Preface to the Reader
In this Nice Age, I cannot but expect to meet with censorious Criticks, who out of some self ends, or to be judged persons expert in the knowledge of their
Country
will villifie this
Work
, and question my ability to perform so great an
Undertaking
. Others may say it is unnecessary, for that the
Nation
is so well furnished with approved
Authors
of this Subject, as well those in general, as Mr.
Cambden
and
Speed
; as those of particular Counties. Some may also judge the
Work
Imperfect, for that ('tis probably) some
Market towns
,
Castles
,
Rivers
,
Hills
,
Parks
,
Medicinal Springs
, or places of Note (either for
antiquity
or
wonder
) are omitted, or at leastwise not fully treated of: Likewise some expert in
Geography
may find fault with the
Mapps
; and some others may probably take exceptions as being ommitted in the said
Work
, when others of less eminency are taken notice of: or for that there may be some mistakes in their
names
,
Titles
, or
Seats
.
Modestly to answer these, or the like supposed
Objections
, give me leave to say; That I do not own my self the
Author
, but the
Undertaker
of this
Work
, it receiving Birth from divers
Manuscripts
, from all
Books
yet extant that have writ of the same
subject
, as well in general, as in particular: and
from some hundreds of experienced
persons
in the several
parts
of this
Kingdom
of
England
, who have freely contributed their assisting hands in the promoting the same, and rectifying or enlarging the
descriptions
of such places, &c. as are known unto them, as occasion required according to the method herein treated of; and it is my opinion that it is an
Undertaking
to great and difficult to be performed by any one person now living, without the assistance of others.
That as to the
utility
thereof, 'tis true, there are several worthy and approved
Authors
, which in their wayes deserve great applause, and have been well received; which hath emboldned me to go forwards with this
Undertaking
, and the rather for these Reasons ; That
Cambden
is a very dear Book, scarce, much out of
print
, and never like to be reprinted; nor would it be acceptable in this our age, the face of the
Kingdome
being so much changed to what it then was, I mean to the
Famliies
of the
Gentry
in each
County
, which I conceive he was something imperfect in, or at least-wise impartial, in giving large encomiums upon some
Families
, and by omitting of others of as great
note
or
eminency
; although this, with the taking notice of the
antiquities
of the
Kingdom
was his chief business ; for as to his
Geographical
, or rather
Topographical Description
of the
Towns
in each
County
, he is very short and imperfect; neither are his
Mapps
much to be commended. That for
Speed
, his
descriptions
are more short, but his
Mapps
in general are the best yet extant, which hath occasioned them to be so well approved of, that with usage they are (or soon will) become useless; And thus much I may be bold to say, That (as to
England
) you will find diverse
things
, and
places
of note and concernment here treated of, which are omitted in others: But for
Scotland
and
Ireland
I do not much pretend to; yet as Kingdoms belonging to his Majesty, I have given short
descriptions
thereof, as I have done of those
American Plantations
to which the
English
are so eminently related.
And well understanding that this Age is for brevity, it hath been my chief business to have every thing rendred as conspicuous and concise as possible, and not to trouble the
Reader
but with such
things
and
places
that are note-worthy, either for
antiquity
, or
concernment
as to matter of
Trade
and
Commerce
: nor can it in reason be expected that large
Discourses
shoudl be made, if they consider that I am confined to the narrow limits of a Twenty shillings Volume.
That as to the
Mapps
, I cannot justifie them without fault, yet I may say, they are not much inferiour to the best yet extant for truth, though for sightliness (as being in a smaller Scale) they may be (by some) deemed not so graceful; and I hope the Reader will be so partial as not to condemn them for their faults until they have recourse to thsoe of
Speeds
from which they were taken, for I do not pretend to a new
survey
. And I am of the opinoin, That there ar none (nor ever willbe any) made wihtou fauclts, either in the
position
,
omission
, or
mis-calling
of
places
, the
courses
of
Rivers
, the
division
,
form
, or
extent
of the
Country
: yet there may be some that by new
Surveys
may pretend to do much in the rectifying all such errors, and to maek them faultless, which I should be heartily glad to see, as being a
Work
of such general good.
And being unwilling to give birth to a
Volume
that shall have nothing new in it, I have (with no small pains and expence) collected an
Alphabetical Catalogue
of the
names
,
Titles
, and
Seats
of the
Nobility
and
Gentry
that each
County
of
England
and
Wales
is (or lately was) enobled with, hoping in the whole the
Reader
may find matter to please his phansie, which may make it favourably accepted of, and embolden me to proceed with the reaminder of my Volumes.
But the
Reader
is desired to take notice that the framing of such a
Catalogue
, with restriction to such a
County
or
Seat
, is a thing ruffled with so many contingencies, that exactness is scarce ever attainable, the thing in it self bearing so much repugnancy, for there are several
Gentlemen
that can no more be said to be of one
County
than of another, having either
Estates
in one, or
Mansions-houses
in another, or equal
Lands
and equal residence in both. Again, some of the ancient
houses
, through decay have only noted
residence
, no noted
Estates
; other, Lands no fixed
residence
; others are
Tenants
here, owners elsewhere;
and others wealthy in
money
, but
landed
no where. And it appears that a
Gentleman
may be as well known by the place where he hath sometime lived, as where he hath been some time landed (especially in a felling age as ours is.) Now this
design
being comprehensive, and to funish such as are conversant in
Honour
, with hints for further discoveries; it is thought convenient to give as many instances as do occur of such
Families
of note, as now are (or lately were) known to be
seated
,
dwelling
, or
possessors
of
Estates
in each
County
of
England
and
Wales
. And if any shall find himself grieved by omission, when others of less eminency are taken notice of, or that he hath not right done him in his
name
,
Titles
, or
Seat
: I must give this for my
plea
, That there is no
corn
without some
chaff
, and for such
omissions
or
mistakes
, I am altogether ignorant of, presuming the information I recieved (being from the hands of
Persons
so knowing in the several
Counties
as well by reason of their
publick
Offices
as otherwise) was true, and my sufficient warrant for the same. But if they please to give themselves the trouble to inform me of the same; for the present I shall beg their pardon, and for the future be ready to serve them, and do them right.
But before I conclude, it will not be unnecessary to acquaint the
Reader
with my next
Volume
, hoping that some that are concerned in this, may be also encouragers thereof; an account of which is as followeth. The
Volume
shall contein two
Parts
, or
Tomes
; the first shall be a
Geographical Description
of the four parts of the
world
, being a
Translation
from the
Works
of the famous
Monsieur Sanson
late
Geographer
to the
French King
; to which are inserted the
Commodities
,
Coyns
, and
Measures
(as to the matter of
Trade
with
England
) of the chief
Cities
and places of
Traffick
in the known
World
, as they were received from the hands of divers eminent
Merchants
: And as an
Appendix
there is added a
Treatise
of
Travel
, and another of
Traffick
; and for the further utility are added divers
Mapps
of the particualr
Kingdomes
. And this
Volume
is already printed.
The Second Part (which is now in the
Press
) is a Translation from the
Works
of much esteemed Geographer
Varenius
; and treateth of the
Arts
of
Cosmography
and
Geography
. Wherein
are at/ large handled all such
Arts
as are necessary to be understood for the true knowledge thereof; as the
use
of the
Globes
, and other
Mathematical Instruments
, the
Arts
of
Navigation
and
Dyalling
, and the making of
Mapps
and
Sea-Charts
, &c. to whcih shall be added the much wanted
Schemes
omitted by the
Author
. And for the further compleating the same, shall be added about 100
Geographical
and
Hydrographical tables
of all the known
Countries
,
Kingdomes
and
Isles
in the
World
, with their chief
Cities
,
Sea-port Towns
, &c. And for
England
and
Wales
, there shall be added an
Alphabetical Account
of all the
Cities
, Towns
,
Villages
, &c. shewing in what
County
, and in what
hundred
or
wapontack
in the said
County
they are seated; by which means any
Town
,
Village
or
Hamlet
may be readily found out in the
Mapp
of the
County
in which it is seated. And this Part shall be finished by or before
Hillary Terme
next, and ready to be delivered to those that are, or shall be concerned therein, paying for both Parts 30 s. to wit 20 s. when they
subscribe
, for which if they please they shall receive the first Part, and 10 s. upon the delivery of the Second, as aforesaid. Farewel.
Richard Blome.
