34-S The Statural Hifiory 



Religion, of what perfwafion foever they were , heretofore as 

 well as now. Since again on the 8 o1June,Jac. 6, it was made 

 a Major Town, confiding of a Major, 12 Aldermen, and 6 Capi- 

 tal 'Burgejfes. 



114. And fecondly, Ben/on, alias Benefingtune* , which Ma- 

 rian (fays Camden) calls villam Regiam, the Kings Town, and re- 

 porteth that Ceaulin, the third King of the Weft-Saxons, about the 

 year 572, took it from the Britans, which his fucceflbrs kept 

 200 years after, till they were difpofleft again by Offa the great 

 King of the Mercians 1 , And thirdly, though Dorcbetfer has 

 its name from the Britifi Dour , which fignifies water , and 

 therefore called by Leland, Hydropolk ; and feems to have been 

 known to the Romans by the many found thereabout, and the La- 

 tin termination Ce(ler, which, fays Leland, the Saxons apply ed to 

 Cities as well as Fortifications* ; yet it never came to its height till 

 Birinus, an. 614. was feated there as Bifhop of the Weil-Saxons, 

 by Cymjelre their King, whom he had newly Baptized, and Of- 

 wald King of Northumberland, God-father to Cynigelfe 1 . 



115. About this time the Town of Berencefter, alias Bernce- 

 fter, in Saxon Bupenceartep, and' Bepnacej-cep, which I take to have 

 been its primitive names, feems alfo to have been raifed, and to 

 have taken its name ,as fomehave thought, from the fame Bifhop 

 Birinus, quafi Birini ca/lrum : But I much rather believe it fo cal* 

 led from Bern-woo d, or For reft, mention 'd by Bede", F/orilegus, 

 and Wigornienfis w , upon the edge whereof it was then feated, 

 nor is now far off it ; after which perhaps from St. Eadburg, to 

 whom the Priory there was, and Parifh Church is now dedicated, 

 it changed its name to Burgcefter, and fince that to Burcefter, now 

 Bijfeter. 



116. The Town of Bur ford, in Saxon Beoppopb, feems alfo to 

 have been a place of good Antiquity, but moft remarkable for a 

 battle fought near it, about the year 750% perhaps on the place 

 ftill called Battle-edge, Weft of the Town betwixt it and Upton ; 

 between Cut bred or Cuthbert, a tributary King of the Weft-Saxons, 

 and Etbelbald the Mercian, whofe infupportable exactions the for- 

 mer King not being able to endure,^ came into the Field againft 



* Will.Malmesbur'tenf. dc geflis Reg. Ang.lib. i. cap- 2- r Cam Jew Britan. inCom.Oxon. f Lelandi 

 Comment. inCygneam Cant. inv. Hydrtpolis. r Ven.Beda Hift. Ecde fun Gent. Ang.M>A-cap.7> v Chro- 

 no/ogiaSaxonka, in An. 921. Mat.Weftmon. & Florent.Wigorn. in An. 918. * Rog. Haveden Anna/. 

 Part. priori in An. cit at. 



him, 



