A Description of the Northern Parts of England

The provinces located in the northern parts of England are many: such as Huntingdonshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Lancashire, Westmorland, Cleveland original: "Coilend", Cumberland, etc. These lands are all very fertile in everything necessary for the maintenance of life. Yet the land, and especially the inhabitants, are of a completely different condition and nature than those in the [southern] English parts; their language is also somewhat coarser and not unlike the Scottish tongue. They are much inclined to mutiny and riot, such that there has hardly been a king who did not have to wage war against them, as one often reads in the chronicles concerning the rebellious Northerners. They are generally more inclined to hard labor than the other inhabitants, plain in their clothing, and simpler in their dealings. Many great lords live in this northern part; many cities, castles, and villages also lie within it, and it is full of mountains and forests. York is the most prominent city there, although most trade is now in Norwich, for it has been greatly improved by the Netherlanders Dutch and Flemish Protestant refugees who fled their own country and settled there with their households. These people conduct trade there; some engage in shipping, while others are craftsmen making tripe a clipped high-pile fabric similar to velvet, grogram a coarse fabric of silk and mohair, say a fine wool cloth, baize original: "Boiatt", and the like. Just as such trades have also been introduced by the Netherlanders to Sandwich in Kent and other places in England within a few years. This northern part also yields much grain: such as wheat, rye, and barley, but especially much wheat and barley. It has much livestock and an exceeding number of sheep, but the wool is not as fine as in the other parts; from there come the "Northern Kerseys" a lightweight, coarse wool cloth and "Northern Dozens" a specific length of broadcloth well known to the cloth merchants. It also has very good iron, for which reason the best iron cannons are cast there, much better than in Sweden. Also, the Monarchs have their mines there, which yield pure and clear silver, as good as that brought from America and Peru.

Northumberland is a duchy located toward the "midnight" The German "Mitternacht" was commonly used to mean North not far from Scotland, having been powerful in former times in resisting the Scots. At this time, there is again no Duke in Northumberland or elsewhere throughout all England, for none are permitted by Her Majesty This likely refers to the period after 1572 when Queen Elizabeth I allowed the title of Duke to go extinct in England following the execution of the Duke of Norfolk, although many duchies and heirs of the same are present: such as Suffolk, Norfolk, Oxford, Somerset, Lancaster, Buckingham, and others, which from ancient times were ruled by Dukes.

One thing is also to be noted regarding England (which is a wonder) that in the whole country no wolves are found, which God without doubt created uniquely in nature so that the sheep—of which there are more than in any other land under the sun—can graze safely and in good peace, and provide benefit to mankind.