Alton (at 50)

Is a place abounding wth: Wood, & has a good Mt. for Provisions on Sat: with a Fair on _________ The Manor, before the Dissolution of Religious Houses, belonged to the Monastery of Hide, & was afterward given by K: Hen: 8th., to Richard Pescal Esqr. who again exchanged with the said K:, for other Lands in Wiltshire. This Town gave name to Wm: de Alton, who wrote in Ed 2ds. time, That the Virgin Mary was stain'd with Original Sin, as well as the rest of Mankind; And near it was born Fryar Pitts, Jesuit Sanders's Nephew, a famous Man beyond Sea (temp Ja[c] 1mi. R[ ]) who died Dean of Verdun in Lorrain . Here is a Charity school for 40 Boys, & 20 Girls.

Southampto~ at 78
Supposed to stand on the ruins of the old Clausentium, Is a place of antiquity and Note, wither the Saxon & Danish Kings used frequently to resort. K. Canutus, after many prosperous Battles, becoming sole Monarch of England, & hapning to be iin this Town; the Paresites abt. him complimented him with Divine Attributes, and would feign have persuaded him all things were subject ot his Royal Will. To expose such false & fullsome flattery : The King ordered his Chair of State to be brought to the Seaside; wherein sitting in ye presence of his Court[i]ers, he spake to ye Ocean after this manner, 'Thou art my Subject, & the Ground wheron I sit is mine, nor have any hitherto been disobedient to me, without being severley punished. Therefore I, strictly charge & comand thee not to approach my Ground, or wet the Cloaths or Feet of me thy Lord and Master.' But the angry Sea [whose raging is only still'd by its Great Creator] regardless of the King's Comands and Threats, continued its wonted Course, and rudely wet his Majesties Feet & Robes. Whereupon starting up a suddain he thus expresses himself. 'Let

Continued in ye following Page.

the Arms of SOUTHAMPTON

'Let this convince ye whole World, That poor and Weak is ye power of its greatest Monarchs, & that is worthy of ye Title of King, but he whose Will being an eternal Law, ye Heavens & Earth & Sea obey; And he would never after suffer ye Crown to be put on his Head, but imediately crowned ye Statue of our Saviour at Winchester with it. In ye Wars between K Ed. 3d. & Philip of Valois, it was burnt by ye French, & out of its Ashes presently rose up ye more flourishing Town now standing, wch. is washed wth. 2 Rivers, Tese & Itching, surrounded with double Ditches & strong Walls, with Battlements, & fortifyed wth. a Castle, built all of square stone by K. Rich. 2d. upon a high raised Mount for ye security of ye Town & Harbor; K. Hen 5th. intending his 1st. expedition into France, rendezvous'd wth. his Army here, & discovering a conspiracy of Richd. E. of Cambridg, ye Ld. Scroop, & Sr. Thos. Grey, who were hired by ye French King, for a Million of Gold to destroy him, & ruin ye enterprize, He caused the~ to be imediately condemn'd, beheaded, & buried, in ye Chapl. of Gods house at Winchester, & so proceeded in his Voyage. Here Philip of Spain landed Ao. 1554 when he came to marry Q. Ma. This Town tho' it has suffered by ye Wars, with France, & other Accidents, still retains a good share of trade having in it a Custom house, & a convenient Dock for Ships. It was 1st. incorpd. by K. Hen 2d. then by K. Ino. made a Town & County bby K. Hen. 8th. reced~. its last Chart. from K. Ch. 1st. & is now govd. by a Mayr., 9 Iustices, 2 Bayliffs, a Sheriff & 24 Com~ Councl. mn. & 24 Burgs. Memb. for Parl. elect. by ye Burges. & all that pay to ye Chu. & Poor. There are 5 Par. Chs. besides 1 for the French. Mts. Tu. Thu. & Sat. Fairs ye Tu. before Shrovetide, Trin. Mond. St. Marks-d., & Tu. after St. Andrews d.

This Town gives title to his Grace Charles Fitz-Roy Duke of Cleeveland & Southampton Created D. Septembr. 10th. 1675 Cheif Seat at Bayleys in Com~. Bucks.