a county of Wales, bounded on all sides by the Irish sea, except on the east, where it joins to Caernarvonshire, and on the north-east to Cardiganshire. It lies the nearest to Ireland of any county in Wales; and extends in length from north to south 35 miles, and from east to west 29, and is about 140 in circumference. It is divided into seven hundreds, contains about 420,000 acres, one city, eight market-towns, two forests, 145 parishes, about 2300 houses, and 25,000 inhabitants. It lies in the province of Canterbury, and diocese of St David's. It sends three members to parliament, viz. one for the shire, one for Haverfordwest, and one for the town of Pembroke.

The air of Pembroke-shire, considering its situation, is good, but it is in general better the farther from the sea. As there are but few mountains, the soil is generally fruitful, especially on the sea-coasts; nor are its mountains altogether unprofitable, but produce pasture sufficient to maintain great numbers of sheep and goats. Its other commodities are corn, cattle, pit-coal, marl, fish, and fowl. Among these last are falcons, called here peregrins. Amongst the birds common here are migratory sea-birds, that breed in the Isle of Ramsey, and the adjoining rocks called The Pembroke-Bishop and his Clerks. About the beginning of April such flocks of birds, of several sorts, resort to these rocks, as appear incredible to those who have not seen them. They come to them in the night-time, and also leave them then; for, in the evening, the rocks may be seen covered with them, and the next morning not one be seen at all. In like manner, not a single bird shall appear in the evening, and the next morning the rocks shall be covered with them. They also generally make a visit about Christmas, staying a week or longer; and then take their leave till breeding-time. Among these birds are the eligug, razor-bill, puffin, and harry-bird. The eligug lays only one egg, which, as well as those of the puffin and razor-bill, is as big as a duck's, but longer, and smaller at one end. She never leaves it till it is hatched, nor then till the young one is able to follow her; and she is all this time fed by the male. This and the razor-bill breed upon the bare rocks, without any kind of nest. The puffin and harry-bird breed in holes, and commonly in the holes of rabbits; but sometimes they dig holes for themselves with their beaks. The harry-birds are never seen on land but when taken. All the four kinds cannot raise themselves to fly away when they are on land, and therefore they creep or waddle to the cliffs, and throwing themselves off, take wing. The eligug is the same bird which they call in Cornwall a kildaw, and in Yorkshire a scout. The razor-bill is the merle of Cornwall. The puffin is the arctic duck of Clutha, and the harry-bird the jibber-water of Sir Thomas Brown. The inhabitants of this county make a very pleasant durable fire of culm, which is the dust of coal made up into balls with a third part of mud. The county is well watered by the rivers Clethy, Dougle-dye, Clechew, and Teive; which last parts it from Cardiganshire. There is a division of the county styled Rhos in the Welch, by which is meant a large green plain. This is inhabited by the descendants of the Flemings, placed there by Henry I. to curb the Welch, who were never able to expel them, though they often attempted it. On the coasts of this county, as well as on those of Glamorganshire and the Severn Sea, is found a kind of alga or laver, the latuca marina of Camden, being a marine plant or weed. It is gathered in spring; of which the inhabitants make a sort of food, called in Welch llawen, and in English black-butter. Having washed it clean, they lay it to sweat between two flat stones, then shred it small, and knead it well, like dough for bread, and then make it up into great balls or rolls, which is by some eat raw, and by others fried with oatmeal and butter. It is accounted excellent against all distempers of the liver and spleen; and some affirm that they have been relieved by it in the sharpest fits of the stone.