William Becley in the reigne of King Henrie the sixt But nowe lately to repaire the losse of that dissolution Maister Roger Manwoode a man borne in the Towne and aduaunced by vertue and good learning to the degrée of a Serieant at the Lawe hathe for the increase of Godlinesse and good letters erected and endowed a faire Free Schoole there from whence there is hope that the common wealth shall reape more profite after a fewe yeares then it receaued commoditie by the Carmelites since the time of their first foundation This only is that whiche I had to say either of the present or passed estate of this place whiche done I will procéede to the narration of suche other thinges as long since happened thereaboutes partly for the illustration of the antiquitie of the towne partly for the setting forth of the cōmoditie of the hauen but chiefly for the obseruation of the order whiche I haue beegonne whiche is to pretermitte nothing woorthie note that I finde in stoarie concerning the place that I take in hand But bycause that whiche I haue to say dependeth altogether or for the greater parte vpon the Hystorie of the Danes whiche many yeares together disquieted this land it shal bée fitte aswell for the better explication of the thinges presently in hand as also for the more easie vnderstanding of other matters that must hereafter followe to disclose so compendiously as I may the first beginning procéeding and ending of the Danishe affaires warres and troubles within this Realme Aboute the yeare after Christe seuen hundreth foure score and seuen thrée vessels of the Northe East Countrie men whose ancestors had before within the compasse of one hundrethe and fourtie yeares sacked Rome in Italie foure seuerall times and whose ofspring afterward wonne Normandie from the Frenche King shewed them selues vpon the westerne shoare of England being sent before hand as it is supposed to espie the cōmoditie of the hauens the aduauntage of arriual the wealthe and force of the inhabitants to the end to prepare the way for greater powers then were appoin to followe These had no sooner set some of their men on lande but the Reeue or officer or Beorhtricke or Brictricke then King of the West Saxons had knowledge therof who came vnto them and demaunding the cause of their arriual would haue carried them to the Kings presence but they in their resistance slewe him wherevpon the people of the Countrie adioyning addressed themselues to reuenge and assembling in great numbers beate them backe to their ships not without the losse of some of their company And this was the first attempt that euer the Danes for so our hystories cal by one general name the Danes Norwais Gottes Vandals others of that part made vpon England after whiche tyme what horrible inuasions miseries calamities and oppressions followed shall appeare anone Not long after this enterprise a fewe ships of them made the lyke assay in Scotland and within short space after that also some other of them entred Tynemouth Hauen in the North parte of England and taking some small booties retourned to their vessels Now by this experiment they had gained sufficient knowledge of that for whiche they first came therefore thinking it fit tyme to assay further they rigged vp a greater numbre of ships armed more store of chosen souldiers entred the Riuer of Thamise with fiue and thirtie sayle landed in despight of the people fired spoyled herried and preuailed so farre that Egbert who then had the Monarchie ouer all England was faine to come with all his power to the reliefe and rescue But suche was the will of God for the punishement of Idolatrie and superstition which then ouerwhelmed this Realme that the Danes in stead of being discomfited by the Kings repaire were merueilously encouraged by his misfortune For after that they had once gotten the better in the field against him they were so embouldened therby that notwithstanding he afterward and some other valiant Princes following by great prowesse abated their furie in parte yet adioyning themselues to the Britons that then were in great emnitie with the Saxons and swarming hither out of their owne Countrie in such flightes that the number of the slaine was continually supplied with greate aduauntage they neuer ceassed to infeste the Realme by the space of thrée hundreth yeares and more during the reignes of fiftéene seuerall Kings till at the last they had made Etheldred flye ouer into Normandie leaue them his Kingdome During all whiche time howe mightely their forces increased vnder Hinguar Hubba Halfden Guthrum Aulaf and Hasten their Nauie being rysen from thrée ships to thrée hundrethe and fiftie at the least howe pitiously the East West Southe and Northe parts of the Realme were wasted the townes Cities religious houses and Monasteries of eache quarter being consumed with flames howe miserably the common people were afflictted men women and children on all sides going to wracke by their tempestuous furie howe marueilously the Kings were amased the arriualles of these their enemies being no lesse sudaine then violent howe barbarously the monuments of good learning were defaced the same suffering more by the immanitie of this one brutishe Nation then by all the warres and conquestes of the Pictes Scots Romanes and Saxons and finally how furiously fire and swoord famine and pestilence raged in euery place God and men Heauen and the elements conspiring as it were the fatall destruction of the Realme I may not here stand to prosecute particularly but leauing eache thing to fitte place I will procéede with King Etheldred and so to my purpose This man aboue all other was so distressed by their continual inuasions that since he wanted force to make his longer defence he thought it best to giue money for their continuall peace And therefore charging his people with importable tributes he first gaue them at fiue seuerall payes 113000. l. afterward promised thē 48000. yearely hoping that for asmuch as they seemed by the manner of their warre rather to séeke his coyne then his kingdome to rob then to rule at the least this way to haue satisfied their hunger but like as the stone called Syphinus the more it is moisted the harder it waxeth so no giftes could quenche the golden thirste of these gréedie raueners but the more was brought to appease them the more stonie and inexorable they shewed thēselues neuer ceassing euen against promises othes hostages to execute their accustomed crueltie Herevpon King Etheldred hauing nowe exhausted the whole treasure of his Realme and therefore more vnable then euer he was either by power or praier to help himself or to relieue his subiectes determined by a fine policie as he thought to deliuer bothe the one and the other For whiche purpose by the aduise of one Huna the generall of his armie he wrote letters to eache part of the Realme commaunding that vpon S. Brices day which is the morowe after Sainct
nowe Archebishop of Canterbury whose care for conseruation of learned Monuments can neuer be sufficiently commended shewed me not long since the Psalter of Dauid and suÌ„dry Homelies in Gréeke Homer also and some other Greke authours beautifully written in thicke paper with the name of this Theodore prefixed in the fronte to whose Librarie he reasonably thought being thereto led by shewe of great antiquitie that they sometime belonged The other two Lanfranc and Simon of Sudbury did cost vpon the gates and walles bringing thereby bothe strength and beautie to the Citie Suche was then the firste beginning and increase of Canterbury Let vs nowe therefore sée also what harmes it hath now susteined and to what decay it is falne Besides sundry particular harmes done to diuers of the Religious places the towne it selfe hath often receiued detriment by casualtie of fyre For the author of the additions to the Chronicle of Asserus Meneuensis affirmeth that about the yeare after Christ seuen hundreth fiftie and foure it was sore wasted with fire Againe in the yeare nine hundreth and eightéene Alfleda the mightie Lady of Mercia besieging and burning the citie it self spoyled kylled expulsed the Danes that theÌ„ possessed it In reuenge wherof they afterward about the end of the reigne of King Ethelred did not only besiege take and burne this citie but also put to moste barbarous and cruell death Alphegus the Archebishop for that he refused to charge his farmours and the citizens towardes his raunsome aboue their abilitie and they siue of the Monkes Townesmen and other common people the whole nynes throughout the multitude reseruing on liue the tenthe man onely So that they left of all the Monkes but foure and of the Lay people foure thousande and eight hundreth Where by the waye it is to be noted that this citie and the countrie thereabouts the people whereof be like fled thether for succour was at that time very populous hauing to loose fortie thrée thousande and two hundreth persons in whiche behalfe there want not some I wote well whiche doe affirme that it had then more store of buildings then London it selfe And truely it is well knowne that they were very riche at Canterbury also for not long before by the aduise of Siricius their Archebishop they bought their peace at the handes of the Danes with thirtie thousande poundes of ready money But let me proceede fourthly in the dayes of King Henrie the seconde euen streight after the election of Thomas Becket the Archeshop this citie of Canterbury was wholy consumed with fire And nowe lately and lastly in the reigne of King Henrie the eight it was in some partes blasted with flame wherein amongst other things diuers good bookes whiche a Monke of S. Augustines had brought from beyonde the Seas were brought to ashes I had almoste forgotten a storie in Beda where he maketh Mellitum mendacium mention of Mellitus I shuld haue sayde and reporteth that when as vpon a time a great parte of this citie was touched with fire and that the flame hasted towarde the house of this Mellitus then Archebishop there he commaunded that they shoulde beare him against it euen into the greatest furie thereof And that whereas before it coulde not be quenched by any water though neuer so plentiously poured vpon it foorthwith at his presence the winde turned and at the vehemencie of his prayer the fyre not only ceased to goe any further but also immediatly went out and was extinguished I wote wel this writer is called Venerabilis but when I reade this and a number of suche which make the one halfe of his worke I say with my selfe as sometime did the Poet Quodcunque ostendis mihi sic incredulus odi What euer thing thou shewest me so I hate it as a lye To procéede therefore in my former course and to tell the trueth litle had all these casualties of fire and flame béene to the decay of this towne had not the dissolution and finall ouerthrowe of the Religious houses also come vpon it For where wealth is at commaundement howe easily are buildings repayred and where opinion of great holynesse is howe soone are cities and townes aduaunced to great estimation and riches And therfore no maruaile if after wealth withdrawn and opinion of holynesse remoued the places tumbled headlong to ruine decay In whiche part as I can not on the one side but in respect of the places theÌ„ selues pitie lament this general desolatioÌ„ not only in this Shyre but in all other places of the Realme So on the other side considering the maine Seas of sinne and iniquitie wherein the worlde at those dayes was almost whole drenched I must néeds take cause highly to prayse God that hath thus mercifully in our age deliuered vs disclosed Satan vnmasked these Idoles dissolued the Synagoges and raced to the grounde all Monumentes of building erected to superstition and vngodlynesse And therefore let euery godly man ceasse with me from hencefoorth to maruail why Canterbury Walsingham and sundry suche like are nowe in these our dayes become in manner waste since God in times paste was in them blasphemed most And like the souldiours of Satan and superstitious Mawmetrie howle and crye out with the heathen Poet. Excessere omnes aditis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat c. The Gods eche one by whose good ayde This Empire stoode vpright Are flowne their entries and their altars eke abandond quight For séeing God in all ages hath not spared to extend his vengeaunce not only vpon the persons but vpon the places also where his name was dishonoured striking the same with solitude and exterminion as we reade of Sodome Ierusalem and others Howe then shoulde he forbeare these harborowes of the Deuill and the Pope whiche in horrible crimes contended with Sodome in vnbelief matched Ierusalem and in folly of superstition excéeded all Gentilitie By the iust iudgement of God therfore Canterbury came soudenly from great wealth multitude of inhabitaunts and beautiful buildings to extreme pouertie nakednes and decaâ— hauing at this day Parishes more in number then well filled yet in al not aboue twelue in whiche plight for pitie I will leaue it and referring you to the statutes 32. and 33. of Henrie the eight prouided for the reedifying of decayed houses aswel in this Citie as also in Rochâ—ster Feuersham the Fiue ports I will tourne me tâ— the Hystorie of the religious buyldings There was iâ— Canterbury within the time of late memorie besides others two houses of great estimation and lyuelyhoode the one being called Christes church and the other Saint Augustines the Monkes of the whiche places were as farre remoued from all mutual loue and societie as the houses themselues were néere linked together either in regarde of the time of their foundation the order of their profession or the place of their situation And therfore in this part it might wel be verified of them
the first yeares of King Henrie the seconds Reigne the Clergie of the Realme had committed aboue a hundreth seuerall murthers vpon his subiectes as it was infourmed him for remedie of whiche outrage the King by assent of his Nobilitie and Bishops of whiche number Thomas Becket himself was one tooke order at Claredowne that if any Clerke from thencefoorth committed felonie or treason he should first be degraded and afterward deliuered to the Lay power there to receaue as to his offence belonged Not long after it chaunced one Philip Broic a Chanon of Bedford to be apprehended for murther and to be brought before the temporal iustice where he not only shewed no remorse of the wicked fact but also in hope of Ecclesiasticall exemption gaue very euill language to the Iudge the Iudge complained therof to the King the Chanon belike made meanes to the Archebishop For the King no sooner endeuoured to put his Lawe in execution but the Archebishop bothe forgetfull of hâ—s duetie to God and his Prince and vnmindefull of his owne oth set him selfe against it affirming plainly that he neither could ne would suffer it Hereupon the Prince waxed wrothe and by litle and litle his indignation so kindeled by matter that the obstinacie of the Bishop daily ministred that in the end it was to hote for Becket to abide it Then speedeth he himself to Rome and poureth into the Holy Fathers bosome complaint of moste grieuous oppression extended against the Clergie The Popes Holynesse sory to discourage so good a Souldiour as the Bishop was and withal lothe to loose so mightie a friend as King Henrie was by letters and Legates praieth commaundethe persuadethe and threatneth reconciliation and attonement whiche after great a doe by the meanes of the Frenche King and other his instruments was in a sort brought to passe Then Thomas Becket retourneth with the Kings fauour into the Realme from whence he had six yeares before departed without licence and therefore without or rather against Lawe and immediately séeketh to reuenge himself vpon suche the Bishops as had in his absence assisted the king Whiche when the King being then in Normandie vnderstoode it chaunced him in greate griefe of minde to caste out some woordes that gaue occasion and hardines to Reginald Bere William Tracy Hughe Moruill Richard Bryton foure of his Gentlemen to addresse themselues for his reuenge These foure therefore passed the Seas came to Canterbury found out the Bishop followed him into his Churchâ— and vpon the Staires of the same did him very cruelty and dispitefully to deathe This shortly is the chiefe substance and circumstance of all this Tragedie drawne out of our owne Countriemen and Thomas his fauourers howsoeuer otherwise Erasmus led by some sinister information hathe reported it as shall hereafter appeare in Otford Wherein as I can not on the one side allowe this murther executed not by any publique Minister of Iustice but by a priuate and iniurious arme So on the other side I report me to al indifferent Godly Readers whether suche a lyfe deserued not suche a death and whether these Popishe Parasites that haue painted foorth his prayses make not themselues thereby parteners of all his pride and wilfull rebellion I might here rest long vpon diuerse other thinges concerning the King and this Archebishop namely how that he suffered the King to holde his stirup twise in one day in Normandie but in Prato Proditorum as Mathewe Parise very pretely writeth it Howe the King came with bare and bléeding féete to Canterbury to purge himselfe of the murther Howe he bared his body to the Monkes of this house and receaued of euery Religious Person there foure or fiue stripes in whiche selfe yeare by the way their whole churche was consumed with fire and some other matters besides which make manifestly for the proofe of great presumption in the Clergie and of vile abiection of the Princes of those dayes But bicause that I am fearefull that I growe to long I will leaue Saint Thomas him selfe and after a fewe woordes more of this Churche step ouer to Saint Augustines After Thomas this Church found thrée especiall mainteiners of the building William Courtney which by his Testament bequeathed one thousand Markes towards the amendment of the bodie of the Church the walles and the Cloister Thomas Arundel which erected one of the Bell Towers gaue fiue Belles and Christened them after the Popish manner And Henrie Chicheley who both repaired the librarie with books and building and did great cost vpon one of the Bell Towers also Nowe to Saint Augustines Augustine hauing thus established a Sée for him selfe and his successours obteined further of King Ethelbert for the better furtherance of the seruice that he had in hand a Churche that then stoode betwéene the walles of the Citie and S. Martines wherein the King himselfe vsed before to make his prayers and offer sacrifice to his Idoles This Church he purged from Prophane abuse name as they say and dedicated it to the seruice of God and to the honour of Saint Pancrace Neither ceassed he thus but shortly after intreated the same King to build a Monasterie in the soyle adioyning whiche he also appointed to the honour of Saint Peter and Saint Paule and placed Monkes therein This Monasterie in memorie of his benefite lost the first name and was euer after called Saint Augustines Nowe whereas the true meaning bothe of the King and Augustine was that this Church for so much as bothe then and long after it was not their manner to burie their dead within the walles of any Citie a thing forbidden of olde by the law of the twelue tables should be from thencefoorth a common Sepulchre to all their successours as well in the Kingdome as in the Archebishopricke yet suche was the fauour of the Bishops folowing Augustine towards their own church that in the processe of time Saint Augustines was defrauded of the Sepultures bothe of the one the other For in Brightwaldes dayes the buriall of the Kings was taken from it and Cuthbert the Archebishop in his life begged of King Eadbert that for the aduauncement of Sainct Iohns a newe Churche that he had erected for that purpose and for the execution of iudgements by the Ordale and whiche was afterwarde fired with the flame of Christes Churche wherevnto it was neare adioyning the Bishops also might from thencefoorth be buryed there And for the more suretie to attaine that his desire he tooke order in his life by othe of all his Couent that they shoulde suffer his corps to lye thrée dayes in the grounde after his death before any Bell shoulde be rong or other open solemnitie vsed that might notifie his departure to the Monkes of S. Augustines Onely Ieanbright the fourtéenth Bishop whom other copies cal Lambright was conueyed to the grounde at Sainct Augustines by this occasion After the death of Bregwine the Archebishop this Ieanbright then being Abbat of
end that by his helpe she might take him vp and cast him againe into the Riuer The Clerke obeyed arose and waited on her toward the Churche but the good Ladie not wonted to walk waxed wearie of the labour and therfore was inforced for very want of breath to sit downe in a bushe by the way and there to rest her And this place forsooth as also the whole track of their iourney remaining euer after a gréene pathe the Towne dwellers were went to shew Now after a while they go forward againe and comming to the Churchyard digged vp the body and conueyed it to the water side where it was first found This done our Ladye shrancke againe into her shryne and the Clerke peaked home to patche vp his broken sléepe but the corps now eftsoones floted vp and downe the Riuer as it did before Whiche thing being at length espyed by them of Gillingham it was once more taken vp and buried in their Churcheyard But sée what followed vpon it not onely the Roode of Gillingham say they that a whyle before was busie in bestowing Myracles was nowe depriued of all that his former vertue but also the very earth place wher this carckase was laide did continually for euer after setle and sinke downeward This tale receaued by tradition from the Elders was long ones both commonly reported faithfully credited of the vulgar sort which although happely you shal not at this day learne at euery mans mouth the Image being now many yeres sithēce defaced yet many of the aged number remember it well and in the time of darkenesse Haec erat in toto notissima fabula mundo But here if I might be so boulde as to adde to this Fable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fabula significat I would tell you that I thought the Morall and minde of the tale to be none other but that this Clerkly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Talewriter I say and Fableforger being eyther the Fermer or Owner of the offrings giuen to our Lady of Chetham and enuying the common haunte and Pilgrimage to the Roode of Gillingham lately erected Ad nocumentum of his gayne deuised this apparition for the aduauncement of the one and the defacing of the other For no doubte if that age had ben as prudent in examining spirits as it was prone to beleue illusions it should haue found that our Ladies pathe was some such gréene trace of grasse as we daily behold in the fields procéeding in déed of a naturall cause thoughe by olde wiues and superstitious people reckoned to be the daūcing places of night Spirites whiche they call Fayries And that this sinking graue was nothing els but a false filled pitte of Maister Clearks owne digging The man was to blame thus to make debate betwéene our Lady and her Sonne but since the whole Religion of Papistrie it selfe is Theomachia and nothing els let him be forgiuen and I will go forward Alfred of Beuerley and Richard of Ciceter haue mention of a place in East Kent where Horsa the Brother of Hengist was buried and which euen till their dayes did continue the memorie of his name Wée haue in this Shyre a Towne called Hor smundene whiche name resolued into Saxon Orthographie is Horsgemyndene and soundeth as muche as the Valley of the monument or memoriall of Horsa But for as muche as that lyeth in the Southe part of this Countrie toward Sussex and for that I read that Horsa was slaine at Ailesford as you shall sée anone in an encounter wherein he ioyned with his Brother Hengist again the Britons which at that time inhabited Kent it is the moste reasonable to affirme that he was buried at Horsted a place lying in this Parish toward Ailesford and nowe yet knowen by the same name whiche signifieth the place or stéede of Horse This Horsa and his Brother Hengist both whose names be Synonuma and signifie a Horse were the Capitaines and chiefe leaders of the first Saxons that came in aide of King Vortiger as we haue before shewed And after the death of Horsa his Brother Hengist neuer ceassed to warre vppon the Brittons till he had driuen them out of Kent and made himselfe King as hereafter in fitte place we will further declare Frendsbury in some Saxon copies freondesbyrig that is the Friendes Court in others frinondesbyrig It befell in the reigne of King Edward the first by occasion of a great long drought of the aire that the Monkes of Rochester were agréed amongst themselues to make a solemne procession from their owne house thorowe the citie and so to Frendsbury on the other side of the water of a speciall intent and purpose to pray to God for raine And bycause the day of this their appointed iourney happened to be vehemētly boisterous with the winde the which would not onely haue blowne out their lightes and tossed their bāners but also haue stopped the mouthes of their Synging men and haue toiled themselues in that their heauie and masking attire they desired lycence of the Maister of Stroud Hospital to passe through the Orchyard of his house whereby they might bothe ease theyr company and saue the glorie of their shewe whiche otherwise through the iniurie of the weather must néeds haue béene greatly blemished The Maister assented easily to their desire and taking it to be a matter of no great consequence neuer made his brethrē of the house priuie therevnto But they so soone as they vnderstoode of this determination called to minde that their Hospitall was of the foundation of Gilbert Glanuille somtime a Bishope of Rochester betwéene whom and the predecessours of these Monkes ther had béen great heates for the erection of the same and therfore fearing that the Monkes pretending a procession intended to attempt somewhat against their priuileges as in déede all orders in Papistrie were excéeding ielous of their prerogatiues they resolued with all their might to resist them And for that purpose they bothe furnished themselues and procured certaine companions also whom the Hystorie calleth Ribaldes with clubbes battes to assist them and so making their ambushe in the Orchyard they awaited the Monkes comming It was not long but the Monkes hauing made all things redy approched in their battell array and with banner displayed and so minding no harme at al entred boldely into the house and through the house passed into the Orchard merely chaunting their latine Letaine But when the Brethren and their Ribaldes had espied them within their daunger they ranne vpon them and made it raine suche a shoure of clubbes and coulestaues vpon the Monks Copes cowles Crownes that for a while the miserable men knew not what way to turne them After a time the Monkes called their wittes and spirites together and then making vertue of the necessitie they made eache man the best shift for himselfe that they could some trauersing their ground declined many of the blowes and yet now then bare off with
head shoulders others vsed the staues of their crosses behauing themselues like pretie men others made pykes of their banner poles And others flying in to their aduersaries wrested their weapons out of their hands amōgst the rest one sauing his charitie laide lode vpon a married Priest absoluing him as mine author saith A culpa but not A paena Another draue one of the Brethren into a déepe diche a third as big as any Bul of Basan espied at the lēgth the postern or back doore of the Orchyard wherat he ran so vehemently with his head shoulders that he bare it cleane downe before him and so both escaped him selfe and made the way for the rest of his fellowes who also with all possible haste conueyed them selues out of the iurisdiction of the Hospital and then shaking their ears fel a fresh to their Orgia I should haue said to their former Orisons After this storme thus blowen or rather born ouer I do not meruail if the Mōkes as the reporter saith neuer sought to carrie thir procession through Stroud Hospital for auoiding of the winde for indéed it could not lightly blow more boisterously out of ani quarter And thus out of this tragical hystorie arose the bywoord of Frendsbury Clubs a terme not yet forgotten The land of Frendsbury was long since giuen by Offa the King of Midle England to Eardulph then Bishop of Rochester vnder the name of Eslingham cum appendicijs although at this day this other beareth countenance as the more woorthie of the twaine The benefice of Frendsbury togeather with that of Dartford was at the suite of Bishop Laurence and by graunt of the Pope conuerted to an appropriation one amongst many of those monstruous byrthes of couetousnes begotten by the man of Rome in the dark night of superstition and yet suffered to liue in this day light of the Gospell to the great hinderance of learning the empouerishment of the ministerie and the infamie of our profession Rochester is called in Latine Dorobreuum Durobreuum Dorubernia and Durobriuis in Brittishe Dourbryf that is to say a swift streame in Saxon Hrofesceastre that is Rofi ciuitas Rofes citie in some olde Chartres Rofi breui SOme men desirous belike to aduaunce the estimation of this Citie haue left vs a farre fetched antiquitie concerning one péece of the same affirming that Iulius Caesar caused the Castle at Rochester as also that other at Canterbury and the Towre at London to be builded of common charge But I hauing not hitherto read any such thing eyther in Caesars own Commentaries or in any other credible Hystorie dare not avow any other beginning of this citie or castle then that which I find in Beda least if I shuld aduenture as they do I might receiue as they haue I meane The iust note of more reading industrie thē of reason or iudgement And although I must wil fréely acknowledge that it was a Citie before that it had to name Rocester for so a man maye well gather of Beda his wordes yet seing that by the iniurie of the ages betwéen the monuments of the first beginning of this place and of innumerable suche other be not come to our handes I had rather in suche cases vse honest silence then rashe speache and doe preferre plaine vnskill and ignorance before vaine lying and presumptuous arrogance For truely the credite of our Englishe Hystorie is no one waye somuche empayred as by the blinde boldnesse of some which taking vpon them to commit it to wryting and wanting either throughe their owne slothfulnesse or the iniquitie of the time true vnderstanding of the originall of many things haue not sticked without any modestie or discretion to obtrude newe fantasies and folies of their owne forgerie for assured truthes and vndoubted antiquitie As for examples of this kinde although there be at hand many in number and the same most fond and ridiculous in matter yet bicause it should be both odious for the authors tedious to the readers and grieuous for my selfe to enter into them I will not make enumeration of any But staying my selfe vpon this general note I will procead with the treatise of the place that I haue taken in hand the which maye aptly as me thinketh be broken into foure seuerall portions The Citie it selfe The Castle the Religious buildings and the Bridge The Citie of Rochester tooke the name as Beda writeth of one Rof or rather Hrof as the Saxon boke hath it which was sometyme the Lorde and owner of the place This name Leland supposeth to haue continuaunce in Kent till this our time meaning as I suspect Rolf a familie well inough knowne What so euer the estate of this Citie was before the comming in of the Saxons it séemeth that after their arriuall the mayntenaunce thereof depended chiefly vpon the residence of the Bishop and the religious persons And therefore no meruaile is it if the glory of the place were not at any time very great Since on the one side the abilitie of the Bishops and the Chanons inclined to aduaunce it was but meane and on the other side the calamitie of fyre and sworde bent to destroye it was in maner continuall For I read that at suche time as the whole Realme was sundred into particular kingdomes and eche parte warred for superioritie and inlarginge of boundes with the other Eldred then King of Mercia inuaded Lothar the king of this Countrie and findinge him vnable to resiste spoyled the whole Shyre and layd this Citie waste The Danes also whiche in the dayes of king Alfred came out of Fraunce sailed vp the ryuer of Medwey to Rochester and beseiging the towne fortified ouer against it in suche forte that it was greatly distressed and like to haue ben yelded but that the king Paeonia manu came spéedely to the reskewe and not onlye raysed the siege and deliuered his subiectes but obtayned also an honourable bootie of horses and captiues that they besiegers had left behind them The fame people hauing miserably vexed the whole Realme in the dayes of King Ethelred came at the laste to this Citie where they founde the inhabitaunts ready in armes to resiste them but they assayled them with suche furie that they compelled them to saue them selues by flight and to leaue the place a pray to their enemies The whiche was somewhat the lesse worthy vnto them bycause King Ethelred him selfe not long before vpon a displeasure conceiued against the Bishop had besieged the Citie and woulde by no meanes depart thence before he had an hundreth pounds in ready money payd him And these harmes Rochester receiued before the time of king William the Conqueror in whose reigne it was valued in the booke of Domesday at .100 s̄ by the yere after whose dayes besides sundry particular damages done to the citie during the sieges layd to the castle as shall appeare anon it was muche defaced by a great fire that hapned in the
reigne of King Henrie the first the King him self and a great many of the Nobilitie and Bishops being there present and assembled for the consecration as they call it of the great Churche of Sainct Andrewes the whiche was euen then newly finished And it was againe in manner wholy consumed with flame about the latter ende of the reigne of King Henrie the seconde at whiche time that newely builded Churche was sore blasted also But after all these calamities this Citie was well repaired ditched about in the reigne of King Henrie the third As touchinge the castle at Rochester although I finde not in wryting any other foundation therof then that which I alledged before recon to be mere fabulous yet dare I affirme that ther was an old Castle aboue eight hundreth yeres agoe in so much as I read that Ecgbert a king of Kent gaue certeine landes within the walles of Rochester castle to Eardulfe then Bishop of that See And I coniecture that Odo the bastard brother to king William the Conqueror whiche was at the first Bishop of Borieux in Normandie and then afterwarde aduaunced to the office of the chiefe Iustice of Englande and to the honour of the Earledome of Kent was eyther the first authour or the best benefactour to that which now standeth in sight and herevnto I am drawne somewhat by the consideration of the time it selfe in whiche many Castles were raysed to kéepe the people in awe and somewhat by the regarde of his authoritie whiche had the charge of this whole Shyre but most of all for that I reade that about the time of the Conquest the Bishop of Rochester receiued lande at Ailesford in exchaunge for grounde to builde a Castle at Rochester vpon Not long after whiche time when as William Rufus our Englishe Pyrrhus or Readhead had stepped betwéene his elder brother Robert and the crowne of this realme and had giuen experiment of a fierce and vnbridled gouernment the Nobilitie desirous to make a chaunge arose in armes againste him and stirred his brother to make inuasion And to the ende that the King shoulde haue at once many yrons as the saying is in the fire to attende vpon some moued warre in one corner of the Realme and some in another But amongst the reste this Odo betooke him to his castle of Rochester accompanied with the best both of the English and the Norman nobilitie This whē the king vnderstood he sollicited his subiects specially the inhabitants of this country by al faire meanes and promises to assist him so gathering a great armie besieged the Castle and strengthened the Bishop and his complices the defendants in suche wise that in the ende he and his company were contented to abiure the Realme and to leade the rest of their life in Normandie And thus Odo that many yeres before had béene as it were a Viceroy and second person within this realme was now depriued of al his dignitie driuē to kéepe residence vpon his benefice till suche time as Earle Robert for whose cause he had incurred this daūger pitying the cause appointed him gouernour of Normandie his owne countrie After this the Castle was much amended by Gundulphus the Bishop who in consideration of a Manor giuen to his Sée by King Williā Rufus bestowed thrée score poundes in building that great Towre whiche yet standeth And from that time this Castle continued as I iudge in the possession of the Prince vntill King Henrie the first by the aduice of his Barons graunted to William the Archebishop of Canterburie and his successours the custodie and office of Constable ouer the same with frée libertie to builde a Towre for him selfe in any part therof at his pleasure By meanes of which cost done vpon it at that time the Castle at Rochester was muche in the eye of suche as were the authors of troubles folowing within the realme so that from time to time it had a parte almost in euery Tragedie For what time King Iohn had warre with his Barons they gotte the possession of this Castle and cōmitted the defence therof to a noble man called William Dalbinet whome the king immediatly besieged through the cowardise of Robert Fitz Walter that was sent to rescue it after thrée monethes labour compelled him to render the péece The next yere after Lewes the Frenche Dolphine by the ayde of the Englishe Nobilitie entered the same Castle and tooke it by force And lastly in the reigne of King Henrie the thirde Simon Mountford not long before the battaile at Lewes in Sussex girded the citie of Rochester about with a mightie siege and setting on fire the wooden bridge a Towre of timber that stoode thereon wanne the firste gate or warde of the Castle by assaulte and spoyled the Churche and Abbay But being manfully resisted seuen dayes together by the Earle Warren that was within and hearing soudainly of the Kings comming thitherwarde he prepared to méete him in person and lefte others to continue the siege all whiche were soone after put to flight by the kings armie This warre as I haue partly shewed before was specially moued against strangers whiche during that kings reigne bare suche a sway as some write that they not onely disdayned the naturall borne Nobilitie of the Realme But did also what in them lay to abolishe the auncient lawes and customes of the same In déede the fire of that displeasure was long in kindeling therfore so much the more furious when it brast foorth into flame But amongst other things that ministred nourishment therto this was not the least that vpon a time it chaunced a Torneament to be at Rochester in which the English men of a set purpose as it should séeme sorted them selues against the strangers and so ouermatched them that following the victory they made them with great shame to fly into the Towne for couert But I dwel to long I feare in these two parts I will therefore nowe visite the Religious building and so passe ouer the bridge to some other place The foundation of the Churche of S. Andrewes in Rochester was first layd by King Ethelbert as we haue touched before at suche time as he planted the Bishops chaire in the Citie and it was occupyed by Chanons till the dayes of Gundulphus the Bishop who bycause he was a Monke and had hearde that it was sometimes stored with Monkes made meanes to Lanfranc the Archebishop and by his ayde and authoritie both builded the Churche and Pryorie of newe threwe out the Chanons and once more brought Monkes into their place following therein the example that many other Cathedrall Churches of that time had shewed before And this is the very cause that William of Malmesburie ascribeth to Lanfranc the whole thanke of all that matter for in déede bothe he and Anselme his successour were wonderfully busied in placing Monks and in diuorcing Chanons and Secular Priests from their wiues the whiche in contempte
of ouerthrowne Houses and Mynsters were called Knolles Miters he returned into England and meaning some way to make himselfe as well beloued of his Countrie men at home as he had béen euery way dread and feared of Straungers abroade by great policie maistred the Riuer of Medwey and of his owne charge made ouer it the goodly work that now stādeth with a chappel Chauntrie at the end died ful of yeares in the midst of the Reigne of King Henrie the fourth Stroude aunciently called Strodes of the Saxon worde Strogd which signifieth Scattered bicause it was a Hamlet of a few houses that lay scattered from the Citie ABout the beginning of the Reigne of King Henrie the third Gilbert Glāuille the Bishop of Rochester of whom you haue already heard foūded an Hospitall at Stroude whiche he dedicated to the name of the blessed Virgin and endowed with liuelyhode to the value of fiftie and two pounds by yeare A name or familie of men sometime inhabiting Stroude saith Polydore had tailes clapped to their breeches by Thomas Becket for reuenge and punishment of a dispite done to him in cutting of the taile of his horse The Author of the new Legend saith that after Saint Thomas had excomunicated two Brothers called Brockes for the same cause that the Dogges vnder the table would not once take Bread at their handes Suche belike was the vertue of his curse that it gaue to brute beastes a discretion and knowledge of the persons that were in daunger of it Boetius the Scotishe Chronicler writeth that the lyke plague lighted vpon the men of Midleton in Dorsetshyre Who bicause they threwe Fishe tailes in great contempt at Saint Augustine were bothe themselues and their posteritie stricken with tailes to their perpetuall infamie and punishment All whiche their Reportes no doubt be as true as Ouides Hystorie of Diana that in great angre bestowed on Acteon a Deares head with mightie browe anthlers Muche are the Westerne men bound as you sée to Polydore who taking the miracle from Augustine applieth it to S. Thomas and remouing the infamous reuenge frō Dorsetshyre laieth it vpō our men of Kent But litle is Kent or the whole English Nation beholdding either to him or his fellowes who amongst them haue brought vpon vs this ignominie note with other Nations abrode that many of them beleue as verely that we haue long tailes be monsters by nature as other men haue their due partes and mēbers in vsual nūber Polydore the wisest of the company fearing that issue might be taken vpon the matter ascribeth it to one speciall stocke and familie whiche he nameth not and yet to leaue it the more vncertain he saith that that family also is worne out long since and sheweth not when And thus affirming he cannot tel of whome nor when he goeth about in great earnest as in sundrie other things to make the world beléeue he cannot tell what he had forgotten the Lawe wherevnto an Hystorian is bound Ne quid falsi audeat ne quid veri non audeat That he should be bolde to tell the trueth and yet not so bolde as to tell a lye Howbeit his Hystorie without all doubte in places not blemished with suche folies is a worthie work but since he inserteth them many times without all discretion hee must of the wiser sorte be read ouer with great suspicion wearines For as he was by office Collector of the Peter pence to the Popes gaine and lucre so sheweth he himselfe throughout by profession a couetous gatherer of lying Fables fained to aduaunce the Popish Religion Kingdome and Myter ¶ Halling in Saxon Haling that is to say the holsome lowe place or Meadowe I Haue séene in an auncient booke conteining the donations to the See of Rochester collected by Ernulphus the Bishop there intituled Textus de Ecclesia Roffensi a Chartre of Ecgbert the fourthe christened King of Kent by the which he gaue to Dioram the Bishop of Rochester ten ploughlandes in Halling together with certeine Denes in the Weald or common wood To the which Chartre ther is amongst others the subscription of Ieanbert the Archbishop and of one Heahbert a King of Kent also as is in that booke tearmed Which thing I note for two speciall causes the one to shewe that aboute that age there were at one time in Kent moe Kinges then one The other to manifest and set fourth the manner of that time in signing subscribing of Déedes and Charters a fashion much differēt from the insealing that is vsed in these our dayes and as touching the firste I my selfe woulde haue thought that the name King had in that place béen but onely the title of a second Magistrate as Prorex or viceroy substituted vnder the very King of the countrie for administratiō of iustice in his aide or absence sauing that I read plainly in an other Chartre of another donation of Eslingham made by Offa the king of Mercia to Eardulfe the Bishop of the same See that he proceeded in that his gift by the consent of the same Heahbert the king of Kent and that on Sigaered also by the name of Rex dimidiae partis prouinciae Cantuariorum both confirmed it by writing and gaue possession by the deliuery of a clod of earth after the maner of seison that we yet vse Neither was this true in Heahbert onely for it is euident by sundrie Chartres extant in the same Booke that Ealbert the King of Kent had Ethelbert another Kinge his fellowe and partener who also in his time was ioyned in reigne with one Eardulfe that is called Rex Cantuariorum as well as hée So that for this season it should séeme that eyther the kingdome was diuided by discent or els that the title was litigious and in controuersie though our hystories so farre as I haue séene haue mencion of neyther This old manner of signing and subscribing is in my fantasie also not vnworthy the obseruation wherein we differ from our auncestors the Saxons in this that they subscribed their names commonly adding the signe of the crosse togeather with a great number of witnesses And we for more suertie both subscribe our names put our seales and vse the help of testimonie besides That former fashion continued throughout vntill the time of the conquest by the Normans whose manner by litle and litle at the length preuailed amongst vs For the first sealed Chartre in England that euer I read of is that of King Edward the confessours to the Abbey of Westminster who being brought vp in Normandie brought into this Realme that and some other of their guises with him And after the comming of William the Conquerour the Normans liking their owne countrie custome as naturally all nations doe reiected the maner that they found héere and reteyned their owne as Ingulphus the Abbat of Croyland which came in with the conquest witnesseth saying Normanni cheirographorū confectionē cum crucib
man And of the other that it is praise worthy also if at the lengthe being satisfied with gaine as it hath often come from the Sea to the Hauen So it chaunge from the Hauen into landes and possessions And therefore in my fantasie where as Geruas Tilber in his obseruations of the Eschequer accompteth it an abasing for a Gentleman to occupie Publicum mercimonium common buying and selling it ought to be referred to the other two parts of Merchandize that is to Negotiatiō which is retayling or keping of a standing shop and to Inuection which is to exercise Mercerye or as some cal it to play the Chapman and not to Nauigation which as you sée is the only laudable part of all buying and sellinge And againe whereas in our law it is reputed a Disparagement for a warde in Chiualrie which in old time was as much to say as a Gentleman to be maried to the daughter of one that dwelt in a Borowe I thinke that it also ought to be restrained to suche onely as professed handicrafts or those baser Artes of buying and selling to get their liuing by But of all this matter my Maisters the Heraldes can better infourme you to whome least I be blamed for thrusting my Sicle into an other mans Haruest I wil without any more referre you Tunbridge Wrotham this towne and Northfleete doe lye Northe and Southe one from another and it is a commune and receaued opinion amongst the Countrie people that you may be conueyed from the Thamise side to the edge of Sussex in these foure Parishes So that the whole Shyre by that reckoning should be but foure Parishes broade and yet .19 or 20. myles ouer on this part If any man doubt of the trueth let himselfe make the triall for I dare not warrant it Wrotham in Latine Vaginacae It is in the Domesday booke corruptly written Brotcham for I suppose that ƿyrHam is the very right name giuen for the great plentie of woorts or good hearbs that growe there THere was in Wrotham of auncient time a Manor house perteining to the Sée of the Archebishops For Geruasius witnesseth that one Richard the Archebishop that succéeded Thomas Becket lay there And that after suche time as he had by great largition and bribery preuailed at Rome bothe against King Henrie the Sonne of the second of that name in his owne consecration against Roger the Bishop of Yorke in the quarel of preeminencie and against other in other vain suits so that it might neuer be more truly said of that Citie in Paganisme it self Romae omnia ire venum then in that time of Papistrie he had a moste terrible dreame or vision in in his sléep at Wrotham the manner wherof as he reporteth was this It séemed to him that a verie graue and reuerend personage came to his bed side by night and demaunded of him in a loude voyce who art thou with whiche noyse when the Archebishop awaked and for feare answered nothing it added moreouer Thou art he that hast scattered the goods of the Churche committed to thy charge and therefore I will scatter thee and so with the woord vanished out of sight The Archebishop arose in the morning and hauing intended a iourney to Rochester addressed him selfe thitherward but this vision continually presented it selfe before the eye of his minde and so troubled him that for ease of his inward griefe he began to disclose the whole order of it to suche as were in his companie wherof he had no sooner made an end but he was forthwith stricken with such a horrour and chille colde that he was driuen of necessitie to alight at Halling in his way where in great torment he ended his lyfe the next daye following This house continued here vntill the time of Simon Islip the Archebishop who hauing a desire to finishe the Palaice at Maidston whiche Iohn Vfford his predecessour had begon and wanting wherwith to accomplishe it not onely pulled downe the building at Wrotham and conueied the stuffe thither but also obteined of the Pope licence to leuie a Tenthe throughout his whole Prouince to performe his work withall Kemsing IN the late time of the Popish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image of Edithe the Daughter of King Egdar and sometime Prioresse of Wylton in the West Countrie was religiously frequented in the Churcheyarde at Kemsing for the preseruation of Corne and Graine from Blasting Myldewe Brandeare and suche other harmes as commonly annoy it The manner of the whiche sacrifice was this Some séely bodie broughte a pecke or two or a Bushel of Corne to the Churche and after prayers made offered it to the Image of the Saint Of this offering the Priest vsed to reteine the greatest portion and then to take one handfull or litle more of the residue for you must consider he would be sure to gaine by the bargaine the whiche after aspersion of holy water and mumbling of a few wordes of coniuration he first dedicated to the Image of Saint Edithe and then deliuered it backe to the partie that brought it who then departed with full persuasion that if he mingled that hallowed handefull with his séede Corne it would preserue from harme and prosper in growthe the whole heape that he should sowe were it neuer so great a masse I remember that I haue read in Terentius Varro that the olde Romans amongst innumerable others had in great veneration one God which of Robigo a canker in Corne they called Robigus and to whom they made deuoute intercession and solemne sacrifice for the preseruation and deliuerie of their graine from the selfe same annoyances that ours is subiect vnto Howe muche that God of the Romanes and our Godesse of Kemsing differed in profession let some Popish gadder after straunge Gods make the accompt for I my selfe can finde no oddes at all And truely were it not that I am lothe to anticipate nowe before time that which I shall God graunting haue bothe fit place and méete time to vtter hereafter I could easily shew that the olde Romans and our newe Romanistes agréed in manner throughout bothe in the propertie and number of their Gods if at the least they be numerable in the manner and multitude of their sacrifices in the times and formes of their solemnities in the reporte of their false and fayned myracles and finally almost in that whole heape and dunghill of theire filthie and superstitious Idolatries But I will awayt conuenient seasons and at this tyme giue to euerie man the same and none other counsell then Plautus a heathen Poet in deede and yet in this behalfe more heauenly then any Papiste sometime gaue in the like case saying Vnus dum tibi propitius est Iupiter tu hosce minutos Deos flocci feceris While Iupiter is thy friend set not thou a straw by these petie Gods. Otforde in Saxon Ottanford WE haue mentiō in ancient hystorie of two famous battels foughten at Otford whereof
to Rotherfield thence to Hichingham and so to Roberts bridge corruptly so termed for Rothersbridge frō whence it descendeth to Bodyam Castell to Newendene Oxney and Apultree and soone after openeth into the Sea. The place is not notable for any other thing then that it harboured the first Carmelite Fryars that euer were in this Realme For about the midst of the reigne of King Henrie the thirde that order came ouer the Sea arriued in this lande and made their neste at Newendene whiche was before a wooddy and solitarie place and therefore in common opinion so much the more fit for Religious persons to inhabite They of that profession were called Carmelites of a hill in Syria named Carmelus where at the first a sort of men that liued solitarily were drawne into companies by one Ioan the Patriarche of Ierusalem in the dayes of King Henrie the firste And after that comming into Europe were by Honorius Quartus the Pope appointed to a rule and order by the name of the Brothers of Mary whiche title liked them selues so well that they procured the Pope Vrbane the sixte thrée yeares pardon for all suche as would so call them But certaine merry felowes seing their vanitie and knowing how litle they were of kin to Mary the blessed Virgine called them the brothers of Mary Aegiptiaca the harlot whereat the Pope was so offended that he plainly pronounced them Heretikes for their labour I read that in the reigne of King Richard the seconde one William Starnefeld was Pryor of this house and that he committed to writing the originall and beginning of the same But hitherto though to no great losse it hath not chaunced me to sée it The Weald so named of 〈◊〉 on worde peald which signifieth A woodie countrie The Britons called it Andred of which worde the Saxons called it AnSreSesleag in Latine Saltus Andred the chase of Andred This latter name was imposed for the exceeding greatnesse of it for Anrhsed in Brittish is as much as great or wonderfull NOwe then we are come to the Weald of Kent which after the common opinion of men of our time is conteined within very streight and narrowe limits notwithstanding that in times paste it was reputed of suche excéeding bignesse that it was thought to extende into Sussex Surrey and Hamshyre and of suche notable fame withall that it left the name to that part of the Realme thorough which it passed for it is manifest by the auncient Saxon Chronicles by Asserus Meneuensis Henrie of Huntingdon and almost all others of latter time that beginning at Winchelsey in Sussex it reached in length a hundreth and twentie myles towarde the West and stretched thirtie myles in breadth towarde the Northe And it is in mine opinion moste likely that in respecte of this wood that large portion of this Islande whiche in Caesars time contained foure seuerall Kings was called of the Bryttish word Caine Cancia in Latine and now cōmonly Kent Of which deriuation one other infallible monumēt remaineth euen til this day in Staffordshyre where they yet call their great woodie Forrest by the name of Kanc also On the edge of this wood in Sussex there stoode somtime a Citie called after the same Andredes Chester whiche Ella the founder of the Southsaxon kingdome after that he had landed with his thrée sonnes and chased the Brytons into the wood raced and made equall with the grounde And in this wood Sigbert a King of Westsex was done to death by this occasion following About the yeare after the Incarnation of Christe seuen hundreth fiftie fiue this Sigbert succéeded Cuthred his cousine in the kingdom of the Westsaxons and was so puffed vp with the pride of his dominion mightely enlarged by the prosperous successes of his predecessour that he gouerned without feare of God or care of man making lust his lawe and mischiefe his minister Wherevpon one Cumbra an Earle and Counselour at the lamentable suite of the Commons moued him to consideration But Sigbert disdaining to be directed commaunded him most dispitefully to be slayne Hereat the Nobilitie and Commons were so muche offended that assembling for the purpose they with one assent depriued him of his crowne and dignitie and he fearing worse fled into the wood where after a season a poore Hogheard sometime seruaunt to Cumbra founde him in a place which the Saxon Hystories cal Prifetsflode and knowing him to be the same that had slaine his Master slue him also without all manner of mercy The Hystorie of this Hoghearde presenteth to my minde an opinion that some men mainteine touching this Weald whiche is that it was a great while together in manner nothing else but a Desert and waste Wildernesse not planted with Townes or peopled with men as the outsides of the shyre were but stoared and stuffed with heardes of Deare and droues of Hogs onely whiche conceit though happely it may séeme to many but a Paradoxe yet in mine own fantasie it wanteth not the féete of sounde reason to stande vpon For besides that a man shall reade in the Hystories of Canterbury and Rochester sundry donations in whiche there is mention onely of Pannage for Hogges in Andred and of none other thing I thinke verely that it cannot be shewed out of auncient Chronicles that there is remayning in Weald of Kent or Sussex any one monument of great antiquitie And truly this thing I my selfe haue obserued in the auncient rentalles and surviewes of the possessions of Christes Church in Canterbury that in the rehearsall of the olde rentes and seruices due by the Tenaunts dwelling without the Weald the entrie is commonly after this forme De redditu vij s̄.vj d. De viginti ouis j.d. De gallinis benerth xvj.d. Summa viij s̄.xj.d quieti redditus But when they come to the Tenauntes inhabiting within the Wealdy countrey then the stile and Intituling is first Redditus de Walda Then after that followeth De tenementis Ioāis at Stile in loose iij. s̄.iiij.d Without shewing for what auncient seruice for what manner of custome or for what speciall cause the same Rent grew due and payable as in the first stile or entrie is expressed Wherevpon I gather that although the propertie of the Weald was at the firste belonging to certaine knowen owners as wel as the rest of the countrey yet was it not then alotted into Tenancies nor Manured like vnto the residue But that euen as men were contented to inhabite it and by péecemeale to rid it of the wood and to breake it vp with the ploughe So this latter rent differing from the former bothe in quantitie and qualitie as being greater than the other and yealded rather as recompence for fearme then as a quiterent for any seruice did long after by litle and litle take his beginning And hereout also springeth the diuersitie of opinions touching the true limits of this Weald Some men affirming it to beginne at one place and some at another
our English storiers do lay the whole burthen of that fault vpon the King and those fewe persons But bycause the matter is not so plaine as they make it withal requireth more wordes for the manifestation therof then I may now afoorde for that also there is hope that a special hystorie of the reigne penned by S. Thomas Delamore which liued in the very time it self may be hereafter imprinted made coÌ„mon I will onely exhort the Reader for his owne information in the trueth and for some excuse of such as be ouercharged to peruse that worke wherein I assure him he shall finde matter bothe very rare and credible As touching the Pryorie at Leedes whiche was a house of Regular Chanons and valued in the Recordes of the late suppression at thrée hundreth thrée score and two poundes of yearely reuenue I finde that one Robert Creuequer the author of the Castle peraduenture for this was done in the reigne of Henrie sonne to the Conquerour and Adam his sonne and heire firste founded it Whiche thing might probably haue béene coniectured althoughe it had neuer béene committed to Hystorie For in auncient time euen the greatest personages helde Monkes Friars and Nonnes in suche veneration and liking that they thought no citie in case to flourish no house likely to haue long continuaunce no Castle sufficiently defended where was not an Abbay Pryorie or Nonnerie eyther placed within the walles or situate at hande and neare adioyning And surely omitting the residue of the Realme hereof only it came to passe that Douer had S. Martines Canterbury Christes Churche Rochester S. Andrewes Tunbridge the Friars Maydstone the Chanons Grenewiche the obseruants and this our Leedes her Pryorie of Chanons at hande Howbeit I finde in a Heralds note who belike made his coniecture by some coate of Armes lately apparant that one Leybourne an Earle of Salisburie was the founder of it In deede it is to be séene in the Annales of S. Augustines of Canterbury that a noble man called Roger Leybourne was sometime of great authoritie within this Shyre notwithstanding that in his time he had tasted of bothe fortunes for in the dayes of King Henrie the thirde he was firste one of that coniuration which was called the Barons warre from whiche faction Edwarde the Kings sonne wonne him by faire means to his part and made him the bearer of his priuie purse Afterwarde they agréed not vpon the reckoning so that the Prince charging him with great arrearage of account seised his liuing for satisfaction of the debt by whiche occasion Roger once more became of the Barons deuotions But after the pacification made at Kenelworth he was eftsones receiued to fauour and was made Wardein of the Fiue Portes and Lieuetenant of this whole Shyre Nowe thoughe it can not be true that this man was the builder of this Pryorie for the same Annales say that it was erected long before yet if he did but marrie the heyre he might truely be termed the Patrone or founder thereof for by that name not only the builders themselues but their posteritie also to whom the glory of their déedes did descend were wont to be called as well as they The description and hystorie of the See and Diocesse of Rochester THE learned in Astronomie be of the opinion that if Iupiter Mercurie or any other Planet approche within certain degrées of the Sunne and be burned as they terme it vnder his beames That then it hath in maner no influence at all But yealdeth wholy to the Sunne that ouershineth it And some men beholding the nearenesse of these two Bishoprickes CaÌ„terbury and Rochester and comparing the bright glory pompe and primacie of the one with the contrarie altogether in the other haue fansied Rochester so ouershadowed and obscured that they recken it no Sée or Bishoprick of it self But only a place of a méere Suffragan and Chaplain to Canterbury But he that shall either aduisedly weigh the firste institution of them bothe or â—ut indifferently consider the estate of eyther shall easiâ—â— finde that Rochester hath not only a lawfull and caâ—onicall Cathedrall Sée of it selfe But the same also â—ore honestly won and obteined then euer Canterbury â—d For as touching Rochester Augustine whome â—e Monkes may not deny to be the English Apostle orâ—ined Iustus Bishop there Ethelbert the lawfull king â—f Kent both assenting thereto by his presence and confirming it by his liberall beneficence But howe Canterbury came to haue an Archebishops Chayre if you thinke that it hath not in that title already so sufficiently appeared as that it therfore néedeth not now eftsones to be rehearsed then reade I pray you Garuas Tilberiens and he in his booke De otijs Imperialibus wil tel you in Sanguine sanctorum Dorobernensis ecclesia primatiam obtinuit The Church of Canterbury obteined the Primacie by the sheading of the bloud of Saints Rochester moreouer hath had also a continuall succession of Bishops euen from the beginning whiche haue gouerned in a distinct Diocesse containing foure Deanries and therefore wanteth nothing that I knowe to make it a compleat and absolute Bishopricke In déede the yerely value is but small the slendernesse whereof ioyned with some ceremoniall duties to the Archebishop happely haue béene the cause of abasing the estimation of it But for all that let vs not sticke with auncient Beda and others to saye that the Bishops Sée at Rochester was at the first instituted by Augustine That a Cathedrall Churche was builded there by King Ethelbert to the name of S. Andrewe and that he endowed it with certaine lande for liuelyhood which he called Priestfield in token as I thinke that Priestes should be susteined therewithall This Bishopricke may be sayd to be seuered from Canterbury Diocesse for the most parte by the water of Medway and it consisteth as I sayde of foure distincte Deanries namely Rochester Malling Dartford and Shorham Howbeit with this latter the Bishop medleth not the same being a peculiar as they terme it to the Archebishop of Canterbury who holdeth his prerogatiue wheresoeuer his lands do lye as in this Deanrie he hath not only had of olde time certain mansion houses with Parkes and Demeanes but diuers other large territories rentes and reuenues also In it therefore are these Churches following Shorham with the Chapell of Otford Eynesford with the Vicarage there Dernth and the Vicarage there Fermingham and the Vicarage Bexley and the Vicarage Eareth alias Eard Northfleete and the Vicarage Mepham and the Vicarage Clyue Grean with the Vicarage Farleigh with the Vicarage Huntington alias Hunton Peckam with the Vicarage Wrotham with the Chapell and Vicarage Eightam Seuenocke with the Vicarage Penshurst Chydingstone Heuer Gillingham with the Vicarage Brasted Sundriche Cheuening Orpington with the Chapell and Vicarage Hese Kestan Halstede Woodland Eastmalling with the Vicarage Ifeild As touching the Bishops of this Sée Iustus one of the same that Pope Gregorie sent hither from Rome
and of burHHam Burham and of of Acclesse Acclesse and of of Horstede Horstede of fearnlege and of Farley of terstane and of Teston of Cealce and of Chalke of HennHyste and of Henhyrst of and of Aedune Edon Ãonne Then is is seo the fifte fifte per paes peere the Arcebiscopes Archebishops to Æ¿roteHam to Wrotham to Maegþanstane and to Maydstone to and to Æ¿oþringebyran Wateringbyrie to Netlestede and to Nettlested to þam and to the tÆ¿am PeccHam two Peckams to HaeselHolte and to Haselholte to MaeranÆ¿yrþe and to Mereworth to Lillanburnan and to Layborne to SÆ¿anatune and to Swanton to OffaHam and to Ofham to Dictune and to Dytton to Æ¿esterHam and to Westerham iiij gyrda to þillanne and foure yardes to plancke iij. Sylle to and 3. plates to leccanne laye Ãonne Then is is syo the seoxte sixte per peere to to Holingaburnan Holingborne to and to eallan all þam laeþe that Lath iiij gyrda to þelliene And foure yardes to plancke iiij sylla to leccenne and foure plates to laye Ãonne Then is is syo the syoueþe seuenthe syo eaHteþe per. and the eight peere to HoÆ¿aran land to the men of Hoo to to Æ¿yrcenne woorke fyfte And foure Healf gyrd to þillanne yardes and a halfe to plancke vj. sylla to and sixe plates to lyccanne laye Ãonne Then is is syo the nigaþa nynthe per peere þaes the Aercebiscopes Archebishops ê§ is syo land per aet þam that is the land peere at the Æ¿est West aende ende to to fliote Fleete to His clyfe and to his cliffe Bishops cliffe to HeHHam and to Higham to and to denetune Denton and and to to Melantune Mâ—lton and and to to Hludesdune Ludsdowne and and to to MeapeHam Mepham and and to to Snodilande Snodland and and to to berlingan Berling and and to to peadlesÆ¿yrðe Paddelsworthe and and ealla ða daeneÆ¿aru to all that valley men and iiij gyrda to ðillianne and foure yardes to plancke and and ðryo three sylle plates to leccanne to laye Haec descriptio demonstrat apertè vnde debeat pons de Rouecestra restaurari quotÃens fuerit fractus Primum eiusdem Ciuitatis Episcopus incipit operari in orientali brachio primam peram de terra deinde tres virgatas plancas ponere tres suliuas 1. tres magnas trabes supponere Et hoc faciet de Borchastalle de Cuclestana de Freondesbiria de Stoche Secunda pera pertinet ad Gillingeham ad Caetham vnam virgatam plancas ponere 3. suliuas supponere Tertia pera pertinet iterum ad Episcopum eiusdem ciuitatis qui debet 2. vÃrgatas dÃmid plancas ponere 3. suliuas supponere hoc fiet de Heallinges Trottescliue Meallinges Suthfleotes Stanes Pinnendene Falceham Quarta pera pertinet ad Regem debet 3. virgat dimid plancas ponere 3. suliuas supponere Et hoc fiet de Eilesforda de toto illo laesto quod ad illud maneriuÌ„ pertinet de supermontaneis de Aclea de Smalaland de Cusintune de Dudesland de Gisleardes land de Wulâ—cham de Burham de Aclesse Horsteda Fearnlega Terstane Cealca Henhersta de Hathdune Quinta pera est Archiepiscopi debet 4. virgat plancas ponere 3. suliuas summittere hoc debet fieri de Wrotham Maedestana Oteringaberiga Netlesteda duabus Peccham Haeselholt Maerewurtha Lilleburna Swanatuna Offeham Dictuna Westerham Sexta pera debet fieri de Holingburna de toto illo laesto quod ad hoc pertinet 4. virgat plancas ponere 3. fuliuas supponere Septimam octauam peram debent facere homines de Hou 4. dimid virgat plancas ponere sex suliuas supponere Nona pera quae vltima est in occidentali brachio est iterum Archiepiscopi 4. virgat plancas ponere tres suliuas summittere Et hoc debet fieri de Northfleta Cliua Heahham Denituna Meletuna Hludesduna Meapeham Snodilanda Berlinges Peadleswrthe de omnibus illis hominibus qui manent in illa valle Et sciendum est quod omnes illae suliuae quae in ponte illo ponentur tantae grossitudinis debent esse vt bene possint sustinere omnia grauia pondera superiacentium plancarum omnium desuper transeuntium rerum By these it may appeare that this auncient bridge consisted of nyne Arches or peres conteined in length about twentie and sixe roddes or yardes as they be here termed Toward the reparation and maintenance wherof diuers persons parcels of lands and townships as you see were of dutie bounde to bring stuffe to bestow both cost labor in laying it This dutie grew eyther by tenure or custome or both it séemeth that according to the quantitie and proportion of the Land to bee charged the carriage also was either more or lesse For here is expresse mention not of Townes and Manors only but of Yokes and Acres also whiche were contributorie to the aide of carrying pitching and laying of piles plankes and other great timber And here by the way it is to be obserued that so muche of the worke as ariseth of stone and earth is called Pera of the Latine word Petra that the great ground posts plates or beames be termed Sulliuae of the olde Saxon word Sylle whiche we yet euery where knowe by the name of a Ground Sille And that the Tables or Boordes whiche are laide ouer them are named Plancae or Plankes as we yet also in our vulgar language doe sound it But nowe in our time by reason that diuers Landes are purposely giuen to mainteine the newe Bridge all this auncient duetie of reparation is quite and cleane forgotten although by the statute 21. and 2. the forenamed landes remaine liable as before yea and the newe Bridge it selfe also for want of the execution of that or some other suche politique way of maintenance bothe presently lacketh helpe and is like hereafter if remedie in time be not applied to decline to great ruine and decay Whiche thing is so muche the more to be foreséene and pittyed as that the woorke is to the founder a Noble monument to this Citie a beautifull ornament and to the whole Countrie a great benefite commoditie and easement Of this latter woorke being not muche aboue eight score yeres of age Syr Robert Knolles a man aduaunced by valiant behauiour and good seruice vnder King Edward the third from a common Souldiour to a most commendable Capitaine was the first Authour who after that he had béene sent Generall of an armie into Fraunce and there in despite of all their power had driuen the people like sheepe before him wasting burning and destroying Townes Castles Churches Monasteries and Cities in suche wise and number that long after in memorie of his acte the sharpe points and Gable endes
at the Sea. The College The value of the Religious houses in this Shyre The Citie when it began The olde Schole at Canterbury The decay of Canterbury and other places Continuall contention betweene the two great houses in Canterbury Christes-Churche in Canterbury Thomas Becket the Archbishop his hystorie Saint Augustines The deade in old time were buried out of the Cities Popishe braules S. Maries in Canterbury The Saints and Reliques at CaÌ„terbury S. August Thomas Becket had two heads S. Gregories in Canterbury S. Laurenceâ— Hospitall S Iames Hospitall S. Sepulchers White friars S. Mildredâ— The Bishops Palaice S. Martines was a Bishops See. S. Sepulchres by CaÌ„terbury The Monkes coÌ„tend with the Archbishop and do preuaile The vanitie of Man and the subtilty of the Deuill be the cause of Idolatrie Saint Thomas Beckets Relique The olde manner of nameing men Maude the Empresse true Heire to the Crowne Bartholmew Badelesmere Thomas Colpeper The Pryory at Leeds By what meanes the Archebishops chair came to 〈…〉 The Deanrie of shorâ—ham A Popishe myracle Monkes contend for the electioÌ„ of the Bishop SaÌ„int Cuthbertes feast why holdeÌ„ double Bishops Sees are translated from Villages to Cities The Catalogue of Rochester Bishops The Harborowe of the Nauie Royall The benefites that God hathe giuen this Realme in the Reigne oâ— Queene Elizabeth A barbarous crueltie executed vpon Straungers Excessiue drinking and how it came into England Great troupes of seruing men came in with the Normanes The cause of the Conquest of Enlande Harold the King. The vncurtesie of the English natioÌ„ toward straungers Busyris was a tirant that sacrificed straungers and was therefore slaine by Hercules Our Lady the Rode of ChethaÌ„ Gillingham Horsted borne in Ailesford Hengist Horsa two famous Capitaines A religious Skirmish betwene the Monkes of Rochester and the Brethren of Stroude Friendsbury clubbes Eslingham Appropriations of benefices The Citie The Castle S. Andrews Church in Rochester Priests had wiues in England of olde time Saint William of Rochester Saint Bartholmewes Hospitall Rochester Bridge both the olde the newe Syr Robert Knolles a valiant Capitaine The Hospitall The beginning of this scoffing by word Kentishe tailes Angle Queene Many kinges at once in Kent The olde manner of Signing Sealing of deedes Fernham The Danes compelled to take the Thamise The Danes are chased from Otforde Earle Edrie an infamus traytour A noble example of Kinge Edmunde Ironside The names of Townes ending in ing The Abbay The Solaces of Solâ— life The Castle The Cleargie was law lesse The Pryorie at Tun-Bridge The Low the of Tunbridge 42. H. 3. The Archebishop hath an Earle to his Butler The Rooâ—â— of Asherst was a growing Idole The masters of the nauie Royal. Alphey the Archbishop was cruelly slaine A popish minde 32. Shyres in England Great suÌ„mâ— of money paied to the Danes The Priorie of Shene The frierie The Palaice The rebellion of Iack Straw The rebellion of Iack Cade The rebellion of the black smith Lord Richard Lucy The ancient manner of the triall of right to Landes Wager of Lawe Hengist Horsa The beginning of the Kentishe Kingdome Orpenton the course of Cray water Mesopotamia signifieth a couÌ„try encompassed with riuers Rochester castle beseiged Princes may wooe by picture and marye by proctor The Abbay The old maner of Tourneament The occasion of Iacke Strawes his rebellion The courâ—â— of the riuer of Derent The name of Portreue whereof it commeth The name of Sherife London had a Portreue The office of a Reue. A learned age in which priestes had more latine theÌ„ english and yet almost no latine at all The order of this description The Manour The church of S. Hildeferthe The auncient forme of a Testament The auncient estate of a Gentleman and by what meanes gentle was obteyned in the olde time The degres of Freemen Earl Thein and Churle Alderman ShiremaÌ„ c were names of offices Wisdom is more profitable when it is ioyned with riches Merchandize and Husbandrie 1. The worship of many Gods. Saint Edith and her offering The olde newe Romanes agre in many points of religion S. Thomas Beckets spiteful miracles S. Bartilmew of Otford and his offering The Palaice at Otford Cardinall Morton Erasmus doth misreporte the cause of the contention between the King and Thomas Becket The Manor of WinghaÌ„ Reigate Castle in Surrey The Schole and Almes house The Town The name Gauelkind wherof it arose To shift laÌ„d is an olde terme The antiquitie of Gauelkind custome The diuisioÌ„ of this discourse What lands be of Gauel kind nature Some Knight fee is Gauelkinde Auncient Knight fee is not of the nature of Gauelkynd The change of Gauelkind tenure is no chaÌ„ge of the nature of Gauelkind A contrarie vsage changeth not the nature of Gauelkinde HeaHbeorg in Saxon is a high defence and the customs of NormaÌ„die that cal fieâ—e or fee de Haubert whiche oweth to defend the laÌ„d by full armes that is by horse haubert target sword or helme and it consisteth of 300. acres of land which is the same as I suppose that we called a whole Knights fee * The custome of Gauelkind is vniuersall in Kent The reason of Gauelkinde Custome What thinges shal ensue the nature of the land Rent Remainder Voucher Condition Attaint and Error No battail nor graund Assise in gauelkinde Forfaiture in Felonie Cessauit in Gauelkind Tenant by the Courtesie Tenant in Dâ—wer The difference betweene coÌ„mon Lawe and Custome therin Dower of chattels Partition of chattels Partition of chattels London Partition of Gauelkinde lands Astrâ— what it meaneth Gardein after the cusâ—ome Sale is at 15. yearâ—â— Sale good at 15. yeares No villains in Kent Apparance Câ—men Chase and driue out Attaint Chaunging of wayes Goppies These wordes betweene the starres were taken out of an other olde copie Free men Esechator Giue and sell landes without licence Plede by writte or pleinte Appeare by Borsholder No eschete for felonie but of goods only Dower of the one half Flying for felony causeth forfeiture Partition amoÌ„gst the heirs males The Astre Curt in other copies One suite for all the parceners Partition of goods Custodie of the heire in Gauelkind Sale at xv yeres of age Dower of the one half Forfaiture of Dower Tenant by the courtesie of the one halfe The discent of Gauelkind changed Forfaiture by Ceslauit or Gâ—uelate No oathe but for fealtie Essoignes No battail nor graunâ— assise in Guelkinde landes A Table conteining the principall places and matters handeled in this Booke A Angles or Englishmen Page 2 Archebishopricke of Canterbury Page 62 Archebishops contend for the primacie Page 65 Archebishops all named Page 70 Armour Page 112. 211. Apledore Page 146. 162 Aile or Eile a Riuer Page 177. Correction of adulterie Page 180. Appropriations Page 292 Ailesforde Page 321. Asheherst Page 333. Adington Page 258. Aldington Page 149. B Brytones or Welshmen Page 1. 12. Borsholder what he is Page 22 Bridges of stone Page