Palmes-sunday before his Majesty Anno Domini 1539. And yet man is but man he returned to his errour in the raign of King Edward the sixth continuing therein in the first of Queen Elizabeth for which he was deprived of his Bishoprick He shewed mercy when in Power and found it in his Adversity having nothing but the Name of a prisoner in which condition he died and was buried at Lambeth 1560. RALPH BAINES was born in this County bred Fellow of Saint Johns-colledge in Cambridge An Excellent Linguist in Latine Greek and Hebrew I say Hebrew then in its Nonage whereof Baines was a good Guardian first in learning then in teaching the Rules thereof Hence he went over into France and became Hebrew Professor at Paris He wrot a Comment on the Proverbs in three Volumes and dedicated it to King Franc is the first of France that Grand Patron of good Men and great Scholars Pitz telleth us ferunt it is reported that the Ministers of Geneva have much depraved many of his writings in severall places which I doe not believe Such passages doubtlesly according to the Authors own writing being reducible to two Heads First his fair mentioning of some learned Linguists though Protestants with whom he kept an Epistolary Correspondency Secondly some expressions in preferring the Original of Scripture to the Diminution of the Vulgar Translation Returning into England he was by Queen Mary 1555 made Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield Hitherto no ill could be spoken of his Intellectualls and hereafter no good of his Moralls in point of his Cruelty he caused such persecution in his Diocess His greatest Commendation is that though as bad a Bishop as Christopher son he was better then Bonner In the first of Queen Elizabeth he was deprived of his Bishoprick and dying not long after of the Stone was buried in Saint Dunstans 1560. Since the Reformation THOMAS BENTHAM was born in this County bred Fellow of Magdalen-colledge in Oxford Under King Henry the eight he was a Complier with no Promoter of Popery In the first of Queen Mary repenting of his former he resolved not to accumulate sin refusing not onely to say Mass but also to correct a scholar in the Colledge though urged thereto by Sir Robert Reed the Prime Visitor for his absence from Popish Prayers conceiving it injurious to punish in another that omission for a fault which was also according to his own Conscience He also then assisted Henry Bull one of the same Foundation to wrest out and throw down out of the hands of the Choristers the Censer when about to offer their superstitious Incense No wonder then if he was fain to fly into Forraign parts and glad to get over into Germany where he lived at Basil Preacher to the English Exiles to whom he expounded the intire book of the Acts of the Apostles Now seeing the Apostles suffering was above all their Doing it was a proper portion of Scripture for him hence to press patience to his banished Country-men Towards the end of Queen Mary he was secretly sent for over to be superintendent of the London Conventicle the onely true Church in time of Persecution where with all his Care and Caution he hardly escaped In the second of Queen Elizabeth he was Consecrated Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield succeeding Ralph Baines therein one of the same County with him but a different Judgement and died on the 21. of February 1578. EDMUND GUEST was born at Afferton in this County bred Fellow of Kings-colledge in Cambridge where he proceeded Doctor of Divinity He was afterwards Almoner to Queen Elizabeth and he must be both a wise and a good man whom she would trust with her Purse She preferred him Bishop first of Rochester then of Salisbury John Bale saith my Author reckoneth up many books made by him of considerable value He died February 28. 1578. the same year and month with his Country-man Thomas Bentham aforesaid MILES COVERDALE was born in this County bred in the University of Cambridge and afterwards became an Augustine Frier till his eyes being opened he quitted that Superstitious Profession Going into Germany he laboured greatly in Translating of the Bible and in writing many books reckoned up by John Bale He was made Doctor of Divinity in the University of Tubing and returning into England being incorporated in Cambridge was soon after made Bishop of Exeter by King Edward the sixth 1551. But alas he was not comfortably warme in his place before his place by persecution grew too hot for him and in the first of Queen Mary he was cast into prison a certain forerunner of his Martyrdome had not Frederick King of Denmark seasonably interposed This good King with great Importunity hardly obtained this small Courtesie viz. that Coverdale should be enlarged though on this condition to be banished out of hâ—…s Country In obedience whereunto he went over into Germany In the first of Qâ—…een Elizabeth he returned to England but not to Exeter Never resuming that or accepting any other Bishoprick Severall men assigned severall causes hereof but Coverdale onely knew the true reason himself Some will say that for the Books he made he had better been placed under the title of Learned Writers or for the Exile and Imprisonment he suffered ranked under Confessors then under the title of Prelats manifesting an aversness of his own judgement thereunto by not returning to his Bishoprick But be it known that Coverdale in his judgement approved thereof Being one of those Bishops who solemnly Consecrated Mathew Parker Arch-bishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Now quod efficit tale magis est tale I understand it thus He that makes another Arch-bishop is abundantly satisfyed in his Judgement and Conscience of the lawfullness thereof Otherwise such dissembling had been inconsistent with the sincerity of so grave and godly a person He died Anno Dom. 1588. and lyes buried in Saint Bartholomews behind the Exchange under a fair Stone in the Chancell ADAM LOFTUS was born in this County and bred in Trinity-colledge in Cambridge where he Commenced Doctor of Divinity the same year with John Whitgift afterwards Arch-bishop of Canterbury He was Chaplain to Robert Earl of Sussex Deputy of Ireland and was first made Arch-bishop of Armagh Anno 1562. and afterwards Arch-bishop of Dublin Anno 1567. Wonder not that he should desire his own degradation to be removed from Armagh then Primate of Ireland to Dublin a Subordinate Arch bishoprick seeing herein he consulted his safety and perchance his profit more then his Honour Armagh being then infested with Rebells whilst Dublin was a secure City After the death of Sir William Gerrard he was made Chancellour of Ireland which place he discharged with singular Ability and Integrity untill the day of his death And that which in my judgement commendeth him most to the notice of Posterity and most ingageth Posterity in thankfullness to his memory is that he was a profitable
whole year without any renewing after the Inter-Regnum Objection Such persons had better been omitted whereof many were little better then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though by good fortune they have loaded themselves with Thick clay and will be but a burden in your Book to the Readers thereof Answer All Wise men will behold them under a better Notion as the Pregnant proofs of the truth of 2. Proverbs not contradictory but confirmatory one to another Prov. 10. 22. Prov. 10. 4. The Blessing of the Lord maketh Rich. The hand of the Diligent maketh Rich. The one as the principal the other as the Instrumental cause and both meeting in the persons aforesaid For though some of them were the Younger Sons of Worshipful and Wealthy Parents and so had good Sums of Money left them Yet being generally of mean extraction They raised themselves by Gods Providence and their own Painfulness The City in this Respect being observed like unto a Court where Elder Brothers commonly spend and the younger gain an Estate But such Lord Maiors are here inserted to quicken the Industry of Youth whose Parents are only able to send them up to not to set them up in London For whaâ—… a comfort is it to a poor Apprentice of that City to see the Prime Magistrate thereof Riding in his Majoralibus with such Pomp and Attendance which another day may be his hap and happiness Objection It commeth not to the share of one in twenty thousand to attain to that Honour and it is as impossible for every poor Apprentice in process of time to prove Lord Maior as that a Minum with long living mould become a Whale Answer Not so the later is an utter Impossibility as debarred by nature being Fishes of several kinds Whereas there is a Capacity in the other to arive at it which puts hopes the only Tie which keeps the heart from breaking into the hearts of all of the attainablenesse of such preferment to themselves Doctor Hutton Arch-bishop of York when he came into any Great Grammar School which he did constantly visit in his visitations was wont to say to the young Scholars Ply your Books Boys ply your Books for Bishops are old men and surely the possibility of such dignity is a great Encouragement to the Endévours of Students Lord Maiors being generally aged and always but Annual soon make Room for Succession whereby the Indevours of all Freemen in Companies are incouraged But if they should chance to fall short as unable to reach the Home of Honour I mean the Majoralty it self yet if they take up their Lodgings at Sheriffe Alderman and Common-Councellour with a good Està tè they will have no cause to complain I confess some Counties in our ensuing Discourse will appear Lord-Maior-less as Cumberland Dorset-shire Hant-Shire c. However though hitherto they have not had hereafter they may have Natives advanced to that Honour and it may put a lawful Ambition into them to contend who shall be their Leader and who should first of those Shires attain to that Dignity As lately Sir Richard Cheverton Skinner descended I assure you of a right antient and worshipful Family was the first in Cornwall who opened the Dore for others no doubt to follow after him Nor must it be forgotten that many have been Lord-Maiors Mates though never rémembred in their Catalogues viz. Such who by Fine declined that Dignity and as I am glad that some will Fine that so the Stock of the Chamber of London may be increased so am I glad that some will not fine that so the State of the City of London may be maintained I begin the observing of their Nativities from Sir William Sevenoke Grocer Lord Maior 1418. For though there were Lord Maiors 200. years before yet their Birth-places generally are unknown It was I confess well for me in this particular that Mr. Stow was born before me being herein the Heir of Endevours without any pain of my own For knowing that Cuilibet Artifici in sua Arte est credendum I have followed him and who him continued till the year 1633. at what time their Labours do determine Since which Term to the present year I have made the Catalogue out by my own Inquiry and friends Intelligence To speak truth to their due praise one may be generally directed to their Cradles though by no other Candle then the Light of their good works and Benefactions to such places CHAP. XIV A Catalogue of all the Gentry in ENGLAND made in the Reign of King HENRY the Sixth why inserted in our Book AFter we have finished the Catalogue of the worthy Natives of every Shire We present the Reader with a List of the Gentry of the Land sollemnly returned by select Commissioners into the Chancery thence into the Records in the Tower on this occasion The Commons in Parliament complained that the Land then swarmed with Pilours â—…obbers Oppressers of the People Man-stealers Fellons Outlaws Ravishers of Women Unlawful Haunters of Forrests and Parks c. Whereupon it was ordered for the suppressing of present and preventing of future mischeifs that certain Commissioners should be impowered in every County to summon all persons of Quality before them and tender them an Oath for the better keeping of the Peace and observing the Kings Laws both in themselves and Retainers Excuse me Reader if I be bold to inâ—…pose my own Conjecture who conceive what ever was intended to palliate the Businesse The Principal Intent was to detect and suppress such who favoured the Title of York which then began to be set on foot and afterwards openly claimed and at last obtained the Crown 2. Even-done Of the method general used in this Catalogue The first amongst the Commissioners is the Bishop of their Diocesse put before any Earl partly because he was in his own Diocesse partly because giving of Oaths their proper work was conceived to be of Spiritual cognisance Besides the Bishop when there were three as generally Commissioners the first of them was either an Earl or at least though often intituled but Chivaler an Actual Baron as will hereafter appear And which will acquaint us partly with the Peerage of the Land in that Age. Next follow those who were Knights for the Shire in the Parliament foregoing and if with the addition of Chivaler or Miles were Knights by dubbing before of that their Relation All Commissioners expressed not equal Industry and Activity in prosecution of their trust For besides the natural Reasons that in all Affairs some will be more rigorous some more Remiss by their own Temper some more some less fancyed their Imployment insomuch as we find some Shires 1. Over done as Oxford and Cambridge-Shires whose Catalogues are too much allayed descending to persons of meaner quality 2. Even done as generally the most are where the Returns bear a competent proportion to the Populousness and numerousnesse of the Counties 3. Under done as Shropshire York-shire Northumberland c. where
ingenious person would Print Mr. Parkers Book for the use of Posterity He was a melancholy man neglecting all Preferment to enjoy himself and died in the place of his Nativity as I conjecture about 1624. MICHAEL DALTON Esquire He was bred in the study of our Municipall-law in Lincolns Inn and attained great skill in his own profession His gravity graced the Bench of Justices in this County where his judgment deservedly passed for an Oracle in the Law having enriched the world with two excellent Treatises the one of the Office of the Sheriffs the other of the Justices of Peace Out of the Dedicatory Epistle of the later I learnt this which I knew not before that K. James was so highly affected with our English Government by Justices of Peace that he was the first who setled the same in his Native Country of Scotland Mr. Dalton dyed before the beginning of our Civil Distempers THOMAS GOAD D. D. was son to Dr. Roger Goad for more then fourty years Provost of Kings-colledge but whether born in the Provosts Lodgings in Cambridge or at Milton in this County I am not fully informed He was bred a Fellow under his Father afterwards Chaplain to Arch-bishop Abbot Rector of Hadly in Suffolk Prebendary of Canterbury c. A great and Generall Scholar exact Critick Historian Poet delighting in making of verses till the day of his death School-man Divine He was substituted by K. James in the place of Doctor Hall indisposed in health and sent over to the Synod of Dort He had a commanding presence an uncontrolable spirit impatient to be opposed and loving to steere the discourse being a good Pilot to that purpose of all the Company he came in I collect him to have died about the year 1635. ANDREW MARVAIL was born at Mildred in this County and bred a master of Arts in Trinity-colledge in Cambridge He afterwards became Minister in Hull where for his life time he was well beloved Most facetious in his discourse yet grave in his carriage a most excellent preacher who like a good husband never broached what he had new brewed but preached what he had preâ—…studied some competent time before Insomuch that he was wont to say that he would crosse the common proverb which called Saturday the working day and Munday the holy day of preachers It happened that Anno Dom. 1640. Jan. 23. crossing Humber in a Barrow-boat the same was sand-warpt and he drowned therein by the carelesness not to say drunkenness of the boat-men to the great grief of all good men His excellent comment upon Saint Peter is daily desired and expected if the envy and covetousness of private persons for their own use deprive not the publick of the benefit thereof Benefactors to the publick HUGO de BALSHAM for so is he truly written was born in this County as may easily be spelled out of the four following probabilities put together First it was fashionable for Clergy-men in that age to assume their Surnames from the place of their Nativity Secondly Balsham is an eminent village in this County whereof an ancient Author taketh notice naming thence the neighbouring ground Amaenissima Montana de Balsham Thirdly There is no other Village of that name throughout the Dominions of England Fourthly It is certaine this Hugh was bred in this County where he attained to be Sub-prior and afterwards Bishop of Ely This Hugh was he who founded Peter-house in the University of Cambridge the first built though not first endowed Colledge in England This Foundation he finished Anno 1284. bestowing some lands upon it since much augmented by Bountifull Benefactors He sat 28 years in his See and dyed June the 6. 1286. Sir WILLIAM HORN Salter son to Thomas Hoâ—…n was born at Snail-well in this County he was Knighted by King Hen. the seventh and Anno 1487. was L. Mayor of London He gave bountifully to the Preachers at Saint Pauls crosse and bestowed five hundred Marks to the mending of the high ways betwixt Cambridge the County Town where he had his first Life and London the City where he got his best livelihood Know in that Age Horn his five hundred Marks had in them the intrinsick value of our five hundred pounds which in those days would go very far in the wages of Laborers Sir WILLIAM son of JOHN PURCASE was born at Gamlinggay in this County bred a Mercer in London and Lord Mayor thereof Anno 1497. He caused Morefields under the walls to be made plain ground then to the great pleasure since to the greater profit of the City Sir THOMAS son of JOHN KNEISWORTH was born at Kneisworth in this County bred a Fishmonger in London whereof he was Lord Mayor Anno 1505. He appointed the Water-conduit at Bishop-gate to be built to the great convenience of the City formerly much wanting that usefull Element Be it here observed for the incouragement of the industry of Cambridg-shire Apprentices that by the premises it doth appear that this small County in the compass of eighteen years afforded three L. Mayors and Benefactors which no other Shire of equal or greater quantity ever produced Since the Reformation JOHN CRANE was born in Wishbeech in this County bred an Apothecary in Cambridg so diligent an youth that some judicious persons prognosticated that he would be a rich man Dr. Butler took so great a fancy unto him that he lived and died in his Family yea and left the main body of his rich Estate unto him This Mr. Crane had a large heart to entertain his friends and Annually very nobly treated all the Oxford men at the Commencement He gave at his death no less then three thousand pounds to charitable uses bestowing the house he lived in and that a very fair one aster his Wives death on the Publick Professor of Physick and in settlement of his other Benefactions discreetly reflected on Wishbeech where he was born to which he gave 100l to build a Town-hall Cambridge where he lived Lin where he was well acquainted Ipswich where Doctor Butler the first founder of his estate was born and Kingston where his lands lay He in some sort gives Preventing Physick to the Scholars now he is dead by giving 100l to be lent gratis to an honest man the better to enable him to buy good Fish and Fowl for the University having observed much sickness occasioned by unwholsome food in that kind He bequeathed to Dr. Wren Bishop of Ely and Doctor Brounrigg Bishop of Exeter one hundred pounds a piece by his Will and as much by a Codecil annexed thereunto Besides his concealed Charities his hand was always open to all the distressed Royalists He died in May 1650. Memorable Persons WILLIAM COLLET was born at Over in this County bred a Clerk in London till at last he attained to be Keeper of the Records in the Tower none equalling him in his dexterity in that office He went the same path with his predecessor in that
censure him for deserting his Principles yet he is said on his death-bed to have given full â—…tisfaction to such who formerly suspected his sincerity to the Presbyterian Discipline dying Anno Dom. 1655. He was solemnly buried in the â—…bbey at Westminster Exiâ—…-Romish-Writers RICHARD BROUGHTON was born at Great Steuckley in this County bred at Rhemes in France where he received the Order of Priesthood and was sent over into England for the propagation of his partie Here he gave so signal testimony and fidelity to the cause that he was before many others preferred Assistant to the English Arch-Priest He wrote many books and is most esteemed by those of his own Religion for his English Ecclesiastical History from the first planting of the Gospel to the coming in of the Saxons But in plain truth there is little milk no creame and almost all whey therein being farced with Legendary stuff taken from Authors some of condemned most of suspected credit If by the Levitical Law a bastard should not enter into the congregation of the Lord understand it to bear Office therein to the tenth generation it is pity that adulterated Authours being an illegitimate off-spring should be admitted to bear rule in Church-History This Broughton was living in the latter end of the Reign of King Iames. Benefactors to the Publicke AMBROSE Son to Iohn Nicholas was born at Needenworth in this County whence he went to London and was bound apprentice to a Salter thriving so well in his Trade that Anno 1576. he became Lord Mayor of London He founded Twelve Almes houses in Mungwel-street in that City indowing them with Competent maintenance Sir WOLSTAN Son to Thomas Dixie was born at Catworth in this County bred a Skinner in London whereof he became Lord Mayor Anno 1585. He was a man made up of deeds of Charitie the particulars whereof are too long to recite He gave 600. pound to Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge to the founding of a Fellowship Erected a Free-school at Bosworth in Leicestershire and Endowed it where his family flourish at this day in a worshipfull Estate RICHARD FISHâ—…OURN was born in the Town of Huntington cut out of no mean Quarry being a Gentleman by his Extraction Leaving a Court life as more pleasant then profitable He became servant to Sir Raptist Hicks afterwards Viscount Camden and by Gods blessing on his industry attained a great Estate whereof he gave two thousand pounds for the buying out of Impropriations in the Northern parts and setling a preaching Ministery where most want thereof he bequeathed as much to the Company of Mercers whereof he was free and the same summe to Huntington the place of his Nativity with One thousand marks to Christ-Church Hospital The whole summe of his benefactions amounted to ten thousand seven hundred pounds and upwards briefly summed up in his Funeral Sermon commonly called Corona Charitatis preached by Master Nathaniel Shute wherein to use his Expression He supped up many things with a very short breath contracting his Deeds of Charity to avoid tediousness Nor must it be forgotten how this Gentleman lying on his death-bed when men are presumed to speak with unmasked consciences did professe that to his knowledge he had got no part of his goods unjustly No man of his Quality won more Love in health Prayers in sicknesse and Lamentation at his Funeral dying a single man and buried in Mercers Chappel May the 10. 1625. Memorable Persons Sir OLIVER CROMWELL Knight son of Sir Henry Cromwell Knight of Hinching-brooke in this County is Remarkable to Posterity on a four-fold account First For his hospitality and prodigious entertainment of King James and his Court. Secondly for his upright dealing in bargain and sale with all chapmen so that no man who soever purchased Land of him was put to charge of three pence to make good his Title Yet he sold excellent penniworths insomuch that Sir Iohn Leamon once Lord Mayor of London who bought the fair Manour of Warboise in this County of him affirmed That it was the cheapest Land that ever he bought and yet the dearest that ever Sir Oliver Cromwell sold. Thirdly for his Loyalty alwayes beholding the Usurpation and Tyranny of his Nephew God-Son and NAME-SAKE with Hatred and Contempt Lastly for his Vivacity who survived to be the oldest Gentleman in England who was a Knight Though not the oldest Knight who was a Gentleman seeing Sir George Dalston younger in years yet still alive was Knighted some dayes before him Sir Oliver died Anno Dom. 1654. The Names of the Gentry of this County returned by the Commissioners in the Twelfth year of King Henry the Sixth William Bishop of Lincoln Commissioners John de Tiptofte Chivaler  Roger Hunt Knights for the Shire  William Waton Knights for the Shire  Abbatis de Ramsey Abbatis de Sautrey Prioris de Huntington Prioris de S. Neoto Prioris de Stonle Archidiaconi Eliensis Rectoris de Somerham PrebendaÅ•ii Ecclesiae Lincolniens Domini de Leighton Rectoris Ecclesiae de Bluntesham Vicarii Ecclesiae de Gurmecest Vicarii Ecclesiae de S. Neoto Rect. Ecclesiae de Ript Abbatis Nicholai Stivecle Militis Roberti Stonham armigeri Everardi Digby armigeri Radulphi Stivecle armigeri Thomae Devyll armigeri Thomae Nesenham armigeri Henrici Hethe Johannis Bayons armigeri Rogeri Lowthe Edwardi Parker Walteri Taillard Iohannis Eyr Iohannis Bekeswell Willielmi Castell Willielmi Waldesheefe Thomae Freman Ioannis Donold Walteri Mayll Roberti Boteler de Alyngton Roberti Boteler de Hilton Iohannis Kirkeby Iohannis Sankyn Roberti Langton Reginaldi Rokesden Iohannis Pulter Roberti Wene Iohannis Sampson de Somersh Thomae Clerevax Radulphi Pakynton VVillielmi Est Richardi Est Roberti Creweker VVillielmi Maister Iohannis Morys VVillielmi Druell de VVeresle Radulphi Ioce Iohannis Devyll de Chescerton Iohannis Cokerham Richardi Bâ—…singham I. Cokeyn Parker de Kimbolton Richardi Burgham Richardi Parker de Bukden Thomae Alcumbury VVillielmi Boteler de VVeresle VVill. Iudde dâ—… Sancto Ivone VVillielmi VVassingle VVillielmi VVardale VVillielmi Colles Laurentii Merton Thomae Judde Willielmi Boteler de Ramsey Thomae Barboure de Eadem Thomae Rede Thomae Irlle Willielmi Holland Williel Smith de Alcumbury Williel Hayward de Buckworth Richardi Boton Iohannis Cross senioris Edmundi Fairstede Willielmi Erythe Willi. Skinner de Brampton Willielmi West Thomae Daniel Willielmi Daniel Iohannis Barbour Thomae Parker de S. Neoto Edm. Faillour de Kymbolton Thomae Bowelas Willielmi â—…eete Willielmi Talers Thomae Aungevin Walteri Godegamen Iohannis Cage Johannis Manypeny Johannis Copgray clerici Willielmi Arneburgh Henrici Attehill Johannis Charwalton Edmundi Ulfe Willielmi Hare Johannis Dare Willielmi Sturdivale Richarde Brigge Mich. Carleton Ballivi ejusdeÌ„ Ville Huntington Georgei Giddyng Iohannis Chikson Iohannis Pecke Thome Charwalton Iohannis Abbotesle I meet with this uncomfortable passage in Mr. Speeds or rather in Sir Robert Cottons description of this Shire Thus as this City so the old families have been here with time out worne
for many years by past were of any Eminency but either immediately or mediately were Apprentices unto him He was bred in York school where he was School-fellow with Guy Faux which I note partly to shew that Loyalty and Treason may be educated under the same Roof partly to give a check to the received opinion that Faux was a Fleming no Native English-man He was bred in Saint Johns-colledge in Cambridge and chosen Fellow thereof to a Fellowship to which he had no more Propriety then his own Merit before Eight Compâ—…titors for the place equally capable with himself and better befriended Commencing Doctor in Divinity he made his Position which though unusuall was Arbitrary and in his own power on his second Question which much defeated the expectatioâ—… of Doctor Playfere replying upon him with some passion Commosâ—…i mihi stomachum To whom Morton return'd Gratulor tibi Reverende professor de bono tuo stomacho caenabis apud me hac nocte He was successively preferr'd Dean of Gloucester Winchester Bishop of Chester Coventry and Lichfield and Durham The Foundation which he laid of Forraign corre spondency with eminent persons of different perswasions when he attended as Chaplain to the Lord Evers sent by King James Embassadour to the King of Denmark and many Princes of Germany he built upon unto the Day of his Death In the late Long Parliament the displeasure of the House of Commons fell heavy upon him partly for subscribing the Bishops Protestation for their Votes in Parliament partly for refusing to resign the seal of his Bishoprick and baptizing a Daughter of John Earl of Rutland with the sign of the Cross two faults which compounded together in the judgement of honest and wise-men amounted to a High Innocence Yet the Parliament allowed him eight hundred pounds a year a proportion above any of his Brethren for his maintenance But alass the Trumpet of their Charity gave an uncertain sound not assigning by whom or whence this summe should be paid Indeed the severe Votes of the Parliament ever took full effect according to his observation who did Anagram it VOTED OUTED But their mercifull Votes found not so free performance However this good Bishop got a thousand pounds out of Goldsmiths-hall which afforded him his support in his old Age. The Neb of his Pen was unpartially divided into two equall Moyeties the one writing against Faction in defence of three Innocent Ceremonies the other against Superstition witness the Grand Impostor and other worthy works He solemnly proffered unto me pardon me Reader if I desire politiquely to twist my own with his Memory that they may both survive together in these sad times to maintain me to live with him which Courteous Offer as I could not conveniently accept I did thankfully 〈◊〉 Many of the Nobility deservedly honoured him though none more then John Earl of Rutland to whose Kinsman Roger Earl of Rutland he formerly 〈◊〉 been Chaplain But let not two worthy Baronets be forgotten Sir George Savill who so civilly paid him his purchased Annuity of two hundred pounds withall Proffered advantages and Sir Henry Yelveâ—…ton at whose house he dyed aged 95. at Easton-Manduit in Northampton shire 1659. For the rest the Reader is remitted to his life written largely and learnedly by Doctor John Barwick Dean of Durham States-men Sir ROBERT CAR was born in this City on this occasion Thomas Car his father Laird of Furnihurst a man of great lands and power in the South of Scotland was very active for Mary Queen of Scots and on that accompt forced to fly his land came to York Now although he had been a great inroder of England yet for some secret reason of State here he was permitted safe shelter duâ—…ing which time Robert his son was born this was the reason why the said Robert refused to be Naturalized by Act of our Parliament as needless for him born in the English Dominions I have read how his first making at Court was by breaking of his leg at a Tilting in London whereby he came first to the Cognizance of King James Thus a fair starting with advantage in the notice of a Prince is more then half the way in the race to his favour King James reflected on him whose Father was a kind of Confâ—…ssor for the cause of the Queen his Mother besides the Young Gentleman had a handsome person and a conveniency of desert Honors were crowded upon him made Baron Viscount Earl of Sommerset Knight of the Garter Warden of the Cinque-Ports c. He was a well natured man not mischievous with his might doing himself more hurt then any man else For abate one foul fact with the appendance and consequences thereof notoriously known and he will appear deserving no foul Character to posterity but for the same he was banished the Court lived and dyed very privately about the year of our Lord 1638. Writers JOHN WALBYE was born in this City of honest Parentage He was bred an Augustinian Provinciall of his Order and Doctor of Divinity in Oxford A Placentious Person gaining the good-will of all with whom he conversed being also Ingenious Industrious Learned Eloquent Pious and Prudent Pitz writeth that after Alexander Nevell he was Chosen but never Confirmed Arch bishop of York an Honour reserved for Robert his Younger Brother of whom before But Bishop Godwin maketh no mention hereof which rendreth it suspicious The said Pitz maketh him actuall Arch-bishop of Dublin whilst Bale who being an Irish Bishop had the advantage of exacter Intelligence hath no such thing whence we may conclude it a Mistake The rather because this John is allowed by all to have died in this place of his Nativity 1393. Also I will adde this that though sharp at first against the Wickliffites he soon abated his own Edge and though present at a Council kept at Stanford by the King against them was not well pleased with all things transacted therein JOHN ERGHOM was born in this City an Augustinian by his profession Leaving York he went to Oxford where passing thorough the Arts he fixed at last in Divinity proving an admirable Preacher My Author tells me that sometimes he would utter nova inaudita whereat one may well wonder seeing Solomon hath said There is no nâ—…w thing under the Sun The truth is he renewed the custome of expounding Scripture in a typicall way which crouded his Church with Auditors seeing such 〈◊〉 preaching break 's no bones much pleased their fancy and little cross'd or curb'd their corruptions Indeed some but not all Scripture is capable of such comments and because metalls are found in Mountains it is madness to Mine for them in every rich Meadow But in expounding of Scripture when mens inventions out-run the Spirits intentions their swiftness is not to be praised but sawcyness to be punished This Erghom wrote many books and dedicated them to the Earl of Hereford the same with Edward Duke of Buckingham and flourished
by the Romans an emblem of liberty is esteemed by the English except Faulconers and Hunters a badge of servitude though very useful in themselves and the Ensign of constancy because not discomposed but retaining their fashion in what form soever they be crouded The best Caps were formerly made at Monmouth where the Cappers Chappel doth still remain being better carved and gilded than any other part of the Church But on the occasion of a great plague hapning in this Town the trade was some years since removed hence to Beaudly in Worcester-shire yet so that they are called Monmouth Caps unto this day Thus this Town retains though not the profit the credit of Capping and seeing the Child still keeps the Mothers name there is some hope in due time she may return unto her All I will adde is this if at this day the phrase of wearing a Monmouth Cap be taken in a bad acception I hope the inhabitants of that Town will endeavour to disprove the occasion thereof Saints Saint AMPHIBALUS a Citizen of Carlion See the Saints in Hereford shire Saint AARON was a wealthy Citizen of Carlion in this County who for the testimony of the Christian Faith was martyred under the Tyrant Emperor Dioclesian By the way we may observe the names of the three first British Martyrs as to their Language 1. Alban Of Latine Originall 2. Amphibalus  Greek  3. Aaron  Hebrew  It seems that the Christian Britons at the Font quitted their Native names as barbarous and imposed on their Children those of the learned Languages This Aaron was martyred Anno Dom. 303. Saint JULIUS It is pity to part so fast friends both being Citizens of Carlion Yea they were lovely in their lives and in their deaths they were not divided both suffering martyrdom together and therefore like Philip and Jacob one day is assigned to their Memories in the Kalendar Nor must I forget how Carlion the place of their aboad though now a small Town was once a great City stretching so far oâ—… both sides of the River that Saint Julians a house of late of Sir William Herberts was sometimes within the City though now about a mile South-West thereof being a Church dedicated anciently to the Memory of this Saint Julius Cardinals GEFFERY of Monmouth is by some very firmly avouched to have been created a Cardinal but by what Pope and with what Title uncertain but my worthy Author justly suspecteth the truth hereof alledging that Popes in that age advanced few Forraigners at so great a distance to that Title except their merits to the See of Rome which appears not to this Jeffery were very great Let me adde that it is improbable so much honour should be done unto him whilest living who was so solemnly disgraced after his death whose Books extant in his life were afterwards by the Court of Rome publickly prohibited See him therefore in this Shire under the Title of Writers JOHN of Monmouth so called from the place of his Nativity D. D. and Canon of Lincoln was chosen Anno 1296. Bishop of Landaff The manner whereof was remarkable for when Robert Kilwarby complained to Pope Celestine how that Cathedral had been for seven years without a Bishop caused either by the troublesomness of those Times or the exility of revenue thereof his Holiness remitted his Election wholly to the discretion of this Arch-Bishop to conferre that vacant See on whomsoever he pleased The Arch-Bishop knowing all eyes intent on his Integrity herein resolved on a Welsh-man by his birth as most proper for and acceptable in the place and on one of merit for the Function Both Qualifications met in this John of Monmouth as British by his birth and alliance and Charactered to be Doctus Pius Theologus One of his Successors in that Bishoprick acknowledgeth that he was Multimodis sedi suae Benefactor and more particularly that he procured the Rectory of Newland in the Forrest of Dean to be appropriated thereunto But one Bishop Anthony Kitchin by name more unlanded Landaff in one than all his Predecessors endowed it in four hundred years This John dying April 8. 1323. was buried in Saint Maries Chappel whose Epitaph in French is hardly legible at this day on his Marble Monument WALTER CANTILUPE was Son to William the elder Lord Cantilupe whose prime residence was at Abergavennie in this County One of high birth higher preferment made by King Henry the third Bishop of Worcester and highest spirit In his time the Popes Legate came into England and complained of mâ—…ny Clergy-men keeping their livings against the Canons intending either to force such irregular Incumbents into avoydance so to make room for the Popes Favourites or else to compound for their continuance at his arbitrary price But our Walter would not yield to such extortion Indeed he was one of a keene nature and his two-edged spirit did cut on both sides against The Pope The King Telling Rusland his Legate coming hither 1255. that he would preferre to be hang'd on the Gallows rather than ever consent to such expilation of the Church Siding with the Barons he encouraged them in their Civil Warres promising Heaven for their reward though this doctrine cost him an excommunication from the Pope Lying on his death-bed he was touched with true remorse for his disloyalty and upon his desire obtained absolution He died February the fifth 1267. whom I behold as Uncle unto Thomas Cantilupe the Sainted Bishop of Hereford Souldiers RICHARD de CLARE was born as from all concentred probabilities may be conjectured at Strigule-Castle in this County and had the Title of Earl of Strigule and Pembroke He was otherwise surnamed Strongbow from drawing so strong a Bow and had Brachia projectissima saith my Author though I can hardly believe that Reacher which another writeth of him that with the palms of his hands he could touch his knees though he stood up right More appliable to him is the expression of Tully Nihil egit levi brachio being a person of effectual performance It hapned that Mac Murugh Lord of Leinster in the year of our Lord 1167. being expelled his Territory for several Tyrannies by the Lords of Meth and Conaght repaired to our King Henry the second and invited him to invade Ireland But that politick King fearing if failing in success to forfeit the reputation of his discretion would not engage in the design but permitted such Subjects of his who had a mind Militare propriis stipendiis to adventure themselves therein Amongst these Richard Strongbow was the principal going over into Ireland with twelve hundred men too great for an Earls Train yet too little for a Generals Army to make a National Invasion yet so great his success that in a short time he prossessed himself of the Ports of Leinster and Mounster with large lands belonging thereunto insomuch that King Henry grew jealous of his greatness remanded
favour will be indulged to my Endevours for my many Infirmities To Come to particulars some seeming Omissions will appear to be none on better Enquiry being only the leaving of many persons which belong not to our land to their Forraign Nativities If any ask why have you not written of John a Gaunt I answer because he was John of Gaunt born in that City in Flanders Thus whilst our Kings possessed large Dominions in France from King William the Conquerour to King Henry the Sixth many eminent English men had their birth beyond the Seas without the bounds of our Subject Secondly I hope real Omissions will neither be found many nor material I hope I shall not appear like unto him who undertaking to make a Description of the Planets quite forgot to make mention of the Sun I believe most of those who have escaped our Pen will be found Stars of the Lesser Magnitude Thirdly I protest in the presence of God I have not wittingly willingly or wilfully shut the Dore against any worthy person which offered to enter into my knowledge nor was my prejudice the Porter in this kind to exclude any of what perswasion soever out of my Book who brought merit for their Admission Besides I have gon and rid and wrote and sought and search'd with my own and friends Eyes to make what Discoveries I could therein Lastly I stand ready with a pencel in one hand and a Spunge in the other to add alter insert expunge enlarge and delete according to better information And if these my pains shall be found worthy to passe a second Impression my faults I will confess with shame and amend with thankfulnesse to such as will contribute clearer Intelligence unto me These things premised I do desire in my omissions the pardon especially of two sorts concerned in my History first Writers since the Reformation having those before it compleatly delivered unto us who cannot be exactly listed First for their Numerousnesse and therefore I may make use of the Latine Distick wherewith John Pitseus closeth his Book of English Writers Plura voluminibus jungenda volumina nostris Nec mihi scribendi terminus ullus erit More Volums to our volums must we bind And when that 's done a Bound we cannot find Secondly for the scarcenesse of some Books which I may term Publici-privati juris because though publickly printed their Copies were few as intended only for friends though it doth not follow that the Writers thereof had the less Merit because the more Modesty I crave pardon in the second place for my Omissions in the List of Benefactors to the Publick for if I would I could not compleat that Catalogue because no man can make a fit garment for a growing Child and their Number is daily encreasing Besides if I could I would not For I will never drain in Print the spring so lowe but to leave a Reserve and some whom I may call Breeders for posterity who shall passe un-named in which Respect I conceive such Benefactors most perfectly reckoned up when they are Imperfectly reckoned up All I will add is this when St. Paul writing to the Philippians had saluted three by name viz. Euodias Syntyche and Clement he passeth the rest over with a Salutation General whose Names are in the Book of Life Thus I have indevoured to give you the most exact Catalogue of Benefactors but this I am sure what is lost on Earth by my want of Industry Instruction c. Will be found in Heaven and their names are there recorded in that Register which will last to all Eternity As for my omitting many Rarities and Memorables in the respective Counties I plead for my self that mine being a general Description it is not to be expected that I should descend to such particularities which properly belong to those who write the Topography of one County alone He shewed as little Ingenuity as Ingeniousnesse who Cavilled at the Map of Grecia for imperfect because his Fathers house in Athens was not represented therein And their expectation in effect is as unreasonable who look for every small observeable in a General work Know also that a mean person may be more knowing within the Limits of his private Lands then any Antiquary whatsoever I remember a merry challenge at Court which passed betwixt the Kings Porter and the Queens Dwarfe the latter provoking him to fight with him on condition that he might but choose his own place and be allowed to come thither first assigning the great Oven in Hampton Court for that purpose Thus easily may the lowest domineere over the highest skill if having the advantage of the ground within his own private concernments Give me leave to fill up the remaining Vacuity with A Corrollary about the Reciprocation of Alumnus The word Alumnus is effectually directive of us as much as any to the Nativities of Eminent persons However we may observe both a Passive and Active interpretation thereof I put Passive first because one must be bred before he can breed and Alumnus signifieth both the Nursed child and the Nurse both him that was educated and the Person or Place which gave him his Education Wherefore Laurentius Valla though an excellent Grammarian is much deceived when not admitting the double sense thereof as by the ensuing instances will appear Passive Pro Educato Active Pro Educatore Cicero Dolabellae Mihi vero gloriosum te juvenem Consulem florere laudibus quasi Alumnum Disciplinae meae Plinie lib. 3. de Italia Terra omnium terrarum Alumna eadem parens numine Deum electa De finibus 122. b. Aristoteles caeterique Platonis Alumni Augustinus lib. 70. Civit. Jovem Alumnum cognominaverunt quod omnia aleret The Design which we drive on in this observation and the use which we desire should be made thereof is this viz. That such who are born in a Place may be sensible of their Engagement thereunto That if God give them ability and opportunity they may expresse their Thankfulnesse to the same Quisquis Alumnus erat gratus Alumnus erit A Thankful man will feed The Place which did him breed And the Truth hereof is eminently conspicuous in many Persons but especially in great Prelates before and rich Citizens since the Reformation BARK-SHIRE hath Wilt-shire on the West Hamp-shire on the South Surry on the East Oxford and Buckingham-shâ—…re parted first with the Isis then with the flexuous River of Thames on the North thereof It may be fancied in a form like a Lute lying along whose belly is towards the West whilst the narrow neck or long handle is extended toward the East From Coleshull to Windsor it may be allowed in length forty miles But it amounteth to little more then half so much in the broadest part thereof It partaketh as Plentifull as any County in England of the Common Commodities Grasse Grain Fish Foul Wooll and Wood c. and we will particularly instance on one or two
Perin in Cornwall The Angel Gabriel was very much beholding to him for instituting an Annual Festival unto Him observed as I humbly conceive only in his own Cathedral or own Diocesse at the most and least people shoâ—…ld complain of the dearnesse of their Devotion he left good Land to defray the cost of that Solemnity He is much blamed for compassing the Mannour of Bishops-Clift to his Church by indirect means to which I can say nothing but only observe that this small City within eighty Years did afford three eminent Prelates whereof two Episcopi in Patria the Natives thereof which will scarcely be paralell'd in any Place of the same proportion He died Anno 12. Writers JOSEPHUS ISCANUS was born at this City anciently called Isca from the River Isk now named Eske running thereby A golden Poâ—…t in a leaden Age so terse and elegant were his Conceipts and expressions This our English Maro had for his Mecenas Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury But I revoke my words and desire to turn Maro into Cornelius Nepos under whose name the Dutch-men have lately printed a Poem made by this Josephus debello Trojano It soundeth much to a Mans honour even to be mistaken for another Man of eminency for though there may be much of error in the mistake there must be something of truth in the error especially with the judicious Yea in such case a general conformity betwixt the Persons is not enough to build the mistake on without some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here the affinity of phrase and fancy betwixt these two Poets This 〈◊〉 Nepos under whose name the Poems of this Josephus were printed flourished in the time of Tully Indeed I finde not any Poems made by him though having to that purpose perused all Scaliger de Arte 〈◊〉 as a most probable Authour But most sure it is that this Cornâ—…lius was most judicious in that Art because Valerius Catullus dedicated his Poem unto him as best able to pâ—…sse a learned censure thereon this Josephus Iscanus flourished under King John Anno 1210 being Arch-Bishop of Burdeaux I have nothing more to observe of him save what with the Readers pardon I cannot omit viz. that this Josephus alwayes minded me of another Josephus Iscanus I mean Joseph Hall lately Bishop of Exeter a witty Poet when young a painfull Preacher and solid Divine in his middle a patient Sufferer in his old age of whom God willing more in due place WILLIAM of Exeter was born in this City bred a Doctor of Divinity in Oxford and afterwards became 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 in the place of his nativity Now in his age fome Franciscan Friers so praised the perfectiou of Poverty that they touched the Popes Coppy-hold of Inheritance For if Poverty was so essential to Piety Papal pomp and plenty must needs argue prophaneness In confutation hereof this William of Exeter undertook William of Ockam though indeed impar congressus betwixt them for Exeter a fair City did not more exceed Ockam a smal village in Surrey in beauty and building than that Ockam William excelled this Exeter William in parts and Learning however what he wanted in brains he had in a good back to assist him and William of Exeter with John the three and twentieth Pope of Rome was able to undertake any Authour of that age He flourished in the Year of our Lord 1330. under the Raign of King Edward the third Since the Reformation RICHARD MARTYN was born in this City and bred partly in the Court partly in the Inns of Court and at last â—…etook himself to the Study of the Law He was accounted one of the highest Witts of our Age and his Nation King James being much delighted with his facetiousnesse a quality which with other of his Abilities commended him to be chosen Recorder of London He is eminent as for many Speeches so especially for that he made in Parliament in the tenth year of King James when account was taken of Forty Gentlemen in the House which were not twenty and some of them not sixteen years of age Formerly said this Râ—…order Martyn it was the custome of Old men to make Lawes for Young ones But now Nature is invaded and inverted seeing Young men enact Lawes to govern their Fathers He had an excellent Pen and wrote very much and the more the pitty that they are suppressed from publick use his death happened about the year 1616. WILLIAM MARTIN Kinsman to the aforesaid Recorder was born in this City and bred a Student in the Lawes of the Land He wrote a short and clear of the Kings of England since the conquest I have been credlbly informed that King James took some exceptions at a Passage therein sounding either to the derogation of his own Family or of the Scotch Nation which he took so tenderly that Mr. Martin was brought into trouble for the same and though he wethered out the Kings displeasure and was reconciled to his Majesty yet he never râ—…covered his former chearfulnesse It seems that a Princes Anger is a disease which though cured is not cured grief for the same being conceived to hasten his death which happened about the year 1616. WILLIAM TUCKER was born in this City bred fellow of New-Colledge in Oxford and after became Doctor in Divinity Canon of Sarisbury Arch-deacon of Barnstable and Dean of Lichfield The purity of his Latine Pen procured his preferment writing and dedicating a Book to Queen Elizabeth de Charismate of our Kings of England their gracious healing the Evil being the best that I have seen on that Subject vindicating such cures from all imposture unlawfull Magick and from some French Writers bold usurpations who lay claim to it as originally belonging to their Kings alone Whereas under correction I conceive that the word Soveraign which properly importeth the Supream Majesty doth also in our English Tongue in a secondary sence signiâ—…ie what is cordial to cure and heal Diseases or sores ever since such sanative power hath been annexed to the Crown of England This Doctor may be said to have worn half a Miter seeing his Congee de-lire was signed if not sent to elect him Bishop of Glocester but afterwards by Order fâ—…om King James it was revoked on what occasion I list not to enquire I conjecture the date of his death was much about the Year 1617. JOHN BARKHAM born in this City was bred in Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford whereof he was Fellow Chaplain afterwards to Archbishop Bancroft and Parson of Bocking in Essex Much his Modesty and no lesse his Learning who though never the publique Parent of any was the carefull Nurse of many Books who otherwise had expired in their Infancy had not his care preserved them He set forth D. Crackenchorp his Posthume Book against Spalato and was helpfull to John Speed in the composing of his English History yea he wrote the whole Life of the Raign of King John which is the King of all the
clear evidence to the contrary this Henry Marny Esquire shall pass with me for him who was then Servant afterwards Executor to the Kings Mother the Lady Margaret Countess of Richmond The very same who afterwards was Knighted made Chancellor of the Dutchy and Created Lord Marny by King Henry the eighth and whose daughter and sole heir Elizabeth was with a fair inheritance married to Thomas Howard Viscount Bindon 14 JOHN CHRISTMAS Ar. Such will not wonder at his Surname who have read the Romans cognominated Jaâ—…arius Aprilis c. Yea Festus himself is well known in Scripture probably so called from being born on some solemn festivall the occasion no doubt of this Sheriffs Surname at the first If the name be extinct in Essex it remaineth in other Counties and the City of London where ...... Christmas Esquire a great promoter of my former and present endeavours must not by me be forgotten Henry VIII 6 WILLIAM FITZ-WILLIAMS Ar. I cannot exactly design his habitation but conceive it not far from Waltham Abby in the South west part of this County because he bequeathed 50. pounds to mend the High-ways betwixt Chigwell and Copers-hall He was afterwards Knighted by King Henry the eighth on a worthy occasion whereof hereafter in his Sheriffalty of North-hampton-shire in the 15. of King Henry the eight He bequeathed 100. pounds to poor Maids Marriages 40. pounds to the University c. and delivering a Catalogue of his Debtors into the hands of his Executors he freely forgave all those over whose names he had written Amore Dei remitto 25 BRIAN TUKE Knight He was Treasurer of the Chamber to King Henry the eight as appears by his Epitaph and dying Anno 1536. lyeth buried with Dame Grissel his wife deceasing two years after him under a fair Tombe in the North Isle of the Quire of Saint Margarets in Lothbury London Lealand giveth him this large commendation that he was Anglicae linguae eloquentiâ mirificus Bale saith that he wrot observations on Chaucer as also against Polidore Virgill for injuring the English of whom then still alive he justly and generously demanded reparations though since his unresponsable memory can make us no satisfaction Edward VI. 3 Sir JOHN GATES He was descended from Sir Geffry Gates Knight who as appears by his Epitaph in the Church of High-Eastern bought the Mannor of Garnets in that parish of one Koppenden Gentleman This Sir Geffry was six years captain of the Isle of Wight and Marshall of Callis and there kept with the Pikards worschipfull Warrys Reader it is the Language of his Epitaph And died Anno Dom. 1477. As for this Sir John Gates Knight descendant from the said Sir Jeffry he is heavily charged with Sacriledge in our Histories and ingaging with John Dudley Duke of Northumberland in the Title of Queen Jane he was beheaded the 22. of August the first of Queen Mary 1553. Queen Elizabeth 1 RALPH ROWLET Knight He married one of the learned daughters of Sir Anthony Cook Sister to the wives of the Lord Chancellour Bacon and Treasurer Cecill His family is now Extinct one of his daughters marrying into the then Worshipfull since honorable family of the Mainards and with her devolved a fair inheritance 12. JAMES ALTHAM Esq. His Armes casually omitted in our List were Pally of six Ermin and Azure on a Chief Gules a Lyon rampant Or. His Name-sake and direct Descendent now living at Markhall made Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of King Charles the second addeth with his accomplished civility to the Honor of his Ancestors King James 1. HENRY MAINARD Kt. He was Father to William Maynard bred in Saint John's Colledge in Cambridge where he founded a Logick Professor created Baron of Wicklow in Ireland and Easton in this County whose Son William Lord Maynard hath been so noble an encourager of my Studies that my Hand deserveth to wither when my Heart passeth him by without a prayer for his good successe 15. PAUL BANNING Kt. and Bar. No doubt the same Person who afterwards was created Viscount Banning of Sudbury His Son was bred in Christ-Church of most hopeful parts descended from the Sackvils by the Mother-side and promising high Performance to his Country but alas cut off in the prime of the prime of his life He left two Daughters which though married left no Issue so that his large estate will be divided betwixt the children of his four Sisters Wives to the Marquess of Dorchester Viscount Grandison the Lord Dacres of the South and Henry Murrey Esq of the Bed-Chamber to King Charles King Charles 12. JOHN LUCAS Esq This worthy Person equalling his Extraction with his Vertues was at Oxford made Baron by King Charles the first I understand he hath one sole Daughter to whom I wish a meet Consort adequate to her Birth and Estate seeing the Barony began in this Lord is suspicious in him to determine The Battels Though none in this County the heart of the Eastern Association yet the siege Anno 1648. of Colchester must not be forgotten Know then that the Remnant of the Royalists routed in Kent with much difficulty recovered this County the Parliliaments Forces pursuing them March much farther they could not such their weariness and want of Accommodation bid Battel to their numerous Foes they durst not which was to run in the Jaws of ruine wherefore they resolved to shelter themselves for a time in Colchester Reader pardon a Digression Winchester Castle was by the Long-Parliament ordered to be made UNTENABLE but the over-officious malice of such who executed the Order wilfully mistaking the word made it UNTENANTABLE To apply the Distinction to 〈◊〉 All men beheld it as Tenantable full of faire Houses none as Tenable in an hostile way for any long time against a great Army But see what Diligence can do in few days they fortified it even above imagination Indeed the lining of the Wall was better than the faceing thereof whose Stone outside was ruinous but the in-side was well filled up with Earth which they valiantly maintained Nor was it General Fairfax they feared so much as General Famine that grand Conqueror of Cities having too much of the best Sauce and too little of the worst Meat Insomuch that they were fain to make Mutton of those Creatures which kill Sheâ—…p and Beefe of Cattel which never wore Horns till they were forced to submit to the worst but best they could get of Conditions Here those two worthy Knights Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle the one eminently a whole Troop of Horse the other a Company of Foot were cruelly sentenced and shot to Death whose bodies have since had a civil Resurrection restored to all possible outward Honour by publick Funerall Solemnities The Farewell I wish the sad casualties may never return which lately have happened in this County The one 1581. in the Hundred of Dengy the other 1648. in the Hundred of Rochford and Isle
about three years viz. from the seventh of July in the 22. year of King Henry the Sixth being the year of our Lord 1544. until the 25. year of that Kings raign This Lord built Sudeley Castle in this County which of Subjects Castles was the most handsome Habitation and of Subjects Habitations the strongest Castle King Edward the Fourthâ—…ent â—…ent for him with such summons that this Lord conjectured and that truly enough that it was but a Preface to his imprisonment whereupon going to London and resting himself on a Hill whence he did behold his own Castle It is thou Sudeley it is thou said he and not I that am a Traytor and so resigned the same at last into the hand of the King to procure his own liberty So true it is what Solomon saith The ransome of a mans life are his riches but the poor heareth not rebuke I find not the certain date of his death Capital Judges and Writers on the Law ANTHONY FITZ-HERBERT for a long time Justice of the Common Pleas was as a good Antiquary will have it born about Dean Forrest in this County but is by another no whit his inferiour on better evidence referred to Derby-shire where formerly we have placed his Nativity Yea I have been informed from excellent hands the Natives of this County that no Capital Judge of the three Great Courts though many of the Marches was ever born in this County yet are they here as litigious as in other places Sure I am that Gloucester-shire did breed if no Judge yet a Plaintiff and Defendant of the primest quality which betwixt them with many alternations traversed the longest suit that ever I read in England for a suit was commenced betwixt the Heirs of Sir Thomas Talbot Viscout Lisle on the one party and the heirs of Lord Barkley on the other about certain possessions lying in this County not far from Wotton-under-edge which suit begun in the end of King Edward the Fourth was depending until the beginning of King James when and was it not high time it was finally determined But the long barrenness of this County in Judges may be recompenced with fruitfulness at last the rather because Gloucestershire at this day sheweth two eminent ones Mr. Justice Adkins and Mr. Justice Hales which grace the Court of the Common Pleas with their known ability and integrity EDWARD TROTMAN Son of Edward Trotman Esquire was born at Cam nigh Duresly in this County bred a Student of the Law till he became a Bencher in the Inner Temple He wrote an Abridgement of Sir Edward Coke his eleven Volumes of Reports for the benefit of those who had not money to purchase or leisure to peruse them at large Yea such as have both may be profitted thereby for in my owne profession and in the Book of Books even those who are best acquainted with the Chapters make also use of the Contents This Gentleman in his Title page ingeniously wisheth that his Compendium might not prove Dispendium to the Reader thereof And I verily believe he hath had his desire being informed that his endeavours are well esteemed by the Learned in that profession He was buried in the Temple Church May 29. Anno Dom. 1643. Souldiers Sir WILLIAM TRACY of Todington in this County was a Gentleman of high Birth State and Stomach much in favour with King Henry the second on whom he was a daily attendant One fact hath made his Memory call it famous or infamous because he was the first and forwardest of the four Knights who at the encouragement if not command at leastwise at the connivance if not encouragement of the aforesaid King Imbrewed their hands in the blood of Thomas Becket In his old age he went into Devon-shire where he had large possessions as may appear by so many Towns bearing his surname 1. Wollocomb-Tracy 2. Bovi-Tracy 3. Nimet-Tracy 4. Bradford-Tracy c. It is reported that he intended a penitential Pilgrimage to Jerusalem but setting to Sea was ever crost with adverse Winds He is conceived to lie buried in the Parish Church of Mort in Devonshire dying about the year of our Lord 1180. Seamen This is scarcely a Maritine-shire rather bordering on the Severn than on the Sea having therein no considerable Haven Bristol being beheld as a City entire of it self and therein eminent Seamen cannot be expected yet one Family herein hath been most fortunate in such voyages having their chief Seat at Lydney in the Forrest of Dean which hath afforded WILLIAM WINTER Knight and Vice Admiral of England famous in his Generation for several performances 1. Anno 1559. being then but Machinarum classicarum praefectus English it as you please he frighted the French in Edenborough Frith assaulting their Fort in the Island of Inchkeith 2. Anno 1567. he was sent with Sir Thomas Smith with the sound of the Trumpet and shooting of some Cannons to demand the restitution of Callis of the French King 3. Anno 1568. he conducted a great Treasure of the Genoan Merchants safely into the Netherlands in despight of the French opposing him 4. Anno 1576. he with Robert Beale Clerk of the Councel was employed into Zeland to demand the restitution of our Ships which they had either taken or did detain 5. Anno 1588. he did signal service in the station appointed him coming in though not in the heat in the coole of the day when the Spanish Fleet was fallen towards the shore of Zeland and were sadly sensible of his valour I conceive him not to survive long after because if in life he would have been in action and if in action I should have found him in Cambden's Elizabeth And therefore from no mention I conclude no motion that about this time he departed Besides others of this Family unknown to me and justly referred to this County as their chief habitation And were the phrase as proper of Men sailing as Fishes swimming in the Sea I should say that Lydney-House hath brought forth a shole of Mariners So happy have they been in Sea voyages One wondring how the English durst be so bold as to put to Sea in all weathers it was returned that they were provided to saile in all seasons having both Winters and Summers on their side The more the pity that this worthy Family of the Winters did ever leave the Element of Water to tamper with Fire especially in a destructive way to their King and Country Writers OSBERNUS CLAUDIANUS or Osbern of Gloucester was bred a Benedictine Monk in the famous Convent in that City He was learned saith Leland Praeter iliius aetatis sortem above the Standard of that age He was a good Linguist Philosopher Divine he used to give clearness to what was obscure facility to what was difficult politeness to what was barbarous Nor wanted he a becoming facetiousness in his Dialogues He wrote many Books dedicating them to Gilbert Foliot Bishop of Hereford as a
1550. few years before the beginning of Queen 〈◊〉 many being 〈◊〉 and so 〈◊〉 armed by his useful 〈◊〉 It must not be forgotten how during my abode in Cambridge on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1626. a Book was â—…ound in the belly of a Cod brought into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 containing therein three 〈◊〉 whereof the 〈◊〉 and largest was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Crosse. It was wrapped about with Canvasâ—… and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fish plundred plâ—…ndred out of the pocket of some Ship-wracked Seaman The Wits of the 〈◊〉 made themselves merry thereat one making a long Copy of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on whereof this Dystiâ—… I remember If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do bring us Books then we May hope 〈◊〉 Bodlyes Library But whilest the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselves herewith the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beheld iâ—… as a sad 〈◊〉 And some who then little looked for the 〈◊〉 have 〈◊〉 found it in that plâ—… This Book was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But no such Book 〈◊〉 in Bale though â—…y accurate to give â—…s a Catalogue of his Writings Whereby we 〈◊〉 it was the same made by this Richard 〈◊〉 to which another Treatise was annexed 〈◊〉 one to die made 〈◊〉 by our Tracy who himself 〈◊〉 about an hundred years since Sir THOMAS OVERBURY Knight Son to Sir Nicholas Overbury one of the Judges of the Marches was born at Borton on the Hill in this County bred in Oxford and attained to be a most accomplished Gentleman which the happiness of his Pen both in Poetry and Prose doth declare In the later he was the first writer of Characters of our Nation so far as I have observed But if the great parts of this Gentleman were guilty of Insolency and Petulancy which some since have charged on his Memory we may charitably presume that his reduced age would have corrected such juvenile extravagancies It is questionable whether Robert Carre Earl of Somerset were more in the favour of King James or this Sir Thomas Overbury in the favour of the Earl of Somerset until he lost it by disswading that Lord from keeping company with a Lady the Wife of another person of Honour as neither for his credit here or comfort hereafter Soon after Sir Thomas was by King James designed Embassadour for Russia His false friends perswaded him to decline the employment as no better than an Honourable Grave Better lie some dayes in the Tower than more months in a worse prison A Ship by Sea and a barbarous cold Country by land Besides they possessed him that within a small time the King should be wrought to a good opinion of him But he who willingly goes into a prison out of hope to come easily out of it may stay therein so long till he be too late convinced of another judgment Whilest Sir Thomas was in the Tower his Refusal was represented to the King as an Act of high contempt as if he valued himself more than the Kings service His strict restraint gave the greater liberty to his enemies to practise his death which was by poyson performed Yet was his Blood legally revenged which cost some a violent and others a civil death as deprived of their Offices The Earle was soon abated in King Jame's affection O the short distance betwixt the cooling and quenching of a Favourite being condemned and banished the Court. The death of this Worthy Knight did happen Anno Dom. 1615. JOHN SPRINT was bred a Student in Christ Church in Oxford and was afterward beneficed at Thornbury in this County a grave and godly Divine but for a long time much disaffected to the Ceremonies of the Church It happeened that Mr. Burton Arch-Deacon of Gloucester his Collegiate and Contemporary took him to task perswading him seriously to study the point which he promised and performed accordingly He put In the one Scâ—…le In the other The Wo pronounced to such who preach 〈◊〉 the Gospel and dissert their Flocks on pretended scrupulosity The nature of Ceremonies when things indifferent are enjoyned by lawfull Authority Weighing both exactly in the ballance of his judgment he found the former to preponderate concluding it unlawful for any on such â—…count to leave or lose the exercise of his Miniâ—…erial Function Hereupon he not only conformed for the future 〈◊〉 also wrote a Book dedicated to Arch-Deacon Burton called Casâ—…der Angâ—…anus to perswade others to conformity He died as I am informed â—…bout thirty years ago JOHN WORKMAN was born about Lasbury in this County where his Father was a servant to Sir Tho. Escourt He was bred in Oxford and afterwards became for many years the pioâ—…s and painfull Preacher at Gloucester being conformable to Church Discipline both in judgement and practise and in very deed It happened that some pressed super-â—…nonical Ceremonies and such sesqui-Conformists made Mr. Workman turn first but a semiConformist and then by degrees to renounce all Conformity He was prosecuted by G. G. his 〈◊〉 for preaching to the disparagement of the Blessed Virgin Mary though he pleaded his words were only these That the Papists painted her more like a Curtesan than a modest Maid Hereupon he was silenced and not suffered to teach Schoole seeing Sheâ—… and Lambs differ not in hind but age At last his good Priâ—…nd Dr. Baud furnishing him with instructions he turned Phyâ—… and 〈◊〉 unable to preservâ—… his Pattents in liâ—…e he could well prepare them for death He died about the year 1636. We have put them in Parallels not so much because living at the same time in the same County as because the one from disliking came to approve the other from approving to dislike Conformity though both no doubt did follow the dictates of their consciences RICHARD CAPEL was born as I am informed in the City of Gloucester whereof his Father was Alderman and left him a good temporal estate he was bred Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford where he had many Pupils of good qualitie and among the rest Mr. William Pemble whose Books he set forth and as I remember finished his imperfect Comment on Zachary Leaving the Colledge he was presented by Mr. Stephens to a good benefice in this County where he made his excellent Book Of Temptations full fraught with practical Piety so that what judicious person soever readeth it will experimentally say unto him as once the Lawyer to our Saviour Master thou hast well spoken it carrieth in it such a Truth by the confession confession his Conscience One thing he hath irrefragably proved That there is no Temptation which a man is subject to but what might be suggested by our own corruption without any injection of Satan We have an English expression The Devil he doth it the Devil he hath it where the addition of Devil amounteth only to a strong denial equivalent to he doth it not he hath it not My opinion is if the phrase took not the original from yet is it applyable to our common and causeless accusing of Satan with our
A fright of his Mother is generally reported to have accelerated or rather antedated his nativity The Popish Priests belonging to the Queen stood ready watching to snatch the Royal Babe to their superstitious baptisme but the tender care of King Charles did out vigil their watchfullness commanding Doctor Web His next Chaplain in attendance to Christen it according to the Church of England This done within few houres he expired and lyes buried at Westminster Saints EALPHAGE born of good parentage had his education during his youth in Glocestershire then he became a Monk at Glastenbury But that place not sufficiently suiting the severity of his solitary soul removing thence he built himself a Hut at Bath which smal Cel in process of time the longest line proceedeth from a little point at first proved the beautiful Priory in that place Hence by Dunstan he was preferred Bishop of Winchester continuing therein twenty two years And at last became Bishop of Canterbury It happeneth that the cruel Danes seizing on that City put it under Decimation Start not loyal reader at the word if in the late Tyranny of the times thou thy self hast been against all right and reason Decimated in thy Purse as now the poor Citizens of Canterbury were in their Persons For the Danes under pretence of Tribute detained Saved the tenth part of the Citizens alive amounting unto eight hundred and four Destroyed the other nine parts no fewer than seven thousand two hundred thirty six As for Arch-Bishop Alphage they demanded of him a greater summe than he could pay or procure whose wealth consisted chieâ—…y in his Piety no currant Coin with the Pagan Danes So that after seven moneths imprisonment they barbarously murthered him near Greenwich about the year 1013. His Corps was first buried in Saint Pauls and then removed by the command of King Canutus to Canterbury Impudent Monks have almost as much wronged his memory as the Danes did his Person farcing his life with such abominable lies that thereby the very truth therein is rendred suspected AGELNOTH Son to Count Agelmar was a Calendred Saint in this County being Elected Archbishop of Canterbury from being Dean over the Canons in that Convent This is the first time I find the Dignity of Decanus or Dean in England so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ten having it seemeth at the first Inspection just over that Number though since an Heteroclite in England as either over fewer but Six in Norwich Bristol c. or many more in other Cathedrals He was so pious in his Life that he was commonly called the GOOD And here one may justly wonder God having two Grand Epithets OPTIMUS and MAXIMUS most give the former the go-by and strive onely for the latter to be the Greatest though Greatnesse without Goodnesse is both Destructive to him that hath it and Dangerous to all others about him Going to Rome to get his Pall from the Pope by him he was courteously entertained and deserved his welcome who gave him saith my Author for the Arm of Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo one hundred Talents of Silver and one Talent of Gold citing Bishop Godwin for his author But indeed that Bishop though reporting the hundred Talents of Silver mentioneth not at all that of Gold Perchance Mr. Weaver had lately read still obversing his fancy how Pharaoh K. of Egypt having taken away King Jehoahash condemned the land in An Hundred Talents of Silver and A Talent of Gold and to me it is a double wonder First that this Archbishop would give Secondly that he could give living in a harraged Land wherein so much Misery and little Money so vast a sum However this mindeth me of a passage in Saint Augustine speaking of the Reliques of the deceased Si tamen Martyrum if so they be of Martyrs and let me chuse the words of this Father on this Father Si tamen Augustini If this were the arm of Saint Augustine and not of some other Ordinary not to say Infamous person Well were one as good a Mathematician as He who collected the Stature of Hercules from the length of his Foot it were easie to proportion the Price of Saint Augustines whole body from this valuation of his arme And now having so dearly bought it let him dispose thereof as he pleaseth and let no man grudge if he gave it to Coventry rather than Canterbury He expended much in repairing or rather renewing of his Cathedral of Canterbury lately destroyed by the Danes assisted therein by the bounty of King Canutus who at the instance and by the advice of this Prelate did many worthy works Our Agelnoth after he had set 17. years in his See died October 29. in the year 1038. Martyrs WILLIAM WHITE was born in this County and entering into Orders became a great maintainer of the Opinions of Wicliffe He was the first married Priest in England since the Popes solemn prohibition thereof I find Johan his wife commended for her modesty and patience and that she was conjux talidigna marito Indeed she shared very deep in her husbands sufferings hardly coming off with her life at the last For he though leaving his living as unsafe to hold still kept his calling and preached about all the Eastern parts of the Land The same mouth which commanded the Disciples in time of Peace Goe not from house to house so to avoid the censure of Levity advised them also when ye are persecuted in one City fly to another so to provide for their own security Such the constant practice of this W. VVhite who was as a Partridge dayly on the wing removing from place to place At last he was seised on at Norwich by VVilliam Alnwick the cruel Bishop thereof and charged with 30 Articles for which he was condemned and burnt at Norwich in September 1428. He was the Protomartyr of all born in this County and had not five before him in all England who suffered merely for Religion without any mixture of matter of State charged upon them As for MARIAN Martyrs we meet with many in this County though not to be charged on Cardinal Pool Arch-bishop of Canterbury further then his bare permission thereof It is observed of Bears that they love to kill their own Prey and except forced by Famine will not feed on what was dead before Such a Bear was bloody Bonner who was all for the quick and not for the dead whilest clean contrary Cardinal Pool let the living alone and vented his spleen onely on the dead whom he could wrong but not hurt burning the bones of Martin Bucer and Paulus Phagius at Cambridge Such Martyrs therefore as suffered in this Shire were either by the cruelty of Griffin Bishop of Rochester or of Thornton Suffragan of Dover Confessors SIMON FISH Esquire was born in this County bred a Lawyer in Graies-Inn London Here he acted that part in a Tragedy wherein the pride
Sir VVilliam was made Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of King Richard the Third He married one of the Daughters and Co-heirs of Thomas Butler Earl of Ormond by whom besides four Daughters married into the Worshipful and Wealthy Families of Shelton Calthrop Clere and Sackvil he had Sir Tho. Boleyn Earle of VViltshire of whom hereafter 10. JOH PEACH Arm. This year Perkin VVarbeck landed at Sandwich in this County with a power of all Nations contemptible not in their number or courage but nature and fortune to be feared as well of Friends as Enemies as fitter to spoil a coast than recover a country Sheriff Peach knighted this year for his good service with the Kentish Gentry acquitted themselves so valiant and vigilant that Perkin shâ—…unk his horns back again into the shell of his ships About 150. of his men being taken and brought up by this Sheriff to London some were executed there the rest on the Sea Coasts of Kent and the neighbouring Counties for Sea-marks to teach Perkin's people to avoid such dangerous shoars Henry the Eighth 5 JOH NORTON Mil. He was one of the Captains who in the beginning of the Raign of King Henry the eight went over with the 1500. Archers under the conduct of Sir Edward Poynings to assist Margaret Dutchesse of Savoy Daughter to Maximillian the Emperour and Governesse of the Low-Countries against the incursions of the Duke of Guelders where this Sir John was knighted by Charles young Prince of Castile and afterwards Emperor He lieth buried in Milton Church having this written on his Monument Pray for the souls of Sir John Norton Knight and Dame Joane his Wife one of the Daughters and Heirs of John Norwood Esq who died Febr. 8. 1534. 7. THOMAS CHEYNEY Arm. He was afterward knighted by King Henry the Eighth and was a spriteful Gentleman living and dying in great honour and estimation a Favourite and Privy Counsellor to four successive Kings and Queens in the greatest â—…urn of times England ever beheld as by this his Epitaph in Minster Church in the Isle of Shepey will appear Hic jacet Dominus Thomas Cheyney inclitissimi ordinis Garterii Miles Guarduanus quinque Portuum ac Thesaurarius Hospitii Henrici octavi ac Edwardi sexti Regum Reginaeque Mariae ac Elizabethae ac eorum in secretis Consiliarius qui obiit mensis Decembris Anno Dom. M. D.L.IX ac Reg. Reginae Eliz. primo 11. JOHN WILTSHIRE Mil. He was Controller of the Town and Marches of Calis Anno 21. of King Henry the Seventh He founded a fair Chappel in the Parish of Stone wherein he lieth entombed with this Inscription Here lieth the bodies of Sir John Wiltshire Knight and of Dame Margaret his Wife which Sir John died 28. Decemb. 1526. And Margaret died of Bridget his sole Daughter and Heir was married to Sir Richard VVingfield Knight of the Garter of whom formerly in Cambridge-shire 12. JOHN ROPER Arm. All the memorial I find of him is this Inscription in the Church of Eltham Pray for the soul of Dame Margery Roper late VVife of John Roper Esquire Daughter and one of the Heirs of John Tattersall Esquire who died Febr. 2. 1518. Probably she got the addition of Dame being Wife but to an Esquire by some immediate Court-attendance on Katharine first Wife to King Henry the Eighth King James 3. MOILE FINCH Mil. This worthy Knight married Elizabeth sole Daughter and Heir to Sir Thomas Heneage Vice Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth and Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster She in her Widowhood by the special favour of King James was honoured Vicounâ—…ess Maidston unprecedented save by One for this hundred years and afterwards by the great Grace of King Charles the First created Countesse of VVinchelsey both Honors being entailed on the Issue-male of her Body to which her Grand-Child the Right Honourable Heneage lately gone Embassador to Constantinople doth succeed The Farewell Having already insisted on the Courage of the Kentish-men and shown how in former Ages the leading of the Van-guard was intrusted unto their magnanimity we shall conclude our Description of this Shire praying that they may have an accession of Loyalty unto their Courage not that the Natives of Kent have acquitted themselves less Loyal than those of other Shires but seeing the one will not suffer them to be idle the other may guide them to expend their Ability for Gods glory the defence of his Majesty and maintenance of true Religion CANTERBURY CANTERBURY is a right ancient City and whilest the Saxon Hâ—…ptar chy flourished was the chief seat of the Kings of Kent Here Thomas Becket had his death Edward surnamed the Black Prince and King Henry the Fourth their Interment The Metropolitan Dignity first conferred by Gregory the Great on London was for the Honour of Augustine afterwards bestowed on this City It is much commended by William of Malmesbury for its pleasant scituation being surrounded with a fertile soil well wooded and commodiously watered by the River Stoure from whence it is said to have had its name Durwhern in British a swift River It is happy in the vicinity of the Sea which affordeth plenty of good Fish Buildings CHRIST CHURCH First dedicated and after 300. years intermission to Saint Thomas Becket restored to the honour of our Saviour is a stately structure being the performance of several successive Arch-Bishops It is much adorned with glasse Windows Here they will tell you of a foraign Embassador who proffered a vast price to transport the East Window of the Quire beyond the Seas Yet Artists who commend the Colours condemn the Figures therein as wherein proportion is not exactly observed According to the Maxime Pictures are the Books painted windows were in the time of Popery the Library of Lay men and after the Conquest grew in general use in England It is much suspected Aneyling of Glass which answereth to Dying in grain in Drapery especially of Yellow is lost in our age as to the perfection thereof Anciently Colours were so incorporated in Windows that both of them lasted and faded together Whereas our modern Painting being rather on than in the Glass is fixed so faintly that it often changeth and sometimes falleth away Now though some being only for the innocent White are equal enemies to the painting of Windows as Faces conceiving the one as great a Pander to superstition as the other to wantonnesse Yet others of as much zeal and more knowledge allow the Historical uses of them in Churches Proverbs Canterbury-Tales So Chaucer calleth his Book being a collection of several Tales pretended to be told by Pilgrims in their passage to the Shrine of Saint Thomas in Canterbury But since that time Canterbury-Tales are parallel to Fabulae Milestae which are Charactered Nec verae nec verisimiles meerly made to marre precious time and please fanciful people Such are the many miracles of Thomas Becket some helpful though but narrow as only for private conveniency
as when perceiving his old Palace at Otford to want water he struck his staff into the dry ground still called Saint Thomas his well whence water runneth plentifully to serve that house lately re-built unto this day Others spightful as when because a Smith dwelling in that Town had clogged his Horse he ordered that no Smith afterwards should thrive within that Parish But he who shall go about seriously to confute these Tales is as very a Fool as he was somewhat else who first impudently invented and vented them Prelates STEPHEN LANGTON Here we are at a perfect losse for the place of his birth his surname affording us so much direction in effect it is none at all Inopes nos copia fecit finding no fewer than twelve Langtons though none very near to this place which makes us fly to our marginal refuge herein Stephen born in England was bred in Paris where he became one of the greatest Scholars of the Christian world in his age He was afterwards consecrated Cardinal of Saint Chrysogone and then by Papal power intruded Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in defiance of all opposition which King John could make against him Many are his learned Works writing Comments on all the Old and on some of the New Testament He was the first that divided the whole Bible into Chapters as Robert Stephens a French-man that curious Critick and painful Printer so ne six score years since first subdivided into Verses A worthy Work making Scripture more managable in mens memories and the passages therein the sooner to be turned to as any person who is â—…ooner found out in the most populous City if methodized into Streets and Houses with signs to which the Figures affixed do fitly allude Say not this was a presumption incurring the curse denounced to such who adde to Scripture it being no Addition but an Illustration thereof Besides God set the first pattern to mens industry herein seeing the distinction of some Verses may be said to be Jure Divino as those in the Lamentations and elsewhere which are Alphabetically modelled As causless their complaint who cavil at the inequality of Chapters the eighth of the first of Kings being sixty six the last of Malachy but six verses seeing the entireness of the sense is the standard of their length or shortness It is confessed some few Chapters end and others begin obruptly and yet it is questionable whether the ateration thereof would prove advantageous seeing the reforming of a small fault with a great change doth often hurt more than amend and such alterations would discompose Millions of Quotations in excellent Authors conformed to the aforesaid received divisions Here it must not be concealed that notwithstanding this general tradition of Langtons chaptering the Bible some learned men make that design of far ancienter date and particularly that able Antiquary Sir Henry Spelman This I am confident of that Stephen Langton did something much material in order thereunto and the Improver is usually called the Inventor by a complemental mistake However though I believe Langton well employed in dividing the Bible he was ill busâ—…ed in rending asunder the Church and Kingdom of England reducing King Iohn to sad extremities He died and was buried at Canterbury Anno Dom. 1228. Souldiers WILLIAM PRUDE Esquire vulgarly called Proud was born in this City where his stock have continued for some hundreds of years bred a Souldier in the Low Countreys where he attained to be Lieutenant Colonel He was slain Iuly 12. 1632. at the siege of Mastrich His body which I assure you was no usual honour was brought over into England and buried in the Cathedral of Canterbury in Saint Michaels Chappel on the South side of the Quire with this Inscription on his Monument Stand Souldiers ere you march by way of charge Take an example here that may enlarge Your minds to noble Action Here in peace Rests one whose Life was War whose rich encrease Of Fame and Honour from his Valour grew Unbegg'd unbought for what he won he drew By just desert having in service been A Souldier till near sixty from sixteen Years of his active Life continually Fearless of Death yet still prepar'd to die In his Religious Thoughts for midd'st all harmes He bare as much of Piety as Armes Now Souldiers on and fear not to intrude The Gates of Death by th' example of this Prude He married Mary Daughter of Sir Adam Sprackling Knight and had Issue by her four Sons and three Daughters to whose memory his surviving Son Searles Prude hath erected this Monument Writers OSBERN of CANTERBURY so called because there he had his first birth or best Being as Chanter of the Cathedral Church therein An admirable Musitian which quality endeared him though an Englishman to Lankfrank the Lordly Lombard and Arch-Bishop of Canterbury He was the English Jubal as to the curiosity thereof in our Churches An Art which never any spake against who understood it otherwise Apollo is in a sad case if Midas his ears must be his Judges However in Divine Service all Musick ought to be tuned to edification that all who hear may understand it otherwise it may tend to delight not devotion and true zeal cannot be raised where knowledge is depressed This Osbern wrote the life of Saint Dunstan in pure Latine according to that age flourishing under William the Conquerer Anno 1070. SIMON LANGTON was by his Brother Stephen Langton the Arch-Bishop preferred Arch-Deacon of Canterbury who Carne sanguine revelante saith the Record made the place much better both to him and his successors in revenue and jurisdiction A troublesome man he was and on his Brothers score a great adversary to King Iohn even after that King had altered his Copy and became of a fierce Foe a Son-Servant to the Pope by resigning his Crown unto him But our Simon could not knock off when he should having contracted such an habit of hatred against K. Iohn that he could not depose it though commanded under the pain of excommunication This caused him to trudge to the Court of Rome where he found little favour For such who will be the Popes white Boyes must watchfully observe his signals and not only charge when he chargeth but retreat when he retreateth This Simon beside others wrote a Book of the penitence of Magdalene in relation it seems to himself though she found more favour in the Court of Heaven than he at Rome He died Anno Dom. 12 Benefactors to the Publick JOHN EASDAY was Alderman and Mayor of this City Anno 1585. He found the Walls thereof much ruined and being a man but of an indifferent estate began the reparation thereof at Ridingate and therein proceeded so far as his name is inscribed on the Wall whose exemplary endeavours have since met with some to commend none to imitate them THOMAS NEVILE born in this City of most honourable extraction as his name is enough to notifie
Saint John's then Master of Pembroke hall in Cambridge His studies were suitable to his years when young a good Philosopher witness his book of Meteors afterwards his endeavours ascended from the middle region of the aire to the highest heavens when he bâ—…came a pious and solid Divine Now the Romanists seeing they could no longer blind-fold their Laitie from the Scriptures resolved to fit them with false spectacles and set forth the Rhemish Translation which by Doctor Fulke was learnedly confuted though he never attained any great preferâ—…ent in the Church Here it is worth our pains to peruse the immediate succession of Masters in Pembroke-hall because unparallel'd in any English Foundation Edm. Grindall Archp. of Cant. Mat. Hutton Archp. of York Jo. Whitgift Archp. of Cant. Jo. Young 〈◊〉 of Rochester William Fulke D. D. Lanc. Andrews Bp. of Winchester Sam. Harsnet Archp. of York Nic. Felton Bp. of Eely Here though all the rest were Episcopated Doctor Fulke was but Doctor Fulke still though a man of great merit This proceeded not from any disaffection in him to the Hierarchie as some would fain suggest but principally from his love of privacy and place of Margaret-Professour wherein he died Anno Dom. 1589. EDMOND SPENCER born in this City was brought up in Pembroke-hall in Cambridge where he became an excellent Scholar but especially most haypy in English Poetry as his works do declare In which the many Chaucerisms used for I will not say affected by him are thought by the ignorant to be blemishes known by the learned to be beauties to his book which notwithstanding had been more salable if more conformed to our modern language There passeth a story commonly told and believed that Spencer presenting his Poems to Queen Elizabeth She highly affected therewith commanded the Lord Cecil Her Treasurer to give him an hundred pound and when the Treasurer a good Steward of the Queens money alledged that sum was too much then give him quoth the Queen what is reason to which the Lord consented but was so busied belâ—…ke about matters of higher concernment that Spencer received no reward Whereupon he presented this petition in a small piece of paper to the Queen in her Progress I was promis'd on a time To have reason for my rhyme From that time unto this season I receiv'd nor rhyme nor reason Hereupon the Queen gave strict order not without some check to her Treasurer for the present payment of the hundred pounds she first intended unto him He afterwards went over into Ireland Secretary to the Lord Gray Lord Deputy thereof and though that his office under his Lord was lucrative yet got he no estate but saith my Author Pâ—…culiari Poetis fato semper cum paupertate conflictatus est So that it fared little better with him then with William Xilander the German a most excellent Linguist Antiquary Philosopher and Mathematician who was so poor that as Thuanus saith he was thought fami non famae scribere Returning into England he was robb'd by the Rebels of that little he had and dying for grief in great want Anno 1598. was honorably buried nigh Chaucer in Westminster where this Distick concludeth his Epitaph on hâ—…s monument Anglica te vivo vixit plausitque poesis Nunc moritura timet te moriente mori Whilst hâ—…iu didst live liv'd English poetry Which fears now thou art dead that she shall die Nor must we forget that the expence of his funeral and monument was defrayed at the sole charge of Robert first of that name Earl of Essex JOHN STOW son of Thomas Stow who died Anno 1559. grand-child to Thomas Stow who died 1526. both Citizens of London and buried in Saint Michaels in Cornhill was born in this City bred at learning no higher then a good Gramar-scholar yet he became a painful faithful and the result of both useful Historian Here to prevent mistake by the homonymie of names I request the Reader to take special notice of three brace of English writers 1. Sir Thomas commonly with the addition of De la More who lived under and wrote the life of King Edward the second 1. John Leland bred in Oxford the most exquisite Grammarian of his age who flourished Anno 1428. 1. John Stow a Benedictine Monke of Norwich Anno 1440. who wrote various Collections much cited by Caius in his history of Cambridge 2. Sir Thomas More the witty and learned Chancellour of England 2. John Leland bred in Cambridge the most eminent Antiquary under K. Henry the eight 2. John Stow this Londiner and Historian I confess I have heard him often accused that as learned Guicciardine is charged for telling magnarum rerum minutias he reporteth res in se minutas toys and trifles being such a Smell-feast that he cannot pass by Guild-hall but his pen must tast of the good chear therein However this must be indulged to his education so hard it is for a Citizen to write an History but that the fur of his gown will be felt therein Sure I am our most elegant Historians who have wrote since his time Sir Francis Bacon Master Camden c. though throwing away the basket have taken the fruit though not mentioning his name making use of his endeavors Let me adde of John Stow that however he kept tune he kept time very well no Author being more accurate in the notation thereof Besides his Chronicle of England he hath a large Survey of London and I believe no City in Christendome Rome alone excepted hath so great a volume extant thereof Plato was used to say that many good laws were made but still one was wanting viz. a law to put all those good laws in execution Thus the Citizens of London have erected many fair monuments to perpetuate their memories but still there wanted a monument to continue the memory of their monuments subject by time and otherwise to be defaced which at last by John Stow was industriously performed He died in the eightieth year of his age April 5. 1605. and is buried at the upper end of the North-Isle of the Quire of Saint Andrews-Undershaft His Chronicle since continued by another whose additions are the lively embleme of the times he writeth of as far short of Master Stow in goodness as our age is of the integrity and charity of those which went before it GILES FLETCHER was born in this City son to Giles Fletcher Dr. in law and Embassadour into Russia of whom formerly in Kent From Westminster-school he was chosen first Scholar then Fellow of Trinity colledge in Cambridge One equally beloved of the Muses and the Graces having a sanctified wit witness his worthy Poem intituled Christs Victory made by him being but Bachelour of Arts discovering the Piety of a Saint and Divinity of a Doctor He afterward applied himself to School-Divinity cross to the grain of his Genius as some conceive and attained to good skill therein When he preached at Saint Maries his
or silver-hair-skins formerly so dear are now levelled in prices with other colours yea are lower then black in estimation because their wool is most used in making of hats commonly for the more credit called Half-Beavers though many of them hardly amount to the proportion of Semi-Demi-Castors Herrings Great store and very good of these are caught nigh Yarmouth where once every year on the Feast of Saint Michael is a Fair held for the sale of fish and such the plenty of Herrings there constantly vented that incredible the sum which is raised thereby Indeed the fishing for Herrings is a most gainful trade fish though contemptable in it self considerable in its company swiming in such shoals that what the Whale hath in bigness the Herring hath in number It may well mind such who excell in strength and valour not to boast or be proud thereof seeing the greatest courage may be soon pressed to death under unequal number Yea Red-herrings in England mostly eaten for sauce to quicken the Appetite serve in Holland and elsewhere for food to satisfy hunger I will conclude the Natural Commodities of this County with this memorable passage which I have read in a modern Author The Lord F. W. assured me of a Gentleman in Norfolk that made above 10000l sterl of a piece of ground not forty yards square and yet there was neither Mineral nor Metal in it He aâ—…ter told me it was onely a sort of fine clay for the making a choise sort of earthen ware which some that knew it seeing him dig up discovered the value of it and sending it into Holland received so much money for it My belief tireth in coming up to the top of this story suspecting the addition of a cypher But if it were so how much would it have inriched us if those mockChina-dishes had been made in England Manufactures Worsteds These first took their name from Worsted a Village in this County originally it is nothing but Woollen-thred spun very fine and for the more strength twisted together But O! it surpassesh my skill to name the several stuffs being VVorsted disguised with VVeaving and Colouring made thereof It argueth the usefulness and publick profit of this commodity which first found a general repute in England toward the end of the raign of King Henry the sixth that there are no fewer then fourteen Statutes now in force in the well ordering thereof to Merchantable proof And appointing which of them may which may not be Transported Not to speak of four VVardens of VVorsted VVeavers to be chosen yearly within the City of Norwish and other four out of the County of Northfolk with their solemn Oath Office and Authority As for worsted Stockins they were first made in England Anno 1564. by VVilliam Rider an ingenious Apprentice living against Saint Magnus Church at the foot of London Bridge This William chancing to see a pair of knit worsted Stockins in the Lodging of an Italian Merchant who had brought them from Manâ—…ua borrowed them and making the like by that pattern presented them to VVilliam Earl of Pembroke who first wore them in England Proverbs Norfolk dumplings This cannot be verified of any dwarfish or diminutive stature of people in this County being as tall of their bodies and as tall of their arms too I assure you as any in England But it relates to the fare they commonly feed on so generally called I wish much good may it do them and that their bodies thereby may be enabled for all natural civil and spiritual performances Norfolk VViles Such the skill of the common people hereof in our Common-Law wherein they are so versed ut si nihil sit litium lites tamen ex juris apicibus serere callent If I must go to Law I wish them rather of my Counsel then my Adversaries For whereas pedibus ambulando is accounted but a vexatious Suit in other Counties here where men are said to study Law as following the Plough tail some would perswade us that they will enter an action for their neighbours horse but looking over their hedge Now although we listen to this but as a jeer yet give me leave to observe two parts in VViles VVittiness which all must commend VVickedness condemn Sure I am that in Scripture a VVile always male audit is taken in an evil sense as wherein the simplicity of the Dove is stung to death by the subtilty of the Serpent But no more hereof least Norfolk-men commence a Suit against me though I verily believe many therein are of as peaceable dispositions as any in other places A Yarmouth Capon That is a red-herring No news for creatures to be thus disguised under other names seeing Criticks by a Libyon bear sub pelle Libystidis ursae understand a Lion no Bears being found in the land of Libya And I believe few capons save what have more fins then feathers are bred in Yarmouth But to countenance this expression I understand that the Italian Friers when disposed to eat flesh on Fridays call a Capon piscem è corte a fish out of the Coop He is arrested by the Baily of Marshland The aire of Marshland in this County is none of the wholesomest being surrounded with the Sea and Fens on all sides Hence it is that strangers coming hither are clapt on the back with an ague which sometimes lasts them longer then a Stuffe Suit The best is when such prisoners have paid the Bailiffs Fees and Garnish and with time and patience have weathered out the brunt of that disease they become habited to the aire of the Country and arrive in health at a very great age Princes I meet with no Prince since the Conquest taking his first breath in this County probably because so remote from the principal place of Royal Residence Prelats GILBERT BERKELEY was born in this County but descended from the ancient Barons of that name as appeareth by his Armes He was consecrated Bishop of Bath and Wells in the first of Queen Elizabeth and sate therein 22. years He died of a Lethargy being 80. years of age 1581. and is buried on the North-side of the Communion-table of his own Cathedral JOHN AYLMER Brother to Sir Robert Aylmer Knight was born at Aylmerhall in the Parish of Tilsely in this County as his nearest surviving relations have informed me from whom I have received the following information When he was but a Child going toward school Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk having some discourse with took so much liking unto him that after he had been bred some years in the University of Cambridge he made him his Chaplain and committed his daughter the Lady Jane Gray to his tuition In the reign of Queen Mary he fled over beyond Sea and was little less then miraculously saved from the Searchers of the Ship by the ingenuity of a Marchant who put him into a great Wine-but which had a partition in the middle so that
Now a Scholar undertook for a small wager much beneath the penalty to address himself ocreated unto the Vice-chancellour which was beheld by others as a desperate adventure Carrying his state in his Urinal he craved his advise for an hereditary numness in his legs and something of truth therein which made him in his habite to trespass on the Universities Statutes to keep them warme The Vicechancellour pitying instead of punâ—…shing him prefcribed him his best receipts and so by this fraus honesta he effected his desires This Doctor was a worthy Benefactour to Katharine-hall to which he had no relalion save what his bounty created bestowing thereon the fair Bull-inn of considerable value If he who giveth a nights lodging to a servant of God shall not lose his reward certainly he that bestoweth Inn and all upon the sons of the Prophets shall find full compensation The rather because that Hall pent formerly for lack of ground and complaining with the sons of the Prophets the place where we dwell is too strait for us may now say with Isaac The Lord hath made room for us by this convenient addition He died in his Vice-chancellour ship Anno 1625. JOHN CAIUS born in this City son to Robert Caius was bred Fellow in Gonvile hall in Cambridge Hence he travailed into Italy where he studied much and wrote several learned Treatises Returned home became Physician to Queen Mary and improved Gunvile-hall into a Colledge He bestowed good land on erected fair buildings in bequeathed thrifty statutes to produced a proper Coat of Arms for and imposed a new name on this Foundation Gonvile and Caius Colledge He wrote an excellent book of the Antiquity of Cambridge When King James passed thorough this Colledge the Master thereof presented him A Caius de antiquate Cantabridgiae fairly bound to whom the King said What shall I do with this book give me rather Caius de Canibus a work of the same Author very highly praised but very hardly procured Few men might have had a longer none ever had a shorter Epitaph FUI CAIUS Writers since the Reformation ROBERT WATSON born in this City was excellently well skilled in the Laws and saith Bale à Dispensatione sive Administratione domesticâ English it as you please to Arcsh-bishop Cranmer Being imprisoned for his Religion he often disputed during his Restraint with several Papists concerning Transubstantiation and at length having gained his enlargement wrote a Treatise in elegant Latine dedicating the same to such who with him suffered banishment for their Religion wherein he relateth the accidents of his life I cannot attain to any certainty in the date of his death Benefactors to the Publique WILLIAM BAITMAN was born in this City bred in Cambridge and afterwards became first Arch-deacon and then by King Edward the third made Bishop of this his Native See One of an high spirit to maintain the profit and priviledges of his place and I charitably presume him watchful over his sheep souls subjected to his charge because he was so careful of his Deer for the stealing whereof he enjoyned penance to Robert Lord Morley and making him perform them in the Cathedral of Norwich notwithstanding the Kings threatning Letters to the contrary This Prelate in his travails beyond the Seas perceiving that our English Common-law was Out-lawed in those parts and apprehending the absolute necessity that the English should have skill in the Cannon and Civil-laws for the managing of foreign Negotiations erected a Colledge in Cambridge called Trinity-hall for the Study thereof As he was Father to Trinity he was Foster-father to Gonvil-hall in the same University removing it to a more convenient place building and setling the Revenues thereof according to the Will of the Founder King Edward the third resolving to follow his Title to the Crown of France sent this Bishop to the Pope to acquaint him with his intentions in which Embassage he died at Avenion 1354. Since the Reformation THOMAS LEGG was born in this City bred first Fellow in Trinity then Jesus-colledge in Cambridge until he was chosen by Doctor Caius then surviving the nineteenth Master of Gonvil-hall and the second of Gonvil and Caius-colledge He was Doctor of the Law and Arches one of the Masters of the Chancery twice Vice-chancellour of the University and thirty four years Master of his Colledge therein There needeth no other testimony for to avouch his great learning then the Character given him by J. Lipsius in his hitherto unprinted Epistle In Antiquitatis studio tam egregie versatus es ut id de Teipso potes quod de se Apollo Enni A me omnes Cantabrigienses consilium expetunt in literis incerti quos ego mea ope ex incertis certos compotesque consilii dimitto This Doctor though himself a serious man used to recreate himself with delightful studies observing gravity in his very pleasures He composed a Tragedy of the Destruction of Jerusalem and having at last refined it to the purity of the Publique Standard some Plageary filched it from him just as it was to be acted He formerly had made a Tragedy of the life of King Richard the third presented with great Applause Queen Elizabeth I suppose being a beholder thereof in Saint Johns-colledge-hall On the same token that John Palmer afterwards Dean of Peterburough who acted King Richard therein had his head so possest with a Princelike humor that ever after he did what then he acted in his Prodigal Expences so that the Cost of a Sovereign ill befiting the Purse of a Subject he died Poor in Prison notwithstanding his great preferment Great the bounty of Doctor Legg unto his Colledge bequeathing 600. pounds for the building the East-part thereof besides several lesser liberalities Yea be it remembred that after Thomas Bacon fifteenth Master of the Colledge had been a Malefactour thereunto leaving it much indebted the four succeeding Masters ill examples avoided do good Doctor Caius Legg Branthwaite Gosling all natives of Norwich were signall Benefactours though Masters of but Stewards for the House making it for the main their Heir at their decease Doctor Legg died July 12. 1607. in the 72. year of his age The Farewell I heartily wish that this City may long flourish in its full lustre In tendency whereunto may the Thatch of all their houses by Divine Providence be effectually secured from the merciless Element of fire as which knoweth not to be a King but must be a Tyrant whose furious raging is seldome bounded unless by the want of fewel to feed on Yea may their Straw in due time advance into Tyle that thereby their houses may for the future be better fenced against an other Element I mean the injury of Wind and Rain NORTHAMPTON-SHIRE being a long narrow Inland County is stretched from North-east to South-west and bordereth on more Counties then any other in England being nine in number viz. On the East On the West On the North.
worth the inserting Know then that notwithstanding the literall allusion Shrewsbury affordeth as many meeke Wives as any place of the same proportion Besides a Profitable Shrew well may content a reasonable man the Poets faining Juno chasâ—…e and thrifty qualities which commonly attenda shrewd nature One being demanded How much shrewishnesse may be allowed in a VVife Even so much sayed he as of Hops in Ale Whereof a small quantity maketh it both last the longer in it selfe and taste the better to the owner thereof The Case is altered quoth PLOWDEN This Proverb referreth its originall to Edmund Plowden an eminent Native and great Lawyer of this County though very various the relations of the occasion thereof Some relate it to Plowden his faint pleading at the first for his Client till spurred on with a better Fee which some will say beareth no proportion with the ensuing Character of his Integrity Others refer it to his altering of his Judgement upon the Emergencie of new matter formerly undiscovered It being not Constancie but Obstinacie to persist in an old error when convinced to the contrary by cleer and new Information Some tell it thus That Plowden being of the Romish perswasion some Setters trapanned him pardon the prolepsis to hear Masse But afterwards Plowden understanding that the pretender to Officiate was no Priest but a meer Lay-man on designe to make a discovering Oh! The case is altered quoth Plowden No Priest no Masse As for other meaner Origination of this Proverb I have neither List nor Leasure to attend unto them Princes RICHARD PLANTAGENET second Son to Edward the fourth and Elizabeth his Queen was born at Shrewsbury 1472. He was created by his Father Duke of York and affianced to Anne Daughter and Heir to John Mowbray Duke of Norfolk But before the nuptials were solemniz'd his cruel â—…ncle the Duke of Glocester maried him to a grave in the Towre of London The obscurity of his burial gave the advantage to the report that he lived in Perkin Warbeck one of the Idols which put politick King Henry the seventh to some danger and more trouble before he could finally suppresse him GEORGE PLANTAGENET youngest son to Edward the fourth and Elizabeth his Queen was born at Shrewsbury He was like Plautus his Solsticial Flower Qui repentinò ortus repentinò occidit dying in the infancie of his infancie Some vainly conceive such conjectures may be safely shot when no body can see whether they hit or misse the mark that had this George surviv'd he would have secured the lives of his two elder Brethren whose â—…ncle Duke Richard durst not cut thorow the three-fold Cable of Royal Issue A vain surmise seeing when Tyrants hands are once wash'd in blood two or three are all one with their cruelty Saints MILBURGH daughter to Meroaldus Prince of Mercia had the fair Mannor of Wenlock in this County given to her by her Father for her portion She quitting all wordly wealth bestowed her Inheritance on the Poor and answered her name of Milburgh which as an Antiquary interpreteth is Good or Gracious to Town and City Living a Virgin she built a Monastery in the same place and departed this life about the year 664. Four hundred years after in the Reign of William the Conquerour her Corps discovered by Miracles wrought thereby were taken up sound and uncorrupted to the admiration of the beholders saith my Authour and surely had I seen the same I would have contributed my share of wondring thereunto This I am sure of that as good a Saint Lazarus by name by the confession of his own Sister did stink when but four dayes buried Her Relicts inshrined at Wenlock remained their in great state till routed in the reign of King Henry the Eighth OSWALD was King of Northumberland who after many fortunate battels fought was vanquished and slain at last by Penda the Pagan King of the Mercians at a place in this County called after his name Oswaldstre now a famous Market-Town in the Marches thereby procuring to his memory the reputation of Saint and Martyr Be pleased Reader to take notice that all battels of this nature though they were quarrels or armed-suits commenced on a civil or temporal account for the extending or defending their Dominions yet were they conceived in that age especially to have a mixture of much Piety and Church-concernment therein because fought against Infidels and so conducing consequentially to the propagation of the Faith the reason that all Kings kill'd in such service atchieved to themselves the veneration of Saints and Martyrs Say not that King Saul might be Sainted on the same account mortally wounded in a pitcht field fought against the Vncircumcised Philistins both because in fine he slew himself and his former life was known to be notoriously wicked Whereas our Oswald was alwayes pious and exceedingly charitable to the Poor His arm cut off it seems from the rest of his body remained said Bede whole and incorrupt kept in a silver Case in S. Peters Church at Bamborough whilest his Corps was first buried at Peterborough and afterwards in the Danish persecution translated to Bergen in Flanders where it still remaineth The fifth of August was in our Kalendar consecrated to his memory save that the Thanks-giving for the defeating of Gowries-Conspiracy made bold to justle him out all the reign of king James His death hapned Anno Domini 635. Confessors This County afforded none as the word is reconfined in our Preface But if it be a little enlarged it bringeth within the compasse thereof THAMAS GATAKER younger son of William Gataker was a branch of an Ancient Family so firmely planted by Divine providence at Gatacre-Hall in this County that they have flourished the owners thereof by an noninterrupted succcession from the time of King Edward the Confessor This Thomas being designed a Student for the Law was brought up in the Temple where in the raign of Queen Mary he was often present at the examination of persecuted people Their hard usage made him pity their persons and admirable patience to approve their opinions This was no sooner perceived by his Parents being of the Old perswasion but instantly they sent him over to Lovain in the Low-Countries to win him to a compliance to the Popish Religion and for his better encouragement setled on him an estate of One hundred pound per annum old Rent All would not do Whereupon his Father recalled him home and revoked his own grant to which his Son did submit as unwilling to oppose the pleasure of his Parents though no such Revocation could take effect without his free consent He afterwards diverted his mind from the most profitable to the most necessary Study from Law to Divinity and finding Friends to breed him in Oxford he became the profitable Pastor of S. Edmonds in Lumbard-street London where he died Anno leaving Thomas Gatakèr his Learned Son of whom formerly heir to
Book be mysteriously extracted He was scarce twenty eight years of Age when in fourty dayes believe him for he saith so of himself he learn'd the perfection of Chymistry taught as it seems by Mr. George Ripley But what saith the Poet Non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tueri The spight is he complaineth that a Merchants wife of Bristol stole from him the Elixir of life Some suspect her to have been the wife of William Cannings of whom before contemporary with Norton who started up to so great and sudden Wealth the clearest evidence of their conjecture The admirers of this Art are justly impatient to hear this their great Patron traduced by the Pen of J. Pits and others by whom he is termed Nugarum opifex in frivola scientia and that he undid himself and all his friends who trusted him with their money living and dying very poor about the year 1477. JOHN SPINE I had concluded him born at Spine in Bark-shire nigh Newbury but for these diswasives 1. He lived lately under Richard the Third when the Clergy began to leave off their Local Surnames and in conformity to the Laity to be called from their Fathers 2 My Author peremptorily saith he was born in this City I suspect the name to be Latinized Spineus by Pits and that in plain English he was called Thorn an ancient Name I assure you in this City However he was a Carmelite and a Doctor of Divinity in Oxford leaving some Books of his making to posterity He died and was buried in Oxford Anno Dom. 1484. JOHN of MILVERTON Having lost the Fore I must play an After-game rather than wholely omit such a Man of Remark The matter is not much if he be who was lost in Somerset-shire where indeed he was born at Milverton be found in Bristol where he first fixed himself a Frier Carmelite Hence he went to Oxford Paris and at last had his abode in London He was Provincial General of his Order thorough England Scotland and Ireland so that his Jurisdiction was larger than King Edward the Fourth's under whom he flourished He was a great Anti-Wiâ—…liffist and Champion of his Order both by his writing and preaching He laboured to make all believe that Christ himself was a Carmelite Professor of wilful Poverty and his high commending of the Poverty of Friers tacitly condemned the Pomp of the Prelates Hereupon the Bishop of London being his Diocesan caâ—…t him into the Jaile from whom he appealed to Paul the II. and coming to Rome he was for three years â—…ept close in the Prison of St. Angelo It made his durance the more easie having the company of Platina the famous Papal Biographist the Neb of whose Pen had been too long in writing dangerous Truth At last he procured his Cause to be referred to Seven Cardinals who ordered his enlargement Returning home into England he lived in London in good repute I find him nominated Bishop of St. Davids but how he came to miss it is to me unknown Perchance he would not bite at the bait but whether because too fat to cloy the stomack of his mortified Soul or too lean to please the appetite of his concealed covetousness no man can decide He died and was buried in London 1486. WILLIAM GROCINE was born in this City and bred in Winchester-School Where he when a Youth became a most excellent Poet. Take one instance of many A pleasant Maid probably his Mistris however she must be so understood in a LoveFrolick pelted him with a Snow-ball whereon he extempore made this Latin Tetrastick Me nive candenti petiit mea Julia rebar Igne carere nivem nix tamen ignis erat Sola potes nostras extinguere Julia flammas Non nive non glacie sed potes ignes pari A snow-ball white at me did Julia throw Who would suppose it Fire was in that snow Julia alone can quench my hot desire But not with snow or Ice but equal fire He afterwards went over into Italy where he had Demetrius Calchondiles and Politian for his Masters And returning into England was Publick Professor of the Greek Tongue in Oxford There needs no more to be added to his Honour save that Erasmus in his Epistles often owns him pro Patrono suo praeceptore He died Anno 1520. Romish Exile Writers JOHN FOWLER was born in Bristol bred a Printer by his occupation but so Learned a Man that if the Character given him by one of his own perswasion be true he may pass for our English Robert or Henry Stephens being skilful in Latin and Greek and a good Poet Oratour and Divine He wrote an abridgment of Thomas his Summes the Translation of Osorius into English c. Being a zealous Papist he could not comport with the Reformation but conveyed himself and his Presse over to Antwerp where he was signally serviceable to the Catholick Cause in printing their Pamphlets which were sent over and sold in England He died at Namurch 1579. and lies there buried in the Church of St. John the Evangelist Benefactors to the Publick ROBERT THORN was born in this City as his ensuing Epitaph doth evidence I see it matters not what the Name be so the Nature be good I confesse Thorns came in by mans curse and our Saviour saith Do men gather Grapes of Thorns But this our Thorn God send us many Copices of them was a Blessing to our Nation and Wine and Oil may be said freely to flow from Him being bred a Merchant-Tailor in London he gave more than Four thousand four hundred fourty five pounds to pious uses A Sum sufficient therewith to build and endow a Colledge the time being well considered being towards the beginning of the reign of King Henry the Eighth I have observed some at the Church-dore cast in six pence with such ostentation that it rebounded from the Bottom and rung against both the sides of the Bason so that the same piece of Silver was the Alms and the Givers Trumpet whilst others have dropt down silent 5 shillings without any noise Our Thorn was of the second sort doing his Charity effectually but with a possible privacy Nor was this good Christian abroad worse in the Apostle-phrase than an Iâ—…del at home in not providing for his Family who gave to his poor Kindred besides Debt forgiven unto them the sum of five thousand one hundred fourty two pounds Grudge not Reader to peruse his Epitaph which though not so good as he deserved is better than most in that Age. Robertus cubat hic Thornus Mercator Honestus Qui sibi legitimas Arte paravit opes Huic vitam dederat parvo Bristolia quondam Londinum hoc tumulo clauserat ante diem Ornavit studiis patriam virtutibus auxit Gymnasium erexit sumptibus ipse suis. Lector quisquis ades requiem cineri precor ora Supplex precibus numina
found in the name of ALCUINUS LUCIANUS Thus these Nominall Curiosities whether they hit or miss the Mark equally import nothing to Judicious Beholders He was made first Abbot of Saint Augustines in Canterbury and afterward of Saint Martins in the City of Towers in France and dying Anno 780 he was buried in a small Convent appendant to his Monastery He is here entred under the Topick of Saints because though never solemnly canonized he well deserved the Honor His Subjects said to David Thou art worth ten Thousand of us and though I will not ascend to so high a Proportion many of the Modern Saints in the Church of Rome must modestly confess that on a Due and True estimate our Alcuinus was worth many Scores of them at least so great his Learning and holy his Conversation SEWALL had his Nativity probably in these Parts But he was bred in Oxford and was a Scholar to St. Edmund who was wont to say to him Sewald Sewald thou wilt have many Afflictions and dye a Martyr Nor did he miss much of his mark therein though he met with Peace and Plenty at first when Arch-bishop of York The occasion of his Trouble was when the Pope plenitudine potestatis intruded one Jordan an Italian to be Dean of York whose Surprised Installing Sewald stoutly opposed Yea at this time there were in England no fewer then three Hundred Benefices possessed by Italians where the People might say to them as the Eunuch to Philip How can we understand without an â—…nterpreter Yea which was far worse they did not onely not teach in the Church but mis-teach by their lascivious and debauched behaviour Asfor our Sewald Mathew Paris saith plainly that he would not bow his Knee to Baal so that for this his contempt he was excommunicated and cursed by Bell Book and Candle though it was not the Bell of Aarons Garment nor Book of Scripture nor the Candle of an Unpartiall Judgement This brak his heart and his Memory lyeth in an Intricate posture peculiar almost to himself betwixt Martyr and no Martyr a Saint and no Saint Sure it is â—…ewall though dying excommunicated in the Romish is reputed Saint in Vulgar estimation and some will maintain that the Popes solemn Canonization is no more requisite to the making of a Saint then the Opening of a Manâ—… Windows is necessary to the lustre of the Sun Sewald died Anno Dom. 1258. Bale who assumeth liberty to himself to surname Old-writers at his pleasure is pleased to Addition this worthy man Sewaldus Magnanimus Martyrs VALENTINE FREESE and his Wife were both of them born in this City and both gave their lives therein at one Stake for the testimony of Jesus Christ Anno Domini 1531. Probably by order from Edward Lee the cruell Arch-bishop I cannot readily call to mind a man and his wife thus Marryed together in Martyrdome And begin to grow confident that this Couple was the first and laâ—… in this kind Confessors EDWARD FREESE brother to the aforesaid Valentine was born in York and there a Prentice to a Painter He was afterwards a Novice-Monke and leaving his Convent came to Colchester in Essex Here his hereticall Inclination as then accounted discovered it self in some sentences of Scripture which he Painted in the Borders of Cloths for which he was brought before John Stoaksley Bishop of London from whom he found such cruell usage as is above belief Master Fox saith that he was fed with Manchet made of Saw-dust or at the least a great part thereof and kept so long in Prison Manicled by the wrests till the Flesh had overgrown his Irons and he not able to kembe his own head became so distracted that being brought before the Bishop he could say nothing but my Lord is a good man A sad sight to his Friends and a sinfull one to his Foes who first made him mad and then made mirth at his madness I confess distraction is not mentioned in that list of losses reckoned up by our Saviour He that left his House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake c. But seeing his wits is nearer and dearer to any man then his wealth and seeing what is so lost may be said to be left no doubt this poor mans distraction was by God gratiously accepted on his enemies severely punished and to him mercifully rewarded We must not forget how the wife of this Edward Freese being big with child and pressing in to see her husband the Porter at Fulham gave her such a kick on the belly that the child was destroyed with that stroke immediately and she died afterwards of the same Prelates JOHN ROMAN so called because his Father was born in Rome though living a long time in this City being Treasurer of the Cathedrall therein and I conjecture this John his Son born in York because so Indulgent thereunto For generally Pure Pute Italians preferred in England transmitted the gain they got by Bills of Exchange or otherwise into their own Country and those outlandisâ—… Mules though lying down in English Pasture left no Hairs behind them Whereas this Roman had such Affection for York that being advanced Arch-bishop he began to build the Body of the Church and finished the North Part of the Cross-Isle therein Polydore Virgil praised him no wonder that an Italiaâ—… commended a Roman for a Man of great Learning and Sincerity He fell into the disfavour of King Edward the first for Excommunicating Anthony Beck Bishop of Durham and it cost him four thousand marks to regain his Princes Good Will He died Anno Domini 1295. And let none grudge his Buriaâ—… in the best Place of the Church who was so Bountifull a Builder thereof ROBERT WALBEY born in this City was therein bred an Augâ—…stinian Friar he afterwards went over into France where he so applied his studies that at last he was chosen Divinity Professor in the City of Tholouse he was Chaplain to the black Prince after his death to his Father K. Edward the third Now as his Mr. injoyed three Crowns so under him in his three Kingdoms this his Chaplain did partake successively of three Miters being first a Bishop in Gascoine then Arch-bishop of Dublin in Ireland afterwards Bishop of Chichester in England not grudging to be degraded in Dignity to be preferred in profit At last he was consecrated Arch-bishop of York and was the first and last Native which that City saw the least of Infants and in his Time when Man the greatest therein Yet he enjoyed his place but a short time dying May 29. Anno Domini 1397. Since the Reformation THOMAS MORTON was born Anno 1564. in the City of York whose father Richard Morton allyed to Cardinall Morton Arch bishop of Canterbury was a Mercer I have been informed the first of that calling in that City sure of such repute that no Mercers
his Grand-Child Robert Earl of Essex to have died in the same year of his age or to have lived longer let others decide Writers AMBROSE MERLIN was born at Carmarthen a City so denominated from his Nativity therein This I write in conformity to common Tradition and he who will not errare cum vulgo must pugnare cum vulgo my own judgement remonstrating against the same finding the City called Mariadunum in Ptolomy before Merlins Cradle was ever made if Merlins Cradle was ever made His extraction is very incredible reported to have an Incubus to his Father pretending to a Pedigree older than Adam even from the Serpent himself But a Learned Pen demonstrateth the impossibility of such Conjunctions And let us not load Satan with groundless sins whom I believe the Father of lyes but in a litteral sense no Father of Bastards Many are the pretended Prophesies of Merlin whereof the British have a very high esteem and I dare say nothing against them only I humbly tender to this Nations consideration a modest Proverb of their own Country Namyn Dduw nid oes Dewin that besides God there is no Diviner Yet I deny not but the Devil can give a shrewd conjecture but often the deceiver is deceived Sure I am Merlins Prophesies have done much mischief seeing such who pretended skill therein that they could unfold his meaning though for my part I believe they must have the Devils key who open the Devils lock put Owen Glendower on his Rebellion against King Henry the fourth perswading him the time was come wherein he should recover the Welsh Principality which caused the making of those cruel Laws with Draco's written in blood against the Welsh which no tender Englishman can read without regret There want not those who maintain Merlin to be a great Chymist and those we know have a Language peculiar to themselves so that his seeming Prophesies are not to be expounded historically but naturally disguising the mysteries of that faculty from vulgar intelligence The best Prophesie I meet with in Merlin which hit the mark indeed is what I find cited out of him by Giraldus Cambrensis Sextus maenia Hiberniae subvertent Regiones in Regnum redigentur The Sixth shall overturn the walls of Ireland and reduce their Countries into a Kingdom This was accomplished under King James the sixth when their Fastnesses Irish Walls were dismantled and Courts of Civil Justice set up in all the Land But enough of Merlin who is reported to have died Anno The Farewell How this County with the rest of Wales hath preserved its woods in our unhappy Civil Wars is to me unknown yet if they have been much wasted which I suspect I wish that the Pit-Coal which in some measure it affordeth may daily be increased for the supply of their fewell CARNARVON This County hath the Irish Sea on the West Anglesea divided by Menaifreâ—… on the North Denby shire on the East and Merionith shire on the South This I have observed peculiar to this County that all the Market are Sea Towns being five in number as noted in the Maps which no other County in England or Wales doth afford The Natives hereof count it no small credit unto them that they made the longest resistance against and last submitted unto the English And indeed for natural strength it exceedeth any part of this Principality so that the English were never more distressed than in the Invasion thereof I am much affected with the ingenuity of an English Nobleman who following the Camp of King Henry the third in these parts wrote home to his friends about the end of September 1245. The naked truth indeed as followeth We lie in our Tents watching fasting praying and freezing we watch for fear of the Welsh-men who are wont to invade us in the night we Fast for want of meat for the half peny loaf is worth five pence we Pray to God to send us home again speedily we Freeze for want of winter garments having nothing but thin linnen betwixt us and the wind Yet is this County in it self sufficiently plentiful though the Welsh had the wit to keep â—…ood from the English and Snow-don-Hills therein are commended by my * Author for fertility of wood cattel fish and fowl Smile not Reader to hear of Fish in so high Mountains which have plenty of Pools interposed Wonders Giraldus Cambrensis telleth us how there is a Lake in Snowden Hills in this County which hath a floating Island therein But it seemeth that it either always swimmeth away from such who endeavour to discover it or else that this vagrant wearied with long wandring hath at last fixed it self to the Continent He telleth us also of Monoculous Fishes though not fully acquainting us how their one eye is disposed Whether Polyphemus-like in the midst of their head or only on one side The truth is these One-eyed Fishes are too nimble for any men with two eyes to behold them Proverbs Craig Eriry or Snow don will yield sufficient Pasture for all the Cattell of VVales put together Some will say this cannot be literally true except the Cattel of VVales be few beneath and Snow-don-hills fruitful above all belief The best is the time is not expressed how long these hills will suffice for their pasture But let us not be so morose but to understand the meaning of this expression importing by help of an Hyperbole the extraordinary fruitfulness of this place Diange ar Gluyd a boddi ar Gonway That is to scape Clude and be drown'd in Conway parallel to the Latine Incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare Charibdin However that Pilot is to be pitied who to shun Scylla doth run on Charibdis because those rocks were neer and a narrow passage betwixt them whereas the two Rivers of Clude and Conway are twenty miles a sunder affording men scope enough to escape them but little or much in such cases are the same with indiscreet persons Princes EDWARD the Fourth but first surviving son of King Edward the First and Queen Eleanor was born at Carnarvon in this County April 25. 1284. No Prince ever ascended the English Throne with greater or used it with less advantage to himself First though his Father had in a manner surprised the Wâ—…lsh to accept him for their Prince pleading his royal extraction birth in VVales in ability to speak a word of English and innocence that none could tax him with actual sin Yet I find them not for his Fathers fallacy to think the worse of his Son sic juvat esse deceptos and generally they accepted him as preferring that a Prince should be put with wit rather than with violence upon them In England he succeeded to a wise and victorious Father who happily had hit the expedient to be both beloved and feared by his Subjects leaving the land in so good a posture for government that touch the wheele and it would turn in the right
find it out and justifie it which conformable to the Sea ebbeâ—…h and floweth twice in four and twenty hours But seeing this is a maritime Shire possibly there may be a more then ordinary communication betwixt it and the Ocean and then the wonder is not so great More credibly it is related that there are in this Shire strange subterranean Vaults conceived the Castles of routed people in the Civil Wars And no wonder seeing David first set up in a defensive posture for himself in the Cave of Adullam so that having no place where he could safely set the sole of his foot above ground all his present help was under the Earth and future hope was above the heavens Martyrs ROBERT FARRAR an English man by biâ—…th but where born unknown was a prime Martyr of this County A man not unlearned but somewhat indiscreet or rather uncomplying which procured him much trouble so that he may be said with Saint Laurence to be broyled on both sides being persecuted both by Protestants and Papists He was preferred to be Bishop of Saint Davids by the Duke of Sommerset then Lord Protector who was put to death not long after Some conceive that the Patrons fall was the Chaplains greatest guilt and encouraged his enemies against him Of these two were afterwards Bishops in the reign of Queen Elizabeth viz. Thomas Young Arch. Bishop of York and Rowland Merrick Bishop of Bangor Souldiers Sir RICE ap THOMAS was never more than a Knight yet little less than a Prince in this his Native County If the Author of Praelia Anglornm may not be believed Ricius Thomas flos Cambro-Britannum King Henry the seventh will himself witness his worth To him lately landed at Milford Haven with contemptible forces this Sir Rice repaired with a considerable accession of choice Souldiers marching with them to Bosworth field where he right valiantly behaved himself That thrifty King according to his cheap course of remuneration rewarding Gown-men in Orders by him most employed with Church Livings and Sword-men with Honour afterwards made Sir Rice Knight of the Order and well might he give him a Garter by whose effectual help he had recovered a Crown Elmelin in this County was one of his principal seats whose name and â—…ture he altered building and calling it New-Castle and I believe it one of the latest Castles in Wales seeing since that time it hath been fashionable to demolish not to erect fortified Houses As he appeared early so he continued long in military action for I find him in the fourth year of King Henry the eighth conductor of five hundred light horse at the pompous and expensive fiege of Therouene where I meet his last mention in our English Chronicles WALTER de DEVEREUX son of Devereâ—…x and Cicely his Wife sole sister to Thomas Bourchier last Earl of Essâ—…x was born in the town of Carmarthen and by Queen Elizabeth in his Maternall Right created Earl of Essex One Martially minded and naturally hating Idlenesse the Rust of the Soul Though time hath silenced the factions and only sounded the Facts of Queen Elizabeths Court no place had more heart-burnings therein and it was a great part of Gods goodness and her prudence that no more hurt was done thereby Many maligned our Earl Tantae ne Animis Aularibus Irae desirous to thrust him on dangerous designs Nor need we consult the Oracle of Apollo to discover his chief Adversary being he was a prime Favourite who loved the Earls nearest relation better than he loved the Earl himself whom he put on the project of Ireland Yet was not our Walter surprised into that service seeing Injuria non fit volenti and being sensible that his roome was more welcome to some than his company at Court he willingly embraced the employment Articles the first and last I believe in that kind are drawn up betwixt the Queen and him who was to maintain such a proportion of Souldiers on his own Cost and to have part of the fair Territory of ClandeBoy in Ulster for the conquering thereof So much for the Bears skin now all the craft will be to catch kill and fley the Bear himself Well to maintain an Army though a very little one is a Soveraigns and no Subjects work too heavy for the support of any private mans estate which cost this Earl first the Mortgaging then the selling out-right his fair Inheritance in Essex Over he goeth into Ireland with a noble company of Kindred and Friends supernumerary volunteers above the proportion of Souldiers agreed upon Sir William Fitz-VVilliams Lord Deputy of Ireland hearing of his coming and suspecting Court jealousie riseth very early or goeth not to bed at all to be ecclipsed by this great Earl sollicits the Queen to maintain him in the full power of his place without any diminution alledging this much to conduce to the Honour of her Majesty whom he represented Hereupon it was Ordered that the Earl should take his Commission from this Lord Deputy which with much importunity and long attendance he hardly obtained and that with no higher Title than Governour of Ulster After many impressions not over successfully made in Ulster he was by the Deputy remanded into the South of Ireland where he spent much time take much in little in my Authors words as to his general performance Nullius bono sed magno suo damno His Friends in the English Court grow few and cold his Foes many and active affronts were plentifully powred upon him on purpose either to drown him in grief or burn him in his own anger From Munster he was sent back into Ulster where he was forbidden to follow his blow and use a Victory he had gotten Yea on a sudden stript out of his Commission and reduced to be a Governour of three hundred men yet his stout Stomach as true tempered Steele bowed without breaking in all these afflictions embracing all changes with the same tenour of constâ—…cy Pâ—…y days in Ireland came very thick moneys out of England very slow his noble Associates began to withdraw common men to mutiny so that the Earl himself was at the last recalled home Not long after he was sent over the second time into Ireland with a loftier Title the length of the Feather makes not the Head the higher of Earl Marshall of Ireland where he fell into a strange looseness not without suspicion of Poyson and he died Anno 1576. His Soul he piously resigned to God his Lands much impaired descended to his Son Robert but ten years of age His Body was brought over and buried in Carmarthen the place of his Nativity and his Widow Lady to say no more was soon re-married to Robert Earl of Leicester Let me adde that he died in the 36 year of his age fatal to his Family his Father and grand-Father dying in the same which year Robert Earl of Essex his Son never attained to and whether it had not been as honourable for