Chap. Y. — Of its civil government and officers 114 — wards 119 — choofing mayors 120 — city revenues 126, 140 — church livings 128 — crown rents bought off" 132 — charity loan money 136 — annual charities 138 — of bur- geffes of Parliament and writs 142 — lift of Members 149.
Chap. VI. — On the trade of the city 164 — Canynges trade 170 — Cabot's voyage 171, 172 — exemption from the power of the Admiralty 175 — Guy's fettling Newfoundland 177 — ancient guild of merchants 179 — Merchants' Society incorporated 181 — Severn its rife 183 — glafs trade and diftillery &c. bad effefts of fpirituous liqnors 185 — trade calculated, number of lliips and cuftoins 186, 190.
c Chap.
XVlll
CONTENTS.
Chap. VII. — Of the cafilc, early founded 192 — rebuilt by Robert Earl of Glocefler; plan by Rowley; Wm. of VVorcefter's account — Leland's 194, 199 — Lord Wardens, and fong to Ella 202, 203 — Britrick 205 — Godfry of Coutance 206 — Robert Earl of Glocefler, his chara8.er 209, 210 — caRle in the crown and grant of the conflablefliip 213 — the feveral Conflables 214 — Sir Baldwin Fulford executed 220 — caftle fortified in C. 1. time 225 — taken by Prince Rupert 228 — by Fairfax 230 — articles of capitulation 237 — Prince Rupert's vindication 238 — cleared 241 — the ordnance on the line 245.
Chap. VIII. — Of the abby ofSt. Augunin,poemon Fitzhardyng founder 246 — Lords of Berkeley top. 257 — its endowment and grants258 — form of elect- ing the abbot 259 — abby in difordcr and vifited 261 — abbots 266 — diffolution 270 — deeds 272.
Chap. IX. — Of the biflioprick, diocefe Sec. 278 — H. 8. deed of ereftion 279 — churches in the diocefe 280 — cathedral and officers 283 — defcribed 288 — abby gate 287 — church rebuilt 289 — ichnography 292 — ^monuments 295 — endowment 308 — of the biflioprick 314 — of the dean and chapter 319 — bifhops 327 — deans 339.
Chap. X. — Church of St. Mark's 343 — monuments 347 — Gaunts hofpital 353 — founders 357 — benefactors 364 — maffers 372 — diffolution 373 — O. Eliz. hofpital 376 &c.
Chap. XL — Church of St. James and priory 379 — its fite 381 — minifters 388 — monuments 390 — benefa£lors 393 — Francifcan friery 339 — Domi- nican 400 — almflioufes 402 — infirmary 403.
Chap. XII. — Of the church of St. AuguRin the Icfs 405 — Carmelite friery 412 — Colffon's hofpital 414 — Redmaids hofpital 415.
Chap. XIII. — Of the church of St. Michael 416 — Magdalen nunnery 426 — St. Bartholemew's hofpital 428 — by Rowley 429 — grammar-fchool 432 — Fofter's almflioufe 434 — Colflon's almflioufe 435.
Chap. XIV. — Church of All-Saints &c. 437 — Colflon's monument and bene- faftions 444 — of the houfe and fraternity of Kalendaries 449 — Exchange built and opened 459.
Chap. XV. — Chrifl-Church 464 — of the High Crofs 473 — of the church of St. Owen 475 — fraternity of St. John 476.
Chap.
CONTENTS. xix
Chap. XVI. — Church of St. Werburgh 479 — reSlors 481 — monuments 482.
Chap. XVII. — Church of St. John and St. Lawrence 487 — Guildhall 493-
Chap. XVIII. — Church and parifh of St. Nicholas 494 — rebuilt 495 — monu- ments 498 — church of St. Leonard 506 — BriRol library 508.
Chap. XIX. — Church and parifli of St. Stephen 509 — monuments 514 — Merchants'-Hall 516 — almfhoufe and fund for decayed feamen 5 17.
Chap. XX. — Church of St. Peter 518 — Newgate 523 — St. Maryport524 — by Rowley 525 — monuments 526.
Chap. XXI. — Of the church and parifh of St. Phillip 528 — endowment of the vicarage 529 — Barftaple's or Trinity almflioufe 536 — St. Lawrence hofpital 538 — St. George's church in Kingfwood54o — Kingfwood chace
541-
Chap. XXII. — Church and parifh of Temple 541 — by Rowley — the vicar- age purchafed 544 — Auguflinian friery 553 — Dr. White's hofpital 554 — Colflon's fchool 555 — St. Paul's fair 556.
Chap. XXIII. — Church and parifh of St. Thomas Sec. 557 — St. Thomas market 565.
Chap.XXIV.— ChurchandpariniofSt.MaryRedclifF566— Rowley'slifeofSir Simon de Burton 568 — Wm. Canynges 569, 571 — his gift to friers minors 572 — church defcribed 573 — Hogarth's paintings 575 — monuments 580 &c. — St. John's hofpital 594 — RedclifF fchool 596 — St. Catherine's hofpital 598 — Parliament of Sprites by Rowley 600.
Chap. XXV. — Great benefa£lors to the city and their feveral endowments 610.
Chap. XXVI. — Eminent Briftol men 624 — Wm. Canynges and pedigree 626 — letters to and from Rowley 632 — poem of " Anent a Brooklet" & fac fimile 637 — Chatterton's letters to Mr.Walpole 639 — his death G^-j &c. — Archbifhop Matthews 652 — Bifhop Thomas 653 — Mr, Col flon 65 4 tS:c.
Annals of the city &c. 659.
THE
[ 1 ]
Of BRISTOL in General.
CHAP. I.
Of Us ORIGIN, N A M E S, an^ A N T I O U I T Y.
THE Great JEHOVAH, " who hath made of one blood all nations to dwell upon the earth, and determined the bounds of their habitation," affigned to man at firft this one employ, with labour to till the ground in which he was placed. — Thus we find patriarchs and peoj)le engaged in agri- culture only and the palloral life, till increafing they went off in tribes to feek more diftant habitations ; and mutual wants requiring mutual affiftance, vari- ous occupations became neceflary ; new countries producing new commodities were inhabited, and a commercial intercourfe by barter and exchange was foon eftablilhed betwixt them.
The borderers on the great rivers and fea coafts employed themfclves in fi filing, which naturally produced a race of feamen ; and probably laid the foundation of fea voyages, to which the iflands when peopled feem by fituation to have been neceflarily addicted.
The ifland of Britain received its firft colony from G a u l ; and Caefar upon his invading it found it full of inhabitants, who made a bold refiftance : but as he did not penetrate far into the country, his account muft be very imperfeft — though the Roman conqueft of it afterwards laid the foundation of its civilization. The rough manners of the natives became more polilhed ; their wandering courfe of life more fixed and fettled; camps were laid out and fortrcfles erefted with greater fkill ; arts and arms began to flourifh ; their paftoral employment to be negleQed for more ufeful occupations and traffic ; which brought together into focietics the difperfcd inhabitants, and towns arofe and cities were built for them to live together united under a civil
government.
The
C 2 ]
The firft rife of ancient places and the early period in vhicli they became diftinguifhed as Vills, Towns, Burghs, or Cities, it is always difTicult with exa£l- ncfs to afcertain : and the greater the antiquity of the place, the more intri- cate and perplexed mufl our refearches into its original necefTarily be. I fhall endeavour to trace this city back through the obfcurity of remote times, to remove the vague conjeftures of fome, and adopt the cleareft account of it that can be derived from the beft authorities and rational inveftigation.
BRISTOL, though fome writers will not allow us to boaft of its antiquity, through prejudice or too fuperficial enquiry, may yet juftly lay claim to a very early origin : its natural advantages of fituation, its two rivers, its eafy communication with the main ocean by its channel, and with the inland parts of England and with Wales by the rivers Avon and Severn, its convenience and fecurity for defence, invited our Britifh anceftors to fix their feat here in the earlieft times under the name of Cacr Brito, or Briton, i. e. the Britijh City, nigh to and juft under the Roman city, or ftation Abone, at Clifton and Rownham Hill, at the time of the Romans governing this ifland, and during their refidence in this neighbourhood at their camps there, which appear vene- rable in their ruins at this day.
Gildas, about the year 580, gives us a very particular account of 28 citie? that adorned this nation ; and Nennius, about the year 620, gives us the cata- logue of them, and mentions Cacr Brito as one of the 28, famous in ancient times. Bede, who died 734, aged 59, fays in like manner, " Britannia erat, &c." i. e. " Britain was famous in ancient times for 28 moft noble cities, befides " caRlcs, both furnifhed with gates and ftrong bolts, walls, and towers." Henry of Huntingdon, in 1148, copying from Nennius, gives us Caer Briflow for Cacr Brito. — But Mr. Cambden, though he acknowledges its Britifli name Caer Brito, yet very contradiflorily fays, " It rofe in the dcclcnfion of the " Saxon government, fince it is not any where taken notice of before the " year of our Lord 1063, when Harold, as Florence of Worcefler has it, fct " fail from BriRow to invade Wales." That this excellent antiquary was deceived in his opinion, and that Briftol was a very ancient and renowned place contrary to what he has intimated, will be made appear in the progrefs of this Hiflory. The filcncc of the monkifli writers can at befl be no proof of its late rife ; for according to the confined miflaken notions that then prevailed, thofe places alone which could boaft the moft early cftablifhment of monafteries, the moft rich and fplendid endowment of religious houfes are chiefly celebrated in their writings, and claim particular notice or attention from them ; while places of trade and commerce were little noted or mentioned.
The
[ 3 ]
Tlie authority of Mr. Cambdcn has unhappily fo influenced fucceedin^ antiquaries, that they fecm all to have copied his error and refted in his authority. But his allowing Cacr Brilo in the ancient catalogue of Britifli cities to be Brijlow, and yet immediately afterwards giving it fo late an origin as the very decline of the Saxon government here, fliews fuch overfight and inaccuracy as can feldom be imputed to this great author, whofe indefatigable induftry and extenfive knowledge enabled him to produce fuch a work as the Britannia. The eafiefl folution to be given of this feeming contradiftion in Mr. Cambden is, that he meant it made no very confpicuous figure in the annals of hiftory, rofc to no great pitch of honour as a feat of war or port of commerce, [emerfijfe,) emerged not out of a kind of obfcurity in thofe refpecls till towards that period ; being probably induced to think fo by a paffage he might have feen in Leland's manufcript, though feldom quoted by him, who (in Cygn. Cant.) fays, " Vtnla Belgarum (meaning Briftol) was not a " large city, it was increafed by the Saxons."
Though the chroniclers make no very early mention of it, being fituated out of the road of moft of the military operations of thofe days; yet that it was altogether an unnoticed place both as to Religious and Secular matters cannot be conceived, fince Mr. Cambden himfelf, in his Somerfetfliire, takes notice, that " Jordan, the companion of St. Auguftin, had his oratory and burial " place here, and his pulpit of flone, faid to be in the old hofpital of Bartho- " lomew:" But Leland better defcribes it, " at St. Augulline's Black " Channons ; extra mcenia, ibique in magna area facellum, in quo fepultus " eft S. Jordanus, unus ex difcipulis Auguftini Anglorum Apoftoli;" the monaftery itfelf afterwards erefted here being called after the name and dedi- cated to St. Auguftin, probably in commemoration of that event.
Neither can it be fuppofed with the leaft fliadow of rcafon, that Harold and Swain were the firft of note that ever took ftiipping here, though none may be mentioned before them in our chronicles, as its port muft have been ever fo convenient for voyages into Ireland and paffage into Wales. — Anderfon in- deed fays, in his Hiftory of Commerce, printed 1764, vol. 1. p. 19 and 86, " Briftow is reckoned by Gildas among the fortified and eminent cities of « Britain fo early as the year 430 ;" (though he has not mentioned the page in Gildas;) " and that it exifted as a town or fort in the fifth century, notwith- " ftanding the affertion of Mr. Cambden to the contrary ; and again that it " was a place of account in the fifth century when the Romans left Britain."
It will be fhewn hereafter, that upon the retreat of the Romans, and the fubverfion of their great cities at Caiirleon and Caerwcnt, the Britons in great
A 2 numbers
C 4 ]
numbers pafling the Severn back again to Briftol, occupied the town here in the room of thofe deftroyed ; as this was by nature a fecurer Ration, and out of the road of thofe invafions and tempefts that have fallen heavy on other ground, nor fubjcft to fudden furprifes, furrounded as it is by the Avon and Froom. — And when afterwards the Saxons came and difpofTeffed them, thefe enlarged it, and foon rendered it a moft flourifhing place and port of trade, to the great decay of Chepllow and other places, which never fince have recovered their trade.
But there is an ancient Britifli name which they feem to agree it had at firft. Can Oder Nante Badon : Leland fays, " Briflol in early ages was probably " called the city Odera, and that Nante Badon, i. e. in the vale of Bath, was " added to it, becaufe Bath was but eleven miles diftant from it;" and then he makes this remark, that " Nante fignifies a valley in which a river flows, " I fliould therefore read it Nante Avon from that river, which may be con- " jeflured from a place in Antonines Itinerary, called Abone, or Avone, the " name of a city."
The original authority, befides Leland, for Caer Oder, is not known : Humphry Lhuyd is cited by Ortelius for it, who fays in Thefaur. Geograph. 1587, (under Venia Belgarum.) " Ptolomaso & Antonino Britannias Infulas " Oppidum, quod Humphridus (fcil. Lhuuydus) fcribit Britannice Caer Oder " yn Nante Badon &: Anglice Briftou vocari : Briftollium hoc nominant " Juniores Latini. Cambdenusdicit banc Belgarum Ventam hodie Winchefler " vocari : idem Ventam Icenorum Caifler interpretatur. Ventam habet Beda " quoque, quam Saxonice Wintancefter nominatam fcribit. Venta Silurum *' Antonino Britanniae urbs eft, quam Cambdenus & Humphridus Caerwent " appellari aiunt."
The city " Caer Brito, Britodunum, Briflol or Briftold," fays Baxter, p. 187, " was by the Britons called Caer Oder, Civitas Limitis, a frontier city ;'* and 5^0/ and Stow he makes to be p. 220, " a place, a feat or city." This agrees very well with its fituation as a frontier town of defence for the Britons before they were driven into Wales their laft refuge, and for the Mercians or Weft Saxons afterwards.
We need not wonder at our want of an explicit account of the Britifh cities, (which though called Britifli, yet if not Roman, were certainly built by their means, and under their proteQion ;) for Gildas himfelf acknowledges, " Libri " Britanni combufli fuerunt, &c." i. e. the books of the Britons were burnt, " and it came to that pafs, through the Roman Governors and Propraetors left " here, that whatever Britain had of copper, filver or gold, was marked with
the
[ 5 ]
" the image of Czefar:" Leland's remark upon which is, hoc verum videiur, " this feems to be true," — But whatever credit is given to the names of the Britifli cities mentioned by thefc early writers, or whether rightly afcribed to certain cities, now flourifliing or arifing from them or not, yet that their fird original was from the Roman ftations near to them feems fcarce queftionable: and moft of the Britifh cities of note, if not founded by the Romans, yet after- wards through them foon increafed in number and elegance. Some indeed contend that the Britons towns and ftrongholds at firfl; were nothing but fpots of ground furrounded with trees, felled down and fccured with a ditch and rampire, according to Caefar's and Strabo's account, and their temples were groves confecrated by the Druids.
Dr. Stillingfleet obferves with great probability indeed, that the twenty-eight Britifh cities mentioned in Nennius and Gildas, are to be underftood of the Roman times, and were certainly Roman-Britilh, ariling out of their Rations or camps in the neighbourhood of fuch. — And Dr. Stukely in his account of Richard of Cirencefter, fays, " that Nennius and Gildas name twenty-eight " moft famous cities in Britain, which the excellent Archbifliop Ufher has " commented upon; and though the catalogue is different from Richard's, yet " he is confirmed in calling Verulam a municipium, which in Nennius is called " Caer Municip." But it is very clear that the Romans had many cities that might lie out of their general road or traO;, unnoticed either by Antonine, Nennius, Gildas or Richard: the laft indeed plainly confeffcs it in cap. 7. de Situ Britannias.
" Atprcekr allaias modo Urles, &c. i. e. Befides the cities here produced, let " no one haftily believe that the Romans had not more in Britain ; for I have " only mentioned the more famous cities : for who can doubt but that thefe " Lords of the whole earth chofe at.their will, and claimed to themfelves many " other places which they knew convenient for their purpofes," adding this remarkable exprefTion, " plerumque alias in caftris quae condiderant ipfi, " degebant ;" that " for the moft part they otherwife lived in the camps which " they had founded."
It might indeed be juftly obferved, that out of twenty-eight flouriniing cities, which were famous in this ifland in the times of the Britons and Romans, it is highly probable that Briftol fo happy in its fituation by nature, [o capable of being made the moft defenfible place by art, was one of the number.*
It
• Lcl. Coll. V. 3. p. 250. " Civitatum nomina funt hie obfcure & confufc pofita ; muka vclera prelermifa, rccentiora aliquot adfcripta :" — " The names of many old cities are oiinitcd, andfome '• new ones fet down in tlic catalogue of cities."— ll is no wonder then thjit Bj-UWl %oviW AO|f be more plainly noticed in that confufed lift.
[ 6 ]
It mav be fi.rther urged, that Briftow is but an eafy alteration of the name Brito, and that it feems to have fufFcred this change at the Saxon conqueft, as has been the fate of moft places uhen conquered, the name being Saxonized, and afterwards variouflv modified according to the different manner of fpclling and fancy of the chroniclers of early ages; fome times preferving fomewhatof the original narnc, at other times transferring it into their language wholly. Caer-Brito fignified the painted or embellifhed city. The Saxons feemed to have regard to the conftruftion of the word as well as the found of the letters in naming it Bright-Stow, the illuftrious citv ; and received it with little variation of found of the original word in their own fenfe to exprefs a town, whofe agreeable fituation and circumflances, like the Callipolisof the Greeks, and Clarence of the French, give a propriety to the name. Or it may have received the name Caer-Brito, the Britifh city, feparated as it was from, and fo called in diflinftion to, the Roman city or ftation Abone near it: Brit in the old Britifh fignifying alfo feparated, and Britain the feparated place or ifle, according to fome. — Thus the orthography of the word Brito might pafs into Bryflo, Bryftoe, T. Ed. Conf. Bryghfto, *Briftou, Brightftoe, Bricgftowe, and Brigeftow, early in the Saxon times: in 1106 Brigftonjt in 1 140 Briftowe. — By Florence of Worcefter, in i]i4, it is called Bricftow. By Henry of Huntingdon, 1148, Brigeflou. In 1 190, in King John's Charter, when Earl of Morton, now extant in Latin in the Chamber of Briftol, it is throughout wrote Briflallum : the Normans wrote it Briftoit — fo in the old French deeds: fince, by Leland and moft of the old manufcripts, Bryghtllowe : but the Saxons, who feem to have impofed this name of Brycghflowe, i. e. a bright, illuflrious place, we may reafonably prefume found it in tliat flourifliing con- dition, or the name could have been applied with no fort of propriety, unlefs wc fuppofe it to be a cafual variation of Cacr Brito, its old original name. It might indeed have the name of Brigfton from the Saxon Bricg, a Bridge, i. e. a town with bridges, + as Bifhop Gibfon has derived it, which feems well enough calculated for the peninfular fituation of the old town, Turrounded almofl with water, which had great need of, and flill hath, of bridges to preferve a com- munication
* Saxon Chron. p. 193, 230. 241. and in II. 2. time called Briftou in Mag. Rotul. 31. H. 2. Rot. 10. 119I. 7s. 5d. de exitu Briftou molcndinorum & Nundinarum.
+ In Atkyns's Gloceftcrfhire, p. 738, where we find the church of St. Peter of Brigfton, and tho tithe of the rent of Brigfton granted to themonaftery of Tewkefbury in 1106, in a charter ofH. 1. to that houfe.
% That the etymology' of the natne of Briftol Ihould be a little uncertain, is not to be wondered at, being the cafe of all cities of antiquity, even of London itfelf, which is faid to be derived from the Britilh Lhong-dinas, i. c. a city of fliipsi
[ 7 ]
munication with different places about it ; though the great bridge over the Avon till a later date \s-as not in being: * Bricg/lon quaji locus poniis, Bridge- Town : in Doomfday-book, and in the ancient charters of H. 2. and H. 3. and in other public atls, where we might expefl: to find the orthography bed pre- ferved, it is moft ufually ftyled Briftold, Briftou or Briftol, though tlie latter feems to have been moft commonly ufed, and is now adopted, the reft among the moderns being deemed quite obfolete.
In a manufcript charter penes me, from King Edw. Conf a, r. 9". I find it wrote Bryftoe : this with the other charters will be inferted hereafter, in the annals for the refpeftive year.
Having thus fliewn its feveral names, and how the original name Cacr Brito mi<7ht probably have been altered at different times, yet has preferved never- thelefs the found of the original in fome refpefts, we muft not omit the Roman name Venta Belgarum, with which it has been thought by fome to have been diftinguifhed by that military people. This name is afcribed to it by Leland, Lambard,and fome others; and it fcems toagreewellwith Ptolomy's defcription of fuch a city lying next under the Dobuni orGlocefterfhire: but Mr. Cambden iscertainlyrightin giving to Winchefter this name,as the Itinerary of Antonine, confirmed by Richard of Cirencefter, plainly and indubitably points out. And in this opinion all at prefcnt feem to concur, how widely foever they have differed about placing the Abone of Antonine. But now at length this may with equal truth be afcertained. It was here in the neighbourhood of Briftol the Romans fixed this their ftation Abone, calling it after the name of the river, on the banks of which they ereftedit; and it certainly became the parent of the city of Briflol : whether it ever extended its borders after- wards, and took in all the heights adjoining even to Briftol itfelf, and fo included the whole under one name Abone, is difficult now to determine : tlie city was certainly dependent on, if not immediately conne6led in one with, the Roman ftation. But that Abone, the Britilli name of the river, gave name to a city on its banks, is highly probable and very common; the cities often took their names from rivers, and arofe as often out of the ruins of ancient encampments and ftations of the Romans in their vicinity, or flou-
rilhed under their protection.
Whether
* Bricg-Jiowt — either Bright-flow or Bridges-flow, fo wrote in the Saxon Chronicle, which fecms to be a derivation more plaufiblc, and a name it at fome time or other more likely had obtained than Burg-flowc, or Borough Town, as fome have infmuaicd.
[ 8 ]
Whether the city Caer Brito, Caer Oder Nante Badon, or rather Nante Avon, afterwards by the Saxons called Brightftowe, did not thus take its origin, deferves a particular enquiry.
There certainly was a Roman Ration a little way down the river from Briftol, and the Roman coins dug up at Clifton and in making the Sea-mill dock, and in plowing the adjacent fields, point out their ftation here, and are proofs not to be doubted ; and it is very extraordinary that neither Cambden, Horfeley, Stukely, nor any antiquary has fo much as even thought of this ftraight and and neareft pafTage between Bath and Caerwcnt ; but their attachment to Oldbury, as the only TrajeQus mentioned in the Itinerary in thefe parts, cer- tainly diverted their attention from it. And befides the Communication of of Roman pofts and ftrong holds acrofs the Severn here, particularly to be defcribed hereafter, hiftory will afford us fomething for confirmation. Tac. Annal. lib. 12, fays, " Oftorius detrahere arraa fufpeftis, cin£lofque cafiris " Sabrinam & Antonam fluvios cohibere parat :" i. e. " Oftorius took away their arms from thofe who were fufpetled, and reflrained thofe on the rivers Avon and Severn, by furrounding them with camps." Hence it appears, that Oftorius, the better to curb the Britons, pofted his forces on the banks of the Antona and Severn ; * and having before defeated the Iceni, who not brooking fome indignity had taken up arms for the liberties of their country, he afterwards fell upon the Cangi, t and ravaged almoft as far as the Irifh fea, which could be no other than the fea that beats on the AVcft Country coaft. From hence he was called back to reprefs a fedition of the Brigantes, and then paffed into the country of the Silures, where he defeated Caraftacus, who had politicly tranflatcd the war thither, as a country of difficult accefs : by this feries of aftion and defcription of countries which Tacitus gives, it appears that the Cangi bordered near the Severn ; that to reftrain them Oftorius placed garrifons near the Severn and Antona, which was a river emptying itfclf into the Severn, and lay equally advantageous for placing his foldiersasthe Severn did; which cannot be more truly affirmed of any riverthan the Briftol Avon: at leaft the Avon oppofite toCaerwent of the Silures acrofs the Severn (where they had fuch ftrong camps) could not have been negleQed by him in this important fervice. — There are other Avons indeed, one particu- larly in Warwickftiire, to which fome would attribute the name Antona, and
fome
• Horfcly, p. 36, fays " Sabrina doubtlcfs is the Scvcin. And Antona muft alfo be the '•■ Avon. Some wn'tc the ancient name Aufona, and the anonymous Rav.cnnas writes it Abona."
+ There is much advanced concerning tlie Cangi, but nothing fatisfaflory. It is clear from the ftor)', however, tlut Oftorius palfed through the country of the Cangi, which he had vvafled» Rhd after this came near the weftcm coaft;
c 9 :
fome to the river Xen. And though Mr. Cambdcn would fecm to retract and perfuade himfelf and us, that Oftorius blocked up the Britons betwixt the Warwickfliire Avon and the Sabrina; yet it is not probable that he fixt his ftations and encampments there, fincc this river falls into a higher part of the Severn, nor could the Cangi, if of Somerfetfliire, be afFcfted by them. — But the alliance of the Briftol Avon with the Severn and Irifh fca is apparent ; and Pliny, {Nat. Hiji. lib. iv. c. 16.) fpeaking of Ireland, makes it thirty miles from the Silures, which though a miftake in the calculation does evidence, that the country where the Sihires inhabited, on the other fide of the Severn, to the Weft of the Oftium where the Avon difcharges, was efteemed in the Roman account as bordering on or defcending towards tiie Irifli fea : the little ifland and village called Scilly in the Briftol Channel points out the feat of the Silures, though others place the Cangi in different parts.
But the name of Cangi feems ftill to exift in the names of fome places in the weftern parts ; Cainfliam, Wincaunton, and the Cannington or Canninp-- ham marflies, in the Saxon chronicle, which were the marfhes of Somerfet- (liire. — Befides thofe places mentioned by Cambden as preferving in their name the found of Cangi in Somerfetfliire, to which the Roman army was led, {Tacit. I. iv. Ann. DuBus ejl ad Cangos) there were many others as Con- gerfbury, Cangfield, Canford, Caundell, &c. And thefe traces of the Cancri, in the names of towns of Somerfetfliire and its confines, are more demon- ftrative of the Cangi's habitation, on confidering that there is no town nor parifh in Glocefterfliire, Devonfliire, &c. that hath the fyllable Can, or Caun, or Cang, (or Quan, as in Ouantock) in it : fo that it is highly probable the antient inhabitants of thefe weftern parts were called the Cangi, and coins of the Roman Emperors have often been found here, at Conqueft, Brent- Knoll, &c. Baxter, Gloftar. p. 38, fays, Ceangi vd Somerfetce, &c. " tlie " Ceangi or thofe of Somerfet were of the Belgae in the time of Ptolemy, for " he makes Ilchefter and Bath belong to them," and p. 71, " the Ceangi were " not lefs apt for war than the ^^aftoral life they followed :" we fee that the Danmonian Cangi or of Somerfet, " fortem operam in Oftorium Scapulam navavifte," performed great exploits againft Oftorius Scapula;, and p. 74, " thefe Cangi were of that country called, from the Summer-feats of fhepherds, " Somerfet, of which Somerton or Summer Town was very old and the chief."
Thefe military works and difpofitions of fome great General fo nigh Briftol then feem very probably to have been made here by Oftorius, viz. at Clifton; on Leigh down fcvcral, efpccially on the banks of the Avon and Severn ; at Cadbury camp, and near Xaifh ; and at Henbury, Ahnondfbury, Oldbury,
B Elbcrton,
C lO ]
Elberton, and Old Abby, on the Glocefterfliire fide ; and lower down in Somerretfliire, at Dolbery, where coins have been dug by Mr. Swimmer ; at Worle-hill and Eafl Brent, where on Brent-knoll coins of Severus and Trajan and others in an urn have been found. On both fides the river, be fides the encampments hereafter defcribed at Rownham-hill and Clifton, in the vicinage of Briftol, many others are to be noted at the lower part of the Avon, parti- cularly at St. George's and Portbury, which in Leland's Itinerary is called Portchefler, where on a rifing ground are evident traces of a camp ; alfo near Shirehampton, on the other fide of the Avon, are aggera ftill to be feen as you defcend the hilly ground, and coins have lately been found in making the the new road in Lord Clifford's park, as )ou go down to Shirehampton, many of which are in my poffcflTion. Add to this, fuch a regular chain of camps and entrenched polls for fo many miles in view of the Severn and near to it, are no where elfe to be met with in the courfe of that river ; which fliews the fkill and attention of the Roman General to fecure thcfe parts, agreeable to what Gildas fays, p. 12, f 16, " Quia Barbarorum irruptio timebatur, Turres (Caftra) per intervalla ad profpeftum maris collocant." At Snead-park, and at Sea-mills and its neighbourhood, might be the place of their great refort and principal winter flation, and in the river Trim the Roman gallies and boats were fecured. It is very remarkable, that, allowing Abone of the Itinerary to be fituated at or near Briftol, the diftances will nearly agree, and the Trajeftus between Caerwent and Bath at length more eafily be found. And to this may be added, that fome rofe-up ground, like an old Roman road, croffes Durdham-down, (where a coin of Conftantine was lately dug up) looking towards the ftation here and in a dire£l line with it, and pointing towards Han- ham in the high road to Briftol (near which road an urn of coins was found lately, not a mile and a half from Briftol) and Bath, (Aquce Solis of the Romans). An incontcftablc proof of this being a Roman camp nigh Briftol on Clifton hill,* may be brought as well from the ditches and aggera ftill to be feen, as from Roman coins of Nero, Domitian, Trajan and other Roman Emperors being dug up there, alfo from a curious Roman urn with two handles, tiles, bricks and broken potftierds being found there, when Sir Wm. Draper levelled the ground near the camp, which is moft advantageoufty fituated for the purpofe : " All Roman encampments, forts or ftations were generally fet upon hills," as is well obferved by Burton in his Comment on the Itinerary. This camp with others at no great diftance and in view was placed on fuch an high afcent to defcry an approaching enemy, as the Romans were in an
enemy's * Coins v.'crc found in digsjing the foundations of the new lioufcs near it, in 1 783.
C »i ]
enemy's country ever upon the watch, and at the fame time to guard the river, as the river was a guard and fecure defence to them.
A particular defcription of thefe ftrong camps near Briftol may be necefTary to give the reader fome idea of them. And we find they were not unnoticed fo early as the year 1480. In a manufcript of Wm. Bottoner in Bcnnet college librarv, Cambridge, (lately printed and publifhed by the ingenious Dr. Nafmith 1778,) there is the following defcription of Clifton rocks, on the fummit of which the Roman camp was fituated : Thus in Englifh, " At the " high rock of Clifton cliff, which begins near the village of Rownham, unto " the hermitage and camp on the other fide of the waters of Avon and Frome, " which high rock begins one mile's fpace from the town of Briftol ; and the " faid rock continues in its height for a mile long and farther towards Rown- " ham road for laying up fhips. And the faid rock contains in height from " the water of the Avon and Frome 60 brachia (fathom) viz. from the firm " land to a certain hermitage whofe church is founded and dedicated to the " honour of St. Vincent, is in height 20 brachia, and from the faid hermitage " to the bottom of the faid river are 40 brachia; and underftand, that a bra- " chium contains fix feet in length.
" The fortified camp upon the height of the ground not diftant a quarter of " a mile from Clifton cliflF is faid by vulgar people to be there founded before " the time of William the Conqueror by Saracens or Jews by one Ghyfl: " a giant in the land. And that fuch a fortrefs was in all likelihood founded " there in ancient times, there remains to this day in a great circle a heap of " ftones, great and fmall fcattered and fpread abroad. It is very wonderful " to behold thefe ftones globularly lying in fuch order and in a great circle, " for there feems to have been a very ftrong caftrum, which is faid to have " been for fome hundred years pafl, and is now levelled with the ground. " And it therefore is an ornament and honour to my native country Briflol, " and to the county of Gloucellcr, to have or to hear of the foundation of " fuch noble fortrelfes and camps. I write this among other things for the' " fake of commemorating this camp or fortrefs."
By the above extraft, incorreft and vague as it may appear to be, however we learn ; that the camp or fortrefs on Clifton rocks did not cfcape the notice of our anceftors, and though it might be the vulgar opinion, that it was erected before the conqueft by Jews or Saracens, yet doubtlefs the learned of thofe days certainly knew better, later difcoveries have proved It ; and as to the height of the rock he feems to have been pretty exaft; and it is remarkable, that the place of the hermitage is at this day called Giant's hole, and is about
B 2 the
[ ^2 ]
the cliRancc here fet down from the fummit of the rock or firm ground. There are flill extant the like Roman camps on the oppofite fide of the river to Clifton, at Rownham-hill, on Leigh down in two places, called Stokeleigh and Bowre-walls now a wood, a deep comb or valley there called Stokeleigh- Slade only feparating the two, which have both the advantage of the like lofty fituation ferving for fpecula or watch towers, as well as defence and fecurity againfl; the fuddcn attack of an enemy. The aggera and double ditches are there ftill to be feen, and they appear magnificent and venerable in their ruins, and a ftronger and more defenfible fituation could no where be chofen. The height of the rocks, the deep intermediate comb, the river below, the deep fofs, and the high banks, fhew it to be an advantageous, fecure and well chofen flation, capable of a good defence, and highly worthy their care and attention. A ford or vadum there over the Avon com- municated with both camps on each fide of the river. A little lower down the river feems to have been placed the Caftra Hyberna, being the Roman winter flation, abundance of coins having been dug up there in making Sea mill dock in the year 1712. They alfo met with a fine arched gate way under ground in digging out the dock at its upper part, which feems to have led to fome principal part, and the rudera of buildings deftroyed, and remains of old foundations have been traced up the adjoining hilly ground next the river fide, and were remarked by the ingenious mechanic Mr. Padmore, who conduced the undcriakinsj : and in a field called three acres Roman coins are found at this day, and are turned up there in plowing the fields called Port- buries or Polburies. It is remarkable, that under Kingwefton hill, in Lau- rence-wefton near the river was a common field called Abonc town as mentio- ned in the rental of Sir Ralph Sadlier, dated 36 Hen. 8. one acre in Canipo Abone town. There have been found a Vefpafian of a large fize; alfo coins of ConRantine, Conflance, Galienus ; one of Nero thus incribed, Nero Claud. Cajar. Aug. Germ. p. m. T R. p. Imp. p. p. a fine head with a radiated crown ; on the reverfe 5. C. a ViBoria Gradiva, with a fhicld in the right hand, infcribed with S. P. Q^. R. this was picked up by me in a garden adjoining to the dock in 1 768, and in a field called the three acres next the Avon I found one of Conftance in the year 1775 : and in Abel Wantner's manufcript in the Bodleian library it is faid " At Pollbury where Trim gocth into the Avon, much coin has " been found, conjeftured to be the ancient flation of the Romans " between Bath and Avington, mentioned by Antoninus the Emperor in his " journal book." About two miles diftant from thefe and in view (jf them was another Roman camp, on Blaze-hill near Ilcnbury late the
feat
[ 13 ]
feat of T. Farr, Efq; who ihcre dug up great quantities of coins in laying the foundation of a caflle-like building he erefted on its fummit, which commands a mofl: enchanting profpecl of the country around, of the Severn and the (hips at anchor in Kingroad, and of the veffels paffing up the river to Briftol. I cannot but acknowledge his great civility and readinefs in fending me the coUeftion he had faved out of the whole.
This camp at Henbury, a manor formerly belonging to the Bifhop of Worceftcr, who had a park here, and which was taken from the Birtioprick and granted to Sir Ralph Sadleir i Edw. 6, was of large extent, with a hicrh vallum and double fofs, and is about two miles diftant from Clifton camp and Sea-mills, Another at Knoll-hill, Almondfbury, and Over, about two miles farther: and at Old Abby a few miles farther was another, where a curious teflelated pavement, in the year 1787, was found in a farmer's yard.
The following coins were found at Henbury, in the year 1708, by Sir Simon Harcourt, from an autograph.
Face or Obverse. Conjlanlinus Magnus. Trajan : a very fair medal in copper, of a large fize.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.
Vefpafian : feveral in middle fize copper. Con/cavtius : very fair in fmall copper.
Ditto, fmall copper. Ditto.
Licinius.
Geia : fmall filver.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.
Adrian: large copper.
Trajan. Faujiina.
Antoninus Pius.
A Britifh gold coin, coined at Maiden
or Colchefter, in Eflex ; an car of
corn on one fide. CaHgula : large copper. Nero : ditto.
Reverse.
Romulus & Remus.
A female figure fitting, in her left hand a cornucopia, in the right the rudder of a fliip, fubfcribed S. C. •
A female figure facrificing on an altar, Salut. Aug. S. C.
A large altar, fubfcribed Revereniia.
A Mars marching, circumfcribed Con- fer valio.
Felix Tempor^im reparatio.
A caflle, and circumfcribed Provident. Aug.
Genio populi Romani.
InviBus.
A funeral pile, S. C.
A niip with feveral figures.
A female figure captive, Britan. A horfe. C. A. M. O.
Julian,
[ 14 ]
Fac e or Obverse. Julian, the Apoflate. Domitian : middle fize copper. Ncrva. Ditto.
Galienus ; a radiated crown. Probus. D. N. Conjlam P.J. Aug.
Reverse. Votii X. Mullii XX.
Two hands joined, Exercituum Concordia.
Forluna redux.
A doer, Cos, Aug.
Lcetilia Aug.
Drawing a captive out of a den,
The following coins were dug up at Sea-mills, 1712.
Imp. Ccef. Vefpafianus, P.f. Aug.
Ditto.
Imp. Dioclefianus, P.f. Aug.
Imp. Ca-f. Doviilianus Aug.
Imp. Ccef. Antoninus, P.f. Aug.
D. N. Conflantinus, P.f. Aug. p.p.
Concordia Militum.
A temple, in the Exergue, Providenlia. A fitting figure.
A figure holding a flower in her hand. A figure holding a cornucopia. A Man transfixing a fuppliant captive with a dart. The following were dug at St. Baze-hill, Henbury, 1768. Imp. Ccefar Domili. Aug. Germ. Cof. xiii. Virluti Augii/li. S. C. a foldier holding Cenf.Pcrp.p.p. within a laurel crown. in his right hand a dart, in his left a
parazonium. Imp. Ccef. Domii. Aug. Germ. Cof. xi. A winged female figure, or Viftory, Cenf. Perp. p. p. holding in her right hand a fhield, S. C.
Imp. Ccef. NervaTrajan Aug. Germ. P.M. T.R.Pot.Cof.'m. p.p. S. C. a figure a radiated head. fitting with a ftaff, between two cor-
nucopias. Virtus Romanorum. Pax Aug. a female figure with an olive
branch. A fitting figure, in her right hand fhe holds a patera to a ferpent afcending from an altar. Imp. Cxf.AkBus P.f. Aug. ar^dhtedhedid. Virtus Augujl. Q. C. Navis. D. N. Magneniiiis P-f. Aug. a naked Salus D. N. Aug. & Cof. a monogram of head. the name of Chrifl, I. M. B. in a
crofs with Alpha and Omega. Ir/tp. C. M. Pojlhumus P.f. Aug. ViBor. Aug.
Imp, Ccef Po/Ihumus P. /. Aug. A figure of ^fculapius with a ferpent.
Imp.
D. N. Gralianus P.f. Aug. bright filver. Imp. Ccef. Caraufius P. M.
Crifpina Augufa.
[ 15 ]
Fac E or Obverse. Imp. Ccef. Vefpafian. Aug. CoJ. viii. p. p.
Imp. Antonin. Aug. Pius, p.p. Tr.p. p. Cof. iiii. head crowned with laurel. Magncntius Nob. Ccef. a naked head.
Reverse. S. C. an eagle with his wings expanded
fitting on a globe. A ftanding figure, holds out a patera
to a ferpent rifing from an altar. ViHor. D. D. N. N. Aug. 6? Co:/, two
Vi£lories fuftaining a globe, on which
is Vol. V. Mult X.
Conjlantius, Carauftus : feveral of them
with their infcriptions worn out. Valenlinianus : feveral of them. Imp. Nerva CmJ. Aug. P. M. T R. P.
CoJ. Vn.p.p. Imp. Claud. Augujl. Urbs Roma, a head with a helmet :
feveral of them. Marcus Aurel. Antonin. Aug. Antoninus Aug. Pius, p. p. T. R.Pot. CoJ. iii. S. C.
Conftantinus, Gratianus, Conjlaniius, and many other coins of various fizes.
Securitas Reipublicce. Forluna Augu/li.
A wolf fuckling two infants.
A Mars marchinff.
The following were dug up at Clifton near the camp, in digging the foun- dation of the houfes then built there, in the year 1784.
Dom. Nojler Conjlaniius Aug.
D. N. Valenlinianus Aug. Conjlantius Aug. fmall. Conflantius Nobis Ceejar.
Felicitas Reipublicce, a Handing figure hold- ing in her right hand a fmall figure of Viftory, in the left a dart.
Vitloria Aug. two winged figures. Gloria Exercitus: two foldiers with fpears and fhields; in the middle, two mili- tary ftandards, with a type M. R. B. T. An armed figure : — Jdes Exercitus. The Emperor in a chariot drawn with four horfes, with infcription, Soli in- viBo Comili. Befides thefe, a great many more were found by the workmen, and embezzled and fold to private gentlemen. A few Saxon coins, filver, were alfo difcovercd, of iEthelred, with Rex Angl. ; and thefe with the others arc now in mv poffcffion.
Thefe
Dow. Nojler Conjantius Aug. Conjlantinus Pius Aug.
C i5 ]
Thefe camps at Hcnbury, or Blaze-hill, and Almondfbury, look diieflly towards the greater works of Abone at Rownham and Clifton-hill, and form one grand chain of fortification, with the Severn in its front ; and fignals of an approaching enemy might be communicated to cither from a great diftance. Blaze-hill, feparated as if by art from the down adjacent called Kingfwefton- hill, commands a full profpeCl of the Avon and Severn, and a diftant view o£ Venta Silurum, Ifca or Caerleon, as well as of all the Roman flations nearer at hand, and was the molt defcnfiblc pofl next to that at Clifton and Rownham- liills, in the neighbourhood of Briflol, that Oftorius and the Romans had.
Bifliop Stillingflect fays, p. 510, that it was the Roman cuftom to place their garrifons on rivers, as a fecurity of their frontiers againfl the enemv, which was the occafion of towns being built there, called by them Burgi, i. c. limitum caftella, as Veignier obfcrves, " cadles on the borders :" fo that Briftol fcems to have been a burgus on the borders, called by its moft ancient name Caer Oder Nante Badon, or Avon ; a name that has puzzled all anti- quaries to account for; and the authority for which is Leland and Lhuyd, though tlie reafon for the name is not mentioned by Cambden or them. Amidft this uncertainty, if one might be allowed to guefs, the city Oder in the vale of Bath, or on tlie Avon (the vale ri\'cr), might not improbably have been written at firfl the city Ofter, and bv dropping the Sibilant letter f, not unufual among the Britons after the French, the name Oder (from Ofterj was by them formed ; and fo Oftorius, the Roman Propra;tor under Claudius, may have dignified Our city with his name : and yVuft-pafTagc over the Severn is in Doomfday-book called Auftre Clive, retaining ftill the name of Oftorius in its found without the Latin termination; a proof of that General's having afled much in thefe parts.
The town, as well as the camps near it, could not but come under the Pro- prjetor's government, as it fell thus within his circuit and view, and might with them be included in their ftation Abone, though aftimiing afterwards another name : the new modelling it fince and the frefli foundations and enlargements have left us few marks of its ancient ftate, which was fo much altered, as was its name afterwards by the Saxons.
But to be a little more particular on thefe veftiges thcRornans have left nigh Briftol, their camps here dcferve a defcription at large.
The Britons no doubt on the firft invafion of the Romans did at their leifure and on prefling occafions prepare many ftrong places of retreat for their wives, children, flocks and herds, &c. making every vigorous ftruggle for their defence, and fortifying at intervals all the heights for places of refuge. Thefe
afterwards
C 17 ]
aftenvards being fcized by the Romans, were occupied and enlarged, and greatly improved by them ; the Britons having fcarcc ingenuity enough to ereft fuch camps at the time, the grand remains of which arc now to be fecn. Hence however they ftill retained the Britifli name Abone, hence we fee Britifh coins and fome Saxon (as they afterwards occupied them) found toge- ther with the Roman on fome odd fliaped camps on hills, which before mofl probably were Britifli ; (as it is well obferved by the ingenious Dr. Nadi, in the hiftory of Worceflerfhire) : but the politic Romans more (killed in the military arts left no advantageous poll unoccupied or unimproved.
As they profecuted their conquefls through the ifland, they edabliflicd forts at the moft convenient places for their greater fecurity ; fome for the immediate occafion only, whilft others were erefted into ftationary camps, efpecially on the banks of rivers, with a view of better maintaining their conquefts and fettlements, and of uniting and readily communicating by fuch a chain of forts with their countrymen. No fooner were the Britifli towns fubjeft to their arms, but they furrounded them with forts and with camps : Civitates-Praftdiis el CaJleUii circumdatct, fays Tacitus, c. xx. Ollorius about the year of Chrifl; 50, extended his victorious arms upon the banks of the Severn : and fecured that river and the Avon : but Julius Frontinus conquerd the Silures and gave name to the via Julia or Julia Strata of Necham, between Bath and Caerwent. And as our camps at Clifton, Rownham, and Henbury lay in the direft road to the country of the Silures and Caerwent on the other fide of the Severn, there is reafon to believe this ftation was formed or greatly enlarged under Ofl;orius's government here. The commanding fpot on Leigh- down and Clifton-hill, on the very fummit of the rock on each fide the river being chofen ; they marked out the compafs of the intended camps, allotted a convenient area in each, dug out the four foffes, rofe the three ramparts or valla, and with the ftones here ready at hand, conftruftcd the high ftrong walls, heaping the ftones together in a very irregular manner, and Hoping it gradually to the top, from eighteen or twenty feet at the bafe to two or three at the creft, pouring their boiling mortar among the loofely piled ftones; which being thin and fluid, infinuated itfelf into the many openings and hollows of the work, and by its ftrength bound togetiier all the irregular pieces of ftone into a compaft wall, as appears evidently at this day. The fhape of the hills confined them to a conftruQion and form nearly circular. * A deep and hollow valley or comb (D) alone feparated the two camps on the
C Leigh
• Vegctius fays, Interdum RontinorumCaJlra &c. i. e. romctimcs the Roman camps were fquaic, fomeiimcs triangular, Ibmctimcs half round, as the nature and neccffiiy of tlic ground required.
[ 18 ]
Leigh-fide, and ferved as a pafTagc down to the river, for each to get water for their ufc, where was a vadum (E) or communication over a fliallow ford with their companions at Clifton camp (A) ; by which they hud the command of both fides of the Avon. There are two entrances into this camp at Rounham hill called in old writings * Bowre or Bower-walls, (B) perhaps Burgh or Borough-walls i. e. of the fort or burgus, one in front, the porla pratoria, the other at the fide the porta Jiniflra, the back part and right fide of it joining the very edge of the precipice next the Avon, the pona decumana and the dextra had no place here. At Stokeleigh-camp (C) on the other fide the deep comb may be traced two openings or gate ways ; and on the right fide appear the ruins of the /r^/ormw (Fj at this day; the northern extremity of the area and rudera of the building fliewing it to have been round, encircled with a trench, and fituated at the very angle of the two concurrent precipices, a proper and fecure place for the citadel of the garrifon : if it Mxre not the prcctorium, which is fometimes placed on one fide on the lofty margin of rivers, it might be a facellum or facred armoury for laying up the vexiUa or enfigns of the feveral cohorts which had the Aquilce fimulacra deorum i3 Ima- gines principum upon them, and were accounted facred by the Roman foldiers ; the place being dedicated it is likely to Mars fignifer or Mars uUor, not unlikely Arthur's oven in Gordon's itinerarium feplenlrionale.
The tremendous height on the rocks on which thefe camps were formed gave the Romans a vaft advantage of defcrying any enemy at a diftance by land, or any invafion by fea, the whole countrv around and the Severn being here open to their view. And a fire from this lofty fite ferved as a beacon- to alarm all at their diftant camps, at Henbury, Amefbury and parts adjacent.
The importance of their flation here is fufficicntly proved by the high and ftrong walls, treble ditches and fences with which they are fecurcd. Art and nature joined to render it a mofl impregnable fortrefs, fecured on one fide by the lofty rock and precipice, a deep comb, the river below with a fort on the other fide oppofite the comb, and on the other by lofty ftrong walls, three deep ditches one within the other. Their fituation anfwered every purpofe and advantage for a defence-poft, for here they enjoyed the privilege of ufing their baliftae and catapultae, their only miffive weapons for throwing huge ftones with the grcateft force from thefe heights, which muft fall with the greater weight and effeB ; here the land itfclf was more defenfible and tenible ; here
they
♦ In Bower latere videtur Burgus Iter. Tfio. Gale p. 6l. The vale imdcr and in view of this camp is called liorough-Afhton to this day. The word chefter or burgh, fays Horfcly. gives us fojnc help in fixing a Roman flation.
^»*
^.Jf
L *
^
^i
> f I #
<$^'
} >.»
B
'l-^i.- f^:^'-^' r>^^&
1)
'-:■ \.'i^V
]_. 'j£^&'^^'''''^^^^;^^_^^ljilj-' ■-■- ^
'M^
Kriiutn r/„ii/>.i nil l/i, Rii'ir Jvrii ,il„;; l/ir Jinsl,>/ ff,>/u;lh
\
\
O)
[ ^9 ]
they had a full view of their enemy and an army, vefTels or fleets at a diflancc, when meditating an attack ; here by being on the narrow arm of a large navigable river, and its lowed pofition towards the Severn and fca, they could cut off all navigation by an enemy and keep open a free and effedual commimication with their friends acrofs Kingroad to Caerwent, their next fta:tion, and by the camps being double and on oppofite fides and facing eacli other, they commanded two fides of a fine country, and could from at lead one of them annoy any veffels or boats pafiing under them or near the banks of the river, and if in the middle of the ftream at full tide thev could eafily reach them by a double attack, and difcharge of their niifiives from each fide of the river"; here laftly they had a free ufe of water to drink &c. and at Sea-mills a good and fufficient flrand for buildings, &c.
From thefe two camps Bower-walls (B) and Stokeleigh (C) on Leigh down, a prxUnlura or fence againft. any inroad or attack upon their lines is to be traced, the ranges of ftone appearing flill for fome miles, joining in one from each camp at the top of the comb, then proceeding in a nearly flreight direc- tion toward Fayland. At every opening towards the vales and at every eminence where a diftant profped of the country around and of the river afforded an opportunity of defcrying an approaching enemy, there circular watch-towers were raifed, there the ruins of walls croffing the fence and outworks for garrifons, &c. ftill appear; the ftones ranging in that man- ner loofe above ground at this day. This fence may be traced all the way weftward by the broad high ftony bank for many miles Ikirting the hill, front- ing the fouth and extending towards Clevedon and Walton, * where are now traces of camps marked out near the Severn, which feems to have been its bounds; there is a large camp now compleat called Cadbury, which is circular with a double fofs and high aggera, and under it near Tickenham, Roman coins have been dug, many of which were in poffefllon of 'he late Sir Abraham Elton of Clevedon, Bart, alfo three urns of Roman coins, fome of Conftantine and others of different ages were dug up in Nailfea and Ken-moor not far from the camp, t at a place called Nailfea-wall, which divides Ken-moor
C 2 and
• Gual is a rampart, from thence is formed Wall, Bal. Val. in the name of towns, as Walton, a rampart town or place.
+ Thefe coins are many of them now in the poirefTion of Mrs. Hinkes of Nailfea, and a far greater quantity to the amount of fcveral hundred were given to the late Sir J. Smith of Afhton- Court, by Mr. Chattcrton, father of that Thomas Chatterton, who has occafioned fuch difputes relative to feme ancient poems publilhed under the name of T, Rowley, faid by liim to be copied from forac manufcript originals once in his father's poirefTion, ~ Sir John Hugh Smith Bart,
[ 20 ]
and Nailfea-moor. There are vefligcs alfo of a circular callrum on the brow of a hill oppofite Nafli-houfe, and near Fayland Inn, about feventy feet diameter a caftellet, and about three quarters of a mile farther eaftward is a fquare fort or exploratory turret about feventy feet fquare. Thefe were fortreffcs or cheflers all garrifoned, attendant on the principal ftation of Clifton and Abone, and the old roads from the camps on Leigh-down may be ftill traced through an orchard at the village of Leigh, and through Leigh-wood down to the river Avon at Sea-mills ; on the Banks of which was the Roman fum- mer ftation, occupying the heights on botli fides the Avon down to Sea-mills, from whence the whole with great propriety was called Abone : — a ftation which for fccurity, by having a view and command of the country and of the rivers Avon and Severn, could no where be chofen more properly by this military and politic people. And by creeling other camps at Henbury, Almonftjury, &c. they completely fortified the Severn and Avon, agreeable to Tacitus's defcrip- tion ; who, lib. xii. Ann. fays, " the General Oftorius prepares to difarm the " fufpefted Britons, and to keep or comprehend the rivers Avon * and Severn " fenced with camps." Baxter fays, in GlofT. " Antona Tacitor dicitur flu- men Abona quod aquas calidas feu Badixam praeterfluit etiamfi plurimafuerunt per univerfam Britanniam etfi minoris nota;."
Thus fuuated, the Romans lived in garrifon here in fummer, and in winter chiefly under the hills, for a great extent of country. They were fecured from any invafion from the Britons on the South fide by their camps and fences on the hills, with the river Severn in the front, the banks of the Avon on both fides, and a fruitful vale in their pofteftion, guarded by little agrarian camps. Here they had a ready fupply of water, food for their cattle, and corn for thcmfelves. A (lone with a hole in the middle, a little handmill-ftone with which they ufed to grind their corn is ftill preferved, found at Stokeleigh camp ; and the hilt of an old fword was found there. As this was the direct road to Caerwent from the Aquae Solis or Bath, fo doubtlefs there muft have been a great and frequent communication acrofs the river Severn at this place with the ftation at Caer- went, after the conqueft of the Silures, &c. by Oftorius. It appears, that
the
hath many of thcfo coins at prefcnt, and has been fo obliging as to communicate fcvcral to the Author of this Hiftory, and is a living witnefs of Chatterton the father's fpcaking about them, and favingtliat they were found near Ken-moor ; a proof of his having fomc tafte for antiquities. * Aiijortim Authort Camdtno. — In Britifh language Avon is frequently contraftcd into Ann, An, or Un, as is obfcrved by the Rev. Mr. Whitaker, in his elegant Hiftory of Manchcftcr : fo that it is not impiobable that the Romans formed Antonam from Avon. Horfely calls Antonam the Avon ; and p. 33, fays, " Oftorius we find with his army upon the rivers Severn and Avon, and hereabouts the body of his army, for the moft part, fcems to have lain."
C 21 ]
the Britifh towns were all conne£led with, or fuuated nigh, the Roman fta- tions, as before obferved, and antiquaries have been critically nice in pointing out their connexion and fituation ; except thofe towns which were formed into colonies from the beginning, and tberefore no camps attendant on them.
Under the hill of Clifton, nigh to their ftation Abone, lay Caer Oder nant Avon, (Caer Biito,) or Briftol, not a mile Eaft from and juft under the Roman camps. And Horfely obferves, p. 464, " a Roman ftation may be at a mile or two diftance, and yet the town may have arifen out of its ruins." Lipfius, in his Commentary on Polibius, lib. v. p. 9, where he is treating of the Roman camps, fays, " the winter camps were more accurately, and with greater ■works conftrucled than the fummer ; the former being calculated for longer ftav, and more necelTaries therefore required. Thefe were ftationary, and had more apartments and places belonging to them, as a place of arms, workfhop, hofpital, and the like : indeed they were often built more like towns, efpecially in the lower times of the empire, and where there were con- tinual ftations and praetenturas or outworks againft an enemy ; fuch are on the banks of rivers, of the Danube, Rhine, and Euphrates :" and then he adds, " this is the origin and birth of many noble towns at this day," — " hasc ea origo & genitura nobilium aliquot hodie oppidorum." And an excellent obferva- tion it is, which leaves but little doubt of the city of Briftol, as well as many other cities, deriving their origin from the camps of this polifhed military people in their neighbourhood.
It is alfo well obferved by Horfely, in his ElTay on Antonine's Itinerary, in the Britannia Romana, p. 393, " how careful the Romans were to have their ftations placed near a river, and there was no fituation they feemcd fo fond of as a lingula, near the confluence of a larger and fmaller river. If we run along a military way, we are almoft fure to meet with a ftation whenever we meet with a river, at any reafonable diftance from a preceding ftation." — " The places alfo mentioned in the Itinerary feem generally to be caftra ftativa, and there are generally rubbifh, lime, and remains of buildings, in fuch fta- tions as thefe. For befides the fbrt or citadel, garrifoned by Roman foldiers or auxiliaries, there was ufually a town adjacent) which in all likelihood was moftly inhabited by the Britons."
How well thefe obfervations of Mr. Horfely agree with the camps at Clifton and the city of Briftol in the neighbourhood, is very obvious to any one ; nor is it an improbable conjcBure, that the very name CacrBrito, (the Britifti city,) might at firft be given to it for diftiiiftion, as inhabited by the Britons, under the protefiion and government of ihc Romans in their ftation near it.
Although
[ 22 ]
Although thefe curious remains of antiquity are within a mile of Briftol, yet little or no attention has ever been paid to them hitherto by a bufy and com- mercial people, wholly engaged in other purfuits ; and what is more to be ad- mired, they have been paffed by unnoticed by Cambden, Gale, and other ^v'riters. If the more obvious antiquities fhould be fo carelefsly overlooked, it is no wonder the fecret whifpers of tradition fliould be difregarded; though fuch traditions, however mixt with fable, do often lead to the difcovery of truth. Of this kind is the following llorv, recorded bv Sir Robert Atkins in his Iliftory of Gloceftcr/liire.
" Before the port of Briftol was fettled in Frome river, there feems to have " been a difpute, whether a place called Sea-mills was not as convenient a port " as the other, feveral large and fmall fliips having been built there. This *' occafioned the extravagant fabulous flory concerning St. Vincent and Coram, *' whom the flory makes to be mighty giants, and that they contended which way " the rivers Avon and Froom fliould vent themfelves into the Severn : if the port " of Sea-mills had been judged more convenient, then Coram had prevailed, " becaufe his hermitage was at Weflbury, on the fide of the brook Trim, which " runs to Sea-mills. But the port of Froom being thought more advantage- " ous, therefore the miracle relates, that St. Vincent clave the rocks afundcr, " and fo gave pafTage to the rivers, becaufe thofe rocks derive their name " from a chapel there, dedicated to that faint."
This feems to take its rife from fome reality, and may have truth for its foundation, though obfcured by fable and fuperftition. The Roman coins, old foundations of walls, bricks, tiles, &c. dug up here, efpeciallv in making the great dock at Sea-mills, fliew it to have been a place inhabited by that military people ; having feveral camps (caflra aefliva^ or entrenched polls on the high hills of St. Vincent and the oppofite rocks, at Henbury, and other places in the neighbourhood. The Romans in time having defertcd their Ration of Abonc, on the banks of the river Avon, and the port and harbour here in the river Trim, where their gajiies for pafTmg over by water to Caer- went their next ftation lay ; the port of Briftol, Caer Nante Avon, (the city in the vale of Avon river) flourifhed, and became a great city in its ftead : Coram, the ftrong champion of the river Trim, (or the flrong warlike Romans there) no longer keeping that ftation ; and St. Vincent (or the civilized, reli- gious, converted Britons under his patronage) fettling the port of Briflol at the more convenient conflux of the two rivers, the Avon and the Froom ; which, in thofe times, could not but be attributed to the interpofition of a fuint, who had a chapel and hermitage on the fummit of Clifton rock, (of
which
[ 23 ]
which fee before William of Worcefler, p. 13.) But it would add greatly to our fuppofition of the Aboneof the Romans being at this place, iFit fhould appear upon examination that the Roman road, betwixt Aquae Solis (Bath) and their next ftation Venta Silurum (Caerwent), lay in this direftion : and that the diflances of the miles betwixt the two flations fhould exaftly anfwer, both in Antonine's Itinerary and in Richard of Cirencefter. This would be a great confirmation of the truth, worthy of the nicefl; enquiry, efpecially as that Iter xiv. of Antonine has been fo much difputed : — &? adhuc fub judtce Lis eft.
Dr. Stukely, in his Itin. Curios, p. 144, v. 1, gives the fourteenth Iter of Antonine thus : Ab Ifca ad Callevam M. P. c. iii. fie.
Ifca Leg. 11 Aug. _ _ _ Caerleon.
Venta Silurum, _ _ _ - Caerwent, - ix M. P.
Trajeclus, _____ Oldbury, - ix M. P.
Abone, _-___- Henbury, - ix.
Aqiuv Solis, - - _ _ _ Bath, _ - vi.
Verlucio, _____ Hedington, xx.
Cunetio, ------ Marlborough, x.
Spinas, ______ Newbury, xv.
Vmdomia, _____ Silchefter, - x.
Calleva AUrebatum, _ _ _ Farnham, _ xv. and is of opinion with Dr. Gale, that Trajeflus and Abone are tranfpofed. It is very remarkable he makes Abone to be Henbury, which indeed was one of the camps dependent on their ftation of Abone. — Where in the Itinerary of Antonine and Richard of Cirencefter, the rivers ad Abone, ad Sabrinam, are mentioned ; the Romans might have only ftrong camps by thofe rivers, and before the towns and cities were fully built ; which were afterwards raifed by the Britons near thofe camps, which ferved as inns and defcnfible pofts to the Romans in their journies acrofs the rivers to their other cities or ftations, as obferved by the judicious Doflor, in his obfervations on Richard of Cirencefter. It is mentioned in Somner on forts and pofts (p. 38.) in Kent, that the nume- rals in Antonine are often wrong, and not to be relied on : " there is not ♦' much heed (fays he) t^ be given to the diftances there, being (as fome have obferved) often miftaken ;" therefore if the beginning and end of the Iter be well known and fet right, the intermediate places may be eafily made out by camps, coins found, or Roman remains, as well as by rivers, roads, and fituation. But the Doftor, in his account of Richard of Cirencefter, makes fome alterations in the names, and interprets the eleventh Iter of
Richard
[ 24 ]
Richard thus. — From Aqua? Solis, Bath, by the JuHan-nreet to Menapia: thus in Richard, Iter xi, Ab aquis per viam Julian Menapiam ufque Sic.
Ad Abonam M. P. vi. Sabrinam vi. unde Traje6lu intras inBritanniam fe- cundam et flationem Trajeftus M. P. iii. Yenta. Silurum ix. ubi fuit Aaron Martyr; Ifca Sihirum ix. Tibias Amni M. P. vii. Bovio xx. Nidoxv. Leuca- rio XV. ad Vigeffimum xx. ad Menapiam xix. ab hac urbe per triginta M. P. Navigas in Hyberniam. To which Dr. Stukely afTigns the following names.
A^. SoHs, - - - _ _ Bath.
Ad Alone for Ab one, vi. - Olland, near Kainfliam, Gloccflerfliirc,
Ad Sabrinam, - - vi. - Auft upon Severn.
Stalio TrajeBus, - iii. - Tydenham or Chepftow.
Venla Silurum, 7 . ^ , , , „ .
> - IX. - Caerwent, Monmouthlhire.
ix. - Caerleon.
SlipeJidiaha,
Ifca Silurum, 1 Colon, leg Aug. j
Tibia Amnis, - - vii. - CaerdifF.
Bovium, _ _ _ XX. - Cowbridge, Glamorganniirc.
Nidum, _ - _ XV. - Neath.
Leucarium, - - xv. - Loghor.
"^^IlpidcZ"^] - '"''■ - Narboth caftle. Mcnapa, - _ _ xix. - St. David's. To make this agree with Antonine's Iter and it proves Abone in that is tranfpofed and fhould be placed before Trajeftus, I would interpret it thus Aq. Solis, _ _ _ _ Bath.
Ad Abone, _ _ vi. - To the ftation at Clifton on the river Avon. Ad Sabrinam, - vi. - The Severn. TrajeBus, - - iii. - Portifhcad camp on the point. Staiio TrajeBus, ~ - - Sudbrook fejuare camp the place of landing on
the other fide in going to Venta Silurum - ix. - Caerwent. •
Here the fix miles at Abone is demonftrably a wrong numeral ; it fhould be Jci. which exaftly make the miles the fame as in Antonine.
The diftance from Bath through Hanham to the ftation at Clifton, may be reckoned about eleven or twelve computed miles : and the other intermediate diftances agreeing with each other, we need not be too curious about the names of the flations in Richard's time, as they might alter ; but both the
diftances
[ 25 ]
diftances and ftations agree in bringing the road through or near to Briftol, in fixing one at Abonc next to it, and proceeding to one common Tra- jetlus and fo to Cacrwent: whether any likelier places proved to be Roman by fo many camps coins and other antiquities can be found, muft now be fub- mitted to the judgment of every candid enquirer. Gale, Horfely and Stukely take us to Oldbury on the Severn as the only Trajectus, quite a circuitous road in no refped anfwering to the order of the places, flill lefs to the diRanccs, nor to the courfe of the country, to which the road tends. There may be errors in the numerals, which appear too clearly, neither is ex- aBnefs pretended ; but we cannot err as to the right road pointed out in both Itineraries, and as to the beginning and end of the Iter, which arc plain enough. Leland indeed fays in CoUeft. Tarn corruptum eft &c. " This Itinerary of Antonine or whofe ever it be, is fo corrupt, as to require fome Apollo to decypher it, for many names are mifpelt, the order of the places and numbers inverted and vary in different copies, being fet out of their places." This granted, it muft breed ftrange confufion ; but if we are certain as to the beginning and end of an Iter, whatever differences there may be in the number of miles or order of the places, we cannot err much in purfuing the direft road, open and uninterrupted as it is with hills ; and this line of road can no where be fo proper and eligible as through the Roman camp at Briftol and their ftation there in their pafTage over to Caerwent. To fuppofe with Cambden and others, that Trajedus meant Oldbury, or Newenham with Baxter, and Abone to be Alvington or Avington, can have little fhew of probability. It contradifts the order of places fo much, it does not in any degree coincide with the diftances fet againft each, and makes fuch unrea- fonable allowances in the computation as leaves us in the wildeft uncertainty : abfolute certainty and demonftration muft not be infifted on ; but it may be left to every impartial enquirer, whether in general thofe are not moft probably the real places defigned in the Itineraries above, where the diftances are in the neareft conformity with thofe fet down ; where Roman ftations can be proved to have exifted, even now to be traced by old encampments and coins found therein, and where the ftraiteft road to the place lies. But to go from Bath to Oldbury in Gloceftcrftiire, or from Abone at Clifton thither and then over the Severn to Beachly as the Trajectus, and fo over the Wye to Cacr- went, would be fuch a diverfion of the road as is fcarce credible.
The fourteenth Iter of Antonine may be explained thus. Iter alio Itinerc ab Ifca callevam ufque m. p. C. iii.
D Ab. Ifca,
[ 26 ]
Af) 7/ca, --------- Carlcon.
VcntaSiluntm, M. P. ix. _ _ _ _ Caerwcnt.
TrajeBuSj tranfpofed for Abone, M. P. ix. The pafliigc over the water, or
to Portilhcad.
Abone M. P. ix. -__--_ - The ftation and camps at Clifton.
Aq. Solis, M. P. vi. ______ Bath xi.
VerlucioneyM. ?. xv. _____ Lacock, where and at Leckham,
Naifli Hill and Notton, coins have often been found.
Cuneiione, M. P. xx. _____ Marlborough on the Kennet.
Spinis, M. P. xv. ______ Speen.
Calkva, M. P. xv. _-___- Silchefter orWallingford. The fum total prefixed is one hundred and three miles, but the particulars amount to but ninety eight, which proves the numbers to be erroneous. If eleven be the numeral at Aq. Solis, it would make up the one hundred and three miles of the Iter, and it would come very near to the true diftance betwixt Bath and Abone at the Clifton camp, and the nine miles over the Severn from Caerwent would be as near the truth as can be expcfted.
Roger Gale, who communicated to Mr. Hearn an account of the four Roman Ways, has in addition to that letter publiflicd in Leland's Colleflanea, p. 275, V. 6. 2 ed. fome obfcrvations concerning the Wcftern Avon — and fays there, "that beneath Glocefter we have but one ftation, Trajcflus, at "Oldbury;" — but quaere's, "whether the old names, or fitualion of their " Rations on the Weftern Avon are yet retrieved by us, which I fufpcQ muft " be left to time, and the obfcrvations of thofe, who are better acquainted with " that country than I am, to determine." — This is no lefs candidly than judi- cioufly remarked; for Trajc8us at Oldbury has been ever looked upon as the only Roman ftation here by Cambden, &c. yet it now comes out, that the Ro- mans in their journies into Wales or Caerwent, might and did fix other ftations, particularly this at Abone and Clifton, on the banks of the Avon, near which was the Trajeftus in a ftrait road from Bath or Aquae Solis, to Caerwent, anfwering nearly as we fee to the m. p. or miles fet againft each in Antonine's Itinerary, which no other Trajeftus does. — Oland, or Oldland, near Han- ham, though no traces there afcertain it, has been conjeftured by fome to be one, about nine miles from Bath; but from Abone, Sea-Mills or Portifliead, the Trajeflus acrofs the Severn about nine miles, is dired to- Caerwent: — The other Roman way from Bath to Oldbury, being over the hilly ground of Landf- down pafting near Wick, {Vicm,) where Roman relicks were found juft under
the
[ 27 ]
the hill by R. Haynes, Efcj; — fo by Pucklcchurch to Bury-hil!,on thcFroom; whence the road was to Almonfbury, and lo And or Oldbury, and over the Severn to Lydney, where is a great camp, (delineated in Archoeol. v. 5.) near the borders of that river ; and fo into Herefordfliird, &c.
It appears hence the Romans had more than one Trajeftus acrofs the Severn ; but to Caerwent they could have none fo convenient and direfl: as this at Abone near Briftol: — if they crofTed at Aull for that ftation flrait to the other fide to Beachly, or to Tidcnham on the fame fhore, they mufl have had a fecond trouble to ferry over another dangerous and rapid river the Wye, where Chcpflow Bridge now flands, or mufl have failed down the Severn from Auft fome way till they came on a line with Caerwent, many miles out of their direft courfe.
Horfely, p. 469, fays, " the military way running Eaflward from Caerwent is large and remarkable : I obfervcd it to leave the high way to Chepftovs', and inclining to the South to bend its courfe towards tl>e Severn, but I had not opportunity to trace it to the fide of the river. — The name Old Paflage may not have fo diftant a retrofpeft as the Roman Trajeftus, but yet I con- clude from the courfe of the military way which I obferved myfelf, that the Roman paffage has been below the mouth of the Wye, and I fcarce think the landing place on the South fide can be near fohigh as Oldbury, though this is generally fuppofedj and for this reafon, Oldbury has got the name of Trajec- tus, a tranfpofition of names being now more generally admitted." — Had Mr. Horfely continued his rout on the military way to the bank of the Severn, he would then have found the grand camp of Sudbrook to be the ftation, where they croficd the Severn to Abone the other fide near Briflol.
It is worthy of obfervation, that the little river Throggy, on the bank of which lies the great fquare camp Sudbrook, opens here into the Severn, in a direc- tion almoft oppofite to the Briftol Avon on the other fide, as appears on viewing it acrofs Kingroad, Pcnpoll near Shirehampton rifing to the view very diftinft; the mouth of the Throggy forms ftill a kind of pill for veffels, and the river itfelf, though now fmall and filled up, was evidently once navigable up to the city of Caerwent; the bed of the river ftill appearing open, broad, and deep in many places, fo that the communication with the Aquae Solis or Bath and the Abone near Briftol and Caerwent, was dircft, free and well guarded ; and doubtlcfs fucli a well peopled city as Caerwent evidently was, the feat of Roman arts and arms, grandeur and luxury, held great corrcfpon- dence acrofs the Severn with the other ftations and commercial intercourfc with all the country ihey poftefTcd. — In the year 1777, a tcftclatcd pavement
D 2 was
C 28 ]
vas difcovered in an orchard at Caerwent, about 21 feet long by 18 broad, 'made by fmall fquare pieces of ftone about half an inch or more fquarc, inlaid in an elegant form in waving lines and twilled chainlike fhapes, with a very large rofe in the center of the floor, fiirrounded with a circle charged with ten fmaller rofes, painted with four colours, red, yellow, white, and blue ; the fide-wall was plaiftered fmooth and painted red. It fcems to have been the ftate room or tent of the Prefeft of the Legio fccunda Aug. an infcrip- tion on a flone dug up here was, *' Julia EJJeunda vixit annos xxxv.
Upon the Romans leaving their flation here and at Caerwent and Caerleon, and upon their departure from the ifland of Britain, the cities and manfions on both fides the Severn, which grew up and flourifhed in peace under their ftrift difcipline and government, became in a flate of confuGon, being terribly harraffcd by the inteftine divifions of the Britons themfelves, and afterwards by foreigners called in to their aid. Caerwent and Caerleon encompalfed with brick-walls, and celebrated for their lofty palaces and temples, Roman baths, teffelated pavements, hypocaufla and theaters, as well as a vaft concourfe of merchants and learned men, fell under the general calamity : the firfl dwindling into a place of no note but for the coins and Roman bricks and infcriptions ftill dug up there, the latter lying buried in its ruins, and ipfx periertruina ; — now it cannot be fuppofed the petty towns in their neighbourhood, Newport and Chepftow, which rofe on their ruins, (being alfo as much, if not more expofed,] fhould receive and afford a fecure retreat and afylum to the numerous inhabi- tants, as well merchants as others, of thefe populous cities, which mud have had then the greatefl. commerce and free trade of any in the Weft of England, to fupply the conveniences and luxuries of fuch a multitude of polifhed citi- zens; — no; they would naturally apply to places and ftations of greater fafety and well adapted to trade ; and where they could enjoy, uninterrupted, a free navigation and fecurity of commerce. It may therefore be believed, and with the greatefl probability if not certainty, that they immediately fled from their diflurbed condition at Caerleon and Caerwent, and Iranfportcd themfelves direflly acrofs the Severn at Kingroad, to Briflol, then a city alfo under the proteflion of the Romans at Clifton and Leigh in its neighbourliood; and the well-known flation of the Romans here, and ufual intercourfe acrofs the Severn, pointed out to them the propriety of their choice, and the fecurity they fhould enjoy here unmolelled.
After they had once feated themfelves here, and the Romans had left their fortified flation at Clifton, the Britons confining on the Severn and in its neigh- bourhood foon flocked hither and incrcafcd the eflablifluncnt of the city: —
The
C 29 ]
The colonies the Romans had at the camps of Henbury, Almondfbury, Old Abby, Sodbuiy, Hinton-Durham, and other adjacent places, fupplicd many inhabitants that did not follow the Romans, but contributed to the fpecdy advance and population of the city. Briftol is juftly reputed to be a fecure place in times of tumult and popular commotions, which we know from hiftory to have been the cafe of Britain when the Romans left it, as appears from their complaints fent to Rome afterwards, of which Gildas gives a moft pathetic and lamentable account.
Where then could the merchant, the tradefman, the rich or the poor me- chanic, find a place of greater fafety in fuch times than Briftol, not liable to be fuddenly furprifed and attacked, the Avon being its guard on the Somerfet fide, and the Froom winding round it formed it into an ifland, avery natural and moft effeftual defence ; and the Severn in feme refpeBs, with its feveral fortreftes and entrenched pofts, formed a diftant defence and barrier on the North and Weft fide ; and at the fame time by its free communication by water with other places and the fea, was the beft adapted for a convenient habitation and enjoy- ing all the advantages of commerce, and thereby a quick fupply of every necefTary of life.
Befides what has been advanced of the Roman camps and ftations here, under which the city of Briftol rofe and flouriflied, it muft be added, that it is highly probable that military people occupied the very hills within the prc- cinfts of the city ; — as experienced Generals they would pofiefs themfelvcs of all the heights near their principal ftations — accordingly wc find Roman coins have been dug out of the earth on St. Michael's-hill, within the citv, bv Thomas Tyndale, Efq; at the Fort, when he formed and walled in a large garden there. The coins were of Conftantine, Conftantius Gordian, and Tetricus ; — and in the field behind the Montague Inn on Kingfdown, in 1780, ■was found four feet deep, a coin of Conftantine, with the following infcription. Imp. C. Ccnjlantinus p. F Aug. a laureated head: — on the reverfe, a figure of the fun, with Soli InviBo Comili.
But both St. Michael's-hill and Brandon-hill have undcrfrone fuch altera- lions by time, large fortifications and entrenched pofts having been made there in later days, efpecially in the great rebellion 1641, that their furfaccs have often taken a new form, and the appearance of the ancient entrenchments is loft ; and every veftige of Roman antiquity muft neceffarily be deftroved and effaced, the coins found being now the only proofs of their having once occupied thefe hills.
As
[ 30 ]
As it vas then from the Roman camps in its neighbourhood, and the road betwixt Bath and Caerwent paffing this way, Briftol may be faid to have dedu- ced its firft origin,* the Britons living there under their proteClion and govern- ment. So from the downfal of thofe populous cities of Caerwent and Caerleon, upon the retreat of the Romans from Britain, it flourifhed and increafed in a moft rapid manner by a great acceflion of new inhabitants from acrofs the Severn ; who foon enlarged its commerce, and fupplied thofe conveniences and luxuries, with which the numerous and polite inhabitants of thofe cities in Wales u fed to be fupplied; and upon the coming of the Saxons, who afterwards occupied the ftrong camps and ports deferted by the Romans, (as Saxon coins dug up there alfo fhew,) — Briftol we fhall find foon became the grand feaport and mart of the Weft Saxon kingdom, agreeable to what Leland has faid of it, " Aufla eft a Saxonibus," — it was increafed by the Saxons — who ufually built on Roman foundations, and occupied places deferted by them.
If it fliould be farther aflvcd, at what particular period of time it was founded? To anfwer this queftion with precifion may not perhaps be in any one's power, involved as it is in fo much obfcurity, and difficult from the remotenefs of the time, it can only be faid to have taken its rife, beyond doubt, from the Roman ftation Abone ; growing up by degrees from it, and at laft being blended with it, while the Romans ufed to pafs the Severn to Caerwent; — rifing within the century after the birth of Chrift, and advancing in population, trade and gran- deur from that time, keeping pace with the Romans, while here, and after their leaving the ifland, increafing by a vaft acceffion of inhabitants from every quarter.
CHAP.
• Though I fuppofe this to have been the firft origin of the city of Briftol, it is not to be omitted, that there is a truditionaiy account mentioned alfo by Rofs, Leland, and in William of Worcefter's manufcripts ; and a manufcript by Ricaut, in the Chamber of Briftol, that Brennus founded Briftol ; — but as the ftoiy of Brennus and Bcllinus is not well authenticated, and there is little hiftorical evidence for it, like the accounts of JefFeiy of Monmouth, of Brute and his Trojans coming hither, deemed all equally fabulous, it will be ncedlcfs to purfue the enquiry.
[ 31 ]
CHAP. II.
(?/" B R I S T O L ?>i ^^f S A X O N ani N O R M A N Times.
T T AVI NG inveftigatcd the origin and firfl rife of the city at the -■■ ■*- Roman-Britifli period, I proceed next with the Saxon and Norman accounts.
A manufcript difcourfe on Briftol, which has the marks of great antiquity, faid to be wrote by Turgot, a Saxon, in Saxonnes Latyn, mud be acknow- ledged to be of great weight ; and as the writer lived to give the following account of Briftol not long after the very time, in which Cambden afferts Briftol to have firft rifen, it will be a full confutation of that eminent antiquarian. I Ihall add the fame Turgot's " account of auncient coynes found at and near Briftowe, with the hyftorie of the fyrfl coynynge by the Saxonnes, alfo an account of monumental incriptions, faid to be done from the Saxon ynto Englylhe by T. Rowlie." This Turgot is faid to be a Briftol man, was prior of Durham, afterwards Biftop of St. Andrews in Scotland ; he writ a hiftory of Scotland, alfo chronicles of Durham ; annals of his own time, and the life of K. Malcolm. It is faid he wrote alfo a Saxon poem called, the Bloody Battle of Haftynges.
All the works of Turgot have never been publiflied; efpecially the follow- ing curious account of Briftol, faid in a very old manufcript to be tranflatcd by T. Rowlie out of Saxon into Englifti, now in my poffcftion. Turgot * it appears was prior of Durham in 1088, having fuccccdcd his preceptor Aid- win who died 1087 in that priory, and was confecrated Bifliop of St. Andrews in 1 108, and was buried at Durham feven years after 1115.
" Seft. II. of Turgoteus. — Strange as it maie feem that there were Walks to Radclefte, yet fulle true ytte is beynge the Walles of Brightrycus pallace, & in owre dales remaincthe there a fmall piece neie Efelwynnes Towre. I conceive not it coulde befquare, tho rradytyonfo faieth: thelnhabitcrs wythyn the Walle had ryghte of Tolic on tiie Ryvers Severnc & a part of Avon. Thus much of Radclefte Wallcs. On wliych padage of Turgot, T. Rowlie
fubjoins
• Lcland in Collfclan V. ii. 542, 538, gives an account of Turgot fiptodam Cleruo Turj^ctaJ tiktn out cf a manufcript book, of the Bifho|'S of Lindislaini.
C 32 ]
fubjoins the following Emendal or Note: — Hence myghte be the reafonne W'hie the Indabiters of Radclcfte callyd much of the River Avon, Sevcrne; becaufe formerlie reckoned in theyre Tollege with the Severne, as Inhabiter of Radclefte have I ufed Severne for Abona or Avon, & accounted Severne to reeche over anenl Radclefte Strete.
" Seft. III. of Turgotus. — Nowe to fpeake of Bryghtflowe, yttes Walles &• Caftelle beynge the fayrefl buyldinge, of ytte I flialle fpeake fyrfte. The pryncipale Streets meete in forme of a Crofs, & is a goode patterne for the Cityes of Chryftyannes. Brightrycus fyrft ybuylden the Walles in fafliyon allmofle Square wythe four Gates — EUe Gate, Baldwynnes or Leonardos Gate, Froome or the Water Gate and Nycholas or Wareburgha's, fo clepcd from Wareburga of the Houfe of Wulverus Konynge of Mercia (& here be ytte noted thatBrightftowe was fometymes inne the hondes of the Mercyesfome- tymeof the Weft Saxonnes, tyll Bryghtricus walled ytte, ande fyxede ytte for ever to hys). Thys Wareburga was baptyzed bye Saynte Warburgus, 8c had a Chyrche ybuilte to her by the Bryftowans — Almoft arounde the Walles was Watere & fowre Brydges or fordes. EUe forde, Santforde or Halleforde beynge where Tradition fayes Saynte Warburgus paffyd ; Frome Forde & Bald- wynnes's Forde, beynge where Tradytyonne faies Sayente Baldwynne fleen the Danes that fled from Bultyngcatune. The Walles have fuffred alteratyon fynce Edward Sonne of Alfrydus Magnus A. D. DIVC-XV. * ybuylden the the Walles 8c newly ybuylden the Caftle — beeynge the goodlyefte of the five ybuilden on Abone Bankes 8c a greete checke to the Danes : he caufed the Gate neare Baldwynnes forde to be callyde Baldwynes before Leonardes. The Caflle thus ybuilden ytte was yeven in fure keepynge to Ella a Mercyan fynce hee routted the Danes at Watchette wythe hys Bryftowans ; and at Wykewarre with hys owne Menne and thofc of Wykewarre, at Canyngan 8c Alluncengan t with his Bryftowans. At the laftc place he conquered : but Eng- lande payde dearlie for the Battle, he dyed inBryftowc Caftle of hys Woundes. He was the ftaye of the Wefte and the Guardyan of Glouceftre, whyche after hysDethe was pyteouOlie facked — hee gave Name to Ellingham ande Eleceftre. Coernicus fucceeds in the Caftle, but was not fo fortunate as hys predecefToure, aRbrdyinge ne Helpe to others, havyng Employmente enowe to kecpe hys. owne. In his days were Bathe & Glouceftre brente : the pagannes alFayled Briftow ande fome entrynge Coerne commandynge alle the fordes to be cutte, whereby all the Dacyans whyche entered were forflayne or drowned. Inne his. daies and the reygn of Kynnge Aedclftan was twayne of Coiners in Bryghtftowe. From hym faie fome came Corne-Strcet + — he buildenanew
Wareburgas
915. + So in the original. :j: Called old Corn-ftieet in anticnt writings I have fccn.
*
[ 33 ]
Wareburgas Cbyrchc and added thereunto Houfcn for preefl.es. He was brave and dyd his beft agaynfl the paganes. After hym was Harwardc, who vas fleyn in Redcleft fyde fyghteynge againfte the paganes, Whoe "ottc ne honoure in fighte lofynge three Capytaynes Magnus Hurra & Olbrave &: fleying the feeld — Then Smallaricus, Vincent & Adelwyn — then Egwyn, from whome the Street Egwynne Streete was ybuildennc. Likewyfe in his tyme was the greate Earthquake; manye houfen in Bryftowc fallene downe & the Fyre levyne enfyrede Radclef Strete — Shortely after on the vyolente enfeefynge of the Crownc bie Ethelrede, an Infurreftyon happened in Bryght- ftowe Avhych Egwynne appcafed. After him Aylwardus, Adelbryghte, Am- ftuarde, Algarre, And thenne Leofwynne Sonne of Godwynne Erie of Kente. Upon the afcendynge of Edwarde Confeffour the Natyon was all turnyd French ; ynne the nynthe Yeere of the reigne of Edwarde beeyncrc m. o. xxxxxx. Leofwynne bye thys Charter hadde Bryflowe.
Iche Edwarde Konynge, Yeven Bryftoe Caftellynge
Unto the keepynge, Off Leofwynne de Godwynne
Of Clytoe K)-ndlynge ; Of Ballarde and Battell
Le Bartlowe * for Cattayle
Alle that on the watters flote. To take Brugbote ?
Eke at ye Stowe of Wickwarre breme. And yttes S) Iver Streeme
Toe take Havenyche, As Eldermanne of Iche
To hys owne Ufe, At his goode Thewes
Wytnefsowre Marke before Ralph Dunftan 8c Egwyn
Of owre reygne and Ealler Month Yeere &Daie nyne: Thus had hee the Cartel ; & hys fadre Broders, & the Cityfens of Bryghtft^owe ande Nobilytye of Kente entered ynto a folemne League agaynfle the Lon- doners, Who were almofte alle frenchmenne, makynge the fayde League at Br)^ght(lowe. Inne M. L. i. the menne of Dover &■ Kente beynge murdred by the Bullonyans, Godwynne Sc his Kcntiflimen Harolde Sc the Weftfaxons came to Bryftoe to Leofwynne, Who receevd them kyndly ynto hys Caftelle Sc fet forwarde wyth them to Gloucefter Sc after the appoyntment came agayne to Briftowe but throughe treacheree the expedytyone myfTede : Whereupon Kynge Harolde Sc Lcofwyne came wyth Swayne, Toftye, Wolnothus Sc Gyrthe to Bryghftowe Sc Shypped for Hybernia: ande nowe bee ytte noted that When Gryffithc Kyngc of South wales Sc the Irifh pyrates attack'd them Leofwynne ftroke Galfride Kurke Capytaine to the grounde ande toke hym pryfoncr leavyng his armie Where by the South wajlians retyrd to the Coun-
E try
* Q. If Bcrklaw or Bartalaw — vid. Spclman.
[ 34 ]
try withe greete lofTe, Leofwync entreated Kurke kyndlie & let hym dcparte to Hibernie Where upon he invited hym to Hybernie, Whither he went with 280 Bryftowans."
Such is the account of our city Taid to be given by Turgotus. Whatever may be objeQed to the authenticity of this manufcript, the author can only fay, it has the marks of being genuine, and is faithfully tranfcribed from the original parchment, not without great difficulty to decypher it, on account of the palenefs of the ink and peculiarity of the charafter.
It is very certain, the Saxons, after the retreat of the Romans and confe- quent divifions and wars of the Britons, greatly increafed the city both in extent of buildings and in population, and made it a place of greater commerce and refort of fhipping than it had ever had in the Roman-Britifh times. It lay more fecure from Danifli invafions by its inland fituation, not to be ap- proached but by a long and difficult navigation up the Briftol Channel ; and this accounts for the little mention made of it by our hiftorians, as not diftin- guiflied in the Danifli wars : though they tell us, the Danes came as far as the Holmes, where they fuffered a defeat and famine. Though fomc manufcripts infinuate, that this city did not cfcape their piracy and ravage.
The Saxons diftinguilhed Briftol fo early with their notice, that Edward, ihe fon of Alfred, built a caftle here for its defence ; and Alfred, in the fifth year of his reign, is faid, in Hollingfhead, to have driven the Danes from Exeter to Dartmouth, where they took fliipping, and difperfed others, " fome of whom fled to Chippenham and fome to Briftol." And in the Chronologia Vila Alfredi, and in the Saxon Chronicle, we find the Danes fpoiling all the country on the Severn, and making irruptions into various parts upon it; and there is no reafon to believe Briftol to have wholly efcaped.
An account at the end of Langtoff's Chronicle by Hearn, vol. ii. p. 465. fays, " the Danes landed near Brent in Somerfetftiire, but were put to flight, a great number drowned and flain by King Alfred, and others efcaped and fled to Woorle-hill, where they fortified themfelves, &c." There is to be feen at this day on the faid hill, a camp of wonderful ftrength, with many ag- gcra ; whether Danifli, or not, deferves the attention of the curious.
There are many accounts of the Danes infcfting Somerfetfliire, which about the year 900 was much expofed to their ravages, and greatly haraffed by fre- quent invafions of them; their fliips came up the Briftol Chaiuiel, and making defcents on the open and defencelefs towns, fpread terror and defolation wherever they came. In the year 878 they landed near Biddeford with thirty- three fail offhips, and wafted the countrv with fire and fword ; but they were
overcome
[ 35 ]
overcome by the victorious Alfred, their captain Hubba and 1200 men (lain, whom they buried on the fliore near their fliips, and the phice is fince called Hubbaftone. " In the 915, (favs Stow) a great navy of Danes failed about " the AV^eft Country, and landed in divers places, taking great prevs, and " went to their fhips again. The King Edward fenior, (the fon of Alfred) " for ftrengthening the countr)', made a caftle at the mouth of the Avon." — That they certainly infefted this country as far as BriRol Avon, appears fron\ the Saxon Chronicle. " And the Cyningc ha?fde funden wyth him mon fav " with on futh-healfe Saefrcnn-muthan weftan from Wealum Eaft oth Afa;ne- " muthan, &c." i. e. " In the year 918 King Edward thought fit to difpofe " his army at the South part of the mouth of the Severn, from the Weft of " Wales towards the Eaft to the mouth of the Avon, that they might not dare " to infeft any where that part of his land : neverthelefs they withdrew them- " felves privily by night at two times, once in the eaftern part and at Watchet, " and another time at Porlock. But they were conquered both times, that " few remained but thofe only who fwam to their fliips. Then they fet down " at the iflc of Bradanrelic, (i. e. the Flat Holmes,) till they were in great " want of provifions, and many periflied with hunger." Henry of Hunlingdon, I. V. \i° Edzvardifcnioris. " The King caufed the fliores of the Severn, on " the South part from Wales to the Avon, to be guarded, &c." and " that " it was at the ifland of Stepen, or Steep Holmes, they fuffered." Both are not far diftant from each other in the Briftol Channel below Kingroad, wJiere the Briftol fliips lie at anchor.
The Anglo-Saxon kings and earls of Glocefter, the then lords or thanes of this country, long held this city under their proteftion and government, and received great advantages from the rents and profits of the town. Aylward Maew, or Sneaw, was lord of it before the Conqueft, mentioned in Leland's Itinerary. He was a Saxon nobleman of the grcatcft rank and fortune, defcended from Edward fenior, (the builder of the caftle, from whom he feems to have held Briftol by gift or inheritance.) About the year goo he is faid to be vir in armis /Irenuus, (Lei. vol. vi. p. 82.) a man of great prowcfs, and " Lorde of Brighteftowe, and founder of the monaftcry of Cranbourne." His fon Algar, with his wife Algiva, fucceeded to the honour of Glocefter and lordfliipof Briftol by right of inheritance; and Briftricus, the fon of Algar, after them. He, being a very rich man, rcfided much at Briftol, and diftin- guiflied it greatly.
Briclric, or Brightick, had great pofteftions, is called in Leland viro prccdi- vili; he tranflated the body of King yEthelbert, buried privately on the banks
E 2 of
C 35 ]
of the river Lugg, to Hereford. There is an Earl Bri6lrick mentioned in Leland's Collccl. vol. i. p. 349, the brother of Edward Streona Duke of Mercia. I have in a manufcript a note of the genealogy of Earl Briftric, from BriQric King of the Weft Saxons. Little Froma and Cranbourn three hides was held (with other great eftates^*) by our Earl Briftric, T. E. C. worth 12 1. per ann. : the name in Doomfday-book is fometimes wrote Brihtricus.
That Briftric was a great repairer, founder, or improver of Briflol, appears from fome Latin verfes taken from a chronicle of Tewkfbury, quoted by Dugdale in Monafticon, vol. i. p. 161.
" Atque ego Briftanus ultimus ante conqueftum Dominus Hoc Templum fundo ; mihimet vere corde jucundo Briftow conftruxi. Honor Jiat ut Crucifixi."
That Brifclanus, or BiQanus, means Briftrift, or Bithric, is very certain from the order of the founders here recited. Bri£tric, or Bightric, was a name, quod vcrfu dicere nequis, unfit for Latin verfe. Briclric being a founder of the church of Tewkfbury and at Briftow at the fame timet proves, that it was he probably that firft annexed a cell at Briftol, dedicated to St. James, toTewkft)ury abbey, afterwards attributed to Robert Fitzha)mo, a Norman knight. — Aylward above-mentioned, in the time of King Athelftan, is faid in Mr. Lant's manufcript to have been a principal founder at Briftol, which indeed received great improvement afterwards from moft of the Anglo-Saxon earls of Gloce- fter, who from him continued lords of it : it became afterwards a part of the honour of Glocefter, and the caftle here the caput honoris Glocejirur, in the later Saxon times.
Thus the Saxons having driven away the Danes, and expelled the ancient Britifti inhabitants of this city from their native feat here acrofs the Severn into Wales, the Caer Brito, or Briftol, of the Britons became Saxonifed, and the place wholly in their pofieftion ; and the Weft Saxons brought into fub- je8ion all thefc parts. And as they could not fubdue the Britifti fpirit of our Romanifcd anceftors, they contented themfclvcs with fixing their ftation here, polTefling themfelves of the city and ftrong Roman camps in its neighbourhood, (fome Saxon coins in my pofteflTion having been found together with the Roman coins dug there.) They ftrengthened the Saxon government here by every politic ftep ; and by walling the town to a larger extent than before, and increafing its trade and (hipping, it foon became more and more flourifliing,
whilft
* Of his great pofrcffions, vid. Annals below.
■t In an old grant to the abby of Tewkfbury the rents (coitus) and tythes of Brigcfton is men- tioned tQ be paid to that abby. Vid. bu Robcit Atkins's Hillory cf Gloceftcrniirc.
C zi ]
•whilft Caerleon and Caerwent, ancient feaports, loft their former gran- deur, trade and importance, and from famous cities dwindled away into obfcure towns, and Newport and Chepdow role up in their ftead.
In the time of Edward the ConfefTor, in the year 1051, (1043 fay fome) * Harold and Leofwine the fons of Earl Godwin, are mentioned by our hiftorians to have been profcribed, and that coming to Briftol, " They went " aboard a fhip that tlieir brother Swayne had prepared for them and were " carried into Ireland :" this confirms the account in the manufcript hiftory of Turgot afore mentioned page 33, where the matter is more particularly defcribed. In 1063, Harold then Duke of Suftex and Kent embarked with his forces aboard a fleet at Briftowe to invade Wales, to take revenge on Griffyth King of Wales, between whom and Harold there was a great enmity, t . •
Coins have been ever looked upon, as a proof of the dignity and antiquity of the place where they are found. The Roman have been mentioned before ; and the Saxons have alfo left here traces of themfelves by their coins.
Here I fhall have recourfe to a curious coUeftion of coins and monumental ftones mentioned by Turgot, preferved afterwards in the cabinet of Mr. Canynge; and although the coins themfelves cannot be produced, yet an account of them faid to be " drawen from the cabinet itfelf" by Thomas Rowlie about 1460, in his own writing is flill extant. And as I would give the real and genuine account of thefe coins in the Tranflator's own words from Turgot, I fhall confine myfelf to a faithful and exaft copy from the original parchment manufcript as follows, in which the ink and letters by time were almoft defaced, and leave the reader to judge of its authenticity.
" Of the auntiaunte forme of Monies carefullie gotten for Mayftcr William Canynge by mee Thomas Rowieic."
" Greete was the wyfdome of him who fayde the whole worlde is to ne one Creature, whereof every Man and Beafte is a Member; Nc Manne lyveth therefore for hymfelf but for hys fellow creature. Excellent and Pythey was the fayeing of Mr. Canynge that Trade is the foule of the worlde, but Monie the foule of Trade, ande alaffe Monie is nowe the foule of Manie. The age when Metallcs fyrfte paffcd for monie is unnoticed: As Oxen and (heepe is thouglucn to have beene the mode cariie Monie or
Change.
• Pono HarolJus & Lcofwinus filii (Godwin!) Briftowam adeuntes Navem qiiam fratcr Illorum Suaniis fibi pa^av<;rat, confccndcrunt & in liibcrniam tranfvcfti fuciunt — Sim. Dun. p. 185. Haroldus & Leofvvinus in Hibcrniam transiVctarunt Chron, Brompt p. 9,J3 apud x Script. Stows Annals by Horvcs. p. 95. 96.
+ Florent. Wygoin. Alfo Turgot before p. 33.
[ 38 ]
Change. Butte ytte is ftylle more difficyle to fyx the fyrft tyme of ftampeying ytte. Abrahame is fayde to have yeven Shekylls bie wavght : An Ebrewe Writer faithe that in the Daies of Jofliua the Ebrewes enftamped theyre Monies wythe the Symboles of the Tabernacle VefTylles, butte I thynke the fyrfle enftampeyng came from Hcathenne Ammuletts, whyche were markyd wythe the Image of theyre Idolle, &c preefts dyd carrie from Houfe to Houfe begginge or rather demaundynge ofFeryngs for theyr Idolle — The Ebrewes who fcorn'd not to learne Iiiyquytye frome theyr Captives, Sc vaynlie thynkynge as in other thyngs to copy other Natyons myghte take uppe thys enfample Ande enfiamepynge theyre Monic in the oulde tyme of Jofue beyne male happe one of the Idolatries mentyon'd in holie wrete. Examync into antiquytie & you wylle fynde the folk of Athens ftampyd an Owelette the Byrde of Athene, the Sycylyans fyre the Symbole of theyre Godde Vul- canne, thele of ^Egvpt a couchaunt Creeture wythe a Lyonnes Boddie & a Hawkes heade Symbole of theyre Godde Ofyris : Butte to come to owre owne Countrie : Oure fyrfle fathers the Bryttons ufyde yron & BrafTe ryngs fome round, fome fhapyd like an Egge : Eleven of thefe were founde in the Gardenne of Galfrydus Coombe on Sainfte Mychaels Hylle, bie theyre dyf- pofitionne in the grounde feemed to have been ftrunge onne a ftrynge, Sc were alle marquede on Infyde thus M Lykewyfe is in Mayftre Canynges Cabynet an Amulett of Brytifhe Characters peerced at the Toppe. Julyus Caefarres Coynes were the fyrfte enftamped Monies yfede in Englande : after whomme the Bryttonnes coyned as followes. Tenantius at Cacr Britoe, Cunobelyne at fundarie places, butte notte at Caer Brytoe. Arvyragus at Caer Brytoe, Mary us at Caer Brytoe, BafTianus at Cacr Brytoe, Syke was the multitude of monies bie them coyned upon Vyftoryes 8c fykelyke that neyther anie Kynge tyll Arthurres tyme coyned quantity of Metalles for anie ufe nor dyd Arthuree make monie but a peece of Sylverie toe be worne rounde of thofe who han wonne Honnour in Batelles. * Edelbarte Kynge of
Kente * Cambden fays Athelbred fiid coined money in England, the penny weighed 3d. five pennies made a fcilling, 48 fcillings their pound, 400 lib. a legacy foi- a King's daughter. 30 pennies a macus, mancufa a mark of filver, mancaa fquarc piece of gold value 30 pennies.
But the Saxon coins, names, weights and value, arc the following according to Mr. Clarke's Connexion of Roman, Saxon and Englifh coins.
Saxon Gold Coins. Mancus - . - - . v.'t. 54 gr. 6s. of their money, — 9s. od. of ours. Half Mancus .... ^j 3s, ------ 4s. 6d.
Later Mancus, ora
andAnglo Saxon Shilling 23 is, -_...- 3s,
[ 39 ]
Kente was the fyrfte Chryftenned Kynge & coyner in Kent, Clmulyn or Ceaulynne of the Wefte Saxonnes, Arpenwahus of the Eafte Angles, ^thcldfrvde of the north Humbres, And Wulferus of the Mercians. The Piece coynd by the Saxonnes was clepen pennyes thryce the Value of our pennyes. In Adelftancs rcygn were two Coyners in Bryghftowe Sc one at Wyckewarre at which two places was made a peece yclepen twain penny.
Golde was not coyned tyil the tyme of Edwardus but Byzantes of Conftan- tinople was in ure, fome whereof contayned fower Markas or Mankas fome two, fome one & fome lefs and more. Robert Roufe Erie of Gloucefter had hys mynte at Bryftowe Sc coyned the bed monie of anie of the Ba- ronnes. Henrie Secundus graunted to the Lord of Briftowe Caftle the ryghte of Coynynge, & the coynynge of the Lord wente curraunte unto the Regne of Henricus the thyrde : the Coyns was onne one fyde a Rampaunte Lyonne with ynne a Strooke or bcnde Sinyfter & on the other the arms of Brightftowe.
Eke had the Maioure lybertie of coyneyng & did coyne feveral coynes, manie of whyche are in mie I'econde rolle of monies — Kynge Henricus fext, offred Mayllre Canynge the ryghte of coynynge whiyche hee refufed, where- upon Galfridus Ocamlus who was wyth Mayfter Canynge and miefelf con- cerning the faide ryghte, faieth, " Naie bie St. Pauls CrofTe hadde I fuch an offre, I would coyne Lead Sc make ne Law, hyndrynge Hyndes takyng it." No Doubte (fayde Mayfter Canynge) but you'd djfpend Heaven to gette goulde, but I dyfpende Goulde to get Heaven.
This curious account is an exa£l tranfcript from the writing on vellum, which, having all the external marks of antiquity to give it the credit of an original, could not be pafled by, however readers may differ in their opinions. If genuine and authentic, it proves,
ift. That befides the authorities above recited for the Caer Brito of Nen- nius being the city Briftow, Britifli money was coined here with that name infcribed, though hitherto unnoticed.
2d!v.
|
Silver S; |
ixor |
1 Coins. |
||||
|
Shilling at 5cl. |
. |
- |
112 gr. 5d. |
of |
their money, is. id. 1 |
of ours. |
|
Ditto at 4d. |
- |
- |
90 4d. |
lid. i |
||
|
Thrimfa |
- |
- |
67 3d. |
- - . 8d. 4 |
||
|
Penny or Sceata |
- |
- |
22 J |
above 2d. ^ |
||
|
Ilelfling |
- |
- |
«' d |
Copper. Styca two to a farthing.
C 40 ]
2dly. That coins of BafTianus and others " have been dolven wythynn its walles," befides the quantities of coins of other Roman Emperors, which have been found fo frequently very near it.
3d!y. That many coins of Saxon Kings have been thrown up, on opening the ground, in the very flreets of Briftol.
From all this the antiquity of the city of Briftol is fully demonftratcd.
Befides the coins before-mentioned, faid to be coined here in this old vellum manufcript, there were others certainly dug up in and about Briftol, mentioned before, feme Roman, fonie Saxon: and in another manufcript, penes me, writ- ten in 1708, it is aflerted, that " there were many old Britifli coins dug up at Briftol." In the days of King Athelftan, fays Roger Hoveden, it was de- creed, there fliould be at Canterbury feven monetaries, viz. four of the kingj two of the bifhop, one of the abbot ; at London eight, &c. ; and at Briftow, and other boroughs, one.
In Camden's lift of coins we find one of Harold, table 7, of Saxon coins. No. 37; the reverfe is, " Leofwine on BrightfloU;" and in Sir Andrew Fountain's lift, a penny of Harold, coined at Briftow by one Leof, a mone- tary : and in the lift given by Snelling, wherein are the coins of the two firft Williams, I find thofe of Briftol thus defigned :
B R I C. B R I C S T O W. BRIGETSTOW. B R I G S T O W. And the filver penny of William the Conqueror, in Dr. Ducarcl's cabinet, reprefents that king full-faced, with two fceptres,
Villevi Rex Anglorum. Reverfe, Leofwine on Brici. It is in the higheft prefcrvation, as Dr. Ducarel himfclf aftured by letter the Author of this Hiftory. On a coin of Henry ift. it is called Brifto, and on one of Edw. ift. Villa de Brijlo. In the manufcript of Rowley above, it is faid, " Robert Roufe Erie of Gloceftre coyned the beft money of any of the barons ;" and in another manufcript is mentioned a " Briftow tway-penny." The late learned Prefident of the Society of Antiquaries, London, Dr. Milles, has com- municated to the Author the following obfervations on the coin of this Earl Robert. " The coin of Robert, in which he is reprefented on horfeback, was fuppofcd by former writers to belong to Robert Duke of Normandy, the Conqueror's fon, but by later critics adjudged to Robert Earl of Glocefter : it has the following infcription; X RODBERTUS IV. The crofs, which generally precedes thcfc nummulary legends, is placed dire81y before the firft
letter.
C 41 ]
letter, but in this coin there is a confiderable diftance, owing to the cap of Robert being pointed and breaking into the circle of the legend, feparates from the R, and makes it feem to follow the V; which made Mr. Colebroke. in Archaeol, vol. iv. read it " Rodbertus Dux :" but this would rather give it to Robert Duke of Normandy than to the other. The circumflanccs that feem to weigh in favour of its being a coin of Robert Earl of Glocefter arc, that all the great barons then coined money,* that Robert (as Rowley fays) coined the befl money of any of the barons ; that the rcverfe, which repre- fented a crofs, and fome fquare and fome round forms in the place of the letters, much refemblcsthofeof Euftace and Henry 2d. ; and that this coin was aftually found, with fome coins of thofe princes, at or near Whitbv, as Thorefby fays, p. 350. Antiquities of Leeds." Thus Dean Millcs ; and though Dr. Ducarel in a letter to me aflerts, that " there are none of the old barons' coins that hav^e yet reached our time," there is great reafon to believe this coin of Robert Earl of Glocefler to be rightly appropriated to him.
In the days of Edward ift. 1272, there were twelve furnaces at York, and twelve at Brill ol, and more in other great boroughs, for melting filver, in order for hammering and flamping perfeCl monies ; which continued through all the reigns, till about 1663. His coin is circumfcribed with the name of the place of coinage, as Villa Brijlolliot, which is not rare. In Henry the fixth's time, there was a mint in Briflol for coining filver ; the place in Peter-flreet, near the Caftle, (now the Hofpital for the city poor) dill re- taining the name of the Mint; which coining in Henry the fixth's time is alluded to in Rowley's manufcripts, when Mr. Canynge had the offer of the right of coining.
In 42 Henry 8th. were coined in Briftol teftoons, groats, half groats, and pennies, with Civitas Bnjlollia; on the rcverfe : and i Edw, 6th. there was a mint at Briftol
The following coins of feveral other kings bear the name of Briftol upon them. — The names of 150 coiners appear on the pennies of William the ill and 2d, ft ruck at London, York, Winchefter, Norwich, Exon, Briftow, Sec. Henry iftor 2d. Penny — a full face crowned, in the right hand a fceptre fleury, in the left a mullet of five points. — Rev. Geraudon Brijlow.
F Edw.
* As proofs. I quote the following from Roger Hovcdcn, A. 1149. Men. Dux Normanno- rum fecit novam monetam quam vocabant monctam Ducis, & non tantum ipfc fed omnes pclen- tes tarn epifcopi quam comitcs & barones fuam faciebant monetam. — And I find the following in William Ncwbrigenfis, b. i. ch. 22. " Domini caftcllorum in Anglia habcbant fingvili pcr- cuffuram proprii numifmalis & potcllatcm regie more fubditis diccndi juris."
[ 42 ]
Edw. ift. Penny — Rev. Villa Bripdie 22 gr. j.
Halfpenny — Rev. Fi7/a Br'JIoIke 11.
Edw. 4th. Cold Angel — Ed.Di.Gr. S^-c. The king in a fliip with a fquare
flag at the ftcrn, on which is the initial E. on the other fide a full blown
rofe, under which is the letter B. for Briftol, the place of coinage ;
weight jg gr.
Edw. 4th. Groat — Di Gra. Rex Angl.et Franc, on the breafl B. marked on
both fides with a coronet. Rev. Villa Brijloll. Edw. 4th. Two-pence — DiG>ai.8cc. Rev. Villa Brifow. Hen. 8th, 1545. Teftoons, Groats, Half Groats, and Pennies — with Civiias
Brijlollicc. Edw. 6th. Penny — D.G. Rofafme fpina. Rev. CivUas Brijloli^. Gul. 3d. Half Crown — Magn Britt. &c. 1696, under the infcription a B. ftruck at Briftol in the mint there. There were now five country mints erefted for coining bafe money and filver into current milled money. There Avas brought into Briftol of hammered money and wrought plate as much as made in weight 146,97702. in order to be coined there. There has been dug up when the bridge was taken down and rebuilt, a brafs coin vitli a pope's head on one fide, and on the other a bridge with four arches, as big as half a cr own— -Sixty s 1 1 1 1. pont. Max.facri cuUor ; on the reverfe
juft over a figure of a four arch bridge, Cura rerum publicatum. And another
of the fize of a large fhilling, with a Oueen crowned, perhaps for the Virgin Mary, fitting on a throne with a fcepter in the right hand, with Ave Mana Gratia plena round; and on the reverfe, a crofs fleury with a quatcrfoil in its center within a border, with a double line in fhape of a quaterfoil, infcribed on the outfide edge alfo with Ave Maria Gratia plena.
Whether thefe had any reference to the building of Briftol Bridge of four arches, or to any other, is left to farther enquiry. It feems to confirm the opinion, of the abbots and religious coining monev, called Abby-moncy in the manufcripts of Rowley.
While upon this fubjefl of coinage, it may not be improper to add, that it appears the mayor and aldermen of Briftol were authorifed, by the privy coun- cil, to ftrike farthing tokens, in 1594 : but the ftriking of thefe tokens was an abufe, not a releafe from the royal authority. And in Oueen Elizabeth's days the magiftrates of the cities of Briftol, Oxford, and many ftiopkeepers, made tokens of lead and brafs without any authority which they often refufed to exchange: an order was fcnt, dated May 12, 1594, to the mayor and alder- men of Briftol, from the lords of the council, to call in all tokens ftruck in
that
C 43 ]
that city, and that no private trader fhould make any without licence from the mayor. In 1653, there was a copper coinage of halfpence and farthings b) private perfons till 1672, when the king's copper coin took place. One fide of the coin expreffed the name of the place or city, and value of the piece ; and the other, the arms of the city ; if of private perfons or merchants, their name and trade. Briftol farthings are ftill common to be met with, ncatlv executed. On one fide, the arms of the city; on the other, a Brijlol farlhing infcribed, and dated 1562, 1594.
As coins dug out of the ground have been ever regarded as proofs of the anti- quity of a place, fo have monumental flones with infcriptions. If any credit is to be given to old parchments w^ith drawings of fuch monumental Hones, with the account of the infcriptions thereon preferved, fuch can be produced with the name of Rowlie affixed to them, as copied from Turgot. Some are faid " to be dolven in Bryftowe, or wythynnc fliort compafs of its walles: one had " this infcribed, Cynwdlinus & Wulferus Mercia;, &: was dolven in the houfe of the " Whyte Friars, ii on St. Mychael's-hylle, iii on Baldwynne's-hyll, iv in " Hic-lane, and the refte in feveral hylles Sc lanes, but fome wythyn the " walls of Baldwyn and Radcleve. One has thys : Hie jacet Coenred Epifcop. " Selfeya, A. D. DCCCCX. : another, Tdlius Sanclus Epifcop. Brighjlow mort. " xxvii Mali, DCXXXII. This was the CofFynne of Saint Tellius, preefte of " Romannus, yclepen the learned Byfliop of Roiachefler, who dyed at " Brightllowe. Several other flones wyth infcriptions and mod auntiaunte " Monuments were preferved in the Abbie of W'cflburie by Mr. Canyngc. — " One flieweth Caer Brito fuUe playne, and was dolven on St. Michael's-hyll. " Another more curyoufe, where Caer Brito may be fene, was dolven on St. " Marie's-hyll. There were drawings of other ftones dug up at Brigftowe " formerly ; fome with Saxon fwords or feaxes, and Danifh battle axes, but " much worn out."
To this account of coins and coinage, it may not be improper to add the follow- ing account, copied from an old manufcript in my poflefTion, ofthofefcarce coins, monuments, and other valuable pieces of antiquity, faid once to have adorned the cabinet of a very wealthy and ingenious merchant of Briftol, the worthy Mr. Canynge ; and to have been chiefly collected by Thomas Rowley, prieft, of the fifteenth century, which he calls his Ve/lozu Roll, and entitulcs it.
Fa " England's
[ 44 ]
" England's Glorye revyved in Mayftre Canynge, beynge fome Accounte " of hys Cabynet of Auntyaunte Monunrientes."
" To prayfe thys Auntyaunte Repofytorie maie not bee fo fyttynge yn me, Seeynge I gotten itte mofte ; but I amme almofte the onlie Manne acquainted wyth alle of ytte : ande almofte ytte is the nioft precyoufe performaunce in Englande. The fyrfl; thynge at youre Entrance is a Stonen Bedde,* whyche was manie yeers kepte in Towre Errys, and belonged to Erie Bythryck. Rounde the Cabynette are Coynes on greete Shelfes fetyvelie paynfted. The Coynes are of Greece, Venyce, Rome, Fraunce, ande Englande, from the Daies of Julyus Caefar to thys prefent, confyftynge of Denarii, Penys, Ores, Mancas, Byzantynes, Holly Land Moneie, of whych Penys, Denarii ande Twapenyes there are coyned ynne Bryftoe fourtie Sc nyne of dyffarante Sortes ; Barons' Moneie, Citie Monie, Abbye Monie to befyde the coynes and moneie would fyllc a rcdde Rolle. t Goe wee thenne to the oder thynges.
The Greete Ledger+ is a Gemme wordie the Crowne of a Kynge : itte contayneth the Workes of Turgotte, a Saxonne Monkc, as followes. Battle of Haftynge, ynne Anglo-Saxonne, donne moe playne bie mee for Mayftre Canynge.^ Hyftoric of Bryghftowe, || inne Saxonnes Latynne, tranflated for Mr. C. bie mee. Auntyaunte Coynes, with the Hyftorie of the firft Coyn- ynge bie the Saxonnes, done from Saxonne into Englyflie. Hyftorie of St.
— '■ Churche of Durham. Alle thefe ynne Latynne. Lyfe of Byghtry-
cus, Kynge of the Weft Saxonnes, and Annales from hym to Byghthrycus the Erie. Alle thye ynne Englyftie. — Neere is mie unworthie Rolles, beeynge afynyfhinge of Turgotte** to the Reygne of K. Edwarde the — . My Volume
of
• That fuch a bed, or rather bedftcad, was in being for years at the houfc, in Redclift- flreet, where Mr. Canynge dwelt, has been affirmed by an old inhabitant of that houfc.
+ From this repofitory (hen were derived the coins, mentioned in p. 38. in the little cfTay on coining.
J This feems to be a dlflerent book from thofe Ledger-Books named in the will of Mr. Canynge, which the late Dean Milles juRly fuppofed to be Service-Books for the ufc of the chaplains. — This was a Family-record Book, in which thc>' entered any thing curious or ufcful fo be prcfcrved, and in which they read for their entertainment : mofl families formerly had fuch for their amufement.
^ A poem has been publifhed under this name. Sec Rowley's Poems, by Dean Milles, p. 40, 97. Whether the whole was faitlifuUy tranfciibcd by Chattcrton, or altered by him, may admit of a doubt. \Vc fee here there was fuch a poem extant.
II This is the fubjeft of the purple roll, and may be fccn faithfully copied, page 32 of this lliftory.
*• This is wanting. It is remarkable, he writes King Edward the — , without mentioning
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of Verfes, * wyth Letters to and from John Lydgate. My owne Hyflorye of Moneies, CoUedyon of Monymentcs, t &c. Lykewyfc the verie Lettre fente bie the Lordes Rychard of Yorke, Warwyck, & Saryfburyc, to Kynge Henrie. ;J; Onne one Corner yn the Cabynet is a Syghte mod terryble, bee- ynge Inftrumentes of Warre, raunged in fuche Arraie that in the Lyghte of the Sunne, or the comeynge of a candle, ytte fhynethe mofte marvelloufe to be- houlde. Ytte ys of Bryttyfli Swordes and Sheeldes, whych prove the Aunti- quitye of Armoureye, beeynge marqued fome wyth an Ivie Leefe, fome wyth an Oke Leefe, fome wyth a Hare or Hounde, and fuch lyke. Roman Speeres and Bucklers, lykewyfe Blazonede, but all of the fame Charge. Saxonne Swordes or Seaxes ande Sheeldes, blazoned wyth a CroIFe patee. Danyfh Battle Axes and Sheeldes, blazoned wyth a Rafen. The Armour and lafte Teftamente of Roberte Roufe, Conful of Gloucefter. § The Gawntlette of Roberte, Sonne of Wyllyam the Conquerour, whych hee lefte behynde hym in Bryftowe Caftle. Syrre Charles Bawdwynne a Fulforde, commonlie cleped Baudynne Fullforde, his Bonde toe the Kynge Henrye to take the Erie of Warwyke's Lyfe or lofe hys hede, whych he dyd not perfourme, butte loflc his heede to Kynge Edwarde. j| Thus muche for the Cabynette."
Various will be the opinions held of thefe manufcript accounts, refpecling their authenticity ; they may probably be called in queftion as much as the poems have been, publifhcd under the name of Rowley. It might however be deemed unfair in an Hiftorian to have concealed what the public have a right to canvas, approve or rejetl as they may judge right. — They are here faithfully tranfcribed and communicated; and are fubmitted to the judge- ment of the candid and ingenuous reader, either to receive or rejeft them. The Author takes it not upon himfelf to determine ; but pays that deference to the judgement of every reader of abilities and candour, as to leave him to form an opinion of it without interpofing his own. Whatever that be, the external evidence of the genuinefs of thele manufcripts was fuch, as fully to
authorize
him as King Edward the 4th, being a zealous I.ancaftrian, as appears from other pa (Tjgcs in his Letters, and fo not acknowledging Edw. 4th. as king.
* This is the poem on Ella, and others not particularly noted.
+ Some of thcfe are probably thofe mentioned before, p. 38, 43.
J That fuch a letter was fcnt, our chronicles bear witnefs.
§ What a value would be now fct on thefc Britifh fliiclds and fwords, and Roman fuears and bucklers? What an addition even to the Briiifh Mufeum, efpccially the armour of Robcil Roufe, the valiant champion of his day? And what would be the price now of the gauntlet and lafl teftamcnt of Robert, the Conqueror's fon ?
II Sec tins mentioned in Stowe's Chronicle, under the year 1461.
[ 46 ]
authorize liim to give tliem to the public, whatever fhall be infcr'd from the internal evidence. The late learned Dean Milles has already laid before the public in his elegant edition of Rowley's poems with notes, every thing that tends to illuftrate his fiibjeft and develop this intricate and obfcure affair, and place it before the reader in a proper light, and ftriking point of view, to all which I refer ; and if the reader adds to the evidence produced by him, what is here advanced from the vellow and purple roll, and from other original parchment manufcripts under the name of Rowley to be now publiflied in this work, he will then be able to form a juft opinion and judgement of this long contefted fubject, and have the whole evidence before him to direft him in his deter- mination : but " adhuc fub Judice Lis eft." Some fay, the truth may be found not to be with one but betwixt the two contending parties; but as every one will form an opinion of his own in all fuch difputes, who fliall be judge? Each muft after weighing all the evidence judge for himfelf, which he will now be the better enabled to do, from what has been advanced and will yet occur in the courfe of this work.
But whatever credit thefc old manufcripts, and ancient accounts of coins and monumental ftones relating to Briftol, demand from the judicious and candid reader ; yet not only in the Saxon but alfo in the Norman times, and later writings we fliall find Briftol making a ftill more confpicuous figure in the hiftory and indubitable records of thofe days.
In the time of W. i, it appears from records that in that reign the inhabitants of Briftol were ftiled burgeffcs, when the furvey of the kingdom called * Dooms-Day was made and the place itfelf confequently a Borough ; by which is meant a town witii limited boundaries, walled or not, claiming by pre- fcription or by grant the privilege of choofing its own magiftratcs or gover- nors, for the better regulation of trade or morals under proteftion of the Lord of the fee, from the Saxon Beorghan to fence, keep in fafety &c. And it is granted the ancient burgh and city differed little or nothing in fignification. And the honourable ftation it then filled in this kingdom, appears from its being rated in Doomfday-book higher than any city, or town in England, except London, York and Winchefter. Robert the rhyming Monk of Glo- ceftcr reckons Briftoe among the firft and chief towns in this land : " The furfte lordes and maiftres that yn yis londe wer, " And the chyffe tounes furfte they lete arer, " London &c Everwyk, Lyncolnc Sc Leyceftre
" Cocheftre & Cantcrbyrc, Briftoe & Worceftre."
About * " Beitunc and Briftow paid lo the King no marks of filvcr and the burgeffcs returned that Bifhop G. had 33 marks and one mark of gold."
[ Al ]
About the conqiiell; fay fome, were built divers towns to guard the fron- tiers of Wales, Briftol, GlouceAer, Worcefter, Shrewfbury and Chcfter; thefc were garrifon towns of the Marches of Wales: Or rather were ap- pointed fuch from their fituation, though built long before. The Lords Marches were created to watch and ward that country, and were to be always ready to march againfl the Welfh.
When Briftol was exempt from the Marches of Wales, which was a great trouble and expence to the town, will appear in the annals.
In ift year of W. 2, it is certain, that Godfrey the Bifliop of Conftance and his nephew the Earl of Northumberland, held the caflle of Briftol then an ancient moft ftrong and impregnable fortrefs. * The names of many who were governors of Briftol and its caftle in the Saxon times have been tranf- mitted down to us, fo as to put its antiquity quite out of queftion.
The firft chief magiftrate or governor of Briftol was called \ prepofitm dt Brijlou, under the cuftos or conftable of the caftle who held it under the Saxon Earls of Glofter ; and in Edward the Confeftbr's time.
In the charter of King John, the chief officer indeed is mentioned in the tranOation under the name oi ^. provoji which anfwcrs io prepofilor.
It thus appears that Briftol had its magiftrates and officers or governors of its own long before it was erected into a mayor town or corporate body. In the year 1066, Harding + (whofe name now is in the infcription over the gate way in College Green) the anceftor of the Berkeley family, being a magiftrate and rich merchant of Briftol, held Wheatenhurft in the hundred of Whitfton Glocefterftiire in morgage of Earl Britrick. He is called mayor and gover- jior of Briftol, and Leland fays " he removed the fraternity of Calendaries, (a fociety in Briftol exifting before the conqueft) to the church of All- Hallows, which before were at Clirift Church, and " that the fchools then ordained by thefe Calendaries, for the converfion of the Jews in Briftowc
was
* Sec chapt. of the caftle below, and annals for that year.
+ Vid. Doomfday-book 75, in Glocefter, " In Sinefliovcde hund. Rogerius fil. Rad. ten. " manerium quod tcnuit Seruuinus p'pofitas de Briftou dc Rcge E &c." Terra Rogciii filii Rad. Noie Cliftone In Sinefhovcdc Hund. Rogerius fi. Rad. ten. unum Marcnnm tj'd tclnuit Seruuinus p'pofitus de Briftou de rcge E. & poterat ire cum hac tea quo volebat. ncc aliquam firmam inde dabat — Ibi iii hidsc. In d'nio s't iii Car. & vi Vill. & vl bord. cum ii Car. Ibi iii Servi & viii ac. p'ti. Valet, c Solid. Modo lx folid. Suppofcd to relate to the tithings of Almondftjury — Rudder's Gloccft. p. 223.
This Serwin being prepofitor of Briftou in the time of K. Edward the Confeftbr, flicws the cliicf officer there to have that title, which name continued in Henry 3(!s. time, \vbci\ tlicrc were a mayor and two prcpofitors.
X Aikins Glocefterftiire, p. 261.
[ 48 ]
was put into the order of the Calendaries and the Mayor;"* which fhews a governor then prefided here even under the name and office of a Mayor lonp before any lifts of mayors we have at prcfent do begin.
About the time of the conqueft Robert Fitzhaymon held the honor of Glo- cefter of which Briftol was a part, and he then received the rents or tythes, (Dccimas de E.xitibus Briftolliae) as paid to the Lord of Glocefter then and before, and he gave it to the Abby of Tewkfbury which he founded. Henry 2, in 1144 was educated four years in learning at Briftol, as will appear be- low in the chapters on the cathedral and caftle. In the reign of King John one Englard dc Cygoin held the ferm (firmam) of Brifto for the account (compotum) or fine of 145I. which Richard the burgefs paid for him.
In t 1177, 23 Henry 2, the burgeffes of Briftou render an account of eighty marks for Sturmis the ufurer : he freed it in the treafury and was quit. Jordan the dapifer of the Earl of Glocefter owed fifty marks for default. Mag. Rotul 3 Gloft.
In the 30 year of Henry 2, the men of Briftou paid a fine of 50I. to have refpite and not to be impleaded without the walls of their town, till the King's return into England.
In 1196, 7 Richard 1, a tallage or tax was laid by William Biftiop of Hereford, Hugh Bardolph and others the King's Juftices upon the King's manors and burghs. The burgeftes of Briftol paid 200 marks (133I. 6s. 8d.) and for the fair of Briftol 10 marks (61, 13. 4.)
And in 1225, 9 Henry 3, the burgefles of Briftol accounted to the King for 245I. the ferm of their town, the King having demifed the town to them at that ferm, fo that they were to anfwer for two parts of that ferm at the feaft of St. Michael, and for the reft at the feaft of St. Hillary, faving to the King for ufe of the Conftable of the caftle and his family refiding therein the prizage of beer, as much as they ftiall have need of; fo that the burgeffes have the remainder : and faving to the King the Bailiwick (Baillia) of the Berton of Briftol (Barton Regis) and the Chace of Brul of Kcinfliam and of the Wood of Furches, which the King kept in his own hand.
In 1201, 12 of King John there was a treafury at Briftol, mentioned in Maddox hiftory of the Exchequer, p. 421 c. 2. x. and about that time the townspaidan aid for the King's paflage into Ireland : X "the burgeflesofGIou-
ccfter
• Leland, V. vii. 2 Ed. p. 88— vid. Little red book of Briftol, manufcript in Chamber of Briftol, p. 88. and in All Saints parifh, the chap, below.
+ Vid. Maddox hiftor)' of Exchequer, 143. 228. 486. & alibi.
} Auxilium Villarum ad pafTagium Hybernia:, Burgenfes Gloceftria; rcddunt compotum dc 500 marcis de eodcm : Homines de Briftou reddunt compotum dc 1000 marcis dc eodcm : Ho- mines dc redclive rcddunt compotum de 1000 marcis de eodcm &c, Maddox,
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" cefter render an account (compotum) of 500 marks for the fame, the men of " Briftow 1000 marks for the fame, the men of Redeclive 1000 marks for the " fame. In the treafury were 237I. 6s. 8d. and Englard de Cigoni had 225 " marks to put into the treafury of the king at Briftow. The men of the " templars of Redeclive render account of 500 marks for the lame."
King John, when Earl of Moreton only, by marriage with a daughter of William Earl of Glocefter, held the town of Briftol as part of that earldom; and after he came to be king, Briftol became vefted in the crown, and the kings of England ever after received a certain annual fum for the ferm of the town, as the earls of Glocefter did before ; Briftol, as mentioned before, be- ing part of that earldom, and a demefne of it.
Thus Hugh Bardolph (Magn. Rot. 31ft Henry 2d.) renders an account (among other things belonging to the Earl of Glocefter's lands,} of 119I. 7s. 5d. of the rent of Briftow, and of the mills, and of the fairs, and for having a houfe at Briftow, 3I. os. lod. where the king's rents are received, and for mending the tower of Briftow, and for hiring carpenters, and for ftones for the mills, and for repairing the houfes in the manors, 13I. os. 6d.
So populous, flouriftting, and rich was Briftol in Henry 2d's. time, that he greatly favoured it with his bounty and royal grants, and gave it charters, and alfo a grant* of the city of Dublin (then called Devlin) in Ireland to inhabit, poflefs, and enjoy ; and a colony from Briftol was fent thither for that purpofe, who were to have the fame privileges and free cuftoms they held in Briftol.
In 1305, King Edward ift. taking a taillage of all towns and cities corpor- ate in England, Briftol gave him 400 1. for af fine.
And in the 45th year of Edward 3d. Rot. 40. by a patent letter of his great feal he demifed the town of Briftol to Walter de Derby and Henry Derneford for one year, they rendring and paying the funis of money referved in the demife. The profits of the town confifted in houfes, {hops, cottages, fheds, gardens, mills, pools, tyne of the caftle, rents landgable, tolls, pleas of court, cuftoms of the fair and market, and other rights belonging to them ; they held it in the fame manner as the mayor and commonalty of Briftol held the fame of the grant of late Queen Philippa, the garden below the caftle and the garden towards the Berton only being excepted ; referving all royal liberties in the faid town, and others of old belonging to the caftle of Briftol ; referving
G alfo
* A copy of it is extant in Dr. Lcland's Hiftory of Ireland. Alfo in Camden is the following note : " An Englifh colony was tranfplanted from Briftol hither (Dublin) by King Hcniy the *' fccond, giving them this city (which perhaps at that time was drained of inhabitants,) in thc(e " words, " with all the liberties and free cuAoms which tliofc of Briftol enjoyed." From that *' lime it flourifticd more and more, &c,"
C 50 ]
alfo (muhura bladi) a fine of corn to the conftable of the caftle, for his own table and his family's : and (Garneflura in caflro predifto ad molendina ejufdem Villa; quictadeTheolonioindepr2Ellando)&-c. They were to pay befides for that year lool. They were to have liberty to dig the king's ground ; to mend the mill-ponds, when out of repair ; and to pay the conftable of the caftle 20"1. for that year for his wages for keeping the caftle, and every day 2d. for the wages of the porter, and 3d. a day for two watchmen, and an halfpenny every night for their wages, and to pay their vail week after week, or every quarter, as the conftable would have it : and to pay for the year to the abbot of Tewkft)ury 14 1. 10 s. for the tenths of the town ; and to the prior of St. James 60s. of annual rent for the mill ; and to the cuftos maritimus (or water-bailiff) 1 1. 6 s. 8d. (pro roba fua) and to the keeper of the foreft of Kingfwood every day y^d. and to bear for the king all other burdens, expences, dues of charity and cuftoms, fo that a whole lool. remain to the king: and to keep up and repair all houfes, gardens, mills, &c. above-mentioned, belonging to the faid town in the fame good order they receive them.
When the fame King Edward 3d. ann. r. 47, made Briftol a county of itfelf, and granted the citv feveral franchifes, it was " provided they do " anfwer to the king yearly for his ferms and other dues."
In the 5th year of Edward 4th. John Cogan, fheriff of Briftol, paid 102 1. 15 s. 6d. charged on the mayor and commonalty of Briftol, for the fee farm of the king's town, to Elizabeth confort of King Edward 4th. fettled on the queen for her life.
In the great roll, 2gth Henry 6th. Hugh Withiford, mayor of Briftol, and commonalty of the fame, and their fucceffors, ftood charged to the king with 102 1. 15 s. 6d. per annum, for the town of Briftol and the fuburbs thereof, the ditches, gates, flefti ftiambles, &c. demifed to them for twenty years, which were fettled on Queen Margaret by the king for the term of her life.
But the city was releafed and exonerated from payment of thcfe and other fee farm rents charged thereon, by the corporation purchafing them of the crown, in the times of Charles ift. and 2d. as will hereafter be made appear.
The annals of the city will alfo hereafter contain more explicit accounts, early records, and charters of Briftol, from which may be deduced a full rela- tion of its ancient ftatc and public tranfaBions.
CHAP.
C 51 ]
CHAP. III.
A PLAN and DESCRIPTION 0/ BRISTOL, in Us Early and
Middle State,
IN tracing back, the antiquity of the city many things have neceflTarily occured already in tlie courfe of that inquiry, defcribing the firft and early flatcofit, which fliall now be farther delineated as well as can be collcfted from authentic records and manufcripts, from old plans, and from confidering the firft fcite and ground plot of the town, and comparing it with any veftiges and marks that ftill remain.
About a mile from the Roman camp at Clifton or ftation Abone, under the hills and within its viev/ was the Britifh town (Caer Brito) firft laid out at the conflux of the two rivers Avon and Froom, with which it had the ad- vantage of being furrounded except on the northern part, where the caftle was afterwards ereflcd. The ground on which the city was built rifes each way to the center, forming a pleafant hill. Having pitched upon this com- modious ftation they divided it into four ftreets, walling it round after the banks of the rivers for its greater fecurity and defence, placing a gate at the end of each ftrcct ; and being converted to the Chriftian faith, ere£ling ' churches there, and a crofs in the center where the ftreets interfered each other, and formed a crofs an emblem of their Chriftian profcffion. Thus a gate, and a church or chappie terminated each of the four ftreets, and four churches furrounded the crofs at the center. No. 1, Baldwin's afterwards Leonard's gate. No. 2, St. Nicholas gate. No. 3, EUe gate, or that next the caftle fince rebuilt and called New gate. No. 4, Froom gate, or the Water gate. No. 5, Piihay, or Aylward's gate. No. 6, Defence gate. No. 7, Tower gate. No. 8, St. John's gate. No. g, St. Giles's gate. No. 10, Sally-port of the caftle. No. 11, Godfrey's lodge.
A wall embattled on the top, joined and inclofcd the whole, though as related in Turgott'smanufcript account, " the walls and gates fufFered altera- tion," yet the fliapc and fcite of the city in general muft have remained the fame and ftill continues fo to this day.
G 2 The
'f
[ 52 ]
The gradual declivity from the center on all fides, contributes greatlv to its being neat and cleanly, every fhowcr wafliing down the dirt into the fub- jacent rivers, befides affording afterwards the advantage of making thofe large gouts fo convenient to this day ; through which, by means of the returning tide, the filth of the city is difcmbogued and daily ebbed away into the Severn fea twice in twenty-four hours. The river Froom, with which it is chiefly moted, arifes at Dodington and Rangeworthy not far from Tet- bury in Glocefterfhire, and running through AEion there called Loden, and Hambrook to Stoke, where it meets a fpring from Lord Bottetourt's park and takes the name of Froom, and fo to Stapleton and clofe under the north walls of the city, paffes Froom-bridge ; and, before the prefent quay was dug, held on its courfe * through the fifli market and Baldwin-ftreet, built on its banks, to St. Nicholas port, along under the walls of the town, and there it emptied itfelf into the Avon in full current ; where was the conflu- ence of the two rivers : it drove a mill erefted for the ufe of the town called Baldwin's crofs-mill, jufl; before its difcharge into the Avon. At Blind-fteps there feems to have been of old a flip or paffage leading to this mill, of which there are fome traces remaining ftill in a cellar at the corner of Baldwin- ftreet ; where are three old ftrong arches on each fide of it now to be fcen, being the thoroughs through which the water of the Froom then flowed, that drove the wheels, the mill-houfe being erefted over them. This courfe of the Froom is not only proved by manufcript and authentic records, but by a whole boat having been of late years found in digging the foundation for a houfe in Baldwin-flrect, and by other remains of fliipping and naval ftores dug up there formerly. Nicholas-ftreet being the bounds of the old city on this fide, the thick old city-wall may be feen there in many places at this day, as it may alfo in Leonard's-lane, embattled ftill at the top next Giles's-gate ; — where being continued on to St. John's-gate along Bell- lane, in which once was a church dedicated to St. Lawrence, it joined the Tower-wall in Tower-lane, which with a ftrong gate in its middle and another at its upper end at the top of the Pithay, extended into Wine-ftrcct, called alfo Wynch-ftreet ; where at Defence-lane it joined the city-wall on the banks of the Avon, which was fortified with a wall round to St. Nicholas gate; — It was called Defence-lane, or Defcnce-ftreet, in all old deeds, (and
fince
* See Annals for the year 1 247. — alfo the plate. — There is in a manufcript in the Chamber of Briftol called Ryiaut's Calendar, a coloured drawing or view of the city about 1470 as dcf- cribcd above, the (Ireels and houfef laid out in form of a crofs with a gate and church at each end, the High-crofs in the center, and four chuichcs, and the river running round it.
L 53 1
Cnce Dolphin-lane, from the Dolphin-inn once there) as a place of defence or barrier for the city on that fide, and fecuring it againft any attempts or infurretlion of the foldiers of the caftle, as defcribed by William Worcefter, p. 236. This was the internal wall of the city, added for the greater ftrength and fecurity ; the external on this fide being conftrutled on the very bank of the Froom, from Froom-gate to Pithay-gate and Newgate, there joining the caftle.
On the north-eaft fide it was moted with a little arm of the Froom by a chan- nel made by hand quite round till it met the Avon, which fkirted the city on the fouth fide, where the wall was continued quite round the caftle; thus completing the fortification of the city. The double wall that was built at Tower-lane, and on the banks of the Froom river, is a proof of the antiquity of the place, and of its being augmented from time to time. The old city is faid to have been fortified with that inner wall, by Geoffry Bifhop of Con- ftance ; or it was by him repaired and enlarged, when he, raifing a rebellion againft William Rufus, chofe it for the feat of war, as will hereafter be more particularly mentioned in the chapter on the caftle.
Under the wall above defcribed on the fouth fide ran the river Avon, (fo cal- led from Abone, the antient Britifli word for a river,) which parts Somerfetftiire* from Glocefterftiire ; and during the Saxon heptarchy, Briftol was reckoned in thefe two counties or kingdoms : in the former were the Mercians feated; in the latter, or Redcliff fide, the Weft Saxons : and it was by late writers placed by fome in one^ by fome in the other county. This river Avon runs through Wilt- (hire, rifing nearTetbury in Glocefterftiire, at Kemble and Luckington in two ftreams, which join at Malmfbury in one, and pafs through Chippenham, La- cock, t Melkftiam, Bradford, down to Bath and Briftol ; and receiving a branch of the Froom at the Caftle, and the whole river Froom itfclf formerly near Nicholas-port but now at the Quay, glides on in a winding courfc by Redcliff till it paflcs the city and the rocks of St. Vincent below it, which feem as if cleft
in
* Briftol is ever mentioned in the old Parliament rolls to be in Somerfetfhirc, as Redcliff really was, and in the Weft Saxon kingdom ; — a proof that Redcliff was part of the antient Caer Brito, and not of late rife : though fome manufcripts fay, William Earl of Gloccfter annexed Redcliff to Briftol.
+ A nunnery there, built by Ela Counlcfs of Salifbury, in Snaihncad, now the feat of John Talbot, Efq. Leland fays, '• filver money was dug up there in a field called Silver-feld." It .was on the Roman road, called by Antoninc Vcrlucio, and by Richard of Circncefter. There arc now the remains of a nunnery, moft compleat of any in England. Ela was buried 1300, in the church of Ofcney ; (he foinded a chapel at Rewly, nigh Oxford, where the foundation ftone, in 1705, was dug up with the name of Ela upon it, and is pr'.li! ved by Hcain, in the Bodleian Library. Vid. Ltlaml. Itin. p. 94, v. 2.
C 54 ]
in a {lupcndous manner to let it through, and about fcvcn miles below falli into Kingroad, or the Severn fca. Boats of burden ufed of old to carry goods from Briftol to Bath, until the river was obflruCled by wears, mills, &c. as appears by Claus. 4 Edw. 1. p. 1, m, 4, who ordered the removal of them > but it was again made navigable in the year 1727 : fee annals for that year.— And might alfo, in the opinion of many, be let into the Ifis at Cricklade by cutting a new channel for a few miles, and thereby a navigation be efFeCled betwixt the firft and fecond city in the kingdom, London and Briftol, which was oppofed in 1656 by the corporation, as to the prejudice of the city.— Some fteps have of late been taken, by the merchants of Briftol, towards this great work, by a fcheme for extending the navigation from Bath to Chippen- ham ; of which fee annals for the year 1767. The tide in the river Avon flows up as high almoft as to Cainfham, or near four miles ; but after that the barges go againft the ftream, and are drawn along by men, which renders the pafTage fomewhat tedious. Bath is by this means fupplied with timber, deals, &c. for building, wine, cyder, iron, and all bulky goods, from Briftol at a fmall expence. Leland well defcribes the rife and courfe of the Avon, Itin. vol. ii. f. 26, and f. 31, and " enumerates the bridges it pafies through from " Malmfliury, viz. Chriftine-Malford-bridge, five miles lower; Caifway-b ridge, " two miles lower ; Chippenham, a right fair bridge, about a mile lower ; the " town on the right ripe towards London, Rhe-bridge, (in the parifh of La- " cock,) one mile and a half lower; Lacock-bridge, one mile and a half " lower; Staverton-bridge, four miles lower; Bradford-bridge, two miles " lower ; Bath-bridge, of five fair arches, five miles lower ; Briftow-bridge, " ten miles lower. At two miles above Briftow-bridge was a Commune Tra- " jcQus by bote, where was a chapel of St. Ann, and here was great pilgrim- " age to St. Ann." — It is in the parifh of Briflington, and fomc old arches remain of the chapel ftill to be feen.
Briftol, being fo commodioufly fituated dt the confluence of two fuch rivers as the Avon and the Froom, could not fail of being fupplied with water, that neccftary of human life ; but had alfo the advantage of being moted round, for its greater fecurity by their united ftreams, which with the embattled walls and caftle muft have rendered it a very defenfible city againft the enemy in thofe early times, efpecially as the whole ground plot was on a hill.
In thcfe walls, when " they fuffered alteration," were, bcfides the four gates, others added. The old gates had a groove in the fides from the top to the bottom, in which a portcullis (i. e. a falling door, or wooden frame, fliod Vith ironj fhaped like a harrow,) ^vas let down for the better defence of the
citv.
L 55 ^
city. Thefe gates are all enumerated and defcribed by Leland. " Newgate ' (as methynkyethe) is in the utar \saulle by the caftle, and a chapelle over itte : itte is the pryfon of the city. St. John's-gate, a churche on eche
* fyde of it ; St. John's churche, it is harde on the north fide of it, and there ' be Cryptse. St. Giles's-gate be the fouth-weft of the Key, where Frome ' rennithe. St. Leonarde's-gate, and a paroche church over it. St. Nicolas-
• gate, where is a churche cum cryptis. Thefe be the inner gates of the oulde towne cis Sabrinam, as the towne ftandithe in dextra ripa defluentis Avonae."
Befides thefe walls and gates, there were others called by Leland the ex- terna or fecunda maenia urbis. The outward wall of the city feems to have run in a line from Froom-gate, after the river Froom was turned into the Key, ftraight along the Key, where was a tower oppofite the Drawbridge, to Marfh- gate, fo round by King-ftreetto the Back-gate in Back-ftreet, the wall there joining the Avon. In making the new ftreet 1771 from Corn-ftreet to the Key, by a fubfcription of 8000 1. of which the corporation gave 2000 1. they found in digging the ground a gout, the old arched gout, once the bed of the river Froom, next St. Leonard's church ; and at the bottom of Clare-ftreet, a wall five feet and a half thick next the Key, once the city wall here. Thefe walls were built when the city enlarged its boundaries, ranging beyond its former limits. Thus Leland : " In the uttar (outer) walles Marfch-gate e regione •* Avonae." Back-gate is alfo intended, but through a flaw in Leland's manu- fcript is not named there. On the RedclifF fide he fays accurately enough, "In the waulle ultra pontem & Avonam be two gates, Raddeclyffe-gate and " Temple-gate, and a greate tower called Tower-Harrys, at the very ende of " the waulle in ipfa ripa Avonaj." But the prefent Temple-gate is of a beau- tiful and neat modern flrufture ; as was RedclifF, now taken down. Leland fays of the wall, " that certain Bochers made a fayre peace of this waull, and it " is the higheft and ftrongefl: of all the towne waulles."
This infular fituation of the city obliged them to erefl feveral bridges to the gates that led out of it. Froom-gate of old was a grand and noble flruQure, confiding of two arched ways, adorned with the heads of Brightrick and Robert Earl of Gloccfier; and the bridge flill remains, conftrutlcd of two folid Gothic arches, with (Irong and thick piers, as the cuflom then was. — Through Elle-gate, now Newgate, was the common high road into Glocefler- fhire; this gate, though of one opening or palTage only, feems to confilt of four arches, turned one within the other at different times, which fliews its antiquity : and had a figure in ftone on each fide ; one, holding in his hand a
kind
[ 56 ]
kind of model of a caftle-like building, reprcfents Robert Earl of Glocefter, the repairer and enlarger of the caftle ; the other, having a cup with a cover or chalice in his hand, was for Godfry Bidiop of Conftance, who built fome of the walls, and fortified the caftle, in the fecond year of K. W. 2d. — Below this gate was alfo a bridge, ftill remaining, by which we pafs over a branch of the Froom ; and another juft below it, over the river Froom itfelf: through the firft the Caftle-mills are fupplied with water, and the lafl leads us into the parifh of St. James or Merchant-ftreet. Farther on the Wear is ano- ther, called by the name of Ell-bridge* or of Wear-bridge, (mentioned by Leland,j " harde by the northe-eaft parte of the caRIc of Briilowe;" he adds, " there brekythe an arme out of Frome, a but-fhot above Werebrydge, and " renithe thrwghe a ftonc bridge of one greate arche ; and there at Newgate " the other parte of Frome, reninge from Werebridge, cummithe undar ano- " ther ftone, and fervinge the mille hard withote Newgate, metithe with the " other arme."
There muft alfo have been a bridge at Baldwin's (or Leonard's) gate over the Froom, when it ran through Baldwin's-flreet its ancient courfe, though it is long fince deftroyed and the river itfelf there filled up fmce the turning of the courfe of the Froom into the Quay.
At Nicholas-gate, of old called Warburghs, there was firft a ferry to St. Thomas flip on the oppofitc fhore or Avon's bank, till a bridge was after- wards conftru£led there, of which hereafter in the annals: at t Pithay-gate, Needlefs-gate, and at Bridewell, once called Monks bridge, (formerly a place of great ftrength, fortified with bulwarks and a tower, which give name to Tower-lane in its neighbourhood) there were afterwards and ftill remain bridges for the better communication with other places.
From the defcription already given it appears how well the old town was fituated and fecured on all fides, with every kind of defence by nature as well as Art. By the neighbouring hilly ground of St. Auftin, St. Brandon- hill, + St. Michael's and Kingfdown hills, with the river Froom running in
a
* Or Ellebridge, fo called in old writings from EUe, lord of the caftlc ; now the flreet next it is corruptly called EUbroad- flreet, for Ellebridge- (Ircct.
t Pithay was formerly called the Putte, or pit, from its low fite ; and the gate of old had the name of pons Aylwardi, Aylward's-gate, from Aylward, the Saxon governor of Briftol ; of whom fee the chapter on the caftle.
J In the county of Kern,-, in Ireland, there is a very high mount, called Brandon-hill, with the remains of a fmall oratory on its fummit, dedicated to Su Brandon, who founded a monaftcry, (Clonfcrt,) in the year 558,
[ SI ]
a winding channel underneath was it environed on the north fide ; by Rcd- cliff, Pyle Hill and the river Avon on the fouth, by tlie Caflle very dcfenfi- blc on the eafl ; being feated on a hill, in a valley betwixt thefe hills, jt has given occafion to its being compared to ancient Rome on its fcven hills, its ground plot like that being nearly circular, with a fomewhat greater di- ameter one way then another, enough to make it oval, the river cutting oQ one part about a fixth from the reft ; like it indeed a great part of the city in its improved ftate is fitiiated on fevcral hills.
A place io happily feated as BriRol foon began to extend its ancient boun- daries beyond the firfl; erecled walls, and how far, appears by the plan annexed. RedclifFfide becoming large and populous was foon added to the city, whicli very early became a borough town, defended by a caflle. Andrew Dc Chefnc (Gefta Steph.) thus defcribes it as in the time of King Stephen: " Eft Brifloa civitas omnium fere rcgionis civitatum opulentifTima, &c." i. e. " Brillow is the richefl city almoft of all the cities of this country, receiving merchandize from neighbouring and foreign places with the fliips under fail, fixt in a ver)- fertile part of England, and by fituation the mofl defenfible of any city in Eng'and; for as we road of Brundufium, a certain part of the county of Glocefler is here confined in form of a tongue, and flretched out into length ; two riverc was'iing its two banks, one on each fide, and in its lower parts where the ground finks, joining together into one flow of water, form the city: a quick and flrong fca tide, flowing up night and day, occafions the rivers from both parts of the city to ebb into the broad and deep fea, making a mofl fafe and convenient port for a thoufand fliips ; and fo flriclly inclofed is its circuit, that the whole city feems to fwim in the waters, and wholly to be fet on the river banks."
This admirably defcribes the city every high tide, when the rivers being full give it this appearance. William of Malmfliury, in the time of Henry 2d. (dcGeflis Ponlif. p. 283 fol.) thus defcribes it : " In eadem valle eft vicus cclc- bcrimus Briftow nomine in qua navium portusab Hibernia& Norwegia et casteris tranfmarinis terris vcnientium rcccptaculum, ne fcilicet genitalibns divitiis tarn fortunata rcgio (Glouceftrienfis) perigrinarumopum fraudaretiir commcrcio."
Lord Lyttclion, (in his excellent work, the Life of Henry 2d, vol. ii. P- 177O nn"tcs Malmfbury's authority, " that Briftol was then full of fliips " from Ireland, Norway, and every part of Europe, which brought hither " great commerce and much foreign wealth." And if a place of fuch trade fo early, we may be well affurcd, that the buildings of the city mull be very
II mnncrous
[ 58 3
numerous and flourifhing, and have been improving long before, as trade always brings together a conflux of inhabitants.
The uniting of RcdclifF with the city, by means of a bridge, feems to have been one grand ftep towards this great improvement, or rather the efFe8; of the population and continual refort of fettlers ; who, impatient of the narrow confines of their firft erefted town walls, attempted to enlarge their boundaries and eretl buildings bevond them, and to join by a bridge their neighbours of Redcliff, by a free, uninterrupted communication ; having no other at one time but by means of a ferry at St. Thomas-flip, and perhaps fome other part of the river.
Thefe buildings were conftrufted chiefly on the north and wefl fide of the town. A monaftery, dedicated to St. Auguftin in 1148, a priory to St. James, and other religious houfes, began to be eflablifhed through the favour and opulence of great men, and the charitable difpofition of the people. And where thefe houfes devoted to religion rofe, there the inhabitants flocked ; as ifdefirousof dwelling near thofe confecrated buildings, and under the pro- teftion of thofe faints and martyrs, to whom the facred enclofures were dedi- cated, and which they were inftruQed the Deity honoured with his more im- mediate prefence.
Leland has enumerated the fevcral religious hotjfes in Brifl;ow in his time, vol. vii. fol. 70, fecond edit, of his Itinerary.
" Howfys fumtyme of religion in Brightflowe. — Fanum Auguftini, nunc S. Trinitatis: Infcriptio in porta. There be three tombcs of the Barkeleys in the fouth ifle agayne the quiere. Fanum St. Jacobi ; it ftandithe by Erode Meade by northe from the caftle, on an hilly grounde, and the ruines of it ftandithe hard buttynge to the efte ende of the paroche churche, non longe a dextra ripa Frai, (i. c. not far from the right bank of Froom.) St. Magda- lene's ; a howfe of Nunes* fuppreffyd, on the north fyde of the towne. The Gauntes : one Henry Gaunte, a knight, fomctyme dwellinge not farre from Brandon-hyll by Brightftow, ereftyd a college of priftes with a mafler, on the green of St. Auguftine. Hofpitales in ruin. Fanum » Barptolomei. Fanum 2 irium regum juxta Barptolemeos extra Froome-gate. Aliud3 non procul, &c. i. e. Another not far off, on the right bank of Froom as you goto the priory of
St.
* On St. Michael's-hill, now the fUe of an inri, the King David.
1 The horpital of St. Bartholomew, once the city-fchool, now Queen Elizabctli's Boys' hofpital.
2 The houfe and chapel of the Three Kings of Cologn, an almthoufe at the upper end of Steep-ftreet, in St. Michael's parifh.
3 Now Spencer's alm{houf(: on the banks of Froom in Lcwin's-mead, 1460.
[ 59 ]
St. Tames, in Lionsmede-flreet. One4 in Temple-ftrete. Another 5 by St. Thomas-ftrete. St. John's, 6 by Radcclef. An hofpitalle 7 S. Trinitatis hard uithin LafTorde's-gatc. The Tukker's hofpitall in Temple: the Weevers' hofpitall in Templc-ftrete. 8 There was an hofpital of old tyme where of late a nunrye was, caullyd S. Margaret's.
" The Grey Friers' howfc9 was on the right ripe of From Watar, not far from St. Barptoleme's hofpital. The Blake Friers »° flode a little highar than the Gray, on Frome in the right ripe of it : Ser Maurice Gaunt, elder brother to Ser Henry Gaunt, foundar of the Gaunts, was foundar of this. The White Fryers n ftode on the righte rype of Frome agayn the Key. The Augudyne Friers' howfe 12 was hard bye Temple-gate wytheine it northe wefte."
In another place, vol. v. f. 64. or p. 60. 2d edit, he mentions, " St. Augufline's Blake Chanons 13 extra masnia (without the walls) ibique in magni area facellum, in quo fepultus eft S. Jordanus, unus ex difcipulis Auguftini Anglorum apoftoli. A houfe without the wauUes, as I remembrc, cawUyd the Gauntes, 14 otherwyfe Bon Hommes. [iiii] howfes^s of Freres, of the which the White Fryers place ys very fair."
Befides thefe hofpitals mentioned by Leland, there were others mentioned in the will of John Gaywode, 1471, thus :
" Pauperes fraternitatis St. Joannis Baptiftae in ecclefia St. Audaeni ; domus Elemofynar. de Long Row Burtoni : domus Elemotynaria Richardi Fofter juxta Redcliff-gate ; pauperes de lazarehoufe de Brightbowe ; pauperes domus
H 2 Wil.
4 Spiccr's hofpital, on the weft fide within Temple-gate.
5 Burton's almfhoufc, founded 1292.
6 St. John's, in RedclilT-pit, near St. John"s-lanc there.
7 Trinity hofpital, on both fides the way juft within Lawford's-gatc, the upper end of the Old Market.
8 Still in being there with fome endowment ; fee chap, on Temple parifh.
9 Oppofite Spencer's almlhoufe in Lewin's-mead, now a fugar-houfe, founded in 1274.
10 On the Wear, now the fite of the Quaker's Mecting-houfe, 1229.
11 On Frier's-hill, next Pipe -lane, in the parifh of St. Auguftinc, now the fite of Mr. Colfton's hofpital and other buildings. It extended back to the Red Lodge.
12 Onthceaftfidc juft within Temple-gate, oppofite Temple pipe conduit, now the fite of the Great Garden, called alfo Spring Gardens.
t3 The cathedral of the Holy Trinity in College-green.
14 The Mayor's chapel.
»5 The White, the Grey, the Black, and Auguftinian.
To thefe add St. Sepulchre's in Bell-lane, near St, Laurence church, now warchoufcj, where was a nunnery.
[ 6o ]
Wil. Caiiyngcs fupermontem de RedclifF, 1442 : domus Elemofynaria Johannis Spiccr juxta portani Tcmpli ; pauperes Fraternitatis Sanftae Catherina;; pau- percs &: egcni apud Aulam FuUonum ; domus Elemofynaria prope ecclefiam omnium fantlorum ; pauperes St. Joannis de la Redclive-pytt ; carcerati egentes de Monkebrigge (or Bridewell) ; pauperes domus Elemofynariae fanftae Trini- tatis juxta Laford's-gate." — To all thefe he was a benefaftor.
Others alfo have arifcn fincc, or fucceeded fome gone to ruin ; as St. John's and All Saints' almflioufe, new built; the Merchant Taylors' alraf- houfe, in Merchant-flreet ; Colfton's almflioufe for old men and widows, on St. Michael's-hill ; the Merchants' almfhoufe, in King-flreet ; St. Nicholas almfhoufe, in the fame ftreet ; all which are well built, and have excellent accommodations for the poor, fome are alfo amply endowed. Add to thefe that fpacious and general afylum for the poor, the old, the infirm, the difeafed, and the helplefs, St. Peter's hofpital, the public poor-houfe of the city, near St. Peter's church, the Orphan fchool for poor boys, called Queen Elizabeth's hofpital, formerly next College-green, now removed into Chriftmas-ftrect ; as alfo the great fchool for poor boys, called Colfton's hof- pital, on St. Auguftine's-back, in which one hundred boys arc clothed, fed, and educated, from feven years of age till fourteen, when each has 15I. given him at his going out to an apprenticefliip.
The chapels, religious houfes, churches, hofpitals, and almflioufes, are particularly noticed and the meafurements of them as they ftood in 1480, in William Botoner's book, fxtrafts of which will be given in the particular defcription of each as it occurs.
In the regifter of William of Wickham, Bifliop of Winchefter, is the following particular of the chapel of St. Brendan : " Ibidem 14 die Augufti, 1403 dominus concefTit, &c." i. c. "he granted to all bencfaflors to the chapel of St. Brendan nigh Briftol and to Reginald Taillor the poor hermit of it, forty days of indulgence by his letters for one year only to continue ;" by which it appears there was an hermitage of religious here with a chaple dedicated to St. Brandon an Irifti Saint. And in an old Latin deed relating to the Caunts, I find a piece of ground or croft juxta pafturam faiifti Bren- dani, near the field of St. Brendan held by a female reclufe or hermit — quam reclufa tenuit. In the year 1351, Lucy de Newchirchc repeatedly offered to the Bifliop of Worccfler and dclired leave to be fhut up in the hermitage of St. Brendan of Briftol, and to quit the world, which after due inquiry into her conduQ and purity of life and neceftary virtues for it, was
granted
C 61 ]
granted her: as we find by this deed, E. Regiflris Wygorniae, Thorefby f. 21 a
Commiffio ad inchidendam Luciam de New Chirche Anchoritam.
Johannes miferatione divina Epifcopus &c Sakitem ; dileflo filio magiflro Johanni d' Severley Archidiacono noftro Wygornienfi gratiam &: benediflio- nem : accedens ad nos Lucia de New Chirche fe Anchoritam in Heremitorio St. Brendani de Briftol noftrse diocefeos cum inflante et humili devotionc, prout nobis per fui geflus habitum apparebat, includi repetitis vicibus poflu- lavit. Nofque de vita & convcrfationc prcdicls Luciae notitiam non habentes vobis, de veftra fidelitate & induftria & circumfpectione plenias in domino confidimus, ad inquirendum per viros & mulieres fide dignos de converfatione illius Luciae J & fi earn vitje laudabilis efTe et mundae & alia virtutum infignia quae in hunc mundum relinquentibus vigere deberunt, in ea pollere perpen- deritis: ac diebus & temporibus, prout expediens fuerit ac juri confonum & rationi eidem pro fui examinatione veftro arbitrio affignandis, ipfam in mundo propofito perfeverantem inveneritis & confiantem, fuper quo veftram coram Deo confcientiam oncramus, earn in difto Heremitorio Anachoritam includendi per vos vel alium vobis quantum cum Deo poflumus inofFenfo jure, committimus vices noflras. Dat. London: 7 die Maii Anno Dom. milleffimo 000""° LIo & tranflationis noflrae 2d''-
Befides thefe Chapels noted by Leland, there was alfo the chapel of St. Giles annexed however to St. Leonard's in 1301, and there were others of a much earlier foundation, and fo old as not even to be feen in their ruins in his time. — The following I met with in an old manufcript penes me in Chat- terton's hand writing from Rowleie.
" St. Baldwyns Cliapelle in Baldwyns-ftreet : Brightike haveing made it " ynto a houfc, Kynge Harrie fecundus in hys yinge daies was there taughte: " yn the wall of it was an Ymagerie of a Saxonne Abthane crabattelie " ywroghtenne with a mantille of Eflate which yonge Harrie enthoughten to " be moke fyner dreffc thcnne hys, caufcynge the fame to be quaintilTen yn " elenge felke Sc broderie j thus came Courte drelfe from a Brifloc Yma- " gcrie.
" St. Mar)- Magdelens Chapelle : founded by Kilo Ld. Warden of the " Caftle near EUe-gate, fythence ycleped New-gate. Yn thys Chapelle of " the Caftele was ylworne a Treatyc between Coodwyne Earle of Kent, •♦ Harold eftfoons Kynge of Englande, Leofwinus, hys Broders, & other " Nobles of the Londe.
•' St.
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" St. Matthyas is Chapellc — Thys ChapcUe vas fyrft ybelden bye " Alwarde a Saxonne ynne 867 & ys now (about the year 1460) made of the " old walles of tlie fame a Free Maconnes Logge, of wyche fame amme I " unwordie & Maftre Canyge Brendren ; ytte ys cleped Canynges place, " Canynges Logge Sc Lyon Logge.
" Seynfte Auflins Chappie : Thys freemied pyle ytte is uncouth to faie, " whom the fame dyd ybuyld. But it mote nedes be eld : fythencc it was " yn ruyn in the days of Wm. le Baflarde, The dribblette remaines wvll " fliewe yts aunciauntrie and nice Carvellynge — An aunciaunte Bochord " faieth, Geoffrie a norman Carveller dyd newe adorne the fame in Edward " Confeflbrs daies." This chapel flood next the fine gate leading to the
lower Green. In another manufcript by the fame alfo is thus def-
cribed " Seynfte Baudwins Chappcle : yt ftooden ynn Baudwynne Street : " the preefte thereof toke Churfotte of alle boates pafleyng the brydge of " woode there ftandeyngc. Brighticke Erie made ytte ynto a dwellyngc " houle for wych fatl Godds Ire dyd hym overtake Sc he deceafyd yn pry- " fon : fome faie hys Corfe was forewyned as flryken wythe a Levyn Brond — " After his putting it to lay ufe K. Harolde lodged there, Robertus Fitz- " Harding lyved there. To this dale ftandcth the Crofs yn the Glebe whi- " lom the Glebe or Church-yard nempt Baldwyns Croffe." This houfe is now called the Back-hall in the fame ftrcet, for weighing and houfing goods on the Back. There was hereabouts one called in fome mannfcripts St. John's chapel.
The churches in the city of Briftol being formerly eighteen befides the Cathe- dral with the chapels and churches now confolidated with others, had of old feveral chauntries belonging to each, as will appear more particularly in the enfuing hiftory of each parochial church ; but the following table will give a general account of thera in the year 1547 when " the worfliipful John Cottrel, Dr. of Laws, Vicar General to Paul Bufh, the firfl Bifliop of Briflol, fequeftred to the King's ufe all fruits, profits, emoluments whatfoever &c. for non-payment of fubfidies and tenths