NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, a county of England, is situated in the very heart of the kingdom: bounded on the east by the counties of Bedford and Huntingdon; on the south by those of Buckingham and Oxford; on the west by Warwickshire; and on the north by the counties of Leicester, Rutland, and Lincoln, which are separated from it by the Leicestershire, and the Welland. Its greatest length is about 50 miles, its greatest breadth about 20, and its circumference about 130. It contains 330 parishes. There are in it one city, 11 market towns, 25,000 houses, and 131,757 inhabitants. Nine members are returned to parliament for this county, viz. two knights for the shire, two for the city of Peterborough, two for each of the towns of Northampton and Brockley, and one for Higham Ferrers. It lies in the midland circuit, and in the diocese of Peterborough. As this county is dry, well cultivated, free from marshes, except the fens about Peterborough, in the centre of the kingdom, and of course at a distance from the sea, it enjoys a very pure and wholesome air. In consequence of this it is very populous, and so full of towns and churches, that 30 spires or steeples may be seen in many places at one view; and even in the fens, the inhabitants seem to enjoy a good state of health, and to be little affected by the water which frequently overflows their grounds, especially in winter, but is never suffered to remain long upon it. Its soil is exceeding fertile both in corn and pasture; but it labours under a scarcity of fuel, as it doth not produce much wood, and, by lying at a distance from the sea, cannot be easily supplied with coal. Its commodities, besides corn, are sheep, wool, black cattle, and salt-petre; and its manufactures are ferges, tammies, shalloons, boots, and shoes. Besides many lesser brooks and streams, it is well watered by the rivers Nen, Welland, Ouse, and Lerm; the three first of which are large, and for the most part navigable.

NORTHAMPTON, a county of North America, in Virginia, forming the fourth part of the peninsula on the eastern coast of Virginia.