Villare Anglicum : OR A VIEW of the TOWNES OF ENGLAND .

Collected by the appointment of Sir HENRY SPELMAN Knight .

LONDON , Printed by R. Hodgkinsonne , dwelling in Thames-street neere Baynards-Castle , 1656.

TRAVELLING long Journeys is costly , at all times troublesome , at some times dangerous : Yet is it both a general and generous desire of most men to be acquainted with their native Country .

To satisfie them herein , this work is set forth ; where thou mayest crosse Rivers without Boat or Bridge , climbe up Mountains without pains , and goe down without danger : in a word thy eye may safely travell in a few houres over all England , this Book presenting the Towns and Villages thereof , alphabetically methodized , with the addition of their respective Counties , Hundreds , &c.

Now know this was collected by the appointment ( at the charge , and for the use ) of that worthy Antiquarie Sir Henry Spelman , one of whom too much cannot be said in his commendation ; As who confuted that aspertion which is generally cast on Antiquaries , that they are either supercilious or superstitious , either proud or popishly affected , such his humble carriage to all persons and sincecerity in the Protestant Religion .

Now it is enough to perswade others of the usefullnesse of this Treatise , that so learned a man would cause it to be composed for his private perusall ; and because things of this nature the more publique the more profitable , what formerly was confined to his Study is now enlarged for the benefit of all who please to make use thereof .

None can be so unreasonable as to expect that this Work should descend to the specifying of the names of single Houses , it being impossibleto grinde it so small as to powder . What Dragg-Net is so capable , or can be so cast , to catch all Minams that come under it ? the performance therein will be satisfactory to rational Readers if all considerable Villages be particularized .

Yet we believe the charitable Reader carries such a Chancery in his bosome as to pardon some omissions , if casually some places have escaped observation . Catalogues in this kinde cannot be begun and finished at once , or by one Man , ( though never so industrious ) but require a contribution of many well disposed persons for the completing thereof .

And therefore if any shall be pleased to return to the Printer hereof the names of such places as have slipt his notice , he shall have the hearty thanks for , and the World the benefit by his instructions in the next Edition hereof .

It is also desired , that where faults are committed in false spelling of names , such as dwell in the places ( presumed the exactest Criticks in their own Orthographie ) would be pleased to amend them and return their emendations , that where the tongue of this Edition hath lisped or faultered , it may speak plainer and truer in the next , if it shall survive thereunto .