

S H A 



18 fupportcd by Camden, upon the evidence of an infcrip- 

 tion mentioned by William of Malmfbiiry, which feems to 

 point out Alfred himfelf as the founder, and is. certainly 

 much more probable than thole which rell on the fanciful 

 fpeculations of Jeffrey of Monmouth. There are circum- 

 ilances, however, indicating Roman habitation on the fcite 

 cif Shaftlbiiry ; and afluming this as a faft, feme later 

 'vritcrs contend that the words of the infcription, " Ael- 

 icdus rex fecit hanc urbe.m," are only intended to denote 

 that Alfred renewed or repaired this city. But whatever 

 may have been its condition previous to that monarch's 

 ru.'^.t, it was then only that it lirll attained any authenti- 

 c i', il degree of celebrity, by the foundation of a monaitery 

 Kr nuns of the Benedicline order. This convent was in- 

 dubitably the work of the great prince above-mentioned, 

 a"; the charter of foundation, appointing his daughter 

 Ethelgeda abbcfs, is yet extant. It was orig-inally dedi- 

 cated to the Virgin Mary, and became one of the richeft 

 and bell endowed nunneries in .England, occupied a great 

 extent of ground, and poflefl'ed a vaft number of offices' 

 and apartm.ents within its precinfts. The abbefs was among 

 the number of thofe who held a whole barony in capite, 

 a:id was in confequence liable to ferve in parliament, though 

 excufed on account of her fex. She had writs, however, 

 diredled to her, to fend her quota of men into the field, 

 according to her knight's fees. On the tranflation of the 

 body of Edward the Martyr hither, from Wareham, this 

 monaftery allumed the name of that faint, which it retained 

 till the dilfohition. Many miracles are faid to have been 

 wrought at his flirine, which was vifited by an inimenfe 

 concourfe of pilgrims, among whom was the illuflrious 

 Canute, who died here. After the Conqueft, this convent 

 was for fome time neglcAed ; but the patronage of fuc- 

 cceding monarchs foon reltored it to celebrity, and con- 

 ferred upon it fuch extenfive donation-i in land, that it be- 

 came proverbial to fay, " tiiat if the abbot of Glallonbury 

 might marry the abbefs of Shaft (bury, their heir would 

 have more land than the king of England. " At the dif- 

 ihition, the nuns amounted to fifty-four in number, and 

 enjoyed u revenue valued by Speed at 1329/. is. ^d. The 

 lalt abbefs was Elizabeth Zouche, who had an yearly pen- 

 fion afTigned to her of 133/. 



Shaflfbury is a very ancient borough by prefcription, 

 being mentioned as fuch in Domefday Book. It was not, 

 however, incorporated by regular charter till the reign of 

 queen Elizabeth, wlio confirmed all tlie privileges it enjoyed 

 by cnllom, and veiled the government in a corporation, 

 oo;iiillir,g of a mayor, recorder, twelve aldermen, a bailifi, 

 and common council-men. That charter has fince been 

 confirmed by kings .Tames I. and Charles II., with little 

 variation. Henry VIII. made this town the feat of a 

 luffragan bifliop, but it did not retain its epifcopal dignity 

 above a few years. Shaftfbitry has fent two members to 

 parliament fince the 25th year of Edward I. They are 

 elcftcd by the inlubitants paying fcot and lot, who are 

 rllimated at about 300 in number, and are returned by the 

 mayor. Shaftlb'iry has a weekly market on Saturday, 

 and one annual f^ir ; and according to the parliamentary 

 returns of 181 li contains 515 houfes, and a population of 

 2159 p'^rfons. 



The town of Shaftfbury is moll pleafant'.y fituated, being 

 built on a very lofty eminenci-, whch eonunands an cxtcnilve 

 profpetl over the three adjoining counties of Dorfct, So- 

 merfet, and Wilts. From ttie irregularity and n:irrownefs of 

 mofl of the (treets, and the mean chaiador of the buildings, 

 however, it prefents but au indiffer-.-nt appearance. In an- 

 cient times it was more flounlhing and important than at 



S H A 



prefent ; containing, befides the abbey-church, twelve 

 others, feveral chantries and fraternities, and a priory or 

 hofpital of St. John the Baptifl. Of thefe pubhc llruftures 

 only four churches remain, refpedtively dedicated to St. 

 Peter, the Holy Trinity, St. James, and St. Rumbald. The 

 principal of them is St. Peter's, wl-.ich is a building of con- 

 iiderable antiquity, and difcovering much elegance in its 

 fymmctrical proportions and ornaments ; but the greater part 

 of it is defaced by modern alterations. Of the abbey 

 fcarcely a veltige is vifible, the whole fiaving been demolifhed 

 foon after the dillolution, except the high embattled wall, 

 fupported by buttreffes, which formerly inclofed the park, 

 and is llill in part Handing on the fide next the town. The 

 other principal buildings of Shaftfbnry are the town-hall, a 

 free-fci'.ool, two alms-houfe tenements, and three raeeting- 

 houfes, for Prefbyterians, Methodills, and Quakers. 



The manor of Shaftfbury appears from Domefday Book 

 to have been very anciently divided into two moieties, one of 

 which belonged to the crown, and the other to the abbey. 

 The abbey manor was furrendercd in the 30th year of 

 Henry VIII., whofe fucctfTor granted it to Thomas 

 Wriothefley, earl of Southampton, together with the town, 

 borough, fcite, and precincls of the monallery. From him 

 it pafl'ed to fir Thomas Arundel, and afterwards to the earls 

 of Pembroke, by one of whom, Philip, the royalty of the 

 manor, and borough manor, were fold to Anthony Afhley 

 Cooper, earl of Shaftfbury, in whofe family they flill 

 continue. 



Welt from the town is an eminence called Caflle Green, 

 which is fnppofed to have received that appellation from its 

 having been the fcite of an ancient callle, though hiltory is 

 filent refpefting any fuch ftrudture belonging to Sh,aftfbury. 

 On the brow of this hill is a fmall mount, furroundcd by a 

 fhallow fo.'le, which may have belonged to it, but it is com- 

 monly regarded as a Roman intrcnchment. Tradition re- 

 ports that the old town Hood here, and it is certain that it 

 occupied fomewhat different ground from the fcite of the pre- 

 fent buildings. The immediate vicinity of Shaftfbury is 

 noted as the birth-place of the Rev. James Granger, au- 

 thor of the celebrated Biographical Hiilory of England. 

 Beauties of England and Wales, vol. iv. by John Britton 

 and E W. Brayley, 8vo. 1805. Hutchins's Hiilory of 

 Dorfeilhire, fol. 1776, 2d. edit. 1797. Hiltory of the 

 Ancient Town of Shaftfbury, i2mo. 1808. 



Sh.\ftsburv, a confiderable and lionriHiing poll-town 

 of America, in the county of Bennington, Vermont, having 

 Arlington on the north, and Bennington on the fouth, and 

 containing 1973 inhabitants. 



SHAG LsL.VND, an ifland near the entrance into Chrifl- 

 mas found, on the S. coall of the ifland of Terra del Fuego ; 

 4 miles N.E. of York Minitcr. 



SHAGGE, or SiiAc, in Ornithology, a name by which 

 we call a water. fowl common on the northern coails, and 

 called by Mr. Ruy corviis aquaticus minor, or the lefler 

 cormorant, being properly a bnd of the cormorant kind, or 

 ihe pelicanus graculus of Liniixus. 



It is fomewhat larger than the common duck, and weighs 

 about four pounds ; its beak is ftraight and flender, and 

 is not flattened, but roundifh ; it is four inches lont;, and is 

 hooked at the end ; its mouth open,^ very wide, and its eyes 

 are fmal! ; the h-ad ls adorned with a crelt, two inches long, 

 pointing backward ; tlie wh.le plumage of the upper part 

 of tliis bird is of a tine and very (bining green, the edges of 

 the featliers a purphfh-blaek ; but the lower part of the 

 back, head, and neck, wholly green ; the belly diifky, and 

 the legs black. It builds in trees as the common cormo- 

 rant, fwims with the head erect, and it very dilBcuU to be 

 r (hot; 



