PROPOSALS for Printing a Book entitled, The History and Antiquities of Hertfordshire. Written by Sir HENRY CHAUNCY, Kt, Sergeant at Law. Containing, I. THE Original of the several Divisions in the Counties of England, into Corporations, Burroughs, Parishes, Hundreds, Wapentakes, Manorvils and Hamlets; also the Jurisdiction of all manner of Courts, heretofore held in the County of Hertford, the Quality of the Judges, and the Laws and Customs used there. The Royalties and Privileges granted to Burroughs, Hundreds, Liberties and Manors, of great use to the Lords thereof. The Original of Fairs, Markets, Tolls, and such Royalties. The Succession of the Lords of Hundreds and Manors; and Remarks on those whose Courage, Valour and Virtues have been a Glory to their Name and Posterity. To which is added the Pedigree and Descent of the Families of that County, which may enable Heirs to prove their Titles to Estates of their Ancestors, upon the Expiration of any long Terms. II. The Original of Abbeys, Priories, Monasteries, Parish-Churches, Advowsons', Tithes, Rectories, Impropriations, Vicaraes', &c. To which is added the Lives of the Abbots of St. Alban. III. An account of the Rivers, Navigations, Medicinal Waters. Also the Ancient Seats of Kings, Parliamentary Councils, or Terms held in that County. The ancient Castles, Seats and Parks of the Nobility and Gentry, and the Quality of those that resided there in the time of the Conquest, and to what Persons the Conqueror disposed of all the Manors in that County. IV. Catalogues of all the Earls, Sheriffs, Knights of the Shire, Burgesses of the Burroughs, and other Officers there, that have been to this time: with the ancient Methods of their Elections and Form of their Government. V An exact Description of every Parish, etc. by itself, and the Antiquities thereof; with whatever else is remarkable, and worth transmitting to Posterity. Collected from Doomsday Book, the Rolls, and Records in Chancery, in the Exchequer, in the Duchy and Augmentation Office; as also from ancient History, useful not only for the Gentlemen of this County but others, to discover the Original and Grants of their own Royalties, Liberties and Privileges. Proposals and Specimens' are delivered, and Subscriptions taken by the Undertakers Tho. Bennet, at the Half-Moon in St. Paul's Churchyard, London, and John Bu●●rd; as also by the Booksellers in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Hertford, St. Alban, and all the other Towns in England. PROPOSALS. I. That the Book shall be printed on the same Letter and Paper with the Specimen of the County-Town annexed, only some few on a much larger Paper, for Gentlemen that are Curious. II. That the Book will contain above 120 Sheets in Folio, besides about forty large Copper Plates of the Breadth of a Sheet; which is proposed at 16 s in Sheets, viz. Eight Shillings in hand, and eight Shillings at the delivery of the Book. The large Paper at 24 s in Sheets, viz. Twelve Shillings in hand, and Twelve Shillings at the delivery of the Book. III. That those Gentlemen who subscribe for six Books shall have a seventh gratis, which brings the Price of each Book to about 13 s 6 d. iv That if Encouragement is given by 300 Subscriptions, being paid in by the first day of Michaelmas Term, the Book shall be delivered about Easter next; about Thirty of the Plates being already engraved. V That the Price of each Book shall be 28 s in Sheets to those who shall not take the Benefit of Subscribing; of which they may be the better assured, by reason there will be but 500 small, and 50 large Paper Printed. The Names of those Gentlemen, etc. who have already thought fit to have some Towns and their Seats Engraved. The Seats of Sir Nicolas Miller, Kt. at Sandon, called Hide-Hall. Edward Chester, Esq called Cockenhatch in Barkway. Tho. Newland, Esq called Newsels in Barkway. James Goulston, Esq called Witial. Ralph Freeman, Esq called Aspeden-Hall. Bernard Turner, Esq called Littlecourt. M dm Barns, called Moorhouse in Great Hadham. The Hon. Sir Rob. Josselyn, Bar. called Hide-Hall in Sabridgworth. With two Monuments in two distinct Plates. The Hon. the Lady Wiseman Baronettess, at Bishop-Bury. With three Monuments in three several Plates. The Monument of Sir John Leventhorp, Kt. Sir Humphrey Gore, Kt. called New-place. With two Monuments in two Plates. Edw. Sawyer, Esq called Berkhamstead-place. The Lady Field, called Stansted-bury. Matthew Bluck, Esq called Hunsdon-House. Sir Tho. Brograve, Bar. called Hammels. Coll. Harrison called Bawls. Esq Bacon, called Harlingford-bury. Tho. Atkins, Esq called Bedwel-Park. Edm. Presley, Esq called Wild-Hill. Sir William Lytton, Kt. called Knebworth-place. Sir John Spencer, Bar. called Ofley-place. Esq Helder called Little Ofley. Sir John Austen, Bar. called Stagenhod. Sir Jonath. Keate, Bar. called the Hoo. The Hon. Sir Rich. Anderson, Bar. at Ponley. The Hon. Hen. Guy, Esq at Tring. A New and Correct Map of the County. Hertford Town. The Town of St. Alban. Hitching Town. — Church. Herudford, Heortford, now Hertford. THIS was a Town of some remark in the time of the ancient Britain's; who, in those days, Phil. Briet. Parall. called it Durocobriva, which signifies, in their Language, Rubrum Vadum: Briva, which is an Adjection to many Names of Places, signified, among the old Britain's and Gauls, a Bridge or a Passage, and Durocobriva a Water-passage: and if Mr. Cambden's Rule hold true, Cam. Brit. tit. Hertf. fol. 413, 414. That the best Conjectures of ancient Places may be made from the Analogy and Similitude of their Names, from their Situation near Rivers and Lakes, and from their Distances of Places, though they may not justly answer the exact account of Miles between Place and Place, for that the Numbers are often mistaken by the Clerks, and the Ways may since be much altered: certainly this Town, not Redburne (as he supposes), was the Town that Antonine the Emperor calleth Durobriae; for Durobrivae or Durocobrivae was a Town of the Trinobantes, situated between Durolipontem (which is Huntingdon) thirty five Miles, Du Fresne Glos. Med. & Infim. Lat. and Lindun (which is Lincoln) fifty six Miles, upon the River Lea in the County of Herudford, fifteen Miles North of London; and this Town of Hertford was situated on the River Lea, and the Trinobantes did possess the same; whenas Redburne was situated upon the Verlume, in the Country of the Cattieuchlani, and doth not so near answer the Distances from London, Huntingdon and Lincoln, as Hertford does. And the Britain's might call this Town Durocobriva, from the Ford and the Red Gravel; and for the same reason the Saxons might afterwards call this Town Herudford from Durobriva, Beda. which, in their Language, signifies the same thing and answers the Colour of the Gravel at the Ford: and in continuance of time they called it Heortford, Ibid. and at length, by contraction of the Word, Hertford. All which seems more probable than the Conceit of Mr. Norden, who reprimands the learned Cambden for calling this Town Hertford, Norden's Survey of Hertfordshire, p. 17. when he had the venerable Bede for his Author, who lived about that Time; but would have every one believe that the Saxons denominated this Town Hartford, from a Ford of Hearts, which he fancies was both consonant to the Sound of the Name, and to the Nature and Situation of the Place, but citys not any Record, History or Authority that proves his Opinion, or that there was any Forest or Chase in this County: but doubtless it is merely called Hartford for Hertford, by reason of the broad Dialect and ill speaking of the vulgar sort of People, which oftentimes, through long usage, changes the true Names of divers Places; and in allusion to this new Name, some Herald hath lately given to this Corporation a Coat of Arms, wherein they bear a Hart Gules fording through a River. In the beginning of the Heptarchy, Heylin's Geograph. p 313. pryn's Col. of Parl. p. 6. Matth. Westm. Ann. 673. p. 236. edit. 1570. Flo. Wig. 673. this Town was accounted one of the principal Cities in the Kingdom of the East Saxons, where the Kings of that Province often kept their Court: and in Anno Christi 673, a Parliamentary Council or National Synod was held on the 24th day of September; in which Assembly, Nisin and Kentin two Kings of the Heptarchy, Theodorus Archbishop of Canterbury, Putta Bishop of Rochester, Elutherius Bishop of the West Saxons, Winfrid Bishop of the Mercians, and all the Nobles appeared in Person, but Bisi Bishop of the East Angles and Wilfrid Bishop of the Northumber's, appeared by their Deputies Aecci and Baldwin, they being sick at that time; and the Archbishop, who presided in this Council, produced a Book, wherein he had noted ten Articles taken out of the Book of Canons, requiring that the same might be received. 1. That the Feast of Easter should be kept on the Sunday following the fourteenth day of the first Month. Spel. Con. 2. That no Bishop should intermeddle in another's Diocese, but be content with the Care of his own Flock. 3. That no Bishop should, in any thing, disquiet any Monastery consecrated to God, nor take by Violence, any Goods that belonged to the same. 4. That Bishops, being Monks, should not go from Monastery to Monastery, except by sufferance or permission of their Abbots, and should continue in the same Obedience wherein they stood before. 5. That none of the Clergy should departed from his Bishop to run into any other Diocese; nor coming from any other Place should be admitted, unless he brought testimonial Letters with him; but if any such Person should be received, and should be sent for home, and refuse to return; both he and his Receiver should be excommunicated. 6. That Bishops, and others of the Clergy, being Strangers, should be content with the Benefit of Hospitality, and should not take in hand any Priest's Office, without Licence of the Bishop in whose Diocese he should remain. 7. That twice in the Year a Synod should be kept; but because of divers impediments herein they did think good, that in the Calends of August a Synod should be kept once in the Year at a certain place called Cloveshook. 8. That no Bishop should, by his Ambition, seek to be preferred before another, but that every one should know the time and order of his Consecration. 9 That as the Number of the Christians increased, so there should be more Bishops ordained. 10. That none should contract Matrimony with any Person, but with such as should be lawful by the Orders of the Church. None should make an incestuous Marriage. None should forsake his Wife except for Fornication; but if any Man did put away his Wife which he had lawfully married, if he would be accounted a true Christian, he may not be coupled with another, but so remain, or be reconciled to his own Wife. These Articles were confirmed with the Subscription of all their Hands; so that all those who should go against the same should be degraded from their Priesthood, and separated from the Company of all of them. But from the time of holding this Parliamentary Synod, I cannot find any Record or History, that gives any further account of this Town till the time of King Alfred; for in the time of the Saxon Heptarchy those Petty Kings endeavoured much to enlarge their Dominions, and did often invade each others Country, whereby great Waste and Spoil was committed by reason of those continual Wars, so that no Memorials could be preserved during those troublesome times. When these Petty Kings had weakened themselves, and wearied out the People with Sword and Rapine at home, King Egbert subdued his neighbouring Princes, and made himself the first English Monarch; and he divided this Land into Provinces, that he might, with the greater Ease, distribute Justice to his People, and keep his Subjects in Peace and Quiet; and he denominated this Province from this Town, and made it the Shire or County-Town, for at that time this was the most remarkable Place and the greatest Town in this Province, and the most convenient place for the Governor to manage the Affairs of the County: and when this King died, which was An. Christi 836, the Possession of this Town came to his Son Ethelwolph. But the Danes and other barbarous People in those Pagan Countries, Chron. Ethel. 478 num. 40. W. Malms. 19 n. 40. Hou. 236. num. 70. Chro. Sax. 544, 545. Asser Min. H. Hunt. Hist. l. 5. p. 201. n. 10. Hol. Vol. 1. Histor. Engl. 147. Hollingsh. Desc. Brit. 51. discovering the Poverty and miserable Condition which the late Wars had brought upon the Inhabitants of this Island, took that opportunity to invade this Kingdom, and did destroy the People, and wasted this Land many years together, sparing neither Age nor Sex, and in An. Christi 894, and 23 of King Alfred, they, riding with their Navy in the River of Thames, sailed up the River Lea with light Pinnaces and Ships, and built a Fort on the Bank of the River, about the place where the Town of Ware now stands, and fortified it with a great Wear, which they raised about it by a great Bank or Dam which penned up the Water about the Fort, from whence the Danes made their Excursions, and assailed this Town of Heorutford, spoiled the Inhabitants, and burned their Houses to the ground; which caused King Alfred, the same Year, to levy an Army, who built a Castle at this Town, being about twenty Miles distant from London, whither a great part of the Citizens of London, and other People repaired, and modelling themselves into an Army, did attempt to destroy the Danish Fort at Ware; but in that Action four of the King's Officers were slain, and his Army put to flight. When the Summer approached, the King encamped with his Army on both sides the River, and viewed the Fort which the Danes had fortified; and when he had discovered the Strength of their Walls, and the Order of their Ships fenced about with Stakes, and knew that they would command all the Corn in the Field for their Garrison, which was near the City or within the compass of their Army, and what they should not need they would burn or destroy, the King observed the Course of the River Lea, as he was drawn with a Horse upon the Banks, and discerning that in some places the Channel of the River might be drawn so shallow, and the Stream straitened with Stakes, that all the Skill of the Danes could not tow their Ships back again; he caused two Currents to be made, one on either side the River, and after the Work was begun, the Water sunk at the Danish Fort, so that the Pagans could not tow back their Ships; then they immediately conveyed their Wives to the East-Angles, where they secured them, and made their Composition with the English, that they might march to Quatbridge, near the Severne, where they built another Fort; but the Army hastened and followed them to the West, whilst the Citizens of London did seize their Ships, and those they could not bring up they broke in pieces; but those which were worth the taking, they drew up to the City of London; and since that time the Tides have been kept back by a large Sasse made at Blackwall, from whence that place was denominated; and by straightening the Passage of the Tides in the several Channels with high Banks on either side those Cuts, which keep back the Tides from drowning the Level so that they cannot now flow to this Town as they formerly did, when they brought up large Vessels hither, from whence a Hill near Warepark is now called Shipman's Hill, and another Hill near this Town is now called Porthill; and some Anchors have been found in this Vale: But where the passage of the Thames is open and wide, and no Mills to obstruct the Current, the Tides still flow a great way, as to Kingston. When King Alfred had in this manner dreined the whole level, and recovered it from the Sea, it became his Land, whence several of these Meads are now called King's Meads, and become common to the adjacent Villages; and in Anno Christi 900 this King died, and this Town came to King Edward, who was his Son and Successor. Which King, Chro. Sax. 549. Anno Christi 914, 14. Regni sui, about the Feast of St. Martin, being the 12th of November, commanded a Burrow should be built on the North side of Herotford, between the Rivers called the Mimeram, the Benefitian, and the Ligean, which are the Parishes of St. Andrew, St. Nicolas, and St. Marry the Great, for they are situated upon the North part of the Ligean, which is the Luy or the Lea, and the Mimeram or the Marran, and the South part of the Bean or the Benefitian; Ib. p. 550. num. 913. but in the Summer following, between the Ambarvals (which is Rogation Week) and the Solstice, he caused a good part of his Army to build the other part of this Burrow on the South side of the Ligean or the Lea, which are the Parishes of All Saints and St. Marry the Less, since that time called St. Marry the Monk, and now St. john's; and this Town was then made parcel of the King's Revenue, for that it was built at his proper Costs and Charges, and it was called a Burrow for that it was a Fortification made to protect and defend the People from the Violence of the Danish Infidels, Versed. Ant. p. 212. for the Name of Burrough did properly signify a Place of Defence, for these Places at first were fenced about with Walls of Turf, and Clods of Earth for Men to be shrouded in, as in Forts or Castles; and from this name of Burrough the Houses in this Town were anciently called Burgages. And when these Houses were first inhabited, the Possessors of them were called Tenants in Burgages from their Houses; for every Tenant paid to the King for his Burgages or Tenement a certain yearly Rent, in lieu of his Protection and Safety, which was then called Haganel, Ing. 5. Ed. iii. Spel. Glos. tit. verb. Haga. from the word Haga, which signifies a Fence or a Rampire; and this King did constitute a Bailiff to let his Houses, and to receive his Rents; and did also incorporate this Burrow by the Name of Bailiff and Tenants, which Bailiff was the King's Officer, which he impowered to hold Courts for the Government of the Tenants and People within the Burrow, where Laws were made, Offenders punished, and all Officers requisite to support the Peace and Government of a Corporation were chosen, and this Constitution perpetuated to Succession, which made it a Corporation or Burrough Incorporate; Skinner's Lexic. tit. verb. Corporation. for a Corporation is a Company of Tradesmen, or a City, or Town, endowed with Privileges, Magistracy, and Power of making Laws within themselves; and this was the Original of all Corporations. But this Corporation was known by a particular Name of Bailiff and Tenants, and continued to Succession; and when these Tenants gained the Name of Burgesses, from the Contraction of the Word Burgages, the Name of this Corporation was changed, for than it seems this Burrow was incorporated by the Name of Bailiff and Burgesses, and that the Names of this Corporation have been such, is manifest by several Charters of this Burrow. In the Survey taken in the time of William the Conqueror, it is there recorded, That, Doomsd. 132. Burgum de Hertford pro decem hidis se defendebat tempore Regis Edwardi & modo non facit. Ibi erant 146 Burgenses in soca Regis Edwardi. De his habet modo Comes Alanus tres domos quae tunc & modo reddat consuetudinem. Eudo Dapifer habet duos domos, quae fuerunt Algari Cochenac; & tunc & modo reddentes consuetudinem, & tertiam Domum habet iste Eudo, quae fuit Ulmari Eton, non reddat consuetudinem. Goisfridus de Bech tres domos consuetudinem reddent. Humfridus de Anslevile tenet sub Eudone duos domos cum uno horto, harum una accomodata fuit cuidam prefecto Regis, & altera cum horto fuit cuidam Burgensis, & modo reclamant ipsi Burgenses sibi injuste ablatos. Alios 18. Burgenses habet Rex Willielmus, qui fuerunt homines Comitis Heraldi & Comitis Lenuini omnes consuetudines reddent. Petrus de Valongies habet duas Ecclesias, cum una domo, quas emit de Ulwin de Hatfield, reddat omnes consuetudines. Ipse Ulwin & dare eas & vendere poterat. Goisfridus de Magnavile habet occupatum quoddam qui fuit Elgari Stalci, & septem domos, quae nullam consuetudinem reddiderunt nisi geldum Regis quando colligebatur. Radolfus Baniard habet duos domos, & tunc & modo consuetudinem reddat. Harduinus de Scalers habet 14 domos, quas habuit Acho tempore Regis Edwardi, nullam consuetudinem dabant nisi geldum Regis, de quibus advocate Harduinus Regem ad protectorem. Adhuc unam domum habet Harduinus de dono Regis, quae fuit cuidam Burgensis, reddebat omnem consuetudinem. Hoc suburbium reddit 20 lib. arsas & pensatas & tres molini reddebant 10 lib. ad numerum. Quando Petrus Vicecomes recepisset 15 lib. ad numerum reddebat tempore Regis Edwardi 7 lib. & 10 sol. ad numerum. The Burrow of Hertford was rated at ten Hides in the time of King Edward, The Confessor. now (that is, in the time of K. William) it made not so much: there were one hundred forty six Burgesses in the Soak (or Jurisdiction) of King Edward, of these Earl Alan has now (that is, in the time of the Conqueror) three Houses; which then (that is, in the time of King Edward,) and now (that is, in the time of King William) paid Rend. Eudo Dapifer had two Houses, which were Algar Cochenac's, and then (that is, in the time of King Edward) and now (that is, in the time of King William) paid Rend. And the same Eudo hath a third House, which was Ulmar Eton's paid no Rent.