Omnem hominem qui secundum Deum viuit remunerari à Deo sperat optat oportet vt puris precibus consensum hilariter ex animo prebeat Quoniam certum est tanto facilius ea que ipse à domino poposcerit consequi posse quanto ipse libentius Deo aliquid concesserit Quocirca ego Ethelbertus Rex Cantie cum consensu venerabilis Archiepiscopi Augustini ac Principum meorum do concedo in honorem Sancti Petri aliquam partem terre inris mei que iacet in oriente ciuitatis Dorobernie ita duntaxat vt monasterium ibi construatur â—es quam supra memoraui in potestate Abbatis sit qui ibi sucris ordinatus 〈◊〉 adinro precipio in nomine Domini Dei omnipotentis qui est omnium Rex Iudex iustus vt presata terra subscripta donatione sempiternaliter sit confirmata ita vt nec mihi nec alicui successorum meorum Regum ant Principum siue cuiuslibet conditionis dignitatibus Ecclesiasticis gradibus de ea aliquid fraudare liceat Si quis vero de hac donatione aliquid imminuere ant irritum facere tentauerit sit in presenti seperatus à sancta communione corporis sanguinis Christi in die Iuditij ob meritum malitie sue à consortio Sanctorum omnium segregatus Dorobernie Anno ab incarnatione Christi Sexcentesimo qâ—into Indictione octaua Ego Ethelbertus Rex Cantie sana mente integroque consilio donationem meaâ—â— signo sancte Crucis propria 〈◊〉 nu roboraui conâ—irmanique Austin did also confirme and strengthen King Ethelberts donation by his owne Bull or charter and exempted this Abbey from all Archiepiscopall iurisdiction Varijsque reliquijs Diuorum quas Roma auexerat ornaâ—il Inter quas suit pars inconsutilis Domini tunicae et virge Aaron And enriched it with diuers reliques of Saints which hee had brought with him from Rome amongst which was a part of Christs seamelesse Cote and of Aarons Rod. And here by the way obserue that Austin sealed his deeds or charters bulla plumbea with a leaden Bull which many ages afterwards Richard Archbishop of Canterbury went about to infringe and infirme Quod is signandi modus Romanis Pontificibus proprius esset Because that manner of signing was proper to the Bishops of Rome About which time Philip Earle of â—landers sent ouer into England the like Bull of a certaine Bishop by which he and the Bishops before him vsed to seale their writings The reuenues of this Monasterie were augmented by King Edgar of which will it please you reade his Charter In nomine Trino diuino Regi regâ—anti in perpetuum Domino Deo Sabaoth cui patent cuncta penetralia cordis ei corporis c. Ego Eadgarus Rex Anglorum do et concedo Sancto Augusti o Anglorum Apostolo et Fraâ—◠〈◊〉 in illo sancto Cenobio conuersantibus terram quatuor aratrorum que nominatur Plumstede Hanc ergo terram â—um consensu Archiepiscopi Dunstant optimatumque meorum libenti animo concedo pro redemptione anime mee vt cam teneant perhenniterque habeant Si quis vero heredum Successorumquâ— meorum hanc meam donationem seruare vel amplificare staduerit seruetur ei benedictio sempiterna Si autem sit quod non optamus quod alicuius Persone Homo diabolica temeritate insligatus surreperit qui vel hanc meam donationem infringere in aliquo temptauerit Sciaâ— se ante Tribunal summi et eterni Iudicis rationem esseredditurum â—isi ante digna et placabili satisfacti one Deo et sancto Augustino Fratribusque emendare voluerit Ego Edgarus Anglorum Monarchus hoc donum roboraui Ego Dunstanus Archiepiscopus consensi c. These lands being taken away by Earle Godwin and giuen to his sonne Tostic were restored backe againe to this Abbey by the Conquerour Whose letters patents ranne in this forme In nomine sancte et indiuidue Trinitatis patris et silij et spiritus sancti Ego Wilhelmus Dei gracia Rex Anglorum statum Ecclâ—siarum Regne mei corroborans et vacillata hactenus in melius confirmans atque iniuste ablata restituens Concedo et annuo sancto Augustino et Fratribus suo Cenobio commorantibus terram que dicitur Plumstede Hanc terram à prâ—memorato Sancto Augustino et Fratribus loci antiquitus possessam Godwynus comes fraude et vi iniuste abstulerat et suo filio Tostit dederat quam tamen Rex Edwardus postea Sancto reddiderat sit varijs euentibus possessa ablata restituta neiam vlterius calumpnie pateat aut cuiusquam querimonia à Cenobio Sancti Augustini supradictam villam auferat inde Cyrographum hoc confirmo vt cam habeant tencant possideant Monachi Sancti Augustini in perpetuum Si quis antem huic nostre authoritati contrarius boc violare presumpserit eterna maledictionis dampnatione se mulctandum nouerit et regie vindicte subiâ—cebit Ego Wilhelmus gratia Dei Rex Angloram hanc cartam confirmo et meis firmandam committo Ego Odo Archiepiscopus Baiocensis Calumpniam quam in ipsa terra habebam relinquo et lubens subscribo Ego Wilhelmus Londonens Episcopus subscribo c. But this Abbey was endowed with ample reuenues by many others so that being valued at the dissolution like the rest of all such religious foundations at a fauourable and farre vnder-rate it amounted to bee yearely worth 1412. l. 4. s. 7 d. ob q. It was surrendred 4. Decemb. 29. Hen. 8. Saint Austine replenished this house with blacke Monkes Benedictines and ordained it to be the place of Sepulture for the kings of Kent for himselfe and all succeeding Archbishops The first king here interred was the foresaid Ethelbert who after hee had gloriously raigned the space of 56. yeares and had enlarged the frontiers of his Empire as farre as the great Riuer Humber entred into the eternall blisse of the kingdome on heauen The yeare of our redemption 616. and in the 13 yeare after he had receiued the Christian faith As I finde it in this old Manuscript Ethelbert cleped the hely king of Kent In the yer of grace six hundryd and sixtene Deide and of Christendome the xxi y wene Six and fifty Wynter he had regnyd her And aftur Edbald hys son regne gan ther. He was buried on the North side of the Church vpon whose Monument this Epitaph was engrauen Rex Ethelbertus hic clauditur in Polyandro Fana pians certe Christo meat absque Meandâ—â— King Ethelbert lieth here closde in this Polyander For building Churches sure he goes to Christ without Meander Berta his wife was here likewise interred who was the daughter of Chilperick king of France who was grandchilde to Clouis the first Christian king of that famous nation this woman was conuerted to Christianity before she came out of her owne countrey and before Austins
and established by the kings Highnesse our most gratious souereigne Lord and by the whole consent of the high Court of Parliament for the extirpation abolition and extinguishment out of this Realme and other his graces dominions seigniories and countries of the pretended power and vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome by some called the Pope vsed within the same or elsewhere concerning the same realme dominions segniories or countries whiâ—h did obfuscat and wrest Gods holy word and Testament a long season from the spirituall and true meaning thereof to his worldly and carnall affections as pompe glory auarice ambition and tyrannie couering and shadowing the same with his humane and politike deuises traditions and inuentions set forth to promote and stablish his onely dominion both vpon the soules and also the bodies and goods of all Christian people excluding Christ out of his kingdome and rule of mans soule as much as hee may and all other temporall Kings and Princes out of their dominions which they ought to haue by Gods law vpon the bodies and goods of their subiects whereby he did not onely rob the Kings Maiestie being onely the supreme head of this his Realme of England immediately vnder God of his honour right and preheminence due vnto him by the law of God but spoiled his Realme yearely of innumerable treasure and with the losse of the same deceiued the Kings louing and obedient subiects perswading to them by his lawes buls and other his deceiuable meanes such dreames vanities and fantasies as by the same many of them were seduced and conâ—ueied vnto superstitious and erroneous opinions So that the Kings Maiestie the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and the Commons in this Realme being ouer-wearied and fatigated with the experience of the infinite abhominations and mischiefes proceeding of his impostures and craftily colouring of his deceits to the great dammages of soules bodies and goods were forced of necessitie for the publike weale of this Realme to exclude that forraine pretended iurisdiction and authoritie vsed and vsurped within this Realme and to deuise such remedies for their reliefe in the same as doth not onely redound to the honour of God the high praise and aduancement of the Kings Maiestie and of his Realme but also to the great and inestimable vtilitie of the same And notwithstanding the said wholesome lawes so made and heretofore established yet it is common to the knowledge of the Kings highnesse and also to diuerse and many his loâ—uing faithfull and obedient subiects how that diuers seditious and contentious persons being imps of the said Bishop of Rome and his See and in heart members of his pretended Monarchie doe in corners and elsewhere as they dare whisper inculke preach and perswade and from time to time instill into the eares and heads of the poore simple and vnlettered people the aduancement and continuance of the said Bishops feined and pretended authoritie pretending the same to haue his ground and originall of Gods law whereby the opinions of many bee suspended their iudgements corrupted and deceiued and diuersitie in opinions augmented and increased to the great displeasure of almighty God the high discontentation of our said most dread soueraigne Lord and the interruption of the vnitie loue charitie concord and agreement that ought to bee in a Christian Region and congregation For auoiding whereof and repression of the follies of such seditious persons as be the meanes and authours of such inconueniences Be it enacted ordained and established by the King our soueraigne Lord and the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the authoritie of the same that if any person or persons dwelling demurring inhabiting or resiant within this Realme or within any other the Kings dominions seigniories or countries or the marches of the same or elsewhere within or vnder his obeizance and power of what estate dignitie preheminence order degree or condition soeuer hee or they bee after the last day of Iuly which shall bee in the yeare of our Lord God 1536. shall by writiâ—g ciâ—ering printing preachâ—ing or teaching deed or act obstinately or maliciously hold or stâ—nd with to extoll set foorth maintaine or defend the authoritie iurisdiction or power of the Bishop of Rome or of his See heretofore claimed vsed or vsurped within this Realme or in any dominion or countrey being or within or vnder the Kings power or obeisance or by any presence obstinately or maliciously inuent any thing for the extolling aduancement setting forth maintenance or defence of the same or any part thereof or by any pretence obstinately or maliciously attribute any manner of iurisdiction authoritie or preheminence to the said See of Rome or to any Bishop of the same See for the time being within this Realme or in any the Kings dominions and countries That then euery such person or persons so doing or offending their aiders assistants comfortors abettors procurers maintainers fautors counsellours conceilours and euery of them being thereof lawfully conuicted according to the Lawes of this Realme for euery such default and offence shall incurre and runne into the dangers penalties paines and forfeitures ordeined and prouided by the statute of Prouision and Premunire made in the sixteenth yeare of the reigne of the noble and valiant Prince King Richard the second against such as attempt procure or make prouision to the See of Rome or elsewhere for any thing or things to the derogation or contrarie to the Prerogatiue royall or iurisdiction of the Crowne and dignitie of this Realme King Henry still hearing of the murmuring of his Subiects vpon the enacting of this Statute writes againe to his principall magistrates in euery countrey in this manner following Henry R. By the King TRusty and welbeloued we grete yow well And wheras heretofore as ye know both vpon most iust and vertuouse fowndacions grownded vpon the lawes of Almighty God and holy Scripture And also by the deliberate aduice consultacion consent and agreement aswell of the Bishops and Clergie as by the Nobles and Commons temporall of this owr realme assembled in owr high Court of Parliament and by auctorite of the same the abuses of the Bisshop of Rome his auctorite and iurisdiction of long time vsurped against vs haue been not onely vtterly extirped abolished and secluded but also the same owr Nobles and Commons both of the Clergie and Temporalty by an other seuerall Acte and vpon like fundacion for the publike weale of this our realme haue vnited knytte and annexed to vs and the Crowne imperiall of this our realme the title dignitie and stile of Supreme hed in erthe immediatly vndre God of the Church of England as vndoubtedly euermore we haue ben which thing also the said Bisshops and Clergie particularly in their Conuocacions haue holly and entyrely consented recognised ratifyed confirmed and approued authentiquely in wryting both by their speciall othes profession and wryting vnder their Signes and Seales so vtterly reuouncyng all other othes
this she did frankly and freely moued thereunto by her owne conscience saying with a Christian and princely resolution I must confesse to certaine of her Counselâ—ourâ— that albeit they might obiect against her that the state of her kingdome the dignitie thereof and her Crowne imperiall could not bee honourably maintained and furnished without the possessions aforesaid yet she set more by the saluation of her soule then she did by ten kingdomes And whereas in the raigne of King Edward the sixth it was enacted that all the bookes called Antiphoners Missales Grailes Portuassis and Latine Primmers vsed for seruice in the Church in the time of Poperie should be clearely abolished All images grauen painted or carued taken out of any Church or Chappell with the foresaid bookes should bee defaced or openly burned She being now more forward then wise to obserue the rites and ceremonies of the Romanists caused the like bookes and images to be bought and brought againe into all the Churches within her dominions Holy water Pax and censers were commanded to be employed at the celebration of Masses and Mattens Oyle Creame and Spittle vsed in the Administration of the Sacrament of Baptisme Altars furnished with pictures costly couerings and the Crucifix thereon solemnly placed Vnto whom Lights Candles and Tapers were offered The restauration and dispose of these as also of all other matters concerning the Church shee committed to the Pope and Cardinall Poole his Legate by whose authoritie and meanes by all probabilitie all Statutes made in her father and brothers raigne against the See of Rome the Pope and his Supremacie were altogether repealed and the sixe bloudie Articles enacted by Henry the eighth tyrannically put in execution by force of which shee being ouerswayed by the authoritie of Church men for of her selfe she was of a more facile and better inclined disposition so many in lesse then foure yeares continuance were consumed with fire for the testimoniall of their consciences in that case In the heate of whose flames were burned to ashes fiue Bishops one and twentie Diuines eight Gentlemen eightie foure Artificers one hundred husbandmen seruants and labourers twentie sixe wiues twentie widowes nine Virgines two boyes and two Infants one of them whipped to death by Bonner alias Sauage Bishop of London and the other springing out of his mothers wombe from the stake as she burned was by the Sergeants throwne againe into the fire Sixtie foure more in those furious times were persecuted for their profession and faith whereof seuen were whipped sixteene perished in prison and twelue buried in dunghills many lay in captiuity condemned but were released and saued by the auspicious entrance of peaceable Elizabeth and many fled the Land in those dayes of distresse which by her vpon their returne home were honourably preferred and prouided for according to their worthes Queene Mary now dead and Elizabeth of famous memory proclaimed Queene possessed of her lawfull inheritance placed in her glorious Throne and crowned with the imperiall Diadem presently after followed a Parliament wherein the title of Supremacie and all ancient iurisdictions were againe restored all forraine power abolished and for the more augmentation and maintenance of her State royall it was ordained and established that the first-fruits and Tenths of all Ecclesiasticall liuings with the lands and Scites of Monasteries giuen away by Queene Mary should be vnited and annexed againe to the Crowne that all Statutes should bee repealed which were enacted by the said Queene Marie in fauour of the Romish Religion and that the booke of Common Prayer vsed in King Edwards time for an vniforme celebration of Gods diuine seruice in the English Churches should bee ratified and authorised againe by this present Parliament This Parliament ended vpon the eight of May vpon the fourteenth day of the same moneth next following being Whitsonday diuine Seruice was celebrated in the English tongue whereby Gods word might be heard in a perfect sound and the prayers of the Congregation vttered with an vnderstanding heart Soone after in the same yeare certaine Commissioners were appointed in seuerall places for the establishing of Religion throughout the whole Realme then all the religious houses which were reedified erected or restored by Queene Mary as the Priory of Saint Iohns Ierusalem the Nuns and Brethren of Sion and Sheene the blacke Friers in Smithfield the Friers of Greenwich with all other of the like foundation were vtterly suppressed All Roods and Images set vp in Churches whose sight had often captiuated the senses of the zealous beholder and heated the blinde zeale of many poore ignorant people were now themselues consumed in the fire and with them in some places the copes vestments altar-clothes Amises bookes banners and rood loâ—â—s were like wise burned in the open streets Vpon the walls pillars and other places of all Churches certaine Inscriptions were cut painted or engrauen which being holden to be superstitious were as then defaced erazed washt ouer or obliterated of which a few for example This Inscription was vsuall to the picture of the blessed Trinitie represented by the Effigies of an old man our Sauiour in his bosome and a Doue Ave Pater Rex Creator Ave fili lux Seruator Ave pax charitas Ave simplex Ave Trine Ave regnans siâ—e siâ—e Vna summa Triniâ—as Vnder the picture of the blessed Trinitie sometimes in the Abbey Church of Rufford in Nottinghamshire as it is in the booke of the said house Sede Pater summa disponit secula cuncta Patre Dâ—o genitus creat regit omnia natuâ— Omnia viâ—ificat procedens Spiritus almus Flamma calor pruna tria sunt hec res sed vnaâ— Sic ab igne calor non diuiditur neque fulgor Ast his vnitis vnus subsiâ—lit ignis Sic Pater natus Spiritus sed Deus vnus Huic laude munus qui regnat trinus vnus Huic laus et doxa nunc et per secula cuncta Vnder the picture of Christ crucified Nec Deus est nec Homo presens quam cerno figura Et Deus est et Homo que signat sacra figura Verus Homo verusque Deus tamen vnus vterque Probra crucis patitur mortem suâ—it et sepelitur Viuit item crucis hic per signa triumphat ab hoste Id notum nobis crucis huius litera reddit Scilicet ipsius nota sunt câ—ux et crucifixus Hec et ego veneror Iesum'quoque semper adore Againe vnder the Crucifix Quantum pro nobis Christus tulit ecce videmus Et tamen à lachrymis heu lumina sicca tenemus Vnder the picture of Christ vsually in all Abbey Churches Effigiem Christi dum transis semper honora Non tamen effigiem sed quem designat adora Nam Deus est quod imago docet sed non Deus ipsa Hanc videas et mente colas quod cernis in illa And this Sum Rex cunctorum caro factus
Hospitale Partem Virgulti vulgo du verger inter Hospitale Canonicos attingentis A claustro quod est ante tanuam Ecclesie vsque ad extremitatâ—m muri et redditus ad sustentationem quatuor Canonicorum sacer dotum manentium in decimis de Triciaco Calliaco et de Braya Et centum solidos Parisiensis monete apud villam nouaÌ„ Sancti Georgij annuatim in festo Sancti Remigij persoluendos Vineam etiam et arpentum terre queiacent extra muros predicti loci Sancti Thome sicut corum scripto autentico continetur Ecclesie vestre auctoritate Apostolica confirmamus presertis scripti patrocinio communuimus Statuentes vt nulli omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostre confirmationis infringere vel ei ausu temerario contraire Si quis autem hoc attemptare presumpsâ—rit indignationem omnipoteâ—tis Dei et Beatorum Petri et Pauli Apostolorum eius se nouerit incursurum Datum Laterani septimo Kalendas Augusti Pontisicatus nostri anno secundo Annoque Domini Millesimo centesimo octuagesimo nono These donations were afterwards viz. Ann. 1428. augmented by Iohn Duke of Britaine Montefort and Richmund as appeares by his Charter which I haue read Many other religious structures Churches Chappels and Oratories in forraine parts were erected and endowed to the memory of this our English Martyr Neare to the Gallerie of the Louure and adioyning to the Collegiate Church is a prettie faire street which at this day is called La rue de S. Thomas du Louure the streete of S. Thomas at the Louure Richard the first King of England after the surprisall of Acrres instituted an order of Knights which he called The Order of Saint Thomas they held the rule of Saint Augustine and tooke for their Patron the foresaid Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury as you may reade in the Theater of Honour lib. 9. cap. 11. But I stand too long gazing and glossing vpon this imaginarie monument digressing from the breuitie of that method which I haue proposed to my selfe Let me view the sumptuous monument still remaining of Edward surnamed the blacke Prince so by-named not of his colour but of his dreaded acts in battell vpon which this Epitaph is inlayd with brasse Cy gist le noble Prince Mouss Edward aisnez filz du tresnoble Roy Edward tiers iadis Prince d'aquitaine et de Gales Due de Cornwaille et counte de Cesâ—â—e qi morust eâ— la feste de la Trinite qestoit le vni iour de iuyn l'an de grace mil troiscens septante sisine Lalme de qi Dieu eit mercy Amen Tu qi passez oue bouche close Par la ou ce corps repose Entent ce qe te diray Sycome te dire le say Come tu es au tiel fu Tu seras tiel come ie su De la mort ne pensai ie mie Tant come iauoy la vie En tre auoi grand richesse Sont icy sis grand noblesse Terre Mesons et grand tresor Draps chiuaux argent et or Mes ore su ieo poures et chetifs Perfond en la tre gis Ma grand beaute est tout alee Ma char est tout gastee Noult est estroit ma meson En moy na sy verite non Et si ore me veisses Ie ne quide pas qe vous deisses Qe ie eusse onges home este Sy su ie ore tant changee Pur dieu priez au celestien Poy Qe mercy ait de barme de moy Tour ceulx qi pur moy prieront On a dieu maccorderont Dieu les mette en son Paraydis Ou nul ne Poet estre chetifs Thus Englished Here lieth the noble Prince Monsieur Edward the eldest sonne of the thrice noble King Edward the third in former time Prince of Aquitaine and of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester who died on the feast of Trinitie which was the eight day of Iune in the yeare of Grace 1376. To the soule of whom God grant mercy Amen Who so thou be that passeth by Where these corps entombed lie Vnderstand what I shall say As at this time speake I may Such as thou art sometime was I Such as I am such shalt thou be I little thought on th' oure of death So long as I enioyed breath Great riches here I did possesse Whereof I made great noblenesse I had gold siluer wardrobes and Great treasure horses houses land But now a caitife poore am I Deepe in the ground lo here I lie My beautie great is all quite gone My flesh is wasted to the bone My house is narrow now and throng Nothing but Truth comes from my tongue And if ye should see me this day I do not thinke but ye would say That I had neuer beene a man So much altered now I am For Gods sake pray toth'heauenly King That he my soule to heauen would bring All they that pray and make accord For me vnto my God and Lord God place them in his Paradise Wherein no wretched caitife lies The death of this Prince which fortuned in the fourtie and sixth yeare of his age was a heauy losse to the state being a Prince of whom we neuer heard any ill neuer receiued other note then of goodnesse and the noblest performances that magnanimitie and wisedome could euer shew in so much as what praise can bee giuen to veâ—â—ue is due to him The compendious Chronicle of Canterbury written by one Thomas Haselwood a Canon of Leedes speakes more particularly of his militarie atchieuements in these words Edwardus filius Edw. 3. primogenitus Princeps Wallie fortunatissimus miles in bello audacissimus inter validissima bella gesta militaria magnisice ab eodem peracta Iohannem Regem Francie apud Poyteires debellauit pluribus tam nobilibus quam alijs de dicto regno captis interfectis eundem Regem captiuauit ipsum potenter in Augliam ductum Patri suo presentauit Henricum etiam intrusorem Hispanie potentissime in bello deuicit Petrum Hispanie Regem dudum à regno suo expulsum potenti virtute in regnum suum restituit Vnde propter ingentem sibi probitatem actus ipsius triumphales memoratum Principem inter regales Regum memorias dignum duximus commendandum Here lieth the body of Henry the fourth King of England whose Tombe is richly adorned and garnished about with the Armes of all the Christian Princes and most of the greatest Peeres of this kingdome then liuing vpon which I finde no Inscription who died 20. Mar. Anno Dom. 1412. aetat 46. Reg. 14. This King finished his politique and victorious raigne in peace and honour Howsoeuer the iniustice of his first entrance stepping into the seat Royall by the deposition and murder of his lawfull Soueraigne King Richard the second left a dishonourable staine vpon all his actions He aduised his Sonne Henry after him King vpon his death bed to punish the
foure distinct Deaneries namely Rochester Malling Dartford and Shorham Yet Shorham is but a Peculiar to the Archbishop who holds his prerogatiue wheresoeuer his lands do lie This Bishopricke is valued in the Exchequer at 358. l. 3. s. 7. d. farthing and was wont to pay to the Pope for first-fruits 1300. ducates and for Peter-pence 5. l. 12. s. Eightie Bishops and one haue sitten in this Chaire of Rochester more in number by nine then in that of Canterbury His name that now gouerneth the Helme is that right reuerend Father in God Iohn Bowles Doctor of Diuinitie brought vp in Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge In the whole numerous race of these Bishops succeeding Iustus three amongst others lye here interred howsoeuer no remembrance is now remaining of them by any funerall Monument most notable Paulinus Gundulphus and Gilbertus Of which the first after his death was honoured for a Saint The second was the best Benefactour that euer this Church found The third was so hatefull and iniurious to the Monkes that they neither esteemed him while he was liuing nor wailed him at all after that he was dead Paulinus a Romane borne was first made Bishop of Yorke by Iustus his predecessour in this place as then Archbishop of Canterbury about the 21. day of Iuly in the yeare of our Lord 625. and so he is reckoned to be the first Archbishop of that Prouince Yet I finde a Succession of British Archbishops of that place long before his time euer since the yeare of Grace one hundred and eightie or thereabouts Wherein Lucius king of the Britaines receiued the Christian faith the last of which race was one Tadiacus who at the comming in of the Saxons was with most of his countreymen enforced to flie into the mountanous countries of Cornwall and Wales and so consequently to forsake his pontificall Grace and Dignitie Of all which may it please you reade these verses out of the collections of Tho. Talbot sometime keeper of Records in the Tower Turbatis rebus Archipresul Tadiacus Ecclesie sedem deserit et patriam Archipontificum Tadiacus sedis Eborum Vltimus ex Britonum gentibus ille fuit Corpora sanctorum simul omnia vasa sacrorum Cunctas res reliquas transtulit ille sacras Expulsi Britones nomen patriamque relinquunt Dicti Wallenses nomine barbario But to returne againe to Paulinus from whom I am by occasion digressed who being now inuested in the sanctimonious robes of a Bishop neuer rested a moment but either instructed the people that flocked about him by preaching or else imparted Christ vnto them by Baptisme which he ministred in the open fields and Riuers Churches Oratories Fonts or places of Baptisme being not as yet builded it is said that in the Riuer of Swale in Yorkeshire hee christened in one day aboue ten thousand men besides women and little children which said riuer was a long time after reputed sacred amongst the ancient English He wonne miraculously Edwin king of Northumberland vnto Christ who with all the Nobilitie of his countrey and most part of the Commons hauing receiued the true faith came to the lauatorie of holy regeneration the eleuenth yeare of his raigne which was the yeare of our Lord 627. Thus Paulinus continued in the Prouince of Yorke preaching the word and administring the blessed Sacraments the space of seuen yeares euen vntill the death of King Edwin presently vpon which the State of his kingdome was so much infested with great slaughter and cruell persecution that no safetie could therein bee found either for himselfe or for the widow of King Edwin Queene Edelburgh both of them being Gods instruments for the conuersion of the Northumbrians to the embracement of Christian Religion saue onely by flight Whereupon he was constrayned to leaue his Bishopricke and to accompanie the said Queene with whom not long before hee came into that countrey backe againe into this kingdome of Kent But of Paulinus his first admittance to Yorke and his returne backe thus much in old Latine rimes Benedicam Dominum mundi plasmatorem Regem Regum omnium nostrum Saluatorem Recolendo pariter stilo cum veraci Dignos Archipresules sedis Eboraci Anno sexcentesimo Christi incarnati Quinto cum vicesimo sunt nouo creati Quorum Pastor nobilis primus est Paulinus Gregem pascit vtilis dum regnat Edwinus Septem annis regimen digne gubernauit Tunc ad Austrum redijt dum Gens Regem strauit At his returne from Yorke this See of Rochester was vacant and at the offer of Archbishop Honorius and at the request of King Edbald he tooke vpon him that charge which he right wisely and religiously gouerned the space of thirteene yeares vntill at his full and ripe age he was called away by death to receiue the glorious reward of his blessed labours Which happened Octob. the tenth Ann. 644.19 yeares 2. moneths and 21. dayes after his first consecration This Paulinus the third Bishop of this Diocesse was first interred vnder a very seemely Monument in the old Church of King Ethelberts foundation but about foure hundred and thirty yeares afterwards being canonized for a Saint his reliques were remoued enshrined in a coffin all of curious wrought siluer into the body of the new built Church by Gundulphus one of his Successours to the which according to the manner of those times much concourse of people came with many rich oblations such was his Epitaph Siste gradum clama qui perlegis hoc Epigramma Paulinum plora quem substraxit breuis hora Nobis per funus de Presulibus fuit vnus Prudens veridicus constans firmus amicus Anni sunt rati Domini super astra regentis Quadraginta dati quatuor cum sex quoque centis Paulinus being dead Honorius Archbishop of Canterbury aduanced one Ithamar a Kentishman borne to his place the first Englishman of this Nation that was a Bishop A man nothing inferiour either in life or learning to Paulinus or any of his Italian predecessours He departed this life about the yeare 656. Many miracles are said to be wrought by this religious Ithamar and great concourse of people frequented the place of his buriall which was at the first in the body of the Church But afterwards his reliques were remoued by Bishop Gundulph and enshrined and after him by Iohn Bishop of this Church who by his prayers at his Shrine was cured ab acerrimo oculorum dolore of a grieuous paine in his eyes For this and many other signes and tokens of his sanctitie hee was canonized if we may beleeue Capgraue and the fourth of the Ides of Iune solemnized to his memory Of whom a late writer thus Of Rochester we haue Saint Ithamar being then In those first times first of our natiue English men Residing on that seate Before I come to Gundulphus I will take Tobias by the way an Englishman the ninth Bishop of this Diocesse
Citizen and Drapier And now thro goddys grace buryd am I here For mercy to abyd aftyr this lif present Trestyng by preyer celestiall Ioy to be my iudgment Wherfor o my Frendys dere my soul ye like assist And eke Elisabyth my wyf and chyldren on by on And I sall prey God fro peyne yowr souls to resist The sooner by mediation of blessyd Sant Albion On whos day in Iun on M. cccc.lx and thrice on Then being the yere of God as hit did him plese Out of this present world did I discese Here lieth Sir Iohn Brug or Bruges knight Lord Maior of this Citie the sonne of Thomas Brug or Bruges of Dimmock in Glocestershire Who executed that honourable and famous high office the yeare 1520. the tweluth of king Hen. the eight Saint Edmunds Lumbardstreet Richard Nordell lyeth buryd here Somtym of London Citizen and Drapier And Margerie his wyf of her progenie Returnyd to erth and so sall ye Of the erth we wer made and formed And to the erth we bin returned Haue yis in mynd and memory Ye yat liuen lerneth to dy And beholdyth here yowr destine Such as ye erne somtym weren we Ye sall be dyght in yis aray Be ye nere so stout and gay Therfor Frendys we yow prey Make yow redy for to dey Yat ye be not forr sinn atteynt At ye dey of Iudgment Man the behovyth oft to haue yis in mynd Yat thow geueth wyth yin hond yat sall thow fynd For wydowes be sloful and chyldren beth vnkynd Executors be covetos and kep al yat they fynd If eny body esk wher ye deddys goodys becam Yey ansqueare So god me help and halidam he died a pore man Yink on yis Saint Peters Cornhill Be hit known to al men that the yeerys of owr Lord God an clxxix Lucius the fyrst christen kyng of this lond then callyd Brytayne fowndyd the fyrst chyrch in London that is to sey the Chyrch of Sent Peter apon Cornhyl and he fowndyd ther an Archbishoppys See and made that Chirch the Metropolitant and cheef Chirch of this kingdom and so enduryd the space of cccc yeerys and more vnto the commyng of Sent Austen an Apostyl of Englond the whych was sent into the lond by Sent Gregory the Doctor of the Chirch in the tym of king Ethelbert and then was the Archbishoppys See and Pol removyd from the aforeseyd Chirch of S. Peters apon Cornhyl vnto Derebernaum that now ys callyd Canterbury and ther yt remeynyth to this dey And Millet Monk whych cam in to this lond wyth Sent Austen was made the fyrst Bishop of London and hys See was made in Powllys Chyrch And this Lucius kyng was the fyrst Fowndyr of Peters Chyrch apon Cornhyl And he regnyd kyng in thys Ilond aftyr Brut M. cc.xl.v yeerys And the yeerys of owr Lord god a cxxiiii Lucius was crownyd kyng and the yeerys of hys reygne lxxvii yeerys and he was beryd aftyr sum cronekil at London and aftyr sum cronekil he was beryd at Glowcester at that plase wher the ordyr of Sent Francys standyth The truth of this Inscription is questioned in diuers points by some of the learned Senate of our Ecclesiasticall Historians but I will adhere to the common receiued opinion that Lucius was the first Christian king of this Island and indeed of the world that he founded an Archbishops See here in London after which time Christianitie was alwayes profest in some part of this kingdome and especially in Wales Of which if it be not troublesome reade these old rimes Among ye Brutons in Walys was alway Christendom Sitthe hit furst thurghe Lucye Brutons king hit com And that was tofore Sent Austens tyme a cccc yer And about xxiiii as they writ of er Iocelin of Fournes seith that one Thean was the first Archbishop and the first builder of this Church by the helpe of one Cyran chiefe Butler vnto king Lucius Eluanus was the second who built a Librarie neare vnto his Church and conuerted many of the British Druides learned men in the Pagan law to Christianitie The rest vntill you come to Restitutus who was the 12. Archbishop are but onely named in my Author Restitutus saith Bishop Godwin was at the Councell of Arles in France the yeare 326. vnder Constantius the sonne of Constantine the great and subscribed vnto the Decrees of the same Councell which he brought ouer with him One Decree amongst the rest was that if a Deacon at the time of his ordering did protest he intended to marrie it should be lawfull for him so to doe Restitus himselfe was married One Kebius the sonne of Salomon a certaine Duke of Cornwall Bishop of Anglesey in Wales flourished in his dayes and trauelled with him into France and afterwards went himselfe into Ireland where by his good doctrine he conuerted many of that Nation to Christianitie Guitelnius the thirteenth Archbishop trauelled ouer Seas to the king of little Britaine to craue his aide against the Scots and Picts which mightily infested this kingdome insomuch that the Romanes rather chose to remit the Britaines their tribute then to afoard them any more aide Of which this Bishop made an oration to his countriemen a little before his departure who at that time like the Romanes were wearied out with their often incursions and altogether afraid to encounter with the enemie that fierce valiant Scot. Imagine his words were wondrous old from our times and that they were deliuered in this Dialect Alle ye grete of this lond to London ycome Therchbishop thus sede Gwithelin benome Our leue frendes of Rome her to speke to yough me bede But beter wille ich haue to wepe then to do eny othur dede For pite hit is of this londe and of our wretchede Aftur that Maximian our folk a wey gan lede Alle our knyghtes and our Swayn and much of our yong hede And othur londes storede therwyth alas the deolfull dede And ye beth men bet ytaught to shouele and to spade To cart eke and to plough and to a fishyng wade To hamer and to nedle and othur craftes also Than with sper or with swerd battaile for to do Whan your enemyes cometh you ne kunneth but fle As shep before UUolues hough myght more woo be And the See biset yow al abowte hough mowe ye than by thenche Othur ligge a don and be a slawe othur fle and a drenche Help is ther nan with yow but clenlich alle this londe Al the helpyng and lokyng is in othur mans honde And the Romaynes beth anoyed of hure traualle so sore Of perile of See and londe ek hii wole come here no more Hii wolleth hure truage rather leue that ye berith him a yere Be konne ye nought lerny thyng that ye dede neuer ere Applieth yowr hondes to the sper and to the swerd also For strongur men buth ther
and vowed virginitie cast off all care of hauing issue and exposed the kingdome to the prey of ambitious humours Yet some that would excuse him in this affirme that this holy king was not willing to beget any heires that should succeed him out of a treacherous race Here lieth without any Tombe Maude daughter to Malcolm Camoir king of Scots and wife to king Henry the first who brought vnto him children William Richard and Mary which perished by shipwracke and Maud Empresse who was wise to Henry the fift Emperour She died the first day of May Maij prima dies nostrorum nocte dierum raptam perpetua fecit inesse die 1118. She had an excellent Epigram made to her commendation whereof these foure verses onely remaine Prospera non laetam fecere nec aspera tristem Aspera risus erant prospera terror erant Non decor effecit fragilem non sceptra superbam Sola potens humilis sola pudica decens Thus paraphrastically translated No prosperous state did make her glad Nor aduerse chances made her sad If Fortune frown'd she then did smile If Fortune smil'd she fear'd the while If Beauty tempted she said nay No pride she tooke in Scepters sway She onely high her selfe debast A Lady onely faire and chast She went euery day in the Lent time to this Church bare-foot and bare-legd wearing a garment of haire she would wash and kisse the feet of the poorest people and giue them bountifull Almes For which being reprehended by a Courtier shee gaue him a short answer which I haue out of Robert of Glocester Madame for Goddes love is this wel i doo To handle sich vnclene â—ymmes and to kisse so Foule wolde the kyng thynk if that hit he wiste And ryght wel abyse hym er he your mouth kiste Sur sur qd the Quene be stille why sayste thow so Owr Lord hymself ensample yaf so for to do She founded as I haue said before the Priory of Christ-church within Aldgate and the Hospitall of S. Giles in the Fields She builded the Bridges ouer the Riuer of Lea at Stratford Bow and ouer the little Brooke called Chanelsebridge shee gaue much likewise to the repairing of high-wayes But I will take my leaue of her with these words of Paris Obijt eodem anno Matildis Regina Anglorum cuius corpus apud Westmonasterium quietem sepulturae accepit anima eius se coelum possidere evidentibus signis et miraculis crebris ostendit Here lieth vnder a rich Monument of Porphery adorned with precious stones the body of Henry the third king of England In the fifth yeare of whose raigne and the Saturday next before his second time of Coronation the New worke the old being ruinous and pulled downe of this Church of Westminster was begun To which sacred Edifice this king was a perswader he was the Founder and laid the first stone in the ground-worke of the building The Newerke atte Westmynstre ye kyng tho ganne anone Aftyr hys coronyng and leyde the fyrst stone As if he meant the world should know his intention was to consecrate his future actions to the glory of God He gaue to this Church royall gifts of Copes Iewels and rich vessels and for the holy Reliques of Edward the Confessor he caused a coffin to be made of pure gold and pretious stones and so artificially by the most cunning Goldsmiths that could be gotten that although the matter it was made of was of an inestimable valew tamen Materiam superabat opus yet the workmanship excelled the matter saith Mathew Paris A Prince he was as our histories affirme of greater deuotion then discretion in permitting the depredation of himselfe and his subiects by papall ouerswayings This King saith Robert of Glocester as in worldlich doyng was not hald ful wyse but mor deuout to spiritual things he was euery dey woned to here thre Masses by note Quante innocentie quante patientie quanteque deuotionis et quanti meriti in vita sua erat apud Deum testantur post ipsius mortem miracula subsecuta Of how much integrity of how much patience of how much deuotion and of how much merite he was in his life time before God the miracles which followed after his death doe testifie saith the compendious chronicle of Canterbury He died the 16 of Nouember 1273. when he liued sixty fiue yeares and raigned fiftie sixe yeares and eighteene daies this Epitaph following is annexed to his Tombe Tertius Henricus iacet hic pietatis amicus Ecclesiam strauit istam quam post renouauit Reddet ei munus qui regnat trinus et vnus Tertius Henricus est Templi conditor huius Dulce bellum inexpertis Which is thus Englished by Robert Fabian The frende of pyte and of almesse dede Henry the thyrde whylome of Englande Kyng Who thys Church brake and after hys mede Agayn renewed into this fayre buylding Now resteth in here whiche did so great a thinge He yelde his mede that Lord in Deyite That as one God reygneth in persones thre Henry the thyrde is the buylder of thys Temple War is pleasant to those that haue not tryed it In the additions to Robert of Glocester a Manuscript in the Heralds Office these rimes are written to his remembrance Aftur hym regnyd the thurd Harry A good man and eke an hely In hys tym werrys were full strong And eke mickle stryf in Englond The Batayl of Lewys was than And alsoo the Batayl of Euesham And that tym alsoo ther was The Translacyon of Sent Thomas In hys tym as I vndyrstond Come Freres Menores into thys lond He regnyd Kyng lvi yere And to Westmynstre men hym bere At the head of the foresaid King Henry his sonne Edward surnamed Long-Shanks lieth entombed King of England the first of that Christian name since the Conquest and as he was the first of his name so was he the first that setled the law and state deseruing the stile of Englands Iustinian and freed this kingdome from the wardship of the Peeres shewing himselfe in all his actions after capable to command not the Realme onely but the whole world At the time of his Fathers death he was abroad in Palestine pursuing his high desires for the Holy Warres and after sixe yeares from his first setting out he returnes into England receiues the Crowne without which he had beene a King almost three yeares at the hands of Robert Archbishop of Canterbury and with him is Eleanor his vertuous Queene likewise crowned at Westminster To the which their magnificent pompous Coronations the presence of Alexander King of Scotland who had married Margaret his eldest sister was required as appeares by this Record following Rex dilectis et fidelibus suis Iohanni Louetot et Galfrido de Newbald Custodibus Episcopatus Deunelm Salutem Mandamus vobis quod de primis denarijs prouenientibus de exitibus Episcopatus predicti habere faciatis Alexandro
reuenues Richard Cordelion his sonne confirmes the gift and exchange of the Canons made by his father by his Charter to be read in the Tower in these words Richardus Dei gratia c. Inde est quod sicut Pater noster mutationem Canonicorum secularium institutionem Canonicorum regularium fecit in Ecclesia de Waltham eis quasdam non as possessiones et veteres concessit confirmauit Sic nos laudabiliter virorum commutationem in prefata Ecclesia factam nostra autem approbamus Et pro salute predicti Patris nostri et Matris nostre et Fratrum nostrorum et pro salute omnium fidelium constitutionem Canonicorum Regularium in eadem Ecclesia factam donationes possessiones nouas que a Patre nostro eis facte sunt presenti carta nostra confirmamus Dat. c. Henry the third encreased much their reuenues with Faires and Markets a Faire here for seuen dayes and at Epping a Market euery Monday and a Faire for three dayes So by the munificence of these Kings their Successours and Subiects this Abbey at the generall suruey and surrender was valued at Robin Hoods pennieworths to dispend yearely 900. pounds foure shillings and foure pence The Catalogue of religious houses saith 1079. l. 12. s. and a pennie The Church of this Monastery hath escaped the hammers of destruction and with a venerable aspect sheweth vnto vs the magnitude of the rest of this religious Structure Herein Harold made his vowes and prayers for victorie when hee marched against the Norman Conquerour In which battell by the shot of an arrow through the left eye into his braines he was slaine the 14. of October being Saturday 1066. hauing raigned nine moneths and odde dayes whose body by the mediation of his mother Githa and two religious men of this Abbey being obtained of the Conquerour howsoeuer at the first by him denyed affirming that buriall was not fit for him whose ambition had beene the cause of so many funeralls was conueyed with great lamentation by his said mother Githa and a small deiected remainder of the English Nobilitie to this his owne Church and herein solemnly interred vpon whose Monument this Epitaph was engrauen Heu cadis hosle sero Rex a Duce Rege sutaro Par paris gladio milite valido Firmini iusti lux est tibi luce Calixti Pronior hinc superas hinc superatus eras Ergo tibi requiem deposcat vtrumque perennem Sicque precetur eum quod colit omne Deum A fierce foe thee slew thou a King he king in view Both Peeres both Peerelesse both fear'd and both fearlesse That sad day was mixt by Firmin and Calixt Th' one helpt thee to vanquish t'other made thee languish Both now for thee pray and thy Requiem say So let good men all to God for the call Girth and Leofwin his two brethren lost their liues likewise vnder Harolds Banner which was brondet saith Robert of Glocester with sygur of a man fyghtyng biset al about wyth gold and preciosse stons which Baner aftur the Bataile Duc William sent to the Pope in tokne of the victory Whose bodyes were in like manner brought to this Church and here entombed It is said that Girthe not holding it best to hazard the Kindome of England at one cast signified to the King that the successe of warre was doubtfull that victory was rather swayed by fortune then by valour that aduised delay was most important in martiall affaires and if so bee brother said hee you haue plighted your faith to the Duke retire your selfe for no force can serue against a mans owne conscience God will reuenge the violation of an oath you may reserue your selfe to giue 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 neuer turne my back with dishonour to the Norman neither can I in any sort digest the reproach of a base minde well then be it so said some discontented of the company let him beare the brunt that hath giuen the occasion This Harold is much commended for his courteous affabilitie gentle deportment Iustice and warlike prowesse in nothing blame worthy saue that in the opinion of his owne valour he addicted himselfe wholly to his owne resolutions neglecting the wise deliberations of his best friends and Councellors And that his courage could neuer stoope to be lower then a King For which he is taxed to be an impious man falsely aspiring to the Crowne by vsurpation Of which my old Author with whom I will conclude hath these rimes Harold the falls Erle tho Sent Edward ded ley Hym selue let corone King thulk self dey Falsliche Richard the first king of England for his matchlesse valour surnamed Cordelion or Lions-heart is by some of our old English writers said to haue slaine a Lion and by the pulling out of his heart to haue gained that attribute or denomination the truth is that Hugh Nevill a gentleman of noble linage one of King Richards speciall familiars is recorded to haue slaine a Lion in the holy Land driuing first an arrow into his breast and then running him thorow with his sword whereupon this Hexameter was made Viribus Hugonis vires periere Leonis The strength of Hugh a Lion slue Which atchiuement belike was transferred from the man to the master and the story applied to the by-name of K. Richard This Hugh was high Iustice Gardian or Prothoforester of England He died about the sixt of King Henry the third being full of yeeres corpus eius saith Paris in Ecclesia de Waltam nobili Sarchophago marmoreo et in sculpto traditur sepulturae and his body was buried in this Church of Waltham vnder a noble engrauen marble Sepulchre Iohn Nevill his sonne non ultimus inter Angliae nobiles patris sui pedetentim sequens vestigia and the sonne and heire as well of his vertues as reuenues and offices being accused by one Robert Passelew a man of eminent authoritie vnder King Henry the third of diuers transgressions or omissions in the Forrest Lawes committed by him by his conniuencie or sufferance in this Forrest of Waltham and other the Kings Forrests Parks and Chaces was adiudged to pay a Fine of two thousand markes and ignominiouslie to be cast out of his offices which he tooke so to heart that not long after languishing away with sorrow he breathed out his afflicted spirit in Iuly 1245. at his Mannor of Whelperfield from whence he was conueyed to this Abbey and here honourably entombed by his father I finde in Registro Cartarum Abbatie de Waltam that these two Nevils were great benefactors to
fourth of the Ides of September in the yeare of grace one thousand one hundred ninety and eight being the ninth yeare of King Richard the first as I haue it out of the Catalogue of Treasurers of England collected by Francis Thinne He bestowed much vpon the building of his Church S. Pauls as also vpon other Edifices belonging to his See which was the cause I coniecture wherefore the Shrine was erected to his memory Many miracles saith Mat. Paris were wrought at the tombe of Roger sirnamed the Blacke the foure and fortieth Bishop of this Diocesse who lieth buried neere to the preaching place in Saint Pauls Church vnder a monument of grey marble of which as also of him I haue partly spoken before Godwin Bishop of Hereford out of the foresaid M. Paris saith that this Roger was a reuerend man religious learned painfull in preaching eloquent a great House-keeper and of very gentle and curteous behauiour whereunto he might haue added as it is in my Author that hee was also stout and couragious For Rustandus the Popes Nuntio being earnest in a conuocation for setting forward a certaine prolling deuise to scrape vp money for his master he not onely withstood him openly but cried out vpon the vnreasonable and shamelesse couetousnesse of the Court of Rome and was the onely means of staying the course of that exaction For reuenge hereof not long after they began to frame an accusatioÌ„ against him at Rome alledging matters altogether false and friuolous It forced him to trauell thither and cost him great summes of money before he could rid his hands of that brable The yeare 1233. Walter Mauclerke Bishop of Carlile taking ship to passe ouer the seas was hindered by some of the Kings Officers for that he had no licence to depart the Realme These Officers for so doing hee excommunicated and riding straight vnto the Court certified the King what he had done and there renewed the same sentence againe About the same time the King gaue commandement for the apprehending of Hubert de Burgo Earle of Kent who hauing sodaine notice thereof at midnight got him vp and fled into a Church in Essex They to whom the businesse was committed finding him vpon his knees before the high Altar with the Sacrament in one hand and a crosse in the other carried him away neuerthelesse vnto the Tower of London The Bishop taking this to bee a great violence and wrong offered to holy Church would neuer leaue the King which was Henry the third a King indeed very reâ—igious vntill he had caused the Earle to bee carried vnto the place from whence he was fetcht which was thought to bee a meanes of sauing the Earles life For though order was taken he should not scape thence yet it gaue the Kings wrath a time to coole and himselfe leisure to make proofe of his innocency By reason whereof he was afterward restored to the Kings fauour and former places of honour But the story here followeth which is also annexed to his tombe that aboue all others giues the truest testimony of his religious vigerous and vndaunted masculine spirit Vpon the day of the conuersion of Saint Paul while Roger Bishop of London was at high Masse within the Church of Saint Paul in London a sudden darknesse ouershadowed the Quire and therewith came such a tempest of thunder and lightning that the people there assembled thought verily the Church and Steeple had come downe vpon their heads There came moreouer such a filthy sauour and stinke withall that partly for feare and partly for that they might not abide the sauour they voyded the Church falling on heapes one vpon another as they sought to get out of the same The Vicars and Canons forsooke their Deskes so that the Bishop remained there onely with one Deacon that serued him at Masse Afterward when the aire began to clear vp the people returned into the Church and the Bishop qui remansit intrepidus who remained all the time nothing at all abashed went forward and finished the Masse Thus Roger hath a roome in this our Sainted throng Who by his words and workes so taught the way to heauen As that great name to him sure vainely was not giuen Now for a conclusion if you desire greatly to know the greatnesse of this christian name of Roger as the Poet here in this place seemes to call it consult with Verstegan in his Etymologies of the ancient Saxon proper names of men and women and he will tell you that Roger was at the first Rugard or Rougard and afterwards Rugar and with vs lastly Roger. Rou or Ru is our ancient word for rest repose or quietnesse gard to keepe or conserue so as Rugard now Roger is a keeper or conseruer of rest and quietnesse Such a keeper such a conseruer of peace and quietnesse was this our Bishop Roger whom I leaue to his eternall rest and repose and so take my leaue of this sometime his Diocesse Here endeth the Diocesse of London ANCIENT FVNERALL MONVMENTS WITHIN THE Diocesse of NORVVICH In Suffolke Dunwich THE first seate of the Bishops of this Diocesse was at Dunwich in Suffolke and the first Bishop thereof was Felix a Burgundian At Dunmok than was Felix fyrst Byshop Of Estangle and taught the Chrysten â—ayth That is full hye in heuen I hope His happie comming into this kingdome happened vpon this occasion as followeth Sebert or Sigebert king of the East Angles a man in all points learned and most Christian who whilest his brother was yet liuing being himselfe banished into France by his father Redwald was there baptised and instructed in the Faith of which faith he laboured to make all his Realme partakers as soone as he came vnto the Crowne Whose good endeuour herein the foresaid Felix did most earnestly fauour and with great praise applie himselfe Who when he came from Burgundy where he was borne and tooke holy orders into Britaine to Honorius the Archbishop vnto whom hee opened his desire and purpose which was to preach the word of God vnto the foresaid East Angles The Archbishop gladly gaue him licence and sent him forth to sow the seed of eternall saluation in the misbeleeuing hearts of the people of that countrey His zeale and vertuous desire proued not in vaine For this holy husbandman and happie tiller of the spirituall field found in that Nation plentifulnesse of fruite and increase of people that beleeued him For he brought all that Prouince being now deliuered by his helpe from their long iniquitie and vnhappinesse vnto the faith and workes of Iustice and in the end to the reward of perpetuall blisse and happinesse for euer according to the good abodement of his name which in latine is called Felix and in our English tongue soundeth Happy He was made Bishop about the yeare of our redemption 630. and chose Dunwich for his Episcopall Chaire being a Citie in foregoing ages spacious much frequented and well peopled
assistants preached the Gospell of life vnto the Islanders and found meanes there to build a Church or Oratorie of wreathen wands as also a little cell thereunto adioyning and this was the first religious house dedicated to the seruice of the true God in all Britaine and these religious men the first beginners or founders of that famous fenny-seated Monastery which is partly standing at this day of which more hereafter when I come to speake of the religious Foundations in Somersetshire In the meane while will you reade what our countreyman Iohn Capgraue in his Catalogue of English Saints writes of Iosephs comming into this kingdome Thus in English Ioseph with his sonne Iosephes saith he and ten more of his assistants sent hither by Philip the Apostle out of France for the inhabitants saluation preached zealously and without feare the true and liuely faith Aruiragus as then swaying the Scepter of this land The which Aruiragus howsoeuer he was vnwilling at the first to giue them entertainment or to heare them preach any doctrine repugnant to the traditions of his predecessours yet because they came from such a farre remote countrey as the holy Land and that he saw their ciuill behauiour their sanctitie and strict course in the manner of their life and conuersation he gaue them a certaine Island to inhabite in the West part of his dominions all compassed about with lakes and standing waters called Ynswitrim or the glassie Isle of which saith he a certaine Metrician made this Tetrastich Intrat Analoniam duodena caterua virorum Flos Arimathie Ioseph est primus eorum Iosephes ex Ioseph genitus patrem comitatur Hijs alijsque decemius Glasconie propriatur George Owen Harry in his Pedigrees vpon report from others saith Ioseph brought ouer with him his sister Eurgaine who afterwards married a Britaine whose name was Starklos Iohn Harding in his Chronicle of England will haue fourteene to accompany Ioseph in this iourney and that amongst many Britaines conuerted by them to the Christian faith Aruiragus the king was one to whom Ioseph gaue a shield of the Armes which now we call S. George his Armes such are the rimes in the English of those dayes two hundred yeares since or thereabouts Ioseph full holy and full wyse Of Arymathie wyth his felowes fourtene Into this lond then came and gaue contene In Bretayne then this Ioseph dyd conuerte Brytons as how to know the incarnacyon Afore that Paynyms and also peruerte He taught them of his conuersacyon Of his passyon and his resurrectyon Wyth other thynges as the Chronycler sayth That apperteyneth to Christes fayth Ioseph conuerted king Aruiragus By hys prechyng to knowe the lawe deuyne And baptyzed hym as written hath Nennius The Cronycler in Bretayn tongue full syne And to Chryst lawe made hym enclyne And gaue hym a sheld of siluer whyte A crosse endlong and ouertwhart full perfyte These Armes were vsed throughout all Bretayn For a common sygne eche manne to know his nacyon From enemyes whiche now we call certayn Saint Georges Armes by Nenius enformacyon And thus these Armes by Iosephs creacyon Full long afore Saint George was generate Were worshcipt here of mykell elder date The seeds of true Religion thus sowne by the said Ioseph and his associates neare or vpon for about this accompt there is some difference amongst writers the yeare of our Sauiour Christ one hundred and fourescore Lucius surnamed Leuer Maur which signifies great brightnesse king of the Britaines vpon his request made to Eloutherius Bishop of Rome for as then and many yeares after the title of Pope was altogether vnknowne two learned Diuines were sent vnto him from the said Bishop at whose hands he receiued the lauer of baptisme And so it sell out our Histories say that not onely his wife and family accompanied him in that happie course but Nobles also and Commons Priests and people high and low euen all the people within his Territories And that generally all their Idols were then defaced the Temples of them conuerted into Churches for the seruice of God the liuings of their idolatrous Priests appointed for the maintenance of the Priests of the Gospell and that instead of 25. Flamines or high Priests of their idols there were ordained 25 Bishops as also for three Archflamines three Archbishops whereof one was seated at London another at Yorke and a third at Caerlion vpon the riuer Vske in Wales Of all which will it please you peruse a few lines penned by my foresaid Author Iohn Harding In the yere of Christes incarnacyon An hundryd fourescore and tenne Eleuthery the first at supplicacyon Of Lucius sente hym twoo holy menne That called wer Faggan and Duvyen That baptyzed hym and all his realme throughoute With hertes glad and laboure deuoute Thei taught the folke the lawe of Christ eche daye And halowed all the temples in Christes name All mawment and Idoles caste awaye Through all Bretayn of all false Goddes the same The Temples Flamines the Idoles for to shame Thei halowed eke and made Bishoppes Sees Twenty and eight at diuers grete citees Of three Archflamines thei made Archbishoprikes One at London Troynouant that hight For all Logres with lawes full authentikes To rule the Church and Christentee in right Another at Carlyon a towne of might For all Cambre at Ebranke the thirde From Trent North for Albany is kide Robert the Monke of Gloucester an old rimer who writes the language of our fathers about foure hundred yeares since doth summarily thus tell you how Ioseph planted and Luciuâ— established the doctrine of Christ in this our kingdome of Britaine His liues you will say are neither strong nor smooth yet perhaps they may giue your palate variety and as you like them you shall haue more hereafter Lucie Coeles sone aftur hym kyng was To fore hym in Engelond Chrestondom non nas For he hurde ofte miracles at Rome And in meny anothur stede yat thurgh Christene men come He wilnede anon in hys herte to fong Christendom Therfor messagers wyth good letters he nom That to the pape Eleutherie hasteliche wende And yat he to hym and his menne xpendom sende And yat he myghte servy God he wilned muche therto And seyd he wold noght be glad er hit wer ydo Tho ye Pape hurde thes twey hâ—ly men be sende Phagan and Damian hys soul to amende The ryghte beleue to teche and yaf him xpendom That folke faste aboute wide ther to com Thys was an hundryd sixti yer and too Aftur God was ybore this dede was ydoo Thus come lo xpendom into Brutayne lond But ther wer erst som preneliche xpendom had de fond As atte the plas of Glastyngbury Ioseph of Arimathie Liued ther in Christes lay wyth hij companie Ther wer tho in Brutayne false lawes to lere Eyght and twenty chese stedes Byshopriches as â—it were And thre Erchtemples as hit wer heyghest of echon London and Ebrackwike and
to interrupte the pestilente peruersyte of Pope Iohn the two and twentieth to what carefull confusion was he brought Moreouer the godly and well disposed Henry the third Emperour of Allmayn how traytterouslye was he betrayed by Pope Hildebrande procuryng his owne son vnnaturally to war agaynst his Father to take him prisoner and fynally to depose him of his Empereall crowne Furthermore what Christian hart can refrayn from sorrofull sighes and morening lamentation to considre how the Innocent and harmles Prynce Childevicus King of France was extremely handelyd of his owne servant Pepyne beryved of his Kyngdome through the instigacion of the Busshop of Rome And no marvaill though he haâ— thus encroched vpon Prynces being men wheras he hath exalted hymself agaynst God thrustyng him out of his roome and setlyng hymself in Gods place the conscience of Christian people of whose vsurped power S. Paul prophecyeng Thessall 2. chap. 2. callyth him the sinfull man the sonn of perdicion qui est aduersarius effertur adversus omne quod dicitur Deus adeo vt in templo Dei sedeat Doth not he sytt in the temple of God by dampnable dispensacions by dysceyvable remyssions by lyenge myrracles by fayned reliques by false religion c. And as he hath avoyded God out of the conscyence of Christian people so hath he defeated Prynces of ther iurisdictions and debarred euery commen weale from ther politick gouernaunce bringyng in his lawlesse Canons and detestable decrees supplantyng the devyne ordynaunce of power yeuen to Pryncely rulers And the cause why they haue bene so deceyâ—ed S. Paul declaryth Eo quod dilectionem veritatis non acceperunt This legally consideryd of your moste prudent singuler and high politike discretion aswell by probable experience within your Domynyons as by euident examples of other Christian regions wher the Popisshe vnruly regiment hath raigned with intollerable vsurpacion tyrannouslye defacing all power of Prynces It may please your gracious benygnytie to aduertice the entier intent the louyng mynd and vnfayned hart of my Soueraigne your most dere vncle so fervently moued with a faithfull loue vnable to be expressed to allure your graces affection toward the fauourable embracement of Gods worde wherein his highnes onlye reioysinge ardently desyreth to imparte the same his speciall ioye with your most excellent grace which shuld be greatly thadvauncement of your estate royall the quietacion of your louing Subiects and most highlie the pleasure of God Now to make the Pope more odious his Kinglie power and deliberate proceedings in these his weightie causes of greater validitie and more warrantable as well by the lawes of God as generall Councells he caused to be pend and published abroad here and beyond seas to the same effect in these words If mortall creatures to theyr hedds soueraignes and naturell Princes be cheeflye bounde next vnto God specially where they as moste carefull fathers and Tutors prudently and sagely rule and gouern the great numbers and multitudes of men commytted to theyr obedyence And where they in their royall persons often forgetting the regard of theyr Princely magesties valyantly withstand abyde and resist whatsoeuer troubles daungers perells assawts wrongs iniuryes or displeasures myght at any tyme happen chaunce threten or be incident vnto theyr people or countries besyds many and innumerable other displeasures and troubles which dailie and heurely for the defence mayntenaunce and supportacion of theyr realmes people and cuntryes secretly happen and chaunce them theyr people seldome or at no time pryvey thervnto wherby of good congruence all Subiects become most bounden to theyr soueraignes and Prynces and them ought most feithfully to loue honour obeye serue and dreade and theyr magesties to mayntayn support and defend with all theyr powre myghte strength and habilitie Then let no Englyssheman forgett the most noble and louyng Prynce of this realme who for the godly ensample of his people the loue and dread he hath to God and obseruance of his most reuerend lawes hathe to the evydent knowlege of all his welbelouyd Subiects long endured and abyden to his inestimable coste charge trouble vexation and inquyeâ—nes the triall of his great cause And at last after innumerable most famous learned mens iudgements on his syde therin gyuen Yet for all that most wrongfully iudged by the great Idoll and most cruell enymye to Christs law and his religion which calleth himselfe Pope And his most iust and lawfull prouocacion and appellacion from the sayd enemye of Christs law to the generall counsail made also refused denyed and forsaken Wherfore and to thintente all men may know the abhominable wrongs which our most noble and gracious Prynce doth susteyne by so vnlawfull intreatyngs Therfore are these few articles hereafter following presented vnto those that shall both desyre to knowe the truth and in truth shall thyrste and couet feythfully to assyst maynteyn supporte defende and stand by theyr Prynce and Souerayn in his most iust lawfull and right wise cause First that the generall Counsail lawfully gathered is and ought to be superiour to all Iurisdictions either vsurped and suffred as the Papall or iustly holden as kings in all matters concernyng the feythe and direction of the whole Churche of Christe And also ought to be iudged thereby and by the decrees of the same only and by none other they being consonant to the law of Christe Secondly that Prynces have two wayes principally when none other can prevayle to attaine right th one against thother that is to say in cawses concernyng the sowle beyng mere spirituell appellacion to the generall counsail In temporall cawses the sword only except by mediation of frends the matters may be compounded So that whosoeuer wolde go about to take away these naturell defenses from Prynces is to be manly withstood both by the Princes and their Subiects And therto all Christien men shuld be anymated by the words of our Lord Iesu Christe which are Obey ye Prynces aboue all and then theyr deputyes or mynysters not gevyng powre to forreyns wythin theyr rules and domynyons Thirdly that dyuers generall Counsaills haue determyned that cawses of strife or controuersie beyng ones begonne in any Regyon shall there and in the sayd Regyon be finally determyned and not elsewhere Vpon which grounde the Kings highnes his nobles both spirituell and temporall and Commons by one hole consent vpon diuers most prudent wyse and polytike reasons and weyghty consideracions agreable to the seyd generall Counsaills haue made a Law by the which good people lyving within the lymets of true and lawfull matrymonye shall not by malice or evill will be so long deteyned and interrupted from their ryght as in tymes passyd they haue byn Neither vnlawfull matrymonye shall haue his iniust and incestuous demoure and contynuance as by delayes to Rome it was wont to haue Which now may evydently appere by that that our Prynces weyghtye and long protracted cause of matrymonye hath his finall and prosperous end accordyng to the lawes
sacris is dedâ—tus id est sacramentis ad sacrisicanda sacramenta nam ipse sacriâ—icâ—â— sacrosanctum corpus Domini cum verbis signis prodigijs caetera sacramenta Tertiò dicitur Sacerdos quasidans sacra dat enim Baptismum confessionem poenitentiam indulgentiam Eucharistiam benedictionem extremam vnctionem Quartò dicitur Sacerdos quasi sacra docens docet enim verba sancti Euangelij articulos rectae fidei Quintò dicitur Sacerdos quasi sacer dux quasi ducatum praebens iter populo ad regna coelorum verbo sanae doctrinae et vitae bono exemplo Whereupon this Distich was compiled Sacris dotatus et sacris deditus atque Sacra docens sacra dans et dux sacer esto Sacerdos Vpon the diuision of Prouinces into Parishes of which hereafter and building of Churches which worke was effected with chearfull deuotion the fittest men out of this holiest order were chosen and appointed to consecrate the diuine Miestries of the Church To such or such particular congregations as were committed to their charge and of whose soules they had the cure And such Deacons which as Parish Clerks did helpe the Priests in the execution of their sacred office did most commonly after a short time enter into the order of Priestood and tooke vpon them the cure of soules and the benefit of a fat Parsonage if they could procure it in which promotion if this or that Deacon carryed himselfe proudly or any wayes noâ— to the contentment of his Parishioners such was the common saying The Priest forgets that e're he was a Clerke These Priests were called Secular and such as led a Monasticall life Regular And so Canons were both secular and regular The opinions of the first institutions of Chanons are very diuers some refer the beginning of a canonicall life to Vrbin the first a Romane Bishop who liued about the yeare of Grace 230. Others and namely Possidomus make Saint Augustine the chiefe Author of this institution who when hee had gathered together a companie of godly men who liued religiously farre from the noise and trouble of the multitude being made a Bishop he built a Monasterie for Clerkes and Priests within his pallace with whom he might liue in common Onufrius Panuinus writes that Pope Gelasius the first about the yeare 493. placed the regular Chanons of Saint Augustine at Latran in Rome Pope Boniface in the yeare 1298. placed there Chanons secular Gregorie the twelfth restored the regular Calistus the third brought in secular Chanons againe and Pope Paul the second of that name dispossest them and restored the regular They were wont to sleepe vpon mattresses and had blankets of wooll they fasted much vsed great silence and liued in common hauing nothing proper to themselues they vâ—ed exercises two houres in the day and at the end of the yeare they made their procession They did not admit any one to the habit vntill hee were seuenteene yeares old and they gaue themselues to studie and preaching The rule of these Chanons confirmed by many Popes consisted chiefly vpon three points to haue nothing of their owne to bee chaste and to keepe their cloisters Which rule is deciphered in the old cloister of the Monasterie of Saint Iohn Lateran in riming verses now hardly to be read thus Canonicam formam sumentes discite normam Quam promisistis hoc claustrum quando petistis Discite sic esse tria vobis adesse necesse Nil proprium morum castum portando pudorem Claustri structura sit vobis docta figura Vt sic clarescant anime moresque nitescant Et stabiliantur animo qui canonicantur Vt coniunguntur lapidesque sic poliuntur Thus regular in holinesse of good life and also in learning both Priests and Chanons were of ancient times but how irregular afterwards let Chaucer tell you Popes Bishops and Cardinals Chanons Parsons and Vicare In Goddes service I trow been fals That Sacraments sellen here And been as proud as Lucifere Eche man looke whether that I lie Who so speketh ayenste her powere It shal be holden heresie In another place And all such other counterfaitours Chanons Canons and such disguised Been Goddes enemies and traitours His true religion han foule despised As Goddes goodnesse no man tell might Write ne speake ne thinke in thought So her falshed and her vnright May no man tell that euer God wrought And thus They vsen horedome and harlottrie Couetise pompe and pride Sloth wrath and eke envie And sewen sinne by euery side Alas where thinke such to abide How woll they accompts yelde From high God they mow hem not hide Such willers witte is not worth a nelde Piers the Plowman thus blanklie speakes of their pride Sir Iohn and Sir Ieffery hath a girdle of siluer A Baselard or a ballocke knife with buttons ouergilt And a Portus that shuld be his plow Placebo â—o synge Had he neuer seruice to saue siluer therto seith it with idle will And hereupon he exhorts lay-men not to bee so liberall in bestowing their goods vpon the Clergie Thus. Alas ye lewd men much lese ye on Pryests And a thinge that wickedly is won and with false sleights Would neuer wit of wittye God but wicked men it had The whych ar Pryests imperfit and Prechers after sâ—â—uer That with gile is gotten vngraciously is spended Executours and sodemes samoners and their lemmans So harlots and hoores are holpen with such goods And gods folks for defaulte therof forfaren and spill These Canons had many cloisters here in England great lands and reuenues and were wondrous rich the first Chanon Regular in this kingdome was one Norman whom Matilda wife to King Henry the first preferred to the gouernment of her Priory called Christ-church now the Dukes place within Aldgate London There are foure rules or religious Orders that is to say of S. Basill S. Augustine S. Benet and S. Francis vnder which all other orders are comprehended and gouerned Of which my old Author Robert Longland siue Iohannes Maluerne in the vision of Piers Plowman giues a touch where he speakes of Pardons and Popes Bulls on this manner At the dredfull dome whan the dead shall arise And comen al to fore Crist accountes for to yeue How thow leadest thy life here and his lawes kepest And how thow diddest day by day the dome wil reherse A poke full of Pardons there ne prouinciall lettres Though ye be founden in the fraternyte of the iiii orders And haue indulgence an C. fold but if Dowel ye help I beset yowr Patentes and yowr Pardons at a pyes hele And thus the same Authour in another place speaking of the pilgrimage to our Ladies Shrine at Walsingham Hermets an heape with hoked staues Wenten to Walsingham and her wenches after Great loubies and long that loth were to swinke Clothed em in copes to be knowen from other And shopen hem hermets her ease to haue I found there Freres al the
doth lie Another Lest Alexanders noble name my friend should thee beguile Away for here both treachery doth lurke and mischiefe vile Another Though Alexander after death did vomit matter blacke Yet maruell not he dranke the same and could not cause it packe Vpon the yeare of Iubelie aforesayd kept by this Pope Alexander The Romane Priest that promised both heauen and starres to sell By treacherie and murtherings hath made a gap to hell This Alexander before by deuillish meanes he obtained the Papacie was called Rodericus Borgia a Spaniard borne in Valentia But of him enough except it tended more to the matter Now may it please you reade certaine blanke verses taken out of my fore remembred Author Piers Plow man who speakes in his language of the Pope and Cardinals Pardons and pilgrimages effectually to this purpose Passus 19. God amend the Pope that pilleth holy Kirke And claymeth before the Kyng to be kept of Christen And counteth not though cristen be killed and robbed And fynd folke to fight and christen folk to spill Agayne the old law and new law as Paule therof wytnesseth Non occides mihi vindictam c. I ne knew neuer Cardinall that he ne come fro the Pope And we Clarks when they come for her Commens payen For her pelures and palfreis and pilors that hem folow The Commune clamat quotidie eche a man to other The contrey is the curseder that Cardinals commen in And there they lig and leng more lechery there raigneth Therfor quod this victory by very god I would That no Cardinals ne come among the commen peple But in her holines helden hem styl At Avion among the Iewes cum sancto sanctus eris Or in Rome as their rule wyl the relikes to kepe In the seuenth passage he deliuers his opinion of the Popes Pardons in these words The Prieste preued no pardon to do well And demed that Dowell Indulgence passed Biennales and Triennales and Byshops letters And how Dowell at the day of dome is dignely vndersongen And passed all the Pardon of S. Peters Church A little after in the same passage thus Soules that haue sinned seuen sythes deadly And to trust to these Trentals truely me thynketh Is not so siker for the soule as to do well Therfore I red you renkes that rich be on this erth Apon trust of treasure Trientales to have Be ye neuer the bolder to breake the ten hestes And namely ye Maisters Mayres and Iudges That haue the welth of this world and for wise men be holden To purchase you Pardons and the Popes Buls At the dreadfull dome whan the dead shall arise And commen all tofore Christ accounts for to yeue How thou leadest thy lyfe here and his lawes kepest And how thou didest day by day the dome wil reherse A poke full of Pardons there ne prouinciall letters Though ye be founden in the fraternitie of the iiii Orders And haue Indulgence an hundryd fold but if Dowell you helpe I beset your patents and your pardons at a pyes hele Therfore I counsell all christen to crye god mercy And make Christ our meane that hath made amends That God give vs grace here or we go hence Such workes to worke while we ben here That after our deathes day Dowell reherse At the day of Dome we did as he highte The same Author shewing what true pilgrimage is breathes forth these blanke verses following Nay by my soule health quoth Piers and gan for to sweare I nolde fang a ferthyng for Saynt Thomas shryne Truth wold loue me the lesse long tyme therfor after And if ye wyll to wend well this his the way thither Ye must go thorow mekenes both men and wyues Tyll ye come into conscience that Christ wit soch That ye louen our Lord God leuest of all thynges And that your neighbours next In no wyâ—e appeire Otherwise than thou woldist he wrought to thy selfe In the same passage Ye that seke S. Iames and Saintes at Rome Seke saint Truth for he may saue you all In another place Pass 12. He doth well withoute doute that doth as beuti techeth That is if thou be man maryed thy make thou loue And lyue forth as law wyll whyle ye lyuen both Right so if thou be religious ren thou neuerfurther To Rome nor Roch Madon but as thy rule techeth And hold the vnder obedience that high way is to heuen And yf thou be mayden to mary and myght well continewe Seke neuer no saint further for thy soules health Pilgrimage is called of the Latines Peregrinatio quasi peregre abitio a going into a strange countrey for a short pilgramage is not worth a pin neither is that Image in so much honour or respect in that countrey where it is as in farre countries For example the Italians yea those that dwell neare Rome will mocke and scoffe at our English and other pilgrims that go to Rome to see the Popes holinesse and Saint Peters chaire and yet they themselues will runne to see the Reliques of Saint Iames of Compostella in the kingdome of Galicia in Spaine which is aboue twelue hundred English miles And so the Spaniards hold Rome to be a very holy place and therefore spare no cost or labour to go thither And so of other pilgrimages Pilgrimage was also called Romeria quia Romam vt plurimum peregrinationes because pilgrimages forth most part were made to Rome Now hauing acquainted my Reader omitting many particulars I confesse which will more plainly appeare in the sequele by what deuises and meanes the Religious Votaries and others of the Clergie within this kingdome as also the Bishop of Rome who most commonly went away with the best share augmented their reuenues and deceiued the poore Commons I am here to speake of a yearely tribute paied onely to the See of Rome which many times I obuiously meete withall from the payment whereof neither the King nor the Clergie nor any housholder 〈◊〉 in England or Ireland were priuiledged and this was called 〈◊〉 which is a Saxon word compounded of Rome and Scot as you wouâ—d say the 〈◊〉 bute due to Rome or an Apostolicall custome or the see of 〈…〉 penning or Denarij Sancti Petri Peter pence From which payment 〈◊〉 Mathew the Monke of Westminster neither the King nor the Archbishop Bishop Abbot nor Prior were exempted I he first â—ounder of 〈◊〉 Tribute was Inas or Ina king of the West-saxons Of which the foresaid Mathew thus writes Ina the pious and potent king of the West Saxons leaâ—ing his temporall kingdome thereby to gaine an eternall to the gouernment of his kinsman Ethelard trauelâ—ed on pilgrimage to Rome where in the said Citie by the permission of Gregory the second hee built an house which he called The English Schoole vnto which the kings of England and the Regall Image as also Bishops Priests Clerkes and others might
were tearmed Basilicae for that the Basilicae of the Gentiles which were large and spacious Hauls wherein Magistrates sat in iudgement and ministred iustice were conuerted into Christian Churches Whence Ausonius wrote thus Basilica olim negotijs plena c. The Basilica or Haul of Iustice in times past full of businesses is now as full of prayers and vowes or else because they were built in forme somewhat long in manner of those Basilicae But to returne backe againe to my Parishes which are called Benefices for Ecclesiasticall persons like as the preferments in Cathedrall Churches are tearmed Church Dignities and of these some are called Rectories or Parsonages some Vicaradges as will appeare by the sequele Parochia is sometime called Plebania and thus defined Plebania est aliud genus beneficij et maius quam Rectoria habet sub se Capellas et dignitatem esse putant interpretes Plebania is another kinde of Benefice and of greater circuite then a Rectorie it hath vnder it certaine Chappels and this Plebania or dignitas plebeia is said to be a Church dignitie by Interpretours Questionlesse these Plebanians were like our side-wasted Parishes in Lanchishire whose extensure is so large that to my owne knowledge some one of those Parish Churches hath fourteene Chappels of ease as we call them within the circumference of her limits and as it were vnder her iurisdiction all which are honoured with Parochiall rites Cathedrall Abbey and Parish Churches had great priuiledges of sanctuarie granted vnto them in former times Now a Sanctuarie is a place of refuge for offenders to escape punishment And these Sanctuaries were so called of an old Mosaicall rite vsed amongst the Israelites among whom euery Tribe had certaine Cities and places of refuge to which malefactours might repaire and for a time bee protected from the rigour of the Law Of which you may reade in the sacred writ Exod. 21.13 Numb 35.1 Deuter. 4.41 and Iosh. 20.2 And so likewise here in great Britaine Churches Church-yards Cities ploughs and high-wayes had many priuiledges in this kinde anciently granted and confirmed vnto them I will speake first of the last out of a late Writer who makes old Watling-streete thus to sing his verse Since vs his kinglie waies Mulmutius first began From 〈◊〉 â—gaine â—o Sea that through the Hand ran Wh 〈…〉 at in mâ—nd to keepe Posteritie might haue Appoâ—nting â—ust his course this priuiledge he gaue That no man might arrest or debtors goods might seize In any of vs foure his militarie waies Neare fiue hundred yeares before this King Mulmutius take it vpon the credit oâ— the British Story constituted diuerse lawes especially that Churches Ploughs and high wayes should haue liberties of Sanctuary by no authoritie violable That Churches should be free and enioy liberty for refuge consenting allowance of most Nations haue tollerated and in this kingdome it being affirmed also by constitution of King Lucius a Christian euery Church yard was a Sanctuary vntill by Act of Parliament vnder Hen. 8. that licence for protection of offences being too much abused was taken away Of Mulmutius Dunwallo for so hee is sometime called and his priuiledges to sacred places my old Mss. thus further speakes A kynge ther was in Brutayne Donwâ—lle was his nam Stale worth and hardy a man of grete fam He ordeyned first yat theeues yat to Temple slown wer No man wer so hardy to do hem despit ther That hath be moche suth yhold as hit begonne tho Hely Chyrch hit holdyth yut and wole euer mo Hereupon he called the Temples which hee built the Temples of peace and concord one of which was in London where now Blackwell Hall is another in Fleete-street as yet called the Temple Church wherein or in some of them himselfe Gorbomannus and other of the British kings were interred as by supposition it is deliuered Lucius king of the Britaines hauing abundantly distributed and giuen ample possessions and reuenues to Churches and Clergie men ordained that Churches with their Coemiteries or Church-yards should haue this priuiledge that what malefactour soeuer should thither make flight for his safetie he might there remaine without indemnitie Ethelwolfe and Alfred Kings of the West-Saxons gaue the like important priuiledges to these holy Edifices Athelstane sole Monarch of the Englishmen held the memory of Iohn de Beuerley Archbishop of Yorke so sacred and reuerend for he honored him as his â—urelar Saint that he endowed Beuerley the place of the said Archbishops birth with many and those very great priuiledges and granted them liberties in these generall words As free make I thee As heart may think or eie may see Yea and there was granted vnto it the priuiledge of a Sanctuary so that Bankrupts and men suspected of any capitall crime worthy of death might be free and safe there from the danger of the law in which was erected a chaire of stone with this Inscription This seat of Stone is called Freed stool that is the chaire of peace vnto which what offender soeuer flieth and commeth hath all manner of Securitie Of the Sanctuary at Westminster first granted by Sebert King of the East-Saxons encreased by Edgar King of the West-Saxons and confirmed by the Charter of King Edward the Confessor I haue spoken before If any one guilty of offence flie from any place for refuge to the Church Church-doore to the Parson or Vicars house or into any part of his base or inner Court prouided that the said house and courts bee within consecrated ground it shall not be lawfull for any to take him from thence saue onely the Bishop or some of his Officers Now if this malefactour bee a filching knaue or an high-way robber and be taken with the bootie or if his theeuish purchase be altogether exhausted and spent yet if he haue any meanes otherwayes of his owne he shall make satisfaction to the partie or parties whom hee hath so wronged and if hee still continue to play the thiefe and make a custome of this manner of flight to Churches and Priests houses after restitution made he shall abiure the countrey and if he giue not satisfaction to the parties whose goods hee hath taken and purloyned no man shall dare to giue him lodging or entertainment without the kings speciall licence first obtained If a Clergie-man bee taken for felonie deliuered to the Ordinarie and breake prison and flie to the Church for sanctuarie or refuge he shall bee taken from thence and put into the same prison out of which he escaped for the Church ought not to defend him nor any publike malefactour Si ad pacem Regis venire noluerit But stay for if robbing from other mens works to embellish my owne writings be an offence it is high time for mee to take Sanctuarie yet giue me leaue to go a little further in my course and to speake somewhat out of other Authors of the Ecclesiasticall state of England of
his Master he entred into orders yet before he came to bee a Clergie man he serued in the warres which is not vnlikely saith mine Authour for after he was Bishop he was thrice in the field and did his Prince notable seruice He was first preferred to the Bishopricke of Wilshire whose See was then seated at Ramsbury by the speciall fauour of King Athelstan who being dead his brother Edmund who succeeded him in his kingdome louing him no lesse procured him to be chosen Archbishop In which pastorall charge hee continued many yeares in great fauour and authoritie vnder diuers Princes till towards the latter end of his time that Edwin a young King was sore exasperated against him for that this Bishop had caused him to be diuorced from his Queene for consanguinitie or some other reasons and excommunicated his Concubines causing one of them whom the king doted vpon to be fetcht out of the court by violence to bee burnt in the forehead with an hote iron and banished into Ireland But not long after he was taken away by death from the Kings displeasure in the yeare of our redemption 958. hauing sate Archbishop 25. yeares or thereabouts He writ diuers Tractates both in verse and prose mentioned by Bale and Capgraue will haue him in the Kalender of our English Saints and Confessours But to conclude such was his Epitaph Stemmate serenus iacet hic sacer Odo Seuerus Moribus excellens acriter peccata refellens Presul at indulgens omni pictate refulgens Ecclesie Christi Pugil inuictissimus isti O bone nunc Christe quia sic tibi seruijt iste Celi solamen sibi des te deprecor Amen The life and death of this Archbishop Lanfranck is set downe at large by William Malmsbury Io. Capgraue Nicholas Harpsfeild Archdeacon of Canterbury Mathew Parker Archbishop with others and out of them all by Francis Godwin now Bishop of Hereford Yet for method sake thus much because I find his body by a Table inscribed which hangs vpon his Tombe to be here interred He was borne in Italy at Pauia some twenty miles from Myllaine brought vp in the Monasterie of Becco in Normandie vnder Herlewin the learned Abbot of that house of which he became Prior from whence in regard of his singular wisedome and great knowledge in all good literature he was called by William the Duke of Normandie to be Abbot of Saint Stephens in Cane a Monasterie that the said Duke had founded And in the fifth yeare after his conquest of England he promoted him to this Archbishopricke which he laudablie gouerned the space of eighteene yeares It is said an action which much obscured all his former praises that he perswaded the Conquerour to leaue the kingdome of England to his younger sonne William Rufus which they said William thus requited the Bishop as the King thought being somewhat too busie in reprehending his manifold vices and exhorting him to godlinesse and vertue he so bitterly fell out with him that he banished him the Realme the poore old bishop trauelled to Rome and wandred vp and downe many countries till by intercession of friends hee was suffered to returne home and soone after died of an ague according to his owne desire Solebat enim Deum rogare vt velex dissenteria vel ex febri diem suum obiret propterea quod hi morbi nec memoriam nec loquelam auferant He would often desire God that he might take his end either by a fluxe or an ague for that in those kinde of infirmities men are wont to haue the vse both of speech and memorie to the last cast His death happened the 24. of May Ann. Dom. 1089. He bestowed much vpon the fabricke of this Church and the housing of the Monkes he built in a manner all the Archbishops pallace hee founded two Hospitals adioyning to this Citie hee gaue great summes of money and also a Mannor toward the building of the Cathedrall Church of Rochester and did much for the Abbey of Saint Albons Hee encreased the number of the Monkes of this Church from thirty to fourty restored the dignities and offices of old belonging to the Monasterie and recouered vnto the same 25. Manors that had beene taken from it wrongfully in times past by Odo Bishop of Bayon and Earle of Kent Hee was a profound Scholler for those times he writ the noble acts of the Conquerour he made learned Comments and Expositions of many parts of the Bible and tooke great paines in reforming the same the copies whereof were much corrupted throughout all England by the negligent ouer-sight of the writers To his memorie this Epitaph was composed Vixisti venerande Pater sapienter egens Vixisti vivens mors quoque vita tibi Inter diuitias pauper Lanfrance fuisti Diuitijs manans pauperum amator eras Per te florentes artes valuere latine Grecia sis nobis ecce triumphat ouans Tu Laios ortu Gallosque docendo leuasti Te sibi Primatem cardo Britannus habet In terra degens celestia regna petebas Exemptus terra sider a liber adis Sol geminos denis obsiderat igne diebus Promsit Luna diem nocte solutus abis Here is the Tombe of Archbishop Anselme borne in Augusta a Citie of Burgundie who followed his predecessours steps almost foot by foot First he came to Becco vpon the like errand as Lanfrank had done which was to obtaine knowledge in all good learning Lanfrancke being called away to Cane he was made Prior of Becco in his place and afterwards Abbot in which he continued 15. yeares vntill at the request of Hugh Earle of Chester he came ouer into England and had this Bishopricke bestowed vpon him some foure yeares after the decease of Lanfrancke for so long the king pursed vp the profits thereof by William Rufus who presently after his consecration fell out with his new Bishop and banished him the kingdome in which he trauelled vp and downe as an exile during the Kings life vntill by his brother King Henry the first he was called home and restored to all his former dignities But not long after he was likewise banished the Realme by the said Henry falling out with him concerning the disposing of Bishoprickes at the Kings pleasure giuing inuestiture and possession of them by the staffe and the ring within three yeares by the meanes and mediation of Adela or Alice Countesse of Blois the Kings sister he was restored not onely to his place but to all his goods and fruits gathered in the time of his absence Some two yeares after this his last returne falling sicke of a languishing disease hee died Aprill 21. Ann. Dom. 1109. in the sixteenth yeare of his gouernment Some 400. yeares after by the procurement of Iohn Morton one of his Successours he was canonized a Saint and one as worthy that honour as any that euer since his 〈◊〉 was canonized by the Pope for as his life
and 〈…〉 was for integritie euen admirable and so was his learning as his works â—et exâ—ant do testifie Now because his Epitaph is either worne out or was euer wanting I will be so bold as borrow one for him from one of his owne name which I haue read vpon a Monument in Parma in Italie Hic iacet Anselmus post mortem viuere certus Cantuar. Archiepus que omni bonitate refertus Vir sobrius castus vir vitans vndique fastus Vir gremijs plenis largus largitor egenis Vir bene politus sagax doctus ernditus Dogmata maturusque inter contagia purus An Domini Mil. cent que nono que die quoque meâ—sis April vicesimo vno Mortis hunc enecat ensis In the south part of Saint Thomas Chappell in a marble Tombe ioyning to the wall lieth the body of Theobald Archbishop of this See Who was chosen to that Grace by the Suffragan Bishops of his owne Prouince in a Conuocation held at London he was a Benedictine Monke and Abbot of Becco a man of no great learning but of so gentle and sweet behauiour being very wise withall as hee was greatly esteemed of high and low Kings Nobles and Commons yet howsoeuer he was of an affable milde nature and faire demeanure his patience was so greatly moned vpon good occasion that he interposed the Popes authoritie with whom the King was made a partie so farre as that his goods and Temporalties were twice confiscate seised into the Kingâ— hands and himselfe once banished the kingdome which so netled him that like a tall fellow Nam laesa patientia fit furor he interdicted King Stephen and the whole Realme and taking aduantage of the time which was wondrous troublesome came home and liued in Norfolke till by the intercession of certaine Bishops hee was restored After which hee grew into great fauour with the said King and was the chiefe meanes of concluding that finall peace at Wallingford betweene him and Maud the Empresse Shortly after which King Stephen died and Henry surnamed Fitz empresse sonne of Geffrey Plantaginet and Maud the Empresse succeeded him in the Regalitie vnder whom this Bishop passed the rest of his dayes quietly in great fauour and estimation and died Ann. 1160. when he had sat Archbishop 22. yeares Perceiuing his end to approach he made his Will and gaue all his goods to the poore or other like good vses Of whom this Epitaph was made Hic iacet Theobaldus Cantuar. Archiepiscopus ob morum placabilitatem at que constantiam Hen. 2. valde gratiosus affabilis veridicus prudens amicus sirmus in omnes liberalis in pauperes munificus Qui sue tandem senectut is languide vite pertesus anteactam vitam morti persoluit Ann. Dom. 1160. cum 22. annis sedisset Anima eius requiescat in pace Amen I finde one Richard for I finde no further of his name Archbishop of this chaire to be here interred in our Ladies Chappell sometime a Benedictine Monkâ— Prior of the Monasterie of Saint Martins in Douer a man very liberaâ—l gentle and wise for hee so handled the matter that in all his time he neuer was at odds or out either with the Pope or King The Pope he entertained with often gifts and money the Kings fauour he retained by yeelding and conforming himselfe to his pleasure This man continued in his gouernment about the space of ten or eleuen yeares In all which time there happened not any thing of him worthie of memorie except the controuersie stirre and tumult betweene him and the Archbishop of Yorke for primacie and the ordaining of three Archdeacons for his Diocesse which euer before his time was content with one An ill husband hee was for his Church if wee may beleeue this my old Authour This Richard saith he was a man of great Religion and also of great wit in his temporall gouernance but in defending of his freedome of holy Church and punishment of excesse and misbeleeuers to simple and slow which is partly approued by the sequele if the report of his end and death may passe for current truth how that being a sleepe at his Manor of Wrotham there seemed to come vnto him a certaine terrible Personage demanding of him who he was whereunto when for feare the Archbishop answered nothing Thou art he said the other that hast destroyed the goods of the Church and I will destroy thee from off the face of the earth which hauing said he vanished away In the morning the Bishop taking his iourney toward Rochester related this fearfull vision unto a friend of his by the way which he had no sooner told then that hee was taken suddenly with a great cold and stiffenesse in his limbes so that they had much adoe to get him so farre as Halling a house belonging to the Bishop of Rochester where he tooke his bed and being horribly tormented with the Chollick and other griefes gaue vp the ghost the next night following saue one the 16. of Feb. Ann. 1184. obijs saith one 14. Kal. Martij feria sexta necte Ann. 11. ab electione sua cuius corpus in Ecclesia Christi Cant. in oratorio sancte Marie 22. Kal. Martij die Sabbati est honorifice Sepultus In the South wall of this Church lieth the body of Hubert Walter or Walter Hubert for such a transmutation of the name I finde to bee vsed who was borne at West-Derham in Norfolke and brought vp vnder Raynulph de Glanfeld chiefe Iustice of England The first preferment hee obtained was the Deanrie of Yorke thence hee was called by King Richard the first vnto the Bishopricke of Salisbury Whom he attended in all that long and dangerous voyage into the holy Land as a Commander or Colonell of some English forces by whose valour and his owne he performed admirable seruice at the siege and surrender of Acon and other fortified places for which and for his discreete handling the matter in procuring 250000. Markes of the Clergie for the ransome of his Master King Richard the said King knew not how to heape honours sufficient vpon him so that at one time he was Archbishop the Popes Legate Lord Chancelor Lord chiefe Iustice and high immediate Gouernour vnder him of all his Dominions both in Wales and England he was much blamed and peraduenture not vnworthily for vndertaking so many great offices For Pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus howsoeuer neuer any man vsed his authoritie and power more moderately faithfull and loyall he was euer to his Prince louing and very careâ—uâ—l of his countrey in which he caused many excellent Decrees and Lawes to be established His house keeping was such as the expence thereof was thought to be little inferiour to the Kings hee built a Monasterie at Durham the place of his birth began another at Wulferhampton encompâ—ssed the Tower of
London with a strong wall and a deepe Moat beene â—ased the reuenewes of his See adorned it with many sumptuous and staâ—ely buildings and procured diuers notable priuiledges for the same and to repaire the bookes and Library of this Church he gaue the Church of Halegast he finished a Collegiate Church at Lambeth of Canons regular begun by Baldwin his predecessour Which vpon the complaint of the Monkes of Canterbury to the Pope was pulled downe to the ground Maâ—ny oppositions were betwixt him and the Pope and many times he was discountenanced by King Iohn yet apparently he died in both their fauours at his Manor of Tenham Iuly 13. 1205. Hauing sat Archbishop twelue yeares sauing foure moneths Here lieth entombed the body of Stephen Langton Archbishop whose election to this See against the Kings will was the cause of many calamities within this kingdome the greatest part whereof fell vpon the Clergie Of which heare my Authour Bishop Hubert of Canterbury tho died Wherefore Kyng Iohn vnto the Couent sente To chose his Clarke whych they refused and denied Wherefore the kyng was wroth in his entente For they disobeyed the lettre whych he sente For they had chosen Mayster Stephan Langton An worthy Clarke of all disposicion Whom kyng Iohn then wold not admytte For Romayn Bull ne for the Prelates prayer But prisoned some and some to death commytte Some he exiled and theyr eyen clere And all persounes and Prelates in fere He then put out and seazed theyr benefice Through all the lande as his mortall enemyes The Romysh Byshoppe curssed hym openly And all the realme fully did enterdite That Sacraments none therin should occupie But howsoeuer these mischiefes happened vpon his admittance yet the man in regard of his many excellent gifts both of body and minde was no way to be misliked but much to be commended for his religious wise carriage liuing vnder so violent a King And in such troublesome vngodly times to whom this Distichon taken out of Martials Epigrams to Traian warfaring vnder Diocletian was applied Laudari debes quoniam sub principe duro Temporibusque malis ausus es esse bonus descended he was from an ancient familie in Lecestershire brought vp in the Vniuersitie of Paris greatly esteemed by the King and all the Nobility of France for his singular and rare learning made Chancellour of Paris and Cardinall of Rome 〈◊〉 S. Chrysogoni Hee writ many admirable profound workes and amongst the rest diuided the Bible into Chapters in such sort as we now account them he bestowed much vpon his palace here in Canterbury and vpon a faire Horologe in the South-crosse Isle Yet the solemnitie of the translation of Thomas Beckets bones was so chargeable vnto him as neither he nor foure of his successours were able to recouer the debt he cast his Church into He died Iuly 9. 1228. hauing sate Archbishop 22. yeares Here in this Church but in what particular place my Author knowes not Iohn Peckham sometime Bishop of this See lieth buried This Iohn was borne in Sussex spent his childhood in the Abbey of Lewes and was brought up in the Vniuersitie of Oxford from thence hee went to Paris to study Diuinitie and after that to Livus to get some knowledge in the Canon Law without the which Diuinitie was esteemed vnperfect in those dayes and to better his knowledge he visited all the Vniuersities of Italie came to Rome where his rare learning being soone perceiued hee was made by the Pope Auditor or chiefe Iudge of his pallace and so continued till his preferment to Canterbury for a man of so meane parentage he was thought to be very stately both in gesture gate words and all outward shew yet of an exceeding meeke facile inward disposition Vnto double Beneficed men and Non-residents he was very strict Adulterie he punished very seuerely he persecuted a Bishop terriblie for keeping of a Concubine and one Roger Ham a Priest he enioyned to three yeares penance for fornication a sinne predominant in former times among the Clergie Witnesse these rimes Greate Lechery and fornication Was in that house and also greate aduoutree Of Paramours was greate consolation Of eche degree well more of Prelacie Then of the Temporall or of the Chiualrie He excommunicated one Sir Osborne Gifford Knight for stealing two Nunnes out of the Nunnerie of Wilton and absolued him vpon these conditions First that he should neuer come within any Nunnerie or in the company of a Nunne that three Sondayes together he should be whipped in the Parish-Church of Wilton and as many times in the Market and Church of Shaftsbury that he should fast a certaine number of moneths That he should not weare a shirt of three yeares And lastly that he should not any more taken vpon him the habite or title of a Knight but weare apparell of a russet colour vntill he had spent three yeares in the holy Land He died Ann. 1294. very rich yet founded a Colledge of Canons at Wingham in Kent valued at 84. l. per annum and aduanced many of his friends to great possessions whose posteritie haue continued in the state of Knights and Esquires euen vntill our times He sat Archbishop thirteene yeares and an halfe His heart was buried at Christ-Church London retro magnum altare Here beside the altar of Saint Gregorie sometime stood a sumptuous Monument wherein the bones of Robert Winchelsey were entombed which vpon the reformation of Religion was pulled downe to the ground lest that the common people who would needs esteeme him a Saint might giue him diuine honours Hee sate Archbishop nineteene yeares during which time he endured much sorrow yet finished his dayes in quietnessâ— and great felicitie The King and the Pope concurring together in his time exacted many great payments and inflicted grieuous punishments vpon the Clergie Whereupon these Satyricall verses were framed Ecclesiae nauis titubat regni quia clauis Errat Rex Papa facti sunt vnica capa Hoc faciunt do des Pilatus hic alter Herodes Hee liued in banishment two yeares euen vntill the death of Edward the first who exiled him vpon surmised Treason from which hee was called home by Edward his sonne who restored him to his place to all his goods and to all the profits of his Temporalities receiued in his absence He was a stout Prelate and a seuere punisher of sinne hee boldly opposed himselfe against Piers Gaueston the Spensers and other corrupters of the young king and enforced Iohn Warren Earle of Surrey to forsweare the company of a certaine beautifull Wench with the loue of which he was greatly be witched Hee maintained many poore Schollers at the Vniuersities with liberall exhibition and such preferments as fell to his disposition he bestowed vpon men of excellent learning Vnto all kinde of poore people hee was exceeding bountifull his bookes apparell and other mouâ—ables such as they were for
the Chapter house with this Epitaph vpon his Monument En paruus Abbas hic parua clauditur arca In gestis magnus maior nec erat Patriarcha Willelmus Druleg illustri dignus honore Conuentum claustri qui multo rexit amore Pro dilectoris anima tui dulciter ora Sancti Augustini conuentus qualibet hora. I finde little or indeed nothing at all of such Abbots as succeeded little Drulege sauing their names thus recorded Iohn Deueniche the 57. Thomas Colwell 58. Michaell Peckham 59. William Wâ—ld 60. Thomas Hunden 61. Marcellus Dandlyon 62. Iohn Hawlherst 63. George Pensherst 64. Iacob Seuenoke 65. William Selling 66. Iohn Dunster 67. Iohn Dygon 68. Thomas Hampton 69. and Iohn Essex 70. So that by this account there hath beene more Archbishops of Christ-Church then Abbots of Saint Austins by the number of three reckoning those sixe Bishops which haue beene since the dissolution The Abbot of this house was euer a Baron of the Parliament In S. Anns Chappell within the Church of this Monastery lay sometime buried the body of Iulian the daughter and heire of Sir Thomas Lâ—yborne knight The widow saith Vincent of Iohn Lord Hastings of Aburgaueny and mother of Lawrence Hasting Earle of Pembroke and after that wife of William de Clinton Earle of Huntington and Lord high Admirall of England who dyed about the yeare 1350. But of all these and thousands more here interred whose names I cannot learne not one bone at this time lies neare another nor one stone almost of the whole fabricke stands vpon another therefore I will take my leaue of this Abbey with these words of a late writer This Monasterie saith he as all the rest did came to her fatall period in the dayes of king Henry the eight whose vncouered walls stood so long languishing in time and stormes of weather that daily increased the aspect of her ruines till now lastly they are made subiect to other publicke vses and the whole tract of that most goodly foundation in the same place no where appearing Onely Ethelberts Tower in memorie and honour of the man as yet hath escaped the verdict and sentence of destruction whose beauty though much de faced and ouerworne will witnesse to succeeding ages the magnificence of the whole when all stood compleate in their glory together The reuenues yearely of this house were in the Exchequer 1412. l. 4. s. 7. d. ob q. it was surrendred 4. Decemb. 29. H. 8. At Harbaldowne not farre from this Monastery Archbishop Lanâ—rank built an Hospâ—tall and dedicated the same to the honour of Saint Iohn to the which he annexed a Priorie of blacke Canons valued both together at the dissolution to 266. l. 4 s. 5. d. ob of yearely reuenue it was ordained for the lame and diseased which as yet is not altogether suppressed although much abated as I heare of her annuall possessions In which house was reserued the vpper leather of an old shoe which had beene worne as they gaue it out by Saint Thomas Becket this shoe as a sacred Relique was offered to all passengers to kisse faire set in copper and christall Hackington commonly called S. Stephens by Cant. This Church in former times was honoured with the sepulture of Lora or Lorâ—atta Countesse of Leicester daughter of William Lord Brews of Brember in Suffex and wife of Robert de Beâ—lemont surnamed Fitzpâ—rnell Earle of Leicester and Lord high Steward of England a most honourable Lady who hauing abandoned all worldly pleasures sequestred her selfe wholly from the world to serue God deuoutly in this place who dyed about the yeare 1219. The manor and Towne of Elham was her inheritance Hic iacet Dominus Iohannes Gower nuper Vicarius istius Ecclesie qui obijt Decemb. 27. 1457. Cuius anâ—â—e Hic iacet Dominus Iohannes â—â—ne quondam Vicarius istius Ecclesie qui obijt 8. Aug. 1457. Cuius anime pâ—â—pittetur altissimus Sir Christopher Hales and Sir Roger Manwood lie here fairely entomâ—ed of whom hereafter according to my method But I must not let passe seuen almes houses here built by the said Sir Roger Manwood chiefe Baron of the Exchequer ann 1573. for aged honest poore folkes which he endowed with a yearely allowance of foure pounds in money bread and fewell for euery one of those almes-men It was called S. Stephens fâ—r that the image of Saint Stephen standing where the garden now is belonging to Sir Manwoods great house was sought vnto by many pilgrimes Reculuer At the vpper end of the South isle in this Church I saw a Monument of an antique forme mounted with two spires Wherein as the Inhabitants haue it by tradition the body of one Ethelbert a Saxon king who had his pallace royall here in Reculuer lieth entombed and the Anuals of Canterbury affirme as much And true it is that Ethelbert the first and first Christian king built here a Princely mansion for himselfe and his successours wherein diuers of the Kentish kings sometimes kept their courtly residence But whether he be this Ethelbert the second or Ethelbert surnamed Pren that lieth here interred it is not much materiall for they both dyed without any memorable act either of themselues or their kingdomes affaires and so dyed Cuthred and Baldred their next successours and the last kings of Kent Which kingdome erected by Hengist the yeare of mans happinesse 455. continued her gouernment 372. and ended her glory in the yeare 827. being made a Prouince to the West-saxons Egbert or Egbright the seuenth king of Kent in succession after Hengist gaue to one Bassa an English Saxon some land here in Reculuer whereupon he built him a Minster or a Monastery whereof Brightwald afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury was the first Abbot so that of this man and the Minster the poore Townes men may make great vaunts Here lyeth ..... Sandwey Esquire and â—oane his wife who dyed 1437. Hen. sex 16. Hic iacet Dominus Thomas .... qui ob ..... Vos qui transitis Thomam deslere velitis Per me nunc scitis quid prodest gloria ditis Minster in the Isle of Tenet Here in this Church lyeth a Lady entombed in a Monument vpreared after a strange fashion inscribed with a Saxon-like character Ici gist Edile de Shornerepust Dame del espire I thinke her name was rather Thorne then Shorne one letter being mistaken for another in the engrauing My reason is this for that in this Parish there is a place called Thorne Neare vnto this Monument lie three flat Tombe-stones vnder which as I coniecture by the effigies vpon them three vailed Nunnes of the Saxon Nobilitie and of S. Mildreds Monasterie lye interred but the Inscriptions are gone Which Monasterie was founded vpon this occasion Egbert king of Kent aspiring to the Crowne by the traiterous murder of his two young Nephewes Ethelred and Ethelbert to pacifie Domneua sister to the said murdered Princes
Friers and Nunnes in such veneration and liking that they thought no Citie in case to flourish no house likely to haue long continuance no Castle sufficiently defended where was not an Abbey Priory or Nunnery either placed within the walls or situate at hand and neare adioyning And surely omitting the residue of the Realme hereof onely it came to passe that Douer had Saint Martins Canterbury Christ-Church Rochester Saint Andrews Tunbridge the Friers Maidstone the Chanons Greenwich the Obseruants and this our Leedes her Priory of Chanons at hand About two hundred yeares since the Prior of this House with three of his Chanons and others layed violent hands vpon the body of a Monke of Saint Albans whereupon many more quarrels would haue ensued if that Boniface the ninth Pope of Rome hearing thereof had not by his Bull authorised the Abbot of Saint Edmundsbury to heare examine and determine all controuersies betwixt the two Houses and to absolute the delinquents after competent satisfaction made to the wronged parties Thus goes the Bull. Bonifacius Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei Dilecto filio Abbati Monasterij de Sancto Edmundo Norwicen dioc Salutem et Apostolic ben Conquesti sunt nobis Abbas et Conuentus de Sancto Albano Ordinis Sancti Benedicti Lincoln Dioc. Quod Wilhelmus de verduno Prior Monasterij de Ledes ordinis Sancti Augustini Thomas de Maydenston Nicholaas Shirton Iohannes de Reuham dicti Monasterij de Ledes Canonici Magistrum Hugo de Forsham clericus Antonius Messager Iohannes Frere et Iohannes Linne laici Cantuar. Dioc. in Fratrem Iohannem de Stopeleya Monachum dicti Monasterii de Sancto Albano manus iniecerunt Dei timore postposito temere violentas Ideoque discretioni tue per Apostolica scripta mandamus quatenus si est ita dictos sacrilegos tandiu appellatione remota excōmunicatos publice nunties et facias ab omnibus arctius euitari donec super hiis satisfecerint competenter et iidem Clericus et Laici cum tuarum testimonio litterarum ad sedem venerint Apostolicam absoluendi Canonici vero debite absolutionis beneficium assequantur Dat. Lateran xii Kalend. Nouemb. Pontificatur nostri Anno octauo I haue the rather inserted this Bull for that it may bee the more plainly vnderstood how the most of all causes in those times concerning the Clergie were arbitrated not alwayes by the authority of the learned Bishops of this land but by Commissions purchased from the Bishops of Rome This Priory was valued in the Records of the late suppression at three hundred fourescore and two pounds of yearely reuenue Mottenden or Motindene Lambard speaking of Motindene which name hee deriues from two Saxon words Moo and Dene which is the proud valley a name imposed as he thinkes for the fertilitie thereof saith That hee hath not heard nor hitherto found any thing touching the Religious House of Motindene in Hetcorne saue onely that the head thereof was called Minister and that the House it selfe was of the yearely value of sixty pounds Neither would I saith he haue affoorded it so much as paper or place here but onely that you might vnderstand with what number of buildings variety of sects and plenty of possessions Popery was in old time prouided for and furnished No corner almost without some Religious house or other Their sects and orders were hardly to be numbred and as for their lands and reuenues it was a world to behold them I finde that the yearely extent of the cleare value of the Religious liuings within this Shire amounted to fiue thousand pounds Bishoprickes Benefices Friaries Chaunteries and Saints-offerings not accounted Which thing also I do the rather note to the end that you may see how iust cause is giuen vs both to wonder at the hote zeale of our ancestours in their spirituall fornication and to lament the coldnesse of our owne charity towards the maintenance of the true Spouse of Iesus Christ. For if euer now most truly is that verified which the Poet long since said Probitas laudatur et alget Boxley William de Ipre a Towne in Flanders the base sonne of Philip Viscount de Ipre Lieutenant to king Stephen in the warres against Maud the Empresse for which seruice the king created him Earle of Kent founded this Abbey Ann. 1146. which he consecrated to the blessed Virgine Mary and planted it with a Couent of white Monkes of Saint Barnards order which he translated hither from Claravall in Burgundie which as good children were to follow and obey the rules and ordinances of the Abbey of Claravall in all things These are the words in the institution Anno 1146. fundata est Boxleia in Cancia filia Claravallis propria And further Quod ipsa Abbathia sit subdita Abbathie de Claravalle c. It was ordinarie both beyond Sea and here in England for one religious house to beget another as will appeare by the sequele for not many yeares after her first foundation this Abbey it selfe was the mother of Robertsbridge in Sussex The yearely value of this house was esteemed at the suppression to be worth 218. l. 19. s. 10. d. This Monastery in former times was famous for a woodden Roode by which the Priests for a long while deluded the common people vntill their fraud and Legierdemain was detected Bocton Malherb At Bocton Malherb saith learned Clarentieux hath dwelt a long time the familie of the Wottons out of which in our remembrance flourished both Nicholas Wotton Doctor of the Lawes who being of the priuie Councell to king Henry the eighth King Edward the sixth Queene Mary and Queene Elizabeth sent in Embassage nine times to forraine Princes and thrice chosen Committee about Peace betweene the English French and Scottish liued a goodly time and ranne a long race in this life with great commendation of pietie and wisedome and also Sir Edward Wotton whom for his approued wisedome in weightie affaires Queene Elizabeth made Controller of her house and King Iames created Baron Wotton of Merley If you would know any more reade Hollinshead who hath written a Treatise of this family from Richard Wotton who flourished in the raigne of King Edward the first vnto these Wottons who yet do liue in our memory This Church is honoured with the sepulture of many of this noble progenie but I haue no inscription nor Epitaph for any saue onely for him who was twice Lord Maior of London The first time in the third yeare of king Henry the fifth the second in the ninth of king Henry the sixth Here lyeth Nicholas Wotton Esquire ... twice Lord Maior of London .... who was borne the 26. of October 1372. and dyed Septem 14. 1448. .... being 76. yeares of age Newenden This Towne harboured the first Carmelite Friars that euer were in this kingdome for about the midst of the raigne of king Henry the third this order came ouer the Sea arriued in this land
T.R. apud Douer 24. Ian 2. Pars. Pat. Ann. 7. Ric. 2. Per versus patet hos Anglorum quod iacet hic flos Legum qui tata dictauit vera statuta Ex Hengham dictus Radulphus vir benedictus This flower of our English Garden this learned father of the Law this blessed man as this Epitaph would make him was no better then a bribing Iudge for being a chiefe Commissioner for the gouernment of the kingdome in the absence of Edward the first he with many others of his profession were at the kings returne found guiltie by act of Parliament of manifest corruption in their administration of Iustice and deeply fined for such their intolerable extortions First this Sir Raph Hengham chiefe Iustice of the higher Bench was fined to pay to the king seuen thousand Markes Sir Iohn Loueton Iustice of the lower Bench 3000. Markes Sir William Brompton Iustice 6000. Markes Sir Salomon Rochester 4000. Markes Sir Richard Boyland 4000. Markes Sir Thomas Sodington 2000. Markes Sir Walter Hopton 2000. Markes These foure last were Iustices Itinerants Sir William Saham 3000. Markes Robert Lithbury Master of the Rolls 1000. Markes Roger Leicester 1000. Markes Henry Bray Escheater and Iudge for the Iewes 1000. Markes Robert Preston 1000. Markes But Sir Adam Stratton chiefe Baron of the Exchequer was fined in thirty foure thousand Markes And Thomas Weyland found the greatest delinquent and of greatest substance had all his goods and whole estate confiscated to the king and withall banished the kingdome This Sir Raph Hengham was a Norfolke man borne as I haue it out of an old Record these are the words Radulphus de Hengham ex eadem ortus esse videtur familia ex qua Willielmus filius Ade de Hengham et Richardus de Hengham in Pago Norfolciens plerumque Thetfordie Iusticiarij ad Assisas capiendas et ad Gaolam deliberandam sub initijs Hen. 3. in Archiuis sepe memorantur Rot. Parl. He flourished in the raignes of Henry the third and Edward the first and died in the first yeare of Edward the second 1308. Hic iacet Magister Fulco Louel quondam Archidiaconus Colcestrie floruit sub Hen. 3. Rege I finde no more of this man then what I reade in this Inscription but much more of his name being both ancient and honourable Orate pro animabus Iohannis de Boys in Com. Essex Ar. Nicholai Rikkil Ar. Domine Isabelle quondam vxor eorum que Isabella obiit 28. Iulij Ann. 1443. quorum animabus propitietur altissimus It seemes by his armes vpon the pillars that this Boys was a great repairer of this Chappell sacred to S George wherein he lyeth interred Orate pro anima Magistri Williel Worsley legum doctoris istius Ecclesie Sancti Pauli London Decani dum vixit .... qui obiit 15. die mens Augusti 1488. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Vermibus hic ponor sic ostendere conor Hic veluti ponor ponitur omnis honor And vpon the pillar adioyning to this Monument these verses following are engrauen in brasse Vnde superbis Homo cuius conceptio culpa Nasci pena labor vita necesse mori Vana salus hominum vanus labor omnia vana Inter vana nichil vanius est homine Post hominem vermis post vermem setor horror Sic in non hominem vertitur omnis homo Mors venit absque mora nescis cum venerit hora Esto paratus ei cum venerit hora diei Orate pro .... Domini Rogeri Brabazon de O devy Iuris Canonici Doctoris huius Ecclesie Cathedralis Residentarij qui obiit tertio die mens Augusti 1498. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Nunc Christe te petimus Miserere quesumus qui venisti redimere perditos noli damnare redemptos In memoriam venerabilis viri Iohannis Coleti sacre Theologiae Doctoris ad Dinum Paulum Decani Scholae ibidem fundatoris Inclyta Ioannes Londini gloria gentis Is tibi qui quondam Paule Decanus erat Qui toties magno resonabat pectore Christum Doctor interpres fidus Euangelij Qui mores hominum multum sermone diserto Formarat vitae sed probitate magis Quique scholam struxit celebrem cognomine Ihesu Hac dormit tectus membra Coletus humo Floruit sub Henrico 7. Hen. 8. Regibus obijt Ann. Dom. 1519. Disce mori mundo vinere disce Deo Vnder his liuely pourtraiture alluding to his artificiall Askelliton these words Istuc recidit gloria carnis Loue and liue His Monument is lately reuiued by the Companie of the mystery of Mercers to whose charge he committed the ouersight of S. Pauls Schoole with lands worth an hundred and twenty pounds or better of yearely value for the maintenance of a Master an Vsher and a Chaplaine to teach and instruct one hundred fiftie and three poore mens children freely without any reward And as I am told Vijs modis more comes to the Schoolemaster at this day then the whole endowment Iohn Bale saith that of twenty and two children which his father Henry Collet Mercer and Lord Maior of London had by Christian his wife he was the onely childe liuing at his fathers death that he died of the sweating sicknesse aged sixtie three yeares that he was brought vp in Oxford that he trauelled into France and Italie that he disputed with the Sorbonists in Paris from whose Tenets hee much dissented that hee inuayed against Monkes which did not leade an Euangelicall life and Bishops Qui pro Pastoribus lupos agebant that he was eruditione facundus that he writ many Treatises left in loose papers which but by himselfe could not bee made perfect That hee taught in his Sermons that it was vnlawfull for a Clergie-man to accumulate riches and for any man to worship Images that by Richard Fitz-Iames then Bishop of London and two Minorites Bricot and Standish he was accused of heresie and that his corps had beene cast out of his Tombe and burnt if an vnexpected accident had not preuented his enemies designes Gulielmo Lilio Paulinae Scholae olim perceptorio primario Agnetae Coniugi in sacratissimo huius templi Coemiterio hinc a tergo nunc destructo consepultis Georgius Lillius huius Ecclesie canonicus Parentum memoriae pie consulens Tabellam hanc ab amicis conseruatam hic reponendam curauit Obijt ille G. L. Ann. Dom. 1522. V. Calend. Mart. vixit annos 54. This man integer vitae scelerisque purus as Bale saith liued for a certaine time in the Isle of Rhodes and some yeares in Italie where hee instructed himselfe in all good literature and made himselfe perfect in many languages withall he was quicke apprehensiue and ingenious and therefore entirely beloued of Sir Thomas Moore He writ diuers bookes but he is best knowne by his Grammer Hee was borne in the Towne of Odiham in Hampshire The Epitaph of Agnes the wife of William Lily as
of Offices vnder the said Duke Humphrey On the South side of the same Tombe is this Inscription in brasse Hic iacet Dominus Richardus de Piriton quondam Archidiaconus Colcestrie Canonicus et stagiarius huius Ecclesie qui obijt 26. Aug. Ann. Dom. 1387. Cuius anime propitietur Deus Amen Vpon the wall ouer the little doore that entreth out of Pauls into Saint Faiths Church is the image of Iesus curiously painted as also the pourtraiture of a Lady kneeling in her mantle of Armes with some of her progeny These words thereupon being most artificially pensild Iesus our God and Sauiour To vs and ours be gouernour Which imagerie or representation was made to the memory of Margaret Countesse of Shrewsbury who lieth buried in a Chappell within that doore dedicated to the name of Iesus with this Inscription which not long since was there to be read vpon a pillar Here before the Image of Iesu lieth the worshipfull and right noble Ladie Margaret Countesse of Shrewsbury late wife of the true and victorious knight and redoubtable warrior Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury which worshipfull man died in Guien for the right of this Land She was the first daughter and one of the heires of the right famous and renowned knight Richard Beauchamp late Earle of Warwicke which died in Roan and of Dame Elizabeth his wife The which Elizabeth was daughter and heire to Thomas late Lord Berkeley on his side and on her mothers side Ladie Lisle and Tyes Which Countesse passed from this world the foureteenth day of Iune in the yeare of our Lord 1468. On whose soule Iesu haue mercy Amen I haue seene a stone in the body of this Church thus inscribed without any name yet Armes were vpon the Monument Non hominem aspiciam vltra Obliuio This man yet willingly saith learned Camden would not haue beene forgotten when he adioyned his Armes to continue his memory not vnlike to Philosophers which prefixed their names before their Treatises of contemning glory Another in the North Cloister now ruinated without name had this Inscription vpon his Graue-stone Vixi peccaui penitui Nature cessi Which was as Christian saith the same Author as that was profane of the Romane Amici Dum viuimus Viuamus I haue read these rimes following engrauen in brasse vpon a marble-stone in the body of the Church now stolne away Istuc qui graderis paulum te sistere queso Et rogitans quid eris in me nunc vermibus eso Esto memor mortis meditare frequenter Ioua Mors latet in portis non est euitabilis hora. Effundens loculos pro Christo despice mundum Clarificans oculos vt cernas quo sit eundum Nam quod quisque serit presentis tempore vite Hoc sibi messis erit cum dicitur ite venite The sleight regard of the house of God was a maine cause of this kingdomes subuersion as I haue shewed before vpon the Epitaph of king Etheldred and it hath euer beene and more especiaâ—ly is in these our times an vse for beastly and vncleane persons to pollute and bedaâ—be the doores and walls of the place where God is to be worshipped with pisse or some other more nastie excrements against the like irreuerence to this goodly consecrated Edifice of Saint Paul diuers prohibitions vpon certaine penalties haue beene and are daily published in print and pasted vp in â—â—iuers places in and about the Church And anciently this Atheisticall vnclâ—â—nnesse if I may so call it was forbidden by a verse depicted at euery doore of this Church some part of which at the great South doore is yet reâ—â—â—ning which in my time might perfectly be read Thus it runnes Hic Locus his sacer est hic nulli mingere fas est This house is holy here vnlawfull ti 's For any one here on her walls to pisse And strict orders were likewise published against Beggers and bearers of burdens in and thorow the Church of the later sort these foure lines were sometimes fixed to a pillar ouer an iron boxe for the poore All those that shall enter within the Church doore With burden or basket must giue to the poore And if there be any aske what they must pay To this Box a penny ere they passe away It could be wished that walking in the middle Isle of Paules might be forborne in the time of Diuine seruice Richard the second king of England Ann. Reg. 8. made the pettie Canons here twelue in number a Colledge or fellowship daily to meete and diet together in one Hall whereas for a long time before they liued dispersedly and could not be so ready to serue the most Highest in their holy exercises Hee appointed one Iohn Linton for the first Warden of this Colledge and gaue vnto the said Warden and Canons of the foresaid Fellowship certaine lands here in London for their further endowment and the supporting of diuine seruice Charging them by his Charter to pray for his prosperous estate liuing and for his soules health when he should depart this world and for the soule of Anne his wife Queene of England and for the soules of his and her progenitors parents and ancestors and of all the faithfull people deceased Howsoeuer the Story of Brute be denied by some learned Authors or not permitted but by coniecture as Selden hath it in his Illustrations vpon this verse of Michaell Drayton which now the enuious world doth slander for a dreame Yet because I finde him in our Annals to haue beene buried here in this Citie of his owne foundation as both by reason and authority it is strongly argued by a most iudicious Antiquarie of the last age I think it not amisse to speake somewhat of him especially in this place as the truth of the storie is generally receiued Brute the sonne of Siluius the sonne of Ascanius who was the sonne of Aeneas the warlike Troian being deliuered from the long captiuitie vnder the Grecians with his wife Innogen and his people departed from the coasts of Greece and arriued in an Island where they consulted with an Oracle sacred to Diana Brute himselfe kneeling before the Idoll and holding in his right hand a boule prepared for sacrifice full of wine the bloud of a white Hinde made his imprecation to the Goddesse to this effect in English Thou Goddesse that doest rule the woods and forrests greene And chasest foaming boares that fly thine awfull sight Thou that mayest passe aloft in aerie skies so sheene And walke eke vnder earth in places voide of light Discouer earthly states direct our course aright And shew where we shall dwell according to thy will In seats of sure abode where Temples we may dight For Virgines that shall sound thy land with voices shrill After this prayer and ceremonie done according to the Pagan rite and custome Brute abiding his answer fell asleepe in which sleepe appeared to him the said Goddesse vttering this answer
did vse sometimes to steale away circumcise crowne with thornes whip torture and crucifie some one of their neighbours male children in mockery despite scorne and derision of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ crucified by the Iewes in Ierusalem In the yeare 1235. the 19. of Hen. the third seuen Iewes were brought before the king at Westminster which at Norwich had stolne a boy and kept him from the sight of Christian people for the space of one whole yeare and had circumcised him minding also to haue crucified him at the solemnitie of Easter as themselues confessed before the king whereof they were conuicted their bodies and goods remaining at the kings pleasure In the 39. of the said kings raigne vpon the 22. day of Nouember one hundred and two Iewes were brought from Lincolne to Westminster and there accused for the crucifying of a child of eight yeares old named Hugh these Iewes were vpon examination sent to the Tower the murther came out by the diligent search made by the mother of the childe eighteene of them were hanged the other remained long in prison In the seuenth of Ed. the first the Iewes at Northampton crucified a Christian boy vpon Goodfriday but did not throughly kill him For the which fact many Iewes at London after Easter were drawne at horse tailes and hanged Not long after this to wit in the eighteenth yeare of this kings raigne all the Iewes were banished out of England the number of which so expulsed was fifteene thousand and threescore persons to whom was giuen no more money but onely to beare their charges vntill they were out of the kingdome The rest both goods and lands was seised vpon for the Kings vse But to returne backe againe to the story of the martyred boy in derogation and despite of Christian Religion Vpon the day of the Kalends of August 1223. Ann. Reg. Hen. 3 the body of a young boy in the Church-yard of S. Benet at Paules-wharfe was found buried vnder whose paps certaine Hebrew letters were inscribed vpon his body diuers prints markes cuts and rents caused by rods and whip-cords besides many other signes of various torments by the said boy sustained were easie to be discerned The name of the boy was found out by those Characters and withall how that hee was sold by his Christian parents but by whom or to which of the Iewes hee was sold or to what end could neuer be knowne Howsoeuer it was concluded that the buyers of the boy intended to haue had him crucified Yet crucified he was not in regard no print of the nailes either in his hands or feet or any wound in his side appeared Many miracles were said to be wrought at the graue and by the reliques of this young innocent Martyr Whereupon the Canons of Saint Pauls Church tooke forcibly away the sacred remaines of this holy Martyr out of the said Church-yard and solemnly enshrined them in their owne Church not farre from the high Altar On the North side of this Church was sometime a great Cloyster inuironing a plot of ground called Pardon Church-yard whereof Thomas More Deane of Pauls was either the first builder or an especiall benefactor and was therein buried In this Cloyster were buried many persons some of worship and some of honour The Monuments of whom saith Stow in his suruay of London in number and curious workmanship passed all other that were in the great Church About the Cloyster was artificially and richly painted the dance of Death commonly called the dance of Pauls the Picture of death leading all estates In the midst of this Pardon Church-yard was a faire Chappell first founded by Gilbert Becket Portgraue and principall Magistrate as now the Lord Maior is of this Citie father of Tho. Becket the Martyr Archbishop of Canterbury who was therein buried in the raigne of King Stephen Thomas More Deane of Pauls before mentioned reedified or new builded this Chappell and founded three Chaplaines there in the raigne of Henry the fifth In the yeare 1549. on the tenth of Aprill the said Chappell by commandement of Edward Duke of Somerset Lord Protector was begun to be pulled downe with the whole Cloyster the Tombes and Monuments so that nothing of them was left but the bare plot of ground which is since conuerted into a garden for the Petty Canons There was a Chappell at the North doore of Pauls founded by Walter Sherington Chancellour of the Duchie of Lancaster by licence of King Henry the sixth for two three or foure Chaplaines indowed with fourty pound by the yeare This Chappell was also pulled downe in the raigne of Edward the sixth at the commandement of the said Protector and in place thereof an house builded There was on the North side of Pauls Churchyard a large charnell-house for the bones of the dead and ouer it a Chappell founded vpon this occasion as followeth In the yeare 1282. the tenth of Edward the first it was agreed that Henry Walleis Maior and the Citizens for the cause of Shops by them builded without the wall of the Church-yard should assigne to God and to the Church of Saint Paul ten Markes of rent by the yeare for euer towards the new building of a Chappell of the blessed Virgine Mary and also to assigne fiue Markes of yearely rent to a Chaplaine to celebrate there And in the yeare 1430. the 8. of Henry the sixth licence was granted to Ienken Carpenter Towne-clerke of London Executour to Richard Whittington to establish vpon the said Charnell a Chaplaine to haue eight Markes by the yeare There was also in this Chappell two Brotherhoods Sir Henry Barton knight the sonne of Henry Barton of Mildenhall in Suffolcke Lord Maior of London in the yeare 1427. Robert Barton and Sir Thomas Mirfin knight sonne to George Mirfin of Ely in Cambridgeshire Lord Maior of this Citie the yeare 1518. were entombed with their pourtraitures of Alabaster ouer them grated or coped about with iron before the said Chappell all which with many other Tombes ann Monuments of the dead were pulled downe together with the said Chappell at the commandement likewise of the forenamed Duke of Somerset The bones of the dead couched vp in the Charnell-house vnder the Chappell were conuayed from thence into Finsbery field amounting to more then a thousand cart load saith Stow and there laid on a moorish ground in short space after raised by soilage of the Citie vpon them to beare three Mills The Chappell and charnell-house were conuerted to dwelling houses warehouses and sheds before them for Stationers in place of the Tombes Neare vnto this Chappell was a bell house with foure Bells the greatest in London they were called Iesus Bells and belonged to Iesus Chappell the same had a great spire of timber couered with lead with the image of Saint Paul on the top which was pulled downe by Sir Miles Partridge knight in the raigne of Henry the eight The common speech
laid his foundation 137â— His death was much lamented by the King the Nobilitie and commons of all England for with singular commendations hee had for a long time serued vnder Edward the third in the French warres and was employed by him vpon seuerall Embasies and his truth and good councell was euer much auailable to the whole state of the kingdome His obsequies were performed with great solemnity King Edward the third and all his children with the greatest Prelates and Lord Barons of the kingdome being there present His wife Margaret was here entombed with him by whom he had issue Thomas Manye who in his youth was drowned in a Well at Detford in Kent and Anne then his onely daughter and heire married to Iohn Lord Hastings Earle of Penbroke Margaret Lady Manye saith Iohn Stow here interred yet the Catalogue of Honour will haue her to be buried in the Minories died the 24. of March 1399. she was the onely daughter of Thomas of Brotherton Earle of Norfolke and Marshall of England second sonne of King Edward the first and her fathers onely heire after the death of her brother Edward which happened in the same yeare that his father departed the world She was for the greatnesse of her birth her large reuenewes and wealth created Dutchesse of Norfolke for terme of life she had beene first married to Iohn Lord Segraue and her last husband was the foresaid Sir Walter Manny Here sometime was interred the body of Philip Morgan Doctor of Law Chancelour of Normandy and Bishop of Ely a very wise man who with great commendations gouerned that See nine yeeres sixe moneths and foure daies and departed this life at Bishops-Hatfield October 25. 1434. Many funerall monuments were in this Church as you may finde them mentioned in the Suruay of London This religious house is now turned into an Hospitall consisting of a Master a Preacher a Free-Schoole with a Master and an Vsher fourescore decaied gentlemen Souldiers and forty schollers maintained with sufficient cloathing meate drinke lodging and wages besides Officers and Ministers to attend vpon them all so that the whole number now in the house with the attendants is one hundred and fourescore The greatest gift that euer at any time in England no Abbey at the first foundation thereof excepted or therewith to bee compared being the gift of one man onely whose name was Thomas Sutton of Castle Campes in the County of Cambridge Esquire borne at Knaith in the County of Lincolne who liued to the age of 79 yeares and deceased the 12. day of December 1611. somewhat before this his famous Foundation was fully accomplished Great Saint Bartholomewes This Priorie was founded by one Rahere a pleasant conceited wittie gentleman and a Courtier in the raigne of King Henry the first which he dedicated to the honour of God and Saint Bartholomew and placed therein blacke Canons or Canons regular himselfe became their first Prior his foundation was confirmed in these words Henricus Rex c. Sciatis me concessisse presenti carta me confirmasse Ecclesie beati Bartholomei London que est Dominica Capella mea et canonicis dominicis in ea Domino seruientibus quod sint ab omni subiectione terrena seruitute liberi vt sic aliqua Ecclesia in tota Anglia magis libera c. dat per manum nostram apud Winton 15 Iunij Anno reg 37. Here he died and was here buried in a faire monument renewed by Prior Bolton which Bolton was the last Prior of this house a great builder and repairer of the Priorie and the Parish Church and of diuers lodgings belonging to the same as also of new he builded the Mannor of Canonbury now called Canbury at Islington which belonged to the Canons of this house This Bolton and the rest of his brethren were portraied vpon a Table sometimes hanging in this Church now it is in Sir Robert Cottons Librarie holding vp their hands to the Crucifixe vnder whom these verses were depensiâ—d Gulielmo Bolton precibus succurrite vestris Qualis erat pater hic Domus hec cetera monstrant He died at his Parsonage house at Harrow vpon the hill as I haue it by relation the fourth of Edward the sixt and was there interred He surrendred vp this his Priorie the 30 of Henry the 8. which was then valued at 757 l. 8 s. 4 d. ob q. by yeere Here sometime lay entombed the body of Roger Walden Bishop of London Neuer had any man better experience of the variable vncertaintie of worldly felicity then he for from the estate of a very poore man he was suddenly raised to be Treasurer of England hauing beene first Secretarie to the King Deane of Yorke and Treasurer of the towne of Calis and then made Archbishop of Canterbury which honour he enioyed not past two yeares but was remoued from the same and forced to leade a priuate life a long time At last being once more lift vp to the honour of this Bishopricke of London he left this present life within the compasse of the yeere following Of this man thus writeth Thomas Walsingham who liued in those times and much what to the same effect I will vse his owne language Anno 1406. Dominus Rogerus de Waldene debitum Naturae soluit qui varia fortuna vectus expertus est sub breui tempore Quam sit inconstans incerta volubilis ipsa Errans instabilis vaga quae dum stare putatur Occidit et falso mutatur gaudia vultu Nempe ex pauperculo factus est Regni Thesaurarius and so proceeds on forwards with his story Vpon his monument this Epitaph was inlayd in brasse Hic iacet Rogerus de Walden Episcopus Londinens qui cum in vtraque fortuna plurimuÌ„ laborauit ex hac vita migrauit 2 die Nouem an dom 1406 Vir cultor verus Domini iacet intra Rogerus Walden Fortuna cus nunquam steterat vna Nunc requiem tumuli Deus omnipotens dedit illi Gaudet et in celis plaudet vbi quisque fidelis He denied his preferment to the Bishoppricke of London being preferred vnto him by the Pope saying that he would not accept of it from any but from the king As I finde thus recorded in the Tower Cum summus Pontifex nuper prouidisset Rogero Walden de Ecclesia Cathedral London prefatus tamen Rogerus dominicum beneficium sine Regis assensu et licentia acceptare noluit nec vult ni presenti Rex concedit eidem Rogero licentiam quod ipse tanquam verus Pastor et Episcopus dicte Ecclesie Cathedralis eandem ecclesiam capere valeat et acceptare T. R. apud W. 24. Iunij Little Saint Bartholomewes This Hospitall for the poore and diseased was founded by the forenamed Rahere Prior of great Saint Bartholomewes to be gouerned by a Master and eight Brethren being Priests for the Church and foure Sisters to see the poore
Rotulorum et Recordorum in Turri London remanentium qui obijt vltimo die Feb. Anno 1523. cuius Clericus paruae Bagiae or Clarke of the Petit Bagge is an Officer in the Chancerie of which sort there be three and the Master of the Rolles is their chiefe Their Office is to record the returne of all Inquisitions out of euery Shire all Liueries granted in the Court of Wards all ouster les maines to make all Patents of Customers Gawgers Controllers and Aulnegers all Conge d'eslires for Bishops all Liberateis vpon extent of Statute Staples the recouery of Recognisances forfeited and all Elegits vpon them the summons of the Nobilitie Clergie and Burgesses of the Parliament Commissions directed to Knights and other of euery shire for seassing of the Subsidies Writs for the nomination of Collectors and all trauerses vpon any Office bill or otherwise and to receiue money duel to the King for the same This Officer is mentioned Anno 33. Hen. 8. cap. 22. and it is like hee had first this denomination and stile of Petie Bagges because hauing to doe with so many Records of diuers kindes as aboue mentioned they were put in sundry leather Bagges which were not so great as the Clarke of the Hamper now vseth and therefore might be called Petits Bagges small or little bagges This Iohn Gyles was also keeper or Clerke of the Rolles and Records in the Tower of London an Office generally well knowne throughout all England the master whereof at this day is that learned Gentleman Sir Iohn Borrowes Knight vnder whom my vnderstanding friend Will. Collet and my industrious country-man Will. Riley alias Rouge-Rose Pursiuant at Armes doe officiate the place Dona requiem miserecordissime Iesu anime famuli tui Laurentij Bartlâ—t nuper Registrarij Episcopi Lincol. qui obijt ... die octob An. 1470. Quisquis ades vultumque vides sta perlege plora Iuditij memor esto tui tua nam venit hora Sum quod eris fueramque quod es tua posteriora Commemorans miseris miserans pro me precor ora Te mediante tuus viuam post funera seruus Qui te dilexi Michael bene dummodo vixi Non Homo leteris tibi copia si fluat eris Hic non semper eris memor esto quod morieris Corpus putrebit quod habes alter habebit Es euanebit quod agis tecum remanebit The Temple Church The first Founder hereof is not certainely recorded some hold that it was built by Dunwallo Mulmutius about the yeare of the worlds creation 4748 the precincts whereof he made a Sanctuary or a place of refuge for any person therein to be assured of life liberty and limbs of which I haue spoken elsewhere Besides these priuiledges vnto Temples hee constituted diuers good lawes Of which he writ two bookes the one called Statuta municipalia the other Leges iudiciariae which is as much to say as the statute Law and the common Law Cooke Reports 3 part ad Lect. out of Bale cent 1. Hauing reduced his Realme into one Monarchie being before by ciuill warres and dissention seuered and brought into diuers dominions Hee raigned 40. yeares died the yeare of the worlds creation 4768. and was buried in this place with other of the British Kings But it appeareth by this inscription following ouer the Church doore in the stone worke that this holy Structure was newly founded of farre later times and dedicated to the honour of the blessed Virgine yet I thinke it is farre more ancient Anno ab incarnatione Domini M.C.lxxxv dedicata hec Ecclesia in honorem beate Marie a Domino Eraclio dei gratia Sancte Resurrectionis Ecclesie Patriarcha 11 Idus Februarij Qui eam annatim petentibus de iniuncta sibi Penitentia lx dies indulsit Knights Templers were the last Founders of this house which at the first were certaine noble Souldiers religiously bent who bound themselues by vow in the hands of the Patriarke of Ierusalem to serue Christ after the manner of Regular canons in chastitie and obedience and to defend Christian Religion the holy land and Pilgrimes going to visite the Lords Sepulchre they flourished for a time in high reputation for pietie and deuotion but as they increased in wealth so they fell to wickednesse insomuch that in the yeere 1308. all the Templers in England as also in other parts of Christendome were apprehended and committed to diuers Prisons and in the yeare 1312. all their lands were giuen to the Knights Hospitalers of the order of Saint Iohn Baptist called Saint Iohn of Ierusalem as I haue said elsewhere There are in this Temple many very ancient monuments of famous men for out of what respect I know not King Henry the third and many of the Nobility desired much to be buried in this Church shaped in marble armed their legges crosse whose names are not to be gathered by any inscriptions for that time hath worne them out vpon the vpper part of one of their portraitures Camden saith that hee hath read Comes Penbrochie and vpon the side this verse Miles eram Martis Mars multos vicerat armis Of Mars I was a doughty knight Mars vanquisht many a man in fight Vnder which monument lieth William Marshall the elder Earle of Penbroke a most powerfull man in his time being the Kings Marshall Generall of his Armie and Protector of the kingdome in the minority of King Henry the third vntill such time as he the said William died which was in the yeare 1219. 27 die Martij This Epitaph following goes also currant for this glorious and triumphant Earle as an Epitome of his noble vertues Sum quem Saturnum sibi sensit Hibernia Solem Anglia Mercurium Normannia Gallia Martem Irelands Saturne Englands Sunne am I The Mars of France and Normans Mercury or thus Whom Ireland once a Saturne found England a Sunne to be Whom Normandy a Mercury and France Mars I am he This William had fiue sonnes William Richard Gilbert Walter and Anselme all Earles of Penbroke and Marshals of England Here by his father vnder the like monument lieth William the eldest sonne Earle of Penbroke Lord of Strighull Chepstow Caerwent Leigh or Liege Weshford Kildare Ossorie and Carlogh who died the sixt of Aprill 1231. as it is in the booke of Wauerly wherein this Epitaph is made to his memory Militis istius mortem dolet Anglia ridet Wallia viuentis bella minasque timens England laments the death of this braue Knight Wales laughs he liuing did her so affright The Annales of Ireland will haue him to be buried by his brother Richard in the Quire of the Friers Predicants in Kilkennie of whom it was thus written Cuius sub fossa Kilkennia continet Ossa Whose bones bestowed in graue so deep Kilkenny Towne doth safely keep Wheresoeuer he was buried a Martiall braue Earle he was which hee worthily shewed when as he set vpon Lehwellin Prince of Wales
of Canterbury writing of the Antiquitie and famous renowne of this Monastery hath these words Vt Albanense propter protomartyris nostri Albani nobile eo loci martyrium sacrasque etiam ibi reconditas reliquias coenobium reliquorum semper princeps habitum est ita posterioribus seculis Westmonasteriense post illud maxime eminebat It is likewise of especiall note and reuerend regard by reason of the consecration the inauguration and vnction of our kings of England of which two riming Hexameters are wrought in the cloth of Arras which adorne the Quire Hanc Regum sedem sibi Petrus consecrat Edem Quam tu Papa regis insignit vnctio Regis This Church is also greatly honoured by the glorious Monuments of kings Queenes grand Peeres and others of eminent place and qualitie here interred And first of all Sebert the first founder the sonne of Sledda and Queene Ricula the sister of Ethelbert king of Kent with his wife Ethelgoda lie here entombed who died the last day of Iuly Ann. Dom. 616. hauing raigned 13. yeares Som 692. yeares after their bodies were translated from their first place of buriall to the South side of the Communion Table where they rest within a Tombe of lead with this Epitaph Labilitas breuitas mundane prosperitatis Celica premia gloria gaudia danda beatis Sebertum certum iure dedere satis Hic Rex Christicola verâ—x fuit hac regione Qui nunc celicola gaudet mercede corone Rex humilis docilis scius pius inclytus iste Sollicite nitide tacite placide bone christe Vult servire tibi perficiendo sibi Ornat mores spernit flores lucis auare Gliscens multum christi cultum letificare Ecclesiam nimiam nimio studio fabricauit Hec illesa manus que fundamenta locauit Hic septingentis annisterra cumulatus Christi clementis instinctibus inde leuatus Isto sub lapide nunc iacet ipse vide Atque domum Christo quia mundo fecit in isto Nunc pro mercede celi requiescit in ede Respice mortalis promissio sit tibi talis Accipies si des nil capies nisi des Es Christo qualis Christus erit tibi talis Dapsilis esto sibi largus eritque tibi Effectus non affectus si reddere possis Debet censeri si nihil reddere possis Tunc bonus affectus pro facto debet haberi Sicut de lignis per aquam depellitur ignis Sic malo commissa fiunt donando remissa Reddet ad vsuram quod quis dat nomine Christi Nam vitam puram pro parvo dat Deus isti His wife Aethelgoda died the 13. of September Ann. Dom. 615 Vpon the wall by this Tombe the image of Saint Peter is depicted speaking to king Sebert in these verses Hic Rex Seberte pausas mihi condita per te Hec loca lustraui demum lustrando dicaui Here lieth honourably interred in a marble Tombe checquered with variety of stones of beautifull colours the body of Edward king of England who for his singular pietie was numbred among the Confessors a principall Founder of this Church Thus commended by a late writer Religious chast wise fortunate stout franke and milde was hee And from all taxes wrongs and foes did set his kingdome free His Epitaph here inscribed consists of these three Hexameters Omnibus insignis virtutum landibus Heros Sanctus Edwardus Confessor Rex venerandus Quinto die Iani moriens super Ethera scandit Sursum corda Moritur Ann. Dom. 1065. Serlo of Paris hath another Epitaph to his memory in these words Edwardus probitate potens pietate verendus Seque suosque regens rexerat egregius Formosam faciem procerum corpus habebat Leticiam vultus moribus exuperans Hic bello sic pace suos exterruit hostes Presumpsit pacem rumpere nemo suam Quinque dies anui reserebat ianua Iani Cum Rex egrediens carnea templa finit My old Author Robert of Glocester goes more punctually to the period of his life the yeares moneths weekes and dayes of his raigne and time of his buriall When Seynt Edward hadde thus told he ganne to clos hys eyghe The iiii dey of Ianuar then gan he deye In the yer of owr Lord M.lxvi. ryght Aftur that owr swete Lord in hys moder alyght Kyng he was xxiiii yer and ii monyethes therto And three wekes and vi deyes â—r his lyf was ido Al the Franchyse of Engelond and al the ioy and blis Wyth hym faste i beryd was thulke tym I wis And that men fonde sone aftyrward wyth meny delful cas Atte Westmynster a twelfth dey this Godeman beryed was He was for his simplenesse saith the same Author i callyd Edward Simple yet sothe our Lord noryshede hys symplenes and yaf hym grete grase that men shold be adradde of hym that courhe natte be wrothe and though men trowed hym to be slow and simâ—le he hadde such subiects vndyr hym that atte his hesâ— dauntyd his enemyes as Syward Erle of Northumbyrlonde and Leofricus Erle of Hereforde that defendyd the kyng euer mor wyth ther manhode and fauor ayenst the mantenors of Duc Godwyâ—â—e Questionleâ—â—â— for sanctitie of life and sweete conuersation he did farre excell all other Princes and kings of that disposition are for the most part too soft and piiant an imperfection in supreme authoritie to command the turbulent spirits of an vnsetled kingdome and their vnderstanding too shallow to dâ—ue into the depth of their enemies designes This Edward was the seuenth sonne of King Etheldred by Emma his second wife daughter of Richard the second Duke of Normandy he was borne at Islip in the County of Oxford he was about fourty yeares of age when he was enthroned in the seat Imperiall He was the first king of England that healed the disease since called the kings Euill His wife Editha lieth buried at the North siâ—e of his Tombe who was the daughter of Godwin that treacherous Earle of Kent a virgine most chast whose breast was a schoolehouse of all liberall sciences milde modest faithfull innocent and vnfainedly holy no way sauouring of her fathers barbarousnesse being neuer hurtfull to any Whereupon this verse was applied vnto her and her father Sicut Spina Rosam genuit Godwinus Editham From pricked stalke as sweetest Rose So Edith faire from Godwin growes Of which another writeth thus Godwyne Erle a dawghtyr he hadde that was of grete fame And of clene lyf also Edithe was her name And as the Roos of a brere spryngeth that kene is Also sprunge this holy mayd of liche kynd I wis She died in December 1074. in the eight yeare of her widowhood and in the eight yeare of the Conquerours raigne Professing vpon her death-bed that notwithstanding she had beene king Edwards wife the space of eighteene yeares yet she died a pure Virgine For this king Edward not without reason is taxed in that he vnder a godly pretext of Religion
Chappell and for the Sepulchre the body of Henry the seuenth King of England the first begotten Sonne of Edmund Earle of Richmond by Margaret daughter and heire to Iohn Duke of Somerset This glorious rich Tombe is compassed about with verses penned by that Poet Laureat as he stiles himselfe and Kings Orator Iohn Skelton I will take onely the shortest of his Epitaphs or Eulogiums and most to the purpose Septimus hic situs est Henricus gloria Regum Cunctorum ipsius qui tempestate fuerunt Ingenio atque opibus gestarum nomine rerum Accessere quibus nature dona benigne Frontis honos facies augusta heroica forma Iunctaque ei suanis coniux perpulchra pudica Et secunda fuit felices prole parentes Henricum quibus octauum terra Anglia debes He deceased at Richmond the 22. of Aprill 1509. when hee had raigned 23. yeares and somewhat more then seuen moneths and liued fifty two yeares Whosoeuer would know further of this king let him reade his History wherein hee is delineated to the life by the matchlesse and neuer enough admired penne of that famous learned and eloquent knight Sir Francis Bacon not long since deceased Lord Verulam and Viscount Saint Alban Here lieth entombed by her Husband Henry the seuenth Elizabeth the first childe legitimate and eldest daughter of king Edward the fourth to whom she was married the eighteenth of Ianuary 1488. whereby was vnited the long contending Families of Lancaster and Yorke and the Roses red and white ioyned into one to the great ioy of the English Subiects She was his wife eighteene yeares and twenty foure dayes and died in child-bed in the Tower of London the eleuenth of February euen the day of her owne Natiuitie the eighteenth of her Husbands raigne and yeare of our Saluation 1503. I haue an Epitaph of this good Queene borne for Englands happinesse which I transcribed out of a Manuscript in Sir Robert Cottons Library Extinctum iacet hic genus a Plantagine ductum Et Rosa purpureis candida nupta Rosis Elisabet claris Anglorum Regibus orta Regina Patrij gloria rara soli Edwardi soboles quarti tibi septime coniux Henrice heu populi cura benigna tui Exemplex vite qua nec prestantior altra Moribus ingenio nec probitate fuit Reginam Deus eterno dignetur honore Et Regem hic annos viuere Nestoreos Here lieth magnificently entombed Margaret Countesse of Richmond and Darby daughter and onely heire to Iohn Duke of Somerset by Margaret daughter to the Lord Beauchampe of Powicke first married to Edmund the sonne of Owen Tedder who begat Henry the seuenth King of England and afterwards to Thomas Stanley Earle of Derby Two Colledges namely of Christ and Saint Iohn Baptist she erected for Students in Cambridge Shee instituted also two Diuinitie Lectures one at Cambridge and the other at Oxenford who hauing liued so long to see her Grandchilde Henry the eight crowned King died the twelfth of Iuly 1509. in the first yeare of his raigne Here is a long Elegie made to her memorie by the foresaid Skelton with this terrible curse to all those that shall tread spoile or take it away Qui lacerat violatue rapit presens Epitoma Hunc laceretque voret cerberus absque mora Hanc tecum statuas Dominam precor O Sator orbis Quo regnas rutilans Rex sine fine manens Here lieth Margaret one of the daughters of King Edward the fourth by Elizabeth his royall Queene and wife She died an Infant the eleuenth of December 1472. Nobilitas forma decorque tenella inuentus Insimul hic ista mortis sunt condita cista Vt genus nomen sexum tempus quoque mortis Noseas cuncta tibi manifestat margo Sepulchri Here lieth Elizabeth the second daughter of King Henry the seuenth by his louing consort and Queene Elizabeth who was borne the second day of Iuly 1492. and died the 14. day of Nouember 1495. Vpon her Tombe this Epitaph Hic post sata iacet proles regalis in isto Sarcophago inuenis nobilis Elizabeth Princeps illustris Hen. Sept. filia Regis Qui bini regni florida sceptra tenet Atropos hanc rapuit seuissima nuntia mortis Sit super in celo vita perhennis ei Here lieth interred without any Monument Anne the second daughter and coheire to Richard Nevil the stout Earle of Warwicke and Salisbury who was first married to Edward Prince of Wales the sonne and onely childe of king Henry the sixth and after remarried to Richard Duke of Gloucester who at the battell of Tewxbury had stabbed her husband into the heart with his dagger afterwards by vsurpation king of England surnamed Crook-backe She died not without suspition of being poysoned the 16. of March 1485. Here lieth entombed Edmund the second sonne of King Henry the third Earle of Lancaster Leicester and Darby surnamed Crouch-backe of his bowing in his backe because he is neuer found saith Vincent in his discouery of Brookes errours title Lancaster with any other addition and indeed with no other Epithite then Gibbosus which signifieth crooked crump-shouldred or Camell-backed But others say he was so denominated of wearing the signe of the Crosse anciently called a Crouch vpon his backe which was vsually worne of such as vowed voyages to Ierusalem as he had done Further confirming their opinions from the name of Crouched-Friers that wore a Crosse vpon their garments And Io. Harding speaking of him and his elder Brother Edward afterwards king of England and of their voyage to Ierusalem hath these verses to the same effect His brother Edward and he associate To Ierusalem their voyage them avowed Two semely Princes together adioynate In all the world was none them like alowed So large and faire thei were eche man he bowed Edward aboue his menne was largely seen By his shulders more hie and made full clene Edmond next hym the comeliest Prince aliue Not croke backed ne in no wyse disfigured As some menne wrote the right lyne to depriue Through great falsehed made it to be scriptured For cause it should alwaye bee refigured And mentioned well his yssue to prevaile Vnto the Crowne by such a gouernaile I cannot let passe although I do somewhat digresse the cunning sleights and deuises the Popes of Rome vsed in these times to empouerish this kingdome and enrich their owne coffers First they combine and confederate with the king to the vtter vndoing of all his loyall Subiects And now Pope Alexander the fourth puts a tricke vpon the king himselfe a Prince more pious then prudent which exhausts his Treasure and leaues him for a laughing-stocke to all other Nations This Pope forsooth inuested this Edmund his sonne into the kingdomes of Sicilia and Apulia Conradus king thereof still liuing by a ring conditionally that hee should sustaine the charges and maintaine the warres that should happen thereupon In which regard he suckt
whencesoeuer he come or for what offence or cause it be either for his refuge into the said holy place he be assured of his life liberty and limbes And ouer this I forbid vnder the paine of euerlasting damnation that no Minister of mine or of my Successours intermeddle them with any the goods lands or possessions of the said persons taking the said Sanctuary for I haue taken their goods and liuelode into my speciall protection and therefore I grant to euery each of them in as much as my terrestriall power may suffice all manner freedome of ioyous liberty and whosoeuer presumes or doth contrary to this my Grant I will he lose his name worship dignitie and power And that with the great traytor Iudas that betrayed our Sauiour he be in the euerlasting fire of hell And I will and ordaine that this my grant endure as long as there remaineth in England either loue or dread of Christian name King Edward the third built in the little Sanctuarie a Clochard of stone and timber and placed therein three bells for the vse of Saint Stephens Chappell About the biggest Bell was engrauen or cast in the mettall these words King Edward made mee thirtie thousand weight and three Take mee downe and wey mee and more you shall fynd mee But these Bells being to be taken downe in the raigne of King Henry the eight one writes vnderneath with a coale But Henry the eight will bait me of my weight In the Steeple of the great Church in the Citie of Roane in Normandy is one great Bell with the like Inscription Ie suis George de Ambios Qui trente cinque mille pois Mes lui qui me pesera Trente six mill me trouera I am George of Ambois Thirtie five thousand in pois But he that shall weigh me Thirtie six thousand shall find mee One lately hauing taken view of the Sepulchres of so many Kings Nobles and other eminent persons interred in this Abbey of Westminster made these rimes following which he called A Memento for Mortalitie Mortalitie behold and feare What a change of flesh is here Thinke how many royall bones Sleepe within this heape of stones Hence remou'd from beds of ease Daintie â—are and what might please Fretted roofes and costlie showes To a roofe that flats the nose Which proclaimes all flesh is grasse How the worlds faire Glories passe That there is no trust in Health In youth in age in Greatnesse wealth For if such could haue repriu'd Those had beene immortall liu'd Know from this the worlds a snare How that greatnesse is but care How all pleasures are but paine And how short they do remaine For here they lye had Realmes and Lands That now want strength to stirre their hands Where from their pulpits seel'd with dust They preach In Greatnesse is no trust Here 's an Aker sowne indeed With the richest royall seed That the earth did ere sucke in Since the first man dy'd for sin Here the bones of birth haue cry'd Though Gods they were as men haue dy'd Here are sands ignoble things Dropt from the ruin'd sides of Kings With whom the poore mans earth being showne The difference is not easily knowne Her 's a world of pompe and state Forgotten dead disconsolate Thinke then this Sithe that mowes downe kings Exempts no meaner mortall things Then bid the wanton Lady tread Amid these mazes of the dead And these truly vnderstood More shall coole and quench the blood Then her many sports a day And her nightly wanton play Bid her paint till day of doome To this fauour she must come Bid the Merchant gather wealth The vsurer exact by stealth The proud man beate it from his thought Yet to this shape all must be brought Chappell of our Lady in the Piew Neare vnto the Chappell of Saint Stephen was sometime a smaller Chappell called our Lady of the Piew but by whom first founded I cannot finde To this Lady great offerings were vsed to be made Richard the second after the ouerthrow of Wat. Tilar as I haue read and other the Rebels in the fourth of his raigne went to Westminster and there giuing thankes to God for his victory made his offering in this Chappell By the negligence of a Scholler forgetting to put forth the Lights of this Chappell the Image of our Lady richly decked with Iewels precious stones Pearles and Rings more then any Ieweller saith he could iudge the price was with all the apparell and ornaments belonging thereunto as also the Chappell it selfe burnt to ashes It was againe reedified by Antony Widâ—uile Earle Riuers Lord Scales Vncle and Gouernour to the Prince of Wales that should haue beene King Edward the fifth Who was vniustly beheaded at Pomfret by the procurement of Richard Crook-backe Duke of Glocester then Lord Protectour the 13. of Iune 1483. Saint Margaret in Westminster Adioyning on the North side of the Abbey standeth Saint Margarets the Parish Church of the Citie of Westminster reedified for the most in the raigne of King Edward the fourth especially the South Isle from the piety of the Lady Marye Billing and her second husband Sir Thomas Billing chief Iustice of England in that Kings time Whose Monument with that to the memorie of her first husband William Cotton Esquire I haue here expressed Here lieth Dame Mary Bylling late wife to Sir Thomas Bylling Knight chiefe Iustice of England and to William Coton and Thomas Lacy which Mary died the 14 day of March in the yeare of our Lord God 1499. Blessed Lady c. haue mercy c. Ant Mary gratia plena on me haue mercy on me haue mercy Ecce ancila dom Fiat 〈…〉 secund uerbu tuuÌ„ 〈…〉 〈…〉 The inheritance of this Lady was the Lordship of Connington in Huntingtonshire The seate once of Turketell the Dane Earle of the East Angles who inuited ouer Swain King of Denmarke to inuade this kingdome He exiâ—'d with most of his Nation by Saint Edmond the Confessor This his seate with other his large possessions were giuen by the same King to Walthâ—oâ— Earle of Northumberland and Huntington to whom the first William gaue in marriage the Lady Iudithe his sisters daughter This Lordship with the Earledome of Huntington by the marriage of Mary that Earles daughter to Dauid the sonne of the first Malcolme King of Scots and the holy Margaret his wife Neece to Edward the King Confessor Grandchilde to Edmond surnamed Ironside King of the English Saxons and sister and heire to Edgar surnamed Ethelinge by which marriage the Stemme Royall of the Saxons became vnited into the bloud Royall of the Scottish Kings in whose male lyne that Earldome and this Lordship continued vntill Isabell the daughter and heire of Dauid Earle of Huntington and brother to Malcome William and Alexander successiue Kings of that kingdome brought them both by her marriage to Robert de Brus into that family She leauing the iust clayme of the Crowne of Scotland to Robert her eldest sonne whose sonne
of the pot There hath also beene found in the same field diuers coffins of stone containing the bones of men these I suppose to be the burials of some speciall persons in time of the Brittaines or Saxons Moreouer there were also found the sculls and bones of men without coffins or rather whose coffines being of great timber were consumed Diuers great Nailes of Iron were there found such as are vsed in the wheeles of shod carts being each of them as bigge as a mans finger and a quarter of a yard the heads two inches ouer Those Nailes were more wondred at then the rest of the things there found and many opinions of men were there vttered of them namely that the men there buried were murthered by driuing those Nailes into their heads a thing vnlikely for a smaller Naile would more aptly serue to so bad a purpose and a more secret place would lightly be imployed for such buriall But to set downe what I obserued concerning this matter I there beheld the bones of a man lying as I noted the head North the feet South and round about him as thwart his head along both his sides and thwart his feet such Nailes were found Wherefore I coniectured them to be Nailes of his coffin Which had beene a trough cut out of some great tree and the same couered with a planke of a great thicknesse fastened with such Nailes and therefore I caused some of the Nailes to be reached vp to 〈◊〉 found vnder the broad heads of them the old wood â—eane turned into earth but still retaining both the graine and proper colour Of these Nailes with the wood vnder the head thereof I reserued one as also the 〈◊〉 bone of the man the teeth being great sound and fixed which amongst many other Monuments there found I haue yet to shew but the nayle lying dry is by scaling greatly wasted And thus much of ancient Funerall Monuments in the fields Certaine Burials of British Kings in and about London the places of their interments vncertaine And first to begin with Guentoline the sonne of Gurgunstus King of Britaine who flourished about the yeare of the world 3614. Who was a wise Prince graue in counsell and sober in behauiour and studied with great care and diligence to reforme anew and to adorne with iustice lawes and good orders the British commonwealth by other Kings not so framed as stood with the greatnesse thereof But as he was busie in hand herewith death tooke him away from these worldly employments when hee had raigned 27. yeares He had a wife named Martia Proba a woman of perfect beautie and wisedome incomparable as by her prudent gouernment and equall administration of iustice after her husbands decease during her sonnes minoritie it most manifestly appeared She was a woman expert and skilfull in diuers sciences but chiefely being admitted to the gouernment of the Realme she studied to preserue the common wealth in good quiet and decent order and therefore deuised established and writ a booke in the British tongue of profitable and conuenient Lawes the which after her name were called Martian Lawes These Lawes afterwards Gildas Cambrius the Historicall Welch Poet translated into Latine and a long time after him Alured King of the West Saxons holding these lawes necessarie for the preseruation of the common wealth put them into English Saxon speech and then they were called after that translation Marchenclagh that is to meane the Lawes of Martia adding thereunto a Booke of his owne writing of the Lawes of England which he called A certaine Breuiarie extracted out of diuers Lawes of the Troians Grecians Britaines Saxons and Danes She flourished before the birth of our Lord and Sauiour 348. yeares or thereabouts Her sonnes name was Sicilius who vpon the death of his Father was but young for I reade that Martia his mother deliuered vp the gouernment of the kingdome to her sonne when he came to lawfull age which she had right politiquely guided and highly for her perpetuall renowne and commendation the space of fourteene yeares He died when hee had raigned seuen yeares some say fifteene yeares Of Bladud king of Britaine the sonne of Lud hurdibras many incredible passages are deliuered by our old British writers and followed by sundrie Authors of succeeding ages which say that he was so well seene in the Sciences of Astronomie and Necromancie that thereby hee made the hote springs in the Citie of Bathe that he built the Citie of Bathe that he went to Athens and brought with him foure Philosophers and by them instituted an Vniuersitie at Stanford in Lincolnshire And further to shew his Art and cunning that he tooke vpon him to flie into the aire and that hee broke his necke by a fall from the Temple of Apollo in Troynouant before the incarnation of Christ 852. yeares in the twentieth yeare of his raigne Geffrey of Monmouth and Mathew of Westminster would approue as much as here is spoken of him And learned Selden in his Illustrations vpon Draytons Polyolbion sets downe an ancient fragment of rimes wherein these strange things of him are exprest But of him here in this place will it please you take a peece out of Harding and you shall haue more hereafter Bladud his sonne after him did succede And reigned after then full xx yere Cair Bladud so that now is Bath I rede He made anone the hote bathes there infere When at Athens he had studied clere He brought with hym iiii Philosophers wise Schole to hold in Brytaine and exercyse Stanforde he made that Stanforde hight this daye In which he made an Vniuersitee His Philosophers as Merlin doth saye Had scholers fele of grete habilitee Studyng euer alwaye in vnitee In all the seuen liberall science For to purchase wysedome and sapience In Cair Bladim he made a temple right And sette a Flamyne therein to gouerne And afterward a Fetherham he dight To flye with winges as he could best discerne Aboue the aire nothyng him to werne He flyed on high to the temple Apoline And ther brake his necke for all his grete doctrine Likewise the vncertaine buriall of Vortimer that victorious British king was in some part of this Citie he was the eldest sonne of Vortigern king of the Britaines and raigned as king in his fathers dayes who demeaned himselfe towards his sonne then his Soueraigne in all dutifull obedience and faithfull counsell for the space of foure yeares euen vntill Vortimer was poysoned by the subtiltie of Rowena the heathen daughter of Hengist the Saxon the wife or concubine of his Brother and the mother of the Britaines mischiefe which happened about the yeare of Grace 464. This Vortimer was a man of great valour which altogether he employed for the redresse of his countrey according to the testimonie of William Malmesbury whose words are these Vortimer saith he thinking not good to dissemble the matter for that he saw himselfe and countrey daily
full of honours and yeares ended his life here at his Castle of Berkamsted but was buried at his Abbey of Hales Of whom hereafter Here are diuers Tombes to the memory of the name of Waterhouse whose inscriptions of antiquitie are all taken away with the brasse and the carefull preseruing of the rest altogether neglected Hic iacent Iohannes Waterhouse Margaret vxor eius ..... Ecce sub hoc tumulo coniux vxorque iacemus Eternam pacem donet vterque Deus Nil vnquam abstulimus si quid benefecimus vlli Est qui pro meritis premia digna dabit Est tamen vna salus Christi miseratio quam qui Transis ambobus sepe precâ—re Deum Hic iacet Richardus Westbroke qui obiit 29. Septemb. 1485. supplicans vobis ex charitate vestra pro anima sua dicere Pater Noster Ave. Here lieth Katherin the wyfe of Robert Incent the father and mother to Iohn Incent Doctor of the Law who hath done many benefytes and ornaments to this Chappell of St. Iohn Baptist ..... the twelâ—th yeere of Henry the eight This Iohn Incent Doctor of the Law was Deane of Saint Paules London who built in this Towne a free-Schoole allowing to the Master a stipend of twenty pound per annum And to the Vsher ten pound which was confirmed by Act of Parliament Here lyeth Robert Incent late Servant to that noble Princesse Cicely Duchesse of Yorke who dyed of the sweating sicknesse the first yeere of Henry the seuenth Hic iacet Edwardus de le hay ... 1510. This is an ancient name flourishing euer since the raigne of Hen. the second Stow. Annal. Hic iacet Margarita Briggs que ob 17. Aug. 1374. Here is an ancient monument to the memory of one Iohn Rauen Esquire who died in the yeere 1395. Vnder the Armes of King Edward the sixth painted vpon a table these verses Quid sextum dicis nulli virtute secundus Ingenio nulli nullus in arte prior Edwardi insignis sunt haec insignia Iudiâ— In Signis illum deliniare nequis Vnder the cote and crest of Doctor Incent these Hexameters Mira cano nondum denos compleuerat annos Cum Pater est Patriae Edwardus Musisque Patronus Ille tuis avibus sublatas reddidit alas Incenti obtusis aciem pugionibus ille Ille cruci vires Infanti adiecit amictum Ille Rosam suavi perfudit odore caducam Kings Langley So named of the Kings house thereunto adioyning wherein Edmund Plantaginet the fifth sonne of King Edward the third was borne and thereupon surnamed Edmund of Langley Hereby was a religious House for preaching Friers founded by Roger the sonne of Robert Helle an English Baron valued to be yeerely worth at the suppression one hundred and fifty pound fourteene shillings eight pence in the Church of this monasterie the foresaid Edmund was interred He was Lord of Tindale Earle of Cambridge and Duke of Yorke He married Isabell second daughter and one of the heires of Peter King of Castile and Leon who died before him in the yeare 1393 and was buried in this Friery by whom hee had issue Edward Earle of Rutland Duke of Albamarle and Yorke Richard Earle of Cambridge and a daughter whose name was Constance He had a second wife whose name was Ioane daughter of Thomas Holland Earle of Kent who after his death was married to William Lord Willoughby of Eresby to Henry Lord Scroope and to Henry Bromflet Lord Vescy He is reckoned for one of the Knights of the Garter and in the absence of his father in France is said to be Protectour of the Realme of England Hee is much commended for his affabilitie and gentle deportment as also for his valour of which will you heare my often alledged Author Io. Harding Sir Edmond Langley full of gentylnesse Sir Thomas Woodstok full of corage For his valour in another Chapter thus At whiche battaill duke Iohn of Gaunt indede And his brother Edmond then faught full sore Were neuer twoo better knightes then thei indede That better faught vpon a feld afore It was but grace that thei escaped thore Thei putte theimselfes so fer furth ay in prees That wounded wer thei bothe full sore no lees This renowned Duke deceased saith Stow in the yeare 1402. the third of Henry the fourth and was here buried neare to his wife with two of his brethren who died young Here sometime lay entombed the body of Pierce Gaueston a Gascoigne borne Lord of the Isle of Man and Earle of Cornwall A man in such fauour with Edward the second hauing before ensnared his youth by the allurements of a corrupt life that hee had from the said King whatsoeuer could be poured vpon him For though it might seeme incredible saith Speed out of the booke of Dunstable he both gaue him his Iewels and ancestors treasure and euen the Crowne it selfe of his victorious father not sticking to professe if it lay in him hee should succeed him in the kingdome But his insolencie and presumption vpon the kings fauour made him so farre to forget himselfe as that he scorned the best of the Nobilitie as much as they hated him miscalling and giuing them scoffes with bitter iests which left behinde them a sowre remembrance and the sting of reuenge Of all which my old timer who flourished about those dayes thus speaketh more seriously in Prose Perys went into the kyngys Tresorye in ye Abbey of Westminstre saith he and yer toke away a tabil of gold wyth the tressel and oyer ryche Iuwels the whyche wer sumtym king Arthurys and hem he toke to a merchant yat het Aymery of Friscomband and bar hem ouer the see into Gascoigne and yay wer neuer brought ayen yat was gret harme to yet Reme And this Sure Perys gretly despysyd the Lordys of ye londe and atte yat tym Sure Perys clupyd Robard of Clare ye Erle of Gloucetre Hore sone and ye Erle of Penbrok Ioseph ye Iew and ye Erle of Nycol Sure Henry de Lacy Brokbely and Gowy of Warwike Blak hound of Ardern and also he clupyd ye nobiâ— and gentyl Erle of Lancastre Eherle and oyer meny despytes he sâ—yd to ye Lordys of Englonde wherfor yay weryn sore agreuyd And so much agrieued they were that they surprised him in the night at a viliage or mannour called Dathington or Deddington betweene Oxford and Warwick from whence Guy Earle of Warwick tooke him to his Castle of Warwicke where in a place called Blacklow afterward Gaueshead his head was stricken off the nineteenth of Iune 1311. at the commandement and in the presence of the Earles of Lancaster Warwicke and Hereford as of one that had beene a subuerter of the Lawes and an open Traitour to the kingdome A violent and vnaduised part of these Lords to put to death an Earle so dearly loued of the King without any iudiciall proceeding by triall of his Peeres
to three such potent Princes Ensigne or Penon-bearer to one and Master of the Horse to Ioane the second wife of King Henry the fourth giues me occasion to speake somewhat in particular of these his honours and offices And first in generall of the signification and Etymology of the name of Esquire Next in degree after knights saith Camden in his treatise of Degrees of States in England are Esquires termed in Latine Armigeri that is Costrels or Bearers of Armes the same that Scutiferi that is Shield-bearers and Homines ad arma Men at Armes the Gothes called them Schilpor all of carrying the Shield as in old time among the Romanes such as were named Scularij who tooke that name either of the Escutcheons of Armes which they bare as Ensignes of their descent or because they were Armour-bearers to Princes or to the better sort of Nobilitie Ranulph Earle of Chester giues Viello Armigero suo tenementum in Bruhello to Viell his Esquire a Tenement in Bruhell And so Archbishops Bishops Barons knights huiusmodi Magnates and such sort of Peeres of the kingdome had their Esquiers In times past euery knight had two of these waiting vpon him they carried his Morion and Shield as inseparable companions they stucke close vnto him because of the said knight their Lord they held certaine Lands in Escuage like as the knight himselfe of the king by Knights seruice The old Gaulish knights saith Selden sate at their round table attended by their Esquires The Germans called an Esquire Schild-knapa or Shield-knaue or knaue a denotation of no ill qualitie in those dayes For here note by the way that Iohannes de Temporibus Iohn of the Times so called for the sundrie times or ages he liued was Shield-knaue vnto the Emperour Charles the Great Of whom he also was made knight as Verstegan affirmes in his Treatise of Honor and Offices The Interpreter out of Hotoman saith that these which the French men call Escuiers wee Esquiers were a militarie kind of vassall hauing ius Scuti which is as much to say as that they bare a Shield and in it the Ensignes of their Familie in token of their gentility or dignitie But these Esquires of whom I haue already spoken be now no more in any request fiue distinct sorts are onely remaining of these at this day The principall Esquires are accounted those that are select Esquires for the Princes bodie and such a one was Perient here interred Inter Armigeros qui fâ—unt non nascuntur Primarij habentur quatuor illi Armigeri ad corpus Regis Amongst Esquires which are made so by their offices not so borne those foure Esquires to the kings bodie are chiefe and princiall saith Sir H. Spelman The next vnto them be knights eldest sonnes and such an Esquire was the knights sonne in Chaucer who attended his father on pilgrimage to Thomas Beckets Shrine as doth appeare by their characters in the Prologues to the Canterbury tales Of which so much as tends to this purpose A Knyght ther was and that a worthy man That fro the tyme that he first began To riden out he loued cheualrie Trouth honour freedome and courtesie he was late come fro his voyage And went for to done his pilgrimage With him there was his son a yong squire A louer and a lusty Bachelere With his locks crull as they were laid in presse Of twenty yere of age he was as I gesse Curteys he was lowly and servisable And kerste before his Fader at the table In a third place are reputed younger sonnes of the eldest sonnes of Barons and of other Nobles in higher estate and when such heires males faile together with them also the title faileth In a fourth ranke are reckoned those vnto whom the King himselfe together with a title giueth Armes or createth Esquires by putting about their necke a siluer collar of S S and in former times vpon their heeles a paire of white spurres siluered whereupon at this day in the West parts of the kingdome they be called White-spurres for distinction from knights who are wont to weare gilt spurres and to the first-begotten sonnes onely of these doth the title belong In the fifth and last place be those ranged and taken for Esquires whosoeuer haue any superiour publicke Office in the common weale or serue the Prince in any worshipfull calling But this name of Esquire which in ancient time was a name of charge and office onely crept first among other titles of dignitie and worship so farre as I could euer obserue saith Camden in the raigne of Richard the second In ancient deeds we finde little mention made of gentlemen or Esquires but since the time of Henry the fourth these additions to names haue beene vsually inserted in writings by reason of the Statute of the first of Henry the fifth cap. 5. that in all cases wherein Processe of Outlary lieth additions shall be made of the estate degree or Misterie of which the parties sued are This Perient is here stiled also Penerarius Ric. secundi because as I coniecture he had the carriage of the Kings Penon Which word signifieth a Banner or Ensigne carried in warre or a little Streamer worne on the top of a lawnce by a Horseman A word borrowed from France for Penon in French signifieth the same thing Master of the Horse which office this deceased Gentleman enioyed vnder the Queene as aforesaid is he that hath the rule and charge of the Kings or Queenes stable being an office of high account Hitching Here lyeth Willyam Polter Gentylman who dyed the xx day of May in the fyfth yere of kyng Henry the eygth Here adioyning to the Towne was a Priory of white Friers Carmelites founded by king Edward the second Iohn Blomvill Adam Rouse and Iohn Cobham and dedicated to the Honour of our alone Saviour and the blessed Virgine valued in the Kings books vpon the surrender thereof which was vpon the ninth of May Ann. 26. Hen. 8. but at 4. l. 9. s. 4. d. Kinesburne or Kinesbourgh Here lyeth the carkasse of an old Castle interred in her owne ruines which in former times gaue entertainment to certaine obnoxious persons which called themselues the kings loyall good Subiects and the chiefe preseruers of his peace throughout all the adiacent countries as it is in the golden Register of S. Albans as followeth Stephanus Rex ad petitionem Abbatis Roberti ob honorem Albani Martyr is permisit dirui castrum de Kynesbury vbi antiquis temporibus latebant quidam Regales nequam homines Abbathie nimis infesti damnosi dicentes se Regis esse fideles et custodes pacis patrie cum potius pacem patriam perturbarent King Stephen at the request of Robert Abbot of Saint Albans and for the honour he bore to the holy Martyr S. Alban gaue commission for the pulling downe of the Castle of Kinesbury wherein in ancient times certaine
tempore Ed. 3. an honourable title as well in France as in England but afterward applied vnto Seruants and Groomes whereupon when the Gentrie reiected it by changing the name they began to be called Gentlemen of the Bedchamber Orate pro animabus Iohannis Barrington et l homasine vxoris eius qui quidem Iohannes obiit 8. die mens Nouemb. 1416. et Thomasina obiit 15. Septemb. 1420. Quorum animabus Ryding from Ralegh towards Rochford I happened to haue the good companie of a gentleman of this countrey who by the way shewed me a little hill which he called the Kings Hill and told me of a strange customarie Court of long continuance there yearely kept the next Wednesday after Michaelmas day in the night vpon the first cockcrowing without any kinde of light saue such as the heauens will affoard The Steward of the Court writes onely with coales and calleth all such as are bound to appeare with as low a voice as possiblie he may giuing no notice when he goeth to execute his office Howsoeuer he that giues not an answer is deeply amerced which seruile attendance said he was imposed at the first vpon certaine Tenants of diuers Mannors hereabouts for conspiring in this place at such an vnseasonable time to raise a commotion The title of the Entrie of the Court hee had in memory and writ it downe for me when we came to Rochford Thus it runnes in obscure barbarous rimes Curia de Domino Rege dicta sine Lege Tenta est ibidem per eiusdem consâ—etudinem Anteortum solis luceat nisi polus Seneschallus solus scribit nisi colis Clamat clam pro Rege in Curia sine lege Et qui non cito venerit citius penitebit Si venerit cum lumine errat in regimine Et dum sunt sine lumine capti sunt in crimine Curia sine cura iurata de iniuria Tenta die Mercurij prox post festum Sancti Michaelis Thus much haue I spoken of a Lawlesse Court for which I haue neither law nor reason For I am sure that this discourse is impertinent and quite from the subiect to which I haue tied my selfe to treat of Yet I hope these lines will not seeme much vnpleasing for my Reader to peruse when his minde is ouercharged with dull heauie and vncomfortable Epitaphs Rochford I am looking for some Monument or other in this Church to the memorie of some one of the Lords of ancient Nobilitie to which this Towne gaue the Surname of Rochford as now it giues the title of Viscount Rochford to that truly honourable and right worthie gentleman Henry Cary Lord Hunsden and Earle of Douer Pris pur Anne Snokeshall fille Iohn filol de Landmare qe gist ici Dieu de salme eit pite et mercy qe ob iour de Seynt Valentin â—an Iâ—su crist M. ccc.lxxxxvi Of your cherite prey for the sowl of Rose Crymvill wyf of Richard Crymvill Which Rose desesyd viii April M. cccccxxiiii on her sowl Iesu haue mercy Hic iacet Maria Dilcock que obiit xiiii die Decembris Ann. Dom. M. Vc. Cuius anime .... The Tower and the Steeple of this Church was built from the ground as the inhabitants by tradition affirme by Richard Lord Rich Baron of Leez and Chancellour of England A most prudent and iudicious Statesman a singular treasure and supporter of the kingdome who for his great good deserts receiued the office of Chancellour of England at the hands of King Edward the sixth Howsoeuer the Armes of the Butlers Earles of Ormond whose inheritance this Towne was in times past are cut in some places on the stone Robert Lord Rich and Earle of Warwicke lately deceased founded here sixe Almes houses for fiue poore impotent men and an aged woman But here let me conclude what I haue spoken of this towne with the words of Camden More inward saith he is Rochford placed that hath giuen name to this Hundred now it belongeth to the now Earles of Warwicke Barons Rich and in old time it had Lords of great nobility surnamed thereof whose inheritance came at length to Butler Earle of Ormond and Wiltshire and from them to Sir Thomas Bullen whom King Henry the eight created Viscount Rochford and afterward Earle of Wiltshire out of whose progenie sprung that most gratious Queene Elizabeth and the Barons of Hunsdon Pritlewell Swein de Essex before remembred built here a Priory for blacke Monkes which he dedicated to the blessed Virgine Mary Which was much augmented by others and holden to be a cell to the Priory of Lewes vntill the yeare 1518. when as a great contention arose betweene the two Houses insomuch that Iohn Prior de Pritlewel noluit soluere vnam Marcam Priori de Lewes nomine subiectionis This house was valued at the suppression to be worth 194 l. 14. s. 3. d. ob yearely Hic iacet Magister Iohannes Lucas Theologie Bacchalaureus quondam vicarius istius Ecclesie Parochialis qui ob 16. Ian. 1477. Cuius anime Prey for the sowl of Iohn Cock the younger and Margaret his wyff Whych Io. dyed ...... 1522. Her vndyr this Grauston lyth beryed Richard Bowrd ... Marchant of Callys .... dyed ... 1432. Vnder this inscription these words are engrauen in a trewe Loues knot Quod servaui perdidi quod expendi habui Quod donaui habui quod negaui perdidi Stangate Here sometime stood a small Priory built by the Predecessours of the Prior of Lewes about what time I cannot learne valued to bee yearely worth 43. l. 8. s. 6. d. Saint Osithes Whose ancient name was Chich now growne out of vse by reason of Osith the virgine of royall parentage who being wholly deuoted to the seruice of God was here stabbed to death by the Danish pyrates in the yeare 653 in the moneth of October And being by our Ancestours honoured for a Saint Richard de Beaveyes Bishop of London in her memoriall built here a religious house of Regular Chanons about the yeare 1120. in the raigne of King Henry the first His grant I haue read in the Records of the Tower beginning thus Richardus Dei gratia London Episcopus c. Salutem Sciatis quod ego dedi Ecclesie Sancte Osithe virginis de Ciz ecclesias de Sudemenestra et de Clachentona cum omnibus que ad illas pertinent c. King Henry confirmes and augments this donation by his Charter dated at Roan in the nineteenth yeare of his raigne And many others so added to the reuenues of this Monastery that at the time of the suppression it was valued at 758. pound fiue shillings eight pence This Bishop the founder was diuers times about to resigne his Bishopricke that he might become a regular Canon in this his owne new built Monasterie and that the rather because being taken with an irrecouerable Palsie he well knew his time to be
Berwike obijt Henry Fellow Guynes obijt Pursuiuants created in the time of Edward the Sixt. Robert Fayery Portcullis obijt Simond Newbald Rougecroix obijt Martin Marolfe Rougedragon Yorke Nicholas Tubman Rougecroix Lancaster Richard Withers Portcullis Nicholas Narboone Blewmantle Richmond Vlster In the raigne of Queene Mary these Phelip Butler Attelon obijt Hugh Cotgraue Rougecroix Richmond Iohn Cocke Portcullis William Colborne Rouge Dragon Yorke Iohn Hollinsworth Risebanke Blewmantle obijt Pursuiuant created in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth of famous memory at whose Coronation these Pursuiuants Heraulds and Kings were Officers Hugh Cotgraue Rougecroix Pursuiuants Iohn Cock Portcullis Pursuiuants William Colborne Rougedragon Pursuiuants Iohn Hollinsworth Blewmantle Pursuiuants Charles Wriothesley Windsor Heralds William Flower Chester Heralds Edmund Atkinson Somerset Heralds Martin Marolfe Yorke Heralds Nicholas Tubman Lancaster Heralds Nicholas Narboone Richmond Heralds Sir William Dethick Garter Kings William Haruey Clarentieux Kings Laurence Dalton Norroy Kings Bartholomew Butler Vlster Kings Edward Merlin Portcullis obijt Richard Turpin first Blewmantle secondly Windsor Raph Langman Portcullis Yorke Robert Cooke Rose blanch Chester Clarencieux Iohn Hart Chester Nicholas Dethicke Blewmantle Windsore obijt Ian. 1596. Edmund Knight Rouge Dragon Chester Norroy William Dethick Rougecroix Yorke Garter Robert Glouer Portcullis Somerset Thomas Dawes Rougecroix obijt Richard Lee Portcullis Richmond Clarencieux Nicholas Paddy Rougedragon Lancaster Rafe Brooke Rougecroix Yorke Humfrey Hales Blewmantle Yorke William Segar Portcullis Somerset Norroy Garter and Knight This Sir William Segar being Portcullis Pursuiuant of Armes in the yeare 1586. was imployed by Queene Elizabeth to attend the Earle of Leicester being her Lieuetenant and gouernour Generall of her forces in the Low Countries And being Somerset Herald was imploied to attend the Embassage sent by the Earle of Shrewesbury to the French King Henry the Fourth to receiue his Oath and to inuest him with the order of the Garter And afterwards being Norroy was ioynd Embassador with Roger Earle of Rutland to carry the Garter to Christian the fourth King of Denmarke As also being Garter he was imploied in the like seruice to Morice the last Prince of Orenge deceased And lately ioynd Embassadour with the now Viscount Dorchester to carry the Garter to Henry Prince of Orenge In all which seruices he hath worthily demeaned himselfe Iames Thomas Blewmantle Chester Iohn Rauen Rouge Dragon Richmond Thomas Lant Portcullis Windsor Robert Treswell Blewmantle Somerset Thomas Knight Rougecroix Chester William Smith Rougedragon Samuel Thompson Portcullis Windsor Mercury Patten Blewmantle Philip Holland Rose extraordinary Portcullis Pursuiuants of Armes created in the raigne of our late dread Soueraigne Lord King Iames viz. Philip Holland Portcullis Iohn Guillam Portesmouth extr Secondly Rougecroix This man is best knowne by an excellent Booke which he writ called The Display of Heraldrie Henry Saint George Rougerose ext Blewmantle Richmond Sampson Leonard Rougecroix Blewmantle Iohn Philpot Blanchlion extr Rougedragon Somerset Augustine Vincent Rougerose Extr. Rougedragon Windsore Iohn Bradshawe Rougerose Extr. Rougecroix Windsore Iohn Hamlâ—ne Blanchlion extr Thomas Thompson Rougedragon In the raigne of our Soueraigne Lord and King now liuing these Thomas Preston Portcullis Who in the yeare 1630. vpon the birth of the right excellent Prince Charles was by his Maiestie imployed to the Lords Iustices of the kingdome of Ireland with his Maiesties most gracious letters according to the ancient custome signifying to that Realme that most happy newes Vpon whose arriuall the State there made great and large expressions of their ioyfull hearts for such welcome tidings worthily receiuing and bountifully rewarding the said Officer of Armes George Owen Rougecroix William Ryley Rouge-Rose extr Created 31. Iulij 1630. Noblemen and Peeres of this Land in ancient time had their Heralds peculiar vnto themselues saith Milles. For Chester the Herauld and Falco the Pursuiuant liued at the command of the Prince of Wales and serued him Humfrey Duke of Glocester and Earle of Penbroke had the Herald Penbrooke his domesticall Seruant Richard also Duke of Glocester hauing now obtained the kingdome would needs haue his Herauld Glocester to be called King of Armes for all Wales Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke retained Suffolke Herauld and Marleon Pursuiuant The Marquesse of Dorcester kept Groby Herauld The Earle of Northumberland Northumberland Herauld and Esperance Pursuiuant Arthur Plantaginet Viscount Lisle tooke vnto himselfe Lisle Pursuiuant and Baron Hastings Hasting Pursuiuant But the condition of the Seruant is made better by the dignitie of his Lord and Master so these forenamed Heraulds liued not with like authoritie or priuiledges with the Kings And here now giue me leaue to speake a little more of the Aetymologie Antiquitie and dignitie of Heraulds in generall Herald Herold or Herault dicitur quasi Herus altus a high Maister For this Officer was of great authoritie amongst the Romanes who plurally called them Feciales a faciendo quod belli pacisque faciendae penes cos ius erat or Fediales a faedere faciendo And so with vs the word signifieth an Officer at Armes whose function is to denounce warre to proclaime peace or otherwise to be employed by the King in martiall messages or other businesse and so they are called Internuncij vel pacis vel belli ferendi Messengers to carrie and offer either warre or peace Heralt saith Verstegan in the Title of Honours and Offices is meerely a Teutonic or Duytch word and in that tongue and no other the true Aetymologie thereof is onely to be found To begin then with the first syllable thereof which is Here though in composition abridged to Her it is the true and ancient Teutonic word for an Armie the same that Exercitus is in Latine and in that sence it is yet vsed in Germany And whereas the Germanes doe now vse Here also for Lord yet anciently they so vsed it not And although the Teutonic be more mixed with other strange languages yet this word Here as they vse it for Lord or master hath crept into their language from Herus in Latine after that the Latine tongue became knowne vnto them A Healt in the Teutonick is a most couragious person a champion or an especiall challenger to a fight or combat of the weapon that such sometime most vsed called a Healtbard because it was borne by a Healt we yet though corruptly retaine the name of Holbard and the Netherlands make it Heilbard Here-healt by abbreuiation Heralt as also Herald doth rightly signifie the Champion of the armie And growing to be a name of Office he that hath in the armie the especiall charge to challenge vnto battell or combat in which sense our name of Herald doth nearest approach vnto Fecialis in Latine as I haue touched before The Feciales amongst the Romanes saith one were Priests For Numa Pompilius who flourished circa ann mundi 3283. the second King of the Romanes diuided the institution of diuine honour into eight parts and so instituted and ordained eight seuerall orders of Priests and
men To tell the worlds full strength what creatures liued then When in her height of youth the lustie fruitfull earth Brought forth her big-lim'd brood euen Gyants in their birth Neere to Showbery in Rochford Hundred are certaine hils in which the bodies of the Danes there discomfited and slaine in the raigne of Edmund Ironside lie buried in Essex What way saith Camden in Essex this country looketh toward Cambridgeshire Barklow sheweth itselfe well knowne now by reason of foure little hils or Burries cast vp by mans hand such as in old time were wont to be raised as Tombes for Souldiers slaine whose reliques were not easie to be found But when a fifth and sixth of them were not long since digged downe three troughes of stone were found and in them broken bones of men as I was informed The country people say that they were reared after a field there fought against the Danes for Dane wort which with bloud-red berries commeth vp here plenteously they still call by no other name then Danes-bloud of the number of Danes that there were slaine verily beleeuing that it bloometh from their bloud The parish Church of Ashdown or Assandun giues buriall to the slaughtered bodies of many braue English Souldiers for Edmund sirnamed Ironside King of England hauing fought sixe battels with the Danes within the compasse of one yeare in which at the beginning hee had the better putting them euer to rout plaied here in this place his last prize where he was so defeyted by the meanes of false Edrick his counsell that he lost the flower of the English Nobilitie In memoriall of which Battell king Canutus the Danish Conquerour built this Church at such time when as vpon remorse and repentance for the bloud which he had shed he erected Chappels in what part soeuer he had foughten any field and shed Christian bloud Of which my old Rimer Robert of Glocester Knute moche louyd Engâ—ysshmen and the loud thertoo And holy Chyrche susteyned as hym ought to doo And restoryd Abbeyes stroyed that wer befor And Chyrches lette arere that allwer forlor And Chyrches now he lette arere in stedests most thar Where he had Battayles doo and men yslaw ar As vpon Asshedonne and about ther Al for the soulygs of hem that sleyne ther were Certaine small hillocks are remayning neare to this Church at this day out of which haue beene digged the bones of men Armour and the water chaines of horse bridles as the Inhabitants told me Claudius the Emperour saith S Danyel had the honour of taking the whole Isle of Britaine to the Romane Empire which though thus wonne was not till a long time after ouercome For now the Britaines vnderstanding the misery of their dissociation how their submission brought but the more oppression colleague themselues against the Romanes taking their occasion vpon the outrages committed on the person and state of Queene Vaodicia or Boudicea widow of Prasutagus king of the Icenians the Inhabitants of Norfolke Suffolke Cambridge and Huntingtonshires a great and rich Prince who at his death had left Nero his heire and two daughters hoping thereby to free his house from iniuries But it fell out contrary for no sooner was he dead but his kingdome was spoiled by the Cenâ—urions his house ransackt by slaues his wife beaten and his daughters rauished Besides the chiefe men of the Icenians as if all the region had beene giuen in prey were rest of their goods and the kings kinsmen esteemed as captiues with which contumely and feare of greater mischiefe they conspire with the Trinobants the Inhabitants of Midlesex and Essex and others not yet inured to seruitude to resume their liberty And first set vpon the Garrisons of the Veteran Souldiers whom they most hated defeited the ninth Legion whereof they slew all the foote forced Cercalis the Legat and leader to flight and put to the sword seuenty thousand Romanes and associates inhabiting this municipall Towne Comolodunum now Maldon as also London and Verulam before Suetonius the Gouernour of the Prouince could assemble the rest of the dispersed forces to make head against their armie conducted by Vaodicia who with her two daughter brought into the field to moue compassion and reuenge incites them to that noble and manly worke of liberty Which to recouer she protests to hold her selfe there but as one of the vulgar without weighing her great honour and birth resolued to winne or dye Many of their wiues were likewise there to be spectatours and incouragers of their husbands valour But in the end Suetonius got the victory with the slaughter of fourescore thousand Britaines of the Romanes onely foure hundred were slaine and not many moe hurt saith Tacitus lib. Annal. 14. ca. 11. Vaodicia seeing the ouerthrow of her Army was notwithstanding vnuanquished in her owne Noble Spirit and scorning to be a spectacle in their Triumphs or a vassall to their wills after the example of Cleopatra she made an end of her miseries and life by poyson She was affoarded honorable buriall and so were the rest of her vanquished Armie there slaine according to their qualitie neare vnto the places where the battell was strucken BISHOPS OF LONDON CANONIZED SAINTS MEllitus the first Bishop of this See after the remouall of the Archbishopricke to Canterbury had a shrine erected to his honour in this Church as I haue touched before In his time and partly by his instigation this Cathedrall Church was built by Ethelbert King of Kent He was consecrated Bishop of London by Saint Austin Archbishop of Canterbury the yeare 604. In the gouernment whereof hee continued nineteene yeares in which time and about the fourth yeare of his consecration he went to Rome to conferre with Boniface the Pope about diuers things and was by him honourably entertained A yeare or two after his returne died both Ethelbert King of Kent as also Sebert of the East Angles whom he had conuerted to the Christian Faith King Sebert left behinde him three wicked sonnes that being neuer baptized came notwithstanding one day into the Church at Communion time and asked the Bishop what hee meant that hee deliuered not of that same fiâ—e bread vnto them as he was wont to their father Sebert and did yet vnto the rest of the people He answered that if they would be washed in the water of life as he was and the rest of the people there present then would he deliuer vnto them of this bread also but otherwise neither was it lawfull for him to deliuer nor them to receiue it This notwithstanding they would haue enforced him and when they could not preuaile were so enraged as they expelled him their dominions hardly holding their hands from doing him violence at that time Hee being thus exiled went first vnto Laurence Archbishop of Canterbury and finding him in little better case then himselfe was at London departed into France together with Iustus Bishop of Rochester Being
iustly preuaile against the winde and easily cease these temporall flames and obtaine that they should neuer hurt him nor his See more of him before in Canterbury After the death of Mellitus the Church of London was long without a Pastor euen vntill that Segebert the sonne of Segebert surnamed the little obtaining the Kingdome of the East Saxons by the perswasion of Oswin King of Northumberland became a Christian and procured Ceada a vertuous and godly Priest to be consecrate Bishop of his country which was done in the holy Iland neere to Barwicke by Finan Bishop of Durham from whence he returned to this his Diocesse and began with more authoritie to perfect the worke hee had already begun erecting in diuers places Churches making Priests and Deacons who in preaching baptising might assist him especially in the Cities of Ithancester Tileburg the one standing vpon the Thames the other vpon a branch thereof called Pant in which two places diuers newly assembling together christened he instructed them after the rules of religious persons as farre as their tender capacity could then conceiue And hereby way of digression let me speake somewhat of this small hamlet of Tilbury in ancient time the seat of the Bishops of London and no question in those daies when as Bishop Cedda by baptisme ingraâ—ted the East Saxons in the Church of Christ a prettie faire citie howsoeuer it consisteth now onely of a few cottages much honoured by that famous religious and fortunate great Commander in the warres Sir Horace Vere Knight Lord Vere of Tilbury Of whom and of his elder brother Sir Francis Vere Knight deceased and honourably buried like as hee was an expert and valiant warriour in the Abbey of Westminster a late Poet hath thus written Then liu'd those valiant Veres both men of great command In our imployments long whose either Marshall hand Reacht at the highest wreath it from the top to get Which on the proudest head Fame yet had euer set But to returne this man of God Cedda hauing at first and last continued a long time in these countries preaching the word of life by which hee made a great haruest vnto Christ went downe into his owne countrie of Northumberland which he oftentimes vsed to visite where he builded a Monasterie at Lestinghen wherein he died and was buried of whom no more vntill I come to speake of that Foundation saue onely these verses following ....... Now London place doth take Which had those of whom time Saints worthily did make As Cedda Brother to that reuerend Bishop Chad At Lichfield in those times his famous seat that had Is Sainted for that See amongst our reuerend men From London though at length remoou'd to Lestingen A Monastery which then richly he had begun Erconwald the sonne of Offa King of the East Saxons and the fourth Bishop of this Diocesse was likewise as I haue already spoken canonized of whom venerable Bede thus writes At that time saith he when Sebba and Sigher ruled the East Saxons the Archbishop which was Theodore appointed ouer them Erconwald to be their Bishop in the Citie of London the life and conuersation of which man both before he was Bishop and after was reported and taken for most holy as also euen yet the signes and tokens of heauenly vertues and miracles doe well declare For vntill this day his Horse-licter being kept and reserued by his Schollers wherein he was wont to be carried when hee was sicke and weake doth daily cure such as haue agues or are diseased any otherwise And not onely the sicke persons that are put vnder or laid by the Horse-licter to be so healed but also the chippes and pieces that are cut off from it and brought to sicke folkes are wont to bring them speedie remedie This and many other the miracles wrought by him if wee may beleeue Capgraue was the cause of his canonization questionlesse he was a deuout and vertuous man and bestowed his patrimony in the building of two Monasteries one for Monkes at Chertsey in Surrey another for Nunnes at Barking in Essex of which before Thus much then here for a conclusion as followeth Him Erkenwald ensues th' East English Offa's sonne His Fathers Kingly Court who for a Crosiar fled Whose workes such fame him wonne for holinesse that dead Time him enshrin'd in Pauls the mother of that See Which with reuenues large and priuiledges he Had wondrously endow'd to goodnesse so affected That he those Abbeyes great from his owne power erected At Chertsey neere to Thames and Barking famous long Theodred Bishop of the Diocesse may challenge a place in this my Kalender for that he was sirnamed the Good pro praerogatiua virtutum for the preheminence of his vertues saith Malmesbury lib. 2. de Pontif. Anglor he flourished about the yeare 900. he was buried vnder a high tombe by the window of the vault going downe into S. Faiths Church Of Egwulfe and his Shrine I haue already written all that I know Richard Fitz-neale had his Shrine in S. Pauls Church but vpon what ground or for what reason he was thus much honoured I doe not learne He was the sonne of Nigellus or Neale Bishop of Ely and was made Treasurer of England by the purchase of his father the foresaid Nigellus Richardus filius Nigelli Episcopi Eliens pro quo Nigellus pater emit officium Thesaurij a Rege auaro pro Quadragint Marcis pro quibus pecunijs Nigellus pater spoliauit Ecclesiam Eliens Thesauro suo et ornamentis This purchase was made when as the King Henry the second went to the wars of Tolous It is further written in the booke of Ely that this Richard Fitz-neale after the buriall of Nigellus his father being also an enemy to the Church of Ely as his father had beene before made hast to passe ouer the Seas to King Henry the second fearing that some euill would be prepared against him if the Church should haue sent any thither before him At whose comming to the King he accused the Monkes of Ely of many things and did therewith so edge the King against them that the King sending into England charged by Wunnecus one of his Chaplaines that the Prior of Ely should be deposed and the Monkes with all their goods to be proscribed and banished This man being Treasurer to King Henry the second the treasure of the said Henry the second at his death came vnto one hundred thousand markes notwithstanding the excessiue charges of the King many waies This Richard being Bishop of London by the name of Richard the third and the Kings Treasurer was chosen for the gouernement of this See in the yeare of our redemption one thousand one hundred eighty and nine being the first yeare of King Richard the first and was consecrated Bishop at Lambeth by Baldwine Archbishop of Canterbury in the yeare of Christ one thousand one hundred ninety he died the
it is one of these in the North or South wall This Pagan king of Denmarke after he had for many yeares infested and harried this kingdome and driuen Alfred our king to strange extremities was in the end ouercome by Alfred in battell presently vpon which he was washed in the lauer of Baptisme which was one of the conditions of peace at his ouerthrow Alfred receiued him for his godsonne by the name of Athelstane and gaue him in free gift this countrey of East Angels and in the same fountaine of Grace saith Simon of Durham thirtie of the chiefe Danish Nobilitie were initiated vpon whom the true Christian King bestowed many rich gifts Of all which my old ryming Cronicler Gutron the king of Denmarke that was tho In Westsex werred full sore and brent the lond Wyth whych the kyng so marryd was wyth wo He wyst not well whether to ride or stond But to Ethelingay anone he tooke on hond To ryde where then he hyd hym in a place For drede of Danes such was hys hap and grace Where then hys Lordes and knyghtes in good araye Came to him then wyth hooste and greate powre Where than the kyng vpon Gutron that day In batayle strong wyth corage fresh and clere Fought sore and tooke Gutron prisonere And thyrtye dukes wyth hym in compaye Vnchrysten were they all of panymrye And had the felde wyth all the vyctorye And of Danes many thousand slewe He baptyzed than as made is memorye Thys kyng Gutron that after was full trewe And named was Athylstan all anewe To whome the kyng gaue than all Estenglond As Edmond had to holde of hym that lond And all hys dukes were also there baptyzed And chrysten menne bycame for goddys loue The yere of Chryste viii C. thenne compeysed Seuente and viii as Flores doth approue This Battell and the baptising of Gutron and his Lords I haue also out of an ancient namelesse Manuscript in my owne custody thus deliuered Than Gunter that fader was of Haueloke Kynge of Denmarke was than of mykle myght Arevyd so than in Ingylond wythe hys floke Of Danes fell cruyll myghty and wyght Wyth whom the kyng full strongly than dydd fyght And hem venquyste wyth sore fyght and batayll And ovar hond had so thrughe hys gouernayll The whiche Gunter and thyrty of hys Lords Thrughe grace toke than baptyme at theyr desyre After he had gouerned these counties of Suffolke and Norfolke keeping his residence here in this Towne the space of twelue yeares complete he died and was buried in the kings towne called Headlega so Hadley is called in the Saxons language in Suffolke among the East English in the yeare 889. Ipswich in times past Gipswich Had Ipswich the onely eye of this Shire beene as fortunate in her surname as she is blessed with commerce and buildings shee might well haue borne the title of a Citie neither ranked in the lowest row whose trade circuit and seate doth equall most places of the land besides It is adorned with twelue or fourteene Churches in all which I finde not any funerall Monument of Antiquitie saue one which came to light not long since vpon the remouall of a Pewe in Saint Laurence Church and so like wise in other Churches many Monuments are buried vnder which the Founder of the said Church was interred as appeares by this Epitaph engrauen vpon the Stone Subiacet hic lapide Iohn Bottold vir probus ipse Istius Ecclesie primus Inceptor fuit iste Cuius anime Domine misereris tu bone Criste. Obijt M. ccccxxxi litera dominicalis G. Since then that so few funerall Monuments are remaining at this day in the Parish Churches of this Corporation I will take a view of the sites of the Religious Houses in and about this Towne now ouerturned Of which and such persons as I finde to haue beene therein inhumed as followeth The Priory of Saint Trinity This Priory was founded by Norman the sonne of Enott and Iohn de Oxenford Bishop of Norwich tempore Hen. 2. replenished with blacke Canons Augustines and valued to bee yearely worth fourescore and eight pounds sixe shillings nine pence Herein lay buried Norman the Founder and Langeline his wife and Dame Ioane Filian The Friars Preachers This Monastery was founded by Henry de Manesby Henry Redred and Henry de Londham saith the Catalogue of Religious Houses to whose honour consecrated I doe not learne neither doe I know any thing of the value or surrender Bodies which I finde to haue beene herein buried were Dame Maud Boerell Edmond Saxham Esquire Iohn Fostolph and Agnes his wife Gilbert Rouldge Ione Charles Edmond Charleton Esquire The white Friers Carmelites This Religious Edifice was founded by Sir Thomas de Londham saith one howsoeuer I finde in the Catalogue of Religious Foundations aforesaid in Speed that the Lord Bardesley Sir Geffrey Hadley and Sir Robert Norton knights were the Founders about the yeare 1279. Herein for of the dedication value or surrender I finde nothing were buried Sir Thomas and Sir Thomas de Londham knights Iohn Londham Esquire Margaret Colevile Gilbert Denham Esquire and Margaret his wife daughter of Edward Hastings And in a Manuscript penned by Iohn Bale I finde these Carmelites following to haue beene here sometimes inhumed Iohannes Hawle ob 1433. Maij 15. Richardus Hadley ob 1461. Aprilis primo Iohannes Wylbe ob 1335. 2. Decemb. Iohannes Barmyngham vir doctissimus Oxonia diu studuit Parisijs intex Sorbonicos he was a man very learned he studied a long time in Oxford and at Paris amongst the Sorbons He writ diuers bookes mentioned by Pitseus and died a wondrous old man being as then Prior of this Fraternitie the two and twentieth day of Ianuary Anno reparationis humana 1448. Iohannes Balsham Episcopus Archiliens hic sepultus ob 1530. The Grey Friers Founded by the Lord Tiptoth In which lay buried for I finde no further of it then the Foundation Sir Robert Tiptoth knight and Dame Vna his wife The heart of Sir Robert Vâ—ere the elder Margaret Countesse of Oxenford wife of Sir Robert Veere the younger Earle of Oxenford Dame Elisabeth wife of Sir Thomas Vfford daughter of the Earle of Warwicke Sir Robert Tiptoth the younger Margaret wife of Sir Iohn Tiptoth Robert Tiptoth Esquire Elisabeth Vfford Elisabeth Lady Spenser wedded to Sir Phellip Spenser daughter of Robert Tiptoth Phellip George Elisabeth children of Sir Phellip Spenser Ione daughter of Sir Hugh Spenser Sir Robert Warhesham and Dame Ione his wife Iohn sonne of William Claydon Sir Thomas Hardell knight Dame Elisabeth wife of Sir Walter Clopton of Hadley Sir William Laynham Sir Hugh Peach and Sir Hugh Peach Sir Iohn Loueloch knights Item the Heart of Dame Petronill Vfford Dame Beatrix Botiler Dame Aueline Quatefeld Dame Margery Aunte of Sir Robert Vfford Dame Alice wydow of Sir Iohn Holbrok The Blacke Friers Of this House I onely finde that one Iohn Hares gaue
the County of Suffolke Dodnash A Monastery dedicated to the honour of our alone Sauiour Christ and the blessed Virgine his mother founded by some of the Ancestours of the Earles or Dukes of Norfolke Valued at fourty two pounds eighteene shillings eight pence halfe pennie Sibbeton or Sibton William Cheney or William de Casineto who held the Baronie of Horsford in the County of Norfolke erected an Abbey here at Sibton which he dedicated to the Virgine Mary and therein placed blacke Monkes Cistertians which was valued at the suppression to bee yearely worth two hundred fifty pounds fifteene shillings seuen pence halfe pennie Redlingfield In this Parish was a religious House of blacke Nunnes dedicated likewise to the Virgine Mary and founded by one Manasses de Guies Valued at fourescore and one pound two shillings fiue pence halfe pennie Rendlesham Howsoeuer there be no Inscriptions here vpon any of the Grauestones in the Church yet questionlesse in former times it hath beene beautified with the Funerall Monuments of many worthie Personages For here Redwald king of the East Angles kept vsually his Court who was the first of all his Nation that was baptised and receiued Christianity but afterwards seduced by his wife he had in the selfe same Church as saith Bede one Altar for Chirsts Religion and another for sacrifices vnto Deuills In this place also Swidelm a king of these East-Angles was likewise afterwards baptised by Cedda Bishop of London Redwald hauing raigned king of the East-Angles one and thirty yeares and Monarch of the Englishmen eight yeares died in the yeare of our saluation six hundred twenty three And by supposition he as also Swidâ—lme lye buried at this place Ratisford An Hospitall dedicated to Saint Iohn valued at thirty three pounds ten shillings Of which I haue read no further Rombuth or Rombrughe A Priory of blacke Monkes dedicated to Saint Michaell Saint Genouefa Fernham This village is in this regard memorable for that Richard Lucy Lord chiefe Iustice of England and Protectour of the kingdome in the absence of king Henry the second tooke prisoner here in a pight field Robert surnamed Blanchmame Earle of Leicester together with his Amazonian proud Countesse Petronell or Pernell and withall put to the sword aboue ten thousand Flemmings which the said Robert had leuied and sent forth to the depopulation of his countrey all or the most of which number were buried in and about this the foresaid village of Fernham in the yeare of our redemption 1173. in the twentith of Henry the second Of the valourous atcheeuements and pious actions of this worthie Knight and religious Votarie I haue related somewhat before within the Diocesse of Rochester where I write of the dissolued monastery of Lesnes an Abbey of his Foundation where in the place where the Church thereof sometime stood which had laine a long time buried in her owne ruines and growne ouer with Oke Elme and Ashe-trees certaine workemen appointed by the owner of the mannour Sir Iohn Epsley knight to digge amongst the rubbish of the decayed Fabricke for stones happened vpon a goodly Funerall monument the full proportion of a man in his coate armour cut all in freestone his sword hanging at his side by a broad belt vpon which the Flower de luce was engrauen in many places being as I take it the Rebus or name-deuise of the Lucies this his representation or picture lay vpon a flat marble stone that stone vpon a trough or coffin of white smooth hewen Asheleâ— stone in that coffin and in a sheet of lead â— both being made fit for the dimension of a dead body the remaines of an â—â—hâ—e drie carkasse lay enwrapped whole and vndisioynted and vpon the head some haire or a simile quiddam of haire appeared they found likewise other statues of men in like manner proportioned as also of a woman in her attire and abiliments with many grauestones and bones of the deceased to see all which great confluence of people resorted amongst which number I was not the hindmost Certaine Church collections within this County taken by William Haruey Clarencieux King of Armes now in the hands of William le Neue Yorke Herald George Mannoke dysseased the xxii day of August Anno Domini M. ccccc xli Iohn Walgraue Esquire sonne and heire of Edward Walgraue which dysseased the vi of Octobre an M. ccccc.xliii Robart Crane of Stonam parua and Lady Anne his wyefe doughter of Sir Andro Egard knight de Buckingham ad castrum which dysceased xxiii of Octob. an Dom. M.D. Georg Crane son and heyre of Robart Crane Esquyer and Lady Anne his mother dysceased M. cccc.lxxxxi Sir Raffe Butle Lord of Sudley and Alyce his wyef doughter of Daynecourte in a glasse wyndoo there founde Andro Bures and Robert his sonne knight were buried Andro the xii of Apryl an M.ccclx and Robard died the vii of October an M.ccc.lxi Also there lyeth buried in the North I le of the same Cherch Robart de Bures crose leged Alyce de Bryan doughter and heyre of Robart de Bures knight and wyef to Sir Edmond Bryan the yonger knight William Geddynge dyed the iiii of Nouember an Dom. M. cccc.lvij Sir Robart Drewry dysceased an Dom. M.D. xx as appeareth vpon his tombe there Sir William Drewry dysceased xxvii of Iuly an Dom. M.D. xxv as aforesaid apereth Thomas Lewcas was seruant and Secretory and one of the Counsell to Iesper Duke of Bedford and Erle of Penbroke as apereth in a Wyndow in the North side of the same Cherche dated in the yere of our Lord M.D.xxviii in whiche Wyndoo he and his wyef kneeleth in their cote Armor In the said Cherch in the North side lieth buried Margery doughter and heyre of Robart Geddynge with this Scrypture foloinge Orate pro animabus Margerie nuper vxoris Iesper filii et heredis Thome Lewcas Armigeri filie et heredis Gilberti Peche militis Iohannes Aspall Armiger qui obiit xxi die Sept. M.D. xv Henry Torner Esquyer and Margaret his wyef and Ione Torner wife to the said Henry and Iohn Torner son to the said Henry lyeth buried in the quire in anno Dom. M. cccc.lxiiij In a wyndoo in the foresaid quire is William Gyfford and his wife and Iohn Gyfford and Alyce his wife Iohn Hynkley esquier dysceased the xxiii of Ianuary an Dom. M. cccc.xxxii and Margaret his wife the xxiii of Nouember M. cccc.xlii Iohn Bladwell Esquire and Anne his wife which Iohn dysceased the xxix of September an MD. xxxiiii Thomas Knighton gent. and Ales his wife which Thomas died the xxiij of Aprill an M.D. xxxii Thomas Vnderell Esquire and Anne his wife lieth buried in a Tombe in the quire who dysceased the xi of February an M.D. viii Thomas Stoteuyle Patron of the foresaid Cherche Matylda and Iane his wiues which Thomas dysceased M. cccclx Thomas Stoteuyle Esquier
Robert the third thereof obtained full possession in right from whom our sacred soueraigne King Charles is lineally to the same Crowne descended And to her second sonne Bernard de Brus shee gaue this Lordship of Connington with other large possessions in England which after foure descents in that Stemme was by marriage of Anne the daughter and heire of Sir Iohn de Brus to Sir Hugh Welengham brought into that family who after three descents by the marriage of Mary the daughter and heire of the last of that surname it came to William second sonne of Sir Richard Cotton of Ridware in the County of Stafford From whom Sir Robert Cotton Knight and Baronet is lineally to that Lordship of Connyngton now descended Hereby appeareth the much mistaking of many who hold that the first King of the Norman race cancelled with his sword all claime of Inheritances before his entrance whereas in truth hee neither altered the fundamentall lawes or liberties of the Kingdome or fortunes of any but of those that sided with Harrold against him in his claime For the words of his owne great Charter vnder seale made the day of his Coronation are Deuicto Harraldo Rege cum suis complicibus in ore gladij ouer whom onely he declareth his conquest but his Tytle was beneficio concessionis beati regis Edwardi cognati sui And that he acknowledgeth as his right And we cannot passe ouer a dutifull and thankefull remembrance vnto God who in his diuine iustice after the course of little more then 500. yeares hath restored againe in the sacred person of King Iames of happy memory the lyneall Royall race and bloud of the Saxon Monarchie In him vniting the Briton Saxon Norman and Scottish Regall bloud and by him restoring not onely the name but the ancient dignity of the Britaine Empire fulfilling that old presage of Aquila recorded many hundred yeares agoe Regnabunt Britones Albani Gentis amici Antiquum nomen Insula tota feret Vt profert Aquila veteri de turre Loquta Cum Scotis Britones regna paterna regent Regnabunt pariter in prosperitate quieta Hostibus expulsis Iudicis vsque diem Of which we haue a most happy assurance by the now blessed issue of our most gratious and dread Soueraigne King Charles who hath crowned thereby this state with an eternall peace Vnder this stone lyeth here Iohn Bedel Tallow Chandlere Who departyd the nynth day Of this present month of May On thowsand fyue hundryd and fifteen As is here playn to be seen Such as thou art such haue I bin somtym Such as I am such salt thou be in tym Therfor of thy cherite remembyr me Euen as in like case thou wouldst remembryd be I beseâ—h on God in Trinite On my soul to haue mercy Here lyeth Walter Garden come out of the west God geeu to the soul of hym good rest I prey you negbors euerich on Prey for me for I am gon who died 26 April 1523. Sancta Maria virgo virginum Prey for the soul of Ione Pymichum Here lyes vndyr this ston Iohn Den Barbor Surgeon And Agnes his wyf who to heuyn went M. ccccc and x. that is verament For whos soul of your cherite Sey a Pater Noster and an Aue Marie Iohannes Skeltonus vates Pierius hic situs est animam egit 21 Iunij 1529. This Iohn Skelton was that pleasant merry Poet as his rimes yet extant doe testifie who stiled himselfe Iohannes Skeltonus Orator regius Poeta laureatus He flourished in the raignes of Henry the seuenth and Henry the eight by whom in the Quire Thomas Churchyard that old Court-Poet lieth interred and not in the Church-Porch as these rimes following would approue Come Alecto and lend me thy Torch To fynde a Church yard in a Church porch Pouertie and Poetrie this Tombe doth enclose Therefore Gentlemen be merry in Prose I finde in the collections of Master Camden that there was some vnkinde passages betwixt this Poet laureat Skelton and Lily our sole authenticke allowed Gramarian in so much that Skelton carping against the verses of the said Lily is bitterly by him thus answered Lilij endecasillaba in Skeltonum Eius carmina calumniantem Quid me Skeltone fronte sic aperta Carpis vipereo potens veneno Quid versus trutina meos iniqua Libras dicere vera num licebit Doctrinae tibi dum parare famam Et doctus fieri studes Poeta Doctrinam nec habes nec es Poeta Almes-houses of Henry the 7. On the South side of the Gate-house King Henry the 7. founded an Almes-house for thirteene poore men one of them to be a Priest aged fiue and forty yeares a good Gramarian the other 12 to be aged fiftie yeares without wiues euery Saturday the Priest to receiue of the Abbot or Prior foure pence by the day and each other two pence halfe penny by the day for euer for their sustenance and euery yeare to each one a Gowne and a hood ready made And to three women that dressed their meat and kept them in their sicknesse each to haue euery Saturday sixteene pence and euery yeare a Gowne ready made More to the thirteene poore men yeerely fourescore quarters of Coales and one thousand of good Fagots to their vse In the Hall and Kitchin of their mansion a discreet Monke to be ouerseer of them and he to haue forty shillings by the yeare c. and hereunto was euery Abbot and Prior sworne An Almes-house founded by Margaret Countesse of Richmond Westward from the Gate house was an old Chappell of Saint Anne ouer against the which the Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond and Derby and mother to King Henry the seuenth erected an Almes-house for poore women which was afterwards turned into lodgings for the Singing men of the Colledge the place wherein this Chappell and Almes-house stood was called the Eleemosinary or Almory now corruptly the Ambry for that the almes of the Abbey was there distributed to the poore An Hospitall founded by Lady Anne Dacre At the entry into Totehill field was sometimes an old building called Stourton house which Giles Lord Dacre of the South purchased and built new whose Lady and wife Anne Sister to Thomas Lord Buckhurst the first of that Familie Earle of Dorset left money to her Executours to build an Hospitall there for twenty poore women and so many children to bee brought vp vnder them For whose maintenance she assigned Lands to the value of one hundred pounds by the yeare Almes-houses founded by Cornelius Van Dun. In the same field vpon Saint Hermits hill and neare vnto a Chappell of Saint Mary Magdelen now wholly ruinated Cornelius van Dun borne at Breda in Brabant a Souldier with King Henry the eight at Turney yeoman of the Guard and Vsher to the said King Henry Edward Mary and Elizabeth Kings and Queenes of famous memory built certaine Almes-houses for twenty poore widowes to dwell in rent free He died in September An. 1577.