seated in the West of in a good and healthful It hath for its bounds, on the East; the on the South; and part of on the West; and the of with part of on the North.

Its length from East to West is about 44 its breadth, where broadest, about 24; and makes in circumference about 150

It is severed into five and which are again subdivided into 29 the names of all which, are set down in the Mapp: and in these are numbred 248

Though the of this be good and healthful, yet is not the soil barren, but rich and fertile, a thing seldom in cident to good and wholesome The more Northern part (which is divided from the South, almost by a continual ridge of high ) is somewhat flat, and was in foregoing Ages wholly neither is it in this our decaying Age altogether destitute of and It aboundeth with good and feeding for and is watered with fine streams, which take their courses through rich which inducements have invited many of the of these parts to dwell there; although in the season they reap more profit then pleasure; for then this flat is very subject to dirt and foul wayes, which inconvenience the South part is free from, which consisteth altogether of or which are all overspread with innumerable of which proveth no small profit to the here are divers, but not large; in which (for the most part) the and are seated, the better to avoid those sharp blasts which this Southern part is subject unto, by reason of its being wild and destitute of Their seldom deceive the expectation; and adjoyning to the are rich though not in so great plenty, as in the North part, which is more for pleasure then profit.

It is a generally well watered with sweet and swift runing Brooks, which passing through the and do at last, in a most loving manner, unite themselves; and of their many branches make two big bodied streams, the and the which with the do plentifully furnish the with excellent and

Many are the of this according to the several places: but the chiefest and most general are Their and the drive fat to for that they feed more than the can utter; likewise their are found very profitable to the owners by their of which the make which are transported into and elsewhere; and with their the furnish their to And for the better support of their they have several good seated on their shoar, as

This was in former times strengthened with eight strong and beautified with many fair and most of which are now brought into so many heaps of ruin, like that old decayed Castle of which was invironed with a tripple Trench, and had been sometimes the seat of the

The ancient of this County were the who lived under the of the afterwards, when the had made themselves of this it fell under the jurisdiction of the whose Kings often resided at a Castle in the of but the driving them out, did possess their places. It is at present throughout well inhabited with which for the most part are of an ancient descent, and by their frequent matching amongst themselves, are generally allied to one another.

This is well garnished with abundance of useful and delightful and for the accommodation of its hath intercourse and trassick with eighteen or nineteen many of which are of good account.

Its chief places are a of great antiquity, well known to the where they had their as may appear by the great quantities of and there often digged up; and was a place of a larger circuit then now it is, which is manifested by the circuits of its then (first thrown down by the ) the ruins of which in some places are yet standing. This is pleasantly seated on the South side of the River and on the called It is at present the chief Town of the County, and neatly compacted, with well built Houses, hath three fair Streets, and as many its gain well by and other And its which is on is very considerable, and well provided with and other living as also with usually sold in great

It is a governed by two eight out of whom the are elected, a two two and other subservient hath the of two is the place where the are hath an eminent for the education youth, and an for the relief of poor people. And is of chief note for giving Title to the Right Honourable Marquess of

Not far from this on the South side, is a small plat of ground (which

seated on the River at its fall into the Sea, opposite to which on the other bank standeth or an ancient between whom and arose a great controversie, both enjoying the like priviledges and immunities of the which lyeth in the very bosome of them, insomuch that each took the overthrow of the other; but at length, by their continual having wearied the Lords of the and they were by of in the Reign of Queen incorporated into one body, and governed by one with and other and immediately upon which they conjoyned themselves together by a fair of Timber now in being; yet still they send each of them two to Both these have risen from small beginning, through the conveniency of the neither of them, until of late years, having a at present hath but one chief which for a good space lyeth open to the Sea; and on the bank thereof riseth a of such steepness, that the are forced to climb up to their by sixty steps of Stone, from whence there is a fair prospect of the and which lyeth under it; and from the other side, its mother she weth it self. on the other side the River, much surpasseth for conveniency of scituation, standing on a Flat, and affordeth room for having a good and for their which hath invited most of the to reside on this side. And these thus united, gain well by into and elsewhere: And their which are on and are well provided of all necessaries.

Not far from Southerly, lyeth the of so called from one a noble (as noteth.) It is an or rather a so made by the which runneth from and is of great strength, as well by Nature, as by Art, being environed with inaccessable except at the very place of landing, where there is a strong Castle, called built by King the Eighth, and opposite almost to it on the Lands side towards is another, called which two command all which pass into the The whole when got to the top of these craggy sheweth it self in a Flat, and is in compass about seven miles. The is very good for and indifferent for pasturage, but so destitute of and other that the are necessitated to dry their and burn it. On the South side standeth the only in the (bearing its name) so near the Sea, that for its secure preservation from its furious Waves, they have been forced to the to an incredible height. And here she weth it self, which is the meeting of the two with so great striving and beating of the that it is very dangerous for to pass over it, though in the calmest season. This is not destitute of fresh hath plenty of and and affordeth excellent Quarries of for building, in such great plenty that they make use of it for their fences. This gives Title to the Right Honourable Earl of &c.

seated within half a mile of the Sea, an ancient, but poor where there was a and hath a small on

From this to runneth a or by the being so made by a bank of And this which is the royalty of Coll. is worthy of note for its great quantities of belonging to the said Col.

or seated on the banks of the a well known so named from a little River, which disclosing its self not far of at passeth through the midst of this and falleth into the Sea. Its a place of great antiquity, yet arrived to no great height of or until the of King the First, who enfranchised it, granting to it both the liberties of an and a after which time it became a flourishing and the rather for the conveniency of the which is a secure that the by their industry have made in the Sea for to ride in, which is carefully looked after, and kept in good repair. It is a large built on both sides of the River, over which it hath a is a governed by a (who of late years, during his is a of ) besides other for his Assistants, and sendeth two to It is a place of a good and its are well frequented.

Near unto at a small twice did the land their forces, when they went to subdue this

On the edge of adjoyning to riseth a of a great eminence, fortified at the top with which the neighbouring called near the top thereof is a hole, of which the will tell many

In are seated several amongst which is so called from one a whose the will shew you not far off in the side of a where she lived a holy life, and in honour of her this Church was so called.

seated near the Sea, a thorough-fair well known to western and much inhabited by and

seated low and dirty, between two Rivers, which not far off joyning with a little Rill, afford a fit place for an which was so in former times; but now quite choaked up with This in the time of the was of good account, and boasteth now of its antiquity more then of its beauty and largeness, conteining but one It is a and governed by two hath the election of two and is a good and chiefly affordeth This by an especial edict, was the only place appointed for the twisting of and for the Navy of as well in respect of the adjoyning soil, yielding great store of excellent and good as for the skill of the people in twisting it.

seated on the River a pretty

a small

memorable in former ages for a rich, fair, and flourishing of which stood their, first built by afterwards of now reduced to ruin; adjoyning to which was seated the which (as most ) is now but mean, especially to what it was, yet hath it an eminent on for live This is seated in a dry bottom, watered with a fine and in a Champain Countrey affording great delight, both for the and

or an ancient but poor and meanly built, eminent only for an ancient and now decayed and hath a small on

fairly seated and well watered, which for largness, frequency of and quick which are weekly on and which are very well furnished with gives place to none in these parts. And that it was a place of great esteem in the time is most likely: for their in the year of our Lord . erected here a under whose jurisdiction he appointed the Counties of and but upon the translating the to the and was left to the and soon after it grew to be an of good note and wealth, and upon the desolution of the said (the being not long before but newly built) was purchased by the for the effecting of which they pulled down two other and added more beauty unto it, so that for fairness and elegant it surpasseth any there abouts; at the East end thereof standeth a very fair first built and endowed by King the sixth; and not far from thence is a very fine built by Bishop of This is divided into two parts, that lying near the (which is now ruinated) is called and both governed by two which are yearly chosen.

or in the Northern verge of the towards very loftily scituate on a high Hill, in form of a full bent it is very destitute of which for ordinary uses is brought on horses backs from the foot of the Hill, but this inconveniency is recompenced both by the benesit of a most serene and healthful air, as also a long and delightful prospect. This is said to be first built by King where he had his which afterwards became a most fair and rich and well endowed with great and It was much resorted unto by reason of the body of K. the Second (who was kept a prisoner at and at length being murthered, was here interred, who being esteemed a and canonized a had his so visited, that the very for a time was from him called In this the that first swayed the here ended his dayes. It had, when in its glory, ten which are reduced to three, which are indifferent good; and conteineth about 500 which are built of with which the aboundeth; and is a fair and well frequented thorough-fare which is on being very considerable for and other far exceeding all the adjacent It is honoured in giving Title to the Right Honourable Earl of of the under of one of the Lords of his Majesties and one of the Lords of his most Honourable is governed by a and 12. and sendeth to In this Green, the Monday before the the by their are obliged to carry into the said Green, a thing the call a being a frame of richly adorned with and which is carried by one of the the and the rest of his attending it with and other at which time the also (as a homage due for their water to the other Parish) present the Lords with a raw, and a pair of

or a mean but seated in a rich and on the River over which it hath a fair leading to eminent for the relicts of an ancient near adjoyning, which was the seat of the Is a small for and other conveniencies on

or a fair, large, and well compacted pleasantly seated on the and near unto the well inhabited, neighboured with and of a good The is governed by two yearly chosen out of the Its which is on is well provided of all things, but chiefly with and On the other side of the River, which is passed over by a is seated

well watered, and finely seated for pleasure, having a Chase which extendeth its self almost to It is a of great antiquity, being the seat of an of noble birth, who there built a little in which he was buried. It is a on but of no great account.

seated in a fertile on the River and a branch thereof; a of more antiquity then beauty, yet is it a large and well frequented and inhabited which is on In former time it was a place of good account, beautified with a goodly large or and with a thereto adjoyning, built in the year of our Lord , by sister to King of the who being desirous to live a religious life, sued a divorse from her Husband King of and betook her self to the and upon the desolution of the a fair and large with a high and a Bell-tower was erected in the room thereof, and in lieu of the were placed governed by a now also gone. On there is a great for which so continueth for seven weeks after.

Between and is a called from which, and the two aforesaid Towns, ariseth this Proverb, That when is and then the world will be at an end.

enclosed on all parts with the except on the North, where it admits entrance only by one gate. This from a few in the reign of the Third, grew to be a of a good and by reason of its large and safe encreased so that the Sixth granted unto it the priviledge of a and licenced the to it in; then began the to abound in wealth, and to beautifie it exceedingly with fair and to free themselves from subjection unto the they purchased a priviledge of a and so from a mean belonging to seated on or near the River (which is the fairest River, and best stored with of any in the ) it became a and incorporate, and hath the election of But at present much of its pristine glory is lost, insomuch that its begin to decay, and complain for want of It hath two indifferent good weekly, on and

In the very mouth of this is a little with a in it; and on the South of it lyeth two very small called and

or a very poor with a small on chiesly eminent for a kept near unto it on This hill is fortified at the top with double formerly a station of the

esteemed the ancientest in the seated between two Rivers, the and at their falling into where it had a good for & was a very considerable large place conteining several which are now reduced to three, and was environed with a strong defended by a and inhabited with rich

a small on seated pleasantly on a good River, which affordeth excellent and other

is esteemed the best seat in the whole County, as well for beauty and fairness, as a pleasant scituation, and prospect into the having the accommodation of a large well furnished with This is honoured with the presence of the in his western

The of or rather the so called, lyeth in length about 10 and in breadth about 5; seated in the South-east part of the In this are seated several as appeareth in the amongst which is seated on a River, in a barren between two upon one of which standeth the It is an ancient governed by a and is endowed with many priviledges, and sendeth to it hath a small every The belonging to this (which was so called) had great granted unto the Lords thereof; as free over all the freedom from the Lord of And in this was King the Second confined by the and her

[] Bounds.

[] Extent.

[] Divisions.

[] Parishes. Soil.

[] Great profit arising by their sheep.

[] Its Rivers.

[] Its Commodities and Trade.

[] Its ancient Castles and Religious Houses.

[] Its ancient people.

[] Dorchester.

[] The ancient Fort of the Romans.

[] Weymouth and Melcombe Regis.

[] Isle of Portland.

[] Portland and Sandford Castles.

[] Abbots-bury.

[] Lime.

[] Charmouth the landing place of the Danes.

[] Lambarls Castle.

[] Marshland. St. White a Virgin Martyr.

[] Chidiock,

[] Birdport.

[] Bemyster.

[] Evershot.

[] Cerne Abbas.

[] Middleton.

[] Sherborne.

[] Shaftbury.

[] Sturminster-Newton-Casile.

[] Blandford.

[] Cranblorne.

[] Wimborne-Minster.

[] Harley-wood.

[] Poole, a good Haven-town

[] Bere Regis. Woodbury-fair.

[] Warham.

[] Frampton.

[] Lulworth-Castle.

[] Isle of Furbeck.

[] Carfe-Castle.