I The most vnworthye, being imployed (after the most painful & prais­worthie labours of M. Christopher Saxton) in the rediscription of Eng­land. And hauing there­of exhibited some simple beginnings vn­to your generall view, haue like Apelles (though farre short of his perfection) yeelded attention to the sundrie censures of men, touching the same. To the ende that hearing the opinions of many, both touching the matter and the imperfecti­ons thereof, and the method, and their conceites therof, I might the better shape [Page 2] the residue of the worke, (so neere as I may) as reason, Art and time will direct & permit me. And, (besides that which may yet rest in the mindes of some men vndiscouered.) I cannot but take know­ledge of sundry particularities, propoun­ded by sundrie persons, as fit to be consi­dered and obserued in the worke, among many, (Multae enim inter multos sententiae) these that follow seeme most materiall:

1 It seemeth fit to some that in the deliniation of euerie Shire, I should obserue the variation of the Com­pas, some other therein are of a con­trarie opinion.

2 Others will haue the degrees of Longitude, and Latitude, in eue­rie particular description: Some thinke it friuolous.

3 Some holde that euery Shire, bee it great or little, should be reduced in­to one and the selfe same scale, o­thers the contrary.

[Page 3]4 Many woulde haue the Scale of miles, to aunswere a mile of some certaine content.

5 Some thinke it a necessarie thing to distinguish as well the limites of euery parish, as of euery hundred.

6 Some, (besides the more speciall things) will haue all houses of name of any account, as also such as are decaied, being of antiquity to bee obserued: others wil haue onely spe­ciall howses. The like difference of opinions I finde in the obseruation, & omission of sundry other things.

7 Some very curiously prie into the worke, augmenting (in conceite) their owne credits by carping at e­uerie fault, holding the smallest er­rour (yea the misterming of a place) verie criminous. And I confesse it were a faulte to iustifie a fault: and I shold increase the great fault [Page 4] of negligence, by a greater fault of rash boldnes.

I am moued notwithstanding (Gentle­men) vnder your fauours to endeuour what I can, to discharge me of all suspition of voluntary pretence of committing the least fault, or omitting the least thing like­liest to please all, although that cannot be aut arte, aut ingenio: therefore I desire to shape that course, which reason, Arte and time seemeth best to allowe. And for that mine owne soyle is of it selfe so bar­raine, as it cannot (I know) yeeld so fruit­full argumentes as may satisfie all men. I would gladly subscribe vnto the learned, that will vouchsafe reason to reforme what I haue begunne, hoping to offend none in yeelding my conceite touching the former obiections.

1 And first as touching the variation of the Compasse, It cannot be denied in deede, but the needle touched with the loadstone, seemeth to be here with vs, & in many other places, sensibly attracted (by an vnknowen vertue) certaine de­grees [Page 5] east of the north Pole, and west of the Sunnes steede at noone tide: which importeth much the mariner to consider & to frame his courses answerable to the nedles variation (if his cardes haue the same) which howe diuers it is in diuers places, the experience of obseruing tra­uaylers hath found. And as it may seeme to me in reason (being no nauigator) the nedle hath least variation, as long as it possesseth the equinoctiall line, especial­ly (as the skilfull haue obserued) about that meridian, that passeth neere S. Mi­chels Islande in the Asores, and so long as the nedle is vnder or neere that line, the extentions of the nedles pointes, are al­most parrallell with the Axeltree of the Poles, as appeareth in the figure follow­ing, at A. A. and as the nedle bendeth in the marriners courses Northerly, or Sou­therly, from the Equator it then declineth more or lesse vnder one of the Poles, as appeareth by B. B. B. which declination may cause to seeme a variation ex decepti­one visus, espetially passing easterly or we­sterly, which duely vppon any parralell can not bee. And therefore the variati­on [Page 6] seemeth alway more and more, as the nedle commeth neere to eyther of the Poles which is from the earth by the ob­seruation of the learned, neere 69498316. sixtie nine millions foure hundred nine­tie eight thousande, three hundred and sixteene of our common miles: which immensurable distance may make a vari­ation, yea though the nedle bee meerely opposite vnto the Pole: and it seemeth somewhat probable, because the variati­on is in some places Northeast, and in some Northwest, which argueth that sometime then it hath a meane, and so is of little or no variation, and the variation to bee of his declination, and the imper­fection of the eye, wherein yet I rest vn­der reformation. The nedle neere Lon­don seemeth to decline his north point, about 71. degrees vnder the north Pole, & consequently eleuateth his other point aboue the south Pole. And this groweth by reason of the rotunditie of the earthes globe, about which as the nedle is mo­ued, it keepeth his pointes, as it were par­rallell with the horrizon, in that it is e­qually ballanced in his boxe, and so the [Page 7] weight countermaundeth the vertue of the stone, and forceth the nedle to cut e­uery line that commeth to his Centre, from the centre of the earth C. by ryght angles, as EEEE. in the figure do shew: But if it coulde bee placed in the earthes center C. they thinke it would haue no variation at all, when it commeth vpon the line of the Poles D D. it cutteth the same also by equiangles, and then are the nedles pointes forced to stand meerelie contrary to the Poles. And there seemeth a mortificatiō of the nedles vertue, which staggereth vncertainely, being by his waight preuented of eleuatinng his point, to the desired obiect, which vnder cor­rection I take to be the Pole; though M. Normā, most skilful, wil haue a respectiue rather then an attractiue point, but it see­meth rather an attractiue, then a meere respectiue, by reason of the nedles attra­ction of Iron or steele, massie bodies.

[Page 8]

Now whether it bee fittest to obserue this variation in the description of a par­ticular countrey, I will incounter no mans probable reasons: yet in my simple iudgement the nedles direction is to bee followed meerely without allowance of [Page 9] [...]ny variation, for that it giueth the mag­neticall meridians without scruple, by which the worke is protracted, though they seeme to varie from the Polar meri­dians. And that direction of the nedles respection, I take more certaine then the variation, in asmuch as the nedles true variation in euery small distance is not so easily certainely found, though through the most industrious trauailes, and stu­dies of the learned, M. D. Hoode, M. Burrowes, and others, there are extant to the ease of practitioners most necessarie inuentions for the same, to whose learned censures I subiecte my conceit. Many Surueyours and plotters of land seem to haue a speciall curiosity in obseruing this variation of the compasse, by some of whom I haue beene persuaded to follow the same also: But for two causes I co­uet to be farther resolued of the necessity thereof, before I can bee thereunto indu­ced: The first and principall is, for that who so hath his variation allowed, at, and according to the declination and meridi­an of London, going farre west or farre North, to put the same in practise by that [Page 10] variation shall erre. And to obserue it in euerie place, he can hardly at all times. And therefore it seemeth more trouble­some and doubtfull, then of importance. A second cause is, for that a special con­sideration is to be had in a suruey of the buttes and boundes of land, and to shape them as neere as may be, according to the auncient limitations, for that they may els make a differēce between the antique and their moderne obseruations (which were laid out without variation of the Compasse) nay without Compasse at all for the most parte, onely by the sunnes noone steed, which directed the south, and thence the three other principall pointes were deriued, East, West and North, as appeareth by the figure fol­lowing.

[Page 11]A B C D shew the 4. antique pointes whereby our fathers bounded their lande. A their Suns noone steed, or South. B the North. C the East. & D VVest.

E F G H Shew the 4. principall pointes of the variation or newe bounding. E South. F East. G. North. and H VVest.

By this figure it may appeare, that a bounde which our fathers placed accor­ding to the ancient manner easterly may [Page 12] by this new rule of variation (which is 11. degrees. 15. minutes at London from the former receyued pointes) become sou­therly, or appeare doubtfull, and so of the rest of the points, whereby may grow to posteritie in intricate thinges, cause of iustifiable controuersie, yet whosoeuer findeth in his discretion no reason, but to follow the variation, Fiat cuius (que) voluntas. For my part, as I thinke it needles to fol­low any other, then the nedles meere di­rection, I will adde therevnto no mans imagination, vntill by reason I be satisfi­ed of a necessitie therein; and then I will not be obstinate. I haue not represen­ted my meaning by the former figure, as imagining any professour ignorant of the matter, but that the demonstration duely considered, may worke more in some conceites, then a bare speculation.

2 For the obseruation of longitude & latitude in euery particular Shire, is not materiall as I take it: for that few Shires wil admit one degree, some not 30. fewe 40. minutes. And therefore to refer that obseruation to the general Mappe of the whole land.

[Page 13]3 As touching the reducing of euery Shire into one equall Scale, howsoeuer it may seeme to please some, it wil not a­gree with the opinions of the most: for that some Shires of the greatest magni­nitude, will require two sheetes of paper Royall, when some other will not con­taine ¼ of a sheete. And therefore I take it better to admit equall proportion in magnitude, then equalitie of Scale.

4 Such as would haue the true obser­uation of the miles to answere some cer­taine content, haue reason to propounde it (I confesse.) But such as haue but spe­culation in the Arte, much more, such as are practisers, howsoeuer easie it bee dee­med by geometricall theoremes to bee performed (as in deede it is) yet by prac­tise they do or may find such a difficultie in the accomplishing thereof exactly, as doth straine euen the mechanicall con­clusions, beyond that which is required in plotting of land, which by application of the line or rod, may bee performed by the instrument, without intersecting of lines, which this work requireth. And the better able, & more skilfull then my selfe, [Page 14] wold with me acknowledge vpon proofe that the absolute performance of such an expected geographicall description, after such proportion of miles as may bee pro­pounded, doeth require dimensuration betweene euery station, aunswerable to the measure propounded, that by the in­tersecting lines the distances may bee ga­thered according to the same proporti­on. And so many stations of necessitie ought to be, as the obscurity of the places (whose viewe is often intercepted, by woodes, mountaines &c) may in arte re­quire, which are so infinite, and intricate, vnlesse in open leuell as to obserue them singularlie and precisely, will require the whole time of a mans ripe yeares, to ef­fect the description of England, Hoc patet expertis. But if there were an instrument, that would giue any farre distance at one station, without dimensuration: it were to be performed with more facilitie. Such an instrument I knowe in some measure may be effected, that woulde yeeld some little distance, founde true by Arithmeti­call & geometricall probation, & nothing seemeth defectiue therein, as touching [Page 15] these artificiall conclusions, onely the sightes impediment bewrayeth imper­fection of the instrument. Such an instru­ment I haue heard M. Blagraue hath effec­ted, & such a one hath beene promised by others, how performed I yet know not. But such an instrumente I haue framed, which will giue a distance at one station nere ¼ of a mile, and farther as the oppo­site may cleerely offer it selfe to the eye, which instrument will also laye out any thing vpon his true pointe, for the apte protracting of many thinges obserued at one station. An instrument fit for some purposes, but comes short to answere the necessity of this busines. In regard there­fore of the former difficultie, the miles may be obserued without offence (as by all men in like trauailes of so generall a worke they haue euer beene) according to the accustomed account of euery cun­trey (although they bee diuers in diuers quarters of this lande) and according to such miles to proportion the places with­in view at euery station: and thence to ex­tract the miles of whatsoeuer computati­on giuen. For the ordinary miles of Eng­lande [Page 16] (especially such as are remote any way 30 miles from London) contain neer 1 1/2 mile of the greatest account. There be sundrye computations of a miles longi­tude. And the true content of an English mile, is not any where extant that I know, but receiued by tradition, whereof one is of 8. furlonges, euery furlong 17.1/2 perch, euery perch 8. yardes, of 3. foot the yard: a secōd of 8 furlongs. 28. perches the furlong, 5. yards the perch. a third of 1000 paces geometrical 5. pedū. And lastly of 8 furlongs, euery furlong 40. perches, eue­ry pearch 16 1/2 foote the perch. The first contayneth 140 perches, 672 paces geo­metrical, 1120 yardes, 3360 foot. The 2. although vnlike the first in composition of yardes and perches, yet it is one with it, in the number of yards, paces and feet. The 3 contayneth 151 17/33 perches, 1000. paces, 1666 2/3 yardes, 5000 foot. The 4. &: last containeth 320, perches, 1056. paces. 1760. yardes, 5280. foote, So it ex­ceedeth the first and seconde, by 1920. foot, which is 384 paces, 43 2/33 perches af­ter 16 1/2 foot the perch; which amounteth neere to 3/16 of a mile. This last I take to be chiefly receyued, and is fittest for all the [Page 17] Realme, for that it best agreeth with the statute measure of an acre of land: for 2. acres in longitude is 320. perches, and so is this mile: After which if England were measured, it would be founde neere 450. miles in length, and as much in breadth, which mile may be extracted out of the common miles.

5 As touching the conceite of some that would haue the distinction of the li­mits of euery parishe, I holde it not so needefull as impossible, and I thinke the most of iudgement wil affirme the same.

6 Where it is obiected by some that I obserue too many perticularities. Some againe thinke I cannot obserue more thē necessarie. And where it seemeth also to offend som that I obserue houses & other things of small moment, and that I omit some of greater worth to be remembred. So it may be, and my selfe to be excused, who passe as a straunger guided by the direction of such, as by discretion of men in Aucthoritie are thought fit to yeelde me direct information, who yet thorogh their simplicitie or partialitie, may mis­carrie the most prouident obseruer, hold­ing [Page 18] that to bee in their conceites of mo­ment, and of the contrarie, as their affecti­ons leade them, for hath not the poorest man his partiall humor? And what I ob­serue is from them, if the thing be hidden (as some time it is) from mine own view, for it were not possible to haue accesse to all. And therefore if I doe obserue things of no great importance among the rest, and omit the greater, it is my fault per­force. But I take it the offence can not be great to obserue the most things, for the meanest may sometime haue vse in the Mappe. And can the shadow of it admi­nister greater offence in hauing place in the plot, thē the thing it selfe in the field? The more things (as I take it) are obser­ued, the more like is the discription to the thing discribed. And my fault were great to omit any, were it possible to obserue all: But it may be that some deeming best of their owne and their friendes, couet only what they affect and reiect the rest. And how to moderate the worke herein, and yeelde euerie man his desire, is a worke of greater skill then I pretend, I would gladly please the wise. And then I [Page 19] hit what I ayme at.

7 To the ouer-curious inspectators that seeme to bring with them a preiudi­cate censure of the worke, I presume not to say much: Because euerye publique worke, is alwaies publiquely considered, and it is lawfull (I confesse) for all men, to vtter their opinions thereof freely as they finde it, and to call a fault a faulte. And because I cannot iustifie all the Li­niaments of so rude a body, I will saye with him that findes the fault (though in Art he can not mend the same.) Sir it is a fault and I will mend it if I can: But I haue not yet seene the worke of the most absolute artist so perfect. But some will hold it as the Shoomaker did Apelles pic­ture, who did yet like a workeman, in that he reproued the imperfection of the thinge belonging to his owne skill, but could not take the Pensill and reforme it, if a Paynter had founde the faulte, and coulde mend the same, there were his praise. And hee doeth well (I acknow­ledge) that findeth a fault, and not ill in condemning the workeman, if hee can take in hand the worke and performe it, [Page 20] so as none shall reproue it. But admit (Gentlemen) that you in the seuerall places of your abode, bee able iustly to controule mine obseruations, either in regarde of the vncertaine distances, vn­true denominations of places, curuing of Ryuers and such like, which (I confesse) are faultes worthie to be called faults. Yet hold me thus farre excused, that as I can­not haue accesse to euerie perticular, nor see record for euerie name: But resting perforce vpon the information of other, in many thinges, by whome I may (as your selues might,) be miscarried. So in courtesie in your owne knowne quarters, reforme the errors, or informe me of them, for howsoeuer I may little regarde the vnprofitable reproofes of common reprouers, I yeelde with all my heart thankes for the kinde controulment of such as thereby seeke a reformation, and wish a perfection in the worke, of loue, and not the disgrace of the workeman in mallice. There are many men of rare per­fection in Geographie, and of the Mathe­matikes in this land, and by the industrie of many they increase dayly, whose kind [Page 21] reproofes I accept as necessarie docu­ments vnto me. But I bewayle the ouer­much emulation, so vniuersally growne amongst many, euen by a vaine conceite of selfe singularitie, whereby they strug­ling to gaine the start one of another in fame, discouer more imperfections of the minde, which should mannage all their affections, then they gaine credite among the discreete by their greatest vauntes. Arte noscitur artifex. Some hauing but speculation, will sit at home and sende forth their rash reprouing censures, more resolutely against a worke and the worke­man then the practicioner, that by expe­rience hath approoued the Mechanicall conclusions, wherein howsoeuer they pretend the augmentation of their owne fames, they shall finde their owne labors wounded with the like weapons. It may be obiected and (indeede) it cannot bee, but that I must erre sometimes in the de­nominations of places, as any man maye doe in so generall a Catalogue. But vn­der patience I will yeelde a reason why without most speciall regarde, the most skilfull may erre therein. The affinitie of [Page 22] sundrie determinations of the names of places, and the ignorance of their signifi­cations may (besides the vulgar vnskil­full instruction,) miscarrie men from the truth in this case. As Berye may bee taken for Bury, Burye for Burrow, Burrow for Ber­ge, Ton for Don, Den for Don, Lee for Ley or Leigh, and infinite others may be, and are often mistaken of such as pretende great knowledge therein. And therefore it is not vnfit for such as will truely pro­nounce them, to consider their significa­tions, which although it bee not alwaies the waie to finde the truth, yet a light which will guide in many things. Berye signifieth a seate or place to dwell in, as Newberie; Burye a Sepulchre or burying place, as Malmesburye, Caunterburye, &c. Burrow, is a Cittie or towne, as Attlebur­row, Starburrow, Peterburrow, and that is it that the Germaines call Burg, as Stras­burg, which is sometime mistaken in pro­nouncing it for Berg which is a hill, as Wittenberge, Dewsberge, and as our Salisberg or Ceysarsberge of the hill where olde Sa­rum stoode, although we pronounce Sa­lesburie. The situation of the place is [Page 23] sometime a more certaine euidence then tradition: for the inhabitants call Appledo­re in Sussex, Appledrum, Appledurham, Ap­pledrayn which indeede is Appledowre, of the situation vppon the water. Lewes is Lewatch the watry place. Newbidding in Sussex is truely New Bigging. Noua structu­ra new building, for the old English word for building was Bigging. Barkshire called of antiquaries Bareokeshire of an olde Oke in Windsore forrest: but I am not perswa­ded that a Countie shoulde take name of a rotten tree, but Bergscire a hilly Shire, which agreeth wel with the qualitie ther­of, infinite such like there are, manie pla­ces determining in Don, Ton & Den, are often robde of their right, one of another, by reason of their affinities and neglect of their significations, Don signifieth a down or a hill, Ton a towne and Den a Deane, as Wellingdon, Taunton, Pangden, Ouenden of the depression betweene two hils. And it is to be noted that there are three sortes of places of much like qualitie, yet differ in name, as a Valley, a Deane and a Combe, and it is not frō the purpose to consider it, for a Vale or valley is a place depressed [Page 24] betwene two hils with a ryuer or brooke. A Dean is a depression betweene two or more hils, which giueth passage to raine water only, & becommeth drie againe, a Combe is that lowe place betweene hils, which hath no fall for the out-gate of a­ny water course, and this no doubt is not straunge to the sensible Reader. Moreo­uer there is mistaking of Lee for Ley, or leigh, and they import diuers things; for Lee signifieth a colde ayre, as Bletching­lee, Hellinglee, Chittinglee, and Ley or Leigh a soyle, as Dowrley a watrie soyle, Fairleigh a beautifull ground, Hurstley a woody soyle, Bentley rushie, Okeley, Quer­cetum, Stoneley, and many other. Manye wordes take name of the quallitie of the place, and mispronounced by custome, as Tarring for Terring, arriuall or landing, Fering, transporting. Sometime we finde names in England giuen of the French, and mispronounced, as Blackboys for Blanckboys, white woode, Beaulye for Beau­lieu, a faire seate. Sometime of a thinge done at a place, as Warnecampe neere A­rondell, as of the Sentinell or Scoutwach, Tirrelsforde of a passage of a man of that [Page 25] name. There are also names compoun­ded, and the abbreuiation of the sound alters the name, as Milton for Middleton, Chensforde for Chelmersforde, Awston in Sussex for Alesiston, and Awston in Dor­set for Aldestown, Amersham for Agmon­desham, those words that end in Ham, and Ton, haue almost like significatiō, for they both import a dwelling place, but in di­uers manners, for Ton idem est quod Pagus, and Ham may bee taken for one home or dwelling place, as a ferme in the Coun­trie, Victum suppeditandi gratia. But Pagus (as Glareanus saith) 20000 Hominū contine­bat, but taken now for a lesse multitude. Ham sometime is compounded with a word importing the nature of the place, as Bromeham, Dowrham, Woodham, Fry­tham, sometime the quantitie as Michel­ham, Littleham, Midleham, somtime of the situation, as Eastham, Westham, Sowtham, Northam. Norton is a common name, yet mistaken often, for there is both Noreton a Towne on a hill, and Northtowne, as Noreham a dwelling on the hill, and Northam. Ham is taken somtime for Am a ryuer, as Twineham for Twineam situ­ate [Page 26] betweene two ryuers, as Twineam in Sussex, and Christ-church Twineam in Hamshire, Inter binos amnes. There is also I forde or Eaforde one passage, or Forde, Twyforde of the two Fordes, Treforde of the three Fordes. Worth is a vsuall ter­mination, and importeth (for the most part) the inclination of the soyle, as wher­vnto it is aptest, as Beech-worth, Bentworth, Sedgeworth, Elmesworth, Haselworth. The like is Sted, or Stow, which signifie one thing, as Okested, Holmested, places of Oke and Holme, Hemsted locus cannabaceus of Hempe. Greenested de Viriditate: But Greenwich in Kent, seemeth not to take name de viriditate, but rather it is Groyne­wich, a towne neere, or vpon the Groyne: for a Groyne is it that is made for a defence against the force of water, as an Elbow e­iected out beyond the rest to preserue the land at any place, where the force of the water worketh it away, as it appeareth the water, by his curuing, both at ebbes and floodes, did at that place; for the situation argueth no lesse. In Sussex as also in other places, there is a vulgar determination in Vold or Fold, as Couold, Chiddingfold, Duns­fold, [Page 27] Burningfold, which is mistaken for Waldt or Weldt, which signifieth a woode, and ought to be pronounced Couewaldt, Chiddingwaldt, Dunswaldt, Burningwaldt, &c. So is Waldtham in Essex, and Waldt­den. And of this word, Waldt or Weldt, commeth our vulgar worde wilde, as a wilde Horse, a wilde Bore, or a wild man, vsed for Weldt, as of the woode, wherein they liue sauagely. Infinite de­nominations there are, which through ignorance of their significations are indi­rectly pronounced and written. Moreo­uer sundrie hundreds in England take names of places, nowe vnknowne, and thence springe indirect determinations, both in speach and in record, as Goldspore hundred in Sussex, so called corruptlye through the ignoraunce of the place whence it is named, which is a peere or Rocke neere Guldford, called Guldespere, as the Forde or passage is called Guldesforde. The like is Thurstaple hundred in Essex corruptly so termed for Staplehurst, which signifieth Staple-wood, which Staplehurst is a place, at this day so called in Tiptre heath West of the Pryorie, and by corruption [Page 28] of speach called. Thurstaple, for Staple­hurst. These thinges being considered are in themselues manifest, and very pro­bable, although wilfull ignoraunce will hardly admit any reason, but simple tra­dicion taketh place with the most, who hearing the true denominaton of a place, will finde fault because they know it not. And by these means may the most care­full obseruer, bee led in the Mist by vul­gare instruction, which maye robbe al­so a hundred of his antique title, by the ignoraunce of the place, whence it is deriued, and attribute vnto it some o­ther more notorious place within the same hundred, as the hundred of Godley in Surrey, is of the common multitude for the most part termed Chertsey hundred, because Chertsey is the more famous place, and parcel thereof in the same hun­dred. Many other words might bee exa­mined to good purpose, as Wike, thorpe, & Vile, vsuall termniations of many places in this land, and els where. Wike idem est quod vicus, and vicus (as Varro defineth it) Multis domibus constat nullo muro clausis, af­ter Vadianus. Vicus in oppido via est domorum [Page 29] seriem complexa: whereby it appeareth, [...]hat a wike containeth certain houses or­derly builded together, as in Rome there [...]s, Vicus Affricus, vicus Ciprius, vicus Celera­ [...]us: But there are many that may deter­mine in wick, & so may be of one house: which in Essex are dayries, and they called wickes, which differeth from wike, though of a mutuall resemblance in pro­nouncing. Thorpes there are infinite, e­specially northward, which is that which the Germanes call a Dorpe, the Saxons ðorpe, and that wee call villam, of the like qualitie with vicus, wherein Vadia­nus taketh vs to bee deceyued, who affir­meth villam to be domū ruri seorsum extru­ctam, & suo fundo attributam, as a ferme, fermeholde, or as it is in the west, a bar­gaine: whereof yet there may bee many together, and so may become vicum, or a Dorpe, or thorpe; for dorpe and thorpe is all one, onely ð which is th, is taken for the simple d· These and many other thinges, being to bee considered in this my poore pretended buysines, I thought good to touch these fewe particulars briefly, vnder the correction of learned [Page 30] antiquaries, not intending thereby to pre­uent any mans better iudgement, prote­sting that I acknowledge many more worthy then my selfe, to vndertake the worke, and I the weakest to support the burthen of so waighty a businesse. But sith it is allotted vnto me, my desire and endeuour is, and shall bee to performe it though not as I woulde, yet as I may. And forasmuch as the worke is so gene­rall, and the accomplishing thereof, must perforce depend much vpon infor­mation, beare with small faults, and giue me light in what you can, to reforme the greater. And withall for that it requireth a twofold industry, I craue the aide of all frendly affected to the worke, by whose collections, obseruations and aduertise­mentes, I may bee the better enabled to performe both the topographicall & hi­storicall purposes, to the more generall good liking of all, wherein as I haue the steppes of former labourers in the like, in great measure to walk in, so had they their former, & all merite good opinion. And as I shall receiue your kinde assistaunce in whatsoeuer manner of measure, I wil [Page 31] gladly rēder euery welwiller his deserued recompence, which is acknowledgement of his paines, and the fruites of theirs & mine, to the good of all men in general. And because the true and auncient deno­minations of sundry places are vncoth to many, I haue, and do purpose to obserue in the mappes, onely the vulgar names, and in the bookes aswell the antique, as the moderne, wherein the helps of re­cordes, and information of the skilfull well affected, may much further the tra­uayle, whose number and goodwill I wish to increase, for the good of our cun­trey, for which we were borne.