seruiens Abbati et Conuentui de Lesnes qui obiit primo die mensis Ianuarij 1425. Cuius anime Lesnes Abbey In the yeare of our Lord 1178. the third of the Ides of Iune Richard Lucie a Councellour of State and chiefe Iustice of the Realme began the foundation of an Abbey at Lesnes or Westwood neare vnto this Towne of Eâ—â—th The extent of whose yearely reuenue as it was prized by the Commissioners at the suppression amounted to one hundred eighty sixe pounds and nine shillings When this his goodly fabricke was in all parts finished he presently forsooke and surrendred into the kings hands all both his offices and honours And betooke himselfe to the habite and profession of a Canon Regular in this house of his owne foundation where within a short while after euen in the same yeare to wit the fourteenth of Iuly 1479. he exchanged his Conuentuall blacke coole for a glorious bright heauenly crowne And here in the Quire of his Church hee was sumptuously entombed vpon whose Monument this Epitaph was engrauen Rapitur in tenebras Richardus lux Luciorum Iusticie pacis dilector vrbis honorum Christe sibi requies tecum sit sede piorum Iulia tunc orbi lux bis septena nitebat Mille annos C. nouem et septuaginta mouebat Now giue me leaue to go a little further with him and his heires as I finde the words in the Collection of Englands Protectours by Francis Thinne Lancaster Herald Sir Richard Lucie knight chiefe Iustice of England saith he was Protectour of England in the twelfth yeare of the raigne of king Henry the second in the absence of the king when hee was in Normandie and in the parts beyond the Seas Which Lucie in the thirteenth yeare of the same King did valiantly resist and politikely driue backe the Earle of Bolloigne inuading this kingdome He built the Abbey of Leosnes or Westwood in the Parish of Erith in Kent and not in Southfleet as some haue written in the yeare of Christ 1178. and the Castle of Chipping Augre in Essex He had issue Godfrey Bishop of Winchester and three daughters who after the death of Godfrey their brother were his heires Maude the eldest daughter was married to Robert the first called Fitzwater Aueline the second daughter was married to Richard Riuers of Stanford Riuers in Essex Rose the third daughter was married to Richard de Warren the naturall sonne of king Iohn as appeareth by a deed belonging to my selfe who had the Rectory of Leosnes beginning thus Rosa de Douer quondam vxor venerabilis viri Richardi filij Regis de Chillam And king Iohn by his Charter grants to another Rose her grandfathers lands in these words Rex reddidit Roesie de Douerita totam terram suam cum pertenenc qua eam contingit de heredit Richardi de Lucy avi sui tenend sibi hered c. Cart. 24. Reg. Iohannis numero 37. in Archi. Turris London The foresaid Godfrey de Lucy was consecrated Bishop of Winchester the first of Nouember 1189. And died Ann. 1204 hauing gouerned that See fifteene yeares He purchased of king Richard the first the Mannors of Wergraue and Menes which in times past had belonged to his Bishopricke he was a great Benefactour to this Religious house of Leosnes founded by his father wherein according to his will hee was enterred To whose memory this Epitaph was engrauen vpon his Tombe Lux mea lux Christi si terre ventre quiesco Attamen in celo sanctorum luce lucesco Presul de Winton fueram quondam Cathedratus Multum resplendens alto sanguine natus Nunc id sum quod eris puluis rota non retinenda Voluitur inuigila prudens nec differ agenda M. C. bis quatuorque annos his insuper addas Carnis vincla dies soluit secunda Decembris Vos qui transitis ancillam poscite Christi Sit Dominus mitis pulso purgamine tristi Wolwich Orate pro anima Iohannis Colin et Mathilde vxoris eius qui Iohannes obiit 27. Ianuar ..... Mathilda 25. Octob. 1397. Hic tacet Dominus Will. Prene quondam Rector huius Ecclesie viz. tempore Regis Edwardi quarti et postea Rector Ecclesie de Lymming qui fieri fecit istam Capellam et Campanile huius Ecclesie et in uita sua multa alia bona .... ob I. die Decemb. 1464. Willelmus Prene me fecit in honorem sancte Trinitatis Eltham Pray for the sowl of Dame Margerie Roper late wyff of Iohn Roper Suier daughter and one of the heires of Iohn Tattersall Suier who dyed 2. Februar 1518 Roper a name of eminent respect in this County honoured with the title of Baron Roper of Tenham by our Soueraigne Lord Iames late King of England giuen to Iohn Lord Roper now liuing Pray for the sowl of Iohn Morton sonne and heire of Margaret Morton of Asheby de la Zouch in the County of Leicester late wife to Tho. Squier who dyed 23. Aug. Prier pur l'alme Thomas Pierle qi morust le primer iour de Iuyl l'an de Grace Mil. ccc.lxix ..... Here lyeth Iohn Pasley yeoman Porter to king Henry the eighth and Agnes his wife which Iohn dyed .... 1509. Hen. 8.1 West Peckham Iohn Culpeper one of the Iustices of the Common Pleas in the raigne of king Henry the fourth founded here a Preceptorie or free-Schoole which he endowed with threescore and three pounds sixe shillings eight pence of yearely allowance Bromley In the Church wall lyeth the pourtraiture as I learne by tradition of Richard Wendouer Bishop of Rochester and Parson of this Towne He was consecrated 1238. and dyed 1250. yet it is said that his body was buried in Westminster by the kings speciall commandement for that he was accounted a very holy and vertuous man which I cannot much contradict Icy gist Mestre Water de Henche Qi fut Persone de Bromleghe 1360. Lewsham Hic iacet Georgius Hatecliffe Ar. Thesaurarius Domini Regis in Hibernia ac vnus clericorum compoti Hospitii regis obiit 1. Aug. 1514. Iohn Norbury founded a Priory in this Towne of Lewsham which hee replenished with blacke Monkes Aliens belonging to the Abbey of Gaunt in Flanders and thereupon called Aliens because they were Celles to some Monastery or other beyond the Seas The first foundation of these houses I do not finde but in the raigne of king Edward the third they were encreased to the number of one hundred and ten in England besides them in Ireland Aquitane and Normandy The goods of all which Priories the said king Ann. Reg. 12. because of his warres with France caused to be confiscated to his owne vse letting out their houses to farme with all their lands and tenements for the space of three and twenty yeares At the end of which Terme Peace being concluded betweene the two Nations he restored to the Priors Aliens their
the holy crosse so denominated of wearing a Crosse anciently called a Crouch vpon their garments and of bearing the crosse for the badge and Armes of their house This house was valued at the suppression to 52 l. 13 s. 2 d. of annuall profits A Petition to Secretary Cromwell against the Prior of this house a little before the dissolution thereof Pleasethe it your honourable mastoreship to be aduertesid that in the time of Lent last past your continuall orator Iohn Bartelote with others to the number of fiue persons of good conuersation found the Priore of the Crossyd Friores in London at that time being in bed with his whoore both naked about xi of the clocke in the forenoone vpon a Friday at which time the said Priore to the intent his misdemeanour and shamefull fact should not be knowne whereby he should sustaine open shame kneeled vpon his knees and not onely desired your said orator and his company to keepe secret his said act and not to disclose in any wife the same but for the same intent freely and of his owne motion gaue amongst them about xxx l. which he then was possessed of of the which summe your Orator had by the said gift about vii l. And also the said Priore promised to giue amongst the said company xxx l. more by a certaine day and after by mediation of friends of the said Priore the said xxx l. was released to the summe of vi l. which sixe pounds the said Priore bound himselfe to pay to the said Orator by his Bill obligatory at a certaine day in the same limeted Yet this notwithstanding for by cause your said Orator for non paiment of the said vi l. did arrest the said Priore he hath so hainously informed the Lord Chancelour against your Orator that he will onely put him to shewertie making the premisses a hainous Robbery saying openly that your Orator is worthy to be hanged but also will by his high authoritie compell your Orator to repay agen to the said Priore the some of xxx l. vnlesse your most charetable goodnesse bee therein otherwise shewed It may therefore plese your good Mastershipe of your abundant goodnesse to prouide that the premeses may be duly examined according to equitie for this is the very and hole truth in the same And your seid Oratore shall prey to God for your honor and preseruation long to endure By your humble Oratore to his power during his life Iohn Bartelote Saint Katherines by the Tower This was the Church belonging to the Hospitall dedicated to the honour of Saint Katherine founded by Queene Maud the wife of King Stephen and much augmented by Eleanor the wife of King Edward the first and Philip wife to King Edward the third who left to it sufficient liuelihood for a Master 3 Brethren Chaplaines and 3 Sisters tenne poore women and sixe poore Clarkes This house was valued at the generall suppression at 315 l. 14 s. 2 d. per annum Here vnder an Ancient monument â—ouly defaced lieth entombed the body of Iohn Holland Duke of Exceter Earle of Huntington and of Iuory in Normandy Lord of Sparre Admirall of England Ireland and Aquitaine Lieuetenant Generall of the Duchie of Aquitaine Fellow of the honourable order of the Garter and Constable of the Tower of London as he writ in his stile when Henry the fift in the fift of his raigne was to goe ouer into Normandy this puissant Iohn Holland as then but Earle of Huntington was sent before to scoure the seas who meeting with nine Carrickes of Genoa which were going to aide the French King fought with them and sunke sixe of them and tooke the other three with great store of money and treasure and brought them with his prisoners to the King This battaile was fought nere Harflew vpon the fall of the Riuer Seyne into the narrow seas of which an old versifier They faught full sore afore the water of Sayn With Carrickes many well stuffed and arayed And many other shippes great of Hispayn Barges Balyngers and Galleys vnfrayed Whiche proudly came vpon our Shippes vnprayed And by th'euen their sailes aualed were set Their enemies slaine in battayll and sore bet And many dryent were that daye in the Sea That as our flete rode there then alway Vnto the feast next of his Natiuitee The Bodies flete among our Shippes eche daye Full piteous was and to see theim ay That thousandes were twenty as they then told That taken were in that same batayll bold This valiant braue Duke died full of yeares the fift of August in the 25. yeere of King Henry the sixt Anno 1447. Here lye entombed by him his two wiues the first was Anne daughter of Edmund Earle Stafford by his wife Anne the heire of Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester by whom hee had issue Henry Duke of Exceter She had bin formerly married vnto Edmund Mortimer Earle of March and Vlster I cannot finde the time of her death His second wife here entombed was also Anne daughter of Io. Mountague the third of that name Earle of Salisbury who formerly had bin twise married to Sir Richard Hanckford to Sir Iohn Fitz-Lewis Knights She died the 27 of Nouember 1457. Here lieth likewise entombed the body of Constance sister of the foresaid Iohn Duke of Exceter daughter of Iohn Holland first of that name Duke of Exceter married to Thomas Lord Mowbray the sonne of Thomas who died in banishment Duke of Norfolke Earle of Nottingham and Earle Marshall of England and remarried to Sir Iohn Grey Lord Grey of Ruthin she died the sixteenth of Henry the sixt New Abbey in East-Smithfield Before the foundation of this Abbey there stood in the same place a little Chappell within a Coemitorie or Church-yard dedicated to the honour of God by Raph Stratford Bishop of London wherein were interred innumerable many of such persons as died in the first great Pestilence the 23 of King Edward the third Now the said King liking well this plot of ground and hauing before in a tempest on the sea and perill of drowning made a vow to build a Monastery to the honour of God and our Lady of Grace if God would grant him grace to come safe to land builded here a Monastery wherein he placed white Monkes of the Cistercian order which house at the generall suppression was valued at 546 l. 10 d. yearely The Kings store-house for victuall and for baking of Biskets to serue his Maiesties Ships is built in the same place where this Abbey stood The Minories Here was an Abbey of Nunnes of the order of Saint Clare founded by Blanch Queene of Nauarre and her husband Edmund Earle of Lancaster Leicester and Darby brother to King Edward the first in the yeere 1293. This house was valued to dispend yeerely 418 l. 8 s. 5 d. and was surrendred by Dame Elizabeth Sauage the last Abbesse there vnto King Henry
laid his foundation 137â— His death was much lamented by the King the Nobilitie and commons of all England for with singular commendations hee had for a long time serued vnder Edward the third in the French warres and was employed by him vpon seuerall Embasies and his truth and good councell was euer much auailable to the whole state of the kingdome His obsequies were performed with great solemnity King Edward the third and all his children with the greatest Prelates and Lord Barons of the kingdome being there present His wife Margaret was here entombed with him by whom he had issue Thomas Manye who in his youth was drowned in a Well at Detford in Kent and Anne then his onely daughter and heire married to Iohn Lord Hastings Earle of Penbroke Margaret Lady Manye saith Iohn Stow here interred yet the Catalogue of Honour will haue her to be buried in the Minories died the 24. of March 1399. she was the onely daughter of Thomas of Brotherton Earle of Norfolke and Marshall of England second sonne of King Edward the first and her fathers onely heire after the death of her brother Edward which happened in the same yeare that his father departed the world She was for the greatnesse of her birth her large reuenewes and wealth created Dutchesse of Norfolke for terme of life she had beene first married to Iohn Lord Segraue and her last husband was the foresaid Sir Walter Manny Here sometime was interred the body of Philip Morgan Doctor of Law Chancelour of Normandy and Bishop of Ely a very wise man who with great commendations gouerned that See nine yeeres sixe moneths and foure daies and departed this life at Bishops-Hatfield October 25. 1434. Many funerall monuments were in this Church as you may finde them mentioned in the Suruay of London This religious house is now turned into an Hospitall consisting of a Master a Preacher a Free-Schoole with a Master and an Vsher fourescore decaied gentlemen Souldiers and forty schollers maintained with sufficient cloathing meate drinke lodging and wages besides Officers and Ministers to attend vpon them all so that the whole number now in the house with the attendants is one hundred and fourescore The greatest gift that euer at any time in England no Abbey at the first foundation thereof excepted or therewith to bee compared being the gift of one man onely whose name was Thomas Sutton of Castle Campes in the County of Cambridge Esquire borne at Knaith in the County of Lincolne who liued to the age of 79 yeares and deceased the 12. day of December 1611. somewhat before this his famous Foundation was fully accomplished Great Saint Bartholomewes This Priorie was founded by one Rahere a pleasant conceited wittie gentleman and a Courtier in the raigne of King Henry the first which he dedicated to the honour of God and Saint Bartholomew and placed therein blacke Canons or Canons regular himselfe became their first Prior his foundation was confirmed in these words Henricus Rex c. Sciatis me concessisse presenti carta me confirmasse Ecclesie beati Bartholomei London que est Dominica Capella mea et canonicis dominicis in ea Domino seruientibus quod sint ab omni subiectione terrena seruitute liberi vt sic aliqua Ecclesia in tota Anglia magis libera c. dat per manum nostram apud Winton 15 Iunij Anno reg 37. Here he died and was here buried in a faire monument renewed by Prior Bolton which Bolton was the last Prior of this house a great builder and repairer of the Priorie and the Parish Church and of diuers lodgings belonging to the same as also of new he builded the Mannor of Canonbury now called Canbury at Islington which belonged to the Canons of this house This Bolton and the rest of his brethren were portraied vpon a Table sometimes hanging in this Church now it is in Sir Robert Cottons Librarie holding vp their hands to the Crucifixe vnder whom these verses were depensiâ—d Gulielmo Bolton precibus succurrite vestris Qualis erat pater hic Domus hec cetera monstrant He died at his Parsonage house at Harrow vpon the hill as I haue it by relation the fourth of Edward the sixt and was there interred He surrendred vp this his Priorie the 30 of Henry the 8. which was then valued at 757 l. 8 s. 4 d. ob q. by yeere Here sometime lay entombed the body of Roger Walden Bishop of London Neuer had any man better experience of the variable vncertaintie of worldly felicity then he for from the estate of a very poore man he was suddenly raised to be Treasurer of England hauing beene first Secretarie to the King Deane of Yorke and Treasurer of the towne of Calis and then made Archbishop of Canterbury which honour he enioyed not past two yeares but was remoued from the same and forced to leade a priuate life a long time At last being once more lift vp to the honour of this Bishopricke of London he left this present life within the compasse of the yeere following Of this man thus writeth Thomas Walsingham who liued in those times and much what to the same effect I will vse his owne language Anno 1406. Dominus Rogerus de Waldene debitum Naturae soluit qui varia fortuna vectus expertus est sub breui tempore Quam sit inconstans incerta volubilis ipsa Errans instabilis vaga quae dum stare putatur Occidit et falso mutatur gaudia vultu Nempe ex pauperculo factus est Regni Thesaurarius and so proceeds on forwards with his story Vpon his monument this Epitaph was inlayd in brasse Hic iacet Rogerus de Walden Episcopus Londinens qui cum in vtraque fortuna plurimuÌ„ laborauit ex hac vita migrauit 2 die Nouem an dom 1406 Vir cultor verus Domini iacet intra Rogerus Walden Fortuna cus nunquam steterat vna Nunc requiem tumuli Deus omnipotens dedit illi Gaudet et in celis plaudet vbi quisque fidelis He denied his preferment to the Bishoppricke of London being preferred vnto him by the Pope saying that he would not accept of it from any but from the king As I finde thus recorded in the Tower Cum summus Pontifex nuper prouidisset Rogero Walden de Ecclesia Cathedral London prefatus tamen Rogerus dominicum beneficium sine Regis assensu et licentia acceptare noluit nec vult ni presenti Rex concedit eidem Rogero licentiam quod ipse tanquam verus Pastor et Episcopus dicte Ecclesie Cathedralis eandem ecclesiam capere valeat et acceptare T. R. apud W. 24. Iunij Little Saint Bartholomewes This Hospitall for the poore and diseased was founded by the forenamed Rahere Prior of great Saint Bartholomewes to be gouerned by a Master and eight Brethren being Priests for the Church and foure Sisters to see the poore
full of honours and yeares ended his life here at his Castle of Berkamsted but was buried at his Abbey of Hales Of whom hereafter Here are diuers Tombes to the memory of the name of Waterhouse whose inscriptions of antiquitie are all taken away with the brasse and the carefull preseruing of the rest altogether neglected Hic iacent Iohannes Waterhouse Margaret vxor eius ..... Ecce sub hoc tumulo coniux vxorque iacemus Eternam pacem donet vterque Deus Nil vnquam abstulimus si quid benefecimus vlli Est qui pro meritis premia digna dabit Est tamen vna salus Christi miseratio quam qui Transis ambobus sepe precâ—re Deum Hic iacet Richardus Westbroke qui obiit 29. Septemb. 1485. supplicans vobis ex charitate vestra pro anima sua dicere Pater Noster Ave. Here lieth Katherin the wyfe of Robert Incent the father and mother to Iohn Incent Doctor of the Law who hath done many benefytes and ornaments to this Chappell of St. Iohn Baptist ..... the twelâ—th yeere of Henry the eight This Iohn Incent Doctor of the Law was Deane of Saint Paules London who built in this Towne a free-Schoole allowing to the Master a stipend of twenty pound per annum And to the Vsher ten pound which was confirmed by Act of Parliament Here lyeth Robert Incent late Servant to that noble Princesse Cicely Duchesse of Yorke who dyed of the sweating sicknesse the first yeere of Henry the seuenth Hic iacet Edwardus de le hay ... 1510. This is an ancient name flourishing euer since the raigne of Hen. the second Stow. Annal. Hic iacet Margarita Briggs que ob 17. Aug. 1374. Here is an ancient monument to the memory of one Iohn Rauen Esquire who died in the yeere 1395. Vnder the Armes of King Edward the sixth painted vpon a table these verses Quid sextum dicis nulli virtute secundus Ingenio nulli nullus in arte prior Edwardi insignis sunt haec insignia Iudiâ— In Signis illum deliniare nequis Vnder the cote and crest of Doctor Incent these Hexameters Mira cano nondum denos compleuerat annos Cum Pater est Patriae Edwardus Musisque Patronus Ille tuis avibus sublatas reddidit alas Incenti obtusis aciem pugionibus ille Ille cruci vires Infanti adiecit amictum Ille Rosam suavi perfudit odore caducam Kings Langley So named of the Kings house thereunto adioyning wherein Edmund Plantaginet the fifth sonne of King Edward the third was borne and thereupon surnamed Edmund of Langley Hereby was a religious House for preaching Friers founded by Roger the sonne of Robert Helle an English Baron valued to be yeerely worth at the suppression one hundred and fifty pound fourteene shillings eight pence in the Church of this monasterie the foresaid Edmund was interred He was Lord of Tindale Earle of Cambridge and Duke of Yorke He married Isabell second daughter and one of the heires of Peter King of Castile and Leon who died before him in the yeare 1393 and was buried in this Friery by whom hee had issue Edward Earle of Rutland Duke of Albamarle and Yorke Richard Earle of Cambridge and a daughter whose name was Constance He had a second wife whose name was Ioane daughter of Thomas Holland Earle of Kent who after his death was married to William Lord Willoughby of Eresby to Henry Lord Scroope and to Henry Bromflet Lord Vescy He is reckoned for one of the Knights of the Garter and in the absence of his father in France is said to be Protectour of the Realme of England Hee is much commended for his affabilitie and gentle deportment as also for his valour of which will you heare my often alledged Author Io. Harding Sir Edmond Langley full of gentylnesse Sir Thomas Woodstok full of corage For his valour in another Chapter thus At whiche battaill duke Iohn of Gaunt indede And his brother Edmond then faught full sore Were neuer twoo better knightes then thei indede That better faught vpon a feld afore It was but grace that thei escaped thore Thei putte theimselfes so fer furth ay in prees That wounded wer thei bothe full sore no lees This renowned Duke deceased saith Stow in the yeare 1402. the third of Henry the fourth and was here buried neare to his wife with two of his brethren who died young Here sometime lay entombed the body of Pierce Gaueston a Gascoigne borne Lord of the Isle of Man and Earle of Cornwall A man in such fauour with Edward the second hauing before ensnared his youth by the allurements of a corrupt life that hee had from the said King whatsoeuer could be poured vpon him For though it might seeme incredible saith Speed out of the booke of Dunstable he both gaue him his Iewels and ancestors treasure and euen the Crowne it selfe of his victorious father not sticking to professe if it lay in him hee should succeed him in the kingdome But his insolencie and presumption vpon the kings fauour made him so farre to forget himselfe as that he scorned the best of the Nobilitie as much as they hated him miscalling and giuing them scoffes with bitter iests which left behinde them a sowre remembrance and the sting of reuenge Of all which my old timer who flourished about those dayes thus speaketh more seriously in Prose Perys went into the kyngys Tresorye in ye Abbey of Westminstre saith he and yer toke away a tabil of gold wyth the tressel and oyer ryche Iuwels the whyche wer sumtym king Arthurys and hem he toke to a merchant yat het Aymery of Friscomband and bar hem ouer the see into Gascoigne and yay wer neuer brought ayen yat was gret harme to yet Reme And this Sure Perys gretly despysyd the Lordys of ye londe and atte yat tym Sure Perys clupyd Robard of Clare ye Erle of Gloucetre Hore sone and ye Erle of Penbrok Ioseph ye Iew and ye Erle of Nycol Sure Henry de Lacy Brokbely and Gowy of Warwike Blak hound of Ardern and also he clupyd ye nobiâ— and gentyl Erle of Lancastre Eherle and oyer meny despytes he sâ—yd to ye Lordys of Englonde wherfor yay weryn sore agreuyd And so much agrieued they were that they surprised him in the night at a viliage or mannour called Dathington or Deddington betweene Oxford and Warwick from whence Guy Earle of Warwick tooke him to his Castle of Warwicke where in a place called Blacklow afterward Gaueshead his head was stricken off the nineteenth of Iune 1311. at the commandement and in the presence of the Earles of Lancaster Warwicke and Hereford as of one that had beene a subuerter of the Lawes and an open Traitour to the kingdome A violent and vnaduised part of these Lords to put to death an Earle so dearly loued of the King without any iudiciall proceeding by triall of his Peeres
Nottingham Yorke and Northumberland where without respect of age or sexe they laid all wast and left the Land whence they departed like to a desolate wildernesse From thence they came with the like furie into Edmunds territories and sacked Thetford a frequent citie in those daies but hee not able to withstand their violence fled into â—his Castle at Framingham wherein he was of them besieged and lastly taken in a village then called Heglisdune of a wood bearing the same name or rather yeelded himselfe to their torments to saue more christian bloud for it is recorded that because of his most constant Faith and profession those Pagans first beat him with bats then scourged him with whips he still calling vpon the name of Iesus for rage whereof they bound to a stake and with their arrowes shot him to death and cutting off his head contemptuously threw it into a bush after he had raigned ouer the East Angles the space of sixteene yeares Camden out of Abbo Floriacensis saith that the bloudy Danes hauing bound this most christian King to a tree for that he would not renounce christianity shot him with sharpe arrowes all his body ouer augmenting the paines of his torment with continuall piercing him with arrow after arrow and thus inflicted wound vpon wound so long as one arrow could stand by another as a Poet of midle time versified of him I am loca vulneribus desunt nec dum furiofis Tela sed hyberna grandine plura volant Though now no place was left for wound yet arrowes did not faile These surious wretches still they flie thicker then winter haile His body and head after the Danes were departed were buried at the same royall Towne as Abbo termes it where Sigebert the East Anglean King and one of his predecessors at his establishing of Christianity built a Church and where afterwards in honour of him was built another most spatious and of a wonderfull frame of Timber and the name of the Towne vpon that occasion of his buriall called vnto this day Saint Edmundsbury This Church and place to speake more fully to that which I haue written before Suenus the Pagan Danish King in impiety and fury burned to ashes But when his sonne Canute or Knute had made conquest of this Land and gotten possession of the English Crowne terrified and afrighted as saith the Legend with a vision of the seeming Saint Edmund in a religious deuotion to expiate his Fathers sacriledge built it anew most sumptuously enriched this place with Charters and Gifts and offered his owne Crowne vpon the Martyrs Tombe of whom for a conclusion take these verses following Vtque cruore suo Gallos Dionisius ornat Grecos Demetrius gloria quisque suiâ— Sic nos Edmundus nulli virtute secundus Lux patet patrie gloria magna sue Sceptra manum Diadema capud sua purpura corpus Ornat ei sed plus vincula mucro cruor The 20. day of Nouember in our Calender was kept holy in remembrance of this King and Martyr Puer Robertus apud Sanctum Edmundum a Iudeis fuit Martirazatus 4. Id. Iunij An. 1179. et illic sepultus Alanus Comes Britannie obijt An. 1093. his iacet ad hostium australe Sancti Edmundi ex eod lib. de chateris This Allan here buried or as some will haue it in the monastery of Rhedon sirnamed the Red or Fergaunt was the sonne of Eudo Earle of Britaine and entred England with William the Conquerour his Father in Law To whom the said Conquerour gaue the honour and County of Edwyn within the County and Prouince of Yorke by his Charter in these words I William sirnamed Bastard King of England giue and grant to thee my Nephew Allan Earle of Britaine and to thy heyres for euer all those Villages Townes and Lands which were late in possession of Earle Edwin in Yorkeshire with knights fees Churches and other liberties and customes as freely and honourably as the said Edwyn held them Giuen at the siege before Yorke Alban being a man of an high spirit and desirous to gouerne the Prouince entirely which he had receiued built a strong Castle by Gillingham a village which he possessed by which he might defend himselfe not onely against the English who were spoiled of their goods and lands but also against the fury and inuasions of the Danes When the worke was finished he gaue it the name of Richmond of purpose either for the greatnesse and magnificence of the place or for some Castle in little Britaine of the same name Here sometimes vnder a goodly Monument in the Quire of this Abbey Church lay interred the body of Thomas surnamed of Brotherton the place of his birth the fifth sonne of Edward the first after the Conquest king of England by Margaret his second wife the eldest daughter of Philip king of France surnamed the Hardy He was created Earle of Norfolke and made Earle Marshall of England by his halfe brother King Edward the second which Earledomes Roger Bigod the last of that surname Earle of Norfolke and Earle Marshall leauing no issue left to the disposition of the king his Father This Earle died in the yeare of our redemption 1338. Here lay buried the body of Thomas Beauford sonne of Iohn of Gaunt begotten of the Lady Katherine Swyneford his third wife who by King Henry the fourth was made Admirall then Captaine of Calis and afterwards Lord Chancellour of England He was created by the said King Earle of Perch in Normandy and Earle of Dorlet in England And lastly in the fourth yeare of King Henry the fifth he was created Duke of Exceter and made knight of the order of the Garter He had the leading of the Rereward at the battell of Agincourt and the gouernment of king Henry the sixth appointed to that office by the foresaid Henry the fifth on his death-bed He valiantly defended Harflew in Normandy whereof he was gouernour against the Frenchmen and in a pitched field encountring the Earle of Armiguar put him to flight He died at his House of East Greenwich in Kent vpon Newyeares day the fifth of Henry the sixth for whom all England mourned saith Milles The body of Mary Queene of France widow of Lewis the twelfth daughâ—er of King Henry the 7. and sister to king Henry the eight was here in this Abbey Church entombed After the death of Lewis with whom she liued not long shee married that Martiall and pompous Gentleman Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke She died on Midsomer Eeue 1533. Iohn Boon Abbot of this Monasterie had his tombe and interrement here in this Church who died in the beginning of February in the ninth yeare of the raigne of king Edward the fourth as appeares by the said kings Conged'eslire or permission royall to the Prior and Couent of this House to make choise of another Abbot as followeth Edwardus Dei gratia Rex Anglie Francie
from the women lest they should giue occasion of scandall wherefore Saint Brigide desiring to reuiue this order she found meanes how without any suspition the Church and house should be common to boâ—h She ordained that they should weare a russet habit with a cloke of the same colour with a red crosse vpon their breasts Shee would haue but sixtie Nunnes and fiue and twentie Monkes in euery Monasterie that is to say thirteene Priests according to the number of the thirteene Apostles comprehending Saint Paul Then foure Deacons who might also be Priests and represented the foure Doctors of the Church and eight Conueâ—ts who might alwayes be readie to labour for the affaires of the house so as the Friers and Nunnes all together made the number of the thirteene Apostles and the seuentie two Disciples of our Sauiour And to the end they might be distinguished one from another the Priests carried a red Crosse vpon the left side of their cloke vnder which crosse they put a little peece of white cloth as broad as a wafer which they offered vp in reuerence of the holy Sacrament And the foure Deacons for a difference from the Priests carried a round wreath of white cloth which signified as they gaue out the sapience of the foure Doctors whom they represented and vpon it they put foure little peeces of red made like vnto tongues to shew that the holy Ghost inflamed their tongues to deliuer the sacred mysteries of Diuinity The Conuerts wore a white crosse vpon their clokes to shew the innocencie of their liues vpon which there were fiue peeces of red in commemoration of the fiue wounds of our Sauiour At the dissolution there was a Couent of this Order at Sion in Mid'e sexe now a mansion goodly faire house belonging to the right honourable the Earle of Northumberland This holy Lady Brigid died at Rome and her daughter Katherine Princesse of Nerice caused the rule after her death to be confirmed by Poâ—e Vrâ—â—â— the fifth She came to Rome at the age of two and fourtie where she continued eight and twentie yeares she was canonized in the yeare of Grace 1391. There was another S. Brigid of Ireland farre more ancient It is said that the image of our Sauiour spoke to this pious Queene of Sweden as she was saying her orizons before the high Altar in the Church of Saint Paul in Via Ostiensi Rome as appeares by an inscription vpon a table hanging in the same Church which I haue seene As many orders or neare thereabouts as were of Friers so many were of Nunnes here and beyond Seas for men in the feruencie of deuotion did not precede the weaker sex of religious women The strictest Order of Nunnes is that of S. Clare A Lady who liued in the same time and was borne in the same Towne of Assile with S. Francis Which Towne to this day brags of the birth of two such worthie persons These Clares obserue the rule of their Patron S. Francis and weare the like habit in colour They are neuer rich and therefore to this day wheresoeuer they doe inhabite they are called the poore Clares This Saint Clare was the first Nunne of Saint Francis Order and her Mother and Sister vndertooke the same vow Sancta Clara que in vita in morte mirabiliter miraculis claruit Beata Agnes soror sancte Clare beata Ortulana mater eorundem fuere ordinis Franciscorum Saint Clare who both in life and death was wondrously famous by her miracles S. Agnes her sister and Ortulana her mother were of the order of S. Francis This S. Clare saith her Legend touching the world was of rightworthy and honourable linage and as touching the spirit to the regard of the state of vertues and holy manners towards God of right noble reputation Hauing spoken already of such religious persons as I finde to haue liued here in England in Coenobies or Couents at the time of the generall dissolution it remaines now to say somewhat of Hermits and Anchorites who had at that time their solitaire little cells or cabbins in diuers places of this kingdome which carrie still the name of Hermitages in and about the countrey and Anchor-holds in Parish or Abbey Churches They were called Hermites or Eremites for that they liued solitarily in desarts and wildernesses and Anchorites because they liued alone without all company immured betwixt two walls in the out side of some Abbey or Parish-Church in which by their rule they were to liue die and to bee buried Whose exercise was feruent prayer handy labour digging and filling vp againe their graues which were to be within their lodgings Of the beginning and first Authors of the Hermites life there is great question which I leaue vnto the learned and adhere to the common receiued opinion which affirmes that the times of persecution were the first cause of this kinde of life For when as in the time of Decius and Valerianus Emperours about two hundred fiftie and two yeares after Christ they prepared horrible torments against the Christians many distrusting the weaknesse of the flesh and searing to denie the name of God by their intollerable persecutions thought it fittest to seeke their safetie by flight Wherefore many leauing Townes frâ—ends and all their wealth retired themselues into desarts and held themselues in solitarie places and caues where they buâ—lt poore cottages Yea many times they went wandring vp and downe in thicke woods lest they should bee taken But when the surie of their tâ—ranâ— ceased they returned not vnto the world but liued voluntarily in desarts so being accustomed to diuine contemplation and a quick kinde of 〈◊〉 they continued in the course vntill death Among the first which entred into this course of life was Paul of Thebes who liued in a caue at the foote of a rocke about the yeare of our redemption 260. The second was Saint Antonie of Aegypt who built himselfe a cottage vpon the top of an high hill where he died hauing liued one hundred and fiue yeares in the yeare 34â—â— S. Hierome of Stridone in Dalmatia that learned and religious Doct 〈◊〉 the like life in the desarts of Syria not farre from Jerusalem In quo loâ—o deserto se ieiunijs macerabat plangebat orabat sludebat atque etiam â—â—m mentabatur In which vninhabited place he macerated or made leane his bodie with fastings he lamented and bewailed his sinnes he pâ—ayed he studied and writ certaine Comments vpon the sacred Scriptures Many other workes he writ before his death which happened about the yeare of our Lord 388. But to come nearer home where the repute and godlinesse of these Hermites or Anchorites for both of them liuing from the companie and conuersation of men were called sometimes by the name of Hermites and some other time of Anchorites was likewise had in venerable regard for we reade that when seuen British Bishops with other learned men of the Monasâ—â—â—â—e of
the seuenth was taken out of his house and carried into France from whence by ransome he freed himselfe Chart Magna Betweene the Chancell and the North Chappell of this Church is an Altar-Tombe round about the verge of which is engrauen this Epitaph following in brasse and betwixt euery word the figure of a well alluding to the name of the parties there vnderneath interred Anime Willelmi de Goldwelle Auicie vxoris sue per miserecordiam Dei in pace requiescant Qui quidem Willelmus septimo die mensis Maij dicta Avicia octauo die Aprilis Litera Dominicalis B. ab hac luce migrarunt Ann. Domini M. CCCC.LXXXV Quorum animabus propitietur Deus Amen Iames Goldwell of this family Bishop of Norwich was a repairer of this Church as appeares by this broken Inscription in the top crosse window ..... Magistro Iacobo Goldwelle ..... Ecclesie sancti Pauli London qui hoc opus repara ...... And in the East window it is thus to be read in the glasse Memoriale reuerendi patris Domini Iacobi Goldwell Episcopi Norwicen In a North window of the North Chappell haue beene sixteene pourtraitures of men in glasse all kneeling whereof most remaine whose names are as followeth Iohannes Webbe Iohannes Hosewyf Thomas Wred Iohannes Turlepyn Willelmus Malemayne Iohannes Litihey Iohannes Bockon Iohannes Chillinton Iohannes Atte Iohannes Yardherst .......... In midst of whom as the Priests then are Dominus Richardus Medhurst and Dominus Walterus Wilcock Now as it goes by tradition from the father to the sonne these were the builders of this Church In the middest of the East-window in the South Chappell of this Church is the picture of the foresaid Bishop Goldwell kneeling and in euerie quarry a golden well or fountaine his Rebus or Name deuise and crosse the window inscribed ..... Iacobo Goldwelle Episcopo Norwicen qui ..... opus fundauit Ann. Christi M. CCCC.LXXVII whereby it appeares that this Bishop was Founder of this Chappell The corner stone of the foundation of this Chappell on the outside is made like a Graue-stone with a Crosse cut thereupon Orate pro anima Iohannis Toke Armigeri nuper de Goddington istius paroch Cuius corpus iacet hic tumulatum ac pro animabus Margarete et Anne vxorum suarum Que quidem Margareta filia fuit naturalis dum vixit Iohannis Walworth nuper in Comitatu Suff. dicta Anna filia etiam naturalis Iohannis Engeham Armigeri nuper de Syngleton istus paroch Qui vero Iohannes Toke obijt vicesimo die Maij Ann. Dom. M. CCCCC.XIII Quorum animabus propitietur Deus Altissimus Hic iacent Thomas Twesden generosus qui obijt 8. die Decembris Ann. Dom. 1500. et Benedicta vxor eius Quorum animabus propitietur Deus Sancta Trinitas Deus miserere nobis Hic iacet Willelmus Sharpe et eius quinque consortes qui Willelmus obijt 29. die Septemb. Ann. Dom. 1499. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Seuington Hic iacet Margareta Barry Quondam vxor Edwardi Barry Armiger Que quidem Margareta obijt ..... mensis .... Ann. 1400. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Hic iacet Ioanna Barry quondam vxor Willelmi Barry militis Pater de celis Deus miserere nobis Fili Redemptor mundi Deus miserere nobis Spiritus Sancte Deus miserere nobis Sancta Trinitas vnus Deus miserere nobis Orate pro anima Iohannis Barry militis Orate pro anima Isabelle quondam vxor Willelmi Barry Militis Pater de celis As before about the verge of this and the other Grauestone Here is also a Monument whereupon a man armed is pourtraied the Inscription whereof is altogether perished which in all likelihood was made to the memory of Sir William Barry knight the husband of the fore-remembred Isabell. At the lower end of the Church and neare to the Bellfree lyeth the body of one of these Barryes pourtraied in compleat armour about the Verge of his Monument this Inscription Hic iacet Vmfridus Barre Ar. Quondam Dominus istius ville et Patronus istius Ecclesie Qui obiit in die Sancte Marie Magdalene An. Dom. 1431. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Camden in his Chorographicall description of Ireland and in the County of Corke writes greatly to the honour of this surname of Barry These are his words as followeth Beneath Corke saith he the riuer parting in twaine enuironeth a large and very pleasant Island ouer against the principall dwelling house of that most ancient and noble family of the Barries which thereupon is called Barry Court For that family is deriued from Robert de Barry an English man a personage of great worth and renowned who notwithstanding chose rather among the first to be chiefe indeed then to seeme chiefe who in the winning of Ireland receiued wounds and hurt and the first man he was in Ireland that manned and brought the Hawke to hand His posterity by their long approued loyaltie and martiall prowesse deserued to receiue of the kings of England first the title of Baron Barry afterwards of Vicount Butiphant and for their great lands and wealth gat among the people the surname of Barry More that is Barry the Great ..... Iohannes Fynch Armiger Qui obiit 19. die Mensis Maij Ann. Dom 1442. Cuius This I conceiue to be some younger branch of the Nobly descended family of the Finches of whom there is mention made among the Monuments in Braborne Church before where they are stiled Herbert vel Finch not vnaptly thereby continuing the memory of their originall name and ancestry as being lineally descended from Hen. Fuz-Herbert Chamberlaine to king Henry the first who married the daughter and heire to Sir Robert Corbert and had issue by her a sonne named Herbert who likewise had issue a sonne named Herbert Fitz-Herbert Who by his first wife Luce daughter and coheire of Milo Earle of Hereford and high Constable of England had issue a sonne named Peter Fitz Herbert from whom the Herberts Earles of Penbrooke are descended and by Matilda his second wife after his death re-married to the Lord Columbarij he had issue Mathew Fitz-Herbert who was one of the Magnates or Barons at the making of Magna Charta and was likewise one of those potent Noblemen for the king that made the accord betweene king Iohn and the Barons at Runnyng Mead betweene Windsore and Stanes his sonne likewise called Herbert Fitz Mathew was the fourth Baron that is mentioned in the Rowl of the Parliament at Tewkesbury The change of this name Finch seemeth to haue beene about the latter end of king Hen. the third at which time many other families suffered like alteration as appeareth by a supersedeas Ann. 8. E. 2. therein mentioning that Herbertus Filius Herberti dicti Finch was a Ward 28. E. primi and so could not personally serue with the king in his warres in Scotland and
so A. The Countes of Hereford and Mauld hight she Whiche whan deth the knotte had vndoo Of temporal spousaile bitwixt hem twoo With diuers parcels encresâ—d our fundatioun Liche as our Monumentys make declaratioun Q. Of the furst Gilbert who was the wyff A. Dame Mauld a Ladye ful honourable Borne of the Ulsters as she with ryff Hir aarmes of glas in the Est gable And for to God thei wolde ben acceptable Her Lord and she with an holy entent Made vp our Chirche fro the fundament Now to Dame Iohan turne we ageyn Latter Gilbertis wyff as to forne seyd is Which lyeth here Q. was she baryn A. Nay sir. Q. Sey me what fruite was this A. A brawnshe of right grete ioye I wis Q. Man or woman A. A Lady bright Q. What was hir name A. Elisabeth she hight Q. Who was her husband A. Sir Iohn of Burgh Eire of the Ulstris so conioyned be Ulstris armes and Gloucestris thurgh and thurgh As shewith our wyndowes in housis thre Dortour chapiter hous and Fraitour which she Made oute the ground both plauncher and wal Q. And who the rofe A. she alone did al. Q. Had she ony Issue A. Yea sir sikerly Q. What A. a doughtur Q. what name had she A. Liche hir modir Elisabeth sothely Q. Who euir the husbonde of hir might be A. King Edwards Son the third was he Sir Lionel which buried is hir by As for such a Prince too sympilly Q. Left he onye frute this Prince mighty A. Sir yea a doughtur and Philip she hight Whom Sir Edmond Mortimer wedded truly First Erle of the Marche a manly knight Who 's Son sir Roger by title of right Lefte heire anothir Edmonde ageyn Edmonde lefte noone but deid bareyn Right thus did cese of the Marchis blode The heire male Q Whider passid the right Of the Marchis Londis and in whome it stode I wold fayne lerne if that I might A. Sir Roger myddil Erle that noble Knight Tweyn doughtris lefte of his blode roial That ones issue deide that othris hath al. Q. What hight that Lady whose issue had grase This Lordeschip to atteyne A. Dame Anne I wys To the Erle of Cambrigge and she wyff was Which both be dede God graunte hem blys But hir Son Richard which yet liueth ys Duke of Yorke by discent of his fadir And hath Marchis londis by right of his modir Q. Is he sole or maried this Prynce mighty A. Sole God forbede it were grete pite Q. Who hath he wedded A. A gracious Lady Q. What is hir name I the prey telle me A. Dame Cecile Sir Q. Who 's doughter was she A. Of the Erle of UUestmrelonde I trowe the yengest And yet grase her fortuned to be the hyest Q. Is ther ony frute betwix hem twoo A. Yea sir thonks be God ful glorious Q. Male or female A. Sir bothe too Q. The nombir of this progeny gracious And the names to know I am desyrous The ordre eke of byrth telle yf thou kan And I wil euir be euen thyn owen man A. Sir aftir the tyme of long bareynes God first sent Anne which signyfyeth grase In token that al her hertis heuynes He as for bareynes wold from hem chase Harry Edward and Edmond ech in his plase Succedid and aftir tweyn doughtris cam Elisabeth and Margarete and afterwards William Iohn aftir UUilliam nexte borne was UUhiche be passid to goddis grase George was nexte and aftir Thomas Borne was which sone aftir did pase By the path of deth to the heuenly plase Richard liueth yit but the laste of all Was Ursula to hym whom God liste calle To the Duke of Excestre Anne maried is In hir tendre youthe but my Lord Herry God chosen hath to enherite heuen blis And lefte Edward to succede temporally Now Erle of Marche Edmond of Rutlond sotheley Conute by th fortunabil to right hygh mariage The othir foure stond yit in their pupillage Longe mote he liuen to goddis pleasaunce This hygh and myghty Prynce in prosperite With vertue and vyctory god him auaunce Of al hys enemyes and graunte that he And the noble Princes his wyff may see Hir childres children or thei hens wende And aftir this outelary the ioye that neuer shal ende Amen The body of Ioan of Acres was here entombed as you haue already read She was the second daughter of king Edward the first and Queene Eleanor borne in the first yeare of her fathers raigne at a City in the Holy Land sometime named Ptolomais commonly called Acon Aker or Acres where her mother remained during the warres that her father had with the Saracens She was married at eighteene yeares of age and outliuing her first husband nominated in the Roll she degenerated so farre in the election of another as that she made choise of one Raph de Monte-hermer sometimes her husbands and her seruant She died here at her Mannour of Clare the tenth of May in the yeare 1305. Here likewise in the Austine Friars by his mother was interred the body of Edward Mont-hermer eldest sonne of the foresaid Raph Mount-hermer who hauing obtained the kings fauour had the title of Earle of Glocester and Hertford and Ioan of Acres Hee died without issue the time vncertaine Lionell or Leonell Duke of Clarence and Earle of Vlster in Ireland was buried in the Chancell of this Priorie Church together with his first wife Elisabeth daughter and heire of William de Burgh Earle of Vlster aforesaid as appeareth in the parchment Roll. She departed this world in the yeare 1363. And hee about fiue yeares afterwards as I shall hereafter shew This Lionell surnamed of Antwerpe the place of his birth was the third sonne of king Edward the third In all the world was then no Prince hym like Of hie stature and of all semelinesse Aboue all men within his hole kyngrike By the shulders he might be seene doutlesse As a mayde in halle of gentilnesse And in all places sonne to Retorike And in the feld a Lyon marmorike Not long after the death of his wife Elisabeth hee was remarried vnto Violenta the sister of Iohn Galeas Duke of Milain with whom hee was to receiue a wondrous great Dowrie and in that regard he made a iourney to Millain attended with a chosen companie of the English Nobilitie where in most royall manner he espoused the said Lady Of which his iourney and marriage may it please you reade these following measures The kyng his soonne sir Leonell create Duke of Clarence and to Melayn him sent With chiualrie of fame well ordinate And squyers fresh galaunt and sufficient With officers and yomen as appent This Duke royall of Clarence excellent At Melayne wedded was then in royall wise With that lady faire and beneuolent Full royally as to such a Prince should suffice And all the rule he had by councell wise Fro mount Godard vnto the citee of Florence And well beloued was
ville Quorum animabus obijt ille ...... Hic iacet Dominus Robertus Wingfeeld miles et Elisabetha vxor eius qui quidem Robertus obijt tertio die Maij 1409. Quorum animabus propitietur Altissimus Waldingfield magna ...... Iohn Appulton of Waldingfeeld magna ..... ob anno 14. of Hen. 4. 1416. Three Aples Gules leaues and stalkes vert Orate pro animabus Iohannis Appulton et Margarete vnxoris eius quidem Iohannes obijt 9. die Aprilis Anno Domini 1481. et predicta Margareta obijt 4. die Iulij Anno Dom. 1468. quorum ..... Orate pro anima Thome Appulton de Waldingfeeld magna qui Thomas ab hoc luce migrauit 4. die Octob. ann Dom. 1507. Orate pro anima Margerie Appulton que obijt 4. die Nouemb anno Dom. 1504. Cuius anime propitietur altissimus Amen Orate pro animabus Roberti Appulton generosi et Marie vxoris eius qui quidem Robertus obiit 27. Augusti 1526. Quorum ..... Amen Barton magna Hic iacet corpus Alicie Harpley quondam vxoris Ricardi Harpley ...... que quidem Alicia .... Hic .... Cotton ..... Of these Cottons I haue read as followeth The ancient seat of the Cottons in Cambridgeshire is Lanwade Hall many descents were higher and before the father to the elder Sir Iohn Cotton knight who died neare the beginning of Queene Elisabeth This Sir Iohn being the elder had three brothers whereof Edmund Cotton was the third from Sir Iohn aforesaid and sisters they had c. This elder Sir Iohn Cotton had one sonne called by his fathers name sir Iohn Cotton Knight who dying in the time of King Iames left to inherite his estate one onely Sonne begotten of his wife Anne eldest daughter of sir Richard Hoghton of Hoghton Tower in the county of Lancaster Knight and Baronet now in being whose name is likewise Iohn Edmund Cotton the third brother aforesaid married Ela Coniers the daughter and heyre of Iohn Coaniers the onely sonne of Robert Coniers Knight of neere allyance to the Lord Coniers of Hornby Castell in Richmondshire who liued in the seuerall raignes of Ed. 2. and Ed. 3. A sister of the forenamed Robert Coniers Knight was married in that time to Sir Richard Harpley knight now lieth interred in the Chancell of Barton magna vnder a monument inscribed as before Hic iacet corpus Alicie c. Edmund Cotton aforesaid by Ela his wife had diuers children George was his eldest sonne and Audery a daughter of his vailed her selfe a Nunne George had issue many children and Edmund was his eldest sonne and heire Edmund Cotton in like manner had issue diuers sonnes and daughters and his eldest sonne and heire is Edmund Cotton now in being The ancient seat left vnto him amongst other lands was called by the name of Coniers alias Necton Hall in Bramble Barton alias Barton magna iuxta Bury S. Edmonds Debenham Here lyeth Iohn Farmingham who died .... 1424. and Margaret his wife Robert Cheake and Rose his wife George Neuill and ... his wife Iohn Neuill Iohn Cheake who died 1490. Babewell Here sometimes stood a Monasterie of Grey Friers first founded by master Adam de Lincolne who gaue the Foundership to the honour of Clare Here lay buried Sir Walter Trumpinton and Dame Anne his wife Nicholas Drury and Iane his wife which died the seuenth of MArch in the seuenth yeare of King Richard the second Margaret Peyton Blithborrow This little Towne is memorable for that Anna King of the East Angles together with his eldest sonne and heire apparent Ferminus were here buried both slaine in a bloudie fierce battaile by Penda the Mercian King a Pagan of which my old Manuscript Penda anone his hoste withe hym he led And on Anna came fyrst with mykle pryde Kynge of Este Englonde whos dowter Egfryde wed And slew him Anna was a man of great vertue and the father of a blessed issue saith Bede which were many and those of great holinesse and sanctitie of life First Ferminus slaine in the same battaile with his father as I haue said before here buried but afterwards remoued to S. Edmundsbury His other sonne was Erkenwald Abbot of Chertseie and Bishop of London of whom before His daughters were these Etheldred the eldest was first married vnto a Noble man whom Bede nameth Tombert Gouernour of the Fenny Countries of Norfolke Huntington Lincolne and Cambridge shires And after his death remaining a virgin she was married to Egfrid King of Northumberland with whom likewise she liued in perfect virginitie the space of twelue yeares notwithstanding his entreaty and allurements to the contrary From whom lastly she was released and had licence to depart his Court vnto the Abbey of Coldingham where first shee was vailed a Nunne vnder Abbesse Ebba and thence departing she liued at Ely and became her selfe Abbesse thereof wherein lastly she died and was interred remembred vnto posterities by the name of S. Audrie of whom more hereafter His second daughter was Sexburgh who married Ercombert King of Kent vnto whom she bare two sons and two daughters after whose death she tooke the habit of a Nunne and succeeded her Sister Etheldrid Abbesse of Ely wherein she died and was interred And their yongest sister Withgith was likewise a Menchion with them in the same monastery and all of them canonized for Saints Ethilburghe his third daughter was made Abbesse of Berking in Essex built by her brother Bishop Erkinwald wherein she liued and lastly died as I haue said before A naturall daughter likewise he had whose name was Edelburgh that with Sedrido the daughter of his wife were both of them professed Nuns and succeeded each other Abbesses in the Monastery of S. Brigges in France Such a reputed holinesse was it held in those daies not onely to be separated from the accompanying with men but also to abandon the countrie of their natiuity and as strangers in forraine lands to spend the continuance of their liues Orate pro anima VVillelmi Colet quâ—ndam Mercatoris de Blyburgh siue istius ville qui obijt 16 die Ianuar. An. Domini 1503. Cuius anima per gratiam Dei requiescat in pace Amen Orate pro anima Iohanne Baret nuper vxoris Iohannis Baret qui obijt xiiii die Ianuarij anno M.D.xx. ... Orate pro anima Iohanne Ranyngham quondam vxoris Iohannis Ranyngham qui obijt quarto die mensis Maii anno M.D ..... cuius anime propitietur Deus Orate pro anima Iohannis Ranyngham alias Loman qui obiit xi die mensis Decembris anno Domini M. cccc lxxxxiiii Orate pro animabus Simonis Todyng et Iohanne vxoris eius qui quidem Iohannes obiit xx die Decemb. anno Domini M. cccc.lxxxxii Quorum .... In gratia et miserecordia Dei hic iacet Rogerus Boreham qui obiit xxvii die Nouembris anno Domini M.
and immediate heire to the kingdome promised with an oath to giue her whatsoeuer shee would demand This deuoute Lady begged so much ground to build a religious house vpon as a tame Deâ—re which she kept would runne ouer at a breath one Thunnor or Thymur one of his councell and his assistant in the foresaid murder standing by blamed him of inconsideration for that hee would vpon the vncertaine course of a Deere depart to his certaine losse with any part of so good a Soile Which words he had no sooner spoken saith the booke of Saint Augustine but that the earth immediately opened and swallowed him vp Well the King and the Lady proceeded in their bargaine and the Hynde ranne ouer fourty and eight Ploughâ—lands before she returned This do nation the king confirmed by his Charters which I haue read in the booke of S. Austins to the infringers whereof he added this fearefull curse Si cui vero hec largicio displicet vel si quis quod absit hanc donationem telo ductus Diaboli quoquo ingenio infringere temptauerit Iram Dei omnium Sanctorum maledicta incurrat et subita morte intereat sicut predictus Deo odibilis Thimur interijt percutiatque cum Deus amentia cecitate ac furore mâ—ntis omnique tempore columpnam maledictionis Dei sustineat non sit qui eum liberet nisi penitus resipiscit digna satisfactione satisfaciat And further of this and the race of the Hynde these lame rymes Dompneue letam Thanatos fert Insula metam Seruet iter Cerue ...... nesit .... proterue Cultor siue sator huius mete violator Cum Thunor atra metit inde Barathra petit Hauing erected her Monasterie which she dedicated to the blessed Virgine Mary and to the name and honour of her two murdered Brethren in which â—he placed seuentie veyled Nunnes She departed out of this world about the yeare of our redemption 765. and was buried in the Church of her owne foundation It is said by some that when Thunnor had giuen his wicked command to king Egbert his horse 〈◊〉 presentâ—y a curuetinâ— cast him off his backe and broke his necke and that be 〈◊〉 buried in the Isle of Tenet vnder a great heape of stones which the inhabitanâ—â— to this day call Thunniclan Mildred the daughter of Domâ—â—â—a and Mâ—rwald a Prince of West-Mercia succeeded in her mothers plâ—â—â— â—n which shee continued a long time dyed in the raigne of King 〈◊〉 was interred by her mother and afterwards canonized a Saint 〈◊〉 the Mercian king confirmed by his charter to this Mildred and her Couent the custome of the ships which arriued in the publicke Port of London as appeares by his charter Caâ—utus king of England gaue by his Charter the body of this Mildred with the lands belonging to this Priory to the Abbey of S. Austins in these words Notum sit omnibus c. me dedisse Augustino fratribus eiusdem Monasterij corpus beate Mildrede gloriose Virginis cum tâ—ta terra sua infra in sulam ac Iâ—anet extra cum omnibus consâ—etudinibus suis. The yeare 10 0 her body was translated by Abbot Elstan as I haue said before and after that by his Successour Wulfrike to another place of the Church Her reliques were laid in a leaden coffin whereupon this Epitaph was insculped Clauditur hoc saxo Mildreda sacerrima virgo Cuius nos procibus adiuuet ipse Deus The bodies of the most esteemed godly in former ages tooke the least rest in their graues for they were still remoued and their bodies clattered together from one place to another as it doth and will appeare both by the premisses and sequele of this my Treatise You haue read before how often the body of Saint Augustine was tost from porch to pillar and besides his Reliques were diuided and subdiuided into certaine vessels For the day after the solemnitie of Prior Marisco before remembred vpon the finding out of his Stone-coffin there was found vnlooked for a Lead of seuen foot long hauing this Inscription Hic habetur pars ossium cineris beati Augustini Anglorum Apostoli qui olim missus à beato Gregorio gentem Anglicam ad fidem Christi conuertit cuius preciosum capud ossa maiora Guido Abbas honorifice transtulit sicut tabula plumbea cum eisdem ossibus posita indicat But Henry the eight made an end of all this vnnecessarie trouble and charges by remouing once for all as well Reliques as Religious houses Now to returne Ethelinga the third Prioresse of this house seeing the Church builded by her predecessour Domneua not capable to containe so many holy Virgins built another Temple farre more sumptuous then the first which was consecrated by Archbishop Cuthbert to the honour of S. Peter and Paul She dyed ann 751. and was buried in her owne new Church Sexburga saith the booke of Saint Augustine the daughter of Anna king of the East Angles the wife of Ercombert the mother of Egbert and â—othaire all kings of Kent after the death of her husband tooke vpon her the habite of a Nunne and was admitted and consecrated Prioresse of this place by Archbishop Cuthbert In her time those furious Beare-whelps Hungar and Hubba Nam vt fertur filij fuere cuiusdam vrsi qui illos contra naturam de filia cuiusdam Regis generabat two Danish Pagans with a fierce armie first inuaded this kingdome She dyed about the yeare 797. and was buried in this new Church Capgraue saith at Ely Seberitha was the first Votarie admitted and consecrated Lady Prioresse of this house by Ethelard Archbishop of Canterbury who was no sooner well setled in her gouernment then that the Danes came backe againe and in their sauage furie ouerwhelmed the Island of Tenet destroyed and vtterly demolished this Monasterie and her with her holy Sisters inclosed in secret caues for feare of the enemie they found out and burned them all to ashes Capgraue a Kentish man borne reporteth that Eadburgh the daughter of good king Ethelbert by his vertuous Queene Berta was brought vp a Nunne in this Monasterie vnder the foundresse Domneua that she succeeded Mildred in the Monasticall gouernment that shee was buried here in this Church and that long after her reliques the chiefe and most frequent way in those times to enrich any new built Church were remoued by Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury to the Church of Harbaldowne of his owne foundation and there had in great veneration But Camden to whom I must needs giue more credit speaking of S. Eadburghs Well at Liming in this Tract will haue her to be the first veiled Nunne in all England And that she liued here in a Monastery of her owne building that here shee dyed and here at Lyming was buried saith Speed that she was surnamed Tace a fit name for a woman and that she had beene the wife of
fashion in former times fetched from the French which they call rebus or name-deuises examples of the same are frequent Neare to this Church sometime stood that goodly Abbey founded by Stephen king of England grandchilde to the Conquerour dedicated to Saint Sauiour replenished with blacke Monkes of Cluni valued at the suppression to be well worth according to the fauourable rate of such endowments in those dayes 286. l. 12. s. 6. d. ob yearely such was the charter of his donation Stephanus Rex c. Archiepiscopis Episcopis c. salutem Sciatis me pro salute anime mee Matildis Regine vxoris mee Eustachij filij mei aliorum puerorum meorum antecessorum Regum Anglie dedisse c. Manerium meum de Fauresham ad fundand Abbatiam vnam ibidem ae ordine Monachorum Cluniacensium c. Sciatis etiam quod dedimus ego et Matildis Regina mea Willelmo de Ipra in Escambium pro eodem Manerio de Fauresham Lillechire cum pertinencijs suis de hereditate Regine Teste H. Episcopo Winton fratre meo Rogero Episcopo de London Richardo de Lucy Hen. de Essex c. This king died at Douer of an Iliack passion mixed with his old disease the Emrods Octob. 25. 1154. hauing raigned 18. yeares ten moneths and odde dayes and was buried in this Church of his owne foundation Of which heare these ancient rimes Aftur king Harry euyn Then regnyd king Stevyn The Erlys son Bloys he was truly He wedded Mold the doghter of Mary A good man he was bedeme I trow king Harry was his Eme He regnyd here XUIII yere And to Feuersham in Kent men him bere He deyed without issue truly Then regnyd his cosin Harry Stephen was a most worthy Souldier saith one and wanted nothing to haue made him an excellent king but a iust title but that was wanting The whiche he found whyles he was liuing so And reigned here in much trouble and wo. And had this Realme without any ryght Fro th'emprise Maude that faire Lady bryght And this was the cause that he was driuen perforce to defend his vsurâ—ped authoritie by the sword which must needs procure him the hatred of many who thus speake of him in old English King Stephen his luthenesse withdrew yers a fewe But er Uyer were goo he ganne to wex a shrewe For he wende aboute and robbyd the lond and to grownd broght Then the toune of Wyrcester he brent all to noght But to conclude with the words of a late writer This Stephen was a man so continually in motion saith he that we cannot take his dimension but onely in passing and that but on one side which was warre on the other we neuer saw but a glaunce on him which yet for the most part was such as shewed him to be a very worthy Prince for the gouernment Hee kept his word with the State concerning the relieuement of Tributes and neuer had Subsidy that we finde But which is more remarkable hauing his sword continually out and so many defections and rebellions against him hee neuer put any great man to death Besides it is noted that notwithstanding all these miseries of war there were more Abbeyes built in his raigne then in an 100. yeares before which shewes though the times were bad they were not impious the king himselfe being mente piissimus as he was miles egregius His body rested here in quietnesse vntill the dissolution when for the gaine of the lead wherein it was encoffined it was taken vp and throwne into the next water So vncertaine is man yea greatest Princes of any rest in this world euen after buriall Here sometime likewise lay interred Maud his wife the daughter of Eustace Earle of Bulloigne the brother of Godfrey and Baldwin of Bulloigne kings of Ierusalem by her mother Mary sister to Maud Queene of England wife of Henry her predecessour who dyed at Heueningham Castle in Essex the third of May 1151. Whose Epitaph I found in a namelesse Manuscript Anno milleno C. quinquagenoque primo Quo sua non minuit sed sibi nostra tulit Mâ—thildis selix coniux Stephani quoque Regis Occidit insignis moribus et titulis Cultrix vera Dei cultrix et pauperiei Hic subnixa Deo quo frueretur eo Femina si qua Polos conscendere queque meretur Angelicis manibus diua hec Regina tenetur Eustace the sonne and heire apparant of Stephen and Queene Maud liued not long after his mother for being highly displeased with the agreement betwixt his father and Henry Fitzempresse afterwards king of England by which he was made hopelesse euer to haue the Crowne as his fathers Successour in a fury he departed the Court purposing to raise himselfe by his owne meanes and so marched along destroying the countrey alwayes as he went vntill he came to Saint Edmundsbury where he was honourably receiued of the Monkes of that Monastery But hee came not for meat but money and thereupon vngratefully vrged them for a great summe to set forward his heady designes yet the wiser amongst them vnwilling to be wagers of new warres which though ill for all sorts yet proued euer worst for the Clargie mens possessions denyed his request Wherewith eâ—raged be commanded his owne men to carry their corne and other prouision into his owne Castle situated hard by But being set at dinner the very first morsell he put into his mouth draue him into a Frensie whereof shortly after he dyed His body was brought to this Abbey and here interred by his mother His death happened the tenth day of August 1152. He was married to Constance sister of Lewis the seuenth king of France daughter of king Lewis the Grosse by whom he had no issue In this Abbey saith Robert of Glocester is a pece of ye hely croys which Godfrey Boylon forkyndred had sent to king Stephene Tunstall Hic iacet Margareta filia Iacobi Cromer militis vxor Iohannis Rycils heredis de Elsingham .... qui obiit ... 1496. Sittingborne Here lyeth Iohn Crowmer Esquire and Ione his wife who died Ann. Dom. 1539 .... on whose soules A family of knightly descent and ample reuenues one of which house called William Crowmer Esquire sonne of Sir William Lord Maior of London high Shiriffe of Kent in the fury of Iack Cade and the Kentish and Essex rebells was sacrificed at Mile-end and cut shorter by the head like as the day before they had serued Sir Iames Fienes Lord Say and Sele and Treasurer of England in Cheape-side whose onely daughter this Crowmer had married Whose heads giue me leaue to go a little further pitched vpon high poles were carried by the villaines through the Citie of London who caused their trunklesse faces in spight and mockerie to kisse one the other at euery street-corner as they marched along in this their damnable triumph and
are curiously engrauen these words Credo quod redemptor meus viuit And vpon the basis of the same Crosse these obsolete Latine rimes Es test is Christe quod non iacet hic lapis iste Corpus vt ornetur sed Spiritus vt memoretur Hem tu qui transis magnus medius puer an sis Pro me funde preces quia sic mihi fit venie spes Hic iacet Matilda nuper vxer Willelmi Laken Seruiens ad Legem qui ob 2. die Decemb. 1408. iuxta eam ex parte australi Iohanna filia sepelitur que obijt 3. die Octob. anno supradicto O mercifull Iesew Haue mercy on the sowl of Sir Iohn Dew Here lye interred diuers of the Chapmans who were sometime owners of Stone-castle Hic Christi versus Payname iacet ecce Rogerus Pauperibus multum dedit hic pecunia cultum ........ M. C. quater deca ...... In Maij vicena rapit hunc mors .... Here lies William Banknot and Anne his wyff Swete Iesew grant to them and vs euerlastyng lyff Pray yow hertely for cheritie Say a Pater Noster and an Aue. 1400. Here lyeth the bodyes of Sir Iohn Wilshyre knight and of Dame Margaret his wife Which Sir Iohn dyed 28. Decemb. 1526. And Margaret dyed ... of .... This knight is entombed in a faire Chappell of his owne foundation he was Controller of the Towne and Marches of Calleis Ann. 21. Hen. 7. 1506. He had onely one daughter and heire named Bridget married to Sir Richard Wingfield As I haue it in these words out of the Visitation booke of Huntingtonshire by Nicholas Charles Lancaster Herald Sir Richard Wingfield knight of the Garter Chancellour of the Duchie of Lancaster and of the Bed-chamber to King Henry the eight by his wife Bridget who was daughter and heire to Sir Iohn Wilshyre knight had Stone house or Stone-castle in Kent neare Grauesend To whom the king gaue Kimboulton Castle he was of the priuie Councell and died Embassadour in Spaine and was buried at Toledo Dartford Hic iacet Iohannes Hornley Theologie Baccal qui obijt 1477. Si fterent Artes Hornley tacuisse Iohannem Non possent ista qui tumulatur humo In septem fuerat liberalibus ille magister Prudens castus maximus atque fide Doctrine sacre tunc Baccalareus ingens Oxonie cunctis semper amandus erat Consilio valuit sermones pandere sacros Nouerat et doctos semper amare viros Pauperibus largus fuerat quos nouerat aptos In studijs patiens sobrius atque fuit Moribus insignis cunctis virtute refulgens Pro tantis meritis spiritus astra petit O pytefull Creater concerning erthly sepulter Of Katryn Burlton at x day wythin Iun. Thousand IIII C. LXXXXVI yer Occurrent wyth Rychard Burlton Iantlman Spows to the Katryn ..... Expired thousand ..... Throu the prayor of thes twein Sal he be savyd fro endlysse pein King Edward the third founded here a goodly faire Monastery about the yeare of his raigne of England the thirtieth and of France the seuenteenth In which he placed women religious Votaries or white Nunnes Which Nunnery at the generall dissolution was found to bee well worth three hundred and eightie pounds by yeare This Priory for so it was called by the Founder was taken as all the rest into the hands of king Henry the eight of which he made a fit dwelling place for himselfe and his Successours which remaines to this day howsoeuer somewhat ruinous But will it please you peruse this Memorandum not impertinent to this matter in the visitation of Kent and Sussex made by Clarentieux Beuolt the 21. yeare of king Henry the eight Dame Elizabeth Cresner being Lady Prioresse of Dartford at that time Memorand that the said Lady doth witnesse that king Edward the third was first Founder of the said place and the second Founder was king Richard the second And in the said place lieth buried the Lady Bridget daughter to king Edward the fourth a religious women in the same place Also Dame Ioane daughter to the Lord Scrope of Bolton and Prioresse of the same place and Dame Margaret daughter of the Lord Beaumont also sometime Prioresse of the same place And also there lyeth daughter and wife to Sir Maurice Berkeley This Lady Bridget here interred was the fourth daughter of Edward the fourth by his wife Queene Elizabeth she was borne at Eltham here by the tenth of Nouember 1480. She tooke the habite of Religion when she was young and so spent her life in contemplation vnto the day of her death which happened about the yeare 1517. the eight of King Henry the eight Crayford Orate pro animabus Roberti Woodford Iohanne vxoris eius qui Robertus obijt .... 1489. Hic iacent Rogerus Apleton vnus Auditorum serenissimorum Regum Hen. quinti Hen. sexti ac Iohanne vxoris Hen. quarti Katherine vxoris Hen. sexti Reginarum Anglie Principatus totius Wallie Ducatus Cornubie Com. Cestrie qui ob .... 1400. Agnes vxor eius Domina de Holbury que ob 1437. Cum venerit dies Domini in miserecordia eius egrediemur Hic iacet Henricus Elham vnus Auditorum .... et Elisabetha vxor eius filia Rogeri Apleton ... ob ... 1479. Hic iacet Iohannes Elham vnus Auditorum ... 1481. Vite probitas mortis despectio Erith In the vpper end of the South Isle of this Church stands a faire tombe with this Inscription left at the first imperfect Elisabeth second wife to George late Earle of Shrewsbury Lord Steward to king Henry the seuenth and to king Henry the eight his Houshold by whom she had issue Iohn and Lady Anne wife to William Earle of Penbroke Lord Steward of Queene Elizabeths Houshold which Lady Anne had beene married before to M. Peter Compton Esquire by whom she had issue Sir Henry Compton knight now liuing This Elizabeth Countesse of Shrewsbury was daughter and one of the heires of Sir Richard Walden knight Lord of the Towne of Erith whose body lyeth here likewise entombed Pray for the sowl of Syr Richard Walden knight and Lady Margerie his wife which Syr Richard decessyd 25 of March 1536. And Margery decessyd the sixth of May 1528. whos sowls god pardon Orate pro anima Richardi Walden Armig. Elisabethe vxoris eius que ob 25. Octob. 1496. et Richardus obiit ... die ... mens ... Ann. miles quorum animabus Ellin Atticor gist icy Dieu de sa alme eit mercy Orate pro anima Domini Iohannis Stone quondam vicarij Ecclesie parochialis de Lesnes alias Erith qui ob 13. April 1475. O vos omnes qui hic transitis prome orate Precibus vestris qui fratres estis meque iurate Hic iacet Radulphus Criel Ar. qui obiit 6. Decemb. 1447. Cuius anime propitietur altissimus Hic iacet Rogerus Sentcler quondam