Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of BritaineHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of Britaine
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
Being past the aforesaid limits of the counties we came to Portlochbaie,
[Sidenote: Loch.]
whither commeth a water named Loch that descendeth from Stokepero,
[Sidenote: Durus.]
Lucham and Portloch without increase. Thence to Dunsteir brooke, which
runneth from about Wootton, and Courtneie by Tunbercombe and Dunsteir,
then to another that commeth west of Old Cliffe, leauing a parke on the
[Sidenote: Vacetus.]
west side, next of all to Watchet water, whereof one head commeth from
the Quantocke hils south of Bickualer by Westquantocke head, and almost
[Sidenote: Williton.]
at Doniford, receiueth the Williton becke, then to east Quantocke brooke
[Sidenote: Doddington.]
(omitting a créeket) & next of all to Doddington water, that goeth by
Holford, Alfoxton, and afterward into the sea. From hence we go by
Bottesall point, to Stert point, where two noble riuers doo make their
confluence, which I will seuerallie describe, as to my purpose
apperteineth.
[Sidenote: Iuelus.]
The first of these is called the Iuell, or (as I find it in an ancient
writer) Yoo, who saith that the riuer Yoo dooth runne from Ilchester to
Bridgewater, and so into the sea. It riseth aboue Oburne, and at
Shirburne receiueth a water, whereof Leland saith thus. There are seuen
[Sidenote: The seuen sisters.]
springs in an hill called the seuen sisters, north east from Shireburne,
which gather into one bottome, & come into the Mere. Another brooke
likewise commeth by Heidon from Puscandell, three miles from thence by
flat east, betwixt the parke and the Mere full so great as the streame
of the Mere, and ioining at the lower mill of Shireburne, with the Mere
water, it is not long yer it fall into the Euill. Thence our Euill goeth
on towards Glasen Bradford, and yer it come there taketh in a forked
rill from by south, descending from about west Chelburie and Chetnall in
Dorsetshire, beneath which towne the other head falleth into the same,
so that they run foorth by Bearhaggard and Thorneford (till they méet
with the Iuell) and so to Clifton, Euill a proper market towne, Trent,
[Sidenote: Cade.]
Mutford, Ashinton, and east of Limminton it méeteth with the Cade that
runneth from Yarlington, by north Cadbirie, and soone after crossing a
rill also from by east, that commeth from Blackeford by Compton, it
hasteth to south Cadbirie, Sparkeford, Queenes Camell, west Camell, and
so into Iuell, which runneth on to Kimmington, Ilchester, Ilbridge, long
Sutton, and yer it come at Langport, taketh in two famous waters in one
chanell, next of all to be remembred before I go anie further. The first
of all these riseth southeast betwéene the Parrets (where it is called
[Sidenote: Parret.]
Parret water) and goeth to Crokehorne, and at Meriot taketh in a brooke
from the east, which consisteth of two courses vnited at Bowbridge,
whereof the one descendeth from Pen by Hasilburie, the other from aboue
the thrée Chenocks, as I doo vnderstand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account