WINCHESTER, the capital of the county of Hampshire in England. It is a very ancient city, supposed to have been built several centuries before Christ. The Romans called it Venta Belgarum, the Britons Caer Givent, and the Saxons Wittancestre; whence came the present name. It stands upon the river Itchin, in a bottom surrounded with chalky hills; and is generally allowed to have been a considerable place in the time of the Romans. Some of the first converts to Christianity are supposed to have lived here. In the castle, near the well-gate, many of the Saxon kings anciently kept their court. In the hall where the assizes are kept, is shown a round table of one piece of wood, which, it is pretended, is above 1200 years old, and was that at which king Arthur, with his knights, used to carouse; but Camden says it plainly appears to be of a much more modern date. There is an inscription in Saxon characters upon it, which is now illegible, said to be the names of his 24 knights. The cathedral was founded by Kenegulfe, a king of the Mercians; but there were many Christians, and places for their worship here, long before that period. Kinewal, or Kenwalchus, the son of Kenegulfe, translated the fee of Sherburn hither, and made Wina a Frenchman the first bishop; who falling afterwards under the displeasure of Kinewal, purchased the fee of London from Wulphire king of Mercia, and is reckoned the first simoniacal bishop in England. Here Egbert I. sole monarch of England, was crowned; and not long after Swithin, one of the bishops of this fee, was canonized. Another of the bishops of this fee was Denewulf, whom Alfred preferred to it, after he had acquired a sufficient stock of learning, though he had been a swine herd, as a reward for having concealed him from the Danes. A monastery was built here by Edward the Elder; and richly endowed by him and his successors. Edward the Confessor was crowned in this place by Edfus, archbishop of Canterbury. At that time Alwyn was bishop of this fee; but was confined to a monastery on suspicion of a criminal correspondence with queen Emma: from which he was discharged upon the queen's clearing herself by ordeal. By way of thanksgiving to St Swithin for her deliverance, the queen gave nine manors to his church. Walkelin, the next bishop, laid the foundation of the present cathedral. William the Conqueror kept his court here; and at this place he beheaded Walthoe, the great Saxon earl of Northumberland. He not only confined for life in the castle, but put out the eyes of Ederic, another Saxon earl, because he had delivered up the castle of York to Edgar Atheling. Giffard, the next bishop, to terminate the quarrels between the monks of the old and new ministers, removed the latter to Hyde, in this neighbourhood, where he had built an abbey for their reception. His successor was Henry of Blois, brother to king Stephen; who reduced the empress Maud to such straits in this city and castle,
Winchester that she caused a report to be spread of her death, and was carried out in a coffin. The bishop after his return, founded and endowed the hospital of St Crofs, about a mile to the south of this city, and built the bishop's palace called Wolofey. Here Henry II. held a parliament, and was crowned with his queen. When Godfrey Lucy, son to Richard, lord chief justice of England and governor of the castle, was bishop, Richard II. granted a charter, with very ample privileges, to the citizens. King John resided in this city; and his son Henry III. was born there. Peter de la Roche, another of its bishops, was lord chief-justice and governor of the kingdom in the minority of Henry III. In his time Henry the Lion, duke of Bavaria, with his duchess Matilda, daughter of Henry II. resided at Winchester, where their son William, duke of Bavaria, was born. Hen. III. kept his Christmas here in 1239, when Raleigh was bishop. When the barons rose, the city was taken, and all the Jews in the town put to the sword; but the earl of Leicester, whose son had taken it, being slain, it was recovered by the king. After the murder of Edward II. his uncle, Edmund Plantagenet, was beheaded at the castle-gate of this city. William Edendon, bishop of this see, being elected archbishop of Canterbury, refused it, saying, "If Canterbury is the higher rack, Winchester is the better manger." This bishop, who had been treasurer of England, was buried in an alabaster tomb on the south-side of the entrance into the choir. He was succeeded by the famous WILLIAM of WICKHAM, so denominated from a village near this place, who became prime minister to Edward III. He procured a charter, by which this city was made a staple for wool; and founded a college called St Mary's, which he endowed with a liberal maintenance for a warden, 10 fellows, 2 masters, 70 scholars, 3 chaplains, 3 clerks, an organist, and 16 choristers, to which he granted great privileges. The college consists of two courts, in which are lodgings for the masters and scholars, &c. a large hall, chapel, schools, and a library. After a certain time of continuance in the school, the scholars, if they choose to prosecute their studies, have exhibitions for that purpose in New-college, Oxford, which was also founded by Wickham. The same prelate built also the nave of the church, and obtained the offices of chancellor to the archbishop of Canterbury, and prelate of the garter, to be annexed to this see. Besides these donations, he expended 20,000 marks in the repair of houses, mended the highways from hence to London, built several free-schools and hospitals, both in this county and Surrey; all which have his coat of arms on them, with this motto, "Manners make the man." Henry IV. was married in this city; and Henry V. gave audience in it to the French ambassadors who came to implore peace. The bishop at that time was Henry de Beaufort, uncle to the king, who was thrice chancellor of the kingdom, a cardinal, and general of the Pope's forces against the Bohemians. He founded an hospital here, left legacies to all the cathedrals of England, and lies buried in a fine tomb in the church; in which he is represented in his cardinal's robes and hat. Arthur, eldest son of Henry VII. was born in this city in 1486. Waynflete, bishop of this see, founded Magdalen college in Oxford. One of his successors, Richard Fosse, collected the bones of Ken-
gulf, Kinulphus, Egbert, Edmund, Canute, queen Emma, William Rufus, and his brother Richard, which had been dispersed in the civil wars, deposited them in leaden chests, and interred them at the foot of the great wall of the choir. In 1554 queen Mary was married in this city to Philip of Spain, and the chair used on that occasion is still preserved. In her reign the persecuting Gardiner was bishop of this see. One of his successors was Cooper, author of the Thefaurus, which bears his name. Morley, who was bishop of this see after the Restoration, built a new episcopal palace, and a college for 10 ministers widows, which he endowed with a good revenue. In his time a palace was begun and almost finished here by Charles II. which is now going to ruins. In the monastery at Hyde was a cross, the gift of Canute the Dane, which cost him one year's revenue of all England. When the monks were ejected out of the other convent dedicated to the Holy Trinity, they were succeeded by a dean and 12 prebendaries. The cathedral is a large pile, and has a venerable look, but is not very elegant. Besides the tombs, there are many curious pieces of workmanship in it; the chief of which are, 1. The font, erected in the time of the Saxons. 2. Copper statues of James I. and Charles I. 3. The bishop's throne. 4. The stalls of the dean and prebendaries. 5. The ascent to the choir and altar. 6. The pavement, inlaid with marble of diverse colours, in various figures. 7. The altar-piece, reckoned the noblest in England. 8. The paintings in the windows, especially the great east window. At the hospital of the Holy Cross mentioned above, every traveller that knocks at the door may claim a manchet of white bread and a cup of beer; of which a great quantity is provided every day for that purpose. This hospital was intended for the maintenance of a master and 30 pensioners, but only 14 are now maintained in it; and the master enjoys a revenue of 800l. a-year. This city is about a mile and a half in compass, and almost surrounded with a wall of flint, has six gates, large suburbs, broad clean streets; but the private houses are in general but ordinary, many of them being very old. The city is interspersed with a great many gardens, which contribute to its beauty and healthiness. There is a great deal of good company in the city and neighbourhood, and many clergymen, but little trade or manufacture. Many other public edifices, besides those we have mentioned, adorn this city; particularly an infirmary, an hospital called St John's, and the guildhall. The corporation consists of a mayor, high-steward, recorder, aldermen, two coroners, two bailiffs, 24 common-council-men, a town-clerk, four constables, and four serjeants at mace; and the city gives title of marquis to the duke of Bolton. A Roman highway leads from hence to Alton; and went formerly, as it is thought, from thence to London. The charming downs in the neighbourhood contribute greatly to the health and pleasure of the inhabitants. The river Itchin is navigable for barges from hence to Southampton.