Berwike obijt Henry Fellow Guynes obijt Pursuiuants created in the time of Edward the Sixt. Robert Fayery Portcullis obijt Simond Newbald Rougecroix obijt Martin Marolfe Rougedragon Yorke Nicholas Tubman Rougecroix Lancaster Richard Withers Portcullis Nicholas Narboone Blewmantle Richmond Vlster In the raigne of Queene Mary these Phelip Butler Attelon obijt Hugh Cotgraue Rougecroix Richmond Iohn Cocke Portcullis William Colborne Rouge Dragon Yorke Iohn Hollinsworth Risebanke Blewmantle obijt Pursuiuant created in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth of famous memory at whose Coronation these Pursuiuants Heraulds and Kings were Officers Hugh Cotgraue Rougecroix Pursuiuants Iohn Cock Portcullis Pursuiuants William Colborne Rougedragon Pursuiuants Iohn Hollinsworth Blewmantle Pursuiuants Charles Wriothesley Windsor Heralds William Flower Chester Heralds Edmund Atkinson Somerset Heralds Martin Marolfe Yorke Heralds Nicholas Tubman Lancaster Heralds Nicholas Narboone Richmond Heralds Sir William Dethick Garter Kings William Haruey Clarentieux Kings Laurence Dalton Norroy Kings Bartholomew Butler Vlster Kings Edward Merlin Portcullis obijt Richard Turpin first Blewmantle secondly Windsor Raph Langman Portcullis Yorke Robert Cooke Rose blanch Chester Clarencieux Iohn Hart Chester Nicholas Dethicke Blewmantle Windsore obijt Ian. 1596. Edmund Knight Rouge Dragon Chester Norroy William Dethick Rougecroix Yorke Garter Robert Glouer Portcullis Somerset Thomas Dawes Rougecroix obijt Richard Lee Portcullis Richmond Clarencieux Nicholas Paddy Rougedragon Lancaster Rafe Brooke Rougecroix Yorke Humfrey Hales Blewmantle Yorke William Segar Portcullis Somerset Norroy Garter and Knight This Sir William Segar being Portcullis Pursuiuant of Armes in the yeare 1586. was imployed by Queene Elizabeth to attend the Earle of Leicester being her Lieuetenant and gouernour Generall of her forces in the Low Countries And being Somerset Herald was imploied to attend the Embassage sent by the Earle of Shrewesbury to the French King Henry the Fourth to receiue his Oath and to inuest him with the order of the Garter And afterwards being Norroy was ioynd Embassador with Roger Earle of Rutland to carry the Garter to Christian the fourth King of Denmarke As also being Garter he was imploied in the like seruice to Morice the last Prince of Orenge deceased And lately ioynd Embassadour with the now Viscount Dorchester to carry the Garter to Henry Prince of Orenge In all which seruices he hath worthily demeaned himselfe Iames Thomas Blewmantle Chester Iohn Rauen Rouge Dragon Richmond Thomas Lant Portcullis Windsor Robert Treswell Blewmantle Somerset Thomas Knight Rougecroix Chester William Smith Rougedragon Samuel Thompson Portcullis Windsor Mercury Patten Blewmantle Philip Holland Rose extraordinary Portcullis Pursuiuants of Armes created in the raigne of our late dread Soueraigne Lord King Iames viz. Philip Holland Portcullis Iohn Guillam Portesmouth extr Secondly Rougecroix This man is best knowne by an excellent Booke which he writ called The Display of Heraldrie Henry Saint George Rougerose ext Blewmantle Richmond Sampson Leonard Rougecroix Blewmantle Iohn Philpot Blanchlion extr Rougedragon Somerset Augustine Vincent Rougerose Extr. Rougedragon Windsore Iohn Bradshawe Rougerose Extr. Rougecroix Windsore Iohn Hamlâ—ne Blanchlion extr Thomas Thompson Rougedragon In the raigne of our Soueraigne Lord and King now liuing these Thomas Preston Portcullis Who in the yeare 1630. vpon the birth of the right excellent Prince Charles was by his Maiestie imployed to the Lords Iustices of the kingdome of Ireland with his Maiesties most gracious letters according to the ancient custome signifying to that Realme that most happy newes Vpon whose arriuall the State there made great and large expressions of their ioyfull hearts for such welcome tidings worthily receiuing and bountifully rewarding the said Officer of Armes George Owen Rougecroix William Ryley Rouge-Rose extr Created 31. Iulij 1630. Noblemen and Peeres of this Land in ancient time had their Heralds peculiar vnto themselues saith Milles. For Chester the Herauld and Falco the Pursuiuant liued at the command of the Prince of Wales and serued him Humfrey Duke of Glocester and Earle of Penbroke had the Herald Penbrooke his domesticall Seruant Richard also Duke of Glocester hauing now obtained the kingdome would needs haue his Herauld Glocester to be called King of Armes for all Wales Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke retained Suffolke Herauld and Marleon Pursuiuant The Marquesse of Dorcester kept Groby Herauld The Earle of Northumberland Northumberland Herauld and Esperance Pursuiuant Arthur Plantaginet Viscount Lisle tooke vnto himselfe Lisle Pursuiuant and Baron Hastings Hasting Pursuiuant But the condition of the Seruant is made better by the dignitie of his Lord and Master so these forenamed Heraulds liued not with like authoritie or priuiledges with the Kings And here now giue me leaue to speake a little more of the Aetymologie Antiquitie and dignitie of Heraulds in generall Herald Herold or Herault dicitur quasi Herus altus a high Maister For this Officer was of great authoritie amongst the Romanes who plurally called them Feciales a faciendo quod belli pacisque faciendae penes cos ius erat or Fediales a faedere faciendo And so with vs the word signifieth an Officer at Armes whose function is to denounce warre to proclaime peace or otherwise to be employed by the King in martiall messages or other businesse and so they are called Internuncij vel pacis vel belli ferendi Messengers to carrie and offer either warre or peace Heralt saith Verstegan in the Title of Honours and Offices is meerely a Teutonic or Duytch word and in that tongue and no other the true Aetymologie thereof is onely to be found To begin then with the first syllable thereof which is Here though in composition abridged to Her it is the true and ancient Teutonic word for an Armie the same that Exercitus is in Latine and in that sence it is yet vsed in Germany And whereas the Germanes doe now vse Here also for Lord yet anciently they so vsed it not And although the Teutonic be more mixed with other strange languages yet this word Here as they vse it for Lord or master hath crept into their language from Herus in Latine after that the Latine tongue became knowne vnto them A Healt in the Teutonick is a most couragious person a champion or an especiall challenger to a fight or combat of the weapon that such sometime most vsed called a Healtbard because it was borne by a Healt we yet though corruptly retaine the name of Holbard and the Netherlands make it Heilbard Here-healt by abbreuiation Heralt as also Herald doth rightly signifie the Champion of the armie And growing to be a name of Office he that hath in the armie the especiall charge to challenge vnto battell or combat in which sense our name of Herald doth nearest approach vnto Fecialis in Latine as I haue touched before The Feciales amongst the Romanes saith one were Priests For Numa Pompilius who flourished circa ann mundi 3283. the second King of the Romanes diuided the institution of diuine honour into eight parts and so instituted and ordained eight seuerall orders of Priests and
Sanguine perfuso reparasti quem pretioso Here lieth entombed the body of Raph Selby descended from the ancient family of the Selbies of Billesdun in the County of Northumberland a Monke of this fraternitie a learned Doctor in the ciuill and canon lawes and one exceedingly beloued and fauoured of King Henry the fourth and Henry the fift in the eight yeare of whose raigne hee departed this world Anno 1420. as by this Epitaph appeareth Ecce Radulphus ita Selby iacet hic Cenobita Doctor per merita prepotens lege perita Legibus ornatus a regibus et veneratus Ordo eiusque status per cum fit conciliatus M. C quater x bis post partum virginis iste Michaelis festo tibi spirauit bone Christe Not farre from this Selby lieth buried vnder a marble stone the body of Iohn Windsore one of the noble familie of the Windsores sometime residing at Stanwell in this County a great commander in the warres of Ireland vnder Richard the second and in the battaile of Shrewesbury vnder King Henry the fourth who died in the second yeare of King Henry the fift vpon Eester Eue the seuenth of Aprill 1414. as this Epitaph sheweth Est bis septenus M. Christi C quater annus Vespera Paschalis dum septima lux fit Aprilis Transijt a mundo Io. Windsore nomine notus Corde gemens mundo confessus crimine lotus Fecerat heredem Gulielmus auunculus istum Miles et Armigerum dignus de nomine dignum Dum iuuenilis erat bello multos perimebat Postea penituit eorum vulnera fleuit Recumbens obijt hic nunc in carcere quiescit Viuat in eternum Spiritus ante Deum But now I will conclude the funerall Monuments of this Abbey with the death and buriall of our most learned English Poet Geffery Chaucer whose life is written at large by Thomas Speght who by old copies reformed his workes which the Reader may see a little before the beginning of his bookes He departed out of this world the 25. day of October in the yeare of our Lord 1400. after had liued 72. yeares Thus writeth Leland Chaucer liued till he was an old man and found old age to be grieuous and whilest he followed his causes at London he died and was buried at Westminster The old verses which were written on his graue at the first were these Galfridus Chaucer vates et fama Poesis Materne hac sacra sum tumulatus humo Thomas Occleue or Okelefe of the office of the priuie Seale sometime Chaucers scholler for the loue he bare to the said Geffray his master caused his picture to be truely drawne in his booke De Regimine Principis dedicated to Henry the fift according to which that his picture drawn vpon his Monument was made as also the Monument it selfe at the cost and charges of Nicholas Brigham gentleman Anno 1555. who buried his daughter Rachell a childe of foure yeares of age neare to the Tombe of this old Poet the 21. of Iune 1557. such was his loue to the Muses But to returne againe to Chaucers picture to which these verses were added by the said Occleue Although his life be queint the resemblaunce Of him that hath in me so fresh liuelinesse That to put other men in remembraunce Of his Person I haue here the likenesse Doe make to the end in soothfastnesse That they that of him haue lost thought and minde By this Peniture may againe him finde The Inscriptions vpon his Tombe at this day are after this manner Qui fuit Anglorum vates ter maximus olim Galfridus Chaucer conditur hoc tumulo Annum si quaeras Domini si tempora mortis Ecce notae subsunt quae tibi cuncta notant 25 Octobris 1400. Aerumnarum requies mors N Brigham hos fecit musarum nomine sumptus About the ledge of the Tombe these verses were written Si rogitas quis eraâ— forsan te fama docebit Quod si Fama negat mundi quia gloria transit Haec monumenta lege Now it shall not be amisse to adde to these Epitaphs the iudgements and reports of some learned men of this worthy and famous Poet and first of all let vs heare his Scholler Occleue Vir tam bonis literâ—s quam generis prosapia clarus these are his lines of him in his foresaid booke de regimine Principis Alas my worthy maister honourable This lands very treasure and richesse Death by thy death hath harme irreperable Vnto vs done her vengeable duresse Dispoiled hath this land of the sweetnesse Of Rhetorige for vnto Tullius Was neuer man so like among vs. Also who was heire in Philosophy To Aristotle in our tongue but thee The steppes of Virgill in Poese Thou suedst eken men know well inough What combre world that thee my master slough Would I slaine were Iohn Lidgate a Monke of Burie in his Prologue of Bocchas of the fall of Princes by him translated saith thus in his commendation My Master Chaucer with his fresh Comedies Is dead alas chiefe Poet of Britaine That whilome made full pitous Tragedies The faule also of Princes he did complaine As he that was of making soueraine Whom all this Land should of right preferre Sith of our Language he was the load-sterre That excellent and learned Scottish Poet Gawyne Dowglas Bishop of Dunkeld in the Preface of Virgils Aeneados turned into Scottish verse doth thus speake of Chaucer Venerable Chaucer principall Poet without pere Heuenly trumpet orloge and regulere In eloquence baulme conduct and dyall Milkie fountaine cleare strand and rose ryall Of fresh endite through Albione Island brayed In his legend of noble Ladies sayed Spenser in his Fairie Queene calleth his writings The works of heauenly wit Concluding his commendation in this manner Dan Chaucer Well of English vndefiled On Fames eternall beadrole worthy to be filed Sir Philip Sidney likewise and M. Camden speake much in the deserued praise of this worthy Poet whom I leaue to his eternall rest Vnder the Clocke in the Church I haue read this Inscription Dic mihi quid prodest horas numerare fugaces Cum cessant perdas quod numerare libet This Church hath had great priuiledge of Sanctuarie within the precinct thereof as Stow saith in his Suruay of London to wit the Church Churchyard Close and all that which is still called the Sanctuarie Which Priuiledge was first granted by Sebert king of the East Saxons the first Founder thereof Since encreased by Edgar King of the West Saxons renewed and confirmed by King Edward the Confessor as appeareth by this his Charter following Edward by the grace of God king of Englishmen I make it to bee knowne to all generations of the world after me that by especiall commandement of our holy Father Pope Leo I haue renewed and honoured the holy Church of the blessed Apostle Saint Peter of Westminster and I order and establish for euer that what person of what condition or estate soeuer he be from
preamble of the said Oath which I haue touched before of which Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie thus deliuers his opinion by his letter to Secretarie Cromwell if I now digresse I craue a fauourable construction Right worshipfull Maister Cromwell after most harty commendations c. I doubte not but you do right well remembre that my Lord of Rochester and master More were contented to bee sworne to the Actt of the Kings succession but not to the preamble of the same what was the cause of thair refusall thereof I am vncertaine and they wolde by no meanes expresse the same Neuerthelesse it must nedis be either the diminution of the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome or ells the reprobation of the Kings first pretensed matrimony But if they doe obstinately persiste in thair opinions of the preamble yet me semeth it scholde not be refused if thay will be sworne to the veray acte of succession so that thay will be sworne to mayntene the same against all powers and Potentates For hereby shall be a great occasion to satisfie the Princesse Dowager and the Lady Mary which doe thinke that they sholde dampne thair sowles if thay sholde abandon and relinquish thair astats And not only it sholde stop the mouthes of thaym but also of th'emperour and other thaâ—r friends if thay giue as much credence to my Lord of Rochester and master More spekyng or doinge against thaym as they hitherto haue done and thought that all other sholde haue done whan they spake and did with thaym And peraduenture it sholde be a good quietation to many other within this Realme if such men sholde say that the succession comprised within the said acte is good and according to Gods lawes For than I thinke there is not one within this Reaulme that wolde ones reclaime against it And where as diuers persones either of a wilfulnesse will not or of an indurate and inuertible conscience can not altre from thair opinions of the Kings first pretensed marriage wherein they haue ones said their minds and percase haue a perswasion in their heads that if they sholde now vary therfrome their fame and estimation were distained for euer or else of the authoritie of the Busschope of Rome yet if all the Reaulme with one accord wolde apprehend the said succession in my iudgement it is a thing to be amplected and imbraced which thing although I trust surely in God that it shall bee brought to passe yet hereunto might not a little auaile the consent and othes of theis two persones the Busshope of Rochester and Maister More with thair adherents or rather confederats And if the Kings pleasure so were thair sayd othes myght be suppressed but whan and where his highnes might take some commoditie by the publyshinge of the same Thus our Lord haue you euer in his conseruation From my Maner at Croydon the xvii day of Aprill Your own assured euer Thomas Cantuar. Here in this letter is to be seene the wisedome and policie of this prudent Archbishop who could make such auaileable vse to the state of the strong opinion which most men conceiued of the profound iudgement of these two persons This Sir Thomas More was pregnant of wit eloquent wise and learned as by his bookes still extant doth appeare and besides those mentioned by Bale which we haue in print During the time of his imprisonment which was foureteene moneths saith Pitseus he writ an historicall exposition of the Passion of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ according to the foure Euangelists Which I can hardly beleeue for I finde that when he was in prison his bookes and all his papers were taken away from him Whereupon he shut vp his Chamber-windowes saying When the wares are gone and the tooles taken away we must shut vp shop Thus would he lose his light before he would lose his iest for that he would neuer lose nor leaue off vpon the least occasion offered vntill he had lost his head He was twice married first saith Erasmus his intimate deare friend Virginem daxit admodum puellam claro genere natam He married a Maide very young borne of a noble Familie whom he tooke care to haue instructed in all good literature and to be expert in all sorts of Musicke by her he had foure children one Sonne named Iohn and three daughters Margaret Alice or Aloysia and Cicely God saith Leland that reuerend Antiquarie that liued in his dayes extraordinarily blessed these his children and namely his three daughters to whom he had giuen an admirable dexteritie in the science of Songs and Arts which he noteth in this his learned Epigram Desine facundas nimium laudare diserti Natas Hortensi maxima Roma tui Candida tres charites nam Mori cura politi Obscurant multis nomina vestra modis Non illis studium Milesia vellera dextra Carpere non facili ducere fila manu Sed innat eloquij crebro monumenta latini Versare doctis pingere verba notis Nec minus authores Graecos euoluere Homerum Et quem dicendi gloria prima manet Vt nec Aristotelis dicam quo pectore libros Scrutentur sophiae mystica dona deae Turpe viris posthac erit ignorare Mineruae Artes grex adeo quas muliebris amet His second wife was a widow of whom he was wont to say that she was nec bella nec puella Who as she was a good huswife so was she not voide of the fault that often followeth that vertue somewhat shrewd to her seruants Vpon a time Sir Thomas found fault with her continuall chiding saying If that nothing would reclaime her yet the consideration of the time for it was Lent should restraine her Tush tush my Lord said she looke here is one steppe to heauen-ward shewing him a Friers girdle I feare me said he this one steppe will not bring you vp a steppe higher One day when she came from shrift she said merrily to her husband Be merry Sir Thomas for this day was I well shriuen I thanke God and purpose now therefore to leaue off all my old shrewdnesse Yea quoth he and to begin afresh This man thus much giuen to a certaine pleasure in harmlesse mirth facetious iests and present wittie answers was wonderfull zealous in Religion and deuout in so much that diuers times in his Chancellourship he would put on a Surplise and helpe the Priest to say and sing diuine Seruice for which being reprehended by Thomas Duke of Norfolke who told him that it was a dishonour to the King that the Lord Chancellor of England should be a Parish Clerke Hee thus answered Now truly my Lord I thinke and verily beleeue that when the King shall heare of the care I haue both to serue his Master and mine he will accept and take me for a faithfull Seruant Which he might well say for vpon his first comming to his seruice the King gaue him this godly lesson First looke vnto
of Frobenus that not alonly the Germaines but also the Italianes themselfe that count as the Grekes ded full arrogantly all other Nacions to be barbarouse and vnlettered sauing their owne shall haue a direct occasion openly of force to say That Britannia prima fuit parens altrix addo hoc etiam iure quidem optimo conseruatrix cùm virorum magnorum tum maxime ingeniorum Britaine was a mother a nurse and a maintainer not onely of worthy men but also of most excellent wits And that profite hath risen by the aforesaid iourney in bringing full many things to light as concerning the vsurped autorite of the Bishop of Rome and his complices to the manifest and violent derogation of Kingly dignite I referre my selfe most humbly to your most prudent learned and high iudgement to discerne my diligence in the long Volume wherein I haue made answer for the defence of your supreme dignitie al only lening to the strong pillor of holy scripture against the whole Colledge of the Romanists cloking their crafty affections and arguments vnder the name of one poore Pighius of Vltraiect in Germany and standing to them as to their onely anker hold against tempests that they know will arise if truth may be by licens lette in to haue a voyce in the generall counsell Yet herin only I haue not pytched the supreme worke of my labour wherunto your grace most like a kinglye Patron of all good lernyng ded animate me But also considering and expending with my selfe how great a number of excellent godly wittes and writers lerned with the best as the times serued hath bene in this your region Not onely at such times as the Romane Emperors had recourse to it but also in those daies that the Saxons preuailed of the Britaines and the Normans of the Saxons could not but with a feruent zele and honest corage commend them to memory Els alas like to haue bene perpetually obscured or to haue lightly remembred as vncertaine shaddowes Wherfor I knowing by infinite varietie of bookes and assiduouse reading of them who hath bene lerned and who hath written from time to time in this realme haue digested into four bokes the names of them with their liues and monuments of lerning And to them added this title De viris illustribus folowing the profitable example of Hierome Gannadie Cassiodore Seuerayne and Trittemie a late Writer But alway so handling the matter that I haue more exspaciated in this campe then they ded as in a thing that desired to be somewhat at large and to haue ornature The first boke beginning at the Druides is deducted vnto the time of the comming of S. Augustine into England The second is from the time of Augustine vnto the aduente of the Normans The third from the Normans to the end of the moste honourable reigne of the mightie famouse and prudent Prince Henry the seuenth your Father The fourth beginneth with the name of your Maieste whose glory in lerning is to the world so clerely knowne that though emonge the liues of other lerned men I haue accurately celebrated the names of Bladud Mulmutius Constantinus Magnus Sigebert Alfridus Alfridus magnus Athelstaâ—e and Henry the first Kings and your progenitors And also Ethelward second sonne to Alfride the great Humfryde Duke of Glocester and Tipetote Earle of Worcestre yet conferred with your grace they serue as small lights if I may freely say my iudgement your high modesty not offended in respect of the daye starre Now farther to insinuate to your grace of what matters the Writers whose liues I haue congested into foure bookes hath treated of I may right boldly say that beside the cognicion of the foure tongues in the which parâ— of them hath excelled that there is no kinde of liberall science or any feate concerning learning in the which they haue not shewed certaine arguments oâ— great felicitie of witte Yea and concerning the interpretation of holy Scripture both after the ancient forme and sens the scholasticall trade they haue reigned as in a certaine excellency And as touching historicall knowledge there hath bene to the number of a full hundreth or mo that from time to time hath with great diligence and no lesse faith wolde to God with like eloquence perscribed the actes of your noble predecessors and the fortunes of this your Realme so incredibly great that hee that hath not seane and throughly redde their workes can litle pronounce in this parte Wherfor after that I had perpended the honest and profitable studies of these Historiographers I was totally enflamed with a loue to see throughly all those partes of this your opulent and ample realme that I had redde of in the aforsaid Writers In so much that all my other occupacions intermitted I haue so traueled in your dominions both by the see coastes and the middle parts sparing neither labour nor costs by the space of these sixe yeeres past that there is almost neither cape nor baye hauen creke or pere riuer or confluence of riuers breches washes lakes meres fenny waters mountaines vallies mores hethes forestes woodes cities burges castels principall manor places monasteries and colleges but I haue seane them and noted in so doing a whole world of things very memorable Thus instructed I trust shortly to see the time that like as Carolus Magnus had among his treasures three large notable tables of siluer richly enameled one of the site and description of Constantinople another of the site and figure of the magnificente Citee of Rome and the third of descrypcyon of the world So shall your Maiestie haue this your world and impery of Englande so set forth in a quadrate table of siluer if God send me life to accomplish my beginning that your Grace shall haue ready knowledge at the first sight of many right delectable fruitfull and necessary pleasures by contemplacion thereof as often as occasion shall moue you to the sight of it And because that it may be more permanent and farther knowne then to haue it engraued in siluer or brasse I entend by the leaue of God within the space of twelue moneths following such a description to make of your realme in writing that it shall be no mastery after for the Grauer or Painter to make the like by a perfect example Yea and to wade farther in this matter where as now almost no man can wele gesse at the shadow of the ancient names of hauens riuers promontories hilles woods Cities Townes Castles and varyete of kyndes of people that Cesar Liui Strabo Diodorus Fabius Pictor Pomponius Mela Plinius Cornelius Tacitus Ptolomeus Sextus Rufus Ammianus Marcellinus Solinus Antoninus and diuerse other make mencyon of I trust so to open this wyndow that the lyght shall be seene so long that is to say by the space of a whole thousand yeeres stopped vp and the old glory of your renowned Britayne to reflorish through
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
the King And in case they shall by him or otherwise lerne and knowe that Melanchton is there arryued then his grace wold that the said Haynes and Mount shall in such sort as they be not moche noted resorte vnto him and for the disuading of his continuance there or alteration of his opinion and alluring of him hither to vse suche reasons and persuasions as be before written with suche other as they can further deuise for that purpose To the which Haynes and Mount the Kings pleasure is ye shall deliuer like copies of the said Deanes booke and Bishops Sermons to be shewed vnto the said Melanchton or otherwise vsed as may be most expedient for thachyeuement of the Kings purpose in that behaulfe Ye shall also vnderstande that the kings pleasure is ye shall write to Sir Iohn Wallop and send vnto him therwith like copies willing him in case he shall haue certain knowledge that tharticles be true written in these his letters concernyng the French Kings sending into Germany for the continuance of the Bishop of Romes pretended supremacie to repaire with the said copies to the French King and not only to set the same furth with such reasons as he can deuise in that part shewing how moche it shal be against his honour both to geue himselfe subiect to the said Bishop and moue other to doo the semblable but also to declare vnto him that the Kings highnes remembring his old frendly promises concernyng the mayntenance of his cause and of his procedyngs touching the same cannot thinke it a litle strange that the said French King seing his Maiestie hath in his doings touching the said Bishop of Rome moued neyther his nor any Princes subiects will mâ—ue and styr the Germayns to condescende vpon a contrary opinion both to themselfs and to his grace in this behalfe And that his Maiestie must nedes thinke this Amytie moche touched in that he shuld moue any state or cuntrie to doo that thing whiche is so moche against the Kings highnes and his owne promes vsing all the waies to disuade him from the dishonorable obedience of the said Bishops See mouing him to inclyne to the Kings iust opinion touching the same Finally the Kings pleasure is ye shall write an other letter to the Bishop of Aberden signifying that the Kings Maiestie taketh it very vnkindly that the King his Nephieu wold now embrace without his aduise or counsail being his derest frend and Vncle and now in liege and Amytie with him the mariage of Mounsieur de vandous daughter wherevnto he wold geue non eare at his graces ouerture hertofore made of the same In your seid letter imputing a great negligence therein to the said Bishop and other of his Masters counsail seing their Master sheweth not in the doing therof suche amytie towards the Kings highnes as the frendship betwene them doth require And to make an end his grace will in no wise that Barnes of Haynes shall tarry for any further instruction of the Bishop of Canterbury or any other his grace hauing determyned to sende the same after by Master Almoner and Heth but that he Master Haynes and Mount shal with all possible diligence departe immediatly in post without lenger tarying thenne for this their depeche shal be necessary soo as their abode empeche not the Kings purpose touching the said Melanchton And thus fare youe most hartly well From Langley in moche hast this Monday at iiii of the clocke at after none Your louyng Frends T. Norffolk George Rocâ—ford Also before the beginning of that Parliament wherin the Popes supreme authoritie here in England was abolished these remarkable Inductions following were set downe and commanded by the King and his Councell to be suddenly put in execution First to send for all the Bishops of this realme and speciallie for suche as be nerest to the Courte and to examine them a parte whether they by the law of God can proue and iustifie that he that now is called the Pope of Rome is aboue the generall Counsaile or the generall Counsail aboue him Or whether he hath gyuen vnto him by the law of God any more auctority within the realme then any other foreyn Bishop Item to deuise with all the Bishoppes of this realme to set furth preach and cause to be preched to the Kings people that the said Bishop of Rome called the Pope is not in auctoryte aboue the generall Counsell but the generall Counsell is aboue him and all Bishpos And that he hathe not by Goddes law any more iurisdiction within this realme then an other forraine Bishop being of any other realme hath And that such auctority as he before this hath vsurped within this realme is both against Gods law and also against the generall Counsalles Which vsurpation of auctoritie onely hath growen to him by the sufferance of Prynces of this realme and by none auctority from God Item therefore that order be taken for such as shall preach at Paules Crosse from henceforth shall continually from Sonday to Sonday preach there and also teach and declare to the people that hee that now calleth himselfe Pope nether any of his Predecessours is and were but onely the Bishops of Rome and hath no more authoritie and iurisdiction by Gods law within this realme then any other forraine Bishop hath which is nothing at all And that such authoritie as hee hath claimed heretofore hath been onely by vsurpation and sufferance of Princes of this realme And that the Bishop of London may bee bound to suffer none other to preach at Paules Crosse as hee will answer but such as will preach and set forth the same Item that all the Bishops within this realme bee bound and ordered in the same wise and cause the same to bee preached throughout all their Diocesses Item that a speciall practise be made and a straight commandement giuen to all Prouincialls Ministers and rulers of all the foure Orders of Friers within this realme commanding them to cause the same to be preached by all the Preachers of their religions and through the whole realme Item to practise with all the Friers Obseruants of this realme and to command them to preach likewise or else that they may be stayed and noâ— suffered to preach in no place of the realme Item that euery Abbot Prior and other heads of religious houses within this realme shall in like manner teach their Conuents and brethren to teach and declare the same Item that euery Bishop shall make speciall commandements to euerie Parson Vicar and Curate within his Diocesse to preach and declare to his Parishoners in likewise Item Proclamations to be made throughout the realme containing the whole Act of Appeales And that the same Act may bee impressed transumed and set vp on euery Church doore in England to the intent that no Parson Vicar Curate nor any other of the Kings subiects shall make themselues ignorant thereof Item the Kings prouocations and appellations made from the Bishop
in you exciteth and serueth you till the vsurped poure of that man of Rome be clene abolished and put out of the hartes of the kyngs subiects And I shall with all my diligence applie my self to thaccomplishment of this his so godly commandement by Goddes grace And for as moche as I haue taken my leue of the Kyng and Quene and tarry for noothing now but only for the instrument called Custodias temporalium I eftsones beseche your mastirship to haue that in your remembraunce whan ye shall next repaire vnto the Court together with a discharge for takyng of any othe of the residentiaries of Sarum which suyrly they will exact of me oneles I bryng some thyng outher from the Kyng his highnes or elles from you his chefe Counsellor for to stopp their mouthes And as for seallyng of new obligacions if itt like you to commande your servaunt to send me them to morow by this brynger I shall seale them and send them to you without any tariaunce by the grace of God who preserue you and prosper you in all your godly purposes and interprises Murtelack the iiii daye of Iuin Yorn owne to comaunde Nic. Sarum But howsoeuer the honour of this act as also of the dissolution of Abbeys be principally attributed to Cromwell and his complotments yet at the same time there was others of the priuie Councell as forward and as able for their singular endowments to conclude a matter of that consequence as euer was Cromwell I meane Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury whose zeale and abilities are generally knowne to all that euer heard of the booke of Martyrs Sir Thomas Audley Knight speaker of the Parliament for his demerits created by Henry the eighth Baron Audley of Walden and also aduanced to the honour of the Chancellorship of England Sir William Pawlet Knight Comptroller of the Kings house who for his wisedome the said King created Lord S. Iohn of Basing and Knight of the Garter whom Edward the sixt made great Master of his houshold President of his Councell and Lord Treasurer of England whom he created Earle of Wiltshire and Marquesse of Winchester to whom Queene Elizabeth committed the keeping of the great Seale Who liued to see one hundred and three persons issue out of his loynes who died at Basing in Hampshire the tenth of March 1571. where hee was honourablie buried when he had liued eightie seuen yeares Another pillar of the State at that time was that wise and iudicious gentleman Sir Richard Rich Lord Chancellour of England vnder King Edward the sixth who in the first yeare of his raigne aduanced him to this office and created him Baron Rich of Leez in Essex These and other more of the Nobilitie had both their hands and heads in this businesse yet Cromwell Audley and Rich were thought to be the onely men who for their religious paines ranne into great obloquie with the common people insomuch that the Commons of Lincolnshire finding themselues fore troubled with this strange alteration and rising in rebellion presented diuers articles of aggrieuances to the Kings Maiestie Amongst the said Articles and demands of Robert Askâ— and his rebellious crew the Commons of Yorkeshire Cumberland Westmerland Northumberland and the countries adiacent at the conference holden at Doncaster betwixt Thomas Duke of Norfolke Generall of the Kings Armie and certaine Commissioners on the partie of the said Captaine Aske and his fellow rebels Thus it was propounded by their Speaker Sir Thomas Hylton Knight The fowrt that Thomas Cromwell nor any of his bande or secte be not at our metinge at Doncastre but abcent themselfe from the Councell Also to haue the Lord Cromwell the Lord Chancellor and Sir Ryc Rich to haue condigne punyshment as subuerters of the gud lawes of the â—eame and ouetemers of the slese secte of theys fals Heretykes first inuenters and brengers of them Likewise Doctor Leyton and Doctor Leâ— who had bene loyned in commission with Cromwell for the visitation of religious Foundations of which hereafter were maliciouslye detracted by this demand of the Commons in the foresaid conference Also that Doctor Lee and Doctor Leyton may haue condigne punyshment for theyr extortions in time of visitation in brybes of some religyous houses x. lib. xx lib. and for other summes besyde horsys vowsens leases vndre Couent Seallys by them taken and other abomynable acts by them committed and done I might haue occasion here to speake of the abrogation of the Popes authoritie of the subuersion of religious foundations of the suppression of religious Votaries and of the reformation of Religion in that neuer-conquered Nation of Scotland where at this time Religion is double refined pure and spotlesse without ceremonie and plaine as a pike staffe without a surplise But I will reserue this narration till I come to speake of the conuersion of Scotland to the Christian faith As also of the Funerall Monuments which are there to be found which will be but a few if Sir Robert Cottons Librarie do not helpe me for by my owne obseruation in the famous maiden-citie of Edenborough and in the Parish Churches of other Townes the Sepulchres of the dead are shamefully abused or quite taken away yea and the Churches themselues with religious houses and other holy places violated demolished or defaced CHAP. XV. 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 of the surrender of Religious Houses An information made to Queene Elizabeth of the seuerall abuses done vnto the State generall and Crowne by the corruption of such as were imployed by her Father vpon the suppression of Abbeyes HEnry the eighth hauing as ye haue heard thus setled the Supremacy where he would haue it either by the aduise of politick Cromwell or by the example of proud Wolsey or else of himselfe hee being nothing so scrupulous in conscience nor so stayed in sacred resolutions as was Henry the fourth vpon a greedie desire to enrich his coffers began now to lay plots deuises and proiects for the vtter subuersion of all Abbeyes Priories Nunneries and other religious foundations within this his kingdome of England and Wales and first for an induction to the businesse He put in Commission his seruant Cromwell Thomas Lee and Richard Laiton Doctors of the Ciuill Law Thomas Bedell Deane of Cornwall Thomas Bartlet publike Notarie and others to visit all the foresaid religious Houses and to make inquirie of their Orders Founders values debenters reliques pilgrimages and other Queres but most especially they were to make diligent scrutinie and to learne vijs modis omnibus by all manner of meanes the wicked abuses of those times practised amongst the Fraternitie and Sisterhood of each seuerall Couent Which with their Commission they returned making a shamefull discoueriâ— of the bestiall sensualitie of Monasticke profession This
men which did diligently ouersee like good Shepheards the flocks committed to their charge and these were called Bishops Episcopus Grece latine speculator interpretatur speculari enim debet mores vitia populi sibi subiecti intendere ad eorum salutem A Bishop both in Greeke and Latine signifies a beholder or a Scoute watch for he ought to behold and ouersee the manners conditions and vices of the people liuing vnder his gouernment and to vse the best meanes hee can for their soules health Homer calls Hector suum Episcopum because he was precipuus Troiae inspector et propugnator the chiefe ouerseer and defender of the Citie of Troy Nihil in hoc seculo excellentius sacerdotibus nihil sublimius Episcopis reperiri potest Nothing in this age more excelling then Priests nothing more sublime and high then Bishops can be found Honor et sublimitas Episcopalis nullis poterit comparationibus adaequari The Episcopall honour and dignitie can be equalled by no comparisons Esto subiectus Pontifici tuo et quasi parentem animae tuae ama Be subiect to thy Bishop and loue him as the father and nourisher of thy soule Nihil est in bac vita et maxime hoc tempore difficilius laboriosius et periculosius Episcopi aut Presbyteri officio sed apud Deum nihil beatius si eo modo militetur quo noster Imperator iubet Nothing in this life and specially at this time more difficult laborious and perillous then the office of a Bishop or Priest but before Almightie God no office more blessed if they fight and make warre after the same manner as they bee commanded by their Captaine our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Omnis Pontifex saith Saint Paul ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs qui sunt ad Deum vt offerat dona et sacrificia pro peccatis Euery Bishop or high Priest is taken from among the men and is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that hee may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sinnes They are Gods labourers Gods husbandrie and Gods buildings Let a man so thinke of them as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God What is more pleasant saith William the Monke of Malmesbury in his Prologue to the Acts of our English Bishops then to rehearse the praise of our ancient Bishops that thou mayest know the deeds of them of whom thou hast receiued the rudiments of Faith and the incitements to a godly life No nation of the world saith Capgraue in the Prologue to his Catalogue of English Saints hath from the beginning beene so blest with holy learned and religious Bishops as England whose sanctitie did so shine that all which saw them and their good workes assuredly knew that they were the seed to whom God had imparted his blessings their conuersation and studie being alwayes about heauenly matters As the rod of Aaron did bud and blossome and bring forth ripe Almonds so the Church and Ministery of England by the meanes of our reuerend Bishops as of Gods sacred instruments did and still doth prosper flourish and bring forth fruits of righteousnesse to the glorie of God and comfort of all true Christian hearts Now before I conclude this point giue me leaue to speake a little further of the first institution of Bishops out of the booke of a namelesse Author written in Latine about three hundred yeares since translated into English by one William Marshall and imprinted at London by one Robert Wyer Ann. 1535 in the 27. of King Henry the eighth the booke is called The Defence of Peace After the tymes of the Apostles the nombre of Preestes beyng notablye augmented and increased saith he to avoyde sclaundre and occasyon of offendynge any man and to avoyde scisme and dyvysion the Preestes chose one among themselues which shulde dyrecte and ordre the other as touchynge to the exercysynge of the Ecclesiasticall offyce or service and the dystrybutyng of the oblacyons and the dysposynge and orderynge of other thyngs in the most conuenient maner leste yf euery man myght do this thinge after his owne pleasure as he lest himselfe the good ordre and servyce of the Churches myght be troubled by the reason of the dyuerse affeccions of men This Preeste whiche was so elected and chosen to ordre and rule the other Preestes by the custome and vsed maner of speakynge of them that came afterwards was onely called a Bysshop or ouerseer because not onely he was ouerloker of the Christen people for whiche cause all other Preests also were called Ouerseers in the Prymatyne Church but also because he had the ouersyght of the other Preestes Howsoeuer saith he in the same Chapter in the essentyall and inseparable auctoryte and dygnyte of Preesthood the Bysshops have no preheminence aboue other Preestes but onely in auctoryte accydentall being that the Bishop by the provydence of God is chosen vpon the former reason to have the rule and gouernment of the Clergie within his Diocesse For in the power and auctoryte of makyng and admynystryng the Sacraments and performing of other duties belonginge meerely to the Preesthood all Preestes saith he have all one auctoryte in kynde neyther the Bysshop of Rome or any other Bysshop hath this auctoryte any whyt more largely than any other hath who euer he be beynge called a symple or pryvate Preest And therfore it is to be mervayled wherfore some men do stryve styffely and frowardly affyrmynge yet no thynge reasonably that the Pope of Rome hath more large power of the keyes geuen to hym of Chryste than hath other Preestes seing that this cannot be proued by the holy Scrypture but rather the contrary For whiche thyngs to go on with my Author more euidently to be seene and perceyved you ought to vnderstande and knowe that these two wordes Presbyter and Episcopus that is to saye Preest or senyour and Bysshop were both of one sygnyfycacion and betokened all one thynge in the Prymatyue Church albeit they were put to sygnyfy one thynge of diuers propertyes for Presbyter was a name gyven to them of age which is as moche to saye as a Senyour or Elder And Episcopus was a name gyuen of cure or charge vpon other and is as moche to say as an ouerloker according to that of Saynt Iherom in a certayne Epystle to Euandre who sayth thus Presbyter and Episcopus the one is a name of age the other of dygnyte These dignified priests I meane Bishops euer since the Conquest their chiefe seate or chaire in Cities and their Churches haue euer since the sunne-shine of the Gospell beene called Cathedrall and in respect they were more spatious then other inferiour Parish Churches they were tearmed Basilicae of which will it please you heare Camden speake These greater Churches saith hee when the sauing light of Christ shone vpon the world
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
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
was elected sworne and blessed by the Popes Legate at Winchester before the king and many of the Peeres of the kingdome This Abbot was religious honest prouident and with learning and a godly life life greatly adorned and so departed from all worldly employment the third day of Nouember 1224. and was buried by the Altar of the holy Crosse vnder a flat marble stone thus engrauen Prosuit in populo Domini venerabilis Hugo Et tribuit sancte subiectis dogmata vite A prouident and discreete Brother of this house succeeded Hugh in the Abbotship to whom in like manner as hee did to Alexander the Archbishop vtterly denyed benediction and admittance for which he was enforced to trauell to Rome and there was sacred by the hands of Patrick Bishop of Albania and Cardinall by the Popes commandement This Abbots name was Robert de Bello belle rexit for the space of eleuen yeares Et obijt crastino sancti Mauri Abbatis ann 1252. His Epitaph Abbas Robertus virtutis odore refertus Albis exutus iacet hic à carne solutus Roger of Cicester by way of comprimise succeeded Robert for whose admittance or holy blessing Pope Innocent the fourth writ his powerfull letters to Boniâ—â—â—â— then Archbishop of Canterâ—urâ— but what 〈…〉 tooke I do not finde He founded the Church or Chappell of 〈…〉 in this Countie and sumptuously â—â—shâ—yned the reliques of Saint 〈…〉 He dyed on Saint 〈◊〉 day 1272. and was buried before S. 〈…〉 Altar vnder a marble-stone with his poâ—traiture engrauen thereupon and this short Epitaph Prudens et verus iacâ—t hac in â—â—robe Rogerus Constans et lenis popâ—li pastorque fidâ—lis The next that enioyed this dignitie was Nicholas de Spina he was conâ—secrated at Rome by the Bishop of Portua by the commandement of Pope Nicholas the third of whom hee was approued to be Virum prudentem 〈◊〉 us et doctrina multipliciter decoratum in temporalibus et spiritualibus 〈◊〉 Who when hee had with great wisedome gouerned his 〈◊〉 the sâ—aâ—e of ten yeares hee tooke his iourney by the kings permission to the Pope before whom he resigned his Abbotship to one Thomas Fiâ—â—on 〈◊〉 Findon succeeding by way of resignation bad benediction by the Popes appointment at Ciutta Vecchia not farre from Rome he performed 〈◊〉 worthy actions for the good of his Church and was euer ready with 〈…〉 and armour for the seruice of the king With great care and cost 〈…〉 the reliques of Saint Austine as I haue said before 〈…〉 had strenuâ—uslâ— gouerned his Church the space of 26. yeares 〈◊〉 eternitatis vocatus erat die sancte Iuliane virginis ann 13â—9 and was buried in a little Chappell wherein vsually euery day a Masse was 〈◊〉 for the whole Estate of the Church militant vpon earth vnder a marble stone inlaâ—d with brasse after the manner of a Bishop With this Epitâ—ph En iacet hic Thomas morum dulcedine tinctus Abbas egregius equitatis tramite cinctus Firma columna Domus in iudicio bene rectus Nec fuct hic Presul dono um turbine â—lâ—xus In pietate pater inopum damnis miseratus Nec fraudes patiens curarum Presbyteratus Iussu Pontificis summi .... capit isle Câ—tibus Angelicis nos Thome iungito Christe After the death of Findon one of this Fraternitie called Raph de Borne was elected Who presently vpon his election tooke his iourney to Avi 〈◊〉 the Popes Court where he was confirmed and consecrated by the Bishop of Hoâ—tia Hauing laudablie gouerned this house 25. yeares he dyed a venerable old man ann 1334. and was here honourably entombed in the North-wall Pervigil in populo morum probitate decorus Abbas hoc tumulo de Borne iacet ecce Radulphus Mille trecentenis triginta quater quoque plenis In Februi Mense celo petebat inesse This man is commended by Pope Clement the fifth as I finde it in the redde booke of Canterbury to haue beene Abbatem Religionis feruidum Zelatorum morum et etatis grauitate decorum scientia preditum in spiritualibus prouidum et in temporalibus circumspectum In the same yeare the first of March Thomas Poucyn Doctor of Diuinitie was chosen Abbot of this Monasterie he tooke his iourney for benediction to the Popes Court which then lay at Auinion in France the nine and twentieth of the same moneth of March whither hee came vpon Saint George his Eue following hee had his admittance and blessing at the hands of Pope Iohn the two and twentieth the day after the feast of Saint Barnabie he stayed at Auinion vntill the feast of S. Lawrence from whence taking his iourney for England he landed at Douer vpon S. Gregories day Now if any man of his coat dignitie and reuenue be desirous to know the expences of a iourney to Auinion here he may haue it taken out of the red booke of Canterbury to a single halfe-pennie His expences from Douer to Auinion which hee performed in three weeks and three dayes came to the summe of 21. l. 18. s. 2. d. his expences staying there from S. George his Eue vntill the Eue of S. Lawrence 18. l. 4. s. 5. d. ob and in his voyage backe to this Monasterie his expences came to 28 l. 8. d. About some nine yeares after this trauell he made an end of all his trauels by death on the day of the translation of Saint Augustine ann 1343. being all his time a carefull Shepherd ouer the flocke committed to his charge he was entombed by his predecessour Est Abbas Thomas tumulo presente reclusus Qui vite tempus sanctos expendit in vsus Illustris senior cui mundi gloria vilis L.V. à primo pastor suit huius oâ—ilis The next that succeeded Poucyn was one William Drulege a man of stature like little Zacheus but of a minde immense and vigorous or like Homers noble little Captaine Tydeus corpore paruus ingenio pugnax Maior in exiguo regnabat corpore virtus For to enlarge the reuenues of his Church he was euer wondrous solicitous and in defence of her liberties stout and magnanimous persisting still as deuoute and watchfull in his Ecclesiasticall contemplations as hee was wise and circumspect in his temporall employments Non quarendus quantus sit quisque seà qualis neque quam procerus sed quam probus A little man is as much a man as the greatest man of the Gard. But I may bee thought quickly to speake somewhat partially being none of these high puissant pikemen enough then of little men if not a little too much So to returne to this diminutiue Abbot Drulege who by the consent of the Couent ordained the feasts of Ianibert Nothelm Brithwold and Tatwin Archbishops to be celebrated twice in the yeare But to conclude when for the short time he sate he had much aduanced his Monasterie he dyed on the Vigils of Saint Mauritius which is the 11. of September 1349. and was buried in
Edwin king of Northumberland Sandwich Before the generall suppression here was a religious house of white Friers Carmelites founded by one Henry Cowfeld an Almaine Ann. 1272. and an Hospitall founded by Thomas Rabyng William Swanne Clerkes Iohn Goddard and Richard Long. In a booke of this order of Carmes written by Iohn Bale of which I haue spoken in the prefixed discourse I finde the Foundation of this Religious structure as also certaine Epitaphs made to the memorie of diuers of the Fraternitie therein interred in this manner following Anno Domini M.CC.LXXII fundatus erat Conuentus Sandwici per Henricum Cowfeld de Alemania Epitaphium Magistri Fratris Thome Legatt qui obijt Anno Domini M. CCCCIX Carmelita Thomas Legatt qui Theologie Doctor erat quondam conditur hoc lapide Epitaphium Fratris Thome Hadlow Hic Prior iste Hadlow nunc hoc sub marmore tectus Turmas celicolas adeat nostra prece vectus M.C. quater X. sepâ—eno transijt anno Huic deciâ—o sexto Septembris lumina nexo Magister Frater Willelmus Becklee hic sepultus cum hoc Epitaphio Nunc me petra tenet saxoque includor in isto Et lacerum vermes laniant nunc vndique corpus Quid mihi diuicie quid alta palacia prosunt Cum mihi sufficiat paruo quo marmore claudor Quam fastus quam pompa leuis quam gloria mundi Sit breuis fragilis humana potencia quam sit Collige ab exemplo qui transis perlege posco Obijt Ann Dom. M. CCCC.XXXVIII Epitaphium Magistri Iohannis Sandwich huius Conuentus Prioris perquam amabilis Subiacet huic Tumbe deuotus mente Iohannes De Sandwich dictus huiusce Prior que domus Mille quadringentos tres annos congere lumen Quindecimam Iunij sumite tempus habes Quo sors superna rapuit de corpore vitam Fundito queso preces vt sit ei requies Epitaphium Fratris Dionisij Plumcooper Cuspide lethisera mors que premit impia cuncta Mole sub hac gelià a clausit ossa viri Qui rogitat nomen cognomen postulat ipsum Hoc Dionisius est Plumcooper illud erat Mollibus hic annis Carmeli dulcis alumnus Extitit placide Pacis amator erat Ad canos veniens nature iura reliquit Mors dedit lassis artubus hic requiem Valedicit mundo xx Febr. Ann. Dom. MCCCC LXXXI Ann. 1563. Sir Roger Manwood before remembred natiue of this place founded here a free Schoole which hee endowed with fourty pounds of yearely reuenue Right famous in former times saith Camden was the Citie of Richborow whereof now nothing remaines saue certaine walls of a Castie of rough flint and Britane brickes in forme of a Quadrant Ouer the entrie whereof is the head of Queene Berta as some say grauen in stone the wife of King Ethelbert who here had a royall pallace The Romanes had their Presidents or Prouosts who had the gouernment of this Citie of which I finde but onely two to haue beene here interred namely Flauius Sanctius and Claudius Contentus the one ruling with all peace the other liuing in all riches and prosperitie whose memories are thus preserued by the Poet Ausonius Militiam nullo qui turbine sedulus egit Praeside letatus quae Rhutupinus ager His martiall seruice he discharg'd with care without all strife And Rutupin reioyc'd in him whilst there he was in life The same Authour setteth forth likewise in a lamentable funerall verse in the praise of Claudius Contentus whom he calls Vnkle who being ouertaken with death left behinde him vnto strangers a mighty great stocke of money which he had put out to vsury among the Britaines and increased by interest Et patruos Elegia meos reminiscere cantus Contentum tellus quem Rhutupina tegit My dolefull Muse now call to minde the songs of Vnkle mine Contentus who enterred lyes within mould Rutupine Ashe-Church In this Church are many ancient Monuments of worthy Gentlemen namely Sir ... Goshalls Sir ... Leuericks who lye crosse-legged as knights of Ierusalem One of the Septvaus with a collar of S S about his necke his wifes portraiture vpon the same Tombe diuers of the surname of Saint Nicholas of the Harslets and others all without Inscriptions sauing two and those shamefully defaced Claus. 25. Hen. 6. Memb. 30. 1446. Christian S. Nicholas Lady Prioresse of the Minories without Algate was daughter and heire of Nicholas S. Nicholas of S. Nicholas in Thanet and Thomas S. Nicholas is named in the same Record Hic iacet .... Clitherow Ar. ..... vxor eius silia Iohannis Oldcastell qui obijt ..... Pray for the sowle of Ioane Keriell Ye frends all that forth ypasse In endlesse lyff perpetuall That god it grant mercy and grase Roger Clitherow her fader was Tho erth to erth of kynd returne Pray that her sowle to lyff may come The name of Kiriell hath beene of great note and antiquity within this County Sir Nicholas Kiriell flourished in the raigne of King Richard the second and Sir Thomas Kiriell beheaded with the Lord Bouvile the day after the second battell at Saint Albons in the raigne of King Henry the sixth or slaine in the battell according to Iohn Harding ..... The Lords of the North Southward came To Sainct Albones vpon the fasting gang eue Wher then thei slewe the Lord Bouvile â—eue And Sir Thomas Kyriell also of Kent With mekell folke that pitee was to se. Sibbertswood In this Church are some ancient Monuments but now without Inscriptions erected to the memory of the Philipots or Philpots a familie which hath resided here a long time at Vpton Court within this Parish of which name and family was that renowned Lord Maior of London Sir Iohn Philpot knighted in the field by King Richard the second together with Sir William Wallworth then Maior and other Aldermen for the good seruice they performed against Watt Tylar and his complices Rebels of Kent and Essex This Sir Iohn gaue to the City certaine lands for the finding of thirteene poore people for euer It is likewise remembred of him to his eternall honour that Ann. 2. R. 2. he manned forth a Fleete at his owne charges to scoure the narrow Seas of such Scottish French and Spanish Pyrats as had done much villany by their often incursions to many of our English Ports and Harbours with which he not onely guarded both water and Land from their intollerable violences but also tooke their prime Captaine one Iohn Mercer a Scot with all his whole Nauie consisting of fifteene Spanish ships all being fraught with very rich commodities Which memorable atchieuement as it was right worthily applauded extolled and admired of all the faithfull Commonaltie so was it most wrongfully vnderualued enuied and drawne into question by some of the slothfull Nobilitie Ikham In this Church I saw an old Monument vpon
also to my Lady Chamberlaine soiournyng with my brother Lathell my Mantell c. Saint Gregories by Pauls Here in this Church lyeth buried the body of Thomas Riplingham who was the husband of the foresaid Katherine who died An. 1469. but he is better knowne by this his will and testament This xii day of October the ix of Edward the fourth in the yeere of our Lord M. cccc.lxix aduowes first my soul to God and my body to be beryed in S. Gregories Church London I will yat the same Church haue the two Challices and a cupp pledged to me for x markes be restored to them frelie and more to the same Church I giue x markes to continually prey for my soul. I will that Katherine my wyff haue all such goods as she brought to me with her I will that Raph my Brother haue x. l and Iohn my Broder x. l and euery of my Sisters one hundred shillings to prey for my soul. Also I will that Richard my Broder haue my land in Riplingham to him and his heires for euer and as for my land in Etton I will that Iohn my Broder haue it to him and his heires for euer the remaynder in defaute to Raufe my Broder and to his heires and for defaute of yssue to the right heires of the said Richard Item to Richard Welden my best goune Item to my dauter Elisabyth a goune cloth I will that Ioan Welden my Goddauter haue x markes to her mariage Item I will to the Church of Rowley on hundryd shillings to the grey Friers of Beuerley on hundryd shillings Item to the white Friers of Sawburgh on hundryd shillings to prey for my soul and my moders Also I will yat a dozen Dishes and as many Sawsers of siluer ye which were my Lord Vesseys be deliuered to William Rilston and Iohn Fereby to be sold to my Lord Chamberlein and to Sir Thomas Burrow as we were agreed Item I will the two Obligations of the statute of the Staple concerning the summes of xii c markes and also a bagg of money conteyning cc markes be deliuered to the said William and Iohn I will another bagg of gold conteyning the summe of on c.l. pertaining to the executors of Iohn Heron be deliuered to Nicolas Statham to be disposed for the soul of Iohn Heron. Saint Fosters Lord of thy infinit grase and pitee Haue mercy on me Agnes sometym the wyf Of William Milborne chamberlein of this citee Which toke my passage fro this wrechyd lyf The yere of grase on thousand on hundryd and fyf The xii day of Iuly no longer was my spase It plesyd then my Lord to call me to his grase Now ye that are liuing and see this picture Prey for me here whyle ye haue time and spase That God of his goodnes wold me assure In his euerlasting Mansion to haue a plase Saint Peters Cheape ...... pur l'ame Nicole de Farindone .... de son Vnder this old monument as this maymed French Inscription would tell vs Nicholas Faringdon Goldsmith foure times Lord Maior of this Citie lieth intombed he was the sonne of William Faringdon Sheriffe of the same Of which two Faringdons the two Wards within and without tooke their denominations Hee liued after the first time of his Maioralitie which was An. Dom. 1309. full three and fiftie yeeres Saint Martins Nere vnto Aldersgate was sometime a faire and large Colledge of a Deane and secular Canons or Priests consecrated to the honour of Saint Martin and called Saint Martins le graund founded by Ingelricus and Edward his brother in the yeere of Christ 1056. and confirmed by William the Conquerour as appeareth by his charter dated 1068. This Colledge claimed great priuiledges of sanctuarie and other Franchises as appeareth in a booke written by a Notary of that house circa An. 1442. This Colledge was surrendred to King Edward the sixt in the second of his raigne and in the same yeere the Colledge Church was pulled downe and a Wine-Tauerne built in the place which continues to this day Saint Annes Aldersgate Orate deuote pro anima magistri Iohannis Pemberton Vtriusque iuris Bachalarij quondam Residentiar Ecclesie Cathedralis de Rippon Ebor. Diocesis huiusque etiam Eccles. Rectoris qui obijt 12 diâ— Septemb. An. Dom. 1499. Qu an tris di c vul stra os guis ti ro um nere uit H san chris mi t mu la. Quos anguis tristi diro cum munere strauit Hos sanguis Christi miro tum munere lauit Corda manus oculos aures animosque levemus Et domino voces sua sunt ei sua demus Vt tibi praeceptis mens conformetur honestis Sex animo semper sunt repetenda tuo Principio Deus est noster seruator author Hostis in opposita stat regione Sathan Tertiares presens est vita similima ventis Mors sequitur nobis quae prope semper adest Ordine sunt quinto Coeli Palatia summi Tartara sunt sexto constituenda loco Haec animo tacite secum qui saepe reuoluit Miror in hoc vitij si quid inesse potest Gualterus Haddonus Saint Iohn Zacharies Hic iacet Ioanna vxor Tho. Thorp vnius Bar. de Scaccario domini Regis Prolocutoris Parliamenti tenti apud Reding anno Regis Hen. sexti xxxi Que Ioanna obijt xxiii Iun. An. Dom. M. ccccliii cuius anime I finde this Baron Thorp to haue beene a man of many good parts and euer faithfull to his soueraigne Lord King Henry the sixt by whom hee was specially employed both in peace and warre against the violence of his headstrong Lords But in the end it was the hard happe of this vpright Exchequer man to be beheaded at High-gate by the Commons of Kent the 17 day of February An. 1461. Here lieth the body of Iohn Sutton Citizen Goldsmith and Alderman of London who died 6 Iuly 1450. This Sutton was slaine in that blacke and dismall battell by night vpon London Bridge betweene Iack Cade with his Kentish Rebels and the Citizens of London Here lieth William Breke-spere of London sometime Merchant Goldsmith and Alderman the Common-wele attendant Wyth Margaryt hys dawter late wyff of Suttoon And Thomas hur sonn yet liuyng vndyr Goddys tuitioon The tenth of Iuyl he made hys transmigration She disissyd in the yer of grase of Chrysts incarnatioon A thowsand four hundryd threescor and oon God assoyl her sowls whos bodys lye vndyr this stoon Saint Leonards Fosterlane When the bells be merely roung And the Masse deuoutly soung And the meate merely eaten Then â—all Robart Trappis his wyffs and his chyldren be forgetten Thus farre Stow. Wherfor Iesu that of Mary sproung Set their soulys thy Saynts among Though it be vndeservyd on their syde Yet good Lord let them euermor thy mercy abyde And of yowr cheritie For their soulys say a Pater
lieth buried He died Ann. Dom. 1450. Here lieth Giles Dewes who sometime was seruant to king Henry the 7. and king Hen. the 8. Clerke of their Libraries and Schoolemaster for the French tongue to Prince Arthur and to the Lady Mary Who died 1535. Saint Michael Bassishaw or Bassingshall Iohn Burton lyeth vnder here Sometimes of London Citizen and Mercer And Ienet his wife with their progeny Been turned to erth as ye may see Frends free what so yee bee Prey for vs we you prey As you see vs in this degree So shall you be another dey He deceased in the yeere 1460. he was a great benefactor to the building of this Church as appeareth by his marke placed throughout the whole roofe of the Quire and middle Isle of the Church Huc ades atque tuis metire viator ocellis Quam breuis inclusos illigat vrna duos Vt modo tu vir fuit hic hec femina quondam Nunc gelidi pars est huius vterque soli Nomen Abel More erat cognomen Exoniensum Cesarij Doctor iuris in vrbe fuit Agnes alterius nomen coniuxque Iohannis More fuit huius Abel qui modo frater erat Vt cupis ergo tibi faciant post funera viui Has modo tute breues quisquis es ede preces Hic Abel primo hic Agnes releuetur ab Agno Qui prius agnino sanguine lauit oues Obijt Abel 1486. Agnes 1499. quorum animabus Saint Lawrence in the Iewrie Hic incineratur corpus quondam Gaulfridi Bulleyn ciuis merceri Maioris London qui ab hac luce migrauit An. Dom. 1463. cuius anime pax sit perpetua This Sir Geffray or Godfrey Bullen Lord Maior of London was the Sonne of Geffrey Bullen of Salle or Saull in Norfolke Esquire Hee married Anne the eldest daughter and coheire of Thomas Lord Hoo and Hastings by whom he had issue Sir William Bullen of Blickling in Norfolke Knight fâ—ther to Thomas Bullen Viscount Rochford Earle of Wilshire who was father to Anne Bullen Marchionesse of Penbroke the second wife of King Henry the eight and the happy mother of our late Soueraigne Elizabeth Queene of England with all thankefulnesse euer to bee remembred This Lord Maior gaue to poore house holders in London 1000 l and 200 l to the like vse in Norfolke besides many liberall gifts to Prisons Hospitals and lazar houses Hic iacet Thomas Bulleyn de comitatu Norfolcie Armiger qui obijt vltimo die mensis Aprilis An. Dom. 147â— cuius The honorable Merchant Ion Pickering And Elisabyth lie vndyr this ston Of the English merchant Venturers vndyr the kyng In the Martis beyond See gouernor was this Ion Thirty yeere and more that roome he did manteyn To his honor and worschip and died in Nouembyr The xxix day Mcccc fourty and eyght certeyn Who 's soul and al Christians for cherite remembyr Hic Thomas Cressey London mercerus humatur Et Agnes Coniux sua postea suppeditatur M. Domini C quater his x. annoque secundo Sexta luce Iunij iâ—it hic de .... mundo Guild Hall Chappell This Chappell or Colledge of our Lady Mary Magdalen and of all Saints was founded about the yeere 1299. by Peter Fanclore saith Stow Adam Francis and Henry Frowike whose reuenew was much augmented by K. Richard the second K. Henry the sixt and diuers citizens of London so that at the suppression it was endowed with sufficient maintenance for a Custos seauen Chaplaines three Clarkes and foure Quiristers at which time it was valued at xii l xviij s ix d per an Here haue beene many Tombes and marble stones inlaid with brasse whose inscriptions and portraitures are all either worne out with time torne out or quite defaced onely this Epitaph remaining En Thomas Frances pius hic qui lustra per octo Custos extiterat iacet semper requiescat ob Mar. 4. 1488. Ouer the doore of the Councell Chamber in Guild hall was and yet is as I thinke this Distich Carolus Henricus Viuant Defensor vterque Henricus Fidei Carolus Ecclesie Long prosperity To Charles and Henry Princes most puissant The one of the Faith The other of the Church Chosen defendant These verses were depicted here and in other places about this Citie the yeare 1514. when Charles the fift Emperour was here in England to shew in what golden bands of loue these two potent Monarches were enlinked for that amongst other couenants then concluded and confirmed betwixt them by corporall Oathes one was that the Emperour promised to stay for and take to wife the young Princesse Lady Mary King Henries then onely daughter afterwards Queene of England Why the Titles defender of the Church and Faith were attributed vnto these two Princes is vulgarlie knowne because Charles chosen Emperour to purchase the Popes fauour directed forth a solemne Writ of Outlawry against Martin Luther who then had giuen a great blow to the Papall Crowne And King Henry likewise was renowned in Rome for writing a booke against the said Luther vnderpropping the tottering or downe-cast countenance of the Popes Pardons which Luther shrewdly had shaken The Pope therefore to shew himselfe a kinde Father vnto these his sonnes gaue them these Titles which were in truth none other then the same which they sware vnto when the Crownes of their Empires were first set vpon their heads The Hospitall of Saint Tho. of Acars or Mercers Chappell This Hospitall was founded by Thomas Fitz-theobald de Heili and Agnes his wife Sister to Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury in the raigne of Henry the second and dedicated to Saint Thomas of Acon or Acars in the holy land They gaue to the Master and Brethren of this house the lands with the appurtenances that sometimes were Gilbert Beckets father to the said Thomas in the which he was born there to make a Church This Hospitall was valued at the suppression to dispend yeerely 277 l. 3 s. 4 d. it was surrendred the 30 of Henry the 8. the 21 of October and was since purchased by the Mercers by meanes of Sir Richard Gresham Here lyeth entombed Iames Butler Earle of Ormond and Dame Ioane his wife he died Anno Dom. 1428. and she 1430. Hic iacet Thomas filius Iacobi comitis Ormundie ac fratris Iacobi comitis Wilts Ormundie qui quidem Thomas obijt secundo die 1515 anno regni Regis Henrici Octaui 37. cuius The Ancestors of these Earles saith learned Camden were in old time the Butlers an honourable office in Ireland and from thence came this Surname Le Boteler or Butler imposed vpon them and certaine it is that they were linked in most neere alliance vnto Saint Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury as who deriue their descent from his sister which was a great motiue to make them choose this place for their buriall and that after he was murdered they were
Iordan Briset hauing first founded the Priory of Nunnes here by Clerkenwell as aforesaid bought of the said Nunnes ten Acres of ground giuing them for the said ten Acres twenty Acres of land in his Lordship of Willinghale or Wellinghall in Kent Vpon which ground lying neare vnto the said Priory hee laid the foundation of a religious structure for the knights Hospitalers of S. Iohn of Ierusalem These following are the words out of the Register booke of the Deedes of the said house written by one Iohn Stilling-fleete a brother of the house circa ann 1434. to the end that their benefactors names being knowne they may be daily remembred in their prayers Iordanus Briset Baro tempore regis Hen. primi circa an Dom. 110. fundauit domum ac Hospitale S. Iohns de Clerkenwel Hic etiam erat Fundator domus Monialium de Clerkenwel ac ab eis emit decem acras terre super quas dictum Hospitale ac domum fundauit pro illis decem acris terre dedit illis Monialibus viginti acras terre in Dominico suo de Willinghale in com Cant. c. In ye yere of Criste as I haue the words out of an old Mss 1185. ye vj. Ides of Merche ye dominical lettre being F ye Chyrche of ye Hospitall of S Iohns Ierusalem was dedicatyd to ye honor of S. Iohn Baptiste by ye worschypfull fader Araclius Patriarke of ye resurrection of Christe ye sam dey was dedycatyd ye hygh Altrâ— and ye Altre of S. Iohn Euangelist by ye sam Patryarke The said Heraclius in the same yeare dedicated the Church of the new Temple as hereafter is spoken Within a short time this Hospitall began to flourish for infinite were the donations of all sorts of people to this Fraternitie as in the Beadroul of their benefactors is specified but aboue all their Benefactors they held themselues most bound to Roger de Mowbray whose liberalitie to their order was so great that by a common consent in their chapiter they made a decree that himselfe might remit and pardon any of the Brotherhood whomsoeuer in case he had trespassed against any of the statutes and ordinances of their order confessing and acknowledging withall his offence and errour And also the knights of this order granted in token of thankefulnesse to Iohn de Mowbray Lord of the Isle of Axholme the successour of the foresaid Roger that himselfe and his successours in euery of their couents assemblies as well in England as beyond seas should be receiued entertained alwaies in the second place next to the King Thus through the bounty both of Princes priuate persons they rose to so high an estate and great riches that after a sort saith Camden they wallowed in wealth for they had about the yeere of our Lord 1240. within christendome nineteene thousand Lordships or Manours like as the Templars nine thousand the reuenewes and rents whereof fell afterwards also to these Hospitallers And this estate of theirs growne to so great an height made way for them to as great honours so as the Priore of this house was reputed the prime Baron of the land being able with fulnesse abundance of all things to maintaine an honourable port And thus they flourished for many yeeres in Lordly pompe vntill a Parliament begun the 18. of April 1540. Anno 32. Henry 8. their corporation was vtterly dissolued the King allowing to euery one of them onely a certaine annuall pension during their liues as you may reade in the Annals of England The value of this foundation in the Kings bookes was 3385 l. 19 s. 8 d. of ancient yeerely rent This Priory Church and house was preserued from spoile or downe pulling so long as Henry the 8 raigned but in the 3 of King Ed. the sixt the Church for the most part with the great Bell-tower a most curious piece of workemanship grauen gilt and enameld to the great beautifying of the Citie saith Stow was vndermined and blowne vp with Gun-powder the stone whereof was imployed in building of the Lord Protectors house in in the Strand The Charter-house Sir Walter Manny Knight of the Garter Lord of the towne of Manny in the Dioces of Cambrey beyond the seas in that raging pestilence in the 23 of King Ed. the 3. when Churches Church-yards in London might not suffice to bury the dead purchased a piece of ground in this place called Spitle croft containing 13 acres and a Rodd and caused the same to bee enclosed for burials and dedicated by Raph Stratford Bishop of London in which place and in the same yeere more then 50000 persons were buried in regard of such a multitude here interred he caused a Chappell here to be builded wherein Offerings were made and Masses said for the soules of so many Christians departed And afterwards about the yeere 1371. he caused here to be founded an house of Carthusian Monkes which he called the Salutation which house at the dissolution was valued to be yeerely worth sixe hundred forty two pounds foure pence halfe penny Iohn Stow saith that he had read this Inscription following fixed on a stone crosse sometime standing in the Charter-house Church yard Anno Domini M. ccc.xl.ix Regnante magna pestilentia consecratum fuit hoc Cemiterium in quo infra septa presentis Monasterij sepulta fuerunt mortuorum Corpora plusquam quinquaginta millia preter alia multa abhinc vsque ad presens quorum animabus propitietur Deus Amen This inscription vpon the foresaid Stone Crosse as also the relation before was taken out from the words of his charter the substance whereof followeth Walterus Dns. de Many c. cum nuper pestilentia esset tam grandis viâ—lenta in ciuitate London quod Cemiteria Ecclesiae ciuitatis non possunt sufficere pro sepultura a personarum in eadem pestilentia discedentia nos moti pietate habentes respectum c. Purchased 13. acres of land without Smithfield Barres in a place called Spitle croft and now called new Church-Haw for the buriall of the persons aforesaid and haue caused the place to be blessed by Raph then Bishop of London in which place plus quam Quinquaginta millia personarum de dicta pestilentia morientium sepulti fuere And there for our Ladies sake wee founded a Chappel of the holy order of the Cartusians made there a Monastery by consent of the Prior or Cartuse Maior in Sauoy c. for the health of King Edward the third and Dame Margaret his wife Hijs Testibus Iohn Hastings of Penbroke Humfrey Bohun of Hereford Edmund Mortymer of Marâ—h and William de Monteacuto of Sarum Earles Iohn de Barnes Maior of London William de Walworth and Robert de Gayton Sheriffes Dat apud London 20 Martij Anno Regni Reg. Ed. 3.45 Sir Walter Manny or de Manie the foresaid Founder was buried here in his owne Church who deceased in the same yeere that he
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
procured his lands and reuenues backe againe from the Conquerour and by himselfe and his forcible perswasions with others he did further enrich his Abbey with many faire possessions 15 Richard succeeded him who solemnly magnificently did consecrate the Church which his predecessour Paul had finished and built a Chappell of himselfe to the honour of Saint Cuthbert in which hee was entombed with this Epitaph Abbas Richardus iacet hic vt pistica nardus Redolens virtutum floribus et merit is A quo fundatus locus est hic edisicatus Ingenti studio nec modico precio Quem nonas decimas Februo promente Kalendas Abslulit vltima sors et rapuit cita mors 16 Geffrey the Abbot gaue many rich ornaments to this his Monastery with a Challice and a couer all of massie pure gold which afterwards hee sent to Pope Celestine the second vt ipsius sedaret auaritiam volent is hanc Ecclesiam appropriare that he might appease or mitigate the couetousnesse of his holy father of Rome who was willing and went about to impropriate this Abbey Abbas Galfridus Papa cui fuit ipse molestus Hic iacet innocuus prudens pius atque modeslus 17 Raph his successor built anew the lodgings for the Abbots and gaue diuers rich Copes and Vestments for the ornament of his Church 18 Robert was the next Abbot who procured the Church of Luton to be annexed to this and deliuered his Monastery from the seruitude of the Bishop of Lincolne which was a controuersie of long continuance and in the end agreed vpon by composition which agreement was confirmed by Alexander the third Bishop of Rome about the yeare 1178. as by his Bull to that purpose appearent Bulla de compositione facta inter Lincoln Ecclesiam et Ecclesiam beati Albani Alexander Episcopus seruus seruoruÌ„ Dei. Dilecto filio Roberto Abbati monasterij Sancti Albani Salutem et apostolicam ben Ea que compositione seu concordia mediante rationabili prouidentia statuuntur in sua debent stabilitate consistere Et ne alicuius temeritate in posterum valeant immutari Apostolice sedis ea conuenit auctoritate muniri Ea propter dilecte in Domino fili Roberte tuis postulationibus grato concurrentes assensu compositionem que inter Lincoln Ecclesiam et monasterium beati Albani super Processionibus de Herfordshira de quibus inter vtramque Ecclesiam controuersia fuerat sicut in instrumento exinde facto continetur vtriusque partis assensu rationabiliter facta est tibi et prefate Ecclesie tue auctoritate Apostolica confirmamus Statuentes vt nulli omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostre confirmationis infringere vel ei ausu temerario contraire Si quis autem hoc attemptare presumpserit indignationem omnipotentis dei et beatorum Petrie et Pauli Apostolorum eius se neuerit incursurum Dat. Auagn xi Kal. Feb. pontificatus nostri anno vij About twenty yeares afterwards vpon some new quarrels belike arising betweene the two foresaid Churches this composition and transaction was againe confirmed by Clemens the third in these words Clemens Episcopus seruus seruorum dei dilectis filijs Abbati et conuentui Sancti Albani Salutem et Apostolâ—cam ben Cum inter vos ex vna parte et Ecclesiam Lincolnien et Capitulum eius ex altera controuersia verteretur super eo quod Capitulum ipsum Ecclesiam vestram proponebat Ecclesie Lincolnien de iure esse subiectam inter vos concordia de assensu partium intercesserit Nos itaque volentes que super causarum litigijs concordia vel iuditio rationabiliter statuuntur firmitatem perpetuam optinere et ne processu temporis in scrupulum recidue contentionis deueniaâ—t literarum amminutulis memorie commendare concordiamillam sicut rationabiliter facta est et ab vtraque parte recepta et in scripto autentico continetur auctoritate Apostolica conâ—irmamus et presentis Scripti patrocinio communuimus Statuentes vt nulli as before Dat. Lateran Id. Martij Pontisicatus nostri Anno secundo 19 Symon Abbot caused many bookes to be written for the vse of the Couent in his time one Adam Steward of the monastery made the Kitchin much more large and gaue both money and lands to the Couent and Monastery ideo saith my Author ob preclara eius merita inter Abbates in capitulo sepulturam meruit optinere therefore for his good deserts hee deserued to be buried in the Chapter-house amongst the Abbots 20 Carine caused a coffin and a Shrine to be new made wherein he put the reliques of Saint Amphibalus Richard Cordelion King of England being taken prisoner by Leopold Duke of Austria and his ransome set at one hundred thousand pound commandement was directed from his Iustices that all Bishops Prelates Earles Barons Abbots and Priors should bring in the fourth part of their reuenues towards his deliuerance at which time the shrines in the Churches were fleeced and their Chalices coined into ready money yet this Abbot quia Regi erat amicissimus redeemed the Chalices and all other the rich offerings to the glorious shrines within his Church for two hundred markes This Carine was the first Abbot of this house that was dignified with Miter and Croisier 21 Iohn de Cella did many workes of piety and purchased the Church of Saint Stephen with certaine lands thereunto adioyning for one hundred and twenty markes which he did assigne to the Officers of his Kitchin 22 William amongst many of his pious acts reedified Saint Cuthberts Chappell being as then ruinous and ready to fall downe which hee new made in the honour of Saint Cuthbert Saint Iohn the Baptist and Saint Agnes the Virgine vpon which dedication he caused these verses to be insculped ouer the high Altar Confessor Cuthberte Dei Baptista Iohannes Agnes virgo tribus vobis hec ara sacratur 23 Iohn of Hertford was a great benefactor to this Abbey 24 His successor Roger did wondrously loue the beautie of the house of God which he euidently did demonstrate by the great cost and charges he bestowed vpon this his owne Church besides he caused to be made three tunable Bels for the Steeple two to the honour of Saint Alban and the third to Saint Amphibalus which he appointed to be rung at nine a clocke euery night whereupon it was called the Corfue or couer fire bell 25 After Roger succeeded Iohn of Berkamstede of whom because hee did nothing memorable in his life time nothing shall be spoken in this present page Sed taman Lectorem monemus saith the Booke vt conuertatur ad pietatis opera et omnipotenti deo pro eius anima preces fundat 26 Iohn Marines gaue a Censer to his church of a great price besides many other necessaries 27 Hugh his successor inlarged the reuenues of his church with many faire possessions and obtained of Edward the second diuers great gifts with a crucifixe of gold beset with precious stones a cup of
sisque benignus Tresque Duces simul es Eneas Titus Vlixes Non bene concessum princeps regit ille Ducatum Concilio procerum qui non regitur sapientum Iudex quando sedes caneas ne iura supines Iure quidem tradito Plebs Rex est Rex sine regno In the windowes of the Abbots Studie or Librarie Cum studeas videas vt sit virtus honestas Hic vbique tibi finalis causa studendi Hec loca sceptrigere pudeat sacrate Sophie Hoc ad opus trahere quod mandat Martha Marie Huius amore loci regimen postponere noli Quo minor esca gregi detur magis esurienti In the Chamber adioyning to his Studie Condere ne timeas quicquid persuadet honestas Gratia propositis semper respondet honestis He gaue a great Bason of siluer double gilt to the Monasterie which hee thus engraued about the Verge Dic quisquis fueris bene domi si memoreris Quis fueratque dator nunqui suus esse precator Siue prees ve subes propter donum tenearis Si â—ic hortor te pro donatore precare Dicque perhennis eâ— sit lux que locus requieâ— In a Chappell which he built for the Couent these verses Turma senectutis plebs egra cohorsque salutis In vestris precibus Are sacra cum celebratis Hanc propter fabricam sextum memorate Iohannem After this manner did he adorne new build and enrich both his Church and Abbey and in all his new buildings or repairings hee caused the pictures of a Lambe and an Eagle to be thereupon drawne or depicted with these verses following which you may reade vpon the roofe or top of the Quire in the Abbey Church at this day Dic vbicunque vides sit pictus vt Agnus Ales Effigies operis sexti sunt ista Iohannis Parte vel in toto in visse vel in faciendo Est opus hoc vnum causauit eum faciendum He built much at his Mannor of Titten-Hanger not farre from hence and in his Studie there inscribed these verses Ipse Iohannis amor Whethamslede vbique proclamor Eius alter honor hic lucis in ange reponor In a Chappell there which he much enlarged he caused to be painted vpon the walls the similitudes of all the Saints of his owne Christian name of Iohn with his owne picture which seemingly thus prayeth Cum fero par nomen par ferre precor simul omen Tum paribus que pari licet impar luce locari He repaired or rather built anew the Church of Redburne and consecrated the altar againe ouer which these verses were written vpon the wall M. semel x. terno C quater â— quoque querno Ara resecrata domus hec varijsque nouata Vpon the couering or roofe ouer the Chancell vnder the pictures of the Lambe and Eagle these Ecce pecus mundi toâ—lens peccata rotundi En et auis celi reserans arcana fideli En pecus en et auis opus en sextique Iohannis He built a Librarie in the Monkes Colledge in Oxford to which he gaue many bookes in some of which he writ these verses Fratribus Oxonie datur in munus liber iste Per patrem pecorum Prothomartyris Angligenorum Quem siquis rapiat ad partem siue reponat Vel Iude laqueum vel furcas sentiat Amen In other of the bookes which he gaue to the said Librarie these Discior vt docti fieret noua regia plebi Culta magisque Dee datur hic liber ara Minerue His qui dijs dictis libant holocausta ministris Et Cirre bibulam sitiunt pre Nectare lympham Estque librique loci idem dator actor et vnus He built also a Chappell adioyning to the Librarie and in the principall window vnder the pictures of the Crucifix the Virgine Mary and Saint Iohn Baptist he caused these deprecatory times to be put in the glasse Mors medicina necis via vite pax populatus Sis spes prompta precis lex cure laus Monachatus Maâ—ris mesticia mors prolis vulnera quina Sint mâ—a leticia fati pulsante ruina Virginis imbutor fidei fortissâ—me tutor Nominis vt reputor seror omnis oro secutor He bestowed great charges vpon the Abbots lodging-house in London By his wisedome he did so mediate with Vmfrey Duke of Glocester that he gâ—ue to this Church ornatus vestimentorum a suite of vestments worth three thousand markes with the Mannour of Pembroke in South Wales for that the Monkes should pray for his soule and chose this Church for the place of his buriall Vpon which these rimes Vltraiam dicta que sunt numero satis ampla Diues item cella Penbrok à plebe vocata Per patris media fuit Ecclesie propriata Ossa tegique sua legit Propriator in ipsa He gaue much to the Churches of Winslow and Newenham and other Churches in London He gaue a challice of pure gold and of great waight to the Priory of Tinmouth where he was brought vp as a Scholler a Challice to Wallingford another to the Church of Worcester An estimate of his charitable and pious deuotions to this and other Churches you may see in these two lines beside what money and goods he bequeathed vpon his death-bed Summa prius dicta si sit sine fraude quotata Bister millenas fertur transcendere libras And preter gesta iam dicta saith the booke fecit Abbas prefatus multa alia opera bona que non scripta in libro hoc Hec antem scripta sunt vt glorificetur deus in omnibus qui dedit servulo suo gratiam ad peragendum hec paucula in diebus suis. Et vt ea legant Fratres atque legentes vt ardentiorâ—m habeant appetitum ad orandum in specie pro anima eius He was a generall good scholler some fourescore and odde seuerall Treatises are set downe in this booke of Saint Albons written by this Abbot Before the names whereof these verses Nomina librorum cum contentis eorum Quos frumentalis domino pressante Iohannes Fecit vel scribi fieri vel vel renouaui Hic subscribuntur mentaliter vt teneantur He gaue ouer his charge for a time and vndertooke it againe a little before his death which happened in the raigne of Edward the fourth He was buried in his owne Chappell which he had prouided in his life time To whose memory this Epitaph was made by one of the Monkes Contegit iste lapis venerabilis ossa Iohannis Whethamstede Abbas hic qui fuit eius in annis Ter doctus doctos amans eis miseratus Nec fraudes patiens curarum Presbyteratus In lubricos Phinees in adulterijsque Iohannes Extitit ymo Petrusin omnes Symonianos Insuper in laceris domibus mansisque vetustis Sic reparator erat sic reparando nouabat Quod sibi preteritus non sit compar Pater vllus Siue coequalis manet impar rebus in istis Marcas millenas decies numero repetitas
for any fauour loue or awe but say the sooth to your knowledge Also ye shall promise and sweare to be true and secret to all gentlewomen widdowes and maydens and in case that any man would doe them wrong or force them or disinherite them of their Liuelyhood and they haue no good to pursue them for their right to Princes or Iudges if they require you of supportation ye shall support them with your good wisedome and counsell to Princes and Iudges Also ye shall promise and sweare that you shall forsake all places of dishonesty the play of Hazardy and the common haunt of going vnto Tauernes and other places of debates eschuing vices and taking you to vertues to your power This article and all other articles aboue said ye shall truly keepe so God you helpe and holydoome and by this Booke and Crosse of this Sword that belongeth to Knighthood Things necessarie to be prouided for the Creation of a Pursuiuant at Armes First a Booke whereon he must take his Oath Item his Letters Patents which must be read by an Officer Item His coat of Armes of Dammaske embroydered Item a Bowle of wine to be poured on his head and that Bowle is to be taken by the new Pursuiuant of Armes The manner of the Pursuiuants Creation The Pursuiuant of armes shall be brought into the presence of the King or his Earle Marshall or the Earle Marshals Deputy betweene two of the eldest Pursuiuants and kneele downe before him laying his hand vpon the booke Garter principall King of armes reads the oath vnder written and so hee kisseth the booke Then his letters Patenâ—s shall bee read by an Herald and when he saith Creamus the King or the Earle Marshall putteth on his Coat of armes with the sleeue before And when he saith Nec non nomen vulgariter c. the King or the Earle Marshall poureth the Bowle of wine vpon his head calling him by his name as Portcullis or otherwise as his office requireth The aduertisment and oath of a Pursuiuant of Armes at the time of his creation First ye shall sweare that ye shall be true to the most high most mighty and most excellent Prince the King our Soueraigne Lord. And if you haue any knowledge or heare any imagination of treason or language or word that shall sound to the derogation or hurt of his Estate and Highnesse which God defend ye shall in that case as hastily and as soone as it is to you possible discouer and shew it to his Highnesse or to his noble and discreet Counsell Also ye shall dispose you to be lowly humble and seruiceable to all Estates vniuersall that Christian bene not lying in waite to blame ne hurt none of the said Estates in any thing that may touch their honours Also ye shall dispose you to bee secret and sober in your port and not too busie in language ready to commend and loath to blame and diligent in your seruice eschuing from vices and taking you to vertues and true in your reports and so to exercise while ye be in the Office of a Pursuiuant that your merits may cause your more preferring in the Office of Armes in time comming All such Articles and things as belongeth to a Pursuiuant of Armes to keepe you shall well and truly obserue and keepe So helpe you God and Holydome and by this Booke A Catalogue shewing what Kings of Armes were in former Ages and now out of vse in this Realme as also the Succession of the Kings Heraulds and Pursuiuants of Armes haue from ancient times to this present day succeeded one another And first The Succession of the principall Kings of Armes GArter is the principall King of Armes as I haue written before and goeth first as the onely ring-leader of them all not so much for the antiquitie of his Creation as for the supereminence of the Order of the Garter for he was but instituted by King Henry the fifth His peculiar Office is which partly you may reade in his oath with all dutifull seruice to attend vpon the Knights of the Garter at their Solemnities To aduertise them which are chosen of their new election to call them to bee enstaulled at Windsore To cause their Armes to be hanged vp vpon their Seates and to marshall the Funerall Rites and Ceremonies of them as also of the greater Nobilitie as of Princes Dukes Marquesses Earles Viscounts and Barons and to do many other seruices vnto the King and State The priuiledges of Garter King of Armes his goods and Seruants as appeareth in the Black booke of the most honourable Order of the Garter Whereof this ancient institution following is enregistred Hij tres hujus ordinis officiales Scriba videlicet Garterus Rex Armorum Hostiarius ab atra virga nuncupatus ipsi cum suis tam rebus quam ministris in suis officijs permanentibus sub perpetua supremi protectione ac propugnaculo securè durabunt Vnde si quaevis injuria seu violentia ipsis inferatur vel ab eis qui supremo subjecti sunt vel externis quoties causas suas arbitrio supremi submittent ipse cuÌ„ Sodalibus exhibebit eis iusticiam aut exhibeÌ„dam ex aequo et congruo procurabit Si vero pars aduersa causam suam supremo submittere detractabit ipse cum Commilitonibus eum erga Officiales hos animum habebit vt ipsorum causam quoad iustum at que aequum erit cum debito fauore tueri velit Sir William Brugge or Brugges knight was the first King of the name Garter in the raigne of Henry the fifth as aforesaid His Patent was confirmed by Henry the sixth in the foure and twentieth yeare of his raigne as it is in the Patent Rolls of that yeare the eleuenth membrane Iohn Smert succeeded Sir William Brugge in the said Office Patent Ann. 39. Hen. 6. Member 14. In the fourteenth of Edward the fourth he was imployed with a defiance to the French King Lewis the eleuenth The which no little abashed the said King Yet neuerthelesse following the said Officer of Armes directions obtained by that meanes a Peace which he much coueted And Edward the fourth as willingly assented because he was deceiued by the Duke of Burgundy and the Constable of France who failed him in their promised aides The French King gaue vnto the said King of Armes vpon his returne three hundred French Crownes and a peece of Veluet of thirty yardâ— long The next was Sir Iohn Wrythe or Wriothesley here interred and created as aforesaid This Sir Iohn Wriothesley Ann. 23. Edwardi quarti was imployed into Scotland and with him Northumberland Herauld with letters of procuracie signed and sealed by the King his master to redemand diuers great summes of money which had beene disbursed to Iames the third King of Scots vpon a promise of marriage entended to haue beene made betweene the Prince of Scotland and Lady Cicily daughter of King Edw. the fourth who in that Treatie
hauing the libertie of refusall thereupon redemanded the foresaid summes by his said procuratours Next to him Sir Thomas Wriothesley created in the time of Henry the seuenth This Sir Tho. Wriothesley in the 19. of H. 8. was ioyned Embassadour with Viscount Lisle the naturall sonne to King Edward the fourth and others which carried the Garter to the French King Francis the first He that succeeded him was Sir Thomas Wall Knight created Ann. 26. Hen. 8. Sir Christopher Baker Knight of the Bathe created Garter Ann. 28. Hen. 8. 1536. Sir Gilbert Dethick Knight was preferred to the Office of Garter the fourth of Edward the sixth He died in the yeare 1584. This Sir Gilbert Dethick was ioyned Embassadour with the Marquesse of Northampton to carry the Garter to the French King Henry the second Ann. 5. E. 6. And the like for the same purpose to the Prince of Pymont with Edward Lord Clynton And also with the Lord Hunsden to the French King Charles the ninth and with the Earle of Sussex to the Emperour Maximilian and likewise with the Lord Willoughby to Fredericke King of Denmarke Sir William Dethick Knight was crowned Garter in the eight and twentieth yeare of Queene Elizabeth he was deposed the first yeare of King Iames. This Sir William Dethick lieth buried in Pauls neare vnto Sir Payne Roet vnder a large marble-stone Whereupon this Inscription following is engrauen Hic ..... in Domino Gulielmus Dethick Eques Auratus filius heres Gilberti Dethick Equitis aurati Qui ambo fuerunt Garterij Principales Reges Armorum Anglicorum Hic Anno 1584. aetat 84. Ille anno 1612. etat suae 70. in Domino obdormierunt And after his deposing Sir William Segar Knight now liuing Ann. 1631. was created Garter he hath written a learned booke called Honour Militarie and Ciuill A Succession of the Prouinciall Kings of Armes Prouinciall Kings of Armes are at this day onely two Clarentieux and Norrey Clarentieux was ordained by Edward the fourth for he obtaining the Dukedome of Clarence by the death of George his brother who was secretly murdered in the Tower of London made the Herauld which properly belonged to the Duke of Clarence a King at Armes and called him Clarentius or Clarentieux but in whose time or vpon what occasion this name and Office of Clarencieux began I do not finde saith Sir Henry Spelman Glosslit H. but certainly it was of greater Antiquitie then from Edward the fourth and might be called South-Roy of his Prouince of South as North-Roy or Norroy of the North parts His proper Office is to Marshall and dispose the Funeralls of all the lesser Nobilitie as Knights and Esquires thorow the Realme on the South side of Trent The office of Norrey the time nor the reason of his Creation and Title I do not know is the same on the North side of Trent that Clarentieux hath on this side as may well appeare by his name signifying the Northerne King or King of the North parts These two saith Milles haue by Charter power to visite the Noblemens Families to set downe their Pedegrees to distinguish their Armes and in the open Market place to reproue such as falsely take vpon them Nobilitie or Gentrie And to order euery mans Exequies and Funeralls according to their dignitie and to appoint vnto them their Armes or Ensignes The names surnames and seuerall adiuncts of these Kings of Armes according to the foresaid Catalogue beginning at Edward the first and continued to these times Iaques Hedingley in the time of King Ed. the first was King of Armes by the name of Guyon Sir Payne Rowet in the raigne of Edward the third was King of Armes by the name of Guyon Iohn March was King of Armes by the name of Norroy 2. pars pat An. 9. R. 2. Membr 21. Richard del Brugge otherwise called Lancaster was King of Armes for the North in the time of Henry the fourth and in the first of Henry the fifth William Tyndall in the time of the foresaid Henry the fourth was King of Armes by the name of Lancaster ..... in the time of Henry the fifth was King of Armes by the name of Agincourt William Horsley alias Clarentieux Iohn Kiteby alias Ireland Iohn Wrexworth Guyon Iohn Ashwell Lancaster Thomas More Guyonne Roger Leigh Clarentieux Iohn Wrythe Norroy Thomas Collyer Ireland Iohn Mowbrey Clarentieux William Hawkeslow Guyonne Sir Thomas Holme knight Clarencieux Iohn Ferrant March Iohn Moore Norroy Officio Heraldi Regis Armorum partium Borialium Regni Anglie perresignationem Iohannis Wrythe alias dicti Gartere vacante Rex constituit Iohannem More ac dictum Windesore Heraldum Regem que Armorum partium Borialium Regni Anglie imponit ei nomen vulgare Norrey pro termino vite sue Teste Rege apud W. 9. Iulii 2. pars pat Ann. 18. E. 4. Membr 4. Richard Ashwell Ireland William Ballare March In Edward the fifths time no Officers were Created Richard Champney Gloucester 1. Ric. 3. Walter Belling Ireland Roger Macado Clarencieux Thomas Tonge Norroy William Carlile Norroy Iohn Young Norroy Thomas Tong Clarencieux Thomas Beuolt Norroy Thomas Wall Norroy Thomas Beuolt Clarenciuex who in the fourteenth of Henry the eight was imployed to defie the French King And in the 19. of Henry the eight to defie the Emperor Charles the fifth which he performed with great grace as may appeare in the Spanish Story and receiued liberall gifts Iohn Ioyner Norroy Thomas Hawley Norroy Thomas Hawley Clarencieux Christopher Barker Norroy William Fellow Norroy Gilbert Dethick Norroy William Haruey Norroy Bartholomew Butler Vlster William Haruey Clarencieux 1556. obijt 1566. Laurence Dalton Norroy 1556. obijt 1561. William Flower Norroy 1561. obijt 1588. Nicholas Narboone Vlster Robert Cooke Clarencieux 1566. Hee was imployed with the Earle of Darby for carrying of the Garter to the French King Henry the third an 1584. obâ—jt anno 1592. Edmund Knight Norroy 1592. obijt 1593. Richard Legh Clarencieux 1594. obiit 1597. Sept. 23. William Camden Clarencieux 39. Queene Elizabeth 1597. who died the 9. of Nouember 1623. aged 74. as appeares by this Inscription following vpon his Funerall Monument in the Abbey of Westminster where he lieth buried Qui fide Antiqua et opera assidua Britannicam Antiquitatem indagauit Simplicitatem innatam honestis studijs excoluit Animi solertiam candore illustrauit Gulielmus Camdenus ab Elizabetha R ad Regis Armorum Clarentij titulo dignitatem euocatus Hic spe certa resurgendi in Christo S E Obijt Anno Domini 1623. 9 Nouembris Etatis suae 74. I haue read this Ogdoasticon following penned but by whom I know not to the honour of our Antiquarie Camden in the praise of his Book Londinum Camdene tibi dedit aethera et auram Ingenij cultum praebuit Oxonium Historicum Occidiui delubra monastica templa Reddunt materies terra Britanna fuit Londinum Oxonium delubra et terra Britannae Camdeni
with inhabitants Famous also for a Mint therein some men of the towne can yet shew of the coines which are sterling pence with this inscription Ciuitatis Dunwic But now by a certaine peculiar spite and enuy of Nature that suffereth the greedy sea to haue what it will and encroch still without all end the greatest part thereof is violently carried away with the waues and it lieth as it were desolate The common fame and report of the Inhabitants is that before the towne came to decay there belonged thereunto two and fifty religious houses as parish Churches Priories Hospitals and Chappels as many Windmils and as many toppe Ships But certaine it is as appeareth by manifest and sound Record which I haue seene saith Stow that euen of late time there was within the said towne sixe parish Churches two houses of Friers an house which had beene of Templars two Hospitals and three Chappels foure of these parish Churches are now of late swallowed vp in the Sea and but two of them remaining on the land to wit Saint Peters and All Saints The Inhabitants of Dunwich desiring succour for their Towne against the rage of the Sea affirme that a great piece of a Forrest sometime thereby is deuoured and turned to the vse of the Sea In the raigne of William the Conquerour saith Camden Dunwich had in it two hundred and sixe and thirty Burgesses an hundred poore people it was valued at fiftie pounds and threescore thousand Herings of gift for so we reade in Domesday booke In the raigne of Henry the second as William of Newborough writeth It was a towne of good note and full stored with sundry kindes of riches At which time when England was all on a light fire with new stirres and broiles this towne was so fortified that it made Robert Earle of Leicester afraid who with his armie ouer-ranne all the parts thereabout at his pleasure But to draw neerer to these our times I haue read and copied out a large Treatise of Dunwich now in the custody of Sir Simonds D'Ewes Knight of which so much in this place as I finde to bee any way pertinent to the premisses and my purpose This treatise or relation of Dunwich was written in the raigne of Queene Mary and sent to one Master Dey from a friend of his whose name is there concealed Sir c. Sixe parish Churches were anciently in Dunwich the first was Saint Leonards now drowned in the sea the second Saint Peters now standing the third Saint Iohns likewise swallowed vp of the Sea the fourth Saint Martins now lying vnder the waues the fift Saint Nicholas now altogether shipwrackt and the sixt the Parish of All Saints now standing and remaining Also there was two houses of Friers very faire Churches and building walled round about with a stone wall with diuers faire gates as yet there may be seene the which grey Friers was of the order of Saint Francis and called the Friers Minors and the blacke Friers were of the order of Saint Dominicke and were called the Friers Preachers Also there was in the said Towne an ancient and very old Church called the Temple of our Lady the which Church by report was in the Iewes time and was valted ouer And the roofe of the same Church and also the Isles were leaded all ouer And it was a Church of great priuiledge and pardon in those daies and was indowed with diuers Rents Tenements Houses Lands and other profits and commodities both free and coppie as well in Donwiche Westelton Dyngle c. as also in diuers other places c. And commonly there was kept a Court called Donwiche Temple Court on the day of All Soules for the leuying and gathering vp of the yeerely reuenue of the same Also there is in the said Towne two Hospitals the one is called Saint Iames which Church is a great one and a faire large one after the old fashion and diuers tenements houses and lands to the same belonging to the vse of the poore sicke and impotent people there But now lately greatly decaied and hindred by euill Masters of the said Hospitall and other euilly disposed couetous persons which did sell away diuers lands and rents from the said Hospitall to the great hinderance of the poore people of the said Hospitall as plainely it is to be proued The other Hospitall was of the holy Trinitie and was and is called the Mason Dieu whereof the Church is now pulled downe and decaied by the meanes of such euill Masters and couetous persons as decayed the other Hospitall But there is yet diuers tenements houses lands and rents remaining to the vse of the poore of the same Hospitall The which Mason Dien was an house of great priuiledge and a place exempt and there was a very little proper house and a proper lodging for the Masters of the same for the time being to dwell in As there hath beene masters of the same Mason Dieu in times past that hath beene worshipfull viz. one there was of late daies a Master of Arte and another that was a Squyre and such like c. I would to God these iniuries and wrongs done to these two poore Hospitals might be restored and reformed againe to their former estate For surely whosoeuer shall doe it shall doe a good worke before God I pray God bring it to passe Amen Also there was in the said Towne of Donwiche three Chappels wherof one was of Saint Antony another of Saint Francis and a third was of Saint Katherine The which three Chappels were put downe when all the houses of Religion were put downe But you shall further vnderstand that the common fame of a great number of credible persons is and hath beene for a long time past that there hath beene in the Towne of Donwiche before any decay came vnto it fiftie and two parish Churches houses of Religion Hospitals and Chappels and other such like as many wind-mils and as many toppe Ships Also I thinke you doe remember the manner forme and fashion of the building and making of Saint Iohns Church and Saint Nicholas Church how they were close sled both North and south and the steeples in the middest like Cathedrall Churches now vsed and as it seemeth as the old manner of Cathedrall Churches then was And most likest so was the Church of Saint Felix for certainly one of these three Churches was the Bishops seat of Donwiche if one of them were not after another as the Sea drowned them And further you shall certainly vnderstand that when Saint Iohns Church was taken downe there lay a very plaine faire Grauestone in the Chancell and when it was raised and taken vp next vnder the same Grauestone was a great hollow stone hollowed after the fashion of a man for a man to lye in and therein a man lying with a paire of Bootes vpon his legges the forepart of the feete of them
vpon the Parchment The verses are both in Latine and English and being in both good I thinke it good to emprint them in both languages Questio Quis iacet hic Respons Nullus Q. Quid tunc R. est femina Q. Cuiu Filia tu michi dic R. Ed. pri post Con. mihi fert sic Cronica si memorem dedit huic Hispania matrem Q. Cognomen mihi das R. de Acris sic dicta Iohanna Q. Cur sic declara R. quoniam fuit hec ibi nata Hinc in honore tuo Vincenti pectore puro Qua cubat hanc bellam fundauerat ipse Capellam Q. Nupta fuit nec ne R. suit imo Q. Cui R. michi crede Gilberto Comiti Gloucester Q. Quis pater illi R. Nobilis et nardus redolens fuit iste Richardus Qui quos dilexit Heremitas trans mare vexit Ordinis egregij doctoris nomen et illi Augustinus erat quos Princeps ipse fouebat Ob merita Egidij dulcisque amore libelli Quem de Regimine Procerum composuit ipse Vt suus in regno nouiter successeret ordo Anglor hinc sit ei summe merces requiei Q. Sedprecor ex latere fuit vxor que michi pande Istius eximij quem effers sic laude Ricardi R. Hec fuit iliustris Domina et recolenda Matildis Que postquam sponsum mors strauit seua Ricardum Particulis nostrum varijs prius vndique structum Auxit fundamen hinc merces ei detur Amen Q. Et que Gilberti fuit vxor dic michi primi Istorum heredis R. Preclaris si mihi credis Ex Vlstris nata fuit ipsa Matilda vocata Vt monstrant arma maiori picta fenestra Ecclesie istius fabricam de puluere cuius Munere magnifico fundarunt hij duo primo Q. Num sterilis Domina fuerat prefata Iohanna R. Non set femineo ditata est germine claro Q. Nomen da que michi R. fuit Elisabeth Q. fuit illi Num Sponsus quisquans R. fuit imo Q. dicito quis nam R. Ex Vlstris heres dictus de Burgo Iohannes Duxerat hinc iuncta qua sunt Vl. Glou. simul arma Vt patet in multis vitratis ecce fenestris Capituli Dormitorij Refectorij que Que loca trina suis fundauit sumptibus hec Q. quis Muris adiecit tectum R. sola omnia fecit Q. Sanguinis egregij num rinulus affluit illis Affluit hinc clara fuit Elisabeth sibi nata Altera que egregio post .... Leonello Ed. ter innato post fataque sic tumulato Vt vides exigua pro tanto principe tumba Inque chori medio Q. sednum tam clara propago Liquerat heredem R. sic Q quam dicas mihi prolem R. Femineam Q. quota fuit ipsa vocata R. Philippa Que comiti Edwardo le March data virgo marito Rogerum genuit hic Edmundum generauit Edmundus sterilis obijt sine semine Q. Iuris Ergo cui titulus huius cessit dominatus R. Rogeri Nate Q. Cuius dic nominis R. Anne De Cambrigg Comiti nupsit quoque Q. filius illi Num fuit R. vt nardus redolens ..... imo Ricardus Huic nascebatur patris qui iure vocatur Dux Eboracensis cuius prefulgerat ensis Bellorum titulis glâ—riosis atque triumphis Cuique natura donauit munera plura Et fortuna suis hunc pinxit dotibus amplis Gratia succurrat quoque longo tempore vinat Felici vita virtutibus et redimita Q. Coniugis aut solus extat Dux hic honorandus R. Absit vt hic tantus princeps sine coniuge solus Esset nam nephas foret Q. Ergo michi rogo dicas Quam duxit R. Dominam te scire volo graciosam Q. Nomen des huius R. extat Cecilia Q. cuius Filia declares fuerat R. reor vltima proles Westmorlond comitis sexus saltem muliebris Quo non obstante diuino munere dante Cunctis prelata sit honore sororibus ipsa Q. Num sunt hijs soboles alique R. sunt Q. dic michi quales R. Bis sene proles Q. harum in nomine dones Quomodo satate quo sint et in ordinenate R. Post annos steriles multos fit primula proles Anna decora satis sed post hanc stirps probitatis Nascitur Henricus cito quem virtutis amicus Cristus in arce poli fecit regnart perhenni Prodiit Edwardus post hunc heres que futurus Edmundus sequitur hinc Elisabeth generatur Post Margareta Willelmus postera meta Fit pro presenti donec sua minnera a ventri Det Deus hinc matris solite signum pietatis Margret post proles hinc Willelmus que Iohannes Quos raptus seculo statuit Deus almus Olympo Inde Georgius est natus Thomas que Ricardus Thomas in fata successit sorte beata Vltima iam matris proles fuit Vrsula regis Que summi voto celesti iungitur agno Q. Optime naturam pinxisti pande futuram Si scis fortunam R. Dux Excester tâ—net Annam Vxorem que comes March est Edward patris beres Rotlonde Edmundus comes existit vocitatus Tres reliquas proles solita pietate parentes Tempore condigno titulabunt nomine digno Istam progeniem soboles vtrumque parentem Omnipotens firmet ast incolumes rogo seruet Temporibus longis et secum viuere celis Prestet post faeta ducens ad galmata grata Conferat hoc flamen pater et proles precor Amen The translation of these latine Numbers into English Stanzaes as followeth seemeth to haue beene composed at one and the same time as appeares by the Character Question What man lyeth here sey me sir Frere Answere No man Q. What ellis A It is a woman Q. Whose daughter she was I wold lefe here A. I woll you tell sir liche as I can King Edward the furst aftur the conquest began As I haue lernyd was hir fadir And of Spayn borne was hir modir Q. What was her name A Dame Iohan she hight Of Acris Q. Why so declarid wold be A. For there she sey furst this worlds light Borne of hir modir as cronicles telle me Wherfore in honoure O Uincent of the To whom she had singuler affectioun This Chapel she made in pure deuotioun Q. Was she ought weddid to ony wight A. Yea Sir Q. to whom A. yf I shuld not lye To Gilbert of Clare the Erle by right Of Gloucestre Q. Who 's Son was he A. sothley An othir Gilbertis Q. This Genealogye I desyre to knowe wherfore telle me Who was his fadir if it plese the A. This Gilbertis fadir was that noble knight Sir Richard of Clare to sey all and sum Which for Freris loue that Giles hight And his boke clepid De Regimine principum Made furst Frere Augustines to Ingelonde cum Therin to duelle and for that dede In heuen God graunte hym ioye to mede Q. But leterally who was telle me This Ricardis wiff whom thou preisest
Orat ... Tho. Wyndham militis et Elisabethe vxoris eius ... vnus constabul ... Domini Regis Hen. 8. ac vn ... militum pro corpore ... This Knight with others went with Sir Edward Howard Admirall into Biâ—cay the fourth of King Henry the eight Here lieth Dame Elisabeth Calthrop wife of Sir Francis Calthrop and after of Iohn Culpeper Esquire ... Calâ—hrops sometime a familie of great account in these parts Here lieth buried the body of Ione the wise of Sir Thomas Erpingham Knight of the Garter as appeareth by her Will made by licence of her husband the last of May 1404 and proued 14 of Iuly next following Orate pro animabus Thome Windham militis Eleanore et domine Elisabethe vxorum eius Qui quidem Thomas fuit unus consiliariorum Domini Regis Heâ—rici octauâ— ac vnus militum pro corpore eiusdem Domini Regis 〈◊〉 non vice admirallus ........... ............... This Knight lieth buried in the Chapter house vnder a goodly faire monument if it were not so much defaced He receiued the order of knighthood from the hands of Sir Edward Howard Lord Admirall of England the fourth of King Henry the eight at Croiton Bay in France He did good seruice at the winning of Turney and Turwin as also in other places this hath beene a name of exemplarie note and knights degree at Cowtherke in this Tract for many descent Hic iacet Richardus Brome Armiger cuius anime propitietur Deus On the wall by him is a monument with his atchieuement cut with helme coate mantle and creast his Creast is a bonch of broome greene with golden flowers on a wreath Next him lies vnder an arched monument the body of one Bosuile or Boswell sometime Prior of this Church with this Inscription on the vpper part of the Arch. O tu qui transis vir aut mulier puer an sis Respice picturas apices lege cerne figuras Et memor esto tui sic bene disce mori Vnder it are three pictures of dead mens skuls one with teeth another without an vpper chappe and onely two teeth in the nether and the third without either chaps or teeth betweene each of which is written O morieris O morieris O morieris The Familie of Bosvile is very ancient farre branched and of knightly degree as it will appeare in many places of these my ensuing labours of which in this place and vpon this occasion I will onely giue a little touch In the Church of Seuenoke within the County of Kent remaine the achiuements and Funerall rights of Raphe Bosvile of Bradburne in the said Parish of Seuenok Esquire Clerk of her late Maiesties Court of Wards and Liueries Grandsier of Sir Raphe Bosvile now of Bradburne and Sir Henry Bosvile of Eynsford in the foresaid County Knights descended lineally from the Bosviles of Erdsley and Newhall in the County of Yorke The inhabitants of Seuenoke say that whilst the said Raph Boswell liued being employed vpon many occasions for the publique hee deserued and had the reputation of a most worthie Patriot and out of his particular to their Towne hee procured of Queene Elizabeth a Charter of Incorporation for the setling and gouernment of Lands formerly giuen for the maintenance of a Free-schoole and thirteene Almes-people in the said Parish For the more entire establishment whereof Sir Raph his Grand-childe cooperating with other noble friends in so charitable a suite obtained an Act of Parliament in the 39. of Queene Elizabeth besides other benefites procured by him in behalfe of this Corporation and Parish Whereupon a well wishing versifier alluding to the Creste of this Familie which is an Oxe comming out of a Groue of Oakes tooke occasion to expresse his affection in this Distich Dij tibi dent Bosville boues villasque Radulphe Nec Villâ careat Bosue vel Illa boùe Here lieth vnder a faire marble stone one of the ancient Familie of the Cleres and his wife as appeares by their Armes thereupon engrauen for the brasse is quite taken away Of which worthy Familie I speake hereafter Pray for the soule of Elisabeth Waters and Iohn Waters Alderman and for the soule of Iohn Waminge Alderman and Maior of Norwich and husbands vnto the said Elisabeth .... Vpon the wall of a Chappell next to the Chapter house this Inscription In honore beate Marie Virginis omnium Sanctorum Willelmus Beauchampe Capellam hanc ordinauit ex proprijs sumptibus construxit Herein he lies buried vnder the Arch in the wall richly gilt as also the roofe Orate pro anima Fratris Symonis Folkard nuper Prioris Lenne .... qui obijt ... M. ccccci Vnder a monument in the South Crosse Isle lieth one Baconthorp a Prior of this Church the Inscription is worne or torne out of the stone I will not say that this Prior was Iohn Baconthorp the Resolute Doctor who flourished in the raigne of King Edward the third For I finde that he was buried amongst the Carmelites at London howsoeuer he was borne at Blackney in this County brought vp at Oxford and Paris in France and so exceeding deeply learned he was as well in Diuinitie as in both the Ciuill and Canon Lawes that he proceeded Doctor in either faculty in both the said Vniuersities and got the surname Doctoris resoluti or Resolute or Resoluing Doctor Nemo doctius consundebat Iudaos nemo neruosius consutabat Turcos vel quoscunque infideles nemo falicius ex pugnabat haereticos nemo solidiùs Christi veritatem dilucidabat nemo manifestius Antichrists falsitatem imposturas detegebat suisque coloribus depingâ—bat nemo subtiliùs difficiles nodos soluebat nemo clariùs obscura sacrae scripturae loca explanabat sensus reconditos arcana mysteria dilucidius apperiebat No man more learnedly confounded the Iewes no man more pithilie confuted the Turkes or any other Infidels no man more prosperously conuinced the Heretickes no man more solidly declared the truth of Christ no man more manifestly discouered the deceits and iuglings of Antichrist nor so painted him out in his proper colours No man more subtilly resolued hard questions and neuer any man more clearly expounded explaned or laid more apertly open the hidden sense the secret mysteries and the obscure places of the sacred Scripture saith Pitseus He was like another Zacheus little of stature but immense in wit and vnderstanding insomuch as it was a wonder to know so many vertues inhabite together in so small a mansion He writ so many exact learned Volumes that his bodie could not beare what his wit brought forth Nam si moles librorum cius composita sarcina auctoris humeris imposita fuisset homulum sine dubio comprimere suffecisset For if the bulke or pile of the bookes which he writ had beene put into a bagge and laid vpon his shoulders questionlesse it would haue prest the slender short
Richard de Derham Parson of the Church Nicholas de Derham and Elias de Derham brethren Which Elias was one of the Executors of the last Will and Testament of the said Archbishop Hubert Ann. 7. Iohannis Regis from which Nicholas de Derham descended Tho. Derham of Crimplesham Esquire Ann. 3. H. 5. that married Elisabeth daughter and heire of Baldwin de Vere of Denuere in this County Esquire yonger brother to Robert de Vere of Addington Esquire from whom Sir Thomas Derham knight now Lord of West Derham aforesaid is descended Buckenham New Hic iacet Alicia quondam vxor Willelmi Knyvet Armigeri Que erat filia Iohannis Grey filij Reginaldi Grey Domini de Rythyn que obiit quarto die mensis Aprilis Anno Domini M. cccclxxiiii ..... Hic iacet Thomas Ivy Capellanus qui obijt xix diâ— mensis Septembris ann Domini M. cccclxxxiii Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Hic iacet Robertus Seman Capellanus qui obijt nono die Iunij ann Dom. M. cccclxv Cuius anime ... Orate pro anima Willelmi Pyllys qui obijt xxv die Decembris Anno Domini M. cccccxxxi Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Here are many old Monuments all without Inscriptions vnder which diuers of the Familie of the Knevets lie buried An ancient house and renowned saith Camden euer since Sir Iohn Kneuet was Lord Chancellour of England vnder King Edward the third and also honourably allied by great marriages For ouer and besides these of Buckenham now Baronets from hence sprang those right worshipfull Knights Sir Thomas Kneuet Lord Kneuet Sir Henry Kneuet of Wiltshire and Sir Thomas Kneuet of Aâ—hewell Thorp and others Buckenham old Vpon a Grauestone in the south side of the Church ouer which stone there now are Pewes built there is in brasse portraied a Crane from whose heke is a scrowle with these two words Deo gratias and vpon a piece of brasse ouerthwart this inscription Orate pro anima Thome Browne cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Here was a religious Foundation of blacke Canons dedicated to Saint Iames valued at one hundred one and thirty pounds eleuen shillings of yearely commings in Erpingham Vnder a goodly faire Grauestone lieth the body Sir Iohn Erpingham knight he is figured vpon the stone in complete armour and the monument is bordered with this inscription Hic iacet Iohannes de Erpingham miles quis multa bona fecit tempore vite sue ... At each corner of the marble a Doue siluer crowned holding a Mase or Scepter in her pounce Sir Thomas Erpingham was knight of the Garter in the raigne of Henry the fourth Cromer Here lyeth the body of Sir Simon Felbrigge or Felbridge knight of the Garter in the raigne of Henry the fift He lieth in complete Armour on both his Emerases the Crosse of Saint George holding in his right hand a Penon of Armes his Belt bossed and gilt his Hanger by his side his Spurs gilt the blew Garter about his right legge his feet resting on a Lyon all ingrauen in brasse his wife by his side on like manner in brasse very sumptuously garnished with bracelets Iewels and her attire according to those times I haue no inscription to know any further Carow A religious house of blacke Nunnes consecrated to the holinesse and honour of the blessed Virgin Mary founded by King Stephen the founder of many such sacred Edifices valued in the Kings bookes to be yearely worth fourescore and foure pounds twelue shillings penny halfe penny qua Gregory the tenth as I take it granted by his Bull this priuiledge inhibition following to the Nunnes of this Priory Gregorious Episcopus Seruus Seruorum Dei dilectis in Christo filiâ—bus Priorisse et conuentui de Carrone Norwicen Dioc. Salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem Exposita nobis ex parte vestra petitio ... quod vos ad iâ—stantiam precum quorundam Nobilium Anglie quibus propter suam potentiam resistere non valeatis tot iam recepisti in Monasterio vestro Moniales quod vix potestis domus redditibus congrue sustentari Quare auctoritâ—â—â— presentium vobis inhibemus vt nullam recipiatis in grauamen Monasterij vestri de cetero in Monacham vel Sororem Dat. Perusii xij Kalend. Septembris Pontificatus nostri anno tertio East Harling I find by certaine notes of burials sent vnto me from my friend master Taylor of Fleetstreete London these persons following to haue beene interred in this parish Church Sir William Chamberleyn Knight of the Garter and Dame Anne his wife daughter of Sir Robert Harling Knight He was graced with this high Order in the raigne of Edward the fourth Sir Robert Harling Knight Elisabeth Trussell sister of sir William Chamberleyn Sir Iohn Harling knight Debenham Here by the foresaid Notes lie buried Iohn Farmingham qui obijt anno M. cccc.xxiiij and Margaret his wife Robert Cheak and Rose his wife George Neuill and his wife Iohn Neuill Iohn Cheake qui obiit M. cccc.lxxxx Suffield Here lyeth buried vnder a faire Tombe the bodies of Iohn Symonds gentleman and Margaret his wife daughter of Francis Moundeford Esquire ... Bromholme William Glanuile founded the Church of Saint Andrew at Bromholme in the Diocesse of Norwich in the yeare 1113. saith an old Anonimall Mss. which I haue In the Pedegree of the right honourable Edward Earle of Dorset I finde this note following Beatrix daughter and coheire of William Sakeuile Lord of Bracksted Nayland and mount Bures in Essex and brother to Iordan Sakeuile married to William de Glaunuile Lord of Bromholme and founder of the Church of Bromholme anno 17. Hen. primi a house it was of Benedictines valued to be yearely worth an hundred pounds fiue shillings fiue pence Here was also sometime a Priorie of blacke Monkes Cluniacks dedicated to Saint Sepulchre founded by G. Glanuile and valued at one hundred forty foure pounds nineteene shillings halfe penny qua Bromholme sometime a Priory saith Camden founded and enriched by G. Glanuill and seated on the sharpe top of an hill the crosse whereof our ancestors had in holy reuerence I know not for what miracles Thomas Rudhorne Bishop of S. Dauids who flourished in the raigne of Henry the fourth hath in his history these words to the same effect Capulanus quidam portauit quandam crucem ligneam in Angliam quam affirmauit esse de ligno in quo pependit Christus et Monachis de Bromholme obâ—ulit et postea locus coruscabat miraculis A certaine Priest brought ouer with him saith he a woodden Crosse into England which he affirmed to be the Crosse whereupon our Sauiour Christ was crucified which he deliuered to the Monkes of Bromholme after which the place did shine gloriously with miracles But the story of this holy Crosse is more fully deliuered by Capgraue on this manner Saint Helene saith he hauing found the Crosse did diuide
and them in case the sâ—â—d kyng wold invade thys hys Realme whiche he dide in deede contrary to hys oth and promyse with the hoole power of the Realme of Scotlond Whiche when the seid Erle hard of he made as greatt haste towardis hym as he coude with the kyngs power of the North partys And toke hys lodgyng in the Campe or playn caâ—â—yd Wollar haugh in the Countie of Northumbrelond which was in the â—ight of the kyng of Scottis and of all hys army then â—ying on Floddon hyll a ground more lyke a campe or forteres than any meete ground to gyve batayle on contrary to hys promes made to Rogeâ—ras Purseuaunte at armys before sent vnto hym from the seid Erle with message that the said Erle with the Lord Howard then Admerall of Englond hys Son And the no 〈◊〉 men of the North partis with other the kyngs Subgettis of the same North partis was come thedir to represse and resiste hys Invasyons of hys souerayn Lordis Realme desyryng the said kyng of Scottis to gyve hym bataile which his message the same kyng of Scottis toke very thankfully and ioyusly promysyng hym to abide ther on the same grounde wher he than was whiche hys promys he brake as is aforesaid and tooke Floddon hilâ—ys a ground unprengnable and shot at hym hys great Ordenaunce where as he lay like one mynded to kepe it like a forteres And whan the said Erle dide perceyve that he had brokyn hys promys and takyn so stronge â— grounde as Floddon hillys he than the said Erle remoued all his Batail vnto a playn besydis Barmer wood to thentente to get betwene hym and hys owne Realme of Scotlond and ther leygeed but one nyght and on the next mornyng toâ—e hys passage ouer the water of at Twyfull forthe and than he marched the said kyng and hys oste in suche maner as he gat betwene hym and hys aune reame of Scotlond be force wherof the said kyng was fayn to leue his Campe and to prepare hymself to bataile witthe seid Erle on a hyll besydis Bramston in Northumbrelond very neer vnto Sandyford Wher the said Erle witthe good assistauns of the Nobull men and the power of the said North partys fought witthe said kyng and hym â—anquâ—sshed and slewe in playn bataile derectely before his owne Standard In which bataile ware slayne on the Scottysshe parte ii Bysshoppes xi Eâ—lys xvii Barons CCCC knyghtis besydys other Gentilmen with xvii M in nombre which ware nombred asweel by Scottysshe men as by them that dyd bury the moste parte of them And of trouth dyvers Gentylmen and others aswell of the said Erlys servantys as of the North partyes and of Chesshir and Lankasshir war ther slayne for hard it ys and half impossible in suche a conflicte and bataile to be wonne without losse of men whoys deth may be ioyed among ther frendis to dye in so hygh a servys doon to ther Prynce And this noble acte was don by the helpe of almyghty God to the highe honour of the kyngis hyghnes Honor and prays to the said Erle and to all other Noble men and otheres the kyngs Subgettis that war ther with hym at the bataile the ix daye of Septembir in the v yeer of our souerayn Lord kyng Henry the viii And this doon the said Erle went to Barwyke to establysshe all thyngys well and in good order And sent for the dede body of the kyng of Scottis to Barwyke And whan the Ordenaunce of the kyng of Scottis was brouth of the feld and put in good suertie and all other thyngys in good order Than the seid Erle toke hys Iorney toward Yorke and ther abode duryng the kyngis pleasur and caryed with hym the dede body of thafforesaid kyng of Scottis And ther laye vnto suche tyme as the kyngis hyghâ—es cam from beyond the See after his wynnyng of Tyrwyn and Tomey And than hys highnes sent for the seid Erle to mete hym at Rychemond and so he dide and ther delyvered vnto his highnes the dede body of the kyng of Scottis whiche deâ—â— bodye was delyuered in to the Charter hous ther and ther to abide duryng the kyngs plesur And for the servyce that the seid Erle dide he was honorably restored vnto his right name of Duke of Norffolk and also had geuen vnto hym greatt possessyons by the kyngis highnes And whan the warre betwixt the kyng our souerayn Lord and the Frenche Kyng was eended than the said Duke was sent into Fraunce as chieff Commyssyoner with Lady Marye the Kyngis Suster to be maryed vnto the Frenche Kyng Lewes And after when the kyng and the Quene were both out of the Reame to mete witthe Frenche kyng Frauncys at Guynes and the Prynces remaynyng in the Reame beyng a childe the said Duke was left behynde as protector and defender to mynyster Iustice and to see good Rule and Gouernaunce in the Reame in the absence of the kyngis highnes and so contynued aboute the kyng and of his preuye Counsayle tyll he wâ—s of age of fourescore yeeris and then the kyngis highnes was content that the said Duke shulde go home in to hys owne countrey vnto the Castell of Framlyngham wher he contynued and kepte an honorable howse vnto the houre of his deth And ther he dyed lyke a good Cristen Prynce I now to wytnes Whose sowle Iesu pardon And at his depertyng out of Framlyngham Castell toward hys buryall he coude nat be asked one grote for his dette nor for restitucion to any person and so was had to this present Abbay of Thetford with moche honor Accompanyed with many greatt Lordis and the Noble men of both Schires of Norffolk and Suffolk Leuyng then lyuyng these his children herafter named that is to seye his son and heyre the Lord Thomas Duke of Norffolk the Lord Edmond Howard the Lord Willyam Howard and the Lord Thomas Howard witthe Ladye Elysabeth wiffe to the Uicount Rocheford the Lady Agnes Countes of Oxenford the Lady Kateryne espoused to the heyre of Sir Rice app Thomas of Walys the Lady Elysabeth espoused vnto the Uicount Fitzwaters son and heyr And the Lady Dorathie then beyng not maryed but lefte for hir Right good substance to marry hyrwyth Henry Fitz-Roy the naturall sonne of King Henry the eight begotten of the Lady Talboys daughter of Sir Iohn Blount knight Duke of Richmond was here interred as Graston Stow Hollinshed and other writers affirme howsoeuer some will haue him to bee buried at Framingham in Suffolke Hee married Mary daughter of the foreremembred Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall and Lord high Treasurer of England with whom he liued not long but dyed at Saint Iames by Westminster the 22. of Iuly in the yeare of Christ Iesus 1536. He was a Prince very forward in Martiall actiuities of good literature and knowledge in the tongues vnto whom the learned Antiquarie Leland dedicated a booke as appeareth by this Hexastichon following which is
to be found amongst the said Lelands written Epigrams Ad illustrissimum Henricum Ducem Richmontanum Quo Romana modo maiuscula littera pingi Pingi quo possit littera parua modo Hic liber ecce tibi signis monstrabit apertis Princeps Aonij spâ—s et alumne gregis Qui tibi si placeat quod certe spero futurum Maxima proparuo munere dona dabis Now for that I haue here found such ample relation of the worthy atchieuements of the Howards I will goe forwards with that illustrious family as I finde them in this tract either intombed or otherwise remembred in Churches Middleton Although no Subscription now remaineth vnder this portraiture yet by the impalement of the Armes of Howard and Scales on the side thereof it is manifest that this was made for Robert Lord Scales whose daughter and Co-heire Margaret was married vnto Sir Robert Howard Knight eldest sonne of Sir Iohn Howard Knight who in the one and twentieth of Edward the Third was made Admirall ab ore Aquae Thamesis versus partes Boriales quamdiu Regi placuerit And this Sir Robert was great Grandfather to Iohn Howard Duke of Norfolke East Winch. On the South side of the Chancell of East-Winch Church is an ancient Chappell called Howards Chappell in which are these Monuments following In the South Wall of the said Chappell this enarched Monument as it is here set forth diuers of the Escocheons being decaied which are left blanke and onely this inscription now remaining thereon ..... animabus Domini Roberti Howard militis et Margerie vxoris sue ..... On the Pauement of the said Chappell be these two stones as they are here defigured whose inscriptions through time are decayed or rather stolne away by some sacrilegious persons a crime as I haue said elsewhere too frequent and too little punished but without doubt these Monuments were here placed for some of the Ancestors of this most honourable family this being their peculiar Chappell and place of Buriall In the East Window of the foresaid Chappell this ancient effigies of late was perfectly to be seene the portraiture of the same being exactly taken by the learned Gent. Sir Henry Spelman the memory thereof as of diuers other Monuments an by him preserued in relation to which this worthy Knight writ these verses Creditur has sacris candentem ardoribus aedes Quas dicat hic supplex instituisse Deo This ancient Chappell of the Howards hath of late yeeres beene most irreligiously defaced by vncouering the same taking off the Lead and committing it to sale whereby these ancient Monuments haue layne open to ruine But now in repairing by the order of the most Honourable preseruer of Antiquities as well in generall as in his owne particular Thomas Earle of Arundell and Surrey Earle Marshall of England and the Chiefe of that most Honourable family To this I also offer in obseruation both that the Posture fashion of the Armour and coate of Armes wherwith it is habited denotes great antiquitie and it should seeme by the Banner-fashiond Shield that this was the portraiture of some Banneret Ancestor of this Illustrious family for that Banners and the manner of this bearing of Armes was onely proper to Bannerets Knights of the Garter Barons and higher nobility In this Church of East Winch is a very faire Font of ancient times erected by some of this family as appeareth by their Armes being disposed in diuers places of the same the which for the curiosity of the work considering the antiquity giues me occasion here to present the true forme of one part thereof vnto your view Weeting In the South Window of the Church of Weeting S. Maries is this portraiture following the which by the Armes doth seeme to be the picture of Sir Iohn Howard Knight made in the time that he was married to Margaret the daughter and heire of Sir Iohn Plays Farsfield In the East Window of the South part of this Church is the resemblance of one of the most noble Family of the Howards as appeareth by his Coate of Armes but the subscription being wanting obscures the meanes to discouer which of them he was Framlingham Howsoeuer this Towne stands in Suffolke yet I hope it comes not in impertinently in this place Vnder a goodly rich Monument in this Parish Church lye interred the honourable remaines of Henry Howard Earle of Surrey and knight of the Garter the sonne of Thomas Duke of Norfolke as also of Frances his wife the daughter of Iohn Vere Earle of Oxford as appeares by the Inscription thereupon engrauen as followeth Henrico Howardo Thomae secundi Ducis Norfolciae filio primogenito Thomae tertij Patri Comiti Surriae et Georgiani ordinis Equiti â—urato immature anno salutis 1546. abrepto Et Franciscae vxori eius filâ—ae Iohannis Comitis Oxoniae Henricus Howardus Comes Northamptoniae filius secundo genitus hoc supremum pietatis in Parentes monumentum posuit A.D. 1614. This Henry Earle of Surrey saith Camden was the first of our English Nobilitie that did illustrate his high birth with the beauty of learning and his learning with the knowledge of diuers languages which hee attained vnto by his trauells into forraine Nations He was a man elegantis ingenij politaeque doctrinae saith Pitseus He writ diuers workes both diuine and humane he was exquisite as well in Latine as in English verse Of his English take this Essay being an Epitaph which he made to the memory of Sir Anthony Denny Knight a Gentleman whom King Henry the eight greatly affected Vpon the death of Sir Anthony Denny Death and the King did as it were contend Which of them two bare Denny greatest loue The King to shew his loue gan farre extend Did him aduance his betters farre aboue Nere place much wealth great honour eke him gaue To make it knowne what power great Princes haue But when death came with his triumphant gift From worldly carke he quit his wearied ghost Free from the corpes and straight to heauen it lift Now deme that can who did for Denny most The King gaue welth but fading and vnsure Death brought him blisse that euer shall endure Leland our English Antiquary speaking much in the praise of Sir Thomas Wiat the elder as well for his learning as other his excellent qualities meete for a man of his calling calls this Nobleman the conscript enrolled heire of the said Sir Thomas Wiat being one delighted in the like Studies with the said Sir Thomas Wiat. As it is in his Naeniae or Funerall Songs as followeth Bella suum meritò iactet Florentia Dantem Regia Petrarchae carmina Roma probet Hiâ— non inferior patrio sermone Viattus Eloquij secum qui decus omne tulit Transtulit in nostram Dauidis carmina linguam Et numeros magna reddidit arte pares Non morietur opus tersum spectabile sacrum Clarior hac fama parte Viattus â—rit Vna dies geminos Phaenices