EYTON-UPON-THE-WILD-MOORS: Geographical and Historical information from the year 1824.

"EYTON-UPON-THE-WILD-MOORS, a parish in the Wellington division of the hundred of Bradford South, a rectory discharged, in the diocese of Coventry and Lichfield, the deanery of Newport, and archdeaconry of Salop. 74 houses, 390 inhabitants. 2 miles north of Wellington.

The celebrated Edward Herbert Lord Chirbury was born at this place. Granger, in his " Biographical History of England," speaks of his lordship as standing in the highest rank among the publick ministers, historians, and philosophers of the age. 'It is hard to say, (he continues) whether his person, his understanding, or his courage, was the most extraordinary. But the same man was wise and capricious; redressed wrongs, and quarrelled for punctilios; hated bigotry, and was himself a bigot to philosophy. He exposed himself to such dangers as other men of courage would have carefully declined; and called in question the fundamentals of a religion which none had hardiness to dispute besides himself.' Lord Herbert was the first, and the most candid of our English infidels, and his system of deism certainly comes nearer to christianity, and contains less of acrimonious censure of Revelation, than that of any other. The following extracts from his lordship's life, written by himself, and published many years afterwards from his manuscripts, by Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford, will shew that this nobleman possessed no small portion of vanity, and (though an infidel) a far more than common degree of superstition and credulity.

I was born at Eyton, in Shropshire, (being a house which together with fair lands, descended upon the Newports, by my grandmother,) between the hours of twelve and one of the clock, in the morning. My infancy was very sickly, my head continually purging itself very much by the ears; whereupon also it was so long before I began to speak, that many thought I should be ever dumb. The very farthest thing I can remember is that when I understood what was said by others I did yet forbear to speak, lest I should utter something that was imperfect or impertinent. When I came to talk, one of the first enquiries I made was,- how I came into this world? I told my nurse, keeper, and others, I found myself here indeed, but from what cause, or beginning, or by what means, I could not imagine. But for this, as I was laughed at by the nurse and some other women that were then present, so I was wondered at by others, who said they never heard a child but myself ask that question; upon which, when I came to riper years, I made this observation, which afterwards a little comforted me, that as I found myself in possession of this life, without knowing anything of the pangs and throws my mother suffered, when yet doubtless they did not less press and afflict me than her,- so I hope my soul shall pass to a better life than this, without being sensible of the anguish and pains my body shall feel in death. For as I believe, then I shall be transmitted to a more happy state, by God's great grace, I am confident I shall no more know how I came out of this world, than how I came into it. And certainly, since in my mother's womb, this plastics or formatrix, which formed my eyes, ears, and other senses, did not intend them for that dark and noysome place, but, as being conscious of a better life, made then as fitting organs to apprehend and perceive those things which should occur in this world; so I believe since my coming into this world, my soul hath formed and produced certain faculties, which are almost as useless for this life, as the above named senses were for the mother's womb; and these faculties are Hope, Faith, Love, and Joy; since they never rest or fix upon any transitory and perishing object in this world, as extending themselves to something further than can be here given, and indeed acquiesce only in the perfect, eternal, and infinite. I confess they are of some use here, yet I appeal to everybody, whether any earthly felicity did so satisfy their hope here, that they did not wish and hope for something more excellent; or whether they had ever that faith in their own wisdom, or in the help of man, that they were not constrained to have recourse to, some divine and superior power, than they could find on earth, to relieve them in their danger and necessity;- whether ever they could place their love on any earthly beauty, that it did not fade and wither, if not frustrate and deceive them,- or, whether ever their joy was so consummate in any thing they delighted in, that they did not want much more than it, or indeed this world can afford, to make them happy. The proper objects of these faculties, therefore, though framed, or at least appearing in this world, is God only, upon whom Faith, Hope, and Love were never placed in vain, or remain long unrequited. But, to leave these discourses, and come to my childhood again, I remember this defluxion at my ears above mentioned, continued in that violence that my friends did not think fit to teach me so much as my alphabet, till I was seven years old, at which time my defluxion ceased, and left me free of the disease my ancestors were subject unto, being the epilepsy. My schoolmaster, then in the house of my said lady grandmother, began to teach me the alphabet, and afterwards grammar, and other books commonly read in schools, in which I profited so much that upon this theame "Audaces fortuna juvat," I made an oration of a sheet of paper, and fifty or sixty verses, in the space of one day. I remember in that time, I was corrected sometimes for going to cuffs with two school fellows, being both elder than myself, but never for telling a lie, or any other fault; my natural disposition and inclination being so contrary to all falsehood, that being demanded whether I had committed any fault, whereof I might justly be suspected, I did me ever to confess it freely, and thereupon choosing rather to suffer correction, than to stain my mind with telling a lie; which I did judge then, no time could ever efface, and I can affirm to all the world truly, that from my first infancy to this hour, I told not willingly any thing that was false; my soul naturally having an antipathy to lying and deceit, After I had attained the age of nine, during all which time I lived in my said lady grandmother's house, at Eyton, my parents thought fit to send me to some place where I might learn the Welsh tongue, as believing it necessary to enable me to treat with those of my friends and tenants who understood no other language; whereupon I was recommended to Mr. Edward Thetwall, of Place Ward, in Denbighshire. This gentleman I must remember with honour, as having of himself acquired the exact knowledge of Greek, Latin, French, Italian, and Spanish, and all other learning, having for that purpose, neither gone beyond seas, nor so much as had the benefit of any universities. Besides, he was of that rare temper in governing his choler, that I never saw him angry during the time of my stay there, and have heard so much of him for many years before. When occasion of offence was given him, I have seen him redden, and after, remain for a while silent, but when he spoke, his words were so calm and gentle, that I found he had digested his choler; though yet I confess I could never attain that perfection, as being subject ever to choler aid passion, more than I ought, and generally to speak my mind freely, and indeed rather to imitate those who having fire within doors, choose rather to give it vent, than suffer it to burn the house. I commend yet much more, the manner of Mr. Thelwall; and certainly he that can forbear speaking for some while, will remit much of his passion; but as I could not learn much of him in this kind, so did I as little profit in learning the Welsh, or any other of those languages that worthy gentleman understood, as having a Tertian ague for the best part of nine months, which was all the tune I staid in his house. Having recovered my strength again, I was sent, being about the age of ten, to be taught by one Mr. Newton, at Diddlebury, in Shropshire, where, in the space of less than two years, I not only recovered all I had lost in my sickness, but attained to the knowledge of the Greek tongue, and Logick, insomuch that at twelve years old, my parents thought fit to send me to Oxford, to University college, where I remember to have disputed, at my first coming, in Logick, and to have made in Greek, the exercises required in that college oftener than in Latin. I had not been many months in the university, but news was brought we of my father's death, his sickness being a lethargy or coma vigilans, which continued long upon him, He seemed at last to die without much pain, though in his senses. Upon opinion given by physicians that his disease was mortal, my mother thought fit to send for me home, and presently after my father's death, to desire her brother, Sir Francis Newport, to hast to London to obtain my wardship, for his and her use joyntly, which he obtained. Shortly afterwards, I was sent again to my studies in Oxford, where I had not been long, but that an overture for a match with the daughter and heir of Sir William Herbert of St. Gillien's was made; the occasion whereof was this;- Sir William Herbert being heir male to the old earl of Pembroke, by a younger son of his, (for the eldest son had a daughter, who carried away those great possessions the Earl of Worcester now holds in Monmouthshire,) having only one daughter surviving, wade a will, whereby he estated all his possessions in Monmouthshire and Ireland, upon his said daughter, upon condition she married one of the surname of Herbert; otherwise, the said lands to descend to the heirs male of the said Sir William Herbert, and his daughter to have only a small portion out of the lands he had in Anglesy and Carnarvonshire. His lands being thus settled, Sir William died shortly afterwards; he was a man much conversant with books, and especially given to the study of divinity, insomuch that he writ an exposition upon the Revelations; which is printed; though some thought he was far from finding the sense thereof, as he was from finding the Philosopher's stone, which was another part of his study; howsoever he was very understanding in all other things; he was noted yet to be of a very high mind; but I can say little of him, as having never seen his person, nor otherwise had much information concerning him. His daughter and heir called Mary, after her father died, continued unmarried, till she was one and twenty, none of the Herberts appearing in all that time, who either in age or fortune, was fit to match her. About this time I had attained the age of fifteen, and a match at last being proposed, yet notwithstanding the disparity of years betwixt us, upon the eight and twentieth of February, 1598, in the house of Eyton, where the same vicar who married my father and mother, christened and married me, I espoused her. Not long after my marriage, I went again to Oxford, together with my wife, and mother, who took a house and lived for some certain time there. And now having a due remedy for that lasciviousness to which youth is naturally, I followed my book more close than ever, in which course I continued, till I attained the age of about eighteen, when my mother took a house in London, between which place and Montgomery castle I passed my time, till I came to the age of one and twenty, having in that space, divers children of whom I have none now remaining but Beatrice, Richard, and Edward. During this time of living in the university, or at home, I did, without any master or teacher, attain the knowledge of the French, Italian, and Spanish languages, by the help of some books in Latin or English, translated into these idioms, and the dictionaries of those several languages. I attained also to sing my part at first sight in Musick, and to play on the lute, with very little or no teaching. My intention in learning languages being to make myself a citizen of the world, as far as it were possible; and my learning of musick was for this end, that I might entertain myself at home, and together refresh my mind after my studies, to which I was exceedingly inclined, and that I might not need the company of young men, in whom I observed in those times, much ill example and debauchery.

My book "De Veritate prout distinguitur a Revelatione verisimili, possibili, et a falso," having been begun by me in England, and formed there in all its parts, was about this time finished. All my spare hours which I could get from my visits and negotiations being employed to perfect this work, which was no sooner done, but that I communicated it to Hugo Grotius, that great scholar, who having escaped his prison in the low countreys, came into France, and was much welcomed by me and M. Tieleners * also, one of the greatest scholars of his time, who after they had perused it, and given it more commendations than it is fit for me to repeat, exhorted me earnestly to print and publish it: howbeit as the frame of my whole book was so different from any thing which had been written heretofore, I found I must either renounce the authority of all that I had written formerly, concerning the method of finding out truth, and consequently insist upon my own way, or hazard myself to a general censure concerning the whole argument of my book. I must confess it did not a little animate me, that the two great persons above-mentioned did so highly value it; yet as I knew it would meet with much opposition, I did consider whether it was not better for me, a while, to suppress it. Being thus doubtful in my chamber, one fair day in the summer, my casement being open towards the south, the sun shining clear, and no wind stirring, I took my "De Veritate" in my hand, and kneeling on my knees, devoutly said these words,-

O thou Eternal God, author of the light which now shines upon me, and giver of all inward illuminations, I do beseech thee of thine infinite goodness, to pardon a greater request than a sinner ought to make. I am not satisfied enough whether I shall publish this book, De Veritate; if it be for thy glory, I beseech thee, give me some sign from heaven; if not, I shall suppress it.

* In the little book of Lord Herbert's verses, published after his death, is a copy addressed to Tilenus, " after the fatal defluxion upon my arm." Daniel Tilenus was a theological writer of that time. He wrote about Antichrist, and "Animadversions on the Synod of Dort." Some of his works were published at Paris; he was however a Silesian, and his true name might be Tieleners latinised into Tilanus, according to the pedantry of that time, as Groot was called Grotius, the similitude of whose studies might well connect him with Tieleners,"

I had no sooner spoken these words, but a loud, though gentle noise came from the heavens, (for it was like nothing upon earth,) which did so comfort and cheer me, that I took my petition as granted, and that I had the sign I demanded; whereupon also, I resolved to print my book. This, (how strange soever it may seem,) I protest before the eternal God, is true, neither am I any way superstitiously deceived herein, since I did not only clearly hear the noise, but in the serenest skye that ever I saw, being without all cloud, did to my thinking see the place from whence it came.

And now I sent my book to be printed in Paris, at my own cost and charges, without suffering it to be divulged to others, then to such as I thought might be worthy readers of it; though afterwards reprinting it in England, I not only dispersed it among the prime scholars of Europe, but was sent to, not only from the nearest, but furthest parts of Christendome, to desire the sight of my book, for which they promised any thing I should desire, by way of return, but hereof more amply in its place."

Lord Herbert was created a Knight of the bath at the accession of James the first. He distinguished himself at the age of Juliers, and in 1616, was sent ambassador to Louis the thirteenth, but was recalled on account of a dispute between him and the constable De Luynes. In 1625, he was created a baron of the kingdom of Ireland, and in 1631, was elevated to the English peerage. His lordship left a history of Henry the eighth, in folio. A treatise "De Religione Gentilium and expeditio Buckingami ducis in Ream Insulam,- and his own life. Hie lordship was born in 1584, and died in 1648. He had a younger brother of the name of George, who entered into orders, and was presented to the living of Bernerston, near Salisbury. He was an eminently pious and exemplary divine. His works are 1. Oratio in auspic. serenim. princip. Caroli reditum ex Hispaniis, 1628. 2. A translation of Coruaro on Temperance. 3. Remains, containing his "Priest to the Temple;"- an excellent treatise on the duties of a parish priest. 4. The Temple, or Sacred Poems. The present noble family of Powis, is descended on the female side from Lord Herbert of Chirbury.

" HORTON, a township in the parish of Eyton upon the Wild Moors, and in the Wellington division of the hundred of Bradford, South."

[Transcribed information from A Gazetteer of Shropshire - T Gregory - 1824](unless otherwise stated)

[Description(s) transcribed by Mel Lockie ©2015]