1637.] TAXATION TEMP. COMMONWEALTH. 103 



In 1644, 1645, "^"^^ 1646, Newmarket and Exning 

 jointly contributed ^17 5^. ^d., ^23 4^., and jj^^^^.^et. 

 £11) V' S^. towards the support of the Charles i. 

 army under the command of Sir Thomas 

 Fairfax." 



The following description of Newmarket and the Dykes 

 adjacent is taken from Holland's edition of Cam- 

 den's " Britannica," London, 1637, fol. : — 

 .... " Ixning more famous in times past than now. For 

 Andre the Virgin K. Annas daughter and canonized for a 

 Saint, was heere borne, Ralph also Earle of this East England 

 heere entered into conspiracy against William the Conqueror, 

 and Hervey the first Bishop of Ely made a cause or high way 

 from hence to Ely. But now, for that Newmarcate is so neer 

 whither men resort with their wares and commodities more 

 frequently, it hath begun to decay. That this Neivuiercate is 

 a Towne of late days built, the very name it self doth import : 

 and it is situate in such sort, that the South part thereof 

 belongeth to Cambridgeshire, the North side to Suffolke : and 

 both of them have their sevarall Churches : whereof this 

 [North side] acknowledgeth Ixning, the former Ditton or 

 Dichton, for their mother. Hereof I have found by reading 

 nothing, but that under King Henry the Third, Sir Robert 

 Ulsle gave one part in franke marriage with his daughter 

 Cassandra unto Sir Richard De Ai-genton, from whom the 

 Alingtons are descended. Heere lyeth out a great way round 

 about, a large Plaine, named of this Towne, Newmarket 

 Heath, consisting of a sandy and barren ground yet green 

 withall, wherein is to bee scene that wonderfull Ditch, which, 

 as if it had beene cast by the devill, the common fort called 

 Devils Dike, whereas in very trueth, most certainly it is 

 knowne to be one of them, wherewith the Inhabitants (as 

 Abbo writeth) fenced themselves against the inrodes of their 

 enemies, as shall be showed more at large when we are come to 

 Cambridgeshire. Yet in the meane time, I am here to adver- 

 * Exch. Lay Subs., s. d., MS., P.R.O. 



