should be deemed reputed accepted or taken to be Heresie It was also enacted that no manner of appeales should be had prouoked or made out of this Realme or any the Kings dominions to the Bishop of Rome or to the See of Rome in any causes or matters happening to be in contention and hauing their commensement and beginning in any of the Courts within this Realme or within any the Kings dominions of what nature condition or qualitie soeuer they were Vpon this followed another Act restraining the payment of Annates or first-fruits to the Bishop of Rome and of the electing and consecrating of Bishops within this Realme Another Act was made concerning the exoneration of the Kings Subiects from exactions and impositions theretofore paied to the See of Rome and for hauing licences and dispensations within this Realme without suing further for the same in which the Commons assembled complaine to his Maiestie that the subiects of this Realme and other his dominions were greatly decaied and impouerished by intollerable exactions of great summes of money claimed and taken by the Bishop of Rome and the See of Rome as well in pensions censes Peter-pense procurations fruits sutes for prouisions and expeditions of Bulls for Archbishoprickes and Bishopricks and for delegacies of rescripts in causes of contentions and appeales iurisdictions legatiue and also for dispensations licences faculties grants relaxations Writs called Perinde valere rehabitations abolitions and other infinite sorts of Bulls breeues and instruments of sundrie natures names and kindes in great numbers ouer long and tedious here particularly to be inserted It was affirmed in this Parliament that there had been paied to the Pope of Rome onely for Bulls by our English Bishops and other of the kingdome since the fourth of Henry the seuenth to that time threescore thousand pound sterling The next yeare following in a Parliament begun at Westminster the third of Nouember the Pope with all his authoritie was cleane banished this Realme and order taken that he should no more bee called Pope but Bishop of Rome and the King to be taken and reputed as supreme head in earth of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia And that hee their Soueraigne Lord his heires and successours kings of this Realme should haue full power and authoritie from time to time to visit represse redresse reforme order correct restraine and amend all such eâ—rours heresies abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoeuer they were which by any manner spirituall authoritie or iurisdiction ought or might lawfully bee reformed repressed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended most to the pleasure of Almighty God the increase of vertue in Christs religion and for the conseruation of peace vnitie and tranquilitie of this Realme any vsage custome forraine lawes forraine authority prescription or any thing or things to the contrary thereof notwithstanding In this Parliament also were granted to the King and his heires the first-fruits and tenths of all spirituall dignities and promotions His stile of supremacie was further ratified and declared to bee set downe in this forme and manner following in the Latine tongue by these words Henricus octauus Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Rex Fidei defensor in terra Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hibernicae supremum caput In the English tongue by these Henry the eight by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland defendour of the faith and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in earth the supreme head Which stile was enacted to bee vnited and annexed for euer to the imperiall Crowne of this his Highnesse Realme of England Vpon the first expulsion of the Popes authoritie and King Henries vndertaking of the Supremacie the Priests both religious and secular did openly in their Pulpits so farre extoll the Popes iurisdiction and authority that they preferred his lawes before the kings yea and before the holy precepts of God Almighty Whereupon the King sent his mandatory letters to certaine of his Nobilitie and others in especiall office thinking thereby to restraine their seditious false doctrine and exorbitancie And here let me tell you that amongst many letters of important affaires which I found in certaine Chandlers shops of our Parish allotted to light Tobacco pipes and wrap vp peniworths of their commodities all which I gaue to Sir Robert Cotton Knight and Baronet the onely repairer of ruined antiquirie whom I knew the contents therof shewing some passages of former times would preserue them for better vses I happened vpon certaine letters following tending to the same purpose of which I haue already spoken Henry R. By the King RIght trusty and right welbiloued Cousin we grete you well And wher it is commen to our knowlaige that sundry persons aswell religious as seculer Priests and curats in their peroches and dâ—ueâ—se places within this our Realme do dailly asmoche as in them is set foâ—the and extolle the iurisdiction and auctoritie of the Bishop of Rome ortherwyse called Pope sowing their sediciouse pestylent and false doctryne praying for him in the Pulpit and makyng hym a God to the greate deceyte illudyng and seducyng of our subgietts bryngyng them into errors sedicyon and euyll opynyons more preferryng the power lawes and Iurisdictyon of the said Bishop of Rome then the most holly lawes and precepts of almighty God We therfore myndyng not only to prouide for an vnitie and quietnes to be had and contynued among our said subgietts but also greatly couâ—tyng and desyryng them to be brought to a perfectyon and knawlege of the mere veritie and truth and no longer to be seduced nor blynded with any suche superstitiouse and false doctryne of any erthly vsurper of godds lawes will therfore and commaund you that wher and whensoeuer ye shall fynde apperceyve know or heretell of any such sedicious personnes that in suche wise do spreade teche and preache or otherwise set forth any suâ—he opynyons and perniciouse doctryne to the exaltatyon of the power of the bishop of Rome bryngyng therby our subgietts into error gruge and murmuracyon that ye indelaydly doo apprehend and take them or cause them to be apprehended and taken and so commytted to Ward ther to remayne without bayle or mayneprise vntill vpon your aduertisement therof vnto vs or our Councell ye shall know our further pleasure in that behalfe Ye uen vndre our Signet at our Manor of Grenwich the xvii day of Aprill This letter was thus endorsed To our right trusty and welbiloued cousin and Counsellor Th erle of Sussex In Iune or Iuly following these maiesticall commanding Epistles were seconded and made more strong by an Act of Parliament called An Act extinguishing the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome Of which I hold it not amisse to set downe so much as principally tends to the purpose To begin then at the beginning For as much as notwithstanding the good and wholesome lawes ordinances and statutes heretofore made enacted
was buried here in the Church by his predecessour To whose memory this Epitaph was cut vpon the stone coffin Pontificis glebe Taâ—wini Cantia prebe Thura decus laudes cuius dogmate gandes Huâ—us doctrina carnisti menâ—e ferina Et per cuâ— Christi peâ— tare iugum dedicisâ—i Here sometime lay interred the body of Nothelme Archbishop who for that he well and wisely gouerned his See was called Noble helme 〈◊〉 was borne in London and was one of the Priests of Saint Pauls a great louer of venerable antiquitie he was and one to whom Bede acknowledgâ—th himselfe to be much beholding for diuers matters which vpon his â—â—port he inserted into his Ecclesiasticall History He died October 17. An. 74â— His Epitaph was after this manner Hac scrobe Nothelmus iacet Archiepiscopus almus Cuius vita bono non est indigna patrono Cunctis iste bonus par in bonitate Patronus Protegit hic iustos vigili munimine Custos Cutbert Archbishop of Canterbury not long before this time had procured of king Eadbert that the bodies of all the Archbishops which were to succeed should not bee buried at Saint Augustines as they had beene heretofore but at Christ-Church and so according to his desire the â—uneralls of himselfe and his successour Bregwin were there solemnised and their bodies therein interred The Monkes of Saint Austins tooke the matter hainously to haue the buriall of their Archbishops discontinued and began to make complaint vnto the Pope But Christ-Church men were so farre from fearing the Pope for the same Pope had confirmed their priuiledges but a little before at the sute of Bregwin that they chose one Lambert or Iainbert Abbot of Saint Augustines for their Archbishop assuring themselues he would be now as earnest a defender of their liberties as heretofore he had beene an oppugner in the behalfe of Saint Augustines But they found it otherwise for perceiuing his end to approach he tooke order to be buried in Sâ—â—nt 〈◊〉 but he was the last of all the Archbishops there in 〈…〉 Archbishop â—7 yeares and liued ninetie foure his funeralls were 〈…〉 pompe and celebritie and his body honourablie entombed here in 〈◊〉 Chapter-house Vpon which this Epitaph was engrauen Gemma Sacerdotum 〈…〉 remotum Clauditur hac fossa 〈…〉 â—ssa Sub hac molecinis 〈…〉 â—inis Incola nunc celi populo 〈◊〉 â—ideli I finde some Epitaphs to the memory of sundrie Abbots of this Monastery and first of the first Abbot one Peter a Priest who was chosen to this place by Saint Augustine as I haue said before This man was sent Legat into France by king Ethelbert and in his returne for England was drowned in a Crecke called Amflete his body was taken vp and buried after a homely manner of the inhabitants of that countrey yet afterwards remoued from thence and honourably interred in the Towâ—e of Bulleyâ—e in a place of Saint Maries Church conuenient for so worthy a person For whom a Monument was erected within this Abbey bearing this Inscription Quem notat hunc metrum meritis nomine Petrum Abbas egregius primus Laris extitit huius Dum semel hic transit mare ventus in vrbe remansit Bolonia celebris virtutibus est iâ—i crebris He was drowned about the yeare 614. My old Anonimall Manuscrip speakes of this first Abbot to the like effect Than Austyn mad Peter the cheffe Prelat Of an Abbey now callyd seynt Ausâ—yns In Canterbery of whiche denominat He was Abbot as sent Bede dyffyns Who aftar as he to Fraunce was sent fro thens On embassyat was drownyd on the se And beryed at Boleyne wyth solempnite Whar grete vertue God for hym shewyth Full ofte as ther playnly ys recordyd And to thys dey yet alwey renewyth So hoâ—e he was wythe Crist myserecordyd And wyth his seynts trewly euer concordyd As seyâ—t Bede seythe ryght in his dyaloge Amonge the seynts is put in Cathologe Iohn a monke of this house and the third man of note which came ouer with Austin was elected Abbot of this house and receiued benediction at the hands of Archbishop Laurence He died Ann. 618. and was buried here in our Ladies Chappell and this was his Epitaph Omnibus est annis pietas recitanda Iohannis Culmine celsa nimis pâ—tribusque simillima primis Vir probus mitis fuâ—â— hic si fare velitis Integer mundus sapâ—ens Abbasque secundus Ruffinian was here interred by his predecessour Iohn who dyed Ann. 626. Pausa patris sani patet istec Ruffiniani Abbatis terni quo frenditur hostis Auerni Gratiosus succeeded Ruffinian in his holy gouernment a man gracious saith mine Author with God and all good men And so ended his worldly pilgrimage Ann. 640. Hic Abbas quartus Gratiosus contulit artus Cuius adest pausa miti spiramine clausa Petronius was sacred to this Ecclesiasticall dignitie by Archbishop Honorius Ann. 640. and died Ann. 654. Abbas Petronius bonitatis odore refertus Subiectos docuit vitiorum sorde pianit Nathaniel vir probitate decoratus and absolute in all perfections was consecrated Abbot here in his owne Church by Archbishop Deus-dedit which he laudably gouerned thirteene yeares and died Ann. 667. Spiritus in celis Abbatis Nathanielis Nos faciat memores Patres memorare vâ—litis Adrian borne in Africa Abbot first of the Monastery of Niridia neare vnto Naples a man wondrous well learned in the holy Scriptures throughly instructed both in Monasticall discipline and Ecclesiasticall gouernment very skilfull of the Greeke and Latine tongues and withall very expert in the liberall Sciences of Astronomie and Musicke who together with â—heodore brought first of all in the tunes and notes of singing in the Church which for a little time was onely vsed and knowne here in Kent but afterwards learned and practised through all the Churches of England by the meanes of reuerend Bishop Wilfride who brought from Kent Iames and Stephen two Musitians the first Masters of song in the Churches of the kingdome of Northumberland But to descend to more particulars The Archbishopricke of Canterbury was offered to this Adrian by Vitâ—llâ—am the Pope that excellent Musitian who wrote the Ecclesiasticall Canon and first brought singing and Organs into the Church which hee refused to vndertake preferring a Monke of his acquaintance namely Theodore spoken of before to the same place in whose companie hee trauelled into England and had the companie and helpe of this Adrian in all things hee went about to effect within England Hee was consecrated Abbot of this Monastery by the said Theodore in the gouernment of which he continued nine and thirtie yeares In which time hee obtained many priuiledges of Theodatus the Pope for his Abbey as also of Oswin king of the Deirians He dyed honae memoriae senex a reuerend old man of good and perfect remembrance ann 708. and was honourablie
by King Henry the second remoued into Ireland who supposed that he should disburden himselfe of the worlds hatred for that fact in case hee aduanced the Kinsfolke and Allies of the said Thomas to rich reuenues and high honours The first Earle of Ormond saith he in this familie was Iames sonne to Edmund Earle of Caricke who wedded the daughter of Humphrey Bohun Earle of Hereford whom he had by a daughter of King Edward the first And here was his first step vnto this honour hereupon Iames his sonne by this marriage came to be commonly named among the people The noble Earle The fifth Earle of these named Iames that I may not stand particularly vpon euere one receiued at the hands of King Henry the sixth the title and honour of Earle of Wiltshire to him and to the heires of his body who being Lord Deputie of Ireland as diuers others of this race and Lord Treasurer of England standing attainted by King Edward the fourth was streight waies apprehended and beheaded but his brethren Iohn and Thomas likewise proclaimed Traitors kept themselues close out of the way Iohn died at Ierusalem without issue Thomas here entombed through the speciall fauour of King Henry the seuenth was in the end restored to his bloud who departed this life as before in his Epitaph An. 1515. leauing behinde him two daughters Anne married to Sir Iames de Sancto Leodegario called commonly Sellenger and Margaret vnto Sir William Bullein who bare vnto him Sir Thomas Bollein whom King Henry the eight created first Viscount Rochford afterwards Earle of Wiltshire and Ormund the father of Anne Bollein as I haue written before Here lyeth ..... Iohn Riche .... the sonne of Richard Riche Sheriffe .... 1469. Respice quid prodest presentis temporis euum Omne quod est nihil est preter amare deum Richard Rich one of the Sheriffes of London Anno 1442. and the father of this Iohn founded certaine Almes-houses at Hodsdon in Hertfordshire He lieth buried in Saint Laurence Church old Iewrie with the like Distich vpon his monument Vndyr this ston lyeth in the holy plas Ambros Cressacre ...... he was Late of Dedington in Huntington shyre Passyd fro this world worshcipfull Esquyre The yere of our Lord God M. cccc.lxxvii it is Iesu for his mercy grant his sowl bliss Iohn Peris and Margaret his wyf The whych late departyd fro this present lyf Here beryed and ther sonn vndyr this ston And ther soulys to God ben passyd and gon To thee for help of mercy thou blessyd Saint Ion And to Saint Margarite also I mak my mon. Here lieth Raph Tilney Grocer sometyme Alderman and Sheriffe of this City and Ioan his wyff who dyed 1503 and Ioan died 1500 .... on whos soulys Clausa sub bac fossa pacis hic Yerford pronus ossa ............... Prudens pacificus in omnes pacis amicus Vixit Mercerus in promissis cuique verus Mors properata nimis dum floruit impia primis Annis vanescit et à nobis sicque recessit Anno milleno quater cccc octuagenâ— Migrat ab hac vita sua spes succurre Maria. Siste precorque legas Alleyneia et eâ—ce Iohannes Londini quondam Pretor erat celebris Confilio Regis summa probitate probatus Inclytus et miles nobilitate valens Quem Deus omnipotens secum dignetur Olympo Et precor eternam donet ei requiem obijt An. 1544. This Lord Maior who for his singular wisedome was made a Priuie Councellour to King Henry the eight built a beautifull Chappell here wherein he was first buried but since his Tombe is remoued thence into the body of the Hospitall Church and his Chappell diuided into Shops He gaue to the city a rich coller of gold to be worne by the Maior he gaue a stocke of 500 markes to be employed for the vse of the poore of London besides the rents of certaine lands by him purchased of the King To Prisons Hospitals and Lazer houses within and two miles without the Citie he was abundantly charitable Saint Mary Bow Magnificus sed iustificus misâ—ris et amicus Vir speciosus vir generosus virque pudicus Et peramabilis et venerabilis atque piarum Vis dux lex lampas flos Maior Londoniarum In terre ventre iacet hic Iohn rite Couentre Dictus quem necuit veluti decuit lue plenus Bis septingenus tricenus citra his et vnus Martius in sole triceno si trahis vnum Virginis a partu carnis modo mortuus artu Viuus erit celis tuba clanxerit vt Gabrielis Amen This Iohn was the sonne of William Couentrie of the Citie of Couentrie in Warwickshire He was Lord Maior of this Citie An. 1425 a man much commended he is in our English Chronicles for his discreet carriage in the debate betwixt Humphrey Duke of Glocester and Henry Beaufort that wealthy Bishop of Winchester One William Copeland Church-warden gaue the great Bell which is rung nightly at nine of the clocke which had this inscription cast in the mettall An. 1515. Dudum fundabar Bowbel campana vocabar Sexta sonat bis sexta sonat ter tertia pulsat No maruaile death in childhood tooke from men This roiall Prince he was a father then Three Hospitalls erected this rate gem And ended praising God for ending them Saint Anthonies commonly called Saint Antlins Here lyth grauyn vndyr this ston Thomas Knowles both flesh and bon Grocer and Alderman yeres fortye Sheriff and twis Maior truly And for he shold not ly alone Here lyth wyth him his good wyff Ione They weren togeder sixty yere And nineteen chyldren they had in feer Now ben they gon wee them miss Christ haue here sowlys to heuen bliss Amen ob Ann. 14 ...... This Lord Maior with the Aldermen his brethren began to new build the Guild Hall he reedified this Church gaue to the Grocers his house neare vnto the same for reliefe of the poore for euer and caused water to be conuayed to the gate of Newgate and Ludgate for reliefe of the prisoners He was Lord Maior Ann. 1. of Hen. the fourth and againe An. 12. eiusdem Regis Thomas Knowles sonne of the foresaid Thomas a great benefactour to this Church was buried here in the North Isle by his father vnder a faire marble stone thus sometimes engrauen but now quite taken away for the gaine of the brasse Thomas Knolles lyeth vndre this ston And his wyff Isabell flesh and bon They weren togeder nyntene yere And x. chyldren they had in fere His Fader and he to this Chyrch Many good dedys they did wyrch Example by him ye may see That this world is but vanitie For wheder he be smal or gret All sall turne to wormys mete This seyd Thomas was leyd on Bere The eighth dey the moneth Fevrer The date of Iesu Crist truly An. M. CCCC fiue and forty Wee mey not prey hertely
who inuaded his Territories in his absence whilst he was prosecuting the warres in Ireland and returned from that battell a triumphant Conquâ—rour Vnder another Monument lieth the body of Gilbert Marshall Earle of Penbroke and Marshall of England Lord of Longevile in Normandy Leinster in Ireland and of Chepstow Strighull and Caerwent in Wales This Potent Peere of the Realme saith Mathew Paris in Ann. 1241. proclaimed a Turnament in scorne of the kings authoritie whereby such disports were forbidden to be holden at Hertford in the County of Hertford to which place when many both of the Nobilitie and Gentrie were assembled it happened that himselfe running by the flinging of his horse was cast out of his sadle and the horse gaue him such a blow on the breast that he died the same day being the fifth of the Kalends of Iuly 1241. as aforesaid His bowels were interred in the Abbey Church in the Towne of Hertford with the bowels of one Sir Robert de Say knight a gallant gentleman slaine in the same exercise These kinde of Iusts or Turnaments were brought in with king Stephen and practised in many places of England in such an outragious manner and with such slaughter of Gentlemen that to suppresse such an heathenish disport it was decreed by Parliament that whosoeuer therein were slaine should want Christian buriall and their heires be disinherited Hic requiescit ..... R ... Ep .... Quondam Visitator generalis ordinis Milicie Templi in Anglia in Francia in Italia .... This was a fragment of a funeralâ— Inscription insculped vpon one of these crosse-legged Monuments as I found it amongst other Collections by one studious in Antiquities in Sir Robert Cottons voluminous Librarie which he proues by the pedegree of the said Lord Rosses to haue beene made to the memory of one Robert Rosse a Templer who died about the yeare 1245. and gaue to the Templars his Mannor of Ribston William Plantaginet the fifth sonne of king Henry the third lieth here interred who died in his childhood about the yeare 1256. En Iacobus templo Bayle requiescit in isto Qui fuerat gratus medio Templo sociatus Cui Deus esto pius eius miserando reatus Vitam mutauit in mensis fine secundi M. C. quater que dato Lxx quater annumerato Cui sit solamen Christus dic protinus Amen Robertus iacet hic Thorne quem Bristollia quondam Pretoris merito legit ad officium Huic etinim semper magne Respublica cure Charior cunctis Patria duitijs Ferre inopi auxilium tristes componere lites Dulce huic consilio quosque iuuare fuit Qui pius exaudis miserorum vota precesque Christe huic in celis des regione locum Orate pro anima Richardi Wye socij comititiui interioris Templi ob 9. Mar. 1519. Cuius anime Domine secundum delictum meum noli me iudicare Deprecor maiestatem tuam vt tu deleas iniquitatem meam Ecce quid eris Hic iacet Willelmus Langham quondam custos huius Templi qui obijt ......... 1437. Tu prope qui transis nec dicis aueto resiste Auribus et corde hec mea dicta tene Sum quod eris quod es ipse fui derisor amare Mortis dum licuit pace manente frui Sed veniente nece postquam sum raptus amicis Atque meis famulis orba ...... domus Me contexit humo deplorauit que iacentem Inque meos cineres vltima dona dedit Vnde mei vultus corrosit terra nitorem Queque fuit forme ......... Ergo Deum pro me cum pura mente precare Vt mihi perpetua pace frui tribuat Et quicunque rogat pro me comportet in vnum Vt mecum meneat in regione Poli. William Burgh iadis Clerk de Chancelleri Gist icy Dieu de s'alme eyt mercy Amen Saint Clement Danes So called because Harold surnamed Harefoot for his swift footmanship king of England of the Danish line and other Danes were here buried This Harold was the base sonne of king Canut by his concubine Alice of Woluerhampton in Staffordshire a Shoomakers daughter His body was first buried at Westminster but afterwards Hardicanut the lawfull sonne of Canut being king commanded his body to bee digged out of the earth and to be throwne into the Thames where it was by a Fisherman taken vp and buried in this Churchyard He died at Oxford 1040. hauing raigned three yeares and eight moneths Hic iacet .... Iohannes Arundell .... Episcopus Exon. qui ob die mens Maij 15 ... 1503. This maymed Inscription would tell vs thus much that Iohn Arundell descended of the ancient and most worshipfull house of the Arundels of Lanherne in Cornwall Bishop of Exceter lieth here vnder interred who died March 15. 1503. Hic iacet corpus venerabilis .... Io ..... Booth Legum Bacalaureus Episcopus Exon ..... ob primo April 1478. This Bishop gouerned his Church wondrous well and builded as some suppose the Bishops See in the Quire but being weary of the great troubles which were in his countrey betweene king Edward the fourth and the Earle of Warwicke he remoued from thence to his house of Horsleigh in Hampshire where he died Orate pro anima Willelmi Booth militis fratris Episcopi Exon. qui ob 6. April 1478. Hic iacet Edmundus Arnold postremus Aprilis Quem dolor heu rapuit tristis atroxque dies Istius Ecclesie Rector meritissimus olim Et summus Mâ—dice Doctor in arte fuit Non Ipocrate minor erat nec doctior vllus Non Opifex mirum vincit Apollo virum M. D. deme ter .x. semel v. Christi anno Cui vitam Medicus det sine sine Deus Sauoy So called of Peter Earle of Sauoy the first builder thereof which being ouerthrowne by the Rebels of Kent it was againe raised and beautifully rebuilded by king Henry the seuenth for an Hospitall and dedicated to the honour of Saint Iohn Baptist for which he purchased lands for the reliefe of an hundred poore people Of which you may reade this Inscription engrauen ouer the Gate towards the Street 1505. Hospitium hoc inopi Turbe Sauoia vocatum Septimus Henricus fundauit ab imo solo Henry the seuenth to his merite and honor This Hospitall foundyd pore people to socor Many officers ordinances orders and rules were appointed by the Founder for the better gouernment of this Hospitall some of which I haue read briefly extracted out of the Grand Charter viz. Per nomen Magistri et Capellanorum Hospitalis Henrici Regis Anglie septimi de Savoy Duo Presbiteri seculares conductitij Duo homines seculares honesti ac literati quorum alter Subsacrista alter Subhospitalarius Quatuor homines honesti qui Alteriste vocentur Quinque alij honesti homines viz. 1. Clericus Coquine 2. Panetarius 3. Coquus 4. Ortulanus 5. Ianitor Duo alij alter subcoquus
of England who went with him into the holy land in which voyage her husband was stabbed with a poysoned dagger by a Sarazen the rankled wound whereof was iudged incurable by his Physitians yet shee daily and nightly sucked out the ranke poison and so by aduenturing her owne saued her husbands life She was the onely daughter of Ferdinando the third King of Castile and Leons she died at Herdby in Lincolnshire 29 Nouember 1290. hauing beene King Edwards wife 36 yeares who erected to her honour those Crosses as Statues at Lincolne Grantham Stanford Geddington Northampton Stony Stratford Dunstable now destroyed Saint Albans Waltham and Westminster called Charing-Crosse all adorned with the armes of Castile Leon and the Earldome or Countie of Ponthieu which by her right was annexed to the Crowne of England Moreouer the said King Edward so ardent was his affection to the memory of his deceased Eleanor gaue twelue Mannors Lordships and Hamlets to Walter then Abbot of Westminster and his successors for euer for the keeping of yeerely Obits for his said Queene and for money that should be geeuen to the poore that came to the solemnization of the same Her Epitaph Nobilis Hispani iacet hic soror inclita Regis Eximij consors Eleanora thori Edwardi primi Wallorum principis vxor Cui pater Henricus tertius Anglus erat Hanc ille vxorem gnato petit omine princeps Legati munus suscipit ipse bono Alfonso Fratri placuit felix Hymeneus Germanam Edwardo nec sine dote dedit Dos preclara fuit nec tali indigna marito Pontino Princeps munere diues erat Femina consilio prudens pia prole beata Auxit amicitijs auxit honore virum Disce mori Here lieth gloriously entombed the most mighty Monarch that euer ware the Crowne of England who conquered Calis recouered Aquitaine and Normandy tooke Iohn King of France and Dauid King of Scots prisoners added the armes and title of France to his owne declaring his claime in this kind of verse thus Rex sum regnorum bina ratione duorum Anglorum Regno sum Rex ego iure paterno Matris iure quidem Francorum nuncupor idem Hinc est Armorum variatio facta meorum To which the French answered scornefully in verses to the same temper but some what touching Edward with ill grounded vanitie pretending right to the Crown of France by Queen Isabell his mother before whom if Daughters should succeed in the sacred Lillies of France her eldest Sister must march Madam Margaret of France wife to Ferdinand fourth of that name King of Castille Praedo Regnorum qui diceris esse duorum Francorum Regno priuaberis atque Paterno Matris vbique nullum Ius Broles non habet vllum Iure Mariti carens alia est Mulier prior illa Succedunt Mares huic Regno non Mulieres Hinc est Armorum variatio stulta tuorum He excelled his Ancestors also in the victorious valour of his children in their obedience to him and loue among themselues and one of his greatest felicities was that he had a Lady to his wife the fruitfull mother of a faire issue of such excellent vertue and gouernement as that then King Edwards Fortunes seemed to fall into Eclipse when she was hidden in her Sepulchre He was the sonne of Edward the second by Isabel daughter to Philip the Faire King of France his father being amoued from the kingdomes gouernement against whom he had no guilty thought he was by publike Sanction thereupon established in the royall Throne being of the age of fourteene yeeres and when he had raigned 50 yeeres died at his Manor of Shine Iune 21. 1377. these verses are annexed to his monument Hic decus Anglorum flos Regum preteritorum Forma futurorum Rex clemens pax populorum Tertius Edwardus regni complens Iubileum Inuictus Pardus pollens bellis Machabeum Tertius Edwardus Fama super ethera notus pugna pro patria Foure of these verses are thus translated by Speed in his History of the said King where vpon the words Pollens bellis Machabeum he giues this marginall note as followeth He meanes saith he more able in battaile then Machabeus you must beare with the breaking of Priscians head for it is written of a King that vsed to breake many Here Englands grace the flower of Princes past Patterne of future Edward the third is plaste Milde Monarch Subiects peace warres Machabee Victorious Pard his raigne a Iubilee Take with you if you please another translation of these Meters by one who liued neerer to those times Of English kynges here lyth the beauteous floure Of all before passed and myrrour to them shall sue A mercifull kynge of peace conseruatour The third Edward The deth of whom may rue Alle Englyssh men for he by knyghtehode due Was Lyberd inuict and by feate Marciall To worthy Machabe in vertu peregall Hic erat saith an old Mss. speaking of this King flos mundane militie sub quo militare erat regnare proficisci proficere confligere triumphare Cui iure maternali linea recta descendente Regnum cum corona Francie debetur Pro cuius regni adipiscenda corona que maris euasit pericula quos bellorum deuicit impetus quas Belligerorum struit audacias scriptor enarrare desistit sue relationis veritatem adulationis timens obumbrari velamine Hic vero Edwardus quamuis in hostes terribilis extiterat in subditos tamen mitissimus fuerat et gratiosus pietate et miserecordia omnes pene suos precellens antecessores A late writer saith hee was a Prince the soonest a man and the longest that held so of any we reade he was of personage comely of an euen stature gracefull respectiuely affable and well expressing himselfe A Prince who loued Iustice Order and his people the supreme vertues of a Soueraigne First his loue of Iustice was seene by the many Statutes hee made for the due execution thereof and the most straight-binding oath hee ordained to be ministred vnto his Iudges and Iusticiars the punishment inflicted on them for corruption in their offices causing some to be thrust out and others grieuously fined He bettered also that forme of publique Iustice which his Grandfather first began and which remaines to this day making also excellent Lawes for the same His regard to the obseruation of Order among his people so many Lawes do witnesse as were made to restraine them from Excesses in all kinds His loue to his Subiects was exprest in the often easing of their grieuances and his willingnesse to giue them all faire satisfaction as appeares by the continuall granting of the due obseruation of their Charters in most of his Parliaments And when Ann. Reg. 14. they were iealous vpon his assuming the title of the kingdome of France lest England should thereby come to bee vnder the subiection of that Crowne as being the greater he to cleare them of that doubt
passed a Statute in the firmest manner could bee deuised that this kingdome should remaine intire as before without any violation of the rights it had Prouident he was in all his actions neuer vnder-taking any thing before he had first furnished himselfe with meanes to performe it For his gifts we finde them not such as either his owne fame and reputation or any way distasted the State To be short hee was a Prince who knew his worke and did it and therefore was he better obeyed better respected and serued then any of his Predecessours His workes of Pietie were great and many as the founding of East-minster an Abbey of the Cisteux order neare the Tower An Abbey for Nunnes at Dartford in Kent of both which I haue already written The Kings Hall in Cambridge for poore Schollers An Hospitall for the poore at Calais The building of Saint Stephens Chappell at Westminster with the endowment of three hundred pound per annum to that Church His augmenting the Chappell at Windsore and prouisions there for Church-men and twenty foure poore knights c. These were his publique works the best Monuments and most lasting to glorifie the memory of Princes Besides these his priuate buildings are great and many as the Castle of Windsore which he re-edified and enlarged His magnificence was shewed in Triumphs and Feasts which were sumptuously celebrated with all due rites and ceremonies the preseruers of Reuerence and Maiestie To conclude he was a Prince whose nature agreed with his office as onely made for it On this manner as he was in the strength of his yeares and in the height of his vigorous actions his character is exprest by many Authors Now may it please you in this place to take a view of this the mighty great Monarch of England France and Ireland as he was wrinkled with age weakened with a sore lingring disease and laid downe vpon his Deaths-bed When he had attained to the age of threescore and fiue yeares or thereabouts and wrastled with a sicknesse which gaue him the ouerthrow lying in the bed and at the point of death his eyes darkened his speech altered and his naturall heate almost extinguished one whom of all other he most entirely affected tooke the rings from his fingers which for the royaltie of his Maiestie he was wont to weare so bad him adiew and withdrew herselfe into another roome a woman she was inuerecunda pâ—llex as Walsingham calls her whose name was Alice Piers neither was hee left onely of her the said Alice but of other the knights and Esquires who had serued him allured more with his gifts then his loue Amongst many there was onely present at that time a certaine Priest other of his seruants applying the spoile of what they could lay hands on who lamenting the kings miserie and inwardly touched with griefe of heart for that amongst so many Councellers which hee had there was none that would minister vnto him the word of life came boldly vnto him and admonished him to lift vp the eyes as well of his body as of his heart vnto God and with sighes to aske mercy of him whose Maiestie he well knew he had grieuously offended Whereupon the king listened to the words of the Priest and although a little before he had wanted the vse of his tongue yet then taking strength to him hee seemed to speake what was in his minde And then what for weaknesse of his body contrition of his heart and sobbing for his sinnes his voice and speech failed him and scarce halfe pronouncing this word Iesu he gaue vp the Ghost at his Mannour of Sheene now Richmount as aforesaid If you will heare any more of this Martiall king you must haue the patience to trouble your selues in the reading of these obsolete old rimes Aftur hym reguyd hys son ful ryght The iii Edward that dowtie knyght U. sones he hadde truly here That wer to hym leef and dere Furst yis kyng dude a grete maistry Atte Scluce he brend a gret Naby Atte Tresse he faught ayain The kyng of Beme ther was slayn And the kyng of France putte to flyght Non longor than durst he fyght A sege atte Calice he lede byfor That last xii months and mor And or he thens wold goo He wan Calice and touns moo Atte Batail of Poyters by ordynance Was taken Iohn the kyng of France Atte Westmynstre he lyth ther He regnyd almoost li yer Byfor hym deyed Prynce Edward Whych hadde a son that hight Rychard Philippa of whom I haue spoken before Queene of England wife of Edward the third daughter of William of Bauaria Earle of Henault and Holland by Ioane sister of Philip of Valoys king of France lyeth entombed at her husbands feet She was a Lady of great vertue and a constant true louer of our Nation who when shee had beene king Edwards wife fourty two yeares she died August 15. 1369. These verses are annexed to her Monument Gulielmi Hannonis sobeles postrema Philippa Hic roseo quondam pulchra decore iacet Tertius Edwardus Rex ista coninge letus Materno suasu nobiliumque fuit Frater Iohannes Comes Mauortius heros Huic illam voluit consociare viro Hec iunxit Flandros coniunctio sanguinis Anglis In Francos venit hinc Gallica dira lues Dotibus hec raris viguit Regina Philippa Forma prestanti Religione fide Fecunda nata est proles numerosa parenti Insignes peperit magnanimosque duces Oxonij posuit studiosis optima nutrix Regineas Edes Palladiam scholam Coniux Edwardi iacet hic Regina Philippa Disce viuere Thus there Englished Faire Philip William Hennaldes childe and youngest daughter deere Of roseat hue and beautie bright in tombe lies hilled heere Edward the third through mothers will and Nobles good consent Tooke her to wife and ioyfully with her his time he spent His brother Iohn a Martiall man and eke a valiant knight Did linke this woman to this king in bonds of marriage right This match and marriage thus in bloud did binde the Flemings sure To Englishmen by which they did the Frenchmens wracke procure This Philip flowr'd in gifts full rare and treasures of the minde In beauty bright Religion Faith to all and each most kinde A fruitfull Mother Philip was full many a sonne she bred And brought forth many a worthy knight hardy and full of dred A carefull Nurse to Students all at Oxford she did found Queenes Colledge and Dame Pallas Schoole that did her fame resound The wife of Edward deere Queene Philip lieth here Learne to liue She was the youngest of the fiue daughters of William Earle of Henault aforesaid especially chosen before any of her Sisters for king Edwards wife by a Bishop of what See I am vncertaine and other Lords temporall sent thither were sent as Embassadours to treate of the marriage Of which thus much out of Harding cap. 178. as followeth He sent furth
For whiche Commons him hated both free and bond Iohn Gower concludes his cronica tripartita annexed to his booke entituled Vox Clamantis with these riming verses concerning the said King Cronica Richardi qui sceptra tulit Leopardi Vt patet est dicta populo sed non benedicta Vt speculum mundi quo lux nequit vlla resundi Sic vacuus transit sibi nil nisi culpa remansit Vnde superbus erat modo si preconia querat Eius honor sordet laus culpat gloria mordet Hoc concernentes caueant qui sunt sapientes Nam male viuentes Deus odit in orbe regentes Est qui peccator non esse potest dominator Ricardo teste finis probat hoc manifeste Post sua demerita perijt sua pompa sopita Qualis erat vita cronica stabit ita He was murdered at Pomfret Castle in the bloudie Tower so called from that time vpon that bloudie act to this day on Saint Valentines day 1399. the first of Henry the fourth when hee had raigned 22 yeares That beautifull picture of a King sighing crowned in a chaire of estate at the vpper end of the Quire in this Church is said to be of him which witnesseth how goodly a creature he was in outward lineaments but I will conclude with these rimes out of my old Manuscript the Addition to Robert of Glocester This Rychard than regnyd sone Aftur his Belsire as was to done Atte x yere of age crownyd was he He was a man of grett beute In hys tym the Comynte of Kent Up arysin and to London went And Sauoy the brent that ilke plas The whych the Dukes of Lancastre was Thurgh euel councel was slayn ful suel The Duke of Glocestre and the erle of Arundel He regnyd xxii yer and mor And to Longeley was he bor But in the v King Herry is tym He was leyde at VVestmynstre by Anne the Quene Anne his first wife here entombed with him was the daughter of Wenceslaus King of Bohemia and Emperour of the Germanes she died in Anno 1394. the seuenth of Iune at Sheene in Surrey whom her husband so feruently loued yea vsque ad amentiam euen to a kinde of madnesse that for very griefe and anger besides cursing the place wherein shee died hee ouerthrew the whole house Her Epitaph Sub petra lata nunc Annaiacet tumulata Dum vixit mundo Richardo nupta secundo Christo deuota fuit hec facilis bene nota Pauperibus prona semper sua reddere dona Iurgia sedauit et pregnantes releuauit Corpore formosa vultu mitis speciosa Prebens solamen viduis egris medicamen Anno milleno ter cent quarto nonageno Iulij septeno mensis migrauit ameno forma Fragilis Henry the fift sonne of Henry the fourth King of England and conquerour of France died at Boyes de Viscenna not farre from Paris the last of August 1422. hauing raigned 9 yeares 5 moneths and odde daies from thence his body was conuaied to this Abbey vpon whose Tombe Katherine his wife caused a royall picture to be layed couered all ouer with siluer plate gilded the head whereof was all of massie siluer all which at the suppression when the battering hammers of destruction as Master Speed saith did sound almost in euery Church were sacrilegiously broken off and by purloyning transferred to farre prophaner vses where at this day the headlesse monument is to be seene and these verses written vpon his Tombe Dux Normanorum verus Conquestor eorum Heres Francorum decessit et Hector eorum Here Normans Duke so stil'd by conquest iust True heire of France Great Hector lies in dust Gallorum mastix iacet hic Henricus in vrna Domat omnia virtus So many vertues are attributed by all writers to this heroicall King Henry the renowne of England and glory of Wales that where to begin or when to make an end in his deserued praise I know not so I will leaue him amongst the many Monarchs of this most famous Empire none more complete relating onely a few rimes which in some sort doth particularize his memorable exploits Aftur hym regnyd his son than The v Herry truly a gracious man Atte his begynnyng verament He stroyd Loliers and thei wer brent Aftur he made Relygyous at Shene Sion Ierusalem and eke Bedlem The thurd yer he went truly And gat Hartlett in Normandy Atte Egyncourt he hadde a batayle ywis Hamwardys and ther had the prys He tooke ther the Duc of Orleaunce The Duc of Burbon and meny of Fraunce And aftur that he wan Lane toun Rone and al Normandy as was to don Also he wan Parys worschypfully And meny mo tounes wyth Meaux in Bry. Ther he took to hys Quene Katterin the kyng dawghtyr shene He hadde a Son of hur y bore That ys callyd Herry of Wyndsore In Fraunce he departyd goodly thurgh Goddâ—s grase And was broght into Engelond in short spase Then was his Son Herry of age suerly But only viii monyths wyth odde deyes truly His Eme Iohn Duc of Bedford as yow see Is now Regent of Fraunce sykerly He regnyd x yer in hevyn he hath reward Lith at Westmynstre noght fer fro Seynt Edward Here lieth Katherine Queene of England wife to the foresaid King Henry the fifth in a chest or coffin with a loose couer to be seene and handled of any that will much desire it and that by her owne appointment as he that sheweth the Tombes will tell you by tradition in regard of her disobedience to her husband for being deliuered of her Sonne Henry the sixth at Windsore the place which he forbad But the truth is that she being first buried in our Ladies Chappell here in this Church her corps were taken vp when as Henry the seuenth laid the foundation of that admirable structure his Chappell royall which haue euer since so remained and neuer reburied She was the daughter to Charles the sixth king of France she died at Bermondsey in Southwarke the second of Ianuary Ann. Dom. 1437. Her Epitaph Hic Katherina iacet Francorum filia Regis Heres Regni Carole Sexte tui Henrici quinti thalamo bis leta iugali Nam sic vir duplici clarus honore fuit Iure suo Anglorum Katherine iure triumphans Francorum obtinuit ius decus imperij Grata venit letis felix Regina Britannis Perque dies celebrant quatuor ore Deum Edidit Henricum gemebunda puerpera Regem Cuius in imperio Francus Anglus erat Non sibi sed Regno felici sidere natum Sed Patri Matri Religione parem Post ex Owino Tiddero tertia proles Nobilis Edmundus te Katherina beat Septimus Henricus quo non prestantior alter Filius Edmundi gemma Britanna fuit Felix ergo vxor mater ter filia felix Ast Auia hec felix terque quater que fuit Here lieth buried in one of the stateliest Monuments of Europe both for the
Epitaph is engrauen Abbas Richardus de Wara qui requiescit Hic portat lapides quos hic portauit ab vrbe After the death of Richard de Ware Walter Wenlocke was chosen Abbot and preferred to the honour of Lord Treasurer by King Edward the first Hee was Abbot sixe and twenty yeares lacking sixe dayes died vpon Christmas day at night in the yeare 1307. And lieth buried vnder a marble stone whereupon this Epitaph to his high commendation is inlayed in brasse Abbas Walterus iacet hic sub marmore tectus Non fuit austerus sed mitis famine rectus Here lieth Richard de Barking Abbot of this Monastery who was an especiall Councellour to King Henry the third chiefe Baron of the Exchequer and Treasurer of England Who hauing beene Abbot 24. yeares died the 23. day of Nouember 1246. He was first buried in our Ladies Chappell in a Tombe of marble which was pulled downe by Frier Combe a Sacrist of this house Who layed a faire plaine marble stone ouer him with this Epitaph thus inscribed Richardus Barking Prior est post inclytus Abbas Henrici Regis prudens fuit ille minister Huius erat prima laus Insula rebus opima Altera laus eque Thorp census ocham decimeque Tertia Mortone castrum simili ratione Et Regis quarta de multis commoda charta Clementis festo mundo migrauit ab isto M. Domini C. bis xl sextoque sub anno Cui detur venia parte pia virgo Maria. Here in the Cloister vnder a flat stone of blacke marble lie the remaines of Gervais de Bloys so called of the place or Earledome which his father possest in France who was Stephen Earle of Bloys and Champaigne afterwards king of England He was his base sonne begotten of one Dameta a gentlewoman of Normandy He was brought into England by his father the fifth yeare of his raigne and in the same yeare made Abbot of this place In which gouernment he continued for the space of twenty yeares He deceased the 26. of August 1160. His Epitaph De Regem genere Pater hic Gervasius ecce Monstrat de functus mors rapit omne genus Euen father Gervase borne of kings race Loe is dead thus death all sorts doth deface Here lieth the body of Nicholas Litlington Abbot of this house who in the time of his gouernement which was for the space of 〈◊〉 yeares built the Abbots hall and the faire roome now called Ierusalem the West and South part of the Cloister and a Granary now the Schollers long Bed-chamber with the Tower adioyning as also the Water-Mill and many other Edefices He died Anno 1386. I found his Epitaph in a namelesse Manuscript in that neuer enough admired Librarie of Sir Robert Cotton Hacce Domo Ductor Nicholaus erat quoque structor Et sibi tunc sedem celo construxit edem M. semel C ter erat annus sex octuagenus Cum perit iste Abbas diuino flamine plenus Quinta dies fit ei requies in fine Nouembris Detur ei pietate Dei merces requici Amen Here lieth in the Cloister one Vitalis Abbot of this Couent preferred thereunto by William the Conquerour in the 16. of whose raigne 1082. he died vpon whose Tombe this Epitaph was engrauen alluding to his name like as for Laurence his successor Qui nomen traxit a vita morte vocante Abbas Vitalis transijt hicque iacet Here lieth the body of one Lawrence Abbot of this Monastery who obtained of Alexander the third that ambitious Bishop of Rome to himselfe and his successors the vse of the Miter the Ring and the Gloues the Pastorall Staffe before his time being their onely comportment as by the differing portraitures of the Abbots vpon their Tombestones may be easily discerned He died Anno 1176. to whose memory this allusiue Epitaph was made Clauditur hoc tumulo vir quondam clarus in orbe Quo preclarus erat hic locus est et erit Pro meritis vite dedit illi laurea nomen Detur ei vite laurea pro meritis Here lieth Gislebert Crispine Abbot who flourished in the raigne of King Henry the first and died in the yeare of our redemption 1114. His picture is vpon the graue stone inlaid with brasse with his Pastoral staffe onely without Miter Ring or other ornament with these verses Hic Pater insignis genus altum virgo senex que Gisleberte iaces lux via duxque tuis Mitis eras iustus prudens fortis moderatus Doctus quadriuio nec minus in triuio Sic tamen ornatus nece sexta luce Decembris Spiramen celo reddis ossa solo Here lieth interred the body of Edmund Kirton Abbot of this Monastery Doctor of Diuinity and a profound learned man he adorned Saint Andrewes Chappell wherein he lieth buried with the armes of many of the English Nobility These verses are inscribed vpon his monument Pastor pacisicus subiectis vir moderatus Hac sub marmorea Petra requiescit humatus Edmundus Kirton hic quondam qui fuit Abbas Bis denis annis cum binis connumerandus Sacre Scripture doctor probus immoprobatus Illustri stirpe de Cobildic generatus Coram Martino papa proposuit iste Ob quod multiplices laudes habuit honores Qui obijt tertio die mensis Octobris An. Dom. M. cccc.lx.vi Eleison Kyry curando morbida mundi Iohn Islip Abbot of Westminster a man of great authoritie and speciall trust with King Henry the seuenth lieth here interred He built the Deanes house as now it is and repaired many other places in this Monasterie in the windowes whereof saith Camden he had a quadruple deuice for his single name for somewhere he set vp an eye with a slip of a tree in another place one slipping boughes in a tree in other places an I with the said slip and in some places one slipping from a tree with the word Islip I cannot learne the time of his death by his Tombe yet I finde in a Manuscript wherein are diuers funerall collections and other Inscriptions of this Abbey which were gathered about the time of the dissolution that he died the second of Ianuary in the yeare 1510. the second of Henry the eight and also that in the Chappell of Saint Erasmus where he lieth buried vpon the wall ouer his Tombe was the picture of our Sauiour Christ hanging on the Crosse seeming to call and to giue good councell vnto mankind in these rimes Aspice serue Dei sic me posuere Iudei Aspice deuote quoniam sic pendeo pro te Aspice mortalis pro te datur Hostia talis Introitum vite reddo tibi redde mihi te In cruce sum prote qui peccas desine pro me Desine do veniam dic culpam corrige vitam Vnder this Crucifixe was the picture of the Abbot holding vp his hands and praying thus in old Poetrie En cruce qui pendis Islip miserere Iohannis
restored to all his former honours and withall created Earle of Oxford He died in the yeare 1194. the sixth of king Richard the first and was here buried by his father His wife Agnes or Adeliza lieth buried by him who was the daughter of Henry of Essex Baron of Ralegh the Kings Constable Such was the Epitaph or inscription vpon his Tombe as it is in the book of Colne Priory Hic iacet Albericus de Vere silius Alberici de Veer Comes de Guisney primus Comes Oxonie magnus Camerarius Anglie qui propter summam audatiam effrenatam prauitatem Grymme Aubrey vocabatur obiit 26. die Decembris anno Christi 1194. Richardi â— sexto Aubrey de Vere the sonne of the foresaid Aubrey succeeded his father in all his dignities I finde little written of him in our Histories saue that out of his Christian pietie he did confirme the gift of septem librat terre which Aubrey his father gaue to the Chanons of Saint O sith here in Essex adding thereto something of his owne He dyed in the yeare of our Lord 1214. and sleepeth now in the same Bed with three other Aubreyes his Ancestors To whom this Epitaph vpon Conrad the Emperour at Spires in Germany may be fitly applied Filius hic Pater hic Auus hic Proauus iacet istie The great Belsire the Grandsire Sire and Sonne Lie here interred vnder this Grauestone Hugh de Vere the sonne of Robert the first of that Christian name Earle of Oxford and Lord great Chamberlaine of England was here entombed with his Ancestors who died in the yeare 1263. He had the title of Lord Bolebeck which came by his mother Isabell de Bolebeck daughter and heire of Hugh de Bolebeck a Baron who was Lord of Bolebeck Castle in Whitechurch within Buckinghamshire and of Swaffam Bolebeck in Cambridgeshire Hee had to wife Hawisia the daughter of Saier de Quincy Earle of Winchester as appeares by this Inscription sometime insculpt vpon their Tombe Hic iacent Hugo de Veer eius nominis primus Comes Oxonie quartus magnus Camerarius Anglie filius heres Roberti Comitis Hawisua vxor cius filia Saeri de Quincy comitis Wintonie qui quidem Hugo obiit 1263. Quorum animabus propitietur altissimus Robert de Vere the sonne of Hugh aforesaid Earle of Oxford who enioyed his fathers inheritances and honours the space of thirtie and two yeares lieth here entombed with his ancestours who died in the yeare 1295. Alice his wife the daughter and heire of Gilbert Lord Samford Lord of Hormead in Hertfordshire was interred by him who died at Caufeld house neare Dunmow the ninth day of September 1312. Here lieth buried the body of Robert de Vere sonne and successour to the foresaid Robert whose gouernment both in peace and warre was so prudent his hospitalitie and other workes of charitie so wisely abundant and his Temperance with a religious zeale so admirablie conioyned that he was of all surnamed the good Earle of Oxford and the vulgar esteemed him as a Saint He died the 19. of Aprill 1331. Here lyeth entombed Robert de Vere Richard the seconds Mignion who to adde to his honours created him Marquesse of Dublin a title not knowne before that time in England and in the yeare following Duke of Ireland with commission to execute most inseparable prerogatiues royall These Stiles were of too high a nature and therefore infinitely subiected to enuy Whereupon like a second Gaueston he was hated of the Nobilitie especially for that he was a man nec prudentia caeteris proceribus nec armis valentior as Walsingham saith 9. R. 2. But it was not long before he was banished England by the Barons for abusing the Kings eare to the hurt of the State He had to wife a young faire and noble Lady and the Kings neare kinswoman for she was grandchilde to King Edward by his daughter Isabell he put her away and tooke one of Queene Annes women a Bohemian of base birth Sellarij filia saith Walsingham a Sadlers daughter some say a Ioyners an act full of wickednesse and indignitie Yet this intollerable villanie offered to the bloud-royall King Richard did not encounter neither had the power some say who deemed that by witchcrafts and forceries practised vpon him by one of the Dukes followers his iudgement was so seduced and captiuated that he could not see what was honest or siâ— to doe But where Princes are wilfull or slothfull and their Fauorites flatterers or time-seruers there needs no other enchantments to infatuate yea and ruinate the greatest Monarch Vpon his banishment he went into France where he liued about fiue yeares and there being a hunting he was slaine by a wilde Boare in the yeare 1392. King Richard hearing thereof out of his loue caused his body to be brought into England and to be apparrelled in Princely ornaments and robes and put about his neck a chaine of gold and Rings vpon his fingers and so was buried in this Priory the King being there present and wearing blackes After the death of Robert Duke of Ireland who died without issue his Nephew Aubrey de Vere succeeded him in the Earledome of Oxford he enioyed his honours not passing eight yeares but dyed die Veneris in festo Sancti Georgij Ann. primo Hen. quarti 1400. and lieth here entombed with his worthie Ancestors Here lieth buried in this Priorie Iohn de Vere the third of that Christian name and the thirteenth Earle of Oxford Lord Bolebecke Samford and Scales great Chamberlaine and Lord high Admirall of England Who died the fourth of Henry the eight 1512. hauing beene Earle of Oxford full fifty yeares a long time to tugge out in the troublesome raignes of so many kings especially for men of eminent places and high spirits euer apt to take any occasion to shew their manly prowesse which fire of honour flamed in this Earles breast at Barnet field where in a mist the great Earle of Warwickes men not able to distinguish betwixt the Sun with streames vpon King Edwards liuery and the Starre with streames on this Earles liuery shot at this Earles followers and by that misprision the battell was lost After which he fled into Cornwall and seized vpon Saint Michaels Mount But Edward the fourth got him in his power and committed him prisoner to the Castle of Hames beyond the Seas where he remained for the space of twelue yeares vntill the first of King Henry the seuenth with whom he came into England and by whom he was made Captaine of the Archers at Bosworth-field where after a short resistance hee discomfited the Foreward of King Richard whereof a great number were slaine in the chase and no small number fell vnder the victors sword This Earle gaue a great contribution to the finishing of Saint Maries Church in Cambridge His hospitalitie and the great port he carried here in his country may be gathered out of a
Bell on which is cast a peece of coine of siluer of King Edward the fourth it was giuen by one of the Countesses of Essex as one may partly gather by an old Inscription vpon it is the Bowsers knot Tiltey Here sometime stood a Monastery founded by Maurice Fitz-Gilbert before remembred not long after the Conquest which he dedicated to the honour of the Virgine Mary and therein placed white Monkes of the Cistertian order The donations to this religious house are confirmed in the Records of the Tower Cart. Antiq. lit S. The valuation of it at the suppression was 177. l. 9 s. 4. d. This Monasterie is not altogether ruinous in the little Church whereof I found these Funerall Inscriptions following Bruntingthorpe neare to Leicester hath long beene the habitation of the ancient familie of Dannet saith Master Burton who beareth sable Guttee Argent a Canton Ermine one of which familie lieth here interred with this Epitaph Hic iacet sepultus cum coniuge Maria Gerardus Dannet de Bruntingthorp in Com Lecestr Ar. serenissimi Regis Henrici octaui Consiliarius qui obijt Anno Christi M. ccccc.xx mensis Maij quarto The armes afore blazoned are ouer the Monument of this Councellour to king Henry Abbas famosus bonus viuendo probatus In Thakley natus qui iacet hic tumulatus Thomas dictatus qui Christo sit sociatus Rite gubernauit istumque locum peramauit Great Easton Orate .... Willelmi Moigne Ar .... qui obiit .... M.ccc.v This William Moigne or Monke held this Mannor of Easton ad montem for so it was anciently called with Winterborne and Maston in the Countie of Wilts by seruice of being Clarke of the Kings Kitchin and keeper of his Lardarie tempore Coronationis Hatfield Brad-oke So called saith Camden of a broad spread Oake in which Towne Robert de Vere the third Earle of Oxford and great Chamberlaine of England founded a Priorie for blacke Monkes About the beginning of the raigne of King Henry the third valued at the suppression at 157. l. 3. s. 2. d. ob per annum which Priory Aubrey de Vere the third of that Christian name Earle of Oxford enfeoffed with the Tithes of this Towne and to the instrument of his donation he affixed by a harpe string as a labell to the bottome of the parchment a short blacke hafted knife like vnto an old halfe penny whitle instead of a Seale These are the words in his Grant Per istum cultellum Albericus de Vere tertius feoffauit Prioratum et Conventum de Hatfeeld Regis alas Brodoke cum omnibus decimis in villa predicta Habend c. a festo Assumptionis beate Marie virginis in puram perpetuam Eleemosinam c. Of this old manner of signing and sealing of deeds you may read Lambard in his perambulation of Kent pag. 318. This Robert was first entombed in the Church of his owne foundation and at the dissolution remoued into the Quire of this Parish Church where he lieth crosse-legged with this inscription now almost worne out Sire Robert de Veer le premier count de Oxenford le tierz git ci Dieux del alme si luy plest sace merci Oi pur lame priera xl iors de pardonn anera Pater Noster Sir Robert Vere the first and third Earle of Oxford lieth here God if he please have mercy of his soule whosoeuer shall pray for his soule shall obtaine fourty dayes Pardon He died in the yeare 1221. Hic iacent Thomas Barington Ar. Anna vxor eius qui quidem Thomas obijt v. Aprilis M. cccc lxxij Anna obiit proximo die sequenti Quorum animabus propitietur Altissimus At Barington Hall within this Parish saith that learned delineator of Great Britaine M. Camden dwelleth that right ancient familie of the Baringtons which in the raigne of King Stephen the Barons of Montfitchet inriched with faire possessions since which time this house is much enobled by the marriage of Sir Thomas Barington knight with Winifred the daughter and coheire of Sir Henry Pole knight Lord Montague sonne of Margaret Plantaginet Countesse of Salisbury descended of the bloud royall being the daughter of George Duke of Clarence Great Dunmow Exoretis miserecordiam Dei pro anima Walteri Bigod Armigeri qui obijt 17. die mens Mar. 1397. Simon de Regham iadis Parson de Dunmow gist icy Dieu de son alme eit mercy Amen Of yowr cherite prey for the sowls of Iohn Ienone Esquyr somtym on of the Common Pleas of Westmynstre and Alys his wyff Whych Iohn dyed xvii Septembyr M. Vc.xlii Little Dunmow Iuga the wife of one Baynard a Nobleman that came in with the Conquerour the builder of Baynards Castle in London founded the Priority in this village in the beginning of the raigne of Henry Beauclerke and entreated Mauricius Bishop of London to dedicate the Church to the honour of the virgine Mary to which the same day she gaue halfe a Hide of land Her sonne and heire Geffrey Baynard placed blacke Chanons therein by the consent of Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury This house was valued at the suppression to be yearely worth 173. l. 2. s. 4. d. The Church of this monastery is as yet standing in the Quire whereof betweene two pillars lieth the body of Matilda the faire entombed who was the daughter of Robert Fitz-water the most valiant knight of England About the yeare 1213. saith the booke of Dunmow there arose a great discord betwixt king Iohn and his Barons because of Matilda surnamed the faire daughter of Robert Fitz-water whom the King vnlawfully loued but could not obtaine her nor her fathers consent thereunto Whereupon and for other like causes ensued warre through the whole Realme The king banished the said Fitz-water amongst other and caused his Castle called Baynard and other his houses to be spoiled Which being done he sent a messenger vnto Matilda the faire about his old Suit in Loue Et quia noluit consentire toxicauit eam And because she would not agree to his wicked motion the messenger poisoned a boiled or potched Egge against she was hungrie and gaue it vnto her whereof she died the yeare 1213. In the yeare following after her death her banished father was restored to the kings fauour vpon this occasion It happened in the yeare 1214. king Iohn being then in France with a great armie that a truce was taken betwixt the two Kings of England and France for the terme of fiue yeares and a riuer or arme of the Sea being betwixt either host there was a knight in the English host that cried to them of the other side willing some one of their knights to come and iust a course or two with him Wherupon without stay Robert Fitz-water being on the French part made himselfe ready ferried ouer got on horseback and shewed himself ready to the face of
Nottingham Yorke and Northumberland where without respect of age or sexe they laid all wast and left the Land whence they departed like to a desolate wildernesse From thence they came with the like furie into Edmunds territories and sacked Thetford a frequent citie in those daies but hee not able to withstand their violence fled into â—his Castle at Framingham wherein he was of them besieged and lastly taken in a village then called Heglisdune of a wood bearing the same name or rather yeelded himselfe to their torments to saue more christian bloud for it is recorded that because of his most constant Faith and profession those Pagans first beat him with bats then scourged him with whips he still calling vpon the name of Iesus for rage whereof they bound to a stake and with their arrowes shot him to death and cutting off his head contemptuously threw it into a bush after he had raigned ouer the East Angles the space of sixteene yeares Camden out of Abbo Floriacensis saith that the bloudy Danes hauing bound this most christian King to a tree for that he would not renounce christianity shot him with sharpe arrowes all his body ouer augmenting the paines of his torment with continuall piercing him with arrow after arrow and thus inflicted wound vpon wound so long as one arrow could stand by another as a Poet of midle time versified of him I am loca vulneribus desunt nec dum furiofis Tela sed hyberna grandine plura volant Though now no place was left for wound yet arrowes did not faile These surious wretches still they flie thicker then winter haile His body and head after the Danes were departed were buried at the same royall Towne as Abbo termes it where Sigebert the East Anglean King and one of his predecessors at his establishing of Christianity built a Church and where afterwards in honour of him was built another most spatious and of a wonderfull frame of Timber and the name of the Towne vpon that occasion of his buriall called vnto this day Saint Edmundsbury This Church and place to speake more fully to that which I haue written before Suenus the Pagan Danish King in impiety and fury burned to ashes But when his sonne Canute or Knute had made conquest of this Land and gotten possession of the English Crowne terrified and afrighted as saith the Legend with a vision of the seeming Saint Edmund in a religious deuotion to expiate his Fathers sacriledge built it anew most sumptuously enriched this place with Charters and Gifts and offered his owne Crowne vpon the Martyrs Tombe of whom for a conclusion take these verses following Vtque cruore suo Gallos Dionisius ornat Grecos Demetrius gloria quisque suiâ— Sic nos Edmundus nulli virtute secundus Lux patet patrie gloria magna sue Sceptra manum Diadema capud sua purpura corpus Ornat ei sed plus vincula mucro cruor The 20. day of Nouember in our Calender was kept holy in remembrance of this King and Martyr Puer Robertus apud Sanctum Edmundum a Iudeis fuit Martirazatus 4. Id. Iunij An. 1179. et illic sepultus Alanus Comes Britannie obijt An. 1093. his iacet ad hostium australe Sancti Edmundi ex eod lib. de chateris This Allan here buried or as some will haue it in the monastery of Rhedon sirnamed the Red or Fergaunt was the sonne of Eudo Earle of Britaine and entred England with William the Conquerour his Father in Law To whom the said Conquerour gaue the honour and County of Edwyn within the County and Prouince of Yorke by his Charter in these words I William sirnamed Bastard King of England giue and grant to thee my Nephew Allan Earle of Britaine and to thy heyres for euer all those Villages Townes and Lands which were late in possession of Earle Edwin in Yorkeshire with knights fees Churches and other liberties and customes as freely and honourably as the said Edwyn held them Giuen at the siege before Yorke Alban being a man of an high spirit and desirous to gouerne the Prouince entirely which he had receiued built a strong Castle by Gillingham a village which he possessed by which he might defend himselfe not onely against the English who were spoiled of their goods and lands but also against the fury and inuasions of the Danes When the worke was finished he gaue it the name of Richmond of purpose either for the greatnesse and magnificence of the place or for some Castle in little Britaine of the same name Here sometimes vnder a goodly Monument in the Quire of this Abbey Church lay interred the body of Thomas surnamed of Brotherton the place of his birth the fifth sonne of Edward the first after the Conquest king of England by Margaret his second wife the eldest daughter of Philip king of France surnamed the Hardy He was created Earle of Norfolke and made Earle Marshall of England by his halfe brother King Edward the second which Earledomes Roger Bigod the last of that surname Earle of Norfolke and Earle Marshall leauing no issue left to the disposition of the king his Father This Earle died in the yeare of our redemption 1338. Here lay buried the body of Thomas Beauford sonne of Iohn of Gaunt begotten of the Lady Katherine Swyneford his third wife who by King Henry the fourth was made Admirall then Captaine of Calis and afterwards Lord Chancellour of England He was created by the said King Earle of Perch in Normandy and Earle of Dorlet in England And lastly in the fourth yeare of King Henry the fifth he was created Duke of Exceter and made knight of the order of the Garter He had the leading of the Rereward at the battell of Agincourt and the gouernment of king Henry the sixth appointed to that office by the foresaid Henry the fifth on his death-bed He valiantly defended Harflew in Normandy whereof he was gouernour against the Frenchmen and in a pitched field encountring the Earle of Armiguar put him to flight He died at his House of East Greenwich in Kent vpon Newyeares day the fifth of Henry the sixth for whom all England mourned saith Milles The body of Mary Queene of France widow of Lewis the twelfth daughâ—er of King Henry the 7. and sister to king Henry the eight was here in this Abbey Church entombed After the death of Lewis with whom she liued not long shee married that Martiall and pompous Gentleman Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke She died on Midsomer Eeue 1533. Iohn Boon Abbot of this Monasterie had his tombe and interrement here in this Church who died in the beginning of February in the ninth yeare of the raigne of king Edward the fourth as appeares by the said kings Conged'eslire or permission royall to the Prior and Couent of this House to make choise of another Abbot as followeth Edwardus Dei gratia Rex Anglie Francie
and sea together wherein a Monastery was built by Furseus a holy Scot by whose perswasions Sigebert king of the East Angles became a Monke and resigned vp his kingdome who afterwards being drawne against his will out of this Monastery to encourage his people in battell against the Mercians together with his company lost his life In that place now there are onely ruinous walls in forme as it were foure square built of flint stone and British bricke But the story of the Foundation of this Abbey will best appeare in the life of Furseus written by Bede and followed by Capgraue Bede lib 3. cap. 19. Capgraue lit F. folio 153 as followeth In the time that Sigebert yet gouerned the East parts of England a holy man called Furseus came thither out of Ireland a man notable both for his sayings and doings of great vertue and much desiring to wander and trauell in Gods quarrell wheresoever occasion serued Comming therefore to the east coasts of England hee was reuerently receiued of the said King where pursuing his godly desire of Preaching the word of God hee both conuerted many Infidels and confirmed the faithfull in the faith and loue of Christ by his painefull Preaching and vertuous examples Where falling into sicknesses hee had from God a vision by the ministery of Angels wherein he was warned to goe forward cheerefully in his painefull Preaching of the Gospell and to perseuere in his accustomed watching and praying because his end and death was certaine though the houre thereof was most vncertaine according to the saying of our Lord. Watch therefore ye know not the day nor the houre With this vision being much confirmed and encouraged he hastened with all speed to build vp the Monasterie in the place king Sigebert had giuen vnto him and to instruct it with regular discipline This Monastery was pleasantly situated for the Woods and Sea adioyning being erected in the village of Gnobersburg and enriched afterwards by Anna King of that prouince and many other Noble men with sundry faire houses and other ornaments This Monastery was founded about the yeare of our Lord 636. and demolished long before the violent deluge of such buildings which happened in the raigne of King Henry the eight Gorlston Here I saw saith Camden the tower steeple of a small suppressed Friery which standeth the Sailers in good steed for a marke of which Friery I neuer marked further Lestoffe Here lieth buried the body of Thomas Scroope otherwise sirnamed Bradley of the towne wherein he was borne descended of the noble family of the Scroopes Qui claritatem generis literis et virtutibus plurimum illustrabat who very much adorned the honour of his birth by his learning and vertues He was first a Monke ordinis Sancti Benedicti of the order of Saint Benet after that ad maiorem aspirans perfectionem aspiring to a greater perfection of life hee tooke vpon him the profession and rule of a Dominican and after that he submitted himselfe to the discipline of the Carmelites of whose Institution he writ a learned Treatise and preached the Gospell in haire and sackcloth round about the Countrie Then hee withdrew himselfe againe to his house of Carmelites in Norwich and there remained twenty yeares leading the life of an Anchorite but yet after that time he came abroad and was aduanced by the Pope to a Bishopricke in Ireland called Dromorensis Episcopatus the said Pope which was Eugenius the fourth sent him in embassage to the I le of Rhodes of which he writ a booke from whence being returned he left Ireland and his Bishopricke came into the East countries wherein hee went vp and downe barefooted teaching in townes abroad the ten commandements and preaching the glad tidings of the Gospell Quicquid autem vel ex suis reditibus percepit vel alias a ditioribus lucrari poterat id totum aut pauperibus distribuit aut in alios pios vsus erogauit whatsoeuer hee tooke either of his owne yearely profits or what he could procure from the richer sort of people he distributed it all to the poore or employed it to pious vses At the length Anno aetatis suae plus minus centesimo in Leistoft Suffolciencis comitatus oppido viuendi finem fecit in the yeare of his age one hundred or thereabouts he died in this towne of Lestoffe the fifteenth day of Ianuary in the yeare of our Lord 1491. the seuenth of Henry the seuenth Here he was buried cum Epitaphio Elegiaco with an Elegiacall or sorrowfull Epitaph engrauen vpon his monument two of the last verses of which are these two verses following Venit ad occasum morbo confectus amoro Spiritus alta petit pondere corpus humum If you would know more of this learned Irish Bishop reade Bale and Pitseus in his life Somerley The habitation in ancient times of Fitz-Osbert from whom it is come lineally to the worshipfull ancient Familie of the Iernegans Knights of high esteeme in these parts saith Camden in this tract Vpon an ancient Knight saith the same Author in his Remaines Sir Iernegan buried crosse legd at Somerley in Suffolke some hundred yeares since is written Iesus Christ both God and man Saue thy seruant Iernegan This Knight as I gather by computation of yeares was Sir Richard Ierningham or Iernegan who for his staid wisedome was chosen to be one of the priuie Chamber to King Henry the eight vpon this occasion following Certaine Gentlemen of the priuy Chamber which through the Kings lenitie in bearing with their lewdnesse forgetting themselues and their duty towards his grace in being too familiar with him not hauing due respect to his estate and degree were remoued by order taken from the Councell vnto whom the King had giuen authoritie to vse their discretions in that behalfe and then were foure sad and ancient Knights put into the Kings priuy Chamber whose names were Sir Richard Wingfield Sir Richard Ierningham Sir Richard Weston and Sir William Kingstone Or it may be Sir Robert Ierningham knighted by the Duke of Suffolke Charles Brandon at the battaile and yeelding vp of Mont de dier a towne in France But which of the Family soeuer he was the name hath beene of exemplarie note before the Conquest if you will beleeue thus much as followeth taken out of the Pedegree of the Ierninghams by a iudicious gentleman Anno M.xxx. Canute King of Denmarke and of England after his returne from Rome brought diuers Captaines and Souldiers from Denmarke whereof the greatest part were christened here in England and began to settle themselues here of whom Iernegan or Iernengham and Iennihingho now Iennings were of the most esteeme with Canute who gaue vnto the said Ierningham certaine royalties and at a Parliament held at Oxford the said King Canute did giue vnto the said Ierningham certaine Mannors in Norfolke and to Iennings certain Mannors lying vpon the sea-side neere Horwich in Suffolke in
Canterbury Hee the said Saint Benet died about the yeare of our Lord fiue hundred and eighteene and was buried in his owne Oratorie consecrated to Saint Iohn where as before was wont to be the Altar of Apollo He liued 63. yeares Saint Francis was borne in the Towne of Assile in the Duchie of Spoletum in Italy in his young yeares he dealt in the trade of Merchandise but by reason of a great sicknesse at the age of two and twenty yeares he contemned all worldly dealings and gaue himselfe wholly to heauenly meditations he put a shirt of haire vpon his bare skinne and a sacke vpon it girding himselfe with a cord going also without hose or shooes Et victus ostiatim emendicans begging from doore to doore so as the fame of him being spread ouer neighbour countreys many drawne by his holinesse abandoned the world and became his disciples making profession of pouerty but yet to labour and take paines for a poore liuing For these he built an Abbey in the Towne where he was borne and wrate a rule as well for those which were vnited vnto him as for such as should come after him which was approued and confirmed with many Indulgences Priuiledges Graces and Pardons by Pope Innocent the third and Honorius that succeeded him After the confirmacion whereof he ordained that his Friers should be called Fratres minores or Minorite Friers to witnesse their greater humilitie One Adam Sousbout a Germane Diuine Ann. 1227. vpon his entrance into this order writes thus to his Father at Delphos Quà m sit vita breuis quam sit via lubrica quamque Mors incerta bonis quae praemia quaeque parata Sint tormenta malis horum meditatio nostra est Quod facimus quod firmamus quod et esse perenne Optamus testamentum Saluete valete Care pater cari Fratres caraeque Sorores This Scraphicall Saint Francis died the fourth of October 1226. and was canonised by Pope Gregorie the ninth ann 1276. Ann. 1224. About two yeares before the death of Saint Francis these Friers Minorites came into England Et benigne a Rege Henrico tertio sunt suscepti Cantuar collocati fuerunt They were graciously receiued of Henry the third and placed in Canterbury And afterwards anno 1269 one of the Ancestours of Sir Dudley Digge commonly called Digges Emit Insulam vocatam Bynnewyght in Cantuar. et locum Porte super stonestreete ad opus Fratrum Minorum et tempore oportuno transtulit Fratres ad illam bought an Island in Canterbury called Bynnewyght and the place of a gate ouer Stone-streete for the vse of the Friers Minorites to which hee translated them in conuenient time The Friers Minors saith Stow first arriued in England at Douer nine in number fiue of them remained at Canterbury and did there build the first Couent of Friers Minors that euer was in England the other foure came to London and lodged at the preaching Friers the space of fifteene dayes and then hired an house in Cornhill of Iohn Traners one of the Sheriffes they buiâ—â—ded there little cels wherein they inhabited the deuotion of the Citizens toward them and also the multitude of Friers so increased that they were remoued by the Citizens to a place in S. Nicholas Shambles which Iohn Iwyn Citizen and Mercer of London appropriated vnto the Communalty of the Citie to the vse of the said Friers and became himselfe a lay Brother Contemporarie with Saint Francis was Saint Dominicke a Spaniard borne in a Towne called Calogora in the Diocesse of Osma His fader was namyd Felix and his Meder Iohane saith an old Agon from Calogora hee came into Gascoigne where hee continued ten yeares preaching and drawing Christian Princes into armes against the Albigeoâ—s certeyne Heretiques Qui damnato matrimonio vagos suadebant corcubitus atque â—sum carnium prohibebant Who condemned Matrimonie perswaded licentious copulations and forbad the eating of flesh whose errours hee repressed by his Sermons From thence he went to Rome to the Councell of Lateran vnder Innocent the third where hee obtained licence of the said Pope to put himselfe vnder what rule he should like best that was allowed by the Church whereupon he made choise of that of Saint Antonie with sixteene of his disciples and hauing made certaine constitutions it was confirmed by Honorius the third about the yeare of our Lord 1206. Then going to Tholouse he exhorted his Friers and sent them to preach two and two together perswading them to bee preachers both in deed and name These Friers Preachers came first into England in the yeare 1221. where they had louing entertainment and houses built Of which my old Author Then deide Seynt Hugh an half yer and no mo That was Bishop of Lincolne and ther after the fyrst yer The order of Frere prechours bygan that â—as neuer Seynt Domnyk hit bygan in the yere of gease ywis M. C. C. no mor forsothe hit ys Of the gluttonie and drunkennesse of this order which so farre declined like others from the first institution one of their owne side thus writ Sanctus Dominicus sit nobis semper amiâ—us Cuicanimus nostro iugiter praeconia rosâ—ro De cordis venis siccatis ante lagenis Ergo was laudes si tu nos pangere gaudes Tempore Paschali fac ne potu puteali Conveniat vti quod si sit vndique muti Semper erant Fratres qui non curant nisi ventres All things degenerate in time and stray in a manner from the right course for example the order of Saint Benet which had flourished a long space with great reputation of holinesse diâ—â—ered so much from the first institution of their Founder that neither the decrees and authoritie of holy Fathers generall and prouinciall Councels could reforme or draw them to their first principles vntill the sanctitie of one Odo or Otho Abbot of Cluâ—â—â— Burgandy and one of Saint Benets order reuiued in a manner from 〈◊〉 to life this Monasticall profession forcing them to obserue and obseruing himselfe from point to point all that was practised in the time of S. Benedict So as many of their Abbots which were drawne by his good example reformed also their Abbeyes not onely in France but as well in Spâ—â—ne Germany Italy and England and for that this reformation 〈◊〉 his first beginning at Cluni the vnion of so many Abbeyes was called the congregation of Cluni and euery yeare by the Popes permission and authoritie all the Abbots of this congregation met at a certaine place and they called it the generall Chapter whereas they treated of the order and life of Monkes putting out and punishâ—ng such as had offended This Odo liued in the yeare of our Lord 913. It was no long time after ere that these Benedictines fell againe to their old vomit their great wealth hauing made them proud idle luxurious carelesse of Gods house and in most or all of their actions
Omnem hominem qui secundum Deum viuit remunerari à Deo sperat optat oportet vt puris precibus consensum hilariter ex animo prebeat Quoniam certum est tanto facilius ea que ipse à domino poposcerit consequi posse quanto ipse libentius Deo aliquid concesserit Quocirca ego Ethelbertus Rex Cantie cum consensu venerabilis Archiepiscopi Augustini ac Principum meorum do concedo in honorem Sancti Petri aliquam partem terre inris mei que iacet in oriente ciuitatis Dorobernie ita duntaxat vt monasterium ibi construatur â—es quam supra memoraui in potestate Abbatis sit qui ibi sucris ordinatus 〈◊〉 adinro precipio in nomine Domini Dei omnipotentis qui est omnium Rex Iudex iustus vt presata terra subscripta donatione sempiternaliter sit confirmata ita vt nec mihi nec alicui successorum meorum Regum ant Principum siue cuiuslibet conditionis dignitatibus Ecclesiasticis gradibus de ea aliquid fraudare liceat Si quis vero de hac donatione aliquid imminuere ant irritum facere tentauerit sit in presenti seperatus à sancta communione corporis sanguinis Christi in die Iuditij ob meritum malitie sue à consortio Sanctorum omnium segregatus Dorobernie Anno ab incarnatione Christi Sexcentesimo qâ—into Indictione octaua Ego Ethelbertus Rex Cantie sana mente integroque consilio donationem meaâ—â— signo sancte Crucis propria 〈◊〉 nu roboraui conâ—irmanique Austin did also confirme and strengthen King Ethelberts donation by his owne Bull or charter and exempted this Abbey from all Archiepiscopall iurisdiction Varijsque reliquijs Diuorum quas Roma auexerat ornaâ—il Inter quas suit pars inconsutilis Domini tunicae et virge Aaron And enriched it with diuers reliques of Saints which hee had brought with him from Rome amongst which was a part of Christs seamelesse Cote and of Aarons Rod. And here by the way obserue that Austin sealed his deeds or charters bulla plumbea with a leaden Bull which many ages afterwards Richard Archbishop of Canterbury went about to infringe and infirme Quod is signandi modus Romanis Pontificibus proprius esset Because that manner of signing was proper to the Bishops of Rome About which time Philip Earle of â—landers sent ouer into England the like Bull of a certaine Bishop by which he and the Bishops before him vsed to seale their writings The reuenues of this Monasterie were augmented by King Edgar of which will it please you reade his Charter In nomine Trino diuino Regi regâ—anti in perpetuum Domino Deo Sabaoth cui patent cuncta penetralia cordis ei corporis c. Ego Eadgarus Rex Anglorum do et concedo Sancto Augusti o Anglorum Apostolo et Fraâ—◠〈◊〉 in illo sancto Cenobio conuersantibus terram quatuor aratrorum que nominatur Plumstede Hanc ergo terram â—um consensu Archiepiscopi Dunstant optimatumque meorum libenti animo concedo pro redemptione anime mee vt cam teneant perhenniterque habeant Si quis vero heredum Successorumquâ— meorum hanc meam donationem seruare vel amplificare staduerit seruetur ei benedictio sempiterna Si autem sit quod non optamus quod alicuius Persone Homo diabolica temeritate insligatus surreperit qui vel hanc meam donationem infringere in aliquo temptauerit Sciaâ— se ante Tribunal summi et eterni Iudicis rationem esseredditurum â—isi ante digna et placabili satisfacti one Deo et sancto Augustino Fratribusque emendare voluerit Ego Edgarus Anglorum Monarchus hoc donum roboraui Ego Dunstanus Archiepiscopus consensi c. These lands being taken away by Earle Godwin and giuen to his sonne Tostic were restored backe againe to this Abbey by the Conquerour Whose letters patents ranne in this forme In nomine sancte et indiuidue Trinitatis patris et silij et spiritus sancti Ego Wilhelmus Dei gracia Rex Anglorum statum Ecclâ—siarum Regne mei corroborans et vacillata hactenus in melius confirmans atque iniuste ablata restituens Concedo et annuo sancto Augustino et Fratribus suo Cenobio commorantibus terram que dicitur Plumstede Hanc terram à prâ—memorato Sancto Augustino et Fratribus loci antiquitus possessam Godwynus comes fraude et vi iniuste abstulerat et suo filio Tostit dederat quam tamen Rex Edwardus postea Sancto reddiderat sit varijs euentibus possessa ablata restituta neiam vlterius calumpnie pateat aut cuiusquam querimonia à Cenobio Sancti Augustini supradictam villam auferat inde Cyrographum hoc confirmo vt cam habeant tencant possideant Monachi Sancti Augustini in perpetuum Si quis antem huic nostre authoritati contrarius boc violare presumpserit eterna maledictionis dampnatione se mulctandum nouerit et regie vindicte subiâ—cebit Ego Wilhelmus gratia Dei Rex Angloram hanc cartam confirmo et meis firmandam committo Ego Odo Archiepiscopus Baiocensis Calumpniam quam in ipsa terra habebam relinquo et lubens subscribo Ego Wilhelmus Londonens Episcopus subscribo c. But this Abbey was endowed with ample reuenues by many others so that being valued at the dissolution like the rest of all such religious foundations at a fauourable and farre vnder-rate it amounted to bee yearely worth 1412. l. 4. s. 7 d. ob q. It was surrendred 4. Decemb. 29. Hen. 8. Saint Austine replenished this house with blacke Monkes Benedictines and ordained it to be the place of Sepulture for the kings of Kent for himselfe and all succeeding Archbishops The first king here interred was the foresaid Ethelbert who after hee had gloriously raigned the space of 56. yeares and had enlarged the frontiers of his Empire as farre as the great Riuer Humber entred into the eternall blisse of the kingdome on heauen The yeare of our redemption 616. and in the 13 yeare after he had receiued the Christian faith As I finde it in this old Manuscript Ethelbert cleped the hely king of Kent In the yer of grace six hundryd and sixtene Deide and of Christendome the xxi y wene Six and fifty Wynter he had regnyd her And aftur Edbald hys son regne gan ther. He was buried on the North side of the Church vpon whose Monument this Epitaph was engrauen Rex Ethelbertus hic clauditur in Polyandro Fana pians certe Christo meat absque Meandâ—â— King Ethelbert lieth here closde in this Polyander For building Churches sure he goes to Christ without Meander Berta his wife was here likewise interred who was the daughter of Chilperick king of France who was grandchilde to Clouis the first Christian king of that famous nation this woman was conuerted to Christianity before she came out of her owne countrey and before Austins
arriuall here in England and was married to king Ethelbert with these conditions made by her parents That it should be lawfull for her to keepe inuiolable the rites of her Religion and enioy the presence and instructions of her learned Bishop Luitharde whom they appointed to assist and helpe her in matters of her faith She was a woman of vertuous and holy inclination spending much of her time in prayer almes-deeds and other workes of charitie frequenting daily her Oratorie within Saint Martins a Church built in former times by the beleeuing Romanes wherein her reuerend assistant Luitardus vsed also to instruct and exhort the people to newnesse of life and Religion so that by her example and his preaching many of the Kentish Paynims were brought in to beleeue the glad tydings of the Gospell These proceedings with his wiues perswasions wrought so effectually with good king Ethelbert that his heart was softned and his eares already opened to receiue and embrace the doctrine of S. Austine Whereupon some do gather that the happinesse of his and his Subiects conuersion may as well be attributed to Berta and her French attendants as to Austine and his fellow-disciples Of which an old namelesse Rimer very ancient Whan Ethilbert hadde regned bot a yer Sent Awstyn hym to Cristen feyth conuert Thrughe goddys grase as clerly dyd apere Who hadde to wyffe Berta that was advert To Cristen feyth in Fraunce afore convert That helpt therto wyth all hur dylygens As Awstyn dyd wythe all benyvolens She was likewise an earnest parswader and a pertaker with her husband Ethelbert in and for the propagating and erecting of Religion and religious structures as I obserue out of the same Authour Kynge Ethilbert wythe ryall gret expens Gret Mynsters made of hyghe reuyrens In Rochestre and eke in Canterbery For Bysschoppys sees that wer ful necessary Atte London eke sent Pawles edyfyed In whyche so then shuld be the Bysschoppys Se Thus hely Câ—yrch tha Pâ—yns ther fortyfyed Wythe alle kynde thynge that was necessary For sustenauns of the Christyante So dydde hys wyff hur part wythe all hur myght To fortefy the cristen in thâ—yr ryght This blessed Queene died before her husband neare vnto whom he desired to be buried ann 622. for whom this Distich was composed Moribus ornata iacet hic Regina beata Berta Deo grata fuit ac homini peramata Here sometime lay the body of Edbald entombed king of Kent the sonne and heire of the before named Ethelbert by his Queene Berta who began his raigne as wickedly as his father ended his worthily for hee refused to entertaine the doctrine of Christ and polluted himselfe by the marriage of his mother in law his owne fathers second wife but at length being conuerted by Archbishop Lawrence from his idolatrie and incestuous matrimonie hee endeuoured by all meanes possible to propagate and maintaine the state of the Gospell The king of Kent Edbald his furst wyf forsoke And held hym to hys Christendom yat he furst toke And built a Chappell within this Monasterie in honour of Mary the blessed mother of God endowing it with sufficient maintenance wherein after the continuance of 24. yeares raigne hee was buried ann 640. His wife Emma the daughter of Theodebert king of Lorraine was buryed by him Here lieth Ercombert the sonne of the said Edbald king of Kent a religious king who suppressed all the Temples of the heathen Idols and commanded the fast of Lent to be obserued His wife Sexburgh daughter of Anna king of the East Angles was layed by him This King hauing raigned foure and twentie yeares and odde monethes finished his dayes ann 664. Egbert succeeded his father Ercombert and if the murther of his two cosin-Germans had not much blemished his peaceable gouernment he might well haue holden place with the worthiest of the Kentish kings He died in the tenth yeare of his raigne anno 673. and was buried here by his predecessours And so in like manner this Church was honoured with the sepulchres of Lothaire Withred Edelbert and other Kentish kings and also with the shrines of many English Saints whose sacred Reliques as they were then esteemed brought both great veâ—â—ration and bencht to this religâ—ouâ— Structure The first man of eminencie that I finde to haue bâ—ene eâ—shrined in this Abbey was Saint Augustine the first Archbishop of this See of Canterbury a Romane borre and a Monke of Saint Benets order who with others was sent hither out of Italie by Gregory the great Pope of Rome to preach the word of God to this our English nation hee with his fellowes to the number of fourty persons landed in the Isle of Tenet within this County where they were shortly after visited of king Ethelbert But the story is frequent and I shall be often touching vpon it by the way and hiâ— Legend is too long for my intended short discourse therefore I hope the Reader will rest contented with this abbreuiation for both Whils Ethelbert was reignyng kyng of Kent Sainct Austin sent by Gregory of R. bishop Landed in Tenet with Clerkes of his assent And many Monkes to teache the saith I hope That clothed were vnder a blacke cope Whiche in Procession with crosses and Bells came The Latinies syngyng in Iesus his name In the yere of Chryst his incarnacion Fiue hundreth fourescore and sixtene King Ethelbert had in his dominacion Alâ— Kent throughout with greate ioy as was seen Were baptised then in holy water clene To whome Gregory sent Mellito and Iusto With other Clerkes and Doctors many mo Gregory him made Archbishop of Canterbury Of all Englande hiest then Primate And had the Paule with hiest legacye By Gregory sent to him and ordinate Fro London then thus was that tyme translate To Canterbury the sea Metropolitan And London sette as for his suffrigan Saynt Augustine then with helpe of Ethelbert Saynt Augustines made and Christes Church also That Christes Church hight as it was adverte And sacred so by hym and halowed tho For the chiefe Sea Metropolitan so Of all England by Gregory ordinate And Saynt Augustine of all England Primate This man was of an exceeding tall stature well fauoured of a very amiable countenance but of his learning I finde little worthy of remembrance sine doctrina sana docebat saith one ac sine perceptibili lingua ignotae praedicabat genti He died the 26. of May in the thirteenth yeare of his first entrance into England and was buried first without doores neare to the Church of this Monastery because the Church was not finished and afterwards his body was remoued into the North Porch of the said Church in which place fiue of his Successours were likewise interred Vpon the Tombe of this Austine this Epitaph was insculped in Latine thus translated Here resteth the body of Augustine the first Archbishop of Canterbury that was sent into this Land by Saint
they caused to bee brought vp in Vniuersity Colledge in Oxford Hauing attained to reasonable perfection in the knowledge of Diuinitie whereunto his study was chiefly addicted hee applyed himselfe to preaching wherein he tooke great paines namely in the Counties of Oxford Glocester and Worcester vntill such time as hee was called to the Treasureship of Salisbury From whence little knowing of any such matter and much against his minde he was chosen at the Popes request to the Monkes of Christ-Church being as then at Rome to be Archbishop of this See and consecrated at Canterbury with all honour possible by Roger Bishop of London the fourth of the Nones of Aprill about the yeare 1230. King Henry the third thirteene Bishops one and fourty Lords and Earles and others innumerable being there present as it is thus recorded in the Annalls of the Monastery of Wauerley in Surrey Edmundus Thesaurarius Sarum a Domino Rogero Episcopo London consistentibus et congratulantibus XIII Episcopis Domingo Rege et XLI Comitibus et ceteris in numeris communiter congregatis In Ecclesia Cant. in Archiepiscopum honorifice consecratur Dominica qua canitur Letare Iherâ—salem IIII. viz. Nonas Aprilis But howsoeuer he was thus solemnly consecrated he presently fell into the kings displeasure by opposing himselfe against the marriage of Elianor the kings sister with Simon Mountfort Earle of Leicester because vpon the death of the Earle Marshall her first husband she had vowed chastity To haue this vow dispensed withall the King procured the Pope to send a Legate into England his name was Otto a Cardinall Him also this Archbishop offended and that so grieuously by reprehending his monstrous couetousnesse his bribery and extortion as euer after he sought to worke him all the mischiefe that he might The Monkes of Rochester had presented vnto this Archbishop one Richard de Wendouer demanding of him consecration vnto the Bishopricke of their Church which he vtterly denyed to affoord knowing the presented to bee a very vnlearned and vnsufficient man Hereupon the Monkes appealed to Rome which the Archbishop vnderstanding of hasted him thither also Otto the Legate endeauoured to stay him at home and failing thereof did his errand so well at Rome as not onely in that suite but another also which hee had against Hugh Earle of Arundell in another cause of appeale he was ouerthrowne and condemned in a thousand Markes charges to his great disgrace and impouerishment Being at Rome hee had complained of many great abuses in England and amongst the rest of the long vacancie of Bishoprickes The Pope seemed willing to redresse these things and namely concerning that matter set downe this order That if any Cathedrall Church continued voide aboue sixe moneths it should be lawfull for the Archbishop to conferre it where he list as well as any smaller Benefice The procuring of this order cost him a great summe of money Yet no sooner was his backe turned but the Pope at the kings request reuoked the same Being thus continually vexed thwarted and disgraced hee departed into voluntary exile and there bewayling the misery of his countrey spoyled and wasted by the tyranny of the Pope spent the rest of his dayes in continuall teares Through extreame griefe and sorrow or as some thinke too much fasting hee fell first into a Consumption and after into a strange kinde of Ague Whereupon he thought good to remoue from the Abbey of Pontiniac in France where he had layen euer since his comming out of England and there departed this life the sixteenth of the Kalends of December 1242. His heart and entrailes were buried at Soissy his body at Pontiniac Sanctus Edmundus Cantuarie Archiepiscopus plenus virtutibus et sanâ—titate migrauit ab hoc seculo XVI Kal. Decemb. et apud Pontiniacum sepultus est Cuius merita miracula testantur Hic erat Edmundus anima tum corpore mundus Quem non immundus poterat peruertere mundus Anglorum Genti faueas Edmunde petenti Within six yeares after his death he was canonized a Saint by Innocentius the fourth who appointed the foresaid day of his death for euer to be kept holy in memory of him Lewes the French king caused his body to be translated to a more honourable Tombe then it was first laid in and bestowed a sumptuous Shrine vpon him couered with gold siluer and richly adorned with many pretious stones where our Lord saith his Legend hath shewyd many a fayre myracle for his holy servaunt Saynte Edmonde This Edmund is the last Archbishop of Canterbury that I finde to haue beene canonized howsoeuer I dare pronounce that since his dayes to these present times wherein we liue we haue had many Archbishops both for life and learning as worthy the honour of canonization as was himselfe or any of these by me before remembred Thus much of this Diocesse vntill I be further stored of funerall Monuments or other matters therein according to my method either by my selfe or my friends onely let me tell you for a conclusion that the whole Prouince of this Bishopricke of Canterbury which first of all was apparelled by Austin the Monke with the Archbishop of Londons Pall as I haue in part touched before was at the first diuided by Theodore seuenth Bishop into fiue Diocesses onely howbeit in processe of time it grew to twentie and one besides it selfe leauing to Yorke which by the first institution should haue had as many as it but Durham Carleil and Chester onely except you reckon the Isle of Man And whereas by the ordinance of Pope Gregory either of these Archbishops should haue vnder him twelue inferiour Bishops and that neither of them should bee subiect or of lesse grace and dignitie then other Lanfrancke thinking it good reason that he should make a Conquest of the English Clergie since his Master King William had vanquished the whole Nation contended at Windsore with Thomas Norman Archbishop of Yorke for the Primacie and there by iudgement before Hugo the Popes Legate recouered it from him so that euer since the one is called Totius Angliae Primas and the other Angliae Primas without any further addition Moreouer whereas before time the place of this Archbishop in the generall Councell was to sit next to the Bishop of Saint Ruffines Anselme the successour of this Lanfranke for recompence of the seruice hee had done in oppugning the marriage of Priests and resisting the king for the inuestiture of Clerkes was by Pope Vrbane endowed with this accession of honour that hee and his Successours should from thenceforth haue place in all generall Councels at the Popes right foote who then said withall Includamus hunc in orbe nostro tanquam alterius orbis Papam Let vs include this Bishop in our owne Orbe as it were the Pope or Father of another world In former ages saith Camden in this tract during the Romane Hierarchie the Archbishops of Canterbury were
Credo quod redemptor meus viuit et ..... Orate pro anima Iohannis Burgoine filij Iohannis Burgoine de Impington in Com. Cantab. ... Cuius These Burgoines were â—ometime Lords of Caxton in Cambridgeshire by whom it came to the Iermins Orate pro anima Richardi Ieames ... huic Ecclesie Benefac .... qui obiit 15. Sept. 1501. Cuius This man say the Inhabitants was a speciall Benefactor to this Church a Tradesman and a Smith as appeares by the picture of a paire of Pinsers vpon his Monument Marmoreo lapide Thomas Gawge subtumulatur Qui vero dum vixit residens Doctor Thelogie Sistebat etiam tum Cancellarius ille Prenobilis Ducisse fuit pariter Eboraci Quem Deus euexit nuper ad agamatha regni Octobris mensis X. bina dieque secunda M. Domini quater hiis addito septuagena Hic iacet Iacobus Peckham Ar. et Margareta vxor eius filia Thome Burgoine de Impington in Com. Cant. Ar. qui ob 28. Febr. 1500. et Margareta ob die quorum Of yowr cherity pray for the sowls of Reynald Peckham the elder Squire for the body of the most excellent Prince king Henry the eight who decesed 27 Feb. 1525. and for the sowl of Ioice Colepeper his wife which decesed 20. March 1523. Hic iacet Willelmus Peckham Ar. Cironomon Tho. Bourchier Episcopi Cant. et Cardinalis qui obiit 28. Iunij 1491. et Katherina vxor que obiit 23. Aug. 1491. Quorum animabus Hic iacet Thomas Peckham et Dorothea qui ob .... die .... An. Dom ..... et Dorothea ob 19. Decemb. 1512. quorum c. Of yowr .... of Iames Peckham Esquire and Agnes his wife the which Iames decesed 5. Aug. 1532. on whos soule and al Christian souls Iesu haue mercy Here are two tombes in the Church-yard and neare to the Church-doore the one of which saith Francis Thinne Lancaster Herald was erected to the memory of Martin Peckham Esquire the other to Margerie Peckham his wife by the marriage of which Margerie ample reuenues came to the family of the Peckhams she being daughter and heire to Yaldham Lord of the Mannor of Yaldham Glouer Somerset Herald in his Collections saith that Iohn Peckham did hold the Mannor of West-Peckham in the first of Henry the third But certaine it is that Iohn Peckham Archbishop of Canterbury in the raigne of Edward the first was the first man that aduanced his name to those great possessions which his posteritie enioyed euen till these our times Chidingston Orate pro animabus Thome Willughby militis vnius Iusticiar domini Regis de Banco filij Christoferi Willughby militis ac etiam Domini Willughby in Com. Suffolk et domine Brigitte vxoris Thome Willughby predicti vnius filiarum heredum Roberti Read militis ac primatis de communi loco Iusticiar qui quidem Thomas obijt 28. die Sept. Ann. 1545. Pray for the sowle of Iohn Lofte Master of Arts Preest for my Lord Read the .... of Aug. 1500. on whos sowl and all Christian sowls Iesu haue mercy Amen Hic iacet Iohannes Alphegh .... Isabella filia .... qui quidem Iohannes obijt An. 1489. predicta Isabella obijt 23. Sept. 1479. quorum animaâ—â—â— This Iohn Alphegh built Bore place here in Chidingston which 〈◊〉 Robert Read enlarged and after that it was enlarged by Sir Thomas Willoughby knight and then by Thomas Willoughby now liuing 1575. Among the Willoughbeis saith learned Clarentieux one excelled all the rest in the reigne of Henry the fifth named Sir Robert Willoughbey who for his martiall prowesse was created Earle of Vandosme in France and from these by the mothers side descended Peregrine Berti Baron Willoughby of Ere 's by a man for his generous minde and militarie valour renowned both in France and the Low-countreys whos 's Robert Berti Lord Willoughby of Eresby Earle of Lindsey and Lord great Chamberlaine of England Orate pro anima Iohannis Wood Decretorum Baccalarij nuper Rectoris huius Ecclesie ac Prebendarii de Hastings qui ob 7. Maii 1487. Orate pro anima Edmundi Read filii Roberti Read militis ac vnius Iusticiar Domini Regis de Banco qui quidem Edmundus obiit 10. Iunii 1501. Sir Robert Read built the North Chappell of this Church Ann. 1516. in honorem Dei et Sancte Katherine he was made chiefe Iustice 22. of Henry the seuenth and dyed about the tenth of Henry the eight Itham or Igtham Of your charity .... of Sir Richard Clement knight and Anne his wife daughter of Sir William Catesby of Northamptonshire knight which Anne decesed 3. Nouemb. 1528. and the said Sir Richard decesed day of Ann. Dom. on whos sowls ... Of your cherite prey for the sowl of Richard Astall Master of Arte of Camb. and late Parson of Itame and Cheuening and Prebendarie of Wingham The which Richard decesed 21. Aug. 1546. on whos Here is a Tombe of Marble which is supposed by most of the neare Inhabitants to be made for Sir Richard Hawte sometime owner and founder of the Mote and Lieutenant of the Tower of London Some say to Sir Nicholas some one knight of that name some another for an ancient family they were of knights degree and Lords of many faire Mannors all which by the marriage of Iane and Elizabeth daughters and coheires of Sir William Hawte knight by Mary his wife the daughter of Sir Richard Guilfora knight came to be the inheritance of Sir Thomas Wiat and Sir Tho. Culpepper yet some more iudicious say that this Monument was erected for one Cawne who was likewise owner of the Mote who married with Morrant Lord of Morrants Court Cobham In this Church are many faire Monuments fouly defaced vnder which the Cobhams and Brookes Lords and Barons of this Towne of Cobham with many of their kindred Allies and progenie lie interred who for many descents did flourish in honourable reputation euen vntill these our times Vousque passericy .... pries pur l'alme le curteis ..... Iohan de Cobham auat a nom dieux luy fari verray Pardon qe trespassa lendemayne de Seynt Mathy le passent oustre a demorer one lay en l'an de Grace 1354. Icy gist Margerie de Cobham iadis Femme a tresnoble cheualier ....... Regni .... ordre .... que morust le IIII iour de Sept. l'an de Grace 1375. de .... dieu et mercy To make this maymed inscription more perfectly to bee vnderstood let me tell you that this Margerie or Margaret for I can hardly discerne whether by the engrauement was the wife of that braue warriour Reynold Baron Cobham Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports knight of the Garter and Admirall of the Sea coasts from Thames mouth Westward who dyed of the second Pestilence in theraigne of king Edward the third An. Dom. 1361. Vous q par icy
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
North wall Iohn de Chishull who sometimes had beene Deane of Pauls Archdeacon and Bishop of London Lord Treasurer of England and twice Keeper of the great Seale He was consecrated Aprill 29. 1274 and died the tenth 1279. Vpon the Monument of Richard Newport Bishop of this Church here buried a little inscription not long since was to be read expressing the day and yeare of his consecration which was March 26. 1317. And the like of his death which happened August 24. 1318. the yeare following Raph Baldocke Deane of this Church was chosen Bishop vpon Saint Mathias day 1303. but was not consecrated till the yeare 1305. Ianuary 30. which he receiued at the hands of one Petrus Hispanus a Cardinall Bishop of Alba at Lions in France He was a man very well learned and amongst other things writ an History or Chronicle of England in the Latine tongue In his life time he gaue two hundred Markes toward the building of the Chappell on the East end of this Church now called The Lady Chappell wherein he lieth buried and in his Will bequeathed much toward the finishing of the same And here by the way saith mine Author it shall not bee amisse to note that in digging the foundation of this building there were found more then an hundred heads of cattell as oxen kine stagges c. which seeme to confirme the opinion of those that thinke the Temple of Iupiter was scituate in that place before the planting of Christian Religion tooke away those idolatrous sacrifices This Bishop was chosen Lord Chancellour by king Edward the first Vpon whose death he sent the great Seale to king Edward the second as then lying at Carliell This Raph is mistaken by some writers for Robert Baldock Bishop of Norwich yet I finde no such Bishop of that See in the Catalogue sometime Archdeacon of Midlesex and Chancellour of England Much what about that time a man that liued in the hatred of most people whom the old English Chronicle calleth a false peeld Priest these are the words Robart Baldok his false pilide Chanceler being as then Chancellour to Edward the second and in another place Ye pilide clerk Robart Baldok ye fals Chanceler Yet this pilide fals clerk was euer trew to the King his Lord and Master for which he was taken and imprisoned in Newgate London wherein he miserably ended his dayes Of which thus writeth the Author of the booke of Durham Robertus de Baldock Cancellarius 1325. captus cum Hugonibus de despensers quia Clericus fuit Sacerdos in nona porta Londiniarum poni fecit Edwardus Princeps et Isabella mater eius vbi pro nimia miseria mortuus fuit infra breue But to returne to Raph for I haue somewhat digressed from the matter Bishop of this Diocesse who when from his first confirmation by Robert of Winchelsey Bishop of Canterbury he had sate about eight yeares died on S. Iames his Eue 1313. at Stell Here lyeth buried Michaell Northbrooke Bishop of this See Doctor of Law who had his election confirmed Iuly 7. 1355. and died of the plague Septemb. 9. 1361. at Copford This Bishop gaue a chest with a thousand Markes which money was to bee lent to the poore vpon securitie as appeares by his will Michael de Northburghe nuper Episcopus Lond. legauit in testamento suo sic Item lego ad faciend vnam cistam que stabit in Thesauria Sancti Pauli mille Marcas in eadem includend de quibus possit quilibet pauper plebeus sub bona excedenti pignore mutuo recipere decem libras 1. Pars. Pat. Ann. 49. Ed. 3. M. 30. Here lieth interred vnder a marble stone neare to the Monument of Sir Christopher Hatton the body of Richard Clifford Archdeacon of Canterbury from which dignitie he was preferred to the Bishopricke of Worcester which he enioyed about six yeares and from thence translated to this See of London which hee laudably gouerned thirteene yeares and some moneths and died August 20. 1421. This Bishop in the yeare 1414. trauelled to the Councell of Constance and preached in Latine before the Emperour and other Estates there assembled In this Councell the long schisme was ended and Martin the fifth called before Otho Columna Cardinall of Saint George was chosen the sole Pope The Councell thinking it meete that thirtie persons should be added to the Cardinals in this election this our Richard Clifford was one of that number In which also there were some that named him to the Papacie Himselfe was the first that named the Cardinall Columna who thereupon the rest consenting was immediately elected Betweene the two pillars next vnto the Steeple on the North side of the body of the Church vnder a marble stone ouer which was built a kind of Tombe or Chappell of wood that by the burning of the steeple was consumed and quite defaced the body of Rich. Fitz-Iames lieth interred A gentleman of an ancient house learned and vertuous Doctor of Law brought vp in Merton Colledge in Oxford and sometimes Warden of the same from whence hee was aduanced to the Bishopricke of Rochester from thence translated to Chichester and from Chichester to London He bestowed much money in repairing the Church of S. Martins in Oxford as also in adorning and beautifying this his owne Cathedrall Church He died in the yeare 1521. Hic in Domino obdormiuit Iohannes Gandauensis vulgo de Gaunt à Gandauo Flandrie vrbe loco natali ita denominatus Edwardi tercij Regis Anglie filius à Patre comitis Richmondie titulo ornatus Tres sibi vxores in matrimonio duxit primam Blancham filiam heredem Henrici Ducis Lancastrie per quam amplissimam adijt hereditatem Nec solum Dux Lancastrie sed etiam Leicestrie Lincolnie Derbie comes effectus E cuius sobole Imperatores Reges Principes proceres propagati sunt plurimi Alteram habuit vxorem Constantiam que hic contumulatur filiam heredem Petri Regis Castillie et Legionis cuius iure optimo titulo Regis Castillie et Legionis vsus est Haec vnicam illi peperit filiam Catharinam ex qua ab Henrico Reges Hispanie sunt propagati Tertiam vero vxorem duxit Catharinam ex Equestri familia eximia pulchritudine feminam ex qua numero sam suscepit prolem Vnde genus ex matre duxit Henricus 7. Rex Anglie prudentissimus Cuius felicissimo coniugio cum Elisabetha Edw. 4. Regis filia e stirpe Eboracensi Regie ille Lancastriensium et Eboracensium familie ad exoptatissimam Anglie pacem coaluerunt Illustrissimus hic princeps Iohannes cognomento Plantagenet Rex Castillie Legionis Dux Lancastrie comes Richmondie Leicestrie Lincolnie Derbie locum tenens Aquitanie Magnus Seneschallus Anglie obijt Ann. 22. Regni Regis Ricardi 2. Annoque Domini 1399. His first wife Blanch here buried died of the plague saith
Rotulorum et Recordorum in Turri London remanentium qui obijt vltimo die Feb. Anno 1523. cuius Clericus paruae Bagiae or Clarke of the Petit Bagge is an Officer in the Chancerie of which sort there be three and the Master of the Rolles is their chiefe Their Office is to record the returne of all Inquisitions out of euery Shire all Liueries granted in the Court of Wards all ouster les maines to make all Patents of Customers Gawgers Controllers and Aulnegers all Conge d'eslires for Bishops all Liberateis vpon extent of Statute Staples the recouery of Recognisances forfeited and all Elegits vpon them the summons of the Nobilitie Clergie and Burgesses of the Parliament Commissions directed to Knights and other of euery shire for seassing of the Subsidies Writs for the nomination of Collectors and all trauerses vpon any Office bill or otherwise and to receiue money duel to the King for the same This Officer is mentioned Anno 33. Hen. 8. cap. 22. and it is like hee had first this denomination and stile of Petie Bagges because hauing to doe with so many Records of diuers kindes as aboue mentioned they were put in sundry leather Bagges which were not so great as the Clarke of the Hamper now vseth and therefore might be called Petits Bagges small or little bagges This Iohn Gyles was also keeper or Clerke of the Rolles and Records in the Tower of London an Office generally well knowne throughout all England the master whereof at this day is that learned Gentleman Sir Iohn Borrowes Knight vnder whom my vnderstanding friend Will. Collet and my industrious country-man Will. Riley alias Rouge-Rose Pursiuant at Armes doe officiate the place Dona requiem miserecordissime Iesu anime famuli tui Laurentij Bartlâ—t nuper Registrarij Episcopi Lincol. qui obijt ... die octob An. 1470. Quisquis ades vultumque vides sta perlege plora Iuditij memor esto tui tua nam venit hora Sum quod eris fueramque quod es tua posteriora Commemorans miseris miserans pro me precor ora Te mediante tuus viuam post funera seruus Qui te dilexi Michael bene dummodo vixi Non Homo leteris tibi copia si fluat eris Hic non semper eris memor esto quod morieris Corpus putrebit quod habes alter habebit Es euanebit quod agis tecum remanebit The Temple Church The first Founder hereof is not certainely recorded some hold that it was built by Dunwallo Mulmutius about the yeare of the worlds creation 4748 the precincts whereof he made a Sanctuary or a place of refuge for any person therein to be assured of life liberty and limbs of which I haue spoken elsewhere Besides these priuiledges vnto Temples hee constituted diuers good lawes Of which he writ two bookes the one called Statuta municipalia the other Leges iudiciariae which is as much to say as the statute Law and the common Law Cooke Reports 3 part ad Lect. out of Bale cent 1. Hauing reduced his Realme into one Monarchie being before by ciuill warres and dissention seuered and brought into diuers dominions Hee raigned 40. yeares died the yeare of the worlds creation 4768. and was buried in this place with other of the British Kings But it appeareth by this inscription following ouer the Church doore in the stone worke that this holy Structure was newly founded of farre later times and dedicated to the honour of the blessed Virgine yet I thinke it is farre more ancient Anno ab incarnatione Domini M.C.lxxxv dedicata hec Ecclesia in honorem beate Marie a Domino Eraclio dei gratia Sancte Resurrectionis Ecclesie Patriarcha 11 Idus Februarij Qui eam annatim petentibus de iniuncta sibi Penitentia lx dies indulsit Knights Templers were the last Founders of this house which at the first were certaine noble Souldiers religiously bent who bound themselues by vow in the hands of the Patriarke of Ierusalem to serue Christ after the manner of Regular canons in chastitie and obedience and to defend Christian Religion the holy land and Pilgrimes going to visite the Lords Sepulchre they flourished for a time in high reputation for pietie and deuotion but as they increased in wealth so they fell to wickednesse insomuch that in the yeere 1308. all the Templers in England as also in other parts of Christendome were apprehended and committed to diuers Prisons and in the yeare 1312. all their lands were giuen to the Knights Hospitalers of the order of Saint Iohn Baptist called Saint Iohn of Ierusalem as I haue said elsewhere There are in this Temple many very ancient monuments of famous men for out of what respect I know not King Henry the third and many of the Nobility desired much to be buried in this Church shaped in marble armed their legges crosse whose names are not to be gathered by any inscriptions for that time hath worne them out vpon the vpper part of one of their portraitures Camden saith that hee hath read Comes Penbrochie and vpon the side this verse Miles eram Martis Mars multos vicerat armis Of Mars I was a doughty knight Mars vanquisht many a man in fight Vnder which monument lieth William Marshall the elder Earle of Penbroke a most powerfull man in his time being the Kings Marshall Generall of his Armie and Protector of the kingdome in the minority of King Henry the third vntill such time as he the said William died which was in the yeare 1219. 27 die Martij This Epitaph following goes also currant for this glorious and triumphant Earle as an Epitome of his noble vertues Sum quem Saturnum sibi sensit Hibernia Solem Anglia Mercurium Normannia Gallia Martem Irelands Saturne Englands Sunne am I The Mars of France and Normans Mercury or thus Whom Ireland once a Saturne found England a Sunne to be Whom Normandy a Mercury and France Mars I am he This William had fiue sonnes William Richard Gilbert Walter and Anselme all Earles of Penbroke and Marshals of England Here by his father vnder the like monument lieth William the eldest sonne Earle of Penbroke Lord of Strighull Chepstow Caerwent Leigh or Liege Weshford Kildare Ossorie and Carlogh who died the sixt of Aprill 1231. as it is in the booke of Wauerly wherein this Epitaph is made to his memory Militis istius mortem dolet Anglia ridet Wallia viuentis bella minasque timens England laments the death of this braue Knight Wales laughs he liuing did her so affright The Annales of Ireland will haue him to be buried by his brother Richard in the Quire of the Friers Predicants in Kilkennie of whom it was thus written Cuius sub fossa Kilkennia continet Ossa Whose bones bestowed in graue so deep Kilkenny Towne doth safely keep Wheresoeuer he was buried a Martiall braue Earle he was which hee worthily shewed when as he set vpon Lehwellin Prince of Wales
full of honours and yeares ended his life here at his Castle of Berkamsted but was buried at his Abbey of Hales Of whom hereafter Here are diuers Tombes to the memory of the name of Waterhouse whose inscriptions of antiquitie are all taken away with the brasse and the carefull preseruing of the rest altogether neglected Hic iacent Iohannes Waterhouse Margaret vxor eius ..... Ecce sub hoc tumulo coniux vxorque iacemus Eternam pacem donet vterque Deus Nil vnquam abstulimus si quid benefecimus vlli Est qui pro meritis premia digna dabit Est tamen vna salus Christi miseratio quam qui Transis ambobus sepe precâ—re Deum Hic iacet Richardus Westbroke qui obiit 29. Septemb. 1485. supplicans vobis ex charitate vestra pro anima sua dicere Pater Noster Ave. Here lieth Katherin the wyfe of Robert Incent the father and mother to Iohn Incent Doctor of the Law who hath done many benefytes and ornaments to this Chappell of St. Iohn Baptist ..... the twelâ—th yeere of Henry the eight This Iohn Incent Doctor of the Law was Deane of Saint Paules London who built in this Towne a free-Schoole allowing to the Master a stipend of twenty pound per annum And to the Vsher ten pound which was confirmed by Act of Parliament Here lyeth Robert Incent late Servant to that noble Princesse Cicely Duchesse of Yorke who dyed of the sweating sicknesse the first yeere of Henry the seuenth Hic iacet Edwardus de le hay ... 1510. This is an ancient name flourishing euer since the raigne of Hen. the second Stow. Annal. Hic iacet Margarita Briggs que ob 17. Aug. 1374. Here is an ancient monument to the memory of one Iohn Rauen Esquire who died in the yeere 1395. Vnder the Armes of King Edward the sixth painted vpon a table these verses Quid sextum dicis nulli virtute secundus Ingenio nulli nullus in arte prior Edwardi insignis sunt haec insignia Iudiâ— In Signis illum deliniare nequis Vnder the cote and crest of Doctor Incent these Hexameters Mira cano nondum denos compleuerat annos Cum Pater est Patriae Edwardus Musisque Patronus Ille tuis avibus sublatas reddidit alas Incenti obtusis aciem pugionibus ille Ille cruci vires Infanti adiecit amictum Ille Rosam suavi perfudit odore caducam Kings Langley So named of the Kings house thereunto adioyning wherein Edmund Plantaginet the fifth sonne of King Edward the third was borne and thereupon surnamed Edmund of Langley Hereby was a religious House for preaching Friers founded by Roger the sonne of Robert Helle an English Baron valued to be yeerely worth at the suppression one hundred and fifty pound fourteene shillings eight pence in the Church of this monasterie the foresaid Edmund was interred He was Lord of Tindale Earle of Cambridge and Duke of Yorke He married Isabell second daughter and one of the heires of Peter King of Castile and Leon who died before him in the yeare 1393 and was buried in this Friery by whom hee had issue Edward Earle of Rutland Duke of Albamarle and Yorke Richard Earle of Cambridge and a daughter whose name was Constance He had a second wife whose name was Ioane daughter of Thomas Holland Earle of Kent who after his death was married to William Lord Willoughby of Eresby to Henry Lord Scroope and to Henry Bromflet Lord Vescy He is reckoned for one of the Knights of the Garter and in the absence of his father in France is said to be Protectour of the Realme of England Hee is much commended for his affabilitie and gentle deportment as also for his valour of which will you heare my often alledged Author Io. Harding Sir Edmond Langley full of gentylnesse Sir Thomas Woodstok full of corage For his valour in another Chapter thus At whiche battaill duke Iohn of Gaunt indede And his brother Edmond then faught full sore Were neuer twoo better knightes then thei indede That better faught vpon a feld afore It was but grace that thei escaped thore Thei putte theimselfes so fer furth ay in prees That wounded wer thei bothe full sore no lees This renowned Duke deceased saith Stow in the yeare 1402. the third of Henry the fourth and was here buried neare to his wife with two of his brethren who died young Here sometime lay entombed the body of Pierce Gaueston a Gascoigne borne Lord of the Isle of Man and Earle of Cornwall A man in such fauour with Edward the second hauing before ensnared his youth by the allurements of a corrupt life that hee had from the said King whatsoeuer could be poured vpon him For though it might seeme incredible saith Speed out of the booke of Dunstable he both gaue him his Iewels and ancestors treasure and euen the Crowne it selfe of his victorious father not sticking to professe if it lay in him hee should succeed him in the kingdome But his insolencie and presumption vpon the kings fauour made him so farre to forget himselfe as that he scorned the best of the Nobilitie as much as they hated him miscalling and giuing them scoffes with bitter iests which left behinde them a sowre remembrance and the sting of reuenge Of all which my old timer who flourished about those dayes thus speaketh more seriously in Prose Perys went into the kyngys Tresorye in ye Abbey of Westminstre saith he and yer toke away a tabil of gold wyth the tressel and oyer ryche Iuwels the whyche wer sumtym king Arthurys and hem he toke to a merchant yat het Aymery of Friscomband and bar hem ouer the see into Gascoigne and yay wer neuer brought ayen yat was gret harme to yet Reme And this Sure Perys gretly despysyd the Lordys of ye londe and atte yat tym Sure Perys clupyd Robard of Clare ye Erle of Gloucetre Hore sone and ye Erle of Penbrok Ioseph ye Iew and ye Erle of Nycol Sure Henry de Lacy Brokbely and Gowy of Warwike Blak hound of Ardern and also he clupyd ye nobiâ— and gentyl Erle of Lancastre Eherle and oyer meny despytes he sâ—yd to ye Lordys of Englonde wherfor yay weryn sore agreuyd And so much agrieued they were that they surprised him in the night at a viliage or mannour called Dathington or Deddington betweene Oxford and Warwick from whence Guy Earle of Warwick tooke him to his Castle of Warwicke where in a place called Blacklow afterward Gaueshead his head was stricken off the nineteenth of Iune 1311. at the commandement and in the presence of the Earles of Lancaster Warwicke and Hereford as of one that had beene a subuerter of the Lawes and an open Traitour to the kingdome A violent and vnaduised part of these Lords to put to death an Earle so dearly loued of the King without any iudiciall proceeding by triall of his Peeres
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
Young to inuest the now King of Sweden with the Order of the Garter who honoured him with the degree of Knighthood and granted an honourable augmentation vnto his Armes being the three Crownes of Sweden He was also imployed into France and from thence attending our now Queene when she came ouer in the first yeare of his Maiesties Raigne Henry Chitting Chester 1618. Iohn Borough Mowbray extraordinarie 23. Dec. 1623. and created the same day Norroy Augustine Vincent Windsor who died the ... of ... 1625 Of whom I haue spoken elsewhere and whose losse I doe still lament He left to future posteritie a Booke which he called A Discouery of Errors published by Raph Brooke Yorke Herald William le Neue Mowbray Herald extraordinary Iohn Philipott Somerset William le Neue aforesaid Yorke This William le Neue Yorke Herauld was imployed into France the first yeare of his Maiestie and from thence attended our Queene into England who with Sir Henry St. George Richmond Herald were royally rewarded by her Maiestie with the gift of a thousand French Crownes He was also employed to attend vpon his Maiesties Embassage which was sent in the yeare 1629. vnto the French king Lewis the thirteenth and at the Ceremonies done thereat he there performed his office in his Coat of Armes as appeareth in a French relation lately printed at his returne from thence the King rewarded him with a Chaine of gold of good value and a Medalle of his pourtraiture And further gaue him his Royall letters Mandatory vnto all his Officers and Subiects therein signifying that let me vse part of the Kings owne words le Sieur Guillaumâ— le Neue Escuyer Herault Darmes du Roy de la grand Bretagne nostre trâ—scher et tresamè bon frere et beau frere par luy envoyè vers nous pour faire sa dicte charge D'Herault D'armes aux Ceremonies du serment de la paix faicte entre nous nostre dict frere de la quelle il sest dignement acquitâ—â— a nostre contentement seu retournant vers son Maistre Nous vouloâ—s nous mandons et tresexpressement enioignons par an presents signees de nostre main c. Commanding by the said Instrument all his said Officers and Subiects to giue the said Herauld all manner of aide and assistance in his returne or not to molest or trouble him in his free passage or transportation of any of his goods And therein also prayed and required all Princes and States to do the like as a due vnto Heraulds so imployed And as they would haue him to doe the like at their request But no earthly powers can command the mercilesse ragings of the Sea For the said Herauld in his returne was ship-wracked vpon the coast of Douer and very dangerously escaped with the losse of most part of his goods excepting the foresaid Chaine and Medalle which after two dayes remaining in the sea was washed vp on shore euen in view of the place where he then remained In this Catalogue I obserue that Thomas Holinsworth Yorke Herauld and William Wriothesley Yorke Herauld sonne of the foresaid Sir Iohn Wriothesley Garter and others are omitted which with all other omissions in this particular discourse I referre to the iudicious reformation of the Colledge of Heraulds Pursuiuants of Armes their names sirnames and additions from the first of Henry the fift to this present time with their aduancements from Pursuiuants Extraordinary to Ordinary from Ordinary to Heraulds from Heraulds to Kings of Armes or otherwise Iohn Wrexworth first Antilope Extraordinary secondly Blewmantle thirdly Exceter fourthly Guyon King of Armes Nicholas Serby Falcon Ext. Rouge-Croix Leopard Herald of Armes Iohn Haswell Wallingford Blewmantle Clarence William Boys Antelope extr Rouge-Croix Exceter Giles Waster Falcon extr Rouge-Croix Mowbray Iohn Ashâ—â—â— Cadranexir Blewmantle Leopard Thomas Moore Antelope extr Blewmantle Guyon Thomas Browne Falcon extr obijt Roger Leigh Wallingford Roâ—ge-croix Clarencieux Iohn Wrythe or Wriothesley here interred Antelope extraordinarie Rouge Croix Leopard Norroy Garter Thomas Collier Falcon extr Blewmantle Clarence Ireland Iohn Mowbrey Cadran ext Rouge Croix Exceter Clarentieux Pursuiuants of Armes created in the raigne of Henry the Sixt. Robert Ashwell first Antelope extr secondly Rougecroix thirdly Windsor William Haukeslow Wallingford Blewmantle Leopard Guyon Iohn Horsley Falcon Blewmantle Mowbray Iames Billet Antelope Rougecroix Chester Iohn Mallet Faulcon Rougecroix Clarence Richard Stanton Wallingford Blewmantle Chester Robert Durham Faulcon Rougâ—â—roix Exceter Thomas Holme Faulcon Clarencieux Iames Collyer Cadraâ— Blewmantle Lancaster Iohn Ferrant Wallingford Blewmantle March Iohn Moore Antelope Rougecroix Chester Norroy Roger Mallet Faulcon Blewmantle Faulcon Herald Richard Ashwell Cadran Rougecroix Lancaster Ireland Thomas Tonge Antelope Rougecroix Richmond Norroy Pursuiuants of Armes created in the raigne of Edward the Fourth Henry Franke first Comfort secondly Blewmantle thirdly Yorke William Carlile Faulcon Rougecroix Richmond Norroy Richard Champney Callis Blewmantle Faulcon Gloucester Roger Stamford Guynes Rougecroix Chester Richard Slaske Comfort Rougecroix VVindsor Iohn Young Guines Blewmantle VVindsor Norroy Thomas Beuolt Barwike Rougecroix Lancaster Norroy Clarencieux Thomas VVaters Comfort Rougecroix Carlile Rowland Plainford Callis Blewmantle Yorke Robert Browne Guynes Rougecroix Richmond Thomas VVall Callis Blewmantle Richmond Norroy VVilliam Iennings Barwicke Rougecroix Lancaster Roger Bromley Faulcon Blewmantle Chester Iohn VVaters Roseblanch Rougecroix Yorke In the short raigne of Edward the Fift none were created In the raigne of Richard the Third the Pursuiuants were created Thomas Franke first Guines secondly Blewmantle George Berrey Comfort Rouge-croix Laurence Alford Rose blanch Blewmantle In the time of Henry the Seuenth were created these following VVilliam Tyndall first Guines secondly Rouge-Dragon thirdly Lancaster Raph Lagysse Callis Portcullis Yorke Iohn Ioyner Comfort Rougecroâ—â— Riâ—hmond Norroy Thomas Hawley Roschlanch Carlilâ— Norroy Clarencieux Thomas Hall Berwicke Rougecroix VViâ—dsore Garter Christopher Barker Callis Rouge-Dragon Richmond Norroy Garter Iohn Pond Hames Rouge-croix Somerset Allen Dagnall Guines Extr. Randalfe Iackson Montorgill Extr. Richard Ratcliffe Barnes Leonard VVarcopp Barwicke In the time of Henry created these Thomas Hawley Rouge-Croix Allen Dagnall first Portcullis in ordinary secondly Yorke Randolfe Iackson first Rouge-Dragon in ordinary secondly Chester Leonard Warcopp Blewmantle in ordinary Carlile Thomas Wriothesley Wallingford and next Garter and Knight Charles Wriothesley Barwike Rouge-Croix Windsor Richard Crooke Nottingham Rouge-Croix Windsor Thomas Mylner Callis Rouge Dragâ—n Lancaster Iohn Narboone Blewmantle Richmond Thomas Traheyron Nottingham Portcullis in ordinary Somerset Bartholmew Butler Rouge-croix Yorke Vlster Richard Storke Risebanke obijt Foulk ap Howell Guines Rougedragon Lancaster Iustinian Barker Risebank Rougecroix Richard Ratcliffe Callis Blewmantle Somerset Gilbert Dethicke Hames Rougecroix Richmond Norroy Garter William Flower Guines Rouge-croix Chester Norroy Laurence Dalton Callis Rougecroix Richmond Norroy Edmund Atkinson Hames Blewmantle Somerset Simon Newbald Bullen obijt Martin Marolfe Callis Yorke Nicholas Tubman Hames Lancaster Richard Withers Guines Nicholas Narboone Bullen William Lambert Risebanke obijt Nicholas Fellow Callis obijt Henry Ray
dwarfe to death saith my foresaid Author Much more might bee said of this little-great man but I am called for my selfe to the Presse and to speake more then I haue done in the praise of little men I may be thought to flatter my selfe He died in the yeare 1346. in the twentieth of the raigne of King Edward the third I read in a booke of the order of Carmelites of which Fraternitie he was one as also Prouinciall of them all throughout all England penned by Iohn Bale before his conuersion a part of an Eulogium composed to the memory of this Baconthorpe which may serue for an Epitaph Thus. Iohannes de Bachonethorpe Doctor resolutus Carmelita Hic Bachone fuit Iohannes natus in vrbe Anglica quo felix terra priore fuit Parisio dulces hausit de fonte liquores Post tamenin patrio claruit ipse solo Exposuit libros Petri sed sanccius esse Est ratus in quartum peruigilare librum Fecit Aristotelem clarum inclitumque legenti Dans Testamentum clarius omne navum .......... Vpon a faire marble stone in the Quire this Inscription following is engrauen in brasse Hic iaces corpus Willelmi Boleyn militis qui obijt x. Octobris Anno Dom. M. ccccc.v Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Let it be the greatest honour to this noble deceased Knight for that he was great Grandfather to the most renowned and victorious Princesse Elizabeth late Queene of England which will best appeare by the Light of Great Britaine learned Camden in his Introduction to the History which he writ of her long and prosperous raigne beginning as followeth The Linage and descent of Elizabeth Queene of England saith he was by her Fathers side truly Royall for daughter she was to King Henry the eight grand daughter to Henry the seuenth and great grand-daughter to Ed the fourth By the Mothers side her descent was not so high howbeit noble it was and spread abroad by many and great Alliances throughout England and Ireland Her great grand-fathers father was Ieffrey Bolen a man of Noble birth in Norfolke Lord Maior of the Citie of London in the yeare 1457. and at the same time honoured with the dignitie of Knighthood An vpright honest man of such estimation that Thomas Lord Hoo and Hastings Knight of the Order of Saint George gaue him his daughter and one of his heires to wife and of such wealth as he matched his daughters into the Noble houses of the Cheineys Heydons and Fortescues left his sonne a goodly inheritance and bequeathed a thousand pounds of English money to bee bestowed vpon the poore in the Citie of London and two hundred in Norfolke This mans sonne William Bolen was chosen amongst eighteene most choice Knights of the Bath at the Coronation of King Richard the third to whom Thomas Earle of Ormond who was in such fauour with the Kings of England that hee alone of all the Nobleman of Ireland had his place and voice in the Parliaments of England and aboue the Barons of England also gaue his daughter and one of his heires in marriage By her besides daughters married to Shelton Calthorp Clere and Sackvill men of great wealth and noble descent and other children hee begat Thomas Bolen whom being a young man Thomas Howard Earle of Surry who was afterward Duke of Norfolke a man much renowned for his worthie seruice and atchiuements in the warres chose to be his sonne in law giuing vnto him his daughter Elizabeth in marriage and Henry the eight after he had performed one or two very honourable Embasies made him first Treasurer of his Houshold Knight of the Order of Saint George and Viscount Rochford and afterwards Earle of Wiltshire and Ormond and made him Lord Keeper of the priuie Seale This Thomas among other children begat Anne Bolen who in her tender yeares being sent into France attended on Mary of England wife to Lewis the twelfth and then on Claudia of Britaine wife to Francis the first and after she was dead on Margaret of Alencon who with the first fauoured the Protestants Religion springing vp in France Being returned into England and admitted amongst the Queenes Maides of Honour and being twenty two yeares of age King Henry in the thirtie eight yeare of his age did for her modestie â—empered with French pleasantnesse fall deeply in loue with and tooke her to wife by whom he had issue Elizabeth aforesaid Queene of England Thome Presbyteri ..... lapis iste retentum Funus habet .... qui sumptu dedit hoc pauimentum Anno milleno quater et C septuageno Octauo Stephani liquit terrestria festo Vt celi detur requies sibi quisque precetur En iacet hic stratus Helby Thomas vocitatus Saluet eum Christus tribuens sibi gaudia lucis Vnder this ston Ligs Iohn Knapton Who died iust The twenty eight of August M. ... xc and on Of thys Chyrch Peti-Canon Vnder the picture of Saint Peter is portraied the Sea a Ship Nets and Fishes with this distichon Ecclesiam pro naue rego mihi climata mundi Sunt mare Scripture Retia piscis homo The figures of the Sunne and Moone are painted here vpon the Frontispiece of the Clocke to whom the Clocke comparatiuely seemes to speake in this Hexastich vpon the same place likewise depicted Horas significo cunctas quas Phebe diebus Quas solet atque tua pallida nocte Soror Nec magis errarem Rector mihi si foret idem Vos qui et queque regit motibus astra suis. Tempora nam recte designo si mihi doctus Custos assiduam conferat artis opem In English Phoebus I tell all th' houres and all as right As thou or thy pale Sister day and night Nor I no more then you in ought should erre If he ruld mee who guides you and each starre For times I rightly tell to me of 's Art If my learnd keeper will his helpe impart In imitation of this it may bee that Thomas Scot in his Philomythie makes a Clocke to compare with a Diall and the difference to be partly decided by the Wethercocke of which a little although not much to the purpose I confesse Vpon a Church or steeples side neere hand A goodly Clocke of curious worke did stand Which ouerpaysde with lead or out of frame Did time miscall and euery houre misname The Diall hearing this aloud gan crye Kind neighbour Clocke your glib tongue tels a lye Reforme your errour for my Gnomon saith You gad too fast and misse an houres faith Foole quoth the Clocke reforme thy selfe by me The fault may rather in thy Gnomon be Had'st thou told euer truth to what end then Was I plac'd here by th' art of cunning men The Weathercocke vpon the steeple standing And with his sharpe eye all about commanding Heard their contention wild them to appeale To him the chiefe of all that common weale Told them that he was