men which did diligently ouersee like good Shepheards the flocks committed to their charge and these were called Bishops Episcopus Grece latine speculator interpretatur speculari enim debet mores vitia populi sibi subiecti intendere ad eorum salutem A Bishop both in Greeke and Latine signifies a beholder or a Scoute watch for he ought to behold and ouersee the manners conditions and vices of the people liuing vnder his gouernment and to vse the best meanes hee can for their soules health Homer calls Hector suum Episcopum because he was precipuus Troiae inspector et propugnator the chiefe ouerseer and defender of the Citie of Troy Nihil in hoc seculo excellentius sacerdotibus nihil sublimius Episcopis reperiri potest Nothing in this age more excelling then Priests nothing more sublime and high then Bishops can be found Honor et sublimitas Episcopalis nullis poterit comparationibus adaequari The Episcopall honour and dignitie can be equalled by no comparisons Esto subiectus Pontifici tuo et quasi parentem animae tuae ama Be subiect to thy Bishop and loue him as the father and nourisher of thy soule Nihil est in bac vita et maxime hoc tempore difficilius laboriosius et periculosius Episcopi aut Presbyteri officio sed apud Deum nihil beatius si eo modo militetur quo noster Imperator iubet Nothing in this life and specially at this time more difficult laborious and perillous then the office of a Bishop or Priest but before Almightie God no office more blessed if they fight and make warre after the same manner as they bee commanded by their Captaine our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Omnis Pontifex saith Saint Paul ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs qui sunt ad Deum vt offerat dona et sacrificia pro peccatis Euery Bishop or high Priest is taken from among the men and is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that hee may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sinnes They are Gods labourers Gods husbandrie and Gods buildings Let a man so thinke of them as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God What is more pleasant saith William the Monke of Malmesbury in his Prologue to the Acts of our English Bishops then to rehearse the praise of our ancient Bishops that thou mayest know the deeds of them of whom thou hast receiued the rudiments of Faith and the incitements to a godly life No nation of the world saith Capgraue in the Prologue to his Catalogue of English Saints hath from the beginning beene so blest with holy learned and religious Bishops as England whose sanctitie did so shine that all which saw them and their good workes assuredly knew that they were the seed to whom God had imparted his blessings their conuersation and studie being alwayes about heauenly matters As the rod of Aaron did bud and blossome and bring forth ripe Almonds so the Church and Ministery of England by the meanes of our reuerend Bishops as of Gods sacred instruments did and still doth prosper flourish and bring forth fruits of righteousnesse to the glorie of God and comfort of all true Christian hearts Now before I conclude this point giue me leaue to speake a little further of the first institution of Bishops out of the booke of a namelesse Author written in Latine about three hundred yeares since translated into English by one William Marshall and imprinted at London by one Robert Wyer Ann. 1535 in the 27. of King Henry the eighth the booke is called The Defence of Peace After the tymes of the Apostles the nombre of Preestes beyng notablye augmented and increased saith he to avoyde sclaundre and occasyon of offendynge any man and to avoyde scisme and dyvysion the Preestes chose one among themselues which shulde dyrecte and ordre the other as touchynge to the exercysynge of the Ecclesiasticall offyce or service and the dystrybutyng of the oblacyons and the dysposynge and orderynge of other thyngs in the most conuenient maner leste yf euery man myght do this thinge after his owne pleasure as he lest himselfe the good ordre and servyce of the Churches myght be troubled by the reason of the dyuerse affeccions of men This Preeste whiche was so elected and chosen to ordre and rule the other Preestes by the custome and vsed maner of speakynge of them that came afterwards was onely called a Bysshop or ouerseer because not onely he was ouerloker of the Christen people for whiche cause all other Preests also were called Ouerseers in the Prymatyne Church but also because he had the ouersyght of the other Preestes Howsoeuer saith he in the same Chapter in the essentyall and inseparable auctoryte and dygnyte of Preesthood the Bysshops have no preheminence aboue other Preestes but onely in auctoryte accydentall being that the Bishop by the provydence of God is chosen vpon the former reason to have the rule and gouernment of the Clergie within his Diocesse For in the power and auctoryte of makyng and admynystryng the Sacraments and performing of other duties belonginge meerely to the Preesthood all Preestes saith he have all one auctoryte in kynde neyther the Bysshop of Rome or any other Bysshop hath this auctoryte any whyt more largely than any other hath who euer he be beynge called a symple or pryvate Preest And therfore it is to be mervayled wherfore some men do stryve styffely and frowardly affyrmynge yet no thynge reasonably that the Pope of Rome hath more large power of the keyes geuen to hym of Chryste than hath other Preestes seing that this cannot be proued by the holy Scrypture but rather the contrary For whiche thyngs to go on with my Author more euidently to be seene and perceyved you ought to vnderstande and knowe that these two wordes Presbyter and Episcopus that is to saye Preest or senyour and Bysshop were both of one sygnyfycacion and betokened all one thynge in the Prymatyue Church albeit they were put to sygnyfy one thynge of diuers propertyes for Presbyter was a name gyven to them of age which is as moche to saye as a Senyour or Elder And Episcopus was a name gyuen of cure or charge vpon other and is as moche to say as an ouerloker according to that of Saynt Iherom in a certayne Epystle to Euandre who sayth thus Presbyter and Episcopus the one is a name of age the other of dygnyte These dignified priests I meane Bishops euer since the Conquest their chiefe seate or chaire in Cities and their Churches haue euer since the sunne-shine of the Gospell beene called Cathedrall and in respect they were more spatious then other inferiour Parish Churches they were tearmed Basilicae of which will it please you heare Camden speake These greater Churches saith hee when the sauing light of Christ shone vpon the world
that place he conuerted vnto the faith of Christ Sebert king of the East Saxons Of which this Stanza out of Harding Then Austin made Peter a clerke deuoute Of Saynt Austines th'abbot religious And made Mellito as Bede clerly hath note Of London then byshoppe full vertuous A Clerke that was then beneuolous Who then conuerted of Essex the king Sebert And all his land baptised with holy herte But the wicked sonnes of this good King Sebert expelled Mellitus out of their dominions from whence he trauelled into France and there stayed for a time vntill he was commanded by Archbishop Laureâ—ce to retâ—â—ne and looke to his flocke He was a man noble by birth but much more noble for the excellencie of his minde an eloquent speaker and therefore aâ—â—siuely called of some Mellifluous exceeding carefull of his charge despising the world and neuer caring for any thing but heauen and heauenly things hauing beene sicke a long time of the Gowt hee died Aprill 24. ann 624. and was buried beside his predecessour Vpon whose Tombe this Epitaph was engrauen Summus Pontificum flos tertius et mel apricum Hac titulis clara redoles Mellite sub arca Laudibus eternis te predicat vrbs Dorouernis Cui simul ardenti restas virtute potenti Presently vpon the death of Mellitus Iustus then Bishop of Rochester was preferred to this Archbishopricke He was a Romane borne the disciple of Gregory the great by whom he was sent ouer into England to preach the Gospell He was a Monke after the order of Saint Benet Vir tantae integritatis vi iusti nomine non tam gentilicio quam propter virtatem honorandus censeretur Which his vertue as also his learning are both highly commended by Pope Boniface the fourth to whom as to his deared beloued Brother he sendeth greeting He died Nouemb. 10. ann 634. was buried by his predecessour and canonized a Saint and Confessor But heare his Epitaph Istud habet bustum meritis cognomine Iustum Quarto iure datus cui cessit Pontificatus Pro meritis Iusti sancta grauitate venusti Gratia diuinam diuina dat his medicinam Honorius a reuerend learned man borne in the same Citie brought vp vnder the same Master and one of the same order with Iustus succeeded him in his pontificall Gouernment During the time he sate which was somewhat aboue twentie yeares amongst other things hee appointed diuers Bishops to diuers countries and diuided his Prouince into Parishes of which I haue spoken before that so he might appoint particular Ministers or Priests to particular congregations In his time the Pelagian heresie began to spring vp againe in Scotland but by his exhortatorie diuine Epistles to the Clergie of that kingdome he so dealt that the poysonous infection of that contagious heresie spread not farre neither continued any long time He died Februar 28. Ann. 653. and was laid with his predecessours This was his Epitaph Quintus honor memori versu memoraris Honori Digna sepultura quam non teret vlla Litura Ardet in obscuro tua lux vibramine puro Hec scelus omne premit fugat vmbras nubila demit One Frithona famous for his learning and vertuous life being elected Archbishop vpon the day of his consecration changed his name for Deus dedit or Adeodatus He was the first Englishman that gouerned this See which charge he attended carefully the space of sixe yeares and dyed Iuly â—4 Ann. 664. being the very same day that Ercombert the king of Kent dyed he was the last Bishop buried in the Church-porch Such was his Epitaph Alme Deus Dedit cui sexta vâ—catio cedit Signas hunc lipidem lapidi 〈…〉 eâ—dem Prodit ab hac vrna 〈…〉 aâ—urna Quâ— melioratur quic 〈…〉 graâ—atur Theodore a Grecian Saint Pauls 〈…〉 borne in Tharsus succeeded Deus deâ—it He was sixtâ—e sixe yearâ—â— of age before he vndertooke the charge of this Archbishopricke in 〈◊〉 hee continued two yeares three moneths twenty seuâ—n dayes vntill 〈…〉 which happened Sept. 29. anno 690 A man hee was to omit particulars worthy of perpetuall remembrance for his singular vertues vnder whom the Church of England receiued much comfort and encrease in spirituall matters Hee was exceeâ—dingly well learned both in profane and holy literature hee would often visit the countrey of the Englishmen all ouer and teach them the wayeâ— and pathes of good life Hee was the first Archbishop vnto whom all the whole Church of the English Nation did yeeld and consent to submit themselues Hee writ many learned bookes mentioned by Bâ—â—e hee was the seuenth Archbishop of whom these verses were written vpon the wall in Latine now translated thus into English Seuen Patriarchs of England Primates seuen Seuen Rectors and seuen Babaurers in heven Seuen Cesterns pure of life seuen Lamps of light Seuen Palmes and of this Realme seuen Crownes full bright Seuen Starres are here interr'd in vault below These verses were common to aâ—l these seuen pillars of the English Church for so they are called yet euery one as you haue read had his particular Epitaph and this following went curiant for Theodore thus Englished by the Translatour of venerable Bede A worthie Prelate lyeth here fast closed in this graue To whom the name of Theodore the Greekes most iustly gaue With title right the soueraigntie hauing of each degree Christs flock he fed with true doctrine as all men do well see His soule was set at libertie that lumpish lumpe of clay Dissolued when September had put nineteene dayes away And coueting their fellowship that liue a godly life Is companied with Angels high voyd of all care and strife Brithwald called like others allusiuely Bright world Abbot of Reculuer some two yeares after the decease of Theodore was elected and consecrated Archbishop by one Godwin Metropolitan of France He was a man very well learned both in Diuinitie and humanitie and very skilfull both in Ecclesiasticall and Monasticall orders censures and disciplines but farre inferiour in all vnto his predecessour He continued Archbishop in this fâ—â—med seuen and thirtie yeares sixe moneths fourteene dayes a longer time then euer any did either before or since and dyed Ianuar. 9. ann 731. and was buried in this Abbey Church because the Porch was already filled with the dead bodies of his predecessours for whom this Epitaph was 〈◊〉 and engrauen vpon his Monument Stat sua laus feretro Brithwaldus stat sua metro Sed minor est metri laus omnis laude feretri Laude frequentandus pater hic glorificandus Si prâ—ce slectatur dat ei qui danda precatur Tatwin a man very religious and no lesse learned succeeded Brithwald soone after whose consecration great controuersie arose betweene him and the Archbishop of Yorke about the Primacie wherein Tatwin preuailed Who hauing sate onely three yeares died Iuly the last day An. Dom. 735. and
the Prior and Couent of the White Friers Carmelites in Stanford the â—bboâ— and Couent of our blessed Lady of Bidlesden the Warden and brethren of the grey Friers of Couentrie Bedford and Alesbury surrendred vp them houses into the kings hands Battaile Abbey in Sussex Martine Abbey in Surrey Straâ—ford Abbey in Essex Lewis in Suffex Saint Austines in Canterbury the new Abbey at the Tower hill the Minories without Aldgate the Nunnery at Clerken well The Hospitall of Saint Thomas Akers the Blacke-Friers the White-Friers the grey Friers and the Charterhouse Monks in London with the most or all other were surrendred after the same manner In September the same yeare Viz. An. 30. Hen. 8. by the speciall motion of great Cromwell all the notable images vnto the which were made any especiall pilgrimages and offerings as the images of our Lady of Walsingham Ipswich Worcester the Lady of Wilsdon the rood of Grace of our Ladie of Boxley and the image of the rood of Saint Sauiour at Bermondsey with all the rest were brought vp to London and burnt at Chelsey at the commandement of the foresaid Cromwell all the Iewels and other rich offerings to these and to the Shrines which were all likewise taken away or beaten to peeces of other Saints throughout both England and Wales were brought into the Kings Treasurie In the same yeare also the Abbey of Westminster was surrendred being valued to dispend by the yeare three thousand foure hundred and seuenty pound or by some 3977. l. 6. s. 4. d. ob q. as in the Catalogue of religious houses the Monkes being expelled King Henry placed therein a Deane and Prebendaries and made the last Abbot whose name was Benson the first Deane in the time of Edward the sixth it was made a Bishops See shortly after the benefits of the Church being abridged it came againe to a Deane and Prebends Againe Queene Marie ordained there an Abbot and his Monkes who continued not many yeares but were againe cut off by Act of Parliament And lastly Queene Elizabeth that wonder of the world made it a collegiate Church or rather a Nursery for the Church saith Norden for there she ordained to the glory of God the propagation of true Religion and good literature a Deane twelue Prebendaries an vpper master and an Vsher for the Schoole fourtie Schollers called the Queenes or Kings Schollers who as they become worthie are preferred to the Vniuersities besides Ministers Singers and Organists ten Quiristers and twelue well deseruing Souldiers Thus you see the interchangeable vicissitude of her foundacion and if it had not beene for the reuerend regard they had of the Sepulchres inauguration and vnction here of their famous Ancestors these forenamed Kings if I may ground my reason vpon the passages of those times had taken her commings in to haue inrichâ— their owne coffers despoiled her oâ— her vnualuable wealth and ornaments and battered downe to the ground her sacred Edâ—fice The fifth of December â—n the soresaid yeare the Abbey of Saint Albaâ—s was surrendred by the Abbot and Monkes there by deliuering the Couent Seale into the hands of Tho. Pope D. Peter Master Canendish and others the Kings visiters Now all or the most of all the religious houses in England and Wales being thus surrendred the King summoned another Parliament at Westâ—minster for howsoeuer these forenamed religious orders and other more of their owne free and voluntary mindes good wills and assents without constraâ—â—t â—oactâ—on or compulsion as are the words in the Statute of any manner of person or persons by due order of law and by their sufficient writings of Record vnder their Couent and common Seales had alreadie gâ—uen granted and confirmed renounced left and forsaken all their religious hâ—uâ—â—s with their lands and all other the appurtenances to the same belongingâ— vnto the King his heires and successors for euer Yet it was thought necessarie by the King and his Councell that these their â—o uâ—taâ—ic donations should bee further ratified by authoritie of that high 〈◊〉 whereupon it was enacted that all Monasteries with their Scites circuits and precincts laâ—ds Lordships and all othâ—r franchises not onely those which were surrendred or dissolued before the session of this Parliament but also such as were to bee surrendred or dissolued hereafter shouâ—d bee vested deemed and adiudged to be in the very actuall and reall season and possession of the King his heires and successors for euer The religious Order of Saint Iohns of Ierusalem whose chiefe mansion house was in the precincts of Clerkenwell Parish within the Country of Middlesex consisting of gentlemen and souldiers of ancient families and high spirits could by no means be brought in to present to his Maiestie any of these puling petitions and publike recognitions of their errors thereby like the rest to giue a loafe and beg a shiue to turne themselues out of actuall possession and lie at the Kings mercie for some poore yearely pension But like stoâ—â—â— fellowes stood out against any that thought to enrich themselues with their ample reuenues vntill they were cast out of their glorious structures and all other their estates for these causes following alledged aâ—gainst them in open Parliament as appeares by the statute beginning thus The Lords Spirituall and Temporall and the Commons of this present Parliament assembled hauing credible knowledge that diuers and sundrie the kings subiects called the Knights of the Rhodes otherwise called Knights of Saint Iohns otherwise called Friers of the religion of S. Iohn of Ierusalem in England and of a like house being in Ireland abiding in the parties of beyond the sea and hauing aswell out of this Realme as out of Ireland and other the Kings dominions yearely great summes of money for maintenance of their liuings Haue vnnaturally and contrary to the dutie of their alleageances sustained and maintained 〈…〉 power and authoritie of the Bishop of Rome lately vsed and 〈◊〉 within this Realme and other the Kings dominions and haue not onely adhered themselues to the said Bishop being common enemy to the King our soueraigne Lord and to this his Realme vntruely vpholding knowledging and affirming maliciously and traiterously the same Bishop to bee supreme and chiefe head of Christs Church by Gods holy word Entending thereby to subuert and ouerthrow the good and godly laws and statutes of this realme for the abolishing expulsing and vtter extincting of the said vsurped power and authoritie but also haue defamed and slandered as well the Kings Maiestie as the Noblemen Prelates and other the Kings true and louing subiects of this Realme for their good and godly proceeding in that behalfe Vpon these causes and other considerations it was enacted That the Corporation of the said Religion as well within this Realme as within the Kings dominion and Land of Ireland should be vtterly dissolued and void to all entents and purposes And that Sir William Weston Knight as then Prior of the said Religion of this Realme of
repaire to â—ee instructed in good literature and in the Catholicke faith lest that any thing in the English Church might be sinâ—steâ—ly expounded contrary to the vniuersall vnitie and so being established in the orthodoxall and right receiued Faith they might returne backe againe into their owne countrey For the doctrine and Schooles of the English Nation since the time of Archbishop Austin had beene interdicted by diuers Romish Bishops for certaine heresies which daily appeared after the comming in of the Saxons into Britaine by reason of the commixture of the misbeleeuing wicked Pagans with the Christians of holy conuersation Hee also caused a Church to be erected neare to the foresaid house or Colledge which he dedicated to the honour of the blessed Virgine Mary in which such of the English as came to Rome might celebrate dâ—uine Seruice and that therein if any of the said English there happened to depart this world they might be inâ—erred And all these that they might for euer be more firmly corroborated it was ordained by a generall decree throughout all the kingdome of the West-Saxons that in euerie familie one pennie should be yearely collected and sent ouer to blessed Saint Peter and the Church of Rome which in English Saxons was called Romescot that the English there abiding migâ—t by that meane haue sufficient to liue vpon Thus â—aâ—re Mathew of Westminsteâ— surnamed the Flower-gatherer The which in substance is thus deliuerâ—d by a late writer yet in a different manner He meaning Ina instituted also a certaine yearely payment to the See of Rome enioyning euery one of his Subiects that possesâ—ed in his house of one kinde of goods to the value of twentie pence that he should pay a pâ—ny to the Pope yearely vpon Lammas day which at that time was contributed vnder the name of the Kings Almes but afterwards was called and challenged by the name of Peter-pence Another of the same gift by the said King hath these times He gaue to Rome eche yere The Rome pence thorrow West sex all about Perpetually to be well payd and clere For vnto Rome he went without all doubt After the example and with the like zeale of Ina Offa the most magnificent king of the Mercias in great deuotion went also to Rome and made euery house within his territories subiect to this payment of Romescot Ossa gaue through Mers the Rome penny Vnto the Church of Rome Afterwards about the yeare eight hundred and fiftie this tribute was confirmed and made further payable throughout all England For Ethelwolfe as then being sole Monarch of the Englishmen hauing beene sometimes for certaine yeares as Haneden and Brampton write Bishop of Winchester remembring his Ecclesiasticke profession and ordaining first that tithes and lands due to holy Church should be free from all tributes and Regall seruices in the nineteenth yeare of his raigne with the like deuotion of the two former kings went in pilgrimage taking with him his youngest sonne Alfred or Elfred to the foresaid chiefe Citie of the Romanes where he was both honourablie receiued and entertained by the Bishop of Rome and the whole Senate for the space of one yeare and vpwards in which time he rebuilt the English Schoole before remembred which lately had beene almost quite consumed with fire And in lieu of his kinde entertainment confirmed the former grant of Peter-pence causing it to bee payed throughout all his Dominions and further couenanted to pay yearely to Rome three hundred Markes thus to be employed one hundred to Saint Peters Church another hundred to Saint Pauls light and the third to the Pope a Saint that euermore will haue his share to the entent saith one that no Englishmen should doe penance in bounds as he saw some do before his face This Athilwolfe to Rome toke his way In pilgramage with him his sonne Aelfrede To Peter and Pole he graunted infenitife The Rome pence of all Englond As Flores saith as I con vnderstond Saith Harding cap. 105. And further to confirme the premisses may it please you to trouble your patience in the reading of these following hard rimes transcribed out of a namelesse old Author Adelwolfe his sonne att Chester his cite For al hys kyngs and Barons of estate Sent forth anone at hys parlament to be Whycheatte Chester was than preordynate To whyche al cam both Kyngs Duks and Prelat And odar al of honor or Empryse Hym for to do obeysaunce and servysse anon to Roome he went In pylgrymage wythe hooly good entent Wher he was so abydyng full too yer In hooly lyff and full perfactyon In ryall wyse as to a pryns afer And to the Pope wythe ful affectyon Hys comonyng ay had at hys electyon He gaue to Peter lyght And to Sent Poule whaâ— is ful gret repayr Too thowsand mark of Venyse gold ful ryght For sustenaunce of the Chyrches ryght He Busschopp was in hys Fadars day And for defaut of heyr was crownyd kyng Wharfor whan he hys lond in good aray Fre of servysse had set above all thyng He grauntyd tythe of all hys lond ofspryng Tyll thre persones dwelling in vnyte Why charr on God dwellyng in Trynite And Roome pens he graunte vnto the Pope Perpetuelly to haue of al Englond So perfytt was hys mynd who couth hit grope In al goodnes growndyd I vndyrstond Thrugh al hys myght in al hys noble lond The Pece he kepte and in his Se iudicyall The common Law among hys peple all Edgar king of England made sharpe constitutions for the payment of this Tribute And it was one of the lawes of Edward the Confessour that euery householder which had triginta denariatas viuae pecuniae in domo sua de proprio suo Thirtie pence of ready money or of any kinde of cattell in his house of his owne proper should by the Law of the English giue a pennie to Saint Peter and by the Law of the Danes halfe a marke which pennie was to be demanded at or vpon the feast of Saint Peter and Paul and to be collected before the feast of Saint Peter ad vincula and not to be deferred to any further day And if any withheld the payment thereof any longer time complaint was to be made to the Kings Officers for that this penny was the Kings Almes And that the partie so offending should hee constrained by iustice to make payment thereof on paine of forfeiting his goods Now if any man had more dwelling houses then one hee was to pay onely for that house where he should happen to be resiant at the said feast of Saint Peter and Paul Henry the second vpon his conquest of Ireland imposed this tribute vpon that kingdome onely to curry fauour with the Pope who as then was Adrian the fourth called before his inthronization Nicholas Breakespeare borne at Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire For hee saith Speed in the life of the said Henry knowing how great and dangerous tumults the Popes had
great Commander in the warres which by some English wit was happily imitated and ingeniously applyed to the honour of this our worthy chiefetaine Sir Philip written vpon a Tablet and fastened to a pillar in S. Pauls Church London the place of his buriall as the sequele will more plainly shew La France et le Piemont les cieux et les Arts Les Soldats et le Mondeont fait comme six parts De ce grand Bonniuet cor vne si grand chose Dedant vn seul tombeau ne pouuoit estre enclose La France en a le corps que elle aurit esleue Le Piemont a le ceur qu'il auoit esprouue Les cieux en ont l'esprit et les Arts la memoire Les Soldats le regret et le monde la gloire In English as followeth France and Piemont the Heauens and the Arts The Souldiers and the world haue made sixe parts Of Great Bonniuet for who will suppose That onely one Tombe can this man enclose France hath his body which she bred and well loued Piemont his heart which his valour had proued The Heauens haue his soule the Arts haue his Fame The Souldiers the griefe the world his good name A briefe Epitaph vpon the death of that most valiant and perfect honorable Gentleman Sir Philip Sidney knight late Gouernour of Flushing in Zealand who receiued his deaths wound at a battell neare Zutphen in Gelderland the 22. day of September and dyed at Arnhem the 16. day of October 86. Whose Funeralls were performed and his body interred within this Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul in London the 16. day of February next following in the yeare of our Lord God 1586. England Netherland the Heauens and the Arts The Souldiers and the world haue made sixe parts Of noble Sidney For who will suppose That a small heape of stones can Sidney enclose England hath his body for she it fed Netherland his bloud in her defence shed The Heauens haue his soule the Arts haue his Fame The Souldiers the griefe the world his good Name These Elegies also following penned in the praise of the said Philip by our late Soueraigne Lord King Iames that sole Monarch of many Nations giue a glorious lustre to his Heroicke actions In Philippi Sidnaei interitum Illustrissimi Scotorum Regis Carmen Armipotens cui ius in fortia pectora Mauors Tu Dea quae cerebrum perrumpere digna Tonantis Tuque adeo biiugae proles Latonia râ—pis Gloria deciduae cingunt quam collibus artes Duc tecum et querula Sidnai funera voce Plangite nam vester fuerat Sidnaeus alumnus Quid genus et proauos et spem floremque iuuentae Immaturo obitu raptum sine fine retexo Heu frustra queror heu rapuit Mors omnia secum Et nihil ex tanto nunc est Heroe superstes Praeterquam decus et nomen virtute paratum Doctaque Sidneas testantia Carmina laudes The same translated by the said King Thou mighty Mars the Lord of Souldiers braue And thou Minerve that dois in wit excell And thou Apollo who dois knowledge haue Of euery art that from Parnassus fell With all your Sisters that th aire on do dwell Lament for him who duely seru'd you all Whome in you wisely all your arts did mell Bewaile I say his vnexpected fall I neede not in remembrance for to call His race his youth the hope had of him ay Since that in him doth cruell Death appall Both manhood wit and learning euery way But yet he doth in bed of Honor rest And euermore of him shall liue the best Eiusdem Regis in Eundem Hexasticon Vidit et exanimem tristis Cytheraea Philippum Fleuit et hunc Martem credidit esse suum Eripuit digitis gemmas colloque monile Mars iterum nunquam ceu placitura foret Mortuus humana qui lusit imagine Diuam Quid faceret iam si viueret ille rogo In English When Venus sad saw Philip Sidney slaine She wept supposing Mars that he had bin From fingers Rings and from her necke the chaine She pluckt away as if Mars nere againe She ment to please In that forme he was in Dead and yet could a Goddesse thus beguile What had he done if he had liu'd this while Tunbridge In this ruinous Church which like the Caâ—tle carries with it a shew of venerable antiquitie I finde no funerall Monument of elder times remarkable in the north window onely are depicted the pourtraitures of the Lord Hugh Stafford kneeling in his coate-armour and his Bow-bearer Thomas Bradlaine by him with this inscription Orate pro animabus Domini Hugonis Stafford et Thome Bradlaine Arcuar .... This Hugh Lord Stafford afterwards Earle of Buckingham was Lord of this Mannor of Tunbridge by his grandmother Margaret the onely daughter and heire of Sir Hugh Audley Earle of Glocester of whom hereafter when I come to Stone in Staffordshire the place of his buriall Neare to the ruinous walls of the Castâ—â—â—stood a Priory pleasantly seated which in the shipwracke of such religious structures was dasht all a peeces founded by Richard de Clare Earle of Gloucester about the yeare 1241. for Canons of Saint Augustines order and consecrated to S. Mary Magdalen Which Priory was valued by the Commissioners at the suppression to be yearely worth 169. l. 10. s. 3. d. This Richard the founder dyed at Emmersfield in the Mannor-house of Iohn Lord Crioil here in Kent 14. Iulij Ann. 1262. his bowels were buried at Canterbury his body at Tewxbury and his heart here in his owne Church at Tunbridge Hee was Vir nobilis et omni laude dignus To whose euerlasting praise this Epitaph was composed Hic pudor Hippoliti Paridis gena sensus Vlissis Aeneae pietas Hectoris ira iacet Chaste Hippolite and Paris faire Vlisses wise and slie Aeneas kinde fierce Hector here ioyntly entombed lye Here sometime lay entombed the bodies of Hugh de Audley second sonne of Nicholas Lord Audley of Hâ—leigh Castle in the County of Stafford who was created Earle of Gloucester by king Edward the third and by the marriage of Margaret second daughter of Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester surnamed the red and sister and coheire to Gilbert the last Earle of that surname Lord of Tunbridge This Hugh dyed the tenth of Nouember 1347. Ann. 21. Ed. 3. I finde little of him remarkable saue his good fortunes being a younger brother to marry so great an inheritrix and to be exalted to such titles of honour His wife Margaret first married to Pierce Gaueston Earle of Cornwall dyed before him in the yeare of our Lord 1342. the 13. day of Aprill They were both together sumptuously entombed by Margaret their daughter the onely heire of her parents wife to Raph de Stafford Earle of Stafford The said Raph de Stafford and Margaret his wife were here likewise entombed at the feet of their father and
in hac ipsa Ecclesia archa marmorea que ad nostra vsque tempora permanet sepultus est Idem Erconwaldus celeberrimum hoc S. Pauli templum nouis edificijs auxit prouentibus locupletauit et eidem immunitates nonnullas à Regibus impetrauit Tandem circiter annum Domini 685. spiritum Deo reddidit postquam annis vndecim in pontificatu sedisset Et magnifico sepulchro hic conditus est quod nostra memoria circiter annum Domini 1533. hoc loco visebatur This carefull holy Bishop Erconwald not onely bestowed great paines and charges vpon the beautifying and enlarging his Church with faire new buildings which he enricht with more ample reuenues and many immunities obtained from diuers kings and Princes but also procured from Pope Agatho the first sundry important priuiledges for the good of his Canons Habetur ergo Erkenwaldus saith Malmesbury Londonie maxime sanctus pro exauditionis celeritate fauorem Canonicorum nonnihil emeritus Venerable Bede and the Annals of this Church from whom the most of this Inscription is borrowed do attribute many miracles to the holinesse of this man in regard of which he was canonized and his Reliques translated Anno salutis millesimo centesimo quadragesimo and the fourteenth day of Nouember appointed to be kept sacred to his memory As in our Kalender may be seene Hic iacet Eustachius de Fauconberg quondam Episcopus huius Ecclesie qui multa bona contulit ministris Ecclesie S. Pauli This Bishop as appeares by an Inscription annexed to his Tombe had beene one of the Kings Iustices Lord Treasurer of England and twice Embassadour into France And dyed Octob. 31. 1228. hauing gouerned this See seuen yeares and sixe moneths Of whom I haue read this Epitaph in an old Manuscript Hic iacet Eustachius redolens vt Asyria nardus Virtutum multis floribus meritis Vir fuit hic magnus Episcopus ..... vt Agnus Vita conspicuus dogmate precipuus Pro quo qui transis supplex orare memor sis Vt sit ei saties alma Dei facies The like Inscription and Table is to the memory of Henry de Wingham so named of Wingham in Kent the place of his birth he had been Chamberlaine of Gascoigne Deane of Totenhall and Saint Martins twice Embassadour into France and Lord Chancellour of England Rex enim de fidelitate Domini Henrici de Vuengham experta confisus qui clericus eius et consiliarius extitisset specialis commisit eidem custodiam Sigilli He enioyed this Bishopricke but a short time being taken away by death Iuly 13. 1262. as appeares by this Epitaph De Wengham natus Henricus ad astra leuatus Hic nece prostratus iacet anno Pontificatus Ter vix Domini Mil. Sexagint bis que bis C. Huic sis saluamen Deus O te deprecor Amen Hic requiescit in Domino Rogerus cognomento Niger quondam Canonicus huius Ecclesie S. Pauli ac deinde in Londinens Episcopum consecratus Anno salutis 1228. vir in literatura profundus moribus honestus ac per omnia laudabilis Christiane Religionis amator ac defensor strenuus Qui cum pastorale officium vigilanter studiose rexisset Annis 14. diem suum clausit extremum apud Manerium suum de Stebunheath 3. Calend. Octob. Ann. Christi 1241. regnante Rege Hen. 3. Contigit his diebus dum Episcopus iste Rogerus in hac Ecclesia ante maius Altare staret infulatus ad celebrandum diuina quod tanta in aere facta est nubium densitas vt vix alterum discernere possit quam confestim sequnta est Tonitrui horribilis concussio cum tanta fulminis coruscatione ac fetore intollerabili vt omnes qui aderant rapide fugientes nihil verius quam mortem expectarent Solus Episcopus cum vno Diacono remansit intrepidus Aere tandem purgato Episcopus residuum rei Diuine expleuit You may reade more of him in Mathew Paris how stoutly hee withstood the Popes Nuntio comming here into England with a proling deuise to scrape vp money for his Master How this good Bishop cried out vpon the vnreasonable and shamelesse couetousnesse of the Court of Rome and how hee was the onely meanes of staying the course of such grieuous exactions There you may also reade the fearfull story of this Cymerian darknesse and horrible thunderclap which happened vpon the day of S. Pauls conuersion in this Cathedrall Church the Bishop being then at Masse Many miracles saith the same Author were wrought at his Tombe But let vs heare his Epitaph Ecclesie quondam Presul presentis in anno M. bis C. quater X. iacet hic Rogerus humatus Huius erat manibus Domino locus iste dicatus Christe suis precibus veniam des tolle reatus It was this Bishop Roger who excommunicated the Caursini a dangerous stout attempt in those dayes called the Popes Merchants but they were indeed most execrable Romane Vsurers who had entangled the king himselfe most of the Nobilitie and all others that had to do with the Court of Rome in their cunning snares They were called Caursini saith Paris quasi capientes vrsi deuouring Beares Orate pro anima Roberti Brabroke ..... quondam Episcopi huius Ecclesie cuius corpus hic tumulatur qui obijt 27. Augusti 1405. cum sedisset Ann. 20. This Bishop was aduanced to the honour of being Lord Chancellour vpon Saint Mathewes Eue in the sixth yeare of king Richard the second which office he enioyed no longer then the March following vpon some disagreement betwixt him and Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Of which you may reade more at large in Tho. Walsingham Hist. Angl. Here lieth interred the body of Robert Fitz-Hugh Bishop of London Doctor of Law and sometimes Archdeacon of Northampton who had beene twice Embassadour once into Germany and another time to Rome Hee was elected Bishop of Ely but died before his intended translation could be perfected Septemb. 22. Ann. 1435. To which effect thus speakes his Epitaph Nobilis Antistes Robertus Londoniensis Filius Hugonis his requiescit honor Doctorum flos Pontificij quem contulit Ely Rome Basilie Regia facta refert Plangite eum Rex grex tria natio tota Extera gens si qua nouerat vlla pium Gemma pudicitie spectrum bonitatis honoris Famaque Iusticie formula iuris erat Mors violenta rapit viuentem vnde cui mors Extitit et moritur vita beata tulit Mille quadragentis triginta quinque sub annis In festo Mauri celica regna petit Infra capellam istam requiescit corpus Domini Thome Kemp quondam Episcopi London fundatoris eiusdem et vnius Cantarie perpetue in eadem qui multa bona tempore vite sue Ecclesie Sancti Pauli et stetit 39. annis 84. diebus Episcopus London ac obijt 28. die mens Martij Ann. Dom. 1489. Cuius anime propitietur Deus
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
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
holy Saints the reliques of blessed Martyrs and the very places of their martyrdome did kindle in times past no small heate of diuine charitie in the mindes of our first Christian Saxon Kings which made Offa the glorious King of the Mercians to recall himselfe from the trace of bloudy warres in great deuotion to goe to Rome and to obtaine of Pope Adrian the first the canonyzation of this martyr Alban in honour of whom the first to our Lord Iesus Christ he founded this monastery about the yeere 795. the Church whereof still remaineth which for bignesse beautie and antiquity is to be had in admiration in the very place where the foresaid Alban suffered his martyrdome He endowed this his gâ—odly fabricke with sufficient reuenues for the maintenance of one hundred blacke Monkes Benedictins and caused the reliques of his new Saint to be taken vp and put in a shrine adorned with gold and pretious stones of inestimable value which was further enriched by his sonne Egfrid and many other succeeding Kings and Princes but now at this day nothing is remaining of this rich Shrine saue a marble stone to couer his sacred Ashes ouer against which on the wall these verses are lately depicted onely to tell vs that such a man there was to whose memory a Shrine was erected Renowned Alban knight first Martyr of this land By Dioclesian lost his life through bloudy hand Who made him soueraigne Lord high Steward of this Isle And Prince of Britaine knights to dignifie his stile He veritie embrac't and Verulam forsooke And in this very place his martyrdome he tooke Now hath he his reward he liues with Christ aboue For he aboue all things Christ and his truth did loue Here Offa Mercians King did Albans bones enshrine So all things were dispos'd by prouidence diuine Nought but this marble stone of Albans Shrine is left The worke of all forme else hath changing time bereft I haue read in an old Mss. in Sir Robert Cottons Librarie that this following was anciently the Inscription vpon his Shrine Here lieth interred the body of Saint Alban a Citizen of old Verulam of whom this towne tooke denomination and from the ruines of which Citie this Towne did arise He was the first Martyr of England and suffered his martyrdome the xx day of Iune in the yeare of mans redemption 293. Vnder a curious and costly funerall monument here in the Quire lyeth interred the body of Vmfrey Plantaginet surnamed the Good fourth sonne of King Henry the fourth By the grace of God for so begins his stile by Charter sonne brother and vncle of Kings Duke of Glocester Earle of Henault Holland Zeland and Pembroke Lord of Friseland great Chamberlaine of England Protector and defender of the Church and kingdome of England Thus great thus glorious by birth creation and marriage was hee in his honourable titles and Princely attributes but farre more great and illustrious in his vertuous endowments and inward qualities But in his praise may it please you reade learned Clarentieux in his tract of Suffolke where he writes of the Abbey of Bury these are his words That father of his countrey Vmfrey Duke of Glocester a due obseruer of Iustice and one who had furnished his noble wit with the better and deeper kinde of Studies after he had vnder King Henry the sixth gouerned the kingdome fiue and twenty yeares with great commendations so that neither good men had cause to complaine of nor enuill to finde fault with was here in Saint Sauiours Hospitall brought to his 〈◊〉 by the spightfull enuie of Margaret of Lorain who was wife to Henâ—â— the â—ixâ—h his Nephew But his death was the stroke of an euill Angell 〈…〉 ent to punish England and to roote out all her Nobles Fidior in regno regi duce non â—uit isâ—o Plusue fide stabilis aut maior amator honoris Saith the Abbot of this house Io. Whethamsted yet for all this was he arrested of high Treason in the yeare 1446. and within few dayes after strangled to death without any triall Some say he died for sorrow because hee might not come to his answer Hee built the Diuinitie Schoole in Oxford and was an especiall benefactour to this Abbey Here is an Epitaph pensild on the wall neare to his Tombe to the same effect with an Item of the miracle which he wrought vpon the blinde imposture The story is frequent Hic iacet Vmphredus Duxille Glocestrius olim Henrici Regis Protector fraudis ineptae Detector dum ficta notat miracula caeci Lumen erat Patriae columen venerabile Regni Pacis amans Musisque fauens melioribus vnde Gratum opus Oxonio quae nunc scola sacra refulget Invida sed mulier regno Regi sibi nequam Abstulit hunc humili vix hoc dignata Sepulchro Invidia rumpente tamen post funera viuit Vnder a large marble stone thus inscribed lieth Iohn Stoke an Abbot of This Church Hic iacet oblitus Stoke stans velut ardua quercus Semper in adversis perstitit intrepidus Wallingford Prior hic gregis huius pastor Abbas Donet ei requiem celsa dei pietas Celica regna bone mihi dentur queso Patrone Penas compesse requiem da virgula Iesse Me precor Amphibale soluens ad sidera sume This Abbot as it is in this Epitaph and in the golden Register of this house was a stout defender of the lands and liberties of his Church hee adorned Duke Vmfreys Tombe hee gaue money by his Will to make a new bell which after his owne name was called Iohn and also to new glase the Cloisters Sibi igitur saith the booke ea sit merces que dari solet illis qui ad honorem sue Ecclesie laudabilia student opera in temporibus suis. Vir crucis Christi tumulo iacet inclitus isti Carcere de tristi saluetur sanguine Christi Armacrucis sumpsit intrando Religionem Mundum contempsit propter celi regionem Hic studuit claustri Pondus sufferre laboris In stadio studij brauium percepit honoris Flatus fortune grandes patiens tolerabat Gaudia tristitia equalilance librabat Nil aduersa timens nec multum prospera curans Se medio tenuit per ferrea tempora durans Omni gestura constans nil triste timebat Omni pressura Christo laudes referebat Armis Iustitie cinctus deitatis amore Hostibus Ecclesie restitit in facie Ad tumulum Proceres mors impia transferet omnes Vt puerilis amor defluit omnis honor I finde this Inscription following vpon a faire marble vnder the pourtraiture of one of the Abbots who modestly thus suppresseth his name Hic quidem terra tegitur Peccato soluens debitum Cuius nomen non impositum In libro vitae sit inscriptum Hic iacet Dominus Michael quondam Abbas huius Monasterij Bachalaureus in Theol. qui obiit pridie Idus Aprilis Ann. M.ccc xlii Michael Abbas
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
discourse in that exquisite History of Henry the seuenth penned by that learned and iudicious Statesman Sir Francis Bacon Viscount Saint Alban lately deceased The last Earle that I finde to be here entombed of ancient times is Iohn de Vere the fourth of that christian name Earle of Oxford Lord Bulbeck Samford and Scales Lord great Chamberlaine of England and Knight of the Garter he was commonly called little Iohn of Campes Castle Campes in Cambridgeshire being the ancient seate of the Veres where this Earle vsed much to reside He married Anne daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke and died without issue the 14 of July 1526. I finde in a booke of Dunmow in bib Cot. that Maud the wife of Iohn de Vere the seuenth Earle of Oxford lyeth here intombed shee was the daughter of Bartholomew Lord Badelismere Baron of Leedes in Kent and one of the heires of Giles Lord Badelismere her brother She was first married to Robert sonne of Robert Fitz-Paine She outliued her later husband some few yeares and died the 24. of May 1365. ... Coggeshall ....... Coggeshale ...... mil. .... M. ccc ..... For which of the name this broken inscription should be engrauen I cannot learne but I finde that these Coggeshals in foregoing ages were Gentlemen of exemplarie regard and knightly degree whose ancient habitation was in this Towne one of which familie was knighted by King Edward the third the same day that hee created Edward his eldest sonne Earle of Chester and Duke of Cornwall Anno 1336. Hic iacet Thomas Paycocke quondam Carnifex de Coggeshal qui obijt 21 Maij 1461. et Christiana vxor eius quorum animabus Prey for the sowl of Robert Paycock of Coggeshale cloth-maker for Elizabeth and Ioan his wyfs who died 21. Octob. 1520. on whos soul. Here lyeth Thomas Paycock cloth-worker Margaret and Ann his wyfs which Tho. died the 4. of September 1518. Orate pro anima Iohannis Paycock et Iohanne vxoris eius qui quidem Iohannes obijt 2 Aprilis 1533. The Creede in Latine is all curiously inlaid with brasse round about the Tombestone Credo in Deum patrem c. Orate pro animabus Iohannis Kebulet Isabelle et Iohanne vx eius Quorum c. About the verge of the stone in brasse a Pater noster inlaid Pater Noster qui es in celis sanctificetur nomen tuum and so to the end of the praier Vpon the middest of the marble this Aue Maria. Aue Maria gratia plena Dominus tecum Benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus sit fructus ventris tui Iesus Amen I haue not seene such rich monuments for so meane persons Orate pro anima Gulielmi Goldwyre et Isabelle et Christiane vxorum qui quidem Gulielmus obijt ... 1514. Mary Moder mayden clere Prey for me William Goldwyre And for me Isabel his wyf Lady for thy Ioyes fyf Hav mercy on Christian his second wyf Swete Iesu for thy wowndys fyf Here in this towne of Cogshal was sometime an Abbey built and endowed by King Stephen and Maud his Queene in the yeare 1140. the fift of his raigne according to the booke of Saint Austins in Canterbury Anno M. c. xl facta est Abbathia de Cogeshal a Rege Stephano et Matilde Regina qui primo fundauerunt Abbathiam de Furnesse Abbatiam de Longeleyrs et postea Abbathiam de Feuersham c. this house was dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary wherein were placed white Monkes â—luniackes the reuenues of which were valued to be yearely worth 298. l. 8. s. it was surrendred the 18. of March 29. Hen. 8. Adioyning to the Rode called Coccill-way which to this towne leadeth was lately found an arched Vault of bricke and therein a burning lampe of glasse couered with a Romane Tyle some 14 inches square and one Vrne with ashes and bones besides two sacrificing dishes of smooth and pollished red earth hauing the bottome of one of them with faire Romane letters inscribed COCCILLI M I may probably coniecture this to haue beene the sepulchrall monument of the Lord of this towne who liued about the time of Antoninus Pius as by the coyne there likewise found appeareth the affinitie betweene his and the now townes name being almost one and the same These remaine in the custody of that iudicious great Statesman Sir Richard Weston Knight Baron Weston of Nealand Lord Treasurer of England and of the most honourable Order of the Garter companion Who for his approued vertues and industrie both vnder father and sonne doth to the publique good fully answere the place and dignity Before these times in a place called Westfield three quarters of a mile distant from this towne and belonging to the Abbey there was found by touching of a plough a great brasen pot The ploughmen supposing to haue beene hid treasure sent for the Abbot of Cogeshall to see the taking vp of it and he going thither met with Sir Clement Harleston and desired him also to accompany him thither The mouth of the pot was closed with a white substance like past or clay as hard as burned bricke when that by force was remoued there was found within it another pot but that was of earth that being opened there was found in it a lesser pot of earth of the quantity of a gallon couered with a matter like Veluet and fastened at the mouth with a silke lace in it they found some whole bones and many pieces of small bones wrapped vp in fine silke of fresh colour which the Abbot tooke for the reliques of some Saints and laid vp in his Vestuary Bocking Dorewards So denominated of the Dorewardes sometimes Lords of this towne and Patrons of this fat Parsonage which is xxxv l x. s. in the Kings bookes as I am perswaded by relation and these Inscriptions vpon ancient Tombes Hic iacet Iohannes Doreward Armig. filius Willelmi Doreward mil .... qui obijt .... 1420. et Isabella vxor eius .... Hic iacet Iohannes Doreward Armiger qui obiit xxx die Ianuar. Anno Dom. Mil. cccc lxv et Blancha vxor eius que obiit ... die mens .... An Dom. Mil. cccc lx quorum animabus propitietur dens Amen Clauiger Ethereus nobis sis Ianitor almus Haulsteed The Lordship of Stansteed within this Parish was the ancient inheritance of the noble family of the Bourchiers in which they had a mansion house many of which surname lie here entombed to continue whose remembrance in the south side of the Quire is a Chappell which to this day is called Bowsers Chappell wherein they lie interred the inscriptions which were vpon their monuments are quite gone this one following excepted Hic iacet Bartholomeus quondam Dominus de Bourgchier qui obiit viii die mens Maii Anno Dom. M. cccc.ix et Margereta Sutton ac Idonea Louey vxores eius Quorum animabus propitietur Deu S. Amen Vnder another of these monuments lieth the
vestimentorum asperitate disciplinarum que assiduitate corpus suum extenuauit vt fere simul cum Iob sanctissimo pelli sue consumptis carnibus os suum adhereret Et hec talis tantaque sublata est et hec omnia simul Migrauit autem ad illum qui sibi fructuum decimas persolui voluit qui etiam Decalogum constituit mandatorum Miseremini igitur nostri miseremini nostri saltem vos amici nostri et vobis miseris compatiamini fluentes lacrimas per orationum suffragia desiccantes quia pium est saluberrimum pro defunctis exorare vt à peccatis solvantur Subuenite igitur benigni Monachi subuenite venerabiles Canonici vos sancte virgines in conspectu Altissimi preces bostias offerentes vt ipsius pie misercatur qui abstergit omnem lacrimam ab oculis Sanctorum quatenus que ei macule de terrenis contagijs adheserunt remissionis eius remedio deleantur Amen To this Supplication the religious of all houses answer in this forme Titulus Ecclesie Apostolorum Petri Pauli sancte Osithe Virginis Matris de Chich. Anima Domine Lucie Priorisse de Hengeham et anime omnium sidelium defunctorum per Dei miserecordiam requiescant in pace Amen Concedimus ei commune beneficium Ecclesie nostre Oranimus pro vestris orate pro nostris Some againe do answer thus Preter autem commune beneficium et orationes communes Ecclesie nostre concedimus ei ab vnoquoque Sacerdote vnam Missam inferioris ordinis vnum Psalterium et diem ipsius obitus in Martyrilogio nostro annotari fecimus All concluding euer with Oranimus pro vestris orate pro nostris Vnder the picture of the Crucifix the blessed Virgine and vpon her portraiture drawne vpon her Tombe these nicking nice allusiue verses were cut and engrauen Crux bona crux digna lignum super omnia ligna Me tibi consigna redimens a peste maligna Stella Maris candoris ebur speculum Paradysi Fons venie vite ianua Virgo vale Hec Virgo vite mitis super astra locatur Et sic Lucie lux sine fine datur Transijt ad superos venerabilis hec Monialis Vix succedit ei virtutum munere talis Luci lucie prece lux mediente Marie Luceat eterna quia floruit vt rosa verna Ad lucem Lucia venit sine fine manentem Et sic quem coluit patrem videt omnipotentem Tres tibi gemmate lucent Lucia coronâ— Insuper aurate dic lector qua rationâ— Mater virgo tamen Martir fuit ergo inu Amen Cernat ad examen districti Iudicis Amen Subueniant anime Lucie celica queque Ad quorum laudes dapsilis vrna fâ—it Sible Heueningham In this Parish Church sometime stood a Tombe arched ouer and engrauen to the likenesse of Hawkes flying in a wood which was raised to the remembrance of Sir Iohn Hawkewood knight borne in this village the sonne of Gilbert Hawkewood Tanner bound an apprentice to a Tailor in the Citie of London from whence he was prest in the seruice of King Edward the third in the warres of France Of whom for his admired valour he was honoured with the order of knighthood and in the like regard of his notable demerits Barnabie the warlicke brother of Galeasius Lord of Millaine father to Iohn the first Duke of Millaine gaue him his daughter Domnia in marriage by whom he had a sonne named Iohn borne in Italie made knight and naturalized in the seuenth yeare of King Hon. the fourth as I haue it out of a Manuscript in these words Iohannes silius Iohannis Haukewood Miles natus in partibus Italie factus indigena Ann. viii Hen. iiij mater eius nata in partibus transmarinis The Florentines in testimony of his surpassing valour and singular faithfull seruice to their state adorned him with the statue of a man of armes and a sumptuous Monument wherein his ashes remaine honoured at this present day The Italian writers both Historians and Poets resound his worthie acts with full mouth But for my part to vse M. Camdens words it may suffice to adde vnto the rest these foure verses of Iulius Feroldus Hawkwood Anglorum decus et decus addite genti Italicae Italico praesidiumque solo Vt tumuli quondam Florentia sic simulacri Virtutem Iouius donat honore tuam The glorie prime of Englishmen then of Italians bold O Hawkwood and to Italie a sure defensiue hold Thy vertue Florence honored sometime with costly Graue And Iouius adornes the same now with a Statue braue He died an aged man in the yeare of our redemption 1394. and in the eighteenth of King Richard the second His friends here in England who erected for him the foresaid Monument in this Church which were Robert Rokeden senior Robert Rokeden iunior and Iohn Coe founded here also for him a Chantrie and another in the Priorie of Heningham Castle to pray for his soule and the soules of Iohn Oliuer and Thomas Newenton Esquires his militarie companions Chesterford Here ly the bodyes of William Holden and Agnes his wyf whych William dyed ... 1532. on whos sowlys and al Christian sowlys ... Here ly William Holden and Katherin his wyf ...... 1524. This familie as I was told is now extinct here is an old ruinous house still remaining called Holdens Saffron Walden So called of the great plentie of Saffron growing in the fields round about the Towne a commoditie brought into England in the time of King Edward the third But I digresse and am quite off my Subiect being out of the Parish Church wherein Sir Thomas Audley knight of the Garter Baron Audley of this Towne sometime Sergeant at Law Attourney of the Duchie of Lancaster and Lord Chancellour of England lieth entombed with this seeli Epitaph The stroke of deaths ineuitable dart Hath now alas of life bereft the hart Of Sir Thomas Audley of the Garter knight Later Chancellor of England vnder our Prince of might Henry the eight worthie of high renowne And made by him Lord Audley of this Towne Obijt vltimo Aprilu Ann. Dom. 1544. Henrici 36. Cancelleriatus sui 13. aetatis 56. Haue mercy good Lord on the soul of Thomas Holden That hit may rest wyth God good neyghbors say Amen He gave the new Organs wheron hys name is set For bycause only yee shold not hym forget In yowr good preyers to God he took hys wey On thowsand fyve hundryd and eleuin in Nouembyr the fourth dey Hic iacet his stratus West Matheus tumulatus Qui fuit hic gratus vicarius ciueque natus M. Dominiter C .... terris sit remeatus Huic ...... existit propiciatus Of yowr cherite prey for the soulys of Ion Nichols Alys Ione Alys and Ione his wyfs Iohannes Pater Noster miserere nobis Alisia Fili redemptor mundi miserere nobis Ioanna Spiritus sancte miserere nobis Alisia Sancta
husband Eleanor the second wife of the foresaid Sir Iohn Wriothesley Here lieth buried Ioan wyfe to Thomas Wriothesley sonne to the said Sir Iohn Wriothesley Here lyeth Iohn Wriothesley the younger sonne to Sir Iohn Wriothesly and Eleanor with others of that familie mentioned by Stow in his Suruay of London This Church is likewise much honoured by the Sepultures of Sir Henry Grey knight sonne and heire to George Grey Earle of Kent as also by Reginald Grey Earle of Kent Of which their Funeralls being so neare these times in another place S. Benet Pauls Wharfe In this Church lie entombed the bodyes of Sir William Cheyney knight and Dame Margaret his wife which Sir William Cheyney deceased Ann. 1422. In this Parish and partly as I take it in Saint Peters the little is a faire house sometime belonging to the Stanleys vpon the outward wall whereof are embossed the Armes or rather if you will the legges of the Isle of Man for that the Stanleys honoured with the title of Earles of Darby were commonly called Kings of Man This house was built by Thomas Stanley first of that sirname Earle of Darby and so for a long time it was called Darbie House but at length it being in the tenure of Sir Richard Sackuile knight fallen by morgage vnto him for which morgage Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke out of his affection to the office of Armes satisfied the said Sir Richard who thereupon past it ouer to Q. Mary and at the instant request of the said Duke she by her Charter granted it to Sir Gilbert Dethicke as then Garter principall King of Armes who lieth buried in this Church Thomas Hauley Clarencieux king of Armes of the south parts William Haruey Norroy king of Armes of the north parts and to the other Heralds and Pursuiuants of Armes expressing their titles and order qui pro tempore fuerint in perpetuum vt essent vnum corpus corporatum in re facto nomine habeantque successionem perpetuam nec non quoddam sigillum commune To the end that the said King of Armes Heralds and Pursuiuants of Armes and their successors might at their liking dwell together and at conuenient times meete together speake conferre and agree among themselues for the good gouernement of their faculty and their Records might be more safely kept c. Dated the 18. day of Iuly 1555. Philip and Mary the first and third yeare This Corporation consists of thirteene in number whose names and titles at this time viz. Anno 1631. are as followeth Sir William Segar Knight Garter Principall King of Armes Sir Richard S. George Knight Clarencieux Sir Iohn Borough Knight Norroy Prouinciall Kings William Penson Lancaster Sir Henry S. George Knight Richmond Henry Chitting Chester Iohn Philipot Somerset William le Neue Yorke Iohn Bradshaw Windsore Heralds These sixe Heralds non ab Officiorum praestantia sed è creationis cuiusque antiquitate locos obtinet not from the excellencie of their office but according to the prioritie of their creation take preheminence And to make vp the number there are foure Pursuiuants in this Colledge helpers and furtherers likewise in matters of Heraldry although of an inferiour Classe viz. Rouge-crosse so called of the red crosse by which Saint George the Tutelar Saint of all Englishmen is famozed Blewmantle so called of a skie-coloured coate of Armes Francica maiestatis of a French-like Maiesty assumed by K. Edward the third Rouge-Dragon of a red Dragon sustaining the Shield Roiall of the English instituted by King Henry the seuenth Port cullis of the Port cullis which the said Henry the seuenth vsed in his Cognisance If you would know more of this Colledge may it please you peruse Sir Henry Spilmans Glossarie litera H. Saint Michaels Querne Here lieth interred the body of Iohn Leland or Leyland Natiue of this honourable Citie of London brought vp in the Vniuersities of England and France where he greatly profited in all good learning and languages Keeper of the Libraries he was to King Henry the Eight in which Office he chiefly applied himselfe to the study of Antiquities wherein he was so laborious and exquisite that few or none either before or since may bee with him compared which will best appeare by his New yeares gift to the said King Henry written in Latine and translated into English by his contemporarie companion Iohn Bale and by him intituled The loboryouse Iourney and serche of Iohan Leylande for Englandes Antiquitees giuen of him as a New yeares gift to Kynge Henry the Eyghte in the thirty seuenth yeere of his Reygne Vbi tuae celsit udini visum fuit c. so it begins in Latine Where as it pleased youre hyghnesse vpon very iust consideratyons to encourage mee by the authoryte of youre moste graciouse Commyssion to peruse and dyligently to serche all the Libraries of Monasteries and Collegies of this youre noble Realme to the entent that the Monuments of auncyent Wryters as well of other Nacyons as of your owne Prouynce myghte be brought out of deadly darkenesse to lyuely lyght and to receiue lyke thankes of their posteryte as they hoped for at such time as they employed their long and great studies to the publique wealthe Yea and furthermore that the holy scripture of God might both be sincerely taught and learned all maner of supersticion and crafty coloured doctrine of a rowte of romane Bishops totally expelled oute of this your most Catholique realme I thinke it now no lesse than my very dewtie breuely to declare to your Maiestie what frutes haue spronge of my laboriouse iourney and costly enterprise both roted vpon your infinite goodnesse and liberalite qualitees right highly to be estemed in al Princes and most specially in yow as naturally your owne wele knowne proprietes First I haue conserued many good authors the which otherwise had ben like to haue perished to no small incommodite of good letters Of the which parte remaine in the most magnificent libraries of your royall Palaces Part also remaine in my custodie whereby I trust right shortly so to describe your most noble Realme and to publish the Maiestie of the excellent actes of youre progenitors hitherto sore obscured bothe for lacke of emprinting of such workes as lay secretly in corners And also because men of eloquence hath not enterprised to set them forth in a florishing stile in some times past not commonly vsed in England of Writers otherwise wele learned and now in such estimacion that except truth be delicately clothed in purpure her written veritees can scant finde a Reader That all the world shall euidently perceiue that no particular region may iustly be more extolled than yours for true nobilitie and vertues at all points renoumed Farther more part of the exemplaries curiously sought by me and fortunately found in sundry places of this your dominion hath bene emprinted in Germany and now be in the presses chefely
to reestablish that holy and yet vnfortunate King Henry the sixt in his regall authoritie In this battaile vpon King Edwards part were slaine Humfrey Bourchier Lord Cromwell Henry Bourchier sonne and heire to the Lord Barners both buried at Westminster In the quarrell of King Henry were slaine the foresaid Richard Neuill Earle of Warwicke and Iohn Neuill Marquesse Montacute his brother both buried at Bisham Abbey in Barkeshire the bodies of many others of the Nobilitie and Gentrie on both parties which perished in this vnnaturall conflict had Christian buriall in the Frier Augustines Church London The common Souldiers as also many Commanders were buried vpon the same Plaine where the foresaid battaile was strucken to whose memory a Chappell was built vpon the said Plaine and a Priest appointed to say Masse for their soules as the doctrine went in those daies Vpon both sides of common Souldiers there died that holy Easter day as then the 14. of Aprill saith Ed. Hall ten thousand foure thousand saith Io. Stow and Rob. Fabian saith farre lesse fifteene hundred so vncertaine as I haue said before is the number of the dead slaine in battaile Howsoeuer a part onely of Hertfordshire is comprised within this Diocesse yet giue me leaue to say somewhat in this place of the whole County A rich Countrie saith Clarencieux in corne Fields Pastures Medowes Woods Groues and cleere riuerets And for ancient townes it may contend with the neighbours euen for the best For there is scarcely another in all England that can shew more good townes in so small a compasse the whole circumference of the Shire being but about an hundred and thirtie miles In this County and in the towne of S. Albans two mortall and bloudy battels of Englands ciuill dissentions haue beene fought The first whereof chanced the 24. of May Anno 1455. by Richard Duke of Yorke with his associates the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury and Lords of Fawconbridge and Cobham against King Henry the sixt In whose defence Edmund Duke of Somerset Henry Earle of Northumberland and Iohn Lord Clifford with fiue thousand more lost their liues the King himselfe was wounded in the necke with an arrow the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Sudley in their faces Humfrey Earle Stafford in his right hand and the Earle Dorset almost slaine On the Dukes part onely sixe hundred were slaine Of which battell and of the timerous flight of the Souldiers on the Kings partie the learned Abbot of Saint Albans Iohn Wheathamstead who liued in those daies writes thus Marcia splendiferum regerent cum sydera celum Aspicerentque feros toruis aspectibus Anglâ—s Albani Villam tranquilla pace vigentem Fedarunt multo violenter sanguine fuso Rex aderat presens secumque cohors satis ingent De Dominis Regni contrarius hijs Eboraci Dux que duo comites Warwici et Sarsburiensis Venerunt media fit grandis pugna platea In qua corruerant qui nobilitate vigebant De patria Boree comes insignis Dominusque Corruit ac ipse qui belli causa fuisse Fertur Dux magnus de Somercethe vocitatus Ac alij plures satis asperasors fuit ipsis Multi fugerunt aliter se non properarunt Quin faciunt trepide visum fugiendo Columbe Insultum ve Canis Damus Lepus ac fera queuis Dum fugiunt nemora pecierunt siue Frutecta In quibus vt pueri virgam metuendo magistri Se pudet id ferre vecorditer occoluere Qui fuerant nostra proprius penetralia tecta Ad nos fugerunt sub Stallis et latuerunt Aut infra latebras timor ingens duxerat ipsos Sic imbecillis tergum dedit hostibus hostis Non sine dedecore nec nominis absque rubore Mors est non vita sub turpi viuere fama Et patet in paucis sors belli que fuit huius Qualis euentus Domini Ducis et comitatus Ter deno trino Domini Regis fuit anno Henrici sexti facies hec obuia celi In Maio mense bis dena bis quoque luce M. semel x quino C quater fuit I quoque quino In Maio mense bis dena bis quoque luce Hic strages procerum conflatus hic populorum The second battell fought in this towne of Saint Albans was by Queene Margaret against the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke the Earles of Warwicke and Arundell that by force kept with them the King her husband with whom by constraint he held and on their side fought vntill the field was lost and Lords fled when with great ioy he was receiued by his Queene and yong sonne Prince Edward This battell sell the 17. of February being Shrouesunday Of this towne and of these two battels thus Camden writes in a more succinct and serious stile As Antiquity consecrated this place saith he to be an Altar of Religion so Mars also may seeme to haue destined it for the very plot of bloudy battaile For to let other particulars goe by when England vnder the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke bereft as it were of vitall breath was ready through a ciuill warre to sinke downe and fall in a swoune the chiefe Captaines on both sides ioyned battaile twise with reciprocall varietie of fortune in the very towne First Richard Duke of Yorke gaue the Lancastrians here a sore ouerthrow tooke King Henry the sixt captiue and slew many honourable personages Foure yeares after the Lancastrians vnder the conduct of Queene Margaret wonne here the field put the house of Yorke to flight and restored the King to his former liberty The bodies of such of the Nobility and others of eminent ranke and qualitie which lost their liues in these mortall contentions were buried in the Abbey Church as I haue partly touched before in Saint Peters and in other religious Structures accordingly as they were befriended the common Souldiers were buried in Church-yards and vpon a little greene at the Townes end called No mans land which lies betwixt the two waies as I take it leading to Luton and Sandridge Nere vnto the roade high way saith Camden in this tract betweene Stenenhaugh and Knebworth the seat of the worshipfull house of the Littons descended from Litton in Darbishire I saw certaine round hils cast vp by mans hands such as the old Romans were wont to reare for Souldiâ—ers slaine in the wars of which the Captaine himselfe laid the first turse and now for Essex Essex is a country large in compasse the circumference thereof being one hundred forty sixe miles fruitfull of woods plentifull of Saffron and very wealthy A late writer hauing reckoned vp the commodities which this County doth affoard concludes on this manner If you esteeme not these as things aboue the ground Looke vnder where the Vrnes of ancient times are found The Roman Empâ—rours Coynes oft digd out of the dust And warlike weapons now consum'd with cankring rust And huge and massy bones of mighty fearefull
Orat ... Tho. Wyndham militis et Elisabethe vxoris eius ... vnus constabul ... Domini Regis Hen. 8. ac vn ... militum pro corpore ... This Knight with others went with Sir Edward Howard Admirall into Biâ—cay the fourth of King Henry the eight Here lieth Dame Elisabeth Calthrop wife of Sir Francis Calthrop and after of Iohn Culpeper Esquire ... Calâ—hrops sometime a familie of great account in these parts Here lieth buried the body of Ione the wise of Sir Thomas Erpingham Knight of the Garter as appeareth by her Will made by licence of her husband the last of May 1404 and proued 14 of Iuly next following Orate pro animabus Thome Windham militis Eleanore et domine Elisabethe vxorum eius Qui quidem Thomas fuit unus consiliariorum Domini Regis Heâ—rici octauâ— ac vnus militum pro corpore eiusdem Domini Regis 〈◊〉 non vice admirallus ........... ............... This Knight lieth buried in the Chapter house vnder a goodly faire monument if it were not so much defaced He receiued the order of knighthood from the hands of Sir Edward Howard Lord Admirall of England the fourth of King Henry the eight at Croiton Bay in France He did good seruice at the winning of Turney and Turwin as also in other places this hath beene a name of exemplarie note and knights degree at Cowtherke in this Tract for many descent Hic iacet Richardus Brome Armiger cuius anime propitietur Deus On the wall by him is a monument with his atchieuement cut with helme coate mantle and creast his Creast is a bonch of broome greene with golden flowers on a wreath Next him lies vnder an arched monument the body of one Bosuile or Boswell sometime Prior of this Church with this Inscription on the vpper part of the Arch. O tu qui transis vir aut mulier puer an sis Respice picturas apices lege cerne figuras Et memor esto tui sic bene disce mori Vnder it are three pictures of dead mens skuls one with teeth another without an vpper chappe and onely two teeth in the nether and the third without either chaps or teeth betweene each of which is written O morieris O morieris O morieris The Familie of Bosvile is very ancient farre branched and of knightly degree as it will appeare in many places of these my ensuing labours of which in this place and vpon this occasion I will onely giue a little touch In the Church of Seuenoke within the County of Kent remaine the achiuements and Funerall rights of Raphe Bosvile of Bradburne in the said Parish of Seuenok Esquire Clerk of her late Maiesties Court of Wards and Liueries Grandsier of Sir Raphe Bosvile now of Bradburne and Sir Henry Bosvile of Eynsford in the foresaid County Knights descended lineally from the Bosviles of Erdsley and Newhall in the County of Yorke The inhabitants of Seuenoke say that whilst the said Raph Boswell liued being employed vpon many occasions for the publique hee deserued and had the reputation of a most worthie Patriot and out of his particular to their Towne hee procured of Queene Elizabeth a Charter of Incorporation for the setling and gouernment of Lands formerly giuen for the maintenance of a Free-schoole and thirteene Almes-people in the said Parish For the more entire establishment whereof Sir Raph his Grand-childe cooperating with other noble friends in so charitable a suite obtained an Act of Parliament in the 39. of Queene Elizabeth besides other benefites procured by him in behalfe of this Corporation and Parish Whereupon a well wishing versifier alluding to the Creste of this Familie which is an Oxe comming out of a Groue of Oakes tooke occasion to expresse his affection in this Distich Dij tibi dent Bosville boues villasque Radulphe Nec Villâ careat Bosue vel Illa boùe Here lieth vnder a faire marble stone one of the ancient Familie of the Cleres and his wife as appeares by their Armes thereupon engrauen for the brasse is quite taken away Of which worthy Familie I speake hereafter Pray for the soule of Elisabeth Waters and Iohn Waters Alderman and for the soule of Iohn Waminge Alderman and Maior of Norwich and husbands vnto the said Elisabeth .... Vpon the wall of a Chappell next to the Chapter house this Inscription In honore beate Marie Virginis omnium Sanctorum Willelmus Beauchampe Capellam hanc ordinauit ex proprijs sumptibus construxit Herein he lies buried vnder the Arch in the wall richly gilt as also the roofe Orate pro anima Fratris Symonis Folkard nuper Prioris Lenne .... qui obijt ... M. ccccci Vnder a monument in the South Crosse Isle lieth one Baconthorp a Prior of this Church the Inscription is worne or torne out of the stone I will not say that this Prior was Iohn Baconthorp the Resolute Doctor who flourished in the raigne of King Edward the third For I finde that he was buried amongst the Carmelites at London howsoeuer he was borne at Blackney in this County brought vp at Oxford and Paris in France and so exceeding deeply learned he was as well in Diuinitie as in both the Ciuill and Canon Lawes that he proceeded Doctor in either faculty in both the said Vniuersities and got the surname Doctoris resoluti or Resolute or Resoluing Doctor Nemo doctius consundebat Iudaos nemo neruosius consutabat Turcos vel quoscunque infideles nemo falicius ex pugnabat haereticos nemo solidiùs Christi veritatem dilucidabat nemo manifestius Antichrists falsitatem imposturas detegebat suisque coloribus depingâ—bat nemo subtiliùs difficiles nodos soluebat nemo clariùs obscura sacrae scripturae loca explanabat sensus reconditos arcana mysteria dilucidius apperiebat No man more learnedly confounded the Iewes no man more pithilie confuted the Turkes or any other Infidels no man more prosperously conuinced the Heretickes no man more solidly declared the truth of Christ no man more manifestly discouered the deceits and iuglings of Antichrist nor so painted him out in his proper colours No man more subtilly resolued hard questions and neuer any man more clearly expounded explaned or laid more apertly open the hidden sense the secret mysteries and the obscure places of the sacred Scripture saith Pitseus He was like another Zacheus little of stature but immense in wit and vnderstanding insomuch as it was a wonder to know so many vertues inhabite together in so small a mansion He writ so many exact learned Volumes that his bodie could not beare what his wit brought forth Nam si moles librorum cius composita sarcina auctoris humeris imposita fuisset homulum sine dubio comprimere suffecisset For if the bulke or pile of the bookes which he writ had beene put into a bagge and laid vpon his shoulders questionlesse it would haue prest the slender short
and them in case the sâ—â—d kyng wold invade thys hys Realme whiche he dide in deede contrary to hys oth and promyse with the hoole power of the Realme of Scotlond Whiche when the seid Erle hard of he made as greatt haste towardis hym as he coude with the kyngs power of the North partys And toke hys lodgyng in the Campe or playn caâ—â—yd Wollar haugh in the Countie of Northumbrelond which was in the â—ight of the kyng of Scottis and of all hys army then â—ying on Floddon hyll a ground more lyke a campe or forteres than any meete ground to gyve batayle on contrary to hys promes made to Rogeâ—ras Purseuaunte at armys before sent vnto hym from the seid Erle with message that the said Erle with the Lord Howard then Admerall of Englond hys Son And the no 〈◊〉 men of the North partis with other the kyngs Subgettis of the same North partis was come thedir to represse and resiste hys Invasyons of hys souerayn Lordis Realme desyryng the said kyng of Scottis to gyve hym bataile which his message the same kyng of Scottis toke very thankfully and ioyusly promysyng hym to abide ther on the same grounde wher he than was whiche hys promys he brake as is aforesaid and tooke Floddon hilâ—ys a ground unprengnable and shot at hym hys great Ordenaunce where as he lay like one mynded to kepe it like a forteres And whan the said Erle dide perceyve that he had brokyn hys promys and takyn so stronge â— grounde as Floddon hillys he than the said Erle remoued all his Batail vnto a playn besydis Barmer wood to thentente to get betwene hym and hys owne Realme of Scotlond and ther leygeed but one nyght and on the next mornyng toâ—e hys passage ouer the water of at Twyfull forthe and than he marched the said kyng and hys oste in suche maner as he gat betwene hym and hys aune reame of Scotlond be force wherof the said kyng was fayn to leue his Campe and to prepare hymself to bataile witthe seid Erle on a hyll besydis Bramston in Northumbrelond very neer vnto Sandyford Wher the said Erle witthe good assistauns of the Nobull men and the power of the said North partys fought witthe said kyng and hym â—anquâ—sshed and slewe in playn bataile derectely before his owne Standard In which bataile ware slayne on the Scottysshe parte ii Bysshoppes xi Eâ—lys xvii Barons CCCC knyghtis besydys other Gentilmen with xvii M in nombre which ware nombred asweel by Scottysshe men as by them that dyd bury the moste parte of them And of trouth dyvers Gentylmen and others aswell of the said Erlys servantys as of the North partyes and of Chesshir and Lankasshir war ther slayne for hard it ys and half impossible in suche a conflicte and bataile to be wonne without losse of men whoys deth may be ioyed among ther frendis to dye in so hygh a servys doon to ther Prynce And this noble acte was don by the helpe of almyghty God to the highe honour of the kyngis hyghnes Honor and prays to the said Erle and to all other Noble men and otheres the kyngs Subgettis that war ther with hym at the bataile the ix daye of Septembir in the v yeer of our souerayn Lord kyng Henry the viii And this doon the said Erle went to Barwyke to establysshe all thyngys well and in good order And sent for the dede body of the kyng of Scottis to Barwyke And whan the Ordenaunce of the kyng of Scottis was brouth of the feld and put in good suertie and all other thyngys in good order Than the seid Erle toke hys Iorney toward Yorke and ther abode duryng the kyngis pleasur and caryed with hym the dede body of thafforesaid kyng of Scottis And ther laye vnto suche tyme as the kyngis hyghâ—es cam from beyond the See after his wynnyng of Tyrwyn and Tomey And than hys highnes sent for the seid Erle to mete hym at Rychemond and so he dide and ther delyvered vnto his highnes the dede body of the kyng of Scottis whiche deâ—â— bodye was delyuered in to the Charter hous ther and ther to abide duryng the kyngs plesur And for the servyce that the seid Erle dide he was honorably restored vnto his right name of Duke of Norffolk and also had geuen vnto hym greatt possessyons by the kyngis highnes And whan the warre betwixt the kyng our souerayn Lord and the Frenche Kyng was eended than the said Duke was sent into Fraunce as chieff Commyssyoner with Lady Marye the Kyngis Suster to be maryed vnto the Frenche Kyng Lewes And after when the kyng and the Quene were both out of the Reame to mete witthe Frenche kyng Frauncys at Guynes and the Prynces remaynyng in the Reame beyng a childe the said Duke was left behynde as protector and defender to mynyster Iustice and to see good Rule and Gouernaunce in the Reame in the absence of the kyngis highnes and so contynued aboute the kyng and of his preuye Counsayle tyll he wâ—s of age of fourescore yeeris and then the kyngis highnes was content that the said Duke shulde go home in to hys owne countrey vnto the Castell of Framlyngham wher he contynued and kepte an honorable howse vnto the houre of his deth And ther he dyed lyke a good Cristen Prynce I now to wytnes Whose sowle Iesu pardon And at his depertyng out of Framlyngham Castell toward hys buryall he coude nat be asked one grote for his dette nor for restitucion to any person and so was had to this present Abbay of Thetford with moche honor Accompanyed with many greatt Lordis and the Noble men of both Schires of Norffolk and Suffolk Leuyng then lyuyng these his children herafter named that is to seye his son and heyre the Lord Thomas Duke of Norffolk the Lord Edmond Howard the Lord Willyam Howard and the Lord Thomas Howard witthe Ladye Elysabeth wiffe to the Uicount Rocheford the Lady Agnes Countes of Oxenford the Lady Kateryne espoused to the heyre of Sir Rice app Thomas of Walys the Lady Elysabeth espoused vnto the Uicount Fitzwaters son and heyr And the Lady Dorathie then beyng not maryed but lefte for hir Right good substance to marry hyrwyth Henry Fitz-Roy the naturall sonne of King Henry the eight begotten of the Lady Talboys daughter of Sir Iohn Blount knight Duke of Richmond was here interred as Graston Stow Hollinshed and other writers affirme howsoeuer some will haue him to bee buried at Framingham in Suffolke Hee married Mary daughter of the foreremembred Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall and Lord high Treasurer of England with whom he liued not long but dyed at Saint Iames by Westminster the 22. of Iuly in the yeare of Christ Iesus 1536. He was a Prince very forward in Martiall actiuities of good literature and knowledge in the tongues vnto whom the learned Antiquarie Leland dedicated a booke as appeareth by this Hexastichon following which is
and that sufficiently for the grazing of all the greater sort of cattell of seuen Towneships to the same neare scituated besides the feeding of thirtie thousand sheepe In the Churchyard is a ridg'd Altar Tombe or Sepulchre of a wondrous antique fashion vpon which an Axell-tree and a cart-wheele are insculped Vnder this Funerall Monument the Towne-dwellers say that one Hikifricke lies interred of whom as it hath gone by tradition from Father to the Sonne they thus likewise report How that vpon a time no man knowes how long since there happened a great quarrell betwixt the Lord of this land or ground and the Inhabitants of the foresaid seuen villages about the meere-markes limits or bondaries of this fruitfull feeding place the matter came to a battell or skirmish in which the said Inhabitants being not able to resist the Landlord and his forces began to giue backe Hikifricke driuing his cart along and perceiuing that his neighbours were faint-hearted and ready to take flight he shooke the Axell-tree from the cart which he vsed in stead of a sword and tooke one of the cart-wheeles which he held as a buckler with these weapons in a furious rage you must imagine he set vpon the Common aduersaries or aduersaries of the Common encouraged his neighbours to go forward and fight valiantly in defence of their liberties who being animated by his manly prowesse they tooke heart to grasse as the prouerbe is insomuch that they chased the Landlord and his companie to the vtmost verge of the said Common which from that time they haue quietly enioyed to this very day The Axell-tree and cart-wheele are cut and figured in diuers places of the Church and Church windowes which makes the story you must needs say more probable This relation doth in many parts parallell with that of one Hay a strong braue spirited Scottish Plowman who vpon a set battell of Scots against the Danes being working at the same time in the next field and seeing some of his countreymen to flie from that hote encounter caught vp an oxe yoke Boethius saith a Plough-beame with which after some exhortation that they should not bee faint-hearted hee beate the said straglers backe againe to the maine Army where he with his two sonnes who tooke likewise such weapons as came next to their hands renewed the charge so furiously that they quite discomfited the enemy obtaining the glory of the day and victory for their drad Lord and Soueraigne Kenneth the third King of Scotland and this happened in the yeare 942. the second of the said kings raigne This you may reade at large in the History of Scotland thus abridged by Camden as followeth Where Tay now growen bigger enlargeth himselfe saith he there appeareth ouer it Arrol the habitation of the noble Earles of Arrol who euer since the Bruises dayes haue beene by inheritance the Constables of Scotland and verily they deduce an ancient pedegree from one Hay a man of exceeding strength and excellent courage who together with his two sonnes in a dangerous battell of Scots against the Danes at Longcarty caught vp an oxe yoke and so valiantly and fortunately withall what with frighting and what with exhorting reenforced the Scots at the point to shrinke and recule that they had the day of the Danes and the King with the States of the kingdome ascribed the victory and their owne safety vnto his valour and prowesse Whereupon in this place the most battle and fruitfull grounds were assigned vnto him and his heires who in testimony hereof haue set ouer their coat a yoke for their Creast Of which memorable exploite to the further honour of this ancient and Princely great Family Iohn Ionston of Aberdon that ingenious learned Diuine and Poet hath written as followeth Haius Pater cum duobus filijs Armatus aratri iugo suorum fugientium agmen stitit Danorum exercitum victorem repulit Salutem patriae sibi posterisque rem decus immortale peperit in memorabili ad Loncartem vicum pugna quae incidit in annum secundum Kennethi iii. Anno Christi 942. Ab hoc cepit initium illustris Comitum Erroliae domus quae et agros Scotiae fertilissimos et insignia in victoriae praemia hisce data adhuc tenet Quo ruitis Ciues Heia hosti obuertite vultus Non pudet infami vertere terga fuga Hostis ego vobis aut ferrum virtite in hostem Dixit et armatus dux praeit ipse iugo Quâ quâ ibat vastam condensa per agmina Danûm Dat stragem hinc omnis consequiturque fuga Servauit Ciues Victorem reppulit hostem Vnus cum Natis agminis instar erat Hic Decios agnosce tuos magnae aemula Romae Aut prior hac aut te bis Scotia maior adhuc The Succession names and number of the right reuerend Fathers in God Lords and Bishops of Dunwich Elmham and Norwich and of such of them as I finde to haue beene reputed Saints OF the Bishops of Dunwich and Elmham I haue already written of which number Felix the first Bishop was the first Saint In the yere vi hundreth thyrty and two Kynge Edwyne by holy doctryne Of Saynt Felix an holy Preste that was tho And preachyng of the holy archbyshop Paulyn Of Chrystes worde and verteous discyplyne Conuerted Edordwolde of Estangle the kyng And all the realme where Felix was dwelling This sacred Bishop Felix was borne brought vp and sublimated with an Episcopall Mitre in the parts of Burgundy which worldly pompe and honour together with his owne Countrie hee forsooke onely to propagate the Gospell and came into England to preach the word of God in the daies of Honorius Bishop of Rome Honorius being as then Archbishop of Canterbury He was a man euery way learned what he daily taught hee carefully put in practise by his holy conuersation and charitable good workes He deliuered the word with great mildnesse and pleasant elocution whereby the more easily he subiugated his Auditors to the yoke of â—esus Christ. Hauing gouerned the East Angles 17 yeares he died at Dunwich his Seat the eight of the Ides of March Anno 647. where in the Church of his owne Foundation he was first buried but after a time his bones were taken vp and conuaied to Some in Cambridgeshire and there solemnly encoffined in the Chancell of the Church there which hee likewise built And afterwards in the raigne of King Canute his sacred reliques were remoued from thence to the Abbey-Church of Ramsey in Huntingdonshire by the procurement of Ethelstan at that time Abbot of the said Monastery The next Bishop that I finde was Humbyrct or Humbert who kept his See at Elmham and being reputed holy was reckoned for a Saint of which a late writer The See at Norwich now establisht long not stird At Eltham planted first to Norwich then transferd Into our bed-roule here her Humbert in doth bring A Counsellour that was
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