Sir Robert Bellknap Leicest 131 Richard Belgrave ib. 132 Sir Henry Bellasis York 223 John Bellasis ibid.  St. Beno Flint 38 Thomas Benion Somers 34 Thomas Bendish Essex 340 Thomas Bentham York 197 Robert Bennet Berk. 92 Thomas Berkley Gloc. 363 Gilbert Berkeley Norf. 238 Dame Katherine Berkeley Gloc. 361 Bertram Fitz-Allen Linc. 166 St. Bertelin Staff 40 Peregrin Berty Linc. 161 Sir Richard de la Bere Heref. 46 Alphred of Beverly York 205 St. John of Beverly ib. 192 William Bischop Warw. 129 Benedict Biscop York 192 Thomas Bickely Buck. 131 Sir Richard Bingham Dors. 281 John Bird Warw. 22 Thomas Bilson Hant. 7 Sir Francis Bigot York 209 John of Birlington alias Bridlington ib. 193 Sir Thomas de Billing Northamp 286 Philip Biss Som. 30 John Bloxham Linc. 165 Michael Blaunpayn Corn. 203 Peter Blundell Dev. 265 Cornelius Bongy Warw. 120 Utred Bolton Wales 14 Robert Bolton Lanc. 116 John Boise Suff. 71 David Boyse Wales 15 Dr. John Bois Kent 84 Sir William Boleyn ib. 95 Queen Anne Bollen Lond. 202 Sir Godfrey Bollen Norf 258 Edward Bonner alias Savage Worc. 169 William Bowyer Staff 53 William Booth Chesh. 174 Laurence Booth ibid.  John Booth ib. 155 Edward Bone Cornw. 206 Wenfr Boniface Devon 249 Sir George Bowes York 223 Henry Bourchier Essex 338 John Bourchier Hertf. 27 Thomas Bourchier Essex 324 William of Bottlesham Cambr. 152 Andrew Borde Lond. 215 Philip Bottiller Essex 345 Boso Hertf. 20 John Bray Cornw. 205 Sir John Bramston Essex 329 Robert Braybrook Northamp 284 Henry de Braybrook Bedf. 122 Robert de Braybrook ibid.  Henry Bradshaw Ches 190 Sir Henry Bradshaw ib. 177 Robert Brassy ib. 182 John de Bradfeild Berk. 92 John of Bridlington alias Birlington York 193 a William Breton Wales 14 Walter Brute ib. 8 Sir Henry Bromfleet York 221 Gualo Britannus Wales 14 Hugh Broughton ib. 16 Richard Broughton Hunt 53 b John Briton alias Breton Heref. 37 Nicholas Breakspear Hertf. 20 William de Brito Kent 91 Sir Richard Brakenburgh ib. 95 Maurice Bryyn Essex 339 Giles de Bruce Breckn 23 John Bradford Lanc. 108 Sir Thomas Bromley Staff 43 John Bromley ibid.  Sir Thomas Brumley Shrop. 6 William Briewere Berk. 103 Sir John Brewerton Chesh. 185 Edward Brerewood ib. 190 William Brewer Devon 252 268 Fulco de Breantee Berk. 104 Walter Bronscombe Dev. 274 Ralph Browning Suff. 61 Sir Robert Brooke ib. 65 Sir David Brooke Somers 25 Walter Browne Lond. 228 William Browne Rutl. 348 Christopher Browne ib. 253 John Browne ib. 354 Stephen Browne Northumb. 308 Matthew Browne Surr. 98 Thomas Bradwardine Suss. 102 Wulstan of Braundsford Worc. 168 Robert Bristow ib. 176 Ralph of Bristol Somers 34 Henry Bright Worc. 177 William Brightman Nottingh 319 Fulk de Brent Middl. 182 Edmund Brudenell Northamp 300 Henry Bullock Berk. 95 John Buckingham Buck. 130 Edward Bulstrod ib. 141 William Burgoin Devon 265 Hubert de Burgo Kent 91 Thomas Lord Burgh or Borough Linc. 159 Arthur Bulkly Anglesey â—…18 Lancelot Bulkly ib. 19 Sir Ralph Butler Gloc. 356 Charles Butler Hant. 13 Sir Thomas Burge Linc. 174 Henry Burton Staff 46 Robert Burton   William Butler Suff. 67 William Burton Leic. 134 Robert Burton ibid.  Sir Thomas Burdet Leic. 140 John of Bury Suff. 69 Boston of Bury Linc. 165 Robert Burnel Shrop. 4 Henry Burwash Suss. 103 John Buckeridge Wilt. 151 Nicholas Byfeild Warw. 122 Hub. de Burozo Kent 91 C. NAMES SHIRE PAGE Sir Peter Carew Devon 272 Nicholas Carew Surr. 96 Richard Carew Cornw. 205 Sir John Cary Devon 253 James Cary ibid.  Valentine Cary Northum 305 Henry Cary Hertf. 23 Sir Henry Cary ibid.  John Careless Warw. 120 Robert Canâ—…tus Wilt. 155 Sir George Calvert York 201 Sir Robert Calvert ib. 230 Thomas Castleford ib. 207 Caducanus Wales 10 Gualt Calenius ib. 14 St. Canock Breckn 22 St. Cadock ibid.  Sir Edward Carne Glamor 41 Walâ—…er Cantilupe Monm 51 Giraldus Cambrensis Pembâ—… 57 Vinarius Capâ—…llanus Norf. 269 Sir John Cavendish Suff. 65 Thomas Cavendish ib. 66 John Cavendish ib. 72 William Caxton Camb. 157 Sir Hugh Calvely Chesh. 178 John Canon Cumb. 220 Robert Epis. Carliol ib. 225 Edmund Campian Lond. 222 Sir Robert Catelin Leic. 131 John Caius Norf. 275 Sir Philip Calthrope ib. 270 Sir William Capell Suff. 73 Richard Capell Gloc. 361 Arthur Capell Hertf. 28 Nathaniel Carpenter Devon 264 John Carpenter Gloc. 355 Sir William Catesby Northamp 286 George Garleton Northumb. 304 Thomas Cantilupe Heref. 35 Osburn of Canterbury Kent 99 Thomas Carâ—…wright Hertf. 27 Thomas Carden Surr. 96 William Cecill Linc. 159 Jane Cecill ib. 168 David Cecill Northamp 299 Sir Thomas Cecill ib. 300 David Cerington Wilt. 159 Cecily Daugh. to Edw. IV. Westmin 237 Sir Julius Cesar Middl. 185 King Charles I. Kent 67 King Charles II. Westmin 237 Witt. Chappel Notting 317 Humphry Chetham Lanc. 121 Sir Thomas Chaleton Middl. 187 Maurice Chamner Lond. 222 Henry Chichely Northamp 292 283 Richard Chichester Devon 263 Sir Arthur Chichester ibid. 254 Robert Chichester ibid. 251 Roger of Chester Chesh. 189 Richard Chamond Cornw. 211 William Chadderton Chesh. 175 Sir Hugh Cholmlâ—…y ibid. 187 Lawrence Chaderton Lane 117 John de Chesill Essex 325 John Christopherson Lanc. 110 Thomas Cheyney Kent 96 Willâ—…am Cheyney ibid. 95 Sir Frâ—…ncis Châ—…ney Buck. 141 Sir John Cheâ—…ke Camb. 156 Thomas Chase Bedf. 115 Peter Chapman Berk. 97 Thomas Chaucer ibid. 106 Jeffrey Chaucer Oxf. 337 William Chillingworth ibid. 339 Child Devon 266 John Christmas Essâ—…x 346 John Chedworth Gloc. 355 Thomas Charnock Kent 82 David of Chirbury Shrop. 8 Thomas Church-yard ibid. 9 Sir John Champneys Som. 31 Thomas Chune Suss. 109 John Chylmarke Wâ—…lt 156 Sir Roger Cholmley York 200 Sir William Chauncey Northamp 301 Sir Dudley Charlton Oxf. 334 Roger the Cistercian Devon 263 Francis Clearke Bedf. 118 William Clarke Oxf. 345 George Clearke â—…anc 121 Sir John Clarke Northamp 299 Richard de Clare Monm 51 Richard Clough Flint 39 St. Clintanke Breck 22 Francis Clâ—…fford York 223 George Clifford ibid. 203 Anne Clifford Wesimor 140 Richard Clarke Dors. 282 Osbern Claudian Gloc. 357 Katherine Clyvedon ibid. 361 Sir Jervase Clifton Camb. 169 Richard Clifford Kent 70 John Cleaveland Leic. 135 Hugh Clopton Warw. 129 Elizabeth Clare Suff. 71 Nicholas Close Westmorl 137 Alice Coberly Wilt. 148 Sir Francis Cottington ibid. 152 Hugh Coren alias Curwen Westmor 137 John Comin alias Cumin Worcest 167 Sir Thomas Coventry ibid. 170 Walter of Coventry Warw. 124 Vincent of Coventry ibid.  William of Coventry   Roger Ep. Covent Litch Berk. 104 Walt. de Constantiis Wales 10 St. Congellus alias Comgallus Flint 38 Constantine G. Essex 322 William Coberly Wilt. 148 Sir Edward Conway Warw. 123 Miles Coverdale York 198 Sir William Compton Worc. 179 Cocke Devon 261 Henry Cocke Hertf. 32 Sir Edward Coke Norf. 250  Buck. 141 Sir John Cooke Derb. 233 George Cooke ibid. 232 Sir Thomas Cooke Suff. 73 Sir Anthony Cooke Essex 327 John Cowell
must be more in it to give him that denomination seeing many had that office besides himself He was a great Scholar and deep Divine it being reported to his no small praise That he conformed his Divinity to Scripture and not to the rules of Philosophy He flourished under King Edward the third anno 1350. WILLIAM CAXTON born in that Town a noted stage betwixt Roiston and Huntington Bale beginneth very coldly in his commendation by whom he is charactered Vir non omnino stupidus aut ignavia torpens but we understand the language of his Liptote the rather â—…ecause he proceedeth to praise his Diligence and Learning He had most of his Education beyond the Seas living 30. years in the Court of Margaret Dutchesse of Burgundy Sister to King Edward the fourth whence I conclude him an Anti-Lancastrian in his affection He continued Polychronicon beginning where Trevisa ended unto the end of King Edward the fourth with good judgment and Fidelity And yet when he writeth that King Richard the second left in his Treasury Money and Jewells to the value of seven hundred thousand pounds I cannot credit him it is so contrary to the received Character of that Kings Riotous Prodigality Caxton carefully collected and printed all Chaucers works and on many accounts deserved well of Posterity when he died about the year 1486. Since the Reformation RICHARD HULOET was born at Wishich in this County and brought up in good learning He wrote a book called the English and Latine A B C and dedicated the same to Thomas Goowrich Bishop of Ely and Chancellor of England Some will condemn him of Indiscretion in presenting so low a subject to so high a person as if he would teach the Greatest States-man in the land to spell aright Others will excuse him his book being though of low of generall use for the Common people who then began to betake themselves to reading long neglected in the land so that many who had one foot in their grave had their hand on their primer But I believe that his book whereof I could never recover a sight though entitled an A B C related not to Literall reading but rather to some Elementall grounds of Religion He flourished Anno Domini 1552. JOHN RICHARDSON was born of honest parentage at Linton in this County bred first Fellow of Emanuell then Master of Saint Peters and at last of Trinity-colledge in Cambridge and was Regius Professor in that University Such who represent him a dull and heavy man in his parts may be confuted with this instance An extraordinary Act in Divinity was kept at Cambridge before King James wherein Doctor John Davenant was Answerer and Doctor Richardson amongst others the opposers The Question was maintained in the negative concerning the excommunicating of Kings Doctor Richardson vigorously pressed the practice of Saint Ambrose excommunicating of the Emperour Theodosius insomuch that the King in some passion returned profecto fuit hoc ab Ambrosio insolentissimè factum To whom Doctor Richardson rejoyned responsum vere Regium Alexandro dignum hoc non est argumenta dissolvere sed desecare And so sitting down he desisted from any further dispute He was employed one of the Translators of the Bible and was a most excellent linguist whose death happened Anno Dom. 1621. ANDREW WILLET D. D. was born at Ely in this County bred Fellow of Christs-colledge in Cambridge He afterwards succeeded his father in the Parsonage of Barley in Hertford shire and became Prebendary of Ely He confuted their cavill who make children the cause of covetousness in Clergy-men being bountifull above his ability notwithstanding his numerous issue No less admirable his industry appearing in his Synopsiâ—… Comments and Commentaâ—…ies insomuch that one considering his Polygraphy said merrily that he must write whilst he slept it being unpossible that he should do so much when waking Sure I am he wrote not sleepily nor oscitantèr but what was solid in it self and profitable for others A casuall fall from his horse in the high-way near Hodsden breaking his leg accelerated his death It seems that Gods promise to his children to keep them in all their ways that they dash not their foot against the stone 'T is as other Temporall promises to be taken with a Tacit clause of revocation viz. if Gods wisdome doth not discover the contrary more for his glory and his childrens good This Doctor died Anno Domini 1621. Sir THOMAS RIDLEY Kt. Dr. of the Laws was born at Ely in this County bred first a scholar in Eaton then Fellow of Kings-colledge in Cambridge He was a general scholar in all kind of learning especially in that which we call melior literatura He afterwards was Chancellor of Winchester and the Vicar generall to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury his memory will never dye whilst his book called the view of the Ecclesiastical Laws is living a book of so much merit that the Common Lawyers notwithstanding the difference betwixt the professions will ingeniously allow a due commendation to his learned performance in that subject He died Anno Domini 1629. on the two and twentieth day of January ARTHUR HILDERSHAM was born at Strechworth in this County descended by his mothers side from the Bloud-Royal being great-great-grand-child to George Duke of Clarence brother to Edward the fourth Yet was he not like the proud Nobles of Tecoa who counted themselves too good to put their hands to Gods work But being bred in Christs-colledge in Cambridge he entred into the Ministry How this worthy Divine was first run a ground with poverty and afterwards set a float by Gods Providence how he often alternately lost and recovered his voice being silenced and restored by the Bishops how after many intermediate afflictions this just and upright man had peace at the last is largely reported in my Ecclesiastical History to which except I adde to the truth I can adde nothing on my knowledge remarkable He died Anno Domini 1631. R. PARKER for so is his Christian name defectively written in my Book was born in Ely therefore Place-nameing himself Eliensis was son as I am confident to Master Parker Arch-deacon of Ely to whom that Bishoprick in the long vacancy after the death of Bishop Cox was profered and by him refused tantum opum usuram iniquis conditionibus sibi oblatam respuens Our Parker was bred in and became Fellow of Caius-colledge an excellent Herauld Historian and Antiquary Author of a short plain true and brief Manuscript called Sceletos Cantabrigiensis and yet the bare Bones thereof are Fleshed with much matter and hath furnished me with the Nativities of severall Bishops who were Masters of Colledges I am not of the mind of the Italian from whose Envy God deliver us Polidore Virgil who having first served his own turn with them burnt all the rare English Manuscripts of History he could procure so to raise the valuation of his own works But from my heart I wish some
Gospell He was a Zacheus for his Stature and with him tall in Piety and Charity He moved King Alfred to found or restore the University of Oxford on which account his memory is sacred to all posterity He died Anno Dom. 883. whose body was buried by one Barry his Scholar in Eynsebury since St. Neots in Huntington-shire and some say was afterwards removed to the Abby of Crouland Martyrs Of the forty four Martyrs in this Shire Three were most Remarkable 1. JOHN LAURENCE who at the Stake was permitted a Posture peculiar to himself For being so infeebled with long durance and hard usage that he could not stand he had a Chair allowed him and had the painfull ease to sit therein Nor must we forget how little Children being about the fire Câ—…ied unto him God strengthen you God strengthen you which was beheld as a product of his providence who out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings ordained Strength as also it evidenced their Pious Education To say Hosanna is as soon learnt by children as go up thou Bald head if it be as surely taught unto them 2. THOMAS HAWKES Gentleman first brought into trouble for refusing to Christen his Child after the Popish fashion This man going to the Stake promised his friends to give them some solemn token of the clearness and comfort of his Conscience In performance where of whilst his body was burning he raised up himself and though having the sence having no fear of the Fire joyfully clapp'd his hands over his head to the admiration of all the beholders 3. ROSE ALLIN a Virgin who being in her Calling fetching Beer for her Bedrid Mother was intercepted by Justice or rather un-justice Tyrrell who with a Candle most cruelly burnt her wrists which her Fire-proof patience most constantly endured What was said of the Roman scaevola when he burnt his hand before Porcenna is more appliable to this Maid Manum amisit sed Palmam retinuit Tyrrell did this meerly by the Law of his List otherwise no statute except written on the back-side of the book did authorize him for so Tyrannicall an act Some days after the fire which here took Livery and seisin of her hand brought her whole body into the possession thereof Confessors RICHARD GEORGE Labourer of West-Barfold is most eminent amongst the many Confessors in this Shire For he had successively three wives whereof two were burnt and the third imprisoned for Religion viz. 1. Agnes George burnt at Stratford-Bow June 27. 1556. 2. Christian George burnt at Colchester May 26. 1558. 3. ........... George imprisoned in Colchester and escap'd by Queen Maries death Novemb. 17. 1558. Some who consult the dates of his wives deaths will condemn him for over-speedy marriage and the appetite to a new wife is not comely before the grief for the former be well digested Such consider not that their glorious death in so good a cause was the subject rather of his joy then grief and that being necessitated for his children sake to marry he was carefull as it appears to marry in the Lord. Nor did he thrust his wives into the fire and shrink back from the flames himself who being imprisoned in Colchester had followed his two first and gone along with his last to the Stake had not Divine Providence by Queen Maries death prevented it Cardinalls THOMAS BOURCHIER was son to Sir William Bourchier who though but an English Knight was a French Earl of Ewe in Normandy Created by King Henry the fifth and had a great estate in this County with many Mansion-houses Hawsted being the place of their principall residence where I presume this Prelate was born He was bred in the University of Oxford whereof he was Chancellour 1454. Dean of Saint Martins then successively Bishop of Worcester Ely Arch-bishop of Caâ—…terbury and Cardinall by the title of Saint Cyriacus in the Baths A Prelate besides his high birth aforesaid and brotherhood to Henry Bourchier first Earl of Essex of that Surname remarkable on many accounts First for his vivacity being an old man and proportionably an older Bishop 1. Being consecrated Bishop of Worcester 1435. the fourteenth of Henry the sixth 2. Dying Arch-bishop of Canterbury 1486. the second of K. Henry the seventh Whereby it appeareth that he wore a Mitre full fifty one years a term not to be paralleld in any other person Secondly he saw strange revolutions in State the Civil-wars between Lancaster and York begun continued and concluded For though Bishop Morton had the happiness to make the match Arch-bishop Bourchier had the honour to marry King Henry the seventh to the Daughter of King Edward the fourth so that his hand first solemnly held that sweet posie wherein the White and Red Roses were tied together Thirdly for his wary compliance that he lost not himself in the labyrinth of such intricate times applying himself politiquely to the present predominant power However it may be said of him Praestitit hic Praesul nil tanto sanguine munere tempore dignum He left no monument to posterity proportionable what was an hundred pounds and a chest given to Cambridge to his great blood rich place and long continuance therein But this my Author imputeth unto the troublesomeness of the times seeing peace was no sooner setled and the land began to live but he died March 30. 1486. I know not what generous planet had then influence on the Court of Rome this I know that England never saw such a concurrence of noble Prelates who as they were Peers by their places were little less by their descent I behold their birth a good buttress of Episcopacy in that age able in Parliament to check and crush any Antiprelaticall project by their own relations But let us count how many were contemporaries with Thomas Bourchier from his first consecration at Worcester till the day of his death John Stafford son to the Earl of Stafford Arch-bishop of Canterbury Robert Fitz-Hugh Bishop of London Henry Beauford son to John Duke of Lancaster Bishop of Winchester William Gray son to the Lord Gray of Codnor Bishop of Ely Marmaduke Lumley extracted from the Lord Lumley Bishop of Lincoln Richard Beauchamp brother to the L. Saint Amand Bishop of Sarum Lionel Woodvile son to the Earl of Rivers Bishop of Sarum Peter Courtney extracted from the Earls of Devon Bishop of Exeter Richard Courtnee of the same extraction Bishop of Norwich John Zouch descended of the Lord Zouch Bishop of Landaffe George Novile brother to the Make-King Earl of Warwick Arch-bishop of York William Dudley son to the Lord Dudley Bishop of Durham William Piercy son to the Earl of Northumberland Bishop of Carlile But after the death of Bourchier I meet with but three Bishops of noble extraction viz. James Stanley Edmond Audley and Cardinall Pole However they were though of lower image of no less learning and religion Prelates RICHARD de BARKING took his name according to the Clergy-mens
He died Anno Domini 1631. and lieth buâ—…ied at Chigwell aforesaid AUGUSTINE LINSELL D. D. was born at Bumsted in this County bred Scholar and Fellow in Clare-hall in Cambridge He applyed himself chiefly to the Studies of Greek Hebrew and all Antiquity attaining to great exactness therein He was very knowing in the antient practices of the Jews and from him I learned that they had a Custome at the Circumcising of their Children that certain Undertakers should make a solemn stipulation for their pious education conformable to our God-fathers in Baptisme He was afterwards made Bishop of Peterborough where on the joint-cost of his Clergy he procured Theophilact on the Epistles never printed before to be fairly set forth in Greek and Latine Hence he was removeâ—… to Hereford where he died 163. States-men Sir THOMAL AUDLEY Knight where born my best Industry and Inquiry cannot attain He was bred in the Studie of the Laws till he became Atturney of the Dutchie of Lancaster and Sergeant at Law as most affirme then Speaker of the Parliament Knighted and made Keeper of the great Seal June 4. 1532. being the twenty fourth of King Henry the eight and not long after was made Lord Chancellor of England and Baron Audley of Audley End in this County In the feast of Abby Lands King Henry the eight carved unto him the first cut and that I assure you was a dainty morsell viz. the Priory of the Trinity in Eald-gate Ward London dissolved 1531. which as a Van Currier foreran other Abbeys by two years and foretold their dissolution This I may call afterwards called Dukes-Place the Covent Garden within London as the greatest empty space within the Walls though since filled not to say pestered with houses He had afterwards a large Partage in the Abby Lands in severall Counties He continued in his Office of Chancellour thirteen years and had one onely daughter Margaret who no doubt answered the Pearl in her name as well in her precious qualities as rich Inheritance which she brought to her husband Thomas last Duke of Norfolk This Lord Audley died April 30. 1544. and is buried in the fair Church of Saffron-walden with this lamentable Epitaph The stroak of deaths Inevitable Dart Hath now alas of Life berefâ—…t the Heart Of Sir Thomas Audley of the garter Knight Late Chancellor of England under our Prince of might Henry the eight worthy of high renown And made him Lord Audley of this Town This worthy Lord took care that better Poets should be after then were in his age and founded Magdalen-colledge in Cambridge giving good lands thereunto if they might have enjoyed them according to his Donation Sir RICNARD MORISIN Knight was born in this County as J. Bale his Fellowexile doth acquaint us yet so as that he qualifieth his intelligence with Ut fertâ—…r which I have commuted into our marginall note of dubitation Our foresaid Author addeth that per celebriora Anglorum gymnasia artes excoluit bred probably first in Eton or Winchester then in Cambridge or Oxford and at last in the Inns of Court In those he attained to great skill in Latine and Greek in the Common and Civil Law insomuch that he was often imployed Ambassadour by King Henry the eight and Edward the sixth unto Charles the fifth Emperor and others Princes of Germany acquitting himself both honest and able in those negotiations He began a beautifull house at Cashobery in Hertford-shire and had prepared materialls for the finishing thereof but alas this house proved like the life of his Master who began it I mean King Edward the sixth broken off not ended and that before it came to the middle thereof Yea he was forced to fly beyond the Seas and returning out of Italy died at Strasburgh on the 17. of March Anno Domini 1556. to the grief of all good men Yet his son Sir Charles finished his fathers house in more peaceable times whose great-grand daughter augmented by matches with much honour and wealth a right worthy and vertuous Lady lately deceased was wife to the first Lord Capel and Mother to the present Earl of Essex Sir ANTHONY COOK Knight great-grant child to Sir Thomas Cook Lord Mayor of London was born at Giddy hall in this County where he finished a fair house begun by his great-grand-father as appeareth by this inscription on the frontispiece thereof Aedibus his frontem Proavus Thomas dedit olim Addidit Antoni caetera sera manus He was one of the Governours to King Edward the sixth when Prince and is charactered by Master Camden vir antiquâ severitate He observeth him also to be happy in his daughters learned above their sex in Greek and Latine namely 1. Mildred marryed unto 1. William Cecil Lord Treasurer of England 2. Anne  2. Nicholas Bacon  Chancellor  3. Katherine  3. Henry Killigrew Knights  4. Elizabeth  4. Thomas Hobby   5.  5. Ralph Rowlet   Indeed they were all most eminent Scholars the honour of their own and the shame of our sex both in prose and poetry and we will give an instance of the later Sir Henry Killigrew was designed by the Queen Embassadour for France in troublesome times when the imployment always difficult was then apparently dangerous Now Katherine his Lady wrot these following verses to her sister Mildred Cecil to improve her power with the Lord Treasurer her husband that Sir Henry might be excused from that service Si mihi quem cupio cures Mildreda remitti Tu bona tu melior tu mihi sola Soror Sin malè cunctando retines vel trans mare mittes Tu mala tu pejor tu mihi nulla Soror It si Cornubiam tibi pax six omnia lâ—…ta Sin mare Cecili nuntio bella vale We will endeavour to translate them though I am afraid falling much short of their native elegancy If Mildred by thy care he be sent back whom I request A Sister good thou art to me yea better yea the best But if with stays thou keepst him still or sendst where seas may part Then unto me a Sister ill yea worse yea none thou art If go to Cornwall he shall please I peace to thee foretell But Cecil if he set to Seas I war denounce farewell This Sir Anthony Cook died in the year of our Lord 1576. leaving a fair estate unto his son in whose name it continued untill our time Sir THOMAS SMITH Kt. was born at Saffron Walden in this County and bred in Queens-colledge in Cambridge where such his proficiency in learning that he was chosen out by Henry the eight to be sent over and brought up beyond the Seas It was fashionable in that age that pregnant Students were maintained on the cost of the State to be Merchants for experience in forraign parts whence returning home with their gainfull adventures they were preferred according to the improvement of their time to offices in
for his soul anâ—… the souls of his Relations within six weeks after his discease willing also that every Priest in Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge should have a share of that money c. He made Elizabeth his Wife and others his Executors the Earl of Essex the Lord Dinham Thomas Mountgomery Thomas Terryll supervisors of his Will beseeching them to help his Son Thomas and all his children He willed the Earl of Essex and the Lord Dinham should have a Butt of Malmsy Sir Thomas Mountgomery and Sir Thomas Terryll a Pipe of Red wine for their pains Thomas Darcy his son Esquire of the body to King Henry the sixth and Edward the fourth married Margaret one of the Dâ—…ughters and Heirs of John Harelton of Suffolk Esquire He dyed 25. of September 1485. as appears by his Epitaph on his Tombe in the Church aforesaid HENRY LANGLEY Esq. He lived at Langley-Wilebores in the Parish of Rickling in the Church whereof he lyeth buried with this Inscription Hic jacet Henricus Langley Armiger qui obiit xx Septemb. M. cccc lviii Margareta uxor ejus una filiarum Haredum Johannis Waldene Armiger quae obiit v. Martii M. cccc liii There is in the same Church a Monument for his Son the more remarkable because the last of his Family Here lyeth Henry Langley Esq. and dame Catherine his wife which Henry departed this life ii April M. cccc lxxxviii and Dame Katherine died .... the year of our Lord God ...... .... It is not usuall for the wife of an Esq. to be styled Dame except she was daughter to an Earl or Relict to a Knight This Hâ—…nry left three daughters portracted on his Marble Tombe betwixt whom his Inheritance was divided THOMAS HENENINGHAM His family flourisheth in Norfolk JOHANNES LEVENTHORP Jun. Ar. His posterity flourisheth in Hertford-shire THOMAS BARYNGTON Ar. He lived at Barington-hall in the Parish of Hatfield-Brad-Oake and lyeth buried in the Church with this Inscription Hic jacent Thomas Barington Armig. Anna uxor ejus qui quidem Thomas obiit v. Aprilis M. cccc lxxii Anna proximo die sequenti quorum Animabus propitietur Altissimus See here a sympathizing wife dying the next day after her husband of whom it may be said He first deceas d â—…he for few hours try'd To live without him lik'd it not and dy'd The family is of signall nativity enriched with large possessions in the raign of King Stephen by the Barons of Montfitchet and since received an accession of honour and estate by marrying with Winifred daughter and co-heir of Henry Pole Lord Montague son of Margaret Plantagenet Countess of Salisbury descended of the bloud Royall At this day there is a Baronet thereof with other branches of good account THOMAS BENDYSH Ar. Bomsted in this County was and is the habitation of his Family EGIDIUS LUCAS The name is honourable at this day and hath a seat with fair possessions near Colchester but how related to this Giles I know not Sure I am that it appeareth on a window in the North-side of the Church of Saxham-parva in Suffolk that Anno Domini 1428. five years before this return of Gentry one Thomas Lucas kneeling there with his wife in their Coat-Armours was Servant Secretary and one of the Council to Jasper Duke of Bedford and Earl of Pembroke THOMAS BARRET Was an Esquire of signall note and the ensuing nameless Manuscript will acquaint us with the Time of his death Thomas Barryt Squâ—…r to Kyng Harry the sixt oftentimes imployed in the French warrs under the command of John Duâ—… of Bedford as also John Duc of Norfolk being alway trew leige man to his Soveraign Lord the King having taken Sanctuary at Westminstre to shon the fury of his and the Kings enemyes was from these hayled forth and lamentably hewyn a peces about whilke tym or a lityl before the Lord Skales late in an evening entrying a Wherry Bolt with three persons and rawghing toowards Westminstre there likewise too have taken Sanctuary was discride by a woman where anon the wherry man fell on him murthered him and cast his mangled corpes alond by Saint Marie Overys As for the date of his death we may learn it out of his Epitaph on his Tombe in the Church of Saint Martins in the fields London Hic jacet Thomas Barret prenobilis Armiger qui quidem Thomas erat abstractus de sanctuario Beati Petri Westmonasterii crudeliter Interfectus per manus Impiorum contra Leges Anglie totius universalis Ecclesie privilegia jura Anno Domini 1461. Anno Illustrissimi Regis Edward quarti post conquestum primo Sub eodâ—…m quoque marmoreo Lapide Johannes Barret ejusdem Thome primogenitus sepelitur qui quidem Johannes obiit ..... die ..... Anno .... This family of the Barrets received much wealth by the daughter and heir of Bell house of Bellhouse an ancient and fair seat in the Parish of Avely in this County and some few years since determined in Sir Edward Barret Knight Lord Baron of Newburg in Scotland Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster A Hospitall house-keeper and founder of an Almes-house in Avely aforesaid He adopted Lennard Esquire son to the Lord Dacres by the daughter of the Lord North heir to his estate on condition he should assume the Surname of Barret Sheriffs of Essex and Herâ—…ford shire HEN. II. Anno 1 Rich. Basset Albericus de Verr. Anno 2 Rich. de Lucy Anno 3 Mauricus Anno 4 Anno 5 Mauricus de Tireter for 5 years Anno 10 Tullus-Bovilla Anno 11 Nich. Decanus for 4 years Anno 15 Nich. Decanus Steph. de Bell. Campo dimid Anno Anno 16 Rob. Mantellus for 12 years Anno 28 Oto filius Willielm for 6 years RICH. I. Anno 1 Oto filius Willielm Anno 2 Idem Anno 3 Galf. filius Petri Anno 4 Galf. filius Petri Rich. Heriett Anno 5 Anno 6 Galf. filius Petri Simon Pateshalla Anno 7 Will. de Long. Campo Canc. Dom. Regis Anno 8 Reginall de Argento Anno 9 Regind de Argent Hug. de Nevil Hum. de Barton Anno 10 Hugo de Nevill Iohan. de Nevill JOHAN REX Anno 1 Hugo de Nevill Iohan. de Nevill Anno 2 Idem Anno 3 Rich. de Montfitchet Ioh. de Cornheard Anno 4 Rich. de Montfitchet Anno 5 Rich. de Montfitchet Ioh. de Cornheard Anno 6 Math. Mantell Com. for 4 years Anno 10 Ioh. Mantell Anno 11 Albic Willielm filius Fulconis Anno 11 Comes Albericus Idem Willielm for 4 years Anno 16 Math. Mantell Galf. Roinges Anno 17 Rob. Mantell fr. H. Matheus Mantell HEN. III. Anno 1 Anno 2 Will. Marescallus Ioh. de Cornerd Anno 3 Walt. de Udon Anno 4 Rob. Mantell Anno 5 Steph. de Segne Raâ—… filius Reginal Anno 6 Idem Anno 7 Steph. de Segne Petr. de S â—o Edward Anno 8 Rich. de Argentoem Will de
or silver-hair-skins formerly so dear are now levelled in prices with other colours yea are lower then black in estimation because their wool is most used in making of hats commonly for the more credit called Half-Beavers though many of them hardly amount to the proportion of Semi-Demi-Castors Herrings Great store and very good of these are caught nigh Yarmouth where once every year on the Feast of Saint Michael is a Fair held for the sale of fish and such the plenty of Herrings there constantly vented that incredible the sum which is raised thereby Indeed the fishing for Herrings is a most gainful trade fish though contemptable in it self considerable in its company swiming in such shoals that what the Whale hath in bigness the Herring hath in number It may well mind such who excell in strength and valour not to boast or be proud thereof seeing the greatest courage may be soon pressed to death under unequal number Yea Red-herrings in England mostly eaten for sauce to quicken the Appetite serve in Holland and elsewhere for food to satisfy hunger I will conclude the Natural Commodities of this County with this memorable passage which I have read in a modern Author The Lord F. W. assured me of a Gentleman in Norfolk that made above 10000l sterl of a piece of ground not forty yards square and yet there was neither Mineral nor Metal in it He aâ—…ter told me it was onely a sort of fine clay for the making a choise sort of earthen ware which some that knew it seeing him dig up discovered the value of it and sending it into Holland received so much money for it My belief tireth in coming up to the top of this story suspecting the addition of a cypher But if it were so how much would it have inriched us if those mockChina-dishes had been made in England Manufactures Worsteds These first took their name from Worsted a Village in this County originally it is nothing but Woollen-thred spun very fine and for the more strength twisted together But O! it surpassesh my skill to name the several stuffs being VVorsted disguised with VVeaving and Colouring made thereof It argueth the usefulness and publick profit of this commodity which first found a general repute in England toward the end of the raign of King Henry the sixth that there are no fewer then fourteen Statutes now in force in the well ordering thereof to Merchantable proof And appointing which of them may which may not be Transported Not to speak of four VVardens of VVorsted VVeavers to be chosen yearly within the City of Norwish and other four out of the County of Northfolk with their solemn Oath Office and Authority As for worsted Stockins they were first made in England Anno 1564. by VVilliam Rider an ingenious Apprentice living against Saint Magnus Church at the foot of London Bridge This William chancing to see a pair of knit worsted Stockins in the Lodging of an Italian Merchant who had brought them from Manâ—…ua borrowed them and making the like by that pattern presented them to VVilliam Earl of Pembroke who first wore them in England Proverbs Norfolk dumplings This cannot be verified of any dwarfish or diminutive stature of people in this County being as tall of their bodies and as tall of their arms too I assure you as any in England But it relates to the fare they commonly feed on so generally called I wish much good may it do them and that their bodies thereby may be enabled for all natural civil and spiritual performances Norfolk VViles Such the skill of the common people hereof in our Common-Law wherein they are so versed ut si nihil sit litium lites tamen ex juris apicibus serere callent If I must go to Law I wish them rather of my Counsel then my Adversaries For whereas pedibus ambulando is accounted but a vexatious Suit in other Counties here where men are said to study Law as following the Plough tail some would perswade us that they will enter an action for their neighbours horse but looking over their hedge Now although we listen to this but as a jeer yet give me leave to observe two parts in VViles VVittiness which all must commend VVickedness condemn Sure I am that in Scripture a VVile always male audit is taken in an evil sense as wherein the simplicity of the Dove is stung to death by the subtilty of the Serpent But no more hereof least Norfolk-men commence a Suit against me though I verily believe many therein are of as peaceable dispositions as any in other places A Yarmouth Capon That is a red-herring No news for creatures to be thus disguised under other names seeing Criticks by a Libyon bear sub pelle Libystidis ursae understand a Lion no Bears being found in the land of Libya And I believe few capons save what have more fins then feathers are bred in Yarmouth But to countenance this expression I understand that the Italian Friers when disposed to eat flesh on Fridays call a Capon piscem è corte a fish out of the Coop He is arrested by the Baily of Marshland The aire of Marshland in this County is none of the wholesomest being surrounded with the Sea and Fens on all sides Hence it is that strangers coming hither are clapt on the back with an ague which sometimes lasts them longer then a Stuffe Suit The best is when such prisoners have paid the Bailiffs Fees and Garnish and with time and patience have weathered out the brunt of that disease they become habited to the aire of the Country and arrive in health at a very great age Princes I meet with no Prince since the Conquest taking his first breath in this County probably because so remote from the principal place of Royal Residence Prelats GILBERT BERKELEY was born in this County but descended from the ancient Barons of that name as appeareth by his Armes He was consecrated Bishop of Bath and Wells in the first of Queen Elizabeth and sate therein 22. years He died of a Lethargy being 80. years of age 1581. and is buried on the North-side of the Communion-table of his own Cathedral JOHN AYLMER Brother to Sir Robert Aylmer Knight was born at Aylmerhall in the Parish of Tilsely in this County as his nearest surviving relations have informed me from whom I have received the following information When he was but a Child going toward school Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk having some discourse with took so much liking unto him that after he had been bred some years in the University of Cambridge he made him his Chaplain and committed his daughter the Lady Jane Gray to his tuition In the reign of Queen Mary he fled over beyond Sea and was little less then miraculously saved from the Searchers of the Ship by the ingenuity of a Marchant who put him into a great Wine-but which had a partition in the middle so that
so the Cathedral dedicated unto him in this County challengeth the Precedency of all in England for a Majestick Western Front of Columel-work But alas This hath lately felt the misfortune of other Fabricks in this kind Yea as in a Gangrean one member is cut off to preserve the rest so I understand the Cloysters of this Cathedral were lately plucked down to repair the Body thereof and am heartily glad God in his mercy hath restored the onely remedy I mean its lands for the Cure thereof As for Civil Structures Holdenby-house lately carried away the credit built by Sir Christopher Hatton and accounted by him the last Monument of his Youth If Florence be said to be a City so fine that it ought not to be shown but on Holy-days Holdenby was a House which should not have been shown but on Christmas-day But alas Holedenby-house is taken away being the Embleme of human happiness both in the beauty and brittleness short flourishing and soon fading thereof Thus one demolishing Hammer can undoe more in a day then ten edifying Axes can advance in a Month. Next is Burleigh-house nigh Stamford built by William Lord Cecil Who so seriously compareth the late state of Holdenby and Burleigh will dispute wâ—…th himself whither the Offices of the Lord Chancellour or Treasurer of England be of greater Revenues seeing Holedenby may be said to show the Seal and Burleigh the Purse in their respective magnificence proportionable to the power and plenty of the two great Officers that built them Withorpe must not be forgot the least of Noble Houses and best of Lodges seeming but a dim reflection of Burleigh whence it is but a Mile distant It was built by Thomas Cecil Earl of Exeter to retire to as he pleasantly said out of the dust whilst his great House of Burleigh was a sweeping Castle Ashby the Noble Mansion of the Earl of Northampton succeeds most beautifull before a casual fire deformed part thereof But seeing fire is so furious a plunderer that it giveth whatsoever it taketh not away the condition of this house is not so much to be condoled as congratulated Besides these there be many others no County in England yeilding more Noble men no Noble men in England having fairer habitations And although the Freestone whereof they be built keepeth not so long the white innocence as Brick doth the blushing modesty thereof yet when the fresh luster is abated the full state thereof doth still remain The Wonders There is within the Demeasnes of Boughton the Barony of the Right Honorable Edward Lord Mountague a Spring which is conceived to turn wood into stone The truth is this the coldness of the water incrustateth wood or what else falleth into it on every side with a stony matter yet so that it doth not transubstantiate wood into stone For the wood remaineth entire within untill at last wholy consumed which giveth occasion to the former erroneous relation The like is reported of a Well in Candia with the same mistake that Quicquid incidit lapidescit But I have seen in Sidney-colledge in Cambridge a Skull brought thence which was candied over with stone within and without yet so as the bone remained intire in the middle as by a casual breach thereof did appear This Skull was sent for by King Charles and whilst I lived in the house by him safely again returned to the Colledge being a Prince as desirous in such cases to preserve others propriety as to satisfie his own curiosity Medicinal Waters Wellingborough-well Some may conceive it called Wellingborough from a sovereign Well therein anciently known afterwards obstructed with obscurity and re-discovered in our days But Master Camden doth marr their mart avouching the ancient name thereof Wedlingburough However thirty years since a water herein grew very famous insomuch that Queen Mary lay many weeks thereat What benefit her Majesty received by the Spring here I know not this I know that the Spring received benefit from her Majesty and the Town got credit and profit thereby But it seems all waters of this kind have though far from the Sea their ebbing and flowing I mean in esteem It was then full tide with Wellingburough-well which ever since hath abated and now I believe is at low water in its reputation Proverbs The Mayor of Northampton opens Oysters with his Dagger This Town being 80 miles from the Sea Sea fish may be presumed stale therein Yet have I heard that Oysters put up with care and carried in the cool were weekly brought fresh and good to Althrope the house of the Lord Spencer at equal distance Sweeter no doubt then those Oysters commonly carried over the Alpes well nigh 300. miles from Venice to Viena and there â—…eputed far fetch'd and deer bought daintes to great persons though sometimes very valiant their savour Nor is this a wonder seeing Plinny tell us that our English Oysters did Romanis culinis servire Serve the Kitchings of Rome Pickled as some suppose though others believe them preserved by an ingenious contrivance Epicures bear their brains in there bowels and some conceive them carried in their shells But seeing one of their own Emperours gave for his Motto Bonus odor hâ—…stis melior Civis occisi Good is the smell of an Enemy but better the smell of a Citizen of Rome killed I say unto such a Roman-Nose stinking may be better then sweet Oysters and to their Palates we 'll leave them He that must eat a buttered Fagot let him go to Northampton Because it is the dearest Town in England for fuel where no Coles can come by Water and little Wood doth grow on Land Camden saith of this County in general that it is Silvis nisi in ulteriori citeriori parte minùs laetus And if so when he wrote fifty years since surely it is less wooddy in our age What reformation of late hath been made in mens judgments and manners I know not sure I am that deformation hath been great in trees and timber who verily believe that the clearing of many dark places where formerly plenty of wood is all the new light this age produced Pity it is no better provision is made for the preservation of woods whose want will be soonest for our fire but will be saddest for our water when our naval walls shall be decayed Say not that want of wood will put posterity on witty inventions for that supply seeing he is neither pious nor prudent parent who spends his patrimony on design that the industry and ingenuity of his son may be quick'ned thereby Princes ELIZABETH daughter of Sir Richard Woodevill by the Lady Jaquet his wife formerly the relict of John Duke of Bedford was born at Grafton Honour in this County in proof whereof many stronge presumptions may be produced Sure I am if this Grafton saw her not first a child it beheld her first a Queen when married to King Edward the fourth This Elizabeth was widow to Sir John Grey who
in Catal. Episc. Londini impres anno 1616. See here four places challenge one man and I am as unwilling to accuse any of falshood as I am unable to maintain all in the Truth However the difference may thus be accomodated Bradwardins Ancestors fetch'd their Name from that place in Herefordshire according to Camden though he himself was born as Bale saith at Hartfeld in Sussex within the City saith Pits of Chichester interpret him exâ—…ensively not to the Walls but Diocesse and Jurisdiction thereof As for Suffolk in Bishop Godwin I understand it an Erratum in the Printer for Sussex Our usual expedient in the like cases is this to insert the Character at large of the controverted person in that County which according to our apprehension produceth the best Evidence for him yet so that we also enter his name with a reference in the other respective places which with probability pretend unto him If equal likelyhood appear unto us on all sides that County clearly carries away his character which first presenteth it self to our Pen in the Alphabetical Order Thus lately when the same Living was in the gift of the Lord Chancellour Lord Treasurer and Master of the Wards that Clerk commonly carried it who was first presented to the Bishop However though in the disputable Nativities of worthy men first come first serv'd a Caveat is also entred in other Counties to preserve their Titles unprejudiced It must not be forgotten that many without just cause by mistake multiply differences in the places of mens Births The Papists please themselves with reporting a Tale of their own inventing how the men of two Towns in Germany fell out and fought together whilst one of them was for Martin the other for Luther being but the several names of the same person If one Author affirms Bishop Jewel born at Buden another at Berinerber let none make strife betwixt these two Writers the former naming the House and Village the later the Parish wherein he was born a case which often occurs in the Notation of Nativities That the Children of Clergymen have been as successeful as the Sons of Men of other Professions There goeth a common Report no less uncharitable than untrue yet meeting with many Beleivers thereof as if Clergy mens Sons were generally signally unfortunate like the Sons of Ely Hophnies and Phineaz's dissolute in their Lives and doleful in their Deaths This I may call a Libell indeed according to Sir Francis Bacon his Description thereof for first it is a Lye a notorious untruth and then a Bell some lowd and lewd Tongue hath told yea Rung it out and perchance was welcome Musick to some hearers thereof It is first confest that the best Saints and Servants of God have had bad as well as good children extracted from them It is the Note of Illiricus on those words of Saint John to the Elect Lady I rejoiced greatly when I found of thy Children walking in the Truth He saith not all thy but of thy children intimating that she had mingled Ware Corn and Tares in those who were descended from her Thus Aaron for I desire to restrain my self in instances of the Priests had Nadab and Abihu two strange Fire Offerers as well as his Godly Sons Eliazar and Ithamar Yea I find one of the best Fathers having two and those I beleive all he had of the worst Sons even Samuel himself Nor do we deny but that our English Clergy have been unhappy in their off-spring though not above the proportion of other Professions whereof some have not unprobably assigned these causes First If Fellows of Colledges they are ancient beâ—…ore they marry Secondly their children then are all Benjamins I mean the children of their Old age and thereupon by their Fathers to take off as much as we may the weight of the fault from the weaker Sex cockered and indulged which I neither defend or excuse but bemone and condemn Thirdly Such Children after their Fathers Death are left in their Minority to the careless Care of Friends and Executors who too often discharge not their due trust in their Education whence it is such Orphans too osten embrace wild courses to their own destructions But all this being granted we maintain that Clergy-mens Children have not been more unfortunate but more observed than the Children of the Parents of other Professions There is but one Minister at one time in a whole Parish and therefore the fewer they are the easier they are observed both in their Persons and Posterities Secondly the Eminency of their place maketh them exposed and obvious to all discoveries Thirdly possibly Malice may be the Eye-salve to quicken mens Sight in prying after them Lastly one ill Success in their Sons maketh for the reasons aforesaid more impression in the Ears and Eyes of people then many miscarriages of those Children whose Fathers were of another Function I speak not this out of Intent to excuse or extenuate the Badnesse of the one by the Badnesse of the other but that both may be mutually provoked to Amendment In a word other mens Children would have as many Eyesores if they had as many Eyes seeing them Indeed if happinesse be confin'd unto outward Pomp and Plenty and if those must be accounted unfortunate which I in the true meaning of the word must interpret unprovidenced who swim not in equal Plenty with others then that Epithet may be fixed on the Children of the Clergy Whose Fathers coming late to their Livings and surprised by Death not staying long on them which at the best afforded them but narrow maintenance leave them oft-times so ill provided that they are forced without blame or shame to them as I conceive to take sometimes poor and painful Employments for their Livelyhood But by our following Endevours it will plainly appear that the Sons of Ministers have by Gods blessing proved as Eminent as any who have raised themselves by their own Endevours For Statesmen George Carew Privy Councellor of England Scotland and Ireland and as able a man absit Invidia as the age he lived in produced was Earl of Totnes the same place whereof his Father was Arch-deacon Sir Edwin Sandys Son to Arch-bishop Sandys will be acknowledged even by his Enemies a man of such merit that England could not afford an Office which he could not manage For Lawyers Sir Thomas Richardson lately and the never sufficiently to be commended Sir Orlando Bridgeman now Lord Chief Justice with many others For Seamen Sir Francis Drake that great Scourge and Terror to the Spanish Pride If any say these are but thin Instances out of so thick a number de tot modo milibus unus few of so many Hundreds know we have only taken some Eminent persons leaving the rest for fear to be counted Forestallers to the Collection of the Reader in our ensuing Book But the Sons of Ministers have never been more successeful then when bred in the Professions of their
Gods grace may prove sober Christians and eminent in their generations The last Port to which I traffiqued for intelligence towards our insuing Work was by making my addresses by letters and otherwise to the nearest Relations of those whose Lifes I have written Such applications have sometimes proved chargable but if my weak pains shall find preferment that is acceptance from the judicious Reader my care and cost is forgotten and shall never come under computation Here I cannot but condemn the carelessness not to say ingratitude of those I am safe whilst containing my self in general terms who can give no better account of the Place where their fathers or grand-fathers were born then the child unborn so that sometimes we have been more beholden to strangers for our instructions herein then to their nearest Kindred And although some will say Sons are more comfortably concerned to know the time of their Fathers death then place of their birth yet I could almost wish that a moderate fine were imposed on such heirs whose Fathers were born before them and yet they know not where they were born However this I must gratefully confess I have met with many who could not never with any who would not furnish me with information herein It is observable that men born an hundred years since and upwards have their nativities fixed with more assurance then those born some eighty years since Mens eyes see worst in the Twilight in that intervale after the Sun is set and natural light ended and before candles are set up and artificial light begun In such a crepusculum oftime those Writers lived who fall short of the history of Bale and Leland yet go before the memory of any alive which unhappy insterstice hath often perplexed us and may easier be complained of then amended To conclude should I present all with Books who courteously have conduced to my instruction the whole Impression would not suffice But I remember the no less civil then politick invitation of Judah to the Tribe of Simeon Come up with me into my Lot to Conquer the Cananites and I likewise will go with thee into thy Lot if such who have lent me theirs shall have occasion to borrow mine assistance my Pains Brains and Books are no more mine then theirs to command which besides my prayers for them and thanks to them is all my ability in requital can perform CHAP. XXIII A double Division of the English Gentry 1. According to the Nation whence they were extracted 2. According to the Profession whereby they were advanced THis discourse I tender the Reader as a preparative to dispose him for the better observing and distinguishing of our English Gentry in our ensuing Lives and Catalogue of Sheriffs We begin with the Britains the Aborigines or Native Inhabitants of the South of this Island but long since expelled by the Saxons into the West thereof None then remaining in some since returning into our Land of whom hereafter We confess the Romans Conquered our Country planted Colonies and kept Garrisons therein but their descendants are not by any character discernable from the British Indeed if any be found able to speak Latine naturally without learning it we may safely conclude him of Roman Extraction Mean time it is rather a pretty conceit then a solid notion of that great Antiquary who from the allusion of the name collecteth the noble family of the Cecils more truly Sytsilts descended from the Cecilii a Senatorian Family in Rome The Saxons succeed whose Of-spring at this day are the main bulk and body of the English though not Gentry Nation I may call them the whole cloath thereof though it be garded here and there with some great ones of foreign Extraction These Saxons though pitifully depressed by the Conquerour by Gods goodness King Henry the first favour their own patience and diligence put together the plankes of their Shiprack'd Estates and aferwards recovered a competent condition The Danes never acquired in this Land a long and peaceable possession thereof living here rather as Inroders then Inhabitants the cause that so few families distinguishable by their Surnames are descended from them extant in our age Amongst which few the respected Stock of the Denizes often Sheriffs in Devon and Gloustershire appear the principal As for Fitz-Hardinge the younger son of the King of Denmark and direct ancestour of the Truly Honourable George Lord Berkeley he came in long since when he accompanied the Conquerour I must confess that at this day there passeth a Tradition among some of the Common People that such names which Terminate in Son as Johnson Tomson Nicolson Davison Saunderson are of Danish Origination But this fond opinion is long since conâ—…uted by Vestegan that ingenious and industrious Antiquary Yea he urgeth this as an argument which much prevaileth with me why those Surnames were not derived from the Danes because they had no such name in use amongst them as John Thomas Nicholas David Alexander from whence they should be deduced Yea he further addeth that it is more probable that they made the Childs name by adjecting the syllable Son to the Appellation of the Father a custome which is usual even at this time amongst the Vulgar sort of the Dutch Yet is there not remaining any sign thereof amongst the names of our Age which probably might have been Canutson Ericson Gormoson Heraldson Rofolson c. The Normans or French under the Conquerour swarmed in England so that then they became the only visible Gentry in this Nation and still continue more then a Moity thereof several Catalogues of their Names I have so largely exemplifyed in my Church-history that some have taxed me for tediousness therein and I will not adde an new obstinacy to my old error But besides these we have some Surnames of good Families in England now extant which though French are not by any diligence to be recovered in the lists of such as came over with the Conquerour and therefore we suppose them to have remained of those Gentlemen and others which from Henault attended Queen Isabel wife unto King Edward the second Of this sort was Deureux Mollineux Darcy Coniers Longchamp Henage Savage Danvers with many more Of the British or Welsh after their expulsion hence by the Saxons some signal persons have returned again and by the Kings Grant Matches Purchases c. have fixed themselves in fair possessions in England especially since the beginning of the reign of their Country-man King Henry the seventh rewarding the valour of many contributing to his Victory in the battle of Bosworth Of the Welsh now re-estated in England and often Sheriffs therein some retain their old Surnames as the Griffins in Northamptonshire the Griffiths and Vaughans in Yorkshire some have assumed New ones as the Caradocks now known by the new Name of the Newtons in Somersetshire Many Scotch long before the Union of the two Kingdomes under King James seated themselves
his own mistake thus far forth both for Marbecks sake who escaped with his Life and his Enemies who thereby drew the less guilt of bloud on their own Consciences But hear what he pleads for his mistake 1. Marbeck was dead in Law as condemned whereon his errour was probably grounded 2. He confessing that one of the four condemned was pardoned his Life misnaming him 〈◊〉 instead of Marbeck 3. Let Papists first purge their Lying Legend from manifest and Intentionall untruths before they censure others for casuall slips and un-meant Mistakes 4. Recognizing his Book in the next Edition he with blushing amended his errour And is not this Penance enough according to the principals of his accusers Confession Contrition and Satisfaction All this will not content some morose Cavillers whom I have heard jeeringly say that many who were burnt in Fox in the Reign of Queen Mary drank Sack in the days of Queen Elizabeth But enough is said to any ingenious person And it is impossible for any Author of a Voluminous Book consisting of several persons and circumstances Reader in pleading for Master Fox I plead for my self to have such Ubiquitary intelligence as to apply the same infallibly to every particular When this Marbeck dyed is to me unknown he was alive at the second English Edition of the Book of Martyrs 1583. thirty and nine years after the time of his Condemnation ROBERT BENET was a Lawyer living in Windsor and a zealous Professor of the true Religion He drank as deep as any of the Cup of Affliction and no doubt had been condemned with Testwood Persons and the rest Had he not at the same time been sick of the plague-sore in the Prison of the Bishop of London which proved the means of his preservation Thus it is better to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men And thus as out of the devourer came food out of the Destroyer came life yea the Plague-sore proved a Cordial unto him For by the time that he was recovered thereof a Pardon was freely granted to him as also to Sir Thomas Cardine Sir Philip Hobby both of the Kings Privy-chamber with their Ladies and many more designed to death by crafty Bishop Gardner had not His Majesties mercy thus miraculously interposed Cardinalls I have read of many who would have been Cardinals but might not This County afforded one who might have been one but would not viz. WILLIAM LAUD the place being no less freely profered to then disdainfully refused by him with words to this effect That the Church of Rome must be much mended before he would accept any such Dignity An expression which in my mind amounted to the Emphaticall Periphrasis of NEVER But we shall meet with him hereafter under a more proper Topick Prelats WILLIAM of READING a Learned Benedictine imployed by King H. the Second in many Embassies and by him preferred Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux where he dyed in the Reign of King Richard the first JOHN DE BRADFIELD sive de lato Campo Finding fifteen Villages of the Name I fixt his Nativity at Bradfield in Berks as in my measuring the nearest to Rochester where he was Chanter and Bishop 1274. If mistaken the matter is not much seeing his Sir-name is controverted and otherwise written John de HOE However being Charractred Vir conversationis honestae decenter literatus in omnibus morigeratus I was desirous to crowd him into our Book where I might with most probability RICHARD BEAUCHAMP was Brother saith Bishop Godwin to Walter Beauchamp mistaken for William as may appear by Mr. Camden Baron of St. Amand whose chief habitation was at Wydehay in this County he was bred Doctor in the Laws and became Bishop first of Hereford then of Salisbury He was Chancellour of the Garter which Office descended to his Successors Windsor-Castle the seat of that Order being in the Dioces of Salisbury He built a most beautifull Chappel on the South-side of St. Maries Chappel in his own Cathedral wherein he lyeth buryed His death hapned Anno Dom. 1482. Since the Reformation THOMAS GODWIN was born at Oakingham in this County and first bred in the Free School therein Hence was he sent to Magdalen Colledge in Oxford maintained there for a time by the bounty of Doctor Layton Dean of York till at last he was chosen Fellow of the Colledge This he exchanged on some terms for the School-Masters place of Barkley in Gloucester-shire where he also Studied Physick which afterwards proved beneficial unto him when forbidden to teach School in the Reign of Queen Mary Yea Bonner threatned him with fire and faggot which caused him often to Obscure himself and Remove his Habitation He was an Eloquent Preacher Tall and Comely in Person qualities which much Indeared him to Q. Elizabeth who loved good parts well but better when in a goodly Person For 18. years together he never failed to be one of the Select Chaplains which Preached in the Lent before her Majesty He was first Dean of Christ-church in Oxford then Dean of Canterbury and at last Bishop of Bath and Wells Being infirm with Age and deseased with the Gout he was necessitated for a Nurse to marry a second wife a Matron of years proportionable to himself But this was by his Court-Enemies which no Bishop wanted in that Age represented to the Queen to his great Disgrace Yea they traduced him to have married a Girl of twenty years of age until the good Earl of Bedford casually present at such discourse Madam said he to her Majesty I know not how much the Woman is above twenty but I know a Son of hers is but little under forty Being afflicted with a Quartern feaver he was advised by his Physicians to retire into this County to Oakingham the place of his Birth seeing in such Cases Native Ayr may prove Cordial to Patients as Mothers milk to and old men are twice children Here he dyed breathing his first and last in the same Place November the 19. 1590. And lyeth buried under a Monument in the South-side of the Chancell THOMAS RAMME was born at Windsor in this County and admitted in Kings Colledge in Cambridge Anno Dom. 1588. whence he was made Chaplain first to Robert Earl of Essex then to Charles Lord Mountjoy both Lord Lieutenants in Ireland After many mediate Preferments he was made Bishop of Fernos and Laghlin in that Kingdom both which he Peaceably injoyed Anno 1628. WILLIAM LAWD was born at Reading in this County of honest Parentage bred in Saint Johns Colledge in Oxford whereof he became Pâ—…esident Successively Bishop of Saint Davids Bath and Wells London and at last Arch-Bishop of Canterbury One of low Stature but high Parts Piercing eyes Chearfull countenance wherein Gravity and Pleasantness were well compounded Admirable in his Naturalls Unblameable in his Morals being very strict in his Conversation Of him I have written in my Ecclesiastical History though I
occasion for this Proverb at the Originall thereof which then contained Satyricall truth proportioned to the place before it was Reformed whereof thus our great Antiquary It was altogether unpassable in times past by reason of Trees untill that Leofstane Abbot of St. Albans did cut them down because they yeilded a place of refuge for thieves But this Proverb is now Antiquated as to the truth thereof Buckingham-shire affording as many maiden Assizes as any County of equall populousness Yea hear how she pleadeth for her self that such High-way-men were never her Natives but fled thither for their Shelter out of Neighbouring Counties Saints St. EDBURG daughter unto Redwald King of the East-Angles embraced a Monasticall life at Alesbury in this Counâ—…y where her Body was deposited and removed afterwards to Edburgton now Edburton in Suffolk her Native Country It seems her person would make one County proud which made two happy Alesbury observing her Memory on the day of whilst Edburton was renowned for her Miracles By the way it seems wonderfull that in Scripture we onely meet with one PosthumeMiracle viz. the Grave-fâ—…llow of Elisha raised with the touch of his Bones whilst most of Popish miracles are reported born after the Saints death meerly to mold mens minds to the Adoration of their Reliques St. RUMALD was the same with St. Rumbald commonly called by Country people St. Grumbald and St. Rumwald as others spell him but distinct from another St. Rumwald of Irish extâ—…action a Bishop and Martyr whose Passion is Celebrated at Mâ—…chlyn in Braband This Criticisme Reader I request thee to take on my credit for thy own ease and not to buy the truth of so difficult a trisâ—…e with the trouble I paid for it Entring now on the Legend of his life I writ neither what I believe nor what I expect should be believed but what I find written by others Some make him Son of a British King which is sufficiently confuted by his own Saxon name More probable their tale who relate him Son to a King of Northumberland by a Christian daughter of Penda King of Mercia Being born at Kings Sutton in this County as soon as he came out of his Mothers womb he cryed three times I am a Christian. Then making a plain Consession of his faith He desired to be baptized chose his Godfathers and his own name Rumwald He also by his fingers directed the standers by to fetch him a great hollow-stone for a font which sundry of his fathers servants essayed in vain as much above their strength Till the two Priests hisâ—… designed Godfathers did goe and fetch it easily at his appointment Being Baptized He for three days discoursed of all the Common places of Popery and having confirmed their truth he bequeathed his body to remain at Sutton one year at Brackly two and at Buckingham ever after This done he expired Reader I partly guess by my own temper how thine is affected with the reading hereof whose soul is much divided betwixt severall actions at once 1. To frown at the impudency of the first inventors of such improbable untruths 2. To smile at the simplicity of the believers of such improbable untruths 3. To sigh at that well-intended devotion abused with such improbable untruths 4. To thank God that we live in times of better and brighter knowledge Now although St. Rumwald was born in this County he was most honoured at Boxley in Kent and thereon a story depends There was in the Church of Boxley a short Statue of St. Rumwald as of a boy-saint smal hollow and light so that a child of seven years of age might easily lift it The moving hereof was made the Criterion of womens chastity Such who paid the Priest well might easily remove it whilst others might tugg at it to no purpose For this was the contrivance of the cheat that it was fastned with a Pin of wood by an invisible stander behind Now when such offered to take it who had been bountifull to the Priest before they bare it away with ease which was impossible for their hands to remove who had been Close-fisted in their Confessions Thus saith my Author it moved more laughter then Devotion and many chast virgins and wives went away with blushing faces leaving without cause the suspicion of their wantonness in the eyes of the Beholders whilst others came off with more credit because with more coyn though with less chastity The certain time of his life is unknown but may be guessed about the year 680. Martyrs JOHN SCRIVENER was Martyred at Amersham Anno Dom. 1521. on whom an extraordinary piece of cruelty was used his own children being forced to set the first fire upon him for which the law Deut. 13. 6. was most erroneously pretended as will appear by the perusing thereof If thy brother the son of thy mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome or thy friend which is as thy own soul entice thee secretly saying let us go and serve other gods Thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him But thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death See we here how in the case of Idolatry one is to spare none related unto them either as Equalls or Inferiors But this Law injoines not children to accuse or execute their own parents as Scrivener his children were compelled to do A barbarous cruelty especially seeing the Civil law among the heathen Romans did provide that filius non torquetur in caput parentis A son shall not be examined on the rack to accuse his father in such cases wherein his life is concerned Others besides Scrivener were martyred and more Confessors 〈◊〉 in this small County Anno 1521. then in all England elsewhere for twenty years together Pâ—…elates RICHARD de WENDOVER a place well known in this Shire was Rector of Bromley in Kent where the Bishop of Rochester hath a Palace and that See being vacant he was lawfully chosen the Bishop thereof But Edmond Arch-bishop of Canterbury afterwards Sainted refused to give him consecration because he was rude and unlearned Hereupon Wendover appealed to the Pope whom he found his better friend because Edmond a bitter inveigher against Papal extorsions was a Foe unto him and so was consecrated Now none will grâ—…dge him his Place amongst our Worthies seeing what he lack'd in learning he had in holiness and such his signal sanctity that after his death he was by speciall Mandate of King Henry the third buried in the Church of Westminster as another Jehojadah for his publick goodness Anno 1250. JOHN BUCKINGHAM for so his Name is truly written alià s Bokingham and Bukingham took his Name and Nativity no doubt from Buckingham in this County a-la-mode of that Age. He was bred at the University of Oxford and although since by some causelesly slandered for want of Learning was a
more able child of more docility Docil the child Master of great ability At last he was prefered Bishop of Ely 1559. commendably continuing therein whatever causless malice hath reported to the contrary twenty one years and dying Anno Domini 1580. THOMAS BICKLEY was born at Stow in this County bred first Chorister then Scholar then Fellow in Magdalen-colledge in Oxford In the first of Edward the sixth his detestation of Superstition may rather be commended then his discretion in expressing it when before the publique abolishing of Popery at Evening-prayer he brake the consecrated Host with his hands and stamped it under his feet in the Colledge-chappel Afterwards he fled over into France living an exile at Paris Orleans all the reign of Queen Mary Returning into Eugland he became Chaplain to Arch-bishop Parker who preferred him Warden of Merton-colledge wherein he continued twenty years When pass'd the age of a man eighty years old he began the life of a Bishop and was rather contented then willing to accept the Bishoprick of Chichester * freely offered unto him Yet lived he eleven years therein and died ninety years of age April 30 1596. and had a most sumptuous funerall all the Gentry of the Vicinage doing their homage to the Crown of his old age which was foun'd in the way of truth He led a single life left an hundred pound to Merton-colledge and other moneys to pious uses JOHN KING was born at Warnhall nigh Tame in this County Robert King the last Abbot of Osney and first Bishop of Oxford being his great Uncle he was first Deane of Christ-church then Bishop of London being ful fraught with all Episcopal qualities so that he who endeavoureth to give a perfect account thereof will rather discover his own defects then describe this Prelates perfections He died Anno Dom. 1618. being buried in the Quire of Saint Pauls with the plain Epitaph of Resurgam and I cannot conceal this elegant Elegie made upon him Sad Relique of a blessed soul whose trust We sealed up in this Religious dust O do not thy low Exequies suspect As the cheap Arguments of our Neglect 'T was a commanded duty that thy Grave As little pride as thou thy self should have Therefore thy covering is an humble stone And but a word for thy inscription When those that in the same earth neighbour thee Have â—…ach his Chronicle Pedigree They have their waving Pennons and their flaggs Of Matches and Alliance formal Braggs Whenthou although from ancestors thou came Old as the Heptarchy great as thy name Sleepst there inshrin'd in thy admired parts And hast no Heraldry but thy deserts Yet let not them their prouder Marbles boast For they rest with less Honor though more cost Go search the world with your Mattokwound The groaning bosom of the patient ground Digg from the hidden veins of her dark womb All that is rare and precious for a tomb Yet when much treasure more time is spent You must grant his the Nobler Monument Whose faith standsore him for a Hearse hath The Resurrection for his Epitaph See more of the character of this most worthy Prelate in our Ecclesiasticall History anno 1620. wherein he died RICHARD MONTAGUE was born at Dorney where his Father was Vicar of the Parish within 3. miles of Eaton and so though not within the reach within the sight of that Staple Place for Grammar learning wherein he was bred Thence was he chosen successively Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge Fellow of Eaton Parson of Stanford Rivers in Essex Canon of Windsor Parson of Petworth elected Bishop of Chichester and at last of Norwich He spent very much in repairing his Parsonage-house at Petworth as also on his Episcopal house at Allingbourn near Chichester He was most exact in the Latin and Greek and in the Vindication of Tithes wrestled with the grand Antiquary of England and gave him a fair flat fall in the point of a Greek Criticisme taxing him justly for mistaking a God amongst the Aegyptians more then there was by making a Man amongst the Grammarians fewer then they should be He hath many learned works extant against the Papists some in English some in Latin and one called his Appello Caesarem which without his intent and against his will gave occasion of much trouble in the Land He began an Ecclesiasticall History and set forth his Apparatus and alas it was but an Apparatus though through no Default of his but defect of his Health sicknesse troublesome times and then death surprizing him Had it been finished we had had Church Annalls to put into the Ballance with those of Baronius and which would have swayed with them for Learning and weighed them down for Truth He dyed Anno Dom 1641. HENRY KING D. D. son to John King lately mentioned Bishop of London and his wife of the ancient family of the Conquests was born in this County in the â—…me town house and chamber with his father a locall Coincidence which in all considerable particulars cannot be parallel'd We know the Scripture-Proverb used in Exprobration As is the mother so is the daughter both wicked both wofull But here it may be said by way of thankfullness to God and honour to the persons As was the father so is the son both pious both prosperous till the calamity of the times involved the later Episcopacy Anno 1641. was beheld by many in a deep consumption which many hoped would prove mortal To cure this it was conceived the most probable cordiall to prefer persons into that Order not only unblameable for their life and eminent for their learning but also generally beloved by all disingaged people and amongst these King Charles advanced this our Doctor Bishop of Chichester But all would not do their Innocency was so far from stopping the mouth of malice that malice almost had swallowed them down her throat Since God hath rewarded his Patience giving him to live to see the Restitution of his Order David saith that the good Tree Man shall bring forth his fruit in due season so our Doctor varied his fruits according to the diversity of his age Being brought up in Christ-church in Oxford he delighted in the studies of Musiâ—…k and Poetry more elder he applyed himself to Oratory and Philosophy and in his reduced age fixed on Divinity which his Printed Sermons on the Lords-prayer and others which he preached remaining fresh in the minds of his Auditors will report him to all posterity He is still living Anno Domini 1660. Writers on the Law Sir GEORGE CROOK Knight son of Sir John Crook and Elizabeth Unton his wife was born at Chilton in this County in the second year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth bred first in Oxford then a double Reader in the Inner Temple Serjeant at Law and the Kings Serjeant Justice first of the Common-bench 22. Jacobi and then of the Upper-bench 4. Caroli His ability
great linage allied to the Earl of Devonshire and no lesse Learning excellently skilled in the Knowledg of both Laws So that at the instant suit of K. Henry the Fifth He was preferred Bishop of Norwich Anno 1413. His person the Inne of his Soul had a fair Sign was highly favoured by his Prince and beloved by the people Yet all this could not prolong his life So that he died of a flux at the siege of Harflew in Normandy in the second year of his Consecration and his Corps brought over was honourably entombed in Westminster Jâ—…AMES CARY was born in this County his name still flourishing nt Cockington therein He was at Rome made Bishop of Lichfield and travailing thence homewards towards England did again light on the Pope at Florâ—…nce just at the news of the vacancy of Exeter and the same See was bestowed on him the more welcome because in his Native County Say not this was a Degradation For though in our time Lichfield is almost twice as good as Exeter â—…xeter then was almost four times as good as Lichfield This appeareth by their valuations of their Income into First-Fruits Exeter paying the Pope six thousand Ducats whilst Lichfield paid onely seventeen hundred at the most But what ever the value of either or both was Cary enjoyed neither of them dying and being buried in Florence Thus though one may have two Cups in his hand yet some intervening accident may so hinder that he may taste of neither He died 1419. JOHN STANBERY was saith Bale out of Leland in Occidentali 〈◊〉 parte natus But the Western parts being a wide Parish thanks to our Authour who hath particularized the place of his Nativity viz. the Farm of Church-hill within the Parish of Bratton or Broad-Town in this County where some of his Name and Kindred remain at this day He was bred a Carmelite in Oxford and bâ—…came generaâ—…ly as learned as any of his Order deserving all the dignity which the â—…niversity did or could confer upon him King Hâ—…n the sixth highly favoured and made him the first Provost of Eaton being much ruled by his advice in ordering that his new Foundation He was by the King designed Bishop of Norwich but William de la Poole Duke of Suffolk See the presumption of a proud Favourite or Minion rather got it from him for his own Chaplain and Stanbery was for to stay his stomack on the poor Bishoprick of Bangor till Anno 1453 he was advanced Bishop of Hereford Leland doth condemn him for his over compliance with the Pope in all his intollerable taxes and others commend him as much for his fidelity to his Master King Hen. whom he deserted not in all his adversity so that this Bishop was taken prisoner in the Battail of Northampton Say not to this Prelate as Eliab to David Why camest thou down hither with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the Wildernesse I know the pride and the malice of thy heart for thou art come down to see the Battail For Stanbery being Confessor to King Henry he was tyed by his Oath to such personal attendance After long durance in Warwick Castle he was set at liberty and dying Anno 1474 was buried in the Convent of Carmelites at Ludlow where his barbarous and tedious Epitaph ill suiting with the Authour of such learned and pithy Books is not worth the inserting PETER COURTNEâ—… son to Sir Phillip Courtney was born at Powderham in this Shire He was first preferred Arch-Deacon then Bishop of â—…xeter expending very much money in finishing the North Tower giving a great called Peter Bell thereunto He was afterwards Anno 1486 translated to Winchester where he sat five years It is much one of so Illustrious Birth should have so obscure a Burial Bishop Godwin conÌ„fessing that he knew not whereabouts in his Church he lyeth interred Since the Reformation JOHN JEWEL bearing the Christian Name of his Father Grandfather and Great Grandfather was born at Buden a Farm possessed more than two hundred years by his Ancestors in the Parish of 〈◊〉 nigh Illfracombe in this County on the 24th of May 1552. His mothers Sirname was Bellamy who with her husband John Jewel lived happily fifty years together in Holy Wedlock and at their death left ten children behind them It may be said of his Sirname Nomen Omen Jewel his Name and Pretious his Vertues So that if the like ambition led us English men which doth Foraigners speciously to render our Sirnames in Greek or Latine he may be termed Johnnes Gemma on better account then Gemma Frisius entituleth himself thereunto He was chiefly bred in the School of Barstable where John Harding afterwards his Antagonist was his School fellow and at 15 years of age was admitted in Merton Collâ—…dge under the tuition of John Parkhurst afterwards Bishop of Norwich Such his sedulity rising alway at 4 of the Clock and not going to bed till 10 that he was never punished for any exercise and but once for absence from Chappel Hence he was removed to Corpus Christi Colledge where he proved an Excellent Poet having all Horace by heart Linguist and Orator Thus having touched at all Humane Arts he landed at Divinity being much assisted by Peter Martyr the Kings Professor therein St. Jerome telleth us that so great was the intimacy betwixt Pamphilius that worthy Martyr a Priest and Eusebius the Bishop of Caesarea ut ab uno alter nomen acceperet that they mutually were sirnamed the one from the other Pamphilius Eusebii and Eusebius Pamphilii No lesse the unity of affections be twixt these two who accordingly might be called Martyrs Jewell and Jewells Martyr as seldome in body and never in mind asunder What eminent changes afterwards befel him in the course of his life how he fled into Germany lived at Zurick returned into England was preferred Bishop of Salisbury wrote learnedly preached painfully lived piously died peaceably Anno Dom. 1572. are largely related in my Ecclesiastical History and I will trouble the Reader with no repetitions JOHN PRIDEAUX was born at Hartford in the West part of this County bred Scholar Fellow and Râ—…ctor of Exeter Colledg in Oxford Canon of Christ-Church and above thirty years Kings Professor in that University An excellent Linguist but so that he would make words wait on his matter chiefly aiming at expressivenesse therein he had a becomming Feâ—…ivity which was Aristotles not St. Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Admirable his memory retaining what ever he had read The Welch have a Proverb in my mind somewhat uncharitable He that hath a good memory giveth few Alms because he keepeth in mind what and to whom he had given before But this Doctor cross'd this Proverb with his constant charity to all in want His learning was admired by Forreigners Sextinus Amma Rivet c. He was not Vindicative in the least degree One intimate with him having assured me that he would
daily out of the Nonage of their Years and Vassallâ—…ge of their Errours He died in Dublin Robert Usher soon after Bishop of Kildare preached his Funeral Sermon on that Text Behold a true Israelite wherein there is no guile shewing how he was truly a Nathaniel Gods Gift and a Carpenter a Wise Builder of Gods House until the Dissolution of his Own Tabernacle about the year 1636. Benefactors to the Publick PETER BLUNDELL of Tiverton in this County was a Clothier by his Profession and through Gods Blessing on his Endeavours therein raised unto himself a fair Estate Nor was he more painful and industrious in gaining then Pious aud Prudent in disposing thereof erecting a fair Free-School in the Town of his Nativity By his Will he bequeathed thereto a competent maintenance together with conveniency of Lodging for a Master and Usher And lest such whose Genius did encline and Parts furnish them for a further Progresse in Learning should through want of a Comfortable Subsistency be stopped or disheartned he bestowed two Scholarships and as many Fellowships on Sidney Colledge in Cambridge carefully providing that the Scholars bred in his School at Tiverton should be elected into the same I cannot attain to a certainty in the Time of his Death though it be thought to have happened about the year 1596. WILLIAM BURGOIN Esquire must not be forgotten finding this his Epitaph on his Marble Stone in the Church of Arlington Here lies Will. Burgoin a Squire by discent Whose death in this World many People lament The Rich for his love The Poor for his Almes The Wise for his Knowledge The Sick for his Balmes Grace he did love and Vice conroul Earth hath his body and Heaven his Soul He died on the Twelfth day of August in the Morning 1623. as the Inscription on his said Tomb doth inform us Memorable Persons HENRY de LA POMERAY lived at and was Lord of Berry-Pomeray in this County This Henry taking heart at the imprisonment of Richard the First by Leopaldus Duke of Austria surprized and expulsed the Monkes out of Michaels-Mount in Cornwal that there he might be a petty Prince by himself But being ascertained of his Soveraignes inlargement and fearing deserved death to prevent it he laid violent hands on himself as Roger Hoveden doth report But the Descendants from this Pomeray make a different relation of this accident affirming that a Serjeant at Armes of the Kings came to his Castle at Berry-Pomeray and there received kind entertainment for certain dayes together and at his departure was gratified with a liberal reward In counter-change whereof he then and no sooner revealing his long concealed errand flatly arrested his Host to make his immediate appearance before the King to answer a capital crime Which unexpected and ill carried Message the Gentleman took in such despight that with his Dagger he stabbed the Messenger to the heart Then despairing of pardon in so superlative an offence he abandoned his home and got himself to his Sister abiding in the Island of Mount-Michael in Cornwal Here he bequeathed a large portion of his land to the religious people dwelling there to pray for the redeeming of his soul and lastly that the remainder of his estate might descend to his heir he caused himself to be let blood unto death JOHN de BEIGNY Knight lived Lord of Ege-Lifford in this County who having been a great Travailer and Souldier in his youth retired home married and had three Sons in his reduced Age. Of these the third put himself on Forraign Action in the War against the Saracens in Spain whereof Fame made a large report to his Fathers great contentmâ—…nt which made him the more patiently dispence with his absence But after that death had bereft him of his two elder Sons he was often heard to say Oh that I might but once embrace my Son I would be contented to die presently His Son soon after returning unexpectedly the old man instantly expired with an extasie of Joy An English Father I see can be as passionate as the Italian Mother which died for Joy after the return of her Son from the Battail of 〈◊〉 Thus if all our randome desires should hit the Mark and if Heaven should alwayes take us at our word in our wishes we should be tamed with our Wild prayers granted unâ—…ous us and be drowned in the Deluge of our own Passions This Knight as I take it flourished under King Edward the Third CHILD Whose Christian Name is unknown was a Gentleman the last of his Family being of ancient extraction at Plimstock in this County and great Possessions It happened that he hunting in Dart-More lost both his Company and way in a bitter Snow Having killed his Horse he crept into his hot bowels for warmâ—…h and wrote this with his bloud He that findes and brings meto my Tombe The Land of Plimstock shall be his doom That nâ—…ght he was frozen to death and being first found by the Monkes of Tavâ—…stock they with all possible speed hasted to interre him in their own Abby His own 〈◊〉 of Plimstock hearing thereof stood at the Ford of the River to take his Body from them But they must rise early yea not sleep at all who over-reach Monkes in matter of profit For they cast a slight Bridge over the River whereby they carried over the Corps and interred it In avowance whereof the Bridge a more Premeditate Structure I believe in the place of the former Extempore Passage is called Guils Bridge to this day And know Reader all in the Vicinage will be highly offended with such who either deny or doubt the credit of this common Tradition And sure it is that the Abbot of Tavistock got that rich Manor into his Possession The exact Daâ—…e of this Childs Death I cannot attain NICHOLAS ANDREW TREMAINE were Twins and younger Sons to Thomas Tremaine of 〈◊〉 in this County Esquire Had they preceded Hypocrates in time posterity would have presumed them the sympathising Twins whereof he maketh so large mention Such their likenesse in all lineaments they could not be distinguished but by their several habits which when they were pleased on private confederacy to exchange for disport they occasioned more mirthful mistakes than ever were acted in the Amphitruo of Plautus They felt like pain though at distance and without any intelligence given they equally desired to walk travail sit sleep eat drink together as many credible Gentry of the Vicinage by relation from their Father will attest In this they differred that at New-haven in France the one was a Captain of a Troop the other but a private Souldier Here they were both slain 1564 death being pitiful to kill them together to prevent the lingering languishing of the Surviver Lord-Mayors Never one of this Office was a Devon-shire man by birth on my best enquiry Whereof some assigne these reasons 1 The Distance of the Place whose Western part is removed from London Two
making I behold his as the second accounting the Lord Tiptoft the first noble hand which since the decay of Learning took a Pen therein to be Author of a Book He dyed on the 16. of March 1532. and is buryed in the great church in Calice And I have read that the estate of the Berners is by an Heir-general descended to the Knyvets of â—…shwelthorp in Norfolk Since the Reformation ROGER HUTCHINSON was born in this County and bred Fellow of St. Johns Colledge in Cambridge where he was very familiar with Mr. Roger Askam who disdained Intimacy with Dunces And as this is euough to speak him Scholar so it is a sufficient Evidence to an Intelligent Jury to prove him Protestant that being commended by Bale for writing a book in English of the Image of God he is wholly omitted by John Pits He flourished Anno Dom. 1550. and probably dyed in the happy Reign of Edward the sixth before the following persecution THOMAS CARTVVRIGHT was born in this County and was admitted in St. Johns Colledge in Cambridge Anno 1550. In the Reign of Queen Mary he left the University being probably one of those Scholars which as Mr. Fox observeth went alias were driven away from this Colledge all at one time and betook himself to the service of a Counsellour Here he got some skill in the Common-Law which inabled him afterwards to fence the better for himself by the advantage thereof In the Reign of Queen Elizabeth he returned to Cambridge was chosen Fellow first of St. Iohns then of Trinity How afterwards he was made Margaret Professour outed thereof for his Non-conformity travelled beyond Seas returned home became the Champion of the Presbyterian partie is largely related in our Ecclesiastical History Onely I will add that the Non conformists not a greeing which of them where there is much choice there is no choice should answer Dr. Whitgifts Reply I read that Mr. Cartwright at last was chosen by lot to undertake it It seems the Brethren concluded it of high and holy concernment otherwise I know what Mr. Cartwright hath written of the appeal to Lots Non nisi in rebus gravioribus alicâ—…jus magni momenti ad sortis judicium recurrendumm maxime cum per sortem Deus ipse in judicio sedeat One saith for riches he sought them not and another saith that he dyed rich and I beleive both â—…ay true God sometimes making Wealth to find them who seek not for it seeing many and great were his Benefactors He dyed and was buryed in Warwick where he was Master of the Hospital Anno. 1603. DANIEL DIKE was born at Hempstead in this County where his Father was a Minister silenced for his Non-conformity He was bred in ....... Colledge in Cambridge and became afterwards a profitable Labourer in Gods Vineyard Witness besides his Sermons his worthy books whereof that is the Master-peice which treateth of the deceitfulnesse of mans heart wherein he layes down directions for the Discovery thereof As also how in other Cases one may be acquainted with his own Condition seeing many men lose themselves in the Labyrinths of their own hearts so much is the Terra incognita therein This Book he designed for his pious Patron John Lord Harrington But alas when the Child was come to the Birth there was no strength to bring forth before the Book was fully finished the Author thereof followed his honourable Patron into a better World so that his Surviving brother of whom immediately set it forth And to the Lady Lucy Countesse of Bedford the Lords Sister the same was dedicated A Book which will be owned for a Truth whilst men have any badness and will be honoured for a Treasure wilst men have any goodnesse in them This Worthy man dyed about the Year 1614. JEREMIAH DIKE his Younger Brother was bred in Sidney Colledge in Cambridge beneficed at Epping in Essex one of a chearful Spirit And know Reader that an Ounce of Mirth with the same degree of Grace will serve God farther then a pound of Sadnesse He had also a gracious heart and was very profitable in his Ministry He was a Father to some good Books of his own and a Guardian to those of his Brother whose Posthume Works he set forth He was one peaceable in Israel And though no Zelot in the practice of Ceremonies quietly submitted to use them He lived and dyed piously being buryed in his own Parish-Church Anno Dom. 1620. ARTHUR CAPEL Esquire of Hadâ—…m in this County was by King Charls the first created a Baron 1641. He served the King with more Valour and Fidelity then Success during the Civil Wars in the Marches of Wales After the Surrender of Oxford he retired to his own house in this Shire and was in some sort well cured of the so then reputed Disease of Loyalty when he fell into a Relaps by going to Colcbester which cost him his life beheaded in the Palace Yard in Westminster 1648. In his Life time he wrote a book of Meditation published since his death wherein much judicious piety may be discovered His mortified mind was familiar with afflictions which made him to appear with such 〈◊〉 Resolution on the Scaffold where he seemed rather to fright Death then to be frighted with it Hence one not unhappily alluding to his Arms a Lyon Rampant in a Field Gules betwixt three Crosses thus expresseth himself Thus Lion-like Capel undaunted stood Beset with crosses in a Field of Blood A Learned Dr. in Physick present at the opening and embalming of him and Duke Hambleton delivered it at a publike Lecture that the Lord Capels was the least Heart whilst the Dukes wâ—…s the greatest he ever beheld Which alâ—…o is very proportionable to the Observation in Philosophy that the Spirits contracted in a lesser model are the cause of the greater courage God hath since been the Husband to His Widow who for her goodnesse may be a Pattern to her Sexe and Father to his Children whom not so much their Birth Beauty and Portions as Vertues married to the best Bloods and Estates in the Land even when the Royalists were at the lowest condition EDVVARD SYMONDS born at Cottered in this County was bred in Peter House in Cambridge where he commenced Master of Arts afterwards Minister of Little Rayne in Essex a man strict in his Life and profitable in his preaching wherein he had a plain and piercing faculty Being sequestred from his Living for siding with the King with David 1 Sam. 23. 13. He went wheresoever he could go to Worcester Exeter Barnstable France and lastly returned to London He wrote a Book in VINDICATION OF KING CHARLES and was Instrumental in setting forth his Majesties book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pens were brondished betwixt him and Mr. Stephen Marshal though all was fair betwixt them before his Death For Mr. Symonds visited him lying in his bed at Westminster told him Had I taken you for a
token that he vanted that he cheated the covetous Usurer who had given him Spick and Span new money for the Old Land of his Great Great Grandfather JOHN GVVILLIM was of VVelch extraction but born in this County and became a Pursuivant of Arms by the name first of Portsmouth then Rougecroixe but most eminent for his methodical Display of Herauldry confusion being formerly the greatest difficulty therein shewing himself a good Logician in his exact Divisions and no bad Philosopher noting the natures of all Creatures given in Armes joyning fansie and reason therein Besides his Travelling all over the earth in beasts his Industry diggeth into the ground in pursuit of the properties of precious stones diveth into the Water in Inquest of the qualities of Fishes flyeth into the Air after the Nature of Birds yea mounteth to the very Skies about stars but here we must call them Estoiles and Planets their use and influence In a word he hath unmysteried the mysterie of Heraldry inso much that one of his own faculty thus descanteth in the Twilight of jest and earnest on his performance But let me tell you this will be the harm In Arming others you Your self disarm Our Art is now Anatomized so As who knows not what we our selves do know Our Corn in others Mill is ill apaid Sic vos non vobis may to us be said I suspect that his endevours met not with proportionable reward He dyed about the latter end of the Reign of King Iames. JOHN DAVIES of Hereford for so he constantly styled himself was the greatest Master of the Pen that England in his age beheld for 1 Fast-writing so incredible his expedition 2 Fair-writing some minutes Consultation being required to decide whether his Lines were written or printed 3 Close-writing A Mysterie indeed and too Dark for my Dimme Eyes to discover 4 Various-writing Secretary Roman Court and Text. The Poetical fiction of Briareus the Gyant who had an hundred hands found a Moral in him who could so cunningly and copiously disguise his aforesaid Elemental hands that by mixing he could make them appear an hundred and if not so many sorts so many Degrees of Writing Yet had he lived longer he would modestly have acknowledged Mr. Githings who was his Schollar and also born in this County to excel him in that faculty whilst the other would own no such odious Eminencie but rather gratefully return the credit to his Master again Sure I am when two such Transcendent Pen-masters shall again come to be born in the same shire they may even serve fairly to engross the will testament of the expiring Universe Our Davies had also some pretty excursions into Poetry and could flourish matter as well as Letters with his Fancy as well as with his Pen. He dyed at London in the midst of the Reign of King James and lyeth buryed in St. Giles in the fields Romish Exile Writers HUMPHRY ELY born in this County was bred in St. Johns Colledge in Oxford Whence flying beyond the Seas he lived successively at Doway Rome and Rheams till at last he setled himself at Pont-Muss in Lorain where for twenty years together he was Professor of Canon and Civil Law and dying 1604. Was buried therein with a double Epitaph That in Verse my Iudgement commands me not to beleive which here I will take the boldnesse to translate Albion Haereseos velatur nocte viator Desine Mirari Sol suus hic latitat Wonder not Reader that with Heresies England is clouded Here her SUN he LIES The Prose-part my Charity induces me to credit Inopia ferme laborabat alios inopia sublevans He eased others of Poverty being himself almost pinched therewith Benefactors to the Publick JOHN WALTER was born in the City of Hereford Know Reader I could learn little from the Minister which preached his funeral less from his acquaintance least from his Children Such his hatred of vain glory that as if Charity were guiltinesse he cleared himself from all suspicion thereof Yet is our Intelligence of him though breif true as followeth He was bred in London and became Clerk of Drapers-hall Finding the World to flow fast in upon him he made a solemn Vow to God that he would give the surplusage of his estate whatever it was to pious uses Nor was he like to those who at first maintained ten thousand pounds too much for any man which when they have attained they then conceive ten times so much too little for themselves but after his Cup was filled brim-full to the aforesaid proportion he conscienciously gave every drop of that which over-flowed to quench the thirst of people parched with Poverty I compare him to Elizabeth in the Gospel who as if ashamed of her shame so then reputed taken from her hid her self five Moneths so great her modesty such his concealing of his Charity though pregnant with good works and had not the Lanthorn of his body been lately broken it is beleived the light of his bounty had not yet been discovered He built and endowed a fair Almes house in Southwark another at Newington both in Surrey on which and other pious uses he expended well nigh ten thousand pounds whereof twenty pounds per annum he gave to Hereford the place of his Nativity His Wife and surviving Daughters were so far from grudging at his gifts and accounting that lost to them which was lent to God that they much rejoyced thereat and deserve to be esteemed joint-givers thereof because consenting so freely to his Charity He dyed in the seventy fourth year of his age 29. December Anno Domini 1656. and was solemnly buried in London Memorable Persons ROSAMUND that is saith my Authour Rosemouth but by allufion termed Rose of the World was remarkable on many accounts First for her Father VValter Lord Clifford who had large Lands about Cliffords-castle in this County secondly for her self being the Mistress-peice of beauty in that Age. Thirdly for her Paramour King Henry the second to whom she was Concubine Lastly fot her Son VVilliam Longspee the worthy Earl of Salisbury King Henry is said to have built a Labyrinth at VVoodstock which Labyrinth through length of time hath lost it self to hide this his Mistress from his jealous Iuno Queen Eleanor But Zelotypiae nihil impervium by some device she got accesse unto Her and caused her Death Rosamund was buryed in a little Nunnery at Godstowe nigh Oxford with this Epitaph Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa mundi non Rosamunda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet This Tomb doth inclose the worlds fair Rose so sweet full of favour And smell she doth now but you may guess how none of the sweetest savour Her Corps may be said to have done penances after her Death For Hugh Bishop of Lincoln coming as Visitor to this Nunnery and seeing Rosamund's body lying in the Quire under a Silken Herse with tapors continualâ—…y burning about
from VVolstan de Paston who three years after the Conquest came into England to VVilliam Earl of Glandwill were all interred at Paston He lest rich revenues to John Paston Esquire his eldest son who married Margaret daughter and heir of John Mautby and no mean Estate to VVilliam his second surviving son who married Anne daughter to Edmond Duke of Somerset Sir EDWARD COKE Knight son of Robert Coke Esquire and of VVinefred Knightly his wife was born at Mileham in this County bred when ten years of age at Norwich-school and thence removed to Trinity-colledge in Cambridge After four years continuance there he was admitted into Cliffords-Inn-London and the year following entered a Studient of the Municipal-law in the Inner-Temple Such his proficiency therein that at the end of six years exceeding early in that strict age he was callâ—…d to the Bar and soon after for three years chosen Reader in Lyons-Inn Here his learned Lectures so spred forth his fame that crouds of Clients sued to him for his counsel and his own suit was the sooner granted when tendering his affections in order to marriage unto Briget daughter and Co-heir of John Paston Esquire She was afterwards his incomparable wife whose Portion moderately estimated Viis modis amounted unto thirty thousand pounds her vertues not falling under valuation and she enriched her husband with ten children Then began preferment to press upon him the City of Norwich chusing him Recorder the County of Norfolk their Knight to Parliament the Queen her Speaker therein as also successively her Solicitor and Attorney King James honoured him with Knighthood and made him Chief Justice first of the Common-Pleas then of the Kings-Bench Thus beginning on a good bottome left him by his father marrying a wife of extraordinary wealth having at the first great and gainful practice afterwards many and profitable Offices being provident to chuse good penny-worths in purchases leading a thrifty life living to a great age during flourishing and peaceable times born as much after the Persecution under Queen Mary as dying before our Civil Wars no wonder if he advanced a fair estate so that all his sons might seem elder brethren by the large possessions left unto them Some falsly character him a back-friend to the Church and Clergy being a grand benefactour to the Church of Norwich who gratefully under their publique seal honoured him with the ensuing testimony Edwardus Coke Armiger saepius in multis difficillimis negotiis Ecclesiae nostrae auxiliatus est nuper eandem contra Templorum Helluones qui dominia maneria haereditamenta nostra devorare sub titulo obscuro Concelatum dicunt sponte suâ nobis insciis sine mercede ullâ legittimè tutatus est atque eandem suam nostri defensionem in perpetuam tantaerei memoriam quam posterorum si opus fuerit magna cum industria scriptis redegit nostrae Ecclesiae donavit As for the many Benefices in his own Patronage he freely gave them to worthy men being wont to say in his Law-language that he would have Church-livings pass by Livery and Seisin not Bargain and Sale Five sorts of people he used to fore-design to misery and poverty Chemists Monopolizers Concelers Promoters and Rythming Poets For three things he would give God solemn thanks that he never gave his body to physick nor his heart to cruelty nor his hand to corruption In three things he did much applaud his own success in his fair fortune with his wife in his happy study of the laws and in his free coming by all his Offices nec prece nec pretio neither begging nor bribing for preferment His parts were admirable he had a deep judgment faithful memory active fancy and the jewel of his mind was put into a fair case a beautiful body with a comely countenance a case which he did wipe and keep clean delighting in good cloaths well worne and being wont to say that the outward neatness of our bodies might be a Monitor of purity to our souls In his pleadings discourse and judgements he declined all Circumlocutions usually saying The matter lies in a little room In all places callings and jurisdictions he commended modesty and sobriety within their boundaries saying If a River swells beyond its Banks it loseth its own Channel If any adverse party crossed him he would patiently reply If another punisheth me I will not punish my self In the highest Term of business he made Vacation to himself at his Table and would never be perswaded privately to retract what he had publikely adjudged professing he was a Judge in a Court and not in a Chamber He was wont to say No wise man would do that in prosperity whereof he should repent in adversity He gave for his Motto Prudens qui Patiens and his practise was accordingly especially after he fell into the disfavor of King James The cause hereof the Reader may find in our English Chronicles whilst we behold how he employed himself when retired to a private life when he did frui suo infortunio and improv'd his loss to his advantage He triumphed in his own innocency that he had done nothing illegally calling to mind the Motto which he gave in his rings when made Serjeant Lex est tutissima Cassis The Law is the safest Helmet And now he had leisure to peruse what formerly he had written even thirty books with his own hand most pleasing himself with a Manual which he called his Vade mecum from whence at one view he took a prospect of his life pass'd having noted therein most remarkables His most learned and laborious works on the Laws will last to be admired by the judicious posterity whilst â—…ame hath a trumpet left her and any breath to blow therein His judgement lately passed for an Oracle in Law and if since the credit thereof hath causelesly been questioned the wonder is not great If the Prophet himself living in an incredulous age found â—…ause to complain Who hath believed our Report it need not seem strange that our licentious times have afforded some to shake the authenticalness of the Reports of any earthly Judge He constantly had prayers said in his own house and charitably relieved the poor with his constant almes The foundation of Suttous-hospital when indeed but a foundation had been ruined before it was raised and crush'd by some Courtiers in the hatching thereof had not his great care preserved the same The Free-school at Thetford was supported in its being by his assistance and he founded a School on his own cost at Godwick in this County It must not be forgotten that Doctor Whitgift afterwards Arch-bishop of Canterbury was his Tutor who sent unto his Puple when the Queens Atturney a fair New Testament with this message He had now studied Common-law enough let him hereafter study the Law of God Let me adde to this that when he was under a cloud at Court and outed of his Judges place
complying with it which may not and confuting of it which ought to be done Most make a difference between the railing fool and the reasoning fool the former to be ordered as Hezekiah did Rabshakeh Answer him not a word But if he be a reasoning fool who will offer to argue conceited of himself take him off his speed with a short and seasonable return Such a fool this Hoggard was adjudged whom John Plough undertook to answer and cut his combe so close that the other appeared no more He dyed in the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth WILLIAM BRIGHTMAN was born in Nottingham where some of his brethren were lately alive bred Fellow of Queen Colledge in Cambridge and aftewards beneficed at Haunes in Bedfordshire No lover of Conformity yet no hater of Conformists being charitable to such who in judgement dissented from him His Memory is most remarkeable for his Comment on the Revelation by some Protestants approved praised admired by others sleighted contemned condemned Pro. 1. His very name Brightman imports something of illumination and clearness therein 2. He makes many hard places to be plain and mysteries to be histories by his Comment 3. He foretold many things forty years ago which we see performed in our dayes Con. 1. Names are casual and even Lucian himself as bad as he was had as much of light and lustre in his name 2. He makes many plain places hard and histories to be mysteries by his mis-interpretation expounding the seven Asian Churches then literally extant to be Germany France England c. 3. Shooting so many Arrows no wonder if fome few rather by hap than aim hit the mark Sure I am that Time and Mr. Brightman will expound the hardest places in the Revelation but what credit is to be given to the later alone I will not engage Such who dislike Mr. Brightmans writing could not but commend his Angelical living who had so much of Heaven in his heart Walking thorough the vineyard of this world he pluckt and eat a few grapes but put up none in his Vessel using wealth as if he us'd it not His Clay-cottage did crack and fall down in the same minute so sudden was his death But he who dyed daily could on no day be said to dye suddenly being alwayes prepared for his dissolution which happened Anno Dom. 16 Memorable Persons ROBERT HOOD was if not by birth by his chiefest abode this Country-man Cambden calls him praedonem mitissimum the gentlest thief that ever was and know Reader he is entered into our Catalogue not for his thievery but for his gentleness Take the character of his though not good less bad behaviour from the pen of our Poet From wealthy Abbots chests and Churles abundant store What oftentimes he took he shar'd amongst the poor No lordly Bishop came in lusty Robins way To him before he went but for his Pass must pay The widow in distress he graciously reliev'd And remedied the wrongs of many a Virgin griev'd But who made him a Judge or gave him a Commission to take where it might best be spared and give where it was most wanted His principal residence was in Shirewood Forrest in this County though he had another haunt he is no Fox that hath but one hole near the Sea in the North-riding in York-shire where Robin Hoods Bay still retaineth his name Not that he was any Pirat but a Land-thief who retreated to those unsuspected parts for his security One may wonder how he escaped the hand of Justice dying in his bed for ought is found to the contrary But it was because he was rather a merry than a mischievous thief complementing passengers out of their purses never murdering any but Deer and this popular Robber feasted the Vicinage with his Venison He played his pranks in the reign of King Richard the First about the year of our Lord 1100. THOMAS MAGNUS He was an exposed child left by his mother in the Parish of Newark What the Poet saith of the father of Cadmus commanding his son to find his lost sister Europa or else never to return that he was Facto piuâ—… sceleratus eodem Expressing in one act a mind Which was both cruel and was kind may be applied to the mother of this and all such Foundlings Now it happened that some York shire Clothiers coming in the dark very early or late did light on this child and resolved to pay both for his nursing and education the charge whereof would not be great equally divided betwixt them according to the Proverb Multorum manibus grande levatur onus An heavy work is light to do When many hands are put thereto First then they took order he should be baptized in Newark by the name of Thomas probably the best person in their company and because all of them had Interest alike in him for his Sirname they assigned him Amang-us which is amongst us in the Northern pronunciation They were very careful in his breeding I confess Aristotle urgeth it as an argument against the breeding of children in common that the care of all will effectually be the care of none and so the children be neglected Not so here where this Thomas though he had a Common-wealth of Foster-fathers was very well brought up in learning and became an excellent scholar and States-man being imployed in many forreign Embassies Then took he on him the name of Dr. Magnus and was famous thereby both at home and beyond the Seas on which account he might claim kindred with Pompeius Magnus Carolus Magnus and Albertus Magnus and whom not who was Great for arts arms or otherwise It soundeth much in his commendation that he forgot not his gratitude to the Town of his Nativity where he erected a fair school with other Benefactions He flourished as I take it under King Henry the Eight Lord Mayors I cannot on my best inquiry recover any Native of this County who ever attained to this place of Magistracy but am informed that now the feet of one do tread near unto the Thrâ—…shold of that Dore of Honor and doubt not but when he hath first entered and opened the way there will be others soon found to follow him The Names of the Gentry of this County returned by the Commissioners in the twelfth year of King Henry the sixth John Archbishop of York Commissioners to take the Oaths Humfrey Earl of Stafford  Richard Stanhop One of the Knights for the Shire  Tho. Cheworth chiv Iohan. Zouche chiv Will. Plumton chiv Hug. Welughby chiv Roberti Strelley chiv Hen. Perponnt chiv Rob. Maâ—…kam chiv Gerv. Clâ—…ston chiv Will. Meryng chiv Hug. 〈◊〉 chiv Ioh. Cokfeld armig Radulphi Makerell Thome Nevyll Roberti Brewce Thome Stanton Rad. Leek Richardi Sutton Thome Stanhope Iacobi Stanhope Thome Curson Willielmi Byrton Henrici Perponnt Hugonis Hercy Iohannis Wastnes Iohannis Gaitford Gorgii Clay Iohannis Husse Iohannis Hiklinge Ioh. Barbour de Leek Thome Stannton
of his book This William Chillingworth was taken prisoner by the Parliament Forces at Arundel castle and not surprised and slain in his studiâ—…es as Archimedes at the sacking of Syracuse as some have given it out but wâ—…s safely conducted to Chichester where notwithstanding hard usage hastened his dissolution DANIEL FEATLY D. D. was born in or very near to the City of Oxford his father being a servant of Corpus-Christi college and this his son Fellow thereof Here he had the honour to make the Speech in the College at the Funeral of Dr. Reynalds Some men may be said to have mutinous parts which will not obey the commands of him who is the owner of them Not so this Doctor who was perfect Master of his own Learning He did not as Quintilian saith of some Occultis thesaur is incumbere but his learning was in numerato for his present using thereof He was as good in the Schools as in the Pulpit and very happy in his Disputes with Papists for in the Conference with F. Fisher when Fisher was caught in his own Net though Dr. White did wisely cast that Net Dr. Featly did help strongly to draw it to the shore It seems though he was in yet he was not of the late Assembly of Divines as whose body was with them whilest his heart was at Oxford Yea he discovered so much in a Letter to the Archbishop of Armagh which being intercepted he was proceeded against as a Spie and closely imprisoned though finding some favour at last he dyed in the Prison College at Chelsey Anno Dom. 1643. His Wifes son hath since communicated to me his Pocket-Manual of his memorable observations all with his own hand but alas to be read by none but the writer thereof JOHN WHITE descended from the Whites in Hant-shire was born at StantonSt Johns in this County bred first in Winchester then New-college in Oxford whereof he was Fellow and fixed at last a Minister at Dorchester in Dorcet-shire well nigh forty years A grave man yet without moroseness as who would willingly contribute his shot of facetiousness on any just occasion A constant Preacher so that in the course of his Ministery he expounded the Scripture all over and half over again having an excellent faculty in the clear and solid interpreting thereof A good Governor by whose wisdom the Town of Dorchester notwithstanding a casual merciless fire was much enriched Knowledge causing Piety Piety breeding Industry and Industry procuring Plenty unto it A beggar was not then to be seen in the Town all able Poore being set on work and impotent maintained by the profit of a publique Brew house and other collections He absolutely commanded his own Passions and the purses of his Parishioners whom he could wind up to what height he pleased on important occasions He was free from covetousness if not trespassing on the contrary and had a Patriarchal influence both in Old and New-England yet towards the end of his dayes Factions and fond Opinions crept in his flock a new generation arose which either did not know or would not acknowledge this good man disloyal persons which would not pay the due respect to the Crown of his old age whereof he was sadly and silently sensible He was chosen one of the Assembly of Divines and his judgment was much relied on therein He married the sister of Dr. Burges the great Non-conformist who afterwards being reclaimed wrote in the defence of Ceremonies by whom he left four sons and dyed quietly at Dorchester Anno Dom. 164. I hope that Solomons observation of the poor wise man who saved the little City Yet no man remembred him will not be verified of this Town in relation to this their deceased Pastor whom I hope they will not I am sure they should not forget as a person so much meriting of them in all considerations His Comment on some part of Genesis is lately set forth and more daily expected Benefactors to the Publick since the Reformation THOMAS TISDALL of Glimpton in this County Esquire deceasing Anno 1610. bequeathed five thousand pounds to George Abbot then Bishop of London John Bennet Knight and Henry Aray Doctor of Divinity to purchase Lands for the maintainance of seven Fellows and six Scholers which money deposited in so careful hands was as advantagiously expended for the purchase of two hundred and fifty pounds per annum It fell then under consideration that it was pity so great a bounty substantial enough to stand of it self should be adjected to a former Foundation whereupon a new College formerly called Broad-gates-hall in Oxford was erected therewith by the name of Pembroke-College which since hath met with some considerable Benefactors May this the youngest College in England have the happiness of a youngest child who commonly have in their mothers love what they lack in the land of their father We must not forget that the aforesaid Thomas Tisdall gave many other charitable Legasies and deserved very well of Abington-school founding an Usher therein Memorable Persons ANNE GREENE a person unmarried was indicted arraigned cast condemned and executed for killing her child at the Assizes at Oxford Decemb. 14. 1650. After some hours her body being taken down and prepared for dissection in the Anatomyschools some heat was found therein which by the care of the Doctors was improved into her perfect recovery Charitable people interpret her so miraculous preservation a Compurgator of her innocence Thus she intended for a dead continues a living Anatomy of divine Providence and a monument of the wonderful contrivances thereof If Hippolytus revived onely by Poetical fancies was surnamed Virbius because twice a man why may not Mulierbia by as good proportion be applied to her who since is married and liveth in this County in good reputation Lord Mayors Name Father Place Company Time 1. John Norman John Norman Banbury Draper 1453 2. Thomas Pargitor John Pargitor Chippingnorton Salter 1530 3. Michael Dormer Jeffrey Dormer Tame Mercer 1541 The Names of the Gentry of this County returned by the Commissioners in the twelfth year of King Henry the sixth William Bishop of Lincoln  William de Lovell chiv Commissioners to take the Oaths Stephen Haytfeld Knights for the Shire  Richard Quatermayns Knights for the Shire  Tho. Wikeham chiv Lodowici Grevill Iohannis Wisham Iohan. Banufo Humphridi Hay Iohannis Tyso Will. Thomlyns Thome Andrey Thome atte Mille Iohannis Benet Rad. Archer Ioh. Archer Thome Willes Iohannis Perysson Ioh. Crosse de Sibford Thome Eburton Thome Kynch Willielmi Brise Willielmi Dandy Richardi Stanes Iohannis Wallrond Iohannis Daypoll Iohannis Fabian VVill. Page Iohannis Mose Williel Seton Iohannis Pytte Thome Helmeden Tho. Scholes Thome Sperehawke Thome Gascoine Thome Clere Ioh. Goldwell Williel Goldwell Iohannis White Thome Lynne Will. Smith de Bloxham Thome Chedworth Willielmi Haliwell Ioh. Chedworth Ioh. de Berford Robert Qâ—…inaton Richardi atte Mille Willielmi Mason Willielmi almer Thome Tymmes Ioh. Cross
on thee all spent in vain See this bright structure till that smart Blind thy blear-eyes and grieve thy heart Some Cottage-Schools are built so low The Muses there must groveling go Here whilst Apollo's sharp doth sound The Sisters Nine may dance around And Architects may take from hence The Pattern of magnificence Then grieve not Adams in thy mind 'Cause you have left no Child behind Unbred unborn is better rather If so you are a second Father To all bred in this School so fair And each of them thy Son and Heir Long may this Worthy person live to see his intentions finished and compleated to his own contentment Memorable Persons THOMAS PARRE son of John Parre born at Alberbury in the Parish of Winnington in this County lived to be above one hundred and fifty years of age verifying his Anagram Thomas Parre Most rare hap He was born in the reign of King Edward the Fourth one thousand four hundred eighty three and two moneths before his death was brought up by Thomas Earle of Arundel a great lover of Antiquities in all kinds to Westminster He slept away most of his time and is thus charactered by an eye witness of him From head to heel his body had all over A quick-set thick-set nat'ral hairy cover Change of Air and Diet better in it self but worse for him with the trouble of many Visitants or Spectators rather are conceived to have accelerated his death which happened Westminster November the 15 1634 and was buried in the Abbey-Church all present at his burial doing homage to this our aged Thomas de Temporibus Lords Majors Name Father Place Company Time 1 Roger Acheley Thomas Acheley Stanwardine Draper 1511 2 Rowland Hill Thomas Hill Hodnet Mercer 1549 3 Thomas Lee Roger Lee Wellington Mercer 1558 4 Thomas Lodge William Lodge Cresset Grocer 1562 5 Rowland Heyward George Heyward Bridg North Clothworker 1570 6 Robert Lee Humphry Lee Bridg North Merchant Tailor 1602 7 John Swinnerton Tho. Swinnerton Oswestry Merchant Tailor 1612 8 Francis Jones John Jones Glaverley Haberdasher 1620 9 Peter Probey Not Recorded White-church Grocer 1622 10 Allen Cotton Ralph Cotton White-church Draper 1625 11 George Whitmore Will. Whitmore Charley Haberdasher 1631 12 Thomas Adams Thomas Adams Wem Draper 164. See we here a Jury of Lords Majors born in this which I believe will hardly be paallel'd in a greater County All no doubt Honestmen and true The Names of the Gentry of this County returned by the Commissioners in the twelfth year of Henry the Sixth 1433. A VVilliam Bishop of Coven Leichf Commissioners to take the Oaths B John de Talbot Knight C Richard Laken Knights for the Shire VVilliam Boerley Willielmi Malory Militis Johannis Fitz-Piers Willielmi Lodelowe Thomae Hopton de Hopton Richardi Archer Johannis Wynnesbury Thomae Corbet de Ley Thomae Corbet de Morton Johannis Bruyn senioris Thomae Charleton Richardi Peshale Thomae Newport Georgii Hankeston Johannis Brugge Thomae Banastre Hugonis Harnage Leonardi Stepulton Hugonis Cresset Johannis Skryven Willielmi Poynour Richardi Neuport Richardi Horde Nicholai Sandford Griffin Kynaston Johanuis Bruyn junioris Hugonis Stepulton Simonis Hadington Alani Wetenhull Richardi Sonford Johannis Otley Edwardi Leighton de Mershe Edmundi Plowden Thomae Mardford Rogeri Bromley Richardi Lee Humfridi Cotes VVillielmi Leighton Richardi Horton Willielmi Welascote Richardi Husee Johannis Wenlok Willielmi Mersheton Walteri Codour Ricdardi Gerii VVillielmi Bourden A This VVilliam was VVilliam Hieworth Bishop of Coventry and Leichfield of whom here after B Sir John Talbot though here only additioned Knight was the Lord Talbot and eight years after created Earl of Shrewsbury of whom before C Richard Laken the same Family with Lacon whose Seat was at VVillily in this County augmented both in Bloud and Estate by the Matches with the Heirs of 1 Harley 2 Peshal 3 Passilew 4 Blunt of Kinlet My hopes are according to my desires that this Ancient Family is still extant in this County though I suspect shrewdly shattered in Estate The Commissioners of this Shire were neither altogether Idle nor very Industrious having made but a short and slender return only of 45 principal persons therein Sheriffes of Shropshire HEN. II. Anno 1 Anno 2 Will. filius Alani for 5 years together Anno 7 Guido Extraneus for 5 years together Anno 12 Gaufrid de Ver for 4 years together Anno 16 Gaufrid de Ver Will Clericus Anno 17 Guido Extraneus for 9 years together Anno 26 Hugo Pantulfe for 8 years together RICH. I. Anno 1 Will. filius Alani Reginal de Hesden Anno 2 Idem Anno 3 Will. filius Alani Will de Hadlega Anno 4 Will. filius Alani for 4 years together Anno 8 Will. filius Alani Reginald de Hedinge Anno 9 Will. filius Alani Wido filius Roberti Anno 10 Will. filius Alani Masculum JOHANNES Anno 1 Will. filius Alani VVarrus de VVililegh Anno 2 Idem Anno 3 VVill. filius Alani Reiner de Lea. Anno 4 G. filius Petri Richardus de Ambresleg Anno 5 Idem Anno 6 Thomas de Erolitto Robertus de Alta Ripa Anno 7 Idem Anno 8 Thomas de Erdington for 9 years together HEN. III. Anno 1 Anno 2 Ranul Com. Cestriae Hen. de Aldetheleg Anno 3 Idem Anno 4 Idem Anno 5 Ranul Com. Cestriae Philippus Kinton Anno 6 Idem Anno 7 Idem Anno 8 Ranul Com. Cestriae Anno 9 Johannes Bovet Anno 10 Idem Anno 11 Hen. de Aldithle Anno 12 Idem Anno 13 Idem Anno 14 Hen. de Aldithle VVill. de Bromley Anno 15 Idem Anno 16 Idem Anno 17 Petr. Rival Rob. de Haye for 4 years together Anno 21 Johannes Extraneus Robertus de Acton Anno 22 Johannes Extraneus for 11 years together Anno 33 Thomas Corbet Anno 34 Idem Anno 35 Robertus de Grendon for 5 years together Anno 40 Hugo Acover Anno 41 Idem Anno 42 VVillielmus Bagod Anno 43 Idem Anno 44 Idem Anno 45 Jacobus de Audeley for 7 years together Anno 52 VValterus de Hopton Anno 53 Idem EDW. I. Anno 1 Roger. de Mortuo Mari. Anno 2 Idem Anno 3 Idem Anno 4 Bago de Knovile Anno 5 Idem Anno 6 Idem Anno 7 Rogerus Sprengehuse for 8 years together Anno 15 Dominus de Ramesley Anno 16 Idem Anno 17 Robertus Corbet Anno 18 VVill. de Tickley â—…ive Tittle for 6 years together Anno 24 Radulphus de Schirle Anno 25 Idem Anno 26 Idem Anno 27 Tho. Corbet Anno 28 Idem Anno 29 Richardus de Harleigh Anno 30 Idem Anno 31 VValter de Beysin Anno 32 Idem Anno 33 Johannes de Acton Anno 34 Johannes de Dene Anno 35 Idem EDW. II. Anno 1 Rogerus Trumvine Anno 2 Johannes Extraneus Hugo de Crofts Hugo de Crofts Anno 4 Idem Anno 5 Hugo
the vomit of Popery which my charity will not believe Indeed in the first of Queen Mary he was outed of his Bishoprick for being married and all that we can recover of his carriage aâ—…terwards is this passage at the examination of Master Thomas Hauke Martyr When John Bird then very old brought Boner a bottle of Wine and a dish of Apples probably a present unto him for a Ne noceat and therefore not enough to speak him a Papist in his perswasion Bishop Boner desired him to take Haukes into his Chamber and to try if he could convert him whereupon after Boners departure out of the room the quondam Bishop accosted Haukes as followeth I would to God I could do you some good you are a young man and I would not wish you to go to far but learn of the elders to bear somewhat He enforced him no further but being a thorough old man even fell fast asleep All this in my computation amounts but to a passive compliance and is not evidence enough to make him a thorough paced Papist the rather because John Pitts omitteth him in the Catalogue of English-writers which no doubt he would not have done had he any assurance that he had been a radicated Romanist Nothing else have I to observe of him but onely that he was a little man and had a pearl in his eyes and dying 1556. was buried in Chester States men Sir NICHOLAS THROCKMORTON Knight fourth Son of Sir George Throckmorton of Coughton in this County was bred beyond the Seas where he attained to great experience Under Queen Mary he was in Guild-Hall arraigned for Treason compliance with Wyat and by his own warie pleading and the Jurie's upright verdict hardly escaped Queen Elizabeth employed him Her Leiger a long time first in France then in Scotland finding him a most able Minister of State yet got he no great wealth and no wonder being ever of the opposite party to Burleigh Lord Treasurer Chamberlain of the Exchequer and Chief Butler of England were his highest preferments I say Chief Butler which office like an empty covered cup pretendeth to some state but affordeth no considerable profit He died at supper with eating of salates not without suspicion of poison the rather because hapning in the house of one no mean artist in that faculty R. Earl of Leicester His death as it was sudden was seasonable for him and his whose active others will call it turbulent spirit had brought him into such trouble as might have cost him at least the loss of his personal estate He died in the fifty seventh year of his age February the 12. 1570. and lyeth buryed in the South-side of the Chancel of St. Katharine Cree-Church London EDWARD CONWAY Knight Son to Sir John Conway Knight Lord and Owner of Ragleigh in this County This Sir John being a Person of Great skill in Military affaires was made by Robert Earl of Leicester Generall of the English Auxiliaries in the united Provinces Governour of Ostend His Son Sir Edward succeeded to his Fathers Martial skill and valour and twisted therewith peaceable policy in State-affaires so that the Gown and the Sword met in him in most Eminent Proportion and thereupon King James made Him one of the Principal Secretaries of State For these his good services he was by him created Lord Conway of Ragleigh in this County and afterwards by King Charles Viscount Killultagh in the County of Antrim And lastly in the third of King Charles Viscount Conway of Conway in Carnarvanshire England Ireland and Wales mutually embracing themselves in His Honours He dyed January the third Anno 1630. JOHN DIGBY Baron of Sherborn and Earl of Bristol was born in this County a younger Son of an ancient family long flourishâ—…ng at Coleshull therein To pass by his Infancy all Children being alike in their long Coats his Youth gave pregnant hopes of that Eminency which his mature age did produce He didken the Emhassador-Craft as well as any in his age employed by King James in several services to frreign Princes recited in his Patent which I have perused as the main motives of the Honors conferr'd upon him But his managing the Matchless Match with Spain was his Master-piece wherein a Good I mean a Great number of State-Traverses were used on both sides His contest with the Duke of Buckingham is fresh in many mens Memories charges of High Treason mutually flying about But this Lord fearing the Dukes Power as the Duke this Lorâ—…s policy it at last became a Drawn Battail betwixt them yet so that this Earl lost the love of King Charles living many years in his Dis-favour But such as are in a Court-Cloud have commonly the Countries Sun-shine and this Peer during his Eclyps was very Popular with most of the Nation It is seldom seen that a favorite once Broken at Court sets up again for himself the hap rather then happiness of this Lord the King graciously reflecting on him at the beginning of the Long-Parliament as one Best able to give him the safest Counsell in those dangerous Times But how he incensed the Parliament so far as to be excepted Pardon I neither do know nor dare enquire Sure I am after the surrender of Exeter he went over into France where he met with that due respect in forraign which he missed in his Native Country The worst I wish such who causelesly suspect him of Popish inclinations is that I may hear from them but half so many strong Arguments for the Protestant Religion as I have heard from him who was to his commendation a Cordial Champion for the Church of England He dyed in France about the year 1650. Writers WALTER of COVENTRIE was born and bred a Benedictine therein Bale saith he was Immortali vir dignus Memoria and much commended by Leland though not of set purpose but sparsim as occasion is offered He excelled in the two Essential Qualities of an Historian Faith and Method writing truly and orderly onely guilty of Coursness of style This may better be dispenced with in him because Historia est res veritatis non Eloquentiae because bad Latin was a catching disease in that age From the beginning of the Britons he wrote a Chronicle extant in Bennet Colledge Library to his own time He flourished Anno 1217. VINCENT of COVENTRIE was born in the chief City in this shire and bred a Franciscan though Learned Leland mistakes him a Carmelite in the University of Cambridg His order at their first entrance into England looked upon learning as a thing beneath them so totally were they taken up with their Devotion This Vincent was the first who brake the Ice and then others of his order drank of the same water first applyed himself to Academicall studies and became a publick Professor in Cambridge he set a Coppy for the Carmelites therein to imitate who not long after began their publick Lectures in the same place he
Yet such additions discoverable in the former part with Asterisks in the Margent with some Antiquaries obtain not equal Authenticalness with the rest This eminent Translator was Translated to a better life Anno Dom. 16 ... FRANCIS HOLYOAKE latining himself de sacra Quâ—…rcu and Minister of Southam born at Witacre in this County He set forth that staple Book which School-boys called Riders Dictionary This Rider did Borrow to say no worse both his Sâ—…ddle and Bridle from Thomas Thomatius who being bred Fellow of Kings-colledge in Cambridge set forth that Dictionary known by his Name then which Men have not a Better and Truer Children no Plainer and Briefer But Rider after Thomas his death set forth his Dictioâ—…ary the same in effect under his own Name the property thereof being but little disguised with any Additions Such Plageary ship ill becometh Authors or Printers and the Dove being the Crest of the Stationers Armes should mind them not like Rooks to filch copies one from an other The Executors of Thomas Thomaâ—…us entring an Action against Rider occasioned him in his own defence to make those Numerous Additions to his Dictionary that it seems to differ rather in Kind then Degree from his first Edition I am forced to place this Child â—…ather with his Guardian then Father I mean to mention this Dictionary rather under the name of Master Holyoake then Rider both because the residence of the latter is wholly unknown unto me and because Mr. Holyoakâ—… added many as his learned Son hath since more wonders thereunto This Master Holyoake died Anno Dom. 16 ... JAMES CRANFORD was born at Coventry in this County where his father was a Divine and School-Master of great note bred in Oxford beneficed in Northampton shire and afterwards removed to London to Saint Châ—…istophers A painfull Preacher an exact Linguist subtill Disputant Orthodox in his Judgement sound against Sectaries well acquainted with the Fathers not unknown to the School-men and familiar with the Modern Divines Much his Humility being James the less in his own esteeme and therefore ought to be the Greater in Ours He had as I may say a Broad-chested Soul favourable to such who differed from him His Moderation increased with his Age Charity with his Moderation and had a kindness for all such who had any goodness in themselves He had many choise books and not like to those who may lose themselves in their own libraries being Owners not Masters of their books therein had his books at such command as the Captain has his Souldiers so that he could make them at pleasure goe or come and do what he desired This lame and loyall Mephibosheth as I may terme him sadly sympathizing with the sufferings of Church and State He died rather infirme then old Anno 1657. Romish Exile Wâ—…iters WILLIAM BISHOP was born in this County saith my Auther ex Nobili Familia Enquiring after his Surname in this Shire I find one John Bishop Gentleman Patron of Brails in this County who died Anno 1601. Aged 92. Being a Protestant as appeareth by his Epitaph who according to Proportion of time might in all Probability be his father the rather because he is said Parentes ampli Patrimonii spem reliquisse to have left his Parents and the hope of a fair Inheritance Reader a word by the way of the word Nobilis which soundeth high in English ears where Barons youngest children are the lowest step of Nobility whilst Nobilis from the Pen of a foraigner generally importeth no more then an ordinary Gentleman It is not long since my weakness was imployed to draw up in Latin a Testimoniall for a high German who indeed was of honourable extraction and according to direction I was advised to style him Generosissimum ac Nobilissimum For Generosus which runneth so low in England in Saxony doth carry it clear as the more honourable Epithet Thus Words like Counters stand for more or less according to Custome Yea Latine words are bowed in their Modern senses according to the acception of severall Places This Bishop leaving the Land went first to Rhemes then to Rome where he was made Priest and being sent back into England met with variety of success 1. Being seized on He was brought before Secretary Walsingham and by him committed to the Marshalsey 2. After three years being bâ—…nished the Realm he became a Doctor of Sorbâ—… 3. He returned into England and for nine years laboured in the Popish Harvest 4. By their Clergy he was imployed a Messenger to Rome about some affairs of importance 5. His business dispatch'd he returned the third time into England and after eight years industry therein to advance his own Cause was caught and cast into Prison at London where he remained about the year 1612. 6. Soon after he procured his Enlargement and Anno 1615. lived at Paris in Collegio Atrebatensi Men of his Perswasion cry him up for a most Glorious Confessor of theâ—… Popish faith who if any goodness in him should also be a Thankfull Confessor of the Protestant Charity permitting him twice to depart Prison on hope of his amendment though so Active an Instrument against our Religion No such courtesy of Papists to Protestants Vestigia nulla retrorsum No return especially the second time out of durance The first disease being dangerous but deadly their Relaps into a Prison but perchance this William Bishop found the more favour because our Church men accounting it toâ—… much severity to take away both his Credit and his Life both to Conquer and Kill him seeing this Priest whilst in Prison was often worsted though his Party bragged of victory both by Tongues and Pens in Disputings and Writings of severall Protestants amongst whom Robert Abbot afterwards Bishop of Salisbury gave him the most fatall Defeat The certain date of his death is to me unknown Benefactors to the Publick HUGH CLOPTON was born at Stratford a fair Market Town in this County bred a Mercer in London and at last Lord Mayor thereof Anno 1491. Rememâ—…g 〈◊〉 his Native Town stood on Avon a River in Summer and little Sea in Winter â—…oublesome for Travellers to pass over he in liew of the former inconventent 〈◊〉 built a stately and long Stone-bridge of many Arches over the Channel and Overflowings thereof I behold this Bridge more usefull though less costly then what Caligula made termed by Suetonius novum inauditum spectaculi genus reaching from Putzol to Bauly three miles and a quarter This was only a Pageant-bridge for Pompe set up to be soon taken down whereof Lipsius said well Laudem immenso operi vanitas detraâ—…it But our Cloptons Bridge remaineth at this day even when the Colledge in the same Town built by Arch-bishop Stratford is as to the intended use thereof quite vanished away Indeed Bridges are the most lasting Benefactions all Men being concerned in their continuance lest by destâ—…oying of them they destroy themselves not knowing
how soon for their own safety they may have need to make use thereof Many other Charities he bestowed and deceased Anno 1496. Since the Reformation ............. HALES Esquire He purchased a prime part of the Priory of Coventry Now either out of his own inclination or as a Condition of his Composition with King Henry the eighth or a mixture of both he founded and endowed a fair Grammer-school in Coventry Herein I have seen more abate the Three English schools of the first Magnitude and as well learned Scholars be it spoken that the Master Usâ—…er and Scholars may according to their Proportions divide the praise betwixt them as in any School in England Here is also an Infant which may be an Adult Library when it meeteth with more Benefactors JOHN Lord HARRINGTON son to James Lord Harrington was born at Combe Abby in this County accruing unto him by his Mother Heiress of â—…elway as by a property of that Family lately or still surviving I have on very strict enquiry been certainly enformed He did not count himself priviledged from being Good by being Great and his timely Piety rising early did not soon after go to Bed as some young Saints beheld under an other Notion but contiuned watchfull during his life He was one of the first who began the pious fashion since followed by few of his Quality of a Diary wherein he registred not the Injuries of others done unto him a work of Revenge not Devotion but of his Faâ—…lings and Infirmities toward his Master Thus making even with the God of Heaven by Repentance in Christ at the end of every day he had to use the Expression and Counsell of the Reverend Arch-Bishop of Armagh but one day to repent of before his death He lived out all 〈◊〉 days in the appointment of Divine Providence not half of them according to the course and possibility of Nature not Half a Quarter of them according to the hopes and desires of the Lovers and Honourers of Virtue in this Nation especially of the society in Sidney-colledge in Cambridge whereto he was a most 〈◊〉 Bénefactour He was the last Male of that Honourable Family as one justly complains JOHANES DOMINUS HARRINGTONIUS Anagramma INSIGNIS ERAT AH UNUS HONOR DOMI The Reader is referred for the rest unto his Funerall Sermon preached by Master Stock of London who though he would not to use his own Phrase Gild a Poâ—…sheard understand him Flatter unworthyness yet giveth him his large and due Commendation He died unmarried Anno 161. leaving his two Sisters his Heirs Lucy married to Edward Earl of Bedford and Anne who by Sir Robert Chichester had a daughter Anne married to Thomas Earl of Elgin and Mother to Robert L. Bruce who is at this day Heir Apparent to no small part of the Lands but Actually possessed of a larger of the Vertues of his Honourable Great-uncle Memorable Persons THOMAS UNDERHILL Esquire was born at Neaher-Eatendon in this County It is pity to part him from Elizabeth his wife seeing the Poetical fiction of Philemon and Baucis found in them an Historical performance with improvement * Sed pia Baucis anus parilique aetate Philemon Illâ sunt annis juncti juvenilibus illâ Consenuere casâ paupertatémque ferendo Effecere levem nec iniqua mente ferendam But good old Baucis with Philemon matchd In youthfull years now struck with equal age Made poorness pleasant in their cottage Thatch'd And weight of want with patience diâ—… aswage Whereas this our Warwick-shire-Pair living in a worshipfull equipage and exemplary for their hospitality did teach others not how Poverty might be born but Wealth well used by their Example for the owners and others good The Ovidian-couple appear issueless whereas twenty children viz. tâ—…teen sons and seven daughters were begotten and born by this Thomas and Elizabeth living sixty five years together in marriage Indeed the poeticall-pair somewhat outstrip'd them in the happiness of their death their request being granted them Et quoniam concordes egimus annos Auferà thora duos eadem nec conjugis unquam Busta meae videam nec sim tumulandus ab illa Because we liv'd and lov'd so long together Let 's not behold the funeralls of either May one hour end us both may I not see This my wife buried nor wife bury me However these Underhills deceased in one year she in July he in October following 1603. Lord Mayors Name Father Place Company Time 1 John Coventry William Coventry Coventry Mercer 1425 2 John Olney John Olney Coventry Mercer 1446 3 Robert Tate Thomas Tate Coventry Mercer 1488 4 Hugh Clopton John Clopton Stratford upon Avon Mercer 1491 5 John Tate Thomas Tate Coventry 1496 6 William Cockain William Cockain Baddesley Skinner 1619 7 John Warner John Warner Rowington Grocer  The Names of the Gentry of this County Returned by the Commissioners in the 〈◊〉 year of King Henry the sixth 1433. William Bishop of Lincoln Commissioners to take the Oaths Richard Earl of Warwick John Cotes Knights for the shire Nicholas Metley Knights for the shire Radul Nevill mil. Ioh. Colepeper mil. Will. Mounford mil. Edw. Oddingsselles m. Tho. Bâ—…rdet mil. Rich. Otherston Abbatis de Camba Will. Pole Abbatis de Alyncestre Joh. Buggeley Abbatis de Miravalle Edw. Bronâ—…ete de Farnburgh ar Bald. Mountford de Hampton ar Râ—…d Brasebrugg de Kinnesbury ar Will. Lucy de Charlecote ar Tho. Hugford de Emescote ar Tho. Erdington de Erdington ar Rob. Arden de Bromwich ar Will. Pucfrey de Shiford ar Rog. Harewell de Morehall ar Rich. Hyband de Ippesley armig Will. Botoner de Wythybroke Ioh. Midlemore de Eggebaston ar Thome Porter de Escote ar Tho. 〈◊〉 de Tonworth ar Tho. Waryng de eadem ar Rich. Verney ar de Wolverton Tho. Gâ—…ene de Solyhull ar Joh. Chelwyn de Alspath ar Ioh. Waldiene de eadem ar Nich. Ruggeley de Donton ar Will. Holt de Aston ar Rich. Merbroke de Codbarow ar Galf. Allefley d eparva Lalleford Tho. Greswold de Solyhull Tho. Haynton de Napton Will. Parker de Tonworth Edm. Starkey de Stretton Ranul Starky de eadem Will. Derset de Thurlaston Rich. Hall de Stretford Ioh. Mayell de eadem Simon Forster de Althercton Clemen Draper de â—…adem Iohan. Darant de Berston Rog. Mullward de Nuneton Iohan. Omfrey de eadem Iohan. Waryn de eadem Hum. Iacob de Tamworth Tho. Neuton de eadem Math. Smalwode de Sutton Rich. Dalby de Brokhampton Rich. Eton de Warwick Hum. Corbet Iohan. Aleyn de Berford Tho. Iakes de Woner Rog. Clerk de Tatchbrook Rich. Briches de Longedon Will. Reynold de Attilburgh Ioh. Michell majoris civitatis Coventrae Will. Donington unius Ballivorum civitatis Predictae Rob. Southam alterius Ballivorum civitatis Predicte Egidii Alles sley Magistri Gildae Sanctae Trinitatis de Coventrae Lauren. Cook de Coventrae Merchant Rich. Sharp de eadem Merchant Rich. Boton de eadem Fishmonger Ioh. Lychefeld de eadem Grasier
him home and commanded him to surrender his acquests into his hands which done he received them again by re-grant from the King save that Henry reserved the City of Dublin for himself This Strongbow is he who is commonly called Domitor Hiberniae The Tamer of Ireland though the Natives thereof then and many hundred years after paid rather â—…erbal submission than real obedience to our English Kings Yea some of their great Lords had both the power and Title of Kings in their respective Territories witness the Preface in the Commission whereby King Henry the second made William Fitz. Adelme his Lieutenant of Ireland Archiepiscopis Episcopis Regibus Comitibus Baronibus omnibus fidelibus suis in Hibernia Salutem Where Kings are postposed to Bishops which speaketh them Royolets by their own ambition and by no solemn inauguration This Earl Richard died at Dublin 1177. and lieth buried in Trinity Church therein Sir ROGER WILLIAMS born of an ancient Family at Penrosse in this County was first a Souldier of Fortune under Duke D'Alva and afterwards successfully served Queen Elizabeth having no fault save somewhat over-free and forward to fight When a Spanish Captain challenged Sir John Norris to fight a single Combat which was beneath him to accept because a General This Roger undertook the Don. And after they had fought some time both Armies beholding them without any hurt they pledged each other a deep â—…raught of Wine and so friendly departed Another time at midnight he assaulted the Camp of the Prince of Parma nigh Venloe slew some of the enemies and pierced to the Tent of the General as highly blamed by some for rashness as commended by others for his valour He bravely defended Slufe whilest any hope of help WILLIAM HERBERT Earl of Pembroke with Sir Richard Herbert his Brother were both undoubtedly born in this County but whether or no at Ragland Castle is uncertain Both valiant men and as fast Friends to King Edward the fourth as professed Foes to Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick They gave the last and clearest evidence hereof in the Battel of Banbury where we find it reported that these two leading the Army of the Welsh with their Poll-Axes twice made way through the Battel oâ—… the Northern men which sided with King Henry the sixth without any mortal wound There passeth a tradition in the Noble Family of the Herberts of Chierbury that this Sir Richard their Ancestor slew that day one hundred and forty men with his own hands which if done in charging some censure as an act of impossibility if after a rout in an execution as a deed of cruelty But others defend both truth and courage therein as done in passing and repassing through the Army Indeed Guns were and were not in fashion in that age used sometimes in sieges but never in field service and next the Gun the Poll-Ax was the mortal Weapon especially in such a Dead hanâ—… as this Knight had with which Quot icti tot occisi He is reported also to be of a Giants stature the Peg being extant in Mountgomery Castle whereon he used to hang his Hat at dinner which no man of an ordinary height can reach with his hand at this day However both these brave brethren circumvented with the subtilty of their Foes Odds at any time may be bet on the side of treachery against valour were brought to Banbury beheaded and buried the Earl at Tinterne and Sir Richard at Abergaveny in this County Writers JEFFREY of Monmouth was born in and named from Monmouth He was also called ap Arthur from his Father as I suppose though others say because he wrote so much of King Arthur but by the same proporâ—…ion Homer may be termed Achillides and Virgil the Son of Aeneas Yea this Jeffrey by an ancienter title might be sirnamed ap Bruit whose story he asserteth He translated and compiled the various British Authors into one Volume I am not so much moved at William Newbourough calling this his book Ridicula sigmenta as that Giraldus Cambrensis his Countryman and as I may say Con-sub-temporary should term it Fabulosam historiam Indeed he hath many things from the British Bards which though improbable are not ipso facto untrue We know Herodotus nick-named by some Pater Fabularum is by others acknowledged to be Pater Historiarum The truth is that both Novelants and Antiquaries must be content with many falshoods the one taking Reports at the first rebound before come to the other raking them out of the dust when past their perfection Others object that he is too hyperbolical in praising his own Countrey A catching disease seeing Livy mounts Italy to the skyes and all other Authors respectively and why should that be mortal in our Monmouth what is but venial in others And if he be guilty in Mis-timing of actions he is not the onely Historian without company in that particular However on the occasion of the premisses his book is prohibited by his Holiness whilst the lying Legend is permitted to be read without controul Thus Rome loves questuosa non inutilia figmenta Falshoods whereby she may gain Some conceive it to be his greatest fault that he so praiseth the ancient Church in Britain making it Independent from the See of Rome before Austin the Monk came hither One maketh him a Cardinal which is improbable whilest it is more certain that he was Bishop of St. Asaph and flourished Anno 1152. THOMAS of Monmouth was probably born certainly bred and brought up in the chief Town of this County Nor doth it move me to the contrary because Pits calls him an Englishman Monmouth in that Age being a Frontier Garrison peopled with English Inhabitants It happened at this time many Jews lived in Norwich where their habitation was called Abrahams Hall though therein not practising the piety of that worthy Patriarch He out of conformity to Gods command sacrificed his one and onely son they contrary to his will in his Word crucified the child of another William by name His Sepulchre was afterwards famed for many miracles whereof this Thomas wrote an History and dedicated it to William de Turbes Bishop of Norwich though he lived above six score miles from the place of those strange performances But probably the farther the better Major è longinquo reverencia and miracles are safest reported and soonest believed at some competent distance He flourished Anno 1160. under King Henry the Second Benefactors to the Publick HENRY PLANTAGENET first Duke of Lancaster was born in Monmouth castle the chief seat of his Barony He is commonly sirnamed de torto collo or the wry-neck and by others the good Duke of Lancaster by which name we entitle him it being fitter to call men from what was to be praised than what to be pâ—…tied in them not from their natural defects but moral perfections His bounty commends him to our mention in this place being head of