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A17848 Remaines of a greater worke, concerning Britaine, the inhabitants thereof, their languages, names, surnames, empreses, wise speeches, poësies, and epitaphes; Remaines concerning Britain Camden, William, 1551-1623. 1605 (1605) STC 4521; ESTC S107408 169,674 306

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planted himselfe in Vlster in Ireland advised his sonne for to builde a castle for his better defence against the Irish enemy who valiantly answered that hee woulde not trust to a castle of stones but to his castle of bones Meaning his body Mar●ebrigensis Robert B●anchmaines Earle of Leicester was wont to say Soveraigne Princes are the true types or relemblances of Gods true maiestie in which respect saieth mine Author treason against the Princes person was called Crimen maiest at is Polycraticon Pope Adrian the fourth an English man borne of the familie of Breakespeare in Middlesex a 〈◊〉 commended for converting Norway to christianity before his Papacie but noted in his Papacie for vsing the Emperour Fredericke the second as his Page in holding his stirroppe demaunded of Iohn of Sarisbury his countryman what opinion the world had of the Church of Rome and of him who answered The Church of Rome which should be a mother is now a stepmother wherein sit both Scribes and Pharises and as for your selfe whenas you are a father why doe you exspect pensions from your children c. Adrian smiled and after some excuses tolde him this tale which albeit it may seeme long and is not vnlike that of Menenius Agrippa in Livie yet give it the reading and happly you may learne somewhat by it All the members of the body conspired against the stomacke as against the swallowing gulfe of all their labors for whereas the eies beheld the eares heard the handes labored the feete traveled the tongue spake and all partes performeds their functions onely the stomacke lay ydle and consumed all Hereuppon they ioyntly agreed al to forbeare their labors and to pine away their lasie and publike enemy One day passed over the second followed very tedious but the third day was so grievous to them all that they called a common Counsel The eyes waxed d●mme the feete could not support the body the armes waxed lasie the tongue faltered and could not lay open the matter Therefore they all with one accord desired the advise of the Heart There Reason layd open before them that ●ee against whome they had proclaimed warres was the cause of all this their misery For he as their common steward when his allowances were withdrawne of necessitie withdrew theirs fro them as not receiving that he might allow Therfore it were a farre better course to supply him than that the limbs should faint with hunger So by the perswasion of Reason the stomacke was served the limbes comforted and peace re-established Even so it fareth with the bodies of Common-weales for albeit the Princes gather much yet not so much for themselves as for others So that if they want they cannot supply the want of others therefore do not repine at Princes heerein but respect the common good of the whole publike estate Idem Oftentimes would he say All his preferments never added any one iote to his happinesse or quietnesse Idem He also that I may omitte other of his speeches would say The Lord hath dilated me by hammering me vpon the anvild but I beseech him he would vnderlay his hand to the vnsupportable burthen which he hath layde vpon me Idem When it was signified vnto king Richard the first son to the foresaide King Henry sitting at supper in his pallace at Westminster which we call the old pallace now that the French king besieged his towne of Vernoil in Normandie he in greatnes of courage protested in these wordes I will never turne my backe vntil I have confronted the French For performance of which his princely word hee caused the wall in his pallace at Westminster to be broken downe directly towardes the South posted to the coast and immediately into Normandie where the very report of his sodaine arrivall so terrified the French that they raised the siege and retired themselves Ypodigma The same king Richard purposing an expedition into the holy land made money at all handes and amongst other things solde vnto Hugh Pudsey Bishop of Durham the Earledome of Northumberland merrily laughing when he invested him and saying Am not I cunning and my crafiesmaister that can make a yoong Earle of an olde Bishoppe But this Prelate was fitte to be an Earle for the worlde as one of that age saide of him was not crucifixus to him but infixus in him Lib. Dunelm One Fulke a Frenchman of great opinion for his holinesse tolde this king Richard that hee kept with him three daughters that would procure him the wrath of God if he did not shortly ridde himselfe of them Why hypocrite quoth the king all the worlde knoweth that I never hadde childe Yea saide Fulke you have as I saide three and their names are Pride Covetousnesse and Lechery It is so saide the king you shal see me presently bestow them the Knightes Templers shal have Pride the while M●nkes Covetousnesse and the Cleargy Lechery and there have you my three daughters bestowed among you When there was a faire opportunitie offered vnto this king Richard and to Hugh duke of Burgundie for the surprise of Ierusalem they marched forward in two battalles from Acres The king of England led the first the Duke of Burgundie the other when they approched the Duke of Burgundie envying the glory of the English signified to the king of England that he would retire with his companies because it should not be said that the English had taken Ierusalem While this message was delivering and the King grieving that so glorious an enterprise was so overthwarted by envie one amongest the English companies cryed alowde to the King and said Sir S●r come hither and I will shew you Ierusalem But king Richard cast his coate of armes before his face and weeping vttered these wordes with alowde voice Ah my Lord God I beseech thee that I may not see thy holy Cittie Ierusalem whenas I am not able to deliver it out of the handes of the enemies Ian Sire Signour de Ionville in the life of Saint Le wes cap. 70. This Author also giveth this testimony of the saide king in the eight chapter of the saide Booke This Prince was of such prowesse that he was more feared and redoubted amongest the Sarazens then ever was any Prince Christian Insomuch that when as their little infants beganne to crie their mothers would say to make them holde their peace King Richard commeth and wil have you and immediately the little children hearing him named would forbeare crying And likewise the Turkes and Sarazens when their horses at any time started they woulde putte spurre to them and say What you iades you thinke King Richard is heere When the same king Richard had fortunately taken in a skirmish Philippe the Bishop of Beavoys a deadly enemy of his hee cast him in prison with boltes vpon his heeles which being complained of vnto the Pope he wrote earnestly vnto him not to detaine his deere sonne an Ecclesiasticall person and a sheepheard of the Lordes but to send him
Schollers who were bigge men Which when the Emperour sawe hee smiling saide In good faith Maister Iohn you are no indifferent divider Yes if it like your Highnesse verie indifferent saide he for heere poynting to himselfe and the two great fishes be two great ones and a little one and so yonder reaching his hand towardes the Schollers are two great ones and a little one Idem Wenefridus borne at Kirton in Devonshire after furnamed Boniface who converted Freesel and to Christianitie was wont to say In olde time there were golden Prelats and woodden Chalices but in his time woodden Prelates and golden Chalices Beatus Rhenanus libr. 2. rerum Germen●arum Ethelwold the Bishop of Winchester in the time of king Edgar in a great famine solde away all the sacred golde and silver vessells of all his church to releeve the hunger-starved poore people saying That there was no reason that the senselesse temples of God should abound in riches and living temples of the holy-ghost starve for hunger Whenas Kinnad King of Scot● a vassall to King Eadgar of England had saide at his Table That it stoode not with the honour of the Princes of this Isle to be subiect to that Dandiprat Eadgar who was indeede but of small stature yet full of courage He vnderstanding thereof withdrew Kinnad privately into a wood as though hee had to conferre with him of some important secret where he offered him the choice of two swords prepared for that purpose with these wordes Now we are alone you may try your manhood now may it appeare who should be subiect to the other retire not one foote backe It standeth not with the honour of Princes to brave it at the Table and not to dare it in the field But Kinad heere-at dismaied desired pardon by excuse and obtained it Malmesburiensis pag. 33. The same king Eadgar having brought into his subiection the aforesaid Kinnad king of Scottes Malcolm king of Cumberland Mac cuis the arch pirate lord of the Isles with Dufnall Griffith Howell Iacob Iudethil● Princes of Wales was rowed by them in triumphant manner in his barge vpon the river of Dee at Chester at which time it is reported he saide Then may my successours the Kings of England glorie when they shall doe the like Marianus Scotus Anno 973. When Hinguar of Denmarke came so sodainely vppon Edmund the king of the East-Angles that hee was forced to seeke his safetie by flight hee happened vnhappily on a troupe of Danes who fell to examining of him whether hee knew where the king of the East-Angles was whome Edmund thus answered Even now when I was in the palace he was there and when I went from thence he departed thence and whether he shall escape your handes or no onely God knoweth But so soone as they once heard him name God the godlesse infidells pittifully martired him Vita Sancti Edmundi When Brithwold a noble Saxon marching against the Danes encamped neare Maldon was invited by the Abbot of Elie to take his dinner with him he refusing answered Hee would not dine from his companies because hee could not fight without his companies Liber Eliensis King Canutus commonly called Knute walking on the sea sands neare to Southampton was extolled by some of his flattering followers and tolde that hee was a king of kings the mightiest that raigned farre and neare that both sea and land were at his commaund But this speach did put the godly King in mind of the infinite power of God by whome Kings have and enioy their power and therevpon hee made this demonstration to refell their flatterie He tooke off his cloake and wrapping it round together s●te downe vpon it neare to the sea that then beganne to slowe saying Sea I commaund thee that thou touch not my feete 〈◊〉 he had not so soone spoken the worde but the surg●ng wave dashed him He then rising vp and going backe saide Ye see now my Lorde what good cause you have to call me a King that am not able by my commaundement to stay one wave no morta●l man doubtlesse is woorthy of such an 〈◊〉 name no man hath such commaund but one King which ruleth all Let vs honour him let vs call him King of all kings and Lord of all nations Let vs not onely confesse bvt also pr●fesse him to be ruler of the heavens sea an● land Polydorus and others When Edric the extorte● was deprived by King C●ute of the government of Mercia hee impatient of the disgrace tolde him he had deserved better for that to pleasure him hee had first revolted from his Soveraigne king Edmund and also dispatched him Whereat C●ute all appalled answered And thou shalt die for thy desert when●● thou arte a traitour to God and me in killing thy king and my confederate brother His bloud be vpon thy head which hast layed handes vpon the Lordes annoynted Some reporte that he saide For his deserts he should be advaunced above all the Nobilitie of England which h● c●mmediately performed advauncing his head vpon the Tower of London Florilegus King Edward the Confessour one afternoone lying in his bedde with the curtaine drawne round about him a poore pilfering Courtier came into his chamber where finding the Kings Casket open which Hugoline his chamberlaine had forgotten to shut going foorth to pay money in haste hee tooke out so much money as hee could● well carry and went away But insatiable desire brought him againe and so the third time when the King who lay still all this while and would not seeme to see beganne to speake to him and bade him speedily be packing For he was well if hee coulde see for if Hugoline came and tooke him there he were not onely like to loose all that he had gotten but also stretch an halter The fellow was no sooner gone but Hugoline came in and finding the Casket open and much money taken away was greatly mooved But the King willed him not to he grieved For saide he he that hath it had more neede of it then wee have This at that time was adiudged Christian lenitie but I thinke in our age it will be accounted simplicitie in the woorst sense Vita Sancti Edwardi This Edward hasted out of Normandie whither his expelled father king Ethelred had fled with him with a great power to recover the kingdome of England from the Danes neere vnto whose forces hee was encamped ready to give them battell But when his Captaines promised him assured victorie and that they would not leave one Dane alive God forbid quoth Edward that the kingdome should be recovered for me one man by the death of so many thousand men It is better that I do leade a private and vnbloody life then be a King by such but chery And therewithall brake vp Campe and retyred into Normandy where he staied vntill God sent oportunitie to obtaine the kingdome without blood Paulus Aemilius Harold as hee waited on the cup of the said king Edward chanced
that she would goe to church barefoote and alwayes exercise herselfe in workes of charitie insomuch that when David her brother came out of Scotland to visite her he found her in her privie chamber with a towell about her middle washing wiping and kissing poore peoples feete which he disliking saide Verily if the King your husband knew this you should never kisse his lippes She replied That the feete of the King of heaven are to bee preferred before the lippes of a King in earth Guil Malmes Math. Paris Simon Deane of Lincolne who for his Courtlike carriage was called to Court and became a favourite of this king Henry the first was wont to say I am cast among courtiers as salt among quicke Eeles for that he salted powdred and made them stirre with his salt and sharpe quipping speeches But what saieth the Author who reporteth this of him The salt lost his season by the moysture of the Eeles and was cast out on the dunghill For hee incurring hatred in Court was disgraced committed and at last banished Henr. Huntingdon in Epistola VVHen the Scottes in the time of king Stephen with a great army invaded England the Northerne people brought to the field the Earle of Albemarle the only respective heire of those partes in his cradle and placed him by the Standard hoping thereby to animate the people But Ralph Bishop of Duresme animated them more with this saying Assure your selves that this multitude not trained by discipline wil be combersome to it selfe in good successe and in distresse easily discomforted Which proved accordingly for many Scottishmen left their carcases in the field Historiola de Standardo MAwd the Empresse daughter and heire of this king Henry the first which stiled her s●lfe Lady of the Englishmen would often say to her sonne king Henry the second Be hasty in nothing Hawkes are made more serviceable when yee make faire shewes of offering meate often and yet with-hold it the longer Cualterus Mapes Others Maximes of her In arte Reguands proceeding from a niggish olde wife I wittingly omitte as vnbefitting a Prince Robert Earle of Gloucester base sonne to king Henry the first the onely martiall man of England in his age vsed Stephen Beauchampe with all grace and countenaunce as his onely favorite and privado to the great dislike of all his followers Whereupon when he was distressed in a conflict he called to some of his companie for helpe but one bitterly bade him Call nowe to your Stephen Pardon mee pardon me replieth the Earle In matters of Venery I must vse my Stephen but in Martiall affaires I relie who he vppon you Gualter Mapes de Nugis Curialium HEnry the second caused his eldest sonne Henry to bee crowned k●ng and that day served him at the Table Whereuppon the Archebishop of Yorke said vnto the yoong king Your Maiestie may reioyce for there is never a Prince in the world that hath this day such a waiter a● his Table as you have Wonder you so much a● that my Lord saide the yong king and dooth my father thinke it an abasement for him being discended of royall bloud onely by his mother to serve me at the Table that have both a King to my father and a Queene to my mother Which prowde speech when the vnfortunate father heard hee rounded the Archbishop in the care and saide I repent mee I repent me of nothing more than of vntimely advauncements Anonymus Wimund Bishop of the Isle of Man in the time of King Stephen a martiall Prelate as many were in that age after he had with many an inrode annoyed the Scots some English procured by them sodainely apprehended him put out his eies and gelded him as my Author saieth for the peace of the kingdome not for the kingdome of heaven Who after retiring himselfe to the Abbey of Biland in Yorkeshire would often couragiously say Had I but a sparrowe eye my enemies should never carry it away scot-free Newbrigensis When king Plenry the second was at S. Davis in Wales and from the cliffes there in a cleere day discovered the coast of Ireland that most mighty Monark of this realme saide I with my shippes am able to make a bridge thither if it be no further which speach of his beeing related to Murchard king of Lemster in Ireland he demaunded if hee added not to his speech with the grace of God when it was answered that hee made no mention of God Then saide hee more cheerefully I feare him lesse which trusteth more to himselfe than to the helpe of God Giraldus Cambrensis Owen of Kevelsoc Prince of Powis admitted to the table of king Henry the second at Shrewsbury the king the more to grace him reached him one of his owne loaves which he cutting in small peeces and setting them as farre off as he could reach did eate very leasurely When the king demaunded what he meant thereby he aunswered I doe as you my Soveraigne meaning that the king in like manner tooke the fruition of offices and spirituall preferments as long as he might Giraldus The same king Henry returning out of Ireland arrived at saint Davis in Wales where it was signified vnto him that the Conqueror of Ireland returning that way should die vpon a stone called Lech-laver neere the churchyard whereupon in a great presence he pasted over it and then reprooving the Welsh-Britans credulity in Merlins Prophecies said Now who will heereafter credite that liar Merlin Giraldus Gilbert Foliot Bishop of London disliking Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury woulde say oftentimes Ad Zachaeum non divertisset Dominus nisi de sicomoro iam descendisset That Zachaeus had never entertained and lodged Christ vnlesse he had come downe from the figge tree As though Christ could never like the lofty vntill they should humiliate themselves and come downe Anonymus Ms. The same king would often say The whole world is 〈◊〉 enough for a great Prince Girald in Distinct In the time of this Henry the second the See of Lincolne was so long voyde as a certaine Convert of Tame prophecied that there should be no more Bishoppes of Lincolne But he prooved a truthlesse prophet for Geffrey the kings base sonne was preferred after sixteene yeeres vacancie thereunto but so fitte a man as one saide of him That he was skilfull in fleecing but vnskilfull in feeding Vitae Episcoporum Eboracensium This gallant base Bishoppe would in his protestations and othes alwayes protest By my faith and the King my father But Walter Mapes the kings Chaplan told him You might doe aswel to remember sometimes your mothers honesty as to mention so often your fathers royaltie Mapes de Nugis Curialium This Bishop Ceffrey in all his Instruments passing from him vsed the stile of G. Archiepiscopus Eborum but in the circumference of his Seale to notifie his royall parentage Sigillum Galfredi filij Regis Anglorum as I observed in his Seales SAvage a Gentleman which amongst the first English had
his handes on his mouth and sayde Mouth thou liest And by and by thereupon he sette his handes vpon both his eyes and sayde But eyne quoth hee by the Masse yee lie not a whit When sir Thomas Moore had told one whom hee tearmeth in his Dialogue the Messenger how he might yeerly have seene a myracle done at the Rhodes if he would have gone thither So farre quoth the Messenge nay yet I had rather have Gods blessing to beleeve that I see not then to go so farre for it I am well apaid said sir Thomas thereof for if you had rather beleeve then take the paine of a long pilgrimage you will never be so stiffe in any opinion that you will put your selfe in ieopardie for pertinacy and stubborne standing by your part Nay Marie said the Messenger I warrant you that I will never be so madde to hold till it waxe too hot for I have such a fond fantasie of mine owne that I had rather shiver and shake for colde in the Summer then be burned in the mids of Winter It happened that a yong Priest verie devoutly in a Procession bare a Candle before the Crosse for lying with a Wench and bare it light all the long way wherein the people tooke such spirituall pleasure and inward solace that they laughed apace And one merrie Marchant sayd vnto the Priests that followed him Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus Thus let your light shine before the people But a lewde Priest in later time being reproved of his loose life and told that he and other of the Clergie ought to bee the Lanthornes of light How can we saide the shamelesse Priest be Lanthornes of light when as ye Lay men have all the hornes When a lustie gallant saw a Frier going barefoote in a great frost and snowe hee asked him why hee did take such paine Hee aunswered that it was a verie little paine if a man would remember hell Yea Frier quoth the Gallant but what and if there be no Hell Then arte thou a great foole Yea Maister quoth the Frier but what if there be hell then is mastership much more foole A Frier as he was preaching in the Countrey espied a poore wife of the parish whispering with her Pew-felow and he falling angrie thereat cried out vnto her aloude Holde thy babble I bid thee thou wife in the red hoode which when the huswife heard she waxed as angrie and sodainly she started vp and cried vnto the Frier againe that all the Church rang thereon Mary sir I beshrew his heart that babbleth most of vs both for I do but whisper a word with my neighbour here and thou hast babled there a good large houre King Ladislaus vsed much this maner among his servants when one of them praised any deed of his or any condition in him if he perceyved that they sayde nothing but the truth he would let it passe by vncontrolled But when he saw that they did set a glose vpon it for his praise of their owne making beside then would he shortly say vnto them I pray thee good fellow when thou faist grace never bring in Gloria patri without a Sicut erat Any act that ever I did if thou report it againe to mine honour with a Gloria patri never report it but with a Suut trat That is to wit euen as it was and no otherwise and lift not me vp with lies for I loue it not Frier Donalde preached at Paules Crosse that our Ladie was a virgin and yet at her pilgrimages there was made many a foule meeting And loude cried out Ye men of London gang on your selues with your wiues to Wilsdon in the Divils name or else keepe them at home with you with a sorrow Sir Iohn Moore was wont to compare the choosing of a wife vnto a casuall taking out at all a verie ventures of Eles out of a bagge wherein were twentie Snakes for an Ele. Sir Iohn Fineux sometime chiefe Iustice of the Kings bench was often heard to say Who so taketh from a Iustice the order of his discretion taketh surely from him more than halfe his office Wise was that saying of Doctor Medealfe You yong men do thinke vs olde men to be fooles but we olde men do know that you yong men are fooles Katherine wife to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke when her husband at a feast willed everie Ladie to take to sit by hir him that shee loued best prouided hee were not her husband she tooke Stephen Cardiner Bishop of Winchester saying Seeing she might not have him whom she loved best she would take him whom she loved worst KIng Edward the sixt when three swordes were delivered at his coronation vnto him as king of England Fraunce and Ireland sayd There was yet another sworde to be delivered vnto him Whereat when the Lords marvelled he sayd I meane sayd he the sacred Bible which is the sworde of the spirit without which we are nothing neither can do any thing Balaeus in Centurijs When sit Ralfe Fane was condemned to die by the practise of the Duke of Northumberland he said no more protesting his innocencie but My blood shall be the Dukes bolster as long as he liveth Meaning as I thinke that his conscience affrighted with shedding innocent blood shoulde enioy little quiet but passe restlesse nights Relatio Gallica Thirlby Bishop of Elie when he was Ambassador at Rome one of hir men negligently laying downe his liuery cloake in his lodging lost it wherewith the Bishop being angrie rated the fellow roughly who told him that hee suspected nothing in so holy a place as Rome was but did take them all for true men What knaue qvoth the Bishop when thou commest into a strange place thinke all men there to be theeves yet take heede thou doe not call them theeves When hee was prisoner in the Tower he was searched by the Lievetenaunt and five hundred French crownes found in his purse and in his doublet about him whereat when the Lievetenant wondering asked him what hee meant to carry so much money about him hee answered I love to have my friends still neere about mee and can not tell how I should be vsed if I lacked them In the rebellion in the Weast during the raigne of king Edward the sixt sir Anthony Kingston marshall of the field hanged vp a fellow that was servant to a rebellious Miller whome he affirmed himselfe to be vntill hee came vnto the gallowes and then his deniall would not be allowed Afterward the matter being better knowne sir Anthonie was tolde that hee had executed the man for the maister It is well enough quoth sir Anthony hee coulde never have doone his maister better service than have hanged for him THese following are taken out of the life of Cardinall Poole Archbishop of Canterbury written by a learned man and Printed at Venice When one asked counsell of Cardinall Poole what methode and way was best to be taken to
world with their Armes in Syria Aegypt Cyprus Spaine Sicill and India They have traversed with most happy victories both France and Scotland brought away their Kings captives conquered Ireland and the Isle of Cypres which King Richard the first gave frankly to Guie of Lusigni●● and lately with a maidens hand mated the mightiest Monarch in his owne Countries They beside many other notable discoveries twice compassed the whole globe of the earth with admirable successe which the Spaniards have yet but once performed Good Lord how spaciously might a learned pen walke in this argument But lest I should seeme over prodigall in the praise of my countrimen I will onely present you with some few verses in this behalfe and first this Latine Rythme of the middle time in praise of the English Nation with some close cautions It s quilted as ●t were out of shreds of divers Poets such as Schollers do call a Cento Quo versu Anglorum possim describere gentem Saepe mihi dubiam traxit sententia mentem Sunt in amicitia percusso foedere veri Maior at est virtus quàm quarere parta tu●●i Su●● bello fortes al●res validique duel●●s Aspera se● po●●tis ●●●●scant secula bellis Sunt 〈…〉 florent virtutis 〈◊〉 S●d nihil est virtus nisi cum 〈…〉 Quid fit avaritia pestis gens Anglicanescit Cr●scit amor dandi quantum ipsa 〈…〉 〈…〉 prima 〈◊〉 dare largè 〈◊〉 virescit Vas nisi syncerum quodcunque infundis acescit L●uti●r est ill●s cum mensa divite cu●●us Accedunt hilares semper super 〈…〉 Non ibi Damaetas pauper dicit Melyb●● In cratere meo Thetis est sociata Ly●● Gratius ingenium datur his gratia m●rum Sic norunt quàm sit du●cis ●●xtura bonorum Anglorum cur est gens quaevis invida genti Summa petit livor perflant altissima venti And for the Scottish nation this of their owne Poet Illa pharetratis est propria gloria Scotis Cingere venatu saltus superare natand● Flumina ferre famem contemnere frigora ●stus Nec fossa muris patriam sed Marte tueri Et spreta incolumem vita defendere fam●● Polliciti servare fidem sanctumque vereri Numen amicitia mores non munus amare The Languages FRom the people we will now proceede to the languages Heere would Schollers shew you the first confusion of languages out of Moses that the gods had their peculiar tongue out of H●●er that brute beasts birdes and fishes had their owne proper languages out of Clemens Alexandri●●● They would teach you out of Euphorus that there were but 52. tongues in the world because so many soules out of Iacob descended into Aegypt and out of Arnobius that there were seaventie and two Albeit Timosthenes reporteth that in Dioscurias a mart towne of Colchis their trafficked 300. Nations of divers languages And howsoever our Indian or American discouerers say that in every fourescore mile in America and in every valley almost of Peru you shall finde a new language Neither would they omit the Iland where the people have cloven tongues out of the fabulous Narrations of Diodorus Siculus yea they would lash out of the Vtopian language with Volvola Barchin hema●● la lalvola drame pagloni whenas it is a greater glory now to be a Linguist then a Realist They would moreover discourse at large which I will tell you in a word First the British tongue or Welsh as we now call it was in vse onely in this Island having great affinitie with the olde Galliqua of Gaule now Fraunce from whence the first inhabitants in all probability came hither Afterward the Latin was taken vp when it was brought into the forme of a Proviner about the time of Domitian according to that notable place of Tacitus where he reportteth that Iulius Agricola Governour heere for the Romans preferred the Britans as able to doe more by witte then the Gaules by studie Vt qui saieth he modò linguam Romanam abnuebant eloquentiam concupiscerent Inde etiam habitus nostri honor frequens toga But the British overgrewe the Latine and continueth yet in Wales and some villages of Cornwall intermingled with some Provinciall Latine After the Irish tongue was brought into the Northwest partes of the Isle out of Ireland by the auntient Scottishmen and there yet remaineth Lastly the English-Saxon tongue came in by the English-Saxons on t of Germany who valiantly and wisely performed heere all the three things which implie a full conquest viz. the alteration of lawes language and attire This English tongue extracted out of the olde German as most other from Island to the Alpes is mixed as it is now of the olde English-Saxon N●●●●● of Latine German and the olde 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Latine and German-Gotish and the Spanish of Latine Gotish-German and Arabique Saracen or M●r●sq●● And to the honour of our progenitors the English-Saxons be it spoken their conquest was more absolute heere over the Brita●●s than either of the Francs in Fran●c● over the G●●l●s or the Gothes and Lombardes in Italie over the K 〈…〉 or of the Gothes Vandales and Moores over the auntient Spaniards in Spaine For in these nations much of the provinciall Latine I meane the Latine vsed whilest they were Provinces of the Romans remaineth which they politi●ely had spread over their Empire by planting of Colonies and enfranchising all Nations subiect vnto them But the English-Saxon conquerors altred the tongue which they found here wholy so that no British words or provinciall Latine appeared therein at the first in short time they spread it over this whole Iland from the Orcades to Isle of Wight except a few barren corners in the Western● parts wherevnto the reliques of the Britans and Scots retyred reserving in them both their life and their language For certainely it is that the greatest and best parts the East and South of Scotland which call themselves the Lawland-men speake the English tongue varied onely in Dialect as descended from the English-Saxons and the old Scottish which is the verie Irish is vsed onely by them of the West called the Hechtland-men who call the other as the Welsh call vs Sassons Saxons both in respect of language and originall as I shewed before I dare not yet heere affirme for the antiquitie of our language that our great-great-great-grandsires tongue came out of Persia albeit the wonderfull Linguist Ioseph Scaliger hath observed Fader Moder Bruder 〈◊〉 c. in the Pers 〈…〉 tongue in the very sence as we now vse th 〈…〉 It will not be vnproper I hope to this purpose if I note out of the epistles of that learned Ambassadour Busbeq 〈…〉 how the inhabitants of Taurica-Ch●rson●ssus in the vtter-most part of Europe eastward have these words Wind Silver Kor●● Sak Fish Son Apple Waggen Singen 〈◊〉 Beard with many other in the very same sence and signification as they now are in vse with vs whereat I mervailed not a
of the Greekes but other with more probabilitie deduce it from Eberard .i. excellent or supreme towardnes A name most vsuall in the ancient familie of the Digbyes EVSEBIVS gre Pious and religious godly-man EVSTACE gre Seemeth to be drawne from the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Constant as Constantinus but the former ages turned it into Eustachius in Latine EVAN See Ivon EVTROPIVS gr Well mannered EZECHIAS Heb. Strength of the Lord. EZECHIEL Heb. Seeing the Lord. F FABIAN from Fabius who had his name from beanes as Valerian from Valerius Fabianus bishop of Rome martyred vnder Decius first gave reputation to this name FOELIX Lat Happy the same with Macarius among the Graecians FLORENCE Lat Flourishing as Thales with the Greekes Antonius with the Latines FRANCIS g●rm from Franc that is Free not servile or bond The same with the Greeke Eleutherius and the Latine Liberius FREDERIC germ Rich peace or as the Monk which made this allusion Peaceable raigne Est ●●ibenda fides rationi nominis huius Composit● Frederic 〈◊〉 componentia cuius S●●t FRIDERIC Frith ꝙ nisi pax Ric ꝙ nisi regnū Sic per 〈◊〉 Fredericus quid nisi vel rex Pacificus vel regia pax pax pacificusque For 〈◊〉 th' English have commonly vsed Frery and Fery which hath beene now a long time a christian name in the antient family of Tilney and luckie to their house as they report FREMVND Sax Free-peace FOVLK or FVLKE germ Some derive it from the German Vollg Noble and Gallant But I from Folc the English-Saxon woorde for people as though it were the same with Publius of the Romanes and onely translated from Publius as beloved of the people and commons FVLBERT Sax Full bright FVLCHER Sax Lord of people FERDINANDO See Beriram This name is so variable that I can not resolve what to say for the Spaniards make it Hernand and Hernan the Italians Ferando and Ferante the French Ferrant which is now become a surname with vs and the Latines Ferdinandus vnlesse wee may thinke it is fetcht by transposition from Fred and Rand that is Pure peace G GA●RIEL ●ebr Man of God or Strength of God GAMALIEL hebr Gods rewarde as Deodatus Theodorus and Theodosiu● GARRET for GERARD and GERALD See Everard for from thence they are de●●rted if we beleeve Ges●erus But rather Gerard may seeme to signifie All 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 All truth Gerwin All victorious and the German nation is so named as All and fully men GAVVEN a name devised by the author of king Arthurs fable if it be not Walwin See Walwin GEORGE gre Husbandman the same with Agricola a name of speciall respect in England since the victorious King Edward the third chose Saint George for his Patro●●c and the English in all encounters and batt●●les vsed the name of Saint George in their cries as the French did M●●ti●y S. Denis GEDEON Heb A Breaker or Destroyer GERMAN Lat of the same stocke Tr●e no counterfeit or a naturall brother S. German who suppressed the Pelagian heresie in Brittaine about the yeere 430. adva●●ced this name in this Isle GERVAS Ger●●sius in Latine for Gerfast as some Germans coniecture that is All sure firme or fast If ●● be so it is onely C●●stans translated But it is the name of a 〈◊〉 who suffered vnder Nero at Ma●lai●● who if hee were a 〈…〉 was it may signifie Grave Antient or Honourable as wrested from Gero●sius GEFFREY Ger. from Gaufred Ioyfull peace Kilianus translateth Gaw Ioyfull as the French doe Gay That Fred and Frid doe signifie peace is most certaine as Fred-stole i. Pacis cathedra See Frederic GILBERT germ I supposed heretofore to signifie Gold-like-bright as Aurelius or Aurelianus or yellow bright as Fl●vius with the Romans For Geele is yellow in old Saxon still in Dutch as Gilvus according to some in L●tin But because it is written in Dooms-day booke G●sl●bert I iudge it rather to signifie Bright or brave pledge for in old Saxon Gisle signifieth a pledge in the old English booke of S. Augustines of Canterbury sureties and pledges for keeping the peace are called Fredgisles So it is a well fitting name for children whi●h are the onlye sweet pledges and pawns of love between mā wife accordingly called Dulcia pignora Pignora amoris GILES is miserably disjoynted from Aegidius as Gillet from Aegidia by the French as appeareth in lustories by the name of Duke of Rollos wife It may seeme a Greeke name for that S. G●●es the first that I have read so named was an Athenian and so drawne from Aigidion that is Little Kid as we know Martia●us Capell had his name in like sense ●or some no●●sse probably fetch Giles from Iulius as G●●ha● from Iuliana GODFREY ger From Godfred Gods-peace or god●v for the D●nes call godlines Gudfreidhed Ionas Turson GODARD ger Strength of God or Gods-man as Gabriel according to Luther But I thinke it rather to signifie Godly disposition or toward●es for Ard and Art in the German tongue do signifie Towardnes aptnes or disposition As Mainard powerfull disposition Giffard Liberal dispositiō as Largus Bernard Childlike disposition Leonard Lionlike disposition as Leoninus Re●●ard pure disposition as Syncerus GODVVIN ger for Win-God converted or Victorious in God GODRICH ger Rich or powerfull in God GREGORY gre Watching watchfull as Vigilantius and V●gilius in Latine GRYFFITH Brit. Some Britans interpret it Strong-faithed GRVFFIN Brit. If it be not the same with Griffith some do fetch from Rufinus Red. as many other Welsh names are derived f●ō colours GRIM●ALD ger But truly Grim●ald power over anger as Rodoalà power of councel ●uther a name most vsuall in the old family of Pa●●cefoote GVVISCHARD See Wischard GVY In Latine Guide from the French Guide A guide leader or director to other H HADRIAN Lat. deduced from the city Hadria whence Hadrian the emperor had his orig●nall Gesner bringeth it from the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grosse or weal●hie HAMON Heb. Faithfull HANIBALL A● unick name Gratious Lord. HECTOR gr Defendour according to ●lat● HENRY ger in Latine Henricus A name so famous since the yeare 920. when Henry the first was Emperour that there have beene 7. Emperours 8. Kings of England 4. Kings of France as many of Spaine of that name If Ein-ric be the originall it signifieth Ever rich or powerfull If it be deduced from Herric which the Germans vse now it is as much as rich-Rich-Lord I once supposed not without some probabilitie that it was contracted from Honoricus of which name as Procopius mention●th there was a Prince of the Vandales in the time of Honorius and therefore likely to take name of him as hee did from Honor. And lately I have found that Fr. Philelphus is of the same opinion Howsoever it hath been an ominous good name in all respects of signification HENGEST Sax. Horse man the name of him which led the first Englishmen into
observed the very primary beginnings as it were of many surnames which are thought very antient when as it may be proved that their very lineall Progenitors bare other names within these sixe hundred yeers Mortimer and Warren are accounted names of great antiquitie yet the father of them for they were brethren who first bare those names was Walterus de sancto Martino He that first tooke the name of Clifford from his habitation was the sonne of Richard sonne of Puntz a noble Norman who had no other name The first Lumley was sonne of an antient English man called Liwulph The first Gifford from whome they of Buckingham the Lords of Brimesfeld and others descended was the sonne of a Norman called Osbert de Belebe● The first Windsor descended from Walter the sonne of Other Castellan of Windsor The first who tooke the name of Shirley was the sonne of Sewall descended from Fulcher without any other name The first Nevill of them which are now from Robert the sonne of Maldred a braunch of an olde English familie who married Isabel the daughter and heire of the Nevills which came out of Normandy The first Level came from 〈◊〉 de Perce●●●ll The first Montacute was the sonne of Drogo ●●venis as it is in Record The first Stanley of them now Earles of Derby was likewise sonne to Ad●vn de Aldeleigh or Audley as it is in the olde Pedegree in the Eagle tower of Latham And to omit others the first that tooke the name of de Burgo or Burks in Ireland was the sonne of an English man called William Fitz Aldelni● as the first of the Girald●●es also in that Countrey was the sonne of an Englishman called Girald of Windsor In many more could I exemplifie which shortly after the conquest tooke these surnames when either their fathers had none at all or else most different whatsoever some of their posteritie doe overweene of the antiquitie of their names as though in the continuall mutabilitie of the worlde conversions of States and fatall periods of families five hundred yeeres were not sufficient antiquitie for a family or name whenas but very few have reached thereunto In the autentical Record of the Exchequer called Domesday Surnames are first found brought in then by the Normans who not long before first tooke them but most noted with de such a place as Godefridus de Mannevilla A. de Grey Walterus de Vernon Robert de Oily now Doyley Albericus de Vere Radulphus de Pomerey Goscelinus de Dive Robertus de Busl●● Guilielmus de Moiun R. de Brai●se Rogerus de Lacy Gislebertus de Venables or with Filius as Ranulphus Asculphi Guilielmis filius Osbernie Richardus filius Gisleberti or else with the name of their office as Eudo Depifer Guil Camerarius Hervaeus Legatus Gislebertus Cocus Radulphus Venator but very many with their Christian names onlie as Olaff Nigellus Eustachius Baldricus with single names are noted last in every shire as men of least account and as all or most vnderholders specified in that Booke But shortly after as the Romans of better sorte had three names according to that of Iuvenal Tanquam habeas trianomina that of Ausonius Tria nomina nobiliorum So it seemed a disgrace for a Gentleman to have but one single name a● the meaner sorte and bastards had For the daughter and 〈◊〉 of Fitz 〈◊〉 a great Lord as Robert of Gloucester in the Librarie of the industrious Antiquary maister Iohn Stowe writeth when king Henry the first would have married hir to his base sonne Robert she first refusing answered It were to me a great shame To have a Lord without'n his twa name whereupon the king his father gave him the name of Fitz-Roy who after was earle of Gloucester and the onely Worthy of his age To reduce surnames to a Methode is matter for a Ramist who should happly finde it to be a Typocosmie I will plainely set downe from whence the most have beene deduced as farre as I can conceive hoping to incurre no offence heerein with any person when I protest in all sinceritie that I purpose nothing lesse than to wrong any man in any respect or to make the least aspersion vpon any whosoever The end of this scribling labour tending onely to maintaine the honor of our names against some Italianated who admiring strange names doe disdainefully contemne their owne countrey names which I doubt not but I shall effect with the learned and iudicious to whom I submit all that I shall write The most surnames in number the most antient and of best accompt have been locall deduced from places in Normandy and the countries confining being either the patrimonaill possessions or native places of such as served the Conquerour or came in after out of Normandy as Aulbeny or Mortimer Warren Albigny Percy Gournay Devreux Tankervil Saint-Lo Argenton Marmion Saint Maure Bracy Maigny Nevill Ferrers Harecourt Baskervile Mortaigne Tracy Beufoe Valoyns Cayly Lucy Montfort Bonvile Bovil Auranch c. Neither is there any village in Normandy that gave not denomination to some family in England in which number are all names having the French De Du Des De-la prefixt beginning or ending with Font Fant Beau Sainct Mont Bois Aux Eux Vall Vaux Cort Court Fort Champ Vil which is corruptly turned in some into ●eld as in Ba●kerfeld Somerfeld Dangerfeld Trubl●feld Gr●●feld 〈◊〉 for B●●kervil Somervil Dangervil Turbervil Gree●●vil 〈◊〉 vil and in others into Well as Boswell for B●ssevil 〈◊〉 for Freschevil As that I may note in passage the 〈◊〉 Nobilitie take their names from places adding Ski or Ki thereunto Out of places in Britaine came the families of Saint Aubin Mor●ey D●nant lately called Denham D●le Bal●● Conquest Valtort Lascells Bluet c. Out of other partes of Fraunce from places of the same names came Courtney Corby B●ll●in Crevecuer Sai●t-Leger Bohun Saint George Saint Andrew Chaworth Sainct Qu●●ti● Gorges Villiers Cromar Paris Reims Cressy Fines 〈◊〉 Coignac Lyons Chalons Chaloner Estampes or Stampes and many more Out of the Netherlands came the names of Levayne Gaunt Ipres Bruges Malines Odingsells Tournay Doway Buers Beke and in latter ages Dabridgecourt Robsert M●●y Grand●son c. From places in England and Scotland infinite likewise For every towne village or hamlet hath made names to families as Darbyshire Lancaster do not looke that I should as the Nomenclators in olde time marshall every name according to his place Essex Murray Clifford Stafford Barkley Leigh Lea Hasting Hamleton Gordon Lumley Douglas Booths Clinton Heydon Cleydon Hicham Henningham Popham Ratcliffe Markham Seaton Framingham Pagrave Cotton Cari● Hume Poinings Goring Prideaux Windsor Hardes Stanhope Sydenham Needehaus Dimoc Wi●nington Allington D●cre Thaxton Whitney Willoughby Apseley Crew Kniveton Wentworth Fa●shaw Woderington Manwood Fetherston Penrudock Tremaine Trevoire Killigrew Roscarroc Carminow and most families in Cornewall of whome I have heard this Rythme By Tre Ros Pol Lan Caer and Pen You may
have borrowed their names from their situation and other respectes yet some with apt terminations have their names from men as Edwarston Alfredston Vbsford Malmesbury corruptly for Maidu●p●sbury But these names were from fore-names or Christian names and not fro● Surnames For Ingulphus plainely sheweth that W●burton and Leffrington were so named because two knights Wiburt and Leofric there sometimes inhabited But if any should affirme that the Gentlemen named Le●frington Wiburton Lancaster or Leicester Bossevill or Shordich gave the names to the places so named I woulde humbly without preiudice crave respite for a further day before I beleeved them And to say as I thinke verily when they shall better advise themselves and marke well the terminations of these and such like Locall names they will not presse me ov●r eagrely heerein Notwithstanding certaine it is that Surnames of families have beene adioyned to the names of places for distinction or to notifie the owner as Melton Mowbray Higham Ferrers Minster-L●vel Stansted Rivers Drayton-Basset Drayton-Beauchamp c. for that they were the possessions of Mowbray Ferrers Level c. Neither do I denie but some among vs in former time aswell as now dreaming of immortalitie of their names have named their houses after their owne names as Camois-Court Hamons Bretts Bailies Theobaldes whenas now they have possessors of other names And the olde verse is and alwayes will be verified of them which a right worshipfull friend of mine not long since writ vpon his new house Nunc mea mox ●uius sed posteà nescio cuius Neither must all having their names from places suppose that their Auncestors were either Lordes or possessors of them but may assure themselves that they originally came from them or were borne at them But the Germans and Polonians doe cleare this errour by placing In before the Locall names if they are possessours of the place or Of if they onelie were borne at them as Martinus Cromerus noteth The like also seemeth to be in vse in the Marches of Scotland for there you shall have Trotter of Folshaw and Trotter in Fogo Haitly of Haitly and H●●ly in Haitly Whereas since the time of king Henry the third the Princes children tooke names from their natall places as Edward of Carnarvon Thomas of Brotherton Ioann● of Acres ●●dmund of Woodstocke Iohn of Gaunt who named his children by Cath. Swinford Beaufort of the place wher they wer born● u● nothing to our purpose to make further mentiō of thē whenas they never desc●nded to their posteritie After this locall names the most names in number have beene derived from Occupations or Professions as Taylor Potter Smith Sadler Arblaster that is Balistarius Archer Taverner Chauser i. Hosier Weaver Pointer Painter Walker ●d est Fuller in olde English Baker Baxter Boulengem all one in signification Collier Carpenter Ioyner Salter Armorer Spicer Grocer Monger id est Chapman Brower Brasier Webster Wh●eler Wright Cartwright Shipwright Banister id est Balneator Forbisher Farrar Goff id est Smyth in Welsh And most which end in Er in our tongue as among the Latines Artifice●s names have arius as lu●tcariarius vestiarius calcearius c. or eo or ●o for th●ir termi●ations as Linteo Pellio Phrygio Neither was there any trade craft arte profession occupation never so meane but had a name among vs commonly ending in Er and men accordingly denominated but some ●re worne out of vse and therefore the significatio●● vnknowne and other have beene mollified ridiculously by the bearers lest they should seeme vilified by them And yet the like names were amōg the noblest Romans as Figul●s Pictor Fabritius Scribon●●s Sal●●tor Rusticus Agricola Carbo ●unarius c. And who can deny but they so named may be Gentlemen if Virtue which is the soule of Gentrie shall ennoble them and Virtus as one saieth Nulli pralusa est omnibus patet Albeit Doctour Turner in a Booke against Stephan Cardiner saieth the contrary exemplifying of their owne names At which time wise was the man that tolde my Lord Bishop that his name was not Gardiner as the English pronounce it but Gardiner vvith the French accent and therefore a Gentleman Hitherto may be referred many that end in Man as Tubman Carreman Coachman F●rriman Clothman Chapman Spelman id est Learned man Palf●iman Horsman c. Many have beene assumed from offices as Chambers Chamberlaine Cooke Spenser that is Steward Marshall Latimer that is Interpretour Staller that is Constable or Standard-bearer Reeve Wo●dreeve Sherif● Sergeant Parker Foster that is Nourisher Forraster contractly Forster Hunter Kempe that is Souldier in olde English for Alfricus translateth T●ro Yong-Kempe Faulconer Fowler Page Butler Clarke Proctor Abbot Frier Monke Priest Bishop Spigurnell that is a sealer of Writs which office was hereditarie for a time to the Bohunes of Midherst Deacon Deane Bailive Franklin Leach Warder i. Keeper frō th●nce Woodward Millward Steward Dooreward tha●● Porter Beareward Heyward Hereward that is Conserver of the armie Bond that is Paterfamilias as it is in the booke of olde termes belonging sometimes to Saint Augustine in Canterbury and we retaine it in the compound Husb●nd In which booke also Horden is interpreted a Steward Names also have beene taken of honours dignities or estate as King Duke Prince Lord Baron Knight Valuasor or Vavasor Squire Castellan partly for that their ancestours were such served such acted such parts or were Kings of the Beane Christmas Lords c. And the like names we reade among the Greeks and Romans as Basi●us Archias Archel●● Regulus Servius Flaminius Caesarius Augustulus who notwithstanding were neither Kings Priests Dukes or Caesars Others from the qualities of the minde as Good Through good Goodman Goodchild Wise Hardie Plaine Light Meeke Bold Best Prowd Sharpe Still Sweete Speede Quicke Sure c. As those old Saxon names Shire that is Cleere Dyre that is Welbeloved Blith that is merry Drury that is jewell Also these French names Galliard that is Frolicke Musard that is Delayer Bland that is Fairespoken Coigne that is Valiant Baud that is Pleasant Barrat Kus Rush that is Subtile and so is Prat in the old booke of Petreborrough Huttin that is Mutiner As among the Grecians Agathias A●dragathius Sophocles Eubulus Eumenius Thraseas Among the Romans Prudentius Lepidus Cato ` Pius Valeus Constans Asper Tacitus Dulcitius c. And accordingly names were borrowed as Plutarch saieth from the nature of the man from his actions from some marke forme or deformitie of his body as Macrinus that is Long Torquatus that is Chained Sulla that is White and Red And in like sort Mnemon that is Mindefull Grypus that is Hawkes-nose Callinicus that is Faire Victor From the habit●des of body and the perfections or imperfections thereof many names have beene imposed as Strong Ar●●strong Long Low Short Broad Bigge Little Speed Faire Goodbody Free body ●●ll that is Faire Bell●t that is Bel●ulus proper in French Helder that is Thinne Heile that is Healthfull
Geffrey the sonne of Robert Fitz-Maldred and Isabel his wife heire of the Norman house of the Nevilles tooke the name of Nevill and left it to his posteritie which was spread into very manie honourable families of England In like manner the sonne of Ioscelin of Lovan a yoonger sonne to the Duke of Brabant when he had married Agnes the onely daughter of William Lord Percy so named of Percy forrest in the county of Maen from whome they came and not of piercing the king of S●●ts through the 〈◊〉 as H●ct●r B●●tius fableth his sonne and posteritie vppon a composition with the same Lady tooke her name of Percy but retained theyr olde coate armour to shew from whome they descended So Adam de Montgomery marrying the daughter and heire of Carew of Molesford her sonne relinquishing his owne left to his posteritie his mothers name Carew from whom the Barons Carew the Carews of Haccomb of Berry of Authony Beddington c. have had their names and originall Likewise Ralph Gernon marrying the daughter of Cavendish or Candish left that name to his issue as Th Talbot a learned Genealogist hath prooved So Robert Meg the great favourite of king Iohn took the name of Braybrooke whereof his mother was one of the heires So sir Iohn de Haudlow marrying the daughter and heire of the Lorde Burnell his posteritie tooke the name of Burnell So sir Tibauld Russell tooke the name of De Gorges to him and his issue for that his mother was sister and one of the heirs of Ralfe de Gorges as it appeareth in the controversie betweene Warbleton and the saide Tibauld de Corges for the coate of Armes Lozengy Or and Azure 21. of Edward the third before Henry Earle of Lancaster and others at the siege of Saint Margaret Not many years since when Iames H●rsey had married the daughter of De-Le-vale of Northumberland his issue tooke the name of De-la-vale Heerevnto may they also bee referred who changed their names in remembrance of their Progenitours being more honourable as the sonnes of Geffrey Fitz-Petre tooke the name of Magnavilla or Mandevile when they came to be Earles of Essex because their grandmother Beatrix was of the house of Mandevile as appeareth by the Abby booke of Walden So Thomas de Molton tooke the name of Lucy and many other which I omit Others also have taken the name of them whose lands they had As when King Henry the first gave the lands of the attainted Robert Moubray Earle of Northumberland being 120. Knights fees in Normandy and 140. in England to Nigall or N●●le de 〈…〉 who in the battell at 〈◊〉 tooke Robert Duke of 〈◊〉 prisoner he commanded withall that his posteritie should take the Surname of Mo●bray which they accordingly did and retained the same as long as the issue male continued which determined in Iohn Mo●bray Duke of Norfolke in the time of King Edward the fourth whose heires were married into the families of Howard and Barkeley Remembrance of benefits made others to change their names as William Mortimer descended from those of Richards Castle tooke the name of La-Zouch and named his sonne Alan de la-Zouch for some favour received from the Lord Zouch of Ashby de la-Zouch as appeareth by Inquisition 11. 21. Ed. 3. In respect of adoption also very many in all ages have changed their names I neede not particulate it for all know it Some of their owne dislike of their names have altered them for as I have read in the booke of Fornesse William Fitz-Gilbert Baron of Kendall obtained licence of King Henry the second to change his name and call himselfe and his posteritie Lancaster from whom the Lancasters in Westm●rlaud c. are descended Heerevpon some thinke that without the Kings licence new names cannot be taken or old names given away to others Yet Tiraquell the great Civilian of France in Leg. quin. Conub Tit. 92. seemeth to incline that both name and Armes may be transferred by will and testament and produceth Augustus who by his Testament commanded Tiberius and Livia to beare his name How in former times Herevile Dunvile Clauwowe gave and granted away their Armes which are as silent names distinctions of families and the same was thought vnlawfull afterward when the Lord 〈◊〉 would have done the same shall be declared in more convenient place But the inconvenience of change of names hath beene discovered to be such in France that it hath beene pr●pounded in 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 that it should not be permitted but in these two respects eyther when one should bee made heire to any with especiall words to assume the name of the testatour or when any one should have a donation surmounting a thousand crownes vpon the same condition But to retyre to our purpose Not a few have assumed the names of their fathers Baronies as in former times the issue of Richard Fitz-Gilbert tooke the name of Clare which was their Barony and in late time since the Suttons came to the Barony of Dudley all their issue tooke the name of Dudleyes that I may omit others The dislike of others hath caused also a change of names for King Edward the first disliking the iteration of Fitz commanded the Lord Iohn Fitz-Robert a most ancient Baron whose Ancestours had continued their Surnames by their fathers Christian names to leave that manner and to be called Iohn Clavering which was the capitall seate of his Barony And in this time many that had followed that course of naming by Fitz tooke them one setled name and retained it as Fitz Walter and others Also at that time the names of Thomson Richardson Willson and other of that forme began to be setled which before had varied according to the name of the father Edward the fourth likewise as I have heard loving some whose name was Picard would often tell them that hee loved them well but not their names wherevpon some of them changed their names and I have heard that one of them which tooke the name of Ruddle being the place of his birth in that respect And in late yeares in the time of King Henry the eight an ancient worshipfull gentleman of Wales being called at the panniell of Iury by the name of Thomas Ap William Ap Thomas Ap Richard Ap Hoel Ap Evan Vaghan c. was advised by the Iudge to leave that old manner Wherevpon he after called himselfe Moston according to the name of his principall house and left that Surname to his posterity Offices have brought new names to divers families as when Edward Fitz-Th●●bald of Ireland the Earles of Ormond and others descended from them tooke the name of Butler So the distinct families of the Constables in the County of Yorke are saide to have taken that name from some of their Ancestours which bare the office of Constables of some Castles In Like manner the Stewards Marshalls Spencers That I may say nothing of such as for well acting on the stage have carried
lieth such addition should be to the name of the Defendant to shew his estate mysterie and place where he dwelleth and that such Writts shall abate if they have not such additions if the Defendant do take exception thereat they shall not abate by the office of the court Also Duke Marquesse Earle or Knight be none of that addition but names of dignitie which should have beene given before the statute Aud this was ordained by the sayde statnte made in the first yeare of king Henry the seaventh chap. 5. to the intent that one man may not be grieved or troubled by the vtlary of an other but that by reason of the certaine addition every man might be certainely knowne and beare his owne burden How the names of them which for capitall crimes against Maiestie were creazed out of the publike Records Tables and Registers or forbidden to be borne by their posteritie when their memory was damned I could shew at large but this and such like with Misnomer in our lawes and other Quidities I leave to the professours of lawes Somewhat might be said here of the adjuncts to names or titles which in most antient times were ●●ther none or most simple For Augustus was impatient to be called Domin●●● yet Domitian liked well to be called Dom ●nus Deusque and Dominus was taken vp by everie private man as appeereth by Seneca and the poore Graecian which refused that title by alluding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nevertheles it was never vsed by the Emperors from Domitian to Dioclesianus as Victor noteth but afterward it was continued by the Christian Emperors yea vpon their Coines And that which is more strange they vsed then as appeareth in the Constitutions for themselves Aeternitat nostra Perennitas nostra Numen nostrum and to their principall officers Vir illustri● Vi●●spectabilis Magnifica cellitudo Sublimis magnit●do tua Illustris magnificentia Sublim●tas Miranda sublimitas Eminentia tua Excellentia tua Praecelsa magnificentia tua c. As appeareth in the Volumes of the Civill Lawe So as I know not wh●e that Spite king Buchanan should envy lesser titles to Princes the verie Tipes of Gods maiestie yea verie Gods in earth and brand them with the marke of Seric●●● nebulones which honour Princes therewith The Romans vnder the latter Emperours had a verie curious and carefull observation in giving titles to men of reputation which as I have read were onely five Illustris was the highest appropriated to the Praefecti Praetorio of Italy and Gallia the Prafectus of the Cittie of Rome Magister Equitum Magister Peditum Quaestor Palatij Comes Largitania c. and all that had voice in the Senate Spectabil●● was the second 〈◊〉 due to the Lievtenants generall and 〈◊〉 of Provinces c. So in Notitia Provinciarum Vicarius Britanniarum Comes Littoris Saxonici per Britanni●● Dux Britanniae are st●●ed Viri spectabiles Clarissimus was the third title peculiar onelie to the Consulares Correctores and Praesides of Provinces Perfectissimus was the fourth Egregius the fift And as Clarissimus was a title to those great officers above specified so no other could have that as neither of Perfectissimus and Egregius but graunted by Patents And in that age as it is in the Code of Theodosius Titulo Vt Dignitatem ordo servetur Si quis indebitum sibi locum vsurpaverit nulla seignoratione defendat sitque planè sacrilegij reus Amongst vs the Kings had these adiuncts when they were written and spoken vnto Gloriosus Gloriosissimus Pracellentissimus Charissimus Dominus Rex illustris lately Potentissimus Invictissimus Serenissimus Our ●ege Lord Our Soveraigne Our Dread Soveraigne c. As for Grace it beganne about the time of Henry the fourth Excellent Grace vnder Henry the sixt High and mighty Prince vnder Edward the fourth And Maiestie which first beganne to the Roman Emperours about the time of Gallienus came hither in the time of King Henry the eight as Sacred Maiestie lately in our memory Whereas among Christians it was appli●ble onely in former ages to God as among the old Romans to the Goddesse Maiestie the daughter of Honour and Reverence Among other men in former ages D●n corrupted from Dominus was the greatest attribute both to Spi●ituall and Temporall and afterward Worshipfull and Right Worshipfull hath been thought convenient among vs for the great Dukes and Fa●les but wee nowe beginne so to overlade men with additions as Spaniardes did lately vntill they were restrained by the Pragmaticall 1586. At which time Pasquil at Rome being demanded why Philip of Spaine had so taken away all titles from all sortes of men aunswered merrily albeit not religiously That it may be verified of him which is saide Tu solus Do●●inus tu solus altissimus in respect of his voluminous long Title which will ●i●e the Reader Thus farre had I proceeded in names when it was hie time to stay for I am advertised that there is one which by Arte Trochilick will drawe all English surnames of the best families out of the pitte of Poetrie as Bourchier from Busyris the tyrant of Aegypt Percy from flying Perseus Darcy from Dircaus Apollo Lee from Laetus turned into a Swanne in Ovid Iakeson from Iason well hee may satisfie them herein whom I cannot As for my selfe I acknowledge that I cannot satisfie neither them nor my selfe in all particularities and well therefore I doe like h●m that said He dooth not teach well which teacheth all leaving nothing to subtill wittes to sift out And sure I am scrupulous Diligence lieth open to Envie But for such as wil not be content with that which is said I wish sir Iohn de Bilbao would coniure vp William Ockam the father of the Nominalles as Appion did Homer for their better satisfaction heerein Meane while I desire no man will take offence at any thing heere spoken when as I have beene so farre from giving offence that I dare protest it in that solemne auntient forme Superos Sydera testor Hating it in others and condemning it in my selfe even vnto the bottomles pitt of hell Allusions I Will now present vnto you a few extracts out of names I feare you will call them foolish foppe●●es but call them what you please I hope a little folly may be pardonable in this our so wise an age Out of Names the busie wit of man continually working hath wrought vpon liking or dislike Allusions very common in all ages and among all men Rebus 〈…〉 ages both with learned and vnlearned and Anagramme● though long since invented yet rare in this our refined times In all which I will briefly shew our Nation hath beene no lesse pregnant then those Southerne which presume of wits in respect of 〈◊〉 Afterward somewhat shall be said of Armes which as silent names distinguish families An Allusion is as it were a d●lliance or playing with words like in sound vnlike in sence by changing adding or substracting a
Fie fie for shame let me heare no more such vnseemely speeches but rather suppliantly pray vnto my Almightie Maker that in this life and in the life to come I may seeme worthy to be his servant When hee sought by severe edicts to abolish all heathenish superstition and laboured by godly lawes to establish the true religion and service of Christ yea and vncessantly endevoured to draw men vnto the faith perswading reproving praying intreating in time out of time publikely and privately he one day said merrily yet truly vnto the Bishop that he had bidden to a banquet As ye be Bishops within the Church so may I also seeme to be a Bishop out of the Church He disswading one from covetousnes did with his lance draw out the length and bredth of a mans grave saying This is all that thou shalt have when thou art dead if thou canst happily get so much He made a law that no Christian should be bondman to a Iew and if that any Iew did buy any Christian for his slave hee should bee fined therefore and the Christian enfranchised adding this reason That it stoode not with equitie that a Christian should be slave vnto the murderers of Christ Ethelbert King of Kent was hardly induced to imbrace Christian Religion at the perswasion of Augustine sent to convert the English Nation but at length being perswaded and desirous to be baptized said Let vs come also to the King of Kings and giver of Kingdomes it may redound to our shame that we which are first in authoritie should come list to Christianitie But I doe beseech that true King that he would not respect the precedence in time but devotion of my m●nde Ioscelinus When Paulinus brought vnto Edwin king of Northumberland the glad tidings of the salvation of mankinde by Christ and preached the Gospel vnto the king and his Nobilitie zealously and eloquently opening vnto them the mysteries of our faith and precepts of Christian Religion one of the Lords thus spake vnto the King but some now happily will smile at this speach We may ●●ely compare mans state vnto this little Robbin-redbrest that is now in this cold weather heere in the wa●me chamber chirpeng and singing merrily and as long as she shall remaine heere wee shall see and vnderstand how she doeth but anone when she shall be flowne hence abroad into the wide world and shall be forced to feele the bitter stormes of hard winter we shall not know what shall become of her So likewise we see how men fare as long as they live among vs but after they be dead neither wee nor our Religion have any knowledge what becomes of them Wherefore I do thinke it wisedome to give care vnto this man who seemeth to shew vs not onely what shall become of vs but also how we may obtaine overlasting life heereafter Beda When Rodoald king of the East Angles being wonne with rewards was shamefully minded to have delivered vnto Edelfride the king of Northumberland the innocent Prince Edwin who had fled vnto him to be saved from the bloodie hands of Edelfride who had vnlawfully bereaft him of his kingdome His wife turned his intent by telling him that It stoode not with the high and sacred state of a King to buy and sell the bodies of men as it were a peti●chapman or that which is more dishonourable slave-like to sell away his faith a thing which hee ought to hold more precious then all the gold and gemmes of the whole world yea and his owne life Beda Ina King of West-Saxons had three daughters of whom vpon a time he demanded whether they did love him and so would do during their lives above all others the two elder sware deepely they would the yongest but the wisest told her father flatly without flattery That albest she did love honour and reverence him and so would whilst she lived as much as nature and daughterly dutie at the vttermost could expect Yet she did thinke that one day it would come to passe that she should affect another more servently meaning her husband when she were married Who being made one flesh with her as God by commaundement had told and nature had taught h●r she was to cleave fast to forsaking father and mother kisse and kinne Anonymus One referreth this to the daughters of king Leir Imperious was that speech of Theodore the Grecian Archbishop of Canterbury in depriving a poore English Bishop Although we can charge you with nothing yet that we w●●l we wi●l like to that Sie volo sic ●ubeo stat pro ratione voluntas But humble was the English Bishops reply Paul appealed from the Iewes to Caesar and I from you to Christ Vita S. Wilfredi The reverend Bede whome wee may more easily admire than sufficiently praise for his profound learning in a most barbarous age when he was in the pangs of death saide to the standers by I have so lived among you that I am not ashamed of my life neither feare I to die because I have a most gratious Redeemer Hee yeelded vp his life with this praier for the Church O King of glory Lorde of Hostes which hast triumphantly ascended into heaven leave vs not fatherlesse but send the promised spirit of thy trueth amongest vs. Some write that hee went to Rome and interpreted there S P Q R in derision of the Gothes swarming to Reme Stultus Populus Quaerit Roman and that in his returne hee died at Genoa where they shew his toombe But certaine it is that he was sent for to Rome by Sergius the Pope and more certaine that hee died at Weremouth and from thence was translated to Durham And that I may incidently note that which I have heard Not manie yeeres since a French Bishop returning out of Scotland comming to the Church of Durham and brought to the shrine of Saint Cu●hbert kneeled downe and after his devotions offered a Baubie saying Sancte Cuthberte si sanctus si● ora pro me But afterward being brought vnto the Toombe of Bed● saying likewise his Orisons offered there a French crowne with this alteration Sancte Beda quia sanctus es ora pro me Iohannes Erigena surnamed Scotus a man renowned for learning sitting at the Table in respect of his learning with Charles the bawld Emperour and King of Fraunce behaved himselfe as a slovenly Scholler nothing Courtly whereupon the Emperour asked him merrily Quid interest inter Scotum Sotum What is betweene a Scot and a Sot Hee merrily but yet malapertly aunswered Mensa The Table as though the Emperour were the Sot and hee the Scot. Rog Hovede●us On an other time the Emperour did serte downe vnto him a dish with two faire great fishes and one little one willing him to be carver vnto two other Schollers that fate beneath him Then Maister Iohn who was but a little man layed the two great fishes vppon his owne trencher and set downe the one little fish vnto the other two
to stumble with one foot that he almost kissed the ground but with the other legge he recovered himselfe and saved the wine whereat his father Godwyn Earle of Kent who then dined with the King smiling sa●d Now one brother did helpe another At this word although spoken proverbially the Kings blood beganne to rise thinking how shamefully they had murdered his brother Alfrede and angerly answered And so might my brother have beene a helpe to me if it had pleased you VitaS Edwards The same king Edward passing out of this life commended his wise to the Nobilitie and said That she had carried her selfe as his wife abroad but as his sister or daughter at home Afterward seeing such as were present weeping and lamenting for him he said If you loved me you would for beare weeping and reioyce because I go to my father with whom I shall receive the ioyes promised to the faithfull not through my merits but by the free mercy of my Saviour which sheweth mercy on whom he pleaseth Eilredus Rivallensis Sywarde the martiall Earle of Northumberland feeling in his sicknes that he drew towards his end arose out of his bed and put on hi● Armour saying That it became not a valiant man to die lying like a beast and so he gave vp the Ghost standing As valiantly both spoken and performed as it was by Vespasian When the said Siward vnderstood that his sonne whom he had sent in service against the Scottishmen was staine he demaunded whether his wound were in fore part or hinder pa●t of his body when it was answered in the fore part he replied I am right glad neither wish any other death to me or mine Hen. Hunt●ngdon In this age when a Bishop living loosely was charged that his conversation was not according to the Apostles lives he made a mocke at it and excus●d himselfe with this verse which was after taken vp for a common excuse in that behalfe Nunc aliud tempus a●●j pro tempere m●res Anonymus When the fatall period of the Saxon Empire was now complete and battells were marshalled betweene William Duke of Normandy and Harold King of England Girthe Haroldes yonger brother not holding it best to hazard the kingdome of England at one cast signified to the King that the succ●sse of warre was doubtfull that victory was swayed rather by fortune than by valour that advised delay was most important in Martiall affaires and if so bee brother said he You have plighted your faith to the Duke retyre your selfe for no force can serve against a mans owne conscience God will revenge the violation of an ●the You may reserve your selfe to give them a new encounter which will be more to their terrour As for me if you will commit the charge to me I will performe both the part of a kinde brother and a couragious Leader For being cleare in conscience I shall sell my life or discomfit your enemy with more felicitie But the King not liking his speech answered I will never turne my backe with dishonour to the Norman neither can I in any sort disgest the reproach of a base minde Wel then be it so said some discontented of the company let him beare the brunt that hath given the occasion Anonymus VVIlliam Conquerour when he invaded this Iland chanced at his arrivall to be graveled and one of his feete stacke so fast in the sand that he fell to the ground Wherewithall one of his attendants caught him by the arme and helped him vp saying Stand vp my ●iege Lord and be of good cheare for now you have taken fast footing in England and then espying that he brought vp sand and earth in his hand added Yea and you have taken livery and seisin of the Country For you know that in delivering of livery and seisin a peece of the earth is taken Hist Normanica A Wizard or a Wise-man as they then called them had fore-told William that he should safely arrive an England with his whole Armie without any impeachment of Harold the which after it came it passe the King sent for the Wizard to conferre further with him But when it was told him that he was drowned in that ship which onely of all the whole fleete miscarried The Conquerour said He would never make account of that science that profited more the ignorant then the skilfull therein for he could fore-see my good fortune but not his owne mishap Idem That morning that he was to ioyne battell with Harold his atmorer put on his backe-peece before and his breast-plate behinde the which being espied by some that stood by was taken on them for an ill token and therefore advised him not to fight that day to whom the Duke answered I force not of such fooleries but if I have any skill 〈◊〉 South-saying as in sooth I have none it doth prognosticate that I shall change copie from a Duke to a King Idem Magike in the time of Ner● was discovered to be but a vanitie in the declining state of the Roman Empire accounted by the Gentiles a verity in the time of Hildebrand if we beleeve Authors so approoved that it was commonly practised For as in the time of Vale●s divers curious men as hath beene said by the falling of a ring Magically prepared vpon the letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iudged that one Theodorus should succeede in the Empire when indeede Theodosius did So when Hildebrand was Pope by like curiosities it was found that Odo should succcede Wherevppon Odo Earle of Kent and Bishop of Bayeux brother to king William the Conquerour devoured the Papacy in hope sent mony his perswading messengers to Rome perchased a pallace there and prepared thitherward when king William for his presumption and other his misdemenours staied him and committed him saying Offensive foole-hardines must be timely restrained Liber Cadomensis When the same Od● who was both Bishop of Bai●ux in Normandy and Earle of Kent in former time had so disloyally carried himselfe against king William the Conquerour that he complained of him to his Lords Lanfranc Archbishop of Canterbury advised the King to commit him But what say you● quoth the King whenas he is a Clergyman You may not saide he commit the Bishop of Baieux but you may well 〈◊〉 the Earle of Kent W Malmsbur Like vnto this was that distinction of Piramus Secretary to Charles the fift in late yeares when Pope Iulius the second did combine with the French king against the Emperour of the Popes honesty and Iulius dishonesty This King William by reason of sickenes kept his chamber a long time whereat the French King scoffing saide The King of England heth long in childe-bed Which when it was reported vnto King William hee aunswered When I am churched there shal be a thousand lights in France alluding to the lights that women vsed to beare when they were churched and that hee performed within few dayes after wasting the French frontires with fire and sword The
backe vnto his flocke Whereuppon the King sent vnto the Pope the armour that he was taken in and willed his Ambassadour to vse the words of Iacobs sonnes vnto their father when they had solde away their brother Ioseph Hanc invenimus vide vtrum tunica filij tui sit an 〈◊〉 This wee found see whether it be the coate of thy sonne or no. Nay quoth the Pope it is not the coate of my sonne nor of my brother but some impe of Mars and let him procure his deliverie of he will for I wil be no meane for him When the French king and king Richard the first beganne to parlee of peace his brother Iohn who had falsely and vnnaturally revolted vnto the French king fearing himselfe came in of his owne accord and suppliantly besought Richard brotherly to pardon his manifolde offences that he had vnbrotherly committed against him hee rehersed the straight league of brotherly piety he recounted the many merits of his brother he bewailed with teares that hitherto he had beene vnmindefull of them as an vnnaturall and vnthankefull person Finally that hee dooth live and shall live hee dooth acknowledge that hee hath received it at his handes The king being mollified with this humble submission saide God graunt that I may as easily forget your offences as you may remember wherein you have offended IN the wofull warres with the Barons when king Iohn was viewing of the Castle of Rochester held against him by the Earle of Arundel he was espied by a very good Arcubalister who tolde the Earle thereof and saide that hee would soone dispatch the cruell tyrant if he would but say the word God forbid vile varlet quoth the Earle that we should procure the death of the holy one of God What saide the souldier he would not spare you if hee had you at the like advantage No matter for that quoth the Earle Gods good wil be done and be wil dispose and not the King Math Paris When one about him shewed him where a noble man that had rebelliously borne armes against him lay verie honourably intoombed and advised the king to deface the monument he said No no but I would al the rest of mine enemies were as honourably buried Idem When diverse Greekes came hither and offered to proove that there were cettaine ●rrours in the Church of England at that time hee reiected them saying I will not suffer our faith established to be called in question with doubtful disputations Fragm antiquum aeditum à P. Pithaeo Yet when the saide king Iohn sawe a fatie Bucke haunched he saide to the standers by See how faire and fatte this Bu●ke is and yet hee never heard Masse all his life long But this may be forged to his disgrace by the envious Math. Paris IN a solemne conference betweene king Henry the third of England and Saint Lewes king of France the onely devout kings of that age when the French king saide He had rather heare Sermons than heare Masses Our king replied which some will smile at now but according to the learning of that time That he had rather see his loving friend meaning the reall presence in the Sacrament than to heare never so much good of him by others in sermons This I note because it was then thought facetious which I doubt not but some wil now condemne as superstitious G●●l Rishanger Pecham that Opticall Archbishop of Canterbury who writte Perspectiva Communis when Pope Gregorie the tenth who had created him Archbishop commaunded him to pay foure thousand markes within foure moneths vnder paine of excommunication hee that came vnto the See then deepely indebted saide Beholde you have created me and as a creature doth desire to be perfected by his creator so I doe in my oppressions flie vnto your Holmesse to be recreated Archiep. Cantuar. Sewall Archbishop of Yorke much agrieved with some practises of the Popes collectors in England tooke all patiently and saide I will not with Cha● discover the nakednes of my father but cover and conceale it with Sem. As Constantine the Great saide that hee would cover the faults of Bishops and Fathers of the Church with his Imperiall robe Mat. Paris Pope Innocentius the fourth when he offered the kingdome of Sicil and Naples to Richard Earle of Cornewall with many impossible conditions You might as well say de the Earles Agent at Rome say to my Lord and Maister I sell or give you the Moone climbe vp catch is and take it Anonymus qui incipit Rex Pictorum Alexander successor to Innocentius sent vnto the saide Earle Richard to borrow a great masse of money but the Earle answered I wil not lend to my superior uppon whome I cannot distraine for the debts This Richard is reported by the saide Author to have had so great treasure that hee was able to dispend for tenne yeeres an hundred markes a day which according to the Standard of that time was no small summe Idem In the raigne of king Henry a Bishop of London sto●●ly withstoode the Popes Nunci● that would have levied exactions of the Cleargie Whereupon the N●●ci● complained vnto the king who shortly menaced the Bishop and tolde him he would cause the Pope to plucke his peacockes toile but the Bishop boldely answered the King that the Pope and he being too strong for him might bereave him of his bishoprick by might but never by right and that although they tooke away his Mitre yet they would leave him his Helmet Lib. Cantuar. Wicked rather than wittie is that of a Deane high treasurer of England that had demeaned himselfe so well in his office that when he died he made this wicked will I bequeathe all my goodes and possessions vnto my liege Lords the King my body to the earth and my soule to the divell Idem VVHen Edward the first heard of the death of his onely sonne hee tooke it grievously as a father but patiently as a wise man But when hee vnderstoode shortely after of the departure of his father king Henry the third he was wholy deiected and comfortlesses whereat when Charles king of Sicile with whome he then soiourned in his returne from the holy land greatly marvelled He satisfied him with this God may send more sonnes but the death of a father is irrecoverable Wa●singham This is that king Edward the first who as in lineaments of body he surpassed all his people being like Saul higher than any of them so in prudence conioyned with valour and industry he excelled all our Princes giving ther by sure ankerholde to the governement of this realme waving vp and downe before most vncertainely Which hee effected not so much by establishing good lawes as by giving life vnto his lawes by due execution And as my Author saith Iudices potissimùm iudicans quos constituit indices aliorum Who addeth also this of him Nem● in consilijs illo argutior in eloqu●● torrenti●r in periculis socurior in prosperis ●●uti●r in adversis
constanti●r Commendatie lamentabilis in transi●n Regis Edw pri●● Whereas the kings of England before his time vsed to weare their Crowne vpon all solemne feast dayes he first omitted that custome saying merrily That Crownes doe rather ●nerate than honour Princes Idem tractatus When a simple religious man seeing him meanely attired wondering thereat asked him why hee beeing so potent a Prince ware so simple a sute he answered Father Father you know how God regardeth garments What can I doe more in royall robes than in this my gabbardine Idem When the Cleargie pretending a discharge by a 〈◊〉 lately made at the Councell held at Lyons in Fra●●● would contribute nothing to the temporall necessities of King Edward hee saide vnto them in parliament Seeing you doe refuse to helpe me I will also refuse to help you c. If you deny to pay tribute to me as vnto your Prince I will refuse to protect you as my subiects and therefore if you be spoyled robbed mai●●ed and nurthered seeke for no succourner defence of me or mine The Pope sent an Iniunction vnto the same Edward the which was delivered vnto him in one of his iornies against the fautors of Iohn Balleal king of Scotland the tenour of it was that he should surcease to disquiet the Scottes which were an exempt nation and properly appertaining to the Roman Chappell wherefore the citty of Ierusalem could not but defend her Cittizens and helpe them that did trust in the Lord like mount Si●● Hee hadde no sooner read it but rapping out an othe saide I will not holde my peace for Syon nor Ierusalems rest as long as there is breath in my bodie but wil prosecute my iust right knowne vnto all the world and defend is to the death Tho Walsing ham When Iohn Earle of Ath●ll nobly descended who had with other murthered Iohn Co●●in was apprehended by king Edward the first and some intreated for him The king answered The higher his calling is the greater must his fall be and as he is of higher parentage so he shal be the higher hanged which accordingly was performed for he was hanged on a gallowes fiftie foote high Florilegus Whenas in siege of the Castle of Strivelin in Scotland king Edward the first by his over-forwardnesse was often endaungered some advised him to have more regarde to his person hee aunswered them with that of David in the Psalme A thousand shall fall as my fide and tenne thousand at my right hand but it shall not come neere me Florilegus When the learned Lawyers of the realme were consulted in a cause by him and after long consultation did not satisfie him hee saide as kings impatient of delayes may be bolde with their Lawyers My Lawyers are long advising and never advised Florilegus As for other speeches of his I wittingly and willingly overpasse Eleanor wife to king Edward the first a most vertuous and wise woman when hee tooke his long and dangerous voyage into the holy land would not be disswaded to tarrie at home but woulde needes accompany him saying Nothing must part them whome God hath ioyned and the way to heaven is as neare in the holy land if not nearer as in England or Spaine This worthy Queene maketh mee remember Eubulus a scoffing Comicall Greeke Poet which curseth himselfe if ever hee opened his mouth against women inferring albeit Medea were wicked yet Penelope was peerelesse if Clytemnestra were naught yet Alcestes was passing good if Ph●dra were damnable yet there was an other laudable But heere saith he I am at a stand of good women I finde not one more but of the wicked I remember thousandes Beshrew this scoffer yee good wives all and let his curse fall vpon him for of your kinde may many a million bee found yea of your owne country and that I may reserve other to a fitter place I will shew vnto you a rare example in this Queene of England a most loving and kinde wife out of Rodericus Sanctius not mentioned by our Historians When king Edward the first was in the holy land hee was stabbed with a poysoned dagger by a Sarazen and through the rancor of the poyson the wound was iudged incurable by his Physitions This good Queene Eleanor his wife who had accompanied him in that iourney endangering her owne life in loving affection saved his life and eternized her owne honour For she daily and nightly sucked out the ranke poyson which love made sweete to her and thereby effected that which no Arte durst attempt to his safety her ioy and the comfort of all England So that well woorthy was shee to be remembred by those Grosses as monuments which in steade of Statues were erected by her husband to hir honour at Lincolne Gr●●tham Stanford Goddington Northampton St●●y Straford Dunstaple Saint Albanes Waltham and Westminster called Charing crosse all adorned with her Armes of Castile Leon and Pontive Robert Winchelsey the Archbishop of Canterbury was banished by king Edward the first but afterward restored againe by him and all the rents that had beene sequestred during his absence repayed him whereby he became the richest Archbishop that had been in that feate before him Wherefore often recording his troubles hee woulde say Adversitie never burteth where no uniquity over-rule●● Liber Cantuar. William de March Lord Treasourer vnto king Edward the first caused all the treasure throughout all the land that was layed vppe in the Monasteries and Churches to be at one iustant violently taken away by military men saying It is better that money should be mooving and according to the name be currant and goe abroad to the vse of the people than resting in chests without fruits and occupation concurring in this last poynt with a Maxime of the Vsurers hall Of king Edward the second I finde nothing memorable but that which griefe and great indignitie wreasted from him when Corney and his rascall rabblements after his deposition would needes shave him on the way lest he should be knowne and rescewed They enforced him to sit downe vpon a mole hil and the knave Barber insulting told him that cold water taken out of the next ditch should serve for his trimming at that time Hee answered Whether you will or no there shall be warme water and therewithall hee shedding teares plentifully verified his words Thom de la More After the battell of Poitiers 〈◊〉 Lorde Audley was brought to the Blacke Prince in a Litter most grievously wounded for hee had carried himselfe most valiantly that day To whome the Prince with due commendations gave for his good service foure hundred markes of yeerely revenews The which hee returning to his tent gave as franckely to his foure Esquiers that attended him in the battell whereof when the Prince was advertised doubting that his gift was contemned as too little for so great good service the Lord Audley satisfied him with this answer I must doe for them who deserved best of me These my Esquiers saved my life
amiddest the ennemies And God bee thanked I have sufficient revenews left by my A●ncestours to maintaine me in your service Whereupon the Prince praising his prudence and liberalitie confirmed his gift made to his Esquiers and assigned him moreover sixe hundred markes of like land in England ●rossard William Wickham after Bishoppe of Winchester came into the service and also into the great favour of King Edward the third by beeing overseer of his great woorke at Windesor wheras before he served as a poore parish priest Wherfore he caused to be written in one of his windows This worke made Wickham Which being tolde vnto the King hee was offended with Wickham as though hee had gone about to robbe him of the glorie of that magnificent worke But when Wickham tolde him that his meaning was that that worke had beene his making and advauncement the King rested content and satisfied Vita Wiccami When the saide William Wickham as it is commonlie saide sued vnto Edward the third for the Bishoppricke of Winchester the King tolde him that hee was vnmeete for it because he was vnlearned but hee saide In recompence thereof I will make many learned men The which hee performed indeed For he founded New Colledge in Oxford and another in Winchester which houses have affoorded verie many learned men both to the Church and to the Common-wealth When Henry of Lancaster surnamed the Good Earle of Darby had taken 1341. Bigerac in Gascoigne hee gave and graunted to every souldier the house which every one should first seaze vpon with all therein A certaine souldier of his br●ke into a Mint-maisters house where hee found so great a masse of money that hee amazed therewith as a prey greater than his desert or desire signified the same vnto the Earle who with a liberall minde aunswered It is not for my state to play boyes play to give and take Take thou the money if it were thrice as much Walsingham When newes was b●ought vnto king Richard the second that his vnkles of Yorke and Gloucester the Earles of Arundell Warwicke Darby and Nottingham with other of that faction who sought to reforme the misorders of the King or rather of his wicked Counsellors were assembled in a woodde neere vnto the Court after hee had asked other mens opinions what was to be done in so weightie and doubtfull a case At length hee mernly demaunded of one sir Hugh a Linne who had beene a good militarie man in his dayes but was then somewhat distraught of his wittes what he would advise him to doe Issue out quoth sir Hugh and let vs set vppon them and stay them every mothers sonne and by Gods eyes when thou hast so done thou hast killed all the faithfull friendes that thou hast in England Anonymus KIng Henry the fourth a wise Prince who full well knew the humour of the English in his admonition to his sonne at his death saide Of Englishmen so long as they have wealth and riches so long s●alt thou have obeysance but when they be poore then they be alwayes ready to make insurrections at every motion Hall King Henry the fourth during his sickenes caused his Crowne to be set on his pillow at his beds head and sodain●ly his pangue so sore troubled him that hee lay as though his vitall spirites had beene from him departed Such chamberlaines as had the care and charge of his bodie thinking him to be dead covered his face with a linnen cloth The Prince his sonne being thereof advertised entred into the chamber and tooke away the Crowne and departed The father being sodainely revived out of his traunce quickely perceived that his Crowne was taken away and vnderstanding that the Prince his sonne had it caused him to repaire to his presence requiring of him for what cause he had so mis-used himselfe The Prince with a good audacitie answered Sir to mine and all men iudgements you seemed dead in this world wherefore I as your next and apparant heire tooke that as mine owne not as yours Well faire sonne saide the King with a great sigh what right I had to it and how I enioyed it God knoweth Well quoth the Prince if you die King I will have the garland and trust to keepe it with the Sworde against all mine enemies as you have done Hall KIng Henry the fift when he prepared warres against Fraunce the Dolphin of Fraunce sent him a present of Paris Balles in derision but hee returned for answere That he would shortly resend him London Balles which should shake Paris Walles Anonymus Angticè When King Henry the fift had given that famous overthrowe vnto the French at Agincourt hee fell downe vppon his knees and commaunded his whole armie to doe the same saying that verse in the Psalme Non nobis Domine non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam Not vnto vs O Lord not vs but vnto thy name give the glorie HEnry the sixt did take all iniuries whereof he received plenty so patiently that he not only did not seek to revenge them but Gave God thankes that hee did send them to punish his sinnes in this life that hee might escape punishment in the life to come Vita Henrici Sexti As the Emperor Fredericke the third when he heard of the death of a great noble man of Austria who lived ninety three yeeres most wickedly in fleshly pleasures and yet never once afflicted with griefe or sickenes saide This pro●veth that which Divines teach that after death there is some place where wee receive rewarde or punishment when wee see often in this worlde neyther the iust rewarded nor the wicked punished The same King Henry having in Christmasse a shew of yoong women with their bare breasts layde out presented before him hee immediately departed with these wordes Fie fie for shame forsooth you be too blame Idem He receiving on a time a great blowe by a wicked man which compassed his death hee onely sayde Forsooth forsooth yee doe fowly to smite a King annoynted Not long before his death being demaunded why hee had so long held the Crowne of England vniustly hee replied My father was King of England quietly enioying the Crowne all his raigne and his father my grandfire was also king of England and I even a childe in cradle was proclaimed and crowned King without any interruption and so held it fortie yeeres wel-neere all the states doing homage vnto mee as to my Auncestors Therefore wi●● I say with King David My lot is fallen in a faire ground I have a goodly heritage my helpe is from the Lord which saveth the vpright in heart Idem Thomas Montacute ●arle of Sarisbury when hee besieged Orleans and had so enforced it that the Inhabitants were willing to articulate and to yeelde themselves to the Duke of Burgundie then being in his company he highly disdaining it saide in the English proverbe I wil not beate the bush and another shal have the birdes Which proverbiall speech so offended the
Burgundian that it wholy alienated his minde from the English to their great losse in all the French warres following Paulus Aemilius Lib. 10. Iohn Lorde Talbot first Earle of Shrewsbury of that familie supprised vppon the sodaine by the French army at Chastilion farre from cowardly f●are of death and fatherly affected to his sonne the Lorde ●isle who woulde not forsake him in that danger advised him to f●le saying My death in respect of my former exploites can not be but honourable and in respect of thy youth neither can it be honourable for thee to die nor dishonourable to f●ie But this yong Lord in height of courage nothing degenerating from so worthy a father lost his life with his father in the field and with them a base sonne and a sonne in lawe of the sayde Earles Paulus Aemilius Lib. 10. Commentarij Pij PP 2. Lib. 6. After this battell when the flames of inward warre beganne to flash out in England the martiall men of England were called home out of Fraunce to maintaine the factions heere at which time a French Captaine scoffingly asked an English-man when they woulde returne againe into Fraunce He answered feelingly and vpon a true ground When your sinnes shal be greater and more grievous in the sight of God than ours are now ¶ Vntill this time from the beginning of King Edward the first which was about an hundred and sixtie yeeres whosoever will with a marking eie consider the comportment of the English Nation the concurrent of martiall men their Councells military discipline designs actions and exploites not onely out of our owne Writers but also forraine Historians cannot but acknowledge that they were men of especiall worth and their prowesse both great and glorious Why afterward it should decay as all other professions which even like plants have their times of beginning or in-rooting their growing vp their flourishing their maturitie and than these fading were a disquisition for the learned Whether it proceedeth from celestiall influence or those Angelles which Plato makes or the Secundei which Trith●●●ius imagined to have the regiment of the world successively or from the degenerating of numbers into summes which I confesse I vnderstand not being an ignorant in abstruse learning Onely I have read in Paterculus that when either envie or admiration hath given m●n an edge to ascend to the highest and when they can ascend no higher after a while they must naturally descend Yet I relie vpon that of Eccclesiastes as I vnderstand it Cuncta fecit bona in tempore su● Deus mundum tradidit disputationi eorum vt non inveniat home quod operatus est Deus ab initio vsque ad finem But pardon mee I cannot tell how I have beene by admiration of our Progenitours diverted from my purpose In the yeere of our Lord 1416. when a fifteene hundred English vnder the cōduct of I Beaufort erle of Derset were encompassed betweene the sea and fifteen thousand French The Erle of Arminac generall of the French sent to the Earle advising him to yeelde himselfe but hee answered It is not the manner of the English to yeelde without blowes neither am I so heartlesse that I will deliver my selfe into their handes whom God ●ay deliver into mine And accordingly God gave him the honour of the day to the great confusion of the enemy Walsingham in Ypodigmate VVHen Elizabeth the widow of sir Iohn Gray was a suter vnto King Edward the fourth against whome her husband lost his life for her ioynture the kinde King became also a suter to her vnto her for a nights lodging But she wisely answered him when hee became importunate That as she did account her selfe too base to be his wife so shee did thinke her selfe too good to be his 〈◊〉 When love grew so hote in this K. Edward the fourth that hee would needes marry the saide Elizabeth widow of sir Iohn Grey to the great discontent of his Counsell but especially of his mother who alleaging many reasons to the contrary saide That onely widowhood might be sufficient to restraine him for that it was high disparagement to a King to be dishonoured with bigamy in his first marriage The King merrily aunswered In that shee is a widdow and hath already children by Gods blessed Lady I am a batcheller and have some too and so each of vs hath a proofe that neither of vs are like to be barren And therefore Madam I pray you be content I trust in God she shal bring you forth a yong Prince that shall please you And as for the bigamy let the Bishop hardly lay it in my way when I come to take Orders for I vnderstand it is forbidden to a Priest but I never wist it yet that it was forbidden to a Prince His note love neverthelesse was partable among three other of his Mistresses of whome hee was woont to say The one was the fairest the other the merriest and the third the holiest for she had wholy devoted her selfe to his bedde and her beades When Lewes the eleaventh French King entertained diverse Councellors of king Edward the fourth with large pensions to steede him in England hee sent Peter Cleret one of the maisters of his housholde vnto the Lorde Hastings the Kings Chamberlaine to present him with twoo thousand crownes Which when he had received Petre Cleret did pray him that for his discharge he would make him an acquittance The Lorde Chamberlaine made a great difficultie thereat Then Cleret dooth request him againe that hee would give vnto him onely a letter of three lines for his discharge to the King signifying that hee had received them The Lord Chamberlaine answered Sir that which you say is very reasonable but the gift comes from the goodwill of the King your Maister and not at my request at all If it please you that I shall have it you shall put it within the pocket of my sleeve and you shall have no other acquittance of me For I will never it shal be saide for mee that the Lorde Chamberlaine of the King of England had beene Pentioner to the King of Fraunce Nor that my acquittances shal be found in the Chamber of accompts in Fraunce The afores●id Cleret went away male-content but left his money with him and came to tell his message to his King who was very angry with him But thenceforth the Lord Chamberlaine of England was more esteemed with the French and alwayes payde without acquittance Philippe de Commines KIng Richard the third whose monstrous birth foreshewed his monstrous proceedings for he was born with all his teeth and haire to his shoulders albeit hee lived wickedly yet made good Lawes and when diverse shires of England offered him a benevolence hee refused it saying I know not in what sence I haa rather have your hearts than your money Ioannes Rossus Warwiceusis Iohn Morton then Bishoppe of Elie but afterward of Canterbury being solicited by the Duke of Buckingham then
alienated from Richard the third to speake his minde frankely vnto him in matters of State the Bishoppe aunswered him In good faith my Lord I love not much to talke with Princes as a thing not all out of perill although the words be without fault Forasmuch as it shall not be taken as the partie meant it but as it pleaseth the Prince to construe it And ever I thinke on Aesopes tale that when the Lien had proclaimed that on paine of death there should no horned beast abide in that wood one that had in his forehead a bounch of flesh fledde away a great pase The Foxe that sawe him ruune so fast asked him whither he made all that haste hee answered In faith I neither wote nor recke so I were once hence because of this proclamation made of horned beasts What fo●le quoth the Foxe thou mayest well enough abide the Lion meant not by thee for it is no horne that is vppon thy head No Mary quoth hee that wote I well enough but what and hee call it an horne where am I then Tho Moore Sir Thomas Rokesby being controlde for suffering himselfe to be served in treene Cuppes answered These homelie cuppes and dishes pay truly for that they containe I had rather drinke out of treene and pay golde and silver than drinke out of golde and silver and make woodden payment VVHen Richard the third was slain at Bosworth and with him Iohn Howard Duke of Norffolke King Henry the seaventh demaunded of Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey the Dukes sonne and heire then taken prisoner how he d●rst beare Armes in the behalfe of that tyranne Richard He answered He was my crowned King and if the Parliamentary authority of England sette the Crowne vppon a stocke I will fight for that stocke And as I fought then for him I wi● fight for you when you are established by the said authoritie And so hee did for his sonne King Henry the eight at Flodden field Anonymus When Margaret the widdow of Charles the Hardie Duke of Bargundie and sister to king Edward the fourth envying much the happy estate and raigne of Henry the seaventh descended of the adverse family of Lancaster had at sundry times suborned two rascalles to counterfeit the persons of her two brothers sonnes thereby to withdrawe the hearts of his subiects and raise vproares in his realme the king sent over vnto Philippe the Duke of Burgundie doctour Warrham afterward Archbishop of Canterbury to informe him of her treachery This Doctour in the latter ●●d of his Oration thus nipped the seditious Dutchesse That within few yeeres after shee was past threescore yeeres of age she had brought foorth two monsters Lambert and Peter and not in the nine and tenth moneths as women naturally doe but in the hundred and fourescore moneth for they were both about fifteene yeeres of age when shee brought them abroade as it were out of her belly neither were they Crisomers but such childe-choppers that as soone as ever they were borne they were able to wage warre with a mighty King Th More The earle of Kildare being charged before king Henry the seaventh for burning the Metropolitane Church of Cassilles in Ireland and many witnesses procured to avouch the trueth of the Article against him hee sodainely confessed it to the great wondring and detestation of the Counsell Then it was looked how he should iustifie that fact By Iesus quoth hee I would never have done it if it had not beene tolde me that the Archbishop had beene within it And because the Bishop was one of the busiest accusers present merrily laughed the king at the plainnesse of the man to see him alledge that intent for excuse which most of all did aggravate his fault When among many articles the last article exhibited by the Irish against that Earle of Kildare the last was Finally All Ireland cannot rule this Earle Then quoth the King shall this Earle rule all Ireland and shortly after hee made him Deputie thereof When one reprooved King Henry the seaventh for his slownesse in making warres on those that wronged him he answered If we Princes should take every occasion that is offered vs the worlde should never be quiet but wearied with continuall warres When a Gentleman none of the wisest tolde King Henry the seaventh that hee found sir Richard Gr●ftes who was made Banneret at the battell of Stoke to be a very wise man The King answered Hee doubted not that but marvelled much how a foole could knowe a wiseman It h●ppened that there was fallen in communication the story of Ioseph how his maister Putiphars wife a great m●n with the King of Aegipt would have pulled him to ●e●b●d ●n● he fled away Now Maister M●●o hee was the King Almoner quoth king Henry the seaventh You be a tall strong man on the one side and a cunning Doctor on the other side what would you have done if you had not beene Ioseph but in Iosephs steade By my troth fir quoth he and it like your Grace I cannot tell what I would have done but I can tell you what I should have done Tho Moore The Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond mother to king Henry the seaventh a most worthy Patronesse of good Letters would often say On the condition that Princes of Christendome would combine themselves and march against the common enemy the Turke shee would most wil●ingly attend them and be their Laundresse in the campe There was a poore blind man in Warwick-shire that was accounted verie cunning in prognosticating of weather vpon a day Empson a great lawier as hee road that way sayd in scorne of his cunning I pray you tell me father when doth the Sunne change The chafed old man that knew his corrupt conscience answered when such a wicked Lawier as you goeth to heauen Doctor Collet the Deane of Paules said that if the Clergie were naught the Laitie were worse for it could not otherwise be but the laye men must ever be one degree vnder the Clergie for surely it can be no 〈◊〉 that our Sauiour sayth himselfe who sayth of the Cleargie that they be the salt of the earth and if the salt once appall the world must needes waxe vnsauerie and he sayeth that the Clergie bee the light of the world and then sayeth he if the light bee darkened how darke will then the darkenesse be that is to wit all the world beside whereof he calleth the Clergie onely the light Cardinall Wolsey his teeth watering at the rich Bishopricke of Winchester sent one vnto Bishop Foxe who had advaunced him vnto the kings service for to move him to resigne the Bishopricke because extreame age had made him blind the which message and motion Foxe did take in so ill part that he willed the messenger to tell the Cardinall thus from him that although olde age bereaving me of sight I know not white from blacke yet I can discerne truth from falshoode and right from wrong yea and that now I
am blind I haue esp●ed his malicious vnthankfulnesse the which I could never before perceive when my e●e sight was at the best And let my lord Cardinall take heede that his ambition and covetousnesse bring him not into a worse blindnesse then I have and make him fall before he feare At sir Thomas Moore his first comming to the service of King Henrie the eight the King gave him this godly lesson First looke vnto God and after vnto me He would also wish as I have heard of an ancient man of that age that his Councellers would commit simulation dissimulation and part●●litie to the Porters lodge when they came to sit in councell The same King Henrie the eight finding fault with the disagreement of Preachers would often say Some are too stiffe in their olde Mumpsimus and other to busie and curious in their new Sumpsimus Happly borrowing these phrases from that which Master Pace his Secretarie reporteth in his booke De Fructu doctrinae of an old Priest in that age which alwayes read in his Portasse Mumpsimus Domine for Sumsimus whereof when he was admonished he said that he now had vsed Mumplimus thirtie yeares and would not leave his olde Mumpsimus for their new Sumpsimus A noble man of this time in contempt of learning sayd that it was for noble mens sonnes enough to winde their horne and carrie their Hauke faire and to leave studie and learning to the children of mean men To whom the foresaide Richard Pace replied Then you and other noble men must be content that your children may wind their bornes and keepe their Haukes while the children of meane men do manage matters of estate R. Pacaeus De fructu doctrinae Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester when the King would have translated him from that poore Bishopricke to a better he refused saying He would not forsake his poore little olde wife with whom he had so long lived Happly thinking of the fifteenth canon of the Nicone Councell and that of the Canonistes Matrimonium inter Episcopum Ecclesiam esse contractum c. There was a Nobleman merry conceited aud ●iotously given that having lately sold a Mannor of an hundred tenements came ruffling into the Court in a new sute saying Am not I a mightie man that beare an hundred houses on my backe Which Cardinall Wolsey hearing said You might have better employed it in paying your debts Indeede my Lord quoth he you say wel for my Lord my father owde my maister your father three half pence for a Calfs head hold here is two pence for it As Skelton iested at the Cardinal that he was descended of Sanguil●er hee was cast out of a Butchers stall for his father was a Butcher of Ipswich When Stephen Cardiner was advaunced vnto the Bishopricke of Winchester and sent over as Ambassadour into Fraunce with great pomp●● hee saide vnto an old acquaintance of his that came to take his leave of him Nowe I am in 〈◊〉 Gloria Patri Yea saide his friend and I hope ●t nunc semper Or replied the Bishop if it please the king my maister Sicut erat in principio A poore Scholler of Cambridge againe When sir Thomas Moore was Speaker of the Parliament with his wis●dome and eloquence hee so crossed a purpose of Cardinall Wolsey that the Cardinall in a chafe sent for him 〈◊〉 White-Hall where when he had daunced attendaunce long at length the Cardinall comming out saide in the presence of many Maister Moore I woulde you had beene at Rome when you were made Speaker of the Parliament house Hee immediately replied And if it pleased your Grace so would I for then I should have seene a famous Cittie whereof I have heard much but never sawe Vita Tho Mori impressa The same cardinal at a ful Counsel table when sir Th● Moore was first made privie Counseller moved that there might be a Lievteuant generall of the Realme chosen for certaine considerations and the body of the Counsell inclined thereunto Sir Thomas Moore opposed himselfe Whereuppon the Cardinall in a chafe saide Are not you ashamed who are the meanest man heere to dissent from so many honourable and wise personages you proove your selfe a plaine foole Whereunto maister Moore foorthwith aunswered Thankes be to God that the Kings maiestie hath but one foole in his right honourable Counsell Idem When hee was Lorde Chauncellour hee inioyned a Gentleman to pay a good round summe of money vnto a poore widdowe whome he had oppressed and the Gentleman saide Then I doe hope your Lordeship will give mee a good long day to pay it You shall have your request saide sir Thomas Munday next is Saint Barnabas day the longest day in all the yeere pay her mee then or else you shall kisse the Fleete When hee had no lust to growe greatly vpward in the worlde neyther would labour for office of authoritie and over that forsake a right worshipfull roome when it was offered him his wife fell in hand with him and asked him What will you do that you list not to put foorth your selfe as others doe Will you sit still by the fire and make goselings in the ashes with a sticke as children doe Woulde God I were a man and looke what I would doe What By God goe forward with the best for as my mother was wont to say It is ever more better to rule than to be ruled and therefore I warrant you I would not be so foolish to be ruled where I might rule By my trueth wife quoth he I dare say you say trueth for I never found you willing to be ruled yet He vsed when hee was Lord Chauncellor vpon every Sonday when he was at home to sitte in the Quire in his surplice and sing the Service and being one day espied in that attire by the Duke of Norffolke The Duke beganne to chafe crying Fie fie my Lorde the Lord Chauncellour of England a parish priest and a paltrie singing man you dishonour the King you dishonour the King No my Lord quoth sir Thomas it is no shame for the King if his servant serve his Soveraigne and Saviour who is King of kings During the time of his Chancellourship of England he vsed to send his Gentleman-Vsher to his wifes pew after divine service was done to tell her that he was gone but the next Sonday after hee gave vp his Chancellourship of England he came himselfe to her pew and vsed the vsuall words of his Gentleman-Vsher Madame my Lorde is gone His latter wife was a widdow of whom Erasmus writeth that hee was wont to say that shee was nec bella nec puella who as shee was a good huswife so was shee not voyde of the fault that often followeth that vertue somewhat shrewd to her servants Vppon a time sir Thomas found fault with her continuall ch●ding saying if that nothing else would reclame her yet the consideration of the time for it was Lent should restraine her Tush tush my Lord saide
buried at Westminster to which Church she would come dayly barefoote while the Court laye there had an excellent Epigramme made to her commendation whereof these foure verses onely remaine Prospera non laetam fecere nec aspera tristem Aspera risus erant prospera terror erant Non decor effecit fragilem non sceptra superbam Sola potens humilis sola pudica decens No bad Poet was he which wrote to the honor of Adeliza second wife to King Henry the first who was daughter to the Duke of Brabant sister to Lord Ioscelin from whom the Percies Earles of Northumberland descended Anglorum Regina tuos Adeliza decores Ipsa referre parans Musa stupore riget Quid Diadema tibi pulcherrima quid tibi gemma Pallet gemma tibi nec Diadema nitet Deme tibi cultus cultum natura ministrat Non exornari forma beata potest Ornamenta caue nec quicquam luminis inde Accipis illa micant lumine clara tuo Non puduit modicas de magnis dicere laudes Nec pudeat dominam te precor esse meam But among all our olde Epigrammatists all commendation is carried away by olde Godffery Prior of Winchester who liued Anno 1100. which Citie hath brought forth so many excelling in Poeticall facultie not onely in former ages but also in latter out of the worthy Colledge there that the very Genius loci doth seeme Poeticall Out of his Epigrammes first imparted to me by the right learned Maister Th. Allen of Oxford I will here impart a few vnto you To one that would know how long he should learne he wrighteth thus Discendi Damiane modum te quaerere dicunt Discas dum nescis sit modus iste tibi That the contempt of fooles is not to be respected Contemptum stulti contemnere Dindime laus est Contemni a stulto dedecus esse nego Against pride in prosperitie Extolli noli quùm te fortuna beauit Pompone haec eadem quae leuat ipsa premit Against such as teach well and liue not accordingly Multa Solon sed plura Cato me verba docetis At nemo vestrum quanta docetis agit To one which had eaten stinking meate Druse comedisti quem misit Siluius hircum Vel tibi non nasus vel tibi nasus olet He teacheth vs to relye vpon firme and sure supports lest we fall to the ground with them in this Non est securus super titubantia fultus Iungere labenti labitur ille ruis That we must looke for like measure if we doe not as we would be done vnto he admonisheth all vnder the name of Albius Iurgia clamores tibi gloria gloria lites Et facis dicis omnibus vnde noces Expectes ead●m quae nobis seceris Albi Nam quem tu laedis te ferit ille libens Youth which in their haughty heat reiect the aduise of ould men he aduiseth thus Pannorum veterum facile contemnitur vsus Non sic consilium posthumiane senum The vanity of them which vaunt of their auncient nobility and haue no nobility in themselues he thus taxeth Stemmata continuas recitas ex ordine patres Queis nisi tu similis Rufule quid recitas That there was no contending with him who with missiue bribes can preuaile against Iustice Missilibus Daciane tuis Astraea recessit Vincis m●ssilibus Ius Dac●●nc tuis The common prouerbe Loue me loue mine he thus aduised vs to obserue Me tanquam socium te dicis amare Trebati Et quos totus amo dente furente teris Sed nisi sis socius socijs amic●s Non potero nostrum dicere te socium Against hooked gifts which draw others Multa mihi donas vereor ne multa requiras Nolo mihi doncs Aulice si repetas Against one that sought a benefice and would teach before he could teach Quâ doceat sedem quaerit Pl●timus aedem Quarit quâ doceat non ea quae doceat Against a couetous wretch Nasidiane diu vixisti semper anarus Oro tibi ●●uas Nasidiane dus Against one that would exact of others and do nothing himselfe Ex●gis a nobis quem 〈◊〉 soluis amorem Quam nulli praestes exigis Aule sidem Exig●● à nobis quem non m●rearis honorem Mirum est quod non das id tibi velle 〈◊〉 Against an Abbot that would defend his monks from others but worrye them himselfe Tollit onem de fauce lupi persaepe molossus Ereptamque lupo ventre recondit ouem Tu quoque Sceuae tuos praedone tueris ab omni Vnus praedo tamen perdis vbique tuos One amidst the warres betweene King Stephen and Henrie the second commended the same Henry in these verses Praelia quanta mouet Stephanus moucat volo namque Gloria nulla foret si pralia null moueret Tu contra Stephanum cui copia multa virorum Duxisti pautos our paucos gloria maior Est multos paucis quàm paucos vincere multis At the same troublesome time and as it were desolation of England were written to the same Henry as it were in a Prosopopcia of England Dux Henrice nepos Henrici maxime magni Anglia tota ruo nec iam ruo tota ruina c. Vpon two other fearfull flights of the French one at Vernoil the other at Vandosme in the time of King Henry the second one made this Gallia fugisti bis hoc sub rege Philippo Nec sunt sub modio facta pudenda duo Vernolium sumit testem fuga prima secunda Vindocîum noctem prima secunda diem Nocte fugam primam celerasti mane secundam Prima pauore fuit vique secunda fuit When one had flattered William Longchampe Bishop of Elye the only powerable man of England in his time with this blandation Tam benè tam facile tu magna negotia tractas Vt dubium reddas sis homo siue deus Giraldus Cambrensis a man well borne and better lettered of that house from whence the Giraldines of Ireland are descended and secretary to King Iohn played vpon these verses and that Bishop after he was apprehended in womans attire flying out of the realme Tam male tam temerè tam turpiter omnia tractas Vt dubium reddas bellua sis vel homo Sic cum sis minimus tentas maioribus vti Ve dubium reddas simia sis vel homo He that made the verse following some ascribe it to that Giraldus could adore both the sonne rising and the sonne setting when he could so cleanly honour King Henry the second then departed and King Richard succeeding Miracano sol occubuit nox nulla sequuta Great was the commendation of Maecenas who when he could do all with Augustus yet neuer harmed any wherevpon in an Elegie vpon his death Pedo Albinouanus writeth Omnia cum posses tanto tam carus amico Te sensit nemo posse nocere tamen Which commendation king Henry the eight gaue to that worthy Duke of Suffolke Charles Brandon