England should not be named or called from henceforth Prior of Saint Iohns of Ierusalem in England but by his proper name of William Weston Knight without further addition touching the said Religion And that likewise Sir Iohn Rauson knight being then Prior of Kilmainam in Ireland should not bee called or named from thenceforth Prior of Kilmainam in Ireland but onely by his proper name of Iohn Rauson knight without farther addition And that none of the Brethren or Confriers of the said Religion within this Realme of England and Land of Ireland should bee called Knights of the Rhodes or knights of Saint Iohns but by their owne proper Christian names and surnames of their parents without any other additions And furthermore it was enacted vnder a great penaltie that they should not weare about their necks in or vpon any apparell of their bodies any chaine with a Ierusalem Crosse or any other signe marke or token theretoâ—fore vsed and deuised for the knowledge of the said Religion and that they should not make any congregations chapiters or assemblies touching the same Religion or maintaine support vse or defend any liberties franchises or priuiledges theretofore granted to the said Religion by the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome or of the See of the same Lastly it was granted by the authoritie of the said Parliament that the Kings Maiestie his heires and successors should haue and enioy their said mansion house in the Parish aforesaid within the County of Midlesex and also the Hospitall of Kilmainam in Ireland with all their appurtenances for euer Yet it was prouided by the said Act that Sir William Weston and Sir Iohn Rauson Priors as also some other of the Confriers should haue a certaine annuall pension during their liues with some reasonable proportion of their owne proper goods And this was done saith the words in the statute by the agreement and assent of the Kings most excellent goodnes Sir William Weston had giuen vnto him one thousand pound of annuall rent or pension Sir Iohn Rauson fiue hundred Markes Clement West Confrier two hundred pound Thomas Pemberton fourescore pound Gyles Russell one hundred pound George Ailmer one hundred pound Iohn Sutton two hundred pound Edward Bellingham an hundred pound Edward Browne fifty pound Edmund Husse an hundred Markes Ambrose Caue an hundred Markes Thomas Copledyke fifty pound Cuthbert Leighton threescore pound Richard Broke an hundred Markes Henry Poole two hundred Markes William Tyrell thirty pound Iohn Rauson Confrier two hundred Markes To Anthony Rogers Oswald Massingberd Iames Husse Thomas Thornell Nicholas Hopton Philip Babington Henry Gerard Dunstan Nudegate Nicholas Lambert and Dauid Gonson being Confriers professed and hauing no certaine liuing was giuen ten pound a peece of yearely pension And if any proâ—esâ—ed in the said Religion were negligently forgotten or omitted out of that present Act for lacke of knowledge of their names yet it was ordered by the same that they should haue such honest conuenient and reasonable yearly pension and portion of goods as should please the Kings Maiestie to limit and appoint And by the said Act Ioâ—n Mableston Subprior of this Hospitall in England William Ermested Master of the Temple of London Walter Lymsey and Iohn Winter Chapleines were authorized to receiue and enioy during their naturaâ—l liues all such mansion houses stipends and wages in as large and ample manner as euer they did before the sitting of that Parliament What other pensions were giuen or how much the value in money was of the yearely profits of these foure last remembred I do not reade But the annuities or pensions appointed to the said two knights and the Confriers amounted to the summe of two thousand eight hundred and seuenty pound the yeare issuing out of the lands to this Hospitall appertaining And I finde that at the very same time of the dissolution of this Fraternitie certaine lusts and Tourneaments being holden at Westminster wherein the challengers against all commers were Sir Iohn Dudley Sir Thomas Seymor Sir Thomas Poinings Sir George Carew knights Antony Kingston and Richard Cromwell Esquires To each one of which for a reward of their valiantnesse the King gaue an hundred Markes of yearely reuenues and an house to dwell in and both of them to them and their heires for euer out of the lands and liuings belonging to this Hospitall Of such a large extensure were her possessions And much what after this manner the rest of the Manors honors lands tenements rents and reuersions were bestowed and likewise at that time vpon small considerations the scite and lands of all other Monasteries were begged bought and alienated by such who respected their owne profit aboue the seruice of Almighty God Albeit it was then declared saith Camden that such religious places being of most pious intent consecrated to the glory of God might haue beene according to the Canons of the Church bestowed in exhibition and almes for Gods Ministers reliefe of the poore redemption of captiues and repairing of Churches All Monasteries being thus suppressed it followed that vnder a faire pretence of rooting out of superstition all Chanteries Colledges and Hospitals were likewise by Act of Parliament left to the dispose and pleasure of the King And all these Monuments aforesaid of our forefathers pietie and deuotion to the honour of God the propagation of Christian saith and good learning and also for the reliefe and maintenance of the poore and impotent if without offence I may speake the truth All these I say for the most part were shortly after to wit within the remainder of his raigne and the short time of his Sonnes King Edward the sixth euery where pulled downe their reuenues sold and made a way and those goods and riches which the Christian pietie of our English Nation had consecrated vnto God since they first professed Christianity were in a moment as it were dispersed and to the displeasure of no man be it spoken profaned Thus haue you seene by degrees the fatall and finall period of Abbeyes Priories and such like religious Structures with the casting out to the wide world of aâ—l their religious Votaries chiefly occasioned by their owne abhominable crying sinnes more then by any other secondarie meanes as plainly doth appeare by the premisses All which Queene Mary attempted to haue restored to their pristine estate and former glory But all in vaine for these religious Ediâ—ices with the lands and possessions thereunto belonging were so infringed alienated and transferred that neither the power of Maiestie nor the force of Parliament could reduce them againe to the proper vse for which by the Founders they were intended Howsoeuer she being a Prince more zealous then poliâ—â—keâ— resigned and confirmed by Parliament to God and holy Church all those Ecclesiasticall reuenues which by the authoritie of that high Court in the time of her father King Henry had beene annexed to the Crowne to the great diminution and impouerishing of the same And
doth lie Another Lest Alexanders noble name my friend should thee beguile Away for here both treachery doth lurke and mischiefe vile Another Though Alexander after death did vomit matter blacke Yet maruell not he dranke the same and could not cause it packe Vpon the yeare of Iubelie aforesayd kept by this Pope Alexander The Romane Priest that promised both heauen and starres to sell By treacherie and murtherings hath made a gap to hell This Alexander before by deuillish meanes he obtained the Papacie was called Rodericus Borgia a Spaniard borne in Valentia But of him enough except it tended more to the matter Now may it please you reade certaine blanke verses taken out of my fore remembred Author Piers Plow man who speakes in his language of the Pope and Cardinals Pardons and pilgrimages effectually to this purpose Passus 19. God amend the Pope that pilleth holy Kirke And claymeth before the Kyng to be kept of Christen And counteth not though cristen be killed and robbed And fynd folke to fight and christen folk to spill Agayne the old law and new law as Paule therof wytnesseth Non occides mihi vindictam c. I ne knew neuer Cardinall that he ne come fro the Pope And we Clarks when they come for her Commens payen For her pelures and palfreis and pilors that hem folow The Commune clamat quotidie eche a man to other The contrey is the curseder that Cardinals commen in And there they lig and leng more lechery there raigneth Therfor quod this victory by very god I would That no Cardinals ne come among the commen peple But in her holines helden hem styl At Avion among the Iewes cum sancto sanctus eris Or in Rome as their rule wyl the relikes to kepe In the seuenth passage he deliuers his opinion of the Popes Pardons in these words The Prieste preued no pardon to do well And demed that Dowell Indulgence passed Biennales and Triennales and Byshops letters And how Dowell at the day of dome is dignely vndersongen And passed all the Pardon of S. Peters Church A little after in the same passage thus Soules that haue sinned seuen sythes deadly And to trust to these Trentals truely me thynketh Is not so siker for the soule as to do well Therfore I red you renkes that rich be on this erth Apon trust of treasure Trientales to have Be ye neuer the bolder to breake the ten hestes And namely ye Maisters Mayres and Iudges That haue the welth of this world and for wise men be holden To purchase you Pardons and the Popes Buls At the dreadfull dome whan the dead shall arise And commen all tofore Christ accounts for to yeue How thou leadest thy lyfe here and his lawes kepest And how thou didest day by day the dome wil reherse A poke full of Pardons there ne prouinciall letters Though ye be founden in the fraternitie of the iiii Orders And haue Indulgence an hundryd fold but if Dowell you helpe I beset your patents and your pardons at a pyes hele Therfore I counsell all christen to crye god mercy And make Christ our meane that hath made amends That God give vs grace here or we go hence Such workes to worke while we ben here That after our deathes day Dowell reherse At the day of Dome we did as he highte The same Author shewing what true pilgrimage is breathes forth these blanke verses following Nay by my soule health quoth Piers and gan for to sweare I nolde fang a ferthyng for Saynt Thomas shryne Truth wold loue me the lesse long tyme therfor after And if ye wyll to wend well this his the way thither Ye must go thorow mekenes both men and wyues Tyll ye come into conscience that Christ wit soch That ye louen our Lord God leuest of all thynges And that your neighbours next In no wyâ—e appeire Otherwise than thou woldist he wrought to thy selfe In the same passage Ye that seke S. Iames and Saintes at Rome Seke saint Truth for he may saue you all In another place Pass 12. He doth well withoute doute that doth as beuti techeth That is if thou be man maryed thy make thou loue And lyue forth as law wyll whyle ye lyuen both Right so if thou be religious ren thou neuerfurther To Rome nor Roch Madon but as thy rule techeth And hold the vnder obedience that high way is to heuen And yf thou be mayden to mary and myght well continewe Seke neuer no saint further for thy soules health Pilgrimage is called of the Latines Peregrinatio quasi peregre abitio a going into a strange countrey for a short pilgramage is not worth a pin neither is that Image in so much honour or respect in that countrey where it is as in farre countries For example the Italians yea those that dwell neare Rome will mocke and scoffe at our English and other pilgrims that go to Rome to see the Popes holinesse and Saint Peters chaire and yet they themselues will runne to see the Reliques of Saint Iames of Compostella in the kingdome of Galicia in Spaine which is aboue twelue hundred English miles And so the Spaniards hold Rome to be a very holy place and therefore spare no cost or labour to go thither And so of other pilgrimages Pilgrimage was also called Romeria quia Romam vt plurimum peregrinationes because pilgrimages forth most part were made to Rome Now hauing acquainted my Reader omitting many particulars I confesse which will more plainly appeare in the sequele by what deuises and meanes the Religious Votaries and others of the Clergie within this kingdome as also the Bishop of Rome who most commonly went away with the best share augmented their reuenues and deceiued the poore Commons I am here to speake of a yearely tribute paied onely to the See of Rome which many times I obuiously meete withall from the payment whereof neither the King nor the Clergie nor any housholder 〈◊〉 in England or Ireland were priuiledged and this was called 〈◊〉 which is a Saxon word compounded of Rome and Scot as you wouâ—d say the 〈◊〉 bute due to Rome or an Apostolicall custome or the see of 〈…〉 penning or Denarij Sancti Petri Peter pence From which payment 〈◊〉 Mathew the Monke of Westminster neither the King nor the Archbishop Bishop Abbot nor Prior were exempted I he first â—ounder of 〈◊〉 Tribute was Inas or Ina king of the West-saxons Of which the foresaid Mathew thus writes Ina the pious and potent king of the West Saxons leaâ—ing his temporall kingdome thereby to gaine an eternall to the gouernment of his kinsman Ethelard trauelâ—ed on pilgrimage to Rome where in the said Citie by the permission of Gregory the second hee built an house which he called The English Schoole vnto which the kings of England and the Regall Image as also Bishops Priests Clerkes and others might
precor horum He was a very seuere corrector of sinne depriuing many Clergie-men of their liuings in the first visitation of his owne Diocesse He repaired his pallace with 1101. l. and odde money which he recouered of Andrew Vfford Archdeacon of Midlesex adminâ—stratour of Iohn Vfford his predecessour for dilapidations hee built and endowed with good possessions a Colledge in this Citie which is now become a parcell of Christ-church in Oxford He bequeathed to his Church a thousand sheepe his vestments which were all cloth of gold a very sumptuous Coape and much plate he was a very â—â—ugall and sparing man neuer esteeming pompe nor outward brauery which he shewed at his end desiring to be buried obscurely to auoid superfluous expence William Wittlesey succeeded the said Simon and was brought vp at Oxford at the charges of Simon Islip who was his Vnkle where hee proceeded Doctor of the Canon Law and by him sent to Rome to sollicite his causes and also to get experience by seeing the practise of that Court who after he had stayed there a time was called home and preferred by his Vnkles meanes vnto the place of Vicar generall then to the Deanrie of the Arches the Archdeaconrie of Huntington the Parsonages of Croydon and Cliff to the Bishopricke of Rochester from thence to Worcester and lastly after the decease of his said Vncle to this Archbishopricke of Canterbury in which he continued almost seuen yeares being the most of his time troubled with a tedious lingring disease whereof he died Iuly 5. 1374. He lieth buried ouer against his Vncle betweene two pillars vnder a marble Tombe inlaid with brasse which with his Epitaph is altogether defaced the brasse worne torne or stolne away these few words onely remaining ............ tumulatus Wittelesey natus gemmata luce ..... Sudburie natus Simon iacet hic tumulatus Martirizatus nece pro republica stratus Heu scelus infernum trux exitiale nefandum Presulis eximij corpus venerabile dandum In rabiem Vulgi ......... This is a fragment of an Epitaph composed to the memory of Simon Tibold the sonne of one Nigellus Tibold surnamed Sudbury of a Towne in Suffolke where he was borne a Doctor of the Canon Law who by degrees came to this Metropolitan Grace of Canterbury A man very wise learned eloquent liberall mercifull and wondrous reuerend all which could not deliuer him from vntimely death For he together with Sir Robert Hales Lord Prior of Saint Iohns Ierusalem and Chancellour or England were haled to the Tower-hill by the Rebels of Kent and Essex with infernall shouts and yells and there vniustly Nam ius calcatur violâ—â—tia cum dominatur and horriblie hackâ— hewed and in that barbarous manner beheaded by these arch Trayâ—ours Iune the fourteenth the yeare of our Lord 1381. and of the raigne of that vnfortunate King Richard the second the fourth hauing sate Bishop about six yeares Which lamentable storie the Chronicles at large declare When these hurlie burlies were at an end the body of this good Archbishop was conueyed to his owne Church and there honourablie inteâ—â—ed vpon the South side of the Altar of Saint Dunstan This Bishop built the West-gate of this Citie and the wall from that gate vnto the North-gate commonly called by the name of the long wall and would haue done likewise about all the Towne if hee had liued The Maior and the Aldermen once a yeare vsed to come solemnly to his Tombe to pray for his soule in memory of this his good deed to their Citie saith Leland in his Commentaries It was the custome of old and so it is in these dayes for men of eminent ranke and qualitie to haue Tombes erected in more places then one for example and proofe of my speech I finde here in this Church a Monument of Alabaster at the feete of the blacke Prince wherein both by tradition and writing it is affirmed that the bones of William Courtney the sonne of Hugh Courtney the third of that Christian name Earle of Deuonshire Archbishop of this See lies entombed And I finde another to the memory of the same man at Maidstone here in Kent wherein because of the Epitaph I rather beleeue that his body lieth buried Of which hereafter when I come to that Towne Here lieth interred vnder a faire Monument Thomas Fitz-Alan or Arundell the third sonne of Richard Fitz-Alan Earle of Arundell Warren and Surrey by Eleanor his wife daughter of Henry Plantaginet Earle of Lancaster as I haue it in the Catalogue of Honour Who at the age of two and twenty yeares was consecrated Bishop of Ely which hee laudablie gouerned considering the greennesse of his age the space of fourteene yeares three moneths and eighteene dayes In which time hee was Lord Chancellour of England from Ely he was translated to Yorke leauing for an implement at his house of Ely a wonderfull sumptuous and costly Table adorned with gold and precious stones which belonged first to the King of Spaine and was sold to this Bishop by the blacke Prince for three hundred Markes Hee also bestowed the building of the great Gate-house of Ely house in Houlborne during his abode at Yorke which was about eight years he bestowed much in building vpon diuers of his houses and vnto the Church Besides many rich ornaments he gaue two great Basons of siluer and gilt two great Censers two other Basons of siluer and two Creuetts he gaue to the Vicars a siluer cup of great waight and a massie bowle of siluer to the Canons From Yorke he was remoued hither to Canterbury and here he sate one moneth aboue seuenteene yeares In which time at the West end of his Church hee built a faire spiâ—e steeple called to this day Arundell steeple and bestowed a tunable ring of fiue bels vpon the same which he dedicated to the holy Trinity to the blessed Virgine Mary to the Angell Gabriel to Saint Blase and the fifth to S. Iohn Euangelist Thus much he effected howsoeuer hee was no sooner warme in his seate then that he with his brother the Earle of Arundell were condemned of high Treason his brother executed and he banished the kingdome and so liued in exilement the space of neare two yeares vntill the first of the raigne of Henry the fourth This worthy Prelate died of a swelling in his tongue which made him vnable to eate drinke or speake for a time before his death Which happened Februar 20. Ann. 1413. An Author contemporarie with this Archbishop writes as followeth of the passages in those times as also much in the grace and commendation of this worthy Metropolitan Heu mea penna madet lachrimis dum scribere suadet Infortunata sceleris quibus horreo fata Non satis est Regem mundi deflectere legem Vt pereant gentes sub eo sine lege manentes Sed magis in Christum seuit qua propter ad istum Casum deslendum
seruiens Abbati et Conuentui de Lesnes qui obiit primo die mensis Ianuarij 1425. Cuius anime Lesnes Abbey In the yeare of our Lord 1178. the third of the Ides of Iune Richard Lucie a Councellour of State and chiefe Iustice of the Realme began the foundation of an Abbey at Lesnes or Westwood neare vnto this Towne of Eâ—â—th The extent of whose yearely reuenue as it was prized by the Commissioners at the suppression amounted to one hundred eighty sixe pounds and nine shillings When this his goodly fabricke was in all parts finished he presently forsooke and surrendred into the kings hands all both his offices and honours And betooke himselfe to the habite and profession of a Canon Regular in this house of his owne foundation where within a short while after euen in the same yeare to wit the fourteenth of Iuly 1479. he exchanged his Conuentuall blacke coole for a glorious bright heauenly crowne And here in the Quire of his Church hee was sumptuously entombed vpon whose Monument this Epitaph was engrauen Rapitur in tenebras Richardus lux Luciorum Iusticie pacis dilector vrbis honorum Christe sibi requies tecum sit sede piorum Iulia tunc orbi lux bis septena nitebat Mille annos C. nouem et septuaginta mouebat Now giue me leaue to go a little further with him and his heires as I finde the words in the Collection of Englands Protectours by Francis Thinne Lancaster Herald Sir Richard Lucie knight chiefe Iustice of England saith he was Protectour of England in the twelfth yeare of the raigne of king Henry the second in the absence of the king when hee was in Normandie and in the parts beyond the Seas Which Lucie in the thirteenth yeare of the same King did valiantly resist and politikely driue backe the Earle of Bolloigne inuading this kingdome He built the Abbey of Leosnes or Westwood in the Parish of Erith in Kent and not in Southfleet as some haue written in the yeare of Christ 1178. and the Castle of Chipping Augre in Essex He had issue Godfrey Bishop of Winchester and three daughters who after the death of Godfrey their brother were his heires Maude the eldest daughter was married to Robert the first called Fitzwater Aueline the second daughter was married to Richard Riuers of Stanford Riuers in Essex Rose the third daughter was married to Richard de Warren the naturall sonne of king Iohn as appeareth by a deed belonging to my selfe who had the Rectory of Leosnes beginning thus Rosa de Douer quondam vxor venerabilis viri Richardi filij Regis de Chillam And king Iohn by his Charter grants to another Rose her grandfathers lands in these words Rex reddidit Roesie de Douerita totam terram suam cum pertenenc qua eam contingit de heredit Richardi de Lucy avi sui tenend sibi hered c. Cart. 24. Reg. Iohannis numero 37. in Archi. Turris London The foresaid Godfrey de Lucy was consecrated Bishop of Winchester the first of Nouember 1189. And died Ann. 1204 hauing gouerned that See fifteene yeares He purchased of king Richard the first the Mannors of Wergraue and Menes which in times past had belonged to his Bishopricke he was a great Benefactour to this Religious house of Leosnes founded by his father wherein according to his will hee was enterred To whose memory this Epitaph was engrauen vpon his Tombe Lux mea lux Christi si terre ventre quiesco Attamen in celo sanctorum luce lucesco Presul de Winton fueram quondam Cathedratus Multum resplendens alto sanguine natus Nunc id sum quod eris puluis rota non retinenda Voluitur inuigila prudens nec differ agenda M. C. bis quatuorque annos his insuper addas Carnis vincla dies soluit secunda Decembris Vos qui transitis ancillam poscite Christi Sit Dominus mitis pulso purgamine tristi Wolwich Orate pro anima Iohannis Colin et Mathilde vxoris eius qui Iohannes obiit 27. Ianuar ..... Mathilda 25. Octob. 1397. Hic tacet Dominus Will. Prene quondam Rector huius Ecclesie viz. tempore Regis Edwardi quarti et postea Rector Ecclesie de Lymming qui fieri fecit istam Capellam et Campanile huius Ecclesie et in uita sua multa alia bona .... ob I. die Decemb. 1464. Willelmus Prene me fecit in honorem sancte Trinitatis Eltham Pray for the sowl of Dame Margerie Roper late wyff of Iohn Roper Suier daughter and one of the heires of Iohn Tattersall Suier who dyed 2. Februar 1518 Roper a name of eminent respect in this County honoured with the title of Baron Roper of Tenham by our Soueraigne Lord Iames late King of England giuen to Iohn Lord Roper now liuing Pray for the sowl of Iohn Morton sonne and heire of Margaret Morton of Asheby de la Zouch in the County of Leicester late wife to Tho. Squier who dyed 23. Aug. Prier pur l'alme Thomas Pierle qi morust le primer iour de Iuyl l'an de Grace Mil. ccc.lxix ..... Here lyeth Iohn Pasley yeoman Porter to king Henry the eighth and Agnes his wife which Iohn dyed .... 1509. Hen. 8.1 West Peckham Iohn Culpeper one of the Iustices of the Common Pleas in the raigne of king Henry the fourth founded here a Preceptorie or free-Schoole which he endowed with threescore and three pounds sixe shillings eight pence of yearely allowance Bromley In the Church wall lyeth the pourtraiture as I learne by tradition of Richard Wendouer Bishop of Rochester and Parson of this Towne He was consecrated 1238. and dyed 1250. yet it is said that his body was buried in Westminster by the kings speciall commandement for that he was accounted a very holy and vertuous man which I cannot much contradict Icy gist Mestre Water de Henche Qi fut Persone de Bromleghe 1360. Lewsham Hic iacet Georgius Hatecliffe Ar. Thesaurarius Domini Regis in Hibernia ac vnus clericorum compoti Hospitii regis obiit 1. Aug. 1514. Iohn Norbury founded a Priory in this Towne of Lewsham which hee replenished with blacke Monkes Aliens belonging to the Abbey of Gaunt in Flanders and thereupon called Aliens because they were Celles to some Monastery or other beyond the Seas The first foundation of these houses I do not finde but in the raigne of king Edward the third they were encreased to the number of one hundred and ten in England besides them in Ireland Aquitane and Normandy The goods of all which Priories the said king Ann. Reg. 12. because of his warres with France caused to be confiscated to his owne vse letting out their houses to farme with all their lands and tenements for the space of three and twenty yeares At the end of which Terme Peace being concluded betweene the two Nations he restored to the Priors Aliens their
What myght I of the iustyce sayne Kept wythyn this Cytye playne It were long to declare For though I shuld all day tell Or that wyth my ryme dogerell Myght I not yet halfe do spell This townes great honour Therfore shortly as I began Pray for yt both chyld and man That yt may continue and To bere of all the floure To his Reader of these rymes Who so hym lyketh these versys to rede Wyth fauour I pray he will theym spell Let not the rudenes of theym hym lede For to despraue thys ryme dogerell Some part of the honour it doth you tell Of thys olde Cytye Troynouant But not thereof the halfe dell Connyng in the maker is so adaunt But though he hadde the eloquence Of Tully and the moralytye Of Senek and the influence Of the swyte sugred Armony Or that fayre Ladye Caliope Yet hadde he not connyng perfyght Thys Cytye to prayse in eche degre As yt shulde duely aske by ryght Saint Pauls Church As of the Cathedrall Churches in Canterbury and Rochester so I finde Ethelbert king of Kent to be the Founder of this here in London dedicated to the honour of the euerliuing God and Saint Paul Doctor of the Gentiles These are the words of his Charter preserued here in the Church In Christi nomine Aedelbertus Rex Deo inspirante pro anime sue remedio dedit Episcopo Melito terram que appellatur Tillingeham ad Monasterij sui solatium scilicet Sancti Pauli Apostoli Doctoris Gentium Et ego Aedelbertus ita firmiter concedo tibi Presuli Melito potestatem eius habendi possidendi vt in perpetuum in Monasterij vtilitate permaneat Si quis vero contradicere temptauerit hanc donationem Anathema excomunicatus sit ab omni societate Christiana vsque ad satisfactionem Qua de re ego Episcopus Melitus vna cum Rege Aedeberto Humfredum Episcopum subscribere rogaui Signum manus Humfredi Episcopi Signum manus Letharij Episcopi Signum manus Abbane Signum manus Aethelpaldi Signum manus Aespine aliorum multorum Besides this his gift of Tillingham in Essex dedit viginti quatuor Hidas terre iuxta Londoniam as the Lieger booke of this Church speakes the greatest part of which was afterwards diuided into Prebends as More Finnesbury Oldstreet Wenlocksborne Hoxton Newington S. Pancrace Kentishtowne Totenhall Ragener Holborne Portpole Iseldon and there onely remained to the Deane and Chapter Norton Folgate King Athelstan at the request of Bishop Theodred surnamed the good gaue Monasterio Sancti Pauli in Londonia Ciuitate c. decem Mansas ad Sandonam cum Rode octo ad Eardlage now Yerdley cum Luffenhede et decem ad Bylchampe cum Picham et octo ad Lidwolditon nunc Heybridge et duodecim ad Runwellam et triginta ad Edelfesnesam now Pauls soken in Essex et decem ad Breytane et octo ad Berne et decem ad Neoldune cum Pislesdune King Edgar at the request of Bishop Dunstan and his third sonne beautifull young Ethelred pro sexaginta Mancis auri puri which is threescore Markes of our English money dedit ad Monasterium Sancti Pauli viginti quinque Mansiones in loco qui vocatur Nasinstocke Which were confirmed by Etheldred and diuers succeeding kings Canutus or Knute the Dane king of England not onely confirmes his predecessours gifts but also founds and endowes the dignitie of the Deanry with the Church of Lamborne in Barkshire pro victu decani qui pro tempore fuerit The first Deane whereof was Leuegarus as appeares by an ancient Catalogue of the Deanes amongst the Antiquities of this Church whom succeeded Godwynus Syredus Gulielmus Elfwynus Luiredus and in the Conquerours time Wolfmannus after him Radulphus de Diceto that great and iudicious Antiquarie Qui velut alter Iosephus aut Philo saith Bale Cent. 2. suae gentis vetera Monumenta atque inclita facta perpetuare studens multa retroactis seculis incognita produxit in lucem Edward the Confessour confirmes the gift of Wygaley now West Lee in Essex which one Ediua a religious woman gaue Fratribus Sancti Pauli and also giues himselfe Monasterio Sancti Pauli octo Mansas ad Berling et quinque ad Cynford now Chyngford in Essex Kensworth and Caddington and diuers other lands were giuen to this Church before the Conquest all which the Conquerour confirmes by his Charter remaining amongst the Records in the Tower adding thereunto many ample priuiledges and immunities Quia volo saith he vt ista Ecclesia ita sit libera in omnibus sicut volo esse animam meam in die iudicij Moreouer besides this confirmation he gaue vnto this Church and Mauritius the Bishop the Castle of Stortford or Storford in Hertfordshire with all the appurtenances belonging thereunto for euer and namely the land which William the Deacon and Raph his brother held of the king William Rufus by his deed sealed freeth the Canons of Pauls from all works to the walls and Tower of London and withall confirmes all his fathers donations and priuiledges This deed was dated at Hereford Since which time one Peter Newport of which name and family many lie entombed in burnt Pelham within Hertfordshire gaue vnto this Church two hundred acres of wood in Hadley and Thundersey in Essex and fourescore Acres of arable land with a Brewhouse out of which the Deane and Chapter were to pay a certaine summe of money to a Priest to say Masse for his soule Sir Philip Basset knight gaue Drayton to the Deane and Chapter to the entent that they should pay 15. l. for euer to three Chapleynes for the like seruice of saying Masse and his Executours gaue Hayrstead out of which there was yearely spent fiue pounds for an Obit The Executors of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster gaue to this Church the Mannors of Bowes and Pecleshouse in Midlesex for the maintenance of certaine Priests to sing Masse for his soule And of these Mannors the Church was possest vntill the latter end of king Henry the eight The Churches of Willesdon Sunbury Brickesley Rickling and Aueley were impropriated to the Deane and Chapter by diuers Bishops the Impropriations whereof were theirs at that time Besides their lands and reuenues in the countrey these Churchmen had diuers houses in the Citie which were granted sometime Deo et Sancto Paulo sometime Deo et Sancti Pauli seruientibus sometime Sancto Paulo et Canonicis Of these I haue seene many deeds among which one is most remarkable dated in the yeare 1141. the sixth of king Stephen and fastened with a labell to the end of a sticke of what wood I know not howsoeuer it remaines to this day free from worme-holes or any the least corruption not so much as in the barke Whereby one Robert Fitz-Gousbert for his soules health giues vnto this Church a certaine parcell of land or an house containing eight foot in breadth and sixe in length Vpon which wood or
sister to king Edward the fourth by whom he had issue Thomas Mannors knight of the Garter Lord Ros of Hamelake Belvoir and Trusbut and Earle of Rutland the first of that Surname As also Oliuer Anthony Richard Iohn Elisabeth Katherine Eleanor Cicely or Sisley and Anne This house with a circuite of ground thereunto adioyning tooke denomination of a certaine sweet wholesome and cleare fountaine or well within the compasse thereof which for the vertue of the water was amongst the common people reputed and called holy It is now decayed and indeed quite spoiled with soile dung and other filthinesse purposely there laid for the heighthening of the ground for garden plots The Priory of Clerkenwell This Priory was likewise so called of a Well not farre from the West end of the Church of the said Priory Which Well tooke name of the Parish Clarkes in London who of old time saith Stow in his Suruay of the said Citie were accustomed there yearely to assemble and to play some large history of holy Scripture This Priory was founded in the yeare of our redemption one thousand one hundred or thereabouts by Iordan Briset a wealthy and deuout Baron the sonne of Rause the sonne of Brian Briset who gaue foureteene acres of ground lying in the field neare vnto the said Clarkes well to build thereupon an house for religious Votaries blacke Nunnes Which donation I haue read depensild vpon a table in the Church which by the fall of the Steeple which tooke downe with it a great part of the Church was battered all to peeces The said Iordan with Muriell his wife for shee is set downe to be co-foundresse with him dedicated this their sacred structure to the honour of God and the Assumption of the blessed Virgine Mary Richard Beauveyes Bishop of London about the yeare 1112. gaue certaine Lands at Muswell hill to the said Nunnery now in the possession of Sir Nicholas Roe knight confirmed by the Cartulary of king Stephen as it is in the Lieger booke of the said house Sciatis me confirmasse c. locum suum c. et quicquid Ricardus Episcopus London et Iordanus filâ—us Bricij et alij Barones mei rationabiliter in Elemosinam dederunt Henry the second he confirmes the scite of the house and land thereunto adioyning thus Sciatis me concessisse c. Ecclesie beate Marie de fonte Clericorum et Monialibus ibidem deo seruientibus omnia subscripta c. scilicet ex dono Iordanis de Briseta et Murielis vxoris eius locum in quo habitant infra ambitum muri earum et terram quam extra habent circa muros earum in eodem campo c. The names of the Prioresses of this house from the foundation vnto the dissolution as they are set downe in the same booke were these First Christiana 2. Ermegard 3. Hawisia 4. Eleonora 5. Alesia 6. Cecilia 7. Margerie Whatvile 8. Isabell. 9. Alice Oxeney 10. Amice Marcy 11 Denys Bras 12. Margery Bray 13. Ioan Lewkenor 14. Ioan Fulham 15. Katherine Braybroke 16. Luce Attewood 17. Ioan Viene 18. Margaret Bakwell 19. Isabell Wentworth 20. Margaret Bull. 21. Agnes Clifford 22. Katherine Greene. 23. Isabell Hussey And the last Lady Prioresse of this house was Isabell Sackvile of the right honourable Familie of the Sackviles the Ancestors of Sir Edward Sackvile now Baron of Buckhurst and Earle of Dorset She lieth buried vnder a marble stone in the Church of the Nunnery neare vnto the high Altar whereupon this Inscription or Epitaph is engrauen in brasse Hic iacet Isabella Sackvile quae fuit Priorissa nuper Prioratus de Clerkenwel tempore dissolutionis eiusdem Prioratus quae fuit 21. Octobris Ann. Dom. Millesimo quingentesimo septuagesimo et Ann. Reg. Regin Elisab Dei gra c. duodecimo She made her last Will and Testament as I finde it in the Prerogatiue office the nineteenth day of February in the said twelfth yeare of Queene Elizabeth wherein she bequeathes her body to be buried in Clarkenwell Church and ordaines the right honourable the Lord of Buckhurst her Cosin the ouerseer of this her Will if it shall please his Lordship to take the paines She liued many yeares in the various dayes of diuers Princes for I finde in the pedegree of the Earle of Dorset that one William Sackevyle by his Will and Testament dated the tenth day of August in the 21. yeare of King Henry the seuenth gaue to his Neece Isabell Sackvyle a certaine Legacie she being as then a Nunne in the Priory of Clerkenwell Iordan Briset the foresaid Founder died the 17. of September about the yeare of our Lord 1124. and Muriell his wife the first of May next following they were buried both together in the Chapter-house of this Church now called the old Vestrie In the 〈…〉 the Chancell is a faire marble Tombe with the 〈◊〉 of a dead man lying vpon his shroud the most artificially cut â—n stone that euer man beheld all the plates of brasse are stolne away onely some few peeces remaining containing these words ..... Hospitalitate inclytus genere preclarus ...... Hanc Vrnam offcij causa ....... Ecce quem cernis tuo nomini semper deuotum Suscipe in sinum Virgo Maria tuum Spes me non fallat quam in te semper habebam Virgo da facilem .......... This Monument was erected to the memory of Sir William Weston knight Lord Prior of Saint Iohns Ierusalem at the time of the dissolution of the said Priory to whom Henry the eight for his maintenance had allowed one thousand pound of yearely pension during his life Of which summe he receiued neuer a penny for so it fortuned that vpon the seuenth day of May 1540. being Ascention day and the same day of the dissolution of the house he was dissolued by death which strooke him to the heart at the first time when he heard of the dissolution of his order All the Funerall Monuments of Antiquitie in this Church which were many as you may reade in Stowes Suruay are quite defaced This Priory was valued at the suppression to be possest of 282. l. 16. s. 5. d. of yearely reuenues Within the close of this Nunnery is a faire spatious house built of late by Sir Thomas Challoner knight deceased vpon the Frontispice whereof these verses were depensild now altogether obliterated Casta fides superest velatae tecta sorores Ista relegatae desuruere licet Nam venerandus Hymen hic vota ingalia seruat Vestalemque focum mente fouere studet The Nunnery now the inheritance of the right honourable Sir William Cauendish knight Lord Ogle Viscount Mansfield and Earle of Newcastle being opposite to this new braue building ministred belike occasion and matter for the making of this said Inscription This Hexamiter following is painted vnder a Sunne diall in the entrance vnto the Nunnery Non aliter pereo species quam futilis Vmbrae The Priory of S. Iohn of Ierusalem
came an incredible concurse of people saith Leland Hee was for the space of fifteene yeares Prouinciall of the Carmelites Confessor he was to king Henry the fourth and held of him in great estimation as also to his Queene and his eldest sonne Henry Prince of Wales who when he came to the Crowne preferred him to the Bishopricke of Saint Dauids in Wales Being at the Councell of Constance he was by the Pope translated to Chichester not long after which he departed this world and as it is in the Records in the Tower before his translation could be perfected in the yeare 1417. the 22. of September But I will come to the Inscription vpon his Tombe in verse and prose as followeth Hic Frater Stephanus de Patrington requiescit Nomine reque fuit norma corona Pater Ens Carmelitis Rector Doctor Prior Anglis Confessor celebris Regis et ipse manens Henrici Quinti Meneuensis quoque Presul Câ—ristus in aureolam pillea mutet ei ................. Magister Frater Stephanus Patrington sacre Theologie venerabilis Doctor et Prior Prouincialis Fratrum Carmelitarum in Prouincia Anglie annis xv Confessor Domini Regis Henrici quinti. Episcopus Meneuens et Postulatus Cicestriens obijt Londonijs in Conuentu Ann. Dom. M. cccc.xvij.xxij die Mens Septembris Hic varia scripsit opuscula vtilitati Studentium Here somtime lay buried the bodie of Nicholas Kenton borne in Kenton a village in Suffolke about ten miles from Ipsewich he was matriculated and instructed in the rudiments of learning amongst the Carmelites at Ipswich From whence he went to Cambridge where he attained to the full perfection of all solide discipline In poesie and Rhetoricke hee was exquisitely well exercised an acute Philosopher he was and a singular diuine He writ many learned Comments vpon sundrie places of the Scripture and many other workes mentioned by Bale He was Prouinciall of his order in England for the space of twelue yeares and had vnder his gouernment aboue a thousand and fiue hundred Carmelites Hee desired not long before his death to giue ouer his Prouinciallship saying Se iam malle precibus et Deo liberè vacare quam praxi attendere parere potius deinceps velle quam preesse Which was granted after much earnest suite made to all his Couents He died in the Dormitorie of this house the fourth day of September in the yeare of our Lord 1468. to whose honour this riming Epitaph was annexed to his funerall Monument Kenton Doctoris Carmilite Nicholai Sic Peccatricis anime miserens Adonai Carmeli gentis curam qui rexit in Anglis Ipsa bis senis fungens summus Prior annis Huic sibi propitius veniam prestet pater almus Cuius spiramen scandens supra astra sit Amen Iohn Miluerton a Carmelite Frier of Bristow was here entombed hee was Doctor of Diuinitie and of the Chaire in the Vniuersitie of Oxford from whence he was sent for to Paris by Iohn Sorethe the Prouinciall of his Order where by a generall Synode he was chosen Prouinciall of his order through England Scotland and Ireland At length because he defended such of his order as preached against endowments of the Church with temporall possessions hee was brought into trouble committed to prison in Castle S. Angelo in Rome where he continued three yeares and at length was deliuered through certaine of the Cardinals that were appointed his iudges but in the meane time he lost the Bishopricke of Saint Dauids to which he was elected He writ diuers learned workes before after and during the time of his imprisonment which are mentioned by Bale in his fift centurie At the last full of yeeres and cares he here ended his life the last day saue one of Ianuary in the yeare of our redemption 1486. and was buried in the Quire of this monasterie with these nicking Hexameters engrauen vpon his monument Clauditur hic subtus prudens veri reserator Carmeli cultor Doctrine firmus amator Rite Iohannes Oxoniensis in ordine Doctor Sic orthodoxe sidei validus releuator Post Prouinquecialis vixit pluribus annis Mirifice crebro vexatus tempore dampnis Huic reus est sceleris annus magni tribulantis Gaudeat ob meritum constans robur patientis Ipsum turbauit vir fortis perniciose Tandem Catholice trusus superat speciose Aureolam Deus vt det Myluerton numerose Optemus fuerat plexus licet inuidiose Iohn Loneye Doctor of Diuinity and a Carmelite Frier was here interred in the cloister of the Church to whose memory this distich was made Clauditur hoc claustro Frater Loneye Iohannes Expertus mundo celo fruiturus vt heres This Loney saith a late writer was vir acuâ—i ingenij magnae doctrinae multae lectionis boni zeli multae industriae A man of an acute wit excellent doctrine much reading ardent deuotion great industrie Hee with twelue other Doctors did condiscend to the decree saith my Mss of Master William Barton Chancellour of the vniuersitie of Oxford for the condemning of the sixteene Articles of Iohn Wickliffe of the Sacrament of the Altar An Epitaph vpon Iohn Palgraue Prior sometimes of this house Huius confratris grauis est instantia causa Qua domus hec superest proceraque fabrica libris Et murus validus excludit Tamesis vndas Vestes dat sacras sibi det vestes Deus albas Of this Prior I finde no further neither of any other of the Carmelites buried within this conuentuall Church Black Friers Church in Oldborne In old time about the yeere 1221. there was a religious house of Friers Predicants without the Bars in Oldborne to which order Hubert de Burgo Earle of Kent was an especiall Benefactor giuing vnto them that noble Pallace at Westminster now called White Hall Thus Hubert was a faithfull seruant to King Iohn and to his sonne Henry the third a carefull Patriot of the State and one who vnfainedly loued his Country who when he had made triall of the variable changes of Fortune as being seldome or neuer but either highly in the Kings loue or in the Subiects hatred or in the Kings heauy displeasure and the peoples generall applause lastly being full fraught with yeers as he was with many eminent vertues he died in the fauour of God the King and all good men at his Mannor of Bansted in Surrey the Ides of May Anno 1243. Hee was first here intombed but afterwards as though he had beene fatally ordained to take no more rest in his graue then quietnesse in his worldâ—y employments his body was translated at the same time when these Friers were remoued from Oldborne into London to that house now called the blacke Friers neere vnto Ludgate where belike it takes no better rest then others haue done so buried Saint Dunstans in the West Hic iacet Iohannes Gyles nuper vnius Clericorum parue Bage cancell Dominorum H. Regum septimi et octaui ac custos siue clericus
who inuaded his Territories in his absence whilst he was prosecuting the warres in Ireland and returned from that battell a triumphant Conquâ—rour Vnder another Monument lieth the body of Gilbert Marshall Earle of Penbroke and Marshall of England Lord of Longevile in Normandy Leinster in Ireland and of Chepstow Strighull and Caerwent in Wales This Potent Peere of the Realme saith Mathew Paris in Ann. 1241. proclaimed a Turnament in scorne of the kings authoritie whereby such disports were forbidden to be holden at Hertford in the County of Hertford to which place when many both of the Nobilitie and Gentrie were assembled it happened that himselfe running by the flinging of his horse was cast out of his sadle and the horse gaue him such a blow on the breast that he died the same day being the fifth of the Kalends of Iuly 1241. as aforesaid His bowels were interred in the Abbey Church in the Towne of Hertford with the bowels of one Sir Robert de Say knight a gallant gentleman slaine in the same exercise These kinde of Iusts or Turnaments were brought in with king Stephen and practised in many places of England in such an outragious manner and with such slaughter of Gentlemen that to suppresse such an heathenish disport it was decreed by Parliament that whosoeuer therein were slaine should want Christian buriall and their heires be disinherited Hic requiescit ..... R ... Ep .... Quondam Visitator generalis ordinis Milicie Templi in Anglia in Francia in Italia .... This was a fragment of a funeralâ— Inscription insculped vpon one of these crosse-legged Monuments as I found it amongst other Collections by one studious in Antiquities in Sir Robert Cottons voluminous Librarie which he proues by the pedegree of the said Lord Rosses to haue beene made to the memory of one Robert Rosse a Templer who died about the yeare 1245. and gaue to the Templars his Mannor of Ribston William Plantaginet the fifth sonne of king Henry the third lieth here interred who died in his childhood about the yeare 1256. En Iacobus templo Bayle requiescit in isto Qui fuerat gratus medio Templo sociatus Cui Deus esto pius eius miserando reatus Vitam mutauit in mensis fine secundi M. C. quater que dato Lxx quater annumerato Cui sit solamen Christus dic protinus Amen Robertus iacet hic Thorne quem Bristollia quondam Pretoris merito legit ad officium Huic etinim semper magne Respublica cure Charior cunctis Patria duitijs Ferre inopi auxilium tristes componere lites Dulce huic consilio quosque iuuare fuit Qui pius exaudis miserorum vota precesque Christe huic in celis des regione locum Orate pro anima Richardi Wye socij comititiui interioris Templi ob 9. Mar. 1519. Cuius anime Domine secundum delictum meum noli me iudicare Deprecor maiestatem tuam vt tu deleas iniquitatem meam Ecce quid eris Hic iacet Willelmus Langham quondam custos huius Templi qui obijt ......... 1437. Tu prope qui transis nec dicis aueto resiste Auribus et corde hec mea dicta tene Sum quod eris quod es ipse fui derisor amare Mortis dum licuit pace manente frui Sed veniente nece postquam sum raptus amicis Atque meis famulis orba ...... domus Me contexit humo deplorauit que iacentem Inque meos cineres vltima dona dedit Vnde mei vultus corrosit terra nitorem Queque fuit forme ......... Ergo Deum pro me cum pura mente precare Vt mihi perpetua pace frui tribuat Et quicunque rogat pro me comportet in vnum Vt mecum meneat in regione Poli. William Burgh iadis Clerk de Chancelleri Gist icy Dieu de s'alme eyt mercy Amen Saint Clement Danes So called because Harold surnamed Harefoot for his swift footmanship king of England of the Danish line and other Danes were here buried This Harold was the base sonne of king Canut by his concubine Alice of Woluerhampton in Staffordshire a Shoomakers daughter His body was first buried at Westminster but afterwards Hardicanut the lawfull sonne of Canut being king commanded his body to bee digged out of the earth and to be throwne into the Thames where it was by a Fisherman taken vp and buried in this Churchyard He died at Oxford 1040. hauing raigned three yeares and eight moneths Hic iacet .... Iohannes Arundell .... Episcopus Exon. qui ob die mens Maij 15 ... 1503. This maymed Inscription would tell vs thus much that Iohn Arundell descended of the ancient and most worshipfull house of the Arundels of Lanherne in Cornwall Bishop of Exceter lieth here vnder interred who died March 15. 1503. Hic iacet corpus venerabilis .... Io ..... Booth Legum Bacalaureus Episcopus Exon ..... ob primo April 1478. This Bishop gouerned his Church wondrous well and builded as some suppose the Bishops See in the Quire but being weary of the great troubles which were in his countrey betweene king Edward the fourth and the Earle of Warwicke he remoued from thence to his house of Horsleigh in Hampshire where he died Orate pro anima Willelmi Booth militis fratris Episcopi Exon. qui ob 6. April 1478. Hic iacet Edmundus Arnold postremus Aprilis Quem dolor heu rapuit tristis atroxque dies Istius Ecclesie Rector meritissimus olim Et summus Mâ—dice Doctor in arte fuit Non Ipocrate minor erat nec doctior vllus Non Opifex mirum vincit Apollo virum M. D. deme ter .x. semel v. Christi anno Cui vitam Medicus det sine sine Deus Sauoy So called of Peter Earle of Sauoy the first builder thereof which being ouerthrowne by the Rebels of Kent it was againe raised and beautifully rebuilded by king Henry the seuenth for an Hospitall and dedicated to the honour of Saint Iohn Baptist for which he purchased lands for the reliefe of an hundred poore people Of which you may reade this Inscription engrauen ouer the Gate towards the Street 1505. Hospitium hoc inopi Turbe Sauoia vocatum Septimus Henricus fundauit ab imo solo Henry the seuenth to his merite and honor This Hospitall foundyd pore people to socor Many officers ordinances orders and rules were appointed by the Founder for the better gouernment of this Hospitall some of which I haue read briefly extracted out of the Grand Charter viz. Per nomen Magistri et Capellanorum Hospitalis Henrici Regis Anglie septimi de Savoy Duo Presbiteri seculares conductitij Duo homines seculares honesti ac literati quorum alter Subsacrista alter Subhospitalarius Quatuor homines honesti qui Alteriste vocentur Quinque alij honesti homines viz. 1. Clericus Coquine 2. Panetarius 3. Coquus 4. Ortulanus 5. Ianitor Duo alij alter subcoquus
obiit vltimo die Iulii anno Domini M.D.xxix. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Brome In the Chancell of this Church is erected a marble Tombe some foure foot high vpon which lie the figures of Sir Iohn Cornwalleis knight in Armour with a white staffe in his hand and a greyhound at his feet and Mary his wife with a Hound at her feet Which Tombe beares this Inscription Iohannes Cornwalleis miles Willelmi Cornwalleis Armigeri filius in Domo Principis Edowardi Oeconomus et vxor eiusdem Maria Edwardi Sulliard de Essex Filia Qui quidem Iohannes xxiij Aprilis Anno Dom. M.D.xliiii obiit Astrugie in Comitatu Buckingham cum ibidem Princeps Edwardus versaretur On the North side of the Isle neare vnto the former monument standeth a marble Tombe vpon which lie the pourtraitures of Sir Thomas Cornwalleis knight in Armour and Anne his wife ..... Of these two and of the familie of Cornwalleis thus Camden writes concurring with the words in these Inscriptions At Brome saith he dwelt a long time the Familie of Cornwalleis of knights degree of whom Sir Iohn Cornwalleis was Steward of Edward the sixth his houshold while he was Prince and his sonne Sir Thomas for his wisedome and faithfulnesse became one of the priuie Councell to Queene Mary and Controllour of her royall House Here also in the said Isle is a Monument whereupon is the Effigies of Henry Cornwalleis Esquire in Armour kneeling thus vnder written Hac conditione intraui vt exirem Cui nasci contigit mori restat In the said Chancell lieth a Tombestone with this Inscription Orate pro anima Edwardi Cornwalleis Armigeri qui obijt iiii die Septembris anno Domini M.D.x. cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Vnder this is the forme of an heart ioyning to it streaming forth these sentences Within the circumference of the Heart this word Credidi From the Heart these lines Redemptor meus viuit In nouissimo die super terram stabit In carne mea videbo Deum Saluatorem Helmingham In the Chancell floore vpon a Tombestone this Inscription in French William Ioce Katerine sa femme gysont ycy Dieu de lor almes eyt mercy amen There are diuers other Tombestones in this Chancell flore without either Inscriptions or Armes which haue beene on them all but are taken out Hintlesham In the middle of the Chancell a faire blew marble stone thereon in brasse the proportion of a man in compleat Armour vnder his head a Helme thereon on a wreath his Creast And on his left hand the pourtraict of a woman in brasse a little hownd lying at her feete vnder both these this Inscription Hic iacent venerabilis vir Iohannes Tymperley Armiger heres Dominus de Hyntylsham Margareta vxor eius Qui quidem Iohannes obijt ... die mensis Anno Domini M. cccc Quorum animabus propitietur altissimus On another marble stone a man in compleat Armour in brasse sans Helme with this Inscription Of your cherite prey for the soul of William Temperley whych dyed the x. day of March in the yere of our Lord God M.D.xxvii on whos soul and all crystyn Iesu have mercy Amen On a Tombe of Alabaster on the South side of the Chancell wall these Inscriptions Hic iacent Thomas Tymperley Armiger qui obijt xiiii die Ian. M.D. et Etheldreda vxor eius prima filia Nicholai Hare .... et Katherine vxor cius Hic iacent Nicholaus Timperley Armiger qui obiit .... et Anna vxor eius filia et heres Gulielmi Markham Armigeri .... Flixton Or Felixton so named of Felix the first Bishop of these parts like as many other places in this Shire had in times past a Monastery of Nunnes of whose Foundation I haue read in a namelesse Manuscript as followeth Margery de Creke daughter to Galfride Hanes the widow of Bartholomew Creke gaue her whole Mannour of Flixton with all the appurtenances which came to her by Inheritance to haue a Religious house of Nuns erected which should professe the Rule of Saint Austin Simon de Wanton at that time Bishop of Norwich Sir William Blunde Robert de Valines William de Medefâ—nd being witnesses of her donation and gift which was in the raigne of King Henry the third for I finde that in his time these witnesses did flourish It was valued at the generall ouerthrow of such houses at twenty three pounds foure shillings pennie halfe penny qua Walton or Waletune A Priory dedicated to Saint Felix the Bishop before remembred wherein were placed blacke Monkes Benedictines And this is all I finde of this Foundation saue that the Bigots or Bigods Earles of Norfolke were great benefactours to this religious building if not the sole Founders of the same As will appeare by this peece of a Record following Rogerus Bigod comes Norfolcie pro salute anime mee c. dedi et concessi Ecclesie Sancti Felicis de Waletune et Monachis ibidem Deo servientibus omnes donationes sicut antecessores mei c. sans date Edwardstow A Monastery was here founded by Peter de la Roche or Petrus de Rupibus that rich Bishop of Winchester in the raigne of King Iohn Heringfleet Here sometimes was a Religious Monastery of Canons Regular dedicated to the honour of Saint Olaue founded by Roger the sonne of Osbert Valued at fourty nine pounds eleuen shillings seuen pence Brisete Here was Priory of blacke Canons consecrated to Saint Leonard Leyston or Laiston The Priory of Leyston saith my Manuscript replenished with blacke Monkes Premonstratenses was first founded by Ranulph de Glanvill about the yeare 1183. renewed and new builded by Sir Robert de Vfford Earle of Suffolke Anno 1363. it was dedicated to the mother of Iesus that blessed Virgine Mary And vpon the destruction of all such Edifices valued farre vnder rate to haue annuall commings in one hundred eighty one pound seuenteene shillings penny halfe pennie Hicham Hoc tegitur saxo Iohannes Spring qui quidem Iohannes obijt duodecimo die mens Augusti Anno a Christo nato M.D.xlvii Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Laneham Here lyeth buried the body of Thomas Spring of Laneham surnamed the Rich Clothier who died .... in the yeare of our Lord God M.D.x. His Monument is in the carued Chappell of Wainscot in the North side of the Chancell which he built himselfe as also he built the great Chappell on the South side of the Chancell Here lieth buried another Thomas Spring of Laneham Clothier who built the Vestrie of the said Church He died the seuenth day of September M. cccclxxxvi the first of Henry the seuenth Orate pro anima Iacobi Spring qui obiit iii die Augusti M. cccclxxxiiii Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Cnobersburg or Burgh Castell Which as Camden saith out of venerable Bede was a most pleasant Castle by reason of the woods
Stâ—w Annal. The finall dissoluâ—â—â—â— of Pâ—â—ories Aliens Aelphege Archbishop of Canterbury Caâ—graut in vita Elphege Ditmaâ— Marâ—â—◠〈◊〉 The Friery aâ— Greenwich Lamb. peramb. The Priory Weeuer and Ioane his wiâ—e The Popes Bul to the Staple Merchants for a portable Altâ—r and a Masse-priest Their Priest Confessour The forme of an Absolution The definition of a Merchant What Pedlers are Staple whar Burialls at Otford Alrick king of Kent Bartilmew the Saint at Otfâ—rd and his offering A part of Saint Tho Beckets 〈◊〉 Burials in Holmes Dalâ— M. Drayton Polyol Song 18. Io. Sariâ—â—â—r de Nugis Curial li. 6 ca 18. Camd. in Kent The Gentrie of Kent The Yeomanry of Kent The conclusion of this Diocesse Lamb. Godwin Lamb. Camd. Midlesex * Yorke * Other Speed Midlesex In Midlesex Albions England Chap. 14. The foundation of Saint Pauls Church Diploma Regis Ethelberti In Arch. Turris Lond. Cartae antiqua A. Sebba king of the East-Saxons Lib. 4. cap. 11. Etheldred king of England surnamed The Vnready Will. Malms Rob. Glocest. * they i Lib 6 cap. â— â—ib 1â— ca â—lt * Etheldred Erkenwald Bishop of Lond. De gestis Pontif. lib. 2. Beda lib. 4. ca. 6. Harpsfeeld Secul 7. cap. 13. Eustace de Fauconbridge Bishop of Lond. In bib Cott. Henry de Wingham Bishop of London Mat. Paris Lib. Mon. de Wauerley in bib Cott. Rager the black Bishop of London Rob. Braybrooke Bishop of London Rob. Fitz-Hugh Bishop of London Thomas Kempe Bishop of London Brian Twyn Antiq. Acad. Ox. Iohn Stokesley Bishop of London William Bishop of London Charta London Fulke Basset Bishop of London Mat. 〈◊〉 Paris In bib Cott. Io. Chishull Bishop of Lond. Mat. Westm. Rich. Newport Bishop of London Raph Baldocke Bishop of London Godwin Catal. Stow. Annal. Fran. Thinne Rob. Glocest. Michaell Northbrooke Bishop of London In Arch. Turris Lond. Rich. Clifford Bishop of London Godwin Catal. Richard Fitz-Iames Bishop of London Godwin de Praesul Ang. Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Blanch Duchesse of Lancaster Fabian Constance Duchesse of Lancaster Vpodigma Neust. Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne In bib Cott. Vincent Catal. Lib. Moâ— de Whalley Laurence Allerthorp Lord Treasurer * Francis Thinne In Arch. Turris Lond. Sir Simon Burley knight of the Garter Stow. Annal. In Arch. Turris Lond. Sir Raph Hengham chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench. Iudges fined for briberie and extortion Stow. Annal. Fulke Louell Archdeacon of Colchester Io. Boys Nich. Rikkell and Isabell their wife William Worsley Deane of this Church .... Odeâ—y Canon of this Church Iohn Colet Deane of this Church Cent. 5. William Liâ—â— the first Master of Paulâ— Schoole Bale Cent. 5. Tho. Linakâ—r phisition and his vale Tho. de Eure Deane of Pauli Tho. Wynterburne Deane of Pauls Reymund Pilgrim Canon Rich. Pleâ—â—ys Canon William Harington Secretary Apostolicall Si◠〈…〉 Lord 〈◊〉 In Arch. Turrâ—â— Lond. In Arch. Turris Lond. Suruay Rich. Piriton Archdeacon of Colchester Margaret Countesse of Shrewsbury Râ—maines Romaines The foundation 〈…〉 Peâ—â—y Canons Polyol 1. Song â—â—land ad Cyg Cant. Brute King of great Britaine Gildas Cambrius Hard. in viâ— Bruti * forth * â—he * an hauâ—â— â—owne * thither * there The body of a boy found in Saint Bâ—nâ—is Church-yard by Pauls Whaâ—fe enshrined afterwards in this Church who was martyred by the Iewes Stow. Annal. 〈◊〉 Paris 〈◊〉 codem Pardon Church-yard Thomas More Deane of Pauls Dance of Pauls Chappell in Pardâ— Church yard Gilbert Becket Portgraue of London Stow Sur. in Faring Ward Chappel at the North doore of Paulâ— Charnell-house with our Ladies Chappell Sir Hen. Barton Sir George Mirfin knightâ— Rob Barton Bell-house in Pauls Church-yard Holmes Colledge Adam de Bury Lord Maior Anne Duchesse of Bedford Poultneys Chappell Sir Iohn Poultney Iesus Chappell Sir Alan Boxhul knight of the Garter Shrines in S. Pauls Ex. Mss. in bib Cot. Camd. in Mid. Dierius alij Sir Hen. Spelman Gloss. liâ— C. Regist. lib. 3. Epist. 14. Cardinals of S. Paul 〈…〉 Church William Wâ—st Canon and Cardinall Iohn Good Chanâ—er of the Bale William Lily Lud King of the Britaines Io. Harding Now the Bishop of Londons house saith Harding Rob. Glocest. Cadwallo K. of the Britaines Geâ—â—â—ay Mon. Harding Iohn Benson and Anne his wife The foundation of Christ-Church or the Friers Minorites Margaret the â— wife of King Ed. 1. â—â—gist Frat. Miâ— Mss. in bib Câ—t The foundation of the blacke 〈◊〉 in vita R K. 〈◊〉 chiâ—piscopi Suruey of London Elizabeth Countesse of Northampton Margaret Hatfâ—eld Katherine Riplingham Her Will Tho. Riplingham His Will Agnes Milborne Nicholas Faringdon Lord Maior The Foundation of S. Martins In Arch turris London Lib. S. Martin Stow Sur. Iohn Pemberton Vpon a Table in the north Isle A Table in the Quiâ—e Deus Diabolus Vita Mors. Coelum Infâ—rnum Ioan the wife of Baron Thorp Stow Annal. William Brecke-speare Robbert Traps Agnes and Ioan his wiues Robert Agnes Ioan. Ioice Frankland An Inscription â—nder the portraiture of Queene Elizabeth Io. Brokitwell Michael Forlace and Mary his wife Mary Pawson Sir Hen. Weâ—â—eâ— knight and his wife Ioan. Sir Iohn Woodcocke Lord Maior The head of Iames the 4. king of Scotland Stow. Annal. Suruay Lond. Lib. Monasterij de Whalley in Com. Lanc. Io. Lesle in vil Iac. 4. Remaines pa. 371. The mount of Flodden * De corpore enim nondum compertum est Inscâ—iptâ— the waâ—â— Shanke bone of 28. inches long Camâ—en in Cornwall * In Cornwall Râ—b Glocest. * saith * wiâ—h Gogmagog the last Giant Camd. in Essex Selden in his Illuâ—â—râ—tions Polyol Song 1. Tho. Morsted Giles Dewes Iohn Burton 〈◊〉 Ienet his 〈◊〉 â—holl Moore Doctor of Law â—nd Agnes his brothers wife Sir Godfrey Bullen Lord Maior Catal. of honouâ— Tho. Bullen Iohn Pickering and 〈◊〉 his wife Tho. Cressly and Agnes his wife The foundation of the Collegiate Chappell at Guild-hall Hollins Speed Hist. Foundation of Mercers Chappell Stow. Iames Butler Earle of Ormond and Ioane his wife Thomas Butler Earle of Ormond Camden in the County of Tipperary Ireland Becket was borne neere to this Church here he had a shrine and his picture ouer the Chappell dore Iohn Rich. Stow Suruay Ambrose Cressacre Iohn Peris and Margaret his wife Raph Tilney and Ioan his wife Yarford Io. Allen Lord Maior Stow Suruay Iohn Couentrie Lord Maior Fabian Stow Annal. Stow Suruay Vnder the Statue of K. Ed. the sixt vpon the Standard in Cheape Tho. Knowles Lord Maior and Ioane his wife Tho. Knowles Ioan Spenser Walter Lempster 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Simon Street Agnes his wife Will. Goldhirst and Margaret his wife Stephen Spilman Sheriffe of London Ric. Grey Sheriffe of London R. Marlow Lord Maior Corpus Christi play Ric. Hill Master or Sergeant of the kings câ—ller Sir Charles Blunt knight Lord Mountioy Camd. in Shrop. Camd. in Darbishire Rob. Dalusse Baâ—her and Alice his wife Io Micolt and Ioan his wife Raph Astry Lord Maior Margery and Margaret his wiues
277 27â— Steward Henry Lord Darle 539 Styword 815 Sâ—igand Archbishop 346.785 Stoarer 806 Stone 336 Stonehenge 317 Story 699 Stoke 555.567 Stokesâ—ey Bishop 361 Stondon 567 Stoteuile 779 Stourton 526 Straw 745 Stratford Archbishop 222 Stratford Bishop 425 Stradling 331 Stration 325.368 Le Strange 822.823.530.865 Vide Stanley Street 404 Strayler 577 Sudbury Archbishop 224.225.743.744 Suliard 779.780 Supremacy 80 Sutton 605.391.818.114.433.528.752 Surrender of religious houses 106 Sumner 547 Suanden 526 Swanne 263 Sweden K. 677 Swein de Essex 693.606 Swinton 212 Swindon 657 Swidelin king 777 Swynford 661 726 T TAdiacus Archbishop 309 Taylor 857 Talboys 840 Talbot 805 828 â—43 Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury 372. the Terrour of France 380 Talbot couragious 822 823 Talburgh 604 Taleworth 649 Tatâ—eâ—sâ—ll 338 Taâ—win Archbishop 249 Tedder 477 Tendering 783 640 744 772 776 Temple Church Templers 71 269 441 719 747 Temple Court 719 Terell 779 Terrell 641 Terrye 329 Thakley 630 Thaâ—â—eâ— Isle 266 Thanye 656 Theobald Archbishop 217 743 744 545 Theobald 754 Theâ—dore Archbishop 248 298 Theodred Bishop 714 Thewrs 732 Therket 517 Thimur or Thuâ—nor 261 262 Thynne 228 677 Thâ—rieby Bishop 869 Thomas Earle of Lancaster 366 Thomas 260 333 677 Thomas Duke of Clarence 211 Thomas de Eure 370 Thompson 677 681 Tomson 111 Thorley 526 Thorndon 817 Thorne 257 261 276 443 815 Thornell 114 Thorpe 209 391 803 806 Thurkeby 825 Thurstine Archbishop 305 Tye 784 805 Tyes 372 Tyler 693 266. Idoll of Clownes 745 Tillis 805 Tilney a man of high stature sixteen Knights of the Tilneys successiuely 818 Tilney 401 814 Tymislow or Trimslow 542 Tymperley 780 765 766 Tiptoth or Tiptost 750 Tiptost Earle of Worcester 411 Tyrell 114 657 658 609 Titinylks what 94 Tobias Bishop 311 Todyng 76â— Todenham 818 Toke 283 296 Tombert 761 Tonge 274 275 675 Tony 586 Topperfeld 656 Torner 779 Totlâ—herst 324 Torynton 586 Towne 422 Towneshend 811 812 Tracy 202 Trapps 392 Traheyron 676 Trauers 134 Treâ—wel 601 677 Troys 7â— Trumpington 760 Trussell 238.485.857 Tubman 676 Tudensa 418 Tudeham 8â—9 Turberuile 582 Turbus Bishop 789 Turkill 339 Turke 699 Turman 586 Turnham 318 319 Turnant 535 Turnot 586 Turlepin 296 Turpine 676 Twesden 296 V De Valence Will. Earle of Penbroke 479 Valence 238.721 Valonies 235.275 734 Vaodicia Queene 708.709 Verdun 288 Vernon 552.821 Vere Earle of Oxford alii 284.367.418.613.614.615.616.617.619.620 621.630.631.656.831.832 855.750 Vere Sir Francis Vere 713. Horatio Lord ibid. Vfford Archbishop 222 Archdecon 224 Vfford Earles of Suffolke 753.754.755 Maud his wife ibid. Vffords 826 750 720.804 Viene 429 Vincent 77.667 Epistle to the Reader Vynter 545 Virgius 65 De Vise 290 29â— Visions and strange incredible stories 245 298 300 333 343 344 345 199 712 alibi Vitalis 487 Vmfrevill 284 212 Vnderell 779 Vnton 814 Voloyns 7â—â— Vortimer King 316 51â— Vowes 1â—â— Vpton 27â— Vpon the Armes of 〈◊〉 and Doctoâ— Furent 587 Vrswicke 5â—8 90â— Vuedal 863 8â—â— W WAchesham â—â—â— Wayth 814 Wayâ—e 6â—1 Wake 542 Wâ—kering Bishop 7â—4 Wâ—ll 675 Wâ—â—degraue 747 757 758 744 778 Walsingham 235 266 50â— 5â—â— 806 8â—8 Walter de Susfield Bishop 790 Walter at Lea 548 Waltham Bishop 482 Waldefe 586 Waldby Archbishop 481 Walkesare 822 Walworth 266 781.296 Walleys 331 379 461 Wallingford 556 Walkesley 290 Walden 315 336 627 Walden Bishop 4â—4 Wallop 89 Waning 737 Wancy 731 Wandeâ—ford 7â—0 Wangdeford â—32 De Wanton Bishop 790 869 766 Warren 209 337 792 823 Ward 110 547 814 Waring a Conâ—urer 45 Waâ—hesham 750. misnumbred Ware 2â—â— Warbecke 2â—â— Warham Archbishop 232. â—47 Warcopp 676 Warnys 803 Warner 809 814 Warrant for Commissioners to take Surrender of Religious houses 1â—3 Waster 674.678 Water 8â—7 Waters 675 797 Waterton 209 Watervill 31â— Waterhouse 38â— Watton 317 Webb 296 Wedderby 804 Wedyrlye 865 Weeuer 269 393 550.340 436. Weeuer Riuer 281 Weyland 368.744.753.720 Wellar 72 Weld 259 Welden 389 Welington 784 Welchmen â—â—â—tie 656 Wendall 238 Wendouer Bishop 333 338.349 482 Wendling 824 Wenlocke 486 Wentworth 284 429 Wernod 252 West 114.385.693.744 Westbroke 587 Westborne 745 Westby 583 Weston knight of the Garter Baron Neyland Lord Treasurer 618 619 Weston 113.114.430.514.599.769.826 Westcliffe 701 Withred king 242 Weâ—iuen 403 Weâ—â—all 809 Whalley Parish Plebania 180 Whatvile 429 Whathamsted 562 563 564 565 566 567 574 White Bishop â—71 White 227.817 Whiting 807 Whitington 407.408 Wyat 327.852 853 Wyborne 659 Wyborough 742 Wychingham 804.805.807 Wickwane Archbishop 306 Wydo Abbot 253 Widevile E. Riuers 493 Wickham Bishop 71 Wye 444 Wyer 179 Wigmore 276 Wight 805 Wightman the Heretique 55 Wiâ—exnes 721 Wyld 625 Wilkin 209 Willoughby Earle of Vandosme 327 Willoughby 326.419.612.754 William Norman Bishop 362 William Rufus king 216.254.786 Will. a Scottish Baker Sainted 315 Wilcocke 296 Wilford 237 Wilshire 334 Wil be 750. misnumbred Wilton 802 Wingfeld 334.720.755.756.759.781.782 Wingenhall 861 Wynkepery 742 Windham 796.802 Winterborne 370 Wingham Bish. 359. Wingham 281 Winter 114 Winmarke Baron 603 Winchelsey Archbishop 221 Windsore 489.529.674 Wiseman 657 Withe 85 Wittor 580 Wittlesey Archbishop 224 Wiues not to liue with their husbands in the houses of Cathedrall or Collegiate Churches 184 Woderow 863 Wodderington 599 Wolberghe 699 Woluen 582 Wolsey Cardinall 104.540.703 704 752 Wood 238.327.389 610.620 Woodbridge 753 Woodford 335 Woodcock 393.693 Woodhouse 805.818.864 Woodvill 286 Wood-okes 280 Woodnesbergh 236 Worsted 807 Worsley 368 Wotton Lord Baron 289 Wotton Rich. Nich. ibid. Wotton 286 Wraw 69â— 745 Wray 4â—0 Wred 29â— Wrexworth 674.678 Wâ—nchesley Io. alii 661.662.686 Wriothesâ—ey principall king of Armes 661.674 Wryothesley Earle of Southampton Lord Chancellour 661 Wryothesley 676.678 Wrongey 817 Wroxham 807 Wulfricke 252.253 Wye 444 Y YArd â—54 Yardherst 296 Yardley 324 Yarford 401 Yaxley 732 780 Yeluerton 821.822 Yerdford 695 Yngham or Ingham 803.817 861 Ynglos 826 Yoâ— 417 Yong 110 394.448.675.677 Yorke 358 Z ZIburgh 806 Zorke 818 Zouch 825.826 FINIS A DISCOVRSE OF Funerall Monuments c. CHAP. I. Of Monuments in generall A Monument is a thing erected made or written for a memoriall of some remarkable action fit to bee transferred to future posterities And thus generally taken all religious Foundations all sumptuous and magnificent Structures Cities Townes Towers Castles Pillars Pyramides Crosses Obeliskes Amphitheaters Statues and the like as well as Tombes and Sepulchres are called Monuments Now aboue all remembrances by which men haue endeuoured euen in despight of death to giue vnto their Fames eternitie for worthinesse and continuance bookes or writings haue euer had the preheminence Marmora Maeonij vincunt monimenta libelli Viuitur ingenio caetera mortis erunt The Muses workes stone-monuments out last 'T is wit keepes life all else death will downe cast Horace thus concludes the third booke of his lyrick poesie Exegi monimentum are perennius Regalique situ c. A monument then brasse more lasting I Then Princely Pyramids in site more high Haue finished which neither fretting showers Nor blustering windes nor flight of yeares and houres Though numberlesse can raze I shall
to speake that their Crowne is not large nor their rounding conuenient but wantonnesse in apparell insolencie in behauiour filthinesse in words doe bewray the madnesse of the inward man Furthermore how great negligence is there in the Diuines when in the holy Vigils they will scarce vouchsafe to be present when at the holy solemnities of the diuine-seruice they seeme to bee gathered together to play and to laugh rather then to sing I will speake that which good men lament and euill men laugh at I will speake with sorrow if so be it may be spoken how they flow in banquettings in chambering and wantonnesse that now Clerkes houses may bee thought to be brothell houses of harlots and an assembly of plaiers There is dice there is dancing and singing there is watching till midnight with crying and shouting Thus the patrimony of Kings the almes of Princes yea and that more is the price of that precious bloud is ouerthrowne Had our fathers therefore for this purpose emptied their treasures hath the Kings bountifulnesse giuen lands and possessions to Christian Churches for this end that Clerkes harlots should be pampered with delicious dainties that riotous guests may be prepared for that hounds and hawkes and such like toyes may be gotten Of this the Souldiers cry out the common people murmure the iâ—sters and scoffers sing and dance and you regard it not you spare it you dissemble it Where is the sword of Leuy and zeale of Simeon which killed the circumcised Sichimites being the figure of them that defile the Church of Christ with polluted acts abusing Iacobs daughter as an harlot Where is the spirit of Moses that spared not his houshold kinsfolke worshipping the head of the calfe Where is the dagger of Phinâ—es the Priest who killing him that played the harlot with the Madianite with this holy emulation pacified Gods wrath where is the spirit of Peter by whose power couetousnesse is destroyed and Simoniall heresie condemned Endeauour to imitate O ye Priests in God It is time to rise against them that haue broken the Law of God I haue Constantines you haue Peters sword in your hands let vs ioyne right hands let vs couple sword to sword that the Leapers may bee cast out of the Church that the hallowed place of our Lord may bee purged and the sonnes of Leui may minister in the Church Go to carefully I beseech you lest it repent vs to haue done that which we haue done and to haue giuen that which wee haue giuen if we shall see that not to be spent in Gods seruice but on the riotousnesse of most wicked men though vnpunished libertie Let the reliques of holy Saints which they scorne and the reuerend Altars before which they rage moue you Let the maruellous deuotion of our Ancestours moue you whose almes the Clerkes furie abuseth c. To you I commit this businesse that both by Bishoplie censure and kingly authority filthie liuers may be cast out of the Church and they that liue in order may be brought in Not long after to wit in the raigne of Etheldred commonly called The vnready it was foretold by an holy Anchorite that forsomuch as the people of this Nation were giuen ouer to all drunkennesse treason and carelesnesse of Gods house first by Danes then by Normans and last of all by the Scots they should be ouercome Of which hereafter Edward the Confessor whilest he lay sicke of that sicknesse whereof he died after he had remained for two dayes speechlesse on the third day lying for a time in a slumber or soft sleepe at the time of his waking he fetched a deepe sigh and thus said O Lord God Almightie if this be not a vaine fantasticall illusion but a true vision which I haue seene grant me space to vtter the same vnto these that stand here present or else not And herewith hauing his speech perfect he declared how he had seene two Monkes stand by him as he thought whom in his youth he knew in Normandie to haue liued godly and died Christianly These religious men said he protesting to me that they were the messengers of God spake these words Because the chiefe gouernours of England the Bishops and Abbots are not the ministers of God but the deuils the Almighty God hath deliuered this kingdome for one yeare and a day into the hands of the enemy and wicked spirits shall walke abroad through the whole land And when I made answer that I would declare these things to the people and promised on their behalfe that they should doe penance in following the example of the Niniuites they said againe that it would not be for neither should the people repent nor God take any pitie vpon them And when is there hope to haue an end of these miseries said I Then said they when a greene tree is cut in sunder in the middle and the part cut off is carried three acres breadth from the stocke and returning againe to the stoale shall ioyne therewith and begin to bud and beare fruit after the former manner by reason of the sap renewing the accustomed nourishment then wee say may there bee hope that such euils shall cease and diminish With these words of the dying king though many that stood by were strucke with feare yet Stig and the Church-chopper Archbishop of Canterbury made but a iest thereof saying that the old man doted and raued now in his sicknesse Neuerthelesse within the same yeare the truth of this propheticall dreame or vision did plainly appeare When the conquerour William seized into his hands to glue vnto the Normans the most part of euery mans possessions in England tooke from the Bishops Sees all their ancient priuiledges and freedomes bereaued all the Monasteries and Abbies of their gold and siluer sparing neither Shrine nor Challice appropriating the said religious houses with their reuenues to himselfe degrading and depriuing as well Bishops as Abbats of their seats and honours and detaining many of them in prison during their liues that others of his owne followers might bee placed in their roomes By which meanes there was scarce left any man in authoritie of the English nation to beare rule ouer the rest insomuch that it was counted a reproach to be called an Englishman William surnamed Rufus sonne to the Conquerour and king of England endeauouring to abate the tumorous greatnesse of the Clergie restrained his Subiects from going to Rome withheld the annuall payment of Peter pence and was oftentimes heard to giue forth these words They follow not the trace of Saint Peter they greedily gape after gifts and rewards they retaine not his power whose pietie they do not imitate Nothing was now more in vse then seasing farming and merchandizing of Church-liuings and the chiefe agent in this businesse was one Ranulf Flambard the Kings Chaplaine afterwards Bishop of Durham for which he gaue a thousand pounds Robert Bluet gaue for the Bishopricke of Lincolne
repaire to â—ee instructed in good literature and in the Catholicke faith lest that any thing in the English Church might be sinâ—steâ—ly expounded contrary to the vniuersall vnitie and so being established in the orthodoxall and right receiued Faith they might returne backe againe into their owne countrey For the doctrine and Schooles of the English Nation since the time of Archbishop Austin had beene interdicted by diuers Romish Bishops for certaine heresies which daily appeared after the comming in of the Saxons into Britaine by reason of the commixture of the misbeleeuing wicked Pagans with the Christians of holy conuersation Hee also caused a Church to be erected neare to the foresaid house or Colledge which he dedicated to the honour of the blessed Virgine Mary in which such of the English as came to Rome might celebrate dâ—uine Seruice and that therein if any of the said English there happened to depart this world they might be inâ—erred And all these that they might for euer be more firmly corroborated it was ordained by a generall decree throughout all the kingdome of the West-Saxons that in euerie familie one pennie should be yearely collected and sent ouer to blessed Saint Peter and the Church of Rome which in English Saxons was called Romescot that the English there abiding migâ—t by that meane haue sufficient to liue vpon Thus â—aâ—re Mathew of Westminsteâ— surnamed the Flower-gatherer The which in substance is thus deliuerâ—d by a late writer yet in a different manner He meaning Ina instituted also a certaine yearely payment to the See of Rome enioyning euery one of his Subiects that possesâ—ed in his house of one kinde of goods to the value of twentie pence that he should pay a pâ—ny to the Pope yearely vpon Lammas day which at that time was contributed vnder the name of the Kings Almes but afterwards was called and challenged by the name of Peter-pence Another of the same gift by the said King hath these times He gaue to Rome eche yere The Rome pence thorrow West sex all about Perpetually to be well payd and clere For vnto Rome he went without all doubt After the example and with the like zeale of Ina Offa the most magnificent king of the Mercias in great deuotion went also to Rome and made euery house within his territories subiect to this payment of Romescot Ossa gaue through Mers the Rome penny Vnto the Church of Rome Afterwards about the yeare eight hundred and fiftie this tribute was confirmed and made further payable throughout all England For Ethelwolfe as then being sole Monarch of the Englishmen hauing beene sometimes for certaine yeares as Haneden and Brampton write Bishop of Winchester remembring his Ecclesiasticke profession and ordaining first that tithes and lands due to holy Church should be free from all tributes and Regall seruices in the nineteenth yeare of his raigne with the like deuotion of the two former kings went in pilgrimage taking with him his youngest sonne Alfred or Elfred to the foresaid chiefe Citie of the Romanes where he was both honourablie receiued and entertained by the Bishop of Rome and the whole Senate for the space of one yeare and vpwards in which time he rebuilt the English Schoole before remembred which lately had beene almost quite consumed with fire And in lieu of his kinde entertainment confirmed the former grant of Peter-pence causing it to bee payed throughout all his Dominions and further couenanted to pay yearely to Rome three hundred Markes thus to be employed one hundred to Saint Peters Church another hundred to Saint Pauls light and the third to the Pope a Saint that euermore will haue his share to the entent saith one that no Englishmen should doe penance in bounds as he saw some do before his face This Athilwolfe to Rome toke his way In pilgramage with him his sonne Aelfrede To Peter and Pole he graunted infenitife The Rome pence of all Englond As Flores saith as I con vnderstond Saith Harding cap. 105. And further to confirme the premisses may it please you to trouble your patience in the reading of these following hard rimes transcribed out of a namelesse old Author Adelwolfe his sonne att Chester his cite For al hys kyngs and Barons of estate Sent forth anone at hys parlament to be Whycheatte Chester was than preordynate To whyche al cam both Kyngs Duks and Prelat And odar al of honor or Empryse Hym for to do obeysaunce and servysse anon to Roome he went In pylgrymage wythe hooly good entent Wher he was so abydyng full too yer In hooly lyff and full perfactyon In ryall wyse as to a pryns afer And to the Pope wythe ful affectyon Hys comonyng ay had at hys electyon He gaue to Peter lyght And to Sent Poule whaâ— is ful gret repayr Too thowsand mark of Venyse gold ful ryght For sustenaunce of the Chyrches ryght He Busschopp was in hys Fadars day And for defaut of heyr was crownyd kyng Wharfor whan he hys lond in good aray Fre of servysse had set above all thyng He grauntyd tythe of all hys lond ofspryng Tyll thre persones dwelling in vnyte Why charr on God dwellyng in Trynite And Roome pens he graunte vnto the Pope Perpetuelly to haue of al Englond So perfytt was hys mynd who couth hit grope In al goodnes growndyd I vndyrstond Thrugh al hys myght in al hys noble lond The Pece he kepte and in his Se iudicyall The common Law among hys peple all Edgar king of England made sharpe constitutions for the payment of this Tribute And it was one of the lawes of Edward the Confessour that euery householder which had triginta denariatas viuae pecuniae in domo sua de proprio suo Thirtie pence of ready money or of any kinde of cattell in his house of his owne proper should by the Law of the English giue a pennie to Saint Peter and by the Law of the Danes halfe a marke which pennie was to be demanded at or vpon the feast of Saint Peter and Paul and to be collected before the feast of Saint Peter ad vincula and not to be deferred to any further day And if any withheld the payment thereof any longer time complaint was to be made to the Kings Officers for that this penny was the Kings Almes And that the partie so offending should hee constrained by iustice to make payment thereof on paine of forfeiting his goods Now if any man had more dwelling houses then one hee was to pay onely for that house where he should happen to be resiant at the said feast of Saint Peter and Paul Henry the second vpon his conquest of Ireland imposed this tribute vpon that kingdome onely to curry fauour with the Pope who as then was Adrian the fourth called before his inthronization Nicholas Breakespeare borne at Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire For hee saith Speed in the life of the said Henry knowing how great and dangerous tumults the Popes had
Northampt. Rutlande Northampt. 107. l. 7. s. Null 308. 10. 4. Roffen 358. l. 3. s. 7. d. q. Lanc. Roffen 34. l. 13. s. nul 92. 2. 0. 0. 0. Sarum 1367. l. 11. s. 8. d. Wiltes Berks. Wiltes 70. l 12. s. 2. d. Berkâ— 71. l. 12. s. q. Sarum 70. l. 11. s. 8. d. ob 47. 395. 12. 3. 2. 2. Winton 3885. l. 3. s. 3. d. ob q 2491. l. 9. s. 8. d. ob 2793. l. 4. s. 7. d. q. q. Southampt Surrey Winton 67. l. 15. s. 2. d. ob Surrey 91. l. 3. s. 6. d. ob nul 353. 14. 10. 5. 1. Wigorn. 1049. l. 17. s. 3. d. ob q. Wigorn. Warwicke Wigorn. 58. l. 9. s. 11. d. nul 195. vltra 12. Capell in Euâ—sham 1. 8. 1. 2. Domus Religios Hospital Collegia Cantarie Libe Capelle Valores Decanatum Decima Cleri 13. 2. 3. 17. nul 336.14 s 10. d. 52. 5. 11. 87 102. l. 1117. l. 13. s. ob 10. 3. 1. 17. 100. l. 255. l. 8. s. 16. 4. 6. 41. 100. l. 520. l. 16. s. 8. d 5. 1. 1. 14. 100. l. 222. l. 14 s. 6. d. ob q. 19. 8. 2. 84. 204. l. 10. s. 901. l. 6. d. ob 25. 4. 3. 32. 199. l. 13. s. 9. d. 846. l. 12. d. 20. 4. 2. 47. 133. l. 6. s. 8. d. 228. l. Memorandum That vnder the title of Benefices in euery Diocesse is contained in figures two numbers The first doth shew how many be of 30. l. in her Maiesties Records and vnder 40 l. The other number how many be of 40. l. value and vpwards And vnder those figures be other figures which do shew how many of them be Vicarages As for example in the title of Benefices in Bathe and Welles you haue 380. Benefices of them there is 14. of 30. l. value and vnder 40. l. and 5. of 40. l. value and vpwards And of those of 30. l. value there are 6. Vicarages and of those of 40. l. 1. Vicarage as may appeare by the figures and so of the rest Summe totall of all the promotions Spirituall at the Taxation of the first fruits and Tenths viz. Â Â Â Â Archbishopricks and Bishop 0021. Â Â Â Deanries 0011. Â Â Â Archdeaconries 0060. Â Â Â Dignities and Prebends in Cathedrall Churches 0394. Â Â Â Benefices 8803. Â Â Â Religious Houses 0605. Â Â Â Hospitalls 0110. Â Â Â Colledges 0096. Â Â Â Chauntries and free Chappels 2374. Â Â Â Sum. Totalis 12474. Â Â Â The yearely value of all the said Promotions according to the Rate and Taxation of the first fruits and tenths amounteth by estimation to 330180. l. 10. s. 0â— d. Â The yearely tenth of the Cleargie amounteth by estimation to 015041. 01. 02. ob q. The yearely value of the Clergies Liuings according to the said Tenth is 150410. 12 00 Â Of the which sum of 450410 l. 12. s. defaulke for the yearly value of the Bishoprickes of Chestre Oxford Peeterburgh Bristoll and Gloucester Not parcell of the Taxation of first fruits and tenths the summe of 1888. l. 13. s. 4. d. q. and then remaineth 1480511. l. 12 s. q. To the which adde for the yearly value of the possessions of the Colledges in both the Vniuersities and the Colledges of Windsor Eaton New Colledge by Winchester and Woluerhampton the summe of 10568. l. 8. s. 4. d ob Parcell of the taxation of first-fruites viz. â— for the possessions of the Colledges in Cambridge 2762. l. 19. s. ob in Oxford 4693. l. 17. s. ob Windsore 1396. l. 17. s. 1. d. q. Eaton 996. l. 12. s. q. New Colledge 628. l. 13. s. 6. d. and Woluerhampton 89. l. 9.8 d. and then the summe is 159080. 00 04 ob q. So there hath been taken from the possessions of the Clergie sithence the dissolution of Religious Houses Colledges and Chauntries hitherto in value by estimation parcell of the said 320180. l. 10. s. to temporall vses 161100. 09 07 q. After the dissolution of the Religious Houses Henry the eighth erected these sixe Bishopricks to wit Westminster Chester Peterburgh Oxford Bristow and Gloucester whereof the fiue last are in esse And at the same time he erected also these Cathedrall Churches hereafter mentioned wherein he founded a Deane and the number of Prebends following viz. Cantuarien 12. Winton 12. Wigorn. 10. Cestren 06. Peterburgh 06. Oxon. 06. Elien 08. Gloucestre 06. Bristoll 06. Carlioll 04. Dunelm 12. Roffen 06. Norwicen 06. The yearely value of the said Cathedral Churches newly erected with the Collegiate Churches of Windsore Westminster and Woluerhampton ouer and besides the petticanons and other inferiour Ministers amounteth by estimation 5942. 08. 02. Â So the yearely value of the Clergies Liuing together with the said summe of 150410. l. 12. s. ouer and besides the Colledges in the Vniuersities and of Eaton and New Colledge aforesaid amounteth by estimation to 156253. 00. 02. Â There are Parsonages appropriate in England according to my collection whereof there be Vicarages endowed ouer and besides diuerse Personages whereof there is no endowment of Vicarages viz. 003236. 00. Â Â All which Parsonages of right belonging to the Altar and should bee the proper liuing of â—he Clergie a few onely excepted which belong to Bishopricks Cathedral Churches and the Colledges before mentioned remaine in the Laities hands which if you esteeme one with another after 40 l. amount to the sum of 129440 00 00 Â Besides all this if search and examination were made throughout England it would bee found that the most part of the best Liuings remaining in the possession of the Clergie in euery Diocesse either by Leases confirmed corrupt Aduousanes or by the iniquitie of Patrons and vnlearned Ministers remaine also in the Laities hands The first summe vnder euery Bishopricke is the originall value at the taxation of first-fruits and tenths the other summe is the value now remaining of Record for the payment of first-fruites Sithence the taxation of first-fruits and tenthes there hath been taken from Bishopprickes in value with 140 l. for the decay of the faculties viz. 06894 04 09 Â There are Parsonages to the number of 41 made appropriate sithence the taxation of first-fruites and tenths which amount to the yearely value of viz. 01663 14 09 q. The Colledge of Llandewy breeuie in the Diocesse of S. Dauids hauing a Chauntership and 13 Prebends was lately taken away amounting to the summe of 00148 05 09 Â Memorandum that the tenth of the Clergy in some Diocesses as London Chichester Hereford Worcester and others is more then is expressed in the title of Tenth for there the tenth is set downe as it is chargeable to her Maiestie the rest is allowed in lieu of certaine Lands taken away from the Bishopprickes Canterbury and Elie haue the tenth allowed wholly sauing that Canterbury yeeldeth an account of 9. l. 2. s. 1. d. The number of Benefices as is
London with a strong wall and a deepe Moat beene â—ased the reuenewes of his See adorned it with many sumptuous and staâ—ely buildings and procured diuers notable priuiledges for the same and to repaire the bookes and Library of this Church he gaue the Church of Halegast he finished a Collegiate Church at Lambeth of Canons regular begun by Baldwin his predecessour Which vpon the complaint of the Monkes of Canterbury to the Pope was pulled downe to the ground Maâ—ny oppositions were betwixt him and the Pope and many times he was discountenanced by King Iohn yet apparently he died in both their fauours at his Manor of Tenham Iuly 13. 1205. Hauing sat Archbishop twelue yeares sauing foure moneths Here lieth entombed the body of Stephen Langton Archbishop whose election to this See against the Kings will was the cause of many calamities within this kingdome the greatest part whereof fell vpon the Clergie Of which heare my Authour Bishop Hubert of Canterbury tho died Wherefore Kyng Iohn vnto the Couent sente To chose his Clarke whych they refused and denied Wherefore the kyng was wroth in his entente For they disobeyed the lettre whych he sente For they had chosen Mayster Stephan Langton An worthy Clarke of all disposicion Whom kyng Iohn then wold not admytte For Romayn Bull ne for the Prelates prayer But prisoned some and some to death commytte Some he exiled and theyr eyen clere And all persounes and Prelates in fere He then put out and seazed theyr benefice Through all the lande as his mortall enemyes The Romysh Byshoppe curssed hym openly And all the realme fully did enterdite That Sacraments none therin should occupie But howsoeuer these mischiefes happened vpon his admittance yet the man in regard of his many excellent gifts both of body and minde was no way to be misliked but much to be commended for his religious wise carriage liuing vnder so violent a King And in such troublesome vngodly times to whom this Distichon taken out of Martials Epigrams to Traian warfaring vnder Diocletian was applied Laudari debes quoniam sub principe duro Temporibusque malis ausus es esse bonus descended he was from an ancient familie in Lecestershire brought vp in the Vniuersitie of Paris greatly esteemed by the King and all the Nobility of France for his singular and rare learning made Chancellour of Paris and Cardinall of Rome 〈◊〉 S. Chrysogoni Hee writ many admirable profound workes and amongst the rest diuided the Bible into Chapters in such sort as we now account them he bestowed much vpon his palace here in Canterbury and vpon a faire Horologe in the South-crosse Isle Yet the solemnitie of the translation of Thomas Beckets bones was so chargeable vnto him as neither he nor foure of his successours were able to recouer the debt he cast his Church into He died Iuly 9. 1228. hauing sate Archbishop 22. yeares Here in this Church but in what particular place my Author knowes not Iohn Peckham sometime Bishop of this See lieth buried This Iohn was borne in Sussex spent his childhood in the Abbey of Lewes and was brought up in the Vniuersitie of Oxford from thence hee went to Paris to study Diuinitie and after that to Livus to get some knowledge in the Canon Law without the which Diuinitie was esteemed vnperfect in those dayes and to better his knowledge he visited all the Vniuersities of Italie came to Rome where his rare learning being soone perceiued hee was made by the Pope Auditor or chiefe Iudge of his pallace and so continued till his preferment to Canterbury for a man of so meane parentage he was thought to be very stately both in gesture gate words and all outward shew yet of an exceeding meeke facile inward disposition Vnto double Beneficed men and Non-residents he was very strict Adulterie he punished very seuerely he persecuted a Bishop terriblie for keeping of a Concubine and one Roger Ham a Priest he enioyned to three yeares penance for fornication a sinne predominant in former times among the Clergie Witnesse these rimes Greate Lechery and fornication Was in that house and also greate aduoutree Of Paramours was greate consolation Of eche degree well more of Prelacie Then of the Temporall or of the Chiualrie He excommunicated one Sir Osborne Gifford Knight for stealing two Nunnes out of the Nunnerie of Wilton and absolued him vpon these conditions First that he should neuer come within any Nunnerie or in the company of a Nunne that three Sondayes together he should be whipped in the Parish-Church of Wilton and as many times in the Market and Church of Shaftsbury that he should fast a certaine number of moneths That he should not weare a shirt of three yeares And lastly that he should not any more taken vpon him the habite or title of a Knight but weare apparell of a russet colour vntill he had spent three yeares in the holy Land He died Ann. 1294. very rich yet founded a Colledge of Canons at Wingham in Kent valued at 84. l. per annum and aduanced many of his friends to great possessions whose posteritie haue continued in the state of Knights and Esquires euen vntill our times He sat Archbishop thirteene yeares and an halfe His heart was buried at Christ-Church London retro magnum altare Here beside the altar of Saint Gregorie sometime stood a sumptuous Monument wherein the bones of Robert Winchelsey were entombed which vpon the reformation of Religion was pulled downe to the ground lest that the common people who would needs esteeme him a Saint might giue him diuine honours Hee sate Archbishop nineteene yeares during which time he endured much sorrow yet finished his dayes in quietnessâ— and great felicitie The King and the Pope concurring together in his time exacted many great payments and inflicted grieuous punishments vpon the Clergie Whereupon these Satyricall verses were framed Ecclesiae nauis titubat regni quia clauis Errat Rex Papa facti sunt vnica capa Hoc faciunt do des Pilatus hic alter Herodes Hee liued in banishment two yeares euen vntill the death of Edward the first who exiled him vpon surmised Treason from which hee was called home by Edward his sonne who restored him to his place to all his goods and to all the profits of his Temporalities receiued in his absence He was a stout Prelate and a seuere punisher of sinne hee boldly opposed himselfe against Piers Gaueston the Spensers and other corrupters of the young king and enforced Iohn Warren Earle of Surrey to forsweare the company of a certaine beautifull Wench with the loue of which he was greatly be witched Hee maintained many poore Schollers at the Vniuersities with liberall exhibition and such preferments as fell to his disposition he bestowed vpon men of excellent learning Vnto all kinde of poore people hee was exceeding bountifull his bookes apparell and other mouâ—ables such as they were for
most of his yearely reuenues he euer bestowed in almes-deeds and liberall house keeping he gaue to this Church of Canterbury who lâ—st to know more of his life may reade the Catalogue of Bishops and the perambulation of Kent He died at Otford his Mannor house May 〈…〉 1313. Here lieth entombed Walter Reynolds a man but of meane learning brought vp a Courtier preferred to the Bishopricke of Worcester to the offices of Lord Chancellour and Treasurer of England and to this Metropolitane honour of Canterbury by King Edward the second all which he most disloyally and like a Traitour requited aiding vnderhand the Queene Mortimer and their complices with great summes of money and forsaking his lawfull Soueraigne his Master his Patron that had aduanced him by so many degrees vnto an estate so gratiously honourable but it pleased God that vnthankfull timerousnesse should be his destruction for being by the said Queene of whom he stood so greatly in awe commanded to consecrate one Iames Berkley Bishop of Exceter and performing the same he was so reuiled taunted and threatned by the Pope that for griefe and anger together he died when he had sate Archbishop thirteene yeares nine moneths and three weekes the 16. of Nouember Ann. 1327. as appeares by this inscription vpon his Tombe in the South wall now hardly to be read Hic requiescit Dominus Walterus Reynolds prius Episcopus Wigorniensis Anglie Cancellarius deinde Archiepiscopus istius Ecclesie qui obijt 16. die mens Nouembris Ann. gratie 1327. Vpon the North side of Saint Anselmes Chappell in a marble Tombe lieth Simon Mepham Archbishop of this See borne in this countrey Doctor of Diuinitie and very well learned as learning went in those dayes of whom I finde little worthy of relation for all the time hee sate which was but fiue yeare and somewhat more he was euer a wrangling with his Monkes of this Church and with Io. Graundison Bishop of Exceter and getting the worse by both he fell sicke and died October 12. 1333. Here in a goody Tombe of Alabaster on the South side of the high Altar lieth the body of Iohn Stratford Archbishop of this Diocesse borne at Stratford vpon Avon a man famous for his learning and good gouernment of his iurisdiction He was called from the See of Winchester to this place he was Lord Chancellour of England and protector of the Realme in the absence of Edward the third in France but neuer man enioyed such great honours with lesse comfort It is written that hee was consecrated vpon the Sonday called then Multae tribulationes iustorum which hee thought boaded or foretold vnto him how in the whole course of his life he should finde nothing but trouble which sell out according to his ominous conceit For neuer any Archbishop either before or after him giuing so little cause and doing his endeuour to please was more encombred with vndeserued and often crosses The story is ouer-long here to relate I must referre my Reader to the Catalogue of Bishops Yet before his end which happened Anno 1348. hauing beene Archbishop 15. yeares he had made an end of all his troublesome crosses and liued certaine yeares quietly they writ of him that he was a very gentle and mercifull man rather too remisse then any way rigorous to offenders and a pitifull man to the poore He founded a Colledge at Stratford vpon Avon and endowed the same largely Here lieth obscurely buried Iohn Vfford brother to that illustrious Knight of the Garter Robert de Vfford Earle of Suffolke brought vp in Cambridge and made Doctor of Law promoted first vnto the Deanrie of Lincolne then to the Chancellourship of England and lastly to this Archbishopricke Which he neuer enioyed being cut off by that plague which consumed nine parts of the men in England before hee receiued either his pall or consecration Iune the seuenth Ann. 1348. His next successour Thomas Bradwardin lieth buried in the South wall somewhat darkly preferred to his grace and dignitie without his owne seeking or any of his friends endeuours which he likewise enioye but a very little time For within fiue weekes and foure dayes after his consecration he died at Lambeth being neuer enthronised at all Ann. 1349 This man was borne at Heathfeild in Sussex and brought vp in the Vniuersitie of Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Diuinitie and so exquisite a Diuine he was that he was commonly enstiled Doctor Profundus He was a good Mathematician a great Philosopher and a generall Scholler in all the liberall Sciences as his workes not yet perished do testifie In whole praise thus Chaucer speakes in the Nunnes Priests tale But I ne cannot boult it to the bren As can the holy Doctor Saynt Austin Or Boece or the Bishop Bradwardin But aboue all he is especially commended for his sinceritie of life and conuersation He was Confessour to Edward the third and in all his warres of France was neuer from him and though he might haue had many preferments of the King yet he was so farre from ambitious desire of promotion as it was long before he could be perswaded to take a Prebend of Lincolne when it was offered him Well we will leaue him to his rest onely remembred with this Epitaph Doctor Doctorum Bradwardin hac iacet vrna Norma Pastorum laudabilis diuturna Qui inuidia caruit vitam sine crimine duxit Et ex ore suo quicquid sit scibile fluxit Nullus sub sole est cui sic fuere omnia nota Cantia nunc dole tristeris Anglia tota Vos qui et transitis hic omnes atque reditis Dicite quod Christi pietas sit promptior isti Simon Islip brought vp in Merton Colledge in Oxford being Doctor of Law became Canon of Paules then Deane of the Arches after that was chosen to be of the priuie Councell to King Edward the third first in the place of Secretarie and then Keeper of the priuie Seale And lastly by the Monkes election the Popes approbation and the Kings good liking hee was aduanced to this grace and dignitie Wherein hee continued sixteene yeares foure moneths and twelue dayes and died April 26. 1366. he lieth buried in the middle of the Church vnder a marble Tombe inlaid with brasse whereon is engrauen this Epitaph Simon Islip oriens vir bina lege probatus Vt nascens moriens sic nunc iacet arcte locatus Arcem qui tenuit hic quondam Pontificatus Clero quique fuit regno toti quoque gratus Princeps Pastorum fac Simon Apostolorum Simon vt iste chorum per eos pertingat eorum Mil. trecenteno sexageno modo seno Eius septeno pastoratus quoque deno Hic Kal. Maij seno rupto carnis nece freno Flos cadit e feno celo peto qui sit ameno O spes sanctorum decus et pie Christe tuorum Cetibus ipsorum preâ—e tungas hunc
and from that remoued to the title of Saint Rusine all which his Ecclesiasticall preferments were comprehended in this one verse composed by his cosin Thomas Kempe Bishop of London Bis Primas ter Praesul erat bis Cardine functus And to adde to all these honours he was twice Lord Chancellour of England He continued not here aboue a yeare and a halfe but died a very old man March 22. 1453. hee conuerted the Parish-Church of Wye into a Colledge of secular Priests Of which hereafter In a little history of the Archbishops of Yorke written in rythmicall numbers I finde these in his commendations Tunc Iohannes nobilis Kemp vociferatus Prius in Londonijs Presul installatus Et erectus Pontifex Metropolitanus Presul Archipresulem confirmat Romanus Mandans sibi pallium Martinus erectus Sagax Cancellarius Regis est effectus Cardinalis Presbiter digne sublimatur Sub Balbine Titulo sic laus cumulatur In Suthwell manerium fecit preciosum Multis artificibus valde sumptuosum Annis multis prospere curam sui gregis Rexit per iusticiam per normam legis Tandem vsque Cantiam Presul est translatus Illic Archiepiscopus est inthronizatus Apud Lambeth obijt labor iam finitur Et in Cantuaria corpus sepelitur Licet prohibuerit Abbas rigorose Iacet ibi condita gleba gloriose I finde little of any great worke or deede of charitie this Bishop performed besides his Manor of Suthwell here onely mentioned with all these his pennisome preferments but the reason is giuen in the Catalogue of Bishops that he died very rich and that in his life time he aduanced many of his kindred to great wealth and some to the dignitie of knighthood whose posteritie continued yet in this County of great worship and reputation euen to this day That he might die very rich I doe not denie but for the aduancement of his kindred to the honour of knighthood was no other title then his grandfather Sir Iohn Kempe and his Vncle Sir Roger enioyed his owne father Thomas being a younger brother to the said Sir Roger. Here lieth buried as by an inscription vpon a marble doth appeare Thomas Bourchier commonly called Bowser second sonne of William Bourchier Earle of Ewe in Normandie and brother to Henry Bourchier Earle of Ewe and Essex He was brought vp in Oxford 〈…〉 preferred to the Deanrie of Saint Martins then to the Bishopâ—â—â—â—â— oâ— Worcester from whence he was translated to Ely and 〈…〉 in this chaire of Canterbury wherein he sate 32. yeares and 〈…〉 the time of his first consecration 51. yeares I finde not 〈…〉 Englishman continued so long a Bishop or that any Archbishop 〈◊〉 before or after him in eight hundred yeares enioyed that place so long And to adde more honour to his Grace and money to his purse he was about two yeares Lord Chancelour of England and Cardinall tt S. Ciriaci in Thermis â—â—t all this time for all these great and eminent promotions he left nothing behinde him to continue his memorie but an old rotten chest in the congregation house at Cambridge called Billingsworth and Bowser into which for the vse of the Vniuersitie Billingsworth before him had put in one hundred pounds and he forsooth imitating that munificent example put in one hundred and twenty pounds He died March 30. 1486. as appeared by 〈…〉 ption vpon his Monument Hic iacet reuerendissimus pater Dominus D. Thomas 〈…〉 quoâ—dam sacrosancte Romane Ecclesie S. Ciriaci in Thermi 〈…〉 chiepiscopus huius Ecclesie qui obijt 30. die Marty 1486. 〈…〉 propitietur altissimus Here lieth buried vnder a marble stone in a sumptuous Chappell vnder the Quier of his owne building Iohn Morton borne to the good of all England at Beere at Saint Andrews Milborn saith Camdeâ— in Dorsetshire brought vp in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of the Ciuill and Canon Law he was first Parson of Saint Dunstans in London and Prebendarie of Saint Decumanes in Wales then Bishop of Ely Master of the Rolles Lord Chancellour of England Cardinall of Saint Anastatia and Archbishop of this Metropolitan See A man so well deseruing both of the Church and common-wealth that all honours and offices were too little which were conferred vpon him of a piercing naturall wit he was very well learned and honorable in behauiour lacking no wise wayes to winne loue and fauour by whose deepe wisedome and pollicie the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster whose titles for a long time had mightily disquieted the whole kingdome were happily vnited but our English Chronicles are so full and copious in this Bishops commendation as that I know not where to begin with him nor how to take my leaue of him Whilest he was Bishop of Ely which was about eight yeares hee bestowed great cost vpon his house at Hatfield in Hertfordshire now the mansion place of that right honourable Lord and one of the priuie Councell William Cecill Earle of Salisbury and at Wisbich Castle in Cambridgeshire a house belonging to that See all the bricke-building was done at his charges And in the time of his Primacie in this Church he bestowed great summes in repairing and augmenting his houses at Knoll Maydstone Alington Parke Charing Ford Lambith and Canterbury He bequeathed by his last Will in a manner all that hee had either vnto good vses or to such of his seruants as he had yet beene able to do nothing for He gaue to the King a Portuis to the Queene a 〈◊〉 to the â—â—dy Margaret his God daughter afterwards married to 〈…〉 King of Scotland a cup of gold and tourry pâ—unds in 〈…〉 Church of Ely his Myter and Crolle vnto his 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 giue nothing as hauing sufficieâ—tly prefâ—rreâ— them in his 〈…〉 which family Robert Bishop of Worcester and many 〈…〉 of very good note and qualitie in Dorsetshire and 〈…〉 His Exâ—ecutors he bound by oath to maintaine sufficiently 〈…〉 at Oxford and ten at Cambridge for the space of twenty 〈…〉 decease And it is not to be forgotten that the yeare before he died 〈◊〉 great charges he procured Anselme one of his predecesâ—ours to be 〈◊〉 nized a Saint This good man died at his Manour of 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of October 1500. hauing enioyed this Archbishopricke 〈◊〉 enâ— yeares in all quietnesse I finde no memoriall of him vpon his 〈…〉 please you then to let these lines following serue for an Eulogium or Epitaph Iohannes Morton postquam Cantuariensem Prouinciam 13. Ann. rexisset obijt Dâ—lubrum ipse sumptuosum vinus in Ecclesii in subterraneo crypto ex truxâ—t in quo humatus est Vir fuit prudens facundus atque grauis qualem Hen. 7. vitae socium morumque quasi magistrum plerumque penes se habuit Tulit sub Richardo Tyranno vitae discrimina exilium atque carceres à triâ—bus regibus Hen 6. Edwardo 4. Hen. 7. probata integeâ—â—mi prudentissiani que pâ—tris fides nunquam in dubium
was elected sworne and blessed by the Popes Legate at Winchester before the king and many of the Peeres of the kingdome This Abbot was religious honest prouident and with learning and a godly life life greatly adorned and so departed from all worldly employment the third day of Nouember 1224. and was buried by the Altar of the holy Crosse vnder a flat marble stone thus engrauen Prosuit in populo Domini venerabilis Hugo Et tribuit sancte subiectis dogmata vite A prouident and discreete Brother of this house succeeded Hugh in the Abbotship to whom in like manner as hee did to Alexander the Archbishop vtterly denyed benediction and admittance for which he was enforced to trauell to Rome and there was sacred by the hands of Patrick Bishop of Albania and Cardinall by the Popes commandement This Abbots name was Robert de Bello belle rexit for the space of eleuen yeares Et obijt crastino sancti Mauri Abbatis ann 1252. His Epitaph Abbas Robertus virtutis odore refertus Albis exutus iacet hic à carne solutus Roger of Cicester by way of comprimise succeeded Robert for whose admittance or holy blessing Pope Innocent the fourth writ his powerfull letters to Boniâ—â—â—â— then Archbishop of Canterâ—urâ— but what 〈…〉 tooke I do not finde He founded the Church or Chappell of 〈…〉 in this Countie and sumptuously â—â—shâ—yned the reliques of Saint 〈…〉 He dyed on Saint 〈◊〉 day 1272. and was buried before S. 〈…〉 Altar vnder a marble-stone with his poâ—traiture engrauen thereupon and this short Epitaph Prudens et verus iacâ—t hac in â—â—robe Rogerus Constans et lenis popâ—li pastorque fidâ—lis The next that enioyed this dignitie was Nicholas de Spina he was conâ—secrated at Rome by the Bishop of Portua by the commandement of Pope Nicholas the third of whom hee was approued to be Virum prudentem 〈◊〉 us et doctrina multipliciter decoratum in temporalibus et spiritualibus 〈◊〉 Who when hee had with great wisedome gouerned his 〈◊〉 the sâ—aâ—e of ten yeares hee tooke his iourney by the kings permission to the Pope before whom he resigned his Abbotship to one Thomas Fiâ—â—on 〈◊〉 Findon succeeding by way of resignation bad benediction by the Popes appointment at Ciutta Vecchia not farre from Rome he performed 〈◊〉 worthy actions for the good of his Church and was euer ready with 〈…〉 and armour for the seruice of the king With great care and cost 〈…〉 the reliques of Saint Austine as I haue said before 〈…〉 had strenuâ—uslâ— gouerned his Church the space of 26. yeares 〈◊〉 eternitatis vocatus erat die sancte Iuliane virginis ann 13â—9 and was buried in a little Chappell wherein vsually euery day a Masse was 〈◊〉 for the whole Estate of the Church militant vpon earth vnder a marble stone inlaâ—d with brasse after the manner of a Bishop With this Epitâ—ph En iacet hic Thomas morum dulcedine tinctus Abbas egregius equitatis tramite cinctus Firma columna Domus in iudicio bene rectus Nec fuct hic Presul dono um turbine â—lâ—xus In pietate pater inopum damnis miseratus Nec fraudes patiens curarum Presbyteratus Iussu Pontificis summi .... capit isle Câ—tibus Angelicis nos Thome iungito Christe After the death of Findon one of this Fraternitie called Raph de Borne was elected Who presently vpon his election tooke his iourney to Avi 〈◊〉 the Popes Court where he was confirmed and consecrated by the Bishop of Hoâ—tia Hauing laudablie gouerned this house 25. yeares he dyed a venerable old man ann 1334. and was here honourably entombed in the North-wall Pervigil in populo morum probitate decorus Abbas hoc tumulo de Borne iacet ecce Radulphus Mille trecentenis triginta quater quoque plenis In Februi Mense celo petebat inesse This man is commended by Pope Clement the fifth as I finde it in the redde booke of Canterbury to haue beene Abbatem Religionis feruidum Zelatorum morum et etatis grauitate decorum scientia preditum in spiritualibus prouidum et in temporalibus circumspectum In the same yeare the first of March Thomas Poucyn Doctor of Diuinitie was chosen Abbot of this Monasterie he tooke his iourney for benediction to the Popes Court which then lay at Auinion in France the nine and twentieth of the same moneth of March whither hee came vpon Saint George his Eue following hee had his admittance and blessing at the hands of Pope Iohn the two and twentieth the day after the feast of Saint Barnabie he stayed at Auinion vntill the feast of S. Lawrence from whence taking his iourney for England he landed at Douer vpon S. Gregories day Now if any man of his coat dignitie and reuenue be desirous to know the expences of a iourney to Auinion here he may haue it taken out of the red booke of Canterbury to a single halfe-pennie His expences from Douer to Auinion which hee performed in three weeks and three dayes came to the summe of 21. l. 18. s. 2. d. his expences staying there from S. George his Eue vntill the Eue of S. Lawrence 18. l. 4. s. 5. d. ob and in his voyage backe to this Monasterie his expences came to 28 l. 8. d. About some nine yeares after this trauell he made an end of all his trauels by death on the day of the translation of Saint Augustine ann 1343. being all his time a carefull Shepherd ouer the flocke committed to his charge he was entombed by his predecessour Est Abbas Thomas tumulo presente reclusus Qui vite tempus sanctos expendit in vsus Illustris senior cui mundi gloria vilis L.V. à primo pastor suit huius oâ—ilis The next that succeeded Poucyn was one William Drulege a man of stature like little Zacheus but of a minde immense and vigorous or like Homers noble little Captaine Tydeus corpore paruus ingenio pugnax Maior in exiguo regnabat corpore virtus For to enlarge the reuenues of his Church he was euer wondrous solicitous and in defence of her liberties stout and magnanimous persisting still as deuoute and watchfull in his Ecclesiasticall contemplations as hee was wise and circumspect in his temporall employments Non quarendus quantus sit quisque seà qualis neque quam procerus sed quam probus A little man is as much a man as the greatest man of the Gard. But I may bee thought quickly to speake somewhat partially being none of these high puissant pikemen enough then of little men if not a little too much So to returne to this diminutiue Abbot Drulege who by the consent of the Couent ordained the feasts of Ianibert Nothelm Brithwold and Tatwin Archbishops to be celebrated twice in the yeare But to conclude when for the short time he sate he had much aduanced his Monasterie he dyed on the Vigils of Saint Mauritius which is the 11. of September 1349. and was buried in
the Chapter house with this Epitaph vpon his Monument En paruus Abbas hic parua clauditur arca In gestis magnus maior nec erat Patriarcha Willelmus Druleg illustri dignus honore Conuentum claustri qui multo rexit amore Pro dilectoris anima tui dulciter ora Sancti Augustini conuentus qualibet hora. I finde little or indeed nothing at all of such Abbots as succeeded little Drulege sauing their names thus recorded Iohn Deueniche the 57. Thomas Colwell 58. Michaell Peckham 59. William Wâ—ld 60. Thomas Hunden 61. Marcellus Dandlyon 62. Iohn Hawlherst 63. George Pensherst 64. Iacob Seuenoke 65. William Selling 66. Iohn Dunster 67. Iohn Dygon 68. Thomas Hampton 69. and Iohn Essex 70. So that by this account there hath beene more Archbishops of Christ-Church then Abbots of Saint Austins by the number of three reckoning those sixe Bishops which haue beene since the dissolution The Abbot of this house was euer a Baron of the Parliament In S. Anns Chappell within the Church of this Monastery lay sometime buried the body of Iulian the daughter and heire of Sir Thomas Lâ—yborne knight The widow saith Vincent of Iohn Lord Hastings of Aburgaueny and mother of Lawrence Hasting Earle of Pembroke and after that wife of William de Clinton Earle of Huntington and Lord high Admirall of England who dyed about the yeare 1350. But of all these and thousands more here interred whose names I cannot learne not one bone at this time lies neare another nor one stone almost of the whole fabricke stands vpon another therefore I will take my leaue of this Abbey with these words of a late writer This Monasterie saith he as all the rest did came to her fatall period in the dayes of king Henry the eight whose vncouered walls stood so long languishing in time and stormes of weather that daily increased the aspect of her ruines till now lastly they are made subiect to other publicke vses and the whole tract of that most goodly foundation in the same place no where appearing Onely Ethelberts Tower in memorie and honour of the man as yet hath escaped the verdict and sentence of destruction whose beauty though much de faced and ouerworne will witnesse to succeeding ages the magnificence of the whole when all stood compleate in their glory together The reuenues yearely of this house were in the Exchequer 1412. l. 4. s. 7. d. ob q. it was surrendred 4. Decemb. 29. H. 8. At Harbaldowne not farre from this Monastery Archbishop Lanâ—rank built an Hospâ—tall and dedicated the same to the honour of Saint Iohn to the which he annexed a Priorie of blacke Canons valued both together at the dissolution to 266. l. 4 s. 5. d. ob of yearely reuenue it was ordained for the lame and diseased which as yet is not altogether suppressed although much abated as I heare of her annuall possessions In which house was reserued the vpper leather of an old shoe which had beene worne as they gaue it out by Saint Thomas Becket this shoe as a sacred Relique was offered to all passengers to kisse faire set in copper and christall Hackington commonly called S. Stephens by Cant. This Church in former times was honoured with the sepulture of Lora or Lorâ—atta Countesse of Leicester daughter of William Lord Brews of Brember in Suffex and wife of Robert de Beâ—lemont surnamed Fitzpâ—rnell Earle of Leicester and Lord high Steward of England a most honourable Lady who hauing abandoned all worldly pleasures sequestred her selfe wholly from the world to serue God deuoutly in this place who dyed about the yeare 1219. The manor and Towne of Elham was her inheritance Hic iacet Dominus Iohannes Gower nuper Vicarius istius Ecclesie qui obijt Decemb. 27. 1457. Cuius anâ—â—e Hic iacet Dominus Iohannes â—â—ne quondam Vicarius istius Ecclesie qui obijt 8. Aug. 1457. Cuius anime pâ—â—pittetur altissimus Sir Christopher Hales and Sir Roger Manwood lie here fairely entomâ—ed of whom hereafter according to my method But I must not let passe seuen almes houses here built by the said Sir Roger Manwood chiefe Baron of the Exchequer ann 1573. for aged honest poore folkes which he endowed with a yearely allowance of foure pounds in money bread and fewell for euery one of those almes-men It was called S. Stephens fâ—r that the image of Saint Stephen standing where the garden now is belonging to Sir Manwoods great house was sought vnto by many pilgrimes Reculuer At the vpper end of the South isle in this Church I saw a Monument of an antique forme mounted with two spires Wherein as the Inhabitants haue it by tradition the body of one Ethelbert a Saxon king who had his pallace royall here in Reculuer lieth entombed and the Anuals of Canterbury affirme as much And true it is that Ethelbert the first and first Christian king built here a Princely mansion for himselfe and his successours wherein diuers of the Kentish kings sometimes kept their courtly residence But whether he be this Ethelbert the second or Ethelbert surnamed Pren that lieth here interred it is not much materiall for they both dyed without any memorable act either of themselues or their kingdomes affaires and so dyed Cuthred and Baldred their next successours and the last kings of Kent Which kingdome erected by Hengist the yeare of mans happinesse 455. continued her gouernment 372. and ended her glory in the yeare 827. being made a Prouince to the West-saxons Egbert or Egbright the seuenth king of Kent in succession after Hengist gaue to one Bassa an English Saxon some land here in Reculuer whereupon he built him a Minster or a Monastery whereof Brightwald afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury was the first Abbot so that of this man and the Minster the poore Townes men may make great vaunts Here lyeth ..... Sandwey Esquire and â—oane his wife who dyed 1437. Hen. sex 16. Hic iacet Dominus Thomas .... qui ob ..... Vos qui transitis Thomam deslere velitis Per me nunc scitis quid prodest gloria ditis Minster in the Isle of Tenet Here in this Church lyeth a Lady entombed in a Monument vpreared after a strange fashion inscribed with a Saxon-like character Ici gist Edile de Shornerepust Dame del espire I thinke her name was rather Thorne then Shorne one letter being mistaken for another in the engrauing My reason is this for that in this Parish there is a place called Thorne Neare vnto this Monument lie three flat Tombe-stones vnder which as I coniecture by the effigies vpon them three vailed Nunnes of the Saxon Nobilitie and of S. Mildreds Monasterie lye interred but the Inscriptions are gone Which Monasterie was founded vpon this occasion Egbert king of Kent aspiring to the Crowne by the traiterous murder of his two young Nephewes Ethelred and Ethelbert to pacifie Domneua sister to the said murdered Princes
Edwin king of Northumberland Sandwich Before the generall suppression here was a religious house of white Friers Carmelites founded by one Henry Cowfeld an Almaine Ann. 1272. and an Hospitall founded by Thomas Rabyng William Swanne Clerkes Iohn Goddard and Richard Long. In a booke of this order of Carmes written by Iohn Bale of which I haue spoken in the prefixed discourse I finde the Foundation of this Religious structure as also certaine Epitaphs made to the memorie of diuers of the Fraternitie therein interred in this manner following Anno Domini M.CC.LXXII fundatus erat Conuentus Sandwici per Henricum Cowfeld de Alemania Epitaphium Magistri Fratris Thome Legatt qui obijt Anno Domini M. CCCCIX Carmelita Thomas Legatt qui Theologie Doctor erat quondam conditur hoc lapide Epitaphium Fratris Thome Hadlow Hic Prior iste Hadlow nunc hoc sub marmore tectus Turmas celicolas adeat nostra prece vectus M.C. quater X. sepâ—eno transijt anno Huic deciâ—o sexto Septembris lumina nexo Magister Frater Willelmus Becklee hic sepultus cum hoc Epitaphio Nunc me petra tenet saxoque includor in isto Et lacerum vermes laniant nunc vndique corpus Quid mihi diuicie quid alta palacia prosunt Cum mihi sufficiat paruo quo marmore claudor Quam fastus quam pompa leuis quam gloria mundi Sit breuis fragilis humana potencia quam sit Collige ab exemplo qui transis perlege posco Obijt Ann Dom. M. CCCC.XXXVIII Epitaphium Magistri Iohannis Sandwich huius Conuentus Prioris perquam amabilis Subiacet huic Tumbe deuotus mente Iohannes De Sandwich dictus huiusce Prior que domus Mille quadringentos tres annos congere lumen Quindecimam Iunij sumite tempus habes Quo sors superna rapuit de corpore vitam Fundito queso preces vt sit ei requies Epitaphium Fratris Dionisij Plumcooper Cuspide lethisera mors que premit impia cuncta Mole sub hac gelià a clausit ossa viri Qui rogitat nomen cognomen postulat ipsum Hoc Dionisius est Plumcooper illud erat Mollibus hic annis Carmeli dulcis alumnus Extitit placide Pacis amator erat Ad canos veniens nature iura reliquit Mors dedit lassis artubus hic requiem Valedicit mundo xx Febr. Ann. Dom. MCCCC LXXXI Ann. 1563. Sir Roger Manwood before remembred natiue of this place founded here a free Schoole which hee endowed with fourty pounds of yearely reuenue Right famous in former times saith Camden was the Citie of Richborow whereof now nothing remaines saue certaine walls of a Castie of rough flint and Britane brickes in forme of a Quadrant Ouer the entrie whereof is the head of Queene Berta as some say grauen in stone the wife of King Ethelbert who here had a royall pallace The Romanes had their Presidents or Prouosts who had the gouernment of this Citie of which I finde but onely two to haue beene here interred namely Flauius Sanctius and Claudius Contentus the one ruling with all peace the other liuing in all riches and prosperitie whose memories are thus preserued by the Poet Ausonius Militiam nullo qui turbine sedulus egit Praeside letatus quae Rhutupinus ager His martiall seruice he discharg'd with care without all strife And Rutupin reioyc'd in him whilst there he was in life The same Authour setteth forth likewise in a lamentable funerall verse in the praise of Claudius Contentus whom he calls Vnkle who being ouertaken with death left behinde him vnto strangers a mighty great stocke of money which he had put out to vsury among the Britaines and increased by interest Et patruos Elegia meos reminiscere cantus Contentum tellus quem Rhutupina tegit My dolefull Muse now call to minde the songs of Vnkle mine Contentus who enterred lyes within mould Rutupine Ashe-Church In this Church are many ancient Monuments of worthy Gentlemen namely Sir ... Goshalls Sir ... Leuericks who lye crosse-legged as knights of Ierusalem One of the Septvaus with a collar of S S about his necke his wifes portraiture vpon the same Tombe diuers of the surname of Saint Nicholas of the Harslets and others all without Inscriptions sauing two and those shamefully defaced Claus. 25. Hen. 6. Memb. 30. 1446. Christian S. Nicholas Lady Prioresse of the Minories without Algate was daughter and heire of Nicholas S. Nicholas of S. Nicholas in Thanet and Thomas S. Nicholas is named in the same Record Hic iacet .... Clitherow Ar. ..... vxor eius silia Iohannis Oldcastell qui obijt ..... Pray for the sowle of Ioane Keriell Ye frends all that forth ypasse In endlesse lyff perpetuall That god it grant mercy and grase Roger Clitherow her fader was Tho erth to erth of kynd returne Pray that her sowle to lyff may come The name of Kiriell hath beene of great note and antiquity within this County Sir Nicholas Kiriell flourished in the raigne of King Richard the second and Sir Thomas Kiriell beheaded with the Lord Bouvile the day after the second battell at Saint Albons in the raigne of King Henry the sixth or slaine in the battell according to Iohn Harding ..... The Lords of the North Southward came To Sainct Albones vpon the fasting gang eue Wher then thei slewe the Lord Bouvile â—eue And Sir Thomas Kyriell also of Kent With mekell folke that pitee was to se. Sibbertswood In this Church are some ancient Monuments but now without Inscriptions erected to the memory of the Philipots or Philpots a familie which hath resided here a long time at Vpton Court within this Parish of which name and family was that renowned Lord Maior of London Sir Iohn Philpot knighted in the field by King Richard the second together with Sir William Wallworth then Maior and other Aldermen for the good seruice they performed against Watt Tylar and his complices Rebels of Kent and Essex This Sir Iohn gaue to the City certaine lands for the finding of thirteene poore people for euer It is likewise remembred of him to his eternall honour that Ann. 2. R. 2. he manned forth a Fleete at his owne charges to scoure the narrow Seas of such Scottish French and Spanish Pyrats as had done much villany by their often incursions to many of our English Ports and Harbours with which he not onely guarded both water and Land from their intollerable violences but also tooke their prime Captaine one Iohn Mercer a Scot with all his whole Nauie consisting of fifteene Spanish ships all being fraught with very rich commodities Which memorable atchieuement as it was right worthily applauded extolled and admired of all the faithfull Commonaltie so was it most wrongfully vnderualued enuied and drawne into question by some of the slothfull Nobilitie Ikham In this Church I saw an old Monument vpon
in whose commendations Nicholas Harpsfeld sometime Archdeacon of Canterbury thus writeth I will vse his owne language Tobias a Brithwaldo Archiepiscopo consecratus vir ampliore honoratiore sede si locus hominem et homo locum non commendaret dignissimus qui Theodori Adriani discipulus fuit Quantum vero sub his praeceptoribus profecerit luculenter ostendit Beda qui cum omnium humanarum diuinarumque rerum scientissimum fuisse Latinam Graecamque linguam tam accurate atque maternam calluisse affirmat Hee dyed about the yeare 726. Here lyeth interred Gundulphus a Norman by birth the thirtieth Bishop of Rochester a man not greatly learned but very wise and industrious for he handled the matter so as hee procured not onely his Church to be new built but also the reuenues to be encreased He recouered diuers lands and possessions encroched vpon and taken away in former times by Odo Earle of Kent And besides diuers summes of money which hee contributed he bought a certaine Mannor called Heddre and gaue it to this his owne Church In all these matters hee was much helped by Lanfranke Archbishop of Canterbury who caused him to take into his Church not secular Priests as before had beene accustomed but Monkes Benedictines Gundulph himselfe being a Monke of that order vpon his first admittance to this See he found onely sixe secular Priests in the Church who were endowed scarcely with sufficient meanes to liue according to their place and callings Before his death he encreased his Church-reuenues to that height that it did and was able to maintaine fifty Monkes some say threescore The yearely value of this Monastery at the suppression amounted to 486. l. 5. s. The donations to this Monastery were confirmed by Pope Vrban the second in these words following Vrbanus Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei. Dilectis filijs Priori capitulo Ecclesie Roffen Ordinis sancti Benedicti Salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem Cum à nobis petitur quod iustum est et honestum tam vigor equitatis quam etiam ordo exigit rationis vt id per solicitudinem officij nostri ad debitum perducatur effectum Ea propter dilecti in Domino filij vestris iust is postulationibus grato concurrentes assensu personas vestras et Ecclesiam Roffen in qua diuino est is obsequio mancipati cum omnibus bonis que impresentiarum rationabiliter possidetis aut in futurum iust is modis prestante domino poteritis adipisci sub beati Petri protectione suscipimus at que nostra Specialiter autem terras decimas domus possessiones vineas prata et alta bona vestra sicut ea iuste et pacifice obtinetis vobis et per vos eidem Ecclesie auctoritate Apostolica confirmamus et presentis scripti patrocinio communuimus Salua in predictis decimis moderatione Concilij generalis Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostre confirmationis infringere vel ei ausu temerario contraire Si quis autem hoc attemptare presumpserit indignationem omnipotentis Dei et beatorum Petri et Pauli Apostolorum eius se nouerit incursurum Dat. Ianu. III. Id. Ianuar. Pontificatus nostri Anno octauo When as William the Conquerour built the great white square Tower of London hee appointed this Bishop to bee principall Surueyor of that worke who was for that time lodged in the house of one Edmere a Burgesse of London as it is in the booke of the Bishops of Rochester in these words Gundulphus Episcopus mandato Willelmi Regis magni presuit operi magne Turris London quo tempore hospitatus est apud quendam Edmerum Bargensem London This Bishop built a great part of the Castle of Rochester namely the great Tower which yet standeth Hee founded an Hospitall in Chetham which hee dedicated to the honour of Saint Bartholomew for the reliefe of such people as were infected with the foule disease of the Leprosie hee endowed it with sufficient reuenues which grant was confirmed by king Henry the third and discharged of all taxes and tallages by King Ed. the third He founded the Abbey at Malling which he consecrated to the blessed Virgine and placed therein blacke Nunnes Which Nunnery he gouerned himselfe during all his life time And lying at the point of death hee commended it to the charge of one Auice to whom notwithstanding he would not deliuer the Pastorall staffe before shee had promised canonicall obedience fidelitie and subiection to the See of Rochester and protested by oath that there should neither Abbesse nor Nunne bee from thenceforth receiued into the house without the consent and priuitie of him and his Successours This Nunnery was valued at the suppression at two hundred fourty fiue pounds ten shillings two pence halfepeny of yearely reuenue Ouer the Abbey gate yet standing is the likenesse of a Pastorall staffe This good Bishop dyed the seuenth of March 1107. and was buried where you see the pourtraitures of certaine Bishops sometimes artificially cut in stone and Alabaster but now cut almost all in peeces dismembred and shamefully abused as all other Monuments in this Church are of any antiquity so that neither reading nor tradition can giue vs any true notice of their names Gilbert de Glanuil before mentioned a gentleman of an ancient family was consecrated to this Bishopricke September 29. Ann. 1185. Betweene this man and his Monkes of Rochester was long and continuall debate by occasion whereof hee tooke away from them all their moueable goods all the ornaments of their Church their writings and euidences yea and a great part of their lands possessions and priuiledges wanting money to follow their suites against him they were forced to coyne the siluer of Saint Paulinus Shryne into money These controuersies were ended no otherwise then by his death which happened Iune 24. 1214. hauing ruled his contentious charge 29. yeares But the hatred of these Monkes against him was so dying with him as they would afford him no manner of Obsequies but buried him most obscurely or rather basely without either ringing singing or any other solemnitie and furthermore abused him with such like rime-doggerell Glanvill Gilbert us nulla bonitate refertus Hic iacet immitis amator maxime litis Et quia sic litem dum vixit solet amare Nunc vbi pax nulla est est aptior inhabitare These blacke Monkes whom I thinke if the matter were well examined would proue to be in the fouler fault were too malitious to remember that this Bishop founded S. Maries Hospitall at Strowd neare adioyning to this Citie called the New worke and endowed it witha liuelihood of 52. l. of yearely profits which it now enioyeth Here lyeth entombed the body of Walter de Merton so surnamed of Merton a village in Surrey where he was borne sometimes Lord Chancellour of England Bishop of this See and Founder of Merton Colledge in Oxford
Pope as you haue heard from a poore Baker to a blessed Martyr Here as they say he shewed miracles very plentifully which made people of all sorts offer vnto him wondrous liberally euen vntill these latter times insomuch that with two yeares oblations at his Shrine one William de Hoo a Sacrist or keeper of the holy treasures of this Church built the whole Quire as it now stands Richard Walden a Monke and sacrist built the South Isle Richard East-gate a Monke and Sacrist began the North Isle of the new worke towards Saint Williams gate which Frier William de Axenham almost finished Geffery de Hadenham Prior payed thirteene hundred pounds in one day to certaine creditours to whom this Church stood indebted since the time of her troubles the same man bought certaine lands in Banerkin and Darent which he gaue to this House and bequeathed to the same 300. l. in money vpon his decease He built the Dorter in the Priory and the Altar of Saint Edmund in the Church To which or rather to the high Altar Haymo Bishop of this Diocesse offered vp a pretious Miter which sometime belonged to Archbishop Becket and which hee bought of the Executours of Iohn Bishop of Norwich Thus by the gaines of William the Bakers Shrine and by the pious endeauours and bounteous donations of diuers well disposed persons this Monastery was in short time reedified adorned and aduanced to her former height glory wealth and estimation So that it was valued by the Commissioners of the late suppression at foure hundred eightie sixe pounds eleuen shillings fiue pence by yeare Gillingham In this Church are diuers faire Monuments fairely kept of the Beaufits an ancient family whose chiefe seate was at Grauch-court within this Parish as I was enformed Ici gist Iehan Beaufits qi morust 25 iour Nouemb. l'an de dieu 1427. et Isabella sa feme que morust la 30. iour de Decemb. 1419. Iesu noster saueor de la grand pite De lor almes eit mercie Amen Hic iacet Iohannes Beaufits filius Iohannis Beaufits Ar. et Alicia vxor eius qui quidem Iohannes obiit 25. Nouemb. Ann. Dom. 1433. quorum c. Hic iacet Robertus Beaufits qui ob 1381. et Sara vxor eius que obiit 1395 Cur nunc in puluere dormio Hic iacet Willelmus Beaufits qui ob 19. Marcii 1433. Cuius Here lyeth Ioane Bamme sometime the wife of Master Richard Bamme Esquire daughter of Iohn Marten sometime chiefe Iustice of the Common Pleas and mother of Iohn Bamme who lyeth on the North side of this Chappell Which said Ioane deceased in the yeare of grace 1431. Here was a pilgrimage to our Lady of Gillingham Ailesford Richard Lord Grey of Codnor in Darbishire in the yeare 1240. founded here a religious house of white Friers Carmelites where now is seene saith Camden the faire habitation of Sir William Sidley a learned knight painefully and expensfully studious of the common good of his countrey as both his endowed house for the poore and the bridge here with the common voice dotestifie Not farre from this Towne of Ailesford lye interred the bodies of Catigern and Horsa who hand to hand killed one the other in a set battell Catigern was the brother of Vortimer king of the Britaines and Horsa brother of Hengist the Saxon. But this battell as also their buriall are the best set downe by Camden out of Lambards perambulation This Towne saith hee was named in the British tongue Saissenaeg haibail of the Saxons there vanquished like as others in the very same sense tearmed it Anglesford For Guortimer the Britaine Guortigerus sonne did here set vpon Hengist and the English Saxons whom being disrayed and not able to abide a second charge he put all to flight so as they had beene vtterly defeited for euer but that Hengist skilfull and prouident to preuent and diuert danger withdrew himselfe into the Isle of Tenet vntill that the inuincible vigour and heate of the Britanes was allayed and fresh supplies came to his succour out of Germany In this battell were slaine the Generalls of both sides Catigern the Britaine and Horsa the Saxon of whom the one buried at Horsted not farre from hence gaue name to the place and Catigern honoured with a stately and solemne funerall is thought to haue beene interred neare vnto Ailisford where vnder the side of an hill I saw foure huge rude hard stones erected two for the sides one transuersall in the middest betweene them and the hugest of all piled and layed ouer them in manner of the British Monument which is called Stonehenge but not so artificially with Mortis and tenents Verily the vnskilfull common people call it at this day of the same Catigern Keiths or Kits Coty house The like Monument was of Horsa at Horsted which stormes and time haue now deuoured This battell was smitten in the yeare of Grace 457. Addington Hic iacent Richardus Charles et Alicia vxor qui quidem Ric. obiit An. Dom. 1370. facile contemnit omnia ...... Hic iacet Willelmus Suayth Ar. dominus de Addington ac vicecomes Cantie et Alicia vxor eius ob Marcii Ann. 1464. Bonis et mors et vita dulcis Hic iacet Robertus Watton Dominus et Patronus istius Ecclesie qui obiit die Ascentionis Anno 1444. Hic iacent Willelmus Watton Ar. Dominus istius ville Benedicta et Anna vxores eius qui Willelmus obiit 29. Decemb. 1464. Hic iacet Robertus Watton Ar. filius et heres Willelmi Watton Armigeri et Alicia vxor eius filia Iohannis Clark vnius Baronum Scaccarii Regis qui Robertus istius ville Dominus et Ecclesie verus Patronus ob 4. Nouemb. anno 1470. Hic iacet Iohannes Northwood Arm. filius et heres ..... Northwood ..... obiit 30. April 1416. Of this man and of his Mannor of Northwood or Norwood thus much out of Lambard In the dayes of King Edward the Confessour saith hee one hundred Burgesses of the Citie of Canterbury ought their suite to the Mannor of Norwood the buildings are now demolished but the Mannor was long time in the possession of certaine gentlemen of the same name of which race one was buried in the body of the Church at Addington in the yeare 1416. Otteham Hic iacet Iohannes Constenton Ar. qui ob 2. April 1426. et Sara Conghurst vxor eius I finde by ancient deedes sans Date that one Raph de Dene was the founder of a Religious house here at Otteham of Canons regular confirmed in these words by the gifts of certaine lands from one Raph de Iclesham and some little rent William de Marci and Ela his wife Sciant c. quod ego Radulphus de Iclesham dedi et confirmaui Deo Ecclesie Sancti Laurencij de Oteham terram in Oteham c. pro
And besides Geruasius Dorobernens or Geruis a Monke in Canterbury who flourished in the raigne of king Henry the first affirmeth that the fore-ward in all battels belongeth to them by a certaine preheminence in right of their manhood And it is agreed by all men that there were neuer any bondmen or villaines as the law calleth them in Kent Neither bee they here so much bounden to the Gentrie by Copyhold or customarie tenures as the Inhabitants of the westerne Countries of the Realme be nor at all indangered by the feeble hold of Tenant Right which is but a descent of a tenancie at will as the Common people in the Northerne parts be for Copyhold tenure is rare in Kent and Tenant Right not heard of at all But in place of these the custome of Gauelkinde that is Giue all Kinne preuailing euery where in manner euery man is a Free-holder and hath some part of his owne to liue vpon And in this their estate they please themselues and ioy exceedingly in so much as a man may finde sundrie Yeomen although otherwise for wealth comparable with many of the gentile sort that will not yet for all that change their condition nor desire to be apparrelled with the titles of Gentrie Neither is this any cause of disdaine or of alienation of the good minds of the one sort from the other For no where else in all this Realme is the common people more willingly gouerned To be short they be most commonly ciuill iust and bountifull so that the estate of the old Franklyns and Yeomen of England either yet liueth in Kent or else it is quite dead and departed out of the Realme for altogether Thus farre in effect out of Lambard Briefly saith Selden it had the first English King in it was the first Christianity among the English and Canterbury then honoured with the Metropolitique See all which giue note of Honourable Prerogatiue But I will conclude this commendation of Kent with these verses following taken out of the foresaid Author of Polyolbion in the same Song When as the pliant Muse straight turning her about And comming to the Land as Medway goeth out Saluting the deare soyle O famous Kent quoth she What countrey hath this Isle that can compare with thee Which hast within thy selfe as much as thou canst wish Thy conies Venson Fruit thy sorts of Fowle and Fish And what with strength comports thy hay thy corne thy wood Nor any thing doth want that any where is good Now here before I take my leaue of this little See of Rochester it shall not seeme impertinent I hope to shew with what great courage and happinesse this Church hath euer vpholden her rights and priuiledges not onely against the Monkes of Canterbury which laboured much to bring it vnder but also against the See it selfe of the Archbishops For example in the raigne of king Henry the third and after the death of Benedict the Bishop of Rochester the Monkes made choise of one Henry Sanford that great wise Clerke which preached at Sittingbourne that such a day the soules of king Richard the first Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury and another Priest were deliuered out of Purgatory and no more soules that day but onely they three as God had reuealed it vnto him three seuerall times whereof when the Monkes of Christ-Church had intelligence they resisted the election challenging that the Pastorall staffe or Crosyer of Rochester ought of very right to be brought to their house after the decease of the Bishop and that the election ought to be made in their Chapiter The Monkes of Rochester maintained their owne choise and so the matter waxing warme betweene them it was at the length referred to the determination of the Archbishop he againe posted it ouer to certaine Delegates who hearing the parties and weighing the proofes gaue sentence with the Monkes of Rochester and yet lost as they thought good loue and amity among them But as the Poet saith Male sarta gratia nequicquam coit sed rescinditur Fauour that is euill peeced will not ioyne close but falleth asunder And therefore this their opinion failed them and their cure proued but to be patched for soone after the sore brake out anew and the Canterbury Monkes reuiued their displeasure with such a heat that Hubert of Burgh Earle of Kent and chiefe Iustice of England was driuen to come into the Chapter house and coole it and to worke a second reconciliation betweene them Neither for all that as it may seeme was that flame quite extinguished For not long after viz. Ann. 1238. the Monkes of Christ-Church seeing that they themselues could not preuaile intituled their Archbishop Edmund with whom also the Rochester Monkes waged law at Rome before the holy Father as touching the election of Richard Wendeouer whom they would haue had Bishop by the space of three whole yeares together and at the length either through the equitie of the cause or the weight of their purse saith my Author ouerthrew him vpon Saint Cuthberts day in ioy whereof they returned home with all hast and enacted in their Chapter house that from thenceforth for euer Saint Cuthberts feast as a Trophey of their victory should be holden double both in their Church and Kitchin And not thus onely but otherwise also hath the See at Rochester well holden her owne for during the whole succession of fourescore Bishops and one as I haue said before which in right line haue followed Iustus she hath continually maintained her chaire at this one place whereas in most parts of the Realme besides the Sees of the Bishops haue suffered sundrie translations by reason that in the Conquerours time order was taken that such Bishops as before had their Churches in countrey Townes and Villages should forthwith remoue and from thenceforth remaine in walled Townes and Cities which ordinance could not by any meanes touch Rochester that was a walled Citie long time before king Williams gouernment Here endeth the Diocesse of Rochester ANCIENT FVNERALL MONVMENTS WITHIN THE Diocesse of LONDON AS before I haue said somewhat of the Cities of Canterbury and Rochester so giue me leaue to speak a little of this great Citie of London collected out of as well ancient as moderne writers And first I will borrow a few lines from Iohn Iohnston before remembred sometimes Professour of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of S. Andrewes in Scotland who in a graue note and serious stile compiled certaine Latine verses in praise of this our Metropolis or soueraigne Citie of this Island Which I finde to be translated by Philemon Holland thus This Citie well Augusta call'd to which a truth to say Aire Land Sea and all Elements shew fauour euery way The weather no where milder is the ground most rich to see Doth yeeld all fruits of fertile soile that neuer spent will be And Ocean that with Tams streame his flowing tide doth blend Conueyes to it commodities all that
serued It was valued at the suppression to 305. l. 6. s. 7. d. yearely The Church remaineth a Parish to the Tenants dwelling in the precinct of the Hospitall in which are many faire Funerall Monuments Whose Inscriptions or the most of them are set downe in the Suruay of London these following onely omitted Hic iacent Thomas Malefant Miles Baro de Winwore et Dominus de S. George in Com. de Clamorgan et Dominus de Okneton et Pile in Com. de Penbroke in Wallia qui obijt 8. die Maij 1438. et Domina Margareta vxor eius filia Thome Asteley Ar. Nep. de Domino de Asteley et Henricus â—ilius â—orundem Tho. et Margarete Quorum animabus propitietur Altissimus Amen The xiiiic yere of our Lord seventy and three Passyd Sir William Knyght to God Almightie The fiftenth dey of Iuil Master of this place Iesu for his mercy reioyce hym with his grace The xiiiic yere of our Lord and eight Passyd Sir Robart Greuil to God Almight The xii dey of April Broder of this place Iesu for his mercy reioice him with his grace Philip Lewis restyth vnder yis ston Yat in Iun deseisyd the dey six and twenty Wyth Agnes hys wyf yat were both on The xiiiic yere of our Lord and seuen and fifty Subiacet ecce pede Iohn Stafford mortis in ede Iustus deuotus discretus et ad pia motus Qui bona plura loco dum vixit contulit isti Mille quater centum quater et sexto quoque Christi Luce Nouemberis deca ter .......... Vt sit propitius anime Christus precor Amen Saint Sepulchers In this Church lyeth buried the body of that vnfortunate Lord Thomas Fiâ—es Baron Dacres of the South Who was executed at Tiborne the 29. of Iune 1541. for that hee with others going to hunt in Master Pelhams Parke at Laughton in Sussex and meeting with some companie casually by the way with whom and his confederates ensued a quarrell in which a priuate man one Iohn Busbrig was slaine by the said Lord or some of his associates which were Io. Mantell Io. Frouds and George all three executed for the same fact at Saint Thomas Waterings The death of this Lord was generally lamented being an hopefull gentleman of 24. yeares of age This happened in that bloudie yeare when Henry the eight vnsheathed his sword vpon the neckes of the Nobilitie Here lieth the heart of Iohn Goodfellow for his sowl and al yat died wyth hym and al Christen sowls I prey yow for cherite sey a Pater Noster and an Ave Mary Saint Bridgets or Brides Vndyr this ston William Weuer doth ly Cityzon and Elisabeth his wyf hym by He died the viii and she the vii dey of September Leuing Geffrey Mary and Ellin thar children as I remember Who 's sowls God receyve to fauor and pease Wyth Ioyes to lyve that neuyr sal cease 1409. The White Friers These Friers were called Fratres beatae Mariae de monte Carmeli first founded by Sir Richard Grey knight ancestor to the Lord Grey of Codnor in the yeare 1241. King Edward the first gaue to the Prior and brethren of that house a plot of ground here in Fleetstreet whereupon to build their house which was afterwards new builded by Hugh Courtney the third of that Christian name Earle of Deuonshire the yeare before he died which was Aun 1350. Sir Robert Knolles knight was a great builder here also in the raigne of Richard the second and of Henry the fourth who being borne but of meane parentage in the County of Chester was by his valiant behauiour aduanced from a common Souldier in the French warres vnder Edward the third to a great Commander and being sent Generall of an Armie into France in despite of their power he draue their people before him like Sheepe destroying Townes Castles and Cities in such a manner and number that long after in memory of this act the sharpe points and gable ends of ouerthrowne houses and Minsters were called Knolles Miters After which minding to make himselfe as welbeloued of his countrey as he was feared of forraine nations hee built the goodly faire Bridge at Rochester ouer the Riuer of Medway with a Chappell and a Chantrie at the East end thereof He founded a Colledge with an Hospitall adioyning thereunto in the Towne of Pontefract in Yorkeshire of which hereafter He founded also an Hospitall in the Citie of Rome for entertainment of English trauellers or pilgrimes to that Citie in place where Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury had builded a Chappell of the holy Trinity which to this day retaines the name and is a Seminarie for our English Fugitiues He deceased at his Mannor of Scone Thorpe in Norfolke was brought to London and honourably buried by the Lady Constance his wife in the body of this Church which he had newly builded Ann. 1407. the 15. of August Of whom in his life saith Stow were made verses in Latine thus by him put into English O Robert Knowles most worthy of Fame By thy Prowesse France was made tame Thy manhood made the French to yeeld By dint of sword in towne and feeld Here sometime lay entombed in a goodly Monument of Alabaster the body of Robert Mascall Bishop of Hereford a man for his good learning and good life admired and beloued of all men He was often employed by Henry the fourth to whom he was Confessor vpon Embasies to forraine Princes and in the yeare 1415. sent with two other Bishops to the Councell of Constance Hee built the Quier Presbytery and Steeple of this Church and gaue many rich ornaments to this religious house wherein he died 22. Decemb. 1416. William Lord Montacute Earle of Salisbury and king of the Isle of Man was here entombed Whose noble Acts saith Walsingham to write worthily were a commendable matter He founded the Abbey of Bisham Montague in Barkshire and died at a Iusts and Turney at Windsore in the yeare 1343. For the rest here interred I referre my Reader to the Suruay of London This house was valued at 26. l. 7. s. 3. d. and was surrendred the tenth of Nouember the 30. of king Hen. the eight Since the writing of the premisses I chanced to haue the perusall of a Manuscript penned in the praise of this religious Order out of which I collected diuers Epitaphs which in times past had beene engrauen vpon the Sepulchers of certaine Carmelites here in the Church of this Priory interred And first I finde that Stephen Patrington vir omnibus praestantioribus animi dotibus omnibus virtutibus preditus et multiplici doctrinae varietate instructus was here buried in the body of the Quire He was borne in the County of Yorke and brought vp in the Vniuersitie of Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Diuinitie He writ many learned bookes and was an admirable Preacher to whose Sermons alwayes
a masse of money from our credulous king Henry who had so deeply swallowed the gudgeon that his heart being ouer-ioyed saith Mathew Paris and raised euen to the height of exultation hee swore by Saint Edward to make a present voyage to Apulia and take possession of these dominions But at length this counterfeit ring vpon the touch was discouered and the good king knew himselfe deluded his Exchequer emptied and this Titulary-king his sonne Edmund abused Thus writes Mathew Paris the Monke of S. Albans who liued in those dayes and deciphers the Legerdemaine and iugling deuises of the Bishops of Rome to get money This Edmund was Lord Steward of this kingdome and Lieutenant of Gascoigne Who being sent into Aquitaine with an armie where he performed notable seruice died at Bayon in the yeare 1296. And within two moneths after his death his body was honourably transported into England Here lieth also entombed his first wife Aveline daughter and heire of William de Fortibus Earle of Albamarle by whom he had no issue who died the yeare 1269. Here lieth buried in a most magnificent Tombe befitting the greatnesse of his birth and the worthinesse of his Of-spring William de valence Earle of Penbroke so sirnamed of Valencia the place of his birth sonne of Hugh le Brun Earle of the Marches of Aquitaine and halfe brother by the mothers side to King Henry the third This William saith Stow was slaine at Bayon by the French in the yeare 1296. and with him Edmund Earle of Lancaster of whom I lastly spoke if wee may beleeue these verses of Harding But erle Edmond the kynges brother dere With twenty and sixe baners proud and stout The fift daye of Iune was accompted clere Of Christ his date a thousand yere all out Fourscore and sixteene without doubt At Bayon faught with the French menne certain Wher he in the feld that daye like a knyght was slain So was Sir William Valence erle of Penbroke than Sir Iohn Richmond and many other Baron Sir Iohn Saynct Iohn right a full manly manne Thenglishe hoste felly ther was bore doune By a bushement laied by colucion That brake on theim sore fighting in the feld Out of a wode in whiche that day were beld About the verge or side of his monument these verses are inlayd with brasse Anglia tota doles moritur quia regia proles Qua florere soles quem continet infima moles Guilielmus nomen insigne Valentia prebet Celsum cognomen nam tale dari sibi debet Qui valuit validus vincens virtute valore Eâ— placuit placidus sensus morumque vigore Dapsilis et habilis immotus prelia sectans Vtilis ac humilis deuotus premia spectans Milleque trecentis cum quatuor inde retentis In Maij mense hunc mors proprio ferit ense Quique legis hec repete quam sit via plena timore Meque lege te moriturum inscius hore O clemens christe celos intret precor iste Nil videat triste quia preculit omnibus hisce Here lyeth entombed the body of Simon Langham who was first a Monke of this Abbey then Prior and lastly Abbot thence elected Bishop of London from thence before his consecration to London aduanced to the Bishopricke of Ely and from that place remoued to Canterbury hee held diuers liuings in commendam as the Archdeaconry and Treasureship of Wels with others He was both Treasurer and Chancelour of England at seuerall times It is scarce credible saith Godwin now Bishop of Hereford in his catalogue de presulibus Anglie that is reported of his wonderfull bounty and liberality to this monastery When hee was first made Abbot he bestowed all that he had gathered together being Monke and Prior in paying the debt of the house which was to the value of two thousand and two hundred markes and discharged diuers other summes of money also which particular Monkes did owe he purchased good land which he gaue vnto them When hee went out of England hee left them bookes to the value of 830 pound and Copes Vestments and other ornaments for the Church worth 437. pound At his death he bequeathed vnto them all his plate prised at 2700. pound and all his debts any where due which amounted vnto 3954. pound thirteene shillings and foure pence He also sent vnto this Abbey the summe of one thousand markes to buy forty markes a yeare land to encrease the portion of foure Monkes that daily should say Masse for the soules of himselfe and his Parents The money that he bestowed vpon this Abbey one way or other is reckoned by a Monke of the same to be no lesse then 10800. pound who thereupon compiled this Distich Res es de Langham tua Simon sunt data quondam Octingentena librarum millia dena But men of eminent place and authoritie cannot haue their due praise of all sorts of people nay rather in requitall of their best actions they shall reape nothing but opprobrious language for vpon his translation from Ely to Canterbury these two rayling riming Hexameters were made to his disgrace Letentur celi quia Simon transit ab Ely Cuius in aduentum flent in Kent millia centum The Isle of Ely laught when Simon from her went But hundred thousands wept at 's comming into Kent He sate Archbishop of Canterbury onely two yeares for being made Cardinall of Saint Sixtus by Pope Vrban the fift hee left his Archbishopricke and went to Auinion where shortly after he was made Bishop Cardinall of Preneste by Gregory the eleuenth where he liued in great estimation about eight yeares and died of a palsie wherewith hee was suddenly taken as he sate at dinner Iuly 22. 1376. he was buried first in the Church of the Carthusians which he himselfe had founded in the Citie of Auinion but after three yeares his bones by his appointment while he liued were taken vp and buried here a second time vnder a goodly tombe of Alabaster vpon which this Epitaph was sometime engrauen Simon de Langham sub petris hijs tumulatus Istius Ecclesie Monachus fuerat Prior Abbas Sede vacante fuit electus Londoniensis Presul et insignis Ely sed postea primas Totius Regni magnus Regisque minister Nam Thesaurarius et Cancellarius eius Ac Cardinalis in Roma Presbyter isâ—e Postque Prenestinus est factus Episcopus atque Nuncius ex parte Pape transmittitur istâ—c Orbe dolente Pater quem nunc reuocare nequimus Magdalene festo milleno septuageno Et ter centeno sexto Christi ruit anno Hunc Deus absoluat de cunctis que male gessit Et meritis Matris sibi celica gaudia donet Here lyeth Robert Waldby who being a yong man followed Edward the blacke Prince into France where he continued long a Student and profited so much as no man in the Vniuersitie where he liued might compared with him for all kinde of learning he was a good linguist very well seene
septimi nec non Thesaurarius Hospitij reuerendissimi Patris domini huius regni Cancellarij titulo Sancte Cecilie trans Tiberim sacro sancte Romane Ecclesie Presbyteri Cardinalis ordinati Qui quidem Willelmus ob 3. Iulij 1518. Here is an Epitaph cut in Brasse vpon a marble stone now almost worne out which was made to the memory of one Robert Haule Esquire murdered in this Church the manner whereof our Chronicles doe thus briefely relate In the battell of Nazers in Spaine this Robert Haule or Hawley and Iohn Schakell Esquires tooke the Earle of Dene prisoner who deliuered vnto them his sonne and heire as a pledge for assurance of performances Not long after this their Hostage was demanded by Iohn Duke of Lancaster in the Kings name whom they denyed to deliuer for which they were clapt in the Tower from whence escaping here they tooke Sanctuary to whom Sir Raph Ferreis and Sir Alan Buxhull with fifty armed men were secretly sent to doe this mischiefe who finding them at high Masse first drew Schakell by a wile out of the priuiledge of the Church then offering to lay hands on Hawley he manfully resisting with his short sword made them all flie off But in the end he was slaine in the Chancell commending himselfe in his last words to God the reuenger of such iniuries and to the liberty of our holy mother the Church With him was slaine a seruant of his thrust into the backe with a Iauelin and a Monke who intreated for him in respect of the holinesse of the place This wicked act was perpetrated the 11. of August 1378. the second of Richard the second These words following now onely remaining vpon his Monument Me dolus ira furor multorum militis atque ................... ..... in hoc gladijs celebri pietatis asylo Dum leuita Dei sermonis legit ad aram Proh dolor ipse meo Monachorum sanguine vultus Aspersi moriens chorus est mihi testis in evum Et me nunc retinet sacer is locus Haule Robertum Hic quia pestiferos male sensi primitus enses .................. Hic iacet Thomas Ruthal Episcopus Dunelmensis Regis Henrici septimi Secretarius qui obijt 1524. To this short Inscription Godwin in his Catalogue addeth a long story of the life and death of this Bishop Who was borne in Cicester saith he in the County of Glocester and brought vp in Cambridge where he proceeded Doctor of Law He was preferred to the Bishopricke of Durham by King Henry the seuenth after whose death hee was made one of the priuie Councell vnto the young King Henry the eight who esteemed greatly of him for his wisedome and learning and imployed him often in ambassages and other businesses of importance Amongst the rest it pleased the king one time to require him to set downe his iudgement in writing concerning the estate of his kingdome in generall and particularly to enforme him in certaine things by him specified This discourse the Bishop writ very carefully and caused it to be bound in Velime gilt and otherwise adorned in the best manner Now you shall vnderstand that it chanced himselfe about the same time to set downe a note of his owne priuate estate which in goods and ready money amounted to the summe of one hundred thousand pounds This account was written in a paper booke of the same fashion and binding that the other was which was prouided for the king Whereby it happened that the king sending Cardinall Wolsey for the other draught which he had so long before required of him the Bishop mistaking deliuered that which contained an estimate of his owne infinite Treasure This the Cardinall soone espying and willing to doe the Bishop a displeasure deliuered it as he had receiued it vnto the King shewing withall how the Bishop had very happily mistaken himselfe for now quoth he you see where you may at any time command a great masse of money if you need it As soone as the Bishop vnderstood his errour the conceit thereof touched him so neare that within a short spaâ—â— after hee died at his house here in the Strand His intention was to haue repaired the Church of Cicester to haue built Bridges as he had begun that ouer the Riuer of Tyne and to haue done many other deeds of charitie if hee had not beene preuented by death Here lieth the body of Sir William Trussell knight and speaker of that Parliament wherein Edward the second king of England resigned his Diadâ—me and all ensignes of Maiestie to Edward his eldest Sonne This Trussell saith an ancient Author was a Iudge who could fit the house with quirks of Law to colour so lawlesse and treasonable an act as the deposing of a lawfull king And thereupon was chosen in the behalfe of the whole Realme to renounce all homage and obedience to the Lord Edward of Carnarvon his Soueraigne Lord and King The forme of which renunciation was by him the said Trussell pronounced at Kenelworth Castle the 20. of Ianuary 1326. in these disgracefull words which you may finde in Polychronicon I William Trussel in the name of al men of the lond of Engelond and of the Parliament Prolocutor resigne to the Edward the homage that was made to the somtym and from this tym forward now folowyng I defye the and priue the of al royal Powyr and shal neuer be tendant to the as for Kyng aftyr this tyme. The time of this Trussels death I cannot learne Here lieth interred before the Communion Table the body of Richard de Ware or Warren Abbot of this Monastery and sometime Lord Treasurer of England Who going to Rome for his consecration brought from thence certaine workmen and rich Porphery stones whereof and by whom hee made that curious singular rare pauement before the high Altar in which are circulary written in letters of brasse these ten verses following containing a discourse as one saith of the worlds continuance Si Lector posita prudenter cuncta reuoluat Hic finem primi mobilis inveniet Sepes trina canes equos homines super addas Ceruos coruos aquilas immania cete Mundi quodque sequens pereuntis triplicat annos Sphericus Archetypum globus hic monstrat Macrocosmum Christi milleno bis centeno duodeno Cum sexageno subductis quatuor anno Tertius Henricus Rex vrbs Odoricus Abbas Hos compegere Porphyreos lapides With these stones and workmen he did also frame the Shrine of Edward the Confessor with these verses Anno milleno Domini cum septuageno Et bis centeno cum completo quasi deno Hoc opus est factum quod Petrus duxit in actum Romanus ciuis Homo causam noscere si vis Rex fuit Henricus Sancti presentis amicus This Abbot died the second day of December 1283. after he had gouerned this Monastery three and twenty yeares and more Vpon whose grauestone this briefe
dyed M. ccccc.xxxi Cheston Quem tegit iste lapis Radcliffe cognomine functus .... et in cineres vertitur vnde fuit Icy gist Damoselle Iohanne clay que trespassa l'an de Grace M. cccc.le xxii iour Octobre iour Saint M. lun Euesque Here sometime stood a little Nunnery I know not by whom founded but thus it is confirmed in the Catal. of religious houses Henr. Rex Anglie Dominus Hibernie Dux Normannie Aquitanie et comes Angedauie c. Shestrehunt Monial totam terram Dom. ten cum pertinentijs suts que canonicis de cathele c. quos amoueri fecimus dat apud West xi Aug. Anno Regni nostri xxiiii This Nunnery was valued in the Exchequer to be yeerely worth twenty seuen pound sixe shillings eight pence This village is called in old Writings Chesthunte Shestrehunte and Norden saith cur non Chestin Castanetum of Chesnut Trees Bishops Hatfield This Church is much honoured by the Sepulture of that prudent great Statesman Robert Baron Cecill Earle of Salisbury Lord Treasurer of England father of William Lord Cecill Earle of Salisbury one of the honourable priuy Councell now liuing Anno 1630. and keeping royall hospitality at his Mansion house hereunto adioyning which sometimes did belong to the Bishops of Ely whereupon it was named Bishops Hatfield Of Robert this Earle here interred I shall speake more when I come to let downe his Epitaph Harding Hic iacent Wilielmus Seabroke qui obijt 2 April 1462. et Ioana vxor eius ...... quorum ... Orate pro animabus Mathei Cressy et Iohanne vxoris eius quondam filie Edmundi Peryent Ar. et Anne dicti Mathei vxoris quondam filie Thome Vernon Armigeri que Iohanna obijt xxix Nouemb. M. cccc.lxxviii Hic iacent Wilielmus Anabul et Isabella vxor eius qui quidem Wilielmus obiit 4 die Octob. 1456. Saint Albans Abbey I thinke it not much amisse to speake a little of this Protomartyr of England Saint Alban whose reliques lie here interred to whose name and for his eternall commemoration both this Towne and Monastery werâ— built and consecrated He was a Citizen and a Knight of that famous Citie Verulam which stood hereby beyond the little riuer who giuing entertainement at his own house to Amphibalus a Christian and one of the Clergie was by him his guest conuerted from Paganisme to the true profession of Iesus Christ and when Dioclesian who made Maximian his companion in the Empire went about by exquisite torments to wipe Christian Religion quite out of the memory of men was the first in Britaine that with inuincible constancie and resolution suffered death for Christ his sake of which persecution â—s also of his Martyrdome my often alledged Author Robert of Glocester shall tell you in his old verse Two Emperors of Rome wer on Dioclesian And anoder hys felaw that het Maximian And wer both at on tym the on in the Este ende The oder in the west of the world alle cristendom to shende For the luther Maximian westwarde hider soughte And christen men that he fonde to strang deth he broughte Churchen he pulde a doun ther ne moste non stonde And al the bokes that he myghte fynde in eny londe He wolde late berne echon amydde the heygh strete And the christenmen asle and non alyue lete Such God was yvor vpon cristendom Such persecucion as ther was hadde ther be non For yunâ—a monethe ther wer seuentene thou send and mo I martred for our Lordes Loue nas ther a grete wo Wyth oute oder grete halwen that hii heold longe in torment As Seynt Cristene and Seynt Feye and also Seynt Uincent Fabian and Sebastian and othur as men rede That heold faste in the fey and hadde non drede And among men of this londe ther wer many on I martred at thulke tym Seint Albon was on He was the furste Martir of Brutayn that com Muche was the shome men dude in Christendom Undyr this Luther Emperor Another not so ancient hath it thus The Emperour Dioclesyan Into Britayne then sent Maximian This Maximian to surname Hercelius A Tyraunte false that Christente anoyed Through all Britayne of werke malicious The christoned folke felly and sore destroyed And thus the people with him foule accloyed Religyous men the Prests and Clerkes all Wemen with chylde and bedred folkes all Chyldren soukyng vpon the mothers pappis The mothers also withouten any pytee And chyldren all in their mothers lappis The crepyls eke and all the christentee He killed and slewe with full grete cruelte The Churches brent all bokes or ornaments Bellys reliquys that to the Churche appendes He slew that tyme and martyred Saint Albone Now when neither perswasions nor cruell torments could make him forsake the true faith such was the sentence of his death as I finde it in a legend of his passion and martyrdome which to giue your palate variety I will set downe in such English as I haue in the said Legend or Agon In the tyme of the Emperoure Dioclesyan Albone Lorde of Uerolamye Prynce of Knyghts and Stewarde of all Brutayne durynge his lif hath despysyd Iubyter and Apollyn oure Goddes and to them hath doo derogacyon and disworschyp wherfor by the Lawe he is iudged to be deed by the honde of somme knyght and the body to be buried in the same place where his heed shal be smyten of and his sepulture to be made worshcipfully for thonoure of knyghthode wherof he was Prynce and also the crosse whych he bare and Sklauin that he ware shold be buried wyth hym and his body to be closyd in a Cheste of leed and so layed in his sepulture This sentence hath the Lawe ordeyned by cause he hath renyed our principall Goddes His iudgement being giuen after this manner he was brought from the Citie Veralam to this his place of execution which as then was an hill in a wood called Holme-hurst where at one stroke his head was smitten off But his Executioner saith venerable Bede had short ioy of his wicked deede for his eyes fell to the ground with the head of the holy Martyr of which will you heare another writer Thousands of torments when he had endur'd for Christ his sake At length he died by dome thus giuen his head away to take The Tortor proudly did the feat but cleere he went not quit That holy Martyr lost his head this cruell wretch his sight He suffered martyrdome in the yeare of Christ saith Stow 293. the twentieth day of Iune saith Bede howsoeuer the two and twentieth day of the same moneth was appointed by the Church to be kept holy to his memory as we haue it in our English Calender Many Miracles are said to be wrought by this sacred Martyr both liuing and dead but I will leaue them for that they will be thought incredulous in this age and come to the foundation of this Abbey The Sepulchres of
Eclipsis hee eius particularis Nam sua seu prima nunc vita latet tenebrata Altera sic lucet sic nomen eique resplendet Quod per defectum nunquam patietur Eclipsim Nam per vim fame stat mortis vulnus inane Cur exoretur pro Patre pioque rogetur Lux quia vera fuit subiectis dummodo rexit Semper perpes ei lux luceat ac requici Pausa sit perpetue vita vinat duplicique Nominis ac anime sic vinere vult meruitque 4. Vpon a Monke of this Abbey here entombed Quem Natura mirum natu fecit generosum Grataque sors Dominum mos atque patrem Monachorum Nunc abijt sed non obijt quia nomine viuit Nec recubat magis astch vigilat quia fama superstes Vestitu Maurus fuit in victu Benedictus Pacomius monitis Basilius rudimentis Nec sibi defuerat ipsum decuit quod habere Impar nam steterat Pater absque pare Pro Pastore pecus plebs pro domino gemit omnis Almaque Sponsa flet cecidisse virum Astra tamen ciuem letentur habere perhennem Exultatque Polus quod sit ei thalamus 5. Vpon a Monke of this house here buried Qui lacrimans Lazarum revocasti quadraduanum Ad vitam Monachum reuoces sic hic tumulatum Fac tecumque frui requie cum luce perhenni Vendicat ex iure vixit Monachaliter ipse 6. Vpon another Brother of the Couent here interred Iste Pater pater iste pius Pater hic tumulatus Et pater mater Pedagogus eratque minister Dum rexit pecorum fuerat cur quod tribuendum Quatuor hijs restat nunc detur eique reviuat In voto Fratrum quia tot fuit vnus eisdem Stoque vices que modos alternauit variantes Morte premi talem culpat pietas pietatem 7. Vpon Iohn Cressy a young youth of the ancient familie of the Cressyes hereby at Harding Dum puer ipse fui puer libroque vacaui Mortis mole rui moriens hic me sepeliui Here 's magnus eram preclara stirpe que natus Dumque superfueram Iohn Cressy rite vocatus Qui pretergrederis lege pro me postque preceris 8. Vpon another young boy where buried I know not Que iuuenes que senes pueros que viros premit omnes Mors sub mole tua precor in te voce sub ista Sit tibi posse breue nunquam fatum puerile Per te mutetur sit canus cum morietur Viâ— vndennis eram morsu cum mortis obibam 9. Dum mater plorat puer hic in morte laborat Dumque Petra tegitur rogat vt requies sibi detur Vt rogat ipsae sibi sit perpes pax requiei Sic nos clamemus secum pariterque rogemus Vt sibi cum requie lux lucescat sine fine 10. Vpon Thomas Pakington slaine in the first battell here in Saint Albans who was Sword-bearer to Henry Lord Percy Earle of Northumberland here also slaine as I haue said before He lies buried in Saint Peters Church in this Towne with an Epitaph vpon a marble-stone to the same effect Me vis prostrauit me post mortem tumulauit Hac sub mole petre perij seu sic periere Tres magni Domini fueram tunc scutifer vni Portitor ac gladij pax sit eique mihi Ipse Thomas dictus Pakington eramque vocatus 11. Vpon Margaret Biseworth a Maide Qui legis hec memora iacet hic quod femina clara Que Margareta fuerat Byesworth vocitata Hanc mors seua nimis etas sibi dum iuuenilis Infuit intacto steterat dum corpore Virgo Peste sua strauit hic stratam tumulauit M. semel x querno C quater ter I. sibi iuncto V. que die binamartis decies repetita Transijt à seculo sibi propicius Deus esto 12. Vpon Iohn Dunstable an Astrologian a Mathematician a Musitian and what not Musicus hic Michalus alter nouus Ptholomeus Iunior ac Athlas supportans robore celos Pausat sub cinere melior vir de muliere Nunquam natus erat vicij quia labe carebat Et virtutis opes possedit vnicus omnes Cur exoptetur sic optandoque precetur Perpetuijs annis celebretur fama Iohannis Dunstapil in pace requiescat hic sine fine 13. Vpon one Peter buried in the lower part of this Quire Petrum petra tegit qui post obitum sibi legit Hic in fine chori se sub tellure reponi Petra fuit Petrus petree quia condicionis Substans solidus quasi postis relligionis Hic sibi sub Petra sit pax pausa quieta 14. Vpon one Peter Iones a Doctor and a Parson a confabulatorie Epitaph Quis iacet hic Pastor quis item graduamine Doctor Quod nomen Petrus cognomen quale Iohannes Annis quot rexit ter trinis quot sibi vixit Lustra bis septem Quis finis sanctus eidem Vixit enim sancte moriens sic desijt atque 15. Hic soboles cineris hic proles mulieris Compausant vtero pariendi rursus ab vno Partu puluereo renouatur vitae secundo Et sub perpetuo mors manet exilio In this Manuscript are diuers other Epitaphs of his making which I shall meete withall by the way I had like to haue forgotten Alan Strayler the Painter or Limmer out of the pictures in the golden Register of all the Benefactours to this Abbey who for such his paines howsoeuer he was well payed and for that he forgaue three shillings foure pence of an old debt owing vnto him for colours is thus remembred Nomen Pictoris Alanus Strayler habetur Qui sine fine choris celeslibus associetur But it is high time to take leaue of the Abbey which at the first as you may perceiue by the premisses was endowed with much land and many large priuiledges and daily augmented and successiuely confirmed by the charters of many of our English and Saxon Kings and Princes and much enlarged in all by sundrie Abbots and other sincere well-affected persons So that before the dissolution such were the priuiledges of this place that the King could make no secular Officer ouer them but by their owne consentâ— they were alone quite from paying that Apostolicall custome and 〈◊〉 which was called Rom-scot or Peter-pence whereas neither King Archâ—ishop Bishop Abbot Prior nor any one in the kingdome was freed from the payment thereof The Abbot also or Monke appointed Archdeâ—con vnder him had pontificall iurisdiction ouer the Priests and Lay-men of all the possessions belonging to this Church so as he yeelded subâ—â—tion to no Archbishop Bishop or Legate saue onely to the Pope of 〈◊〉 This Abbot had the fourth place among the Abbots which sate as â—â—â—ons in the Parliament house Howsoeuer Pope Adrian the fourth â—hose surname was Breakespeare borne hereby at Abbots Langley grantâ—d this indulgence to the Abbots of this Monasterie that as Saint Alban was distinctly knowne to be the first
tempore Ed. 3. an honourable title as well in France as in England but afterward applied vnto Seruants and Groomes whereupon when the Gentrie reiected it by changing the name they began to be called Gentlemen of the Bedchamber Orate pro animabus Iohannis Barrington et l homasine vxoris eius qui quidem Iohannes obiit 8. die mens Nouemb. 1416. et Thomasina obiit 15. Septemb. 1420. Quorum animabus Ryding from Ralegh towards Rochford I happened to haue the good companie of a gentleman of this countrey who by the way shewed me a little hill which he called the Kings Hill and told me of a strange customarie Court of long continuance there yearely kept the next Wednesday after Michaelmas day in the night vpon the first cockcrowing without any kinde of light saue such as the heauens will affoard The Steward of the Court writes onely with coales and calleth all such as are bound to appeare with as low a voice as possiblie he may giuing no notice when he goeth to execute his office Howsoeuer he that giues not an answer is deeply amerced which seruile attendance said he was imposed at the first vpon certaine Tenants of diuers Mannors hereabouts for conspiring in this place at such an vnseasonable time to raise a commotion The title of the Entrie of the Court hee had in memory and writ it downe for me when we came to Rochford Thus it runnes in obscure barbarous rimes Curia de Domino Rege dicta sine Lege Tenta est ibidem per eiusdem consâ—etudinem Anteortum solis luceat nisi polus Seneschallus solus scribit nisi colis Clamat clam pro Rege in Curia sine lege Et qui non cito venerit citius penitebit Si venerit cum lumine errat in regimine Et dum sunt sine lumine capti sunt in crimine Curia sine cura iurata de iniuria Tenta die Mercurij prox post festum Sancti Michaelis Thus much haue I spoken of a Lawlesse Court for which I haue neither law nor reason For I am sure that this discourse is impertinent and quite from the subiect to which I haue tied my selfe to treat of Yet I hope these lines will not seeme much vnpleasing for my Reader to peruse when his minde is ouercharged with dull heauie and vncomfortable Epitaphs Rochford I am looking for some Monument or other in this Church to the memorie of some one of the Lords of ancient Nobilitie to which this Towne gaue the Surname of Rochford as now it giues the title of Viscount Rochford to that truly honourable and right worthie gentleman Henry Cary Lord Hunsden and Earle of Douer Pris pur Anne Snokeshall fille Iohn filol de Landmare qe gist ici Dieu de salme eit pite et mercy qe ob iour de Seynt Valentin â—an Iâ—su crist M. ccc.lxxxxvi Of your cherite prey for the sowl of Rose Crymvill wyf of Richard Crymvill Which Rose desesyd viii April M. cccccxxiiii on her sowl Iesu haue mercy Hic iacet Maria Dilcock que obiit xiiii die Decembris Ann. Dom. M. Vc. Cuius anime .... The Tower and the Steeple of this Church was built from the ground as the inhabitants by tradition affirme by Richard Lord Rich Baron of Leez and Chancellour of England A most prudent and iudicious Statesman a singular treasure and supporter of the kingdome who for his great good deserts receiued the office of Chancellour of England at the hands of King Edward the sixth Howsoeuer the Armes of the Butlers Earles of Ormond whose inheritance this Towne was in times past are cut in some places on the stone Robert Lord Rich and Earle of Warwicke lately deceased founded here sixe Almes houses for fiue poore impotent men and an aged woman But here let me conclude what I haue spoken of this towne with the words of Camden More inward saith he is Rochford placed that hath giuen name to this Hundred now it belongeth to the now Earles of Warwicke Barons Rich and in old time it had Lords of great nobility surnamed thereof whose inheritance came at length to Butler Earle of Ormond and Wiltshire and from them to Sir Thomas Bullen whom King Henry the eight created Viscount Rochford and afterward Earle of Wiltshire out of whose progenie sprung that most gratious Queene Elizabeth and the Barons of Hunsdon Pritlewell Swein de Essex before remembred built here a Priory for blacke Monkes which he dedicated to the blessed Virgine Mary Which was much augmented by others and holden to be a cell to the Priory of Lewes vntill the yeare 1518. when as a great contention arose betweene the two Houses insomuch that Iohn Prior de Pritlewel noluit soluere vnam Marcam Priori de Lewes nomine subiectionis This house was valued at the suppression to be worth 194 l. 14. s. 3. d. ob yearely Hic iacet Magister Iohannes Lucas Theologie Bacchalaureus quondam vicarius istius Ecclesie Parochialis qui ob 16. Ian. 1477. Cuius anime Prey for the sowl of Iohn Cock the younger and Margaret his wyff Whych Io. dyed ...... 1522. Her vndyr this Grauston lyth beryed Richard Bowrd ... Marchant of Callys .... dyed ... 1432. Vnder this inscription these words are engrauen in a trewe Loues knot Quod servaui perdidi quod expendi habui Quod donaui habui quod negaui perdidi Stangate Here sometime stood a small Priory built by the Predecessours of the Prior of Lewes about what time I cannot learne valued to bee yearely worth 43. l. 8. s. 6. d. Saint Osithes Whose ancient name was Chich now growne out of vse by reason of Osith the virgine of royall parentage who being wholly deuoted to the seruice of God was here stabbed to death by the Danish pyrates in the yeare 653 in the moneth of October And being by our Ancestours honoured for a Saint Richard de Beaveyes Bishop of London in her memoriall built here a religious house of Regular Chanons about the yeare 1120. in the raigne of King Henry the first His grant I haue read in the Records of the Tower beginning thus Richardus Dei gratia London Episcopus c. Salutem Sciatis quod ego dedi Ecclesie Sancte Osithe virginis de Ciz ecclesias de Sudemenestra et de Clachentona cum omnibus que ad illas pertinent c. King Henry confirmes and augments this donation by his Charter dated at Roan in the nineteenth yeare of his raigne And many others so added to the reuenues of this Monastery that at the time of the suppression it was valued at 758. pound fiue shillings eight pence This Bishop the founder was diuers times about to resigne his Bishopricke that he might become a regular Canon in this his owne new built Monasterie and that the rather because being taken with an irrecouerable Palsie he well knew his time to be
short But he so long deferred the execution of this intent that he was surprised by death before he could performe it the sixteenth day of Ianuarie 1127. He was Warden of the marches of Wales and gouernour of the County of Salop he sate Bishop twenty yeares in which time beside the building of this Monastery he purchased diuers whole streets and much housing neere to his Cathedrall Church of Saint Pauls All which he pulled downe and leauing the ground vnbuilt for a Cemitery or Churchyard enclosed the same with a wall which for the most part remaineth but at this day so couered with houses as it can hardly be seene The Canons of this house desired his body to be here buried which they entombed vnder a marble Monument with this inscription Hic iacet Richardus Beauueis cognomine Rufus London Episcopus vir probus et grandeuus per totam vitam laboriosus Fundator noster religiosus et qui multa bona nobis et Ministris Ecclesie sue sancti pauli contulit obijt xvi Iaenuarij M. c.xx.vii cuius anime propitietur altissimus Woodham waters In this Church I finde no monument of any great antiquity howsoeuer here was the ancient seate of the Lords Fitz-waters who being nobly descended saith Camden were of a most ancient race deriued from Robert the yonger sonne of Richard sonne to Gislebert of Clare accounted Earle of Hertford but in the age lately foregoing translated by a daughter into the stocke of the Radcliffes the predecessors of the Earles of Sussex Woodham Mortimer Prey for the sowlys of Iron Cokar and Christian his wyf which Ion dyed the viii of Octobre on thowsand fowr hundryd seuenty and eight and the seyd Ion for the helth of his sowl gaue by his Testament and last Will to God and to his Church a yeerely rent of xx pens and iii. schillyngs iiii pens for kepyng his obit in this Chirch to bee takyn out of his croft callyd Windets yerly for euer Maldon In this towne stood the pallace royall of Cunobeline or Kimbaline King of great Britaine a Prince that spent his yonger yeares in the warres vnder Augustus Caesar of whom he receiued the order of Knighthood by whom he was so fauoured that by his alone request the peace of this kingdome was continued without the payment of Romane Tribute who hauing for a long time enioyed peace in the vniuersall peace of the world for in the xiii yeare of his raigne the God of peace our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was borne of the blessed Virgin He trained vp his people in a more ciuill and peaceable kinde of gouernement then that to which they had beene formerly accustomed and departed this world in peace within this his Citie of Maldon then the chamber of his kingdome in the one and twentieth yeare of our redemption when he had raigned thirty and fiue yeares of whom thus writeth my Author Io Harding ca. xlv Kymbaline so was his sonne and heyre Noryshed at Rome instruct with Cheualre That knyght was made wyth honor greate and â—ayer By Octauian reigning then enterly Emperor then of Romes great Monarchy In whose time was both peace and all concord Through all the worlde and borne was Christ our Lorde He was buried in this his chiefe citie some say at London Hic iacet Henricus Coggeshale filius et heres Thome Coggeshale filij Thome Coggeshale Armigeri qui obijt 9. Ian. 1427. cuius Quisquis eris quitransieris sta perlege plora Sum quod eris fueramque quod es pro me precor ora Orate pro anima Thome Darcy Ar. corporis Regum Edwardi quarti et Henrici sexti et nuper vnius Iusticiar ad pacem in com Essex ac filij et heredis Roberti Darcy militis nec non pro anima Margarete consortis sue vnius filiarum et heredis Iohannis Harleton in com Suffolk Ar. qui quidem Tho. obijt 25. Mens Septemb. 1485. Hic iacet Rogerus Darcy Ar. filius et heres Tho. Darcy Ar. pro corpore illustrissimi Principis Henrici septimi Regis Anglie et Elizabetha vxor eius filia Henrici Wentworth militis qui obijt vltimo die Septemb. 1508. Diuers other faire monuments but shamefully defaced are here erected to the memory of the Darcies a numerous familie and for antiquity and noblenesse of birth of great respect in many places of this kingdome Sir Robert Darcy Knight remembred in the former inscription by his last will and testament bequeathed his body to be buried in this Church the substance whereof I haue read in an old Manuscript as followeth Robert Darcy Knight made his Testament the 5 of October Anno Domini 1469. his body he willed to be buried in all Hallowes Church of Maldon before the Altar in the Isle where his father lieth in a Tombe of marble Also he willed l markes to be disposed for two thousand masses for him to be said within sixe weekes next after his deceyse iiii d. for euery masse and that they be charged for to prey for his soule his wifs soul his fathers and his mothers and for all his sisters soules and for all their husbands soules and for all the soules that he is bound to prey for Of which said l. markes hee willed to haue somewhat euery Prist that dwelled in Penbroke hall in Cambridge Also he willed that euery Fryer that was a Prist in Colchester haue xx d. and euery little Fryer vi d. to say three dirgees considering that he was a brother of that Order And the house of Chennesford xl s. the house of Clare xx s. and each yong Frier vi d. considering that hee was a brother of their Order And he made his Executors Elizabeth his wife Io. Clopton Esquire Nicolas Saxton and Richard Astley Clerkes And the superuisors of this his Testament my Lord of Essex my Lord Dinham Thomas Mountgomery and Thomas Tirrill Knights lowly beseeching the said Lord of Essex the Lord Dinham Sir Thomas Mountgomery and Sir Thomas Tirrill to helpe his sonne Thomas and all his children Also hee willed that my Lord of Essex and the Lord Dinham should each of them haue a But of Malmesey and that Sir Thomas Mountgomery and Sir Thomas Tirrill should each of them haue a pipe of red wine Also he willed that his brother Iohn Clopton one of his Executors should haue for his labour xx.l. Also he willed mistresse Anne Darcy his brothers wife to haue xx markes Yeuen at Danbury the day and yeare aboue said This his will was proued quarto diâ— mensis Maij coram reuerendo in Christo Patre Domino Thoma Episcopo London infra manerium suum de Wekeham Anno Domini 1470. One King a Butcher with his two wiues Alice and Anne lie here interred vnder a goodly marble richly inlayd with brasse his Axe for his Armes with this Epitaph who died 1415 Subiacet hic pictus diues durus
nece victus Nomine Rex dictus non re sed homo modo fictus De Maldon Carnifex at Rex vir vocitatus Nostre fraternitatis pater et peramatus Mundi mense pleno Ianuarii die noueno C. quater mille ter et v. tunc Rex ruit ille Sponse que fantur Alys Ann secum tumulantur Quibus solamen precor precamur Amen Augusti vndena sumpta bis in hac requieuit Petra Richardus Wood coninge cumque Iohanna Quorum sunt nati quinque nate quoque sene Iesu cunctorum miserator sis precor horum Farwel you world I tak leue for euer I am cityd to appere I not where Yen al yis world yis tym had I leuer A litl spase to mak a sith for fere Of my trespace broken is for sorrow Myn hart now be that sal not be to morrow Farwell frendys ye tide bidyth no man I am tak fro hens and so salye But to what passage tel you I ne can Ye yat be liuyng may prey wel ye be Nakyd I go nakyd hider we cam Prey ye for me Requiem eternam Orate pro animabus Tho. Drakes et Elisabethe vxoris eius quondam filia Iohannis Heydon Ar. et Alicie vxoris eius filie et vnius heredum Roberti Swynborne militis qui .... ob 26. Iunii 1464. Orate pro animabus Richardi Lyon Shereman Fundatoris huius capelle et Katherine vxoris eius ...... Quisquis ades qui morte cades sta respice plora Sum quod eris modicum cineris prome precor ora Here in this towne sometime stood a religious house of Carmelites or white Friers founded by Richard de Grauesend Bishop of London and one Richard Iselham a Priest about the yeare 1292. valued at the suppression at twentie sixe pounds eight shillings a poore Foundation for so great a Prelate hauing the assistance and charitable contribution of another Priest This little couent was honoured with diuers great schollers which I finde to haue beene therein buried and first Thomas Maldon so called of this towne the place of his birth brought vp of a boy in this house of the Carmelites from whence hee went to Cambridge when hee attained to ripenesse of yeares where he profited exceedingly in all kindes of learning in so much that he was chosen to be the chiefe master or professor of Diuinity in that Vniuersity he was saith Pits de illustribus Anglie scriptoribus from whom Bale doth not much dissent subtilis disputator elegans coÌ„cionator in omni concertatione scholastica promptus et expeditus in dubiis explicandis clarus et dilucidus in decernendis et diffiniendis rebus arduis constans et solidus He was called from Cambridge to take vpon him the gouernement of this Priorie in which office he ended his daies in the yeare 1404. and was interred in the Church of his Couent vpon whose Tombe this Epitaph was engrauen as I haue it in a Manuscript Carmeli Thomas decus hic iacet Ordinis almus Presul cui virtus tot bona iuncta dedit Ingenium Formam mores linguamque disertam Post mortem et vitam que manet vsque piis Obiit Anno Domini M. cccciiii Robert of Colchester a Carme and a good scholler was likewise here interred with this Epitaph or inscription vpon his grauestone Orate pro anima Roberti de Colchester Fratris de monte Carmeli literatissimi piissimique ac quondam prioris huius Cenobii Qui obiit in vigiliis S. Agathe virginis Anno Domini M. cccc.lxv An Epitaph to the memory of Frier William Horkisle here inhumed Carmelita pius iacet hic pro parte Wilhelmus Pars erat ad superos Horkisle postea tutus obiit Anno Dom. 1473. Hic iacet Magister Frater Richardus Acton sacre pagine professor huinsque conuentus carmelitarum peruigilac versutus quondam Gubernator Qui ex hac luce migrauit Anno Dom. M. cccc.xlvi cuius anime propitietur altissimus Here sometime likewise one Frier Tho. Hatfield was remembred with this Epitaph In campo mortis Frater celebâ—rrimus Hatfelde Conditur eximium continet vrna virum Dogmate precipuus nullique secundus amore Claruit ingenio moribus ore stilo The Monument of another namelesse Carmelite was thus inscribed Miseri beatus portus hic est corporis Qui sim viator queris ipse nescio Qui sis futurus tu tamen per me scies Ego tuque puluis vmbra et vmbre somnium Veni abij sic vos venistis abihitis omnes Colchester Here lieth Henry Bedford and Alis his wyf Whych Alis died the 10. of August 1592. they had xi sonnes and 6 daughters Here lyeth Georg Willoughby and Anastacia his wyf whych Georg dyed 28 of May 1533. Here lyeth Robart Rockwood and Agnes his wyf which Robart dyed ...... 1497. Within this Citie and the suburbes are contained ten Parish Churches in all which I could collect no more Inscriptions of any antiquitie saue these in Saint Gyles Church But howsoeuer her Churches at this day be no wayes beautified with the ancient funerall Trophies of any illustrious personages yet her inhabitants may bragge of the buriall of Coill that braue British Prince who built this their Towne of Colchester about one hundred twenty and foure yeares after the birth of our Sauiour Christ. Wherein his sonne Lucius Helena and Constantine the first Christian King Empresse and Emperour in the world were borne which made Necham saith Speed for Constantine to sing as he did From Colchester there rose a Starre The Rayes whereof gaue glorious light Throughout the world in climates farre Great Constantine Romes Emperour bright This Coilus was brought vp euen from his youth in Rome and therefore fauouring the Romanes payed them his tribute He raigned fifty fiue yeares saith Stow. Harding saith but eleuen In whose commendations will it please you heare himselfe speake Coell ruled the Realme in Lawe and peacefull well That for his wyt and vertuosite Able he was as Chronycles could fele To haue ruled all the Emperalyte For ryght wesnesse manhode and moralyte A doughter had he and none other heyre Elyne that hyght farre passing good and fayre Buryed at Care colune he was his owne cytee Greatly commended well famed and laudifee Both on this syde and beyond the See Eleuen yere regnyd in great dignitee Another of him more ancient thus Coel was a noble man and much power hadde an honde Erle he was of Colchestre here in his londe And aftur his name Colchestre is cluped as iche vnderstond Our Lord amongs othur things hym send a faire sonde That he gat a fair doughter at Colchestre in this londe Seynt Helyne was cluped hee is the holy croys hee fonde Constance for her heritage this mayde to wyve nom And nam wyth hur al this londe and the kyngdom And let hym crouny to kyng that goodde knyght was and fyn And on hur begat one
discourse in that exquisite History of Henry the seuenth penned by that learned and iudicious Statesman Sir Francis Bacon Viscount Saint Alban lately deceased The last Earle that I finde to be here entombed of ancient times is Iohn de Vere the fourth of that christian name Earle of Oxford Lord Bulbeck Samford and Scales Lord great Chamberlaine of England and Knight of the Garter he was commonly called little Iohn of Campes Castle Campes in Cambridgeshire being the ancient seate of the Veres where this Earle vsed much to reside He married Anne daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke and died without issue the 14 of July 1526. I finde in a booke of Dunmow in bib Cot. that Maud the wife of Iohn de Vere the seuenth Earle of Oxford lyeth here intombed shee was the daughter of Bartholomew Lord Badelismere Baron of Leedes in Kent and one of the heires of Giles Lord Badelismere her brother She was first married to Robert sonne of Robert Fitz-Paine She outliued her later husband some few yeares and died the 24. of May 1365. ... Coggeshall ....... Coggeshale ...... mil. .... M. ccc ..... For which of the name this broken inscription should be engrauen I cannot learne but I finde that these Coggeshals in foregoing ages were Gentlemen of exemplarie regard and knightly degree whose ancient habitation was in this Towne one of which familie was knighted by King Edward the third the same day that hee created Edward his eldest sonne Earle of Chester and Duke of Cornwall Anno 1336. Hic iacet Thomas Paycocke quondam Carnifex de Coggeshal qui obijt 21 Maij 1461. et Christiana vxor eius quorum animabus Prey for the sowl of Robert Paycock of Coggeshale cloth-maker for Elizabeth and Ioan his wyfs who died 21. Octob. 1520. on whos soul. Here lyeth Thomas Paycock cloth-worker Margaret and Ann his wyfs which Tho. died the 4. of September 1518. Orate pro anima Iohannis Paycock et Iohanne vxoris eius qui quidem Iohannes obijt 2 Aprilis 1533. The Creede in Latine is all curiously inlaid with brasse round about the Tombestone Credo in Deum patrem c. Orate pro animabus Iohannis Kebulet Isabelle et Iohanne vx eius Quorum c. About the verge of the stone in brasse a Pater noster inlaid Pater Noster qui es in celis sanctificetur nomen tuum and so to the end of the praier Vpon the middest of the marble this Aue Maria. Aue Maria gratia plena Dominus tecum Benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus sit fructus ventris tui Iesus Amen I haue not seene such rich monuments for so meane persons Orate pro anima Gulielmi Goldwyre et Isabelle et Christiane vxorum qui quidem Gulielmus obijt ... 1514. Mary Moder mayden clere Prey for me William Goldwyre And for me Isabel his wyf Lady for thy Ioyes fyf Hav mercy on Christian his second wyf Swete Iesu for thy wowndys fyf Here in this towne of Cogshal was sometime an Abbey built and endowed by King Stephen and Maud his Queene in the yeare 1140. the fift of his raigne according to the booke of Saint Austins in Canterbury Anno M. c. xl facta est Abbathia de Cogeshal a Rege Stephano et Matilde Regina qui primo fundauerunt Abbathiam de Furnesse Abbatiam de Longeleyrs et postea Abbathiam de Feuersham c. this house was dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary wherein were placed white Monkes â—luniackes the reuenues of which were valued to be yearely worth 298. l. 8. s. it was surrendred the 18. of March 29. Hen. 8. Adioyning to the Rode called Coccill-way which to this towne leadeth was lately found an arched Vault of bricke and therein a burning lampe of glasse couered with a Romane Tyle some 14 inches square and one Vrne with ashes and bones besides two sacrificing dishes of smooth and pollished red earth hauing the bottome of one of them with faire Romane letters inscribed COCCILLI M I may probably coniecture this to haue beene the sepulchrall monument of the Lord of this towne who liued about the time of Antoninus Pius as by the coyne there likewise found appeareth the affinitie betweene his and the now townes name being almost one and the same These remaine in the custody of that iudicious great Statesman Sir Richard Weston Knight Baron Weston of Nealand Lord Treasurer of England and of the most honourable Order of the Garter companion Who for his approued vertues and industrie both vnder father and sonne doth to the publique good fully answere the place and dignity Before these times in a place called Westfield three quarters of a mile distant from this towne and belonging to the Abbey there was found by touching of a plough a great brasen pot The ploughmen supposing to haue beene hid treasure sent for the Abbot of Cogeshall to see the taking vp of it and he going thither met with Sir Clement Harleston and desired him also to accompany him thither The mouth of the pot was closed with a white substance like past or clay as hard as burned bricke when that by force was remoued there was found within it another pot but that was of earth that being opened there was found in it a lesser pot of earth of the quantity of a gallon couered with a matter like Veluet and fastened at the mouth with a silke lace in it they found some whole bones and many pieces of small bones wrapped vp in fine silke of fresh colour which the Abbot tooke for the reliques of some Saints and laid vp in his Vestuary Bocking Dorewards So denominated of the Dorewardes sometimes Lords of this towne and Patrons of this fat Parsonage which is xxxv l x. s. in the Kings bookes as I am perswaded by relation and these Inscriptions vpon ancient Tombes Hic iacet Iohannes Doreward Armig. filius Willelmi Doreward mil .... qui obijt .... 1420. et Isabella vxor eius .... Hic iacet Iohannes Doreward Armiger qui obiit xxx die Ianuar. Anno Dom. Mil. cccc lxv et Blancha vxor eius que obiit ... die mens .... An Dom. Mil. cccc lx quorum animabus propitietur dens Amen Clauiger Ethereus nobis sis Ianitor almus Haulsteed The Lordship of Stansteed within this Parish was the ancient inheritance of the noble family of the Bourchiers in which they had a mansion house many of which surname lie here entombed to continue whose remembrance in the south side of the Quire is a Chappell which to this day is called Bowsers Chappell wherein they lie interred the inscriptions which were vpon their monuments are quite gone this one following excepted Hic iacet Bartholomeus quondam Dominus de Bourgchier qui obiit viii die mens Maii Anno Dom. M. cccc.ix et Margereta Sutton ac Idonea Louey vxores eius Quorum animabus propitietur Deu S. Amen Vnder another of these monuments lieth the
Bell on which is cast a peece of coine of siluer of King Edward the fourth it was giuen by one of the Countesses of Essex as one may partly gather by an old Inscription vpon it is the Bowsers knot Tiltey Here sometime stood a Monastery founded by Maurice Fitz-Gilbert before remembred not long after the Conquest which he dedicated to the honour of the Virgine Mary and therein placed white Monkes of the Cistertian order The donations to this religious house are confirmed in the Records of the Tower Cart. Antiq. lit S. The valuation of it at the suppression was 177. l. 9 s. 4. d. This Monasterie is not altogether ruinous in the little Church whereof I found these Funerall Inscriptions following Bruntingthorpe neare to Leicester hath long beene the habitation of the ancient familie of Dannet saith Master Burton who beareth sable Guttee Argent a Canton Ermine one of which familie lieth here interred with this Epitaph Hic iacet sepultus cum coniuge Maria Gerardus Dannet de Bruntingthorp in Com Lecestr Ar. serenissimi Regis Henrici octaui Consiliarius qui obijt Anno Christi M. ccccc.xx mensis Maij quarto The armes afore blazoned are ouer the Monument of this Councellour to king Henry Abbas famosus bonus viuendo probatus In Thakley natus qui iacet hic tumulatus Thomas dictatus qui Christo sit sociatus Rite gubernauit istumque locum peramauit Great Easton Orate .... Willelmi Moigne Ar .... qui obiit .... M.ccc.v This William Moigne or Monke held this Mannor of Easton ad montem for so it was anciently called with Winterborne and Maston in the Countie of Wilts by seruice of being Clarke of the Kings Kitchin and keeper of his Lardarie tempore Coronationis Hatfield Brad-oke So called saith Camden of a broad spread Oake in which Towne Robert de Vere the third Earle of Oxford and great Chamberlaine of England founded a Priorie for blacke Monkes About the beginning of the raigne of King Henry the third valued at the suppression at 157. l. 3. s. 2. d. ob per annum which Priory Aubrey de Vere the third of that Christian name Earle of Oxford enfeoffed with the Tithes of this Towne and to the instrument of his donation he affixed by a harpe string as a labell to the bottome of the parchment a short blacke hafted knife like vnto an old halfe penny whitle instead of a Seale These are the words in his Grant Per istum cultellum Albericus de Vere tertius feoffauit Prioratum et Conventum de Hatfeeld Regis alas Brodoke cum omnibus decimis in villa predicta Habend c. a festo Assumptionis beate Marie virginis in puram perpetuam Eleemosinam c. Of this old manner of signing and sealing of deeds you may read Lambard in his perambulation of Kent pag. 318. This Robert was first entombed in the Church of his owne foundation and at the dissolution remoued into the Quire of this Parish Church where he lieth crosse-legged with this inscription now almost worne out Sire Robert de Veer le premier count de Oxenford le tierz git ci Dieux del alme si luy plest sace merci Oi pur lame priera xl iors de pardonn anera Pater Noster Sir Robert Vere the first and third Earle of Oxford lieth here God if he please have mercy of his soule whosoeuer shall pray for his soule shall obtaine fourty dayes Pardon He died in the yeare 1221. Hic iacent Thomas Barington Ar. Anna vxor eius qui quidem Thomas obijt v. Aprilis M. cccc lxxij Anna obiit proximo die sequenti Quorum animabus propitietur Altissimus At Barington Hall within this Parish saith that learned delineator of Great Britaine M. Camden dwelleth that right ancient familie of the Baringtons which in the raigne of King Stephen the Barons of Montfitchet inriched with faire possessions since which time this house is much enobled by the marriage of Sir Thomas Barington knight with Winifred the daughter and coheire of Sir Henry Pole knight Lord Montague sonne of Margaret Plantaginet Countesse of Salisbury descended of the bloud royall being the daughter of George Duke of Clarence Great Dunmow Exoretis miserecordiam Dei pro anima Walteri Bigod Armigeri qui obijt 17. die mens Mar. 1397. Simon de Regham iadis Parson de Dunmow gist icy Dieu de son alme eit mercy Amen Of yowr cherite prey for the sowls of Iohn Ienone Esquyr somtym on of the Common Pleas of Westmynstre and Alys his wyff Whych Iohn dyed xvii Septembyr M. Vc.xlii Little Dunmow Iuga the wife of one Baynard a Nobleman that came in with the Conquerour the builder of Baynards Castle in London founded the Priority in this village in the beginning of the raigne of Henry Beauclerke and entreated Mauricius Bishop of London to dedicate the Church to the honour of the virgine Mary to which the same day she gaue halfe a Hide of land Her sonne and heire Geffrey Baynard placed blacke Chanons therein by the consent of Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury This house was valued at the suppression to be yearely worth 173. l. 2. s. 4. d. The Church of this monastery is as yet standing in the Quire whereof betweene two pillars lieth the body of Matilda the faire entombed who was the daughter of Robert Fitz-water the most valiant knight of England About the yeare 1213. saith the booke of Dunmow there arose a great discord betwixt king Iohn and his Barons because of Matilda surnamed the faire daughter of Robert Fitz-water whom the King vnlawfully loued but could not obtaine her nor her fathers consent thereunto Whereupon and for other like causes ensued warre through the whole Realme The king banished the said Fitz-water amongst other and caused his Castle called Baynard and other his houses to be spoiled Which being done he sent a messenger vnto Matilda the faire about his old Suit in Loue Et quia noluit consentire toxicauit eam And because she would not agree to his wicked motion the messenger poisoned a boiled or potched Egge against she was hungrie and gaue it vnto her whereof she died the yeare 1213. In the yeare following after her death her banished father was restored to the kings fauour vpon this occasion It happened in the yeare 1214. king Iohn being then in France with a great armie that a truce was taken betwixt the two Kings of England and France for the terme of fiue yeares and a riuer or arme of the Sea being betwixt either host there was a knight in the English host that cried to them of the other side willing some one of their knights to come and iust a course or two with him Wherupon without stay Robert Fitz-water being on the French part made himselfe ready ferried ouer got on horseback and shewed himself ready to the face of
endowed the Colledge of these Feciales or Heralds with the seuenth part of this his sacred constitution Their Colledge at Rome was composed of twenty Heraulds chosen out of ancient and eminent families the chiefe whereof for excellence was called Pater Patratus because by being chiefe of that companie he ought to haue children and his owne Father yet liuing Their chiefe office was To take care that the Romanes did not commence and make vniust warre against any confederate Citie and that if any such a city had committed any thing against the conditions of the confederacie truce and entercourse then they were to go as Embassadours first to challenge their right in milde words which if denyed then to proclaime warre Neque iustum aliquod bellum fore censebatur nisi id per Feciales esset indictum Neither was any warre thought to be iust and lawfull but that which was denounced by these Feciales or Heralds In France saith Andrew Favine Heralds haue euer beene in high esteeme and not onely the King of Armes Mont-ioy S. Denis but also the other Heralds and Pursuiuants were of noble extraction and Mont-ioy could not be admitted without making proofe of his Noblenesse by three races as well of his Fathers stocke as by his mothers side There was two thousand pounds of rents in Lands and free tenure allowed for the said Mont-ioy particularly and a thousand pounds of annuall pension besides other rights As for the other Heralds they haue a thousand pounds in pension with other rights and priuiledges Now for such rights and priuiledges as were granted to kings of Armes and Heralds some doe ascribe them to the King and Emperour Charlemaigne others to Alexander the Great of Macedon and others to the Emperour of Germany Charles king of Bohemia fourth of that name nourished from his youth in the Court of the Father of Cheualrie Philip de Valoys king of France sixth and last of that name as here followeth the tenure in these words The Priuiledges granted to Kings and Heralds of Armes translated out of the French in the Theater of Honour My Souldiers you are and shall bee called Heralds Companions for kings and Iudges of crimes committed by Noblemen and arbitratours of their quarrels and differences You must liue hereafter exempted from going any more to warre or militarie factions Councell kings for the best the benefit of the weale publique and for their Honour and Royall dignitie Correct all matters vile and dishonest fauour widowes succour orphanes and defend them from all violence Assist with your counsell such Princes and Lords in whose Courts you shall abide and freely and without feare demand of them whatsoeuer is needfull for you as food rayment and defrayings If any one of them shall deny you let him bee infamous without glory or honour and reputed as criminall of high treason In like manner also haue you an especiall care to keepe your selues from vilifying your noble exercise and the Honour wherewith you ought to come neare vs at all times See there be no entrance into Princes Courts either of drunkennesse ill speaking flattery babling indiscreetly ianglery buffonnerie and such other vices which soyle and shame the reputation of men Giue good example euery where maintaine equitie and repaire the wrongs done by great men to their inferiours Remember what priuiledges we haue granted you in recompence of the painfull trauells in warre which you endured with vs. And let not the Honours which we haue bestowed on you bee conuerted to blame and infamie by dishonest liuing the punishment whereof we reserue to our selfe and to the Kings of France our Successours Seuen Danish Kings besides some of Norway and Sweden haue had for their proper appellation the name of Herald or Harold which is all one with Heralt saith Verstegan So honourable was it accounted of in old time that so many Kings thereby were called in regard as it appeareth that themselues might be honoured and respected as the most couragious of the armie Heralds saith Stow out of an old History written aboue sixe hundred yeares since which he found in the Reuestrie or Treasurie of Saint Pauls Church be they which our Elders were wont to call Heroes that is to say those which were greater or surpassing all men in Maiestie and yet inferiour to the Gods For whom the people of antiquitie did perceiue to be notable and surmounting all others in his acts and feates renowned in vertues and friendly or gracious vnto them him would they magnifie and exalt in the highest degree and as it were with their good words make him cosin to Iove the omnipotent Placing such amongst the Gods if it so were that they had wrought some miraculous feate aboue the common course of Nature But if there were no such miraculous or wonderfull deeds but that through their vertues they seemed wonderfull and honourable then thought they to call such persons not altogether Gods nor yet simplie men but inuented out a meane word and name for them calling them Heroes as it were halfe-gods and of this word Heroes or Heros groweth by corruption of vse this name Herald In the same place he proues that Heralds here in England were as ancient as the dayes of Brute who flourished aboue eleuen hundred yeares before the birth of Christ who bare saith hee Gules two Lions rampant endorsed Or according to this peece out of Hardings Chronicle He bare of Goulis twoo liones of golde Countre Rampant with golde only crouned Which kings of Troy in bataill barefull bold Neither can it be iustly said for all this that Heralds were not knowne nor in request in this kingdome but since the time of Brute For euen from the instant that the descendants of Adam were distinguished into Nobles and Yeomen there haue beene combats battells and encounters and consequently Heralds deriued from the body of Nobilitie Now at the length let me turne backe to the foresaid defunct Sir Iohn Wriothesley to whom and to the rest of the Kings Heralds and Pursuiuants of Armes king Richard the third in the first yeare of his raigne granted and gaue by his letters Patents all that messuage with the appurtenances called Cold-Harber in the Parish of All Saints the little in London freeing them à Subsidijs theolonijs omnibus Reipub. muneribus Dated at Westminster the second of March without fine or fee. How the said Heralds departed therewith saith Stow I haue not read but in the raigne of Henry the eight the Bishop of Durhams house neare Charing Crosse being taken into the Kings hand Cuthbert Tunstall Bishop of Durham was lodged in this Cold-Harber But in my iudgement I still digresse or at leastwise driue off my Reader ouer long from the knowledge of the time of this mans death which I cannot set downe neither certainly yet I gather by circumstances that it should be about the latter end of the raigne of king Hen. the seuenth Here lyeth buried by her
sent for soone after by Laurence it happened the same yeare that the same Laurence died and hee was appointed to succeed him where he sate about fiue yeares euen vntill the day of his exspiration Of which an old Anonimall Manuscript thus To whome Melite than playnly gan succede That fyve yere so rulyd the Chirche in ryght And than this erthe forsoke for heuens mede And went to blyss wher God wolde of his myght The yere of Crystes nativite by ryght Six hundryd full twenty and fowre accountyd Whan erthe hys corps had hyd and surmowntyd Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome writ to Mellitus concerning the purifying but not the pulling downe of Idolatrous Churches within these kingdomes An Epistle well worthy the obseruation which I haue read in Gotcelinus the Monke who writes of the life and actions of Saint Austin of other Bishops of the See of Canterbury as also of diuers Saints in those primitiue times and dedicates his workes to Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury Such was the letter of Gregory as followeth Dilectissimo silio Mellito Abbati Gregorius servus seruorum Dei Post discessionem Congregationis nostre que tecum est valde sumus suspensi redditi quia nichil de prosperitate vestri itineris audisse nos contigit Cum ergo Deus omnipotens vos ad reuerendissimum fratrem nostrum Augustinum Episcopum perduxerit dicite ei quid diu mecum de causa Anglorum cogitans tractaui videlicet quia Fana Idolorum destrui in eadem gente minime debeant sed ipsa que in eis sunt Idola destruantur Aqua benedicta in eisdem Fanis aspergatur Altaria construantur Reliquie componantur quia si Fana eadem bene constructa sunt necesse est vt a cultu Demonum in obsequium veri Dei debeant commutari vt dum gens ipsa eadem Fana sua novidet destrui de corde errorenâ— deponat Dominum verum cognoscens et adorans ad loca que consuevit familiarius concurrat Et quia Boues solent in sacrificio Demonum multos occidere debet eis eciam de re hac aliqua solemnitas iramutari vt die dedicationis vel natalicijs sanctorum Martyrum quorum illic reliquie ponuntur tabernacula sibi circa easdem Ecclesias que ex Fanis commutate sunt de ramis arborum faciant religiosis conuiuijs solemnitatem celebrent Nec animalia immolent sed ad laudem Dei in vsum suum animalia occidant et Donatori omnium de sacietate sua gracias referent vt dum eis aliqua externis gaudia res exuantur ad interiora gaudia consentire facilius valeant Nam duris mentibus simul omnia abscidere impossibile esse non dubiam est quia et is qui summum locum ascendere nititur gradibus vel passibus non autem saltibus eleuatur Sic Israheletico populo in Egypto Dominus siquidem innotuit sed tamen eis sacrificiorum vsum quem Diabolo solebat exibere in cultu proprio reseruauit vt eis in suo sacrificio animalia immolare preciperet quatinus cor mutantes aliud de sacrificio ammitterent aliud retinerens Vt et si ipsa essent â—nimalia que offerre consueuerant vero tamen Deo hec et non ydolis immolantes iam sacrificia ipsa non essent Hec igitur dilectionem tuam predicto Fratri necesse est dicere vt ipse in presenti iâ—â—ic positus perpendat qualiter omnia debeat dispensare Deus te incolumem custodiat dilectissime fili Data die quinto decimo Kalendarum Augustarum imperante nostro Mauritio Tyberio pijssimo Augusto anno nono decimo post Consulatus eiusdem Domini anno octauo decimo Indictione quarta Hereby we may see the pious aduise and great pollicie of this learned Father of the Church for the conuerting of the misbeleeuing Pagans or heathen people of this kingdome from Idolatrie to the true worship of the euerliuing God My forenamed Author Gotceline in the 53. Chapter of his first Booke tells me that the names of the prime pillars of the English Church and the especiall propagators of the Gospell in these times were engrauen vpon the Tarpeyan Rocke at Rome of which number this my Mellitus is one of the principall As appeares by these Latine Rimes following sometime likewise engrauen or cut in the foresaid Rocke vnder each seuerall name to their further glory Dux Augustinus precellit in ordine primus Lauâ—iger mundus Laurenti sede secundus Tertius est gratus Mellitus melligeratus Quartus adest Iustus dulces dans nomine gustus Quintus Honorius Eccle vigor extat honorque Deus dedit est sextus cui dat sua munera Christus Theodorus iuxta fert sabbata septimus alma His septem ducibus viget Anglia totque diebus Additur octauus Monachorum Dux Adrianus Anglorum stella Mildretha refert sua mella Octo Patres Rome reliqui comitantur honore Ex Anglis nati meritis horum sociati Hinc manat diuis Euangelii via riuis Hi sunt Brithpaldus Tatynnus vosque Nothelme Et Iamberte patres primos proceres imitantes Tot simul Ecclesie cingunt frontem pictate It is written of Mellitus that when vpon a certaine time the Citie of Canterbury was by negligence set on fire and began to waste and consume away by much increasing of the flames so that no helpe of man nor casting of water thereon was able to quench or stay the same the greatest part of the citie being at length almost burnt and the furious flashes extending themselues euen vnto the Bishops place this good Bishop seeing mans helpe now to faile and trusting onely in the aide and succour of almighty God commanded that he might be carried out of his house and set against these fierce flames of fire piercing and flying all round about Now where the greatest rage of this burning was there was the place of Martyrdome of the foure holy crowned Saints Whan then the Bishop by his seruants was brought forth and set in this place here he began with prayer sicke as he was for he was often troubled with infirmities of body and much grieued with the Gowte notwithstanding euer whole and sound of minde to driue away the perill of the fire which the stout strength of strong men with much labour could not before bring to passe And behold the winde that blew from the South whereby this fire was first kindled and blasted abroad now suddenly bent against the South first tempered his blasts for feare of hurting the places right ouer in the other side and after quite quenching the flames ceasing and extinguishing the fire made all calme and well againe And truly this good man of God which did feruently alway burne with the fire of inward charity and was wont with his often prayers and holy exhortations to driue from himselfe and all his the danger of ghostly temptations and trouble by spirits of the aire might now
it is one of these in the North or South wall This Pagan king of Denmarke after he had for many yeares infested and harried this kingdome and driuen Alfred our king to strange extremities was in the end ouercome by Alfred in battell presently vpon which he was washed in the lauer of Baptisme which was one of the conditions of peace at his ouerthrow Alfred receiued him for his godsonne by the name of Athelstane and gaue him in free gift this countrey of East Angels and in the same fountaine of Grace saith Simon of Durham thirtie of the chiefe Danish Nobilitie were initiated vpon whom the true Christian King bestowed many rich gifts Of all which my old ryming Cronicler Gutron the king of Denmarke that was tho In Westsex werred full sore and brent the lond Wyth whych the kyng so marryd was wyth wo He wyst not well whether to ride or stond But to Ethelingay anone he tooke on hond To ryde where then he hyd hym in a place For drede of Danes such was hys hap and grace Where then hys Lordes and knyghtes in good araye Came to him then wyth hooste and greate powre Where than the kyng vpon Gutron that day In batayle strong wyth corage fresh and clere Fought sore and tooke Gutron prisonere And thyrtye dukes wyth hym in compaye Vnchrysten were they all of panymrye And had the felde wyth all the vyctorye And of Danes many thousand slewe He baptyzed than as made is memorye Thys kyng Gutron that after was full trewe And named was Athylstan all anewe To whome the kyng gaue than all Estenglond As Edmond had to holde of hym that lond And all hys dukes were also there baptyzed And chrysten menne bycame for goddys loue The yere of Chryste viii C. thenne compeysed Seuente and viii as Flores doth approue This Battell and the baptising of Gutron and his Lords I haue also out of an ancient namelesse Manuscript in my owne custody thus deliuered Than Gunter that fader was of Haueloke Kynge of Denmarke was than of mykle myght Arevyd so than in Ingylond wythe hys floke Of Danes fell cruyll myghty and wyght Wyth whom the kyng full strongly than dydd fyght And hem venquyste wyth sore fyght and batayll And ovar hond had so thrughe hys gouernayll The whiche Gunter and thyrty of hys Lords Thrughe grace toke than baptyme at theyr desyre After he had gouerned these counties of Suffolke and Norfolke keeping his residence here in this Towne the space of twelue yeares complete he died and was buried in the kings towne called Headlega so Hadley is called in the Saxons language in Suffolke among the East English in the yeare 889. Ipswich in times past Gipswich Had Ipswich the onely eye of this Shire beene as fortunate in her surname as she is blessed with commerce and buildings shee might well haue borne the title of a Citie neither ranked in the lowest row whose trade circuit and seate doth equall most places of the land besides It is adorned with twelue or fourteene Churches in all which I finde not any funerall Monument of Antiquitie saue one which came to light not long since vpon the remouall of a Pewe in Saint Laurence Church and so like wise in other Churches many Monuments are buried vnder which the Founder of the said Church was interred as appeares by this Epitaph engrauen vpon the Stone Subiacet hic lapide Iohn Bottold vir probus ipse Istius Ecclesie primus Inceptor fuit iste Cuius anime Domine misereris tu bone Criste. Obijt M. ccccxxxi litera dominicalis G. Since then that so few funerall Monuments are remaining at this day in the Parish Churches of this Corporation I will take a view of the sites of the Religious Houses in and about this Towne now ouerturned Of which and such persons as I finde to haue beene therein inhumed as followeth The Priory of Saint Trinity This Priory was founded by Norman the sonne of Enott and Iohn de Oxenford Bishop of Norwich tempore Hen. 2. replenished with blacke Canons Augustines and valued to bee yearely worth fourescore and eight pounds sixe shillings nine pence Herein lay buried Norman the Founder and Langeline his wife and Dame Ioane Filian The Friars Preachers This Monastery was founded by Henry de Manesby Henry Redred and Henry de Londham saith the Catalogue of Religious Houses to whose honour consecrated I doe not learne neither doe I know any thing of the value or surrender Bodies which I finde to haue beene herein buried were Dame Maud Boerell Edmond Saxham Esquire Iohn Fostolph and Agnes his wife Gilbert Rouldge Ione Charles Edmond Charleton Esquire The white Friers Carmelites This Religious Edifice was founded by Sir Thomas de Londham saith one howsoeuer I finde in the Catalogue of Religious Foundations aforesaid in Speed that the Lord Bardesley Sir Geffrey Hadley and Sir Robert Norton knights were the Founders about the yeare 1279. Herein for of the dedication value or surrender I finde nothing were buried Sir Thomas and Sir Thomas de Londham knights Iohn Londham Esquire Margaret Colevile Gilbert Denham Esquire and Margaret his wife daughter of Edward Hastings And in a Manuscript penned by Iohn Bale I finde these Carmelites following to haue beene here sometimes inhumed Iohannes Hawle ob 1433. Maij 15. Richardus Hadley ob 1461. Aprilis primo Iohannes Wylbe ob 1335. 2. Decemb. Iohannes Barmyngham vir doctissimus Oxonia diu studuit Parisijs intex Sorbonicos he was a man very learned he studied a long time in Oxford and at Paris amongst the Sorbons He writ diuers bookes mentioned by Pitseus and died a wondrous old man being as then Prior of this Fraternitie the two and twentieth day of Ianuary Anno reparationis humana 1448. Iohannes Balsham Episcopus Archiliens hic sepultus ob 1530. The Grey Friers Founded by the Lord Tiptoth In which lay buried for I finde no further of it then the Foundation Sir Robert Tiptoth knight and Dame Vna his wife The heart of Sir Robert Vâ—ere the elder Margaret Countesse of Oxenford wife of Sir Robert Veere the younger Earle of Oxenford Dame Elisabeth wife of Sir Thomas Vfford daughter of the Earle of Warwicke Sir Robert Tiptoth the younger Margaret wife of Sir Iohn Tiptoth Robert Tiptoth Esquire Elisabeth Vfford Elisabeth Lady Spenser wedded to Sir Phellip Spenser daughter of Robert Tiptoth Phellip George Elisabeth children of Sir Phellip Spenser Ione daughter of Sir Hugh Spenser Sir Robert Warhesham and Dame Ione his wife Iohn sonne of William Claydon Sir Thomas Hardell knight Dame Elisabeth wife of Sir Walter Clopton of Hadley Sir William Laynham Sir Hugh Peach and Sir Hugh Peach Sir Iohn Loueloch knights Item the Heart of Dame Petronill Vfford Dame Beatrix Botiler Dame Aueline Quatefeld Dame Margery Aunte of Sir Robert Vfford Dame Alice wydow of Sir Iohn Holbrok The Blacke Friers Of this House I onely finde that one Iohn Hares gaue
Citizens to pay them three thousand Markes after fiue hundred Markes a yeare toward the reparation of their Church besides they were adiudged to giue to the vse of the Church Vnam cuppam de pondere decem librarum auri valore centum librarum argenti A Cuppe weighing ten pounds in gold and worth an hundred pounds of money Whereby you may note saith Speed the proportion then betweene the value of gold and siluer This end was made by King Edward the first his Father being now dead at the request and solicitation of this Bishop His next successour William Midleton was also interred in this Church He reedified the same being so destroyed and profaned as you haue heard before and hallowed or consecrated the whole Fabricke anew in the presence of King Edward the first and many of his Nobles He departed this life the last of August Ann. 1288. in the eleuenth yeare of his Consecration Iohn Salmon placed in this See of Norwich by the Pope was here entombed he was Lord Chancellour of England for the space of foure yeares This Bishop built the great Hall and the Chappell in the Bishops pallace and a Chappell at the West end of the Church in which he ordained foure Priests to sing Masse continually He died Iuly the sixth 1325. William Ayermin likewise by the Popes authority was preferred to this Bishopricke as appeares by the sequele Cum summus Pontifex nuper Willelmum tunc Canonicum London in Episcopum Norwicens prefecisset sicut per literas bullatas ipsius summi Pontisicis Regi inde directas satis constabat ac Rex nono die Nouembris prox preteriâ—o per literas suas patentes sub Testimonio Edwardi filij sui primogeniti tunc custodis Regni Anglie Rege extra Regnum existente prefectionem ipsam gratiose acceptans cepit fidelitatemipsius Episcopi restituit ei temporalia Nunc Rex ratificans prefectionem receptionem predict mandat restituere ei Temporalia Teste Rege apud Kenelworth 13. Decemb. Pat. 20. Eâ—â— 2. In the yeare 1319. saith F. Thinne in his Catalogue of Englands Chancellours and out of an old anonimall Latine Chronicler this Will. Ayremin was keeper of the great Seale and that he was taken prisoner by the Scots the words of his Author are in effect thus in English The Countie of Yorke and the countrie adiacent hauing receiued inestimable damages by the Scots William de Melton Archbishop of Yorke Iohn Hotham Bishop of Ely and Treasurer the Abbot of Saint Maries Yorke Sir William Ayremin Priest Chancellour of England Deane of Yorke the Abbot of Selbie and Sir Iohn Pabeham knight assembled together an armie of eight thousand to represse the violence of the enemie this armie consisted of Clerkes Monkes Canons and other spirituall men of the Church with Citizens and Husbandmen and such other vnapt people for the warres With these the Archbishop came forth against the Scots and incountred with them at a place called Mitton a little village vpon the Riuer of Swale Ouer which Riuer the Englishmen were no sooner passed but that the expert warlike Scots came vpon them with a wing in good order of battell in fashion like to a Shield eagerly assayling their enemies who for lacke of good gouernment were easily beaten downe and discomfited without shewing any great resistance Corruerunt ex nostris tam in ore gladij quam aquarum scopulis suffocati plusquam quatuor mille hominum there were slaine by the sword and drowned in the Riuer of our partie aboue foure thousand persons saith the Manuscript and the residue shamefully put to flight The Archbishop the Bishop of Ely the Abbot of Selbie and diuers other with helpe of their swift horses escaped The Mayor of Yorke named Nicholas Fleming was slaine Et capti sunt Domini Iohannes de Pabâ—ham miles Dominus Willelmus de Airemin Canc. and Sir Iohn de Pabeham and Sir William Ayremin Priest were taken prisoners Iohn Harding who seldome giues condigne praise to the valiant doughtie Scot thus writes of this battell ...... in Myton medowe nere To Swale water lay then with great power Walter Warren among the haycockes bushed Vpon the byshop sodenly with Scots yssued And xv hundreth Englyshe there he slewe And home he went with kyng Robart full glad With prisoners many mo then men knewe The Byshop fled fro the felde full woo bestad With his Clerkes that then were full mad This was called the white Battell for that it consisted of so many Clergie men This Bishop died March the 17. hauing sate almost eleuen yeares at Sharing neare London whose body was conueyed for buriall to this his owne Church He gaue two hundred pound for order to be taken that two Monkes the Cellerers of the Couent should alwayes sing Masse for his soule Thomas Piercy was here interred a gentleman howsoeuer right honorably descended and highly befriended yet constrayned to admit of this Bishopricke by the Popes Prouisorie Bull as followeth Cum summus Pontifex nuper vacante Ecclesia Norwicen per mortem Willelmi vltimi Episcopi ibidem qui apud sedem Apostolicam diem clausit extremum eidem Ecclesie de venerabili viro Thoma Percy prouiderit ipsum Thomam in Episcopum loci illius presecerat Rex cepit sidelitatem ipsius Thome Temporalia ei restituit Teste Rege apud West 14. April Pat. Ann. 29. Ed. 3. Memb. 14. This Bishop gaue vnto the repairing of this Church which in his time was greatly defaced with a violent tempest the summe of foure hundred markes and obtained of the rest of the Clergie a great summe to the same purpose He bequeathed to the Chaunter of this his Church an house and certaine lands lying within the Lordship of Kimerle Gaeriton Fowrhow Granthorpe and Wychelwood vpon condition he should procure Masse daily to be said for his soule He died at Blofield not farre off the eight of August 1369. Vpon the death of Bishop Percy one Henry Despenser Canon of Salisbury was preferred by the Pope to this Bishopricke as I finde it thus recorded in the Tower Henricus Despenser Canonicus Saresburien per Papam ad Episcopatum Norwicen vacantem per mortem Thome vltimi Episcopi ibidem prefectus fecit regi fidelitate habuit restitutioneÌ„ Temporalium T.R. apud Clarendon 14. Aug. 2. Par. Pat. Anno 44. Ed. 3. Memb. 6. This man was called the warlike Bishop of Norwich for that in his youth he had beene a Souldier with a brother of his one Spenser a gentleman greatly esteemed for his valour being a chiefe Commander in the Popes warres by whose meanes this Henry obtained this dignitie and hauing changed his vesture but not his conditions in what manner of life he spent his youth in the same he most delighted euen in his waxing yeares For in the yeare 1381. most memorable was the seruice of this stout Bishop against the rebellious bondmen and Pesants of Norfolke whom he draue
out of their Trenches slew diuers and caused their mushrom king Iohn Littestar to be hanged drawne and headed and also caused all others that were the chiefe agents in that rebellion to be put vnto death and so by that meanes quieted the whole countrey an action howsoeuer some will say perhaps not agreeable to his calling worthie of eternall honour and remembrance Not long afterwards viz. 1383. he had another occasion to shew his martiall prowesse for being drawne on by Pope Vrban the sixt to preach the Crusado and to be generall against Clement the seuenth whom sundry Cardinals and great Prelates had also elected Pope hauing a Fifteenth granted to him for that purpose by Parliament after strong opposition of almost all the Nobles who resisted this businesse of the Crosse went with forces into Flanders to support the cause of Vrban against the Antipape Clement from whence after he had performed many exploits very happily taken Graueling Burbrough Dunkerke and Newport by assault and bin victor in a set Battell against thirty thousand abettours of Clements claime he was enforced to returne as destitute of those further succours which were expected out of England But the King vpon pretence that he had not obeyed his royall Mandate by which he required him before he transported to returne for a while seised vpon all his Temporalities to which he found grace with the King to be restored at the speciall sute of Thomas Arundell as then Bishop of Ely The which Seisin and Restitution is thus in effect recorded Hen. Episcopus Norwicens in Parliamento apud West Anno huius Regis 7. fuit impetitus de diuersis articulis misprisionū vnde Temporalia Episcopatus sui seisita suerant in manum Regis c. Rex nunc restituit ei Temporalia predicta T. R. apud West 24. octob 1. par pat an 9 Ric. 2. M. 27. There was great contention betweene this Bishop and his Monkes for the space of fifteene yeares but they being too weake for him as you see all his opposites were at last were glad to giue him foure hundred markes to enioy their priuiledges in like sort as heretofore they had done He sate Bishop well neere 37. yeers and died August 23. 1406. as appeares by this mangled Epitaph vpon his monument Henricus natus le del spenser miles amatus Presul sacratus hic Norwicensis humatus Florens progenie ......... ................. M. Quadringeno Vigili sex Bartholomei Christo sereno Regi peregrat requiei After him the next succeeded one Alexander Prior of Norwich was elected Bishop by the Monkes which election the King so misliked as hee not onely kept him from his temporalties but also imprisoned him almost a whole yeare at Windsor Thomas Beaufort miles habuit custodiam Temporalium Episcopatus Norwicen a tempore mortis Henrici nuper Episcopi ibidem quamdiu in manibus Regis existerent ac fuit custos eorum a vigilia Sancti Bartholomei an no. 7. Hen. 4. vsque ad 23 diem Octob. proxi preterit per vnum annum integrum 8 Septimanas et 6 dies T.R. apud West 9 Iunij 2 pars pat an 9. Hen. 4. M. 19. Before the Altar of Saint George the body of Bishop Wakering lyeth buried who for his life learning and wisedome was highly esteemed in regard whereof before he was aduanced hither to Norwich King Henry the 4. made him Lord Keeper of the priuy Seale and so consequently he was of his priuy Councell in the yeare 1414. hee was sent to the generall Councell holden at Constance in Heluetia with Richard Earle of Warwicke the Bishops of Salisbury Bath and Hereford the Abbot of Westminster and the Prior of Worcester with diuers other Doctors and learned men of the spiritualtie besides Knights and Esquires in number all eight hundred horses so well appointed and furnished as well the men as horses that all nations meruailed to see such an honourable companie come from a Countrie so farre distant in this Counsell hee so behaued himselfe that for learning and wisedome hee obtained the generall applause of all the assemblie shortly after his returne he was consecrated Bishop viz. the last of May 1416. and hauing his charge with great praise about nine yeares he died the ninth of Aprill one thousand foure hundred twentie and fiue He built the Cloister which is to be seene at this day in the Bishops Pallace pauing the same with stones of diuers colours Vpon the dore vnder the Rood loft I finde this maymed Epitaph following inlaid in brasse Hic iacet absconsus sub marmore Presul honestus Seclo desunctus olim pastor quoque sponsus Istius Ecclesie cum digno culmine morum Prefuit egregie ......... .................. Dictus Walterus Lyghert cognomine notus ................. Euellens acriter mala germina fructus acerbi Dispersit pariter diuini semina verbi Anno milleno C. quater septuageno Annexis binis instabit ei prope finis Septima cum decima lux Maij sit numerata Ipsius est anima de corpore tunc separata Fili Christe Dei fons vite spes medicine Propitieris ei donans requiem sine fine This man in the catalogue of Bishops is called Walter Hart. In his predecessors daies the Citizens here of Norwich harbouring in their mindes their old grudge attempted many things against the Church but such was the singular wisedome and courage of the said Bishop whose name was Thomas Browne that all their enterprises tooke little effect and now by the policie and discretion of this Lighert or Hart the malitious humours of these malecontented Townesmen before reasonable well allaied was altogether extinguished He paued the Church and during his life maintained twelue students at Cambridge with all things necessary for them at his owne charges He departed this life the first of May 1472. as appeares by his Epitaph in the twentie and sixt yeare of his consecration and lieth buried neere vnto the Rood loft which he himselfe erected Here lieth buried the body of Iames Goldwell sometimes Deane of Salisbury Secretarie to King Edward the fourth and Bishop of this Diocesse who died in February M. cccc.lxxxxviii This Bishop was a great repairer or new builder of great Chart Church in Kent where as it is said he was borne Here lieth buried the body of Thomas Ian who died the first yeare of his consecration viz. anno 1499. After the decease of Ian Richard Nix succeeded of whom I finde little worth the rehearsing saith Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops hee hath the report of a vicious and dissolute liuer was blinde long before his death sate 36 yeares and died An. 1536. It is reported yet that this Bishop built the north crosse I le of this Church and guilded the roofe of the same vpon which his cote of Armes is to be seene In the Chapter House was a goodly monument to the memory of Sir Thomas Windham knight with this now maymed Inscription
the Monthaults and the Mowbrays which now after long languishing as it were by reason of old age hath giuen vp the ghost In the Porch of this Parish Church is a Grauestone vnder which say the inhabitants which I haue heard sworne by others Isabell Queene of England the wife of Edward the Second lieth interred vpon the Grauestone are two words onely remaining which make the country people so thinke of the matter which are .... Isabelle Regine .... now by these the case is made plaine to any than can distinguish between the Cases Nominatiue and Genitiue that this stone was laid to perpetuate the remembrance of some one of that Queenes seruants Flytham This was a Nunnery and a Cell to Walsingham of yearely value threescore and two pound ten shillings sixe pence halfe penny Yngham This was a Priory of blacke Monkes Benedictines a Cell to Saint Albans founded by the Ancestours of Sir Oliuer Yngham knight consecrated to the honour of the blessed Virgin Mary valued at seuenty foure pounds two shillings seuen pence halfe penny Herein lay buried Sir Miles Stapleton and Ione his wife the daughter and heire of Sir Oliuer Yngham Sir Miles sonne of the said Miles and Ela his wife the daughter of Vfford Sir Brian Stapleton sonne of the second sir Miles and his wife daughter of the Lord Bardolfe Sir Miles sonne of sir Brian and Dame Katherin his wife daughter of sir Pots and after married to sir Thomas Sackuile which are likewise here buried Dame Ione Plase daughter of sir Miles Stapleton Dame Ela Perpoint which had two husbands .... Edmond Stapleton and his wife daughter of Clyfton Sir Roger Boys and his wife Linne Linne saith Leland sometimes a famous Hauen there as the Church stands now was anciently without faile an Abbey for the graues of many religious persons as yet appeare in the Church and the lodgings of the Abbey are now conuerted into the Archdeacons house This Monastery I imagine to haue beene the house of the Carmelites founded by the Lord Bardolfe Lord Scales and Sir Iohn Wingenhall Anno 1269. the dedication nor the value thereof I doe not finde The blacke Friers was founded by Thomas Gedney and the white Friers by Thomas de Feltsham and thus much is the little of them which I haue learned Here was an Hospitall dedicated to Saint Iohn valued at seuen pounds sixe shillings and eleuen pence Here I haue no Inscriptions of antiquitie Loddon This Church was built by Iames Hobart knight one of the priuie Councell to King Henry the Seuenth who lieth here buried as I haue it by relation of whom and of the Familie will it please you reade what learned Camden writes The riuer Yare saith he receiueth a brooke which passeth by nothing memorable but Halles-hall and that onely memorable for his ancient owner Sir Iames Hobart Atturney generall and of the priâ—ie Councell to King Henry the seuenth by him dubbed knight at such time as he created Henry his sonne Prince of Wales who by building from the ground the faire Church at Loddon being his parish Church Saint Oliues bridge ouer Waueney that diuideth Norfolke and Suffolke the Cawsey thereby and other workes of piety deserued well of the Church his country and the common weale and planted three houses of his owne issue out of the second wherof Sir Henry Hobart likewise Atturney Generall to King Iames is lineally descended The foresaid Sir Henry Hobart knight and Baronet was aduanced by the said King the sixteenth of October in the eleuenth yeare of his raigne to be Lord chiefe Iustice of the Common pleas in which office hee died the twenty sixt day of December the first yeare of the raigne of our gracious Soueraigne King Charles magna Reipub. iactura a great losse to the weale publike as Sir Henry Spelman writes Here lieth Margaret the wife of Sir Iames Hobart who died Anno 1494. as I haue it out of certaine funerall Notes Yarmouth This Towne is beautified with a spatious faire Church hauing a wondrous high Spire Steeple built by Herbert the first Bishop of Norwich in the raigne of William Rufus All the funerall Monuments of antiquitie in this Church are vtterly defaced Inscription nor Epitaph now remaining except that this may passe current for one Elyn Benaker mercy dooth craue God on her Sowl mercy more haue In the three and twentieth yeare of King Edward the Third happened a most grieuous and lamentable Plague in this Towne which brought within the compasse of one yeare seauen thousand fiftie and two persons to their graues the which is witnessed by an ancient Latin Chronographicall Table hanging vp in the Church The Parsonage which was yearely worth before the sicknesse seuen hundred Markes was afterwards scarse worth forty pound by yeare The bodies of all the dead were buried in the Church and Church-yard and in such and such places of the same as the Townesmen can shew you at this day The Priory of Carmelites or white Friers Was Founded by King Edward the first Anno Domini 1278. herein lay buried Dame Maud wife of Sir Laurence Huntingdon who died 1300. Sir Iohn de Monte Acuto obijt 1392. Nicholas Castle Esquire who died 1309. and Elisabeth his wife these are all I finde here to haue beene buried and this is all that I can speake of this religious house The blacke Friers was founded by Godfrey Pelegren and Thomas Falstolfe The Grey Friers by William Gerbrigge Neare to this Towne was a Colledge of Saint Iohn Baptist first founded by Robert de Castre after by Iohn Falstolfe Esquire Father to Sir Iohn Falstolfe that Martiall Knight who had a faire seat at Caster and who was Knight of the Garter in the raigne of Henry the sixth Thomas Talbot sometimees keeper of the Records in the Tower did collect out of an old Calender in a Missale the names of certaine eminent persons for the soules of whom the Religious Votaries in and about Yarmouth were bound to pray the most of which number were buried in the Parish Church and in their Monasteries as followeth Margaret the wife of Sir Iohn Falstolfe daughter of Sir Iohn Holbroke knight Iohn Fastolfe and Ione his wife Richard Alexander William Thomas Robert Fastolfs Clarence Fastolfe the wife of Sir Robert Ilketishale Knight who dyed 1393. William Ilketishale their sonne Parson of Hesingham who dyed the Ides of December 1412. Iohn Falstolfe Doctor of Diuinitie a Frier Preacher Richard Falstolfe an Augustine Frier with many more of that ancient and noble Familie Godfrey Pelegren aforesaid and his wife Thomas the sonne of Sir Thomas Bowet Knight Ione the daughter of Iohn Wilshire wife to Robert Cromer Registred and buried in the Augustine Friers these William de Vfford Earle of Suffolke who dyed 15. Feb. 1382. Michaell and Michaell de la Pole Earles of Suffolke Sir Thomas Hengraue Knight of
Hengraue in Suffolke of which Familie and the owner of which Lordship was that renowned Lawyer Edmund de Hengraue who flourished in the raigne of Edward the first who died the 23. of May 1349. Sir Robert Bacon Richard Earle of Clare Roger Fitz. Osbert Lady Katherin his wife Sir Henry Bacon Sir Robert Bacon Knights Lady Sabina the wife of ... Bacon Iohn Bacon his sonne and nine other children Ione of Acris Countesse of Glocester William Woderow and Margaret his wife Founders of this Monasterie of Augustine Friers as I haue it in my notes from William Le Neue Sir Henry Bacon of Garleston or Garneston obiit 1335. Dame Alice Lunston obijt 1341. Dame Elianor wife of Sir Thomas Gerbrigge of Wickhampton obijt 1353. Dame Elianor .... Dame Ione Caxton obijt 1364. Dame Sibill Mortimer wife of Sir Raphe Pygott of Gelston obijt 1385. Sir Iohn Laune of Flixtonforth and Mary his wife Iohn Haukin Esquire obijt 1385. Iohn Belhowse Esquire obijt 1399. Alexander Falstolfe William March Esquire obijt 1412. Iohn Pulham gent. obijt 1481. Snoring Orate pro animabus Radulphi Shelton Militis Domine Alicie vxoris eius filie Thome de Vuedal militis qui quidem Radulphus obijt M. ccccxxiiii The Rector of this Church at this time as I am informed is that reuerend learned Diuine and bountifull house-keeper Robert Pearson Doctor of Diuinitie Archdeacon of Suffolke sometimes Fellow of Queenes Colledge in Cambridge To whom I am bound to acknowledge all thankfulnesse he being in the same Colledge my Tutor Shelton Pries pour l'ame du Mounsieur Rauf Shelton Maistres istius ville qui morust le 18. Nouemb. L'an de grace M.ccclxxiii ...... pour la femme fil du Mounsieur Plays ... Vnder a faire Grauestone lieth the body of Sir Iohn Shelton who married the daughter of Sir William Bullein this Inscription remaining Hic sum sepultus Iohannes de Shelton Miles Here is a Tombe vnfinished of Sir Iohn Shelton knight who married Margaret the daughter of the Lord Morley and had issue Sir Raph Shelton knight and three daughters Anne married to .... Sir Iohn Goosalue knight Alice married to the heire of Sir Thomas Ieselyn knight and Mary married to Sir Iames Skudamor knight Here is also another Tombe vnfinished of Sir Raphe Shelton knight who married to his first wife Mary the daughter of Sir William Woodhouse knight and had issue Thomas his sonne and heire who married the daughter of Baron Flowerdew Sir Iohn who married the daughter of the Lord Cromwell Raph vnmarried Edward who dyed young Audrie Shelton married to .... Walsingham in Kent By his second wife the daughter of Master Barrow he had issue Henry Shelton and two daughters .... How neare these times these come I doe not know for I haue no further instructions but from an imperfect Funerall Monument Neither had he I meane Master Howldich who first collected these Inscriptions Marham Here was a religious little house of white Nunnes valued at thirteene pounds sixe shillings pennie halfe penny The first Founder hereof was Isabell Countesse of Arundell in her widowhood the wife of Hugh de Albeney Earle of Arundell and Sussex as by these words following extracted out of the booke of Wauerley in Surrey will appeare Isabella Comitissa Arundell morum quidem grauitate non mediocriter adornata circa salutem anime sue diligens sollicita divina vt creditur inspiratione preuenita Abbatiam Monialium ordinis Cistercen Marham vocatam cum summa devotione hoc anno viz. 1252. construxit Cuius rei causa Abbatem nostrum duxit consulendum ac permissione Domini ipsius domum nostram intrauit societatem ordinis in capitulo nostro deuote petiit et obtinuit Quatuor Marcas vnum Dolium vini Conventui ad pitancias donauit And thus religious orders were enricht and made great feasts by the admittance of lay persons into their Fraternities and Sisterhoods as I haue touched before in my discourse cap. I finde that William Bishop of Norwich gaue vnto the Abbey of Nunnes in Marham the appropriation and patronage of the Parish Church of Saint Peter in Rockland within the Diocesse of Norwich Anno Christi 1349. Shouldham A Priory consecrated to the holy Crosse and the blessed Virgin replenished likewise with white Nunnes Gilbertines The valuation of whose endowments amounted to bee yearely worth an hundred seuenty and one pound six shillings 8. pence It may very well be that Robert de Monte alto or Monthault was the Founder for I finde in the Abbey booke of Langeley that he lieth here buried An honorable Familie anciently in this tract and in diuers other places of the kingdome Chappell in the field Founded by Iohn Brome or his Ancestours for a Deane and seuen Prebends in which lye buried besides the Founder Williom Rees Esquire and Margerie his wife Edmond Bokenham Esquire and Dionisia his wife Iohn Strange Elisabeth wiffe of Iohn Ienny daughter and heire of Io. Wedyrlye Raueningham Sir Iohn of Norwich knight founded a Colledge here at Raueningham the Kings licence and Antonyes Bishop of Norwich thereunto first obtained for a Master and eight brethren Priests Anno 24. Ed. 3. which will best appeare by his Charter which followes Vniuersis c. Iohannes de Norwico miles Salutem Illud Apostoli frequenter in animo revoluens Qualia seminaverit homo talia metet c. ad mei meriti et Margarete consortis mee c. ad honorem Dei Genetricisque sue Sancti Andree Apostoli omniumque sanctorum Collegium ex Magistro et octo confratribus Presbyteris in Ecclesia de Raueningham diuina perpetuis temporibus celebratur duxi peritorum consilio ordinand Quod Collegium domus Sancte Marie de Raveningham nominari dispono Dat. apud Thorpe iuxta Norwic. die xxv Iulij Anno Domini M.cccl Tomeston or Thonston Sir Thomas de Skardelow knight and Iohn his brother founded here a Chantrie of six Chapleines to pray for the soules of the said Thomas Iohn and Agnes his wife and their parents soules The donation beares date the 8. of Feb. 1349. the 23. of Ed. the third Valued it was at fiftie two pounds fifteene shillings seuen pence halfe penie Cockford Anno 1243. the Priory of blacke Canons Reguler at Cockford or Cokesford was founded by Sir Iohn de Canneto id est Cheney knight After him the Lord Say and after that the Lord Clinton were Patrons as I haue it out of a Manuscript Which Foundation was rated as others were at a low value to be of yearely reuenues one hundred fiftie three pounds seuen shillings and a pennie Tylney Smeeth So called of a smooth plaine or Common thereunto adioyning some two miles in extensure Pinguis adeo luxurians vt Paduana pascua videatur superasse So abundantly fertile that in fatnesse of soile it doth exceed the pastures about Padua in Italy For it serues
Turr. Lond. Fabians Ballad Royall * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Queen of England Edward the third King of England Remaines Fauine in the orders of England * Alluding to the â—eopardâ— in the 〈…〉 Cron. Compend Cant. in bib Col. His Character Sam. Daniel His Iustice. His regard of Order His loue to his people His Prouidence His works of Pietie His buildings Walsing in vit Ed. 3. Add. Rob. Glocest * Bohemia Philip Queene of England Richard the second King of England Ranulph Monke of Chester Lib. vltimo Folio 166. 〈…〉 * Bohemia * Anne Queene of England Stow. Annal. Henry the fift King of England Add to Robert of Glocester Katherine the wife of Henry the fifth Henry the seuenth king of England Elizabeth the wife of king Hen. the seuenth Margaret CouÌ„tesse of Richmond Margaret the daughter of King Ed. 4. Elizab. the daughter of king Hen. 7. Anne Queene of England Edmund Earle of Lancaster Harding c. 147. Mat. Paris Pageant of Popes Aueline Countesse of Lancaster William de Valence Earle of Penbroke Stow Annal. Harding ca. â—56 Simon Langham Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Waldby Archbishop of Yorke Ex Mss. in bib Cot. * Sodorensis B. of Man In bib Cot. Iohn Waltham Bishop of Salisbury Caâ—al of Bishops In vita R 2. Richard Wendouer Bishop of Râ—châ—ster Sir Humphrey Bourchier Lord Cromwell Sir Humphrey Bourchier * Cup. bearer Tho. Milling Bishop of Hereford Godwin Hugolin Chamberlaine to S. Edward king and Confessor Remaines William Bedell and Cicely his wife Rob. Haule 〈◊〉 vit R. 2 Tho. Ruthall Bishop of Durham Sir William Trussell knight Tho. dela More Lib. 7. cap. 43. Rich. de Ware Abbot Francis Thinne in Catal. Thes. Aug. Walter Wenlocke Abbot The Abbots of this house were Barons of the Parliament Ric. de Barking Abbot Gervaise de Bloys Abbot Vitalis Abbot Laurence the first mâ—â—erd Abbot of West Gislebert Crispin Abbot Edmund Kirton Abbot Iohn Islip Abbot Remaines In bib Cot. Raph Selby Io Windsore Geffrey Chaucer Ex Mss. in bib Cot. Iohn Bedel Walter Garden Ioan Pymichum Io. Den and Agnes his wife * Eijcitâ— Io. Skelton Poet Laureat Specul Brit. 2. King 1.14 Ioh. â— 2 Stow Suruay S. Giles Bowle The Bishop of Rochesterâ— letter to 〈◊〉 S. amongst the letters 〈…〉 In bib Cotton Cromwell principalâ— Secretary * â—il Warbam In part Anno 2â— Hen. 8. ca. 10. Ex lit in Bib. Cotton Robert Fisher. Ex Mss. in bib Cot. The Tenor of Bishop Fishers Indictment Ex Mss. in bib Cotton Eras. Vid. Bal. cent 5. Oputer opus Cronog orbis Vniuersi pag. 477. Sir Tho. Moore In parl Anno 26 Hen. 8. ca. 2. Ex lit in Bib. Cotton Scrip. Bâ—â—t Cent. 5. De Iâ—ust Angie Scriptoribus In Epist. ad Vldric Huttenum de vita Mori Io. Lelandi Moriades siue charitaea corâ—na Camd. Remaines in wise speeches Ex lit in bib Cott. Nich. Grudius Tho. Cromwell Earle of Essex Ex Mss. in bib Cotton M. Drayton in the Legend of great Cromwell M. Drayton M. Drayton Some say no such Act was deuised by him to cause his owne death Speed chap. 21. Iohn Fox M. Drayton Sir Tho. Moore to Master Cromwell Ex lit in bib Cot Stow. Annal. Queene Anne Bullein Speed cap. 21. George Bullein Lord Rochford Speed cap. 21. Sleidan com l. 10. Queene Katherine Howard Ed. and Iohn Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland Hen. Southworth Geff. Hewet Ioane his wife In Miâ—lesex Suruay in Bishopsgateward Sicilius king of Britaine Song 3. Cap 25. * a man decked in feâ—hers Voâ—tâ—mer king of Britaine Speed Hist. cap. 12. Sigibert I Speed Hist. ca. xi Rob Glocest. * men taken * they * commanded Ca. 68. Videsis Speed Hist. ca. 17. and Vincent Catal. Chestâ—r Mill. Catal. Yorke Speed Hist. â— â—â— * Vncle. The Continuer of Hardings Chronicle The guilty conscience of King Richard Pers. Sat. 3. trans by â—erten Holyday Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chancelor Sir Iohn More the father of Sir Thomas his death Ioan and Alice the wiues of Sir Tho. Morâ— in bib Cot. Edmund Lord Bray Mawd Berford Philip Meawtis Ric. Scardebrugh and Elis. his wife Adwin Lauerocke Tho. Essex The office of Remembrancers D. Cowell lic R. The Kings Remembrancer The Treasurers Remembrancer Remembrancer of the first-fruits Io. Fisher. Sir Raph Butâ— knight Iohn Long Katherin Alice his wiues Io. Sherburne Sir Sampson Norton and Elis. his wife Master of the Ordnance Io. Thorley Will. Harvey George Chauncy Mar. Suanden * Arcuarij the Kings Bowyer Anne Sturton Lora Blunt Mawde Lady Salueyne Will. Boydale Christopher Carhill king at Armes Hen. Redman Ione his wife Ric. Parker and Marg. his wife William Clauell The foundation of Sion Nuns and Priests Augustines Ex lit in Bib. S. Dewes Ecclesia omnium Angetorum Antony Sutton Henâ—y Archer Io Robinson Katherine and Ioane his wiues Clement Câ—lyns Io. Holt Margery and Elizabâ—th his wiues Audrie Aundesham Io. Sampoll Sir Io. Payne Priest The Friery of Hounslow George Windsore William Iacob Stanes Priory Ex Lib. Abbat de Croxden in Bib Cotton Iohn Lord Sâ—â—ange Camd. in Shrop. George Lord Strange Iames Lord Strange Io. Flambard Edmund Flambard and Elis. his wife Io. Birkhed Sir Thomas Cornwall Camden in Shropshire Io. Bird Priest Io. Brent Specul Brit. Fowke de Brent Mat Westminst Mat. Pariâ— Tho. Iacob and Ioan his wife Io. Downmeer Ioan his wife Peter Goldesbrough Tho. Sanny Sir Tho. Frowicke knight Tho. Frowicke Ioane his wife Tho. Aldenham Io. Goodyere Ioane his wife Remaines 〈◊〉 Lady 〈◊〉 Hist of Wales â— â—â—ord Specul Britan. Norden Io. Skeuington Peter Fabell the merâ—y deuil of Edmunton Tho. Carleton Elis. his wife 〈◊〉 and Anne his wife Io. Innocent oâ— Incent vnder Treasurer of England Nic. Borne and Elis. his wife Io. Daniel Ioan and Alice his wiues Mawd Ekington Tho. Heningham George Heningham Elis. Turnant Margaret Compton Tho. Billington Grand Seargeantâ—e Kilborne Nunnery Hen. Lord Percy Earle of Northumberland Camd. in Surfex Alexander a Sergeant at Law Ioan Only Alice Ryder a Milke-maid Heron the founder of Hackeney Tho Hert Vicar Ione Curteys Roger Ford. Io. Butterfield Tho. Symonds Io. Catcher Hen. Therket Will. Henneage D. Cowell lit â— Io. Iennings Io. Elrington Cowell lit F. Will. Lowthe Rob. Walsingham Chr. Vrswicke the K. Almoner of Amuer Io Fowler Alice Fowler Tho. Sauill 〈…〉 Robert Middleton and his wife Katherine Mistelbrooke .... Grey and his wife Suruay Lond. Rob. Eve and Laurence his sister Hosp. of S. Giles founded S. Giles Bowle Hen. Steward Lord Darle Io. Kitt or Kite Bishop of Carlell Sir Hen. Câ—lleâ— Lord Maâ—â—r Rich. Paâ—e Deaâ—e of Sâ— Pauls Stow Annal. Cent. â— Nic. Gibson Sheriffe of London Iohn â—â—â—le oâ— Hereford Sir Io Chappalaine Priest Isabell Newmarche Camd. in Somerset Lewis Bâ—ysbury Wiâ—l Waâ—e and Ioâ—ne his wife Iohn Preâ—st Alice 〈◊〉 Io. Chandry Io Ingleby Foundation of the Priory in Hert. Raph Lord Limsey here buâ—â—ed Robert Saddington Mat Paris Francis Thinne Sir
a Cathedrall Church at his owne charges as doth appeare by the sequele Norwich S. Trinities the Cathedrall Church HErebertus dictus Losinga Abbas quondam Rameseie qui sedem Thedford a Rege Willelmo emerat in Anglia magnus fuit Simonie â—omes hic postquam erroneum inuentutis impetum desteâ—issit Romam iuit ac rediens sedem suam vsque Norwicum transtulit vbi et celebre fundauit Monasterium de rebus quidem proprijs non Episcopalibus sed et apud Tedford Monachos cluniacenses instituit hic septus dicere consueuit Erranimus inuenes Emendemus senes thus much out of an old Manuscript of the Abbey of Euesham anciently put into English by the Translator of Polychronicon as followeth Abowte that time Herbert Losange that had ben somtyme Abbot of Ramsay and was thenne Byshop of Tedford was a grete noury for Simony for he had boughte the Bysshopryche of the Kynge But after warde he was sory and bywept the vnskylfull rest of his youth And toke the waye to Rome and came home agayne and chaunged and torned his See from Tedford to Norwyche And he founded a solempne Abbaye wyth his owne catayle and not wyth the catayle of his Bysshopryche But at Tedford he ordained Monkes of Cluny that were ryche in the world and clere of Religion to Godward And had ofte in mynde the worde of Iherom That sayd we erryd in our yougth amende We vs in our age His repentance doth also appeare by the context of his Charter beggining thus In nomine Patris et â—ilij Spiritus sancti Amen Herbertus Episcopus infirmitatis impuritatis proprie conscius ante iustum clementem Iudicem Deum mores vitam expono meam ei reuelans Inuentut is mee ignorantias c. Igitur pro redemptione vite mee meorumque omnium peccatorum absolutione apud Norwicum in honore et nomine sancte indiuidue Trinitatis Ecclesiam primum edificaui quam caput et matrem Ecclesiam omnium Ecclesiarum de Northfolke et Suthfolke constitui et consecraui Preceptis igitur consessionibus Willelmi Regis et Henrici Regis fratris sui consilio Anselmi Cant. Archiepiscopi et omnium Episcoporum et Primatum totius Regni Anglie in Ecclesia eadem Monachos ordinaui c. His donations to this his mother Church of Norfolke and Suffolke follow which are many and great for he endowed it with as much lands as might sufficiently maintaine threescore Monkes who had their faire and spatious Cloisters But after they were thrust out by King Henry the eight there were substituted for them a Deane sixe Prebendaries and others Witnesses to this his Charter were King Henry the first and Maud his Queene eleuen Bishops and foure and twenty Earles Lords and Abbots to euery name the signe of the crosse Facta est hec donatio Anno Domini M.C. ordinatione Gregorii Episcopi Rom. apud Wyndressores The first stone of this religous Structure was laid by Herbert himselfe in the yeare after Christs natiuitie one thousand ninetie sixe with this inscription Dominus Herbertus posuit primum Lapidem In nomine Patris Filij et Spiritus Sancti Amen That is Lord Bishop Herbert laid The First Ston In The Name of The Father The Sonne And holy Ghost Amen This Bishop was borne at Orford in Suffolke his Fathers name was Robert de Losing Hee was Prior of the monasterie of Fiscane in Normandie and came backe into England at the request of William Rufus and liuing in the Court for a time behaued himselfe in such sort that hee was much fauoured of the King and obtained diuers great preferments at his hands whereby it came to passe that within the space of three yeares hee had so feathered his nest as he could buy for his Father the Abbacy of Winchester and for himselfe the Bishopricke of Thetford which I haue partly touched here and in another place Hauing finished this pious Fabricke according to his minde hee then determined to build an house for himselfe for as yet he had none in Norwich the See being so lately remoued from Thetford and therefore on the north side of the Church hee founded a stately palace And more such was his repentance for his Simony committed hee built fiue Churches one ouer against the Cathedrall Church on the other side of the riuer called S. Leonards another in this Citie also another at Elmham a fourth at Linne and a fift at Yarmouth He was an excellent Scholler for those times and writ many learned Treatises mentioned by Pitsaeus in his booke de illustribus Anglie Scriptoribus Aetat duodecima where he cals him vir omnium virtutum et bonarum literarum studijs impensè deditus mitis affabilis corpore venusto vultu decoro moribus candidus vita integer A man earnestly addicted to the studies of all vertues and good learning milde affable comely of personage gracefull of countenance blamelesse in his carriage pure innocent and sincere in the course of his life The Monkes of Norwich made great meanes and sute to haue this Herbert a canonised Saint but such impediments were alwaies in the way that it could not be obtained He departed this life the two and twentith of Iuly in the yeare of grace one thousand one hundred and twenty and was buried in this Church of his owne Foundation by the High Altar to whose memory these verses following were engrauen vpon his monument Inclytus Herbertus iacet hic vt pistica nardus Virtutum redolens floribus et meritis A quo fundatus locus est hic edificatus Ingenti studio nec modico precio Vir fuit hic magnus probitate suâ—uis vt agnus Vita conspicuus dogmate precipuus Sobrius et castus prudens et Episcopus almus Pollens Concilio clarus in officio Quâ—m .... vndecimas Iulio promente Kalendas Abstulit vltima sors et rapuit cita mors Pro quo qui transis supplex orare memor sis Vt sit ei saties alma Dei facies One Euerard who next succeeded Herbert lieth here interred who although saith Godwin he enioyed this Bishopricke for a long space yet time the deuorer of all things hath left nothing of him to our remembrance but that when he had gouerned his Church 29 yeares hee ended this life Octob. 15. 1150. Here in the Presbyterie lay buried the body of Bishop Turbus a Norman by birth being in his youth a Monke and afterwards Prior of this monasterie In his time this Cathedrall Church was burned by casuall fire he died in the 25. yeare of his consecration the 17. of Ianuarie Neere vnto the high Altar lieth buried the body of Iohn of Oxford sometimes Deane of Salisbury and Bishop of this Diocesse This man finished the Church which Herbert being preuented by death had left vnperfected and repaired that which by fire was lately defaced He built diuers Hospitals for impotent and diseased people Hee founded Trinitie Church in
Ipswich and reedified diuers houses which were by fire decaied He was chaplaine to King Henry the second and with him in especiall fauour euer firmely adhering to his partie against Thomas Becket who had stubbornely opposed himselfe against his said Soueraigne Lord and Master He was employed in diuers Embasies as to Rome to Seines in France and to Sicily about the marriage of Ioane the third and yongest daughter of the said King Henry to William the second of that name King of Sicill Duke of Apulia and Prince of Capua In the soliditie of good doctrine in the maturitie of iudgement and in all the graces of rhetoricall speech hee did wondrously abound He was quicke and dexterous in the managing and prosperous in the dispatching of waightie affaires He writ a History of the Kings of Britaine as also a Booke Pro Rege Henrico contra S. Tho mam Cantuariensem for King Henry against S. Thomas of Canterbury besides a treatise of his iourney into Sicily and certaine Orations and Epistles to Richard Archbishop of Canterbury He died the 26 yeare of his consecration the second of Iune in the second yeare of King Iohn Iohn de Grey entirely beloued of King Iohn who preferred him to this Bishopricke was here entombed in whose commendations Bale and Pitseus doe in effect thus agree Vir erat foelici et faceto ingenio eruditione insignis consilio expeditus et quantumuis in dictis facetus in factis tamen vbi res postulabat senerus virtutum omnium amator et cultor omnium vitiorum osor et exterminator Iohanni Anglorum Regi gratissimus in magna semper authoritate apud ipsum remansit splendidis functionibus ornatus A man he was of a pleasant and facetious wit in the knowledge of all good literature excellent in counsell ready and intelligent and howsoeuer in his words merrie and iocond yet in his actions as occasion did require he was seuere and rigorous a louer and reuerencer hee was of all vertues and a despiser and rooter out of all vices He was a gracious Fauourite to King Iohn euer vnder him in great authoritie and honoured with offices of especiall trust and confidence Naâ—â— cum Rex rebelles Hibernos compescuisset eorumque vires fregisset hunc Graâ—ium tanquam virum strenuum magnae prudentiae fidelitatis exploratae reliquit ibi supremum Presidem vt eos auctoritate sua in officio contineret For when the King had repressed the rebellious Irish broken dispersed then forces he left this Grey as an hardie able man of singular wisedome and tried fidelitie Prorex or Lord Deputie of Ireland that by such his power and commission he might keepe that stiffe-necked nation in obedience He was well seene in the lawes of the Realme saith Godwin wise and of great integritie in regard whereof the King was very desirous to haue made him Archbishop of Canterbury of which I haue spoken somewhat before to which Grace indeed he was solemnly elected and his election published in the Church before the King and an infinite number of people But by the exorbitant authoritie of the Pope this election was disanulled whereupon much mischiefe ensued He built that goodly Hall at Gay wood neare Linne in Norfolke and the rest of the Fabricke adioyning Hauing sate about fourteene yeares hee died neare Poytiers in his returne from Rome Obijt eodem anno quo Rex Iohannes saith Bale in the same yeare in which King Iohn deceased the first of Nouember Whose body was conueyed to this his owne Church He was an Historiographer and writ a booke which he called Schalecronicon as also other workes mentioned by Bale in his Centuries Die vero Sancti Vlstani decimo tertio Calendas Iunij obijt Episcopus Norwicensis Vualterus cognomento de Sufeld apud Colecestriam delâ—tum est corpus eius ad Norwicensem Ecclesiam suam Cathedralem honorificè tumulandus ad cuius tumbam miracula dicebantur coruscate Hic namque in vsus pauperum instante tempore famis omnia vasa sua coclearia cum toto thesauro suo pauperibus erogauerat Mat. Paris Ann. 1257. Vpon the Feast day of Saint Wolstan the thirteenth of the Calends of Iune Walter surnamed de Sufield Bishop of Norwich departed this world at Colchester from whence his body was conueyed to this Cathedrall Church here to be honourably interred At whose Tombe many miracles are reported to be wrought which are ascribed to his holinesse For it is remembred of him that in a time of extreme famine hee sold all his plate and distributed it to the poore euery pennyworth He lieth buried in our Ladies Chappell which was of his owne building He founded the Hospitall of Saint Giles here in the Citie endowing it with faire possessions insomuch that it was valued at the suppression to be yearely worth fourescore and ten pounds twelue shillings Simon de Wanton sometimes the Kings Chaplaine one of his Iustices and Bishop of this Diocesse was here interred by his predecessour Walter de Sufield He died about the yeare 1265. hauing sate eight yeares and obtained of the Pope licence to hold all his former liuings in Commendam for foure yeares In the same Chappell as I take it Roger de Sherwyng was entombed who died about Michaelmas 1278. hauing sate thirteene yeares Of whom I finde little remarkable yet he is memorable for that in his time by an incendiarie outrage the Citizens set fire on the Priorie Church The story is thus deliuered by our late writers taken out of Rishanger the Continuer of Mathew Paris his History in the last yeare of King Henry the third About the moneth of Iune in a Faire that was kept before the gates of the Priory there fell great debate and discord betwixt the Monkes of Norwich and the Citizens there which increased so farre that at length the Citizens with great violence assaulted the Monastery fired the gates and forced the fire so with reed and drie wood that the Church with the books and all other ornaments of the same and all houses of Office belonging to that Abbey were cleane burned wasted and destroyed so that nothing was preserued except one little Chappell The King hearing of this detestable and sacrilegious deuastation rode to Norwich where beholding the deformed ruines he could hardly refraine from teares and caused enquirie to be made of the fact whereupon thirty young men of the Citie as also a woman that first carried fire to the gates were condemned hanged and burnt It is thought saith Hollinshead that the Prior of the house whose name was William de Brunham was the occasion of all this mischiefe who had got together armed men and tooke vpon to keepe the Belfray and Church by force of armes but the Prior was well enough borne out and defended by this his Bishop The Monkes for their part appealed to Rome and so handled the matter that they not onely escaped punishment but also forced the