[ i8i ] 



Tary to prefeYit you with a (hort hiftory of the flat 

 part of Somcrfetfhire, wherein I was born and have 

 always lived. Brent and BariweWs Marjhy as it is 

 called upon the old maps and records, but at prefenc 

 better known by the nannes of the North and South 

 Marjhy with {oxuft few pari (lies adjoining, connpre- 

 hcnd all the lands fituate between the Mendip and 

 Poledown hills, quite home to the Briftol Channel; 

 containing together 42 pariflies, compofed of the 

 hundreds of BempftGney Brent cum PFrington, Winter- 

 ftoke, Huntfpiil cum Puritan, and part of Whitley and 

 Glaflon 'Twelve Hides. 



I have taken an adlual furvey by admeafuremcnt 

 of a great part of thefe lands; and, eftimating the 

 pariflies I have not furveyed in their due propor- 

 tion, I find the whole together will amount to about 

 3000 houfes, 20,000 inhabitants,* and 128,000 



• I have counted tlic inhabitants of about twenty parifhesr, and- 

 elUraating the others after that rate, they may be divided as follows: 



Hufbands — a,50O Wives — 2,525 



Widowers — — 600 Widows «— 1,000 



Batchclors — 700 Spinftcrs *— 300 



Sons 4>500 Daughters — 3»500 



Malc-fervants - 95c Female fervants - 1,025 - 



Male apprentices 400 Female apprentices 400 



Male lodgers — 850 Female lodgers - 800 



Total males 10,500 Total females 9,500 



rJ 3 acres. 



