reward thereof erected a stately Tombe and Monument with the image of a man on horsebacke as great as a mighty pillar for a Monument and testimony of his prowes in warre and his fidelity to them and their state A great part of his riches and wealth was conuerted into England where also his executors or otherwise his friends at Hunningham Syble where he was borne erected for him a tombe or Monument arched ouer and engraued the likenes of Hawkes in a wood flying This was done in the Parish Church by Robert Rokeden Senior and Robert Rokeden Iunior Iohn Cooe and to the memory of so worthy a man they builded and founded a Chauntry whith with the rest is dissolued Hée was by some called Gyouanno Agutho by some Acutho for that the Italians could not well pronounce his name in English I haue read him called in English Sir Iohn Sharpe Sir Iohn Acton and Sir Iohn Hawkewood which was indéed his name The Chronicles of Italy doe make often and honorable mention of him and our Histories doe also re member him amongst which I haue thought good to set downe the words of Thomas of Walsingham in Lattin as I find them as also of Paulus Iouius and others Thomas Walsingham Per idem tempus Papa fouebat Guerram contra dominos mediolanenses quia ipsi tirannice iniuste â—erras redditus castella de patrimonio beati Petri longo tempore detinebant Pro papa vero militabat dominus de Spencer qui laudabiliter se gessit ibidem post mortem ducis Clarentiae cum quo peruenit ad partes illas Eodem tempore Floriut miles ille egregius famosus Iohannes Hawkewood Anglicus natione habens secum albam illam comitiuam pertactam superius qui nunc contra papam nunc contra dominos mediolanenses bella gerebat cuius pars quocunque vertebat semper vincebat Multa itaque facta egregia ibidem operatus est cum suis Imo mirabilia Inauditasi quis vellet singula eius gesta enarrare Paulus Iouius Anglorum egressus patrijs Acuthus ab oris Italiae primum climata laetus adit Militiae fuerat quascunque edoctus artes Ausonia exeruit non semel ipse plagas Vt donaretur Statuae defunctus equestri Debita nam virtus praemia semper habet Nicholaus Machiavell Quo vero ab externis insidijs munitiores essent Ioannem Aguthuâ—â— Anglum belli ducem celeberrimum quod antea papa aliisque Italis egregie operam suam nauasset ad stipendia sera vocarunt Iulius Feroldus Hawkewood Anglorum decus decus addite genti Italicae Italico praesidiumque solo Vt tumuli quondam Florentia sic simulacrì Virtutem Iouius donat Honore tuam His Picture may be seene in the Booke of Paulus Iouius de Eulogiis The Preface or Introduction IT hath euer beene held a most commendable thing to recount the Acts of auncient Nobility but much more laudable to recouer them from the deuouring iawes of all-eating time which commonly doth swallow the best actions and aduentures of elder ages and retaines onely the memory of such exploits and aduentures as the later age namely what their Grandfathers haue by hand deliuered and by tradition left to posterity The auncient Brittaines or the Welshmen had their Barths or Bardi as also their Druydes the last attentiue on their religion and sacrifices the first wholly busied and respectiue about the recording and repeating or rather singing the aduentures of their Auncestors deliuering from one to another as it were an exact Chronicle of the most notable aduentures of their Nobilitie and haue not onely amongst them but the like amongst the Galles and Cimbrians from whom the best learned suppose the Brittaines doe proceed beene had in reuerend estimation and credit but as concerning the ensuing historie which I purpose to write we need no tradition to helpe vs since there yet remaines large and ample records both Chronicles and histories printed and written manuscripts which beare testimonie of that which is hereafter deliuered Records in the Towne and seuerall Stories and Registers belonging to such houses as were by them builded or such as they haue new founded And these remaine in the hands and priuat custody of particular men but what I shall here deliuer I haue found both in old written histories in common Chronicles as also out of Records remaining as I said in the Towre of London being the aduentures of Robert Fitzwalter who liued in the daies of King Iohn and suffred the variable changes of his fortunes as by that which followeth shall appeare Whatsoeuer error I shall commit shall not be of purpose but for want of sufficient instructions which whosoeuer can or will take paines to correct and amend I will hold my selfe exceedingly well pleased and be content that first I haue aduentured to entreat of them So read and vse them at your pleasure W. V. The famous history of Robert Fitz-walter Of Robert Fitz-walter his Auncestors THat this Family of Fitzwalters hath of long time beene of honourable reputation and account need not many proofes the same not contradicted but by a general consent known to discend from Gislebert or Gilbert Lord of Clare and Tonbridge and also from Waltheof Earle of Northumberland which liued in William the Conquerors time and Iudith Countesse of Huntington who was neece to the Conqueror It is not amisse to note that our English nation vsed no Surnames till after the conquest but tooke names either of the Christian name of their parents or of the place where they were borne or of some other accident as their trade occupation or of some quality of body or mind wherewith they were endowed The first of this family of Fitzwalters that descended from the house of Clare was Robert Fitz Richard being indeed one of the younger sonnes of Richard Fitz-Gilbert Lord of Clare This Robert had a son called Walter surnamed after his fathers Christian name Fitz-Robert and he had a sonne called Robert Fitz walter being the sonne of Walter after whom this name of Fitz-walter was setled in this family whereof I entreat This Robert liued in the time of King Iohn and died Anno 1â— 34. 19. H 3 and that Robert who is mentioned in this Booke was his grandchild and liued long after in the time of K. Edw. 1. Walter Fitz-walter father of this Robert was first married to Matild or Maud de Beecham and secondly to Mauld de â—ucy mother to Robert of whom I entreat whose father died An. Dom. 1198. and was buried at Dunmow where he founded a priory leauing Robert his sonne to succeâ—d him called Robert Fitz-walter Lord of Woodham a Towne in Essex of which name there are also two other Townes namely Woodham Ferrers and Woodham Mortimer as also this Woodham Walters whereof the Fitz walters were Lords Of his marriage and of his faire daughter Mauld or Matild I Wishingly omit his bringing vp which could not bée but according to the estate of his
it is your owne knight Robert Fitz-walter and humbly be sought his pardon which the king graunted and so his lands were restored and his Castle at London which was defaced and taken from him called Bainards Castle was with licence of the king repaired and réedified of which Castle and the custome belonging thereunto I haue read in a very auncient written Booke of the customes of London that which followeth which also is remembred by Iohn Stow in his Annales The ceremonys and rights which belong to Robert Fitzwalter Chasteline of London and Lord of Woodham that is hee ought to be chiefe Bannerer or Bauner-bearer of London as in fee which belongeth to his Castle Bainard which seruices he ought to performe in time of warre THe said Robert as his Ancestors haue done and his heires ought to doe when there is preparation for warre he ought to come vpon his steed couered he being the twentieth man of Armes his caparisons of cloath or iron vnto the great dore of the Minster or Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul with his Banner displaid with his Armes in it and when he is come to the great dore of the Church mounted and apparrelled as before The Maior with the Shereffes and Aldermen armed shall come foorth to the dore of the said Church or Minster on foot the Maior hauing a Banner of Saint Paul in his hands which Banner shall be of vermaile with an Image of Saint Paul of gold with feet head and handes of siluer with a sword of siluer in the hand of the said Image and wheÌ„ the said Robert shal sée him come forthwith such a banner hee shall alight from his horse and salute the Maior as his fellow and compauion and shall say Sir Maior I am come to doe my seruice which I owe vnto the Citty and they shall say we giue to you as to our Bannerer in sée this Banner of this towne to beare and gouerne to the honour and profit of this Citty to your power And the said Robert and his heires shall receiue the said Banner in his hands and goe on foot out of the gate or dore with the Banner in his hands and be Maior and Sheriffes shall fellow him to the dore and present vnto him twenty pound sterling in money and deliuer it to his Chamberlaine for his expences that day Also a horse worth twenty pounds with a Saddle with the Armes of the said Robert on it engrauen the saddle shall bee couered with Slâ—ndall and his Armes also embrothered And the said Robert shall mount vpon the said horse with the Banner in his hand and when he is vp he shall say to the Maior that he cause a Marshall to be chosen for the host one of the Citty and when the Marshall is chosen the said Robert shall commaund the Maior that hee assemble the Burgeses and Commoners of the Citty and they shall all goe vnder the Banner of Saint Paul and the said Robert shall bere it himself vnto Algate being com there the said Kobert and the Maior shall deliuer it ouer to whom they shall thinke good and if they haue cause to goe foorth Robert shall cause them to meet at the Priory of the Trinity and the said Robert shall chose two foorth of euery ward the most sage persons to foresee that the Citty bee safely kept if the Host of London doe besiedge any towne or Castle If the siedge continue long as a whole yéer he is to receiue for euery siedge of the Comminalty of London fiue pounds for his trauaile and no more His Rights in time of Peace THe said Robert hath a Sokne in the Citty that is a wall in the Channonry of Saint Paul as a man goeth downe the stréet before the brame of S. Paul vnto the Thames and so to the side of the mill which is in the water which commeth downe from Fleet bridge and goeth so by London wall betwixt the Fryers Preachers and Ludgate and so returning backe to the house of the said Fryers vntill the said comen of the wall of the said Channonry of S. Paul that is all the parish of Saint Andrew which is in the guift of his Ancestors by the said signiortty and so the said Robert hath Appendant to the said Sokue all these things héere vnder written videlicet That hee ought to haue Sokeman and to place what Sokeman he will so that he be of Sokemanrie And if any of the Sokemanry bee impleaded in the Guild Hall of any thing which toucheth not the body of the Maior for the time being or that toucheth not the body of no Sheriffe it is lawfull for the Sokeman of the said Robert Fitswalter to demaund a Court of the said Fitzwalter and the Maior and Cittizens ought to graunt him to haue his Court and in that Court hee ought to bring his Iudgement as it is assented and giuen in the Guild Hall If any therefore be taken in his Sokne he ought to haue his stockes and his imprisonment in his Sokne and hee shall bée brought from thence to the Guyld Hall before the Maior and there they shall prouide him his iudgement such as ought to bee giuen him but his iudgement shall not bee published vntill he come in to the Court of the said Robert and in his Fraunchéese And the Iudgement shall bee such If he hath deserued death by treason then to bee tyed to a pillar which standeth in the Thames at Wood wharfe where Boates are fastened two ebbings and two flowings of the water And if hee be condemned for a common thiefe he ought to bee led to the Elmes there suffer his iudgement as other common thieues And thus the said Robert and his heires haue agrert honour which he holdeth for a great Frauncheese within the Citty that the Maior and the Cittizens are bound to doe him of right that is to say when the Maior will hold a great Councell he ought to call the said Robert and his heires to be with him in Councell and of Councell with the Citty And he ought to be sworne to be of Councell to the Citty against all people sauing the King and his heires And when hee commeth to the Hustings in Guild Hall the Maior or his Liuetenaunt ought to rise against him and set him downe neere vnto him and so long as he is in Guild Hall all the iudgements ought to be giuen by his mouth according to the record of yâ— Records of the same Guild Hal. And so many weyfes as come so long as he is there hee ought to giue them to the Bayliues of the Citty or to whoÌ„ he will by the Counce l of the Maior for the time be How this custome tooke bâ—ginning or how it ended I haue not yet read yet I thought good to repeat it for that it belonged to his Castle which honours were againe restored and possessed by his successors For I reade that in Anno Dom. 1303. vpon Saint Gregories day or the twelueth
of March the thirty one yeer of King Edward before Iohn Le-Bloud then Maior William de Leyr Thomas Romain William de Bleton Walter de Finchingfield Henry de Glocester Salamon de Coetellier Iohn de Wengraue Iohn Darments Hugh Pourt Simon de Paris the Sheriffes Aldermen of London and before six men euery ward of London Robert Fitzwalter came and acknowledged seruice and sware vpon the Euangelist to be true to the Citty and that he would vphold and maintain them to his power and that he shall keepe the counsell of the said Cittie of London The King notwithstanding these compositions and agréements with his Barons when all was thought to haue been amended did yet againe vrge his Nobles Barons to rise in Arms against him Insomuch as they sent for Lewis the French Kings sonne promising to deliuer the Crowne and Kingdome vnto him Of those which sent for him I haue read the chiefest were Robert Fitzwalter and Fulke Fitzwarrine which two men hee most had wronged and endamaged the one for his daughters death the other for taking from him his Lordship of Whittington in Shropshire and giuing it away to the Prince of Wales then called Lewis Also Roger Bigot and many others who after King Iohn his death compounded with the French Kings sonne and sent him away out of England as onè that without their aide could not haue what hee desired Of the Bacon at Dunmow Pryory RObert Fitzwalter liued long after this beloued of King Henry the sonne of King Iohn as also of all the Realme He betooke himselfe at his latter time to prayer gaue great and bountifull almes to tht poore kept great hospitallity and reedified the decayed Priory of Dunmow which one Iuga a most deuout and religious woman in her kinde being his Ancestor had builded In which Priory arose a custome began and instituted eyther by him or some of his successors which is verified by a common prouerb or saying videl That hee which repents him not of his marriage in a yeere and a day eyther sleeping or waking may lawiully goe to Dunmowe and fetch a Gammon of Bacon It is most assured that such a custome there was and that this Bacon was deliuerd with such solemnity and triumph as they or the Pryorie and the Townesmen could make I haue enquired of the manner of it and can learne no more but that it continued vntill the dissolution of the house as also all the Abbeyes That the party or Pilgrim for Bacon was to take his oath before the Prior the Couent and the whole town humbly acknowledging in the Church-yard vpon two hard pointed stones which sâ—ones som say are yet to bee seene in the Priory Church-yard His oath was ministred with such long proces and such solemne sâ—nging ouer him as doubtles must make his pilgrimage as I may terme it painfull after he was taken vp vpon mens shoulders and carried First about the Priory Church-yard and after through the towne with all the Fryers and bretheren and all the townes folke young and old following him with shouts and acclamations with his Bacon borne before him and in such manner as I haue heard he was sent home with his Bacon of which I finde some had a gammon and others had a fléeke or flych For proofe whereof I haue from out the Records of the house found the names of thrée seuerall persons that at seuerall times had it Memorandum quod quidam Stevanus Samuell de Aston parua in Com. Essex c. Which beeing in Lattin entred into the booke which belongeth to the Howse I haue thus Englished Be it remembred that one Stephen Samuell of little Asâ—on in the County of Essex husbandman came to the Priory of Dunmow on our Lady day in Lent in the seuenth yeer of King Edward the fourth and required a Gammon of Bacon and was sworne before Roger Rulcot then Pryor and the Couent of this place as also before a multitude of other neighbours And there was deliuered vnto him a Gammon of Bacon Also Be it remembred that one Richard Wright of Badeourgh neere the Cittie of Norwich in the County of Norfolke came and required of the Bacon of Dunmow namely the seuentéenth day of Aprill in the twenty thrée yéere of the raigne of Henry the siixth and according to the forme of the Charter was sworne before Iohn Cannon Pryor of this place and the eduent and many other neighbours And there was deliuered vnto the said Richard one sléech of Bacon Againe Memorandum that in the yeere of our Lord 1510. Thomas Le Fuller of Coggeshall in the County of Essex came to the Pryorie of Dunmowe and required to haue som of the Bacon of Dunmow and on the eighth day of September being Sunday in the second yeere of King Henry the eighth he was according to the forme of the Charter sworne before Iohn Taylor then Pryor of the house and the Couent as also before a multitude of neighbours and there was deliuered to the said Thomas a Gammon of Bacon Heereby appeareth that it was giuen according to a Charter or donation giuen by some conceipted Benefactor to the house and it is not to be doubted but that at such a time the bordering Townes and Uillages would resort and bee partakers of their pastime and laugh to scorne the poore mans paines The order of the Oath YOu shall sweare by custome of confession If euer you made nuptiall transgression Be you eyther married man or wife By house hould brawles or contentious strife Or otherwise in bed or at boord Offend each other in deede or word Or since the parish clarke said Amen You wisht your selues vnmarried agen Or in a tweluemoneths time and a day Repented not in thought any way But continued true and iust in desire As when you ioind hands in the holy quire If to these conditions without all feare Of your owne accord you will freely sweare A whole Gammon of Bacon you shall receiue And beare it hence with loue and good leaue For this is our custome a Dunmow well knowne Though the pleasure be ours the Bacons your own The manner of the murder of Robert Hall in the Abbey of Westminster at the High Alter THe most renowned valient and victorious King Edward the third making claime to the Kingdome and Crowne of France as his proper right and inheritance lawfully descended vnto him by right and title of the Queene his mother made such hot and sharpe wars vpon the then liuing King of France That being seconded by his thrice valient and worthy sonnes especially his eldest surnamed the blacke Prince he draue the French into such a narrow strait and exigent as that they feared the vtter conquest and ouerthrow of their Kingdome and State Neuer was King more fortunate or happy in his children nor neuer did age breede more valient captaines and chiefe commanders then this the châ—efest whereof besides the King and his valient sonnes and the Nobility were Robert Knols