MORA L. The Cock to Gallia bears allufion.- ASA Zandi was a man of very low CAS England, and is particularly famous for hops. The air, tho' not very ferene, by reafon of the vapours arifing from the fea and rivers, yet is temperate and good, except in the weald and marshes. Its chief rivers are the Thames and Medway. The inhabitants diftinguish the county, as it lies A fouth-eastward from the Thames, into 3 parts; the upper, upon the Thames, is efteem'd healthy, but not wealthy; the middle, both healthy and wealthy; and the lower, wealthy, but not healthy, as lying low and moift in the marshes, and confequently aguish. extraction, and of a favage and untractable difpofition; but fo far infinuated himfelf into the favour of the preceding Grand Vizir, that he obtained the first place B in the divan, and the general fuperintendance of the Mo'ques, or Mahometan temples. Like a roaring lion he fought his prey, and perfecuted unmercifully whoever had the misfortune to displease him. Worfe than a double-edged fword was it to fall under his difpleafure; for he not only oppofed the advancement of fuch, but took all opportunities of depreffing them. He had, moreover, a heart fo inured and obdurate to the miseries of others, that no person in the world was ever capable of foftening it either by prayers or tears: So that the joy and applaufe of the people was general, when they faw him I put on board a veffel, in order to be conducted to the place of his exile, there to receive the juft recompence of his enormous cruelties. A Defcription of the COUNTY of KENT, with a New and Correct MAP of the fame, kere annex'd. K The cities are, 1. Canterbury, 43 computed, and 56 meafured miles S. E. from London. It is the chief place in the county, and an archbishop's fee, who is ftil'd primate of all England. It is very antient, faid to be built gco years before the birth of Chrift. St. Austin, who was fent by the pope to convert the English Saxons, fettled here, and was the first archbishop; and it was here that Thomas Ca Becket, who was alfo archbishop, was kill'd on account of his tyrannizing over Henry II. he was afterwards canonized, and had immenfe honours pay'd to his fhrine by his blind votaries. This city has 14 parish churches beides the cathedral, a noble and majestick pile, under which is a large proteftant French church, first given by Q. Elizabeth to the Walloons, who fled from the perfecution of the Duke of Alva, of whofe pofterity many still remain, whofe principal employment is in the weaving trade. The city is encompass'd with a moat and wall, has many good buildings, and a market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Ꭰ F ENT, a maritime county, has the Thames on the N. which parts it E from Effex, the British channel and part of Suffex on the S. part of Surrey on the W. the German ocean on the E. and the ftraits of Dover on the S. E. Its greatest length from Dover S. eaftward to Deptford weftward is about 60 miles, its greatest breadth about 34, and its circumference about 160. It is in the form of the head of a battle ax, and in the time of the Saxon heptarchy was an entire kingdom by itself. It is divided into 6 laths, and they into feveral hundreds; contains 1,248,000 acres, and about 39,300 houses; has 408 parifnes, 2 cities, 2 parliament boroughs, 4 cinque ports, and between 20 and 30 market-towns. It fends in all 18 members to parliament, viz. 2 for the county, 4G for the cities, 4 for the boroughs, and 8 for its cinque ports. Tho' hilly in fome parts, it is generally bleft with a rich and fertile foil, plentifully provided with corn, and other grain, ftored alfo with cattle, fith, fowl, and fruits, efteem'd the beft in The 2. Rochester, an antient city, pleasantly The boroughs that fend members to ૬ quite up to it, with hoys and barges of 50 or 60 tons burden, in which are fent to London great quantities of hops, cherries, timber, wheat, &c. There are abundance of gentry in and near this town, which renders it very polite. 2. Queenborough, in the Ifle of Shepey, formerly a noted place, being built by A K. Edward III. and by him made a corporation, and endow'd with many privileges; but by the demolition of the caftle, it is now become poor and inconfiderable, tho' it ftill fends 2 members to parliament. The island, which is form'd between the z mouths of the river Medway, had its name from its feeding a multitude of fheep; 'tis 20 miles in circumference, and exceeding B fruitful in corn. Here is alfo the royal fort of Sheernefs, where there is a yard as an appendix to Chatham, for the ufe of fhips of lower rates, reforting thither in time of action. The cinque ports in this county are, 1. Sandwich, near the Ile of Thanet, a corporation, call'd the mayor, jurats and commonalty of the town and port of Sandwich. The members of parliament are called barons, as are thofe of the other einque ports. It was formerly a town of good repute and trade, but is much fallen to decay, by reafon of the harbour's being choaked up with fand. It has 3 churches, and markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It gives title of earl to a branch of the family of Montague. a great tract of land was overflow'd, many people and great numbers of cattle drown'd, the haven fpoiled, and the course of the river Rother turned; fo that the town has in effect been upon the decline ever since, tho' it has ftill a good market on Saturdays. The other market towns, and places of note, are, 1. Deptford, in the N. W. corner of the county, about 4 miles diftans from London, which, tho' but a village, is as large as fome cities, and larger than most market-towns in England: Here are famous docks, and a noble yard for building men of war; as alfo that called the TrinityHouse on Deptford-Strond, which is a college erected for the ufe of feamen, and the benefit of navigation. 2. Greenwich, a mile E. of Deptford, a neat and healthful place, pleasantly fituate in a gravelly foil, on the banks of the Thames, and well frequented by gentry. It is noted for a fumptuous and magnificent hofpital for feamen, with fine paintings in the hall; and alfo for its delightful park, Cin which is the royal obfervatory for the improvement of aftronomy, which standa on a hill, and commands a noble profpe& of the city, river and country. See a beautiful View of this park, with the obfervatory and ranger's houfe, &c. in our Magazine for March laft. The late duke of Argyll was created duke of Greenwich by Q. Anne, but the title died with him. D 2. Dover, S. of Sandwich, a very antient town, fituate among rocks. The paffage from hence into France being nearest and fafeft, it was ordain'd, that no perfon going out of the kingdom to the continent, thould take fhipping at any other port. It was antiently walled in, and had 10 gates, and a caftte, E faid to be built by Julius Cæfar, all which are gone to decay, as alío the piers built by K. Henry VIII. It has a market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and churches, tho'formerly 7. It gives title of duke to the family of Douglas, dukes of Queensberry in Scotland. N. E. of it is Deal, a handfome, large town, but without a market, being deemed only a member of the port of Sandwich. lies over-against the Downs, and is the famous road for fhipping, for all thips to and from London, which makes it much reforted to by feafaring men. It F 3. Hithe, or Hythe, W. of Dover, a Corporation under the name of mayor, jurats and commonalty of Hythe, has a market on Saturday; but the port is now G fpoiled by the fea's washing in the fand. 4. Romney, or New Romney, S. W. of Hithe, in a large level, call'd RomneyMarth: It was very populous till the time of Edward I. and had five churches; but by the breaking in of the fea at that time 3. Woolwich, 4 miles E. of Greenwich, with a market on Friday. Here are docks and yards belonging to the crown, where many ships of war are built and repaired : The mortars and great guns are also caft, and large quantities of cordage made here. 4. Dartford, about 7 miles S. E. of Woolwich, full of inns and publick houses, as being the high road between London and Canterbury. It has a large market on Saturday, well ftored with corn and other provifions. 5. Gravefend, 6 miles E. of Dartford, fituate on the Thames, where is one of the blockhouses for securing the paffage of the river up to London. Gravefend is the common landing place for all strangers and feamen, which occafions a great refort here, fo that it has two plentiful markets, viz. on Wednesdays and Saturdays. All outward bound fhips must stop and come to an anchor here, when a fearcher of the cufoms comes on board, and looks over the feveral cockets, or contents of the Cargo; and this is called clearing. The church and greateft part of the town was burnt down in 1727, and fince more con.modiously rebuilt. It is a corporation, govern'd by a mayor, jurats, &c. To return now from the Thames weftward, where we have, 6. Eltham, S. of Woolwich, Woolwich, formerly a retiring-place for our kings. 7. Bromley, 6 miles S. of Eltham, a fmall town, with a market on Thursday. Here is the bishop of Rochester's palace, and a college or hofpital for 20 poor clergymens widows, built by Dr. John Wainer, bishop of Rochester, and endow'd with sol. per ann. for a chaplain, and zol. per ann, for each widow. 8. Wrotham, or Wortham, 13 miles S. E. of Bromley, a small town having a market on Tuesday. 9. Malling, or Weft Malling, 5 miles S. E. of Wrotham, another small town, with a market on Saturday. 10. Milton, 10 miles N. E. of Maid Atone, an antient but small borough-town, governed by a portreeve: It has a confiderable market on Saturdays, and here are the famous oyfter-beds, from whence come thofe called the Milton oysters; the town being feated on a creek in the Eaft Swale, one of the mouths of the Medway. A B 11. Fever ham, S E. of Milton, fi- C tuate in one of the most fruitful parts of all Kent, and being the principal town in that part, having a commodious creek for hoys, lighters, &c. It is a corporation under the file of mayor, jurats and com. monaity of the town of Feversham; and has markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays, being well peopled and in a flourishing condition, but faid to be very much addicted to the fmuggling trade. 12. Thanet ifle, in the N. E. corner of the county, 9 miles long and 9 broad, of a white chalky foil, abounding in corn and grafs. The Saxons first landed and fettled here by the confent of Vortigern. It was miferably harrafs'd by the Danes, and ded not recover till the Norman fettlement. It gives title of earl to the family of Tufton. On it is Margate, noted for his late and prefent majesty's often landing there from abroad See MAG. for 1748, p. 513. To return again westward, where we have, 13. Weftram, or Wefterham 7 miles S. of Bromley, which, tho' but a fmall town, has a confiderable market on Wednesday. 14. Sevenoak, or Sennoke, E. of Weltram, govern'd by a warden and 4 aflistants, with a market on Saturday. It had its name from 7 large oaks that grew here, which have been long fince cut down. D F 15. Tunbridge, 7 miles S. E. of Seven. osk, has a market on Friday. The town of itself is but indifferent, and the streets G ill paved; but what renders it famous, is the medicinal wells, about 5 miles from it, called Spelhurft-wells, but commonly Tunbridge wells, which occasion an annual refort of abundance of people of fashion, (ome for health, but more for diverfion : And here many houtes are built in a bot. tom between 2 hills, call'd Mount Sion and Mount Ephraim, with a handsome cha. pel of cafe. 16. Lenham, 7 miles E. of Maidstone, a fmall town, with a market on Tuesday. 17. Smarden, 7 miles S. of Lenham, an antient town, whofe market is on Monday. 18. Afhford, 6 miles E. of Smarden, is govern'd by a magiftrate called a constable, and has a court of record on every Tuesday three weeks for all actions not exceeding 20 marks: Its market is on Saturdays. 19. Wye, 4 miles N. E. of Ashford, a place of good account, with a market on Thursday: It is fituate on the river Stower, over which it has a bridge. 20. Goudhurst, 10 miles S. of Maidstone, a fmall town whofe market is on Wednesday. 21. Cranbrook, 5 miles S. E. of Goudhurt, formerly much noted for the clothing trade, which is now almoft loft: 'Tis a large town, well paved, and has a confiderable market on Saturday. 22. Tenterden, 5 miles S. E. of Cranbrook, a town of no great note, remarkable only for its church, whofe fteeple is very high; yet it is an antient borough, governed by a mayor and jurats, and has a márket on Fridays. 23. Appledore, 3 miles S. E. of Tenterden, had formerly a market, which is now difufed: It has a court-leet, which extends itfelf over two boroughs. 24. Lidd, or Lydd, in Romney-Marth, a fmall town with a market on Thursday. 25. Folkestone, on the coaft, about 4 miles W. of Dover, of which port it is a member: It is very antient, incorporated by the ftile of mayor, jurats and commonalty; and has a market on Thursday. It gives title of viscount to the family of Bouverie. We shall conclude our account of Kent, with giving fome idea of the cinque ports. They were originally but five, as the name imports, viz. Haftings in Suffex, Dover, Hithe, Romney and Sandwich in Kent; to which Rye, Winchelfea and Seaford, all in Suffex, were added as principals, and fome other little towns only as members. They all lie over against France, and are govern'd by a particular policy, at the head of which is the lord Warden of the cinque ports, who has the authority of an admiral among them, and fends out writs in his own name. Thefe and many other priviledges and immunities they enjoyed, in confideration of their being obliged to furnifh a certain number of ships, and to ferve in our naval wars. The Barons of cinque ports fupport the canopy at the coronation of our kings and queens, and for that day have their table spread and fur. nifhed on the king's right hand. JOURNAL |