reedification of the thing broken as to the said Iustices shall seeme meete vsing therein the aduise of the Ordinary and if neede shall bee the aduise also of her Maiesties Councell in her Starre-chamber And for such as bee already spoiled in any Church or Chappell now standing Her Maiestie chargeth and commandeth all Archbishops Bishops and other Ordinaries or Ecclesiasticall persons which haue authoritie to visit the Churches or Chappels to inquire by presentments of the Curates Churchwardens and certaine of the Parishoners what manner of spoiles haue beene made sithens the beginning of her Maiesties raigne of such Monuments and by whom and if the persons be liuing how able they be to repaire and reedifie the same and thereupon to conuent the same persons and to enioyne them vnder paine of Excommunication to repaire the same by a conuenient day or otherwise as the cause shall further require to notifie the same to her Maiesties Councell in the Starre-chamber at Westminster And if any such shall be found and conuicted thereof noâ— able to repaire the same that then they bee enioyned to doe open peâ—ance two or three times in the Church as to the qualitie of the crime and partâ—â— belongeth vnder like paine of Excommunication And if the partie that offended bee dead and the executours of the Will left hauing sufficient in their hands vnadministred and the offence notorious The Ordinary of the place shall also enioyne them to repaire or reedifie the same vpon like or any other conuenient paine to bee deuised by the said Ordinary And when the offendour cannot be presented if it be in any Cathedrall or Collegiate Church which hath any reuenue belonging to it that is not particularly allotted to the sustentation of any person certaine or otherwise but that it may remaine in discretion of the gouernour thereof to bestow the same vpon any other charitable deed as mending of high-wayes or such like her Maiestie enioyneth and straightly chargeth the gouernours and companies of euery such Church to employ such parcels of the said sums of any as any wise may be spared vpon the speedy repaire or reedification of money such Monuments so defaced or spoiled as agreeable to the originall as the same conueniently may be And where the couetousnesse of certaine persons is such that as Patrons of Churches or owners of the personages impropriated or by some other colour or pretence they do perswade with the Parson and Parishioners to take or throw downe the Bels of Churches and Chappels and the lead of the same conuerting the same to their priuate gaine and to the spoiles of the said places and make such like alterations as thereby they seeke a slanderous desolation of the places of prayer Her Maiestie to whom in the right of the Crowne by the ordinance of Almighty God and by the Lawes of this Realme the defence and protection of the Church 〈◊〉 this Realme belongeth doth expresly forbid any manner of person to taâ—e away any Bels or lead of any Church or Chappell vnder paine of imprisonment during her Maiesties pleasure and such further fine for the contempt as shall be thought meete And her Maiestie chargeth all Bishops and Ordinaries to enquire of all such contempts done from the beginning of her Maiesties raigne and to enioyne the persons offending to repaire the same within a conuenient time And of their doings in this behalfe to certifie her Maiesties priuie Councell or the Councell in the Starre-chamber at Westminster that order may be taken herein Yeuen at Windsor the xix of September the second yeare of her Maiesties raigne God saue the Queene Imprinted at London in Pauls Churchyard by Richard Iugge and Iohn Cawood Printers to the Queenes Maiestie Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis This Proclamation was seconded by another to the same purpose in the fourteenth yeare of her Maiesties raigne charging the Iustices of her Assise to prouide seuere remedie both for the punishment and reformation thereof But these Proclamations tooke small effect for much what about this time there sprung vp a contagious broode of Scismatickes who if they might haue had their wills would not onely haue robbed our Churches of all their ornaments and riches but also haue laid them lâ—uell with the ground choosing rather to exercise their deuotions and publish their erronious doctrines in some emptie barne in the woods or common fields then in these Churches which they held to be polluted with the abhominations of the whore of Babylon Besides about that time these foresaid wilfull Sectaries did penne print and spread abroad certaine seditious Pamphlets as still they doe against our booke of Common Prayer against all Ecclesiasticall gouernment and against all the rites and ceremonies vsed in this our orthodoxall Church of England inuenting out of their owne corkie braines a new certaine noâ—orme of Liturgie to themselues thereby to bring into the Church all disorder and confusion These Renegadoes are at this day diuided and subdiuided into as many seuerall Sects as there be seuerall Trades in the greatest Market-towne As into Brownists Barowists Martinists Prophesiers Solifidians Famelists rigid Precisians Disciplinarians Iudaicall Thraskists c. and into a rable numberlesse In the three and thirtieth yeare of Queene Elizabeth the sixteenth day of Iuly in the morning Edmund Coppinger and Henry Arthington repaired to one Walkers house neare vnto Broken warfe of London where conferring with one of their Sect named William Hacket of Owndale in the County of Northampton Yeoman they offered to anoint him king But Hacket taking Coppinger by the hand said You shall not need for I haue beene already anointed in heauen by the holy Ghost himselfe Then Coppinger asked him what his pleasure was to be done Go your way both said he and tell them in the citie that Christ Iesus is come with his fanne in his hand to iudge the earth And if any man aske you where he is tell them he lies at Walkers house by Broken-wharfe and if they will not beleeue it let them come and kill me if they can for as truely as Christ Iesus is in heauen so truely is he come to iudge the world Then Coppinger said it should be done forthwith and thereupon went forward and Arthington followed but ere he could get downe the staires Coppinger â—ad begun below in the house to proclaime newes from heauen of exceeding great mercy that Christ Iesus was come c. with whom Arthiâ—â—â—on also cried the same words aloude following him along the streets from thence by Warling-street and Old Change toward Cheape they both adding beyond their commission Repent England repent After they had both thus come with a mightie concourse of common multituâ—e with an vniforme cry into Cheape neare vnto the Grosse and there finding the throng and prease of people to increase about them in such sort aâ— they could not well passe further nor be conueniently heard of them all as they desired they got them vp into an emptie pease cart
obedience and iurisdiction either of the said Bisshop of Rome or of any other Potentate We late yow witt that prependyng and consideryng the charge and commission in this behalfe geuen vnto vs by almighty God togedre with the great quietnes rest and tranquillity that hereby may ensue to owr faithfull Subgiects both in their conscience and otherwise to the pleasure of almighty God in cace the sayd Bisshops and Clergie of this our realme shuld sincerely truly and faithfully sett furth declare and preche vnto our sayd Subgiects the veray true word of God and without all maner color dissimulacion and hipocrisie manifest publishe and declare the great and innumerable enormities and abuses which the said Bisshop of Rome as well in title and stile as also in auctorite and iurisdiction of long time vnlawfully and iniustly hath vsurped vpon vs our Progenitors and all other Christen Princes haue not onely addressed our letters generall to all and euerye the same Bisshops straitely charging and commaundyng them not only in their propre persons to declare teche and preche vnto the people the true mere and sincere word of God and how the said title stile and iurisdiction of supreme hed apperteyneth to vs our Crowne and dignitie royall and to gyve like warnyng monicion and charge to all Abbots Priors Deanes Archdeacons Prouosts Parsons Vicars Curats Scolemasters and all other Ecclesiasticall persons within their Diocesses to do the semblable in their Churches euery Sunday and solempne feast and also in their scoles And to cause all maner prayers orysons Rubricks and Canons in Massebokes and all other bokes vsed in Churches wherein the sayd Bisshop is named vtterly to be abolished eradicated and rased in soche wise as the said Bisshop of Rome his name and memory for euermore except to his contumely and reproche may be extinct suppressed and obscured But also to the Iustices of our Peace that they in euery place within the precinct of their Commissions do make and cause to be made diligent serche wayte and espiall whedder the sayd Bisshops and Clergie doo truly and sincerely without any manner cloke or dissimulacyon execute accomplish their said charge to them committed in this behalf And to certifye vs and our Councail of such of them as shuld omytt or leaue vndone any parte of the premises or ells in the execucyon thereof shuld coldely or faynedly vse any maner synistre addicyon interpretacion or cloke as more plainly is expressed in our said letters We consideryng the great good and furtheraunce that ye may doo in thise matiers in the parties about yow and specially at your being at Sises and Sessions in the declaracion of the premisses haue thought it good necessary and expedient to write thise letters vnto yow whom wee esteme to be of soch singler zeale and affection towards the glory of Almighty God and of so faithfull and louing harte towards vs as ye woll not only with all your wisdoms diligences and labors accomplishe all soche things as might be to the preferment and setting forwards of Gods word and the amplification defence and maintenance of our said interesse right title stile iurisdiction and auctorite apperteyning vnto vs our dignitie prerogatiue and Corone imperiall of this our realme will and desire you and neuerthelesse straitely charge and command you that laying aparte all vayn affections respects and carnall consideracions and setting before your ees the mirror of truth the glory of God the right and dignitie of your Soueraigne Lord thus sounding to the inestimable vnitie and commoditie both of your selfes and all other our louing and faithfull Subgiects ye doo not only make diligent serche within the precinct of your Commission and auctorite whedder the said Bisshops and Clergie doo truly and sincerly as before preche teche and declare to the people the premisses according to their dutyes but also at your said sitting in Sises and Sessions ye doo perswade shew and declare vnto the said people the veray tenor effect and purpose of the premisses in soch wise as the said Bisshops and Clergie may the better not only doo therby and execute their said duties but also the parents and rulers of families may declare teche and informe their childer and servaunts in the specialties of the same to the vtter extirpacion of the said Bisshops vsurped auctoritie name and iurisdiction for euer Shewing and declaring also to the people at your said Sessions the treasons treacherously committed against vs and our lawes by the late Bisshop of Rochester and Sir Thomas More knight who therby and by diuerse secrete practises of their maliciouse mynds against vs entended to seminate engender and brede amongst our people and subgiects a most mischieuous and sediciouse opynyon not only to their own confusion but also of diuers others who lately haue condignely suffered execucion according to their demerites And in soche wise dilating the same with persuacions to the same our people as they may be the better rixed established and satisfyed in the truth and consequently that all our faythfull and true subgiects may therby detest and abhorre in their hartes and heads the most recreaunt and trayterouse abuses and behaviors of the said maliciouse malefactors as they be most worthy And finding any defaulte negligence or dissimulacion in any maner of person or persons not doing his duty in this partie Ye immediatly doo advertise vs and our Counsail of the defaulte maner and facion of the same Lating you witt that considering the great moment weight and importaunce of this matter as wherevpon dependeth the vnitie rest and quietnes of this our Realme yf ye shuld contrary to your duties and our expectation and trust neglect be slake or omytte to doo diligently your duties in the true performaunce and execucion of our mynde pleasure and commaundement as before or wold haulte stumble at any parte or specialtie of the same Be ye assured that we like a Prince of Iustice will so punyshe and correct your defaulte and negligence therin as it shal be an example to all others how contrary to their allegiance othes and duties they doo frustrate deceiue and disobey the iust and lawfull commaundement of their soueraigne Lord in such things as by the true harty and faithfull execucion whereof they shall not only prefer the honor and glory of God and sett forth the maiestie and imperiall dignitie of their soueraign Lord but also importe and bring an inestimable vnitie concord and tranquillitie of the publike and common state of this Realme whereunto both by the lawes of God and nature and man they be vtterly obliged and bounden And therfore faile ye not most effectually ernestly and entierly to see the premises done and executed vpon paine of your allegeance as ye well advoyd our high indignacion and displeasure at your vtmost perils Y euen vndre our Signet at our Manor besids Westminster the xxv day of Iune Henry R. By the King TRusty and welbeloued we grete yow well And whereas we chiefly and
this she did frankly and freely moued thereunto by her owne conscience saying with a Christian and princely resolution I must confesse to certaine of her Counselâ—ourâ— that albeit they might obiect against her that the state of her kingdome the dignitie thereof and her Crowne imperiall could not bee honourably maintained and furnished without the possessions aforesaid yet she set more by the saluation of her soule then she did by ten kingdomes And whereas in the raigne of King Edward the sixth it was enacted that all the bookes called Antiphoners Missales Grailes Portuassis and Latine Primmers vsed for seruice in the Church in the time of Poperie should be clearely abolished All images grauen painted or carued taken out of any Church or Chappell with the foresaid bookes should bee defaced or openly burned She being now more forward then wise to obserue the rites and ceremonies of the Romanists caused the like bookes and images to be bought and brought againe into all the Churches within her dominions Holy water Pax and censers were commanded to be employed at the celebration of Masses and Mattens Oyle Creame and Spittle vsed in the Administration of the Sacrament of Baptisme Altars furnished with pictures costly couerings and the Crucifix thereon solemnly placed Vnto whom Lights Candles and Tapers were offered The restauration and dispose of these as also of all other matters concerning the Church shee committed to the Pope and Cardinall Poole his Legate by whose authoritie and meanes by all probabilitie all Statutes made in her father and brothers raigne against the See of Rome the Pope and his Supremacie were altogether repealed and the sixe bloudie Articles enacted by Henry the eighth tyrannically put in execution by force of which shee being ouerswayed by the authoritie of Church men for of her selfe she was of a more facile and better inclined disposition so many in lesse then foure yeares continuance were consumed with fire for the testimoniall of their consciences in that case In the heate of whose flames were burned to ashes fiue Bishops one and twentie Diuines eight Gentlemen eightie foure Artificers one hundred husbandmen seruants and labourers twentie sixe wiues twentie widowes nine Virgines two boyes and two Infants one of them whipped to death by Bonner alias Sauage Bishop of London and the other springing out of his mothers wombe from the stake as she burned was by the Sergeants throwne againe into the fire Sixtie foure more in those furious times were persecuted for their profession and faith whereof seuen were whipped sixteene perished in prison and twelue buried in dunghills many lay in captiuity condemned but were released and saued by the auspicious entrance of peaceable Elizabeth and many fled the Land in those dayes of distresse which by her vpon their returne home were honourably preferred and prouided for according to their worthes Queene Mary now dead and Elizabeth of famous memory proclaimed Queene possessed of her lawfull inheritance placed in her glorious Throne and crowned with the imperiall Diadem presently after followed a Parliament wherein the title of Supremacie and all ancient iurisdictions were againe restored all forraine power abolished and for the more augmentation and maintenance of her State royall it was ordained and established that the first-fruits and Tenths of all Ecclesiasticall liuings with the lands and Scites of Monasteries giuen away by Queene Mary should be vnited and annexed againe to the Crowne that all Statutes should bee repealed which were enacted by the said Queene Marie in fauour of the Romish Religion and that the booke of Common Prayer vsed in King Edwards time for an vniforme celebration of Gods diuine seruice in the English Churches should bee ratified and authorised againe by this present Parliament This Parliament ended vpon the eight of May vpon the fourteenth day of the same moneth next following being Whitsonday diuine Seruice was celebrated in the English tongue whereby Gods word might be heard in a perfect sound and the prayers of the Congregation vttered with an vnderstanding heart Soone after in the same yeare certaine Commissioners were appointed in seuerall places for the establishing of Religion throughout the whole Realme then all the religious houses which were reedified erected or restored by Queene Mary as the Priory of Saint Iohns Ierusalem the Nuns and Brethren of Sion and Sheene the blacke Friers in Smithfield the Friers of Greenwich with all other of the like foundation were vtterly suppressed All Roods and Images set vp in Churches whose sight had often captiuated the senses of the zealous beholder and heated the blinde zeale of many poore ignorant people were now themselues consumed in the fire and with them in some places the copes vestments altar-clothes Amises bookes banners and rood loâ—â—s were like wise burned in the open streets Vpon the walls pillars and other places of all Churches certaine Inscriptions were cut painted or engrauen which being holden to be superstitious were as then defaced erazed washt ouer or obliterated of which a few for example This Inscription was vsuall to the picture of the blessed Trinitie represented by the Effigies of an old man our Sauiour in his bosome and a Doue Ave Pater Rex Creator Ave fili lux Seruator Ave pax charitas Ave simplex Ave Trine Ave regnans siâ—e siâ—e Vna summa Triniâ—as Vnder the picture of the blessed Trinitie sometimes in the Abbey Church of Rufford in Nottinghamshire as it is in the booke of the said house Sede Pater summa disponit secula cuncta Patre Dâ—o genitus creat regit omnia natuâ— Omnia viâ—ificat procedens Spiritus almus Flamma calor pruna tria sunt hec res sed vnaâ— Sic ab igne calor non diuiditur neque fulgor Ast his vnitis vnus subsiâ—lit ignis Sic Pater natus Spiritus sed Deus vnus Huic laude munus qui regnat trinus vnus Huic laus et doxa nunc et per secula cuncta Vnder the picture of Christ crucified Nec Deus est nec Homo presens quam cerno figura Et Deus est et Homo que signat sacra figura Verus Homo verusque Deus tamen vnus vterque Probra crucis patitur mortem suâ—it et sepelitur Viuit item crucis hic per signa triumphat ab hoste Id notum nobis crucis huius litera reddit Scilicet ipsius nota sunt câ—ux et crucifixus Hec et ego veneror Iesum'quoque semper adore Againe vnder the Crucifix Quantum pro nobis Christus tulit ecce videmus Et tamen à lachrymis heu lumina sicca tenemus Vnder the picture of Christ vsually in all Abbey Churches Effigiem Christi dum transis semper honora Non tamen effigiem sed quem designat adora Nam Deus est quod imago docet sed non Deus ipsa Hanc videas et mente colas quod cernis in illa And this Sum Rex cunctorum caro factus
errour in point of Diuinitie these sacred structures howsoeuer consecrated to the seruice of Almighty God could not stand fast nor continue in one and the same state for many ages therefore I thinke it meete and expedient to discouer and lay open to the world the manifold enormities of the professed votaries residing in such religious foundations that it may euidently appeare that it was not the sinnes of the Founders of whose pious intentions we ought to haue a more reuerend opinion that their donations were of no longer continuance but that the delinquencies of the religious Orders themselues were the sole cause of their owne vtter subuersion I may perhaps be sound fault withall because I doe not chorographically and according as Churches stand neare or further remote in one and the same Lath hundred or wapentack emprint and place the Funerall Monuments in this my booke but slip sometimes from one side of a County to another before I emprint and Epitaph To which giue me leaue to make this answer that hauing found one or two ancient Funerall inscriptions or obliterated Sepulchers in this or that Parish Church I haue ridden to ten Parish Churches distant from that and not found one Besides I haue beene taken vp in diuers Churches by the Churchwardens of the Parish and not suffered to write the Epitaphs or to take view of the Monuments as I much desired for that I wanted a Commission which would greatly haue encouraged me and still it would as that of Henry the eight did Iohn Leyland in the prosequution of this businesse I conclude the Epitaphs and Funerall inscriptions in this booke as I finde them engrauen with a cuius anime propitietur Deus or with God pardon his soule which some may say might haue beene as well left out of my booke as they are in many places scraped out of the brasse And I write the Latine in the same manner as I finde it either written or imprinted as capud for caput nichil for nihil and the like as also E vocall for E dipthong dipthongs being but lately come into vse And now I hope that neither the conclusion of the one nor termination of the other will seeme any way offensiue to my intelligent Reader I likewise write the Orthographie of the old English as it comes to my hands and if by the copying out of the same it be any manner of wayes mollified it is much against my will for I hold originalls the best whereby some may obiect the simplicitie of my vnlaboured stile and the rough hewen forme of my writing To which I reply that this my kinde of Argument is incapable of all eloquent speech When I cite Ouid or Lucan I vse those exquisite translations of George Saâ—dys and Thomas May Esquires Some will say that the Epitaphs of London are already printed and true it is that some are especially such as are of later times with which I do not meddle at all onely I set downe those of more antiquitie which haue either beene omitted in the collection or for which I haue some historicall elucidations for the better vnderstanding of the qualities of the parties defunct and interred Hauing had the helps and collections of many my Reader may finde errours in some which hereafter I shall studie to amend intreating in the meane time a fauorable construction Many are the errataes I am afraid which will be found in the printing the greatest I haue met withall I haue amended not doubting but some also of consequence haue escaped mee and for those of lesser note I haue passed them ouer desiring my Reader to correct and pardon Thus curteous Reader submitting my selfe and this worke to thy learned and friendly censure I take my leaue From my House in Clerkenwell Close this 28. of May 1631. Chytraeus Te moneant Lector tot in vno funera libro Tempore quod certo tu quoque funus eris So many burials Reader in one booke Warne thee that one day thou for death must looke A TABLE OF THE DISCOVRSE summed into certaine Chapters or Heads bearing these following Contents The first Chapter Fol. 1. DIscusses and treates of Monuments in generall Chap. 2. fol. 5. Of Funerall Monuments Graues Tombes or Sepulchers of the ancient custome of Burials of Epitaphs and other Funerall Honours Chap. 3. fol. 10. Of Sepulchers answerable to the degree of the person deceased The diuers manner of bearing man and woman to the graue When both sexes began to be borne alike Chap. 4. fol. 12. Of the excessiue expences bestowed vpon Funerals in former times Chap. 5. fol. 18. The reasons wherefore so many haue made their own Sepulchers or Tombes in their life time Of the care that all or most of all men haue of decent buriall The burying of the dead a worke acceptable vnto God A Funerall Hymne of Aurelius Prudentius to the like purpose Chap. 6. fol. 29. Of the care and cost anciently vsed in the preseruing whole and entire the bodies of the dead Strange waies customes and fashions of buriall Chap. 7. fol. 32. Of Cenotaphs Honorarie and Religious of the reuerence attributed to these emptie Monuments Chap. 8. fol. 37. Of the sanctitie ascribed sometimes to ancient Funerall Monuments and of the ardent desire most men haue and euer had to visite the Tombes and Sepulchres of eminent and worthy persons Chap. 9. fol. 42. Of the punishments both by humane lawes and Gods seuere iustice inflicted vpon such malefactors in foregoing ages who violated Sepulchers Of Church-Robbers Chap. 10. fol. 50. Of the rooting vp taking away erazing and defacing of Funerall Monuments in the seuerall raignes of K. Henry the eight and Edward the sixt Of the care Queene Elizabeth of famous memory had for the preseruation of the same Her proclamation in the second yeare of her raigne against breaking or defacing of Monuments of Antiquity being set vp in Churches or other publike places for memory and not for superstition Chap. 11. fol. 57. The conuersion of this our Nation from Paganisine to Christianitie including generally the Foundations of Religious Structures in the same The piety in the primitiue times both of Religious and Lay persons Chap. 12. fol. 66. Of the fall or backsliding as well of Religious Votaries as of Lay people from the foresaid zealous ardour of pietie Chap. 13. fol. 78 Of the abrogation abolition and extinguishment of the Popes supreame and exorbitant authoritie within the King of Englands dominions Chap. 14. fol. 89. The policie vsed by Henry the eight and his Councell in the expelling of the Popes foresaid authoritie out of his dominions Chap. 15. fol. 104. The policie vsed by the King and his Councell for the dissolution and extirpation of Religious foundations and religious orders within this Realme of England and Wales the reformation of religion of Inscriptions in Churches the Kings warrant for the surrender of Religious Houses an information to Queene Elizabeth of the seuerall abuses done vnto the state generall
Regis Ed. 3. Ann. 24. that William Fox Parson of Lee neare Gainsborough Iohn Fox and Thomas of Lingeston Friers Minors of that Couent in Lincolne were indited before Gilbert Vmfreuill and other Iustices in partibus de Lindesey apud Twhancaster die Sabbati post festum sâ—ncti Iohannis Baptiste in the said yeare for that they came to Bradholme a Nunnery in the County of Nottingham the eighteenth of the Kal. of February and then and there rapuerunt abduxerunt inde contra pacem Domini Regis quandam Monialem nomine Margaretam de Euernigham Sororem dicte Domus exeuntes eam habit Religionis induentes eam Rob. virid secular ac etiam diuersa bona ad valenc quadragint solid Violently tooke and forcibly from thence carried away against the peace of their Soueraigne Lord the King a certaine Nunne by name Margaret de Euernigham a sister of the said house stripping her quite out of her religious habit and putting vpon her a greene Gowne Robe or Garment of the secular fashion and also diuers goods to the value of forty shillings In this Kings raigne Robert Longland a secular Priest borne in Shropshire at Mortimers Câ—liberie writ bitter inuectiues against the Prelates and all religious orders in those dayes as you may reade throughout this book which he calls The vision of Piers Plowman Presently after in the raigne of Richard the second Iohn Gower flourished who in his booke called Vox clamantis cries out against the Clergie-men of his time first Quod Christi scholam dogmatizant eius contrarium operantur 2 Quod potentiores alijs existunt 3 Quod carnalia appetentes vltra modum delicatè vinunt 4 Quod lucris terrenis inhiant honore Prelacie gaudent non vt prosint sed vt presint Episcopatum desiderant Quod legibus positiâ—is quae quamuis ad cultum anime necessarie non sunt infinitas tamen constitutiones quasi quotidie ad eorum lucrum nobis grauiter imponâ—â—t Quod bona temporalia possidentes spiritualia omittunt Quod Christus pacem suis discipulis dedit reliquit sed Prelati propter bona terrena guerras contra Christianos legibus suis positiuis instituunt prosequuntur Quod cleri sunt bellicosi Quod scribunt docent ea quae sunt pacis sed in contrarium ea quae sunt belli procurant Quod nomen sanctum sibi presumunt appropriant tamen sibi terrena nec alijs inde participando ex caritate subueniunt Quod intrant Ecclesiam per Symoniam Quod honores non onera Prelacie plures affectant quo magis in Ecclesia cessant virtutes vitia multipliciter accrescunt Quod Rectores in curis residentes cuâ—â—s tamen negligentes venationibus praecipue voluptatibus penitus intendunt Quod Presbyteri sine curis siue stipendarij non propter mundiciâ—m ordinis honestatem sed proptâ—r mundi otia gradum Presbyteratus appetunt assumunt Much more he speakes against the abuses and vices of Church-men as also against the lewd liues of the Schollars in Cambridge and Oxford which he calls the Churches plants concluding thus his third book Sic quia stat cecus morum sine lumine clerus Erramus Laici nos sine luce vagi In his fourth booke hee speakes of Monkes and all other religious Orders Quod contra primi ordinis statuta abstinentie virtutem linquunt delicias sibi corporales multipliciter assumunt Ripping vp their faults in particular Chaucer who was contemporarie and companion with Gower in the Plowmans tale the Romant of the Rose and in his Treatise which hee intitles lacke Vpland writes as much or more against the pride couetousnesse insatiable luxurie hypocrisie blinde ignorance and variable discord amongst the Church-men and all other our English votaries As also how rude and vnskilfull they were in matters and principles of our Christian institutions to whose workes now commonly in print I referre my Reader for further satisfaction In a Parliament holden at Westminster the eleuenth yeare of King Henry the fourth the lower house exhibited a Bill to the King and the Lords of the vpper house in effect as followeth To the most excellent Lord our King and to all the Nobles in this present Parliament assembled your faithfull Commons doe humbly signifie that our Soueraigne Lord the King might haue of the temporall possessions lands and reuenues which are lewdly spent consumed and wasted by the Bishops Abbats and Priors within this Realme so much in value as would suffice to finde and sustaine one hundred and fifty Earles one thousand and fiue hundred Knights sixe thousand and two hundred Esquiers and one hundred Hospitals more then now be But this Petition of spoiling the Church of England of her goodly patrimonies which the pietie and wisedome of so many former ages had congested was by the King who was bound by oath and reason to preserue the flourishing estate of the Church so much detested that for this their proposition he denied all other their requests and commanded them that from thenceforth they should not presume to intermeddle with any such matter This King as also his sonne and grandchilde were wondrous indulgent to the Clergie although they were daily disquieted with the bellowing of the Popes Prouisorie Bulls For Henry the fifth was so deuour and seruiceable to the Church of Rome and her Chaplaines that he was called of many the Prince of Priests And Henry the sixth surnamed the holy wa an obedient childe and no lesse nay more obsequious to the See Apostolicall then any of his predecessours howsoeuer I finde that once he reiected the Popes Bull concerning the restoring of the Temporalities of the Bishoppricke of Ely And now giue me leaue a little to digresse speaking somewhat by the way of the denomination of this word Bulla and why the Bishops of Rome call their leaden Seales by which they confirme their writings Bulls This word Bulla was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est à Consilio of councell For that anciently a golden Bull broach or ornament round and hollow within was vsually fastened about the necks or breasts of young children and semblablie to all their pictures signifying thereby that their render vnbridled age ought to be gouerned by the graue councell and good aduise of others of more maturitie in yeares And from hence the Bishops of Rome borrowed the name for their leaden Seales vpon one part of which the name of the Pope is to be read on the other the head of Saint Paul on the right side of the Crosse and of Saint Peter on the left are to bee seene Honoris tamen non praelationis gratia factitatum hoc ab Ecclesia Nam quanquam S. Petrus sit Princeps Apostolici ordinis tamen Ecclesia voluit eos indiscretae esse excellentiae But this was done of the Church saith my Author in regard of honour not of preheminence For although
foure orders Preched to the people for profit of themselues Glosed the Gospel as hem good liked For couetous of Copes construe it as thei wold So Chaucer in his prologues and in the Character of the Frier mentions foure Orders A Frere there was a wanton and a merry A Limyâ—our a full solempne man In all the Orders foure is none that can So much of daliaunce and faire language But to returne to the first of the foure orders which is that of S. Basill howsoeuer as I conceiue the order of Saint Dominicke was accounted one of the foure here in England this Basill surnamed the Great for his great learning liued about the yeare of Grace 300. he was a Priest in Caesâ—â—a the chiefe Citie of Cappadocia where he was borne and whereof afterwards he was chosen Bâ—shop He was the Authour of building of Monasteries whereas many might liue together for before his time the Monkes dwelt in caues and cels alone in desarts and solitarie places from the which hee drew them into Coenobies or Couents and instituted of discipline by the which they should no more wander but bee alwayes bound by one forme of Religion These Monasteries were schooles in the which the arts and Philosophie together with Diuiniâ—ie true Religion and pietie were taugâ—t to the end there might be learned and fit men alwayes readie to gouerne the Church it is said that he built so great and spatious a Monasterie in Armenia as it contained aboue 3000 Monkes and in the end reduced all the religious men of the East to a good forme of life He died in the yeare 379 full of yeares as of vertues when Damasus the first of that name held the See of Rome and the Emperour Valens an Ariâ—n gouerned the East This Emperour was determined to haue dispossessed him of his Bishoppricke as he had done others but hearing him preach and speaking with him at Cappadocia he absteyned from expelling him his seate to which effect P. Opmer thus Basilius tantae doctrinae ac sanctitatis suit vt et Valens abstinueriâ— ab expellendo eum sede cùm reuersus Cappadociameum concionantem audijsset atque venisset cum illo in colloquium It is holden that this Basill was the first which caused Monkes to make a vow after a yeares probation to liue in their Monasâ—eries vntill death to promise full obedience to their superiours and not to contradict their ordinances and moreouer to vow continencie and pouertie This order wheresoeuer they liue labour with their hands in imitation of the perfect Monkes of Aegypt and what they get with their labour they bring in common retaining nothing to themselues This order of this holy man doth flourish at this day in Italy especially in the dominions of Venice although all the Monasteries there which are of this order doe acknowledge the Abbey of Grottaferata twelue miles distant from Rome for their mother I doe not finde that any of this rule liued euer here in England which makes me beleeue that this was none of the foure Orders before specified The next Monasticke Order confirmed by the Church of Rome was that of the Doctor of all Doctors namely Saint Augustine He was borne in the Castle of Tegast in Carthage about the yeare of our redemption 358. his Fathers name was Patricius his Mothers Monica by whose intreaâ—â—es mingled with teares and the learned Sermons of Saint Ambrose hee was drawne from the errours of the Manachies from Saint Ambrose as then Bishop of Millan in Italie he returned into his owne countrey where hee obteyned of the Bishop of Hippo whereof he was afterwards Bishop himselfe a garden without the Towne causing a Monastery to be built there in which he liued of the labour of his hands in all integritie according to the institution of the Primitiue Church He died of a feuer at Hippo when he had sitten fourty yeares in his Bishopricke being seuenty and six yeares of age on the fifth of the Kalends of September leauing to posteritie two hundred and thirty bookes of his owne writing This order multiplied greatly throughout the whole Christian world howsoeuer branched into many seuerall orders differing both in habit and exercises as also in rule and precepts of life An Epitaph to the memorie of Saint Augustine which I found in the booke of Rufford Abbey Omnis plorat homo mox matris vt exit ab aluo Et merito quoniam veâ—it in vallem lachrimosam Solum nascentem risisse ferunt Zoroastrem Ergo monstrosum crede risum liquet istum Primus enim rerum fuit inventor magicarum Hoc Augustinus testatur vir preciosus Vir doctus vir magnisicus vir quippe beatus About some fourtie yeares after the death of Saint Augustine Saint Benedict vulgarly called Benet appeared to the world who is accounted the Patriarch and Father of all the Monkes of Europe Hee was borne in Vmbria a region in Italy of the noble familie of the Regards his Fathers name was Propre his Mothers Abundantia hee was sent to Rome at the age of ten yeares to learne the liberall Arts but being wearie of the tumults and warre during the raigne of Iustinian the Emperour hee went from thence into a desart neare vnto Sublacke a Towne some fourtie miles from Rome where he continued the space of three yeares or thereabouts doing very austere penance vnknowne to any saue one Monke called Roman but being afterwards discouered by certaine Shepherds the people by reason of the great â—ame of his integritie and holinesse of life flocked from all parts to see him who had such force to perswade them to abandon the world as in a short time they built twelue Monasteries and hauing giuen to euery our of them a good Superiour or Abbot desiring solitarinesse he retired himselfe with a good number of his best disciples to the mount Cassin neare to the Towne of old called Cassina Where hauing ruined all the idolatrous Temples and broken downe their Images hee built him a Monasterie which hee dedicated to Saint Iohn the Baptist with a Chappell to Saint Martin Drawing all the Monkes dispersed in Italy into one societie and companie to whom he gaue a certaine rule in writing by the which they and their successours should gouerne themselues according as Saint Basill had done before him and withall bound them to three seuerall vowes Chastitie Pouertie and Obedience to their superiours which decree was ratified by the Church of Rome for an Euangelicall law This congregation of the Benedictines grew by little and little to bee so great throughout all Christendome as is almost incredible Nulla Monasteria nisi Beneâ—dictina erat apud Anglos ab aetate Edgari vsque ad regnum Gulielmi primi There was no Monasteries saith a late Writer amongst the English from the time of King Edgar till the raigne of William the Conquerour but Benedictines This order saith the same Authour came first into England with Austin the Monke Bishop of
the sundrie wayes and meanes by which Religious Votaries and others of the Clergie enriched themselues and other Churches Of Pardons Pilgrimages and Romescot AL◠Churches are either Cathedrall Conuentuall or Parochiall Cathedrall is that Church where there is a Bishop seated so called à Cathedra the chaire or seat Conuentuall consisteth of regular Clerkes professing some order of Religion or of Deane and Chapter or other Colledge of spirituall men Parochiall is that which is instituted for the saying of Diuine Seruice and ministring the holy Sacraments to the people dwelling within a certaine compasse of ground neare vnto it Of which more in the next Chapter I will begin with Conuentuall Churches As the number of Religious Orders increased and as Religious houses were daily more and more replenished insomuch that the donations of their Founders were not thought by themselues sufficient they deuised other meanes to increase their liuelihood and the better to maintaine their high state and comportement and one was by the admittance of lay people into their Fraternities the forme whereof was after this manner following as I haue it out of the collections of Nicholas Charles Lancaster Herald deceased Frater Iohannes Minister domus Sanct. Radegundis de Theldsord Wigor Dioc. ordinis Sanct. Trinitatis redemptionis Captiuorum qui sunt incarcerati pro fide Iesu Christi à Paganis Dilecto nobis in Christo Willelmo Beyvill Salutem in Deo per quem omnium peccatorum plena fit remissio Cum plurima priuilegia nobis et ordini nostro gratiose fuerint ab artiquo concessa et de nouo per sanctissimum Papam Alexadrum sextum Et nesetiam Minister predictus Conuentus eiusdem loci de nostra speciali gratia concedimus vt post eorumdem decessum et suarum literarum exhibitionem in nostro Conuentuali Capitulo cadem pro illis siet commendatio que pro nobis ibidem fieri consueuit per presentes in nostram sanctam confraternitatem vos deuote admittimus Dat. sub Sigillo nostre confraternitatis predicte Ann. Dom. M. CCCCLXXXXIIII In dorso Auctoritate Dei Patris omnipotentis beatorum Petriet Pauli Apostolorum eius ac auctoritate mihi commissa et tibi concessa Ego absoluo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis mihi per te vere et contrite confessis nec non de 〈◊〉 de quibus velles confiteri si tue occurrerent memorie et concedo tibi plenariam absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum tuorum in quantum claues Ecclesie se extundunt in hac parte In nomine Patris et Filij et Spiritus sancti Amen I finde in the golden Register of Saint Albans a Manuscript in Sir Robert Cottons Librarie aboue two thousand men women and children lay-persons of the Nobilitie and Gentrie of this kingdome to haue beene thus admitted into that one Monasterie all of which gaue either lands goods iewels plate copes vestments or some ornament or other to the Church and Couent The religious Votaries likewise either by themselues or their friends gaue somewhat or other vpon their first admittance into any of these Monasteries of which I could giue many examples but in place take one for all which I haue read in the Lieger booke of Saint Maries the Nunnery at Clerkenwell Where Sir William de Sancto Georgio or Saint George knight one of the Ancestors of Sir Richard S. George Clarentieux now liuing giues to the Prioresse and her Sisters of the foresaid Saint Maries Clerkenwell with Mabell his daughter vpon her admittance into their Nunnery halfe a Verge of land in Kingstone in Cambridgeshire Test. Willelmo de Baus Roberto de S. Georgio Roberto de Hasselingtonfeld c. a deed sans date And by another deed the said Sir William Saint George giues to the said Priorie of Clerkenwell for the soules health of himselfe his father his mother and his wife and with Albreda his sister who was to be a Nunne of the said house his land in Hasselingfeld within the foresaid Countie of Cambridge which Robert Russis held in pratis in pascuis c. Test. Eustac de Bancis Willelmo de Bancis Roberto de Sancto Georgio c. And many others having large portions in their owne possessions out of zeale and deuotion would giue all with themselues to some Cloister or other and therein take vpon them the habite of Religion As many English doe in these dayes vpon their admission into religious Orders beyond Seas They were wondrously enriched by the burials of great personages for in regard of buriall Abbeyes were most commonly preferred before other Churches whatsoeuer and he that was buried therein in a Friers habite if you will beleeue it neuer came into hell Vpon their visiting and confessing of the sicke they euer vsed some perswasiue argument or other that it would please the sicke person to bestow somewhat more or lesse according to his or her abilitie towards the maintenance of their Fraternities or the repairing of their Monasteries and that he would bequeath his bodie to be interred in the Church of their Couent with a promise that they would daily say prayers and make intercession for his soule They got likewise by confessing such as were in perfect health giuing them absolution and enioyning them penance according as they receiued gratuities Of all which will it please you reade these passages following copied out of the Author of Piers Plowman and Geffrey Chaucer And First Piers the Plowman Passus vndecimus speaking how Friers couet to burie men for their goods Go confesse to some Frier and shewe him thy synnes For while Fortune is thy frend Friers will the loue And fetch the to their Fraternitie and for the beseche To her Prior Prouinciall a Pardon to haue And pray for the pole by pole if thou be pecuniosus Sed pena pecuniaria non sufficit pro spiritualibus delictis I sayd I nolde Be buried at their house but at my Parish Church For I hard once how conscience it tolde That kind wold men be buried wher thei wer christined Or wher that he were Parishen that ther he sholde be grauen And for I said thus to Friers a fole thei me helden And loued me the lesse for my lely speche And yet I cried on my confessour that helde himselfe cunnynge That none wolde wed widowes but for to weld her goods Right so by the Rode * rought you neuer Where my body wer buried by so ye had my siluer I haue much marvaill of you and so hath many other Why your Couent coueteth to confesse and bury Rather than to baptise Barnes that be catechislinges And Passus decimus tertius Friers folowed folke that wer riche And folke that wer pore at litle price they set And no cors in hir kyrkeyard nor kyrke was buried But quick he bequeth hem ought or quit part of his dets The Frier in Chaucer perswading with the sicke farmer to make his confession to him rather to his
Parish Priest hauing his hand vpon his halfepennie makes this request to the bed-rid man lying vpon his couch Yeue me then of thy gold to make our cloister Quod he for many a muskle and many an oister When other men have been full well at ease Hath been our food our cloister for to rease And yet God wot vnneath the foundament Performed is ne of our pauement Is not a tile yet within our wones By God we owen fourty pound for stones The same Author in the Prologues to his Canterbury tales and in the character of the Frier thus speakes of the absolution and easie penance they gaue to men in health where they thought some commoditie would thereby accrew to themselues and their Couent Full sweetly heard he confession And pleasant was his absolution He was an easie man to giue penaunce There as he wist to have a good pitaunce For vnto a poore Order for to give Is a signe that a man is well yshryve For if he gaue ought he durst make avaunt He wist well that a man was repentant For many a man is so hard of hert That he may not weepe although him smert Therefore in stede of weeping and prayeres Men mote giue siluer to the poore Freeres The Priests likewise in general as well of Cathedrall Parochiall as of these Conuentuall Churches got much by saying of Masses as it is intimated to vs by Plowman in these few lines following If pryestes were perfite they would no siluer take For Masses ne for Mattens ne her meates of vsurers Ne nether kirtle ne cote though thei for cold shold die But that which brought most riches to all the foresaid Churches was the Shrines Images and Reliques of this or that Saint in this or that Church especially honoured and preserued to the Visiters whereof who with great cost and labour did vndertake so holy and deuout resolution great Indulgences and Pardons were granted by seuerall Popes as will appeare by the sequele and so semblablie to their sacred Altars and other holy places and such like Indulgences and Pardons they were as were anciently granted to the Churches in Rome which will not seeme impertinent I hope here to set downe as I haue them out of an old booke in broken English which crept into the world in the minoritie of Printing and is commonly called The Customes of London But before I go any further let me tell you that Reliques were euer holden in most reuerend regard amongst all sorts of people insomuch that in the taking of any solemne oath they vsed to lay their hand vpon certaine Reliques as they did vpon the holy Euangelists For I heard that King Henrie the second being to cleare himselfe of Archbishop Beckets death at a generall assemblie holden within the Citie of Auranches in the Church of the Apostle Saint Andrew before the two Cardinals Theodinus and Albertus the Popes Legates and a great number of Bishops and other people made his purgation in receiuing an oath vpon the holy reliques of the Saints and vpon the sacred Euangelists that he neither willed nor commanded the said Archbishop to be murdered The hoole Pardon of Rome graunted by diuers Popes In the cite of Rome ben iiii chirches in which is Masse daily don but ther ben vii of the same priuileged aboue all the other with gret holines and Pardon as is here aftir shewid The furst is called Saint Peters Chirch th'appostell and is set vpon the fot of an hill and men goo vpward thertoo a steyer of xxix steppes high and as oft as a man gooth vp and downe that steyer he is relesid of the seuenth part of penaunce inioyned and graunted by Pope Alysander Item as ye come before the Chirch ther the well sporingeth so may ye see aboue the dore an Image of our Lord and betwene his feete stondith oun of the pence that God was sold for and as ofte as ye looke vpon that peny ye haue xiiii C. yerys of Pardon Item in the same Chirche on the ryght side is a pilour that was sometyme off Salamons temple at whiche pilour our Lord was wonte to rest him whan he preched to the people at which pylour if ther any be frentyk or madd or trobled with spyritts they be deliueryd and made hoole And in that Chirge be xi aulters and at euery aulter is xlviii yere of Pardon and as many Lentes or Karynes and vii of thoo aulters ben seuerally priuelegyth with grace and Pardon At the furst aulter is the vysage of our Lord who loketh vpon that hath vii c. yere of Pardon Item at the same aulter is the spere that Crist was parced with whych was broght from Constantynenople sent from the gret Turke to Pope Innocent the Viii. The second aulter is of saint Andrew there ye haue V. C. yere of Pardon The forth aulter is of owr Lady there is Vii C. yere of Pardon The v. aulter is of Saint Leoo there he receyuid the absolucion in his Masse fro hevyn and there is Vii C. yere of Pardon The vi aulter of all Souls and there is V. C. yere of Pardon and euery hygh fest an soul out of Purgatory The vii aulter is of Saint Simond and Iude there is Vi. C. yere of Pardon And befor the Quyer dore stond two yruen crosses who kysseth thoo crosses hath V. C. yere of Pardon Item vpon our Lady day in Lente is hanged afore the quyer a cloth that our Lady made her self and it hangeth still till our Lady day assumpcion and as many tymes as a man beholdith it he hath iiii C. yere of Pardon Alsoo as many tymes as a man gothe thorow the Croudes at Saint Peters Chirche he hathe iiii c yere of pardon And as often as a man folowith the Sacrament to the syke bodyes he hath xiiii c. yere of Pardon Also Pope Siluester grauntid to all thym that dayly gothe to the Chirch of saint Peter the iii parte of all his synnes relesyd and all advowes and promyse relesyd and all synnes forgeten relesyd and forgeuen except leynge hondes vpon fader and moder vyolently and aboue this is grauntid xxviii c yere of pardon and the merytis of as many Lentis or Karyns The knowlege of a karyn ye shall fynd in the end of this boâ—ke And in the fest of Saint Peter a M. yere of pardon and as many Karyns and the threddendell of penaunce enioyned relesyd And from thassencion day of our Lorde into the assumpcion of our Lady ye haue xiiii yere of pardon and as many karyns and foryefenes of the iii parte of all Synnes And vpon the one syde of saint Peters Chirch lyeth a Chirchyard and that is callyd Godys felde and there be the beryed poore Pylgryms and none other and it is the lande that was bought with xxx pens that our Lord was solde fore as oft as a man gothe vpon that grounde he hath xv c. yere of Pardon Item in the
therefore expresly willeth and commandeth that no manner of person being either the head or member of any Colledge or Cathedrall Church within this 〈◊〉 shall from the time of the notification hereof in the same Colledge haue or be permitted to haue within the precinct of any such Colledge his wife or other woman to abide and dwell in the same or to frequent haunt any lodging within the said Colledge vpon paint that whosoeuer shall do to the contrary shall forfeite all Ecclesiasticall promotions in any Cathedrall or Collegiate Church within this Realme And for continuance of this order her Maiestie willeth that the Transcript hereof shall be written in the booke of the Statutes of euery such Colledge and shall be reputed as parcell of the Statutes of the same Yeuen vnder our Signet at â—ur Towne of ipswiche the ninth of August in the third yeare of our reigne Now Reader if thou wouldest know more particularly the Ecclesiasticall State of England will it please thee reade the declaration following A briefe declaration of the nomber of all promocions Ecclesiasticall of what nam or title soeuer at the Taxacion of the first fruites and tenthes with the yearlie value of eiche Bishopricke Deanrie and Archdeaconrie and the tenth of the Clargie in euery Diocesse Valoris Epatuum Comitatus Archnatus valores Dignit Preb. Beneficia Assauen 187. l. 11. s. 6. d. Derâ—igh Flinte Montgomery Merioneth Saloppe Assaphen 74. l. 15.7 d. 14. 128. 1. 1. Bangoren 131. l. 16. s. 4. d. Cairnarvan Anglesey Denbighe Merioneth Mountgonery Bangoren 48. l. 6. s. 1. d. ob q. Anglesey 58. l. 10. s. 6. d. Merioneth 13. l. 3. s. 4. d. 8. 96. 3. 1. 1. 0. Bristollen 383. l. 8. s. 4. d. Dorset Dorset 82. l. 17. s. 7. d. ob q.  252. 7. 3. 3. 2. Bathon Wellen. 1843. l. 14. s. 5. d. q. 533 l. 15. d. Somerset Wellen. 144. l. 2. s. 11. d. ob Bathon 25. l. 15. s. Taunton 83 s. 7. s. 8. d. 55. 380. 14. 5. 6. 1. Cantuarien 3233. l. 18. s. 8. d. ob q. 2816. l. 17. s. 9. d. London Midl Suff. Essex Lanc. Buck. Surr. Sussex Cantuarien 163. l. 21. d.  282. 18. 9. 3. 1. Cicestren 677. l. 15. d. Sussex Cicestr 38. l. 3. s. 4. d. Lewen 39. l. 14. s. 10. d. 35. 285. 1. 2. 0. 1. Couentrey et Lichefield 703. l. 5. s. 2. d. ob q. 559. l. 18. s. 2. d. ob q. Staffordshir Derby Warwicke Salop. Stafford 30. l. 16. s. 11. d. Derby 26. l. 13. s. 4. d. Couen 45. l. 9. s. Salop. 19. l. 32. 351. 3. 5. 0. 1. Cestren 420. l. 20.0 Cestren Lanca Flinte Comberland Westmerland Ebor. Richmond 50. l. Cestren 50. l.  202. 11. 18. 4. 2. Carliolen 530. l. 4. s. 11. d. ob Comberland Westmerland Null  77. 2. 5. 1. 2. Domus Religios Hospital Collegia Cantarie Libe Capelle Valores Decanatum Decima Cleri 8. nul nul 5. 65. l. 11. s 4. d. 186. l. 19. s. 7. d. ob q. 4. nul 2. 6. 22. l. 17. s. 2. d. 151.14 s 3. d. q. 10. 4. 1. 68. 100. 353. l. 18 d. ob q. 22. 2. 1. 96. 117. l. 7. s. 4. d. 600. l. 15. s. 8. d. ob 17. 8. 5. 89. 200. l. 651. l. 18 s. 2. d. q. Cum. 281. l. 13. s. 19. d. q 〈◊〉 Archiepatus iuxta valoâ—â—m 11. 4. 2. 44. 58. l. 9. s. 4. d. 287. l. 2. s. 1. ob q. 38. 5. 16. 128. 40. 590.16.12 q. 26. 6. 4. 145. 100. l. 435. l. 12. d. 5. 1. 1. 26. 120. l. 7. s. 6. d. 161. l. 19. d. ob Valoris Epatuum Comitatus Archinatus valores Dignit Preb. Beneficia Dunelm 2821. l. 17. d. q. 1821. l. 17. d. q. Dunelme Northumber Dunel 100. l. Northumb. 36. l. 13. s. 4. d. Null 107. 6. 9. 2. 2. Elien 2134. l. 18. s. 5. d. ob q. tertia pars q. Cantabridg Elien 177. l. 5. s. 2. d. ob nul 137. 2. 0. Eborum 2035. l. 3. s. 7. d. 1069. l. 19. s. 2. d. q. Eborum Notingham Eborum 90. l. 3 s Cliueland 36. l. s. d. Estriding 62. l. 14. s. 2. d. ob Notingham 61. l. 8. d. ob 36. 137. 12. 7. 3. 1. Exonicum 1566. l. 14. s. 6. d. 500. l. q. Deuon Cornwall Exon 60. l. 15 s. 10. d. Cornub. 50. l 6. s. 3 d. ob Taunton 37. l. 10. s. 3. d. ob Barnestaple 48 l. 19. s. 8. d. 29. 546. 49. 27. 11. 8. Glocestre 315. l. 7. s. 2. d. Gloucesters Gloucest 75. l. 4. s. ob 4. d. nul 240. 7. 3. 3. 1. Hereford 768. l. 10. s. 10. d. ob q. Radnar Heref Salop. Mongomery Wigorn. Hereford 41. l. 17. 11. d. Salop. 32. l. 10. s. 9. d. 32. 277. 3. 1. 0. 0. London 1119. l. 8. s. 4. d. London Midl Essex Herteford Buck. London 23. l 14. s. 4. d. Midl 60. l. Essex 52. l. Colchester 50. S. Albani in hill 34. 573. 19. 6. 7. 0. Lincolne â—962 l. 17. s. 4. d. ob 894. l. 18. s. 1. d. ob Lincolne Leicestre Bedford Bucking Herteford Huntington Lincoln 179. l. 19. s. Sâ—ow 14. l. 2 s. 8. d. ob Bedf 57. l. 2. s. 3. d. Buck 8â— l 14. s. 5. d. Hunting 57. l. 14. s. 2. d. Leicester 80. l. 12. s. 3. d. 59. l. 1219. 31 12 4. 2. Landauen 154. l. 14. s. 1. d. Monboth Glamorgan Landaven 38. l. 12. s. 8. d. 13. 153. 0. 0. Domus Religios Hospital Collegia Cantarie Libe Capelle Valores Decanatum Decima Cleri 18. 8. 5. 96. 266. l. 12. s. 1. d. 385. l. 5. s. 6. d. ob 10. 1. nul 29. 120. l. 384. 14. s 9. d. q. 77. 12. 13. 488. 308. l. 10. s. 7. d. 1113. l. 17. s. 9. d ob q. 22. 1. 6. 47. 158. 1240. l. 15. s. 2. d. ob 11. 4. 1. 46. 100. l. 358. l. 15 s. 11. 3. nul 77. 38. l. 6. s. 1. d. ob 340. l. 5. s. 2. d. ob 50. 6. 6. 366. 210. l. 12. s. 1. d. 821. l. 15. s. 1. d. 94. 14. 4. 262. 196. l. 10. s. 8. d. 1751. l. 14. s. 6. 11. nul nul 17. nul 155. l. 5. s. 4. d. Valoris Epatuum Comitatus Archinatus valores Dignit Preb. Beneficia Meneuen 457. l. 22. d. ob q. Radnor Cairmarthen Cardigan Pembroke Bâ—echon Hereford Glamorgan Monmouth Mongomery Meneven 56. l. 8. s. 6. d. Cairmarthen 35. l. 9. s. 6. d. Cardigan 18. l. Brechon 40. l. 11. 291. 1. 2. 0. 0. Norwicen 568. l. 19. s. 4. d. ob 899. l. 18. s. 7. d. q. Suff. Norfolke Cantab. Norwicen 71. l. 13. d. ob Norfolk â—43 l. 8. s. 2. d ob Suff. 89. l. 23. d. Sudbury 76. l 9. s. 4. d. ob nul 1094. 16. 2. 2. 0. Oxonicum 358. l. 16. s. 4. d. q. 354. Oxon. Oxon. 71. l. 6. s. nul 167. 2. 1. 1. 0. Petriburgh 414. l. 19. s. 11 d.
aboue mentioned is 8803. Here ends the Discourse ANCIENT FVNERALL MONVMENTS WITHIN THE Diocesse of Canterbury The Foundation of Christ-Church in Canterbury CHristian Religion of which I haue spoken before which presently after our blessed Sauiours passion was both preached and planted in this Island by Ioseph of Arimathea and his associates and after that aduanced and increased by Lucius King of the Britaines and his famous Clerkes being darkened ouerclouded and almost totally eclipsed with the contagious smoke arising from such abhominable sacrifices as were offered here vnto strange Idols was againe illumined and recomforted with the glorious beames of religious light by Augustine the Monke and his fellow-labourers in Christs vineyard Which Augustine sent hither from Rome by Gregory the great when he had found such fauour in the sight of King Ethelbert that he might freely preach the Gospell in this his countrey hee chose for assemblie and prayer an old Church in the East part of this Citie which was a long time before builded by the Romanes and hee made thereof by licence of the King a Church for himselfe and his successours dedicating the same to the name of our blessed Sauiour Christ whereof it was alwayes afterward called Christ-Church And by the meanes of the said Pope Gregory hee translated the Metropolitan See from London the Cathedrall Church being then at Saint Peters in Cornhill to this his newly consecrated Church here in Canterbury whereof he was the first Archbishop By these proceedings the prophesie of Merlin was fulfilled which foretold that Christianity should faile and then reuiue againe when the See of London did adorne Canterbury Of which out of an old Manuscript these following Rimes Erchebysshop furste of alle Seynt Austyn was ther But ye Erchcbysshops Se at London was er Tho camme Merlynes word to sothe atten ende Yat ye dignyte of London to Canterbery sholde wende Anothur chyrche in Cantyrbery he lete rere Yat is clupyd Christ Chyrche and now the Se is there Since which time this sacred structure by the pious and exceeding charges of succeeding Archbishops by the deuotion of those dayes made willing to disburse great summes is so raised aloft saith learned Camden to that maiestie and statelinesse that it striketh a sensible impression of Religion in the hearts and mindes of the beholders of which as also of the Citie will it please you reade this Ogdoasticon out of a Manuscript penned by Iohn Iohnston of Aberden sometimes the Kings professour of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of S. Andrewes in Scotland Quae minima in paruo regno pars ante fuisti Facta es Cantiadum regia prima Ducum Quae modica in magno imperio pars ante fuisti Maiorem fecit Pontificalis honor Alterius cum iura locitecum inde tulisti Facta es finitimis imperiosa locis Sponsa tibi Christi si tot cumulauit honores Non iterum huic par sit reddere velle suos To this his Church Austine adioyned a Monastery and dedicated the same to the blessed Trinitie into which Laurence his next Successour brought Benedictine Monkes the head whereof was called a Prior. Which word saith Lambard in his perambulation of Kent howsoeuer it soundeth was indeed but the name of a second Officer because the Bishop himselfe was accounted the very Abbot for in old time the Bishops were for the most part chosen out of such Monasteries and therefore most commonly had their palaces neare adioyning and gouerned there as Abbots By meanes whereof it came to passe that such Abbeyes were greatly enriched and endowed with wealth and possessions insomuch that this Priory at the dissolution being valued at Robin Hoods peniworths was found to be yearly worth besides iurisdiction ouer diueâ—s hundreds as you may finde in the Exchequer booke called Nomina Villarum two thousand foure hundred eightie nine pounds foure shillings nine pence But Henry the eighth saith Camden scattered this wealth heaped vp together in so many ages and dispersed these Monks in lieu of whom he placed in this Church a Deane an Archdeacon Prebendaries twelue and sixe Preachers who in places adioyning round about should teach and preach the word of God The Archbishoprick at this day whose Prouince containeth twentie two Bishoprickes and Diocesse the greatest part of Kent being but valued in the Kings bookes at two thousand eight hundred sixteene pounds seuenteene shillings nine pence Howsoeuer in former times the Archbishop was wont to pay to the Pope at euery income for his first-fruits ten thousand Ducats or Florens and for his Pall fiue thousand euery Ducate being of our Sterling money foure shillings sixe pence And as I finde it in an old Manuscript for Rom-scot or Peter-pence seuen pounds seuenteene shillings Seuentie three Archbishops in a continued traine of Succession haue sitten in this glorious chaire which at this present doth adde grace and honour to George Abbot Doctor of Diuinity sometime Deane of Winchester Master of the Vniuersitie Colledge in Oxford Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield from whence hee was remoued to London and from thence translated to this Metropoliticall seate of Canterbury Who hath bestowed great summes of money in building and endowing of an Hospitall at Guildford in Surrey the Towne wherein he was borne But now to come within the Cathedrall Church which hath beene and still is honoured with the funerall Monuments of many renowned Princes of which although it may iustly vaunt yet was it for nothing else so famous as for the life death sepulcure and Shrine of Thomas Beckâ—t Archbishop of this See by which her estimation was aduanced beyond all reason measure and wonder This Thomas Becket was borne in London his fathers name was Gilbert a Merchant his mothers Mâ—tilda a stranger borne in Syria He was first taught and brought vp by the Prior of Mercon Abbey in Surrey and from thence sent to the Vniuersities of Oxford Paris and Bononia to study the Canon Law vpon his returne he proceeded Doctor of that faculty in Oxford after which as you may haue it in the History of his life written by the right reuerend Father in God Francis Godwin now Bishop of Hereford in short time he was preferred by Theobald Archbishop of this See vnto the Archdeaconry of Canterbury the Prouostship of Beuerley and the Parsonages of Bromfeeld and Saint Mary Hill a Prebend in Paules and another in the Church of Lincolne and withall commended by him so effectually to King Henry the second that he receiued him into the number of his Chaplaines aduanced him to the honour of Lord Chancellour of England and after the death of the said Theobald to this Grace and Primaâ—ie of Canterbury presently after his consecration being yet scarcely warme in his seate vnder colour of defending the rights of his Church hee stubbornly opposed himselfe against his Lord and Soueraigne in all his royall proceedings insomuch that he was constrained to exile him the kingdome Of which you shall
heare a peece out of Harding in the life of Henry the second He exiled then Thomas of Cauntorbury Out of Englande and many of his alliaunce For cause of his rebellious gouernaunce And as he came fro Rome by Fraunce awaye With language fel he prayede the Kyng that daye The poyntes to mende And now if you will giue me leaue a little to digresse I will tell you a tale beleeue it as you lift reported by the said Thomas Becket himselfe how that being in banishment our blessed Lady gaue him a golden Eagle full of precious ointment inclosed in a stone vessell commanding him to preserue it foretelling withall that the kings of England which should be therewith anointed should be strong champions and stout defendours of the Church that they should be bountifull benigne and fortunate and that they should peaceably recouer such lands or territories as had beene before lost by their predecessours so long as they had this Eagle with the viall or sacred vessell in their custody telling him withall that hee should bee a Martyr This vision happened to him forsooth at Sens in France in the Nunnes Church consecrated to Saint Columbe in which Citie hee found Pope Alexander the third a man like himselfe of an ambitious and turbulent â—ierie spirit into whose bosome saith Hollinshead he emptied whole cart-loads of complaints and grieuances like a contumacious rebell against his soueraigne Lord excommunicating and cursing with bell booke and candle all that did any way adhere vnto the kings partie But now to returne to the words by which hee did expresse his strange and incredible apparition which I will set downe in the same language as I found them anciently written in the Lieger booke of the Abbey of Whalley in Lanchishire Thus he begins Quando ego Thomas Cantuar. Archiepiscopus exul ab Anglia fugie bam ad Franciam veni ad Papam Alex. qui tunc Senonis erat vt ei ostenderem malas consuetudines abusiones quas Rex Anglie in Ecclesiam in troducebat Quadam nocte cum essem in Ecclesia Sancte Columbe in Monial rogaui Reginam Virginum vt daret Regi Anglie et hered propositum et voluntatem emendandi se erga Ecclesiam et quod Christus pro sua miserecordia ampliori dilectione ipsum faceret diligere Ecclesiam Statim apparuit mihi beata Virgo habens in pectore istam aquilam auream siue lapideam accipiens Aquilam de pectore suo ampullam includit Aquilam cum Ampulla in manu mea posuit et hec verba per ordinem dixit Ista est vnctio per quam Reges Anglie debent inungi non isti qui modo sunt regnant regnabunt quia maligni sunt propter peccata sua multa amiserunt amitterent Sunt autem Reges Anglie futuri qui inungerentur vnctione benigni pugiles Ecclesie erunt Nam isti terram amissam à parentibus pacisice recuperabunt donec Aquilam cum Ampulla habeant Est autem Rex Anglorum futurus qui primo mungeretur vnctione ista qui terram amissam à parentibus scilicet Normanniam Aquitaniam recuperabit sine vi Rex iste erit maximus inter Reges est ille qui edificabit multas Ecclesias in terra sancta fugabit omnes Paganos de Babilon in â—adem Ecclesias ediâ—icabit plures quotiescunque Rex portabit Aquilam in pectore victoriam habebit de inimicis suis regnum eius semper augmentabituâ— tu autem es Martyr futurus Tunc rogaui beatam Virginem vt ostenderet mihi vbi custodirem tam preciosum Sanctuarium que dixit mihi est vir in ciuitate isla Willielmus Monachus Sancti Cipriani Pictauie eiectus iniuste ab Abbate suo de Abbachia sua qui rogat Papam vt Abbatem suum compellat vt eum in Abbachiam suam reducat trade sibi Aquilam cum Ampulla vt eam ad Ciuitatem Pictauie portet et in Ecclesia Sancti Gregorij que est iuxta Ecclesiam Sancti Hillarij eam abscondat in capite Ecclesie versus occidentem sub lapide magno ibi inuenietur in tempore oportuno et erit vnctio Regum Anglorum Henry the first Duke of Lancaster vnder Edward the third in the warres of France had it deliuered to him by an holy man say they which found it by reuelation But of this enough if not too much This Archbishop Becket being recalled from exile and restored to his former honours and reuenewes carried himselfe more obstinately then before perturbing the whole State with curses and excommunications in maintaining of Ecclesiasticall liberties as he pretended but most of all this kinde of dealing grieued the King who cursed the time that euer he made him Archbishop Which is thus explained in old rimes For which the King was with him sore displeased That then he sayd had I had men that ment Myne honeste I were not thus diseased With such a Clerk thus greeued and vneased It happened amongst other foure Knights to be present at this speech of the King namely Reynald Fitzâ—vrse Hugh Moruill William Tracy and Richard Briton who gathered thereby that they should do a deed very acceptable vnto him if they killed the Archbishop Whereupon without either warrant or priuitie of their Soueraigne they posted into England came with their swords drawne into this his owne Church and therein most barbarously murdered him with many blowes vpon Tuesday the 28. of December Ann. Dom. 1170. as saith Mat. Paris who in the same place obserues that many remarkable occurrences behappened this Martyr euer vpon the Tuesday more then vpon any other day in the weeke Mars secundum poetas saith he Deus belli nuncupatur vita Sancti Thome secundum illud Iob vita hominis militia est super terram tota suit contra hostem bellicosa passus fuit die Martis et translatus die Martis Die Martis sederunt Principes aduersus eum apud Northampton Die Martis actus est in exilium Die Martis apparuit ei Dominus apud Pontiniacum dicens Thoma Thoma Ecclesia mea glorificabitur in sanguine tuo Et die Martis reuersus est ab exilio Martyrij palmam die Martis est adeptus Et Die Martis Anno 1220. venerabile eius corpus gloriam translationis suscepit anno 50. post passionem eius In English as followeth Mars according to the Poets is called the God of warre the life of Saint Thomas according to that of Iob the life of man is a warfare vpon earth was a continuall conflict against the enemy vpon the Tuesday he suffered vpon Tuesday he was translated vpon Tuesday the Peeres of the Land sat in councell against him at Northampton Vpon Tuesday he was banished vpon Tuesday the Lord appeared to him at Pontiniacke saying Thomas Thomas my Church shall be glorified in thy bloud Vpon Tuesday he returned from exile vpon Tuesday he got the palme or reward of Martyrdome and vpon
requiescit Dominus Thomam Elham quondam Prior huius Ecclesâ— quicum Ann. 2. mens 11. et 4. dieb honorâ—fice vixisset 20. Febru 1440. obdormiuit in Domino Est nece substratus Ion Woodnesbergh tumulatus Huius erat gratus Prior Ecclesie aumeratus Quem colie ornatus hic tantus vhique nouatus Per loca plura datus fit sumptus testificatus Auctor erat morum probitatis laudis honorum Largus cunctorum cunctis dator ille laborum Quique Prioratum rexit sub schemate graium Annos hunc plenos per septenos quoque denos Quadringentenis Mil. eius bis quoque denis Annis septenis domini nondum sibi plenis ....... cum tibi Chrisle ... agone Quem precibus pane radiantis forte corone Hic iacet Dominus Thomas Chyllindene quondam Prior huius Ecclesie Decretorum Doctor egregius qui nauem islius Ecclesie ceteraque diuersa edisicia ..... qui post quam Prioratum huius Ecclesie 25. Sept .... et quinque diebus nobiliter rexisset tandem in die Assumptionis beate Marie virginis diem suum clausit extremum Ann. Dom. 1411. Cuius anime propiâ—ietur Deus Amen This man flourished vnder Archbishop Arundell who entirely affected him euen from the time that he deliuered him the Crosse at Westminster with all accustomed solemnitie in the presence of the King and most of the Nobilitie Preteriens flere discas et die miserere Et ne subsannes quia victus morte Iohannes Membris extensis iacet hic Sarisburiensis Sic non euades vindice morte cades Hic Prior Ecclesie Doctorque fuit Theorie Wulstam festo feria quarta memor esto Mille quater centum X. V. dant documentum Sint anime merces lux decor requies Amen Hic iacet reuerendus pater Wilhelmus Selling huius sacrosancte Ecclesie Prior ac sacre pagine Professor qui post quam hanc Ecclesiam per ann 22. mens 5 et 24. d. optime gubernasset migrauit ad Dominum Die viz. passionis Sancti Thome Martyris An. 1494. Doctor Theologie Selling Greca atque Latina Lingua predoctus hic Prior almus obit Omnis virtutis speculum exemplar Monachorum Religionis honor mitis imago Dei Hic requiescit in gratia miserecordia Dei Richardus Oxinden quondam Prior huius Ecclesie .... qui ob Aug. 4. 1338. Sub isto marmore requiescit corpus Magistri Richardi Willesford quondam Capellani Cantarie de Arundell cuius anime propitietur altissimus obijt 1520. Hic iacet Robertus Clifford Armiger frater recolende memorie Domini Richardi Clifford Episcopi Londoniarum quiob 9. die mens Martij Anno Dom. 1422. Cuius c. Hic iacet sub hoc marmore expectans miserecordiam Dei vonerabilis vir Magister Iohannes Bourchier Archidiaconus Cantuariensis qui quidem Iohannes migrauit ad Dominum 6. die mens Nouemb. 1495. Cuius anime de seta magna pietate propitietur Altissimus Heus tu sistito gradum qui obambulas Et quod scriptum est legito Gulielmi Gardneri Candidati Theologie Huius Ecclesie olim prebendarij Ossa hoc clauduntur sub marmore Obijt qui Sancti Michaelis .... luce Anno post milesimum quingentesimum Quadragesimo quarto Cui det Christus vitam tibi Lector perennem Holy crosse Church in Canterbury Hic .... Thomas Lynd primus Mayor Cant. Constantia vxor eius ... Feb. 12. Ann. Dom .... Hic iacet Clemens Harding Legum Baccalrius .... Clauditur hoc tumulo .... Multorum causas defendere quique solebat Hanc wortis causam euaderâ— non potuit Doctus indoctus moritur sic respice finem Vt. bene discedas quisquis es ista legens Saint Peters in Canterbury Thomas Ikham et Ione sa Femme 〈◊〉 Deiu de salmes eit mercy 〈◊〉 Hic iacet Wilhelmus Ikham quondam cit 〈…〉 qui obijt ... Iulij ... 1424. Orate pro anima Wilhelmi Septvaus 〈…〉 Orate pro bono slatu Iohaâ—â—is Biggs A 〈…〉 Cant .... Anno Dom. 1473. Saint Mildreds in Canterbury Orate pro animabus Thomâ— Wood 〈…〉 Hospitijre◠〈◊〉 patris in Christo Domini ... Maior is huius Cinitatis qui iâ— honore Iesu hanc capellam â—ieri fecit et 〈◊〉 garete vxoris eius filie Iohannis Moyle Armigeri Orate procis The white Friers obseruants This religious house was founded by one Sir Iohn Digges of this Countie Knight circa ann 1207. and valued at the suppression aâ— 39. l. 〈…〉 ob of yearely reuenue Herein were sometimes inteâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 Lord Badlesmere Steward of the houshold to King Eâ—ward the second who for his good seruice gaue to him and his heires the Castle of Leedes in this County which hee persidiously fortified against his Soueraigne Lord and Master and after that payed the due price of his disloyaltie vpon the gallowes Ann. 1321. Sir Giles Bâ—dilsmere or Badlesmere knight his sonne Dame Elisabeth Lady of Chilham Sir William Mauston knight Sir Roger Mauston his brother Sir Thomas Brockhall knight anâ— Lady Ioane his wife Sir Thomas Brockhall knight sonne to the said Sir Thomas and Lady Editha his wife Sir Falcon Payserer knight Sir Thomas Daynes knight Lady Alice of Maryms Lady Candlin Sir Alan Pemâ—ington of 〈◊〉 in the Countie of Lancaster knight who comming from the warres beyond Seas died in this Citie Lady Ladrie of Valence Sir William Trussell Sir William Baloyle Sir Bartholomew Ashburnham knights and Sir Iohn Montenden knight and a Frier of this house lie all here in terred The blacke Friers Minorites King Henry the third is said to bee the founder of this house in which were buried Robert and Bennet Browne Esquires Bennet daughter of Shelâ—ings and wife to Sir Edmund Hawte knight and after wife to Sir William Wendall knight The Hospitall of Saint Iames was erected by Elianor the wife of the said King Ed. 3. valued at the suppression to 32. l. 2. s. 1. d. ob Here sometime stood an house of blacke veyled Nunnes dedicated to S. 〈◊〉 founded by one of the Abbots of Saint Augustines esteemed to be worth vpon the suppression 38. l. 19. s. 7. d. ob per annum These Nuns were endowed with the Church of Redingate with other reuenues and were to pay twelue pence yearely to the Monkes of S. Augustine vpon his feast day on the high altar The Monastery of Saint Peter and Saint Paul commonly called Saint Austins Annis sexcentis preter tres Anglia mundi Christi nascentis micuit Baptismatis vnda The yeare of our redemption sixe hundred and three as these times do testifie Ethelbert king of Kent receiued the lauer of Baptisme in Saint Martins Church at the hands of Saint Augustine within two yeares after that he began the foundation of this Monasterie As I haue it out of this his Charter in the red booke of Canterbury In nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi
that place he conuerted vnto the faith of Christ Sebert king of the East Saxons Of which this Stanza out of Harding Then Austin made Peter a clerke deuoute Of Saynt Austines th'abbot religious And made Mellito as Bede clerly hath note Of London then byshoppe full vertuous A Clerke that was then beneuolous Who then conuerted of Essex the king Sebert And all his land baptised with holy herte But the wicked sonnes of this good King Sebert expelled Mellitus out of their dominions from whence he trauelled into France and there stayed for a time vntill he was commanded by Archbishop Laureâ—ce to retâ—â—ne and looke to his flocke He was a man noble by birth but much more noble for the excellencie of his minde an eloquent speaker and therefore aâ—â—siuely called of some Mellifluous exceeding carefull of his charge despising the world and neuer caring for any thing but heauen and heauenly things hauing beene sicke a long time of the Gowt hee died Aprill 24. ann 624. and was buried beside his predecessour Vpon whose Tombe this Epitaph was engrauen Summus Pontificum flos tertius et mel apricum Hac titulis clara redoles Mellite sub arca Laudibus eternis te predicat vrbs Dorouernis Cui simul ardenti restas virtute potenti Presently vpon the death of Mellitus Iustus then Bishop of Rochester was preferred to this Archbishopricke He was a Romane borne the disciple of Gregory the great by whom he was sent ouer into England to preach the Gospell He was a Monke after the order of Saint Benet Vir tantae integritatis vi iusti nomine non tam gentilicio quam propter virtatem honorandus censeretur Which his vertue as also his learning are both highly commended by Pope Boniface the fourth to whom as to his deared beloued Brother he sendeth greeting He died Nouemb. 10. ann 634. was buried by his predecessour and canonized a Saint and Confessor But heare his Epitaph Istud habet bustum meritis cognomine Iustum Quarto iure datus cui cessit Pontificatus Pro meritis Iusti sancta grauitate venusti Gratia diuinam diuina dat his medicinam Honorius a reuerend learned man borne in the same Citie brought vp vnder the same Master and one of the same order with Iustus succeeded him in his pontificall Gouernment During the time he sate which was somewhat aboue twentie yeares amongst other things hee appointed diuers Bishops to diuers countries and diuided his Prouince into Parishes of which I haue spoken before that so he might appoint particular Ministers or Priests to particular congregations In his time the Pelagian heresie began to spring vp againe in Scotland but by his exhortatorie diuine Epistles to the Clergie of that kingdome he so dealt that the poysonous infection of that contagious heresie spread not farre neither continued any long time He died Februar 28. Ann. 653. and was laid with his predecessours This was his Epitaph Quintus honor memori versu memoraris Honori Digna sepultura quam non teret vlla Litura Ardet in obscuro tua lux vibramine puro Hec scelus omne premit fugat vmbras nubila demit One Frithona famous for his learning and vertuous life being elected Archbishop vpon the day of his consecration changed his name for Deus dedit or Adeodatus He was the first Englishman that gouerned this See which charge he attended carefully the space of sixe yeares and dyed Iuly â—4 Ann. 664. being the very same day that Ercombert the king of Kent dyed he was the last Bishop buried in the Church-porch Such was his Epitaph Alme Deus Dedit cui sexta vâ—catio cedit Signas hunc lipidem lapidi 〈…〉 eâ—dem Prodit ab hac vrna 〈…〉 aâ—urna Quâ— melioratur quic 〈…〉 graâ—atur Theodore a Grecian Saint Pauls 〈…〉 borne in Tharsus succeeded Deus deâ—it He was sixtâ—e sixe yearâ—â— of age before he vndertooke the charge of this Archbishopricke in 〈◊〉 hee continued two yeares three moneths twenty seuâ—n dayes vntill 〈…〉 which happened Sept. 29. anno 690 A man hee was to omit particulars worthy of perpetuall remembrance for his singular vertues vnder whom the Church of England receiued much comfort and encrease in spirituall matters Hee was exceeâ—dingly well learned both in profane and holy literature hee would often visit the countrey of the Englishmen all ouer and teach them the wayeâ— and pathes of good life Hee was the first Archbishop vnto whom all the whole Church of the English Nation did yeeld and consent to submit themselues Hee writ many learned bookes mentioned by Bâ—â—e hee was the seuenth Archbishop of whom these verses were written vpon the wall in Latine now translated thus into English Seuen Patriarchs of England Primates seuen Seuen Rectors and seuen Babaurers in heven Seuen Cesterns pure of life seuen Lamps of light Seuen Palmes and of this Realme seuen Crownes full bright Seuen Starres are here interr'd in vault below These verses were common to aâ—l these seuen pillars of the English Church for so they are called yet euery one as you haue read had his particular Epitaph and this following went curiant for Theodore thus Englished by the Translatour of venerable Bede A worthie Prelate lyeth here fast closed in this graue To whom the name of Theodore the Greekes most iustly gaue With title right the soueraigntie hauing of each degree Christs flock he fed with true doctrine as all men do well see His soule was set at libertie that lumpish lumpe of clay Dissolued when September had put nineteene dayes away And coueting their fellowship that liue a godly life Is companied with Angels high voyd of all care and strife Brithwald called like others allusiuely Bright world Abbot of Reculuer some two yeares after the decease of Theodore was elected and consecrated Archbishop by one Godwin Metropolitan of France He was a man very well learned both in Diuinitie and humanitie and very skilfull both in Ecclesiasticall and Monasticall orders censures and disciplines but farre inferiour in all vnto his predecessour He continued Archbishop in this fâ—â—med seuen and thirtie yeares sixe moneths fourteene dayes a longer time then euer any did either before or since and dyed Ianuar. 9. ann 731. and was buried in this Abbey Church because the Porch was already filled with the dead bodies of his predecessours for whom this Epitaph was 〈◊〉 and engrauen vpon his Monument Stat sua laus feretro Brithwaldus stat sua metro Sed minor est metri laus omnis laude feretri Laude frequentandus pater hic glorificandus Si prâ—ce slectatur dat ei qui danda precatur Tatwin a man very religious and no lesse learned succeeded Brithwald soone after whose consecration great controuersie arose betweene him and the Archbishop of Yorke about the Primacie wherein Tatwin preuailed Who hauing sate onely three yeares died Iuly the last day An. Dom. 735. and
and immediate heire to the kingdome promised with an oath to giue her whatsoeuer shee would demand This deuoute Lady begged so much ground to build a religious house vpon as a tame Deâ—re which she kept would runne ouer at a breath one Thunnor or Thymur one of his councell and his assistant in the foresaid murder standing by blamed him of inconsideration for that hee would vpon the vncertaine course of a Deere depart to his certaine losse with any part of so good a Soile Which words he had no sooner spoken saith the booke of Saint Augustine but that the earth immediately opened and swallowed him vp Well the King and the Lady proceeded in their bargaine and the Hynde ranne ouer fourty and eight Ploughâ—lands before she returned This do nation the king confirmed by his Charters which I haue read in the booke of S. Austins to the infringers whereof he added this fearefull curse Si cui vero hec largicio displicet vel si quis quod absit hanc donationem telo ductus Diaboli quoquo ingenio infringere temptauerit Iram Dei omnium Sanctorum maledicta incurrat et subita morte intereat sicut predictus Deo odibilis Thimur interijt percutiatque cum Deus amentia cecitate ac furore mâ—ntis omnique tempore columpnam maledictionis Dei sustineat non sit qui eum liberet nisi penitus resipiscit digna satisfactione satisfaciat And further of this and the race of the Hynde these lame rymes Dompneue letam Thanatos fert Insula metam Seruet iter Cerue ...... nesit .... proterue Cultor siue sator huius mete violator Cum Thunor atra metit inde Barathra petit Hauing erected her Monasterie which she dedicated to the blessed Virgine Mary and to the name and honour of her two murdered Brethren in which â—he placed seuentie veyled Nunnes She departed out of this world about the yeare of our redemption 765. and was buried in the Church of her owne foundation It is said by some that when Thunnor had giuen his wicked command to king Egbert his horse 〈◊〉 presentâ—y a curuetinâ— cast him off his backe and broke his necke and that be 〈◊〉 buried in the Isle of Tenet vnder a great heape of stones which the inhabitanâ—â— to this day call Thunniclan Mildred the daughter of Domâ—â—â—a and Mâ—rwald a Prince of West-Mercia succeeded in her mothers plâ—â—â— â—n which shee continued a long time dyed in the raigne of King 〈◊〉 was interred by her mother and afterwards canonized a Saint 〈◊〉 the Mercian king confirmed by his charter to this Mildred and her Couent the custome of the ships which arriued in the publicke Port of London as appeares by his charter Caâ—utus king of England gaue by his Charter the body of this Mildred with the lands belonging to this Priory to the Abbey of S. Austins in these words Notum sit omnibus c. me dedisse Augustino fratribus eiusdem Monasterij corpus beate Mildrede gloriose Virginis cum tâ—ta terra sua infra in sulam ac Iâ—anet extra cum omnibus consâ—etudinibus suis. The yeare 10 0 her body was translated by Abbot Elstan as I haue said before and after that by his Successour Wulfrike to another place of the Church Her reliques were laid in a leaden coffin whereupon this Epitaph was insculped Clauditur hoc saxo Mildreda sacerrima virgo Cuius nos procibus adiuuet ipse Deus The bodies of the most esteemed godly in former ages tooke the least rest in their graues for they were still remoued and their bodies clattered together from one place to another as it doth and will appeare both by the premisses and sequele of this my Treatise You haue read before how often the body of Saint Augustine was tost from porch to pillar and besides his Reliques were diuided and subdiuided into certaine vessels For the day after the solemnitie of Prior Marisco before remembred vpon the finding out of his Stone-coffin there was found vnlooked for a Lead of seuen foot long hauing this Inscription Hic habetur pars ossium cineris beati Augustini Anglorum Apostoli qui olim missus à beato Gregorio gentem Anglicam ad fidem Christi conuertit cuius preciosum capud ossa maiora Guido Abbas honorifice transtulit sicut tabula plumbea cum eisdem ossibus posita indicat But Henry the eight made an end of all this vnnecessarie trouble and charges by remouing once for all as well Reliques as Religious houses Now to returne Ethelinga the third Prioresse of this house seeing the Church builded by her predecessour Domneua not capable to containe so many holy Virgins built another Temple farre more sumptuous then the first which was consecrated by Archbishop Cuthbert to the honour of S. Peter and Paul She dyed ann 751. and was buried in her owne new Church Sexburga saith the booke of Saint Augustine the daughter of Anna king of the East Angles the wife of Ercombert the mother of Egbert and â—othaire all kings of Kent after the death of her husband tooke vpon her the habite of a Nunne and was admitted and consecrated Prioresse of this place by Archbishop Cuthbert In her time those furious Beare-whelps Hungar and Hubba Nam vt fertur filij fuere cuiusdam vrsi qui illos contra naturam de filia cuiusdam Regis generabat two Danish Pagans with a fierce armie first inuaded this kingdome She dyed about the yeare 797. and was buried in this new Church Capgraue saith at Ely Seberitha was the first Votarie admitted and consecrated Lady Prioresse of this house by Ethelard Archbishop of Canterbury who was no sooner well setled in her gouernment then that the Danes came backe againe and in their sauage furie ouerwhelmed the Island of Tenet destroyed and vtterly demolished this Monasterie and her with her holy Sisters inclosed in secret caues for feare of the enemie they found out and burned them all to ashes Capgraue a Kentish man borne reporteth that Eadburgh the daughter of good king Ethelbert by his vertuous Queene Berta was brought vp a Nunne in this Monasterie vnder the foundresse Domneua that she succeeded Mildred in the Monasticall gouernment that shee was buried here in this Church and that long after her reliques the chiefe and most frequent way in those times to enrich any new built Church were remoued by Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury to the Church of Harbaldowne of his owne foundation and there had in great veneration But Camden to whom I must needs giue more credit speaking of S. Eadburghs Well at Liming in this Tract will haue her to be the first veiled Nunne in all England And that she liued here in a Monastery of her owne building that here shee dyed and here at Lyming was buried saith Speed that she was surnamed Tace a fit name for a woman and that she had beene the wife of
spatium triginta dierum 11. Ed. quarti Boniface of Sauoy Archbishop of Canterbury Vnckle to Eleanor the wife of king Henry the third built here at the confluence of the waters a religious structure to the honour of Saint Peter S. Paul and S Thomas the Martyr as most call him and endowed it with faire possessions by the name of an Hospitall but vsually called The new Worke which had not stood fully an hundred and fourty yeares but that William Courtney one of his Successours in this See pulled it downe and erected it anew after his owne pleasure thereby gaining the name of a Founder and called it a Colledge of secular Priests which he consecrated to the holinesse of All Saints which was valued at the suppression at 139. l. 7. s. 6. d. of yearely reuenues This Archbishop Courtney was sonne of Hugh Courtney the third of that Christian name Earle of Deuonshire by Margaret his wife daughter of Humphrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford and Essex And being thus honourablie descended he was no sooner entred into Orders but that he was loaden with spirituall preferments as a Prebend in Wells Exceter and Canterbury beside Benefices with Cure more I thinke then he could well discharge The first Bishopricke he had was Hereford which he enioyed fiue yeares from thence he was remoued to London which hee gouerned about sixe yeares in which time saith Walsingham he was aduanced to the dignity of Cardinal from London to Canterbury which gracious honour hee enioyed 12. yeares lacking one moneth euen vntill his death which happened the last day of Iuly 1396. He lyeth buried according to his will here in his owne Church vnder a plaine graue-stone a lowly Tombe for such an high borne Prelate vpon which his pourtraiture is delineated and this Epitaph inlaid with brasse about the Verge Nomine Willelmus en Courtnaius reuerendus Qui se post obitum legauerat hic tumulandum In presenti loco quem iam fundarat ab imo Omnibus sanctis titulo sacrauit honoris Vltima lux Iulij fit vite terminus illi M. ter C. quinto decies nonoque sub anno Respice mortalis quis quondam sed modo talis Quantus iste fuit dum membra calentia gessie Hic Primas Patrum Cleri Dux genus altum Corpore valde decens sensus acumine clarens Filius hic comitis generosi Deuoniensis Legum Doctor erat celebris quem fama serenat Vrbs Herdfordensis Polis inclita Londoniensis Ac Dorobernensis sibi trine gloria sedis Detur honor digno fit Cancellarius ergo Sanctus vbique pater prudens fuit ipse minister Nam largus letus castus pius atque pudicus Magnanimus iustus egenis totus amicus Et quia Rex Christe Pastor bonus extitit iste Sumat solamen nunc tecum quesumus Amen This Archbishop bestowed much in building and enlarging of his houses especially vpon his Castle of Saltwood Towards the reparation of his Church at Canterbury he gaue 1000. Marks hee gaue also vnto the same Church a certaine image of siluer weighing one hundred and threescore pounds two vestments and thirteene Copes of great value Besides a number of bookes Hic iacet Dominus Iohannes Wotton Rector Ecclesie Parochialis de Stapilhurst Canonicus Cicestrensis primus Magister huius Collegij qui obijt vltimo die Octobris 1417. On the North side of the Quire stands an old Monument most shamefully defaced Onely these words remayning of an old Inscription ..... ad bona non tardus vocitando ..... namque Deo trino valefecit ....... December .... ..... Annomilleno C. quater X. ... It is said that one Woodvill lyeth herein entombed who dwelt at Thamote within this Parish I finde saith M. Lambard in a Record that Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury the next Successour of Courtney founded a Chantrie at Maidston which whether it be the same that was sometime called the house of the Brothers and but lately conuerted by the Townsmen into a freeschoole or no I will not boldly affirmed but I thinke it rather so then otherwise Leedes There was a Priory in this Towne built and amplie endowed by one Sir Robert Creuequer and Adam his sonne and heire who in ancient Records is named de Creuequer or de crepito corde a Nobleman of Normandie and knight to William the Conquerour in the yeare of our redemption 1107. or thereabouts which he consecrated to the honour of our alone Sauiour Iesus Christ and Saint Nicholas and placed therein blacke Canons regular Augustines Rainham In a Chappell of his owne foundation here in this Church lyeth interred Iohn Bloor and William Bloor Which Iohn dyed 29. Decemb. 1520. Hic iacet Iacobus Donet Ar. qui ob Viij Kal. Feb. 1409. For the loue of Iesu pray for me I may not pray now pray ye That my peynes lessyd may be Wyth on Pater Noster and on Aue. Iohn Paynter of Douer namyd I was And two times Maire of that plas I passyd to God the thirteenth of Iuly On thousand fyve hundryd and forty The people of this place make a great vaunt of the best wheate in all Kent or Christendome Now here gentle Reader giue me leaue to speake a little more of the Priory of Leedes though casually misplaced because forgotten I finde saith Lambard in a Heralds note who belike made his coniecture by some coate of Armes lately apparant that one Leybourne an Earle of Salisbury was the founder of this Priory And indeed it is to be seene in the Annalls of Saint Augustines of Canterbury that a Nobleman called Roger Leybourne was sometime of great authoritie within this Shire notwithstanding that in his time he had tasted of both fortunes for in the dayes of king Henry the third hee was first one of that coniuration which was called the Barons warre from which faction Edward the kings sonne wonne him by faire meanes to his part and made him the bearer of his priuie purse Afterward they agreed not vpon the reckoning so that the Prince charging him with great arrerage of account seised his liuing for satisfaction of the debt by which occasion Roger once more became of the Barons partie But after the pacification made at Kenelworth he was eft-soones receiued into fauour and was made Warden of the fiue Ports and Lieutenant of this whole Shire Now though it cannot be true that this man was the builder of this Priory for the same Annals say that it was erected long before yet if hee did but marry the heire he might truly bee termed the Patron or Founder thereof for by that name not onely the builders themselues but their posterity also to whom the glory of their deeds did descend were wont to bee called Patrons and Founders as well as they It is obserued by my Author in this place speaking of the Priory that in ancient time the greatest Personages held Monkes
Io. Stow Ann. 1369. She ordained for her husband and her selfe a solemne Obit to bee kept yearely in this Church where the Maior being present at the Masse with the Sheriffes Chamberlaine and Swordbearer should offer each of them a pennie and the Maior to take vp twentie shillings the Sheriffes either of them a Marke the Chamberlaine ten shillings and the Sword-bearer sixe shillings eight pence and euery other of the Maiors officers there present two and twenty pence a peece the which Obyte saith Fabian to this day is holden She also founded foure Chantrees in this Church for the soules of her selfe and her husband and was greatly beneficiall vnto the Deane and Canons His second wife Constance died in the yeare 1395. whom hee solemnly and Princely interred by his first wife Blanch. She was saith Walsingham mulier super feminas innocens deuota A Lady aboue Ladies innocent deuout and zealous Of his third wife Katherine when I come to Lincolne Minster where she lieth entombed Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne lieth here entombed in the new worke which was of his owne foundation vnder a goodly Monument with his armed pourtraiture crosse-legged as one that had professed his vttermost endeauour for defence of the holy Land Hee was stiled Earle of Lincolne Baron of Halton Constable of Chester Lord of Pomfret Blackburnshire Ros in Wales and Rowennocke Hee was Protectour of England whilest King Edward the second was in Scotland and Viceroy sometime in the Duchie of Aquitaine Vir illustris in consilio strenuus in omni guerra prelio Princeps militie in Anglia in omni regno ornatissimus saith the booke of Dunmow By his first wife Margaret daughter and heire of William Longspee grandchilde of William Longspee Earle of Salisbury he had two sonnes Edmund drowned in a Well in Denbeigh Castle and Iohn who died young both of them dead before their father And one daughter named Alice married to Thomas Plantaginet Earle of Lancaster He died at his house now called Lincolnes Inne in Chancerie-lane London Feb. the fifth 1310. being threescore yeares of age as I haue it out of the booke of Whalley in these words Iste Henricus Comes Lincol. obijt Anno etat is lx Ann. Domini M. CCC X. in festo Sancte Agathe Martyris circa gallicinium In the same Chappell dedicated to S. Dunstan lieth Laurence Allerthorp sometimes Canon of this Church and Lord Treasurer of England with this Inscription Hic iacet Laurentius Allerthorp quondam Thesaurarius Anglie Canonicus Stagiarius istius Ecclesie qui migrauit ex hoc seculo mens Iulij die 21. 1406. This Allerthorp being a man of no more eminencie in the Church then a Canon resident was neuer thought of or not beleeued by the Collector of the Lord Treasurers to haue ascended to such an honour so that he lies here in a darksome roome as a sacrifice to obliuion small notice taken of him except by some few of the Churchmen Now giue mee leaue to tell you by way of digression that howsoeuer this Allerthorp was but one of the Canons resident yet he was solely the one and had most or all the reuenues of the rest in his hands for as the Records of this Church doe approue those thirtie Canons vpon the primarie institution called Canons Regular because they led a regular life and were perpetually resident and afterwards liuing abroad and neglecting the businesse of their Church became to be called Canons secular contenting themselues with the title of Canon and some prebend assigned vnto them Which annexing of lands to the Prebendarie was not till a long time after the first foundation whereupon Pope Lucius by his Bull ordained that the Canons non-resident should not partake of the profits of the lands assigned to the common affaires of the Church but onely such as were resident the diuision of the Churches lands hauing beene made before in the time of the Conquerour and this Laurence Allerthorp at and before the time of his Treasurship was solus residentiarius and had the whole reuenue of the rest at his owne disposing by way of Option as it is called in the Lieger booke But of this enough if not too much Then to conclude howsoeuer this Allerthorp be altogether excluded out of the Treatise of the Treasurers and Sir Iohn Northberie knight keeper of the priuie Garderobe in the Tower said to be Lord Treasurer in the first second and third of king Henry the fourth in which time the said Allerthorp should enioy that office or not at all Yet these words in his Patent together with this Epitaph do approue him to haue beene adorned with the honourable Office of a solicitous Lord Treasurer Laurentius de Allerthorp Clericus habet officium Thesaurarij Anglie quamdiu T.R. apud W. 31. Maij. 9. pars pat 2. Hen. 4. membrana 14. Hic requiescit Simon Burly Banerettus quinque Portuum prefectus Ordinis Garterij Miles Ricardo 2. Consiliarius longe charissimus connubio sibi coniunctas habuit ex amplissimis familijs duas vxores alteram Staffordie alteram Baronis de Roos filiam Verum difficillimo illo tempore cum inter Anglie Proceres omnia sub iuuene Principe simultatibus agitarentur in tantum nonnullorum odium incurrit vt Parlamentaria authoritate capite plecteretur Anno Dom. 1388. Posteri autem eadem postea authoritate sub Rege Henrico quarto sunt restituti Edward the blacke Prince tooke such affection to this Sir Simon Burley for his valour wisedome and true seruice that he committed to his gouernance his onely sonne then liuing Richard of Burdeux who being afterwards king of England by the name of Richard the second aduanced him to high honours offices and promotions and nothing was done in matters of State without his appointment and direction Thus hee continued alwayes loyall to his Soueraigne Lord the king yet liued in the hatred of the Peeres of the Land as also of the common people for that he leaned to the partie of Robert de Veere Earle of Oxford Duke of Ireland and the kings fauorite and was an oppressour of the poore Commons insomuch that by the sentence of that Parliament which wrought wonders An. 11. Ric. secundi hee was condemned of treason and beheaded on the Tower hill as in the Inscription He was first Vicechamberlaine to king Richard who made him Constable of Douer Castle and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports deliuering the keyes of the said Castle to the said Simon in signe of possession so much would he grace him with his presence thus recorded Simon de Burley Miles subcamerarius Regis haebt officium Constabularij Castri Douer custodie 5. Portuum ad totam vitam suam sicut Robertus de Assheton Chr. iam defunctus nuper habuit Rex super hoc ipso Simoni in dicto Castro in presenti existens claues tradidit in signum possessionis earundem
Church with timber couered it with lead and beautifully glased it Iohannem tegit hic cognomine Gray lapis iste Mentem queso suam celo tene as tibi Christe Aspice mortalis quid sit nisi mors tua vita Vt modo sum talis breuiter quoque tu fies ita .................. 1424. Debita qui teneriâ— Nature soluit in annis Ipsorum prolis Iesu miserere Iohannis Hic iacet Thomas Cornwaleis quondam ciuis London qui obijt quarto die Ianuarij Ann. Dom. 1384. Cuius This Thomas was Sheriffe of London Ann. 1378. Henry Gisors gist yci Deeu de sa Ame tien pite e Iohn le filz a mercy Qui morust le veille de S. Katherine En l'an de grace 1343. Here lieth also Sir Iohn Gisors knight who was Maior of this Citie An. 1311. the father of this Henry Saint Iames Garlickehyth Gemmarius Lion hic Richardus est tumulatus Qui fuit in rabie vulgi ve decapitatus Hic bonus extiterat cunctis hospes egenorum Pacis et author erat dilector et vrbis honorum Anno milleno tricenteno numerato Sic octogeno currente cum simul vno Plebe rea perij ...... morte dolosa Basily festo dum regnat plebs furiosa This Richard Lion here interred whose corporall proportion is engrauen wondrous curiously vpon his Graue-stone was a famous Wine-merchant a skilfull Lapidarie sometime Sheriffe of London Hee was drawne and hailed out of his owne house by Wat. Tyler and other Rebels and by them beheaded in Cheape the yeare 1381. Not many yeares since here stood a monument in the North wall erected to the memory of Sir George Stanley Knight of the Garter and Lord Strange in right of his wife Ioan daughter and heire of Iohn Lord Strange of Knocking sonne and heire of Thomas Stanley Lord Stanley of Lathum in Lancashire and Earle of Derby which George died before his Father at Derby house now the Heralds Office Anno 1487. the third of Henry the seuenth And neere to the same place Elianor his mother Countesse of Derby the daughter of Richard Neuill Earle of Salisbury was likewise entombed This Church was honoured with the monuments of many worthy personages of which no mention is now remayning Saint Michaels Pater Noster in the Royall This Church was new builded and made a Colledge of S. Spirit and S. Mary founded by Richard Whitington Mercer foure times Maior for a Master foure Fellowes Masters of Art Clarkes Conducts Quiristers c. and an Almes house called Gods house or Hospitall for thirteene poore men one of them to be Tutor and to haue xvi d the weeke the other twelue each of them to haue xiiij d. the weeke for euer with other necessary prouisions These were bound to pray for the good estate of Richard Whitington and Alice his wife their Founders and for Sir William Whitington Knight and Dame Ioan his wife and for Hugh Fitz-Warren and Dame Maud his wife the Fathers and Mothers of the said Richard Whitington and Alice his wife for King Richard the second and Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester speciall Lords and promoters of the said Richard Whitington The licence for this foundation was granted by King Henry the fourth the eleuenth of his raigne and confirmed by King Henry the sixt the third of his raigne This Richard Whitington saith my Author Stow was three times buried in this his owne Church first by his Executors vnder a faire monument then in the raigne of Edward the sixt the Parson of the Church thinking some great riches as hee said to be buried with him caused his monument to be broken his body to be spoyled of his leaden sheet and againe the second time to be buried And in the raigne of Queene Mary the Parishioners were forced to take him vp to lap him in lead as afore to bury him the third time and to place his monument or the like ouer him againe whereupon this Epitaph is engrauen partly erazed and imperfect Vt fragrans Nardus fama fuit iste Richardus Albisicans villam qui iuste rexerat illam Flos Mercatorum Fundator presbiterorum Sic Egenorum testis sit cetus eorum Omnibus exemplum Barathrum vincendo molosum Condidit hoc templum Michaelis quod specio sum Regia ....... res rata turbiss Pauperibus Pater extiterat Maior quater vrbis Martius hunc vicit en Annos gens tibi dicit Finijt ipse dies sis sibi christe quies Amen Eius sponsa pia generosa probata Sophia Iungitur This Whitington flourished in the raigne of King Richard the second Henry the fourth Henry the fift and died about the beginning of Henry the sixt hauing begun to build Newgate and the Librarie of Gray Friers at Christ Church London with that at Guild hall all which were finished by his Executors with his goods His Colledge here was suppressed by the Statute of Edward the sixt the Almes houses with the poore men doe remaine to this day and are paid by the Mercers Alhallowes the great Willelmus dudum Lichfeeld quem mors fera pressit Ista post ludum mundi sub rupe quiescit In Domini rure cultor sator ac operosus Dum preciat ture Pastor vigil et studiosus Hanc Edem rexit ornauit et amplificauit Pignora prouexit ac sacro dogmate pauit Pauperibus carus inopes in mente gerebat Consilio gnarus dubitantibus esse solebat Christe pugil fortis eius dissolue reatus Vt viuat mortis post morsum glorificatus Luce bis X quater I. migrat octobris sine panno E .... quater X quater V semel .... M anno 1447. This Doctor was a great student and compiled many bookes both morall and diuine as well in verse as prose Sta precor interne qui transis aspice cerne Non nitidis pannis sed â—lentibus ossa Iohannis Brickles ista mei specus includit requiei Taliter indutus tumulabere tu resolutus Dormit in hac cella mea coniux ac Isabella Apollinaris .... vixit lux nece stratus Et quater x ter v. I bis et M. sociatis This Brickles was a linnen Draper a worthy benefactor to this Church who gaue by his Testament certaine Tenements to the reliefe of the poore Alhallowes the lesse Iesu that sufferyd bitter passion and peyn Haue mercy on my sowl Iohn Chamberleyn And my Wyfs too Agnes and Ione also The seyd Iohn deceised the sooth for to sey In the Monyth of Decembyr the fowrth dey The yere of owr Lord God reckond ful euin A thowsand fowr hundryd fowrscor and seuin Before this time that here yee haue seene Lyeth buried the body of William Greene Barbor and Surgeon late master of that company And Clark of this Church yeeres fiftie Which William decesyd the truth for to say The month of December the fourth day The yere of our Lord God as by books doth appere On thowsand
dyed M. ccccc.xxxi Cheston Quem tegit iste lapis Radcliffe cognomine functus .... et in cineres vertitur vnde fuit Icy gist Damoselle Iohanne clay que trespassa l'an de Grace M. cccc.le xxii iour Octobre iour Saint M. lun Euesque Here sometime stood a little Nunnery I know not by whom founded but thus it is confirmed in the Catal. of religious houses Henr. Rex Anglie Dominus Hibernie Dux Normannie Aquitanie et comes Angedauie c. Shestrehunt Monial totam terram Dom. ten cum pertinentijs suts que canonicis de cathele c. quos amoueri fecimus dat apud West xi Aug. Anno Regni nostri xxiiii This Nunnery was valued in the Exchequer to be yeerely worth twenty seuen pound sixe shillings eight pence This village is called in old Writings Chesthunte Shestrehunte and Norden saith cur non Chestin Castanetum of Chesnut Trees Bishops Hatfield This Church is much honoured by the Sepulture of that prudent great Statesman Robert Baron Cecill Earle of Salisbury Lord Treasurer of England father of William Lord Cecill Earle of Salisbury one of the honourable priuy Councell now liuing Anno 1630. and keeping royall hospitality at his Mansion house hereunto adioyning which sometimes did belong to the Bishops of Ely whereupon it was named Bishops Hatfield Of Robert this Earle here interred I shall speake more when I come to let downe his Epitaph Harding Hic iacent Wilielmus Seabroke qui obijt 2 April 1462. et Ioana vxor eius ...... quorum ... Orate pro animabus Mathei Cressy et Iohanne vxoris eius quondam filie Edmundi Peryent Ar. et Anne dicti Mathei vxoris quondam filie Thome Vernon Armigeri que Iohanna obijt xxix Nouemb. M. cccc.lxxviii Hic iacent Wilielmus Anabul et Isabella vxor eius qui quidem Wilielmus obiit 4 die Octob. 1456. Saint Albans Abbey I thinke it not much amisse to speake a little of this Protomartyr of England Saint Alban whose reliques lie here interred to whose name and for his eternall commemoration both this Towne and Monastery werâ— built and consecrated He was a Citizen and a Knight of that famous Citie Verulam which stood hereby beyond the little riuer who giuing entertainement at his own house to Amphibalus a Christian and one of the Clergie was by him his guest conuerted from Paganisme to the true profession of Iesus Christ and when Dioclesian who made Maximian his companion in the Empire went about by exquisite torments to wipe Christian Religion quite out of the memory of men was the first in Britaine that with inuincible constancie and resolution suffered death for Christ his sake of which persecution â—s also of his Martyrdome my often alledged Author Robert of Glocester shall tell you in his old verse Two Emperors of Rome wer on Dioclesian And anoder hys felaw that het Maximian And wer both at on tym the on in the Este ende The oder in the west of the world alle cristendom to shende For the luther Maximian westwarde hider soughte And christen men that he fonde to strang deth he broughte Churchen he pulde a doun ther ne moste non stonde And al the bokes that he myghte fynde in eny londe He wolde late berne echon amydde the heygh strete And the christenmen asle and non alyue lete Such God was yvor vpon cristendom Such persecucion as ther was hadde ther be non For yunâ—a monethe ther wer seuentene thou send and mo I martred for our Lordes Loue nas ther a grete wo Wyth oute oder grete halwen that hii heold longe in torment As Seynt Cristene and Seynt Feye and also Seynt Uincent Fabian and Sebastian and othur as men rede That heold faste in the fey and hadde non drede And among men of this londe ther wer many on I martred at thulke tym Seint Albon was on He was the furste Martir of Brutayn that com Muche was the shome men dude in Christendom Undyr this Luther Emperor Another not so ancient hath it thus The Emperour Dioclesyan Into Britayne then sent Maximian This Maximian to surname Hercelius A Tyraunte false that Christente anoyed Through all Britayne of werke malicious The christoned folke felly and sore destroyed And thus the people with him foule accloyed Religyous men the Prests and Clerkes all Wemen with chylde and bedred folkes all Chyldren soukyng vpon the mothers pappis The mothers also withouten any pytee And chyldren all in their mothers lappis The crepyls eke and all the christentee He killed and slewe with full grete cruelte The Churches brent all bokes or ornaments Bellys reliquys that to the Churche appendes He slew that tyme and martyred Saint Albone Now when neither perswasions nor cruell torments could make him forsake the true faith such was the sentence of his death as I finde it in a legend of his passion and martyrdome which to giue your palate variety I will set downe in such English as I haue in the said Legend or Agon In the tyme of the Emperoure Dioclesyan Albone Lorde of Uerolamye Prynce of Knyghts and Stewarde of all Brutayne durynge his lif hath despysyd Iubyter and Apollyn oure Goddes and to them hath doo derogacyon and disworschyp wherfor by the Lawe he is iudged to be deed by the honde of somme knyght and the body to be buried in the same place where his heed shal be smyten of and his sepulture to be made worshcipfully for thonoure of knyghthode wherof he was Prynce and also the crosse whych he bare and Sklauin that he ware shold be buried wyth hym and his body to be closyd in a Cheste of leed and so layed in his sepulture This sentence hath the Lawe ordeyned by cause he hath renyed our principall Goddes His iudgement being giuen after this manner he was brought from the Citie Veralam to this his place of execution which as then was an hill in a wood called Holme-hurst where at one stroke his head was smitten off But his Executioner saith venerable Bede had short ioy of his wicked deede for his eyes fell to the ground with the head of the holy Martyr of which will you heare another writer Thousands of torments when he had endur'd for Christ his sake At length he died by dome thus giuen his head away to take The Tortor proudly did the feat but cleere he went not quit That holy Martyr lost his head this cruell wretch his sight He suffered martyrdome in the yeare of Christ saith Stow 293. the twentieth day of Iune saith Bede howsoeuer the two and twentieth day of the same moneth was appointed by the Church to be kept holy to his memory as we haue it in our English Calender Many Miracles are said to be wrought by this sacred Martyr both liuing and dead but I will leaue them for that they will be thought incredulous in this age and come to the foundation of this Abbey The Sepulchres of
holy Saints the reliques of blessed Martyrs and the very places of their martyrdome did kindle in times past no small heate of diuine charitie in the mindes of our first Christian Saxon Kings which made Offa the glorious King of the Mercians to recall himselfe from the trace of bloudy warres in great deuotion to goe to Rome and to obtaine of Pope Adrian the first the canonyzation of this martyr Alban in honour of whom the first to our Lord Iesus Christ he founded this monastery about the yeere 795. the Church whereof still remaineth which for bignesse beautie and antiquity is to be had in admiration in the very place where the foresaid Alban suffered his martyrdome He endowed this his gâ—odly fabricke with sufficient reuenues for the maintenance of one hundred blacke Monkes Benedictins and caused the reliques of his new Saint to be taken vp and put in a shrine adorned with gold and pretious stones of inestimable value which was further enriched by his sonne Egfrid and many other succeeding Kings and Princes but now at this day nothing is remaining of this rich Shrine saue a marble stone to couer his sacred Ashes ouer against which on the wall these verses are lately depicted onely to tell vs that such a man there was to whose memory a Shrine was erected Renowned Alban knight first Martyr of this land By Dioclesian lost his life through bloudy hand Who made him soueraigne Lord high Steward of this Isle And Prince of Britaine knights to dignifie his stile He veritie embrac't and Verulam forsooke And in this very place his martyrdome he tooke Now hath he his reward he liues with Christ aboue For he aboue all things Christ and his truth did loue Here Offa Mercians King did Albans bones enshrine So all things were dispos'd by prouidence diuine Nought but this marble stone of Albans Shrine is left The worke of all forme else hath changing time bereft I haue read in an old Mss. in Sir Robert Cottons Librarie that this following was anciently the Inscription vpon his Shrine Here lieth interred the body of Saint Alban a Citizen of old Verulam of whom this towne tooke denomination and from the ruines of which Citie this Towne did arise He was the first Martyr of England and suffered his martyrdome the xx day of Iune in the yeare of mans redemption 293. Vnder a curious and costly funerall monument here in the Quire lyeth interred the body of Vmfrey Plantaginet surnamed the Good fourth sonne of King Henry the fourth By the grace of God for so begins his stile by Charter sonne brother and vncle of Kings Duke of Glocester Earle of Henault Holland Zeland and Pembroke Lord of Friseland great Chamberlaine of England Protector and defender of the Church and kingdome of England Thus great thus glorious by birth creation and marriage was hee in his honourable titles and Princely attributes but farre more great and illustrious in his vertuous endowments and inward qualities But in his praise may it please you reade learned Clarentieux in his tract of Suffolke where he writes of the Abbey of Bury these are his words That father of his countrey Vmfrey Duke of Glocester a due obseruer of Iustice and one who had furnished his noble wit with the better and deeper kinde of Studies after he had vnder King Henry the sixth gouerned the kingdome fiue and twenty yeares with great commendations so that neither good men had cause to complaine of nor enuill to finde fault with was here in Saint Sauiours Hospitall brought to his 〈◊〉 by the spightfull enuie of Margaret of Lorain who was wife to Henâ—â— the â—ixâ—h his Nephew But his death was the stroke of an euill Angell 〈…〉 ent to punish England and to roote out all her Nobles Fidior in regno regi duce non â—uit isâ—o Plusue fide stabilis aut maior amator honoris Saith the Abbot of this house Io. Whethamsted yet for all this was he arrested of high Treason in the yeare 1446. and within few dayes after strangled to death without any triall Some say he died for sorrow because hee might not come to his answer Hee built the Diuinitie Schoole in Oxford and was an especiall benefactour to this Abbey Here is an Epitaph pensild on the wall neare to his Tombe to the same effect with an Item of the miracle which he wrought vpon the blinde imposture The story is frequent Hic iacet Vmphredus Duxille Glocestrius olim Henrici Regis Protector fraudis ineptae Detector dum ficta notat miracula caeci Lumen erat Patriae columen venerabile Regni Pacis amans Musisque fauens melioribus vnde Gratum opus Oxonio quae nunc scola sacra refulget Invida sed mulier regno Regi sibi nequam Abstulit hunc humili vix hoc dignata Sepulchro Invidia rumpente tamen post funera viuit Vnder a large marble stone thus inscribed lieth Iohn Stoke an Abbot of This Church Hic iacet oblitus Stoke stans velut ardua quercus Semper in adversis perstitit intrepidus Wallingford Prior hic gregis huius pastor Abbas Donet ei requiem celsa dei pietas Celica regna bone mihi dentur queso Patrone Penas compesse requiem da virgula Iesse Me precor Amphibale soluens ad sidera sume This Abbot as it is in this Epitaph and in the golden Register of this house was a stout defender of the lands and liberties of his Church hee adorned Duke Vmfreys Tombe hee gaue money by his Will to make a new bell which after his owne name was called Iohn and also to new glase the Cloisters Sibi igitur saith the booke ea sit merces que dari solet illis qui ad honorem sue Ecclesie laudabilia student opera in temporibus suis. Vir crucis Christi tumulo iacet inclitus isti Carcere de tristi saluetur sanguine Christi Armacrucis sumpsit intrando Religionem Mundum contempsit propter celi regionem Hic studuit claustri Pondus sufferre laboris In stadio studij brauium percepit honoris Flatus fortune grandes patiens tolerabat Gaudia tristitia equalilance librabat Nil aduersa timens nec multum prospera curans Se medio tenuit per ferrea tempora durans Omni gestura constans nil triste timebat Omni pressura Christo laudes referebat Armis Iustitie cinctus deitatis amore Hostibus Ecclesie restitit in facie Ad tumulum Proceres mors impia transferet omnes Vt puerilis amor defluit omnis honor I finde this Inscription following vpon a faire marble vnder the pourtraiture of one of the Abbots who modestly thus suppresseth his name Hic quidem terra tegitur Peccato soluens debitum Cuius nomen non impositum In libro vitae sit inscriptum Hic iacet Dominus Michael quondam Abbas huius Monasterij Bachalaureus in Theol. qui obiit pridie Idus Aprilis Ann. M.ccc xlii Michael Abbas
saith the said booke of S. Albans merito nomen Angelicum est sortitus nam opera que ipse fecit ostendunt qualis fuerit Fuitque in omni vita tam pius suis fratribus mansuetus vt inter eos merito tanquam Angelus haberetur Gulielmus quartus opus hoc laudabile cuius Extitit hic pausat Christo sibi premia reddat This Abbots name was William Wallingford a man abundantly charitable to the poore and munificent to the Church His gifts to both did amount to the summe of eight thousand and threescore pounds seuen shillings and sixe pence confirmed in the said booke by Thomas Ramridge then Prior and the rest of the Couent in the yeare 1484. Die octauo mens Augusti concluding with these words Ex his igitur premissis manifestissime cernere possumus quam vtilis quam carissimus suo olim Monasterio extiterit Ea propter sinceris omnes cordilus ad omnipotentem deum pro eo precaturi dies ac noctes deuotissime sumus vt sibi in celis mercedem suis factis dignissimam retribuere dignetur Amen Hic iacet ... Thomas Abbas huins Monastery .... This is the last Abbot for whom I finde any Inscription or Epitaph and the last in my Catalogue whose Surname was Ramrige Vir suis temporibus tam dilectus deo quam hominibus propterque causas varias nomen in perpetua benedictione apud posteros habens saith the golden Register Here I may haue occasion to set downe the names of all the Abbots of this House from the first foundation to this man and the rather because I haue certaine Epitaphs in some of their commendations collected out of the Abbey booke which sometime were engrauen vpon their Monuments besides other passages are thereby discouered not vnpleasing to the Reader When Offa the Founder had built and endowed this Monasterie with more then twenty Lordships and Mannors and obtained for it all royall priuiledges and pontificall ornaments he made choice of one Willigod to haue the gouernment of these possessions and prerogatiues as also of the religious persons by him to his Abbey promoted This man did laudablie gouerne his charge for many yeares 2. Eadrick succeeded him a seuere punisher of malefactours 3. Then Wulsigge 4. Wulnoth in this Abbots time many miracles are said to be wrought at Saint Albons Shrine 5. Eadfride this Abbot gaue a massie cup of gold or challice of inestimable value to the Shrine of Saint Albon 6. Wulfine a village of a few houses being here alreadie built neare to the Monastery this Abbot procured a Market there to be kept and called together people of other villages therin to inhabite He built the Churches of Saint Peter and Saint Michael in this Towne and a Chappell neare to S. Germans Chappell which he dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene 7. Alfricke this Abbot for a great summe of money purchased a large and deepe pond lying betwixt old Verulam and this village an euill neighbour and hurtfull to his Church which was called the Fish poole appertaining to the kings and the Kings officers and Fishers molested the Abbey and burdened the Monkes thereby Out of which Poole he the said Abbot in the end drained the water and made it drie ground The name of which Pond or Poole remaineth still here in a certaine street called Fish-poole street 9. Ealdred the Abbot in the raigne of king Edgar hauing searched for the ancient vaults vnder ground at Verulam ouerthrew all and stopped vp all the wayes with passages vnder ground which were strongly and artificially arched ouer head For they were the lurking holes of whores and theeues Hee leuelled the ditches of the Citie and certaine dennes into which malefactours vse to flie as vnto places of refuge But the whole tiles and stones which he found fit for building he laid aside intending therewith to haue reedified his Church but he was preuented by death 9. Eadmer his Successor went forward with the worke that Ealfred began and his pioners ouerthrew the foundations of a pallace in the midst of the old Citie And in the hollow place of a wall as it were in a little closet they happened vpon bookes couered with oaken boards and silken strings at them whereof one contained the life of Saint Alban written in the British tongue the rest the ceremonies of the Heathen When they opened the ground deeper they met with old tables of stone with tiles also and pillars likewise with pitchers and pots of earth made by Potters and Turners worke vessells moreouer of glasse containing the ashes of the dead c. To conclude out of these remaines of Verulam Eadmer built a new the most part of his Church and Monasterie with a determination to haue finished all Sed tamen morte preuentus saith the booke propositum suum non est assecutus 10. Leofricke was preferred to the Archbishopricke of Canterbury who departing with the benediction of his brethren left his Monastery abundantly rich This man is omitted in the Catalogue of Bishops or otherwise Aluricâ—us or Alfricus is set in his place 11. This Alfricke or Aluricke was the eleuenth Abbot and brother by the mothers side to his predecessour Leofricke he compiled an Historie of the life and death of Saint Alban and hee together with his brother got and gaue nine villages to this Abbey 12 Leofstane procured many great and important liberties to his Church of Edward the Counfessour whose Chaplaine and Confessour the said Abbot was and who betwixt the King and his Queene Editha was Casti consilij seminator 13. Fredericke the bold and rich Abbot of Saint Albans for so he was called succeeded Leofstane descended from the Saxons noble bloud as likewise from Canutus the Dane this man opposed the Conquerour William in all his proceedings plotted against him in diuers conspiracies and told him stoutly to his face that he had done nothing but the dutie of his birth and profession and if others of his ranke had performed the like as they well might and ought it had not beene in his power to haue pierced the land so farre But this and other his ouer-bold answers did so offend the King that he tooke from him this Abbey of Saint Albans with all the lands and reuenues belonging thereunto which lay betwixt Barnet and London stone Whereupon without delay hee called a Chapter of his Brethren shewing them their approaching dangers and to auoide the present storme went himselfe to Ely where he desisted not from his wonted machinations against the Conquerour and there ended his dayes in magna mentis amaritudine saith mine Author postquam multis annis huic Ecclesie nobiliter prefuisset 14. Paul a Monke of Cane vpon his death was made Abbot who in short space by the counsell and aide of Lanfranke Archbishop of Canterbury builded very sumptuously a new Church with a Cloister here with aâ—l offices and adorned the same Church with many good bookes and rich ornaments He
siluer of great value gilt diuers Scottish reliques Timber to repaire the Quire and one hundred pound in money Quid fuit est et erit cur non homo discere querit Spuma fuit fumus est putrida fiet humus 28 Abbot Richard endued with all kindes of learning both morall and diuine suffered great tribulation in his time in the defence of the rights of his church He gaue a clocke to the same the like of it was not in England 29 Of Michael the Abbot I haue spoken before 30 Vpon the death of Michael Thomas the Prior of Tinmouth was preferred to this monasterie he sustained innumerable crosses and perturbations during the time of his being at Tinmouth as also here at Saint Albanes yet brought all to a prosperous end and adorned his church more richly then any one of his Predecessors the particular gifts that he gaue to the same cost him aboue foure thousand pound Est Abbas Thomas tumulo presente reclusus Qui vite tempus sanctos expendit in vsus 31 The next Abbot was Iohn Moot qui multa fecit diebus suis memoranda saith my Author of whom this Epitaph M. C. quater vint quint. Claudis heic membra Ioannis Qui dignis laudibus veteranis occidit annis Intus confratres bene rexit post fuit Abbas Constans vt Iosua Zelans legem vt Hâ—lias Simplicitas vite qua noscitur esse columbe Simonis et Iude pie pastor cras rapuit te Omnem patratum Christus purgando reatum Nobis sublatum te munâ—ret his sociatum 32 William his next successour was vir suis in temporibus tam deo delectus quam hominibus and performed many great workes of pietie Hee died about the yeare 1434. for whom I finde this Epitaph Conditus his recubat fatali sorte Guilelmus Albani Pastor qui gregis aptus erat Reperit illustrem celesti munere famam Quam nequit in tanto mors abolere viro 33 But now I come to Iohn of Whethamstede a village in this shire plentifull in wheate wherein the said Iohn was borne and thereupon had his denomination who was Abbot of this house in the raigne of Henry the sixt a man much renowned for his due desert of learning for his godly life and conuersation for his pleasant disposition and for the charges he was at and the meanes he made to adorne and enrich his Church and monastery Out of a Manuscript in Sir Robert Cotâ—ons rich Librarie intituled Gesta paucula Abbatis Iohannis Sexti I collected thus much of his particular actions Iohn the sixt Abbot of this house of that christian name that he might outwardly shew saith the booke how inwardly hee loued the beautie of the house of God and how much he desired to decke and embellish the habitation of the most holy first hee caused our Ladies chappell to bee new trimmed and curiously depicted with stories out of the sacred word vpon the south side whereof these verses were curiously depensed in gold Dulce pluit Manna partum dum protulit Anna Dulcius ancilla dum Christus creuit in illa Vpon the north side these Flos Campi dicta tibi questio ...... puella Floris habens picta venerari fronde capella In the roofe about the picture of the Lambe Inter oues Aries regat vt sine cornibus agnus Vnder the picture of the Eagle Inter aues Aquila veluti sine felle columba He built a little Chappell in the south part of the Church for his owne buriall place in which vnder certaine pictures in the windowes he caused these verses to be inscribed Propicij Patres compassiue quoque matres Orat vt oretis sua quod sit pausa quietis Vester adoptatus hic filius intumulatus The north part of his Church being somewhat darke hee caused new windowes to be made and glazed to make it appeare more light and glorious and in the glasse vnder the images of certaine heathen Philosophers which had testified of the incarnation of Iesus Christ these Hexameters were inscribed Istac qui graderis hos testes si memoreris Credere vim poteris proles Deus est mulieris Vnder the picture of Ioseph of Arimathia in another window Ad Britones ivi postquam Christum sepeliui Glasconiam veni Britones docui requieui Vnder the pictures of the foure Doctors of the Church Bina per hec paria fidei quod gignit alumpna Firma stat Ecclesia quadra fulcita columpna And that he might further illuminate his Church he caused a faire large window to be made anew in the West end of the said North Isle Vpon the erection of which these rimes were composed In patria boree quo plus durabilis in se Fertur petra fore factor fuit ipse fenestre Que nunc erigitur in ea quoque parte locatur Totius Ecclesie que fertur clarior esse Eius occiduam bene ditat lumine finem He made a reuerend kinde of imbroidered vesture for himselfe and his successours to vse when they were to enter into their Sanctum Sanctorum he made a new Miter and a Pastorall staffe Vpon which this metre was carued Postquam sex annis benedixit dextra Iohannis Wethamsted pepulum fecerat hunc baculum For the vse and honour of the holy Altar he made a Chalice of pure gold a paire of siluer censers a paire of siluer Basons gilt Vpon which were engrauen the similitudes of a Lambe and an Eagle with these riming verses Peluis post latices vt lota manus veniales Conficiat calices prius annuat Agnus Ales. Vpon the pictures of Christ the blessed Virgine Saint Alban and the sacred Host as they were to be carried in the Cloister or into the Towne he caused diuers verses to be written to bring the people into a reuerend regard of the same Vt Iesus mater noster simul Prothomartyr Acetu populi deberent plus venerari Instituit varia quibus veneratio dicta Creuit Ecclesie cultus fuit amplior in se. Of all his pious acts which he performed for the ornament of his Church thus much is written briefly in the same booke In cappis casulis Albis simul tunicellis Inque bonis alijs varijs magis ac preciosis Precessit patres pater hic cunctos preeuntes Plus coluit que Deum cur recolamus eum In like manner hee trimmed vp his Monasterie with curious painted imageries and diuers inscriptions in golden letters In his owne lodgings Dote licet multa tua sit species bene culta Mos nisi nubat ei dos simplicis est speciei Ortus magnorum quamuis sis stirpe deorum Iunge tibi morem facis ortum nobiliorem Inter eos quos fama deos in honore leuavit Sors famulos mors discipulos in sine probauit In the walke betwixt the Hall and the Abbots Chamber Hec in regnante duo sunt contraria valde Sedis apex primus probitatis spiritus ymus Sis Dux munificus sis prudens
Bell on which is cast a peece of coine of siluer of King Edward the fourth it was giuen by one of the Countesses of Essex as one may partly gather by an old Inscription vpon it is the Bowsers knot Tiltey Here sometime stood a Monastery founded by Maurice Fitz-Gilbert before remembred not long after the Conquest which he dedicated to the honour of the Virgine Mary and therein placed white Monkes of the Cistertian order The donations to this religious house are confirmed in the Records of the Tower Cart. Antiq. lit S. The valuation of it at the suppression was 177. l. 9 s. 4. d. This Monasterie is not altogether ruinous in the little Church whereof I found these Funerall Inscriptions following Bruntingthorpe neare to Leicester hath long beene the habitation of the ancient familie of Dannet saith Master Burton who beareth sable Guttee Argent a Canton Ermine one of which familie lieth here interred with this Epitaph Hic iacet sepultus cum coniuge Maria Gerardus Dannet de Bruntingthorp in Com Lecestr Ar. serenissimi Regis Henrici octaui Consiliarius qui obijt Anno Christi M. ccccc.xx mensis Maij quarto The armes afore blazoned are ouer the Monument of this Councellour to king Henry Abbas famosus bonus viuendo probatus In Thakley natus qui iacet hic tumulatus Thomas dictatus qui Christo sit sociatus Rite gubernauit istumque locum peramauit Great Easton Orate .... Willelmi Moigne Ar .... qui obiit .... M.ccc.v This William Moigne or Monke held this Mannor of Easton ad montem for so it was anciently called with Winterborne and Maston in the Countie of Wilts by seruice of being Clarke of the Kings Kitchin and keeper of his Lardarie tempore Coronationis Hatfield Brad-oke So called saith Camden of a broad spread Oake in which Towne Robert de Vere the third Earle of Oxford and great Chamberlaine of England founded a Priorie for blacke Monkes About the beginning of the raigne of King Henry the third valued at the suppression at 157. l. 3. s. 2. d. ob per annum which Priory Aubrey de Vere the third of that Christian name Earle of Oxford enfeoffed with the Tithes of this Towne and to the instrument of his donation he affixed by a harpe string as a labell to the bottome of the parchment a short blacke hafted knife like vnto an old halfe penny whitle instead of a Seale These are the words in his Grant Per istum cultellum Albericus de Vere tertius feoffauit Prioratum et Conventum de Hatfeeld Regis alas Brodoke cum omnibus decimis in villa predicta Habend c. a festo Assumptionis beate Marie virginis in puram perpetuam Eleemosinam c. Of this old manner of signing and sealing of deeds you may read Lambard in his perambulation of Kent pag. 318. This Robert was first entombed in the Church of his owne foundation and at the dissolution remoued into the Quire of this Parish Church where he lieth crosse-legged with this inscription now almost worne out Sire Robert de Veer le premier count de Oxenford le tierz git ci Dieux del alme si luy plest sace merci Oi pur lame priera xl iors de pardonn anera Pater Noster Sir Robert Vere the first and third Earle of Oxford lieth here God if he please have mercy of his soule whosoeuer shall pray for his soule shall obtaine fourty dayes Pardon He died in the yeare 1221. Hic iacent Thomas Barington Ar. Anna vxor eius qui quidem Thomas obijt v. Aprilis M. cccc lxxij Anna obiit proximo die sequenti Quorum animabus propitietur Altissimus At Barington Hall within this Parish saith that learned delineator of Great Britaine M. Camden dwelleth that right ancient familie of the Baringtons which in the raigne of King Stephen the Barons of Montfitchet inriched with faire possessions since which time this house is much enobled by the marriage of Sir Thomas Barington knight with Winifred the daughter and coheire of Sir Henry Pole knight Lord Montague sonne of Margaret Plantaginet Countesse of Salisbury descended of the bloud royall being the daughter of George Duke of Clarence Great Dunmow Exoretis miserecordiam Dei pro anima Walteri Bigod Armigeri qui obijt 17. die mens Mar. 1397. Simon de Regham iadis Parson de Dunmow gist icy Dieu de son alme eit mercy Amen Of yowr cherite prey for the sowls of Iohn Ienone Esquyr somtym on of the Common Pleas of Westmynstre and Alys his wyff Whych Iohn dyed xvii Septembyr M. Vc.xlii Little Dunmow Iuga the wife of one Baynard a Nobleman that came in with the Conquerour the builder of Baynards Castle in London founded the Priority in this village in the beginning of the raigne of Henry Beauclerke and entreated Mauricius Bishop of London to dedicate the Church to the honour of the virgine Mary to which the same day she gaue halfe a Hide of land Her sonne and heire Geffrey Baynard placed blacke Chanons therein by the consent of Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury This house was valued at the suppression to be yearely worth 173. l. 2. s. 4. d. The Church of this monastery is as yet standing in the Quire whereof betweene two pillars lieth the body of Matilda the faire entombed who was the daughter of Robert Fitz-water the most valiant knight of England About the yeare 1213. saith the booke of Dunmow there arose a great discord betwixt king Iohn and his Barons because of Matilda surnamed the faire daughter of Robert Fitz-water whom the King vnlawfully loued but could not obtaine her nor her fathers consent thereunto Whereupon and for other like causes ensued warre through the whole Realme The king banished the said Fitz-water amongst other and caused his Castle called Baynard and other his houses to be spoiled Which being done he sent a messenger vnto Matilda the faire about his old Suit in Loue Et quia noluit consentire toxicauit eam And because she would not agree to his wicked motion the messenger poisoned a boiled or potched Egge against she was hungrie and gaue it vnto her whereof she died the yeare 1213. In the yeare following after her death her banished father was restored to the kings fauour vpon this occasion It happened in the yeare 1214. king Iohn being then in France with a great armie that a truce was taken betwixt the two Kings of England and France for the terme of fiue yeares and a riuer or arme of the Sea being betwixt either host there was a knight in the English host that cried to them of the other side willing some one of their knights to come and iust a course or two with him Wherupon without stay Robert Fitz-water being on the French part made himselfe ready ferried ouer got on horseback and shewed himself ready to the face of
his challenger whom at the first course he stroke so hard with his great speare that horse and man fell to the ground and when his Speare was broken he went backe againe to the king of France Which king Iohn seeing by Gods tooth quoth he such was his vsuall oath hee were a King indeed that had such a knight The friends of Robert hearing these his words kneeled downe and said O king he is your knight it is Robert Fitz-water whereupon the next day he was sent for and restored to the kings fauour By which meanes peace was concluded and he receiued his liuings and had licence to repaire his Castle of Baynard and all his other Castles After which this strenuous knight this Mars of men this Marshall of Gods Armie and holy Church for so he was enstiled by the common multitude liued in all affluence of riches and honour the space of sixteene yeares deceased in the yeare 1234. and lieth here entombed by his daughter Thus saith the booke Ann. 1234. Obijt nobilis vir Robertus filius Walteri Patronus Ecclesie Dunmow qui tumulatur iuxta maius Altare in suo Monasterio succedit Walterus filius eius in heriditatem In the middest of the Quire vnder a goodly marble stone lyeth the body of Walter the father of the foresaid Robert Fitz-water and sonne of Robert the sonne of Richard who was the sonne of Gilbert of Clare This Walter tooke to wife Maud de Bocham and after her deceaâ—e Matilda or Maud the daughter and coheire of Richard de Lucy on whom he begate Robert the valiant before remembred he died in the yeare â—â—â—8 as I haue it in my old Author Anno vero Domini M. c.lxxxxviii obiit Walterus filius Roberti Patroni Ecclesie de Dunmow qui iacet intumulatus in medio choâ—i Ecclesie sue et succedit Robertus filius Walteri miles strenâ—â—s Now will it please you heare a little further of this noble family and of their deuotions to this Priory out of an old Gartularie sans date in my cuâ—stody Robertus filius Richardi et Mathilda vxor eius Episcopo London et omnibus hominibus et Amicis suis et cunctis Ecclesie fidelibus salutem Scialis quia concedimus et canonice hac carta confirmauimus Quod Ecclesia sancte Marie de Donmowe et fratres ibidem Deo seruientes teneant ita quiete el pacifice et libere omnes illas Elemosinas quas tenuerunt die qua Rex Henricus mihi Roberto filio Richardi terram dedit Sicut vnquam quiecius et hoâ—norificentius et liberius tenuerunt scilicet in terris in hominibus in pratis in bosco et plano et in omni Decima nostra et omnium hominum nostrorum eiusdem ville in decima Prati et Pannagij nostri et in decima molendinorum nostrorum et in omni pastura eiusdem Ville Preteria sciâ—tis quia concedimus et confirmamus quod predicta Ecclesia et fratres eiusdem Ecclesie teneant incrementa que nos eidem Ecclesie concessimus et dedimus Scilicet duas partes decime Dominij nostri de Henham duas partes decime Dominij nostri de Northon duas partes decime Dominij nostri de Styston et decimam de Passfeld Et decimam de terra que fuit Ernaldi le Blache in Beruston Et decimam de Pachesham et Essertum de Leffwyfewode Et Essertum de Acho et turbariam de Esteye Hanc donationem predicte Ecclesie donauimus et confirmauimus pro dei dilectione et sancte genetricis Marie et pro fidelibus defunctis Robertus erat noster primus Fundator et erat silius Richardi et est sepultus in monasterio S. Neoti Walterus erat silius eius et est sepulius apud nos in tumba marmorea in medio chori Robertus filius Walteri predicti de est tumulatus ante summum Altare Anno Dom. 1501. decimo die mens Augusti campane in Campanile Ecclesie beate Marie de Dunmow nouiter facte et baptisate fuere Prima in honore sancti Michaelis Archangeli Secunda in honore S. Iohannis Euangeliste Tertia in honore S. Iohannis Baptiste Quarta in honore Assumptionis beate Marie Quinta in honore sancte trinitatis et omnium Sanctorum In the Quire of the Church vnder a goodly faire monument the body of Iohn Blakemore Prior of this dissolued house of Dunmow as I finde it in an abstract of the Chronicle of this monasterie lieth interred for whom this Epitaph following was composed Subtus hic hoc tumulo recubat Prior ecce Iohannes De Blakemor dictus vir probus atque pius Peruigil implebat quod lex diuina iubebat Eius consilium que fuit et studium Debilibus dubijs cecis claudis peregrinis Tectum pes oculi consilium baculuâ— Vespere et absconso Machuti sole Nouembris Quindecimo hic moritur viuere vt incipiat Ergo preces cineri dones quicumque viator Ista preces tantum flebilis vrna petit His death happened in the yeare of our sauing health one thousand fiue hundred and eighteene as by the humble petition of the Subprior and his brethren to their Patron Sir Robert Radcliffe Knight Lord Fitz-water afterwards Earle of Sussex for the speedy election of another Prior may appeare the forme whereof transcribed out of the originall I thought good here to insert being a president not commonly knowne in these daies Egregio et prenobili viro Domino Roberto Radclif militi Domino Fitz-water vestri humiles et deuoti silij Galfridus Shether Supprior et presidens Domus siue Prioratus beate Marie Virginis de Dunmowe ordinis sancti Augustini London Dioc. vestre fundationis et patronatus et eiusdem loci conuentus omnimod Reuerencias cum honore orationumque suffragia et quicquid dulcius de latere Crucifixi hauriri poterit vestre reuerencie innotescimus et certificamus per presentes Quod bone memorie Dominus Iohannes Blakemore noster iamdudum et dicte domus nostre Prior quinto decimo die instantis mensis Nouembris viam est vniuerse carnis ingressus et sequent prox ex tunc die ipsius corpus Ecclesiastice traditum est sepulturex Sicque sumus et est dicta domus siue prioratus Prioris et pasâ—oris solatio et regimine destitut Ne igitur ex diurna eiusdem vacatione grauia nobis proueniant incommoda vestre reuerencie humiliter et deuote supplicamus quatinus cum sitis noster et dicte Domus siue prioratus fundator et patronus vt prefertur vestram vt moris est ad noui seu futuri prioris pastoris electionem procedend ac iuxta canonicas sanctiones dei presidio celebrand patronalem licenciam nobis concedere dignemini cum fauore Prosperitatemque vestram conseruet Altissimus per tempora longiora Dat. in domo nostra Capitulari nostro sub sigillo xvij die predicti mens Nouemb. Anno Domini millesimo
l. 10. s. 8. d. per annum Pleshy This Collegiate Church was founded by Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester for Canons regular which was valued in the Kings bookes to be yearely worth one hundred thirty nine pounds three shillings ten pence The vpper part of which Church within these few yeares was taken downe and as I was told in the Towne the Parishioners being either vnwilling or vnable to repaire the decayes carried away the materials which were employed to other vses This part of the Church was adorned and beautified with diuers rich funerall Monuments which were hammered a peeces bestowed and diuided according to the discretion of the Inhabitants Vpon one of the parts of a dismembred Monument carelesly cast here and there in the body of the Church I found these words Here lyeth Iohn Holland Erle of Exceter Erle of Huntington and Chamberleyne of England Who dyed ....... This Iohn was halfe brother to King Richard the second and Duke of Exceter From which dignitie he was deposed by Act of Parliament in the first yeare of King Henry the fourth whose sister he had married and in the same yeare beheaded in this Towne for a seditious conspiracie saith Camden and in the very place where the Duke of Glocester was arrested by King Richard which was in the base court of the Castle of Pleshie now quite ruined that he might seeme saith he to haue beene iustly punished by way of satisfaction for the foresaid Duke of Glocester of whose death he was thought to be the principall procurer He was beheaded the third day after the Epiphanie 1399. 1. Hen. 4. Vpon a broken peece of a faire marble stone reared to the side of a pillar whereupon were the pictures in brasse of an armed knight and his Lady this ensuing disticke was engrauen Militis o miserere tui miserere Parentum Alme deus regnis gaudeat ille tuis Vnder this stone if Tradition may go for truth Sir Edward Holland Earle of Mortaigne sonne of the foresaid Iohn Holland beheaded with his Lady were entombed Orate pro anima Iohannis Scot primi Magistri huius Collegij qui obijt primo die Ianuar. M. cccc.x Qui me psalmasti miserere mei Qui me pretioso tuo sanguine redimisti miserere mei Qui me ad Christianitatem vocasti miserere mei Here lyeth Robert Frevyt a man letterd sowndyt For hys sowl and for all christine sey a Pater Noster and an Ave. But I shall forget the Founder Thomas of Woodstocke the sixth sonne of King Edward the third and Vncle to King Richard who was taken by force from this his Castle of Plessy by Thomas Mowbray Earle Marshall and conuayed to Callis where he was smothered vnder a Featherbed 1397. His body was afterwards conueyed with all funerall pompe into England and buried here in this Church of his owne foundation in a goodly sepulchre prouided by himselfe in his life time Whose reliques were afterwards remoued and laid vnder a marble inlaid with brasse in the Kings Chappell at Westminster In which Church Elianor his wife of whom I haue spoken before lieth entombed with this French inscription who after the death of her husband became a Nunne in the Abbey of Barking within this County Cy gist Aleonore de Bohun aysue fille et vn des heirs l'hounrable seignour Mons. Humfrey de Bohun Counte de Hereford d'Essex et de Northampton et Constable d'Engleterre Femme a puissant et noble prince Tho. de Woodstock Fitz a tresexcellent et tre puisant seignour Edward Roi d'Engleterre puis le Conquest tiers Duc de Glocestre Counte d'Essexie et de Buchingham et Constable d'Engleterre quemorust le tierz iour a'October ban du grace 1399. de gi aisme Dieux face mercy Amen But againe to returne to the Duke her husband touching whose life and death with the manner thereof thus writeth Gower in his booke called Vox clamantis O quam Fortuna stabilis non permanet una Exemplum cujus stat in ordine carminis hujus Rex agit et Cygnus patitur de Corde benignus Ille prostratus non est de Rege levatus Ad Plessye captus tunc est velut Hostia raptus Rex jubet arma geri nec eo voluit misereri Cum Sponsa nati lugent quasi morti gravati Plusque Lupo sevit Rex dummodo Femina flevit Nil pietas munit quem tunc manus invida punit Rex stetit obliquus nec erat tunc unus amicus O Regale genus Princeps quasi pauper egenus Turpiter attractus jacet et sine iure subactus Sunt ibi Fautores Regis de sorte Priores Qui Cygnum pendent vbi captum ducere tendent Sic ducendo ducem perdit sine lumine lucem Anglia que tota tenebrescit luce remota Trans mare natavit regnum qui semper amavit Flent centum mille quia Cygnus preterit ille Calisij portus petit unde dolus latet ortus Error quem Regis genuit putredine legis Carcere conclusus subito fuit ille reclusus Nescit quo fine sit vite sive ruine Tunc Rex elatum sumpsit quasi Falco volatum Vnde suas gentes perdit Custode carentes A little after follow these verses touching the deniall of buriall to bee granted vnto him among the rest of his honourable and royall Ancestors Sic nece devictum sic corpus ab hoste relictum Clam de conclavi susceperat Anglia navi Per mare regreditur corpus nec adhuc sepelitur Namque sepulturam defendit Rex sibi puram Desuper a latere patris loca justa tenere Dummodo quesivit vix bassa sepulchra subivit Of the manner of his death these three verses following Hen quam tortorum quidam de sorte malorum Sic Ducis electi plumarum pondere lecti Corpus quassatum jugulant que necant jugulatum Such was the end of this royall Prince sonne to a King and vncle to a King who by our writers is discommended in this that he was euer repining against the King in all things whatsoeuer he wished to haue forward Erat enim vir ferocissimus precipitis ingenij as Polidor censures him a most fierce man and of an headlong wit who thinking still that those times wherein he had mastred the King were nothing changed though the King was aboue thirty yeeares old forbare not roughlie not so much to admonish as to check and schoole his Soueraigne Hatfield Peuerell So denominated of one Randolph Peuerell the owner thereof to whom Edward the Confessor was very munificent for that hee had married his kinswoman the daughter of Ingelrick a man of great Nobilitie among the English Saxons A Lady of that admirable beautie that with her lookes she conquered the Conquerour William who desired nothing more then to be her prisoner in Armes which to effect hee begins to expresse a kinde of loue to the remembrance of
sent for soone after by Laurence it happened the same yeare that the same Laurence died and hee was appointed to succeed him where he sate about fiue yeares euen vntill the day of his exspiration Of which an old Anonimall Manuscript thus To whome Melite than playnly gan succede That fyve yere so rulyd the Chirche in ryght And than this erthe forsoke for heuens mede And went to blyss wher God wolde of his myght The yere of Crystes nativite by ryght Six hundryd full twenty and fowre accountyd Whan erthe hys corps had hyd and surmowntyd Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome writ to Mellitus concerning the purifying but not the pulling downe of Idolatrous Churches within these kingdomes An Epistle well worthy the obseruation which I haue read in Gotcelinus the Monke who writes of the life and actions of Saint Austin of other Bishops of the See of Canterbury as also of diuers Saints in those primitiue times and dedicates his workes to Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury Such was the letter of Gregory as followeth Dilectissimo silio Mellito Abbati Gregorius servus seruorum Dei Post discessionem Congregationis nostre que tecum est valde sumus suspensi redditi quia nichil de prosperitate vestri itineris audisse nos contigit Cum ergo Deus omnipotens vos ad reuerendissimum fratrem nostrum Augustinum Episcopum perduxerit dicite ei quid diu mecum de causa Anglorum cogitans tractaui videlicet quia Fana Idolorum destrui in eadem gente minime debeant sed ipsa que in eis sunt Idola destruantur Aqua benedicta in eisdem Fanis aspergatur Altaria construantur Reliquie componantur quia si Fana eadem bene constructa sunt necesse est vt a cultu Demonum in obsequium veri Dei debeant commutari vt dum gens ipsa eadem Fana sua novidet destrui de corde errorenâ— deponat Dominum verum cognoscens et adorans ad loca que consuevit familiarius concurrat Et quia Boues solent in sacrificio Demonum multos occidere debet eis eciam de re hac aliqua solemnitas iramutari vt die dedicationis vel natalicijs sanctorum Martyrum quorum illic reliquie ponuntur tabernacula sibi circa easdem Ecclesias que ex Fanis commutate sunt de ramis arborum faciant religiosis conuiuijs solemnitatem celebrent Nec animalia immolent sed ad laudem Dei in vsum suum animalia occidant et Donatori omnium de sacietate sua gracias referent vt dum eis aliqua externis gaudia res exuantur ad interiora gaudia consentire facilius valeant Nam duris mentibus simul omnia abscidere impossibile esse non dubiam est quia et is qui summum locum ascendere nititur gradibus vel passibus non autem saltibus eleuatur Sic Israheletico populo in Egypto Dominus siquidem innotuit sed tamen eis sacrificiorum vsum quem Diabolo solebat exibere in cultu proprio reseruauit vt eis in suo sacrificio animalia immolare preciperet quatinus cor mutantes aliud de sacrificio ammitterent aliud retinerens Vt et si ipsa essent â—nimalia que offerre consueuerant vero tamen Deo hec et non ydolis immolantes iam sacrificia ipsa non essent Hec igitur dilectionem tuam predicto Fratri necesse est dicere vt ipse in presenti iâ—â—ic positus perpendat qualiter omnia debeat dispensare Deus te incolumem custodiat dilectissime fili Data die quinto decimo Kalendarum Augustarum imperante nostro Mauritio Tyberio pijssimo Augusto anno nono decimo post Consulatus eiusdem Domini anno octauo decimo Indictione quarta Hereby we may see the pious aduise and great pollicie of this learned Father of the Church for the conuerting of the misbeleeuing Pagans or heathen people of this kingdome from Idolatrie to the true worship of the euerliuing God My forenamed Author Gotceline in the 53. Chapter of his first Booke tells me that the names of the prime pillars of the English Church and the especiall propagators of the Gospell in these times were engrauen vpon the Tarpeyan Rocke at Rome of which number this my Mellitus is one of the principall As appeares by these Latine Rimes following sometime likewise engrauen or cut in the foresaid Rocke vnder each seuerall name to their further glory Dux Augustinus precellit in ordine primus Lauâ—iger mundus Laurenti sede secundus Tertius est gratus Mellitus melligeratus Quartus adest Iustus dulces dans nomine gustus Quintus Honorius Eccle vigor extat honorque Deus dedit est sextus cui dat sua munera Christus Theodorus iuxta fert sabbata septimus alma His septem ducibus viget Anglia totque diebus Additur octauus Monachorum Dux Adrianus Anglorum stella Mildretha refert sua mella Octo Patres Rome reliqui comitantur honore Ex Anglis nati meritis horum sociati Hinc manat diuis Euangelii via riuis Hi sunt Brithpaldus Tatynnus vosque Nothelme Et Iamberte patres primos proceres imitantes Tot simul Ecclesie cingunt frontem pictate It is written of Mellitus that when vpon a certaine time the Citie of Canterbury was by negligence set on fire and began to waste and consume away by much increasing of the flames so that no helpe of man nor casting of water thereon was able to quench or stay the same the greatest part of the citie being at length almost burnt and the furious flashes extending themselues euen vnto the Bishops place this good Bishop seeing mans helpe now to faile and trusting onely in the aide and succour of almighty God commanded that he might be carried out of his house and set against these fierce flames of fire piercing and flying all round about Now where the greatest rage of this burning was there was the place of Martyrdome of the foure holy crowned Saints Whan then the Bishop by his seruants was brought forth and set in this place here he began with prayer sicke as he was for he was often troubled with infirmities of body and much grieued with the Gowte notwithstanding euer whole and sound of minde to driue away the perill of the fire which the stout strength of strong men with much labour could not before bring to passe And behold the winde that blew from the South whereby this fire was first kindled and blasted abroad now suddenly bent against the South first tempered his blasts for feare of hurting the places right ouer in the other side and after quite quenching the flames ceasing and extinguishing the fire made all calme and well againe And truly this good man of God which did feruently alway burne with the fire of inward charity and was wont with his often prayers and holy exhortations to driue from himselfe and all his the danger of ghostly temptations and trouble by spirits of the aire might now
peicked after a strange fashion and a paire of Challices of course mettall lying vpon his breast the which was thought to be one of the Bishops of Donwiche but when they touched and stirred the same dead body it fell and went all to powder and dust And although these aforesaid three old Churches were not sumptuous great very faire after the manner fashion of Cathedral Churches now vsed yet it seemeth they might serue in those daies very well for it plainely appeareth in the book of the description of England and in the title of Bishoprickes and their Sees the thirteenth chapter whereas these words following are said Take heede for in the beginning of holy Church in England Bishops ordained and had their Sees in low places and simple that were conueniable and meete for contemplation and deuotion c. But in King William the Conquerours time by doome of Law Canon it was otherwise ordained that Bishops should remoue and come out of small townes and to haue their Sees in great Cities By meanes whereof it seemeth that the towne of Donwiche being then greatly decayed and also then likely more and more to decay as it hath done indeed from a great citie as some doe say or at the least from a very great ancient Towne to a little small Towne the Bishops seat of Donwich was remoued from Donwich to Elmham and Thetford and afterward to the Citie of Norwich whereas it yet remaineth There was a Mint in Dunwich for one Master Holliday told mee that he had a grote whose superscription on the one side was Ciuitas Donwic Diuers other things he told me of to make it a citie The Treatise is much longer but enough is already deliuered The succession of the Bishops of Dunwich is set downe by Bishop Godwin to which I refer my Reader The foundation of the Blacke Friers in Dunwich This religious Structure was founded by Sir Roger de Holishe Knight of the order you haue heard before of the time dedication value or surrender I finde not any thing Persons of note buried in the Church of this Monastery were as followeth Sir Roger de Holishe Knight the foresaid founder Sir Raufe Vfford and Dame Ione his wife Sir Henry Laxiffeld Knight Dame Ione de Harâ—ile Dame Ada Crauene Dame Ione Weyland Sister of the Earle of Suffolke Iohn Weyland and Ione his wife Thomas sonne of Richard Brews Knight Dame Alice wife of Sir Walter Hardishall Sir Walkin Hardesfield Austin Valeyus Raph Wingfeld Knight Richard Bokyll of Leston and Alice and Alice his wiues Sir Henry Harnold Knight and Fryer The grey Friers of Dunwich was founded first by Richard Fitz-Iohn and Alice his wife and after by King Henry the third of which I haue no further knowledge Herein lay interred the bodies of Sir Robert Valence the Heart of Dame Hawise Ponyngs Dame Ideu of Ylketishall Sir Peter Mellis and Dame Anne his wife Dame Dunne his mother Iohn Francans and Margaret his wife Dame Bert of Furniuall .... Austin of Cales and Ione his wife Iohn Falleyâ— and Beatrix his wife Augustine his sonne .... Wilexâ—es Sir Hubert Dernford Katherine wife of William Phellip Margaret wife of Richard Phellip Peter Codum I had the notes of these buried in these Monasteries as also of diuers other Monasteries in Suffolke and Norfolke out of the painefull collections of William le Neue Esquire Yorke Herauld truely copied out of the ancient originals thereof remaining in his custody Bury Saint Edmunds or Saint Edmundsbury This Town seemeth saith Camden to haue been of famous memory considering that when Christian Religion began to spring vp in this tract king Sigebert here founded a Church and it was called Villam Regiam that is a royall towne But after that the people had translated hither the body of Edmund that most christian King whom the Danes with exquisite torments had put to death and built in honour of him a very great Church wrought with a wonderfull frame of timber it began to be called Edmundi Burgus commonly Saint Edmundsbury and more shortly Bury But especially since that King Canutus for to expiate the sacrilegious impietie of his Father Suenus against this Church being often affrighted with a vision of the seeming-ghost of Saint Edmund built it againe of a new worke enriched it offered his owne Crowne vnto the holy Martyr brought vnto it Monkes with their Abbot and gaue vnto it many faire and large Mannors and among other things the Towne it selfe full and whole ouer which the Monkes themselues by their Seneschall had rule and iurisdiction Thus Knuts Charter began In nomine Poliarchie Iesu Christi saluatoris Ego Knut Rex totius Albionis Insule aliarumque nationum plurimarum in Cathedra regali promotus cum concilio decreto Archiepiscoporum Episcoporum Abbatum Comitum aliorumque omnium fidelium meorum elegisanciendum perpeti stabilimento ab omnibus confirmandum vt Monasterium quod Budrices Yurthe nuncupatur sit per omne euum Monachorum gregibus deputatum ad inhabitandum c. After a long recitall of his many donations corroborations priuiledges and confirmations of former grants he ends with an Additament of fish and fishing Huic libertati concedo additamentum scilicet maritimos pisces qui mihi contingere debent annualiter per Thelonei lucrum et Piscationem quam Vlskitel habuit in Pilla et omnia iura c. These gifts to this Abbey as to the most of all others were finally concluded with a fearefull curse to the infringers thereof and a blessing to all such that did any way better her ample endowments the Charter is signed with the marke which is the crosse and the consent of thirty and fiue witnesses of which a few as followeth ✚ Ego Knut Rex c. hoc priuilegium iussi componere compositum cum signo Dominice crucis confirmando impressi ✚ Ego Aelgifa Regina omni alacritate mentis hoc confirmaui ✚ Ego Wulsâ—anus Archiepiscopus consensi ✚ Ego Adelnodus confirmaâ—i c. After Knut one Haruey the Sacrist comming of the Norman bloud compassed the Burgh round about with a wall whereof there remaine still some few reliques and Abbot Newport walled the Abbey The Bishop of Rome endowed it with very great immunities and among other things granted That the said place should be subiect to no Bishop in any matter and in matters lawfull to depend vpon the pleasure and direction of the Archbishop which is yet obserued at this day And now by this time the Monkes abounding in wealth erected a new Church of a sumptuous and stately building enlarging it euery day more then other with new workes and whiles they laid the Foundation of a new Chappell in the raigne of Edward the first There were found as Euersden a Monke of this place writeth the walles of a certaine old Church built round so as that the Altar stood as it were in the mids
thy selfe withdraw If any mirth be found in thy maw Like the custome of this company For none so proud that dare me deny Knight nor Knaue Chanon Priest ne Nonne To tell a tale plainely as they conne When I assigne and see time oportune And for that we our purpose will contune We will homeward the same custome vse And thou shalt not plainely thee excuse Be now well ware study well to night But for all that be thou of heart light Thy wit shall be the sharper and the bet But I runne too farre with these rimes it is time to returne Scripsit partim Anglicè partim Latinè partim prosa partim versu libros numero plures eruditione politissimos He writ partly English partly Latine partly in prose partly in verse many exquisite learned books saith Pitseus which are mentioned by him and Bale as also in the latter end of Chaucers workes the last edition He flourished in the raigne of Henry the sixt and departed this world aged about threescore yeares circiter An. 1440. vpon whose tombe this Epitaph following is said to haue beene engrauen Mortuus seclo superis superstes Hic iacet Lidgat tumulatus vrna Qui fuit quondam celebru Britanne Fama Poësis These and infinite many other worthy personages here in this Abbey Church entombed were by King Henry the eight vtterly ouerthrowne what time as at one clap he suppressed all monasteries perswaded thereto by such as vnder a goodly pretense of reforming Religion preferred their priuate respects and their owne enriching before the honour of Prince and Countrie yea and before the glory of God himselfe Saint Maries Church in the Abbey yard This Parish Church is wondrous ancient built in the very infancie of christian Religion in the daies of Felix the first Bishop of the East-Angles as I haue it out of a Lieger booke sometimes belonging to the Abbey in these words Arbitror quod parochia ville a tempore antiquo in memoria Sancte Marie Virginis fuerit constructa videlicet ab initio prime Christianitatis istius prouincie et a tempore primi predicatoris felicis memorie sanctissimi Episcopi Felicis Orientalium Saxonum The funerall monuments in this Church are almost all defaced especially such as are of any antiquitie Vpon one Tombe there remaineth onely these few words for the memory of Roger Drury Esquire and Agnes his wife he died 1472. and she 1445. ........ Drury ....... Such as ye be sometym were wee Such as we ar such sall ye be At Ikesworth at Haulsteed neere to Rougham and else where the familie of Drury which signifieth in old English a Pretious Iewell hath beene of great respect and good note especially since they married with the heires of Fressill and Saxam faith Camden in this tract This name is much honoured by Sir William Drury Knight Lord President of Munster and Lord chiefe Iustice of all Ireland as you may reade in the continuation of the Irish Cronicle penned by Iohn Vowell alias Hooker where his valiant good seruices at Muttrell Bulloigne and Callais in France at the commotion in Deuonshire at Barwicke being Prouost Marshall and at the besieging and taking of Edenborrough Castle where he was generall of the Armie are set downe at large this man lieth buried at Dublin in Ireland Sir Robert Drury Knight here lieth entombed who deceased in the yeare 1520. as appeareth on his monument Sir William Drury Knight deceased the 27. of Iuly in the yeare 1525. as aforesaid appeareth Roger Drury Esquire obijt an 1472. Agnes wife of Roger Drury obijt an 1445. Dame Iane wife of ... Drury Sir Edmond Wancy Knight obijt an 1372. Dame Ela Stanley obijt an 1457. William Atte Lee Esquire Robert Peyton Esquire obijt an ... Iohn Smith Esquire Orate pro ..... Willelmi Carew militis Margarete consortis sue ..... ille obijt 26. Maij 1501. illa .... 1525. .... Iohn Carew Armig. Margareta .... 1425. Carew Castle in Penbrokeshire gaue both name and originall to the notable familie de Carew saith Camden who auouch themselues to haue beene called aforetime de Montgomery and haue beene perswaded that they are descended from that Arnolph de Montgomery who wonne Penbrokeshire who by some is reckoned amongst the Earles of that County Of this ancient sirname rightly honoured by the King in creating George Carew Earle of Totnes Lord Baron of Clopton I shall haue occasion to speake in diuers other places Buria quem Dominum ac Abbatem nouerit olim Illius hic recubant osso sepulta viro Suffolce Melfor da nomen nato Iohannem Dixerunt Kemis progenie atque pater Magnanimus prudens doctus suit atque benignus Integer et Voti Religionis amans Regni qui cum Henrici Octaui viderat annum Ter decimum ac primum Martius atque dies Vnum terque decem .... flamine terras Occidit O anime parce benigne Deus 1540. Within the compasse of an heart in brasse vnder the Communion table these words onely remaining Orate pro .... Elis. Shantlow ... 1457. IHVS Here is an old Monument vnder which as I was told one Ienkin Smith Esquire lieth enterred a great Benefactour to this Church Subiacet hic stratus Iohn Finers sic vocitatus ... Diaconus quondam Subburie factus Further I finde these persons following to haue beene here interred Sir Edmond Wancy knight obijt ann 1372. Dame Ela Stanley obiit an 1457. Dame Iane wife of .... Drury Robert Peyton Esquire obijt an .... William Attelee Esquire The Colledge in Bury Edwardus Dei gratia Rex Anglie Francie et Dominus Hibernie omnibus ad quos presentes litere peruenerint Salutem Sciatis quod nos de gratia nostra speciali obsinceram deuotionem quam ad sanctam indiuiduam Tâ—initatem ac dulcissimum nomen Iesu gloriosissimamque Dei genitricem Mariam nec non omnes sanctos gerimus et habemus concessimus licentiam dedimus ac per presentes concedimus et licentiam damus pro nohis et heredibus nostris quantum in nobis est dilectis nobis Henrico Hardman Clerico Thome Ampe Clerico Richardo Taxleo Willelmo Thewts Clementi Clerk Ade Newhawe et Radulpho Duke quod ipsi aut eorum aliquis vel aliqui executores et assignati sui seu eorum alicuius ad laudem gloriam Honorem Dei ac dicti dulcissimi nominis Iesu quandam Cantariam ac Gildam perpetuam de vno custode societate Capellanorum ac Fratribus et Sororibus de Gilda illa esse volentibus diuina singulis diebus in villa de Bury Sancti Edmundi in Com. Suff. ad specialiter exorand pro salubri statu nostro et preclarissime consortis nostre Elisabethe Regine Anglie et precarissimorum filiorum nostrorum Edwardi primogeniti Principis Wallie et Richardi Ducis Ebor. ceterorumque liberorum nostrorum nec non dictorum Henrici Thome Richardi Willelmi
a Cathedrall Church at his owne charges as doth appeare by the sequele Norwich S. Trinities the Cathedrall Church HErebertus dictus Losinga Abbas quondam Rameseie qui sedem Thedford a Rege Willelmo emerat in Anglia magnus fuit Simonie â—omes hic postquam erroneum inuentutis impetum desteâ—issit Romam iuit ac rediens sedem suam vsque Norwicum transtulit vbi et celebre fundauit Monasterium de rebus quidem proprijs non Episcopalibus sed et apud Tedford Monachos cluniacenses instituit hic septus dicere consueuit Erranimus inuenes Emendemus senes thus much out of an old Manuscript of the Abbey of Euesham anciently put into English by the Translator of Polychronicon as followeth Abowte that time Herbert Losange that had ben somtyme Abbot of Ramsay and was thenne Byshop of Tedford was a grete noury for Simony for he had boughte the Bysshopryche of the Kynge But after warde he was sory and bywept the vnskylfull rest of his youth And toke the waye to Rome and came home agayne and chaunged and torned his See from Tedford to Norwyche And he founded a solempne Abbaye wyth his owne catayle and not wyth the catayle of his Bysshopryche But at Tedford he ordained Monkes of Cluny that were ryche in the world and clere of Religion to Godward And had ofte in mynde the worde of Iherom That sayd we erryd in our yougth amende We vs in our age His repentance doth also appeare by the context of his Charter beggining thus In nomine Patris et â—ilij Spiritus sancti Amen Herbertus Episcopus infirmitatis impuritatis proprie conscius ante iustum clementem Iudicem Deum mores vitam expono meam ei reuelans Inuentut is mee ignorantias c. Igitur pro redemptione vite mee meorumque omnium peccatorum absolutione apud Norwicum in honore et nomine sancte indiuidue Trinitatis Ecclesiam primum edificaui quam caput et matrem Ecclesiam omnium Ecclesiarum de Northfolke et Suthfolke constitui et consecraui Preceptis igitur consessionibus Willelmi Regis et Henrici Regis fratris sui consilio Anselmi Cant. Archiepiscopi et omnium Episcoporum et Primatum totius Regni Anglie in Ecclesia eadem Monachos ordinaui c. His donations to this his mother Church of Norfolke and Suffolke follow which are many and great for he endowed it with as much lands as might sufficiently maintaine threescore Monkes who had their faire and spatious Cloisters But after they were thrust out by King Henry the eight there were substituted for them a Deane sixe Prebendaries and others Witnesses to this his Charter were King Henry the first and Maud his Queene eleuen Bishops and foure and twenty Earles Lords and Abbots to euery name the signe of the crosse Facta est hec donatio Anno Domini M.C. ordinatione Gregorii Episcopi Rom. apud Wyndressores The first stone of this religous Structure was laid by Herbert himselfe in the yeare after Christs natiuitie one thousand ninetie sixe with this inscription Dominus Herbertus posuit primum Lapidem In nomine Patris Filij et Spiritus Sancti Amen That is Lord Bishop Herbert laid The First Ston In The Name of The Father The Sonne And holy Ghost Amen This Bishop was borne at Orford in Suffolke his Fathers name was Robert de Losing Hee was Prior of the monasterie of Fiscane in Normandie and came backe into England at the request of William Rufus and liuing in the Court for a time behaued himselfe in such sort that hee was much fauoured of the King and obtained diuers great preferments at his hands whereby it came to passe that within the space of three yeares hee had so feathered his nest as he could buy for his Father the Abbacy of Winchester and for himselfe the Bishopricke of Thetford which I haue partly touched here and in another place Hauing finished this pious Fabricke according to his minde hee then determined to build an house for himselfe for as yet he had none in Norwich the See being so lately remoued from Thetford and therefore on the north side of the Church hee founded a stately palace And more such was his repentance for his Simony committed hee built fiue Churches one ouer against the Cathedrall Church on the other side of the riuer called S. Leonards another in this Citie also another at Elmham a fourth at Linne and a fift at Yarmouth He was an excellent Scholler for those times and writ many learned Treatises mentioned by Pitsaeus in his booke de illustribus Anglie Scriptoribus Aetat duodecima where he cals him vir omnium virtutum et bonarum literarum studijs impensè deditus mitis affabilis corpore venusto vultu decoro moribus candidus vita integer A man earnestly addicted to the studies of all vertues and good learning milde affable comely of personage gracefull of countenance blamelesse in his carriage pure innocent and sincere in the course of his life The Monkes of Norwich made great meanes and sute to haue this Herbert a canonised Saint but such impediments were alwaies in the way that it could not be obtained He departed this life the two and twentith of Iuly in the yeare of grace one thousand one hundred and twenty and was buried in this Church of his owne Foundation by the High Altar to whose memory these verses following were engrauen vpon his monument Inclytus Herbertus iacet hic vt pistica nardus Virtutum redolens floribus et meritis A quo fundatus locus est hic edificatus Ingenti studio nec modico precio Vir fuit hic magnus probitate suâ—uis vt agnus Vita conspicuus dogmate precipuus Sobrius et castus prudens et Episcopus almus Pollens Concilio clarus in officio Quâ—m .... vndecimas Iulio promente Kalendas Abstulit vltima sors et rapuit cita mors Pro quo qui transis supplex orare memor sis Vt sit ei saties alma Dei facies One Euerard who next succeeded Herbert lieth here interred who although saith Godwin he enioyed this Bishopricke for a long space yet time the deuorer of all things hath left nothing of him to our remembrance but that when he had gouerned his Church 29 yeares hee ended this life Octob. 15. 1150. Here in the Presbyterie lay buried the body of Bishop Turbus a Norman by birth being in his youth a Monke and afterwards Prior of this monasterie In his time this Cathedrall Church was burned by casuall fire he died in the 25. yeare of his consecration the 17. of Ianuarie Neere vnto the high Altar lieth buried the body of Iohn of Oxford sometimes Deane of Salisbury and Bishop of this Diocesse This man finished the Church which Herbert being preuented by death had left vnperfected and repaired that which by fire was lately defaced He built diuers Hospitals for impotent and diseased people Hee founded Trinitie Church in
Ipswich and reedified diuers houses which were by fire decaied He was chaplaine to King Henry the second and with him in especiall fauour euer firmely adhering to his partie against Thomas Becket who had stubbornely opposed himselfe against his said Soueraigne Lord and Master He was employed in diuers Embasies as to Rome to Seines in France and to Sicily about the marriage of Ioane the third and yongest daughter of the said King Henry to William the second of that name King of Sicill Duke of Apulia and Prince of Capua In the soliditie of good doctrine in the maturitie of iudgement and in all the graces of rhetoricall speech hee did wondrously abound He was quicke and dexterous in the managing and prosperous in the dispatching of waightie affaires He writ a History of the Kings of Britaine as also a Booke Pro Rege Henrico contra S. Tho mam Cantuariensem for King Henry against S. Thomas of Canterbury besides a treatise of his iourney into Sicily and certaine Orations and Epistles to Richard Archbishop of Canterbury He died the 26 yeare of his consecration the second of Iune in the second yeare of King Iohn Iohn de Grey entirely beloued of King Iohn who preferred him to this Bishopricke was here entombed in whose commendations Bale and Pitseus doe in effect thus agree Vir erat foelici et faceto ingenio eruditione insignis consilio expeditus et quantumuis in dictis facetus in factis tamen vbi res postulabat senerus virtutum omnium amator et cultor omnium vitiorum osor et exterminator Iohanni Anglorum Regi gratissimus in magna semper authoritate apud ipsum remansit splendidis functionibus ornatus A man he was of a pleasant and facetious wit in the knowledge of all good literature excellent in counsell ready and intelligent and howsoeuer in his words merrie and iocond yet in his actions as occasion did require he was seuere and rigorous a louer and reuerencer hee was of all vertues and a despiser and rooter out of all vices He was a gracious Fauourite to King Iohn euer vnder him in great authoritie and honoured with offices of especiall trust and confidence Naâ—â— cum Rex rebelles Hibernos compescuisset eorumque vires fregisset hunc Graâ—ium tanquam virum strenuum magnae prudentiae fidelitatis exploratae reliquit ibi supremum Presidem vt eos auctoritate sua in officio contineret For when the King had repressed the rebellious Irish broken dispersed then forces he left this Grey as an hardie able man of singular wisedome and tried fidelitie Prorex or Lord Deputie of Ireland that by such his power and commission he might keepe that stiffe-necked nation in obedience He was well seene in the lawes of the Realme saith Godwin wise and of great integritie in regard whereof the King was very desirous to haue made him Archbishop of Canterbury of which I haue spoken somewhat before to which Grace indeed he was solemnly elected and his election published in the Church before the King and an infinite number of people But by the exorbitant authoritie of the Pope this election was disanulled whereupon much mischiefe ensued He built that goodly Hall at Gay wood neare Linne in Norfolke and the rest of the Fabricke adioyning Hauing sate about fourteene yeares hee died neare Poytiers in his returne from Rome Obijt eodem anno quo Rex Iohannes saith Bale in the same yeare in which King Iohn deceased the first of Nouember Whose body was conueyed to this his owne Church He was an Historiographer and writ a booke which he called Schalecronicon as also other workes mentioned by Bale in his Centuries Die vero Sancti Vlstani decimo tertio Calendas Iunij obijt Episcopus Norwicensis Vualterus cognomento de Sufeld apud Colecestriam delâ—tum est corpus eius ad Norwicensem Ecclesiam suam Cathedralem honorificè tumulandus ad cuius tumbam miracula dicebantur coruscate Hic namque in vsus pauperum instante tempore famis omnia vasa sua coclearia cum toto thesauro suo pauperibus erogauerat Mat. Paris Ann. 1257. Vpon the Feast day of Saint Wolstan the thirteenth of the Calends of Iune Walter surnamed de Sufield Bishop of Norwich departed this world at Colchester from whence his body was conueyed to this Cathedrall Church here to be honourably interred At whose Tombe many miracles are reported to be wrought which are ascribed to his holinesse For it is remembred of him that in a time of extreme famine hee sold all his plate and distributed it to the poore euery pennyworth He lieth buried in our Ladies Chappell which was of his owne building He founded the Hospitall of Saint Giles here in the Citie endowing it with faire possessions insomuch that it was valued at the suppression to be yearely worth fourescore and ten pounds twelue shillings Simon de Wanton sometimes the Kings Chaplaine one of his Iustices and Bishop of this Diocesse was here interred by his predecessour Walter de Sufield He died about the yeare 1265. hauing sate eight yeares and obtained of the Pope licence to hold all his former liuings in Commendam for foure yeares In the same Chappell as I take it Roger de Sherwyng was entombed who died about Michaelmas 1278. hauing sate thirteene yeares Of whom I finde little remarkable yet he is memorable for that in his time by an incendiarie outrage the Citizens set fire on the Priorie Church The story is thus deliuered by our late writers taken out of Rishanger the Continuer of Mathew Paris his History in the last yeare of King Henry the third About the moneth of Iune in a Faire that was kept before the gates of the Priory there fell great debate and discord betwixt the Monkes of Norwich and the Citizens there which increased so farre that at length the Citizens with great violence assaulted the Monastery fired the gates and forced the fire so with reed and drie wood that the Church with the books and all other ornaments of the same and all houses of Office belonging to that Abbey were cleane burned wasted and destroyed so that nothing was preserued except one little Chappell The King hearing of this detestable and sacrilegious deuastation rode to Norwich where beholding the deformed ruines he could hardly refraine from teares and caused enquirie to be made of the fact whereupon thirty young men of the Citie as also a woman that first carried fire to the gates were condemned hanged and burnt It is thought saith Hollinshead that the Prior of the house whose name was William de Brunham was the occasion of all this mischiefe who had got together armed men and tooke vpon to keepe the Belfray and Church by force of armes but the Prior was well enough borne out and defended by this his Bishop The Monkes for their part appealed to Rome and so handled the matter that they not onely escaped punishment but also forced the
was a Priory dedicated to the honour of Saint Austin the first Archbishop of Canterbury founded by one Theobald de Vallencia as some say others by William de Albeny the second of that name Earle of Arundell valued at one hundred thirty seuen pounds pennie halfe penny qua Wallpoole ... Radulphus Rochford miles .... Willelmus filius Domini Iohannis de Rochford Constabularii castri de VVisbiche .... Tirrington Hic iacet Thomas Sutton filius Thome Sutton nuper de Milton filii Domini Iohannis Sutton Domini de Dudley ..... Hic iacet Elizabeth Sutton filia Roberti Goddard ..... que obiit ..... Hic iacet Robertus Goddard armiger qui obiit anno Dom. M. cccc.xlviii Hic iacet Ricardus Zorke quondam Burgeni ville Berwic super Tweed ...... I reade in Hackluits first volume of Voyages that Sir Fredericke Tilney a great Commander in the holy warres was interred in this Church of Tirrington take it as he sets it downe A note out of a Booke in the hands of Thomas Tilney Esquire touching Sir Fredericke Tilney his ancestor knighted at Acon in the Holy Land by King Richard the first Pertinuit iste liber prius Frederico Tylney de Boston in Com. Lincoln militi facto apud Acon in terra sancta anno Regis Richardi primi tertio Vir erat iste magnae staturae et potens corpore qui cum patribus suis dormit apud Tirrington iuxta villam sui nominis Tylney in Mershland cuius altitudo in salua custodia permanet ibidem vsque in hunc diem Et post eius obitum sexdecem Militibus eius nominis Tylney haereditas illa successiue obuenit quorum vnus post alium semper habitabat apud Boston praedict dum fratris senioris haereditas haeredi generali deuoluta est quae nupta est Thome Duci Norsolciae Eorum miles vltimus suit Philippus Tylney nuper de Shelleigh in Com. Suff pater et genitor Thomae Tylney de Hadleigh in Com. praedict Armigeri cui modo attinet iste liber anno aetatis 64.1556 Fincham S. Martins Orate pro anima Iohannis filii et heredis Iohannis Fincham filii Symonis Fincham qui obiit vltimo die Aprilis M. cccc lxxxxix Orate pro anima Elizabethe quondam vxoris Symonis Fincham Armigeri et vnius filiarum et heredum Iohannis Tendering de Brokedyn in Com. Suff. Ar. que quidem Elizabetha obiit ... M. cccc.lxiiii Orate pro anima Iohannis Fincham filii et heredis Symonis Fincham de Fincham Ar. qui obiit vi die Septembris anno Domini M. cccc.lxxxxvi Saint Benets in the Holme The foundation of this religious structure is thus set downe by learned Camden in his chorographicall description of this County Then passeth the riuer Thirn saith hee neere the great decayed Abbey called Saint Benet in the Holme which Knute the Dane built the Monks afterward so strengthened with most strong wals and bulwarkes that it seemed rather a castell then a Cloister In so much that William the Conquerour could not winne it by assault vntill a Monke betraied it into his hands vpon this condition that himselfe might be made Abbot thereof which was done accordingly but forth with this new Abbot for being a traitour as the inhabitants make report was hanged vp by the Kings commandement and so iustly punished for his treason After the first foundation of this Abbey by King Knute her reuenues were greatly augmented and her building enlarged by Edward the Confessor and Editha his Queene with the consent of fiue Dukes and of all or the most of the Lords spirituall and temporall within his kingdome as it appeares by his Charter in Arch Turris Lond. Cart. Ant. It was dedicated to the honour of Christ and Saint Benedict replenished with blacke Monkes Benedictines and valued in the Exchequer at sixe hundred seuenty seuen pounds nine shillings eight pence qua Clipesby Not farre from the foresaid Abbey is the Parish and Lordship of Clipesby which gaue name saith Camden to a familie of ancient note in this tract whereof there hath beene diuers Knights where after it had passed in the names of Algar Elfled and Odberd all sirnamed de Clipesby as appeareth by many vndated Deedes which I haue seene it came about the first of King Iohn to Iohn de Clipesby and from him lineally to the last Iohn heire male of that line On whose Monument in this Church of Clipesby are empaled the Armes of Ierningham Woodhouse Spelman Paston all Knightly families of that countrey with whom the Clipesbies had formerly matched By Iulian a daughter and coheire of this last Iohn married to Sir Randall Crewe of Crewe in the County of Chester Knight after Lord chiefe Iustice of England the old surname of the Lord of this Mannor was changed but not the bloud For she left besides a daughter two sonnes the eldest her heire christened with the name of her paternall familie Clipesby now Sir Clipesby Crew Knight She the said Iulian died at Kewe in the County of Surrey in the yeare 1603. and was in the Chancell of the Church of Richmond decently interred with this Inscription vpon her Monument Antiqua fuit orta domo pia viuit iniuit Virgo pudica Thorum Sponsa pudica polum In this Church are diuers other Funerall Monuments for the Clipesbies but so defaced as neither Inscription nor coate-armes are remaining vpon them to giue me any further light Oby Orate pro anima Katerine filie Iohannis Spelman Armigeri quondam vxoris Clipesby Armigeri postea vxoris Edmundi Paston Armigeri que obijt xviii die Aprilis anno Domini M. cccclxxxxi Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Elingham Orate pro anima Henrici Spelman Armigeri filij et heredis Thome Spelman Armigeri qui obiit primo die mensis Martii anno Dom M. cccccxxv Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen The Armes of Spelman and Mortimer of Attilborough Narborough Orate pro animabus Henrici Spelman Legis periti ac Recordatoris ciuitatis Norw Ele vxoris eius qui quidem Henricus obiit xxiii die Septembris anno Domini M. cccclxxxxvi Vpon this Monument are his Armes and his two wiues Christian daughter and coheire of Thomas Manning Esquire and of Elisabeth his wife daughter and coheire of Sir Thomas Ienny Knight The second Ela daughter and coheire of William Narburgh of Narburgh Esquire a family of great antiquitie that bare gules a chiefe Ermin Here vndre lieth buried the body of Sir Iohn Spelman knyght and Secundary Iustice of the Kyngs Bench and Dame Elis. his wyffe whych had xiii sonnes and vii doughters of theire bodyes betwene them begottyn The which Sir Iohn decessed the xxvi day of February in the yere of our Lord God M. cccccxliv and the said Dame Elizabeth decessed the v day of Nouembre the yere of our Lord M. ccccclvi on whos
or late Of your cheriry say a Pater Noster for the soul of Tho. Drake Wendling Here was a Priory of Augustine Friers founded by Sir William de Wendling Priest valued at fiftie fiue pounds eighteene shillings foure pence halfe pennie qua Elingham neere Bungay Orate pro anima Willelmi Ellingham .... et consortis sue ... Orate pro anima Ricardi Billington ... Petrus Lyng Rector istius Ecclesie .... Orate pro anima Roberti Bonefelow ... These Inscriptions aboue written are depensild in the glasse windowes Here lyeth buried one More of Norwich to whose memory some wit of those times but the time of his death I doe not know playing and making dalliance with his name made this Epitaph following More had I once More would I haue More is not to be had The first I .... the next is vaine The third is too too bad If I had vsâ—d with More regard The More that I did giue I might haue made more vse and fruit Of More while he did liue But time will be recald no more More since are gone in briefe Too late repentance yeelds no more Saue onely paine and griefe My comfort is that God hath More Such Mores to send at will In hope whereof I sigh no more But rest vpon him still Hempton A Priory of blacke Canons founded by one Richard Ward who tooke vpon him holy Orders and liued in this house of his owne foundation which he consecrated to the honour of God our blessed Lady and Saint Stephen it was valued at the suppression at thirty nine pounds nine shillings Shornborn Here is an ancient monument in this Church to the memory of one of the Shornborns or Shernburns but so fouly defaced as nothing remaines to know the man who lies vnder it sauing a Vulture splaid which is the Crest of the Shernborns Many other Crests and Coate Armes are there also which I meddle little withall yet to vse Camdens words I doe not see how this Church could haue bin omitted for that Foelix the Burgundian Bishop of this Diocesse who first brought the East-Englishmen to the Christian faith and state of perpetuall felicitie built in this place the second Church of Christians in this Country for the first he founded at Babingley where he landed Langley The Booke of the Carmelites in Couentrie saith that Sir Roger Helke Baron who married Elianor daughter to the Earle of Oxford of whom came Robert Clauering father to Iohn father to Robert that married the daughter of the Lord Alan Zouch was the first founder of this Monastery The Catalogue of Religious houses which is very imperfect saith that the Ancestor of the wife of Sir Francis Bigot Knight together with her sisters were the Founders Another tels me that Sir Roger Kell Knight was the first founder and that the Patronage thereof came to the Vffords and Dacres by marriage but of this name there is a Religious house in Lecestershire another in the County of Hertford and so there may be a mistake A Nunnery it was valued at one hundred twenty eight pounds nineteene shillings nine pence halfe penny The persons of remarkable account interred in this Abbey Church were these Sir Roger Kell the Founder Sir Robert sonne of Sir Roger Sir Iohn sonne of Sir Robert Sir Roger sonne of sir Robert Sir Robert sonne of Kell knights Sir Iohn Clauering Anno Domini 1332. obijt Iohannes de Clauering aâ—pud Heyno aduocatus Ecclesie de Langeley in octabis die Epiphanie et sepelitur in presbiterio in conuentuali eiusdem Ecclesie ex parte aquilonari eodem anno obijt Domina Iohanna de Burgh et hic sepeliri meruit Sir Robert Thurkeby Sir Thomas Roscelyn Sir Peter Roscelyn Sir Hugh Gurnage Sir Geffrey Saye Sir Henry Lymesey Sir Fulco Cardeston or Kerdeston Sir William Kerdeston Sir Roger Kerdeston knights Anno Domini 1328. obijt Margareta quondam vxor Domini Willelmi filii Rogeri de Kerdeston militis et iacet in Ecclesia Abbathie Langeley ante Altare Crucis iuxta Dominum Thomam de Kerdeston Archidiaconum Norf. ex parte aquilonari Qui Thomas obiit anno 1270. Anno Domini 1337. obiit Dominus Rogerus de Kerdeston miles et sepelitur in Ecclesia Abbathie de Langeley iuxta matrem suam ex parte Australi Sir Peter Egfend sir Iohn Lodnes sir Iohn Dunham sir Charles Charleton sir Ely Norfolke sir Charles de Ierninta sir Robert de Grys sir Robert Helington sir Iohn Vfford sir Robert Vfford sir Thomas Vfford sir Hugh Gurney sir William Redham sir Philip Weston sir Robert de Vallibus sir Iohn Saye Symond Grys sir Iames Awdley sir William de Poole knights Dame Marian de Zouche Mother of sir Robert sonne of sir Roger Zouche knights Dame Ione wife of Robert Benhale Dame Agnes wife of Fulc Dame Ione wife of Iohn Dunham Dame Agnes Clauering Dame Margaret Benhall Dame Eue Audeley Dame Agnes wife of sir Simond Grys Dame Ione daughter of sir Robert Vfford vxor Willelmi Bowet Dame Denys Ynglos wife of sir Henry Ynglos Dame Alice wife of Thomas Charles Ladies Stiskey In the north side of this Church lie entombed Iohn Calthorpe Esquire and Alice Ermingland his wife the monument defaced vpon which is their portraicts in coate Armor Cockthorpe In the Chancell vnder a faire Tombe lieth the body of Christopher Calthorpe Esquire no inscription is remaining a familie sometime of great account in these parts saith Camden Cley iuxta mare In this Church are some defaced monuments to the memory of the Symonds Iohn Symonds and Agnes his wife lye buried in the south Chappell Another of the Symonds with his two wiues Anne and Margaret Plumsted Here vnder a faire Grauestone lieth buried Iohn Plumsted Esquire Receiuer generall of the Dutchie of Lancaster Hunworth Vnder a faire Grauestone here in the Chancell lie buried Edmund Braunche and Anne Calthorpe his wife with their coates impaled Burrughmagna In the south Chappell of the Chancell Henry Berney Esquire lieth buried which Henry married the daughter of .... Appleton of Essex named Alice by whom he had issue Thomas Henry Iohn Edward and Richard and three daughters as appeareth by the pictures vpon the defaced Tombe Vnder another Tombe lieth Iohn Berney Esquire who married first the daughter of Read and afterwards the daughter of Sydnor Here lieth Iohn Berney grandfather to Henry Berney who had to his first wife ... the daughter of Southwell to his second the daughter of Wentworth Vnder a faire Grauestone lieth inhumed the body of Iohn Berney Esquire the great Grandfather of Henry who married the daughter of Henningham Another Iohn Berney Esquire lieth here also vnder a large stone the inscription whereof is altogether almost erazed Thetford In the parish Church of Saint Maries a faire monument thus inscribed In memoriam Radulphi Fulmerston Equitis aurati Dominiceque Alicie vxoris eius ... Edwardus Clere Armiger hunc Tumulum
erexit ... Transit sicut Fulmerston gloria mundi Propitietur Deus animabus Mortuorum Saint Peters Hic iacet Willelmus Knighton ... M. cccc.lxix .... Peter Larke and Elisabeth his wyff on whos souls sweet Iesu haue pite Saint Cuthberts ...... Iohannes Bernard et Elis ..... M. ccccc.xi Here in this towne was a Religious house of Friers Preachers dedicated to the holy Trinitie and Saint Mary which Arfast Bishop of the East-Angles made his Episcopall chaire Afterwards Henry Duke of Lancaster made it a societie of Friers Preachers it was valued at thirty nine pounds sixe shillings nine pence Arfast who died circa annum 1092. was herein buried with this Epitaph vpon his monument Hic Arfaste pie pater optime et Arca Sophie Viuis per merita virtutum laude perita Vos qui transitis hic omnes atque reditis Dicite quod Christi pietas sit promptior isti 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ers Augustines in this I owne was founded by Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and Blanch his wife others say by Henry Earle of Lancaster and Leicester It was valued at three hundred twelue pounds foureteene shillings foure pence Here lye buried Dame Margery Todenham Dame Elisabeth wife of Sir Thomas Hâ—ngraue daughter of Sir Iohn Harling with many other you may imagine whose names I haue not The blacke Friers here was founded by Sir Edmond Gonvile Lord of â—irâ—ingford in this County Parson of Terington and Steward with Iohn Eâ—â—e Warren and with Henry Duke of Lancaster It was dedicated to S. Sepulchre The value I haue not learned Buried in the Church of this monâ—sterâ— were Sir Iohn Bretâ— knight Dame Agnes Honell Dame Maud Talâ—â—e wife of Peter Lord of Rickinghill Dame Anastisia wife of Sir Richard Walsingham A Priory of blacke Canons dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint Iohn was here founded by one of the Bigods or Bigots Earle of Norfolke Valued at fourty nine pounds eighteene shillings and a penny Surrendred the 16. of February 31. Hen. 8. Here was a religious structure for blacke Nunnes consecrated to the honour of God and Saint Gregory but by whom sounded I do not know It was valued in the Exchequer at fifty pound nine shillings eight pence Here sometimes stood a Colledge or gild dedicated to the blessed Virgine Mary valued at the suppression to be yearely worth one hundred nine pounds seuen shillings Hugh Bigod or Bigot Steward of the House to King Henry the first built and endowed a religious House here for blacke Monkes Benedictines or Cluniacks These words following are in the Instrument of his Foundation I Hugh Bigod Steward to King Henry by his grant and by the aduice of Heâ—bert Bishop of Norwich haue ordained Monkes of the Order of Cluny in the Church of S. Mary which was the Episcopall seate of Thetford which I gaue vnto them and afterwards founded another more meet for their vse without the Towne This Monastery was found at the suppression to be in the Kings bookes foure hundred eighteene pounds sixe shillings three pence halfe penny of yearely reuenues This Hugh the Founder was created Earle of Norfolke by King Stephen in the first yeare of his raigne He died very aged in the 24. yeare of King Henry the second and was buried in this Priory of his owne foundation to whose memory this Inscription was engrauen vpon his Funerall Monument Orate pro anima religiosissimi viri Hugonis Bigod Fundatoris huius Monasterij Seneschalli Hospitij prepotentissimo Principi Henrico Conquestoris filio Anglie Regi et Comitis Norfolcie qui quidem Hugo obiit pridie Kalend. Martii anno milesimo centesimo septuagesimo octauo Propter miserecordiam Iesu requiescat in pace Anno 1107. Optimates Angliae Richardus de Radvarijs Rogerius cognomento Bigotus mortui sunt in Monasteriis Monachorum sepulti sunt quae in propriis possessionibus ipsi condiderunt Rogerius autem apud Thetfordum in Anglia Richardus vero tumulatus apud Montisburgum in Normannia Super Rogerium Cluniacenses Alonax di tale scripserunt Epitaphium Clauderis exiguo Rogere Bigote sepulchro Et rerum cedit portio parva tibi Diuitiae sanguis facundia gratia Regum Intereunt mortem fallere nemo potest Diuitiae mentes subuertunt erigat ergo Te pietas virtus consiliumque Dei Soli moerebat virgo ter noctibus octo Cùm soluis morti debita morte tua It should seeme by the premisses that this Roger Bigot who was Sewer to King Henry the first and Father of the foresaid Hugh was the first founder of this religious Edifice or at least wise of some other in this Towne for Monkes of the order of Cluny And Stow in his Annalls agrees with my Author Ordericus This yeare saith he Maurice Bishop of London Robert Fitzhamon Roger Bigot founder of the Monastery of Monkes at Thetford Richard Redvers Councellours to the King Milo Crispen and many other Noblemen of England deceased Roger Bigot the second of that surname Earle of the East Angles or Norfolke He died about the yeare 1218. and was here interred Hugh Bigot sonne of the foresaid Roger Earle of Norfolke lay here buried who died the ninth of Henry the third 1225 Roger Bigot sonne and heire of Hugh aforesaid Earle of Norfolke and first Marshall of England of that Family was here entombed if his last will and Testament was performed Of which so much as tends to that purpose In Nomine Patris et Filij et Spiritus Sancti Amen Ego Rogerus Bigot Comes Norfolcie et Mareschallus Anglie in bona prosperitate constitutus condo Testamentum meum sub hac forma Inprimis commendo animam meam Christo c. et corpus meum in Ecclesia beate Marie Thetfordie sepeliendum Postea lego c. Huius Testamenti Executores constituo Dominum Symonem de Monteforti Com. Lecestren Dominum Richardum de Clara Com. Glouern Hertford Dominum Willelmum Malberbe Dominum Thomam Denebanke Dominum Hugonem de Tudeham c. Dat. apud Cestreford die Mercurij proximo ante festum Sancti Barnabe Apostoli anno Domini M.cclviii He died about eleuen yeares after the making of his will without issue of a bruise running at Tilt anno 1269. Roger Bigot the last of that Familie Earle of Norfolke and Marshall of England was here buried together with his first wife Alina Alyva or Adeliza daughter of Philip Lord Basset and widow of Hugh de Spenser Iustice of England she died in Aprill in the ninth yeare of Edward the first and he in the 35. of the said Kings raigne Iohn Lord Mowbray Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall of England Earle of Nottingham Lord and Baron of Segraue and of Gower sonne and successour of Iohn the first Duke of Norfolke in the dignities aforesaid was here entombed with his wife Elianor daughter of William Lord Bourchier and sister of Henry Bourchier Earle of
raigne of Hen. the seuenth Hen. the eight In the raigne of Ed. the sixt In the raigne of Q Mary In the raigne of Q Elizabeth In the raigne of King Iames. The Aetymologie Antiquity and Dignity of Heralds Heralds Priests Rosinus Ant. Rom. li. 3. c. 21. Heralds of France of noble descent Stow in the life of Brute The Armes of Brute Cold Harber the Heralds Colledge Eleanor Lady Wriothesley Ioan Wriothesley Io. Wriothesley Sir Hen. Grey Reginald Lord Grey Earle of Kent Sir Will. Cheyney and Margaret his wife The Heralds Office The body corporate of the Heralds Henry Spelman Gloss lit H. Iohn Leland the Antiquary Lelandi Strena â—â—lands New yeares gift The study of Antiquity in Hen. the eight The caâ—e King Hen had of Religion The workes of ancient Writers saued and conserued The Kings Libraries augmented The plaine â—â—le and forme of â—uncient Writers Britaine the Mother of worthy men and excellent wits This volume he called Antiphilachia written against the ambitious Empire or vsurped authoritie Reiall of the Bishop of Rome Albertus Pighius a Canon sometime in the Cathedrall Church of Vtrecht in the Low Countries Lelands affection toward his Country Four Bookes of illustrious men or of the British writers Learned Princes The wits of the British and English writers exercised in all kinds of good literature A wonderfull great number of Historiographers of British affaires Lelands laborious iourney throughout all England The description of all England in a quadrate table of siluer A Booke of the Topographie of England The names of seuerall nations Cities and great townes c. of Britaine in old time such as Cesar Tacitus Ptolimey other Authors haue made mention of restored together with the later and moderne names Of the Antiquitie of Britaine or of Ciuile History fiftie Bookes Sixe Bookes of the Islands adiacent to England Three bookes of the Nobility of Britaine His conclusion a delectabili vtili Commune voâ—â—â— Sir Rob. Cotton knight and Baronet Sir Tho. Bodley knights Pit Aetas 16. Io. Leland the Elder Elis. West Rog. Woodcocke and Ioane his wife Catherine Cauendish Alice Cavendish Marg Cavendish Lib. Esiens in bib Cott. Will. Burd Clarke of the Pipe Cowell lit C. Clarke of the Priuie Seale Io. Hartishorne Sergeant at Armes and Agnes his wife The office of Sergeant at Armes Cowell lit â— George Lord Maior Ioan and Marg. his wiues Iohn Kirkham and Elis. his wife Iohn Mynne The foundation of the Brotherhood in S. Botolpâ—s Edward Murell and Martha his wife William Campion and Anne his wife Henry Cantlow Sir William Cantlow knight Iohn Olney Lord Maior Tho. Muschampe Sir William Yerford Lord Maior and Elis. his wife Sir Roger Ree â—night and Rose his wife Tho. Bromflit Andrew Chyett Iohn Martin Lord Maior and â—atherine his wife * Eliae Reusneri Basil. Geneal Auctuarium edit Francosurt 1592 pag. 102. Historie generall of the Netherlands lib. 5 pag 227. impr an Dom. 1609. * Penes Simonds D' Ewes Equitem auratum abâ—epotem dicti Aâ—rini * In Registro Curiae Dum. Archidiaconi Lond. Libr. 4. sol 34. a b. * Escaety de a. 34. Eliz. parte 1. n. 11. Essex in Archiuis Tho. Pigot Richard Sutton W. Holland and Margaret his wife Rich Story and Ioan his wife Peter Fernefold Walter Turke Lord Maior Tho. Padington Marg. and Anne his wiues Will. Cogshall and Elis. his wife Nich. Wolbergh and Mar. his wife Rog. Hunning and Margaret his wife Tho. Paynard Vincent Catal. of Viscounts Ioan Coppinger Tho. Wandesford and Idonea his wife Will. â—oyliâ— Lord Maior and Catherine his wife Glanvile Agnes Cheyney Io. Rayning Will Porter and Elis. his wife Cowell lit C. Will. 〈◊〉 Io. Westcliffâ— Ioan his wife Will. Newport and Mossâ—s his wife Will Read and Maâ—g his wife M. Drayton Pol. 17. Song London lying like a halfe moone London Bridge the Crowne of Tames Camd. in Mid. Speed of Miâ— Gen 14.10 Hampton Court Camd in Mid. Câ—sar Commâ—nt lib. 5. Burials neere Stanes Spec. Brit. Lib. 1. cap. 2. Burials neere Brainford Burials of the dead slaine at Barnet field Camd. in Hert. The first battel of S. Albans Mss In bib Coâ— The second battell of S. Albans Camd. in Hert. Burials of the dead slaine in the battels at S. Albans Burials of the dead betwixt Stenenhaugh and Knebworth Camd. in Essex M. Drayton Song 19. Roman burials and the bones of Gyant-like found in Essex Burials neere Showbery Burials neere Barklow Ancient Tombes Danes-bloud Burials of the dead in and about Ashdown * â—â—â—inous * places * soules Battels and burialls of the dead â—â— and about â—he ancient Baâ—hg of Maldon 〈…〉 London Gâ—dwin Mss in lib. Sim. 〈…〉 aurat 〈◊〉 lib. 2 ca. 7. Mellituâ— quenched by his prayer the fire burning the Citie of Canterbury S. Ceada or Cedda 〈…〉 3. c. 2◠〈…〉 Tilbuâ—y Cities Sir Horace Vâ—â—e Baâ—on of Tilbury Sir Francis and siâ— Hoâ—ace Vere M. 〈…〉 Song 〈◊〉 S. Chad Bishop of Lichfield S. Erconwald Bed lib. 4 ca. 6. Cures by Saint Erconwald Horse-licter S. Theodred S. Egwulfe S. Richard Ex lib. Elien in bib Coâ— S. Roger. Mat. Paris an 1230. A strange Tempest M. D. Polyol Song 24. Felix the first Bishop of Dunwich or Dunmok Harding ca 91. Beda lib. 2. ca. 15 Hist. Eccl. Two and fifty religious stâ—â—ctures as many windmilâ— and as many toppe ships in Dunwich Recorda Dun. Camd. in Suss. The state of Dunwich since the foregoing time Six parish Churches Two houses of Friers One house of Templaâ—s Two Hospitals The couetouâ—nesse of the Masters and Officers The destruction of both Hospitals Three Chappelâ— The Cathedral Church vncertaine A strange and ancient buriall of a Bishop Bishops Seats anciently what they were A Mint in Dunwich Burials in the blacke Friers at Dunwich 〈◊〉 in the blacke Friers of Dunwich The foundation of the first Church in Bury The first foundation of the Abbey by the common people The second by K Canâ—â—e Ex Arch Turr. Lend * Bederics Court Farme or mansion house Camd. in Suss. Euersden Leland * Now but two The oath of the Alderman of Bury The broile betweene the Townesmen the Abbot and Couent of Bury Reliques in the Abbey Church out of a booke called Compend Com. pertorum in the treasurie of the Exchequer Aniles Fabulae S. Edmund King and Martyr Speed Hist ca. 11 * now Hoxon Ex lib. Abb. de Russ. in bib Col. S. Robert Martyr ex lib. Abb. de chateris in bib Cot. Alan Earle of Britaine and Kichmond Milles Catal. Rich. The building of Richmond Castle Tho. Plantaginet Earle of Norfolke Vincent Catal. Norf. Tho. Beauford Duke of Exceter Mary Queene of France Iohn Boon Abbot of Bury Out of a Lieger booke of the Abbey Cowell lit C. Conged'eslire Iohn Lidgate Monke * I know not * Promised * A dish made of marrow and grated bread * A Pancake * Couuremnet * Nappy Ale * Guâ—â—â— * Clocke * Verely * Nor Squire