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MEMORIAE

FL. VICTORI-

N AE. T. TAM:

VICTOR CONIUX

POSUIT.

That this Tombe was erected for that Victorina which was called Mater Castrorum, that is, The mother of the campe, and who against Gallienus Emperour, excited in Gaule and Britaine, the two Victorini, her sonne, and sonnes sonne, Posthumus likewise, Lollianus, Marius, and Tetricus Caesars, I would not with others affirme. Yet I have read, that two of the VICTORS, were in some place here in Britaine, and those at one and the selfe-same time, the one Maximus the Emperour his sonne, the other Praefectus Protorio to the same Emperour, of whom Saint Ambrose maketh mention in his Epistles, but I dare avouch, that neither of these twaine reared this monument for his wife.

As one highway or street of the Romans went straight from hence southward to Winchester, so there was another ran west-ward through Pamber forrest, very full of trees, and other by-places now standing out of the way, hard by Litchfield, that is, the field of dead bodies, to the Forrest of Chute pleasant for coole shade of trees, & plentifull game: in which the Hunters and Forresters themselves do wonder at the bank or ridge thereof, so evident to be seene, paved with stone, but broken here and there.

More toward the North, in the verie edge and frontier of this Shire, we saw Kings-Cleare, a market towne in these daies well frequented, the residence in times past of the Saxon Kings, by it Fremantle in a parke where King John much haunted, also Sidmanton, the habitation of the Kingsmils, Knights: and Burgh-Cleare situate under an high hill, in the top whereof a warlike rampire (such as our countreymen call a Burgh) hath a trench taking a great compasse about it: from whence, there being a faire and open prospect every way over the country lying underneath, there standeth a Beacon, that by light burning fire the enemies comming, may bee shewed to all the neighbour-inhabitants round about. And verily such watches or signals as this, we terme in common speech Beacons, of the old word Beacnian, that is, to shew by a signe, and for these many hundred yeeres, they have been in right great request, and much used among us: in some places, by heaping up a deale of wood, in others by barrels full of pitch fastened to the top of a mast or pole in the highest places of the countrey, at which, by night some doe ever more watch: and in old time, there were set horsemen as posts in many places, whom our Ancestors called Hobelers, who in the day time should give notice of the enemies approch.

This shire, like as the rest which hitherto we have run over, belonged to the west-Saxon Kings: and when they had deposed Sigebert from his Kingdome, for his tyrannie, evill intreating and lewd managing of his province, this countrey, as Marianus writeth, was assigned unto him least hee should seeme altogether a private person. Whom notwithstanding afterward, for his wicked deeds, they likewise expelled from hence: and so far was it off, that this afflicted state of a King moved any man to take pitie of him, that a Swineheard in the end, slew him in the wood Anderida, where he had lurked and hidden himselfe.

This Shire can reckon but verie few Earles, besides those of Winchester which I have alreadie named. In the first time of the Normans, Bogo or Beavose the English man, who fought against the Normans in the battell at Cardiff in Wales, is reputed to have been Earle of South-hampton, a man for warlike prowesse much renowned, whom whiles the Monks laboured to set out with their fained fables, they have obscured his doughtie deeds in greater darknes. From which time unto the daies of K. Henrie the Eight, there was no Earle of South-hampton that I read of: but he created