mores que sacta norma Quid dâ—ceat quid non instrue sancte pater Respunsio ipsius Bernardi Que â—eci primâ— vâ—bis facienda relinquo Nulium â—uâ—auâ— discordes pacificaui Lefus â—ustinui nec mihi complacui Within one hundred yeares after the first spreading abroad of these Cistercian and Bernardin Monkes the Benedictines wanted another reformation which was attempted by Peter one of the same Order surnamed â—â—â—oron of a Mountaine so called at the foote of which he liued in a caue for the space of three yeares doing daily penance Vpon this mountaine he built a little Church which he called of the holy Ghost be ware aâ—wayes a â—lâ—aine of Iron vpon his bare flesh vpon it a shirt of haire being in continuall prayer and reforming the rule of Saint Benet which was then much degenerated Hee obtained of the Pope a confirmation of his rule vpon which hee celebrated the first generall Chapter of his Order After which in the seuentie ninth yeare of his age he was chosen Pope about the yeare of our redemption 1â—94 by the name of Celestin the fifth where vpon this reformed order were called Celestins the number of which increased so fast that he himselfe consecraced for them fixe and â—hirtie clâ—â—sters in Italy wherein were sixe hundred Monkes amongst others this was one of Celestin the Popes caueats for his new reformadoes Tunc Celestinus cris si celestia mediteris If heau'nly things thou lt meditate Then shalt thou liue in heuenly state Their first comming into England was much what about the yeare 1414. The sanctitie of the Francischan Minorite Friers growne cold one Berâ—ard of Sienna a gentleman of a noble extraction moued with an holy and 〈◊〉 deuotion laboured much for the reformation of that Order which 〈◊〉 some assistants effected taking away the abuses which were crept 〈◊〉 causing the Friers to liue in common and to haue nothing proper to 〈◊〉 following simplie the institution of their father Saint Francis 〈◊〉 called Obseruant Minorite Friers because they were obseruan 〈…〉 S. Francisci propterea meliores more obseruant to keepe the 〈◊〉 and orders of Saint Francis and therefore the better This Order 〈…〉 the yeare of Iubile 1400. or thereabouts it was first confirmed by 〈◊〉 Couâ—â—ell of Câ—â—sâ—â—nce afterwards by Eugenins the fourth and other 〈…〉 the fourth brought them into England and Henry the seuenth auhmented their numbers in whose time they had six famouâ— Cloisters here in this kingdome Many other reformations haue been◠〈◊〉 time to time of the Franciscans as by the Minims Recoâ—lects Pen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ries Capuchins c. and by many others which happened sinced 〈◊〉 lution here in England or much what thereabouts One Norbert Archbishop of Magdebourgh leauing the world retired himselfe with certaine companions into a certaine place called 〈…〉 of which this order tooke denomination where hee squared 〈…〉 himselfe his fellowes and successours to obserue much what after the order of Saint Augustine which was approued and confirmed by Calixtus the second Honorius the second made them regular Charions Their Abbots were perpetuall and euer consecrated by Bishops They had power to conferre their lesser Orders to their Monkes and to blesse all thâ— ornaments of the Church and to do all other ceremonies but where as conseâ—ration is required in the blessing yet they might celebrate soâ—emne and 〈◊〉 Masse with the myter crosier staffe cappe and other ornaments which belong to the Episcopall order and dignitie The first institution of this order was about the yeare 1120. their first house here in England was at Newhouse in Lincolnshire These Votaries pretend to haue had their first institution at mount Carmel in Syria where Elias and other heretofore liued solitarily and that the place being inhabited by many Hermites Almericke Bishop of 〈◊〉 drew them together liuing dispersed about the mountaine and 〈…〉 them a Monasterie in that mount neare vnto a fountaine They say a fâ—thâ—â—r one Albert Patriarch of Ierusalem a very famous man set downea rule from the life of Elias out of a certaine Greeke booke of the institution of the first Monke and from the rule of Saint Basill the Great giuing it to keepe to one Brocard who was Prior of Mount Carmell and to his Hermits which rule of Albert they vowed to obserue which was afterwards confirmed by Pope Honorius the third They affirme that the Virgine Mary appeared vnto one of their order and presented vnto him a Scapularie saying Receiue my beloued this Scapularie which I giue vnto thy order in signe of my fellowship Whereupon they vsurpe the title of 〈◊〉 tres Ordinis beatae Mariae Virginis de monte Carmelo Friers of the Order of the blessed Virgine Mary of mount Carmell Their first apparition 〈◊〉 the world was about the yeare 1170. Their entrance into England and seating themselues at Newenden in Kent of which hereafter was about the midst of the raigne of King Henry the third These like as other Orders haue beene diuers times reformed euer as they did degenerate from their primitiue sincerity at this day they are called Carmes discalced or bare footed Friers by a certaine constitution confirmed by the Apostolique authoritie in a generall Chapter held at Alcara de Henares in the yeare of our redemption 1581. There were likewise Carmelin or Carnie 〈◊〉 Nunnes here in England Iohn Bale who writ of the writers and the best learned men of great Britaine writ also a large Treatise of this Order of Carmes or Carmelites whose antiquitie institution and progresse he sets downe in one of 〈…〉 sages as followeth De Antiquitate Fratrum Carmelitarum Tanta est Carmeli Fratrum de monte vetustas Quim mentâ—m superet cunctorum pene virorum Namque per Hâ—liam datur Ordo fuisse Prophetam Hie primo inceptus sacro quoque iure statutus Qui postquam curru raptus fuit in Paradisum Flammato successit et vates Heliseus Condita quinque virum ter claustra fuere per illum Quem post affirmant Ionam fuisse Prophetam Cui successerunt Abdias atque Micheas Et plerique alij quos non memorare necesse est Tempore non Christi Montem Baptista Iohannes Carmeli Andreas et Apâ—stolus incoluerunt Nathaniel Ioseph Vir Virginis atque Marie Sanctus Iheronimus et quidam nomine dictus Nilas Marcellus quorum Pauli fuit alter Petri Discipulus fuit alter deinde beati Tunc in honore pia fuit Ara sancta Marie Monte in Carmeli prenescentum que virorum Tunc in Hierusalem Claustrum fuit aurea porta Quondam nempe loco qui vulgo sertur ab omni Ac in monte Syon claustrum primo Muliâ—rum Multe denote quod percoluere Sorores Sincletica Euprepia Polycrasia item Melania Combustum primo verum fuit à Mahumeto Postque per Eraclum destructum post quoque Paulo Euersum rursus Danorum et ..... Regio .... Per .... Karoli reparatum tempore magni Ast vbi
and from that remoued to the title of Saint Rusine all which his Ecclesiasticall preferments were comprehended in this one verse composed by his cosin Thomas Kempe Bishop of London Bis Primas ter Praesul erat bis Cardine functus And to adde to all these honours he was twice Lord Chancellour of England He continued not here aboue a yeare and a halfe but died a very old man March 22. 1453. hee conuerted the Parish-Church of Wye into a Colledge of secular Priests Of which hereafter In a little history of the Archbishops of Yorke written in rythmicall numbers I finde these in his commendations Tunc Iohannes nobilis Kemp vociferatus Prius in Londonijs Presul installatus Et erectus Pontifex Metropolitanus Presul Archipresulem confirmat Romanus Mandans sibi pallium Martinus erectus Sagax Cancellarius Regis est effectus Cardinalis Presbiter digne sublimatur Sub Balbine Titulo sic laus cumulatur In Suthwell manerium fecit preciosum Multis artificibus valde sumptuosum Annis multis prospere curam sui gregis Rexit per iusticiam per normam legis Tandem vsque Cantiam Presul est translatus Illic Archiepiscopus est inthronizatus Apud Lambeth obijt labor iam finitur Et in Cantuaria corpus sepelitur Licet prohibuerit Abbas rigorose Iacet ibi condita gleba gloriose I finde little of any great worke or deede of charitie this Bishop performed besides his Manor of Suthwell here onely mentioned with all these his pennisome preferments but the reason is giuen in the Catalogue of Bishops that he died very rich and that in his life time he aduanced many of his kindred to great wealth and some to the dignitie of knighthood whose posteritie continued yet in this County of great worship and reputation euen to this day That he might die very rich I doe not denie but for the aduancement of his kindred to the honour of knighthood was no other title then his grandfather Sir Iohn Kempe and his Vncle Sir Roger enioyed his owne father Thomas being a younger brother to the said Sir Roger. Here lieth buried as by an inscription vpon a marble doth appeare Thomas Bourchier commonly called Bowser second sonne of William Bourchier Earle of Ewe in Normandie and brother to Henry Bourchier Earle of Ewe and Essex He was brought vp in Oxford 〈…〉 preferred to the Deanrie of Saint Martins then to the Bishopâ—â—â—â—â— oâ— Worcester from whence he was translated to Ely and 〈…〉 in this chaire of Canterbury wherein he sate 32. yeares and 〈…〉 the time of his first consecration 51. yeares I finde not 〈…〉 Englishman continued so long a Bishop or that any Archbishop 〈◊〉 before or after him in eight hundred yeares enioyed that place so long And to adde more honour to his Grace and money to his purse he was about two yeares Lord Chancelour of England and Cardinall tt S. Ciriaci in Thermis â—â—t all this time for all these great and eminent promotions he left nothing behinde him to continue his memorie but an old rotten chest in the congregation house at Cambridge called Billingsworth and Bowser into which for the vse of the Vniuersitie Billingsworth before him had put in one hundred pounds and he forsooth imitating that munificent example put in one hundred and twenty pounds He died March 30. 1486. as appeared by 〈…〉 ption vpon his Monument Hic iacet reuerendissimus pater Dominus D. Thomas 〈…〉 quoâ—dam sacrosancte Romane Ecclesie S. Ciriaci in Thermi 〈…〉 chiepiscopus huius Ecclesie qui obijt 30. die Marty 1486. 〈…〉 propitietur altissimus Here lieth buried vnder a marble stone in a sumptuous Chappell vnder the Quier of his owne building Iohn Morton borne to the good of all England at Beere at Saint Andrews Milborn saith Camdeâ— in Dorsetshire brought vp in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of the Ciuill and Canon Law he was first Parson of Saint Dunstans in London and Prebendarie of Saint Decumanes in Wales then Bishop of Ely Master of the Rolles Lord Chancellour of England Cardinall of Saint Anastatia and Archbishop of this Metropolitan See A man so well deseruing both of the Church and common-wealth that all honours and offices were too little which were conferred vpon him of a piercing naturall wit he was very well learned and honorable in behauiour lacking no wise wayes to winne loue and fauour by whose deepe wisedome and pollicie the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster whose titles for a long time had mightily disquieted the whole kingdome were happily vnited but our English Chronicles are so full and copious in this Bishops commendation as that I know not where to begin with him nor how to take my leaue of him Whilest he was Bishop of Ely which was about eight yeares hee bestowed great cost vpon his house at Hatfield in Hertfordshire now the mansion place of that right honourable Lord and one of the priuie Councell William Cecill Earle of Salisbury and at Wisbich Castle in Cambridgeshire a house belonging to that See all the bricke-building was done at his charges And in the time of his Primacie in this Church he bestowed great summes in repairing and augmenting his houses at Knoll Maydstone Alington Parke Charing Ford Lambith and Canterbury He bequeathed by his last Will in a manner all that hee had either vnto good vses or to such of his seruants as he had yet beene able to do nothing for He gaue to the King a Portuis to the Queene a 〈◊〉 to the â—â—dy Margaret his God daughter afterwards married to 〈…〉 King of Scotland a cup of gold and tourry pâ—unds in 〈…〉 Church of Ely his Myter and Crolle vnto his 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 giue nothing as hauing sufficieâ—tly prefâ—rreâ— them in his 〈…〉 which family Robert Bishop of Worcester and many 〈…〉 of very good note and qualitie in Dorsetshire and 〈…〉 His Exâ—ecutors he bound by oath to maintaine sufficiently 〈…〉 at Oxford and ten at Cambridge for the space of twenty 〈…〉 decease And it is not to be forgotten that the yeare before he died 〈◊〉 great charges he procured Anselme one of his predecesâ—ours to be 〈◊〉 nized a Saint This good man died at his Manour of 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of October 1500. hauing enioyed this Archbishopricke 〈◊〉 enâ— yeares in all quietnesse I finde no memoriall of him vpon his 〈…〉 please you then to let these lines following serue for an Eulogium or Epitaph Iohannes Morton postquam Cantuariensem Prouinciam 13. Ann. rexisset obijt Dâ—lubrum ipse sumptuosum vinus in Ecclesii in subterraneo crypto ex truxâ—t in quo humatus est Vir fuit prudens facundus atque grauis qualem Hen. 7. vitae socium morumque quasi magistrum plerumque penes se habuit Tulit sub Richardo Tyranno vitae discrimina exilium atque carceres à triâ—bus regibus Hen 6. Edwardo 4. Hen. 7. probata integeâ—â—mi prudentissiani que pâ—tris fides nunquam in dubium
great Commander in the warres which by some English wit was happily imitated and ingeniously applyed to the honour of this our worthy chiefetaine Sir Philip written vpon a Tablet and fastened to a pillar in S. Pauls Church London the place of his buriall as the sequele will more plainly shew La France et le Piemont les cieux et les Arts Les Soldats et le Mondeont fait comme six parts De ce grand Bonniuet cor vne si grand chose Dedant vn seul tombeau ne pouuoit estre enclose La France en a le corps que elle aurit esleue Le Piemont a le ceur qu'il auoit esprouue Les cieux en ont l'esprit et les Arts la memoire Les Soldats le regret et le monde la gloire In English as followeth France and Piemont the Heauens and the Arts The Souldiers and the world haue made sixe parts Of Great Bonniuet for who will suppose That onely one Tombe can this man enclose France hath his body which she bred and well loued Piemont his heart which his valour had proued The Heauens haue his soule the Arts haue his Fame The Souldiers the griefe the world his good name A briefe Epitaph vpon the death of that most valiant and perfect honorable Gentleman Sir Philip Sidney knight late Gouernour of Flushing in Zealand who receiued his deaths wound at a battell neare Zutphen in Gelderland the 22. day of September and dyed at Arnhem the 16. day of October 86. Whose Funeralls were performed and his body interred within this Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul in London the 16. day of February next following in the yeare of our Lord God 1586. England Netherland the Heauens and the Arts The Souldiers and the world haue made sixe parts Of noble Sidney For who will suppose That a small heape of stones can Sidney enclose England hath his body for she it fed Netherland his bloud in her defence shed The Heauens haue his soule the Arts haue his Fame The Souldiers the griefe the world his good Name These Elegies also following penned in the praise of the said Philip by our late Soueraigne Lord King Iames that sole Monarch of many Nations giue a glorious lustre to his Heroicke actions In Philippi Sidnaei interitum Illustrissimi Scotorum Regis Carmen Armipotens cui ius in fortia pectora Mauors Tu Dea quae cerebrum perrumpere digna Tonantis Tuque adeo biiugae proles Latonia râ—pis Gloria deciduae cingunt quam collibus artes Duc tecum et querula Sidnai funera voce Plangite nam vester fuerat Sidnaeus alumnus Quid genus et proauos et spem floremque iuuentae Immaturo obitu raptum sine fine retexo Heu frustra queror heu rapuit Mors omnia secum Et nihil ex tanto nunc est Heroe superstes Praeterquam decus et nomen virtute paratum Doctaque Sidneas testantia Carmina laudes The same translated by the said King Thou mighty Mars the Lord of Souldiers braue And thou Minerve that dois in wit excell And thou Apollo who dois knowledge haue Of euery art that from Parnassus fell With all your Sisters that th aire on do dwell Lament for him who duely seru'd you all Whome in you wisely all your arts did mell Bewaile I say his vnexpected fall I neede not in remembrance for to call His race his youth the hope had of him ay Since that in him doth cruell Death appall Both manhood wit and learning euery way But yet he doth in bed of Honor rest And euermore of him shall liue the best Eiusdem Regis in Eundem Hexasticon Vidit et exanimem tristis Cytheraea Philippum Fleuit et hunc Martem credidit esse suum Eripuit digitis gemmas colloque monile Mars iterum nunquam ceu placitura foret Mortuus humana qui lusit imagine Diuam Quid faceret iam si viueret ille rogo In English When Venus sad saw Philip Sidney slaine She wept supposing Mars that he had bin From fingers Rings and from her necke the chaine She pluckt away as if Mars nere againe She ment to please In that forme he was in Dead and yet could a Goddesse thus beguile What had he done if he had liu'd this while Tunbridge In this ruinous Church which like the Caâ—tle carries with it a shew of venerable antiquitie I finde no funerall Monument of elder times remarkable in the north window onely are depicted the pourtraitures of the Lord Hugh Stafford kneeling in his coate-armour and his Bow-bearer Thomas Bradlaine by him with this inscription Orate pro animabus Domini Hugonis Stafford et Thome Bradlaine Arcuar .... This Hugh Lord Stafford afterwards Earle of Buckingham was Lord of this Mannor of Tunbridge by his grandmother Margaret the onely daughter and heire of Sir Hugh Audley Earle of Glocester of whom hereafter when I come to Stone in Staffordshire the place of his buriall Neare to the ruinous walls of the Castâ—â—â—stood a Priory pleasantly seated which in the shipwracke of such religious structures was dasht all a peeces founded by Richard de Clare Earle of Gloucester about the yeare 1241. for Canons of Saint Augustines order and consecrated to S. Mary Magdalen Which Priory was valued by the Commissioners at the suppression to be yearely worth 169. l. 10. s. 3. d. This Richard the founder dyed at Emmersfield in the Mannor-house of Iohn Lord Crioil here in Kent 14. Iulij Ann. 1262. his bowels were buried at Canterbury his body at Tewxbury and his heart here in his owne Church at Tunbridge Hee was Vir nobilis et omni laude dignus To whose euerlasting praise this Epitaph was composed Hic pudor Hippoliti Paridis gena sensus Vlissis Aeneae pietas Hectoris ira iacet Chaste Hippolite and Paris faire Vlisses wise and slie Aeneas kinde fierce Hector here ioyntly entombed lye Here sometime lay entombed the bodies of Hugh de Audley second sonne of Nicholas Lord Audley of Hâ—leigh Castle in the County of Stafford who was created Earle of Gloucester by king Edward the third and by the marriage of Margaret second daughter of Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester surnamed the red and sister and coheire to Gilbert the last Earle of that surname Lord of Tunbridge This Hugh dyed the tenth of Nouember 1347. Ann. 21. Ed. 3. I finde little of him remarkable saue his good fortunes being a younger brother to marry so great an inheritrix and to be exalted to such titles of honour His wife Margaret first married to Pierce Gaueston Earle of Cornwall dyed before him in the yeare of our Lord 1342. the 13. day of Aprill They were both together sumptuously entombed by Margaret their daughter the onely heire of her parents wife to Raph de Stafford Earle of Stafford The said Raph de Stafford and Margaret his wife were here likewise entombed at the feet of their father and
laid his foundation 137â— His death was much lamented by the King the Nobilitie and commons of all England for with singular commendations hee had for a long time serued vnder Edward the third in the French warres and was employed by him vpon seuerall Embasies and his truth and good councell was euer much auailable to the whole state of the kingdome His obsequies were performed with great solemnity King Edward the third and all his children with the greatest Prelates and Lord Barons of the kingdome being there present His wife Margaret was here entombed with him by whom he had issue Thomas Manye who in his youth was drowned in a Well at Detford in Kent and Anne then his onely daughter and heire married to Iohn Lord Hastings Earle of Penbroke Margaret Lady Manye saith Iohn Stow here interred yet the Catalogue of Honour will haue her to be buried in the Minories died the 24. of March 1399. she was the onely daughter of Thomas of Brotherton Earle of Norfolke and Marshall of England second sonne of King Edward the first and her fathers onely heire after the death of her brother Edward which happened in the same yeare that his father departed the world She was for the greatnesse of her birth her large reuenewes and wealth created Dutchesse of Norfolke for terme of life she had beene first married to Iohn Lord Segraue and her last husband was the foresaid Sir Walter Manny Here sometime was interred the body of Philip Morgan Doctor of Law Chancelour of Normandy and Bishop of Ely a very wise man who with great commendations gouerned that See nine yeeres sixe moneths and foure daies and departed this life at Bishops-Hatfield October 25. 1434. Many funerall monuments were in this Church as you may finde them mentioned in the Suruay of London This religious house is now turned into an Hospitall consisting of a Master a Preacher a Free-Schoole with a Master and an Vsher fourescore decaied gentlemen Souldiers and forty schollers maintained with sufficient cloathing meate drinke lodging and wages besides Officers and Ministers to attend vpon them all so that the whole number now in the house with the attendants is one hundred and fourescore The greatest gift that euer at any time in England no Abbey at the first foundation thereof excepted or therewith to bee compared being the gift of one man onely whose name was Thomas Sutton of Castle Campes in the County of Cambridge Esquire borne at Knaith in the County of Lincolne who liued to the age of 79 yeares and deceased the 12. day of December 1611. somewhat before this his famous Foundation was fully accomplished Great Saint Bartholomewes This Priorie was founded by one Rahere a pleasant conceited wittie gentleman and a Courtier in the raigne of King Henry the first which he dedicated to the honour of God and Saint Bartholomew and placed therein blacke Canons or Canons regular himselfe became their first Prior his foundation was confirmed in these words Henricus Rex c. Sciatis me concessisse presenti carta me confirmasse Ecclesie beati Bartholomei London que est Dominica Capella mea et canonicis dominicis in ea Domino seruientibus quod sint ab omni subiectione terrena seruitute liberi vt sic aliqua Ecclesia in tota Anglia magis libera c. dat per manum nostram apud Winton 15 Iunij Anno reg 37. Here he died and was here buried in a faire monument renewed by Prior Bolton which Bolton was the last Prior of this house a great builder and repairer of the Priorie and the Parish Church and of diuers lodgings belonging to the same as also of new he builded the Mannor of Canonbury now called Canbury at Islington which belonged to the Canons of this house This Bolton and the rest of his brethren were portraied vpon a Table sometimes hanging in this Church now it is in Sir Robert Cottons Librarie holding vp their hands to the Crucifixe vnder whom these verses were depensiâ—d Gulielmo Bolton precibus succurrite vestris Qualis erat pater hic Domus hec cetera monstrant He died at his Parsonage house at Harrow vpon the hill as I haue it by relation the fourth of Edward the sixt and was there interred He surrendred vp this his Priorie the 30 of Henry the 8. which was then valued at 757 l. 8 s. 4 d. ob q. by yeere Here sometime lay entombed the body of Roger Walden Bishop of London Neuer had any man better experience of the variable vncertaintie of worldly felicity then he for from the estate of a very poore man he was suddenly raised to be Treasurer of England hauing beene first Secretarie to the King Deane of Yorke and Treasurer of the towne of Calis and then made Archbishop of Canterbury which honour he enioyed not past two yeares but was remoued from the same and forced to leade a priuate life a long time At last being once more lift vp to the honour of this Bishopricke of London he left this present life within the compasse of the yeere following Of this man thus writeth Thomas Walsingham who liued in those times and much what to the same effect I will vse his owne language Anno 1406. Dominus Rogerus de Waldene debitum Naturae soluit qui varia fortuna vectus expertus est sub breui tempore Quam sit inconstans incerta volubilis ipsa Errans instabilis vaga quae dum stare putatur Occidit et falso mutatur gaudia vultu Nempe ex pauperculo factus est Regni Thesaurarius and so proceeds on forwards with his story Vpon his monument this Epitaph was inlayd in brasse Hic iacet Rogerus de Walden Episcopus Londinens qui cum in vtraque fortuna plurimuÌ„ laborauit ex hac vita migrauit 2 die Nouem an dom 1406 Vir cultor verus Domini iacet intra Rogerus Walden Fortuna cus nunquam steterat vna Nunc requiem tumuli Deus omnipotens dedit illi Gaudet et in celis plaudet vbi quisque fidelis He denied his preferment to the Bishoppricke of London being preferred vnto him by the Pope saying that he would not accept of it from any but from the king As I finde thus recorded in the Tower Cum summus Pontifex nuper prouidisset Rogero Walden de Ecclesia Cathedral London prefatus tamen Rogerus dominicum beneficium sine Regis assensu et licentia acceptare noluit nec vult ni presenti Rex concedit eidem Rogero licentiam quod ipse tanquam verus Pastor et Episcopus dicte Ecclesie Cathedralis eandem ecclesiam capere valeat et acceptare T. R. apud W. 24. Iunij Little Saint Bartholomewes This Hospitall for the poore and diseased was founded by the forenamed Rahere Prior of great Saint Bartholomewes to be gouerned by a Master and eight Brethren being Priests for the Church and foure Sisters to see the poore
and vowed virginitie cast off all care of hauing issue and exposed the kingdome to the prey of ambitious humours Yet some that would excuse him in this affirme that this holy king was not willing to beget any heires that should succeed him out of a treacherous race Here lieth without any Tombe Maude daughter to Malcolm Camoir king of Scots and wife to king Henry the first who brought vnto him children William Richard and Mary which perished by shipwracke and Maud Empresse who was wise to Henry the fift Emperour She died the first day of May Maij prima dies nostrorum nocte dierum raptam perpetua fecit inesse die 1118. She had an excellent Epigram made to her commendation whereof these foure verses onely remaine Prospera non laetam fecere nec aspera tristem Aspera risus erant prospera terror erant Non decor effecit fragilem non sceptra superbam Sola potens humilis sola pudica decens Thus paraphrastically translated No prosperous state did make her glad Nor aduerse chances made her sad If Fortune frown'd she then did smile If Fortune smil'd she fear'd the while If Beauty tempted she said nay No pride she tooke in Scepters sway She onely high her selfe debast A Lady onely faire and chast She went euery day in the Lent time to this Church bare-foot and bare-legd wearing a garment of haire she would wash and kisse the feet of the poorest people and giue them bountifull Almes For which being reprehended by a Courtier shee gaue him a short answer which I haue out of Robert of Glocester Madame for Goddes love is this wel i doo To handle sich vnclene â—ymmes and to kisse so Foule wolde the kyng thynk if that hit he wiste And ryght wel abyse hym er he your mouth kiste Sur sur qd the Quene be stille why sayste thow so Owr Lord hymself ensample yaf so for to do She founded as I haue said before the Priory of Christ-church within Aldgate and the Hospitall of S. Giles in the Fields She builded the Bridges ouer the Riuer of Lea at Stratford Bow and ouer the little Brooke called Chanelsebridge shee gaue much likewise to the repairing of high-wayes But I will take my leaue of her with these words of Paris Obijt eodem anno Matildis Regina Anglorum cuius corpus apud Westmonasterium quietem sepulturae accepit anima eius se coelum possidere evidentibus signis et miraculis crebris ostendit Here lieth vnder a rich Monument of Porphery adorned with precious stones the body of Henry the third king of England In the fifth yeare of whose raigne and the Saturday next before his second time of Coronation the New worke the old being ruinous and pulled downe of this Church of Westminster was begun To which sacred Edifice this king was a perswader he was the Founder and laid the first stone in the ground-worke of the building The Newerke atte Westmynstre ye kyng tho ganne anone Aftyr hys coronyng and leyde the fyrst stone As if he meant the world should know his intention was to consecrate his future actions to the glory of God He gaue to this Church royall gifts of Copes Iewels and rich vessels and for the holy Reliques of Edward the Confessor he caused a coffin to be made of pure gold and pretious stones and so artificially by the most cunning Goldsmiths that could be gotten that although the matter it was made of was of an inestimable valew tamen Materiam superabat opus yet the workmanship excelled the matter saith Mathew Paris A Prince he was as our histories affirme of greater deuotion then discretion in permitting the depredation of himselfe and his subiects by papall ouerswayings This King saith Robert of Glocester as in worldlich doyng was not hald ful wyse but mor deuout to spiritual things he was euery dey woned to here thre Masses by note Quante innocentie quante patientie quanteque deuotionis et quanti meriti in vita sua erat apud Deum testantur post ipsius mortem miracula subsecuta Of how much integrity of how much patience of how much deuotion and of how much merite he was in his life time before God the miracles which followed after his death doe testifie saith the compendious chronicle of Canterbury He died the 16 of Nouember 1273. when he liued sixty fiue yeares and raigned fiftie sixe yeares and eighteene daies this Epitaph following is annexed to his Tombe Tertius Henricus iacet hic pietatis amicus Ecclesiam strauit istam quam post renouauit Reddet ei munus qui regnat trinus et vnus Tertius Henricus est Templi conditor huius Dulce bellum inexpertis Which is thus Englished by Robert Fabian The frende of pyte and of almesse dede Henry the thyrde whylome of Englande Kyng Who thys Church brake and after hys mede Agayn renewed into this fayre buylding Now resteth in here whiche did so great a thinge He yelde his mede that Lord in Deyite That as one God reygneth in persones thre Henry the thyrde is the buylder of thys Temple War is pleasant to those that haue not tryed it In the additions to Robert of Glocester a Manuscript in the Heralds Office these rimes are written to his remembrance Aftur hym regnyd the thurd Harry A good man and eke an hely In hys tym werrys were full strong And eke mickle stryf in Englond The Batayl of Lewys was than And alsoo the Batayl of Euesham And that tym alsoo ther was The Translacyon of Sent Thomas In hys tym as I vndyrstond Come Freres Menores into thys lond He regnyd Kyng lvi yere And to Westmynstre men hym bere At the head of the foresaid King Henry his sonne Edward surnamed Long-Shanks lieth entombed King of England the first of that Christian name since the Conquest and as he was the first of his name so was he the first that setled the law and state deseruing the stile of Englands Iustinian and freed this kingdome from the wardship of the Peeres shewing himselfe in all his actions after capable to command not the Realme onely but the whole world At the time of his Fathers death he was abroad in Palestine pursuing his high desires for the Holy Warres and after sixe yeares from his first setting out he returnes into England receiues the Crowne without which he had beene a King almost three yeares at the hands of Robert Archbishop of Canterbury and with him is Eleanor his vertuous Queene likewise crowned at Westminster To the which their magnificent pompous Coronations the presence of Alexander King of Scotland who had married Margaret his eldest sister was required as appeares by this Record following Rex dilectis et fidelibus suis Iohanni Louetot et Galfrido de Newbald Custodibus Episcopatus Deunelm Salutem Mandamus vobis quod de primis denarijs prouenientibus de exitibus Episcopatus predicti habere faciatis Alexandro
Saint Peter be the head of the Apostolike Order yet the Church will haue them to be of an vndistinct excellence Now the Popes per liter as suas bullatas Regi directas did preferre whom they pleased and how they pleased to any Ecclesiasticall promotion here in England One example for all Innocent the seuenth by his Bull preferred Richard Fleming first to the Bishopricke of Lincolne then to the Archbishopricke of Yorke and lastly driue him backe againe by his roaring Bull to his first preferment of Lincolne All which this King thus ratifies Cum nuper summus Pontifex Richardum tunc Episcopum Lincoln a vinculo quo eidem Ecclesie tenebatur absolnerit ad Ecclesiam Ebor transtulerit Nec non à vinculo quo eidem Ecclesie Ebor. cui tunc preerat tenebatur absoluit ipsum ad prefat Lincoln Ecclesiam duxerit restituend transferand ipsumque in Episcopum Ecclesie Lincoln prefecerit Rex fidelitatem cepit ipsius Episcopi restituit ei temporalia Teste Rege apud West 3. Augusti Such was the absolute authority of the Pope whose name saith a namelesse Author was neuer Peter except you grant Saint Peter to bee one and the first howsoeuer many of them haue had that name giuen vnto them in baptisme the reason whereof is thus diliuered Nemo ex omnibus Romanorum Pontificibus Petri nomen sibi assumpsit etsi nonnulli in Baptismate ita nominati ex quadam erga Apostolorum Principem reuerentia Now let me returne this Digression being much longer then I expected as also this Chapter which I will conclude as briefly as I may in the meane while take this short story which I finde in the fourth part of Sir Edward Cokes reports Act. de Scandalis The Abbot of S. Albons commanded his seruant to go into the Towne or some place neare adioyning and to desire a certaine mans wife to come vnto him with whom he said he had an earnest desire to talke The seruant obeyed and like a good trustie Roger performed his Masters commandement in bringing the woman to his priuate chamber Now so soone as the Abbot and the wife were together the seruant well knowing his masters minde withdrew himselfe out of the way and left them together alone in the chamber The Abbot then began to accoast the wise telling her first that her array was meane poore and grosse array to which she answered That her array was according to her small abilitie and the abilitie of her husband The Abbot knowing in what most of women take the greatest delight told her that if she would be ruled by him she should haue as good array to weare as the best woman in the Parish where shee dwelt and so began to sollicite her chastitie The woman giuing no eare to his libidinous motions the Abbot assaulted her with struglings and baudy embracings thinking to get that by force which hee could not obtaine by faire meanes But she still resisted all his encounters promises and perswasions by which he detained her in his chamber a long time against her will The husband hauing notice of this abuse offered to his wife began to talke of the matter and said that he would haue an Action of false imprisonment against the Abbot for detaining his wife against her will so long in his chamber The Abbot hearing of this adding one sinne to another did sue the innocent poore husband in the Ecclesiasticall Court vpon an Action of defamation because forsooth the husband had giuen out and published abroad that my Lord Abbot would haue made his wife a dishonest woman The matter being opened in the Court the husband had a Prohibition c. This cunning sinne amongst other their crimes was vsually put in practise by the Church-men of other countries witnesse Francis Petrarch Archdeacon of Parma in Italy in one of his Epistles sine titulo to his namelesse friend wherein he anatomises the Romane Clergie Thus translated Here Venus with her wanton toyes Is honour'd with base bauds and boyes Adulterie whoredome and incest Is honour'd here among the best And counted but for sports and playes Euen with our Prelats of these dayes The wife is rauish'd from her spouse And to the Papall seat she bowes The poore goâ—d man must leaue the Towne Such ordinances are set downe And when her belâ—â—e riseth hie By Cardiâ—als who with her lie The husband must not dare complaine But take his wife with childe againe And dangerous it was for a Lay-man in Iohn Gowers dayes to accuse any of the Clergie with a matter of truth As you may perceiue by the sequele Hoc dicit clerus quod quamuis crimine plenus Sit non est laici ponere crimenei Alter alterius cleri peccata fauore Excusat quod in hijs stat sine lege reus Non occusari vult à caliis tamen illos Accusat que sibi libera frena petit Libera sunt ideo peccata placentia Clero Sit nisi quod Laici iura ferantur ibi Presbiter insipiens populum facit insipientem Et mala multa parit qui bona pauca sapit Chaucer writes of the same Mennes wiues they wollen hold And though that they been right sorye To speake they shull not bee so bold For sompning to the Consistory And make hem saie mouth I lie Though they it sawe with her iye His Lemman holden openly No man so hardy to aske why They â—aine to no man that it longeth To reproue them though they erre Sir Thomas Moore reports how in this kings dayes a poore man found a Priest ouer-familiar with his wife and because hee spake it abroad and could not proue it the Priest sued him before the Bishops Officiall for defamation where the poore man in paine of cursing was commanded that in his Parish Church he should vpon the Sonday stand vp and say Mouth thou liest Whereupon for fulfilling of his penance vp was the poore soule set in a pew that the people might wonder at him and heare what hee said and there all aloud when he had rehearsed what he had reported by the Priest then he set his hands on his mouth and said Mouth thou liest And by and by thereupon he set his hands vpon both his eyes and said But eyne by the Masse ye lie not a whit Abbots and Priours in these dayes did ouer-awe all sorts of lay-people yea the greatest Potentates which made Edward the fourth write thus to the Priour of Lewes in Sussex more like a poore petitioner then a great Prince concerning a matter wherein the Prior and Couent went about to cosin his seruant Vincent Deare and welbeloued in God we greet you well and wher we been enformyd yat many yeres past by yowr letters endentyd vndre yowr Couuent Seal grauntyd to owr trusty and welbelowed servant Iohn Vincent Esquyr fader to owr ryght welbelowed seruant Bryan Vincent certain of yowr londes and rentes within yowr Lordshyp of Conesburgh to
from the women lest they should giue occasion of scandall wherefore Saint Brigide desiring to reuiue this order she found meanes how without any suspition the Church and house should be common to boâ—h She ordained that they should weare a russet habit with a cloke of the same colour with a red crosse vpon their breasts Shee would haue but sixtie Nunnes and fiue and twentie Monkes in euery Monasterie that is to say thirteene Priests according to the number of the thirteene Apostles comprehending Saint Paul Then foure Deacons who might also be Priests and represented the foure Doctors of the Church and eight Conueâ—ts who might alwayes be readie to labour for the affaires of the house so as the Friers and Nunnes all together made the number of the thirteene Apostles and the seuentie two Disciples of our Sauiour And to the end they might be distinguished one from another the Priests carried a red Crosse vpon the left side of their cloke vnder which crosse they put a little peece of white cloth as broad as a wafer which they offered vp in reuerence of the holy Sacrament And the foure Deacons for a difference from the Priests carried a round wreath of white cloth which signified as they gaue out the sapience of the foure Doctors whom they represented and vpon it they put foure little peeces of red made like vnto tongues to shew that the holy Ghost inflamed their tongues to deliuer the sacred mysteries of Diuinity The Conuerts wore a white crosse vpon their clokes to shew the innocencie of their liues vpon which there were fiue peeces of red in commemoration of the fiue wounds of our Sauiour At the dissolution there was a Couent of this Order at Sion in Mid'e sexe now a mansion goodly faire house belonging to the right honourable the Earle of Northumberland This holy Lady Brigid died at Rome and her daughter Katherine Princesse of Nerice caused the rule after her death to be confirmed by Poâ—e Vrâ—â—â— the fifth She came to Rome at the age of two and fourtie where she continued eight and twentie yeares she was canonized in the yeare of Grace 1391. There was another S. Brigid of Ireland farre more ancient It is said that the image of our Sauiour spoke to this pious Queene of Sweden as she was saying her orizons before the high Altar in the Church of Saint Paul in Via Ostiensi Rome as appeares by an inscription vpon a table hanging in the same Church which I haue seene As many orders or neare thereabouts as were of Friers so many were of Nunnes here and beyond Seas for men in the feruencie of deuotion did not precede the weaker sex of religious women The strictest Order of Nunnes is that of S. Clare A Lady who liued in the same time and was borne in the same Towne of Assile with S. Francis Which Towne to this day brags of the birth of two such worthie persons These Clares obserue the rule of their Patron S. Francis and weare the like habit in colour They are neuer rich and therefore to this day wheresoeuer they doe inhabite they are called the poore Clares This Saint Clare was the first Nunne of Saint Francis Order and her Mother and Sister vndertooke the same vow Sancta Clara que in vita in morte mirabiliter miraculis claruit Beata Agnes soror sancte Clare beata Ortulana mater eorundem fuere ordinis Franciscorum Saint Clare who both in life and death was wondrously famous by her miracles S. Agnes her sister and Ortulana her mother were of the order of S. Francis This S. Clare saith her Legend touching the world was of rightworthy and honourable linage and as touching the spirit to the regard of the state of vertues and holy manners towards God of right noble reputation Hauing spoken already of such religious persons as I finde to haue liued here in England in Coenobies or Couents at the time of the generall dissolution it remaines now to say somewhat of Hermits and Anchorites who had at that time their solitaire little cells or cabbins in diuers places of this kingdome which carrie still the name of Hermitages in and about the countrey and Anchor-holds in Parish or Abbey Churches They were called Hermites or Eremites for that they liued solitarily in desarts and wildernesses and Anchorites because they liued alone without all company immured betwixt two walls in the out side of some Abbey or Parish-Church in which by their rule they were to liue die and to bee buried Whose exercise was feruent prayer handy labour digging and filling vp againe their graues which were to be within their lodgings Of the beginning and first Authors of the Hermites life there is great question which I leaue vnto the learned and adhere to the common receiued opinion which affirmes that the times of persecution were the first cause of this kinde of life For when as in the time of Decius and Valerianus Emperours about two hundred fiftie and two yeares after Christ they prepared horrible torments against the Christians many distrusting the weaknesse of the flesh and searing to denie the name of God by their intollerable persecutions thought it fittest to seeke their safetie by flight Wherefore many leauing Townes frâ—ends and all their wealth retired themselues into desarts and held themselues in solitarie places and caues where they buâ—lt poore cottages Yea many times they went wandring vp and downe in thicke woods lest they should bee taken But when the surie of their tâ—ranâ— ceased they returned not vnto the world but liued voluntarily in desarts so being accustomed to diuine contemplation and a quick kinde of 〈◊〉 they continued in the course vntill death Among the first which entred into this course of life was Paul of Thebes who liued in a caue at the foote of a rocke about the yeare of our redemption 260. The second was Saint Antonie of Aegypt who built himselfe a cottage vpon the top of an high hill where he died hauing liued one hundred and fiue yeares in the yeare 34â—â— S. Hierome of Stridone in Dalmatia that learned and religious Doct 〈◊〉 the like life in the desarts of Syria not farre from Jerusalem In quo loâ—o deserto se ieiunijs macerabat plangebat orabat sludebat atque etiam â—â—m mentabatur In which vninhabited place he macerated or made leane his bodie with fastings he lamented and bewailed his sinnes he pâ—ayed he studied and writ certaine Comments vpon the sacred Scriptures Many other workes he writ before his death which happened about the yeare of our Lord 388. But to come nearer home where the repute and godlinesse of these Hermites or Anchorites for both of them liuing from the companie and conuersation of men were called sometimes by the name of Hermites and some other time of Anchorites was likewise had in venerable regard for we reade that when seuen British Bishops with other learned men of the Monasâ—â—â—â—e of
men which did diligently ouersee like good Shepheards the flocks committed to their charge and these were called Bishops Episcopus Grece latine speculator interpretatur speculari enim debet mores vitia populi sibi subiecti intendere ad eorum salutem A Bishop both in Greeke and Latine signifies a beholder or a Scoute watch for he ought to behold and ouersee the manners conditions and vices of the people liuing vnder his gouernment and to vse the best meanes hee can for their soules health Homer calls Hector suum Episcopum because he was precipuus Troiae inspector et propugnator the chiefe ouerseer and defender of the Citie of Troy Nihil in hoc seculo excellentius sacerdotibus nihil sublimius Episcopis reperiri potest Nothing in this age more excelling then Priests nothing more sublime and high then Bishops can be found Honor et sublimitas Episcopalis nullis poterit comparationibus adaequari The Episcopall honour and dignitie can be equalled by no comparisons Esto subiectus Pontifici tuo et quasi parentem animae tuae ama Be subiect to thy Bishop and loue him as the father and nourisher of thy soule Nihil est in bac vita et maxime hoc tempore difficilius laboriosius et periculosius Episcopi aut Presbyteri officio sed apud Deum nihil beatius si eo modo militetur quo noster Imperator iubet Nothing in this life and specially at this time more difficult laborious and perillous then the office of a Bishop or Priest but before Almightie God no office more blessed if they fight and make warre after the same manner as they bee commanded by their Captaine our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Omnis Pontifex saith Saint Paul ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus constituitur in ijs qui sunt ad Deum vt offerat dona et sacrificia pro peccatis Euery Bishop or high Priest is taken from among the men and is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that hee may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sinnes They are Gods labourers Gods husbandrie and Gods buildings Let a man so thinke of them as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God What is more pleasant saith William the Monke of Malmesbury in his Prologue to the Acts of our English Bishops then to rehearse the praise of our ancient Bishops that thou mayest know the deeds of them of whom thou hast receiued the rudiments of Faith and the incitements to a godly life No nation of the world saith Capgraue in the Prologue to his Catalogue of English Saints hath from the beginning beene so blest with holy learned and religious Bishops as England whose sanctitie did so shine that all which saw them and their good workes assuredly knew that they were the seed to whom God had imparted his blessings their conuersation and studie being alwayes about heauenly matters As the rod of Aaron did bud and blossome and bring forth ripe Almonds so the Church and Ministery of England by the meanes of our reuerend Bishops as of Gods sacred instruments did and still doth prosper flourish and bring forth fruits of righteousnesse to the glorie of God and comfort of all true Christian hearts Now before I conclude this point giue me leaue to speake a little further of the first institution of Bishops out of the booke of a namelesse Author written in Latine about three hundred yeares since translated into English by one William Marshall and imprinted at London by one Robert Wyer Ann. 1535 in the 27. of King Henry the eighth the booke is called The Defence of Peace After the tymes of the Apostles the nombre of Preestes beyng notablye augmented and increased saith he to avoyde sclaundre and occasyon of offendynge any man and to avoyde scisme and dyvysion the Preestes chose one among themselues which shulde dyrecte and ordre the other as touchynge to the exercysynge of the Ecclesiasticall offyce or service and the dystrybutyng of the oblacyons and the dysposynge and orderynge of other thyngs in the most conuenient maner leste yf euery man myght do this thinge after his owne pleasure as he lest himselfe the good ordre and servyce of the Churches myght be troubled by the reason of the dyuerse affeccions of men This Preeste whiche was so elected and chosen to ordre and rule the other Preestes by the custome and vsed maner of speakynge of them that came afterwards was onely called a Bysshop or ouerseer because not onely he was ouerloker of the Christen people for whiche cause all other Preests also were called Ouerseers in the Prymatyne Church but also because he had the ouersyght of the other Preestes Howsoeuer saith he in the same Chapter in the essentyall and inseparable auctoryte and dygnyte of Preesthood the Bysshops have no preheminence aboue other Preestes but onely in auctoryte accydentall being that the Bishop by the provydence of God is chosen vpon the former reason to have the rule and gouernment of the Clergie within his Diocesse For in the power and auctoryte of makyng and admynystryng the Sacraments and performing of other duties belonginge meerely to the Preesthood all Preestes saith he have all one auctoryte in kynde neyther the Bysshop of Rome or any other Bysshop hath this auctoryte any whyt more largely than any other hath who euer he be beynge called a symple or pryvate Preest And therfore it is to be mervayled wherfore some men do stryve styffely and frowardly affyrmynge yet no thynge reasonably that the Pope of Rome hath more large power of the keyes geuen to hym of Chryste than hath other Preestes seing that this cannot be proued by the holy Scrypture but rather the contrary For whiche thyngs to go on with my Author more euidently to be seene and perceyved you ought to vnderstande and knowe that these two wordes Presbyter and Episcopus that is to saye Preest or senyour and Bysshop were both of one sygnyfycacion and betokened all one thynge in the Prymatyue Church albeit they were put to sygnyfy one thynge of diuers propertyes for Presbyter was a name gyven to them of age which is as moche to saye as a Senyour or Elder And Episcopus was a name gyuen of cure or charge vpon other and is as moche to say as an ouerloker according to that of Saynt Iherom in a certayne Epystle to Euandre who sayth thus Presbyter and Episcopus the one is a name of age the other of dygnyte These dignified priests I meane Bishops euer since the Conquest their chiefe seate or chaire in Cities and their Churches haue euer since the sunne-shine of the Gospell beene called Cathedrall and in respect they were more spatious then other inferiour Parish Churches they were tearmed Basilicae of which will it please you heare Camden speake These greater Churches saith hee when the sauing light of Christ shone vpon the world
which you may reade more at large in Camden his diuision of Britaine and know more by Speed in his Type of this flourishing kingdome The Ecclesiasticall state of England is diuided into two Prouinces or Archbishopricks viz. of Canterbury and of Yorke The Archbishop of Canterbury â—s stiled Metropolitanus et Primas totius Angliae and the Archbishop of Yorke Primas Angliae The Archbishop of Canterbury hath vnder him within his Prouince of ancient and late foundations Rochester his principall Chaplaine London his Deane Winchester his Chancellour and all the rest of the Bishopricks foure excepted viz. Chester Durham Carlile and the I le of Man which are annexed to the Archbishopricke of Yorke Euery Diocesse is diuided into Archdeaconries and the Archdeacon is called Oculus Episcopi The eye of the Bishop And euery Archdeaconrie is parted into Deanries and Deanries againe into Parishes Townes and Hamlets The Bishop is called the Ordinarie in the Ecclesiasticall Law Quia habet ordinariam iurisdictionem in iure proprio et non per deputationem for that he hath ordinarie iurisdiction in his owne proper right and not by deputation in causes Ecclesiasticall All the Archbishops and Bishops of England haue beene founded by the Kings of England and do hold of the King by Baronie and haue been all called by writ to the Court of Parliament and are Lords of Parliament And the Bishopricks in Wales were founded by the Princes of Wales and the Principalitie of Wales was holden of the King of England as of his Crowne And the Bishops of Wales are also called by Writ to Parliament and are Lords of Parliament as Bishops of England be There were within the Realme of England one hundred and eightâ—ene Monasteries founded by the Kings of England whereof such Abbots and Priors as were founded to hold of the King per Baroniam and were called to the Parliament by Writ were Lords of Parliament and had places and voices there And of them were twenty sixe Abbots and two Priors as by the Rolles of Parliament appeare yet if you reckon the Abbot of Feuersham in Kent founded by King Stephen there were twentie and seuen which some do saith my learned Author warranted by these words in the Cartularie Et dedit Abbati et Monachis et successoribusâ—s is Minerium de Feuersham Com. Kane simul cum Hundredo c. tenend per Baroniam But saith he albeit this Abbot held by a Baronie yet because he was neuer that I finde called by Writ he neuer sat in Parliament Bishopricks in England with that of the Isle of Man are 37. whose extents I set downe in the passage of this worke Deanries 26. whereof thirteene were ordained by Henrie the eighth in the greater Cathedral Churches after the Monkes were thrust out Archdeacouries threescoâ—â— Dignities and Prebends fiue hundred fourty foure Numbred also there are Parish churches vnder Bishops 9284 of which 3845. be Appropriat as I finde in a Catalogue saith he exhibited to King Iames. Now Appropriat Churches those are called which by the Popes authoritie comming betweene with consent of the King and the Bishop of the Diocesse were vpon certaine conditions tyed or Instruments vnited annexed and incorporate for euer vnto Monasteries Bishopricks Colledges and Hospitals endowed with small lands either for that the said Churches were built their Lordships and Lands or graunted by the Lords of the said Lands Which Churches afterwards when the Abbeyes and Monasteries were suppressed became Laye Fees to the great damage of the Church Henry the eighth presently vpon the suppression of Monasteries and his ordination of certaine Cathedrall and Collegiate Churches set dâ—wne by the aduice of his Counsell a number of Rules and Statutes to be obserued by the Officers and Ministers residing in the same As appeares by this Record following which I thought to transcribe Henricus Octauus Dei gracia Anglie Francie et Hibernie Rex Fidei Defensor ac in terra supremum Ecclesie Anglicane et Hibernie caput Vniuersis sancte matris Ecclesie silijs ad quorum noticiam presens Scriptum peruenerit Salutem Cumet nobis et Regni nostri Preceribus vniuer soque Senatui quâ—m Parliamentum vocamus visum sit Deo et confidimus nos huc mouente Monasteria que passim in regno nostro extabant tum propter graues et multiplices illorum enormitates tum ob alias iustas rationabilesque causas supprimere â—â—olere et in meliores vsus convertere Nos et diuine voluntati conformius â—â—mâ—ius â—re Christiana esseducentes vt vbi ignorantia et superstitio regnabant ibi sincerus Dei cultus vigeat et sanctum Christi Euangelium assidue et pure annuncietur Et preteria vt ad Christiane fidei ac pietatis incrementum iuuentus Regni nostri in bonis literis instituatur et pauperes perpetuo sustententur in ipsorum Monasteriorum loco Ecclesias ereximus et consâ—ituimus Quarum alias Cathedrales alias Collegiatas vocari volumus pro quarum Ecclesiarum ac Collegiorum gubernaecione et regimine leges et statuta que sequntur prescribend curauimus quibus tam Decani et vtriusque ordinis Canonici quam ceteri omnes ministri pueri et pauperes qui in ipsis Ecclesijs commoraturi sunt pareant et ebsequantur eisque vt à nobis conditis et perfect is regantur et gubernentur Id quod si fecerint ingens sine pictatis incrementum in hoc regno nostro peruenturum esse confidemus Et nos expectatione 〈◊〉 voto nostro qui ad Dei optumi maximi gloriam ac fidei Christiane augmentum has Ecclesias ereximus et varijs ministrorum ordinibus enornauimus haâ—d quaquam fraudabimus Dat. c. The Statutes rules and orders were annexed hereunto which were very many and more then can conueniently be included in this short Treatise and more I thinke then were well performed As may partly be proued by an Inâ—unction from the Queenes Maiestie to the Archbishop of Canterbury Mathew Parker in these words By the Queene The Queenes Maiesty considering how the pallaces and houses of Cathedrall Churches and Colledges of this Realme haue ben both of ancyent and late tyme buylded and inclosed in seuerall to susteyne and kepe Socyeties of learned men professing Study and prayer for the edification of the Church of God and so consequently to serue the Common-weale And vnderstanding of late that within the houses hereof as well the chiefe Gouernours as the Prebendaries Students and members thereof being married do keepe particular housholds with their wiues children and Nurses whereof no small offence groweth to th entent of the Founders and to the quiet and orderly profession of studie and learning within the same hath thought meete to prouide remedie herein lest by sufferance thereof the rest of the Colledges specially such as be replenished with young Students as the very roomes and buildings be not answerable for such families of women and young children should follow the like example And
and 〈…〉 was for integritie euen admirable and so was his learning as his works â—et exâ—ant do testifie Now because his Epitaph is either worne out or was euer wanting I will be so bold as borrow one for him from one of his owne name which I haue read vpon a Monument in Parma in Italie Hic iacet Anselmus post mortem viuere certus Cantuar. Archiepus que omni bonitate refertus Vir sobrius castus vir vitans vndique fastus Vir gremijs plenis largus largitor egenis Vir bene politus sagax doctus ernditus Dogmata maturusque inter contagia purus An Domini Mil. cent que nono que die quoque meâ—sis April vicesimo vno Mortis hunc enecat ensis In the south part of Saint Thomas Chappell in a marble Tombe ioyning to the wall lieth the body of Theobald Archbishop of this See Who was chosen to that Grace by the Suffragan Bishops of his owne Prouince in a Conuocation held at London he was a Benedictine Monke and Abbot of Becco a man of no great learning but of so gentle and sweet behauiour being very wise withall as hee was greatly esteemed of high and low Kings Nobles and Commons yet howsoeuer he was of an affable milde nature and faire demeanure his patience was so greatly moned vpon good occasion that he interposed the Popes authoritie with whom the King was made a partie so farre as that his goods and Temporalties were twice confiscate seised into the Kingâ— hands and himselfe once banished the kingdome which so netled him that like a tall fellow Nam laesa patientia fit furor he interdicted King Stephen and the whole Realme and taking aduantage of the time which was wondrous troublesome came home and liued in Norfolke till by the intercession of certaine Bishops hee was restored After which hee grew into great fauour with the said King and was the chiefe meanes of concluding that finall peace at Wallingford betweene him and Maud the Empresse Shortly after which King Stephen died and Henry surnamed Fitz empresse sonne of Geffrey Plantaginet and Maud the Empresse succeeded him in the Regalitie vnder whom this Bishop passed the rest of his dayes quietly in great fauour and estimation and died Ann. 1160. when he had sat Archbishop 22. yeares Perceiuing his end to approach he made his Will and gaue all his goods to the poore or other like good vses Of whom this Epitaph was made Hic iacet Theobaldus Cantuar. Archiepiscopus ob morum placabilitatem at que constantiam Hen. 2. valde gratiosus affabilis veridicus prudens amicus sirmus in omnes liberalis in pauperes munificus Qui sue tandem senectut is languide vite pertesus anteactam vitam morti persoluit Ann. Dom. 1160. cum 22. annis sedisset Anima eius requiescat in pace Amen I finde one Richard for I finde no further of his name Archbishop of this chaire to be here interred in our Ladies Chappell sometime a Benedictine Monkâ— Prior of the Monasterie of Saint Martins in Douer a man very liberaâ—l gentle and wise for hee so handled the matter that in all his time he neuer was at odds or out either with the Pope or King The Pope he entertained with often gifts and money the Kings fauour he retained by yeelding and conforming himselfe to his pleasure This man continued in his gouernment about the space of ten or eleuen yeares In all which time there happened not any thing of him worthie of memorie except the controuersie stirre and tumult betweene him and the Archbishop of Yorke for primacie and the ordaining of three Archdeacons for his Diocesse which euer before his time was content with one An ill husband hee was for his Church if wee may beleeue this my old Authour This Richard saith he was a man of great Religion and also of great wit in his temporall gouernance but in defending of his freedome of holy Church and punishment of excesse and misbeleeuers to simple and slow which is partly approued by the sequele if the report of his end and death may passe for current truth how that being a sleepe at his Manor of Wrotham there seemed to come vnto him a certaine terrible Personage demanding of him who he was whereunto when for feare the Archbishop answered nothing Thou art he said the other that hast destroyed the goods of the Church and I will destroy thee from off the face of the earth which hauing said he vanished away In the morning the Bishop taking his iourney toward Rochester related this fearfull vision unto a friend of his by the way which he had no sooner told then that hee was taken suddenly with a great cold and stiffenesse in his limbes so that they had much adoe to get him so farre as Halling a house belonging to the Bishop of Rochester where he tooke his bed and being horribly tormented with the Chollick and other griefes gaue vp the ghost the next night following saue one the 16. of Feb. Ann. 1184. obijs saith one 14. Kal. Martij feria sexta necte Ann. 11. ab electione sua cuius corpus in Ecclesia Christi Cant. in oratorio sancte Marie 22. Kal. Martij die Sabbati est honorifice Sepultus In the South wall of this Church lieth the body of Hubert Walter or Walter Hubert for such a transmutation of the name I finde to bee vsed who was borne at West-Derham in Norfolke and brought vp vnder Raynulph de Glanfeld chiefe Iustice of England The first preferment hee obtained was the Deanrie of Yorke thence hee was called by King Richard the first vnto the Bishopricke of Salisbury Whom he attended in all that long and dangerous voyage into the holy Land as a Commander or Colonell of some English forces by whose valour and his owne he performed admirable seruice at the siege and surrender of Acon and other fortified places for which and for his discreete handling the matter in procuring 250000. Markes of the Clergie for the ransome of his Master King Richard the said King knew not how to heape honours sufficient vpon him so that at one time he was Archbishop the Popes Legate Lord Chancelor Lord chiefe Iustice and high immediate Gouernour vnder him of all his Dominions both in Wales and England he was much blamed and peraduenture not vnworthily for vndertaking so many great offices For Pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus howsoeuer neuer any man vsed his authoritie and power more moderately faithfull and loyall he was euer to his Prince louing and very careâ—uâ—l of his countrey in which he caused many excellent Decrees and Lawes to be established His house keeping was such as the expence thereof was thought to be little inferiour to the Kings hee built a Monasterie at Durham the place of his birth began another at Wulferhampton encompâ—ssed the Tower of
precor horum He was a very seuere corrector of sinne depriuing many Clergie-men of their liuings in the first visitation of his owne Diocesse He repaired his pallace with 1101. l. and odde money which he recouered of Andrew Vfford Archdeacon of Midlesex adminâ—stratour of Iohn Vfford his predecessour for dilapidations hee built and endowed with good possessions a Colledge in this Citie which is now become a parcell of Christ-church in Oxford He bequeathed to his Church a thousand sheepe his vestments which were all cloth of gold a very sumptuous Coape and much plate he was a very â—â—ugall and sparing man neuer esteeming pompe nor outward brauery which he shewed at his end desiring to be buried obscurely to auoid superfluous expence William Wittlesey succeeded the said Simon and was brought vp at Oxford at the charges of Simon Islip who was his Vnkle where hee proceeded Doctor of the Canon Law and by him sent to Rome to sollicite his causes and also to get experience by seeing the practise of that Court who after he had stayed there a time was called home and preferred by his Vnkles meanes vnto the place of Vicar generall then to the Deanrie of the Arches the Archdeaconrie of Huntington the Parsonages of Croydon and Cliff to the Bishopricke of Rochester from thence to Worcester and lastly after the decease of his said Vncle to this Archbishopricke of Canterbury in which he continued almost seuen yeares being the most of his time troubled with a tedious lingring disease whereof he died Iuly 5. 1374. He lieth buried ouer against his Vncle betweene two pillars vnder a marble Tombe inlaid with brasse which with his Epitaph is altogether defaced the brasse worne torne or stolne away these few words onely remaining ............ tumulatus Wittelesey natus gemmata luce ..... Sudburie natus Simon iacet hic tumulatus Martirizatus nece pro republica stratus Heu scelus infernum trux exitiale nefandum Presulis eximij corpus venerabile dandum In rabiem Vulgi ......... This is a fragment of an Epitaph composed to the memory of Simon Tibold the sonne of one Nigellus Tibold surnamed Sudbury of a Towne in Suffolke where he was borne a Doctor of the Canon Law who by degrees came to this Metropolitan Grace of Canterbury A man very wise learned eloquent liberall mercifull and wondrous reuerend all which could not deliuer him from vntimely death For he together with Sir Robert Hales Lord Prior of Saint Iohns Ierusalem and Chancellour or England were haled to the Tower-hill by the Rebels of Kent and Essex with infernall shouts and yells and there vniustly Nam ius calcatur violâ—â—tia cum dominatur and horriblie hackâ— hewed and in that barbarous manner beheaded by these arch Trayâ—ours Iune the fourteenth the yeare of our Lord 1381. and of the raigne of that vnfortunate King Richard the second the fourth hauing sate Bishop about six yeares Which lamentable storie the Chronicles at large declare When these hurlie burlies were at an end the body of this good Archbishop was conueyed to his owne Church and there honourablie inteâ—â—ed vpon the South side of the Altar of Saint Dunstan This Bishop built the West-gate of this Citie and the wall from that gate vnto the North-gate commonly called by the name of the long wall and would haue done likewise about all the Towne if hee had liued The Maior and the Aldermen once a yeare vsed to come solemnly to his Tombe to pray for his soule in memory of this his good deed to their Citie saith Leland in his Commentaries It was the custome of old and so it is in these dayes for men of eminent ranke and qualitie to haue Tombes erected in more places then one for example and proofe of my speech I finde here in this Church a Monument of Alabaster at the feete of the blacke Prince wherein both by tradition and writing it is affirmed that the bones of William Courtney the sonne of Hugh Courtney the third of that Christian name Earle of Deuonshire Archbishop of this See lies entombed And I finde another to the memory of the same man at Maidstone here in Kent wherein because of the Epitaph I rather beleeue that his body lieth buried Of which hereafter when I come to that Towne Here lieth interred vnder a faire Monument Thomas Fitz-Alan or Arundell the third sonne of Richard Fitz-Alan Earle of Arundell Warren and Surrey by Eleanor his wife daughter of Henry Plantaginet Earle of Lancaster as I haue it in the Catalogue of Honour Who at the age of two and twenty yeares was consecrated Bishop of Ely which hee laudablie gouerned considering the greennesse of his age the space of fourteene yeares three moneths and eighteene dayes In which time hee was Lord Chancellour of England from Ely he was translated to Yorke leauing for an implement at his house of Ely a wonderfull sumptuous and costly Table adorned with gold and precious stones which belonged first to the King of Spaine and was sold to this Bishop by the blacke Prince for three hundred Markes Hee also bestowed the building of the great Gate-house of Ely house in Houlborne during his abode at Yorke which was about eight years he bestowed much in building vpon diuers of his houses and vnto the Church Besides many rich ornaments he gaue two great Basons of siluer and gilt two great Censers two other Basons of siluer and two Creuetts he gaue to the Vicars a siluer cup of great waight and a massie bowle of siluer to the Canons From Yorke he was remoued hither to Canterbury and here he sate one moneth aboue seuenteene yeares In which time at the West end of his Church hee built a faire spiâ—e steeple called to this day Arundell steeple and bestowed a tunable ring of fiue bels vpon the same which he dedicated to the holy Trinity to the blessed Virgine Mary to the Angell Gabriel to Saint Blase and the fifth to S. Iohn Euangelist Thus much he effected howsoeuer hee was no sooner warme in his seate then that he with his brother the Earle of Arundell were condemned of high Treason his brother executed and he banished the kingdome and so liued in exilement the space of neare two yeares vntill the first of the raigne of Henry the fourth This worthy Prelate died of a swelling in his tongue which made him vnable to eate drinke or speake for a time before his death Which happened Februar 20. Ann. 1413. An Author contemporarie with this Archbishop writes as followeth of the passages in those times as also much in the grace and commendation of this worthy Metropolitan Heu mea penna madet lachrimis dum scribere suadet Infortunata sceleris quibus horreo fata Non satis est Regem mundi deflectere legem Vt pereant gentes sub eo sine lege manentes Sed magis in Christum seuit qua propter ad istum Casum deslendum
entombed here in our Ladies Chappell with this Epitaph Qui legis has apices Adriani pignora dices Hoc sita sarcophago sua nostro gloria pago Hic decus Abbatum patrie lux vir probitatum Subuenit à celo si corde rogetur anhelo These seuen Abbots aboue mentioned were all outlandish men sent hither either at the first to accompanie Augustine or afterwards Mellitus and Iustus in their iourney from Rome Albinus the Scholler of Adrian and Abbot of this house was here interred who as he followed his Master in his office so did he in all his good and godly wayes And so died in the 24. yeare of his Abbotship 732. and was buried by his Master Laus Patris Albini non est obnoxia fini Gloria debetur sibi quam sita vitae meretur Multa quippe bonos faciens virtute patronos Abbas efficitur bonus hic et honore petitur Shortly after the decease of Albin one Nothbaldus a Monke of this fraternitie was chosen Abbot in which office hee continued about sixteene yeares died ann 748. and was buried neare his predecessours Nothbaldi mores rutilant inter Seniores Cuius erat vita subiectis norma polita Aldhumus was the next Abbot in the time of whose gouernment the buriall of the Archbishops was taken away from the Church of this Monasterie by the cunning sleight and ouerswaying authoritie of Archbishop Cuthbert as I haue partly touched but howsoeuer his holy brethren of this Couent did impute all the fault vnto the supine negligence of their Abbot in that he did not more carefully defend this their common cause Whereupon after his death which happened ann 760. some 12. yeares they fastened this Epitaph vpon a pillar neare to the place of his buriall bewraying the viperous malice of this Monkish broode to him their deceased father Fert memor Abbatis Aldhumi nil probitatis Pontificum Pausani cassat tutans male causam Prisca premens iura dum Cuthbertus tumulatur Fulta sepultura sanctis per eum reprobatur About a yeare Lambert or Ianibert before remembred was Abbot of this house afterwards Archbishop He procured six plough lands of ground to this Abbey of king Edbert in little Mongham Ethelnothes Guttardus Cunredus Wernodus cosin to Offa and Cuthred kings of Mercia and Kent of whom this Wernode obtained many rich gifts for this his Monasterie Diernodus Wintherus Readmundus Kimbert Eta Degmund Alfred Ceolbert Bectane Athelwold Vlbert Eadred Alchmund Sittulfe Cadred Luling Beorline Alfricke who by his familiarity with king Edmund obtained two plough-land to his Monasterie Elsnoth Siricius who was first a Monke in Glastonbury then Abbot of this Monastery from hence preferred to the Bishopricke of Wiltshire and thence remoued to this Primatship of Canterbury A man much blamed in our ancient Histories for perswading with his countreymen to buy their peace with the Danes who had inuaded Kent and â—ssâ—x with the price of sixteene thousand pounds Wulfrike Elmer a man of great holinesse from hence aduanced to the Bishopricke of Sherborne and after some yeares falling blinde gaue ouer that gouernment returned to this Abbey wherein all the rest of his dayes he led a priuate life Elstan first Prior of the house whom king Knute would haue preferred to the Bishopricke of Wâ—nchester which hee denyed neither would hee haue taken this but by the importunate sute of his brethren These Abbots aboue named some twenty eight in number succeeded one another of whom albeit we may beleeue that many memorable and good actions were performed yet time which weareth all things out of remembrance hath left little of them remarkable to this age Wulfrike the second succeeded Elstan Vir probi consilij and often employed vpon Embasies to the Pope He translated the body of Saint Mildred into another place of the Church hee dyed suddenly ann 1059. by the iust iudgement of God saith the story because he neglected the beautifying of our Ladies Chappell being thereto commanded by S. Dunstan who had conference in a vision with the blessed Virgin concerning that matter Vpon the death of Wulfrike one Egelfine succeeded and receiued benediction from Archbishop Stigand about the yeare 1063. he was sent about I know not what Embasie to Pope Alexander the second to whom the Pope gaue this honour That it should bee lawfull for him and his successours to vse the Mytre and Apostolike Sandall But presently vpon his returne home he fled ouer Seas into Denmarke for feare of William the new Conquerour And being no sooner thus gone without licence first obtained his goods were confiscate to the King and one Scotland by birth a Norman inuested in his place This Abbot receiued many gracious fauours from the Conquerour He recouered much land vniustly taken from his Monasterie with diuers immunities He was a great cause for the confirmation of the ancient Franchises and liberties of Kent he built a great part of his Church anew and remoued the bones of Adrian and other Abbots with the bodies of foure Kentish kings being but obscurely buried and entombed them in the Quire of the Church vnder princely Monuments hee dyed the third day of September ann 1087. and was buried in a vault vnder the Quire in S. Maries Chappell Abbas Scotlandus prudentibus est memorandus ...... libertatis ...... dare gratis Actu magnificus generosa stirpe creatus Viribus enituit sanctis sancte quoque vixit One Wido was the next Abbot who repaired the Tombe or Shrine of Saint Augustine he dyed August 13. ann 1091. and was buried in a vault vnder S. Richards Altar Whose tombe-stone was thus inscribed Hunc statuit poni tumulum mors atra Widoni Cui stans sede throni superi det gaudia doni One Hugh de Flori or Floriaco a Norman borne neare a kinne to the Conquerour vnder whom and his sonne William Rufus being a strenuous and an expert Souldier hee had serued in the warres both of Normandie and England who comming with William Rufus vpon a time to visit Saint Austines Shryne would needs be made a Brother of this Fraternitie which being granted he sold forthwith all his lands in Normandie hauing neither wife nor childe and tooke vpon him the Monasticall habite This Hugh had scarce continued one yeare of probation when as the foresaid Abbot Wido departed the world vpon whose death the Monkes of Saint Austines comming to William Rufus to obtaine licence to elect a new Abbot the king swore by Lukes face that he would haue no election at all for he intended to take all the spirituall liuings of England into his owne hands Well for this time they went away with each one a flea in his eare yet afterwards it was decreed that two circumspect graue Monkes together with this Hugh de Flori should be sent to the king to procure his fauour for an election either by petition or price when these presented themselues vnto his sight and that
fashion in former times fetched from the French which they call rebus or name-deuises examples of the same are frequent Neare to this Church sometime stood that goodly Abbey founded by Stephen king of England grandchilde to the Conquerour dedicated to Saint Sauiour replenished with blacke Monkes of Cluni valued at the suppression to be well worth according to the fauourable rate of such endowments in those dayes 286. l. 12. s. 6. d. ob yearely such was the charter of his donation Stephanus Rex c. Archiepiscopis Episcopis c. salutem Sciatis me pro salute anime mee Matildis Regine vxoris mee Eustachij filij mei aliorum puerorum meorum antecessorum Regum Anglie dedisse c. Manerium meum de Fauresham ad fundand Abbatiam vnam ibidem ae ordine Monachorum Cluniacensium c. Sciatis etiam quod dedimus ego et Matildis Regina mea Willelmo de Ipra in Escambium pro eodem Manerio de Fauresham Lillechire cum pertinencijs suis de hereditate Regine Teste H. Episcopo Winton fratre meo Rogero Episcopo de London Richardo de Lucy Hen. de Essex c. This king died at Douer of an Iliack passion mixed with his old disease the Emrods Octob. 25. 1154. hauing raigned 18. yeares ten moneths and odde dayes and was buried in this Church of his owne foundation Of which heare these ancient rimes Aftur king Harry euyn Then regnyd king Stevyn The Erlys son Bloys he was truly He wedded Mold the doghter of Mary A good man he was bedeme I trow king Harry was his Eme He regnyd here XUIII yere And to Feuersham in Kent men him bere He deyed without issue truly Then regnyd his cosin Harry Stephen was a most worthy Souldier saith one and wanted nothing to haue made him an excellent king but a iust title but that was wanting The whiche he found whyles he was liuing so And reigned here in much trouble and wo. And had this Realme without any ryght Fro th'emprise Maude that faire Lady bryght And this was the cause that he was driuen perforce to defend his vsurâ—ped authoritie by the sword which must needs procure him the hatred of many who thus speake of him in old English King Stephen his luthenesse withdrew yers a fewe But er Uyer were goo he ganne to wex a shrewe For he wende aboute and robbyd the lond and to grownd broght Then the toune of Wyrcester he brent all to noght But to conclude with the words of a late writer This Stephen was a man so continually in motion saith he that we cannot take his dimension but onely in passing and that but on one side which was warre on the other we neuer saw but a glaunce on him which yet for the most part was such as shewed him to be a very worthy Prince for the gouernment Hee kept his word with the State concerning the relieuement of Tributes and neuer had Subsidy that we finde But which is more remarkable hauing his sword continually out and so many defections and rebellions against him hee neuer put any great man to death Besides it is noted that notwithstanding all these miseries of war there were more Abbeyes built in his raigne then in an 100. yeares before which shewes though the times were bad they were not impious the king himselfe being mente piissimus as he was miles egregius His body rested here in quietnesse vntill the dissolution when for the gaine of the lead wherein it was encoffined it was taken vp and throwne into the next water So vncertaine is man yea greatest Princes of any rest in this world euen after buriall Here sometime likewise lay interred Maud his wife the daughter of Eustace Earle of Bulloigne the brother of Godfrey and Baldwin of Bulloigne kings of Ierusalem by her mother Mary sister to Maud Queene of England wife of Henry her predecessour who dyed at Heueningham Castle in Essex the third of May 1151. Whose Epitaph I found in a namelesse Manuscript Anno milleno C. quinquagenoque primo Quo sua non minuit sed sibi nostra tulit Mâ—thildis selix coniux Stephani quoque Regis Occidit insignis moribus et titulis Cultrix vera Dei cultrix et pauperiei Hic subnixa Deo quo frueretur eo Femina si qua Polos conscendere queque meretur Angelicis manibus diua hec Regina tenetur Eustace the sonne and heire apparant of Stephen and Queene Maud liued not long after his mother for being highly displeased with the agreement betwixt his father and Henry Fitzempresse afterwards king of England by which he was made hopelesse euer to haue the Crowne as his fathers Successour in a fury he departed the Court purposing to raise himselfe by his owne meanes and so marched along destroying the countrey alwayes as he went vntill he came to Saint Edmundsbury where he was honourably receiued of the Monkes of that Monastery But hee came not for meat but money and thereupon vngratefully vrged them for a great summe to set forward his heady designes yet the wiser amongst them vnwilling to be wagers of new warres which though ill for all sorts yet proued euer worst for the Clargie mens possessions denyed his request Wherewith eâ—raged be commanded his owne men to carry their corne and other prouision into his owne Castle situated hard by But being set at dinner the very first morsell he put into his mouth draue him into a Frensie whereof shortly after he dyed His body was brought to this Abbey and here interred by his mother His death happened the tenth day of August 1152. He was married to Constance sister of Lewis the seuenth king of France daughter of king Lewis the Grosse by whom he had no issue In this Abbey saith Robert of Glocester is a pece of ye hely croys which Godfrey Boylon forkyndred had sent to king Stephene Tunstall Hic iacet Margareta filia Iacobi Cromer militis vxor Iohannis Rycils heredis de Elsingham .... qui obiit ... 1496. Sittingborne Here lyeth Iohn Crowmer Esquire and Ione his wife who died Ann. Dom. 1539 .... on whose soules A family of knightly descent and ample reuenues one of which house called William Crowmer Esquire sonne of Sir William Lord Maior of London high Shiriffe of Kent in the fury of Iack Cade and the Kentish and Essex rebells was sacrificed at Mile-end and cut shorter by the head like as the day before they had serued Sir Iames Fienes Lord Say and Sele and Treasurer of England in Cheape-side whose onely daughter this Crowmer had married Whose heads giue me leaue to go a little further pitched vpon high poles were carried by the villaines through the Citie of London who caused their trunklesse faces in spight and mockerie to kisse one the other at euery street-corner as they marched along in this their damnable triumph and
you leaue to choose a sufficient and discreete Priest for your Confessor who so often as to you it shall be thought conuenient your confessions being attentiuely heard may giue to each of you due absolution for your delinquencies committed And appoint you sauing and comfortable penance vnlesse the offences be of that nature for which the Apostolicall chaire is to be sought to for remission Therefore let it not be lawfull for any man in any wise to infringe or in a kind of foole-hardinesse rashly to contradict this Cartulary of our Concession which indeed if any one presume to attempt let him know for certaine that he shall incurre the indignation of Almighty God and of his blessed Apostles Peter and Paul Giuen c. Then followes a forme of Absolution made in the Apostolicall Consistory with plenary Indulgence to be pronounced by the Priest to any one of these Merchants whensoeuer they shall bee dangerously sicke in these words Ego authoritate Dei omnipotentis beatorum Petri et Pauli Apostolorum eius et Domini nostri Martini Pape Quinti mihi in hac parte specialiter commissa secundum quod potestas mihi tradita se extendit et quantum debeo et possum si ista vice moriaris te absolvo ab omnibus penis Purgatorii que tibi in Purgatorio debentur propter culpas et offensas quas contra Deum commisisti et te restituo illi innocentie in qua eras tempore quo baptizatus fuisti In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti Amen I by the authority of Almighty God and of his blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and of our Lord and Master Martin the fift Pope to me especially committed in this behalfe according and in so much as the power to me giuen will extend it selfe and how much of duty I owe and how much I may or can I absolue thee from all the paines of Purgatory which are due to be inflicted vpon thee in Purgatory for those sinnes and offences which thou hast committed against God and I restore thee to that innocencie in which thou liuedst the same day when thou hadst newly receiued Baptisme In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen A word or two of these two words Merchant Staple or Staple Merchant He is properly called a Marchant qui mare traijcit who passeth ouer the Seas et merces inde avehit and from thence transports merchandise or wares into his owne warehouse either bought for ready money or had in exchange for other commodities which hee brings with him out of his owne Country The diligence and industry of these Marchants is accuratly expressed by Horace Epist. lib. 1. Ep. 1. Impiger extremos curret Mercator ad Indos Per mare pauperiem fugiens per saxa per ignes The ready Merchant runs to th' utmost Inde with speed By Sea by rocks by fire to shun outragious need There are a company of notable Skanderouns which greatly desire to be stiled Merchants and these are such as runne from house to house from Market to Market such as haunt Faires and all publicke meetings with packs and Fardels vpon their backes filled with counterfeit and adulterate wares with which they cheat deceiue and cosin the poore countrey-people and these are called Pedlers Quod pedes iter conficiunt because they go on foot Stapula inquit Lud. Guiccia est locus publicus quo principis auctoritate et priuilegio lanae vina coria frumenta aliaeque merces exotica vendendi causa conuchuntur Staple is a publicke place saith Lud. Guiccia to which by the Prince his authoritie and priuiledge wooll wine Hides of beasts corne or graine and other exoticke or forraine merchandise are transferred carried or conueyed there to be sold or set to sale Or Staple signifieth this or that Towne or Citie whither the Merchants of England by common order or commandement did carry their woolls wooll-fels clothes lead and Tinne and such like commodities of our Land for the vtterance of them by the great The word saith Mins let 5. may probably bee taken two wayes one from Stapel which in the Saxon or old English language signifieth the stay or hold of any thing Or from the French word Estape id est forum Vinarium because to those places whither our English Merchants brought their commodities the French would also meete them with theirs which most of all consisteth in wines Now howsoeuer we most commonly finde the Staple to bee kept and thereupon as in this place the Merchants thereof were stiled Mercatores Stapulae villae Calistiae yet you may read of many other places appointed for the Staple in the Statutes of the Land according as the Prince by his counsell thought good to alter them from the second yeare of Edward the third cap 9. to the fifth of Edward the sixth Officers belonging to these Staples were Maiors Constables Manipernors correctours Porters packers winders workers and other labourers of woolls The Fees of the Maiors and Constables of the Staples in England leuied out of 4. d. a Sacke of wooll comming to euery Staple were as followeth The Maior of the Staple of Westminster had yearly one hundred pounds and euery of the Constables there ten markes The Maiors of the Staples of Yorke Kingstone vpon Hull Norwich and Winchester euery of them twenty pounds and euery of the Constables of the same places one hundred shillings The Maiors of Newcastle vpon Tine Chichester and of Exceter ten pounds and euery of the Constables of those places fiue markes And if any of the Maiors and Constables aboue named refused the Office hee was to pay to the company as much as his Fee should amount to Of all which you may reade the Statute Ann. 27. Ed. 3. The Maior and Constables of the Staple had power to record Recognisances of debt taken before them by vertue of a Statute made the tenth of Henry the sixth Chetham And here giue me leaue curteous Reader to turne backe to this Church situate neare Rochester onely to set downe a strange buriall in this Church-yard thus related by Lambard in his perambulation of Kent Although saith he I haue not hitherto at any time reade any memorable thing recorded in History touching Chetham it selfe yet for so much as I haue often heard and that constantly reported a Popish illusion done at that place and for that also it is as profitable to the keeping vnder of fained and superstitious religion to renew to minde the Priestly practises of old time which are declining to obliuion as it is pleasant to retaine in memory the monuments and Antiquities of whatsoeuer of other kinde I thinke it not amisse to commit faithfully to writing what I haue receiued credibly by hearing concerning the Idols sometime knowne by the names of our Lady and the Roode of Chetham and Gillingham It happened say they that the dead corps of a man lost through
of Offices vnder the said Duke Humphrey On the South side of the same Tombe is this Inscription in brasse Hic iacet Dominus Richardus de Piriton quondam Archidiaconus Colcestrie Canonicus et stagiarius huius Ecclesie qui obijt 26. Aug. Ann. Dom. 1387. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Vpon the wall ouer the little doore that entreth out of Pauls into Saint Faiths Church is the image of Iesus curiously painted as also the pourtraiture of a Lady kneeling in her mantle of Armes with some of her progeny These words thereupon being most artificially pensild Iesus our God and Sauiour To vs and ours be gouernour Which imagerie or representation was made to the memory of Margaret Countesse of Shrewsbury who lieth buried in a Chappell within that doore dedicated to the name of Iesus with this Inscription which not long since was there to be read vpon a pillar Here before the Image of Iesu lieth the worshipfull and right noble Ladie Margaret Countesse of Shrewsbury late wife of the true and victorious knight and redoubtable warrior Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury which worshipfull man died in Guien for the right of this Land She was the first daughter and one of the heires of the right famous and renowned knight Richard Beauchamp late Earle of Warwicke which died in Roan and of Dame Elizabeth his wife The which Elizabeth was daughter and heire to Thomas late Lord Berkeley on his side and on her mothers side Ladie Lisle and Tyes Which Countesse passed from this world the foureteenth day of Iune in the yeare of our Lord 1468. On whose soule Iesu haue mercy Amen I haue seene a stone in the body of this Church thus inscribed without any name yet Armes were vpon the Monument Non hominem aspiciam vltra Obliuio This man yet willingly saith learned Camden would not haue beene forgotten when he adioyned his Armes to continue his memory not vnlike to Philosophers which prefixed their names before their Treatises of contemning glory Another in the North Cloister now ruinated without name had this Inscription vpon his Graue-stone Vixi peccaui penitui Nature cessi Which was as Christian saith the same Author as that was profane of the Romane Amici Dum viuimus Viuamus I haue read these rimes following engrauen in brasse vpon a marble-stone in the body of the Church now stolne away Istuc qui graderis paulum te sistere queso Et rogitans quid eris in me nunc vermibus eso Esto memor mortis meditare frequenter Ioua Mors latet in portis non est euitabilis hora. Effundens loculos pro Christo despice mundum Clarificans oculos vt cernas quo sit eundum Nam quod quisque serit presentis tempore vite Hoc sibi messis erit cum dicitur ite venite The sleight regard of the house of God was a maine cause of this kingdomes subuersion as I haue shewed before vpon the Epitaph of king Etheldred and it hath euer beene and more especiaâ—ly is in these our times an vse for beastly and vncleane persons to pollute and bedaâ—be the doores and walls of the place where God is to be worshipped with pisse or some other more nastie excrements against the like irreuerence to this goodly consecrated Edifice of Saint Paul diuers prohibitions vpon certaine penalties haue beene and are daily published in print and pasted vp in â—â—iuers places in and about the Church And anciently this Atheisticall vnclâ—â—nnesse if I may so call it was forbidden by a verse depicted at euery doore of this Church some part of which at the great South doore is yet reâ—â—â—ning which in my time might perfectly be read Thus it runnes Hic Locus his sacer est hic nulli mingere fas est This house is holy here vnlawfull ti 's For any one here on her walls to pisse And strict orders were likewise published against Beggers and bearers of burdens in and thorow the Church of the later sort these foure lines were sometimes fixed to a pillar ouer an iron boxe for the poore All those that shall enter within the Church doore With burden or basket must giue to the poore And if there be any aske what they must pay To this Box a penny ere they passe away It could be wished that walking in the middle Isle of Paules might be forborne in the time of Diuine seruice Richard the second king of England Ann. Reg. 8. made the pettie Canons here twelue in number a Colledge or fellowship daily to meete and diet together in one Hall whereas for a long time before they liued dispersedly and could not be so ready to serue the most Highest in their holy exercises Hee appointed one Iohn Linton for the first Warden of this Colledge and gaue vnto the said Warden and Canons of the foresaid Fellowship certaine lands here in London for their further endowment and the supporting of diuine seruice Charging them by his Charter to pray for his prosperous estate liuing and for his soules health when he should depart this world and for the soule of Anne his wife Queene of England and for the soules of his and her progenitors parents and ancestors and of all the faithfull people deceased Howsoeuer the Story of Brute be denied by some learned Authors or not permitted but by coniecture as Selden hath it in his Illustrations vpon this verse of Michaell Drayton which now the enuious world doth slander for a dreame Yet because I finde him in our Annals to haue beene buried here in this Citie of his owne foundation as both by reason and authority it is strongly argued by a most iudicious Antiquarie of the last age I think it not amisse to speake somewhat of him especially in this place as the truth of the storie is generally receiued Brute the sonne of Siluius the sonne of Ascanius who was the sonne of Aeneas the warlike Troian being deliuered from the long captiuitie vnder the Grecians with his wife Innogen and his people departed from the coasts of Greece and arriued in an Island where they consulted with an Oracle sacred to Diana Brute himselfe kneeling before the Idoll and holding in his right hand a boule prepared for sacrifice full of wine the bloud of a white Hinde made his imprecation to the Goddesse to this effect in English Thou Goddesse that doest rule the woods and forrests greene And chasest foaming boares that fly thine awfull sight Thou that mayest passe aloft in aerie skies so sheene And walke eke vnder earth in places voide of light Discouer earthly states direct our course aright And shew where we shall dwell according to thy will In seats of sure abode where Temples we may dight For Virgines that shall sound thy land with voices shrill After this prayer and ceremonie done according to the Pagan rite and custome Brute abiding his answer fell asleepe in which sleepe appeared to him the said Goddesse vttering this answer
wilde Albania brought The reliques of her Crowne by him first placed here The seate on which her Kings inaugurated were He tam'd the desperate Welsh that out so long had stood And made them take a Prince sprong of the English blood This Isle from Sea to Sea he generally controld And made the other parts of England both to hold The learned Antiquarie and Lawyer Iohn Selden in his Illustrations vpon the said Song giues vs this Glosse following vpon the Verse The seate on which our Kings inaugurated were This seate saith he is the Chaire and Stone at Westminster whereon our Soueraignes are inaugurated The Scottish Stories affirme that the Stone was first in Gallicia of Spaine at Brigantia whether that be Compostella as Francis Tarapha wills or Coronna as Florian del Campo coniectures or Betansos according to Mariana I cannot determine where Gathel king of Scots there sate on it as his Throne Thence was it brought into Ireland by Simon Brech first king of Scots transplanted into that Isle about seuen hundred yeares before Christ. Out of Ireland King Ferguze in him by some is the beginning of the now continuing Scottish raigne about three hundred and seuenty yeares afterward brought it into Scotland King Kenneth some eight hundred and fifty of the Incarnation placed it at the Abbey of Scone in the Shrifdome of Perth where the Coronation of his Successours was vsuall as of our Monarchs now at Westminster and in the Saxon times at Kingston vpon Thames This Kenneth some say caused the Distich Ni fallat vatum as before to be engrauen vpon it Whereupon it is called Fatale Marmor in Hector Boetius and inclosed it in a wodden Chaire It is now at Westminster and on it are the Coronations of our Soueraignes Thither first brought as the Author here speakes among other spoiles by Edward Longshanks after his warres and victories against King Iohn Balliol Ann. 1297. Reg. Regis Ed. 1.24 Thus much of this potent king out of Polyolbion But to returne these high spirited Scots then which no people in the world are more valiant not minding to endure the tyranny of King Edward entred into England at seuerall times and in Northumberland and Cumberland slew the aged and impotent women in childbed and young children spoiled the Abbey Church at Hexham and got a great number of the Clergie as well Monkes Priests as Schollers whom they thrust into the Schoolehouse there and closing vp the doores set fire on the Schoole and burned all them to ashes that were within it They burned Churches they forced women without respect of order condition or qualitie as well the maids widowes and wiues as Nunnes that were reputed in those dayes consecrated to God when they had beene so abused many of them were after murthered So that the cruell and bloudy desolation whereof Lucan speaketh in his second booke of the Pharsalian warres may aptly be inferred here as fitly describing the mercilesse murther of all states and sexes without partiality vnder the hand of the enemy For saith he Nobilitas cum plebe perit lateque vagatur Ensis a nullo revocatum est pectore ferrum Stat cruor in templis multaque rubentia caede Lubrica saxa madent nulli iam prosuit aetas Non senis extremum piguit vergentibus annis Praecipitasse diem non primo in limine vitae Infantis miseri nascentia rumpere fata Thus exquisitely translated into English Senatours with Plebeians lost their breath The sword rag'd vncontrold no brest was free The Temples stainde with bloud and slippery Were the red stones with slaughter no age then Was free the neere spent time of aged men They hastened on nor sham'de with bloudy knife To cut the Infants new spunne thread of life Bloud worthy to haue beene shed on both sides against another kinde of enemy then Christians the deformity of which effusions may iustly represent vnto vs the blessed estate of our now setled Vnion Ranulph the Monke of Chester speakes somewhat more succinctly of the warlike passages in those times betwixt the puissant braue English and the terrible neuer-tamed Scot on this manner I will vse the old language of his Translatour Treuisa who flourished in the raigne of king Henry the sixth Iohn de Baillol saith he that was made kyng of Scotlond aroos ayenst the kynge of Englonde and ayenste his owne othe and by the counseylle of some men of Scotland and namely of thabbot of Mâ—â—ros 〈◊〉 was taken and dysheryted Then the yere after Williâ—m 〈…〉 of Scottes arayed werre ayenste kynge Edwarde but he was 〈…〉 second yere after Kynge Edwarde slewâ—â—x 〈◊〉 and Scottes 〈…〉 on a Mary Mawdelyn day But the Scottes wâ—xâ—d stronger and stronger 〈◊〉 ty yeres togyder vnto kyng Edwardes tyme the thyrd after the 〈◊〉 and bete down Englyshemen ofâ— and Englysh places that were 〈…〉 her Marches Some sayd that that myshappe fell for soâ—â—nesse of the Englyshe men And some said that it was goddis owne werâ—he as the 〈…〉 That Englyshe men sholde be destroyed by Danes by Frenâ—he men 〈◊〉 by Scottes Of this propheticall prediction I haue spoken elsewhere which 〈◊〉 that of the marble stone vpon the inauguration of our late Souerâ—â—â—â—â— Lord King Iames of happie memory in his Regall Chaire of Impeâ—â—â—â—â— gouernment had full accomplishment The period of the dayes as also the character of this magnificent Monarch Edward are thus deliuered by a late Writer In Iuly 1307 although he found himselfe not well he enter Scotland with a fresh Army which he led not â—arre for falling into a Dissenterie he dies at Borough vpon the sandâ— as if to show on what foundation 〈◊〉 hâ—d built all his glory in this world hauing raigned thirty foure yeares seuen moneths aged sixty eight A Prince of a generous spirit wherein the fire held out euen to the very last borne and bred for action and militarie afâ—faires which he mannaged with great iudgement euer warie and prouident for his owne businesse watchfull and eager to enlarge his power and was more for the greatnesse of England then the quiet thereof And this we may iustly say of him that neuer king before or since shed so much Christian bloud within this Isle of Britaine as this Câ—ristian warrior did 〈◊〉 his time and was the cause of much more in that following By our great and iudicious Antiquary Camden he is thus 〈◊〉 as followeth For no one thing was this little Burgh vpon Sands more famous than that King Edward the first that triumphant Conquerour of his enemies was here taken out of the world by vntimely death A â—ight noble and worthy Prince to whom God proportioned a most princely presence and personage as a right worthy seat to entertaine so heroicall a minde For he not onely in regard of fortitude and wisedome but also for a beautifull and personall presence was in all points answerable to the height of Royall Maiestie whom fortune also in
you be desirous further to know how this Abbey Church hath beene honoured by the Sepultures of many worthy persons will it please you peruse these verses following by which both her foundation and fall is plainly deciphered Behold that goodly Fane which ruin'd now doth stand To holy Albon built first Martyr of this Land Who in the faith of Christ from Rome to Britaine came And dying in this place resign'd his glorious name In memory of whom as more then halfe Diuine Our English Offa rear'd a rich and sumptuous Shrine And Monastery here which our succeeding Kings From time to time endow'd with many goodly things And many a Christian Knight was buried here before The Norman set his foot vpon this conquered shore And after those braue spirits in all those balefull stowers That with Duke Robert went against the Pagan powers And in their countries right as Cressy those that stood And that at Poyters bath'd their bilbowes in French blood Their valiant Nephewes next at Agincourt that fought Whereas rebellious France vpon her knees was brought In this religious house at some of their returnes When nature claim'd her due here plac't their hallowed vrnes Which now deuouring Time in his so mighty waste Demollishing those walls hath vtterly defac't So that the earth to feele the ruinous heapes of stones That with the burth'nous weight now presse their sacred bones Forbids this wicked brood should by her fruits be fed As loathing her owne wombe that such loose children bred But I will come to the quarrell of the houses of Yorke and Lancaster which filled vp our Ladies Chappell here with the dead bodies of the Nobilitie slaine in and about this Towne of Saint Albans whose funerall Trophies are wasted with deuouring time and seates or Pewes for the Townesmen made ouer their honorable remaines Of these Lords here buried thus writeth the old Poet Iohn Gower Quos mors quos Martis sors saeua suaeque sororis Bella prostrarunt villae medioque necarunt Mors sic occiÌ„sos tumulauerat hic simul ipsos Postque necem requiem causauit habere perennem Et medium sine quo vult hic requiescere nemo Hic lis hic pugna mors est qui terminat arma Mors sors Mauors qui strauerunt Dominos hos But amongst so many of the Nobilitie here interred I finde few remembred saue Edmund Duke of Somerset Henry Earle of Northumberland and Iohn the valiant old Lord Clifford The death of this Edmund Duke of Somerset grandchilde to Iohn of Gaunt sore grieued King Henry the sixth because in him he had alwayes put great trust and confidence being a chiefe Commander and one who had long gouerned Normandy beene Regent of France and for his countries sake had alwayes right valiantly borne himselfe against the French Yet his actions whatsoeuer they were did not please the common people nor many other of ranke and qualitie in those times For Harding who liued in those dayes thus writ of him Thei slewe the Duke Edmond then of Somerset For cause he had the realmes we le so lette He was slaine vnder the signe of the Castle in the Towne being long before warned as it is reported to auoide all Castles Henry Lord Percy Earle of Northumberland aforesaid was the sonne of Henry surnamed Hot-spurr slaine at the battell of Shrewsbury by King Henry the fourth But his fathers offence and his Grandfathers being forgiuen him he was restored to his Grandfathers dignities by Henry the fifth to whom and to his sonne Henry the sixth he euer continued a loyall subiect stoutly maintaining their right to the Crowne of England in which quarrell he here lost his life The old Lord Clifford here interred is specially remembred in the battell for so valiantly defending and strongly keeping the Barre-yates and entrance in the Towne insomuch that the Duke of Yorke had euer the repulse vntill great Warwicke brake in by a garden side with a noise of Trumpets and voices crying A Warwicke a Warwicke Whereupon ensued that fierce and cruell battel in which this valourous old Lord manfully lost his life Of these two last remembred will you reade this Stanza Th erle then of Northumberland was there Of sodein chaunce drawen furth by the kyng And slain vnknowne by any manne ther were The Lord Clifford ouer busie in werking At the Barres them mette sore fightyng Was slain that day vpon his owne assaute As eche manne saied it was his owne defaute This battell wherein they were slaine was the first battell at Saint Albans which was fought in the yeare 1455. the Thursday before Pentecost Iohn Whethamsted the fore remembred Abbot made certaine Epitaphs for religious persons and others here interred as also in other Churches hereabouts Which for the most part are now either taken away by time or stolne away with the brasse from their Graue-stones which howsoeuer I know not well how to appropriate to the Persons for whom they were intended Yet it will not be lost labour to take and imprint them out of the Manuscript for that the Reader may see the rare compositions in that age 1. Duplex est vita duplex mors corporis vna Nominis astch altra miserorum mors ea dicta Non sic hic obijt non sic hic nunc requiescit â—mo mors prima fuit illi vita secunda Et si quod rapere voluit mors id tribuisse Fertur quasque dare tenebras has surripuisse Estque lucet sic ei lux perpetue requiei Atque libro vite quo nunc inscribitur ipse Nomen eius legitur cum sanctis numeratur 2. Vpon a Prior of this house here buried who was neuer beloued in his life time yet much bewailed after his death Quem dens momordit liuoris dummodo vixit Linguaque detraxit mors nunc bene glorificauit Nunc redeunt varia tumulata prius benefacta Famaque recrescit liuor post facta quiescit Nunc acus invidie lingue fel serra loquele Carpere cessarunt nunc aicere sic didicerunt Quando cadens obijt abijt pater hicque recessit Secum dapsilitas secum virtus honestas Istius Ecclesie quasi plangentes abiere Secum claustrale frenum que iugum Monachale Migrarunt eciam claustro dederantque salutem Secum vera fides bine secumque sorores Ibant ad puteum dixere locoque tuantem Secum fertilitas pietas secumque facultas Que parcit miseris sua que confert egenis Secum Iusticia pax lex policia In breuibus quicquia virtutem gignere possit Secum transiuit abijt secumque recessit Cur Dominus secum secum requies in idipsum 3. Vpon a Monke buried in this Church Alter honestatis Sol serens grauitatis Hesperus ac morum lampas rutilans monachorum Nunc occultatur hic sub modio tenebratur Nec tribuit lumen Claustro quod tribuit olim Mors eclipsari cansauerat tenebrari Est tamen
imperious wicked persons wondrous much offensiue and malicious to the Abbey tooke vp their priuie lodgings saying that they were the Kings faithfull seruants and keepers of the peace of the countrie when as to the contrary they rather ouerthrew and disquieted all peaceable gouernment and the whole countrey Here end the Monuments in the Countie of Hartford Essex West Ham. QVeene Mawd wife to king Henry the first passing ouer the riuer of Ley at Ouldford hardly escaped danger of drowning after which shee gaue order that a little beneath at Stretford there should be a bridge made ouer the water going ouer which towards West Ham I saw the remaines of a Monasterie pleasantly watered about with seuerall streames which William Montfichet a Lord of great name of the Norman race built in the yeare of our Lord 1140. The reuenues of this house were much augmented and confirmed by king Richard the second in the tenth yeare of his raigne as by his charter amongst the Records in the Tower appeareth Dedicated it was to the honour of Christ and Mary his blessed mother replenished with blacke Monkes And valued at the suppression to be worth 573. l. 15. s. 6 d. ob q. Diuers other beside the founder endowed this religious Structure Some of whose donations I finde to be confirmed by the said William Montfichet in this manner Willelmus de Montefixo omnibus prepositis ministris hominibus suis tam Francis quam Anglis Salutem Sciatis quod ego concedo et confirmo donationem quam fecerunt Ecclesie Sancte Marie de Ham Matheus Geron de tota terra sua de Cambridg cum pertinenciis absque omni servicio Geraldus de Hamma de vno prato per concessum Martini filia sui aliorum siliorum suorum Donationem etiam quam fecit ergo Capellanus meus â—ecime Dominii mei c. Quod si quis hominum meorum Elemosinam de terra facere voluerit quod de feodo meo sit non concedo vt alibi det nisi ad Abbatiam meam de Ham. Et insuper si quis hominum meorum quicquam beneficii deinceps eidem Ecclesie facere voluerit in terra prato vel quacanque re libere donet hec omnia que et ego concedo confirmo Abbatic Monachis de Ham â—â—perpetuum Precor igitur omnes homines meos vt islam meam Elemosinam manuteneant et conseruant Hiis testibus Margareta vxore mea Richardo de Poylei Humfrido filio Eustachii Willelmo filio Richardi Willelmo de Byron The Seale of this deed is in blouddy waxe The Baronie or habitation of this familie de Monte Fixo or Montfichet was Stansted in this County from whom the Towne is called Stansted Montfichet to this day They were reputed men of very great Nobilitie vntill that their ample inheritance was diuided among three Sisters One of which progenie namely Richard was in the raignes of king Iohn and Henry the third famous for his high prowesse and chiualrie Three the most forcible and valiant knights of England saith Stow in those dayes were Robert Fitz-water Robert Fitz Roger and Rich. Mont-Fichet Here lieth Iohn Hamerton Esquvr Sergeant at Armes to kyng Henry the eyght and of Edith his wife and Richard Hamerton his brother of the Parysh of Fedston in the County of Yorke Which Iohn and Richard fell both sicke in an houre and died both in one houre Ann. Dom. M. ccccc.xii on whose Sowles Iesu haue mercy Amen Hic iacet Henricus Ketleby quondam Serviens illustrissimi Principis Henrici filii metuendissimi Regis Hen. septimi qui obiit 8. die Augusti 1508. Hic sub pede iacet Margareta quondam vxor Iohannis Ketleby de Com. Wigorn. Armig. que obiit 10. die Iunii .... Of your cheritie prey for the sowles of Io. Eglesfeeld who died 13. of August 1504. and for the sowl of Edith his wyf Who died 22. of Iune 1533. Of your cherite prey for the soul of Walter Froste of West Ham Esquyr and Sewar to kyng Harry the eyght and of Anne his wyff doughter of ..... and widow of Richard Caly Merchant of the Staple of Calis Which Anne died the xxiii of October 1527. For the word Sewar saith Minshew I haue heard of an old French book containing the Officers of the king of Englands Court as it was anciently gouerned that he whom in Court we now call Sewar was called Asseour which commeth from the French Asseoir to set setle or place wherein his Office in setting downe the meate is well expressed Or Sewar saith he is deriued perhaps from the French word Esquire id est a Squire because he goeth before the meat as a Squire or Gentleman Vsher. The Fees allowed to this Officer in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth as I haue it out of a generall collection of all the Offices of England in her dayes was thirtie and three pounds thirteene shillings foure pence Orate pro anima Valentini Clerke Elisabethe vxoris eius qui quidem Valentinus obiit 6. die Iunii 1533. et dicta Elisabetha .... Waltham Stow. Here lyeth Sir Georg Monox knight somtym Lord Maior of London and Dame Ann his wyfe whych Sir Georg dyed ..... 1543. and Dame Ann 1500. This Lord Maior reedified the decayed Steeple of this Church and added thereunto the side Isle with the Chappell wherein he lieth entombed He founded here a faire Almeshouse in the Churchyard for an Almesse Priest and thirteene poore Almesse people which he endowed with competent reuenues He also made a cawsey of timber for foot Trauellers ouer the marshes from this Towne to Lock-bridge Ilford Hic iacet Thomas Heron filius heres Iohannis Heron militis Thesaurar Camere Domini Regis qui obiit in Alderbroke 18. Martii 1517. et Ann. Reg. Regis Henrici 8. nono The valiant Familie of the Herons or Heiruns in foregoing ages were the warlike possessors of very large reuenues in the County of Northumberland parcels of whose Baronie was Chipches Tower Swinborne and Foard Castles belonging now to the houses of the Woderingtons and Carrs Raynam Hic iacet Richardus Pasmer generosus quondam Scriba communis Thesauri pro Magistro et conventu Rhodi in Prioratu Sancti Iohannis Ierusalem in Anglia nec non Seneschallus Hospitii Sancti Iohannis tempore reuerendi Patris fratris Willelmi Tournay Prioris ac etiam Superuisoris omnium Maneriorum terrarum et tenementorum infra regnum Anglie ad Priorem dicti Prioratus pertinentium tempore presati Prioris ac tempore reuerendorum Patrum fratrum Io. Longstrother Io. Weston Io. Kendall .... obiit vii die Octob. Ann. Dom. M. ccccc Barking Here lyeth Rychard Cheyney and Ioane his wyf Whych Rychard dyed 1514. on whos ... Iohn Scot and Ioane his wyf ... 1519. Vnder the picture of a Ship sailing in the haven this Inscription Desiderata porta Inveni Portum spes et
pulchro nobilitata libro Postque magisque ergo delubra terra Britannae Claret Londinum claret Oxonium This learned reuiuer of Antiquities writ a Chorographicall Description of the most flourishing Kingdomes of England Scotland Ireland the Ilands adioyning out of the depth of Antiquitie As also the famous history of Queene Elizabeth the mirrour of all Princes of the world There is likewise another booke said to be of his penning called Remaines concerning Britaine but especially England and the inhabitants thereof Sir Richard Saint George Knight Norroy Sir Richard Saint George Knight Clarencieux a Gentleman euer ready to giue me his best furtherance in this worke Created the 23. of December 1623 and now liuing 1631. Sir Iohn Borough Knight a learned Gentleman created Norroy the foresaid 23. of December 1623. Heralds of Armes their Names Sirnames and Additions from former times to this present yeare 1631. These Heralds at this day are onely sixe which by the names of their additions Lancaster Richmond Chester Somerset Yorke Windesor These are created to attend Dukes in Marshall executions and in all things endeauour themselues for the defence of their societie First I finde a Herald by his addition called Wales 15. Iulij 2 pars pat an 17. R. 2. m. 13. And afterwards he was called Percy Herald 6. Augusti Anno 2. Hen. 4. As also one Bardolfe Herald of Armes anno 22. R. 2. And Windsore Herald confirmed an 3. Rich. 2. Heralds in the raigne of King Henry the Fift William Brugges alias Chester afterwards Garter William Horsley alias Leopard afterwards Ireland Iohn Wrexworth alias Exceter afterwards Guyon Nicholas Serby alias Leopard Iohn Hoswell alias Clarence William Boys alias Exceter Giles Waster alias Mowbray Iohn Ashwell alias Leopard afterward Lancaster King of Armes Heralds in the raigne of King Henry the sixt Thomas More alias Windesore afterward Guyonne Roger Legh Chester afterwards Clarencieux Iohn Wrythe or Wriothesley Leopard Herald and afterward Garter as aforesaid Thomas Collier Clarence afterward Ireland Iohn Mowbray Exceter afterward Clarencieux Robert Ashwell Windesore William Hawkeslow Leopard afterward Guyonne Iohn Horsley Mowbray Iames Billet Chester Iohn Millet Clarence Richard Stanton Chester Robert Dunham Exceter Heralds in the time of Edward the Fourth Iames Collier Lancaster Iohn Ferrant Windsore afterward March Iohn More Chester afterward Norroy Roger Mallet Falcon. Richard Ashwell Lancaster afterward Ireland Thomas Tonge Richmond afterward Norroy Henry Franke Yorke William Carlile Richmond afterward Norroy Richard Champney Faulcon afterward Glocester Roger Stamford Chester Richard Slaske Windsore In the time of Edward the fift murdered in the Tower whose raigne was but ten weekes and foure daies no officers of Armes were created In the time of Richard the Third Roger Bromley Chester 1 R. 3 Iohn Waters Yorke 1 R. 3. In the raigne of Henry the 7. these Heralds following Iohn Young Windsore alias Norroy Thomas Beuolt Lancaster afterward Norroy and lastly Clarencieux Thomas Waters Carlyle Rowland Playnford Yorke Robert Browne Richmond Thomas Wall Richmond afterward VVindsore then Norroy VVilliam Iennyngs Lancaster VVilliam Tyndall Lancaster Raph Lagysse Yorke Iohn Ioyner Richmond afterward Norroy In the time of Henry the eight created as followeth Thomas Hawley Carlile afterward Norroy Thomas Wall Windsore afterward Norroy as before Christopher Barker Richmond and next Garter Iohn Ponde Somerset William Fellow Lancaster after that Norroy Thomas Byseley Yorke William Hastings Somerset Allen Dagnall Yorke Randolfe Iackson Chester Richard Crooke Windsore Leonard VVarcopp Carlile Charles VVriothesley VVindesore Thomas Mylner Lancaster Iohn Narboone Richmond Thomas Traheyron Somerset Bartholmew Butler Yorke afterwards Vlster Fulk ap Howell Lancaster Richard Radclyffe Somerset Gilbert Dethick Richmond afterward Norroy then Garter VVilliam Haruey Somerset afterwards Clarentieux VVilliam Flower Chester afterwards Norroy This Chester attended the Embassage sent by the Marquesse of Northhampton when he carried the Garter to the French King Henry the second Anno 5. Edwardi sexti In the time of Edward the Sixt. Lawrence Dalton Richmond afterward Norroy Edmond Atkinson Somerset In Queene Maries raigne Martin Marolfe Yorke 1. of her raigne obijt 1563. the 5. of Elizabeth Nicholas Tubman Lancaster Nicholas Narboone Richmond afterward Vlster Heralds created in the happy Raigne of Queene Elizabeth Iohn Cocke Lancaster 1. Eliz. 1558. imployed to attend the Earle of Leycester Lieutenant and Gouernour generall of Queene Elizabeths forces in the Lowe Countries Robert Cooke Chester 4. Eliz. 1562. and next Clarentieux Richard Turpyne Windsore 7. Eliz. 1564 William Colborne Yorke 7. Eliz. 1564. Hugh Cotgraue Richmond 9. Eliz. 1566. Iohn Hart Chester Herald 9. Eliz. who writ a booke of the Reformation of the English Orthographie imprinted Ann. Dom. 15. Raph Langman Yorke 10. Eliz. 1567 William Dethick Yorke 12. Eliz. 1569. and next of all Garâ—er 28. Eliz. 1586. In the time of his being Yorke Herauld he was imployed to attend the Embassage sent by the Earle of Sussex to carry the Garter to the Emperour Maximilian And afterwards was ioyned Embassadour with the Earle of Shrewsbury to carry the Garter to the French King Henry Robert Glouer Somerset 14. Eliz. 1571. A man he was of infinite industrie and incredible paines a man of an excellent wit and learning witnesse that Catalogue of Honour begun by himselfe in Latine and finished by his kinsman Thomas Milles in which he vndertooke to cleare the Dâ—sâ—cents and Royall pedegrees of our Kings and Nobilitie he attended the Embassage sent by the Earle of Darby which carried the Garter to the French King Henry the third And was Princely rewarded He died 10 of Aprill 1588. aged 45. yeares and lieth buried in S. Giles Church Criâ—plegate to whose memory a Monument is there erected whose inscription you may reade in Stowes Suruay Edmund Knight Chester 17. Eliz. 1574 afterwards Norroy Ann. 34. Eliz. 1592. as before Nicholas Dethicke Windsore 26. Eliz. 1583. obijt Ianuar. 1596. Richard Lee Richmond 27. Eliz. 1584. afterwards Clarentieux Nicholas Paddy Lancaster 31. Eliz. 1588. Humphrey Hales Yorke 30. Eliz. 1587. obijt Ianuar. 16. 1591. William Segar Somerset 31. Eliz. 1588. afterwards Norroy then Garter vt supra Iames Thomas Chester 34. Eliz. 1592. March 26. Raph Brooke Yorke 34. Eliz. 1592. March 16. William Camden Richmond afterward Clarencieux vt supra Iohn Rauen Richmond Thomas Lant Windsor Robert Treswell Somerset was imployed to attend vpon the embassage sent by the Earle of Nottingham to Philip the third King of Spaine to receiue his Oath for the Peace in anno 1604. Richard St. George Windsor then Norroy and now Clarentieux Francis Thinne Lancaster a Gentleman painfull and well deseruing in his office whilest he liued William Penson Chester 1. Iacobi 1602 Samuell Thompson Windsor Ingenious Nicholas Charles as Milles calls him whose iudicious knowledge in Pedegrees and Armes shewed learning to liue in Herauldrie William Penson Lancaster 10. Decemb. 1613. Thomas Knight Chester Sir Henry St. George Richmond was sent ioynt Embassadour with the Lord Spence and Sir Peter
of Frobenus that not alonly the Germaines but also the Italianes themselfe that count as the Grekes ded full arrogantly all other Nacions to be barbarouse and vnlettered sauing their owne shall haue a direct occasion openly of force to say That Britannia prima fuit parens altrix addo hoc etiam iure quidem optimo conseruatrix cùm virorum magnorum tum maxime ingeniorum Britaine was a mother a nurse and a maintainer not onely of worthy men but also of most excellent wits And that profite hath risen by the aforesaid iourney in bringing full many things to light as concerning the vsurped autorite of the Bishop of Rome and his complices to the manifest and violent derogation of Kingly dignite I referre my selfe most humbly to your most prudent learned and high iudgement to discerne my diligence in the long Volume wherein I haue made answer for the defence of your supreme dignitie al only lening to the strong pillor of holy scripture against the whole Colledge of the Romanists cloking their crafty affections and arguments vnder the name of one poore Pighius of Vltraiect in Germany and standing to them as to their onely anker hold against tempests that they know will arise if truth may be by licens lette in to haue a voyce in the generall counsell Yet herin only I haue not pytched the supreme worke of my labour wherunto your grace most like a kinglye Patron of all good lernyng ded animate me But also considering and expending with my selfe how great a number of excellent godly wittes and writers lerned with the best as the times serued hath bene in this your region Not onely at such times as the Romane Emperors had recourse to it but also in those daies that the Saxons preuailed of the Britaines and the Normans of the Saxons could not but with a feruent zele and honest corage commend them to memory Els alas like to haue bene perpetually obscured or to haue lightly remembred as vncertaine shaddowes Wherfor I knowing by infinite varietie of bookes and assiduouse reading of them who hath bene lerned and who hath written from time to time in this realme haue digested into four bokes the names of them with their liues and monuments of lerning And to them added this title De viris illustribus folowing the profitable example of Hierome Gannadie Cassiodore Seuerayne and Trittemie a late Writer But alway so handling the matter that I haue more exspaciated in this campe then they ded as in a thing that desired to be somewhat at large and to haue ornature The first boke beginning at the Druides is deducted vnto the time of the comming of S. Augustine into England The second is from the time of Augustine vnto the aduente of the Normans The third from the Normans to the end of the moste honourable reigne of the mightie famouse and prudent Prince Henry the seuenth your Father The fourth beginneth with the name of your Maieste whose glory in lerning is to the world so clerely knowne that though emonge the liues of other lerned men I haue accurately celebrated the names of Bladud Mulmutius Constantinus Magnus Sigebert Alfridus Alfridus magnus Athelstaâ—e and Henry the first Kings and your progenitors And also Ethelward second sonne to Alfride the great Humfryde Duke of Glocester and Tipetote Earle of Worcestre yet conferred with your grace they serue as small lights if I may freely say my iudgement your high modesty not offended in respect of the daye starre Now farther to insinuate to your grace of what matters the Writers whose liues I haue congested into foure bookes hath treated of I may right boldly say that beside the cognicion of the foure tongues in the which parâ— of them hath excelled that there is no kinde of liberall science or any feate concerning learning in the which they haue not shewed certaine arguments oâ— great felicitie of witte Yea and concerning the interpretation of holy Scripture both after the ancient forme and sens the scholasticall trade they haue reigned as in a certaine excellency And as touching historicall knowledge there hath bene to the number of a full hundreth or mo that from time to time hath with great diligence and no lesse faith wolde to God with like eloquence perscribed the actes of your noble predecessors and the fortunes of this your Realme so incredibly great that hee that hath not seane and throughly redde their workes can litle pronounce in this parte Wherfor after that I had perpended the honest and profitable studies of these Historiographers I was totally enflamed with a loue to see throughly all those partes of this your opulent and ample realme that I had redde of in the aforsaid Writers In so much that all my other occupacions intermitted I haue so traueled in your dominions both by the see coastes and the middle parts sparing neither labour nor costs by the space of these sixe yeeres past that there is almost neither cape nor baye hauen creke or pere riuer or confluence of riuers breches washes lakes meres fenny waters mountaines vallies mores hethes forestes woodes cities burges castels principall manor places monasteries and colleges but I haue seane them and noted in so doing a whole world of things very memorable Thus instructed I trust shortly to see the time that like as Carolus Magnus had among his treasures three large notable tables of siluer richly enameled one of the site and description of Constantinople another of the site and figure of the magnificente Citee of Rome and the third of descrypcyon of the world So shall your Maiestie haue this your world and impery of Englande so set forth in a quadrate table of siluer if God send me life to accomplish my beginning that your Grace shall haue ready knowledge at the first sight of many right delectable fruitfull and necessary pleasures by contemplacion thereof as often as occasion shall moue you to the sight of it And because that it may be more permanent and farther knowne then to haue it engraued in siluer or brasse I entend by the leaue of God within the space of twelue moneths following such a description to make of your realme in writing that it shall be no mastery after for the Grauer or Painter to make the like by a perfect example Yea and to wade farther in this matter where as now almost no man can wele gesse at the shadow of the ancient names of hauens riuers promontories hilles woods Cities Townes Castles and varyete of kyndes of people that Cesar Liui Strabo Diodorus Fabius Pictor Pomponius Mela Plinius Cornelius Tacitus Ptolomeus Sextus Rufus Ammianus Marcellinus Solinus Antoninus and diuerse other make mencyon of I trust so to open this wyndow that the lyght shall be seene so long that is to say by the space of a whole thousand yeeres stopped vp and the old glory of your renowned Britayne to reflorish through
and goodly Thames so farre as ere he could With kingly houses crownd of more then earthly pride Vpon his either Bankes as he along doth glide With wonderfull delight doth his long course pursue Where Otlands Hampton Court and Richmond he doth view Then Westminster the next great Tames doth entertaine That vaunts her Pallace large and her most sumptuous Fane The Lands tribunall seate that challengeth for hers The crowning of our kings their famous Sepulchres Then goes he on along by that more beautious Strand Expressing both the wealth and brauery of the Land So many sumptuous Bowres within so little space The All-beholding Sunne scarse sees in all his race And on by London leads which like a Crescent lies Whose windowes seeme to mocke the Star-befreckled skies Besides her rising Spyres so thicke themselues that show As doe the bristling reedes within her bankes that grow There sees his crouded Wharfes and people-pestred shores His bosome ouerspread with shoales of labouring ores With that most costly Bridge that doth him most renowne By which he cleerely puts all other Riuers downe Midlesex saith Camden is for aire passing temperate and for soile fertile with sumptuous houses and prety Townes on all sides pleasantly beautified and euery where offereth to the view many things memorable Whereupon a Germane Poet thus versified Tot campos syluas tot regia tecta tot hortos Artifici dextrâ excultos tot vidimus arces Vt nunc Ansonio Tamisis cum Tibride certet So many fields and pleasant woods so many Princely Bowres And Pallaces we saw besides so many stately towres So many Gardens trimly drest by curious hand which are That now with Romane Tiberis the Tames may well compare This County is comprised within short bounds being in length where it is the longest not passing twenty miles and in the narrowest place not passing twelue miles The length thereof saith Speed extended from Stratford in the East to Morehall vpon Colne in the West is by measure nineteene English miles and from South Mims in the North to his Maiesties Mannour of Hampton Court in the South are little aboue sixteene miles the whole circumference extending to ninety In forme it is almost square for aire passing temperate for soile abundantly fertile and for pasturage and graine of all kindes yeelding the best so that the wheat of this County hath serued a long time for the Manchet to our Princes table It lieth seated in a vale most wholsome and rich hauing some hills also and them of good ascent from whose tops the prospect of the whole is seene like vnto Zoar in Egypt or rather like a Paradise and Garden of God Fiue Princely houses inheritable to the English Crowne are seated in this Shire which are Enfield Hanworth Whitehall S Iames and Hampton Court a City rather in shew then the Pallace of a Prince and for stately port and gorgeous building not inferiour to any in Europe A worke of admirable magnificence saith Camden built out of the ground by Thomas Wolsey Cardinall in ostentation of his riches when for very pride being otherwise a most prudent man he was not able to manage his minde But it was made an Honor enlarged and finished by king Henry the eight so amply as it containeth within it fiue seuerall inner Courts passing large enuironed with very faire buildings wrought right curiously and goodly to behold Of which Leyland writeth thus Est locus insolito rerum splendore superbus Alluiturque vaga Tamisini fluminis vnda Nomine ab antiquo iam tempore dictus Avona Hic Rex Henricus taleis Octauius aedes Erexit qualeis toto Sol aureus orbe Non vidit A stately place for rare and glorious shew There is which Tames with wandring streame doth dowsse Times past by name of Avon men it knew Heere Henry th' Eight of that name built an house So sumptuous as that on such an one Seeke through the world the bright Sunne neuer shone And another in the Nuptiall Poeme of Tame and Isis. Alluit Hamptonum celebrem quae laxior vrbis Mentitur formam spacijs hanc condidit Aulam Purpureus pater ille grauis grauis ille Sacerdos Wolsaeus fortuna sauos cui felle repletos Obtulit heu tandem fortunae dona dolores He runs by Hampton which for spatious seat Seemes Citie-like Of this faire courtly Hall First founder was a Priest and Prelate great Wolsey that graue and glorious Cardinall Fortune on him had pour'd her gifts full fast But Fortunes Blisse Alas prou'd Bale at last The ancient Inhabitants of Middlesex as also of Essex were called by Caesar the Trinobantes whom hee nameth to be the most puissant in the Land with whom he and his armie had many bloudie bickerings nere and vpon the bankes of the riuer of Tames wherein many were slaine on either side which lie interred in the fields twixt Shepperton and Stanes Some affirme Stanes saith Norden to be so called of the Stakes called Goway Stakes which were fixed in the Thames by the Britons to preuent Iulius Caesar of passing his armie through the riuer Of which and of the conflicts and skirmishes betwixt the Britaines and Romanes thus venerable Bede writes Caesars Horsemen at the first encounter were ouerthrowne of the Britaines and Labienus one of his Colonels slaine At the second encounter with great losse of his Army he put the Britaine 's to flight From thence he went vnto the riuer of Tames which men say cannot bee waded ouer but in one place where on the farther side a great number of the Britaine 's warded the bankes vnder Cassibelan their Captaine who had stucke the bottome of the riuer and the bankes also thicke of great stakes whereof certaine remnants vnto this day are to be seene of Piles of the bignesse of a mans thigh couered with lead sticking fast in the bottome of the riuer which when the Romanes had espied and escaped the Britaines not able to withstand the violence of the Roman Legions hid themselues in the woods out of the which they often breaking forth greatly endamaged the Army of the Romanes In and about Brainford or Brentford the bodies of many a warlike Commander and expert Souldier lie inhumed which were slaine in that fierce and terrible battaile betwixt Edmund Ironside and the Danes which he had driuen from the siege of London at a place now called Turnham Greene thereunto adioyning in which battaile he gaue the Danes a bloudy ouerthrow losing few of his armie saue such as were drowned in the riner of Tames as they passed ouer In the yeare 7141. and the day being the Paschall whereon Christ rose from death which with due reuerence is celebrated in all the Christian world vpon Gladmore heath halfe a mile from Barnet was foughten a most fierce and cruell Battaile betwixt King Edward the fourth and Richard Neuill the great Earle of Warwicke the Mars and Make-King of England contending
to reestablish that holy and yet vnfortunate King Henry the sixt in his regall authoritie In this battaile vpon King Edwards part were slaine Humfrey Bourchier Lord Cromwell Henry Bourchier sonne and heire to the Lord Barners both buried at Westminster In the quarrell of King Henry were slaine the foresaid Richard Neuill Earle of Warwicke and Iohn Neuill Marquesse Montacute his brother both buried at Bisham Abbey in Barkeshire the bodies of many others of the Nobilitie and Gentrie on both parties which perished in this vnnaturall conflict had Christian buriall in the Frier Augustines Church London The common Souldiers as also many Commanders were buried vpon the same Plaine where the foresaid battaile was strucken to whose memory a Chappell was built vpon the said Plaine and a Priest appointed to say Masse for their soules as the doctrine went in those daies Vpon both sides of common Souldiers there died that holy Easter day as then the 14. of Aprill saith Ed. Hall ten thousand foure thousand saith Io. Stow and Rob. Fabian saith farre lesse fifteene hundred so vncertaine as I haue said before is the number of the dead slaine in battaile Howsoeuer a part onely of Hertfordshire is comprised within this Diocesse yet giue me leaue to say somewhat in this place of the whole County A rich Countrie saith Clarencieux in corne Fields Pastures Medowes Woods Groues and cleere riuerets And for ancient townes it may contend with the neighbours euen for the best For there is scarcely another in all England that can shew more good townes in so small a compasse the whole circumference of the Shire being but about an hundred and thirtie miles In this County and in the towne of S. Albans two mortall and bloudy battels of Englands ciuill dissentions haue beene fought The first whereof chanced the 24. of May Anno 1455. by Richard Duke of Yorke with his associates the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury and Lords of Fawconbridge and Cobham against King Henry the sixt In whose defence Edmund Duke of Somerset Henry Earle of Northumberland and Iohn Lord Clifford with fiue thousand more lost their liues the King himselfe was wounded in the necke with an arrow the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Sudley in their faces Humfrey Earle Stafford in his right hand and the Earle Dorset almost slaine On the Dukes part onely sixe hundred were slaine Of which battell and of the timerous flight of the Souldiers on the Kings partie the learned Abbot of Saint Albans Iohn Wheathamstead who liued in those daies writes thus Marcia splendiferum regerent cum sydera celum Aspicerentque feros toruis aspectibus Anglâ—s Albani Villam tranquilla pace vigentem Fedarunt multo violenter sanguine fuso Rex aderat presens secumque cohors satis ingent De Dominis Regni contrarius hijs Eboraci Dux que duo comites Warwici et Sarsburiensis Venerunt media fit grandis pugna platea In qua corruerant qui nobilitate vigebant De patria Boree comes insignis Dominusque Corruit ac ipse qui belli causa fuisse Fertur Dux magnus de Somercethe vocitatus Ac alij plures satis asperasors fuit ipsis Multi fugerunt aliter se non properarunt Quin faciunt trepide visum fugiendo Columbe Insultum ve Canis Damus Lepus ac fera queuis Dum fugiunt nemora pecierunt siue Frutecta In quibus vt pueri virgam metuendo magistri Se pudet id ferre vecorditer occoluere Qui fuerant nostra proprius penetralia tecta Ad nos fugerunt sub Stallis et latuerunt Aut infra latebras timor ingens duxerat ipsos Sic imbecillis tergum dedit hostibus hostis Non sine dedecore nec nominis absque rubore Mors est non vita sub turpi viuere fama Et patet in paucis sors belli que fuit huius Qualis euentus Domini Ducis et comitatus Ter deno trino Domini Regis fuit anno Henrici sexti facies hec obuia celi In Maio mense bis dena bis quoque luce M. semel x quino C quater fuit I quoque quino In Maio mense bis dena bis quoque luce Hic strages procerum conflatus hic populorum The second battell fought in this towne of Saint Albans was by Queene Margaret against the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke the Earles of Warwicke and Arundell that by force kept with them the King her husband with whom by constraint he held and on their side fought vntill the field was lost and Lords fled when with great ioy he was receiued by his Queene and yong sonne Prince Edward This battell sell the 17. of February being Shrouesunday Of this towne and of these two battels thus Camden writes in a more succinct and serious stile As Antiquity consecrated this place saith he to be an Altar of Religion so Mars also may seeme to haue destined it for the very plot of bloudy battaile For to let other particulars goe by when England vnder the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke bereft as it were of vitall breath was ready through a ciuill warre to sinke downe and fall in a swoune the chiefe Captaines on both sides ioyned battaile twise with reciprocall varietie of fortune in the very towne First Richard Duke of Yorke gaue the Lancastrians here a sore ouerthrow tooke King Henry the sixt captiue and slew many honourable personages Foure yeares after the Lancastrians vnder the conduct of Queene Margaret wonne here the field put the house of Yorke to flight and restored the King to his former liberty The bodies of such of the Nobility and others of eminent ranke and qualitie which lost their liues in these mortall contentions were buried in the Abbey Church as I haue partly touched before in Saint Peters and in other religious Structures accordingly as they were befriended the common Souldiers were buried in Church-yards and vpon a little greene at the Townes end called No mans land which lies betwixt the two waies as I take it leading to Luton and Sandridge Nere vnto the roade high way saith Camden in this tract betweene Stenenhaugh and Knebworth the seat of the worshipfull house of the Littons descended from Litton in Darbishire I saw certaine round hils cast vp by mans hands such as the old Romans were wont to reare for Souldiâ—ers slaine in the wars of which the Captaine himselfe laid the first turse and now for Essex Essex is a country large in compasse the circumference thereof being one hundred forty sixe miles fruitfull of woods plentifull of Saffron and very wealthy A late writer hauing reckoned vp the commodities which this County doth affoard concludes on this manner If you esteeme not these as things aboue the ground Looke vnder where the Vrnes of ancient times are found The Roman Empâ—rours Coynes oft digd out of the dust And warlike weapons now consum'd with cankring rust And huge and massy bones of mighty fearefull
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
Citizens to pay them three thousand Markes after fiue hundred Markes a yeare toward the reparation of their Church besides they were adiudged to giue to the vse of the Church Vnam cuppam de pondere decem librarum auri valore centum librarum argenti A Cuppe weighing ten pounds in gold and worth an hundred pounds of money Whereby you may note saith Speed the proportion then betweene the value of gold and siluer This end was made by King Edward the first his Father being now dead at the request and solicitation of this Bishop His next successour William Midleton was also interred in this Church He reedified the same being so destroyed and profaned as you haue heard before and hallowed or consecrated the whole Fabricke anew in the presence of King Edward the first and many of his Nobles He departed this life the last of August Ann. 1288. in the eleuenth yeare of his Consecration Iohn Salmon placed in this See of Norwich by the Pope was here entombed he was Lord Chancellour of England for the space of foure yeares This Bishop built the great Hall and the Chappell in the Bishops pallace and a Chappell at the West end of the Church in which he ordained foure Priests to sing Masse continually He died Iuly the sixth 1325. William Ayermin likewise by the Popes authority was preferred to this Bishopricke as appeares by the sequele Cum summus Pontifex nuper Willelmum tunc Canonicum London in Episcopum Norwicens prefecisset sicut per literas bullatas ipsius summi Pontisicis Regi inde directas satis constabat ac Rex nono die Nouembris prox preteriâ—o per literas suas patentes sub Testimonio Edwardi filij sui primogeniti tunc custodis Regni Anglie Rege extra Regnum existente prefectionem ipsam gratiose acceptans cepit fidelitatemipsius Episcopi restituit ei temporalia Nunc Rex ratificans prefectionem receptionem predict mandat restituere ei Temporalia Teste Rege apud Kenelworth 13. Decemb. Pat. 20. Eâ—â— 2. In the yeare 1319. saith F. Thinne in his Catalogue of Englands Chancellours and out of an old anonimall Latine Chronicler this Will. Ayremin was keeper of the great Seale and that he was taken prisoner by the Scots the words of his Author are in effect thus in English The Countie of Yorke and the countrie adiacent hauing receiued inestimable damages by the Scots William de Melton Archbishop of Yorke Iohn Hotham Bishop of Ely and Treasurer the Abbot of Saint Maries Yorke Sir William Ayremin Priest Chancellour of England Deane of Yorke the Abbot of Selbie and Sir Iohn Pabeham knight assembled together an armie of eight thousand to represse the violence of the enemie this armie consisted of Clerkes Monkes Canons and other spirituall men of the Church with Citizens and Husbandmen and such other vnapt people for the warres With these the Archbishop came forth against the Scots and incountred with them at a place called Mitton a little village vpon the Riuer of Swale Ouer which Riuer the Englishmen were no sooner passed but that the expert warlike Scots came vpon them with a wing in good order of battell in fashion like to a Shield eagerly assayling their enemies who for lacke of good gouernment were easily beaten downe and discomfited without shewing any great resistance Corruerunt ex nostris tam in ore gladij quam aquarum scopulis suffocati plusquam quatuor mille hominum there were slaine by the sword and drowned in the Riuer of our partie aboue foure thousand persons saith the Manuscript and the residue shamefully put to flight The Archbishop the Bishop of Ely the Abbot of Selbie and diuers other with helpe of their swift horses escaped The Mayor of Yorke named Nicholas Fleming was slaine Et capti sunt Domini Iohannes de Pabâ—ham miles Dominus Willelmus de Airemin Canc. and Sir Iohn de Pabeham and Sir William Ayremin Priest were taken prisoners Iohn Harding who seldome giues condigne praise to the valiant doughtie Scot thus writes of this battell ...... in Myton medowe nere To Swale water lay then with great power Walter Warren among the haycockes bushed Vpon the byshop sodenly with Scots yssued And xv hundreth Englyshe there he slewe And home he went with kyng Robart full glad With prisoners many mo then men knewe The Byshop fled fro the felde full woo bestad With his Clerkes that then were full mad This was called the white Battell for that it consisted of so many Clergie men This Bishop died March the 17. hauing sate almost eleuen yeares at Sharing neare London whose body was conueyed for buriall to this his owne Church He gaue two hundred pound for order to be taken that two Monkes the Cellerers of the Couent should alwayes sing Masse for his soule Thomas Piercy was here interred a gentleman howsoeuer right honorably descended and highly befriended yet constrayned to admit of this Bishopricke by the Popes Prouisorie Bull as followeth Cum summus Pontifex nuper vacante Ecclesia Norwicen per mortem Willelmi vltimi Episcopi ibidem qui apud sedem Apostolicam diem clausit extremum eidem Ecclesie de venerabili viro Thoma Percy prouiderit ipsum Thomam in Episcopum loci illius presecerat Rex cepit sidelitatem ipsius Thome Temporalia ei restituit Teste Rege apud West 14. April Pat. Ann. 29. Ed. 3. Memb. 14. This Bishop gaue vnto the repairing of this Church which in his time was greatly defaced with a violent tempest the summe of foure hundred markes and obtained of the rest of the Clergie a great summe to the same purpose He bequeathed to the Chaunter of this his Church an house and certaine lands lying within the Lordship of Kimerle Gaeriton Fowrhow Granthorpe and Wychelwood vpon condition he should procure Masse daily to be said for his soule He died at Blofield not farre off the eight of August 1369. Vpon the death of Bishop Percy one Henry Despenser Canon of Salisbury was preferred by the Pope to this Bishopricke as I finde it thus recorded in the Tower Henricus Despenser Canonicus Saresburien per Papam ad Episcopatum Norwicen vacantem per mortem Thome vltimi Episcopi ibidem prefectus fecit regi fidelitate habuit restitutioneÌ„ Temporalium T.R. apud Clarendon 14. Aug. 2. Par. Pat. Anno 44. Ed. 3. Memb. 6. This man was called the warlike Bishop of Norwich for that in his youth he had beene a Souldier with a brother of his one Spenser a gentleman greatly esteemed for his valour being a chiefe Commander in the Popes warres by whose meanes this Henry obtained this dignitie and hauing changed his vesture but not his conditions in what manner of life he spent his youth in the same he most delighted euen in his waxing yeares For in the yeare 1381. most memorable was the seruice of this stout Bishop against the rebellious bondmen and Pesants of Norfolke whom he draue
18. 2 Sam. 5. Ioh. 11. Aul. Gâ—ll. Noct. Att. lib. 17. c. 14. 2. Sam. câ— â—8 Cap. 4. * this * that * thine * they * they answer * thinke on this Mss. in Bib. Cott. De Ciâ—t Dei ca. 1â— Râ—maines Gen. 49.50 Tâ—ans by George Chapman Psal. 79. 2. King 9. 1. King 13. Chap. 14.18 19 20. Ier. 34.20 Ier 22.18.19 Ier. 16.4 Ier. 14.16 Ier. 19.7 Virg. Aeâ— lâ— 10. Epitasâ—â—â—um per anticipatâ—onem Aul. Gell. Noc Att. li. 〈…〉 Remaines Thomas May lib. 4. Lib. 1. de Ciuit Dei cap. 11. 2. Chro â—2 3â— Pet Opmer opuâ— Chronog ad An. 408. Hym. 10. Lib. 1. cap. 25. * The like found at the suppression of Abbaies in 〈…〉 De 〈◊〉 Des. cap. 11. Aeâ— l. â—â— Some say hee was slaine here in England some others in the Citie of Mentz in Germany Camd. in York Camd. in Hamp Vir. Aen. l. 6. Hâ—â— â—â—yss â— ij Parental in praef Virgil. l. 6. Aen. Pausa in Corinthiacis Xenophon lib. 6. Tacit. li Annal. cap. 23. Perâ— Stephanon Hyâ—nus 4. Ouid. Met. l. 15. Ouid. l. 25. Lucn l. 9. Spons Ruines of Time Moun. 〈…〉 Cap. â— Lucan in the Argument 〈…〉 8 Virg Aeâ—â—â— Lucan lib â— The deâ—â—â—â—â—ion of a Sompner Chaucer in the â—rieiâ— Prologue Chaucer in the Friers tale Amosâ—â— Remaines Remaines Aug. super Ioha Hieron Ep. 34. Cicero de Legibus Rastat 〈◊〉 Excommengement Iustin. Hist. l. 32. Stow. Annal. Sam. Daniell Musophilus Vidâ— Parl. An. 2â— â—d 6. ca. 6. Camd. in â—uff Ioseph Antiq. Iud. l. 13. ca â—5 Cod. Theod l 5 Câ—ssâ—â—d l. 4. 〈…〉 of a booke intituled Conspiracie of pretended Reformation N Harpâ—â—iâ—ld 〈◊〉 Angl Eccl. cap 1. 〈…〉 secul A Manusâ—â—â—pt in the Eaâ—le of Excesters â—â—leminoâ—s Library Gild. de extud â— Brit. Cap. 47. 48. Non Bana hist sua gentiâ— Godwin de â—on Brita * Faganus and Damianus A Manuscript in the Heralds office * heard * that * take * chose * although * Elâ—anus and Meduâ—inus two learned Clerks sent by Luâ—ius to Rome * men * nameâ—h * they * could Seuen cols or seuen portions which had euery one a seuerâ—ll head or 〈…〉 them Seuen cols or seuen portions which had euery one a seuerâ—ll head or 〈…〉 them * fewell for his fire * corn fâ—â— swine and pâ—gs Lib. 4 cap. 27. * times * ignorant Bed l. 1. ca. 26. Bed li. 3 ca. 26. Mss. in bib Cotton S. Tecla S. Agatha S. Margaret S. Lucie S. Sisâ—ey S. Agnes C. in Cheshire Quint. declam 4 Godwin Presul Aug. in vit â—ut Wilâ— Malms de gestis â—oni lib. 1. de Epis. Dorober Allernd â—â—uall a M ss in â—ib Cot. Stow Annal. Hen. Hunting li. 6. Will. Malms Matt. West Ran. Higdeâ— in Pol chron lib 6 cap â—8 Holliâ—s in vit Howaâ—d Sir Iohn Hayward in vit Will. Con. R. Wendouâ—â— in bib Cotton Sir Iohn Hay in v. t. Will. Rufi â— â—â—gden in Poly. lib. 7. cap. 9. Will. Malms de Reg. Mut. West mon. Treuisa Higd. in Polych lib. 7. cap. 6. Idem lib cod 〈◊〉 Mat. Paris Tho. de la 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—rtyr pag 33◠〈◊〉 Edit Godwin in vit Wichami Ex Archiuis â—urris London A greene Gowne giuen to a Nunne A Manus in Sir Robert Cottons Library Tho. Walsing Fabian The like bill or petition was exhibited in Parliament an 9. Ric. 2. Speed Walsing â—ox Martyr pag 6 â—â— vlt. Ed. 〈◊〉 Arch. Turris London An. 16. â—â— 6. Ioseph Castaleon pag. 288. Ex Arch. â—urris Lon. 2. pars pat An 4 Hen. 6. In bib Cott. An. 22. Ed. â— Rot. 20. Epist â—0 Vox Clam lib. 3. ca. 21. Plough mans â—â—le Camd. Reâ—iq Transcribed out of the oâ—â—â—ginall In Paâ—l anno 3. Hen. 7. cap. 4. In bib Cott. Ex Parl. an 24. Hen. 8. cap. 12. Ex. Parl. an 25. Hen. 8 ca. 21. In eod Parl. cap. 19. In eod Parl. cap. 20. In eod Parl. cap. 20. Sâ—oâ— Annal. An. 2â— Hen. 8. câ—p 1. Cap 〈…〉 〈…〉 Hen. 8. cap. â— Ex Parl. an 28. Hen. 8. ca. 10. Out of the said Mss. in bib Cot. This could not well be done before the Parliament In predict 〈◊〉 bib Cot. * Talebâ—â—rers Ex eod Mâ—ss in bib Cot. * Which was the diuâ—rce betwixt him and his wife Katherine Ex eod Mâ—ss in bib Coâ—t The foundacion of S. Albans Abbey Ex eod lib. in bib Cottoniana Stat. in 27. Hen. 8. ca. 28. 〈…〉 13. 〈…〉 2. 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—7 Hen. 8. â—â— â— Camd. â—â— â—â—◠〈◊〉 Idâ—â—â—â—â—â— l. Parl. An 2. Câ— 3. 〈…〉 C. â— 4. Hoâ—â—inâ— pâ— 112â— In Parl 〈◊〉 4 〈◊〉 c. l. 12. In Parl. Anâ— 2. Phil. â—â— Mar. cap 8. In Parl. â—â— Hen. 8. â—ap â— â—eed cap. 23. In Parl. An. 〈◊〉 c. â— 2 â— â—â— lib. Coâ— Iuxta aram â—â— virginis in Fano Arenae patauiis The nativity of Christ. Mat. Maâ— Luc. Iohannes * Ex 〈…〉 〈…〉 Opâ—â— Croâ—â—g pag. â—â—0 Osâ—â—atiâ—s Acolites or 〈◊〉 Vidâ—sâ—s â—â—mina Angelâ—â—◠〈◊〉 S. â—xorcists Readers â—phes 4. â—â— Subdeâ—coâ—â— Deacons Summa Angel liâ—ra D. â—riests Opâ—â—eâ— in loco â—ad The Author of the booke called Sâ—â—lla Clericorum Prouerbium Chanons Lib. dâ— pracipuis vibâ—â— Rom. 〈…〉 In the Plowmans tale Passus 14. Ex Mss. in bib Cot. Pasâ—us â— The 〈…〉 〈…〉 316. The order of S. Augustine The order of S. Benet The order of S Francis Opmer opus Cronâ—g ad aâ— 12â—â— Opmer opus Cronâ—g ad ann 1225. 〈…〉 ca. 34. â—â—land Comment 〈◊〉 The order of S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Glocester Cisteâ—ciâ—n Monke In lib. Si◠〈…〉 〈…〉 M ss in bib Coâ— â—ernar liâ—â— Monkeâ— Opus Cron. pag. 371 ad An. 11â—8 〈…〉 S. Bâ—rn Celestiâ— Monkes * A Manuscâ—â—pt 〈…〉 The Order of 〈…〉 〈…〉 or the 〈◊〉 of the holy Crosse. Trinitaâ—ian 〈◊〉 Robertin 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Bethlemit Friers Antiq de Paris liure â—â—â—und Begging Fâ—ierâ— Friers of the backe In An 1297. Hen. 3.41 Stow Survay Nuns Sachettes Antiquitez de Paris lib. 2. The order of S. Iohn of Ierusalem Sandys Relation Antiq. de Paris lib. 2. Monkes and Nunnes Gilbertines Bale Cent. 1. 〈◊〉 Cent. 2. Nigeâ— Wircker in specule stultorum The order of S. 〈◊〉 The poore Clares Ex lib. Fratrum Manerum Lond. in bib Cot. Iacob de Vora gâ—ne Hermiâ—es Anchorites In the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 braâ—e 〈◊〉 Tuum * Benedictus * Lord. At gaisicat * Saviour * henceforth * mightie Nunc dimittis * â—iesâ— Mat. cap 1 * forsooth Acts â— Rom 1. * promised Apoc. 1. * â—aue behoueth Stow. Annal. 〈◊〉 H. 2. Pater Noster * * * * Teâ— * spoâ—tlesse 〈◊〉 Helen of â—â—anchitâ—are Anchoreste In the â—â—â—ger booke of 〈◊〉 Abbey of Whalley in Lanâ—â—râ—â—hire Rob. Langland Pass 8. Vol. 1. paâ— 236. A 〈…〉 Iâ— bib Cot. In the Soâ—pners tale * qâ—oth Passus vndecimus S. Danyel in vit H. 2. Videsis Onuphrium de septeÌ„ santioribus vrbis Romae Ecclesijs * third parte * on the eight day * S. Iames of Compostela in
Turr. Lond. Fabians Ballad Royall * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Queen of England Edward the third King of England Remaines Fauine in the orders of England * Alluding to the â—eopardâ— in the 〈…〉 Cron. Compend Cant. in bib Col. His Character Sam. Daniel His Iustice. His regard of Order His loue to his people His Prouidence His works of Pietie His buildings Walsing in vit Ed. 3. Add. Rob. Glocest * Bohemia Philip Queene of England Richard the second King of England Ranulph Monke of Chester Lib. vltimo Folio 166. 〈…〉 * Bohemia * Anne Queene of England Stow. Annal. Henry the fift King of England Add to Robert of Glocester Katherine the wife of Henry the fifth Henry the seuenth king of England Elizabeth the wife of king Hen. the seuenth Margaret CouÌ„tesse of Richmond Margaret the daughter of King Ed. 4. Elizab. the daughter of king Hen. 7. Anne Queene of England Edmund Earle of Lancaster Harding c. 147. Mat. Paris Pageant of Popes Aueline Countesse of Lancaster William de Valence Earle of Penbroke Stow Annal. Harding ca. â—56 Simon Langham Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Waldby Archbishop of Yorke Ex Mss. in bib Cot. * Sodorensis B. of Man In bib Cot. Iohn Waltham Bishop of Salisbury Caâ—al of Bishops In vita R 2. Richard Wendouer Bishop of Râ—châ—ster Sir Humphrey Bourchier Lord Cromwell Sir Humphrey Bourchier * Cup. bearer Tho. Milling Bishop of Hereford Godwin Hugolin Chamberlaine to S. Edward king and Confessor Remaines William Bedell and Cicely his wife Rob. Haule 〈◊〉 vit R. 2 Tho. Ruthall Bishop of Durham Sir William Trussell knight Tho. dela More Lib. 7. cap. 43. Rich. de Ware Abbot Francis Thinne in Catal. Thes. Aug. Walter Wenlocke Abbot The Abbots of this house were Barons of the Parliament Ric. de Barking Abbot Gervaise de Bloys Abbot Vitalis Abbot Laurence the first mâ—â—erd Abbot of West Gislebert Crispin Abbot Edmund Kirton Abbot Iohn Islip Abbot Remaines In bib Cot. Raph Selby Io Windsore Geffrey Chaucer Ex Mss. in bib Cot. Iohn Bedel Walter Garden Ioan Pymichum Io. Den and Agnes his wife * Eijcitâ— Io. Skelton Poet Laureat Specul Brit. 2. King 1.14 Ioh. â— 2 Stow Suruay S. Giles Bowle The Bishop of Rochesterâ— letter to 〈◊〉 S. amongst the letters 〈…〉 In bib Cotton Cromwell principalâ— Secretary * â—il Warbam In part Anno 2â— Hen. 8. ca. 10. Ex lit in Bib. Cotton Robert Fisher. Ex Mss. in bib Cot. The Tenor of Bishop Fishers Indictment Ex Mss. in bib Cotton Eras. Vid. Bal. cent 5. Oputer opus Cronog orbis Vniuersi pag. 477. Sir Tho. Moore In parl Anno 26 Hen. 8. ca. 2. Ex lit in Bib. Cotton Scrip. Bâ—â—t Cent. 5. De Iâ—ust Angie Scriptoribus In Epist. ad Vldric Huttenum de vita Mori Io. Lelandi Moriades siue charitaea corâ—na Camd. Remaines in wise speeches Ex lit in bib Cott. Nich. Grudius Tho. Cromwell Earle of Essex Ex Mss. in bib Cotton M. Drayton in the Legend of great Cromwell M. Drayton M. Drayton Some say no such Act was deuised by him to cause his owne death Speed chap. 21. Iohn Fox M. Drayton Sir Tho. Moore to Master Cromwell Ex lit in bib Cot Stow. Annal. Queene Anne Bullein Speed cap. 21. George Bullein Lord Rochford Speed cap. 21. Sleidan com l. 10. Queene Katherine Howard Ed. and Iohn Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland Hen. Southworth Geff. Hewet Ioane his wife In Miâ—lesex Suruay in Bishopsgateward Sicilius king of Britaine Song 3. Cap 25. * a man decked in feâ—hers Voâ—tâ—mer king of Britaine Speed Hist. cap. 12. Sigibert I Speed Hist. ca. xi Rob Glocest. * men taken * they * commanded Ca. 68. Videsis Speed Hist. ca. 17. and Vincent Catal. Chestâ—r Mill. Catal. Yorke Speed Hist. â— â—â— * Vncle. The Continuer of Hardings Chronicle The guilty conscience of King Richard Pers. Sat. 3. trans by â—erten Holyday Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chancelor Sir Iohn More the father of Sir Thomas his death Ioan and Alice the wiues of Sir Tho. Morâ— in bib Cot. Edmund Lord Bray Mawd Berford Philip Meawtis Ric. Scardebrugh and Elis. his wife Adwin Lauerocke Tho. Essex The office of Remembrancers D. Cowell lic R. The Kings Remembrancer The Treasurers Remembrancer Remembrancer of the first-fruits Io. Fisher. Sir Raph Butâ— knight Iohn Long Katherin Alice his wiues Io. Sherburne Sir Sampson Norton and Elis. his wife Master of the Ordnance Io. Thorley Will. Harvey George Chauncy Mar. Suanden * Arcuarij the Kings Bowyer Anne Sturton Lora Blunt Mawde Lady Salueyne Will. Boydale Christopher Carhill king at Armes Hen. Redman Ione his wife Ric. Parker and Marg. his wife William Clauell The foundation of Sion Nuns and Priests Augustines Ex lit in Bib. S. Dewes Ecclesia omnium Angetorum Antony Sutton Henâ—y Archer Io Robinson Katherine and Ioane his wiues Clement Câ—lyns Io. Holt Margery and Elizabâ—th his wiues Audrie Aundesham Io. Sampoll Sir Io. Payne Priest The Friery of Hounslow George Windsore William Iacob Stanes Priory Ex Lib. Abbat de Croxden in Bib Cotton Iohn Lord Sâ—â—ange Camd. in Shrop. George Lord Strange Iames Lord Strange Io. Flambard Edmund Flambard and Elis. his wife Io. Birkhed Sir Thomas Cornwall Camden in Shropshire Io. Bird Priest Io. Brent Specul Brit. Fowke de Brent Mat Westminst Mat. Pariâ— Tho. Iacob and Ioan his wife Io. Downmeer Ioan his wife Peter Goldesbrough Tho. Sanny Sir Tho. Frowicke knight Tho. Frowicke Ioane his wife Tho. Aldenham Io. Goodyere Ioane his wife Remaines 〈◊〉 Lady 〈◊〉 Hist of Wales â— â—â—ord Specul Britan. Norden Io. Skeuington Peter Fabell the merâ—y deuil of Edmunton Tho. Carleton Elis. his wife 〈◊〉 and Anne his wife Io. Innocent oâ— Incent vnder Treasurer of England Nic. Borne and Elis. his wife Io. Daniel Ioan and Alice his wiues Mawd Ekington Tho. Heningham George Heningham Elis. Turnant Margaret Compton Tho. Billington Grand Seargeantâ—e Kilborne Nunnery Hen. Lord Percy Earle of Northumberland Camd. in Surfex Alexander a Sergeant at Law Ioan Only Alice Ryder a Milke-maid Heron the founder of Hackeney Tho Hert Vicar Ione Curteys Roger Ford. Io. Butterfield Tho. Symonds Io. Catcher Hen. Therket Will. Henneage D. Cowell lit â— Io. Iennings Io. Elrington Cowell lit F. Will. Lowthe Rob. Walsingham Chr. Vrswicke the K. Almoner of Amuer Io Fowler Alice Fowler Tho. Sauill 〈…〉 Robert Middleton and his wife Katherine Mistelbrooke .... Grey and his wife Suruay Lond. Rob. Eve and Laurence his sister Hosp. of S. Giles founded S. Giles Bowle Hen. Steward Lord Darle Io. Kitt or Kite Bishop of Carlell Sir Hen. Câ—lleâ— Lord Maâ—â—r Rich. Paâ—e Deaâ—e of Sâ— Pauls Stow Annal. Cent. â— Nic. Gibson Sheriffe of London Iohn â—â—â—le oâ— Hereford Sir Io Chappalaine Priest Isabell Newmarche Camd. in Somerset Lewis Bâ—ysbury Wiâ—l Waâ—e and Ioâ—ne his wife Iohn Preâ—st Alice 〈◊〉 Io. Chandry Io Ingleby Foundation of the Priory in Hert. Raph Lord Limsey here buâ—â—ed Robert Saddington Mat Paris Francis Thinne Sir
were tearmed Basilicae for that the Basilicae of the Gentiles which were large and spacious Hauls wherein Magistrates sat in iudgement and ministred iustice were conuerted into Christian Churches Whence Ausonius wrote thus Basilica olim negotijs plena c. The Basilica or Haul of Iustice in times past full of businesses is now as full of prayers and vowes or else because they were built in forme somewhat long in manner of those Basilicae But to returne backe againe to my Parishes which are called Benefices for Ecclesiasticall persons like as the preferments in Cathedrall Churches are tearmed Church Dignities and of these some are called Rectories or Parsonages some Vicaradges as will appeare by the sequele Parochia is sometime called Plebania and thus defined Plebania est aliud genus beneficij et maius quam Rectoria habet sub se Capellas et dignitatem esse putant interpretes Plebania is another kinde of Benefice and of greater circuite then a Rectorie it hath vnder it certaine Chappels and this Plebania or dignitas plebeia is said to be a Church dignitie by Interpretours Questionlesse these Plebanians were like our side-wasted Parishes in Lanchishire whose extensure is so large that to my owne knowledge some one of those Parish Churches hath fourteene Chappels of ease as we call them within the circumference of her limits and as it were vnder her iurisdiction all which are honoured with Parochiall rites Cathedrall Abbey and Parish Churches had great priuiledges of sanctuarie granted vnto them in former times Now a Sanctuarie is a place of refuge for offenders to escape punishment And these Sanctuaries were so called of an old Mosaicall rite vsed amongst the Israelites among whom euery Tribe had certaine Cities and places of refuge to which malefactours might repaire and for a time bee protected from the rigour of the Law Of which you may reade in the sacred writ Exod. 21.13 Numb 35.1 Deuter. 4.41 and Iosh. 20.2 And so likewise here in great Britaine Churches Church-yards Cities ploughs and high-wayes had many priuiledges in this kinde anciently granted and confirmed vnto them I will speake first of the last out of a late Writer who makes old Watling-streete thus to sing his verse Since vs his kinglie waies Mulmutius first began From 〈◊〉 â—gaine â—o Sea that through the Hand ran Wh 〈…〉 at in mâ—nd to keepe Posteritie might haue Appoâ—nting â—ust his course this priuiledge he gaue That no man might arrest or debtors goods might seize In any of vs foure his militarie waies Neare fiue hundred yeares before this King Mulmutius take it vpon the credit oâ— the British Story constituted diuerse lawes especially that Churches Ploughs and high wayes should haue liberties of Sanctuary by no authoritie violable That Churches should be free and enioy liberty for refuge consenting allowance of most Nations haue tollerated and in this kingdome it being affirmed also by constitution of King Lucius a Christian euery Church yard was a Sanctuary vntill by Act of Parliament vnder Hen. 8. that licence for protection of offences being too much abused was taken away Of Mulmutius Dunwallo for so hee is sometime called and his priuiledges to sacred places my old Mss. thus further speakes A kynge ther was in Brutayne Donwâ—lle was his nam Stale worth and hardy a man of grete fam He ordeyned first yat theeues yat to Temple slown wer No man wer so hardy to do hem despit ther That hath be moche suth yhold as hit begonne tho Hely Chyrch hit holdyth yut and wole euer mo Hereupon he called the Temples which hee built the Temples of peace and concord one of which was in London where now Blackwell Hall is another in Fleete-street as yet called the Temple Church wherein or in some of them himselfe Gorbomannus and other of the British kings were interred as by supposition it is deliuered Lucius king of the Britaines hauing abundantly distributed and giuen ample possessions and reuenues to Churches and Clergie men ordained that Churches with their Coemiteries or Church-yards should haue this priuiledge that what malefactour soeuer should thither make flight for his safetie he might there remaine without indemnitie Ethelwolfe and Alfred Kings of the West-Saxons gaue the like important priuiledges to these holy Edifices Athelstane sole Monarch of the Englishmen held the memory of Iohn de Beuerley Archbishop of Yorke so sacred and reuerend for he honored him as his â—urelar Saint that he endowed Beuerley the place of the said Archbishops birth with many and those very great priuiledges and granted them liberties in these generall words As free make I thee As heart may think or eie may see Yea and there was granted vnto it the priuiledge of a Sanctuary so that Bankrupts and men suspected of any capitall crime worthy of death might be free and safe there from the danger of the law in which was erected a chaire of stone with this Inscription This seat of Stone is called Freed stool that is the chaire of peace vnto which what offender soeuer flieth and commeth hath all manner of Securitie Of the Sanctuary at Westminster first granted by Sebert King of the East-Saxons encreased by Edgar King of the West-Saxons and confirmed by the Charter of King Edward the Confessor I haue spoken before If any one guilty of offence flie from any place for refuge to the Church Church-doore to the Parson or Vicars house or into any part of his base or inner Court prouided that the said house and courts bee within consecrated ground it shall not be lawfull for any to take him from thence saue onely the Bishop or some of his Officers Now if this malefactour bee a filching knaue or an high-way robber and be taken with the bootie or if his theeuish purchase be altogether exhausted and spent yet if he haue any meanes otherwayes of his owne he shall make satisfaction to the partie or parties whom hee hath so wronged and if hee still continue to play the thiefe and make a custome of this manner of flight to Churches and Priests houses after restitution made he shall abiure the countrey and if he giue not satisfaction to the parties whose goods hee hath taken and purloyned no man shall dare to giue him lodging or entertainment without the kings speciall licence first obtained If a Clergie-man bee taken for felonie deliuered to the Ordinarie and breake prison and flie to the Church for sanctuarie or refuge he shall bee taken from thence and put into the same prison out of which he escaped for the Church ought not to defend him nor any publike malefactour Si ad pacem Regis venire noluerit But stay for if robbing from other mens works to embellish my owne writings be an offence it is high time for mee to take Sanctuarie yet giue me leaue to go a little further in my course and to speake somewhat out of other Authors of the Ecclesiasticall state of England of