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
came an incredible concurse of people saith Leland Hee was for the space of fifteene yeares Prouinciall of the Carmelites Confessor he was to king Henry the fourth and held of him in great estimation as also to his Queene and his eldest sonne Henry Prince of Wales who when he came to the Crowne preferred him to the Bishopricke of Saint Dauids in Wales Being at the Councell of Constance he was by the Pope translated to Chichester not long after which he departed this world and as it is in the Records in the Tower before his translation could be perfected in the yeare 1417. the 22. of September But I will come to the Inscription vpon his Tombe in verse and prose as followeth Hic Frater Stephanus de Patrington requiescit Nomine reque fuit norma corona Pater Ens Carmelitis Rector Doctor Prior Anglis Confessor celebris Regis et ipse manens Henrici Quinti Meneuensis quoque Presul Câ—ristus in aureolam pillea mutet ei ................. Magister Frater Stephanus Patrington sacre Theologie venerabilis Doctor et Prior Prouincialis Fratrum Carmelitarum in Prouincia Anglie annis xv Confessor Domini Regis Henrici quinti. Episcopus Meneuens et Postulatus Cicestriens obijt Londonijs in Conuentu Ann. Dom. M. cccc.xvij.xxij die Mens Septembris Hic varia scripsit opuscula vtilitati Studentium Here somtime lay buried the bodie of Nicholas Kenton borne in Kenton a village in Suffolke about ten miles from Ipsewich he was matriculated and instructed in the rudiments of learning amongst the Carmelites at Ipswich From whence he went to Cambridge where he attained to the full perfection of all solide discipline In poesie and Rhetoricke hee was exquisitely well exercised an acute Philosopher he was and a singular diuine He writ many learned Comments vpon sundrie places of the Scripture and many other workes mentioned by Bale He was Prouinciall of his order in England for the space of twelue yeares and had vnder his gouernment aboue a thousand and fiue hundred Carmelites Hee desired not long before his death to giue ouer his Prouinciallship saying Se iam malle precibus et Deo liberè vacare quam praxi attendere parere potius deinceps velle quam preesse Which was granted after much earnest suite made to all his Couents He died in the Dormitorie of this house the fourth day of September in the yeare of our Lord 1468. to whose honour this riming Epitaph was annexed to his funerall Monument Kenton Doctoris Carmilite Nicholai Sic Peccatricis anime miserens Adonai Carmeli gentis curam qui rexit in Anglis Ipsa bis senis fungens summus Prior annis Huic sibi propitius veniam prestet pater almus Cuius spiramen scandens supra astra sit Amen Iohn Miluerton a Carmelite Frier of Bristow was here entombed hee was Doctor of Diuinitie and of the Chaire in the Vniuersitie of Oxford from whence he was sent for to Paris by Iohn Sorethe the Prouinciall of his Order where by a generall Synode he was chosen Prouinciall of his order through England Scotland and Ireland At length because he defended such of his order as preached against endowments of the Church with temporall possessions hee was brought into trouble committed to prison in Castle S. Angelo in Rome where he continued three yeares and at length was deliuered through certaine of the Cardinals that were appointed his iudges but in the meane time he lost the Bishopricke of Saint Dauids to which he was elected He writ diuers learned workes before after and during the time of his imprisonment which are mentioned by Bale in his fift centurie At the last full of yeeres and cares he here ended his life the last day saue one of Ianuary in the yeare of our redemption 1486. and was buried in the Quire of this monasterie with these nicking Hexameters engrauen vpon his monument Clauditur hic subtus prudens veri reserator Carmeli cultor Doctrine firmus amator Rite Iohannes Oxoniensis in ordine Doctor Sic orthodoxe sidei validus releuator Post Prouinquecialis vixit pluribus annis Mirifice crebro vexatus tempore dampnis Huic reus est sceleris annus magni tribulantis Gaudeat ob meritum constans robur patientis Ipsum turbauit vir fortis perniciose Tandem Catholice trusus superat speciose Aureolam Deus vt det Myluerton numerose Optemus fuerat plexus licet inuidiose Iohn Loneye Doctor of Diuinity and a Carmelite Frier was here interred in the cloister of the Church to whose memory this distich was made Clauditur hoc claustro Frater Loneye Iohannes Expertus mundo celo fruiturus vt heres This Loney saith a late writer was vir acuâ—i ingenij magnae doctrinae multae lectionis boni zeli multae industriae A man of an acute wit excellent doctrine much reading ardent deuotion great industrie Hee with twelue other Doctors did condiscend to the decree saith my Mss of Master William Barton Chancellour of the vniuersitie of Oxford for the condemning of the sixteene Articles of Iohn Wickliffe of the Sacrament of the Altar An Epitaph vpon Iohn Palgraue Prior sometimes of this house Huius confratris grauis est instantia causa Qua domus hec superest proceraque fabrica libris Et murus validus excludit Tamesis vndas Vestes dat sacras sibi det vestes Deus albas Of this Prior I finde no further neither of any other of the Carmelites buried within this conuentuall Church Black Friers Church in Oldborne In old time about the yeere 1221. there was a religious house of Friers Predicants without the Bars in Oldborne to which order Hubert de Burgo Earle of Kent was an especiall Benefactor giuing vnto them that noble Pallace at Westminster now called White Hall Thus Hubert was a faithfull seruant to King Iohn and to his sonne Henry the third a carefull Patriot of the State and one who vnfainedly loued his Country who when he had made triall of the variable changes of Fortune as being seldome or neuer but either highly in the Kings loue or in the Subiects hatred or in the Kings heauy displeasure and the peoples generall applause lastly being full fraught with yeers as he was with many eminent vertues he died in the fauour of God the King and all good men at his Mannor of Bansted in Surrey the Ides of May Anno 1243. Hee was first here intombed but afterwards as though he had beene fatally ordained to take no more rest in his graue then quietnesse in his worldâ—y employments his body was translated at the same time when these Friers were remoued from Oldborne into London to that house now called the blacke Friers neere vnto Ludgate where belike it takes no better rest then others haue done so buried Saint Dunstans in the West Hic iacet Iohannes Gyles nuper vnius Clericorum parue Bage cancell Dominorum H. Regum septimi et octaui ac custos siue clericus
doth lie Another Lest Alexanders noble name my friend should thee beguile Away for here both treachery doth lurke and mischiefe vile Another Though Alexander after death did vomit matter blacke Yet maruell not he dranke the same and could not cause it packe Vpon the yeare of Iubelie aforesayd kept by this Pope Alexander The Romane Priest that promised both heauen and starres to sell By treacherie and murtherings hath made a gap to hell This Alexander before by deuillish meanes he obtained the Papacie was called Rodericus Borgia a Spaniard borne in Valentia But of him enough except it tended more to the matter Now may it please you reade certaine blanke verses taken out of my fore remembred Author Piers Plow man who speakes in his language of the Pope and Cardinals Pardons and pilgrimages effectually to this purpose Passus 19. God amend the Pope that pilleth holy Kirke And claymeth before the Kyng to be kept of Christen And counteth not though cristen be killed and robbed And fynd folke to fight and christen folk to spill Agayne the old law and new law as Paule therof wytnesseth Non occides mihi vindictam c. I ne knew neuer Cardinall that he ne come fro the Pope And we Clarks when they come for her Commens payen For her pelures and palfreis and pilors that hem folow The Commune clamat quotidie eche a man to other The contrey is the curseder that Cardinals commen in And there they lig and leng more lechery there raigneth Therfor quod this victory by very god I would That no Cardinals ne come among the commen peple But in her holines helden hem styl At Avion among the Iewes cum sancto sanctus eris Or in Rome as their rule wyl the relikes to kepe In the seuenth passage he deliuers his opinion of the Popes Pardons in these words The Prieste preued no pardon to do well And demed that Dowell Indulgence passed Biennales and Triennales and Byshops letters And how Dowell at the day of dome is dignely vndersongen And passed all the Pardon of S. Peters Church A little after in the same passage thus Soules that haue sinned seuen sythes deadly And to trust to these Trentals truely me thynketh Is not so siker for the soule as to do well Therfore I red you renkes that rich be on this erth Apon trust of treasure Trientales to have Be ye neuer the bolder to breake the ten hestes And namely ye Maisters Mayres and Iudges That haue the welth of this world and for wise men be holden To purchase you Pardons and the Popes Buls At the dreadfull dome whan the dead shall arise And commen all tofore Christ accounts for to yeue How thou leadest thy lyfe here and his lawes kepest And how thou didest day by day the dome wil reherse A poke full of Pardons there ne prouinciall letters Though ye be founden in the fraternitie of the iiii Orders And haue Indulgence an hundryd fold but if Dowell you helpe I beset your patents and your pardons at a pyes hele Therfore I counsell all christen to crye god mercy And make Christ our meane that hath made amends That God give vs grace here or we go hence Such workes to worke while we ben here That after our deathes day Dowell reherse At the day of Dome we did as he highte The same Author shewing what true pilgrimage is breathes forth these blanke verses following Nay by my soule health quoth Piers and gan for to sweare I nolde fang a ferthyng for Saynt Thomas shryne Truth wold loue me the lesse long tyme therfor after And if ye wyll to wend well this his the way thither Ye must go thorow mekenes both men and wyues Tyll ye come into conscience that Christ wit soch That ye louen our Lord God leuest of all thynges And that your neighbours next In no wyâ—e appeire Otherwise than thou woldist he wrought to thy selfe In the same passage Ye that seke S. Iames and Saintes at Rome Seke saint Truth for he may saue you all In another place Pass 12. He doth well withoute doute that doth as beuti techeth That is if thou be man maryed thy make thou loue And lyue forth as law wyll whyle ye lyuen both Right so if thou be religious ren thou neuerfurther To Rome nor Roch Madon but as thy rule techeth And hold the vnder obedience that high way is to heuen And yf thou be mayden to mary and myght well continewe Seke neuer no saint further for thy soules health Pilgrimage is called of the Latines Peregrinatio quasi peregre abitio a going into a strange countrey for a short pilgramage is not worth a pin neither is that Image in so much honour or respect in that countrey where it is as in farre countries For example the Italians yea those that dwell neare Rome will mocke and scoffe at our English and other pilgrims that go to Rome to see the Popes holinesse and Saint Peters chaire and yet they themselues will runne to see the Reliques of Saint Iames of Compostella in the kingdome of Galicia in Spaine which is aboue twelue hundred English miles And so the Spaniards hold Rome to be a very holy place and therefore spare no cost or labour to go thither And so of other pilgrimages Pilgrimage was also called Romeria quia Romam vt plurimum peregrinationes because pilgrimages forth most part were made to Rome Now hauing acquainted my Reader omitting many particulars I confesse which will more plainly appeare in the sequele by what deuises and meanes the Religious Votaries and others of the Clergie within this kingdome as also the Bishop of Rome who most commonly went away with the best share augmented their reuenues and deceiued the poore Commons I am here to speake of a yearely tribute paied onely to the See of Rome which many times I obuiously meete withall from the payment whereof neither the King nor the Clergie nor any housholder 〈◊〉 in England or Ireland were priuiledged and this was called 〈◊〉 which is a Saxon word compounded of Rome and Scot as you wouâ—d say the 〈◊〉 bute due to Rome or an Apostolicall custome or the see of 〈…〉 penning or Denarij Sancti Petri Peter pence From which payment 〈◊〉 Mathew the Monke of Westminster neither the King nor the Archbishop Bishop Abbot nor Prior were exempted I he first â—ounder of 〈◊〉 Tribute was Inas or Ina king of the West-saxons Of which the foresaid Mathew thus writes Ina the pious and potent king of the West Saxons leaâ—ing his temporall kingdome thereby to gaine an eternall to the gouernment of his kinsman Ethelard trauelâ—ed on pilgrimage to Rome where in the said Citie by the permission of Gregory the second hee built an house which he called The English Schoole vnto which the kings of England and the Regall Image as also Bishops Priests Clerkes and others might
his Master he entred into orders yet before he came to bee a Clergie man he serued in the warres which is not vnlikely saith mine Authour for after he was Bishop he was thrice in the field and did his Prince notable seruice He was first preferred to the Bishopricke of Wilshire whose See was then seated at Ramsbury by the speciall fauour of King Athelstan who being dead his brother Edmund who succeeded him in his kingdome louing him no lesse procured him to be chosen Archbishop In which pastorall charge hee continued many yeares in great fauour and authoritie vnder diuers Princes till towards the latter end of his time that Edwin a young King was sore exasperated against him for that this Bishop had caused him to be diuorced from his Queene for consanguinitie or some other reasons and excommunicated his Concubines causing one of them whom the king doted vpon to be fetcht out of the court by violence to bee burnt in the forehead with an hote iron and banished into Ireland But not long after he was taken away by death from the Kings displeasure in the yeare of our redemption 958. hauing sate Archbishop 25. yeares or thereabouts He writ diuers Tractates both in verse and prose mentioned by Bale and Capgraue will haue him in the Kalender of our English Saints and Confessours But to conclude such was his Epitaph Stemmate serenus iacet hic sacer Odo Seuerus Moribus excellens acriter peccata refellens Presul at indulgens omni pictate refulgens Ecclesie Christi Pugil inuictissimus isti O bone nunc Christe quia sic tibi seruijt iste Celi solamen sibi des te deprecor Amen The life and death of this Archbishop Lanfranck is set downe at large by William Malmsbury Io. Capgraue Nicholas Harpsfeild Archdeacon of Canterbury Mathew Parker Archbishop with others and out of them all by Francis Godwin now Bishop of Hereford Yet for method sake thus much because I find his body by a Table inscribed which hangs vpon his Tombe to be here interred He was borne in Italy at Pauia some twenty miles from Myllaine brought vp in the Monasterie of Becco in Normandie vnder Herlewin the learned Abbot of that house of which he became Prior from whence in regard of his singular wisedome and great knowledge in all good literature he was called by William the Duke of Normandie to be Abbot of Saint Stephens in Cane a Monasterie that the said Duke had founded And in the fifth yeare after his conquest of England he promoted him to this Archbishopricke which he laudablie gouerned the space of eighteene yeares It is said an action which much obscured all his former praises that he perswaded the Conquerour to leaue the kingdome of England to his younger sonne William Rufus which they said William thus requited the Bishop as the King thought being somewhat too busie in reprehending his manifold vices and exhorting him to godlinesse and vertue he so bitterly fell out with him that he banished him the Realme the poore old bishop trauelled to Rome and wandred vp and downe many countries till by intercession of friends hee was suffered to returne home and soone after died of an ague according to his owne desire Solebat enim Deum rogare vt velex dissenteria vel ex febri diem suum obiret propterea quod hi morbi nec memoriam nec loquelam auferant He would often desire God that he might take his end either by a fluxe or an ague for that in those kinde of infirmities men are wont to haue the vse both of speech and memorie to the last cast His death happened the 24. of May Ann. Dom. 1089. He bestowed much vpon the fabricke of this Church and the housing of the Monkes he built in a manner all the Archbishops pallace hee founded two Hospitals adioyning to this Citie hee gaue great summes of money and also a Mannor toward the building of the Cathedrall Church of Rochester and did much for the Abbey of Saint Albons Hee encreased the number of the Monkes of this Church from thirty to fourty restored the dignities and offices of old belonging to the Monasterie and recouered vnto the same 25. Manors that had beene taken from it wrongfully in times past by Odo Bishop of Bayon and Earle of Kent Hee was a profound Scholler for those times he writ the noble acts of the Conquerour he made learned Comments and Expositions of many parts of the Bible and tooke great paines in reforming the same the copies whereof were much corrupted throughout all England by the negligent ouer-sight of the writers To his memorie this Epitaph was composed Vixisti venerande Pater sapienter egens Vixisti vivens mors quoque vita tibi Inter diuitias pauper Lanfrance fuisti Diuitijs manans pauperum amator eras Per te florentes artes valuere latine Grecia sis nobis ecce triumphat ouans Tu Laios ortu Gallosque docendo leuasti Te sibi Primatem cardo Britannus habet In terra degens celestia regna petebas Exemptus terra sider a liber adis Sol geminos denis obsiderat igne diebus Promsit Luna diem nocte solutus abis Here is the Tombe of Archbishop Anselme borne in Augusta a Citie of Burgundie who followed his predecessours steps almost foot by foot First he came to Becco vpon the like errand as Lanfrank had done which was to obtaine knowledge in all good learning Lanfrancke being called away to Cane he was made Prior of Becco in his place and afterwards Abbot in which he continued 15. yeares vntill at the request of Hugh Earle of Chester he came ouer into England and had this Bishopricke bestowed vpon him some foure yeares after the decease of Lanfrancke for so long the king pursed vp the profits thereof by William Rufus who presently after his consecration fell out with his new Bishop and banished him the kingdome in which he trauelled vp and downe as an exile during the Kings life vntill by his brother King Henry the first he was called home and restored to all his former dignities But not long after he was likewise banished the Realme by the said Henry falling out with him concerning the disposing of Bishoprickes at the Kings pleasure giuing inuestiture and possession of them by the staffe and the ring within three yeares by the meanes and mediation of Adela or Alice Countesse of Blois the Kings sister he was restored not onely to his place but to all his goods and fruits gathered in the time of his absence Some two yeares after this his last returne falling sicke of a languishing disease hee died Aprill 21. Ann. Dom. 1109. in the sixteenth yeare of his gouernment Some 400. yeares after by the procurement of Iohn Morton one of his Successours he was canonized a Saint and one as worthy that honour as any that euer since his 〈◊〉 was canonized by the Pope for as his life
Andrewes Scotland to the same effect and greatly in this kings commendation Iacobus 4. Rex 105. Anno mundi 5459. An. Christi 1489. Ã conditu Regni 1819. 1. Tristia fata gemens genitoris ferrea gestat Baltea haec luctus dat monimenta sui Margaris Angla datur thalamis Hinc Anglica sceptra Debentur fatis Sexte Iacobe tuis Pax regnis redit et pleno Bona copia cornu Et blandum adspirans aura secunda fauet Rursus ad arma vocat laetis sors invida rebus Tueda vbi finitimam gurgite sulcat humum Flos Procerum Patriaeque simul Pater optimus vna Sorte ruunt Heu sors semper acerba bonis Quod si animis orsisque tuis Sors aequa fuisset Imperij Fines vltima terra daret 2. Desine Pyramidum moles ac Mausolea Sollicitus vacuum surrigere ad tumulum Illum Fama vehens late circumsona Olympo Aequat Pro tumulo maximus orbis erit Much more might be said of this magnanimous and high-spirited king of Scotland which I shall further enlarge when I come to Richmond the place no doubt of his buriall Iohn Casy of this Parish whose dwelling was In the North corner house as to Lad-lane you pas For better knowledge the name it hath now Is called and knowne by the name of the Plow Out of that house yeerely did geeve Twenty shillings to the poore their neede to releeue Which money the Tenant must yeerelie pay To the Parson and Church wardens on Saint Thomas day The heire of that house Thomas Bowrman by name Hath since by his deed confirmed the same Whose loue to the poore doth thereby appeare And after his death shall liue many a yeare Therefore in your life do good while yee may That when meagre death shall take yee away You may liue like fam'd as Casy and Bowrman For he that doth well shall neuer be a poore man Saint Mary Aldermanbury In the Cloister about this Churchyard hanged and fastened to a post is the shanke-bone of a man wondrous great and large in length 28. inches and a halfe of assise with the pourtraiture of a Giant-like person vpon a Table with this Inscription In wise mens sight I seeme not strange Although some friends of Pan will scorne From time to time all shapes will change Full well appeares since the first-borne Deride not that which nought offends Let reason rule strong men haue beene As Sampson tall loe death all ends In Stories past may well be seene If you trust our Stories you must beleeue that Giants or men of vaste bodily composture inhabited this our Island in former times Of whom one Hauillan a Poet who flourished aboue foure hundred yeares since wrote pleasantly in this wise thus translated out of the Latine tongue There Gyants whilome dwelt whose clothes were skins of beasts Whose drinke was bloud whose cups to serue for vse at feasts Were made of hollow wood whose beds were bushie thornes And Lodgings rockie caues to shelter them from stormes Their chambers craggie rocks their hunting found them meat To rauish and to kill to them was pleasure great Their violence was rule with rage and furie led They rusht into the fight and fought hand ouer head Their bodies were interr'd behinde some bush or brake To beare such monstrous wights the earth did grone and quake These pesterd most the Westerne tract more feare made thee agast O Cornwall vtmost doore that art to let in Zephyrus blast And the vulgar receiued opinion is that Brute vpon his first arriuall in Kent was encountred with diuers strong and mightie Giants Of which an Author of reuerend good antiquitie thus writeth as also of the wrastling betwixt Corineus and Gogmagog Ther was a Geant het Gogmagog yat was gret and strong For aboute ane twenty fet men seiy yat he was long A good oke he wolde braye a doun as hit small yerde were And bere hit forth in his hond ye folke all to a fere He com wiy xx Geants and assayllede Brute faste Brut wiy his power hem slough echon atte laste Alle but Gogmagog for hym ne slough he nought For he sholde wiy Corneus wrastle by hys thought In a word my Author makes Corineus to get the vpper hand of Gogmagog and to cast him headlong from one of the rocks not farre from Douer which for a long time was called the fall or leape of Gogmagog and afterwards the fall of Douer And this Gogmagog saith he was the last of that monstrous generation Raph the Monke of Coggeshall who wrote aboue three hundred yeares ago saith that in king Richards time on the sea shore at a Village in Essex called Eadulphnesse were found two teeth of a certaine Giant of such an huge bignesse that two hundred such teeth as men haue now a dayes might be cut out of them These saw I at Goggeshall quoth he and not without wondring And such another Giant-like thing I wot not what saith Camden was in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne digged vp by R. Candish a Gentleman neare to this place Vpon which thus he doth further comment I do not denie saith he but that there haue beene men that for their huge bodies and firme strength were wondrous to behold whom God as Saint Austin saith would haue to liue vpon the earth thereby to teach vs that neither beauty of bodie nor talenesse of stature are to bee accounted simplie good things seeing they be common as well to Infidels as to the godly Yet may we very well thinke that which Suetonius hath written namely that the huge limmes of monstrous Sea-creatures elsewhere and in this kingdome also were commonly said and taken to haue beene Giants bones Another iudicious Antiquarie of these times doth also thus illustrate this point I could thinke saith hee that there now are some as great statures as for the most part haue beene and that Giants were but of a somewhat more then vulgar excellence in body and martiall performance If you obiect the finding of great bones which measured by proportion largely exceed our times I first answer that in some singulars as Monsters rather then naturall such proofe hath beene but that now and of ancient time the eyes iudgement in such like hath beene and is subiect to much imposture mistaking bones of huge beasts for humane Claudius brought ouer his Elephants hither and perhaps Iulius Cesar some for I haue read that he terriblie frighted the Britons with sight of one at Coway Stakes when he passed ouer Thames and so may you bee deceiued But more of Giants hereafter Saint Olaues Iewrie Thomas Morsted gist ici Dieu de salme eit merci Amen This man was Chirurgian to three kings Henry the fourth the fifth and the sixth in the yeare 1436. He was Sheriffe of London he built a faire new Isle to the enlargement of this Church on the North side thereof wherein he
to be found amongst the said Lelands written Epigrams Ad illustrissimum Henricum Ducem Richmontanum Quo Romana modo maiuscula littera pingi Pingi quo possit littera parua modo Hic liber ecce tibi signis monstrabit apertis Princeps Aonij spâ—s et alumne gregis Qui tibi si placeat quod certe spero futurum Maxima proparuo munere dona dabis Now for that I haue here found such ample relation of the worthy atchieuements of the Howards I will goe forwards with that illustrious family as I finde them in this tract either intombed or otherwise remembred in Churches Middleton Although no Subscription now remaineth vnder this portraiture yet by the impalement of the Armes of Howard and Scales on the side thereof it is manifest that this was made for Robert Lord Scales whose daughter and Co-heire Margaret was married vnto Sir Robert Howard Knight eldest sonne of Sir Iohn Howard Knight who in the one and twentieth of Edward the Third was made Admirall ab ore Aquae Thamesis versus partes Boriales quamdiu Regi placuerit And this Sir Robert was great Grandfather to Iohn Howard Duke of Norfolke East Winch. On the South side of the Chancell of East-Winch Church is an ancient Chappell called Howards Chappell in which are these Monuments following In the South Wall of the said Chappell this enarched Monument as it is here set forth diuers of the Escocheons being decaied which are left blanke and onely this inscription now remaining thereon ..... animabus Domini Roberti Howard militis et Margerie vxoris sue ..... On the Pauement of the said Chappell be these two stones as they are here defigured whose inscriptions through time are decayed or rather stolne away by some sacrilegious persons a crime as I haue said elsewhere too frequent and too little punished but without doubt these Monuments were here placed for some of the Ancestors of this most honourable family this being their peculiar Chappell and place of Buriall In the East Window of the foresaid Chappell this ancient effigies of late was perfectly to be seene the portraiture of the same being exactly taken by the learned Gent. Sir Henry Spelman the memory thereof as of diuers other Monuments an by him preserued in relation to which this worthy Knight writ these verses Creditur has sacris candentem ardoribus aedes Quas dicat hic supplex instituisse Deo This ancient Chappell of the Howards hath of late yeeres beene most irreligiously defaced by vncouering the same taking off the Lead and committing it to sale whereby these ancient Monuments haue layne open to ruine But now in repairing by the order of the most Honourable preseruer of Antiquities as well in generall as in his owne particular Thomas Earle of Arundell and Surrey Earle Marshall of England and the Chiefe of that most Honourable family To this I also offer in obseruation both that the Posture fashion of the Armour and coate of Armes wherwith it is habited denotes great antiquitie and it should seeme by the Banner-fashiond Shield that this was the portraiture of some Banneret Ancestor of this Illustrious family for that Banners and the manner of this bearing of Armes was onely proper to Bannerets Knights of the Garter Barons and higher nobility In this Church of East Winch is a very faire Font of ancient times erected by some of this family as appeareth by their Armes being disposed in diuers places of the same the which for the curiosity of the work considering the antiquity giues me occasion here to present the true forme of one part thereof vnto your view Weeting In the South Window of the Church of Weeting S. Maries is this portraiture following the which by the Armes doth seeme to be the picture of Sir Iohn Howard Knight made in the time that he was married to Margaret the daughter and heire of Sir Iohn Plays Farsfield In the East Window of the South part of this Church is the resemblance of one of the most noble Family of the Howards as appeareth by his Coate of Armes but the subscription being wanting obscures the meanes to discouer which of them he was Framlingham Howsoeuer this Towne stands in Suffolke yet I hope it comes not in impertinently in this place Vnder a goodly rich Monument in this Parish Church lye interred the honourable remaines of Henry Howard Earle of Surrey and knight of the Garter the sonne of Thomas Duke of Norfolke as also of Frances his wife the daughter of Iohn Vere Earle of Oxford as appeares by the Inscription thereupon engrauen as followeth Henrico Howardo Thomae secundi Ducis Norfolciae filio primogenito Thomae tertij Patri Comiti Surriae et Georgiani ordinis Equiti â—urato immature anno salutis 1546. abrepto Et Franciscae vxori eius filâ—ae Iohannis Comitis Oxoniae Henricus Howardus Comes Northamptoniae filius secundo genitus hoc supremum pietatis in Parentes monumentum posuit A.D. 1614. This Henry Earle of Surrey saith Camden was the first of our English Nobilitie that did illustrate his high birth with the beauty of learning and his learning with the knowledge of diuers languages which hee attained vnto by his trauells into forraine Nations He was a man elegantis ingenij politaeque doctrinae saith Pitseus He writ diuers workes both diuine and humane he was exquisite as well in Latine as in English verse Of his English take this Essay being an Epitaph which he made to the memory of Sir Anthony Denny Knight a Gentleman whom King Henry the eight greatly affected Vpon the death of Sir Anthony Denny Death and the King did as it were contend Which of them two bare Denny greatest loue The King to shew his loue gan farre extend Did him aduance his betters farre aboue Nere place much wealth great honour eke him gaue To make it knowne what power great Princes haue But when death came with his triumphant gift From worldly carke he quit his wearied ghost Free from the corpes and straight to heauen it lift Now deme that can who did for Denny most The King gaue welth but fading and vnsure Death brought him blisse that euer shall endure Leland our English Antiquary speaking much in the praise of Sir Thomas Wiat the elder as well for his learning as other his excellent qualities meete for a man of his calling calls this Nobleman the conscript enrolled heire of the said Sir Thomas Wiat being one delighted in the like Studies with the said Sir Thomas Wiat. As it is in his Naeniae or Funerall Songs as followeth Bella suum meritò iactet Florentia Dantem Regia Petrarchae carmina Roma probet Hiâ— non inferior patrio sermone Viattus Eloquij secum qui decus omne tulit Transtulit in nostram Dauidis carmina linguam Et numeros magna reddidit arte pares Non morietur opus tersum spectabile sacrum Clarior hac fama parte Viattus â—rit Vna dies geminos Phaenices
buried in the euening by certaine men who had that charge who were called Vespillons Men of meaner ranke howsoeuer neuer so rich were not allowed this princely kinde of production to their graues for their corps were borne vpon their seruants shoulders whom they had manumitted a little before their deaths with a Trumpet onely sounding before them and some lights according to this of Persius Satyre 3. Then were prepared for his Funerall The Trumpet and the Lights And last of all This seeming happie man that would not doubt His health being composedly laid out On his high bed his biere and now daub'd o're And eu'n bedurted with th' abundant store Of ointments stretcheth tow'rd the citie gate His cold dead heeles and those whose best estate But yesterday was but to be his slaue Now weare their caps and beare him to his graue Man and woman though of equall degree and qualitie were borne in a different manner to their graues Man was borne vpon mens shoulders to signifie his dignitie and superioritie ouer his wife and woman at the armes end to signifie that being inferiour to man in her life time she should not be equalled with him at her death Which vse continued a long time vntill women by renouncing the world and liuing monasticall religious liues got such an honourable esteeme in the world that they were thought no lesse worthie of honour in that kinde then men and when as a widow dâ—ed hauing hâ—d but one husband they carried her to her graue with a crowne of chastitie vpon her head Condemned persons as they are now adayes were carried in waines or carts because they were thought vnworthy to bee borne by men who by their wicked demerits had procured the hand of iustice to cut them off by vntimely death from the societie of men CHAP. IIII. Of the excessiue expenses bestowed at Funeralls in former times I Might include within this Chapter and not impertinently to these contents the ancient customes and manners of burying the dead in all Nations throughout all the habitable world but that would make the gate bigger then the citie this discourse of a greater bulke then all the rest of the booke besides you may finde this Treatise touched vpon in the Volumne of the Estates Empires and Principalities of the world as also in the Treasurie of Ancient and moderne Times the sixth booke where hee speakes of diuers customes and fashions of buriall of ancient obsequies and their ceremonies onely then a little of so much because I would not stray beyond my limits The ancient Romanes did vse them that were dead after two manners and they had two kindes of obsequies the first and most ancient was to couer the dead with earth and to bury them as we doe the other to burne their bodies but this manner did not continue long Sepeliri antiquius fuisse quam cremari Plin. lib. 7. cap. 54. Cremari apud Romanos non suit veâ—eris instituti terra condebantur at postquam longinquis hellis obrutos eruâ— cognouere est institutum tamen multae familiae priscos seruauere ritus Manut. de leg Rom. sol 125. Numa Pompilius was the inuenter of obsequies and hee instituted a high Priest who had the charge The first honour which they vsed to performe in the obsequies of famous persons was to commend the partie by an Oration Valerius Publicola made a funerall oration on the death and in the praise of Brutus In like manner Iulius Caesar being but twelue yeares old commended his grandfather and Tiberius at the age of nine yeares praised his father The second honour was to make Sword-players to fight Marcus and Decius sonnes to Iunius Brutus were the first that did practise this in honour of their father The third honour was to make a feast of magnificent furnishment The fourth was a distribution of meat to all the common people And such as I haue said before as could not be buried with the like and so great pompe for the expenses were in supportable were buried in the night time by the Vespillons clothed all in white who carried the dead body to his graue They had likewise an order that within some while after the obsequies they would strew diuers flowers and sweet odours upon the sepulchre as the Romane people did vpon the funerall monument of Scipio And also they accustomed yearely to garnish decke and adorne the tombes or graues of the dead with poesies crownes and garlands of all sorts of flowers Husbands saith Saint Ierom ad Pammachum were wont to straw spread or scatter ouer and vpon the graues and sepulchres of their deceased deare wiues violets roses lillies hyacinths and diuers purple flowers by which vxorious office they did mitigate and lessen the griefe of their hearts conceiued by the losse of their louing bedfâ—llowes The like expression of mutuall loue wiues shewed to their buried husbands Now aboue all flowers in these ceremonious obseruances the Rose was in greatest request and had the sole preheminence Romani saith Kirkman de Funeribus Romanorum lib. 4. cap. 3. verò Rosarum fuere studiosi vt ijs post mortem monimenta sua spargi supremo iudicio nonnunquam iusserint legato ad hanc rem relictâ— cui plerumque haec erat conditio ut in Rauennati inscriptione legimus vt quotannis Rosas ad monumentum eius deâ—errent ibique epularentur To which Io. Passeratius in his Rosa thus alludes Manibus est imis Rosa grata grata Sepulchris Et Rosa flos Florum Vnto the Tombes and Spirits of the dead The Rose is gratefull of all flowers the head And Anacreon in praise of the Rose thus sings in one of his odes I will vse the Latine translation Rosa honor decusque florum Rosa cura amorque veris Rosa coelitum voluptas And in another ode in commendation of the Rose more aptly to this purpose thus Medicatur haec aegris Defendit haec sepultos The Rose full many griefes doth cure Defends corps laid in sepulture The ancient Ethnicks did hold the springing of flowers from the graue of a deceased friend an argument of his happinesse and it was their vniuersall wish That the Tombe stones of their dead friends might bee light vnto them and that a perpetuall spring-tide of all kinde of fragrant flowers might incircle their verdant graues According to this of Persius Sat. 7. Dij maiorum vmbris tenuem sine pondere terram Spirantesque crocos in vrna perpetuum ver Lie earth light on their bones may their graues beare Fresh fragrant flowers let springtide still liue there But to come backe againe The magnificence in burning the bodies of the dead did farre exceed in charges all other kindes of funerall for which the bodies of persons of principall regard as you may reade in the Trauelles of George Sandys they burnt rich odours gold iewels apparell heards of cattell flocks of sheepe horses hounds and sometimes the concubines and slaues whom they
pompe are deckt The custome is to spread abroad White linens grac'd with splendour pure Sabaean myrrhe on bodies strow'd Preserues them from decay secure The hollow stones by caruers wrought Which in faire Monuments are laid Declare that pledges thither brought Are not to death but sleepe conuay'd The pious Christians thus ordaine Beleeuing with a prudent eye That those shall rise and liue againe Who now in freezing slumbers lie He that the dead dispers'd in fields In pitie hides with heapes of molds To his Almighty Sauiour yeelds A worke which he with ioy beholds The same Law warnes vs all to grone Whom one seuere condition ties And in anothers death to mone All fun'rals as of our allies That reuerend man in goodnesse bred Who blest Tobias did beget Preferr'd the buriall of the dead Before his meate though ready set He while the seruants waiting stand Forsakes the cups the dishes leaues And digges a graue with speedy hand Which with the bones his teares receiues Rewards from heau'n tâ—is worke requite No slender price is here repaid God cleares the eyes that saw no light While fishes gall on them is laid Then the Creatour would descry How farre from reason they are led Who sharpe and bitter things apply To soules on which new light is spred He also taught that to no wight The heau'nly kingdome can be seene Till vext with wounds and darksome night He in the worlds rough waues â—ath beene The curse of death a blessing findes Because by this tormenting woe Steepe wayes lie plaine to spotlesse mindes Who to the Starres by sâ—rrowes goe The bodies which long perisht lay Returne to liue in better yeares That vnion neuer shall decay Where after death new warmth appeares The face where now pale colour dwels Whence foule infection shall arise The flowers in splendour then excels When bloud the skinne with beauty dies No age by Times imperious law With enuious prints the forehead dimmes No drought no leannesse then can draw The moisture from the withered limbes Diseases which the body eate Infected with oppressing paines In midst of torments then shall sweate Imprison'd in a thousand chaines The conquering flesh immortall growes Beholding from the skies aboue The endlesse groning of her foes For sorrowes which from them did moue Why are vndecent howlings mixt By liuing men in such a case Why are decreâ—s so sweetly fixt Reprou'd with discontented face Let all complaints and murmures faile Ye tender mothers stay your teares Let none their children deare bewaile For life renew'd in death appeares So buried seeds though drie and dead Againe with smiling greennesse spring And from the hollow furrowes bred Attempt new eares of corne to bring Earth take this man with kinde embrace In thy soft bosome him conceiue For humane members here I place And genâ—rous parts in trust I leaue This house the soule her guest once felt Which from the Makers mouth proceeds Here sometime feruent wisedome dwelt Which Christ the Prince of wisedome breeds A cou'ring for this body make The Author neuer will forget His works nor will those lookes forsake In which he hath his picture set For when the course of time is past And all our hopes fulfil'd shall be Thou op'ning must restore at last The limbes in shape which now we see Nor if long age with powerfull reigne Shall turne the bones to scatter'd dust And onely ashes shall retaine In compasse of an handfull thrust Nor if swift flouds or strong command Of windes through emptie aire haue tost The members with the flying sand Yet man is neuer fully lost O God while mortall bodies are Recall'd by thee and form'd againe What happie seat wilt thou prepare Where spotlesse soules may safe remaine In Abrahams bosome they shall lie Like Lazarus whose flowry crowne The rich man doth farre off espie While him sharpe fiery torments drowne Thy words O Sauiour we respect Whose triumph driues blacke death to losse When in thy steps thou wouldst direct The Thiefe thy fellow on the Crosse. The faithfull see a shining way Whose length to Paradise extends This can them to those trees conuay Lost by the Serpents cunning ends To Thee I pray most certaine Guide O let this soule which thee obay'd In her faire birth-place pure abide From which she banisht long hath stray'd While we vpon the couer'd bones Sweet Violets and leaues will throw The title and the cold hard stones Shall with our liquid odours flow CHAP. VI. Of the care and cost anciently vsed in the preseruing whole and entire the bodies of the dead Strange wayes customes and fashions of buriall AS in former times the most of all Nations were ardently desirous of decent buriall so Histories doe shew that the Ancients and namely the Egyptians were no lesse carefull and curious to preserue whole and entire the bodies of the dead laid within their Sepulchres and to keepe them from putrifaction so much as they could possible which they did by this meanes So soone as any one amongst them especially of exemplary note was dead they would draw out the braines of the defunct at the nostrils with an instrument of iron replenishing the same with preseruatiue spices then cutting vp the belly with an Aethiopian stone called Laigne and extracting the bowels they cleansed the inside with wine and stuffing the same with a composition of Cassia myrrhe and other odours closed it againe The like the poorer sort of people effected with Bitumen as the inside of their skuls and bellies yet testifie saith Sandvs lib. 2 who saw such their strange embalmed bodies fetcht from the lake of Asphaltis in Iury. So did they by the iuyce of Cedars which by the extreame bitternesse and siâ—catiue qualitie not onely subdued forthwith the cause of interiour corruption but hath to this day a continuance of aboue three thousand yeares preserued them vncorrupted Within their bellies besides their odorous compositions they enclosed certaine painted papers and strange shapes of their Gods in little models of stone or mettall this done they wrapt the bodie with linen in multitudes of folds besmeared with gumme in manner of a seare-cloth swathled with bands of the same staining their breasts with Hierogliphycall characters and so laid them downe in such vaults as did belong to euery mans particular familie Camerar in his Hist. Meditations saith That the Ancients fixed nailes of brasse within their dead bodies knowing well that brasse is a mettal very solid and lasting in which qualitie both Horace and Virgil do commend it that it keepeth a long time from rust and corruption and that it is endued with a particular vertue against putrifaction And not long since saith he there was found in a certaine wood neare to Nuremburgh very ancient Tombes and amongst the bones of the dead nailes and buckles of brasse It is reported by Fulgosus and other forraigne Authours as also by our owne countrey-men William of Malmesbury and Matthew of Westminster that in the yeare of Grace one
fiue thousand pounds and one Herbert Prior of Fiscane in Normandy bought for his father whose name was Losinge the Abbacie of Winchester and for himselfe the Bishopricke of Norwich Whereupon a versiâ—ier of that age made these rythmes Surgit in Ecclesia monstrum genitore Losinga Symonidum secta Canonum virtute resecta Petre nimis tardas nam Symon ad ardua tentat Si praesens esses non Symon ad alta volaret Proh dolor Ecclesiae nummis venduntur aere Filius est Praesul pater Abbas Symon vterque Quid non speremus si nummos possideamus Omnia nummus habet quid vult facit addit aufert Res nimis iniusta nummis sit Praesul Abba Thus translated by Bale in his Votaries A monster is vp the sonne of Losinga Whiles the law seeketh Simony to flea Peter thou sleepest whiles Simon taketh time If thou wert present Simon should not clime Churches are prised for syluer and gold The sonne a Bishop the father an Abbot old What is not gotten if we haue richesse Money obteineth in euery businesse In Herberts way yet it is a foule blot That he by Simony is Bishop and Abbot But Simonie was not so common now as other sinnes for the Clergie in generall gaue themselues strangely to worldly pleasures and pompous vanities they wore gay rich garments gilt spurres embroidered girdles and bushie locks The Monkes of Canterbury as well nigh all other Monkes in England were not vnlike to secular men they vsed hawking and hunting playing at dice and great drinking thou wouldest haue taken them to haue beene great Magnificoes rather then Monkes they had so many seruants and attendance of goodly aray and dignity Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury by the permission of King Henry the first assembled a great Councell of the Clergie at Westminster wherein he depriued many great Prelates of their promotions for their seuerall offences and many Abbots for other enormities forbidding the farming out of Church dignities In the raigne of King Henry the second the abuses of Church-men were growne to a dangerous height saith well the Monke of Newborough lib. 2. cap. 16. for it was declared saith he in the Kings presence that Clergie men had committed aboue an hundred murthers in his raigne Of which nine yeares were as then scarcely expired And in the 23 of his raigne the Nunnes of Amesbury were thrust out of their house because of their incontinent liuing Rog. Houed Richard Cordelion king of England being told by a certaine Priest called Fulco a Frenchman that he kept with him three daughters namely pride couetousnesse and lechery which would procure him the wrath of God if he did not shortly rid himselfe of them answered That he would presently bestow his three daughters in marriage the Knights Templers said he shall haue my eldest daughter Pride the white Monkes of the Cisâ—â—ux order Couetousnesse and my third daughter Lechery I commit to the Prelates of the Church who therein take most pleasure and felicitie And there you haue my daughters bestowed among you In the raigne of Henry the third the Templars in London being in great glory entertained the Nobilitie forraine Embassadours and the Prince himselfe very often insomuch that Matthew Paris Monke of Saint Albans who liued in those dayes cried out vpon them for their pride who being at the first so poore as they had but one horse to serue two of them in token whereof they gaue in their seales two men vpon one horsebacke yet suddenly they waxed so insolent that they disdained other orders and sorted themselues with Noblemen But this their insulting pride had a quicke period for shortly after to wit in the beginning of King Edward the seconds raigne in the Councell at Vienna this their so highly esteemed order was vpon cleare proofe of their generall odious abhominable sins and incredible Atheisticall impieties by them practised vtterly abolished throughout all Christendome And by the consent of all Christian Kings depoâ—ed all in one day taken all and committed to safe custody And thus being politâ—kely apprehended their lands and goods were seised vpon the heires of the Donours here in England and such as had endowed these Templars with lands entred vpon those parts of their ancient patrimonies after this dissolution and detained them vntill not long after they were by Parliament wholly transferred vnto the Knights of the Rhodes or of S. Iohn of Ierusalem A littâ—e before the vniuersall extinguishment of this order of the Templars Philip the French King caused 54. of that Order with their great Master to be burnt at Paris for their hainous vngodlinesse In the raigne of Edward the third the Clergie of England exceeded all other Nations in the heaping vp together of many Benefices and other spirituall promotions besides at that time they held the principall places both of trust and command in the kingdome Some of them had twenty Benefices with cure and some more and some of them had twenty Prebends besides other great dignities William Wickham at the death of William Edington Bishop of Winchester was made generall Administratour of spirituall and temporall things pertaining to that Bishopricke and the next yeare was made Bishop of Winchester This Wickham besides the Archdeaconry of Lincolne and Prouostship of Welles and the Parsonage of Manihant in Deuonshire had twelue Prebends Simon Langham was Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancelour of England Iohn Barnet Bishop of Bath and Treasurer of England The foresaid Wickham Keeper of the priuie Seale Master of the Wards and Treasurer of the Kings reuenues in France Dauid Wellar Parson of Somersham Master of the Rolles seruing King Edward in the Chancery fortie yeares and more Ten beneficed Priests Ciuilians and Masters of the Chancery William Muâ—se Deane of S. Martins le Grand chiefe Chamberlaine of the Exchequer Receiuer and Keeper of the Kings Treasure and Iewels William Ashby Archdeacon of Northampton Chancellour of the Exchequer William Dighton Prebendary of Saint Martins Clerke of the priuie Seale Richard Chesterfield Prebendary of S. Stephens Treasurer of the Kings house Henry Snatch Parson of Oundall Master of the Kings Wardrobe Iohn Newenham Parson of Fenistanton one of the Chamberlaines of the Exchequer and keeper of the Kings Treasurie and Iewels Iohn Rouceby Parson of Hardwicke Surueior and Controuler of the Kings works Thomas Britingham Parson of Ashby Treasurer to the King for the parts of Guisnes and the marches of Caleis Iohn Troys Treasurer of Ireland diuers wayes beneficed in Ireland Pope Vrban the first made a decree against the heaping together of many Benefices or spirituall promotions by one man for the execution whereof he sent commandement to the Archbishop of Canterbury and by him to all his Suffragans to certifie in writing the names number and qualities of euery Clerke Benefices or liuings within their seuerall Diocesse Whereupon this or the like certificate was brought in I finde inter Breuiâ—
Hospitale Partem Virgulti vulgo du verger inter Hospitale Canonicos attingentis A claustro quod est ante tanuam Ecclesie vsque ad extremitatâ—m muri et redditus ad sustentationem quatuor Canonicorum sacer dotum manentium in decimis de Triciaco Calliaco et de Braya Et centum solidos Parisiensis monete apud villam nouaÌ„ Sancti Georgij annuatim in festo Sancti Remigij persoluendos Vineam etiam et arpentum terre queiacent extra muros predicti loci Sancti Thome sicut corum scripto autentico continetur Ecclesie vestre auctoritate Apostolica confirmamus presertis scripti patrocinio communuimus Statuentes vt nulli omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostre confirmationis infringere vel ei ausu temerario contraire Si quis autem hoc attemptare presumpsâ—rit indignationem omnipoteâ—tis Dei et Beatorum Petri et Pauli Apostolorum eius se nouerit incursurum Datum Laterani septimo Kalendas Augusti Pontisicatus nostri anno secundo Annoque Domini Millesimo centesimo octuagesimo nono These donations were afterwards viz. Ann. 1428. augmented by Iohn Duke of Britaine Montefort and Richmund as appeares by his Charter which I haue read Many other religious structures Churches Chappels and Oratories in forraine parts were erected and endowed to the memory of this our English Martyr Neare to the Gallerie of the Louure and adioyning to the Collegiate Church is a prettie faire street which at this day is called La rue de S. Thomas du Louure the streete of S. Thomas at the Louure Richard the first King of England after the surprisall of Acrres instituted an order of Knights which he called The Order of Saint Thomas they held the rule of Saint Augustine and tooke for their Patron the foresaid Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury as you may reade in the Theater of Honour lib. 9. cap. 11. But I stand too long gazing and glossing vpon this imaginarie monument digressing from the breuitie of that method which I haue proposed to my selfe Let me view the sumptuous monument still remaining of Edward surnamed the blacke Prince so by-named not of his colour but of his dreaded acts in battell vpon which this Epitaph is inlayd with brasse Cy gist le noble Prince Mouss Edward aisnez filz du tresnoble Roy Edward tiers iadis Prince d'aquitaine et de Gales Due de Cornwaille et counte de Cesâ—â—e qi morust eâ— la feste de la Trinite qestoit le vni iour de iuyn l'an de grace mil troiscens septante sisine Lalme de qi Dieu eit mercy Amen Tu qi passez oue bouche close Par la ou ce corps repose Entent ce qe te diray Sycome te dire le say Come tu es au tiel fu Tu seras tiel come ie su De la mort ne pensai ie mie Tant come iauoy la vie En tre auoi grand richesse Sont icy sis grand noblesse Terre Mesons et grand tresor Draps chiuaux argent et or Mes ore su ieo poures et chetifs Perfond en la tre gis Ma grand beaute est tout alee Ma char est tout gastee Noult est estroit ma meson En moy na sy verite non Et si ore me veisses Ie ne quide pas qe vous deisses Qe ie eusse onges home este Sy su ie ore tant changee Pur dieu priez au celestien Poy Qe mercy ait de barme de moy Tour ceulx qi pur moy prieront On a dieu maccorderont Dieu les mette en son Paraydis Ou nul ne Poet estre chetifs Thus Englished Here lieth the noble Prince Monsieur Edward the eldest sonne of the thrice noble King Edward the third in former time Prince of Aquitaine and of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester who died on the feast of Trinitie which was the eight day of Iune in the yeare of Grace 1376. To the soule of whom God grant mercy Amen Who so thou be that passeth by Where these corps entombed lie Vnderstand what I shall say As at this time speake I may Such as thou art sometime was I Such as I am such shalt thou be I little thought on th' oure of death So long as I enioyed breath Great riches here I did possesse Whereof I made great noblenesse I had gold siluer wardrobes and Great treasure horses houses land But now a caitife poore am I Deepe in the ground lo here I lie My beautie great is all quite gone My flesh is wasted to the bone My house is narrow now and throng Nothing but Truth comes from my tongue And if ye should see me this day I do not thinke but ye would say That I had neuer beene a man So much altered now I am For Gods sake pray toth'heauenly King That he my soule to heauen would bring All they that pray and make accord For me vnto my God and Lord God place them in his Paradise Wherein no wretched caitife lies The death of this Prince which fortuned in the fourtie and sixth yeare of his age was a heauy losse to the state being a Prince of whom we neuer heard any ill neuer receiued other note then of goodnesse and the noblest performances that magnanimitie and wisedome could euer shew in so much as what praise can bee giuen to veâ—â—ue is due to him The compendious Chronicle of Canterbury written by one Thomas Haselwood a Canon of Leedes speakes more particularly of his militarie atchieuements in these words Edwardus filius Edw. 3. primogenitus Princeps Wallie fortunatissimus miles in bello audacissimus inter validissima bella gesta militaria magnisice ab eodem peracta Iohannem Regem Francie apud Poyteires debellauit pluribus tam nobilibus quam alijs de dicto regno captis interfectis eundem Regem captiuauit ipsum potenter in Augliam ductum Patri suo presentauit Henricum etiam intrusorem Hispanie potentissime in bello deuicit Petrum Hispanie Regem dudum à regno suo expulsum potenti virtute in regnum suum restituit Vnde propter ingentem sibi probitatem actus ipsius triumphales memoratum Principem inter regales Regum memorias dignum duximus commendandum Here lieth the body of Henry the fourth King of England whose Tombe is richly adorned and garnished about with the Armes of all the Christian Princes and most of the greatest Peeres of this kingdome then liuing vpon which I finde no Inscription who died 20. Mar. Anno Dom. 1412. aetat 46. Reg. 14. This King finished his politique and victorious raigne in peace and honour Howsoeuer the iniustice of his first entrance stepping into the seat Royall by the deposition and murder of his lawfull Soueraigne King Richard the second left a dishonourable staine vpon all his actions He aduised his Sonne Henry after him King vpon his death bed to punish the
oppressours of his people for so shalt thou quoth hee obtaine fauour of God and loue and feare of thy subiects who whiles they haue wealth so long shalt thou haue their obedience but made poore by oppressions will be ready for insurrections Let this memoriall of him in such rimes as I haue it stand for his Epitaph Aftur hym regnyd than The iiii Harry that doughty man At Westminstre crouned he was Wher of al Engelond made solas In hys tyme was a blesyng Sterre That al men myght see ryght ferre Walis was rebel but noght for thy For owyn Glendor was the caus truly A doughty man he was and wyse In euery Batail he had the pryse At Batail of Sheresbury truly Off hys enemyse he hadde the victory He regnyd here almost xiiii yere And to Canterbury men hym bere Another of his raigne his death and gouernment thus rimes This king dyed of his reygne in the yere Fourtene accompted of March the xix daye The sondaye was then by Kalendre Of whom the realme great ioye at first had ay But afterward they loued not his arraye At his begynnyng full hye he was commende With commons then and also litell at the ende Io. Gower in the last part of his Tripartite Chronicle giues vs this various Character following of this Henry and his predecessour Richard the second Kings O quam pensando mores variosque notando Si bene scrutetur R. ab H. distare videtur Clarus sermone tenebrosus et intus agone R. pacem fingit dum mortis federa stringit Duplex cautelis fuit R. Pius H. que fidelis R. Pestem mittit mortem pius H. que remittit R. Plebem taxat taxas pius H. que relaxat R. proceres odit et eorum predia rodit H. fauet heredes que suas restaurat in edes R. regnum vastat vindex in omnibus astat Mulcet terrorem pius H. que reducit amorem O Deus Henrico quem diligo quem benedico Da regnum tutum nulla grauitate volutum Vite presentis pariter viteque sequentis Da sibi quodcunque felicius est ad vtrunque The same Authour in another place to the laud and memory of this King hath these nicking Hexameters Electus Christi pie Rex Henrice fuisti Qui bene venisti cum propria regna petisti Tu mala vicisti que bonis bona restituisti Et populo tristi noua gaudia contribuisti Est mihi spes lata quod adhuc pro te renouata Succedent fata veteri probitate beata Et tibi nam grata gratia sponte data And the said Gower makes a ballade to this king to his no little commendations Whereof take the first Stanza for an Essay O noble worthy Kyng Henry the fearth In whom the gladde Fortune is befall The people to gouerne here vpon earth God hath thee chosen in comfort of vs all The worship of this land which was dounfall Now stant vpright through grace of thy goodnesse Which euery man is hold for to blesse Caxton the continuer of Polychronicon saith that this King Henry the fourth found great riches whereof Richard his predecessour was possest at the time of his resignation of the Scepter royall These are the wordes Thenne he fonde in Kyng Rychads tresorye nyne hundryd thowsand nobles besydes Iewels and Vessels whyche was as moche worthe or more And there was found in the Tresorers kepyng of Englonde an hundryd and fyfty thowsand nobles and Iewels and Vessels as moche worthe or more Vpon which saith Fabian It shulde seme that Kyng Rycharde was ryche whan hys money and Iewelles amounted to seuen hundryd thowsand pounds Sir Simon D'ewes Knight a diligent searcher of Antiquities gaue me the copie of King Henries Will here entombed examined by the originall vnder the priuie Seale according to the orthographie in the said originall which is not vnworthy I hope of my Readers perusall In the name of God Fadir and Son and holy Gost thre persons and on God I Henry sinful wretch be the grase of God Kyng of Englond and of Fraunce and Lord of Irlond being in myne hole mynd mak my Testament in manere and forme that suyth First I bequeth to Almyghty God my sinful Soul the whiche had neuer be worthy to be man but through hys mercy and hys grase whiche lyffe I haue mispendyd whereof I put me whollily in his grase and his mercy with all myn herte And what tym hit liketh him of hys mercy for to tak me to hym the body for to be beryed in the Chirch of Caunterbury aftyr the descrecion of my Cousin the Erchbyshcoppe of Caunterbury And also I thank all my Lordis and trewe peple for the trewe servise that they haue don to me and Yask hem forgiuenes if â— haue missentreted hem in any wyse And al 's far as they haue offendyd me in wordis or in deâ—is in any wyse I prey God forgeue hem hit and Y do Also Y devyse and ordeyn that ther be a chauntre perpetuall of twey Precitis for to sing and prey for my soul in the aforseyd chirch of Caunterbury in soche plase and aftyr soch ordinaunse as hit semeth best to my aforseâ—d cousin of Canterbury Also Y ordeyne and deuise that of my goodors restitution be made to all hem that Y haue wrongfully greuyd or any good had of theirs without iust tytle Also I will and ordeyne that of my goodis all my debtis be al paied in all hast possible and that my seruants be rewardyd aftyr ther nede and desert of seruise and in especyal â—â—lkin Iohn Warren and William Thorpe Gromes of my chambre Also Y will that all those that be bond in eny debt that Y owe in eny wyse or haue vndyrtake to eny man for eny debt that Y owe or that they can dwlye shewe hit that all soche persons be kept harmlysse Also I will that a â— sees and wages that ar not paied to be paied and in especiall to my seruaunts of my houshold befor eny oder And also that all myn Annuityes fees and donacions grauntyd by me byfor this tym be my lettres patents be kept and paied aftyr the effect of the forseyd lettres patents and yn especiall to all hem that haue bene trewe seruaunts to me and toward me alway Also Y will and prey my Son that he haue recomendyd Thomas de lâ— crois that hath well and trwly seruyd me and also in the same wyse Iacob Raysh and Halley Also I will that the Quene be endowyd of the Duche of Lancastre Also I will that all my Officers both of houshold and other the which nedeth to haue pardon of eny thing that touch here offices both of losse and oder thing they haue pardon therof in semblable mancre as y of my grase haue bewont to do befor this tym And for to execut this Testament well and trulich for grete tryst that I haue on my Son the Prince Y
non est mihi crede tacendum Anglorum Primas sub primo culmine primas Qui tennit sedes melius dum sperat in edes Hunc Rex compellit eum de sede repellit Dum Simon Rome supplantat federa Thome Hic Thomas natus Comitis fuit intitulatus Clericus aptatus Doctor de iure creatus Legibus ornatus facundus moringeratus Cam Christo gratus in plebe que magnisicatus O quam preclarus tam purus immaculatus Ad Regale latus tandem fuit illaqueatus Tramite subtili latitans plus vulpe senili Rex studet in sine Thomam prostrare ruine De tribus audistis cum Rex scelus intulit istis Presul adiutor fuit hijs quodammodo tutor Non contra legem sed ab ira flectere Regem Nomine pastoris temptauerat omnibus horis Semper erat talis restat dum spes aliqualis Sicanira mortem poterat saluasse cohortem Rex â—â—lit hoc triste quod Cancellarius iste Tempore quo stabat hos tres constanter amabat Sic procurator pius extitit Mediator Cartas quod Regis habuerunt munere legis Pontificis more summi pro Regis amore Sic pacem mittit mortis gladiumque remittit Hec ita fecisset pactum si Rex tenuisset Sed que iurauit hodie cras verba negauit Cernite pro quali culpa magis in speciali Pontiâ—ici tali sine causa materiali Rex fuit iratus sed altera causa reatus Est plus secreta tunc Rome quando moneta Simonis ex parte Papam concludit in aâ—tâ— Ecce per has causas sub Regis pectore clausas Hec scelus obiecit Thome qui nil male secit Regis fautores super hoc tunc anteriores Fraudibus obtentum concludunt Parliamentum Sic de finali Rex pondere iudiciali Exilio demit Thomam nee amore redemit Sic Pater absque pare quem Rex spoliauit auare Partes ignotas tunc querit habere remotas Sic pius Antistes casus pro tempore tristes Sustinet curam sperat reuocare futuram Christus eum ducat saluet que salute reducat Si vt vterque status sit ei cum laude beatus Vpon his restauration to this his Bishopricke by Henry the fourth Duke of Lancaster the same Author thus writes Iustos laudauit iniustos vituperauit Hos confirmauit hos deprimit hos releuauis Regni primatem crudelem per feritatem Quem Rex explantat Dux ex pietate replantat Henry Chichley Bishop of this See lies here on the North side of the Presbitery in a Tombe built by himselfe in his life time hee was borne at Highamâ—errys in Northamptonshire where he began the foundation of a goodly Colledge and an Hospitall which were finished by his two brethren his Executours Hee was brought vp in New Colledge in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Law and where he founded two Colledges one called Bernard Colledge renewed by Sir Thomas White and named Saint Iohns Colledge and all Soules Colledge which yet continueth in the same estate he left it one of the fairest in that Vniuersitie Hee was employed much in embassages by King Henry the fourth who preferred him to the Bishopricke of Saint Dauids where he sate fiue yeares and was then translated hither by his sonne King Henry the fifth He was a man happie enioying alwayes his Princes fauour wealth honour and all kinde of prosperity many yeares wise in gouerning his See worthily bountifull in bestowing his goods to the behoofe of the common-wealth And lastly stout and seuere in due administration of iustice When hee had gouerned this Sec. 29. yeares a longer time then euer any did in fiue hundred yeares before him he died April 12. Ann. 1443. Vpon whose Monument I finde this Epitaph Hic iacet Hen Chicheley L. Doctor quondam Cancellarius Sarum â—ui anno 7. Hen. 4. Regis ad Gregorium Papam 12. in Ambassiata transmissus in Ciuitate Senensi per manus eiusdem Pape in Episcopum Meneuensâ—m consecratus est Hic etiam Henricus anno 2. Hen. 5. Regis in hac sancta Ecclesia in Archiepiscopum postulatus à Ioanne Papa 23. ad eandem translatus qui obijâ— anno Dom. 1443. Mensâ—â— Apr. deâ— 12. Cetus sanctorâ—m 〈…〉 iste precetur Vt Deus ipsorum merâ—â—â—s â—â—bâ— propictetur I finde another more vnlearned Epitaph of him by which he is but little honoured being such an especiall furtherer of learning Pauper eram natus post Primas hic â—â—euatus â—am sum prostratus vermiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 paraius Ecce meum tumulum M. CCCC.XLIII Here lies interred in the Martyrdome an Archbishop very noble and no lesse learned one of the honourable familie of the Staffords sonne saith the Catalogue of Bishops vnto the Earle of Stafford but I finde no such thing in all the Catalogues of Honour a man much fauoured by King Henry the fifth wo preferred him first to the Deanrie of Wells gaue him a Prebend in the Church of Salisbury made him one of his priuie Councell and in the end Treasurer of England And then although this renowned King was taken away by vntimely death yet hee still went forward in the way of promotion and obtained the Bishopricke of Bath and Welles which with great wisedome hee gouerned eighteene yeares from whence he was remoued to this of Canterbury in which he sate almost nine yeares and in the meane time was made Lord Chancellour of England which office hee held eighteene yeares which you shall hardly finde any other man to haue done vntill waxing wearie of so painfull a place he voluntarily resigned it ouer into the Kings hands And about three yeares after that died at Maidstone Iuly 6. Ann. 1452. Vpon a flat marble stone ouer him I finde this consabulatorie Epitaph Quis fuit enuclees quem celas saxeâ— moles Stafford Antistes fuerat dictusque Iohannes Qua sedit sede marmor queso simul ede Pridem Bathonie Regni totius inde Primas egregius Pro presule funde precatus Aureolam gratus huic det de Virgine natus Much more may be read of this Bishop in the booke called Antiquitates Britannicae penned by Mathew Parker Archbishop of this place and in the Catalogue of Bishops by Francis Godwin Bishop of Hereford as also in the Catalogues of the Lords Chancellours and Treasurers of England collected by Francis Thinne In a decent Monument on the South side of the Presbitery Iohn Kempe Archbishop of this See lieth interred who was borne at Wye in this County of Kent brought vp at Oxford in Merton Colledge where hee proceeded Doctor of Law Hee was made first Archdeacon of Durham then Deane of the Arches and Vicar generall vnto the Archbishop Stafford Not long after he was aduanced to the Bishopricke of Rochester remoued thence to Chichester from Chichester to London from London to Yorke from Yorke to Canterbury he was first Cardinall of the title of Saint Balbine
entombed here in our Ladies Chappell with this Epitaph Qui legis has apices Adriani pignora dices Hoc sita sarcophago sua nostro gloria pago Hic decus Abbatum patrie lux vir probitatum Subuenit à celo si corde rogetur anhelo These seuen Abbots aboue mentioned were all outlandish men sent hither either at the first to accompanie Augustine or afterwards Mellitus and Iustus in their iourney from Rome Albinus the Scholler of Adrian and Abbot of this house was here interred who as he followed his Master in his office so did he in all his good and godly wayes And so died in the 24. yeare of his Abbotship 732. and was buried by his Master Laus Patris Albini non est obnoxia fini Gloria debetur sibi quam sita vitae meretur Multa quippe bonos faciens virtute patronos Abbas efficitur bonus hic et honore petitur Shortly after the decease of Albin one Nothbaldus a Monke of this fraternitie was chosen Abbot in which office hee continued about sixteene yeares died ann 748. and was buried neare his predecessours Nothbaldi mores rutilant inter Seniores Cuius erat vita subiectis norma polita Aldhumus was the next Abbot in the time of whose gouernment the buriall of the Archbishops was taken away from the Church of this Monasterie by the cunning sleight and ouerswaying authoritie of Archbishop Cuthbert as I haue partly touched but howsoeuer his holy brethren of this Couent did impute all the fault vnto the supine negligence of their Abbot in that he did not more carefully defend this their common cause Whereupon after his death which happened ann 760. some 12. yeares they fastened this Epitaph vpon a pillar neare to the place of his buriall bewraying the viperous malice of this Monkish broode to him their deceased father Fert memor Abbatis Aldhumi nil probitatis Pontificum Pausani cassat tutans male causam Prisca premens iura dum Cuthbertus tumulatur Fulta sepultura sanctis per eum reprobatur About a yeare Lambert or Ianibert before remembred was Abbot of this house afterwards Archbishop He procured six plough lands of ground to this Abbey of king Edbert in little Mongham Ethelnothes Guttardus Cunredus Wernodus cosin to Offa and Cuthred kings of Mercia and Kent of whom this Wernode obtained many rich gifts for this his Monasterie Diernodus Wintherus Readmundus Kimbert Eta Degmund Alfred Ceolbert Bectane Athelwold Vlbert Eadred Alchmund Sittulfe Cadred Luling Beorline Alfricke who by his familiarity with king Edmund obtained two plough-land to his Monasterie Elsnoth Siricius who was first a Monke in Glastonbury then Abbot of this Monastery from hence preferred to the Bishopricke of Wiltshire and thence remoued to this Primatship of Canterbury A man much blamed in our ancient Histories for perswading with his countreymen to buy their peace with the Danes who had inuaded Kent and â—ssâ—x with the price of sixteene thousand pounds Wulfrike Elmer a man of great holinesse from hence aduanced to the Bishopricke of Sherborne and after some yeares falling blinde gaue ouer that gouernment returned to this Abbey wherein all the rest of his dayes he led a priuate life Elstan first Prior of the house whom king Knute would haue preferred to the Bishopricke of Wâ—nchester which hee denyed neither would hee haue taken this but by the importunate sute of his brethren These Abbots aboue named some twenty eight in number succeeded one another of whom albeit we may beleeue that many memorable and good actions were performed yet time which weareth all things out of remembrance hath left little of them remarkable to this age Wulfrike the second succeeded Elstan Vir probi consilij and often employed vpon Embasies to the Pope He translated the body of Saint Mildred into another place of the Church hee dyed suddenly ann 1059. by the iust iudgement of God saith the story because he neglected the beautifying of our Ladies Chappell being thereto commanded by S. Dunstan who had conference in a vision with the blessed Virgin concerning that matter Vpon the death of Wulfrike one Egelfine succeeded and receiued benediction from Archbishop Stigand about the yeare 1063. he was sent about I know not what Embasie to Pope Alexander the second to whom the Pope gaue this honour That it should bee lawfull for him and his successours to vse the Mytre and Apostolike Sandall But presently vpon his returne home he fled ouer Seas into Denmarke for feare of William the new Conquerour And being no sooner thus gone without licence first obtained his goods were confiscate to the King and one Scotland by birth a Norman inuested in his place This Abbot receiued many gracious fauours from the Conquerour He recouered much land vniustly taken from his Monasterie with diuers immunities He was a great cause for the confirmation of the ancient Franchises and liberties of Kent he built a great part of his Church anew and remoued the bones of Adrian and other Abbots with the bodies of foure Kentish kings being but obscurely buried and entombed them in the Quire of the Church vnder princely Monuments hee dyed the third day of September ann 1087. and was buried in a vault vnder the Quire in S. Maries Chappell Abbas Scotlandus prudentibus est memorandus ...... libertatis ...... dare gratis Actu magnificus generosa stirpe creatus Viribus enituit sanctis sancte quoque vixit One Wido was the next Abbot who repaired the Tombe or Shrine of Saint Augustine he dyed August 13. ann 1091. and was buried in a vault vnder S. Richards Altar Whose tombe-stone was thus inscribed Hunc statuit poni tumulum mors atra Widoni Cui stans sede throni superi det gaudia doni One Hugh de Flori or Floriaco a Norman borne neare a kinne to the Conquerour vnder whom and his sonne William Rufus being a strenuous and an expert Souldier hee had serued in the warres both of Normandie and England who comming with William Rufus vpon a time to visit Saint Austines Shryne would needs be made a Brother of this Fraternitie which being granted he sold forthwith all his lands in Normandie hauing neither wife nor childe and tooke vpon him the Monasticall habite This Hugh had scarce continued one yeare of probation when as the foresaid Abbot Wido departed the world vpon whose death the Monkes of Saint Austines comming to William Rufus to obtaine licence to elect a new Abbot the king swore by Lukes face that he would haue no election at all for he intended to take all the spirituall liuings of England into his owne hands Well for this time they went away with each one a flea in his eare yet afterwards it was decreed that two circumspect graue Monkes together with this Hugh de Flori should be sent to the king to procure his fauour for an election either by petition or price when these presented themselues vnto his sight and that
was elected sworne and blessed by the Popes Legate at Winchester before the king and many of the Peeres of the kingdome This Abbot was religious honest prouident and with learning and a godly life life greatly adorned and so departed from all worldly employment the third day of Nouember 1224. and was buried by the Altar of the holy Crosse vnder a flat marble stone thus engrauen Prosuit in populo Domini venerabilis Hugo Et tribuit sancte subiectis dogmata vite A prouident and discreete Brother of this house succeeded Hugh in the Abbotship to whom in like manner as hee did to Alexander the Archbishop vtterly denyed benediction and admittance for which he was enforced to trauell to Rome and there was sacred by the hands of Patrick Bishop of Albania and Cardinall by the Popes commandement This Abbots name was Robert de Bello belle rexit for the space of eleuen yeares Et obijt crastino sancti Mauri Abbatis ann 1252. His Epitaph Abbas Robertus virtutis odore refertus Albis exutus iacet hic à carne solutus Roger of Cicester by way of comprimise succeeded Robert for whose admittance or holy blessing Pope Innocent the fourth writ his powerfull letters to Boniâ—â—â—â— then Archbishop of Canterâ—urâ— but what 〈…〉 tooke I do not finde He founded the Church or Chappell of 〈…〉 in this Countie and sumptuously â—â—shâ—yned the reliques of Saint 〈…〉 He dyed on Saint 〈◊〉 day 1272. and was buried before S. 〈…〉 Altar vnder a marble-stone with his poâ—traiture engrauen thereupon and this short Epitaph Prudens et verus iacâ—t hac in â—â—robe Rogerus Constans et lenis popâ—li pastorque fidâ—lis The next that enioyed this dignitie was Nicholas de Spina he was conâ—secrated at Rome by the Bishop of Portua by the commandement of Pope Nicholas the third of whom hee was approued to be Virum prudentem 〈◊〉 us et doctrina multipliciter decoratum in temporalibus et spiritualibus 〈◊〉 Who when hee had with great wisedome gouerned his 〈◊〉 the sâ—aâ—e of ten yeares hee tooke his iourney by the kings permission to the Pope before whom he resigned his Abbotship to one Thomas Fiâ—â—on 〈◊〉 Findon succeeding by way of resignation bad benediction by the Popes appointment at Ciutta Vecchia not farre from Rome he performed 〈◊〉 worthy actions for the good of his Church and was euer ready with 〈…〉 and armour for the seruice of the king With great care and cost 〈…〉 the reliques of Saint Austine as I haue said before 〈…〉 had strenuâ—uslâ— gouerned his Church the space of 26. yeares 〈◊〉 eternitatis vocatus erat die sancte Iuliane virginis ann 13â—9 and was buried in a little Chappell wherein vsually euery day a Masse was 〈◊〉 for the whole Estate of the Church militant vpon earth vnder a marble stone inlaâ—d with brasse after the manner of a Bishop With this Epitâ—ph En iacet hic Thomas morum dulcedine tinctus Abbas egregius equitatis tramite cinctus Firma columna Domus in iudicio bene rectus Nec fuct hic Presul dono um turbine â—lâ—xus In pietate pater inopum damnis miseratus Nec fraudes patiens curarum Presbyteratus Iussu Pontificis summi .... capit isle Câ—tibus Angelicis nos Thome iungito Christe After the death of Findon one of this Fraternitie called Raph de Borne was elected Who presently vpon his election tooke his iourney to Avi 〈◊〉 the Popes Court where he was confirmed and consecrated by the Bishop of Hoâ—tia Hauing laudablie gouerned this house 25. yeares he dyed a venerable old man ann 1334. and was here honourably entombed in the North-wall Pervigil in populo morum probitate decorus Abbas hoc tumulo de Borne iacet ecce Radulphus Mille trecentenis triginta quater quoque plenis In Februi Mense celo petebat inesse This man is commended by Pope Clement the fifth as I finde it in the redde booke of Canterbury to haue beene Abbatem Religionis feruidum Zelatorum morum et etatis grauitate decorum scientia preditum in spiritualibus prouidum et in temporalibus circumspectum In the same yeare the first of March Thomas Poucyn Doctor of Diuinitie was chosen Abbot of this Monasterie he tooke his iourney for benediction to the Popes Court which then lay at Auinion in France the nine and twentieth of the same moneth of March whither hee came vpon Saint George his Eue following hee had his admittance and blessing at the hands of Pope Iohn the two and twentieth the day after the feast of Saint Barnabie he stayed at Auinion vntill the feast of S. Lawrence from whence taking his iourney for England he landed at Douer vpon S. Gregories day Now if any man of his coat dignitie and reuenue be desirous to know the expences of a iourney to Auinion here he may haue it taken out of the red booke of Canterbury to a single halfe-pennie His expences from Douer to Auinion which hee performed in three weeks and three dayes came to the summe of 21. l. 18. s. 2. d. his expences staying there from S. George his Eue vntill the Eue of S. Lawrence 18. l. 4. s. 5. d. ob and in his voyage backe to this Monasterie his expences came to 28 l. 8. d. About some nine yeares after this trauell he made an end of all his trauels by death on the day of the translation of Saint Augustine ann 1343. being all his time a carefull Shepherd ouer the flocke committed to his charge he was entombed by his predecessour Est Abbas Thomas tumulo presente reclusus Qui vite tempus sanctos expendit in vsus Illustris senior cui mundi gloria vilis L.V. à primo pastor suit huius oâ—ilis The next that succeeded Poucyn was one William Drulege a man of stature like little Zacheus but of a minde immense and vigorous or like Homers noble little Captaine Tydeus corpore paruus ingenio pugnax Maior in exiguo regnabat corpore virtus For to enlarge the reuenues of his Church he was euer wondrous solicitous and in defence of her liberties stout and magnanimous persisting still as deuoute and watchfull in his Ecclesiasticall contemplations as hee was wise and circumspect in his temporall employments Non quarendus quantus sit quisque seà qualis neque quam procerus sed quam probus A little man is as much a man as the greatest man of the Gard. But I may bee thought quickly to speake somewhat partially being none of these high puissant pikemen enough then of little men if not a little too much So to returne to this diminutiue Abbot Drulege who by the consent of the Couent ordained the feasts of Ianibert Nothelm Brithwold and Tatwin Archbishops to be celebrated twice in the yeare But to conclude when for the short time he sate he had much aduanced his Monasterie he dyed on the Vigils of Saint Mauritius which is the 11. of September 1349. and was buried in
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
that were at his deth and his body lyeth at Cawnterbury in a worschipful shryne wher as owr Lord sheweth for his Seruant S. Dunston many faire and grete myracles wherfor owr Lord be prâ—ysed world wythouten end Amen His reliques saith Capgraue were remoued to Glastenbury about foure and twenty yeares after his departure And so it is very probable for there he was first a Brother of the House and afterwards Abbot there the deuill came to him dancing by which the deuils merriment Dunstan knew the instant time of the death of Edmund the Brother of Athelstane slaine at Pucklechurch Of which my old Rimer Rob. of Glocester Seynt Dunstone was atte Glastonbery tho the kyng yhurte was And yut in the same stound he wiste of this cas For the deuell befor hym cam dawncyng and lowgh And as hit wer pleying made game enowgh This hely man wiste anon why his ioy was And that for the kyngs harme he made such solas Dunstone toward Pukelcherch dight hymself blive So that men tolde hym by the way the kyng was out of livs But at another time this merry deuill or some other came to him in another moode in likenesse of a Beare and would haue handled with rough Mittins as the prouerbe is yet Dunstane had the better in the conflict being neuer abasht with such an hellish encounter vpon which the foresaid Author of Polyolbion doth thus comment Dunstan as the rest arose through many Sees To this Archtipe at last ascending by degrees There by his power confirmd and strongly credit wonne To many wondrous things which he before had done To whom when as they say the Deuill once appear'd This man so full of faith not once at all afear'd Strong conflicts with him had in Myracles most great The day consecrated to the memory of this Saint was the 19. of May more of him if it be not needlesse when I come to Glastonbury Elphege of wom I haue spoken elsewhere borne of great parentage brought vp in all good learning at Derehirst not farre from Glocester a man of wonderfull abstinence neuer eating drinking or sleeping more then necessity compelled him spending his time altogether either in prayer study or other necessarie businesse was stoned to death like another Stephen by the Danes at Greenwich in the yeare 1012. canonized for a Saint and allowed the 19. day of Aprill for celebration of his memory suth ye yer of grace A thowsand and twelf they ladde hym to a place Wythowte the town of Grenewyche and stened hym with stenes As men did Seynt Stephenne and all to bruysed his benes This was doe the Ester weke in the Saterday As mor plenner in his lif se ther of men may Egelnoth surnamed The Good is likewise calendred amongst these Sainted Archbishops He was the sonne of an Earle called Agelmare and is said to haue beene Deane of Christ-Church in Canterbury which at that time was replenished for the most part with Canons wearing the habite and garments of Monkes but in profession and manner of life differing much from them Therefore when as in that same terrible tithing of the Danes in the time of Elphege all the Monkes were slaine except onely foure the Canons that were now the greater number gaue vnto their gouernour the name of Deane from which place he was taken to bee Archbishop Going to Rome to fetch his Pall he bought an arme of that blessed Father S. Augustine Bishop of Hippo for an hundred talents of siluer and a talent of gold and bestowed it vpon the Church of Couentrie Hee bestowed great paines and cost in repairing his Church and Monastery destroyed and burnt by the Danes and by his good aduise directed King Knute that fauoured him exceedingly vnto many honourable enterprises He dyed Octob. 29. Ann. 1038. hauing sat Archbishop seuenteene yeares and vpward Egelnoâ—h againe much grac'd that sacred Seat Who for his godly deeds surnamed was the Good Not boasting of his birth though com'n of Royall bloud For that nor at the first a Monkes meane Cowle despis'd With winning men to God who neuer was suffic'd Eadfine next ensues To propagate the truth no toyle that did refuse He was a secular Priest and first Chaplaine vnto king Harold who preferred him to the Bishopricke of Winchester from whence hee was remoued to this See of Canterbury He departed this life Octob. 28. An. 1050. after he had continued Archbishop twelue yeares almost All which time he was much oppressed with sicknesse he was interred in his owne Church and at the place of his buriall many miracles are said to haue beene wrought Lanfranke of whom I haue written before is recorded by Capgraue amongst our English Saints who saith that vpon his first entrance to this Metropoliticall gouernment he found the Monkes of Canterbury sicut omnes fere tum temporis in Anglia secularibus similes as all the rest were almost at that time in England like to secular persons for Venari aucupari et potibus indulgere consueuerunt They accustomed to hunt hawke and giue their minde to excessiue drinking which after a short time by gentle perswasions he reclaymed He was a man affable pleasant and humble skilfull in many Sciences prudent in counsell and gouernment of things and for Religion and life most holy Meruit ergo inter Sanctos annumerari Therefore he deserues to be numbred amongst the Saints Anselm for integritie of life and depth of learning euen admirable in regard whereof and of the many miracles which are said to be wrought by him liuing and by his Reliques he being dead hee was canonized a Saint about foure hundred yeares after his decease at the great charges of Iohn Moorton one of his Successours in the Archbishopricke Out of his learned braine he brought forth into the world many profound works at the least fiftie seuerall bookes or Treatises many of which are still extant The miracles likewise attributed to his holinesse are many mentioned by Capgraue The next that comes into this Catalogue is that farre famed Saint Thomas Becket of whom I haue already spoken enough in another place Thus much then at this time out of Polyolbion as followeth Saint Thomas Becket then which Rome so much did hery As to his christned name it added Canterbury There to whose sumptuous Shrine the neere succeeding ages So mighty offerings sent and made such pilgrimages Concerning whom the world since then hath spent much breath And many questions made both of his life and death If he were truly iust he hath his right if no Those times were much to blame that haue him reckon'd so Edmund a man famous for his vertue and great learning was borne at Abingdon in Barkeshire being sonne to one Edward Rich a Merchant his mothers name was Mabell In their elder yeares they forsooke each other by mutuall consent and betooke themselues to a Monasticall life Edmund their sonne
foure distinct Deaneries namely Rochester Malling Dartford and Shorham Yet Shorham is but a Peculiar to the Archbishop who holds his prerogatiue wheresoeuer his lands do lie This Bishopricke is valued in the Exchequer at 358. l. 3. s. 7. d. farthing and was wont to pay to the Pope for first-fruits 1300. ducates and for Peter-pence 5. l. 12. s. Eightie Bishops and one haue sitten in this Chaire of Rochester more in number by nine then in that of Canterbury His name that now gouerneth the Helme is that right reuerend Father in God Iohn Bowles Doctor of Diuinitie brought vp in Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge In the whole numerous race of these Bishops succeeding Iustus three amongst others lye here interred howsoeuer no remembrance is now remaining of them by any funerall Monument most notable Paulinus Gundulphus and Gilbertus Of which the first after his death was honoured for a Saint The second was the best Benefactour that euer this Church found The third was so hatefull and iniurious to the Monkes that they neither esteemed him while he was liuing nor wailed him at all after that he was dead Paulinus a Romane borne was first made Bishop of Yorke by Iustus his predecessour in this place as then Archbishop of Canterbury about the 21. day of Iuly in the yeare of our Lord 625. and so he is reckoned to be the first Archbishop of that Prouince Yet I finde a Succession of British Archbishops of that place long before his time euer since the yeare of Grace one hundred and eightie or thereabouts Wherein Lucius king of the Britaines receiued the Christian faith the last of which race was one Tadiacus who at the comming in of the Saxons was with most of his countreymen enforced to flie into the mountanous countries of Cornwall and Wales and so consequently to forsake his pontificall Grace and Dignitie Of all which may it please you reade these verses out of the collections of Tho. Talbot sometime keeper of Records in the Tower Turbatis rebus Archipresul Tadiacus Ecclesie sedem deserit et patriam Archipontificum Tadiacus sedis Eborum Vltimus ex Britonum gentibus ille fuit Corpora sanctorum simul omnia vasa sacrorum Cunctas res reliquas transtulit ille sacras Expulsi Britones nomen patriamque relinquunt Dicti Wallenses nomine barbario But to returne againe to Paulinus from whom I am by occasion digressed who being now inuested in the sanctimonious robes of a Bishop neuer rested a moment but either instructed the people that flocked about him by preaching or else imparted Christ vnto them by Baptisme which he ministred in the open fields and Riuers Churches Oratories Fonts or places of Baptisme being not as yet builded it is said that in the Riuer of Swale in Yorkeshire hee christened in one day aboue ten thousand men besides women and little children which said riuer was a long time after reputed sacred amongst the ancient English He wonne miraculously Edwin king of Northumberland vnto Christ who with all the Nobilitie of his countrey and most part of the Commons hauing receiued the true faith came to the lauatorie of holy regeneration the eleuenth yeare of his raigne which was the yeare of our Lord 627. Thus Paulinus continued in the Prouince of Yorke preaching the word and administring the blessed Sacraments the space of seuen yeares euen vntill the death of King Edwin presently vpon which the State of his kingdome was so much infested with great slaughter and cruell persecution that no safetie could therein bee found either for himselfe or for the widow of King Edwin Queene Edelburgh both of them being Gods instruments for the conuersion of the Northumbrians to the embracement of Christian Religion saue onely by flight Whereupon he was constrayned to leaue his Bishopricke and to accompanie the said Queene with whom not long before hee came into that countrey backe againe into this kingdome of Kent But of Paulinus his first admittance to Yorke and his returne backe thus much in old Latine rimes Benedicam Dominum mundi plasmatorem Regem Regum omnium nostrum Saluatorem Recolendo pariter stilo cum veraci Dignos Archipresules sedis Eboraci Anno sexcentesimo Christi incarnati Quinto cum vicesimo sunt nouo creati Quorum Pastor nobilis primus est Paulinus Gregem pascit vtilis dum regnat Edwinus Septem annis regimen digne gubernauit Tunc ad Austrum redijt dum Gens Regem strauit At his returne from Yorke this See of Rochester was vacant and at the offer of Archbishop Honorius and at the request of King Edbald he tooke vpon him that charge which he right wisely and religiously gouerned the space of thirteene yeares vntill at his full and ripe age he was called away by death to receiue the glorious reward of his blessed labours Which happened Octob. the tenth Ann. 644.19 yeares 2. moneths and 21. dayes after his first consecration This Paulinus the third Bishop of this Diocesse was first interred vnder a very seemely Monument in the old Church of King Ethelberts foundation but about foure hundred and thirty yeares afterwards being canonized for a Saint his reliques were remoued enshrined in a coffin all of curious wrought siluer into the body of the new built Church by Gundulphus one of his Successours to the which according to the manner of those times much concourse of people came with many rich oblations such was his Epitaph Siste gradum clama qui perlegis hoc Epigramma Paulinum plora quem substraxit breuis hora Nobis per funus de Presulibus fuit vnus Prudens veridicus constans firmus amicus Anni sunt rati Domini super astra regentis Quadraginta dati quatuor cum sex quoque centis Paulinus being dead Honorius Archbishop of Canterbury aduanced one Ithamar a Kentishman borne to his place the first Englishman of this Nation that was a Bishop A man nothing inferiour either in life or learning to Paulinus or any of his Italian predecessours He departed this life about the yeare 656. Many miracles are said to be wrought by this religious Ithamar and great concourse of people frequented the place of his buriall which was at the first in the body of the Church But afterwards his reliques were remoued by Bishop Gundulph and enshrined and after him by Iohn Bishop of this Church who by his prayers at his Shrine was cured ab acerrimo oculorum dolore of a grieuous paine in his eyes For this and many other signes and tokens of his sanctitie hee was canonized if we may beleeue Capgraue and the fourth of the Ides of Iune solemnized to his memory Of whom a late writer thus Of Rochester we haue Saint Ithamar being then In those first times first of our natiue English men Residing on that seate Before I come to Gundulphus I will take Tobias by the way an Englishman the ninth Bishop of this Diocesse
in whose commendations Nicholas Harpsfeld sometime Archdeacon of Canterbury thus writeth I will vse his owne language Tobias a Brithwaldo Archiepiscopo consecratus vir ampliore honoratiore sede si locus hominem et homo locum non commendaret dignissimus qui Theodori Adriani discipulus fuit Quantum vero sub his praeceptoribus profecerit luculenter ostendit Beda qui cum omnium humanarum diuinarumque rerum scientissimum fuisse Latinam Graecamque linguam tam accurate atque maternam calluisse affirmat Hee dyed about the yeare 726. Here lyeth interred Gundulphus a Norman by birth the thirtieth Bishop of Rochester a man not greatly learned but very wise and industrious for he handled the matter so as hee procured not onely his Church to be new built but also the reuenues to be encreased He recouered diuers lands and possessions encroched vpon and taken away in former times by Odo Earle of Kent And besides diuers summes of money which hee contributed he bought a certaine Mannor called Heddre and gaue it to this his owne Church In all these matters hee was much helped by Lanfranke Archbishop of Canterbury who caused him to take into his Church not secular Priests as before had beene accustomed but Monkes Benedictines Gundulph himselfe being a Monke of that order vpon his first admittance to this See he found onely sixe secular Priests in the Church who were endowed scarcely with sufficient meanes to liue according to their place and callings Before his death he encreased his Church-reuenues to that height that it did and was able to maintaine fifty Monkes some say threescore The yearely value of this Monastery at the suppression amounted to 486. l. 5. s. The donations to this Monastery were confirmed by Pope Vrban the second in these words following Vrbanus Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei. Dilectis filijs Priori capitulo Ecclesie Roffen Ordinis sancti Benedicti Salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem Cum à nobis petitur quod iustum est et honestum tam vigor equitatis quam etiam ordo exigit rationis vt id per solicitudinem officij nostri ad debitum perducatur effectum Ea propter dilecti in Domino filij vestris iust is postulationibus grato concurrentes assensu personas vestras et Ecclesiam Roffen in qua diuino est is obsequio mancipati cum omnibus bonis que impresentiarum rationabiliter possidetis aut in futurum iust is modis prestante domino poteritis adipisci sub beati Petri protectione suscipimus at que nostra Specialiter autem terras decimas domus possessiones vineas prata et alta bona vestra sicut ea iuste et pacifice obtinetis vobis et per vos eidem Ecclesie auctoritate Apostolica confirmamus et presentis scripti patrocinio communuimus Salua in predictis decimis moderatione Concilij generalis Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostre confirmationis infringere vel ei ausu temerario contraire Si quis autem hoc attemptare presumpserit indignationem omnipotentis Dei et beatorum Petri et Pauli Apostolorum eius se nouerit incursurum Dat. Ianu. III. Id. Ianuar. Pontificatus nostri Anno octauo When as William the Conquerour built the great white square Tower of London hee appointed this Bishop to bee principall Surueyor of that worke who was for that time lodged in the house of one Edmere a Burgesse of London as it is in the booke of the Bishops of Rochester in these words Gundulphus Episcopus mandato Willelmi Regis magni presuit operi magne Turris London quo tempore hospitatus est apud quendam Edmerum Bargensem London This Bishop built a great part of the Castle of Rochester namely the great Tower which yet standeth Hee founded an Hospitall in Chetham which hee dedicated to the honour of Saint Bartholomew for the reliefe of such people as were infected with the foule disease of the Leprosie hee endowed it with sufficient reuenues which grant was confirmed by king Henry the third and discharged of all taxes and tallages by King Ed. the third He founded the Abbey at Malling which he consecrated to the blessed Virgine and placed therein blacke Nunnes Which Nunnery he gouerned himselfe during all his life time And lying at the point of death hee commended it to the charge of one Auice to whom notwithstanding he would not deliuer the Pastorall staffe before shee had promised canonicall obedience fidelitie and subiection to the See of Rochester and protested by oath that there should neither Abbesse nor Nunne bee from thenceforth receiued into the house without the consent and priuitie of him and his Successours This Nunnery was valued at the suppression at two hundred fourty fiue pounds ten shillings two pence halfepeny of yearely reuenue Ouer the Abbey gate yet standing is the likenesse of a Pastorall staffe This good Bishop dyed the seuenth of March 1107. and was buried where you see the pourtraitures of certaine Bishops sometimes artificially cut in stone and Alabaster but now cut almost all in peeces dismembred and shamefully abused as all other Monuments in this Church are of any antiquity so that neither reading nor tradition can giue vs any true notice of their names Gilbert de Glanuil before mentioned a gentleman of an ancient family was consecrated to this Bishopricke September 29. Ann. 1185. Betweene this man and his Monkes of Rochester was long and continuall debate by occasion whereof hee tooke away from them all their moueable goods all the ornaments of their Church their writings and euidences yea and a great part of their lands possessions and priuiledges wanting money to follow their suites against him they were forced to coyne the siluer of Saint Paulinus Shryne into money These controuersies were ended no otherwise then by his death which happened Iune 24. 1214. hauing ruled his contentious charge 29. yeares But the hatred of these Monkes against him was so dying with him as they would afford him no manner of Obsequies but buried him most obscurely or rather basely without either ringing singing or any other solemnitie and furthermore abused him with such like rime-doggerell Glanvill Gilbert us nulla bonitate refertus Hic iacet immitis amator maxime litis Et quia sic litem dum vixit solet amare Nunc vbi pax nulla est est aptior inhabitare These blacke Monkes whom I thinke if the matter were well examined would proue to be in the fouler fault were too malitious to remember that this Bishop founded S. Maries Hospitall at Strowd neare adioyning to this Citie called the New worke and endowed it witha liuelihood of 52. l. of yearely profits which it now enioyeth Here lyeth entombed the body of Walter de Merton so surnamed of Merton a village in Surrey where he was borne sometimes Lord Chancellour of England Bishop of this See and Founder of Merton Colledge in Oxford
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
houses lands and tenements Ann. Reg. 35. as by his patents may appeare in effect as followeth Edward by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and of Aquitaine to all by these presents c. Although the Priory of Montacute in the County of Somerset by reason of the warres betweene vs and France with all the lands tenements fees aduowsons together with the goods and cattels belonging to the same hath beene of late taken into our hands and by vs farmed and rented forth as appeareth by diuers patents Now therefore since peace is betwixt vs and the noble Prince our most deare brother the king of France we for the honour of God and holy Church restore to the said Prior the Priory with all the lands tenements fees aduowsons and whatsoeuer else belonging to the same to hold the same in as free manner as they held it before And withall forgiue and release all arrerages of Rents which might bee due vnto vs by reason of any former grants In witnesse c. the sixth of February the 35. yeare of our raigne The like letters of restitution all the rest of the houses of Aliens had through England all which were cleane suppressed and vtterly dissolued by king Henry the fifth and their lands giuen by him and his sonne Henry the sixth to Colledges of learned men and to other Monasteries Greenwich This Parish Church is consecrated to the honour of Saint Aelphege sometime Archbishop of Canterbury who suffered martyrdome much-what about the same place where it now standeth Which Aelpâ—ege boâ—ne of great parentage brought vp in good learning preferred first to the Bishopricke of Winchester then to this of Canterbury a man admired for his strict manner of life and holy exhortations by both which hee conâ—uerted many vnto Christ was cruelly put to death by the Danish Pagans with many exquisite torments in the yeare of our Lord a thousand and twelue Of which in William Malmesbury Camden and the Catalogue of Bishops you may reade more at large It was long before these bloudy executioners would suffer his bodie to bee committed to the earth after the manner of Christian decencie yet at length that fauour was obtained and his body here first buried from whence within a short time after his reliques were remoued to Saint Pauls London and from thence at the commandement of king Knute to Canterbury He was canonized and the 19. day of Aprill allowed for celebration of his memory Some write that like another Stephen he was stoned to death that like him he prayed for his enemies and that Turkill generall of those Danes was conuerted to the faith at the sight of his constant martyrdome Here sometime stood an house of obseruant Friers which came hither about the latter end of the raigne of King Edward the fourth at whose hands they obtained a Chantrie with a little Chappell of the holy Crosse a place yet extant in the Towne and king Henry the seuenth builded for them an house adioyning to the Pallace which is there yet to be seene Here in this Towne was another Monastery of Friers Minorites and Aliens founded by King Edward the third and the foresaid Iohn Norbury which as Lewsham did belonged to the Abbot of Gaunt in Flaunders vntill such time as King Henry the fifth seising into his hands by occasion of warre all the lands of the Priors Aliens as I haue touched before bestowed this together with the Mannor of Lewsham and many other lands also vpon the Priory of Chartrehouse Monkes of Shene which hee had then newly erected to which it remayned vntill the time of the raigne of king Henry the eight who annexed it to the Crowne Depeford Orate pro anima ..... Weuer ..... Mercatoris et Maioris Stapul ville Calcis qui ob ..... Februar ... et pro .... Ioanne vx eius qui ob .... Martin the fifth Bishop of Rome granted by this Bull to these Staple Merchants in this Weeuers Maioralty at their earnest request an itinerarie or portable Aulter which they were to take with them to what place soeuer they trauelled to make any time of aboad and withall gaue them licence to elect a Priest to say Masse administer the Sacraments to heare their confessions to enioyne them penance and to giue them absolution as the cause should require The forme of which I hold it not much amisse here to set downe as I found it in an old Manuscript without name or date in the Earle of Exceters Librarie Martinus Episcopus Seruus Seruorum Dei dilectis filijs Maiori et eius locum tenenti ac Constabulario ceterisque Principalibus Societatis Mercatorum lanarum Stapule Anglie Salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem Sincere deuotionis affectus quem ad nos et Romanam geritis Ecclesiam non indigne meretur vt petitionibus vestris illis presertim quos ex deuotionis feruore prodire conspicimus quantum cum Deo possumus fauorabiliter animamus Hinc est quod nos vestris deuotis supplicationibus inclinati vt liceat vobis et posteris vestris Maiori et eius locum tenenti ac Constabulario nec non Principalibus societatis Mercatorum lanarum Stapule Anglie ac vestrum ac eorundem posterorum cuilibet habere Altare portatile cum debita reuerentia et honore Super quo in villa Calestie seu alibi etiam in transmarinis seu cismarinis partibus vbi pro tempore vos vel aliquem vestrum esse vel declinare et huiusmodi Stapulum lanarum teneri contigerit in locis ad hoc congruâ—ntibus et honestis positis per proprium vel alium Sacerdotem ydoneum Missas et alia diuina officia sine iuris alieni preiudicio in vestra et ipsorum ac aliorum Mercatorum dicte Societatis ibidem pro tempore presentium Nec non vestrorum et eorundem Posterorum ac Mercatorum familiarium presentia facere celebrari vobis et predictis posteris tenore presentium indulgemus Nulli ergo omnino homini liceat hanc paginam nostre concessionis infringere vel ei ausu temerario contraire Si quis autem hoc attemptare presumpserit indignationem omnipotentis Dei et beatorum Petri et Pauli Apostolorum eius se nouerit incursurum Dat. Mant. 3. Non. Nouemb. Pontificatus nostri Ann. primo By another Bull dated the same yeare and his Apostolicall authoritie he giues them free election of their Confessour the Priest The words are Aliquem ydoneum et discretum presbyterum eligere confessorem indulgemus qui quotiens vobis fuerit oportunum confessionibus vestris diligenter auditis pro commissis debitam vobis absolutionem impendat et iniungat penitentiam salutarem nisi forsan talia fuerint c. propter que sedes Apostolica c. Nulli ergo omnino hominum c. Dat. c. In English We fauourably yeeld to your deuout and pious supplications and we giue
sticke these words following are very faire written Per hoc lignum oblata est terra Roberti filij Gousberti super altare Sancti Pauli in festo omnium Sanctorum Testibus c. But to make an end of this discourse Primitiua Ecclosie Sancti Pauli London fundatio saith the Lieger booke consistit in Episcopo triginta maioribus Canonicis duodecim minoribus et triginta vicarijs which differs from her present state hauing at this time for her gouernours a Bishop a Deane a Precentor a Chancellour a Treasurer and fiue Archdeacons viz of London Middlesex Essex Colchester and S. Albons and thirty Prebendaries and besides to furnish the Quire in diuine seruice Pety-Canons twelue Vicars Chorall six and ten Queristers c. This Bishopricke comprehends the Citie of London with the counties of Middlesex and Essex and the Deanries of Saint Albans and Braughing in Hertfordshire And is valued in the kings bookes at 1119. l. 8. s. 4. d. and yeelded the Pope from euery Bishop at his first entrance 3000. Florins besides sixteene pounds ten shillings for Rome-scot or Peter-pence But now to the Monuments Hic iacet Sebba Rex Orientalium Saxonum qui conuersus fuit ad fidem per S. Erkenwaldum Londinens Episcopum anno Christi 677. Vir multum Deo deuotus actibus religiosis crebris precibus pijs eleemosynarum fructibus plurimum intentus vitam priuatam et monasticam cunctis regni diuitijs honoribus preferens Qui cùm regnasset annis 30. habitum religiosum accepit per benedictionem Waltheri Londinens Antistitis qui prefato Erkenwaldo successit de quo venerabilis Beda in Historia gentis Anglorum The same Author further affirmes that he not onely relinquished his Princely robes and put on the habite of a Monke a thing vsuall as you haue heard before with the Saxon kings in the infancie of Christian Religion but also instigated his wife to leaue the momentanie pleasures of Courtly estate and to follow him in his vertuous deuotions which with much ado he obtained Here he continued a Monke in this Monastery for in his time saith Radulphus de Diceto were Monkes in this Church vntill the day of his death which happened in the yeare 693. Of this king Sebba thus much out of a late writer Mich. Draiton Polyol Cant. 11. Then Sebba of his seed that did them all surpasse Who fitter for a Shrine then for a Scepter was Aboue the power of flesh his appetite to sterue That his desired Christ he strictly might obserue Euen in the height of life in health and body strong Perswaded with his Queene a Lady faire and young To separate themselues and in a sole estate After religious sort themselues to dedicate Hic iacet Etheldredus Anglorum Rex filius Edgari Regis cui in die consecrationis post impositam Coronam fertur S. Dunstanus Cantuar. Archiepiscopus dira predixisse his verbis Quoniam aspirasti ad Regnum per mortem fratris tui in cuius sanguine conspirauerunt Angli cum ignominiosa matre tua non deficiet gladius de domo tua seuiens in te omnibus diebus vite tue interficiens de semine tuo quousque regnum tuam transferatur in regnum alienum cuius ritum et linguam gens cui presides non nouit nec expiabitur nisi longa vindicta peccatum tuum et peccatum matris tue peccata virorum qui interfuere concilio illius nequam Que sicut à viro sancto predicta erant euenerunt Nam Etheldredus varijs prelijs per Swanum Danorum Regem filium que suum Canutum fatigatus fugatus ac tandem Londini arcta obsidione conclusus misere diem obijt anno dominice incarnationis 1017. postquam annis 36. in magna tribulatione regnasset This Etheldred being neither forward in action nor fortunate in his proceedings was commonly called The vnready an oppressour rather then a ruler of this kingdome cruell in the beginning wretched in the middle and shamefull in the end Of the calamities of these times by the Danish inuasion will it please you heare my old Author Swan with his power to Engelond com In the xxv yer of Etheldreds kingdom And in the yer of grace a thowsand and thre He cam and dude sorrow inogh no mor myght be So thilke hii come that this londe they gan ouerfulle As hit wer Emettes creeping fro hur hulle Hii ne sparyd Prest ne Clerk that hii ne slaw to grounde Ne wemen wyth child wher so hii hem found Besides the prophesie of Dunstan here set downe in this Inscription and thus ratified by the euent the transferring of this kingdome to other Nations was further likewise prophetically foretold by an holy Anchorite saith Hen. Hunting Englished in these words by the Translatour of Ranulph Monke of Chester But among all Englyshemen medled togydres is so grete changyng and diuersyte of clothyng and array and so many manner of diuerse shappes that well nigh is ther ony man knowen by his clothyng and his array of whatsoeuer degre that he be Therof prophezyed an holy Anker in K. Egelfreds time in this manner Englyshmen for as much as they vse to dronkelewnes to Treason and to rechlesnes of Goddes hous first by Danes and then by Normans and atte thirde time by Scottes they shall be ouercome Suauis victoria Amor populi The loue of the people was a pleasant sweet Conquest a Motto which I saw depicted vnder the Armes of our late Soueraigne Lord King Iames ouer one of the gates at Yorke vpon his first auspicious entrance into that ancient Citie Ann. 1603. die Aprilis 16. Thus for a king to ouercome was but to come and to be welcome to bee receiued of his Subiects in all places with shouts and acclamations of ioy demonstrations of truest loyaltie loue and obedience and to be conducted and guarded with an admirable confluence of his Nobilitie Gentrie and Commons vnto the Throne of his lawfull inheritance Hoc in loco requiescit in domino Erconwaldus tertius post Anglosaxonum in Britannia ingressam Episcopus Londinensis cuius in Episcopatu ante Episcopatum vita fuit sanctissima ex nobili prosapia oriundus Offe orientalium Saxonum Regis erat filius ad fidem Christianam à Mellito primo Londini Episcopo An. Dom. 642. conuersus Is priusquam Episcopus factus esset duo preclara construxit Monasteria sumptibus suis de bonis que ture hereditario sibi obuenerunt Vnum sibi in finibus Australium Saxonum loco qui Certesey vocatur alterum Edelburge sorori sue femine laudatissime ad Berching in ditione Orientalium Saxonum In Episcopatum vero anno salutis 675. à Theodoro Dâ—robernensium siue Cantuarie Archiepiscopo sacratus est Sebbam Orientalium Saxonum Regem ad Christi sidem conuertit et salutari Baptismatis vnda suis manibus per fudit qui statim mundo renuncians se totum Deo addixit
North wall Iohn de Chishull who sometimes had beene Deane of Pauls Archdeacon and Bishop of London Lord Treasurer of England and twice Keeper of the great Seale He was consecrated Aprill 29. 1274 and died the tenth 1279. Vpon the Monument of Richard Newport Bishop of this Church here buried a little inscription not long since was to be read expressing the day and yeare of his consecration which was March 26. 1317. And the like of his death which happened August 24. 1318. the yeare following Raph Baldocke Deane of this Church was chosen Bishop vpon Saint Mathias day 1303. but was not consecrated till the yeare 1305. Ianuary 30. which he receiued at the hands of one Petrus Hispanus a Cardinall Bishop of Alba at Lions in France He was a man very well learned and amongst other things writ an History or Chronicle of England in the Latine tongue In his life time he gaue two hundred Markes toward the building of the Chappell on the East end of this Church now called The Lady Chappell wherein he lieth buried and in his Will bequeathed much toward the finishing of the same And here by the way saith mine Author it shall not bee amisse to note that in digging the foundation of this building there were found more then an hundred heads of cattell as oxen kine stagges c. which seeme to confirme the opinion of those that thinke the Temple of Iupiter was scituate in that place before the planting of Christian Religion tooke away those idolatrous sacrifices This Bishop was chosen Lord Chancellour by king Edward the first Vpon whose death he sent the great Seale to king Edward the second as then lying at Carliell This Raph is mistaken by some writers for Robert Baldock Bishop of Norwich yet I finde no such Bishop of that See in the Catalogue sometime Archdeacon of Midlesex and Chancellour of England Much what about that time a man that liued in the hatred of most people whom the old English Chronicle calleth a false peeld Priest these are the words Robart Baldok his false pilide Chanceler being as then Chancellour to Edward the second and in another place Ye pilide clerk Robart Baldok ye fals Chanceler Yet this pilide fals clerk was euer trew to the King his Lord and Master for which he was taken and imprisoned in Newgate London wherein he miserably ended his dayes Of which thus writeth the Author of the booke of Durham Robertus de Baldock Cancellarius 1325. captus cum Hugonibus de despensers quia Clericus fuit Sacerdos in nona porta Londiniarum poni fecit Edwardus Princeps et Isabella mater eius vbi pro nimia miseria mortuus fuit infra breue But to returne to Raph for I haue somewhat digressed from the matter Bishop of this Diocesse who when from his first confirmation by Robert of Winchelsey Bishop of Canterbury he had sate about eight yeares died on S. Iames his Eue 1313. at Stell Here lyeth buried Michaell Northbrooke Bishop of this See Doctor of Law who had his election confirmed Iuly 7. 1355. and died of the plague Septemb. 9. 1361. at Copford This Bishop gaue a chest with a thousand Markes which money was to bee lent to the poore vpon securitie as appeares by his will Michael de Northburghe nuper Episcopus Lond. legauit in testamento suo sic Item lego ad faciend vnam cistam que stabit in Thesauria Sancti Pauli mille Marcas in eadem includend de quibus possit quilibet pauper plebeus sub bona excedenti pignore mutuo recipere decem libras 1. Pars. Pat. Ann. 49. Ed. 3. M. 30. Here lieth interred vnder a marble stone neare to the Monument of Sir Christopher Hatton the body of Richard Clifford Archdeacon of Canterbury from which dignitie he was preferred to the Bishopricke of Worcester which he enioyed about six yeares and from thence translated to this See of London which hee laudably gouerned thirteene yeares and some moneths and died August 20. 1421. This Bishop in the yeare 1414. trauelled to the Councell of Constance and preached in Latine before the Emperour and other Estates there assembled In this Councell the long schisme was ended and Martin the fifth called before Otho Columna Cardinall of Saint George was chosen the sole Pope The Councell thinking it meete that thirtie persons should be added to the Cardinals in this election this our Richard Clifford was one of that number In which also there were some that named him to the Papacie Himselfe was the first that named the Cardinall Columna who thereupon the rest consenting was immediately elected Betweene the two pillars next vnto the Steeple on the North side of the body of the Church vnder a marble stone ouer which was built a kind of Tombe or Chappell of wood that by the burning of the steeple was consumed and quite defaced the body of Rich. Fitz-Iames lieth interred A gentleman of an ancient house learned and vertuous Doctor of Law brought vp in Merton Colledge in Oxford and sometimes Warden of the same from whence hee was aduanced to the Bishopricke of Rochester from thence translated to Chichester and from Chichester to London He bestowed much money in repairing the Church of S. Martins in Oxford as also in adorning and beautifying this his owne Cathedrall Church He died in the yeare 1521. Hic in Domino obdormiuit Iohannes Gandauensis vulgo de Gaunt à Gandauo Flandrie vrbe loco natali ita denominatus Edwardi tercij Regis Anglie filius à Patre comitis Richmondie titulo ornatus Tres sibi vxores in matrimonio duxit primam Blancham filiam heredem Henrici Ducis Lancastrie per quam amplissimam adijt hereditatem Nec solum Dux Lancastrie sed etiam Leicestrie Lincolnie Derbie comes effectus E cuius sobole Imperatores Reges Principes proceres propagati sunt plurimi Alteram habuit vxorem Constantiam que hic contumulatur filiam heredem Petri Regis Castillie et Legionis cuius iure optimo titulo Regis Castillie et Legionis vsus est Haec vnicam illi peperit filiam Catharinam ex qua ab Henrico Reges Hispanie sunt propagati Tertiam vero vxorem duxit Catharinam ex Equestri familia eximia pulchritudine feminam ex qua numero sam suscepit prolem Vnde genus ex matre duxit Henricus 7. Rex Anglie prudentissimus Cuius felicissimo coniugio cum Elisabetha Edw. 4. Regis filia e stirpe Eboracensi Regie ille Lancastriensium et Eboracensium familie ad exoptatissimam Anglie pacem coaluerunt Illustrissimus hic princeps Iohannes cognomento Plantagenet Rex Castillie Legionis Dux Lancastrie comes Richmondie Leicestrie Lincolnie Derbie locum tenens Aquitanie Magnus Seneschallus Anglie obijt Ann. 22. Regni Regis Ricardi 2. Annoque Domini 1399. His first wife Blanch here buried died of the plague saith
T.R. apud Douer 24. Ian 2. Pars. Pat. Ann. 7. Ric. 2. Per versus patet hos Anglorum quod iacet hic flos Legum qui tata dictauit vera statuta Ex Hengham dictus Radulphus vir benedictus This flower of our English Garden this learned father of the Law this blessed man as this Epitaph would make him was no better then a bribing Iudge for being a chiefe Commissioner for the gouernment of the kingdome in the absence of Edward the first he with many others of his profession were at the kings returne found guiltie by act of Parliament of manifest corruption in their administration of Iustice and deeply fined for such their intolerable extortions First this Sir Raph Hengham chiefe Iustice of the higher Bench was fined to pay to the king seuen thousand Markes Sir Iohn Loueton Iustice of the lower Bench 3000. Markes Sir William Brompton Iustice 6000. Markes Sir Salomon Rochester 4000. Markes Sir Richard Boyland 4000. Markes Sir Thomas Sodington 2000. Markes Sir Walter Hopton 2000. Markes These foure last were Iustices Itinerants Sir William Saham 3000. Markes Robert Lithbury Master of the Rolls 1000. Markes Roger Leicester 1000. Markes Henry Bray Escheater and Iudge for the Iewes 1000. Markes Robert Preston 1000. Markes But Sir Adam Stratton chiefe Baron of the Exchequer was fined in thirty foure thousand Markes And Thomas Weyland found the greatest delinquent and of greatest substance had all his goods and whole estate confiscated to the king and withall banished the kingdome This Sir Raph Hengham was a Norfolke man borne as I haue it out of an old Record these are the words Radulphus de Hengham ex eadem ortus esse videtur familia ex qua Willielmus filius Ade de Hengham et Richardus de Hengham in Pago Norfolciens plerumque Thetfordie Iusticiarij ad Assisas capiendas et ad Gaolam deliberandam sub initijs Hen. 3. in Archiuis sepe memorantur Rot. Parl. He flourished in the raignes of Henry the third and Edward the first and died in the first yeare of Edward the second 1308. Hic iacet Magister Fulco Louel quondam Archidiaconus Colcestrie floruit sub Hen. 3. Rege I finde no more of this man then what I reade in this Inscription but much more of his name being both ancient and honourable Orate pro animabus Iohannis de Boys in Com. Essex Ar. Nicholai Rikkil Ar. Domine Isabelle quondam vxor eorum que Isabella obiit 28. Iulij Ann. 1443. quorum animabus propitietur altissimus It seemes by his armes vpon the pillars that this Boys was a great repairer of this Chappell sacred to S George wherein he lyeth interred Orate pro anima Magistri Williel Worsley legum doctoris istius Ecclesie Sancti Pauli London Decani dum vixit .... qui obiit 15. die mens Augusti 1488. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Vermibus hic ponor sic ostendere conor Hic veluti ponor ponitur omnis honor And vpon the pillar adioyning to this Monument these verses following are engrauen in brasse Vnde superbis Homo cuius conceptio culpa Nasci pena labor vita necesse mori Vana salus hominum vanus labor omnia vana Inter vana nichil vanius est homine Post hominem vermis post vermem setor horror Sic in non hominem vertitur omnis homo Mors venit absque mora nescis cum venerit hora Esto paratus ei cum venerit hora diei Orate pro .... Domini Rogeri Brabazon de O devy Iuris Canonici Doctoris huius Ecclesie Cathedralis Residentarij qui obiit tertio die mens Augusti 1498. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Nunc Christe te petimus Miserere quesumus qui venisti redimere perditos noli damnare redemptos In memoriam venerabilis viri Iohannis Coleti sacre Theologiae Doctoris ad Dinum Paulum Decani Scholae ibidem fundatoris Inclyta Ioannes Londini gloria gentis Is tibi qui quondam Paule Decanus erat Qui toties magno resonabat pectore Christum Doctor interpres fidus Euangelij Qui mores hominum multum sermone diserto Formarat vitae sed probitate magis Quique scholam struxit celebrem cognomine Ihesu Hac dormit tectus membra Coletus humo Floruit sub Henrico 7. Hen. 8. Regibus obijt Ann. Dom. 1519. Disce mori mundo vinere disce Deo Vnder his liuely pourtraiture alluding to his artificiall Askelliton these words Istuc recidit gloria carnis Loue and liue His Monument is lately reuiued by the Companie of the mystery of Mercers to whose charge he committed the ouersight of S. Pauls Schoole with lands worth an hundred and twenty pounds or better of yearely value for the maintenance of a Master an Vsher and a Chaplaine to teach and instruct one hundred fiftie and three poore mens children freely without any reward And as I am told Vijs modis more comes to the Schoolemaster at this day then the whole endowment Iohn Bale saith that of twenty and two children which his father Henry Collet Mercer and Lord Maior of London had by Christian his wife he was the onely childe liuing at his fathers death that he died of the sweating sicknesse aged sixtie three yeares that he was brought vp in Oxford that he trauelled into France and Italie that he disputed with the Sorbonists in Paris from whose Tenets hee much dissented that hee inuayed against Monkes which did not leade an Euangelicall life and Bishops Qui pro Pastoribus lupos agebant that he was eruditione facundus that he writ many Treatises left in loose papers which but by himselfe could not bee made perfect That hee taught in his Sermons that it was vnlawfull for a Clergie-man to accumulate riches and for any man to worship Images that by Richard Fitz-Iames then Bishop of London and two Minorites Bricot and Standish he was accused of heresie and that his corps had beene cast out of his Tombe and burnt if an vnexpected accident had not preuented his enemies designes Gulielmo Lilio Paulinae Scholae olim perceptorio primario Agnetae Coniugi in sacratissimo huius templi Coemiterio hinc a tergo nunc destructo consepultis Georgius Lillius huius Ecclesie canonicus Parentum memoriae pie consulens Tabellam hanc ab amicis conseruatam hic reponendam curauit Obijt ille G. L. Ann. Dom. 1522. V. Calend. Mart. vixit annos 54. This man integer vitae scelerisque purus as Bale saith liued for a certaine time in the Isle of Rhodes and some yeares in Italie where hee instructed himselfe in all good literature and made himselfe perfect in many languages withall he was quicke apprehensiue and ingenious and therefore entirely beloued of Sir Thomas Moore He writ diuers bookes but he is best knowne by his Grammer Hee was borne in the Towne of Odiham in Hampshire The Epitaph of Agnes the wife of William Lily as
then was saith Stow that this Sir Miles Partridge did set an hundred pound vpon a cast at dice against it and so wonne the said Bell-house and Bells of the King and then caused the Bells to bee broken as they hung and the rest pulled downe This Sir Miles was hanged on the Tower-hill the 26. of February in the sixth yeare of Edward the sixth for matters concerning the Duke of Somerset howsoeuer guiltlesse of any offence either against the king or his Councell as he tooke it vpon his death There was a faire Chappell of the holy Ghost on the North side of Pauls Church founded in the yeare 1400. by Roger Holmes Chancellour and Prebendary of Pauls for seuen Chaplaines and called Holmes Colledge Their common Hall was in Pauls Church-yard on the South side This Colledge was suppressed in the raigne of Ed. the sixth In this Chappell were buried Adam de Bury Alderman and Lord Maior of London in the yeare 1364. Anne the daughter of Iohn Duke of Burgundy the first wife of Iohn Plantaginet third sonne of king Henry the fourth Duke of Bedford who died in the yeare 1433. Sir Iohn Poultney knight foure times Maior of London in the yeare 1337. builded a faire Chappell on the North side of Pauls Church wherein he was buried He founded a Colledge in the Parish Church of Saint Laurence called Poultney Hee builded the Parish Church of little Alhallowes in Thames street and the Carmelite Friers Church in Couentrey He gaue releefe in Newgate and in the Fleet and ten shillings a yeare to Saint Giles Hospitall by Oldborne for euer And other Legacies saith Stow speaking of the Honour of Citizens too long to rehearse He died about the yeare 1348 But of him I haue spoken somewhat before Vnder the Quire of Pauls is a large Chappell dedicated to the name of Iesu by whom founded I do not know But it was thus confirmed in the 37. of Hen. the sixth as appeareth by his patent thereof dated at Crowdowne to this effect Many liege-men and Christian people hauing begun a Fraternitie and Guild to the honour of the most glorious name of Iesu Christ our Sauiour in a place called the Crowds of the Cathedrall Church of Pauls in London which hath continued long time peaceably till now of late Whereupon they haue made request and wee haue taken vpon vs the name and charge of the foundation to the land of Almighty God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and especially to the honour of Iesu in whose honour the Fraternitie was begun c. It was likewise confirmed by Hen. the 7. the 22. of his raigne and by H. 8. the 27. of his raigne In this Chappell lieth buried Margaret the eldest daughter and coheire of Richard Beauchampe Earle of Warwicke second wife of Iohn Lord Talbot the Terrour of France first of that Surname Earle of Shrewsbury But of her I haue spoken before Many haue beene here interred as Iohn of London vnder the Northroode 1266. Iohn Louell Iohn of Saint Olaue and Sir Allen Boxhul with others as you may reade in the Suruay of London This Sir Allen Boxhul was knight of the Garter in Edward the thirds dayes and neare vpon the first foundation of that honourable order He was Constable of the Tower custos of the Forest and Parke of Clarendon the Forest of Brokholt Grouell and Melchet a man highly in fauour with the said king Edward Hee was buried by Saint Erkenwalds shrine about the yeare 1380. And here I think it will not bee vnfitting to set downe the number of the Shrines sacred to the honour of diuers Saints in the Cathedrall Church as they stood in the yeare 1245. First the Shrine of S. Erkenwald which was very sumptuous the fourth Bishop of this See which stood in the East part of the Church aboue the high Altar The Shrine of S. Mellitus first Bishop of this Diocesse afterwards of Canterbury The Shrine of Richard Fitz-Neile Bishop of London Ann. 1189. The Shrine of Egwolphe or Egtulphe here Bishop all beset with precious stones he was the seuenth Bishop of this Diocesse as then called Bishop of the East Angles He was a learned man and so shewed himselfe in the Conuocation holden by Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterbury Ann. 747. There was also a glorious Shrine super magnum Altare but to whose holinesse dedicated I do not reade Here sometimes was a Shrine with a portable coffin in the same place where Sir William Cockaines Tombe is erected with an Altar built to the honour of God the blessed Virgine S. Laurence and all Saints by one Roger Waltham Precentour of the Church as did appeare by this Inscription following which was legible though somewhat erazed before the erection of the foresaid Monument Hoc Altare in honore Dei beate Virginis Marie Matris eius ac Sancti Laurentij Martyris omnium Sanctorum construxit hanc Voltam cum adiacentibus picturis Martyris et Ymaginum in Septis ereis hic posuit cum duabus Caglarijs suis per perpetuum .... Dominus Rogerus Waltham huius Ecclesie Precent ........ pro salute anime sue et pro salute anime Regine ...... omnium ........ Amen There was likewise a Chantrie with an Altar sacred to the blessed Virgine Mary contiguous to the Bishops pallace and the body of the Church founded by Sir Gerard Braybroke knight Edmund Hamden Iohn Boys Esquires and Roger Albrighton Clerke for one Chantrie Priest daily to say Masse and pray for the soule of Robert Braybroke Bishop of London then liuing and for his soule whensoeuer he should passe out of this world For â—he soule of Nicholas Braybroke late Canon of this Church and for the soules of all the faithfull departed As may appeare by these Deeds following copied out of the originals vnder seale in the custodie of Sir Simonds Dewes knight Omnibus Christi fidelibus ad quos presens scriptum peruenerit Gerardus Braybrok iunior Miles Edmundus Hampden Armig. Iohannes Boys Armiger Rogerus Albryghton Clericus salutem in Domino sempiternam Nouerit vniuersitas vestra quod nos Gerardus Edmundus Iohannes Rogerus predict de licentia speciali excellentissimi Principis Domini nostri Domini Henrici Dei gratia Regis Anglie et Francie ac Domini Hibernie illustris per suas literas patentes Sigillo suo magno in cera viridi impressato sigillatas pro se et heredibus suis nobis data et concessa vnam Cantariam de vno Capellano diuina ad Altare beate Marie infra Palacium Episcopi Londonien in London naui Ecclesie Sancti Pauli contiguam pro salubri statu venerabilis in Christo Patris ac Domini Domini Roberti Dei gratia Episcopi Londonien dum vixerit et pro anima sua cum ab hac luce migrauerit ac anima Magistri Nicholai Braybrok nuper Canonici Ecclesie Pauli London nec non animabus omnium fidelium defunctorum singulis
by King Henry the second remoued into Ireland who supposed that he should disburden himselfe of the worlds hatred for that fact in case hee aduanced the Kinsfolke and Allies of the said Thomas to rich reuenues and high honours The first Earle of Ormond saith he in this familie was Iames sonne to Edmund Earle of Caricke who wedded the daughter of Humphrey Bohun Earle of Hereford whom he had by a daughter of King Edward the first And here was his first step vnto this honour hereupon Iames his sonne by this marriage came to be commonly named among the people The noble Earle The fifth Earle of these named Iames that I may not stand particularly vpon euere one receiued at the hands of King Henry the sixth the title and honour of Earle of Wiltshire to him and to the heires of his body who being Lord Deputie of Ireland as diuers others of this race and Lord Treasurer of England standing attainted by King Edward the fourth was streight waies apprehended and beheaded but his brethren Iohn and Thomas likewise proclaimed Traitors kept themselues close out of the way Iohn died at Ierusalem without issue Thomas here entombed through the speciall fauour of King Henry the seuenth was in the end restored to his bloud who departed this life as before in his Epitaph An. 1515. leauing behinde him two daughters Anne married to Sir Iames de Sancto Leodegario called commonly Sellenger and Margaret vnto Sir William Bullein who bare vnto him Sir Thomas Bollein whom King Henry the eight created first Viscount Rochford afterwards Earle of Wiltshire and Ormund the father of Anne Bollein as I haue written before Here lyeth ..... Iohn Riche .... the sonne of Richard Riche Sheriffe .... 1469. Respice quid prodest presentis temporis euum Omne quod est nihil est preter amare deum Richard Rich one of the Sheriffes of London Anno 1442. and the father of this Iohn founded certaine Almes-houses at Hodsdon in Hertfordshire He lieth buried in Saint Laurence Church old Iewrie with the like Distich vpon his monument Vndyr this ston lyeth in the holy plas Ambros Cressacre ...... he was Late of Dedington in Huntington shyre Passyd fro this world worshcipfull Esquyre The yere of our Lord God M. cccc.lxxvii it is Iesu for his mercy grant his sowl bliss Iohn Peris and Margaret his wyf The whych late departyd fro this present lyf Here beryed and ther sonn vndyr this ston And ther soulys to God ben passyd and gon To thee for help of mercy thou blessyd Saint Ion And to Saint Margarite also I mak my mon. Here lieth Raph Tilney Grocer sometyme Alderman and Sheriffe of this City and Ioan his wyff who dyed 1503 and Ioan died 1500 .... on whos soulys Clausa sub bac fossa pacis hic Yerford pronus ossa ............... Prudens pacificus in omnes pacis amicus Vixit Mercerus in promissis cuique verus Mors properata nimis dum floruit impia primis Annis vanescit et à nobis sicque recessit Anno milleno quater cccc octuagenâ— Migrat ab hac vita sua spes succurre Maria. Siste precorque legas Alleyneia et eâ—ce Iohannes Londini quondam Pretor erat celebris Confilio Regis summa probitate probatus Inclytus et miles nobilitate valens Quem Deus omnipotens secum dignetur Olympo Et precor eternam donet ei requiem obijt An. 1544. This Lord Maior who for his singular wisedome was made a Priuie Councellour to King Henry the eight built a beautifull Chappell here wherein he was first buried but since his Tombe is remoued thence into the body of the Hospitall Church and his Chappell diuided into Shops He gaue to the city a rich coller of gold to be worne by the Maior he gaue a stocke of 500 markes to be employed for the vse of the poore of London besides the rents of certaine lands by him purchased of the King To Prisons Hospitals and Lazer houses within and two miles without the Citie he was abundantly charitable Saint Mary Bow Magnificus sed iustificus misâ—ris et amicus Vir speciosus vir generosus virque pudicus Et peramabilis et venerabilis atque piarum Vis dux lex lampas flos Maior Londoniarum In terre ventre iacet hic Iohn rite Couentre Dictus quem necuit veluti decuit lue plenus Bis septingenus tricenus citra his et vnus Martius in sole triceno si trahis vnum Virginis a partu carnis modo mortuus artu Viuus erit celis tuba clanxerit vt Gabrielis Amen This Iohn was the sonne of William Couentrie of the Citie of Couentrie in Warwickshire He was Lord Maior of this Citie An. 1425 a man much commended he is in our English Chronicles for his discreet carriage in the debate betwixt Humphrey Duke of Glocester and Henry Beaufort that wealthy Bishop of Winchester One William Copeland Church-warden gaue the great Bell which is rung nightly at nine of the clocke which had this inscription cast in the mettall An. 1515. Dudum fundabar Bowbel campana vocabar Sexta sonat bis sexta sonat ter tertia pulsat No maruaile death in childhood tooke from men This roiall Prince he was a father then Three Hospitalls erected this rate gem And ended praising God for ending them Saint Anthonies commonly called Saint Antlins Here lyth grauyn vndyr this ston Thomas Knowles both flesh and bon Grocer and Alderman yeres fortye Sheriff and twis Maior truly And for he shold not ly alone Here lyth wyth him his good wyff Ione They weren togeder sixty yere And nineteen chyldren they had in feer Now ben they gon wee them miss Christ haue here sowlys to heuen bliss Amen ob Ann. 14 ...... This Lord Maior with the Aldermen his brethren began to new build the Guild Hall he reedified this Church gaue to the Grocers his house neare vnto the same for reliefe of the poore for euer and caused water to be conuayed to the gate of Newgate and Ludgate for reliefe of the prisoners He was Lord Maior Ann. 1. of Hen. the fourth and againe An. 12. eiusdem Regis Thomas Knowles sonne of the foresaid Thomas a great benefactour to this Church was buried here in the North Isle by his father vnder a faire marble stone thus sometimes engrauen but now quite taken away for the gaine of the brasse Thomas Knolles lyeth vndre this ston And his wyff Isabell flesh and bon They weren togeder nyntene yere And x. chyldren they had in fere His Fader and he to this Chyrch Many good dedys they did wyrch Example by him ye may see That this world is but vanitie For wheder he be smal or gret All sall turne to wormys mete This seyd Thomas was leyd on Bere The eighth dey the moneth Fevrer The date of Iesu Crist truly An. M. CCCC fiue and forty Wee mey not prey hertely
none and ye wolde turne therto Me seeth a bond mannes sone somtym a knyght bycome And of a grom a Squyer and aftur knyghts some And such ye haueth the forme of men beth men in alle wise And torneth yow to Manhede and kepeth youre Franchise So it followes how this Bishop went into little Britaine and entreated Aldroennus the king there to send ouer Constantine his brother with a certaine number of men by whose helpe the enemie might bee expelled which was granted and performed accordingly Fastidius Priscus succeeded him in the gouernement of this See who writ diuers bookes of diuine learning mentioned by Bale Hee was a sincere expositor of the sacred Scriptures and a painefull Preacher throughout the whole kingdome Cui abunde suppeditebant cum perbenigno ingenio excellens memoria morum integritas et vita incorrupta quibus cumulatissime caeteros suae gentis praecedebat verbi Praecones He flourished vnder Honorius and Theodosius Emperours 420. By an old namelesse Chronicle which I haue read one Ternekine succeeded Fastidius a piercing wise Prelate into matters of state and in speciall fauour with Aurelius Ambrose King of great Britaine but Vodinus followeth next in the catalogue a man of singular deuotion and good life who for reprehending King Vortigers vnlawfull marriage with Rowenna Hengists daughter his lawfull wife being then liuing was barbarously murdered by the said Hengist and with him many other Priests and religious Persons circa an 452. After the comming of the Saxons the succession of Archbishops was still continued in London for the space of many yeares but secretly euen vntill the time that S. Gregorie sent Augustine hither I finde onely one of them named to wit Theonus who with Thadiocus or Tadiacus of which I haue spoken before in Rochester Bishop of Yorke taking their Clergie with them got them into Wales and Cornewall to the rest of their countrimen whom the Saxons had lately driuen thither this man did not write himselfe Archbishop which is one cause of some controuersie amongst our Historiographers Saint Michaels Cornehill Here lyeth Robert Fabian Alderman and Sheriffe of London who composed a laborious Chronicle of England and France with the monuments and the succession of the Lord Maiors of London and died Anno Dom. 1511. for whom this Epitaph was made now altogether defaced Like as the day his course doth consume And the new morrow springeth againe as fast So man and woman by Natures custome This life to passe at last in earth are cast In ioy and sorrow which here their time doe wast Neuer in one state but in course transitorie So full of change is of this world the glory Hic iacet in tumulo Doctor venerabilis Hugo Dauset olim Rector vere fideique protector M C quater .x. ter ix sit et I sex Aprilisque die ter I V semel I migrat ille Here vndyr was beryed Robart Barnes by name Citizon of London and Mercer of the same And this is written that others may remembyr How godly he departed the twentyth on of Nouembyr ................... Here lyth the body of Iohn Bootes wiff Dissoluyd by deth to her fyrst matter dust Who from the cares of this world departyd her liff The twenty third day of the monyth of August On thowsand fyue hundryd and seuen beyng threescore yeerys old iust Saint Benets Grasse Church Prey for the saulygs of Henry Denne and Ioan his wyf theyr fadyrs theyr modyrs Bredyrs and good frendys and of al Christian saulygs Iesu haue mercy Amen who departyd this lif .... M. cccc.lxxxxi Saint Bartholomewes exchange Vpon an old Tombe the defunct thus seemeth to pray Exte vite principium per te vite remedium In te vite solatium da nobis vite premium Genitor ineffabilis ipsius prolis Paracliti consimilis memento vite fragilis This monument by relation was made to the memorie of Thomas Pike Alderman who with the assistance of Nicholas Yoo one of the Sheriffes of this Citie about the yeare 1438. new builded this Church Hic ..... Willielmus Capel .... Maior Lon ... fil Iohannis Capel ... Neyland in com ... ob ... 1509. Out of this broken Inscription I fynde this whole history how that Sir Richard Empson Knight a Sieue-makers sonne in Tocester and Edmund Dudley Esquire both Lawiers were two instruments for King Henry the seuenth to enrich his and their owne coffers and to empouerâ—sh the subiects by way of calling the richer sort into question for breach of old moth eaten vnreuiued penall Lawes amongst many others whom they most treacherously abused by a false packt Iurie they scruzed from this Sir William Capell aboue sixteene hundred pounds and some twelue or thirteene yeeres after they were at him againe afresh for two thousand pounds more which because he would not pay he was commanded by Dudley Prisoner to the Tower but by the death of the said King which happened the same yeere he was released both of imprisonment and payment in which yeere he also departed this world in the loue of all good men leauing a great inheritance and an honourable remembrance to his posteritie and not long after Empson and Dudley cater-pillers of the common-wealth hatefull to all good people were beheaded on the Tower hill the 17. of August 1510. leauing behinde them nothing they could dispose of for their heires saue the staine of euerlasting infamie He lyeth here entombed in a Chappell of his owne Foundation he was the sonne of Iohn Capell of Stoke Neyland in the county of Suffolke Saint Bennets Finke O God the father of heauyn which art the euerlastyng lyght Haue mercy on the sowl of me poor Water Knyght Who departyd this lyf the monyth of Ianuary In the yere of my Redemer on M .... and fifty Borne I was in Canterbery in the County of Kent Sonne to on Iohn Knyght and Alyse his wife this is verament And to be short all worldly things to confound Of the Earth I was made and to the Earth I am retournd Within this Parish was the Hospitall of Saint Anthony sometime a cell belonging to Saint Anthonies of Vienna founded by King Henry the third for a Master two Priests one Schoolemaster and twelue poore men the reuenewes of this house were much augmented and the number of the houshold increased by King Henry the sixt and Edward the fourth to which Iohn Tate Mercer was a right bountifull benefactor who was here entombed vnder a faire monument he died Anno 1514. and so was VVater Champion Sheriffe of London 1529. who was here buried The lands by yeare of this Hospitall were valued in the 37. yeare of Henry the eight to be 55 l. sixe shillings 8 d. Stow in his Suruay saith that one Iohnson Schoole-master of this Hospitall and Prebend of Windsor spoiled both the Schoole and Hospitall and the Quire of the Church conuayed away the Plate and ornaments then the Bels
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
serued It was valued at the suppression to 305. l. 6. s. 7. d. yearely The Church remaineth a Parish to the Tenants dwelling in the precinct of the Hospitall in which are many faire Funerall Monuments Whose Inscriptions or the most of them are set downe in the Suruay of London these following onely omitted Hic iacent Thomas Malefant Miles Baro de Winwore et Dominus de S. George in Com. de Clamorgan et Dominus de Okneton et Pile in Com. de Penbroke in Wallia qui obijt 8. die Maij 1438. et Domina Margareta vxor eius filia Thome Asteley Ar. Nep. de Domino de Asteley et Henricus â—ilius â—orundem Tho. et Margarete Quorum animabus propitietur Altissimus Amen The xiiiic yere of our Lord seventy and three Passyd Sir William Knyght to God Almightie The fiftenth dey of Iuil Master of this place Iesu for his mercy reioyce hym with his grace The xiiiic yere of our Lord and eight Passyd Sir Robart Greuil to God Almight The xii dey of April Broder of this place Iesu for his mercy reioice him with his grace Philip Lewis restyth vnder yis ston Yat in Iun deseisyd the dey six and twenty Wyth Agnes hys wyf yat were both on The xiiiic yere of our Lord and seuen and fifty Subiacet ecce pede Iohn Stafford mortis in ede Iustus deuotus discretus et ad pia motus Qui bona plura loco dum vixit contulit isti Mille quater centum quater et sexto quoque Christi Luce Nouemberis deca ter .......... Vt sit propitius anime Christus precor Amen Saint Sepulchers In this Church lyeth buried the body of that vnfortunate Lord Thomas Fiâ—es Baron Dacres of the South Who was executed at Tiborne the 29. of Iune 1541. for that hee with others going to hunt in Master Pelhams Parke at Laughton in Sussex and meeting with some companie casually by the way with whom and his confederates ensued a quarrell in which a priuate man one Iohn Busbrig was slaine by the said Lord or some of his associates which were Io. Mantell Io. Frouds and George all three executed for the same fact at Saint Thomas Waterings The death of this Lord was generally lamented being an hopefull gentleman of 24. yeares of age This happened in that bloudie yeare when Henry the eight vnsheathed his sword vpon the neckes of the Nobilitie Here lieth the heart of Iohn Goodfellow for his sowl and al yat died wyth hym and al Christen sowls I prey yow for cherite sey a Pater Noster and an Ave Mary Saint Bridgets or Brides Vndyr this ston William Weuer doth ly Cityzon and Elisabeth his wyf hym by He died the viii and she the vii dey of September Leuing Geffrey Mary and Ellin thar children as I remember Who 's sowls God receyve to fauor and pease Wyth Ioyes to lyve that neuyr sal cease 1409. The White Friers These Friers were called Fratres beatae Mariae de monte Carmeli first founded by Sir Richard Grey knight ancestor to the Lord Grey of Codnor in the yeare 1241. King Edward the first gaue to the Prior and brethren of that house a plot of ground here in Fleetstreet whereupon to build their house which was afterwards new builded by Hugh Courtney the third of that Christian name Earle of Deuonshire the yeare before he died which was Aun 1350. Sir Robert Knolles knight was a great builder here also in the raigne of Richard the second and of Henry the fourth who being borne but of meane parentage in the County of Chester was by his valiant behauiour aduanced from a common Souldier in the French warres vnder Edward the third to a great Commander and being sent Generall of an Armie into France in despite of their power he draue their people before him like Sheepe destroying Townes Castles and Cities in such a manner and number that long after in memory of this act the sharpe points and gable ends of ouerthrowne houses and Minsters were called Knolles Miters After which minding to make himselfe as welbeloued of his countrey as he was feared of forraine nations hee built the goodly faire Bridge at Rochester ouer the Riuer of Medway with a Chappell and a Chantrie at the East end thereof He founded a Colledge with an Hospitall adioyning thereunto in the Towne of Pontefract in Yorkeshire of which hereafter He founded also an Hospitall in the Citie of Rome for entertainment of English trauellers or pilgrimes to that Citie in place where Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury had builded a Chappell of the holy Trinity which to this day retaines the name and is a Seminarie for our English Fugitiues He deceased at his Mannor of Scone Thorpe in Norfolke was brought to London and honourably buried by the Lady Constance his wife in the body of this Church which he had newly builded Ann. 1407. the 15. of August Of whom in his life saith Stow were made verses in Latine thus by him put into English O Robert Knowles most worthy of Fame By thy Prowesse France was made tame Thy manhood made the French to yeeld By dint of sword in towne and feeld Here sometime lay entombed in a goodly Monument of Alabaster the body of Robert Mascall Bishop of Hereford a man for his good learning and good life admired and beloued of all men He was often employed by Henry the fourth to whom he was Confessor vpon Embasies to forraine Princes and in the yeare 1415. sent with two other Bishops to the Councell of Constance Hee built the Quier Presbytery and Steeple of this Church and gaue many rich ornaments to this religious house wherein he died 22. Decemb. 1416. William Lord Montacute Earle of Salisbury and king of the Isle of Man was here entombed Whose noble Acts saith Walsingham to write worthily were a commendable matter He founded the Abbey of Bisham Montague in Barkshire and died at a Iusts and Turney at Windsore in the yeare 1343. For the rest here interred I referre my Reader to the Suruay of London This house was valued at 26. l. 7. s. 3. d. and was surrendred the tenth of Nouember the 30. of king Hen. the eight Since the writing of the premisses I chanced to haue the perusall of a Manuscript penned in the praise of this religious Order out of which I collected diuers Epitaphs which in times past had beene engrauen vpon the Sepulchers of certaine Carmelites here in the Church of this Priory interred And first I finde that Stephen Patrington vir omnibus praestantioribus animi dotibus omnibus virtutibus preditus et multiplici doctrinae varietate instructus was here buried in the body of the Quire He was borne in the County of Yorke and brought vp in the Vniuersitie of Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Diuinitie He writ many learned bookes and was an admirable Preacher to whose Sermons alwayes
alter subianitor Vna femina Matrona sub eadem duodecim alie femine Habeat etiam Magister ad sumptus Hospitalis duos homines honestos ad nutum libitum suum in omnibus negotijs tam propriis quam etiam in negotiis hospitalis sibi seruituros In iuramento Magistri Nullam que dispensationem aduersus aliquod statutum siue ordinationem Hospitalis predicti siue aduersus hoc iuramentum meum aut aliquam eius particulam impetrabo aut impetrari curabo neque ab aliis impetratum vllo modo curabo c. Hec omnia et singula in me recipio hec iureiurando promitto me fideliter obseruaturum sicut me Deus adiuuet et hec sacrosancta eius Euangelia Que omnia singula N. Abbati Westmonast Visitatori predicti Hospitalis spondeo c. incentum libris sterlingorum ad vsum Hospitalis predicti meipsum firmiter obligo c. Regule quedam obseruande Sit Magister continue residens in Hospitali predicto nullumque officium administrationem quarumcunque rerum aut cuiuscunque rei vel sub aliqua persona spirituali aut temporali cuiuscunque dignitatis aut conditionis fuerit acceptabit aut geret neque eiusdem Seruitor Capellanus Officiariusve Nec absit in Hospitalis negotiis vltra quadraginta in aliquo anno Pro singulis diebus necessarie sue absentie in Hospitalis causis habeat pro se duobus sibi Servitoribus tantum tres solidos Magister Hospitalis pro tempore existens habeat sibi vltra vnam Togam siue liberatam suam Pro expensis oris sui siue victus proque vadijs suis quibuscunque alijs necessarijs habeat triginta libras annuatim soluendas per manus suas proprias ad quatuor anni terminos vsuales per equales portiones Nec Magister nec alij portabunt vestes exteriores alterius coloris quam blanei anglice blew interiores possunt esse alterius coloris dummodo non sunt rubei vel alterius leuis coloris Omnes Conductijs exceptis portabunt in dextra parte Pectoris vnam Rosam rubeam amplam ad sex polices in circuitu de filis cericis aureis bene contextam et compactam cum Capicio eiusdem coloris There are diuers other the like ordinances which I omit This Hospitall being valued to dispend 529. l. 15. s. 7. d. ob by yeare was suppressed the tenth of Iune the seuenth of Edward the sixth a little before his death the Beds bedding and other furniture belonging thereunto with seuen hundred Markes of the said Lands by yeare he gaue to the Citizens of London with his house of Bridewell to the furnishing thereof and towards the furnishing of the Hospitall of S. Thomas in Southwarke lately suppressed This Hospitall was againe new founded erected corporated and endowed with lands by Queene Mary the third of Nouember in the fourth of her raigne the Ladies of the Court and Maydens of Honor a thing saith Stow not to be forgotten stored the same of new with beds bedding and other furniture in very ample manner and so it continues The Chappell of this Hospitall serueth now as a Parish Church to the Tenements thereof neare adioyning and others In which are diuers funerall Monuments but few of any Antiquitie Hic iacet Tho. Halsal Leighuieng Episcopus in Basilica Sancti Petri Rome Nationis Anglicorum Penitenciarius summe probitatis vir qui hoc solum post se reliquit Vixit dum vixit bene cui leuus conditor Goannes Douglas Scotus Dunkelheng Presul Patria sua exul 1522. This Bishop translated Virgils Aeneiads into the Scottish language compiled the palace of Honor and diuers other Treatises he fled into England for feare of being questioned in Parliament Here lieth Humphrey Gosling of London Vintnor Of the whyt Hart of this Parish a neghbor Of vertuous behauiour a very good Archer And of honest mirch a good company keeper So well enclyned to poore and rich God send more Goslings to be siâ—h Saint Martins in the fields O ye our frends yat here pas by We beseche yow vs to haue in memory Somtym we were as now be ye In tym to come ye shall be as we Edward Norrys and Ioan his wyff These wer our names whyl we had lyff Of yowr charite for vs to pray A Pater Noster and an Aue to say Of your cherity pray for the soule of Sir Humfrey Forster Knight whos body lyeth buried here in earth vndyr this marblâ—ston which decessyâ— the xviij day of the moneth of September 1500 ......... on whâ—s soule Iesu haue mercy Amen Hic iacet Thomas Barret prenobilis Armiger qui quidem Thomas erat abstractus de Sanctuario beati Petri VVestmonasterij et erudeliter intersectus per manus improrum contra leges Anglie et totius vniuersalis Ecclesie priuilegia et iura Anno Domini 1461. Anno illustrissimi Regis Ed. Quarti post conquâ—stum primo Sub eodem queque maâ—moreo lapide Iohannes Barret eiusdem Thome primogenitus sepelitur qui quidem Iohannes obiit ...... die ...... An .... Of this eminent thrice noble Esquire thus drawne and puld out of the Sanctuarie and cruelly murthered by the hands of wicked people against the Lawes of the land and priuiledges of the holy Church as appeares by this Inscription I haue read thus much following out of a namelesse Manuscript Thomas Barryt Squyr to Kyng Harry the syxt oftentyms imâ—loyd in the French warrys vndre the command of Iohn Duc of Bedford as alsoo Iohn Duc of Norfok beyng aswâ—y trew â—â—ge man to hys Souereygne Lord the Kyng hauyng taken Sanctury at Westmynstre to â—hon the fury of hys and the Kyngs enemys was from thense hayld foorth and lamentably hewyâ— a pâ—ees Abut whilke rym or a lityll before the Lord Skales late in an euenyng entryng a wherry Bott wythe three persoons and wghyng toowards UUestmynstre ther lykwys too haue takyn Sanctury was descryed by a wooman wher anon the wherry men fell on hym murthered hym and cast hys mangyld corps aloud by Sâ—ynt Mary Ouerys The Surname of Barret is at this day of exemplarie note and doth greatly resflourish by that worthy Gentleman Sir Edward Barret Knight Lord Baron of Newburgh Chancelour of the Dutchie of Lancaster and one of his Maiesties most honourable priuy Councell Saint Mary Rounciuall This was an Hospitall by Charing Crosse and a cell to the Priorie and couent of Rounciuall in Nauar in Pampalone Diocesse where a Fraternitie was founded in the 15 of Edward the fourth Hospitall of Saint Iames. This Hospitall was anciently founded by the Citizens of London for fourteene Sisters maidens that were leprous liuing chastly and honestly This Hospitall was surrendred to Henry the eight the 23 of his raigne the Sisters being compounded withall were allowed Pensions for the terme of their liues and the King builded there a goodly mannor house annexing thereunto a Parke The Foundation of the religious
and vowed virginitie cast off all care of hauing issue and exposed the kingdome to the prey of ambitious humours Yet some that would excuse him in this affirme that this holy king was not willing to beget any heires that should succeed him out of a treacherous race Here lieth without any Tombe Maude daughter to Malcolm Camoir king of Scots and wife to king Henry the first who brought vnto him children William Richard and Mary which perished by shipwracke and Maud Empresse who was wise to Henry the fift Emperour She died the first day of May Maij prima dies nostrorum nocte dierum raptam perpetua fecit inesse die 1118. She had an excellent Epigram made to her commendation whereof these foure verses onely remaine Prospera non laetam fecere nec aspera tristem Aspera risus erant prospera terror erant Non decor effecit fragilem non sceptra superbam Sola potens humilis sola pudica decens Thus paraphrastically translated No prosperous state did make her glad Nor aduerse chances made her sad If Fortune frown'd she then did smile If Fortune smil'd she fear'd the while If Beauty tempted she said nay No pride she tooke in Scepters sway She onely high her selfe debast A Lady onely faire and chast She went euery day in the Lent time to this Church bare-foot and bare-legd wearing a garment of haire she would wash and kisse the feet of the poorest people and giue them bountifull Almes For which being reprehended by a Courtier shee gaue him a short answer which I haue out of Robert of Glocester Madame for Goddes love is this wel i doo To handle sich vnclene â—ymmes and to kisse so Foule wolde the kyng thynk if that hit he wiste And ryght wel abyse hym er he your mouth kiste Sur sur qd the Quene be stille why sayste thow so Owr Lord hymself ensample yaf so for to do She founded as I haue said before the Priory of Christ-church within Aldgate and the Hospitall of S. Giles in the Fields She builded the Bridges ouer the Riuer of Lea at Stratford Bow and ouer the little Brooke called Chanelsebridge shee gaue much likewise to the repairing of high-wayes But I will take my leaue of her with these words of Paris Obijt eodem anno Matildis Regina Anglorum cuius corpus apud Westmonasterium quietem sepulturae accepit anima eius se coelum possidere evidentibus signis et miraculis crebris ostendit Here lieth vnder a rich Monument of Porphery adorned with precious stones the body of Henry the third king of England In the fifth yeare of whose raigne and the Saturday next before his second time of Coronation the New worke the old being ruinous and pulled downe of this Church of Westminster was begun To which sacred Edifice this king was a perswader he was the Founder and laid the first stone in the ground-worke of the building The Newerke atte Westmynstre ye kyng tho ganne anone Aftyr hys coronyng and leyde the fyrst stone As if he meant the world should know his intention was to consecrate his future actions to the glory of God He gaue to this Church royall gifts of Copes Iewels and rich vessels and for the holy Reliques of Edward the Confessor he caused a coffin to be made of pure gold and pretious stones and so artificially by the most cunning Goldsmiths that could be gotten that although the matter it was made of was of an inestimable valew tamen Materiam superabat opus yet the workmanship excelled the matter saith Mathew Paris A Prince he was as our histories affirme of greater deuotion then discretion in permitting the depredation of himselfe and his subiects by papall ouerswayings This King saith Robert of Glocester as in worldlich doyng was not hald ful wyse but mor deuout to spiritual things he was euery dey woned to here thre Masses by note Quante innocentie quante patientie quanteque deuotionis et quanti meriti in vita sua erat apud Deum testantur post ipsius mortem miracula subsecuta Of how much integrity of how much patience of how much deuotion and of how much merite he was in his life time before God the miracles which followed after his death doe testifie saith the compendious chronicle of Canterbury He died the 16 of Nouember 1273. when he liued sixty fiue yeares and raigned fiftie sixe yeares and eighteene daies this Epitaph following is annexed to his Tombe Tertius Henricus iacet hic pietatis amicus Ecclesiam strauit istam quam post renouauit Reddet ei munus qui regnat trinus et vnus Tertius Henricus est Templi conditor huius Dulce bellum inexpertis Which is thus Englished by Robert Fabian The frende of pyte and of almesse dede Henry the thyrde whylome of Englande Kyng Who thys Church brake and after hys mede Agayn renewed into this fayre buylding Now resteth in here whiche did so great a thinge He yelde his mede that Lord in Deyite That as one God reygneth in persones thre Henry the thyrde is the buylder of thys Temple War is pleasant to those that haue not tryed it In the additions to Robert of Glocester a Manuscript in the Heralds Office these rimes are written to his remembrance Aftur hym regnyd the thurd Harry A good man and eke an hely In hys tym werrys were full strong And eke mickle stryf in Englond The Batayl of Lewys was than And alsoo the Batayl of Euesham And that tym alsoo ther was The Translacyon of Sent Thomas In hys tym as I vndyrstond Come Freres Menores into thys lond He regnyd Kyng lvi yere And to Westmynstre men hym bere At the head of the foresaid King Henry his sonne Edward surnamed Long-Shanks lieth entombed King of England the first of that Christian name since the Conquest and as he was the first of his name so was he the first that setled the law and state deseruing the stile of Englands Iustinian and freed this kingdome from the wardship of the Peeres shewing himselfe in all his actions after capable to command not the Realme onely but the whole world At the time of his Fathers death he was abroad in Palestine pursuing his high desires for the Holy Warres and after sixe yeares from his first setting out he returnes into England receiues the Crowne without which he had beene a King almost three yeares at the hands of Robert Archbishop of Canterbury and with him is Eleanor his vertuous Queene likewise crowned at Westminster To the which their magnificent pompous Coronations the presence of Alexander King of Scotland who had married Margaret his eldest sister was required as appeares by this Record following Rex dilectis et fidelibus suis Iohanni Louetot et Galfrido de Newbald Custodibus Episcopatus Deunelm Salutem Mandamus vobis quod de primis denarijs prouenientibus de exitibus Episcopatus predicti habere faciatis Alexandro
a masse of money from our credulous king Henry who had so deeply swallowed the gudgeon that his heart being ouer-ioyed saith Mathew Paris and raised euen to the height of exultation hee swore by Saint Edward to make a present voyage to Apulia and take possession of these dominions But at length this counterfeit ring vpon the touch was discouered and the good king knew himselfe deluded his Exchequer emptied and this Titulary-king his sonne Edmund abused Thus writes Mathew Paris the Monke of S. Albans who liued in those dayes and deciphers the Legerdemaine and iugling deuises of the Bishops of Rome to get money This Edmund was Lord Steward of this kingdome and Lieutenant of Gascoigne Who being sent into Aquitaine with an armie where he performed notable seruice died at Bayon in the yeare 1296. And within two moneths after his death his body was honourably transported into England Here lieth also entombed his first wife Aveline daughter and heire of William de Fortibus Earle of Albamarle by whom he had no issue who died the yeare 1269. Here lieth buried in a most magnificent Tombe befitting the greatnesse of his birth and the worthinesse of his Of-spring William de valence Earle of Penbroke so sirnamed of Valencia the place of his birth sonne of Hugh le Brun Earle of the Marches of Aquitaine and halfe brother by the mothers side to King Henry the third This William saith Stow was slaine at Bayon by the French in the yeare 1296. and with him Edmund Earle of Lancaster of whom I lastly spoke if wee may beleeue these verses of Harding But erle Edmond the kynges brother dere With twenty and sixe baners proud and stout The fift daye of Iune was accompted clere Of Christ his date a thousand yere all out Fourscore and sixteene without doubt At Bayon faught with the French menne certain Wher he in the feld that daye like a knyght was slain So was Sir William Valence erle of Penbroke than Sir Iohn Richmond and many other Baron Sir Iohn Saynct Iohn right a full manly manne Thenglishe hoste felly ther was bore doune By a bushement laied by colucion That brake on theim sore fighting in the feld Out of a wode in whiche that day were beld About the verge or side of his monument these verses are inlayd with brasse Anglia tota doles moritur quia regia proles Qua florere soles quem continet infima moles Guilielmus nomen insigne Valentia prebet Celsum cognomen nam tale dari sibi debet Qui valuit validus vincens virtute valore Eâ— placuit placidus sensus morumque vigore Dapsilis et habilis immotus prelia sectans Vtilis ac humilis deuotus premia spectans Milleque trecentis cum quatuor inde retentis In Maij mense hunc mors proprio ferit ense Quique legis hec repete quam sit via plena timore Meque lege te moriturum inscius hore O clemens christe celos intret precor iste Nil videat triste quia preculit omnibus hisce Here lyeth entombed the body of Simon Langham who was first a Monke of this Abbey then Prior and lastly Abbot thence elected Bishop of London from thence before his consecration to London aduanced to the Bishopricke of Ely and from that place remoued to Canterbury hee held diuers liuings in commendam as the Archdeaconry and Treasureship of Wels with others He was both Treasurer and Chancelour of England at seuerall times It is scarce credible saith Godwin now Bishop of Hereford in his catalogue de presulibus Anglie that is reported of his wonderfull bounty and liberality to this monastery When hee was first made Abbot he bestowed all that he had gathered together being Monke and Prior in paying the debt of the house which was to the value of two thousand and two hundred markes and discharged diuers other summes of money also which particular Monkes did owe he purchased good land which he gaue vnto them When hee went out of England hee left them bookes to the value of 830 pound and Copes Vestments and other ornaments for the Church worth 437. pound At his death he bequeathed vnto them all his plate prised at 2700. pound and all his debts any where due which amounted vnto 3954. pound thirteene shillings and foure pence He also sent vnto this Abbey the summe of one thousand markes to buy forty markes a yeare land to encrease the portion of foure Monkes that daily should say Masse for the soules of himselfe and his Parents The money that he bestowed vpon this Abbey one way or other is reckoned by a Monke of the same to be no lesse then 10800. pound who thereupon compiled this Distich Res es de Langham tua Simon sunt data quondam Octingentena librarum millia dena But men of eminent place and authoritie cannot haue their due praise of all sorts of people nay rather in requitall of their best actions they shall reape nothing but opprobrious language for vpon his translation from Ely to Canterbury these two rayling riming Hexameters were made to his disgrace Letentur celi quia Simon transit ab Ely Cuius in aduentum flent in Kent millia centum The Isle of Ely laught when Simon from her went But hundred thousands wept at 's comming into Kent He sate Archbishop of Canterbury onely two yeares for being made Cardinall of Saint Sixtus by Pope Vrban the fift hee left his Archbishopricke and went to Auinion where shortly after he was made Bishop Cardinall of Preneste by Gregory the eleuenth where he liued in great estimation about eight yeares and died of a palsie wherewith hee was suddenly taken as he sate at dinner Iuly 22. 1376. he was buried first in the Church of the Carthusians which he himselfe had founded in the Citie of Auinion but after three yeares his bones by his appointment while he liued were taken vp and buried here a second time vnder a goodly tombe of Alabaster vpon which this Epitaph was sometime engrauen Simon de Langham sub petris hijs tumulatus Istius Ecclesie Monachus fuerat Prior Abbas Sede vacante fuit electus Londoniensis Presul et insignis Ely sed postea primas Totius Regni magnus Regisque minister Nam Thesaurarius et Cancellarius eius Ac Cardinalis in Roma Presbyter isâ—e Postque Prenestinus est factus Episcopus atque Nuncius ex parte Pape transmittitur istâ—c Orbe dolente Pater quem nunc reuocare nequimus Magdalene festo milleno septuageno Et ter centeno sexto Christi ruit anno Hunc Deus absoluat de cunctis que male gessit Et meritis Matris sibi celica gaudia donet Here lyeth Robert Waldby who being a yong man followed Edward the blacke Prince into France where he continued long a Student and profited so much as no man in the Vniuersitie where he liued might compared with him for all kinde of learning he was a good linguist very well seene
in Philosophie both naturall and morall in Physicke and the canon Law very eloquent an excellent Preacher and esteemed so profound a Diuine as he was thought meete to be the professour of Diuinity or Doctor of the Chaire in the Vniuersitie of Tholouze For these his good gifts hee was much fauoured of the blacke Prince then of King Richard his sonne who preferred him to the Bishopricke of the Isle of Man from that preferment he was translated to the Archbishopricke of Dublin in Ireland thence to Chichester and lastly to the Archbishopricke of Yorke where he sate not fully three yeares but died the 29. of May 1397. His Epitaph is quite worne or torne away from his monument yet I found it in a Manuscript in Sir Robert Cottons Librarie Hic fuit expertus in quouis iure Robertus De Walbye dictus nunc est sub marmore strictus Sacre Scripture Doctor fuit et geniture Ingenuus medicus Plebis semper amicus Presul Adurensis post hec Archas Dublinensis Hinc Cicestrensis tandem Primus Eborensis Quarto Kalend Iunij migrauit cur sibus anni Milleni ter C. septem nonies quoque deni Vos precor orate quod sint sibi dona beate Cum sanctis vite requiescat et hic sine lite In an old riming Manuscript of the succession of the Archbishops of Yorke I finde thus much of this man Tunc Robertus ordinis Fratris Augustini Ascendit in Cathedram Primatis Paulini Lingua scientificus sâ—rmonis Latini Anno primo proximat vite sue fini De carnis ergastulo Presul euocatur Gleba sui corporu Westminstre humatur Here vnder a marble stone in the Chappell royall lyeth the body of Iohn Waltham Lord Bishop of Salisbury who had beene master of the Rolles keeper of the priuie Seale and Treasurer of England in which office he continued till his death which happened in the yeare 1395. hauing sate bishop 7 yeares and executed the Treasurorship foure yeares King Richard the second loued him entirely and greatly bewailed his death In token whereof hee commanded that hee should be buried here among the Kings hoc anno saith Walshingham viz. in the yeare 1395. obijt Iohannes de Waltham Episcopus Sarum regni Thesaurarius qui tantum Regi complacuerit vt etiam multis licet murmurantibus apud monasterium inter Reges meruit sepulturam He lieth in the pauement vnder a flat marble stone iust beside King Edward the first vpon which his Epitaph was inlayd in brasse with his portraiture in Episcopall robes now defaced and almost quite perished Here lyeth another Bishop here buried but not in so conspicuous and princely a place of the Church as doth Waltham who was likewise by the Kings speciall commandement here inhumed for that he was accounted a very holy and vertuous man namely one Richard de Wendouer Parson of Bromley and Bishop of Rochester who died in the yeare 1250. and in the raigne of King Henry the third Here lieth interred Sir Humfrey Bourchier Lord Cromwell the sonne of Henry Bourchier Earle of Essex by Isabell daughter of Richard Earle of Cambridge and sister to Richard Duke of Yorke who in aide of his kinsman King Edward the fourth was slaine at Barnet field vpon Easter day 1471. And here lieth interred another Humfrey Bourchier who was the sonne and heire of Iohn Bourchier Lord Berners who was also slaine at the same battaile to whose memories this Epitaph yet remaines Hic Pugil ecce iacens Bernet fera bella cupiscens Certat vt Eacides fit saucius vndique miles Vt cecidit vulnus Mars porrigit arma cruore Sparsim tincta rubent dolor en lachrimabilis hora Lumine nempe cadit quo christus morte resurgit Bourchier Humfridus clara propagine dictus Edwardi Regis qui tertius est vocitatus Iohn Domini Berners proles et paruulus heres Quartus et Edwardus belli tenet ecce triumphum Quo perit Humfridus vt Regis vernula verus Cyronomon mense sponse Regis fuit iste Elisabeth sibi sic sua virtus crescit honore Armis conspicuus quondam charusque Britannis Hic fuit Vt celis viuat deposcite votis Here lieth entombed in a slight monument in the wall Thomas Mylling sometime Abbot of this Monastery from whence he was preferred to the Bishopricke of Hereford by King Edward the fourth vnder whom he was of the priuie Councell and was Godfather to Prince Edward his eldest Sonne He was a Monke of this house being but a youth and then went to Oxford where he studied vntill hee proceeded Doctor of Diuinitie in which time he attained good knowledge in the Greeke tongue which in those dayes was geason saith the reuerend Author of the Bishops Catalogue He died in the yeare 1493. Here in an obscure place of this Church lieth the body of Hugoline Chamberlaine to King Edward the Confessor of whom this Storie is written in the life of the said Edward King Edward one afternoone lying in his bed with his curtaines round about him drawne a poore pilfering Courtier came into his Chamber where finding the Kings Casket open which Hugolin had forgotten to shut he tooke out so much money as hee could well carry and went away but insatiable desire brought him againe the second and third time for such a ready prey vntill the King who lay still all this while and would not seeme to see began to speake to him and bade him speedily be packing for he was well if he could see for if Hugoline came and tooke him there he were not onely like to loose all that he had gotten but also to stretch an halter The fellow was no sooner gone but Hugoline came in and finding the Casket open and much money taken away was greatly moued But the king willed him not to be grieued For said he he that hath it hath more need of it then we haue This Hugolin saith M. Camden was buried in the old Chapter house of this Church Vpon whose Monument these sillie verses were engrauen Qui ruis iniuste capit hic Hugoline locus te Laude pia clares quia martyribus nece clareâ— For learning in this kings dayes was so low ebbed in England that betweene Thames and Trent there was scant one found which could vnderstand Latine This passage of the aforesaid pilfery is delineated and wrought in the Hangings about the Quire with the Portraitures of the king Hugolin and the Theefe vnder which are these verses Ecce nimis parca furis manus exit ab archa Celat opus furis pietas non regula iuris Tolle quod habes et fuge Hic iacet Willelmus Bedel Ar. et Cecilia vx eius filia heres Domini Roberti Grene militis ac etiam heres domini Iohannis Cley militis qui quidem Willelmus fuit Thesaurarius Hospitij excellentissimi Principis Margarete nuper Comitisse Richmondie Darbie matris Regis Henrici
Epitaph is engrauen Abbas Richardus de Wara qui requiescit Hic portat lapides quos hic portauit ab vrbe After the death of Richard de Ware Walter Wenlocke was chosen Abbot and preferred to the honour of Lord Treasurer by King Edward the first Hee was Abbot sixe and twenty yeares lacking sixe dayes died vpon Christmas day at night in the yeare 1307. And lieth buried vnder a marble stone whereupon this Epitaph to his high commendation is inlayed in brasse Abbas Walterus iacet hic sub marmore tectus Non fuit austerus sed mitis famine rectus Here lieth Richard de Barking Abbot of this Monastery who was an especiall Councellour to King Henry the third chiefe Baron of the Exchequer and Treasurer of England Who hauing beene Abbot 24. yeares died the 23. day of Nouember 1246. He was first buried in our Ladies Chappell in a Tombe of marble which was pulled downe by Frier Combe a Sacrist of this house Who layed a faire plaine marble stone ouer him with this Epitaph thus inscribed Richardus Barking Prior est post inclytus Abbas Henrici Regis prudens fuit ille minister Huius erat prima laus Insula rebus opima Altera laus eque Thorp census ocham decimeque Tertia Mortone castrum simili ratione Et Regis quarta de multis commoda charta Clementis festo mundo migrauit ab isto M. Domini C. bis xl sextoque sub anno Cui detur venia parte pia virgo Maria. Here in the Cloister vnder a flat stone of blacke marble lie the remaines of Gervais de Bloys so called of the place or Earledome which his father possest in France who was Stephen Earle of Bloys and Champaigne afterwards king of England He was his base sonne begotten of one Dameta a gentlewoman of Normandy He was brought into England by his father the fifth yeare of his raigne and in the same yeare made Abbot of this place In which gouernment he continued for the space of twenty yeares He deceased the 26. of August 1160. His Epitaph De Regem genere Pater hic Gervasius ecce Monstrat de functus mors rapit omne genus Euen father Gervase borne of kings race Loe is dead thus death all sorts doth deface Here lieth the body of Nicholas Litlington Abbot of this house who in the time of his gouernement which was for the space of 〈◊〉 yeares built the Abbots hall and the faire roome now called Ierusalem the West and South part of the Cloister and a Granary now the Schollers long Bed-chamber with the Tower adioyning as also the Water-Mill and many other Edefices He died Anno 1386. I found his Epitaph in a namelesse Manuscript in that neuer enough admired Librarie of Sir Robert Cotton Hacce Domo Ductor Nicholaus erat quoque structor Et sibi tunc sedem celo construxit edem M. semel C ter erat annus sex octuagenus Cum perit iste Abbas diuino flamine plenus Quinta dies fit ei requies in fine Nouembris Detur ei pietate Dei merces requici Amen Here lieth in the Cloister one Vitalis Abbot of this Couent preferred thereunto by William the Conquerour in the 16. of whose raigne 1082. he died vpon whose Tombe this Epitaph was engrauen alluding to his name like as for Laurence his successor Qui nomen traxit a vita morte vocante Abbas Vitalis transijt hicque iacet Here lieth the body of one Lawrence Abbot of this Monastery who obtained of Alexander the third that ambitious Bishop of Rome to himselfe and his successors the vse of the Miter the Ring and the Gloues the Pastorall Staffe before his time being their onely comportment as by the differing portraitures of the Abbots vpon their Tombestones may be easily discerned He died Anno 1176. to whose memory this allusiue Epitaph was made Clauditur hoc tumulo vir quondam clarus in orbe Quo preclarus erat hic locus est et erit Pro meritis vite dedit illi laurea nomen Detur ei vite laurea pro meritis Here lieth Gislebert Crispine Abbot who flourished in the raigne of King Henry the first and died in the yeare of our redemption 1114. His picture is vpon the graue stone inlaid with brasse with his Pastoral staffe onely without Miter Ring or other ornament with these verses Hic Pater insignis genus altum virgo senex que Gisleberte iaces lux via duxque tuis Mitis eras iustus prudens fortis moderatus Doctus quadriuio nec minus in triuio Sic tamen ornatus nece sexta luce Decembris Spiramen celo reddis ossa solo Here lieth interred the body of Edmund Kirton Abbot of this Monastery Doctor of Diuinity and a profound learned man he adorned Saint Andrewes Chappell wherein he lieth buried with the armes of many of the English Nobility These verses are inscribed vpon his monument Pastor pacisicus subiectis vir moderatus Hac sub marmorea Petra requiescit humatus Edmundus Kirton hic quondam qui fuit Abbas Bis denis annis cum binis connumerandus Sacre Scripture doctor probus immoprobatus Illustri stirpe de Cobildic generatus Coram Martino papa proposuit iste Ob quod multiplices laudes habuit honores Qui obijt tertio die mensis Octobris An. Dom. M. cccc.lx.vi Eleison Kyry curando morbida mundi Iohn Islip Abbot of Westminster a man of great authoritie and speciall trust with King Henry the seuenth lieth here interred He built the Deanes house as now it is and repaired many other places in this Monasterie in the windowes whereof saith Camden he had a quadruple deuice for his single name for somewhere he set vp an eye with a slip of a tree in another place one slipping boughes in a tree in other places an I with the said slip and in some places one slipping from a tree with the word Islip I cannot learne the time of his death by his Tombe yet I finde in a Manuscript wherein are diuers funerall collections and other Inscriptions of this Abbey which were gathered about the time of the dissolution that he died the second of Ianuary in the yeare 1510. the second of Henry the eight and also that in the Chappell of Saint Erasmus where he lieth buried vpon the wall ouer his Tombe was the picture of our Sauiour Christ hanging on the Crosse seeming to call and to giue good councell vnto mankind in these rimes Aspice serue Dei sic me posuere Iudei Aspice deuote quoniam sic pendeo pro te Aspice mortalis pro te datur Hostia talis Introitum vite reddo tibi redde mihi te In cruce sum prote qui peccas desine pro me Desine do veniam dic culpam corrige vitam Vnder this Crucifixe was the picture of the Abbot holding vp his hands and praying thus in old Poetrie En cruce qui pendis Islip miserere Iohannis
christendome Another man-childe she bore also vnto the said King though without life vpon the 29. day of Ianuary and the 27. yeare of his raigne to the no little griefe of his mother some dislike of the King as the sequele of her accusation and death did shortly confirme for vpon the 19. day of May next following vpon the greene within the Tower her head was cut off by the sword and by the hands of the Hangman of Caleis when shee had beene King Henries wife three yeares three moneths and twenty fiue daies The bloud was scarse wipt off the blade nor shee 〈◊〉 in her graue an argument that her life was sought after vpon falâ—e 〈◊〉 before another Lady was possest of her bed for on the 〈…〉 her beheading the King her husband was married to that 〈◊〉 Princesse Iane the the daughter of Iohn Seymor Knight and sister to Lord Edward Seymour Earle of Hertford and Duke of Somerset Here lieth buried in the said Chappell the body of George Bollein Lord Rochford brother to the beheaded Queene who together with Henry Norrice Marke Smeton William Brereton and Francis Weston all of the Kings priuie Chamber was beheaded on the Tower hâ—ll two daies before the death of his Sister about matters concerning the said Queene none of them all confessing the act whereupon they suffered death onely Smeton contrarie to his conscience saith one confest some thing in hope of life and preferment which condemned both himselfe and the rest of which thus Cromwell writ to the King Many things haue beene obiected but nothing confessed onely some circumstances haue beene acknowledged by Marke Smeton This hee writ after the prisoners had beene throughly examined in the Tower This Smeton Brierton Norrice and Weston lie buried here in the Chappell-yard Here and neere to the reliques of the said Anne Bollein lieth interred the body of Katherine the fift wife of King Henry the eight the daughter of Edmond and Neece vnto Thomas Howard his brother Duke of Norfolke who hauing continued his wife but the space of one yeare sixe moneths and foure daies was attainted by Parliament and beheaded here in the Tower vpon the 13. of February 1541. It is verily beleeued and many strong reasons are giuen both by English and forraine writers to confirme that beliefe that neither this Queene Katherine nor Queene Anne were any way guiltie of the breach of matrimony whereof they were accused but that King Henry vnconstant and variable in his affections and as vnstayed in religious resolutions did cut them off vpon false suggestions soone wearie of the old and euer ayming at new Espousals Betweene these two Queenes before the high Altar lie buried two Dukes to wit the Duke of Somerset Edward Seymour and the Duke of Northumberland Iohn Dudley Of whom hereafter Here lieth Henry Southworth borne at Halton Castle in the Parish of Runkorne in Cheshire Yeoman of the Crowne and of the Guard to king Henry the seuenth and Henry the eight Yeoman Bawier and Surveiour in the Tower of London for the space of 33. yeares Who died ....... Here lieth Gefferay Hewyt and Ione his wife one of the Gonners in the Tower ... Ione died ... 1525. There are some other Inscriptions in this Chappell but they are of late times Burials of the dead in the fields neare to the Citie of London These burials in the fields might better haue beene spoken of in my prefixed discourse where I write of the strange custome of interring and preseruing of the bodies of the dead But being forgotten there it will not be amisse I hope that they may be remembred here In the fields on the North-East and East side of the suburbs whiles I was writing these matters saith Camden there were gotten out of the ground many vrnes funerall vessels little Images and earthen pots wherein were small peeces of money coined by Claudius Nero Vespasian c. Glasse vials also and sundrie small earthen vessels wherein some liquid substance remained which I would thinke to be either of that sacred oblation of wine and milke which the ancient Romanes vsed when they burnt the dead or else those odoriferous liquors that Statius mentioneth Pharijque liquores Arsuram lavere Comam And liquid baulmes from Egypt-land that came Did wash his haire that ready was for flame This place the Romanes appointed to burne and burie dead bodies who according to the law of the twelue tables carried coarses out of their Cities and interred them by the high-wayes side to put passengers in minde that they are as those were subiect to mortalitie Stow speakes more fully of these and other kindes of funerall Monuments found here in the fields About the yeare 1576. saith hee Lolesworth-field now called Spittle-field was broken vp for clay to make Bricke In the digging whereof many earthen pots called Vrnae were found full of Ashes and burnt bones of men to wit of the Romanes that inhabited here For it was the custome of the Romanes to burne their dead to put their Ashes in an Vrne and then burie the same with certaine ceremonies in some field appointed for that purpose neare vnto their Citie Euery of these pots had in them with the ashes of the dead one peece of Copper-money with the inscription of the Emperour then raigning some of them were of Claudius some of Vespasian some of Nero some of Antonius Pius of Traiane and others Besides those vrnes many other pots were found in the same place made of a white earth with long neckes and handles like to our stone Iugs these were emptie but seemed to be buried full of some liquid matter long since consumed and soaked through For there were found diuers vials and other fashioned Glasses some most cunningly wrought such as I haue not seene the like and some of Christall all which had water in them nothing differing in clearnesse taste or sauour from common spring water whatsoeuer it was at the first Some of these Glasses had oyle in them very thicke and earthy in sauour Some were supposed to haue Balme in them but had lost the vertue Many of these pots and Glasses were broken in cutting of the clay so that few were taken vp whole There were also found diuers Dishes and Cups of a fine reâ—de coloured earth which shewed outwardly such a shining smoothnesse as if they had beene of currall Those had in the bottomes Romane letters printed There were also Lampes of white earth and red artificially wrought with diuers Antiques about them some three or foure Images made of white earth about a spanne long each of them One I remember was of Pallas the rest I haue forgotten I my selfe haue reserued amongst diuers of those Antiquities there one vrne with the ashes and bones and one pot of white earth very small not exceeding the quantitie of a wine pint made in shape of a Hare squatted vpon her legges and betweene her eares is the mouth
of the pot There hath also beene found in the same field diuers coffins of stone containing the bones of men these I suppose to be the burials of some speciall persons in time of the Brittaines or Saxons Moreouer there were also found the sculls and bones of men without coffins or rather whose coffines being of great timber were consumed Diuers great Nailes of Iron were there found such as are vsed in the wheeles of shod carts being each of them as bigge as a mans finger and a quarter of a yard the heads two inches ouer Those Nailes were more wondred at then the rest of the things there found and many opinions of men were there vttered of them namely that the men there buried were murthered by driuing those Nailes into their heads a thing vnlikely for a smaller Naile would more aptly serue to so bad a purpose and a more secret place would lightly be imployed for such buriall But to set downe what I obserued concerning this matter I there beheld the bones of a man lying as I noted the head North the feet South and round about him as thwart his head along both his sides and thwart his feet such Nailes were found Wherefore I coniectured them to be Nailes of his coffin Which had beene a trough cut out of some great tree and the same couered with a planke of a great thicknesse fastened with such Nailes and therefore I caused some of the Nailes to be reached vp to 〈◊〉 found vnder the broad heads of them the old wood â—eane turned into earth but still retaining both the graine and proper colour Of these Nailes with the wood vnder the head thereof I reserued one as also the 〈◊〉 bone of the man the teeth being great sound and fixed which amongst many other Monuments there found I haue yet to shew but the nayle lying dry is by scaling greatly wasted And thus much of ancient Funerall Monuments in the fields Certaine Burials of British Kings in and about London the places of their interments vncertaine And first to begin with Guentoline the sonne of Gurgunstus King of Britaine who flourished about the yeare of the world 3614. Who was a wise Prince graue in counsell and sober in behauiour and studied with great care and diligence to reforme anew and to adorne with iustice lawes and good orders the British commonwealth by other Kings not so framed as stood with the greatnesse thereof But as he was busie in hand herewith death tooke him away from these worldly employments when hee had raigned 27. yeares He had a wife named Martia Proba a woman of perfect beautie and wisedome incomparable as by her prudent gouernment and equall administration of iustice after her husbands decease during her sonnes minoritie it most manifestly appeared She was a woman expert and skilfull in diuers sciences but chiefely being admitted to the gouernment of the Realme she studied to preserue the common wealth in good quiet and decent order and therefore deuised established and writ a booke in the British tongue of profitable and conuenient Lawes the which after her name were called Martian Lawes These Lawes afterwards Gildas Cambrius the Historicall Welch Poet translated into Latine and a long time after him Alured King of the West Saxons holding these lawes necessarie for the preseruation of the common wealth put them into English Saxon speech and then they were called after that translation Marchenclagh that is to meane the Lawes of Martia adding thereunto a Booke of his owne writing of the Lawes of England which he called A certaine Breuiarie extracted out of diuers Lawes of the Troians Grecians Britaines Saxons and Danes She flourished before the birth of our Lord and Sauiour 348. yeares or thereabouts Her sonnes name was Sicilius who vpon the death of his Father was but young for I reade that Martia his mother deliuered vp the gouernment of the kingdome to her sonne when he came to lawfull age which she had right politiquely guided and highly for her perpetuall renowne and commendation the space of fourteene yeares He died when hee had raigned seuen yeares some say fifteene yeares Of Bladud king of Britaine the sonne of Lud hurdibras many incredible passages are deliuered by our old British writers and followed by sundrie Authors of succeeding ages which say that he was so well seene in the Sciences of Astronomie and Necromancie that thereby hee made the hote springs in the Citie of Bathe that he built the Citie of Bathe that he went to Athens and brought with him foure Philosophers and by them instituted an Vniuersitie at Stanford in Lincolnshire And further to shew his Art and cunning that he tooke vpon him to flie into the aire and that hee broke his necke by a fall from the Temple of Apollo in Troynouant before the incarnation of Christ 852. yeares in the twentieth yeare of his raigne Geffrey of Monmouth and Mathew of Westminster would approue as much as here is spoken of him And learned Selden in his Illustrations vpon Draytons Polyolbion sets downe an ancient fragment of rimes wherein these strange things of him are exprest But of him here in this place will it please you take a peece out of Harding and you shall haue more hereafter Bladud his sonne after him did succede And reigned after then full xx yere Cair Bladud so that now is Bath I rede He made anone the hote bathes there infere When at Athens he had studied clere He brought with hym iiii Philosophers wise Schole to hold in Brytaine and exercyse Stanforde he made that Stanforde hight this daye In which he made an Vniuersitee His Philosophers as Merlin doth saye Had scholers fele of grete habilitee Studyng euer alwaye in vnitee In all the seuen liberall science For to purchase wysedome and sapience In Cair Bladim he made a temple right And sette a Flamyne therein to gouerne And afterward a Fetherham he dight To flye with winges as he could best discerne Aboue the aire nothyng him to werne He flyed on high to the temple Apoline And ther brake his necke for all his grete doctrine Likewise the vncertaine buriall of Vortimer that victorious British king was in some part of this Citie he was the eldest sonne of Vortigern king of the Britaines and raigned as king in his fathers dayes who demeaned himselfe towards his sonne then his Soueraigne in all dutifull obedience and faithfull counsell for the space of foure yeares euen vntill Vortimer was poysoned by the subtiltie of Rowena the heathen daughter of Hengist the Saxon the wife or concubine of his Brother and the mother of the Britaines mischiefe which happened about the yeare of Grace 464. This Vortimer was a man of great valour which altogether he employed for the redresse of his countrey according to the testimonie of William Malmesbury whose words are these Vortimer saith he thinking not good to dissemble the matter for that he saw himselfe and countrey daily
was conceiued of his further proceedings had not God cut him off by vntimely death the 17. day of September in the yeare of our Lord God 796. and in the first of his raigne hauing had neither wife nor issue His bodie with all due obsequies was here Princely interred neare to the Shrine of S. Alban This Abbey Church was likewise honoured with the Sepulture of Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland whose storie out of many writers is in this manner extracted This Robert Mowbray a most valiant Souldier seeing his countrey destroyed and ouerrunne euen vnto Alnewicke castle by Malcolme King of Scotland and his armie made head against the said Malcolme not staying for directions from his King William Rufus and so sore and suddenly distressed his forces that both king Malcolme himselfe and his sonne Prince Edward were there slaine Hereupon this Earle growing proud and greatly suspected by King William began to fortifie the Kings Castles with munition for Armes against the like inuasion and indeed against the Kings will who sent him word somewhat roughly to desist from his doings and presently to repaire to his presence which whilest he lingered and neglected to do king William sent his brother Henry to spoile Northumberland and immediately followed after himselfe where without much adoe he tooke the Earle and committed him prisoner to Windsor Castle This Robert Mowbray and William of Anco with others conspired to depriue the King both of Crowne and life and to haue set vp Stephen de Albamarle his Aunts sonne as Houeden and Walsingham will haue it But I reade in an old Manuscript that he fauouring the proceedings of Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury Pro amore bono Ecclesie innocentem vitam finiebat Cuius anime propitietur Deus As the words are Rex ipsum cum alijs decollari mandauit The king commanded that he with others should be beheaded his companion Anco being punished with losse both of his eyes and his virilitie He died in prison saith one writer In ipso Ergastulo deficiens mortuus est regnante Henrico Rege Whose Lands in Normandy as also for the most part here in England the said King Henry gaue to Nigell de Albeney viro probo et illustri Another writer tells vs that he married Maud the daughter of Richerius de Aquila a potent man in the Conquerours dayes and that after foure and thirtie yeares of imprisonment hee died without issue in these words Mathildis autem potenti viro Roberto de Molbraio Comiti Norbandum brorum nupsit qui eodem anno contra Willielmum Rufum Regem Anglorum rebellauit Sed paulo post captus fere 34. annis in carcere praefati Regis Henrici fratris eius sine prole consenuit The same Author deliuers his marriage thus in another place Robertus vt fines suos vndique dilataret ditissimis contubernalibus affinitate potentum sibi copulatis robustior ardua tentaret Mathildem generosam virginem Richerij de Aquila duxit quae neptis erat Hugonis Cestrensis Comitis ex sorore nomine Iudith And in the said page he sets downe his character and the number of the Lordships which he possest here in England with his great power and riches thus Robertus Rogerij de Molbraio filius potentia diuitijsque admodum pollebat audacia et militari feritate superbus pares despiciebat superioribus obtemperare vana ventositate turgidus indignum autumabat Erat autem corpore magnus niger et hispidus audax dolosus vultu tristis ac seuerus Plus meditari quam loqui studebat et vix in confabulatione ridebat Hic nimirum cclxxx villas in Anglia possidebat This man of this high spirit and ample possessions became in the end to bee a shorne Monke of this Monastery as you may reade in the Catalogues of Honour wherein hee died Ann. 1106. To whose memory a Monke of his order made this Epitaph Which he caused to be engrauen vpon his Monument vpon the North side of the Vestrie where he was interred Vir probus fortis quem virtus nescia mortis Condecorat cista iacet hic Robertus in ista Cui dat cognomen Moulbraia nobile nomen Norhandunbrorum comes fuit hic Monachorum Dux erat optatus prudens pius peramatus Hic Monachus fidus hic Martisin agmine sidus Exijt è terris huius mundi quoque guerris Anno milleno Domini centenoque seno Quarta die Februi Pax sit eique mihi Amen Here sometimes was interred the bodie of Alexander Necham whose knowledge in good Arts made him famous throughout England France Italie yea and the whole world and that with such incredible admiration that he was called Miraculum ingenij the wonder and miracle of wit and sapience He was an exact Philosopher an excellent Diuine an accurate Rhetorician and an admirable Poet. As did appeare by many his writings which he left to posteritie some of which are mentioned by Bale He was borne in this Towne as appeares by a certaine passage in one of his Latine Poems cited by Camden and thus englished by his Translator Doctor Holland This is the place that knowledge tooke of my natiuitie My happie yeares my dayes also of mirth and iollitie This place my childhood trained vp in all Arts liberall And laid the groundworke of my name and skill Poeticall This place great and renowned Clerkes into the world hath sent For Martyr blest for nation for site all excellent A troupe here of religious men serue Christ both night and day In holy warfare taking paines duly to watch and pray Camden in his Allusions to names tells vs that he being desirous to enter into religion in this house after he had signified his desire writ thus to the Abbot Laconically Si vis veniam sin autem tu autem Who answered as briefly alluding to his name thus Si bonus sis venias si nequam nequaquam Whereupon saith he he changed his name to Neckam A Monke of this house made this Hexamiter allusiuely to his name Dictus erat Nequam vitam duxit tamen equam He is thought by some saith Bale to haue beene a Canon Regular and to haue beene preferred to the Abbotship of Glocester as another in this old language will haue it And master Alisander that Chanon was er I maked was of Gloucestre Abbot thulk yer viz. 7. Reg. Regis Iohannis But this may be vnderstood of Alexander Theologus of whom I haue spoken elsewhere who was contemporarie with him for I finde that this Alexander was Abbot of Saint Maries in Circester or Cirencester At the time of his death which happened about foure hundred and thirteene yeares since Alexander cognomento Nequam Abbas Cirecestrie literarum scientia clarus obiit Ann. Dom. 1217. lit Dom. C. prid Kal. Feb sepultus erat apud Fanum S. Albani cuius anime propitietur Altissimus Amen Now if
Martyr of the English Nation so the â—bbot of his Monasterie should at all times among other Abbots of Engâ—â—nd in degree of dignitie be reputed first and principall The Abbot and 〈◊〉 of this house were acquitted of all Toll through England They made Iustices ad audiendum terminandum within themselues and no other Iustice could call them for any matter out of their libertie They made Bayliffes and Coroners They had the execution and returne of all Writs 〈◊〉 goods of all out-lawes with Gaole and Gaole deliuerie within themselues And receiued to their owne proper vse the Rom-scot before spoken of throughout all the County of Hertford This Abbey was surrendred vp by the Abbot and Monkes there by deliuering the Couent seale into the hands of â— Pope D. Peter Master Cauendish and other the Kings visitors the fifth day of December 1539. It was valued at a farre vnder â—ate to bee worth of yearely reuenue two thousand fiue hundred and ten pound sixe shillings penny halfe penny q Saint Peters Church in Saint Albans This Church and Churchyard was stuft full with the bodies of such as were slaine in the two battells fought here at Saint Albans In which I finde a funerall Monument for my valiant countreyman Sir Bertin Entwisell who fighting on the Kings partie died of a wound receiued in the first battell Vpon whose Tombe this Inscription inlayd in brasse is yet to be read Here lyth Syr Bertin Entwisel knyght which was borne in Lancaster Shyre and was Vicound and Baron of Brykbeke in Normandy and Baliffe of Constantin Who died the xxviii of May M. cccc.lv on whos sowl Iesu have mercy Of which Sir Bertin thus speaketh Leland in his Commentaries Ther is a Viscownt of Brykbek in Normandy saith he callyd Bertyne or Berframe Cnitwesell that cam into England and was much on the factyon of kyng Henry the sixth and slayn at on of the Battels at Saint Albons and beryed in the Peroche Chyrch of Seynt Peter vnder the plase of the Lectorium in the Quyre wheras a memoriall of hym ther yet remeyneth Ther was a dawghter of this Viscount callyd Lucy of whom Master Bradene of Northamptonshyre is descendyd and in the same Shyre is a mean gentylman of that name These Entwisells were gentlemen of good respect in our countrey in our fathers dayes whose mansion house retaines the name of Entwisell to this houre The last heire of which house as I haue it out of the collections of M. Dalton alias Norroy king of Armes was one Wilfred Entwisell who sold the land that was left him and serued as a Lance at Muselborrowfield in the second yeare of the raigne of king Edward the sixth after that he serued the Guyes in defence of Meth. After that he was one of the foure Captaines of the Fort of Newhauen where being infected with the plague and shipped for England was landed about Portsmouth and being vncertaine of any house died vnder a hedge in September Ann. 1549. Raph Bapthorpe the father and Raphe the sonne of Bapthorpe in the East-riding of Yorkeshire which for many descents hath yeelded both name and habitation to that knightly familie fighting in this Towne vnder the banner of King Henry the sixth lost their liues and here lye buried together with this Epitaph Cum Patre Radulpho Babthorp iacet ecce Radulphus Filius bot duro marmore pressus humo Henrici sexti Dapifer Pater Armiger eius Mors satis id docuit fidus vterque fuit C. Domini quater M. semel L. semel V. semel anno Hos necat haud solos mors truculenta duos Lux hijs postrema Maij vicena secunda Det Deus hijs lucem des sine fine diem Behold where two Raulph Babthorps both the sonne and father lie Vnder a stone of marble hard interr'd in this mould drie To Henry sixth the Father Squire the sonne he Sewer was Both true to Prince and for his sake they both their life did passe The yeare one thousand and foure hundred fiftie five Grimme death yet not alone did them of breath depriue The last day of their light was th'twentith two of May God grant them light in heau'n and without end a day In the yere of Crist on thowsand fowr hundryd ful trew wyth fowr and sixteen Rychard Skipwith gentylman in birth late felow of new Inne In my age twenti on my sowl partyd from the body in August the sixtenth day And now I ly her abyding Gods mercy vndyr this ston in clay Desyring yow that this fal see vnto the Meyden prey for mee That bare both God and man Like as ye wold that oder for yee shold When ye ne may nor can Hic duo consortes Skipwith que Ioanna Ioannes Compaâ—sant vna generosus vnus et alter Vt pariter pausant in pace precare quiescant Tu qui metra legis fic quod requiescere possis Hic iacet Georgius Sâ—ipwith Ar. In this Church are others of this familie interred whose Monuments are quite defaâ—ed of which name Gentlemen of ancient descent faire possessions and knightly degree do at this day flourish at Cotes in the County of Leicester Iunior ense rui fueram tunc Ensiser vni 〈◊〉 Borca comiti dicto cognomine Percy 〈◊〉 Perij periit sibi proh dolor ensis ademit Transâ—ur sum stadij pax sit eique mihi Ipse Thomas dictus Pakington eramque vocatus Hic iacet Edwardus Beulled Ar. quondam Magister Ludi venatici in 〈…〉 Abbatis de Sancto Albano Alicia vxor eius qui Edwardus 〈…〉 M.ccc.lxxv William Wittor and his wyff Grase Vndyr this ston ben buryed her In hevyn good Lord grant them a plase As thow them boght with thy blood so der Which William as her hit doth apper The ninth dey of March past this present lyff On thowsand fowr hundryd and six yer Of Crist whos grase be ther preservatyff Hic iacet Edmundus Westby quondam Hundredarius Sancti Albani 〈◊〉 vxor eius silia heres Ade Stonham et consanguinea et heres Alicie 〈◊〉 .... ob vltimo diâ— Iulii M. cccc.xlvii Hic iacet Cecilia Westby vxor Bartholomei Westby que obiit 2. Iulii Ann. M. cccc.lxxxxv Hic iacet Willelmus Westby quondam Hundredarius et Baliuus Libertatis ......... Hic iacet Edmundus Westby Armiger Iusticiar pacis in Com. Hert. et Hundredarius ac Baliuus de Franchesia Sancti Albani et Margareta vxor eius qui Ed. obiit xviii Septemb. M. cccc.lxxv Henry the sixth was in this Edmunds house Hundreder of S. Albans during the time of the first battell in the Towne Hic iacet Thomas Astry gener filius Radulphi Astry militis et Elisabetha vxor eius â—ilia Willelmi Skipwith Armigeri qui quidem Willel ob ..... M. ccccc.vii Hic iacet Richardus Raynshaw Armig. seruiens ad arma Regis Henrici octaui ......... Here lyth Thomas Blake gentl.
duo Factus Eques magni custos fuit ipse sigilli Gloria sit soli tota tributa Deo Mediocria firma Vpon the frontispice of a gate entring into an Orchard with a garden and a wildernesse ouer the statue of Orpheus these verses are depicted Horrida nuper eram aspectu latebraeque ferarum Ruricolis tantum numinibusque locus Edomitor faustò huc dum forte supervenis Orpheus Vlterius qui me non finit esse rudem Conuocat avulsis virgulta virentia truncis Et sedem quae vel Dijs placuisse potest Sicque mei cultor sic est mihi cultus Orpheus Floreat o noster cultus amorque diu In the said Orchard is a little banquetting house most curiously adorned round about which the liberall Artes are deciphered with the pictures of some of those men which haue beene excellent in euery particular Art And first he begins with the Art of Grammer Thus. Lex sum sermonis linguarum regula certa Qui me non didicit caetera nulla petat The pictures of Donatus Lily Seruius and Priscian Arithmaticke Ingenium exacuo numerorum arcana recludo Qui memores didicit quid didicisse nequit Stifelius Budeus Pythagoras Logicke Diuido multiplices res explanoque latentes Vera exquiro falsa arguo cuncta probo Aristoteles Rodulphus Porphirius Setonus Musicke Mitigo maerores acerbas lenio cur as Gestiat vt placidis mens hilerata sonis Arion Terpander Orpheus Rhetoricke Me duce splendescit gratis prudentia verbis Iamque ornata nitet quae fuit ante rudis Cicero Isocrates Demostines Quintilian Geometrie Corpora describo rerum quo singula pacto Apte sunt formis appropriata suis Archimedes Euclydes Strabo Apollinius Astrologie Astrorum lustrans cursus viresque potentes Elicio miris fata futura modis Regiomontanus Haly Coopernicus Ptolomeus Redborne This Redborne in times past was a place renowned and resorted vnto in regard of Amphibalus the Martyrs reliques here found Who instructed S. Alban in the Christian faith as I haue said before and for Christs sake suffered death vnder Dioclesian He was surnamed Deuanius for that he was borne vpon the riuer of Dee in Wales the sonne of a Prince saith his Legend A man saith Bale both for learning and good life vnmatchable preaching and that with happie successe the glad tidings of the Gospell throughout all the parts of Britaine For to escape the execution of the Edict of the Emperour hee fled from Verulam with a great number of such as he had conuerted into the kingdome of Scotland and into the Isle of Anglesey in Wales whereof hee was made Bishop preaching in all places the true and liuely word disputing and writing against the worshippers of false Gods But being afterwards apprehended he was brought to the same place where his Scholler Saint Alban suffered martyrdome and whipped about a stake whereat his intrailes were tied so winding his bowels out of his body was lastly stoned to death like another Stephen For whose body some of the persecuted Christians got a stolne buriall here at Redborne from whence it was remoued with all celebritie and enshrined by the reliques of his Scholler Saint Alban in the yeare of Grace 1178. the 25. day of Iune Nullum vnquam tam iucundum tam salutarem diem videt Verulamium saith Harpsfeeld occurrebat enim Martyr martyri Magistro discipulus hospes H. spiti caelestis cruis conciuicaelesti The Couent of Saint Albans had such a care that his reliques should bee deuoutly preserued that a decree was made by Thomas then Abbot that a Prior and three Monkes should be appointed for so sacred an office for which they were to receiue twenty pounds yearely allowance Such was the price and estimation in those dayes of the bones and ashes of religious persons remarkable for their holinesse This Amphibalus was a rare Linguist and a profound Diuine for those times He writ a booke against the errours of the Gentiles and certaine Homilies vpon the foure Euangelists with other learned works mentioned by Bale Sir Richard Read knight lieth here entombed Of whom hereafter according to my method Mergate Neare to this Village sometime was a little religious house of Nunnes of which I neuer read nor heard further then by an old petition in rime which runnes by tradition from one traueller to another as they passe along this thorrow fare Vpon which I lately happened in a very ancient Manuscript in Sir Robert Cottons Library and thus it was deliuered in their English the words are significant and modest if you do not misinterpret The petytiown of thre pore Nuns of Mergate We thre pore Nuns of Mergate Pyteously compleyneth to yowr gud estate Of one Syr Iohnne of Whipesuade Who hath stoppyd owr water gate Wyth too stons and a stake Help vs Lorde for Cryst hys sake Flamsted Hic iacet Iohannes Oundeley Rector istius Ecclesie et de Barugby Lincoln Dioces Canon in Eccles. Colleg. beate Marie de Warwick Camerarius ex parte comitis War in Scaccario Domini Regis qui obijt 7. Maij 1414. Miserere miserator quia vere sum peccator Vnde precor licet reus miserere mei Deus Here are in this Church three wondrous ancient Monuments whose inscriptions are quite perisht supposed by the Inhabitants to haue beene made for certaine Noblemen Lords of this Mannor Which may very well be true by these words of our grand Antiquarie Master Camden Somewhat aboue saith hee Flamsted sheweth it selfe vpon the hill which in the time of King Edward the Confessour Leosstane the Abbot of Saint Albans gaue vnto three Knights Turnot Waldefe and Turman for to defend and secure the countrey thereby against theeues But William the Conquerour tooke it from them and gaue it to Roger Todeney or Tony a noble Norman whose possession it was but by a daughter it was transferred at length to the Beauchamps Earles of Warwicke Hempstede Vpon a faire Tombe of marble and Tuch inlaid with brasse with the pourtraiture of a man armed of goodly lineaments together with his wife I reade this French Inscription Roberd Albyn gist icy Et Margarete sa femme ouvike luy Deiu de lez Almes eyt mercy Berkamsted In the body of this Church stands a stately Tombe of an antique rich fabricke strangely depainted whereon the shape of a man in knightly habiliments with his wife lying by him are cut in Alabaster and about the verge of a large marble thereunto adioyning this Inscription engrauen in brasse Hic iacet Richardus Torynton Margareta vxor eius qui quidem Richardus obijt 4. die Martij .... 1306. Margareta ob 9. Martii 13 ... This Torynton as I haue it by relation was the founder of this Church a man in speciall fauour with Edmond Plantaginet Duke of Cornwall who was sonne of Richard Plantaginet second sonne of king Iohn Earle of Cornwall and king of the Romanes Which Richard
tempore Ed. 3. an honourable title as well in France as in England but afterward applied vnto Seruants and Groomes whereupon when the Gentrie reiected it by changing the name they began to be called Gentlemen of the Bedchamber Orate pro animabus Iohannis Barrington et l homasine vxoris eius qui quidem Iohannes obiit 8. die mens Nouemb. 1416. et Thomasina obiit 15. Septemb. 1420. Quorum animabus Ryding from Ralegh towards Rochford I happened to haue the good companie of a gentleman of this countrey who by the way shewed me a little hill which he called the Kings Hill and told me of a strange customarie Court of long continuance there yearely kept the next Wednesday after Michaelmas day in the night vpon the first cockcrowing without any kinde of light saue such as the heauens will affoard The Steward of the Court writes onely with coales and calleth all such as are bound to appeare with as low a voice as possiblie he may giuing no notice when he goeth to execute his office Howsoeuer he that giues not an answer is deeply amerced which seruile attendance said he was imposed at the first vpon certaine Tenants of diuers Mannors hereabouts for conspiring in this place at such an vnseasonable time to raise a commotion The title of the Entrie of the Court hee had in memory and writ it downe for me when we came to Rochford Thus it runnes in obscure barbarous rimes Curia de Domino Rege dicta sine Lege Tenta est ibidem per eiusdem consâ—etudinem Anteortum solis luceat nisi polus Seneschallus solus scribit nisi colis Clamat clam pro Rege in Curia sine lege Et qui non cito venerit citius penitebit Si venerit cum lumine errat in regimine Et dum sunt sine lumine capti sunt in crimine Curia sine cura iurata de iniuria Tenta die Mercurij prox post festum Sancti Michaelis Thus much haue I spoken of a Lawlesse Court for which I haue neither law nor reason For I am sure that this discourse is impertinent and quite from the subiect to which I haue tied my selfe to treat of Yet I hope these lines will not seeme much vnpleasing for my Reader to peruse when his minde is ouercharged with dull heauie and vncomfortable Epitaphs Rochford I am looking for some Monument or other in this Church to the memorie of some one of the Lords of ancient Nobilitie to which this Towne gaue the Surname of Rochford as now it giues the title of Viscount Rochford to that truly honourable and right worthie gentleman Henry Cary Lord Hunsden and Earle of Douer Pris pur Anne Snokeshall fille Iohn filol de Landmare qe gist ici Dieu de salme eit pite et mercy qe ob iour de Seynt Valentin â—an Iâ—su crist M. ccc.lxxxxvi Of your cherite prey for the sowl of Rose Crymvill wyf of Richard Crymvill Which Rose desesyd viii April M. cccccxxiiii on her sowl Iesu haue mercy Hic iacet Maria Dilcock que obiit xiiii die Decembris Ann. Dom. M. Vc. Cuius anime .... The Tower and the Steeple of this Church was built from the ground as the inhabitants by tradition affirme by Richard Lord Rich Baron of Leez and Chancellour of England A most prudent and iudicious Statesman a singular treasure and supporter of the kingdome who for his great good deserts receiued the office of Chancellour of England at the hands of King Edward the sixth Howsoeuer the Armes of the Butlers Earles of Ormond whose inheritance this Towne was in times past are cut in some places on the stone Robert Lord Rich and Earle of Warwicke lately deceased founded here sixe Almes houses for fiue poore impotent men and an aged woman But here let me conclude what I haue spoken of this towne with the words of Camden More inward saith he is Rochford placed that hath giuen name to this Hundred now it belongeth to the now Earles of Warwicke Barons Rich and in old time it had Lords of great nobility surnamed thereof whose inheritance came at length to Butler Earle of Ormond and Wiltshire and from them to Sir Thomas Bullen whom King Henry the eight created Viscount Rochford and afterward Earle of Wiltshire out of whose progenie sprung that most gratious Queene Elizabeth and the Barons of Hunsdon Pritlewell Swein de Essex before remembred built here a Priory for blacke Monkes which he dedicated to the blessed Virgine Mary Which was much augmented by others and holden to be a cell to the Priory of Lewes vntill the yeare 1518. when as a great contention arose betweene the two Houses insomuch that Iohn Prior de Pritlewel noluit soluere vnam Marcam Priori de Lewes nomine subiectionis This house was valued at the suppression to be worth 194 l. 14. s. 3. d. ob yearely Hic iacet Magister Iohannes Lucas Theologie Bacchalaureus quondam vicarius istius Ecclesie Parochialis qui ob 16. Ian. 1477. Cuius anime Prey for the sowl of Iohn Cock the younger and Margaret his wyff Whych Io. dyed ...... 1522. Her vndyr this Grauston lyth beryed Richard Bowrd ... Marchant of Callys .... dyed ... 1432. Vnder this inscription these words are engrauen in a trewe Loues knot Quod servaui perdidi quod expendi habui Quod donaui habui quod negaui perdidi Stangate Here sometime stood a small Priory built by the Predecessours of the Prior of Lewes about what time I cannot learne valued to bee yearely worth 43. l. 8. s. 6. d. Saint Osithes Whose ancient name was Chich now growne out of vse by reason of Osith the virgine of royall parentage who being wholly deuoted to the seruice of God was here stabbed to death by the Danish pyrates in the yeare 653 in the moneth of October And being by our Ancestours honoured for a Saint Richard de Beaveyes Bishop of London in her memoriall built here a religious house of Regular Chanons about the yeare 1120. in the raigne of King Henry the first His grant I haue read in the Records of the Tower beginning thus Richardus Dei gratia London Episcopus c. Salutem Sciatis quod ego dedi Ecclesie Sancte Osithe virginis de Ciz ecclesias de Sudemenestra et de Clachentona cum omnibus que ad illas pertinent c. King Henry confirmes and augments this donation by his Charter dated at Roan in the nineteenth yeare of his raigne And many others so added to the reuenues of this Monastery that at the time of the suppression it was valued at 758. pound fiue shillings eight pence This Bishop the founder was diuers times about to resigne his Bishopricke that he might become a regular Canon in this his owne new built Monasterie and that the rather because being taken with an irrecouerable Palsie he well knew his time to be
short But he so long deferred the execution of this intent that he was surprised by death before he could performe it the sixteenth day of Ianuarie 1127. He was Warden of the marches of Wales and gouernour of the County of Salop he sate Bishop twenty yeares in which time beside the building of this Monastery he purchased diuers whole streets and much housing neere to his Cathedrall Church of Saint Pauls All which he pulled downe and leauing the ground vnbuilt for a Cemitery or Churchyard enclosed the same with a wall which for the most part remaineth but at this day so couered with houses as it can hardly be seene The Canons of this house desired his body to be here buried which they entombed vnder a marble Monument with this inscription Hic iacet Richardus Beauueis cognomine Rufus London Episcopus vir probus et grandeuus per totam vitam laboriosus Fundator noster religiosus et qui multa bona nobis et Ministris Ecclesie sue sancti pauli contulit obijt xvi Iaenuarij M. c.xx.vii cuius anime propitietur altissimus Woodham waters In this Church I finde no monument of any great antiquity howsoeuer here was the ancient seate of the Lords Fitz-waters who being nobly descended saith Camden were of a most ancient race deriued from Robert the yonger sonne of Richard sonne to Gislebert of Clare accounted Earle of Hertford but in the age lately foregoing translated by a daughter into the stocke of the Radcliffes the predecessors of the Earles of Sussex Woodham Mortimer Prey for the sowlys of Iron Cokar and Christian his wyf which Ion dyed the viii of Octobre on thowsand fowr hundryd seuenty and eight and the seyd Ion for the helth of his sowl gaue by his Testament and last Will to God and to his Church a yeerely rent of xx pens and iii. schillyngs iiii pens for kepyng his obit in this Chirch to bee takyn out of his croft callyd Windets yerly for euer Maldon In this towne stood the pallace royall of Cunobeline or Kimbaline King of great Britaine a Prince that spent his yonger yeares in the warres vnder Augustus Caesar of whom he receiued the order of Knighthood by whom he was so fauoured that by his alone request the peace of this kingdome was continued without the payment of Romane Tribute who hauing for a long time enioyed peace in the vniuersall peace of the world for in the xiii yeare of his raigne the God of peace our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was borne of the blessed Virgin He trained vp his people in a more ciuill and peaceable kinde of gouernement then that to which they had beene formerly accustomed and departed this world in peace within this his Citie of Maldon then the chamber of his kingdome in the one and twentieth yeare of our redemption when he had raigned thirty and fiue yeares of whom thus writeth my Author Io Harding ca. xlv Kymbaline so was his sonne and heyre Noryshed at Rome instruct with Cheualre That knyght was made wyth honor greate and â—ayer By Octauian reigning then enterly Emperor then of Romes great Monarchy In whose time was both peace and all concord Through all the worlde and borne was Christ our Lorde He was buried in this his chiefe citie some say at London Hic iacet Henricus Coggeshale filius et heres Thome Coggeshale filij Thome Coggeshale Armigeri qui obijt 9. Ian. 1427. cuius Quisquis eris quitransieris sta perlege plora Sum quod eris fueramque quod es pro me precor ora Orate pro anima Thome Darcy Ar. corporis Regum Edwardi quarti et Henrici sexti et nuper vnius Iusticiar ad pacem in com Essex ac filij et heredis Roberti Darcy militis nec non pro anima Margarete consortis sue vnius filiarum et heredis Iohannis Harleton in com Suffolk Ar. qui quidem Tho. obijt 25. Mens Septemb. 1485. Hic iacet Rogerus Darcy Ar. filius et heres Tho. Darcy Ar. pro corpore illustrissimi Principis Henrici septimi Regis Anglie et Elizabetha vxor eius filia Henrici Wentworth militis qui obijt vltimo die Septemb. 1508. Diuers other faire monuments but shamefully defaced are here erected to the memory of the Darcies a numerous familie and for antiquity and noblenesse of birth of great respect in many places of this kingdome Sir Robert Darcy Knight remembred in the former inscription by his last will and testament bequeathed his body to be buried in this Church the substance whereof I haue read in an old Manuscript as followeth Robert Darcy Knight made his Testament the 5 of October Anno Domini 1469. his body he willed to be buried in all Hallowes Church of Maldon before the Altar in the Isle where his father lieth in a Tombe of marble Also he willed l markes to be disposed for two thousand masses for him to be said within sixe weekes next after his deceyse iiii d. for euery masse and that they be charged for to prey for his soule his wifs soul his fathers and his mothers and for all his sisters soules and for all their husbands soules and for all the soules that he is bound to prey for Of which said l. markes hee willed to haue somewhat euery Prist that dwelled in Penbroke hall in Cambridge Also he willed that euery Fryer that was a Prist in Colchester haue xx d. and euery little Fryer vi d. to say three dirgees considering that he was a brother of that Order And the house of Chennesford xl s. the house of Clare xx s. and each yong Frier vi d. considering that hee was a brother of their Order And he made his Executors Elizabeth his wife Io. Clopton Esquire Nicolas Saxton and Richard Astley Clerkes And the superuisors of this his Testament my Lord of Essex my Lord Dinham Thomas Mountgomery and Thomas Tirrill Knights lowly beseeching the said Lord of Essex the Lord Dinham Sir Thomas Mountgomery and Sir Thomas Tirrill to helpe his sonne Thomas and all his children Also hee willed that my Lord of Essex and the Lord Dinham should each of them haue a But of Malmesey and that Sir Thomas Mountgomery and Sir Thomas Tirrill should each of them haue a pipe of red wine Also he willed that his brother Iohn Clopton one of his Executors should haue for his labour xx.l. Also he willed mistresse Anne Darcy his brothers wife to haue xx markes Yeuen at Danbury the day and yeare aboue said This his will was proued quarto diâ— mensis Maij coram reuerendo in Christo Patre Domino Thoma Episcopo London infra manerium suum de Wekeham Anno Domini 1470. One King a Butcher with his two wiues Alice and Anne lie here interred vnder a goodly marble richly inlayd with brasse his Axe for his Armes with this Epitaph who died 1415 Subiacet hic pictus diues durus
restored to all his former honours and withall created Earle of Oxford He died in the yeare 1194. the sixth of king Richard the first and was here buried by his father His wife Agnes or Adeliza lieth buried by him who was the daughter of Henry of Essex Baron of Ralegh the Kings Constable Such was the Epitaph or inscription vpon his Tombe as it is in the book of Colne Priory Hic iacet Albericus de Vere silius Alberici de Veer Comes de Guisney primus Comes Oxonie magnus Camerarius Anglie qui propter summam audatiam effrenatam prauitatem Grymme Aubrey vocabatur obiit 26. die Decembris anno Christi 1194. Richardi â— sexto Aubrey de Vere the sonne of the foresaid Aubrey succeeded his father in all his dignities I finde little written of him in our Histories saue that out of his Christian pietie he did confirme the gift of septem librat terre which Aubrey his father gaue to the Chanons of Saint O sith here in Essex adding thereto something of his owne He dyed in the yeare of our Lord 1214. and sleepeth now in the same Bed with three other Aubreyes his Ancestors To whom this Epitaph vpon Conrad the Emperour at Spires in Germany may be fitly applied Filius hic Pater hic Auus hic Proauus iacet istie The great Belsire the Grandsire Sire and Sonne Lie here interred vnder this Grauestone Hugh de Vere the sonne of Robert the first of that Christian name Earle of Oxford and Lord great Chamberlaine of England was here entombed with his Ancestors who died in the yeare 1263. He had the title of Lord Bolebeck which came by his mother Isabell de Bolebeck daughter and heire of Hugh de Bolebeck a Baron who was Lord of Bolebeck Castle in Whitechurch within Buckinghamshire and of Swaffam Bolebeck in Cambridgeshire Hee had to wife Hawisia the daughter of Saier de Quincy Earle of Winchester as appeares by this Inscription sometime insculpt vpon their Tombe Hic iacent Hugo de Veer eius nominis primus Comes Oxonie quartus magnus Camerarius Anglie filius heres Roberti Comitis Hawisua vxor cius filia Saeri de Quincy comitis Wintonie qui quidem Hugo obiit 1263. Quorum animabus propitietur altissimus Robert de Vere the sonne of Hugh aforesaid Earle of Oxford who enioyed his fathers inheritances and honours the space of thirtie and two yeares lieth here entombed with his ancestours who died in the yeare 1295. Alice his wife the daughter and heire of Gilbert Lord Samford Lord of Hormead in Hertfordshire was interred by him who died at Caufeld house neare Dunmow the ninth day of September 1312. Here lieth buried the body of Robert de Vere sonne and successour to the foresaid Robert whose gouernment both in peace and warre was so prudent his hospitalitie and other workes of charitie so wisely abundant and his Temperance with a religious zeale so admirablie conioyned that he was of all surnamed the good Earle of Oxford and the vulgar esteemed him as a Saint He died the 19. of Aprill 1331. Here lyeth entombed Robert de Vere Richard the seconds Mignion who to adde to his honours created him Marquesse of Dublin a title not knowne before that time in England and in the yeare following Duke of Ireland with commission to execute most inseparable prerogatiues royall These Stiles were of too high a nature and therefore infinitely subiected to enuy Whereupon like a second Gaueston he was hated of the Nobilitie especially for that he was a man nec prudentia caeteris proceribus nec armis valentior as Walsingham saith 9. R. 2. But it was not long before he was banished England by the Barons for abusing the Kings eare to the hurt of the State He had to wife a young faire and noble Lady and the Kings neare kinswoman for she was grandchilde to King Edward by his daughter Isabell he put her away and tooke one of Queene Annes women a Bohemian of base birth Sellarij filia saith Walsingham a Sadlers daughter some say a Ioyners an act full of wickednesse and indignitie Yet this intollerable villanie offered to the bloud-royall King Richard did not encounter neither had the power some say who deemed that by witchcrafts and forceries practised vpon him by one of the Dukes followers his iudgement was so seduced and captiuated that he could not see what was honest or siâ— to doe But where Princes are wilfull or slothfull and their Fauorites flatterers or time-seruers there needs no other enchantments to infatuate yea and ruinate the greatest Monarch Vpon his banishment he went into France where he liued about fiue yeares and there being a hunting he was slaine by a wilde Boare in the yeare 1392. King Richard hearing thereof out of his loue caused his body to be brought into England and to be apparrelled in Princely ornaments and robes and put about his neck a chaine of gold and Rings vpon his fingers and so was buried in this Priory the King being there present and wearing blackes After the death of Robert Duke of Ireland who died without issue his Nephew Aubrey de Vere succeeded him in the Earledome of Oxford he enioyed his honours not passing eight yeares but dyed die Veneris in festo Sancti Georgij Ann. primo Hen. quarti 1400. and lieth here entombed with his worthie Ancestors Here lieth buried in this Priorie Iohn de Vere the third of that Christian name and the thirteenth Earle of Oxford Lord Bolebecke Samford and Scales great Chamberlaine and Lord high Admirall of England Who died the fourth of Henry the eight 1512. hauing beene Earle of Oxford full fifty yeares a long time to tugge out in the troublesome raignes of so many kings especially for men of eminent places and high spirits euer apt to take any occasion to shew their manly prowesse which fire of honour flamed in this Earles breast at Barnet field where in a mist the great Earle of Warwickes men not able to distinguish betwixt the Sun with streames vpon King Edwards liuery and the Starre with streames on this Earles liuery shot at this Earles followers and by that misprision the battell was lost After which he fled into Cornwall and seized vpon Saint Michaels Mount But Edward the fourth got him in his power and committed him prisoner to the Castle of Hames beyond the Seas where he remained for the space of twelue yeares vntill the first of King Henry the seuenth with whom he came into England and by whom he was made Captaine of the Archers at Bosworth-field where after a short resistance hee discomfited the Foreward of King Richard whereof a great number were slaine in the chase and no small number fell vnder the victors sword This Earle gaue a great contribution to the finishing of Saint Maries Church in Cambridge His hospitalitie and the great port he carried here in his country may be gathered out of a
Maria miserere nobis Ioanna Sancta dei genetrix virgo virginum miserere nobis Here lieth interred vnder an ancient monument very ruinous the body of one Leche a great benefactor to this Church as appeareth by this his broken Epitaph ................... Quo non est nec erit nec clarior extitit vllus .... clausum hoc marmore .... habet Huic Lech nomen erat diuine legis amator Huius quem Templi curam habuisse palam est Iste huic multa dabat sacro donaria Fano Inceptique operis sedulus Author erat Pauperibus fuit inde pius pauit miserosque Et me qui temere hec carmina composui Sit Huius ergo anima ..... celum .... vt altum Huc quiades instanti pectore funde preces Prey for the soul of Katerin Semar Walter Coke Roger Pirke and Thomas Semar husband to the seyd Katerin principall founder of the preest which singeth before the Trinity For thees soulys sey a Pater noster and an Aue of cherite Who so hym bethoft ful inwardly and oft How hard t is to flit from bed to the pit From pit vnto peyne which sal neuer end certeyne He wold not do on sin al the world to win Orate .... Hugonis Price Abbatis Monasterij de Conwey Cicestrens ordinis Assauens Dioces qui ab hac vita migrauit ad Christum viii Iulij M. ccccc.xx.viii Conditur hoc tumulo corpus Chynt ecce Iohannis Doctrine speculum plebi qui fulfit in annis Istius Ecclesie regimen contraxerat ipse Atque cacumine Doctorali vixit ille M. C quater anno sexagenoque secundo Martini festo decessit ab orbe molesto Autor Sophie suffragia facta Marie Per te Magdelena sint mihi remedia Vicarius gratus Robertus Wylde vocitatus Hic iacet et mundus prudens fuit atque facundus Pacem seruauit et oues proprias bene pauit Et residens annis bis denis plus quoque trinis Anno milleno sic C quater octuageno Quarto lux dena septena fuit sibi pena Ianuar. .... cuius celo sit amena This Towne was famous in times past saith Clarentieux for a Castle of the Magnauilles which now is almost all vanished out of sight and an Abbey adioyning founded in a place very commodious in the yeare 1136. wherein the Magnauilles founders thereof were buried The principall and first founder hereof was Geffrey Magnauile or Mandeuill the first Earle of Essex with Rohesia or Rose his wife daughter of Aubrey de Vere chiefe Iustice of England who consecrated this their religious Structure to the honour of God the blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Iames the Apostle endowed it with large reuenues and placed therein blacke Monkes to which effect will it please you reade a few words out of his deed of Grant Gaufridus de Mandeuilla comes Essex c. salutem Ad vniuersitatis vesire noticiam volo peruenire me fundasse quoddam monasterium in vsus Monachorum apud Waldenam in honore Dei et sancte Marie et beati Iacobi Apostoti pro salute anime mee et omnium parentum antecessorum successsorum meorum c. To which by the same deed hee giueth the Churches of Walden Waltham Estrene Sabridgworth Thorley and others This house was valued at the suppression to be yearely worth foure hundred sixe pounds fifteene shillings and eleuen pence This place is now called Audley End of Sir Thomas Audley Lord Chancelour of whom I haue spoken before who changed the Abbey into his owne dwelling house whose sole daughter and heire Margaret was second wife to Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke and mother of Thomas Lord Howard of Walden Earle of Suffolke lately deceased who liued to finish here a most magnificent building belonging at this present to that worthy gentleman Theophilus his sonne and heire Lord Walden and Earle of Suffolke Geffrey de Mandeuill the founder aforesaid a man both mighty and martiall was shot into the head with an arrow a quodam pedite vilissimo saith Houeden out of the Castle of Burwell in Cambridgeshire of which wound after certaine daies hee died being at that time excommunicated Lying at the point of death ready to giue his last gaspe saith Camden out of the Register booke of Walden there came by chance certaine Knights Templars who laid vpon him the habit of their religious profession signed with a red crosse and afterwards when he was full dead taking him vp with them enclosed him within a coffin of lead and hung him vpon a tree in the Orchard of the old Temple at London in the yeare 1144. for in a reuerend awe of the Church they durst not bury him because he died excommunicated so fearefull in those daies was the sentence of excommunication a violent inuader he was of other mens lands and possessions and therefore iustly incurred saith the same Author the worlds censure and this heauy doome of the Church but I must leaue him where buried or where not buried God knowes As the Church of this monasterie was honoured with the funerall monuments of the Mandeuills so was it with those of the Bohuns Earles of Hereford and Essex of which you may reade in the Catalogues of Nobility It was also honoured with the Sepulture of Humfrey Plantaginet Earle of Buckingham the onely sonne of Thomas Earle of Buckingham and Duke of Glocester commonly called Thomas of Woodstocke the yongest sonne of King Edward the third who after the vntimely death of his father was banished into Ireland by King Richard the second and being recalled backed againe by King Henry the fourth in the first yeare of his raigne in his returne died of the plague in Chester from whence his mother Elianor daughter and coheire of Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford Essex and Northampton caused his body to be conueyed to this Abbey which shee sumptuously here interred amongst his and her noble progenitors his mother the said Elianor liued not long after him but died the third of October in the same yeare as in a French Inscription vpon her monument in Westminster you may reade and scarce two yeares after the murder of her husband at Callis of whose deaths thus writeth that old Poet Sir Iohn Gower Knight in his booke intituled Vox Clamantis Interea transit moriens nec in orbe remansit Humfredus dictus redit ille Deo benedictus Defuncto nato cito post de fine beato Mater transiuit dum nati funera sciuit Primo decessit Cignus dolor vnder repressit Matrem cum pullo sibi mors nec parcit in ullo Liston Hic iacet ..... Liston de Ouerhal .... que ob .... All that I can make of this maimed inscription is that Ioane the wife of William Liston held the Mannor of Ouerhall in this parish by grand Sergeantie namely by the seruice of paying for bringing in and placing of fiue Wafers before the King as he sits
at dinner vpon the day of his coronation and whether this be she here buried or not I know not Richard Lions held the said Mannor after her by the seruice of making Wafers vpon the day of the Kings Coronation and of seruing the King with the same Wafers as he sits at dinner the same day Leez Abbey This Abbey of old time was founded by the Gernons now it is the seate of the Right Honourable and one right worthy of all his due honours Robert Lord Rich Baron Leez and Earle of Warwicke now liuing An. 1631. This Abbey or Priory was valued at the time of the suppression as it is in the catalogue of Religious houses to be yearely worth one hundred forty one pound fourteene shillings eight pence Rickling Humfrey Waldene le premer gist icy Dieu de salme eit mercy Amen Hic iacet Henricus Langley Armig. qui obijt xx Sept. M. cccc.lviii et Margareta vxor cius vna filiarum et heredum Iohannis Waldene Armigeri que obijt v. Martii M. cccc.liii Hic tacet Thomas Langley Ar. qui obijt 1 Mar. M. cccc.lii Here lyth Henry Langley Esquyr and Dame Katherin his wyff whych Henry departyd this lyff 11 April M. cccc lxxx viii and Dame Katherine died ..... the yere of our Lord God M. ..... on whos Vpon this last marble stone are the portraitures in brasse of the three daughters of Henry Langley amongst whom his inheritance was diuided as I haue it by tradition as Waldens was before whose chiefe seate was at Langley Wilbores in this parish Thaxted This Church is spatious beautifull and built Cathedrall-like but neither in this Church in Braintrie nor scarcely in any other Church seated within a Market Towne shall you finde either Monument or Inscription onely some two or three Inscriptions are here remaining Her lyth Rychard Dammary and Alys his wyff and Rychard Dammary his sonn Ione Elizabyth and Ann on whos soulys God hau mercy Which Rychard the yongyrgawe a Meide callyd Abel Meide for a perpetual mynd yerly to be kept for ther soulys and al christen soulys Syr Walter Clerk gist icy Dieu de s'alme eit mercy Orate pro animabus Richardi Large et Alicie vxoris eius qui quidem Richardus obijt 27. Martij 1458. The Inhabitants say that this Richard Large was brother to a certaine Lord Maior of London named Large who at his death bestowed wondrous largely vpon the poore and the repairing of high waies which I take to haue beene Robert Large Maior of London Anno 1440. who gaue 120. l. to poore prisoners and euery yeare for fiue yeare 403. Shirts and Smockes 40. paire of Sheetes and one hundred and fifty Gownes of good Frize to poore people To poore Maids marriages one hundred markes to repairing high waies one hundred markes to fiue hundred poore people in London euery one sixe shillings viii d the rest of his bountifull charitie you may reade in Stow Suruay Little Easton Here is a goodly Tombe of marble on the north side of the Chancell â—nder which saith Brooke in his Catalogue of Nobility William Bourchier Earle of Ewe in Normandy lyeth interred but Vincent whom I rather beleeue in his discouery of Brookes Errors approues this Earle as also his wife Anne the daughter of Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester to be buried in the Abbey of Lanthonie by Gloucester If this monument could speake like others by her inscription it might haply decide the controuersie but all the words vpon it are Fili Dei miserere mei Mater Dei miserere mei Which seemingly commeth by a labell from a man and a woman thereupon pourtraied Of this Earle more when I come to Lanthony Betweene the Chancell and the Bowsers Isle or Chappell is a very costly arched Tombe of polished marble inlaid with brasse the picture of a man and a woman and in diuers places of the foresaid Arch on the womans side is the Fetter lock and Bowsers knot but without inscription By supposition made to the memorie of Henry Bourchier sonne of William Bourchier aforesaid Earle of Essex and Ewe and Isabell his wife daughter of Richard Earle of Cambridge and sister of Richard Duke of Yorke Which Henry died quarto Aprilis 1483. a valiant and worthie Nobleman he was fortunate in Martiall enterprises and in matters of peace so learned wise and politicke that he was thought fit by Edward the fourth to be Lord Chancellour of England In the same Chappell on the North side remaineth a very faire Altar Tombe of marble within the which lyeth the body of Henry Lord Bourchier and Louaine and Earle of Essex Sonne and heire of William Bourchier that died before his father and grandchilde to Henry Earle of Essex next before mentioned ouer his Tombe hangeth as yet part of his achieuements as the cote of his Armes Helme Crest and sword This Earle brake his necke by a fall from his horse the twelfth day of March in the one and thirtieth yeare of the raigne of King Henry the eight 1539. His horse was young saith Stow and he the oldest Earle in England for if you will reckon the yeares from the death of his Grandfather who liued after his sonne the father of this Henry as I haue said before vntill the yeare of this his fatall misfortune you shall finde them to be fifty sixe and what age he was at his Grandfathers death you may imagine In the Hall of the Mannor house of Newton in the Parish of little Dunmowe remaineth in old painting two postures the one for an ancestor of the Bourchiers combatant with another being a Pagan king for the truth of Christ whom the said Englishman ouercame and in memory thereof his descendants haue euer since borne the head of the said Infidell as also vsed the surname of Bourchier or Bowser Here are foure wondrous ancient Monuments of the Louaines all the Inscriptions of them are worne out these few words excepted Sire Thomas Louaine ici gist Margarie la file Moun .... This noble familie of the Lovaines in former ages did here inhabite by the name of Fitz-Gilbert one of which house namely Maurice Fitz-Gilbert was surnamed de Louaine as descended from Godfrey of Louaine brother to Henry the sixth of that name Duke of Brabant Who being sent hither to keepe the honor of Eye his posterity flourished among the Peeres of this Realme to the time of Edward the third when the heire generall was married to the house of Bourchier This Bowsers Chappell for it is so commonly called is now the buriall place for the noble familie of the Maynards In Northburne natus Robertus sum vocitatus De terra factus in terram sumque redactus Intercedendo spiritum tibi Christe comendo Propitietur Deus Benefactoribus omnibus Ecclesie pauperis huius The treble Bell in the steeple of this Church is called the Bowsers
Bell on which is cast a peece of coine of siluer of King Edward the fourth it was giuen by one of the Countesses of Essex as one may partly gather by an old Inscription vpon it is the Bowsers knot Tiltey Here sometime stood a Monastery founded by Maurice Fitz-Gilbert before remembred not long after the Conquest which he dedicated to the honour of the Virgine Mary and therein placed white Monkes of the Cistertian order The donations to this religious house are confirmed in the Records of the Tower Cart. Antiq. lit S. The valuation of it at the suppression was 177. l. 9 s. 4. d. This Monasterie is not altogether ruinous in the little Church whereof I found these Funerall Inscriptions following Bruntingthorpe neare to Leicester hath long beene the habitation of the ancient familie of Dannet saith Master Burton who beareth sable Guttee Argent a Canton Ermine one of which familie lieth here interred with this Epitaph Hic iacet sepultus cum coniuge Maria Gerardus Dannet de Bruntingthorp in Com Lecestr Ar. serenissimi Regis Henrici octaui Consiliarius qui obijt Anno Christi M. ccccc.xx mensis Maij quarto The armes afore blazoned are ouer the Monument of this Councellour to king Henry Abbas famosus bonus viuendo probatus In Thakley natus qui iacet hic tumulatus Thomas dictatus qui Christo sit sociatus Rite gubernauit istumque locum peramauit Great Easton Orate .... Willelmi Moigne Ar .... qui obiit .... M.ccc.v This William Moigne or Monke held this Mannor of Easton ad montem for so it was anciently called with Winterborne and Maston in the Countie of Wilts by seruice of being Clarke of the Kings Kitchin and keeper of his Lardarie tempore Coronationis Hatfield Brad-oke So called saith Camden of a broad spread Oake in which Towne Robert de Vere the third Earle of Oxford and great Chamberlaine of England founded a Priorie for blacke Monkes About the beginning of the raigne of King Henry the third valued at the suppression at 157. l. 3. s. 2. d. ob per annum which Priory Aubrey de Vere the third of that Christian name Earle of Oxford enfeoffed with the Tithes of this Towne and to the instrument of his donation he affixed by a harpe string as a labell to the bottome of the parchment a short blacke hafted knife like vnto an old halfe penny whitle instead of a Seale These are the words in his Grant Per istum cultellum Albericus de Vere tertius feoffauit Prioratum et Conventum de Hatfeeld Regis alas Brodoke cum omnibus decimis in villa predicta Habend c. a festo Assumptionis beate Marie virginis in puram perpetuam Eleemosinam c. Of this old manner of signing and sealing of deeds you may read Lambard in his perambulation of Kent pag. 318. This Robert was first entombed in the Church of his owne foundation and at the dissolution remoued into the Quire of this Parish Church where he lieth crosse-legged with this inscription now almost worne out Sire Robert de Veer le premier count de Oxenford le tierz git ci Dieux del alme si luy plest sace merci Oi pur lame priera xl iors de pardonn anera Pater Noster Sir Robert Vere the first and third Earle of Oxford lieth here God if he please have mercy of his soule whosoeuer shall pray for his soule shall obtaine fourty dayes Pardon He died in the yeare 1221. Hic iacent Thomas Barington Ar. Anna vxor eius qui quidem Thomas obijt v. Aprilis M. cccc lxxij Anna obiit proximo die sequenti Quorum animabus propitietur Altissimus At Barington Hall within this Parish saith that learned delineator of Great Britaine M. Camden dwelleth that right ancient familie of the Baringtons which in the raigne of King Stephen the Barons of Montfitchet inriched with faire possessions since which time this house is much enobled by the marriage of Sir Thomas Barington knight with Winifred the daughter and coheire of Sir Henry Pole knight Lord Montague sonne of Margaret Plantaginet Countesse of Salisbury descended of the bloud royall being the daughter of George Duke of Clarence Great Dunmow Exoretis miserecordiam Dei pro anima Walteri Bigod Armigeri qui obijt 17. die mens Mar. 1397. Simon de Regham iadis Parson de Dunmow gist icy Dieu de son alme eit mercy Amen Of yowr cherite prey for the sowls of Iohn Ienone Esquyr somtym on of the Common Pleas of Westmynstre and Alys his wyff Whych Iohn dyed xvii Septembyr M. Vc.xlii Little Dunmow Iuga the wife of one Baynard a Nobleman that came in with the Conquerour the builder of Baynards Castle in London founded the Priority in this village in the beginning of the raigne of Henry Beauclerke and entreated Mauricius Bishop of London to dedicate the Church to the honour of the virgine Mary to which the same day she gaue halfe a Hide of land Her sonne and heire Geffrey Baynard placed blacke Chanons therein by the consent of Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury This house was valued at the suppression to be yearely worth 173. l. 2. s. 4. d. The Church of this monastery is as yet standing in the Quire whereof betweene two pillars lieth the body of Matilda the faire entombed who was the daughter of Robert Fitz-water the most valiant knight of England About the yeare 1213. saith the booke of Dunmow there arose a great discord betwixt king Iohn and his Barons because of Matilda surnamed the faire daughter of Robert Fitz-water whom the King vnlawfully loued but could not obtaine her nor her fathers consent thereunto Whereupon and for other like causes ensued warre through the whole Realme The king banished the said Fitz-water amongst other and caused his Castle called Baynard and other his houses to be spoiled Which being done he sent a messenger vnto Matilda the faire about his old Suit in Loue Et quia noluit consentire toxicauit eam And because she would not agree to his wicked motion the messenger poisoned a boiled or potched Egge against she was hungrie and gaue it vnto her whereof she died the yeare 1213. In the yeare following after her death her banished father was restored to the kings fauour vpon this occasion It happened in the yeare 1214. king Iohn being then in France with a great armie that a truce was taken betwixt the two Kings of England and France for the terme of fiue yeares and a riuer or arme of the Sea being betwixt either host there was a knight in the English host that cried to them of the other side willing some one of their knights to come and iust a course or two with him Wherupon without stay Robert Fitz-water being on the French part made himselfe ready ferried ouer got on horseback and shewed himself ready to the face of
his challenger whom at the first course he stroke so hard with his great speare that horse and man fell to the ground and when his Speare was broken he went backe againe to the king of France Which king Iohn seeing by Gods tooth quoth he such was his vsuall oath hee were a King indeed that had such a knight The friends of Robert hearing these his words kneeled downe and said O king he is your knight it is Robert Fitz-water whereupon the next day he was sent for and restored to the kings fauour By which meanes peace was concluded and he receiued his liuings and had licence to repaire his Castle of Baynard and all his other Castles After which this strenuous knight this Mars of men this Marshall of Gods Armie and holy Church for so he was enstiled by the common multitude liued in all affluence of riches and honour the space of sixteene yeares deceased in the yeare 1234. and lieth here entombed by his daughter Thus saith the booke Ann. 1234. Obijt nobilis vir Robertus filius Walteri Patronus Ecclesie Dunmow qui tumulatur iuxta maius Altare in suo Monasterio succedit Walterus filius eius in heriditatem In the middest of the Quire vnder a goodly marble stone lyeth the body of Walter the father of the foresaid Robert Fitz-water and sonne of Robert the sonne of Richard who was the sonne of Gilbert of Clare This Walter tooke to wife Maud de Bocham and after her deceaâ—e Matilda or Maud the daughter and coheire of Richard de Lucy on whom he begate Robert the valiant before remembred he died in the yeare â—â—â—8 as I haue it in my old Author Anno vero Domini M. c.lxxxxviii obiit Walterus filius Roberti Patroni Ecclesie de Dunmow qui iacet intumulatus in medio choâ—i Ecclesie sue et succedit Robertus filius Walteri miles strenâ—â—s Now will it please you heare a little further of this noble family and of their deuotions to this Priory out of an old Gartularie sans date in my cuâ—stody Robertus filius Richardi et Mathilda vxor eius Episcopo London et omnibus hominibus et Amicis suis et cunctis Ecclesie fidelibus salutem Scialis quia concedimus et canonice hac carta confirmauimus Quod Ecclesia sancte Marie de Donmowe et fratres ibidem Deo seruientes teneant ita quiete el pacifice et libere omnes illas Elemosinas quas tenuerunt die qua Rex Henricus mihi Roberto filio Richardi terram dedit Sicut vnquam quiecius et hoâ—norificentius et liberius tenuerunt scilicet in terris in hominibus in pratis in bosco et plano et in omni Decima nostra et omnium hominum nostrorum eiusdem ville in decima Prati et Pannagij nostri et in decima molendinorum nostrorum et in omni pastura eiusdem Ville Preteria sciâ—tis quia concedimus et confirmamus quod predicta Ecclesia et fratres eiusdem Ecclesie teneant incrementa que nos eidem Ecclesie concessimus et dedimus Scilicet duas partes decime Dominij nostri de Henham duas partes decime Dominij nostri de Northon duas partes decime Dominij nostri de Styston et decimam de Passfeld Et decimam de terra que fuit Ernaldi le Blache in Beruston Et decimam de Pachesham et Essertum de Leffwyfewode Et Essertum de Acho et turbariam de Esteye Hanc donationem predicte Ecclesie donauimus et confirmauimus pro dei dilectione et sancte genetricis Marie et pro fidelibus defunctis Robertus erat noster primus Fundator et erat silius Richardi et est sepultus in monasterio S. Neoti Walterus erat silius eius et est sepulius apud nos in tumba marmorea in medio chori Robertus filius Walteri predicti de est tumulatus ante summum Altare Anno Dom. 1501. decimo die mens Augusti campane in Campanile Ecclesie beate Marie de Dunmow nouiter facte et baptisate fuere Prima in honore sancti Michaelis Archangeli Secunda in honore S. Iohannis Euangeliste Tertia in honore S. Iohannis Baptiste Quarta in honore Assumptionis beate Marie Quinta in honore sancte trinitatis et omnium Sanctorum In the Quire of the Church vnder a goodly faire monument the body of Iohn Blakemore Prior of this dissolued house of Dunmow as I finde it in an abstract of the Chronicle of this monasterie lieth interred for whom this Epitaph following was composed Subtus hic hoc tumulo recubat Prior ecce Iohannes De Blakemor dictus vir probus atque pius Peruigil implebat quod lex diuina iubebat Eius consilium que fuit et studium Debilibus dubijs cecis claudis peregrinis Tectum pes oculi consilium baculuâ— Vespere et absconso Machuti sole Nouembris Quindecimo hic moritur viuere vt incipiat Ergo preces cineri dones quicumque viator Ista preces tantum flebilis vrna petit His death happened in the yeare of our sauing health one thousand fiue hundred and eighteene as by the humble petition of the Subprior and his brethren to their Patron Sir Robert Radcliffe Knight Lord Fitz-water afterwards Earle of Sussex for the speedy election of another Prior may appeare the forme whereof transcribed out of the originall I thought good here to insert being a president not commonly knowne in these daies Egregio et prenobili viro Domino Roberto Radclif militi Domino Fitz-water vestri humiles et deuoti silij Galfridus Shether Supprior et presidens Domus siue Prioratus beate Marie Virginis de Dunmowe ordinis sancti Augustini London Dioc. vestre fundationis et patronatus et eiusdem loci conuentus omnimod Reuerencias cum honore orationumque suffragia et quicquid dulcius de latere Crucifixi hauriri poterit vestre reuerencie innotescimus et certificamus per presentes Quod bone memorie Dominus Iohannes Blakemore noster iamdudum et dicte domus nostre Prior quinto decimo die instantis mensis Nouembris viam est vniuerse carnis ingressus et sequent prox ex tunc die ipsius corpus Ecclesiastice traditum est sepulturex Sicque sumus et est dicta domus siue prioratus Prioris et pasâ—oris solatio et regimine destitut Ne igitur ex diurna eiusdem vacatione grauia nobis proueniant incommoda vestre reuerencie humiliter et deuote supplicamus quatinus cum sitis noster et dicte Domus siue prioratus fundator et patronus vt prefertur vestram vt moris est ad noui seu futuri prioris pastoris electionem procedend ac iuxta canonicas sanctiones dei presidio celebrand patronalem licenciam nobis concedere dignemini cum fauore Prosperitatemque vestram conseruet Altissimus per tempora longiora Dat. in domo nostra Capitulari nostro sub sigillo xvij die predicti mens Nouemb. Anno Domini millesimo
Cauendish late wife of William Cauendish which William was one of the sonnes of the aboue named Alice Cauendish Which Margaret dyed the xvi day of Iune in the yeare of our Lord God M. cccccxl whossoul Iesu pardon Amen Heuen blis be here mede Yat for the sing prey or rede Cauendish is a Towne or Village in Suffolke wherein that valiant Gentleman Iohn Cauendish Esquire who slew that Arch-Rebell Watt Tyler Anno Reg. Regis Ric 2.4 was borne which fact was not long vnreuenged for in the same yeare the Rebels of Norfolke and Suffolke vnder the conduct of their Captaine Sir Iohn Wraw a detestable Priest tooke Sir Iohn Cauendish knight cosin to the foresaid Iohn chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench and beheaded him together with Sir Iohn of Cambridge Prior of Saint Edmundsbury whose heads they set on the Pillory in the Market place Here restyth the body of William Burd Esquyr late Clark of the Pipe and Priuy Seale whych payd the generall tribute of Nature deuyded from the mundane vexations by naturall death the xv day of August the xxi yere of kyng Henry the eyght Clarke of the Pipe saith the Interpreter is an Officer in the Kings Exchequer who hauing all accounts and debts due vnto the king deliuered and drawne downe out of the Remembrancers Offices chargeth them downe into the great Roll. Who also writeth summons vnto the Shiriffe to leuie the said debts vpon the goods and chattels of the said debtors and if they haue no goods then doth he draw them downe to the Lord Treasurers Remembrancer to write Extreats against their Land The ancient Reuenew of the Crowne remayneth in charge before him and he seeth the same answered by the Fermers and Shiriffes to the king He maketh a charge to all Shiriffes of their summons of the Pipe and Greenewax and seeth it answered vpon their accounts He hath the ingrossing of all Leasses of the Kings lands and it is likely that it was at the first called and still hath denomination of Pipe and Clarke of the Pipe and Pipe Office because their Records that are registred in their smallest Rolles are altogether like Organe Pipes but their great Roll called the Great Roll Ann. 37. Ed. 3. ca. 4. is of another forme Clericus Priuati Sigilii or Clarke of the priuie Seale is an Officer whereof there be foure in number that attendeth the Lord Keeper of the priuie Seale or if there be none such vpon the principall Secretarie writing and making out all things that be sent by warrant from the Signet to the Priuie Seale and are to be passed to the Great Seale as also to make out as they are tearmed Priuie Seales vpon any especiall occasion of his Maiesties affaires for loane or lending of money or such like Of this Officer and his function you may reade the Statute Ann. 27. Hen. 8. cap. 11. Hic iacet Iohannes Hartishorne quondam Seruiens Domini Regis ad Arma qui obijt viij die Martij Ann. Dom. M. ccccxxix Agnes vxor eius que obiit ..... M. cccc The office of Sergeants at Armes is to attend the person of the King to arrest Traitors or great men that do or are like to contemne messengers of ordinarie condition for other causes and to attend the Lord high Steward of England sitting in Iudgement vpon any Traitor and such like Of these by the Statute Ann. 13. Ric. 2. cap. 6. there may not be aboue thirtie in the Realme There be also two of these Sergeants of the Parliament one of the vpper and another of the lower house whose office seemeth for the execution of such commandements especially touching the apprehension of any offender as either house shall thinke good to enioyne them There is one Sergeant at Armes that belongeth to the Chancerie who is called Sergeant of the Mace as the rest may be because they carrie Maces by their office He of the Chancerie attendeth the Lord Chancellour or Lord Keeper in that Court Another in like manner attends the Lord Treasurer Of your cherite prey for the souls of George ... Maior of London and Iohan and Margaret his wyffs which .... decessyd M. ccccc.xxxvi on whos sowls ..... By the computation of yeares I finde no such man by the Christian name of George to haue beene Lord Maior about this time excepting George Monox who lieth buried at Waltham Stow. Hic iacet Iohannes Kirkham nuper Ciuis Attornatus London Elisabetha vxor eius qui quidem Iohannes obijt primo die Septembris .... M. cccc.xxvij quorum animabus ... Here lyeth Iohn Mynne Esquyr late mastyr of the Kyngs wooddys of his new granted Court of Generall Surueyours of his Londes and Auditour of diuers and sundry Reuenews of the same Courts which desessyd the xv dey of Decemb. M. ccccc.xlii on whos soul Iesu haue mercy Diuers other Inscriptions hee collected of persons here interred about the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne which are not as now visible In this Church was sometime saith Stow a Brotherhood of Saint Fabian and Sebastian founded in the yeare 1377. the 51. of Edward the third and confirmed by Henry the fourth in the sixt of his raigne Henry the sixt in the 24. of his raigne to the honour of the Trinitie gaue licence to Dame Ioan Astley sometime his Nurse to Robert Cawood Clarke of the Pipe who lieth buried in this Church but of whom no remembrance is remaining and Thomas Smith to found the same a Fraternitie perpetually to haue a Master and two Custos with Brethren and Sisters c. This Botherhood was endowed with lands more then thirtie pound by the yeere and was suppressed Edward the sixt Saint Mary Magdalens Milkestreete Of your charity pray for the soul of Edward Murell ... and Martha his wyff which Edward decessyd the ... day of ... Of your cherite prey for the souls of William Campion Citizen and Grocer of London sometime one of the Masters of the Bridghouse and Alys and Anne his wyffes The which William decessyd the xvii of December M. ccccc.xxxi Anne the .... day of M. ccccc.xx on whos souls Iesu haue pitte Amen Prey for the soul of Henry Cantlow Mercer Merchant of the Staple at Callys the builder of this Chappell wherein hee lyeth buried M. cccc.lxxxxv Here lieth also buried in this Church Sir William Cantlow Knight and Sheriffe of London in the yeare 1448. who died in the yeare 1462. Cantlow siue de Cantelupo an ancient Familie of great repute in many places of this Kingdome of which hereafter Hic iacet Iohannes Olney quondam ciuis et Mercerus Aldermannus Maior Ciuitatis London qui obijt die Martis xxiiij die octobris M cccc liiij cuius anime propitietur Deus This Iohn was the sonne of Iohn Olney of the Citie of Couentrie saith Stowes Suruay Orate pro animabus Thome Muschampe ........ This Thomas Muschampe was Sheriffe
iustly preuaile against the winde and easily cease these temporall flames and obtaine that they should neuer hurt him nor his See more of him before in Canterbury After the death of Mellitus the Church of London was long without a Pastor euen vntill that Segebert the sonne of Segebert surnamed the little obtaining the Kingdome of the East Saxons by the perswasion of Oswin King of Northumberland became a Christian and procured Ceada a vertuous and godly Priest to be consecrate Bishop of his country which was done in the holy Iland neere to Barwicke by Finan Bishop of Durham from whence he returned to this his Diocesse and began with more authoritie to perfect the worke hee had already begun erecting in diuers places Churches making Priests and Deacons who in preaching baptising might assist him especially in the Cities of Ithancester Tileburg the one standing vpon the Thames the other vpon a branch thereof called Pant in which two places diuers newly assembling together christened he instructed them after the rules of religious persons as farre as their tender capacity could then conceiue And hereby way of digression let me speake somewhat of this small hamlet of Tilbury in ancient time the seat of the Bishops of London and no question in those daies when as Bishop Cedda by baptisme ingraâ—ted the East Saxons in the Church of Christ a prettie faire citie howsoeuer it consisteth now onely of a few cottages much honoured by that famous religious and fortunate great Commander in the warres Sir Horace Vere Knight Lord Vere of Tilbury Of whom and of his elder brother Sir Francis Vere Knight deceased and honourably buried like as hee was an expert and valiant warriour in the Abbey of Westminster a late Poet hath thus written Then liu'd those valiant Veres both men of great command In our imployments long whose either Marshall hand Reacht at the highest wreath it from the top to get Which on the proudest head Fame yet had euer set But to returne this man of God Cedda hauing at first and last continued a long time in these countries preaching the word of life by which hee made a great haruest vnto Christ went downe into his owne countrie of Northumberland which he oftentimes vsed to visite where he builded a Monasterie at Lestinghen wherein he died and was buried of whom no more vntill I come to speake of that Foundation saue onely these verses following ....... Now London place doth take Which had those of whom time Saints worthily did make As Cedda Brother to that reuerend Bishop Chad At Lichfield in those times his famous seat that had Is Sainted for that See amongst our reuerend men From London though at length remoou'd to Lestingen A Monastery which then richly he had begun Erconwald the sonne of Offa King of the East Saxons and the fourth Bishop of this Diocesse was likewise as I haue already spoken canonized of whom venerable Bede thus writes At that time saith he when Sebba and Sigher ruled the East Saxons the Archbishop which was Theodore appointed ouer them Erconwald to be their Bishop in the Citie of London the life and conuersation of which man both before he was Bishop and after was reported and taken for most holy as also euen yet the signes and tokens of heauenly vertues and miracles doe well declare For vntill this day his Horse-licter being kept and reserued by his Schollers wherein he was wont to be carried when hee was sicke and weake doth daily cure such as haue agues or are diseased any otherwise And not onely the sicke persons that are put vnder or laid by the Horse-licter to be so healed but also the chippes and pieces that are cut off from it and brought to sicke folkes are wont to bring them speedie remedie This and many other the miracles wrought by him if wee may beleeue Capgraue was the cause of his canonization questionlesse he was a deuout and vertuous man and bestowed his patrimony in the building of two Monasteries one for Monkes at Chertsey in Surrey another for Nunnes at Barking in Essex of which before Thus much then here for a conclusion as followeth Him Erkenwald ensues th' East English Offa's sonne His Fathers Kingly Court who for a Crosiar fled Whose workes such fame him wonne for holinesse that dead Time him enshrin'd in Pauls the mother of that See Which with reuenues large and priuiledges he Had wondrously endow'd to goodnesse so affected That he those Abbeyes great from his owne power erected At Chertsey neere to Thames and Barking famous long Theodred Bishop of the Diocesse may challenge a place in this my Kalender for that he was sirnamed the Good pro praerogatiua virtutum for the preheminence of his vertues saith Malmesbury lib. 2. de Pontif. Anglor he flourished about the yeare 900. he was buried vnder a high tombe by the window of the vault going downe into S. Faiths Church Of Egwulfe and his Shrine I haue already written all that I know Richard Fitz-neale had his Shrine in S. Pauls Church but vpon what ground or for what reason he was thus much honoured I doe not learne He was the sonne of Nigellus or Neale Bishop of Ely and was made Treasurer of England by the purchase of his father the foresaid Nigellus Richardus filius Nigelli Episcopi Eliens pro quo Nigellus pater emit officium Thesaurij a Rege auaro pro Quadragint Marcis pro quibus pecunijs Nigellus pater spoliauit Ecclesiam Eliens Thesauro suo et ornamentis This purchase was made when as the King Henry the second went to the wars of Tolous It is further written in the booke of Ely that this Richard Fitz-neale after the buriall of Nigellus his father being also an enemy to the Church of Ely as his father had beene before made hast to passe ouer the Seas to King Henry the second fearing that some euill would be prepared against him if the Church should haue sent any thither before him At whose comming to the King he accused the Monkes of Ely of many things and did therewith so edge the King against them that the King sending into England charged by Wunnecus one of his Chaplaines that the Prior of Ely should be deposed and the Monkes with all their goods to be proscribed and banished This man being Treasurer to King Henry the second the treasure of the said Henry the second at his death came vnto one hundred thousand markes notwithstanding the excessiue charges of the King many waies This Richard being Bishop of London by the name of Richard the third and the Kings Treasurer was chosen for the gouernement of this See in the yeare of our redemption one thousand one hundred eighty and nine being the first yeare of King Richard the first and was consecrated Bishop at Lambeth by Baldwine Archbishop of Canterbury in the yeare of Christ one thousand one hundred ninety he died the
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
Office will it please reade thus much out of the Interpreter as followeth Master of the Court of Wards and Liueries saith he is the chiefe and principall Officer of the Court of Wards and Liueries named and assigned by the King to whose custody the Seale of Court is committed He at the entring vpon his Office taketh an Oath before the Lord Chancellour of England well and truly to serue the king in his Office to minister equall Iustice to rich and to poore to the best of his cunning wit and power diligently to procure all things which may honestly and iustly be to the kings aduantage and profit and to the augmentation of the right and prerogatiue of the Crowne truly to vse the Kings Seale appointed to his office to endeuour to the vttermost of his power to see the King iustly answered of all such profits rents reuenues and issues as shall yearely rise grow or be due to the King in his office from time to time to deliuer with speed such as haue to doe before him not to take or receiue of any person any gift or reward in any case or matter depending before him or wherein the King shall be partie whereby any preiudice losse hinderance or disherison shall be or grow to the King Ann. 33. Hen. 8. cap. 33. Buers Hic iacet Andreas de Buers Robertus de Buers filius eiusdem Andree militis qui Andreas obijt 12. die Aprilis Anno Dom. 1360. et dictus Robertus obijt 7. die mens Octob. Ann. Dom. 1361. quorum animabus Hic iacet Richardus Waldegraue miles qui obijt 2. die Maij Anno Dom. 1400. Ioanna vxor eius que obijt 10. Iunij 1406. Quorum animabus propitietur Deus Amen Qui pro alijs oras pro se laborat Hic iacet Richardus Waldegraue miles qui obijt 2. Maij An. Dom. 1434. Iohanna vxor eius filia Thome de Montecamisij militis que obijt in festo Sancti Dionisij Anno Dom. 1450. Quorum animabus Amen Hic iacet Thomas Waldergraue miles Elisabetha vxor eius prima filia vna beredum Iohannis Fraye militis nuper capitalis Baronis Scaccarij qui quidem Thomas obijt 28. die 1500. Of your cherite prey for the souls of Edward Waldergraue and Mabell his wyff doughter and heyre of Iohn Cheney of Pynehoo in Deuonshyre and one of the heyres of Iohn Hill of Spaxton in the County of Somerset The which Edward decessyd the yere of our Lord God 1506. and the said Mabell ..... on whose souls Iesu haue mercy Amen Orate pro animabus Willelmi Waldegraue militis Margerie consortis sue qui quidem Willelmus obijt ... This Church of Buers is very neatly kept Out of the pedegree of the Waldegraues this story following was collected by Iohn Rauen Richmond Herald On a time a Gentleman of Northampton being at the signe of the Growne in Sudbury and hauing conference with master Edward Waldgraue of Bilston in Com. Suss. Esquire did make vnto him a very credible report of one Waldegraue in Northamptonshire affirming that he heard it reported of old time that these Waldgraues were of a very ancient antiquitie before William the Conquerours raigne and that his name should be Iohn who hauing one onely daughter and meeting with one Waldgraue which came out of Germany and was employed in the Conquerors seruices the said Germane Waldgraue related with Waldgraue of Northamptonshire concerning the marriage of his said daughter told him that if he would giue his consent that he might haue his daughter in marriage that then he would procure him a pardon from the Conquerour for the quiet enioying of his lands and liuings By which meanes he obtained the Conquerours grant with his owne hand and Seale for confirmation of all his lands vnto him and his posterity The which Pardon and grant remayneth to be seene at this day 1612. in the French tongue and is in the possession of the Lords of that Mannour Iohn Rauen Richmond Herald Thebarton Hic iacet Willelmus Iermey miles vnus Iusticiar Domini Regis de Banco suo et Elisabeth vxor eius qui quidem Willelmus obijt xxiij die Decembris Anno Domini M. cccclxxxiij Quorum animabus propitietur Deus Amen Wingfield Here sometimes stood a Colledge or Chantrie by whom founded I haue not yet found out But the de la Poles Earles of Suffolke were the Patrons of it Valued it was at the dissolution to amount to fifty pounds three shillings fiue pence halfe penny of yearely reuenues Surrendred 36 H. 8. In this Colledge was buried the body of William de la Pole Lord Wingfield Earle Marquesse and Duke of Suffolke as also Earle of Penbroke After all these honours giuen him he was banished England for fiue yeares for being too familiar with Queene Margaret priuy and consenting to the yeelding and losse of Aniou and Mayne as also to appease the murmuring of the people for the murthering of the Duke of Glocester and as he was â—aking of ship to passe for France he was surprised and taken on the sea by a ship of warre called the Nicholas belonging to the Duke of Exceter then Constable of the Tower of London and there presently beheaded and his body cast into the sea which was after found and taken vp againe at Douer brought to this Colledge and here honourably interred saith Hall as also the Catalogue of Honour by Brooke This happened in the yeare 1450. Iohn de la Pole sonne and heire of William aforesaid after the death of his Father Duke of Suffolke was likewise buried here at Wingfield Of which he was Lord and owner He died in the yeare 1491. In the Parish Church are these Inscriptions or Epitaphs Hic iacet Richardus de la Pole filius Domini Michaelis de la Pole nuper Comitus Suff. qui obijt 18. die Decembris Ann. Dom. 1403. Cuius anime propritietur Deus Hic iacet Magister Iohannes de la Pole silius Domini Michaelis de la Pole quondam Comitis Suffolcie Baccalaureus vtriusque iuris Canonicus in Ecclesia Cathedrali Ebor. ac in Ecclesia Collegiata de Beuerley qui ob 4. die mens Februarij Anno Dom. 1415. Hen. 54. These two were the sonne of Michaell de la Pole the first Earle of Suffolke of that surname Hic iacet Dominus Wingfild de Letheringham ....... Cuius anime This towne of Wingfield hath giuen name to a familie in this tract that is spread into a number of branches and is besides for knighthood and ancient gentilitie renowned and thereof it was the principall seat Donnington Hic iacet tumulatus Dominus Willelmus Wingfeld miles Dominus istius ville ac patronus istius Ecclesie qui obijt 1 Iunij Ann. Dom. 1398. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Hic iacet Willelmus Wingfeld Armiger Katherina vxor eius Dominus et Patronus istius
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.
out of their Trenches slew diuers and caused their mushrom king Iohn Littestar to be hanged drawne and headed and also caused all others that were the chiefe agents in that rebellion to be put vnto death and so by that meanes quieted the whole countrey an action howsoeuer some will say perhaps not agreeable to his calling worthie of eternall honour and remembrance Not long afterwards viz. 1383. he had another occasion to shew his martiall prowesse for being drawne on by Pope Vrban the sixt to preach the Crusado and to be generall against Clement the seuenth whom sundry Cardinals and great Prelates had also elected Pope hauing a Fifteenth granted to him for that purpose by Parliament after strong opposition of almost all the Nobles who resisted this businesse of the Crosse went with forces into Flanders to support the cause of Vrban against the Antipape Clement from whence after he had performed many exploits very happily taken Graueling Burbrough Dunkerke and Newport by assault and bin victor in a set Battell against thirty thousand abettours of Clements claime he was enforced to returne as destitute of those further succours which were expected out of England But the King vpon pretence that he had not obeyed his royall Mandate by which he required him before he transported to returne for a while seised vpon all his Temporalities to which he found grace with the King to be restored at the speciall sute of Thomas Arundell as then Bishop of Ely The which Seisin and Restitution is thus in effect recorded Hen. Episcopus Norwicens in Parliamento apud West Anno huius Regis 7. fuit impetitus de diuersis articulis misprisionū vnde Temporalia Episcopatus sui seisita suerant in manum Regis c. Rex nunc restituit ei Temporalia predicta T. R. apud West 24. octob 1. par pat an 9 Ric. 2. M. 27. There was great contention betweene this Bishop and his Monkes for the space of fifteene yeares but they being too weake for him as you see all his opposites were at last were glad to giue him foure hundred markes to enioy their priuiledges in like sort as heretofore they had done He sate Bishop well neere 37. yeers and died August 23. 1406. as appeares by this mangled Epitaph vpon his monument Henricus natus le del spenser miles amatus Presul sacratus hic Norwicensis humatus Florens progenie ......... ................. M. Quadringeno Vigili sex Bartholomei Christo sereno Regi peregrat requiei After him the next succeeded one Alexander Prior of Norwich was elected Bishop by the Monkes which election the King so misliked as hee not onely kept him from his temporalties but also imprisoned him almost a whole yeare at Windsor Thomas Beaufort miles habuit custodiam Temporalium Episcopatus Norwicen a tempore mortis Henrici nuper Episcopi ibidem quamdiu in manibus Regis existerent ac fuit custos eorum a vigilia Sancti Bartholomei an no. 7. Hen. 4. vsque ad 23 diem Octob. proxi preterit per vnum annum integrum 8 Septimanas et 6 dies T.R. apud West 9 Iunij 2 pars pat an 9. Hen. 4. M. 19. Before the Altar of Saint George the body of Bishop Wakering lyeth buried who for his life learning and wisedome was highly esteemed in regard whereof before he was aduanced hither to Norwich King Henry the 4. made him Lord Keeper of the priuy Seale and so consequently he was of his priuy Councell in the yeare 1414. hee was sent to the generall Councell holden at Constance in Heluetia with Richard Earle of Warwicke the Bishops of Salisbury Bath and Hereford the Abbot of Westminster and the Prior of Worcester with diuers other Doctors and learned men of the spiritualtie besides Knights and Esquires in number all eight hundred horses so well appointed and furnished as well the men as horses that all nations meruailed to see such an honourable companie come from a Countrie so farre distant in this Counsell hee so behaued himselfe that for learning and wisedome hee obtained the generall applause of all the assemblie shortly after his returne he was consecrated Bishop viz. the last of May 1416. and hauing his charge with great praise about nine yeares he died the ninth of Aprill one thousand foure hundred twentie and fiue He built the Cloister which is to be seene at this day in the Bishops Pallace pauing the same with stones of diuers colours Vpon the dore vnder the Rood loft I finde this maymed Epitaph following inlaid in brasse Hic iacet absconsus sub marmore Presul honestus Seclo desunctus olim pastor quoque sponsus Istius Ecclesie cum digno culmine morum Prefuit egregie ......... .................. Dictus Walterus Lyghert cognomine notus ................. Euellens acriter mala germina fructus acerbi Dispersit pariter diuini semina verbi Anno milleno C. quater septuageno Annexis binis instabit ei prope finis Septima cum decima lux Maij sit numerata Ipsius est anima de corpore tunc separata Fili Christe Dei fons vite spes medicine Propitieris ei donans requiem sine fine This man in the catalogue of Bishops is called Walter Hart. In his predecessors daies the Citizens here of Norwich harbouring in their mindes their old grudge attempted many things against the Church but such was the singular wisedome and courage of the said Bishop whose name was Thomas Browne that all their enterprises tooke little effect and now by the policie and discretion of this Lighert or Hart the malitious humours of these malecontented Townesmen before reasonable well allaied was altogether extinguished He paued the Church and during his life maintained twelue students at Cambridge with all things necessary for them at his owne charges He departed this life the first of May 1472. as appeares by his Epitaph in the twentie and sixt yeare of his consecration and lieth buried neere vnto the Rood loft which he himselfe erected Here lieth buried the body of Iames Goldwell sometimes Deane of Salisbury Secretarie to King Edward the fourth and Bishop of this Diocesse who died in February M. cccc.lxxxxviii This Bishop was a great repairer or new builder of great Chart Church in Kent where as it is said he was borne Here lieth buried the body of Thomas Ian who died the first yeare of his consecration viz. anno 1499. After the decease of Ian Richard Nix succeeded of whom I finde little worth the rehearsing saith Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops hee hath the report of a vicious and dissolute liuer was blinde long before his death sate 36 yeares and died An. 1536. It is reported yet that this Bishop built the north crosse I le of this Church and guilded the roofe of the same vpon which his cote of Armes is to be seene In the Chapter House was a goodly monument to the memory of Sir Thomas Windham knight with this now maymed Inscription
dwarfe to death saith my foresaid Author Much more might bee said of this little-great man but I am called for my selfe to the Presse and to speake more then I haue done in the praise of little men I may be thought to flatter my selfe He died in the yeare 1346. in the twentieth of the raigne of King Edward the third I read in a booke of the order of Carmelites of which Fraternitie he was one as also Prouinciall of them all throughout all England penned by Iohn Bale before his conuersion a part of an Eulogium composed to the memory of this Baconthorpe which may serue for an Epitaph Thus. Iohannes de Bachonethorpe Doctor resolutus Carmelita Hic Bachone fuit Iohannes natus in vrbe Anglica quo felix terra priore fuit Parisio dulces hausit de fonte liquores Post tamenin patrio claruit ipse solo Exposuit libros Petri sed sanccius esse Est ratus in quartum peruigilare librum Fecit Aristotelem clarum inclitumque legenti Dans Testamentum clarius omne navum .......... Vpon a faire marble stone in the Quire this Inscription following is engrauen in brasse Hic iaces corpus Willelmi Boleyn militis qui obijt x. Octobris Anno Dom. M. ccccc.v Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Let it be the greatest honour to this noble deceased Knight for that he was great Grandfather to the most renowned and victorious Princesse Elizabeth late Queene of England which will best appeare by the Light of Great Britaine learned Camden in his Introduction to the History which he writ of her long and prosperous raigne beginning as followeth The Linage and descent of Elizabeth Queene of England saith he was by her Fathers side truly Royall for daughter she was to King Henry the eight grand daughter to Henry the seuenth and great grand-daughter to Ed the fourth By the Mothers side her descent was not so high howbeit noble it was and spread abroad by many and great Alliances throughout England and Ireland Her great grand-fathers father was Ieffrey Bolen a man of Noble birth in Norfolke Lord Maior of the Citie of London in the yeare 1457. and at the same time honoured with the dignitie of Knighthood An vpright honest man of such estimation that Thomas Lord Hoo and Hastings Knight of the Order of Saint George gaue him his daughter and one of his heires to wife and of such wealth as he matched his daughters into the Noble houses of the Cheineys Heydons and Fortescues left his sonne a goodly inheritance and bequeathed a thousand pounds of English money to bee bestowed vpon the poore in the Citie of London and two hundred in Norfolke This mans sonne William Bolen was chosen amongst eighteene most choice Knights of the Bath at the Coronation of King Richard the third to whom Thomas Earle of Ormond who was in such fauour with the Kings of England that hee alone of all the Nobleman of Ireland had his place and voice in the Parliaments of England and aboue the Barons of England also gaue his daughter and one of his heires in marriage By her besides daughters married to Shelton Calthorp Clere and Sackvill men of great wealth and noble descent and other children hee begat Thomas Bolen whom being a young man Thomas Howard Earle of Surry who was afterward Duke of Norfolke a man much renowned for his worthie seruice and atchiuements in the warres chose to be his sonne in law giuing vnto him his daughter Elizabeth in marriage and Henry the eight after he had performed one or two very honourable Embasies made him first Treasurer of his Houshold Knight of the Order of Saint George and Viscount Rochford and afterwards Earle of Wiltshire and Ormond and made him Lord Keeper of the priuie Seale This Thomas among other children begat Anne Bolen who in her tender yeares being sent into France attended on Mary of England wife to Lewis the twelfth and then on Claudia of Britaine wife to Francis the first and after she was dead on Margaret of Alencon who with the first fauoured the Protestants Religion springing vp in France Being returned into England and admitted amongst the Queenes Maides of Honour and being twenty two yeares of age King Henry in the thirtie eight yeare of his age did for her modestie â—empered with French pleasantnesse fall deeply in loue with and tooke her to wife by whom he had issue Elizabeth aforesaid Queene of England Thome Presbyteri ..... lapis iste retentum Funus habet .... qui sumptu dedit hoc pauimentum Anno milleno quater et C septuageno Octauo Stephani liquit terrestria festo Vt celi detur requies sibi quisque precetur En iacet hic stratus Helby Thomas vocitatus Saluet eum Christus tribuens sibi gaudia lucis Vnder this ston Ligs Iohn Knapton Who died iust The twenty eight of August M. ... xc and on Of thys Chyrch Peti-Canon Vnder the picture of Saint Peter is portraied the Sea a Ship Nets and Fishes with this distichon Ecclesiam pro naue rego mihi climata mundi Sunt mare Scripture Retia piscis homo The figures of the Sunne and Moone are painted here vpon the Frontispiece of the Clocke to whom the Clocke comparatiuely seemes to speake in this Hexastich vpon the same place likewise depicted Horas significo cunctas quas Phebe diebus Quas solet atque tua pallida nocte Soror Nec magis errarem Rector mihi si foret idem Vos qui et queque regit motibus astra suis. Tempora nam recte designo si mihi doctus Custos assiduam conferat artis opem In English Phoebus I tell all th' houres and all as right As thou or thy pale Sister day and night Nor I no more then you in ought should erre If he ruld mee who guides you and each starre For times I rightly tell to me of 's Art If my learnd keeper will his helpe impart In imitation of this it may bee that Thomas Scot in his Philomythie makes a Clocke to compare with a Diall and the difference to be partly decided by the Wethercocke of which a little although not much to the purpose I confesse Vpon a Church or steeples side neere hand A goodly Clocke of curious worke did stand Which ouerpaysde with lead or out of frame Did time miscall and euery houre misname The Diall hearing this aloud gan crye Kind neighbour Clocke your glib tongue tels a lye Reforme your errour for my Gnomon saith You gad too fast and misse an houres faith Foole quoth the Clocke reforme thy selfe by me The fault may rather in thy Gnomon be Had'st thou told euer truth to what end then Was I plac'd here by th' art of cunning men The Weathercocke vpon the steeple standing And with his sharpe eye all about commanding Heard their contention wild them to appeale To him the chiefe of all that common weale Told them that he was
souls Iesu haue mercy Amen This Elisabeth was the daughter and coheire of Sir Henry Frowick of Gonwelsbury in the County of Midlesex Knight who lieth entombed in Eling Church in the said County Grandmother to that learned Gentleman and iudicious Antiquarie Sir Henry Spelman Knight now lining Anno 1631. and great Grandmother to Sir Clement Spelman Knight deceased who succeeded in that inheritance Here lyeth Iohn Spelman Esquyre sonne and heire apparent to Sir Iohn Spelman Knyghte one of the Iustyces at the Pleas before the kyng to bee holden and Dame Elisabeth his wyffe which Iohn married Margaret one of the doughters to Sir Thomas Blennerhasset knyght and Dame Margaret his wyffe and had issue by the said Margaret too sonnes and too doughters liuing at the day of his death and decessed the xxvii day of December in the yere of our Lord God M. cccccxlv on whos soul Iesu have mercy Amen Stow. William Spelman Esquire who died in the raigne of Henry the seuenth lay buried vnder a faire Tombe in this Church of Stow by Watton and the Vicar and Churchwardens here about eight yeares agoe making a Raile about the Communion table pulled downe the Tombe to make roome for the Raile and Communicants Others of the ancient Family of the Spelmans lie interred here and at Narborrow whose names I will onely set downe being so neare these times As Iohn Spelman Esquire who married Iudeth one of the daughters of Sir Clement Higham knight who died 28 April anno 1581. Sir Clement Spelman knight high Sheriffe of this County anno 1599. who died 24. Septemb. 1607. Ierome Spelman Esquire the twelfth sonne of Sir Iohn Spelman Rougham Here is a Tombe of Sir William Yeluerton Knight one of the Iustices of the Kings Bench in the time of King Henry the sixth and a Monument of his sonne who is mentioned vpon it to bee Esquire to King Edward the fourth Orate pro animabus Willelmi Yeluerton Militis et quondum Iustic Domini Regis de suo banco et Dominae Agnetis vx sue qui quidem Willelmus obijt 27 die Martis c. ......... Yeluerton miserere Consortis que sue Yeluerton olim Katherine .................. Armiger Edwardi quondam pro corpore quarti 9 Iulij Anno Nat. Christ. 1481. Another stone in the Chancell with two portraitures inscribed Obijt Io. Yeluerton 1505. Obijt Rogerus Yeluerton 1510. Orate pro anima Domini Io. Swaffham quondam Vicar huius Ecclesie qui obijt Anno Domini 1409. cuius Anime propitietur Deus Sandringham Prey pur le alme Du Richard Fitz Iean Iadis Patron De ceste Maison Holme iuxta mare Herry Notynham and hys wyfe lyne her Yat madden thys Chyrche Stepull and Quer Too Vestyments and Bells yei madden alsoo Crist hem sav therfor fro woo And to bryng her souls to blis of hevyn Seyth Pater and Ave wyth myld Stephyn Hunstanton Here the noble ancient familie of Le Strange lie buried vnder faire Monuments Orate pro anima Henrici Le Strange Armigeri Katherine vxoris eius pro benefactoribus .... pro fidelibus defunctis Qui quidem Henricus obijt vicesimo quinto die mensis Nouembris An. Domini M. cccclxxv quorum animabus propitietur Deus Vpon the side of a Tombe the names of Roger Le Strange and others of the name about the Verge of the said Tombe being inlaid with brasse this Genealogicall Inscription is to be read Orate pro anima prenominati Rogeri le Strange Militis pro corpore illustrissimi nuper Regis Anglie Henrici septimi ac fil et hered prefati Henrici le Strange Armigeri Fratris et heredis Iohannis le Strange filij heredis tam Iohannis le Strange quam Alicie Beamont consanguinee et heredis Iohannis Pike et Iohannis Rushbroke Et dictus Iohannes le Strange fuit filius et heres tam Iohannis le Strange militis quam Elianore fil et hered tam Richardi Walkefare Militis quam consanguinee et heredis Thome Morieux Militis Et dictus Iohannes le Strange miles fuit fil et her Hamonis le Strange Armigeri et Katherine fil Domini Iohannis de Camois et dictus Hamo le Strange fuit fil et heres Hamonis le Strange Militis et Margarite Vernon de Motton consanguinee et hered Magistri Richardi Vernon et dictus Hamo le Strange miles fuit frater Domini Iohannis le Strange de Knocking et Mohun Qui quidem Rogerus le Strange miles obiit xxvii die Octobris anno Domini M. cccccvi et nuper Regis dicti vice simo primo Cuius anime ac animabus antecessorum benefactorum suorum nec non anime Iohannis le Strange de Masingham parua Armigeri fratris et executoris prerecitati Rogeri le Strange Militis Deus propitietur Amen Hunstanton saith Camden is to bee remembred in this regard if there were nothing else for that it hath beene the habitation of the Familie of Le Strange Knights by degree euer since that in the raigne of Edward the second Iohn Baron Le Strange of Knocking gaue the same vnto Hamon his younger brother Hamon Le Strange the elder performed great and good seruice for his Lord and Soueraigne Henry the third against Simond de Montford Earle of Leicester and his complices the 48. yeare of the said Kings raigne Hee tooke vpon him a voiage to the holy Land as I finde it thus recorded Hamo extraneus diu antequam iter arripuit versus terram sanctam Feosauit Rogerum Extraneum fratrem suum de Manerijs de Colouere et Henton que idem Hamo tenuit de Petro de Monteforti Fines Anno 2. Ed. 1. Memb. 26. Penteney A Monastery founded by Reginald de Warren brother of William de Warren the second Earle of Surrey in which he placed blacke Canons it was dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene and valued vpon the dissolution thereof at two hundred and fifteene pounds eight shillings eight pence This Abbey saith Camden was the ordinary buriall place in ancient time of the Noblemen and Gentlemen in this tract Anno Domini 1326. obijt Domina Petronilla de Neirford iacet apud Penteney Dominus Iohannes de Neirford obijt .... et iacet in Ecclesia Prioratus de Penteney These are all I haue as yet found to haue beene here interred Fornset Saint Peters Hic iacet Richardus Baxter qui per Isabellam vxorem eius habuit duos filios et duas filias et postea ignaue vulneratus inde obijt vltimo die Maij anno Domini M. cccclxxxiiii Cuius anime propitietur Deus Orate pro anima Thome Baxter qui duxit Margaretam filiam Willelmi Drake generosi et habuit exitum quatuor filios et vnam filiam et obijt 27. Aprilis 1535. Orate pro animabus Thome Drake et Elisabethe vxoris eius .... All cristian peple that walk by thys Tomb erly
to that most martyred king Saint Edmund who in their rude massacre then slaine The title of a Saint his Martyrdome doth gaine Now to come to Norwich the first Bishop of Norwich was William Herbert the second Euerard the third William Turbus the fourth Iohn of Oxford the fift Iohn de Grey of these I haue written before The sixt was Pandulfus the Popes Legate hee was consecrated at Rome by Honorius the Third Bishop of Rome and died the fift yeare of his consecration 1227. The seuenth was Thomas de Blundeuill an officer of the Exchequer preferred thereunto by Hubert de Burgo the famous chiefe Iustice of England he died August 16. 1236. The eight Radulph who died An. 1236. The ninth was William de Raleigh who was remoued to Winchester The tenth was Walter de Sufield the eleuenth Simon de Wanton the twelfth Roger de Sherwyng the thirteenth William Middleton of whom before The fourteenth was Raph de Walpoole translated to Ely The fifteenth was Iohn Salmon the sixteenth was William Ayermin of whom before The seuenteenth was Antony de Becke Doctor of Diuinitie a retainer to the Court of Rome and made Bishop by the Popes Prouisorie Bull. Hee had much to doe with the Monkes of his Church whom it seemeth hee vsed too rigorously He also withstood Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury in his visitation appealing from him to Rome This boisterous vnquiet humour it seemes was his death for it is said that hee was poisoned by his owne seruants The eighteenth Bishop was William Bateman who died at Auinion in the yeare 1354. and was there buried of whom hereafter The ninteenth was Thomas Piercy The twentieth was Henry Spencer The one and twentieth was Alexander of whom before The two and twentieth was Richard Courtney Chancellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford a man famous for his excellent knowledge in both lawes A man of great linage great learning and great vertue and no lesse beloued among the common people He died of a Fluxe in Normandy at the siege of Harflew Septemb. 14. 1415. in the second yeare after his consecration His body being brought into England was honourably interred at Westminster The three and twentieth was Iohn Wakering of whom I haue spoken before The foure and twentieth was William Alnwick translated to Lincolne of whom hereafter in his place of buriall The fiue and twentieth was Thomas Browne Bishop of Rochester who being at the Councell of Basill had this Bishopricke cast vpon him before euer he vnderstood of any such intent toward him In his time the Citizens of Norwich vpon an old grudge attempted many things against the Church but such was the singuler wisedome and courage of this Bishop that all their enterprises came to none effect he sate nine yeares and died anno 1445. where buried I doe not finde The sixe and twentieth was Gualter Hart or Lyghart The seauen and twentieth was Iames Goldwell The eight and twentieth was Thomas Ian. The nine and twentieth was Richard Nyx of whom before The thirtieth was William Rugge alias Reps a Doctor of Diuinitie in Cambridge He sate 14 yeares and deceased anno 1550. The one and thirtieth was Thyrlhey a Doctor of Law of Cambridge the first and last Bishop of Westminster translated to Ely The two and thirtieth was Iohn Hopton a Doctor of Diuinity of Oxford and houshold Chaplaine to Queene Mary elected to this Bishopricke in King Edwards daies He sate 4 yeares and died in the same yeare that Queene Mary did for griefe as it was supposed The three and thirtieth was Iohn Parkhurst who lieth buried in his Cathedrall Church vnder a faire Tombe with this Inscription Iohannes Parkhurstus Theol. professor Gilford natus Oxon. educatus Temporibus Mariae Reginae pro tuenda conscientia vixit exul voluntarius postea Presul factus sanctissime hanc rexit Ecclesiam per. 16. An. ob 1574. aetat 63. Vivo bono docto ac pio Iohanni Parkhursto Episcopo vigilentissimo Georgius Gardmer posuit hoc monumentum The foure and thirtieth was Edmund Freake Doctor of Diuinity who was remoued from hence to Worcester The fiue and thirtieth was Edmund Scambler houshold Chaplaine for a time to the Archbishop of Canterbury hee was consecrated Bishop of Peterborough Ianuary 16. anno 1560. and vpon the translation of Bishop Freake preferred to this See where hee lieth buried vnder a faire monument hauing this Inscription or Epitaph Edmundi Scambleri viri reuerendissimi et in ampliss dignitatis gradu dum inter homines ageret locati corpus in hoc tegitur tumulo obijt Non. Maij anno 1594. Viuo tibi moriorque tibi tibi Christe resurgam Te quia iustifica Christe prebendo fide Huic abeat mortis terror tibi viuo redemptor Mors mihi lucrum est tu pie Christe salus The sixe and thirtieth was William Redman Archdeacon of Canterbury consecrated Ianuary 12. an 1594. He was sometime fellow of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and bestowed 100. markes vpon wainscotting of the Library there Hee died a few daies before Michaelmas Anno 1602. The seauen and thirtieth was Iohn Iegon Doctor of Diuinity and Deane of Norwich fellow sometimes of Queenes Colledge in Cambridge and afterwards master of Bennet Colledge of the time of his death or how long he enioyed this high dignitie I haue not learned The eight and thirtieth was Iohn Ouerall Doctor of Diuinitie sometimes Fellow of Trinitie Colledge Master of Katherine Hall and the Kings Professor in Cambridge afterwards Deane of S. Pauls a learned great Schooleman as any was in all the kingdome how long hee sate or when he died I doe not certainly know Samuel Harsenet Doctor of Diuinity sometime Master of Penbroke Hall in Cambridge Bishop of Chichester and now graced with the metropoliticall dignity of the Archbishoprick of Yorke was the nine and thirtieth Bishop of this Diocesse Which at this time is gouerned by the right reuerend Father in God Francis White Doctor of Diuinitie the Kings Almoneâ— sometimes Deane as also Bishop of Carlile an excellent learned man as his workes now extant doe testifie Now it here followes that I should say somewhat of the scituation circuit commodities and other particulars of this Diocesse like as I haue done of London but that is already most exactly performed and to the full by that learned and iudicious Knight and great Antiquary Sir Henry Spelman in his booke before mentioned called Icenia a Manuscript much desired to come to the open view of the world Here endeth the Ancient Funerall Monuments within the Diocesse of Norwich and this Booke FINIS A funerall Elegie vpon the death of Sir Robert Cotton Knight and Baronet Lib. 8. ep 3. Lib. 10. Epig. 11. In conclu li. vlt. 1. Siluester Transl. Properâ— lib. 3. El. 2. Ruines of Time M. â—rayton Pâ—l Song xvi Scipio Gentilis lib. Orig. sing Panuinius in lideritu sepeliend mortuos Râ—maines Camd. Remaines Aeneâ—◠〈◊〉 Trump 〈…〉 Inuen 〈◊〉 Rosin de Autin Romano 〈…〉 l. â— cap. 59. Gen. 1â— 2. Sam.
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
which caused a lasting hatred betwixt the King and his Nobles and was the beginning of the second ciuill warre of England Some two yeares after this Tragedie King Edward caused the bodie of his Gaueston to be transferred with great pompe from the place of his former buriall which was among the Friers Preachers at Oxford to this Friery of his owne foundation saith Stow. Where he in person with the Archbishop of Canterbury foure Bishops many Abbots and principall Churchmen did honour the Exequies but few were present of the Nobilitie whose great stomacks would not giue them leaue to attend This was the end of that fatall great Fauourite Gaueston who for that hee was the first Priuado saith Sam. Danyel in the life of Ed. the second of this kinde euer noted in our History and was aboue a King in his life deserues to haue his character among Princes being dead Which is thus deliuered Natiue he was of Gascoine by birth a Gentlman and for the great service his father had done to this Crowne intertained and bred vp by king Edward the first in companie with his sonne this Prince which was the meanes that inuested him into that high fauour of his Hee was of a goodly personage of an haughtie and vndauntable spirit braue and hardie at Armes as he shewed himselfe in that Turneament which he held at Wallingford wherein he challenged the best of the Nobilitie and is said to haue foiled them all which inflamed the more their malice towards him In Ireland where he was Lieutenant during the short time of his banishment he made a iourney into the mountaines of Dublin brake and subdued the Rebels there built Newcastle in the Kernes country repayred castle Keuin and after passed vp into Munster and Thomond performing euery where great seruice with much valour and worthinesse Hee seemes to haue beene a Courtier which could not fawne nor stoope to those he loued not or put on any disguise vpon his Nature to temporize with his enemies But presuming vpon his fortune the misfortune of such men grew in the end to that arrogancie as was intollerable which the priuacie of a Kings fauour usually begets in their Minions whose vnderstanding and iudgement being dazed therewith as is their sight who stand and looke downe from off high places neuer discerne the ground from whence they ascended And this extraordinarie fauour shewed to one though he were the best of men when it arises to an excesse is like the predomination of one humour alone in the body which endangers the health of the whole and especially if it light vpon vnworthinesse or where is no desert and commonly Princes raise men rather for appetite then merit for that in the one they shew the freedome of their power in the other they may seeme but to pay their debt This old Latine rime was made in those dayes vpon the death of this Gaueston by a Monke of S. Maries Yorke Dum Petrus seuit propriam mortem sibi neuit Nunc patet vt nevit truncatus ense quieuit Besides his honours before remembred he was Protector or Gardian of the Realme during the Kings aboad in France about his marriage with Isabell the daughter of Philip the faire French King which indeed was an office but of eighteene dayes continuance as appeares by the sequele Petrus de Gaueston comes Cornubie constituitur Custos Anglie quandiu Rex fuerit in partibus transmarinis c. Teste R. apud West 26. Decemb. Ann. 1. Ed. 2.1 pars pat Hic transfretauit Rex ad partes transmarinas prout patet in rotulis clansarum sinium circa 20. Ianuar. et redijt circa 8. Feb. Ann. 1. Ed. 2. The same yeare he honoured him with the Lieutenancie of Ireland Rex misit Petrum de Gaueston comitem Cornubie ad partes Hiberâ—ie constituit ipsum Locumtenentem in partibus eiusdem quamdiu c. Teste R. apud Redings 16. Iunij Ann. 1. Ed. 2. To conclude then with a late writer .... Great men too well grac'd much rigor vse Presuming Fauorites mischiefe euer bring So that concluding I may boldly speake Minions too great argue a king too weake Richmansworth In the Chappell or buriall place of the ancestors of the Ashbyes now liuing this Inscription Here lieth Anne Ashby wyf of Iohn Ashby of Herfeld Esqwyre dawghter of Thomas Peyton of Iselham Esqwyre who dyed 22. Oct. 1503. on whos sowl Iesu have mercy Amen Herely beried vndyr this stone Thomas Davy and his too wyfs Alis and Ione Watford Hic iacet Hugo de Holes miles Iâ—sticiarius Banci Regis tempore regui 〈◊〉 Ann. 1415. Hic iacet Margareta que fuit vxor Hugonis Holes ..... ob 1416.5 die Marcij Here lyeth Iohn Heydon of the Groue Esquyre who dyed ... 1400. Here lyeth .... William Heydon of Newstreere Esquyre and Ioane his mother who buylded the south Isle of this Church and dyed Ann. 1505. Here lyeth .... William Heydon .... 1500. The rest of the inscriptions for these Heydons are quite gone a name of singular note and demerit in other parts of this kingdome the losse of one of which name is at this houre much lamented namely of Sir William Heydon knight a worthy gentleman a valiant Souldier and an expert Enginer who came vnfortunately to his end at the Isle of Rhee An. Dom. 1027. Hic iacet Iohannes de Hakom Matildis vxor eius qui obiit 4. die Aug. Ann 1365. Ed. 3.39 In this Church are diuers funerall Monuments to the memorie of the much honoured families of the Russels and Morisins Of whom I shall haue occasion by order of method to speake hereafter Aldenham Here lyeth beried the body of Iohn Long saltyr Cityzen and Aldyrman of London and Dame Margaryt hys wyff whych Iohn dyed the vi dey of Iuly M. Vc.xxxviii Who 's sowl Iesu pardon This man was Sheriffe of London in the yeare 1528. borne he was at Berkamsted in this County being the sonne of William Long of the same gentleman anciently descended from the Longs of Wilshire and father he was to Iohn Long of Holme Hall in the County of Derby gentleman who was father to George Long Esquire now liuing Clerke of the office of Pleas in his Maiesties Court of Exchequer and one of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace within the County of Midlesex He liued after he was made free of London which was in the eleuenth of Hen. the seuent 43. yeares Augusti ter quingeni si dempseris vnum Et ter tres decies vt erat verbum caro factum Trux lux vndena miseris subtraxit Asylum Patronum patrie decus orbis lampada morum Quem decorant Latria sapientia spesque fidesque Scilicet Edmund Brook saluetur vt ipse precemur If you will take my construction of this intricate Epitaph this man here so much commended died the eleuenth day of August M. cccc lxxxx Here lyeth Iohn Penn who