William Lambard the Perambulation of Kent (Third Edition) London 1656
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William Lambard The perambulation of Kent (third edition) London 1656 <i> <sig a> THE PERAMBULATION OF KENT. Containing the Descripti= on, History and Cu= stoms of that County. Written by WILLIAM LAMBARD of Lincolns Inne; Corrected and Enlarged. To which is added the Charters, Laws and Privileges of the Cinque Ports, Never before printed. LONDON. Printed for Matthew Walbancke, and Dan. Pakeman 1656. <ii> <blank> <iii> <iii> To the Right worshipfull, and vertuous, M. Thomas Wotton, Esq;. It is the manner (Right Worship= full) of such as seek profit by Minerals, first to set men on work to digg and gather the Oare: Then by fire to trie out the Metall, and to cast it into certain rude lumps, which they call Sowze: And lastly to commit them to Artifi= cers, that can thereof make things serviceable and meet for use. Somewhat after which sort, I my self, being very desirous to attain to some knowledge and understanding of the Antiquities of this Realm, which (as Metall contained within the bowels of the earth) lie hidden in old books horded up in cor= ners, did not only my self digg and rake together whatsoever I could of that kind, but procured di= vers of my friends also to set to their hands and doe the like. And when the matter was by our dili= gent travail grown (as me thought) to a convenient Masse, with such fire of discretion as I had, I se= vered the metall and drosse in sunder, and cast it into certain rude, and unformed Sowze, not un= meet for a work man. But, whereas no small com= <iv> mendation groweth to the metall, by the skilfull hand of the craftsman that bringeth it to fashion, and therefore the wiser sort of men use to deliver it to such as be their crafts masters, and can thereof make sundrie utensils both for pleasure and utilitie: I con= trariwise, having neither good art nor instrument to begin withall, nor yet approved pattern or Moald to imitate and follow, adventured neverthelesse to fa= <shi>on somewhat out of my Sowze, and have (as I <now> see) shaped such a peece, as is more meet to be <con>demned to the Kitchen, than worthy to be admit= <iv> ted, or have place in the parlour. To speak plainly, I had some while since gathered out of divers ancient and late Histories of this our Island, sundrie notes of such quality, as might serve for the description and Storie of the most famous places thorow out this whole Realm: which collection (because it was digested into Titles by order of Al= phabet, and concerned the description of places) I called a Topographicall Dictionarie: and out of which, I meant in time (if God granted life, ability, and leisure) to draw (as from a certain Store- house) fit matter for each particular Shire and Countie. Now, after that it had pleased God to provide for me in Kent, I resolved (for sundry just respects) to begin first with that Shire, and therein (before I would move any further) to make estimation and triall, both of the thing it self, of mine own abi= lity, and of other mens likings. This when I had in a rude plot and rough sort performed, and minded to communicate the same with some such of this Country, as for skill aboun= dantly could, and for good will indifferently would, weigh and peruse it, You (Right Worshipfull) came <v> first to my minde, who, for the good understanding and interest that you have in this Shire, can (as well as any other) discern of this doing, And to whom (be= yond other) I thought my self for sundry great cour= tesies most deeply bound and indebted. I know right well, that the thing it self (being but a Beare-whelp that lacketh licking: a raw coloured portraiture that wanteth polishing: and a gift, In quo censendum nil nisi dantis amor) is neither answerable to your worthinesse, nor to mine own wish: Howbeit, having heretofore taken undoubt= ed assay of your gentle acceptation, I am nothing a= fraid to offer it, Submitting to your favorable Censure, both the work, my self, and my writer, And committi<ng> to the defence of the almighty, your self, your wife, y<our> sonnes and family. From Seintcleres, this l<ast> of January, 1570. Yours in the Lord, W. Lambard. <v> <vi> To his Countrymen, the Gentlemen of the County of Kent. This Book fair written (in gift) lately sent unto me, doe I fair printed (by dedica= tion) now send and commend unto you. I know not (in re= spect of the place) unto whom I may more fitly thus send it than unto you, that are ei= ther bred and well brought up here, or by the goodnesse of God and your own good provision, are well setled here: and here lawfully possesse, or are neer unto sundry of those things, that this book specially speaketh of: and thus, as of your selves, doe you see what they are now, and thus as of this book may you know why they were, and by whom they were, and what they were long agone. I know not (in respect of the persons) unto whom I may more fitly thus send it, than unto you: with whom, I have been best and longest acquainted: from whom (by points of singular courtesie) I have been many waies much plea= sured: Toward whom, for the generall conjun= ction and association of your minds, and your selves in good amity and familiarity, one toward another: and all, in good zeal toward the ad= vancement of Christian religion: and for the in= different and discrete course ye keep in handling and compounding such controversies, as many times fall (and thereby in nourishing peace, a Jewell most precious) between your honest and tractable neighbours, (things unto almighty God, <v>ery acceptable: unto her Majesty, very grate= <f>ull: unto your Country, very fruitfull: unto <y>our selves, very commendable:) Toward whom, <vi> I say, for these causes which, as a member of this County with others I see joyfully and generally: and for the first two causes which derived from you, light upon my self particularly, I have been, and am, and must be very lovingly affected. I know not how I may more fitly and effectual= ly commend it than to say, that it is in substance, an Historie: treating of the parts (and actions of greatest weight a good time together, done by the most famous persons) of one speciall Country: fet from great antiquity, which many men are much delighted with: out of sundry books with great studie collected painfully: by this Author in the matter set out truly: with good words well <vii> placed eloquently. In commendation of this book, upon a fit occasion, the like in a manner, Alexander is in Latine lately written by a Gentleman of our Neuil, Nor= Country, known to be very honest, and, I think, wicus. very well learned: and so under the authority of his good judgement, may I (without blame) the more boldly commend it unto you. What utility followeth the studie of Histories, many of them have well declared that have pub= lished Histories written by themselves, or have set out Histories written by others. And there= fore already sufficiently done, I need not (un= learned me self, I cannot) therein say much. And yet thus much I may briefly say, and fit for the thing I have in hand (me thinketh) I must needs say, that (the sacred word of Almighty God al= wayes excepted) there is nothing either for our instruction more profitable, or to our minds more delectable, or within the compass of common un= derstanding more easie or facile, then the studie of histories: nor that studie for none estate more meet, then for the estate of Gentlemen: nor for the Gentlemen of England, no Historie so meete, as the Historie of England. For, the dex= teritie that men have either in providing f<or> themselves, or in comforting their friends (t<wo> very good things) or in serving their King a<nd> <vii> Country (of all outward things, the best) thing doth rest chiefly upon their own and other folks experience: which I may assuredly accompt (for Sir Thomas in an Historie, in our tongue as well written Moor Knight, as any thing ever was, or I think ever shall be, in the historie of King great experience drived from a proof of two such Richard the things, as prosperity and adversity be, upon a fit third. occasion under the person of a very wise man, is rightly accounted) to be the very Mother and Mistress of wisedome. Now that that a number of folks doth generally, is much more then that, that any one of us can doe specially, and so by other folks experience, are we taught largely: and that, that other folks for their King, their Country, themselves, their friends, like good men doe vertuosly, ought to provoke us with good devotion inwardly to love them: and with good words openly much to commend them, and in their vertuous actions, rightly to follow them. And that, that other folks against their King, their Country, their Friends, (and so against themselves) like foolish men doe ignorantly, or like leud men doe wickedly, ought to move us first (as our neighbours) Christianly to bewail them: and then (as by presidents of perill pro= <viii> cured through their own follies and faults) duty= fully and wisely to beware by them.