Imprimatur Jo. Battely RR mo P. D no. Wil. Archiep. Cantuar. Ã Sacris Domesticis Ex Aedibus Lamb. Aug. 20. 1685. THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF PETERBURGH WHEREIN The most remarkable Things concerning that Place from the First FOUNDATION thereof With other Passages of HISTORY not unworthy Publick View are represented BY SYMON GUNTON late Prebendary of that CHURCH Illustrated with Sculptures And set forth By Symon Patricl D. D. now Dean of the same LONDON Printed for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in S. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXVI THE PREFACE THe Author of this History was the better fitted for the Work he undertook because he was born at Peterburgh and there lived all his days a few years excepted whereby he had the advantage of being perfectly acquainted with many things about which he writes Particularly the Monuments in the Church broken down in the late Sacrilegious times whose Inscriptions when he was but a Boy as he himself writes in a Letter to Dr. Henshaw late Bishop of Peterburgh he both often read and also transcribed These he hath preserved and transmitted to Posterity as that learned Antiquary Sir William Dugdale hath also done Who in the Year 1641. fearing what shortly followed was at the pains and charge to take the Draughts as well as the Inscriptions of the Monuments in sundry Cathedral Churches of this Realm which soon after were demolished and of this Church among the rest By whose kindness they would have been communicated to the World if the Undertaker had come to the knowledge of them before he had received Subscriptions to his Proposals which were not high enough to bear the charge of them But the best Monuments the Records of the Church out of which a more compleat History might have been gathered are never to be recovered being torn in pieces or burnt by the more than Gothish Barbarity of those ignorant people who took upon them the glorious name of Reformers An account of which is given by a faithful hand in the conclusion of the Supplement to this Work One Book indeed and but one still remains which was happily redeemed from the fire by the then Chaunter of the Church Mr. Humfry Austin Who knowing the great value of it first hid it in February 1642. under a Seat in the Quire and when it was found by a Souldier on the 22 April 1643. when all the seats there were pulled down rescued it again by the offer of ten Shillings for that old Latine Bible as he called it after which he pretended to enquire The name of the Bible by the help of the ten Shillings preserved this pretious Treasure from the Flames whither it was going as Mr. Austin hath left upon Record in the beginning of the Book with a Copy of the Souldiers acknowledgment that he had given him satisfaction for it in these words I pray let this Scripture Book alone for he hath paid me for it and therefore I would desire you to let it alone By me Henry Topclyffe Souldier under Captain Cromwell Colonel Cromwell 's Son therefore I pray let it alone Vnto which goodly Warrant for its security the Fellow subscribed his name The Book I speak of is commonly called by the Name of SWAPHAM it being vulgarly believed to have been composed by Robert Swapham a Monk of this Church of Peterburgh But in truth is for the greatest and most antient part of its History the work of HUGO surnamed CANDIDUS or White an eminent Monk also of the same Church who himself in the very body of the Book gives an account both when he lived and that he was the Author of the History which now all passes under the Name of Swapham For speaking of the Reliques of the Church the principal of which was St. Oswald's right Arm super omne aurum pretiosum as his words are he saith that he himself saw it and kissed and handled it with his own hands when it was shown intire both in the flesh and skin to Alexander Bishop of Lincoln and to the whole Convent with many others 487 Years after the death of St. Oswald Now he was slain in the year 643 and therefore this was in the year 1130. From whence it appears that Mr. Selden is out in his account when he saith in his Preface to the Decem Scriptores fol. XLVI that this History of our Church vulgarly thought to be Robert Swapham's was written in the Reign of Henry the Third or thereabouts He should have said that then Robert Swapham lived as I shall show by and by he did but he who wrote the greatest and best part of the History lived in the Reign of Henry the First King Stephen and his Successor And therefore it might more truly have been said to have been written in the Reign of Henry the Second or thereabout unless his words be restrained to that particular part of the History which he hath occasion to mention which followed immediately upon the death of HUGO This is declared more plainly and fully in another place of the History viz. in the life of Abbot ERNULPHUS Where mention is made of two famous Sacrists of this Church Victricus and Remaldus The latter of which is said to have made a Brother of his a Monk when as yet he was but a child whose name was Hugo who always attended upon Remaldus and served him qui etiam hunc libellum collegit collectumque scripsit who also collected this little Book and having collected it put it in writing And then follows a description of him that in his childhood he fell into a disease which made him very weak For every Year and that often he vomited abundance of blood and once was brought so low by vomiting fifteen Basons full in one week that they utterly despaired of his life gave him extream Vnction and were called out of the Chapterhouse by Nicolaus then Keeper of the Infirmary to come and commend his Soul to God he being upon the point of departure But Egelbrithus a most holy man perswading them to go into the Church and beg his life of God who would not deny them one man as his words were they did so and he was miraculously restored as there is at large related And he lived a long time beloved by all the succeeding Abbots John Henry Martin William under whom he served the Church having all the business of the Monastery both withindoors and without committed to him till he came at last to the degree of Supprior first under Martin then under William de Watervile in whose time he dyed Remaldus his brother being then Prior. I have given the larger account of this man because he is mentioned in many Authors as an excellent person being known as our History adds in the neighbouring Monasteries nay famed far and near and no less loved than praised by all that were acquainted with him And had the name of Candidus or Albus in all likelyhood from his pale Complexion caused
by his frequent vomitings of blood as his Brother Remaldus was called Spiritualis our Book saith because he was a very little Man and ministred with much affection to the Elder Sacrist He is mentioned also by those Authors as a noble Writer and said to have left an accurate History of this Church of Peterburgh and praised by Leland as Vossius observes L. 2. de Histor Lat. C. 56. who calls him luculentus scriptor rerum gestarum and yet it is not agreed when he lived nor whether his History be any where remaining because few or none have read this Book called SWAPHAM with due care and observation Vossius saith HUGO flourished in the later end of the Reign of King John In which I have shown he was mistaken And Mr. Gunton himself the Writer of this present History makes a question in the end of Robert de Lyndsay's life whether Hugo's Book be not now lost though Leland he observes had seen and read it Which inclines me to think he principally relied upon what Walter of Witlesea hath written about this Church and did not think it necessary to read all the Book called Swapham for that would have informed him he was reading the very same HUGO whom Leland read Especially if he had compared Leland's Collections concerning this Monastery with the Book called Swapham as I have done whereby he would have found that they are word for word the same only abbreviated by Leland Who ends his Collectanea just where Hugo's life ended with the Deposition of William de Watervile and goes not one step further and therefore might well call them in the Title of them Collectanea ex libro Hugonis Monarchi Petroburgensis Our Book indeed now called Swapham proceeds further and carries on the History as far as to William de Hotot the Predecessor of John de Caleto In whose time or in Robert Sutton's not long after or in the Year 1271 which was the last of Henry 3. I suppose Robert Swapham dyed For in that year I find a Deed made by Henry Passenger de Quadering unto that Abbot and the Convent which is said to be done tempore Rob. de Swapham Who was then Celerarius of this Church and made a purchace of Robert the Father of that Henry for the benefit of the Celeraria of which he had the management Whom I take to have been only a Continuator of Hugo and but a little way neither having wrote no more than the History of Seven Abbots For it doth not appear that he was the Transcriber of all the Records which are in no good order put together at the end of the History unto which both Mr. Gunton and my self have had recourse for the perfecting of these Labours I have perused also a MS. Chronicle which that eminent lover of Learning Sir John Cotton did me the favour to lend me out of his renowned Library written as the Title bears per Johannem Abbatem Burgi Sancti Petri. What John this was is the doubt there being two of that name who may pretend unto it John de Says and John de Caleto The first of them it cannot be for ad An. 975. this Chronicle referrs the Reader to William of Malmsbury and to Henry Archdeacon of Huntingdon whom he mentions also both ad An. 1135. and 1153 where are these words Hic finit Chronica Henrici Huntingdon as ad An. 1153 there are these his finit Chron. Alredi Who all three lived about the same time the first of them in 1142 the second 1158 the third 1145 all of them after the death of John de Says And therefore I conclude it was written by John de Caleto who lived in the time of Henry 3. an hundred Year after them Vossius indeed makes this Johannes Burgensis to have lived in the time of Edward 3. about 1340 when there was no Abbot here of that name But he calls him Vir eruditus disertus and saith he is commended by Leland as one that had digested the Annals of England in good order Besides these two Johns there is no Abbot of that name but John of Deeping who died almost an hundred Year after that 1439 long after this Chronicon ends Which is the more likely to be John de Caleto's because there is no mention at all made when he died nor who was his Successor but only of the time when he was made Abbot After which the Annals were carried on in all probability by another hand who was better acquainted with the affairs of the Church of Spalding than with those of Peterburgh For he saith little of Peterburgh but gives a very large account from the forementioned period of all the Priors of Spalding who are spoken of in the preceding Part of the Annals very sparingly I might have been furnished with other Records out of the same Library which I sought after but could not find till it was too late that is till the Supplement to this History was grown so bigg that it could bear no further enlargement without great loss to the Undertaker June 20. 85. S. P. Beneuolo froute Ilumfridae Orme Petriburg ' Armig. Notitia frontis Lectiae Cath. ibid. posteritat conseruatur Ecclesiae Cathedralis Petroburgensis facies Occidentalis The West Prospect of the Cathedral Church of Peterborough The East-Prospect of the Cathedral Church of Peterborough The Old Altar-peice beaten down by the Souldiers in the great Rebellion THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF PETERBURGH WHEN this Realm of England was divided into an Heptarchy the Mercian Kingdom being one and the greatest of them all had the County of Northampton within its Dominion the Eastern part of which County being Moorish and Fenny was anciently inhabited by a People called the Gyrvii of the old Word Gyr which signified a Fen and for the conveniency and fertility of this place for its nearness both to the high and upland Countrey and the Fens it was thought meet for habitation The Village was at the first called by the name of Medeshamsted from a deep Pit or Gulf in the River of Nen called Medeswell which ancient Writers of the place affirm to have been of wonderful depth and so cold in the heat of Summer that no Swimmer was able to abide the cold thereof and yet in the Winter it was never known to be frozen Which Properties are now lost with the Well it self only Tradition hath preserved a dark memory thereof adventuring to say It is a little beneath the Bridge that is now standing But if this Well be lost there is another sunk with it into the Pit of Oblivion namely S. Laurence-Well of great fame in ancient days Dr. Hamm. Annot. in fol. 695. whither disposed people according to the Devotion of those times resorted haply for cure of Diseases which kind of Devotion was restrained by Oliver Sutton Bishop of Lincoln In what part Oliver Sutton was B. of Lincoln 1280. of the Monastery this Well was I find not it is probable
relates in this manner Wlgatus diutissimam calumniam passus ab Abbatibus Burgi Elfino Arwino Leofrico Abbatiae suae sedem amittens tandem succubuit proh dolor totum situm Monasterii sui judicio Regalis Curiae perdidit In the time of Edw. 4. 1477. John Wysbech Abbot of Croyland rebuilt the Chappel of St. Pege de Paylond as it was vulgarly called quae per multas ante annos solo aequata jacebat as I find in the Continuation of the History of Croyland lately printed p. 560. For though the Church of Peterburgh had the greatest interest in that place and still hath the Mannor and Advowson of Peykyrke yet the Abbot of Croyland also had some Land there by an antient right Which appears from an agreement made between John de Says Abbot of Burgh and Godfrey Abbot of Croyland in the year MCXVI. in coemiterio de Peichirche in the Church-yard of Peykyrke where there were complaints on both sides de Sochemannis For the Abbot of Croylande had antiently as the agreement acknowledges a certain Court in that Village in which were his Houses de qua nulla soca Ecclesiae Sancti Petri de Burgo reddi debebat But all the rest of the Land in the Village de soca Sancti Petri de Burgo erat consuetudines socae Abbati Monachis reddebat Now the Monks of Croylande complained that some did unjustly intra septa suae curiae hospitari whereas they ought to have in that Court octo hospitum domos quietas sine soca And therefore they came at last to this conclusion that it was acknowledged upon Oath that all the Land was in soca Sancti Petri except that antient Court and the eight houses therein the House of the Abbot of Croyland himself not excepted So the words are Swaph fol. CXVIII Fuit ergo in praedicto coemiterio de Peichirche disraimatum per Sacramentum firmatum omnes esse in soca Sancti Petri excepta illa antiqua Curia octo hospitum domibus Domus quoque Abbatis de Croylande quam Monachi in soca Sancti Petri fecerant sicut justum erat in soca Sancti Petri fuit jurata The names of the Jurates on both parts are set down and the Witnesses also The last of which on the part of Croyland is Robertus Nepos Abbatis Ingulphi There have been more Records belonging to this matter but a whole Leaf concerning it is torn out of the Book and other differences between this Church and that if I have room shall be noted hereafter Towards the latter end of the government of Elfinus all our Historians agree Elfricus or Alfricus for his name is diversly written as the other is was buried in this Church He had been bred up here but came to be first Bishop of Winchester as Tho. Stubbs tells us Actus Pontif. Eborac and afterward Archbishop of York who had a Palace at Suthwell where he died An. MLI and commemorated here in this Church of Burgh upon the 23. Jan. over against which I find in the Kalender these words Depositio Elfrici Archiepiscopi He was succeeded in his See by Kinsinus or Kinsius as some call him Radulph de Diceto calls him Kinsigius then Chaplain to King Edward the Confessor Four years after which Elfinus dyed as among many others John Abbot tells us Whose words are these ad An. MLV. Elfinus Abbas Burgi obiit successit Ariwinus It hapned in January also for in the forenamed Kalender are these words over against the 13. day Depositio Elfini Abbatis Anniversarium Matthaei Capellani I have nothing further to add but that Elfricus the Archbishop gave to this Church together with his body as Hugo writes two rich Albes wrought with Gold two of their best Copes an Altar with Reliques two Palls and two great Silver Candlesticks which were afterward stoln and his own Staff with many other things AREWINVS Eruinus as some call him or Arnewinus was chosen by the whole company being vir mirae Sanctitatis simplicitatis as Hugo Characterizes him Who out of too much simplicity changed the Royal Village of Holneie which was in the Demean of St. Peter as the writings of the Church witness for that of Stokes for no other reason but because it was a nearer way unto his own Farm to go by Stokes In this private Farm it was I suppose that he chose to live rather than in this great dignity wherein he continued a far less time than Mr. G. mentions For if W. the Conqueror came into England the XIth year it should be the IXth of Leofricus as Hugo saith then Arewynus could not possibly be Abbot here eight year For Elfinus dying as hath been shown 1055 there passed from thence till the coming in of the Conqueror which was 1066. no more than Eleven year He resigned therefore his place after he had been two year Abbot An. MLVII as it is in the Margin of Hugo and after that lived eight year So the words of Hugo run very plainly Hic in prosperitate vitae suae voluntarie dimisit Abbatiam suam VIII postea feliciter vivens annos And so I find it in the MS. Chron. of Abbot John ad An. 1057. Arewynus Abbas Bur i demisit se de Abbatia cui successit egregius Pater Leofricus He dyed it appears by the Kalender on the 30. of May where are these words Depositio Arewyni Abbatis LEO FRICVS Called in the Kalander of this Church Lefricus and by Hugo Leuricus and by the Annals of Burton Levericus was chosen by the whole society with the consent of the King and of Arewinus being pulcherrimus Monachorum as Hugo describes him flos decus Abbatum descended of the noble Stock of the Angles and more Noble for his behaviour most nobly governed and inriched this Church and as it is written ornavit tempora sua usque ad consummationem vitae For he purchased much Land and bestowed divers Ornaments upon it particularly the great Crucifix upon the Altar of marvellous work of Silver and Gold Gold and Silver Candlesticks a great Table before the Altar all of Gold and Silver and precious Stone and besides other things mentioned in Hugo Casulam ex purpura optime de auro pretiosis gemmis ornatam alias multas casulas cappas pallia alia ornamenta plus quam ullus ante cum fecit aut post eum facturus est In short this place he saith was inriched so incredibly in his time that now it was called not simply Burch but Gildinburch i. e. aurea civitas the Golden City At his petition Edward the Confessor confirmed all the Grants of his Ancestors to this Church and made him the more able to inrich it by letting him hold four other Abbeys with it Which though mentioned by Mr. G. I take notice of again because he hath omitted the reason why the second of them viz. Coventry was granted to him which was because it
they had received investiture into their Abbeys from the King and not from Anselme So Godricus held his Abbey of Peterburgh but one year which was an unhappy year too for in that year Foreign Thieves from Almain France and Flanders broke in through a window into the Church and stole away a Cross of beaten Gold with many Jewels two Chalices and Patins two golden Candlesticks which Elfricus Archbishop of York had given to this Church Although the Thieves were pursued and taken yet the goods were not recovered but came into the Kings hand who held them so fast that the Abbey could not retrieve them Godricus being deposed the Abbey was destitute of an Abbot about the space of four years all which time it continued in the Kings hand at length King Henry 1. in the year 1103. and the 3 or 4. of his Reign sent an Abbot unto them Until these days of King Henry all the Charters and Grants of former Kings and other Benefactors to the Church were without Seals and signed only with their Names and Figures of a Cross but now they began to affix Seals to their Deeds 16. MATTHIAS Was the man whom King Henry sent to the Abbey of Burgh after that Godricus was deposed One may almost smell the wind that blew Matthias hither for he was Brother to Galfridus Ridel the Kings Chief Justice to whom Matthias gave the Mannor of Pightesly belonging then to his Church What conveyance Abbot Matthias made to his brother Galfridus I cannot determine but Galfridus resolved to hold the Mannor of Pightesly as his own and not of the Monastery of Peterburgh which caused a long suit betwixt them until at length an agree-ment was made betwixt the Abbot not this Matthias but one of his Successors and Galfridus that he should hold the said Mannor for his life paying to the Abbot the yearly rent of four Marks and that after his decease the Mannor should return again to the Church of Peterburgh which it did not long after for Galfridus was drowned at Sea with William Son of King Henry Not long after Abbot John de Sais gave the King 60 Marks in Silver to confirm again the Mannor of Pightesly to his Monastery Matthias held his Monastery of Peterburgh but one year for on the same day he entred thereon on the same day twelve month he died at Gloucester about the year 1105. and the King again kept the Monastery in his hand three years till the coming of 17. ERNVLFVS He was Prior of Canterbury and there being then a Council holden at London wherein many were promoted to Ecclesiastical Dignities Ernulfus was offered to the Monks of Peterburgh for their Abbot and they willingly accepted of him knowing him to be both a pious and prudent man Whilst he was Prior of Canterbury the business concerning the marriage of Priests was hastily agitated and Anselme the then Archbishop was strongly for the negative writing Letters to this Ernulfus which are to be seen in Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments Whilst Ernulfus was Abbot here all things went happily with the Monastery Ernulfus promoting the good thereof by the Kings favour which he had in a plentiful measure He built the new Dormitory the Necessary and finished the Chapter-house which was began before he made an agreement betwixt his Convent and those Knights who held Lands of his Abby that every Knight See in Adulphus should pay yearly to the Sacristary two parts of his Tythes and at his death the third part of his whole Estate for his burial in the Church all his Knightly endowments as well Horses as Armes being to be brought with his body and offer'd up to S. Peter the Convent were to receive the Corps with procession and to perform the office for the dead In the time of this Ernulfus Anno 1112. was the Church of Thirlby near Bourn in Lincolnshire dedicated by Robert Bloet then Bishop of Lincoln Thirlby Church dedicated Swapham fol. 115. pag. 1. which Church with the Mannor belonged then to this Monastery of Peterburgh Abbot Ernulfus was translated from this his government in his seventh year Anno 1114. For King Henry being to pass over the Sea and waiting for a wind at Bourn he sent to Peterburgh for Ernulfus to come unto him to consult about weighty Affairs he being the Kings Confessor but being come the King with Raulfus so our Peterburgh writers call him but Bishop Godwin Rodolphus the Archbishop of Canterbury importuned him to take upon him the Bishoprick of Rochester which Ernulfus did though much against his will the Monks also taking it very heavily wept for the loss of their Abbot Ernulfus being Bishop of Rochester wrote a Book in answer to certain questions propounded See the Catalogue at the end O. and B. by Lambertus Abbot of S. Bertine as also another book of incestuous Marriages although Pitseus makes no mention of him Ernulfus being thus removed the King gave his Monastery to Johannes de Sais or 18. JOHN of Salisbury He being appointed Abbot was honourably received of the Monks He took a journey to Rome but I find not to what end and returned the year following In his time the Monastery was burnt again only the Chapter-house Dormitory Necessary and the new Refectory escaped the flames which took hold of the Village and wholly consumed it Wittlesey writes that one in the Bakehouse being to kindle a fire with much pains could not make it burn which John the Abbot being present seeing in a cholerick mood cried The Devil kindle it and presently the fire flamed to the top of the house ran through all the Abbots Offices and thence to the Town The life burning in one of the Towers for nine days together a violent wind drove the Coals upon the Abbots house and fired that also Afterwards Abbot John began to build the Church anew Anno 1118. which he industriously prosecuted but lived not to finish it for he held his Abby but eleven years and died of a Dropsie Anno 1125. being the 25 or 26 of King Henry I. A year before this was the Church of Castri dedicated as may be seen by an Inscription yet continuing over the Chancel door XV KL MAII DEDICATIO HUJUS ECCLESIAE MCXXIIII Abbot John being dead the King again kept the Monastery in his hand two years And although as hath been said this John gave the King 60 Marks for the confirmation of the Mannor of Pightesly yet upon the death of John the Abbot of Peterburgh the King having all at his disposing for 60 Marks more sold Pightesly to Richard Basset and for Abbot of this Monastery appointed 19. HENRICVS de Angeli Or Henry of Anjou who was made Abbot Anno 1128. He being ambitious sought after many preferments but held them not long for besides he was unstable and voluntarily deserted his present Governments or else found opposition in new ones that he was compelled to withdraw Having an Abbey beyond Sea he got a
claudit tumulus Pro clausis ergo rogemus 24 ACHARIVS Fol. 456. Whom Hoveden calls Zacharias was Prior of S. Albanes and elected thence to be Abbot here Anno 1200. He by his care and providence much enriched his Church and built many buildings in several Mannors belonging to it He maintained suit with the Abbot of Croyland for the Marsh of Singlesholt and recovered it letting it again to the Abbot of Croyland for a yearly acknowledgement of four stone Petras of Wax He added to the number of Monks that then were two and twenty more And when he had happily governed this Abby the space of ten years he died Anno 1210. being the 11 year of King John And there succeeded 25. ROBERTVS de Lindesey Glass-windows Who was Monk and Sacristary of Burgh and now Abbot unto which he paved the way by his good deeds towards the Church for whereas the windows were before only stuffed with straw to keep out the weather he beautified above thirty of them with glasses and his example brought the rest by degrees to the like perfection He built also the Chancel at Oxney being chosen Abbot he was presented to the King at Winchester and had his election confirmed And at Northampton he received Episcopal benediction from Hugo the second then Bishop of Lincoln in the year 1214. for after the death of Acharius the King held the Abbey in his own hand three years He settled the Hundred of Nassaburgh in peace and quietness for in those days the Foresters with their Cattel over-ran all so that the inhabitants of the Towns therein were much endammaged by them and their domineering in these parts by vertue of Forest Lands therefore Abbot Robert made a composition with the King giving him Vid. Chartam in App. 1320 Marks for the dis-foresting that part of the Country He covered the Abbots Hall with Lead He made in the South Cloister a Lavatory of Marble for the Monks to wash their hands in when they went to Meals their Hall being near on the other The Lavatory side of the wall the door leading into it being yet standing though the Hall be long since demolished only some small remains on the wall side are yet to be seen but the Lavatory continued entire until the year 1651. and then with the whole Cloister it was also pulled down Abbot Robert at his entrance into his place found but seventy two Monks to which number he added eight more assigning the Mannor of Bellasise for their maintenance having built a fair Mannor-house there which Bellasise builded partly is now standing He built also the Hall at his Mannor of Collingham In the time of this Robert the fourth Laterane Council was held under Innocent the fourth Pope of that name Anno 1215. Abbot Robert was cited and went thither and received injunctions for his Convent concerning several times of fasting and other duties which at his coming home he put into execution Fol. 287. In his time there arose great discords betwixt the Civil and Ecclesiastical States that the Land stood interdicted by the space of six years Then followed bitter Wars betwixt King John and his Barons wherein how the Monastery of Peterburgh behaved themselves I find but little in any of our Writers Only by what Matthew Paris relates it may be conjectured they were none of the Kings friends though their Patron Ludovicus saith he besieging the Castle of Dover a long time in vain at length the King passed over into Suffolk and Norfolk and miserably wasted those Countries And coming to Peterburgh and Croyland he plundered the Churches there his Officer Savaricus de Mallo Leone with his accomplices committing many outrages in the Country thereabout At Croyland he fired all their stacks which the inhabitants had newly gathered in and so returned to the Town of Lynn with great spoils But afterwards the King taking his journey from Lynn Northward all his Carriages and Treasures were cast away and perished as he passed the River Wellestre Yet afterwards the Abbot of Peterburgh was summoned to assist King Henry the third in the siege of Rokingham Castle which was then the Abbots and the Abbot himself went in person in that expedition till at length that Castle was reduced to the Kings obedience but whether it was this Abbot Robert or some Hon. de Pightesly of his Successors mine Author tells me not Pag. 288. In the time of this Abbot Robert about the year 1217 according to Pitseus there was one Hugo Candidus or Hugh White a Monk of this Monastery of whom the said Author in his Book De Scriptoribus makes mention who wrote the whole History of his Monastery whose works were extant in later times for John Leland who lived in the days of King Henry 8 collected many things out of him but whether or where the said Author be now extant I know not Pitseus tells us also of another Hugh In Appendice Pag. 865. a Monk of this Church whom he calls an English Historian but professeth his ignorance of what he wrote or when he lived Perhaps both might be but one and the same Hugh But perhaps Wittlesey an antient Writer of this Church may make it clearer by telling us that there was one Hugo Albus so called from his white complexion as being subject to bleed a Monk here who was famous in the time of Abbot Ernulfus and of John Henry Martin and William his Successors who wrote the History of this Monastery and so was before Pitseus his account Robert having been Abbot here the space of seven years died October 25. 1222. being the seventh year of King Henry 3. He was not very rich in Books his Library consisting only of these few Numerale Magistri W. de Montibus cum aliis rebus Tropi Magistri Petri cum diversis summis Sententiae Petri Pretanensis Psalterium Glossatum Aurora Psalterium non glossatum Historiale 26. ALEXANDER de Holdernesse Who was first a Monk then Prior and lastly Abbot of this place after the death of Robert A great builder he was and built the Hall at his Mannor of Oundle that also at Castre Eyebury and other places Having been Abbot here only four years he died on the day of his entrance November 20. 1226. and of King Henry 3. the Eleventh These were his Books Psalterium Concordantiae utriusque Test Claustrum animae Opus alterum quod perfecit Rogerus de Helpston Aurora Poenitentiale Tria Breviaria Concilium Lateranense cum aliis rebus Corrogationes Promethei Missale The first day of May before the death of this Alexander there died at Peterburgh Richardus de Mansco Mr. Philipot Catal. Canc. Angl. pag. 10. Bishop of Durham and Chancellor of England 27. MARTINVS de Ramsey Being a Monk of Peterburgh was elected Abbot after the death of Alexander And on S. Andrew's Eve the King ratified his Election which was also confirmed by Hugo then Bishop of Lincoln in the Chappel
The Abbot sends a messenger to the King intimating the danger of such a donation The King resenting the business and how it would redound to the damage of that and other Churches whereof he was Patron and Defender and detesting the secret snares and covetousness of the Roman Court strictly forbade such an horrid donation Thus far Matthew Paris Page 657. How this refusal of the Popes demand by the Abbot of Peterburgh was resented at Rome may appear by the same Author in another place where he writes thus But the Abbot of Peterburgh a man without exception who had more especially resisted the Pope's Mandate being arrived at the Roman Court was accused by Martin the Popes Agent then resident in England for that he would not conferr a Church upon a man fitting for the place to the use of the Popes kinsman So that the Abbot appearing in the Popes Court the Pope rebuked him in very opprobrious terms and commanded that he should be expelled the Court which was done so shamefully and irreverently that the poor Abbot taking it to heart fell into an incurable disease and the same year died to the great detriment of his Church which he had prudently governed And in another place the same Author recites it again telling us the name of the Abbot The same year on the eleventh of the Calends of Page 690. January after many vexations and tribulations which he suffered by the Court of Rome and an infirmity which himself had contracted to the great loss of his Church died Walter Abbot of Burgh This story makes good the Etymology that some of the Romanists themselves give of Rome Roma quasi Rodens Manus Johan Bononiensis in Decretab Bonif. 8. Fol. 32. Col. 4. One like it is given by another Radix Omnium Malorum Avaritia Waldens cit per Alexandrum Theologum in Destr vit part 6. cap. 33. Roma manus rodit quos rodere non valet odit Rome gnaweth hands as dainty Cates And whom it cannot gnaw it hates This by the way Walters Library was copious in comparison of his Predecessors consisting of these Books Decretale Aurora Claustrum animae Biblia Hexaëmeron S. Cantuariae versificé Rabanas de naturis rerum interpretationes Hebraicorum nominum in uno volumine Versus M. W. de Montibus Psalterium gloss Summa Magistri J. de Cantia de poenitentia Templum Domini cum arte confessionum Regula S. Benedicti Psalterium cum hympnario Item duo Psalteria Duo Missalia Duo Gradualia Liber Evangeliorum Liber orationum ad magnum altare 29. WILLIELMVS de Hotot William of Hotot or Hotoft why so called I know not for Wittlesey saith he was born at Carlton near Cottingham in the County of Northampton being a Monk of this place was chosen Abbot the sixth of February Anno 1246. the 31. of King Henry Fair at Oxeney 3. He procured from the King a Charter for a Fair to be kept at Oxeney to begin on the Eve of the Nativity of Mary and to continue for the space of eight days He made many orders in favour of his Monks as that he would not let any of his Abby Lands or do any thing of himself as Abbot without their consent When he had held his Abby about the space of three years he voluntarily gave it up on S. Nicolas day Anno 1249. And there was assigned unto him the Mannor of Collingham where he abode for a time until he was called thence by John his Successor who appointed him his abode at Oxeney allowing him the portion of four Monks Then William died and was brought to the Church of Peterburgh and buried before the Altar of S. Benedict Thus writes Wittlesey not naming the occasion of his reoess which Matthew Paris supplies In the year saith he 1249. there arose great dissension betwixt William Abbot of Page 769. Peterburgh and his Convent concerning dilapidations for that the Abbot had enriched his Kindred whereof he had great multitudes swarming about him to the great detriment of his Church but William being reproved would not reform this errour whereupon the Monks appealed to the Bishop of Lincoln and complained of the Abbots extravagancies who being convicted thereof and foreseeing the danger of his being deposed of his own accord resigned his place into the Bishops hand and there was assigned unto him a Mannor for his livelyhood So that having been Abbot only three years he surceased Perhaps he had not time enough to gather more Books than these into his Library Antissiodorensis abbreviatus Tractatus super Canonem Missae Templum Domini cum aliis rebus Libellus de diversis rebus Missale ad altare Michaelis As to the first book he wrote certain Collations which is in the Catalogue at the End T. XI but I find no mention of him any where else as a Writer See the Catalogue T. XI 30. JOHANNES de Caleto Page 895. So called from the place of his birth in Normandy He was of noble extraction and being made a Monk at the age of sevenyears was brought into England and placed in the Church of S. Swithune in Winchester for his education where growing in piety and wisdom as he did in years he was made Prior of Winchester and upon the recess of Abbot Will. elected Abbot of Peterburgh Anno 1249. which was the 33 of K. Henry 3. He was allied to Q. Elianor wife of K. Henry and such a ray of favour shined upon him through that relation that he was made one of the Kings Chief Justices and rode in the Circuit to execute Justice in the Kingdom At which though Matthew Paris seems to be much aggrieved as that which was not allowed by the rule of S. Benedict the first mention that I find of this Order in this Monastery whereof more hereafter in Richard Ashton and besides was prejudicial to his Church by reason of his absence yet Wittlesey saith that the Church suffered no damage thereby for he no ways neglected that but appointed Robert Sutton his Deputy by whom all things were as well managed as if Abbot John had himself been present And moreover Abbot John did often visit the Church himself to see how things were ordered how the Lands and Rents were bestowed how the Monks were governed and how the poor were relieved to whom he gave Alms with his own hand as oft as he came thither He was careful in adding to the buildings of the Monastery and built that goodly building called the Infirmary commonly the Farmary lately pulled down and at the The Farmary West end of the Chappel of S. Laurence This he appointed for sick and impotent Folk providing for them out of the Church demesns He was also liberal to his Convent giving for every day to the Monk that should sit President in the Refectory a gallon of Wine and half a gallon to the rest of the Society and to the Monk that celebrated high Mass a gallon of
and long contest with Sir Nicolas de Ry and the Abbot of Swinestead for Lands recovered from the Sea to his Mannor of Gosberchirch in Linconshire the story whereof Mr. Dugdale hath set down at large from a Peterburgh Manuscript Hist of Imb. and Draining page 235. Henry being dead was buried betwixt the Quire and the great Altar near unto his Predecessor Adam His grave being in the year 1648. Jan. 11. opened to receive the body of John Towers late Lord Bishop of this place there was found a Seal of Lead the instrument wholly consumed having on the one side these Letters thus inscribed SPA SPE over their several Effigies on the reverse Clemens P P vi 'T is probable that the instrument was some indulgence gotten at the Jubilee which was but three years before I must not here pass by a mistake of Pitseus who in his book of English Writers pag. 448. makes mention of one Johannes Petroburgensis who as he saith was first a Monk and afterwards Abbot of Peterburgh and lived about the year 1340. that he was a very learned man and wrote Annales Anglorum which he might do But for his being Abbot here at this time sure I am there was none such And Possevine in his Apparatus making mention of one Johannes Burgensis who wrote such a Book saith that he lived Anno 1200. but is not able to distinguish betwixt this and an other John mentioned in the life of Henry of Overton although Pitseus makes them two distinct Johns Vossius contradicts Possevine concerning the time of this supposed John but neither doth he agree with our account Henry being dead there succeeded 37. ROBERTVS Ramsey And all that we can say of him is that he succeeded Henry and was Abbot here the space of 8 years and that these books were the materials of his study Prima pars 2 Hostiensis in Decreta in 2. Vol. Hostiensis in Summa Speculum judiciale Decretale Derivationes Hugutionis Prima pars 2 Hostiensis in Decreta His next Successor was 38. HENRICVS de Overton Heu de Pightesly Who was made Abbot Anno 1361. or as some say a year after being the 36 of King Edward 3. No memorable act of his is extant upon any Record that I have seen Only that he instituted a yearly solemnity for the Soul of William Courtney Archbishop of Canterbury of Mary Courtney his Mother and of Hugh Courtney her Husband Earl of Devon and for the Souls of the Brethren and Sisters of the said Archbishop And likewise for the Souls of the Abbots of Peterburgh his Predecessors and Successors For which annual solemnity he appointed by his Charter bearing date 1390 the summ of 15l out of the Mannor of Thulby and some other Lands But why Abbot Henry should have the house of Courtney in so high esteem I find not In his time great Commotions were raised against the Church in several places which as Richardus Knighton Canon of Leicester relates in the year 1381. reached to the Church of Peterburgh where the Countreymen and Tenants arose against the Abby with intention to have destroyed it but by the hand of God they were prevented What the cause of these commotions was or the manner of their pacification as yet I do not find About this time flourished a very learned man one Johannes de Burgo who wrote certain Books Of the Sacraments and a Book known to this day by the name of Pupilla oculi He was Pastor of the Church of Collingham in the County of Nottingham then belonging to the Monastey of Peterburgh Afterwards he was chosen Chancellor of the University of Cambridg which at length he relinquished and returned to Collingham where he died Anno 1386. as Pitseus and others write Page 542. Henry was Abbot here 29 years compleat and died in his thirtieth year Anno 1391. which might be the 14 or 15 of King Richard 2. His Library was but small only these Books Decretale Johannes de Deo Breviarium novum Catholicon Breviarum in two Vol. Innocentius Liber de vita moribus Tartarorum Henry being dead there succeeded 39. NICOLAVS Whom H. of Pightesly sirnames Elmstow Being made Abbot 1391. he continued so the space of five years I have little to say of him only I find in the accompt of his Celerarius for his second year of his being Abbot wherein the daily expences of his Table are recorded that his provision for that year all entertainments of strangers being also considered amounted to no more then 79 l. 0 s. 11 d. His Library had in it these Books Digestum vetus Digestum novum Codex Justiniani Liber azonis Raymundus Liber Poenitentiale Parvum volumen Digestum infortiatum Instituta Quaterna de lege Vnus lib. de fisica Alius Liber de lege Psalterium pulchrum Psalterium Latine Gallice scriptum Now although the private Libraries of these Abbots were thus small yet was there a publick Library for the whole Monastery stored with above 1700 Books or Tractates as by an antient Matriculary of that Library may appear in an Appendix to this our story Nicolas dying in his 5. year 1396. the 19. or 20. of 2 King Rich. 2. there came in his place 40. WILLIHELMVS GENGE Who was the first mitred Abbot of Peterburgh and continued in his Government here the space of 12 years both which his Epitath will demonstrate He was buried betwixt the Quire and high Altar the brass of his Monument participating of the same fate with the rest in the late devasting or devesting of Monuments Anno 1643. His Epitaph must now live in paper and it was this Prudens praelatus Wilihelmus Genge vocitatus Primus mitratus Abbas jacet hic tumulatus Summe vivebat claustrum summeque regebat Mundum spernebat quae fecerat illa docebat Vixer at ornatus virtutibus immaculatus Tunsus quadratus tentatus igne probatus Annis bissenis Burgum rexit bene plenis Vt careat poenis precibus potiamur amoenis 41. JOHANNES DEEPING Was made Abbot in the year 1408. being the 10 of King Henry 4. When he had been Abbot the space of 30 years he resigned his place accepting of a Corrodie for his life which was but one year more He lieth buried at the upper end of the Quire at the left hand of his predecessors Godfrey of Croyland and William Genge The brass of his Monument fared as other Monuments did in the year 1643. the Inscription was this Orate pro anima Johannis Deeping quondam Abbatis hujus Monasterii qui obiit 5 die Decembris 1439. 42. RICHARDVS ASHTON Was upon the resignation of John made Abbot 1438. the 17 year of King Henry 6. and continued therein about 33 years Throughout the whole succession of the former Abbots I find but small or no discovery what order the Monks of Peterburgh were of or under what rule they lived saving the forementioned in Johannes de Caleto but in the time of this
made Arch-Bishop of Cant. Anno 1070. This Book is extant Printed Lovanii 1551. Lanfrancus contra Berengarium de Corpore sanguine Domini Ernulfus was Abbot of Peterburgh and from thence translated to Rochester See B .... Quaedam solutiones Ernulfi Episcopi Roffensis ad quosdam quaestiones Lamberti Abbatis Sancti Bertani Sermo Eusebii de Corpore sanguine Domini See Q. Sermo Isidori Episcopi Hispalensis de eadem re Quid quibus temporibus sit legendum aut canendum Commentum Boëtii de Trinitate Expositio super idem Commentum Libellus contra Eutichen Nestorium Expositio super eundem Isidorus de ordine creaturae Bacharius Macceus a Briton disciple to S. Patrick Anno 460. Pits who mentioneth this Epistle under this Title Dereparatione lapsi ceu de fructu poenitentiae ad Januarium Epistola S. Bacharii ad Januarium Anselmus de concordia praescientiae praedestinationis gratiae Dei cum libero arbitrio Consuetudines Monachorum Cluniacensium Epistolae diversorum Pontificum Laurence was Deacon to Xystus Bish of Rome and under Decius about Anno 252. was roasted upon a Gridiron S. Ambrose Sâ—r. 71. and elsewhere makes glorious mention of him August 10. is his Memorial Passio S. Laurentii versificé Mauritius was Commander of 6666 Souldiers who being all Christians were put to the Sword at Agaunum a Town in Helvetia in the time of Dioclesian about the year 399. as the Roman Martyrologies record who celebrate his memory Sept. 22. Passio S. Mauritii sociorum ejus versifice Versus de S. Pafnutio De poenitentia Thaidis meretricis Versus de transgressione Jonae prophetae Versus de Jepte Versus de Susanna Exhortatio vitae honestae She was some of her Reliques were kept Vita Sanctae Anstrobertae Virginis versifice diversa ejusdem Miracula P Quaestiones Albini de Genesi solutiones Tractatus de mensuris ponderibus Interpretationes quorundam nominum veteris testamenti Q Sermo Augustini de Cantico novo Aug. in his 9 tome Sermo de quarta feria Aug. in his 9 tome De Cataclysmo De tempore Barbarico cum Sermone de Trinitate Aug. in his 9 tome Isidorus was Bishop of Sevil in Spain An 630. These Tractates are recorded by Trithemius and Bellarmine Liber prooemiorum Isidori cum libris veteris testamenti Aug. in his 9 tome novi Liber Isidori de ortu vita patrum veteris novi testamenti Isidorus de patribus veteris novi testamenti Quis cujus typum gesserit Catalogus Isidori de Catholicis Scriptoribus Catalogus Hieronymi de Catholicis Scriptoribus Gelasius was Bishop of Rome Anno 490. Bellarm. Epistola Gelasii Papae septuaginta Episcoporum de recipiendis non recipiendis libris Catalogus Gennadii de Catholicis Scriptoribus See B. Item Catalogus Isidori de Catholicis Scriptoribus Robertus Tumbeley Rob. Tumbeley was Monk of Croyland saith Pitseus but knows not when he lived super Cantica Canticorum Expositio S. Cypriani Martyris super Orationem Dominicam Duo libri Soliloquiorum S. Augustini Augustinus de Immortalitate animae liber unus In his 1 tom 1. Retract c. 5. Augustinus de Quantitate animae liber unus In his 1 tom 1 Retract c. 8. Augustinus de definitionibus Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum liber unus Quaedam excerpta de tribus libris Augustini contra Parmenianum R Augustinus de vera religione liber unus Augustinus ad Valentinum de gratia libero arbitrio liber unus Augustinus de 8 quaestionibus Dulcitii Augustinus contra Pelagianos de Praedestinatione Divina Responsiones Augustini ad quaedam sibi falso objecta contra fidem Sex Sermones Augustini de Nativitate Domini Sermo Eusebii de Nativitate Domini Sermo Origenis de Circumcisione Domini Tres Sermones Augustini de Epiphania Domini Augustinus de Doctrina Christiana S Hildefonsus was B. of Toledo An. 658. saith Bellarmine and both he and Trithemius makes mention of this book which say they the blessed Virgin took so well that she gave him thanks for it Liber Hildefonsis Episcopi de perpetua virginitate B. Mariae T Augustinus de Virginitate In his 7 Tome Augustinus de nuptiis concupiscentia Liber Soliloquiorum Isidori Hispalensis Episcopi U Quaedam excerpta de scriptis diversorum Doctorum Libellus de Tonis Proverbia Senecae Expositiones diversarum partium Augustinus de Verbis Domini Idem de tempore munitionis De duodecim lapidibus De proprietate cantus ann X Apotheosis v PN ad D PN SS PD Y Eusebius who lived Anno 326. wrote this Chronicle from the beginning of the World to 329. of Christ then S. Hierome continued it to 382. then Prosper of Aquitain continued it to 448. and after him others Chronica Prosperi Augustinus de diversis quaestionibus Gennadius Sermo Augustini de dedicatione Ecclesiae Isidorus super librum Regum sed imperfectus Z Epistola ad Augustinum Quod vult dei Diaconi Et Augustinus ad Quod vult deum Diaconum A Beda Beda one of the greatest Scholars of that Century flourished in England his native Country Anno 731. de Compoto de naturis rerum Chronica Bedae Liber Dionysius commonly called Exiguus was a Scythian by Nation and for his piety and learning became an Abbot in Rome Anno 525. saith Bell. 540. saith Trithem Dionysii Abb. urbis Romae ad Petronium Episcopum de Compoto Epistola ejusdem ad Bonifacium de eadem re Helpricus Helpericus was a Monk of the Monastery of S. Gallus An. 1069. saith Trithem who nominates this book with some others which he wrote de Compoto Tractatus de 12 signis signa depicta Sententiae diversorum de cursu stellarum Ratio regularum Abaci B. Beda super Tobiam Beda super triginta quaestiones de libris Regum Beda super Canticum Abacuc Beda de Templo Salomonis Augustinus contra quinque haereses Sermo Augustini de Muliere forti Hieronymus super Ecclesiasten See O Tractatus Ernulfi Episcopi Roffensis de Incestuosis conjugiis C.. Retractationes Bedae de quibusdam quaestionibus praecedentis tractatus Interpretationes Bedae de quibusdam nominibus Hebraicis D.. Beda super verbum Neemiae sacerdotis liber unus Liber unus magni Aurelius Cassiodorus was Abbot in Ravenna Anno 575. saith Trithemius who mentioneth this though Bellarmine doth not Aurelii Cassiodori Senatoris de Anima E. Homiliae Caesarii Episcopi ad Monachos per x. homilias Homiliae There were two Eusebii Emiseni One Anno 350. remembred by Trithemius the other An. 430. by Bellar. Eusebii Emiseni ad Monachos per vii homilias Admonitio Caesarius was Bishop of Arles Anno 670. saith Trithemius which Bellarmine is against and will have him An. 499. See C xiii B. Caesarii Episcopi ad sororem suam Regula S. Basilii Cappadociae Episcopi per octo decem capitula F ... Bernardus de Consideratione
ad Eugenium Papam G. Translatio Sancti Cuthberti Episcopi Duodecim libri Cassiani Johannes Cassianus was a Scythian by Nation and Deacon under Chrysostome Anno 435. Trithemius 440. Bellarm His works are extant Printed Basileae 1497. wherein he is also called Johannes Eremita Liber decem Collationum a Johanne Heremita conscriptus Item septem Collationes ab eodem conscriptae H. Ambrosius de Sacramentis libri sex Idem de Mysteriis liber unus Idem de Officiis libri tres Item Johannes Constantinopoleos civitatis Episcopus de compunctione cordis libri 4. I. Liber Ambrosii de Nabuthe K. Ambrosius de laude virginum libri tres Item de laude viduarum liber unus De Virginitate libri duo Epistola Ambrosii ad Vercellensem Ecclesiam Sermo ejusdem de lapsu virginis consecratae Sermo ejusdem ad violatorem Lamentatio ejusdem super eisdem L. Ambrosius de Patriarchis liber unus Duo libri ejusdem de excessu fratris sui Tres libri ejusdem de laude virginum Vnus liber de laude Viduarum Duo libri ejusdem de virginitate Sermo ejusdem de lapsu virginis consecratae Sermo ejusdem ad violatorem Lamentatio ejusdem super eisdem M.. Libellus de differentiis partium N. Expositio libri Jesu Nave de morte Moysi Expositio libri Judicium Expositio super Ruth Expositio Regum iv O. Liber Poenitentialis in fine P. See G. Alquinus ad Guidonem Comitem de vitiis virtutibus Glossae super epistolas Pauli Liber cucullarum Miracula de imagine Domini Tractatus cujusdam de Dedicatione Ecclesiae Item de Clericis ordinandis Item de convenientia veteris novi Testamenti Q. Vita S. Martini Episcopi Perhaps this might be that which was written by Sulpitius Severus Altercatio Apostolorum cum Simone Mago R. Vita S. Egidii Abbatis S. Aetates ab origine mundi Tractatus sic incipiens Evangelistis Expositio super Orationem Dominicam Quaedam Evangelia Glossata Tractatus de Sacramentis Liber poenitential sive Pastorale magistri Bartholomaeus Iscanus lived An. 1188. saith Pitseus and makes mention of a book which he wrote De Poenitentia Bish Godwyn dates him B. of Exeter 1161. Bartholomaei Exon. Episcopi Tractatus de diversis libris Bibliae T. Dares Dares Phrygius was a Souldier in the Trojan War and a writer of it His History was translated out of Greek into Latin by Cornelius Nepos which he dedicated to Crispus Sallustius and is extant Frigius de Excidio Trojae Libellus Pauli de itinere Aeneae de casibus ejus Gesta Romanorum Valenti Maximo Augusto conscripta Liber de Origine gestis Francorum sed imperfectus Gesta Tyrii Apollonii Philostratus in the time of Severus wrote the life of Apollonius a Pythagorean Philosopher by some accounted a great Magician Philostratus wrote his Miracles to parallel them with those of our Blessed Saviour to please Julia wife to the Emperor Severus U. Historia persecutionis Africanae provinciae tempore Genserici Henrici Regis Vandalorum a S. Victore Episcopo Patrievicensi conscripta X. Epistola Alexandri ad Magistrum suum Aristotelem Dares Frigius de Excidio Trojae Y. Fulgentius Fulgentius was Episcopus Rusâ—ensis a City in Africa An. 500. Johannes Ridevallus who lived Anno 1330. paraphrased upon this piece of Fulgentius and is now in the publick Library of the University of Cambridge saith Pitseus de expositionibus fabularum Dares Frigius de Excidio Troiae Prophetia Sibyllae Z. Liber graduum Libellus sic incipiens Aes ustum A ... Commentum Herbasii super Aphorismos Hippocratis Liber Galen a Physician of Pergamus in the time of M. Aurelius and Commodus about 170 years after Christ Galeni de febribus Antibolomenon Isagoge Johannicii Item Antibolomenon De Phlebotomia Prolivius de Physica B ... Decreta Willielmi Bastardi emendationes quas posuit in Anglia Tractatus magistri Johannes Biletheus or Bilet Pitseus is doubtful whether he was English or French yet makes mention of this book which is commonly printed and joyned with Durandus his Rationale He flourished about the year 1328. Johannis Beleth de officiis Ecclesiasticis consuetudinibus C ... Litera quae sic incipit Hugoni S. Victoris Priori D ... Tractatus de Computatione a sinistra in dextram Regula S. Basilii Liber Sermonum sic incipiens Humilitas mons est Duo libri Soliloquiorum Isidori Augustinus de conflictu vitiorum Epistola Hieronymi ad Paulinum Presbyterum de capitulis divinorum librorum non tota E ... Ambrosius de Nabuthe Vita S. Wadragisili Abbatis Passio S. Nicasii sociorumque ejus Passio This Dionysius seems to be the same mentioned Acts 17. 34. His companions were Rusticus and Eleutherius who as the story goes were beheaded at Paris under Domitian They say that Dionysius being beheaded his body rose upright and stooping down took up its own head and carried it two miles in its armes and laying it down again was there buried His Memorial is Octob. 9. S. Dionysii sociorumque ejus Liber de inventione miraculisque eorum Vita S. Wulfrani Episcopi F ... Decreta Gregorii de quiete Monachorum G ... Liber Sermonum sic incipiens Dicite pusillanimes This book is reckoned amongst those of Petrus Babion an English man who lived Anno. 1317. Pits H ... Tractatus Cypriani de 12 abusivis seculi Formula vitae honestae Septuaginta quinque epistolae Cypriani I ... Epistolae Ernulfus came into England 1164. and laboured a reconciliation betwixt King Hen. 2. and T. Becket Hoveden pag. 282. Ernulfi Lexoviensis Episcopi Excidium Troiae versifice Tractatus de Astronomia Vita S. Agnes was martyred at Rome being 13 years of age in the time of Dioclesian about the year 304. When the fire would not burn her she was thrust into the mouth with a sword S. Ambrose in his first book De Virginibus and in his 90 Serm. is copious in her praise and story The day of her memory is Jan. 21. S. Agnetis versifice Versus de ruina urbis Romae K ... Edilnulphus de Monachis L ... Visio Baronei Monachi Narratio Josephi de S. Maria Magdalena Tractatus de naturis bestiarum volucrum M ... Formula vitae honestae Versus de Jona propheta de Thaide See O. Passio S. Laurentii versifice Vita S. Mariae Aegyptiac secundum Hildebertus was first Bish of Cenoma a Town or Province in France afterwards Arch-Bish of Tours An. 1090. saith Trithemius as to the first An. 1125. saith Bellarmine as to the second They both mention Poetical and other works of his but neither of them this yet Vossius ascribeth it to Hildebert pag. 281. and 378. Hildebertum Cenomanensem Episcopum Passio S. Mauritii sociorumque ejus versifice Versus Hildeberti Cenomanensis Episcopi de Missa N ... Interrogationes responsiones optimae de Theologia quae sic incipiunt Deus summe verus vere
summus Anselmus de vera poenitentia Sermones pauci Excerptiones libri Pastorale Beati Gregorii sic incipiens Ipsi regnaverunt Introductiones de quibusdam themis ad praedicandum De convenientia Veteris ac Novi Testamenti Symphonius Eusebius Hieronymus in Expositionem Marci Quaedam quaestiones solutiones de Trinitate cum aliis Liber Hugonis qui dicitur There is a Summa sententiarum attributed to Hugo Monk and Abbot of S. Victor in Paris Anno 1130. perhaps this was it Bell. Summa Divina Tractatus de Ordinibus ordinandis de excellentia sacrorum ordinum de vita ordinandorum secundum Hugonem Item diversae materiae per 7 folia sequentia prima materia sic incipit Quoniam fecisti judicium meum Expositio super certos versus Psalterii sic incipiens Beatus vir cum aliis diversis sequentibus Liber Richardi Folkingham Liber qui sic incipit Dei Omnipotentis Compendium sententiarum secundum Magistrum Hugonem Notulae super Scholasticam Historiam De mystica Allegorica significatione propriorum nominum quae leguntur in Veteri Testamento Allegoriae de Veteri Testamento per Magistrum Richardus de S. Victore natione Scotus An. 1130. Bell. R. de S. Victore per 14 libros Tractatus de Oratione Dominica O ... Tractatus de Oratione modo orandi quo studio vel affectu orandus sit Deus Tractatus de 7 petitionibus in Oratione Dominica Alia distinctio de 7 petitionibus Titulus super Symbolum Tractatus super Symbolum Apostolorum P ... Tractatus de interdictu Angliae Tractatus de trino modo precandi De miseria humanae conditionis Descriptio loci amoeni de mensibus anni Tractatus de virtutibus imitandis earum distinctionibus Vitae S. Thomae martyris versifice Liber quo sic incipit De Cupiditate Adae Q ... Compendium Veteris Testamenti Exorcismus Baptismatis Alexander Necham might be the Author R ... Tractatus super Ave Maris stella Meditationes Guidonis Tractatus super Magnificat Tractatus super Evangelium Qui Manducat Descriptio Ecclesiastici pastoris Tractatus qui sic incipit Ne videar magnificare Prophetiae Merlini versifice There were two Merlins Ambrosius Merlinus born at Caermardin in Wales who flourished about An. 480. The other Merlinus Calidonius An. 570. whom Geofsry of Monmouth converted into Latin Verse Pits And perhaps this might be it S ... Templum Domini Tractatus de Modo confitendi Tractatus qui sic incipit Bona in tempore Tractatus qui sic incipit Domum fecit Salomon De poenitentia injungenda religiosis secundum Magistrum W. de montibus Qui bene praesunt versifice Regula Beati Francisci Tractatus de Sacramento altaris Casus quibus excommunicatur quis ipso jure Tractatus de 7 aetatibus T ... Tractatus de nominibus deorum Historia Britonum Ambrosius super Lucam Sermones diversi Compilatio excerpta de Confessionibus Augustini Epistolis Leonis Papae libris Cassiani aliorum Doctorum U ... See S. Liber poenitentialis Bartholomaei Exon. Episcopi Liber Sermonum X ... Hugo This Hugo was Monachus Corbeiensis Anno 1120. saith Trithemius who recites this book amongst others which he wrote de Folieto de aedificatione claustri materialis Tractatus super quibusdam psalmis de Psalterio Y ... Liber Soliloquiorum Tractatus de duobus luminaribus Etymologiae quorundam nominum Meditationes Hugonis de S. Victore Compilatio diversarum quaestionum Visitatio infirmorum Phalecolum cum expositione ejusdem Z ... Tractatus qui sic incipit Quantum docet in clementia Liber moralis philosophiae Tractatus qui sic incipit Miraculum Dissuasio Nicolas Trivit An. 1328. And John Rideval An. 1330. did both write upon the tractate of Valerius Pitseus Valerii ad Rufinum Ne ducat uxorem Libellus de diversis rebus A iv Vita S. Swithuni S. Swithune was Bishop of Winchester and died An. 862. Mat. Westm Tractatus qui sic incipit Amor terrenus inviscat animam B iv Ambrosius de Officiis Libellus de diversis rebus Tractatus de differentiis in crucibus faciendis in Canone sic incipiens In virtute sanctae Crucis C iv Liber Sermonum per annum Liber de natur a quarundam avium D iv Parvus tractatus qui sic incipit Pax hominibus bonae voluntatis Tractatus bonus qui sic incipit Quamlibet peritus E iv Liber H. Praepositi de Sempringham de Oratione inquisitione Dei. Tractatus qui sic incipit qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendam eam Compendium poenitentiale glossatum Tractatus de agnitione peccatorum F iv Tractatus de humilitate Monachorum Tractatus de arte qui sic incipit Introducendus in hanc facultatem Divisiones subdivisiones soni per quas pervenitur ad propositiones Item ars disserendi sive discernendi verum à falso Tractatus qui sic incipit Cum hoc nomen Tractatus de Baptismo G iv Exactiones de Romana Civitate Seneca de remediis fortuitorum malorum H iv Tractatus de operibus sex dierum I iv Tractatus de modo precandi Tractatus Petrus Blesensis was Archdeacon of Bath 1177. Petri Blesensis sic incipiens Quid sit mundus K iv Expositio This seems to be Remigius Antisiodorensis who lived Anno 890. and whom Fulco Bishop of Rhemes called thither to erect Schools Bellar. See N vi Remigii super Focam de Nomine Verbo Vita S. Agnetis Expositiones quorundam verborum L iv Tractatus de Sponso Sponsa scil Christo Ecclesia Expositio Bernardi super Canticum Canticorum M iv Quidam tractatus qui sic incipit Ductus est in desertum Ordo de celebrando Concilio Tractatus de Philosophia Versus de iis quae sunt insinuanda in sermonibus Statuta Generalis Capituli nigrorum Monachorum celebrati Oxon. Alia Statuta ordinis Monachorum quae sic incipiunt In primis N iv Descriptio quatuor Evangelistarum quid significant figurae illorum Tractatus super illum versum Homo cum in honore esset Parvus tractatus de Jure O iv Constitutiones Abbatum Archiepiscopatus Cantuariensis apud Oxon. factae Concilium Oxon. sub Magistro S. Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi celebratum Libellus de modo poenitendi de poenitentia injungenda Sermones Stephen Langton was made Arch-B of Cant. Anno 1206. and sate there 22 years saith Somner The dividing of the Scriptures into Chapters as they are now commonly received is attributed to him by Pitseus but denied by Parker and Godwin Stephani Archiepiscopi De virtutibus vitiis Distinctiones secundum ordinem Alphabeti Tractatus de Trinitate unitate De vocabulis quae de Deo dicuntur vel ab aeterno vel ex tempore De processu negotiorum civilium ordine judiciorum P iv Tractatus de quatuor virtutibus Cardinalibus Tractatus
confitebitur tibi S v. Hymnarius glosatus T v. Sermones in festo Mariae Magdalenae Sermones If this was not a Nick-name of Peter Comestor I cannot find who he was See X vii Magistri Petri Manducatoris U v. Tractatus Alexandri Necham de tribus viribus animae Verborum significationes super librum sententiarum secundum This Roger lived An. 1160. Pitseus sets down the books which he wrote but not this Magistrum Rogerum Salisburiensem X v. Compendium Theologiae qui sic incipit Deus unus est Tractatus Vnde Missa exordium habuit De transubstantiatione Corporis Christi Excerptiones Epistolarum Cassiani Y v. Expositio Magistri Petri super librum Job Henrico Regi Anglorum Sententia L. Archiepiscopi de libertate Monachorum Quaedam excerpta de libro Soliloquiorum Isidori S. Homo respondit rationi Tractatus de diversis figuris aliis partibus Grammaticae qui sic incipit Ferrum rubiginem Tractatus de singulis libris Bibliothecae tam Novi quam Veteris Testamenti See M v. Tractatus Innocentii 3. de Dulia Latria cultu Dei imaginum Z v. Versus excerptionum Veteris Novi Testamenti in quibus breviter continetur Summa totius operis Liber Tobiae Job versifice Verba Floris Judicis de Susanna versifice Homilia Origenis super Cantica Canticorum versifice Contentio spiritus carnis versifice Liber qui sic incipit Papa stupor mundi Liber Marci Valerii Martialis Epigrammaton ad diversos autores versifice A vi Tractatus de diversis morbis mentis corporis Meditationes Beati Bernardi Item Cur Deus homo B vi Libellus Beati Augustini qui dicitur Cherub Quaedam notulae de Confessione facienda Quaedam lectio This Adam lived An. 1257. was Monk of Worcester and afterwards was elected B. of Ely but Hugh Balsham by the favour of Pope Alexan. 4. obtained it against him Pits Magistri Adae de Marisco fratris Minoris Quaedam Epistolae Senecae and Lucilium Liber de miseria humanae conditionis C vi Sermo de vitiis virtutibus Petendam esse solitudinem versifice Tractatus de Trinitate De arte praedicandi cum sermonibus sequentibus literis Innocentii Papae aliorum Moralis expositio super Cantica Canticorum Rythmice composita Sermo qui sic incipit Meliora sunt verba tua vino D vi Sermones in Dominicis S. à Dom. 6. usque ad 25. Liber Sermonum Horatii Doctrinale Magnum Summa Richard Wetberset lived Anno 1350. This book is amongst some others of his in Pitseus Richardi Cancellarii Cantabrigiensis Qui bene praesunt E vi Graecismus Tractatus de Accentu Tractatus Radulphi de Mediis syllabis F vi Liber Boëtii Glosati de Consolatione Philosophiae Versus Licentii ad Augustinum versus Augustini ad Licentium Versus de Institutione Sacrae Missae G vi Parvus tractatus inter defensorem accusatorem H vi Musica Boëtii Boetius Manlius Severinus was Consul of Rome and Councellor to Theodoricus the Emp. by whose command he was put to death Anno 524. saith Trithemius who recites this book of Musick amongst his other works Musica Guidonis alii parvi tractatus de Musica I vi Epistolae Senecae ad Paulum Pauli ad Senecam Epistolae Senecae ad Lucilium Seneca de Beneficiis Seneca de Clementia ad Neronem Seneca de Paupertate Seneca de Remediis fortunae Ludicra Senecae de Claudio Nerone vel Ludus Senecae Liber declamationum Senecae Tragoediae Senecae Seneca de naturalibus quaestionibus K vi Priscianus de Constructione Priscanus the Grammarian was born at Caesarea and was favourite to Cozroe K. of Persia Anno 620. Trith Priscianus super 12 versus Virgilii Institutio ejusdem de Nomine Pronomine Adverbio Priscianus de Accentibus Liber de Barbarismis Soloecismis Isagoge Porphyrii Categoriae Aristotelis Liber peri ermenias Liber divisionum Boëtii Categorici Syllogismi L vi Liber de Arte poetica Sermones ejusdem Epistola ejusdem M vi Versus Bedae presbyteri de die judicii Theodulus Sedulius Prosper versus Abonis Versus Sibyllae de die judicii Ovidius de mirabilibus mundi Ovidius de Somno Divinationes Symphronii De pedibus metrorum arte versificandi Regulae de ultimis primis syllabis Ovidius de annulo Ovidius de pulice Regulae de primis ultimis syllabis Regulae de ultimis penultimis N vi Expositiones quarundam partium per Alphabetum Remigius super Donatum majorem minorem Trithemius makes mention of this work of Remigius See K iv Isidorus super Donatum Libellus Bedae presbyteri de metrica arte Remigius super Focam Grammaticum Institutio Prisciani Grammatici O vi Cato Quintus Serenus de Medicamine Symphonius de Divinationibus P vi Tullius de Divinatione Timene ejusdem Liber Tullii de Fato Libellus ejusdem de paradoxa Stoicorum Lucullus ejusdem Tres libri ejusdem de Legibus Q vi Tullius de Divinatione Liber Tusculanarum Marci Tullii Ciceronis R vi See O. Epistolae Senecae ad Paulum Epist Pauli ad Senec. Ratio novem Musarum secundum quosdam philosophos Culex Virgilii Dirae Virgilii Capa Virgilii Versus Virgilii de Est Non est Versus ejusdem de institutione viri boni Ecloga ejusdem de Rosis nascentibus Moretum Virgilii Epitaphia ejusdem à duodecim sapientibus conscripta Versus eorundem de diversis rebus Versus de 12 primis Imperatoribus Romanorum Versus Sibyllae de die judicii Versus Augusti Caesaris de laude Virgilii Liber Theoduli Versus de lapsu primi hominis Versus de Jephte Versus de Susanna Proverbia Senecae Disputatio inter Accusatorem Epaminondam S vi Invectiva Salustii in Ciceronem Salustius Crispus in Bellum Catilinarium T vi Macrobius de Somno Scipionis Macrobius de Saturnalibus sed imperfectus U vi Liber Prosperi Versus Bedae presbyteri de die judicii Versus Abonis X vi Prosper Cato Versus de die judicii Dirocheum Prudentii Y vi Libellus Donati de voce literis syllabis pedibus accentibus posituris Libellus Servii de modis syllabarum Donatus de Barbarismo Persius Glosatus Psychomachia Prudentii Z vi Bucolica Georgica Persius Libellus Prudentii de laude Martyrum Dirocheum Aurelius Prudentius an elegant Poet flourished An. 390. saith Bellarmine 380. saith Trithemius who records many more of his works than Bellarmine doth but neither of them any by the title of Dirocheum It should be Diptochaeum ejusdem Versus Abonis Macer de viribus literarum Regulae de primis syllabis A vii Macer Cajus Licinius Macer wrote a Roman history and was contemporary with Virgil There was another Aemilius Macer about the same time who wrote of Birds Serpents and Herbs Macrobius De Somno Scipionis Glosae super Platonem juxta
Magistrum Manegraldum B vii See T. Excerpta de versibus Martialis coci Versus contra praepositos C vii Salustius Invectivae Ciceronis in Catilinam libri 4. Invectivae Salustii in Ciceronem Ciceronis in Salustium Oratio Tullii pro Marco Marcello Oratio ejusdem pro Quinto Ligario Oratio ejusdem pro Rege Deiotaro Proverbia Senecae Dicta diversorum doctorum Gregorius de libertate Monachorum De praevaricatione poenitentia Regis Salomonis quid senserint nostri Doctores Augustinus Hieronymus Ambrosius Bacharius Beda D vii Ovidius de remedio amoris Ovidius Tristium Ovidius Fastis E vii Ovidius Tristium Ovidius in Ibin Ovidius de Nuce Versus de mirabilibus mundi See L x. Ovidius de Somno Ovidius de medicamine faciei Ovidius de medicamine aurium Ovidius de annulo Ovidius de pulice Ovidius de cuculo Dares Frigius de excidio Trojae See T. Fulgentius de expositione fabularum F vii Ovidius Epistolarum Ovidius de arte amandi Ovidius de remedio amoris G vii Ovidius de are amatoria Ovidius de remedio amoris Ovidius sine titulo Ovidius de Ponto Ovidius de Fastis Glosae super Ovidium in Ibin Tractatus de iis quae quaerebantur antiquitus in principiis librorum Beda de Tropis H vii Donatus minor Tract at us ejusdem de voce litera tonis accentibus posituris Donatus major Dialogus de partibus orationis alia quaedam de Grammatica parvis instruendis utilia Institutio Prisciani Grammatici I vii Liber Eutyci Grammatici Eutychius Proculus the Grammarian was Schoolmaster to Antoninus Pius Vossius Commentum Sedulii super eundem K vii Cato per aequipollentiam libri 4. Liber Amani de fabula S. Rustica deflenti Persius L vii Interrogatio quarundam partium responsio Tractatus de pedibus metrorum Versus de ludo Scaccorum Robert Helcot who lived Anno 1349. wrote De ludo Scaccorum but by Pits it may seem that his books began in Prose Hieronymus Vida wrote in Verse a Poem called Scaccheae ludus printed Basilicae 1534. but I cannot say it was this Regulae de primis syllabis sic incipiens Regula splendescit Item regulae de primis mediis syllabis Regulae de Vltimis syllabis Item regulae de primis i. Labile labis Colores Rhetorici Tractatus de Tonis De Symphonia facienda De Organis faciendis De tintinnabulo Item de Organis Epist Gerberti ad Constantinum de Proportionibus Textus Rythmachiae Abacus Libellus de Compoto Tractatus de Computationibus annorum ab origine mundi usque ad Christum Figurae divisiones Item Scriptum de Compoto Compotus Gerlandi Compotus Philippi de Tanu Gallice Item Calendarium M vii Remigius super Donatum Item libellus Bacharii Sententia Anselmi de motione altaris Epistola Senecae ad Callionem de remediis infortuitorum Anselmus de Concordia praescientiae praedestinationis gratiae Dei cum libero arbitrio Expositiones partium per Alphab usque ad I literam N vii Versus qui sic incipiunt Adae peccatum Versus qui sic incipiunt Res manet Notulae super Poëtriam Notulae super Persium O vii Tullius de Senectute Tullius de Amicitia P vii Glosae super Priscianum imperfectae Q vii Versus inter Mariam Angelum Questus fratrum a'e propositis suis Versus de Clavibus Philosophiae Querimonia ovis de lupo R vii Liber Petri Eliae super majus volumen Prisciani Item liber de Constructione Summa Magistri Roberti Blund de Grammatica Liber de Barbarismo Syllogismo Regulae Magistri Serlonis de primis syllabis See Nv. Liber qui sic incipit Inter Summa Philosophiae S vii Bernardus de Amore Dei Bernardus de diligendo Deum T vii Liber Esdrae prophetae Liber Methodii de Creatione mundi See K viii Liber qui vocatur Virgilio Centena prole Gentilium Carmina ad obsequium fidei retorquentis U vii Notulae Symmachi Proverbia Euodi X vii Tractatus Trithemius saith that Alanus de Insulis who lived An. 1300. wrote De arte praedicandi probable that this was he under another name Magistri Alani Poretani de Arte praedicandi Tractatus super Missam Item de eodem Glosae super Canonem Missae Tractatus de septem septenis Tractatus Prioris de Essebi Pitseus makes mention of Alexander Essibiensis a Prior who lived Anno 1220. but this book is not amongst those by him there cited See Z v. de Arte praedicandi Summa de Sermo de Cruce Sermo de uxore Levitae Tres Sermones Magistri Rogeri de Dominicis de Pentecoste Tractatus ejusdem de domo sapientiae Duo Sermones Magistri P. Comestoris Cherubin de Confessione Sermo Magistri P. Comestoris Sex Sermones Bernardi Abbatis Clarevallensis Tres Sermones Magistri P. Comestoris Quaedam Regulae Theologiae Septem Regulae Ciconii Solutiones quarundam contrarietatum Sermo Magistri S. Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis Tractatus Innocentii Papae de miseria humanae conditionis Tractatus H. de S. Victore de oratione Glosae Alexandri Necham super Quicunque vult Liber Isidori ad Sororem suam Florentinam Y vii Tropae Magistri W. Cancellarii Lincoln Duo Sermones Petri Comestoris Tractatus de operibus sex dierum i. Hexaëmeron Tractatus de sex verbis Domini de Cruce Glosae super Hymnos Tractatus Magistri H. de S. Victore de Ascensione Tractatus de septem septenis Versus Magistri Matthaei Windoniensis super Tobiam Versus sive A. Versus Magistri Galfridus Vinsalf or De Vino Salvo lived Anno 1199. Pits where this book is found amongst his other G. Vinesalvi de Arte loquendi Summa Magistri Matthaei Windoniensis de Arte versificandi Eulogium Johannis Cornubiensis John of Cornwal See G xi Pitseus records this book and saith that it is in the Library of Baliol Coll. Oxon. Summa de Jure Objectiones Christianorum Judaeorum secundum Cancellarium Lincolniensem Liber Bernardi Silverstris Tractatus de mysteriis numerorum Z vii Compendium Veteris Testamenti Tractatus qui sic incipit Cum omnes prophet as Matutinae S. Mariae de usu seculari A viii Tractatus Magistri Petri Blesensis super librum Job Liber Magistri Robert Curson lived Anno 1218. was made Cardinal and Legate into England Pits names this book with his other and saith it is in the Library of Bennet Colledge Cambridge Roberti Curson de Septem septenis Liber Bernardi Abbatis Clarevallensis ad Eugenium Papam Liber Innocentii Papae de Miseria humanae conditionis Liber Magistri H. de S. Victore de Oratione Glosae Alexandri Necham super Quicunque vult Liber S. Ambrosii de bono mortis Sermo de Ascensione qui sic incipit Beatus vir cujus est auxilium abs te B viii Expositio Haebraicorum nominum secundum Alphabetum C viii Expositio omnium
Bernardi Latinè Oratio sine devotione est quasi corpus sine anima B xvi Amours ou estis venus Lumer de Lais Gallice Speculum Edmundi Gallice Pater noster Gallice Contemplationes pro diversis horis diei Gallice Contemplatio de Passione Christi Gallice Disputatio inter spiritum animam Gallice C xvi Proverbia Senecae Liber qui vocatur Housbondrie Gallice Historia Anglorum Gallice Rythmice Computatio annorum ab initio mundi usque ad tempus Edwardi filii Regis Edwardi A SUPPLEMENT To the Foregoing HISTORY THE ancient name of this place all agree was Medeshamstede or Medeshamstud as it is called by Symeon Dunelmensis and the Abbot Medeshamstudensis Abbas by Roger Hoveden ad An. 992. or Medeshamstide as it is in Radulphus de Diceto ad An. 1051. But whence it had this name is not so certain The derivation which Mr. Gunton gives of it is out of Swapham or rather Hugo as I have shown in the Preface who saith that as Eli had its name from the abundance of Eeles taken in the Waters there and Thorney from the Thorns and Bushes wherewith it was overgrown and Croyland from the Terra Cruda moist and morish Ground on which it stands so this place from that Vorago or Gurges as he terms it in the middle of the River called anciently Medeswell Whose wonderful properties he derives from Springs perpetually bubling up which kept it from being frozen when the rest of the River was and yet made it so cold that when the Sun was hotter than a Chimney fire as his words are no Swimmer could endure it And it must be confessed that Bede derives Eli ab anguillarum copia from the plenty of Eeles there consentiens communi notitiae saith Will. of Malmsbury L. ult de gestis Pontif. Angl. agreeing to the common notion For it is known to all there was such abundance of all other Fish and Fowl also in that place ut pro uno asse c. that for one farthing five men and more might not only drive away hunger but fill themselves to satiety And Thornei also other Writers will have so called propter dumorum condensitatem from the thickets of all sorts of Thorns and Briers c. which Athelwold caused to be cut up saith the same Malmsbury intending in the very beginning of his Episcopacy to go and lead an Hermite's life in that place Which he magnifies to the Skies That place also which we now call Crowland or Croyland is called Cruland both by Hugo and by Henry of Huntingdon John Prior of Hexham Gervase of Canterbury and many others And Crulant by Symeon of Durham or rather Turgotus ad An. 1075. and Cruiland by Roger Hoveden in Hen. 2. p. 547. and more ancient than all this King Edgar in his Charter to our Church of Peterburgh calls it Crulond Which may make that derivation probable from crude Land which Ingulphus himself who was Abbot of Croyland gives of it crudam terram coenosam significat But for all this I see no reason to think that Medeshamsted had its name from the Medeswell there being no such deep pit in the River and Hugo himself reporting it with an ut dicunt as they say and another plainer derivation offering it self from the fair Meades or Meadows that lie on both sides of the River Nen upon which this place stands Which in those days were the more considerable because all the rest of the Country thereabouts which was not Fenn was Woods So I find in the Book called Swapham fol. CCXCV. that all the Nashum or Nassa as it was termed afterward called the Liberty of Burgh was solitary and full of Woods without any Inhabitant And so continued till the time of Adulphus who did but begin neither to clear the Country by cutting down the Woods and to make Mannors and Granges Presently after which the place being new built its name was changed into Burch or Burg as shall be then more largely shown which during all the time of the first Monastery before it was burnt by the Danes had been called Medeshamstede and frequently Medhamsted As much as to say the Ham i. e. Village or House standing upon the Medes And was sometime simply called Hamstede as I find in Matthew of Westminster Who speaking of the inrode made by the Danes under the conduct of Hinguar and Hubba in the year 870. and showing how they destroyed the North Country and then passed over Humber and so went forward till they came to the Fenns where they burnt the Monasteries and killed their Inhabitants he adds Horum autem nomina Coenobiorum sunt Croulandia Thorneia Rameseia Hamstede quod nunc Burgum Sancti Petri dicitur Which is no mistake in the Printed Book for in a MS. now in the Library of the Church of Westminster I find the same words without the least difference but only the letter e in the end omitted it being written Hamsted Where I doubt not there was another Well as Mr. G. observes by the way called St. Laurence his Well and very probably was near the Chappel bearing his name which was dedicated to the use of the Infirmary As appears by a Charter of Willielmus de Midilton a servant in the Infirmary who gave to the Abbot and Convent of Burgh and to the Infirmary of that place a Noble of annual Rent ad sustentationem unius lampadis continue ardentis in capella Sancti Laurentii ejusdem Infirmariae for the maintaining of a Lamp perpetually burning in the Chappel of St. Laurence belonging to the same Infirmary Swaph fol. CLXXXIX The Superstitious resort to it was the cause I suppose of its being stopt up so that now there are no footsteps of it For that moved Oliver Sutton Bishop of Lincoln to send his Inhibition to restrain that kind of devotion which as Mr. Gunton observes out of Dr. Hammond was used both here and at St. Edmund's Well in Oxford and I may add in other places also as appears by the Records of the Church of Lincoln Where the Register of the Acts of this Worthy Prelate in the ten first years of his Government which was twenty years in all are lost and therewith this Act about the Church of Peterburgh But there still remain the Acts of the other ten In the first of which he condemned that superstitious devotion which many people paid at St. Edmund's Well in the Fields near St. Clment's Church without the Walls of Oxford as tending to introduce the error of the Gentiles among Christs-worshippers and in the last the like foolish devotion at another Well in the fields of Lincelad in the County of Buckingham Requiring the Archdeacons of Oxon and Bucks solemnly to excommunicate all such persons as should presume hereafter to frequent those places under the pretence of Miracles done there Both which my worthy Friend Dr. James Gardiner Sub-Dean of the Church of Lincoln having at my request transcribed for me out of the Book
Lusgerg Ethelhuniglond Barchanig Which were places not very far from Medeshamstede it appears by several Charters which still remain upon Record in the Book called Swapham Where I find fol. CXXX XXXI that in the time of this Cutbald the glorious King of the Mercians Ethelredus or Adilredus for he is called by both names came to visit the servants of God in this Monastery of Medeshamstede and to obtain their prayers for the relief of his Soul and out of a desire of Eternal life as the words of his Charter are gave to the Friers there all that land called Leugtricdun triginta manentes habentem Not long after which one of the Friers coming to this King upon a certain occasion he took a glebe from the forementioned Land and put it super codicem Evangeliorum upon the Book of the Gospels in confirmation and for a testimony of the aforesaid donation Unto which these witnesses were present Sexulfus Episcopus Merciorum Wecca and Berhthun Monachi Hostryga ipsius Regis Regina Henfric Eadfric principes Regis Adilredi that none might dare to attempt any thing against this donation of the King qui sibi divinam donationem adesse optaret in futura vita Amen Which Leugtricdun I have reason to think was an Appendix to one of the above named places The first of which Bredun was given to this Church of Medeshamstede by Friduricus one of King Adilred's Noble Men by a Charter bearing this Title Fridurici principis de Bredun ad Medeshamstede ' In which he saith that the number of Christians increasing and multiplying he had given to the family of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles inhabiting the Monastery of Medeshamstede terram cui vocabulum est Bredun viginti manentium cum omnibus ad eam pertinentibus Which was done in the presence and with the consent of Saxulph ejusdem gentis Episc and of the above-named King Adilredus For this end and purpose that they should found Oratorium in eadem praefata terra and there constitute a Priest for the teaching and Baptizing of the people Which upon due deliberation they undertook and chose one of their own number whose name was Hedda a man endued with admirable Wisdom and all manner of Virtues whom they made Abbot of Bredun with this condition that he should acknowledge himself to be a member of the Fraternity of Medeshamstede So it runs in the Charter whose words are these Et unum ex semetipsis nomine Hedda Presbyterum mirabili sapientia in omni virtutum genere praeditum summo libramine eligerunt eumque in loco praefato Abbatem constituerunt ea tamen conditione interposita ut se unum de eorum Fraternitatis membris esse noverit ' And the same Religious Prince Friduricus finding that this Venerable Abbot Hedda most diligently fed the people committed to his charge with the food of divine Preaching added another benefaction in a distinct Charter whose title is de Repinges ad Medeshamstede Wherein he gives to the aforesaid Abbot Hedda XXXI manentium terram quae vulgo vocitatur Hrepingas which is another of those places above mentioned This he did in the presence of King Adilredus and of Saxulph the Bishop of that Country who joyning their hands with his cespitunculam communiter praedictae terrae Sacrosanctae evangeliorum codici simul omnis coram multitudine populi imposuerunt and so subscribed this Deed with their own hands And afterward this Honourable Abbot Hedda as the Book calls him fol. CXXXIII and the Prior of the Monastery of Bredun obtained from King Adilred other Land which had quindecim Manentes 15 Tenents or Housekeepers as we now speak called by the name of Cedenanhac another of the places depending on Medeshamstede for fifty Shillings that is for Bedding and other Goods of that value which are thus specified in the Deed. Id est duodecim lectorum stramenta utpote culcita plumacia ornata capitalia simul cum sindonibus lenis quemadmodum in Britannia habere mos est nec non servum cum ancilla fibulam auream cum quatuor ex auro massiunculis arte aurificis compositis duos caballos cum cannis duabus pro praefata terra pretium dedit I have not room to examine the meaning of every word in this Deed some of which I no where meet withal but here which concludes as the former did that this price being paid the King in his Bedchamber at his own Town called Tomtun took a little clod of earth from the aforesaid Land with his own hands and laid it upon the Sacred Volume of the Gospels his Queen and Saxalph joyning their hands with his that none might dare to violate this grant The same Hedda if I mistake not was Abbot also of other two places before mentioned called Wermundshey and Wokinges for I find a Bull of Pope Constantine's about the Episcopal Jurisdiction over these places fol. LXXXVI directed unto him which I have not room to set down at large but only note that they are both said there to be found in nomine beati Petri Apostoli in the name of St. Peter Which makes it probable they were those belonging to this Church under the Government of this great man Hedda Whom I take to have been the Author of the Relation above named concerning the first plantation of Christianity in these parts of England and the next Bishop that succeeded Sexulf in the See of Litchfield who built that Church as I have already said and dyed DCCXXI When Cutbaldus dyed I am not able to affirm certainly but it was between the year DCCIX and DCCXVI For he was alive in the former of those years I gather from hence that Hugo saith Wilfrid dyed in his time at his Mannor of Owndle c. his words are In hujus Abbatis id est Cuthbaldi tempore Sanctus Wilfridus Episcopus in possessione ipsius Monasterii ad Vndalum transivit ad Dominum Ministeriis fratrum deportatus est ad suum proprium Monasterium in Rypun Now Wilfrid the first of that name who was Archbishop of York dyed An. DCCIX as I find in the Chron. Johannis Abbatis With whom agrees Tho. Stubbs Chron. Eccles Eborac whose words are to be corrected out of our Hugo commonly called Swapham for he speaking of the death of Wilfrid sayes Defunctus est in Monasterio suo apud Vndalum quod est juxta Stamford inde Ministerio fratrum delegatus in Monasterio suo apud Riponum est sepultus An. Domini DCCIX Where he calls Owndle Wilfrid's Monastery which it appears by all our Records was as Hugo only calls it part of the possession of the Monastery of Medeshamstede But as Cuthbald was then alive so it is certain he was dead before the year DCCXVI when as Mr. G. observes out of Ingulphus the Charter of King Ethelbald for the founding of Croyland Abbey was signed by Egbaldus Abbot of Medeshamstede EGBALDVS Concerning whom and the three next Abbots
Girardus obtained of King William the second six Churches Five of which he gave to St. Peters Church of York i. e. de Dyrfeld de Kyllum de Pokelymon de Pykerynga de Burgh where perhaps Kynsinus dyed The same Thomas Stubbs Actus Pontif. Eborac saith the vulgar opinion of him was that he was not born but cut out of his Mothers Womb. He gave to this Church the Village of Linewelle as Hugo tells us with the textum Evangelii excellently wrought with Gold and so many Ornaments that they were apprised at three hundred pound which with his Body were all brought hither But Queen Edgit he adds took them all away The Character he gives of him is this that he always lived like a Monk most abstemiously and Holily So that when his Clergy and Family had a splendid Table he contented himself with coarse and Barly Bread and with the viler sort of meat and drink And walking on foot from Town to Town Preaching and giving Alms he often went bare-foot and commonly travelled in the nights that he might avoid vain-glory Which makes him call him Sanctus Kinsinus The last Wulstanus was also Archbishop of of York and Successor to Adulphus holding the Bishoprick of Worcester together with the See of York as he and St. Oswald before him had done Who if we may believe Hugo gave himself and all that he had to this place but going to visit the places where other Saints lay buried and coming to Eli there he fell sick and dyed and was buried in the year MXXIII V. Kal. Junii 3. feria as Thomas Stubbs relates after he had been Archbishop twenty year He and Radulphus de Diceto differ from Hugo in the place of his sickning and dying for they make him to have been brought to Eli to be buried according to his own prediction as the latter of them affirms upon a time when he came thither for devotion sake The mention of him puts me in mind of another of that name who was bred in this Monastery and therefore ought not to be here omitted For though he dyed a good while after this time yet he was advanced to the See of Worcester in the days of Leofricus viz. MLXII So John Abbot Venerabilis vir Wlstanus Burgi Monachus Wigorn. fit Episcopus Roger Hoveden also who saith that literis Ecclesiasticis Officiis imbutus in Nobili Monasterio quod Burch nominatur The very same hath Symeon Dunelmensis John Brompton But the largest account I find of him is in his Life written in Three Books MS. in Sir J. C's Library by Bravonius a Monk of Worcester 1170. who relates at large all that he did both before and after the Conquest He was born at Jceritune in Warwickshire his Father Athelstanus his Mother Wifgena who put him to School at Evesham where he received the first Elements of learning and then sent him hither to be perfected in it so his words are perfectiori mox apud Burch which I shewed before was famous for learning scientia teneras informavit medullas Here he gave great indications of his future Vertue when he had scarce taken the first step out of his Childhood He had a Master called Eruentus who could Write admirably and Draw any thing in Colours Who made Wlstan when he was but a Boy Write two Books Sacramentarium Psalterium and Flourish the Principal Letters in Pictures with Gold The former of which his Master presented to King Cnute the Psalter to Queen Emma After this he went from Burch to his Parents who putting themselves into Religious Houses at Worcester he also became Monk And in a short time was made Master of the Boyes then Chanter and then Sacrist and afterward Praepositus ut tunc Prior ut nunc dicitur Monachorum constitutus and at last made Bishop of Worcester though against his will upon the preferment of Alredus to York Who presuming upon the simplicity of Wlstan committed great rapine at Worcester and kept from him a considerable part of the Possessions of that Church which he could not recover as long as Alred lived but though William the Conqueror seised them at his Death yet Wlstan never left till the cause had a fair hearing and his Church had all restored to it which its first Founders had left unto it The story is told at large by John Bromton Chron. Williel primi p. 976. c. who sayes Lanfranc would have deposed him for insufficiency but by a Miracle was moved to restore him his Staff and his Ring which he had resigned And indeed he was not so ignorant as many imagined but knew all that was necessary for him to be acquainted withal only was not learned in the Fables of the Poets and in the perplexities of Syllogisms which perhaps he did not vouchsafe to know as not worthy his notice So Henry de Knyghton in these remarkable words L. 2. de Eventibus Angliae C. 6. Sed ille magis virtute quam literis fretus res Ecclesiae defensabat Quanquam non it a hebes in literis fuerit ut put abatur quippe qui caetera necessaria sciret praeter fabulas poetarum tortiles syllogismos quae forsan nec nosse dignabatur He pulled down the old Church of Worcester built by St. Oswald and made the new one we now see Weeping as Malmsbury saith when they began the Work For which he gave this reason when he was told he ought rather to rejoyce at the erection of a more magnificent Structure Alas said he we miserable sinners destroy the Works of the Saints that we may get glory to our selves That age of happy men did not understand how to build pompous Temples but under any kind of Roof offered up themselves to God and attracted their Subjects by their examples We on the contrary neglecting the Cure of Souls heap up Stones and raise goodly Piles c. He lived till he was almost 90 years old dying in the year MXCV where John Abbot writes Sanctus Wlstanus obiit BRANDO While he was only a Monk in this Church he was not only a Coadjutor to Leofricus in all the good things that he did as Hugo his words are but also a great Benefactor to the Monastery out of his own Patrimony and that of his Brethren For he and his two Brethren Askatillus and Syricus purchased Walcote de proprio patrimonio and gave it to the Church in perpetual inheritance together with Scotere Scotune and other places mentioned by Mr. G. This was in the time of Edward the Confessor who confirmed this Grant by his Charter rogatus ab Abbate Lefrico Monacho ipsius nomine Brand Hugo or Swap pag. 5. f. 2. Another writing mentions a third Brother named Siworthus in these words Brand Abbas Burgensis Askilus Sericus Sivortus fratres dederunt has terras Deo Sancto Petro fratribus in Burgh sc Muscham ex alia parte Trentae Scotere c. Which is related something more distinctly
besought them to be favourable to it but they not regarding their cries entred armed into it and indeavoured to carry away the great Cross but could not Yet they took the golden Crown from the head of the Crucifix with the pretious Stones and the Footstool under its feet made of pure Gold and Gemms together with duo aurea feretra two golden or gilded Bears whereon they carried the Saints Reliques and other such like things in Procession and nine Silver ones and twelve Crosses some of Gold some of Silver And besides all this went up into the Tower and took away the great Table which the Monks had hidden there which was all of Gold and Silver and pretious Stone and wont to be before the Altar with abundance of Books and other pretious things which were invaluable there being not the like in all England And they pretended to do all this out of faithfulness to the Church for the Danes they told them would preserve these things for the use of the Church better than the Franks would do Nay Hereward himself was Homo Monachorum a lover of Monks and therefore some believed what they said and he also afterwards swore that he did all this with a good intention because he thought William the Conqueror would get it all Away they went therefore with their Booty and made all the hast they could to their Ships fearing the Normans might fall upon them and coming to Eli they committed all their spoil into the hands of the Danes themselves What became of it Mr. Gunton hath largely enough related out of Hugo Which doth so little agree with what I find in the life of Hereward de Wake that we must suppose all this to have been done if he was not mistaken in his story in the year 1070. and that he came again and spoiled this Church after the Goods which remained were restored as I shall show presently when I have finished the foregoing History Which saith that Turoldus came to the Abby the very same day the Danes went away with an hundred and sixty Normans well armed hoping to meet with the Enemy before they carried off their prey but found no body there and the place laid desolate all being burnt both within and without except the Church Insomuch that the City not long ago called aurea was now made pauperrima But the Abbot being come the Monks who had been scattered returned and performed divine Offices which had been discontinued seven dayes He strengthened himself also by Stipendiary Souldiers upon whom he setled threescore and two Hides of Land that they might defend him from Hereward So John Abbot ad An. 1069. Turoldus vero lxii hidas terrae de terris Ecclesiae Burgi dedit Stipendiariis militibus qui eum contra Herewardum le Wake tuerentur He built a Castle also hard by the Monastery as I shall note anon out of the same Chronicle and had the pleasure to see Hereward the next year 1071. hardly escaping out of the Isle of Eli where most of his accomplices as I have said were taken And yet notwithstanding that great man rallied again and came into these parts with Forces against which a great Army was raised out of Northamptonshire Cambridgshire Linoclnshire Holland Leicestershire Huntendone and Warwickshire while Hereward lay with a few Souldiers in comparison skulking in the Woods nigh unto Burch This I learn out of a Treatise at the end of Swapham intituled de gestis Heruuardi inclyti militis gathered out of such fragments as could be found of a Book written in the English tongue by Alefricus Diaconus who was Hereward's Priest at Brun. Who says this great Army gathered out of those severai Counties was lead by Turoldus Abbot of Burch and Yvo Talbois who incompassed Hereward and his men so strictly that they greatly distressed them But he nothing terrified placed all his Sagittarii and balistarii among the Trees which they had there for their security and from thence issued out as he saw his opportunities and having made great slaughters retreated under their shelter again This he continued to do after several manners all the day long till he had tyred the opposite Army and made them raise their Siege And then Hereward with all his men rushing out upon their Rere all at once put them into such a confusion that he took many of them Prisoners and among the rest Abbot Turoldus Whom he kept in Custody till he redeemed himself and other considerable persons with the summ of three thousand Marks of Silver So that writer saith Fol. CCCXXXVI with whom John Abbot agrees but mentions a far greater summ Nihilominus tandem cum multis aliis magnatibus speaking of Turoldus ab Herewardo captus quousque pro sua redemptione XXX marcas argenti solveret cum aliis suis conductitiis in custodia detentus est But after this ransome of himself and his Nephew and others whom he received from the hand of a Cosin of Herewardus called Siwardus Albus who had honourably entertained him out of reverence to the Abbot he forgot both his Covenant and the benefits he had received renewing the War against Hereward For the carrying on of which he gave away more Goods of his Church and many Possessions to Souldiers ut haberet semper militare auxilium ad expugnandum Herewardum Which coming to the Ears of Hereward who saw he was like to suffer for his kindness he made no delay but the same night marched with all the force he could make to Burch and burning the whole Town which it seems by this story began to be built again carried away all the Treasure of the Church and pursued the Abbot himself licet latitando cum suis evaserit But the next night if we may believe this Writer Hereward thought he saw in his dream an old man of inestimable beauty and in brighter habit than he had ever beheld or imagined with a terrible countenance threatning him with a great Key he held in his hand and with a dreadful voice that he should immediately restore all he had taken out of the Church if he loved his life Whereupon he rose up the very same hour and carrying back all that he had pillaged immediately departed from Burgh But lost his way in the night and wandred up and down in the Woods not knowing whither he went till a vast Wolf appeared who marched before them like a houshold Dog and led them into their right way As they saw by lighted Candles which appeared upon every mans Shield which none of them could pull off or blow out But when morning appeared both Wolf and Candles vanished and they came whither they desired beyond Stamford He relates many other wonderful atchievements of this famous Warrior who was accounted the Hector of his time and at last shows how he was reconciled to the King and served him faithfully having all his Fathers Lands and Possessions restored to him and living comfortably and peace
in memory of his Wife buried here in the beginning of the Wars and one hundred Pound to the Dean and Chapter the Rent thereof to be by them yearly distributed to the Poor Dr. Duport late Dean of this Church besides many summs given elsewhere to pious and charitable uses setled twenty Pound a year on Magdalen Coll. in Cambridge to be paid to the Dean and Chapter of Peterburgh ten Pound for the Augmentation of the Schoolmasters Salaries there and ten Pound for two Scholarships in Magdalen College belonging to that School There being wanting in Mr. G. an account of the defaceing of this Church by the Souldiers in the late Rebellion Mr. Francis Standish the present worthy Chanter of it hath at my desire drawn it up in the following Narrative Which may be the more credited because he then lived in this place where he was born and bred and was a spectator of most things that he relates A Short and True NARRATIVE of the Rifling and Defacing the Cathedral Church of PETERBURGH in the Year 1643. THE Cathedral Church of Peterburgh was very famous formerly for three remarkable things a stately Front a curious Altar-Piece and a beautiful Cloister The first of the three doth still remain a very goodly Structure supported with three such tall Arches as England can scarce show the like The two last are since destroy'd by Sacrilegious hands and have nothing now remaining but only the bare memory of them In this place I think I may say began that strange kind of deformed Reformation which afterward passed over most places of the Land by robbing rifling and defacing Churches This being one of the first which suffered in that kind Of which you may take this following account from an eye witness and which I suppose is still fresh in the memory of many surviving Persons In the year 1643 about the midst of April there came several Forces to Peterburgh raised by the Parliament in the Associated Counties in order to besiege Croyland a small Town some seven miles distant which had a little before declared for the King and then was held a Garrison for Him The first that came was a Foot-Regiment under one Colonel Hubbart's command upon whose arrival some persons of the Town fearing what happen'd afterward desire the Chief Commander to take care the Souldiers did no injury to the Church This he promises to do and gave order to have the Church doors all lockt up Some two days after comes a Regiment of Horse under Colonel Cromwel a name as fatal to Ministers as it had been to Monasteries before The next day after their arrival early in the morning these break open the Church doors pull down the Organs of which there were two Pair The greater Pair that stood upon a high loft over the entrance into the Quire was thence thrown down upon the ground and there stamped and trampled on and broke in pieces with such a strange furious and frantick zeal as can't be well conceived but by those that saw it Then the Souldiers enter the Quire and there their first business was to tear in pieces all the Common-Prayer Books that could be found The great Bible indeed that lay upon a Brass Eagle for reading the Lessons had the good hap to escape with the loss only of the Apocrypha Next they break down all the Seats Stalls and Wainscot that was behind them being adorn'd with several Historical passages out of the Old and New Testament a Latin Distich being in each Seat to declare the Story Whilst they are thus employed they chance to find a Great Parchment Book behind the Cieling with some 20 pieces of Gold laid there by a person a little before as in a place of safety in those unsafe and dangerous times This encourages the Souldiers in their work and makes them the more eager in breaking down all the rest of the Wainscot in hopes of finding such another prize The Book that was deposited there was called Swapham the Lieger Book of the Church and was redeemed afterward of a Souldier that got it by a person belonging to the Minster for ten Shillings under the notion of an old Latin Bible There was also a great Brass Candlestick hanging in the middle of the Quire containing about a Dozen and half of Lights with another Bow Candlestick about the Brass Eagle These both were broke in pieces and most of the Brass carried away and sold A well disposed person standing by and seeing the Souldiers make such spoil and havock speaks to one that appeared like an Officer desiring him to restrain the Souldiers from such enormities But all the answer he obtained was only a scoffing reply to this purpose See how these poor People are concern'd to see their Idols pulled down So the Inhabitants of Peterburgh at that time were accounted by these Reformers both a malignant and superstitious kind of People When they had thus defaced and spoiled the Quire They march up next to the East end of the Church and there break and cut in pieces and afterward burn the Rails that were about the Communion Table The Table it self was thrown down the Table-Cloth taken away with two fair Books in Velvet Covers the one a Bible the other a Common-Prayer Book with a Silver Bason gilt and a Pair of Silver Candlesticks beside But upon request made to Colonel Hubbert the Books Bason and all else save the Candlesticks were restored again Not long after on the 13th day of July 1643 Captain Barton and Captain Hope two Martial Ministers of Nottingham or Darbyshire coming to Peterburgh break open the Vestery and take away a Fair Crimson Satten Table Cloth and several other things that had escaped the former Souldiers hands Now behind the Communion Table there stood a curious Piece of Stone-work admired much by Strangers and Travellers a stately Skreen it was well wrought painted and gilt which rose up as high almost as the Roof of the Church in a Row of three lofty Spires with other lesser Spires growing out of each of them as it is represented in the annexed draught This now had no Imagery-work upon it or any thing else that might justly give offence and yet because it bore the name of the High Altar was pulled all down with Ropes lay'd low and level with the ground Over this place in the Roof of the Church in a large Oval yet to be seen was the Picture of our Saviour seated on a Throne one hand erected and holding a Globe in the other attended with the four Evangelists and Saints on each side with Crowns in their hands intended I suppose for a Representation of our Saviours coming to judgment Some of the company espying this cry out and say Lo this is the God these People bow and cringe unto This is the Idol they worship and adore Hereupon several Souldiers charge their Muskets amongst whom one Daniel Wood of Captain Ropers Company was the chief and discharge them at it and
Commission to come over into England to gather up Peter pence which gave him opportunity to espy out some preferment or other here therefore coming to the King and much complaining of the troubles in his own Countrey whose Wars by reason of his age he could not endure he besought the King to conferr upon him the Abby of Peterburgh which was then vacant which he being allyed to the King obtained notwithstanding that both Archbishops and Bishops opposed it telling the King it was not lawful for him to hold two Abbeys But the King afterwards perceiving his fraud and covetousness commanded him to depart the Realm when he had held the Abbey of Peterburgh 5 years and so Anno 1133. he returned to his Abbey De Angeli In the first year that this John came to be Abbot here as Wittlesey writes there were heard and seen in the night time throughout Lent in the Woods betwixt Stamford and Peterburgh Hunters with their Horns and Dogs all of them of black and ugly complexion some riding upon black Horses and some upon Goats they had great staring eyes and were seen sometimes twenty and sometimes thirty in a company 20. MARTINVS de Vecti So called of the Isle of Wight from whence he came some call him Martin Cook He was first Prior of S. Neots and the King gave him the Monastery of Peterburgh into which he was honourably received by the Monks upon S. Peters day Anno 1133. being the 33 of King Henry 1. He was very industrious in repairing and perfecting the buildings of the Monastery and especially the Church to the dedication whereof anew there came thither Alexander Bishop of Lincoln the Abbots of Thorney Croyland Ramsey and others to whom Abbot Martin shewed the Holy Reliques and S. Oswalds arm Anno 1123. 23 years after its burning The tokens of which conflagration are yet to be seen or of some other in the inside of the West Porch above This Martin built a Gate of the Monastery but which I cannot say He likewise changed the situation of the Village to the Western side of the Monastery for before it was on the East he appointed the market place as now it is and built many houses about it He changed also the place of Wharfage for Boats coming to the Town to that place which is now commonly used He removed the Church of S. John Baptist which before stood in a Close still known by the name of S. John's Close to the place where now the said Church standeth And as he was a great builder so was he also in some sort a demolisher for he pulled down a Castle standing near the Church which perhaps was Mount Thorold formerly mentioned He planted the Vineyard and added many buildings to his own dwellings He entertained King Stephen who came hither to see the Arm of S. Oswald to whom he offered his Ring and forgave the Church 40 Marks which it ought him and confirmed many other Priviledges Abbot Martin in the time of his Government took a journey to Rome and along with him the Charter of King Ethelred that the then Pope Eugenius the Third might grant his Confirmation But in Wittlesey the Consistory there arose a debate about the form of the Charter which hitherto had gone currant for the space of almost 500 years for one of the Cardinals present besought the Pope that he would not give the honour of his name to another whereupon a new Charter was granted to Abbot Martin in the name of Eugenius and the name of King Ethelred Founder and Benefactor was put out Martin having sitten in his Abbattical See the Appendix Chair here about the term of 22 years died Anno 1155. which was the second year of King Henry 2. And there succeeded 21. WILLIHELMVS de Watervile Vid. Chartam in App. Who being Elected Abbot by the Monks the Election easily obtained the Kings ratification in regard this William was one of his Clerks or Chaplains The King also confirmed unto him and his Abbey the eight Hundreds of that part of the County which had formerly been granted by the Kings Predecessors This Abbot erected a Priory in Stamford and the Church of S. Michael there He setled a yearly maintenance upon the Church of S. John Baptist in Peterburgh enacting that the Chaplain should yearly upon Michaelmas day bring his Church-Key to the Sacrist of the Monastery as an acknowledgment of his dependance upon it He was very industrious in perfecting the buildings of his Monastery and adding new ones He built the Cloister and covered it with Lead He ordered Cloister and disposed the Quire of the Church in that manner as it lately stood and in some sort continues still He founded Quire the Chappel of Thomas Becket which was finished by his Successor and is now standing in the middle of the Arch of the Church-Porch as you enter into the Church He built a Chappel also in his own House and other necessary Offices At length he was accused by his Monks to the Archbishop so that he was deposed without conviction or his own confession as our Writers say of any crime deserving that censure when he had held his Abby twenty years Anno 1175. being the 21 or 22 year of King Henry the Second And although our Peterburgh Writers are silent in the cause of his deposition yet others have taken notice of it Johannes Brompton Jornallensis relates it thus that Richard Archbishop of Canterbury came to the Abby Pag. 1107 1108. of Peterburgh and deposed William of Watervile the Abbot there for that he against the will of the Monks entred with a band of armed men into the Church and took from thence some Reliques and the arm of S. Oswald pro denariis ad Judaeos invadendos the Monks standing in defence of their Reliques many of them were grievously wounded Roger Hoveden relates another reason as the most principal which he addeth to that of Jornallensis Pag. 313. that this Abbot William was fallen into the Kings disfavour for his brothers sake one Walter of Watervile in the Parish of Achrich in the County of Northampton where anciently was his Castle whom Abbot William received with others of that party being then in Arms against the King which shewed that Abbot William was not so Loyal to his Master the King as he should have been but abetting with his brother it might cause his own deposition 22. BENEDICTVS William being deposed the King held the Abby in his hand two years and then Benedict Prior of Canterbury was thought the fittest for it and made Abbot Anno 1177. in the Twenty fourth of King Henry the Second He was a very Learned man and as Pitseus who gives him very high commendations doth certifie wrote two Books Vitam S. Thomae Cantuariensis De ejusdem post mortem miraculis and certain others saith he yet because I find these Books mentioned in the Catalogue of this Abbots Library it may be
doubted whether he wrote them himself more than he did the rest I shall therefore set down his Books as also some of the succeeding Abbots that the Reader may conjecture what Scholars those Abbots might be and see what Books were most in request amongst them Abbot Benedicts Library was furnished with these Books Quinque libri Moysis glossati in uno Volumine Sexdecim Prophetae glossati in uno Volumine Duodecim Minores glossati in uno Volumine Liber Regum glossatus Paralipomenon glossatus Job Parabolae Salomonis Ecclesiastes Cantica Canticorum glossati in uno Volumine Liber Ecclesiasticus Liber Sapientiae glossati in uno Volumine Tobias Judith Esther Esdras glossati in uno Volumine Liber Judicumglossatus Scholastica Historia Psalterium glossatum Item non glossatum Item Psalterium Quatuor Evangelia glossata in uno Volumine Item Matthaeus Marcus in uno Volumine Johannes Lucas in uno Volumine Epistolae Pauli glossatae Apocalypsis Epistolae Canonicae glossatae in uno Volumine Sententiae Petri Lombardi Item Sententiae ejusdem Sermones Bernardi Abbatis Clarevallensis Decreta Gratiani Item Decreta Gratiani Summa Ruffini de Decretis Summa Johannis Faguntini de Decretis Decretales Epistolae Item Decretales Epistolae Item Decretales Epistolae cum Summa sic incipiente Olim. Institutiones Justiniani cum Autenticis Infortiato Digestum vetus Tres partes cum Digesto novo Summa Placentorum Totum corpus juris in duobus Voluminibus Arisimetica Epistolae Senecae cum aliis Senecis in uno Volumine Martialis Terentius in uno Volumine Morale dogma Philosophorum Gesta Alexandri Liber Claudii Claudiani Summae Petri Helyae de Grammatica cum multis aliis rebus in uno Volumine Gesta Regis Henrici Secundi genealogia ejus Interpretationes Hebraicorum nominum Libellus de Incarnatione Verbi Liber Bernardi Abbatis ad Eugenium Papam Missale Vita Sancti Thomae Martyris Miracula ejusdem in quinque Voluminibus Liber R. Plutonis qui dicitur Vnde malum Meditationes Anselmi Practica Bartholomaei cum pluribus aliis rebus in uno Volumine Ars Physicae Pantegm practica ipsius in uno Volumine Almasor Dioscorides de virtutibus herbarum Liber dinamidiorum aliorum multorum in uno Volumine Libellus de compoto This was the stock of his Literature as Wittlesey hath set it down though another ancient Copy in some few things differeth from it There is some clashing betwixt Vossius and Possevine about the time of this Benedict but it is not worth the trouble of reciting It seems Benedict was a man of good note that his preferment to this Abby should sound in foreign parts Sigebertus Gemblacensis making mention thereof Benedictus Prior Cantuariensis factus est Ad an 1177. Abbas de Burc The Abby was at his entrance 1500 marks deep in debt from which Benedict freed it He laboured much in recovering of his Abby Lands some by suits in Law and some by force for as if he were Tam Marti quam Mercurio as well for the Sword as the Book he went sometimes in person armed upon such adventures His actions at home towards his Monastery were great and many It seems the Nave or body of the Church did not please him therefore he built it after a better manner from the Lantern to the Porch as now it is so that the painted Ceiling at the top which is still remaining was probably of his doing He set up also the Pulpit in the body of the Church which was but lately taken away He finished the Chappel of Thomas Becket which his Predecessor had begun He built a large and goodly House of stone for several Offices which was standing in our age He built the great gate leading to the Monastery and over it the Chappel of S. Nicolas both which are yet standing He was much in the Kings favour that the King King Richard for his piety gravity and wisdom was wont to call him Father And when King Richard in his return from the Holy Land was taken prisoner by Arch-Duke Leopold who detained him this Abbot Benedict being in the Kings absence made Coadjutor and Councellor with William Bishop of Ely Chancellor of the Realm Councelled that the Chalices of the Church should be sold to pay the Kings ransome which was done and the King returned home Then did King Richard confirm to Abbot Benedict and his Monastery the Marsh of Pekirk now commonly called North-Fenne about which there fell out some difference betwixt Radulphus le Wake and the Monastery for Radulphus being Lord of Deeping claimed Common in the Marsh as being but on the other side of the River but Abbot Benedict impounded his Cattel alledging that the Marsh belonged only to his Tenants of Pekirk Glinton Makeshye and Northburgh and desired Radulphus to enquire into the truth thereof So Radulphus came to Peterburgh with some others where being fully informed of the Abbots right he forbare to trespass any more Benedict also recovered the Marsh of Eye and the Hermitage of Singlesholt King Richard also granted unto Benedict his confirmation of the eight Hundreds as his predecessors had done And withal his Charter for the holding of a Fair in Peterburgh upon the Feast of S. Peter S. Peters Fair. to continue for 8 days although now it be contracted into one He also granted a weekly Market every Thursday and a Fair for three days at the Feast of S. Peter to be holden at the Mannor of Scotter in Lincolnshire then belonging to this Monastery Vid. Chartam in App. Pag. 252. John the Kings brother who was Earl of Moriton and afterwards King of England was also kind to Abbot Benedict and his Monastery giving them by his Charter yearly three Staggs and six Bucks out of his Forest of Sheerwood without contradiction In his time there flourished one William of Peterburgh a Monk of Ramsey a very Learned man upon whom Pitseus bestows a large Character whither the Reader that would see his works may resort Benedict having been Abbot the space of seventeen years died Anno 1194. being the sixth Year of King Richard the first and had for his Successor 23. ANDREAS He was first a Monk here then Prior and afterwards for his many vertues was chosen Abbot The Villages of Alwalton and Fletton which then belonged to him he gave to the Monks Kitchin for the augmentation of their Commons Having been Abbot about five years he died the same year with King Richard which was Anno 1199. He was buried in the South Isle of the Church at the back of the Quire in the same Grave where two of his Predecessors had been buried before as the Epitaph on the Wall over his Monument will testifie which was lately in ancient Saxon Letters but now in the ordinary renewed Hos tres Abbates quibus est Prior Abba Johannes Alter Martinus Andreas ultimus unus Hic