The Abbot sends a messenger to the King intimating the danger of such a donation The King resenting the business and how it would redound to the damage of that and other Churches whereof he was Patron and Defender and detesting the secret snares and covetousness of the Roman Court strictly forbade such an horrid donation Thus far Matthew Paris Page 657. How this refusal of the Popes demand by the Abbot of Peterburgh was resented at Rome may appear by the same Author in another place where he writes thus But the Abbot of Peterburgh a man without exception who had more especially resisted the Pope's Mandate being arrived at the Roman Court was accused by Martin the Popes Agent then resident in England for that he would not conferr a Church upon a man fitting for the place to the use of the Popes kinsman So that the Abbot appearing in the Popes Court the Pope rebuked him in very opprobrious terms and commanded that he should be expelled the Court which was done so shamefully and irreverently that the poor Abbot taking it to heart fell into an incurable disease and the same year died to the great detriment of his Church which he had prudently governed And in another place the same Author recites it again telling us the name of the Abbot The same year on the eleventh of the Calends of Page 690. January after many vexations and tribulations which he suffered by the Court of Rome and an infirmity which himself had contracted to the great loss of his Church died Walter Abbot of Burgh This story makes good the Etymology that some of the Romanists themselves give of Rome Roma quasi Rodens Manus Johan Bononiensis in Decretab Bonif. 8. Fol. 32. Col. 4. One like it is given by another Radix Omnium Malorum Avaritia Waldens cit per Alexandrum Theologum in Destr vit part 6. cap. 33. Roma manus rodit quos rodere non valet odit Rome gnaweth hands as dainty Cates And whom it cannot gnaw it hates This by the way Walters Library was copious in comparison of his Predecessors consisting of these Books Decretale Aurora Claustrum animae Biblia Hexaëmeron S. Cantuariae versificé Rabanas de naturis rerum interpretationes Hebraicorum nominum in uno volumine Versus M. W. de Montibus Psalterium gloss Summa Magistri J. de Cantia de poenitentia Templum Domini cum arte confessionum Regula S. Benedicti Psalterium cum hympnario Item duo Psalteria Duo Missalia Duo Gradualia Liber Evangeliorum Liber orationum ad magnum altare 29. WILLIELMVS de Hotot William of Hotot or Hotoft why so called I know not for Wittlesey saith he was born at Carlton near Cottingham in the County of Northampton being a Monk of this place was chosen Abbot the sixth of February Anno 1246. the 31. of King Henry Fair at Oxeney 3. He procured from the King a Charter for a Fair to be kept at Oxeney to begin on the Eve of the Nativity of Mary and to continue for the space of eight days He made many orders in favour of his Monks as that he would not let any of his Abby Lands or do any thing of himself as Abbot without their consent When he had held his Abby about the space of three years he voluntarily gave it up on S. Nicolas day Anno 1249. And there was assigned unto him the Mannor of Collingham where he abode for a time until he was called thence by John his Successor who appointed him his abode at Oxeney allowing him the portion of four Monks Then William died and was brought to the Church of Peterburgh and buried before the Altar of S. Benedict Thus writes Wittlesey not naming the occasion of his reoess which Matthew Paris supplies In the year saith he 1249. there arose great dissension betwixt William Abbot of Page 769. Peterburgh and his Convent concerning dilapidations for that the Abbot had enriched his Kindred whereof he had great multitudes swarming about him to the great detriment of his Church but William being reproved would not reform this errour whereupon the Monks appealed to the Bishop of Lincoln and complained of the Abbots extravagancies who being convicted thereof and foreseeing the danger of his being deposed of his own accord resigned his place into the Bishops hand and there was assigned unto him a Mannor for his livelyhood So that having been Abbot only three years he surceased Perhaps he had not time enough to gather more Books than these into his Library Antissiodorensis abbreviatus Tractatus super Canonem Missae Templum Domini cum aliis rebus Libellus de diversis rebus Missale ad altare Michaelis As to the first book he wrote certain Collations which is in the Catalogue at the End T. XI but I find no mention of him any where else as a Writer See the Catalogue T. XI 30. JOHANNES de Caleto Page 895. So called from the place of his birth in Normandy He was of noble extraction and being made a Monk at the age of sevenyears was brought into England and placed in the Church of S. Swithune in Winchester for his education where growing in piety and wisdom as he did in years he was made Prior of Winchester and upon the recess of Abbot Will. elected Abbot of Peterburgh Anno 1249. which was the 33 of K. Henry 3. He was allied to Q. Elianor wife of K. Henry and such a ray of favour shined upon him through that relation that he was made one of the Kings Chief Justices and rode in the Circuit to execute Justice in the Kingdom At which though Matthew Paris seems to be much aggrieved as that which was not allowed by the rule of S. Benedict the first mention that I find of this Order in this Monastery whereof more hereafter in Richard Ashton and besides was prejudicial to his Church by reason of his absence yet Wittlesey saith that the Church suffered no damage thereby for he no ways neglected that but appointed Robert Sutton his Deputy by whom all things were as well managed as if Abbot John had himself been present And moreover Abbot John did often visit the Church himself to see how things were ordered how the Lands and Rents were bestowed how the Monks were governed and how the poor were relieved to whom he gave Alms with his own hand as oft as he came thither He was careful in adding to the buildings of the Monastery and built that goodly building called the Infirmary commonly the Farmary lately pulled down and at the The Farmary West end of the Chappel of S. Laurence This he appointed for sick and impotent Folk providing for them out of the Church demesns He was also liberal to his Convent giving for every day to the Monk that should sit President in the Refectory a gallon of Wine and half a gallon to the rest of the Society and to the Monk that celebrated high Mass a gallon of
Innocent IV. HIS INDULGENCE FOR THE MONKS To cover their Heads in time of Divine Service INnocentius Episcopus Servus servorum Dei Dilelecto filio Abbati Monasterii de Burgo Sancti Petri Ordinis Sancti Benedicti Lincolniens Dioc. salutem Apostolicam benedictionem Ex parte dilectorum filiorum Prioris Conventus Monasterii tui fuit nobis humiliter supplicatum ut cum idem Monasterium sit in frigido loco constructum nec valeant absque gravi periculo corporum hic mali praecipue tempore discoopertis capitibus interesse divinis officiis celebrandis licentiam eis utendi pileis ipsorum ordini congruentibus dum eisdem intersunt officiis de solita misericordia concedere curaremus Volentes igitur ipsorum preces affectu paterno admittere in hac parte discretioni tuae per Apostolica scripta mandamus quatenus eisdem postulata concedas prout videris expedire Dat. Lugd. Cal. Septembris Pontificatus nostri Anno septimo M S. Eliens in manu Geo. Glapthorn Arm. pag. 41. The same Priviledge was granted to the MONKS of Ely by Alexander the Fourth who succeeded Innocent King Edward I. HIS CHARTER FOR A Thursday-Market AT NORTHOLM AND FOR A FAIR To be holden there for two Days Sept. 20 21. EDwardus Dei Gratia Rex Angliae Dominus Hiberniae Dux Aquitaniae Archiepiscopis Episcopis Abbatibus Prioribus Comitibus Baron Justic Vicecomitibus Praepositis Ministris omnibus Ballivis fidelibus suis Salutem Sciatis nos concessisse hac Carta nostra confirmasse Dilectis nobis in Christo Abbati Conventui de Burgo Sancti Petri quod ipsi Successores sui in perpetuum habeant unum Mercatum singulis septimanis per diem Jovis apud Manerium suum de Northolm juxta Eye in Comit. Northt unam Feriam ibidem singulis annis per duos dies duraturam viz. in vigilia in die Sancti Matthaei Apostoli nisi Mercatum illud Feria illa sint ad nocumentum vicinorum Mercatorum vicinarum Feriarum Quare volumus firmiter praecipimus pro nobis haeredibus nostris quod praedicti Abbas Conventus Successores sui in perpetuum habeant praedict Mercatum Feriam apud Manerium suum praedictum cum omnibus libertatibus liberis consuetudinibus ad hujusmodi Mercatum Feriam pertinentibus nisi Mercatum illud Feria illa sint ad nocumentum vicinorum Mercatorum vicinarum Feriarum sicut praedictum est His Testibus venerabilibus Patribus W. Archiepiscopo Angliae Primate W. Coventr Litchfield J Cicestren Episcopis Henrico de Lacy Com. Lincoln Thoma Comite Lancastr Humfrido de Bohun Comite Hereford Essex Rad. de monte Hermerii Comite Gloucestr Hereford Adomaro de Valentia Roberto la Ward Senescallo Hospitii nostri aliis Data per manum nostram apud Wolvesey 7 die 1306. Aprilis Anno regni nostri Tricesimo Quarto Common Tradition hath preserved some dark remembrance of this Fair but as hath been before observed it is probable for some inconvenience to have been translated to Peterburgh where a Fair was granted upon the same day as may appear by the following Charter Which Fair is held and continued to this day to the great benefit both of the City and parts adjacent King Henry VI. HIS CHARTER FOR A FAIR To be holden in PETERBURGH For three Days Sept 20 21 22. commonly called brigge-Brigge-Fair Brigge-Fair HEnricus Dei Gratia Rex Angliae Franciae Dom. Hiberniae Archiepiscopis Episcopis Abbatibus Prioribus Ducibus Comitibus Baronibus Justiciariis Vicecomitibus Praepositis Ballivis Ministris omnibus fidelibus suis salutem Sciatis quod de gratia nostra speciali de avisamento assensu consilii nostri concessimus hac praesenti Carta nostra confirmavimus Dilectis nobis in Christo Abbati Conventui de Burgo Sancti Petri quòd ipsi Successores sui in perpetuum habeant unam Feriam singulis annis apud pontem de Peterburgh juxta aquam de Neene tam in Comitatu Northt quam in Com. Hunt ex utraque parte ejusdem pontis in dominio eorundem Abbatis Conventus ibidem per tres dies duraturam viz. in vigilia in die Sancti Matthaei Apostoli in Crastino ejusdem festi tenens Nisi Feria illa sit ad nocumentum vicinarum Feriarum Quare volumus firmiter praecipimus pro nobis haeredibus nostris quòd praedicti Abbas Conventus Successores sui praedicti in perpetuum habeant praedictam Feriam apud pontem de Peterburgh juxta aquam de Neene tam in Com. Northt quam in Com. Hunt ex utraque parte ejusdem pontis in dominio dictorum Abbatis Conventus ibidem cum omnibus libertatibus liberis consuetudinibus ad hujusmodi Feriam pertinentibus nisi Feria illa sit ad nocumentum vicinarum Feriarum sicut praedictum est His Testibus Venerabilibus Patribus H. Cantuar. J. Ebor. Archiepiscopis Y. Bathon Wellen. Cancellario nostro W. Lincoln W. Sarum Episcopis Charissimo Avunculo nostro Humfredo Gloucestr ac Carissimo Consanguineo nostro Richardo Ebor. Ducibus Henrico Northumber Will Suffolc Senescallo Hospitii nostri Consanguineis nostris Carissimis Comitibus Necnon Radulfo Cromwell Thesaurario nostro Angliae Waltero Hungerford Willielmo de Bardolf Camerar nostro Militibus Magistro Willielmo Lynwode Custode privati Sigilli nostri aliis Dat. per manum nostrum apud Manerium nostrum de Sheen Quarto decimo die Julii Anno Regni nostri Decimo Septimo 1439. The Town of Peterburgh hath in our memory kept another Fair upon the Feast of S. Oswald August 5. but I have not yet met with the Original of it which Fair is now quite fallen and like to be buried in obscurity unless some well-willers to the Priviledge shall endeavour to restore it according to its ancient custom if the time of Harvest will permit Now because I have in Abbot Robert Sutton directed the Reader to Prince Edward 's security to the Abbot and Convent of Peterburgh for their Obligation to certain Merchants for money borrowed of them by the Prince I shall let the Reader see it and the manner thereof EDwardus Illustris Regis Angliae Primogenitus Universis Christi fidelibus ad quos praesentes Literae pervenerint Salutem in Domino Noverit universitas vestra quod religiosi viri Abbas Conventus de Burgo Sancti Petri Lincoln Dioces quibusdam Mercatoribus Senen in quadam pecuniae summa pro nobis se omnia bona Ecclesiae literis suis signatis dudum specialiter obligarunt Et nos propter hoc Manerium nostrum de Graham cum suis pertinentiis dictis Abbati Conventui sponte tradidimus Ita tamen quod si dictis Mercatoribus de dicta summa pecuniae suo termino per nos satisfactum non fuisset memorati Abbas Conventus dictum Manerium cum suis
it was near the Chappel of S. Laurence which was at the East end of the Infirmary now demolished only the Chancel of that Chappel is yet remaining and made the Hall of a dwelling House belonging to one of the Prebendaries But to return to our Story Penda King of the Mercians at that time reigned who had five Children Peada Wulfere and Ethelred being his Sons Kyneburga and Kyneswitha his Daughters Penda being dead Peada his eldest Son succeeded who in the year 656 or as some say 655 founded the Monastery of Medeshamsted in the Foundation whereof he laid such Stones as that eight Yoke of Oxen could scarce draw one of them But King Peada lived not to finish his Work for his Wife Alfleda forgetting the glorious Memory of her Ancestors Oswald the martyred King of Northumberland her Grandfather King Oswine her Father and King Alfred her Brother betrayed him to Death at the Paschal Feast when he had reigned four Years Then did his Crown and Kingdom descend upon Wolfere his next Brother This Wolfere was made a Christian by Finanus a Bishop who came out of Scotland for that Kingdom had Bishops then and long before and being baptized by Finanus Wolfere vowed to purge his Kingdom from Idolatry to demolish all idolatrous places and to the utmost of his power to promote Christian Religion which Vow he likewise made the second time when he was married to S. Ermenilda daughter of Egbert King of Kent Malmsbury calleth him Erconbert but within a while giving too much ear to Werbode his Steward he neglected his Vow taking no care of Christian Religion The life of Ermenild is related in an ancient M S. of Ely now in the hand of Geo. Glapthorn Esq p. nor of erecting Temples but committed many Impieties so that the Chaos of Heathenism began to overspread all again He had by his Wife S. Ermenilda two Sons the elder Wulfade the other Rufine Wulfade was much addicted to Hunting and one day pursuing a goodly Hart which being hotly pursued took Soil in a Fountain near unto the Cell of S. Chad who espying the Hart weary and almost spent was so compassionate towards him that he covered him with Boughs and Leaves conjecturing as if Heaven had some design in the access and deportment of that Beast Presently comes Prince Wulfade and enquired of S. Chad concerning the Hart who answered That he was not a Keeper of Beasts but of the Souls of Men and that Wulfade was then as an Hart to the Water Brooks sent by God to the Fountain of Living Water which Wulfade hearing with astonishment entred into further conference with S. Chad in his Cell and was by him baptized And returning with joy to his Father's Court he secretly told his Brother Rufine of all that had passed perswading him to be baptized also to which Rufine consenting Wulfade brought him to S. Chad who likewise baptized this other Brother This Christian pair of Brothers did often resort to a private Oratory where they performed their Devotions but at length being discovered to their Father by the Steward Werbode who instigated and inflamed the fire of paternal fury against the Sons King Wolfere the Father watching the time when his Sons were gone to pray followed them and entering the Oratory slew both his Sons with his own hand and he and Werbode demolishing the place left the bodies of his Sons buried in the rubbish Shortly after this unnatural and bloudy act Werbode the Steward was strangled by the Devil before the Kings house and King Wolfere being deeply wounded in conscience the distraction whereof deprived him of all rest and quietness what through the worm tormenting him within and S. Ermenild his Wife without counselling him thereto repaired to S. Chad to whom he confessed his great offence and professed an hearty contrition for the same which he was resolved to expiate with what ever Pennance S. Chad should impose upon him which was no more but to restore the Christian Religion and the ruinated Temples thereof and likewise to found new ones Walter of Wittlesey an ancient Monk of Peterburgh writing this Story relates what I will not press upon the Readers faith That S. Chad having prayed with King Wolfere in his Oratory prayers being ended S. Chad put off his Vestment and hanged it upon a Sun-beam which supported it that it fell not to the ground which King Wolfere seeing put off his Gloves and Belt and assayed to hang them there also but they presently fell to the ground whereat King Wolfere was the more confirmed in the Christian Faith In the Western Cloyster of the Church of Peterburgh as shall hereafter be more largely related was the story of this King Wolfere curiously painted in the Windows and in the midst of the quadrangle of the whole Cloyster commonly called The Laurel Yard was there a Well which common Tradition would have to be that wherein S. Chad concealed Prince Wulfades heart And if it shall be considered that King Wolfere the Father did sometime Speed in his description of Northamptonshire keep his Court at Wedon in the Street in the Western parts of this County of Northampton it may make way for a probable conjecture that these things hapned at Peterburgh But the scene must not be laid in a wrong place for S. Chad had his Cell in the County of Stafford was the first Bishop of Litchfield where Beda Hist Angl. lib. 4. cap. 3. he founded the Cathedral Church and there lieth buried And Queen Ermenild having searched for the bodies of her Sons found them out and giving them burial built in the same place where they were slain a Church of Stone and called the place Stanes or Stones which is known by this name in Stafford-shire unto this day There also King Wolfere founded a Colledge of Regular Canons And now the building of the Monastery of Medeshamsted begun by King Peada went on a-main through the zealous endeavours of King Wolfere his Brother Etheldred and his Sisters Kyneburga and Kyneswitha assisting him therein until the same was perfected which he dedicated to the memory of the Apostle S. Peter bestowed many large priviledges and immunities upon it gave many fair possessions and established the bounds of its jurisdiction Vid. Char. in App. from Croyland on the East to Walmisford Bridge on the West and so Northward to Eston and Stamford and all along by the River of Wiland to Croyland again as is more at large set down in his Charter which he Sealed and Confirmed in the presence of Kings Nobles and Bishops in the Year of our Lord 664. and the seventh of his Reign The Quarry from whence King Wolfere fetched Stone for this Royal Structure was undoubtedly that of Bernack near unto Stamford where the Pitts from their hollow vacuities speak Antiquity and contribution to some such great design and I find in the Charter of K. Edward the Confessor Anno which he granted to the
doubted whether he wrote them himself more than he did the rest I shall therefore set down his Books as also some of the succeeding Abbots that the Reader may conjecture what Scholars those Abbots might be and see what Books were most in request amongst them Abbot Benedicts Library was furnished with these Books Quinque libri Moysis glossati in uno Volumine Sexdecim Prophetae glossati in uno Volumine Duodecim Minores glossati in uno Volumine Liber Regum glossatus Paralipomenon glossatus Job Parabolae Salomonis Ecclesiastes Cantica Canticorum glossati in uno Volumine Liber Ecclesiasticus Liber Sapientiae glossati in uno Volumine Tobias Judith Esther Esdras glossati in uno Volumine Liber Judicumglossatus Scholastica Historia Psalterium glossatum Item non glossatum Item Psalterium Quatuor Evangelia glossata in uno Volumine Item Matthaeus Marcus in uno Volumine Johannes Lucas in uno Volumine Epistolae Pauli glossatae Apocalypsis Epistolae Canonicae glossatae in uno Volumine Sententiae Petri Lombardi Item Sententiae ejusdem Sermones Bernardi Abbatis Clarevallensis Decreta Gratiani Item Decreta Gratiani Summa Ruffini de Decretis Summa Johannis Faguntini de Decretis Decretales Epistolae Item Decretales Epistolae Item Decretales Epistolae cum Summa sic incipiente Olim. Institutiones Justiniani cum Autenticis Infortiato Digestum vetus Tres partes cum Digesto novo Summa Placentorum Totum corpus juris in duobus Voluminibus Arisimetica Epistolae Senecae cum aliis Senecis in uno Volumine Martialis Terentius in uno Volumine Morale dogma Philosophorum Gesta Alexandri Liber Claudii Claudiani Summae Petri Helyae de Grammatica cum multis aliis rebus in uno Volumine Gesta Regis Henrici Secundi genealogia ejus Interpretationes Hebraicorum nominum Libellus de Incarnatione Verbi Liber Bernardi Abbatis ad Eugenium Papam Missale Vita Sancti Thomae Martyris Miracula ejusdem in quinque Voluminibus Liber R. Plutonis qui dicitur Vnde malum Meditationes Anselmi Practica Bartholomaei cum pluribus aliis rebus in uno Volumine Ars Physicae Pantegm practica ipsius in uno Volumine Almasor Dioscorides de virtutibus herbarum Liber dinamidiorum aliorum multorum in uno Volumine Libellus de compoto This was the stock of his Literature as Wittlesey hath set it down though another ancient Copy in some few things differeth from it There is some clashing betwixt Vossius and Possevine about the time of this Benedict but it is not worth the trouble of reciting It seems Benedict was a man of good note that his preferment to this Abby should sound in foreign parts Sigebertus Gemblacensis making mention thereof Benedictus Prior Cantuariensis factus est Ad an 1177. Abbas de Burc The Abby was at his entrance 1500 marks deep in debt from which Benedict freed it He laboured much in recovering of his Abby Lands some by suits in Law and some by force for as if he were Tam Marti quam Mercurio as well for the Sword as the Book he went sometimes in person armed upon such adventures His actions at home towards his Monastery were great and many It seems the Nave or body of the Church did not please him therefore he built it after a better manner from the Lantern to the Porch as now it is so that the painted Ceiling at the top which is still remaining was probably of his doing He set up also the Pulpit in the body of the Church which was but lately taken away He finished the Chappel of Thomas Becket which his Predecessor had begun He built a large and goodly House of stone for several Offices which was standing in our age He built the great gate leading to the Monastery and over it the Chappel of S. Nicolas both which are yet standing He was much in the Kings favour that the King King Richard for his piety gravity and wisdom was wont to call him Father And when King Richard in his return from the Holy Land was taken prisoner by Arch-Duke Leopold who detained him this Abbot Benedict being in the Kings absence made Coadjutor and Councellor with William Bishop of Ely Chancellor of the Realm Councelled that the Chalices of the Church should be sold to pay the Kings ransome which was done and the King returned home Then did King Richard confirm to Abbot Benedict and his Monastery the Marsh of Pekirk now commonly called North-Fenne about which there fell out some difference betwixt Radulphus le Wake and the Monastery for Radulphus being Lord of Deeping claimed Common in the Marsh as being but on the other side of the River but Abbot Benedict impounded his Cattel alledging that the Marsh belonged only to his Tenants of Pekirk Glinton Makeshye and Northburgh and desired Radulphus to enquire into the truth thereof So Radulphus came to Peterburgh with some others where being fully informed of the Abbots right he forbare to trespass any more Benedict also recovered the Marsh of Eye and the Hermitage of Singlesholt King Richard also granted unto Benedict his confirmation of the eight Hundreds as his predecessors had done And withal his Charter for the holding of a Fair in Peterburgh upon the Feast of S. Peter S. Peters Fair. to continue for 8 days although now it be contracted into one He also granted a weekly Market every Thursday and a Fair for three days at the Feast of S. Peter to be holden at the Mannor of Scotter in Lincolnshire then belonging to this Monastery Vid. Chartam in App. Pag. 252. John the Kings brother who was Earl of Moriton and afterwards King of England was also kind to Abbot Benedict and his Monastery giving them by his Charter yearly three Staggs and six Bucks out of his Forest of Sheerwood without contradiction In his time there flourished one William of Peterburgh a Monk of Ramsey a very Learned man upon whom Pitseus bestows a large Character whither the Reader that would see his works may resort Benedict having been Abbot the space of seventeen years died Anno 1194. being the sixth Year of King Richard the first and had for his Successor 23. ANDREAS He was first a Monk here then Prior and afterwards for his many vertues was chosen Abbot The Villages of Alwalton and Fletton which then belonged to him he gave to the Monks Kitchin for the augmentation of their Commons Having been Abbot about five years he died the same year with King Richard which was Anno 1199. He was buried in the South Isle of the Church at the back of the Quire in the same Grave where two of his Predecessors had been buried before as the Epitaph on the Wall over his Monument will testifie which was lately in ancient Saxon Letters but now in the ordinary renewed Hos tres Abbates quibus est Prior Abba Johannes Alter Martinus Andreas ultimus unus Hic
Peterburgh where Abbot Godfrey entertained them very nobly the Abbot presented the Prince with a rich Robe and the Prince asked the Messenger if the Abbot had sent one to his friend Peter the Messenger answering No the Prince then would not accept his the Messenger returning to the Abbot certified him of the Princes refusal and the reason whereupon another rich Robe was sent to Peter whose mediation the Messenger solicited for the Prince's acceptance of his Robe also whereupon Peter sends to the Prince and bids the Messenger say Volo I will that thou receive the Abbots gift which was done accordingly and the Abbot had thanks returned to him In his fourth year the 32 of King Edward Galfridus de la A Market and Fair at Northburgh Mare then Lord of Northburgh had procured from King Edward a Charter to hold a Market and Fair at Northburgh but Abbot Godfrey considering how prejudicial the same would be to his Town of Peterburgh compounded with Galfridus who quitted his Charter to the Abbot of Peterburgh and his Successors for ever In his fifth year the Church of Wermington was made an Appropriation Wermington Church Gate-house Godfrey was also a great builder adding much to his Monastery but we cannot say which for they are long since demolished only the great Gate-house over which was the Chamber called The Knights Chamber is yet standing the Chamber only being lately translated into another fashion about it were the Pictures of Knights upon the walls who held Lands of the Abby and the very Rafters were adorned with Coats of Arms. Godfrey also purchased the Mannor of Lullington or Luddington for 113l 6s 8d of Luddington Mannor Gregory then Lord thereof allowing him above this summ a Corrody in his Monastery that is maintenance during his life for himself two servants and their horses He setled a yearly stipend of five pound upon the Chaplain of Northolme And upon a certain number of Monks then residing at Oxney he setled a weekly portion of Victuals thirteen stone of Cheefe which they were to receive out of the Mannor of Eye and every week from May 3. to September 13. three pounds and an half of Butter He procured a Fair to be held at Northolme yearly on S. Matthews day and a Weekly Market every Thursday He built the dwelling A Fair and Market at Northolme Vid. Chart. in App. Mill-dam House at Burghberry and made the Dam commonly called Mill-Dam with a Water-Mill at the end thereof which hath been in use in our memory He built also of his own free will the Bridge now standing over the River and leading into the City of The Bridge which more in the next King Edward preparing for War with Scotland sent to Abbot Godfrey for contribution towards it and the Abbot sent him an hundred Marks The King sent the second time to the Abbot for his Knights service in horse and arms and the Abbot sent the King sixty Marks more The King sent the third time and the Abbot sent him 220l The King sent the fourth time for a supply of Carriages and the Abbot satisfied that with 30l The King sent the fifth time to borrow four hundred Marks which the Abbot also satisfied with the free gift of an hundred pounds About that time the King seized upon all the Lands of Walter de Langton his Treasurer and amongst the rest upon Thorp Watervile belonging to the Abbey of Peterburgh which by advice and assistance of John of Milton the Abbots Seneschal or Steward was recovered by the Abbots paying to the Kings Exchequer for the same 50 l. But John of Milton having taken the said Mannor of the Abbot and shortly after dying the King gave that Mannor to Earl Warren so that the Abbot was brought to a new composition of 120 Marks The King at that time imposed 40 s. upon every Knights-fee throughout the Realm towards the marriage of Elianor his eldest daughter and then Abbot Godfrey sent the King 127 l. Howbeit Wittlesey Registrum Adae fol. 76. I find in another Register that the King sent his Breves to the Sheriffs of Northampton Lincoln Nottingham Leicester Warwick Huntingdon and Bedford that they should not levy any such moneys upon the Lands of the Abbot of Peterburgh whereby it may seem that this 127 l. was rather the Abbots free gift than a tribute of duty the Abbot standing upon his exemption from such demands by the Charters of the Kings predecessors from the first foundation of his Abby Abbot Godfrey entertained the King the second time when for duties to the King and free gifts to his followers the Abbot expended the summ of 1543 l. 13 s. 4 d. He entertained also two Cardinals which were travelling towards Scotland to mediate for a peace betwixt King Edward and the Scots And the Abbot presented one of them called Gaucelmus with a Psalter curiously written with golden Letters And those Cardinals in their return coming hither again the Abbot presented Gaucelmus with an embroidered Cope of the value of 100 Marks And the other Cardinal Lucius de Aysk with a silver Cup gilt and fifty Ells of Scarlet So that the moneys expended by Abbot Godfrey for Vestments and ornaments of the Church for Lands purchased to his Abby and for gifts to several persons amounted to the summ of 3646 l. 4 s. 3 d. Abbot Godfrey made him a Pastoral Staff of Silver gilt over and in the head of it was the image of the Trinity which is the first and last staff that I find amongst any of the Abbots When he had governed his Abby the space of twenty two years he died and lieth buried at the upper end of the Quire betwixt William Genge and John Deping The Brass of his Monument was divorced from his Marble in the year 1643. being his pourtraicture and a small inscription in the Verge Whilst he lived his Library consisted of these Books Duae Bibliae una Gallice scripta Avicenna Instituta apparitata Sextus liber Decretalium cum apparatu Legenda Sanctorum Summum bonum Regula Sanctorum Benedicti Basilii cum aliis rebus Processionarium Breviarum in duobus voluminibus Manuale cum exequiis mortuorum Godfrey being dead there came an extent from the King against the Lands of the Abby and Barony of the Abbot when a Jury upon Oath returned them at this rate The Abbot of Peterburgh received for Rent yearly at  l. s. d.   Castor 18 10 6   Thorpe 15 1 6 ob  Burghberry 64 9 4   Glinton 23 6 1   Witherington 20 9 4   Walton 12 16 11   Eyebury 24 5 0   Oundle 43 11 0   Aston 15 16 11   Wermington 52 13 4 ob  Kettering 57 3 6   Cottingham 19 4 11   Stanwigg 16 7 10 ob q. Irtlingburgh 18 12 0   Polebroke 14 6 8   Okeslow
In the time of this Abbot there was an Indictment at Northampton against a stoppage of the Water at Vpwell so that the River of Nen could not have its course towards Lynn whereby the Counties of Northampton Lincoln Bedford Huntingdon and Cambridge were much endamaged The Abbot of Peterburgh laboured hard to get the drain scowred and at length procured a Decree from Galfridus Scroop the Kings Chief Justice for clearing the passage the Abbots of Ramsey Thorney and Croyland joyning with him this cost the Abbot of Peterburgh 63 l. 11 s. 1 d. In Abbot Adams time there happened a fray in the Chappel at Registr Adae fol. 41. Oxney and blood being shed therein the Chappel was polluted and stood suspended from its priviledge of Divine Service The Bishop of Lincoln being then otherwise employed could not attend to reconcile it but gave his consent that any other Bishop might whereupon Abbot Adam wrote to the Bishop of Carlile intreating him that as he returned from the Parliament towards his Mannor of Horncastle he would come and reconcile the said Chappel And as Abbot Adam had been free towards the King so was the King to him confirming his Possessions and Priviledges particularly by Charter the tenth of his huntings Tenth of huntings throughout Northamptonshire that whosoever hunted any game throughout this County for the Kings use or by his authority was responsible to the Abbot of Peterburgh for the tenth thereof which were granted and confirmed long before by his Predecessors King Richard 1. and W. Rufus And King Henry 3. and King Edward 1. did both of them command by their express Warrant to the Forester that the Abbot of Peterburgh should have five Bucks in acknowledgment thereof What this Abbot was for Learning and Ability in his Function let the Reader conjecture by his Library which Wittlesey sets down Decretales Sermones Johannis de Abbevile Mediapars Missal Breviarium Manuale Liber Chartarum Actus Apostolorum Epistolae Canonicae Apocalypsis Gerardus super Psalterium Summa summarum Diurnale Dicta Senecae cum 36 tractatibus content is in eodem volumine These were his Books set down by Wittlesey which agrees with another ancient Catalogue that I have by me Adam in the beginning of his eighteenth year died being the year of our Lord 1338. and the 12 of King Edward 3. On the fourth day of December following he was honourably interred the Abbot of Ramsey performing his funeral service and making a Sermon He was buried betwixt the Quire and the great Altar a fair Marble Stone being laid over him with some Brass upon it which was taken away in the late demolition of Monuments The Epitaph written about it was this Claustri praelatus hujus cubat hic vocitatus Adam qui natus erat a Boothby nece stratus Vir castus justus omni virtute robustus M semel x trina ter sex i quoque bina Pars donetur ei celestis nunc requiei Presently after his death was the Seal of the Monastery broken and care was taken for the Kings consent to a new election But before we name the Successor we shall present the Reader with a bill of Adams funeral expences which I shall give in Latine as I find it in Wittlesey If the Reader be but a good Deipnosophist he may construe the meaning of some words better than I can In cera 250li De frumento pro distributionibus pauperum 45 quarters De allecibus pro eisdem 1000. culibet 6. In pane pro die sepulturae frumenti 20 quarters Brasii pro cervisia 40 quarters In vino 1 dolium 1 pipam In allecibus pro die sepulturae 8500 De Lupis aquaticis grossis 100 De Cod-lingis 12 Sem. De Haddok 1 Sem. De Spar-lingis 1 Sem. De Salmon 24 De Milvellis 120 De Dogdrout 100 De Plais 10 Sem. De Congris 1 De Wilkis 5 Sek De grossis anguillis 5 estik De minutis anguillis 70 estik De Sturgeon 1 Barrel De Lintea tela pro nappis mensarum pro naperouns 200 Vlnae De Platellis diversis garnitis 1400 De Trowes 12 Bollis 4 De ciphis de ligno pro vino cervisia  In ollis luteis pro vino cervisia 300 De Corbellis 5 Abbot Adam being interred and the turmoil of his funeral past the thoughts of the Monks returned to continue the succession in 36. HENRICVS de Morcot A wise and discreet man Being elected Abbot he was according to the custome though this be the first mention that I find thereof carried on shoulders with a Te Deum to the great Altar and from thence to the Pulpit where the Prior published his Election Then Henry took his journey towards London but the King being then at Antwerp Henry's Election was confirmed by those whom he left in Authority with whom Abbot Henry compounded for his Mannors and Lands for the summ of 200 l. the Queens mony excepted and the reservation to the King of the Knights-fees and the advowsons of the livings of the Monastery during the vacany And so Henry returned towards Peterburgh and although he might have returned to some of his own Mannors yet with the Abbot of Thorneys leave he stayed at Stanground the space of three weeks In the mean time Simon of Islepe Vicar general to the Bishop of Lincoln the Bishop being then out of the Kingdom published in the Church of Peterburgh that if any persons could object any thing against Henry or the form of his Election they should appear such a day in the Church of S. James in Thrapstone and signify the same where because none appeared the said Simon ratified the Election and granted his Letter to any Bishop to confer his benediction upon this new Elect at any place within or without the Diocess of Lincoln which was performed by the Bishop of Ely the Lord Chancellor in his Chappel at his house in Holbourn Then did the Chancellor direct his Letters to the Convent and Tenants of the Church of Peterburgh for their obedience to this their Abbot and also to William Trussell the Kings Eschaetor beyond Trent not to meddle with any Lands belonging to the Church of Peterburgh Abbot Henry being returned staid a while at his Mannor of Eye and shortly after came to Peterburgh and was installed the seventh of the Ides of Feb. Anno 1338. which was the twelfth year of K. Edward 3. Here Walter of Wittlesey leaves me who hitherto hath been a good guide to our story wherein further our progress must be assisted by such other Records and Rolls as we light of When Abbot Henry had governed this Church about 15. years he died Anno 1353 which was the 27 of King Edward 3. His Library consisted of these Books viz. Parva Biblia Decreta Decretale Apparatus sexti Libri Decretalium Liber qui vocatur Innocentius Hostiensis in summa Breviarium Antiphonarium cum Psalterio Processionarium Item Decretale Catholicon He had a sharp
Richard enough is delivered by Roger Bird his Register telling us that they were Benedictine Monks or Monks of the black Order and lived under that rule but when this rule was first received here I cannot positively say though probably it was from the beginning In the time of this Richard strict inquisition began to be made into Discipline how the Monks of this Order observed the rules of their Founder for which purpose the Bishop of Lincoln sometimes visited the Abby of Peterburgh and sometimes the Abbots of this Order visited one anothers Monasteries according to articles agreed upon in their General Chapter which was commonly held at Northampton As the Abbot of Eyneshame in Oxfordshire sent his summons to the Abbot of Peterburgh Johannes permissione divina Abbas Mon. de Eyneshame Ordinis Sancti Benedicti Lincoln Dioc. ad visitanda omnia singula Monasteria nigrorum monachorum dicti Lincoln Dioces In Capitulo generali ejusdem Ordinis apud Northampton c. And so the Abbots of Peterburgh Bardney Thorney Ramsey Trinity Monastery in Norwich the Priory of S. Ethelreda in Ely did mutually visit each other as occasion served Many Corrodies were granted by this Abbot Richard but the Abby for diet got their Lands or other Benevolences Two were remarkable the first of John Delaber Bishop of S. Davids Bird Fol. 45. who was much affected towards this Monastery and for bestowing upon them his Mitre Cross Dalmaticks Sandals Sabbatines Gloves and Mass Book he received a Corrody which he might take at his own choice either at Peterburgh or at the Abbots Mannor of Eyebury with a yearly pension of 32l to be received during his life out of the Abbots Mannor of Kettering in consideration of a great summ of Money which the Abby had borrowed of him and he forgave it The other Corrody was to Alice Garton Widow which I thought fit to mention in regard the pavement of the Church Bird Fol. 63. doth still retain the memory of her and her family which lieth buried in the Body of the Church over against the Cloister door On the first stone are engraven these verses Hic duo sunt nati Thomae Garton tumulati Thomas quinquennis fuit Agnes feretriennis On the second these This Tho. Garton beautified some of the Windows in the Western Cloister with painted glass Corpus sub Lapide Thomae Garton jacet arte Conjugis Aliciaeque suae dextra sibi parte Quorum nunc animae coelesti luce requiescant On the third these Conjugis Aliciae Thomae Garton miserere O pater egregie quiat tecum residere Mantello teste viduali vixit honeste Brigge Fair. Vid. Chartam in App. In the 2 year of this Abbot Richard 1439. King Henry 6 by his Charter bearing date July 14 and the 17 of his Reign granted to the Abbot and Convent of Peterburgh the keeping of a Fair for three days viz. on S. Matthew's day the day before and the day after and that they should hold the said Fair as well in Huntingdonshire as Northamptonshire which Fair is now commonly known by the name of Brigge Fair. And in regard that a Fair was formerly granted to be kept the same day at Northolm in the time of Abbot Godfrey as hath been said 't is probable that the Fair there either by reason of discontinuance or some other inconvenience was setled here at Peterburgh Bird Fol. 14. This Abbot Richard was summoned to sit in Parliament at Westminster and being unable to undertake such a journey he delegated William Tresham and John Kirkby Clerk of the Parliament to sit in his place and to act for him and in his name as if himself were present as appeareth by his Letter to the King dated Febr. 12. 1444. He was summoned again to a Parliament at Coventry where he took the Oath of Allegiance to King Henry in manner and form as followeth Bird Fol. 49. I Richard Ashton Th'abbot of Peterburgh knowledge you most high and mighty and most Crysten Prince King Henry the Sixth to be my most redoubted Severayn Lord and rightwessly by succession born to Reign upon me and all your lege People Whereupon y voluntarily without cohertion promitte and oblish me by the Faith and Trouth that y owe unto God and by the Faith and Trouth and ligeance that y owe unto you my most redoubted Soveraign Lord that I shall be without eny variance True Faithful humble and obeysaunt Subjet and Liegeman unto you my most redoubted Soveraign Lord And that y shall be unto my lifes end at all times and places redy and attending in my most harty wise and maner as eny Liegeman oweth to be unto his Soveraign Lord putting me in my true undelayed Devoir to do all that that may be unto the we le and suerty of your most Royal Person of your most noble Estate And the way conservation and continuance of your most high Autority preheminence and Prerogatyf to the we le suerte and preserving of the Person of the most high and benigne Pryncesse Margaret the Queen my Soveraign Lady and of her most noble Estate she being your wife And also to the we le suerte and honour of the Person of the right high and mighty Prince Edward my right redoubted Lord the Prince your first begotten Sonn And of the right high and noble Estate of the same And faithfully truly and obeysantly in my most humble wise and Maner Honour serve obey and bear mind Allegeance unto my most redoubted Soveraign Lord during your lyfe wich God Fadir of mercy for my most singular recomfort preserve long in prosperity to endure And if God of his infinite power take you from this transitory life me bering lif here in this World that than y shall accept my said redoubted Lord the Prince Edward your said first begotten Sonn for my Soveraign Lord and bere my trouth Feith and Legiaunce unto him as my natural born Soveraign Lord. And aftre him unto his Succession of his Body lawfully begotten And in defaute of his Succession wiche God deffend unto eny other succession of your Body lawfully commyng And that y shall never at eny time for eny manner occasyon colour affinite or cause consent gyf aide assistance or favour or agree to eny thing that y may understond or know by eny meane that may be prejudicial or contrary to the premisses or eny of theym but that y shall as soon as y may so have knowlege put me in my dewe undelayed devoir in my most hearty and effectuous wyse and manner without colour or fayntise with my body goods myght pouer counsell and advertisement to resist withstond and subdue all theym that would in eny wyse presume to do contrary to the premisses or eny of them So God me help and those holy Evangelists In witness whereof y set to these presents my Seal and my Sign Manuel After that Richard had been Abbot here about thirty three years he surrendred his Government
Richard Kay B. D. Thurstane Murry Nicolas Brown B. D. Henry Williamson B. D. Thomas Dove M. A. Archdeacon of Northampton Henry Smith D. D. Mr. of Magd. Coll. Cambr. William Halls M. A. In the sixth PREBEND Richard White A Monk of the place Isham M. A. William Binsley Robert Johnson B. D. Richard Smith B. D. John Aungier L. D. Robert Summer M. A. now Parson of Northburgh John Wyldbore M. A. Parson of Wittering Thomas Lany B. D. John Whitehall I have now no more to do to the body of our story but to present the Reader with a relation of some few Monuments with their Inscriptions not yet mentioned and then the story of this Church will arrive at its period But before I give the relation of the Monuments of this Church I shall let the Reader know when and by whom they were destroyed In the year 1643. the Town of Croyland was by the inhabitants thereof made a Garrison for the King which they had great reason to do not only to shew themselves good Subjects but good Tenants they holding their Lands of him In the month of April on the 18 day came the Parliament-Forces to Peterburgh in order to the besieging of Croyland and here having settled themselves in their Quarters they fell to execute their fury upon the Cathedral destroying all things as the malicious Eye of each Sectarian Varlet prompted him to do mischief beating down the Windows defacing the Monuments tearing the Brass from Grave-stones plundering of Vestments Records and whatsoever else came to hand which nothing could resist Their Commanders of whom Cromwel was one if not acting yet not restraining the Souldiers in this heat of their fury But some two or three days after a finger of divine vengeance touched Cromwel although his rabble and he would not see it For being at that time quartered in the house of Mr. Cervington commonly called the Vineyard at the East end of the Cathedral out of the Court of which dwelling there was a passage into the Churchyard which since is mured up ascending by 3 or 4 Stone-steps Cromwel as others did riding up those steps his Horse fell under him and rising suddenly under the lintels of the door dashed his head against the lintels so that he fell to the ground as dead was so carried into the house and it was about a fortnight ere he could be recovered those who were eye-witnesses affirmed that the blow raised splinters in his Scalp near a fingers length But yet the siege of Croyland went on and on the 28 of April the Town was taken on the 5 of May. Cromwel with his Forces marched to Stamford and other places leaving the abomination of desolation in this Church behind them And now I shall give an accompt of such Monuments as were in the Church before their coming and have been added since I shall begin at the Nave or body of the Church where I shall omit such as are broken and worn out as not to be compleatly rendered Many also as bear only names and dates of burial which will give but little content to any that should read them As you enter into the Church high above on the left hand stands the figure of R. Scarlet once a Sexton of this Church one that was famous in his generation as may be collected by what is under written You see old Scarlet 's picture stand on high But at your feet there doth his body lye His gravestone doth his age and death time show His Office by these tokens you may know Second to none for strength and sturdie Limme A scare-babe mighty voice with visage grimm He had interr'd two Queens within this place And this towns Housholders in his live space Twice over But at length his own turn came What he for others did for him the same Was done No doubt his Soul doth live for ay In Heaven though here his body clad in clay Joyning to a Pillar on the Northside stood a comely Font the water whereof though it purged many yet it could not purge this Vessel in the opinion of those that brake it down 1643. Against the Cloister door are some antient Inscriptions only this perfect besides that of Garton formerly mentioned in Abbot Richard Ashton Aswalton natus jacet hic Henricus humatus Presbiter ornatus cui solvas Christe reatus Something beyond towards the upper end lieth a fair marble of late adorned with the figure of the deceased in Brass and on a Edward 3. Anno 46. Plate round about Hic jacet tumulatus Robertus de Thorp Miles There was one Sir W. Thorpe L. Chief Justice of the Kings Bench who for Bribery was condemned to be hanged Anno Edw. 3. 24. 22. y. before this Robert quondam Cancellarius Domini Regis Angliae qui obiit vicesimo nono die Junii Anno Domini Millesimo trecentesimo septuagesimo secundo Cujus animae propitietur Deus Amen By his side is another fair Marble which carried this Inscription Hic jacet tumulatus miles filius Domini Willielmi de Thorpe qui moriebatur apud Tou'ton Wat'vyle die Jovis xo. die Augusti Anno Domini Millesimo trecentesimo LXXV Cujus animae propitietur Deus On the left hand is a Marble bearing the figure of a cross legg'd Knight after the manner of the Templers with a dog at his feet lately the Brass was divorced from the Marble and Senour Gascelin de Marham stripped of his Monumental bravery A little above Here lieth the Body of William Leafield sometimes Edwardi 3. Anno 49. Inhabitant of this City who departed this life January 22. Anno Domini 1625. Near unto lieth one that was taken away in his budding his name and quality may be seen in the Inscription Robertus Carrier Subter Supra Anno Dom. 1651. Aetat 19. Grad Bacc. 1. Novemb. 24. Not far from this is one later who may be mentioned as another Siphrah both in function and piety Here lieth the Body of Jane Parker the wife of Valentine Parker She departed this life Sept. 19. day 1653. Here lieth a Midwife brought to bed Deliveresse delivered Her body being churched heere Her Soul thanks gives in yonder Spheer A little higher lieth a fair Marble which acts the second part of Niobe weeping for many figures of Brass which it hath lately forgone if the Inscription may be thought worth the weeping for Siste gradum mortale meum speculare Sepulchrum Hic ego qui jaceo sum genus ecce tuum Frater Willimi Ramsey venerabilis olim Istius Abbatis hic in honore loci Petriburgh Bayly Killire vocor ipse Johannes Mecum sponsa jacet ecce Johanna mea Tot mihi sunt nati mihi sunt nataeque puellae Willimus Thomas Willimus ipse Johannes Walt'rus Richardus Thomas Agnes mihi Marga Grata fit proles ac Katherina mihi Orate precor nos omnes ut Deus ipse Salvet ab inferno Pactus fuit en lapis iste 1489. April 19. The
Chests of about three foot long a piece in each of which were the bones of a Man and of whom appeared by a Plate of Lead in each Chest whereon the name of the person was engraven in the one was Elfricus on the other Kynsius both which had been Arch-Bishops of York and being dead their bodies were interred in the Monastery of Peterburgh where formerly they had been Monks In those time Epitaphs and Inscriptions on the outside of Monuments were either not yet or not commonly used but a plate of Lead was put into the Coffin having the name of the deceased party and so it was done to Dunstane Arch-Bishop of Canterbury as Matthew Paris witnesseth Ad ann 1527. But Elfricus and Kynsius could not have their repositories so short from the beginning but it is probable they had a removal from under ground to lie above ground in this Wall so near the Altar their first places of Sepulture being not thought fit to contain them any longer The place of Elfricus burial I cannot tell but for Kynsius I have heard my Father who was well read in the Antiquities of this Church say that the Marble Monument now lying on the Northside of the Quire was his It bears the Portraicture of a shaven Monk lying on the top Beyond the Quire the most Eastern part of the Church is the New Building erected by Abbot Robert Kirton as hath been said The windows therein are fair and lately beautified with painted glass which contained no great matter worthy of recital save only the pictures of Saints largely expressed In the South end of this building lie many of the family of Ormes interred Sir Humfrey Orme Frances his Lady with their Children In the Wall adjoyning was placed a fair and comely Monument with their Statues which Monument was first erected upon the burial of a vertuous Gentlewoman of the same name born in Sommerset-shire whom Humfrey the eldest Son of Sir Humfrey had taken to Wife who though by her Marriage she changed not her name yet she did her Countrey and here died Under her Figure was written this Epitaph Mistake not Reader I thee crave This is an Altar not a Grave Where Fire rak't up in Ashes lies And Harts are made the sacrifice Till time and truth her worth and fame Revive her embers to a flame I cannot tell whether this Monument fared the worse for the Statues or the word Altar in the Epitaph but it was defaced And Sir Humfrey Orme his Lady and eldest Son lived to see the death of what was erected to continue their memories after death Near towards the midst of this building lieth interred the body of Frances Wife to Dr. John Cosin Dean of this Church who died not long after her Child-birth March 25. 1642. A Gentlewoman well deserving a Monument to perpetuate her name and memory for which purpose her honoured Husband made some progress in one upon the pavement with black and white Marble chequered but before it could be compleated on the Wall by a Statue or Inscription it was blasted by an Eastern wind The day of her burial was remarkable in this that whilst the Child a Daughter Christned Anne was at the Font to be Baptized the Mother lay by upon the Bier to be carried presently to her Grave A pretty accident if we may call it an accident fell out the day before It being the Eve of the Annunciation and none making the least question but that this Gentlewoman was in a fair way of recovery after her delivery and all things prepared for the Christening of the Child the Chanter whose Office it was to appoint the Anthems appointed to be sung that part of the Burial-Service Composed by Mr. Wilkinson I am the Resurrection c. Dean Cosin being then at Church and having the Anthem brought him asked the Chanter why he appointed this Anthem The Chanter replied It is a good Anthem and you have not yet heard it The next morning this Gentlewoman died and that day the same Anthem was sung again at her Burial Dean Cosin afterwards observed the Omen As you pass out of this building on the Northside of the Church there was lately a passage into the now demolished Ladies Chappel in which passage was a little Chappel on the right hand Archt over with Stone having a fair East-window and on the Northside little windows looking into the Ladies Chappel Over head were two Chambers which common tradition hath told to have been the habitation of a devout Lady called Agnes or Dame Agnes out of whose Lodging-Chamber there was a hole made a-skew in the window walled up having its prospect just upon the Altar in the Ladies Chappel and no more It seems she was devout in her generation that she chose this place for her retirement and was desirous that her eyes as well as ears might wait upon her publick Devotions I could never yet see any Record to inform me who this Dame Agnes was And surely this Church owes the world a better account of her than I can give in regard she was a great Benefactoress to it giving that which at this day is commonly known by the Name of Dame Agnes Wood not far from Peterburgh Over against this on the left hand was a little Chappel but what or whose we cannot say In the Ladies Chappel were many fair Gravestones but few Inscriptions only these Hic jacet Helena nomine English quondam uxor Willielmi Gunton quae obiit 9 Octobris 1613. Near unto this was buried Simon English who was of great esteem in his generation for a School-Master under whom the late famous and learned Antiquary Sir Robert Cotton and many others of his time and quality received education The Inscription in Brass upon his Monument was this Simoni English Archididascalo Petriburgi celeberrimo Epiphaniae die Anno Domini 1592. mortuo Discipulus Thomas Green Hieronymi filius Gratitudinis ergo posuit The Eastern window of this Ladies Chappel was the fairest and goodliest in all the Church scarce a fairer in any other Cathedral It was adorned with painted glass containing many stories amongst the rest of Julian the Apostate and these two Verses Cuspide Mercurii Julianus Apostata caesus Vincis ait vincis heu Nazarene potens At the West end of this Chappel were two small Chappels of wooden inclosure in one of which the Northern anciently the Chappel of S. John the Baptist are interred the bodies of Christopher Swinscoe Gent. and Alice his Wife their Monument of Marble is still extant but the Inscription lost This Alice was a good Benefactoress to the poor of the Town In this Chappel I have often seen a Stone in the pavement hollowed like a shallow Platter which tradition hath said to have been so worn by the frequent kneeling of a devout person thereon which might be it being at that end which was next to the Ladies Chappel But now that stone is gone In a Pillar near was a pretty small
who promoted him he saith in another place by the consent of the King Deposuit certis ex causis Willielmum Abbatem de Burgo eidem ex assensu Regis supposuit Cancel larium suum Benedictum Actus Pontif. Cantu That is Richard the Archbishop obtained the place for him as John Bromton explains it ad An. MCLXXVII eodem anno Rex concessit Benedicto Priori Sanctae Trinitatis Cantuariae Abbatiam de Burgo c. Our Historian whom from this time forward I take to be Robert Swapham for by the very writing it appears a new man begins to carry on the story where Hugo left saith he was Prior Ecclesiae Christi Cant. which is the same it will appear presently and was elected Abbot at Winchester All agree he was made Abbot in the year MCLXXVII in the beginning of which I find him still Prior of Christs-Church For William Thorn in his Chron. hath set down a composition made between the Monks of St. Austin in Canterbury and the Church of the Holy Trinity which begins thus Benedictus Prior Conventus Ecclesiae Christi Cant. universis Christi fidelibus salutem c. and then relating how he and Roger Elect of the Monastery of St. Austin had changed certain Lands one with another which are there particularly mentioned it concludes thus Facta est autem haec compositio vel conventio anno ab incarnatione Millesimo CLXXVII seven year after the Murder of Thomas a Becket in his Church Where by the way it may be observed that this Roger had himself been a Monk of the Church of the Holy Trinity where Benedict now was Prior and was keeper of the Altar where Thomas was slain As soon as Benedict was here setled he straightway indeavoured to destroy the ill Customs which had crept into the Monastery to restore regular discipline and then to free the Church from the debts left by his Predecessor of whom the Romans and many in England had exacted 1500. Marks The Ornaments of this Church also were dispersed and pawned in several places which was such a burden to this Abbot that out of the load of grief he had upon his mind he went to Canterbury with one Monk alone and there staid many days When he had a little eased and freed himself not without much labour from those demands and vexations he returned hither and gave his mind to Meditation in the holy Scripture They are the words of Swapham who saith he composed himself unum egregium volumen one most excellent volume as they then accounted it de passione miraculis Sancti Thomae and caused a great many others to be transcribed for the use of the Monastery which are those set down by Mr. G. out of Wittlesea who did in this but transcribe Swapham Who tells us of a great many benefactions besides those named by Mr. G. especially in precious Ornaments bestowed upon the Church which made his memory deserve as his words are to remain in benediction for ever The principal were three rich Palls and six Chesibles the last of which were black Embroidered with Golden Trees before and behind and full of pretious Stones from the top to the bottom He acquired also many Reliques of Thomas a Becket viz. his Shirt his Surplice and a great quantity of his Blood in two Crystal vessels with two Altars of the Stone upon which he fell when he was murdered Whose Chapel begun by William de Waterville he finished together with an Hospital adjoyning to it From whence I gather that Mr. G. is mistaken in his opinion about the place of it which was not in the middle Arch of the Church-Porch but at the gate of the Monastery and is now as I conceive the School-house For thereabout the Hospital was as I learn from a Charter of King Richard I Swaph fol. XLIX Wherein this benefaction of Benedict's is remembred It contains a grant of all the Lands sometimes belonging to Thuroldus de Sutona unto his beloved and faithful Clerk Magister Damianus to have and to hold them de Hospitali Sancti Thomae Martyris juxta portam Ecclesiae de Burg which Land was the purchace of Benedict Abbot of Burgh and assigned by him to the aforesaid Hospital in perpetuam Eleemosynam Upon this condition that the aforesaid Damianus should pay out of it yearly to the Almoner of the Church of Burgh one Mark of Silver and after his decease the whole Land to return to the aforesaid Hospital It is dated at Spire 20. of Novemb. in the fifth year of his Reign per manum Will. Eleyensis Episcopi Cancellarii But this is more fully cleared by the Chron. MS. of John Abbot who saith expresly that this Chapel of St. Thomas was at the Gate of the Monastery Ad An. MCLXXV Solomon Prior Eliensis factus est Abbas Thorneyensis Benedictus Prior Cantuariensis factus est Abbas Burgi Qui fecit construere totam Navem Ecclesiae Burgi ex lapide ligno a Turri usque ad frontem Et Capellam in honorem Sancti Thomae Martyris ad portam Monasterii He begun also that wonderful work as Swapham calls it juxta bracinum but did not live to finish it The Abbey in his days was full of all good things in the Convent there was joy and peace in his house nobleness and exaltation among the Servants in the several Offices jocundness and mirth the greatest plenty of meat and drink and at the Gate a gladsome reception without any murmuring of the Guests or Strangers He procured a large Charter from Rich. I. in the first year of his Reign dated at Canterbury confirming to them all their Lands and Possessions in the several Counties of the Realm which are particularly enumerated in perpetuam Eleemosynam And thereby it appears that Benedict recovered the aforesaid Lands in Sutton with the Mill and appurtenances from Thorald Son of Anketillus who restored them to the Church as part of its Demeans And afterward also purchased of the Nephews and Heirs of the same Thorald Pilesgate Badigtune and Bernack and other Lands which Gaufridus Son of Gaufridus gave to the Monastery with a great many other things worth the remembering if I had room to insert them I will name only the last Concedimus etiam pro amore Dei Sancti Petri ob reverentiam beati Oswaldi Regis Martyris quod praedicti Monasterii Milites qui Guuardam suam faciunt in Castello nostro de Rokingam sint quieti solvendo singulis annis tempore pacis de feodo militis 4. solidos sicut facere solebant tempore Henrici R. avi nostri c. There is a Charter of the same year bearing date 22. March from Roan confirming all their Liberties particularly the 8. Hundreds for which he afterwards granted a special Charter by it self Which Charter being lost when he was Prisoner in Germany he renewed it and in some things inlarged it in the Xth year of his Reign Many others there
there follows immediately a Statute of this Abbot Robert ordaining that upon the Anniversaries of Andreas and Akarius the Celerarius should provide four good dishes of meat for the Convent together with Wine if it could be had or else good Beer and that the Eleemosynary should distribute to the Poor that came on those dayes a convenient portion of Bread and Ale What the Religious part of the observation of these days was in this Church I have not yet found but in other Churches it appears to have been very solemn and great Particularly in that of Westminster where they were of the same Order with the Monks of this Church Anniversaries were about this time kept in all regards very magnificently For example Abbot Walter who dyed not long before Rob. Lyndsey's days An. 1191. gave the Mannor of Padington to that Church and totally deputed it to this use for the celebration of his Anniversary on the Feast of St. Cosmas and Damianus On which day he requires the Almoner to provide for the whole Convent Simnella Gastella Canastella Brachinella and Wafras and to every one of the Brethren one Galon of Wine cum tribus bonis pitanciis with three good dishes of Meat called pitancias from the word Piety and thence also called Misericordias now called in the Colledges exceedings and also good Ale in abundance before the Brethren at all the Tables as upon other Feasts and Anniversaries it was wont to be found by the Celerarius in the great Tankard of five and twenty Galons For the ordinary guests who should that day dine in the Refectory he requires him to provide two dishes of Meat with Bread and Wine and Ale honourably and abundantly and for the more honourable persons make the same provision as for the Convent And besides find for all comers whatsoever from the hour that the Table concerning the Anniversary was read in the Chapterhouse untill the Completorium of the next day both in Meat and Drink Hay and Oats all things necessary nor was entrance to be denyed to any person whether Footman or Horseman He was to make provision also for the Nuns of Holborn for the Servants of the Monastery and for three hundred poor every one of which was to have a loaf of Bread of the same weight with the Bread of the Convent and a pott of Ale and they who had no Vessels might drink pro voluntate as much as they pleased And to omit the rest there was after all Mede to be provided for the Convent ad potum charitatis As for the Religious part of the Ceremony it was after this manner On the vigils of the forenamed day the Prior and the Convent sang Placebo and Dirige with three lessons as on other principal Anniversaries they were wont with ringing of Bells two Wax-Candles burning continually at his Tomb which was on the South side of the Cloyster from the said Vigils to the end of the Mass da Requem which was sung the next day On the Anniversary of Richard de Crokesley who dyed as long after this time as the other did before it 1258. there was a far greater solemnity for which he gave the Mannors of Hampestede and of Stoke with other Rents It began with ringing of Bells the evening before for which they received xiii s. iiii d. and the next day after Mass there were Alms given to a thousand poor people and for six days following to five hundred every day to every body a peny c. And he ordained that four Monks should every of those days say Mass for his Soul at four several Altars four Wax Candles burning at his Tomb during the Mass if he was buried in the Monastery if without it then two of the Candles were to burn at the Altar of the Holy Trinity the other two at the Altar of Edward the Confessor Provided that upon his Anniversary four Wax-Candles should burn all day about his Tomb or before the Altars now named for which he assigned three pound c. This was agreed in the Chapterhouse on the Friday after the Feast of St. Barnaby 1256. and he got a confirmation of it from Alexander 4. But ten year after his death they obtained a Modification of this Anniversary from Pope Clement IV. according as the Abbot of Waltham and other Delegates appointed for this business should think fit to moderate it I omit many others which are in a MS. History of that Church written by John Fleete a Monk of that Church which he collected out of better writers than himself After some such manner no doubt Anniversaries were observed in this Church of Burgh for I find that in Akarius his time Hugo de Longo Campo Son of Henry de Longo Campo out of respect to God and the Salvation of his Soul granted all his Land in Eyliswurthe viz. quadraginta sex solidatas terrae in liberam puram ac perpetuam Eleemosynam for the making of his Anniversary cum debita ac solita solemnitate with due and with usual solemnity Which Charter of his was afterward confirmed by Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury Swaph fol. XC Immediately after that Statute about the forenamed Anniversaries there follows a Constitution which I suppose therefore was made by this same Abbot Robert directing what was to be done when any part of the Body or Blood of our Lord in the Sacrament by negligence fell upon the Ibid. Fol. CCLXIII Ground or upon a Matt Carpet or the like Concerning which two other Constitutions follow with verses comprehending the sense of them which I have transcribed and put in the Appendix This Abbot lived in evil days which makes the many good things he did besides these the more commendable there having been great discord as Swapham observes between the King and the Church insomuch that the Kingdom was interdicted for above six years after which followed cruel and most shameful Wars between the King and his Nobles in which Charches were broken down and destroyed and what was in them was pillaged and carried away After he had governed Nine year and ten months he dyed in the Feast of Crispinus and Crispinianus It should be eight year for he began to govern in the year 1214. and all agree he dyed in the year 1222. So the MS. Chron. Johan Abbatis An. MCCXXII obiit Rob. de Lyndesey Abbas Burgi cui successit Alexander Abbas And so Swapham himself In which year I find in the same Chronicon there was a Council held at Oxford in the Church of Osney by Stephen Archbishop of Canterbury where the Bishops and other Prelates being generally present some of the Institution made in the forenamed Council of Lateran with some additions for the reformation of the Clergy and people were recited Two of the most Noble of which as he calls them he sets down The first concerning the Prelates that all of them both Bishops and Abbots should be bound to change every year those that waited on them in their
Rich. de Dumar about Woods and the bounds of them in Eston and between him and Rob. de Burnebu and others about Essarts in the same Woods which I can but just mention He was one of the Witnesses to the great Charter of the Liberties of England granted by King Henry in the XIX year of his Reign upon the Kal. of January After the mention of which there follows in our Records that solemn Excommunication which was made eighteen year after 1253. of all those that infringed this Charter It is in Matthew Paris Pag. 866. only in our Book there are these words added which are not in him Qui omnes testes audierunt cum Dominus Rex non coactus sed propria voluntate petiit quod omnes Archiepiscopi Episcopi Abbates excommunicent ipsum Henricum nomine si ipse unquam veniret contra aliq ' articulum istius Chartae omnes alios venientes contra eandem chartam Et idem Rex tenuit candelam dum sententia fuit promulgata Whereas Math. Paris saith he refused to hold the Candle P. 887. Two years after 1237. followed the solemn dedication of this Church of Burg Which Matth. Paris places in the next year 1238. when he saith that several noble Monasteries in the Diocese of Lincoln within the Fens were dedicated by the venerable Bishop of Lincoln viz. Ramsey Burgh and Sautrei and that the Church of Burgh was dedicated quarto Calendar ' Octobris But the Chron. Johan Abbatis Burgi makes this to have been done as I said the year before and not on the 4th of the Kalends but of the Nones and by two Bishops An. MCCXXXVII quarto Nonarum Octobris dedicata est Ecclesia de Burgo à duabus Episcopis viz. à Sancto Roberto Lincolniensi Exoniensi Episcopis And so saith Swapham not naming the Bishops Ipse etiam dedicare fecit Ecclesiam Nostram à duobus Episcopis magnis sumptibus propriis This Robert Bishop of Linc ' was Rob. Groseteht who was consecrated Bishop of that Dicocese the year before Whose Sanctity as the Chronicon before mentioned celebrates so it gives this Character of his learning Iste er at in omnibus VII artibus liberalibus eruditissimus What this dedication meant Mr. G. doubts but it is explained by a passage in Matthew of Westminster who follows M. Paris and uses his very words about this business of the dedication of these Churches but then adds that it was done juxta Statuta Concilii London celebrati in obedience to certain Constitutions which had been made in a Council at London Which extended further than to the Churches before named for he saith the Church of St. Paul London was dedicated 1240. die Sancti Remigii What the ground of that constitution was I have not now opportunity to search but it was so famous a thing that the day of its Dedication was made an Anniversary and this Abbot gave the summ of forty Shillings a year ad festum dedicationis Ecclesiae nostrae annuum uberius procurandum for the making more plentiful provision upon the Feast of the Dedication of this Church as the words are in his Charter about it which still râ—mains And this Feast is mentioned in another Charter of his in which for Gods sake and with respect to peace as his words are he grants that instead of the assise of Corn which the Celerarius was wont to pay him out of Belasise he should hereafter pay him ten Pound six Shillings and three Pence per annum quarterly viz. instead of 28. Seam and one Sceppe of Corn 4 l. 13 s. 9 d. and instead of 33. Seam of Barly and 6. Sceppes 3 l. 7 s. 6 d. and instead of 45. Seam of Oates 2 l. 5 s. Which Seams are called Summae Regiae Fol. CVI. And there is this Note in the Margin that before the time of this Abbot till the making this Charter the Abbots were wont to pay the Celerarius for the celebration of the principal Festivals eight Pound to which this Abbot added forty Shillings for celebrating the dedication of the Church which was in his time in all ten Pound So that the ten pound before mentioned the Celerarius received back again and it is to be noted that this Assise of Corn was first granted because of the increment of eight Monks augmented by Abbot Robert To which eight Monks this Abbot Walter added thirty more which made the number in all an hundred and ten But I suppose it was an act like that of Acharius who maintained two and twenty besides the usual number which lasted for his own time only Swapham's words are that he received them out of Charity by divine Inspiration to serve Christ perpetually Recepit itaque Domino inspirante Caritatis intuitu XXX Monachos Jesu Christo perpetue famulandos The Bishop of Ossory I must add to make this Feast of the Dedication the more solemn granted an indulgence wherein ten days of Penance injoyned are relaxed to all those who confessing their sins and being truly penitent should come to visit the Church of St. Peter of Burgh on the Feast of Dedication for devotion sake It is in the end of the Appendix In the next year all the Abbots of this Order were summoned to appear at London in order to their Reformation as the Chron. Joh. Abbatis tells us An. MCCXXXVIII Otho Cardinalis ad reformationem ordinis Sancti Benedicti omnes Abbates Nigri Ordinis London convocavit In what year he took his first journey to Rome I do not find nor shall I add any thing about it or the other two but what Mr. G. hath omitted In his first journey he procured certain priviledges for the Church which Swapham only mentions but tells not what they were When he returned from his second in which he went no further than Anvers he offered two pieces of rich Silk Of which two Copes were made by John of Holderness the Subsacrist The third time he was called by a special Mandate to answer the contempt with which he was charged of granting the Church of Castre according to the Kings commandment contrary to the Provision of the Pope For which he was not so shent as Mr. G. relates if we may believe Swapham but procured his favour by that gift of ten pound a year out of his Chamber to the Popes Nephew insomuch that he got a great priviledge at that time for the liberties of the Church which begins thus Innocentius Servus c. and another that none belonging to the Monastery should be forced to go ultra duas dietas above two days journeys in any cause before the Judge-delegates and some others At his return he offered a precious Pall of Baldekine with the Image of the blessed Virgin and her Son in her Arms. This was in the year 1244. for then that large Charter of Pope Innocent the IVth bears date called Magnum Privilegium Fol. LXXXII The Council at Lyons was held the year after
this Abbots time Which is something strange when in the life of Martin de Ramsey P. 30. he takes notice of the Grand Priviledge granted by Gregory the IXth to this Church For in that Bull there is an express command for the observation of it for ever Nay it is the very first thing in it after the Preface Imprimis siquidem statuentes ut Ordo Monasticus qui secundum Deum beati Benedicti regulam in eodem Monasterio esse dignoscitur institutus perpetuis ibidem temporibus inviolabiliter observetur Where he speaks of it as a Rule already instituted in this Monastery before that time which was in the year 1228. And the only thing I have yet met withal to make one think this Rule was here introduced sooner than I have before said viz. in King Edgar's time is the mention of it in the Charter of Ethelbaldus which I have since taken notice of Founder of the Church of Croyland An. 716. Where he calling it the Monastery of Black Monks serving God sub norma Sancti Benedicti Ingulphus p. 3. Edit Oxon. it may thence be probably conjectured that this Neighbouring Monastery then called Medeshamstede was under the same Rule at that time which was when Egbaldus was Abbot here who is one of those that signs that Charter of Croyland There is no account given in the MS. Chron. Johannis Abbatis Burgi of the time of this Abbot's death nor when Rob. de Sutton was chosen though the memorable things are set down which hapned in the following years which makes me think John de Kaleto was the Author of that Chronicon But W. of Wittlesea hath informed us when he dyed which Mr. G. hath noted And the Kalendar I have often mentioned tells us he departed this Life on the first of March which was Depositio Joh. de Calceto Abbatis Anniversarium Ivonis superioris On which day they were to pray for the Souls of the Father and Mother of this John Abbot There are two memorable Statutes of this Abbots which ought not to be omitted because they explain the customs of this Church One is that when a Monk had been four years compleat in the Monastery which in their Language is quatuor annos conversionis suae impleverit he should from that time receive out of the Chamber coopertorium tunicam similiter caputium stragulam which it seems he provided before at his own charges The other is that every Monk should have coradium suum plenarie for a whole year after his decease as if he had been alive except only the pitanciae Insuper Pelliciam Soculares Caligas Pedules together with his Pilch or Shirt his Boots Breeches Socks or Stockings which the Prior Camerarius and Eleemosynarius were to see done and faithfully distributed to the Poor Both these were enacted in Chapter with the full consent of the Convent ROBERTVS de Sutton The year before he dyed he made a Deed like that of John de Caleto's beginning after the same manner wherein he grants to the Convent one Mark a year out of certain Lands of John de Sermoney and forty Shillings of annual Rent for the making the day of his death an Anniversary But he doth not express how he would have it kept He set only his own seal to it datum apud Burgum An. 1273 upon the Munday before the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle In which year on the 11. of the Kal. of March I find an agreement made between the Abbot of Burgh and the Abbot of Sawtry concerning Secta Curiae de Castre which the Abbot of Burgh challenged from him of Sawtry from three Weeks to three Weeks for certain Tenements which he held in Fee of the Abbot of Burgh in Catteworth and Wynewick Which the Abbot of Sawtrey acknowledged to be due from him and his Convent to the Abbot and Convent of Burgh who remitted the same sute for the future upon payment of five Shillings Rent yearly to the Abbot of Burgh c. which if it was not paid he had power to distrain upon the Tenements by his Bailiffs c. Alicia de Scotere Widow gave a great deal of Land to the Church in his time which she had in Burgh Dodestorp Paston c. Nicolaus de Cutyller renounced all his right and claim in a Messuage of twelve acres of Land c. And a great many more Grants I find made to the same Rob. Sutton but it is not said in what year nor have I place for them in this Supplement The Chron. of John Abbot as its title bears being carried on by some other hands and having related how a Council was held at Lyons by Gregory X. in the year 1274 wherein was determined what Order of Mendicants should continue and what should cease adds obierunt ibi multi Praelati in redeundo de Concilio Obiit Dominus Robertus Abbas de Burgo cui successit Dominus Richardus de London The Kalendar saith that on the 22. of March. was Depositio Roberti de Sutton Abbatis Anniversarium Henrici Aurifabri Johannis de Trikingham Prioris Which last I conceive may be the same man whom Mr. G's Authors call Elias Trickingham RICHARDVS de London There were two Agreements I find made by this Abbot at his very entrance one between him and the Abbot of Thornholm another with the Abbot of Swinshened neither of which are named dated at Burg 1275. on the Feast of the Purification After which follows in our Records Fol. CLXV a Deed of Galfridus de Suthorp Knight which he made Richardo de London Abbati de Burg Sancti Petri c. Of which Galfridus he bought the Mannor of Gunthorp and settled it upon the Eleemosynary an 1277. In the same Year upon the Feast of All-Saints died Rob. de Wremerest whereupon Will. de Wodeford then Sacrist of Burg. St. Reter came and claimed his Body to be buried in the Church of Burgh But the Friends of the deceased being very instant with him that with his leave it might be buried in the Church of Vengirst and the fore-named Sacrist considering the inundation of Waters which then was and many other dangers in the ways and moved by their Prayers buried the Corps himself in the aforesaid Church de gratia sua speciali of his special grace and favour as the words are in the Memorandum left of it in our Book Fol. CLXI Nor far from which I find another Memorandum of a thing of like nature which hapned two year before When there was a controversie arose between the Abbot and Convent of Burgh on the one part and Rober a'e Nevile of Scottun on the other part about the burial of the Body of Philip de Nevil Father to the said Rob. and the Mortuary which the Monastery challenged as due to the Church from one of their Knights Which was thus at last composed viz. the aforesaid Rob. humbly petitioned the Abbot and Convent that they would
in memory of his Wife buried here in the beginning of the Wars and one hundred Pound to the Dean and Chapter the Rent thereof to be by them yearly distributed to the Poor Dr. Duport late Dean of this Church besides many summs given elsewhere to pious and charitable uses setled twenty Pound a year on Magdalen Coll. in Cambridge to be paid to the Dean and Chapter of Peterburgh ten Pound for the Augmentation of the Schoolmasters Salaries there and ten Pound for two Scholarships in Magdalen College belonging to that School There being wanting in Mr. G. an account of the defaceing of this Church by the Souldiers in the late Rebellion Mr. Francis Standish the present worthy Chanter of it hath at my desire drawn it up in the following Narrative Which may be the more credited because he then lived in this place where he was born and bred and was a spectator of most things that he relates A Short and True NARRATIVE of the Rifling and Defacing the Cathedral Church of PETERBURGH in the Year 1643. THE Cathedral Church of Peterburgh was very famous formerly for three remarkable things a stately Front a curious Altar-Piece and a beautiful Cloister The first of the three doth still remain a very goodly Structure supported with three such tall Arches as England can scarce show the like The two last are since destroy'd by Sacrilegious hands and have nothing now remaining but only the bare memory of them In this place I think I may say began that strange kind of deformed Reformation which afterward passed over most places of the Land by robbing rifling and defacing Churches This being one of the first which suffered in that kind Of which you may take this following account from an eye witness and which I suppose is still fresh in the memory of many surviving Persons In the year 1643 about the midst of April there came several Forces to Peterburgh raised by the Parliament in the Associated Counties in order to besiege Croyland a small Town some seven miles distant which had a little before declared for the King and then was held a Garrison for Him The first that came was a Foot-Regiment under one Colonel Hubbart's command upon whose arrival some persons of the Town fearing what happen'd afterward desire the Chief Commander to take care the Souldiers did no injury to the Church This he promises to do and gave order to have the Church doors all lockt up Some two days after comes a Regiment of Horse under Colonel Cromwel a name as fatal to Ministers as it had been to Monasteries before The next day after their arrival early in the morning these break open the Church doors pull down the Organs of which there were two Pair The greater Pair that stood upon a high loft over the entrance into the Quire was thence thrown down upon the ground and there stamped and trampled on and broke in pieces with such a strange furious and frantick zeal as can't be well conceived but by those that saw it Then the Souldiers enter the Quire and there their first business was to tear in pieces all the Common-Prayer Books that could be found The great Bible indeed that lay upon a Brass Eagle for reading the Lessons had the good hap to escape with the loss only of the Apocrypha Next they break down all the Seats Stalls and Wainscot that was behind them being adorn'd with several Historical passages out of the Old and New Testament a Latin Distich being in each Seat to declare the Story Whilst they are thus employed they chance to find a Great Parchment Book behind the Cieling with some 20 pieces of Gold laid there by a person a little before as in a place of safety in those unsafe and dangerous times This encourages the Souldiers in their work and makes them the more eager in breaking down all the rest of the Wainscot in hopes of finding such another prize The Book that was deposited there was called Swapham the Lieger Book of the Church and was redeemed afterward of a Souldier that got it by a person belonging to the Minster for ten Shillings under the notion of an old Latin Bible There was also a great Brass Candlestick hanging in the middle of the Quire containing about a Dozen and half of Lights with another Bow Candlestick about the Brass Eagle These both were broke in pieces and most of the Brass carried away and sold A well disposed person standing by and seeing the Souldiers make such spoil and havock speaks to one that appeared like an Officer desiring him to restrain the Souldiers from such enormities But all the answer he obtained was only a scoffing reply to this purpose See how these poor People are concern'd to see their Idols pulled down So the Inhabitants of Peterburgh at that time were accounted by these Reformers both a malignant and superstitious kind of People When they had thus defaced and spoiled the Quire They march up next to the East end of the Church and there break and cut in pieces and afterward burn the Rails that were about the Communion Table The Table it self was thrown down the Table-Cloth taken away with two fair Books in Velvet Covers the one a Bible the other a Common-Prayer Book with a Silver Bason gilt and a Pair of Silver Candlesticks beside But upon request made to Colonel Hubbert the Books Bason and all else save the Candlesticks were restored again Not long after on the 13th day of July 1643 Captain Barton and Captain Hope two Martial Ministers of Nottingham or Darbyshire coming to Peterburgh break open the Vestery and take away a Fair Crimson Satten Table Cloth and several other things that had escaped the former Souldiers hands Now behind the Communion Table there stood a curious Piece of Stone-work admired much by Strangers and Travellers a stately Skreen it was well wrought painted and gilt which rose up as high almost as the Roof of the Church in a Row of three lofty Spires with other lesser Spires growing out of each of them as it is represented in the annexed draught This now had no Imagery-work upon it or any thing else that might justly give offence and yet because it bore the name of the High Altar was pulled all down with Ropes lay'd low and level with the ground Over this place in the Roof of the Church in a large Oval yet to be seen was the Picture of our Saviour seated on a Throne one hand erected and holding a Globe in the other attended with the four Evangelists and Saints on each side with Crowns in their hands intended I suppose for a Representation of our Saviours coming to judgment Some of the company espying this cry out and say Lo this is the God these People bow and cringe unto This is the Idol they worship and adore Hereupon several Souldiers charge their Muskets amongst whom one Daniel Wood of Captain Ropers Company was the chief and discharge them at it and
the end of it The Hall was as fair a Room as most in England and another call'd the Green-Chamber not much inferior to it These all were then pull'd down and destroyed and the materials Lead Timber and Stone exposed to Sale for any that would buy them But some of the Bargains proved not very prosperous The Lead especially that came off the Palace was as fatal as the Gold of Tholouse for to my knowledge The Merchant that bought it lost it all and the Ship which carried it in her Voyage to Holland And thus the Church continued ruined and desolate and without all divine Offices for a time till at length by the favour of a great Person in the Neighbourhood it was repaired and restored to some degrees of decency again and out of the ashes of a late Cathedral grew up into a new Parochial Church in which way it was employ'd and used ever after untill the Kings happy Restauration For Mr. Oliver St. John Chief Justice then of the Common Pleas being sent on an Embassy into Holland by the Powers that govern'd then requested this Boon of them at his Return that they would give him the ruin'd Church or Minster at Peterburgh this they did accordingly and he gave it to the Town of Peterburgh for their use to be employ'd as a Parochial Church their own Parish-Church being then very ruinous and gone to decay Now the the Town considering the largeness of the Building and the greatness to the charge to repair it which of themselves they were not able to defray they all agree to pull down the Ladies Chapel as it was then called an additional Building to the North side of the Minster being then ruinous and ready to fall and to expose the materials thereof Lead Timber and Stone to Sale and to convert the mony that was made of them towards the Repairs of the great Fabrick All this they did and appointed certain persons to oversee the Work and expended several summs thus in Repairs mending the Leads securing the Roof Glazing several Windows and then fitting up the Quire and making it pretty decent for the Congregation to meet in And this they did by taking the Painted Boards that came off from the Roof of the Ladies Chapel and placing them all along at the back of the Quire in such manner as they continue to this day When the Place was thus fitted up and the Devastations which the Souldiers had made in some measure repaired one Mr. Samuel Wilson School Master of the Charter-house in London was sent down by the Committee of Plundred Ministers as they were then called to be Preacher with a Sallary of 160 l. per an in which employment he continued untill the Kings Return Then Dr. Cosin the antient Dean of the Church after almost 20 years Exile in France return'd and re-assumed his Right again in the year 1660 about the end of July He then after so long an Interval renew'd the antient usage and read divine Service first himself and caused it to be read every day afterward according to the old Laudable use and Custome and setled the Church and Quire in that order wherein it now continues But though the Church was thus delivered from publick Robbers and Spoilers yet it was not safe from the injuries of private hands For some ten or twelve years after certain Thieves in the dead of the Night broke into the Church and stole away all the Plate they could find viz. a fair Silver Bason gilt and the Virgers two Silver Rods and a Linnen Table-Cloth to wrap them in which were never heard of to this day This was the same Bason that had been plunder'd by the Souldiers and recovered again but irrecoverably lost now Yet both these losses were soon repaired one by Dr. Henshaw Bishop then of the Place who gave a fair new Silver Bason gilt the other made up by Dr. Duport then Dean who furnisht the Virgers again with the Ensigns of their Office by buying two new Silver Maces for the Churches use And thus is this History brought down at length within our own knowledge and remembrance where we have seen what various fortunes this Antient Church has had which now reckons at least 1000 years from its first Foundation It has been often ruinated and as often reedified Once it was destroyed by Danes twice consumed by Fire It escaped the general downfal of Abbies in Hen. the Eighth's time though not without the loss of some of her fairest Mannors And yet what that King took away in revenues he added to it in Dignity by converting it from an Abbey into a Cathedral Church But the worst mischief that ever befel it was that in the late Rebellious times when the Church it self was miserably defaced and spoiled and all the Lands for the maintenance thereof quite alienated and sold And yet through Gods especial goodness and favour we have lived to see the one repaired the others restored and the Church it self recovering her ancient beauty and lustre again And that it may long thus continue flourish and prosper and be a Nursery for vertue a Seminary for true Religion and Piety a constant Preserver of Gods publick worship and service and free from all Sacrilegious hands is the earnest and hearty Prayer wherewith I shall conclude this Discourse Ex Libro Memorandor Oliv. Sutton Episc Lincoln Anno Pontificatus sui XI A. D. 1290. OLiv c. Archidiacono Oxon. c. Ad Audientiam nostram nuper certa relatione pervenit Quod nonnulli juxta suarum mentium inconstantiam quasi vento agitati a cultu fidei temere deviantes locum quendam in campo juxta Ecclesiam Sancti Clementis extra Municipium Oxon. fontem beati Edmundi vulgariter nuncupatum veluti locum sacrum venerari illumque sub simulatione sacrorum Miraculorum quae perpetrata confingunt ibidem causa devotionis erroneae frequentare ac populum non modicum illuc attrahendo hujusmodi figmentis dampnatis decipere imo pervertere noviter presumpserint errorem Gentilium inter Christicolas introducere superstitiose conando Nos vero hujusmodi incredulitatis perfidiam veluti contra fidem Ecclesiae Doctrinam Apostolicam ne corda renatorum caligine haereticae pravitatis obducat temporis per processum si forte radicari germinare zizania permittatur tortuose serpente virus sui cautius ministrante fomentum eliminare prorsus amputare deo propitio volentes Vobis firmiter injungendo mandamus quatenus in singulis Ecclesiis intra Missarum folempnia locis aliis Archidiaconatus vestri in quibus videritis expedire per vos alios firmiter inhibeatis ne quis ad dictum locum causa venerationis ejusdem de cetero convenire illum superstitiose frequentare presumat sub pena Excommuncationis Maj. omnes singulos contra hujus inhibitionem scienter temere venientes dicta sententia comminata solempniter in genere innodantes donec de culpa contriti