The 3\(atural Hi [lory 
5. Of chefe there is an imperfeft Lift in a MSS. ' in Corpus 
Chrifii College Library Oxon. in which there are alfo mentioned 
three Synods held in St. Maries Church : A Provincial Chapter of 
the Frjars Preachers, and a Council held at Oxon. whofe Votes 
were written by Abraham Woodhall. There is alfo a Provincial 
Council at Oxford^ mention'd in the Catalogue fet before the De- 
crees of Gratian, But thefe bearing no date, and in all likely- 
hood the fame with fome of the afore-mentioned ; I pafs on to 
, another Parliament^ which though not at Oxford^ yet was held 
mxhis County ^ and therefore I fuppofe not improper for this 
place. However, I (liall rather venture the danger of impro- 
priety and mifplacing, then omit the taking notice of fo confi- 
derablea Meetings it being the firft Parliament held in the County^ 
and doubtlefsin England ; called it was at Shijford^ now a fmall 
Village in the Parilli of Bampton^ and (licwing now nothing 
adequate to fo great an Affemhly, 
(3. There is a MSS. in Sir Robert Cottons Library, that gives 
an account of this Parliament^ which, itfaies, confifted of the 
chief of all Orders of the Kingdom, and was called at Sifford 
(now Shlford) \n Oxford- (lAre^ by King Alfred^ where the King 
as Head confulted with the Clergy^ Nobles^ and others, about 
the maners and government of the people, where he delivered 
fome grave admonitions concerning the fame : The words of the 
MSS. are thefe, 
Sippopb recen Dancp manie, pele Bifcopr, fc pele BocIepe&, Gpler piause, fc 
Cnihrej ei^Ioche :• ^eppar eple€lppicop ^elajej-muthpiye, ec Slppeb Gn^lehipb, 
€nt;le &epiin5,on Gnglanb he paj- Cyn;^, hem he gan lepen, j-pohihepen mihcenhu hi hepe 
liple&enfcoloen. 
i,e. There fate ^7/ Shifford ///r?;?)' Thanes, many BiJJjops^ and many 
learned Men^ wife Earls^ and awful Knights ; there was Earl El- 
fnck very learned in the Law^ and Alfred, Englands Uerdf-man^ 
Enghnds Darling ; he was King of Enghnd^ he taught them that 
could hear bim bow they fiould live, 
7. To which perhaps may be added^ the great Council of 
Kyrtlington held there not long after, man. <)jjy at which were 
prefentKing Edward the Martyr, and S' Dunftan Arch-Bidiop of 
Canterbury ; and at which died Sidemannm BiHiop of Crediton, 
This Council by Sir Henry Spelman is taken to be the fame men= 
tioned by Wigornienfis held at Kyrtlinege^ which he guefTes to be 
■ ^ MSS. fo/.C p- ijv H. Spelman C(?/;«/. Tow. I. -<^//. 977. /• 493 
now 
