in memory of his Wife buried here in the beginning of the Wars and one hundred Pound to the Dean and Chapter the Rent thereof to be by them yearly distributed to the Poor Dr. Duport late Dean of this Church besides many summs given elsewhere to pious and charitable uses setled twenty Pound a year on Magdalen Coll. in Cambridge to be paid to the Dean and Chapter of Peterburgh ten Pound for the Augmentation of the Schoolmasters Salaries there and ten Pound for two Scholarships in Magdalen College belonging to that School There being wanting in Mr. G. an account of the defaceing of this Church by the Souldiers in the late Rebellion Mr. Francis Standish the present worthy Chanter of it hath at my desire drawn it up in the following Narrative Which may be the more credited because he then lived in this place where he was born and bred and was a spectator of most things that he relates A Short and True NARRATIVE of the Rifling and Defacing the Cathedral Church of PETERBURGH in the Year 1643. THE Cathedral Church of Peterburgh was very famous formerly for three remarkable things a stately Front a curious Altar-Piece and a beautiful Cloister The first of the three doth still remain a very goodly Structure supported with three such tall Arches as England can scarce show the like The two last are since destroy'd by Sacrilegious hands and have nothing now remaining but only the bare memory of them In this place I think I may say began that strange kind of deformed Reformation which afterward passed over most places of the Land by robbing rifling and defacing Churches This being one of the first which suffered in that kind Of which you may take this following account from an eye witness and which I suppose is still fresh in the memory of many surviving Persons In the year 1643 about the midst of April there came several Forces to Peterburgh raised by the Parliament in the Associated Counties in order to besiege Croyland a small Town some seven miles distant which had a little before declared for the King and then was held a Garrison for Him The first that came was a Foot-Regiment under one Colonel Hubbart's command upon whose arrival some persons of the Town fearing what happen'd afterward desire the Chief Commander to take care the Souldiers did no injury to the Church This he promises to do and gave order to have the Church doors all lockt up Some two days after comes a Regiment of Horse under Colonel Cromwel a name as fatal to Ministers as it had been to Monasteries before The next day after their arrival early in the morning these break open the Church doors pull down the Organs of which there were two Pair The greater Pair that stood upon a high loft over the entrance into the Quire was thence thrown down upon the ground and there stamped and trampled on and broke in pieces with such a strange furious and frantick zeal as can't be well conceived but by those that saw it Then the Souldiers enter the Quire and there their first business was to tear in pieces all the Common-Prayer Books that could be found The great Bible indeed that lay upon a Brass Eagle for reading the Lessons had the good hap to escape with the loss only of the Apocrypha Next they break down all the Seats Stalls and Wainscot that was behind them being adorn'd with several Historical passages out of the Old and New Testament a Latin Distich being in each Seat to declare the Story Whilst they are thus employed they chance to find a Great Parchment Book behind the Cieling with some 20 pieces of Gold laid there by a person a little before as in a place of safety in those unsafe and dangerous times This encourages the Souldiers in their work and makes them the more eager in breaking down all the rest of the Wainscot in hopes of finding such another prize The Book that was deposited there was called Swapham the Lieger Book of the Church and was redeemed afterward of a Souldier that got it by a person belonging to the Minster for ten Shillings under the notion of an old Latin Bible There was also a great Brass Candlestick hanging in the middle of the Quire containing about a Dozen and half of Lights with another Bow Candlestick about the Brass Eagle These both were broke in pieces and most of the Brass carried away and sold A well disposed person standing by and seeing the Souldiers make such spoil and havock speaks to one that appeared like an Officer desiring him to restrain the Souldiers from such enormities But all the answer he obtained was only a scoffing reply to this purpose See how these poor People are concern'd to see their Idols pulled down So the Inhabitants of Peterburgh at that time were accounted by these Reformers both a malignant and superstitious kind of People When they had thus defaced and spoiled the Quire They march up next to the East end of the Church and there break and cut in pieces and afterward burn the Rails that were about the Communion Table The Table it self was thrown down the Table-Cloth taken away with two fair Books in Velvet Covers the one a Bible the other a Common-Prayer Book with a Silver Bason gilt and a Pair of Silver Candlesticks beside But upon request made to Colonel Hubbert the Books Bason and all else save the Candlesticks were restored again Not long after on the 13th day of July 1643 Captain Barton and Captain Hope two Martial Ministers of Nottingham or Darbyshire coming to Peterburgh break open the Vestery and take away a Fair Crimson Satten Table Cloth and several other things that had escaped the former Souldiers hands Now behind the Communion Table there stood a curious Piece of Stone-work admired much by Strangers and Travellers a stately Skreen it was well wrought painted and gilt which rose up as high almost as the Roof of the Church in a Row of three lofty Spires with other lesser Spires growing out of each of them as it is represented in the annexed draught This now had no Imagery-work upon it or any thing else that might justly give offence and yet because it bore the name of the High Altar was pulled all down with Ropes lay'd low and level with the ground Over this place in the Roof of the Church in a large Oval yet to be seen was the Picture of our Saviour seated on a Throne one hand erected and holding a Globe in the other attended with the four Evangelists and Saints on each side with Crowns in their hands intended I suppose for a Representation of our Saviours coming to judgment Some of the company espying this cry out and say Lo this is the God these People bow and cringe unto This is the Idol they worship and adore Hereupon several Souldiers charge their Muskets amongst whom one Daniel Wood of Captain Ropers Company was the chief and discharge them at it and
by his frequent vomitings of blood as his Brother Remaldus was called Spiritualis our Book saith because he was a very little Man and ministred with much affection to the Elder Sacrist He is mentioned also by those Authors as a noble Writer and said to have left an accurate History of this Church of Peterburgh and praised by Leland as Vossius observes L. 2. de Histor Lat. C. 56. who calls him luculentus scriptor rerum gestarum and yet it is not agreed when he lived nor whether his History be any where remaining because few or none have read this Book called SWAPHAM with due care and observation Vossius saith HUGO flourished in the later end of the Reign of King John In which I have shown he was mistaken And Mr. Gunton himself the Writer of this present History makes a question in the end of Robert de Lyndsay's life whether Hugo's Book be not now lost though Leland he observes had seen and read it Which inclines me to think he principally relied upon what Walter of Witlesea hath written about this Church and did not think it necessary to read all the Book called Swapham for that would have informed him he was reading the very same HUGO whom Leland read Especially if he had compared Leland's Collections concerning this Monastery with the Book called Swapham as I have done whereby he would have found that they are word for word the same only abbreviated by Leland Who ends his Collectanea just where Hugo's life ended with the Deposition of William de Watervile and goes not one step further and therefore might well call them in the Title of them Collectanea ex libro Hugonis Monarchi Petroburgensis Our Book indeed now called Swapham proceeds further and carries on the History as far as to William de Hotot the Predecessor of John de Caleto In whose time or in Robert Sutton's not long after or in the Year 1271 which was the last of Henry 3. I suppose Robert Swapham dyed For in that year I find a Deed made by Henry Passenger de Quadering unto that Abbot and the Convent which is said to be done tempore Rob. de Swapham Who was then Celerarius of this Church and made a purchace of Robert the Father of that Henry for the benefit of the Celeraria of which he had the management Whom I take to have been only a Continuator of Hugo and but a little way neither having wrote no more than the History of Seven Abbots For it doth not appear that he was the Transcriber of all the Records which are in no good order put together at the end of the History unto which both Mr. Gunton and my self have had recourse for the perfecting of these Labours I have perused also a MS. Chronicle which that eminent lover of Learning Sir John Cotton did me the favour to lend me out of his renowned Library written as the Title bears per Johannem Abbatem Burgi Sancti Petri. What John this was is the doubt there being two of that name who may pretend unto it John de Says and John de Caleto The first of them it cannot be for ad An. 975. this Chronicle referrs the Reader to William of Malmsbury and to Henry Archdeacon of Huntingdon whom he mentions also both ad An. 1135. and 1153 where are these words Hic finit Chronica Henrici Huntingdon as ad An. 1153 there are these his finit Chron. Alredi Who all three lived about the same time the first of them in 1142 the second 1158 the third 1145 all of them after the death of John de Says And therefore I conclude it was written by John de Caleto who lived in the time of Henry 3. an hundred Year after them Vossius indeed makes this Johannes Burgensis to have lived in the time of Edward 3. about 1340 when there was no Abbot here of that name But he calls him Vir eruditus disertus and saith he is commended by Leland as one that had digested the Annals of England in good order Besides these two Johns there is no Abbot of that name but John of Deeping who died almost an hundred Year after that 1439 long after this Chronicon ends Which is the more likely to be John de Caleto's because there is no mention at all made when he died nor who was his Successor but only of the time when he was made Abbot After which the Annals were carried on in all probability by another hand who was better acquainted with the affairs of the Church of Spalding than with those of Peterburgh For he saith little of Peterburgh but gives a very large account from the forementioned period of all the Priors of Spalding who are spoken of in the preceding Part of the Annals very sparingly I might have been furnished with other Records out of the same Library which I sought after but could not find till it was too late that is till the Supplement to this History was grown so bigg that it could bear no further enlargement without great loss to the Undertaker June 20. 85. S. P. Beneuolo froute Ilumfridae Orme Petriburg ' Armig. Notitia frontis Lectiae Cath. ibid. posteritat conseruatur Ecclesiae Cathedralis Petroburgensis facies Occidentalis The West Prospect of the Cathedral Church of Peterborough The East-Prospect of the Cathedral Church of Peterborough The Old Altar-peice beaten down by the Souldiers in the great Rebellion THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF PETERBURGH WHEN this Realm of England was divided into an Heptarchy the Mercian Kingdom being one and the greatest of them all had the County of Northampton within its Dominion the Eastern part of which County being Moorish and Fenny was anciently inhabited by a People called the Gyrvii of the old Word Gyr which signified a Fen and for the conveniency and fertility of this place for its nearness both to the high and upland Countrey and the Fens it was thought meet for habitation The Village was at the first called by the name of Medeshamsted from a deep Pit or Gulf in the River of Nen called Medeswell which ancient Writers of the place affirm to have been of wonderful depth and so cold in the heat of Summer that no Swimmer was able to abide the cold thereof and yet in the Winter it was never known to be frozen Which Properties are now lost with the Well it self only Tradition hath preserved a dark memory thereof adventuring to say It is a little beneath the Bridge that is now standing But if this Well be lost there is another sunk with it into the Pit of Oblivion namely S. Laurence-Well of great fame in ancient days Dr. Hamm. Annot. in fol. 695. whither disposed people according to the Devotion of those times resorted haply for cure of Diseases which kind of Devotion was restrained by Oliver Sutton Bishop of Lincoln In what part Oliver Sutton was B. of Lincoln 1280. of the Monastery this Well was I find not it is probable
Commission to come over into England to gather up Peter pence which gave him opportunity to espy out some preferment or other here therefore coming to the King and much complaining of the troubles in his own Countrey whose Wars by reason of his age he could not endure he besought the King to conferr upon him the Abby of Peterburgh which was then vacant which he being allyed to the King obtained notwithstanding that both Archbishops and Bishops opposed it telling the King it was not lawful for him to hold two Abbeys But the King afterwards perceiving his fraud and covetousness commanded him to depart the Realm when he had held the Abbey of Peterburgh 5 years and so Anno 1133. he returned to his Abbey De Angeli In the first year that this John came to be Abbot here as Wittlesey writes there were heard and seen in the night time throughout Lent in the Woods betwixt Stamford and Peterburgh Hunters with their Horns and Dogs all of them of black and ugly complexion some riding upon black Horses and some upon Goats they had great staring eyes and were seen sometimes twenty and sometimes thirty in a company 20. MARTINVS de Vecti So called of the Isle of Wight from whence he came some call him Martin Cook He was first Prior of S. Neots and the King gave him the Monastery of Peterburgh into which he was honourably received by the Monks upon S. Peters day Anno 1133. being the 33 of King Henry 1. He was very industrious in repairing and perfecting the buildings of the Monastery and especially the Church to the dedication whereof anew there came thither Alexander Bishop of Lincoln the Abbots of Thorney Croyland Ramsey and others to whom Abbot Martin shewed the Holy Reliques and S. Oswalds arm Anno 1123. 23 years after its burning The tokens of which conflagration are yet to be seen or of some other in the inside of the West Porch above This Martin built a Gate of the Monastery but which I cannot say He likewise changed the situation of the Village to the Western side of the Monastery for before it was on the East he appointed the market place as now it is and built many houses about it He changed also the place of Wharfage for Boats coming to the Town to that place which is now commonly used He removed the Church of S. John Baptist which before stood in a Close still known by the name of S. John's Close to the place where now the said Church standeth And as he was a great builder so was he also in some sort a demolisher for he pulled down a Castle standing near the Church which perhaps was Mount Thorold formerly mentioned He planted the Vineyard and added many buildings to his own dwellings He entertained King Stephen who came hither to see the Arm of S. Oswald to whom he offered his Ring and forgave the Church 40 Marks which it ought him and confirmed many other Priviledges Abbot Martin in the time of his Government took a journey to Rome and along with him the Charter of King Ethelred that the then Pope Eugenius the Third might grant his Confirmation But in Wittlesey the Consistory there arose a debate about the form of the Charter which hitherto had gone currant for the space of almost 500 years for one of the Cardinals present besought the Pope that he would not give the honour of his name to another whereupon a new Charter was granted to Abbot Martin in the name of Eugenius and the name of King Ethelred Founder and Benefactor was put out Martin having sitten in his Abbattical See the Appendix Chair here about the term of 22 years died Anno 1155. which was the second year of King Henry 2. And there succeeded 21. WILLIHELMVS de Watervile Vid. Chartam in App. Who being Elected Abbot by the Monks the Election easily obtained the Kings ratification in regard this William was one of his Clerks or Chaplains The King also confirmed unto him and his Abbey the eight Hundreds of that part of the County which had formerly been granted by the Kings Predecessors This Abbot erected a Priory in Stamford and the Church of S. Michael there He setled a yearly maintenance upon the Church of S. John Baptist in Peterburgh enacting that the Chaplain should yearly upon Michaelmas day bring his Church-Key to the Sacrist of the Monastery as an acknowledgment of his dependance upon it He was very industrious in perfecting the buildings of his Monastery and adding new ones He built the Cloister and covered it with Lead He ordered Cloister and disposed the Quire of the Church in that manner as it lately stood and in some sort continues still He founded Quire the Chappel of Thomas Becket which was finished by his Successor and is now standing in the middle of the Arch of the Church-Porch as you enter into the Church He built a Chappel also in his own House and other necessary Offices At length he was accused by his Monks to the Archbishop so that he was deposed without conviction or his own confession as our Writers say of any crime deserving that censure when he had held his Abby twenty years Anno 1175. being the 21 or 22 year of King Henry the Second And although our Peterburgh Writers are silent in the cause of his deposition yet others have taken notice of it Johannes Brompton Jornallensis relates it thus that Richard Archbishop of Canterbury came to the Abby Pag. 1107 1108. of Peterburgh and deposed William of Watervile the Abbot there for that he against the will of the Monks entred with a band of armed men into the Church and took from thence some Reliques and the arm of S. Oswald pro denariis ad Judaeos invadendos the Monks standing in defence of their Reliques many of them were grievously wounded Roger Hoveden relates another reason as the most principal which he addeth to that of Jornallensis Pag. 313. that this Abbot William was fallen into the Kings disfavour for his brothers sake one Walter of Watervile in the Parish of Achrich in the County of Northampton where anciently was his Castle whom Abbot William received with others of that party being then in Arms against the King which shewed that Abbot William was not so Loyal to his Master the King as he should have been but abetting with his brother it might cause his own deposition 22. BENEDICTVS William being deposed the King held the Abby in his hand two years and then Benedict Prior of Canterbury was thought the fittest for it and made Abbot Anno 1177. in the Twenty fourth of King Henry the Second He was a very Learned man and as Pitseus who gives him very high commendations doth certifie wrote two Books Vitam S. Thomae Cantuariensis De ejusdem post mortem miraculis and certain others saith he yet because I find these Books mentioned in the Catalogue of this Abbots Library it may be
and long contest with Sir Nicolas de Ry and the Abbot of Swinestead for Lands recovered from the Sea to his Mannor of Gosberchirch in Linconshire the story whereof Mr. Dugdale hath set down at large from a Peterburgh Manuscript Hist of Imb. and Draining page 235. Henry being dead was buried betwixt the Quire and the great Altar near unto his Predecessor Adam His grave being in the year 1648. Jan. 11. opened to receive the body of John Towers late Lord Bishop of this place there was found a Seal of Lead the instrument wholly consumed having on the one side these Letters thus inscribed SPA SPE over their several Effigies on the reverse Clemens P P vi 'T is probable that the instrument was some indulgence gotten at the Jubilee which was but three years before I must not here pass by a mistake of Pitseus who in his book of English Writers pag. 448. makes mention of one Johannes Petroburgensis who as he saith was first a Monk and afterwards Abbot of Peterburgh and lived about the year 1340. that he was a very learned man and wrote Annales Anglorum which he might do But for his being Abbot here at this time sure I am there was none such And Possevine in his Apparatus making mention of one Johannes Burgensis who wrote such a Book saith that he lived Anno 1200. but is not able to distinguish betwixt this and an other John mentioned in the life of Henry of Overton although Pitseus makes them two distinct Johns Vossius contradicts Possevine concerning the time of this supposed John but neither doth he agree with our account Henry being dead there succeeded 37. ROBERTVS Ramsey And all that we can say of him is that he succeeded Henry and was Abbot here the space of 8 years and that these books were the materials of his study Prima pars 2 Hostiensis in Decreta in 2. Vol. Hostiensis in Summa Speculum judiciale Decretale Derivationes Hugutionis Prima pars 2 Hostiensis in Decreta His next Successor was 38. HENRICVS de Overton Heu de Pightesly Who was made Abbot Anno 1361. or as some say a year after being the 36 of King Edward 3. No memorable act of his is extant upon any Record that I have seen Only that he instituted a yearly solemnity for the Soul of William Courtney Archbishop of Canterbury of Mary Courtney his Mother and of Hugh Courtney her Husband Earl of Devon and for the Souls of the Brethren and Sisters of the said Archbishop And likewise for the Souls of the Abbots of Peterburgh his Predecessors and Successors For which annual solemnity he appointed by his Charter bearing date 1390 the summ of 15l out of the Mannor of Thulby and some other Lands But why Abbot Henry should have the house of Courtney in so high esteem I find not In his time great Commotions were raised against the Church in several places which as Richardus Knighton Canon of Leicester relates in the year 1381. reached to the Church of Peterburgh where the Countreymen and Tenants arose against the Abby with intention to have destroyed it but by the hand of God they were prevented What the cause of these commotions was or the manner of their pacification as yet I do not find About this time flourished a very learned man one Johannes de Burgo who wrote certain Books Of the Sacraments and a Book known to this day by the name of Pupilla oculi He was Pastor of the Church of Collingham in the County of Nottingham then belonging to the Monastey of Peterburgh Afterwards he was chosen Chancellor of the University of Cambridg which at length he relinquished and returned to Collingham where he died Anno 1386. as Pitseus and others write Page 542. Henry was Abbot here 29 years compleat and died in his thirtieth year Anno 1391. which might be the 14 or 15 of King Richard 2. His Library was but small only these Books Decretale Johannes de Deo Breviarium novum Catholicon Breviarum in two Vol. Innocentius Liber de vita moribus Tartarorum Henry being dead there succeeded 39. NICOLAVS Whom H. of Pightesly sirnames Elmstow Being made Abbot 1391. he continued so the space of five years I have little to say of him only I find in the accompt of his Celerarius for his second year of his being Abbot wherein the daily expences of his Table are recorded that his provision for that year all entertainments of strangers being also considered amounted to no more then 79 l. 0 s. 11 d. His Library had in it these Books Digestum vetus Digestum novum Codex Justiniani Liber azonis Raymundus Liber Poenitentiale Parvum volumen Digestum infortiatum Instituta Quaterna de lege Vnus lib. de fisica Alius Liber de lege Psalterium pulchrum Psalterium Latine Gallice scriptum Now although the private Libraries of these Abbots were thus small yet was there a publick Library for the whole Monastery stored with above 1700 Books or Tractates as by an antient Matriculary of that Library may appear in an Appendix to this our story Nicolas dying in his 5. year 1396. the 19. or 20. of 2 King Rich. 2. there came in his place 40. WILLIHELMVS GENGE Who was the first mitred Abbot of Peterburgh and continued in his Government here the space of 12 years both which his Epitath will demonstrate He was buried betwixt the Quire and high Altar the brass of his Monument participating of the same fate with the rest in the late devasting or devesting of Monuments Anno 1643. His Epitaph must now live in paper and it was this Prudens praelatus Wilihelmus Genge vocitatus Primus mitratus Abbas jacet hic tumulatus Summe vivebat claustrum summeque regebat Mundum spernebat quae fecerat illa docebat Vixer at ornatus virtutibus immaculatus Tunsus quadratus tentatus igne probatus Annis bissenis Burgum rexit bene plenis Vt careat poenis precibus potiamur amoenis 41. JOHANNES DEEPING Was made Abbot in the year 1408. being the 10 of King Henry 4. When he had been Abbot the space of 30 years he resigned his place accepting of a Corrodie for his life which was but one year more He lieth buried at the upper end of the Quire at the left hand of his predecessors Godfrey of Croyland and William Genge The brass of his Monument fared as other Monuments did in the year 1643. the Inscription was this Orate pro anima Johannis Deeping quondam Abbatis hujus Monasterii qui obiit 5 die Decembris 1439. 42. RICHARDVS ASHTON Was upon the resignation of John made Abbot 1438. the 17 year of King Henry 6. and continued therein about 33 years Throughout the whole succession of the former Abbots I find but small or no discovery what order the Monks of Peterburgh were of or under what rule they lived saving the forementioned in Johannes de Caleto but in the time of this
say January 16. being the year of our Lord 1560. What he was for Learning and integrity of Religion in the now reformed Church of England wherein he was a Bishop may appear by these Doctrinal Articles which in his first Episcopal Visitation he prescribed to the Dean and Prebendaries of his Church requiring their subscription thereunto For as yet the general Articles of the Church of England were not formed until about two years after Jan. 29. 1562. B. Scamblers Articles were these 1 Sacra Scriptura in se continet omnem doctrinam pietatis ex qua sufficienter error convinci possit veritas stabiliri 2 Symbolum Nicaenum Athanasii quod communiter Apostolorum dicitur continent brevissime articulos fidei nostrae sparsim in Scripturis ostensos qui istis non crediderint inter veros Catholicos non sunt recipiendi 3 Ecclesia Christi est in qua purum Dei verbum praedicatur sacramenta juxta Christi ordinationem administrantur in qua clavium autoritas retinetur 4 Quaevis Ecclesia particularis autoritatem habet instituendi mutandi abrogandi caeremonias ritus Ecclesiasticos modo ad decorem ordinem aedificationem fiat 5 Christus tantum duo sacramenta expresse nobis commendat Baptisma Eucharistiam quae conferunt gratiam rite sumentibus etiamsi malus sit Minister non prosunt indigne sumentibus quamvis bonus sit Minister 6 Laudandus est Ecclesiae mos baptizandi parvulos retinendus 7 Coena Dominica non est tantum Symbolum benevolentiae Christianorum interse sed magis Symbolum est nostrae redemptionis per Christi mortem nostrae conjunctionis cum Christo ubi fidelibus vere datur exhibetur Communio corporis sanguinis Domini 8 Sacramentum Eucharistiae ex usu Primitivae Ecclesiae neque servabatur vel elevabatur vel adorabatur 9 Missa quae consuevit a sacerdotibus dici non erat a Christo constituta sed a multis Romanis Pontificibus confirmata nec est Eucharistia ex se sacrificium propitiatorium sed recordatio sacrificii semel peracti 10 Scholastica transubstantiatio panis vini in corpus sanguinem Christi probari non potest ex sacris literis 11 Non omne peccatum mortale seu voluntariò perpetratum post baptismum est irremissibile peccatum in Spiritum Sanctum 12 Post acceptum Spiritum potest homo peccare ac denuo resipiscere neque sine peccato vivit quamvis regeneratio in Christo imputetur 13 Justificatio ex sola fide est certissima doctrina Christianorum 14 Elizabetha Regina Angliae est unicus supremus gubernator hujus regni omnium dominiorum regionum suarum quarumcunque in rebus causis Ecclesiasticis quam temporalibus 15 Verbum Dei non prohibet foeminarum regimen cui obediendum est juxta ordinationem Dei 16 Romanus Pontifex nullam habet jurisdictionem in hoc regno Angliae nec alia quaecunque potestas extranea 17 Leges civiles possunt Christianos propter flagitia morte punire 18 Christianis licet ex jussu Principis bella gerere ex justa causa propria possidere 19 Doctrina scholasticorum de Purgatorio invocatione Divinorum nullum habet fundamentum ex verbo Dei 20 Praeceptum Dei est ut quae leguntur in Ecclesia illa lingua proferantur quae ab Ecclesia intelligatur 21 Absque externa legitima vocatione non licet cuiquam sese ingerere in aliquod ministerium Ecclesiasticum vel seculare 22 Matrimonium inter Christianos legitime juxta verbum Dei initum contractum est indissolubile nec per traditiones hominum unquam vellendum 23 Coelibatus nulli hominum statui praecipitur neque injungitur ministris Ecclesiae ex verbo Dei Haec omnia vera esse publice docenda profiteor eaque juxta datam mihi facultatem eruditionem tuebor docebo Hancque meam confessionem manus meae subscriptione testificor contrariamque doctrinam abolendam esse judico detestor By these Articles it may appear that Bishop Scambler was no friend to the Church of Rome nor they to him and whether it was for these Articles or some other Book which he published I find him recorded in the Roman Index of Books prohibited and branded with the Title of Pseudoëpiscopus But his name and memory are the more honourable by that name of Infamy which the Papists might cast upon the Worthies of our English Church Scambler having been Bishop here the space of twenty three years was translated to Norwich whither he that would know the residue of his life end burial or Epitaph must follow him it being without the Climate of our story But whilst he was at Peterburgh he empaired the honour priviledges and revenues of his Bishoprick passing quite away the Hundred of Nassaburgh with the whole Liberties thereof The Goal The Mannor of Thirlby The Mannor of Southorpe c. to the Queen from whom the Earls of Exeter enjoy them to this day As if King Henry had not taken away enough the Bishop himself would pass away more Scambler being translated to Norwich there succeeded 48 RICHARD HOWLAND Who was Master of S. John's Colledge in Cambridge and made Bishop here March 16. 1584. being the 27 year of Queen Elizabeth We have not much to say of him his parts or actions but shall enlarge this Paragraph of his being Bishop here with the story of Mary Queen of Scotts her death at Fotheringhay Castle and burial in the Cathedral Church of Peterburgh The whole progress of her life and actions from her first arrival in England May 16. 1568. to her coming to Fotheringhay with her several places of removal and several keepers is so largely related by Mr. Vdal Mr. Saunderson and others who have wrote her story that I shall remit the Reader to them and content my self with her death and burial Upon the seventh day of February 1586. eighteen years from her first arrival The Commissioners for her execution came to Fotheringhay the Earls of Shrewsbury Kent c. and Thomas The Earl of Shrewsbury was George Talbot and E. Marshal of England The Earl of Kent was Henry Grey Andrews of Sheriff of Northamptonshire for that year By these the Queen of Scotts understanding that the Lease of her life was not long to last only one day longer she seemed not dismayed with the Message but told the Commissioners she did not think that Queen Elizabeth would have consented to her death but since it was so she would most gladly embrace it and in order thereunto desired of the Commissioners the benefit of her Clergy that her Confessor might come to her which the Commissioners denying propounded the Bishop or Dean of Peterburgh which the Queen of Scotts refused The Commissioners being departed she gave order for her Supper at the time whereof she drank to her servants and comforted them because she saw them much
confitebitur tibi S v. Hymnarius glosatus T v. Sermones in festo Mariae Magdalenae Sermones If this was not a Nick-name of Peter Comestor I cannot find who he was See X vii Magistri Petri Manducatoris U v. Tractatus Alexandri Necham de tribus viribus animae Verborum significationes super librum sententiarum secundum This Roger lived An. 1160. Pitseus sets down the books which he wrote but not this Magistrum Rogerum Salisburiensem X v. Compendium Theologiae qui sic incipit Deus unus est Tractatus Vnde Missa exordium habuit De transubstantiatione Corporis Christi Excerptiones Epistolarum Cassiani Y v. Expositio Magistri Petri super librum Job Henrico Regi Anglorum Sententia L. Archiepiscopi de libertate Monachorum Quaedam excerpta de libro Soliloquiorum Isidori S. Homo respondit rationi Tractatus de diversis figuris aliis partibus Grammaticae qui sic incipit Ferrum rubiginem Tractatus de singulis libris Bibliothecae tam Novi quam Veteris Testamenti See M v. Tractatus Innocentii 3. de Dulia Latria cultu Dei imaginum Z v. Versus excerptionum Veteris Novi Testamenti in quibus breviter continetur Summa totius operis Liber Tobiae Job versifice Verba Floris Judicis de Susanna versifice Homilia Origenis super Cantica Canticorum versifice Contentio spiritus carnis versifice Liber qui sic incipit Papa stupor mundi Liber Marci Valerii Martialis Epigrammaton ad diversos autores versifice A vi Tractatus de diversis morbis mentis corporis Meditationes Beati Bernardi Item Cur Deus homo B vi Libellus Beati Augustini qui dicitur Cherub Quaedam notulae de Confessione facienda Quaedam lectio This Adam lived An. 1257. was Monk of Worcester and afterwards was elected B. of Ely but Hugh Balsham by the favour of Pope Alexan. 4. obtained it against him Pits Magistri Adae de Marisco fratris Minoris Quaedam Epistolae Senecae and Lucilium Liber de miseria humanae conditionis C vi Sermo de vitiis virtutibus Petendam esse solitudinem versifice Tractatus de Trinitate De arte praedicandi cum sermonibus sequentibus literis Innocentii Papae aliorum Moralis expositio super Cantica Canticorum Rythmice composita Sermo qui sic incipit Meliora sunt verba tua vino D vi Sermones in Dominicis S. à Dom. 6. usque ad 25. Liber Sermonum Horatii Doctrinale Magnum Summa Richard Wetberset lived Anno 1350. This book is amongst some others of his in Pitseus Richardi Cancellarii Cantabrigiensis Qui bene praesunt E vi Graecismus Tractatus de Accentu Tractatus Radulphi de Mediis syllabis F vi Liber Boëtii Glosati de Consolatione Philosophiae Versus Licentii ad Augustinum versus Augustini ad Licentium Versus de Institutione Sacrae Missae G vi Parvus tractatus inter defensorem accusatorem H vi Musica Boëtii Boetius Manlius Severinus was Consul of Rome and Councellor to Theodoricus the Emp. by whose command he was put to death Anno 524. saith Trithemius who recites this book of Musick amongst his other works Musica Guidonis alii parvi tractatus de Musica I vi Epistolae Senecae ad Paulum Pauli ad Senecam Epistolae Senecae ad Lucilium Seneca de Beneficiis Seneca de Clementia ad Neronem Seneca de Paupertate Seneca de Remediis fortunae Ludicra Senecae de Claudio Nerone vel Ludus Senecae Liber declamationum Senecae Tragoediae Senecae Seneca de naturalibus quaestionibus K vi Priscianus de Constructione Priscanus the Grammarian was born at Caesarea and was favourite to Cozroe K. of Persia Anno 620. Trith Priscianus super 12 versus Virgilii Institutio ejusdem de Nomine Pronomine Adverbio Priscianus de Accentibus Liber de Barbarismis Soloecismis Isagoge Porphyrii Categoriae Aristotelis Liber peri ermenias Liber divisionum Boëtii Categorici Syllogismi L vi Liber de Arte poetica Sermones ejusdem Epistola ejusdem M vi Versus Bedae presbyteri de die judicii Theodulus Sedulius Prosper versus Abonis Versus Sibyllae de die judicii Ovidius de mirabilibus mundi Ovidius de Somno Divinationes Symphronii De pedibus metrorum arte versificandi Regulae de ultimis primis syllabis Ovidius de annulo Ovidius de pulice Regulae de primis ultimis syllabis Regulae de ultimis penultimis N vi Expositiones quarundam partium per Alphabetum Remigius super Donatum majorem minorem Trithemius makes mention of this work of Remigius See K iv Isidorus super Donatum Libellus Bedae presbyteri de metrica arte Remigius super Focam Grammaticum Institutio Prisciani Grammatici O vi Cato Quintus Serenus de Medicamine Symphonius de Divinationibus P vi Tullius de Divinatione Timene ejusdem Liber Tullii de Fato Libellus ejusdem de paradoxa Stoicorum Lucullus ejusdem Tres libri ejusdem de Legibus Q vi Tullius de Divinatione Liber Tusculanarum Marci Tullii Ciceronis R vi See O. Epistolae Senecae ad Paulum Epist Pauli ad Senec. Ratio novem Musarum secundum quosdam philosophos Culex Virgilii Dirae Virgilii Capa Virgilii Versus Virgilii de Est Non est Versus ejusdem de institutione viri boni Ecloga ejusdem de Rosis nascentibus Moretum Virgilii Epitaphia ejusdem à duodecim sapientibus conscripta Versus eorundem de diversis rebus Versus de 12 primis Imperatoribus Romanorum Versus Sibyllae de die judicii Versus Augusti Caesaris de laude Virgilii Liber Theoduli Versus de lapsu primi hominis Versus de Jephte Versus de Susanna Proverbia Senecae Disputatio inter Accusatorem Epaminondam S vi Invectiva Salustii in Ciceronem Salustius Crispus in Bellum Catilinarium T vi Macrobius de Somno Scipionis Macrobius de Saturnalibus sed imperfectus U vi Liber Prosperi Versus Bedae presbyteri de die judicii Versus Abonis X vi Prosper Cato Versus de die judicii Dirocheum Prudentii Y vi Libellus Donati de voce literis syllabis pedibus accentibus posituris Libellus Servii de modis syllabarum Donatus de Barbarismo Persius Glosatus Psychomachia Prudentii Z vi Bucolica Georgica Persius Libellus Prudentii de laude Martyrum Dirocheum Aurelius Prudentius an elegant Poet flourished An. 390. saith Bellarmine 380. saith Trithemius who records many more of his works than Bellarmine doth but neither of them any by the title of Dirocheum It should be Diptochaeum ejusdem Versus Abonis Macer de viribus literarum Regulae de primis syllabis A vii Macer Cajus Licinius Macer wrote a Roman history and was contemporary with Virgil There was another Aemilius Macer about the same time who wrote of Birds Serpents and Herbs Macrobius De Somno Scipionis Glosae super Platonem juxta
Magistrum Manegraldum B vii See T. Excerpta de versibus Martialis coci Versus contra praepositos C vii Salustius Invectivae Ciceronis in Catilinam libri 4. Invectivae Salustii in Ciceronem Ciceronis in Salustium Oratio Tullii pro Marco Marcello Oratio ejusdem pro Quinto Ligario Oratio ejusdem pro Rege Deiotaro Proverbia Senecae Dicta diversorum doctorum Gregorius de libertate Monachorum De praevaricatione poenitentia Regis Salomonis quid senserint nostri Doctores Augustinus Hieronymus Ambrosius Bacharius Beda D vii Ovidius de remedio amoris Ovidius Tristium Ovidius Fastis E vii Ovidius Tristium Ovidius in Ibin Ovidius de Nuce Versus de mirabilibus mundi See L x. Ovidius de Somno Ovidius de medicamine faciei Ovidius de medicamine aurium Ovidius de annulo Ovidius de pulice Ovidius de cuculo Dares Frigius de excidio Trojae See T. Fulgentius de expositione fabularum F vii Ovidius Epistolarum Ovidius de arte amandi Ovidius de remedio amoris G vii Ovidius de are amatoria Ovidius de remedio amoris Ovidius sine titulo Ovidius de Ponto Ovidius de Fastis Glosae super Ovidium in Ibin Tractatus de iis quae quaerebantur antiquitus in principiis librorum Beda de Tropis H vii Donatus minor Tract at us ejusdem de voce litera tonis accentibus posituris Donatus major Dialogus de partibus orationis alia quaedam de Grammatica parvis instruendis utilia Institutio Prisciani Grammatici I vii Liber Eutyci Grammatici Eutychius Proculus the Grammarian was Schoolmaster to Antoninus Pius Vossius Commentum Sedulii super eundem K vii Cato per aequipollentiam libri 4. Liber Amani de fabula S. Rustica deflenti Persius L vii Interrogatio quarundam partium responsio Tractatus de pedibus metrorum Versus de ludo Scaccorum Robert Helcot who lived Anno 1349. wrote De ludo Scaccorum but by Pits it may seem that his books began in Prose Hieronymus Vida wrote in Verse a Poem called Scaccheae ludus printed Basilicae 1534. but I cannot say it was this Regulae de primis syllabis sic incipiens Regula splendescit Item regulae de primis mediis syllabis Regulae de Vltimis syllabis Item regulae de primis i. Labile labis Colores Rhetorici Tractatus de Tonis De Symphonia facienda De Organis faciendis De tintinnabulo Item de Organis Epist Gerberti ad Constantinum de Proportionibus Textus Rythmachiae Abacus Libellus de Compoto Tractatus de Computationibus annorum ab origine mundi usque ad Christum Figurae divisiones Item Scriptum de Compoto Compotus Gerlandi Compotus Philippi de Tanu Gallice Item Calendarium M vii Remigius super Donatum Item libellus Bacharii Sententia Anselmi de motione altaris Epistola Senecae ad Callionem de remediis infortuitorum Anselmus de Concordia praescientiae praedestinationis gratiae Dei cum libero arbitrio Expositiones partium per Alphab usque ad I literam N vii Versus qui sic incipiunt Adae peccatum Versus qui sic incipiunt Res manet Notulae super Poëtriam Notulae super Persium O vii Tullius de Senectute Tullius de Amicitia P vii Glosae super Priscianum imperfectae Q vii Versus inter Mariam Angelum Questus fratrum a'e propositis suis Versus de Clavibus Philosophiae Querimonia ovis de lupo R vii Liber Petri Eliae super majus volumen Prisciani Item liber de Constructione Summa Magistri Roberti Blund de Grammatica Liber de Barbarismo Syllogismo Regulae Magistri Serlonis de primis syllabis See Nv. Liber qui sic incipit Inter Summa Philosophiae S vii Bernardus de Amore Dei Bernardus de diligendo Deum T vii Liber Esdrae prophetae Liber Methodii de Creatione mundi See K viii Liber qui vocatur Virgilio Centena prole Gentilium Carmina ad obsequium fidei retorquentis U vii Notulae Symmachi Proverbia Euodi X vii Tractatus Trithemius saith that Alanus de Insulis who lived An. 1300. wrote De arte praedicandi probable that this was he under another name Magistri Alani Poretani de Arte praedicandi Tractatus super Missam Item de eodem Glosae super Canonem Missae Tractatus de septem septenis Tractatus Prioris de Essebi Pitseus makes mention of Alexander Essibiensis a Prior who lived Anno 1220. but this book is not amongst those by him there cited See Z v. de Arte praedicandi Summa de Sermo de Cruce Sermo de uxore Levitae Tres Sermones Magistri Rogeri de Dominicis de Pentecoste Tractatus ejusdem de domo sapientiae Duo Sermones Magistri P. Comestoris Cherubin de Confessione Sermo Magistri P. Comestoris Sex Sermones Bernardi Abbatis Clarevallensis Tres Sermones Magistri P. Comestoris Quaedam Regulae Theologiae Septem Regulae Ciconii Solutiones quarundam contrarietatum Sermo Magistri S. Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis Tractatus Innocentii Papae de miseria humanae conditionis Tractatus H. de S. Victore de oratione Glosae Alexandri Necham super Quicunque vult Liber Isidori ad Sororem suam Florentinam Y vii Tropae Magistri W. Cancellarii Lincoln Duo Sermones Petri Comestoris Tractatus de operibus sex dierum i. Hexaëmeron Tractatus de sex verbis Domini de Cruce Glosae super Hymnos Tractatus Magistri H. de S. Victore de Ascensione Tractatus de septem septenis Versus Magistri Matthaei Windoniensis super Tobiam Versus sive A. Versus Magistri Galfridus Vinsalf or De Vino Salvo lived Anno 1199. Pits where this book is found amongst his other G. Vinesalvi de Arte loquendi Summa Magistri Matthaei Windoniensis de Arte versificandi Eulogium Johannis Cornubiensis John of Cornwal See G xi Pitseus records this book and saith that it is in the Library of Baliol Coll. Oxon. Summa de Jure Objectiones Christianorum Judaeorum secundum Cancellarium Lincolniensem Liber Bernardi Silverstris Tractatus de mysteriis numerorum Z vii Compendium Veteris Testamenti Tractatus qui sic incipit Cum omnes prophet as Matutinae S. Mariae de usu seculari A viii Tractatus Magistri Petri Blesensis super librum Job Liber Magistri Robert Curson lived Anno 1218. was made Cardinal and Legate into England Pits names this book with his other and saith it is in the Library of Bennet Colledge Cambridge Roberti Curson de Septem septenis Liber Bernardi Abbatis Clarevallensis ad Eugenium Papam Liber Innocentii Papae de Miseria humanae conditionis Liber Magistri H. de S. Victore de Oratione Glosae Alexandri Necham super Quicunque vult Liber S. Ambrosii de bono mortis Sermo de Ascensione qui sic incipit Beatus vir cujus est auxilium abs te B viii Expositio Haebraicorum nominum secundum Alphabetum C viii Expositio omnium
Bernardi Latinè Oratio sine devotione est quasi corpus sine anima B xvi Amours ou estis venus Lumer de Lais Gallice Speculum Edmundi Gallice Pater noster Gallice Contemplationes pro diversis horis diei Gallice Contemplatio de Passione Christi Gallice Disputatio inter spiritum animam Gallice C xvi Proverbia Senecae Liber qui vocatur Housbondrie Gallice Historia Anglorum Gallice Rythmice Computatio annorum ab initio mundi usque ad tempus Edwardi filii Regis Edwardi A SUPPLEMENT To the Foregoing HISTORY THE ancient name of this place all agree was Medeshamstede or Medeshamstud as it is called by Symeon Dunelmensis and the Abbot Medeshamstudensis Abbas by Roger Hoveden ad An. 992. or Medeshamstide as it is in Radulphus de Diceto ad An. 1051. But whence it had this name is not so certain The derivation which Mr. Gunton gives of it is out of Swapham or rather Hugo as I have shown in the Preface who saith that as Eli had its name from the abundance of Eeles taken in the Waters there and Thorney from the Thorns and Bushes wherewith it was overgrown and Croyland from the Terra Cruda moist and morish Ground on which it stands so this place from that Vorago or Gurges as he terms it in the middle of the River called anciently Medeswell Whose wonderful properties he derives from Springs perpetually bubling up which kept it from being frozen when the rest of the River was and yet made it so cold that when the Sun was hotter than a Chimney fire as his words are no Swimmer could endure it And it must be confessed that Bede derives Eli ab anguillarum copia from the plenty of Eeles there consentiens communi notitiae saith Will. of Malmsbury L. ult de gestis Pontif. Angl. agreeing to the common notion For it is known to all there was such abundance of all other Fish and Fowl also in that place ut pro uno asse c. that for one farthing five men and more might not only drive away hunger but fill themselves to satiety And Thornei also other Writers will have so called propter dumorum condensitatem from the thickets of all sorts of Thorns and Briers c. which Athelwold caused to be cut up saith the same Malmsbury intending in the very beginning of his Episcopacy to go and lead an Hermite's life in that place Which he magnifies to the Skies That place also which we now call Crowland or Croyland is called Cruland both by Hugo and by Henry of Huntingdon John Prior of Hexham Gervase of Canterbury and many others And Crulant by Symeon of Durham or rather Turgotus ad An. 1075. and Cruiland by Roger Hoveden in Hen. 2. p. 547. and more ancient than all this King Edgar in his Charter to our Church of Peterburgh calls it Crulond Which may make that derivation probable from crude Land which Ingulphus himself who was Abbot of Croyland gives of it crudam terram coenosam significat But for all this I see no reason to think that Medeshamsted had its name from the Medeswell there being no such deep pit in the River and Hugo himself reporting it with an ut dicunt as they say and another plainer derivation offering it self from the fair Meades or Meadows that lie on both sides of the River Nen upon which this place stands Which in those days were the more considerable because all the rest of the Country thereabouts which was not Fenn was Woods So I find in the Book called Swapham fol. CCXCV. that all the Nashum or Nassa as it was termed afterward called the Liberty of Burgh was solitary and full of Woods without any Inhabitant And so continued till the time of Adulphus who did but begin neither to clear the Country by cutting down the Woods and to make Mannors and Granges Presently after which the place being new built its name was changed into Burch or Burg as shall be then more largely shown which during all the time of the first Monastery before it was burnt by the Danes had been called Medeshamstede and frequently Medhamsted As much as to say the Ham i. e. Village or House standing upon the Medes And was sometime simply called Hamstede as I find in Matthew of Westminster Who speaking of the inrode made by the Danes under the conduct of Hinguar and Hubba in the year 870. and showing how they destroyed the North Country and then passed over Humber and so went forward till they came to the Fenns where they burnt the Monasteries and killed their Inhabitants he adds Horum autem nomina Coenobiorum sunt Croulandia Thorneia Rameseia Hamstede quod nunc Burgum Sancti Petri dicitur Which is no mistake in the Printed Book for in a MS. now in the Library of the Church of Westminster I find the same words without the least difference but only the letter e in the end omitted it being written Hamsted Where I doubt not there was another Well as Mr. G. observes by the way called St. Laurence his Well and very probably was near the Chappel bearing his name which was dedicated to the use of the Infirmary As appears by a Charter of Willielmus de Midilton a servant in the Infirmary who gave to the Abbot and Convent of Burgh and to the Infirmary of that place a Noble of annual Rent ad sustentationem unius lampadis continue ardentis in capella Sancti Laurentii ejusdem Infirmariae for the maintaining of a Lamp perpetually burning in the Chappel of St. Laurence belonging to the same Infirmary Swaph fol. CLXXXIX The Superstitious resort to it was the cause I suppose of its being stopt up so that now there are no footsteps of it For that moved Oliver Sutton Bishop of Lincoln to send his Inhibition to restrain that kind of devotion which as Mr. Gunton observes out of Dr. Hammond was used both here and at St. Edmund's Well in Oxford and I may add in other places also as appears by the Records of the Church of Lincoln Where the Register of the Acts of this Worthy Prelate in the ten first years of his Government which was twenty years in all are lost and therewith this Act about the Church of Peterburgh But there still remain the Acts of the other ten In the first of which he condemned that superstitious devotion which many people paid at St. Edmund's Well in the Fields near St. Clment's Church without the Walls of Oxford as tending to introduce the error of the Gentiles among Christs-worshippers and in the last the like foolish devotion at another Well in the fields of Lincelad in the County of Buckingham Requiring the Archdeacons of Oxon and Bucks solemnly to excommunicate all such persons as should presume hereafter to frequent those places under the pretence of Miracles done there Both which my worthy Friend Dr. James Gardiner Sub-Dean of the Church of Lincoln having at my request transcribed for me out of the Book
following Hugo saith no more than this ' Egbaldus succeeded Cuthbaldus in the government of this Monastery and Pusa succeeded him after whom came Celredus to whom succeeded Hedda But what they did and at what time doth not appear unto us in these Ages all being abolished either by the negligence of Writers or by the times of persecution saving only what is written in Priviledges in which their names are found ' And particularly in the Records of the Church at the end of Hugo's Book fol. CXI there is a Charter of Ceadwalla King of Kent granting to this Abbot XL. terrae illius Manentes ubi Hogh nuncupatur ad Hebureahg insulam In which Charter he is called EGBALTHVS as he is also in one that follows granted by Suehardus Honorabili Abbati Egbaltho wherein he confirms the Donation of Ceadwalla and adds more of his own It would have been grateful perhaps to some Readers if I could have represented them at large but it will not consist with the bounds to which I am confined in this Supplement and therefore I shall only note the same of the next Abbot PVSA Who by the intercession of a great man called Brorda obtained of Offa King of the Mercians a grant of Land viginti Manentium for his Church at Woccing before named I shall set down the beginning of the Charter as I find it fol. CXXX In Trino nomine Divinitatis individuae Juste à nobis pietatis opera persolvenda sunt idcirco ego Offa c. rogatus à venerabili Abbate meo nomine Pusa simul à praefato meo it should be praefecto as appears by the Subscription vocabulo Brorda ut aliquam liberalitatem ejus Ecclesiae quae sita est in loco ubi dicitur Woccingas concederem quod libenter facere juxta eorum petitionem providi pro expiatione piaculorum meorum Domino devote largitus sum c. BEONNA There is a Charter of this Abbot which begins thus In nomine Gubernantis Dei monarchiam totius mundi Ego Beonna Abbas gratia dei cum conscientia licentia fratrum Dominum colentium in Monasterio quod appellatur Medeshamstede Wherein he grants to Prince Cuthberth terram decem manentium quae nuncupatur Suinesheade or Swineheved with the Meadows Pastures Woods and all the Appurtenances acknowledging that the forenamed Cuthberth had purchased the same of him for a valuable price i. e. mille solidis and every year for himself and his Successors unius noctis pastum aut triginta Oravit it should be Orarum I believe siclos Which Territory the Prince purchased on this condition that after his death it should go to his Heirs who should hold it for their lives upon the aforesaid terms in pastu vel pecunia but after their decease it should return quietly and without any suit at Law to the Monastery Of which bargain their were many Witnesses who signed it in manner following Ego Offa gratia Dei Rex Merciorum signo crucis Christi propria manu roboravi Ego Egferth Rex Merciorum consensi subscripsi Ego Higeberth Archiepiscopus firmando subscripsi After two Bishops subscribe and then Ego Beonna Abbas hanc meam Munificentiam signo crucis Christi firmavi To which the Prior and two other Priests subscribe their consent It may be necessary here to note that Ora was a piece of money of a certain weight or rather a weight whereby they received money and is written alsio hora in the Inquisition made into the Lands of this Church in the time of Martin the Second An. 1231. Where speaking of the Fishery at Walcote it is said to have yielded yearly duas horas The best explication of which that I can find is in the Laws of King Ethelred recorded by John Brompton in his Chronicle N. XXX which is concerning his Monetarii in all the ports of the Kingdom who were to take care ut omne pondus ad mercatum sit pondus quo pecunia mea recipitur eorum singulum signetur ita quod XV. Orae libram faciant But in the Inquisition now mentioned which was made through all the Mannors of this Church it seems to signifie a piece of money For thus the account is given of the Mannor of Walcote juxta Humbram after other particulars ibidem est situs unius Piscariae qui vocatur Holflet solebat reddere duas horas fol. CLIIII CELREDVS Besides his name Recorded by Hugo I find no mention of him but in Ingulphus which Mr. G. hath observed by which it appears he was Abbot here in the year DCCCVI and was Brother to Siwardus the third Abbot of Croyland But I suppose he is the same CEOLRED who in the year DCCCXLVIIII subscribed to a Charter of King Berthwulfus or Beorthwulfus wherein he granted great liberties to the Monastery of Breodun depending upon this Church of Medeshamstede as was said before then governed by the Venerable Abbot Swaph fol. CXXXII Eanmundus or rather Eadmundus as I believe it should have been written This Charter being remarkable for many things I have represented at large in the Appendix by which it will appear if my conjecture be true that this Celredus was advanced to the Episcopal dignity as Sexuulf had been though his See be not named whereby way was made for Hedda to succeed him here HEDDA When he entred upon the government of this Monastery or whence he came is not known but by Ingulphus we understand as is observed by Mr. G. that he was Abbot here in the year 833. and continued so to be till the destruction of the place by the Danes Who began to infest this Kingdom in the year 837. as John Abbot writes Chron. MS. in Sir J. C's Library DCCCXXXVII Dani crebris irruptionibus Angliam infestant And again An. DCCCXXXIX Dani passim per Angliam multas caedes agant And though they were several times beaten yet An. DCCCLI a great Army of them in 350 Ships came up the River Thames and pillaged Canterbury and London An. DCCCLIII the English fought against them in the Isle of Thanet magno dispendio An. DCCCLV they wintered in the Isle of Schepie and in the year DCCCLXIV in the Isle of Thanet having made peace with the Cantuarians In the year DCCCLXVI they did great mischief in the North took York depopulated the Country of the Eastangles entred into Mercia and wintred at Nottingham Three year after An. DCCCLXIX they left Mercia and went back to York and wintered there But the next year which was famous for the desolation they made of this Church and many other places they came and landed on Lyndesay Coast destroyed the Monastery of Bardney killing all the Monks without any pity and then entring Kestiven trod down killed and burnt all that came in their way Which Mr. G. hath largely enough related out of Ingulphus and therefore I shall follow my Author no further who hath nothing which is not to be found there The
Girardus obtained of King William the second six Churches Five of which he gave to St. Peters Church of York i. e. de Dyrfeld de Kyllum de Pokelymon de Pykerynga de Burgh where perhaps Kynsinus dyed The same Thomas Stubbs Actus Pontif. Eborac saith the vulgar opinion of him was that he was not born but cut out of his Mothers Womb. He gave to this Church the Village of Linewelle as Hugo tells us with the textum Evangelii excellently wrought with Gold and so many Ornaments that they were apprised at three hundred pound which with his Body were all brought hither But Queen Edgit he adds took them all away The Character he gives of him is this that he always lived like a Monk most abstemiously and Holily So that when his Clergy and Family had a splendid Table he contented himself with coarse and Barly Bread and with the viler sort of meat and drink And walking on foot from Town to Town Preaching and giving Alms he often went bare-foot and commonly travelled in the nights that he might avoid vain-glory Which makes him call him Sanctus Kinsinus The last Wulstanus was also Archbishop of of York and Successor to Adulphus holding the Bishoprick of Worcester together with the See of York as he and St. Oswald before him had done Who if we may believe Hugo gave himself and all that he had to this place but going to visit the places where other Saints lay buried and coming to Eli there he fell sick and dyed and was buried in the year MXXIII V. Kal. Junii 3. feria as Thomas Stubbs relates after he had been Archbishop twenty year He and Radulphus de Diceto differ from Hugo in the place of his sickning and dying for they make him to have been brought to Eli to be buried according to his own prediction as the latter of them affirms upon a time when he came thither for devotion sake The mention of him puts me in mind of another of that name who was bred in this Monastery and therefore ought not to be here omitted For though he dyed a good while after this time yet he was advanced to the See of Worcester in the days of Leofricus viz. MLXII So John Abbot Venerabilis vir Wlstanus Burgi Monachus Wigorn. fit Episcopus Roger Hoveden also who saith that literis Ecclesiasticis Officiis imbutus in Nobili Monasterio quod Burch nominatur The very same hath Symeon Dunelmensis John Brompton But the largest account I find of him is in his Life written in Three Books MS. in Sir J. C's Library by Bravonius a Monk of Worcester 1170. who relates at large all that he did both before and after the Conquest He was born at Jceritune in Warwickshire his Father Athelstanus his Mother Wifgena who put him to School at Evesham where he received the first Elements of learning and then sent him hither to be perfected in it so his words are perfectiori mox apud Burch which I shewed before was famous for learning scientia teneras informavit medullas Here he gave great indications of his future Vertue when he had scarce taken the first step out of his Childhood He had a Master called Eruentus who could Write admirably and Draw any thing in Colours Who made Wlstan when he was but a Boy Write two Books Sacramentarium Psalterium and Flourish the Principal Letters in Pictures with Gold The former of which his Master presented to King Cnute the Psalter to Queen Emma After this he went from Burch to his Parents who putting themselves into Religious Houses at Worcester he also became Monk And in a short time was made Master of the Boyes then Chanter and then Sacrist and afterward Praepositus ut tunc Prior ut nunc dicitur Monachorum constitutus and at last made Bishop of Worcester though against his will upon the preferment of Alredus to York Who presuming upon the simplicity of Wlstan committed great rapine at Worcester and kept from him a considerable part of the Possessions of that Church which he could not recover as long as Alred lived but though William the Conqueror seised them at his Death yet Wlstan never left till the cause had a fair hearing and his Church had all restored to it which its first Founders had left unto it The story is told at large by John Bromton Chron. Williel primi p. 976. c. who sayes Lanfranc would have deposed him for insufficiency but by a Miracle was moved to restore him his Staff and his Ring which he had resigned And indeed he was not so ignorant as many imagined but knew all that was necessary for him to be acquainted withal only was not learned in the Fables of the Poets and in the perplexities of Syllogisms which perhaps he did not vouchsafe to know as not worthy his notice So Henry de Knyghton in these remarkable words L. 2. de Eventibus Angliae C. 6. Sed ille magis virtute quam literis fretus res Ecclesiae defensabat Quanquam non it a hebes in literis fuerit ut put abatur quippe qui caetera necessaria sciret praeter fabulas poetarum tortiles syllogismos quae forsan nec nosse dignabatur He pulled down the old Church of Worcester built by St. Oswald and made the new one we now see Weeping as Malmsbury saith when they began the Work For which he gave this reason when he was told he ought rather to rejoyce at the erection of a more magnificent Structure Alas said he we miserable sinners destroy the Works of the Saints that we may get glory to our selves That age of happy men did not understand how to build pompous Temples but under any kind of Roof offered up themselves to God and attracted their Subjects by their examples We on the contrary neglecting the Cure of Souls heap up Stones and raise goodly Piles c. He lived till he was almost 90 years old dying in the year MXCV where John Abbot writes Sanctus Wlstanus obiit BRANDO While he was only a Monk in this Church he was not only a Coadjutor to Leofricus in all the good things that he did as Hugo his words are but also a great Benefactor to the Monastery out of his own Patrimony and that of his Brethren For he and his two Brethren Askatillus and Syricus purchased Walcote de proprio patrimonio and gave it to the Church in perpetual inheritance together with Scotere Scotune and other places mentioned by Mr. G. This was in the time of Edward the Confessor who confirmed this Grant by his Charter rogatus ab Abbate Lefrico Monacho ipsius nomine Brand Hugo or Swap pag. 5. f. 2. Another writing mentions a third Brother named Siworthus in these words Brand Abbas Burgensis Askilus Sericus Sivortus fratres dederunt has terras Deo Sancto Petro fratribus in Burgh sc Muscham ex alia parte Trentae Scotere c. Which is related something more distinctly
besought them to be favourable to it but they not regarding their cries entred armed into it and indeavoured to carry away the great Cross but could not Yet they took the golden Crown from the head of the Crucifix with the pretious Stones and the Footstool under its feet made of pure Gold and Gemms together with duo aurea feretra two golden or gilded Bears whereon they carried the Saints Reliques and other such like things in Procession and nine Silver ones and twelve Crosses some of Gold some of Silver And besides all this went up into the Tower and took away the great Table which the Monks had hidden there which was all of Gold and Silver and pretious Stone and wont to be before the Altar with abundance of Books and other pretious things which were invaluable there being not the like in all England And they pretended to do all this out of faithfulness to the Church for the Danes they told them would preserve these things for the use of the Church better than the Franks would do Nay Hereward himself was Homo Monachorum a lover of Monks and therefore some believed what they said and he also afterwards swore that he did all this with a good intention because he thought William the Conqueror would get it all Away they went therefore with their Booty and made all the hast they could to their Ships fearing the Normans might fall upon them and coming to Eli they committed all their spoil into the hands of the Danes themselves What became of it Mr. Gunton hath largely enough related out of Hugo Which doth so little agree with what I find in the life of Hereward de Wake that we must suppose all this to have been done if he was not mistaken in his story in the year 1070. and that he came again and spoiled this Church after the Goods which remained were restored as I shall show presently when I have finished the foregoing History Which saith that Turoldus came to the Abby the very same day the Danes went away with an hundred and sixty Normans well armed hoping to meet with the Enemy before they carried off their prey but found no body there and the place laid desolate all being burnt both within and without except the Church Insomuch that the City not long ago called aurea was now made pauperrima But the Abbot being come the Monks who had been scattered returned and performed divine Offices which had been discontinued seven dayes He strengthened himself also by Stipendiary Souldiers upon whom he setled threescore and two Hides of Land that they might defend him from Hereward So John Abbot ad An. 1069. Turoldus vero lxii hidas terrae de terris Ecclesiae Burgi dedit Stipendiariis militibus qui eum contra Herewardum le Wake tuerentur He built a Castle also hard by the Monastery as I shall note anon out of the same Chronicle and had the pleasure to see Hereward the next year 1071. hardly escaping out of the Isle of Eli where most of his accomplices as I have said were taken And yet notwithstanding that great man rallied again and came into these parts with Forces against which a great Army was raised out of Northamptonshire Cambridgshire Linoclnshire Holland Leicestershire Huntendone and Warwickshire while Hereward lay with a few Souldiers in comparison skulking in the Woods nigh unto Burch This I learn out of a Treatise at the end of Swapham intituled de gestis Heruuardi inclyti militis gathered out of such fragments as could be found of a Book written in the English tongue by Alefricus Diaconus who was Hereward's Priest at Brun. Who says this great Army gathered out of those severai Counties was lead by Turoldus Abbot of Burch and Yvo Talbois who incompassed Hereward and his men so strictly that they greatly distressed them But he nothing terrified placed all his Sagittarii and balistarii among the Trees which they had there for their security and from thence issued out as he saw his opportunities and having made great slaughters retreated under their shelter again This he continued to do after several manners all the day long till he had tyred the opposite Army and made them raise their Siege And then Hereward with all his men rushing out upon their Rere all at once put them into such a confusion that he took many of them Prisoners and among the rest Abbot Turoldus Whom he kept in Custody till he redeemed himself and other considerable persons with the summ of three thousand Marks of Silver So that writer saith Fol. CCCXXXVI with whom John Abbot agrees but mentions a far greater summ Nihilominus tandem cum multis aliis magnatibus speaking of Turoldus ab Herewardo captus quousque pro sua redemptione XXX marcas argenti solveret cum aliis suis conductitiis in custodia detentus est But after this ransome of himself and his Nephew and others whom he received from the hand of a Cosin of Herewardus called Siwardus Albus who had honourably entertained him out of reverence to the Abbot he forgot both his Covenant and the benefits he had received renewing the War against Hereward For the carrying on of which he gave away more Goods of his Church and many Possessions to Souldiers ut haberet semper militare auxilium ad expugnandum Herewardum Which coming to the Ears of Hereward who saw he was like to suffer for his kindness he made no delay but the same night marched with all the force he could make to Burch and burning the whole Town which it seems by this story began to be built again carried away all the Treasure of the Church and pursued the Abbot himself licet latitando cum suis evaserit But the next night if we may believe this Writer Hereward thought he saw in his dream an old man of inestimable beauty and in brighter habit than he had ever beheld or imagined with a terrible countenance threatning him with a great Key he held in his hand and with a dreadful voice that he should immediately restore all he had taken out of the Church if he loved his life Whereupon he rose up the very same hour and carrying back all that he had pillaged immediately departed from Burgh But lost his way in the night and wandred up and down in the Woods not knowing whither he went till a vast Wolf appeared who marched before them like a houshold Dog and led them into their right way As they saw by lighted Candles which appeared upon every mans Shield which none of them could pull off or blow out But when morning appeared both Wolf and Candles vanished and they came whither they desired beyond Stamford He relates many other wonderful atchievements of this famous Warrior who was accounted the Hector of his time and at last shows how he was reconciled to the King and served him faithfully having all his Fathers Lands and Possessions restored to him and living comfortably and peace
jacet inter terram Thome Speciarii terram Agnetis quondam uxoris Henrici in cultura que jacet inter boscum de Westwoode Capellam Sancti Botulphi pro quadam placia pertinente ad ortum Eleemosynarie Burgi super q. cancellum capellae Sancti Johannis Bapt. constructum est c. Which Chapel also of St. John Baptist seems to be distinct from the Church of that name Swapham doth not tell us when he dyed But the often mentioned Chron. of John Abbot saith An. MCC obiit Andreas Abbas Burgi cui successit Acharius Sancti Albani So he governed not about 5. but about seven year His memory was celebrated on the twenty first of February when I find in the Kalander was Depositio Domini Andreae Abbatis ACHARIVS As King John gave the Abbey of Burgh to this Prior of St. Albans so in the same year he gave the Abbey of Ramsey to the Prior of Burgh They are the words of Rog. Hoveden Ad An. 1200. p. 802. in that place where he calls this Abbot Zacharias as Mr. G. observes But he did not put him in presently upon the death of Andreas for Swapham tells us he received the Abbey in Rogation week and found it so bare of all manner of Provisions that there was not food enough for one day The reason was the Archbishop of St. Andrews in Scotland to whom the King had given the custody of the Abbey while it was void had left nothing but carried all that he could away with him Notwithstanding which this good man in a short time was able to furnish the place not merely with necessaries but superfluities For besides a great many rich vestments he gave to the Church Silver Basins for the great Altar with a case of Gold and Silver set with pretious stones opere pulcherrimo subtilissimo for the Arm of St. Oswald A yearly Rent also to the Refectory and the Pittancia to the former of which he gave likewise two excellent Cups de Mazaro with great Silver feet richly gilt and Covers to them one of which had the three Kings offering their gifts to our Saviour in the bottom of it He gave moreover to the said Refectory Nine great drinking Cups de Mazaro and four Table Knives with Ivory hafts He assigned Thurleby also to the Chamberlain from whence saith Swapham we have XII Coverlids of St. Alban and as many Coats He assigned also to the Chamber the house which Richard Crookman offered to St. Peter when he was made a Monk which yielded the yearly Rent of a Noble And when the Celleraria upon a time wanted Provision he fed the whole Convent from the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul to the Feast of St. Andrew at his own charge And caused the Mill of Athelwalton to be repaired the Land to be ploughed and Sown and the Corn gathered which he caused to be brought into the Cellerary And out of his pitty to the infirm Monks who had no where to take the comfort of the air he gave them of his own accord without asking a part of his Vineyard where Rich. de Scoter afterwards planted a garden He also bought houses hard by St. Pauls London which cost him above two hundred and fifty Marks and in several of the Mannors belonging to the Church caused Halls Chambers and other edifices to be built as the Hall at Scottere the Hall at Fiskertune and divers other places which Swapham mentions He gave two hundred Marks to King John for his Charter of Liberties which is still remaining and discharged the house of above a thousand Marks in the Exchequer He recovered the Mannor of Walcote from Peter Son of Radulphus who had held it long and got many confirmations of it from the Kings of England as well as the Marsh between Singlesholt and Croyland mentioned by Mr. G. from which he received yearly by the consent and agreement of the Abbot of Croyland four Stone of Wax which he appointed to be imployed for Wax-Candles on the Feasts of the Saints of this Church They that have a mind may read the whole story of this recovery in the continuation of the History of Crowland lately put out at Oxford with Ingulphus c. P. 471 472. which tells us it was in the year 1202. not long after he came to the Abbotship But though the King himself then after many meetings and treaties and great expences made a final end as they speak yet the controversie was renewed again not long after as shall be shewed in its place His Constitution wherein with the consent of the Brethren he orders how the four Stone of Wax should be yearly spent is as follows That it should be delivered to the Keeper of the Altar of St. Mary who was to take care that in each of the 3. Festivals of St. Peter one Wax Candle of five pound weight should burn continually before the great Altar from the beginning of the first Vespers till after the completorium of the Festival In like manner in the four Festivals of St. Mary and in those of St. Oswald St. Kyneberge St. Kyneswithe and St. Tibbe What remained of the four Stone of Wax and was left after the completorium of those Festivals he was to take care should be spent every day ad missam Sanctae Mariae There is another agreement between him and the Abbot of Crowland which I find at the very end of the Book called Swapham whose title is this De bunda de Fynfet Be it knowen to all that be olyve and to all that shall come here after that the Bounde of Fynfete which is made mention of in the Fyne betwix Akary Abbot of Peterburgh and his Covent and Henry Abbot of Croyland and his Covent it is set in an Angyl besyde a Plot that is called now a days Nomansland betwix the waters of Weland and of Nene Wich water of Nene hath its course directly from thence until Croyland-Brig after the cours of water be the wich men rowe from Croyland unto Dowesdale on the South syde of a Crosse set there And the water of Weland hath his cours directly from Croyland Brig unto Nomansland Hyrum by a water called Twandam Dyke And there the water of Weland fallyth into Nene And the seid Hyrum is set at a barre and an Old Welow anens the Dyke by the wich men go to a place called Tutlakisland He bought Land at Stowe near Simpringham where Abbot Robert afterward built houses and the custom being that the Abbot should have the Auxilia Sancti Michaelis before mentioned from Alwallon and Flettune viz. twenty Mark he gave 15. to the Convent and left only 5. to his Successors which Abbot Robert also assigned to the Convent This goodness therefore of his saith Swapham deserves to be had in everlasting remembrance and yet it would be tedious to tell the persecutions he endured Which were exceeding great from a hard King and from untamed Tyrants from Forresters and other
permit the burial of his Father which had been already made at Scottun hâc vice for this time and that in like manner they would be pleased hâc vice to remit the Mortuary due to them And accordingly the Abbot and Convent with respect to the love which the aforesaid Robert bare to them did for that time allow the Burial and release the Mortuary de gratia liberalitate sua Dat. apud Burgh in Crastino Sancti Barthol An. Dom. MCCLXX Quinto In the Year MCCLXX Octavo there was the like case with the first only with this difference that Emma the Wife of Galfridus de Sancto Medardo died about Michaelmas at the Mannor of Osgoteby and the same W. de Wodeford Sacrist of Burg presented himself being ready to defend the right of the Church to have the Body of the said Woman to be buried at Burgh according to an agreement made long before between the Monks and the Knights of the said Church before the Bishop of Lincoln but she having desired to be buried at Stanford at their devout request the fore-named Sacrist out of special grace and favour condescended for that time saving the rights of Burgh to let her desire be fulfilled This Abbot recovered many Rents belonging to the Church and many grants were made to it in his time but I do not find in what years nor have I room to mention them particularly But one must not be forgotten which was the Gift of a whole Street in Burgh by Will. de Wauton or Walton Son of William Son of John de Wauton who says dedi concessi hac presenti carta mea confirmavi Dominis meis Richardo Abhati de Burgo Sancti Petri ejusdem loci convent totam illam plateam cum domibus super aedificatis in villa Burgi sitam in Market stede c. There is a grant which John Gowke of Stowe also made of a Meadow to him which runs in this Style Dedi concessi hac presenti Charta mea confirmavi Domino Ricard Dei gratia Abbati de Burg. Sancti Petri ejusdem loci conventui totum pratum meum c. But Richard himself I find writes himself Abbot only permissione Divina There was an agreement made between him and Oliver Bishop of Lincoln about some things in difference but they are not mentioned in the MS. Chron. Johan Abbatis ad an 1282. where there are these words Dominus Rex Edwardus Walliam adiit David novum principem cepit Facta est etiam concordia inter Dominum Oliverum Episcopum Lincoln Ricardum Abbatem Burgi But four years after they were at difference again perhaps about the same thing for in the fourteenth of Edward the First Dr. Thoreton's Hist of Nottingham p. 190. the Bishop of Lincoln complained of the Abbot of Peterburgh for setting up a Gallows at his Mannor of Collingham and there hanging a Thief to the derogation of the liberty of the Wapentack of Newark which the Bishop held of the grant of the Kings predecessors To which the Abbot answered That the Kings Father in the 37th year of his Reign granted him and his successors Infangthef and Vtfangthef in all his Hundreds and Demeasnes and so he avowed his Gallows and complained against the Bishop for taking two Horses and six Cows at Newark and driving them to his Parc or Pound and there detaining them To which the Bishop replied That he held his Wapentak of the gift of the King within which were the two Towns of Collingham which the said Abbot held and for which he ought to make suit at the said Wapentac by three Men of each Town which he not doing therefore he took the Horses and Kine The Cause went against the Abbot and he was constrained to submit and pull down his Gallows It was this Abbot I suppose who bound himself and whole Convent and all their Goods to certain Merchants for a summ of Mony for the Kings use who made over to them his Mannor de Graham and all the Appurtenances until the Debt was satisfied with all damages and expences For I find Letters Patents of this King Edward the First unto the Abbot and Convent of Burgh making mention of this and of the Writings on each part under their Hands and Seals and how the Debt being paid the Abbot and Convent had restored to the King his part with his Seal but he could not find their Counter-part Which therefore he declared by these Letters to be cassa vacua penitus nullius valoris in perpetuum and should be restored to the Abbot when it could be found There is a Petition also to this King from the Abbot that they might enjoy the right they had per cartas omnium Regum Angliae à tempore Williemi Bastardi usque ad nunc to the Tithe of all the Venison decimam totius venationis taken in the County of Northampton by whomsoever taken in possession of which they had always peaceably remained Which the King confirmed by two Charters and the Queen also sent her Letters about it In this Year 14 of Edw. 1. William Parys died who built as Mr. G. observes the Chappel of the Blessed Virgin adjoyning to the Church on the North-side of the Quire So the MS. Chron. ascribed to John Abbot MCCLXXXVI obiit Dominus Willielmus Parys Prior Burgi Successit Dominus Ricardus de Bernewell This Chapel was finished six year before being consecrated as I observed before by Oliver Sutton in the year 1290. There was a Chapel of the blessed Virgin belonging to this Church before called Capella beatae Virginis de Parco as I noted in the life of Akarius because it stood I suppose in the Park belonging to this Monastery But I find no other memory of it The same Chronicon of John Abbot notes ad An. MCCXCV obiit Dominus Ricardus Abbas Burgi Cui successit Willielmus de Wodeford He departed this Life on the first of August after he had been Abbot one and twenty year For on that day the Kalendar saith was Depositio Ricardi de London Abbatis WILLIHELMVS de Wodeford He was born I suppose at Wodeford in this County where this Church had a great deal of Land as appears from many Records but more particularly from a Transcript of all the Mannors and Tenements of the Abby of Burgh in the several Counties of the Realm as they are contained en le domes dai in Tesauraria Domini Regis apud Westemon tempore Regis Edwardi primi which was made about this time and remains in our Book Fol. CCXCII c. The most memorable thing that I can find done in his time was the Taxation of all the Mannors of the Abbey for their Goods Temporal and Spiritual by Apostolical i. e. the Papal authority which was done I find by 24 Jurates 12 Clergymen and 12 Laymen in the first year of this Abbot 1296. It remains still at the end of the Book called Swapham Fol. CCCXLV. bearing this
that Church who inriched it with many others also particularly of St. Oswald King and Martyr vid. 3. Vol. p. 332. It would be too long here to name all the other Churches with whom this of Burgh made the like Confederations which shall be put in the Appendix having this further to note that it appears by the forenamed Customary a piece of the Cross was presented to them all to kiss in Passion-week and that there being Sixty four Monks in this Richard Ashton's time there hapned so great a mortality among them that thirty two or more of the best Monks in the Monastery died So that Divine Service could not be performed according to the Statutes then made but they were forced to omit some things which in those Books were appointed WILLIELMVS RAMSET It appears by a Record at the end of those Lambeth Books that in the year 1483. John Russel Bishop of Lincoln summoned the Convent to come and attend him at Bugden in his Visitation adhuc pendente and there gave them Injunctions about their behaviour one towards another and towards the Abbot William Who was still subject to the Episcopal Jurisdiction notwithstanding his Mitre as all his Predecessors had been For there had been anciently a Decree in a Synod held near Cloveshom in the year 747. and that in obedience to the Letters of Pope Zachary which were publickly read in the Assembly for the reformation of Manners that the Bishops should visit their Dioceses every year and admonish both Abbots and Monks to live regularly as William of Malmsbury informs us In pursuance of which this Monastery had been often visited and Injunctions given to them as I could easily show had I room for such Discourses I shall content my self only with the account I find in our Books of the Visitation of that famous Bishop of Lincoln Robert Grosthead who visited tam domus Religiosas quam Ecclesias Parochiales And among others required the Abbot and Convent of Burgh to show what Right they had to the Monastery of St. Michael in Stamford and the Hospital of St. Thomas there upon the Bridge and the House of the Lepers to all which they pretended And they making it appear that they were Patrons of them and that their Consent was requisite to the choice of a Prioress of St. Michael and that they were in the quiet possession of appointing Custodes to hear the Confession of the Nuns in that place a Presentation being made of them to the Bishop and of placing Custodes also in the Hospital and in the House of Lepers and that the Nuns in the Monastery and the Friers in the Hospital and in the House of the Lepers were not received but by consent of the Abbot who had right to enter into the Monastery of St. Michael and to make Moniales professas which Possession he showed he had time out of mind by Witnesses and by Letters of Hugh Bishop of Lincoln who had also here visited and by Letters of the Nuns themselves thereupon the forenamed Robert Grostehead having sitting by him for his assistance his Official R. de Cadencia and many other persons pronounced that the Abbot who was there present was in the quiet possession of all the aforesaid salvo jure uniuscujusque The contention about the Fenn de Alderlond was renewed in the same year 1483. between Richard Abbot of Croyland and William Ramsey Abbot of Burgh which had hung long as the Continuation of Croyland's History observes Page 569. but was comprimised by Thomas Rotheram formerly Bishop of Lincoln and Ordinary of the Place now Archbishop of York Yet it was not finally determined and settled till two or three years after when both parties submitting themselves to the Archbishop he Decreed under the penalty of a thousand pound that the Abbot and Convent of Croyland should pay an annual Pension of ten pound a year to the Monastery of Burgh until they had at their own charge purchased Land of that yearly value to be delivered in perpetual possession to the Monastery of Burgh or had at their own like expence appropriated and united to the said Monastery of Burgh the Church of Brynkehurst or Eston in the County of Leicester which belonged to the Patronage of the said Monastery Whereupon Edmond Thorp then Abbot of Croyland chose to do the latter and accordingly the Church of Brynkehurst was appropriated for the perpetual uses of the Monastery of Burgh and Letters Patents from the King were obtained for Licence to do it Ib. 577. And by another Continuation of the same History it appears that John Russel Bishop of Lincoln before mentioned came to Croyland and staid there a whole Month with twenty other persons for whom as well as himself he gave them such satisfaction as contented both Parties in which time after conference with the Abbot of Burgh at Singlesholt the Union and Appropriation was made judicially by the Episcopal Sentence which is there at large set down Pag. 582. and 587. with all other proceedings in that Business The broad Seal also was procured for the confirmation of it which was to put an end to all Controversies whereby both Abbeys had received much damage as the Reader may find p. 588 589 593. to which I must referr him It was in this Abbot's days also that John Wysbeck Abbot of Croyland by his industry and gentle management procured an exchange of that 4. Stone of Wax which was yearly paid by them to the Church of Burgh on St. Peters day in the nature of a Service not to say Homage as the Continuator of that History speakes p. 560 into a yearly Pension of twenty shillings in money that more sincere Love might be preserved between the Brethren of each Monastery for the future This was in the year 1477. ROBERT KIRKTON The Contention which Mr. G. mentions between him and the Inhabitants of Peterburgh makes me think he was the Abbot who Petitioned the King against certain of the Towns-men who seditiously opposed his Jurisdiction and his appointment of Officers there Which Petition was among our Records concerning the Mannor of Peterburgh as I find in a Note of the Titles of them which is all that remains till in the late great Rebellion it with the rest was torn in pieces or burnt There is another Note whereby it appears the 14th of Henry 8. was the 26th year of his Abbotship and therefore he was made Abbot not in the year 1496. but 1497. JOHN CHAMBERS There is this traditional story goes concerning the preservation of this Church at the dissolution of Abbeys that a little after Queen Katherine's Interment here which Mr. G. mentions some Courtiers suggesting to the King how well it would become his Greatness to erect a fair Monument for her he answered Yes he would leave her one of the goodliest Monuments in Christendom meaning this Church for he had then in his thoughts the demolishing of Abbeys which shortly after followed John Chambers also preserved himself