Camdene Seldeni gloria creuit Ingentes Dominos titulorum dote superbos Famo sosque Equites simul omnes si perijssent Quiuis Rex Orbi potis est renouare beatum Cottoni pectus nullâ est reparabile cera Ingenio quicunque vigent tua tecta frequenter Visebant tanquam à Phoebo responsa petentes Nunc Oracla silent sed non Schediasmate tantae Oceanum laudis liceat transnare misellum Nescio quid gaudens ad amici iusta litasse Omnia complectar celebrat Wigornia verbis Queis Neckami obitum crescitque in carmine verum Eclipsim patitur sapientia Sol sepelitur Cui si par vnus minus esset flebile funus He died at his house in Westminster the sixt of May about ten of the clocke in the forenoone Anno 1631. being aged threescore yeares three moneths and some few odde dayes He tooke to wife Elizabeth one of the daughters and heires of William Brocas Esquire by whom hee had issue onely one Sonne Sir Thomas Cotton Baronet now liuing who married Margaret Daughter of the Lord William Howard grandchild to Thomas Duke of Norfolke by whom hee hath issue one Sonne named Iohn and two Daughters Lucie and Francis But to returne I haue had many helpes I confesse from Sir Henry Spelman Knight and Iohn Selden Esquire the most learned Antiquaries now liuing of our times nor haue the helpes beene few which I haue long receiued from the well furnisht and daily increasing Librarie of Sir Simonds D'Ewes Knight whose iudicious directions and ready assistance were as often vouchsafed vnto mee as I had occasion to request and whose long studied and still intended labours for the publique good though in another kinde may in due time make his memory and themselues deare vnto posteritie Diuers of the Heralds haue much furthered these my intended designes namely Sir Richard and Sir Henry Saint George Knights Iohn Philipot and William Le Neue Esquires which I shall euer acknowledge as occasion presents it selfe Venerable Bede when hee compiled the Chronicles of the English Saxons had all the helpe that might be of the Bishops and learned men of this Land Cymbertus wrote vnto him all that was done in Lincolnshire Nothelmus also sent vnto him all that he had gathered together in Sussex Surrey and Kent Alcuinus gaue him his labours and collections for the Prouince of Yorke Daniel of Winchester made him priuie of all that was done amongst the west Saxons And from all other quarters of the Land were Letters Scrowles and writings directed vnto him by messengers to aide and assist him in his enterprise as he doth himselfe acknowledge in his Epistle Dedicatory to Ceolnulph King of the Northumbers Now generous Reader as hee had these helpes for the perfecting of his Ecclesiasticall Historie and as I haue had the acceptable assistance of many of my good friends studious in this kinde for the finishing of this first part and the rest of the worke now in hand which is already in a good forwardnesse let me intreate thy furtherance in the same thus farre that in thy neighbouring Churches if thou shalt finde any ancient funerall Inscriptions or antique obliterated Monuments thou wouldst be pleased to copie out the one and take so much relation of the other as tradition can deliuer as also to take the Inscriptions and Epitaphs vpon Tombes and Grauestones which are of these times and withall to take order that such thy collections notes and obseruations may come safely to my hands and I shall rest euer obliged to acknowledge thy paines and curtesie And I would earnestly desire the Tombe-makers of this Citie of London and elsewhere that they would be so carefull of posteritie as to preserue in writing the Inscriptions or Epitaphs which they daily engraue vpon Funerall Monuments from whom I shall expect the like kindnesse and to whom I will euer remaine alike thankfull For I intend God willing hereafter to publish to the view of the world as well the moderne as the ancient memorialls of the dead throughout all his Maiesties foresaid Dominions if God spare me life if not it is enough for me to haue begun as Camden saith in his Epistle to the Reader of his booke Britannia and I haue gained as much as I looke for if I shall draw others when I am dead into this argument whose inquisitiue diligence and learning may finde out more and amend mine It may seeme peraduenture vnpleasing to some for that I do speake so much of and extoll the ardent pietie of our forefathers in the erecting of Abbeyes Priories and such like sacred Foundations To the which I answer with Camden that I hold it not fit for vs to forget that our Ancestours were and we are of the Christian profession and that there are not extant any other more conspicuous and certaine Monuments of their zealous deuotion towards God then these Monasteries with their endowments for the maintenance of religious persons neither any other seed-plots besides these from whence Christian Religion and good literature were propagated ouer this our Island Neither is there any other act of pietie more acceptable in the sight of Almighty God then that of building Churches Oratories and such like sacred edifices for the true seruice of his heauenly Maiestie Ethelbert the first Christian King of Kent hauing built S. Pauls Church London and diuers other Churches and religious structures as I shew hereafter is thus commended to posteritie by this Epitaph following which passed with applause no question in those dayes Rex Ethelbertus hic clauditur in Polyandro Fana pians certus Christo meat absque Meandro King Ethelbert lyeth here closed in this Polyander For building Churches sure he goes To Christ without Maeander The pious care likewise and gracious intention of our late Lord and Soueraigne King Iames of famous memory had for the repairing of the foresaid Church of Saint Paul and the earnest desire and purpose which our dread Lord and Soueraigne now hath proceeding out of his zeale to Gods glory and his diuine worship for the repairing and vpholding as his Father intended of that venerable large Fabricke and goodly Pyle of building will be had in remembrance to all generations and their names will be registred in the booke of the liuing And the munificent allowance towards the said worke from William Laud now Lord Bishop of London of one hundred pounds by the yeare while he doth contiune there Bishop shall be commended and had in remembrance of all his Successours for euer It may perhaps bee distastfull to some for that I write so fully of the fall and backsliding of Religious Persons from their primitiue zealous ardour of piety making that the maine cause of the dissolution of Abbeyes which I doe for that some are of opinion that because many of these Monasteries were built vpon the occasion of rapine and bloud the Founders thereby thinking to expiate their guilt and make satisfaction for their sinnes an
Sanguine perfuso reparasti quem pretioso Here lieth entombed the body of Raph Selby descended from the ancient family of the Selbies of Billesdun in the County of Northumberland a Monke of this fraternitie a learned Doctor in the ciuill and canon lawes and one exceedingly beloued and fauoured of King Henry the fourth and Henry the fift in the eight yeare of whose raigne hee departed this world Anno 1420. as by this Epitaph appeareth Ecce Radulphus ita Selby iacet hic Cenobita Doctor per merita prepotens lege perita Legibus ornatus a regibus et veneratus Ordo eiusque status per cum fit conciliatus M. C quater x bis post partum virginis iste Michaelis festo tibi spirauit bone Christe Not farre from this Selby lieth buried vnder a marble stone the body of Iohn Windsore one of the noble familie of the Windsores sometime residing at Stanwell in this County a great commander in the warres of Ireland vnder Richard the second and in the battaile of Shrewesbury vnder King Henry the fourth who died in the second yeare of King Henry the fift vpon Eester Eue the seuenth of Aprill 1414. as this Epitaph sheweth Est bis septenus M. Christi C quater annus Vespera Paschalis dum septima lux fit Aprilis Transijt a mundo Io. Windsore nomine notus Corde gemens mundo confessus crimine lotus Fecerat heredem Gulielmus auunculus istum Miles et Armigerum dignus de nomine dignum Dum iuuenilis erat bello multos perimebat Postea penituit eorum vulnera fleuit Recumbens obijt hic nunc in carcere quiescit Viuat in eternum Spiritus ante Deum But now I will conclude the funerall Monuments of this Abbey with the death and buriall of our most learned English Poet Geffery Chaucer whose life is written at large by Thomas Speght who by old copies reformed his workes which the Reader may see a little before the beginning of his bookes He departed out of this world the 25. day of October in the yeare of our Lord 1400. after had liued 72. yeares Thus writeth Leland Chaucer liued till he was an old man and found old age to be grieuous and whilest he followed his causes at London he died and was buried at Westminster The old verses which were written on his graue at the first were these Galfridus Chaucer vates et fama Poesis Materne hac sacra sum tumulatus humo Thomas Occleue or Okelefe of the office of the priuie Seale sometime Chaucers scholler for the loue he bare to the said Geffray his master caused his picture to be truely drawne in his booke De Regimine Principis dedicated to Henry the fift according to which that his picture drawn vpon his Monument was made as also the Monument it selfe at the cost and charges of Nicholas Brigham gentleman Anno 1555. who buried his daughter Rachell a childe of foure yeares of age neare to the Tombe of this old Poet the 21. of Iune 1557. such was his loue to the Muses But to returne againe to Chaucers picture to which these verses were added by the said Occleue Although his life be queint the resemblaunce Of him that hath in me so fresh liuelinesse That to put other men in remembraunce Of his Person I haue here the likenesse Doe make to the end in soothfastnesse That they that of him haue lost thought and minde By this Peniture may againe him finde The Inscriptions vpon his Tombe at this day are after this manner Qui fuit Anglorum vates ter maximus olim Galfridus Chaucer conditur hoc tumulo Annum si quaeras Domini si tempora mortis Ecce notae subsunt quae tibi cuncta notant 25 Octobris 1400. Aerumnarum requies mors N Brigham hos fecit musarum nomine sumptus About the ledge of the Tombe these verses were written Si rogitas quis eraâ— forsan te fama docebit Quod si Fama negat mundi quia gloria transit Haec monumenta lege Now it shall not be amisse to adde to these Epitaphs the iudgements and reports of some learned men of this worthy and famous Poet and first of all let vs heare his Scholler Occleue Vir tam bonis literâ—s quam generis prosapia clarus these are his lines of him in his foresaid booke de regimine Principis Alas my worthy maister honourable This lands very treasure and richesse Death by thy death hath harme irreperable Vnto vs done her vengeable duresse Dispoiled hath this land of the sweetnesse Of Rhetorige for vnto Tullius Was neuer man so like among vs. Also who was heire in Philosophy To Aristotle in our tongue but thee The steppes of Virgill in Poese Thou suedst eken men know well inough What combre world that thee my master slough Would I slaine were Iohn Lidgate a Monke of Burie in his Prologue of Bocchas of the fall of Princes by him translated saith thus in his commendation My Master Chaucer with his fresh Comedies Is dead alas chiefe Poet of Britaine That whilome made full pitous Tragedies The faule also of Princes he did complaine As he that was of making soueraine Whom all this Land should of right preferre Sith of our Language he was the load-sterre That excellent and learned Scottish Poet Gawyne Dowglas Bishop of Dunkeld in the Preface of Virgils Aeneados turned into Scottish verse doth thus speake of Chaucer Venerable Chaucer principall Poet without pere Heuenly trumpet orloge and regulere In eloquence baulme conduct and dyall Milkie fountaine cleare strand and rose ryall Of fresh endite through Albione Island brayed In his legend of noble Ladies sayed Spenser in his Fairie Queene calleth his writings The works of heauenly wit Concluding his commendation in this manner Dan Chaucer Well of English vndefiled On Fames eternall beadrole worthy to be filed Sir Philip Sidney likewise and M. Camden speake much in the deserued praise of this worthy Poet whom I leaue to his eternall rest Vnder the Clocke in the Church I haue read this Inscription Dic mihi quid prodest horas numerare fugaces Cum cessant perdas quod numerare libet This Church hath had great priuiledge of Sanctuarie within the precinct thereof as Stow saith in his Suruay of London to wit the Church Churchyard Close and all that which is still called the Sanctuarie Which Priuiledge was first granted by Sebert king of the East Saxons the first Founder thereof Since encreased by Edgar King of the West Saxons renewed and confirmed by King Edward the Confessor as appeareth by this his Charter following Edward by the grace of God king of Englishmen I make it to bee knowne to all generations of the world after me that by especiall commandement of our holy Father Pope Leo I haue renewed and honoured the holy Church of the blessed Apostle Saint Peter of Westminster and I order and establish for euer that what person of what condition or estate soeuer he be from
declamations in a storme onely to his poore Bargeman Amyclas being as then out of all hope or helpe for buriall saue in the bottome of the sea otherwise at another time I do not doubt but that he would haue desired sepulture with all her ceremonies as earnestly as Hector or any one of his nine fellow-worthies For neuer any saith Camden neglected buriall but some sauage nations as Bactrians which cast their dead to the dogs some varlet Philosophers as Diogenes who desired to bee deuoured of fishes some dissolute Courtiers as Macaenas who was wont to say Non tumulum curo sepelit natura relictos I 'm carelesse of a graue Nature her dead will saue As another said De terra interram quaeuis terra Sepulchrum From earth to earth wee go Each earth 's alike graue so Lucius Scipio likewise being ouerthrowne at the battell of Thapsus where hee was Generall fled disguisedly by sea for his owne safety but being driuen by a storme into the Bay of Hippo where Caesars Nauie lay to guard the shores and perceiuing them himselfe and his Barke both lost he stabbed himselfe with his ponyard leapt ouerboard and drowned himselfe in the maine vttering vpon his instant resolution certaine words in disdaine of buriall Thus exquisitely deliuered in verse by my worthy Friend the continuer of Lucans Historicall poeme My course is runne and though this armed hand Shall testifie I could haue di'd by land The Ocean likes me best within the maine Vnknowne for euer Scipio shall remaine O let my floating carcase neuer come To land lest Affricke should bestow a Tombe And to her sonnes in after ages show A Monument of vanquisht Scipio Loath he was that his dead bodie should either suffer despight or receiue fauour from his enemies so that I thinke no otherwise of his imprecations then I do of Caesars These carelesse Mecaenas-like resolutions make so many I beleeue of especiall note amongst us who either vpon a sparing or precise humour are content to commit to the earth their parents wiues children and the nearest vnto them in tenebris with little better than Sepulchra asinorum This office of burying the dead this last dutie done to our deceased friends hath euer had the prime place of commendation by Lucan lib. 18. for that he so solicitously tooke care to giue all funerall dues to the head lesse Trunke of great Pompey cut off by the treachery of the vngratâ—full base Ptolomey vpon whom he is made in the said booke to bestow this Epitaph Here the great Pompey lies so Fortune pleasde To instile this stone whom Caesars selfe would haue Interr'd before he should haue mist a graue And Virgil makes buriall an honour to such as are slaine in battell and so consequently of others Meane while th'vnburied bodies of our mates Ciue wee to graue sole honour after fates Go honour those braue soules with their last dues Who with their bloud purchas'd this land for vs. Toby his burying of the dead was acceptable vnto God as the Angell testifieth And the Lord himselfe being to arise againe the third day commended that good worke of those religious women who poured those pretious ointments with sweete odours vpon his head and body and did it to bury him And the Gospel hath crowned them with immortall praise that tooke downe his bodie from the crosse and gaue it honest and honourable buriall Which signifieth saith S. Augustine that the providence of God extendeth euen vnto the very bodies of the dead for he is pleased with such good deeds and doe build vp the beleefe of the resurrection Where by the way saith he we may learne this profitable lesson how great the reward of almes done vnto the liuing may be since this duty and fauour showne but vnto the dead is not forgotten of God Decent buriall according to the qualitie of the person deceased with attendants of kindred and friends is an honour to the defunct Hezekiah saith the text slept with his fathers and they buried him in the highest sepulchre of the sonnes of Dauid and all Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem did him honour at his death We commend many of vs I am sure doe that good worke of Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester who caused the bones and other reliques of such sacred Princes and sainted Prelates as there had beene buried in that Church and dispersed abroad in seuerall odde corners to bee placed together in seemly monuments vpon the top of the new partition built by himselfe for the same purpose And likewise wee cannot but loue the memory of such who vpon the dissolution and finall destruction of our religious structures caused so many funerall monuments with the bodies therein included to bee remoued into other neighbouring Churches where by all likelihood they may rest in peace and safety vntill the last sound of the Trumpet In the works of Aurelius Prudentius Clemens a Spaniard by birth an ancient Christian Poet and one Qui palmam inter omnes Christianos Poetas obtinuit who flourished about foure hundred yeares after the incarnation of our Lord and Sauiour I finde this Funerall Hymne following of which and not impertinently I may make some vse here in this place translated by Sir Iohn Beaumont Baronet O God the soules pure fiery spring Who different natures wouldst combine That man whom thou to life didst bring By weakenesse may to death decline By thee they both are fram'd aright They by thy hand vnited be And while they ioyne with growing might Both flesh and spirit liue to thee But when diuision them recalls They bend their course to seu'rall ends Into drie earth the body falls The feruent soule to heau'n ascends For all created things at length By slow corruption growing old Must needs forsake compacted strength And disagreeing webs vnfold But thou deare Lord hast meanes prepar'd That death in thine may neuer reigne And hast vndoubted wayes declar'd How members lost may rise againe That while those generous rayes are bound In prison vnder fading things That part may still be stronger found Which from aboue directly springs If man with baser thoughts possest His will in earthly mud shall drowne The soule with such a weight opprest Is by the body carried downe But when she mindfull of her birth Her selfe from vgly spots debarres She lifts her friendly house from earth And beares it with her to the starres See how the emptie bodie lies Where now no liuely soule remaines Yet when short time with swiftnesse flies The height of senses it regaines Those ages shall be soone at hand When kindly heate the bones reuiues And shall the former house command Where liuing bloud it shall infuse Dull carcases to dust now worne Which long in graues corrupted lay Shall to the nimble aire be borne Where soules before haue led the way Hence comes it to adorne the graue With carefull labour men affect The limbes dissolu'd last honour haue And fun'rall Rites with
Regis Ed. 3. Ann. 24. that William Fox Parson of Lee neare Gainsborough Iohn Fox and Thomas of Lingeston Friers Minors of that Couent in Lincolne were indited before Gilbert Vmfreuill and other Iustices in partibus de Lindesey apud Twhancaster die Sabbati post festum sâ—ncti Iohannis Baptiste in the said yeare for that they came to Bradholme a Nunnery in the County of Nottingham the eighteenth of the Kal. of February and then and there rapuerunt abduxerunt inde contra pacem Domini Regis quandam Monialem nomine Margaretam de Euernigham Sororem dicte Domus exeuntes eam habit Religionis induentes eam Rob. virid secular ac etiam diuersa bona ad valenc quadragint solid Violently tooke and forcibly from thence carried away against the peace of their Soueraigne Lord the King a certaine Nunne by name Margaret de Euernigham a sister of the said house stripping her quite out of her religious habit and putting vpon her a greene Gowne Robe or Garment of the secular fashion and also diuers goods to the value of forty shillings In this Kings raigne Robert Longland a secular Priest borne in Shropshire at Mortimers Câ—liberie writ bitter inuectiues against the Prelates and all religious orders in those dayes as you may reade throughout this book which he calls The vision of Piers Plowman Presently after in the raigne of Richard the second Iohn Gower flourished who in his booke called Vox clamantis cries out against the Clergie-men of his time first Quod Christi scholam dogmatizant eius contrarium operantur 2 Quod potentiores alijs existunt 3 Quod carnalia appetentes vltra modum delicatè vinunt 4 Quod lucris terrenis inhiant honore Prelacie gaudent non vt prosint sed vt presint Episcopatum desiderant Quod legibus positiâ—is quae quamuis ad cultum anime necessarie non sunt infinitas tamen constitutiones quasi quotidie ad eorum lucrum nobis grauiter imponâ—â—t Quod bona temporalia possidentes spiritualia omittunt Quod Christus pacem suis discipulis dedit reliquit sed Prelati propter bona terrena guerras contra Christianos legibus suis positiuis instituunt prosequuntur Quod cleri sunt bellicosi Quod scribunt docent ea quae sunt pacis sed in contrarium ea quae sunt belli procurant Quod nomen sanctum sibi presumunt appropriant tamen sibi terrena nec alijs inde participando ex caritate subueniunt Quod intrant Ecclesiam per Symoniam Quod honores non onera Prelacie plures affectant quo magis in Ecclesia cessant virtutes vitia multipliciter accrescunt Quod Rectores in curis residentes cuâ—â—s tamen negligentes venationibus praecipue voluptatibus penitus intendunt Quod Presbyteri sine curis siue stipendarij non propter mundiciâ—m ordinis honestatem sed proptâ—r mundi otia gradum Presbyteratus appetunt assumunt Much more he speakes against the abuses and vices of Church-men as also against the lewd liues of the Schollars in Cambridge and Oxford which he calls the Churches plants concluding thus his third book Sic quia stat cecus morum sine lumine clerus Erramus Laici nos sine luce vagi In his fourth booke hee speakes of Monkes and all other religious Orders Quod contra primi ordinis statuta abstinentie virtutem linquunt delicias sibi corporales multipliciter assumunt Ripping vp their faults in particular Chaucer who was contemporarie and companion with Gower in the Plowmans tale the Romant of the Rose and in his Treatise which hee intitles lacke Vpland writes as much or more against the pride couetousnesse insatiable luxurie hypocrisie blinde ignorance and variable discord amongst the Church-men and all other our English votaries As also how rude and vnskilfull they were in matters and principles of our Christian institutions to whose workes now commonly in print I referre my Reader for further satisfaction In a Parliament holden at Westminster the eleuenth yeare of King Henry the fourth the lower house exhibited a Bill to the King and the Lords of the vpper house in effect as followeth To the most excellent Lord our King and to all the Nobles in this present Parliament assembled your faithfull Commons doe humbly signifie that our Soueraigne Lord the King might haue of the temporall possessions lands and reuenues which are lewdly spent consumed and wasted by the Bishops Abbats and Priors within this Realme so much in value as would suffice to finde and sustaine one hundred and fifty Earles one thousand and fiue hundred Knights sixe thousand and two hundred Esquiers and one hundred Hospitals more then now be But this Petition of spoiling the Church of England of her goodly patrimonies which the pietie and wisedome of so many former ages had congested was by the King who was bound by oath and reason to preserue the flourishing estate of the Church so much detested that for this their proposition he denied all other their requests and commanded them that from thenceforth they should not presume to intermeddle with any such matter This King as also his sonne and grandchilde were wondrous indulgent to the Clergie although they were daily disquieted with the bellowing of the Popes Prouisorie Bulls For Henry the fifth was so deuour and seruiceable to the Church of Rome and her Chaplaines that he was called of many the Prince of Priests And Henry the sixth surnamed the holy wa an obedient childe and no lesse nay more obsequious to the See Apostolicall then any of his predecessours howsoeuer I finde that once he reiected the Popes Bull concerning the restoring of the Temporalities of the Bishoppricke of Ely And now giue me leaue a little to digresse speaking somewhat by the way of the denomination of this word Bulla and why the Bishops of Rome call their leaden Seales by which they confirme their writings Bulls This word Bulla was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est à Consilio of councell For that anciently a golden Bull broach or ornament round and hollow within was vsually fastened about the necks or breasts of young children and semblablie to all their pictures signifying thereby that their render vnbridled age ought to be gouerned by the graue councell and good aduise of others of more maturitie in yeares And from hence the Bishops of Rome borrowed the name for their leaden Seales vpon one part of which the name of the Pope is to be read on the other the head of Saint Paul on the right side of the Crosse and of Saint Peter on the left are to bee seene Honoris tamen non praelationis gratia factitatum hoc ab Ecclesia Nam quanquam S. Petrus sit Princeps Apostolici ordinis tamen Ecclesia voluit eos indiscretae esse excellentiae But this was done of the Church saith my Author in regard of honour not of preheminence For although
heare a peece out of Harding in the life of Henry the second He exiled then Thomas of Cauntorbury Out of Englande and many of his alliaunce For cause of his rebellious gouernaunce And as he came fro Rome by Fraunce awaye With language fel he prayede the Kyng that daye The poyntes to mende And now if you will giue me leaue a little to digresse I will tell you a tale beleeue it as you lift reported by the said Thomas Becket himselfe how that being in banishment our blessed Lady gaue him a golden Eagle full of precious ointment inclosed in a stone vessell commanding him to preserue it foretelling withall that the kings of England which should be therewith anointed should be strong champions and stout defendours of the Church that they should be bountifull benigne and fortunate and that they should peaceably recouer such lands or territories as had beene before lost by their predecessours so long as they had this Eagle with the viall or sacred vessell in their custody telling him withall that hee should bee a Martyr This vision happened to him forsooth at Sens in France in the Nunnes Church consecrated to Saint Columbe in which Citie hee found Pope Alexander the third a man like himselfe of an ambitious and turbulent â—ierie spirit into whose bosome saith Hollinshead he emptied whole cart-loads of complaints and grieuances like a contumacious rebell against his soueraigne Lord excommunicating and cursing with bell booke and candle all that did any way adhere vnto the kings partie But now to returne to the words by which hee did expresse his strange and incredible apparition which I will set downe in the same language as I found them anciently written in the Lieger booke of the Abbey of Whalley in Lanchishire Thus he begins Quando ego Thomas Cantuar. Archiepiscopus exul ab Anglia fugie bam ad Franciam veni ad Papam Alex. qui tunc Senonis erat vt ei ostenderem malas consuetudines abusiones quas Rex Anglie in Ecclesiam in troducebat Quadam nocte cum essem in Ecclesia Sancte Columbe in Monial rogaui Reginam Virginum vt daret Regi Anglie et hered propositum et voluntatem emendandi se erga Ecclesiam et quod Christus pro sua miserecordia ampliori dilectione ipsum faceret diligere Ecclesiam Statim apparuit mihi beata Virgo habens in pectore istam aquilam auream siue lapideam accipiens Aquilam de pectore suo ampullam includit Aquilam cum Ampulla in manu mea posuit et hec verba per ordinem dixit Ista est vnctio per quam Reges Anglie debent inungi non isti qui modo sunt regnant regnabunt quia maligni sunt propter peccata sua multa amiserunt amitterent Sunt autem Reges Anglie futuri qui inungerentur vnctione benigni pugiles Ecclesie erunt Nam isti terram amissam à parentibus pacisice recuperabunt donec Aquilam cum Ampulla habeant Est autem Rex Anglorum futurus qui primo mungeretur vnctione ista qui terram amissam à parentibus scilicet Normanniam Aquitaniam recuperabit sine vi Rex iste erit maximus inter Reges est ille qui edificabit multas Ecclesias in terra sancta fugabit omnes Paganos de Babilon in â—adem Ecclesias ediâ—icabit plures quotiescunque Rex portabit Aquilam in pectore victoriam habebit de inimicis suis regnum eius semper augmentabituâ— tu autem es Martyr futurus Tunc rogaui beatam Virginem vt ostenderet mihi vbi custodirem tam preciosum Sanctuarium que dixit mihi est vir in ciuitate isla Willielmus Monachus Sancti Cipriani Pictauie eiectus iniuste ab Abbate suo de Abbachia sua qui rogat Papam vt Abbatem suum compellat vt eum in Abbachiam suam reducat trade sibi Aquilam cum Ampulla vt eam ad Ciuitatem Pictauie portet et in Ecclesia Sancti Gregorij que est iuxta Ecclesiam Sancti Hillarij eam abscondat in capite Ecclesie versus occidentem sub lapide magno ibi inuenietur in tempore oportuno et erit vnctio Regum Anglorum Henry the first Duke of Lancaster vnder Edward the third in the warres of France had it deliuered to him by an holy man say they which found it by reuelation But of this enough if not too much This Archbishop Becket being recalled from exile and restored to his former honours and reuenewes carried himselfe more obstinately then before perturbing the whole State with curses and excommunications in maintaining of Ecclesiasticall liberties as he pretended but most of all this kinde of dealing grieued the King who cursed the time that euer he made him Archbishop Which is thus explained in old rimes For which the King was with him sore displeased That then he sayd had I had men that ment Myne honeste I were not thus diseased With such a Clerk thus greeued and vneased It happened amongst other foure Knights to be present at this speech of the King namely Reynald Fitzâ—vrse Hugh Moruill William Tracy and Richard Briton who gathered thereby that they should do a deed very acceptable vnto him if they killed the Archbishop Whereupon without either warrant or priuitie of their Soueraigne they posted into England came with their swords drawne into this his owne Church and therein most barbarously murdered him with many blowes vpon Tuesday the 28. of December Ann. Dom. 1170. as saith Mat. Paris who in the same place obserues that many remarkable occurrences behappened this Martyr euer vpon the Tuesday more then vpon any other day in the weeke Mars secundum poetas saith he Deus belli nuncupatur vita Sancti Thome secundum illud Iob vita hominis militia est super terram tota suit contra hostem bellicosa passus fuit die Martis et translatus die Martis Die Martis sederunt Principes aduersus eum apud Northampton Die Martis actus est in exilium Die Martis apparuit ei Dominus apud Pontiniacum dicens Thoma Thoma Ecclesia mea glorificabitur in sanguine tuo Et die Martis reuersus est ab exilio Martyrij palmam die Martis est adeptus Et Die Martis Anno 1220. venerabile eius corpus gloriam translationis suscepit anno 50. post passionem eius In English as followeth Mars according to the Poets is called the God of warre the life of Saint Thomas according to that of Iob the life of man is a warfare vpon earth was a continuall conflict against the enemy vpon the Tuesday he suffered vpon Tuesday he was translated vpon Tuesday the Peeres of the Land sat in councell against him at Northampton Vpon Tuesday he was banished vpon Tuesday the Lord appeared to him at Pontiniacke saying Thomas Thomas my Church shall be glorified in thy bloud Vpon Tuesday he returned from exile vpon Tuesday he got the palme or reward of Martyrdome and vpon
with better respect then Prince Henry his brother had done and was made President of the Councell when his brother was dismissed that office for striking the Lord chiefe Iustice yet for all that his father sore feared that his hastie distempered humour would breed great troubles in the State and questionlesse he was of a violent selfe-willie disposition neglecting now at the last cast the graue aduise of his owne countrey-men his chiefest Commanders by which by all likelihood he might haue escaped all danger and adhering to the trecherous perswasion of a Stranger by which hee was betrayed to present destruction Which fierie-rash temper of his together with the losse of the Battell and the place of his buriall is briefly thus set downe by my Author Iohn Harding And nere at Bawge came Gilbert Vmsreuile Marshall of France with V. horse and no mo And of good wyt counsayled hym that whyle To keepe the Church and Goddes seruice tho And after the Feast to seke vpon his foo And he aunswered him yf thou be aferd Go home thy way and kepe the church yerd Wyth that he sayd my Lorde ye haue no men Wyth the enemyes thus hastely to syght Your menne wot not of this ne how ne whenne To semble to you of power ne of myght For trewly nowe my Cosin Gray nowe ryght And I haue here but ten men and no mo But yet ye shall neuer say we leaue you so So rode they furth ay chyding by the way Tyll they to Bawgy ouer the Bridg were gone When the enemyes were battayled in aray Where then they light and fought wyth them anone The Duke was slayne that day there wyth hys sone Wyth hym were slayne then therle Vmfreuile And Sir Iohn Gray the Erle of Tankeruile The Lord Roos and syr Iohn Lumley Wyth many other were with hym slayne that daye Whose names I cannot wryte nor saye The Earles two of Huntingdon no naye Of Somerset also were taken there I saye For prisoners and put to great raunson And laye full long in France then in prison Thenglish Power came when all was done And rescowed then the deed men where they laye And brought the Lordes home fro thens full sone That there lay slayne vpon the feeld that daye And buryed them in Englond in good araye Eche one in hys Abbaye or Colage Afore founded within his heritage The English power vnder the conduct of Thomas Montacute Earle of Salisbury comming somewhat too late to this ouer-hastie encounter thought to haue requited this losse vpon their enemies heads but at the sight of their forces the French gaue ground whereby the dead bodie of Clarence was recouered and with the rest conueied into England and buried in this Church Att Canterbury the Duke was of Orleance Besyde hys Father King Henry buryed With suche honoure costage and expence As the Duches his wife coulde have signifyed Which neded not to haue bene modifyed She was so well within her selfe avysed Of greate sadnesse and woman hede premised This following I haue read for his Epitaph Hic iacet in tumulo Tho. Dux Clar. nunc quasi nullus Qui fuit in bello clarus nec clarior vllus In the vndercroft of our Ladies Chappell is an ancient Monument thus inscribed Ioane de Borwaschs dame de Moun. thus surnamed of Burwash a towne in Sussex wherein she inhabited which likewise gaue name to Sir Bartholomew Burwash Knight of the Garter Constable of Douer Castle and Lord Warden of the Cinque ports Here lieth interred Isabell de Douer Countesse of Assyle as Stow calls her but I thinke there is a mistaking of Assyle for Atholl as will partly appeare by the sequele Fulbert Lord of Chilham had one onely daughter and heire whom Richard the base sonne of King Iohn tooke to wife by whom he had two daughters Lora the wife of William Marmion and Isabell wife to Dauid of Stratbolgy Earle of Atholl and afterwards to Sir Alexander Baliol who was called to Parliament by the name of Lord of Chillham and mother to that Iohn Earle of Athol who being condemned oftentimes for treason was hanged at the last vpon a gibbet fiftie foot high as King Edward the first commanded because he might be so much the more conspicuous in mens eyes as he was of higher and nobler birth being of the Kings bloud Lora was secondly married to one of the Lord Berkeleyes Ancestours if we may giue any credit to these ancient rimes Sir Richard the Fitz-Roy of wham we spak by for Gentilman he was inough though he wer last ibor For the Erles doughter of Warren his good modir was And his fadir Kyng Iohn that by gat hym a perchas Sir Morreys of Berkele wedded suth by cas His doughter and wan on hur the good knyght Sir Thomas This Isabell deceased at Chilham here in Kent in the moneth of February Ann. Dom. 1292. The first Archbishop that I finde to be buried in this Church was Cuthbert or Cudbrict for before him they were alwayes buried at Saint Augustines an Englishman of great parentage translated from Hereford the yeare 742. to this seate of Canterbury In whose time the Laitie were wicked and the Clergie worse the whole land was ouerwhelmed with a most darke and palpable mist of ignorance and polluted with all kinde of impietie Which to reforme hee called together a Synode of Bishops and learned men at Cloueshoo now Cliffe at Hoo beside Rochester and there after long consultation caused one and thirtie Canons to bee decreed one of which was That the Priests were required to reade to their Parishoners the Lords prayer and the Creed in the English tongue which with the rest you may reade in William Malmesbury This Bishop obtained from the Pope a dispensation for making of Coemiteries or Churchyards within Townes and Cities whereas vntill his time within the walls none were buried as I haue it thus in a Manuscript Cutbertus Archiepiscopus Cant. xi ab Augustino cum Rome videret plures intra Ciuitates sepeliri rogauit Papam vt sibi liceret cemiteria facere guod Papa annuit reuersus itaque cemiteria vbique in Anglia fieri constituit He died Ann. Dom. 758. I finde little of any other Bishop here buried vntill the time of Odo Seuerus who lyeth here interred vnder a Tombe of Touchstone surnamed Seuerus of the austeritie of his life and gouernment borne of Danish parents Pagans and vtter enemies of Christ and Christian religion insomuch that they disinherited this their Sonne Odo for keeping companie with Christians so that he was constrained to forsake his fathers house his kindred and countrey and betake himselfe to the seruice of a Nobleman in the Court of King Edward the elder named Ethelelm who set him to schoole where he profited exceedingly He was not baptised till hee was come to mans estate soone after his baptisme by the aduise of Ethelelm
most of his yearely reuenues he euer bestowed in almes-deeds and liberall house keeping he gaue to this Church of Canterbury who lâ—st to know more of his life may reade the Catalogue of Bishops and the perambulation of Kent He died at Otford his Mannor house May 〈…〉 1313. Here lieth entombed Walter Reynolds a man but of meane learning brought vp a Courtier preferred to the Bishopricke of Worcester to the offices of Lord Chancellour and Treasurer of England and to this Metropolitane honour of Canterbury by King Edward the second all which he most disloyally and like a Traitour requited aiding vnderhand the Queene Mortimer and their complices with great summes of money and forsaking his lawfull Soueraigne his Master his Patron that had aduanced him by so many degrees vnto an estate so gratiously honourable but it pleased God that vnthankfull timerousnesse should be his destruction for being by the said Queene of whom he stood so greatly in awe commanded to consecrate one Iames Berkley Bishop of Exceter and performing the same he was so reuiled taunted and threatned by the Pope that for griefe and anger together he died when he had sate Archbishop thirteene yeares nine moneths and three weekes the 16. of Nouember Ann. 1327. as appeares by this inscription vpon his Tombe in the South wall now hardly to be read Hic requiescit Dominus Walterus Reynolds prius Episcopus Wigorniensis Anglie Cancellarius deinde Archiepiscopus istius Ecclesie qui obijt 16. die mens Nouembris Ann. gratie 1327. Vpon the North side of Saint Anselmes Chappell in a marble Tombe lieth Simon Mepham Archbishop of this See borne in this countrey Doctor of Diuinitie and very well learned as learning went in those dayes of whom I finde little worthy of relation for all the time hee sate which was but fiue yeare and somewhat more he was euer a wrangling with his Monkes of this Church and with Io. Graundison Bishop of Exceter and getting the worse by both he fell sicke and died October 12. 1333. Here in a goody Tombe of Alabaster on the South side of the high Altar lieth the body of Iohn Stratford Archbishop of this Diocesse borne at Stratford vpon Avon a man famous for his learning and good gouernment of his iurisdiction He was called from the See of Winchester to this place he was Lord Chancellour of England and protector of the Realme in the absence of Edward the third in France but neuer man enioyed such great honours with lesse comfort It is written that hee was consecrated vpon the Sonday called then Multae tribulationes iustorum which hee thought boaded or foretold vnto him how in the whole course of his life he should finde nothing but trouble which sell out according to his ominous conceit For neuer any Archbishop either before or after him giuing so little cause and doing his endeuour to please was more encombred with vndeserued and often crosses The story is ouer-long here to relate I must referre my Reader to the Catalogue of Bishops Yet before his end which happened Anno 1348. hauing beene Archbishop 15. yeares he had made an end of all his troublesome crosses and liued certaine yeares quietly they writ of him that he was a very gentle and mercifull man rather too remisse then any way rigorous to offenders and a pitifull man to the poore He founded a Colledge at Stratford vpon Avon and endowed the same largely Here lieth obscurely buried Iohn Vfford brother to that illustrious Knight of the Garter Robert de Vfford Earle of Suffolke brought vp in Cambridge and made Doctor of Law promoted first vnto the Deanrie of Lincolne then to the Chancellourship of England and lastly to this Archbishopricke Which he neuer enioyed being cut off by that plague which consumed nine parts of the men in England before hee receiued either his pall or consecration Iune the seuenth Ann. 1348. His next successour Thomas Bradwardin lieth buried in the South wall somewhat darkly preferred to his grace and dignitie without his owne seeking or any of his friends endeuours which he likewise enioye but a very little time For within fiue weekes and foure dayes after his consecration he died at Lambeth being neuer enthronised at all Ann. 1349 This man was borne at Heathfeild in Sussex and brought vp in the Vniuersitie of Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Diuinitie and so exquisite a Diuine he was that he was commonly enstiled Doctor Profundus He was a good Mathematician a great Philosopher and a generall Scholler in all the liberall Sciences as his workes not yet perished do testifie In whole praise thus Chaucer speakes in the Nunnes Priests tale But I ne cannot boult it to the bren As can the holy Doctor Saynt Austin Or Boece or the Bishop Bradwardin But aboue all he is especially commended for his sinceritie of life and conuersation He was Confessour to Edward the third and in all his warres of France was neuer from him and though he might haue had many preferments of the King yet he was so farre from ambitious desire of promotion as it was long before he could be perswaded to take a Prebend of Lincolne when it was offered him Well we will leaue him to his rest onely remembred with this Epitaph Doctor Doctorum Bradwardin hac iacet vrna Norma Pastorum laudabilis diuturna Qui inuidia caruit vitam sine crimine duxit Et ex ore suo quicquid sit scibile fluxit Nullus sub sole est cui sic fuere omnia nota Cantia nunc dole tristeris Anglia tota Vos qui et transitis hic omnes atque reditis Dicite quod Christi pietas sit promptior isti Simon Islip brought vp in Merton Colledge in Oxford being Doctor of Law became Canon of Paules then Deane of the Arches after that was chosen to be of the priuie Councell to King Edward the third first in the place of Secretarie and then Keeper of the priuie Seale And lastly by the Monkes election the Popes approbation and the Kings good liking hee was aduanced to this grace and dignitie Wherein hee continued sixteene yeares foure moneths and twelue dayes and died April 26. 1366. he lieth buried in the middle of the Church vnder a marble Tombe inlaid with brasse whereon is engrauen this Epitaph Simon Islip oriens vir bina lege probatus Vt nascens moriens sic nunc iacet arcte locatus Arcem qui tenuit hic quondam Pontificatus Clero quique fuit regno toti quoque gratus Princeps Pastorum fac Simon Apostolorum Simon vt iste chorum per eos pertingat eorum Mil. trecenteno sexageno modo seno Eius septeno pastoratus quoque deno Hic Kal. Maij seno rupto carnis nece freno Flos cadit e feno celo peto qui sit ameno O spes sanctorum decus et pie Christe tuorum Cetibus ipsorum preâ—e tungas hunc
and from that remoued to the title of Saint Rusine all which his Ecclesiasticall preferments were comprehended in this one verse composed by his cosin Thomas Kempe Bishop of London Bis Primas ter Praesul erat bis Cardine functus And to adde to all these honours he was twice Lord Chancellour of England He continued not here aboue a yeare and a halfe but died a very old man March 22. 1453. hee conuerted the Parish-Church of Wye into a Colledge of secular Priests Of which hereafter In a little history of the Archbishops of Yorke written in rythmicall numbers I finde these in his commendations Tunc Iohannes nobilis Kemp vociferatus Prius in Londonijs Presul installatus Et erectus Pontifex Metropolitanus Presul Archipresulem confirmat Romanus Mandans sibi pallium Martinus erectus Sagax Cancellarius Regis est effectus Cardinalis Presbiter digne sublimatur Sub Balbine Titulo sic laus cumulatur In Suthwell manerium fecit preciosum Multis artificibus valde sumptuosum Annis multis prospere curam sui gregis Rexit per iusticiam per normam legis Tandem vsque Cantiam Presul est translatus Illic Archiepiscopus est inthronizatus Apud Lambeth obijt labor iam finitur Et in Cantuaria corpus sepelitur Licet prohibuerit Abbas rigorose Iacet ibi condita gleba gloriose I finde little of any great worke or deede of charitie this Bishop performed besides his Manor of Suthwell here onely mentioned with all these his pennisome preferments but the reason is giuen in the Catalogue of Bishops that he died very rich and that in his life time he aduanced many of his kindred to great wealth and some to the dignitie of knighthood whose posteritie continued yet in this County of great worship and reputation euen to this day That he might die very rich I doe not denie but for the aduancement of his kindred to the honour of knighthood was no other title then his grandfather Sir Iohn Kempe and his Vncle Sir Roger enioyed his owne father Thomas being a younger brother to the said Sir Roger. Here lieth buried as by an inscription vpon a marble doth appeare Thomas Bourchier commonly called Bowser second sonne of William Bourchier Earle of Ewe in Normandie and brother to Henry Bourchier Earle of Ewe and Essex He was brought vp in Oxford 〈…〉 preferred to the Deanrie of Saint Martins then to the Bishopâ—â—â—â—â— oâ— Worcester from whence he was translated to Ely and 〈…〉 in this chaire of Canterbury wherein he sate 32. yeares and 〈…〉 the time of his first consecration 51. yeares I finde not 〈…〉 Englishman continued so long a Bishop or that any Archbishop 〈◊〉 before or after him in eight hundred yeares enioyed that place so long And to adde more honour to his Grace and money to his purse he was about two yeares Lord Chancelour of England and Cardinall tt S. Ciriaci in Thermis â—â—t all this time for all these great and eminent promotions he left nothing behinde him to continue his memorie but an old rotten chest in the congregation house at Cambridge called Billingsworth and Bowser into which for the vse of the Vniuersitie Billingsworth before him had put in one hundred pounds and he forsooth imitating that munificent example put in one hundred and twenty pounds He died March 30. 1486. as appeared by 〈…〉 ption vpon his Monument Hic iacet reuerendissimus pater Dominus D. Thomas 〈…〉 quoâ—dam sacrosancte Romane Ecclesie S. Ciriaci in Thermi 〈…〉 chiepiscopus huius Ecclesie qui obijt 30. die Marty 1486. 〈…〉 propitietur altissimus Here lieth buried vnder a marble stone in a sumptuous Chappell vnder the Quier of his owne building Iohn Morton borne to the good of all England at Beere at Saint Andrews Milborn saith Camdeâ— in Dorsetshire brought vp in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of the Ciuill and Canon Law he was first Parson of Saint Dunstans in London and Prebendarie of Saint Decumanes in Wales then Bishop of Ely Master of the Rolles Lord Chancellour of England Cardinall of Saint Anastatia and Archbishop of this Metropolitan See A man so well deseruing both of the Church and common-wealth that all honours and offices were too little which were conferred vpon him of a piercing naturall wit he was very well learned and honorable in behauiour lacking no wise wayes to winne loue and fauour by whose deepe wisedome and pollicie the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster whose titles for a long time had mightily disquieted the whole kingdome were happily vnited but our English Chronicles are so full and copious in this Bishops commendation as that I know not where to begin with him nor how to take my leaue of him Whilest he was Bishop of Ely which was about eight yeares hee bestowed great cost vpon his house at Hatfield in Hertfordshire now the mansion place of that right honourable Lord and one of the priuie Councell William Cecill Earle of Salisbury and at Wisbich Castle in Cambridgeshire a house belonging to that See all the bricke-building was done at his charges And in the time of his Primacie in this Church he bestowed great summes in repairing and augmenting his houses at Knoll Maydstone Alington Parke Charing Ford Lambith and Canterbury He bequeathed by his last Will in a manner all that hee had either vnto good vses or to such of his seruants as he had yet beene able to do nothing for He gaue to the King a Portuis to the Queene a 〈◊〉 to the â—â—dy Margaret his God daughter afterwards married to 〈…〉 King of Scotland a cup of gold and tourry pâ—unds in 〈…〉 Church of Ely his Myter and Crolle vnto his 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 giue nothing as hauing sufficieâ—tly prefâ—rreâ— them in his 〈…〉 which family Robert Bishop of Worcester and many 〈…〉 of very good note and qualitie in Dorsetshire and 〈…〉 His Exâ—ecutors he bound by oath to maintaine sufficiently 〈…〉 at Oxford and ten at Cambridge for the space of twenty 〈…〉 decease And it is not to be forgotten that the yeare before he died 〈◊〉 great charges he procured Anselme one of his predecesâ—ours to be 〈◊〉 nized a Saint This good man died at his Manour of 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of October 1500. hauing enioyed this Archbishopricke 〈◊〉 enâ— yeares in all quietnesse I finde no memoriall of him vpon his 〈…〉 please you then to let these lines following serue for an Eulogium or Epitaph Iohannes Morton postquam Cantuariensem Prouinciam 13. Ann. rexisset obijt Dâ—lubrum ipse sumptuosum vinus in Ecclesii in subterraneo crypto ex truxâ—t in quo humatus est Vir fuit prudens facundus atque grauis qualem Hen. 7. vitae socium morumque quasi magistrum plerumque penes se habuit Tulit sub Richardo Tyranno vitae discrimina exilium atque carceres à triâ—bus regibus Hen 6. Edwardo 4. Hen. 7. probata integeâ—â—mi prudentissiani que pâ—tris fides nunquam in dubium
and made their nest here at Newenden which was at that time a wooddy and solitarie place and therefore in common opinion the more fit for religious persons to inhabite they were called Carmelites of a hill in Siria named Carmelus where at the first a sort of them liued solitarily vntill by Iohn Patriarch of Ierusalem they were drawne into companies Now to giue these sanctimonious white Brethren such meere strangers the better entertainment one Sir Thomas Albuger knight about the yeare 1241. built for them here a faire house calling it the Friery which he caused to bee hallowed to the honour of the Virgin Mary for that by Honorius Quartus the Pope they were appointed to a rule and order by the name of the Brothers of Mary which title liked themselues so well that they procured of Pope Vrban the sixth three yeares pardon for all such as would so call them But certaine merry fellows saith mine Author seeing their vanity and knowing how little they were of kinne to Mary the blessed Virgine called them the Brothers of Mary Aegiptiaca the harlot Whereat the Pope was so offended that hee plainly pronounced them Heretickes for their labour He that was the Prouost or principall of this Fraternitie was called the Prior of the house One of which namely William Starnefeld writ a Treatise of the originall or beginning of this Order What the value of this Priorie was at the suppression I cannot learned Combewell In this village was a Monastery of blacke Canons dedicated to S. Mary Magdelene and valued to be worth 80. l. 17. s. 5. d. Romden One of the great family of the Guilfords here in this Church founded a Chappell Anno 1444. Ossham Hic â—acet Iohannes Elys Armiger qui obijt 18. die mensis Septemb. An. 1467. cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Hic iacet Dominus Nich. de Sandwich qui quondam fuit Rector istius Ecclesie de Ossham .... ob ... 1370. This man was Lord of the Mannor and a younger sonne of the family of Sandwiches of Sandwich Kennington Orate pro animabus Willelmi Brent Ar. Elisabethe vxoris eius filie Rise Madris Orate pro anima Willelmi Walkesley militis Willisborough In the East window of the South Isle of this Church you may finde by an inscription that one Tho. Elys Esquire and Thomazin his wife were here buried And also one William Barre the sonne of George Barre or Barry of Mote in Seuington Parish who dyed Ann. 1463. An ancient familie euer since the raigne of king Richard the first in whose time as also in the raignes of King Iohn and Henry the third Sir Iohn Barre knight flourished in great reputation here in this County Bradgare Here was a Colledge founded by Robert de Bradgare Tho. Iocelin Clerk and Robert de Vise Narden Vpon the Tombe of Lady Elisabeth Nevill here interred wife to Sir Thomas Nevill and daughter to the Lord Dakers and Dame Anne Graistocke this old rime is engrauen O Lord my Sauiour and hevenly Maker Haue mercy on Elisabeth Graistock and Daker In what kings dayes this Lady might flourish I haue not made much search the character of the Inscription seemes to be ancient and so are the families of the Nevils Dacres and Greystocks as also of signall note and exemplarie noblenesse in many parts of this kingdome with the two first Surnames I do often meet Thus much here then of Greystocke out of Camden as followeth By Peterill beside Petrianae saith hee standeth Greystock a Castle belonging not long since to an honourable house which deriued their first descent from one Ranulph Fitz-walter of which line William called de Greystock wedded Mary a daughter and one of the coheires of Sir Merley Lord of Morpath and hee had a sonne named Iohn who being childlesse by licence of king Edward the first conueyed his inheritance to Raph Granthorpe the sonne of William and his Aunts sonne by the fathers side whose male progenie flourished a long time in honour with the title of Lord Greistock but about king Henry the seuenth his dayes expired and came to an end and so the inheritance came by marriage vnto the Barons of Dacree and the female heires generall of the last Baron Dacre were married vnto Philip Earle of Arundell and Lord William Howard sonnes of Thomas Howard late Duke of Norfolke Pluckley anciently written Plokele This Towneship or Parish was by Archbishop Lanfrancke in the time of William the Conquerour giuen vnto one Iohn de Cobham whose posterity assuming a Surname from the place did flourish here by the space of two hundred yeares vntill the daughters of Sir William of Pluckley knight became the coheires of this Mannor Amongst whom shee that onely is knowne to haue had issue was married vnto Iohn de Surenden alias Sarenden who vpon the old seate new founded the Mannor house a faire one at this day and by the antiquitie thereof seemes to haue beene the like or much fairer at her first building which stands vpon the very forehead of that hill which from this place doth reach Westward into Surrey A situation so elegant that it compares with most that are in rich pastures healthfull aire and plenty both of fewell and timber but aboue all in a very delicate and various prospect From the owner it then receiued and still retaines the name of Surenden although from that family it did immediatly by a daughter passe to the Noble and spreading house of Haute whose first childe being daughter and coheire Christian was married vnto Iohn Dering sonne of Richard sonne of Sir Iohn Dering of Westbroke knight In the possession of which family the name of Surenden hath by continuance gotten its Masters Surname to distinguish it from another of the same appellation within two miles and so is knowne by the name of Surenden Dering And through many descents hauing beene at no time bought nor sold the gift of Lanfranke now resteth in person of Sir Edward Dering knight and Baronet Lieutenant of his Maiesties Castle of Douer and of his Cinque ports the third of that name and family of Dering which haue enioyed this Office being a place of especiall trust of honour and command In this Church dedicated to S. Nicholas and in our Ladies Chappell there now belonging to Sir Antony Dering of Surenden Dering knight and founded by Richard Dering Esquire in the raigne of king Henry the sixth as appeares by his Armes carued on the bottome of the Arches which are Or a Salter sables and Dering and Haute quartered Or a Salter sables and Or a crosse engraled gules thereon a cressant Argent are seuerall graue-stones very fairely figured with pourtraitures in armour to the length first one for Iohn Dering of Surenden Esquire who liued in the dayes of King Richard the second Henry the fourth and Henry the fifth some of the brasse is torne away that which remaines is accordingly as
in whose commendations Nicholas Harpsfeld sometime Archdeacon of Canterbury thus writeth I will vse his owne language Tobias a Brithwaldo Archiepiscopo consecratus vir ampliore honoratiore sede si locus hominem et homo locum non commendaret dignissimus qui Theodori Adriani discipulus fuit Quantum vero sub his praeceptoribus profecerit luculenter ostendit Beda qui cum omnium humanarum diuinarumque rerum scientissimum fuisse Latinam Graecamque linguam tam accurate atque maternam calluisse affirmat Hee dyed about the yeare 726. Here lyeth interred Gundulphus a Norman by birth the thirtieth Bishop of Rochester a man not greatly learned but very wise and industrious for he handled the matter so as hee procured not onely his Church to be new built but also the reuenues to be encreased He recouered diuers lands and possessions encroched vpon and taken away in former times by Odo Earle of Kent And besides diuers summes of money which hee contributed he bought a certaine Mannor called Heddre and gaue it to this his owne Church In all these matters hee was much helped by Lanfranke Archbishop of Canterbury who caused him to take into his Church not secular Priests as before had beene accustomed but Monkes Benedictines Gundulph himselfe being a Monke of that order vpon his first admittance to this See he found onely sixe secular Priests in the Church who were endowed scarcely with sufficient meanes to liue according to their place and callings Before his death he encreased his Church-reuenues to that height that it did and was able to maintaine fifty Monkes some say threescore The yearely value of this Monastery at the suppression amounted to 486. l. 5. s. The donations to this Monastery were confirmed by Pope Vrban the second in these words following Vrbanus Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei. Dilectis filijs Priori capitulo Ecclesie Roffen Ordinis sancti Benedicti Salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem Cum à nobis petitur quod iustum est et honestum tam vigor equitatis quam etiam ordo exigit rationis vt id per solicitudinem officij nostri ad debitum perducatur effectum Ea propter dilecti in Domino filij vestris iust is postulationibus grato concurrentes assensu personas vestras et Ecclesiam Roffen in qua diuino est is obsequio mancipati cum omnibus bonis que impresentiarum rationabiliter possidetis aut in futurum iust is modis prestante domino poteritis adipisci sub beati Petri protectione suscipimus at que nostra Specialiter autem terras decimas domus possessiones vineas prata et alta bona vestra sicut ea iuste et pacifice obtinetis vobis et per vos eidem Ecclesie auctoritate Apostolica confirmamus et presentis scripti patrocinio communuimus Salua in predictis decimis moderatione Concilij generalis Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostre confirmationis infringere vel ei ausu temerario contraire Si quis autem hoc attemptare presumpserit indignationem omnipotentis Dei et beatorum Petri et Pauli Apostolorum eius se nouerit incursurum Dat. Ianu. III. Id. Ianuar. Pontificatus nostri Anno octauo When as William the Conquerour built the great white square Tower of London hee appointed this Bishop to bee principall Surueyor of that worke who was for that time lodged in the house of one Edmere a Burgesse of London as it is in the booke of the Bishops of Rochester in these words Gundulphus Episcopus mandato Willelmi Regis magni presuit operi magne Turris London quo tempore hospitatus est apud quendam Edmerum Bargensem London This Bishop built a great part of the Castle of Rochester namely the great Tower which yet standeth Hee founded an Hospitall in Chetham which hee dedicated to the honour of Saint Bartholomew for the reliefe of such people as were infected with the foule disease of the Leprosie hee endowed it with sufficient reuenues which grant was confirmed by king Henry the third and discharged of all taxes and tallages by King Ed. the third He founded the Abbey at Malling which he consecrated to the blessed Virgine and placed therein blacke Nunnes Which Nunnery he gouerned himselfe during all his life time And lying at the point of death hee commended it to the charge of one Auice to whom notwithstanding he would not deliuer the Pastorall staffe before shee had promised canonicall obedience fidelitie and subiection to the See of Rochester and protested by oath that there should neither Abbesse nor Nunne bee from thenceforth receiued into the house without the consent and priuitie of him and his Successours This Nunnery was valued at the suppression at two hundred fourty fiue pounds ten shillings two pence halfepeny of yearely reuenue Ouer the Abbey gate yet standing is the likenesse of a Pastorall staffe This good Bishop dyed the seuenth of March 1107. and was buried where you see the pourtraitures of certaine Bishops sometimes artificially cut in stone and Alabaster but now cut almost all in peeces dismembred and shamefully abused as all other Monuments in this Church are of any antiquity so that neither reading nor tradition can giue vs any true notice of their names Gilbert de Glanuil before mentioned a gentleman of an ancient family was consecrated to this Bishopricke September 29. Ann. 1185. Betweene this man and his Monkes of Rochester was long and continuall debate by occasion whereof hee tooke away from them all their moueable goods all the ornaments of their Church their writings and euidences yea and a great part of their lands possessions and priuiledges wanting money to follow their suites against him they were forced to coyne the siluer of Saint Paulinus Shryne into money These controuersies were ended no otherwise then by his death which happened Iune 24. 1214. hauing ruled his contentious charge 29. yeares But the hatred of these Monkes against him was so dying with him as they would afford him no manner of Obsequies but buried him most obscurely or rather basely without either ringing singing or any other solemnitie and furthermore abused him with such like rime-doggerell Glanvill Gilbert us nulla bonitate refertus Hic iacet immitis amator maxime litis Et quia sic litem dum vixit solet amare Nunc vbi pax nulla est est aptior inhabitare These blacke Monkes whom I thinke if the matter were well examined would proue to be in the fouler fault were too malitious to remember that this Bishop founded S. Maries Hospitall at Strowd neare adioyning to this Citie called the New worke and endowed it witha liuelihood of 52. l. of yearely profits which it now enioyeth Here lyeth entombed the body of Walter de Merton so surnamed of Merton a village in Surrey where he was borne sometimes Lord Chancellour of England Bishop of this See and Founder of Merton Colledge in Oxford
passer ..... Hen. de Cobham ..... qui morust ban de gra .... 1392. This Henry de Cobham was sonne of the foresaid Reynold who also was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports Icy gist dame Margarete de Cobham iadis fille a noble Sir Counte de Deuonshire Femme de Sir de Cobham de ceste place qe morust le secound iour du mois de August l'an de grace 1385. L'alme de .... eit mercy Amen This Margaret was the daughter of Hugh Courtney the third of that Christian name Earle of Deuonshire Dame Ione de Cobham gist icy Dieu de salme aie mercy Qui pur le alme priera Quarant iours de Pardon auera Vous .... par icy passer ... lalme Thome de Cobham pries qui trespassa la .... S. Thom ... le Apostre ... luy ottrye a demorier en companye le vostre en lan de grace 1367. Le haut Trinyte luy soit defender d'inferne abisme Et Icy gist dame Maude de Cobham qe fust le Femme de Sir Thomas Cobham que dellya 9. iour de Auerillan de grace 13 .... 3. Ric. 2. De terre fust fait et fourme Est in terre .... retourne Cobham founder de ceste place Le Seint Trinyte mercy de mesme This Iohn Lord Cobham was the builder of Cowling Castle and the founder of this Colledge valued at the suppression at one hundred eight and twenty pounds ten shillings nine pence halfe penny by the yeare He was the last Lord Cobham of that surname for he left but one onely daughter wife to Sir Iohn de la Pole knight And shee likewise howsoeuer she had many husbands of which number Sir Iohn Oldcastle was one had not any issue but onely by Sir Reygnold Braybroke who dyed all young excepting one daughter called Ioane who married with Thomas Brooke of Somersetshire to whom she brought both her mothers inheritance and honour which these Brookes did happily enioy for the space of sixe descents being euer employed in offices of State and matters of high consequence Yet alwayes standing firme both in the fauour of the Prince and his people vntill the last of these Lords stumbling vpon a shallow-pated Treason which was laid in his way fell downe to the ground together with his house his inheritance and all his additions of honour But to returne to the rest of the Epitaphs Hic iacet Iohanna Domina de Cobham quondam vxor domini Reginaldi Braybroke militis que obiit in die Sancti Hilarii Episcopi Ann. Dom. 1433. Cuius anime propitietur altissimus Hic iacet Dominus Reginaldus Braybroke miles ac maritus Domine Iohanne Domine de Cobham heredis Domini Iohannis de Cobham fundatoris istius Collegii qui quidem Reginaldus obiit apud Midleborrow in Flandria 20. die mens Septemb. Ann. 1405. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Vpon the same marble these words are engrauen Hic iacet Reginaldus filius eorum Hic iacet Robertus filius eorum Which were his and her children that dyed in their infancie This Reignold by the honour of his marriage stiled Lord Cobham was the sonne of Gerard Braybroke who was the sonne of Henry Braybroke Lord Warden of the fiue Ports in the raigne of king Henry the third Hic iacet Nicholaus Hawberk quondam maritus Domine Iohanne Domine de Cobham heredis Domini Iohannis de Cobham fundatoris istius Collegii qui quidem Nicolaus obiit apud Castrum 9. die Octobris Ann. Dom. 1407. Hic iacet Iohannes Broke miles ac Baro Baronie de Cobham ac domina Margareta vxor sua quondam silia nobilis viri Edouardi Nevil nuper Domini de Burgaueny qui quidem Iohannes obiit .... die mens Septemb. Ann. Dom. 1506. quorumanimabus Amen Orate pro anima Tho. Broke militis Domini de Cobham consanguinei et heredis Richardi Beauchampe militis qui quidem Thomas cepit in vxorem Dorotheam filiam Henrici Heydon militis habuerunt exitum inter eos septem filios sex filias predicta Dorothea obiit .... et predictus Thomas cepit in vxorem Dorotheam Fowthewel viduam que obiit sine exitu postea cepit in vxorem Elisabetham Harte habuerunt nullum exitum inter eos Qui quidem Thomas obiit 19. Iulii 1529. Raph de Cobham de Kent Esquier Qi morust le xx iour de Ianier L'an de Grace mil cccc gist icy Dieu desâ—alme eyt mercy Hic iacet Iohannes Terrye quondam socius istius Collegii qui obiit 7. Id. Iulii Ann. Dom. 1417. Hic iacet Iohannes Clauering quondam filius Rogeri Clauering ciuis pannarij de Ciuitate London Orate pro animabus predicti Iohannis Clauering Iuliane Alicie vx eius predicti Rogeri Clauering Iohanne vx eius patris matris predicti Iohannis Clauering fratrum sororum suorum et siliorum eorum ac etiam Anne Westbye et Matildis matris eius et progenitorum nostrorum et Iohannis de Brendward Thome Legge et Simonis filij eius et pro animabus omnium Benefactorum nostrorum et omnium fidelium defunctorum quorum animabus propitietur Deus Amen Such was the politike deuotion of religious houses in those dayes thus publikely to remember and pray for the soules of all their Benefactours thereby to incite others to the like works of charity by which they still encreased their Founders first endowments Shorne Neare to the high Altar of this Church is a very faire Monument for Sir Henry de Cobham knight Lord of Roundall a Mannor within this Parish where now scarce the ruines appeare to direct one where the house stood Hee is buried crosselegged with his coat-armes on his robe about whose Tombe in an old Character thus much may be read Icy gift Sir Henri de Cobeham Sheualer Signeour de Roundall Dieu de sa ...... The Lieger booke of Feuersham makes mention of one Henry Lord Cobham who liued in great honour in the raignes of Edward the first and Edward the second these are the words but I thinke this is not the man which lyes here entombed Regnante Edwardo cius nominis primo etiamque secundo floruit Henricus Dominus de Cobham primus totius Anglie Iusticiarius nec non Dorentium Castrorum Roucestrie ac Tunbridge Prefectus quinque Portuum Gardianus vxorem duxit Iohannam filiam vnam Heredum Domini Stephani de Pynchester militis qui vero Stephanus prius Castri Dorensis gubernationem ante Cobhamum tenuit Alicia vero natu minor Stephani de Pynchester filia vna Heredum in virum accepit Dominum Philippum de Columbaris militem ex qua duos suscepit filios Stephanum Thomam qui sine herede Patrimonium omne à patre acceptum reliquit Hiis testibus Dom. Gualfrido Domino de Say Ottone de Grandisono Rogero de Hengham Gulielmo de Cheynie
North wall Iohn de Chishull who sometimes had beene Deane of Pauls Archdeacon and Bishop of London Lord Treasurer of England and twice Keeper of the great Seale He was consecrated Aprill 29. 1274 and died the tenth 1279. Vpon the Monument of Richard Newport Bishop of this Church here buried a little inscription not long since was to be read expressing the day and yeare of his consecration which was March 26. 1317. And the like of his death which happened August 24. 1318. the yeare following Raph Baldocke Deane of this Church was chosen Bishop vpon Saint Mathias day 1303. but was not consecrated till the yeare 1305. Ianuary 30. which he receiued at the hands of one Petrus Hispanus a Cardinall Bishop of Alba at Lions in France He was a man very well learned and amongst other things writ an History or Chronicle of England in the Latine tongue In his life time he gaue two hundred Markes toward the building of the Chappell on the East end of this Church now called The Lady Chappell wherein he lieth buried and in his Will bequeathed much toward the finishing of the same And here by the way saith mine Author it shall not bee amisse to note that in digging the foundation of this building there were found more then an hundred heads of cattell as oxen kine stagges c. which seeme to confirme the opinion of those that thinke the Temple of Iupiter was scituate in that place before the planting of Christian Religion tooke away those idolatrous sacrifices This Bishop was chosen Lord Chancellour by king Edward the first Vpon whose death he sent the great Seale to king Edward the second as then lying at Carliell This Raph is mistaken by some writers for Robert Baldock Bishop of Norwich yet I finde no such Bishop of that See in the Catalogue sometime Archdeacon of Midlesex and Chancellour of England Much what about that time a man that liued in the hatred of most people whom the old English Chronicle calleth a false peeld Priest these are the words Robart Baldok his false pilide Chanceler being as then Chancellour to Edward the second and in another place Ye pilide clerk Robart Baldok ye fals Chanceler Yet this pilide fals clerk was euer trew to the King his Lord and Master for which he was taken and imprisoned in Newgate London wherein he miserably ended his dayes Of which thus writeth the Author of the booke of Durham Robertus de Baldock Cancellarius 1325. captus cum Hugonibus de despensers quia Clericus fuit Sacerdos in nona porta Londiniarum poni fecit Edwardus Princeps et Isabella mater eius vbi pro nimia miseria mortuus fuit infra breue But to returne to Raph for I haue somewhat digressed from the matter Bishop of this Diocesse who when from his first confirmation by Robert of Winchelsey Bishop of Canterbury he had sate about eight yeares died on S. Iames his Eue 1313. at Stell Here lyeth buried Michaell Northbrooke Bishop of this See Doctor of Law who had his election confirmed Iuly 7. 1355. and died of the plague Septemb. 9. 1361. at Copford This Bishop gaue a chest with a thousand Markes which money was to bee lent to the poore vpon securitie as appeares by his will Michael de Northburghe nuper Episcopus Lond. legauit in testamento suo sic Item lego ad faciend vnam cistam que stabit in Thesauria Sancti Pauli mille Marcas in eadem includend de quibus possit quilibet pauper plebeus sub bona excedenti pignore mutuo recipere decem libras 1. Pars. Pat. Ann. 49. Ed. 3. M. 30. Here lieth interred vnder a marble stone neare to the Monument of Sir Christopher Hatton the body of Richard Clifford Archdeacon of Canterbury from which dignitie he was preferred to the Bishopricke of Worcester which he enioyed about six yeares and from thence translated to this See of London which hee laudably gouerned thirteene yeares and some moneths and died August 20. 1421. This Bishop in the yeare 1414. trauelled to the Councell of Constance and preached in Latine before the Emperour and other Estates there assembled In this Councell the long schisme was ended and Martin the fifth called before Otho Columna Cardinall of Saint George was chosen the sole Pope The Councell thinking it meete that thirtie persons should be added to the Cardinals in this election this our Richard Clifford was one of that number In which also there were some that named him to the Papacie Himselfe was the first that named the Cardinall Columna who thereupon the rest consenting was immediately elected Betweene the two pillars next vnto the Steeple on the North side of the body of the Church vnder a marble stone ouer which was built a kind of Tombe or Chappell of wood that by the burning of the steeple was consumed and quite defaced the body of Rich. Fitz-Iames lieth interred A gentleman of an ancient house learned and vertuous Doctor of Law brought vp in Merton Colledge in Oxford and sometimes Warden of the same from whence hee was aduanced to the Bishopricke of Rochester from thence translated to Chichester and from Chichester to London He bestowed much money in repairing the Church of S. Martins in Oxford as also in adorning and beautifying this his owne Cathedrall Church He died in the yeare 1521. Hic in Domino obdormiuit Iohannes Gandauensis vulgo de Gaunt à Gandauo Flandrie vrbe loco natali ita denominatus Edwardi tercij Regis Anglie filius à Patre comitis Richmondie titulo ornatus Tres sibi vxores in matrimonio duxit primam Blancham filiam heredem Henrici Ducis Lancastrie per quam amplissimam adijt hereditatem Nec solum Dux Lancastrie sed etiam Leicestrie Lincolnie Derbie comes effectus E cuius sobole Imperatores Reges Principes proceres propagati sunt plurimi Alteram habuit vxorem Constantiam que hic contumulatur filiam heredem Petri Regis Castillie et Legionis cuius iure optimo titulo Regis Castillie et Legionis vsus est Haec vnicam illi peperit filiam Catharinam ex qua ab Henrico Reges Hispanie sunt propagati Tertiam vero vxorem duxit Catharinam ex Equestri familia eximia pulchritudine feminam ex qua numero sam suscepit prolem Vnde genus ex matre duxit Henricus 7. Rex Anglie prudentissimus Cuius felicissimo coniugio cum Elisabetha Edw. 4. Regis filia e stirpe Eboracensi Regie ille Lancastriensium et Eboracensium familie ad exoptatissimam Anglie pacem coaluerunt Illustrissimus hic princeps Iohannes cognomento Plantagenet Rex Castillie Legionis Dux Lancastrie comes Richmondie Leicestrie Lincolnie Derbie locum tenens Aquitanie Magnus Seneschallus Anglie obijt Ann. 22. Regni Regis Ricardi 2. Annoque Domini 1399. His first wife Blanch here buried died of the plague saith
Io. Stow Ann. 1369. She ordained for her husband and her selfe a solemne Obit to bee kept yearely in this Church where the Maior being present at the Masse with the Sheriffes Chamberlaine and Swordbearer should offer each of them a pennie and the Maior to take vp twentie shillings the Sheriffes either of them a Marke the Chamberlaine ten shillings and the Sword-bearer sixe shillings eight pence and euery other of the Maiors officers there present two and twenty pence a peece the which Obyte saith Fabian to this day is holden She also founded foure Chantrees in this Church for the soules of her selfe and her husband and was greatly beneficiall vnto the Deane and Canons His second wife Constance died in the yeare 1395. whom hee solemnly and Princely interred by his first wife Blanch. She was saith Walsingham mulier super feminas innocens deuota A Lady aboue Ladies innocent deuout and zealous Of his third wife Katherine when I come to Lincolne Minster where she lieth entombed Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne lieth here entombed in the new worke which was of his owne foundation vnder a goodly Monument with his armed pourtraiture crosse-legged as one that had professed his vttermost endeauour for defence of the holy Land Hee was stiled Earle of Lincolne Baron of Halton Constable of Chester Lord of Pomfret Blackburnshire Ros in Wales and Rowennocke Hee was Protectour of England whilest King Edward the second was in Scotland and Viceroy sometime in the Duchie of Aquitaine Vir illustris in consilio strenuus in omni guerra prelio Princeps militie in Anglia in omni regno ornatissimus saith the booke of Dunmow By his first wife Margaret daughter and heire of William Longspee grandchilde of William Longspee Earle of Salisbury he had two sonnes Edmund drowned in a Well in Denbeigh Castle and Iohn who died young both of them dead before their father And one daughter named Alice married to Thomas Plantaginet Earle of Lancaster He died at his house now called Lincolnes Inne in Chancerie-lane London Feb. the fifth 1310. being threescore yeares of age as I haue it out of the booke of Whalley in these words Iste Henricus Comes Lincol. obijt Anno etat is lx Ann. Domini M. CCC X. in festo Sancte Agathe Martyris circa gallicinium In the same Chappell dedicated to S. Dunstan lieth Laurence Allerthorp sometimes Canon of this Church and Lord Treasurer of England with this Inscription Hic iacet Laurentius Allerthorp quondam Thesaurarius Anglie Canonicus Stagiarius istius Ecclesie qui migrauit ex hoc seculo mens Iulij die 21. 1406. This Allerthorp being a man of no more eminencie in the Church then a Canon resident was neuer thought of or not beleeued by the Collector of the Lord Treasurers to haue ascended to such an honour so that he lies here in a darksome roome as a sacrifice to obliuion small notice taken of him except by some few of the Churchmen Now giue mee leaue to tell you by way of digression that howsoeuer this Allerthorp was but one of the Canons resident yet he was solely the one and had most or all the reuenues of the rest in his hands for as the Records of this Church doe approue those thirtie Canons vpon the primarie institution called Canons Regular because they led a regular life and were perpetually resident and afterwards liuing abroad and neglecting the businesse of their Church became to be called Canons secular contenting themselues with the title of Canon and some prebend assigned vnto them Which annexing of lands to the Prebendarie was not till a long time after the first foundation whereupon Pope Lucius by his Bull ordained that the Canons non-resident should not partake of the profits of the lands assigned to the common affaires of the Church but onely such as were resident the diuision of the Churches lands hauing beene made before in the time of the Conquerour and this Laurence Allerthorp at and before the time of his Treasurship was solus residentiarius and had the whole reuenue of the rest at his owne disposing by way of Option as it is called in the Lieger booke But of this enough if not too much Then to conclude howsoeuer this Allerthorp be altogether excluded out of the Treatise of the Treasurers and Sir Iohn Northberie knight keeper of the priuie Garderobe in the Tower said to be Lord Treasurer in the first second and third of king Henry the fourth in which time the said Allerthorp should enioy that office or not at all Yet these words in his Patent together with this Epitaph do approue him to haue beene adorned with the honourable Office of a solicitous Lord Treasurer Laurentius de Allerthorp Clericus habet officium Thesaurarij Anglie quamdiu T.R. apud W. 31. Maij. 9. pars pat 2. Hen. 4. membrana 14. Hic requiescit Simon Burly Banerettus quinque Portuum prefectus Ordinis Garterij Miles Ricardo 2. Consiliarius longe charissimus connubio sibi coniunctas habuit ex amplissimis familijs duas vxores alteram Staffordie alteram Baronis de Roos filiam Verum difficillimo illo tempore cum inter Anglie Proceres omnia sub iuuene Principe simultatibus agitarentur in tantum nonnullorum odium incurrit vt Parlamentaria authoritate capite plecteretur Anno Dom. 1388. Posteri autem eadem postea authoritate sub Rege Henrico quarto sunt restituti Edward the blacke Prince tooke such affection to this Sir Simon Burley for his valour wisedome and true seruice that he committed to his gouernance his onely sonne then liuing Richard of Burdeux who being afterwards king of England by the name of Richard the second aduanced him to high honours offices and promotions and nothing was done in matters of State without his appointment and direction Thus hee continued alwayes loyall to his Soueraigne Lord the king yet liued in the hatred of the Peeres of the Land as also of the common people for that he leaned to the partie of Robert de Veere Earle of Oxford Duke of Ireland and the kings fauorite and was an oppressour of the poore Commons insomuch that by the sentence of that Parliament which wrought wonders An. 11. Ric. secundi hee was condemned of treason and beheaded on the Tower hill as in the Inscription He was first Vicechamberlaine to king Richard who made him Constable of Douer Castle and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports deliuering the keyes of the said Castle to the said Simon in signe of possession so much would he grace him with his presence thus recorded Simon de Burley Miles subcamerarius Regis haebt officium Constabularij Castri Douer custodie 5. Portuum ad totam vitam suam sicut Robertus de Assheton Chr. iam defunctus nuper habuit Rex super hoc ipso Simoni in dicto Castro in presenti existens claues tradidit in signum possessionis earundem
the holy crosse so denominated of wearing a Crosse anciently called a Crouch vpon their garments and of bearing the crosse for the badge and Armes of their house This house was valued at the suppression to 52 l. 13 s. 2 d. of annuall profits A Petition to Secretary Cromwell against the Prior of this house a little before the dissolution thereof Pleasethe it your honourable mastoreship to be aduertesid that in the time of Lent last past your continuall orator Iohn Bartelote with others to the number of fiue persons of good conuersation found the Priore of the Crossyd Friores in London at that time being in bed with his whoore both naked about xi of the clocke in the forenoone vpon a Friday at which time the said Priore to the intent his misdemeanour and shamefull fact should not be knowne whereby he should sustaine open shame kneeled vpon his knees and not onely desired your said orator and his company to keepe secret his said act and not to disclose in any wife the same but for the same intent freely and of his owne motion gaue amongst them about xxx l. which he then was possessed of of the which summe your Orator had by the said gift about vii l. And also the said Priore promised to giue amongst the said company xxx l. more by a certaine day and after by mediation of friends of the said Priore the said xxx l. was released to the summe of vi l. which sixe pounds the said Priore bound himselfe to pay to the said Orator by his Bill obligatory at a certaine day in the same limeted Yet this notwithstanding for by cause your said Orator for non paiment of the said vi l. did arrest the said Priore he hath so hainously informed the Lord Chancelour against your Orator that he will onely put him to shewertie making the premisses a hainous Robbery saying openly that your Orator is worthy to be hanged but also will by his high authoritie compell your Orator to repay agen to the said Priore the some of xxx l. vnlesse your most charetable goodnesse bee therein otherwise shewed It may therefore plese your good Mastershipe of your abundant goodnesse to prouide that the premeses may be duly examined according to equitie for this is the very and hole truth in the same And your seid Oratore shall prey to God for your honor and preseruation long to endure By your humble Oratore to his power during his life Iohn Bartelote Saint Katherines by the Tower This was the Church belonging to the Hospitall dedicated to the honour of Saint Katherine founded by Queene Maud the wife of King Stephen and much augmented by Eleanor the wife of King Edward the first and Philip wife to King Edward the third who left to it sufficient liuelihood for a Master 3 Brethren Chaplaines and 3 Sisters tenne poore women and sixe poore Clarkes This house was valued at the generall suppression at 315 l. 14 s. 2 d. per annum Here vnder an Ancient monument â—ouly defaced lieth entombed the body of Iohn Holland Duke of Exceter Earle of Huntington and of Iuory in Normandy Lord of Sparre Admirall of England Ireland and Aquitaine Lieuetenant Generall of the Duchie of Aquitaine Fellow of the honourable order of the Garter and Constable of the Tower of London as he writ in his stile when Henry the fift in the fift of his raigne was to goe ouer into Normandy this puissant Iohn Holland as then but Earle of Huntington was sent before to scoure the seas who meeting with nine Carrickes of Genoa which were going to aide the French King fought with them and sunke sixe of them and tooke the other three with great store of money and treasure and brought them with his prisoners to the King This battaile was fought nere Harflew vpon the fall of the Riuer Seyne into the narrow seas of which an old versifier They faught full sore afore the water of Sayn With Carrickes many well stuffed and arayed And many other shippes great of Hispayn Barges Balyngers and Galleys vnfrayed Whiche proudly came vpon our Shippes vnprayed And by th'euen their sailes aualed were set Their enemies slaine in battayll and sore bet And many dryent were that daye in the Sea That as our flete rode there then alway Vnto the feast next of his Natiuitee The Bodies flete among our Shippes eche daye Full piteous was and to see theim ay That thousandes were twenty as they then told That taken were in that same batayll bold This valiant braue Duke died full of yeares the fift of August in the 25. yeere of King Henry the sixt Anno 1447. Here lye entombed by him his two wiues the first was Anne daughter of Edmund Earle Stafford by his wife Anne the heire of Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester by whom hee had issue Henry Duke of Exceter She had bin formerly married vnto Edmund Mortimer Earle of March and Vlster I cannot finde the time of her death His second wife here entombed was also Anne daughter of Io. Mountague the third of that name Earle of Salisbury who formerly had bin twise married to Sir Richard Hanckford to Sir Iohn Fitz-Lewis Knights She died the 27 of Nouember 1457. Here lieth likewise entombed the body of Constance sister of the foresaid Iohn Duke of Exceter daughter of Iohn Holland first of that name Duke of Exceter married to Thomas Lord Mowbray the sonne of Thomas who died in banishment Duke of Norfolke Earle of Nottingham and Earle Marshall of England and remarried to Sir Iohn Grey Lord Grey of Ruthin she died the sixteenth of Henry the sixt New Abbey in East-Smithfield Before the foundation of this Abbey there stood in the same place a little Chappell within a Coemitorie or Church-yard dedicated to the honour of God by Raph Stratford Bishop of London wherein were interred innumerable many of such persons as died in the first great Pestilence the 23 of King Edward the third Now the said King liking well this plot of ground and hauing before in a tempest on the sea and perill of drowning made a vow to build a Monastery to the honour of God and our Lady of Grace if God would grant him grace to come safe to land builded here a Monastery wherein he placed white Monkes of the Cistercian order which house at the generall suppression was valued at 546 l. 10 d. yearely The Kings store-house for victuall and for baking of Biskets to serue his Maiesties Ships is built in the same place where this Abbey stood The Minories Here was an Abbey of Nunnes of the order of Saint Clare founded by Blanch Queene of Nauarre and her husband Edmund Earle of Lancaster Leicester and Darby brother to King Edward the first in the yeere 1293. This house was valued to dispend yeerely 418 l. 8 s. 5 d. and was surrendred by Dame Elizabeth Sauage the last Abbesse there vnto King Henry
serued It was valued at the suppression to 305. l. 6. s. 7. d. yearely The Church remaineth a Parish to the Tenants dwelling in the precinct of the Hospitall in which are many faire Funerall Monuments Whose Inscriptions or the most of them are set downe in the Suruay of London these following onely omitted Hic iacent Thomas Malefant Miles Baro de Winwore et Dominus de S. George in Com. de Clamorgan et Dominus de Okneton et Pile in Com. de Penbroke in Wallia qui obijt 8. die Maij 1438. et Domina Margareta vxor eius filia Thome Asteley Ar. Nep. de Domino de Asteley et Henricus â—ilius â—orundem Tho. et Margarete Quorum animabus propitietur Altissimus Amen The xiiiic yere of our Lord seventy and three Passyd Sir William Knyght to God Almightie The fiftenth dey of Iuil Master of this place Iesu for his mercy reioyce hym with his grace The xiiiic yere of our Lord and eight Passyd Sir Robart Greuil to God Almight The xii dey of April Broder of this place Iesu for his mercy reioice him with his grace Philip Lewis restyth vnder yis ston Yat in Iun deseisyd the dey six and twenty Wyth Agnes hys wyf yat were both on The xiiiic yere of our Lord and seuen and fifty Subiacet ecce pede Iohn Stafford mortis in ede Iustus deuotus discretus et ad pia motus Qui bona plura loco dum vixit contulit isti Mille quater centum quater et sexto quoque Christi Luce Nouemberis deca ter .......... Vt sit propitius anime Christus precor Amen Saint Sepulchers In this Church lyeth buried the body of that vnfortunate Lord Thomas Fiâ—es Baron Dacres of the South Who was executed at Tiborne the 29. of Iune 1541. for that hee with others going to hunt in Master Pelhams Parke at Laughton in Sussex and meeting with some companie casually by the way with whom and his confederates ensued a quarrell in which a priuate man one Iohn Busbrig was slaine by the said Lord or some of his associates which were Io. Mantell Io. Frouds and George all three executed for the same fact at Saint Thomas Waterings The death of this Lord was generally lamented being an hopefull gentleman of 24. yeares of age This happened in that bloudie yeare when Henry the eight vnsheathed his sword vpon the neckes of the Nobilitie Here lieth the heart of Iohn Goodfellow for his sowl and al yat died wyth hym and al Christen sowls I prey yow for cherite sey a Pater Noster and an Ave Mary Saint Bridgets or Brides Vndyr this ston William Weuer doth ly Cityzon and Elisabeth his wyf hym by He died the viii and she the vii dey of September Leuing Geffrey Mary and Ellin thar children as I remember Who 's sowls God receyve to fauor and pease Wyth Ioyes to lyve that neuyr sal cease 1409. The White Friers These Friers were called Fratres beatae Mariae de monte Carmeli first founded by Sir Richard Grey knight ancestor to the Lord Grey of Codnor in the yeare 1241. King Edward the first gaue to the Prior and brethren of that house a plot of ground here in Fleetstreet whereupon to build their house which was afterwards new builded by Hugh Courtney the third of that Christian name Earle of Deuonshire the yeare before he died which was Aun 1350. Sir Robert Knolles knight was a great builder here also in the raigne of Richard the second and of Henry the fourth who being borne but of meane parentage in the County of Chester was by his valiant behauiour aduanced from a common Souldier in the French warres vnder Edward the third to a great Commander and being sent Generall of an Armie into France in despite of their power he draue their people before him like Sheepe destroying Townes Castles and Cities in such a manner and number that long after in memory of this act the sharpe points and gable ends of ouerthrowne houses and Minsters were called Knolles Miters After which minding to make himselfe as welbeloued of his countrey as he was feared of forraine nations hee built the goodly faire Bridge at Rochester ouer the Riuer of Medway with a Chappell and a Chantrie at the East end thereof He founded a Colledge with an Hospitall adioyning thereunto in the Towne of Pontefract in Yorkeshire of which hereafter He founded also an Hospitall in the Citie of Rome for entertainment of English trauellers or pilgrimes to that Citie in place where Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury had builded a Chappell of the holy Trinity which to this day retaines the name and is a Seminarie for our English Fugitiues He deceased at his Mannor of Scone Thorpe in Norfolke was brought to London and honourably buried by the Lady Constance his wife in the body of this Church which he had newly builded Ann. 1407. the 15. of August Of whom in his life saith Stow were made verses in Latine thus by him put into English O Robert Knowles most worthy of Fame By thy Prowesse France was made tame Thy manhood made the French to yeeld By dint of sword in towne and feeld Here sometime lay entombed in a goodly Monument of Alabaster the body of Robert Mascall Bishop of Hereford a man for his good learning and good life admired and beloued of all men He was often employed by Henry the fourth to whom he was Confessor vpon Embasies to forraine Princes and in the yeare 1415. sent with two other Bishops to the Councell of Constance Hee built the Quier Presbytery and Steeple of this Church and gaue many rich ornaments to this religious house wherein he died 22. Decemb. 1416. William Lord Montacute Earle of Salisbury and king of the Isle of Man was here entombed Whose noble Acts saith Walsingham to write worthily were a commendable matter He founded the Abbey of Bisham Montague in Barkshire and died at a Iusts and Turney at Windsore in the yeare 1343. For the rest here interred I referre my Reader to the Suruay of London This house was valued at 26. l. 7. s. 3. d. and was surrendred the tenth of Nouember the 30. of king Hen. the eight Since the writing of the premisses I chanced to haue the perusall of a Manuscript penned in the praise of this religious Order out of which I collected diuers Epitaphs which in times past had beene engrauen vpon the Sepulchers of certaine Carmelites here in the Church of this Priory interred And first I finde that Stephen Patrington vir omnibus praestantioribus animi dotibus omnibus virtutibus preditus et multiplici doctrinae varietate instructus was here buried in the body of the Quire He was borne in the County of Yorke and brought vp in the Vniuersitie of Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Diuinitie He writ many learned bookes and was an admirable Preacher to whose Sermons alwayes
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
septimi nec non Thesaurarius Hospitij reuerendissimi Patris domini huius regni Cancellarij titulo Sancte Cecilie trans Tiberim sacro sancte Romane Ecclesie Presbyteri Cardinalis ordinati Qui quidem Willelmus ob 3. Iulij 1518. Here is an Epitaph cut in Brasse vpon a marble stone now almost worne out which was made to the memory of one Robert Haule Esquire murdered in this Church the manner whereof our Chronicles doe thus briefely relate In the battell of Nazers in Spaine this Robert Haule or Hawley and Iohn Schakell Esquires tooke the Earle of Dene prisoner who deliuered vnto them his sonne and heire as a pledge for assurance of performances Not long after this their Hostage was demanded by Iohn Duke of Lancaster in the Kings name whom they denyed to deliuer for which they were clapt in the Tower from whence escaping here they tooke Sanctuary to whom Sir Raph Ferreis and Sir Alan Buxhull with fifty armed men were secretly sent to doe this mischiefe who finding them at high Masse first drew Schakell by a wile out of the priuiledge of the Church then offering to lay hands on Hawley he manfully resisting with his short sword made them all flie off But in the end he was slaine in the Chancell commending himselfe in his last words to God the reuenger of such iniuries and to the liberty of our holy mother the Church With him was slaine a seruant of his thrust into the backe with a Iauelin and a Monke who intreated for him in respect of the holinesse of the place This wicked act was perpetrated the 11. of August 1378. the second of Richard the second These words following now onely remaining vpon his Monument Me dolus ira furor multorum militis atque ................... ..... in hoc gladijs celebri pietatis asylo Dum leuita Dei sermonis legit ad aram Proh dolor ipse meo Monachorum sanguine vultus Aspersi moriens chorus est mihi testis in evum Et me nunc retinet sacer is locus Haule Robertum Hic quia pestiferos male sensi primitus enses .................. Hic iacet Thomas Ruthal Episcopus Dunelmensis Regis Henrici septimi Secretarius qui obijt 1524. To this short Inscription Godwin in his Catalogue addeth a long story of the life and death of this Bishop Who was borne in Cicester saith he in the County of Glocester and brought vp in Cambridge where he proceeded Doctor of Law He was preferred to the Bishopricke of Durham by King Henry the seuenth after whose death hee was made one of the priuie Councell vnto the young King Henry the eight who esteemed greatly of him for his wisedome and learning and imployed him often in ambassages and other businesses of importance Amongst the rest it pleased the king one time to require him to set downe his iudgement in writing concerning the estate of his kingdome in generall and particularly to enforme him in certaine things by him specified This discourse the Bishop writ very carefully and caused it to be bound in Velime gilt and otherwise adorned in the best manner Now you shall vnderstand that it chanced himselfe about the same time to set downe a note of his owne priuate estate which in goods and ready money amounted to the summe of one hundred thousand pounds This account was written in a paper booke of the same fashion and binding that the other was which was prouided for the king Whereby it happened that the king sending Cardinall Wolsey for the other draught which he had so long before required of him the Bishop mistaking deliuered that which contained an estimate of his owne infinite Treasure This the Cardinall soone espying and willing to doe the Bishop a displeasure deliuered it as he had receiued it vnto the King shewing withall how the Bishop had very happily mistaken himselfe for now quoth he you see where you may at any time command a great masse of money if you need it As soone as the Bishop vnderstood his errour the conceit thereof touched him so neare that within a short spaâ—â— after hee died at his house here in the Strand His intention was to haue repaired the Church of Cicester to haue built Bridges as he had begun that ouer the Riuer of Tyne and to haue done many other deeds of charitie if hee had not beene preuented by death Here lieth the body of Sir William Trussell knight and speaker of that Parliament wherein Edward the second king of England resigned his Diadâ—me and all ensignes of Maiestie to Edward his eldest Sonne This Trussell saith an ancient Author was a Iudge who could fit the house with quirks of Law to colour so lawlesse and treasonable an act as the deposing of a lawfull king And thereupon was chosen in the behalfe of the whole Realme to renounce all homage and obedience to the Lord Edward of Carnarvon his Soueraigne Lord and King The forme of which renunciation was by him the said Trussell pronounced at Kenelworth Castle the 20. of Ianuary 1326. in these disgracefull words which you may finde in Polychronicon I William Trussel in the name of al men of the lond of Engelond and of the Parliament Prolocutor resigne to the Edward the homage that was made to the somtym and from this tym forward now folowyng I defye the and priue the of al royal Powyr and shal neuer be tendant to the as for Kyng aftyr this tyme. The time of this Trussels death I cannot learne Here lieth interred before the Communion Table the body of Richard de Ware or Warren Abbot of this Monastery and sometime Lord Treasurer of England Who going to Rome for his consecration brought from thence certaine workmen and rich Porphery stones whereof and by whom hee made that curious singular rare pauement before the high Altar in which are circulary written in letters of brasse these ten verses following containing a discourse as one saith of the worlds continuance Si Lector posita prudenter cuncta reuoluat Hic finem primi mobilis inveniet Sepes trina canes equos homines super addas Ceruos coruos aquilas immania cete Mundi quodque sequens pereuntis triplicat annos Sphericus Archetypum globus hic monstrat Macrocosmum Christi milleno bis centeno duodeno Cum sexageno subductis quatuor anno Tertius Henricus Rex vrbs Odoricus Abbas Hos compegere Porphyreos lapides With these stones and workmen he did also frame the Shrine of Edward the Confessor with these verses Anno milleno Domini cum septuageno Et bis centeno cum completo quasi deno Hoc opus est factum quod Petrus duxit in actum Romanus ciuis Homo causam noscere si vis Rex fuit Henricus Sancti presentis amicus This Abbot died the second day of December 1283. after he had gouerned this Monastery three and twenty yeares and more Vpon whose grauestone this briefe
suorum Deus omnipotens pro sua magna miserecordia propitietur Amen This French Epitaph following was not long since to be read engraued vpon the monument of one of the Argentons Reignauld de Argentein ci gist Que câ—st Chappell feire fist Fu't cheualier sainct Mairie Chescinipardon pour l'alme prie Englished Regnald de Argentyne here is laid That caused this Chappell to be made He was a Knight of Seynt Mary the Virgin Therfor prey pardon for his sin The foundation of the Priory of Wymley or Wymondley Within this ancient and famous Lordship of Wymley held by the most honourable tenure with vs saith Camden which our Lawiers terme Grand Seargeanty namely that the Lord thereof should serue vnto the Kings of England vpon their Coronation day the first cup one Richard de Argâ—nton descended from Dauid de Argenton a Norman and a martiall Knight who vnder King William the Conquerour serued in the warres Lord of this Mannor diuolued now by marriage to the Alingtons Founded a Priorie for Canons regular valued at the suppression to to be yeerely worth thirtie seuen pounds ten shillings sixe halfe penny Within the Towne of Hitching was a little Priorie called New-bigging valued to bee worth fifteene pounds one shilling eleuen pence of yeerely reuenue Ashwell Of yowr cheritie sey for the soul of Elizabeth Annstell a Pater Noster and an Aue .... 1511. Presbiter egregius prostratus morte Radulphus Howel Grammaticus iacet hic sub marmore pressus Tullius ore fuit Prisciani dicta resoluens Multos instruxit in Christo vota reuoluens Erat in Ecclesia pianumina semper honorans Mane sero Bacchi sugiens loca crimina plorans Dulcia frustrauit fercula plena fugauit Sepe ieiunauit Christo mentem reperauit Mundum despexit sic multa volumina scripsit Que regit rexit saluet Deus hunc rogo sic sit Anno Mil. C quater octogeno quoque sumpto Monsis Aprilis decessit ille secundo Here in the north Isle Iohn Hinxworth and Martina his wife lie buried vnder a monument defaced which seemeth to be of great antiquitie Perpetuis annis memores estote Iohannis Henrici dictus proles hic â—acet arbore strictus Bursa non strictus hoc Templo gessit amicus Et meritis morum fuerat ... sociorum Sic prece verborum scandet precor alta polorum M. C quater septenis ter tres minor vno Prima luce Iunij nunc vermibus hic requiescit Hic iacet magister Thomas Colby in Decretis Bachalarius istius Ecclesie nuper vicarius qui ob 19. die mens Septemb. Ann. 1489. Cuius Orate pro .... Walteri Summoner ..... I reade that one Walter Sumner whether this here interred or no I know not held the Mannor of Ashwell of the King by pettie Sergeantie viz. to finde the King Spits to rost his meate vpon the day of his Coronation And Iohn Sumner his Sonne held the same Mannor by Seruice to turne a Spit in the Kings Kitchin vpon the day of his Coronation Ann. 6. Ed. 2. Ann. 35. Ed. tertij Hinxworth Orate pro animabus Iohannis Lambard ciuis et Merceri ac Aldermanni London qui obiit 1487. et Anne vxoris sue que obiit ..... 1400 quorum anime per miserecordiam dei in pace eterna requiescant Amen Orate pro ... Symonis Ward Elene vxoris sue Qui quidem Symon ob xi Decemb. 1453. Elena obiit 21. Augusti 1483. Quorum .... Orate pro anima Iohannis Ward Maioris London qui istam fenestram .... This Ward was Lord Maior in the second of Richard the third in which yeare were three Lord Maiors and three Sheriffes of London by reason of a sweating sicknesse whereof they dyed This Iohn Ward was sonne to Richard Ward of Holden in the Countie of Yorke Barley Edward Chamberleine Clerk gist icy Dieu de salme eit mercy Amen Qi morust en August le xxii Ior M.ccc.lxxv de nostre Seignor Orate pro salubri statu Domini Willelmi Warham Legum Doctoris Pauli London Canonici magistri Rotulorum Cancellarii Regis ac Rectoris de Barley This Warham remembred here in the glasse window was sometime Archbishop of Canterbury Of whom I haue spoken before in Christ-church Canterbury the place of his buriall Sum Rosa pulsata mundi Maria vocata Roiston Rohesia the daughter of Aubrey de Vere chiefe Iustice of England vnder Henry the first sister to Aubrey de Vere the first Earle of Oxford and wife to Geffrey Magna-ville or Mandevill the first Earle of Essex erected where now this Towne of Roiston standeth a Crosse in the high-way which was thought in that age a pious worke to put passengers in minde of Christs passion whereupon it was called Crux Rohesiae before there was either Church or Towne But afterwards saith Vincent out of the Records in the Tower when Eustach de Merch knight Lord of Nauells in this tract had adioyned thereunto a little Monasterie of Canons regular in honor of S. Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury then were Innes built here So that in processe of time by little little it grew to be a Towne which in stead of Rohesiaes Crosse was called Rohesiaes Towne and now contracted into Roiston This Priory was augmented in her reuenues and renewed by Radulphus de Runcester and others Richard the first giues and confirmes Monasterio Sancti Thome Martyris apud crucem Rohesie Canonicis ibidem locum ipsum in quo idem Monasterium fundatum est cum pertinentiis suis que Eustachius de Merc fundator ipsius Monasterii Radulphus de Roucester et alii fideles rationabiliter dedere eis Anno Reg. 1. In Arch. Turris London Cart. antiq R. So that at the suppression the same was valued at eightie nine pounds sixteene shillings The Catalogue of Religious houses saith one hundred sixe pound three shillings and a pennie In a ruinous wall of this decayed Priory lies the proportion of a man cut in stone which say the Inhabitants was made to the memorie of one of the Founders who lieth thereby interred Here in this Towne was also an Hospitall by whom founded I cannot learne dedicated to the honour of Saint Iohn and Saint Iames Apostles suppressed and valued but at 5. l. sixe shillings and ten pence by yeare Pelham Furnix Vpon an old Tombe wherein a Priest lieth interred Hic iacet elatum corpus maris fore reatum Indignus Flamen Christi matris posco leuamen Of yowr cherite pray for the sowl of Iohn Daniell of Felsted Esquoyr and Margery his wife Which Iohn died the vii of October M. ccccc.xix Orate pro anima Iohannis Newport Armig. heredis Roberti Newport Ar. Marie vxoris eius vnius filiarum Iohannis Alington de Horsheth in Com. Cantab. Ar. qui quidem Iohannes Newport obiit primo
Scripta ferunt post se que liquerat exposuisse Pro dilectoris anima tui dulciter ora Albani sancti conventus qualibet hora His next successor was Iohn Stoke of whom as also of all the rest in the Catalogue I haue already spoken and now I will returne backe againe to the rest of the Epitaphs and Inscriptions which I finde in the Church In a wall in the body of the Church ouer a vault Vir Domini verus iacet hic Heremita Rogerus Et sub eo clarus meritu Heremita Sigarus Memoriale Domini Thome Rutland quondam subprior is huius Monasterij qui ex luce migrauit M. ccccc.xxi cuius anime propitietur altissimus Amen Ecce sacerdos eram iam factus vile cadauer Et cito puluis erit queso memento mei Siste gradum qui ad me venit hic funde precator Me deus vt leuet ducat ad vsque polum Vpon his brest on the portraiture this English Distick is ingrauen Iesus Chryst Marys son Hav mercy on the sowl of Rychard Stondon This Towne vaunts her selfe very much of the birth and buriall of Sir Iohn Mandeuill Knight the famous Trauailer who writ in Latine French and in the English tongue his Itinerary of three and thirty yeares And that you may beleeue the report of the Inhabitants to bee true they haue lately pensild a rare piece of Poetry or an Epitaph for him vpon a piller neere to which they suppose his body to haue beene buried which I thinke not much amisse to set downe for although it will not bee worth the reading yet doe but set it to some lofty tune as to the Hunting of Antichrist or the like I know it will be well worth the singing marke how it runs All yee that passe on this pillar cast eye This Epitaph read if you can 'T will tell you a Tombe onâ—'t stood in this roome Of a braue spirited man Iohn Mandeuill by name a knight of great fame Borne in this honoured Towne Before him was none that euer was knowne For trauaile of so high renowne As the Knights in the Temple crosse-legged in marble In armour with sword and with sheeld So was this Knight grac't which time hath defac't That nothing but ruines doth yeeld His Trauailes being donne he shines like the Sun In heauenly Canaan To which blessed place O Lord of his grace Bring vs all man after man That he was borne here in this Towne I cannot much deny but I am sure that within these few yeares I saw his Tombe in the Citie of Leege within the Church of the religious house of the Guilliammits with this Inscription vpon it and the verses following hanging by on a table Hic iacet vir nobilis D. Ioannes de Mandevile Al D. ad Barbam miles Dominus de Campdi natus de Anglia Medicine professor deuotissimus orator bonorum largissimus pauperibus erogator qui toto quasi orbe lustrato Leo â—ij diem vite sue clausit extremum Ann. Dom. M.CCC.lxxi Mens Nouemb. die xvi Aliud Hoc iacet in tumulo cui totus patria viuo Orbis erat totum quem peragrasse ferunt Anglus Eques que fuit nunc ille Britannus Vlysses Dicatur Graio clarus Vlysse magis Moribus ingenio candore sanguine clarus Et vere cultor Relligionis erat Nomen si queras est Mandevil Indus Arabsque Sat notum dicet finibus esse suis. The Church-men will shew you here his kniues the furniture of his horse and his spurres which he vsed in his trauells Vndyr this Ston lyeth beryed here He that whylom was Balyff of this town Callyd somtym William Smyth Esqwyere To whom of his Sins God grant remission Elisabyth his wyff a woman of renown Here lyeth alsoo enterryd in this grav Cryst on her sowl hav compassion And grant them in heuen a plase to hav Vpon the same marble vnder the picture of the Crosse these words are engrauen which the foresaid Smith seemes to speake By this tokyn of the holy cross Good Lord sav owr sowls from loss Elisabeth his wife these Cryst who dyed for vs on the Rood tree Sav the sowl of my Husbond owr chyldren and mee Here lieth .... Raph Rowlat Citizen of London Merchant of the Staple and Ioan his wife Which Raph dyed M. cccccxix on whose This familie is now extinct and the inheritance diuolued by marriage vnto the Maynards as appeareth by an Epitaph vpon the wall not long since made for on of the Maynards who married one of the heires of Sir Raph Rowlat knight To the picture of Christ hanging on the Crosse this inscription was lately to be read vpon one of the pillars in the Church Fly the falshode of the fiend for he wil fownd the Dread not my dreadful doomes for I dyed for the. Cal on me thy Sauyour Chryst I can chere the My mercy is more than thy misse I may amend the See how my syde was perced for the and I shal help the. In this Abbey Church is a goodly Font of solid brasse wherein the kings children of Scotland were wont to be baptized which Font Sir Richard Lea knight Master of the Pioners brought as a spoile out of the Scottish warres and gaue it to this Church As may appeare by this loftie and arrogant inscription about the same as if the Font in it owne person did proclaime the knights act to all passengers in these words lately Englished When Leeth a Towne of good account among the Scots and Edinbrough their chiefe Citie were on a fire Sir Richard Lea knight saued mee from burning and brought mee into England And I being mindfull of this so great a benefit whereas before I was wont to serue for baptizing of none but Kings children haue now willingly offered my seruice euen to the meanest of the English Nation Lea the Victour would haue it so Farewell In the yeare of our Lord M.D.xliii and of the raigne of King Henry the eight xxxvi These already written are all the Epitaphs or inscriptions which I finde in this Abbey Church howsoeuer it doth retaine the ashes of many a worthie man conquered by death both before and since the Conquest As of Egfrid king of the Mercians sonne to great Offa the Founder who added to those twenty Lordships or Mannors wherewith his father at the first endowed this foundation Terram quinque Maneriorum in loco dicto Pynefeld cum terminis suis antiquis manerium de Sauntridge et Tirefeld Cartas que Patris sui benigne in suae serena concessione confirmauit pro confirmatione regni sui sua prosperitate nec non pro salute paterne sueque anime antecessorum suorum Ecclesiam suam per omnia salubriter protegendo saith the golden Register of this Abbey The first businesse that this King vndertooke after hee came to the Crowne was the restauration of ancient priuiledges to the Church and great hope
you be desirous further to know how this Abbey Church hath beene honoured by the Sepultures of many worthy persons will it please you peruse these verses following by which both her foundation and fall is plainly deciphered Behold that goodly Fane which ruin'd now doth stand To holy Albon built first Martyr of this Land Who in the faith of Christ from Rome to Britaine came And dying in this place resign'd his glorious name In memory of whom as more then halfe Diuine Our English Offa rear'd a rich and sumptuous Shrine And Monastery here which our succeeding Kings From time to time endow'd with many goodly things And many a Christian Knight was buried here before The Norman set his foot vpon this conquered shore And after those braue spirits in all those balefull stowers That with Duke Robert went against the Pagan powers And in their countries right as Cressy those that stood And that at Poyters bath'd their bilbowes in French blood Their valiant Nephewes next at Agincourt that fought Whereas rebellious France vpon her knees was brought In this religious house at some of their returnes When nature claim'd her due here plac't their hallowed vrnes Which now deuouring Time in his so mighty waste Demollishing those walls hath vtterly defac't So that the earth to feele the ruinous heapes of stones That with the burth'nous weight now presse their sacred bones Forbids this wicked brood should by her fruits be fed As loathing her owne wombe that such loose children bred But I will come to the quarrell of the houses of Yorke and Lancaster which filled vp our Ladies Chappell here with the dead bodies of the Nobilitie slaine in and about this Towne of Saint Albans whose funerall Trophies are wasted with deuouring time and seates or Pewes for the Townesmen made ouer their honorable remaines Of these Lords here buried thus writeth the old Poet Iohn Gower Quos mors quos Martis sors saeua suaeque sororis Bella prostrarunt villae medioque necarunt Mors sic occiÌ„sos tumulauerat hic simul ipsos Postque necem requiem causauit habere perennem Et medium sine quo vult hic requiescere nemo Hic lis hic pugna mors est qui terminat arma Mors sors Mauors qui strauerunt Dominos hos But amongst so many of the Nobilitie here interred I finde few remembred saue Edmund Duke of Somerset Henry Earle of Northumberland and Iohn the valiant old Lord Clifford The death of this Edmund Duke of Somerset grandchilde to Iohn of Gaunt sore grieued King Henry the sixth because in him he had alwayes put great trust and confidence being a chiefe Commander and one who had long gouerned Normandy beene Regent of France and for his countries sake had alwayes right valiantly borne himselfe against the French Yet his actions whatsoeuer they were did not please the common people nor many other of ranke and qualitie in those times For Harding who liued in those dayes thus writ of him Thei slewe the Duke Edmond then of Somerset For cause he had the realmes we le so lette He was slaine vnder the signe of the Castle in the Towne being long before warned as it is reported to auoide all Castles Henry Lord Percy Earle of Northumberland aforesaid was the sonne of Henry surnamed Hot-spurr slaine at the battell of Shrewsbury by King Henry the fourth But his fathers offence and his Grandfathers being forgiuen him he was restored to his Grandfathers dignities by Henry the fifth to whom and to his sonne Henry the sixth he euer continued a loyall subiect stoutly maintaining their right to the Crowne of England in which quarrell he here lost his life The old Lord Clifford here interred is specially remembred in the battell for so valiantly defending and strongly keeping the Barre-yates and entrance in the Towne insomuch that the Duke of Yorke had euer the repulse vntill great Warwicke brake in by a garden side with a noise of Trumpets and voices crying A Warwicke a Warwicke Whereupon ensued that fierce and cruell battel in which this valourous old Lord manfully lost his life Of these two last remembred will you reade this Stanza Th erle then of Northumberland was there Of sodein chaunce drawen furth by the kyng And slain vnknowne by any manne ther were The Lord Clifford ouer busie in werking At the Barres them mette sore fightyng Was slain that day vpon his owne assaute As eche manne saied it was his owne defaute This battell wherein they were slaine was the first battell at Saint Albans which was fought in the yeare 1455. the Thursday before Pentecost Iohn Whethamsted the fore remembred Abbot made certaine Epitaphs for religious persons and others here interred as also in other Churches hereabouts Which for the most part are now either taken away by time or stolne away with the brasse from their Graue-stones which howsoeuer I know not well how to appropriate to the Persons for whom they were intended Yet it will not be lost labour to take and imprint them out of the Manuscript for that the Reader may see the rare compositions in that age 1. Duplex est vita duplex mors corporis vna Nominis astch altra miserorum mors ea dicta Non sic hic obijt non sic hic nunc requiescit â—mo mors prima fuit illi vita secunda Et si quod rapere voluit mors id tribuisse Fertur quasque dare tenebras has surripuisse Estque lucet sic ei lux perpetue requiei Atque libro vite quo nunc inscribitur ipse Nomen eius legitur cum sanctis numeratur 2. Vpon a Prior of this house here buried who was neuer beloued in his life time yet much bewailed after his death Quem dens momordit liuoris dummodo vixit Linguaque detraxit mors nunc bene glorificauit Nunc redeunt varia tumulata prius benefacta Famaque recrescit liuor post facta quiescit Nunc acus invidie lingue fel serra loquele Carpere cessarunt nunc aicere sic didicerunt Quando cadens obijt abijt pater hicque recessit Secum dapsilitas secum virtus honestas Istius Ecclesie quasi plangentes abiere Secum claustrale frenum que iugum Monachale Migrarunt eciam claustro dederantque salutem Secum vera fides bine secumque sorores Ibant ad puteum dixere locoque tuantem Secum fertilitas pietas secumque facultas Que parcit miseris sua que confert egenis Secum Iusticia pax lex policia In breuibus quicquia virtutem gignere possit Secum transiuit abijt secumque recessit Cur Dominus secum secum requies in idipsum 3. Vpon a Monke buried in this Church Alter honestatis Sol serens grauitatis Hesperus ac morum lampas rutilans monachorum Nunc occultatur hic sub modio tenebratur Nec tribuit lumen Claustro quod tribuit olim Mors eclipsari cansauerat tenebrari Est tamen
this Monasterie to which Hugh Nevill aforesaid gaue by his deed the Mannor of Thorndon in these words Omnibus ad quos c. Hugo de Nevil salutem Noveritis quod ego pro salute anime mee et Iohanne uxoris mee per consensum bonam voluntatem Iohannis filij mei et heredis concessi Ecclesie de Waltham in liberam Eleâ—mosinam totum manerium meum de Thorndon c. Robert Passelew before remembred was here likewise interred who was one of the Kings instruments for gathering vp money in which his office be vsed such rigor as multitudes of people were vtterlie vndone so vnsafe are priuate mens estates where Princes fall into great wants He was Archdeacon of Lewes and for his good seruice in this businesse Kings haue euer such seruants to expresse their pleasures in what course soeuer they take he should haue bin preferred to the Bishoprick of Chichester but the Bishops withstanding the King therein his election was disanuld in the yeare 1234. being with other called to a strict account for the Kings Treasure ill spent or worse employed he was constrained to take Sanctuarie and seeke odde corners for his safety yet afterwards an argument of the Kings lenitie he was receiued into grace and fauour at the length leauing the troubles which attend the Court hee liued priuately at his parsonage of Derham in Norfolke but died at his house here in Waltham vpon the sixt day of Iune in the yeare 1252. of whom will it please you heare Mathew Paris speake in his owne language Archidiaconus Lewensis Robertus Passeleue eodem quoque anno octauo Idus Iunij obijt apud Waltham de quo multa praescribuntur Hic Robertus Clericus et praelatus non est veritus Regi adhaerendo multos multiformiter depauperare vt Regem impinguaret Opera autem sua sequuntur eum In the Sun-shine of his fortune hee was flattered as all Kings Fauorites are by this allusion to his name Pass-le-eau as surpassing the pure water the most excellent element of all if you beleeue Pindar whereupon these verses were written not the worst in that age if you pardon a little improprietie Out of the collections of Camden Mss. in Bib. Cot. Robertus transgressor aquae nec enim quia transit Sed precellit aquam cognomine credo notari Est aqua lenis est aqua dulcis et est aqua clara Mulcens albiciens emundans omnia lenis Languenti dulcis gustanti clara videnti Tu praecellis aquam nam leni lenior es tu Dulci dulcior es tu clara clarior estu Mente quidem lenis re dulcis sanguine clarus In tribus his excellis aquam nam murmure lenis Est aqua tu mente gustu dulciflua tu re Limpiditate nitens tu sanguine quodlibet horum Est magis intensum procul in te quam sit in ipsa Here lyeth Ion and Ione Cressy On whos sowlys Iesu hav mercy Amen Of yowr cherite for vs and al Christian sowlys Say a Pater Noster and an Aue. On lyue when we wer God sent vs spase To yink on hym and of his grete grase For as we be both body and fase So both mor and less must be in lik case In piteous aray as now yow see It is no nay so sal ye be Your self mak mon or ye bin gon and prey for vs Wythout deley past is the dey we may not prey for yow it s thus Whylst yat yow mey both nyght and dey look yat yow prey Iesu of grase When ye bin gon help is ther non wherfor yink on Whylye hav spase Here stands a faire monument to the memory of Sir Edward Denny sonne of the right honourable Sir Antony Denny Counsellor of Estate and one of the executors of King Henry the eight and of Ioane Champernoun his wife of whom more hereafter This Monasterie is now one of the mansion houses of that honourable Lord Sir Edward Denny Knight Baron Denny of Waltham and Earle of Norwich I found since I writ the premisses that Edward the Confessour was the prime cause of this religious foundation for that he gaue to Harold certaine Lands here conditionally that hee should thereupon build a Monasterie and furnish it with all necessaries as appeares by his Charter of that donation amongst the Records in the Tower Ego Edwardus Dei dono Anglorum Rex c. Haraldo Comiti meo quandam terram antiquitus ab incolis istius loci Waltham nuncupatam cum omnibus ad se pertinentijs â—ampis pratis sylvis aquis c. sub conditione quod in prescripto loco Monasterium edificet in memoriam mei et conjugis mee Eadithe Et insuper ornet diversis Sanctorum martyrum et reliquijs et libris Anglicisque vestibus et alijs ornamentis congruentibus Ibique Catervulam quorundam Fratrum Canonice Regule subjectam constituet Plurimeque terre ut donentur in Monasterij illius extruendi usum et alimentum ipsius etiam Haraldi cure et fidei commisi c. Here he names the lands in particular which are many Et hec omnia saith he ad diluenda mea et Antecessorum meorum peccata collata sunt Quod si quis meorum successorum aliquam partem illius terre subtrahat vel subtrahi proinde requisitus emendare noluerit Ei Dominus justus judex Regnum pariter ac Coronam auferat c. Preterea volo et promitto quod omnia in Monasterij illius opem data vel danda sint semper libera et a Sherifs et a hundredis et extra Curiam sancte Crucis omnibus placitis Geldis c. Scriptum est autem istud privilegium Ann. Dominice incarnationis M.lxii Indictionibus terquinis Epactis Septembris concurrentibus Hijs testibus Ego Edwardus Anglorum Basileus confirmo et corrobero Ego Editha divini numine Christi Regina hec eadem confirmando testimonium do Ego Stigandus Archiepiscopus Dorobernens eadem affirmo Ego Ealdredus Ebor Archiepiscopus hec consollido cum multis alijs Episcopis et Abbatibus Horne-Church Named in times past saith M. Camden Cornutum Monasterium the Horned Minster for that there shoot out at the end of the Church certaine points of Lead fashioned like hotnes To the brethren de monte Iovis or Mountioy or Priory de cornuto by Hauering at the Bower saith Stow the house of Savoy in the Strand did sometime belong which Eleanor wife to King Henry the third purchased of the said Fraternitie or Brotherhood for her sonne Edmond Earle of Lancaster The inhabitants of this parish say by tradition that this Church was built by a female conuertite to expiate and make satisfaction for her former sinnes and that it was called Hore-Church at the first vntill by a certaine King but by what King they are vncertaine which came riding that way it was called The Horned-Church who caused those Hornes to be
Berwike obijt Henry Fellow Guynes obijt Pursuiuants created in the time of Edward the Sixt. Robert Fayery Portcullis obijt Simond Newbald Rougecroix obijt Martin Marolfe Rougedragon Yorke Nicholas Tubman Rougecroix Lancaster Richard Withers Portcullis Nicholas Narboone Blewmantle Richmond Vlster In the raigne of Queene Mary these Phelip Butler Attelon obijt Hugh Cotgraue Rougecroix Richmond Iohn Cocke Portcullis William Colborne Rouge Dragon Yorke Iohn Hollinsworth Risebanke Blewmantle obijt Pursuiuant created in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth of famous memory at whose Coronation these Pursuiuants Heraulds and Kings were Officers Hugh Cotgraue Rougecroix Pursuiuants Iohn Cock Portcullis Pursuiuants William Colborne Rougedragon Pursuiuants Iohn Hollinsworth Blewmantle Pursuiuants Charles Wriothesley Windsor Heralds William Flower Chester Heralds Edmund Atkinson Somerset Heralds Martin Marolfe Yorke Heralds Nicholas Tubman Lancaster Heralds Nicholas Narboone Richmond Heralds Sir William Dethick Garter Kings William Haruey Clarentieux Kings Laurence Dalton Norroy Kings Bartholomew Butler Vlster Kings Edward Merlin Portcullis obijt Richard Turpin first Blewmantle secondly Windsor Raph Langman Portcullis Yorke Robert Cooke Rose blanch Chester Clarencieux Iohn Hart Chester Nicholas Dethicke Blewmantle Windsore obijt Ian. 1596. Edmund Knight Rouge Dragon Chester Norroy William Dethick Rougecroix Yorke Garter Robert Glouer Portcullis Somerset Thomas Dawes Rougecroix obijt Richard Lee Portcullis Richmond Clarencieux Nicholas Paddy Rougedragon Lancaster Rafe Brooke Rougecroix Yorke Humfrey Hales Blewmantle Yorke William Segar Portcullis Somerset Norroy Garter and Knight This Sir William Segar being Portcullis Pursuiuant of Armes in the yeare 1586. was imployed by Queene Elizabeth to attend the Earle of Leicester being her Lieuetenant and gouernour Generall of her forces in the Low Countries And being Somerset Herald was imploied to attend the Embassage sent by the Earle of Shrewesbury to the French King Henry the Fourth to receiue his Oath and to inuest him with the order of the Garter And afterwards being Norroy was ioynd Embassador with Roger Earle of Rutland to carry the Garter to Christian the fourth King of Denmarke As also being Garter he was imploied in the like seruice to Morice the last Prince of Orenge deceased And lately ioynd Embassadour with the now Viscount Dorchester to carry the Garter to Henry Prince of Orenge In all which seruices he hath worthily demeaned himselfe Iames Thomas Blewmantle Chester Iohn Rauen Rouge Dragon Richmond Thomas Lant Portcullis Windsor Robert Treswell Blewmantle Somerset Thomas Knight Rougecroix Chester William Smith Rougedragon Samuel Thompson Portcullis Windsor Mercury Patten Blewmantle Philip Holland Rose extraordinary Portcullis Pursuiuants of Armes created in the raigne of our late dread Soueraigne Lord King Iames viz. Philip Holland Portcullis Iohn Guillam Portesmouth extr Secondly Rougecroix This man is best knowne by an excellent Booke which he writ called The Display of Heraldrie Henry Saint George Rougerose ext Blewmantle Richmond Sampson Leonard Rougecroix Blewmantle Iohn Philpot Blanchlion extr Rougedragon Somerset Augustine Vincent Rougerose Extr. Rougedragon Windsore Iohn Bradshawe Rougerose Extr. Rougecroix Windsore Iohn Hamlâ—ne Blanchlion extr Thomas Thompson Rougedragon In the raigne of our Soueraigne Lord and King now liuing these Thomas Preston Portcullis Who in the yeare 1630. vpon the birth of the right excellent Prince Charles was by his Maiestie imployed to the Lords Iustices of the kingdome of Ireland with his Maiesties most gracious letters according to the ancient custome signifying to that Realme that most happy newes Vpon whose arriuall the State there made great and large expressions of their ioyfull hearts for such welcome tidings worthily receiuing and bountifully rewarding the said Officer of Armes George Owen Rougecroix William Ryley Rouge-Rose extr Created 31. Iulij 1630. Noblemen and Peeres of this Land in ancient time had their Heralds peculiar vnto themselues saith Milles. For Chester the Herauld and Falco the Pursuiuant liued at the command of the Prince of Wales and serued him Humfrey Duke of Glocester and Earle of Penbroke had the Herald Penbrooke his domesticall Seruant Richard also Duke of Glocester hauing now obtained the kingdome would needs haue his Herauld Glocester to be called King of Armes for all Wales Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke retained Suffolke Herauld and Marleon Pursuiuant The Marquesse of Dorcester kept Groby Herauld The Earle of Northumberland Northumberland Herauld and Esperance Pursuiuant Arthur Plantaginet Viscount Lisle tooke vnto himselfe Lisle Pursuiuant and Baron Hastings Hasting Pursuiuant But the condition of the Seruant is made better by the dignitie of his Lord and Master so these forenamed Heraulds liued not with like authoritie or priuiledges with the Kings And here now giue me leaue to speake a little more of the Aetymologie Antiquitie and dignitie of Heraulds in generall Herald Herold or Herault dicitur quasi Herus altus a high Maister For this Officer was of great authoritie amongst the Romanes who plurally called them Feciales a faciendo quod belli pacisque faciendae penes cos ius erat or Fediales a faedere faciendo And so with vs the word signifieth an Officer at Armes whose function is to denounce warre to proclaime peace or otherwise to be employed by the King in martiall messages or other businesse and so they are called Internuncij vel pacis vel belli ferendi Messengers to carrie and offer either warre or peace Heralt saith Verstegan in the Title of Honours and Offices is meerely a Teutonic or Duytch word and in that tongue and no other the true Aetymologie thereof is onely to be found To begin then with the first syllable thereof which is Here though in composition abridged to Her it is the true and ancient Teutonic word for an Armie the same that Exercitus is in Latine and in that sence it is yet vsed in Germany And whereas the Germanes doe now vse Here also for Lord yet anciently they so vsed it not And although the Teutonic be more mixed with other strange languages yet this word Here as they vse it for Lord or master hath crept into their language from Herus in Latine after that the Latine tongue became knowne vnto them A Healt in the Teutonick is a most couragious person a champion or an especiall challenger to a fight or combat of the weapon that such sometime most vsed called a Healtbard because it was borne by a Healt we yet though corruptly retaine the name of Holbard and the Netherlands make it Heilbard Here-healt by abbreuiation Heralt as also Herald doth rightly signifie the Champion of the armie And growing to be a name of Office he that hath in the armie the especiall charge to challenge vnto battell or combat in which sense our name of Herald doth nearest approach vnto Fecialis in Latine as I haue touched before The Feciales amongst the Romanes saith one were Priests For Numa Pompilius who flourished circa ann mundi 3283. the second King of the Romanes diuided the institution of diuine honour into eight parts and so instituted and ordained eight seuerall orders of Priests and
Cauendish late wife of William Cauendish which William was one of the sonnes of the aboue named Alice Cauendish Which Margaret dyed the xvi day of Iune in the yeare of our Lord God M. cccccxl whossoul Iesu pardon Amen Heuen blis be here mede Yat for the sing prey or rede Cauendish is a Towne or Village in Suffolke wherein that valiant Gentleman Iohn Cauendish Esquire who slew that Arch-Rebell Watt Tyler Anno Reg. Regis Ric 2.4 was borne which fact was not long vnreuenged for in the same yeare the Rebels of Norfolke and Suffolke vnder the conduct of their Captaine Sir Iohn Wraw a detestable Priest tooke Sir Iohn Cauendish knight cosin to the foresaid Iohn chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench and beheaded him together with Sir Iohn of Cambridge Prior of Saint Edmundsbury whose heads they set on the Pillory in the Market place Here restyth the body of William Burd Esquyr late Clark of the Pipe and Priuy Seale whych payd the generall tribute of Nature deuyded from the mundane vexations by naturall death the xv day of August the xxi yere of kyng Henry the eyght Clarke of the Pipe saith the Interpreter is an Officer in the Kings Exchequer who hauing all accounts and debts due vnto the king deliuered and drawne downe out of the Remembrancers Offices chargeth them downe into the great Roll. Who also writeth summons vnto the Shiriffe to leuie the said debts vpon the goods and chattels of the said debtors and if they haue no goods then doth he draw them downe to the Lord Treasurers Remembrancer to write Extreats against their Land The ancient Reuenew of the Crowne remayneth in charge before him and he seeth the same answered by the Fermers and Shiriffes to the king He maketh a charge to all Shiriffes of their summons of the Pipe and Greenewax and seeth it answered vpon their accounts He hath the ingrossing of all Leasses of the Kings lands and it is likely that it was at the first called and still hath denomination of Pipe and Clarke of the Pipe and Pipe Office because their Records that are registred in their smallest Rolles are altogether like Organe Pipes but their great Roll called the Great Roll Ann. 37. Ed. 3. ca. 4. is of another forme Clericus Priuati Sigilii or Clarke of the priuie Seale is an Officer whereof there be foure in number that attendeth the Lord Keeper of the priuie Seale or if there be none such vpon the principall Secretarie writing and making out all things that be sent by warrant from the Signet to the Priuie Seale and are to be passed to the Great Seale as also to make out as they are tearmed Priuie Seales vpon any especiall occasion of his Maiesties affaires for loane or lending of money or such like Of this Officer and his function you may reade the Statute Ann. 27. Hen. 8. cap. 11. Hic iacet Iohannes Hartishorne quondam Seruiens Domini Regis ad Arma qui obijt viij die Martij Ann. Dom. M. ccccxxix Agnes vxor eius que obiit ..... M. cccc The office of Sergeants at Armes is to attend the person of the King to arrest Traitors or great men that do or are like to contemne messengers of ordinarie condition for other causes and to attend the Lord high Steward of England sitting in Iudgement vpon any Traitor and such like Of these by the Statute Ann. 13. Ric. 2. cap. 6. there may not be aboue thirtie in the Realme There be also two of these Sergeants of the Parliament one of the vpper and another of the lower house whose office seemeth for the execution of such commandements especially touching the apprehension of any offender as either house shall thinke good to enioyne them There is one Sergeant at Armes that belongeth to the Chancerie who is called Sergeant of the Mace as the rest may be because they carrie Maces by their office He of the Chancerie attendeth the Lord Chancellour or Lord Keeper in that Court Another in like manner attends the Lord Treasurer Of your cherite prey for the souls of George ... Maior of London and Iohan and Margaret his wyffs which .... decessyd M. ccccc.xxxvi on whos sowls ..... By the computation of yeares I finde no such man by the Christian name of George to haue beene Lord Maior about this time excepting George Monox who lieth buried at Waltham Stow. Hic iacet Iohannes Kirkham nuper Ciuis Attornatus London Elisabetha vxor eius qui quidem Iohannes obijt primo die Septembris .... M. cccc.xxvij quorum animabus ... Here lyeth Iohn Mynne Esquyr late mastyr of the Kyngs wooddys of his new granted Court of Generall Surueyours of his Londes and Auditour of diuers and sundry Reuenews of the same Courts which desessyd the xv dey of Decemb. M. ccccc.xlii on whos soul Iesu haue mercy Diuers other Inscriptions hee collected of persons here interred about the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne which are not as now visible In this Church was sometime saith Stow a Brotherhood of Saint Fabian and Sebastian founded in the yeare 1377. the 51. of Edward the third and confirmed by Henry the fourth in the sixt of his raigne Henry the sixt in the 24. of his raigne to the honour of the Trinitie gaue licence to Dame Ioan Astley sometime his Nurse to Robert Cawood Clarke of the Pipe who lieth buried in this Church but of whom no remembrance is remaining and Thomas Smith to found the same a Fraternitie perpetually to haue a Master and two Custos with Brethren and Sisters c. This Botherhood was endowed with lands more then thirtie pound by the yeere and was suppressed Edward the sixt Saint Mary Magdalens Milkestreete Of your charity pray for the soul of Edward Murell ... and Martha his wyff which Edward decessyd the ... day of ... Of your cherite prey for the souls of William Campion Citizen and Grocer of London sometime one of the Masters of the Bridghouse and Alys and Anne his wyffes The which William decessyd the xvii of December M. ccccc.xxxi Anne the .... day of M. ccccc.xx on whos souls Iesu haue pitte Amen Prey for the soul of Henry Cantlow Mercer Merchant of the Staple at Callys the builder of this Chappell wherein hee lyeth buried M. cccc.lxxxxv Here lieth also buried in this Church Sir William Cantlow Knight and Sheriffe of London in the yeare 1448. who died in the yeare 1462. Cantlow siue de Cantelupo an ancient Familie of great repute in many places of this Kingdome of which hereafter Hic iacet Iohannes Olney quondam ciuis et Mercerus Aldermannus Maior Ciuitatis London qui obijt die Martis xxiiij die octobris M cccc liiij cuius anime propitietur Deus This Iohn was the sonne of Iohn Olney of the Citie of Couentrie saith Stowes Suruay Orate pro animabus Thome Muschampe ........ This Thomas Muschampe was Sheriffe
to reestablish that holy and yet vnfortunate King Henry the sixt in his regall authoritie In this battaile vpon King Edwards part were slaine Humfrey Bourchier Lord Cromwell Henry Bourchier sonne and heire to the Lord Barners both buried at Westminster In the quarrell of King Henry were slaine the foresaid Richard Neuill Earle of Warwicke and Iohn Neuill Marquesse Montacute his brother both buried at Bisham Abbey in Barkeshire the bodies of many others of the Nobilitie and Gentrie on both parties which perished in this vnnaturall conflict had Christian buriall in the Frier Augustines Church London The common Souldiers as also many Commanders were buried vpon the same Plaine where the foresaid battaile was strucken to whose memory a Chappell was built vpon the said Plaine and a Priest appointed to say Masse for their soules as the doctrine went in those daies Vpon both sides of common Souldiers there died that holy Easter day as then the 14. of Aprill saith Ed. Hall ten thousand foure thousand saith Io. Stow and Rob. Fabian saith farre lesse fifteene hundred so vncertaine as I haue said before is the number of the dead slaine in battaile Howsoeuer a part onely of Hertfordshire is comprised within this Diocesse yet giue me leaue to say somewhat in this place of the whole County A rich Countrie saith Clarencieux in corne Fields Pastures Medowes Woods Groues and cleere riuerets And for ancient townes it may contend with the neighbours euen for the best For there is scarcely another in all England that can shew more good townes in so small a compasse the whole circumference of the Shire being but about an hundred and thirtie miles In this County and in the towne of S. Albans two mortall and bloudy battels of Englands ciuill dissentions haue beene fought The first whereof chanced the 24. of May Anno 1455. by Richard Duke of Yorke with his associates the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury and Lords of Fawconbridge and Cobham against King Henry the sixt In whose defence Edmund Duke of Somerset Henry Earle of Northumberland and Iohn Lord Clifford with fiue thousand more lost their liues the King himselfe was wounded in the necke with an arrow the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Sudley in their faces Humfrey Earle Stafford in his right hand and the Earle Dorset almost slaine On the Dukes part onely sixe hundred were slaine Of which battell and of the timerous flight of the Souldiers on the Kings partie the learned Abbot of Saint Albans Iohn Wheathamstead who liued in those daies writes thus Marcia splendiferum regerent cum sydera celum Aspicerentque feros toruis aspectibus Anglâ—s Albani Villam tranquilla pace vigentem Fedarunt multo violenter sanguine fuso Rex aderat presens secumque cohors satis ingent De Dominis Regni contrarius hijs Eboraci Dux que duo comites Warwici et Sarsburiensis Venerunt media fit grandis pugna platea In qua corruerant qui nobilitate vigebant De patria Boree comes insignis Dominusque Corruit ac ipse qui belli causa fuisse Fertur Dux magnus de Somercethe vocitatus Ac alij plures satis asperasors fuit ipsis Multi fugerunt aliter se non properarunt Quin faciunt trepide visum fugiendo Columbe Insultum ve Canis Damus Lepus ac fera queuis Dum fugiunt nemora pecierunt siue Frutecta In quibus vt pueri virgam metuendo magistri Se pudet id ferre vecorditer occoluere Qui fuerant nostra proprius penetralia tecta Ad nos fugerunt sub Stallis et latuerunt Aut infra latebras timor ingens duxerat ipsos Sic imbecillis tergum dedit hostibus hostis Non sine dedecore nec nominis absque rubore Mors est non vita sub turpi viuere fama Et patet in paucis sors belli que fuit huius Qualis euentus Domini Ducis et comitatus Ter deno trino Domini Regis fuit anno Henrici sexti facies hec obuia celi In Maio mense bis dena bis quoque luce M. semel x quino C quater fuit I quoque quino In Maio mense bis dena bis quoque luce Hic strages procerum conflatus hic populorum The second battell fought in this towne of Saint Albans was by Queene Margaret against the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke the Earles of Warwicke and Arundell that by force kept with them the King her husband with whom by constraint he held and on their side fought vntill the field was lost and Lords fled when with great ioy he was receiued by his Queene and yong sonne Prince Edward This battell sell the 17. of February being Shrouesunday Of this towne and of these two battels thus Camden writes in a more succinct and serious stile As Antiquity consecrated this place saith he to be an Altar of Religion so Mars also may seeme to haue destined it for the very plot of bloudy battaile For to let other particulars goe by when England vnder the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke bereft as it were of vitall breath was ready through a ciuill warre to sinke downe and fall in a swoune the chiefe Captaines on both sides ioyned battaile twise with reciprocall varietie of fortune in the very towne First Richard Duke of Yorke gaue the Lancastrians here a sore ouerthrow tooke King Henry the sixt captiue and slew many honourable personages Foure yeares after the Lancastrians vnder the conduct of Queene Margaret wonne here the field put the house of Yorke to flight and restored the King to his former liberty The bodies of such of the Nobility and others of eminent ranke and qualitie which lost their liues in these mortall contentions were buried in the Abbey Church as I haue partly touched before in Saint Peters and in other religious Structures accordingly as they were befriended the common Souldiers were buried in Church-yards and vpon a little greene at the Townes end called No mans land which lies betwixt the two waies as I take it leading to Luton and Sandridge Nere vnto the roade high way saith Camden in this tract betweene Stenenhaugh and Knebworth the seat of the worshipfull house of the Littons descended from Litton in Darbishire I saw certaine round hils cast vp by mans hands such as the old Romans were wont to reare for Souldiâ—ers slaine in the wars of which the Captaine himselfe laid the first turse and now for Essex Essex is a country large in compasse the circumference thereof being one hundred forty sixe miles fruitfull of woods plentifull of Saffron and very wealthy A late writer hauing reckoned vp the commodities which this County doth affoard concludes on this manner If you esteeme not these as things aboue the ground Looke vnder where the Vrnes of ancient times are found The Roman Empâ—rours Coynes oft digd out of the dust And warlike weapons now consum'd with cankring rust And huge and massy bones of mighty fearefull
iustly preuaile against the winde and easily cease these temporall flames and obtaine that they should neuer hurt him nor his See more of him before in Canterbury After the death of Mellitus the Church of London was long without a Pastor euen vntill that Segebert the sonne of Segebert surnamed the little obtaining the Kingdome of the East Saxons by the perswasion of Oswin King of Northumberland became a Christian and procured Ceada a vertuous and godly Priest to be consecrate Bishop of his country which was done in the holy Iland neere to Barwicke by Finan Bishop of Durham from whence he returned to this his Diocesse and began with more authoritie to perfect the worke hee had already begun erecting in diuers places Churches making Priests and Deacons who in preaching baptising might assist him especially in the Cities of Ithancester Tileburg the one standing vpon the Thames the other vpon a branch thereof called Pant in which two places diuers newly assembling together christened he instructed them after the rules of religious persons as farre as their tender capacity could then conceiue And hereby way of digression let me speake somewhat of this small hamlet of Tilbury in ancient time the seat of the Bishops of London and no question in those daies when as Bishop Cedda by baptisme ingraâ—ted the East Saxons in the Church of Christ a prettie faire citie howsoeuer it consisteth now onely of a few cottages much honoured by that famous religious and fortunate great Commander in the warres Sir Horace Vere Knight Lord Vere of Tilbury Of whom and of his elder brother Sir Francis Vere Knight deceased and honourably buried like as hee was an expert and valiant warriour in the Abbey of Westminster a late Poet hath thus written Then liu'd those valiant Veres both men of great command In our imployments long whose either Marshall hand Reacht at the highest wreath it from the top to get Which on the proudest head Fame yet had euer set But to returne this man of God Cedda hauing at first and last continued a long time in these countries preaching the word of life by which hee made a great haruest vnto Christ went downe into his owne countrie of Northumberland which he oftentimes vsed to visite where he builded a Monasterie at Lestinghen wherein he died and was buried of whom no more vntill I come to speake of that Foundation saue onely these verses following ....... Now London place doth take Which had those of whom time Saints worthily did make As Cedda Brother to that reuerend Bishop Chad At Lichfield in those times his famous seat that had Is Sainted for that See amongst our reuerend men From London though at length remoou'd to Lestingen A Monastery which then richly he had begun Erconwald the sonne of Offa King of the East Saxons and the fourth Bishop of this Diocesse was likewise as I haue already spoken canonized of whom venerable Bede thus writes At that time saith he when Sebba and Sigher ruled the East Saxons the Archbishop which was Theodore appointed ouer them Erconwald to be their Bishop in the Citie of London the life and conuersation of which man both before he was Bishop and after was reported and taken for most holy as also euen yet the signes and tokens of heauenly vertues and miracles doe well declare For vntill this day his Horse-licter being kept and reserued by his Schollers wherein he was wont to be carried when hee was sicke and weake doth daily cure such as haue agues or are diseased any otherwise And not onely the sicke persons that are put vnder or laid by the Horse-licter to be so healed but also the chippes and pieces that are cut off from it and brought to sicke folkes are wont to bring them speedie remedie This and many other the miracles wrought by him if wee may beleeue Capgraue was the cause of his canonization questionlesse he was a deuout and vertuous man and bestowed his patrimony in the building of two Monasteries one for Monkes at Chertsey in Surrey another for Nunnes at Barking in Essex of which before Thus much then here for a conclusion as followeth Him Erkenwald ensues th' East English Offa's sonne His Fathers Kingly Court who for a Crosiar fled Whose workes such fame him wonne for holinesse that dead Time him enshrin'd in Pauls the mother of that See Which with reuenues large and priuiledges he Had wondrously endow'd to goodnesse so affected That he those Abbeyes great from his owne power erected At Chertsey neere to Thames and Barking famous long Theodred Bishop of the Diocesse may challenge a place in this my Kalender for that he was sirnamed the Good pro praerogatiua virtutum for the preheminence of his vertues saith Malmesbury lib. 2. de Pontif. Anglor he flourished about the yeare 900. he was buried vnder a high tombe by the window of the vault going downe into S. Faiths Church Of Egwulfe and his Shrine I haue already written all that I know Richard Fitz-neale had his Shrine in S. Pauls Church but vpon what ground or for what reason he was thus much honoured I doe not learne He was the sonne of Nigellus or Neale Bishop of Ely and was made Treasurer of England by the purchase of his father the foresaid Nigellus Richardus filius Nigelli Episcopi Eliens pro quo Nigellus pater emit officium Thesaurij a Rege auaro pro Quadragint Marcis pro quibus pecunijs Nigellus pater spoliauit Ecclesiam Eliens Thesauro suo et ornamentis This purchase was made when as the King Henry the second went to the wars of Tolous It is further written in the booke of Ely that this Richard Fitz-neale after the buriall of Nigellus his father being also an enemy to the Church of Ely as his father had beene before made hast to passe ouer the Seas to King Henry the second fearing that some euill would be prepared against him if the Church should haue sent any thither before him At whose comming to the King he accused the Monkes of Ely of many things and did therewith so edge the King against them that the King sending into England charged by Wunnecus one of his Chaplaines that the Prior of Ely should be deposed and the Monkes with all their goods to be proscribed and banished This man being Treasurer to King Henry the second the treasure of the said Henry the second at his death came vnto one hundred thousand markes notwithstanding the excessiue charges of the King many waies This Richard being Bishop of London by the name of Richard the third and the Kings Treasurer was chosen for the gouernement of this See in the yeare of our redemption one thousand one hundred eighty and nine being the first yeare of King Richard the first and was consecrated Bishop at Lambeth by Baldwine Archbishop of Canterbury in the yeare of Christ one thousand one hundred ninety he died the
for his sapience In citees all he held well vnitees Greate Iustes ay and ioyous tournements Of Lords and knightes he made great assemblees Through all the lande by his wise regimentes They purposed hole by their common assentes To croune hym kyng of all great Italy Within halfe a yere for his good gouernaly But Stow out of Paulus Iouius writes more fully of this marriage In the moneth of Aprill saith he Leonell Duke of Clarence with a chosen companie of the English Nobilitie went towards Millaine there to marrie with Violentis the daughter of Galeasius the second of that name Duke of Millaine at whose comming to Millaine such abundance of treasure was in most bounteous manner spent in making most sumptuous feasts setting forth stately sights and honouring with rare gifts aboue two hundred Englishmen which accompanied his sonne in law as it seemed to surpasse the greatnesse of most wealthie Princes for in the banquet whereat Francis Petrarch was present amongst the chiefest guests there were aboue thirtie courses of seruice at the table and betwixt euery course as many presents of wondrous price intermixed all which Iohn Galeasius chiefe of the choise youth bringing to the table did offer to Leonell There were in one onely course seuenty goodly horses adorned with silke and siluer furniture and in the other siluer vessells Falcons hounds armour for horses costly coates of mayle breast plates glistering of massie steele helmets and corselets decked with costly crestes apparell distinct with costly Iewells souldiers girdles and lastly certaine gemmes by curious Art set in gold and of purple and cloth of gold for mens apparell in great abundance And such was the sumptuousnesse of that banquet that the meates which were brought from the table would sufficiently haue serued ten thousand men But not long after Leonell liuing with his new wife whilest after the manner of his owne countrey as forgetting or not regarding his change of ayre he addicted himselfe ouer-much to vntimely banquetings spent and consumed with a lingring sicknesse died at Alba Pompeia called also Languvill in the Marquisat of Mont-ferrat in Piemont on the Vigill of Saint Luke the Euangelist 1368. in the two and fortieth yeare of his fathers raigne First he was buried saith Camden in the Annalls of Ireland in the Citie of Papie hard by Saint Augustine the Doctor and afterward enterred at Clare in the Couent Church of Austin Friers in England He had issue onely by his first wife one daughter named Philip. Of which you may reade before in the printed copie of the parchment Roll and in the Chronicle of Iohn Harding as followeth His wife was dedde and at Clare was buried And none heire he had but his doughter faire Philip that hight as Cronicles specified Whom quene Philip cristened for his heire Tharchbishop of Yorke for his compeire Hir godmother also of Warwyk the countesse A Lady was of all greate worthynes And in another place Chyldren had he noone but Philip heire By Elizabeth his first wyfe which the kyng Edward maryed to Edmond Mortymer Th erle of Marche that was his warde full yyng Who gate on hir Roger their derelynge Philip the onely daughter of Leonel Plantagenet Duke of Clarence saith Milles agreeing with the former yet going a little further was married vnto Edmund Mortimer Earle of March vpon whom the said Edmund begot Roger and Roger Anne who being married vnto Richard Earle of Cambridge thereby transported the right of the kingdome vnto the House of Yorke I finde in my notes of Burialls in Monasteries that these persons following were also interred in this Priory Church Richard Earl of Clare whom some will haue to bee Founder Dame Alice Spencer Sir Iohn Beauchamp knight Iohn Newborne Esquire who amongst others brought the body of the foresaid Leonell Duke of Clarence into England Iohn Wiborough William Golderich William Capell and Eleanor his wife The Lady Margaret Scroope daughter of .... Westmerland Iohn Kempe Esquire Robert Butterwyke Esquire Ione Candishe daughter of Clopton Dame Eleanor Wynkepery Stoke Clare Here at Stoke adioyning to Clare was a Colledge founded by one of the Mortimers Earle of March valued in the kings bookes to bee yearely worth three hundred twenty foure pounds foure shillings penny halfe penny In this Colledge was entombed the body of Sir Edmund Mortimer the last Earle of March and Vlster of that house Lord of Wigmore Trim Clare and Conaught the Grandchilde of that Edmund Earle of March who married the daughter and onely heire of Leonell Duke of Clarence as it is in the Roll. This Edmund saith Camden in regard of his royall bloud and right to the Crowne stood greatly suspected to Henry the fourth who had vsurped the kingdome and by him was first exposed vnto dangers in so much as he was taken in a battell fought at Pelale in Wales by Owen Glendowr a Rebell and afterward whereas the Percies purposed to aduance his right he was conueyed into Ireland kept almost twenty yeares prisoner in the Castle of Trim suffering all miseries incident to Princes of the bloud while they lye open to euery suspicion and there through extreame griefe ended his dayes the nineteenth day of Ianuary 1424. in the third yeare of the raigne of Henry the sixth Of the foresaid battell his taking and miserable imprisonment thus much out of Harding as followeth Syr Edmonde then Mortimer warred sore Vpon Owen and did hym mekyll tene But at laste Owen laye hym before Where in batell they faught as well was sene Where Owen toke hym prisoner as then full kene With mekell folke on eyther syde slayne And set Edmonde in prysone and great payne He wrote vnto the kyng for great socoure For he had made with Owen his fynaunce To whom the kyng wold graunt then no fauoure Ne nought he wold then make him cheuesaunce For to comforte his foes disobeysaunce Wherfore he laye in fetters and sore prisone For none payment of his great raunsone Here also lay buried the bodies of Sir Thomas Grey knight and his first wife Luce the wife of Walter Clopton Sir Thomas Clopton and Ade his wife Sudbury Saint Gregories In this Church I saw a marble stone some foure yards long and two broad sometimes inlayd all ouer with brasse vnder which the Inhabitants say that Simon Theobold alias Sudbury lyeth interred which may bee true for howsoeuer he hath his Tombe in the Cathedrall Church at Canterbury of which he was Archbishop as I haue written before yet that may be perhaps onely his Cenotaph or honorarie funerall Monument This Simon built whilest hee was Bishop of London the Chappell or vpper end of the Church where this spatious Grauestone lies couched As appeares by this Inscription in the glasse window Orate pro Domino Symone Thepold alias Sudbury qui istam Capellam fundauit Anno Domini M. cccclxv in commemoracione omnium animarum dedicat dat consecrat In
From a Cell to Saint Albans it was aduanced to an Abbey vpon the occasion following set downe by Iohn Wheathamstead Iohn the seuenth of that Christian name Abbot of Saint Albans could not endure a certaine Monke of the house whom hee had made Archdeacon whose name was Stephen London because hee would tell him sometimes of his faults Ordine septenus dum rexit ouile Iohannes Et baculum gessit cetumque gregis benedixit Nunquam pacifico bene cernere sciuit ocello Quendâ—m confratrem quem fecerat Archileuitam Therefore to be rid of his company whose lookes and admonishments were so distastfull the Abbot perswades the Archleuite or Archdeacon to take vpon him the charge of this Priory of Windham as then void of a Gouernour in these or the like words Ecce Prioratus Wymundam nomine dictus Iam vacat absque patre vacans stat et absque Priore Huic te prefecimus in prepositumque creamus Cur se disponas â—ilec cito quoque pergas Est lacus insignis apud et nos grandis honoris The Archdeacon Stephen accepts of this promotion which is thus in â—he said Manuscript exprest Aduertens Frater quod erat sibi victricus alter Pastor et ille sibi quasi prenignus stomachanti Censuit expediens per tempus vt absoret absens Quam mâ—lâ— sub curuo sic viuere semper ocello Illius in placâ—â—um necflexum cernere vultum Pergere consensit elluc properans et adiuit This Stephen pleased both his flocke and Founder wondrous well but displeased his Father the foresaid Abbot Iohn of S. Albans who within the yeare sent expresse commandement to discharge him of his Priorship which was hainously taken both by himselfe and his Patron or Founder whose name saith my Author was one Andrew Ogard Miles preualidus miles locuplesque peritus In so much that they ioyned in petition to the Pope that it would 〈…〉 Holinesse that the Abbey of S. Albans might haue no iurisdiction 〈◊〉 the Priory of Windham that the Priory might be altered into an Abâ—â—â— and that the Prior thereof might euer after be honoured with the title 〈◊〉 Abbot which was granted as you may reade in these subsequent verses Optinuit tandem Prior Abbas vt sit ibidem Ac Abbathia que cella prius fuit vna Istius Eccelesie sic migrauit sine fine Non sine dedecote dicti Patris que rubore The time of this alteration was in the beginning of the raigne of Henry the fourth as it is explained thus by the said Whethamstead M. semel quinus C quater tune fuit annus De tanto demptis numero tantummodo binis Cum fuerant facta iam dicta priusque peracta Ista modo celle retractio pre recitate Tunc exeunte septeno Patre Iohanne Et Fundatore famoso milite valde Ogard Andreas fuerat qui nomine dictus Stephanus et London Abbas qui primus ibidem But now at length for I haue beene too long holden in this brable to come to the burials in this Abbey Church First the Founder William de Albeney Earle of Arundell vpon whose Monument this Epitaph was engrauen Hunc Pincerna locum fundauit et hic iacet illa Quae dedit huic domui iam sine fine tenet He died the third yeare of King Henry the second William de Albeney sonne of the said William Earle of Arundell he died at Wauerley in Surrey the fourth of the Ides of October 1176. VVillelmus comes de Arundel senior obijt apud VVauerley 4 Iâ— Octobris 1176. VVilliam Albeny the third Earle of Arundell and Sussex who went with Richard the first into the Holy Land and remained with him in Almania all the time of his imprisonment and being full of yeares died presently vpon his returne with K. Richard the day before the Nones of May 1196. Hoc anno 1193. obijt VVillelmus comes iunior de Arundel in vigilia Natiuitatis Christi say the Annals of Wauerley aforesaid VVilliam de Albeny the fourth Earle of Arundell and second of Sussex the inheritor of his fathers honours and vertues who together with Ranulph Earle of Chester Sayer de Quincy Earle of Winchester VVilliam Earle Ferrers Robert Lord Fitzâ—water Iohn Constable of Chester and VVilliam Harecourt with a great traine tooke his iourney to the Holy Land and after the winning of Damieta in Palestine in his returne home wards died the yeare 1221. at a little towne beyond Rome called Kameâ—â— VVillelmus comes de Arundel rediens de ciuitate Damiet moritur vlera Romam apud quoddam oppidulum Kamel nomine Cuius corpus membratim diuisum ex ipsius iussione in Anglia transportatum est et apud Wymuna ham sepultum anno 1221. Hugh de Albeney brother and heire of the foresaid VVilliam who died without issue in the yeare 1243. the 28 of King Henry the third Sir Andrew Ogard Knight and Patron of the Priory Sir Iohn Clifton Knight 1447. and Dame Ione his wife Dame Margaret daughter of Sir Iohn Clifton and wife to Sir Andrew Ogard Ione daughter of Iohn Lonell Izoâ— Arderne A gentleman called None who because hee gaue nothing to the Religious of this house had this nicking Distich made to his memory Hic situs est Nullus quia nullo nullior iste Et quia Nullus erat de nullo nil tibi christe Here lyeth None one worse then none for euer thought And because None of none to thee O Christ giues nought I haue read another Epitaph of this sirname but not so well rimed Hic recubat Nullus nullo de sanguine cretus Nullus apud viuos Nullus apud Superos None lieth here of linage none descended Amongst men None None mongst the Saints befrended Reynham East Orate pro anima Iohannis Towneshend silij Rogeri et Elianore qui obijt iiii die Octobris Ann. Dom. M. cccclxv There is also a very faire Tombe of the sonne as it seemeth of the said Iohn and Elenor for vpon it are the same coates quartered as vpon the other It hath no Inscription but in likelyhood it is the Tombe of Sir Roger Towneshead one of the Iudges of the Common Pleas in the time of King Henry the seuenth Stratton On the North side of this Church there lieth one buried in the wall vnder a marble vpon which is the resemblance of a man crosse-legged all in male armour his belt by his side and other accoutrements of great antiquitie some gesse him to haue beene one of the Bardolfes Barons of great Nobilitie in this Tract who flourished a long time in honourable estate Thornage Here is a faire Tombe vnder which lieth buried Anne Lady and wife of Sir Clement Heigham knight who died .... aetatis 84. Higham a Towne in Suffolke which giues name to this worthy very ancient family of Higham Michael Lord Montaigne in his Essay of Glory writes that his Ancestors haue beene surnamed Higham I haue no name saith
the Monthaults and the Mowbrays which now after long languishing as it were by reason of old age hath giuen vp the ghost In the Porch of this Parish Church is a Grauestone vnder which say the inhabitants which I haue heard sworne by others Isabell Queene of England the wife of Edward the Second lieth interred vpon the Grauestone are two words onely remaining which make the country people so thinke of the matter which are .... Isabelle Regine .... now by these the case is made plaine to any than can distinguish between the Cases Nominatiue and Genitiue that this stone was laid to perpetuate the remembrance of some one of that Queenes seruants Flytham This was a Nunnery and a Cell to Walsingham of yearely value threescore and two pound ten shillings sixe pence halfe penny Yngham This was a Priory of blacke Monkes Benedictines a Cell to Saint Albans founded by the Ancestours of Sir Oliuer Yngham knight consecrated to the honour of the blessed Virgin Mary valued at seuenty foure pounds two shillings seuen pence halfe penny Herein lay buried Sir Miles Stapleton and Ione his wife the daughter and heire of Sir Oliuer Yngham Sir Miles sonne of the said Miles and Ela his wife the daughter of Vfford Sir Brian Stapleton sonne of the second sir Miles and his wife daughter of the Lord Bardolfe Sir Miles sonne of sir Brian and Dame Katherin his wife daughter of sir Pots and after married to sir Thomas Sackuile which are likewise here buried Dame Ione Plase daughter of sir Miles Stapleton Dame Ela Perpoint which had two husbands .... Edmond Stapleton and his wife daughter of Clyfton Sir Roger Boys and his wife Linne Linne saith Leland sometimes a famous Hauen there as the Church stands now was anciently without faile an Abbey for the graues of many religious persons as yet appeare in the Church and the lodgings of the Abbey are now conuerted into the Archdeacons house This Monastery I imagine to haue beene the house of the Carmelites founded by the Lord Bardolfe Lord Scales and Sir Iohn Wingenhall Anno 1269. the dedication nor the value thereof I doe not finde The blacke Friers was founded by Thomas Gedney and the white Friers by Thomas de Feltsham and thus much is the little of them which I haue learned Here was an Hospitall dedicated to Saint Iohn valued at seuen pounds sixe shillings and eleuen pence Here I haue no Inscriptions of antiquitie Loddon This Church was built by Iames Hobart knight one of the priuie Councell to King Henry the Seuenth who lieth here buried as I haue it by relation of whom and of the Familie will it please you reade what learned Camden writes The riuer Yare saith he receiueth a brooke which passeth by nothing memorable but Halles-hall and that onely memorable for his ancient owner Sir Iames Hobart Atturney generall and of the priâ—ie Councell to King Henry the seuenth by him dubbed knight at such time as he created Henry his sonne Prince of Wales who by building from the ground the faire Church at Loddon being his parish Church Saint Oliues bridge ouer Waueney that diuideth Norfolke and Suffolke the Cawsey thereby and other workes of piety deserued well of the Church his country and the common weale and planted three houses of his owne issue out of the second wherof Sir Henry Hobart likewise Atturney Generall to King Iames is lineally descended The foresaid Sir Henry Hobart knight and Baronet was aduanced by the said King the sixteenth of October in the eleuenth yeare of his raigne to be Lord chiefe Iustice of the Common pleas in which office hee died the twenty sixt day of December the first yeare of the raigne of our gracious Soueraigne King Charles magna Reipub. iactura a great losse to the weale publike as Sir Henry Spelman writes Here lieth Margaret the wife of Sir Iames Hobart who died Anno 1494. as I haue it out of certaine funerall Notes Yarmouth This Towne is beautified with a spatious faire Church hauing a wondrous high Spire Steeple built by Herbert the first Bishop of Norwich in the raigne of William Rufus All the funerall Monuments of antiquitie in this Church are vtterly defaced Inscription nor Epitaph now remaining except that this may passe current for one Elyn Benaker mercy dooth craue God on her Sowl mercy more haue In the three and twentieth yeare of King Edward the Third happened a most grieuous and lamentable Plague in this Towne which brought within the compasse of one yeare seauen thousand fiftie and two persons to their graues the which is witnessed by an ancient Latin Chronographicall Table hanging vp in the Church The Parsonage which was yearely worth before the sicknesse seuen hundred Markes was afterwards scarse worth forty pound by yeare The bodies of all the dead were buried in the Church and Church-yard and in such and such places of the same as the Townesmen can shew you at this day The Priory of Carmelites or white Friers Was Founded by King Edward the first Anno Domini 1278. herein lay buried Dame Maud wife of Sir Laurence Huntingdon who died 1300. Sir Iohn de Monte Acuto obijt 1392. Nicholas Castle Esquire who died 1309. and Elisabeth his wife these are all I finde here to haue beene buried and this is all that I can speake of this religious house The blacke Friers was founded by Godfrey Pelegren and Thomas Falstolfe The Grey Friers by William Gerbrigge Neare to this Towne was a Colledge of Saint Iohn Baptist first founded by Robert de Castre after by Iohn Falstolfe Esquire Father to Sir Iohn Falstolfe that Martiall Knight who had a faire seat at Caster and who was Knight of the Garter in the raigne of Henry the sixth Thomas Talbot sometimees keeper of the Records in the Tower did collect out of an old Calender in a Missale the names of certaine eminent persons for the soules of whom the Religious Votaries in and about Yarmouth were bound to pray the most of which number were buried in the Parish Church and in their Monasteries as followeth Margaret the wife of Sir Iohn Falstolfe daughter of Sir Iohn Holbroke knight Iohn Fastolfe and Ione his wife Richard Alexander William Thomas Robert Fastolfs Clarence Fastolfe the wife of Sir Robert Ilketishale Knight who dyed 1393. William Ilketishale their sonne Parson of Hesingham who dyed the Ides of December 1412. Iohn Falstolfe Doctor of Diuinitie a Frier Preacher Richard Falstolfe an Augustine Frier with many more of that ancient and noble Familie Godfrey Pelegren aforesaid and his wife Thomas the sonne of Sir Thomas Bowet Knight Ione the daughter of Iohn Wilshire wife to Robert Cromer Registred and buried in the Augustine Friers these William de Vfford Earle of Suffolke who dyed 15. Feb. 1382. Michaell and Michaell de la Pole Earles of Suffolke Sir Thomas Hengraue Knight of
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