which you may reade more at large in Camden his diuision of Britaine and know more by Speed in his Type of this flourishing kingdome The Ecclesiasticall state of England is diuided into two Prouinces or Archbishopricks viz. of Canterbury and of Yorke The Archbishop of Canterbury â—s stiled Metropolitanus et Primas totius Angliae and the Archbishop of Yorke Primas Angliae The Archbishop of Canterbury hath vnder him within his Prouince of ancient and late foundations Rochester his principall Chaplaine London his Deane Winchester his Chancellour and all the rest of the Bishopricks foure excepted viz. Chester Durham Carlile and the I le of Man which are annexed to the Archbishopricke of Yorke Euery Diocesse is diuided into Archdeaconries and the Archdeacon is called Oculus Episcopi The eye of the Bishop And euery Archdeaconrie is parted into Deanries and Deanries againe into Parishes Townes and Hamlets The Bishop is called the Ordinarie in the Ecclesiasticall Law Quia habet ordinariam iurisdictionem in iure proprio et non per deputationem for that he hath ordinarie iurisdiction in his owne proper right and not by deputation in causes Ecclesiasticall All the Archbishops and Bishops of England haue beene founded by the Kings of England and do hold of the King by Baronie and haue been all called by writ to the Court of Parliament and are Lords of Parliament And the Bishopricks in Wales were founded by the Princes of Wales and the Principalitie of Wales was holden of the King of England as of his Crowne And the Bishops of Wales are also called by Writ to Parliament and are Lords of Parliament as Bishops of England be There were within the Realme of England one hundred and eightâ—ene Monasteries founded by the Kings of England whereof such Abbots and Priors as were founded to hold of the King per Baroniam and were called to the Parliament by Writ were Lords of Parliament and had places and voices there And of them were twenty sixe Abbots and two Priors as by the Rolles of Parliament appeare yet if you reckon the Abbot of Feuersham in Kent founded by King Stephen there were twentie and seuen which some do saith my learned Author warranted by these words in the Cartularie Et dedit Abbati et Monachis et successoribusâ—s is Minerium de Feuersham Com. Kane simul cum Hundredo c. tenend per Baroniam But saith he albeit this Abbot held by a Baronie yet because he was neuer that I finde called by Writ he neuer sat in Parliament Bishopricks in England with that of the Isle of Man are 37. whose extents I set downe in the passage of this worke Deanries 26. whereof thirteene were ordained by Henrie the eighth in the greater Cathedral Churches after the Monkes were thrust out Archdeacouries threescoâ—â— Dignities and Prebends fiue hundred fourty foure Numbred also there are Parish churches vnder Bishops 9284 of which 3845. be Appropriat as I finde in a Catalogue saith he exhibited to King Iames. Now Appropriat Churches those are called which by the Popes authoritie comming betweene with consent of the King and the Bishop of the Diocesse were vpon certaine conditions tyed or Instruments vnited annexed and incorporate for euer vnto Monasteries Bishopricks Colledges and Hospitals endowed with small lands either for that the said Churches were built their Lordships and Lands or graunted by the Lords of the said Lands Which Churches afterwards when the Abbeyes and Monasteries were suppressed became Laye Fees to the great damage of the Church Henry the eighth presently vpon the suppression of Monasteries and his ordination of certaine Cathedrall and Collegiate Churches set dâ—wne by the aduice of his Counsell a number of Rules and Statutes to be obserued by the Officers and Ministers residing in the same As appeares by this Record following which I thought to transcribe Henricus Octauus Dei gracia Anglie Francie et Hibernie Rex Fidei Defensor ac in terra supremum Ecclesie Anglicane et Hibernie caput Vniuersis sancte matris Ecclesie silijs ad quorum noticiam presens Scriptum peruenerit Salutem Cumet nobis et Regni nostri Preceribus vniuer soque Senatui quâ—m Parliamentum vocamus visum sit Deo et confidimus nos huc mouente Monasteria que passim in regno nostro extabant tum propter graues et multiplices illorum enormitates tum ob alias iustas rationabilesque causas supprimere â—â—olere et in meliores vsus convertere Nos et diuine voluntati conformius â—â—mâ—ius â—re Christiana esseducentes vt vbi ignorantia et superstitio regnabant ibi sincerus Dei cultus vigeat et sanctum Christi Euangelium assidue et pure annuncietur Et preteria vt ad Christiane fidei ac pietatis incrementum iuuentus Regni nostri in bonis literis instituatur et pauperes perpetuo sustententur in ipsorum Monasteriorum loco Ecclesias ereximus et consâ—ituimus Quarum alias Cathedrales alias Collegiatas vocari volumus pro quarum Ecclesiarum ac Collegiorum gubernaecione et regimine leges et statuta que sequntur prescribend curauimus quibus tam Decani et vtriusque ordinis Canonici quam ceteri omnes ministri pueri et pauperes qui in ipsis Ecclesijs commoraturi sunt pareant et ebsequantur eisque vt à nobis conditis et perfect is regantur et gubernentur Id quod si fecerint ingens sine pictatis incrementum in hoc regno nostro peruenturum esse confidemus Et nos expectatione 〈◊〉 voto nostro qui ad Dei optumi maximi gloriam ac fidei Christiane augmentum has Ecclesias ereximus et varijs ministrorum ordinibus enornauimus haâ—d quaquam fraudabimus Dat. c. The Statutes rules and orders were annexed hereunto which were very many and more then can conueniently be included in this short Treatise and more I thinke then were well performed As may partly be proued by an Inâ—unction from the Queenes Maiestie to the Archbishop of Canterbury Mathew Parker in these words By the Queene The Queenes Maiesty considering how the pallaces and houses of Cathedrall Churches and Colledges of this Realme haue ben both of ancyent and late tyme buylded and inclosed in seuerall to susteyne and kepe Socyeties of learned men professing Study and prayer for the edification of the Church of God and so consequently to serue the Common-weale And vnderstanding of late that within the houses hereof as well the chiefe Gouernours as the Prebendaries Students and members thereof being married do keepe particular housholds with their wiues children and Nurses whereof no small offence groweth to th entent of the Founders and to the quiet and orderly profession of studie and learning within the same hath thought meete to prouide remedie herein lest by sufferance thereof the rest of the Colledges specially such as be replenished with young Students as the very roomes and buildings be not answerable for such families of women and young children should follow the like example And
the Prior and Couent of the White Friers Carmelites in Stanford the â—bboâ— and Couent of our blessed Lady of Bidlesden the Warden and brethren of the grey Friers of Couentrie Bedford and Alesbury surrendred vp them houses into the kings hands Battaile Abbey in Sussex Martine Abbey in Surrey Straâ—ford Abbey in Essex Lewis in Suffex Saint Austines in Canterbury the new Abbey at the Tower hill the Minories without Aldgate the Nunnery at Clerken well The Hospitall of Saint Thomas Akers the Blacke-Friers the White-Friers the grey Friers and the Charterhouse Monks in London with the most or all other were surrendred after the same manner In September the same yeare Viz. An. 30. Hen. 8. by the speciall motion of great Cromwell all the notable images vnto the which were made any especiall pilgrimages and offerings as the images of our Lady of Walsingham Ipswich Worcester the Lady of Wilsdon the rood of Grace of our Ladie of Boxley and the image of the rood of Saint Sauiour at Bermondsey with all the rest were brought vp to London and burnt at Chelsey at the commandement of the foresaid Cromwell all the Iewels and other rich offerings to these and to the Shrines which were all likewise taken away or beaten to peeces of other Saints throughout both England and Wales were brought into the Kings Treasurie In the same yeare also the Abbey of Westminster was surrendred being valued to dispend by the yeare three thousand foure hundred and seuenty pound or by some 3977. l. 6. s. 4. d. ob q. as in the Catalogue of religious houses the Monkes being expelled King Henry placed therein a Deane and Prebendaries and made the last Abbot whose name was Benson the first Deane in the time of Edward the sixth it was made a Bishops See shortly after the benefits of the Church being abridged it came againe to a Deane and Prebends Againe Queene Marie ordained there an Abbot and his Monkes who continued not many yeares but were againe cut off by Act of Parliament And lastly Queene Elizabeth that wonder of the world made it a collegiate Church or rather a Nursery for the Church saith Norden for there she ordained to the glory of God the propagation of true Religion and good literature a Deane twelue Prebendaries an vpper master and an Vsher for the Schoole fourtie Schollers called the Queenes or Kings Schollers who as they become worthie are preferred to the Vniuersities besides Ministers Singers and Organists ten Quiristers and twelue well deseruing Souldiers Thus you see the interchangeable vicissitude of her foundacion and if it had not beene for the reuerend regard they had of the Sepulchres inauguration and vnction here of their famous Ancestors these forenamed Kings if I may ground my reason vpon the passages of those times had taken her commings in to haue inrichâ— their owne coffers despoiled her oâ— her vnualuable wealth and ornaments and battered downe to the ground her sacred Edâ—fice The fifth of December â—n the soresaid yeare the Abbey of Saint Albaâ—s was surrendred by the Abbot and Monkes there by deliuering the Couent Seale into the hands of Tho. Pope D. Peter Master Canendish and others the Kings visiters Now all or the most of all the religious houses in England and Wales being thus surrendred the King summoned another Parliament at Westâ—minster for howsoeuer these forenamed religious orders and other more of their owne free and voluntary mindes good wills and assents without constraâ—â—t â—oactâ—on or compulsion as are the words in the Statute of any manner of person or persons by due order of law and by their sufficient writings of Record vnder their Couent and common Seales had alreadie gâ—uen granted and confirmed renounced left and forsaken all their religious hâ—uâ—â—s with their lands and all other the appurtenances to the same belongingâ— vnto the King his heires and successors for euer Yet it was thought necessarie by the King and his Councell that these their â—o uâ—taâ—ic donations should bee further ratified by authoritie of that high 〈◊〉 whereupon it was enacted that all Monasteries with their Scites circuits and precincts laâ—ds Lordships and all othâ—r franchises not onely those which were surrendred or dissolued before the session of this Parliament but also such as were to bee surrendred or dissolued hereafter shouâ—d bee vested deemed and adiudged to be in the very actuall and reall season and possession of the King his heires and successors for euer The religious Order of Saint Iohns of Ierusalem whose chiefe mansion house was in the precincts of Clerkenwell Parish within the Country of Middlesex consisting of gentlemen and souldiers of ancient families and high spirits could by no means be brought in to present to his Maiestie any of these puling petitions and publike recognitions of their errors thereby like the rest to giue a loafe and beg a shiue to turne themselues out of actuall possession and lie at the Kings mercie for some poore yearely pension But like stoâ—â—â— fellowes stood out against any that thought to enrich themselues with their ample reuenues vntill they were cast out of their glorious structures and all other their estates for these causes following alledged aâ—gainst them in open Parliament as appeares by the statute beginning thus The Lords Spirituall and Temporall and the Commons of this present Parliament assembled hauing credible knowledge that diuers and sundrie the kings subiects called the Knights of the Rhodes otherwise called Knights of Saint Iohns otherwise called Friers of the religion of S. Iohn of Ierusalem in England and of a like house being in Ireland abiding in the parties of beyond the sea and hauing aswell out of this Realme as out of Ireland and other the Kings dominions yearely great summes of money for maintenance of their liuings Haue vnnaturally and contrary to the dutie of their alleageances sustained and maintained 〈…〉 power and authoritie of the Bishop of Rome lately vsed and 〈◊〉 within this Realme and other the Kings dominions and haue not onely adhered themselues to the said Bishop being common enemy to the King our soueraigne Lord and to this his Realme vntruely vpholding knowledging and affirming maliciously and traiterously the same Bishop to bee supreme and chiefe head of Christs Church by Gods holy word Entending thereby to subuert and ouerthrow the good and godly laws and statutes of this realme for the abolishing expulsing and vtter extincting of the said vsurped power and authoritie but also haue defamed and slandered as well the Kings Maiestie as the Noblemen Prelates and other the Kings true and louing subiects of this Realme for their good and godly proceeding in that behalfe Vpon these causes and other considerations it was enacted That the Corporation of the said Religion as well within this Realme as within the Kings dominion and Land of Ireland should be vtterly dissolued and void to all entents and purposes And that Sir William Weston Knight as then Prior of the said Religion of this Realme of
and lastly put out the Almesmen from their houses appointing them xii d. the weeke to each person The Church of this Hospitall is now a preaching place for the French Nation Saint Martins Outwich Ecclesie Rector huius Iohn Breux tumulatus Artibus doctor vermibus esca datus Prebendam quondam cicestrensem retinebat Quem Petronille lux tulit e medio M. C. quater quinquageno nono sociato Sic predotatus vertitur in cinerem Augustine Fryers This religious house was founded in the well meaning deuotion of former times by Humphrey Bohun the fift of that name Earle of Hereford and Essex 1253. and was afterward reedified by Humphrey Bohun the ninth of that name Earle of Hereford and Essex Lord of Brecknocke and Constable of England who died Anno 1361. and was buried in the Quire of this Church This Frierie dedicated to the honour of Saint Augustine was valued vpon the surrender to King Henry the eight to 57 l. 4 s. per annum Here sometime did lie entombed the body of Richard Fitz-Alan the fourth of that name Earle of Arundell and Surrey who with Thomas Duke of Glocester Thomas Earle of Warwicke Henry Earle of Derby afterwards King of England and others combined and sware each to other against Robert Vere Duke of Ireland and Michael de la Pole Duke of Suffolke for abusing and misleading the King for which and some other causes which Richard the second obiected against them some of them were banished others condemned to perpetuall imprisonment and this Richard beheaded on the Tower hill Septemb. Anno 1397. the constancie of whose carriage at his arraignement passage and execution in all which he did not once discolour the honour of his bloud with any degenerous word looke or action encreased the enuy of his death vpon his prosecutors Here likewise lay sumptuously interred Iohn Vere the xii Earle of Oxford and Aubrey his eldest sonne who with Sir Thomas Tudensa knight who was also here buried and others their Councellors either through malice of their enemies or some offence conceiued by King Edward the fourth were attainted by Act of Parliament anno primo Edward 4 and put to Execution vpon the Tower hill the 26 of February 1461. William Lord Berkeley of Berkeley Castle honoured with the tâ—tâ—es of Viscount and Marquesse Berkely Earle of Nottingham and Earle Marshall of England was here inhumed who died Ann. 1492. This William as I had it from my deceased friend Aug. Vincent by his deed dated the third of Nouember Ann. 6. Hen. 7 gaue one hundreâ— pounds to the Prior of this house for two Masses to be said presently and for euer at the Altar of our Lady and Saint Iames. Betweene which Altars the body of his wife Ioan who liued but a few dayes with him and is not at all mentioned in the Catalogues of Honour was buried who was the widow of Sir William Willoughbie before the marriage with the Marquesse And to pray for the prosperous estate of the said Marquesse and of Anne his then wife and of Edward Willoughby Richard Willoughby Anne Beauchampe and Elisabeth Willoughbie with all the issue of the said William and Ioane and especially for the soules health of the said Ioane and of Katherine her mother Duchesse of Norfolke Here sometime lay sumptuously entombed the body of Edward Stafford Duke of Buckingham who by the sleights and practises of Cardinall Wolsey fell into displeasure with king Henry the eight and being condemned of high Treason for that among other matters hee had consulted with a Monke or wizard about succession of the Crowne was beheaded on the Tower hill May the 17. 1521. He was a noble Gentleman exceedingly much lamented of good men Of whose death when the Emperour Charles the fifth heard he said that a Butchers dogge meaning the Cardinall a Butchers sonne had deuoured the fairest Buck alluding to the name of Buckingham in all England Here was interred the bodie of Edward the eldest sonne of Edward the blacke Prince by Ioan his wife surnamed the faire Maide of Kent who was borne at Angolesme Ann. 1375. and died at 7. yeares of age Many of the Barons slaine at Barnet-field vpon Easterday 1471. were buried here in the bodie of the Church but now their bodies with these before remembred and the bodies of an hundred more mentioned by Stow of exemplarie note and knights degree are not onely despoiled of all outward funerall ornaments but digged vp out of their Requietories and dwelling houses raised in the place which was appointed for their eternall rest Some part of this Church is at this day yet standing but in that no monument of this kinde is remaining for it is conuerted into a Church for the Duch-Inhabitants of this Citie who in that kinde can hardly brooke any reuerend Antiquitie Saint Botolphs Bishopsgate Hic iacet Cardina vxor Richardi Shoder militis Iohanna filia eorundem ...... 14. April 1471. Sub hoc marmore iacet corpus Iohannis Redman quondam huius Ecclesie Rectoris benemerentissimi qui ab hac luce migrauit tertio die Iulij Ann. Dom. 1523. Neare to this gate if wee giue credit to our owne ancient Chronicles Nennius the sonne of Hely and brother of Lud and Cassibelane kings ouer the warlike Britaines was interred A man of a magnanimous spirit heroicall and valiant Who in the warres betweene Iulius Cesar and the Britaines sought couragiously in defence of his countrey causing Cesar to flie backe with the losse of his sword which Nennius tooke from him in single encounter and with which he slew Labienus Tribune of the Romane Nobilitie But the fifteenth day after this single opposition hee died of a wound receiued at the hands of Cesar in the same conflict the yeare of the worlds creation 3913. before the birth of our alone Sauiour 51. And here as I haue said was entombed with all funerall state and solemnitie and with him the sword which he tooke from Cesar the Emperour as he himselfe commanded Which sword was called Reddeath or rather Readie-death wherewith if any one had beene neuer so little wounded he could neuer escape with life Which you shall haue in such old verse as came to my hands At the north yate of London hii buriede this gud knyght And buriede in hys chest the swerd that was so bryght That he wan of the Emperor wythe grete honor enough That Reddedeth was ycluped whar with he hym slough I buriede wyth hym hit was as in tokneyinge Of hys Proesse that he hit wan of on so heigh a kyng I haue some other of the same subiect but of later times if you will reade them But Neminus brother of Cassybalayne Full manly fought on Iulius tymes twayne With strokes sore ayther on other bette But at the last this Prince syr Iulius Crosea mors his swerde in shelde sette Of the manly worthy Sir Neminus Whiche of manly
wilde Albania brought The reliques of her Crowne by him first placed here The seate on which her Kings inaugurated were He tam'd the desperate Welsh that out so long had stood And made them take a Prince sprong of the English blood This Isle from Sea to Sea he generally controld And made the other parts of England both to hold The learned Antiquarie and Lawyer Iohn Selden in his Illustrations vpon the said Song giues vs this Glosse following vpon the Verse The seate on which our Kings inaugurated were This seate saith he is the Chaire and Stone at Westminster whereon our Soueraignes are inaugurated The Scottish Stories affirme that the Stone was first in Gallicia of Spaine at Brigantia whether that be Compostella as Francis Tarapha wills or Coronna as Florian del Campo coniectures or Betansos according to Mariana I cannot determine where Gathel king of Scots there sate on it as his Throne Thence was it brought into Ireland by Simon Brech first king of Scots transplanted into that Isle about seuen hundred yeares before Christ. Out of Ireland King Ferguze in him by some is the beginning of the now continuing Scottish raigne about three hundred and seuenty yeares afterward brought it into Scotland King Kenneth some eight hundred and fifty of the Incarnation placed it at the Abbey of Scone in the Shrifdome of Perth where the Coronation of his Successours was vsuall as of our Monarchs now at Westminster and in the Saxon times at Kingston vpon Thames This Kenneth some say caused the Distich Ni fallat vatum as before to be engrauen vpon it Whereupon it is called Fatale Marmor in Hector Boetius and inclosed it in a wodden Chaire It is now at Westminster and on it are the Coronations of our Soueraignes Thither first brought as the Author here speakes among other spoiles by Edward Longshanks after his warres and victories against King Iohn Balliol Ann. 1297. Reg. Regis Ed. 1.24 Thus much of this potent king out of Polyolbion But to returne these high spirited Scots then which no people in the world are more valiant not minding to endure the tyranny of King Edward entred into England at seuerall times and in Northumberland and Cumberland slew the aged and impotent women in childbed and young children spoiled the Abbey Church at Hexham and got a great number of the Clergie as well Monkes Priests as Schollers whom they thrust into the Schoolehouse there and closing vp the doores set fire on the Schoole and burned all them to ashes that were within it They burned Churches they forced women without respect of order condition or qualitie as well the maids widowes and wiues as Nunnes that were reputed in those dayes consecrated to God when they had beene so abused many of them were after murthered So that the cruell and bloudy desolation whereof Lucan speaketh in his second booke of the Pharsalian warres may aptly be inferred here as fitly describing the mercilesse murther of all states and sexes without partiality vnder the hand of the enemy For saith he Nobilitas cum plebe perit lateque vagatur Ensis a nullo revocatum est pectore ferrum Stat cruor in templis multaque rubentia caede Lubrica saxa madent nulli iam prosuit aetas Non senis extremum piguit vergentibus annis Praecipitasse diem non primo in limine vitae Infantis miseri nascentia rumpere fata Thus exquisitely translated into English Senatours with Plebeians lost their breath The sword rag'd vncontrold no brest was free The Temples stainde with bloud and slippery Were the red stones with slaughter no age then Was free the neere spent time of aged men They hastened on nor sham'de with bloudy knife To cut the Infants new spunne thread of life Bloud worthy to haue beene shed on both sides against another kinde of enemy then Christians the deformity of which effusions may iustly represent vnto vs the blessed estate of our now setled Vnion Ranulph the Monke of Chester speakes somewhat more succinctly of the warlike passages in those times betwixt the puissant braue English and the terrible neuer-tamed Scot on this manner I will vse the old language of his Translatour Treuisa who flourished in the raigne of king Henry the sixth Iohn de Baillol saith he that was made kyng of Scotlond aroos ayenst the kynge of Englonde and ayenste his owne othe and by the counseylle of some men of Scotland and namely of thabbot of Mâ—â—ros 〈◊〉 was taken and dysheryted Then the yere after Williâ—m 〈…〉 of Scottes arayed werre ayenste kynge Edwarde but he was 〈…〉 second yere after Kynge Edwarde slewâ—â—x 〈◊〉 and Scottes 〈…〉 on a Mary Mawdelyn day But the Scottes wâ—xâ—d stronger and stronger 〈◊〉 ty yeres togyder vnto kyng Edwardes tyme the thyrd after the 〈◊〉 and bete down Englyshemen ofâ— and Englysh places that were 〈…〉 her Marches Some sayd that that myshappe fell for soâ—â—nesse of the Englyshe men And some said that it was goddis owne werâ—he as the 〈…〉 That Englyshe men sholde be destroyed by Danes by Frenâ—he men 〈◊〉 by Scottes Of this propheticall prediction I haue spoken elsewhere which 〈◊〉 that of the marble stone vpon the inauguration of our late Souerâ—â—â—â—â— Lord King Iames of happie memory in his Regall Chaire of Impeâ—â—â—â—â— gouernment had full accomplishment The period of the dayes as also the character of this magnificent Monarch Edward are thus deliuered by a late Writer In Iuly 1307 although he found himselfe not well he enter Scotland with a fresh Army which he led not â—arre for falling into a Dissenterie he dies at Borough vpon the sandâ— as if to show on what foundation 〈◊〉 hâ—d built all his glory in this world hauing raigned thirty foure yeares seuen moneths aged sixty eight A Prince of a generous spirit wherein the fire held out euen to the very last borne and bred for action and militarie afâ—faires which he mannaged with great iudgement euer warie and prouident for his owne businesse watchfull and eager to enlarge his power and was more for the greatnesse of England then the quiet thereof And this we may iustly say of him that neuer king before or since shed so much Christian bloud within this Isle of Britaine as this Câ—ristian warrior did 〈◊〉 his time and was the cause of much more in that following By our great and iudicious Antiquary Camden he is thus 〈◊〉 as followeth For no one thing was this little Burgh vpon Sands more famous than that King Edward the first that triumphant Conquerour of his enemies was here taken out of the world by vntimely death A â—ight noble and worthy Prince to whom God proportioned a most princely presence and personage as a right worthy seat to entertaine so heroicall a minde For he not onely in regard of fortitude and wisedome but also for a beautifull and personall presence was in all points answerable to the height of Royall Maiestie whom fortune also in
Bell on which is cast a peece of coine of siluer of King Edward the fourth it was giuen by one of the Countesses of Essex as one may partly gather by an old Inscription vpon it is the Bowsers knot Tiltey Here sometime stood a Monastery founded by Maurice Fitz-Gilbert before remembred not long after the Conquest which he dedicated to the honour of the Virgine Mary and therein placed white Monkes of the Cistertian order The donations to this religious house are confirmed in the Records of the Tower Cart. Antiq. lit S. The valuation of it at the suppression was 177. l. 9 s. 4. d. This Monasterie is not altogether ruinous in the little Church whereof I found these Funerall Inscriptions following Bruntingthorpe neare to Leicester hath long beene the habitation of the ancient familie of Dannet saith Master Burton who beareth sable Guttee Argent a Canton Ermine one of which familie lieth here interred with this Epitaph Hic iacet sepultus cum coniuge Maria Gerardus Dannet de Bruntingthorp in Com Lecestr Ar. serenissimi Regis Henrici octaui Consiliarius qui obijt Anno Christi M. ccccc.xx mensis Maij quarto The armes afore blazoned are ouer the Monument of this Councellour to king Henry Abbas famosus bonus viuendo probatus In Thakley natus qui iacet hic tumulatus Thomas dictatus qui Christo sit sociatus Rite gubernauit istumque locum peramauit Great Easton Orate .... Willelmi Moigne Ar .... qui obiit .... M.ccc.v This William Moigne or Monke held this Mannor of Easton ad montem for so it was anciently called with Winterborne and Maston in the Countie of Wilts by seruice of being Clarke of the Kings Kitchin and keeper of his Lardarie tempore Coronationis Hatfield Brad-oke So called saith Camden of a broad spread Oake in which Towne Robert de Vere the third Earle of Oxford and great Chamberlaine of England founded a Priorie for blacke Monkes About the beginning of the raigne of King Henry the third valued at the suppression at 157. l. 3. s. 2. d. ob per annum which Priory Aubrey de Vere the third of that Christian name Earle of Oxford enfeoffed with the Tithes of this Towne and to the instrument of his donation he affixed by a harpe string as a labell to the bottome of the parchment a short blacke hafted knife like vnto an old halfe penny whitle instead of a Seale These are the words in his Grant Per istum cultellum Albericus de Vere tertius feoffauit Prioratum et Conventum de Hatfeeld Regis alas Brodoke cum omnibus decimis in villa predicta Habend c. a festo Assumptionis beate Marie virginis in puram perpetuam Eleemosinam c. Of this old manner of signing and sealing of deeds you may read Lambard in his perambulation of Kent pag. 318. This Robert was first entombed in the Church of his owne foundation and at the dissolution remoued into the Quire of this Parish Church where he lieth crosse-legged with this inscription now almost worne out Sire Robert de Veer le premier count de Oxenford le tierz git ci Dieux del alme si luy plest sace merci Oi pur lame priera xl iors de pardonn anera Pater Noster Sir Robert Vere the first and third Earle of Oxford lieth here God if he please have mercy of his soule whosoeuer shall pray for his soule shall obtaine fourty dayes Pardon He died in the yeare 1221. Hic iacent Thomas Barington Ar. Anna vxor eius qui quidem Thomas obijt v. Aprilis M. cccc lxxij Anna obiit proximo die sequenti Quorum animabus propitietur Altissimus At Barington Hall within this Parish saith that learned delineator of Great Britaine M. Camden dwelleth that right ancient familie of the Baringtons which in the raigne of King Stephen the Barons of Montfitchet inriched with faire possessions since which time this house is much enobled by the marriage of Sir Thomas Barington knight with Winifred the daughter and coheire of Sir Henry Pole knight Lord Montague sonne of Margaret Plantaginet Countesse of Salisbury descended of the bloud royall being the daughter of George Duke of Clarence Great Dunmow Exoretis miserecordiam Dei pro anima Walteri Bigod Armigeri qui obijt 17. die mens Mar. 1397. Simon de Regham iadis Parson de Dunmow gist icy Dieu de son alme eit mercy Amen Of yowr cherite prey for the sowls of Iohn Ienone Esquyr somtym on of the Common Pleas of Westmynstre and Alys his wyff Whych Iohn dyed xvii Septembyr M. Vc.xlii Little Dunmow Iuga the wife of one Baynard a Nobleman that came in with the Conquerour the builder of Baynards Castle in London founded the Priority in this village in the beginning of the raigne of Henry Beauclerke and entreated Mauricius Bishop of London to dedicate the Church to the honour of the virgine Mary to which the same day she gaue halfe a Hide of land Her sonne and heire Geffrey Baynard placed blacke Chanons therein by the consent of Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury This house was valued at the suppression to be yearely worth 173. l. 2. s. 4. d. The Church of this monastery is as yet standing in the Quire whereof betweene two pillars lieth the body of Matilda the faire entombed who was the daughter of Robert Fitz-water the most valiant knight of England About the yeare 1213. saith the booke of Dunmow there arose a great discord betwixt king Iohn and his Barons because of Matilda surnamed the faire daughter of Robert Fitz-water whom the King vnlawfully loued but could not obtaine her nor her fathers consent thereunto Whereupon and for other like causes ensued warre through the whole Realme The king banished the said Fitz-water amongst other and caused his Castle called Baynard and other his houses to be spoiled Which being done he sent a messenger vnto Matilda the faire about his old Suit in Loue Et quia noluit consentire toxicauit eam And because she would not agree to his wicked motion the messenger poisoned a boiled or potched Egge against she was hungrie and gaue it vnto her whereof she died the yeare 1213. In the yeare following after her death her banished father was restored to the kings fauour vpon this occasion It happened in the yeare 1214. king Iohn being then in France with a great armie that a truce was taken betwixt the two Kings of England and France for the terme of fiue yeares and a riuer or arme of the Sea being betwixt either host there was a knight in the English host that cried to them of the other side willing some one of their knights to come and iust a course or two with him Wherupon without stay Robert Fitz-water being on the French part made himselfe ready ferried ouer got on horseback and shewed himself ready to the face of
fourth of the Ides of September in the yeare of grace one thousand one hundred ninety and eight being the ninth yeare of King Richard the first as I haue it out of the Catalogue of Treasurers of England collected by Francis Thinne He bestowed much vpon the building of his Church S. Pauls as also vpon other Edifices belonging to his See which was the cause I coniecture wherefore the Shrine was erected to his memory Many miracles saith Mat. Paris were wrought at the tombe of Roger sirnamed the Blacke the foure and fortieth Bishop of this Diocesse who lieth buried neere to the preaching place in Saint Pauls Church vnder a monument of grey marble of which as also of him I haue partly spoken before Godwin Bishop of Hereford out of the foresaid M. Paris saith that this Roger was a reuerend man religious learned painfull in preaching eloquent a great House-keeper and of very gentle and curteous behauiour whereunto he might haue added as it is in my Author that hee was also stout and couragious For Rustandus the Popes Nuntio being earnest in a conuocation for setting forward a certaine prolling deuise to scrape vp money for his master he not onely withstood him openly but cried out vpon the vnreasonable and shamelesse couetousnesse of the Court of Rome and was the onely means of staying the course of that exaction For reuenge hereof not long after they began to frame an accusatioÌ„ against him at Rome alledging matters altogether false and friuolous It forced him to trauell thither and cost him great summes of money before he could rid his hands of that brable The yeare 1233. Walter Mauclerke Bishop of Carlile taking ship to passe ouer the seas was hindered by some of the Kings Officers for that he had no licence to depart the Realme These Officers for so doing hee excommunicated and riding straight vnto the Court certified the King what he had done and there renewed the same sentence againe About the same time the King gaue commandement for the apprehending of Hubert de Burgo Earle of Kent who hauing sodaine notice thereof at midnight got him vp and fled into a Church in Essex They to whom the businesse was committed finding him vpon his knees before the high Altar with the Sacrament in one hand and a crosse in the other carried him away neuerthelesse vnto the Tower of London The Bishop taking this to bee a great violence and wrong offered to holy Church would neuer leaue the King which was Henry the third a King indeed very reâ—igious vntill he had caused the Earle to bee carried vnto the place from whence he was fetcht which was thought to bee a meanes of sauing the Earles life For though order was taken he should not scape thence yet it gaue the Kings wrath a time to coole and himselfe leisure to make proofe of his innocency By reason whereof he was afterward restored to the Kings fauour and former places of honour But the story here followeth which is also annexed to his tombe that aboue all others giues the truest testimony of his religious vigerous and vndaunted masculine spirit Vpon the day of the conuersion of Saint Paul while Roger Bishop of London was at high Masse within the Church of Saint Paul in London a sudden darknesse ouershadowed the Quire and therewith came such a tempest of thunder and lightning that the people there assembled thought verily the Church and Steeple had come downe vpon their heads There came moreouer such a filthy sauour and stinke withall that partly for feare and partly for that they might not abide the sauour they voyded the Church falling on heapes one vpon another as they sought to get out of the same The Vicars and Canons forsooke their Deskes so that the Bishop remained there onely with one Deacon that serued him at Masse Afterward when the aire began to clear vp the people returned into the Church and the Bishop qui remansit intrepidus who remained all the time nothing at all abashed went forward and finished the Masse Thus Roger hath a roome in this our Sainted throng Who by his words and workes so taught the way to heauen As that great name to him sure vainely was not giuen Now for a conclusion if you desire greatly to know the greatnesse of this christian name of Roger as the Poet here in this place seemes to call it consult with Verstegan in his Etymologies of the ancient Saxon proper names of men and women and he will tell you that Roger was at the first Rugard or Rougard and afterwards Rugar and with vs lastly Roger. Rou or Ru is our ancient word for rest repose or quietnesse gard to keepe or conserue so as Rugard now Roger is a keeper or conseruer of rest and quietnesse Such a keeper such a conseruer of peace and quietnesse was this our Bishop Roger whom I leaue to his eternall rest and repose and so take my leaue of this sometime his Diocesse Here endeth the Diocesse of London ANCIENT FVNERALL MONVMENTS WITHIN THE Diocesse of NORVVICH In Suffolke Dunwich THE first seate of the Bishops of this Diocesse was at Dunwich in Suffolke and the first Bishop thereof was Felix a Burgundian At Dunmok than was Felix fyrst Byshop Of Estangle and taught the Chrysten â—ayth That is full hye in heuen I hope His happie comming into this kingdome happened vpon this occasion as followeth Sebert or Sigebert king of the East Angles a man in all points learned and most Christian who whilest his brother was yet liuing being himselfe banished into France by his father Redwald was there baptised and instructed in the Faith of which faith he laboured to make all his Realme partakers as soone as he came vnto the Crowne Whose good endeuour herein the foresaid Felix did most earnestly fauour and with great praise applie himselfe Who when he came from Burgundy where he was borne and tooke holy orders into Britaine to Honorius the Archbishop vnto whom hee opened his desire and purpose which was to preach the word of God vnto the foresaid East Angles The Archbishop gladly gaue him licence and sent him forth to sow the seed of eternall saluation in the misbeleeuing hearts of the people of that countrey His zeale and vertuous desire proued not in vaine For this holy husbandman and happie tiller of the spirituall field found in that Nation plentifulnesse of fruite and increase of people that beleeued him For he brought all that Prouince being now deliuered by his helpe from their long iniquitie and vnhappinesse vnto the faith and workes of Iustice and in the end to the reward of perpetuall blisse and happinesse for euer according to the good abodement of his name which in latine is called Felix and in our English tongue soundeth Happy He was made Bishop about the yeare of our redemption 630. and chose Dunwich for his Episcopall Chaire being a Citie in foregoing ages spacious much frequented and well peopled
the Supremacie of Kings is very apparent and also that once for all I may by this one shew my Reader the forme of all those Cartularies by which such deuout Saxon Princes endowed their sacred Structures Fundatio Monasterij Sancti Albani vbi Regia potestas apparet REgnante imperpetuum Deo Domino nostro Iesu Christo licet per totum mundum beatorum Martyâ—um qui suum in Christo sanguinem fuderunt merita diuine laudis exultatione celebranda sint Eorumque Dei auxilio exempla gloriosa consequenda precipue tamen nobis beatissimi Albani qui sub hac Britannie Insula gloriosus Martyrio effulsit memoria pia semper intentione et sedula sollicitudine obseruanda est Vnde ego offa gratia Dei Rex Merciorum cum filio meo Egfrido pro amore omnipotentis Dei huius Sancti intercessione terram XXX manentium in locis quorum subinferuntur nomina Domino meo Iesu Christo ad Ecclesiam sancti Albani vbi ipse Tyro primus in passione victima effectus est iure perpetuo perdonabo Eoque deleclabilius hanc donationem perficio quia superna protectio tam nobilem temporibus nostris thesaurum qui diu fuit clausus et huius terre indigenis abditus reuelare dignata est Hec itaque supradictarum vocabula terrarum Et Wineslawe XII manentium cum terminis suis. Et Stelsdune sine Bâ—ldinistotum trium Manentium quorum scilicet trium manentium termini sunt hij Suanaburna Heortmere Stretreolab Item vero X. Manentium vbi dicitur Senecaulilan vel Feutun cum sylua que cognominatur Lioropuda cum terminis suis. Et Lystune V. Manentium quam videlicet terram Albumundus Abbas expeditionem subterfugiens mihi reconciliacionis gracia dabat Et quia ipse Martyr almifluus caput et exemplum Christianitatis omnis Britannie indubitanter habetur dignum est vt locus in quo sanctum corpus eius requiescit et ab omni populo veneratur speciali quaâ—dam et singulari priuilegij libertate per nos honoretur Hoc igitur con 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us Episcopis et Abbatibus Ducibus et Principibus meis sub inuoâ—aâ—ione sancle Trinitatis indiuidue Vnitatis donando precipio vt Ecclesia â—ancti Albani omnisque possessio nunc et in futuris temporibus illi subdita sâ—mper sit libera et quieta ab omni tributo et necessitate seu Regis seu Episcopi ducis indicis et exactorum et operum que iudici solent neque emendatione Pontium neque fossam adversum immicos faciendam totum omne prefatur terre stipendium et exactio ad supradicti martyris tumbam insolubiliter persoluatur Statuo etiam et cum fidelium meorum assensiâ— confirmo vt Episcopi vel eorum Ministrinudam aliquatenus super ipsam Ecclesiam vel super perochiales Ecclesias eidem quibuscunque temporibus subiacentes nisi tantummodo cum advocati fuerint dedicandi vel in Paschali solennitate sanctum Chrisma et oleum ex more tribuendi potestatem habeant â—ec earum Presbiteros ad Sinodum suam vel capitulum conuocare vel ab officio diuino suspendere seu aliquod in eos vel minimum ius exercere presumant Sed omnia quecunque Ecclesie sancte fuerint Abbatis solummodo â—â—usdem Monasterij potestati tractanda libere subiaceant De censu quoque singulis annis per vniuersam Britanniam colligendo et sacre Romane Ecclesie pro slabilitate Regni nostri et salute communi transmittendo decernimus vt quantum in terra sancti Martyris peruenerit ab hijs quibus iniunctum fuerit ab Abbate vndecunque collectum nullatenus alias asportetur sed aliari sancti Albani fideliter oblatum ad vtilitatem eiusdem Ecclesâ—e secundum quod Abbas decreuerit inviolabiliter expendatur Esi forte quis intra eiusdem Ecclesie protestatem aut exitum cum Episcopo seu Abbate inveniatur bello surto vel fornicacione aut alio quolibet simili reatu astrictus semper â—a pars pene et emendacionis que Regi Episcopo committi debetur ad beati Albani Monasterium inviolato semper federe reddatur Credo enim et veraâ—iter consido quod hec munificentia non solum mihi meisque sed etiam vniuersis Anglorum populis summopere prodesse uult Quia pro eius amore ille miles intrepidus meruit coronari qui totius mundi pericula passus est suo sanguine expiare Si autem quod absit vspiam quis laruarico attactus instinctu mâ—nte subdola hec machinatus fuerit annullare vel quippiam in penis quod constiâ—uimus transuertere sua pro audacia à cetu in hac vita anathematizetur fidelium et in tremendo Dei examine astantibus celorum agminibus hominumque turmis nec non et horrendis herebi vermulis palam cunctis damxetur cum hedis Auerni cruciamenta sine fine lucturus ni ante obitum condigne emendauerit Hec sunt nomina qui hanc donationem meam consentientes signo crucis Christi confirmauerunt ✚ Ego offa Rex huic donationi mee signum crucis impono ✚ Ego Egfridus paterne munificentie consentiens subscripst ✚ Ego Higberht Archiepiscopus consensi subscripst ✚ Ego Ceelnulf Episcopus consensi ✚ Ego Hethered Episcopus consensi ✚ Ego Vmmona Episcopus consensi ✚ Signum manus Alhmundi Abbatis ✚ Signum Beonnon Abbatis ✚ Signum Yigmundi Abbatis ✚ Signum Brordon Patricij ✚ Signum Bynman Principis ✚ Signum Esnuini Ducis ✚ Signum Alhumundi Ducis ✚ Signum Yighberti Ducis ✚ Signum Athelmundi Ducis ✚ Signum Radgari Ducis ✚ Signum Heardberhti Ducis ✚ Signum Althmundi Ducis ✚ Signum Cuthberti Ducis ✚ Signum Radbirhti Ducis ✚ Signum Vulpheardi Ducis Perscripta est autem huius donationis cartula Anno Dominice incarnationu D. CC.XC.V Regni Regis Offani XXXV Indictione V. sub IIII. Nonas Maiâ—s in loco qui dicitur Beoranporda It was generally conceiued and truly as I thinke that these politike wayes for the taking away from the Pope his vnlimited authoritie here in England as also in the suppression of religious houses of which in the next Chapter were principally deuised by Secretarie Cromwell afterwards Earle of Essex which may appeare both by the premises and sequele of this my discourse as also by the intimation of Nicholas Shaxton Bishop of Sarum in a letter sent vnto him the said Cromwell thus worded Honorable syr I certifie your good mastership that I haue this daye receyued the Kyng his most honorable letters sent vnto me from you by my servant And reioyse nott a litle that itt hath pleased his highnes to write so ernestly vnto the Bishopps in this so ernest a cause thynkyng suyrly that God hath vsed your wisdom to stire vp the good Prynce herevnto whereof I heighli thanke the almighti Lord preyeng you also to goo on still from one thyng to another as your wisdom yea Gods veray wisdom
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
none and ye wolde turne therto Me seeth a bond mannes sone somtym a knyght bycome And of a grom a Squyer and aftur knyghts some And such ye haueth the forme of men beth men in alle wise And torneth yow to Manhede and kepeth youre Franchise So it followes how this Bishop went into little Britaine and entreated Aldroennus the king there to send ouer Constantine his brother with a certaine number of men by whose helpe the enemie might bee expelled which was granted and performed accordingly Fastidius Priscus succeeded him in the gouernement of this See who writ diuers bookes of diuine learning mentioned by Bale Hee was a sincere expositor of the sacred Scriptures and a painefull Preacher throughout the whole kingdome Cui abunde suppeditebant cum perbenigno ingenio excellens memoria morum integritas et vita incorrupta quibus cumulatissime caeteros suae gentis praecedebat verbi Praecones He flourished vnder Honorius and Theodosius Emperours 420. By an old namelesse Chronicle which I haue read one Ternekine succeeded Fastidius a piercing wise Prelate into matters of state and in speciall fauour with Aurelius Ambrose King of great Britaine but Vodinus followeth next in the catalogue a man of singular deuotion and good life who for reprehending King Vortigers vnlawfull marriage with Rowenna Hengists daughter his lawfull wife being then liuing was barbarously murdered by the said Hengist and with him many other Priests and religious Persons circa an 452. After the comming of the Saxons the succession of Archbishops was still continued in London for the space of many yeares but secretly euen vntill the time that S. Gregorie sent Augustine hither I finde onely one of them named to wit Theonus who with Thadiocus or Tadiacus of which I haue spoken before in Rochester Bishop of Yorke taking their Clergie with them got them into Wales and Cornewall to the rest of their countrimen whom the Saxons had lately driuen thither this man did not write himselfe Archbishop which is one cause of some controuersie amongst our Historiographers Saint Michaels Cornehill Here lyeth Robert Fabian Alderman and Sheriffe of London who composed a laborious Chronicle of England and France with the monuments and the succession of the Lord Maiors of London and died Anno Dom. 1511. for whom this Epitaph was made now altogether defaced Like as the day his course doth consume And the new morrow springeth againe as fast So man and woman by Natures custome This life to passe at last in earth are cast In ioy and sorrow which here their time doe wast Neuer in one state but in course transitorie So full of change is of this world the glory Hic iacet in tumulo Doctor venerabilis Hugo Dauset olim Rector vere fideique protector M C quater .x. ter ix sit et I sex Aprilisque die ter I V semel I migrat ille Here vndyr was beryed Robart Barnes by name Citizon of London and Mercer of the same And this is written that others may remembyr How godly he departed the twentyth on of Nouembyr ................... Here lyth the body of Iohn Bootes wiff Dissoluyd by deth to her fyrst matter dust Who from the cares of this world departyd her liff The twenty third day of the monyth of August On thowsand fyue hundryd and seuen beyng threescore yeerys old iust Saint Benets Grasse Church Prey for the saulygs of Henry Denne and Ioan his wyf theyr fadyrs theyr modyrs Bredyrs and good frendys and of al Christian saulygs Iesu haue mercy Amen who departyd this lif .... M. cccc.lxxxxi Saint Bartholomewes exchange Vpon an old Tombe the defunct thus seemeth to pray Exte vite principium per te vite remedium In te vite solatium da nobis vite premium Genitor ineffabilis ipsius prolis Paracliti consimilis memento vite fragilis This monument by relation was made to the memorie of Thomas Pike Alderman who with the assistance of Nicholas Yoo one of the Sheriffes of this Citie about the yeare 1438. new builded this Church Hic ..... Willielmus Capel .... Maior Lon ... fil Iohannis Capel ... Neyland in com ... ob ... 1509. Out of this broken Inscription I fynde this whole history how that Sir Richard Empson Knight a Sieue-makers sonne in Tocester and Edmund Dudley Esquire both Lawiers were two instruments for King Henry the seuenth to enrich his and their owne coffers and to empouerâ—sh the subiects by way of calling the richer sort into question for breach of old moth eaten vnreuiued penall Lawes amongst many others whom they most treacherously abused by a false packt Iurie they scruzed from this Sir William Capell aboue sixteene hundred pounds and some twelue or thirteene yeeres after they were at him againe afresh for two thousand pounds more which because he would not pay he was commanded by Dudley Prisoner to the Tower but by the death of the said King which happened the same yeere he was released both of imprisonment and payment in which yeere he also departed this world in the loue of all good men leauing a great inheritance and an honourable remembrance to his posteritie and not long after Empson and Dudley cater-pillers of the common-wealth hatefull to all good people were beheaded on the Tower hill the 17. of August 1510. leauing behinde them nothing they could dispose of for their heires saue the staine of euerlasting infamie He lyeth here entombed in a Chappell of his owne Foundation he was the sonne of Iohn Capell of Stoke Neyland in the county of Suffolke Saint Bennets Finke O God the father of heauyn which art the euerlastyng lyght Haue mercy on the sowl of me poor Water Knyght Who departyd this lyf the monyth of Ianuary In the yere of my Redemer on M .... and fifty Borne I was in Canterbery in the County of Kent Sonne to on Iohn Knyght and Alyse his wife this is verament And to be short all worldly things to confound Of the Earth I was made and to the Earth I am retournd Within this Parish was the Hospitall of Saint Anthony sometime a cell belonging to Saint Anthonies of Vienna founded by King Henry the third for a Master two Priests one Schoolemaster and twelue poore men the reuenewes of this house were much augmented and the number of the houshold increased by King Henry the sixt and Edward the fourth to which Iohn Tate Mercer was a right bountifull benefactor who was here entombed vnder a faire monument he died Anno 1514. and so was VVater Champion Sheriffe of London 1529. who was here buried The lands by yeare of this Hospitall were valued in the 37. yeare of Henry the eight to be 55 l. sixe shillings 8 d. Stow in his Suruay saith that one Iohnson Schoole-master of this Hospitall and Prebend of Windsor spoiled both the Schoole and Hospitall and the Quire of the Church conuayed away the Plate and ornaments then the Bels
the holy crosse so denominated of wearing a Crosse anciently called a Crouch vpon their garments and of bearing the crosse for the badge and Armes of their house This house was valued at the suppression to 52 l. 13 s. 2 d. of annuall profits A Petition to Secretary Cromwell against the Prior of this house a little before the dissolution thereof Pleasethe it your honourable mastoreship to be aduertesid that in the time of Lent last past your continuall orator Iohn Bartelote with others to the number of fiue persons of good conuersation found the Priore of the Crossyd Friores in London at that time being in bed with his whoore both naked about xi of the clocke in the forenoone vpon a Friday at which time the said Priore to the intent his misdemeanour and shamefull fact should not be knowne whereby he should sustaine open shame kneeled vpon his knees and not onely desired your said orator and his company to keepe secret his said act and not to disclose in any wife the same but for the same intent freely and of his owne motion gaue amongst them about xxx l. which he then was possessed of of the which summe your Orator had by the said gift about vii l. And also the said Priore promised to giue amongst the said company xxx l. more by a certaine day and after by mediation of friends of the said Priore the said xxx l. was released to the summe of vi l. which sixe pounds the said Priore bound himselfe to pay to the said Orator by his Bill obligatory at a certaine day in the same limeted Yet this notwithstanding for by cause your said Orator for non paiment of the said vi l. did arrest the said Priore he hath so hainously informed the Lord Chancelour against your Orator that he will onely put him to shewertie making the premisses a hainous Robbery saying openly that your Orator is worthy to be hanged but also will by his high authoritie compell your Orator to repay agen to the said Priore the some of xxx l. vnlesse your most charetable goodnesse bee therein otherwise shewed It may therefore plese your good Mastershipe of your abundant goodnesse to prouide that the premeses may be duly examined according to equitie for this is the very and hole truth in the same And your seid Oratore shall prey to God for your honor and preseruation long to endure By your humble Oratore to his power during his life Iohn Bartelote Saint Katherines by the Tower This was the Church belonging to the Hospitall dedicated to the honour of Saint Katherine founded by Queene Maud the wife of King Stephen and much augmented by Eleanor the wife of King Edward the first and Philip wife to King Edward the third who left to it sufficient liuelihood for a Master 3 Brethren Chaplaines and 3 Sisters tenne poore women and sixe poore Clarkes This house was valued at the generall suppression at 315 l. 14 s. 2 d. per annum Here vnder an Ancient monument â—ouly defaced lieth entombed the body of Iohn Holland Duke of Exceter Earle of Huntington and of Iuory in Normandy Lord of Sparre Admirall of England Ireland and Aquitaine Lieuetenant Generall of the Duchie of Aquitaine Fellow of the honourable order of the Garter and Constable of the Tower of London as he writ in his stile when Henry the fift in the fift of his raigne was to goe ouer into Normandy this puissant Iohn Holland as then but Earle of Huntington was sent before to scoure the seas who meeting with nine Carrickes of Genoa which were going to aide the French King fought with them and sunke sixe of them and tooke the other three with great store of money and treasure and brought them with his prisoners to the King This battaile was fought nere Harflew vpon the fall of the Riuer Seyne into the narrow seas of which an old versifier They faught full sore afore the water of Sayn With Carrickes many well stuffed and arayed And many other shippes great of Hispayn Barges Balyngers and Galleys vnfrayed Whiche proudly came vpon our Shippes vnprayed And by th'euen their sailes aualed were set Their enemies slaine in battayll and sore bet And many dryent were that daye in the Sea That as our flete rode there then alway Vnto the feast next of his Natiuitee The Bodies flete among our Shippes eche daye Full piteous was and to see theim ay That thousandes were twenty as they then told That taken were in that same batayll bold This valiant braue Duke died full of yeares the fift of August in the 25. yeere of King Henry the sixt Anno 1447. Here lye entombed by him his two wiues the first was Anne daughter of Edmund Earle Stafford by his wife Anne the heire of Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester by whom hee had issue Henry Duke of Exceter She had bin formerly married vnto Edmund Mortimer Earle of March and Vlster I cannot finde the time of her death His second wife here entombed was also Anne daughter of Io. Mountague the third of that name Earle of Salisbury who formerly had bin twise married to Sir Richard Hanckford to Sir Iohn Fitz-Lewis Knights She died the 27 of Nouember 1457. Here lieth likewise entombed the body of Constance sister of the foresaid Iohn Duke of Exceter daughter of Iohn Holland first of that name Duke of Exceter married to Thomas Lord Mowbray the sonne of Thomas who died in banishment Duke of Norfolke Earle of Nottingham and Earle Marshall of England and remarried to Sir Iohn Grey Lord Grey of Ruthin she died the sixteenth of Henry the sixt New Abbey in East-Smithfield Before the foundation of this Abbey there stood in the same place a little Chappell within a Coemitorie or Church-yard dedicated to the honour of God by Raph Stratford Bishop of London wherein were interred innumerable many of such persons as died in the first great Pestilence the 23 of King Edward the third Now the said King liking well this plot of ground and hauing before in a tempest on the sea and perill of drowning made a vow to build a Monastery to the honour of God and our Lady of Grace if God would grant him grace to come safe to land builded here a Monastery wherein he placed white Monkes of the Cistercian order which house at the generall suppression was valued at 546 l. 10 d. yearely The Kings store-house for victuall and for baking of Biskets to serue his Maiesties Ships is built in the same place where this Abbey stood The Minories Here was an Abbey of Nunnes of the order of Saint Clare founded by Blanch Queene of Nauarre and her husband Edmund Earle of Lancaster Leicester and Darby brother to King Edward the first in the yeere 1293. This house was valued to dispend yeerely 418 l. 8 s. 5 d. and was surrendred by Dame Elizabeth Sauage the last Abbesse there vnto King Henry
aged 94. yeares The Hermitage Hospitall and Free-Schoole at Highgate-hill In ancient times vpon the top of this hill was an Hermitage one of the Hermites whereof caused to bee made the Causway betweene Highgate and Islington taking the grauell from the top of the hill where now is a standing pond of water One William Poole Yeoman of the Crowne founded the Hospitall below on the hill in the raigne of King Edward the fourth The free Schoole was built by Sir Roger Cholmundely or Cholmeley knight sometime Lord chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench about the yeare 1564. the sixth of Queene Elizabeth The Pencion of the Master is vncertaine saith Norden there is no Vsher and the Schoole is in the disposition of sixe Gouernours or Ouerseers Our Ladies Chappell of Muswell or Mousewell hill Here was in ancient times a Chappell bearing the name of our Lady of Muswell in the place whereof Alderman Roe erected a faire house The place taketh name of the Well and of the Hill for there is on the hill a spring of faire water which is now within the compasse of Sir Nicholas Roes Cellar in the said house Here was sometime an Image of our Lady of Muswell whereunto was a continuall resort in the way of pilgrimage growing as it goes by tradition from father to the sonne in regard of a great cure which was performed by this water vpon a king of Scots who being strangely diseased was by some diuine intelligence aduised to take the water of a Well in England called Muswell which after long scrutation and inquisition this Well was found and performed the cure Absolutely to deny the cure saith Norden I dare not for that the high God hath giuen vertue vnto waters to heale infirmities as may appeare by the cure of Naaman the Leper by washing himselfe seuen times in Iordan and by the Poole Bethesda which healed the next that stepped thereinto after the water was moued by the Angell The Hermitage at Kilbourne In the time of King Henry the first Herbert Abbot of Westminster by permission of Gilbert Bishop of London and by consent of the Couent granted to three Maides the Hermitage of Kilbourne with all the land of that place which Hermitage one Gorbone had builded long before The Hospitall of S. Giles in the Fields for Leprous people This Hospitall was founded by Queene Maude wife to king Henry the first in the yeare 1117. and was a Cell belonging to Burton Lazers of Ierusalem in the County of Leicester as may appeare by a deed dated the 24. of Hen. 7. in these words Thomas Norton knight Master of Burton Lazers of Ierusalem in England and the brethren of the same place keepers of the Hospitall of Saint Giles without the Barres of the old Temple of London haue sold to Geffrey Kent Citizen and Draper of London a messuage or house with two Sollars aboue edified in the Parish of Alhallowes Hony-Jane in Westcheape adioyning to the West part of a Tenement called the Goate on the Hope pertaining to the Drapers of London for 31. l. At this Hospitall the prisoners conueyed from the Citie of London towards Teyborne there to be executed were presented with a great Bowle of Ale thereof to drinke at their pleasure The Hospitall of Saint Mary Bethlem commonly called Bedlam In the yeare 1247. Simon Fitzmary one of the Sheriffes of London founded this Hospitall for lame and indigent people which afterwards was conuerted to that vse which the Citie now makes of it vpon this occasion In the Parish of Saint Martins in the field there was an house wherein sometime were distraught and Lunaticke people of what antiquitie founded by whom or what time suppressed saith Stow I haue not read But it was said that a King of England not liking such a kinde of people to remaine so neare his Pallace caused them to be remoued further off to Bethlem without Bishopsgate of London and to that Hospitall the said house by â—haring-crosse doth yet remaine S. Peters Chappell within the Tower Here lie interred the headlesse remaines of Iohn Fisher Doctor of Diuinitie sometime Bishop of Rochester brought vp a Scholler in Cambridge Master of our Colledge I meane Queenes Colledge in Cambridge and Chancellour of that Vniuersitie He was made Cardinall t t. S. Vitalis the one and twentieth of May which honour was to him parum vitalis for the Cardinals hat and his head neuer met together he being beheaded on the Tower-hill the 22. of Iune following Ann. Dom. 1535. His bodie was first buried in Barking Church-yard and afterwards vpon occasion as followeth remoued to this place He was a man in great estimation with Margaret Countesse of Richmond by whose exhortation shee built and endowed two Colledges in Cambridge S. Iohns and Christ Colledge she made him one of her executours He liued likewise a long time in great fauour with her Grandchild King Henry the eight euen vntill his marriage with Anne Bullein which he euer seemed to disallow Whereupon he was suspected and accused to be of councell with Elizabeth Barton commonly called the holy Maide of Kent a Nunne of Saint Sepulchres in Canterbury who by sundrie suggestiue reuelations gaue out that if the King proceeded in diuorce and second marriage he should not raigne in his realme seuen moneths after nor rest in Gods fauour the space of an houre The story is frequent Of which imputation he thus excused himselfe by his letters to the Kings Maiestie To the Kings most gracious Highnes Please it your graciouse Highenes benignely to heare this my most humble sute which I haue to make vnto your grace at this time and to pardon me that I come not my selfe vnto your grace for the same For in good faith I haue had so many periculouse diseases oone after another which began with me before Advent and so by long continuance hath now brought my body into that weakenesse that withouten perill of destruction of the same which I darr saye your grace for your soueraigne goodnes wold not I may not as yet take any traueyling vpon me And soo I wrote to Maister Cromwell your moost trustie Councellor beseeching him to obtayne your graciouse licence for me to be absent from this Parliament for that same cause and he put me in comforthe soo to doo Now thus it is most graciouse soueraygne Lord that in your most high Court of Parliament is put in a bill against me concerning the Nunne of Canterbury and intending my condempnation for not reuelyng of such wordes as she hadde vnto me towchyng your Highnes Wherein I moost humblie beseech your grace that without displeasor I maye shew vnto you the consideration that moued me so to doo which when your moost exâ—cellent wisdome hath deaplye considered I trust assuredlie that your charitable goodnes will not impute any blame to me therfore A trowth it is this Nunne was with me thries in commyng from London by Rochester as I wrote to Master
Cromwell and shewed vnto him the occasions of her commyng and of my sendings vntyll hir againe The first tyme she came vnto my house vnsent for of my partye and then she tolde me that she hadde bene with your grace and that she hadde shewed vnto you a reuelation which she hadde from Almighty God your grace I hope will not be displeased with this my rehearsall thereof She sayd that if your grace went forth with the purpose that ye intended ye shold not be King of England seuen moneths after I conceaued not by theis wordes I take it vpon my soule that any malice or euill was intended or ment vnto your highnes by any mor all man butt oonly that thei were the threattes of God as she than did affirme And though thei were feaned that as I wold be saued was to me vnknowen I neuer counsailled hir vnto that feanyng not was privaye thervnto nor to any such purposes as it is now sayd thei went aboute Neuerthelesse if she hadde told me this Reuelation and hadde not alsoo told me that she hadde reported the same vnto your grace I hadde bene verylie farre to blame and worthy extreame punyshment for not disclosing the same vnto your highenes or else to some of your counsaill But sithen she did assure me therewith that she hadde playnelye told vnto your grace the same thynge I thought doubtlesse that your grace wold haue suspected me that I had commyn to renewe hir tale agayne vnto yow rather for the confermyng of myn opinion than for any other cause I beseech your highenes to take no displeasor with me for this that I will saye It stykketh yet moost graciouse Soueraygne in my hart to my no little heuynesse youre greeuous letters and after that youre moost fearfull wordes that your grace hadde vnto me for shewyng vnto yow my mynde and opinion in the same matter Notwithstandyng that your highnesse hadde soo often and soo straytly commanded me to serch for the same before And for this cause I was right loth to haue comyn vnto your grace agayne with such a tale pertayning to that matter Meny other considerations I hadde but this was the very cause why that I came not vnto your grace For in good faith I dradde lest I shold therby haue prouoked your grace to farther displeasor agaynste me My Lord of Canterbury also which was your great Counsaillor told me that she hadde bene with your grace and hadde shewed yow this same matter and of hym as I will answeare before God I learned greatter thynges of her pretensed visions than she told me herselfe And at that same tyme I shewede vnto hym that she hadde bene with me and told me as I haue written before I trust now that your excellent wisdome and learnynge seeth there ys in me no defawte for not reuelynge of hir wordes vnto your grace whan she hir selfe did affirme vnto me that she hadde soo done and my Lord of Canterbury that then was confermed alsoo the same Wherfore moost graciouse Soueraygne Lord in my most humble wise I besech your highenes to dimisse me of this trouble whereby I shall the more quietly serue God and the more effectually pray for your grace This if there were a right great offence in me shold be to your merite to pardon but much rather taking the case as it is I trust veryly yow will so doo Now my body is mvch weakened with meny diseases and infirmities and my soule is much inquieted by this trouble so that my harte is more withdrawen from God and fro the deuotion of prayer than I wold And veryly I thinke that my lyve may not long continewe Wherfore estsoones I besech your moost gracious highenes that by your charytable goodnes I may be deliuered of this besynesse and onely to prepare my soule to God and to make itt ready agaynst the commyng of death and no moore to come abroode in the world This mooste graciouse Soueraigne Lord I besech your highenes by all the singular and excellent endewments of your most noble bodie and sowle and for the loue of Christ Iesu that soo dearly with his moost preciouse bloode redeamed yowr and myn And duryng my lyue I shall not cease as I am bownden and yett now the more entearly to make my praier to God for the preseruation of your most royall Maiestie At Rochester the xxvii day of February Your most humble Beadman and subiect Io. Roffe He writ likewise to the high Court of Parliament then sitting to the same effect but before this businesse was fully finished another came vpon him which was the oath of Supremacie the refusing whereof being tendered was adiudged high treason This oath or some part of it he denies whereupon he is committed to the Tower from whence he thus writes to Cromwell After my most humble commendations where as ye couet that I should write vnto the Kings Highnesse in good faith I dread mee that I cannot be soo circumspect in my writing but that sum word shall escape me wherwith his grace shall be moued to sum further displeasure against me wherof I wold be veray sory For as I will answer by for God I wold not in any manner of poynte offend his grace my duty saued vnto God whom I must in euery thyng prefer And for this consideration I am full loth and full of feare to wryte vnto his highnesse in this matter Neuerthelesse sythen I conceyue that it is your mynd that I shall soo doo I will endeuor mee to the best that I can But first here I must beseech yow gode master Secretary to call to yowr remembrance that at my last being befor yow and the other Commissioners for taking of the othe concerning the Kings most noble succession I was content to be sworne vnto that parcell concerning the succession And there I did rehearse this reason whiche I sade moued mee I dowted not but that the Prynce of eny Realme with th' assent of his nobles and commons myght appoynte for his succession Royall such an order as was seen vnto his wysdom most accordyng And for this reason I sade that I was content to be sworne vnto that parte of the othe as concernyng the succession This is veray trowth as God help my sowl at my most neede Albeit I refused to swear to some other parcels bycause that my conscience wold not serue me so to doo Furthermor I byseche yow to be gode master vnto me in my necessitie for I haue nether Shirt nor Sute nor yet other clothes that ar necessary for me to wear but that bee ragged and torne to shamefully Notwithstandyng I myghte easily suffer that if thei wold keep my body warm But my dyett allso God knowes how slender itt is att meny tymes And now in myn age my stomake may not away but with a few kynd of meats which if I want I decay forthwith and fall into coffes and diseases of my body and cannot keepe my self
you be desirous further to know how this Abbey Church hath beene honoured by the Sepultures of many worthy persons will it please you peruse these verses following by which both her foundation and fall is plainly deciphered Behold that goodly Fane which ruin'd now doth stand To holy Albon built first Martyr of this Land Who in the faith of Christ from Rome to Britaine came And dying in this place resign'd his glorious name In memory of whom as more then halfe Diuine Our English Offa rear'd a rich and sumptuous Shrine And Monastery here which our succeeding Kings From time to time endow'd with many goodly things And many a Christian Knight was buried here before The Norman set his foot vpon this conquered shore And after those braue spirits in all those balefull stowers That with Duke Robert went against the Pagan powers And in their countries right as Cressy those that stood And that at Poyters bath'd their bilbowes in French blood Their valiant Nephewes next at Agincourt that fought Whereas rebellious France vpon her knees was brought In this religious house at some of their returnes When nature claim'd her due here plac't their hallowed vrnes Which now deuouring Time in his so mighty waste Demollishing those walls hath vtterly defac't So that the earth to feele the ruinous heapes of stones That with the burth'nous weight now presse their sacred bones Forbids this wicked brood should by her fruits be fed As loathing her owne wombe that such loose children bred But I will come to the quarrell of the houses of Yorke and Lancaster which filled vp our Ladies Chappell here with the dead bodies of the Nobilitie slaine in and about this Towne of Saint Albans whose funerall Trophies are wasted with deuouring time and seates or Pewes for the Townesmen made ouer their honorable remaines Of these Lords here buried thus writeth the old Poet Iohn Gower Quos mors quos Martis sors saeua suaeque sororis Bella prostrarunt villae medioque necarunt Mors sic occiÌ„sos tumulauerat hic simul ipsos Postque necem requiem causauit habere perennem Et medium sine quo vult hic requiescere nemo Hic lis hic pugna mors est qui terminat arma Mors sors Mauors qui strauerunt Dominos hos But amongst so many of the Nobilitie here interred I finde few remembred saue Edmund Duke of Somerset Henry Earle of Northumberland and Iohn the valiant old Lord Clifford The death of this Edmund Duke of Somerset grandchilde to Iohn of Gaunt sore grieued King Henry the sixth because in him he had alwayes put great trust and confidence being a chiefe Commander and one who had long gouerned Normandy beene Regent of France and for his countries sake had alwayes right valiantly borne himselfe against the French Yet his actions whatsoeuer they were did not please the common people nor many other of ranke and qualitie in those times For Harding who liued in those dayes thus writ of him Thei slewe the Duke Edmond then of Somerset For cause he had the realmes we le so lette He was slaine vnder the signe of the Castle in the Towne being long before warned as it is reported to auoide all Castles Henry Lord Percy Earle of Northumberland aforesaid was the sonne of Henry surnamed Hot-spurr slaine at the battell of Shrewsbury by King Henry the fourth But his fathers offence and his Grandfathers being forgiuen him he was restored to his Grandfathers dignities by Henry the fifth to whom and to his sonne Henry the sixth he euer continued a loyall subiect stoutly maintaining their right to the Crowne of England in which quarrell he here lost his life The old Lord Clifford here interred is specially remembred in the battell for so valiantly defending and strongly keeping the Barre-yates and entrance in the Towne insomuch that the Duke of Yorke had euer the repulse vntill great Warwicke brake in by a garden side with a noise of Trumpets and voices crying A Warwicke a Warwicke Whereupon ensued that fierce and cruell battel in which this valourous old Lord manfully lost his life Of these two last remembred will you reade this Stanza Th erle then of Northumberland was there Of sodein chaunce drawen furth by the kyng And slain vnknowne by any manne ther were The Lord Clifford ouer busie in werking At the Barres them mette sore fightyng Was slain that day vpon his owne assaute As eche manne saied it was his owne defaute This battell wherein they were slaine was the first battell at Saint Albans which was fought in the yeare 1455. the Thursday before Pentecost Iohn Whethamsted the fore remembred Abbot made certaine Epitaphs for religious persons and others here interred as also in other Churches hereabouts Which for the most part are now either taken away by time or stolne away with the brasse from their Graue-stones which howsoeuer I know not well how to appropriate to the Persons for whom they were intended Yet it will not be lost labour to take and imprint them out of the Manuscript for that the Reader may see the rare compositions in that age 1. Duplex est vita duplex mors corporis vna Nominis astch altra miserorum mors ea dicta Non sic hic obijt non sic hic nunc requiescit â—mo mors prima fuit illi vita secunda Et si quod rapere voluit mors id tribuisse Fertur quasque dare tenebras has surripuisse Estque lucet sic ei lux perpetue requiei Atque libro vite quo nunc inscribitur ipse Nomen eius legitur cum sanctis numeratur 2. Vpon a Prior of this house here buried who was neuer beloued in his life time yet much bewailed after his death Quem dens momordit liuoris dummodo vixit Linguaque detraxit mors nunc bene glorificauit Nunc redeunt varia tumulata prius benefacta Famaque recrescit liuor post facta quiescit Nunc acus invidie lingue fel serra loquele Carpere cessarunt nunc aicere sic didicerunt Quando cadens obijt abijt pater hicque recessit Secum dapsilitas secum virtus honestas Istius Ecclesie quasi plangentes abiere Secum claustrale frenum que iugum Monachale Migrarunt eciam claustro dederantque salutem Secum vera fides bine secumque sorores Ibant ad puteum dixere locoque tuantem Secum fertilitas pietas secumque facultas Que parcit miseris sua que confert egenis Secum Iusticia pax lex policia In breuibus quicquia virtutem gignere possit Secum transiuit abijt secumque recessit Cur Dominus secum secum requies in idipsum 3. Vpon a Monke buried in this Church Alter honestatis Sol serens grauitatis Hesperus ac morum lampas rutilans monachorum Nunc occultatur hic sub modio tenebratur Nec tribuit lumen Claustro quod tribuit olim Mors eclipsari cansauerat tenebrari Est tamen
Cauendish late wife of William Cauendish which William was one of the sonnes of the aboue named Alice Cauendish Which Margaret dyed the xvi day of Iune in the yeare of our Lord God M. cccccxl whossoul Iesu pardon Amen Heuen blis be here mede Yat for the sing prey or rede Cauendish is a Towne or Village in Suffolke wherein that valiant Gentleman Iohn Cauendish Esquire who slew that Arch-Rebell Watt Tyler Anno Reg. Regis Ric 2.4 was borne which fact was not long vnreuenged for in the same yeare the Rebels of Norfolke and Suffolke vnder the conduct of their Captaine Sir Iohn Wraw a detestable Priest tooke Sir Iohn Cauendish knight cosin to the foresaid Iohn chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench and beheaded him together with Sir Iohn of Cambridge Prior of Saint Edmundsbury whose heads they set on the Pillory in the Market place Here restyth the body of William Burd Esquyr late Clark of the Pipe and Priuy Seale whych payd the generall tribute of Nature deuyded from the mundane vexations by naturall death the xv day of August the xxi yere of kyng Henry the eyght Clarke of the Pipe saith the Interpreter is an Officer in the Kings Exchequer who hauing all accounts and debts due vnto the king deliuered and drawne downe out of the Remembrancers Offices chargeth them downe into the great Roll. Who also writeth summons vnto the Shiriffe to leuie the said debts vpon the goods and chattels of the said debtors and if they haue no goods then doth he draw them downe to the Lord Treasurers Remembrancer to write Extreats against their Land The ancient Reuenew of the Crowne remayneth in charge before him and he seeth the same answered by the Fermers and Shiriffes to the king He maketh a charge to all Shiriffes of their summons of the Pipe and Greenewax and seeth it answered vpon their accounts He hath the ingrossing of all Leasses of the Kings lands and it is likely that it was at the first called and still hath denomination of Pipe and Clarke of the Pipe and Pipe Office because their Records that are registred in their smallest Rolles are altogether like Organe Pipes but their great Roll called the Great Roll Ann. 37. Ed. 3. ca. 4. is of another forme Clericus Priuati Sigilii or Clarke of the priuie Seale is an Officer whereof there be foure in number that attendeth the Lord Keeper of the priuie Seale or if there be none such vpon the principall Secretarie writing and making out all things that be sent by warrant from the Signet to the Priuie Seale and are to be passed to the Great Seale as also to make out as they are tearmed Priuie Seales vpon any especiall occasion of his Maiesties affaires for loane or lending of money or such like Of this Officer and his function you may reade the Statute Ann. 27. Hen. 8. cap. 11. Hic iacet Iohannes Hartishorne quondam Seruiens Domini Regis ad Arma qui obijt viij die Martij Ann. Dom. M. ccccxxix Agnes vxor eius que obiit ..... M. cccc The office of Sergeants at Armes is to attend the person of the King to arrest Traitors or great men that do or are like to contemne messengers of ordinarie condition for other causes and to attend the Lord high Steward of England sitting in Iudgement vpon any Traitor and such like Of these by the Statute Ann. 13. Ric. 2. cap. 6. there may not be aboue thirtie in the Realme There be also two of these Sergeants of the Parliament one of the vpper and another of the lower house whose office seemeth for the execution of such commandements especially touching the apprehension of any offender as either house shall thinke good to enioyne them There is one Sergeant at Armes that belongeth to the Chancerie who is called Sergeant of the Mace as the rest may be because they carrie Maces by their office He of the Chancerie attendeth the Lord Chancellour or Lord Keeper in that Court Another in like manner attends the Lord Treasurer Of your cherite prey for the souls of George ... Maior of London and Iohan and Margaret his wyffs which .... decessyd M. ccccc.xxxvi on whos sowls ..... By the computation of yeares I finde no such man by the Christian name of George to haue beene Lord Maior about this time excepting George Monox who lieth buried at Waltham Stow. Hic iacet Iohannes Kirkham nuper Ciuis Attornatus London Elisabetha vxor eius qui quidem Iohannes obijt primo die Septembris .... M. cccc.xxvij quorum animabus ... Here lyeth Iohn Mynne Esquyr late mastyr of the Kyngs wooddys of his new granted Court of Generall Surueyours of his Londes and Auditour of diuers and sundry Reuenews of the same Courts which desessyd the xv dey of Decemb. M. ccccc.xlii on whos soul Iesu haue mercy Diuers other Inscriptions hee collected of persons here interred about the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne which are not as now visible In this Church was sometime saith Stow a Brotherhood of Saint Fabian and Sebastian founded in the yeare 1377. the 51. of Edward the third and confirmed by Henry the fourth in the sixt of his raigne Henry the sixt in the 24. of his raigne to the honour of the Trinitie gaue licence to Dame Ioan Astley sometime his Nurse to Robert Cawood Clarke of the Pipe who lieth buried in this Church but of whom no remembrance is remaining and Thomas Smith to found the same a Fraternitie perpetually to haue a Master and two Custos with Brethren and Sisters c. This Botherhood was endowed with lands more then thirtie pound by the yeere and was suppressed Edward the sixt Saint Mary Magdalens Milkestreete Of your charity pray for the soul of Edward Murell ... and Martha his wyff which Edward decessyd the ... day of ... Of your cherite prey for the souls of William Campion Citizen and Grocer of London sometime one of the Masters of the Bridghouse and Alys and Anne his wyffes The which William decessyd the xvii of December M. ccccc.xxxi Anne the .... day of M. ccccc.xx on whos souls Iesu haue pitte Amen Prey for the soul of Henry Cantlow Mercer Merchant of the Staple at Callys the builder of this Chappell wherein hee lyeth buried M. cccc.lxxxxv Here lieth also buried in this Church Sir William Cantlow Knight and Sheriffe of London in the yeare 1448. who died in the yeare 1462. Cantlow siue de Cantelupo an ancient Familie of great repute in many places of this Kingdome of which hereafter Hic iacet Iohannes Olney quondam ciuis et Mercerus Aldermannus Maior Ciuitatis London qui obijt die Martis xxiiij die octobris M cccc liiij cuius anime propitietur Deus This Iohn was the sonne of Iohn Olney of the Citie of Couentrie saith Stowes Suruay Orate pro animabus Thome Muschampe ........ This Thomas Muschampe was Sheriffe