septimi nec non Thesaurarius Hospitij reuerendissimi Patris domini huius regni Cancellarij titulo Sancte Cecilie trans Tiberim sacro sancte Romane Ecclesie Presbyteri Cardinalis ordinati Qui quidem Willelmus ob 3. Iulij 1518. Here is an Epitaph cut in Brasse vpon a marble stone now almost worne out which was made to the memory of one Robert Haule Esquire murdered in this Church the manner whereof our Chronicles doe thus briefely relate In the battell of Nazers in Spaine this Robert Haule or Hawley and Iohn Schakell Esquires tooke the Earle of Dene prisoner who deliuered vnto them his sonne and heire as a pledge for assurance of performances Not long after this their Hostage was demanded by Iohn Duke of Lancaster in the Kings name whom they denyed to deliuer for which they were clapt in the Tower from whence escaping here they tooke Sanctuary to whom Sir Raph Ferreis and Sir Alan Buxhull with fifty armed men were secretly sent to doe this mischiefe who finding them at high Masse first drew Schakell by a wile out of the priuiledge of the Church then offering to lay hands on Hawley he manfully resisting with his short sword made them all flie off But in the end he was slaine in the Chancell commending himselfe in his last words to God the reuenger of such iniuries and to the liberty of our holy mother the Church With him was slaine a seruant of his thrust into the backe with a Iauelin and a Monke who intreated for him in respect of the holinesse of the place This wicked act was perpetrated the 11. of August 1378. the second of Richard the second These words following now onely remaining vpon his Monument Me dolus ira furor multorum militis atque ................... ..... in hoc gladijs celebri pietatis asylo Dum leuita Dei sermonis legit ad aram Proh dolor ipse meo Monachorum sanguine vultus Aspersi moriens chorus est mihi testis in evum Et me nunc retinet sacer is locus Haule Robertum Hic quia pestiferos male sensi primitus enses .................. Hic iacet Thomas Ruthal Episcopus Dunelmensis Regis Henrici septimi Secretarius qui obijt 1524. To this short Inscription Godwin in his Catalogue addeth a long story of the life and death of this Bishop Who was borne in Cicester saith he in the County of Glocester and brought vp in Cambridge where he proceeded Doctor of Law He was preferred to the Bishopricke of Durham by King Henry the seuenth after whose death hee was made one of the priuie Councell vnto the young King Henry the eight who esteemed greatly of him for his wisedome and learning and imployed him often in ambassages and other businesses of importance Amongst the rest it pleased the king one time to require him to set downe his iudgement in writing concerning the estate of his kingdome in generall and particularly to enforme him in certaine things by him specified This discourse the Bishop writ very carefully and caused it to be bound in Velime gilt and otherwise adorned in the best manner Now you shall vnderstand that it chanced himselfe about the same time to set downe a note of his owne priuate estate which in goods and ready money amounted to the summe of one hundred thousand pounds This account was written in a paper booke of the same fashion and binding that the other was which was prouided for the king Whereby it happened that the king sending Cardinall Wolsey for the other draught which he had so long before required of him the Bishop mistaking deliuered that which contained an estimate of his owne infinite Treasure This the Cardinall soone espying and willing to doe the Bishop a displeasure deliuered it as he had receiued it vnto the King shewing withall how the Bishop had very happily mistaken himselfe for now quoth he you see where you may at any time command a great masse of money if you need it As soone as the Bishop vnderstood his errour the conceit thereof touched him so neare that within a short spaâ—â— after hee died at his house here in the Strand His intention was to haue repaired the Church of Cicester to haue built Bridges as he had begun that ouer the Riuer of Tyne and to haue done many other deeds of charitie if hee had not beene preuented by death Here lieth the body of Sir William Trussell knight and speaker of that Parliament wherein Edward the second king of England resigned his Diadâ—me and all ensignes of Maiestie to Edward his eldest Sonne This Trussell saith an ancient Author was a Iudge who could fit the house with quirks of Law to colour so lawlesse and treasonable an act as the deposing of a lawfull king And thereupon was chosen in the behalfe of the whole Realme to renounce all homage and obedience to the Lord Edward of Carnarvon his Soueraigne Lord and King The forme of which renunciation was by him the said Trussell pronounced at Kenelworth Castle the 20. of Ianuary 1326. in these disgracefull words which you may finde in Polychronicon I William Trussel in the name of al men of the lond of Engelond and of the Parliament Prolocutor resigne to the Edward the homage that was made to the somtym and from this tym forward now folowyng I defye the and priue the of al royal Powyr and shal neuer be tendant to the as for Kyng aftyr this tyme. The time of this Trussels death I cannot learne Here lieth interred before the Communion Table the body of Richard de Ware or Warren Abbot of this Monastery and sometime Lord Treasurer of England Who going to Rome for his consecration brought from thence certaine workmen and rich Porphery stones whereof and by whom hee made that curious singular rare pauement before the high Altar in which are circulary written in letters of brasse these ten verses following containing a discourse as one saith of the worlds continuance Si Lector posita prudenter cuncta reuoluat Hic finem primi mobilis inveniet Sepes trina canes equos homines super addas Ceruos coruos aquilas immania cete Mundi quodque sequens pereuntis triplicat annos Sphericus Archetypum globus hic monstrat Macrocosmum Christi milleno bis centeno duodeno Cum sexageno subductis quatuor anno Tertius Henricus Rex vrbs Odoricus Abbas Hos compegere Porphyreos lapides With these stones and workmen he did also frame the Shrine of Edward the Confessor with these verses Anno milleno Domini cum septuageno Et bis centeno cum completo quasi deno Hoc opus est factum quod Petrus duxit in actum Romanus ciuis Homo causam noscere si vis Rex fuit Henricus Sancti presentis amicus This Abbot died the second day of December 1283. after he had gouerned this Monastery three and twenty yeares and more Vpon whose grauestone this briefe
generall visitation began in the moneth of October and in Februarie next following a Parliament vpon prorogation was holden at Westminster in which these vnspeakable crimes of all the Couents were certified by the Commissioners to the King and that high Court. Vpon the reading whereof because their offences were found to be many and odious or that King Henry would haue it so which I rather beleeue it was enacted by both houses in that present Parliament that all religious houses of and vnder the yearely value of two hundred pound within the whole Realme of England and Wales should be giuen and granted to the King and his heires for euer with all and singuler the lands tenements rents reuersions goods cattels debts ornaments and iewels with all things else thereunto or to their Orders in any wise appertaining or belonging The number of these houses then suppressed were three hundred seuenty sixe The value of their lands yearely as then easily rated was twentie nine thousand fourtie one pounds three pence halfe penie qua others for thirtie two thousand pound and more the moueable goods as they were sold Robin Hoods peniworths amounted to more then one hundred thousand pounds the religious persons that were put out of the same houses were in number aboue ten thousand It was a pitifull thing to here the lamentation that the people in the countrey made for them for there was great hospitalitie kept among them and as it was thought more then ten thousand persons masters and seruants had lost their liuings by the putting downe of those houses at that time Before the dissolution of these religious houses the plot was laid for the suppression of the rest For first of all for an introduction to that which followed Cromwell and the rest of the Visiters in their visitations put forth of their Couents all religious persons that desired to be eased of the burdenous yoke of their profession to whom the Abbot or Prior was to giue to such so departed for their habit a Priests gowne and fourty shillings of money The Nunnes to haue such apparell as secular women wore and to go whither they would They put forth likewise all religious persons that were vnder the age of foure and twenty yeares and afterwards closed vp the residue that would remaine so that they could not come out of their places and tooke order that no man should come to the houses of women nor women to the houses of men but onely to heare their seruice in the Church This little bondage after so long and so licentious a time of libertie could not be endured which being perceiued by the Commissioners with faire promises of other preferments or competent yearely pensions they so wrought with the Abbots Priors and Prioresses and the rest of the Couents that diuers of them surrendred vp their houses with the appurtenances into the Kings hands before the sitting of this Parliament as by these words in the foresaid Act doth plainly appeare And also be it enacted that his Highnes shall haue to him and his heires all and singular such Monasteries Abbies and Priories which at any time within on yeare next before the making of this Act hath beene giuen and granted by any Abbot Prior Abbesse or Prioresse vnder their Couent Seale or that otherwise hath beene suppressed or dissolued and all and sinâ—gular the lands tenements goods c. interests and hereditaments c. to the same appertaining and belonging Now by the example of these or by what other meanes I know not the rest of the Abbots Priors Abbesses and Prioresses at other times with vnanimous consent of their Couents in great compunction of spirit contrition of heart and confession of their manifold enormities did seuerally giue and grant to the Kings Maiestie and to his heires all their right and interest which they had in their Monasteries lands goods or hereditaments by certaine instruments or writings vnder their hands and Sâ—ales of which I will set downe one or two for example which I had from my louing friend Master Iohn Masters Master of the Augmentation Office in forme as followeth But first will it please you reade the copie of the Kings Warrant to such his Commissioners as were to take the Surrenders of Religious houses The forme of which thus followeth Henry the eighth c. To our trustie c. Forasmuche as we vnderstand that the Monastery of S. A. is at this presente in such state as the same is neither vsed to the glory of God nor to the benefyte of our Comon welth We let you wit that therfore being mynded to take the same into our owne hands for a better purpose like as we doubt not but the head of the same wil be contented to make his surrender accordingly we for the spesyall truste and confydence that we haue in your fydellity wisdomes and discrecions haue and by these presents doo authoryse name assygne and appoynte you that immediatly repayring to the sayd Howse ye shall receave of the sayd Head such a wryting vnder the Couent Seale as to your discretyons shall seeme requisite meete and conuenient for the due surrender to our vse of the same and thervpon take posâ—sessyon therof and of all the goodes cattelles plate fuelâ—es implements and stuffe being within or apperteyneng thervnto And forther causyng all the goodes and implements to be indisterently sold either for reddy money or at dayes vpon suffyciente suertyes so that the same day passe not one yere and a halfe Ye shall deliuer to the said Head and Brethren suche parte of the sayd money and goodes as ye by your discresyons shall thinke meete and conuenyente for their despeche And forther to see them haue convenyente pensyons by your wysdomes assigned accordyngly which done and moreouer seeing the rightfull and due debts therof payd and satysfyed as well of the revenewes as of the sayd stuffe as to reason and good â—onscyens apperteyneth and your charges reasonablie allowed ye shall proceed to the dissolutyon of the sayd howse And forther in your name take possessyon of the same to be kept to our vse and profyte Ye shall furthermore bringe and convaye to owr Tower of London after yowr sayd discressyons all the rest of the sayd money Plate Iuelles and ornaments that in any wyse shall come to your hands by meane of the premysses or of any parte therof Straitely charging and commandynge all Maires Sheryffes Bayliâ—â—â—s Constables and all other our Officers Ministers and Subiects to whom in this case it shall apperteyne that vnto you and euery of you in exeâ—ution herof they be helpinge aydinge sauoring and assisting as they will answer vnto vs to the contrary at their vttermoste perrilles Yeuen c. The resignation or surrender of the Prior and Couent of Saint Andrewes Northampton with a recognition of their manifold enormities Most noble and vertuous Prince owr most rightuous and gracyous Soueraign Lorde and vndoubted Founder and in erthe next vndre God
England should not be named or called from henceforth Prior of Saint Iohns of Ierusalem in England but by his proper name of William Weston Knight without further addition touching the said Religion And that likewise Sir Iohn Rauson knight being then Prior of Kilmainam in Ireland should not bee called or named from thenceforth Prior of Kilmainam in Ireland but onely by his proper name of Iohn Rauson knight without farther addition And that none of the Brethren or Confriers of the said Religion within this Realme of England and Land of Ireland should bee called Knights of the Rhodes or knights of Saint Iohns but by their owne proper Christian names and surnames of their parents without any other additions And furthermore it was enacted vnder a great penaltie that they should not weare about their necks in or vpon any apparell of their bodies any chaine with a Ierusalem Crosse or any other signe marke or token theretoâ—fore vsed and deuised for the knowledge of the said Religion and that they should not make any congregations chapiters or assemblies touching the same Religion or maintaine support vse or defend any liberties franchises or priuiledges theretofore granted to the said Religion by the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome or of the See of the same Lastly it was granted by the authoritie of the said Parliament that the Kings Maiestie his heires and successors should haue and enioy their said mansion house in the Parish aforesaid within the County of Midlesex and also the Hospitall of Kilmainam in Ireland with all their appurtenances for euer Yet it was prouided by the said Act that Sir William Weston and Sir Iohn Rauson Priors as also some other of the Confriers should haue a certaine annuall pension during their liues with some reasonable proportion of their owne proper goods And this was done saith the words in the statute by the agreement and assent of the Kings most excellent goodnes Sir William Weston had giuen vnto him one thousand pound of annuall rent or pension Sir Iohn Rauson fiue hundred Markes Clement West Confrier two hundred pound Thomas Pemberton fourescore pound Gyles Russell one hundred pound George Ailmer one hundred pound Iohn Sutton two hundred pound Edward Bellingham an hundred pound Edward Browne fifty pound Edmund Husse an hundred Markes Ambrose Caue an hundred Markes Thomas Copledyke fifty pound Cuthbert Leighton threescore pound Richard Broke an hundred Markes Henry Poole two hundred Markes William Tyrell thirty pound Iohn Rauson Confrier two hundred Markes To Anthony Rogers Oswald Massingberd Iames Husse Thomas Thornell Nicholas Hopton Philip Babington Henry Gerard Dunstan Nudegate Nicholas Lambert and Dauid Gonson being Confriers professed and hauing no certaine liuing was giuen ten pound a peece of yearely pension And if any proâ—esâ—ed in the said Religion were negligently forgotten or omitted out of that present Act for lacke of knowledge of their names yet it was ordered by the same that they should haue such honest conuenient and reasonable yearly pension and portion of goods as should please the Kings Maiestie to limit and appoint And by the said Act Ioâ—n Mableston Subprior of this Hospitall in England William Ermested Master of the Temple of London Walter Lymsey and Iohn Winter Chapleines were authorized to receiue and enioy during their naturaâ—l liues all such mansion houses stipends and wages in as large and ample manner as euer they did before the sitting of that Parliament What other pensions were giuen or how much the value in money was of the yearely profits of these foure last remembred I do not reade But the annuities or pensions appointed to the said two knights and the Confriers amounted to the summe of two thousand eight hundred and seuenty pound the yeare issuing out of the lands to this Hospitall appertaining And I finde that at the very same time of the dissolution of this Fraternitie certaine lusts and Tourneaments being holden at Westminster wherein the challengers against all commers were Sir Iohn Dudley Sir Thomas Seymor Sir Thomas Poinings Sir George Carew knights Antony Kingston and Richard Cromwell Esquires To each one of which for a reward of their valiantnesse the King gaue an hundred Markes of yearely reuenues and an house to dwell in and both of them to them and their heires for euer out of the lands and liuings belonging to this Hospitall Of such a large extensure were her possessions And much what after this manner the rest of the Manors honors lands tenements rents and reuersions were bestowed and likewise at that time vpon small considerations the scite and lands of all other Monasteries were begged bought and alienated by such who respected their owne profit aboue the seruice of Almighty God Albeit it was then declared saith Camden that such religious places being of most pious intent consecrated to the glory of God might haue beene according to the Canons of the Church bestowed in exhibition and almes for Gods Ministers reliefe of the poore redemption of captiues and repairing of Churches All Monasteries being thus suppressed it followed that vnder a faire pretence of rooting out of superstition all Chanteries Colledges and Hospitals were likewise by Act of Parliament left to the dispose and pleasure of the King And all these Monuments aforesaid of our forefathers pietie and deuotion to the honour of God the propagation of Christian saith and good learning and also for the reliefe and maintenance of the poore and impotent if without offence I may speake the truth All these I say for the most part were shortly after to wit within the remainder of his raigne and the short time of his Sonnes King Edward the sixth euery where pulled downe their reuenues sold and made a way and those goods and riches which the Christian pietie of our English Nation had consecrated vnto God since they first professed Christianity were in a moment as it were dispersed and to the displeasure of no man be it spoken profaned Thus haue you seene by degrees the fatall and finall period of Abbeyes Priories and such like religious Structures with the casting out to the wide world of aâ—l their religious Votaries chiefly occasioned by their owne abhominable crying sinnes more then by any other secondarie meanes as plainly doth appeare by the premisses All which Queene Mary attempted to haue restored to their pristine estate and former glory But all in vaine for these religious Ediâ—ices with the lands and possessions thereunto belonging were so infringed alienated and transferred that neither the power of Maiestie nor the force of Parliament could reduce them againe to the proper vse for which by the Founders they were intended Howsoeuer she being a Prince more zealous then poliâ—â—keâ— resigned and confirmed by Parliament to God and holy Church all those Ecclesiasticall reuenues which by the authoritie of that high Court in the time of her father King Henry had beene annexed to the Crowne to the great diminution and impouerishing of the same And
258 Dudley 417.114 Dudley D. of Northumberland 515.320 Duke 747.732 Dunster 2â—9 Dunham 8â—5 826 Van Dâ—n 499 Dunstable 577 Dunston Archbishop 300 301 357 E Eadsine Archbishop 302 Eadburgh 263 Eadbald King 268 Eastgate 353 Eckiâ—ford 331 Ekington 535 Edbald King 242 â—den 747 Edgar King 240. his oration to his Bishops 67.68 Epington Bishop 71 Editha Queene 453.645 Edmund Ironside King 344. Ed. D. of Yorke 588. Ed. E. of Lane 477 Edmund Archbishop 303 Edmund E. of March 860 Edmund D. Somerset 573 Edmund King Martyr 724.725 Edw. the first king 456. the third 339 465. the fifth 520 Edw. and Rich. the sonnes of king E. 4. murdered their supposed interment 520.521 Edw. eldest sonne of Ed. the blacke Prince 419 Ed. the blacke Prince 205 Edw. confessor King 452.646 his vision 456. Edw. Prince 204.419 Edw. D. of Cornwall 586 Edward sonne of Tho. of Brotherton Earle Marshall 753 Ed. Duke of Somerset Vide Seymour Ed. de la Bay 587 Egard 778 Egbert King 242.260.261 Egelnoth Archbishop 301 Egelfind 253.346 Egelmare Bishop 785 Egfrid king 569.761 Egfend 825 Eglesfeild 598 Egwolfe 714. his shrines 381 Egre 412.421 Egremond Lord 635 Egton 292 Elshum 260.335.236.290 Elsnoth Archbishop 253 Ethelbald king 177 Eleanor Queene 464 Elizabeth Queene of England 398.799.606.514 Eleonor Countesse of Derby 407 Elianor Dutchesse of Glocest. 638 Elizabeth Countesse of Aâ—holl 275 Elizabeth Countesse of Northampton 388 Elizabeth Countesse of Shrewsbury 335 Elâ—zabeth Countesse of Winchelsey 297 Eliz. D. of King Henry 7. 477 Ellys 801.290 Elingham 814 Elinham 727 Elinham D. B. 785.335 Elphege Archbishop 301.339 Emma Queene 242 Emma Anchoresse 807 Empson 416.656 Eudo Dapiser 612 Engaine 651 Enot 750 Entwisell Bertin 578. Wilfred 597. Epitaphs Vide Discourse cap. 2 Epsley 777 Eraclius or Heraclius Patriarch 431 441 Ercombert King 242 Ereby 330 Erkenwald Bishop 599.358.713 his shrine 380 Ermingland 826 Ermested 114 Erlington 537.427 Erpingham 796.856.209 Espoke 136 Esquires of fiue sorts 595 59â— Esquire what ibid Esseby 298 Essex 603.259.524 Ethelburg 599.761 Ethelbert King 308.239.241.413.260.354 his Tower 259 Ethelinga 261 Ethelred King 357 Ethelwolfe King 174.181 Ethelgoda Queene 451 Eton 657 Euaristus first Bishop of Rome 176 Eve 539 Euersden 722 Everard Bishop 789 Eueâ—ingham 72 Eure 370 Eustach de Merch 547 Eustace King Stephens sonne 278 Ewell 771 Excommunication 48 Extraneus 530.823 F FAbian 352.416 Fabell Peter tho merry deuill of Edmundton 534 Falleys 721 Farmyngham 760.157 Farringdon 890 Fastolfe 782.751.783.784.863.805 Fauconbridge Bâ—shop 359 Faurlore 399 Feast whose fragments were sufficiâ—ent for ten thousand men 7â—1 Felâ—â—ingham 80â— Felix Bishop 717.730.766 â—â—â— Fellow 672 675 621 Felbridge 983 856.8â—â— De la Felde â—â—â— Feltsham â—â—â— Fenningle 5â—â— Fermont 647 Fernesold â—99 Ferers 484.804 Ferers Will. Earle 811 Ferminus 760 Ferrant 672.675.679 Fereby 392 Ferres 804 Feuersham 276.282.283 Feynes Lord Say 324 Beheaded 279 Feynes or Fines Lord Dacre executed 41â— Fyge 656 Fylazar what 537 Filian 750 Fyloll 606 701 Fynâ—n Bishop 713 Fineux â—35 269 Findon 244.257 Finch 297.270.236.276 Fincham 81â— Finers 731 Fisher Bishop 500.501.502.503.504 Fisher 525 Fytz Payne 617 Fytz Iames Bishop 364 526 Fitz-Peter 855 Fitz Gerald 532 Fitz Alan Earle of Arundell 418. Edm. 542. Tho. Archbishop 225 Fitz Mary 416.500 Fitz-Roy D. of Richmond 840 Fitzwater 607.337.632 633 598.744 291 613.811 Fitz-vrâ—e 201.202 Fitz Iohn 721 821 Fitz-Geffrey 855 Fitz Roger 598 Fitz-Theobald 400 Fitz-Hugh Bishop 360 Fitzwarren 406 Fitz-Gilbert 629 630 Fiâ—z-Hamon 829 Fitz-Neile Bishop his shrine 381 Fitz Richard 633 Fitz-Lewes 801 425 Fitz-Mary 426 Fitz-Hugh Bishop 360 Fitz Gousbert 356 Flambard 70.531 Fleming Bishop 74 531 Fleming 74.792.350 Flint 801 Flodden field 395 838 De Floriaco Hugh 254 Flower 143 673 676 680 681 Floyde 780 Flowâ—rdew 864 Focaces 527 Fogge 275 235 182 Fâ—lkâ—rd 7â—7 Folthâ—m 806 Font of bâ—asse 564. Font at Vfford 753. at Fastwinch 849 Formes of old deeds 603.604 Forster 447 Formaâ— 647 Ford 537 Forâ—eâ—t 520 Forlace â—93 Forsham 288 Fortescues 799 Foster 387 Foundation of Christ Church in Canterbury 197 Fowler 530 11â— Fowkiâ—ke battell 458 Fox 72.150.654.624 Francanâ— 721 Franke 675 679.681 Francis 399 534.659 Frankland 392 Fresill 727 Frevyt 638 Fremingham 783 Frere 288 Fredericke 258 Freake Bishop 870 Fristobald â—07 misprinted Frithona Archbishop 2â—9 247 Fryston 727 Frost 598 Frowicke 692 533.399.8â—1 Frogenhall 278 Fromers 859 Froudes 436 Fulmerston 827 Fulbert Lord of Chilham 213 Fulborne 146 Fuller 744 Fulham 429 Fursens â—n holy Scot 767 G GAges 235 Galeas Iohn Duke of Millain 740 741 Gayton 432 Garden 497 Gardiner 237 Gardian 111 Garrard 179 Garneys 804.780.783.784 Gate 620 Gaunt Iohn Duke of Lanc. 356 365.661.28â—.828 Gawge 325 Gaueston Earle of Cornwall 588 589.590 Gauelkinde what 348 Gedoing 778 Gedney 860 Geney 804 George Duke of Clarence 284 German 111 Gerock 597 Gernons 617 Gerard 531.114 Gerbridge 805.863 Giants 396.707 Gibson 541 Giddey Hall 650 Gifford 210.779.744 Gilbert 148 Giles 440 Gildersburgh 601 Gisors 406 Githa King Harolds mother 642.643 Glanvill 700 857 748.855.857.858.218.762.7â—7.859 Glanvill Bishop 313 Glendower 742.231 Glemham 782 Glouer 278.676 682 814 alibi Gloucester 421 Goddard 818 263 Godfrey King 278 Godfrey 271 278 Godwin Earle 240 Godwin Bishop 228 alibi Gogmagog 39â— 396 Goldwell Bishop 295 296.795 869 Goldwyre 6 8 Goldington 550 65â— Goldingham 744 781 Goldesbourgh 532 Goldeston 236 Goldrich 742 Goldhirst 404 Golston â—10 Gonvill 828 Good 385 Goodyer 592 533 Goodfellow Iohn his heart 436 Goosalue 864 Gorambery 583 584 Gorbone 500 Gosse 531 Gosting 446 Goshall 265 Gotcelinus 710 Gousall 756 Gouson 114 Goâ—ncill 753 Gower 260 270. alibi Granthorpe 291 Grandison Bishop â—2â— vnto 330 Gratiosus 251 Graue-diggers 51 Grauency 282 Grauesend Bishop 427 600 Grey Earle of Kent 686 Bishop of Norwich 219 789 Grey Lord 425 Grey 807.209.404 212.855.854.406.436.412.743.744.539 Gredney 535 Greyton 655 Gregby 324 Greystocke 291.655 Greymund 744 Greene 429.272.656.550 Green Gowne giuen to a Nunne 72 Grevill 435 Gresham 400 Gryll 582 82â— Grinkeâ—ell Bishop 78 Grise 825.826 Gros 582 816 Gualter Haddon 391 Guyes 776 Guilford 290 327.235 Guillim 682 Guilliamites 568 Guintoline king 517 Gundulfo Bishop 311.314 Gurney 826 Gurnage 825.826 Gurmund King 748 749 Guttardus 252 Gwinne 45 H HAcket 54 Hadlow 263 Haddon Gwalter Vide Gualter Haddon Hadley the Kings seat 750 Hadenham 315 Heyes Earles of Arroll 867 Hay and his two sonnes their strange aduenterous acts 866.867 De lay Hay 587 Haydok 324 â—aynes 90 Hakom 591 Halley 209 Halsall Bishop 446 Hales 677. â—24 745.260 Hamond 780 Hamund 771 Hampton 259 Hamerton 598 Hamden 381 Hamner Doctor a defacer of Funerall Monuments 427 Hamys 649 Harold King Girth and Leofwin his brothers 642 643 644 Hardishall 720 Harold Harefoot King 444 Harlefton 602 619.727.748 Hardesfield 720 Harecourt 811 Harling 857.828 Harrold 110 Hart 329.676 Hartshorne 694 Harvey of the Norman bloud 722 Haruey King of Armes 672.526.679 Hardell 750 Harnold knight and Frier 721 Hatsick 805.815 Harding 209.237 alibi Harfleet 265 Harington 370 Harison 546
therto Caerlyon The King and other hely men destruyde hem alle yfere And eyghte and twenty Bishops in hure stede dude rere And the Erchbishopes ther c. A little more in another place to the same purpose if you be not already weary of reading thus much The Pape Eleutherie that sende huder furst Chrestendom Was the XIII Pape that aftur Peter com The descyples yat he huder sende xpendom to bring By lefte in wildernesse aftur hure prechyng That me clupeth Glastyngbury that desert was tho And ther by come Monckes and nome to hem mo Phagan and Damian chief of hem wer And othur mo that loued best to liue and dwelle ther Becaus that Ioseph of Arimathic and hys felowes twelue Thulk plas chosen had to wonne ther by hem selue And ther wyth hure own honds had rerde a Church Of hurdles and of yerds as hij coud worche And held ther by hem self the law of xpendom And yat was longe er xpendom to kyng Lucie com The foundation of the famous Colledge of Bangor in Wales is ascribed to this king Lucius in which so many hundreds of Monkes liued deuoutly and religiously by the labour of their owne hands according to this peece of my foresaid Author In the Citie of Bangor a gret hous tho was And ther vndyr vij cellens and ther of ther nas That CCC Monckes hadde othur mo And alle by hure trauayle lyuede loke now if they do so From the time of king Lucius vntill the entrance of Austin the Monke called the Englishmens Apostle which was foure hundred and some few yeares the Christan faith was alwayes both taught and embraced in this Island notwithstanding the continuall persecutions of the Romanes Huns Picts and Saxons which last made such desolation in the outward face of the Church that they droue the Christian Bishops into the desarts of Cornwall and Wales by whose labours the Gospell was plentifully propagated amongst those vast mountaines and those parts aboue all other made glorious by the multitudes of their holy Saints and learned Teachers Of which a namelesse Author mentioned by Speed Hist. cap 9. Sicut erat celebris cultu numeroque Deorum Cum Iouis imperium staret Britannica tellus Sic vbi terrestres coelo descendit ad oras Expectata salus patribus fuit inclyta sanctis Qui Neptunicolum campos Canibrica rura Coryneasque casas loca desolata colebant As were the Britaines famous for their zeale To Gentile Gods whiles such they did adore So when the Heau'ns to Earth did Truth reueale Bless'd was that Land with Truth and Learning store Whence British plaines and Cambrias desert ground And Cornewalls crags with glorious Saints abound About the yeare six hundred Christian Religion in this Island being almost totally eclipsed by seuerall persecutions Pope Gregory the first being zealously moued for the reconuersion of this English Nation sent hither Austin the Monke with other his associates to kindle anew the sparkes of Christianity which were couered in the cinders of Pagans desolation The story is frequent and I shall often touch vpon it Ethelbert being as then king of Kent receiued holy Baptisme by the said Austin being principally induced thereunto by Berta his wife and Queene a Christian daughter to Chilperuk king of France Christianity being thus receiued by him the most potent king of the Saxons Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis The good example of the King His people all to Christ did bring The succeeding Saxon kings followed his heauenly steps endeauouring in all they might to ouerthrow the Synagogue of Satan by breaking downe the abhominable idols throughout the whole Island Edwyne king of Northumberland Carpenwald king of the East-English Sebert king of the East-Saxons Kynigilds king of the West-Saxons Peda king of the Merciâ—â—s Ethâ—â—ulphe king of the South-Saxons in the space of not much aboue threescore yeares after the conuersion of King Ethelbert were conuerted 〈◊〉 God so wrought with them from Paganisme and Idolatrie vnto the beleefe and worship of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Christian faith was publikely preached in all their dominions These and other the Saxon kings for sanâ—tâ—ty of life are ranked before all the Kings and Potentates of the world For such was their feruent zeale in Religion that he thought himselfe most happie who in pious acts hard penance wearie pilgrimages and retired solitude spent the various course of life which moued many of them to exchange a pallace royall and a Scepter imperiall for a poore cell and a Monâ—â—â—h stâ—â—fe to forsake their owne kingdome and to liue as pilgrimes in a forraine countrey to lose their owne lines in warlike opposition against Pagans and Infidels thereby to liue in heauen amongst the noble army of Martyrs and lastly it moued them and other great personageâ— so â—oâ—vâ—ng their pious examples to erect and amplie endow religious 〈…〉 as Churches Chappels Schooles Colledges and Monasteâ—â—e 〈◊〉 the preaching and further propagating of the Christian faith As you may see in the sequell of these intended labours Whose charters did 〈◊〉 end with an execrable curse to all those which by any manner of meanes should demolish or ouerthrow any of such their sacred structures or infringe alienate or diminish any of their immunities or yearely reuenewes Likewise fearefull comminations and excommunications were threatned and thundred out against those which should scorne abuse deceiue or craftily entrap any one either of the secular or Monasticall orders and a benediction diuulged and granted to all those by whom they should bee honoured reuerenced rewarded and haue their liuelihoods further enricht concluding with a promise to defend these religious Votaries from the persecution of all humane enemies and to maintaine their liâ—eâ—â—ies freedomes and priuiledges from the vsurpation of any secular power Their donations were sometime in meeter or rime with the names of a number of witnesses whereunto the signe of the crosse was euer added the forme of which you may reade hereafter but the most of these their important writings were in prose and many of them wondrous short For example King Athelston giues a certaine plow-land and other profits to the Priest of the Church of high Bickington in Denshire in these words which I had from my friend Master Tristram Risdon that countrey man Ich Athelston Konyng Grome of hys home Y if and grant to ye Prestes of thus chyrche On Yok of my lond freliche to hold wodd in My holt hous to build bit gras for alle hys beastes vewel for hys herth pannage For Sow and Puggis World out end To the gouernment of these foresaid holy Fabricks and their reuenues such men were chosen as were the best learned and most eminent for integritie of life The Priests consecrated by the imposition of hands and appointed to say prayers administer the Sacraments instruct the Christians which daily increased and to execute all such offices as belonged to a
haue to the seyd Iohn and to his heyres beryng therfor a certayn yerly rent specyfyd in yowr seyd indentures and afterwards the seyd Iohn and Bryan his son hadd of yowr graunt the same londes and tenements with othyr by yowr othyr indentures yervpon made betwex yow tham whych endentures wer seald by yow and the seyd Iohn in thabsens of his seyd son delyuered and left in yowr kepyng of trust and soon aftyr fortuned him to be sleyne at the lamentable conflyct of Wakfeld in the seruice of the ryghte noble and famous Prynce owr fader whom God rest And now as we hear ye labor and entend to put owr seyd servant hys son from the seyd londes and tenements contrary to yowr fyrst and latyr graunte a for expressyd and agenst ryght and good conscyens yf hit be as is surmysed We therfor exhort and desyr yow to suffre owr seyd servant to have and enioy the seyd londs and tenements according to yowr forseyd couenants and graunts and to delyuer vnto him the seyd later endentures concerning the same as his fader so left of trust in yowr kepyng And beside that to shew to owr seyd servant in any othyr matyrs lawfull and reasonable that he shall a have adoo with yow yowr beneuolences and herty fauors and the rathyr and mor especyally at owr instance and contemplacyon of theys owr letters wherin ye shall not only doo vs a singular plasur but caus vs for the sam to have yow and yowr plas in the mor herty fauor and recomendacyon of owr good grase Yeuen vndre owr Signet at owr palas of Westminstre the xix day of Iun. To ouerpasse the short time during the Protectorship and raigne of King Richard the third let vs come vnto Henry the seuenth in whose dayes religious persons did wallow in all kindes of voluptuousnesse to the Kings no little griefe who by his breeding vnder a deuout mother as also in his owne nature was euer a zealous obseruer of religious formes To bridle whose incontinent liues he caused an Act to be made bearing this title An Act to punish Priests for their incontinencie Of which so much as will serue for this purpose Item For the more sure and likely reformation of Priests Clerks and religious men culpable or by their demerits openly reported of incontinent liuing in their bodies contrary to their Order It is enacted ordained and stablished by the aduice and assent of the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in the said Parliament assembled and by authority of the same That it be lawfull to all Archbishops and Bishops and other Ordinaries hauing Episcopall iurisdiction to punish and chastice Priests Clerks and religious men being within the bounds of their iurisdiction as shall be conuicted before them by examination and other lawfull profe requisite by the Law of the Church of Aduoutrie Fornication Incest or any other fleshly incontinencie by committing them to ward and prison there to abide for such time as shall be thought to their discretions conuenient for the qualitie and quantitie of their trespasse And that none of the said Archbishops Bishops or other Ordinaries aforesaid be thereof chargeable of to or vpon any Action of false or wrongfull imprisonment but that they be vtterly thereof discharged in any of the cases aforesaid by vertue of this Act. In his sonnes raigne the Pope being here in England at the point verticall of his all-commanding power and religious Orders growne to the height of their abominable sinnes both of them had a sudden downfall as will appeare in the subsequent Chapters But of the pietie and impuritie of Monkes and other religious Votaries of the first and latter times take for a conclusion of this as also of the precedent Chapter these riming Hexameters as I haue them out of the booke of Rufford Abbey in Nottinghamshire a Manuscript in Sir Robert Cottons Librarie Inuectio Walonis Britonis in Monachos Sacrilegis Monachis emptoribus Ecclesiarum Composui Satyram Ordo Monasticus Ecclesiasticus esse solebat Dura cibaria dum per agrestia rura colebat Nulla pecunia nulla negocia prepediebant Sobria copia parua colonia sufficiebant Pro venialibus capitalibus inuigilabant Tam venalia quam capitalia nostra placebant Ordo Monasticus Ecclesiasticus est violenter Ecclesiastica comparat omna dona potenter Ordo Monasticus Ecclesiasticus est sine fructu Intrat ouilia desuper ostia non sine luctu Ordo Monasticus Ecclesiasticus est sine causa Clamat ad ostia spiritualia iam sibi clausa Ordo Monasticus Ecclesiasticus inde vocatur Quando rapacibus atque tenacibus assimulatur Terra pecunia magna Palatia templa parantur Vnde potencia siue superbia magnificantur Desunt caetera CHAP. XIII Of the abrogation abolition and extinguishment of the Popes supreme and exorbitant authoritie within the King of Englands Dominions KIng Henry the eighth vpon occasion of delay made by Pope Clement the seuenth in the controuersie of diuorcement betwixt him and Queene Katherine and through displeasure of such reports as hee heard had beene made of him to the Court of Rome or else pricked forward by some of his Counsellours to follow the example of the Germanes caused Proclamation to be made on the eighteenth day of September Anno reg 22. forbidding all his subiects to purchase or attempt to purchase any manner of thing from the Court of Rome containing matter preiudiciall to the high authoritie iurisdiction and prerogatiue Royall of this Realme or to the hinderance and impeachment of the Kings Maiesties noble and vertuous intended purposes Vpon paine of incurring his Highnesse indignation and imprisonment and further punishment of their bodies for their so doing at his Graces pleasure to the dreadfull example of all other Not long after it was enacted that appealeâ— such as had been vsed to be pursued to the See of Rome should not be from thenceforth had neither vsed but within this Realme and that euerie person offending against this Act should runne into the dangers paines and penalties of the Estatute of the Prouision and Premunire made in the fiue and twentieth yeare of the raigne of King Edward the third and in the sixteenth yeare of King Richard the second And shortly after this it being thought by the ignorant vulgar people that to speake against any of the lawes decrees ordinances and constitutions of the Popes made for the aduancement of their worldly glorie and ambition was damnable heresie it was enacted that no manner of speaking doing communication or holding against the Bishop of Rome called the Pope or his pretensed authoritie or power made or giuen by humane lawes or policies and not by holy Scripture nor any speaking doing communication or holding against any Lawes called Spirituall Lawes made by authoritie of the See of Rome by the policie of men which were repugnant and contrariant to the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme or the Kings Prerogatiue royall
should be deemed reputed accepted or taken to be Heresie It was also enacted that no manner of appeales should be had prouoked or made out of this Realme or any the Kings dominions to the Bishop of Rome or to the See of Rome in any causes or matters happening to be in contention and hauing their commensement and beginning in any of the Courts within this Realme or within any the Kings dominions of what nature condition or qualitie soeuer they were Vpon this followed another Act restraining the payment of Annates or first-fruits to the Bishop of Rome and of the electing and consecrating of Bishops within this Realme Another Act was made concerning the exoneration of the Kings Subiects from exactions and impositions theretofore paied to the See of Rome and for hauing licences and dispensations within this Realme without suing further for the same in which the Commons assembled complaine to his Maiestie that the subiects of this Realme and other his dominions were greatly decaied and impouerished by intollerable exactions of great summes of money claimed and taken by the Bishop of Rome and the See of Rome as well in pensions censes Peter-pense procurations fruits sutes for prouisions and expeditions of Bulls for Archbishoprickes and Bishopricks and for delegacies of rescripts in causes of contentions and appeales iurisdictions legatiue and also for dispensations licences faculties grants relaxations Writs called Perinde valere rehabitations abolitions and other infinite sorts of Bulls breeues and instruments of sundrie natures names and kindes in great numbers ouer long and tedious here particularly to be inserted It was affirmed in this Parliament that there had been paied to the Pope of Rome onely for Bulls by our English Bishops and other of the kingdome since the fourth of Henry the seuenth to that time threescore thousand pound sterling The next yeare following in a Parliament begun at Westminster the third of Nouember the Pope with all his authoritie was cleane banished this Realme and order taken that he should no more bee called Pope but Bishop of Rome and the King to be taken and reputed as supreme head in earth of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia And that hee their Soueraigne Lord his heires and successours kings of this Realme should haue full power and authoritie from time to time to visit represse redresse reforme order correct restraine and amend all such eâ—rours heresies abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoeuer they were which by any manner spirituall authoritie or iurisdiction ought or might lawfully bee reformed repressed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended most to the pleasure of Almighty God the increase of vertue in Christs religion and for the conseruation of peace vnitie and tranquilitie of this Realme any vsage custome forraine lawes forraine authority prescription or any thing or things to the contrary thereof notwithstanding In this Parliament also were granted to the King and his heires the first-fruits and tenths of all spirituall dignities and promotions His stile of supremacie was further ratified and declared to bee set downe in this forme and manner following in the Latine tongue by these words Henricus octauus Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Rex Fidei defensor in terra Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hibernicae supremum caput In the English tongue by these Henry the eight by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland defendour of the faith and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in earth the supreme head Which stile was enacted to bee vnited and annexed for euer to the imperiall Crowne of this his Highnesse Realme of England Vpon the first expulsion of the Popes authoritie and King Henries vndertaking of the Supremacie the Priests both religious and secular did openly in their Pulpits so farre extoll the Popes iurisdiction and authority that they preferred his lawes before the kings yea and before the holy precepts of God Almighty Whereupon the King sent his mandatory letters to certaine of his Nobilitie and others in especiall office thinking thereby to restraine their seditious false doctrine and exorbitancie And here let me tell you that amongst many letters of important affaires which I found in certaine Chandlers shops of our Parish allotted to light Tobacco pipes and wrap vp peniworths of their commodities all which I gaue to Sir Robert Cotton Knight and Baronet the onely repairer of ruined antiquirie whom I knew the contents therof shewing some passages of former times would preserue them for better vses I happened vpon certaine letters following tending to the same purpose of which I haue already spoken Henry R. By the King RIght trusty and right welbiloued Cousin we grete you well And wher it is commen to our knowlaige that sundry persons aswell religious as seculer Priests and curats in their peroches and dâ—ueâ—se places within this our Realme do dailly asmoche as in them is set foâ—the and extolle the iurisdiction and auctoritie of the Bishop of Rome ortherwyse called Pope sowing their sediciouse pestylent and false doctryne praying for him in the Pulpit and makyng hym a God to the greate deceyte illudyng and seducyng of our subgietts bryngyng them into errors sedicyon and euyll opynyons more preferryng the power lawes and Iurisdictyon of the said Bishop of Rome then the most holly lawes and precepts of almighty God We therfore myndyng not only to prouide for an vnitie and quietnes to be had and contynued among our said subgietts but also greatly couâ—tyng and desyryng them to be brought to a perfectyon and knawlege of the mere veritie and truth and no longer to be seduced nor blynded with any suche superstitiouse and false doctryne of any erthly vsurper of godds lawes will therfore and commaund you that wher and whensoeuer ye shall fynde apperceyve know or heretell of any such sedicious personnes that in suche wise do spreade teche and preache or otherwise set forth any suâ—he opynyons and perniciouse doctryne to the exaltatyon of the power of the bishop of Rome bryngyng therby our subgietts into error gruge and murmuracyon that ye indelaydly doo apprehend and take them or cause them to be apprehended and taken and so commytted to Ward ther to remayne without bayle or mayneprise vntill vpon your aduertisement therof vnto vs or our Councell ye shall know our further pleasure in that behalfe Ye uen vndre our Signet at our Manor of Grenwich the xvii day of Aprill This letter was thus endorsed To our right trusty and welbiloued cousin and Counsellor Th erle of Sussex In Iune or Iuly following these maiesticall commanding Epistles were seconded and made more strong by an Act of Parliament called An Act extinguishing the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome Of which I hold it not amisse to set downe so much as principally tends to the purpose To begin then at the beginning For as much as notwithstanding the good and wholesome lawes ordinances and statutes heretofore made enacted
were tearmed Basilicae for that the Basilicae of the Gentiles which were large and spacious Hauls wherein Magistrates sat in iudgement and ministred iustice were conuerted into Christian Churches Whence Ausonius wrote thus Basilica olim negotijs plena c. The Basilica or Haul of Iustice in times past full of businesses is now as full of prayers and vowes or else because they were built in forme somewhat long in manner of those Basilicae But to returne backe againe to my Parishes which are called Benefices for Ecclesiasticall persons like as the preferments in Cathedrall Churches are tearmed Church Dignities and of these some are called Rectories or Parsonages some Vicaradges as will appeare by the sequele Parochia is sometime called Plebania and thus defined Plebania est aliud genus beneficij et maius quam Rectoria habet sub se Capellas et dignitatem esse putant interpretes Plebania is another kinde of Benefice and of greater circuite then a Rectorie it hath vnder it certaine Chappels and this Plebania or dignitas plebeia is said to be a Church dignitie by Interpretours Questionlesse these Plebanians were like our side-wasted Parishes in Lanchishire whose extensure is so large that to my owne knowledge some one of those Parish Churches hath fourteene Chappels of ease as we call them within the circumference of her limits and as it were vnder her iurisdiction all which are honoured with Parochiall rites Cathedrall Abbey and Parish Churches had great priuiledges of sanctuarie granted vnto them in former times Now a Sanctuarie is a place of refuge for offenders to escape punishment And these Sanctuaries were so called of an old Mosaicall rite vsed amongst the Israelites among whom euery Tribe had certaine Cities and places of refuge to which malefactours might repaire and for a time bee protected from the rigour of the Law Of which you may reade in the sacred writ Exod. 21.13 Numb 35.1 Deuter. 4.41 and Iosh. 20.2 And so likewise here in great Britaine Churches Church-yards Cities ploughs and high-wayes had many priuiledges in this kinde anciently granted and confirmed vnto them I will speake first of the last out of a late Writer who makes old Watling-streete thus to sing his verse Since vs his kinglie waies Mulmutius first began From 〈◊〉 â—gaine â—o Sea that through the Hand ran Wh 〈…〉 at in mâ—nd to keepe Posteritie might haue Appoâ—nting â—ust his course this priuiledge he gaue That no man might arrest or debtors goods might seize In any of vs foure his militarie waies Neare fiue hundred yeares before this King Mulmutius take it vpon the credit oâ— the British Story constituted diuerse lawes especially that Churches Ploughs and high wayes should haue liberties of Sanctuary by no authoritie violable That Churches should be free and enioy liberty for refuge consenting allowance of most Nations haue tollerated and in this kingdome it being affirmed also by constitution of King Lucius a Christian euery Church yard was a Sanctuary vntill by Act of Parliament vnder Hen. 8. that licence for protection of offences being too much abused was taken away Of Mulmutius Dunwallo for so hee is sometime called and his priuiledges to sacred places my old Mss. thus further speakes A kynge ther was in Brutayne Donwâ—lle was his nam Stale worth and hardy a man of grete fam He ordeyned first yat theeues yat to Temple slown wer No man wer so hardy to do hem despit ther That hath be moche suth yhold as hit begonne tho Hely Chyrch hit holdyth yut and wole euer mo Hereupon he called the Temples which hee built the Temples of peace and concord one of which was in London where now Blackwell Hall is another in Fleete-street as yet called the Temple Church wherein or in some of them himselfe Gorbomannus and other of the British kings were interred as by supposition it is deliuered Lucius king of the Britaines hauing abundantly distributed and giuen ample possessions and reuenues to Churches and Clergie men ordained that Churches with their Coemiteries or Church-yards should haue this priuiledge that what malefactour soeuer should thither make flight for his safetie he might there remaine without indemnitie Ethelwolfe and Alfred Kings of the West-Saxons gaue the like important priuiledges to these holy Edifices Athelstane sole Monarch of the Englishmen held the memory of Iohn de Beuerley Archbishop of Yorke so sacred and reuerend for he honored him as his â—urelar Saint that he endowed Beuerley the place of the said Archbishops birth with many and those very great priuiledges and granted them liberties in these generall words As free make I thee As heart may think or eie may see Yea and there was granted vnto it the priuiledge of a Sanctuary so that Bankrupts and men suspected of any capitall crime worthy of death might be free and safe there from the danger of the law in which was erected a chaire of stone with this Inscription This seat of Stone is called Freed stool that is the chaire of peace vnto which what offender soeuer flieth and commeth hath all manner of Securitie Of the Sanctuary at Westminster first granted by Sebert King of the East-Saxons encreased by Edgar King of the West-Saxons and confirmed by the Charter of King Edward the Confessor I haue spoken before If any one guilty of offence flie from any place for refuge to the Church Church-doore to the Parson or Vicars house or into any part of his base or inner Court prouided that the said house and courts bee within consecrated ground it shall not be lawfull for any to take him from thence saue onely the Bishop or some of his Officers Now if this malefactour bee a filching knaue or an high-way robber and be taken with the bootie or if his theeuish purchase be altogether exhausted and spent yet if he haue any meanes otherwayes of his owne he shall make satisfaction to the partie or parties whom hee hath so wronged and if hee still continue to play the thiefe and make a custome of this manner of flight to Churches and Priests houses after restitution made he shall abiure the countrey and if he giue not satisfaction to the parties whose goods hee hath taken and purloyned no man shall dare to giue him lodging or entertainment without the kings speciall licence first obtained If a Clergie-man bee taken for felonie deliuered to the Ordinarie and breake prison and flie to the Church for sanctuarie or refuge he shall bee taken from thence and put into the same prison out of which he escaped for the Church ought not to defend him nor any publike malefactour Si ad pacem Regis venire noluerit But stay for if robbing from other mens works to embellish my owne writings be an offence it is high time for mee to take Sanctuarie yet giue me leaue to go a little further in my course and to speake somewhat out of other Authors of the Ecclesiasticall state of England of
ordeyne and mak him my Executor of my Testament foreseyd kalling to him soche as him thinkyth in his discrecion that can and will labor to the sonrest spede of my will comprehended in this myn Testament And to fulfill trwly all things foresaid y charge my foreseyd Son vpon my blessyng Wetnessyng my welbelouyd Cousins Thomas Erchbyshop of Caunterbury foreseyde and Edward Duke of Yorke Thomas Bishchop of Duresme Richard the Lord Grey my Chamberlaine Iohn Tiptost myn Treasuror of Englond Iohn Prophete Wardeine of my priuie seale Thomas Erpingham Iohn Norbery Robert Waterton and meny oder being present In witnessyng wherof my priuy Seele be my commaundement is set to this my Testament I yeue at my manere of Grenwich the xxi dey of the moneth of Ianuer the yere of owr Lord M. CCCC.VIII and of our Reigne the tenth He departed this world the twentieth of March as aforesaid some three yeares and odde moneths after the making of this his last Will and Testament in a Chamber belonging to the Abbot of Westminster called Ierusalem hauing beene prophetically foretold that hee should die in Ierusalem The words saith Harding that the King said at his death were of high complaint but nought of repentance of vsurpement of the Realme ne of restorement of right heires to the Crowne Which he thus versifies O Lorde he sayd O God omnipotent Now se I well thy Godhede loueth me That suffered neuer my foes to haue their entent Of myne person in myne aduersitie Ne in myne sicknesse ne in myne infyrmyte But ay hast kept it fro theyr maleuolence And chastised me by thy beneuolence Lorde I thanke the with all my herte With all my soule and my spirites clere This wormes mete this caryon full vnquerte That some tyme thought in world it had no pere This face so foule that leprous doth appere That here afoâ—e I haue had such a pryde To purtray oft in many place full wide Of which right now the porest of this lande Except onâ—y of their benignite Wolde lothe to â—â—oke vpon I vnderstande Of which good Lorde that thou so visyte me A thousande tymes the Lord in Trinyte With all my herte I thanke the and commende Into thyne handes my soule withouten ende And dyed so in fayth and hole creance At Cauntorbury buryed with great reuerence As a kyng shulde be with all kynde of circumstance Besyde the Prynce Edward with grete expence His funerall Exequies were solemnised here in all pompe and state his Sonne Henry the fifth and his Nobilitie being present vpon Trinitie Sonday next following the day of his death The reason as I take it wherefore King Henry made choice of this Church for his buriall place was for that his first wife the Lady Mary one of the daughters and coheires of Vmphrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford Essex and Northampton was here entombed who died before hee came to the Crowne Ann. Dom. 1394. leauing behinde her a glorious and faire renowned issue of children to the comfort of her husband and good of the common-wealth viz. Henry afterwards King of England Thomas Duke of Clarence Iohn Duke of Bedford Humphrey Duke of Glocester Blanch married to William Duke of Bauaria and Emperour and Philip married to Iohn King of Denmarke and Norway Here in the same Sepulchre lies the body of Ioane his second wife daughter of Charles the fifth King of Nauarre who died without issue at Hauering in the bower in the County of Essex the tenth of Iuly Anno Dom. 1437. Reg. H. 6.15 hauing continued widow 24. yeares This Queene endured some troubles in the raigne of her Stepsonne King Henry the fift being charged that shee should by witchcraft or sorcerie seeke the Kings death a capitall offence indeed if the accusation was true vpon which furmise her goods and lands were forfeited by Act of Parliament and shee committed to safe keeping in the Castle of Leedes in Kent and from thence to Pemsey attended onely with nine of her seruants but belike her innocency within a little time deliuered her from imprisonment and she liued a long time after in all princely prosperitie Here betweene her two husbands Iohn Beaufort Marquesse Dorset and Thomas Plantaginet Duke of Clarence Margaret daughter of Thomas and sister and one of the heires to Edmond Holland Earles of Kent lieth gloriously entombed by her first husband she had issue Henry Earle of Somerset Thomas Earle of Perth Iohn and Edmund both Dukes of Somerset Ioane Queene of Scots and Margaret Countesse of Deuonshire she died full of yeares the last of December Ann. Dom. 1440. Iohn her first husband lieth on her left side as appeares by his armes and portraiture for I finde no inscription at all vpon the Monument who was the eldest sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by his last wife Katherine Swinford and surnamed Beaufort of Beaufort a Castle in Aniou where he was borne He was created first Earle of Somerset and after Marquesse Dorset by Richard the second being but of small meanes to support such a swelling title He made therle of Somerset Marques Of Dorset then Sir Iohn Beaufort that hight Of poore liuelode that was that tyme doubtles But hee was depriued of this title of Marquesse Dorset by Act of Parliament in the first of Henry the fourth his halfe brother for whom afterwards the Commons became earnest petitioners in Parliament for his restitution But he himselfe was altogether vnwilling to be restored to this kinde of newly inuented honour being but begun in the ninth yeare of this Kings raigne and giuen to Robert de Vere his mignion the first stiled Marquesse of England as it is obserued by that most learned Antiquarie and Lawyer Io. Selden Esquire I finde little of him remarkable being belike sore weakened both in power and spirit by the foresaid Parliament whereby with others of the Nobilitie he was reduced to the same estate of honour and fortune which was but weake in which he stood when first Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester was arrested and besides it was not lawfull for him nor any of the rest to giue liueries to retainers or keepe any about him but necessarie seruants Hee died on Palmesonday the 16. of March Ann. Dom. 1409. On her right side is the pourtraiture of her second husband Thomas Duke of Clarence second soune of King Henry the fourth Lord high Steward of England Constable of the Kings Host and Lieutenant Generall of his Armie in France who after his many fortunate euents in warre was the first man that was slaine in the battell of Baugy vpon Easter Eue An. Do. 1420. by one Iohn Swinton a Scot who wounded him in the face with his Launce as he was remounting hauing giuen singular demonstration of his great valour and so threw him to the ground And with him that day were slaine many of exemplarie note besides 4500. common Souldiers This Duke had borne forth his youth
he saw his cosin who before had serued him in the brauerie of a Souldier to bee now clothed in the habite of a Monke he was so dismayed in minde that gushing out with teares hee said I do grant you this Cosin of mine to be your Abbot and at your petition I do giue him the gouernment of the Abbey of Saint Augustine neither do I permit you to choose any other whom vnlesse you do presently receiue I will shortly burne your Abbey to ashes Then the Monkes seeing no remedie submitted themselues to the kings will in the premises But the foresaid Hugh refused the dignitie saying That he was a man in a manner vnlettered and one that had very little skill as well in religion as in Ecclesiasticall ordinances yet the king and the Monkes enforced him to accept of the honour offered neither would the king suffer him to depart from the Court before he was consecrated Abbot which was solemnized in the kings Chappell at Westminster by Mauricius Bishop of London I haue beene somewhat long in this narration yet I hope nothing at all troublesome or tediously impertinent This illustrious Abbot did many laudable acts to the great commoditie of his Church and distributed all his goods in workes of charitie He dyed full of yeares as of goodnesse the 26. of March ann 1120. and was buried on the North side of the Chapter-house built by himselfe from the foundation for whom this honourable remembrance was engrauen Abbas Eheu Floris specimen virtutis honoris Hic iacet in tumulo Presul peramabilis Hugo Floruit vt terris Pater hic pace quoque guerris Floret nunc celo Christi pugil iste sereno The next Abbot in succession was one Hugh de Trottescline Chaplaine to King Henry the first at the time of whose election great dissention for small trifles being betwixt the Monkes of Christ-Church and those of this Monastery William then Archbishop taking part with those angrie Votaries of his owne house denyed Abbot Hugh â—enedictâ—on which 〈◊〉 was glad to obtaine from Seffria the first Bishop of 〈◊〉 This man brought in againe the old number of his Monkes which were threescore profest beside the Abbot He founded an Hospitall neare to his owne Abbey which he dedicated to the honour of 〈◊〉 and Saint 〈◊〉 to the maintenance whereof he giue â—â—ne Acres of ground vpon which 〈◊〉 Hospitall was to be erected and all the â—â—the of the Lordship of 〈◊〉 in this County with other possessions 〈◊〉 at the 〈…〉 7. s. 10. d. of yearely reuenue This Hospâ—tall was ordained and appointed especially for this 〈…〉 if it should so happen that any protest Monke of this Monastery 〈…〉 infected with any contagious disease but aboue aâ—â— with the 〈…〉 reason of which sicknesse or infectious maladie he could not 〈…〉 the precincts of the Abbey without preiudâ—câ— and scandall to the 〈…〉 â—â—â—erâ—â—tie that then he should be prouided for in this Hospitall of a conueâ—nâ—ent châ—mber of meate drinke and apparell in as full a measure as any one of his Brâ—thrâ—n liuing in the Monastery Aâ—so if it should so happen that the father the mother the sister or brother of aâ—y Monke of this Monastery â—houâ—d come to such great want and â—ndâ—gencie as that to the reproach of any of these â—râ—thren he or she be forced to aske at the gates the almes of the Fraternitie that thâ—â— such of them so asking should be prouided for in this Hospitâ—ll of sufficient â—â—â—â—stentation according to the abilitie of the house by the aduise and consideration of the Abbot of Saint Austins and the Master of this Hospitall for the time being as further appeares by his Charter confirmed by many of his Successours This charitable Abbot dyed the yeare 1151. and was buried in the Chapter house by his Predecessour Siluester the Prior of this Monastery being elected Abbot vpon the decease of Hugh was denyed Benediction of Archbishop â—heobald obiâ—â—ting against him that he was a man defamed with many notorious offences but clearing himselfe before the Pope by what mâ—â—â—es or money I know nâ—t of all those enormous imputations laid to his charge vpon the sight of the Popes letters the Archbishop durst not but giue him admiâ—taâ—â—â— This Siluester instituted that euery yeare during the time of Lent so many poore people should be prouided for of meate and drinke sufficient at 〈◊〉 and the charges of the Abbey as there were Monkes in the Couent 〈◊〉 dyed annâ— 1161. and was buryed by his predecessour One Clarembaldus a lay man I thinke for he neuer wore other then a secular habite by the kings regall authoritie dâ—d now irregularly intrude vpon the possessions goods and gouernment of this Abbey which by maine violence he extorted and misapplyed for the space of 15. yeares vntill he was elected and one Roger a Monke of Saint Trinitie and keeper of an Altar in Christ-Church was elected to his place This Roger within a short time came greatly into the kings fauour who restored vnto him all the lands and possessions which Clarembalde had wickedly wrested from his Monastery He was consecrated by Pope Alexander the third in his owne person at Tusculane neare to Rome to whom and to his Church the said Pope restored the vse of the Mytre Sandalls and crosier which had beene neglected euer since the flight of Abbot Egelfine who first obtained that honour into Denmarke This man indured many miseries the most part of his life-time which was very long especially in the troublesome raigne of king Iohn And so to conclude with the words of mine Authour Anno Domini 1212. obijt Senâ—x plenus dierum qui diebus suis pro viribus multa adversae sustinuit sed omnia Deo cooperante illesa custodiuit in capitulo sub lapide albo sepelitur Cum tali Inscriptione Antistes iacet hic Rogerus in ordine primus Pastor deuotus quondam nunc nil nisi simus Mortuâ—s in cista requiesciâ— nunc semel ista Qui viuus mundo parum requieuit eundo Roger being dead one Alexander a Monke of this Monastery and a most excellent Diuine was elected Abbot a man both in secular and Ecclesiasticall affaires well experienced and of king Iohn singularly beloued yet for all his good parts and great friends Archbishop Langton absoluteâ—ly denyed him Benediction for it was in that time when the king and the Bishop were at sore variance so that he was constrayned to trauell to Rome where he receiued consecration at the hands of Pope Innocent the third Obijt Abbas iste Deo dilectus nocte viz. Dominica 4. Non. Octob. An. 1220 This Abbot was Vir corpore elegantissimus facie venerabilis literarum plenitudine imbutus And for taking part with his Soueraigne à summo honore in summam confusionem viliter praecipitatus erat saith Mat. Westminst ad An. 1209. By the generall consent of the whole Couent one Hugh Chamberlaine of this house
the Chapter house with this Epitaph vpon his Monument En paruus Abbas hic parua clauditur arca In gestis magnus maior nec erat Patriarcha Willelmus Druleg illustri dignus honore Conuentum claustri qui multo rexit amore Pro dilectoris anima tui dulciter ora Sancti Augustini conuentus qualibet hora. I finde little or indeed nothing at all of such Abbots as succeeded little Drulege sauing their names thus recorded Iohn Deueniche the 57. Thomas Colwell 58. Michaell Peckham 59. William Wâ—ld 60. Thomas Hunden 61. Marcellus Dandlyon 62. Iohn Hawlherst 63. George Pensherst 64. Iacob Seuenoke 65. William Selling 66. Iohn Dunster 67. Iohn Dygon 68. Thomas Hampton 69. and Iohn Essex 70. So that by this account there hath beene more Archbishops of Christ-Church then Abbots of Saint Austins by the number of three reckoning those sixe Bishops which haue beene since the dissolution The Abbot of this house was euer a Baron of the Parliament In S. Anns Chappell within the Church of this Monastery lay sometime buried the body of Iulian the daughter and heire of Sir Thomas Lâ—yborne knight The widow saith Vincent of Iohn Lord Hastings of Aburgaueny and mother of Lawrence Hasting Earle of Pembroke and after that wife of William de Clinton Earle of Huntington and Lord high Admirall of England who dyed about the yeare 1350. But of all these and thousands more here interred whose names I cannot learne not one bone at this time lies neare another nor one stone almost of the whole fabricke stands vpon another therefore I will take my leaue of this Abbey with these words of a late writer This Monasterie saith he as all the rest did came to her fatall period in the dayes of king Henry the eight whose vncouered walls stood so long languishing in time and stormes of weather that daily increased the aspect of her ruines till now lastly they are made subiect to other publicke vses and the whole tract of that most goodly foundation in the same place no where appearing Onely Ethelberts Tower in memorie and honour of the man as yet hath escaped the verdict and sentence of destruction whose beauty though much de faced and ouerworne will witnesse to succeeding ages the magnificence of the whole when all stood compleate in their glory together The reuenues yearely of this house were in the Exchequer 1412. l. 4. s. 7. d. ob q. it was surrendred 4. Decemb. 29. H. 8. At Harbaldowne not farre from this Monastery Archbishop Lanâ—rank built an Hospâ—tall and dedicated the same to the honour of Saint Iohn to the which he annexed a Priorie of blacke Canons valued both together at the dissolution to 266. l. 4 s. 5. d. ob of yearely reuenue it was ordained for the lame and diseased which as yet is not altogether suppressed although much abated as I heare of her annuall possessions In which house was reserued the vpper leather of an old shoe which had beene worne as they gaue it out by Saint Thomas Becket this shoe as a sacred Relique was offered to all passengers to kisse faire set in copper and christall Hackington commonly called S. Stephens by Cant. This Church in former times was honoured with the sepulture of Lora or Lorâ—atta Countesse of Leicester daughter of William Lord Brews of Brember in Suffex and wife of Robert de Beâ—lemont surnamed Fitzpâ—rnell Earle of Leicester and Lord high Steward of England a most honourable Lady who hauing abandoned all worldly pleasures sequestred her selfe wholly from the world to serue God deuoutly in this place who dyed about the yeare 1219. The manor and Towne of Elham was her inheritance Hic iacet Dominus Iohannes Gower nuper Vicarius istius Ecclesie qui obijt Decemb. 27. 1457. Cuius anâ—â—e Hic iacet Dominus Iohannes â—â—ne quondam Vicarius istius Ecclesie qui obijt 8. Aug. 1457. Cuius anime pâ—â—pittetur altissimus Sir Christopher Hales and Sir Roger Manwood lie here fairely entomâ—ed of whom hereafter according to my method But I must not let passe seuen almes houses here built by the said Sir Roger Manwood chiefe Baron of the Exchequer ann 1573. for aged honest poore folkes which he endowed with a yearely allowance of foure pounds in money bread and fewell for euery one of those almes-men It was called S. Stephens fâ—r that the image of Saint Stephen standing where the garden now is belonging to Sir Manwoods great house was sought vnto by many pilgrimes Reculuer At the vpper end of the South isle in this Church I saw a Monument of an antique forme mounted with two spires Wherein as the Inhabitants haue it by tradition the body of one Ethelbert a Saxon king who had his pallace royall here in Reculuer lieth entombed and the Anuals of Canterbury affirme as much And true it is that Ethelbert the first and first Christian king built here a Princely mansion for himselfe and his successours wherein diuers of the Kentish kings sometimes kept their courtly residence But whether he be this Ethelbert the second or Ethelbert surnamed Pren that lieth here interred it is not much materiall for they both dyed without any memorable act either of themselues or their kingdomes affaires and so dyed Cuthred and Baldred their next successours and the last kings of Kent Which kingdome erected by Hengist the yeare of mans happinesse 455. continued her gouernment 372. and ended her glory in the yeare 827. being made a Prouince to the West-saxons Egbert or Egbright the seuenth king of Kent in succession after Hengist gaue to one Bassa an English Saxon some land here in Reculuer whereupon he built him a Minster or a Monastery whereof Brightwald afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury was the first Abbot so that of this man and the Minster the poore Townes men may make great vaunts Here lyeth ..... Sandwey Esquire and â—oane his wife who dyed 1437. Hen. sex 16. Hic iacet Dominus Thomas .... qui ob ..... Vos qui transitis Thomam deslere velitis Per me nunc scitis quid prodest gloria ditis Minster in the Isle of Tenet Here in this Church lyeth a Lady entombed in a Monument vpreared after a strange fashion inscribed with a Saxon-like character Ici gist Edile de Shornerepust Dame del espire I thinke her name was rather Thorne then Shorne one letter being mistaken for another in the engrauing My reason is this for that in this Parish there is a place called Thorne Neare vnto this Monument lie three flat Tombe-stones vnder which as I coniecture by the effigies vpon them three vailed Nunnes of the Saxon Nobilitie and of S. Mildreds Monasterie lye interred but the Inscriptions are gone Which Monasterie was founded vpon this occasion Egbert king of Kent aspiring to the Crowne by the traiterous murder of his two young Nephewes Ethelred and Ethelbert to pacifie Domneua sister to the said murdered Princes
T.R. apud Douer 24. Ian 2. Pars. Pat. Ann. 7. Ric. 2. Per versus patet hos Anglorum quod iacet hic flos Legum qui tata dictauit vera statuta Ex Hengham dictus Radulphus vir benedictus This flower of our English Garden this learned father of the Law this blessed man as this Epitaph would make him was no better then a bribing Iudge for being a chiefe Commissioner for the gouernment of the kingdome in the absence of Edward the first he with many others of his profession were at the kings returne found guiltie by act of Parliament of manifest corruption in their administration of Iustice and deeply fined for such their intolerable extortions First this Sir Raph Hengham chiefe Iustice of the higher Bench was fined to pay to the king seuen thousand Markes Sir Iohn Loueton Iustice of the lower Bench 3000. Markes Sir William Brompton Iustice 6000. Markes Sir Salomon Rochester 4000. Markes Sir Richard Boyland 4000. Markes Sir Thomas Sodington 2000. Markes Sir Walter Hopton 2000. Markes These foure last were Iustices Itinerants Sir William Saham 3000. Markes Robert Lithbury Master of the Rolls 1000. Markes Roger Leicester 1000. Markes Henry Bray Escheater and Iudge for the Iewes 1000. Markes Robert Preston 1000. Markes But Sir Adam Stratton chiefe Baron of the Exchequer was fined in thirty foure thousand Markes And Thomas Weyland found the greatest delinquent and of greatest substance had all his goods and whole estate confiscated to the king and withall banished the kingdome This Sir Raph Hengham was a Norfolke man borne as I haue it out of an old Record these are the words Radulphus de Hengham ex eadem ortus esse videtur familia ex qua Willielmus filius Ade de Hengham et Richardus de Hengham in Pago Norfolciens plerumque Thetfordie Iusticiarij ad Assisas capiendas et ad Gaolam deliberandam sub initijs Hen. 3. in Archiuis sepe memorantur Rot. Parl. He flourished in the raignes of Henry the third and Edward the first and died in the first yeare of Edward the second 1308. Hic iacet Magister Fulco Louel quondam Archidiaconus Colcestrie floruit sub Hen. 3. Rege I finde no more of this man then what I reade in this Inscription but much more of his name being both ancient and honourable Orate pro animabus Iohannis de Boys in Com. Essex Ar. Nicholai Rikkil Ar. Domine Isabelle quondam vxor eorum que Isabella obiit 28. Iulij Ann. 1443. quorum animabus propitietur altissimus It seemes by his armes vpon the pillars that this Boys was a great repairer of this Chappell sacred to S George wherein he lyeth interred Orate pro anima Magistri Williel Worsley legum doctoris istius Ecclesie Sancti Pauli London Decani dum vixit .... qui obiit 15. die mens Augusti 1488. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Vermibus hic ponor sic ostendere conor Hic veluti ponor ponitur omnis honor And vpon the pillar adioyning to this Monument these verses following are engrauen in brasse Vnde superbis Homo cuius conceptio culpa Nasci pena labor vita necesse mori Vana salus hominum vanus labor omnia vana Inter vana nichil vanius est homine Post hominem vermis post vermem setor horror Sic in non hominem vertitur omnis homo Mors venit absque mora nescis cum venerit hora Esto paratus ei cum venerit hora diei Orate pro .... Domini Rogeri Brabazon de O devy Iuris Canonici Doctoris huius Ecclesie Cathedralis Residentarij qui obiit tertio die mens Augusti 1498. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Nunc Christe te petimus Miserere quesumus qui venisti redimere perditos noli damnare redemptos In memoriam venerabilis viri Iohannis Coleti sacre Theologiae Doctoris ad Dinum Paulum Decani Scholae ibidem fundatoris Inclyta Ioannes Londini gloria gentis Is tibi qui quondam Paule Decanus erat Qui toties magno resonabat pectore Christum Doctor interpres fidus Euangelij Qui mores hominum multum sermone diserto Formarat vitae sed probitate magis Quique scholam struxit celebrem cognomine Ihesu Hac dormit tectus membra Coletus humo Floruit sub Henrico 7. Hen. 8. Regibus obijt Ann. Dom. 1519. Disce mori mundo vinere disce Deo Vnder his liuely pourtraiture alluding to his artificiall Askelliton these words Istuc recidit gloria carnis Loue and liue His Monument is lately reuiued by the Companie of the mystery of Mercers to whose charge he committed the ouersight of S. Pauls Schoole with lands worth an hundred and twenty pounds or better of yearely value for the maintenance of a Master an Vsher and a Chaplaine to teach and instruct one hundred fiftie and three poore mens children freely without any reward And as I am told Vijs modis more comes to the Schoolemaster at this day then the whole endowment Iohn Bale saith that of twenty and two children which his father Henry Collet Mercer and Lord Maior of London had by Christian his wife he was the onely childe liuing at his fathers death that he died of the sweating sicknesse aged sixtie three yeares that he was brought vp in Oxford that he trauelled into France and Italie that he disputed with the Sorbonists in Paris from whose Tenets hee much dissented that hee inuayed against Monkes which did not leade an Euangelicall life and Bishops Qui pro Pastoribus lupos agebant that he was eruditione facundus that he writ many Treatises left in loose papers which but by himselfe could not bee made perfect That hee taught in his Sermons that it was vnlawfull for a Clergie-man to accumulate riches and for any man to worship Images that by Richard Fitz-Iames then Bishop of London and two Minorites Bricot and Standish he was accused of heresie and that his corps had beene cast out of his Tombe and burnt if an vnexpected accident had not preuented his enemies designes Gulielmo Lilio Paulinae Scholae olim perceptorio primario Agnetae Coniugi in sacratissimo huius templi Coemiterio hinc a tergo nunc destructo consepultis Georgius Lillius huius Ecclesie canonicus Parentum memoriae pie consulens Tabellam hanc ab amicis conseruatam hic reponendam curauit Obijt ille G. L. Ann. Dom. 1522. V. Calend. Mart. vixit annos 54. This man integer vitae scelerisque purus as Bale saith liued for a certaine time in the Isle of Rhodes and some yeares in Italie where hee instructed himselfe in all good literature and made himselfe perfect in many languages withall he was quicke apprehensiue and ingenious and therefore entirely beloued of Sir Thomas Moore He writ diuers bookes but he is best knowne by his Grammer Hee was borne in the Towne of Odiham in Hampshire The Epitaph of Agnes the wife of William Lily as
fyue hundryd and eighteen yere Inscriptions in the Stilliard the house sometime of the German-Merchants Haec domus est laeta semper bonitate repleta Hic Pax hic requies hic gaudia semper honesta Item Aurum blanditiae pater est natusque doloris Qui caret hoc maeret qui tenet hic metuit Item Qui bonis parere recusat quasi vitato fumo in flammam incidit Saint Mary Bothaw .......... Chich .... vocitatus ..... Robertus omni bonitate refertus Bauperibus largus pius extitit ad mala tardus Moribus ornatus iacet istic intumulatus Corpore procerus his Maior arte Grocerus Anno milleno C quater x quater anno ............. This Robert Chichley was Lord Maior An. 1422. hee appointed by his Testament that on his birth day acompetent dinner should be ordained for 2400 poore men housholders of this city euery man to haue two pence in money Saint Michaels Crooked lane Here lieth entombed in a Chappell of his owne foundation Sir William Walworth Knight Lord Maior of London whose manfull prowesse against that arch-Rebell VVat Tyler and his confederates is much commended in our English Chronicles his monument was shamefully defaced in the raigne of King Edward the sixt as many others were but since it was renewed by the Fishmongers he died Anno 1383. as appeareth by this Epitaph Here vnder lyth a man of Fame William Walworth callyd by name Fishmonger he was in life time here And twise Lord Maior as in bookes appere Who with courage stout and manly might Slew Wat Tyler in King Richards sight For which act done and trew entent The King made him Knight incontinent And gaue him armes as here you see To declare his fact and Chiualrie He left this life the yere of our God Thirteene hundryd fourescore and three od Iohn Philpot Nicholas Brember and Robert Launde Aldermen were knighted with him the same day To this Maior the King gaue 100 pound land yeerely and to each of the other 40 pound land by yeare to them and their heires for euer He founded a Colledge to this parish Church for a Master and nine Priests or Chaplaines Worthy Iohn Louekin Stockfishmonger of London here is leyd Four times of this City Lord Maior hee was if truth be seyd Twise he was by election of Citizens then being And twise by the commandment of his good Lord the King Cheef Founder of this Church in his life time was he Such louers of the common-welth too few ther be Of August the fourth thirteene hundryth sixty and eyght His flesh to Erth his soul to God went streyght Sir William Walworth was an apprentice to this Iohn Louekin Here lyeth wrapt in clay The body of William VVray I haue no more to say Saint Laurence Poultney This Church was increased with a Chappell of Iesus by one Thomas Cole for a Master and a Chaplaine the which Chappell and Parish-Church was made a Colledge of Iesus and of Corpus Christi for a Master and seuen Chaplaines by Iohn Poultney Maior and was confirmed by Edward the third in the twentieth of his raigne So that of him it was called Saint Laurence Poultney in Candlewickstreet This Colledge was valued at 79. l. 17. s. 11. d. per ann and surrendred in the raigne of Ed. the sixth The thrice honourable Lord Robert Radcliffe the first earle of Sussex of that name and Henry Radcliffe his sonne and heire as of his possessions so of his honours were first interred in this Collegiate Church whose relique were afterwards remoued to Boreham in Essex Saint Mary Abchurch Hac gradiens fortis tua lingua precando laboret Esto memor mortis dum virtus vivida floret Dum vita fueris quid agas circumspice mente Nam tu talis eris qualis concido repente Corpora Gilberti Melites celat lapis iste Eius vxoris Christine quos cape Christe Saint Mary Colechurch So called of one Cole the builder thereof King Henry the fourth granted licence to William Marshall and others to found a brotherhood of S. Katherine in this Church to the helpe of Gods seruice because Thomas Becket and S. Edmund Archbishops of Canterbury were baptised herein Alhallowes Barking On the North side of this Church was sometime builded a faire Chappell founded by king Richard the first and much augmented by king Edward the first Edward the fourth gaue licence to his cosin Iohn Lord Tiptost Earle of Worcester to found here a Brotherhood for a Master and Brethren And he gaue to the Custos of that Fraternitie the advowsion of the Parish Church of Stretham in Surrey with all the members and appurtenances the Priory of Totingbeck and a part of the Priory of Okeborne in Wiltshire both Priors Aliens and appointed it to be called the Kings Chantrie In Capella beate Marie de Barking king Richard the third founded herein a Colledge of Priests and reedified the decayed structure Great concourse of people came hither to our Lady of Barking a pilgrimage vntill the Colledge was suppressed and pulled downe in the second of Edward the sixth and the ground whereupon it stood imployed as a Garden plot Many funerall Monuments are yet remaining in this Parish Church which you may reade in the Suruay of this Citie Saint Mary Wolnoth Here lieth Sir Iohn Arundell knight of the Bath and knight Baneret Receiuor of the Duchy ....... Grey daughter to the Lord Marquese Dorset who died 8. Febr. the 36. of the reigne of king Hen. the 8. This Sir Iohn Arundell was of the house of Lanherne in Cornwall a family of great respect in that county Of which I shall haue further occasion to speake when I come to Saint Columbs where this mans Ancestors lye entombed The Christian name of his wife with time worne or torne out of the brasse was Elianor the third daughter of Thomas Grey Marquesse Dorset halfe brother by the mother to Edward the fifth by Cicely daughter and heire of William Bonvile Lord Harrington Quid caro letatur cum vermibus esca paratur Terre terra datur Caro nascitur moriatur Orate pro anima Simonis Eyre ......................................... vnder this defaced Monument Simon Eyre the sonne of Iohn Eyre of Brandon in Suffolk lieth interred He was Lord Maior in the yeare 1445. Hee built Leaden Hall for a common Granary for the Citie and a faire large Chappell on the East side of the Quadrant ouer the Porch whereof was painted Dextra Domini exaltauit me And on the North wall Honorandus famosus Mercator Symon Eyre huius operis Fundator He gaue 5000. l. and aboue the poore Maids marriages and did many other works of charitie Hee died the 18. day of September 1459. Saint Nicholas Acons O ye dere frendys whych sall here aftyr be Of yowr deuotion plese ye to remembyr Me Richard Payne which of this noble cite Somtym whylst I liud was
and lastly put out the Almesmen from their houses appointing them xii d. the weeke to each person The Church of this Hospitall is now a preaching place for the French Nation Saint Martins Outwich Ecclesie Rector huius Iohn Breux tumulatus Artibus doctor vermibus esca datus Prebendam quondam cicestrensem retinebat Quem Petronille lux tulit e medio M. C. quater quinquageno nono sociato Sic predotatus vertitur in cinerem Augustine Fryers This religious house was founded in the well meaning deuotion of former times by Humphrey Bohun the fift of that name Earle of Hereford and Essex 1253. and was afterward reedified by Humphrey Bohun the ninth of that name Earle of Hereford and Essex Lord of Brecknocke and Constable of England who died Anno 1361. and was buried in the Quire of this Church This Frierie dedicated to the honour of Saint Augustine was valued vpon the surrender to King Henry the eight to 57 l. 4 s. per annum Here sometime did lie entombed the body of Richard Fitz-Alan the fourth of that name Earle of Arundell and Surrey who with Thomas Duke of Glocester Thomas Earle of Warwicke Henry Earle of Derby afterwards King of England and others combined and sware each to other against Robert Vere Duke of Ireland and Michael de la Pole Duke of Suffolke for abusing and misleading the King for which and some other causes which Richard the second obiected against them some of them were banished others condemned to perpetuall imprisonment and this Richard beheaded on the Tower hill Septemb. Anno 1397. the constancie of whose carriage at his arraignement passage and execution in all which he did not once discolour the honour of his bloud with any degenerous word looke or action encreased the enuy of his death vpon his prosecutors Here likewise lay sumptuously interred Iohn Vere the xii Earle of Oxford and Aubrey his eldest sonne who with Sir Thomas Tudensa knight who was also here buried and others their Councellors either through malice of their enemies or some offence conceiued by King Edward the fourth were attainted by Act of Parliament anno primo Edward 4 and put to Execution vpon the Tower hill the 26 of February 1461. William Lord Berkeley of Berkeley Castle honoured with the tâ—tâ—es of Viscount and Marquesse Berkely Earle of Nottingham and Earle Marshall of England was here inhumed who died Ann. 1492. This William as I had it from my deceased friend Aug. Vincent by his deed dated the third of Nouember Ann. 6. Hen. 7 gaue one hundreâ— pounds to the Prior of this house for two Masses to be said presently and for euer at the Altar of our Lady and Saint Iames. Betweene which Altars the body of his wife Ioan who liued but a few dayes with him and is not at all mentioned in the Catalogues of Honour was buried who was the widow of Sir William Willoughbie before the marriage with the Marquesse And to pray for the prosperous estate of the said Marquesse and of Anne his then wife and of Edward Willoughby Richard Willoughby Anne Beauchampe and Elisabeth Willoughbie with all the issue of the said William and Ioane and especially for the soules health of the said Ioane and of Katherine her mother Duchesse of Norfolke Here sometime lay sumptuously entombed the body of Edward Stafford Duke of Buckingham who by the sleights and practises of Cardinall Wolsey fell into displeasure with king Henry the eight and being condemned of high Treason for that among other matters hee had consulted with a Monke or wizard about succession of the Crowne was beheaded on the Tower hill May the 17. 1521. He was a noble Gentleman exceedingly much lamented of good men Of whose death when the Emperour Charles the fifth heard he said that a Butchers dogge meaning the Cardinall a Butchers sonne had deuoured the fairest Buck alluding to the name of Buckingham in all England Here was interred the bodie of Edward the eldest sonne of Edward the blacke Prince by Ioan his wife surnamed the faire Maide of Kent who was borne at Angolesme Ann. 1375. and died at 7. yeares of age Many of the Barons slaine at Barnet-field vpon Easterday 1471. were buried here in the bodie of the Church but now their bodies with these before remembred and the bodies of an hundred more mentioned by Stow of exemplarie note and knights degree are not onely despoiled of all outward funerall ornaments but digged vp out of their Requietories and dwelling houses raised in the place which was appointed for their eternall rest Some part of this Church is at this day yet standing but in that no monument of this kinde is remaining for it is conuerted into a Church for the Duch-Inhabitants of this Citie who in that kinde can hardly brooke any reuerend Antiquitie Saint Botolphs Bishopsgate Hic iacet Cardina vxor Richardi Shoder militis Iohanna filia eorundem ...... 14. April 1471. Sub hoc marmore iacet corpus Iohannis Redman quondam huius Ecclesie Rectoris benemerentissimi qui ab hac luce migrauit tertio die Iulij Ann. Dom. 1523. Neare to this gate if wee giue credit to our owne ancient Chronicles Nennius the sonne of Hely and brother of Lud and Cassibelane kings ouer the warlike Britaines was interred A man of a magnanimous spirit heroicall and valiant Who in the warres betweene Iulius Cesar and the Britaines sought couragiously in defence of his countrey causing Cesar to flie backe with the losse of his sword which Nennius tooke from him in single encounter and with which he slew Labienus Tribune of the Romane Nobilitie But the fifteenth day after this single opposition hee died of a wound receiued at the hands of Cesar in the same conflict the yeare of the worlds creation 3913. before the birth of our alone Sauiour 51. And here as I haue said was entombed with all funerall state and solemnitie and with him the sword which he tooke from Cesar the Emperour as he himselfe commanded Which sword was called Reddeath or rather Readie-death wherewith if any one had beene neuer so little wounded he could neuer escape with life Which you shall haue in such old verse as came to my hands At the north yate of London hii buriede this gud knyght And buriede in hys chest the swerd that was so bryght That he wan of the Emperor wythe grete honor enough That Reddedeth was ycluped whar with he hym slough I buriede wyth hym hit was as in tokneyinge Of hys Proesse that he hit wan of on so heigh a kyng I haue some other of the same subiect but of later times if you will reade them But Neminus brother of Cassybalayne Full manly fought on Iulius tymes twayne With strokes sore ayther on other bette But at the last this Prince syr Iulius Crosea mors his swerde in shelde sette Of the manly worthy Sir Neminus Whiche of manly
serued It was valued at the suppression to 305. l. 6. s. 7. d. yearely The Church remaineth a Parish to the Tenants dwelling in the precinct of the Hospitall in which are many faire Funerall Monuments Whose Inscriptions or the most of them are set downe in the Suruay of London these following onely omitted Hic iacent Thomas Malefant Miles Baro de Winwore et Dominus de S. George in Com. de Clamorgan et Dominus de Okneton et Pile in Com. de Penbroke in Wallia qui obijt 8. die Maij 1438. et Domina Margareta vxor eius filia Thome Asteley Ar. Nep. de Domino de Asteley et Henricus â—ilius â—orundem Tho. et Margarete Quorum animabus propitietur Altissimus Amen The xiiiic yere of our Lord seventy and three Passyd Sir William Knyght to God Almightie The fiftenth dey of Iuil Master of this place Iesu for his mercy reioyce hym with his grace The xiiiic yere of our Lord and eight Passyd Sir Robart Greuil to God Almight The xii dey of April Broder of this place Iesu for his mercy reioice him with his grace Philip Lewis restyth vnder yis ston Yat in Iun deseisyd the dey six and twenty Wyth Agnes hys wyf yat were both on The xiiiic yere of our Lord and seuen and fifty Subiacet ecce pede Iohn Stafford mortis in ede Iustus deuotus discretus et ad pia motus Qui bona plura loco dum vixit contulit isti Mille quater centum quater et sexto quoque Christi Luce Nouemberis deca ter .......... Vt sit propitius anime Christus precor Amen Saint Sepulchers In this Church lyeth buried the body of that vnfortunate Lord Thomas Fiâ—es Baron Dacres of the South Who was executed at Tiborne the 29. of Iune 1541. for that hee with others going to hunt in Master Pelhams Parke at Laughton in Sussex and meeting with some companie casually by the way with whom and his confederates ensued a quarrell in which a priuate man one Iohn Busbrig was slaine by the said Lord or some of his associates which were Io. Mantell Io. Frouds and George all three executed for the same fact at Saint Thomas Waterings The death of this Lord was generally lamented being an hopefull gentleman of 24. yeares of age This happened in that bloudie yeare when Henry the eight vnsheathed his sword vpon the neckes of the Nobilitie Here lieth the heart of Iohn Goodfellow for his sowl and al yat died wyth hym and al Christen sowls I prey yow for cherite sey a Pater Noster and an Ave Mary Saint Bridgets or Brides Vndyr this ston William Weuer doth ly Cityzon and Elisabeth his wyf hym by He died the viii and she the vii dey of September Leuing Geffrey Mary and Ellin thar children as I remember Who 's sowls God receyve to fauor and pease Wyth Ioyes to lyve that neuyr sal cease 1409. The White Friers These Friers were called Fratres beatae Mariae de monte Carmeli first founded by Sir Richard Grey knight ancestor to the Lord Grey of Codnor in the yeare 1241. King Edward the first gaue to the Prior and brethren of that house a plot of ground here in Fleetstreet whereupon to build their house which was afterwards new builded by Hugh Courtney the third of that Christian name Earle of Deuonshire the yeare before he died which was Aun 1350. Sir Robert Knolles knight was a great builder here also in the raigne of Richard the second and of Henry the fourth who being borne but of meane parentage in the County of Chester was by his valiant behauiour aduanced from a common Souldier in the French warres vnder Edward the third to a great Commander and being sent Generall of an Armie into France in despite of their power he draue their people before him like Sheepe destroying Townes Castles and Cities in such a manner and number that long after in memory of this act the sharpe points and gable ends of ouerthrowne houses and Minsters were called Knolles Miters After which minding to make himselfe as welbeloued of his countrey as he was feared of forraine nations hee built the goodly faire Bridge at Rochester ouer the Riuer of Medway with a Chappell and a Chantrie at the East end thereof He founded a Colledge with an Hospitall adioyning thereunto in the Towne of Pontefract in Yorkeshire of which hereafter He founded also an Hospitall in the Citie of Rome for entertainment of English trauellers or pilgrimes to that Citie in place where Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury had builded a Chappell of the holy Trinity which to this day retaines the name and is a Seminarie for our English Fugitiues He deceased at his Mannor of Scone Thorpe in Norfolke was brought to London and honourably buried by the Lady Constance his wife in the body of this Church which he had newly builded Ann. 1407. the 15. of August Of whom in his life saith Stow were made verses in Latine thus by him put into English O Robert Knowles most worthy of Fame By thy Prowesse France was made tame Thy manhood made the French to yeeld By dint of sword in towne and feeld Here sometime lay entombed in a goodly Monument of Alabaster the body of Robert Mascall Bishop of Hereford a man for his good learning and good life admired and beloued of all men He was often employed by Henry the fourth to whom he was Confessor vpon Embasies to forraine Princes and in the yeare 1415. sent with two other Bishops to the Councell of Constance Hee built the Quier Presbytery and Steeple of this Church and gaue many rich ornaments to this religious house wherein he died 22. Decemb. 1416. William Lord Montacute Earle of Salisbury and king of the Isle of Man was here entombed Whose noble Acts saith Walsingham to write worthily were a commendable matter He founded the Abbey of Bisham Montague in Barkshire and died at a Iusts and Turney at Windsore in the yeare 1343. For the rest here interred I referre my Reader to the Suruay of London This house was valued at 26. l. 7. s. 3. d. and was surrendred the tenth of Nouember the 30. of king Hen. the eight Since the writing of the premisses I chanced to haue the perusall of a Manuscript penned in the praise of this religious Order out of which I collected diuers Epitaphs which in times past had beene engrauen vpon the Sepulchers of certaine Carmelites here in the Church of this Priory interred And first I finde that Stephen Patrington vir omnibus praestantioribus animi dotibus omnibus virtutibus preditus et multiplici doctrinae varietate instructus was here buried in the body of the Quire He was borne in the County of Yorke and brought vp in the Vniuersitie of Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Diuinitie He writ many learned bookes and was an admirable Preacher to whose Sermons alwayes
in health And as our Lord knoweth I haue nothing left vnto me for to prouyde any better but as my Brother of his owne purse layeth out for me to his great hynderance Wherfore gode Master Secretary estsones I byseche yow to haue som pittie vpon me and latt me haue such thyngs as are necessary for mee in myn age and especially for my health And also that itt may please yow by yowr high wysdom to moue the Kings highnesse to take me vnto his gracious fauor againe and to restor me vnto my liberty out of this cold and painfull imprisonment wherby ye shall bynd me to be yowr pore beadsman for euer vnto almighty God who euer haue yow in his protection and custody Other twayne things I must also desyer vpon yow first oon is that itt may please yow that I may take som Preest within the Tower by th' assignment of master Liuetenant to hear my confession against this hooly tym That other is that I may borrow some bookes to stir my deuocion mor effectually theis hooly dayes for the comfortte of my sowl This I byseche yow to grant me of yowr charite And thus our Lord send yow a mery Christenmas and a comfortable to yowr hearts desyer Att the Tower this xxii day of December Your poore Beadsman Iohn Roffe Thus he lay imprisoned in great misery hungrie cold and comfortlesse as the prisoners dittie in Newgate runs vntill the time of his arraignment during which time as also before being diuers times examined by the Lords of the priuie Councell as also examined and sworne in verbo Sacer docij by Thomas Bedyll and Richard Layton Clerkes of the Kings Councell in the presence of Sir Edmond Walfingham knight Lieuetenant of the Tower and others to many Interrogatories his answeres were euer agreeable in effect with his letters He was arraigned onely for denying of the Supremacie howsoeuer he was before attainted by Parliament of misprision of Treason for the matter of the holy Maid of Kent as by this his Indictment appeares of which so much as is materiall Quidem tamen Iohannes Fyssher nuper de ciuitate Roffen in Com. Kanc. Clericus alias dictus Iohannes Fyssher nuper de Rofen Episcopus deum pre oculis non habens sed instigatione diabolica seductus false maliciose et proditorie optans volens et desiderans ac arte imaginans inuentans practitans et attemptans serenissimum dominum nostrum Henricum octauum dei gratia Angl. et Franc. Regem fidei defensorem dominum Hibernie atque in terra supremum caput Ecclesie Anglicane de dignitate titulo nomine status sui Regalis videlicet de dignitate titulo et nomine eius in terra supremi capitis Anglicane Ecclesie dicte imperiali corone sue vt premittit annexis vnitis depriuare Septimo die Maij Anno regni eiusdem domini Regis vicessimo septimo apud Tarrim London in Com. Mid. contra legiancie sue debitum hec verba Anglicana sequent diuersis dicti domini Regis veris subditis false maliciose proditorie loquebatur et propalabat videlicet The Kyng owre Soueraigne Lord is not supreme hedd yn erthe of the Cherche of England In dicti domini Regis immund despect et vilipendium manifest ac in dictorum dignitatis tituli et nominis status sui Regalis derogationem et preiudic non modicum et contra formam dicti alterius Actus perdicti Anno xxvi edit ac contra pacem prefati domini Regis c. Of this Indictment being found guilty he had iudgement whereupon execution presently followed which the more was hastened as also his arraignement in regard of the rumour that a Cardinals hat was comming towards him from the Pope because he had stood so stoutly in his defence which newes was so vnwelcome vnto him that vpon the first report thereof comming to his eares he said in the presence of some of the Lieuetenants seruants that if the Cardinals hat were laid at his feet he would not stoupe to take it vp so little did he set by it but let vs leaue him to his eternall rest onely thus much out of the writers of his time who say that hee was omnium Episcopalium Virtutum genere suffarcinatissimus et singulari linguae gratia praeditus He was of many sore lamented being a man of a very good life and great learning as his writings in diuers bookes did testifie The common people had such a reuerend opinion of his holinesse that they beleeued certaine miracles to be wrought by his head put vpon a Pole and set vp vpon London Bridge Adrianus Iunius and Cornelius Musius two German writers of Fisher thus in opposition Iunius Te niuei mores celebrem et conscia virtus Eâ—exit coelo et relligionis amor Sed dum Romuleo nimium tibicine fultus Perstas nec causam Regis amare potes Mors properatatibi est ceruice cruenta rescissa Munus vbi inselix purpura missa venit Musius Non ego purpureos ambiâ—i indignus honores Nec potui humanis fidere praesidijs Vnica cura fidem intrepide veramque tueri Commissoque ouium pro grege cuncta pati Si quaeras ceruix igitur cur ense re scissa est Improba displicuit Regia caussa mihi Another Dum mihi martyrij donat Diadema securis Quaeso meum teneas o bone trunce caput Another Vim sine vi patior qualis qui carcere rupto Cogitur e vinclis liber abire suis. The sixt day of Iuly following the decollation of Bishop Fisher Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellor of England was likewise beheaded on the Tower hill for the like deniall of the Kings Supremacie he was first buried in this Chappell and the body of his deare friend Fisher was remoued out of Barking Church-yard and buried with him in the same graue for agreeing so vnanimously in their opinions liuing it was be like thought vnfitting to part them being dead but how long they lay together in this their house of rest I certainly know not yet this is certaine that Margaret the wife of Master Roper and daughter of the said Sir Thomas More remoted her fathers corps not long after to Chelsey and whether she honouued the Bishop by another remoue to the place of her fathers buriall or not I know not yet she might by all probabilitie They were both accused to be of the adherents to Elizabeth Barton in her counterfeite holinesse hypocrisie and traiterous intents but their innocencie and their often writing to the King and Cromwell in their owne excuse acquitted them of that imputation In the Act for the surety of the succession of the Crowne of England an oath was deuised for the maintenance and defence of the said Act which was to be taken by all the Kings subiects this oath being tendered to these two they were content to bee sworne to the maine point but not to the
preamble of the said Oath which I haue touched before of which Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie thus deliuers his opinion by his letter to Secretarie Cromwell if I now digresse I craue a fauourable construction Right worshipfull Maister Cromwell after most harty commendations c. I doubte not but you do right well remembre that my Lord of Rochester and master More were contented to bee sworne to the Actt of the Kings succession but not to the preamble of the same what was the cause of thair refusall thereof I am vncertaine and they wolde by no meanes expresse the same Neuerthelesse it must nedis be either the diminution of the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome or ells the reprobation of the Kings first pretensed matrimony But if they doe obstinately persiste in thair opinions of the preamble yet me semeth it scholde not be refused if thay will be sworne to the veray acte of succession so that thay will be sworne to mayntene the same against all powers and Potentates For hereby shall be a great occasion to satisfie the Princesse Dowager and the Lady Mary which doe thinke that they sholde dampne thair sowles if thay sholde abandon and relinquish thair astats And not only it sholde stop the mouthes of thaym but also of th'emperour and other thaâ—r friends if thay giue as much credence to my Lord of Rochester and master More spekyng or doinge against thaym as they hitherto haue done and thought that all other sholde haue done whan they spake and did with thaym And peraduenture it sholde be a good quietation to many other within this Realme if such men sholde say that the succession comprised within the said acte is good and according to Gods lawes For than I thinke there is not one within this Reaulme that wolde ones reclaime against it And where as diuers persones either of a wilfulnesse will not or of an indurate and inuertible conscience can not altre from thair opinions of the Kings first pretensed marriage wherein they haue ones said their minds and percase haue a perswasion in their heads that if they sholde now vary therfrome their fame and estimation were distained for euer or else of the authoritie of the Busschope of Rome yet if all the Reaulme with one accord wolde apprehend the said succession in my iudgement it is a thing to be amplected and imbraced which thing although I trust surely in God that it shall bee brought to passe yet hereunto might not a little auaile the consent and othes of theis two persones the Busshope of Rochester and Maister More with thair adherents or rather confederats And if the Kings pleasure so were thair sayd othes myght be suppressed but whan and where his highnes might take some commoditie by the publyshinge of the same Thus our Lord haue you euer in his conseruation From my Maner at Croydon the xvii day of Aprill Your own assured euer Thomas Cantuar. Here in this letter is to be seene the wisedome and policie of this prudent Archbishop who could make such auaileable vse to the state of the strong opinion which most men conceiued of the profound iudgement of these two persons This Sir Thomas More was pregnant of wit eloquent wise and learned as by his bookes still extant doth appeare and besides those mentioned by Bale which we haue in print During the time of his imprisonment which was foureteene moneths saith Pitseus he writ an historicall exposition of the Passion of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ according to the foure Euangelists Which I can hardly beleeue for I finde that when he was in prison his bookes and all his papers were taken away from him Whereupon he shut vp his Chamber-windowes saying When the wares are gone and the tooles taken away we must shut vp shop Thus would he lose his light before he would lose his iest for that he would neuer lose nor leaue off vpon the least occasion offered vntill he had lost his head He was twice married first saith Erasmus his intimate deare friend Virginem daxit admodum puellam claro genere natam He married a Maide very young borne of a noble Familie whom he tooke care to haue instructed in all good literature and to be expert in all sorts of Musicke by her he had foure children one Sonne named Iohn and three daughters Margaret Alice or Aloysia and Cicely God saith Leland that reuerend Antiquarie that liued in his dayes extraordinarily blessed these his children and namely his three daughters to whom he had giuen an admirable dexteritie in the science of Songs and Arts which he noteth in this his learned Epigram Desine facundas nimium laudare diserti Natas Hortensi maxima Roma tui Candida tres charites nam Mori cura politi Obscurant multis nomina vestra modis Non illis studium Milesia vellera dextra Carpere non facili ducere fila manu Sed innat eloquij crebro monumenta latini Versare doctis pingere verba notis Nec minus authores Graecos euoluere Homerum Et quem dicendi gloria prima manet Vt nec Aristotelis dicam quo pectore libros Scrutentur sophiae mystica dona deae Turpe viris posthac erit ignorare Mineruae Artes grex adeo quas muliebris amet His second wife was a widow of whom he was wont to say that she was nec bella nec puella Who as she was a good huswife so was she not voide of the fault that often followeth that vertue somewhat shrewd to her seruants Vpon a time Sir Thomas found fault with her continuall chiding saying If that nothing would reclaime her yet the consideration of the time for it was Lent should restraine her Tush tush my Lord said she looke here is one steppe to heauen-ward shewing him a Friers girdle I feare me said he this one steppe will not bring you vp a steppe higher One day when she came from shrift she said merrily to her husband Be merry Sir Thomas for this day was I well shriuen I thanke God and purpose now therefore to leaue off all my old shrewdnesse Yea quoth he and to begin afresh This man thus much giuen to a certaine pleasure in harmlesse mirth facetious iests and present wittie answers was wonderfull zealous in Religion and deuout in so much that diuers times in his Chancellourship he would put on a Surplise and helpe the Priest to say and sing diuine Seruice for which being reprehended by Thomas Duke of Norfolke who told him that it was a dishonour to the King that the Lord Chancellor of England should be a Parish Clerke Hee thus answered Now truly my Lord I thinke and verily beleeue that when the King shall heare of the care I haue both to serue his Master and mine he will accept and take me for a faithfull Seruant Which he might well say for vpon his first comming to his seruice the King gaue him this godly lesson First looke vnto
christendome Another man-childe she bore also vnto the said King though without life vpon the 29. day of Ianuary and the 27. yeare of his raigne to the no little griefe of his mother some dislike of the King as the sequele of her accusation and death did shortly confirme for vpon the 19. day of May next following vpon the greene within the Tower her head was cut off by the sword and by the hands of the Hangman of Caleis when shee had beene King Henries wife three yeares three moneths and twenty fiue daies The bloud was scarse wipt off the blade nor shee 〈◊〉 in her graue an argument that her life was sought after vpon falâ—e 〈◊〉 before another Lady was possest of her bed for on the 〈…〉 her beheading the King her husband was married to that 〈◊〉 Princesse Iane the the daughter of Iohn Seymor Knight and sister to Lord Edward Seymour Earle of Hertford and Duke of Somerset Here lieth buried in the said Chappell the body of George Bollein Lord Rochford brother to the beheaded Queene who together with Henry Norrice Marke Smeton William Brereton and Francis Weston all of the Kings priuie Chamber was beheaded on the Tower hâ—ll two daies before the death of his Sister about matters concerning the said Queene none of them all confessing the act whereupon they suffered death onely Smeton contrarie to his conscience saith one confest some thing in hope of life and preferment which condemned both himselfe and the rest of which thus Cromwell writ to the King Many things haue beene obiected but nothing confessed onely some circumstances haue beene acknowledged by Marke Smeton This hee writ after the prisoners had beene throughly examined in the Tower This Smeton Brierton Norrice and Weston lie buried here in the Chappell-yard Here and neere to the reliques of the said Anne Bollein lieth interred the body of Katherine the fift wife of King Henry the eight the daughter of Edmond and Neece vnto Thomas Howard his brother Duke of Norfolke who hauing continued his wife but the space of one yeare sixe moneths and foure daies was attainted by Parliament and beheaded here in the Tower vpon the 13. of February 1541. It is verily beleeued and many strong reasons are giuen both by English and forraine writers to confirme that beliefe that neither this Queene Katherine nor Queene Anne were any way guiltie of the breach of matrimony whereof they were accused but that King Henry vnconstant and variable in his affections and as vnstayed in religious resolutions did cut them off vpon false suggestions soone wearie of the old and euer ayming at new Espousals Betweene these two Queenes before the high Altar lie buried two Dukes to wit the Duke of Somerset Edward Seymour and the Duke of Northumberland Iohn Dudley Of whom hereafter Here lieth Henry Southworth borne at Halton Castle in the Parish of Runkorne in Cheshire Yeoman of the Crowne and of the Guard to king Henry the seuenth and Henry the eight Yeoman Bawier and Surveiour in the Tower of London for the space of 33. yeares Who died ....... Here lieth Gefferay Hewyt and Ione his wife one of the Gonners in the Tower ... Ione died ... 1525. There are some other Inscriptions in this Chappell but they are of late times Burials of the dead in the fields neare to the Citie of London These burials in the fields might better haue beene spoken of in my prefixed discourse where I write of the strange custome of interring and preseruing of the bodies of the dead But being forgotten there it will not be amisse I hope that they may be remembred here In the fields on the North-East and East side of the suburbs whiles I was writing these matters saith Camden there were gotten out of the ground many vrnes funerall vessels little Images and earthen pots wherein were small peeces of money coined by Claudius Nero Vespasian c. Glasse vials also and sundrie small earthen vessels wherein some liquid substance remained which I would thinke to be either of that sacred oblation of wine and milke which the ancient Romanes vsed when they burnt the dead or else those odoriferous liquors that Statius mentioneth Pharijque liquores Arsuram lavere Comam And liquid baulmes from Egypt-land that came Did wash his haire that ready was for flame This place the Romanes appointed to burne and burie dead bodies who according to the law of the twelue tables carried coarses out of their Cities and interred them by the high-wayes side to put passengers in minde that they are as those were subiect to mortalitie Stow speakes more fully of these and other kindes of funerall Monuments found here in the fields About the yeare 1576. saith hee Lolesworth-field now called Spittle-field was broken vp for clay to make Bricke In the digging whereof many earthen pots called Vrnae were found full of Ashes and burnt bones of men to wit of the Romanes that inhabited here For it was the custome of the Romanes to burne their dead to put their Ashes in an Vrne and then burie the same with certaine ceremonies in some field appointed for that purpose neare vnto their Citie Euery of these pots had in them with the ashes of the dead one peece of Copper-money with the inscription of the Emperour then raigning some of them were of Claudius some of Vespasian some of Nero some of Antonius Pius of Traiane and others Besides those vrnes many other pots were found in the same place made of a white earth with long neckes and handles like to our stone Iugs these were emptie but seemed to be buried full of some liquid matter long since consumed and soaked through For there were found diuers vials and other fashioned Glasses some most cunningly wrought such as I haue not seene the like and some of Christall all which had water in them nothing differing in clearnesse taste or sauour from common spring water whatsoeuer it was at the first Some of these Glasses had oyle in them very thicke and earthy in sauour Some were supposed to haue Balme in them but had lost the vertue Many of these pots and Glasses were broken in cutting of the clay so that few were taken vp whole There were also found diuers Dishes and Cups of a fine reâ—de coloured earth which shewed outwardly such a shining smoothnesse as if they had beene of currall Those had in the bottomes Romane letters printed There were also Lampes of white earth and red artificially wrought with diuers Antiques about them some three or foure Images made of white earth about a spanne long each of them One I remember was of Pallas the rest I haue forgotten I my selfe haue reserued amongst diuers of those Antiquities there one vrne with the ashes and bones and one pot of white earth very small not exceeding the quantitie of a wine pint made in shape of a Hare squatted vpon her legges and betweene her eares is the mouth
Prynces in pease most amate In Grece Archbyshop elected worthely And last of Carlyel rulyng pastorally Kepyng nobyl Houshold wyth grete Hospitality On thowsand fyve hundryd thirty and sevyn Invyterate wyth pastoral carys consumyd wyth age The nintenth of Iun reckonyd ful evyn Passyd to hevyn from worldly pylgrâ—mage Of whos soul good pepul of cherite Prey as ye wold be preyd for for thus must ye lie Iesu mercy Lady help Here lieth Sir Henry Collet knight twise Maior of London who died in the yere of our redemption 1510. This Hâ—nry was sonne to Robert Collet of Wendouer in Buckinghamshire and father to Iohn Collet Deane of Pauls in the first time of his Maioraltie the Crosse in Cheape-side was new builded in that beautifull manner as it now standeth Richardus iacet hic venerabilis ille Decanus Qui fuit etatis doctus Apollo sue Eloquio forma ingenio virtutibus arte Nobilis eternum viuere dignus erat Consilio bonus ingenio fuit vtilis acri Facunda eloquij dexteritate potens Non rigidus non ore minax affabilis omni Tempore seu puero seu loquerere sexi Nulli vnquam nocuit multos adiuvit omnes Officij studuit demeruisse bonos Tantus hic et talis ne non deleatur ademptus Flent Muse et laceris mesta Minerua comis Obijt anno 1532. etat circiter 40. This Pace succeeded Collet in the Deanrie of Pauls a man highlie in fauour with king Henry the eight by whom he was employed as Embassadour to Maximilian the Germane Emperour as also to Rome in the behalfe of Cardinall Wolâ—ey who stood in election for the Popedome Hee writ diuers learned treatises yet extant Nam vir erat saith Bale viriusque literaturae peritia praeditus Nemo ingenio candidior aut humanitate amicitior He was a right worthie man and one that gaue in counsell faithfull aduâ—ce learned he was also and indued with many excellent good gifts of nature curteous pleasâ—nt and delighting in Musicke highlie in the Kingsfauour and well heard in matters of weight Here was I borne and here I make myne end Though I was Citizen and Grocer of London And to the office of Schrevalty did ascend But things transitorie passe and vanische sone To God be geeuen thanks if that I haue ought done That to his honowre and to the bringing vp of youth And to the succowre of the Age for sewerly this is soth By Avise my wyff children were left me non Which we both did take as God had it sent And fixed our myndes that ioyntly in on To releue the poore by mutuall consent Now mercifull Iesu which hast assystyd owre intent Have mercy on owre sowles and as for the residew If it be thy will thou mayst owre Act continew Vpon the same marble these verses following The fyve and twentyth day of this monyth of Septembyr And of owre Lord God the fifteenth hundryd and fowrty yeere Master Nicholas Gibson dyde as this tombe doth remembyr Whose wyff aftyr maryed the worschypful Esquier Master William Kneuet on of the kings privy chamber Much for his time also did he endeuer To make this Act to continew for euer This pious act here mentioned in this Epitaph is a free-Schoole founded at Radcliffe in this Parish by the said Nicholas and Avise for the instruction of threescore poore mens children by a Schoolemaster and an Vsher with an Almeshouse for fourteene poore aged persons and this Foundation continues to this day Saint Leonards in Stratford Bow This religious structure was sometime a Monasterie replenished with white Monkes dedicated to the honour of our alone Sauiour Iesus Christ and Saint Leonard founded by King Henry the second in the 23. yeare of his raigne And valued at the suppression to be yearely worth an hundred one and twenty pounds sixteene shillings In this Abbey Church sometime lay entombed the body of Iohn de Bohun eldest sonne and heire of Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford and Essex Which Iohn de Bohun to vse the words of Milles in his Catalogue of Hereford Earles after the death of his father Humfrey was fifth Earle of Hereford Constable of England and Patron of the Abbey of Lanthony fourth Earle of Essex of that Surname and fifth Lord of Brecknock Because this Earle Iohn in regard of his weaknesse of body by a continuall sicknesse was not able to performe this office of the Constableship of England Edward the third at this Earles intreatie did substitute Edward Bohun the Earles younger brother Vice-Constable vnder him for the tearme of his life But Earle Iohn died at Kirby Thore the 20. of Ianuary vpon Saint Fabian and Sebastians day 1136. the tenth of Edward the third leauing no issue and was buried at Stratford Abbey not farre from London This Iohn married first Alice the daughter of Edmund Fitz-alan Earle of Arundell who died in childbed and was buried at Walden with her Infant sonne after it was christened His second wife was Margaret daughter of Raphe Lord Basset of Drâ—yton a Baron of the best ranke in those dayes by whom hee had no issue Hertfordshire For Ecclesiasticall gouernment onely some part of this Shire belongeth to the Diocesse of London the rest to the Bishopricke of Lincolne Now because the Bishop of Lincolne hath so large a Territorie vnder his iurisdiction I wâ—ll be so bold as to borrow a few Funerall Inscriptions which I haue collected in this County and within his charge and imprint them with those which are properly for London Diocesse Alhallowes in the Towne of Hertford Off yowr cherity prayeth to God and Alhalwin hertely For Ser Ion Chappilaine somtym of yis plas Vicary Almighty Iesu resseve his sowl to grase and mercy Icy gist Isabele Newmarche iadis Damosele a tresâ—oble Dame Isabele Roigne d' Engletere This Isabell Newmarch or de nouo Mercatu a name of great reputation in the raigne of King Henry the third was Maide of Honour to that Isabell Queene of England who was second wife to Richard the second daughter of Charles the sixth King of France Hic iacet Lodouicus Baysbury Capell Henrici sexti ac Prebend Ecclesie Cathedral Lincoln .... M. ccccxxviii Here lyeth vndyr this ston William Wake And by him Ione his wyff and Make Somtym yeman of Iohn Duc of Bedfords hors And lat Survayor wyth king Henry the sixt he was Gentylman mad he was at the holy Grav On qwos sowls Almyghty God mercy hav Hic iacet Iohannes Prest quondam Ianitor Hospitii Katherine nuper Regine Anglie ....... This Priest was Porter to that Katherine Queene of England who was the onely wife of that inuincible Conquerour of France Henry the fifth and daughter of Charles the sonne of Charles aforesaid King of France Saint Nicholas Hic iacet Alicia Tymyslow quondam Dominella Domine Ducisse Lankastrie que obiit 17 Septemb. 1396. This faire yong waiting Chamber-maid for so much the word
restored to all his former honours and withall created Earle of Oxford He died in the yeare 1194. the sixth of king Richard the first and was here buried by his father His wife Agnes or Adeliza lieth buried by him who was the daughter of Henry of Essex Baron of Ralegh the Kings Constable Such was the Epitaph or inscription vpon his Tombe as it is in the book of Colne Priory Hic iacet Albericus de Vere silius Alberici de Veer Comes de Guisney primus Comes Oxonie magnus Camerarius Anglie qui propter summam audatiam effrenatam prauitatem Grymme Aubrey vocabatur obiit 26. die Decembris anno Christi 1194. Richardi â— sexto Aubrey de Vere the sonne of the foresaid Aubrey succeeded his father in all his dignities I finde little written of him in our Histories saue that out of his Christian pietie he did confirme the gift of septem librat terre which Aubrey his father gaue to the Chanons of Saint O sith here in Essex adding thereto something of his owne He dyed in the yeare of our Lord 1214. and sleepeth now in the same Bed with three other Aubreyes his Ancestors To whom this Epitaph vpon Conrad the Emperour at Spires in Germany may be fitly applied Filius hic Pater hic Auus hic Proauus iacet istie The great Belsire the Grandsire Sire and Sonne Lie here interred vnder this Grauestone Hugh de Vere the sonne of Robert the first of that Christian name Earle of Oxford and Lord great Chamberlaine of England was here entombed with his Ancestors who died in the yeare 1263. He had the title of Lord Bolebeck which came by his mother Isabell de Bolebeck daughter and heire of Hugh de Bolebeck a Baron who was Lord of Bolebeck Castle in Whitechurch within Buckinghamshire and of Swaffam Bolebeck in Cambridgeshire Hee had to wife Hawisia the daughter of Saier de Quincy Earle of Winchester as appeares by this Inscription sometime insculpt vpon their Tombe Hic iacent Hugo de Veer eius nominis primus Comes Oxonie quartus magnus Camerarius Anglie filius heres Roberti Comitis Hawisua vxor cius filia Saeri de Quincy comitis Wintonie qui quidem Hugo obiit 1263. Quorum animabus propitietur altissimus Robert de Vere the sonne of Hugh aforesaid Earle of Oxford who enioyed his fathers inheritances and honours the space of thirtie and two yeares lieth here entombed with his ancestours who died in the yeare 1295. Alice his wife the daughter and heire of Gilbert Lord Samford Lord of Hormead in Hertfordshire was interred by him who died at Caufeld house neare Dunmow the ninth day of September 1312. Here lieth buried the body of Robert de Vere sonne and successour to the foresaid Robert whose gouernment both in peace and warre was so prudent his hospitalitie and other workes of charitie so wisely abundant and his Temperance with a religious zeale so admirablie conioyned that he was of all surnamed the good Earle of Oxford and the vulgar esteemed him as a Saint He died the 19. of Aprill 1331. Here lyeth entombed Robert de Vere Richard the seconds Mignion who to adde to his honours created him Marquesse of Dublin a title not knowne before that time in England and in the yeare following Duke of Ireland with commission to execute most inseparable prerogatiues royall These Stiles were of too high a nature and therefore infinitely subiected to enuy Whereupon like a second Gaueston he was hated of the Nobilitie especially for that he was a man nec prudentia caeteris proceribus nec armis valentior as Walsingham saith 9. R. 2. But it was not long before he was banished England by the Barons for abusing the Kings eare to the hurt of the State He had to wife a young faire and noble Lady and the Kings neare kinswoman for she was grandchilde to King Edward by his daughter Isabell he put her away and tooke one of Queene Annes women a Bohemian of base birth Sellarij filia saith Walsingham a Sadlers daughter some say a Ioyners an act full of wickednesse and indignitie Yet this intollerable villanie offered to the bloud-royall King Richard did not encounter neither had the power some say who deemed that by witchcrafts and forceries practised vpon him by one of the Dukes followers his iudgement was so seduced and captiuated that he could not see what was honest or siâ— to doe But where Princes are wilfull or slothfull and their Fauorites flatterers or time-seruers there needs no other enchantments to infatuate yea and ruinate the greatest Monarch Vpon his banishment he went into France where he liued about fiue yeares and there being a hunting he was slaine by a wilde Boare in the yeare 1392. King Richard hearing thereof out of his loue caused his body to be brought into England and to be apparrelled in Princely ornaments and robes and put about his neck a chaine of gold and Rings vpon his fingers and so was buried in this Priory the King being there present and wearing blackes After the death of Robert Duke of Ireland who died without issue his Nephew Aubrey de Vere succeeded him in the Earledome of Oxford he enioyed his honours not passing eight yeares but dyed die Veneris in festo Sancti Georgij Ann. primo Hen. quarti 1400. and lieth here entombed with his worthie Ancestors Here lieth buried in this Priorie Iohn de Vere the third of that Christian name and the thirteenth Earle of Oxford Lord Bolebecke Samford and Scales great Chamberlaine and Lord high Admirall of England Who died the fourth of Henry the eight 1512. hauing beene Earle of Oxford full fifty yeares a long time to tugge out in the troublesome raignes of so many kings especially for men of eminent places and high spirits euer apt to take any occasion to shew their manly prowesse which fire of honour flamed in this Earles breast at Barnet field where in a mist the great Earle of Warwickes men not able to distinguish betwixt the Sun with streames vpon King Edwards liuery and the Starre with streames on this Earles liuery shot at this Earles followers and by that misprision the battell was lost After which he fled into Cornwall and seized vpon Saint Michaels Mount But Edward the fourth got him in his power and committed him prisoner to the Castle of Hames beyond the Seas where he remained for the space of twelue yeares vntill the first of King Henry the seuenth with whom he came into England and by whom he was made Captaine of the Archers at Bosworth-field where after a short resistance hee discomfited the Foreward of King Richard whereof a great number were slaine in the chase and no small number fell vnder the victors sword This Earle gaue a great contribution to the finishing of Saint Maries Church in Cambridge His hospitalitie and the great port he carried here in his country may be gathered out of a
l. 10. s. 8. d. per annum Pleshy This Collegiate Church was founded by Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester for Canons regular which was valued in the Kings bookes to be yearely worth one hundred thirty nine pounds three shillings ten pence The vpper part of which Church within these few yeares was taken downe and as I was told in the Towne the Parishioners being either vnwilling or vnable to repaire the decayes carried away the materials which were employed to other vses This part of the Church was adorned and beautified with diuers rich funerall Monuments which were hammered a peeces bestowed and diuided according to the discretion of the Inhabitants Vpon one of the parts of a dismembred Monument carelesly cast here and there in the body of the Church I found these words Here lyeth Iohn Holland Erle of Exceter Erle of Huntington and Chamberleyne of England Who dyed ....... This Iohn was halfe brother to King Richard the second and Duke of Exceter From which dignitie he was deposed by Act of Parliament in the first yeare of King Henry the fourth whose sister he had married and in the same yeare beheaded in this Towne for a seditious conspiracie saith Camden and in the very place where the Duke of Glocester was arrested by King Richard which was in the base court of the Castle of Pleshie now quite ruined that he might seeme saith he to haue beene iustly punished by way of satisfaction for the foresaid Duke of Glocester of whose death he was thought to be the principall procurer He was beheaded the third day after the Epiphanie 1399. 1. Hen. 4. Vpon a broken peece of a faire marble stone reared to the side of a pillar whereupon were the pictures in brasse of an armed knight and his Lady this ensuing disticke was engrauen Militis o miserere tui miserere Parentum Alme deus regnis gaudeat ille tuis Vnder this stone if Tradition may go for truth Sir Edward Holland Earle of Mortaigne sonne of the foresaid Iohn Holland beheaded with his Lady were entombed Orate pro anima Iohannis Scot primi Magistri huius Collegij qui obijt primo die Ianuar. M. cccc.x Qui me psalmasti miserere mei Qui me pretioso tuo sanguine redimisti miserere mei Qui me ad Christianitatem vocasti miserere mei Here lyeth Robert Frevyt a man letterd sowndyt For hys sowl and for all christine sey a Pater Noster and an Ave. But I shall forget the Founder Thomas of Woodstocke the sixth sonne of King Edward the third and Vncle to King Richard who was taken by force from this his Castle of Plessy by Thomas Mowbray Earle Marshall and conuayed to Callis where he was smothered vnder a Featherbed 1397. His body was afterwards conueyed with all funerall pompe into England and buried here in this Church of his owne foundation in a goodly sepulchre prouided by himselfe in his life time Whose reliques were afterwards remoued and laid vnder a marble inlaid with brasse in the Kings Chappell at Westminster In which Church Elianor his wife of whom I haue spoken before lieth entombed with this French inscription who after the death of her husband became a Nunne in the Abbey of Barking within this County Cy gist Aleonore de Bohun aysue fille et vn des heirs l'hounrable seignour Mons. Humfrey de Bohun Counte de Hereford d'Essex et de Northampton et Constable d'Engleterre Femme a puissant et noble prince Tho. de Woodstock Fitz a tresexcellent et tre puisant seignour Edward Roi d'Engleterre puis le Conquest tiers Duc de Glocestre Counte d'Essexie et de Buchingham et Constable d'Engleterre quemorust le tierz iour a'October ban du grace 1399. de gi aisme Dieux face mercy Amen But againe to returne to the Duke her husband touching whose life and death with the manner thereof thus writeth Gower in his booke called Vox clamantis O quam Fortuna stabilis non permanet una Exemplum cujus stat in ordine carminis hujus Rex agit et Cygnus patitur de Corde benignus Ille prostratus non est de Rege levatus Ad Plessye captus tunc est velut Hostia raptus Rex jubet arma geri nec eo voluit misereri Cum Sponsa nati lugent quasi morti gravati Plusque Lupo sevit Rex dummodo Femina flevit Nil pietas munit quem tunc manus invida punit Rex stetit obliquus nec erat tunc unus amicus O Regale genus Princeps quasi pauper egenus Turpiter attractus jacet et sine iure subactus Sunt ibi Fautores Regis de sorte Priores Qui Cygnum pendent vbi captum ducere tendent Sic ducendo ducem perdit sine lumine lucem Anglia que tota tenebrescit luce remota Trans mare natavit regnum qui semper amavit Flent centum mille quia Cygnus preterit ille Calisij portus petit unde dolus latet ortus Error quem Regis genuit putredine legis Carcere conclusus subito fuit ille reclusus Nescit quo fine sit vite sive ruine Tunc Rex elatum sumpsit quasi Falco volatum Vnde suas gentes perdit Custode carentes A little after follow these verses touching the deniall of buriall to bee granted vnto him among the rest of his honourable and royall Ancestors Sic nece devictum sic corpus ab hoste relictum Clam de conclavi susceperat Anglia navi Per mare regreditur corpus nec adhuc sepelitur Namque sepulturam defendit Rex sibi puram Desuper a latere patris loca justa tenere Dummodo quesivit vix bassa sepulchra subivit Of the manner of his death these three verses following Hen quam tortorum quidam de sorte malorum Sic Ducis electi plumarum pondere lecti Corpus quassatum jugulant que necant jugulatum Such was the end of this royall Prince sonne to a King and vncle to a King who by our writers is discommended in this that he was euer repining against the King in all things whatsoeuer he wished to haue forward Erat enim vir ferocissimus precipitis ingenij as Polidor censures him a most fierce man and of an headlong wit who thinking still that those times wherein he had mastred the King were nothing changed though the King was aboue thirty yeeares old forbare not roughlie not so much to admonish as to check and schoole his Soueraigne Hatfield Peuerell So denominated of one Randolph Peuerell the owner thereof to whom Edward the Confessor was very munificent for that hee had married his kinswoman the daughter of Ingelrick a man of great Nobilitie among the English Saxons A Lady of that admirable beautie that with her lookes she conquered the Conquerour William who desired nothing more then to be her prisoner in Armes which to effect hee begins to expresse a kinde of loue to the remembrance of
and truly as your wit and reason can serue you And as greatly to the aduentage of our Soueraigne Lord the King and this his Realme and true report bring againe to his Highnesse of your messages and as neere to the charge to you committed in word and in substance as your said reason may attaine vnto Alway keeping your selfe secret for any manner of motion saue to such persons as ye be commanded to vtter your charge vnto Secondly ye shall doe your true deuoir euery day to be more cunning then other in the office of Armes so that ye may bee the better furnished to teach other in the office of Armes vnder you and execute with more wisdome and eloquence such charges as our Soueraigne Lord or any Nobleman of his Realme shall lay vnto you by vertue of the office the which his Highnesse will elect you to at this time Discouering in no wise that ye are charged to keepe close vnlesse it be preiudiciall vnto the King our Soueraigne Lord and to his Realme Thirdly ye shall doe your full diligence to haue knowledge of all the Noble Gentlemen within your Marches which should beare coates in the field in the seruice of our Soueraigne Lord his Liuetenants Officers or Commissioners and them with their Issues truly to register and such Armes as they beare with their differences due in Armes to bee giuen and to enquire if any of them hold by any seruice as by Knights Fee whereby they should doe the King our Soueraigne Lord seruice in the defence of this his Realme which also ye shall truly and indifferently note and register Fourthly ye shall not be strange to teach Pursuiuants or Heralds ne to ease them in such doubts concerning the office of Armes as they shall moue you vnto and such as cannot be eased by you ye shall shew to the Constable or Marshall or if any Pursuiuant aske any doubt of you yee shall aske him first whether he haue desired any of the Heralds to instruct him in the same and if hee say nay ye shall limit him to one of them or ease him if you can And if you cannot to moue the said cause at the next Chapter and if the said doubt be not there determined by the said Chapter then to shew it to the Constable or Marshall Also ye shall keepe duly in your Marches if ye be present in the precincts thereof your Chapters to the encrease of cunning in the office of Armes and the doubts that there cannot bee eased ye shall moue vnto the Constable or Marshall Fiftly ye shall obserue and keepe to your cunnning and power all such Oathes as ye made when ye were created Herald to the honour and worship of Nobles and integritie of liuing Namely in eschuing of dislandered places and persons reproached and to bee more ready to excuse then to blame any Noble person vnlesse ye be charged to say the sooth by the King Constable or Marshall in place Iudiciall And also yee shall promise truly to register all acts of honour in manner and forme as they bee done as farre forth as your cunning and power may extend So help you God and the holy Euangeles and by the crosse of this Sword that longeth to Knighthode Necessaries to be prouided for the Creation of an Herald of Armes First a Booke whereon he must take his oath Item a Sword which must be drawne Item his Letters Patents which must be read by an Officer Item a Collar of SS of siluer to put about his neck Item a Bowle of wine to poure vpon his head which Bowle the new Herald is to haue Item his Coat of Armes which must be Satten embroydered and enriched with gold The manner of the Heralds creation The Herald of Armes is brought into the presence of the King or his Earle Marshall or the Earle Marshals Deputy by two of the eldest Heralds the Kings of Armes going before them and all the Heralds and Pursuiuants following all making their due reuerence Then hee kneeleth downe and his oath being read by Garter he sweareth to the contens by kissing both the Booke and crosse of the Sword hilt The Patent is read by one of the Heralds and at Investimus the king or the Earle Marshall turneth the Coat Sleeues to the sides and putteth the Collar of SS about his neck whereby he is created an Esquire but of late times the Coate is carried in by an Herald of Armes and after by him presented to the Earle Marshall who immediatly inuesteth the new Herald therewith and at Nomen imponimus he poureth the wine vpon his head and calleth him by his name as Lancaster or otherwise as his office doth require The Oath of the Herald at the time of his creation before his Soueraigne First ye shall sweare that ye shall be true to the most high and mighty Prince the King our Soueraigne Lord. And if you haue any knowledge or heare any imagination of treason or language or words that might sound to the derogation or hurt of his estate and highnesse which God defend ye shall in that case as hastily and as soone as it is to you possible discouer and shew it vnto his highnesse or to his noble and discreet Councell and to conceale it in no wise Also ye shall promise and sweare that ye shall bee conuersant and seruiceable to all Gentlemen to doe their commands to their worship and knighthood by your good counsell that God hath sent you and euer ready to offer your seruice vnto them Also ye shall promise and sweare to be secret and to keepe the secrets of Knights Esquires Ladies and Gentlewomen as a confessour of armes and not to discouer them in any wise except it bee for treason as it is before said Also ye shall promise and sweare if fortune fall you in diuers Lands and Countries wherein you goe or ride that you finde any gentleman of name and of armes that hath lost his goods in worship and knighthood in the Kings seruice or in any other place of worship and is fallen into pouertie ye shall aide support and succour him in that ye may and if he aske you of your good to his sustenance ye shall giue him part of such good as God hath sent you to your power and as you may beare Also ye shall promise and sweare if you be in any place that you heare any language betweene party and party that is not worshipfull profitable nor vertuous that you keepe your mouth close and report it not forth but to their worship and the best Also ye shall promise and sweare if so be you be in any place that you heare any debate or language dishonest betweene gentleman and gentlewoman the which ye be priuy to if so be ye be required by Prince Iudge or any othere to beare witnesse vnlesse that the law will needs compell you so to doe you shall not without licence of both parties and when yee haue leaue ye shall not