Municipal History continued from A. D. 1213 to A. D. 1604. -Charter of John.-Inspeximuses of Edward 1st, Ed- ward 3d, and Richard 2d.-Grant of Felons Goods and Freedom from customary Tolls.-Charter of Richard 2d, and Confirmation.-Inspeximuses of Henry 4th, 5th, and 6th, Edward 4th, Henry 7th and 8th, Edward 6th, Mary and Elizabeth: their illustration.-Grant of the Fee- farm Rent to Edmund Plantagenet, first Earl of Lancas- ter.-Earls and Dukes of Lancaster: creation of the Dutchy: its annexation to, and separation from, the Municipal History continued from A. D. 1604 to A. D. 1831. -Charter of James 1st.-Creation of the Borough and present Corporation.-Authorities under the Charter.- Surrender of the Charter to Charles 2d.-Charter of James 2d.-Restoration of the Charter of James 1st, by Navigation and Drainage.-Rise and course of the River 1467.-Navigation undertaken by Arnold Spencer, 3d of Charles 1st, transferred by Act of Parliament to Sir Humphrey Bennet, Knight, and others, (16th and 17th of Charles 2d, cap. xii.)-Vested in Henry Ashley in 1689: his Lease with the Corporation of Godmanchester. -Ashley procures a new Act of Parliament in 1719.— (6th George 1st, cap. xxix.) Navigation extended to Bed- Ecclesiastical History.-The Church of Godmanchester presented by Edgar to the Abbey of Ramsey-by Ste- phen, to the Priory of Merton.-Institution of the Vicar- age.-Pope Nicholas's Survey.-Inquisitions of Ninths. -First Fruits and Tenths; their appropriations.-Valor Ecclesiasticus of Henry 8th.-Antient custom of Tithing. -Origin of Chauntries and Guilds; impropriation of The Church.-Style of Building, Assistants' Seats, Rood Loft, South Porch, Record Chamber.-Epitaphs and Monumental Inscriptions.-Tower and Steeple.-Ram- INITIALS TO CHAPTERS AND TAIL-PIECES. CHAPTER I.-Initial composed from two Carvings in the Assistants' Seats in the Church. Tail-piece, a Carving in the Church. CHAPTER II.-Initial Letter of Henry 7th's Charter. Tail-piece, from a Carving in the Church. CHAPTER III.-Initial of Richard 2d's Charter. Tail-piece, from a Carving in the Assistants' Pews. CHAPTER IV.-Initial composed from two Carvings in the Assistants' Pews. Tail-piece, from the same. CHAPTER V.-Initial of Henry 4th's Charter. Tail-piece, from a Carving in the Assistants' Pews. CHAPTER VI.-Initial of John's Charter. Tail-piece, from a Carving in the Assistants' Pews. CHAPTER VII.—Initial of James's Charter. Tail-piece, Corporation Seal. CHAPTER VIII.-Initial of Elizabeth's Charter. Tail-piece, from a Carving in the Assistants' Pews. CHAPTER IX.-Initial of Edward 6th's Charter. Tail-piece, from a silver Coin of Guthrum, after his conversion to Christianity. CHAPTER X.-Initial of the Letters-patent of Release to the Corporation of Godmanchester, alluded to in page 280. Tailpiece, from a Carving on the Church Tower. CHAPTER XI.-Initial of Mary's Charter. Tail-piece, from a Godmanchester Trade Token. CHAPTER XII.-Initial to the Inspeximus of Henry 5th. Tailpiece, from a Godmanchester Trade Token. ERRATA. Page 116, line 12, for 1286 read 1276. HISTORY OF GODMANCHESTER. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. HE early History of Na tions is, for the most part, traditional, and obscured by fable; and in no instance is this general proposition more exemplified than in that of our own country we will therefore take but a cursory view of those circumstances which led to its names and_colonizations, as far as regard the object of this work. It is supposed to have been called Albion from a king of that name, who is re a " Albion, the sonne of Neptune, there regnynge aboute the yeare of the worlde's creation 2220."-Humfrey Lhuyd's Breuiary of Britayne. B corded to have reigned here, A. M. 2220; or Alpion, from the word Alp, which, in some of the original western languages, signified high lands or hills; or from the white cliffs which present themselves on approaching our shores from the Continent. By the Romans, even before Cæsar's time, it was called Britannia, which name, it is conjectured, was given to it by strangers from the coasts of Gaul and Germany, who, trafficking here, called the inhabitants Briths, from the custom among them of painting their bodies and small shields with an azure blue, which colour was by them called Brith. The Romans, extending their conquests to, and establishing their colonies in Gaul, soon became acquainted with our Island, and Romanized its name, by adding to it a Latin termination, as was their usual custom, wherever their conquests or commerce extended, as is exemplified in Mauritania, Lusitania, Aquitania, &c.; hence we have the compound word Britannia. The Britons, from their insular situation, were little known to the old world before the descent of Cæsar upon the island, ante Christ. 55. Their coasts opposite Gaul and Belgium were much frequented by traders from those shores, who became bLhuyd argues that the whole word Britannia is a corruption. from Prydain, by the Romans, which was the name of the island amongst the Aborigines. e Sir William Temple. d Bruce's Historical Atlas: Milton and Smollet. A. U. C. 699. |