page 260

learne thereby. How even childrens children beare the punishment of their Fathers sinnes. There goe commonly abroad certaine verses, that John White Bishop of Winchester made of this forrest: Which although they falsely make William Rufus to have ordained the same, yet because they are well liked of many, I am likewise well content heere to set them downe.

Templa adimit Divis, fora civibus, arva colonis

Rufus, & instituit Beaulensi in rure forestam:

Rex cervum in sequitur, Regem vindicta, Tirellus

Non bene provisum tranfixit acumine ferri.

From God and Saint King Rus did Churches take,

From Citizens town-court, and mercate place,

From Farmer lands: New Forrest for to make,

In Beaulew tract, where whiles the King in chase

Pursues the hart, just vengeance comes apace,

And King pursues. Tirrell him seing not,

Unwares him flew with dint of arrow shot.

He calleth it Beauley tract, for that King John built hard by, a prety Monasteri, for the pleasant situation called Beaulieu, which continued even unto our Fathers memorie, of great fame as being an unviolated sanctuarie & a safe refuge for all that fled to it: in so much that in times past, our people heere thought it unlawfull and an hainous offence by force to take from thence any persons whatsoever, were they thought never so wicked murderers or traitours: so that our Ancestors when they erected such Sanctuaries, or Temples (as they terme them) of Mercie, everywhere throughout England, seemed rather to have proposed unto themselves Romulus to imitate than Moses: who commaunded that wilfull murderers should be plucked from the altar and put to death: and for them onely appointed Sanctuarie, who by meere chance had killed any man.

But least the sea coast, for so long attract as that forrest is heere, should lie without defence all open and exposed to the enimie, King Henrie the Eighth began to strengthen it with forts, for, in that foreland or promontorie shooting far into the sea: From whence we have the shortest cut into the Isle of Wight, hee built Hurst Castle, which commandeth sea ward every way. And more towards the East he set up also another fortresse or blockhouse, they name it Calshot Castle for Caldsbore, to defend the entrie of Southampton Haven, as more inwardly on the other [shore] are the two Castles of S. Andrew, and Netly. For, heere the shores retiring as it were themselves a great way backe into the land, and the Ilse of Wight also; butting full upon it doe make a very good harbour, which Ptolomee calleth The mouth of the river Trisanton, (as I take it) for Traith Anton: that is, Anton Bay. For, Ninnius and old writer giveth it almost the same name when he termeth it Trahannon mouth. As for the river running into it, at this day is called Test, it was in the foregoing age (as wee read in the Saints lives) named Terstan, and in old time Ant, or Anton: as the townes standing upon it, namely Antport, Andover and Hanton in some sort doe testifie.

So far am I of (pardon me) from thinking that it tooke the name of one Hamon a Romane, (a name not used among Romanes) who should be there slaine. And yet Geffrey of Monmouth telleth such a tale, and a Poet likewise his follower who pretily maketh these verses of Hamon.

... Ruit huc, illucqueruentem

Occupat Arviragus, eiusque in margine ripae

Amputat ense caput nomen tenet inde perempti

Hammonis Portus, longumque tenebit in auum.

... Whiles Hamon rusheth heere and there within the thickest ranke,

Arviragus encountreth him, and on the rivers banke,

With sword in hand strikes of his head: the place of him thus slaine,

Thence forth is named Hamons-Haven, and long shall so remaine.

But upon this Haven standeteh South-hanton, a little Citie, neere unto which on