cause valiantly fighting in the battle of Teuxbury It is charity to enter this memorial of him the rather because he died without issue and his fair estate forfeited to King Edward the fourth was quickly scattered amongst many Courtiers but from his Cousin and Heire-general the Lauleys in Shropshire are lineally descended Henry VII 17 Sir JOHN SAINT JOHN Mil. There were three Sir John Saint Johns successively in the same family since their fixing in this County 1. The father this year Sheriffe being son to Sir Oliver Saint John by Margaret daughter and sole heir to Sir John Beauchamp This Margaret was afterwards married to John Duke of Somerset to whom she bare Margaret Mother to King Henry the seventh 2. The son Sheriffe in the seventh year of King Henry the eighth 3. The grand-child Sheriffe in the third of Edward the sixth and father to Oliver the first Lord Saint John This we insert to avoid confusion it being the general complaint of Heraulds that such Homonymie causeth many mistakes in pedigrees 22 WILLIAM GASCOIGNE Much wondering with my self how this Northem Name stragled into the South I consulted one of his Family and a good Antiquary by whom I was informed that this William was a Younger Brother of Gauthorpe house in York-shire and was settled at Cardinton nigh Bedford in this County by Marrying the Inheritrix thereof He was afterwards twice Sheriffe under King Henry the eighth Knighted and Controler of the House of Cardinall Woolsey A rough Gentleman preferring rather to profit then please his Master And although the Pride of that Prelate was sar above his Covetousnesse yet his Wisedome well knowing Thrift to be the Fuell of Magnificence would usually disgest advice from this his Servant when it plainly tended to his own Emolument The Name and which is worse the Essate is now quite extinct in this County Henry VIII 1 JOHN MORDANT Ar. He was extracted of a very Ancient parent in this County and married one of the Daughters and Heirs of Henry Vere of Addington in Northampton-shire whereby he received a great Inheritance being by Aged persons in those parts remembred by the name of John of the Woods Reader I was born under the shadow and felt the warmth of them so great a Master he was of Oaks and Timber in that County besides large possessions he had in Essex and elswhere King Henry the eight owning him deservedly for a very wise man created him Baron Mordant of Turvey 29 WILLIAM WINDSOR Mil. He was descended from Walter Fitz Otho Castle-keeper of Windsor in the time of King William the Conqueror and was by King Henry the eighth created Baron Windsor of Bradenham in Buckingham-shire Ancestor to the present Lord Windsor descended from him by an Heir-general so that Hickman is his Surname Eâ—…ward VI. 1 FRANCIS RUSSEL Mil. He was Son to John Lord Russel afterward Earl of Bedford Succeeding his Father in his honour so great was his Hospitality that Queen Elizabeth was wont to say pleasantly of him That he made all the beggars He founded a small School at Wobourne and dying in great age and honour was buried at Cheneys 1585. 5 OLIVER SAINT JOHN Ar. He was by Queen Elizabeth made Lord Saint John of Bletso in this County and left two sons who succeeded to his honour First John whose onely daughter Anne was married to William Lord Effingham and was mother to Elizabeth now Countess Dowager of Peterborough His second son was Oliver blessed with a numerous issue and Ancestor to the present Earl of Bullinbrook Queen Mary 1 WILLIAM DORMER Mil. He was son to Sir Robert Dormer Sheriffe the 14. of K. Henry the 8. by Jane Newdigate his wife which Lady was so zealous a Papâ—…st that after the death of Q. Mary she left the land and lived beyond the Seas This Sir William by Mary Sidney his wife had a daughter married to the Count of Feria when he came over hither with King Philip. This Count under pretence to visit his sick Lady remaining here did very earnestly move a match betwixt King Philip his Master and Queen Elizabeth which in fine took no effect He theâ—… also mediated for Jane Dormer his Grand-mother and some other fugitives that they might live beyond the Seas and receive their revenues out of England which favour the Queen though not fit to indulge whereat the Count was so incensed â—…hat he moved Pope Pius the fourth to excommunicate Her though his wife did with all might and maine oppose it Sheriffs of this County alone Name Place Armes REG. ELIZA   Anno   17 〈◊〉 Rotheram Es. Farly Vert 3 Roe bucks tripping Or a Baston Gul. 18 Ioh 〈◊〉 â—…ewelbury G. a Salter engrailed Arg. 19 Ge. Kenesham Es. Temsford  20 Ioh. Spencer Esq Cople  21 Nich. Luke Esq. Woodend Ar. a Bugle-horn S. 22 Hen. Butler Esq. BiddenhaÌ„ G. a Fess Choâ—…kee Ar. S. betw 6 Cross 〈◊〉 Ar. 23 Ioh. Tompson Es. Crawley  24 Ric. Conquest Es. Houghton Q. Ar. S. a Labelw th 3 points 25 Lodo. Dive Esq. Brumham Parte per Pale Ar. et G. a Fess Az. 26 Ioh. Rowe Esq Ric. Charnock Es. Holeot Ar. on a Bend S. 3 Crosses Croslet of the field 27 Oliv. St. John Es.  Ar. on a Chief G. 2 Mullets Or. 28 Ric. Charnock Es. ut prius  29 Will. Butler Esq. ut prius  30 Rad. Astry Esq. Westning Barrâ—…wavee of six Ar. Az. on a Chief G. 3 Bezants 31 Oliv. St. John Es. ut prius  32 Ge Rotheram Es. ut prius  33 Exp. Hoddeson Es. ut prius  34 Will. Duncombe Batlesden Party per Chev. countâ—…r Flore G. Arg. 3 Talbots-heads Erazed countercharged 35 Nich. Luke Esq. ut prius  36 Ioh. Dive Esq ut prius  37 Wil. Gostwick Es. WillingtoÌ„ Arg. a Bend G. cotized S. twixt 6 Câ—…rnish chaughes proper on a chief Or 3 Mullets vert 38 Ric. Conquest Es. ut prius  39 Tho. Cheney Esq. Sundon  40 Edr. Rateliffe Kt. Elstow Arg. a Bend engrailed S. 41 Wâ—…ll Butler Esq ut prius  42 Ioh. Crost Kt.   43 Ric Charnocks Es. ut prins  44 Geo. Francklyn Malvern  45 Ioh. Dive Kt. ut prius  JAC. REX   Anno   1 Ioh. Dive Kt. ut prius  2 Ioh. Leigh Esq.   3 Edr. Sands Kt. Eaton  4 Fran. Anderson E. Eworth Arg. a Cheveron twixt 3 Cross-Croslets S. 5 Tho. Snagge Kt. Marson  6 Edw Mordâ—…nt Es. Ockley Aâ—…a a Chev. 〈◊〉 3 Estoyles S. 7 Tho. Ancell Esq. Barford G. on a Saltier Or betw 4 Bezants a Malcel of the first 8 Fran Ventres Kt. Campton Azu a lutie beewaot 2 Bendswavy Arg. 9 Rob. Sandy Esq.   10 Wil. Beecher Esq. Hooberry  11 Ric. Sanders Esq. Marson Parte per Ch. Ar. S. 3 Elephants heads Erazed ceunterchanged 12 Edw. Duncombe ut prius  13 Will. Plomer
more able child of more docility Docil the child Master of great ability At last he was prefered Bishop of Ely 1559. commendably continuing therein whatever causless malice hath reported to the contrary twenty one years and dying Anno Domini 1580. THOMAS BICKLEY was born at Stow in this County bred first Chorister then Scholar then Fellow in Magdalen-colledge in Oxford In the first of Edward the sixth his detestation of Superstition may rather be commended then his discretion in expressing it when before the publique abolishing of Popery at Evening-prayer he brake the consecrated Host with his hands and stamped it under his feet in the Colledge-chappel Afterwards he fled over into France living an exile at Paris Orleans all the reign of Queen Mary Returning into Eugland he became Chaplain to Arch-bishop Parker who preferred him Warden of Merton-colledge wherein he continued twenty years When pass'd the age of a man eighty years old he began the life of a Bishop and was rather contented then willing to accept the Bishoprick of Chichester * freely offered unto him Yet lived he eleven years therein and died ninety years of age April 30 1596. and had a most sumptuous funerall all the Gentry of the Vicinage doing their homage to the Crown of his old age which was foun'd in the way of truth He led a single life left an hundred pound to Merton-colledge and other moneys to pious uses JOHN KING was born at Warnhall nigh Tame in this County Robert King the last Abbot of Osney and first Bishop of Oxford being his great Uncle he was first Deane of Christ-church then Bishop of London being ful fraught with all Episcopal qualities so that he who endeavoureth to give a perfect account thereof will rather discover his own defects then describe this Prelates perfections He died Anno Dom. 1618. being buried in the Quire of Saint Pauls with the plain Epitaph of Resurgam and I cannot conceal this elegant Elegie made upon him Sad Relique of a blessed soul whose trust We sealed up in this Religious dust O do not thy low Exequies suspect As the cheap Arguments of our Neglect 'T was a commanded duty that thy Grave As little pride as thou thy self should have Therefore thy covering is an humble stone And but a word for thy inscription When those that in the same earth neighbour thee Have â—…ach his Chronicle Pedigree They have their waving Pennons and their flaggs Of Matches and Alliance formal Braggs Whenthou although from ancestors thou came Old as the Heptarchy great as thy name Sleepst there inshrin'd in thy admired parts And hast no Heraldry but thy deserts Yet let not them their prouder Marbles boast For they rest with less Honor though more cost Go search the world with your Mattokwound The groaning bosom of the patient ground Digg from the hidden veins of her dark womb All that is rare and precious for a tomb Yet when much treasure more time is spent You must grant his the Nobler Monument Whose faith standsore him for a Hearse hath The Resurrection for his Epitaph See more of the character of this most worthy Prelate in our Ecclesiasticall History anno 1620. wherein he died RICHARD MONTAGUE was born at Dorney where his Father was Vicar of the Parish within 3. miles of Eaton and so though not within the reach within the sight of that Staple Place for Grammar learning wherein he was bred Thence was he chosen successively Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge Fellow of Eaton Parson of Stanford Rivers in Essex Canon of Windsor Parson of Petworth elected Bishop of Chichester and at last of Norwich He spent very much in repairing his Parsonage-house at Petworth as also on his Episcopal house at Allingbourn near Chichester He was most exact in the Latin and Greek and in the Vindication of Tithes wrestled with the grand Antiquary of England and gave him a fair flat fall in the point of a Greek Criticisme taxing him justly for mistaking a God amongst the Aegyptians more then there was by making a Man amongst the Grammarians fewer then they should be He hath many learned works extant against the Papists some in English some in Latin and one called his Appello Caesarem which without his intent and against his will gave occasion of much trouble in the Land He began an Ecclesiasticall History and set forth his Apparatus and alas it was but an Apparatus though through no Default of his but defect of his Health sicknesse troublesome times and then death surprizing him Had it been finished we had had Church Annalls to put into the Ballance with those of Baronius and which would have swayed with them for Learning and weighed them down for Truth He dyed Anno Dom 1641. HENRY KING D. D. son to John King lately mentioned Bishop of London and his wife of the ancient family of the Conquests was born in this County in the â—…me town house and chamber with his father a locall Coincidence which in all considerable particulars cannot be parallel'd We know the Scripture-Proverb used in Exprobration As is the mother so is the daughter both wicked both wofull But here it may be said by way of thankfullness to God and honour to the persons As was the father so is the son both pious both prosperous till the calamity of the times involved the later Episcopacy Anno 1641. was beheld by many in a deep consumption which many hoped would prove mortal To cure this it was conceived the most probable cordiall to prefer persons into that Order not only unblameable for their life and eminent for their learning but also generally beloved by all disingaged people and amongst these King Charles advanced this our Doctor Bishop of Chichester But all would not do their Innocency was so far from stopping the mouth of malice that malice almost had swallowed them down her throat Since God hath rewarded his Patience giving him to live to see the Restitution of his Order David saith that the good Tree Man shall bring forth his fruit in due season so our Doctor varied his fruits according to the diversity of his age Being brought up in Christ-church in Oxford he delighted in the studies of Musiâ—…k and Poetry more elder he applyed himself to Oratory and Philosophy and in his reduced age fixed on Divinity which his Printed Sermons on the Lords-prayer and others which he preached remaining fresh in the minds of his Auditors will report him to all posterity He is still living Anno Domini 1660. Writers on the Law Sir GEORGE CROOK Knight son of Sir John Crook and Elizabeth Unton his wife was born at Chilton in this County in the second year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth bred first in Oxford then a double Reader in the Inner Temple Serjeant at Law and the Kings Serjeant Justice first of the Common-bench 22. Jacobi and then of the Upper-bench 4. Caroli His ability
after so many years distance and a colder suit being to encounter a Corporation of Learned Lawyers so long in the peaceable possession thereof Bishop Nevil was afterwards canonically chosen by the Monks and confirmed hy King Henry the third Arch-bishop of Canterbury being so far from rejoycing thereat that he never gave any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or reward for their good news to the two Monks which brought him tidings nor would allow any thing toward the discharging their costly journey to Rome foreseeing perchance that the Pope would stop his Consecration For some informed his Holiness that this Ralph was a Prelate of High Birth haughty Stomach great Courtship gracious with the King and a person probable to disswade him from paying the Pension promised by his Father K. Iohn to the Court of Rome then no wonder if his Consecration was stopped theron But was it not both an honor happiness to our Nevil thus to be crost with the hands of his Holiness himself yea it seems that no Crosier save only that of Chichester would fit his hand being afterwards elected Bish. of Winchester then obstructed by the K. who formerly so highly favor'd him He built a Chappell without the east gate of Chichester dedicated to S. Michael and having merited much of his own Cathedral died at London 1244. ALEX. NEVIL third Son of Ralph Lord Nevil was born at Raby became first Canon then Arch-Bishop of York where he beautified and fortified the Castle of Cawood with many Turrets He was highly in Honour with King Richard the second as much in hatred with the party opposing him These designed to imprison him putting Prelates to death not yet in fashion in the Castle of Rochester had not our Alexander prevented them by his flight to Pope Urban to Rome who partly out of pity that he might have something for his support and more out of policy that York might be in his own disposal upon the removal of this Arch-Bishop translated him to Saint Andrews in Scotland and so dismissed him with his Benediction Wonder not that this Nevil was loth to go out of the Popes blessing into a cold Sun who could not accept this his new Arch Bishoprick in point of credit profit or safety 1. Credit For this his translation was a Post-Ferment seeing the Arch-Bishoprick of Saint Andrews was subjected in that age unto York 2. Profit The Revenues being far worse than those of York 3. Safety Scotland then bearing an Antipathy to all English and especially to the Nevils redoubted for their victorious valour in those northern parts and being in open hostility against them Indeed half a loaf is better than no bread but this his new translation was rather a stone than half a loaf not filling his Belly yet breaking his Teeth if feeding thereon This made him preferre the Pastorall Charge of a Parish Church in Lovaine before his Arch-noBishoprick where he died in the fifth year of his Exile and was buried there in the Convent of the Carmelites ROB. NEVIL sixth Son of Ralph first Earl of Westmerland by Joane his second VVife Daughter of Iohn of Gaunt bred in the University of Oxford and Provost of Beverly was preferred Bishop of Sarisbury in the sixth of King Henry the sixth 1427. During his continuance therein he was principal Founder of a Convent at Sunning in Berkshire anciently the Bishops See of that Diocess valued at the dissolution saith Bishop Godwin at 682 l. 14 s. 7 d. ob which I rather observe because the estimation thereof is omitted in my and I suspect all other Speeds Catalogue of Religious Houses From Sarisbury he was translated to Durham where he built a place called the Exchequer at the Castle gate and gave in allusion of his two Bishopricks which he successively enjoyed two Annulets innected in his Paternal Coat He died Anno Dom. 1457. GEO. NEVIL fourth Son of Rich. Nevil Earl of Salisbury was born at Midleham in this Bishoprick bred in Baliol Colledge in Oxford consecrated Bishop of Exeter when he was not as yet twenty years of age so that in the race not of age but youth he clearly beat Tho. Arundel who at twenty two was made Bishop of Ely Some say this was contrary not only to the Canon Law but Canonical Scripture S. Paul forbidding such a Neophyte or Novice admission into that Office as if because Rich. the make-King Earl of Warwick was in a manner above Law this his Brother also must be above Canons His Friends do plead that Nobility and Ability supplyed age in him seeing five years after at 25. he was made Lord Chancellor of England and discharged it to his great commendation He was afterwards made Arch-bishop of York famous for the prodigious Feast at his Installing wherein besides Flesh Fish and Fowle so many strange Dishes of Gellies And yet amongst all this service I meet not with these two But the inverted Proverb found truth in him One GluttonMeal makes many hungry ones for some years after falling into the displeasure of King Edward the fourth he was flenderly dyetted not to say famished in the Castle of Calis and being at last restored by the Intercession of his Friends died heart-broken at Blyth and was buried in the Cathedral of York 1476. Besides these there was another Nevil Brother to Alexander aforesaid chosen Bishop of Ely but death or some other intervening accident hindered his Consecration Since the Reformation ROBERT HORN was born in this Bishoprick bred in Saint Johns Colledge in Cambridge Going thence under the raign of King Edward the sixth he was advanced Dean of Durham In the Marian days he fled into Germany and fixing at Frankford became the head of the Episcopal party as in my Ecclesiastical History at large doth appear Returning into England he was made Bishop of VVinchester Feb. 16. 1560. A worthy man but constantly ground betwixt two opposite parties Papists and Sectaries Both of these in their Pamphlets sported with his name as hard in Nature and crooked in Conditions not being pleased to take notice how Horn in Scripture importeth Power Preferment and Safety both twitted his person as dwarfish and deformed to which I can say nothing none alive remembring him save that such taunts though commonly called ad Hominem are indeed ad Deum and though shot at Man does glance at Him who made us and not we our selves Besides it shews their malice runs low for might though high for spight who carp at the Case when they cannot find fault with the Jewel For my part I mind not the Mould wherein but the Metal whereof he was made and lissen to Mr. Cambden his Character of him Valido foecundo ingenio of a sprightful and fruitful wit He died in Southwark June 1. 1589. and lyeth buried in his own Cathedral near to the Pulpit And now Reader I crave leave to present thee with the Character of one who I confess falls not under my Pen
He died Anno Domini 1631. and lieth buâ—…ied at Chigwell aforesaid AUGUSTINE LINSELL D. D. was born at Bumsted in this County bred Scholar and Fellow in Clare-hall in Cambridge He applyed himself chiefly to the Studies of Greek Hebrew and all Antiquity attaining to great exactness therein He was very knowing in the antient practices of the Jews and from him I learned that they had a Custome at the Circumcising of their Children that certain Undertakers should make a solemn stipulation for their pious education conformable to our God-fathers in Baptisme He was afterwards made Bishop of Peterborough where on the joint-cost of his Clergy he procured Theophilact on the Epistles never printed before to be fairly set forth in Greek and Latine Hence he was removeâ—… to Hereford where he died 163. States-men Sir THOMAL AUDLEY Knight where born my best Industry and Inquiry cannot attain He was bred in the Studie of the Laws till he became Atturney of the Dutchie of Lancaster and Sergeant at Law as most affirme then Speaker of the Parliament Knighted and made Keeper of the great Seal June 4. 1532. being the twenty fourth of King Henry the eight and not long after was made Lord Chancellor of England and Baron Audley of Audley End in this County In the feast of Abby Lands King Henry the eight carved unto him the first cut and that I assure you was a dainty morsell viz. the Priory of the Trinity in Eald-gate Ward London dissolved 1531. which as a Van Currier foreran other Abbeys by two years and foretold their dissolution This I may call afterwards called Dukes-Place the Covent Garden within London as the greatest empty space within the Walls though since filled not to say pestered with houses He had afterwards a large Partage in the Abby Lands in severall Counties He continued in his Office of Chancellour thirteen years and had one onely daughter Margaret who no doubt answered the Pearl in her name as well in her precious qualities as rich Inheritance which she brought to her husband Thomas last Duke of Norfolk This Lord Audley died April 30. 1544. and is buried in the fair Church of Saffron-walden with this lamentable Epitaph The stroak of deaths Inevitable Dart Hath now alas of Life berefâ—…t the Heart Of Sir Thomas Audley of the garter Knight Late Chancellor of England under our Prince of might Henry the eight worthy of high renown And made him Lord Audley of this Town This worthy Lord took care that better Poets should be after then were in his age and founded Magdalen-colledge in Cambridge giving good lands thereunto if they might have enjoyed them according to his Donation Sir RICNARD MORISIN Knight was born in this County as J. Bale his Fellowexile doth acquaint us yet so as that he qualifieth his intelligence with Ut fertâ—…r which I have commuted into our marginall note of dubitation Our foresaid Author addeth that per celebriora Anglorum gymnasia artes excoluit bred probably first in Eton or Winchester then in Cambridge or Oxford and at last in the Inns of Court In those he attained to great skill in Latine and Greek in the Common and Civil Law insomuch that he was often imployed Ambassadour by King Henry the eight and Edward the sixth unto Charles the fifth Emperor and others Princes of Germany acquitting himself both honest and able in those negotiations He began a beautifull house at Cashobery in Hertford-shire and had prepared materialls for the finishing thereof but alas this house proved like the life of his Master who began it I mean King Edward the sixth broken off not ended and that before it came to the middle thereof Yea he was forced to fly beyond the Seas and returning out of Italy died at Strasburgh on the 17. of March Anno Domini 1556. to the grief of all good men Yet his son Sir Charles finished his fathers house in more peaceable times whose great-grand daughter augmented by matches with much honour and wealth a right worthy and vertuous Lady lately deceased was wife to the first Lord Capel and Mother to the present Earl of Essex Sir ANTHONY COOK Knight great-grant child to Sir Thomas Cook Lord Mayor of London was born at Giddy hall in this County where he finished a fair house begun by his great-grand-father as appeareth by this inscription on the frontispiece thereof Aedibus his frontem Proavus Thomas dedit olim Addidit Antoni caetera sera manus He was one of the Governours to King Edward the sixth when Prince and is charactered by Master Camden vir antiquâ severitate He observeth him also to be happy in his daughters learned above their sex in Greek and Latine namely 1. Mildred marryed unto 1. William Cecil Lord Treasurer of England 2. Anne  2. Nicholas Bacon  Chancellor  3. Katherine  3. Henry Killigrew Knights  4. Elizabeth  4. Thomas Hobby   5.  5. Ralph Rowlet   Indeed they were all most eminent Scholars the honour of their own and the shame of our sex both in prose and poetry and we will give an instance of the later Sir Henry Killigrew was designed by the Queen Embassadour for France in troublesome times when the imployment always difficult was then apparently dangerous Now Katherine his Lady wrot these following verses to her sister Mildred Cecil to improve her power with the Lord Treasurer her husband that Sir Henry might be excused from that service Si mihi quem cupio cures Mildreda remitti Tu bona tu melior tu mihi sola Soror Sin malè cunctando retines vel trans mare mittes Tu mala tu pejor tu mihi nulla Soror It si Cornubiam tibi pax six omnia lâ—…ta Sin mare Cecili nuntio bella vale We will endeavour to translate them though I am afraid falling much short of their native elegancy If Mildred by thy care he be sent back whom I request A Sister good thou art to me yea better yea the best But if with stays thou keepst him still or sendst where seas may part Then unto me a Sister ill yea worse yea none thou art If go to Cornwall he shall please I peace to thee foretell But Cecil if he set to Seas I war denounce farewell This Sir Anthony Cook died in the year of our Lord 1576. leaving a fair estate unto his son in whose name it continued untill our time Sir THOMAS SMITH Kt. was born at Saffron Walden in this County and bred in Queens-colledge in Cambridge where such his proficiency in learning that he was chosen out by Henry the eight to be sent over and brought up beyond the Seas It was fashionable in that age that pregnant Students were maintained on the cost of the State to be Merchants for experience in forraign parts whence returning home with their gainfull adventures they were preferred according to the improvement of their time to offices in
Sir VVilliam was made Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of King Richard the Third He married one of the Daughters and Co-heirs of Thomas Butler Earl of Ormond by whom besides four Daughters married into the Worshipful and Wealthy Families of Shelton Calthrop Clere and Sackvil he had Sir Tho. Boleyn Earle of VViltshire of whom hereafter 10. JOH PEACH Arm. This year Perkin VVarbeck landed at Sandwich in this County with a power of all Nations contemptible not in their number or courage but nature and fortune to be feared as well of Friends as Enemies as fitter to spoil a coast than recover a country Sheriff Peach knighted this year for his good service with the Kentish Gentry acquitted themselves so valiant and vigilant that Perkin shâ—…unk his horns back again into the shell of his ships About 150. of his men being taken and brought up by this Sheriff to London some were executed there the rest on the Sea Coasts of Kent and the neighbouring Counties for Sea-marks to teach Perkin's people to avoid such dangerous shoars Henry the Eighth 5 JOH NORTON Mil. He was one of the Captains who in the beginning of the Raign of King Henry the eight went over with the 1500. Archers under the conduct of Sir Edward Poynings to assist Margaret Dutchesse of Savoy Daughter to Maximillian the Emperour and Governesse of the Low-Countries against the incursions of the Duke of Guelders where this Sir John was knighted by Charles young Prince of Castile and afterwards Emperor He lieth buried in Milton Church having this written on his Monument Pray for the souls of Sir John Norton Knight and Dame Joane his Wife one of the Daughters and Heirs of John Norwood Esq who died Febr. 8. 1534. 7. THOMAS CHEYNEY Arm. He was afterward knighted by King Henry the Eighth and was a spriteful Gentleman living and dying in great honour and estimation a Favourite and Privy Counsellor to four successive Kings and Queens in the greatest â—…urn of times England ever beheld as by this his Epitaph in Minster Church in the Isle of Shepey will appear Hic jacet Dominus Thomas Cheyney inclitissimi ordinis Garterii Miles Guarduanus quinque Portuum ac Thesaurarius Hospitii Henrici octavi ac Edwardi sexti Regum Reginaeque Mariae ac Elizabethae ac eorum in secretis Consiliarius qui obiit mensis Decembris Anno Dom. M. D.L.IX ac Reg. Reginae Eliz. primo 11. JOHN WILTSHIRE Mil. He was Controller of the Town and Marches of Calis Anno 21. of King Henry the Seventh He founded a fair Chappel in the Parish of Stone wherein he lieth entombed with this Inscription Here lieth the bodies of Sir John Wiltshire Knight and of Dame Margaret his Wife which Sir John died 28. Decemb. 1526. And Margaret died of Bridget his sole Daughter and Heir was married to Sir Richard VVingfield Knight of the Garter of whom formerly in Cambridge-shire 12. JOHN ROPER Arm. All the memorial I find of him is this Inscription in the Church of Eltham Pray for the soul of Dame Margery Roper late VVife of John Roper Esquire Daughter and one of the Heirs of John Tattersall Esquire who died Febr. 2. 1518. Probably she got the addition of Dame being Wife but to an Esquire by some immediate Court-attendance on Katharine first Wife to King Henry the Eighth King James 3. MOILE FINCH Mil. This worthy Knight married Elizabeth sole Daughter and Heir to Sir Thomas Heneage Vice Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth and Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster She in her Widowhood by the special favour of King James was honoured Vicounâ—…ess Maidston unprecedented save by One for this hundred years and afterwards by the great Grace of King Charles the First created Countesse of VVinchelsey both Honors being entailed on the Issue-male of her Body to which her Grand-Child the Right Honourable Heneage lately gone Embassador to Constantinople doth succeed The Farewell Having already insisted on the Courage of the Kentish-men and shown how in former Ages the leading of the Van-guard was intrusted unto their magnanimity we shall conclude our Description of this Shire praying that they may have an accession of Loyalty unto their Courage not that the Natives of Kent have acquitted themselves less Loyal than those of other Shires but seeing the one will not suffer them to be idle the other may guide them to expend their Ability for Gods glory the defence of his Majesty and maintenance of true Religion CANTERBURY CANTERBURY is a right ancient City and whilest the Saxon Hâ—…ptar chy flourished was the chief seat of the Kings of Kent Here Thomas Becket had his death Edward surnamed the Black Prince and King Henry the Fourth their Interment The Metropolitan Dignity first conferred by Gregory the Great on London was for the Honour of Augustine afterwards bestowed on this City It is much commended by William of Malmesbury for its pleasant scituation being surrounded with a fertile soil well wooded and commodiously watered by the River Stoure from whence it is said to have had its name Durwhern in British a swift River It is happy in the vicinity of the Sea which affordeth plenty of good Fish Buildings CHRIST CHURCH First dedicated and after 300. years intermission to Saint Thomas Becket restored to the honour of our Saviour is a stately structure being the performance of several successive Arch-Bishops It is much adorned with glasse Windows Here they will tell you of a foraign Embassador who proffered a vast price to transport the East Window of the Quire beyond the Seas Yet Artists who commend the Colours condemn the Figures therein as wherein proportion is not exactly observed According to the Maxime Pictures are the Books painted windows were in the time of Popery the Library of Lay men and after the Conquest grew in general use in England It is much suspected Aneyling of Glass which answereth to Dying in grain in Drapery especially of Yellow is lost in our age as to the perfection thereof Anciently Colours were so incorporated in Windows that both of them lasted and faded together Whereas our modern Painting being rather on than in the Glass is fixed so faintly that it often changeth and sometimes falleth away Now though some being only for the innocent White are equal enemies to the painting of Windows as Faces conceiving the one as great a Pander to superstition as the other to wantonnesse Yet others of as much zeal and more knowledge allow the Historical uses of them in Churches Proverbs Canterbury-Tales So Chaucer calleth his Book being a collection of several Tales pretended to be told by Pilgrims in their passage to the Shrine of Saint Thomas in Canterbury But since that time Canterbury-Tales are parallel to Fabulae Milestae which are Charactered Nec verae nec verisimiles meerly made to marre precious time and please fanciful people Such are the many miracles of Thomas Becket some helpful though but narrow as only for private conveniency
to inherit Happiness so severe her Education VVhilest a childe her Father's was to her an House of Correction nor did she write Woman sooner than she did subscribe Wife and in Obedience to her Parents was unfortunately matched to the L. Guilford Dudley yet he was a goodly and for ought I â—…ind to the contrary a Godly Gentleman whose worst fault was that he was Son to an ambitious Father She was proclaimed but never crowned Queen living in the Tower which Place though it hath a double capacity of a Palace and a Prison yet appeared to her chiefly in the later Relation For She was longer a Captive than a Queen therein taking no contentment all the time save what she found in God and a clear Conscience Her Family by snatching at a Crown which was not lost a Coronet which was their own much degraded in Degree and more in Estate I would give in an Inventory of the vast Wealth they then possessed but am loth to grieve her surviving Relations with a List of the Lands lost by her Fathers attainture She suffered on Tower-Hill 〈◊〉 on the twelfth of February KATHARINE GREY was second Daughter to Henry Duke of Suffolk T is pity to part the Sisters that their Memories may mutually condole and comfort one another She was born in the same place and when her Father was in height married to Henry Lord Herbert Son and Heir to the Earl of Pembroke buâ—… the politick old Earl perceiving the case altered and what was the high way to Honour turned into the ready road to Ruin got pardon from Queen Mary and brake the marriage quite off This Heraclita or Lady of Lamentation thus repudiated was seldome seen with dry eyes for some years together sighing out her sorrowful condition so that though the Roses in her Cheeks looked very wan and pale it was not for want of watering Afterward Edward Seymour Earl of Hertford married her privately without the Queens Licence and concealed till her pregnancy discovered it Indeed our English Proverb It is good to be near a kin to Land holdeth in private patrimonies not Titles to Crowns where such Aliances hath created to many much molestation Queen Elizabeth beheld her with a jealous Eye unwilling she should match either Forreign Prince or English Peer but follow the pattern she set her of constant Virginity For their Presumption this Earl was fined fifteen thousand pounds imprisoned with his Lady in the Tower and severely forbidden her company But Love and Money will find or force a passage By bribing the Keeper he bought what was his own his Wifes Embraces and had by her a surviving Son Edward Ancestor to the Right Honourable the Duke of Somerset She dyed January 26. a Prisoner in the Tower 1567. after nine years durance therein MARY GREY the youngest Daughter frighted with the Infelicity of her two Elder Sisters Jane and this Katharine forgot her Honour to remember her Safety and married one whom she could love and none need fear Martin Kayes of Kent Esq. who was a Judge at Court but only of Doubtful casts at Dice being Seâ—…jeant-Porter and died without Issue the 20. of April 1578. Martyrs HUGH LATIMER was born at Thurcaston in this County what his Father was and how qualified for his State take from his own mouth in his first Sermon before King Edward being confident the Reader will not repent his pains in perusing it My Father was a Yeoman and had no Lands of his own onely he had a Farme of three or four Pounds a Year at the uttermost and hereupon he tilled so much as kept halfe a dozen men he had walk for an Hundred Sheep and my Mother milked thiry Kine he was able and did finde the King an HARNESS with himself and his Horse whilest he came unto the Place that he should receive the Kings Wages I can remember I buckled his Harness when he went to Black Heath Field He kept me to School or else I had not been able to have Preached before the Kings Majestie now He married my Sisters with Five Pounds or twenty Nobles a piece so that he brought them up in Godliness and Fear of God He kept Hospitallity for his Poor Neighbours and some Almes He gave to the Poor and all this did he of the same Farme where he that now hath it payeth sixteen pounds by the Year and more and is not able to do any thing for his Prince for himself nor for his Children or give a Cup of Drink to the Poor He was bred in Christ's Colledg in Cambridg and converted under God by Mr. Bilney from a Violent Papist to a Zealous Protestant He was afterwards made Bishop of Worcester and four Years after outed for refusing to subscribe the six Articles How he was martyred at Oxford 1555. is notoriously known Let me add this Appendix to his Memory when the Contest was in the House of Lords in the Raign of K. Henry the Eighth about the giving all Abby Lands to the King There was a Division betwixt the Bishops of the Old and New Learning for by those Names they were distinguished Those of the Old Learning unwillingly willing were contented that the King should make a Resumption of all those Abbies which his Ancestors had founded leaving the rest to continue according to the Intention of their Founders The Bishops of the new Learning were more pliable to the Kings Desires Only Latimer was dissenting earnestly urging that two Abbies at the least in every Diocess of considerable Revenues might be preserved for the Maintenance of Learned men therein Thus swimming a good while against the stream he was at last carried away with the Current Eminent Prelates before the Reformation GILBERT SEGRAVE Born at Segrave in this County was bred in Oxford where he attained to great Learning as the Books written by him do declare The first Preferment I find conferred on him was The Provosts place of St. Sepulchers in York and the occasion how he obtained it is remakable The Pope had formerly bestowed it on his near Kinsman which argueth the good value thereof seeing neither Eagles nor Eagles Birds do feed on Flyes This Kinsman of the Popes lying on his death bed was troubled in Conscience which speakâ—…eth loudest when men begin to be speechlesse and all Sores pain most when nere night that he had undertaken such a Cure of Souls upon him who never was in England nor understood English and therefore requested the Pope his Kinsman that after his Death the Place might be bestowed on some Learned English-man that so his own absence and negligence might in some sort be repaired by the Residence and diligence of his Successor And this Segrave to his great Credit was found the fittest Person for that Performance He was afterwards preferred Bishop of London sitting in that See not full four years dying Anno Dom. 1317. WALTER DE LANGTON was born at VVest-langton in this County He was highly in favour
his own charge chased away the French-man relieved the English and took sixâ—…y of the French Prisoners He removed afterwards to Virginia to view those parts and afterwards came into England and obtained from King Charles who had as great an esteem of and affection for him as King James a Patent to him and his Heirs for Mary-land on the North of Virginia with the same Title and Royalties conferred on him as in Avalon aforesaid now a hopeful Plantation peopled with eight thousand English souls which in processe of time may prove more advantagious to our Nation Being returned into England he died in London April 15. 1632. in the 53. year of his age lying buried in the Chancel of S. Dunstans in the West leaving his Son the Right Honourable Cecil Calvert now Lord Baltemore heir to his Honour Estate and Noble Disposition THOMAS WENTWORTH Earl of Strafford Deputy though Son to William Wentworth of Wentworth-Woodhouse in this County Esq at his Sons birth afterward Baronet yet because born in Chancery-Lane and Christned April 22. Anno 1593. in Saint Dunstans in the West hath his Character in London Seamen ARMIGELL WAAD born of an ancient Family in York-shire as I am informed from his Epitaph on his monument at Hampstead in Midlesex wherein he is termed Hen. 8. Edw. 6. Regum Secretiori consilio ab epistolis which I took the boldnesse to interpret not Secretary but Clerk of the Councel Take the rest as it followeth in his Funeral Inscription Qui in maximarum Artium disciplinis prudentiaque civili instructissimus plurimarum linguarum callentissimus legationibus honoratissimis perfunctus inter Britannos Indicarum Americarum explorator primus Indeed he was the first Englishman that discovered America and his several voyages are largely described in Mr. Hackluite his Travels This English COLUMBUS had by two Wives twenty Children whereof Sir William Waad was the eldest a very able Gentleman and Clerk of the Councel to Queen Elizabeth This Armigel died June 20. 1568. and was buried as is aforesaid MARTIN FROBISHER Kt. was born nigh Doncaster in this County I note this the rather because learned Mr. Carpenter in his Geography recounts him amongst the famous men of Devonshire But why should Devon-shire which hath a flock of Worthies of her own take a Lamb from another County because much conversing therein He was from his youth bred up in Navigation and was the first Englishman that discovered the North way to China and Cathai whence he brought great store of black soft Stone supposing it Silver or Gold Ore but which upon trial with great expence prov'd uselesse yet will no wise man laugh at his mistake because in such experiments they shall never hit the mark who are not content to 〈◊〉 it He was very valiant but withal harsh and violent faults which may be dispensed with in one of his profèssion and our Chronicles loudly resouâ—…d his signal service in Eighty Eight for which he was Knighted His last service was the defending of Brest-Haven in Britain with ten ships against a far greater power of Spaniards Here he was shot into the side the wound not being mortal in it self But Swords and Guâ—…s have not made more mortal wounds than Probes in the hands of carelesse and skillesse Chirurgeons as here it came to passe The Chirurgeon took out only the Bullet and left the bumbast about it behind wherewith the sore festered and the worthy Knight died at Plimoâ—…th Anno 1594. GEORGE CLIFFORD Lord Clifford Vescye c. Earl of Cumberland was son to Henry second Earl of that Family by his second Lady a person wholly composed of true Honour and Valour whereof he gave the world a clear and large demonstration It was resolved by the judicious in that age the way to humble the Spanish greatnesse was not by pinching and pricking him in the Low-Countries which only emptied his veins of such blood as was quickly re-filled But the way to make it a Cripple for ever was by cutting off the Spanish sinews of War his Money from the West Indies In order whereunto this Earl set forth a small Fleet at his own cost and adventured his own person therein being the best born Englishman that ever hazarded himselfe in that kind His Fleet may be said to be bound for no other Harbour but the Port of Honour though touching at the Port of Profit in passage thereunto I say touching whose design was not to enrich himself but impoverish the enemy He was as merciful as valiant the best metal bows best and left impressions of both in all places where he came Queen Elizabeth Anno 1592. honoured him with the dignity of the Garter When King James came first out of Scotland to York he attended him with such an equipage of Followers for number and habit that he seemed rather a King than Earl of Cumberland Here happened a contest between the Earl and the Lord President of the North about carrying the Sword before the King in York which office upon due search and enquiry was adjudged to the Earl as belonging unto him and whilest Cliffords Tower is standing in York that Family will never be therein forgotten His Anagram was as really as litterally true Georgius Cliffordius Cumberlandius Doridis regno clarus cum vi fâ—…lgebis He died 1605. leaving one Daughter and Heir the Lady Anne married to the Earl of Dorset of whom hereafter Physicians Sir GEORGE RIPLEY whether Knight or Priest not so soon decided was undoubtedly born at Ripley in this County though some have wrongfully entituled Surry to his Naâ—…vity That York-shire was the place of his birth will be evidenced by his relation of Kindred reckoned up by himself viz. 1. 〈◊〉 2. Ripleâ—… 3. Madlay 4. VVilloughby 5. Burham 6. VVaterton 7. Flemming 8. Talboyes Families found in York-shire and Lincoln-shire but if sought for in Surrey to be met with at Nonesuch Secondly it appeareth by his preferment being Canon of Bridlington in this County and to clear all In patria Eboracensi saith my Author But Philemon Holland hath not only erroniously misplaced but which is worse opprobriously miscalled him in his description of Surrey In the next Village of Ripley was born G. de Ripley a ringleader of our Alchimists and a mystical Impostor Words not appearing in the Latine Britannia and therefore Holland herein no Translator of Cambden but traducer of Ripley Leaving this Land he went over into Italy and there studied twenty years together in pursuance of the Philosophers Stone and â—…ound it in the year 1470. as some collect from those his words then written in his Book Juveni quem diligit anima mea spoken by the Spouse Cant. 3. 4. so bold is he with Scripture in that kind An English Gentleman of good credit reported that in his travels abroad he saw a Record in the Isle of Malta which declares that Sir George Ripley gave yearly to those Knights of Rhodes
consequence in Government seeing it is the constant practice of the Spirit of God after the mention of a new King in Judah to record the name of his Mother and her Parentage His Mothers name also was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah His mothers name was Althaliah the daughter of Omri His mothers name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libuah And Divines generally render this reason thereof that if such Kings proved godly and gracious then the memory of their mothers should receive just praise for their good Education if otherwise that they might be blamed for no better principling them in their Infancy Saints This word accepts of several interpretations or rather they are injuriously obtruded upon it 1. Saints of Fiction who never were in rerum natura as St. Christopher c. 2. Saints of Faction wherewith our age doth fwarme alledging two arguments for their Saintship First that they so call themselves Secâ—…ndly that those of their own party call them so Neither of these belong to our cognizance 3. Saints of Superstition reputed so by the Court of Rome 4. Saints indeed parrallel to St. Pauls Widows indeed and both deserve to be honoured It is confessed in this our Book we drive a great trade in the third Sort and I cannot therefore but sadly bemoan that the Lives of these Saints are so darkned with popish Illustrations and farced with Fauxeties to their Dishonour and the Detriment of Church History For as honest men casually cast into the Company of Cozeners are themselves suspected to be Cheats by those who are Strangers unto them So the very true Actions of these Saints found in mixture with so many Forgeries have a suspicion of falshood cast upon them Inquiring into the causes of this grand abuse I find them reducible to five heads 1. First Want of honest hearts in the Biographists of these Saints which betrayed their Pens to such abominable untruths 2. Secondly VVant of able heads to distinguish Rumours from Reports Reports from Records not choosing but gathering or rather not gathering but scraping what could come to their hands 3. Thirdly Want of true matter to furnish out those lives in any proportion As Cooks are sometimes fain to lard lean meat not for fashion but necessity as which otherwise would hardly be eatable for the drynesse thereof So these having little of these Saints more then their names and dates of their Deaths and though sometimes not certain do plump up their emptinesse with such fictious additions 4. Fourthly hope of gain so bringing in more Custome of Pilgrims to the shrines of their Saints 5. Lastly for the same reason for which Herod persecuted St. Peter for I count such Lyes a persecuting of the Saints memories merely because they saw it pleased the people By these and other causes it is come to pass that the Observation of Vives is most true Quae de Sanctis Scripta sunt praeter pauca quaedam multis foedata sunt Commentis dum qui scribit affectui suo indulget non quae egit Divus sed quae illum egisse vellet exponit What are written of the Saints some few things excepted are defiled with many fictions whilst the Writer indulgeth his own affection and declareth not what the Saint did do but what he desired that he should have done To this let me couple the just complaint of that honest Dominican Melchior Canus Dolenter hoc dico multò severius a Laertio vitas Philosophorum scriptas quam à Christianis vitas Sanctorum longèque incorruptius integrius Suetonium res Caesarum exposuisse quam exposuerint Catholici non res dico Imperatorum sed Martyrum Virginum Confessorum I speak it to my grief saith he that the Lives of the Philosophers are more gravely written by Laertius than Saints are by Christians and that Suetonius hath recorded the Actions of the Caesars with more Truth and Integrity than Catholickâ—… have the Lives I say not of Princes but even of Martyrs Virgins and Confessours To return to our English Saints As our Catalogue beginneth with Alban it endeth with Thomas Bishop of Hereford who dyed Anno Domini 1282. the last Englishman canonized by the Pope For though Anselme was canonized after him in the Reign of King Henry the Seventh he was no English but a Frenchman who dyed more then an hundred years before him Since which time no English and few Foreigners have attained that honour which the Pope is very sparing to confer First because sensible that multitude of Saints abateth veneration Secondly the Kalender is filled not to say pestered with them justling one another for Room many holding the same day in copartnership of Festivity Thirdly the charge of Canonization is great few so charitable as to buy it the Pope too covetous to give it to the memories of the deceased Lastly Protestants daily grow more prying into the Popes proceedings and the suspected perfections of such persons who are to be Sainted which hath made his Holynesse the more cautious to canonize none whilest their memories are on the Must immediately after their Deaths before the same is fined in the Cask with some competent continuance of time after their decease Noble Martyrs St. Ambrose in his Te Deum doth justifie the Epithet and by Martyrs all know such only are imported who have lost their lives for the Testimony of a fundamental Truth However we find the word by one of the purest Writers in the primitive times attributed to such who were then alive Cyprianus Epist. 77. as marshalled by Pamelian Cyprianus Nemesiano Felici Lucio alteri Felici Litteo Coliano Victori Faderi Dativo Coepiscopis item compresbyteris Diaconibus caeteris fratribus in metallo constitutis martyribus Dei patris Omnipotentis Jesu Christi Domini Dei conservatoris nostri aeternam salutem See here how he bemartyreth such who as yet did survive but in so servile a condition condemned to the mines that they were almost hopelesse without miracle to be released Yet dare we not presume on this precedent of St. Cyprian children must not do what their Fathers may to use the word so extensively but by Martyrs understand persons not in the deepest durance and distresse but actually slain for the Testimony of Jesus Christ which by an Ingenious pen is thus not ill expressed What desperate Challenger is He Before he perisâ—… in the flame What ere his pain or patience be Who dares assume a MARTYRS name For all the way he goes he 's none till he be gone It is not dying but 't is Death Only gains a MARTYRS Wreath Now such Martyrs as our Land hath produced are reducible to three different Ranks 1. Britons suffering under Dioclesian the persecuting Roman Emperor as Alban Amphibalus c. 2. Saxons massacred by the Pagan Danes as King Edmund Ebba c. 3. English murdered by the cruelty of Papists since the Year 1400. as
own Heralds to Marshal their own precedency they had been much to blame if not carving a good portion of Honour to themselves whilest devout Princes abused by bad Instructors and their own erroneous Consciences gave to the Clergy what they were pleased to demaund None might elect the Pope save such as were Cardi. yea none out of that Order were eligible into the Papacy as in England one must first be a Sergeant before he be a Iudge Cardinal Deacons were in equal capacity of being Popes with Cardinal Priests and oftentimes were preferred before them as they could strenthen their faction which carried all in these and I could wish in no other Elections WILLIAM ALLEN who died Anno 1594 was the last Englishman advanced to this Honour so that our Country hath not had a Cardinâ—…l these sixty years which from the former six hundred years was never without one or two of that Order This may seem a wonder our Nation being as meriting as any for the Romish Cause and having as good Heads as any why should they not weare as gay Hats as others nor will the reasons assigned for the contrary give satisfaction viz. 1. That the Pope commonly makes Cardinals to gratifie Foreign Kings whilest our English Soveraigns have ever since been of a different Religion from his Holinesse 2. That our English Catholicks living beyond Seas in the nature of Exiles and under persecution as they call it so high an honour is inconsistent with their suffering condition 3. That our Englishmen want preferment and Estates to maintain the distance of so great a dignity There are at the present two English Natives in France of noble extraction and Romish perswasion much voyced in common discourse for their probability to such preferment but on what grounds I do not know and list not to enquire Surely the matter is not great seeing that dignity hath been observed to be rather fatal then fortunate to the English and attended with some sad and sudden casualties 1. Cardinal Mackelsfield was four moneths buried before his Cap was brought him 2. Cardinal Sertor dyed in Italy in the Juncture of Time Inter Pileum datum susceptum 3. Cardinal Fisher when his Cap was come to Calis had his head struck off at Tower-Hill 4. Cardinal Somercot was poysoned in the very Conclave to prevent his selection to the Popedome 5. Cardinal Evosham was sent the same way on the same occasion 6. Cardinal Bambridge was poysoned at Rome by one of his servants being an Italian If such their successe I suppose it far easier for Englishmen to have their caps though courser and cheaper made of our own Countrey-wool which will be more warm and may prove more healthful for the wearers thereof I have done with this Subject when I have observed that there is a Cardinal Bishop of Sabine a place near Rome and a Cardinal Priest of Saint Sabine a Church dedicated to her Memory in the same City the not heeding whereof I suspect hath bred much confusion in our English Writers The best is our Englishmen when they write of Places in Italy cannot commit greater and grosser mistakes then what Italians have done when they have wrote of Towns and Places in England Though perchance such is their pride that they will say it is our duty to be exact in Italy and their courtesie to take any notice of England Let not the Reader wonder if Cardinals inserted in others are omitted in our Catalogue viz. Ulricus Ancherus Theobaldus Bernardus de Anguiscello c. Seeing I am unsatisfied in some of them whether they were Cardinals in others whether they were Englishmen Forreign Countries laying more probable claim unto them Nor will it quit the cost of a Contest nothing more then their names being left in History withouta ny other observeables Prelates before the Reformation Next succeed such eminent Clergy-men who attained to the honour of being Arch-Bishops and Bishops in England and were famous in their generations Objection These Popes Cardinals and Prelates were superstitious persons and Limbs of Antichrist whose names are better lost then kept Yea it mattered not much if some good Josiah served their bones as those of the idolatrous Priests of Jeroboam even burn them to ashes that so their bodies and memories might perish together Answer I am afraid our age affords those who if they were to manage that Act would together with their bones sans difference notwithstanding the distinguishing Epitaph burn the bodies of the young and old Prophet I mean utterly extirpate the Ministerial Function But I answer it must be confess'd they were deeply died with the Errors and Vices of the Age they lived in yet so that some of them were for their Devotion exemplary to posterity and the very worst of them though yeelding nothing fit for our Imitation may afford what is well worth our Observation And here be it remembred that the same Epithete in severall places accepts sundry Interpretations He is called A GOOD MAN in common Discourse who is not Dignified with Gentilitie A GOOD MAN upon the Exchange who hath a responsable Estate A GOOD MAN in a Camp who is a tall Man of his Armes A GOOD MAN in the Church who is Pious and Devout in his Conversation Thus whatsoever is fixed therein in other Relations that Person is A GOOD MAN in History whose Character affords such Matter as may please the Palate of an Ingenious Reader and I humbly crave the Honour to be his Taster in this Behalf Now of Bishops before the Conquest the most were meerly nuda Nomina Naked Names As for such appearing Clothed with remarkable History most of them move in an higher Sphere of Saints and so are anticipated Since the Conquest for the first seven Kings many Prelates were Foreigners generally French and so Aliens from our Subject It will therefore be seasonable to begin their Catalogue about the time of King Henry the Third deducing it unto the Popish Bishops who were deprived in the first of Queen Elizabeth CHAP. V. Since the Reformation NExt those Prelates before follow such as were since the Reformation much different not in Title but Tenure from the former holding their places not from the Pope but their Prince and practising the principles of the protestant Religion for the term of a hundred and twenty years since the latter end of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth Amongst these Malice it self meets with many which it must allow for their Living Preaching and Writing to have been the main Champions of Truth against Error Learning against Ignorance Piety against Profâ—…ss Religion against Superstition Unity and Order against Faction and Confusion verifying the judicious observation of Forreigners Clerus Britanniae Gloria mundi These Prelates may be Digested into Five Successive Setts or Companies under their respective Arch-bishops allowing each of them somewhat more then twenty years as large a proportion for the life of a Bishop as seventy years for the
 Sable a Chev. betw 3 Towers Argent 2 Ant. Blagrave ar  Or. on a Bend Sable 3 Greaves Errased at the Ankle Ar. 3 Tho. Read ar ut prius  4 Will. Stonhou ar Radley Arg. on a Fess Sable between 3 Falcons volant Az. a Leopards-heads and 2 Mullets Or. 5 Fr. Winchcombe ut prius  6 Will. Foster mil. ut prius  7 Anth. Barker mil. Suning  8 Ric. Lovelace ml ut prius  9 Tho. Vachell mil. Colly Bender of six peeces Er. Az 10 Tho. Hinton ar   11 Car. Wiseman ar ut prius  12 Io. Ayshcombe ar   13 Will. Young mil.   14 Will. Standin ar Aâ—…borfield  15 Val. Knightley m.  Quarterly Er. Or. 3 Pales Gu. 16 Ioh. Catcher ar   17 Hum. Foster ar ut prius  18 Gabri Pyle mil. Compton  19 Io. Winchcombe ut prius  20 Io. Marrycot ar   21 Will. Hide ar ut prius  22 Io. Blagrave mil. ut prius  23   24   CAR I. REX   Anno   1 Ioh. Darrell Bar. W. Woodh Az. a Lion Ramp Or Crowned Argâ—…t 2 Edr. Clark mil. Ardigton  3 Gor. Willmot ar Charlton  4 Edw. Yates Barr. Buckland  5 Sam. Dunch ar ut prius Per Fess embattel'd Arg. Sable 3 Yates caunterchanged 6 Io. Fetiplace ar ut prius  7 Hen. Samborn ml Moulsford  8 Hen. Powle ar   9 Edm. Dunch ar ut prius  10 Hum. Dolman ar ut prius  11 Will. Barker ar ut prius  12 Ric. Harrison mi. Hurst Or on a Cheife Sable 3 Eagles displaied of the first 13 Ge. Stonhouse B. ut prius  14 Hump. Hide ar ut prius  15 Geo. Puresy ar Wadley S. 3 Pair of Gantlets dipping Ar. 16 Peregrine Hobby Bisham Ar. 3 Fusiles upon Slippers Gâ—… 17 Tanfield Vachel ut prius  18   19   20   21   22 Io. Southleg ar   Queen Elizabeth 9 EDWARD UNTON or UMPTON Miles This ancient and worshipfull name was extinct in the days of our fathers for want of Issue Male and a great part of their lands devolved by an Heir-general to G. Purfen of wadley Esquire whose care is commendable in preserving the Monuments of the Umptons in Farington Church and restoring such as were defaced in the war to a good degree of their former fairness 26 BESILIUS FETIPLACE Some may colourably mistake it for Basilius or Basil a Christian-name frequent in some families whereas indeed it is Besil a Surname These liv'd in great regard at Lee thence called Besiles-Lee in this County untill Elizabeth danghter and heir of William Besiles last of that name was married unto Richard Fetiplace whose great-great-grand-child was named Besile to continue the remembrance of their Ancestors Reader I am confident an instance can hardly be produced of a Surname made Christian in England save since the Reformation before which time the Priests were scrupulous to admit any at Font except they were baptized with the name of a Scripture or Legendary-Saint Since it hath been common and although the Lord Coke was pleased to say he had noted many of them prove unfortunate yet the good success in others confutes the generall truth of the observation King James 8 RICHARD LOVELACE Knight He was a Gentlâ—…man of Mettal and in the reign of Queen Elizabeth making use of letters of Mart had the successe to light on a large remnant of the King of Spains Cloth of silver I mean his West-Indian Fleet wherewith he and his posterity are the warmer to this day King Charles created him Lord Lovelace of Hurley King Charles 1 Sir JOHN DARELL Baronet He being the first who in the Catalogue of Sheriffs occurreth of that order a word of the institution thereof We meddle not with ancient Baronets finding that word formerly promiscuously blended with Bannerets Sir Ralph Fane in a Patent passed unto him is expressly term'd a Baronet but insist on their new erection in the ninth of King James Their Qualifications Their Service Their Dignity 1. They were to be persons Morum probitate spectati 2. Descended at least of a Grand-father by the Fathers side that bare Arms. 3. Having a clear estate of one thousand pounds per annum two thirds thereof at least in possession the rest in reversion expectant on one life only holding in Dower or in Joynture 1. Each of them was to advance towards the planting of the Province of Ulster in Ireland with Colonies and Castles to defend them money enough to maintain thirty Foot for three years after the rate of eight pence a day for everyone of them 2. The first years wages was to be paid down on the passing of their Patent the remainder as they contracted with the Kings Commissioners authorized to treat and conclude thereof 1. They were to take place with their wives and children respectively immediately after the sons of Barons and before all Knights-bachelours of the Bath and Bannerets save such solemn ones ashereafter should be created in the field by the King there present under the Standard Royall displayed 2. The addition of Sir was to be prefixed before theirs of Madam their wives names 3. The Honour was to be hereditary and knighthood not to be denied to their eldest sons of full age if desiring it 4. For an augmentation in their Arms they might bear a bloody hand in a Canton or Escutcheon at their pleasure The King did undertake that they should never exceed two hundred which number compleated if any chanced to die without issue-male none were to be substituted in their place that so their number might daily diminish and honour increase He did also promise for himself and his Heirs that no new Order under another name should be superinduced The Battles Newberry the first 1643. Septemb. 20. The Earl of Essex having raised the Siege of Glocester and returning towards London was rather followed then overtaken by the Kings army Both sides might be traced by a tract of bloody foot-steps especially at Auborn in Wilts where they had a smart encounter At Newberry the Earl made a stand Here happen'd a fierce fight on the East-side of the Town wherein the Londoners did shew that they could as well use a Sword in the field as a Met-ward in a Shop The Parliament was conceived to lose the most the King the most considerable persons amongst whom the Earl of Carnarvon and Sunderland the Viscount Falkland Colonel Morgan c. Both armies may be said to beat and be beaten neither winning the Day and both the Twi-light Hence it was that both sides were so sadly filled with their Supper over night neither next morning had any stomack to break-fast but keeping their stations were rather contented to face then willing to fight one another Newberry the second 1644. Octob. 27. One would wonder where the
Benefactors to the Publick Sir WILLIAM son to William HARPER was born in the Town of Bedford but bred a Merchant-taylor in the City of London Where God so blessed his endeavours that Anno 1561. he was chosen Lord Mayor thereof In gratitude to God and the place of his Nativity he erected and endowed a free-schole in Bedford in which Town he lyeth buryed HENRY GREY son to Henry Grey was born at Wrest in this County Something must be premised of his extraction Richard Grey third Earl of Kent of that family was so profuse a person that he wilfully wasted his Estate giving away what he could not spend to the King and others so little he reflected on Sir Henry Grey his Brother but by a second Venter of Wrest in this County Hereupon the said Sir Henry though heir to his Brother Richard after his death yet perceiving himself overtitled or rather under-stated for so high an honour the undoubted right whereof rested in him declined the assuming thereof Thus the Earldome of Kent lay though not dead asleep in the family of the Greys almost 50. years viz. form the 15 of King Henry the eight till the 13. of Queen Elizabeth when she advanced Reginald Grey grandchild to Sir Hen. Grey aforesaid who had thriftily recruted himself with competence of Revenues to be Earl of Kent Anno 1571. This Reginald dying Issuelesse within the year Henry his Brother the subject of our present description succeeded to his honour A person truly noble expending the income of his own Estate and of his Ladies fair Joynter Mary the Relict of Edward Earl of Darby in hospitality He was a most Cordiall Protestant on the same token that being present at the execution of the Queen of Scots when she requested the Nobility there to stand by and see her death he fearing something of Superstition hardly assented thereunto Yet was he as far from the faction as Superstition deserving the caracter given unto him Omnibus verae nobilitatis Ornamentis vir longè Honoratissimus He left no Isue except some will behold him in some sort Parent of Sidney Colledge in Cambridge as one of the executors to the Foundress thereof who did both Prove and Improve her will besides his Personall benefaction thereunto And being the surviving executor he did perpetuate the fellowships formerly temporary according to the implicite trust deposited in him to the advantage of that foundation He died Anno Domini 1613. FRANCIS CLEARK Knight was born at Eaton-soton in this shire near to Saint Neots in the Lordship there commonly called the Parsonage He was a noble Benefactour to Sidney-colledge augmenting all the Scholarships of the Foundation and erecting a fair and firme range of building Such his skill in Arithmetick and Architecture that staying at home he did provide to a brick what was necessary for the finishing thereof He founded four new Fellowships and had he been pleased to consult with the Colledge the settlement with the same expence might have proved more advantageous For though in gifts to private persons it be improper that the Receiver should be the Director thereof a Corporation may give the best advise to improve the favours conferr'd upon it But it is a general practice that men desire rather to be broad then thick Benefactours However seeing every one may do with his own as he pleaseth blessed be the memory of this worthy Knight whose gift in effect was selt by the Colledge before the giver thereof was seen being himself a meer stranger unto it Some say that because this was the youngest foundation in the University generally the last child hath the least left it his charity pitched upon it But I have been informed that Sir Fâ—…ancis coming privately to Cambridge to see unseen took notice of Doctor Ward his daily presence in the Hall with the Scholars conformity in caps and diligent performance of exercises which indeared this place unto him Thus the observing of old Statutes is the best load-stone to attract new Benefactours His death happyned Anno Domini 163 Memorable Persons A WOMAN whose name I cannot recover lived died and is buried at Dunstable in this County It appeareth by her Epitaph in the Church that she had nineteen children at five births viz. three several times three children at a birth and five at a birth two other times How many of them survived to mans estate is unknown Here I must dissent from an Author maintaining that more Twins were born in the first Age of the World then now adays Whereas we meet with none but single births in the Patriarchs before the Flood and more 〈◊〉 six hundred years after the Deluge Esau and Jacob were the first Twins mentioned in Scripture Lord Mayors Name Father Place Company Time 1 Thomas Chalton Thomas Chalton Dunstable Mercer 1449 2 William Stoker Thomas â—…toker Eaton Draper 1484 3 William Butler â—…ichard Butler Bidenham Grocer 1515 4 William Harper William Harper Bedford Merchant-Taylor 1561 The Names of the 〈◊〉 of this County Returned by the Commissioners in the twelfth year of King Henry the sixth William Bishop of Lincoln John de Fanhope Chivaler Commissioners John Wenlock Armig. Knights for the shire John Gascoigne Armig. Knights for the shire Abbatis de Woborn sui Celerarii Abbatis de Wardon Prioris de Dunstable Prioris de Chekesond Prioris de Nunham Prioris de Chaldwell Prioris de Buschemede Simonis Filbrigge Chivaler Henrici Bronnflete Chivaler Thomae 〈◊〉 Chivaler Thomae Maningham Thomae Hoo Johannis Broughton Iohan. Enderby Roberti Mordant Iohan. Hertusherne Hen. Godfrey Iohan. Boteler de Northzele Hum. Acworth Iohan. Ragon Thomae Ragon Iohan. 〈◊〉 Iohan. Radwell Iohan. Fyse Iohan. Coldington Chri. Preston Steph. Cruker Tho. Roxston Will. Lancelin Hen. de Lye Iohan. Conquest de Houghton Tho. Lonnde Walte Lâ—…nnde Iohan. Lonnde Rich. Merston Iohan. â—…eeke junioris Tho. Peeke Will. Peeke Iohan. Glove junioris Iohan. Turvey de Turvey Iohan. Ferrour de Bedford Iohan. Gerveys de Maldon Hen. Etewell Rober. Bollock Will. Wale Nich. Ravenhull Nich. Low Valentini Bailli de Luton Willielmi White de eadem Iohan. Boughton Hugonis Hasselden Thomae Bailli de Houghton Will. Trought Hen. Manntell Rober. Valence Iohan. Attehay Will. Ypping Iohan. Petifer Tho. Purvey Will. Purvey Will. Shotfold Will. Wingate Will. Kene Tho. Stokker Ade Alford Iohan. Morton Tho. Morton Tho. Stratton Tho. Chamberlain Radulp. Cleark Math. Stepeing Nich. Harding Will. Marham Rich. Sampson Rober. Warner Iohan. Coke de Crawley Will. Sileham Will. Purvey Will. Rede Tho. Blondell Will. Milward Rober. Ratele Iohan. Kiggill de Todinton Iohan. Pestell de Nunham Thomae Chopper de Turvey Iohan. Marram Thomae Jakes Iohan. Pikot Will. Molso Iohan. Sewell Hen. Sewell Radul Falwell Hug. Billingdon Iohan. Baldoe Will. Palmer Rober. Davy junioris Iohan. Stanlow Rich. Lincoln Waleri Taillard Thomae Spencer de Geton Iohan. Spencer Iohannis King de Harowdon Iohan. Wait Will. Bochell Thomae William Roberti Ratull Rober. Warner de le
with great reputation He was afterwards a Commander in the French-war under King Edward the third where in despight of their power he drove the people 〈◊〉 him like sheep destroying Towns Castles and Cities in such manner and number that many years after the sharp points and Gable end of overthrown houses cloven asunder with instruments of war were commonly call'd KNOWLES HIS MITRES The last piece of his servrce was performed in suppressing Wat Tiler and his Rebells Then I behold aged Sir Robert buckling on his armonr as old Priam at the taking of Troy but with far better success as proving very victorious and the Citizens of London infranchized him a member 〈◊〉 of in expression of their thankfulness His Charity was as great as his Valour and he rendred himself no less loved by the English then feared of the French He gave bountifully to the building of Rochester-bridge founding a Chappel and Chantery at â—…he East end thereof with a Colledge at 〈◊〉 in Yorkshire where Constance his Lady was born endowing it with one hundred and eighty pounds per annum He died at his 〈◊〉 of Sconâ—…-Thorp in Norfolk in peace and honour whereas 〈◊〉 generally set in a cloud being at least ninety years of age for he must be 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 years old when Annoâ—…52 â—…52 he was a Generall under K. Edâ—… 〈◊〉 third and he 〈◊〉 untill the 〈◊〉 of August 1407. being buried in White-Friers in London to which he had been a great benefactour JOHN SMITH Captain was 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 County as Master Arthur Smith his Kins man and my School-master did inform me But whether or no related unto the Worshipfull Family of the Smiths at 〈◊〉 I know not He spent the most of his life in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First in Hungary under the Empeâ—… fighting against the Turks Three of which he himself killed in single Duells and therefore was Authorized by 〈◊〉 King of Hungary to bear three Turks-heads as an Augmentation to his Armes Here 〈◊〉 gave intelligence to a besieged City in the night by significant 〈◊〉 works formed in 〈◊〉 in legible Characters with many strange performances the Scene whereof is laid at such a distance they are cheaper credited then confuted From the Turks in Europe he passed to the Pagans in America where towards the latter end of the Raign of Queen Elizabeth such his Perills Preservations Dangers Deliverances they seem to most men above belief to some beyond Truth Yet have we two witnesses to attest them the Prose and the Pictures both in his own book and it soundeth much to the diminution of his deeds that he alone is the Herauld to publish and proclaime them Two Captains being at dinner one of them fell into a large relation of his own atchivements concluding his discourse with this question to his fellow And pray Sir said he what service have you done To whom he answered Other men can tell that And surely such reports from strangers carry with them the greater reputation However moderate men must allow Captain Smith to have been very instrumentall in setling the plantation in Virginia whereof he was Governour as also Admiral of New-England He led his old age in London where his having a Princes mind imprison'd in a poor mans purse rendred him to the contempt of such who were not ingenuous Yet he efforted his spirits with the remembrance and relation of what formerly he had been and what he had done He was buried in Sepulchres-Church-Quire on the South-side thereof having a ranting Epitaph inscribed in a table over him too long to transcribe Onely we will insert the first and last verses the rather because the one may fit Alexanders life for his valour the other his death for his religion Here lies one conquer'd that hath conquer'd Kings Oh may his soul in sweet Elysium sleep The Orthography Poetry History and Divinity in this Epitaph are much alike He on the 21. of June 1631. Physicians If this county hath bred no Writers in that faculty the wonder is the less if it be true what I read that if any here be sick They make him a posset and tye a kerchieff on his head and if that will not mend him then God be mercifull to him But be this understood of the common people the Gentry having the help no doubt of the learned in that profession Writers THOMAS ECLESTONE A Village in Broxtone Hundred was born in this County bred a Franciscan in Oxford Leland saith of him that under the conduct of prudence and experience he contended with many paces to pierce into the Penetrales of Learning He wrote a book of the succession of Franciscans in England with their works and wonders from their first coming in to his own time dedicating the same to not G. Notingham the Provinciall of his Order but to his friend and Fellow-Frier his mortified mind it seems not aiming at honour therein He wrote another Book intituled De impugnatione Ordinis suâ—… per Dominicanos Of the assaults which the Dominicans made on his Order These two sorts of Friers whipping each other with their Cords or Knotted Girdles to the mutual wounding of their reputations He died Anno Domini 1340. Since the Reformation RALPH RADCLIFFE was born in this County who travelling Southward fixed himself at Hitching in Hertfordshire where he converted a demolished house of the Carmelites into a Publique Grammar-school He here erected a fair stage whereon partly to entertain his Neighhours and partly to embolden his Scholars in pronuntiation many interludes were acted by them Pitz. praiseth him being a School-master that he confined himself to his own profession not medling with Divinity and yet amongst his books he reckoneth up a Treatise of the Burning of Sodome and another of the Afflictions of Job Nor must we forget his book entitled de triplice Memoriâ of the Threefold Memory which though I never met with any that saw it may probably be presumed of the Water Wax Iron Memory receiving things very somewhat very hardly easily  retaining them no a little long Time He flourished under the raign of King Edward the sixth Anno Domini 1552. and it is likely he died before the raign of Queen Mary JOHN SPEED was born at Farrington in this County as his own Daughter hath informed me he was first bred to a handicraft and as I take it to a Taylor I write not this for his but my own disgrace when I consider how far his Industry hath outstript my Ingenious Education Sir Fulk Grevill a great favourer of Learning perceiving how his wide soul was stuffed with too narrow an occupation first wrought his inlargement as the said Author doth ingeniously confess Whose merits to me-ward I do acknowledge in setting this hand free from the daily imployments of a manuall Trade and giving it his liberty thus to express the inclination of my mind himself being the procurer of my present Estate This
Egmund Leland for a reason immediately following nameth him William of Stamford but Egremont is the Orthography of his name from a small Market-town yet a Barony of the late Earls of Sussex in this Shire where he was born Quitting this cold Country he took his Progress into the South and fixing himself at Stamford became an Augustinian Eremite and proceeded Doctor of Divinity Going beyond the Seas he was by the Pope made Episcopus Pissinensiâ—… some poor pitifull Bishoprick so that one would scarce trouble himself to find it out to have the profit thereâ—…f and therewith held the Suffragane-ship under Henry Beaufort Bishop of Lincoln Indeed that voluminous Diocess a full fourth part of England before Eli Peterborough and Oxford were cantoned out of it required a Co-adjutor Many are the learned works written by him and seeing he is Doubly qualified I thought fitter to repose him under the Topick of Writers then of Prelates being confident that he got more credit by his Books then profit by his Bishoprick He flourished under King Richard the second anno 1390. JOHN SKELTON was a younger branch of the Skeltons of Skelton in this County I crave leave of the Reader hitherto not having full instructions and preserving the undoubted Title of this County unto him to defer his character to Norfolk where he was Beneficed at Diss therein Since the Reformation RICHARD CRAKENTHORP D. D. was descended of an Ancient Family in this County as appeareth by their frequent being Sheriffs thereof He was bred Fellow of Queens-colledge in Oxford and afterwards in the first of King James went over Chaplain to the Lord Evers sent Embassadour to the King of Denmark and other prime Princes of Germany Here by use he got an easiness in the Latine tongue and correspondency with several persons of eminent Learning He was an excellent Logiciaâ—… witness his work in that kind and became Chaplain in Ordinary to King James Rector of Black-Notley in Essex greater preferments expecting him had not his death prevented it Pliny observeth that Posthume Children born after the death of their Father and Caesars understand such who are cut out of the womb of their Mother prove very happy in success What reason soever Naturalists assign hereof Divines justly impute it to Gods goodness graciously remembring those Orphans which cannot remember their own Parents The Observation may be applyed to the Books of this worthy Doctor set forth after his death one called Vigilius Dormità ns in defence of the Emperour Justinian and a generall Councill held by him Anno 553. set forth by his Brother George Crakenthorp the other being an answer to the Manifesto of the Arch-bishop of Spalato set forth by that Learned Antiquary Dr. John Barkham and both of these Books finding an universall and gratefull reception among the Learned and Religious I cannot certainly fix the date of his death and be it here solemnly entred that Westmerland shall be unprejudiced if he were born as a most credible person hath informed me at NewBiggin in this County SALKELD was a branch of a Right Worshipfull Family in this County bred a Divine beyond the Seas but whether 〈◊〉 or Secular Priest I know not Coming over into England to Angle for Proselites it seems his Line broke and he was cast into prison Hence he was brought out and presented to K. James by whose Arguments and a Benefice bestowed on him in Somersetshire he became a Protestant This he used in all companies to boast of that he was a Royall Convert Nobisque dedit solatia victor And was it not a Noble thing Thus to be conquer'd by a King Indeed His Majesty in some of his works styleth him the Learned Salkeld which the other much vaunted of often telling it to such who well knew it before for fear they might forget it His preaching was none of the best and he retained some Popish though not Opinions Fancies to the day of his death I have heard much of his discourse more of his own praise then to his own praise in my judgement But his true character may be taken out of the Book he wrot of Angells He died about the year 1638. GERARD LANGBAIN D. D. was born at Kirk-Banton in this County bred first Fellow in then Provost of Queens-colledge in Oxford A skilfull Antiquary ingenious industrious and judicious in â—…is Writings as by his Works will appear Who so shall read over the History of thâ—… Councill of Trent translâ—…ted out of Italian by Sir Nathaniel Brent will conceive it so compleat a Narration of all the concernments in that Council that nothing of consequence can be added thereunto Yet this his mistake will be confuted by perusing the Works set forth by Doctor Langbain of the dissent of the Gallican Churches from severall conclusions in that Council As his Brain was the Mother of some so was it the Midwife to other good books which he procured to be published Especially a book made by Sir John Cheeke concerning Rebellion and Loyalty seasonably reprinted in the beginning of our Civil Wars But alas such then was the noise of mens Animosities that the Still voice of Truth could not be heard amongst them More Excellent Tracts were expected from him particularly an Edition of Brian Twine with Additions concerning the Antiquity of Oxford when God was pleased almost in the midst of his days to put an end to his life Anno 1657. Benefactors to the Publick ROBERT EAGLESFIELD born in this County was a pious and learned man according to the rate of that age Chaplain and Confessor to Philippa Queen to King Ed ward the third He founded a fair Colledge in Oxford by the name of Queens-colledge for a Provost and twelve Fellows whom he ordered to sit in the Hall in purpura and that they should be attended on more Curiali He appointed that those of Cumberland and Westmerland should be proper for perferment in his Foundation rendring this reason why he reflected most on those Northern Counties Propter insolitam vastitatem melioris literaturae infrequentiam But prevented by death he finished not his intentions leaving onely to the Colledge the Mannor of Renwick in this County with the impropriation of Burgh under Stanmore and which I assure you was considerable most excellent Statutes To shew himself both Courtier and Scholar he ordered that in the Hall they should speak either Latine or French He bequeathed his Colledge to the honorary Patronage of the Queens of England and his Sur-name is still extant in this County in persons of quality but how to him related to me unknown He dyed about the year of our Lord 1370. Memorable Persons MAUD the Daughter of Thomas Lord Lucy Sister and Heir of Anthony Lord Lucy and Baron of Cokermouth the Widow of Gilbert Humfrevile Earl of Angus was the second Wife of Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland Who when she saw that she should dye without Issue gave to Earl Henry her husband the Castle and Honour of
forgive the greatest injury upon the least show of the parties sorrow and restore him to the degree of his former favour and though Politicians will thence collect him no prudent man Divines will conclude him a good Christian. Episcopacy in England being grievously wounded by malevolent persons King Charles the First conceived that the best Wine and Oil that could be powred into those wounds was to select persons of known Learning and unblameable Lives to supply the vacant Bishopricks amongst whom Dr. Prideaux was made Bishop of Worcester But alasse all in vain such the present fury of the Times He died of a Feaver 1650 and I have perused a Manuscript Book But alasse not made by Oxford but Worcester-shire Muses of Verses on his Funeral Amongst which I take notice of these Define mirari caecos errasse tot Ignes In promptâ—… causa est lux Prideauxus obit Mortuus est Prideaux scriptis post funera vivit Aufertur Letho Mitra Corona datur To these we may add the Chronogram which I meet with amongst the same Verses Iohannes PrIDeaVXVs 〈◊〉 VVIgornIae MortVVs est 1650. He was buried at Bredon in Worcester-shire August the 1â—…th Such as deny Bishops to be Peers would have conceived this Bishop a Prinâ—…e if present at his Interment such the Number and Quality of Persons attending his Funeral States-men Sir ARTHUR CHICHESTER Knight was descended of a right ancient Family dwelling at Rawley in this County He spent his youth first in the University then in the French and Irish Wars where by his valour he was effectually assistant first to plough and break up that barbarous Nation by Conquest and then to sow it with seeds of civility when by King James made Lord Deputy of Ireland Ind ed good Laws and provisions had been made by his Predecessors to that purpose but alas they were like good lessons set for a Lute out of tune uselesse untill the Instrument was fitted for them Wherefore in order to the civilizing of the Irishry in the first year of his Government he established two new Circuits for Justices of Assize the one in Connaught the other in Munster And whereas the Circuits in former times onely encompassed the English Pale as the Cynosura doth the Pole henceforward like good Planets in their several Spheres they carried the influence of Justice round about the Kingdom Yea in short time Ireland was so cleared of Theeves and Capital Offenders that so many Malefactors have not been found in the Two and Thirty Shires of Ireland as in Six English Shires in the Western Circuit He reduced the Mountains and Glinns on the South of Dublin formerly thorns in the sides of the English-Pale into the County of Wicklowe and in conformity to the English Custome many Irish began to cut their Mantles into Cloaks So observant his eye over the actions of suspected persons that Tyrone was heard to complain that he could not drink a full carouso of sack but the State was within few hours advertised thereof After he had been continued many years in his Deputy-ship and deservedly made a Lord King James recalled him home and loath to leave his abilities unimployed sent him Embassadour to the Emperour and other German Princes Being besieged in the City of Mainchine a place much indebted to his prudence for seasonable victualling it by Count Tilley he sent him word that it was against the Law of Nations to besiege an Embassadour Tilley returned that he took no notice that he was an Embassadour The Lord Chichester replied to the Messenger Had my Master sent me with as many hundred men as he hath sent me on fruitlesse Messages your General should have known that I had been a Souldier as well as an Embassadour King James at his return entertain'd him with great commendation for so well discharging his trust and he died in as great honour as any English-man of our age Anno Dom. 162. Capital Judges Sir WILLIAM HERLE Knight was made by King Edward the Third Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench in Hillary Term the first year of his Raign and before the Term ended viz. Jan. the 29. was made Chief Judge of the Common Pleas by his own free consent as I have cause to conceive he standing fair in the Kings favour For whereas sixty marks was in that age the annual salary of that place the King granted him an augmentation of two hundred and forty marks a year so long as he kept that Office This was some four years for I find Sir John Stoner put into his place in the Fourth of the Kings Raign yet so that this Sir William was his Successor the year after such alterations being usual in that age I collect him to die in the ninth of King Edward the Third the mention of him sinking that year and is placed here because if not born at which is most probable he was owner of Illfracombe in this County the Mannor whereof was held by his issue till the Raign of King Henry the Seventh and I understand that a Family of his Name and I believe of his linage hath still a Worshipful existence in Cornwall Sir JOHN CARY Knight was born at Cockington in this County and applying himself to the Study of the Laws was made Chief Baron of the Exchequer in the tenth year of King Richard the Second The greatest fault I find charged on him was Loyalty to his Lord and Master which if any dare call a disease I assure you it is a catching one among conscientious people On this honourable account this Judge lost his Office Goods and Lands in the first of King Henry the Fourth whose losses not long after providence plentifully repayed to his Posterity On this occasion A Knight Errant of Arragon comming into England and challenging any to tilt with him was undertaken by Sir Robert Cary son to Sir John aforesaid who vanquished the vain glorious Don So that King Henry the Fifth out of a sympathy of valour restored all his estate unto him This Judge dyed about the year of our Lord 1404. Sir WILLIAM HANKFORD was born at Amerie in this County a Mannor which from owners of the same name by their daughter and heir descended to the Hank fords bred in the study of the Laws till he became Chief Justice of the Kings Bench in the first of King Henry the Fifth which place he adorned with great Learning and Integrity though doleful the manner of his death on this occasion Coming home discontented from London he expressed extream anger somewhat trespassing on his judicial gravity against his Keeper for that as he said his Deer were stolen and charged him to shoot any man in the Park whom he should find there and stood not being spoken unto and he would discharge him The next night being dark he presents himself and refusing to stand the Keeper according to his Injunction shot and killed him The stump of the Oak nigh which this sad accident
strength thereof and wise conduct of their General The Loyal English did rather gaze on than pray for him as ignorant of his intentions and the Apostle observeth that the private man knoweth not how to say Amen to what is spoken in an unknown Language Now the scales began to fall down from the eyes of the English Nation as from Saul when his sight was received sensible that they were deluded with the pretences of Religion and Liberty into Atheisme and Vassallage They had learnt also from the Souldiers whom they so long had quartered to cry out One and All each Shire setting forth a Remonstrance of their grievances and refusing farther payment of Taxes Lambert cometh forth of London abounding with more outward advantages than General Monk wanted Dragon like he breathed out nought but fire and fury chiefly against the Church and Clergy But he met with a Saint George who struck him neither with sword nor spear but gave his Army a mortal wound without wounding it His Souldiers dwindled away and indeed a private person Lambert at last was little more must have a strong and long hand on his own account to hold an whole Army together The Hinder part of the Parliament sitting still at Westminster plied him with many Messengers and Addresses He returned an answer neither granting nor denying their desires giving them hope too little to trust yet too much to distrust him He was an absolute Riddle and no ploughing with his Heifer to expound him Indeed had he appeared what he was he had never been what he is a Deliverer of his Countrey But such must be as dark as midnight who mean to atchieve Actions as bright as Noon-day Then was he put on the unwellcome Office to pluck down the Gates of London though it pleased God that the Odium did not light on him that acted but those who imployed him Hence forward he sided effectually with the City I say the City which if well or ill affected was then able to make us a happy or unhappy Nation Immediately followed that TURN of our TIMES which all the World with wonder doth behold But let us not look so long on second causes as to lose the sight of the Principal Divine Providence Christ on the Crosse said to his Beloved Disciple behold thy Mother and said to her behold thy Sonne Thus was he pleased effectually to speak to the hearts of the English Behold your Soveraign which inspirited them with Loyalty and a longing desire of his presence saying likewise to our Gracious Soveraign Behold thy Subjects which encreased his ardent affection to return and now blessed be God both are met together to their mutual comfort Since the Honours which he first deserved have been conferred upon him compleated with the Title of the Duke of Albemarle and Master of his Majâ—…sties Horse c. Nor must it be forgotten that he carried the Scepter with the Dove thereupon the Emblem of Peace at the Kings Coronation But abler Pens will improve these Short Memoires into a large History Sea-men WILLIAM WILFORD was a Native nigh Plymouth in this County a valiant and successeful Sea-man It happened in the Raign of King Henry the Fourth that the French out of Britain by a sudden Invasion burnt sixteen hundred Houses in Plymouth if there be not a mistake in the figures which I vehemently suspect Sure it was a most sad desolation remembred at this day in the division of Plymouth whereof the one part is called the Britons-side the other the Old-Town But let the French boast their gain when the Game is ended which now was but began This fire enflamed all the English and especially our Wilford with desire of revenge Within a short time he made them to pay besides costs and charges more than sixfold damages by taking forty ships on the Coast of Britains and burning as many at Penarch besides many Towns and Villages for six leagues together I collect the death of this W. Wilford to be about the beginning of the Raign of King Henry the Fifth Sr. HVMPHREY GILBERT or Jilbert or Gislibert was born at Green-way in this County the pleasant Seat of his Family for a long continuance He was famous for his knowledg both by Sea and Land In the year 1569 he valiantly and fortunately served in Ireland Afterwards he led nine Companies to the assistance of the Hollanders In the year 1583 he set forth with five ships to make discoveries in the North of America where he took Sezin and Possession of New-Found-Land according to the Ancient Solemn Ceremony of cutting a Turf for the Crown of England He resolved to adventure himself in his Return in a Vessel of sorty Tun. And with two ships the onely remains of five did make for England In the instant of their winding about I may confidently report what is generally in this County averred and believed A very great Lion not swimming after the manner of a Beast with the motion of his feet nor yet diving sometimes under water and rising again as Porpyces and Dolphins do but rather gliding on the water with his whole body except legs in sight shunned not the ship nor the Marriners who presented themselves in view but turning his head too and fro yawning and gaping wide made a horrible roaring It is conceived no Spectrum or Apparition but a real fish seeing we read that such like a Lion in all lineaments was taken at Sea Anno 1282. and presented to Pope Martin the Fourth Instantly a terrible Tempest did arise and Sir Humphrey said cheerfully to his companions We are as neer Heaven here at Sea as at Land Nor was it long before his ship sunck into the Sea withal therein though the other recovered home like Jobs Messengers to bring the tydings of the destruction of their companions This sad accident happened 158. ....... COCK I am sorry I cannot add his Christian Name and more sorry that I cannot certainly avouch his Nativity in this County though inclined with many motives to believe it being a Cock of the Game indeed For in the Eighty eight Solus Cockus Anglus in sua inter medios hostes navicula cum laude periit And whereas there was not a noble Family in Spain but lost either Son Brother or Nephew in that Fight this Cock was the onely man of note of the English who fighting a Volanteer in his own ship lost his life to save his Queen and Countrey Unus homo nobis pereundo restituit rem Pity it is his memory should ever be forgotten and my Pen is sensible of no higher preferment then when it may be permitted to draw the Curtains about those who have died in the bed of Honour Sir FRANCIS DRAKE Having formerly in my Holy State written his life at large I will forbear any addition and onely present this Tetrastrick made on his Corps when cast out of the Ship wherein he died into the Sea Religio quamvis Romana
their own Country Well it were if this good old custome were resumed for if where God hath given Talents men would give but Pounds I mean encourage hopefull Abilities with helpfull Maintenance able persons would never be wanting and poor men with great parts would not be excluded the Line of preferment This Sir Thomas was afterwards Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth and a grand benefactor to both Universities as I have formerly declared at large He died Anno Domini 1577. THOMAS HOWARD wherever born is justly reputed of this County wherein he had his first honour and last habitation He was second son to Thomas last Duke of Norfolk but eldest by his wife Margaret sole heir to Thomas Lord Audley Queen Elizabeth made him Baron of Audley and Knight of the Garter and King James who beheld his father a State-Martyr for the Queen of â—…ots in the first of his raign advanced him Lord Chamberlain and Earl of Suffolk and in the twelfth of his raign July 12. Lord Treasurer of England He was also Chancellour of Cambridge loving and beloved of the University When at his first coming to Cambridge Master Francis Nethersole Orator of the University made a Latine Speech unto him this Lord returned though I understand not Latine I know the Sence of your Oration is to tell me that I am wellcome to you which I believe verily thank you for it heartily and will serve you faithfully in any thing within my power Doctor Hasnet the Vice-chancellour laying hold on the Handle of so fair a Proffer requested him to be pleased to Entertain the King at Cambridge a Favour which the University could never compass from their former great and wealthy Chancellours I will do it saith the Lord in the best manner I may with the speediest conveniency Nor was he worse then his word giving his Majesty not long after so Magnificent a Treatment in the University as cost him five thousands pounds and upwards Hence it was that after his death Thomas his second son Earl of Bark-shire not suing for it not knowing of it was chosen to succeed him losing the place as some suspected not for lack of voices but fair counting them He died at Audley end Anno Domini 1626. being Grand-father to the right Honourable James Earl of Suffolk RICHARD WESTON I behold him son to Sir Jerome Weston Sheriff of this County in the one and fourtieth of Queen Elizabeth and cannot meet with any of his relations to rectifie me if erronious In his youth he impaired his estate to improve himself with publique accomplishment but came off both a saver and a gainer at the last when made Chancellor of the Exchequer and afterwards upon the remove of the Earl of Marlburrough July 15. in the fourth of King Charles Lord Treasurer of England But I hear the Cocks crow proclaiming the dawning day being now come within the ken of many alive and when mens memories do arise it is time for History to haste to bed Let me onely be a Datary to tell the Reader that this Lord was Created Earl of Portland February 17. in the eight of King Charles and died Anno Domini 163. being father to the right Honorable Jerome now Earl of Portland Capitall Judges Sir JOHN BRAMSTONE Knight was born at Maldon in this County bred up in the Middle-Temple in the study of the Common-law wherein he attained to such eminency that he was by King Charles made Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench One of deep learning solid judgement integrity of life gravity of behaviour in a word accomplished with all qualities requisite for a Person of his place and profession One instance of his integrity I must not forget effectually relating to the Foundation wherein I was bred Serjeant Bruerton of whom formerly bequeathed by Will to Sidney-colledge well nigh three thousand pounds but for haste or some other accident so imperfectly done that as Doctor Samuel Ward informed me the gife was invalid in the Rigour of the Law Now Judge Bramstone who married the Serjeants Widdow gave himself much trouble gave himself indeed doing all things gratis for the speedy payment of the money to a Farthing and the legal setling thereof on the Colledge according to the true intention of the dead He deserved to live in better times the delivering his judgement on the Kings side in the case of Ship â—…oney cost him much trouble The posting Press would not be perswaded to stay till I had received farther instructions from the most Hopefull sons of this worthy Judge who died about the year 1646. Souldiers ROBERT FITZ-WALTER It is observable what I read in my Author that in the raign of King John there were three most eminent Knights in the land 〈◊〉 for their prowess viz. Robert Fitz-Roger Richard Mont-Fâ—…chet and this Robert Fitz-Walter Two of which three a fair proportion fall to be natives of this County This Robert was born at Woodham-walters and behaved himself right 〈◊〉 on all occasions highly beloved by King Richard the first and King John untill the later banished him the land because he would not prostitute his daughter to his pleasure But worth will not long want a Master the French-King joyfully entertained him till King John recalled him back again on this occasion five-years truce being concluded betwixt the two Crowns of England and France an English-man challenged any of the French to just a course or two on horse-back with him whom Fitz-Walter then oâ—… the French party undertook and at the first course with his great spear fell'd horse and man to the ground Thus then and ever since English-men generally can be worsted by none but English-men Hereupon the King next day sent for him restored his lands with license for him to repair his Castles and particularly Bainards-castle in London which he did accordingly He was styled of the common-people The Marshall of Gods Army and Holy-Church He died Anno Domini 1234. and lieth buried in the Priory of Little-Dunmow Sir JOHN HAWKEWOOD Knight Son to Gilbert Hawkewood Tanner was born in Sible heningham This John was first bound an apprentice to a Taylor in the City of London but soon turned his needle into a sword and thimble into a shield being pressed in the service of King Edward the third for his French Wars who rewarded his valour with Knighthood Now that mean men bred in manuall and mechanick trades may arrive at great skill in Martiall performances this Hawkewood though an eminent is not the onely instance of our English nation The heat of the French Wars being much remitted he went into Italy and served the City of Florence which as yet was a Free State Such Republiques preferred forrainers rather then natives for their Generalls because when the service was ended it was but disbursing their pay and then disbanding their power by cashering their Commission such Forraigners having no advantage to continue their
for his soul anâ—… the souls of his Relations within six weeks after his discease willing also that every Priest in Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge should have a share of that money c. He made Elizabeth his Wife and others his Executors the Earl of Essex the Lord Dinham Thomas Mountgomery Thomas Terryll supervisors of his Will beseeching them to help his Son Thomas and all his children He willed the Earl of Essex and the Lord Dinham should have a Butt of Malmsy Sir Thomas Mountgomery and Sir Thomas Terryll a Pipe of Red wine for their pains Thomas Darcy his son Esquire of the body to King Henry the sixth and Edward the fourth married Margaret one of the Dâ—…ughters and Heirs of John Harelton of Suffolk Esquire He dyed 25. of September 1485. as appears by his Epitaph on his Tombe in the Church aforesaid HENRY LANGLEY Esq. He lived at Langley-Wilebores in the Parish of Rickling in the Church whereof he lyeth buried with this Inscription Hic jacet Henricus Langley Armiger qui obiit xx Septemb. M. cccc lviii Margareta uxor ejus una filiarum Haredum Johannis Waldene Armiger quae obiit v. Martii M. cccc liii There is in the same Church a Monument for his Son the more remarkable because the last of his Family Here lyeth Henry Langley Esq. and dame Catherine his wife which Henry departed this life ii April M. cccc lxxxviii and Dame Katherine died .... the year of our Lord God ...... .... It is not usuall for the wife of an Esq. to be styled Dame except she was daughter to an Earl or Relict to a Knight This Hâ—…nry left three daughters portracted on his Marble Tombe betwixt whom his Inheritance was divided THOMAS HENENINGHAM His family flourisheth in Norfolk JOHANNES LEVENTHORP Jun. Ar. His posterity flourisheth in Hertford-shire THOMAS BARYNGTON Ar. He lived at Barington-hall in the Parish of Hatfield-Brad-Oake and lyeth buried in the Church with this Inscription Hic jacent Thomas Barington Armig. Anna uxor ejus qui quidem Thomas obiit v. Aprilis M. cccc lxxii Anna proximo die sequenti quorum Animabus propitietur Altissimus See here a sympathizing wife dying the next day after her husband of whom it may be said He first deceas d â—…he for few hours try'd To live without him lik'd it not and dy'd The family is of signall nativity enriched with large possessions in the raign of King Stephen by the Barons of Montfitchet and since received an accession of honour and estate by marrying with Winifred daughter and co-heir of Henry Pole Lord Montague son of Margaret Plantagenet Countess of Salisbury descended of the bloud Royall At this day there is a Baronet thereof with other branches of good account THOMAS BENDYSH Ar. Bomsted in this County was and is the habitation of his Family EGIDIUS LUCAS The name is honourable at this day and hath a seat with fair possessions near Colchester but how related to this Giles I know not Sure I am that it appeareth on a window in the North-side of the Church of Saxham-parva in Suffolk that Anno Domini 1428. five years before this return of Gentry one Thomas Lucas kneeling there with his wife in their Coat-Armours was Servant Secretary and one of the Council to Jasper Duke of Bedford and Earl of Pembroke THOMAS BARRET Was an Esquire of signall note and the ensuing nameless Manuscript will acquaint us with the Time of his death Thomas Barryt Squâ—…r to Kyng Harry the sixt oftentimes imployed in the French warrs under the command of John Duâ—… of Bedford as also John Duc of Norfolk being alway trew leige man to his Soveraign Lord the King having taken Sanctuary at Westminstre to shon the fury of his and the Kings enemyes was from these hayled forth and lamentably hewyn a peces about whilke tym or a lityl before the Lord Skales late in an evening entrying a Wherry Bolt with three persons and rawghing toowards Westminstre there likewise too have taken Sanctuary was discride by a woman where anon the wherry man fell on him murthered him and cast his mangled corpes alond by Saint Marie Overys As for the date of his death we may learn it out of his Epitaph on his Tombe in the Church of Saint Martins in the fields London Hic jacet Thomas Barret prenobilis Armiger qui quidem Thomas erat abstractus de sanctuario Beati Petri Westmonasterii crudeliter Interfectus per manus Impiorum contra Leges Anglie totius universalis Ecclesie privilegia jura Anno Domini 1461. Anno Illustrissimi Regis Edward quarti post conquestum primo Sub eodâ—…m quoque marmoreo Lapide Johannes Barret ejusdem Thome primogenitus sepelitur qui quidem Johannes obiit ..... die ..... Anno .... This family of the Barrets received much wealth by the daughter and heir of Bell house of Bellhouse an ancient and fair seat in the Parish of Avely in this County and some few years since determined in Sir Edward Barret Knight Lord Baron of Newburg in Scotland Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster A Hospitall house-keeper and founder of an Almes-house in Avely aforesaid He adopted Lennard Esquire son to the Lord Dacres by the daughter of the Lord North heir to his estate on condition he should assume the Surname of Barret Sheriffs of Essex and Herâ—…ford shire HEN. II. Anno 1 Rich. Basset Albericus de Verr. Anno 2 Rich. de Lucy Anno 3 Mauricus Anno 4 Anno 5 Mauricus de Tireter for 5 years Anno 10 Tullus-Bovilla Anno 11 Nich. Decanus for 4 years Anno 15 Nich. Decanus Steph. de Bell. Campo dimid Anno Anno 16 Rob. Mantellus for 12 years Anno 28 Oto filius Willielm for 6 years RICH. I. Anno 1 Oto filius Willielm Anno 2 Idem Anno 3 Galf. filius Petri Anno 4 Galf. filius Petri Rich. Heriett Anno 5 Anno 6 Galf. filius Petri Simon Pateshalla Anno 7 Will. de Long. Campo Canc. Dom. Regis Anno 8 Reginall de Argento Anno 9 Regind de Argent Hug. de Nevil Hum. de Barton Anno 10 Hugo de Nevill Iohan. de Nevill JOHAN REX Anno 1 Hugo de Nevill Iohan. de Nevill Anno 2 Idem Anno 3 Rich. de Montfitchet Ioh. de Cornheard Anno 4 Rich. de Montfitchet Anno 5 Rich. de Montfitchet Ioh. de Cornheard Anno 6 Math. Mantell Com. for 4 years Anno 10 Ioh. Mantell Anno 11 Albic Willielm filius Fulconis Anno 11 Comes Albericus Idem Willielm for 4 years Anno 16 Math. Mantell Galf. Roinges Anno 17 Rob. Mantell fr. H. Matheus Mantell HEN. III. Anno 1 Anno 2 Will. Marescallus Ioh. de Cornerd Anno 3 Walt. de Udon Anno 4 Rob. Mantell Anno 5 Steph. de Segne Raâ—… filius Reginal Anno 6 Idem Anno 7 Steph. de Segne Petr. de S â—o Edward Anno 8 Rich. de Argentoem Will de
was made Lord Chancellour of England dischargeing his place with Prudence and Equity for the terme of five years Foreseeing he should be outed of his Office being of the Anti-faction to Duke Dudley to prevent stripping he politickly put off his Robes of State resigning his Office Which done no danger of catching cold his own Under-suit was so well lined having gotten a fair Estate about Lees Abbey in Essex whereof he was created Baron He died in the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth being direct Ancestour unto the right Honourable Charles Rich now Earl of VVarwick WILLIAM POWLET where ever born had his largest Estate and highest Honour Baron of Basing and Marquess of VVinchester in this County He was descended from a younger house of the Powlets of Hinton Saint George in Sommersetshire as by the Crescent in his Arms is acknowledged One telleth us that he being a younger brother and having wasted all that was left him came to Court on trust where upon the bare stock of his wit he traffick'd so wisely and prospered so well that he got spent and left more than any Subject since the Conquest Indeed he lived at the time of the dissolution of Abbeys which was the harvest of Estates and it argued idleness if any Courtier had his Barnes empty He was servant to K. Henry the seaventh and for Thirty years together Treasurer to K. Henry the eighth Edward the sixth Qu. Mary and Qu. Elizabeth The 〈◊〉 in some 〈◊〉 owed their Crowns to his Counsel his policy being the principal 〈◊〉 of Duke Dudleys Designe to disinherit them I behold this Lord 〈◊〉 like to aged Adoram so often mentioned in Scripture being over the Tribute in the dayes of K. David all the Reign of K. Solomon untill the first Year of 〈◊〉 And though our Lord Powlet enjoyed his place not so many years yet did he serve more Soveraigns in more mutable times being as he said of himself no 〈◊〉 but an 〈◊〉 Herein the Parallel holds not The honry hairs of Adâ—…m were sent to the Grave by a violent death slain by the people in a 〈◊〉 This Lord had the rare happiness of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 setting in his full splendour having lived 97 years and seen 103 out of his body he dyed anno Domini 1572. Sr. THOMAS LAKES was born in the Parish of St. Michael in the Town of South-Hampton and there bred in Grammer-Learning under Doctor Seravia By several under Offices he was at last deservedly preferred Secretary of Estate to K. James Incredible his dexterity in dispatch who at the same time would indite write discourse more exactly than most men could severally performe them Men resembled him to one of the hips-Royal of Qu. Elizabeth called the Swift-sure such his celerity and solidity in all Affairs No lesse his secresie in concealing and what was credited to his Counsel was alwayes found in the same posture it was left in Add to all these he was a good man and a good mans Brother Dr. Arthur Lakes Bishop of Bath-and Wells King James who allwayes loved what was facile and fluent was highly pleased with his Latine Pen who by practice had made Tullie's phrase his own He was one of the three noble hands who at the Court first led Mr. George Villers into the favour of King James At last he fell for the faults of others into the Kings displeasure being punished for the Offences of one of his nearest Relations and of all them fin'd in the star-chamber he was the only person generally pittied for his suffering yet even then K. James gave him this publick Eulogie in open Court That he was a Minister of State fit to serve the greatest Prince in Europe He was outed his Secretaries place which needed him more than he it having atchieved a fair fortune which he transmitted to posterity How long he lived afterwards in a private life is to me unknown Souldiers BEAVOIS an English man was Earle of South-Hampton in the time of the Conquerer and being unable to comport with his Oppression banded against him with the Fragments of the English men the strength of Hastings the Dane and all the assistance the VVelch could afford In whose Country a Battel was fought near Carcliffe against the Normans anno Domini 1070. wherein Three Nations were conquered by One Beavois being worsted Success depends not on Valour fled to Carlile a long step from Carcliffe And afterwards no mention what became of him This is that Beavois whom the Monks cryed up to be such a man that since it hath been questioned Whether ever such a man I mean whether ever his person was in rerum natura So injurious those are who in the Reports of any mans performances exceed the bounds of probability All I will add is this that the Sword preserved and shewed to be this Beavoises in Arundel Castle is lesser perchance worn with age than that of King Edward the third kept in Westminster-Church Seamen Sr. JOHN WALLOP born in this County of a most ancient and respected Family was directed by his Genius to Sea-service at what time our Coasts were much infested with French-Piracies For there was a Knight of Malta passing in our Chronicles by the name of Prior John more proper by his Profession to be employed against the Turks lately so victorious in Hungary who liv'd by pickeering and undoing many English Merchants But our Sr. John made the French pay more than treble Dammages who with Eight Hundredh Men landed in Normandy burnt One and Twenty Towns with divers Ships in the Havens of Traport Staples c. and safely returned with wealth and Victory Methinks the ancient Armes of the Wallhops appear propheticall herein viz. argent a Bend-unde Sable interpreted by my Authour a wave or sourge of the Sea raised by some turbulent flaw of wind and tempest prognosticating the activity of that Family in Marine Performances ROBERT TOMSON Merchant was born at Andover in this County bred much at Bristol in Sea-Imployments Hence anno 1553. he sailed into Spain and thence two Years after shipped himself for Nova Hispania to make a discovery thereof on the same token that in his passage thither in a Spanish Ship a light like a canâ—…le being nothing else but a Meteor frequent by Sea and Land sell on their main Mast which the Spaniards on their knees worshiped for St. Elmo the Advocate of Saylers He afterwards wrote the Description of New Spain with the City of Mexico giving a good and the first account thereof of any Englishman During his abode many Months in Mexico at dinner he let fall some Discourse against Saint-worship for which he was imprisoned in the holy-House and enjoyned solemn Penance by the Arch-Bishop of Mexico This Tomson being the first reputed Heretick which was ever seen in America on a penitential Scaffold Hence he was sent into Spain and after three Years durance in the Inquisition discharged
preferred rather to be Adrian the fourth then Nicholas the third He held his place four years eight moneths and eight and twenty dayes and Anno 1158. as he was drinking was choakt with a Fly Which in the large Territory of St. Peters patrimony had no place but his Throat to get into But since a Flye stopt his Breath fear shall stop my Mouth not to make uncharitable Conclusions from such Casualties Cardinal BOSO confessed by all an English-man is not placed in this County out of any certainty but of pure Charity not knowing where elswhere with any Probability to dispose him But seeing he was Nephew to the late named Nicholas or Pope Adrian we have some shadow and pretence to make him of the same County This is sure his Unckle made him Cardinal in the Moneth of December 1155. and he was a great Change-Church in Rome being successively 1. Cardinal Deacon of Sts. Cosma Damiam 2. Cardinal Priest of St. Crosses of Jerusalem 3. Cardin. Pr. of St. Prudentiana 4. Cardin. Pr. of Pastor He was more than Instrumental in making Alexander the third Pope with the suffrages of 19. Cardinals who at last clearly carried it against his Anti-Pope Victor the fourth This Boso dyed Anno Dom. 1180. Prelates RICHARD de WARE for this is his true name as appears in his Epitaph though some pretending his honour but prejudicing the Truth thereby sirname him Warren He was made Abbot of Westminster 1260 and twenty years after Treasurer of England under King Edward the first This Richard going to Rome brought thence certain Work-men and rich Purphury And for the rest hear my Author By whom and whereof he made the rare Pavement to be seen at Westminster before the Communion Table containing the Discourse of the whole World which is at this day most Beautiful a thing of that Singularity Curiousnesse and Rarenesse that England hath not the like again See Readers what an Enemy Ignorance is to Art How often have I trampled on that Pavement so far from admiring as not observing it And since upon serious Survey it will not in my Eyes answer this Character of Curiosity However I will not add malice to my Ignorance qualities which too often are Companions to disparage what I do not understand but I take it on the trust of others more skilful for a Master-peece of Art This Richard dyed on the second of December 1283 the 12. of King Edward the first and lyeth buryed under the foresaid Pavement RALPH BALDOCK So called from the Place of his Nativity A MoungrelMarket in this County was bred in Merton Colledge in Oxford One not unlearned and who wrote an History of England which Leland at London did once behold King Edward the first much prised and preferred him Bishop of London He gave two hundred pounds whilst living and left more when dead to repair the East part of St. Pauls on the same token that upon occasion of clearing the Foundation an incredible number of Heads of Oxen were found buried in the Ground alledged as an argument by some to prove That anciently a Temple of Diana Such who object that heads of Stagges had been more proper for her the Goddesse of the Game may first satisfie us Whether any Creatures ferae Naturae as which they could not certainly compass at all seasons were usually offered for Sacrifices This Ralph dyed July the 24. 1313. Being buryed under a Marble Stone in St. Maries Chappel in his Cathedral JOHN BARNET had his Name and Nativity from a Market-Town in this County sufficiently known by the Road passing thorough it He was first by the Pope preferred 1361. to be Bishop of Worcester and afterwards was translated to Bath and Wells Say not this was a Retrograde motion and Barnet degraded in point of profit by such a Removal For though Worcester is the better Bishoprick in our age in those dayes Bath and Wells before the Revenues thereof were reformed under King Edward the sixth was the richer preferment Hence he was translated to Ely and for 6. years was Lord Treasurer of England He dyed at Bishops Hatfield June 7. 1373. and was buried there on the South-fide of the high Altar under a Monument now miserably defaced by some Sacrilegious Executioner who hath beheaded the Statue lying thereon THOMAS RUDBURNE no doubt according to the fashion of those dayes took his Name from Rudburne a Village within four miles from St. Albans He was bred in Oxford and Proctor thereof Anno 1402. and Chancellour 1420. An excellent Scholar and skilful Mathematician of a meek and mild temper though at one time a little tart against the Wic-livites which procured him much love with great persons He was Warden of Merton Colledge in Oxford and built the Tower over the Colledge Gate He wrote a Chronicle of England and was preferred Bishop of St. Davids He flourished Anno Domini 1419. though the date of his Death be unknown Reader I cannot satisfie my self that any Bishop since the Reformation was a Native of this County and therefore proceed to another Subject Statesmen Sir EDVVARD WATERHOUSE Knight was born at Helmsted-bury in this County of an ancient and worshipful Family deriving their discent lineally from Sir Gilbert VVaterhouse of Kyrton in Low Lindsey in the County of Lincoln in the time of King Henry the third As for our Sir Edward his Parents were John Waterhouse Esquire a man of much fidelity and Sageness Auditor many years to King Henry the Eighth of whom he obtained after a great entertainment for him in his house the grant of a Weekly Market for the Town of Helmsted Margaret Turner of the ancient house of Blunts-Hall in Suffolk and Cannons in Hartfordshire The King at his Departure honoured the Children of the said John Waterhouse being brought before him with his praise and encouragement gave a Benjamins portion of Dignation to this Edward foretelling by his Royal Augury That he would be the Crown of them all and a man of great Honour and Wisdome fit for the Service of Princes It pleased God afterwards to second the word of the King so that the sprouts of his hopeful youth only pointed at the growth and greatness of his honourable age For being but twelve years old he went to Oxford where for some years he glistered in the Oratorick and Poëtick Sphear until he addicted himself to conversation and observance of State affairs wherein his great proficiency commended him to the favour of three principal patrons One was Walter Devereux Earl of Essex who made him his bosome-friend and the said Earl lying on his death-bed took his leave of him with many kisses Oh my Ned said he farewell thou art the faithfullest and friendliest Gentleman that ever I knew In testimony of his true affection to the dead Father in his living Son this Gentleman is thought to have penned that most judicious and elegant Epistle recorded in Holinsheds History pag.
interfectis eundem Regem captivavit ipsum potenter in Angliam ductum Patri suo praesentavit Henricum etiam intrusorem Hispaniae potentissime in bello devicit Petrum Hispaniae Regem dudum à regno suo expulsum potenti virtute in regnum-suum restituit Unde propter ingentem sibi probitatem actus ipsius triumphales memoratum Principem inter regales Regum memorias dignum duximus commendandum Thus have I not kill'd two Birds with one bolt but revived two mens memories with one Record presenting the Reader according to my promise with the Character of this Prinâ—… and Style of this Writer speaking him in my conjecture to have lived about the raign of King Richard the second Since the Reformation Sir THOMAS WIAT Knight commonly called the Elder to distingish him from Sir Thomas Wiat raiser of the Rebellion so all call it for it did not succeed in the raign of Queen Mary was born at Allyngton Castle in this County which afterwards he repaired with most beautiful buildings He was servant to King Henry the eight and fell as I have heard into his disfavour about the business of Queen Anna Bollen till by his innocence industry and discretion he extricated himself He was one of admirable ingenuity and truly answered his Anagram Wiat A Wit Cambden saith he was Eques auratus splendide doctus It is evidence enough of his Protestant Inclination because he translated Davids Psalms into English meter and though he be lost both to Bale and Pits in the Catalogue of Writers yet he is plentifully found by Leland giving him this large Commendation Bella suum merito jactet Florentiâ—… Dantem Regia Petrarchae carmina Roma probat His non inferior Patrio Sermone Viattus Eloquii secum qui decus omne tulit Let Florence fair her Dante 's justly boast And Royal Rome her Petrarchs numbred feet In English Wiat both of them doth coast In whom all graceful eloquence doth meet This Knight being sent Embassador by King Henry the eight to Charles the fifth Emperour then residing in Spain before he took shipping died of the Pestilence in the West Country Anno 1541. LEONARD DIGGS Esquire was born in this County one of excellent Learning and deep judgement His mind most inclined him to Mathematicks and he was the best Architect in that age for all manner of buildings for conveniency pleasure state strength being excellent at fortifications Lest his learning should die with him for the publick profit he Printed his Tectonicon Prognostick general Stratiotick about the ordering of an Army and other works He flourished Anno Dom. 1556. and died I believe about the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth Nothing else have I to observe of his name save that hereditaâ—…y learning may seem to run in the veins of his family witnesse Sir Dudley Diggs of Chilham Castle in this County made Master of the Rolls 1636. whose abilities will not be forgotten whilest our age hath any remembrance This Knight had a younger son Fellow of All Souls in Oxford who in the beginning of our Civil Wars wrote so subtile and solid a Treatise of the difference betwixt King and Parliament that such Royalists who have since handled that Controversie have written plura non plus yea aliter rather than alia of that subject THOMAS CHARNOCK was born in the Isle of Thanet in this County as by his own words doth appear He discovereth in himself a modest Pride modest stiling himself and truly enough the uNLETTERED SCHOLAR Pride thus immoderately boasting of his Book discovering the mysteries of the Philosophers Stone For satisfying the minds of the Students in this Art Then thou art worthy as many Books as will lie in a Cart. However herein he is to be commended that he ingeniously confesseth the Persons viz. William Byrd Prior of Bath and Sir James a Priest of Sarisbury who imparted their skill unto him This Charnock in the pursuance of the said Stone which so many do touch few catch and none keep met with two very sad disasters One on New-years day the omen worse than the accident Anno 1555. when his work unhappily fell on fire The other three years after when a Gentleman long owing him a grudge paid him to purpose and pressed him a Souldier for the relieving of Calice Whence we observe two things first that this Charnock was no man of estate seeing seldom if ever a Subsidy man is pressed for a Souldier Secondly that though he practised Surgery yet he was not free of that Society who by the Statute 32 Hen. 8. are exempted from bearing armour But the spight of the spight was that this was done within a Month according to his own computation which none con confute of the time wherein certainly he had been made master of so great a treasure Such miscarriages frequent in this kind the friends of this Art impute to the envy of evil spirits maligning mankind so much happinesse the foes thereof conceive that Chymists pretend yea sometimes cause such casualties to save their credits thereby He was fifty years old Anno 1574. and the time of his death is unknown FRANCIS THINNE was born in this County and from his infancy had an ingenuous inclination to the Study of Antiquity and especially of Pedignees Herein hee made such proficiency that he was prefer ROBERT GLOVER Son to Thomas Glover Mildred his Wife was born at Ashford in this County He addicted himself to the Study of Heraldry and in the reward of his pains was first made a Pursuivant Porcul THO. MILLES Sisters Son to Robert Glover aforesaid was born at Ashford in this County and following his Uncles direction applyed himself to be eminent in the Genealogies of our English Nobility JOHN PHILPOT was born at Faulkston in this County and from his child-hood had a genius enclining him to the love of Antiquity He first was made a Pursuivant Extraordinary by the Title of Blanch-Lion then red towards the end of the raign of Q. Elizabeth to be an Herald by the Title of Lancaster A Gentleman painful and well deserving not only of his own Office but all the English Nation Whosoever shall peruse the Voluminous Works of Raphael Hollinshed will find how much he was assisted therein by the help of Mr. Thinne seeing the Shoulders of Atlas himselfe may bee weary if sometime not beholding to Hercules to relieve him He died 15. lis and then Somerset Herald When the Earle of Derby was sent into France to carry the Garter to K. Henry the third Mr. Glover attended the Embassage and was as he deserved well rewarded for his pains He by himselfe in Latine began a Book called the Catalogue of Honour of our English Nobility with their Arms and Matches Being the first Work in that kind He therein traced untrodden paths and therefore no wonder if such who since succeeded him in that subject have found a nearer way
and exceed him in Acurateness therein Being old rather in experience than years he died not 46. years old Anno 1583. and lieth buried under a comely Monument in Saint Giles without Creplegate London on the South Wall of the Quire Let Mr. Cambdens commendation pass for his Epitaph Artis Heraldicae studiosissimus peritissimusque qui in foecialium Collegio Somerseti titulum gessit Robertus Gloverus If the expression were as properly predicated of a Nephew as of the next Brother one might say he raised up seed unto his Uncle Glover in setting forth his Catalogue of Honour in English as more useful therein because chiefly of our Nationall concernment He was employed on a message of Importance from Q. Elizabeth unto Henry the fourth King of France be ing then in Normandy which trust he discharged with great fidelity and incredible scelerity being returned home with a satisfactory answer to her Highness before she could believe him arrived there In memory of which service he had given him for the Crest of his Arms a Chappeau with Wings to denote the Mercuriousnesse of this Messenger He died Anno 16. in Ordinary by name of RoughDragon and afterwards Somerset Herald He made very pertinent Additions to the second Edition of Mr. Cambdens Remains and deserved highly wel of the City of London proving in a learned and ingenious Book that Gentry doth not abate with Apprentiship but only sleepeth during the time of their Indentures and awaketh again when they are expired Nor did he contribute a little to the setting forth of his Uncles Catalogue of Honour He died Anno 1645. and was buried in Bennet Pauls-wharf THOMAS PLAYFERD was born in this County as some of his nearest Relations have informed me He was bred Fellow of Saint Johns Colledge in Cambridge and chosen 1597. to succeed Peter Barrow in the place of Margaret Professor His fluency in the Latine tongue seemed a wonder to many though since such who have seen the Sun admire no more at the Moon Doctor Collins not succeeding him so much in age as exceeding him in eloquence The counsel of the Apostle is good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Foe-Friends commending of him and his own conceiting of himself made too deep an impression on his Intellectuals It added to his Distemper that when his reâ—…election to his place after his last two years end was put into the Regent-House a great Doctor said DETUR DIGNIORI However he held his Professor-ship until the day of his death 1609. and lieth buried with an Hyperbolical Epitaph in S. Botolphs in Cambridge JOHN BOIS D. D. was descended of a right ancient and numerous Family in this County deriving themselves from J. de Bosco entring England with William the Conqueror and since dispersed into eight Branches extant at this day in their several seats Our John was bred Fellow of Clare-Hall in Cambridge and afterwards preferred Dean of Canterbury famous to posterity for his Postils in defence of our Liturgy So pious his life that his adversaries were offended that they could not be offended therewith A great Prelate in the Church did bear him no great good will for mutual animosities betwixt them whilest Gremials in the University the reason perchance that he got no higher preferment and died as I conjecture about the year 1625. Benefactors to the Publick Sir JOHN PHILPOT was born in this County where his Family hath long resided at Upton-Court in the Parish of Sibbertswood He was bred a Citizen and Grocer in London whereof he became Mayor 1378. In the second of King Richard the second our English Seas wanted scouring over-run with the rust of Piracies but chiefly with a Canker fretting into them one John Mercer a Scot with his fifteen Spanish Ships To represse whose insolence our Philpot on his own cost set forth a Fleet a project more proportionable to the Treasury of a Prince than the purse of a private subject His successe was as happy as his undertaking honourable and Mercer brought his Wares to a bad Market being taken with all his Ships and rich plunder therein Two years after he conveyed an English Army into Britaine in ships of his own hiring and with his own money released more than 1000. Arms there which the Souldiers formerly engaged for their victuals But this industry of Philpot interpretatively taxed the lazinesse of others the Nobility accusing him Drones account all Bees pragmatical to the King for acting without a Commission Yea in that ungrateful age under a Child-King Pro tantorum sumptuum praemio veniam vix obtinuit However he who whilest living was the scourge of the Scots the fright of the French the delight of the Commons the darling of the Merchants and the hatred of some envious Lords was at his death lamented and afterwards beloved of all when his memory was restored to its due esteem WILLIAM SEVENOCK was born at Sevenock in this County In allusion whereunto he gave Seven Acorns for his Arms which if they grow as fast in the field of Heraldry as in the Common field may be presumed to be Oaks at this day For it is more than 200. years since this William bred a Grocer at London became Anno 1419. Lord Mayor thereof He founded at Sevenock a fair Free Schoole for poor peoples Children and an Alms House for twenty men and women which at this day is well maintained Since the Reformation Sir ANDREW JUD Son of John Jud was born at Tunbridge in this County bred a Skinner in London whereof he became Lord Mayor Anno 1551. He built Alms Houses nigh Saint Ellens in London and a stately Free Schoole at Tunbridge in 〈◊〉 submitting it to the care of the Company of Skinners This fair Schoole hath been twice founded in effect seeing the defence and maintenance whereof hath cost the Company of Skinners in suits of Law and otherwise four thousand pounds So careful have they been though to their own great charge to see the Will of the Dead performed WILLIAM LAMB Esquire sometime a Gentleman of the Chappel to King Henry the eighth and in great favour with him was born at Sutton-Valens in this County where he erected an Alms-House and a well endowed Schoole He was a person wholly composed of goodnesse and bounty and was as general and discreet a Benefactor as any that age produced Anno 1557. he began and within five months finished the fair Conduit at Holborn-Bridge and carried the water in pipes of Lead more than two thousand yards at his own cost amounting to Fifteen hundred pound The total summe of his several gifts moderately estimated exceeded six thousand pounds He lies buried with his good works in Saint Faiths Church under Saint Pauls where this Inscription set up it seems by himself in his life time is fixed on a Brasse plate to a Pillar O Lamb of God which sin didst take away And as a Lamb wast offered up for sin Where I poor Lamb
went from thy flock astray Yet thou good Lord vouchsafe thy Lamb to win Home to thy Fold and hold thy Lamb therein That at the day when Goats and Lambs shall sever Of thy choice Lambs Lamb may be one for ever The exact time of his death I cannot meet with but by proportion I conjecture it to be about 1580. FRANCES SIDNEY Daughter of Sir William Sister to Sir Henry Lord Deputy of Ireland and President of Wales Aunt to the renowned Sir Philip Sidney was born and probably at Pensherst the ancient seat of the Sidneys in this County A Lady endowed with many Virtues signally charitable expending much in large Benefactions to the Publick She bestowed on the Abby Church of Westminster a salary of twenty pounds per annum for a Divinity Lecture and founded Sidney Sussex Colledge in Cambridge of which largely in my Church-History She was Relict of Thomas Ratcliff the third Earl of Sussex This worthy Lady died Childless unlesse such Learned Persons who received their Breeding in her Foundation may be termed her Issue on the ninth day of May Anno 1588. as appeareth by her Epitaph Sir FRANCIS NETHERSOLE Knight born at Nethersole in this County was bred Fellow of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and afterwards became Orator of the University Hence he was preferred to be Embassador to the Princes of the Union and Secretary to the Lady Elizabeth Queen of 〈◊〉 it is hard to say whether he was more remarkable for his doings or sufferings in her behalf He married Lucy eldest Daughter of Sir Henry Goodyear of Polesworth in Warwick 〈◊〉 by whose encouragement being free of himself to any good design he hath founded and endowed a very fair School at Polesworth aforesaid and is still living Memorable Persons SIMON Son of William Lynch Gent. was born at Groves in the Parish of Staple in this County Decemb. 9. 1562. But see more of his Character under this Title in Essex where his Life and death were better known MARY WATERS was born at Lenham in this County and how abundantly intituled to Memorability the ensuing Epitaph in Markeshall Church in Essex will sufficiently discover Here lieth the Body of Mary Waters the Daughter and Co-heir of Robert Waters of Lenham in Kent Esquire wife of Robert Honywood of Charing in Kent Esquire her only Husband who had at her decease lawfully descended from her Three hundred sixty seven Children sixteen of her own body one hundred and fourteen Grand-children two hundred twenty eight in the third Generation and nine in the fourth She lived a most pious life and in a Christian manner died here at Markeshall in the ninety third year of her age and in the forty fourth year of her Widowhood the eleventh of May 1620. Thus she had a Child for every day in the though Leap year and one over Here we may observe that generally the highest in Honour do not spread the broadest in posterity For time was when all the Earls in England and those then seventeen in number had not put together so many Sons and Daughters as one of them had viz. Edward Somerset Earle of Worcester And yet of both Sexes he never had but * thirteen But to return to Mistresse Waters she since hath been much out-stript in point of fruitfulnesse by one still surviving and therefore this worthy Matrone in my mind is more memorable on another account viz. for patient weathering out the tempest of a troubled conscience whereon a remarkable story dependeth Being much afflicted in mind many Ministers repaired to her and amongst the rest Reverend Mr. John Fox than whom no more happy an instrument to set the joynts of a broken spirit All his counsels proved ineffectual insomuch that in the agony of her soul having a Venice-glass in her hand she brake forth into this expression I am as surely damn'd as this glasse is broken which she immediately threw with violence to the ground Here happened a wonder the glasse rebounded again and was taken up whole and entire I confesse it is possible though difficult so casually to throw as brittle a substance that lighting on the edges it may be preserved but happening immediately in that juncture of time it seemed little lesse than miraculous However the Gentlewoman took no comfort thereat as some have reported and more have believed but continued a great time after short is long to people in pain in her former disconsolate condition without any amendment Until at last God the great Clock-keeper of Time who findeth out the fittest minutes for his own mercies suddenly shot comfort like lightning into her soul which once entred ever remained therein God doth no palliate cures what he heals it holds so that she led the remainder of her life in spiritual gladnesse This she her self told to the Reverend father Thomas Morton Bishop of Duresme from whose mouth I have received this relation In the days of Queen Mary she used to visit the Prisons and to comfort and relieve the Confessors therein She was present at the burning of Mr. Bradford in Smithfield and resolved to see the end of his suffering though so great the presse of people that her shooes were trodden off and she forced thereby to go barefoot from Smithfield to Saint Martins before she could furnish her self with a new pair for her money Her dissolution happened as is aforesaid Anno 1620. NICHOLAS WOOD was born at Halingborne in this County being a Landed man and a true Labourer He was afflicted with a Disease called Boulimia or Caninus Apetitus insomuch that he would devour at one meal what was provided for twenty men eat a whole Hog at a sitting and at another time thirty dozen of Pigeons whilest others make mirth at his malady Let us raise our gratitude to the goodness of God especially when he giveth us appetite enough for our meat and yet meat too much for our appetite whereas this painful man spent all his estate to provide Provant for his belly and died very poor about the year 1630. We will conclude this Topick of Memorable Persons with a blanck mention of him whose name hitherto I cannot exactly attain being an Ingenuous Yeoman in this County who hath two Ploughs fastened together so finely that he plougheth two furrows at once one under another and so stirreth up the Land twelve or fourteen Inches deep which in so deep ground is very good Scholars know that Hen-dia-duo is a very thrifty Figure in Rhetorick and how advantagious the improvement of this device of a Twinne-Plough may be to posterity I leave to the skilful in Husbandry to consider Lord Mayors Name Father Place Company Time 1. Will. Sevenock William Rumshed Sevenock Grocer 1418 2. Thomas Hill William Hill Hillstone Grocer 1484 3. Rich. Chawry William Chawry Westram Salter 1494 4. Andrew Jud. John Jud. Tonbridge Skinner 1550 4. John Rivers Richard Rivers Pensherst Grocer 1573 6. Edw. Osburne Richard Osburne Ashford Clothworker
no wonder if the streams issuing thence were shallow when the fountain to feed them was so low the revenues of the Crown being much abated There is no redemption from Hell There is a place partly under partly by the Exchequer Court commonly called Hell I could wish it had another name seeing it is ill jesting with edge tools especially with such as are sharpened by Scripture I am informed that formerly this place was appointed a prison for the Kings debtors who never were freed thence untill they had paid their uttermost due demanded of them If so it was no Hell but might be termed Purgatory according to the Popish erronious perswasion But since this Proverb is applyed to moneys paid into the Exchequer which thence are irrecoverable upon what plea or pretence whatsoever As long as Megg of Westminster This is applyed to persons very tall especially if they have Hop-pole-heighth wanting breadth proportionable thereunto That such a gyant woman ever was in Westminster cannot be proved by any good witness I pass not for a late lying Pamphlet though some in proof thereof produce her Grave-stone on the South-side of the Cloistures which I confess is as long an large and entire Marble as ever I beheld But be it known that no woman in that age was interred in the Cloistures appropriated to the Sepultures of the Abbot and his Monkes Besides I have read in the Records of that Abby of an infectious year wherein many Monkes dyed of the Plague and were all buried in one Grave probably in this place under this Marble Monument If there be any truth in the Proverb it rather relateth to a great Gun lying in the Tower commonly call'd long Megg and in troublesome times perchance upon ill May day in the raign of King Henry the eighth brought to Westminster where for a good time it continued But this Nut perchance deâ—…erves not the Cracking Princes EDWARD the first was born in Westminster being a Prince placed by the posture of his nativity betwixt a weak Father and a wilful Son Yet he needed no such advantage for foils to set forth his 〈◊〉 worth He was surnamed Longshanks his step being another mans stride and was very high in stature And though oftimes such who are built four stories high are observed to have little in their cock-loft yet was he a most judicious man in all his undertakings equally wise to plot as valiant to perform and which under Divine Providence was the result of both happy in success at Sea at Land at Home Abroad in VVar in Peace He was so fortunate with his Sword at the beginning of his raign that he awed all his enemies with his Scabbard before the end thereof In a word he was a Prince of so much merit that nothing under a Chronicle can make his compleat Character EDWARD sole â—…on to King Henry the sixth and Margaret his Queen was born at Westminster on the 13 day of Octo. 1453. Now when his Father's party was totally and finally routed in the battail at Teuks-bury this Prince being taken prisoner presented to King Edward the fourth and demanded by him on what design he came over into England returned this answer That he came to recover the Crown which his Ancestos for three desents had no less rightfully then peaceably possessed An answer for the truth befitting the Son of so holy a Father as King Henry the sixth and for the boldness thereof becoming the Son of so haughty a Mother as Queen Margaret But presently King Edward dashed him on the mouth with his 〈◊〉 and his Brother Richard Crook-back stab'd him to the heart with his dagger A barbarous murder without countenance of justice in a legal or valour in a military way And his blood then shed was punished not long after Here I am not ashamed to make this observation That England had successively three Edwards all Princes of Wales sole or eldest sons to actual Kings Two dying violent all untimely deaths in their minority before they were possessed of the Crown viz. 1 Edward Son to Henry 6. stab'd In the Seventeenth years of his age 2 Edward Edward 4. stifled Tenth 3 Edward Richard 3. pined away Eleventh The murder of the second may justly be conceived the punishment of the murder of the first and the untimely death of the last of whom more in Yorkshire a judgement for the murder of the two former EDWARD eldest son of Edward the fourth and Elizabeth his Queen was born in the Sanctuary of Westminster November 4. 1471. His tender years are too soft for a solid character to be fixed on him No hurt we find done by him but too much on him being murthered in the Tower by the procurement of his Unckle Protector Thus was he born in a spiritual and kill'd in a temporal Prison He is commonly called King Edward the fifth though his head was ask'd but never married to the English Crown and therefore in all the Pictures made of him a distance interposed forbiddeth the banes betwixt them ELIZABETH eldest daughter of King Edward the fourth and Elizabeth his Queen was born in Westminster on the eleventh of February 1466. She was afterwards married to King Henry the seventh and so the two Houses of York and Lancaster united first hopefully in their Bed and aâ—…terwards more happily in their Issue Bâ—…sides her dutifulness to her husband and fruitfulness in her children little can be extracted of her personal character She dyed though not in Child bearing in Child-bed being safely delivered on Candlemas day Anno 1503 of the Lady Katharine and afterwards falling sick languished until the eleventh of February and then died in the thirty seventh year of her age on the day of her nativity She lieth buried with her husband in the Chappel of his erection and hath an equal share with him in the use and honour of that his most magnificent monument CECILY second daughter to King Edward the fourth by Elizabeth his Queen bearing the name of Cecily Dutchess of York her grand mother and god mother was born at Westminster In her Child-hood mention was made of a marriage betwixt her and James son to James the third Prince of Scotland But that Motion died with her father Heaven wherein marriages are made reserving that place for Margaret her eldest sisters eldest daughter She long led a single life but little respected of King Henry the seventh her brother in law That politick King knowing that if he had none or no surviving Issue by his Queen then the right of the Crown rested in this Cecily sought to suppress her from popularity or any publick appearance He neither preferred her to any 〈◊〉 Prince nor disposed of her to any prime Peer of England till at last this Lady wedded her self to a Linconshire Lord John Baron Wells whom King Henry advanced Viscount and no higher After his death my Author saith she was re-married not mentioning her husbands name
in Sussex thence removed into this County I find this remarkable passage recorded of Henry de Perpoint who flourished in those parts in the beginning of King Edward the First Claus. 8 Edvardi 1. membrana tertia in dorso in Tur. Londin Memorandum quod Henricus de 〈◊〉 die Lunae in 〈◊〉 Octab. Sancti Michaelis venit in 〈◊〉 apud Lincolâ—…iam publicè dixit quod sigillum suum amisit protestabatur quod si aliquod instrumentum cum sigillo illo post tempus illud inveniretur consignatum illud nullius esse valoris vel momenti Memorand That Henry de 〈◊〉 on Munday the day after the Octaves of St. Michael came into the Chancery at Lincoln and said publickly that he had lost his Seal and protested that if any instrument were found sealed with that Seal after that time the same should be of no value or effect He appeareth a person of prime quality that great prejudice might arise by the false use of his true Seal if found by a dishonest person so that so solemn a protest was conceived necessary for the prevention thereof Robert Perpoint a Descendent from this Henry was by King Edward the third summoned as a Baron to Parliament but died as I am informed before he sate therein which hindered the honour of Peerage from descending to his posterity But this Robert Perpoint was Robert the younger in distinction from his Name-sakeAncestor who lived in great dignity under King Edward the Third as by the following Record will appear Claus. 49 Hon. 3. in dorso memb 6. Rex Priori S. Johannis Jerusalem in Anglia salutem Cum dilectus fidelis noster Robertus de Petroponte qui fidei nostrae Edwardi primogentâ—…i nostri hactenus constanter adhaesit in conflictu habito apud Lewes captus esset ab inimicis nostris detentus in prisona Hugonis le Despenser donec per septingentas marcas finem fecisset cum eodem pro â—…edemptione sua unde Walerandus de Munceaus se praefato Hugoni pro praedicto Roberto obligavit per quandam chartam de feoffamento scripta obligatoria inter ipsos confecta quae vobis liberata fuerant custodienda ut dicitur Nos ipsorum Roberti Walerandi indempnitatt prospicere eidem Roberto gratiam facere volentes specialem vobis mandamus firmiter injungentes quod cartas scripta praedicta eidem Roberto Walerando vel eorum alteri sine morae dispendio deliberari faciatis nos inde versus vos servabimus indempnes In cujus c. Teste Rege apud Westmonasterium 15. die Octobris The King to the Prior of St. John Jerusalem in England greeting Whereas our beloved and faithful Robert Perpoint who hitherto hath constantly adher'd to our trust and of our first born Edward was taken by our enemies in a skirmish at Lewes and kept in the prison of Hugh le Dispenser untill by seven hundred marks he had made an end with him for his ransoming whereupon Walerand of Munceaus bound himself to the forenamed Hugh for the foresaid Robert by a certain charter of feoffment and obligatory writings made betwixt them which as is said were delivered to you to be kept We willing to provide for the safety of the said Robert and Walerand and to do a special favour to the same Robert do command you firmly injoyning that ye cause the foresaid charters and writings without any delay to be delivered to the same Robert and Walerand or to one of them and we shall thenceforth save you harmless Witness the King at Westminster the 15. day of October Whoso seriously considereth how much the Mark and how little the Silver of our Land was in that Age will conclude seven hundred marks a ransom more proportionable for a Prince than private person The best was that was not paid in effect which by command from the King was restored again The Farewell There is in this County a small Market Town called Blithe which my Author will have so named à jucunditate from the mirth and good fellowship of the Inhabitants therein If so I desire that both the name and the thing may be extended all over the Shire as being confident that an Ounce of mirth with the same degree of grace will serve God more and more acceptably than a pound of sorrow OXFORD-SHIRE hath Bark-shire divided first by the Isis then by the Thames on the South Glocester-shire on the West Buckingham-shire on the East Warwick and Northampton Shires on the North. It aboundeth with all things necessary for mans life and I understand that Hunters and Falconers are no where better pleas'd Nor needeth there more pregnant proof of plenty in this place than that lately Oxford was for some years together a Court a Garrison and an University during which time it was well furnished with provisions on reasonable rates Natural Commodities Fallow Deer And why of these in Oxford shire why not rather in Northampton-shire where there be the most or in York shire where there be the greatest Parks in England It is because John Rous of Warwick telleth me that at Woodstock in this County was the most ancient Park in the whole Land encompassed with a Stone-wall by King Henry the First Let us premise a line or two concerning Parks the case before we come to wha t is contained therein 1. The word Parcus appears in Varro derivd no doubt à parcendo to spare or save for a place wherein such Cattle are preserved 2. There is mention once or twice in Dooms-day Book of Parcus silvestris bestiarum which proveth Parks in England before the Conquest 3. Probably such ancient Parks to keep J. Rous in credit and countenance were onely paled and Woodstock the first that was walled about 4. Parks are since so multiplyed that there be more in England than in all Europe besides The Deer therein when living raise the stomachs of Gentlemen with their sport and when dead allay them again with their flesh The fat of Venison is conceived to be but I would not have Deer-stealers hear it of all flesh the most vigorous nourishment especially if attended with that essential addition which Virgil coupleth therewith Implentur veteris Bacchi pinguisque ferinae Old Wine did their thirst allay fat Venison hunger But Deer are daily diminished in England since the Gentry are necessitated into thrift and forced to turn their pleasure into profit Jam seges est ubi Parcus erat and since the sale of Bucks hath become ordinary I believe in proâ—…ess of time the best stored Park will be found in a Cooks shop in London Wood. Plenty hereof doâ—…h more hath grown in this County being daily diminished And indeed the Woods therein are put to too hard a task in their daily duty viz. To find fewel and timber for all the houses in and many out of the Shire and they cannot hold out if not seasonably relieved by Pit-cole found
his Paynes and Piety Prelates ROBERT of SHREWSBURY was in the reign of King John but I dare not say by him preferred Bishop of Bangor 1197. Afterwards the King waging war with Leoline Prince of Wales took this Bishop prisoner in his own Cathedral Church and enjoyned him to pay Three hundred Hawkes for his ransome Say not that it was improper that a Man of Peace should be ransomed with Birds of Prey seeing the Bishop had learnt the Rule Redime te captum quam queas minimo Besides 300 Hawkes will not seem so inconsiderable a matter to him that hath read how in the reign of King Charles an English Noble Man taken prisoner at the I le Ree was ransomed for a Brace of Grey-hounds Such who admire where the Bishop on a sudden should furnish himself with a stock of such Fowl will abate of their wonder when they remember that about this time the Men of Norway whence we have the best Hawkes under Magnus their General had possessed themselves of the Neighbouring Iland of Anglesea Besides he might stock himself out of the Aryes of Pembrook-shire where Perigrines did plentifully breed How ever this Bishop appeareth something humerous by one passage in his Will wherein he gave order that his Body should be buried in the middle of the Market place of Shrewsbury Impute it not to his profaness and contempt of Consecrated ground but either to his humility accounting himself unworthy thereof or to his prudential fore-sight that the fury of Souldiers during the intestine War betwixt the English and Welsh would fall fiercest on Churches as the fairest market and men preferring their profit before their Piety would preserve their Market-places though their Churches were destroyed He died Anno 1215. ROBERT BURNEL was son to Robert and brother to Hugh Lord Burnel whose Prime Seat was at Acton-Burnel-Castle in this County He was by King Edwà rd the First preferred Bishop of Bath and VVellâ—…s and first Treasurer then Chancelor of England He was well vers'd in the Welsh affairs and much us'd in managing them and that he might the more effectually attend such employment caused the Court of Chancery to be kept at Bristol He got great Wealth wherewith he enriched his kindred and is supposed to have rebuilt the decayed Castle of Acton-Burnel on his own expence And to decline envy for his secular structures left to his heirs he built for his Successors the beautiful Hall at VVells the biggest room of any Bishops Palace in England pluck'd down by Sir John Gabos afterwards executed for Treason in the reign of King Edward the Sixth English and Welsh affaires being setled to the Kings contentment he employed Bishop Burnel in some businesse about Scotland in the Marches whereof he died Anno Domini 1292. and his body solemnly brought many miles was buried in his own Cathedral WALTER de WENLOCK Abbot of Westminster was no doubt so named from his Nativity in a Market Town in this County I admire much that Matthew of VVestminster writeth him VVilliam de VVenlock and that a Monk of VVestminster should though not miscall mis-name the Abbot thereof He was Treasurer of England to King Edward the First betwixt the twelfth and fourteenth year of his reign and enjoyed his Abbots Office six and twenty years lacking six dayes He died on Christmasse day at his Mannor of Periford in Glocester-shire 1307 and was buried in his Church at VVestminster besides the High-Altar before the Presbutery without the South dore of King Edward's Shrine where Abbas VValterus non fuit Ausâ—…erus is part of his Epitaph RALPH of SHREWSBURY born therein was in the third of King Edward the Third preferred Bishop of Bath VVells Being consecrated without the Popes privity a daring adventure in those dayes he paid a large sum to expiate his presumption therein He was a good Benefactor to his Cathedral and bestowed on them a Chest Port-cullis-like barred with iron able to hold out a siege in the view of such as beheld it But what is of proof against Sacriledge Some Thieves with what Engines unknown in the reign of Queen Elizabeth forced it open But this Bishop is most memorable for erecting and endowing a spacious structure for the Vicars-Choral of his Cathedral to inhabit together which in an old Picture is thus presented The Vicars humble petition on their knees Per vicos positi villae Pater alme rogamus Ut simul uniti te dante domos maneamus To us dispers'd i th' streets good Father give A place where we together all my live The gracious answer of the Bishop sitting Vestra petunt merita quod sint concessa petita Ut maneatis ita loca fecimus haec stabilita Your merits crave that what you crave be yeilded That so you may remain this place we 've builded Having now made such a Palace as I may term it for his Vicars he was in observation of a proportionable distance necessitated in some sort to enlarge the Bishops Seat which he beautified and fortified Castle-wise with great expence He much ingratiated himself with the Country people by disforasting Mendip Beef better pleasing the Husbandmans palate than Venison He sate Bishop thirty four years and dying August 14. 1363. lieth buried in his Cathedral where his Statue is done to the life Vivos viventes vultus vividissimè exprimens saith my Authour ROBERT MASCAL Was bred saith Bale in and born saith Pitz positively at Ludlow in this County where he became a Carmelite Afterwards he studied in Oxford and became so famous for his Learning and Piety that he was made Confessor to Henry the Fourth and Counsellor to Henry the Fifth Promoted by the former Bishop of Hereford He was one of the Three English Prelates which went to and one of the Two which returned alive from the Council of Constance He died 1416 being buried in the Church of White-Friers in London to which he had been an eminent Benefactor RICHARD TALBOTE was born of Honourable Parentage in this County as Brother unto John Talbote the first Earl of Shrewsbury Being bred in Learning he was consecrated Arch-bishop of Dublin in Ireland 1417. He sate two and thirty years in that See being all that time a Privy Counsellor to King Henry the Fifth and Sixth twice Chief Justice and once Chancelor of Ireland He deserved well of his Church founding six petty Canons and as many Choristers therein yea generally of all Ireland writing a Book against James Earl of Ormond wherein he detected his abuses during his Lieutenancy in Ireland He died August the 15. 1449. and lieth buried in Saint Patricks in Dublin under a marble stone whereon an Eâ—…itaph is written not worthy the inserting The said Richard was unanimously chosen Arch-bishop of Armagh a higher place but refused to remove wisely preferring Safety above either Honor or Profit GEORGE DAY was born in this County and successively Scholer Fellow and
else quite forgotten any other vocation Hard it was for peace to feed all the Idle mouthes which a former war did breed being too proud to begge too lazy to labour Those infected the Highwayes with their Felonies some presuming on their multitudes as the Robbers on the Northern Rode whose knot otherwise not to be untyed Sr. John cut asunder with the Sword of Justice He possessed King James how the frequent granting of pardons was prejudicial to Justice rendring the Judges to the contempt of insolent Malesactors which made his Majesty more sparing afterward in that kind In a word the deserved death of some scores preserved the lives and livelyhoods of more thousands Travellers owing their safety to this Judges severity many years after his death which happened Anno Dom. 16. Souldiers JOHN COURCY Baron of Stoke-Courcy in this County was the first Englishman who invaded and subdued Ulster in Ireland therefore deservedly created Earl thereof He was afterward surprised by Hugh Lacy corrival for his Title sent over into England and imprisoned by King John in the Tower of London A French-Castle being in controverfie was to have the Title thereof tried by Combate the Kings of England and France beholding it Courcy being a lean lank body with staring eyes prisoners with the wildnesse of their looks revenge the closenesse of their bodies is sent for out of the Tower to undertake the Frenchman and because enfcebled with long durance a large bill of fare was allowed him to recruit his strength The Monsieur hearing how much he had eat and drank and guessing his courage by his stomack oâ—… rather stomack by his appetite took him for a Canibal who would devoure him at the last course and so he declined the Combate Afterwards the two Kings desirous to see some proof of Courcy's strength caused a steel Helmet to be laid on a block before him â—…ourcy looking about him 〈◊〉 grimme countenance as if he intended to cut with his eyes as well as with his arms sundered the Helmet at one blow into two pieces striking the Sword so deep into the wood that none but himself could pull it out again Being demanded the cause why he looked so sternly Had I said he failed of my design I would have killed the Kings and all in the place words well-spoken because well taken all persons present being then highly in good humour Hence it is that the Lord Courcy Baron of Ringrom second Baron in Ireland claim a priviledge whether by Patent or Prescription Charter or Custome I know not after their first obeisance to be covered in the Kings presence if processe of time had not antiquated the practice His devotion was equal to his valour being a great Founder and endower of Religious Houses In one thing he fouly failed turning the Church of the Holy Trinity in Down into the Church of St. Patrick for which as the Story saith he was condemned never to return into Ireland though attempting it fifteen several times but repell'd with foul weather He afterwards went over and died in France about the year 1210. MATTHEW GOURNAY was born at Stoke-under-Hamden in this County where his Family had long flourished since the Conquest and there built both a Castle and a Colledge But our Matthew was the honour of the House renowned under the reign of King Edward the Third having fought in seven several signal set Battails viz. 1 At the siege of d'Algizer against the Sarazens 2 At the Battail of Benemazin against the same 3 Sluce a Sea-fight against the French 4 Cressy a Land-fight-against the same 5 Ingen Pitch'd fights against the French 6 Poictiers Pitch'd fights against the French 7 Nazaran under the Black Prince in Spain His Armour was beheld by Martial Men with much civil veneration with whom his faithful Buckler was a relique of esteem But it added to the wonder that our Matthew who did lie and watch so long on the bed of honour should die in the bed of peace aged ninety and six years about the beginning of King Richard the Second He lieth buried under a fair Monument in the Church of Stoke aforesaid whose Epitaph legible in the last age is since I suspect defaced Sea-men Sir AMIAS PRESTON Knight was descended of an Ancient Family who have an Habitationat Cricket nigh Creukern in this County He was a Valiant Souldier and Active Sea-man witnesse in 88. when he seized on the Admiral of the Galiasses wherein Hugh de Moncada the Governour making resistance with most of his Men were burnt or killed and Mr. Preston as yet not Knighted shared in a vast Treasure of Gold taken therein Afterwards Anno 1595 he performed a victorious Voyage to the West-Indies wherin he took by assault the I le of Puerto Santo invaded the I le of Coche surprised the Fort and Town of Coro sacked the stately City of St. Jago put the Town of Cumana to ransome entred Jamaica with little loss some profit and more honour safely returned within the space of six months to Milford Haven in Wales I have been informed from excellent hands that on some dis-tast he sent a Challenge to Sr. Walter Raleigh which Sr. Walter declined without any abatement to his Valour wherein he had abundantly satisfied all possibility of suspicion and great advancement of his Judgement For having a fair and fixed Estate with Wife and Children being a Privy Counsellor and Lord Warden of the Stannereys he thought it an uneven lâ—…y to stake himself against Sr. Amias a private and as I take it a single person though of good birth and courage yet of no considerable Estate This also is consonant to what he hath written so judiciously about Duels condemning those for ill Honours where the Hangman gives the Garland However these two Knights were afterwards reconciled and Sr. Amias as I collect died about the beginning of the reign of King James Learned Writers GILDAS sirnamed the WISE was born in the City of Bath and therefore it is that he is called Badonicus He was eight years junior to another Gildas called Albanius whose Nativity I cannot clear to belong to our Brittain He was also otherwise sur-stiled Querulus because the little we have of his Writing is only a Complaint Yet was he none of those whom the Apostle condemneth These are Murmurâ—…s Complainers c. taxing only such who either were impious against GOD or uncharitable against men complaining of them either without cause or without measure whilst our Gildas only inveigheth against the sins and bemoaneth the sufferings of that wicked and woful age wherein he lived calling the Clergy Montes Malitiae the Brittons generally Atramentum seculi He wrote many Books though we have none of them extant at this day some few fragments excepted inserted amongst the Manuscript Canons but his aforesaid History This makes me more to wonder that so Learned a Critick as Dr. Gerrard 〈◊〉 should attribute the Comedy of Aulularia
till sent to St. Johns then to Trinity Colledge in Cambridge whereof he was Fellow and there chosen Regius Professâ—…r one of the most profound School-Divines of the English Nation Afterwards by the Queens absolute mandate to end a contention betwixt two Corrivals not much with his will he was made Master of Katharine-hall For when Archbishop Whitgift joyed him of the place he returned that it was Terminus diminuens taking no delight in his preferment But his Grace told him That if the injuries much more the less courtesies of Princes must be thankfully taken as the Ushers to make way for greater as indeed it came to passe For after the death of Dr. Nowel he was by the especial recommendation of Sr. Fulke Grevil made Dean of St. Pauls Being appointed to preach before the Queen he profess'd to my Father most intimate with him that he had spoken Latin so long it was troublesome to him to speak English in a continued Oration He frequently had those words of the Psalmist in his mouth VVhen thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth surely every man is vanity I cite it the rather out of the new Translation something different from the old because he was so eminent an Instrument employed therein King James made him Bishop of Norwich where he was a discreet presser of Conformity on which score he got the ill will of many dis-affected thereunto and died Anno 1618. LEONARD MAW was born at * Rendlesham in this Connty a remarkable place Iassure you which though now a Country Village was anciently the Residence of the Kings of the East-Angles Where King Redwald a Mongrel Christian kept at the same time Altare Arulam the Communion Table and Altars for Idols He was bred in Cambridge where he was Proctor of the University Fellow and Master of Peter-house after of Trinity Colledge whereof he deserved well shewing what might be done in five years by good Husbandry to dis-ingage that Foundation from a great debt He was Chaplain to King Charles whilst he was a Prince and waited on him in Spain by whom he was preferred Bishop of Bath and Wells He had the Reputation of a good Scholar a grave Preacher a mild man and one of Gentil Deportment He died Anno Domini 163. RALPH BROUNRIG D. D. was born at Ipswich of Parents of Merchantly condition His Father died in his Infancy and his Mother did not carelesly cast away his youth as the first Broachings of a Vessel but improved it in his Education at School till he was sent to Pembroke-hall in Cambridge and afterwards became Scholar and Fellow thereof King James coming to Cambridge was amongst others entertained with a Philosophy Act and Mr. Brounrig was appointed to perform the Joco-serious part thereof who did both to the wonder of the Hearers Herein he was like himself that he could on a sudden be so unlike himself and instantly vary his words and matter from mirth to solidity No man had more ability or less inclination to be Satyrical in which kind posse nolle is a rarity indeed He had wit at will but so that he made it his Page not Privy Councellour to obey not direct his Judgement He carried Learning enough in numerato about him in his pockets for any Discourse and had much more at home in his chests for any serious Dispute It is hard to say whether his loyal memory quick fancy solid judgement or fluent utterance were most to be admired having not only flumen but fulmen eloquentiae being one who did teach with Authority When commencing Bachelour in Divinity he chose for his Text Vobis autem c. It is given to you not only to beleeve but suffer in the behalf of Christ. A Text somewhat Prophetical to him who in the Sequele of his life met with affronts to exercise his Prudence and Patience being afterwards defied by some who almost Deified him before in whose Eyes he seemed the blacker for wearing white sleeves when 1641 made Bishop of Exeter I was present at his Consecration Sermon made by his good Friend Doctor Younge taking for his Text The waters are risen O Lord the waters are risen c. wherein he very gravely complained of the many invasions which Popular violence made on the Priviledges of Church and State This Bishop himself was soon sadly sensible of such Inundations and yet by the Procâ—…rity of his parts and piety he not only safely waded thorough them himself but also when Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge by his prudence raised such Banks that those overflowings were so not destructive as otherwise they would have been to the University He continued constant to the Church of England a Champion of the needful use of the Liturgie and for the Priviledges of Ordination to belong to Bishops alone Unmoveable he was in his principles of Loyalty witness this instance O. P. with some shew of respect unto him demanded the Bishops Judgement non plus't it seems himself in some business to whom he returned My Lord the best counsel I can give you is Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods with which free answer O. P. was rather silenced than satisfied About a year before his death he was invited by the Society of both Temples to be their Preacher admirably supplying that place till strong fits of the Stone with Hydropical Inclinations and other distempers incident to phletorick Bodies caused his death I know all Accidents are minuted and momented by Divine Providence and yet I hope I may say without sin his was an untimely death not to himself prepared thereunto but as to his longer life vvhich the prayers of pious people requested the need of the Church required the date of Nature could have permitted but the pleasure of God to which all must submit denied Otherwise he vvould have been most instrumental to the composure of Church differences the deserved opinion of whose goodness had peaceable possession in the hearts of the Presbyterian party I observed at his Funeral that the prime persons of all Perswasions were present whose Judgements going several wayes met all in a general grief for his decease He was buried on the cost of both Temples to his great but their greater honour The Reader is referred for the rest to the Memorials of his life written by the Learned Doctor John Gauden who preached his Funeral Sermon and since hath succeeded him both in the Temple and Bishoprick of Exeter His dissolution happened in the 67th year of his Age Decemb. 7 1659 and was buried the week following in the Temple Church States-men S â— NICHOLAS BACON Knight was born in this County not far from the famous Abbey of St. Edmunds Bury and I have read that his Father was an Officer belonging thereunto His name I assure you is of an Ancient Gentry in this Shire as any whatsoever He was
Townsmen should depart though plundred to a groat with their lives and himself with fourty nine more such as the Duke of Guise should chose should remain prisoners to be put to ransome This was the best news brought to Paris and worst to London for many years before It not only abated the Queens cheer the remnant of Christmas but her mirth all the dayes of her life Yet might she thank her self for loosing this Key of France because hanging it by her side with so slender a string there being but five hundred Souldiers effectually in the Garrison too few to manage such a piece of importance The Lord Wentworth the second of June following was solemnly condemned for Treason though un-heard as absent in France which was not only against Christian charity but Roman Justice Festus confessing it was not fashionable amongst them To deliver any man to die before he which is accused have the accusers face to face and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him It was well for this Lord that he was detained in France till his ransome was paid and Queen Mary dead who otherwise probably had lost his life if he had had his liberty But Queen Elizabeth coming to the Crown he found the favour or rather had the Justice to be tried again and was acquitted by his Peers finding it no treachery cowardise or carelesness in him but in Sr. John Harlston and Sr. Ralph Chamberlain the one Governour of Rise-Bank the other of Calis-Castle for which they were both condemned to die though their judgment was remitted This Lord was the only person I have read of who thus in a manner played Rubbers when his head lay at stake and having lost the fore recovered the after-game He died a very aged man 1590. Sea-men THOMAS CAVENDISH of Trimley in this County Esq. in pursuance of his generous inclination to make foreign discoveries for the use and honour of his Nation on his own Cost victualled and furnished three Ships the least of Fleets as followeth Tunn 1 The Desire Admiral of 120 2 The Content Vice-Admiâ—…al of 40 3 The Hugh-Gallant Rere-Admiral of 40 All three managed by 123 persons with which he set sail from Plymouth the 21th of July 1586. So prosperous their winds that by the 26 of August they had gone nine hundred and thirty leagues to the South of Africa Then bending their course South-West January the 7th they entred the mouth of the Magellan-straits Straits indeed not only for the narrow passage but many miseries of hunger and cold which Mariners must encounter therein Here Mr. Cavendish named a Town Port-famine and may never distressed Seaman be necessitated to land there It seems the Spanjards had a design so to fortifie these Straits in places of advantage as to ingross the passage that none save themselves should enter the Southern Sea But God the promoter of the publick good destroyed their intended Monopoly sending such a mortality amongst their Men that scarce five of five hundred did survive On the 24 of February they entred the South-sea and frequently landed as they saw occasion Many their conflicts with the Natives more with the Spanjards coming off Gainers in most and Savers in all encounters that alone at Quintero excepted April 1 1587 when they lost twelve Men of account which was the cause that the June following they purposely sunk the Rere-Admiral for want of Men to manage her Amongst the many prizes he took in his passage the St. Anne was the most considerable being the Spanish Admiral of the Southern-sea of seven hundred Tuns However our Cavendish boarded her with his little Ship a Chicken of the game will adventure on a greater fowl and leap where he cannot reach and mastered her though an hundred and ninety persons therein There were in the Ship an hundred and two and twenty thousand Pezos each worth eight shillings of gold the rest of the lading being Silks Sattins Musks and other rich Commodities Mr. Cavendish his mercy after equaled his valour in the fight landing the Spaniards on the Shore and leaving them plentiful provisions Surrounding the East-Indies and returning for England the Ship called the Content did not answer her name whose Men took all occasions to be mutinous and stayed behind in a road with Stephen Hare their Master and Mr. Cavendish saw her not after But he who went forth with a Fleet came home with a Ship and safely landed in Plymouth Sept. 9 1588. Amongst his Men three most remarkable Mr. John Way their Preacher Mr. Thomas Fuller of Ipswich their Pilote and Mr. Francis Pretty of Eyke in this County who wrote the whole History of their Voyage Thus having circumnavigated the whole Earth let his Ship no longer be termed the Desire but the Performance He was the third Man and second English Man of such universal undertakings Not so successeful his next and last Voyage begun the 26th of August 1591 when he set sail with a Fleet from Plymouth and coming in the Magellan-straits neer a place by him formerly named Port-â—…esire he was the November following casually severed from his Company not seen or heard of aâ—…tervvard Pity so illustrious a life should have so obscure a death But all things must be as Being it self vvill have them to be Physicians WILLIAM BUTLER vvas born at Ipswich in this County vvhere he had one only brother who going beyond sea turned Papist for which cause this VVilliam was so offended with him that he left him none of his Estate I observe this the rather because this VVilliam Butler was causlesly suspected for Popish inclinations He was bred Fellow of Clare-Hall in Cambridge where he became the Aesculapius of our Age. He was the first English man who quick ' ned Galenical Physick with a touch of Paracelsus trading in Chymical Receits vvith great successe His eye vvas excellent at the instant discovery of a cadaverous face on which he vvould not lavish any Art this made him at the first sight of sick Prince Henry to get himself out of sight Knowing himself to be the Prince of Physicians he would be observ'd accordingly Complements would prevail nothing with him intreaties but little surly threatnings would do much and a witty jeere 〈◊〉 any thing He was better pleased with presents than money loved what was pretty rather than what was costly and preferred rarities before riches Neatness he neglected into slovinlyness and accounting cuffs to be manacles he may be said not to have made himself ready for some seven years together He made his humoursomnesse to become him wherein some of his Profession have rather aped than imitated him who had morositatem aequabilem and kept the tenor of the same surliness to all persons He was a good Benefactor to Clare-Hall and dying 1621 he was buried in the Chancel of St. Maries in Cambridge under a fair Monument Mr. John Crane that expert Apothecary and his Executour is since
departed this life a little before the beginning of our Civil Wars Memorable Persons JOHN CAVENDISH Esq. was born at Cavendish in this County bred at Court a Servant in ordinary attendance on King Richard the Second when Wat Tyler played Rex in London It happ'ned that Wat was woundly angry with Sir John Newton Knight Sword-Bearer to the King then in presence for devouring his distance and not making his approaches mannerly enough unto him Oh the pride of a self-promoting Pesant Much bussling a rising thereabout Sir William Walworth Lord Mayor of London arrested VVat and with his Dagger wounded him and being well stricken in years wanted not valour but vigour to dispatch him He is seconded by John Cavendish standing by who twice or thrice wounded him mortally my Author complaining That his death was too worthy from the hands of honourable persons for whom the Axe of the Hangman had been too good I would have said the Hâ—…lter of the Hangman But it matters not by whom a Traitor be kill'd so he be kill'd Hereupon the Arms of London were augmented with a Dagger and to divide the Honour equally betwixt them if the Heaft belonged to Walworth the Blade or point thereof at least may be adjudged to Cavendish Let me add that King Richard himself shewed much wisedome and courage in managing this matter so that in our Chronicles he appeareth wiser Youth than Man as if he had spent all the stock of his discretion in appeasing this tumult which happened Anno Dom. 1381. Sir THOMAS COOK Knight Sir WILLIAM CAPELL Knight I present these pair of Knights in parallels because I find many considerable occurrences betwixt them in the course of their lives 1 Both were natives of this County born not far asunder Sir Thomas at Lâ—…venham Sir William at Stoke-Neyland 2 Both were bred in London free of the fame Company of Drapers and were Lord-Mayors of the City 3 Both by Gods blessing on their industry attained great Estates and were Royal-Merchants indeed The later is reported by tradition since by continuance consolidated into Historical truth that after a large entertainment made for King Henry the Seventh he concluded all with a Fire wherein he burnt many Bonds in which the King a Borrower in the beginning of his Reign stood obliged unto him a sweet perfume no doubt to so thrifty a Prince not to speak of his expensive Frolick when at another time he drank a dissolved Pearl which cost him many hundreds in an health to the King 4 Both met with many molestations Sir Thomas being arraigned for lending money in the reign of King Edward the Fourth hardly escaped with his life thank a good God a just Judge and a stout Jury though griveously fined and long imprisoned As for Sir William Empson and Dudley fell with their bodies so heavy upon him that they squeased many thousand pounds out of his into the Kings Coffers 5 Both died peaceably in Age and Honour leaving great Estates to their Posterities The Cooks flourishing lately at Giddy-Hall in Essex in a Worshipful as the Capels at Hadham in Hartford-shire now in an Honourable condition Nor must it be forgotten that Elizabeth daughter to Sir William Capel was married to William Powlet Marquess of Winchester and Mildred descended from Sir Thomas Cook to William Cecil Lord Burleigh both their husbands being successively Lord Treasurers of England for above fifty years Sir Thomas Cook lieth buried in the Church of Augustineâ—… â—… London Sir William Capel in the South-side of the Parish Church of St. Bartholomews in a Chappel of his own addition behind the Exchange though the certain date of their deaths do not appear Lord Mayors Name Father Place Company Time 1 John Michel John Michel Ekelingham Stock-Fishmonger 1422. 2 Henry Barton Henry Barton Myldenhal Skinner 1428. 3 Roger Oteley Will. Oteley Vfford Grocer 1434. 4 John Paddesley Simon Paddesley Bury St. Edmunds Gold-smith 1440. 5 Simon Eyre John Eyre Brandon Draper 1445. 6 William Gregory Roger Gregory Myldenhal Skinner 1451. 7 Thomas Cook Robert Cook Lavenham Draper 1462. 8 Richard Gardiner John Gardiner Exning Mercer 1478. 9 William Capel John Capel Stoke-Neyland Draper 1503. 10 William Coppinger Walter Coppinger Buckshal Fish-monger 1512. 11 John Milborn John Milbourn Long-Melford Draper 1521. 12 Roger Martin Lawrence Martin Long-Melford Mercer 1567. 13 John Spencer Richard Spencer Walding-Field Cloath-worker 1594. 14 Stephen Some Thomas Some Bradley Grocer 1598. Reader this is one of the twelve pretermitted Shires the Names of whose Gentry were not returned into the Tower in the reign of King Henry the Sixth Sheriffs Know that this County and Nâ—…hfolk had both one Sheriff until the seventeenth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth a List of whose names we formerly have presented in the description of Northfolk 〈◊〉 Place Armes Reg. ELIZ   Anno   17 Rob. Ashfield ar Netherhall Sable 〈◊〉 Fesse â—…ngrailed betwixt 3 flower de Luces Arg. 18 Ioh. 〈◊〉 arm  Sable a Fesse checkee Or and Azure betwixt 3 Naggs heads erazed Argent 19 Will. Spring mil. Lanham Argent on a Cheveron between 3 Martlets Gules as many Cinquefoiles of the Field 20 Rob. Jermin mil. Rushbrook Sable a Cressant betwixt 〈◊〉 Mullets Argent 21 Philip. Parker mil. Arwerton Argent a Lion passant Gules betwixt 2 Barrs Setheron 3 Bezâ—…nts in Chief as many Bucks heads â—…abosed of the third 22 Th. Bernardiston m. Kedington Azure a Fesse Dauncette Ermin betwixt 6 Crosleâ—…s Argent 23 Nich. Bacon mil. Culfurth Gules on a Chief 〈◊〉 2 Mullets Sable 24 Will. Drury mil. Halsted Argent on a Chief Vert the letter Tau betwixt 2 Mullets pierced Or. 25 Carol. Framling ham miles   26 Ioh. Gurdon arm Assington S. 3 Leopards heads jessant flowers de Luce Or. 27 Will. Clopton aâ—…  Sable a Bend Argent betwixt 2 Cotises dauncette Or. 28 Geo Clopton ar ut prius  29 Franc. Jermy arm  Arg. a Lion ramp gardant Gules 30 Phil. Tilney arm Shelleigh Argent a Cheveron betwixt 3 Griffins-heads erazed Gules 31 Will. Walgrave m. 〈◊〉 Party per Pale Argent and Gu. 32 Tho. Rowse arm  Sable 2 Barrs engrailed Argent 33 â—…c Garnish arm  Ar. a chev engr Az. bet 3 scallops Sab. 34 Lionel Talmarsh 〈◊〉 HelminghaÌ„ Argent Fretty Sable 35 Rob. Forth arm  †Or 3 Buls-heads coupee Sable 36 Tho. †Croâ—… arm SaxmundhaÌ„ * Ar. on a fess Gu. 3. Garbs Or between 2 cheverons Az. charged with Escallops Arg. 37 Will. Spring mil. ut prius  38 Tho. * Eden arm   39 Antho. Wingfield Letheringham Argent a Bend Gules cotised able 3 Wings of the first 40 Hen. Warner ar   41 Antho. Felton ar Playford Gules 2 Lions passant Eâ—…in crowned Or. 42 Edw. Bacon arm ut prius  43 Edwin Withipol Christ Church in Ipswich Party per pale Or and Gules 3 Lions pâ—…ssant regardant armed Sable langued Argent a Bordure interchanged 44 Tho.
King Edward the second regaining his Good will by the intercession of Arch-bishop Mepham and being a Subject not to the Prosperity but person of his Prince he forsooke him not in his greatest Extremity This cost him the Displeasure of the Queen Mother and King Edward the third till at last Converted by his Constancy they turned their frowns into smiles upon him When Arch-bishop of Canterbury he perswaded King Edward the third to invade France promising to supply him with competent provisions for the purpose A promise not so proportionable to his Archiepiscopal Capacity as to him as he had been twice Treasurer of England and skilfull in the collecting and advancing of money so that he furnished the King with great sums at his first setting forth for France These being spent before the year ended the King sends over for a supply Stratford instead of Coin returns Counsell advising him to alter his Officers otherwise if so much was spent at a Breakfast the whole wealth of the land would not suffice him for Dinner Over comes the angry King from whose fury Stratford was forc'd to conceal himself untill publickly passing his purgation in Parliament he was restored to the reputation of his Innocence and rectified in the Kings esteem He built and bountifully endowed a Beautifull Colledge in the Town of his Nativity and having set Archbishop fifteen years dyed Anno 1348. leaving a perfumed memory behind him for his Bounty to his Servants Charity to the Poor Meekness and Moderation to all persons RALPH STRATFORD kinsman to the foresaid Arch-bishop was born in the Town of Stratford on Avon where he built a Chappel to the honour of Saint Thomas He was first Cannon of Saint Pauls and afterwards May 12. 1339. was consecrated at Canterbury Bishop of London During his sitting in that See there happened so grievous a Pestilence in London that hardly the Tenth Person in some places did escape Then each Church-yard was indeed a Polyandrum so that the Dead might seem to Justle one another for room therein Yea the Dead did kill the Living so shallowly were their heaped Corps interred Whereupon this Bishop Charitably bought a Piece of Ground nigh Smithfield It was called No Mans-Land not à parte Ante as formerly without an Owner seeing it had a Proprictary of whom it was legally purchased but de futuro none having a particular interest therein though indeed it was All-Mens-Land as designed and consecrated for the Generall Sepulture of the Deceased This Bishop having continued about 14. years in his See he died at Stepney 1355. ROBERT STRATFORD brother to the Arch-bishop aforesaid was in the reign of King Edward the third made Bishop of Chichester He was at the same time Chancellour of Oxford wherein he was bred and of all England Honorable Offices which sometimes have met in the same Person though never more deservedly then in the Present Enjoyer of them both In his time there was a tough contest betwixt the South and Northern-men in that University They fell from their Pens to their Hands using the contracted fist of Marâ—…ial Logick bloody blows passing betwixt them Th s Bishop did wisely and fortunately bestirre himself an Arbitrator in this Controversy being a proper Person for such a performance born in this County in the very Navil of England so that his Nativity was a Naturall Expedient betwixt them and his Judgement was unpartiall in compremising the difference He was accused to the King for favouring the French with his Brother Archbishop contented patiently to attend till Pregnant Time was delivered of Truth her Daughter and then this Brace of Prelates appeared Brethren in Integrity He died at Allingbourn April 9. 1362. JOHN VESTY alias HARMAN Doctor of Law was born at Sutton Colefield in this County bred in Oxford A most vivacious person if the Date of these Remarks be seriously considered 1. In the twentieth year of King Henry the sixth he was appointed to celebrate the Divine-service in the Free-Chappell of Saint Blase of Sutton aforesaid 2. In the twentie third year of Henry the seventh he was made Vicar of Saint Michaells Church in Coventry 3. Under K. Henry the eighth he was made Dean of the Chappell Royall Tutor to the Lady Mary and President of Wales 4. In the Eleventh of K. Henry the eighth 1519. he was advanced to be Bishop of Exeter Which Bishoprick he destroyed not onely shaving the Hairs with long leases but cutting away the limbs with sales outright in so much that Bishop Hall his successor in that See complaineth in print that the following Bishops were Barons but Bare-ones indeed Some have Confidently affirmed in my hearing that the word to Veize that is in the West to drive away with a Witness had its Originall from his Profligating of the lands of his Bishoprick but I yet demurre to the truth thereof He robbed his own Cathedrall to pay a Parish Church Sutton in this County where he was born wheron he bestowed many Benefactions and built fifty one houses To inrich this his Native Town he brought out of Devonshire many Clothiers with Desire and Hope to fix the Manufacture of Cloathing there All in vaine for as Bishop Godwin observeth Non omnis fert omnia tellus Which though true conjunctively that all Countrys put together bring forth all things to be Mutually bartered by a Reciprocation of Trade is false disjunctively no one place affording all Commodities so that the Cloath-workers here had their pains for their labour and sold for their lost It seems though he brought out of Devon-shire the Fiddle and Fiddlestick he brought not the Rosen therewith to make Good Musick and every Country is innated with a Peculiar Genius and is left handed to those trades which are against their Inclinations He quitted his Bishoprick not worth keeping in the reign of King Edward the sixth and no wonder he resumed it not in the reign of Queen Mary the Bone not being worth the taking the Marrow being knocked out before He died being 103. years old in the reign of Q. Mary and was buried in his Native Town with his Statue Mitred and Vested Since the Reformation JOHN BIRD was born in the City of Coventry bred a Carmelite at Oxford and became afterwards the 31. the head-game and last Provinciall of his Order He Preached some smart Sermons before King Henry the eighth against the Primacy of the Pope for which he was preferred saith Bishop Godwin to be successively Bishop of Ossery in Ireland Bangor in Wales and Chester in England To the two last we concur but dissent to the former because John Bale contemporary with this John Bird and also Bishop of Ossery who therefore must be presumed skilfull in his Predecessors in that See nameth him not Bishop of Ossery but Episcopum Pennecensem in Hiberniâ the same Bale saith of him Audivi eum ad Papismi vomitum reversum I have heard that in the reign of Queen Mâ—…ry he returned to
Martyrdome and hereon a remarkable Story doth depend A Story which hath been solemnly avouched by the late reverend Archbishop of Armagh in the presence of several persons and amongst others unto Sir James Ware Knight that most excellent Antiquary and divers in the University of Oxford who wrot it from his mouth as he received the same from ancient persons of unquestionable credit About the third of the raign of Queen Mary a Pursevant was sent with a Commission into Ireland to impower some eminent persons to proceed with fire and fagot against poor Protestants It happened by Divine Providence this Pursevant at Chester lodged in the house of a Protestant Inn-keeper who having gotten some inkling of the matter secretly stole his Commission out of his Cloke-bag and put the Knave of Clubs in the room thereof Some weeks after he appeared before the Lords of the Privy-Councel at Dublin of whom Bishop Coren a principall and produced a Card for his pretended Commission They caused him to be committed to prison for such an affront as done on designe to deride them Here he lay for some months till with much adoe at last he got his enlargement Then over he returned for England and quickly getting his Commission renewed makes with all speed for Ireland again But before his arrival there he was prevented with the news of Queen Maries death and so the lives of many and the liberties of more poor Servants of God were preserved To return to our Coren though a moderate Papist in Queen Maries days yet he conformed with the first to the reformation of Queen Elizabeth being ever sound in his Heart He was for some short time cheif Justice and Chancellor of Ireland till he quitted all his Dignities in exchange for the Bishoprick of Oxford It may seem a wonder that he should leave one of the best Arch-bishopricks in Ireland for one of the worst Bishopricks in England But oh no Preferment to Quiet and this Politick Prelate very decrepit broken with old age and many State-affairs desired a private repose in his Native Land before his death which happened Anno Dom. 1567. BARNABY POTTER was born in this County 1578. within the Barony of Kendall in which Town he was brought up untill he was sent to Queens-colledge in Oxford becoming successively Scholar Fellow and Provost thereof He was chosen the last with the unanimous consent of the Fellows when being at great distance he never dreamed thereof Then resigning his Provosts Place he betook himself to his Pastorall charge in the Country He was Chaplain in Ordinary to Prince Charles being accounted at Court the Penitentiall Preacher and by King Charles was preferred Bishop of Carlile when others sued for the Place and he little thought thereof He was commonly called the Puritanicall Bishop and they would say of him in the time of King James that Organs would blow him out of the Church which I do not believe the rather because he was loving of and skilfull in Vocall Musick and could bear his own part therein He was a constant Preacher and performer of family-duties of a Weak Constitution Melancholy Lean and an Hard Student He dyed in honour being the last Bishop that dyed a Member of Parliament in the year of our Lord 1642. States-men Sir EDWARD BELLINGHAM Knight was born of an ancient and warlike family in this County servant of the Privy-Chamber to King Edward the sixth who sent him over Anno 1547. to be Lord Deputy of Ireland whose Learning Wisdome and Valour made him fit to discharge that place Hitherto the English-pale had been hide-bound in the growth thereof having not gained one foot of ground in more then two hundred years since the time of King Edward the third This Sir Edward first extended it proceeding against the Irishry in a martial course by beating and breaking the Moors and Connors two rebellious Septs And because the Poet saith true It proves a man as brave and wise To keep as for to get the prize He built the forts of Leix and Offaly to secure his new acquisition Surely had he not been suddenly revok d into England he would have perfected the project in the same sort as it was performed by his successour the Earl of Sussex by setling English plantations therein Such his secresie the soul of great designs that his Souldiers never knew whither they went till they were come whither they should go Thus he surprised the Earl of Desmond being rude and unnurtured brought him up to Dublin where he informed and reformed him in manners and civility sometimes making him to kneel on his knees an hour together before he knew dis duty till he became a new man in his behaviour This Earl all his life after highly honoured him and at every dinner and supper would pray to God for good Sir Edward Bellingham who had so much improved him This Deputy had no fault in his Deputiship but one that it was so short he being called home before two years were expired Surely this hath much retarded the reducing of the Irishry the often shifting of their Deputies too often change of the kinds of plaisters hinders the healing of the sore so that as soon as they had learn'd their trade they must resigne their shop to another which made King James continue the Lord Chichester so long in the place for the more effectual performance therein Coming into England he was accused of many faults but cleared himself as fast as his adversaries charged him recovering the Kings favour in so high a degree that he had been sent over Deputy again save that he excused himself by indisposition of body and died not long after Writers RICHARD KENDAL I place him here with confidence because no Kendal in England save what is the chief Town of this County He was an excellent Grammarian and the greatest instructer Shreud and Sharp enough of youth in his age He had a vast collection of all Latine Grammars and thence extracted a Quintessence whereof he was so highly conceited that he publickly boasted that Latine onely to be Elegant which was made according to his Rules and all other to be Base and Barbarous Which Reader I conceive being out of his though under thy Correction a Proud and Pedantick expression He flourished in the raign of K. Henry the sixth Since the Reformation BERNARD Son of EDWIN GILPIN Esquire was born at Kentmire in this County Anno 1517. At sixteen years old very young in that Age from those Parts his Parents sent him to Queens-colledge in Oxford whence his merit advanced him one of the first Students in the new foundation of Christs church Hitherto the Heat of Gilpin was more then his Light and he hated Vice more then Error which made him so heartily dispute against Master Hooper who afterwards was Martyred when indeed he did follow his Argument with his Affections How afterwards he became a zealous Protestant I referre the
the Baron of Kendal 〈◊〉 his singular deserts â—…oth in Peace and War This was that Richard 〈◊〉 who sâ—…w the wild Bore that raging in the Mountains 〈◊〉 as sometimes that of Erimanthus much indamaged the Country people whence it is that the Gilpins in their Coat Armes give the Bore I confess the story of this Westmerland-Hercules soundeth something Romanza like However I believe it partly because so reverend a pen hath recorded it and because the people in these parts need not feigne foes in the fancy Bears Bores and Wild beasts who in that age had real enemies the neighbouring Scots to encounter Lord Mayors Name Father Place Company Time 1 Cuthbert Buckle Christopher Buckle Bourgh Vintner 1593 Sheriffs I find two or three Links but no continued chain os Sheriffs in this County untill the 10. of K. John who bestowed the Baily-week and Revenues of this County upon Robert Lord Vipont ROBERT de VIPONT the last of that Family about the raign of K. Edward the first left two daughters 1. Sibel married to Roger Lord Clifford 2. Idonea the first and last I meet with of that Christian-name though proper enough for women who are to be meet helps to their husbands married to Roger de Leburn Now because honor nescit dividi Honour cannot be divided betwixt Co-heirs and because in such cases it is in the Power and Pleasure of the King to assign it entire to which he pleased the King Conferred the Hereditary Sheriffalty of this County on the Lord Clifford who had Married the Eldest Sister Iâ—… hath ever since continued in that honorable family I find Elizabeth the Widdow of Thomas Lord Clifford probably in the Minority of her son Sheriffess as I may say in the sixteenth of Richard the second till the last of K. Henry the fourth Yet was it fashionable for these Lords to depute and present the most Principal Gentry of this Shire their Sub-Vicecomites Under-sheriffs in their Right to order the affairs of that County I find Sir Thomas Parr Sir William Parr Ancestors to Q. Katherin Parr as also Knights of the Families of the Bellingams Musgraves c. discharging that office so high ran the Credit and Reputation thereof Henry Lord Clifford was by K. Henry the eight Anno 1525. Created Earl of Cumberland and when Henry the fift Earl of that family died lately without Issue male the Honour of this Hereditary Sheriffalty with large Revenues Reverted unto Anne the sole daughter of George Clifford third Earl of Cumberland the Relict of Richard Earl of Dorset and since of Phillip Earl of Pembroke and Mountgomery by whom she had two daughters the Elder married to the Earl of Thanet and the younger married to James Earl of Northampton The Farewell Reader I must confess my self sorry and ashamed that I cannot do more right to the Natives of this County so far distanced North that I never had yet the opportunity to behold it O that I had but received some intelligence from my worthy friend Doctor Thomas Barlow Provost of Queens-colledge in Oxford who for his Religion and Learning is an especiall ornament of Westmerland But Time Tide and a PrintersPress are three unmannerly things that will stay for no man and therefore I request that my defective indeavours may be well accepted I learn out of Master Camden that in the River Cann in this County there be two Catadupae or Waterfalls whereof the Northern sounding Clear and Loud foretokeneth Fair Weather the Southern on the same Terms presageth Rain Now I wish that the former of thesemay be Vocall in Hay-time and Harvest the latter after Great Drought that so both of them may make welcome Musick to the Inhabitants VVILT-SHIRE WILT-SHIRE hath Gloucester-shire on the North Berk-shire and Hampshire on the East Dorset-shire on the South and Summerset-shire on the West From North to South it extendeth 39. Miles but abateth ten of that Number in the breadth thereof A pleasant County and of great Variety I have heard a Wise man say that an Oxe left to himself would of all England choose to live in the North a Sheep in the South part hereof and a Man in the Middle betwixt both as partaking of the pleasure of the plain and the wealth of the deep Country Nor is it unworthy the observing that of all Inland Shires no ways bordered on Salt-water this gathereth the most in the Circumference thereof as may appear by comparing them being in compass one Hundred Thirty and Nine Miles It is plentifull in all English especially in the ensuing Commodities Naturall Commodities Wooll The often repetition hereof though I confess against our rules premised may justly be excused Well might the French Embassadour return France France France reiterated to every petty title of the King of Spain And our English Wooll Wooll c. may counterpoize the numerous but inconsiderable Commodities of other Countries I confess a Lock thereof is most contemptible Non flocci te facio passing for an expression of the highest neglect but a quantity thereof quickly amounteth to a good valuation The Manufactures Clothing This Mystery is vigorously pursued in this County and I am informed that as MEDLEYS are most made in other Shires as good WHITES as any are woven in this County This mentioning of Whites to be vended beyond the Seas minds me of a memorable contest in the raign of King James betwixt the Merchants of London and Sir William Cockain once Lord Mayor of that City and as Prudent a Person as any in that Corporation He ably moved and vigorously prosecuted the design that all the Cloth which was made might be died in England alledging that the wealth of a Country consisteth in driving on the Naturall Commodities thereof through all Manufactures to the utmost as far as it can go or will be drawn And by the Dying of all English cloth in England Thousands of poor People would be imployed and thereby get a comfortable subsistence The Merchants returned that such home-dying of our cloth would prove prejudiciall to the sale thereof Forreigners being more expert then we are in the mysterie of fixing of Colours Besides they can afford them far cheaper then we can much of dyingstuff growing in their Countries and Forraigners bear a great affâ—…ction to White or Virgin cloth unwilling to have their Fancies prevented by the Dying thereof insomuch that they would like it better though done worse if done by themselves That Sir William Cockain had got a vast deal of Dying-stuff into his own possession and did drive on his own interest under the pretence of the Publick good These their Arguments were seconded with good store of good Gold on both sides till the Merchants prevailed at last A Shole of Herrings is able to beat the Whale it self and Clothing left in the same condition it was before Tobacco pipes The best for shape and colour as curiously sized are made at Amesbury in this County They may be
precious extraction to King James reputed a great preserver of health and prolonger of life He is conceived by such helps to have added to his vigorous vivacity though I think a merry heart whereof he had a great measure was his best Elixar to that purpose He died exceeding aged Anno Dom. 164. JOHN BUCKRIDGE was born at Dracot nigh Marleborough in this County and bred under Master Mullcaster in Merchant-Taylors school from whence he was sent to Saint Johns-colledge in Oxford where from a Fellow he became Doctor of Divinity and President thereof He afterwards succeeded Doctor Lancelot Andrews in the Vicaridge of Saint Giles Criplegate in which Cure they lived one and twenty years a piece and indeed great was the Intimacy betwixt these two learned Prelates On the ninth of June 1611. he was Consecrated Bishop of Rochester and afterwards set forth a learned Book in opposition of John Fisher De potestate papae in Temporalibus of which my Author doth affirm Johannem itaque Roffensem habemus quem Johanni Roffensi opponamus Fishero Buckerigium cujus argumentis si quid ego video ne à mille quidem Fisheris unquam respondebitur He was afterwards preferred Bishop of Ely and having Preached the Funerall Sermon of Bishop Andrews extant in Print at the end of his works survived him not a full year dying Anno Dom. 163. He was decently Interred by his own appointment in the Parish-church of Bromly in Kent the Manner thereof belonged to the Bishoprick of Rotchester States-men EDWARD SEIMOR and THOMAS SEIMOR both Sons of Sir John Seimor of Wolfull Knight in this County I joyn them together because whilst they were united in affection they were invinsible but when devided easily overthrown by their enemies Edward Seimor Duke of Sommerset Lord Protector and Treasurer of England being the Elder Brother succeeded to a fair Paternal inheritance He was a valiant Souldier for Land-service fortunate and generally beloved by Martiall men He was of an open nature free from jealousie and dissembling affable to all People He married Anne Daughter of Sir Edward Stanhop knight a Lady of a high mind and haughty undaunted spirit Thomas Seimor the Younger Brother was made Barron of Sudley by offices and the favours of his Nephew K. Edward the sixth obtained a great Estate He was well experienced in Sea affairs and made Lord Admirall of England He lay at a close posture being of a reserved Nature and was more cunning in his Carriage He married Queen Katharine Parr the Widdow of King Henry the eighth Very great the Animosities betwixt their Wives the Dutchess refusing to bear the Queens Train and in effect justled with her for Precedence so that what betwixt the Train of the Queen and long Gown of the Dutchess they raised so much dust at the Court as at last put out the eyes of both their husbands and occasioned their Executions as we have largely declared in our Ecclesiasticall History The Lord Thomas Anno 154. The Lord Edward Anno 154. Thus the two best Bullworks of the safety of King Edward the sixth being demolished to the ground Duke Dudley had the advantage the nearer to approach and assault the Kings Person and to practice his destruction as is vehemently suspected Sir OLIVER SAINT JOHN Knight Lord Grandison c. was born of an ancient and honourable family whose prime seat was at Lediard-Tregoze in this County He was bred in the warrs from his youth and at last by King James was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland and vigorously pursued the principles of his Predecessours for the civilizing thereof Indeed the Lord Mountjoy reduced that Country to obedience the Lord Chichester to some civility and this Lord Grandison first advanced it to considerable profit to his Master I confess T. Walsingham writeth that Ireland afforded unto Edward the third thirty thousand pound a year paid into His Exchequer but it appears by the Irish-records which are rather to be believed that it was rather a burden and the constant revenue thereof beneath the third part of that proportion But now the Kingdome being peaceably settled the income thereof turned to good account so that Ireland called by my Author the Land of Ire for the constant broiles therein for 400. years was now become the Land of Concord Being re-called into England he lived many years in great repute and dying without issue left his Honour to his Sisters son by Sir Edward Villiers but the main of his estate to his Brothers son Sir John Saint John Knight and Baronet Sir JAMES LEY Knight and Baronet son of Henry Ley Esquire one of great Ancestry who on his own cost with his men valiantly served King Henry the eighth at the siedge of Bullen was born at Tafant in this County Being his fathers sixth son and so in probability barred of his inheritance he indeavoured to make himself an Heir by his Education applying his book in Brasen-nose-colledge and afterwards studying the Laws of the Land in Lincolns-Inn wherein such his proficiency King James made him Lord Chief Justice in Ireland Here he practised the charge King James gave him at his going over yea what his own tender Conscience gave himself namely Not to build his Estate on the ruines of a miserable Nation but aiming by the unpartial execution of Justice not to enrich himself but civilize the People he made a good Progress therein But the King would no longer lose him out of his own Land and therefore recalled him home about the time when his fathers inheritance by the death of his five elder brethren descended upon him It was not long before Offices and Honour flowed in fast upon him being made by King James King Charles 1. Aturney of the Court of Wards 2. Chief Justice of the Upper Bench 18. of his raign Jan. 29. 3. Lord Treasurer of England in the 22. of his raign Decemb. 22. 4. Baron Ley of Ley in Devonshire the last of the same Month. 1. Earl of Marleburg in this County immediately after the Kings Coronation 2. Lord President of the Councell in which place he died Anno Domini 1629. He was a person of great gravity ability and integrity and as the Caspian Sea is observed neither to ebb nor flow so his mind did not rise or fall but continued the same constancy in all conditions Sir FRANCIS COTTINGTON Knight was born nigh Meer in this County and bred when a youth under Sir ........ Stafford He lived so long in Spain till he made the garbe and gravity of that Nation become his and become him He raised himself by his naturall strength without any artificial advantage having his parts above his learning his experience above his parts his industry above his experience and some will say his success above all so that at the last he became Chancellour of the Exchequer Baron of Hanworth in Middlesex and upon the resignation of Doctor Juxon Lord Treasurer of England gaining also
a very great estate But what he got in few years he lost in fewer days since our Civil Warrs when the Parliament was pleased for reasons onely known to themselves to make him one of the examples of their severity excluding him pardon but permitting his departure beyond the seas where he dyed about the year 1650. Capitall Judges Sir NICHOLAS HYDE Knight was born at Warder in this County where his father in right of his wife had a long lease of that Castle from the family of the Arundels His father I say descended from an Antient Family in Cheshire a fortunate Gentleman in all his Children and more in his Grand-children some of his under-boughs out-growing the top-branch and younger children amongst whom Sir Nicholas in wealth and honour exceeding the heir of the family He was bred in the Middle-Temple and was made Sergeant at Law the first of February 1626. and on the eighth day following was sworn Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-bench succeeding in that Office next save one unto his Countryman Sir James Ley then alive and preferred Lord Treasurer born within two miles one of another and next of all unto Sir Randal Crew lately displaced Now though he entered on his place with some disadvantage Sir Randal being generally popular and though in those days it was hard for the same person to please Court and Country yet he discharged his office with laudable integrity and died 1631. Souldiers First for this County in general hear what an antient Author who wrot about the time of King Henry the second reporteth of it whose words are worthy of our translation and exposition Johannes Sarisburiensis de Nugis Curialium 6. cap. 18. Provincia Severiana quae moderno usu ac nomine ab incolis Wiltesira vocatur eodem jure sibi vendicat Cohortem Subsidiariam adjecta sibi Devonia Cornubia The Severian Province which by moderne use name is by the inhabitants called Wiltshire by the same right chalengeth to it self to have the Rere Devonshire and Cornwall being joyned unto it The Severian Province We thank our Author for expounding it Wiltshire otherwise we should have sought for it in the North near the Wall of Severus By the same right Viz. by which Kent claimeth to lead the Vanguard whereof formerly To have the Rere So translated by Mr. Selden from whom it is a sin to dissent in a Criticisme of Antiquity otherwise some would cavill it to be the Reserve Indeed the Rere is the basis and foundation of an Army and it is one of the chief of Divine promises The glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward We read how the Romans placed their Triarii which were Veteran souldiers behind and the service was very sharp indeed cum res rediit ad Triarios We may say that these three Counties Wiltshire Devonshire and Cornwall are the Triarii of England yet so that in our Author Wiltshire appears as principal the others being added for its assistance Here I dare interpose nothing why the two interjected Counties betwixt Wilts and Devon viz. Dorset and Summerset are not mentioned which giveth me cause to conjecture them included in Devonia in the large acception thereof Now amongst the many worthy Souldiers which this County hath produced give me leave to take speciall notice of HENRY D'ANVERS His ensuing Epitaph on his Monument in the Church of Dantsey in this Shire will better acquaint the Reader with his deserts then any character which my Pen can give of him Hâ—…re lyeth the body of Henry Danvers second son to Sir John Danvers Knight and Dame Elizabeth Daughter and Co-heir to Nevill Lord Latimer He was born at Dantsey in the County of Wilts Jan. Anno Dom. 1573. being bred up partly in the Low-Country-Wars under Maurice Earl of Nassaw afterward Prince of Orenge and in many other military Actions of those times both by Sea and by Land He was made a Captain in the Wars of France and there Knighted for his good Service under Henry the fourth the then French King He was imployed as Leiutenant of the Horse and Serjeant Major of the whole Army in Ireland under Robert Earl of Essex and Charles Baron of Mountjoy in the Raign of Queen Elizabeth By King James the first he was made Baron of Dansey and Peer of this Realm as also Lord President of Munster and Governour of Guernsey By King Charles the first he was Created Earl of Danby made of his Privy Councell and Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter In his latter time by reason of imperfect health considerately declining more active Imployments full of Honours Wounds and Days he died Anno Domini 1643. Laus Deo For many years before St. George had not been more magnificently Mounted I mean the solemnity of his feast more sumptuously observed then when this Earl with the Earl of Morton were installed Knights of the Garter One might have there beheld the abridgment of English and Scotish in their Attendance The Scotish Earl like Zeuxis his Picture adorned with all Art and Costliness whilst our English Earl like the plain sheet of Apelles by the Gravity of his habit got the advantage of the Gallantry of his Corrival with judicious beholders He died without Issue in the beginning of our Civil Wars and by his Will made 1639. setled his large Estate on his hopefull Nephew Henry D'Anvers snatch'd away before fully of age to the great grief of all good men Writers OLIVER of MALMESBURY was saith my Author iâ—… ipsius Monasterii terratorio natus so that there being but few paces betwixt his cradle and that Convent he quickly came thither and became a Benedictine therein He was much addicted to Mathematicks and to judicial Astrology A great Comet happened in his age which he entertained with these expressions Venisti Venisti multis matribus lugendum malum Dudum te vidi sed multò jam terribilius Angliae minans prorsus excidium Art thou come Art thou come thou evil to be lamented by many mothers I saw thee long since but now thou art much more terrible threatning the English with utter destruction Nor did he much miss his mark herein for soon after the coming in of the Norman Conqueror deprived many English of their lives more of their laws and liberties till after many years by Gods goodness they were restored This Oliver having a mind to try the truth of Poeticall reports an facta vel ficta is said to have tied Wings to his hands and feet and taking his rise from a Tower in Malmesbury flew as they say a â—…rlong till something failing him down he fell and brake both his Thighs Pity is it but that Icarus-like he had not fallen into the water and then OLIVER OL'VARIS nomina fecit aquis I find the like Recorded in the Ecclesiastical History of Simon Magus flying from the Capitol in Rome high in the Ayre till at last by the Prayers of Saint Peter he
found in the name of ALCUINUS LUCIANUS Thus these Nominall Curiosities whether they hit or miss the Mark equally import nothing to Judicious Beholders He was made first Abbot of Saint Augustines in Canterbury and afterward of Saint Martins in the City of Towers in France and dying Anno 780 he was buried in a small Convent appendant to his Monastery He is here entred under the Topick of Saints because though never solemnly canonized he well deserved the Honor His Subjects said to David Thou art worth ten Thousand of us and though I will not ascend to so high a Proportion many of the Modern Saints in the Church of Rome must modestly confess that on a Due and True estimate our Alcuinus was worth many Scores of them at least so great his Learning and holy his Conversation SEWALL had his Nativity probably in these Parts But he was bred in Oxford and was a Scholar to St. Edmund who was wont to say to him Sewald Sewald thou wilt have many Afflictions and dye a Martyr Nor did he miss much of his mark therein though he met with Peace and Plenty at first when Arch-bishop of York The occasion of his Trouble was when the Pope plenitudine potestatis intruded one Jordan an Italian to be Dean of York whose Surprised Installing Sewald stoutly opposed Yea at this time there were in England no fewer then three Hundred Benefices possessed by Italians where the People might say to them as the Eunuch to Philip How can we understand without an â—…nterpreter Yea which was far worse they did not onely not teach in the Church but mis-teach by their lascivious and debauched behaviour Asfor our Sewald Mathew Paris saith plainly that he would not bow his Knee to Baal so that for this his contempt he was excommunicated and cursed by Bell Book and Candle though it was not the Bell of Aarons Garment nor Book of Scripture nor the Candle of an Unpartiall Judgement This brak his heart and his Memory lyeth in an Intricate posture peculiar almost to himself betwixt Martyr and no Martyr a Saint and no Saint Sure it is â—…ewall though dying excommunicated in the Romish is reputed Saint in Vulgar estimation and some will maintain that the Popes solemn Canonization is no more requisite to the making of a Saint then the Opening of a Manâ—… Windows is necessary to the lustre of the Sun Sewald died Anno Dom. 1258. Bale who assumeth liberty to himself to surname Old-writers at his pleasure is pleased to Addition this worthy man Sewaldus Magnanimus Martyrs VALENTINE FREESE and his Wife were both of them born in this City and both gave their lives therein at one Stake for the testimony of Jesus Christ Anno Domini 1531. Probably by order from Edward Lee the cruell Arch-bishop I cannot readily call to mind a man and his wife thus Marryed together in Martyrdome And begin to grow confident that this Couple was the first and laâ—… in this kind Confessors EDWARD FREESE brother to the aforesaid Valentine was born in York and there a Prentice to a Painter He was afterwards a Novice-Monke and leaving his Convent came to Colchester in Essex Here his hereticall Inclination as then accounted discovered it self in some sentences of Scripture which he Painted in the Borders of Cloths for which he was brought before John Stoaksley Bishop of London from whom he found such cruell usage as is above belief Master Fox saith that he was fed with Manchet made of Saw-dust or at the least a great part thereof and kept so long in Prison Manicled by the wrests till the Flesh had overgrown his Irons and he not able to kembe his own head became so distracted that being brought before the Bishop he could say nothing but my Lord is a good man A sad sight to his Friends and a sinfull one to his Foes who first made him mad and then made mirth at his madness I confess distraction is not mentioned in that list of losses reckoned up by our Saviour He that left his House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake c. But seeing his wits is nearer and dearer to any man then his wealth and seeing what is so lost may be said to be left no doubt this poor mans distraction was by God gratiously accepted on his enemies severely punished and to him mercifully rewarded We must not forget how the wife of this Edward Freese being big with child and pressing in to see her husband the Porter at Fulham gave her such a kick on the belly that the child was destroyed with that stroke immediately and she died afterwards of the same Prelates JOHN ROMAN so called because his Father was born in Rome though living a long time in this City being Treasurer of the Cathedrall therein and I conjecture this John his Son born in York because so Indulgent thereunto For generally Pure Pute Italians preferred in England transmitted the gain they got by Bills of Exchange or otherwise into their own Country and those outlandisâ—… Mules though lying down in English Pasture left no Hairs behind them Whereas this Roman had such Affection for York that being advanced Arch-bishop he began to build the Body of the Church and finished the North Part of the Cross-Isle therein Polydore Virgil praised him no wonder that an Italiaâ—… commended a Roman for a Man of great Learning and Sincerity He fell into the disfavour of King Edward the first for Excommunicating Anthony Beck Bishop of Durham and it cost him four thousand marks to regain his Princes Good Will He died Anno Domini 1295. And let none grudge his Buriaâ—… in the best Place of the Church who was so Bountifull a Builder thereof ROBERT WALBEY born in this City was therein bred an Augâ—…stinian Friar he afterwards went over into France where he so applied his studies that at last he was chosen Divinity Professor in the City of Tholouse he was Chaplain to the black Prince after his death to his Father K. Edward the third Now as his Mr. injoyed three Crowns so under him in his three Kingdoms this his Chaplain did partake successively of three Miters being first a Bishop in Gascoine then Arch-bishop of Dublin in Ireland afterwards Bishop of Chichester in England not grudging to be degraded in Dignity to be preferred in profit At last he was consecrated Arch-bishop of York and was the first and last Native which that City saw the least of Infants and in his Time when Man the greatest therein Yet he enjoyed his place but a short time dying May 29. Anno Domini 1397. Since the Reformation THOMAS MORTON was born Anno 1564. in the City of York whose father Richard Morton allyed to Cardinall Morton Arch bishop of Canterbury was a Mercer I have been informed the first of that calling in that City sure of such repute that no Mercers