Cities are distinctly royal and imperial institutions.
The accident of the number of cities and sees being the same
comes from the natural tendency of the two institutions to drift
together, though of distinct origin--W.
[2] Here follows a long and learned disquisition upon the Roman
and other early towns, especially about St. Albans, a portion of
which will be found in the Appendix.--W.
Certes I would gladly set down, with the names and number of the
cities, all the towns and villages in England and Wales with their
true longitudes and latitudes, but as yet I cannot come by them in
such order as I would; howbeit the tale of our cities is soon found by
the bishoprics, sith every see hath such prerogative given unto it as
to bear the name of a city and to use _Regaleius_ within her own
limits. Which privilege also is granted to sundry ancient towns in
England, especially northward, where more plenty of them is to be
found by a great deal than in the south, The names therefore of our
cities are these: London, York, Canterbury, Winchester, Carlisle,
Durham, Ely, Norwich, Lincoln, Worcester, Gloucester, Hereford,
Salisbury, Exeter, Bath, Lichfield, Bristol, Rochester, Chester,
Chichester, Oxford, Peterborough, Llandaff, St.
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