Holinshed Chronicles: England, Scotland, and Ireland. Volume 1, CompleteHolinshed, Raphael
History
Holinshed Chronicles: England, Scotland, and Ireland. Volume 1, Complete
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
From hence it hasteth vnto Créekelade, aliàs Crekanford, Lechlade,
Radcotebridge, Newbridge, and Eouesham, receiuing by the waie an
infinit sort of small streames, brookes, beckes, waters, and rundels:
and here on this side of the towne diuideth it selfe into two courses,
of which the one goeth straight to Botleie and Hinkseie, the other by
Godstow, a village not farre off. This latter spreadeth it selfe also
for a while into sundrie smaller branches, which run not farre yer
they be reunited, and then beclipping sundrie pleasant meadowes, it
passeth at length by Oxford, of some supposed rather to be called
[Sidenote: Charwell.]
Ouseford of this riuer, where it meeteth with the Charwell, and a
litle from whence the originall branches doo ioine and go togither by
Abbandune (aliàs Sensham or Abington as we call it) although no part
of it at the first came so néere the towne as it doth now, till a
branch thereof was led thither the maine streame, thorough the
[Sidenote: Some write, that the maine streame was brought thither
from which ranne before betweene Andredeseie and Culenham.]
industrie of the moonks, as (beside the testimonie of old records
thereof yet extant to be séene) by the decaie of Cair Dour, now
Dorchester it selfe, sometime the throughfare from Wales and the west
countrie to London, which insued vpon this fact, is easie to be seene.
From hence it goeth to Dorchester, and so to Thame, where ioining with
a riuer of the same denomination, it looseth the name of Isis or Ouse
(whereof Ouseneie at Oxford is producted) and from thenceforth is
called Thamesis. From Thame it goeth to Wallingford, and so to Reding,
which in time past, of the number of bridges there, was called
[Sidenote: Pontium.]
[Sidenote: Saint Marie ouer Rhee.]
Pontium; albeit that the English name doth rather proceed from Rhe, or
Ree, the Saxon word for a water-course or riuer; which maie be séene
in Ouerée, or Sutherée, for ouer the Ree, or south of the Rhee, as to
the skilfull doth readilie appéere; yet some hold (and not altogither
against probabilitie and likelihood) that the word Sutherée is so
called of Sudrijc, to wit, the south kingdome, wherevnto in part the
Thames is a bound. But that holdeth not in denomination, either of the
said church or name of the foresaid countie. Other affirme likewise,
that Reding is so called of the Greeke word ([Greek: rheô]) which is
to ouerflowe. Certes, as neither of these coniectures are to be
contemned, so the last c[=o]meth most neere to mine aid, who affirme,
that not onelie the course of euerie water it selfe, but also his
ouerflowing was in time past called Rhe, by such Saxons as inhabited
in this Iland: and euen to this daie in Essex I haue oft obserued,
that when the lower grounds by rage of water haue béene ouerflowen,
the people beholding the same, haue said; All is on a Rhe, as if they
should haue said; All is now a riuer, albeit the word Riuer be deriued
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