Gregorie the Pope had appointed Mathew of Westminster saith that Merlin had prophecied Dignitas Londoniae adornabit Dorobriniam William Malmesbury writeth that he did it Sedulitate Regis hospitis meaning King Ethelbert châ—ritate ciuium captus But I thinke verely that he ment thereby to leaue a glorious monument of his swelling pride vanitie wherevnto I am the rather led by the obseruation of his stately behauiour vsed towards the Bryttish Bishops and some other of his acts that sauour greatly of vaineglory ambition and insolence Whatsoeuer the cause were that moued him thus to apparell Canterbury with the Archebishop of Londons Palle at Canterbury hath it continued euer sithence sauing that at one time Offa the King of Mercia or midle England partly of a disposition to honour his owne countrie and partly of a iuste displeasure conceaued againste Lambright or Ianbright as some copies haue it the thirtéenth Archebishop for matter of treason translated the honour of the See eyther wholly or partly to Lichefield But there it remained not long for after the death of King Offa Kenulsus his successour restored Ethelard to his place at Canterbury againe The whole Prouince of this Bishopricke of Canterbury was at the firste diuided by Theodorus the seuenthe Bishop into fiue Diocesse only howbeit in processe of tyme it grewe to twentie and one besides it selfe leauing to Yorke which by the first institution should haue had as many as it but Durham Carleil and Chester only And whereas by the same ordinance of Gregorie neither of these Archebishoppes ought to be inferiour to other saue only in respect of the prioritie of their consecration Lanfranc thinking it good reason that he should make a conquest of the Englishe Clergie since his maister King William had vanquished the whole nation conteÌ„ded at Windsore with Thomas Norman Archebishoppe of Yorke for the primacie and there by iudgement before Hugo the Popes Legate recouered it from him so that euer since the one is called Totius Angliae primas and the other Angliae primas without any further addition Of which iudgement one forsooth hathe yeelded this great reason that euen as the Kentish people by an auncient prerogatiue of manhoode doe chalenge the first fronte in eache battaile from the inhabitants of other countries So the Archbishop of their shyre ought by good congruence to be preferred before the rest of the Byshops of the whole Realme Moreouer whereas before time the place of this Archebishop in the generall Counsell was to sit next to the Bishop of sainct Ruffines Anselmus the Successour of this Lanfranc for recompence of the good seruice that hee had done in ruffling againste Priestes wyues and resisting the King for the inuestiture of clerkes was by Pope Vrbane endowed with this accession of honour that hee and his successours should froÌ„ thencefoorth haue place in all generall counsels at the Popes right foote who then said withall Includamus hunc in orbe nostro tanquam alterius orbis Papam And thus the Archebishops of Canterbury by the fraude of Augustine by the power of Lanfranc and by the industrie of Anselme were muche exalted but how much that was to the greeuous displeasure and pining enuie of the Archbyshops of Yorke you shall perceiue by that whiche followeth King Henry the firste kept vpon a time a stately Christmas at Windsore where the maner of our kings then being at certeine solemne times to weare their crownes Thurstine of Yorke hauing his crosse borne vp before him offered to set the crowne vpon the kings head But William of Canterbury withstoode it stoutly and so preuayled by the fauoure of the king and the helpe of the standers by that Thurstine was not onely disappointed of his purpose but he and his crosse also thrust cleane out of the doores William of Yorke the next in succession after Thurstine both in the Sée and Quarell perceiuing that the force of his predecessor preuayled nothing attempted by his own humble meanes first made to the king and after to the Pope to winne the coronation of king Henry the seconde from Theobald the nexte Archbyshop of Canterbury But when he had receiued repulse in that sort of suite also and found no way left to make auengement vpon his enemie he returned home al wrothe and mixing poyson in the chalice at his Masse wreaked the anger vpon himselfe After this another hurley burley happened in a Synode assembled at Westminster in the time of king Henry the second before Cardinal Hugo Pope Alexanders Legate betwéen Richard and Roger then Archbishops of these two Sées vpon occasion that Roger of York comming of purpose as it should séeme first to the assembly had taken vp the place on the right hande of the Cardinall which when Richard of Canterbury had espyed he refused to sit downe in the second roome complayning greatly of this preiudice done to his Sée whervpon after sundry replies of speache the weaker in disputation after the maner of shrewd schole boyes in LoÌ„don streats descended froÌ„ hote words to hastie blowes in which encounter the Archbyshop of Canterburie through the multitude of his meiney obteined the better So that he not onely plucked the other out of his place and trampling vpon his body with his his féete al to rent and tare his Casule Chimer and Rochet but also disturbed the holy Synode therwithal in suche wise that the Cardinall for feare betooke him to his féete the company departed their businesse vndone and the Byshops themselues moued suite at Rome for the finishing of their controuersie By these such other successes on the one side the Byshops of Canterburie following tooke suche courage that from thencefoorth they woulde not permit the Byshops of Yorke to beare vp the crosse either in their presence or prouince And on the other side the Byshops of Yorke conceiued suche griefe of heart disdaine and offence that from time to time they spared no occasion to attempt both the one the other Wherevpon in the time of a Parleament holden at LondoÌ„ in the reigne of King Henrie the third Boniface Archbishop of Canterbury interdicted the Londoners bycause they had suffered the Byshop of Yorke to beare vp his crosse whiles he was in the citie And much to doe there was within a few yeeres after betwéene Robert Kylwarby of Canterburie and Walter Giffard of Yorke bycause he of Yorke aduaunced his crosse as he passed through Kent towardes the generall Counsell The like happened also at two other seuerall times betwéene Friar Peckam Archebyshop of Canterburie and William Winkewane and Iohn de Roma Archbyshops of Yorke in the dayes of King Edwarde the firste At the length the matter being yet once more set on foote betwéene Simon Islepe the Archebishop of this countrie and his aduersarie the incumbent of Yorke for that time King Edward the third in whose reigne that variance was reuined resumed the matter into his owne hande and made a finall
man And of the other that it is praise worthy also if at the lengthe being satisfied with gaine as it hath often come from the Sea to the Hauen So it chaunge from the Hauen into landes and possessions And therefore in my fantasie where as Geruas Tilber in his obseruations of the Eschequer accompteth it an abasing for a Gentleman to occupie Publicum mercimonium common buying and selling it ought to be referred to the other two parts of Merchandize that is to Negotiatiō which is retayling or keping of a standing shop and to Inuection which is to exercise Mercerye or as some cal it to play the Chapman and not to Nauigation which as you sée is the only laudable part of all buying and sellinge And againe whereas in our law it is reputed a Disparagement for a warde in Chiualrie which in old time was as much to say as a Gentleman to be maried to the daughter of one that dwelt in a Borowe I thinke that it also ought to be restrained to suche onely as professed handicrafts or those baser Artes of buying and selling to get their liuing by But of all this matter my Maisters the Heraldes can better infourme you to whome least I be blamed for thrusting my Sicle into an other mans Haruest I wil without any more referre you Tunbridge Wrotham this towne and Northfleete doe lye Northe and Southe one from another and it is a commune and receaued opinion amongst the Countrie people that you may be conueyed from the Thamise side to the edge of Sussex in these foure Parishes So that the whole Shyre by that reckoning should be but foure Parishes broade and yet .19 or 20. myles ouer on this part If any man doubt of the trueth let himselfe make the triall for I dare not warrant it Wrotham in Latine Vaginacae It is in the Domesday booke corruptly written Brotcham for I suppose that ƿyrHam is the very right name giuen for the great plentie of woorts or good hearbs that growe there THere was in Wrotham of auncient time a Manor house perteining to the Sée of the Archebishops For Geruasius witnesseth that one Richard the Archebishop that succéeded Thomas Becket lay there And that after suche time as he had by great largition and bribery preuailed at Rome bothe against King Henrie the Sonne of the second of that name in his owne consecration against Roger the Bishop of Yorke in the quarel of preeminencie and against other in other vain suits so that it might neuer be more truly said of that Citie in Paganisme it self Romae omnia ire venum then in that time of Papistrie he had a moste terrible dreame or vision in in his sléep at Wrotham the manner wherof as he reporteth was this It séemed to him that a verie graue and reuerend personage came to his bed side by night and demaunded of him in a loude voyce who art thou with whiche noyse when the Archebishop awaked and for feare answered nothing it added moreouer Thou art he that hast scattered the goods of the Churche committed to thy charge and therefore I will scatter thee and so with the woord vanished out of sight The Archebishop arose in the morning and hauing intended a iourney to Rochester addressed him selfe thitherward but this vision continually presented it selfe before the eye of his minde and so troubled him that for ease of his inward griefe he began to disclose the whole order of it to suche as were in his companie wherof he had no sooner made an end but he was forthwith stricken with such a horrour and chille colde that he was driuen of necessitie to alight at Halling in his way where in great torment he ended his lyfe the next daye following This house continued here vntill the time of Simon Islip the Archebishop who hauing a desire to finishe the Palaice at Maidston whiche Iohn Vfford his predecessour had begon and wanting wherwith to accomplishe it not onely pulled downe the building at Wrotham and conueied the stuffe thither but also obteined of the Pope licence to leuie a Tenthe throughout his whole Prouince to performe his work withall Kemsing IN the late time of the Popish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image of Edithe the Daughter of King Egdar and sometime Prioresse of Wylton in the West Countrie was religiously frequented in the Churcheyarde at Kemsing for the preseruation of Corne and Graine from Blasting Myldewe Brandeare and suche other harmes as commonly annoy it The manner of the whiche sacrifice was this Some séely bodie broughte a pecke or two or a Bushel of Corne to the Churche and after prayers made offered it to the Image of the Saint Of this offering the Priest vsed to reteine the greatest portion and then to take one handfull or litle more of the residue for you must consider he would be sure to gaine by the bargaine the whiche after aspersion of holy water and mumbling of a few wordes of coniuration he first dedicated to the Image of Saint Edithe and then deliuered it backe to the partie that brought it who then departed with full persuasion that if he mingled that hallowed handefull with his séede Corne it would preserue from harme and prosper in growthe the whole heape that he should sowe were it neuer so great a masse I remember that I haue read in Terentius Varro that the olde Romans amongst innumerable others had in great veneration one God which of Robigo a canker in Corne they called Robigus and to whom they made deuoute intercession and solemne sacrifice for the preseruation and deliuerie of their graine from the selfe same annoyances that ours is subiect vnto Howe muche that God of the Romanes and our Godesse of Kemsing differed in profession let some Popish gadder after straunge Gods make the accompt for I my selfe can finde no oddes at all And truely were it not that I am lothe to anticipate nowe before time that which I shall God graunting haue bothe fit place and méete time to vtter hereafter I could easily shew that the olde Romans and our newe Romanistes agréed in manner throughout bothe in the propertie and number of their Gods if at the least they be numerable in the manner and multitude of their sacrifices in the times and formes of their solemnities in the reporte of their false and fayned myracles and finally almost in that whole heape and dunghill of theire filthie and superstitious Idolatries But I will awayt conuenient seasons and at this tyme giue to euerie man the same and none other counsell then Plautus a heathen Poet in deede and yet in this behalfe more heauenly then any Papiste sometime gaue in the like case saying Vnus dum tibi propitius est Iupiter tu hosce minutos Deos flocci feceris While Iupiter is thy friend set not thou a straw by these petie Gods. Otforde in Saxon Ottanford WE haue mentiō in ancient hystorie of two famous battels foughten at Otford whereof
composition betwéene them the which he published vnder his broade seale to this effect first that eache of them should fréely and without empeachement of the other beare vp his crosse in the others Prouince but yet so that he of Yorke and his successours for euer in signe of subiection should within two monethes after their inthronization either bring or sende to Canterbury the Image of an Archebishop bearing a crosse or some other Iewell wrought in fine golde to the value of fourtie poundes and offer it openly there vpon Sainct Thomas Beckets shryne then that in all Synodes of the clergie and assemblies where the King should happen to be present he of Canterbury should haue the right hand and the other the lefte finally that in broade streetes and highe wayes their crossebearers should go togeather but that in narrowe lanes and in the entries of doores and gates the crossier of Canterbury should go before and the other followe and come behinde So that as you sée the Bishoppes of Canterbury euermore preuayling by fauour and obstinacie they of Yorke were driuen in the end to giue ouer in the plain field for very dispaire wanhope and weerinesse But heare by the way I woulde faine for my learning knowe of these godly Fathers or rather since themselues can not now make answer of some of their vngodly fauourers whether this their Helena this crosse for the bearing whereof they contended so long and so bitterly that a man might doubt with the Poet Peceat vter Cruce dignius whether I say it were exalted as the signe of that Crosse whereon Christ triumphed ouer the Diuel or els but for a flagge and antsigne of their owne pride whereby they sought to triumphe and insult the one ouer the other And againe if it were Christes crosse then why they did forbid it to bee aduaunced at any time by any person or in any place Or if it were but their owne then why they did and yet doe commaund vs simple soules not only with greate humilitie but with diuine honour also to prostrate our selues and to adore it I am sure they may be ashamed to affirme it to bee the one I thinke they wil be ashamed to confesse it to be the other I wil ceasse therfore to vrge it any further wil prosecute the Catalogue of the Archebishoppes of this See since the arriual of Augustine In the which the first seuen be of that number which Pope Gregorie sent hither out of Italie The next twentie thrée and Stigande were Saxons all the residue Normanes Englishmen And bycause there is some variance as touching the times of their continuance and sitting I purpose to shew vnder one view the opinion of two sundrie authours so farre foorth as they haue spoken therof that is to say William of Malmesbury and an auncient Chronicler of Couentrie whose name I haue not hytherto learned and in the residue to follow our owne late and receaued writers The beginnings of their gouernements after the Annales of Canterbury The yeres of their Continuance in gouernment after the opinion of An. Do.  Wil. Malm. Chro. Couen 599. Augustine whome our Louanistes call the Englishe Apostle 16. 16. 612. Laurence 5. 5. 617. Mellite 5. 5. 624. Iustus 3. 9. 626. Honorius 26. 20. 653. Deusdedit or Deodat the first Saxon. 10. 9.  Wighard whiche dyed at Rome before his consecration   668. Theodore a Graecian borne and the last of those that came out of Italie 22. 22. 691. Brightwald 37. 38. 731. Tatwine 3. 4. 737. Nothelinus or Iocelin 5. 7. 741. Cuthbert the first that was buryed in Christeschurche and that obteined churchyards for England 17. 17. 759. Bregwine 3. 3. 774. Lanbright or Ianbright in his time the See was translated to Lichefield 17. 17. 790. Aethelwardus he recouered the See to Canterbury againe  23.  Wulfredus or Wifred 28. 28. 830. Fegeldus or Swithredus thrée monethes 831. Celnothus or Eilnothus 41. 41. 890. Etheredus or Etheldredus 18. 18.  Pleimundus one of the learned men that instructed king Alfred 34. 34. 925. Athelmus 12. 13. 947. Wulfhenius or Wulfhelmus 13. 14. 956. Odo or Odosegodus 5. 20. 958. Elfsius or Elfsinus or Elsinus whiche dyed before his consecration in his iourney towardes Rome in reuenge as they say bicause he came in by Simonie and sporned at the Tumbe of his predecessor    Brithelmus was elected but king Edgar reiected him   970. Dunstanus the famous Iuggler  26. 989. Ethelgarus 1. 1. 991. Siricius by his aduice King Etheldred gaue to the Danes a great summe of money 5. 5. 996. Alfricus   1004. Aelfegus hee was slaine by the Danes 6. 6. 1012. Liuingus or Ethelstanus 7. 7.  Eilwardus   1020. Egelnothus 18. 18. 1038. Eadsius or Edsinus who for siknes cōmitted the charge to Siwardus the Abbat of Abingdon after Bishoppe of Rochester whiche neuerthelesse vouchesafed not to finde him necessaries 11. 11. 1050. Robertus Gemeticensis the first Norman aduaunced by King Edward the confessor 12. 12. 1053. Stigandus deposed by the conquerour 17. 17. 1072. Lanfrancus in his time the Bishoppes Sees were first remoued from villages to Cities 19. 19 1093. Anselmus in his time lawe was first made to diuorce Priestes from their wiues 16. 16. 1114. Radulphus Roffensis surnamed Nugax  9. 1122. Willimus de Corueil he crowned Stephan against his fayth giuē to Maude the Empresse  15. 1138. Theobaldus he was endowed firste with the title of Legatus Natus by Pope Innocent the second  23. 1162. Thomas Becket the first Englisheman after the Conquest  8. Robertus the Abbat of Bec was elected but he refused it   1173. Richardus the Pryor of Douer  9. 1183. Baldwinus the bishop of Worcester he dyed in the expedition that king Richard the first made into Syria was before at great contention with the Monkes  7. Reginaldus he dyed before consecration   1193. Hubertus  13. 1205. Stephanus de Langton the cause of the trouble of king Iohn  21. 1228. Gualterus de Euesham elected but refused bothe by the King and Pope for the insufficiencie of learning   1229. Richardus Magnus  8. 1233. Iohannes the Sub-prior of Christs churche was elected after the Pope had refused one Ralph Neuel but this Iohn resigned in whose place Iohn Blund was chosen but that election also was repealed   1234. Edmundus de Abingdon the one twentie Bishop of Cant. that the Popes had canonized He departed the realme died for anger of a repulse  7. 1244. Bonifacius vncle to Elenor the wife of Henrie the thirde  16. 1270. Willelmus de Chillenden elected but he resigned to the Pope who chose Kilwardby   1272. Robertus Kilwardby Friar preacher  6. 1278. Iohannes Burnel Bishop of Bathe elected but the Pope refused him and appoynted Friar Peckam   1279. Iohannes de Peckam a friar Minor born in Sussex  13. 1292.
therof namely that One brother had wel helped another is woorde for woord stollen from thence for William whiche liued before Ealred reporteth that king Ethelstane by persuasion of one that was his cupbearer had banished Eadwine his owne brother for suspicion of treason and had committed him to the Seas and windes in an olde shaken and fraile vessel without saile oare or companion saue one Esquier only in whiche exile he perished and that afterward the King vnderstanding his brothers innocencie and sorowing his owne rashnesse tooke occasion by sight of his cupbearers foote slipping to be auenged of the false accusation euen as it is here tolde of King Edward But Ealred forsoothe was so fully disposed to magnifie King Edward bycause he so muche magnified the Monkishe and single life that he sticked not at greater matters then this affirming boldely that the same King while he hearde Masse at Westminster sawe betwéene the Priestes handes Christe blessing him with his fingers That at another Masse he sawe the seuen sleapers at Ephesus turne them selues on the one side after they had sleapt seuentie yeares together on the other which séeing it was within fiue yeares of so many as Epimenides sleapt Ealred in my phansie is worthy to haue the seconde game at the whetstone Furthermore that S. Iohn Baptist sent to King Edward a King of Golde from Ierusalem whiche he him selfe had sometime before giuen to a poore man that asked almes of him in the name of S. Iohn And suche other matters of like credite whiche bothe for the vanitie of the things them selues being méete to haue place in Philopseudes of Lucian and for the desire that I haue to kéepe order I will pretermit and returne to my purpose Richeborowe in Latine Vrbs Rutupina in Saxon ReptacHester the name being forged as I coniecture either of the Bryttishe woord Rwyd whiche signifieth a net in token that it stoode by fishing or of Rwydd whiche signifieth speede bycause from thence as some thinke is the moste shorte and speedy cutte ouer the Seas MAthew the Monke of Westminster Authour of the woorke called Flores Hystoriarum taketh the place whiche Beda Ptolome and others call Rutupi to be Sandwiche and therefore he applieth to the one whatsoeuer he findeth of the other but bicause Iohn Leland a man generally acquainted with the antiquities of the Realme affirmeth in his worke whiche hee intituled Syllabus in Genethliacon Eaduerdi Rutupi to haue been where Richeborowe now is to whiche opinion I rather incline I thinke good to giue them seuerall titles and to speake of Richeborowe by it selfe leauing to fit place for Sandwiche also suche matter as of right belongeth therevnto The whole shoare of Kent therefore that lyeth ouer against Dunkircke Calaice and Boloigne is of Caesar Iuuenal Lucan Ptolome Antoninus and others called Rutupiae or Rutupinum littus and that place of England whiche Beda taketh to be nearest to the Morines a people of Gallia Belgica whiche at this day comprehendeth Picardie Boloigne Artoys and some parte of the lowe countries is of Iohn Leland interpreted to be Richeborowe not paste halfe a myle distant from Sandwiche toward the East The same man also persuaded partly by the viewe of the place it selfe and partly by the authoritie of one Gotcelinus supposeth that Richeborow was of auncient time a Citie of some price and that it had within it a Palaice where King Ethelbert receiued Augustine As for the title of a Citie I doubt not but that if the ruines of the auncient walles yet extant or the remenants of the Romane coyne often found there did not at all inforce the likelyhoode yet the authoritie of Beda alone which calleth it plainly a citie would suffice But whether it were the Palaice of King Ethelbert when he entertained Augustine he that shall aduisedly read the first Chapter of Beda his first boke of the Ecclesiastical storie shall haue iust cause to doubt for asmuch as he sheweth manifestly that the King came from his Palaice in the Continent out of Thanet to Augustine Leland himselfe confesseth that Richeborow was then within Thanet although that since that time the water hath chaunged his course and shut it cleane out of the Island Now where some men as I said haue taken it to bée Sandwiche I take them to bee greatly deceaued For Richeborowe being corruptly so sounded for Reptsborowe hathe remayning in it the very rootes as I may speake it of Reptachester And Reptachester saith Beda and Rutupi Portus are all one So then Chester being tourned to Borow whiche be in deede two wordes but yet in manner of one signification and effect Rept and Riche haue ome affinitie the one with the other but neyther Riche Repta nor Rutupi can haue with Sandwiche any manner of similitude Thus muche of the name and antiquitie of this poore Towne whiche was in tyme of the olde Brytons of great price and the common Port or place of arriuall out of Fraunce whereof we finde no other note in latter hystorie either bicause the same was long since before the comming of the Saxons neglected when as the Romanes had lost their interest within this Realme Or else for that soone after their arriuall it decayed by reason that the water chaunged his course and lefte it dry So that nowe most aptly that may be sayde of this towne neare to the Isle Thanet whiche Virgil some time wrate of Tened it selfe Diues opum Priami dum regna manebant Nunc tantum sinus statio malè fida carinis A wealthy land while Priams state and kingdome vpright stoade But nowe a bay and harbour bad for ships to lye at roade But nowe I will make towarde Sandwiche the first of the Portes as my iourney lyeth and by the way speake somewhat of the Fiue Portes in generall The Cinque Portes I Finde in the booke of the general suruey of the realme whiche William the Conquerour caused to be made in the fourth yere of his reigne to be called Domesday bycause as Mathew Parise saieth it spared no man but iudged all men indifferently as the Lord in that great day wil doe that Douer Sandwiche and Rumney were in the time of King Edward the confessour discharged almoste of all maner of impositions and burdens whiche other towns dyd beare in consideration of suche seruice to bee done by them vpon the Sea as in their speciall titles shall hereafter appeare wherevpon although I might groūd by reasonable coniecture that the immunity of the hauē Townes which we nowe cal by a certaine number the Cinque Portes might take their beginning from the same Edward yet for as muche as I read in the Chartre of King Edward the first after the conquest whiche is reported in our booke of Entries A recitall of the grauntes of sundrie Kinges to the Fiue Portes the same reaching no higher then to William the Conquerour I will leaue my coniecture and leane to his
this shoare Folkstone in Saxon folcestane Id est Populi Lapis or else flostane whiche signifieth a rocke or a flawe of stone AMongest the places lying on this shoare worthy of note nexte after Douer followeth Folkstone where Eanfled or rather Eanswide the daughter of Eadbalde the sonne of Ethelbert and in order of succession the sixte King of Kent long since erected a religious Pryorie of women not in the place where S. Peters Churche at Folkstone nowe standeth but Southe from thence where the Sea many yeares agoe hath swalowed and eaten it And yet least you shoulde thinke S. Peters Parishe churche to be voyde of reuerence I must let you knowe of Noua Legenda Angliae that before the Sea had deuoured all S. Eanswides reliques were translated thither The author of that worke reporteth many wonders of this woman as that she lengthened a beame of that building thrée foote when the Carpenters missing in their measure had made it so muche too shorte That she haled and drew water ouer the hilles against nature That she forbad certain rauenous birdes the countrey which before did muche harme there abouts That she restored the blynde caste out the Diuel and healed innumerable folkes of their infirmities And therefore after her deathe she was by the policie of the Popishe priestes and follie of the common people honoured for a Sainct And no maruail at all for it was vsuall in Papistrie not onely to magnifie their Benefactours of all sortes but to edifie also so many of them at the leaste as were of noble Parentage knowing that thereby triple commoditie ensued the first for as muche as by that meane they assured many great personages vnto them secondly they drewe by the awe of their example infinite numbers of the common people after them And lastly they aduentured the more bouldly vnder those honourable and glorious names and titles to publishe their pouishe and pelting miracles And this surely was the cause that Sexburge in Shepie Mildred in Tanet Etheldred at Elye Edith at Wilton and sundrie other simple women of Royall blood in eache quarter were canonized Saincts for generally the Religious of those tymes were as thankfull to their Benefactors as euer were the heathen nations to their first Kings and founders The one sort Sanctifying suche as did either builde them houses or deuise them orders And the other Deifying suche as had made them Cities or prescribed them Lawes and gouernement This was it that made Saturne Hercules Romulus and others moe to haue place in common opinion with the Gods aboue the starres and this caused Dunstane Edgar Ethel would and others first to be shryued here in earth and then to sit amongest the Saincts in Heauen But let me now leaue their policie and returne to the Hystorie The Towne of Folkestone was sore spoyled by Earle Godwine and his Sonnes what time they harried that whole coast of Kent for reuenge of their banishment as we haue often before remembred The Hundred of Folkstone conteined in the time of King Edward the Confessour a hundrethe and twentie ploughe landes it had in it fiue Parishe Churches it was valued at a hundrethe and ten poundes belonged to the Earle Godwine before named The Manor was giuen to William Albranc of whome I made mention in Douer with condition to finde one and twentie warders toward the defence of that Castle and it grewe in time to be the head of an honour or Baronie as in the Records of the Exchequer remaineth as yet to bée séene Saltwood THat Saltwood was long sithence an Honor also it may appeare by an auÌ„cient writ directed by King Henrie the second from beyond the Seas to King Henrie his Sonne for the restitution of Thomas Becket the Archebishop to all suche goodes landes and fées as were taken from him during the displeasure betwéene them whiche writ bothe for shewe of the auncient forme and bycause it conteineth the matter of hystorie I wil not stick to exemplifie word for woord as Mathewe Parise hathe recorded it Sciatis quod Thomas Cant. Episcopus paceÌ„ mecum fecit ad voluntatem meam ideo praecipio tibi vt ipse omnes sui pacem habeant faciatis ei habere suis omnes res suas bene in pace honorifice sicut habuerunt tribus meÌ„sibus antequaÌ„ exirent Angliae faciatisque venire coraÌ„ vobis de melioribus antiquioribus militibus de honore de Saltwood eoruÌ„ iurameÌ„to faciatis inquiri quid ibi habetur de feodo Archiepiscopatê° Cant. quod recognituÌ„ fuerit esse de feodo ipsius ipsi faciatis habere valete But if this Recorde of the Kings suffise not to proue the honour of this place then here I pray you a woorde of the honourable or rather the Pontificall dealing of William Courtney the Archbishop who taking offence that certaine poore men his Tenants of the Manor of Wingham had brought him rent hay and littar to Canterbury not openly in cartes for his glorie as they were accustomed but closely in sackes vpon their horses as their abilitie would suffer cited them to this his castle of Saltwood and there after that he had shewed himself Adria iracundiorem as hote as a toste with the matter he first bound them by othe to obey his owne ordinauÌ„ce then inioyned them for penance that they should each one marche leisurely after the procession bareheaded barefooted with a sacke of hey or strawe on his shoulder open at the mouthe so as the stuffe might appeare hanging out of the bag to all the beholders Nowe I beséeche you what was it els for this proude Prelate thus to insult ouer simple men for so small a fault or rather for no fault at all but Laureolam in Mustaceis querere and no better Thus muche at this present of the Place for as touching the first matter concerning Thomas that shall appeare at large in Canterbury following And therefore leauing on our right hand the stately partes of Syr Edward Poynings vnperfect buylding at Ostenhangar let vs sée what is to be said of Hyde Hyde is written in Saxon Hyþe that is the Hauen and called of Leland in Latine Portus Hithinus in some Recordes Hethe THe name of this place importing as it should séeme by the generalitie therof some note of worthinesse and the long continued priuileges therevnto belonging it self being long since one of the fiue principal Portes at the first led me and happely may hereafter moue others also to thinke that it had béene of more estimation in tyme past then by any other thing nowe apparant may well be coniectured Howbeit after that I had somewhat diligently searched the Saxon antiquities from whence if from any at all the beginning of the same is to be deriued had perused the booke of Domesday wherein almoste nothing especially that might bée profitable was pretermitted and yet found litle or in manner nothing concerning
whereas in my fantasie there can be assigned none other certaine boundes thereof then suche as we haue before recited out of the auncient Hystories For euen as in the olde time being then a méere solitude and on no part inhabited it might easily be circumscribed So since being continually from time to time made lesse by industrie it coulde not long haue any standing or permanent termes And therefore what so euer difference in common report there be as touching the same for as muche as it is nowe thanked be God in manner wholy replenished with people a man maye more reasonably mainteine that there is no Weald at all then certainely pronounce eyther where it beginneth or maketh an ende And yet if question in Lawe shoulde fortune to be moued concerning the limits of the Weald as in déede it maye happen vpon the Statute of Woods and otherwise I am of opinion that the same ought to be decided by the verdite of twelue men grounded vpon the common reputation of the countrey thereaboutes and not by any other meanes But bycause I wote not howe the naturall and auncient inhabitantes of this countrey will beare it that a young Nouesse and lately adopted Denizen shoulde thus boldely determine at their disputations I will here for a while leaue the Weald and go foorth to the residue Farley in Saxon farrlega and may be interpreted the place of the Boares or Bulles FArley both the East and West bordering vpon Medwey belonged somtime to the Monkes of Christes Churche in Canterbury to whom it yealded in the dayes of King Edward the Confessour twelue hundreth Eeles for a yearely rent This I exemplifie to the ende that it may appeare that their reseruations in auncient time were as well in victuall as in money and that thereof the landes so leased were called Fermes of the Saxon worde feormian whiche is to féede or yeald victuall Whiche Etymologie of the worde although it might suffice to the proofe of that matter yet to the end that my coniecture may haue the more force I will ad vnto it the authoritie of Geruasius Tilberiensis a learned man that flourished in the dayes of King Henrie the seconde who in his Dialogue of the obseruations of the Exchequer hath in effecte as followeth Vntill the time sayth he of King Henrie the first the Kings vsed not to receiue money of their lands but victuals for the necessarie prouision of their house And towardes the payment of the Souldiours wages and suche like charges money was raysed out of the Cities and Castles in whiche husbandrie and tillage was not exercised But at the length when as the King being in the partes beyonde the Seas néeded ready money towarde the furniture of his warres and his subiectes and farmers complayned that they were grieuously troubled by cariage of victuals into sundry parts 〈…〉 the Realme farre distant from their dwelling houses The King directed comission to certaine discrete persons whiche hauing regarde of the value of those victuals should reduce them into reasonable summes of money The leueying of whiche summes they appointed to the Sheriffe taking ordre withall that he should pay them at the Scale or Beame that is to say that he should pay sixe pence ouer aboue euery pound waight of money because they thought that the money in time would waxe so muche the woorse for the wearing c. Thus farre Geruasius I am not ignorant that Geruasius him selfe in an other place of that Booke deriueth the woord Ferme from the Latine Firma Howbeit for asmuche as I know assuredly that the terme was vsed here amongst the Saxons before the comming of the Conquerour and that the Etymon therof descended from the Saxon language whereof happely Geruasius being a Norman was not muche skilfull I am as bolde to leaue his opinion for the deriuation as I was readie to cleaue to his reporte for the Hystorie Maidstone contractly for Medweys Towne in Saxon MeSƿegestun that is the Towne vpon Medway it is taken to be that whiche in Antoninus is called Duropronis One auncient Saxon boke which I haue seene writeth it thus Maegþanstane whiche is as muche to say as the mightie or strong stone a name belike giuen for the Quarrey of hard stone there THe name of this Towne being framed as the moste part thinke out of the name of the water might easely moue a man to iudge that it had béen long since the Principall towne vpon the Riuer whereon it is situated The rather for that the Saxons in imposing the names of their chiefe places vsed to borowe for the moste parte the names of the waters adioyning as Colchester was so by them called of the water Colne Ciceter or rather Cyrenchester of the water Cyren in Latine Corinius Donchaster of the Riuer of Done Lyncolne of Lindis and to come to our owne Shyre Eilesford of Eile Dartford of Darent Crayford of Cray and suche other Howebeit for asmuche as I finde not this place aboue once named in any auncient hystorie and but seldome mentioned in any Recordes that I haue séene I dare not pronounce it of any great antiquitie but speak chiefly of that whiche it hathe gotten within the compasse of late memorie In the time of King Edward the sixt therefore this Towne was incorporated and endowed with sundrie liberties all whiche soone after it forfeited by ioyning in a Rebellion moued within this Shyre vnder the Reigne of Queene Marie Neuerthelesse of late time the Quéenes Maiestie that nowe is of her great clemencie hathe not onely restoared to the Towne the former incorporation but endowed it also with great Priuilege appaireling the Maior with the authoritie of a Iustice of the Peace exempting the Townesmen from forreigne Sessions and creating the Towne it selfe a Boroughe enabled to haue voice in Parleament In it were foure principall ornamentes of building the College the Bishops Palaice the house of the Brothers of Corpus Christi and the Bridge Of whiche the first was built by Boniface the Archebishop of Canterbury and Vncle to Eleonor the wife of King Henrie the third to the honour of Peter Paule and Saint Thomas the Martyr as they would haue it and endowed with great possessions by the name of an Hospitall but commonly termed the newe woorke This had not stoode fully a hundreth and fourtie yeares but that William Courtney a successour in that Sée and a Noble man as the other was pulled it downe and erecting a newe after his owne pleasure gayned thereby the name of a founder and called it a College of Secular Priestes The Palaice that yet standeth was begonne by Iohn Vfford the Archebishop but for as much as he died before he had brought the worke to the midst Simon Islepe the next in successiō sauing one took this matter in hand not onely pulled downe a house of the Bishops which had long before stode at Wrotham but also charged his whole Prouince with a tenth to accomplishe it I
finde in a Recorde that Thomas Arundell an other Bishop of the same Sée foūded a Chaunterie at Maidston which whether it be the same that was sometime called the house of the Brothers and but lately conuerted by the Townesmen into a Frée schoole or no I will not boldely affirme but I thinke it rather so then otherwise Of the Bridge I finde no beginning but I suspect that it rose by the Archebishops whiche were not onely owners of the Palaice hard by as you sée but Lords and Patrones of the whole Towne and Church also And thus muche onely of the Town as touching the Riuer of Medwey it séemeth to haue beene so named either because it stood in the midle of the Kentish Kingdome or els for that it ranne midde betwéene the two Bishopricks For the woord Midƿeg signifieth nothing els but the Midway as Middeg dothe noone or Midday onlesse happely some man would rather haue it called Medpoeg bicause of the meddowe that it maketh all along the course of the same This Riuer is increased by the foure principall Brookes that runne into it whereof to beginne at the West the first springeth about Crowherst in Surrey not farre from the head of Darent it falleth to Eton-bridge and taking in the way Heuer Penshreste and Tunbridge ioyneth with the second at Yealding The second ariseth at Blackbrooks in Waterdown forest not fully a mile from Eredge the Lord Aburgennies house and commeth to Beyham to Lamberhirst streete and to a place in Scotney ground called litle Sussex where it méeteth with a small brooke called Beaul that springeth at Tishirst thrée miles of and giueth the name to Beauldbridge from whence they ioyne in iourney to Horsmondon and Merden and there mingling with the third they runne altogether to Yalding The third Brooke taketh beginning aboute Greate Charte and descendeth to Hedcorne Stilebridge and Merden The fourthe and last breaketh out of the ground at Lineham washeth the Castle of Ledes a litle from whence it receaueth the small water of Holingburne in a companie of the same passeth toward Maidstone At whiche place as I thinke the name of Medwey first beginneth the rather bycause it hathe there receaued all his helpes and crossing the Shyre as it were in the midst laboureth from thence in one entier Chanel to finde out the Sea. For otherwise the Riuer it selfe is properly called Egle or Eyle of whiche bothe the Towne of Ailesford and the Castle of Alington or rather Eylington doe take their names If I faile in this deriuation the fault for the firste part is his that made the Chart of this Shyre then the follie is mine that followe him but the trueth notwithstanding is easily to be found out by any man that wil make inuestigation and examine it and our trespasse also herein more veniall for that we go not about to shadowe it Piccendene Hothe commonly but aunciently written Pinenden of Pinian to punishe and so it soundeth the place of Execution or punishment RObert the Duke of Normandie had issue by a Concubine whose name as the Annales of S. Augustine reporte was Harlothe and after whom as I coniecture suche incontinent women haue euer since béen called Harlots thrée Sonnes that is to say William that afterward subdued this Realm Robert that was created Earle of Moretone and Odo that was first consecrated Bishop of Baieux then Earle of Kent and lastly Lieutenaunt or Vicegerent of this whole Realme vnder William his Brother Robert was reputed a man of small courage wisedome and learning and therefore passed his time in gloriously But Odo was found to be of nature so busie gréedie and ambitious that he moued many Tragedies within this Realme and was in the end throwen from the Stage and driuen into Normandie as hereafter in fitte place shal be more amply declared In the meane while for this present place and purpose I finde that during his aboade in Kent he had so incroched vpon the landes and Priuileges of the Archebishopricke of Canterbury and Bishopricke of Rochester that Lanfranc being promoted to that Sée of dignitie and finding the want complained to the King and obteined that with his good pleasure they might make triall of their right with him To the which end also the same King gaue commission to Goisfrid then Bishop of Constance in Normandie to represent his owne person for hearing of the controuersie caused Egelric the Bishop of Chichester an aged man singularly commended for skill in the Lawes and Customes of the Realme to be brought thether in a Wagon for his assistance in Counsell commaunded Haymo the Sheriffe of Kent to summon the whole Countie to giue in euidence and charged Odo his brother to be present at suche time and place as should be notified vnto him Pinnendene Heathe lying almost in the midst of the Shyre and therefore very indifferent for the assembly of the whole Countie was the appointed place and therevnto not onely the whole number of the moste expert men of this Shyre but of sundrie other Countries also came in great frequencie and spent thrée whole dayes in debate of these Bishops controuersies concluding in the end that Lanfranc and the Bishop of Rochester should be restored to the possession of Detling Stoce Preston Danitune and sundry other landes that Odo had withholden And that neyther the Earle of Kent nor the King him selfe had right to claime any thing in any the lands of the Archebishop sauing only these thrée customes whiche concerne the Kings highe waies that leade from one citie to an other that is to say That if any of the Archebishops tenaunts should digge in suche a highe way or fell a trée crosse the same to the hinderaunce of common passage and be taken with the manner or conuinced thereof by Lawe hee should make amendes to the King therefore And likewise when hee did committe bloudsheade manslaughter or any other criminall offence in suche were deprehended doing the fault that the amēds therof belonged to the King also but in this latter case if he were not taken with the manner but departed without pledge taken of him that then the trial and the amends perteined to the Archebishop him self and that the King had not to medle therewith On the otherside also they agréed that the Archebishop had many Priuileges throughout all the Landes of the King and of the Earle as namely the amerciament of bloudshed from suche time as they ceasse to say Alleluia in the Churche seruice till the Octaues of Easter the whiche howe long it is let them sée whiche can turne the Pie and the Portuse and at the least the one half of euerie amerciamēt due for the vnlawfull begetting of children commonly called CySƿite whiche last thing I do the rather note to the end that it may appeare that in those dayes the Bishops had not wholy gotten into their hands the correction of adulterie and fornication whiche of latter times
abiured should not be molested while they be in the highe wayes may euidently appeare I finde in Hystorie that this Watlingstreete hath heretofore not onely serued for the frée passage of the people but that it hath béen at times also a marke and bounder betwéene some Kings for the limits of their iurisdictions and authoritie For so it was betwéene Edmund and Anlaf Alfred and Guthrum and others But bycause these matters reache further then this Shyre extendeth I will reserue them to fit place and shew you in the meane while what I count note worthy on both sides of this way till I come to the Diocesse of Rochester Lyminge ON the South side of Watlingstreete and vnder the Downes Lyminge is the first that offereth it selfe concerning the which I haue found a note or twaine that make more for the antiquitie then for the estimation of the place for I reade in the Annales of S. Augustines of Canterbury that Eadbald the sonne of King Ethelbert the firste Christened King of Kent gaue it to Edburge his sister who foorthwith clocked together a sorte of simple women whiche vnder her wing there tooke vpon them the Popishe veile of widowhood But that order in time waxed colde and therefore Lanfranc the Archebishop at suche time as he builded Sainct Gregories in Canterbury as we haue touched in Tanet before reckoning it no small ornamēt of his dotation to bestowe some renouned Relique that might procure estimation to his worke translated the olde bones of Edburge from Lyminge to Sainct Gregories and verefied in Papistrie the olde Maxime of Philosophie Corruptio vnius generatio alterius Baramdowne in the Saxon BarHamdune That is to say the hill where the Bores do abide AS this place is of it selfe very fit by reason of the flat leuel and playnesse therof to array an heast of men vpon So haue we testimonie of thrée great armies that haue mustred at it The one vnder the conduict of Iulius Caesar who landing at Dele as we haue before shewed surueyed his hoast at Baramdowne and marching from thence against the Britons so daunted their forces that he compelled them to become tributarie No lesse infortunate but muche more infamous to this countrie was the time of the seconde muster whiche happened in the reigne of King Iohn who hearing that Philip the king of Fraunce had by incitation of the Pope as hath already appeared in Douer prepared a great army to inuade him and that he was ready at Calaice to take shipping determined to incounter him vpon the Sea and if that assay succéeded not then to giue him a battaile on the lande also For whiche seruice he rigged vp his shippes of warre and sent to the Sea the Earle of Salisburie whome he ordeined Admirall and calling together fit men from al the parts of the Realme he found by view taken at this place an armie of sixtie thousande men to incounter his enemies besides a sufficient number of able and armed souldiours to defende the lande withal Now whilest he thus awaited at Baramdown to heare further of his aduersaries comming Pandulph the Popes Legate sent vnto him two Knightes of the order of the Temple by whose mouthe he earnestly desired the King to graunt him audience The King assented and the Legate came vnto him and sayde in summe as followeth Beholde O Prince the King of Fraunce is in armes against thée not as against a priuate enemie to him self alone but as an open and common aduersarie bothe to the Catholike Church to the Popes holynesse to whole Christendome and to God him self Neyther commeth he vpon opinion of his owne power and strength but is armed with great confidence of Gods fauourable ayde accompanied with the consent of many great Princes furnished with the presence of suche as thou haste banished out of thy Realme and assured by the faythful promises of sundry of thyne owne Nobilitie whiche nowe are present in person with thée Consider therefore in what daunger thou standest and spare not to submit thée while space is leaste if thou persist there be no place left of further fauour The King hearing this and being vpon causes knowne to him selfe more distrustfull of Traitours at home then fearefull of enemies abroade agréed to serue the time and taking the Legate to Douer with him sealed the Golden Bull of submission whereby Englande was once againe made a tributarie Prouince to the Citie of Rome and that in so muche the more vile condition then it was before as an vsurped Ierarchie is inferiour to a noble lawfull and renoumed Monarchie For it is truely sayd Dignitate domini minus turpis est conditio serui Now when the Frenche King on the other side of the Seas had worde hereof he retired with his armie in a great choler partely for that he was thus deluded but chiefly bycause he had lost his Nauie whiche the Earle of Salisbury had set on fire in the hauen at Calaice Simon Mountfort the Earle of Leycester that was elected by the Barons of this Realme general of that armie which they raysed against King Henrie the thirde arrayed thirdly a very great hoast of men here at suche time as he feared the arriuall of Eleonar the Quéene who being daughter to the Earle of Prouince and then lefte in Fraunce behinde the King and the Earle whiche also had béen bothe there a litle before to receiue the Frenche Kings rewarde touching their controuersie ceassed not by all possible meanes to sollicite the King of Fraunce and to incite other her friendes and allies to ayde King Henrie against the Nobilitie But whether it were that presently they could not for their owne affaires or that at al they durst not knowing that their comming was awayted they serued not her desire by meanes whereof the Lordes waxed strong and soone after gaue the King a battayle in Sussex wherein they bothe tooke him and his brother Richard and his eldest sonne prisoners But as touching the originall procéeding and euent of these warres I willingly spare to speake muche in this place knowing that I shall haue opportunitie often hereafter to discourse them Nowe therefore let vs consider a few other places and then haste vs to Canterbury Charteham AFter suche time as King Iohn had made him selfe the Popes tenant of the Crown and Realme of England as euen now I tolde you the Clergie of this countrie was so oppressed with Romishe exactions that they were become not onely vnable but thereby vnwilling also to relieue the necessitie of the Prince with any prest of money as in times paste they had accustomed to do Wherat the King on the one side taking offence pressed them many times very hard not ceasing till he had wroong somewhat from them And on the other side appealing to their holy fathers ayde procured by their great coste many sharp prohibitions and proud menacies against him So that sundry times in the reigne of King Henrie the thirde this Balle
was busily tossed betwéene the King the Pope the Clergie in the mean while looking vpon but nothing laughing at the game Amongst other things done for the manifestatiō of the Popes rauine the same King at one time cōmaunded a generall suruiew to be made of the Popes yerely reuenue within this realme foūd it to surmoūt the yearely receipt of his owne Eschequer in very rent besides innumerable secret gifts and rewardes wherof no account could be made Herevpon the Prince by aduise of his Realme sent special messingers to the generall counsell that was then holden at Lions in Fraunce with commission to sue for redresse The like complaint also was at the same time and for the same cause exhibited by the King of Fraunce Neither was the state of the Empire frée from the heauy yoke of that Popish oppressiō for M. Parise reporteth that euen thē the Emperour him self wrote an earnest letter to the King Nobility of this realme solliciting thē to ioyne with him in withstanding the tyranie of the Romish Sée Howbeit all this could not help but that the Popes labouring daily more more with this incurable disease of Philargyrie cōtinually pilled the English Clergie and so encountred King Henrie that in the end he was driuen to vse the meane of the Popes authoritie whensoeuer he néeded aide of his owne spiritualtie After Henrie folowed his Sonne Edward the first who being more occupied in Martiall affaires then his Father was And thereby more often inforced to vse the helpe of his subiectes for the raising of some necessary Masses of money nowe and then borowed of his Clergie till at the length Pope Boniface the eight treading the path of his predecessours pride toke vpon him to make a constitution That if any Clerke gaue to a lay man or if any lay person should take of a Clerke any spirituall goods he should forthwith stand excommunicate By colour of whiche decrée the Clergie of England at suche time as the King next desired their cūtribution towards his warres made answere with one assent That they would gladly but they might not safely without the Popes licence agre to his desire Hereat the King waxed wrothe and calling a Parleament of his Nobilitie and Commons from which he excluded the Bishops and Clergie enacted that their persons should be out of his protection and their goods subiect to confiscation vnlesse they would by submitting themselues redéeme his fauour It was then a world to sée howe the welthie Bishops fatte Abbats and riche Pryors in eache quarter be stirred them each man contending with liberall offer to make his raunsome in so much as the house of Saint Augustines in Canterbury as the Annales of their own Abbay report gaue to the King two hundrethe and fiftie poundes in money for their peace hauing lost before notwithstanding al their haste two hundreth and fiftie quarters of their wheat whiche the Kings Officers had seised to his vse shipped to be sent into Gascoin for the victualing of his men of warre Onely Robert of Winchelsey then Archebishop of Canterbury refused to aide the King or to reconcile himselfe in so muche as of very stomacke he discharged his familie and abandoned the Citie and withdrewe himselfe to this Towne from whence as mine Author saith he roade each Sonday and Holyday to the Churche adioyning and preached the woord of GOD. Polidore in his own opinion giueth him an apt Theme writing that he preached vpon this text Melius est obedire Deo quam hominibus It is better to obey God then men whiche if he will haue to serue the turne he must construe it thus It is better to obey the Pope then the King and so make the Pope a God and the King no more then a common man But Peter the Apostle of God from whome the Pope would séeme to deriue and Polidore the Apostle of the Pope for he first sent him hither to gather his Peter pence were not of one minde n this point For he inioyneth vs plainly Subditi estote omni humanae ordinationi propter Dominum siue Regi tanquam praecellenti c. Be ye subiect to all humane ordinance for the Lordes sake whether it be to the King as to the moste excellent c. making the King the moste excellent vnder God who no doubt if he commaund not against God it is to be obeyed before the Pope concerning whome we haue no commaundement at all in Gods Scripture Howbeit since Polydore and the Bishop serued one common Maister namely the man of Rome it is the lesse meruaile if he commend his endeuour in this part and that is of the lesse credit also which he writeth of him in an other place where he bestoweth this honourable Elogium vpon him Quantum in eo fuit de Religione iuxta atque de Repub. promereri studuit a qua nunquam discessit nunquam oculos deiecit ita officio suo atque omnium commodis sibi seruiendum censuit As much as in him was he studied to deserue well bothe of religion and of the common wealth from the whiche he neuer departed ne turned away his eyes so thought he it meete to serue his owne duetie and the profit of all men As concerning his desert in religion I will say nothing bycause it may be thought the fault of that age not of the person only but as touching his behauiour toward his Prince and Countrie wherein also consisteth no small part of religion and feare of God since our lawe alloweth of the trial De vicineto I will bring you one of his next neighbours to depose for him a man that liued in the same time with him I meane the writer of the Annales of Saint Augustines who vpon the yeare 1305. hathe this note following Eodē an 7. Kal. Maij cū saepe dictus Archiepiscopus Robertus super multis Articulis enormibus praecipue super proditione quam cū quibusdam comitibus proceribus multis pactus erat in dolo vt Regem a Regni solio deijcerent silium eius Eduardum ipsius in trono subrogarent patrem perpetuo carceri manciparent a Rege calumniaretur inficiari non posset obiecta vltra quam credi potest timore percussus ad Regis pedes pronus cadens in terrā vt eius mereretur assequi clementiā sese per singula flens eiulans Regis subdidit voluntati Sic igitur humiliatus est ille Deo odibilis superbus qui per totum Anglorū orbem oris sui flatu more meretricio Sacerdotium deturpauit Clerum in populo tyrannidē exer cuit inauditam Et qui Regem Dominum suum literatorie ei scribens nominare renuit superbiendo nunc humiliatus Regem Dominum suum facit nominat obediens factus sedinuitus ei deuotius seruiendo The same yeare the 25. of April when as the often named Robert the Archebishop was chalenged by the
obserueth a thing touching Wreck or rather Varech as the custome of Normandie from whēce it came calleth it not vnworthy the recital that is that of auncient time if a ship were cast on shoare torne with tempest and were not repaired by suche as escaped on liue within a certaine time that then this was taken for Wreck and so vsed along the coast But Henrie the first sayth the booke disliking the iustice of that custome ordeyned that if from thēcefoorth any one thing being within the vessell arriued on liue then the ship and goods should not be seised for wrecke This decrée had force during all his reigne and ought of congruence to haue endured for euer Howbeit after his death the owners of lande on the Sea shoare shewing themselues more carefull of their owne gaine then pitifull of other mens calamities returned to the olde manner Which their vnmerciful couetise as I suppose prouoked king Edward the first by the statute that we call Westminster the first to make restitution of King Henries lawe whiche euen to this daye remayneth in force thoughe not altogether so heauie against poore men afflicted by misfortune of the Sea as that former vsage was yet in déede neyther so easie as Christian charitie would nor so indifferent as the lawes of other countries do afford And therfore I will leaue it as a thing worthy amongst other of reformation when God shall giue time There was at this place a College valued in the Recordes at ninetie thrée pounds of yearely reuenue In whiche king Edward the seconde after the buriall of his father and before his owne Coronation helde the solemnitie of a whole Christmas Motindene of Mod and dene ' that is the proude valley a name imposed as I thinke for the fertilitie I Haue not hitherto foūd any thing touching the house of Motindene in Hetcorne saue onely that the heade therof was called Minister and that the house it selfe was of the yearely value of sixtie poundes Neyther would I haue aforded it so much as paper or place here but only that you might vnderstande with what number of buildings varietie of sectes and plentie of possessions Poperie was in olde time prouided for and furnished No corner almoste without some religious house or other Their suites and orders were hardly to be numbred and as for their landes and reuenues it was a world to beholde them I finde that the yerely extent of the clere value of the Religious liuings within this Shyre amounted to fiue thousande poundes Bishoprickes Benefices Friaries Chaunteries and Sainctes offerings not accounted whiche thing also I doe the rather note to the ende that you may sée howe iuste cause is giuen vs bothe to wonder at the hoate zeale of our auncestours in their spirituall fornication and to lament the coldenesse of our owne charitie towardes the maintenaunce of the true spouse of Iesus Christ For if euer nowe moste truly is that verefied which the Poet long since sayde Probitas laudatur alget Canterbury is called in Saxon Cātparabyrig that is to say The citie or court of the men of Kent whiche also agreeth with the Brittishe worde Caer Kent signifying the Citie of Kent It is termed in Latine diuersly of some Doruernum and Daruernum of others Durouernum of some Dorobernia and of some Dorobrinia All whiche names Leland coniectureth to proceede eyther of the Riuer called Stowr as we haue shewed or else of the Brittishe worde Dour whiche signifieth water bycause the countrey thereaboutes is plentuously stored therwith One other late writer taketh it to be called Daruernum as if it were Dour ar guerne that is the water neare the Fenne or Marish TO the ende that confusion auoyded eche thing may appeare in his proper place it shal not be amisse to part the treatise of this Citie into twaine whereof the firste shall conteine the beginning increase and declination of the Citie it selfe The seconde shal set foorth the erection and ouerthrowe of the Religious houses and buildings within the same The authour of the Brittishe storie affirmeth that one Rudhurdibras or as some copies write it Lud Rudibras a King of the Britons almost nine hundreth yeares before the Incarnation of Christ builded a Citie whiche he called Carlem or as Henrie of Huntingdon in his recitall of the cient Brittishe Cities nameth it Caer Kent that is to say the Citie or rather the chiefe Citie of Kent For in the processe of the same Hystorie it appeareth in déed that at suche time as Vortiger King of the Brittons intertained the Saxon Captaines Hengist and Horsa he soiourned at Canterbury the heade Citie of all that countrie and that prerogatiue it reteined in the time of the Saxons them selues also For by the testimonie of Beda and Mathewe of Westminster it was when Augustine arriued in Kent Caput Imperij Regis Ethelberti the chiefe place in all the dominion of King Ethelbert To this Augustine the sade King gaue after a manner as I coniecture the Lordship or royaltie of the same citie For I reade as I haue before shewed that he gaue him his owne Palaice and builded another for him selfe at Reculuer and it is to be séene in the auncient Saxon lawes that of olde time the Archebishops had their Coynage within the Citie I finde also in the booke of Domesday that King Edwarde the Confessour had onely one and fiftie Burgesses whiche yealded him rent within this Citie and two hundreth and twelue other persons owing him suite and that the Castle of Canterbury and the residue of the inhabitauntes were subiecte to the Bishop and the Religious houses Howbeit the Bishops were neuer absolute owners hereof till the time of King William Rufus who as the Annales of Sainct Augustine say Dedit ciuitatem Cantuariae Anselmo ex solido quam Lanfrancus tenuerat ex beneficio This Citie since the vnion of the Kentishe kingdome to the West Saxon hath béene chiefly maynteined by two things Firste by the residence and hospitalitie of the Archebishop and Religious persons and then by the liberalitie and expence of such as either gadded to S. Thomas for helpe and deuotion or trauailed towardes the Sea side for their priuate affaires and businesse Amongst the Bishops Theodore a Grecian borne and the seuenth and last of those that came out of Italy Lanfranc the first Norman aduaunced by the Conquerour and Simon Sudburie that liued vnder King Edward the thirde haue béene the most beneficiall vnto it Of the whiche Theodore by licence of Vitelianus then Pope founded within the Citie a Schole or College wherein he placed Professours of all the liberall Sciences which also was the very paterne to the schole that Sigbert the King of Eastangle afterwarde builded but whether that were at Cambridge or at some other place besides within his kingdome I leaue to Doctour Caius of Cambridge and Maister Key of Oxforde to be disputed and to indifferent Readers to be adiudged The Reuerend father Mathew
nowe Archebishop of Canterbury whose care for conseruation of learned Monuments can neuer be sufficiently commended shewed me not long since the Psalter of Dauid and suÌ„dry Homelies in Gréeke Homer also and some other Greke authours beautifully written in thicke paper with the name of this Theodore prefixed in the fronte to whose Librarie he reasonably thought being thereto led by shewe of great antiquitie that they sometime belonged The other two Lanfranc and Simon of Sudbury did cost vpon the gates and walles bringing thereby bothe strength and beautie to the Citie Suche was then the firste beginning and increase of Canterbury Let vs nowe therefore sée also what harmes it hath now susteined and to what decay it is falne Besides sundry particular harmes done to diuers of the Religious places the towne it selfe hath often receiued detriment by casualtie of fyre For the author of the additions to the Chronicle of Asserus Meneuensis affirmeth that about the yeare after Christ seuen hundreth fiftie and foure it was sore wasted with fire Againe in the yeare nine hundreth and eightéene Alfleda the mightie Lady of Mercia besieging and burning the citie it self spoyled kylled expulsed the Danes that theÌ„ possessed it In reuenge wherof they afterward about the end of the reigne of King Ethelred did not only besiege take and burne this citie but also put to moste barbarous and cruell death Alphegus the Archebishop for that he refused to charge his farmours and the citizens towardes his raunsome aboue their abilitie and they siue of the Monkes Townesmen and other common people the whole nynes throughout the multitude reseruing on liue the tenthe man onely So that they left of all the Monkes but foure and of the Lay people foure thousande and eight hundreth Where by the waye it is to be noted that this citie and the countrie thereabouts the people whereof be like fled thether for succour was at that time very populous hauing to loose fortie thrée thousande and two hundreth persons in whiche behalfe there want not some I wote well whiche doe affirme that it had then more store of buildings then London it selfe And truely it is well knowne that they were very riche at Canterbury also for not long before by the aduise of Siricius their Archebishop they bought their peace at the handes of the Danes with thirtie thousande poundes of ready money But let me proceede fourthly in the dayes of King Henrie the seconde euen streight after the election of Thomas Becket the Archeshop this citie of Canterbury was wholy consumed with fire And nowe lately and lastly in the reigne of King Henrie the eight it was in some partes blasted with flame wherein amongst other things diuers good bookes whiche a Monke of S. Augustines had brought from beyonde the Seas were brought to ashes I had almoste forgotten a storie in Beda where he maketh Mellitum mendacium mention of Mellitus I shuld haue sayde and reporteth that when as vpon a time a great parte of this citie was touched with fire and that the flame hasted towarde the house of this Mellitus then Archebishop there he commaunded that they shoulde beare him against it euen into the greatest furie thereof And that whereas before it coulde not be quenched by any water though neuer so plentiously poured vpon it foorthwith at his presence the winde turned and at the vehemencie of his prayer the fyre not only ceased to goe any further but also immediatly went out and was extinguished I wote wel this writer is called Venerabilis but when I reade this and a number of suche which make the one halfe of his worke I say with my selfe as sometime did the Poet Quodcunque ostendis mihi sic incredulus odi What euer thing thou shewest me so I hate it as a lye To procéede therefore in my former course and to tell the trueth litle had all these casualties of fire and flame béene to the decay of this towne had not the dissolution and finall ouerthrowe of the Religious houses also come vpon it For where wealth is at commaundement howe easily are buildings repayred and where opinion of great holynesse is howe soone are cities and townes aduaunced to great estimation and riches And therfore no maruaile if after wealth withdrawn and opinion of holynesse remoued the places tumbled headlong to ruine decay In whiche part as I can not on the one side but in respect of the places theÌ„ selues pitie lament this general desolatioÌ„ not only in this Shyre but in all other places of the Realme So on the other side considering the maine Seas of sinne and iniquitie wherein the worlde at those dayes was almost whole drenched I must néeds take cause highly to prayse God that hath thus mercifully in our age deliuered vs disclosed Satan vnmasked these Idoles dissolued the Synagoges and raced to the grounde all Monumentes of building erected to superstition and vngodlynesse And therefore let euery godly man ceasse with me from hencefoorth to maruail why Canterbury Walsingham and sundry suche like are nowe in these our dayes become in manner waste since God in times paste was in them blasphemed most And like the souldiours of Satan and superstitious Mawmetrie howle and crye out with the heathen Poet. Excessere omnes aditis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat c. The Gods eche one by whose good ayde This Empire stoode vpright Are flowne their entries and their altars eke abandond quight For séeing God in all ages hath not spared to extend his vengeaunce not only vpon the persons but vpon the places also where his name was dishonoured striking the same with solitude and exterminion as we reade of Sodome Ierusalem and others Howe then shoulde he forbeare these harborowes of the Deuill and the Pope whiche in horrible crimes contended with Sodome in vnbelief matched Ierusalem and in folly of superstition excéeded all Gentilitie By the iust iudgement of God therfore Canterbury came soudenly from great wealth multitude of inhabitaunts and beautiful buildings to extreme pouertie nakednes and decaâ— hauing at this day Parishes more in number then well filled yet in al not aboue twelue in whiche plight for pitie I will leaue it and referring you to the statutes 32. and 33. of Henrie the eight prouided for the reedifying of decayed houses aswel in this Citie as also in Rochâ—ster Feuersham the Fiue ports I will tourne me tâ— the Hystorie of the religious buyldings There was iâ— Canterbury within the time of late memorie besides others two houses of great estimation and lyuelyhoode the one being called Christes church and the other Saint Augustines the Monkes of the whiche places were as farre remoued from all mutual loue and societie as the houses themselues were néere linked together either in regarde of the time of their foundation the order of their profession or the place of their situation And therfore in this part it might wel be verified of them
which was wont to be commonly said Vnicum Arbustum non alit duos Erythacos For in déede one whole Citie nay rather one whole Shyre and Countrie could hardly suffice the pride and ambitious auarice of such two Religious Synagogues The which as in all places they agréeed to enrich them selues by the spoyle of the Laitie So in no place they agréed one with another But eche séeking euerie where and by all wayes to aduaunce them selues they moued continuall and that moste fierâ— and deadly warre for landes priuileges reliques and suche like vaine worldly préeminences In so muche as he that will obserue it shall finde that vniuersally the Chronicles of their owne houses conteine for the moste parte nothing else but suing for exemptions procuring of reliques strugling for offices wrangling for consecrations pleading for landes and possessions For proofe wherof I might iustly alledge inumerable brawles stirred betwéen the Religious houses of this Citie wrastling sometime with the Kings sometime with the Archbishops oftentimes the one with the other â—l which be at large set forth by Thomas Spot the Chroniâ—ler of S. Augustins But for asmuch as I my self delighâ— litle in that kind of rehersal do think that other men for the more part of the wiser sort be sufficiently persuaded of these their follies I wil lightly passe theÌ„ ouer labor more â—argely in some other thing And bycause that the Monasâ—erie or Priorie of Christes Churche was of the more fame I will first begin with it After that Augustine the Monke whiche was sent from Rome had found suche fauour in the sight of King Ethelbert that he might fréely Preache the Gospell in his Countrie he chose for assembly and prayer an olde Churche in the East part of this Citie whiche was long time before builded by the Romanes and he made therof by licence of the King a Churche for himselfe and his successours dedicating the same to the name of our Sauiour Christ whereof it was called afterward Christes Churche After his death Laurence his successor brought Monkes into the house the head whereof was called a Pryor whiche woord howsoeuer it soundethe was in déede but the name of a second officer bicause the Bishop himselfe was accompted the very Abbat For in olde time the Bishops were for the moste part chosen out of suche Monasteries and therefore moste commonly had their Palaces adioyning and gouerned as Abbats there by meanes whereof it came to passe that suche Abbies were not only muche amplified in wealth and possessions but also by fauour of the Bishoppes their good Abbates ouerloked all their neere neighbours as hereafter in further course shall better appeare I finde not that any great coste was done vpâ—n this Churche till Lanfrancs dayes who not only buided it almoste wholy of newe and placed Benedictâ— Monkes therein the number of whiche hee aduaunced from thirtie to one hundreth and fourtie but also erected certaine Hospitals whiche hee endowed with one hundreth and fourtie poundes by yere and repaired the walles of the Citie it selfe And here by the way it is to be noted out of Mathewe Westminster that there were Monkes in this house euer since the time of Laurence the second Archebishop although some reporte that Elfricus was the first that expulsed the Seculer Priestes and brought the Monkes in place Not long after Lanfrancs time succéeded William Corboile during whose gouernment this lately aduaunced building was blasted with flame but he soone after reedified it of his owne purse and dedicated it with great pompe and solemnitie in the presence of the King and his Nobles After him followed Theobaldus whome Pope Innocent the second honoured with the title of Legatus natus and then commeth Thomas Becket the fift in order after Lanfranc by whose life death and burial the estimation of this Church was aduaunced beyond all reason measure and wonder For not withstanding that it had beene before that time honoured with the arme of S. Bartholmew a Relique that King Canutus gaue with the preseÌ„ce of Augustine that brought in Religion with the buriall of eight Kentishe Kings that succéeded Wightred and of a great number of Archebishops after the time of Cuthbert Likewise afterward with the famous asseÌ„bly at the homage done by the Scottishe King William to King Henrie the second and at the Coronation of King Iohn with the seueral Mariages also of King Henrie the third and King Edward the first and finally with the interrements of that Noble Edward called commonly the Blacke Prince of King Henrie the fourth yet the death of this one man not martyred as they feigne for the cause only and not the death maketh a Martyr but murdered in his Churche brought therevnto more accesse of estimation and reuerence then all that euer was done before or since For after his death by reason that the Pope had canonized his soule in Heauen and that Stephan Langton had made a Golden shrine for his body on earth and commaunded the Annuall day of his departure to bee kept solemne not only the Lay Common sort of people but Bishops Noble men and Princes as well of this Realme as of forreigne partes resorted on Pilgrimage to his tumbe flocked to his Iubile for remission In so muche that euery man offering according to his abilitie and thronging to see handle and kisse euen the vilest partes of his Reliques the Churche became so riche in Iewels and ornaments that it might compare with Midas or Craesus and so famous and renowmed euery piller resounding Saint Thomas his miracles praiers and pardons that now the name of Christ was cleane forgotten and the place was commonly called Saint Thomas Churche of Canterbury I passe ouer the stately buildings and monuments I meane Churches Chapels and Oratories raised to his name the lewde bookes of his lyfe and iestes written by foure sundrie persons to his praise The blasphemous Hymnes and collectes deuised by churchemen for his seruice and sundrie suche other thinges whiche as they were at the first inuenâ—â— to strike into the heades of all hearers and beholders more then wonderfull opinion of deuotion and holynes So now the trueth being tried out and the matter well and indifferently weighed they ought to worke with all men an vtter detestation both of his and all their hypocrisie and wickednesse For as touching himself to omitte that which truely might be spoken in dispraise of the former part of his lyfe and to beginne with the very matter it selfe whervpon his death ensued it is euident bothe by the testimonie of Mathewe Paris a very good Chronicler that liued vnder King Henrie the third and by the foure Pseudo Euangelistes themselues that wrote his Iestes that the chiâ—fe cause of the Kings displeasure towardes him grew vpon occasion that he opposed himself against his Prince Gods lawfull and Supreame minister on earth in maintenance of a moste vile and wicked murther The matter stoode thus Within a fewe of
the first yeares of King Henrie the seconds Reigne the Clergie of the Realme had committed aboue a hundreth seuerall murthers vpon his subiectes as it was infourmed him for remedie of whiche outrage the King by assent of his Nobilitie and Bishops of whiche number Thomas Becket himself was one tooke order at Claredowne that if any Clerke from thencefoorth committed felonie or treason he should first be degraded and afterward deliuered to the Lay power there to receaue as to his offence belonged Not long after it chaunced one Philip Broic a Chanon of Bedford to be apprehended for murther and to be brought before the temporal iustice where he not only shewed no remorse of the wicked fact but also in hope of Ecclesiasticall exemption gaue very euill language to the Iudge the Iudge complained therof to the King the Chanon belike made meanes to the Archebishop For the King no sooner endeuoured to put his Lawe in execution but the Archebishop bothe forgetfull of hâ—s duetie to God and his Prince and vnmindefull of his owne oth set him selfe against it affirming plainly that he neither could ne would suffer it Hereupon the Prince waxed wrothe and by litle and litle his indignation so kindeled by matter that the obstinacie of the Bishop daily ministred that in the end it was to hote for Becket to abide it Then speedeth he himself to Rome and poureth into the Holy Fathers bosome complaint of moste grieuous oppression extended against the Clergie The Popes Holynesse sory to discourage so good a Souldiour as the Bishop was and withal lothe to loose so mightie a friend as King Henrie was by letters and Legates praieth commaundethe persuadethe and threatneth reconciliation and attonement whiche after great a doe by the meanes of the Frenche King and other his instruments was in a sort brought to passe Then Thomas Becket retourneth with the Kings fauour into the Realme from whence he had six yeares before departed without licence and therefore without or rather against Lawe and immediately séeketh to reuenge himself vpon suche the Bishops as had in his absence assisted the king Whiche when the King being then in Normandie vnderstoode it chaunced him in greate griefe of minde to caste out some woordes that gaue occasion and hardines to Reginald Bere William Tracy Hughe Moruill Richard Bryton foure of his Gentlemen to addresse themselues for his reuenge These foure therefore passed the Seas came to Canterbury found out the Bishop followed him into his Churchâ— and vpon the Staires of the same did him very cruelty and dispitefully to deathe This shortly is the chiefe substance and circumstance of all this Tragedie drawne out of our owne Countriemen and Thomas his fauourers howsoeuer otherwise Erasmus led by some sinister information hathe reported it as shall hereafter appeare in Otford Wherein as I can not on the one side allowe this murther executed not by any publique Minister of Iustice but by a priuate and iniurious arme So on the other side I report me to al indifferent Godly Readers whether suche a lyfe deserued not suche a death and whether these Popishe Parasites that haue painted foorth his prayses make not themselues thereby parteners of all his pride and wilfull rebellion I might here rest long vpon diuerse other thinges concerning the King and this Archebishop namely how that he suffered the King to holde his stirup twise in one day in Normandie but in Prato Proditorum as Mathewe Parise very pretely writeth it Howe the King came with bare and bléeding féete to Canterbury to purge himselfe of the murther Howe he bared his body to the Monkes of this house and receaued of euery Religious Person there foure or fiue stripes in whiche selfe yeare by the way their whole churche was consumed with fire and some other matters besides which make manifestly for the proofe of great presumption in the Clergie and of vile abiection of the Princes of those dayes But bicause that I am fearefull that I growe to long I will leaue Saint Thomas him selfe and after a fewe woordes more of this Churche step ouer to Saint Augustines After Thomas this Church found thrée especiall mainteiners of the building William Courtney which by his Testament bequeathed one thousand Markes towards the amendment of the bodie of the Church the walles and the Cloister Thomas Arundel which erected one of the Bell Towers gaue fiue Belles and Christened them after the Popish manner And Henrie Chicheley who both repaired the librarie with books and building and did great cost vpon one of the Bell Towers also Nowe to Saint Augustines Augustine hauing thus established a Sée for him selfe and his successours obteined further of King Ethelbert for the better furtherance of the seruice that he had in hand a Churche that then stoode betwéene the walles of the Citie and S. Martines wherein the King himselfe vsed before to make his prayers and offer sacrifice to his Idoles This Church he purged from Prophane abuse name as they say and dedicated it to the seruice of God and to the honour of Saint Pancrace Neither ceassed he thus but shortly after intreated the same King to build a Monasterie in the soyle adioyning whiche he also appointed to the honour of Saint Peter and Saint Paule and placed Monkes therein This Monasterie in memorie of his benefite lost the first name and was euer after called Saint Augustines Nowe whereas the true meaning bothe of the King and Augustine was that this Church for so much as bothe then and long after it was not their manner to burie their dead within the walles of any Citie a thing forbidden of olde by the law of the twelue tables should be from thencefoorth a common Sepulchre to all their successours as well in the Kingdome as in the Archebishopricke yet suche was the fauour of the Bishops folowing Augustine towards their own church that in the processe of time Saint Augustines was defrauded of the Sepultures bothe of the one the other For in Brightwaldes dayes the buriall of the Kings was taken from it and Cuthbert the Archebishop in his life begged of King Eadbert that for the aduauncement of Sainct Iohns a newe Churche that he had erected for that purpose and for the execution of iudgements by the Ordale and whiche was afterwarde fired with the flame of Christes Churche wherevnto it was neare adioyning the Bishops also might from thencefoorth be buryed there And for the more suretie to attaine that his desire he tooke order in his life by othe of all his Couent that they shoulde suffer his corps to lye thrée dayes in the grounde after his death before any Bell shoulde be rong or other open solemnitie vsed that might notifie his departure to the Monkes of S. Augustines Onely Ieanbright the fourtéenth Bishop whom other copies cal Lambright was conueyed to the grounde at Sainct Augustines by this occasion After the death of Bregwine the Archebishop this Ieanbright then being Abbat of
Sainct Augustines and fearing that he shoulde be deceiued of the bodye of Bregwine as Aldhun his predecessour had béene beguiled of Cuthberts before he came appoynted with armed men determining to take it awaye by force if he might not by faire meanes obtaine it But the craftie Monkes of Christes Church had buried the body before he came so that he was driuen to depart home frustrate of his desire and to séeke his amendes by action in the lawe Notwithstanding bycause they perceiued hereby that he was a man of good courage and therfore very méete in their opinion to be their Captaine they shortly after chose him Archebishop in hope that he woulde haue mainteined their quarrell but he neuerthelesse tooke suche order that he was buried in S. Augustines with the rest of his predecessours Thus you sée howe soone after the foundation these houses were at dissention and for howe small trifles they were ready to put on armes and to moue greate and trouble some tragedies Neyther doe I finde that euer they agréeed after but were eyther at continuall brawling within them selues eyther suing before the King or appealing to the Pope and that for matters of more stomacke then importaunce As for example whether the Abbat of Sainct Augustines should be consecrate or blessed in his owne Churche or in the others whether he ought to ring his belles to seruice before the other had rong theirs whether he and his tenaunts ought suite to the Bishops Courte and suche like wherein it can not be doubted but that they consumed inestimable treasure for maintenaunce of their moste peuishe and Popishe pryde and wilfulnesse If any man delight to knowe the particulars let him reade the writing of Thorne and Spot their own Chroniclers as for my selfe I thinke it too long to haue sayde thus muche in generall and therefore will haste me to the rest After the death of Ethelbert Eadbaldus his sonne at the instance of Laurence the Archebishop builded a faire Churche in this Monasterie whiche he called Sainct Maries In whiche place many yeares after if at the leaste you will beléeue Thomas Spot Sainct Dunstane sensibly hearde and sawe our Lady Sainct Adryan and a sorte of Angels singing and dauncing together After Eadbaldus King Canute the great Monarch of this Realme Egilsine the Abbat the fled for feare of the Conquerour Scotlandus whome the same King put in Egelsins place Hugo de Floriaco that was of kinred to king William Rufus by him made Abbat were the persons that chiefly increased the building some bestowing Churches and Chapels some Dorters and dyning places and others other sortes of edefices The Saincts whose deade bodies and reliques brought to this church great veneration and gaine were these specially Adryan Albin Iohn c. religious persons Eadbald Lothar Mul Wightred sometimes Kings S. Sexburg S. Myldred of Thanet whose body was giuen then by King Canute And Sainct Augustine their founder him self Of this last man to let slip a many of others this one myracle they reporte that at suche time as the Danes entred Kent and spoyling this Citie ransacked almoste euery corner thereof this house of Sainct Augustines onely of all other was neuer touched By reason say they that when a Dane had taken holde of Sainct Augustines Pall or cloake wherewith his tumbe was couered it stacke so fast to his fingers that by no meanes possible he coulde lose it till he came and yealded himself to the Monkes and made sorrowfull confession of his faulte Much like to this it is written that at the ouerthrow of Carthage the hande of one that woulde haue spoyled the God Apollo of his Mantel was founde amongst the fragments This our good felowe was not so cunning belike as Dionysius for he tooke a goldeÌ„ cloke â—rom Iupiter and had no hurt at all thereby But eyther this our Pall was weaued Ex auro Tholosano or els which I rather beléeue this Canterbury tale was forged A rabula Romano Besides all these the Monkes séeing howe litle their reliques were estéemed in comparison of Thomas Beckets and beleeuing as the Romanes somtimes did of Dea Pessenuntia that their house should be highly aduaunced if they might get thither so glorious a God as he was they made a foule shift for a péece of him also There was a Monk of Christs Church called Roger who had in charge to kéepe the Altar where Becket was slaine This man they chose to their Abbat in hope sayth mine authour that he woulde bring somewhat with him in whiche doing they were not altogether deceiued For he conueyed to them a greate part of Thomas his bloude that was shed and a péece of his Crowne that was pared off But here by the way marke I beséeche you the grose iugling that these slow bellyed syres vsed to delude the worlde withal Erasmus in his Colloquies writeth that the whole face of S. Thomas being sumptuously set in golde was religiously kept within a Chapell beyonde the highe altar and that they tolde him the rest of the body lay in a shryne of golde and of great Maiestie which they shewed besides But the truth is that at suche time as the late godly and most Christian Archebishop Cranmer and the wise and noble counseler Cromwell were at Canterbury in commission for defacing of this Shryne they fouÌ„d an entier body and complete in all his partes within the same as some yet on liue and then present can testifie so that eyther this their great God was a bishop Biceps and lacked but one head more to make him Cerberus or Chimaera or else whiche is most certaine these Monks were marueylous and monstruous magnifiers of suche deceiuable trumperie and wanted nothing at all to make them Cretenses or Cecropes But to my purpose againe as touching the priuileges possessions estimation and maiestie of this house it were too muche to recite the one halfe and therefore I will onely let you knowe that of auncient time the Abbat had allowance of a Coynage or Mynte within him selfe by graunt of King Ethelstane That he had place in the general couÌ„sell by gift of the Pope Leo That the house had fiue Couents conteining in all sixtie fiue Monkes And finally that besides iurisdiction ouer a whole Last of thirtéene Hundreds it had possession of liuelyhoode to the value of eight hundreth and eight pounds by yeare Nowe besides these two great houses there were in Canterbury some other also of lesse note As S. Gregories a Churche of Chanons belonging to the Hospital that Lanfranc built whiche was fired in the time of King Stephan and valued in the Recordes at thirtie poundes by the yeare The Hospital of S. Laurence edified by Hughe the Abbat of S. Augustines for his sicke Monkes and rated at twentie poundes yearely S. Iames Hospital erected by Eleonor the wife of King Henrie the thirde S. Sepulchres a house of Nonnes prepared belike to serue the
moste subtile sleightes to withdrawe him from God drawe him to Idolatrie and superstition So that in time by policie of the one and pronesse in the other it was by degrées brought to passe that not onely the excellent and glorious creatures of God the Angels men I mean the Sunne and Moone the Stars and Elements were worshipped as Gods But also diuine honour and reuerence was transferred from the highest God to the moste inferiour and basest partes of all his woorkmanship the world at the length becomming so madde that it would crouche and knéele kisse and knocke bowe bend and make all signes of honour and reuerence not only to stockes and stones that represented the bodies of mortall men but to whatsoeuer trifle trumperie or bagage besides that the Deuill or his Ministers would haue preferred as a monument or relique of them And therefore no maruaile was it if God séeing the world to abuse it selfe after a moste froward and peruerse kinde of superstitiō did by his iust vengeaunce bereaue vnbeléeuers of al vnderstanding and iudgement so that without any further doubt or inquisition they sticked not to embrace deuoutly whatsoeuer was commended were it neuer so lewdly For example whereof beholde here at Harbaldowne an Hospital builded by Lanfranc the Archebishop for reliefe of the poore and diseased the shamefull Idolatrie of this latter age committed by abusing the lippes whiche God hath giuen for the sounding foorth of his praise in smacking and kissing the vpper leather of an olde shoe reserued for a Relique and vnreuerently offered to as many as passed by Erasmus setting foorth in his Dialogue intituled Peregrinatio religionis ergo vnder the name of one Ogygius his owne trauaile to visite our Lady of Walsingham and Saint Thomas Becket sheweth that in his retourne from Canterbury towards London he found on the high way side an Hospital of certain poore folkes of which one came out against him and his companie holding a holy water sprinkle in the one hand bearing the vpper leather of an olde shoe faire set in Copper and Christal in the other hand This doting father first cast holy water vpon thē then offred thē by one and one the holy shoe to kisse Whereat as the most part of the company knowing the manner made no refusal So amongst the rest one Gratianus as he faineth offended with the follie asked halfe in anger what it was Saint Thomas Shoe quoth the olde man with that Gratianus turned him to the company said Quid sibi volunt hae pecudes vt osculemur calceos omniū bonorum Virorum Quin eadem opera porrigunt osculandū sputum aliaque corporis excrementa What meane these beasts that we should kisse the shoes of al good men why do they not by the same reason offer vs their Spittle and other excrements of the body to be kissed This to the wiser sorte and suche as haue any light may suffice for the vnderstanding of Erasmus opinion iudgment touching such vnreuerēt Reliques but yet lest some blinde wilfull worshipper should thinke it but merily spoken of him and in another mans person as in déed Erasmus had many times Dextrū pedem in calceo sinistrum in pelui according to the old Prouerb I wil likewise adde a few woordes vsed in the end of his booke for explication of his own full minde in that matter Notantur qui reliquias incertas pro certis ostendunt qui his plus tribuūt quam oportet qui questum ex his sordide faciunt In this Dialogue all suche are taxed whiche shewe vnto the people vncertaine reliques for true and certaine or which doe ascribe vnto them more then of right is due or whiche do raise filthie gaine and lucre by them But peraduenture the authoritie of D. Erasmus is nowe since the late Tridentine Counsell of no weight with them since by the sentence of the same his workes without choice be condemned as Heretical Truly that Coūsel shewed it selfe more hastie to suppresse al that good workes of Godly men then redie to correct or abolish any of their owne fabulous books or superstitious follies And therfore let indifferēt men iudge whether the opinion of any one true speaking man be not worthely to be preferred before the determination of suche a whole vnaduised Synode And as for suche as in this light of the trueth wll shewe themselues mainteiners of such Mawmetrie I déeme thē like the Sabees whose senses as Strabo writeth are offended with swéet smelling sauours and delighted with the filthie smoke of burned goates haire and therefore I say vnto them Sordescant adhuc and so leaue thē Norwood that is to say the North wood IN the dayes of King Edward the confessor one hundreth Burgesses of the Citie of Canterbury ought their suite to the Manor of Norwood as in that part of the booke of Domesday which concerneth Kent may yet moste euidently appeare The building is nowe demolished but the Manor was long time in the possession of certaine Gentlemen of the same name of whiche race one lyeth buried in the body of the church at Adington in the yeare a thousand foure hundreth and sixetéene And hereby it is probablie as me thinketh to bee coniectured that in auncient time men were vsually named of the places of their dwelling For whereas before the comming in of the Conquerour places for the most part had their appellatiōs either of their situation or of some notable accidēt or noble man as Northwood in regard of Southwood Anglefford by reason of the flight of the Englishmen Rochester because of Rof And whereas persons also had their callings most cōmonly eyther of some note of the body as Swanshalse for the whitenes of her necke or for some propertie of the minde as Godred for his good counsel that by one single Surname only no more now immediately after the arriuall of the Normanes which obteined those lādes which first brought into this Realme the names of Thomas Iohn Nicholas Fraunces Stephā Henrie such like that now be most vsuall men began to be knowen and surnamed not of their conditions and properties but of their dwellings and possessions So that the Norman that was before Thomas and had gotten the Towneship of Norton Sutton Inglefield or Combe was thencefoorth called Thomas of Norton of Sutton of Inglefield of Combe or such like al which be vndoubtedly the names of places and not of persons Neyther did the matter stay here but in further processe of time this Thomas of Norton of Sutton or of Combe was called Thomas Norton Thomas Sutton or Thomas Combe leauing out the particle of whiche before denoted his dwelling place And thus the Norman manner preuailing the auncient custome of the Saxons and Englishe men vanished quite out of vre This whole thing is best discerned by auncient euidences and by the names of our Chesshyre men yet remaining For olde writings haue commonly Ioannes de
end that by his helpe she might take him vp and cast him againe into the Riuer The Clerke obeyed arose and waited on her toward the Churche but the good Ladie not wonted to walk waxed wearie of the labour and therfore was inforced for very want of breath to sit downe in a bushe by the way and there to rest her And this place forsooth as also the whole track of their iourney remaining euer after a gréene pathe the Towne dwellers were went to shew Now after a while they go forward againe and comming to the Churchyard digged vp the body and conueyed it to the water side where it was first found This done our Ladye shrancke againe into her shryne and the Clerke peaked home to patche vp his broken sléepe but the corps now eftsoones floted vp and downe the Riuer as it did before Whiche thing being at length espyed by them of Gillingham it was once more taken vp and buried in their Churcheyard But sée what followed vpon it not onely the Roode of Gillingham say they that a whyle before was busie in bestowing Myracles was nowe depriued of all that his former vertue but also the very earth place wher this carckase was laide did continually for euer after setle and sinke downeward This tale receaued by tradition from the Elders was long ones both commonly reported faithfully credited of the vulgar sort which although happely you shal not at this day learne at euery mans mouth the Image being now many yeres sithēce defaced yet many of the aged number remember it well and in the time of darkenesse Haec erat in toto notissima fabula mundo But here if I might be so boulde as to adde to this Fable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fabula significat I would tell you that I thought the Morall and minde of the tale to be none other but that this Clerkly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Talewriter I say and Fableforger being eyther the Fermer or Owner of the offrings giuen to our Lady of Chetham and enuying the common haunte and Pilgrimage to the Roode of Gillingham lately erected Ad nocumentum of his gayne deuised this apparition for the aduauncement of the one and the defacing of the other For no doubte if that age had ben as prudent in examining spirits as it was prone to beleue illusions it should haue found that our Ladies pathe was some such gréene trace of grasse as we daily behold in the fields procéeding in déed of a naturall cause thoughe by olde wiues and superstitious people reckoned to be the daūcing places of night Spirites whiche they call Fayries And that this sinking graue was nothing els but a false filled pitte of Maister Clearks owne digging The man was to blame thus to make debate betwéene our Lady and her Sonne but since the whole Religion of Papistrie it selfe is Theomachia and nothing els let him be forgiuen and I will go forward Alfred of Beuerley and Richard of Ciceter haue mention of a place in East Kent where Horsa the Brother of Hengist was buried and which euen till their dayes did continue the memorie of his name Wée haue in this Shyre a Towne called Hor smundene whiche name resolued into Saxon Orthographie is Horsgemyndene and soundeth as muche as the Valley of the monument or memoriall of Horsa But for as muche as that lyeth in the Southe part of this Countrie toward Sussex and for that I read that Horsa was slaine at Ailesford as you shall sée anone in an encounter wherein he ioyned with his Brother Hengist again the Britons which at that time inhabited Kent it is the moste reasonable to affirme that he was buried at Horsted a place lying in this Parish toward Ailesford and nowe yet knowen by the same name whiche signifieth the place or stéede of Horse This Horsa and his Brother Hengist both whose names be Synonuma and signifie a Horse were the Capitaines and chiefe leaders of the first Saxons that came in aide of King Vortiger as we haue before shewed And after the death of Horsa his Brother Hengist neuer ceassed to warre vppon the Brittons till he had driuen them out of Kent and made himselfe King as hereafter in fitte place we will further declare Frendsbury in some Saxon copies freondesbyrig that is the Friendes Court in others frinondesbyrig It befell in the reigne of King Edward the first by occasion of a great long drought of the aire that the Monkes of Rochester were agréed amongst themselues to make a solemne procession from their owne house thorowe the citie and so to Frendsbury on the other side of the water of a speciall intent and purpose to pray to God for raine And bycause the day of this their appointed iourney happened to be vehemētly boisterous with the winde the which would not onely haue blowne out their lightes and tossed their bāners but also haue stopped the mouthes of their Synging men and haue toiled themselues in that their heauie and masking attire they desired lycence of the Maister of Stroud Hospital to passe through the Orchyard of his house whereby they might bothe ease theyr company and saue the glorie of their shewe whiche otherwise through the iniurie of the weather must néeds haue béene greatly blemished The Maister assented easily to their desire and taking it to be a matter of no great consequence neuer made his brethrē of the house priuie therevnto But they so soone as they vnderstoode of this determination called to minde that their Hospitall was of the foundation of Gilbert Glanuille somtime a Bishope of Rochester betwéene whom and the predecessours of these Monkes ther had béen great heates for the erection of the same and therfore fearing that the Monkes pretending a procession intended to attempt somewhat against their priuileges as in déede all orders in Papistrie were excéeding ielous of their prerogatiues they resolued with all their might to resist them And for that purpose they bothe furnished themselues and procured certaine companions also whom the Hystorie calleth Ribaldes with clubbes battes to assist them and so making their ambushe in the Orchyard they awaited the Monkes comming It was not long but the Monkes hauing made all things redy approched in their battell array and with banner displayed and so minding no harme at al entred boldely into the house and through the house passed into the Orchard merely chaunting their latine Letaine But when the Brethren and their Ribaldes had espied them within their daunger they ranne vpon them and made it raine suche a shoure of clubbes and coulestaues vpon the Monks Copes cowles Crownes that for a while the miserable men knew not what way to turne them After a time the Monkes called their wittes and spirites together and then making vertue of the necessitie they made eache man the best shift for himselfe that they could some trauersing their ground declined many of the blowes and yet now then bare off with
head shoulders others vsed the staues of their crosses behauing themselues like pretie men others made pykes of their banner poles And others flying in to their aduersaries wrested their weapons out of their hands amōgst the rest one sauing his charitie laide lode vpon a married Priest absoluing him as mine author saith A culpa but not A paena Another draue one of the Brethren into a déepe diche a third as big as any Bul of Basan espied at the lēgth the postern or back doore of the Orchyard wherat he ran so vehemently with his head shoulders that he bare it cleane downe before him and so both escaped him selfe and made the way for the rest of his fellowes who also with all possible haste conueyed them selues out of the iurisdiction of the Hospital and then shaking their ears fel a fresh to their Orgia I should haue said to their former Orisons After this storme thus blowen or rather born ouer I do not meruail if the Mōkes as the reporter saith neuer sought to carrie thir procession through Stroud Hospital for auoiding of the winde for indéed it could not lightly blow more boisterously out of ani quarter And thus out of this tragical hystorie arose the bywoord of Frendsbury Clubs a terme not yet forgotten The land of Frendsbury was long since giuen by Offa the King of Midle England to Eardulph then Bishop of Rochester vnder the name of Eslingham cum appendicijs although at this day this other beareth countenance as the more woorthie of the twaine The benefice of Frendsbury togeather with that of Dartford was at the suite of Bishop Laurence and by graunt of the Pope conuerted to an appropriation one amongst many of those monstruous byrthes of couetousnes begotten by the man of Rome in the dark night of superstition and yet suffered to liue in this day light of the Gospell to the great hinderance of learning the empouerishment of the ministerie and the infamie of our profession Rochester is called in Latine Dorobreuum Durobreuum Dorubernia and Durobriuis in Brittishe Dourbryf that is to say a swift streame in Saxon Hrofesceastre that is Rofi ciuitas Rofes citie in some olde Chartres Rofi breui SOme men desirous belike to aduaunce the estimation of this Citie haue left vs a farre fetched antiquitie concerning one péece of the same affirming that Iulius Caesar caused the Castle at Rochester as also that other at Canterbury and the Towre at London to be builded of common charge But I hauing not hitherto read any such thing eyther in Caesars own Commentaries or in any other credible Hystorie dare not avow any other beginning of this citie or castle then that which I find in Beda least if I shuld aduenture as they do I might receiue as they haue I meane The iust note of more reading industrie thē of reason or iudgement And although I must wil fréely acknowledge that it was a Citie before that it had to name Rocester for so a man maye well gather of Beda his wordes yet seing that by the iniurie of the ages betwéen the monuments of the first beginning of this place and of innumerable suche other be not come to our handes I had rather in suche cases vse honest silence then rashe speache and doe preferre plaine vnskill and ignorance before vaine lying and presumptuous arrogance For truely the credite of our Englishe Hystorie is no one waye somuche empayred as by the blinde boldnesse of some which taking vpon them to commit it to wryting and wanting either throughe their owne slothfulnesse or the iniquitie of the time true vnderstanding of the originall of many things haue not sticked without any modestie or discretion to obtrude newe fantasies and folies of their owne forgerie for assured truthes and vndoubted antiquitie As for examples of this kinde although there be at hand many in number and the same most fond and ridiculous in matter yet bicause it should be both odious for the authors tedious to the readers and grieuous for my selfe to enter into them I will not make enumeration of any But staying my selfe vpon this general note I will procead with the treatise of the place that I haue taken in hand the which maye aptly as me thinketh be broken into foure seuerall portions The Citie it selfe The Castle the Religious buildings and the Bridge The Citie of Rochester tooke the name as Beda writeth of one Rof or rather Hrof as the Saxon boke hath it which was sometyme the Lorde and owner of the place This name Leland supposeth to haue continuaunce in Kent till this our time meaning as I suspect Rolf a familie well inough knowne What so euer the estate of this Citie was before the comming in of the Saxons it séemeth that after their arriuall the mayntenaunce thereof depended chiefly vpon the residence of the Bishop and the religious persons And therefore no meruaile is it if the glory of the place were not at any time very great Since on the one side the abilitie of the Bishops and the Chanons inclined to aduaunce it was but meane and on the other side the calamitie of fyre and sworde bent to destroye it was in maner continuall For I read that at suche time as the whole Realme was sundred into particular kingdomes and eche parte warred for superioritie and inlarginge of boundes with the other Eldred then King of Mercia inuaded Lothar the king of this Countrie and findinge him vnable to resiste spoyled the whole Shyre and layd this Citie waste The Danes also whiche in the dayes of king Alfred came out of Fraunce sailed vp the ryuer of Medwey to Rochester and beseiging the towne fortified ouer against it in suche forte that it was greatly distressed and like to haue ben yelded but that the king Paeonia manu came spéedely to the reskewe and not onlye raysed the siege and deliuered his subiectes but obtayned also an honourable bootie of horses and captiues that they besiegers had left behind them The fame people hauing miserably vexed the whole Realme in the dayes of King Ethelred came at the laste to this Citie where they founde the inhabitaunts ready in armes to resiste them but they assayled them with suche furie that they compelled them to saue them selues by flight and to leaue the place a pray to their enemies The whiche was somewhat the lesse worthy vnto them bycause King Ethelred him selfe not long before vpon a displeasure conceiued against the Bishop had besieged the Citie and woulde by no meanes depart thence before he had an hundreth pounds in ready money payd him And these harmes Rochester receiued before the time of king William the Conqueror in whose reigne it was valued in the booke of Domesday at .100 s̄ by the yere after whose dayes besides sundry particular damages done to the citie during the sieges layd to the castle as shall appeare anon it was muche defaced by a great fire that hapned in the
reigne of King Henrie the first the King him self and a great many of the Nobilitie and Bishops being there present and assembled for the consecration as they call it of the great Churche of Sainct Andrewes the whiche was euen then newly finished And it was againe in manner wholy consumed with flame about the latter ende of the reigne of King Henrie the seconde at whiche time that newely builded Churche was sore blasted also But after all these calamities this Citie was well repaired ditched about in the reigne of King Henrie the third As touchinge the castle at Rochester although I finde not in wryting any other foundation therof then that which I alledged before recon to be mere fabulous yet dare I affirme that ther was an old Castle aboue eight hundreth yeres agoe in so much as I read that Ecgbert a king of Kent gaue certeine landes within the walles of Rochester castle to Eardulfe then Bishop of that See And I coniecture that Odo the bastard brother to king William the Conqueror whiche was at the first Bishop of Borieux in Normandie and then afterwarde aduaunced to the office of the chiefe Iustice of Englande and to the honour of the Earledome of Kent was eyther the first authour or the best benefactour to that which now standeth in sight and herevnto I am drawne somewhat by the consideration of the time it selfe in whiche many Castles were raysed to kéepe the people in awe and somewhat by the regarde of his authoritie whiche had the charge of this whole Shyre but most of all for that I reade that about the time of the Conquest the Bishop of Rochester receiued lande at Ailesford in exchaunge for grounde to builde a Castle at Rochester vpon Not long after whiche time when as William Rufus our Englishe Pyrrhus or Readhead had stepped betwéene his elder brother Robert and the crowne of this realme and had giuen experiment of a fierce and vnbridled gouernment the Nobilitie desirous to make a chaunge arose in armes againste him and stirred his brother to make inuasion And to the ende that the King shoulde haue at once many yrons as the saying is in the fire to attende vpon some moued warre in one corner of the Realme and some in another But amongst the reste this Odo betooke him to his castle of Rochester accompanied with the best both of the English and the Norman nobilitie This whē the king vnderstood he sollicited his subiects specially the inhabitants of this country by al faire meanes and promises to assist him so gathering a great armie besieged the Castle and strengthened the Bishop and his complices the defendants in suche wise that in the ende he and his company were contented to abiure the Realme and to leade the rest of their life in Normandie And thus Odo that many yeres before had béene as it were a Viceroy and second person within this realme was now depriued of al his dignitie driuē to kéepe residence vpon his benefice till suche time as Earle Robert for whose cause he had incurred this daūger pitying the cause appointed him gouernour of Normandie his owne countrie After this the Castle was much amended by Gundulphus the Bishop who in consideration of a Manor giuen to his Sée by King Williā Rufus bestowed thrée score poundes in building that great Towre whiche yet standeth And from that time this Castle continued as I iudge in the possession of the Prince vntill King Henrie the first by the aduice of his Barons graunted to William the Archebishop of Canterburie and his successours the custodie and office of Constable ouer the same with frée libertie to builde a Towre for him selfe in any part therof at his pleasure By meanes of which cost done vpon it at that time the Castle at Rochester was muche in the eye of suche as were the authors of troubles folowing within the realme so that from time to time it had a parte almost in euery Tragedie For what time King Iohn had warre with his Barons they gotte the possession of this Castle and cōmitted the defence therof to a noble man called William Dalbinet whome the king immediatly besieged through the cowardise of Robert Fitz Walter that was sent to rescue it after thrée monethes labour compelled him to render the péece The next yere after Lewes the Frenche Dolphine by the ayde of the Englishe Nobilitie entered the same Castle and tooke it by force And lastly in the reigne of King Henrie the thirde Simon Mountford not long before the battaile at Lewes in Sussex girded the citie of Rochester about with a mightie siege and setting on fire the wooden bridge a Towre of timber that stoode thereon wanne the firste gate or warde of the Castle by assaulte and spoyled the Churche and Abbay But being manfully resisted seuen dayes together by the Earle Warren that was within and hearing soudainly of the Kings comming thitherwarde he prepared to méete him in person and lefte others to continue the siege all whiche were soone after put to flight by the kings armie This warre as I haue partly shewed before was specially moued against strangers whiche during that kings reigne bare suche a sway as some write that they not onely disdayned the naturall borne Nobilitie of the Realme But did also what in them lay to abolishe the auncient lawes and customes of the same In déede the fire of that displeasure was long in kindeling therfore so much the more furious when it brast foorth into flame But amongst other things that ministred nourishment therto this was not the least that vpon a time it chaunced a Torneament to be at Rochester in which the English men of a set purpose as it should séeme sorted them selues against the strangers and so ouermatched them that following the victory they made them with great shame to fly into the Towne for couert But I dwel to long I feare in these two parts I will therefore nowe visite the Religious building and so passe ouer the bridge to some other place The foundation of the Churche of S. Andrewes in Rochester was first layd by King Ethelbert as we haue touched before at suche time as he planted the Bishops chaire in the Citie and it was occupyed by Chanons till the dayes of Gundulphus the Bishop who bycause he was a Monke and had hearde that it was sometimes stored with Monkes made meanes to Lanfranc the Archebishop and by his ayde and authoritie both builded the Churche and Pryorie of newe threwe out the Chanons and once more brought Monkes into their place following therein the example that many other Cathedrall Churches of that time had shewed before And this is the very cause that William of Malmesburie ascribeth to Lanfranc the whole thanke of all that matter for in déede bothe he and Anselme his successour were wonderfully busied in placing Monks and in diuorcing Chanons and Secular Priests from their wiues the whiche in contempte
of ouerthrowne Houses and Mynsters were called Knolles Miters he returned into England and meaning some way to make himselfe as well beloued of his Countrie men at home as he had béen euery way dread and feared of Straungers abroade by great policie maistred the Riuer of Medwey and of his owne charge made ouer it the goodly work that now stādeth with a chappel Chauntrie at the end died ful of yeares in the midst of the Reigne of King Henrie the fourth Stroude aunciently called Strodes of the Saxon worde Strogd which signifieth Scattered bicause it was a Hamlet of a few houses that lay scattered from the Citie ABout the beginning of the Reigne of King Henrie the third Gilbert Glāuille the Bishop of Rochester of whom you haue already heard foūded an Hospitall at Stroude whiche he dedicated to the name of the blessed Virgin and endowed with liuelyhode to the value of fiftie and two pounds by yeare A name or familie of men sometime inhabiting Stroude saith Polydore had tailes clapped to their breeches by Thomas Becket for reuenge and punishment of a dispite done to him in cutting of the taile of his horse The Author of the new Legend saith that after Saint Thomas had excomunicated two Brothers called Brockes for the same cause that the Dogges vnder the table would not once take Bread at their handes Suche belike was the vertue of his curse that it gaue to brute beastes a discretion and knowledge of the persons that were in daunger of it Boetius the Scotishe Chronicler writeth that the lyke plague lighted vpon the men of Midleton in Dorsetshyre Who bicause they threwe Fishe tailes in great contempt at Saint Augustine were bothe themselues and their posteritie stricken with tailes to their perpetuall infamie and punishment All whiche their Reportes no doubt be as true as Ouides Hystorie of Diana that in great angre bestowed on Acteon a Deares head with mightie browe anthlers Muche are the Westerne men bound as you sée to Polydore who taking the miracle from Augustine applieth it to S. Thomas and remouing the infamous reuenge frō Dorsetshyre laieth it vpō our men of Kent But litle is Kent or the whole English Nation beholdding either to him or his fellowes who amongst them haue brought vpon vs this ignominie note with other Nations abrode that many of them beleue as verely that we haue long tailes be monsters by nature as other men haue their due partes and mēbers in vsual nūber Polydore the wisest of the company fearing that issue might be taken vpon the matter ascribeth it to one speciall stocke and familie whiche he nameth not and yet to leaue it the more vncertain he saith that that family also is worne out long since and sheweth not when And thus affirming he cannot tel of whome nor when he goeth about in great earnest as in sundrie other things to make the world beléeue he cannot tell what he had forgotten the Lawe wherevnto an Hystorian is bound Ne quid falsi audeat ne quid veri non audeat That he should be bolde to tell the trueth and yet not so bolde as to tell a lye Howbeit his Hystorie without all doubte in places not blemished with suche folies is a worthie work but since he inserteth them many times without all discretion hee must of the wiser sorte be read ouer with great suspicion wearines For as he was by office Collector of the Peter pence to the Popes gaine and lucre so sheweth he himselfe throughout by profession a couetous gatherer of lying Fables fained to aduaunce the Popish Religion Kingdome and Myter ¶ Halling in Saxon Haling that is to say the holsome lowe place or Meadowe I Haue séene in an auncient booke conteining the donations to the See of Rochester collected by Ernulphus the Bishop there intituled Textus de Ecclesia Roffensi a Chartre of Ecgbert the fourthe christened King of Kent by the which he gaue to Dioram the Bishop of Rochester ten ploughlandes in Halling together with certeine Denes in the Weald or common wood To the which Chartre ther is amongst others the subscription of Ieanbert the Archbishop and of one Heahbert a King of Kent also as is in that booke tearmed Which thing I note for two speciall causes the one to shewe that aboute that age there were at one time in Kent moe Kinges then one The other to manifest and set fourth the manner of that time in signing subscribing of Déedes and Charters a fashion much differēt from the insealing that is vsed in these our dayes and as touching the firste I my selfe woulde haue thought that the name King had in that place béen but onely the title of a second Magistrate as Prorex or viceroy substituted vnder the very King of the countrie for administratiō of iustice in his aide or absence sauing that I read plainly in an other Chartre of another donation of Eslingham made by Offa the king of Mercia to Eardulfe the Bishop of the same See that he proceeded in that his gift by the consent of the same Heahbert the king of Kent and that on Sigaered also by the name of Rex dimidiae partis prouinciae Cantuariorum both confirmed it by writing and gaue possession by the deliuery of a clod of earth after the maner of seison that we yet vse Neither was this true in Heahbert onely for it is euident by sundrie Chartres extant in the same Booke that Ealbert the King of Kent had Ethelbert another Kinge his fellowe and partener who also in his time was ioyned in reigne with one Eardulfe that is called Rex Cantuariorum as well as hée So that for this season it should séeme that eyther the kingdome was diuided by discent or els that the title was litigious and in controuersie though our hystories so farre as I haue séene haue mencion of neyther This old manner of signing and subscribing is in my fantasie also not vnworthy the obseruation wherein we differ from our auncestors the Saxons in this that they subscribed their names commonly adding the signe of the crosse togeather with a great number of witnesses And we for more suertie both subscribe our names put our seales and vse the help of testimonie besides That former fashion continued throughout vntill the time of the conquest by the Normans whose manner by litle and litle at the length preuailed amongst vs For the first sealed Chartre in England that euer I read of is that of King Edward the confessours to the Abbey of Westminster who being brought vp in Normandie brought into this Realme that and some other of their guises with him And after the comming of William the Conquerour the Normans liking their owne countrie custome as naturally all nations doe reiected the maner that they found héere and reteyned their owne as Ingulphus the Abbat of Croyland which came in with the conquest witnesseth saying Normanni cheirographorū confectionē cum crucib
not to pursue ouer fiercely thine enemie that hath already tourned his back towardes thée least thou compell him to make vertue of that necessitie and he turning his face againe put thee in d unger to be ouercome thy selfe which before haddest in thine owne hande assuraunce to ouerthrowe him In which behalfe it was well sayde of one Hosti fugienti pons aureus faciendus If thine enemie will flye make him a bridge of Golde Neuerthelesse for as much as this aduice procéeded not from Eadric of any care that he had to preserue King Edmonds power out of perill but rather of feare least the whole army of Canutus should be ouerrunne and destroyed he is iustly taxed for this and other his treasons by our auncient historians who also make report of the worthy rewarde that in the ende he receiued for all his trecherie For this was hee as William Malmsb writeth though some others ascribe it to his sonne that afterwardes when these two Kings had by composition diuided the Realme betwene them most villanously murthered King Edmonde at Oxford and was therfore done to death by King Canutus who in that one act shewed singular argumeÌ„ts both of rare iustice and of a right noble harte Of iustice for that he would not winke at the faulte of him by whose meanes hee obteyned the Monarchie of the whole Realme of great Nobilitie of minde in that he plainly declared himselfe to estéeme more of his owne honour then of another mans Crowne and Scepter to haue digested quietly that impatiencie of a partener in kingdome which great Alexander thought as intollerable as two sunnes in the world at once and which Romulus could in no wise brooke since he woulde not suffer one kingdome to content him and Remus whom one belly had conteyned before There was sometime at Eilefford a house of Carmelite Friers of the time of the foundation or name of the founder whereof I haue not yet learned any thing Mallinge in Saxon Mealing of Mealuing that is the Lowe place flourishing with meale or Corne for so it is euery where accoÌ„pted THis Towne the name whereof hauing his termination in ing betokeneth plainely that it is situate along the water euen as Yalding Berming Halling and others thereby was first giuen to Burhricus the Bishop of Rochester by King Edmund the Brother of Athelstane vnder the name of thrée Plough landes in Mealinges About one hundreth and fiftie yeares after whiche time Gundulphus a successour in that See as you haue read before hauing amplified the buildings and multiplied that number of the Monkes in his owne Citie raised an Abbay of women here also which being dedicate to the name of the Blessed Virgin during all his life he gouerned himself and lying at the point of death he commended to the charge of one Auice a chosen woman to whome notwithstanding he would not deliuer the Pastorall staffe before she had promised Canonicall Obedience fidelitie and subiection to the Sée of Rochester and protested by othe that there should neither Abbasse nor Nonne be from thenceforthe receaued into the house without the consent and priuitie of him and his successours Now whether this Rus propinquum and politique prouision were made of a blinde zeale that the man had to aduaunce superstition or of a vain glorie to increase authoritie in his succession or els of a foresight that the Monkes whiche were for the moste part called Monachi of Sole liuing by the same rule that Montes haue their name of remouing might haue a conuenient place to resort vnto and where they might Caute at the least quenche the heates kindled of their good cheare and idlenesse God knoweth and I wil not iudge But well I wote that this was a very common practise in Papistrie for as Saint Augustines had Sepulchres Saint Albans Sopewell Shene Sion the Knightes of the Rodes the Nonnes of Clerkenwel all adioyning or subiect to suche obedience so Sempringham and some other of that sort had both Male and Female within one house and wall togeather the world being in the meane while borne in hand that they were no men but Images as Phryne said sometime of Xenocrates This house was valued in the Recordes at two hundreth and eightéene pounds of yerely reuenewe Tunbridge called of Mat. Par. Thâ—â—ebrugge corruptly for tonebrycge that is the Bridge ouer Tone but if it be truly written tunbrycge theÌ„ it signifieth the towne of Bridges as in deed it hath many ALthough I find no mention of Tunbridge in that copie of Domesdaye booke whiche I haue séene concerning the description of this Shyre yet read I in history that there was a castle at Tunbridge sone after the conqueste if not euen at the same time when that booke was compiled For omitting that which Hector Boetius writeth concerning a battell at Tunbridge wherin the Conquerour as he saith should preuaile against Harold bicause it is euidently false and vntrue vnlesse he mean it of the continuance of the chase after the fight euen to Tunbridge I haue read that at suche time as Odo ioyning with others of the Nobilitie made defection from William Rufus to Robert his elder brother the King besieged at Tunbridge one Gilbert then kéeper of the Castle and compelled him to yéelde it Happely this Odo being the Kings Vncle and of great authoritie within the Shyre as we haue before shewed had erected this Castle giuen the charge to Gilbert but howsoeuer that were certaine it is that the Castle was long time holdeÌ„ of the Archbishops of Canterbury and continued many yeares togeather in the possession of the Earles of Clare afterwards called of Gloucester For in the dayes of King Henrie the second Thomas the Archbishop required homage of Roger then Earle of Gloucester for his Castle of Tunbridge who knowing the King to be halfe angrie with the Archebishop and wholly on his owne side shaped him a short answere affirming stoutly that it was none of his but the Kings owne as a Lay Fée Falcasius a hyred Souldiour that was enterteined by King Iohn during the warres with his Nobilitie toke by force this Castle from the Earle of Gloucester and kept it for a season to the Kings behoofe King Henrie the third also after the death of Gilbert the Earle of Gloucester scised the Wardship of his Heire and committed the custody of this Castle to Hubert of Burghe But Richard the Archebishop surnamed the great being offended therat came to the King in great haste and made his claime by reason that the Earle Gilbert died in his homage the King gaue answer that the whole Earledome was holden of him that hee might lawfully committe the custodie of the Landes to whome soeuer it liked himselfe Hereat the Bishop waxed warme and tolde the King plainly that since he could not haue right within the Realme he would not spare to séeke it abrode forthwith hasted him to the holy Father at Rome where he
so vsed the matter that he obteined iudgemēt for his part but he for all that neuer had execution by reasō that he died in his returne toward home yet you may here sée by the way that in those dayes there was no Lawe in England to rule the proude Prelacie withall no not so muche as in things méere Lay and temporall To be short the same King Hērie not long before the battel at Lewes in Sussex burned the Citie of Rochester and tooke this Castle by a soudaine surprise wherein he found amongst other the Countesse of Gloucester But it was not long before he stored the Castle with men of warre and restored the Ladie to her former libertie There was somtime neare to this Castle a Pryorie whereof the Earles of Gloucester and their Heires were reputed the first Authors and Patrones And in our memorie there was erected a faire Frée Schoole by the honest liberalitie of Syr Androw Iudde a Citizen and Maior of London whiche submitted the same to the order and ouersight of the company of Skinners there whereof himselfe had béene a member Round about the Towne of Tunbridge lyeth a territorie or compasse of ground commonly called the Lowy but written in the auncient Recordes and Hystories Pencata or Lenga and being in déede a French League of ground whiche as I finde in the Chronicles of Normandie was allotted at the first vpon this occasion following There was in Normandie a Towne and land therevnto adioyning called Bryonnie whiche was of the auncient possession of the Dukedome and had continually remained in the handes of the Dukes there till suche time as Richard the second Duke of that name gaue it amongst other Landes to Godfrey his natural brother for his aduauncement in liuing This Godfrey enioyed it all his lyfe and left it to one Gislebert his Sonne whiche happely was Gilbert the Capitain of Tunbridge Castle of whom we had mention before who also held it so long as he liued But after the death of Gislebert Robert the Duke of Normandie and Eldest Sonne to King William the Conquerour beeing earnestly laboured to bestowe it vpon on Robert Earle Mellent whose ofspring were sometimes Earles of Leycester within this Realme seazed it into his owne hands pretending to vnite it to the Dukedome againe But when Richard the Sonne of Gislebert vnderstoode of this he put to his claime and making his title by a long continued possession euen from Godfrey his graundfather so encountred the suite of Earle Mellent that to stoppe Richards mouthe withall it was by the deuice of the Earle and by the mediation of Duke Robert which he made to his Brother William Rufus brought to passe that Richard should receaue in recompence the Town of Tunbridge in England and so much land about it as Bryonnie it selfe conteined in circuit And to the end that the indifferencie of the dealing might appeare and his full satisfaction be wrought they caused Bryonnie and the land about it to be measured with a line whiche they afterward brought ouer with them into England and applying the same to Tunbridge and the land adioyning laide him out the very like in quantitie in so much that long time after it was a common and receaued opinion in Normandie that the Leagues of Bryonnie and Tunbridge were all one in measure and compasse This together with the Towne and Castle came at the length as you haue séene to the handes of the Earles of Gloucester betwéene whome and the Archebishops of Canterbury there arose oftentimes contention bothe for the limits of this league and for the preeminence of their priuileges At the last Boniface the Archebishop next but one in succession after Richard of whome we spake before and Richard the Earle and Heire to Gilbert agréed in the reigne of King Henrie the third vpon a perambulatiō to be made betwéene them and so the strife for their boundes was brought to an end But as touching their priuileges and iurisdiction in the place it fell out by inquisition in the time of King Edward following that the Archebishop had nothing to do within the league that the Earle had returne of writtes creation of certain Officers an especiall sessions in Eire c most of whiche things the Towne hath not these many yeares enioyed But yet it was agréed after the perambulation so made betwéene Boniface and the Earle Richard that the Earle and his heires should holde the Manors of Tunbridge Vielston Horsmund Melyton and Pettys of the Archebishop and his successours by the seruice of 4. Knightes fées and to be highe Stewardes and highe Butlers to the Archebishops at the great feast of their inthronizations taking for their seruice in the Stewardship seuē competent Robes of Scarlet thirtie gallons of wyne thirtie pound of waxe for his light liuery of Hay and Oates for fourescore Horse by two nights the dishes and salt which should stand before the Archebishops in that Feast and at their departure the dyet of thrée days at the costes of the Archbishops at foure of their next Manors by the foure quarters of Kent wheresoeuer they would Ad minuendum sanguinem So that they repaired thither but with fiftie Horses only And taking also for the Office of Butlership other seuen like Robes 20 Gallons of wyne fiftie pound of waxe like liuery for thréescore Horses by two nights the cuppe wherewith the Archebishops should be serued all the emptie hogsheads of drinke and for sixe tunne of wyne so many as should be dronke vnder the barre also The Articles of whiche their composition were afterward accordingly perfourmed firste betwéene Gilbert Earle of Gloucester and Robert Winchelsey the Archebishop next betwéene the same Earle and the Archebishop Reignoldes Then betwéene Hughe Audley the Earle of Gloucester and the Archebishop Iohn Stratford After that betwéene the Earle of Stafford to whome the Lordship of Tunbridge at the length came and Simon Sudbury Archebishop in that Sée and lastly betwéene William Warham the Archebishop and Edward the late Duke of Buckingham who also executed the Stewardship in his owne person and the Butlership by his deputie Syr Thomas Burgher Knight the whole pompe and Ceremonie whereof I haue séen at greater length set forth and described then is méete for this time place to be recounted Asherst in Saxon Acsehyrst that is the Wood consisting of Ashes IN the Southwest corner of this Shyre towarde the confines of Sussex and Surrey lyeth Asherst a place now a daies so obscure for it is but a Towne of two houses that it is not worthy the visiting but yet in olde time so glorious for a Roode that it had of rare propertie that many vouchsafed to bestowe bothe their labour and money vpon it It was beaten forsooth into the heades of the common people as what thing was so absurde which the Clergie coulde not then make the world to beleeue that the Roode or Crucifix of this church did by certaine incrementes continually
waxe grow as well in the bush of haire that it had on the head as also in the length and stature of the members and bodie it selfe By meanes whereof it came to passe that whereas the fruites of the Benefice weare hardly able to susteine the Incumbent nowe by the benefite of this inuention which was in papistrie Nouum genus aucupij the Parson there was not onely furnished by the offering to liue plentifully but also well ayded towarde the makinge of a Hoorde or increase of Wealthe and Riches But as Ephialtes and Octus the Sonnes of Neptune who as the Poets feigne waxed nine inches euerie moneth being heaued vp with opinion and conceits ceipt of their owne length and hantines assaulted heauen intending to haue pulled the Gods out of their places and were therefore shot through slayne with the arrowes of the Gods Euen so when Popish Idolatrie was growne to the full height and measure so that it spared not to rob God of his due honour and most violently to pull him as it were out of his seate then this growing Idole and all his fellowes were so deadly wounded with the heauenly arrowes of the woorde of God Qui non dabit gloriam suam sculptilibus that soone after they gaue vp the ghost and least vs. Betwéene this Towne and Depeforde which is the whole bredthe of the Shyre on the west ende I finde nothing committed to hystorie and therefore let vs hast and take our next way thither ¶ Depeforde in Latine Vadum profundum and in auncient Euidences West Greenewiche THis towne being a frontier betwene Kent and Surrey was of none estimation at all vntil that King Henrie the eight aduised for the better preseruation of the Royall Fléete to erect a Storehouse and to create certaine officers there these he incorporated by the name of the Maister and Wardeines of the Holie Trinitie for the building kéeping and conducting of the Nauie Royall There was lately reedefied a fayre Bridge also ouer the Brooke called Rauensbourne whiche ryseth not farre of in the Heath aboue Bromley ¶ Greenewiche in Latine Viridis finus in Saxon grenapic that is to say the Greene Towne In auncient euidences Eastgreenewiche for difference sake from Depforde which in olde Instruments is called westgreenewiche IN the time of the turmoyled Kinge Ethelred the whole fléete of the Danish army lay at roade two or thrée yeares together before Greenewich And the Souldiours for the moste parte were incamped vpon the hill aboue the towne now called Black-health Duringe this time they pearced this whole Countrie sacked and spoyled the Citie of Canterburie and brought frō thence to their ships Aelphey the Archbishop And here a Dane called Thrum whom the Archebishop had confirmed in Christianitie the daie before strake him on the head behinde and slewe him because he woulde not condiscend to redéeme his lyfe with thrée thousande poundes which the people of the Citie Diocesse were contented to haue geuen for his raunsome Neither would the rest of the Souldiours suffer his bodie to be committed to the earth after the maner of Christian decencie till such time saieth William of Malmsb as they perceiued that a dead stick being annointed with his bloud waxed gréene againe and began the next day to blossom But referring the credite of that and suche other vnfruitfull miracles wherwith our auncient monkish stoaries doe swarme to the iudgement of the godly and discréete Readers most assured it is that aboute the same time such was the storme and furie of the Danish insatiable rauine waste spoyle and oppression with in this Realme besides that of two and thirtie Shyres into which number the whole was then diuided they herried and ransacked sixtéene so that the people being miserably vexed the Kinge himselfe to auoyde the rage first sent ouer the Seas his wyfe and children afterward compounded and gaue them a yerely tribute and lastly for verie feare forsooke the Realme and fled into Normandie himselfe also They receiued besides daylie victuall fourtie eight thousande poundes in ready coyne of the subiectes of this Realme whilest their King Swein lyued twentie one thousand after his death vnder his sonne Canutus vpon the payment whereof they made a corporall oth to serue the King as his feodaries against al strangers and to liue as fréendes and allies without endamaging his subiectes But how litle they perfourmed promise the harms that daily folowed in sundry parts and the exalting of Canutus their owne countrieman to the honour of the Crowne were sufficient witnesses In memorie of this Campe certeine places within this parishe are at this day called Combes namely Estcombe Westcombe and Midlecombe almoste forgotten For Comb and Compe in Saxon being somewhat declined from Campus in Latine signifieth a field or Campe for an Armie to soiourne in And in memorie of this Archebishop Aelpheg the parish Church at Greenewiche being at the first dedicated to his honour remaineth knowne by his name euen till this present day Thus much of the antiquitie of the place concerning the latter hystorie I reade that it was soone after the conquest parcel of the possessions of the Bishop of Lysieux in Fraunce and that it bare seruice to Odo then Bishop of Baieux and Earle of Kent After that the Manor belonged to the Abbat of Gaunt in Flaunders till such time as Kinge Henrie the fift seising into his handes by occasion of warre the landes of the Priors Aliens bestowed it togeather with the manor of Lewsham and many other lands also vpon the Priorie of the Chartrehouse Monks of Shene whiche he had then newly erected to this it remayned vntill the time of the reigne of Kinge Henrie the eight who annexed it to the Crowne whervnto it now presently belongeth The Obseruant Friers that sometime lyued at Greenewiche as Iohn Rosse writeth came thither about the latter end of the reign of king Edward the fourth at whose handes they obteined a Chauntrie with a litle Chapel of the holy crosse a place yet extant in the towne And as Lilley saith Kinge Henrie the seuenth buylded for them that house adioyning to the Palaice which is there yet to be séene But now least I may séeme to haue saide much of small matters and to haue forgotten the principall ornament of the towne I must before I end with Greenewiche say somewhat of the Princes Palaice there Humfrey therefore the Duke of Gloucester Protectour of the Realme a man no lesse renowmed for approued vertue and wisdome then honoured for his high estate and parentage was the first that layde the foundations of the faire building in the towne and towre in the Parke and called it his Manor of pleasance After him Kinge Edward the fourthe bestowed some cost to enlarge the woorke Henrie the seuenthe folowed and beautified the house with the addition of the brick front toward the water side but King Henrie the eight as he excéeded all his progenitours
in setting vp of sumptuous housinge so he spared no coste in garnishing Greenewiche til he had made it a pleasant perfect and Princely Palaice Marie his eldest daughter and after Quéene of the realme was borne in this house Queene Elizabeth his other daughter our most gratious gladsom Gouernour was likewise borne in this house And his deare sonne King Edward a myracle of Princely towardnesse ended his lyfe in the same house One accident more touching this house and then an ende It hapened in the reigne of Queene Marie that the Master of a Ship passing by whilest the court lay there and meaning as the manner aad dutie is with saile and shot to honour the Princes presence vnaduisedly gaue fyre to a peice charged with a pellet in sted of a tampion the which lighting on the Palaice wallranne through one of the priuie lodginges and did no further harme ¶ Blackheathe ADioyninge to Greenewiche lyethe the plaine called of the colour of the soyle Blackheathe the which besides the burthen of the Danishe Camps whereof we spake euen now hath borne thrée seueral rebellious assemblies One in the time of Kinge Richard the second moued as it shal appeare anon in Dartford by Iack Straw whom William Walworth then Mayor of London slowe with his Dagger in Smithfielde in memorie whereof the Citie had geuen them for increase of honour a Dagger to be borne in their shield of armes Iack Cade that counterfeit Mortimer and his fellowes were leaders of the second who passing from hence to London did to death the Lord Say and others in the time of King Henrie the Sixt. These two besides other harmes that vsually accompanie the mutinic and vprore of the common and rascal sort defaced fouly the Records and monuments both of the law and Armourie The parts of Rolles remayning yet halfe brent doo witnesse the one And the Heraldes vnskill comming through the want of their olde Bookes is sufficient testimonie of the other The third insurrection was assembled by Michael Ioseph the black Smith and the Lorde Audley vnder the reigne of Kinge Henrie the Seuenth at whiche time they and their complices receaued their iust deserte the common number of them being slaine and discomfited and the leaders themselues taken drawne and hanged Of this last there remaineth yet to be séene vpon the Heathe the places of the Smithes Tente called commonly his forge And of all thrée the graue hilles of suche as were buried after the ouerthrowe These hillockes in the West Countrie where is no smal store of the like are called Barowes of the olde Englishe word BurgHer whiche signifieth Sepulchres or places of burying which word being a spring of that olde stocke we doe yet reteine aliue The first and last of these commotions were stirred of a griefe that the common people conceaued for the demaund of two subsidies of whiche the one was vnreasonable bycause it was taxed vpon the Polls and exempted none were he neuer so poore The other was vnseasonable for that it was exacted when the heades of the common people were full of Parkin Warber The third and midlemoste grewe vpon a grudge that the people tooke for yeelding vp the Duchie of Angâ—ow and Maynie to the King of Sicil The comming in of whose daughter after that the King would néedes haue her to wife notwithstanding his precontract made with the Earle of Armenac was not so ioyfully embraced by the Citizens of London vpon Blackheathe wearing their red Hoodes Badges and blewe gownes as in sequele the Marriage and whole gouernment it self was knowne to be detested of the countrie Commons by bearing in the same place Harnesse Bowes Billes and other Weapon But bicause I cannot without paine and pitie enter into the consideration of these times and matters I will discourse no farther thereof but crosse ouer the next way to Lesnes and prosequute the rest of the bounds of this Bishopricke Lesnes mistaken as I thinke for LesÆ¿es Leswes whiche signifiethe Pastures I Could easily haue beléeued that the name Lesnes had béen deriued out of the Frenche and that it had béen first imposed at the foundation of the Abbay saying that I finde the place registred in the Booke of Domesday by the very same and none other calling And therfore I am the rather led to thinke that the name is Saxon and there miswritten as many other be by reason that the Normans were the penners of that booke Lesnes for Leswes the word whiche in the Saxon tongue signifieth Pastures and is not as yet vtterly forgotten forasmuche as till this day Pastures be called Lesewes in many places This is my fantasie touching the name wherein if I fayle it forceth not greatly since the matter is no more weightie Concerning the Hystorie of the place only I finde that Richard Lucy a priuie Counselour of the State and chiefe Iustice of the Realme in the time of King Henrie the second founded an Abbay there the temporalties wherof amounted as I finde to seuen poundes sixe Shillings and eight pence But as for the extent of the whole yearely value I haue not learned it Earethe in some olde euidences Eard deriued as I gesse of Aerre Hyðe that is the olde Hauen FOr plaine example that oure Elders before the conquest had their trialles for title of land and other controuersies in each shire before a Iudge then called Alderman or Shyreman of whom there is very frequent mention in the Lawes of our auncestours the Saxons the whiche some yeares since were collected and published in one volume and for assured proofe also that in those dayes they vsed to procéede in suche causes by the oathes of many persons testifying their opinion of his credit that was the first swearer or partie after the manner of our daily experience as in the oath yet in vre and called commonly Wager of Lawe is to be séene I haue made choice of one Hystorie conteining briefly the narration of a thing done at this place by Dunstanc the Archbishop of Canterbury almost a hundreth yeares before the comming of King William the Conquerour A rich man saith the text of Rochester being owner of Cray Earithe Ainesford and Woldham and hauing none issue of his body deuised the same lands by his last wil made in the presence of Dunstane and others to a kinswoman of his owne for life the Remainder of the one halfe thereof after her death to Christes Church at Canterbury and of the other halfe to Saint Androwes of Rochester for euer he died and his wife toke one Leofsun to husband who ouerliuing her reteined the Land as his owne notwithstanding that by the fourme of the deuise his interest was determined by the deathe of his wife Herevpon complaint came to one Wulsie for that time the Scyreman or Iudge of the Countie as the same booke interpreteth it before whome bothe Dunstane the Archebishop the parties them selues sundrie other Bishops and a great multitude of the Lay people
to his tenants any alteration of this olde custome and manner For as the pleading is Quod terrae praedictae sunt de tenura natura de Gauelkind euen so the trueth is that the present tenure onely guideth not the discent but that the tenure and the nature together do gouerne it And therefore as on the one side the custome can not attache or take holde of that which was not before in nature subiect to the custome that is to say accustomably departed So on the other side the practise of the custome long time cōtinued may not be interrupted by a bare alteration of the tenure And this is not my fantasie but the resolution of all the Iustices as Iudge Dalison him selfe hath left reported 4. 5. Philippi Mariae And also of the court 26. H. 8. 5. where it was affirmed that if a man being seised of Gauelkind lande holden in Socage make a gift in tayle create a tenure in Knights seruice that yet this land must descend after the custome as it did before the chaunge of the tenure Moreouer as the chaunge of the tenure can not preuaile against this custome So neither the continuance of a contrary vsage may alter this prescription For it is holden 16. E. 2. Praescription 52. in Fitzherbert that albeit the eldest sonne onely hath and that for manye discentes together entered into Gauelkynde lande and occupyed it without any contradiction of the younger brothers that yet the lande remayneth partible betwéene them when so euer they will put to theyr claime Againste whiche assertion that whiche is sayde 10. H. 3. in the title of Praescription 64. namely of the issue taken thus Si terra illa fuit partita nec ne is not greatly forceable For althoughe it be so that the lande were neuer departed in déede yet if it remayne partible in nature it may be departed when so euer occasion shall be ministred And therefore euen in the forme of pleading vsed at this day Quod terra illa a toto tempore c. partibilis fuit partita it is plainly taken that the worde partibilis onely is of substaunce and that the worde partita is but a word of forme and not materiall or trauersable at all Yea so inseparable is this custome from the lande in whiche it obteyneth that a contrarie discent continued in the case of the Crowne it selfe can not hinder but that after such time as the lande shall resorte agayne to a common person the former inueterate custome shall gouerne it As for the purpose Landes of Gauelkynde nature come to the Quéenes handes by purchase or by eschete as holden of her Manor of A. Nowe after her deathe all her sonnes shall inherite and diuide them But if they come to her by forfayture in Treason or by gifte in Parleament so that her grace is seised of them in Iure Coronae then her eldest sonne onely whiche shall be King after her shall inioye them In whiche case althoughe those landes whiche the eldest sonne being King did possesse doe come to his eldest sonne after him being King also and so from one to another by sundry discents Yet the opinion of Syr Anthonie Browne was 7. Elizab. that if at any time after the same landes be graunted to a common person they shall reuolte to their former nature of Gauelkynde and be partible amongst his heyres males notwithstanding that they haue runne a contrarie course in diuers the discentes of the Kings before But muche lesse maye the vnitie of possession in the Lorde frustrate the custome of Gauelkynde discent as it may appeare 14. H. 4. in the long Recordare Only therefore these two cases I doubt of concerning this point and therevpon iudge them méete to be inquired of That is to say first if a tenancie in Gauelkynd eschete to the Lord by reason of a Ceasser as hereafter it shall appeare that it may or if it be graunted vnto the Lord by the tenant without any reseruation which Lord holdeth ouer by fee of Haubert or by Serieancie both which I take to be Knights seruice whether now this tenancy be partible amongst the heires males of the Lord or no. For the auncient treatise of the Kentishe Customes so determineth but I wote not whether experience so alloweth The other dout is this if it be so that any whole towne or village in Kent hath not at any time that can be shewed bene acquainted with the exercise of Gauelkynde discent whether yet the custome of Gauelkinde shal haue place there or no. Towarde the resolution of which later ambiguitie it shal tende somwhat to shew how farre this custome extendeth it self within this our countrey It is commonly taken therefore that the custome of Gauelkind is generall and spreadeth it selfe throughout the whole Shyre into all landes subiect by auncient tenure vnto the same such places only excepted where it is altered by acte of Parleament And therfore 5. E. 4. 18. and. 14. H. 4. 8. it is sayd that the custome of Gauelkind is as it were a cōmon law in Kent And the booke 22. E. 4. 19. affirmeth that in demaunding Gauelkind lande a man shall not néede to prescribe in certeine and to shew That the Towne Borowe or Citie where the landes be is an auncient towne borowe or citie and that the custome hath bene there time out of mynd that the lands within the same towne borow or citie shuld descend to al the heires males c. But that is sufficient inoughe to shewe the custome at large and to say That the land lyeth in Kent and that all the landes there be of the nature of Gauelkynde For a writte of partition of Landes in Gauelkinde saithe Maister Litleton shal be as generall as if the landes were at the Common lawe although the declaration ought specially to conteine mention of the Custome of the Countrie This vniuersalitie therefore considered as also the straite bonde whereby the custome is so inseperably knit to the land as in manner nothing but an acte of Parleament can clearely disseuer them I sée not how any Citie Towne or Borowe can be exempted for the only default of putting the Custome in vre more then the Eldest Sonne in the case before may for the like reason prescribe against his yonger Brethren But here before I conclude this part I thinke good first to make Maister Litletons aunswere to suche as happely wil demaund what reason this custome of Gauelkinde discent hathe thus to diuide land amongst al the Males contrarie to the manner of the whole Realme besides The younger sonnes saith he be as good gentlemen as the Elder they being alike deare to theyr cōmon auncestor from whom they claim haue so much the more néede of their friendes helpe as through their minoritie they be lesse able then the elder Brother to help them selues secondly to put you in remembrance also of the statute of Praerogatina Regis Ca. 16. Where it
S. Iohn Champneys Iohn Baker Esquier Reignold Scot. Iohn Guldeford Thomas Kempe Edward Thwaites William Roper Anthonie Sandes Edwarde Isaac Perciuall Harte Edward Monyns William Whetnall Iohn Fogg Edmund Fetiplace Thomas Hardres William Waller Thomas Wilforde Thomas Moyle Thomas Harlakenden Geffrey Lee. Iames Hales Henrie Hussey Thomas Roydon ¶ The names of suche as be likewise prouided for E. 6. Ca. Syr Robert Southwell S. Iames Hales S. Walter Hendley S. George Harper S. Henrie Isley S. George Blage. Thomas Colepeper of Bedgebirie Iohn Colepeper of Ailesforde William Twisden Tho. Darrell of Scotney Robert Rudston Thomas Roberts Stephan Darrell Richard Couarte Christopher Blower Thomas Hendley Thomas Harman Thomas Louelace Thomas Colepeper The names of suche as be specified in the acte made for the like cause 5. Elizabeth Cap. Thomas Browne of Westbecheworthe in Surrey George Browne It were right woorthie the labour to learne the particulars and certeintie if it may be of all suche possessions as these men had at the times of these seuerall Statutes for that also wil be seruiceable in time to come Alexander Neuil Norwicus Sir Thomas Moore Knight in the hystorie of King Richard the thirde Mathewe Parker Archebishop of Canterbury in his Preface to the Booke de rebus gestis Aelfredi Regis The Brytaines The Scots pictes The SaxoÌ„s Iutes and Angles The Normans The seuen kingdomes Three sorts of Lawes in olde time The Lawes of our time These thinges be all handeled in the induction to the Topographical Dictionarie The author determined to haue written this treatise in latine Scituation of Kent Kent why so named The Aire The Soyle The Corne The Poulse The Pasture The woods fruits The Cattel Deere and Conyes No mynes The fishe The people Socage and Knightes seruice The Gentlemen The yeomeÌ„ The Artificers The first in habitation of England The errour of those whiche say that the Brytons weare Indigenae That is to say Ryders and to Ride An. mundi 2219. An. ante Christum 1142. Kent the first inhabited part of England Foure Kings in Kent But one King in Kent The first wasseling cuppe The issue of an vngodly mariage The Kings of Kent Ethelbert the King of Kent Eadric the King of Kent First name of Englishmen Beginning of Shires Lathes Hundreds Tythings Bosholder Tithingman Kent keepeth her olde customes Gauelkyn Meeting 〈◊〉 Swanescombe The Lathe of S. Augustines The Lathe of Scray or Sherwinhope The Late of Aylesford The Lathe of Sutton at Hone. Geffray of Monmouth Polydore The order of this description Flamines turned into Bishops LondoÌ„ spoiled of the Archebishopricke The increase of the Archebishopricke ConttentioÌ„ for the Primacie The Archebishoppes place in the generall counsell Wrastling for the primacie The end of the strife for the supremacie The ordre of this description of Kent No snakes in Tanet For Seax in their language signifieth a sword or axe or hatchet The occasion of the building of Minster Abbay For it was called Roma of Ruma a pappe or dugge S. Mildredâ— miracles Ippedsflete Stonor Earle Godwine and his sonnes The cause of Goodwyn Sandes The death of Earle Godwyne 1. Cursed bread The visions of Edward the confessour Epimenides did slepe 75 yeares 1. Loue Ly. or game for the whetstone Richeborow was sometime a Citie Sandwiche is not Rutupi The antiquitie of the Portes Whiche be the Fiue Portes â—â—iâ—â— wâ—re â—â—led 〈◊〉 â—lde 〈◊〉 ContentioÌ„ betweene Yarmouth and the fiue Portes Winchelsey first builded The good seruice of the .5 ports Muris ligneis querendam salutem The priuiledges of the 5. Ports The names of the Wardeins of the Fiue Portes Reliques of great price The auncient estate of Sandwiche Sandwiche spoyled brent The schole at Sandwiche The whole hystorie of the Danishe doings in England The continuance of the Danes in England The Danes all slaine in one night Saint Martins drunkeÌ„ feast Sweyn the Dane Hoctuesday Prouision of armour A Courtlie Sycophant A right popishe miracle King Henrie the 8. fortifieth his Realme Sandowne walmere The towne of Douer Godwine resisteth the King. Douer Castell Iuuenal in the ende of his 4. Satyre Odo the Earle of Kent Fynes the first Constable of Douer Castell and the beginning of Castlegard Estimatioâ— of Douer Castell Hubert of Brough a noble captaine Reparation of Douer Castell S. Martines in Douer ContentioÌ„ betweene the Râ—ligious persons for trifles Longchamp the lustie bishop of Ely. Religious houses in Douer The order of the Templers when it began The Pope and king Iohn fall our for Stephan Langton The Golden Bull. S. Eanswide and her miracles A popishe policie Folkestone spoiled The Hundred The Manor The Pontifical iusice of William Courtney the Archbishop Ostenhangar The Cause of the decay of Hauens in Kent Hyde miserably scourged The shortest passage betweene England Fraunce Thomas Becket grauÌ„teth a petition after his death Lord Wardein of the Portes Shipwey sometime a Hauâ—n towne The HaueÌ„ Limene the Towne Lymne The Riuer Limen now Rother Apledore The holy Maide of Kent Chap. 12. Butler the CoronatioÌ„ Pryorie at Bylsington Thomas Becket The Popes authoritie was abolished in England in the time of King Henrie the second Rumney Marâ—he The three steppes of Kent The order of this description The Danes doe spoile Fraunce England at one time The course of the Ryuer Lymen nowe Rother The first Carmelites in England Kent why so called The Weald was sometime a wildernesse This Benerth is the seruice which the tenaÌ„t doth with his Carte Ploughe The boundes of the Weald Fermes why so termed Townes named of the Riuers The College The Palaicâ— The Schole The Riuer of Medway and wherof it tooke the name The Riuer Aile or Eile The name of Harlot whereof it beganne Odo the Earle of Kent The auncient manner of the triall of right The Cleargie haue in croched vpon the Prince in the punishment of adulterie Abbaies do beget one another The vngrations Rood of Grace S. RuÌ„wald and his miracles For none might enter into the Temple of Ceres in Eleusis but such as were innocent The Natiuitie of S. Rumwald Kemsley Downe The Popish manner of preaching Popish purgatorie is deriued out of Poetrie Doncaster in the North CouÌ„trie The English shepe and wooll King Henry the eight fortfieth his Realme Monkes do contend with the King forceably The names of Townes framed out of the mouthes of Riuers The corruption of our English speach The Riuer called WaÌ„tsume The order of this description The decay of the olde Englishe tongue The Archebishops were well housed Prouision of armourâ— The names of Lathes and of Wapentakes The Priuileges of high waies The order of this description S. Gregories in Canterburi first builded Reliques King Iohn yealdeth to the Pope The Barons warre The Popes reuenue in England A ParleameÌ„t without the Cleargie The traiterous behauiour of Robert of Winchelsey the Archebishop Polidore was the Popes creature King Edward the first claymeth supremacie ouer the Clergie The olde and newe manner of wrecke
at the Sea. The College The value of the Religious houses in this Shyre The Citie when it began The olde Schole at Canterbury The decay of Canterbury and other places Continuall contention betweene the two great houses in Canterbury Christes-Churche in Canterbury Thomas Becket the Archbishop his hystorie Saint Augustines The deade in old time were buried out of the Cities Popishe braules S. Maries in Canterbury The Saints and Reliques at CaÌ„terbury S. August Thomas Becket had two heads S. Gregories in Canterbury S. Laurenceâ— Hospitall S Iames Hospitall S. Sepulchers White friars S. Mildredâ— The Bishops Palaice S. Martines was a Bishops See. S. Sepulchres by CaÌ„terbury The Monkes coÌ„tend with the Archbishop and do preuaile The vanitie of Man and the subtilty of the Deuill be the cause of Idolatrie Saint Thomas Beckets Relique The olde manner of nameing men Maude the Empresse true Heire to the Crowne Bartholmew Badelesmere Thomas Colpeper The Pryory at Leeds By what meanes the Archebishops chair came to 〈…〉 The Deanrie of shorâ—ham A Popishe myracle Monkes contend for the electioÌ„ of the Bishop SaÌ„int Cuthbertes feast why holdeÌ„ double Bishops Sees are translated from Villages to Cities The Catalogue of Rochester Bishops The Harborowe of the Nauie Royall The benefites that God hathe giuen this Realme in the Reigne oâ— Queene Elizabeth A barbarous crueltie executed vpon Straungers Excessiue drinking and how it came into England Great troupes of seruing men came in with the Normanes The cause of the Conquest of Enlande Harold the King. The vncurtesie of the English natioÌ„ toward straungers Busyris was a tirant that sacrificed straungers and was therefore slaine by Hercules Our Lady the Rode of ChethaÌ„ Gillingham Horsted borne in Ailesford Hengist Horsa two famous Capitaines A religious Skirmish betwene the Monkes of Rochester and the Brethren of Stroude Friendsbury clubbes Eslingham Appropriations of benefices The Citie The Castle S. Andrews Church in Rochester Priests had wiues in England of olde time Saint William of Rochester Saint Bartholmewes Hospitall Rochester Bridge both the olde the newe Syr Robert Knolles a valiant Capitaine The Hospitall The beginning of this scoffing by word Kentishe tailes Angle Queene Many kinges at once in Kent The olde manner of Signing Sealing of deedes Fernham The Danes compelled to take the Thamise The Danes are chased from Otforde Earle Edrie an infamus traytour A noble example of Kinge Edmunde Ironside The names of Townes ending in ing The Abbay The Solaces of Solâ— life The Castle The Cleargie was law lesse The Pryorie at Tun-Bridge The Low the of Tunbridge 42. H. 3. The Archebishop hath an Earle to his Butler The Rooâ—â— of Asherst was a growing Idole The masters of the nauie Royal. Alphey the Archbishop was cruelly slaine A popish minde 32. Shyres in England Great suÌ„mâ— of money paied to the Danes The Priorie of Shene The frierie The Palaice The rebellion of Iack Straw The rebellion of Iack Cade The rebellion of the black smith Lord Richard Lucy The ancient manner of the triall of right to Landes Wager of Lawe Hengist Horsa The beginning of the Kentishe Kingdome Orpenton the course of Cray water Mesopotamia signifieth a couÌ„try encompassed with riuers Rochester castle beseiged Princes may wooe by picture and marye by proctor The Abbay The old maner of Tourneament The occasion of Iacke Strawes his rebellion The courâ—â— of the riuer of Derent The name of Portreue whereof it commeth The name of Sherife London had a Portreue The office of a Reue. A learned age in which priestes had more latine theÌ„ english and yet almost no latine at all The order of this description The Manour The church of S. Hildeferthe The auncient forme of a Testament The auncient estate of a Gentleman and by what meanes gentle was obteyned in the olde time The degres of Freemen Earl Thein and Churle Alderman ShiremaÌ„ c were names of offices Wisdom is more profitable when it is ioyned with riches Merchandize and Husbandrie 1. The worship of many Gods. Saint Edith and her offering The olde newe Romanes agre in many points of religion S. Thomas Beckets spiteful miracles S. Bartilmew of Otford and his offering The Palaice at Otford Cardinall Morton Erasmus doth misreporte the cause of the contention between the King and Thomas Becket The Manor of WinghaÌ„ Reigate Castle in Surrey The Schole and Almes house The Town The name Gauelkind wherof it arose To shift laÌ„d is an olde terme The antiquitie of Gauelkind custome The diuisioÌ„ of this discourse What lands be of Gauel kind nature Some Knight fee is Gauelkinde Auncient Knight fee is not of the nature of Gauelkynd The change of Gauelkind tenure is no chaÌ„ge of the nature of Gauelkind A contrarie vsage changeth not the nature of Gauelkinde HeaHbeorg in Saxon is a high defence and the customs of NormaÌ„die that cal fieâ—e or fee de Haubert whiche oweth to defend the laÌ„d by full armes that is by horse haubert target sword or helme and it consisteth of 300. acres of land which is the same as I suppose that we called a whole Knights fee * The custome of Gauelkind is vniuersall in Kent The reason of Gauelkinde Custome What thinges shal ensue the nature of the land Rent Remainder Voucher Condition Attaint and Error No battail nor graund Assise in gauelkinde Forfaiture in Felonie Cessauit in Gauelkind Tenant by the Courtesie Tenant in Dâ—wer The difference betweene coÌ„mon Lawe and Custome therin Dower of chattels Partition of chattels Partition of chattels London Partition of Gauelkinde lands Astrâ— what it meaneth Gardein after the cusâ—ome Sale is at 15. yearâ—â— Sale good at 15. yeares No villains in Kent Apparance Câ—men Chase and driue out Attaint Chaunging of wayes Goppies These wordes betweene the starres were taken out of an other olde copie Free men Esechator Giue and sell landes without licence Plede by writte or pleinte Appeare by Borsholder No eschete for felonie but of goods only Dower of the one half Flying for felony causeth forfeiture Partition amoÌ„gst the heirs males The Astre Curt in other copies One suite for all the parceners Partition of goods Custodie of the heire in Gauelkind Sale at xv yeres of age Dower of the one half Forfaiture of Dower Tenant by the courtesie of the one halfe The discent of Gauelkind changed Forfaiture by Ceslauit or Gâ—uelate No oathe but for fealtie Essoignes No battail nor graunâ— assise in Guelkinde landes A Table conteining the principall places and matters handeled in this Booke A Angles or Englishmen Page 2 Archebishopricke of Canterbury Page 62 Archebishops contend for the primacie Page 65 Archebishops all named Page 70 Armour Page 112. 211. Apledore Page 146. 162 Aile or Eile a Riuer Page 177. Correction of adulterie Page 180. Appropriations Page 292 Ailesforde Page 321. Asheherst Page 333. Adington Page 258. Aldington Page 149. B Brytones or Welshmen Page 1. 12. Borsholder what he is Page 22 Bridges of stone Page