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
In like maner I could intreat of the infinit number of swans dailie to
[Sidenote: 2000 boates vpon the Thames and 3000 poore m[=e]
mainteined by the same whose gaines come in most
plentifullie in the tearme time.]
be séene vpon this riuer, the two thousand wherries and small boats,
wherby three thousand poore watermen are mainteined, through the
cariage and recariage of such persons as passe or repasse, from time
to time vpon the same: beside those huge tideboats, tiltbotes, and
barges, which either carrie passengers, or bring necessarie prouision
from all quarters of Oxfordshire, Barkeshire, Buckinghamshire,
Bedfordshire, Herfordshire, Midlesex, Essex, Surrie, and Kent, vnto
the citie of London. But for somuch as these things are to be repeated
againe in the particular description of London, annexed to his card; I
surceasse at this time to speake anie more of them here, as not
lingering but hasting to performe my promise made euen now, not yet
forgotten, and in performance whereof I thinke it best to resume the
description of this noble riuer againe into my hands, and in adding
whatsoeuer is before omitted, to deliuer a full and perfect
demonstration of his course. How and where the said streame ariseth,
is alreadie & with sufficiencie set downe, noting the place to be
within a mile of Tetburie, whereof some doo vtterlie mislike, bicause
that rill in summer drouths is oft so drie, that there is little or no
water at all séene running aboue ground in the same. For this cause
[Sidenote: Isis.]
therefore manie affirme the verie head of Isis to come from the poole
aboue Kemble. Other confound it with the head of the Cirne or Chirne,
called in Latine Corinium that riseth aboue Coberleie. For my part I
follow Leland, as he dooth the moonke of Malmesburie, which wrote the
historie intituled Eulogium historiarum, who searched the same of set
purpose, and pronounced with Leland, although at this present that
course be verie small, and choked vp (as I heare) with grauell and
sand. Procéeding therefore from the head, it first of all receiueth
[Sidenote: Couus.]
the Kemble water called the Coue, which riseth aboue Kemble towne,
goeth by Kemble it selfe vnto Poole and Somerford, and then
(accompanieth the Thames) vnto Canes, Ashton, Canes, and Howston,
holding on in one chanell vntill they méet with the Chirne, the next
of all to be described.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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