Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland was a complete description of everything about Elizabethan Britain. There were 1577 and 1587 editions. The Description of England was complied by William Harrison.
Of local interest: Volume 4 on Scotland is dedicated to Thomas Seckford.
To the Right worshipfull Maister Thomas Secford Esquire and Maister of the Requests, William Harison wisheth all knowledge of God, with dailie increase of his gifts at this present, and in the world to come life euerlasting.
The complete text is available here. Volume One chapters 16 and 17 are of immediate interest.
Also various editions from archive.org
Harrison explains his method of naming rivers. In his own eloquent words in Holinshead’s Chronicles Volume one: 1587
“For such hath beene my help of maister Sackfords cardes, and conference with other men about these, that I dare pronounce them to be perfect and exact. Furthermore, this I have also to remember, that in the courses of our streames, I regard not so much to name the verie towne or church, as the limits of the paroch. And therefore if I saie it goeth by such a towne, I thinke my dutie discharged, if I hit vpon anie part or parcell of the paroch. This also hath not a little troubled me, I meane the euill writing of the names of manie townes and villages; of which I have noted some one man, in the description of a riuer, to write one towne two or three manner of waies, whereby I was inforced to choose one (at adventure most commonlie) that seemed the likeliest to be sound in mine opinion and iudgement.”
The Deben:
The Deue riseth in Debenham,Deua. in the hundred of Hertesméere, and from thence goeth to Mickford, Winston, Cretingham, Lethringham, Wickham, hitherto still creeping toward the south: but then go|ing in maner full south, it runneth neere vnto Ash, Rendlesham, Ufford, Melton, and Woodbridge, be|neath which it receiueth on the west side, a water comming of two heads, wherof one is by north from Otelcie, and the other by south from Henleie, which ioining west of Mertelsham, go vnto the said towne and so into the Deue, east of Mertelsham abouesaid. From thence the Deue goeth by Waldringfield and Henleie,Clarus fons. and méeting soone after with Brightwell brooke, it hasteth into the maine sea, leauing Bawd|seie on the east, where the fall therof is called Bawd|seie hauen.
Ports:
In Suffolke,Suffolke. Becles, Bongeie, Southton, Cor|ton, Gorton, Laistow a good port, Kirtill, Pakefield, Kasseldon, Bliborow, Coffe hith, Eston, Walders|wijc, Donewich, Swold hauen, Sisewell, Thorpe, Al|borow, Orford a good hauen, Balseie good, Felixstow, Colneie, Sproten, Ypswich, Downambridge good, Pinnemill, Shoteleie, Cataweie, Barfold.
In Esse […] we haue Dedham,Essex. Maning trée, Thorne, Wrabbesnes, Ramseie, Harwich, Douercourt, Handford, Okeleie, Kirbie, Thorpe, Brichwill, Wal|ton mill, Walton hall, Ganfléete, Newhauen good, S. Osithes, Bentleie good, Bricleseie, Thorlington (where good ships of a hundred tun or more be made) Alsford, Wiuenhall, Colchester, Cold hith, Rough hedge, Fingering ho, east Merseie, west Merseie, Salcot, Goldanger, Borow, Maldon, Stanesgate, Sudmester, S. Peters, Burnham, Crixseie, Aldon, Clements gréene, Hulbridge, Pacleston, Barling, litle Wakering, much Wakering, south Sudburie, Wakeringham, Melton, Papper hill, or Lee, Bea […]|fléete, Pidseie range, Fobbing, Hadleie good, Muck|ing, Stanford, and Tilberi […] ferrie.
