St. Malo's in Britain fourteen of them were drowned at the entrance of that Harbour Whereupon it is a by-word at this day in these parts when any strong East-wind bloweth there to say The Bells of Jersey now ring Ex relatione M. Bandinell Decani ibidem More to this purpose may appear in the Discourse next following which lying now at my hand I thought good to insert not only for coherence of the matter but also to shew the Opinion Piety and Tenderness herein of the greatest Father and Magistrate of our Church under the King at that time living Dining yesterday at Lambeth with my Lord of Canterbury his Grace falling casually into a Discourse of Spanish matters and the Wealth of their Churches said That he had heard that the very Lamps of Spain were worth half the Treasure of that Kingdom And calling to him Mr ... Barkley of ... who had been a great Traveller and long in Spain demanded his Opinion herein Mr. Barkley answer'd That he thought it to be true and gave a reason for that every body for their delivery from any notable danger either of Sickness or otherwise used to present a Saint by way of gratuity with a Lamp to burn before it and commonly of Silver So that before some one Saint there were 4 or 5 thousand Lamps His Grace suggested St. James of Compostella And Mr. Barkley affirm'd it of St. James but added That the Bells in Spain and in other places of France and Italy were few and small yet holden to be very powerfull for driving away the Devils and Evil-spirits I upon this recited out of Gregorius Turonensis the History of Lupus Bishop of Swessons who by sudden ringing of Bells drave away the Pagan Army of Normans besieging that City having never heard of a Bell before Much being then said of the Nature and Office of Bells his Grace esteem'd the Bells of England comparatively with the Lamps of Spain and condemning the pulling of them down complained of the Deformity they had thereby brought upon the Churches of Scotland saying That at his being there and lodging first at Dunbar he went to see the Church which being shew'd unto him by a crumpt unseemly Person the Minister thereof he asked him how many Bells they had there The Minister answer'd None His Grace thinking that somewhat strange demanded how it chanced The Minister thinking that Question as strange reply'd It was one of the Reformed Churches From thence his Grace went to Edinborough where he found accordingly no Bell in all the City save one only in the Church of St. Andrew And enquiring What became of all the rest it was told him That they were shipp'd to be carried into the Low-Countries but were drowned in Leigh Haven I said That it was reported that Queen Elizabeth hearing that Sir John Shelton for want of other Prey had brought a Bell from the sacking of Cales was highly offended at it and said By God's death she would make him carry it thither again I might have added that that Peerless Princess was so far against defacing the Monuments in Churches and the pulling down of Bells and Lead from them as in the second Year of her Reign she caused many Proclamations not only to be printed but signed them also with her own Hand and sent them in that manner the more to manifest her Zeal and restrain the Sacrilege about into the Counties But because I had spoken of sending the Bell back again his Grace then requited me with this Relation A Gentleman quoth he of great descent richly married and of fair Estate yet not naming him shewed me on a time a piece of Unicorns Horn Sea Unicorn as much as the Cover of a great Salt-celler which was then standing upon the Table before Dinner was about at the bottom the piece of Unicorn's Horn having a Crucifix graven upon it and a gapp in one of the Quarters where part had been cut or scrap'd away for curing Infirmities I desired to know of him where he had it but he refus'd to tell it me till after some pressure he discover'd to me That in his Travels beyond the Seas he came to a Nunnery where the Nuns in courtesie shewing him the Relicks of their House he whilst they heeded him not slipt this into his Pocket and brought it away His Grace reproving him for it told him It was Sacrilege and that although it were superstitiously us'd yet it was dedicated unto God advising him to use some means for sending it back again saying that the Nuns no doubt suffer'd great Displeasure from their Abbess upon the missing of it The Gentleman notwithstanding quoth his Grace refus'd my Counsel but I observ'd said he that he never prosper'd after and at length having consumed his Estate died Childless It came not then to my Mind upon the sudden but I might very truly have added the like of Sir John Shelton That having married the Daughter of Henry Lord Cromwell he died very little or nothing worth and without any Issue as I take it but certainly without any Issue-male to continue his Family Subscrib'd Henry Spelman I Jeremy Stephens being then present do testify the truth of this Relation Having made mention of Cales and Queen Elizabeth I will add further what was lately told me by a Knight of worth who was himself in the Voyage much conducing to the Honour of that renowned Princess and to the scope also of this our Discourse It is said That when she set forth her Expedition for Cales or other Spanish Towns she gave particular and streight Instructions that in no Case any Violence should be offered to any Church or consecrated thing This notwithstanding Sir Coniers Clifford upon the taking of Cales fired and burnt the Cathedral-Church there and Sir Charles Blunt in the return from thence the Cathedral-Church of Pharos in Portugal It followed that Sir Coniers Clifford never after prospered in any thing and was at last slain by the Natives in Ireland leaving no Son to continue his Nominal-line and that Sir Charles Blunt about 2 Years after the Fact was drowned at Sea in passing for Ireland Ex relat Will. Slingsby Mil. 22. Nov. 1634. FINIS He had a violent Fall out of his Chariot and he was termented with an horrible Disease Worms came out of his Body and his flesh fell off for pain and no Man could endure his Stink 2 Maccab. 9. 7 8 c. Within 30 Years after the Sacrilege * This larger Account of Crassus's Sacrilege was found in a loose Paper written with Sir Hen. Spelman's own Hard. Ezek. 45. 1. Her transmutation into these Shapes is thus expounded Euseb. l. 8. cap. 1. seqq Oros. l. 7. c. 25. Carion in Ann. 288 * 1. †Constantius Carion in Ann. 288. ‖ Resumed the Purple lib. 9. c. 8. Ann. 356. Am. 362. Ann. 433. An. 508. An. 556. Circ 570. An. 576. * Divinitus †Semoti * Alii à Daemone correpti An. 579. An. 596. An. Dom. 684. Bed l. 4. c. 26. Lib. 4. p. 337. l. 14. An. 710. circ An. 712. circ Circ Ann. 742. Ann. 730. An. 845. An. 865. An. 874. Circ An. 888. Circ Ann. 880. Circ Ann. 964. Ann. Dom. 974. Ann. 975. Ranulph Cestr. lib. c. 11. Verba Authoris An. 1054. Hoved. in An. 1055. p. 443. Hist. of Cambria p. 99. Hist. Eliens l. 2. Hollinsh p. 866. Circ Ann. 1068. Ann. Dom. 1078. * Alias Hightest i. e. Thou art nam'd or call'd Ann. 1098. Circa Ann. 1100. Ann. 1157. Contin Florent in An. 1161. pag. 28. * Cat. Com. Essex Hov. Ann. 1179. Ann. Dom. 1199. K. John O mira formidabilis Dei S. Martyris ultrice Sententia Ann. Dom. 1224. 8 Hen. 3. Matt. Par. p. 308. An. Dom. 1245. Edw. 1. There were at that time about 110. An. 1315. 9 Edw. II. Chron. Irel. in eod An. p. 66. seq Edw. III. Richard II. Richard II. An. 4. A D. 1414. 2. Hen. V. A. D. 1527. 16. H. VIII circiter 25. H. VI. A. D. 1447. Cign Cant. Voc. Hursta Hollinsh Stow in hoc An. pa 639. In Chron Stow. in An. 1447. York pa. York pa. 480. Leland Hollinsh pag. 627. f. trust Speed p. 231. Number 128. De Vitâ Const. l. 4. c. 1. Judg. 16. i e. Sir John Spelman Mr. Stephen's Treat 27 Feb. 1625 Friars Preachers The Augustine Friars The Cell or College 1. Owner His 2d Son drowned Two of his eldest Sons are Vagabonds All disinherited 1. No Issue 2. Without Issue-male His Brother slain 3. Wasted His Brother attainted and drowned His Son no Issue-male 4. Ruin'd 5 Owner 6 Owner selleth it 7 Owner â— died suddenly without Issue-male 2 Owner His eldest Sâ—n died without Issue His 2d an unthrift 3 Owner without Issue-male His eldest Daughter distracted His yongest Daughter distracted Quere Whether these two Daughters of Sir Nich. are of his Son Michael or other Son Slew Blackwell and obtain'd a Pardon with 1200. Wapham 1st no Issue 2d ruined 3d litigious and no Issue Male. Kent Dorsetshi Glocestershire Val. l. s. d. 65 14 8. Val. l. s. 99 16. Nov. 13. 1632.
reigning after him taken Prisoner by Pharaoh Nechoh and dying in Egypt his second Son Jehoiakim succeeding taken also Prisoner by Nebuchadnezzar Jerusalem spoiled and he his Princes People Treasure and Golden Vessels of the Temple all carried to Babylon and all for Idolatry 2 King 24. 2. 25. 1. For Jehoram's Idolatry Jerusalem is taken he with his Wives and Treasure and all his Sons save the Youngest slain and himself after a long tormenting Disease hath his Guts fall out 2 Chron. 21. 17 18 19. So Amaziah seeth Jerusalem defaced the Temple spoiled his Treasure carried away and himself a Prisoner and being restored driven out by Treason and slain at last 2 Chr. 25. 14 c. I will wade no farther in this Kind of Sacrilege which is never pass'd over in Scripture but with some Remarkable Punishments Our Country I hope doth not at this Day know it SECT III. Of the other Sorts of Sacrilege commonly so called as of Time Persons Function Place and other things consecrated to the Worship of God And first of Time in profaning the Sabbath I Come now to the second Part which indeed is that which the Schoolmen and Canonists only call Sacrilege as tho' the former were of too high a Nature to be express'd in this Appellation so exorbitant a Sin as that no Name can properly comprehend it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Warring against God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a direful Violence upon Divine Majesty a superlative Sacrilege The other and common Kind of Sacrilege is as was said a violating mis-using or a putting away of things consecrated or appropriated to Divine Service or Worship of God It hath many Branches Time Persons Function Place and materially Omne illud saith Th. Aquinas quod ad irreverentiam rerum sacrarum pertinet ad injuriam Dei pertinet habet Sacrilegii rationem 2 a2 ae qu. 99. art 1. This Description of Sacrilege may well enough be extended further than Aquinas did perhaps intend it to the former or superlative Kind Sacrilege of Time is when the Sabbath or the Lord's Day is abused or profaned This God expresly punish'd in the Stick-gatherer Some Canonists seem not to reckon this under the common Kind of Sacrilege Soto de justitia jure lib. II. qu. 4. fol. 50. 6. So that in all that followeth we shall run the broken Way of the Schoolmen and Canonists SECT IV. Sacrilege of Persons that is Priests and Ministers consecrated to the Service of God and the Punishments thereof SAcrilege against the Person is when Priests or Ministers of God's Divine Service are either violated or abused Again Fear the Lord and honour his Priests Ecclus 7. 29 31. For he beareth the iniquity of the congregation to make an atonement for them before the Lord Deut. 8. 17. For the Levite is separate to the Lord to minister unto him to bless thee in his name Deut. 10. 8. therefore when Micah had got a Levite into his House he rejoiced and said I know that the Lord will be good unto me seeing I have a Levite to my priest Judg. 17. 13. Touch not mine anointed nor do my prophets no harm Psal. 105. 15. Mine anointed that is not my Kings nor my Priests and Deut. 12. 19. Beware that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth Beware saith God as intimating Danger and Punishment to hang over their head that offered otherwise and what not for wronging the Levite a thing too impious but for not loving and cherishing him all the days of thy Life I must here note as it cometh in my way the remarkable Justice and Piety of Pharaoh towards his Idol Priests that when by reason of the Famine he had got and bought unto himself all the Money Cattle Lands Wealth and Persons of the Egyptians yet stretched he not forth his Thoughts to the Lands or Persons of his Priests but commiserating their Necessity allowed them a ... at his own Charge that they might both live and keep their Lands Gen. 47. 22. Musculus hereupon infers Quantum sacrilegium est in nostris principibus negligi legitimos probosque sacrorum ministros How great a Sacrilege is it in our Princes that the good and lawful Ministers of Holy things are thus neglected It is to be noted That as Micah expected a Blessing from God for entertaining an Idolatrous Levite into his House so Pharaoh's Piety towards his Priests wanted not a Blessing from God upon his House though God hated both the Idolaters and Idolatry it self Let us see how Sacrilege in this Kind hath been punished The Benjamites of Gibeah wronging a Levite villainously in abusing his Wife Judg. 19. 25. Gibeah is therefore destroyed with Fire and Sword above 26000 valiant Men of the Benjamites slain and the whole Tribe almost wholly rased out of Israel with their Cities and Castles Ch. 20. Jeroboam making Golden Calves driveth the Priests of the Lord out of Israel and makes himself other Priests not of the Tribe of Levi for this he is overthrown by Abiah King of Judah and 500000 of his Men slain his Son taken from him and his Posterity threatned to be swept away like Dung and those of them that died in the city to be eaten of dogs those in the fields by the fowls of the air 2 Chron. 13. 9. 1 King 14. 10. Jeroboam also stretched but out his hand against the Prophet to have him apprehended and it is presently withered 1 Kings 13. 4. Joash commanded Zacharias Son of Jehoiada the Priest to be slain in the court of the Lord's house this done he is overcome the next Year following by the Aramites all his Princes are slain his Treasure and the Spoil is sent to Damascus himself left afflicted with great Diseases and at last murthered in his bed by his servants 2 Chron. 24. 21 c. Zedekiah King of Judah casteth Jeremy the Prophet first into Prison then for a season into the Dungeon and useth him harshly Jer. 32. 3. 37. 21. 38. 9. He and those that counselled him to it are overthrown by Nebuchadonosor Jerusalem taken his Sons slain before his Eyes and then his Eyes put out and the People carried captive to Babylon but Jeremiah himself is set at liberty and well intreated by his Enemies the Chaldaeans Jer. 39. 1 c. SECT V. Sacrilege of Function by usurping the Priests Office and the Punishment thereof SAcrilege of Function is when those that are not called to the Office of Priesthood or Ministry do usurp upon it So Gideon made an Ephod that is a Pontifical Ornament of the Tabernacle not at Shilo but in his own City Ophra whereby the Israelites fell to worship it or as others think that he made all the things of the Tabernacle whereby the People were drawn to worship there and not to go to Shilo where the Tabernacle was This saith the Text was the Destruction of Gideon and his House for his Son Abimelech rising against his Brethren
apud Malmes de gest Reg. lib. 1. p. 28. Sed fusiùs apud Baron in An. 745. nu 5. Ceolred King of the Mercians or Midland England was guilty also of spoiling Monasteries and defiling of Nuns and was the first with Osred before named that since the entrance of Austin brake the Privileges granted by the Saxon Kings unto Monasteries and for these sins saith Boniface and the other Bishops in the said Epistle Justo judicio Dei damnati de culmine regali hujus vitae abjecti immaturâ terribili morte praeventi c. For Ceolred as those that were present did testifie being at a great Feast among his Earls that Evil Spirit which before had mov'd him to do such wickedness struck him there with Madness and in that case he dy'd Impenitently the same Year that Osred his fellow in Sacrilege was murder'd viz. An. 716. Epist. praedict Beda in Epit. It seemeth his Line was also extinct Ethelbald the next Successor of Ceolred in the Kingdom of Mercia succeeded him also in his wicked Courses He forbeareth lawfull Marriage but liveth Adulterously with the Nuns and breaking the Privileges of Churches and Monasteries taketh away also their Substance which gave the occasion that Boniface Arch-bishop of Mentz and other German Bishops wrote the foremention'd Epistle unto him desiring him to mend his course and the wrongs he had done which like a good King he willingly did and at a Council holden at Clovesho now call'd Cliff in Kent acknowledging his Sin did also by his Charter restore what he had taken or broken with an Overplus and founded the Monastery of Crowland yet so was the hand of God upon him that in a War unwisely begun he was treacherously Slain by Bartred alias Beornred and the Kingdom by him usurp'd Epist. praedict Stow pag. 88. Bar. 742 nu 16. Celsus Veronensis THat many rare and excellent Men and all Nations attributed the fortunate Success of the Turks against the Venetians as the loss of their Island Cubaea the lamentable success of their Expedition of Achaia his last Victory which made his way broader and his enterance easier the Death and Calamity of their Euripus many think and affirm that God of his righteous and just Judgment hath brought upon you for your insolent Taxing and Polling of Holy Things belonging to the Church and your injurious troubling of the Estate of Religion pag. 212. Compilation and Pilling of Holy Things pag. 214. New and unusual Taxing and Tolling of the Church pag. 215. How many Victories Conquests Sports happy Events have you had in these so long Wars since you invented this strange and pestilent Counsel to lay violent Hands on Church Goods and Holy Things dedicated to God which Impiety believe me will not help you one whit in these your great Dangers and extream Necessity pag. 219. That the Captivity of Constantinople was from the discord and departing from the Church of Rome pag. 215. The Pisans Kingdom prosper'd by Sea and Land till they laid wicked and violent Hands on the Church and the Ministers of the high God Ibid. Caesar would not suffer his Sword hung up as a Spoil gotten from him in the Church of Avernia to be pull'd down Vita ejus pag. 219. Mithridates in the Life of Lucullus notably afflicted by Diana pag. 226. Historius Banish'd taken Captive by the barbarous the City burnt over his Head his Life always in danger fell into a most deadly Contagion his Tongue eaten out of his Head with Worms and miserably died Evagr. Hist. lib. 1. pag. 169. Lastly Propound unto your selves the late Example of Philip Maria when he had good Success in all his Affairs and all things fell out with him as well as he could wish At length he gave over himself to such a madness that all fear set apart he challeng'd Church Goods to himself But mark how duly he suffer'd worthy Punishment being wearied with continual Wars he not only lost a great part of his own Dominions his Enemies besieging him even hard unto his Walls but also he suffer'd dangerous and grievous Diseases so that he being blind led a most sorrowful life a long time after But what became of his Empire and by what means his Noble Family is now clear extinguish'd and no Succession left at all it may easily appear to every Man the thing being so fresh in Memory Cels. Veron pag. 241. Frederick II. made Emperor by Innocent III. having taken the Cross against the Christian Enemies even then feared not wickedly to take away the Goods of the Church to employ them profanely but made a Sacrilegious pact with the mighty King of Egypt the Soldan concerning the suppressing of Religion and Religious Houses but he did not long escape the just Vengeance of God for after he had spoil'd many Cities after many Dissensions had with the Church of Rome after he had devour'd many Temples after many most cruel and barbarous Sacrileges having his own Son in a jealousie that he affected the Empire he shut him up in most filthy Dungeons till he dy'd And he feeling the great and grievous censure of the Church as the righteous God had appointed was Strangled by his own Son Manfredus most cursedly Celsus of Verona pag. 289. The Princes of Carraria in like Impiety when they began once wickedly to challenge to themselves the ordering of those things which belong only to the Holy Function by reason of the Pestilent Counsel they had taken very soon after lost the famous City Patavium most strong by Situation and free which was thought almost to be invincible Cels. of Ver. pag. 239 240. Eudo alias Oda Duke of Aquitane not able to resist Charles Martel draweth an excessive Army of Saracens out of Spain unto his aid They being come into France waste all places and burn down the Churches as far as to Poictiers Charles Martel assisted by the Hand of God encountreth them and slayeth three Hundred seventy five Thousand others say three Hundred eighty Thousand of them together with their King Abdyrama losing not above an Hundred and Fifty of his own Men. Then Eudo himself reconcil'd to Charles spoileth the Camp of the Saracens and destroyeth the rest But fighting again with Charles in Gascony loseth both his Dukedom of Aquitane and his Life his Sons also Gaifer and Haimald are overcome and the Saracens wholly beaten out of France Sigeb An. 730 732. Guil. de Nanges Blond 10. Decad. 1. Platin. The Normans under Ragenarius their Captain besides other Sacrileges spoil the Church of St. Germans by Paris and attempting to cut down some of the Firr Beams to repair their Ships three of them attempting it are dasht in pieces Another hewing a Marble Pillar with his Sword to overthrow some part of the Church had his Hand like Jeroboam's dried up and the haft of his Sword stuck so to it as it parted not without the Skin Many were stricken with Blindness and as
Clergy had so disproportionable a share by way of excess in the Lands of the Kingdom yet when in 17 Edw. II. it came to the point that the Order of the Templars for their wickedness was overthrown the Parliament then wherein many of those no doubt that made the Statute of Mortmain were present would not give the Lands and Possessions of the Templars to the King or the Lords of whom they were holden but ordain'd that they should go to the Order of the Hospital of St. John's of Jerusalem then lately erected for the defence of Christendom and the Christian Religion Edward le Bruce brother to Robert le Bruce King of Scots invadeth the North parts of Ireland with 6000 Men and accompanied with many great persons of the Nobility conquer'd the Earldom of Ulster gave the English many overthrows and prevail'd so victoriously that he caus'd himself to be crown'd King of Ireland His Soldiers in the mean time burn Churches and Abbies with the People whom they found in the same sparing neither Man Woman nor Child And most wickedly entring into other Churches spoil'd and defac'd the same of all such Tombs Monuments Plate Copies and other Ornaments as they found there He thus prevailing and the Irish much revolting to him the Archbishop of Armagh blesseth and encourageth the English Army against him Whereupon they joyn'd battle overthrew the whole Power of the Scots slew 2000 of their Men and amongst them this their King Edward le Bruce himself King Edw. III. to begin his Wars with France in An. 1337. taketh all the Treasure that was laid up in the Churches throughout England for the defence of the Holy Land Speed p. 190. And whereas there were anciently in England many Cells and Houses of Religion 110 they were counted and more belonging to greater Monasteries beyond the Seas fraught with Aliens and Strangers especially French-men and those of the Orders of Clunis and Cistertien King Edward III. at his entry into his French Wars An. 1337 Regni 12. partly fearing that they might hold intelligence with his Enemies but seeking chiefly to have their Wealth toward the payment of his Soldiers confiscated their Goods and Possessions letting their Priories and Lands to farm for Rent and selling some of them right out to others of his Subjects Yet like a Noble and Religious Prince touch'd with remorse when the Wars were ended viz. An. 1361 regni 35. he granted them all save those few that he had put away back again unto them by his Letters Patents as freely as they had formerly enjoy'd them And divers of those that were purchas'd by his Subjects were by them new-founded and given back to Religious Uses This act of the King 's was a precedent of singular Piety yet was it but a lame Offering not an Holocaust He gave back the Possessions but he retain'd the Profits which he had taken for 23 Years Speed p. 211. King John whom they so much condemn did more than this if he had done it as willingly He restor'd the Lands with the Damages But let not this good King want the charitable Commendation due unto his Piety though having dipt his Hands in this We be driven by the course of our Argument to observe what after befell to him and his Off-spring There be some things saith ... are sweet in the Mouth but bitter in the Belly pleasant at the beginning but woful in the end If these Priories and their Churches were of that nature the sequel verifies the Proverb The middle part of the King's Life was most fortunate and victorious yea all the while that these things were in his Hands even as if God had bless'd him as he did Obed-Edom 1 Sam. 6. 10. whilst the Ark was in his House and had the King then dy'd he had been a most glorious pattern of earthly Felicity But the Wheel turn'd and his Oriental Fortunes became Occidental The Peace he had concluded with France for the solace of his Age brake out again into an unfortunate War Many of his Subjects there rebell Gascony in effect is lost Afflictions at home fall upon him in sequence his Son Lionel Duke of Clarence dieth without Issue-male and when he had greatest need of his renowned Son the Prince of Wales miracle of Chivalry and the Anchor of his Kingdom him even then did God take from him his Court and Nobles discontented and in Faction himself and all things much misgovern'd by his Son the Duke of Lancaster and others of that part who by the Parliament are therefore remov'd from him and by him recall'd notwithstanding to the grief of all the Kingdom Thus he dieth leaving his unweildy Scepters to the feeble Arms of a Child of Eleven Years old King Richard II. whose lamentable History for the honour of Kings is best unspoken of But so unfortunate he was among his other Calamities that he was not only deposed by his unnatural Subjects but imprison'd and murther'd dying without Issue and leaving an Usurper possessor of his Kingdoms which kindled such Fuel of Dissention as consum'd almost all the Royal Line and Ancient Nobility of the Kingdom by the Civil War between the Houses of York and Lancaster To return to the Restitution made by King Edw. III. of the Priories-Alien An Historian termeth it A rare Example of a just King it being seldom seen that Princes let go any thing whereon they have once fasten'd But this King having made a Door in this manner into the freedom and possession of the Church all the Power he had either ordinarily or by Prerogative could not now so shut it up but that this Precedent would for ever after be a Key to open it at the pleasure of Posterity which was well seen not long after For in the Parliament An. 9. of King Richard II. The Knights and Burgesses with some of the Nobility being in a great rage as John Stow saith against the Clergy for that William Courtney the Archbishop would not suffer them to be charged in Subsidy by the Laity exhibited a Petition to the King that the Temporalities might be taken from them saying That they were grown to such Pride that it was Charity and Alms to take them from them to compell them thereby to be more meek and humble And so near the Parliament-men thought themselves the point of their desire that one promised himself thus much of this Monastery another so much of another Monastery And I heard saith Tho. Walsingham one of the Knights deeply swear that of the Abbey of St. Albans he would have a thousand Marks by the Year of the Temporalities But the King hearing the inordinate crying out on the one side and the just defence on the other deny'd his consent and commanded the Bill to be cancell'd Stow p. 479. Two valiant Esquires John Shakel and Robert Hauley having taken the Earl of Dene Prisoner at the Battel of Nazers in Spain and receiv'd his Son Hostage for performing Conditions between
Barkenham a Miller who sold it to Mr. John Rivett now living The Augustine Friars came from Eyer to one Shavington a Bastard who died without Issue and by his Will gave it to one Waters other than the former and to the Heirs of his Body This Waters died without Issue whereupon the Augustine Friars was to revert to his Heir but having none because he was a Bastard great Suit ensued about it But John Ditefield being then in Possession of it left it by Descent as it seemeth to his Son John Ditefield who gave it in Marriage with Thomasin his sister to Christopher Pickering brother of the then Lord Keeper and he then recovered it in Chancery and sold it to John Lease John Lease pulling down the Buildings selleth first the Stones and then dividing the Ground into divers Garden-rooms sold the same to divers Persons The Cell of Priests was near the Guild-hall and the Prior's House was somewhat remote from it by St. Margaret's Church The College was sometime Mr. Houghton's after Parker's then Ball 's lately Sendall's and now Hargott's all of them save Hargott are extinct and gone and Mr. Hargott is on the declining Hand the Site of the Prior's House was lately consecrated and annexed to St. Margaret's Church-yard for a Burying-place Shouldham-Abbey Sir Francis Gaudy of the Justices of the King's Bench was owner of it he married the Daughter and Heir of Christopher Cunningsby Lord of the Manour of Wallington and having this Manour and other Lands in right of his Wife induced her to acknowledge a Fine thereof which done she became a distracted Woman and continued so to the day of her Death and was to him for many Years a perpetual affliction He had by her his only Daughter and Heir Eliz. married to Sir William Hatton who died without Issue-Male leaving also a Daughter and Heir who being brought up with her Grandfather the Judge was secretly married against his Will to Sir Robert Rich now Earl of Warwick The Judge shortly after being made chief Justice of the Common-pleas at a dear Rate as was reported was suddenly stricken with an Apoplexy or double Palsie and so to his great loss died without Issue-Male e'er he had continued in his Place one whole Michaelmas Term and having made his appropriate Parish-Church a Hay-house or a Dog-kennel his dead Corps being brought from London unto Walling could for many days find no Place of Burial but in the mean time growing very offensive by the Contagious and ill Savours that issued through the Chinks of Lead not well soder'd he was at last carry'd to a poor Church of a little Village there by called Runcto and buried there without any Ceremony lieth yet uncovered if the Visitors have not reformed it with so small a Matter as a few paving Stones Sir Robert Rich now Earl of Warwick succeeded in the Inheritance by his Wife of this Abby with the Impropriation and his great Possessions amounting by Estimation to 5000 l. a Year and hath already sold the greatest part of them together with this Abbey and Impropriation unto the Family of Mr. Nich. Hare the Judge's Neighbour and chiefest Adversary For among divers other goodly Manours that Sir John Hare hath purchased of him or his Feoffees he hath also bought this Abbey of Shouldham and the Impropriation there with the Manour belonging to the Abbey valued together at 600 l. yearly Rent Binham-Priory Binham Priory a Cell of St. Albans was granted by King Henry 8. to Sir Thomas Paston he left it to Mr. Edward Paston his Son and Heir who living above 80 Years continued the Possession of it till Caroli R. and having buried ... his Son and Heir apparent left it then unto his Grandchild Mr. Paston the third Owner of it and thereby now in the Wardship to the King Mr. Edward Paston many Years since was desirous to build a Mansion-house upon or near the Priory and attempting for that purpose to clear some of that Ground a Piece of Wall fell upon a Workman and slew him perplexed with this Accident in the beginning of this Business he gave it wholly over and would by no means all his Life after be perswaded to re-attempt it but built his Mansion-house a very fair one at Appleton Castle-Acre-Abbey Sir Tho. Cecil Earl of Exeter was owner of it and of the impropriate Personage here he had Issue Sir William Cecil Earl Exeter who married Eliz. the Daughter and Heir of Edw. Earl of Rutland and had Issue by her dying as I take it in Child-bed his only Son William Lord Rosse This William Lord Rosse married Anne the Daughter of Sir Tho. Lake and they living together in extreme Discord many infamous Actions issued thereupon and finally a great Suit in the Star-Chamber to the high Dishonour of themselves and their Parents In this Affliction the Lord Rosse dyeth without Issue and the Eldest Male-line of his Grandfather's House is extinguished Sir Richard Cecil was second Son of Sir Thomas Cecil Earl of Exeter and had Issue David who married Eliz. the Daughter of John Earl of Bridgewater and is now in expectation to be Earl of Exeter His third Son was Sir Edw. Cecil Knight his 4th and 5th Tho. Cecil and Christopher drowned in Germany Sir Tho. the Grandfather Earl of Exeter made a Lease of this Monastery and Impropriation to one Paine as I take it by whose Widow the same came in Marriage to Mr. Humfrey Guibon Sheriff of Norfolk Anno 38. Eliz. whose Grand-child and Heir Tho. Guibon consumed his whole Inheritance and lying long in the Fleet either died there a Prisoner or shortly after Sir Edw. Coke Lord Chief Justice married for his second Wife the Lady Eliz. Hatton one of the Daughters of the said Earl Tho. and afterwards bought the Castle of Acre with this Monastery and Impropriation of his Brother-in-Law Earl William Son of Earl Thomas since which time he hath felt abundantly the Change of Fortune as we have partly touched in Flitcham-Abbey West-Acre-Abbey This also belonged to Sir Tho. Cecil of whom we have now spoken he sold both it and the Impropriation of West Acre to Sir Horatio Palvicini an Italian that before his coming into England had dipt his Fingers very deep in the Treasure of the Church Being in his Youth in the Low-countries as his Son Edward affirmed to me he there secretly married a very mean Woman and by her had Issue him this Edward but durst never discover it to his Father as long as they lived together his Father being dead he came into England and here married a second Wife by whom he had Issue his Son Toby and for his Wive's sake disinherited him his eldest Son Edward and conferred all his Lands with the Abbey and Impropriation of West Acre to Toby and his Heirs Edward after the Death of his Father grows into contention with his Brother Toby and in a Petition to King James accuseth both his Father and his Brother for
Soldiers The success was this Many grievous Tempests of Thunder and Lightning oppos'd his Army a violent Wind brake the Bridge he made for his passage his Camp was twice stricken with Lightning and divers other such Prodigious events are noted by Plutarch Joining Battle with his Enemy his dear Son was first slain in his own sight with the Flower of his Cavalry and then all the Roman Army slaughter'd or discomfited Himself though Surenas the General would have sav'd him was also slain Being dead his Head and his Hand that committed the Sacrilege like Nicanor's in the Maccabees were stricken off and with other Monuments of the Roman Glory most contemptuously abused and derided in Triumphs Plays and Publick Meetings It is noted to be one of the greatest Overthrows that ever the Romans had Joseph Antiq. lib. 14. cap. 13. Plutarch in M. Crasso Appian de Bell. Parthic Some report that the Parthians in derision of his Avarice poured molten Gold into his Mouth and say also that he slew himself by thrusting his riding-Wand into his own Brains through his Eye But I take it he that thus killed himself was Pub. Crassus Nucianus Brother to the Grand-Father of this M. Crassus overthrown also in the Parthian Wars by Aristonicus It is much to be admired that none of the Heathen-Emperours of Rome after Titus many of them being notoriously wicked and prodigal nor Gensericus and his Vandals did not convert such goodly rich Vessels of Gold and Silver as those of the Temple were into Ready Money for the Maintenance of their great Armies and other publick Necessities of State but that they should suffer them to be preserv'd without any Loss or Imbezelling for the Space of 500 Years together But the Providence of God is very remarkable in preserving them until they came to the great Christian Emperour Justinian who disposed them to Christian Churches as is shewed The Learned Mr. Fuller in his Pis ... lib. 3. pag. 438. thinks that it is unknown what became of these Vessels after Titus carried them to Rome But it appeareth he is mistaken in this though not in his Opinion That the Holy and Holy of Holiest remain'd entire and untortur'd till all was destroy'd at the Captivity of Babylon though the outward Courts and Chambers had been often plunder'd And if this be true as it is very probable hence may we well consider and admire the wonderful Providence of God in defending the Temple in the principal Parts of it for the Benefit of his own Worship and Glory though he suffered the outward to be plunder'd oftentimes for the Sins and Wickedness of the People Though at last when God resolved to put an end to the Jews State and Religion then he suffer'd the Temple to be burnt and destroyed utterly never suffering it to be built again though it were attempted divers times But yet the gold and silver Vessels of the Temple which were moveable things that might be carried away to another Country and at one time or other might serve for some good Use and Purpose God preserv'd in all the Changes and Transmigrations that hapned till he brought them at length to the Hands of a Religious and Pious Emperour who bestow'd them upon Christian Churches even at Jerusalem from whence they came Shortly after this our Saviour Christ cometh into the World and though reproving it of all Kinds of Sins he punisheth not one save only Sacrilege He refuseth to be Judge in parting the Inheritance between the two Brethren and he would give no Sentence against the Woman taken in Adultery but in case of Sacrilege himself makes the Whip himself punisheth the Offenders himself overthrows the Money-Tables and drives out the Prophaners of the Temple with their Sheep and their Oxen not suffering the innocent Doves to remain tho' all these were for Sacrifices and put in the Court-Yard John 2. 14. Such was his Zeal in this Kind of Sacrilege that he refus'd not to be the Accuser the Judge and the Executioner and this not only once but twice at the beginning of his Ministry recited by St. John and the last near the Conclusion thereof mentioned Matth. 21. 11. As for the Sacrilege of Judas and Pilate the one in robbing the sacred Purse of our Saviour the other of risling the holy Treasure of the Temple they are such petty things in respect of their unexpressible Crimes about the Death of our Saviour as I dare not apply their Punishment hither But Judas hanged himself Matth. 27. and throwing himself down head-long burst asunder in the midst all his Bowels gushed out Act. 1. 18. Pilate in the displeasure of Caius the Emperour about the Money of the Temple is by him banished to Lions in France and there distracted with Grief and Misfortune slayeth himself with his own Hands Euseb. l. 2. c. 7. So Herod is deposed by Caius from his Tetrarchy and perpetually banished also to Lions with his Wife Herodias and dies miserably their Goods confiscate by Caius and given to Agrippa Joseph Ant. lib. 8. cap. 14. who also noteth That within an hundred Years all his Progeny except a very few of the Multitude were consumed and extinct lib. 18. cap. 11. SECT VII Sacrilege of Materials or Things as of the Ark of God taken by the Philistines Of the 200 Shekels of Silver a Wedge of Gold with the Babylonian Garment stollen by Achan Jos. 6. 7. Of the Money concealed by Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5. 6. With the fearful Punishments that fell upon them all SAcrilege of the Things and Materials I call that which is done upon things properly settled in holy Places or belonging unto them Of this sort seemeth the very Ark it self whiles it travelled up and down and remained not either at the Tabernacle at Shilo or the Temple at Jerusalem The Citizens and Borderers of Ashdod overthrowing the Children of Israel took in Battle the Ark of God they use it with all Reverence and place it in their Temple by their God Dagon but the next Morning their God Dagon was fallen down on his Face as adoring the Ark his Head and his Hands were stricken off and such a Destruction and Death was upon the People that the very Cry of the City went up to Heaven and those that were not slain were smitten with Emrods 1 Sam. 5. 4. besides a Plague of Mice that was upon them consulting therefore with their Priests they not only send back the Ark with all Honour but with a Sin-Offering also of Golden Emrods and Golden Mice to be a perpetual Monument of their Penance and Punishment 1. Sam. 6. 1. The Bethshemites whilst the Ark was among the Philistines presumed to look into it God for this Attempt slayeth of the People 50070 Men. And the People lamented because the Lord had smitten many of the People with a great Slaughter And the men of Bethshemesh said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God and to whom shall he go up
Lalale in Ireland left himself as little Land in England as his great Grandfather left to the Monasteries and was I think the first and only Peer of the Realm not having any Land within it by the feudal Law his Barony I doubt if it had been feudal had likewise gone but by the Mercy of God a Noble Gentleman now holds the Stile of it and long may he Having sailed thus far in this Ocean we will advance yet further if it please God to give us a favourable passage and take a view of the Parliament themselves that put the wrackful Sword in the King's Hands The chief whereof was as we have said before that of the 27 Year of his Reign touching smaller Houses and that of 31 touching the greater I have sought the Office of the Clerk of the Upper House of Parliament to see what Lords were present at the passing of the Acts of Dissolution but so ill have they been kept as that the Names of 27 H. 8. were not then to be found and farther since I have not search'd for them The other of 31 H. 8. I did find and doubt not but the most of them were the same which also sate in the Parliament of 27 tho' some of them of 27 were either dead or not present in 31. Those that were present at the passing of the Bill of 31 I have here under mention'd in such order as I therein did find them and will as faithfully as I can attain unto the knowledge of them relate what after hath befaln themselves and their Posterity The Names of the Lords Spiritual who were present in the Parliament upon Friday the 23d of May 31 Hen. VIII being the 15th day of the Parliament when the Bill for assuring the Monasteries c. to the King was pass'd 1. The Lord Cromwell Vicegerent for the King in the Spiritualties and having place thereby both in the Parliament and Convocation-house above the Archbishops was beheaded the 28th of July in the next Year being the 32 of the King Confessing at his death publickly That he had been seduced but died a Papist 2. The Archbishop of Canterbury Tho. Cranmer D. D. was burnt in the Castle-ditch at Oxford 21. March 1556 3 Mary 3. The Archbishop of York Dr. Edw. Lee died 13th of Septemb. 1544. 36 H. 8. 4. The Bishop of London John Stokesley died within 4 Months after viz. 3. Septemb 1539. 5. The Bishop of Durham Cuthbert Tonstal was imprisoned in the Tower all King Edwards time for Religion and depriv'd of his Bishoprick and the same inter alia Sacrilegia non pauca saith Godwin dissolv'd and given to the King by Parliament 7 Edw. VI. but the King being immediately taken away Queen Mary restor'd both it and him An. 1 o. Parl. 2. c. 3. and Queen Elizabeth again depriv'd him and committed him to the Archbishop of Canterbury where he died in July 1559. 6. The Bishop of Winchester Stephen Gardiner was committed to the Tower 30 June 1548 in Edw. VI's time for that he had not declared in his Sermon the day before at Paul's-Cross certain Opinions appointed to him by the Council Two Years after because he approv'd not the Reformation he was depriv'd of his Bishoprick and kept in Prison all King Edward's days but restor'd by Queen Mary He died of the Gout 12. Nov. 1555 being the 3d of her Reign 7. The Bishop of Exeter John Voisey alias Horman had the Education of the King's Daughter the Lady Mary and discontented with the Reformation aliened the Lands of the Bishoprick to Courtiers or made long Leases of them at little Rent leaving scarcely 7 or 8 Mannors of 22 and them also of the least and leased or laden with Pensions Nefandum Sacrilegium saith Godwin Being suspected of the Rebellion of Devonshire about the change of Religion he was put from his Bishoprick but restor'd by Queen Mary and died 1555 Mar. 3. 8. The Bishop of Lincoln John Longland the King's Confessor died 1547 1 Edw. VI. 9. The Bishop of Bath and Wells John Clerk carried and commended in an Oration to the Cardinals the King's Book against Luther with much commendation But being afterwards sent in Ambassage to the Duke of Cleve to shew the reason why the King renounc'd his Marriage with the Lady Ann the Duke's Sister for the reward of his unwelcome Message was poison'd as they said in Germany and returning with much adoe died in England in Febr. 1540 i.e. 32 Hen. 8. 10. The Bishop of Ely Thomas Goodrick continu'd from and in 26 Hen. 8. till 1. Maii 1. Mariae 11. The Bishop of Bangor John Salcot alias Capen Abbot of Hide was consecrated 19. Apr. next before this Parliament and translated to Salisbury in August following where it seems he continu'd till Q. Mary's time 12. The Bishop of Salisbury Nic. Shaxton being consecrated 27 Hen 8. was put out July 1539 i. e. 31 Hen. 8. together with Latimer and for the same cause but recanted 13. The Bishop of Worcester Hugh Latimer made 27 Hen. 8. renounc'd his Bishoprick in July 31 of the King and was burnt with Dr. Ridley at Oxon. 16. October 1559. 14. The Bishop of Rochester Nich. Heath made 4. April before this Parliament in 31 Hen. 8. and about 4 Years after translated to Worcester was depos'd by Edw. 6. but made Archbishop of York 1 Mariae afterwards also Chancellor of England 15. The Bishop of Chichester Richard Sampson made June 5. 1536 and 28 Hen. 8. was translated to Lichfield 12. May 1543. To flatter the King he wrote an Apology for his Supremacy yet in the Year of this Parliament 31. he was committed to the Tower for relieving such as were imprison'd for denying it But it seems his Apology was written after this Commitment to recover Favour About 2 Ed. 6. he declared himself for the Pope whom he had written against and so after divers turnings and returnings he died 1554 2 Mar. 16. The Bishop of Norwich William Rugg alias Rupp made 1536 28 Hen. 8. and died 1550 about 4 or 5 Edw. 6. 17. The Bishop of St. David's William Barlow was translated hither from St. Asaph in April 1536 28 Hen. 8. and by King Edw. after to Bath and Wells fled into Germany in Qu. Mary's time and 2 Eliz was made Bishop of Chichester 18. The Bishop of St. Asaph Robert Porpey alias Werbington or Warton was made 2. July 28. Hen. 8. where having sate 18 Years and nequissimo Sacrilegio sold and spoil'd the Lands of the Bishoprick by long Leases he was by Qu. Mary An. 1. translated to Hereford where he sate almost till her death 19. The Bishop of Landaff Rob. Holgate 25. March 1537 28. Hen. S. and in the 36th of his Reign translated to the Archbishoprick of York and by Qu. Mary at her entrance committed to the Tower where within half a Year he was depriv'd 20. The Bishop of Carlisle Rob. Aldrich was elected 18. July 1537 29 Hen. 8. and died 5 Mar.
he went to this place to visit the Prince whom they called the King of Bohemia My Son seeing what the King was about and how he had prophaned the Church by making it a Store-house said to my Lord Craven That he fear'd it might be ominous to the King my Lord answer'd I will tell him what you say and turning to the King said This Gentleman fears this that your Majesty doth will not be prosperous to you the King answered That was but a Conceit and so pass'd it over But mark what follow'd upon it The King within a few Months after passing in a Bark with the Prince his eldest Son over the Delf of Harlam his Boat was casually stemm'd and overturn'd by a Barge that met him in the Night and tho' he himself with great difficulty was sav'd yet that hopefull Prince his Son had not that wofull happiness to be drowned right-out but after he was drench'd in the Water and gotten upon the Mast of the Bark wherein they perish'd he was there most miserably starv'd with Cold and frozen to Death And the Father himself while he lamented the death of his Son was by an unusual death of Princes taken away by the Plague laying thus the first Stone of his unfortunate Building like that of the Walls of Jericho in the death of his eldest Son and prevented in the rest by his own death God's Judgments are his Secrets I only tell Concurrences The other German Princes persecuted with the Sword and spoil'd of their Liberties How carefull the Heathens were not to misuse things consecrated to Almighty God When the Philistines had taken the Ark they with all Reverence plac'd it in the House of their God Dagon and fearing to keep it return'd it back with Oblations So Nabuchodonosor having taken away the holy Vessels of the Temple abused them not to prophane uses but kept them religiously in the House of his God And when Belshazar and his Kingdom was by the Justice of God extinguished for abusing of them and that thereby they came to the Hands of Cyrus in the Conquest of Babylon he understanding that they belonged to the Temple of God in Jerusalem would not be owner of them but sent them back to Jerusalem St. Jerom notes on Dan. 5. Quam diu vasa fuerunt in idolis Babylonicis non est iratus Dominus videbantur enim rem Dei secundum pravam quandam opinionem tamen divino cultui consecrâsse postquam autem humanis usibus divina contaminant statim poena sequitur post sacrilegium Most remarkable is the Piety of the Heathen King Darius 2 Macab 1 34 who hearing of the Pit wherein the holy Fire had been hid by the Prophet Jeremy and being turn'd into Water was after a long time taken thence by Nehemiah for the kindling of the Altar-Fire he caused the very place wherein these sanctified things had once been laid to be walled about and as holy Ground to be for ever sequestred from Prophanation Pompey the Great having taken the City Jerusalem by force and broken into the Temple seeing the inestimable Treasure and Riches thereof would neither take nor suffer any â—hing to be taken thence but commanded all things to be cleansed and the Sacrifices to be continued as they were formerly The Copy of His Majesty's Letter to the Vniversity of Oxon touching Glebe Tythes in Parsonages impropriated to be reduced to the sufficient and incumbent Minister as is here mention'd before James Rex RIght trusty and well belov'd We greet you well the Zeal that Religion might be well planted in this Realm and all other our Dominions hath caused Vs to enter into Consideration of all means that might best serve to the furtherance hereof Wherein finding that no one thing is a greater impediment than want of competent living to maintain Learned Men in such places of our Kingdom where the ordinary Benefit of the Vicarages doth not suffice and the Parsonages are impropriate and in Lay-mens Hands We have found that there could not be a readier way to supply that defect than if those Impropriations of Tythes might be converted again to the right use for which they were at present instituted wherein by God's Grace we have a purpose to do in such of of them as now are or shall be in Our Hands whatsoever Our State may well bear By which Example of Ours we presume to induce all others possess'd of the like to imitate Vs as far as with their Ability they may In the mean time We have consider'd that to give beginning to so good a work none were more fit than the Colleges in the Vniversities who being so eminent Members of Our State and having divers of them many such Impropriations and some of them also a desire as We are inform'd to provide for such persons out of such Livings as shall fall within their powers to dispose their Example should have great efficacy into all good men in this sort to advance the Glory of Christ's Gospel And because there may occur in the performance hereof some such particular difficulties as are unknown to Vs We have thought good before We entred further into it to recommend this Matter to your Consideration requiring you Our Chancellour and in your absence the Vice-Chancellour and Heads of Houses to assemble your selves and such discreet Men of all the Colleges as you shall think meet for such a Consultation and to propose that matter amongst you and to consider and set down some speedy course how upon the Expiration of the Years in being of any Lease of Tythes or Glebe impropriate the same may afterwards be so devised as Ecclesiastical Persons bred in the Houses to whom the same do belong respectively may be maintain'd and enabled to execute their Functions and yet the College provided of such things as are necessary for maintaining the same whereof We have no intention to wish any prejudice knowing well how fit it is that they be supported by all good means whatsoever of which your Deliberation and Resolution We do require you to advertise Vs with as convenient speed as you may both by Writing under your Hands and by some discreet Persons to be sent to Vs or Our Council to make Report of your doings therein Given under Our Sign at our Castle of Windsor the 10th of July 1603 in the first Year of the Reign of England France and Ireland and of Scotland 30th CHAP. VIII The particulars of divers Monasteries in Norfolk whereof the late Owners since the Dissolution are extinct or decayed or overthrown by Misfortunes and grievous Accidents ABout the Year I suppose 1615 or 1616 I described with a Pair of Compasses in the Mapp of Norfolk a Circle of 12 Miles the Semi-diameter according to the Scale thereof placing the Center about 24 the chief Seat of the Yelvertons within this Circle and the Borders of it I inclosed the Mansion-houses of about 24 Families of Gentlemen and the sight of as many Monasteries