come and learn of me Come we now to his sad Catastrophe Indeed the curious had observed that in the Scheme of his Nativity not onely the Dragons-tail was ready to promote abusive aspersions against him to which living and dead he hath been subject but also something malignant appears posited in Aquarius which hath influence on the leggs which accordingly came to pass For being twice imprisoned for what misdemeanor I know not by Radulphus the Emperor he endeavoured his escape out of an high window and tying his sheets together to let him down fell being a weighty man and brake his legg whereof he died 1595. I believe him neither so bad as some nor so good as others do character him all know how Separation is of great use amongst men of his profession and indeed if his pride and prodigality were severed from him he would remain a person on other accounts for his industry and experience in practical Philosophy worthy recommendation to posterity Writers FLORENCE of WORCESTER was probably born near certainly bred in that City one eminent in learning as any of his age and no less industrious Many books are extant of his making and one most usefull beginning at the Creation and continued till his death This he calleth Chronicum Chronicorum which some esteem an Arrogant Title and an Insolent defiance of all Authors before and after him as if as the Rose is flos florum so his were the Superlative Chronicle of all that are Extant But others meet with much modesty in the Title Chronicum Chronicâ—…rum as none of his own making but onely gathered both for Matter and Language out of others he being rather the Collector then the Originall Composer thereof He died Anno Domini 1119. JOHN WALLIS or WELSH is confessed natione Anglus which I observe to secure his nativity against Welch-claimes thereunto onely grounded on his Sur-name Yet I confess he might be mediatly of Welch-extraction but born in this County where the family of the Walshes are extant at this day in a worshipfull equipage where he became a Franciscan in Worcester Leaving Oxford he lived in Paris where he was common ly called Arbor vitae The tree of life Non absque insigni Servatoris blasphemia With no small blasphemy to our Saviour saith our Author But to qualifie the matter we take the expression in the same sense wherein Solomon calls a wholesome tongue a Tree of Life Yet might he better be termed the tree of knowledge of good and evil whose books amounting to no fewer then twenty volumes are not so practicall for their use as curious in their speculations In the ancient Libraries of Baliâ—…l and Oriel-Colledge most of his Manuscripts are reported extant at this day He died and was buried at Paris Anno Dom. 1216. ELIAS de EVESHAM was born in this County of good Parentage from whom as it seemeth by J. Bale he had expectancy of a fair estate This did not hinder him from being a Benedictine in the Abby of Evesham where he became a great Scholar and wrote an Excellent Chronicle Bale knoweth not where to place him with any certainty But Pitz not more knowing but more daring assigneth him to have flourished in the year 1270. WILLIAM PACKINGTON I confess two Villages the less and greater of this name in Warwick-shire and yet place this Packington here with no discredit to my self and greater grace to him For first I behold him as no Clergy-man commonly called from their Native Places but have reasons to believe him rather a Layman and find an Antient Family of his Name not to say Alliance still flourishing in this County He was Secretary and Treasurer to Edward the Black Prince and his long living in France had made the language of his Nurse more naturall to him then the tongue of his Mother Hence it was that he wrot in French the story of five English Kings King John Henry the third Edwards first second and third and a book of the Atchievements of the Black Prince He flourished Anno Dom. 1380. Since the Reformation Sir EDWIN SANDYS Son to Edwin Sandys D. D. was in all probability born in this County whilst his father was Bishop of Worcester He was bred in Cambridge and attained to be a most accomplished person I have known some pitifull in Affection but poor in Condition willing but unable to relieve one in greater want then themselves who have only gotten an empty Purse and given it to others to put their charity therein for the purpose aforesaid Such my case I can only present the Reader with a Place in this my Book for the Character of this worthy Knight but can not contribute any Coine of MEMOIRES or Remarkables to the furnishing thereof Only let me adde he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right-handed to any great imployment and was as constant in all Parliaments as the Speaker himself being beheld by all as an Excellent Patriot faithfull to his Country without being false to his King in all transactions He was the Treasurer to the undertakers for the Western Plantations which he effectually advanced the Bermudaes the firmest though not the fairest Footing the English have in the West-Indies owing their happiness to his Care and Sandys Tribe is no contemptible Proportion therein He had a commanding Pen witness his work of the Religion of the Western World many in one Book so much matter is Stowed therein I have been informed that he bequeathed by his Will a Considerable Summe to the Building of a Colledge in Cambridge but Debts not coming in according to Expectation his good Intention failed in the performance thereof He died much lamented of all good Men about the year 1631. Romish Exile Writers RICHARD SMITH D. D. was born in this County bred in the University of Oxford where he became Kings Professor and was fit for that place in all things if as one of his own perswasion avoweth Non obstitisset Laterum debilitas Vocis exilitas The weaknes of his Sides and lowness of his Voice had no hindred him King Edward the sixth afterwards sent for Peter Martyr over to be his Professor in this University betwixt whom and Doctor Smith so great the Contest that waving all ingagements it is best to State it to the eye of the Reader as it is represented by Authors of both sides Pitz. de Script in Anno 1563. Petrum Martyrem apostatam Monachum Haeresis Zuvinglicanae sectatorem a Rege Edwardo sexto Oxonii in Cathedram Theologicam intrusum in publicis disputationibus haeresis convicit Cathedrâ—…m suam victor repetiit sed Rege obstante non impetravit In publick disputations he convicted Peter Martyr the Apostate Monke and a follower of the Zwinglian Heresie thrust in by King Edward the sixth into the Divinity Chair in Oxford and being Conquerer did require his own Chair to be restored him which he obtained not because the King
tamen a scribendo temporare non possunt Many men like my self are sick of this decease that when they know not how to write yet cannot forbear from writing A worthy English Barronet in his book incomparable on that subject hath clearly and truly stated this point Here I expect that the judicious Reader will excuse me if I take no notice of many Modern Phamphliteers seeing unlearned Scriblers are not ranked with learned Writers yea it was though tartly truly said to the Author of such a book Dum scateant alii erratis datur unica Libro Menda tuo totâ—…m est intiger error opus Whilst others flow with faults but one is past In all thy book 't is fault from first to last Indeed the Press at first a Virgin then a chast Wife is since turned Common as to prostitute her self to all Scurrilous Pamphlets When the Author of an idle and impersect book endeth with a caetera dessiderantur one altered it non dessider antur sed desunt Indeed they were not though wanting wanted the world having no need of them many books being like King Joram who lived not being desired yea the Press begineth to be an oppression of the Land such the burden of needless books therein Some will say the charge may most justly be brought against your self who have loaded the Land with more books then any of your Age. To this I confess my fault and promise amendment that God willing hereafter I will never Print book in the English tongue but what shall tend directly to Divinity CHAP. XI Of Benefactors to the Publick wherein also Choise Charities are recommended to men of Estates These are reducible to several Heads and we will begin with them who have been Builders of CHURCHES SUch Centurions who have erected us Synagogues places for Gods publick VVorship seem to me to have given good testimony of their Love to our nation Bitter was the Brave which railing Rabsheca sent to holy Hezekiah proffering him 2000 Horses on Condition that the other were but able to find Riders for them But it grieves me to see the Superstition of the former insult over the religion of this present age bragging that she left us ten thousand Churches and Chappels more or lesse ready built if we can find but repairers to keep them up It is in my opinion both dishonorable to God and scandalous to all good men to see such houses daily decay But there is a generation of people who to prevent the verifying of the old proverb Pater noster built Churches and our Father plucks them down endevour to pluck down both Churches and Our Father together neglecting yea despising the use both of the one and the other Be it here remembred that it is not only equal but just that such as have been Founders of Churches or Grand Benefactors unto them should have due Respect in preserving their Monuments from Violation or Incroachment of others I urge this the rather because abuses have been frequent in this kind even to those that have deserved best I cannot with patience remember the Story of Henry Keble Lord Maior of London 1511. who besides other Benefactions in his Life time rebuilded Alder-Mary-Church run to very Ruines and bequeathed at his Death a thousand pounds for the finishing thereof Yet within sixty years after his Bones were unkindly yea inhumanely cast out of the Vaute wherein they were buried his Monument plucked down for some Wealthy Person of the present times to be buried therein I could not but on this Occasion rub up my old Poetry Facit Indignatio Versus The Author to Alder-Mary Church Ungrateful Church orerun with rust Lately buried in the dust Utterly thou hadst been lost If not preserv'd by Keble's cost A Thousand Pounds might it not buy Six foot in length for him to lie But outed of his quiet Tombe For later Corps he must make Roome Tell me where his Dust is cast Though 't be late yet now at last All his Bones with Scorne ejected I will see them recollected VVho faine my self would Kinsman prove To all that did God's Temples love Alder-Mary Churches Answer Alas my Innocence excuse My Wardens they did me abuse VVhose Avarice his Ashes sold That Goodness might give place to Gold As for his Reliques all the Town They are scattered up and down See'st a Church repaired well There a Sprinkling of them fell See'st a new Church lately built Thicker there his Ashes spilt O that all the Land throughout Kebles Dust were throwne about Places scattered with that seed VVould a Crop of Churches breed I could wish this was the last Barbarisme in this kind and am sorry that upon small Inquiry I could insist on later Instances Free-Schools and Colledges I place Schools before Colledges because they are introductory thereunto intended for the bâ—…eeding of Children and Youth as the other for youth and men And seeing much of Truth is contained in our English Proverb It is as good to be unborn as unbred such may in some sort seem their Second-Parents who have provided for their Education These Schools are of two kinds First those wherein only a Salary is given to the School-master to teach Children gratis and these I confess are good Secondly such wherein a select number of Scholars have competent maintenance allowed towards their Living in the University and these all will acknowledge are better Some do suspect a surfet in our Land of the multitude of Schools because the Nursery is bigger then the Orchard the one breeding more Plants then the other can maintain Trees and the Land not affording sufficient preferment for them Learning is forced to stoop to mean Courses to make a Livelihood But I conceive that Store in this kind is no sore and if we must not do evil that good may come thereof we must not forbear doing that which is good for fear of accidental Evils which may arise from the same Bridges Builders of Bridges which are high-waies over water and makers of Caused-waies or Causways which are Bridges over dirt though last in order are not least in benefit to the Commmon-wealth Such conveniences save the lives of many ease the labour of moe painful travellers and may be said in some sort to lengthen the day and shorten the way to men in their journeys yea Bridges make and keep this our Island a Continent to it self How great the care of the ancient Romans to repair them for the safety of passengers appears by the origination of Pontifex having the inspection over bridges by his primitive institution Indeed the word bridge appears not in all Scripture whereof this the reason the rivers of Palestine were either so shallow that they were passable by foords as of Jabbok Arnon and Jordan before it grew navigable or else so deep that they were ferried over as Jordan when neer his fall into the Dead Sea but most of ours in England are of a middle size so
with him and was the first restorer of Learning in our Nation It is questionable whether he was a better Latinist or Grecian a better Grammarian or Physician a better Scholar or Man for his moral deportment By his endeavours Galen speaks better Latine in the Translation than he did Greek in the Original The last Volume whereof Linacer promised to dedicate to Arch-Bishop Warham and excuseth his failing therein by a Latine Letter which for several reasons I have here exemplified First for the quicknesse of conceit and purity of style therein Secondly because never formerly Printed Thirdly because there is but one Copy thereof writren with Linacers own hand prefixed to that numerical Book which he presented to the said Arch Bishop bestowed by my old Friend Doctor George Ent on the Colledge of Physicians Lastly because Doctor Christopher Merrick hath been pleased carefully to compare it with the Original Reverendissimo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino Gulielmo Dei gratiâ Cantuariensi Archi-episcopo totius Angliae Primati Apostolicae sedis Legato Thomas Linacrus Medicus salutem cum debita dicit Observantia QUod tibi Archiepiscope Clarissime opus hoc sicuti promiseram non dedicavi sed ejus duntaxat exemplum ad Te misi nolis obsecro pro spectatâ humanitate Tuâ me magis aut promissi putare immemorem aut ejus levem habuisse curam quin id implere maximè cupientem facere tamen non potuisse Nam cùm in eâ sententiâ sic perstitissem ut ex ea me praeter unum nemo hominum dejicere potuisset is profectò nec alius eam mutavit Quippe Rex ipse cùm ex certorum hominum sermone qui nimio studio mei mea omnia nimio plus praedicant intellexisset è tribus partibus quibus tota Medicinae ars integratur hanc quae hoc codice continetur esse reliquam eam quoque veluti justam sibi nec à reliquis nuncupatione distrahendam vendicavit justitque Domino Iohanni Chambre observantissimo Paternitatis Tuae famulo tum praesenti atque audienti ut sibi eam inscriberem Itaque cùm Te perspicere non dubitem quantum apud me valere quamque legis instar haberi debeat ejus voluntas non difficulter ut spero à Te impetrabo id quod etiam magnis precibus contendo ut alio quopiam ex iis quae in manibus sunt opere studiosis ut opinor futuro non ingrato oppigneratam Tibi fidem reluere liceat Quod si concedes utrumque per Te simul fiet ut voluptate quam ex requisitis à tanto principe vigiliis meis concepi eâ fruar solicitudine quâ pro redimenda fide angebar eâ liberer Nec eò spectat Reverendissime Praesul haec tam sedula excusatio quasi ullas meas nugas sic censeam ut Tibi usquam expetitas expetendasve putem Sic eam potius intelligi postulo cum Tu mihi primus ad otium literarium beneficiis aditum aditum patefeceris justissimum existimâsse me Tibi ejus otii rationem aliquam esse reddendam ex qua me intelligeres non omnino id frustrà conterere Sed cùm id partim instituendis quibusdam partim his qualiacunque sunt ad usum studiosorum scribendis impendam hoc agere imprimis ut qui ex eo audientes legentésve fructum aliquem percipient Tibi quem non minimum ejus autorem ubique profiteor bonam ejus partem acceptam referant Quod utique tum in his quae jam edidimus velim faciant tum quae alias unquam scribam nedum quae Tibi nominatim modò vita supersit dicabuntur Diu valeas Pater Amplissime No Englishman in that age had so learned Masters viz. Demetrius Politian and Hermolaus Barbarus so noble Patrons viz. Laurence Medices Duke of Florence whilest he was beyond the Seas King Henry the Seventh and Eighth to whom he was chief Physician after his return into England so high born Scholars Prince Arthur with many Lords Sons his Contemporaries so learned Friends Erasmus Melancthon Vives c. This Linacer founded two publick Lectures in Oxford and one in Cambridge dutifully his respect to his Mother double above his Aunt for the study of Physick and that Students of that faculty of both Universities may meet the more conveniently together he founded the Colledge of Physicians in London I much wonder at what I find in good Authors that Linacer a little before his death turned Priest and began to study the Scripture with which he formerly was unacquainted in so much that reading the fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of Saint Matthew he vowed That either this was not the Gospel or We were not Christians which speech though much condemned by the Relater thereof is capable of a charitable sense as taxing mens Practice so much different from Gods Precepts He died Anno Dom. 1524. on the twelfth of October and lieth buried in Saint Pauls under a stately Monument built to his Memory by Doctor John Caius and a Phenix is erected on the top thereof Yea I may call these two Doctors the two Phenixes of their Profession in our Nation and justifie the expression seeing the later in some sort sprang of the Ashes of the former and Caius came not into general credit till after the decease of Linacer Writers THOMAS ASHBURNE was born at that well-known Market Town in this County and not in Stafford shire as both Bale and Pits mistake and became an Augustinian therein going afterwards to Oxford he was doctorated in Divinity He was a great Adversary to Wickliff and in that Synod wherein his Doctrines were condemned for Heresie by ten Bishops twenty Lawyers and four and forty Divines our Ashburne made up one of the last number Yet once he did some good or rather diverted much evil It happened that one Peter Pateshul an Augustinian preaching in London had some passages in favour of Wickliff which so displeased those of his own Order that they plucked him out of the Pulpit dragged him into the Covent of Augustines near Broadstreet intending more violence to his person This allarumed the Londoners amongst whom a considerable party of Wickliffites to rescue poor Pateshul who in their rage had burnt the Covent about the Friers ears had not our Ashburne with his prayers and tears seasonably interceded He flourished under King Richard the Second 1382. Benefactors to the Publick since the Reformation ELIZABETH HARDWICK was Daughter to John Hardwick of Hardwick in this County Esquire A Lady of an undaunted spirit and happy in her several Marriages to great persons First to Sir William Cavendish then to Sir William Saintloo and at last to George Earl of Shrewsbury She left two sacred besides civil Monuments of her Memory in this County one that I hope will not Her Tomb in All-Hallows the other that I am sure cannot be taken away as registred in the Court of Heaven Her
Cloth-worker 1559 9 John Hart Ralph Hart Sproston Court Grocer 1589 10 Richard Saltonstall Gilbert Saltonstall Hallyfax Skinner 1597 11 William Cravon William Cravon Apletreewick Merchant-Tayler 1610 The Names of the Gentry of this County Returned by the Commissioners in the twelfth year of King Henry the sixth John Arch-bishop of York Commissioners Richard Earl of Salisbury  Edmund Darel Knight Knights for the Shire Robert Hopton Knight Knights for the Shire Tho. Sayvell chiv Rob. Umbtred chiv Hen. Bonnflete chiv Radul Graystock chi Edm. Hastings chiv Radul Bulmer chiv Will. Plumton chiv Ioh. Sempest chiv Ioh. Melton chiv Edm. Talbot chiv Ioh. Saltvain chiv Will. Gascoigne chiv Ant. de Sancto Quintino arm Ioh. Constable de Halsham arm Will. Inhidby de Riplay Hen. Vavasor de Hesiwood arm Tho. Metham de Grymston arm Ioh. Perchay de Ritton arm Radul Pudsay de Craven arm Tho. Saltmarsh de Saltmarsh Tho. Nuthill de Riston ar Tho. Constable de Cotfosse ar Tho. Darcy de Newsted ar Nich. Ashton de Heton ar Alex. Lonnde de Southcave ar Will. Ardern de Belthorp ar Rich. Redmain de Harwod ar Will. Moncheux de Barnstone ar Ioh. Routh de Routh arm Tho. Gray de Barton arm Radul Stanfeld ar Rog. Tempest de Broughton ar Tho. Clarell de Steton senioris ar Will. Birton de Snapethorp ar Ioh. Manston de Manston ar Tho. Trollop de Carethorp ar Will. Hastings de Roncheby ar Ioh. Conyers de Cleveland ar Rob. Lambton de Nunthorp ar Ioh. Banaster de Wakefeld ar Rob. Pylkinton de Ayrenden ar Ioh. Midleton de Lonesdale ar Tho. Radecliffe de Bradley ar Tho. Redneyne de Lonesdale ar Will. Thorton de Lonesdale ar Tho. Manncell de Burford ar Iac. Metcalfe de Worsleydale ar Rob. Hynkersell de Parochia de Roderham Gent. Ioh. Hutton de Thrysk Yeom Will. de Stokdale de Richmondshire Yeo. Rob. Satyâ—… de Rich. mondshire Yeom Bayn Tennand de Craven Yeom Tho. Goll de Grysthewayt Yeom Rog. Tenand de Longstrath Yeom Tho. Swelting dâ—… Newhall in parochia de Spoford Yeom Here is a very slender return of Gentry hardly worth the inserting and bearing no proportion to the extent and Populousness of the Province The Reader may remember how the main design driven on in this Enquiry was whatever was pretended to detect such as favoured the Title of the House of York Now the Gentry of this County were generally addicted to that Party which made them so remiss in this matter slightly slubbering it over doing something for shew and nothing to purpose And this being the last Catalogue which occurreth in this kind we will here take Our farewell of the English Gentry The worst I wish our English Gentry is that by Gods blessing on their thrift they may seasonably out-grow the sad impressions which our Civil Wars have left in their estates in some to the shaking of their Contenument I could wish also that for the future they would be more carefull in the Education of their children to bring them up in Learning and Religion for I suspect that the observation of forraigners hath some smart truth therein that English-men by making their children Gentlemen before they are men cause they are so seldome Wise-men Indeed Learning whatever is fondly fancied to the contrary is no more a burden to the bearer thereof then it is cumbersome for one to carry his head on his own shoulders And seeing Gentry alone is no Patrimony which as the plain Proverb saith sent to Market will not buy a Bushell of Wheat it is good even for those of the best birth to acquire some Liberall quality which in case of casualty may serve them for a safe second and besteed them toward the attaining of a Livelyhood I could name the Scotch Nobleman who having lost his Land and Honour through the default of his father in the raign of King James maintained himself compleatly by the practice of Physick and Chimistry much in my mind to his commendation And it is reported to the praise of the Scotch Nobility that antiently they all were very dextrous at Surgery and particularly it is recorded of James the fourth King of Scotland quod vulnera scientissimè tractavit that he was most skilfull in handling of wounds It is good also for those of great Descent to acquaint themselves with Labour not knowing what evil may be on the Earth and the Romans all know did chuse their wise men not by their white but hard hands whence the name of Callidi took it's denomination But above all Religion is the greatest ornament without which all Emblemes of Ancestry are but Putamina Nobilitatis The husks and empty shells of Nobility Yea when a fair Coat of Armes belong to one of foul manners it is so far from being a Credit unto him that such Armes give the Lye to the bearer thereof as Tacitly upbraiding him for being unworthy of his own extraction Sheriffs HEN. II. Anno 1 Bartraneus de Bullemer for 9 years Anno 10 RECORDA MANCA to the end of this Kings raign RICH. I. Anno 1 Randul de Glanvil Anno 2 Osbert de Longo Campo Ioh. Marest Anno 3 Osbert de Longo Campo Anno 4 Hugo Burdulf Hugo de Bobi Anno 5 Idem Anno 6 Idem Anno 7 Galfr. Episc. Ebor. Roger. de Batwent for 7 years JOH REX Anno 1 Galfr. filius Petri Ia. de Petem Anno 2 Idem Anno 3 Will. de Stutevill Will Breto Anno 4 Idem Anno 5 Galfr. filius Will. de Percy Rad. de Normanvite Anno 6 Rob. de Lasei Constabular Cestr. Rob. Walusis for 6 years Anno 12 Gilb. filius Remfr Hen. de Rademan sive Radanor for 4 years Anno 16 Rob. de Percy Hen. de Middleton Anno 17 Petr. filius Herberti Rich. de Hussebene HEN. III. Anno 1 Anno 2 Galfr. de Heonel Simon de Hales Anno 3 Idem Anno 4 Galf. de Nevill Anno 5 Idem Anno 6 Galfr. de Nevill Simon de Hall Anno 7 Idem Anno 8 Simon de Hall Anno 9 Eustacius de Ludham Anno 10 â—…dem Anno 11 Rob. de Rokefeld Anno 12 Idem Anno 13 â—…dem Anno 14 Will. de Stutevill Phil. de Assell Anno 15 Idem Anno 16 Idem Anno 17 Petr. de Rixall Anno 18 Brianus de Insula Anno 19 Ioh. filius Galfridi Anno 20 Idem Anno 21 Brianus filius Alani Roger. de Stapleton Anno 22 Idem Anno 23 Briand filius Alani Nich. de Molis Will de Middleton Anno 24 Nich. de Molis Anno 25 Iâ—…em Anno 26 Idem Anno 27 Hen. de Bada for 4 years Anno 31 Hen. Batthen Anno 32 Idem Anno 33 Will. Daker Anno 34 Rob. de Creping Anno 35 Idem Anno 36 Will. Daker Anno 37 Rob. de Creping Anno 38 Will. de Horsenden Anno 39 Will. de Latymeâ—… Anno 40 Will. de Latymer for 4