was High Sheriff of the County in the year 1480. leaving Edmond Denny to inherit his estate Edmond Denny was one of the Barons of the Exchequer in credit and favour Edm. Denny Baron of the Exchequer with King Edward the Fourth and Henry the Seventh He Married Mary the Daughter and Heir of Robert Troutbeck Esquire on whom he begat Thomas Denny from whom the Dennies in Norfolk are descended Anthony Denny second Son to Baron Denny was Knighted by King Henry Anthony Denny his high commendations the Eighth made Gentleman of his Bed-chamber Privy-Councellour and one of his Executors I cannot say he was bred any great Scholar but finde him a Mecaenas and grand favourer of Learned men For when the School of b Ascham Commend Epist fol. 210. Idem fol. 208. Sedbury in the North belonging to St Johns in Cambridg was run to ruine the Lands thereof being sold and embezeled Sr Anthony procured the reparation of the Schoole and restitution of their means firmly setling them to prevent future alienation Hear what character c Mr Ascham gives of him Religio Doctrina Respublica omnes curas tuas sic occupant ut extra has tres res nullum tempus consumas Religion Learning Common-wealth so employ all thy cares that besides these three things you spend no other time Let then the enemies if any of his memory abate of this character to what proportion they please pretending it but the Orators Rhetorical Hyperbole the very remainder thereof which their malice must leave will be sufficient to speak Sr Anthony a worthy and meriting Gentleman I finde an excellent Epitaph made on him by one the Learned'st of Noblemen His Epitaph made by the Lord Howard and Noblest of Learned men in his age viz. Henry Howard Earl of Surrey and eldest son to the Duke of Norfolk worthy the Reader his perusal Vpon the Death of Sir Anthony a Weavers Funeral Monuments p. 852. Denny Death and the King did as it were contend Which of them two bare Denny greatest love The King to shew his love 'gan far extend Did him advance his betters far above Neer place much wealth great honour eke him gave To make it known what power Princes have But when Death came with his triumphant gift From worldly cark he quit his wearied ghost Free from the corps and straight to Heaven it lift Now deem that can who did for Denny most The King gave wealth but fading and unsure Death brought him bliss that ever shall endure Know Reader that this Lord made this Epitaph by a Poetical Prolepsis otherwise at the reading thereof who would not conceive that the Author surviv'd the subject of his Poem Whereas indeed this Lord died beheaded 1546. in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth whom Sr Anthony out-lived being one of the Executors of his Will Nor was it the worst piece of service he performed to his Master when all other Courtiers declining the employment he truly acquainted him with his dying-condition to dispose of his soul for another world Sr Anthony died about the second of Edward the sixth Dame Joan his His issue by Dame Joan his wife Wife surviving him Daughter she was to Sr Philip Champernoon of Modbury in Devon-shire a Lady of great beauty and parts a favourer of the Reformed Religion when the times were most dangerous She sent eight shillings by her man in a Violet coat to Anne b Fox Acts Monuments fol. 1239. Aschough when imprisoned in the Counter a small sum yet a great gift so hazardous it was to help any in her condition This Lady Joan bought the Reversion in Fee of Waltham from King Edward the Sixth paying three thousand and hundred pounds for the same purchasing therewith large priviledges in Waltham-Forest as by the Letters Patents doth appear She bare two Sons to Sr Anthony Henry Denny Esquire of whom hereafter the second Sr Edward who by Gods blessing Queen Elizabeths bounty and his own valour atchieved a fair estate in the County of Kerry in Ireland which at this day is if any thing in that woful war-wasted Countrey can be enjoyed by his great Grandchild Arthur Denny Esq of Tralleigh The condition of Waltham Church from the Dissolution of the Abby untill the Death of King HENRY the Eighth HAving the perusal of the Church-Wardens accounts wherein their Ancient expences and receits are exactly taken fairly written and carefully kept I shall select thence some memorable Items to acquaint us with the general devotion of those dayes Know then there were six Ordinary Obits which the Church-wardens did annually discharge viz. For Thomas Smith and Joan his wife on the sixteenth of January Thomas Friend Joan and Joan his wives on the sixteenth of February Robert Peest and Joan his wife on the tenth of April Thomas Towers and Katharine his wife the six and twentieth of April John Breges and Agnes his wife the one and thirtieth of May. Thomas Turner and Christian his wife the twentieth day of December The charge of an Obit was two shillings and two pence and if any be curious to have the particulars thereof it was thus expended To the Parish-Priest four pence to our Ladies-Priest three pence to the Charnel-Priest three pence to the two Clerks four pence to the Children these I conceive Chorisâ—ers three pence to the Sexton two pence to the Bell-man two pence for two Tapers two pence for Oblation two pence Oh the reasonable rates at Waltham two shillings two pence for an Obit the price whereof in Saint Pauls in London was fourty shillings For forsooth the higher the Church the holier the service the dearer the price though he had given too much that had given but thanks for such vanities To defray the expences of these Obits the parties prayed for or their Executors left Lands Houses or Stock to the Church-Wardens Thomas Smith bequeathed a Tenement in the Corn-Market and others gave Lands in Vpshire called Pater-noster-Hills others ground elswhere besides a stock of eighteen Cows which the Wardens let out yearly to farm for eighteen shillings making up their yearly accounts at the Feast of Michael the Arch-Angel out of which we have excerpted the following remarkable particulars Anno 1542. the 34th of HENRY the 8th Imprimjs For watching the Sepulchre a groat This constantly returnes in every yearly account though what meant thereby I know not I could suspect some Ceremony on Easter-eve in imitation of the Souldiers watching Christs grave but am loath to charge that Age with more superstition then it was clearly guilty of Item Paid to the Ringers at the coming of the Kings Grace six pence Yet Waltham Bells told no tales every time King Henry came hither having a small house in Rome-land to which he is said oft privately to retire for his pleasure Item Paid unto two men of Law for their counsel about the Church-leases six shillings eight pence Item Paid the Attorney for his Fee twenty pence
appurtenances are reckoned up 1. Passefield 2. Walde 3. Upminster 4. Walthfare 5. Suppedene 6. Alwertowne 7. Wodeford 8. Lambehide 9. Nesingan 10. Brickindon 11. Melnhoo 12. Alichsea 13. Wormeley 14. Nichelswells 15. Hitchche 16. Lukendon 17. West-Wealtham Anno Dom. 1066 Anno Regis Harel 1. All these the King granted unto them cum Sacha Socha Tol and Team c. free from all gelts and payments in a most full and ample manner Witness himself Edith his Queen Stigand Archiepiscopus Dorobornensis Count Harold and many other Bishops and Lords subscribing the same Charter Anno Dom. 1067 Anno Regis Will. Conq. 1. Afterward Harold usurpeth the Crown but enjoyed it not a full year kill'd Harold Crowned killed buried at Waltham in Battle-fight by King William the Conqueror Where either of their swords if victorious might have done the deed though otherwise both their titles twisted together could not make half a good claim to the Crown Githa Mother of Harold and two religious men of this Abby Osegod and Ailric with their prayers and tears hardly prevailed with the Conquerour at first denying him burial whose ambition had caused the death of so many to have Harolds Corps with his two Brethren Girth and Leofwin losing their lives in the same battle to be entombed in Waltham Church of his foundation He was buried where now the Earl of Carlile his leaden Fountain in his Garden then probably the end of the Quire or rather some Eastern Chappel beyond it His Tomb of plain but rich gray Marble with what seemeth a Cross-Floree but much descanted on with art upon the same supported with Pillarets one Pedestal whereof I have in my house As for his reported Epitaph I purposely omit it not so much because barbarous scarce any better in that Age but because not attested to my apprehension with sufficient Authority A Picture of King Harold in glass was lately to be seen in the North-window Deforming Reformers of the Church till ten years since some barbarous hand beat it down under the notion of Superstition Surely had such ignorant persons been imployed in the dayes of Hezekiah to purge the Temple from the former Idolatry under the pretence thereof they would have rended off the Lilie-work from the Pillars and the Lions Oxen and Cherubims from the Bases of Brass However there is still a place called Harolds-Park in our Parish by him so denominated Let not therefore the village of Harold on the North side of Ouse neer Bedford properly Harewood or Harelswood on vulgar groundless tradition contest with Waltham for this Kings interment The Re-foundation of WALTHAM-ABBY by HENRY the Second ONe will easily believe that at the death of King Harold Waltham-Abby Waltham Canons in a sad condition Founded by him was in a swoon and the Canons therein much disheartned However they had one help which was this that Edward the Confessour was the confirmer of their Foundation whose memory was not onely fresh and fair in all mens mindes bearing a veneration to his supposed sanctity but also King William the Conquerour had the best of his bad titles by bequest of the Crown from this Confessour So that in some sense Waltham-Abby might humbly crave kindred of King William both deriving their best being from one and the same person The industry of Rob. Fuller last Abbot of Waltham Know Reader that what ever hereafter I alledg touching the Lands and Liberties of Waltham if not otherwise attested by some Author in the margin is by me faithfully transcribed out of Waltham Leidger-Book now in the possession of the Right Honourable JAMES Earl of Carlile This Book was collected by Robert Fuller the last Abbot of Waltham who though he could not keep his Abby from dissolution did preserve the Antiquities thereof from oblivion The Book as appears by many inscriptions in the initial Text-letters was made by himself having as happy an hand in fair and fast writing as some of his Sir-name since have been defective therein Anno Dom. 1102 Anno Regis Hen. 1 3. Not long after the Conquest Waltham-Abby found good Benefactors and Queen Maud gives Waltham Monks a Mill. considerable additions to their maintenance For Maud the first Queen to King Henry the first bestowed on them the Mill at Waltham which she had by exchange for Trinity-Church in London which I take to be part of the Trintly-Priory now called the Dukes-place Anno Dom. 1130 Anno Regis Hen. 1. 31. Adelisia second wife to King Henry the first being possessed of Waltham as part of her Revenue gave all the Tythes thereof as well of her Demesnes Queen Adelisia the Tythes as all Tenants therein to the Canons of Waltham Mean time how poorly was the Priest of the place provided for Yea a glutton Monastery in former ages makes an hungrie Ministrie in our dayes An Abby and a Parsonage unimpropriate in the same place are as inconsistent together as good woods and an Iron Mill. Had not Waltham Church lately met with a Noble Founder the Minister thereof must have kept more fasting-dayes then ever were put in the Roman Calender Anno Dom. 1135 Anno Regis Steph. 1 King Stephen though he came a wrong way to the Crown yet did all King Steven his bounty right to the Monastery of Waltham as who generally sought the good will of the Clergie to strengthen himself and confirmed all their Lands profits and priviledges unto them Anno Dom. 1156 Anno Regis Hen. 2 2. King Henry the second utterly dissolved the foundation of Dean and eleven King Henry dissolves the Dean and Canons at Waltham Canons at Waltham The debauchedness of their lives is rendred in his Charter as the occasion thereof Cum in ea Canonici Clericique minùs religiosè aequaliter vixissent ita quòd infamia conversationis illorum multos scandalisasset Whether these were really or onely reputed vitious God knows seeing all those must be guilty whom power is pleased to pronounce so Sure it is King Henry outed this Dean and Canons and placed an Abbot and Regular Augustinians in their room encreasing their number to twenty four And because to use the Kings own words it was fit that Christ his Spouse should have a new dowry he not onely confirmed to this Monastery the primitive patrimony mentioned in the Confessors Charter cum peciis terrae With many pieces of land and tenements which their Benefactors since bestowed upon them but also conferred the rich Manors of Sewardstone and Eppings on this Monastery The whole Charter of King Henry is too long to transcribe but some passages Augustinians substituted in their room therein must not be omitted First the King had the consent of Pope Alexander for the suppression of these Canons the rather moved thereunto quia praedictis Canonicis sufficienter provisum fuit because the aforesaid expelled Canons had sufficient provision made for them For grant them never so scandalous this was to add
Item Paid for Ringing at the Prince his coming a penny Anno 1543. the 35th of HENRY the 8th Imprimis Received of the Executors of Sr Robert Fuller given by the said Sr Robert to the Church ten pounds How is this man degraded from the Right Honourable the Lord Abbot of Waltham the last in that place to become a poor Sr Robert the title of the meanest Priest in that age Yet such his charity in his poverty that besides this legacy he bequeathed to the Church a Chalice a The Church-wardens account Anno 1556. silver and gilt which they afterwards sold for seven pounds Anno 1544. the 36. of HENRY the 8th Imprimis Received of Adam Tanner the overplus of the money which was gathered for the purchase of the Bells two pound four shillings and eleven pence It seems the Kings Officers sold and the Parish then purchased the five Bells being great and tunable who as they gave bountifully so I presume they bought reasonably and the surplusage of the money was delivered Item Received of Richard Tanner for eight Stoles three shillings A Stole was a vestment which the Priest used Surely these were much worn and very rags of Popery as sold for four pence half penny a piece It seems the Church-wardens were not so charitable to give away nor so superstitious to burn but so thrifty as to make profit by sale of these decayed vestments Item Paid for mending the hand-bell two pence This was not fixed as the rest in any place of Church or Steeple but being a Diminutive of the Saints-bell was carried in the Sextons hands at the circumgestation of the Sacrament the visitation of the sick and such like occasions Item Paid to Philip Wright Carpenter for making a frame in the Bell-frey eighteen shillings four pence The Bels being bought by the Parishioners were taken down out of the decayed Steeple and we shall afterwards see what became thereof Mean time a timber-frame was made which the aged of the last generation easily remembred in the South-East end of the Church-yard where now two Yew-trees stand and a shift made for some years to hang the Bells thereon Anno 1546. the 38. of HENRY the 8th Item For clasps to hold up the Banners in the body of the Church eight pence By these I understand not Pennons with Arms hanging over the Graves of interred Gentlemen but rather some superstitious Sireamers usually carried about in Procession Item Paid to John Boston for mending the Organs twentie pence The state of Waltham Church during the Reign of King EDWARD the Sixth OLd things are passed away behold all things now are become new Superstition by degrees being banished out of the Church we hear no more of prayers and Masses for the dead Every Obit now had its own Obit and fully expired the Lands formerly given thereunto being imployed to more charitable uses But let us select some particulars of the Church-wardens accounts in this Kings dayes Anno 1549. the 3d. of EDWARD the Sixth Imprimis Sold the Silver plate which was on the desk in the Charnel weighing five ounces for twenty five shillings Guess the gallantry of our Church by this presuming all the rest in proportionable equipage when the desk whereon the Priest read was inlaid with plate of silver Item Sold a rod of iron which the curtain run upon before the Rood nine pence The Rood was an Image of Christ on the Cross made generally of wood and erected in a loft for that purpose just over the passage out of the Church into the Chancel And wot you what spiritual mysterie was couched in this position thereof The Church forsooth typified the Church Militant the Chancel represents the Church Triumphant and all who will pass out of the former into the latter must go under the Rood-loft that is carry the cross and be acquainted with affliction I add this the rather because a Fox Acts Mon in the examination of Tho. Hawks pag. 1590. Harpsfield that great Scholar who might be presumed knowing in his own art of Superstition confesseth himself ignorant of the reason of the Rood-scituation Item Sold so much Wax as amounted to twenty six shillings So thrifty the Wardens that they bought not candles and tapers ready made but bought the wax at the best hand and payed poor people for the making of them Now they sold their Magazine of wax as useless Under the Reformation more light and fewer candles Item Paid for half of the Book called Paraphrase five shillings By the seventh Injunction of King Edward each Parish was to procure the Paraphrase of Erasmus namely the first part thereof on the Gospels and the same to be set up in some convenient place in the Church Item Spent in the Visitation at Chelmsford amongst the Wardens and other honest men fourteen shillings four pence A round summe I assure you in those dayes This was the first Visitation kept by Nicholas Ridley newly Bishop of London whereat Waltham-Wardens ever appeared out of their own Town whose Abbot formerly had Episcopal Jurisdiction Anno 1551 the 5th of EDWARD the 6th Imprimis Received for a Knell of a servant to the Lady Mary her Grace ten pence Copt-Hall in this Parish being then in the Crown the Lady afterwards Queen Mary came thither sometimes to take the air probably during whose residence there this her servant died Item Lost fourty six shillings by reason of the fall of money by Proclamation King Henry much debased the English Coyn to his own gain and the Lands loss if Soveraigns may be said to get by the damage of their Subjects yet all would not do to pay his debts His Son Edward endeavoured to reduce the Coyn to its true standard decrying bad money by his Proclamation to the intrinsick value thereof But prevented by death he effected not this difficult design Adultery in Men and Adulterateness in Money both hardly reclaimed which was afterwards compleated by the care of Queen Elizabeth Item Received for two hundred seventy one ounces of Plate sold at several times for the best advantage sixtie seven pound fourteen shillings and nine pence Now was the Brotherhood in the Church dissolved consisting as formerly of three Priests three Choristers and two Sextons and the rich plate belonging to them was sold for the good of the Parish It may seem strange the Kings Commissioners deputed for that purpose seised not on it from whose hands Waltham found some favour befriended by the Lord Rich their Countrey-man the rather because of their intentions to build their decaied Steeple Church-alterations in the Reign of Queen MARY NEw Lady new Laws Now strange the Metamorphosis in Waltham Condemn not this our Como-graphie or description of a Country-Town as too low and narrow a subject seeing in some sort the Historie of Waltham-Church is the Church-History of England all Parishes in that age being infected alike with superstition Nor intend I hereby to renew the memorie of Idolatrie but to revive