WORCESTERSHIRE. 



part* of the exploits of Oftorius, when proprxtor in Bri- 

 tain ; becaufe he was certainly pofted on the Sabrina, now 

 the Severn. The other river mentioned by the hiftorians 

 of his operations, the jintona, has been by feme writers con- 

 jeftured to be the Avon, which falls into the Severn in the 

 S. part of the county, while others fuppofe it to fignify 

 the Nen of Northamptonlhire. The Roman roads, of 

 which veiliges are difcovered in different parts of Worcef- 

 terfhire, although not known to be laid down in the Itine- 

 raries, fufBciently prove the county to have profited by the 

 arts and the policy of the conquerors, in the opening of 

 communications ; one of the earlieft and moft effeftual 

 means of promoting civilization, as well as of eftabhftiing 

 dominion, among a rude and vanquiflied people. One of 

 thefe ancient or Roman roads is the Runcd-way, or Ridge- 

 way, on the E. fide of the county, running between Wor- 

 cefler and Alcefter, in Warwickfhire : another is a paved 

 way from Kenchefter, in Herefordfliire, pointing N.E. 

 towards Worcefter. The great Ikening-ftreet enters the 

 county from StafFordftiire, and pafTes near Bromfgrove : 

 another great road, fuppofed by Nafli to be the ancient 

 Portway, but now called the King's head-land, pafles over 

 Hagley common. According to Dr. Stukeley, a Roman 

 road extended from Worcefter down the bank of the Severn 

 to Upton, and thence to Tewkefbury on the N. border of 

 Gloucefterfhire, where it joined Ricning-ftreetway. Wor- 

 cefterfhire formed a part of the Saxon kingdom of Myrcna- 

 ric, or Mearc-lond, in Latin changed into Merkia. This, 

 by much the largeft kingdom of that people in England, 

 was founded by Crida about the year 586, and enlarged 

 by Penda, under whom the Chriftian rehgion was introduced 

 among the Merkians. During the ftruggles between the 

 native Britons and their invaders, this part of the country 

 muft have fufFered feverely ; but at laft the Britons, driven 

 from the plains, retired behind the Severn into the moun- 

 tainous tracls of Wales. The ravages of the Danes in the 

 9th and loth centuries were not unknown in Worcefter- 

 ftiire ; and to that people tradition afcribes various fepul- 

 chral and military antiquities difcovered in it. 



During the heptarchy, the greater part of Worcefterfhirc, 

 Gloucefterfhire on the E. of the Severn, and a portion of 

 Warwickfhire, were inhabited by the IVicdi, and under the 

 jurifdiftion of the bifhop of Worcefter : but on the accef- 

 Con of Wilham of Normandy, the epifcopal government 

 was fuperfeded, and the civil power entrufted to the fheriffs 

 of Worcefter. The firft of thefe was Urfo of Abitoth, as he 

 is ftyled in Domefday-book, fon of the lord of that place, in 

 Normandy, and brother of Robert Le Defpenfer, anceilor 

 of the prefent families of that name in England. Urfo is 

 alfo ftyled Vice-comes, having received from the king the 

 hereditary fhrievalty, with the conftableftiip of the caftle of 

 Worcefter. He fat in the great councils held in London 

 in the 15th, and in Weftminfler in the i8th years of Wil- 

 liam L During the confpiracy of Roger, earl of Here- 

 ford, and Ralph, earl of Norfolk, he prevented the former 

 from paffing over the Severn to form a junftion with the in- 

 furgents. His daughter and heirefs, Emmeline, married 

 Walter, the progenitor of Beauchamp, whofe family after- 

 wards became earls of Warwick. The firft earl of Wor- 

 cefter was Walleran de Mellent, a relation of the royal 

 family. He held alfo the paternal honours in Normandy ; 

 but fiding with the barons againft Henry I., his eftates 

 were laid wafte, himfelf long held a prifoner, and even 

 when enlarged not entrufted with the keeping of any of 

 his own caftles. Taking part with Stephen againft the 

 emprefs Maud, his city of Worcefter was carried by affault, 

 and reduced to afties. Dying s prifoner in Normandy, his 



fon inherited the Norman but not the Englifh honours. 

 All this happened in the 1 2th century ; and the title of 

 earl of Worcefter feems to have lain dormant until 1 397, 

 when it was conferred on Thomas Percy, fon of Henry, lord 

 Percy, by his firft wife Mary, daughter of Henry Plan- 

 tagenet, earl of Larcafter, and brother of Henry L earl of 

 Northumberland. This gallant earl of Worcefter, accom- 

 panying the Black Prince to France, &c. diftinguiflied him- 

 felf under the command of John of Gaunt, duke of Lan- 

 cafter. The title in 1420 was beftowed on Richard Beau, 

 champ, of the houfe of Warwick, defcended from the firft 

 Norman fheriff or earl. He ferved with great reputation 

 in France ; but dying in 1449 without male iflue, the title 

 was granted to John Tibetot or Tiptoft, baron of Powis. 

 Under Henry VI. he was charged with the guard of the 

 narrow feas, and appointed lord-deputy of Ireland ; and by 

 Edward IV. juftice of North Wales, conftable of the 

 Tower of London, and treafurer of the exchequer. Soon 

 after he became chancellor of the kingdom, ilill, however, 

 retaining his command at fea. It was not in military and 

 ftate affairs alone that this nobleman diftinguiftied himfelf. 

 Educated at Oxford in all the learning of thofe days, he 

 afterwards vifited Jerufalem for devotion ; alfo Padua, Ve- 

 nice, and Rome, to confult the libraries and the learned fo- 

 cieties of thofe places ; and was the author of feveral works. 

 On the temporary reftoration of Henry VI. by Neville, 

 earl of Warwick, the earl of Worcefter was apprehended 

 and beheaded at London in 147 1. His fon was afterwards 

 replaced in the family honours and eftates by Edward IV. ; 

 but dying without ifTue in 1485, the title was, by 

 Henry VIII., conferred on Charles, natural fon of Henry, 

 duke of Somerfet. His grandfon, Henry, was created mar- 

 quis of Worcefter by Charles I. ; and his grandfon, Henry, 

 was, in 1682, by Charles II. created duke of Beaufort, the 

 title of marquis of Worcefter being by courtefy attached to 

 the eldeft fon of that family to the prefent time. 



State of Property. — Prior to the Norman Conqueft, great 

 part of the lands of Worcefterfhire belonged to the church ; 

 but on that event much was beftowed on the favourites and 

 followers of the Conqueror. Very little is nowpoffefTed by 

 the defcendants of the ancient proprietors ; for in the 

 various revolutions of the kingdom, the adherents of the 

 lofing fovereign were in general deprived of their property. 

 Wilham Beauchamp, baron of Elmfley, pofTeffed great 

 eftates by defcent from the firft earl of Worcefter ; but loft 

 them by adhering to the emprefs Maud againft Stephen. 

 They were reftored however by Henry II. In the con- 

 lefts between king John and the barons, the grandfon of 

 William Beauchamp was a material fufferer ; for having 

 taken the fide of the nobles, the church of Worcefter, on 

 the re-eftabhfhment of John's power, laid hold of the op- 

 portunity to enlarge their precinfts, abridging the accom- 

 modations of the caftle, fo that it was no longer fit for the 

 habitation of the fheriff and his retinue ; and from that time 

 it began to fall into decay. The whole county was then 

 the property of, or poffefFed by ecclefiaftics, and by a few 

 barons ; nor was it until a much later period that a more 

 general divifion of lands, from various caufes, took place. 

 In the reign of Richard II., the Beauchamps, earls of 

 Warwick, were again deprived of their lands : under 

 Henry VII. other large pofTefTors of land, who had borne 

 arms in Bofworth-field, were ftripped of their property. 

 But the greateft forfeiture of lands in Worcefterfhire took 

 place in confequence of the attainder and execution of 

 Edward, earl of Warwick, who had taken the part of 

 Perkin Warbeck againft Henry VII. Confiderable changes 

 were alfo occafioned by the transfer under Henry VIII. of 



the 



