assistants preached the Gospell of life vnto the Islanders and found meanes there to build a Church or Oratorie of wreathen wands as also a little cell thereunto adioyning and this was the first religious house dedicated to the seruice of the true God in all Britaine and these religious men the first beginners or founders of that famous fenny-seated Monastery which is partly standing at this day of which more hereafter when I come to speake of the religious Foundations in Somersetshire In the meane while will you reade what our countreyman Iohn Capgraue in his Catalogue of English Saints writes of Iosephs comming into this kingdome Thus in English Ioseph with his sonne Iosephes saith he and ten more of his assistants sent hither by Philip the Apostle out of France for the inhabitants saluation preached zealously and without feare the true and liuely faith Aruiragus as then swaying the Scepter of this land The which Aruiragus howsoeuer he was vnwilling at the first to giue them entertainment or to heare them preach any doctrine repugnant to the traditions of his predecessours yet because they came from such a farre remote countrey as the holy Land and that he saw their ciuill behauiour their sanctitie and strict course in the manner of their life and conuersation he gaue them a certaine Island to inhabite in the West part of his dominions all compassed about with lakes and standing waters called Ynswitrim or the glassie Isle of which saith he a certaine Metrician made this Tetrastich Intrat Analoniam duodena caterua virorum Flos Arimathie Ioseph est primus eorum Iosephes ex Ioseph genitus patrem comitatur Hijs alijsque decemius Glasconie propriatur George Owen Harry in his Pedigrees vpon report from others saith Ioseph brought ouer with him his sister Eurgaine who afterwards married a Britaine whose name was Starklos Iohn Harding in his Chronicle of England will haue fourteene to accompany Ioseph in this iourney and that amongst many Britaines conuerted by them to the Christian faith Aruiragus the king was one to whom Ioseph gaue a shield of the Armes which now we call S. George his Armes such are the rimes in the English of those dayes two hundred yeares since or thereabouts Ioseph full holy and full wyse Of Arymathie wyth his felowes fourtene Into this lond then came and gaue contene In Bretayne then this Ioseph dyd conuerte Brytons as how to know the incarnacyon Afore that Paynyms and also peruerte He taught them of his conuersacyon Of his passyon and his resurrectyon Wyth other thynges as the Chronycler sayth That apperteyneth to Christes fayth Ioseph conuerted king Aruiragus By hys prechyng to knowe the lawe deuyne And baptyzed hym as written hath Nennius The Cronycler in Bretayn tongue full syne And to Chryst lawe made hym enclyne And gaue hym a sheld of siluer whyte A crosse endlong and ouertwhart full perfyte These Armes were vsed throughout all Bretayn For a common sygne eche manne to know his nacyon From enemyes whiche now we call certayn Saint Georges Armes by Nenius enformacyon And thus these Armes by Iosephs creacyon Full long afore Saint George was generate Were worshcipt here of mykell elder date The seeds of true Religion thus sowne by the said Ioseph and his associates neare or vpon for about this accompt there is some difference amongst writers the yeare of our Sauiour Christ one hundred and fourescore Lucius surnamed Leuer Maur which signifies great brightnesse king of the Britaines vpon his request made to Eloutherius Bishop of Rome for as then and many yeares after the title of Pope was altogether vnknowne two learned Diuines were sent vnto him from the said Bishop at whose hands he receiued the lauer of baptisme And so it sell out our Histories say that not onely his wife and family accompanied him in that happie course but Nobles also and Commons Priests and people high and low euen all the people within his Territories And that generally all their Idols were then defaced the Temples of them conuerted into Churches for the seruice of God the liuings of their idolatrous Priests appointed for the maintenance of the Priests of the Gospell and that instead of 25. Flamines or high Priests of their idols there were ordained 25 Bishops as also for three Archflamines three Archbishops whereof one was seated at London another at Yorke and a third at Caerlion vpon the riuer Vske in Wales Of all which will it please you peruse a few lines penned by my foresaid Author Iohn Harding In the yere of Christes incarnacyon An hundryd fourescore and tenne Eleuthery the first at supplicacyon Of Lucius sente hym twoo holy menne That called wer Faggan and Duvyen That baptyzed hym and all his realme throughoute With hertes glad and laboure deuoute Thei taught the folke the lawe of Christ eche daye And halowed all the temples in Christes name All mawment and Idoles caste awaye Through all Bretayn of all false Goddes the same The Temples Flamines the Idoles for to shame Thei halowed eke and made Bishoppes Sees Twenty and eight at diuers grete citees Of three Archflamines thei made Archbishoprikes One at London Troynouant that hight For all Logres with lawes full authentikes To rule the Church and Christentee in right Another at Carlyon a towne of might For all Cambre at Ebranke the thirde From Trent North for Albany is kide Robert the Monke of Gloucester an old rimer who writes the language of our fathers about foure hundred yeares since doth summarily thus tell you how Ioseph planted and Luciuâ— established the doctrine of Christ in this our kingdome of Britaine His liues you will say are neither strong nor smooth yet perhaps they may giue your palate variety and as you like them you shall haue more hereafter Lucie Coeles sone aftur hym kyng was To fore hym in Engelond Chrestondom non nas For he hurde ofte miracles at Rome And in meny anothur stede yat thurgh Christene men come He wilnede anon in hys herte to fong Christendom Therfor messagers wyth good letters he nom That to the pape Eleutherie hasteliche wende And yat he to hym and his menne xpendom sende And yat he myghte servy God he wilned muche therto And seyd he wold noght be glad er hit wer ydo Tho ye Pape hurde thes twey hâ—ly men be sende Phagan and Damian hys soul to amende The ryghte beleue to teche and yaf him xpendom That folke faste aboute wide ther to com Thys was an hundryd sixti yer and too Aftur God was ybore this dede was ydoo Thus come lo xpendom into Brutayne lond But ther wer erst som preneliche xpendom had de fond As atte the plas of Glastyngbury Ioseph of Arimathie Liued ther in Christes lay wyth hij companie Ther wer tho in Brutayne false lawes to lere Eyght and twenty chese stedes Byshopriches as â—it were And thre Erchtemples as hit wer heyghest of echon London and Ebrackwike and
and 〈…〉 was for integritie euen admirable and so was his learning as his works â—et exâ—ant do testifie Now because his Epitaph is either worne out or was euer wanting I will be so bold as borrow one for him from one of his owne name which I haue read vpon a Monument in Parma in Italie Hic iacet Anselmus post mortem viuere certus Cantuar. Archiepus que omni bonitate refertus Vir sobrius castus vir vitans vndique fastus Vir gremijs plenis largus largitor egenis Vir bene politus sagax doctus ernditus Dogmata maturusque inter contagia purus An Domini Mil. cent que nono que die quoque meâ—sis April vicesimo vno Mortis hunc enecat ensis In the south part of Saint Thomas Chappell in a marble Tombe ioyning to the wall lieth the body of Theobald Archbishop of this See Who was chosen to that Grace by the Suffragan Bishops of his owne Prouince in a Conuocation held at London he was a Benedictine Monke and Abbot of Becco a man of no great learning but of so gentle and sweet behauiour being very wise withall as hee was greatly esteemed of high and low Kings Nobles and Commons yet howsoeuer he was of an affable milde nature and faire demeanure his patience was so greatly moned vpon good occasion that he interposed the Popes authoritie with whom the King was made a partie so farre as that his goods and Temporalties were twice confiscate seised into the Kingâ— hands and himselfe once banished the kingdome which so netled him that like a tall fellow Nam laesa patientia fit furor he interdicted King Stephen and the whole Realme and taking aduantage of the time which was wondrous troublesome came home and liued in Norfolke till by the intercession of certaine Bishops hee was restored After which hee grew into great fauour with the said King and was the chiefe meanes of concluding that finall peace at Wallingford betweene him and Maud the Empresse Shortly after which King Stephen died and Henry surnamed Fitz empresse sonne of Geffrey Plantaginet and Maud the Empresse succeeded him in the Regalitie vnder whom this Bishop passed the rest of his dayes quietly in great fauour and estimation and died Ann. 1160. when he had sat Archbishop 22. yeares Perceiuing his end to approach he made his Will and gaue all his goods to the poore or other like good vses Of whom this Epitaph was made Hic iacet Theobaldus Cantuar. Archiepiscopus ob morum placabilitatem at que constantiam Hen. 2. valde gratiosus affabilis veridicus prudens amicus sirmus in omnes liberalis in pauperes munificus Qui sue tandem senectut is languide vite pertesus anteactam vitam morti persoluit Ann. Dom. 1160. cum 22. annis sedisset Anima eius requiescat in pace Amen I finde one Richard for I finde no further of his name Archbishop of this chaire to be here interred in our Ladies Chappell sometime a Benedictine Monkâ— Prior of the Monasterie of Saint Martins in Douer a man very liberaâ—l gentle and wise for hee so handled the matter that in all his time he neuer was at odds or out either with the Pope or King The Pope he entertained with often gifts and money the Kings fauour he retained by yeelding and conforming himselfe to his pleasure This man continued in his gouernment about the space of ten or eleuen yeares In all which time there happened not any thing of him worthie of memorie except the controuersie stirre and tumult betweene him and the Archbishop of Yorke for primacie and the ordaining of three Archdeacons for his Diocesse which euer before his time was content with one An ill husband hee was for his Church if wee may beleeue this my old Authour This Richard saith he was a man of great Religion and also of great wit in his temporall gouernance but in defending of his freedome of holy Church and punishment of excesse and misbeleeuers to simple and slow which is partly approued by the sequele if the report of his end and death may passe for current truth how that being a sleepe at his Manor of Wrotham there seemed to come vnto him a certaine terrible Personage demanding of him who he was whereunto when for feare the Archbishop answered nothing Thou art he said the other that hast destroyed the goods of the Church and I will destroy thee from off the face of the earth which hauing said he vanished away In the morning the Bishop taking his iourney toward Rochester related this fearfull vision unto a friend of his by the way which he had no sooner told then that hee was taken suddenly with a great cold and stiffenesse in his limbes so that they had much adoe to get him so farre as Halling a house belonging to the Bishop of Rochester where he tooke his bed and being horribly tormented with the Chollick and other griefes gaue vp the ghost the next night following saue one the 16. of Feb. Ann. 1184. obijs saith one 14. Kal. Martij feria sexta necte Ann. 11. ab electione sua cuius corpus in Ecclesia Christi Cant. in oratorio sancte Marie 22. Kal. Martij die Sabbati est honorifice Sepultus In the South wall of this Church lieth the body of Hubert Walter or Walter Hubert for such a transmutation of the name I finde to bee vsed who was borne at West-Derham in Norfolke and brought vp vnder Raynulph de Glanfeld chiefe Iustice of England The first preferment hee obtained was the Deanrie of Yorke thence hee was called by King Richard the first vnto the Bishopricke of Salisbury Whom he attended in all that long and dangerous voyage into the holy Land as a Commander or Colonell of some English forces by whose valour and his owne he performed admirable seruice at the siege and surrender of Acon and other fortified places for which and for his discreete handling the matter in procuring 250000. Markes of the Clergie for the ransome of his Master King Richard the said King knew not how to heape honours sufficient vpon him so that at one time he was Archbishop the Popes Legate Lord Chancelor Lord chiefe Iustice and high immediate Gouernour vnder him of all his Dominions both in Wales and England he was much blamed and peraduenture not vnworthily for vndertaking so many great offices For Pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus howsoeuer neuer any man vsed his authoritie and power more moderately faithfull and loyall he was euer to his Prince louing and very careâ—uâ—l of his countrey in which he caused many excellent Decrees and Lawes to be established His house keeping was such as the expence thereof was thought to be little inferiour to the Kings hee built a Monasterie at Durham the place of his birth began another at Wulferhampton encompâ—ssed the Tower of
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
Essex He died in the first yeare of King Edward the fourth Iohn Mowbray sonne of Iohn aforesaid who in his Fathers dayes was created Earle Warren and Surrey and hauing enioyed these and his fathers Honours for the space dyed without issue at his Castle of Framingham in Suffolke in the fifteenth yeare of King Edward the fourth and was here entombed Sir Iohn Howard knight sonne of Sir Robert Howard knight and of Margaret his wife daughter and coheire of Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke first made Baron by king Edward the fourth 1461. Quia postea constituit eum Capitaneum Armate potentie super mare Test. Rege apud West Pat. anno 10. Ed. 4. M. 13. was here interred as I finde in the Collections of Francis Thinne Lancaster Herald In the yeare 1483. he was created Duke of Norfolke by King Richard the third in whose aide he was slaine at Bosworth field on Monday the two and twentieth of Aug. 1485. He was warned by diuers to refraine from the field insomuch that the night before he should set forward toward the King one wrote this rime vpon his gate Iack of Norffolk be not too bold For Dikon thy Master is boght and sold. Yet all this notwithstanding he regarding more his oath his honour and promise made to King Richard like a gentleman and as a faithfull subiect to his Prince absented not himselfe from his master but as he faithfully liued vnder him so he manfully died with him to his great fame and laud. And therefore though his seruice was ill employed in aide of a Tyrant whom it had beene more honourable to haue suppressed then supported yet because he had vpon his fealtie vndertaken to fight in his quarrell he thought it lesse losse of life and liuing then of glory and honour so that he might haue said in respect of his loyaltie and promised truth testified with constancie to the death Est mihi supplicium causa fuisse pium This passage is wondrously well deliuered to vs in verse by an honourable late writer thus Long since the King had thought it time to send For trustie Norfolke his vndaunted friend Who hasting from the place of his abode Found at the doore a world of papers strow'd Some would affright him from the Tyrants aide Affirming that his Master was betraide Some laid before him all those bloudy deeds From which a line of sharpe reuenge proceeds With much compassion that so braue a Knight Should serue a Lord against whom Angels fight And others put suspitions in his minde That Richard most obseru'd was most vnkinde The Duke a while these cautious words reuolues With serious thoughts and thus at last resolues If all the Campe proue traytors to my Lord Shall spotlesse Norfolke falsifie his word Mine oath is past I swore t'vphold his Crowne And that shall swimme or I with it will drowne It is too late now to dispute the right Dare any tongue since Yorke spread forth his light Nortâ—umberland or Buckingham defame Two valiant Cliffords Roos or Beaumonts name Because they in the weaker quarrell die They had the King with them and so haue I. But euery eye the face of Richard shunnes For that foule murder of his brothers sonnes Yet lawes of Knighthood gaue me not a sword To strike at him whom all with ioynt accord Haue made my Prince to whom I tribute bring I hate his vices but adore the King Victorious Edward if thy soule can heare Thy seruant Howard I deuoutly sweare That to haue sau'd thy children from that day My hopes on earth should willingly decay Would Glouster then my perfect faith had tried And made two graues when Noble Hastings died This said his troopes he into order brings A little after he giues vs a touch of the Dukes valour and deciphers the manner of his death in these matchlesse numbers which follow Here valiant Oxford and fierce Norfolke meete And with their speares each other rudely greete About the aire the shiuer'd peeces play Then on their swords their Noble hands they lay And Norfolke first a blow directly guides To Oxfords head which from his helmet slides Vpon his arme and biting through the steele Inflicts a wound which Vere disdaines to feele He lifts his Fauchion with a threatning grace And hewes the Beuer off from Howards face This being done he with compassion charm'd Retires asham'd to strike a man disarm'd But straight a deadly shaft sent from a bow Whose master though far off the Duke could know Vntimely brought this combat to an end And pierc'd the braine of Richards constant friend When Oxford saw him sinke his noble soule Was full of griefe which made him thus condole Farewell true Knight to whom no costly graue Can giue due honour would my teares might saue Those streames of blood deseruing to be spilt In better seruice had not Richards guilt Such heauie weight vpon his fortune laid Thy glorious vertues had his sinnes outwaighd Sir Thomas Howard Knight of the Garter Earle of Surrey and Duke of Norfolke sonne and heire of the foresaid Iohn thus slaine was here likewise entombed who died in the sixteenth yeare of the raigne of King Henry the eight 1524. This Thomas was with his father in the forefront of the foresaid Battell where he had the leading of the Archers which King Richard so placed as a bulwarke to defend the rest The martiall prowesse of this Earle in the pight field and his resolute braue carriage being taken prisoner are delineated to the life by my said Author Sir Iohn Beaumont the particulars wherof if they may seeme as pleasing to you in the reading as they were to me in the writing cannot be any way tedious here to set downe for they are sinnewy strong liues and will draw you no doubt with them along Couragious Talbot had with Surrey met And after many blowes begins to fret That one so yong in Armes should thus vnmoou'd Resist his strength so oft in warre approou'd And now the Earle beholds his fathers fall Whose death like horrid darkenesse frighted all Some giue themselues as captiues others flie But this yong Lion casts his gen'rous eye On Mowbrayes Lion painted in his shield And with that King of beasts repines to yeeld The field saith he in which the Lyon stands Is blood and blood I offer to the hands Of daring foes but neuer shall my flight Dye blacke my Lyon which as yet is white His enemies like cunning Huntsmen striue In binding snares to take their prey aliue While he desires t' expose his naked brest And thinkes the sword that deepest strikes is best Yong Howard single with an Army fights When mou'd with pitie two renowned knights Strong Clarindon and valiant Coniers trye To rescue him in which attempt they dye Now Surrey fainting scarse his sword can hold Which made a common souldier grow so bold To lay rude hands vpon that noble flower Which he disdaining anger giues him power Erects his
raigne of Hen. the seuenth Hen. the eight In the raigne of Ed. the sixt In the raigne of Q Mary In the raigne of Q Elizabeth In the raigne of King Iames. The Aetymologie Antiquity and Dignity of Heralds Heralds Priests Rosinus Ant. Rom. li. 3. c. 21. Heralds of France of noble descent Stow in the life of Brute The Armes of Brute Cold Harber the Heralds Colledge Eleanor Lady Wriothesley Ioan Wriothesley Io. Wriothesley Sir Hen. Grey Reginald Lord Grey Earle of Kent Sir Will. Cheyney and Margaret his wife The Heralds Office The body corporate of the Heralds Henry Spelman Gloss lit H. Iohn Leland the Antiquary Lelandi Strena â—â—lands New yeares gift The study of Antiquity in Hen. the eight The caâ—e King Hen had of Religion The workes of ancient Writers saued and conserued The Kings Libraries augmented The plaine â—â—le and forme of â—uncient Writers Britaine the Mother of worthy men and excellent wits This volume he called Antiphilachia written against the ambitious Empire or vsurped authoritie Reiall of the Bishop of Rome Albertus Pighius a Canon sometime in the Cathedrall Church of Vtrecht in the Low Countries Lelands affection toward his Country Four Bookes of illustrious men or of the British writers Learned Princes The wits of the British and English writers exercised in all kinds of good literature A wonderfull great number of Historiographers of British affaires Lelands laborious iourney throughout all England The description of all England in a quadrate table of siluer A Booke of the Topographie of England The names of seuerall nations Cities and great townes c. of Britaine in old time such as Cesar Tacitus Ptolimey other Authors haue made mention of restored together with the later and moderne names Of the Antiquitie of Britaine or of Ciuile History fiftie Bookes Sixe Bookes of the Islands adiacent to England Three bookes of the Nobility of Britaine His conclusion a delectabili vtili Commune voâ—â—â— Sir Rob. Cotton knight and Baronet Sir Tho. Bodley knights Pit Aetas 16. Io. Leland the Elder Elis. West Rog. Woodcocke and Ioane his wife Catherine Cauendish Alice Cavendish Marg Cavendish Lib. Esiens in bib Cott. Will. Burd Clarke of the Pipe Cowell lit C. Clarke of the Priuie Seale Io. Hartishorne Sergeant at Armes and Agnes his wife The office of Sergeant at Armes Cowell lit â— George Lord Maior Ioan and Marg. his wiues Iohn Kirkham and Elis. his wife Iohn Mynne The foundation of the Brotherhood in S. Botolpâ—s Edward Murell and Martha his wife William Campion and Anne his wife Henry Cantlow Sir William Cantlow knight Iohn Olney Lord Maior Tho. Muschampe Sir William Yerford Lord Maior and Elis. his wife Sir Roger Ree â—night and Rose his wife Tho. Bromflit Andrew Chyett Iohn Martin Lord Maior and â—atherine his wife * Eliae Reusneri Basil. Geneal Auctuarium edit Francosurt 1592 pag. 102. Historie generall of the Netherlands lib. 5 pag 227. impr an Dom. 1609. * Penes Simonds D' Ewes Equitem auratum abâ—epotem dicti Aâ—rini * In Registro Curiae Dum. Archidiaconi Lond. Libr. 4. sol 34. a b. * Escaety de a. 34. Eliz. parte 1. n. 11. Essex in Archiuis Tho. Pigot Richard Sutton W. Holland and Margaret his wife Rich Story and Ioan his wife Peter Fernefold Walter Turke Lord Maior Tho. Padington Marg. and Anne his wiues Will. Cogshall and Elis. his wife Nich. Wolbergh and Mar. his wife Rog. Hunning and Margaret his wife Tho. Paynard Vincent Catal. of Viscounts Ioan Coppinger Tho. Wandesford and Idonea his wife Will. â—oyliâ— Lord Maior and Catherine his wife Glanvile Agnes Cheyney Io. Rayning Will Porter and Elis. his wife Cowell lit C. Will. 〈◊〉 Io. Westcliffâ— Ioan his wife Will. Newport and Mossâ—s his wife Will Read and Maâ—g his wife M. Drayton Pol. 17. Song London lying like a halfe moone London Bridge the Crowne of Tames Camd. in Mid. Speed of Miâ— Gen 14.10 Hampton Court Camd in Mid. Câ—sar Commâ—nt lib. 5. Burials neere Stanes Spec. Brit. Lib. 1. cap. 2. Burials neere Brainford Burials of the dead slaine at Barnet field Camd. in Hert. The first battel of S. Albans Mss In bib Coâ— The second battell of S. Albans Camd. in Hert. Burials of the dead slaine in the battels at S. Albans Burials of the dead betwixt Stenenhaugh and Knebworth Camd. in Essex M. Drayton Song 19. Roman burials and the bones of Gyant-like found in Essex Burials neere Showbery Burials neere Barklow Ancient Tombes Danes-bloud Burials of the dead in and about Ashdown * â—â—â—inous * places * soules Battels and burialls of the dead â—â— and about â—he ancient Baâ—hg of Maldon 〈…〉 London Gâ—dwin Mss in lib. Sim. 〈…〉 aurat 〈◊〉 lib. 2 ca. 7. Mellituâ— quenched by his prayer the fire burning the Citie of Canterbury S. Ceada or Cedda 〈…〉 3. c. 2◠〈…〉 Tilbuâ—y Cities Sir Horace Vâ—â—e Baâ—on of Tilbury Sir Francis and siâ— Hoâ—ace Vere M. 〈…〉 Song 〈◊〉 S. Chad Bishop of Lichfield S. Erconwald Bed lib. 4 ca. 6. Cures by Saint Erconwald Horse-licter S. Theodred S. Egwulfe S. Richard Ex lib. Elien in bib Coâ— S. Roger. Mat. Paris an 1230. A strange Tempest M. D. Polyol Song 24. Felix the first Bishop of Dunwich or Dunmok Harding ca 91. Beda lib. 2. ca. 15 Hist. Eccl. Two and fifty religious stâ—â—ctures as many windmilâ— and as many toppe ships in Dunwich Recorda Dun. Camd. in Suss. The state of Dunwich since the foregoing time Six parish Churches Two houses of Friers One house of Templaâ—s Two Hospitals The couetouâ—nesse of the Masters and Officers The destruction of both Hospitals Three Chappelâ— The Cathedral Church vncertaine A strange and ancient buriall of a Bishop Bishops Seats anciently what they were A Mint in Dunwich Burials in the blacke Friers at Dunwich 〈◊〉 in the blacke Friers of Dunwich The foundation of the first Church in Bury The first foundation of the Abbey by the common people The second by K Canâ—â—e Ex Arch Turr. Lend * Bederics Court Farme or mansion house Camd. in Suss. Euersden Leland * Now but two The oath of the Alderman of Bury The broile betweene the Townesmen the Abbot and Couent of Bury Reliques in the Abbey Church out of a booke called Compend Com. pertorum in the treasurie of the Exchequer Aniles Fabulae S. Edmund King and Martyr Speed Hist ca. 11 * now Hoxon Ex lib. Abb. de Russ. in bib Col. S. Robert Martyr ex lib. Abb. de chateris in bib Cot. Alan Earle of Britaine and Kichmond Milles Catal. Rich. The building of Richmond Castle Tho. Plantaginet Earle of Norfolke Vincent Catal. Norf. Tho. Beauford Duke of Exceter Mary Queene of France Iohn Boon Abbot of Bury Out of a Lieger booke of the Abbey Cowell lit C. Conged'eslire Iohn Lidgate Monke * I know not * Promised * A dish made of marrow and grated bread * A Pancake * Couuremnet * Nappy Ale * Guâ—â—â— * Clocke * Verely * Nor Squire
of owr voluntary free will of all such possessions right title or interest as we the sayd Prior and Couent hath or euyr hadd or ar supposed to have hadde in or to your sayd Monastery of Northampton aforesaide And all and euery parcell of the lands advousons comodytes and other reuenues whatsoeuyr they ben belonging to the same And all maner of goods Iewels ornaments wiâ—h all other manner of cattals moueable and vnmoueable to the sayd Monastery in any wise apperteyning or belonging into whoe 's handes or possession to euyr they ben come into to be imployed and disposed is to your graces most excellent wysedome shall seme expedyâ—nt and necessary And although most graâ—cious soueraign Lord that the thyng by vs gâ—ven vnto your highnes is properly and of right ought to be yowr graces owne as well by the meryt of our offences as by the ordre of our graces lawes Yet notwythstanâ—dyng we eftsones most humble beseechen yowr highnes graciously and benevolently to accept owr free wyll with the gift therof nothing requyring of yowr Maiesty therfor other then your most gracious perdon with some pece of yowr graces almes and habundant charyte towards the mayntenance of owr pore lyving and lycence hensforth to liue in such forme in correcting the rest of our liffes as we hope to make satysfaccion therby to God and yowr highnes for owr hypocrasie and other owr greuous offences by vs commytted as well againe his Diâ—te as your Maiesty And for the more infallyble proffe that this our recognycion vnto yowr highnes is only the mere and voluntary Acte of us the said Priour and Couent aforesaid withought any compulcion or inducement other then of owr propre consciens we haue not only publyshed the same openly in the presence of your graces true and faithfull subiects and seruants Sir Wylliam Apparre Knyght Richard Layton Doitor in the Lawes Archeâ—deacon of Buckingham and Roberd Southwell Atturnay for the Augmentacions of yowr graces most noble Crowne yowr graces Commyssyoners here with diuerse other that wer present at that tyme. And vndre this owr present Recognicion Sealed with our Couent Seale subscrybed owr owne names but also haue made sealed with owr Couent Seale and delyuered to the saide Roberd Sowthwell to yowr highnesse vse a sufficient and lawfull deade framed accordyng to the forme of yowr graces lawes for the possessing your grace yowr noble heires and successors therof for â—uyr to be presented by him vnto yowr highnes together with this owr free Recognicion and assent offering owr selffes most humbly vnto your highnes to be at all tymes redy â—o do from tyme to tyme any other Act or Acts as by yowr highnes and yowr most honorable Councell shall be of vs farther requyred for the more persight Assurans of this owr voluntary surrendre and gift vnto yowr highnes And fynally we most humbly and reuerently with â—abundant teares proceedyng from our harts having before owr even owr detestable offences submytt owr selffes totally to the ordre of God and yowr mercyfull and benygne Maiesty most hartely beseching almyghty God to grante your highnes with the noble Prince Edward your graces most noble and naturall sonne next vnto yowr grace the most preciâ—ous â—uell and chyse comforte of this yowr graces Roialme long to lyue among vs yowr naturall and true subiects with prosperous and fortunate successe of all yowr graces honorable and deuoute procedings which hytherto thorow your graces most excellent wysdome and wonderfull industry assidually solycyted abought the confirming and stabyshyng mens consciens contynually vexed with sondry doubtfull opynions and vaine ceremonyes haue taken both good and lawdable effecte to the vndoubted contentation of Almighty God the greate renowne and immortall memorie of your graces hye wysedome and excellent knowledge and to the spyrituall weale of all your graces subiects Datyd and subscrybyd in our Chaptre the first day of March in the xxix yeare of yowr graces Reign By the hands of yowr graces pore and vnworthy subiects Per me Franciscum Priorem Per me Iohannem subpriorem Per me Tho. Smyth Per me Tho. Golston Per me Rob. Martin Per me Iacob Hopkins Per me Ric. Bunbery Per me Iohannem Pette Per me Io. Harrold Per me Tho. Barly Per me Will. Ward Per me Tho. Atterbury Per me Will. Fowler The Surrender of the Warden and Friers of S. Francis in Stanford For as moche as we the Warden and Freers of the howse of Saynt Frances in Stannforde comenly callyd the gray Freers in Stannford in the County of Lincoln doo profoundly concider that the perfeccion of Christian liuyng dothe not conciste in dome ceremonies weryng of a grey cootte disgeasing our selffe aftyr straunge fassions dokyng and beckyng in gurdyng owr selffes wyth a gurdle full of knots and other like Papisticall ceremonyes wherin we haue byn moost principally practysed and misselyd in tymes past but the very tru waye to please God and to liue a true Christian man wythe owte all ypocrasie and fayned dissimulacion is sinceerly declaryd vnto vs by owr Master Christe his Euangelists and Apostoles Being mindyd herafter to folowe the same conformyng owr selffe vnto the will and pleasure of owr supreme hedde vndre God in erthe the Kings Maiesty and not to follow hensforth the supersticious tradicions of of ony forincycall potentate or poore wythe mutuall assent and consent doo submytt owr selffes vnto the mercy of owr saide soueraygn Lorde And wythe like mutuall assent and consent doo surrender and yelde vpe vnto the hands of the same all owr saide howse of Saynt Frances in Stannforde comenly callyd the grey Friers in Stannforde wythe all lands tenements gardens medowes waters pondyards fedyngs pastures comens rentes reuersions and all other our interest ryghtes or titles aperteynyng vnto the same mooste humbly besechyng his mooste noble grace to disspose of vs and of the same as best schall stonde wythe his mooste graciouse pleasure And farther frely to grant vnto euery on of vs his licens vndre wretynge and Seall to change our abites into seculer fassion and to receve suche maner of livyngs as other seculer Pristes comenly be preferryd vnto And we all faythfully schall prey vnto allmyghty god long to preserue his mooste noble grace wythe encrease of moche felicitie and honor And in witnes of all and singuler the premysses we the saide Warden and Couent of the grey Freers in Stannforde to thes presentes haue putte owr Couent Sceall the yeght day of Octobre in the thirty the yere of the raygn of owr mooste Souerayne Kinge Henry the yeght Factum Iohannis Schemy Gardian Per me Fratrem Iohannem Robards Per me Fratrem Iohannem Chadwhort Per me Fratrem Richardum Pye Per me Fratrem Iohannem Clarke Per me Fratrem Iohannem Quoyte Per me Fratrem Iohannem German Per me Fratrem Iohannem Yong. Per me Fratrem Iohannem Lovell Per me Fratrem Willielmum Tomson With the like petition and recognition of their seuerall delinquencies
foure orders Preched to the people for profit of themselues Glosed the Gospel as hem good liked For couetous of Copes construe it as thei wold So Chaucer in his prologues and in the Character of the Frier mentions foure Orders A Frere there was a wanton and a merry A Limyâ—our a full solempne man In all the Orders foure is none that can So much of daliaunce and faire language But to returne to the first of the foure orders which is that of S. Basill howsoeuer as I conceiue the order of Saint Dominicke was accounted one of the foure here in England this Basill surnamed the Great for his great learning liued about the yeare of Grace 300. he was a Priest in Caesâ—â—a the chiefe Citie of Cappadocia where he was borne and whereof afterwards he was chosen Bâ—shop He was the Authour of building of Monasteries whereas many might liue together for before his time the Monkes dwelt in caues and cels alone in desarts and solitarie places from the which hee drew them into Coenobies or Couents and instituted of discipline by the which they should no more wander but bee alwayes bound by one forme of Religion These Monasteries were schooles in the which the arts and Philosophie together with Diuiniâ—ie true Religion and pietie were taugâ—t to the end there might be learned and fit men alwayes readie to gouerne the Church it is said that he built so great and spatious a Monasterie in Armenia as it contained aboue 3000 Monkes and in the end reduced all the religious men of the East to a good forme of life He died in the yeare 379 full of yeares as of vertues when Damasus the first of that name held the See of Rome and the Emperour Valens an Ariâ—n gouerned the East This Emperour was determined to haue dispossessed him of his Bishoppricke as he had done others but hearing him preach and speaking with him at Cappadocia he absteyned from expelling him his seate to which effect P. Opmer thus Basilius tantae doctrinae ac sanctitatis suit vt et Valens abstinueriâ— ab expellendo eum sede cùm reuersus Cappadociameum concionantem audijsset atque venisset cum illo in colloquium It is holden that this Basill was the first which caused Monkes to make a vow after a yeares probation to liue in their Monasâ—eries vntill death to promise full obedience to their superiours and not to contradict their ordinances and moreouer to vow continencie and pouertie This order wheresoeuer they liue labour with their hands in imitation of the perfect Monkes of Aegypt and what they get with their labour they bring in common retaining nothing to themselues This order of this holy man doth flourish at this day in Italy especially in the dominions of Venice although all the Monasteries there which are of this order doe acknowledge the Abbey of Grottaferata twelue miles distant from Rome for their mother I doe not finde that any of this rule liued euer here in England which makes me beleeue that this was none of the foure Orders before specified The next Monasticke Order confirmed by the Church of Rome was that of the Doctor of all Doctors namely Saint Augustine He was borne in the Castle of Tegast in Carthage about the yeare of our redemption 358. his Fathers name was Patricius his Mothers Monica by whose intreaâ—â—es mingled with teares and the learned Sermons of Saint Ambrose hee was drawne from the errours of the Manachies from Saint Ambrose as then Bishop of Millan in Italie he returned into his owne countrey where hee obteyned of the Bishop of Hippo whereof he was afterwards Bishop himselfe a garden without the Towne causing a Monastery to be built there in which he liued of the labour of his hands in all integritie according to the institution of the Primitiue Church He died of a feuer at Hippo when he had sitten fourty yeares in his Bishopricke being seuenty and six yeares of age on the fifth of the Kalends of September leauing to posteritie two hundred and thirty bookes of his owne writing This order multiplied greatly throughout the whole Christian world howsoeuer branched into many seuerall orders differing both in habit and exercises as also in rule and precepts of life An Epitaph to the memorie of Saint Augustine which I found in the booke of Rufford Abbey Omnis plorat homo mox matris vt exit ab aluo Et merito quoniam veâ—it in vallem lachrimosam Solum nascentem risisse ferunt Zoroastrem Ergo monstrosum crede risum liquet istum Primus enim rerum fuit inventor magicarum Hoc Augustinus testatur vir preciosus Vir doctus vir magnisicus vir quippe beatus About some fourtie yeares after the death of Saint Augustine Saint Benedict vulgarly called Benet appeared to the world who is accounted the Patriarch and Father of all the Monkes of Europe Hee was borne in Vmbria a region in Italy of the noble familie of the Regards his Fathers name was Propre his Mothers Abundantia hee was sent to Rome at the age of ten yeares to learne the liberall Arts but being wearie of the tumults and warre during the raigne of Iustinian the Emperour hee went from thence into a desart neare vnto Sublacke a Towne some fourtie miles from Rome where he continued the space of three yeares or thereabouts doing very austere penance vnknowne to any saue one Monke called Roman but being afterwards discouered by certaine Shepherds the people by reason of the great â—ame of his integritie and holinesse of life flocked from all parts to see him who had such force to perswade them to abandon the world as in a short time they built twelue Monasteries and hauing giuen to euery our of them a good Superiour or Abbot desiring solitarinesse he retired himselfe with a good number of his best disciples to the mount Cassin neare to the Towne of old called Cassina Where hauing ruined all the idolatrous Temples and broken downe their Images hee built him a Monasterie which hee dedicated to Saint Iohn the Baptist with a Chappell to Saint Martin Drawing all the Monkes dispersed in Italy into one societie and companie to whom he gaue a certaine rule in writing by the which they and their successours should gouerne themselues according as Saint Basill had done before him and withall bound them to three seuerall vowes Chastitie Pouertie and Obedience to their superiours which decree was ratified by the Church of Rome for an Euangelicall law This congregation of the Benedictines grew by little and little to bee so great throughout all Christendome as is almost incredible Nulla Monasteria nisi Beneâ—dictina erat apud Anglos ab aetate Edgari vsque ad regnum Gulielmi primi There was no Monasteries saith a late Writer amongst the English from the time of King Edgar till the raigne of William the Conquerour but Benedictines This order saith the same Authour came first into England with Austin the Monke Bishop of
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
encounter in the which after long fight they preuailed and the Danes were ouerthrowne and vanquished in the yeare of Grace 904. This victory saith Lambard and the like euent in another battell giuen to the Danes at Otford which also stands in the same valley begat as I gesse the common by-word vsed amongst the inhabitants of this vale euen till this present day in which they vaunt after this manner The Vale of Holmesdale Neuer wonne ne neuer shall These and many other victories atchieued by the valour of these Kentish Inhabitants giues me occasion to speake somewhat in generall of this flourishing countrey and first I will begin with a late writer To Canterbury then as kindly he resorts His famous countrey thus he gloriously reports O noble Kent quoth he this praise doth thee belong The hard'st to be controld impatientest of wrong Who when the Norman first with pride and horrour sway'd Threw'st off the seruile yoke vpon the English lay'd And with a high resolue most brauely didst restore That libertie so long enioy'd by thee before Not suffering forraine Lawes should thy free customes binde Then onely showd'st thy selfe of th' ancient Saxon kinde Of all the English Shires be thou surnamd the free And formost euer plac't when they shall reckoned bee And let this Towne which chiefe of thy rich countrey is Of all the British Sees be still Metropolis Of their throwing off the Norman yoke his learned Illustrator Selden thus speakes To explaine it saith he I thus English you a fragment of an old Monke When the Norman Conquerour had the day hee came to Douer Castle that he might with the same subdue Kent also wherefore Stigand Archbishop and Egelsin Abbot as the chiefe of the Shire obseruing that now whereas heretofore no Villeins the Latine is Nullus fuerat seruus and applying it to our Law phrase I translate it had beene in England they should bee now all in bondage to the Normans they assembled all the County and shewed the eminent dangers the insolence of the Normans and the hard condition of Villenage they resoluing all rather to die then lose their freedome purpose to encounter with the Duke for their countries liberties Their Captaines are the Archbishop and the Abbot Vpon an appointed day they meete all at Swanescombe and harbouring themselues in the woods with Boughs in euery mans hand they incompasse his way The next day the Duke comming by Swanescombe seemed to see with amazement as it were a wood approaching towards him the Kentish men at the sound of a Trumpet take themselues to Armes when presently the Archbishop and Abbot were sent to the Duke and saluted him with these words Behold Sir Duke the Kentish come to meete you willing to receiue you as their Liege Lord vpon that condition that they may for eâ—er enioy their ancient Liberties and Lawes vsed among their Ancestors otherwise presently offering warre being ready rather to die then vndergo a voke of bondage and loose their ancient Lawes The Norman in this narrow pinch not so willingly as wisely granted the desire and hostages giuen on both sides the Kentishmen direct the Normans to Rochester and deliuer them the County and the Castle of Douer Againe for this honour of the Kentish in hauing the foremost place in euery battell he deliuers thus much out of an old Author who writ in Latine about the time of Henry the second Which by him is likewise thus taught to speake English What performance king Cnut did among the Danes and Norwegians by English valour is apparant in that vntill this day the Kentish men for their singular vertue then showne haue prerogatiue alwayes to bee in the Vantgard as Wiltshire Deuonshire and Cornwall in the Rere And further for the prowesse of the Kentish men will it please you reade a peece out of Camden the like in effect as before The same commendation of ciuilitie and curtesie saith he which Caesar in old time gaue the Inhabitants of Kent is yet of right due vnto them that I may not speake of their warlike prowesse whereas a certaine Monke hath written How the Kentishmen so farre excelled that when our armies are ready to ioyne battell they of all Englishmen are worthily placed in the front as being reputed the most valiant and resolute souldiers Which Iohn of Salisbury verifieth also in his Polycraticon For good desert saith he of that notable valour which Kent shewed so puissantly and patiently against the Danes it retaineth still vnto these dayes in all battels the honour of the first and fore-ward yea and of the first conflict with the enemy In praise of whom William of Malmesbury hath likewise written thus The countrey people and Towne-dwellers of Kent aboue all Englishmen retaine still the resent of their ancient worthinesse And as they are more forward and readier to giue honour and entertainment to others so they are more slow to take reuenge vpon others Lambard in his perambulation speaking of the Estate of Kent saith The people of this countrey consisteth chiefly as in other countries also of the Gentrie and the Yeomanrie of which the first be for the most part Gouernors and the other altogether gouerned whose possessions also were at the first distinguished by the names of Knights fee and Gauelkinde that former being proper to the warriour and this latter to the husbandman But these tenures long since haue beene so indifferently mixed and confounded in the hands of each sort that there is not now any note of difference to be gathered by them The reuenues of the Gentrie are greater here then any where else which thing groweth not so much by the quantitie of their possession or by the fertilitie of their soile as by the benefit of the situation of the countrey it selfe Which hath all that good neighbourhood that Marc. Cato and other old Authors in husbandrie require in a well placed Graunge that is to say the Sea the Riuer a populous Citie and a well traded high-way by the commodities whereof the superfluous fruites of the ground be dearely sold and consequently the land may yeeld a greater rent These Gentlemen bee all for the most part acquainted with good letters and especially trained in the knowledge of the Lawes They vse to manure some large portion of their territories as well for the maintenance of their families as also for their better increase in wealth So that they be well employed both in the publique seruice and in their owne particular and do vse hawking hunting and other disports rather for their recreation then for an occupation or pastime The Yeomanrie or common people for so they be called of the Saxon word gemen which signifieth common is no where more free and iolly then in this Shire for besides that they themselues say in a clayme made by them in the time of king Edward the first that the Communaltie of Kent was neuer vanquished by the Conquerour but yeelded it selfe by composition
sticke these words following are very faire written Per hoc lignum oblata est terra Roberti filij Gousberti super altare Sancti Pauli in festo omnium Sanctorum Testibus c. But to make an end of this discourse Primitiua Ecclosie Sancti Pauli London fundatio saith the Lieger booke consistit in Episcopo triginta maioribus Canonicis duodecim minoribus et triginta vicarijs which differs from her present state hauing at this time for her gouernours a Bishop a Deane a Precentor a Chancellour a Treasurer and fiue Archdeacons viz of London Middlesex Essex Colchester and S. Albons and thirty Prebendaries and besides to furnish the Quire in diuine seruice Pety-Canons twelue Vicars Chorall six and ten Queristers c. This Bishopricke comprehends the Citie of London with the counties of Middlesex and Essex and the Deanries of Saint Albans and Braughing in Hertfordshire And is valued in the kings bookes at 1119. l. 8. s. 4. d. and yeelded the Pope from euery Bishop at his first entrance 3000. Florins besides sixteene pounds ten shillings for Rome-scot or Peter-pence But now to the Monuments Hic iacet Sebba Rex Orientalium Saxonum qui conuersus fuit ad fidem per S. Erkenwaldum Londinens Episcopum anno Christi 677. Vir multum Deo deuotus actibus religiosis crebris precibus pijs eleemosynarum fructibus plurimum intentus vitam priuatam et monasticam cunctis regni diuitijs honoribus preferens Qui cùm regnasset annis 30. habitum religiosum accepit per benedictionem Waltheri Londinens Antistitis qui prefato Erkenwaldo successit de quo venerabilis Beda in Historia gentis Anglorum The same Author further affirmes that he not onely relinquished his Princely robes and put on the habite of a Monke a thing vsuall as you haue heard before with the Saxon kings in the infancie of Christian Religion but also instigated his wife to leaue the momentanie pleasures of Courtly estate and to follow him in his vertuous deuotions which with much ado he obtained Here he continued a Monke in this Monastery for in his time saith Radulphus de Diceto were Monkes in this Church vntill the day of his death which happened in the yeare 693. Of this king Sebba thus much out of a late writer Mich. Draiton Polyol Cant. 11. Then Sebba of his seed that did them all surpasse Who fitter for a Shrine then for a Scepter was Aboue the power of flesh his appetite to sterue That his desired Christ he strictly might obserue Euen in the height of life in health and body strong Perswaded with his Queene a Lady faire and young To separate themselues and in a sole estate After religious sort themselues to dedicate Hic iacet Etheldredus Anglorum Rex filius Edgari Regis cui in die consecrationis post impositam Coronam fertur S. Dunstanus Cantuar. Archiepiscopus dira predixisse his verbis Quoniam aspirasti ad Regnum per mortem fratris tui in cuius sanguine conspirauerunt Angli cum ignominiosa matre tua non deficiet gladius de domo tua seuiens in te omnibus diebus vite tue interficiens de semine tuo quousque regnum tuam transferatur in regnum alienum cuius ritum et linguam gens cui presides non nouit nec expiabitur nisi longa vindicta peccatum tuum et peccatum matris tue peccata virorum qui interfuere concilio illius nequam Que sicut à viro sancto predicta erant euenerunt Nam Etheldredus varijs prelijs per Swanum Danorum Regem filium que suum Canutum fatigatus fugatus ac tandem Londini arcta obsidione conclusus misere diem obijt anno dominice incarnationis 1017. postquam annis 36. in magna tribulatione regnasset This Etheldred being neither forward in action nor fortunate in his proceedings was commonly called The vnready an oppressour rather then a ruler of this kingdome cruell in the beginning wretched in the middle and shamefull in the end Of the calamities of these times by the Danish inuasion will it please you heare my old Author Swan with his power to Engelond com In the xxv yer of Etheldreds kingdom And in the yer of grace a thowsand and thre He cam and dude sorrow inogh no mor myght be So thilke hii come that this londe they gan ouerfulle As hit wer Emettes creeping fro hur hulle Hii ne sparyd Prest ne Clerk that hii ne slaw to grounde Ne wemen wyth child wher so hii hem found Besides the prophesie of Dunstan here set downe in this Inscription and thus ratified by the euent the transferring of this kingdome to other Nations was further likewise prophetically foretold by an holy Anchorite saith Hen. Hunting Englished in these words by the Translatour of Ranulph Monke of Chester But among all Englyshemen medled togydres is so grete changyng and diuersyte of clothyng and array and so many manner of diuerse shappes that well nigh is ther ony man knowen by his clothyng and his array of whatsoeuer degre that he be Therof prophezyed an holy Anker in K. Egelfreds time in this manner Englyshmen for as much as they vse to dronkelewnes to Treason and to rechlesnes of Goddes hous first by Danes and then by Normans and atte thirde time by Scottes they shall be ouercome Suauis victoria Amor populi The loue of the people was a pleasant sweet Conquest a Motto which I saw depicted vnder the Armes of our late Soueraigne Lord King Iames ouer one of the gates at Yorke vpon his first auspicious entrance into that ancient Citie Ann. 1603. die Aprilis 16. Thus for a king to ouercome was but to come and to be welcome to bee receiued of his Subiects in all places with shouts and acclamations of ioy demonstrations of truest loyaltie loue and obedience and to be conducted and guarded with an admirable confluence of his Nobilitie Gentrie and Commons vnto the Throne of his lawfull inheritance Hoc in loco requiescit in domino Erconwaldus tertius post Anglosaxonum in Britannia ingressam Episcopus Londinensis cuius in Episcopatu ante Episcopatum vita fuit sanctissima ex nobili prosapia oriundus Offe orientalium Saxonum Regis erat filius ad fidem Christianam à Mellito primo Londini Episcopo An. Dom. 642. conuersus Is priusquam Episcopus factus esset duo preclara construxit Monasteria sumptibus suis de bonis que ture hereditario sibi obuenerunt Vnum sibi in finibus Australium Saxonum loco qui Certesey vocatur alterum Edelburge sorori sue femine laudatissime ad Berching in ditione Orientalium Saxonum In Episcopatum vero anno salutis 675. à Theodoro Dâ—robernensium siue Cantuarie Archiepiscopo sacratus est Sebbam Orientalium Saxonum Regem ad Christi sidem conuertit et salutari Baptismatis vnda suis manibus per fudit qui statim mundo renuncians se totum Deo addixit
be no Bishops or that the Deacons be not Priests and Bishops but for that their first institution was such some to carrie the titles of Bishops others of Priests and some of Deacons The Cardinalls which are Bishops sit neare vnto the Pope when hee doth celebrate Festiuall dayes The Cardinalls Priests assist him when he saith Masse and the Deacons attire him and serue him at the Altar They haue there their Colledge whereof the Pope is head the number of them hath not beene certaine in our dayes at this time there are about sixty and eight although we find that in former ages they were but twelue after the example of the Apostles They assemble themselues together once or twice a weeke as affaires of importance come to their considerations and this their assemblie is called the Consistory where they treat or at least they ought to treat of all things which belong vnto the faith and Religion to the peace of Christians and to the preseruation of the temporall estate of the Church I finde nothing of Cardinalls vntill the dayes of Gregory the Great Quo tempore Episcopi indifferenter Cardinales faciebant et Papa Cardinales in Episcopos promouebat Yet some are of opinion that the first beginning of Cardinals was in the time of Pontianus the Pope which was circa Ann. 231. and Marcellus after him circa Ann. 304. ordained fifteene or rather twenty fiue Cardinals in the Citie of Rome propter Baptismata et sepulturas hominum And when as first these Cardinals were instituted in the Romane Church Pauperculi erant Romae in suis titulis habitantes They were poore and necessitous liuing at Rome in their owne titles And Gregory the Great in one of his Epistles to Maximian the Bishop of Syracusa writes the like of the pouertie of one Felix a Deacon Cardinall For whose sustentation he thus prouides Sustentationem eius pietatis intuitu prouidentes in tua Ecclesia Syracusana eum prenidimus cardinandùm c. siue vt officium Diaconatus expleat se certe vt solae eiusdem officij pro sustentanda paupertate sua commoda consequatur Howsoeuer then that the Cardinals of Rome at this day doe abound in all affluence of riches and like stately Cedars looke ouer the smaller sprigs of the Clergie yet considering the Primitiue times our Cardinals of Saint Pauls are not to be contemned for their meane competencie of liuely hood hauing sufficient to maintaine their reuerent comportment Of whom giue me leaue to speake a little out of the Records of the Church The Church of Saint Paul had before the time of the Conquerour two Cardinalls which office still continues They are chosen by the Deane and Chapter out of the number of the twelue petty Canons and are called Cardinales chori the Cardinals of the Quire Horum officium est circumspicere quotidie notare omnia in choro delicta peccata c. Their office is to take notice of the absence or neglect of all the Quire and weekely to render accompt thereof to the Deane and Chapter Hi duo etiam Cardinales Ministris Ecclesie Seruis eorum â—um sanis tâ—m egrotis Ecclesiastica ministrant Sacramenta These two Cardinals doe minister Ecclesiasticall Sacraments to the Ministers of the Church and their seruants as well to the healthfull as to the sicke Conâ—essiones audiant penitentias iniungant salutares Mortuos postremâ— conuenientibus tradunt Sepulturis They heare Confessions and appoint comfortable Penance and lastly they commit the dead to conuenient Sepulture Not any Cathedrall Church in England hath Cardinals excepting this neither doe I finde any beyond Seas to be dignified with this title sauing the Churches of Rome Rauenna Aquileia Millaine Pisa Beneuentana in Italy and Compostella in Spaine These Cardinals haue the best preheminence in the Quire aboue all next to the Subdeane and the best Stalls But at the length let me descend into Saint Faiths and to the Graue-stone of my Canon and Cardinall William West Saint Faiths Church Hic homo Catholicus Willelmus West tumulatur Pauli Canonicus Minor Ecclesie vocitatur Qui fuerat Cardinalis bonus atque sodalis M. Sexageno quater C. ter vno pleno Augusti denoque die ruit ille sereno Perpetuis annis memores estote Iohannis Good Succentoris Cardinalisque minoris Canonici cuius ope ..... huius Hic ... colitur per hunc Elemosinatur Distribui Tutor fuit pueris que minorum Collegij custos dum vixit canonicorum Hinc migrat M.C quater L.X. que Decembris eterna Virgo Dei mater prestet sibi regna superna Willelmi Lili seruus Christique minister Hic locus est illi fuit artibus ipse magister M. Domini C quater semel L. ter V lege frater X bis cum quinis M. Adar est bonus sibi finis Saint Martins Ludgate Our old English writers affirme that Lud King of the Britains whom they make to be the repairer or new builder of London was buried much what about this place of which these rimes following With Walles faire and Towres fresh about His Citee great of Troynouant full faire Full well he made and battelled throughout And Palays faire for Roialles to appeare Amending other defectyue and vnfaire From London stone to his Palays royall That now Ludgate is knowne ouer all Betweene London stone and Ludgate forth right That called was then for his name Ludstone He made men buyld that London then so hight His Palays faire then made he then anone With toures high both of lyme and stone Beside Ludgate and his Temple there thereby His God to serue and him to glorifye When he had reigned by fourty yere all out He died so and in his temple faire Entombed was with stories all about By another Author more ancient it is thus exprest Walls he let make all aboute and yates vp and doun And aftyr Lud that was his name he cluped it Ludstoun The heyest yat of ye toun yat yut stant ther and is He let hit clupie Ludgate after his owe name iwis He let him tho he was ded burye at thulk yate Theruore yut after him men clupeth it Ludgate The Britaines record that Cadwallo called the Valiant King of the Britaines after he had raigned in great honour the space of 48 yeeres died in peace the 12 of Nouember An. 677. and was buried in this place Whose Image great and terrible triumphantly riding on horse-backe being artificially cast in brasse the Britaines placed here vpon Ludgate to the further feare and terrour of the Saxons the greatnesse of which King is thus further exprest King Cadwall reyned full hele againe In Britayne land as prime without pere Aboue English as Lord Souerayne Ouer Saxons Scottes and Peights clere And English also as clere did appere A little more of this noble King Cadwall out of my old Author Robert of Gloucester When Cadewall
and vowed virginitie cast off all care of hauing issue and exposed the kingdome to the prey of ambitious humours Yet some that would excuse him in this affirme that this holy king was not willing to beget any heires that should succeed him out of a treacherous race Here lieth without any Tombe Maude daughter to Malcolm Camoir king of Scots and wife to king Henry the first who brought vnto him children William Richard and Mary which perished by shipwracke and Maud Empresse who was wise to Henry the fift Emperour She died the first day of May Maij prima dies nostrorum nocte dierum raptam perpetua fecit inesse die 1118. She had an excellent Epigram made to her commendation whereof these foure verses onely remaine Prospera non laetam fecere nec aspera tristem Aspera risus erant prospera terror erant Non decor effecit fragilem non sceptra superbam Sola potens humilis sola pudica decens Thus paraphrastically translated No prosperous state did make her glad Nor aduerse chances made her sad If Fortune frown'd she then did smile If Fortune smil'd she fear'd the while If Beauty tempted she said nay No pride she tooke in Scepters sway She onely high her selfe debast A Lady onely faire and chast She went euery day in the Lent time to this Church bare-foot and bare-legd wearing a garment of haire she would wash and kisse the feet of the poorest people and giue them bountifull Almes For which being reprehended by a Courtier shee gaue him a short answer which I haue out of Robert of Glocester Madame for Goddes love is this wel i doo To handle sich vnclene â—ymmes and to kisse so Foule wolde the kyng thynk if that hit he wiste And ryght wel abyse hym er he your mouth kiste Sur sur qd the Quene be stille why sayste thow so Owr Lord hymself ensample yaf so for to do She founded as I haue said before the Priory of Christ-church within Aldgate and the Hospitall of S. Giles in the Fields She builded the Bridges ouer the Riuer of Lea at Stratford Bow and ouer the little Brooke called Chanelsebridge shee gaue much likewise to the repairing of high-wayes But I will take my leaue of her with these words of Paris Obijt eodem anno Matildis Regina Anglorum cuius corpus apud Westmonasterium quietem sepulturae accepit anima eius se coelum possidere evidentibus signis et miraculis crebris ostendit Here lieth vnder a rich Monument of Porphery adorned with precious stones the body of Henry the third king of England In the fifth yeare of whose raigne and the Saturday next before his second time of Coronation the New worke the old being ruinous and pulled downe of this Church of Westminster was begun To which sacred Edifice this king was a perswader he was the Founder and laid the first stone in the ground-worke of the building The Newerke atte Westmynstre ye kyng tho ganne anone Aftyr hys coronyng and leyde the fyrst stone As if he meant the world should know his intention was to consecrate his future actions to the glory of God He gaue to this Church royall gifts of Copes Iewels and rich vessels and for the holy Reliques of Edward the Confessor he caused a coffin to be made of pure gold and pretious stones and so artificially by the most cunning Goldsmiths that could be gotten that although the matter it was made of was of an inestimable valew tamen Materiam superabat opus yet the workmanship excelled the matter saith Mathew Paris A Prince he was as our histories affirme of greater deuotion then discretion in permitting the depredation of himselfe and his subiects by papall ouerswayings This King saith Robert of Glocester as in worldlich doyng was not hald ful wyse but mor deuout to spiritual things he was euery dey woned to here thre Masses by note Quante innocentie quante patientie quanteque deuotionis et quanti meriti in vita sua erat apud Deum testantur post ipsius mortem miracula subsecuta Of how much integrity of how much patience of how much deuotion and of how much merite he was in his life time before God the miracles which followed after his death doe testifie saith the compendious chronicle of Canterbury He died the 16 of Nouember 1273. when he liued sixty fiue yeares and raigned fiftie sixe yeares and eighteene daies this Epitaph following is annexed to his Tombe Tertius Henricus iacet hic pietatis amicus Ecclesiam strauit istam quam post renouauit Reddet ei munus qui regnat trinus et vnus Tertius Henricus est Templi conditor huius Dulce bellum inexpertis Which is thus Englished by Robert Fabian The frende of pyte and of almesse dede Henry the thyrde whylome of Englande Kyng Who thys Church brake and after hys mede Agayn renewed into this fayre buylding Now resteth in here whiche did so great a thinge He yelde his mede that Lord in Deyite That as one God reygneth in persones thre Henry the thyrde is the buylder of thys Temple War is pleasant to those that haue not tryed it In the additions to Robert of Glocester a Manuscript in the Heralds Office these rimes are written to his remembrance Aftur hym regnyd the thurd Harry A good man and eke an hely In hys tym werrys were full strong And eke mickle stryf in Englond The Batayl of Lewys was than And alsoo the Batayl of Euesham And that tym alsoo ther was The Translacyon of Sent Thomas In hys tym as I vndyrstond Come Freres Menores into thys lond He regnyd Kyng lvi yere And to Westmynstre men hym bere At the head of the foresaid King Henry his sonne Edward surnamed Long-Shanks lieth entombed King of England the first of that Christian name since the Conquest and as he was the first of his name so was he the first that setled the law and state deseruing the stile of Englands Iustinian and freed this kingdome from the wardship of the Peeres shewing himselfe in all his actions after capable to command not the Realme onely but the whole world At the time of his Fathers death he was abroad in Palestine pursuing his high desires for the Holy Warres and after sixe yeares from his first setting out he returnes into England receiues the Crowne without which he had beene a King almost three yeares at the hands of Robert Archbishop of Canterbury and with him is Eleanor his vertuous Queene likewise crowned at Westminster To the which their magnificent pompous Coronations the presence of Alexander King of Scotland who had married Margaret his eldest sister was required as appeares by this Record following Rex dilectis et fidelibus suis Iohanni Louetot et Galfrido de Newbald Custodibus Episcopatus Deunelm Salutem Mandamus vobis quod de primis denarijs prouenientibus de exitibus Episcopatus predicti habere faciatis Alexandro
the very Prime and flower of his age inured to many a warre and exercised in most dangerous troubles of the state whiles she framed and fitted him for the Empire of Britaine which he being once crowned King mannaged and gouerned in such wise that hauing subdued the Welsh and vanquished the Scots hee may most iustly bee counted a chiefe ornament and honour of Britaine Amongst other admonitions and precepts which he gaue to his sonne Edward after him king of England vpon his death bed he charged him that he should carry his Fathers bones about with him in some Coffin till he had marched through all Scotland and subdued all his enemies for that none should bee able to ouercome him while his Skeleton marched with him thinking belike that the care to preserue them from enemies would make a Sonne fight nobly Moreouer he commanded the said Prince That whereas himselfe by the continuall new attempts of Bruce king of Scotland could not in person according to his vow make warre in the Holy-land therefore he should send his Heart thither accompanied with seuenscore knights and their retinues for whose support he had prouided thirty and two thousand pounds of siluer That his Heart being so by them conuayed he did hope in God that all things there would prosper with them Lastly That vpon paine of eternall damnation the said money should not be expended vpon any other vses Sed filius immorigerus patris mandata negligit But the disobedient Sonne little regarded the commandement of his Father He died the seuenth of Iuly the yeare aforesaid his body was conuayed to this Abbey and accompanied most of the way with the Popes Legate the reuerend Bishops and most of the English Nobilitie where it was interred with that state as became the person of so potent a Prince And such was the care of his Successours to keepe his body from corruption as that the Searecloth wherein his embalmed body was enwrapt was often renewed as doth appeare vpon Record thus Rex Thesaurario Camerarijs suis Salutem Mandamus vobis quod Ceram existentem circa corpus celebris memorie Domini Edwardi nuper Regis Anglie progenitoris nostri filij Regis Henrici in Ecclesia beati Petri Westm. humatum de denarijs nostris renovari facietis prout hactenus fieri constituit Teste Rege apud Westm. xi die Iulij Claus. 1. Ric. 2. Memb. 41 Certaine rimes or verses are annexed to his Tombe as followeth Mors est inesta nimis magnos que iungit in imis Maxima mors minimis coniungens vltima primis Nullus in orbe fuit homo viuens nec valet esse Qui non morte ruit est hinc exire necesse Nobilis fortis tibi tu considere noli Omnia sunt mortis sibi subdit singula soli De mundi medio magnum mors impia mouit Anglia pre tedio satis anxia plangere novit Corruit Edwardus vario veneratus honore Rex nuper vt Nardus fragrans virtutis odore Corde Leopardus invictus absque pauore Ad rixam tardus discretus eucharis ore Viribus armorum quasi Gigas ardua gessit Colla superborum prudens per prelia pressit Inter Flandrenses fortuna sibi bene fauit Vt quoque Wallenses Scotos suppeditauit Rex bonus absque pari strenue sua regna regebat Quod natura dari potuit bonitatis habebat Actio iustitie pax regni sanctio legis Et fuga nequitie premunt precordia Regis Gloria tota ruit Regem capit hec modo fossa Rex quandoque fuit nunc nil nisi puluis et ossa Filius ipse Dei quem corde colebat et ore Gaudia fecit ei nullo permista dolore The which verses saith Fabian to the entent that they should be had in minde and also that the reader might haue the more desire to ouer-reade them I haue therefore set them out in Baladde Royall after my rude making as followeth This sorrowfull deth which bryngeth great full low And moost and leest he ioyneth into one Thys man to whome his pere was not y knowe Hath now subdued nat sparyng hym alone Whyche of all order thys world to ouergone None was to be spared of so great equyte As he yf any for noblesse spared shuld be Therfore thou noble or myghty trust none oder grace But thou shalt pay to deth thy naturall dette And lyke as he from thys world did chace Thys mighty Prynce and from his frendys fette For whome all Englond loude mourned and grette So shalt thou and oder in deths snare fall None shall escape to reckyn kyndes all Edward wyth many and dyuers graces endowed And like as Nardus most sweetest of odoure In smellynge passyth and moost he is allowed Of all swete odours so dyd this knyghtly floure By vertuous artes surmounte in honoure All oder Prynces whose hert was Lybar delyke And without fere were he hole or syke Thys Prynce was slowe to all maner of stryfe Discrete and wise and trewe of his worde In armys a Geaunt terme of all his lyfe Excelling actes doing by dynte of the sworde Subduyd the proud of prudence he bore the horde Of Flaunders by fate he had great amyte And Walshe and Scottes by strength subduyd he This good King perelesse his landes firmly gyded What nature might giue he failed in nothynge No parte of bounte from his was discided He was iustice and peace and of lawe stablishyng And chaser of iniquyte by his vertuous liuyng In whome these graces with innumerable mo Fermly were roted that deth hath tane vs fro That whylom was a Kyng now is but duste and bone All glory is fallen and this pitte kepeth the kynge But he that yeldeth all thing by his one The Sonne of God to whom aboue all thynge With herte and mouth he did all worsshyppyng That Lord of his ioy perdurable to laste Graunt him sorrowlesse euermore to taste All Kings haue long hands alluding to the extensure of their Regall gouernement of which Ouid in one of his Epistles thus An nescis longas Regibus esse manus This King had also long legges and a longis tibijs surnamed hee was Longshankes But I stray beyond my limits his vertues haue taken me prisoner and detained me much longer then I expected let me take liberty to conclude with these verses in commendation of his valour out of the fore-remembred additions to Robert of Glocester Edward the furst reguyd than truly The son he was of Kyng Harry He conquered than all Scotlond Ano toke Irlond into hys hond And was callyd that tym Conqueror God yiue hys soul mych honor In hys tym he made subiecte Alwalys and put them vndre yecke He behedyd thilke sam tym The Prynce of UUalys Lewellyn Iewes that tym withouten doute Of this lond wer clere put oute Atte Westmynstre he had hy burying xxxv yere he reguyd kyng Here lieth entombed Eleanor his first wife Queene
For whiche Commons him hated both free and bond Iohn Gower concludes his cronica tripartita annexed to his booke entituled Vox Clamantis with these riming verses concerning the said King Cronica Richardi qui sceptra tulit Leopardi Vt patet est dicta populo sed non benedicta Vt speculum mundi quo lux nequit vlla resundi Sic vacuus transit sibi nil nisi culpa remansit Vnde superbus erat modo si preconia querat Eius honor sordet laus culpat gloria mordet Hoc concernentes caueant qui sunt sapientes Nam male viuentes Deus odit in orbe regentes Est qui peccator non esse potest dominator Ricardo teste finis probat hoc manifeste Post sua demerita perijt sua pompa sopita Qualis erat vita cronica stabit ita He was murdered at Pomfret Castle in the bloudie Tower so called from that time vpon that bloudie act to this day on Saint Valentines day 1399. the first of Henry the fourth when hee had raigned 22 yeares That beautifull picture of a King sighing crowned in a chaire of estate at the vpper end of the Quire in this Church is said to be of him which witnesseth how goodly a creature he was in outward lineaments but I will conclude with these rimes out of my old Manuscript the Addition to Robert of Glocester This Rychard than regnyd sone Aftur his Belsire as was to done Atte x yere of age crownyd was he He was a man of grett beute In hys tym the Comynte of Kent Up arysin and to London went And Sauoy the brent that ilke plas The whych the Dukes of Lancastre was Thurgh euel councel was slayn ful suel The Duke of Glocestre and the erle of Arundel He regnyd xxii yer and mor And to Longeley was he bor But in the v King Herry is tym He was leyde at VVestmynstre by Anne the Quene Anne his first wife here entombed with him was the daughter of Wenceslaus King of Bohemia and Emperour of the Germanes she died in Anno 1394. the seuenth of Iune at Sheene in Surrey whom her husband so feruently loued yea vsque ad amentiam euen to a kinde of madnesse that for very griefe and anger besides cursing the place wherein shee died hee ouerthrew the whole house Her Epitaph Sub petra lata nunc Annaiacet tumulata Dum vixit mundo Richardo nupta secundo Christo deuota fuit hec facilis bene nota Pauperibus prona semper sua reddere dona Iurgia sedauit et pregnantes releuauit Corpore formosa vultu mitis speciosa Prebens solamen viduis egris medicamen Anno milleno ter cent quarto nonageno Iulij septeno mensis migrauit ameno forma Fragilis Henry the fift sonne of Henry the fourth King of England and conquerour of France died at Boyes de Viscenna not farre from Paris the last of August 1422. hauing raigned 9 yeares 5 moneths and odde daies from thence his body was conuaied to this Abbey vpon whose Tombe Katherine his wife caused a royall picture to be layed couered all ouer with siluer plate gilded the head whereof was all of massie siluer all which at the suppression when the battering hammers of destruction as Master Speed saith did sound almost in euery Church were sacrilegiously broken off and by purloyning transferred to farre prophaner vses where at this day the headlesse monument is to be seene and these verses written vpon his Tombe Dux Normanorum verus Conquestor eorum Heres Francorum decessit et Hector eorum Here Normans Duke so stil'd by conquest iust True heire of France Great Hector lies in dust Gallorum mastix iacet hic Henricus in vrna Domat omnia virtus So many vertues are attributed by all writers to this heroicall King Henry the renowne of England and glory of Wales that where to begin or when to make an end in his deserued praise I know not so I will leaue him amongst the many Monarchs of this most famous Empire none more complete relating onely a few rimes which in some sort doth particularize his memorable exploits Aftur hym regnyd his son than The v Herry truly a gracious man Atte his begynnyng verament He stroyd Loliers and thei wer brent Aftur he made Relygyous at Shene Sion Ierusalem and eke Bedlem The thurd yer he went truly And gat Hartlett in Normandy Atte Egyncourt he hadde a batayle ywis Hamwardys and ther had the prys He tooke ther the Duc of Orleaunce The Duc of Burbon and meny of Fraunce And aftur that he wan Lane toun Rone and al Normandy as was to don Also he wan Parys worschypfully And meny mo tounes wyth Meaux in Bry. Ther he took to hys Quene Katterin the kyng dawghtyr shene He hadde a Son of hur y bore That ys callyd Herry of Wyndsore In Fraunce he departyd goodly thurgh Goddâ—s grase And was broght into Engelond in short spase Then was his Son Herry of age suerly But only viii monyths wyth odde deyes truly His Eme Iohn Duc of Bedford as yow see Is now Regent of Fraunce sykerly He regnyd x yer in hevyn he hath reward Lith at Westmynstre noght fer fro Seynt Edward Here lieth Katherine Queene of England wife to the foresaid King Henry the fifth in a chest or coffin with a loose couer to be seene and handled of any that will much desire it and that by her owne appointment as he that sheweth the Tombes will tell you by tradition in regard of her disobedience to her husband for being deliuered of her Sonne Henry the sixth at Windsore the place which he forbad But the truth is that she being first buried in our Ladies Chappell here in this Church her corps were taken vp when as Henry the seuenth laid the foundation of that admirable structure his Chappell royall which haue euer since so remained and neuer reburied She was the daughter to Charles the sixth king of France she died at Bermondsey in Southwarke the second of Ianuary Ann. Dom. 1437. Her Epitaph Hic Katherina iacet Francorum filia Regis Heres Regni Carole Sexte tui Henrici quinti thalamo bis leta iugali Nam sic vir duplici clarus honore fuit Iure suo Anglorum Katherine iure triumphans Francorum obtinuit ius decus imperij Grata venit letis felix Regina Britannis Perque dies celebrant quatuor ore Deum Edidit Henricum gemebunda puerpera Regem Cuius in imperio Francus Anglus erat Non sibi sed Regno felici sidere natum Sed Patri Matri Religione parem Post ex Owino Tiddero tertia proles Nobilis Edmundus te Katherina beat Septimus Henricus quo non prestantior alter Filius Edmundi gemma Britanna fuit Felix ergo vxor mater ter filia felix Ast Auia hec felix terque quater que fuit Here lieth buried in one of the stateliest Monuments of Europe both for the
christendome Another man-childe she bore also vnto the said King though without life vpon the 29. day of Ianuary and the 27. yeare of his raigne to the no little griefe of his mother some dislike of the King as the sequele of her accusation and death did shortly confirme for vpon the 19. day of May next following vpon the greene within the Tower her head was cut off by the sword and by the hands of the Hangman of Caleis when shee had beene King Henries wife three yeares three moneths and twenty fiue daies The bloud was scarse wipt off the blade nor shee 〈◊〉 in her graue an argument that her life was sought after vpon falâ—e 〈◊〉 before another Lady was possest of her bed for on the 〈…〉 her beheading the King her husband was married to that 〈◊〉 Princesse Iane the the daughter of Iohn Seymor Knight and sister to Lord Edward Seymour Earle of Hertford and Duke of Somerset Here lieth buried in the said Chappell the body of George Bollein Lord Rochford brother to the beheaded Queene who together with Henry Norrice Marke Smeton William Brereton and Francis Weston all of the Kings priuie Chamber was beheaded on the Tower hâ—ll two daies before the death of his Sister about matters concerning the said Queene none of them all confessing the act whereupon they suffered death onely Smeton contrarie to his conscience saith one confest some thing in hope of life and preferment which condemned both himselfe and the rest of which thus Cromwell writ to the King Many things haue beene obiected but nothing confessed onely some circumstances haue beene acknowledged by Marke Smeton This hee writ after the prisoners had beene throughly examined in the Tower This Smeton Brierton Norrice and Weston lie buried here in the Chappell-yard Here and neere to the reliques of the said Anne Bollein lieth interred the body of Katherine the fift wife of King Henry the eight the daughter of Edmond and Neece vnto Thomas Howard his brother Duke of Norfolke who hauing continued his wife but the space of one yeare sixe moneths and foure daies was attainted by Parliament and beheaded here in the Tower vpon the 13. of February 1541. It is verily beleeued and many strong reasons are giuen both by English and forraine writers to confirme that beliefe that neither this Queene Katherine nor Queene Anne were any way guiltie of the breach of matrimony whereof they were accused but that King Henry vnconstant and variable in his affections and as vnstayed in religious resolutions did cut them off vpon false suggestions soone wearie of the old and euer ayming at new Espousals Betweene these two Queenes before the high Altar lie buried two Dukes to wit the Duke of Somerset Edward Seymour and the Duke of Northumberland Iohn Dudley Of whom hereafter Here lieth Henry Southworth borne at Halton Castle in the Parish of Runkorne in Cheshire Yeoman of the Crowne and of the Guard to king Henry the seuenth and Henry the eight Yeoman Bawier and Surveiour in the Tower of London for the space of 33. yeares Who died ....... Here lieth Gefferay Hewyt and Ione his wife one of the Gonners in the Tower ... Ione died ... 1525. There are some other Inscriptions in this Chappell but they are of late times Burials of the dead in the fields neare to the Citie of London These burials in the fields might better haue beene spoken of in my prefixed discourse where I write of the strange custome of interring and preseruing of the bodies of the dead But being forgotten there it will not be amisse I hope that they may be remembred here In the fields on the North-East and East side of the suburbs whiles I was writing these matters saith Camden there were gotten out of the ground many vrnes funerall vessels little Images and earthen pots wherein were small peeces of money coined by Claudius Nero Vespasian c. Glasse vials also and sundrie small earthen vessels wherein some liquid substance remained which I would thinke to be either of that sacred oblation of wine and milke which the ancient Romanes vsed when they burnt the dead or else those odoriferous liquors that Statius mentioneth Pharijque liquores Arsuram lavere Comam And liquid baulmes from Egypt-land that came Did wash his haire that ready was for flame This place the Romanes appointed to burne and burie dead bodies who according to the law of the twelue tables carried coarses out of their Cities and interred them by the high-wayes side to put passengers in minde that they are as those were subiect to mortalitie Stow speakes more fully of these and other kindes of funerall Monuments found here in the fields About the yeare 1576. saith hee Lolesworth-field now called Spittle-field was broken vp for clay to make Bricke In the digging whereof many earthen pots called Vrnae were found full of Ashes and burnt bones of men to wit of the Romanes that inhabited here For it was the custome of the Romanes to burne their dead to put their Ashes in an Vrne and then burie the same with certaine ceremonies in some field appointed for that purpose neare vnto their Citie Euery of these pots had in them with the ashes of the dead one peece of Copper-money with the inscription of the Emperour then raigning some of them were of Claudius some of Vespasian some of Nero some of Antonius Pius of Traiane and others Besides those vrnes many other pots were found in the same place made of a white earth with long neckes and handles like to our stone Iugs these were emptie but seemed to be buried full of some liquid matter long since consumed and soaked through For there were found diuers vials and other fashioned Glasses some most cunningly wrought such as I haue not seene the like and some of Christall all which had water in them nothing differing in clearnesse taste or sauour from common spring water whatsoeuer it was at the first Some of these Glasses had oyle in them very thicke and earthy in sauour Some were supposed to haue Balme in them but had lost the vertue Many of these pots and Glasses were broken in cutting of the clay so that few were taken vp whole There were also found diuers Dishes and Cups of a fine reâ—de coloured earth which shewed outwardly such a shining smoothnesse as if they had beene of currall Those had in the bottomes Romane letters printed There were also Lampes of white earth and red artificially wrought with diuers Antiques about them some three or foure Images made of white earth about a spanne long each of them One I remember was of Pallas the rest I haue forgotten I my selfe haue reserued amongst diuers of those Antiquities there one vrne with the ashes and bones and one pot of white earth very small not exceeding the quantitie of a wine pint made in shape of a Hare squatted vpon her legges and betweene her eares is the mouth
was conceiued of his further proceedings had not God cut him off by vntimely death the 17. day of September in the yeare of our Lord God 796. and in the first of his raigne hauing had neither wife nor issue His bodie with all due obsequies was here Princely interred neare to the Shrine of S. Alban This Abbey Church was likewise honoured with the Sepulture of Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland whose storie out of many writers is in this manner extracted This Robert Mowbray a most valiant Souldier seeing his countrey destroyed and ouerrunne euen vnto Alnewicke castle by Malcolme King of Scotland and his armie made head against the said Malcolme not staying for directions from his King William Rufus and so sore and suddenly distressed his forces that both king Malcolme himselfe and his sonne Prince Edward were there slaine Hereupon this Earle growing proud and greatly suspected by King William began to fortifie the Kings Castles with munition for Armes against the like inuasion and indeed against the Kings will who sent him word somewhat roughly to desist from his doings and presently to repaire to his presence which whilest he lingered and neglected to do king William sent his brother Henry to spoile Northumberland and immediately followed after himselfe where without much adoe he tooke the Earle and committed him prisoner to Windsor Castle This Robert Mowbray and William of Anco with others conspired to depriue the King both of Crowne and life and to haue set vp Stephen de Albamarle his Aunts sonne as Houeden and Walsingham will haue it But I reade in an old Manuscript that he fauouring the proceedings of Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury Pro amore bono Ecclesie innocentem vitam finiebat Cuius anime propitietur Deus As the words are Rex ipsum cum alijs decollari mandauit The king commanded that he with others should be beheaded his companion Anco being punished with losse both of his eyes and his virilitie He died in prison saith one writer In ipso Ergastulo deficiens mortuus est regnante Henrico Rege Whose Lands in Normandy as also for the most part here in England the said King Henry gaue to Nigell de Albeney viro probo et illustri Another writer tells vs that he married Maud the daughter of Richerius de Aquila a potent man in the Conquerours dayes and that after foure and thirtie yeares of imprisonment hee died without issue in these words Mathildis autem potenti viro Roberto de Molbraio Comiti Norbandum brorum nupsit qui eodem anno contra Willielmum Rufum Regem Anglorum rebellauit Sed paulo post captus fere 34. annis in carcere praefati Regis Henrici fratris eius sine prole consenuit The same Author deliuers his marriage thus in another place Robertus vt fines suos vndique dilataret ditissimis contubernalibus affinitate potentum sibi copulatis robustior ardua tentaret Mathildem generosam virginem Richerij de Aquila duxit quae neptis erat Hugonis Cestrensis Comitis ex sorore nomine Iudith And in the said page he sets downe his character and the number of the Lordships which he possest here in England with his great power and riches thus Robertus Rogerij de Molbraio filius potentia diuitijsque admodum pollebat audacia et militari feritate superbus pares despiciebat superioribus obtemperare vana ventositate turgidus indignum autumabat Erat autem corpore magnus niger et hispidus audax dolosus vultu tristis ac seuerus Plus meditari quam loqui studebat et vix in confabulatione ridebat Hic nimirum cclxxx villas in Anglia possidebat This man of this high spirit and ample possessions became in the end to bee a shorne Monke of this Monastery as you may reade in the Catalogues of Honour wherein hee died Ann. 1106. To whose memory a Monke of his order made this Epitaph Which he caused to be engrauen vpon his Monument vpon the North side of the Vestrie where he was interred Vir probus fortis quem virtus nescia mortis Condecorat cista iacet hic Robertus in ista Cui dat cognomen Moulbraia nobile nomen Norhandunbrorum comes fuit hic Monachorum Dux erat optatus prudens pius peramatus Hic Monachus fidus hic Martisin agmine sidus Exijt è terris huius mundi quoque guerris Anno milleno Domini centenoque seno Quarta die Februi Pax sit eique mihi Amen Here sometimes was interred the bodie of Alexander Necham whose knowledge in good Arts made him famous throughout England France Italie yea and the whole world and that with such incredible admiration that he was called Miraculum ingenij the wonder and miracle of wit and sapience He was an exact Philosopher an excellent Diuine an accurate Rhetorician and an admirable Poet. As did appeare by many his writings which he left to posteritie some of which are mentioned by Bale He was borne in this Towne as appeares by a certaine passage in one of his Latine Poems cited by Camden and thus englished by his Translator Doctor Holland This is the place that knowledge tooke of my natiuitie My happie yeares my dayes also of mirth and iollitie This place my childhood trained vp in all Arts liberall And laid the groundworke of my name and skill Poeticall This place great and renowned Clerkes into the world hath sent For Martyr blest for nation for site all excellent A troupe here of religious men serue Christ both night and day In holy warfare taking paines duly to watch and pray Camden in his Allusions to names tells vs that he being desirous to enter into religion in this house after he had signified his desire writ thus to the Abbot Laconically Si vis veniam sin autem tu autem Who answered as briefly alluding to his name thus Si bonus sis venias si nequam nequaquam Whereupon saith he he changed his name to Neckam A Monke of this house made this Hexamiter allusiuely to his name Dictus erat Nequam vitam duxit tamen equam He is thought by some saith Bale to haue beene a Canon Regular and to haue beene preferred to the Abbotship of Glocester as another in this old language will haue it And master Alisander that Chanon was er I maked was of Gloucestre Abbot thulk yer viz. 7. Reg. Regis Iohannis But this may be vnderstood of Alexander Theologus of whom I haue spoken elsewhere who was contemporarie with him for I finde that this Alexander was Abbot of Saint Maries in Circester or Cirencester At the time of his death which happened about foure hundred and thirteene yeares since Alexander cognomento Nequam Abbas Cirecestrie literarum scientia clarus obiit Ann. Dom. 1217. lit Dom. C. prid Kal. Feb sepultus erat apud Fanum S. Albani cuius anime propitietur Altissimus Amen Now if
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
which caused a lasting hatred betwixt the King and his Nobles and was the beginning of the second ciuill warre of England Some two yeares after this Tragedie King Edward caused the bodie of his Gaueston to be transferred with great pompe from the place of his former buriall which was among the Friers Preachers at Oxford to this Friery of his owne foundation saith Stow. Where he in person with the Archbishop of Canterbury foure Bishops many Abbots and principall Churchmen did honour the Exequies but few were present of the Nobilitie whose great stomacks would not giue them leaue to attend This was the end of that fatall great Fauourite Gaueston who for that hee was the first Priuado saith Sam. Danyel in the life of Ed. the second of this kinde euer noted in our History and was aboue a King in his life deserues to haue his character among Princes being dead Which is thus deliuered Natiue he was of Gascoine by birth a Gentlman and for the great service his father had done to this Crowne intertained and bred vp by king Edward the first in companie with his sonne this Prince which was the meanes that inuested him into that high fauour of his Hee was of a goodly personage of an haughtie and vndauntable spirit braue and hardie at Armes as he shewed himselfe in that Turneament which he held at Wallingford wherein he challenged the best of the Nobilitie and is said to haue foiled them all which inflamed the more their malice towards him In Ireland where he was Lieutenant during the short time of his banishment he made a iourney into the mountaines of Dublin brake and subdued the Rebels there built Newcastle in the Kernes country repayred castle Keuin and after passed vp into Munster and Thomond performing euery where great seruice with much valour and worthinesse Hee seemes to haue beene a Courtier which could not fawne nor stoope to those he loued not or put on any disguise vpon his Nature to temporize with his enemies But presuming vpon his fortune the misfortune of such men grew in the end to that arrogancie as was intollerable which the priuacie of a Kings fauour usually begets in their Minions whose vnderstanding and iudgement being dazed therewith as is their sight who stand and looke downe from off high places neuer discerne the ground from whence they ascended And this extraordinarie fauour shewed to one though he were the best of men when it arises to an excesse is like the predomination of one humour alone in the body which endangers the health of the whole and especially if it light vpon vnworthinesse or where is no desert and commonly Princes raise men rather for appetite then merit for that in the one they shew the freedome of their power in the other they may seeme but to pay their debt This old Latine rime was made in those dayes vpon the death of this Gaueston by a Monke of S. Maries Yorke Dum Petrus seuit propriam mortem sibi neuit Nunc patet vt nevit truncatus ense quieuit Besides his honours before remembred he was Protector or Gardian of the Realme during the Kings aboad in France about his marriage with Isabell the daughter of Philip the faire French King which indeed was an office but of eighteene dayes continuance as appeares by the sequele Petrus de Gaueston comes Cornubie constituitur Custos Anglie quandiu Rex fuerit in partibus transmarinis c. Teste R. apud West 26. Decemb. Ann. 1. Ed. 2.1 pars pat Hic transfretauit Rex ad partes transmarinas prout patet in rotulis clansarum sinium circa 20. Ianuar. et redijt circa 8. Feb. Ann. 1. Ed. 2. The same yeare he honoured him with the Lieutenancie of Ireland Rex misit Petrum de Gaueston comitem Cornubie ad partes Hiberâ—ie constituit ipsum Locumtenentem in partibus eiusdem quamdiu c. Teste R. apud Redings 16. Iunij Ann. 1. Ed. 2. To conclude then with a late writer .... Great men too well grac'd much rigor vse Presuming Fauorites mischiefe euer bring So that concluding I may boldly speake Minions too great argue a king too weake Richmansworth In the Chappell or buriall place of the ancestors of the Ashbyes now liuing this Inscription Here lieth Anne Ashby wyf of Iohn Ashby of Herfeld Esqwyre dawghter of Thomas Peyton of Iselham Esqwyre who dyed 22. Oct. 1503. on whos sowl Iesu have mercy Amen Herely beried vndyr this stone Thomas Davy and his too wyfs Alis and Ione Watford Hic iacet Hugo de Holes miles Iâ—sticiarius Banci Regis tempore regui 〈◊〉 Ann. 1415. Hic iacet Margareta que fuit vxor Hugonis Holes ..... ob 1416.5 die Marcij Here lyeth Iohn Heydon of the Groue Esquyre who dyed ... 1400. Here lyeth .... William Heydon of Newstreere Esquyre and Ioane his mother who buylded the south Isle of this Church and dyed Ann. 1505. Here lyeth .... William Heydon .... 1500. The rest of the inscriptions for these Heydons are quite gone a name of singular note and demerit in other parts of this kingdome the losse of one of which name is at this houre much lamented namely of Sir William Heydon knight a worthy gentleman a valiant Souldier and an expert Enginer who came vnfortunately to his end at the Isle of Rhee An. Dom. 1027. Hic iacet Iohannes de Hakom Matildis vxor eius qui obiit 4. die Aug. Ann 1365. Ed. 3.39 In this Church are diuers funerall Monuments to the memorie of the much honoured families of the Russels and Morisins Of whom I shall haue occasion by order of method to speake hereafter Aldenham Here lyeth beried the body of Iohn Long saltyr Cityzen and Aldyrman of London and Dame Margaryt hys wyff whych Iohn dyed the vi dey of Iuly M. Vc.xxxviii Who 's sowl Iesu pardon This man was Sheriffe of London in the yeare 1528. borne he was at Berkamsted in this County being the sonne of William Long of the same gentleman anciently descended from the Longs of Wilshire and father he was to Iohn Long of Holme Hall in the County of Derby gentleman who was father to George Long Esquire now liuing Clerke of the office of Pleas in his Maiesties Court of Exchequer and one of his Maiesties Iustices of Peace within the County of Midlesex He liued after he was made free of London which was in the eleuenth of Hen. the seuent 43. yeares Augusti ter quingeni si dempseris vnum Et ter tres decies vt erat verbum caro factum Trux lux vndena miseris subtraxit Asylum Patronum patrie decus orbis lampada morum Quem decorant Latria sapientia spesque fidesque Scilicet Edmund Brook saluetur vt ipse precemur If you will take my construction of this intricate Epitaph this man here so much commended died the eleuenth day of August M. cccc lxxxx Here lyeth Iohn Penn who
l. 10. s. 8. d. per annum Pleshy This Collegiate Church was founded by Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester for Canons regular which was valued in the Kings bookes to be yearely worth one hundred thirty nine pounds three shillings ten pence The vpper part of which Church within these few yeares was taken downe and as I was told in the Towne the Parishioners being either vnwilling or vnable to repaire the decayes carried away the materials which were employed to other vses This part of the Church was adorned and beautified with diuers rich funerall Monuments which were hammered a peeces bestowed and diuided according to the discretion of the Inhabitants Vpon one of the parts of a dismembred Monument carelesly cast here and there in the body of the Church I found these words Here lyeth Iohn Holland Erle of Exceter Erle of Huntington and Chamberleyne of England Who dyed ....... This Iohn was halfe brother to King Richard the second and Duke of Exceter From which dignitie he was deposed by Act of Parliament in the first yeare of King Henry the fourth whose sister he had married and in the same yeare beheaded in this Towne for a seditious conspiracie saith Camden and in the very place where the Duke of Glocester was arrested by King Richard which was in the base court of the Castle of Pleshie now quite ruined that he might seeme saith he to haue beene iustly punished by way of satisfaction for the foresaid Duke of Glocester of whose death he was thought to be the principall procurer He was beheaded the third day after the Epiphanie 1399. 1. Hen. 4. Vpon a broken peece of a faire marble stone reared to the side of a pillar whereupon were the pictures in brasse of an armed knight and his Lady this ensuing disticke was engrauen Militis o miserere tui miserere Parentum Alme deus regnis gaudeat ille tuis Vnder this stone if Tradition may go for truth Sir Edward Holland Earle of Mortaigne sonne of the foresaid Iohn Holland beheaded with his Lady were entombed Orate pro anima Iohannis Scot primi Magistri huius Collegij qui obijt primo die Ianuar. M. cccc.x Qui me psalmasti miserere mei Qui me pretioso tuo sanguine redimisti miserere mei Qui me ad Christianitatem vocasti miserere mei Here lyeth Robert Frevyt a man letterd sowndyt For hys sowl and for all christine sey a Pater Noster and an Ave. But I shall forget the Founder Thomas of Woodstocke the sixth sonne of King Edward the third and Vncle to King Richard who was taken by force from this his Castle of Plessy by Thomas Mowbray Earle Marshall and conuayed to Callis where he was smothered vnder a Featherbed 1397. His body was afterwards conueyed with all funerall pompe into England and buried here in this Church of his owne foundation in a goodly sepulchre prouided by himselfe in his life time Whose reliques were afterwards remoued and laid vnder a marble inlaid with brasse in the Kings Chappell at Westminster In which Church Elianor his wife of whom I haue spoken before lieth entombed with this French inscription who after the death of her husband became a Nunne in the Abbey of Barking within this County Cy gist Aleonore de Bohun aysue fille et vn des heirs l'hounrable seignour Mons. Humfrey de Bohun Counte de Hereford d'Essex et de Northampton et Constable d'Engleterre Femme a puissant et noble prince Tho. de Woodstock Fitz a tresexcellent et tre puisant seignour Edward Roi d'Engleterre puis le Conquest tiers Duc de Glocestre Counte d'Essexie et de Buchingham et Constable d'Engleterre quemorust le tierz iour a'October ban du grace 1399. de gi aisme Dieux face mercy Amen But againe to returne to the Duke her husband touching whose life and death with the manner thereof thus writeth Gower in his booke called Vox clamantis O quam Fortuna stabilis non permanet una Exemplum cujus stat in ordine carminis hujus Rex agit et Cygnus patitur de Corde benignus Ille prostratus non est de Rege levatus Ad Plessye captus tunc est velut Hostia raptus Rex jubet arma geri nec eo voluit misereri Cum Sponsa nati lugent quasi morti gravati Plusque Lupo sevit Rex dummodo Femina flevit Nil pietas munit quem tunc manus invida punit Rex stetit obliquus nec erat tunc unus amicus O Regale genus Princeps quasi pauper egenus Turpiter attractus jacet et sine iure subactus Sunt ibi Fautores Regis de sorte Priores Qui Cygnum pendent vbi captum ducere tendent Sic ducendo ducem perdit sine lumine lucem Anglia que tota tenebrescit luce remota Trans mare natavit regnum qui semper amavit Flent centum mille quia Cygnus preterit ille Calisij portus petit unde dolus latet ortus Error quem Regis genuit putredine legis Carcere conclusus subito fuit ille reclusus Nescit quo fine sit vite sive ruine Tunc Rex elatum sumpsit quasi Falco volatum Vnde suas gentes perdit Custode carentes A little after follow these verses touching the deniall of buriall to bee granted vnto him among the rest of his honourable and royall Ancestors Sic nece devictum sic corpus ab hoste relictum Clam de conclavi susceperat Anglia navi Per mare regreditur corpus nec adhuc sepelitur Namque sepulturam defendit Rex sibi puram Desuper a latere patris loca justa tenere Dummodo quesivit vix bassa sepulchra subivit Of the manner of his death these three verses following Hen quam tortorum quidam de sorte malorum Sic Ducis electi plumarum pondere lecti Corpus quassatum jugulant que necant jugulatum Such was the end of this royall Prince sonne to a King and vncle to a King who by our writers is discommended in this that he was euer repining against the King in all things whatsoeuer he wished to haue forward Erat enim vir ferocissimus precipitis ingenij as Polidor censures him a most fierce man and of an headlong wit who thinking still that those times wherein he had mastred the King were nothing changed though the King was aboue thirty yeeares old forbare not roughlie not so much to admonish as to check and schoole his Soueraigne Hatfield Peuerell So denominated of one Randolph Peuerell the owner thereof to whom Edward the Confessor was very munificent for that hee had married his kinswoman the daughter of Ingelrick a man of great Nobilitie among the English Saxons A Lady of that admirable beautie that with her lookes she conquered the Conquerour William who desired nothing more then to be her prisoner in Armes which to effect hee begins to expresse a kinde of loue to the remembrance of
reuenues Richard Cordelion his sonne confirmes the gift and exchange of the Canons made by his father by his Charter to be read in the Tower in these words Richardus Dei gratia c. Inde est quod sicut Pater noster mutationem Canonicorum secularium institutionem Canonicorum regularium fecit in Ecclesia de Waltham eis quasdam non as possessiones et veteres concessit confirmauit Sic nos laudabiliter virorum commutationem in prefata Ecclesia factam nostra autem approbamus Et pro salute predicti Patris nostri et Matris nostre et Fratrum nostrorum et pro salute omnium fidelium constitutionem Canonicorum Regularium in eadem Ecclesia factam donationes possessiones nouas que a Patre nostro eis facte sunt presenti carta nostra confirmamus Dat. c. Henry the third encreased much their reuenues with Faires and Markets a Faire here for seuen dayes and at Epping a Market euery Monday and a Faire for three dayes So by the munificence of these Kings their Successours and Subiects this Abbey at the generall suruey and surrender was valued at Robin Hoods pennieworths to dispend yearely 900. pounds foure shillings and foure pence The Catalogue of religious houses saith 1079. l. 12. s. and a pennie The Church of this Monastery hath escaped the hammers of destruction and with a venerable aspect sheweth vnto vs the magnitude of the rest of this religious Structure Herein Harold made his vowes and prayers for victorie when hee marched against the Norman Conquerour In which battell by the shot of an arrow through the left eye into his braines he was slaine the 14. of October being Saturday 1066. hauing raigned nine moneths and odde dayes whose body by the mediation of his mother Githa and two religious men of this Abbey being obtained of the Conquerour howsoeuer at the first by him denyed affirming that buriall was not fit for him whose ambition had beene the cause of so many funeralls was conueyed with great lamentation by his said mother Githa and a small deiected remainder of the English Nobilitie to this his owne Church and herein solemnly interred vpon whose Monument this Epitaph was engrauen Heu cadis hosle sero Rex a Duce Rege sutaro Par paris gladio milite valido Firmini iusti lux est tibi luce Calixti Pronior hinc superas hinc superatus eras Ergo tibi requiem deposcat vtrumque perennem Sicque precetur eum quod colit omne Deum A fierce foe thee slew thou a King he king in view Both Peeres both Peerelesse both fear'd and both fearlesse That sad day was mixt by Firmin and Calixt Th' one helpt thee to vanquish t'other made thee languish Both now for thee pray and thy Requiem say So let good men all to God for the call Girth and Leofwin his two brethren lost their liues likewise vnder Harolds Banner which was brondet saith Robert of Glocester with sygur of a man fyghtyng biset al about wyth gold and preciosse stons which Baner aftur the Bataile Duc William sent to the Pope in tokne of the victory Whose bodyes were in like manner brought to this Church and here entombed It is said that Girthe not holding it best to hazard the Kindome of England at one cast signified to the King that the successe of warre was doubtfull that victory was rather swayed by fortune then by valour that aduised delay was most important in martiall affaires and if so bee brother said hee you haue plighted your faith to the Duke retire your selfe for no force can serue against a mans owne conscience God will reuenge the violation of an oath you may reserue your selfe to giue them a new encounter which will be more to their terrour As for me if you will commit the charge to me I will performe both the part of a kinde brother and a couragious Leader For being cleare in conscience I shall sell my life or discomfit your enemy with more felicitie But the King not liking his speech answered I will neuer turne my back with dishonour to the Norman neither can I in any sort digest the reproach of a base minde well then be it so said some discontented of the company let him beare the brunt that hath giuen the occasion This Harold is much commended for his courteous affabilitie gentle deportment Iustice and warlike prowesse in nothing blame worthy saue that in the opinion of his owne valour he addicted himselfe wholly to his owne resolutions neglecting the wise deliberations of his best friends and Councellors And that his courage could neuer stoope to be lower then a King For which he is taxed to be an impious man falsely aspiring to the Crowne by vsurpation Of which my old Author with whom I will conclude hath these rimes Harold the falls Erle tho Sent Edward ded ley Hym selue let corone King thulk self dey Falsliche Richard the first king of England for his matchlesse valour surnamed Cordelion or Lions-heart is by some of our old English writers said to haue slaine a Lion and by the pulling out of his heart to haue gained that attribute or denomination the truth is that Hugh Nevill a gentleman of noble linage one of King Richards speciall familiars is recorded to haue slaine a Lion in the holy Land driuing first an arrow into his breast and then running him thorow with his sword whereupon this Hexameter was made Viribus Hugonis vires periere Leonis The strength of Hugh a Lion slue Which atchiuement belike was transferred from the man to the master and the story applied to the by-name of K. Richard This Hugh was high Iustice Gardian or Prothoforester of England He died about the sixt of King Henry the third being full of yeeres corpus eius saith Paris in Ecclesia de Waltam nobili Sarchophago marmoreo et in sculpto traditur sepulturae and his body was buried in this Church of Waltham vnder a noble engrauen marble Sepulchre Iohn Nevill his sonne non ultimus inter Angliae nobiles patris sui pedetentim sequens vestigia and the sonne and heire as well of his vertues as reuenues and offices being accused by one Robert Passelew a man of eminent authoritie vnder King Henry the third of diuers transgressions or omissions in the Forrest Lawes committed by him by his conniuencie or sufferance in this Forrest of Waltham and other the Kings Forrests Parks and Chaces was adiudged to pay a Fine of two thousand markes and ignominiouslie to be cast out of his offices which he tooke so to heart that not long after languishing away with sorrow he breathed out his afflicted spirit in Iuly 1245. at his Mannor of Whelperfield from whence he was conueyed to this Abbey and here honourably entombed by his father I finde in Registro Cartarum Abbatie de Waltam that these two Nevils were great benefactors to
the worlde This done I haue matter of plenty already prepared for this purpose that is to say to write an History to the which I entend to ascribe this title De Antiquitate Britannica or else Civilis Historia And this worke I entend to diuide into so many bookes as there be Shyres in England and shires and great dominions in Wales So that I esteeme that this Volume will enclude a fifty bookes whereof each one seuerally shall containe the beginnings encreases and memorable acts of the chiefe Townes and Castles of the Prouince allotted to it Then I entend to distribute into sixe bookes such matter as I haue already collected concerning the Isles adiacent to your noble realme and vndre your subieccyon Wherof three shall be of these Isles Vecta Mona and Menavia somtime kyngedomes And to superadde a worke as an ornament and a right comely garlande to the enterprises aforesaid I haue selected stuffe to be distributed into three bookes the which I purpose thus to entitle De Nobilitate Britannica Wherof the first shall declare the names of Kynges and Quenes with their children Dukes Earles Lordes Capitaynes and rulers in this realme to the commynge of the Saxons and theyr Conquest The seconde shall be of the Saxons The thirde from the Normans to the reygne of your most noble grace descending lineally of the Brytayne Saxon and Norman kynges So that all noble men shall clerely perceyve their lyneall parentele Now if it shall be the pleasure of Almighty God that I may lyve to performe these things that be already begonne and in a great forwardnesse I trust that this your realme shall so we le be knowne ones paynted wyth his native colours that the renowne thereof shall geue place to the glory of no other region And my great labours and costes procedynge from the most habundant fountayne of your infinite goodnesse towards me your pore scholar and most humble servaunt shall be euydently seane to have not only pleased but also profyted the studyouse gentill and equall reders This is the briefe declaracyon of my laboriouse iourney taken by mocyon of your hyghnesse so much studying at all houres aboute the frutefull preferment of good letters and auncyent vertues Christ contynue your most royall estate and the prosperyte wyth successyon in kyngely dignite of your deere and worthylye beloued sonne Prynce Edward grauntynge you a numbre of Pryncely sonnes by the most gracyouse benygne and modest Lady your Quene Cataryne Iohannes Leylandus Antiquarius Iohn Bale in his declaration vpon this Treatise saith that the next yeare after that Leyland presented this New-yeares Gift to king Henry the said king deceased and Leyland by a most pitifull accident fell besides his wits which was the cause belike that these his workes were neuer imprinted howsoeuer at this day the written copies thereof are in some priuate mens custody which learned Camden saw as he himselfe acknowledgeth when hee compiled that matchlesse Chorographicall description of Great Britaine But those learned Authors which Leyland gathered together in his iourney and which hee conserued to augment the Kings Libraries and his owne are I doubt by the iniquitie of times quite lost and perished And here I might take occasion to speake of the great spoile of old Bookes and all other reuerend Antiquities at and vpon the suppression of Abbeyes and reformation of Religion As also of the due praise belonging to such men in these dayes who like Sir Robert Cotton with labour and charges collect and safely preserue these ancient Monuments of learning for the publique good and commodity of the whole kingdome But of this when I come to that inestimable rich Treasurie that famous and renowned Library in the Vniuersitie of Oxford whose principall Founder was Sir Thomas Bodley knight deceased To returne then to our Antiquarie Leyland Many other workes saith Bale in the foresaid declaration hath Leyland written of whom some are emprinted as the Assertion of king Arthure the Birth of Prince Edward the Song of the Swanne the decease of Sir Thomas Wiet the winning of Bullein and the commendation of Peace Some are not yet printed as his Colleccyons of the Byshoppes of Brytayne of the Vniuersytees of the same of the orygynoll and increase of good learnynges there Of his Epigrammes and Epitaphs and the lyfe of kynge Sygebert with many other more He died franticke the 18. day of Aprill Anno redemptionis humanae 1552. Of whom this Ogdoasticke following was composed either by himselfe as the stile sheweth or by some other in his name saith Pitseus Quantum Rhenano debet Germania docto Tantum debebit terra Britanna mihi Ille suae gentis ritus nomina prisca Aestiuo fecit lucidiora die Ipse antiquarum rerum quoque magnus amator Ornabo patriae lumina clara meae Quae cum prodierint niueis inscripta tabellis Tum testes nostrae sedulitatis erunt These verses were annexed to his Monument as I haue it by tradition This our Leland is called by writers Lelandus iunior in regard of another Iohn Leland who flourished in the time of king Henry the sixth taught a Schoole in Oxford and writ certaine Treatises of the Art of Grammer Which Leland saith Pits was tum in versu tum in prosa multo elegantior in omni Latinitate purior tersior nitidior quam ferebat illius at at is communis consuetudo As well in verse as prose much more elegant and in all the Latine tongue more pure polisht and neate then the custome of that age did commonly affoard Whereupon this riming Hexameter was made to his commendation Vt Rosa slos slorum sic Leland Grammaticorum But to take my leaue of both these Lelands and go forward to what ancient Inscriptions I haue sometime found in this Church Blessyd Lady moder and Virgyn have mercy and pety on ye soul of yowr powere mayd Elisabyth West yat here lyeth beryed ye whych decessyd ye yere of owr Lord M. ccccc.vii ye vii of Octobre O mater Dei miserere mei Amen Hic ..... Rogerus Woodcocke ciuis et Hat London Ioanna vxor eius .... M. ccccxxii Qui venisti redimere perditos noli dampnare redemptos Epitaphs and Inscriptions within certaine Churches of this Cittie colâ—â—cted about some thirtie seuen yeares since by Robert Treswell Esquire somerset Herald lately deceased Of which few or none are to be found at this present time Saint Botolphs Aldersgate Hic iacet Katherina Cauendish quondam vxor Thome Cauendishe nuper de Cauendish in Com. Suffolke Armig. que obijt xv die Septemb. Anno Dom. M. cccc.lxxxxix Cuius anima requiescat in pace Hic iacet Alicia nuper vxor Thome Cauendish de Cauendish et de Scaccario excellentissimi Principis Domini Henrici viij que quidem obijt xij Nouemb. Ann. Dom. M. ccccc.xv Cuius anime propitietur Altissimus Amen Here lyeth buried vnder this Stone Margaret
and sea together wherein a Monastery was built by Furseus a holy Scot by whose perswasions Sigebert king of the East Angles became a Monke and resigned vp his kingdome who afterwards being drawne against his will out of this Monastery to encourage his people in battell against the Mercians together with his company lost his life In that place now there are onely ruinous walls in forme as it were foure square built of flint stone and British bricke But the story of the Foundation of this Abbey will best appeare in the life of Furseus written by Bede and followed by Capgraue Bede lib 3. cap. 19. Capgraue lit F. folio 153 as followeth In the time that Sigebert yet gouerned the East parts of England a holy man called Furseus came thither out of Ireland a man notable both for his sayings and doings of great vertue and much desiring to wander and trauell in Gods quarrell wheresoever occasion serued Comming therefore to the east coasts of England hee was reuerently receiued of the said King where pursuing his godly desire of Preaching the word of God hee both conuerted many Infidels and confirmed the faithfull in the faith and loue of Christ by his painefull Preaching and vertuous examples Where falling into sicknesses hee had from God a vision by the ministery of Angels wherein he was warned to goe forward cheerefully in his painefull Preaching of the Gospell and to perseuere in his accustomed watching and praying because his end and death was certaine though the houre thereof was most vncertaine according to the saying of our Lord. Watch therefore ye know not the day nor the houre With this vision being much confirmed and encouraged he hastened with all speed to build vp the Monasterie in the place king Sigebert had giuen vnto him and to instruct it with regular discipline This Monastery was pleasantly situated for the Woods and Sea adioyning being erected in the village of Gnobersburg and enriched afterwards by Anna King of that prouince and many other Noble men with sundry faire houses and other ornaments This Monastery was founded about the yeare of our Lord 636. and demolished long before the violent deluge of such buildings which happened in the raigne of King Henry the eight Gorlston Here I saw saith Camden the tower steeple of a small suppressed Friery which standeth the Sailers in good steed for a marke of which Friery I neuer marked further Lestoffe Here lieth buried the body of Thomas Scroope otherwise sirnamed Bradley of the towne wherein he was borne descended of the noble family of the Scroopes Qui claritatem generis literis et virtutibus plurimum illustrabat who very much adorned the honour of his birth by his learning and vertues He was first a Monke ordinis Sancti Benedicti of the order of Saint Benet after that ad maiorem aspirans perfectionem aspiring to a greater perfection of life hee tooke vpon him the profession and rule of a Dominican and after that he submitted himselfe to the discipline of the Carmelites of whose Institution he writ a learned Treatise and preached the Gospell in haire and sackcloth round about the Countrie Then hee withdrew himselfe againe to his house of Carmelites in Norwich and there remained twenty yeares leading the life of an Anchorite but yet after that time he came abroad and was aduanced by the Pope to a Bishopricke in Ireland called Dromorensis Episcopatus the said Pope which was Eugenius the fourth sent him in embassage to the I le of Rhodes of which he writ a booke from whence being returned he left Ireland and his Bishopricke came into the East countries wherein hee went vp and downe barefooted teaching in townes abroad the ten commandements and preaching the glad tidings of the Gospell Quicquid autem vel ex suis reditibus percepit vel alias a ditioribus lucrari poterat id totum aut pauperibus distribuit aut in alios pios vsus erogauit whatsoeuer hee tooke either of his owne yearely profits or what he could procure from the richer sort of people he distributed it all to the poore or employed it to pious vses At the length Anno aetatis suae plus minus centesimo in Leistoft Suffolciencis comitatus oppido viuendi finem fecit in the yeare of his age one hundred or thereabouts he died in this towne of Lestoffe the fifteenth day of Ianuary in the yeare of our Lord 1491. the seuenth of Henry the seuenth Here he was buried cum Epitaphio Elegiaco with an Elegiacall or sorrowfull Epitaph engrauen vpon his monument two of the last verses of which are these two verses following Venit ad occasum morbo confectus amoro Spiritus alta petit pondere corpus humum If you would know more of this learned Irish Bishop reade Bale and Pitseus in his life Somerley The habitation in ancient times of Fitz-Osbert from whom it is come lineally to the worshipfull ancient Familie of the Iernegans Knights of high esteeme in these parts saith Camden in this tract Vpon an ancient Knight saith the same Author in his Remaines Sir Iernegan buried crosse legd at Somerley in Suffolke some hundred yeares since is written Iesus Christ both God and man Saue thy seruant Iernegan This Knight as I gather by computation of yeares was Sir Richard Ierningham or Iernegan who for his staid wisedome was chosen to be one of the priuie Chamber to King Henry the eight vpon this occasion following Certaine Gentlemen of the priuy Chamber which through the Kings lenitie in bearing with their lewdnesse forgetting themselues and their duty towards his grace in being too familiar with him not hauing due respect to his estate and degree were remoued by order taken from the Councell vnto whom the King had giuen authoritie to vse their discretions in that behalfe and then were foure sad and ancient Knights put into the Kings priuy Chamber whose names were Sir Richard Wingfield Sir Richard Ierningham Sir Richard Weston and Sir William Kingstone Or it may be Sir Robert Ierningham knighted by the Duke of Suffolke Charles Brandon at the battaile and yeelding vp of Mont de dier a towne in France But which of the Family soeuer he was the name hath beene of exemplarie note before the Conquest if you will beleeue thus much as followeth taken out of the Pedegree of the Ierninghams by a iudicious gentleman Anno M.xxx. Canute King of Denmarke and of England after his returne from Rome brought diuers Captaines and Souldiers from Denmarke whereof the greatest part were christened here in England and began to settle themselues here of whom Iernegan or Iernengham and Iennihingho now Iennings were of the most esteeme with Canute who gaue vnto the said Ierningham certaine royalties and at a Parliament held at Oxford the said King Canute did giue vnto the said Ierningham certaine Mannors in Norfolke and to Iennings certain Mannors lying vpon the sea-side neere Horwich in Suffolke in
and that sufficiently for the grazing of all the greater sort of cattell of seuen Towneships to the same neare scituated besides the feeding of thirtie thousand sheepe In the Churchyard is a ridg'd Altar Tombe or Sepulchre of a wondrous antique fashion vpon which an Axell-tree and a cart-wheele are insculped Vnder this Funerall Monument the Towne-dwellers say that one Hikifricke lies interred of whom as it hath gone by tradition from Father to the Sonne they thus likewise report How that vpon a time no man knowes how long since there happened a great quarrell betwixt the Lord of this land or ground and the Inhabitants of the foresaid seuen villages about the meere-markes limits or bondaries of this fruitfull feeding place the matter came to a battell or skirmish in which the said Inhabitants being not able to resist the Landlord and his forces began to giue backe Hikifricke driuing his cart along and perceiuing that his neighbours were faint-hearted and ready to take flight he shooke the Axell-tree from the cart which he vsed in stead of a sword and tooke one of the cart-wheeles which he held as a buckler with these weapons in a furious rage you must imagine he set vpon the Common aduersaries or aduersaries of the Common encouraged his neighbours to go forward and fight valiantly in defence of their liberties who being animated by his manly prowesse they tooke heart to grasse as the prouerbe is insomuch that they chased the Landlord and his companie to the vtmost verge of the said Common which from that time they haue quietly enioyed to this very day The Axell-tree and cart-wheele are cut and figured in diuers places of the Church and Church windowes which makes the story you must needs say more probable This relation doth in many parts parallell with that of one Hay a strong braue spirited Scottish Plowman who vpon a set battell of Scots against the Danes being working at the same time in the next field and seeing some of his countreymen to flie from that hote encounter caught vp an oxe yoke Boethius saith a Plough-beame with which after some exhortation that they should not bee faint-hearted hee beate the said straglers backe againe to the maine Army where he with his two sonnes who tooke likewise such weapons as came next to their hands renewed the charge so furiously that they quite discomfited the enemy obtaining the glory of the day and victory for their drad Lord and Soueraigne Kenneth the third King of Scotland and this happened in the yeare 942. the second of the said kings raigne This you may reade at large in the History of Scotland thus abridged by Camden as followeth Where Tay now growen bigger enlargeth himselfe saith he there appeareth ouer it Arrol the habitation of the noble Earles of Arrol who euer since the Bruises dayes haue beene by inheritance the Constables of Scotland and verily they deduce an ancient pedegree from one Hay a man of exceeding strength and excellent courage who together with his two sonnes in a dangerous battell of Scots against the Danes at Longcarty caught vp an oxe yoke and so valiantly and fortunately withall what with frighting and what with exhorting reenforced the Scots at the point to shrinke and recule that they had the day of the Danes and the King with the States of the kingdome ascribed the victory and their owne safety vnto his valour and prowesse Whereupon in this place the most battle and fruitfull grounds were assigned vnto him and his heires who in testimony hereof haue set ouer their coat a yoke for their Creast Of which memorable exploite to the further honour of this ancient and Princely great Family Iohn Ionston of Aberdon that ingenious learned Diuine and Poet hath written as followeth Haius Pater cum duobus filijs Armatus aratri iugo suorum fugientium agmen stitit Danorum exercitum victorem repulit Salutem patriae sibi posterisque rem decus immortale peperit in memorabili ad Loncartem vicum pugna quae incidit in annum secundum Kennethi iii. Anno Christi 942. Ab hoc cepit initium illustris Comitum Erroliae domus quae et agros Scotiae fertilissimos et insignia in victoriae praemia hisce data adhuc tenet Quo ruitis Ciues Heia hosti obuertite vultus Non pudet infami vertere terga fuga Hostis ego vobis aut ferrum virtite in hostem Dixit et armatus dux praeit ipse iugo Quâ quâ ibat vastam condensa per agmina Danûm Dat stragem hinc omnis consequiturque fuga Servauit Ciues Victorem reppulit hostem Vnus cum Natis agminis instar erat Hic Decios agnosce tuos magnae aemula Romae Aut prior hac aut te bis Scotia maior adhuc The Succession names and number of the right reuerend Fathers in God Lords and Bishops of Dunwich Elmham and Norwich and of such of them as I finde to haue beene reputed Saints OF the Bishops of Dunwich and Elmham I haue already written of which number Felix the first Bishop was the first Saint In the yere vi hundreth thyrty and two Kynge Edwyne by holy doctryne Of Saynt Felix an holy Preste that was tho And preachyng of the holy archbyshop Paulyn Of Chrystes worde and verteous discyplyne Conuerted Edordwolde of Estangle the kyng And all the realme where Felix was dwelling This sacred Bishop Felix was borne brought vp and sublimated with an Episcopall Mitre in the parts of Burgundy which worldly pompe and honour together with his owne Countrie hee forsooke onely to propagate the Gospell and came into England to preach the word of God in the daies of Honorius Bishop of Rome Honorius being as then Archbishop of Canterbury He was a man euery way learned what he daily taught hee carefully put in practise by his holy conuersation and charitable good workes He deliuered the word with great mildnesse and pleasant elocution whereby the more easily he subiugated his Auditors to the yoke of â—esus Christ. Hauing gouerned the East Angles 17 yeares he died at Dunwich his Seat the eight of the Ides of March Anno 647. where in the Church of his owne Foundation he was first buried but after a time his bones were taken vp and conuaied to Some in Cambridgeshire and there solemnly encoffined in the Chancell of the Church there which hee likewise built And afterwards in the raigne of King Canute his sacred reliques were remoued from thence to the Abbey-Church of Ramsey in Huntingdonshire by the procurement of Ethelstan at that time Abbot of the said Monastery The next Bishop that I finde was Humbyrct or Humbert who kept his See at Elmham and being reputed holy was reckoned for a Saint of which a late writer The See at Norwich now establisht long not stird At Eltham planted first to Norwich then transferd Into our bed-roule here her Humbert in doth bring A Counsellour that was
to that most martyred king Saint Edmund who in their rude massacre then slaine The title of a Saint his Martyrdome doth gaine Now to come to Norwich the first Bishop of Norwich was William Herbert the second Euerard the third William Turbus the fourth Iohn of Oxford the fift Iohn de Grey of these I haue written before The sixt was Pandulfus the Popes Legate hee was consecrated at Rome by Honorius the Third Bishop of Rome and died the fift yeare of his consecration 1227. The seuenth was Thomas de Blundeuill an officer of the Exchequer preferred thereunto by Hubert de Burgo the famous chiefe Iustice of England he died August 16. 1236. The eight Radulph who died An. 1236. The ninth was William de Raleigh who was remoued to Winchester The tenth was Walter de Sufield the eleuenth Simon de Wanton the twelfth Roger de Sherwyng the thirteenth William Middleton of whom before The fourteenth was Raph de Walpoole translated to Ely The fifteenth was Iohn Salmon the sixteenth was William Ayermin of whom before The seuenteenth was Antony de Becke Doctor of Diuinitie a retainer to the Court of Rome and made Bishop by the Popes Prouisorie Bull. Hee had much to doe with the Monkes of his Church whom it seemeth hee vsed too rigorously He also withstood Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury in his visitation appealing from him to Rome This boisterous vnquiet humour it seemes was his death for it is said that hee was poisoned by his owne seruants The eighteenth Bishop was William Bateman who died at Auinion in the yeare 1354. and was there buried of whom hereafter The ninteenth was Thomas Piercy The twentieth was Henry Spencer The one and twentieth was Alexander of whom before The two and twentieth was Richard Courtney Chancellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford a man famous for his excellent knowledge in both lawes A man of great linage great learning and great vertue and no lesse beloued among the common people He died of a Fluxe in Normandy at the siege of Harflew Septemb. 14. 1415. in the second yeare after his consecration His body being brought into England was honourably interred at Westminster The three and twentieth was Iohn Wakering of whom I haue spoken before The foure and twentieth was William Alnwick translated to Lincolne of whom hereafter in his place of buriall The fiue and twentieth was Thomas Browne Bishop of Rochester who being at the Councell of Basill had this Bishopricke cast vpon him before euer he vnderstood of any such intent toward him In his time the Citizens of Norwich vpon an old grudge attempted many things against the Church but such was the singuler wisedome and courage of this Bishop that all their enterprises came to none effect he sate nine yeares and died anno 1445. where buried I doe not finde The sixe and twentieth was Gualter Hart or Lyghart The seauen and twentieth was Iames Goldwell The eight and twentieth was Thomas Ian. The nine and twentieth was Richard Nyx of whom before The thirtieth was William Rugge alias Reps a Doctor of Diuinitie in Cambridge He sate 14 yeares and deceased anno 1550. The one and thirtieth was Thyrlhey a Doctor of Law of Cambridge the first and last Bishop of Westminster translated to Ely The two and thirtieth was Iohn Hopton a Doctor of Diuinity of Oxford and houshold Chaplaine to Queene Mary elected to this Bishopricke in King Edwards daies He sate 4 yeares and died in the same yeare that Queene Mary did for griefe as it was supposed The three and thirtieth was Iohn Parkhurst who lieth buried in his Cathedrall Church vnder a faire Tombe with this Inscription Iohannes Parkhurstus Theol. professor Gilford natus Oxon. educatus Temporibus Mariae Reginae pro tuenda conscientia vixit exul voluntarius postea Presul factus sanctissime hanc rexit Ecclesiam per. 16. An. ob 1574. aetat 63. Vivo bono docto ac pio Iohanni Parkhursto Episcopo vigilentissimo Georgius Gardmer posuit hoc monumentum The foure and thirtieth was Edmund Freake Doctor of Diuinity who was remoued from hence to Worcester The fiue and thirtieth was Edmund Scambler houshold Chaplaine for a time to the Archbishop of Canterbury hee was consecrated Bishop of Peterborough Ianuary 16. anno 1560. and vpon the translation of Bishop Freake preferred to this See where hee lieth buried vnder a faire monument hauing this Inscription or Epitaph Edmundi Scambleri viri reuerendissimi et in ampliss dignitatis gradu dum inter homines ageret locati corpus in hoc tegitur tumulo obijt Non. Maij anno 1594. Viuo tibi moriorque tibi tibi Christe resurgam Te quia iustifica Christe prebendo fide Huic abeat mortis terror tibi viuo redemptor Mors mihi lucrum est tu pie Christe salus The sixe and thirtieth was William Redman Archdeacon of Canterbury consecrated Ianuary 12. an 1594. He was sometime fellow of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and bestowed 100. markes vpon wainscotting of the Library there Hee died a few daies before Michaelmas Anno 1602. The seauen and thirtieth was Iohn Iegon Doctor of Diuinity and Deane of Norwich fellow sometimes of Queenes Colledge in Cambridge and afterwards master of Bennet Colledge of the time of his death or how long he enioyed this high dignitie I haue not learned The eight and thirtieth was Iohn Ouerall Doctor of Diuinitie sometimes Fellow of Trinitie Colledge Master of Katherine Hall and the Kings Professor in Cambridge afterwards Deane of S. Pauls a learned great Schooleman as any was in all the kingdome how long hee sate or when he died I doe not certainly know Samuel Harsenet Doctor of Diuinity sometime Master of Penbroke Hall in Cambridge Bishop of Chichester and now graced with the metropoliticall dignity of the Archbishoprick of Yorke was the nine and thirtieth Bishop of this Diocesse Which at this time is gouerned by the right reuerend Father in God Francis White Doctor of Diuinitie the Kings Almoneâ— sometimes Deane as also Bishop of Carlile an excellent learned man as his workes now extant doe testifie Now it here followes that I should say somewhat of the scituation circuit commodities and other particulars of this Diocesse like as I haue done of London but that is already most exactly performed and to the full by that learned and iudicious Knight and great Antiquary Sir Henry Spelman in his booke before mentioned called Icenia a Manuscript much desired to come to the open view of the world Here endeth the Ancient Funerall Monuments within the Diocesse of Norwich and this Booke FINIS A funerall Elegie vpon the death of Sir Robert Cotton Knight and Baronet Lib. 8. ep 3. Lib. 10. Epig. 11. In conclu li. vlt. 1. Siluester Transl. Properâ— lib. 3. El. 2. Ruines of Time M. â—rayton Pâ—l Song xvi Scipio Gentilis lib. Orig. sing Panuinius in lideritu sepeliend mortuos Râ—maines Camd. Remaines Aeneâ—◠〈◊〉 Trump 〈…〉 Inuen 〈◊〉 Rosin de Autin Romano 〈…〉 l. â— cap. 59. Gen. 1â— 2. Sam.