should be deemed reputed accepted or taken to be Heresie It was also enacted that no manner of appeales should be had prouoked or made out of this Realme or any the Kings dominions to the Bishop of Rome or to the See of Rome in any causes or matters happening to be in contention and hauing their commensement and beginning in any of the Courts within this Realme or within any the Kings dominions of what nature condition or qualitie soeuer they were Vpon this followed another Act restraining the payment of Annates or first-fruits to the Bishop of Rome and of the electing and consecrating of Bishops within this Realme Another Act was made concerning the exoneration of the Kings Subiects from exactions and impositions theretofore paied to the See of Rome and for hauing licences and dispensations within this Realme without suing further for the same in which the Commons assembled complaine to his Maiestie that the subiects of this Realme and other his dominions were greatly decaied and impouerished by intollerable exactions of great summes of money claimed and taken by the Bishop of Rome and the See of Rome as well in pensions censes Peter-pense procurations fruits sutes for prouisions and expeditions of Bulls for Archbishoprickes and Bishopricks and for delegacies of rescripts in causes of contentions and appeales iurisdictions legatiue and also for dispensations licences faculties grants relaxations Writs called Perinde valere rehabitations abolitions and other infinite sorts of Bulls breeues and instruments of sundrie natures names and kindes in great numbers ouer long and tedious here particularly to be inserted It was affirmed in this Parliament that there had been paied to the Pope of Rome onely for Bulls by our English Bishops and other of the kingdome since the fourth of Henry the seuenth to that time threescore thousand pound sterling The next yeare following in a Parliament begun at Westminster the third of Nouember the Pope with all his authoritie was cleane banished this Realme and order taken that he should no more bee called Pope but Bishop of Rome and the King to be taken and reputed as supreme head in earth of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia And that hee their Soueraigne Lord his heires and successours kings of this Realme should haue full power and authoritie from time to time to visit represse redresse reforme order correct restraine and amend all such eâ—rours heresies abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoeuer they were which by any manner spirituall authoritie or iurisdiction ought or might lawfully bee reformed repressed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended most to the pleasure of Almighty God the increase of vertue in Christs religion and for the conseruation of peace vnitie and tranquilitie of this Realme any vsage custome forraine lawes forraine authority prescription or any thing or things to the contrary thereof notwithstanding In this Parliament also were granted to the King and his heires the first-fruits and tenths of all spirituall dignities and promotions His stile of supremacie was further ratified and declared to bee set downe in this forme and manner following in the Latine tongue by these words Henricus octauus Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Rex Fidei defensor in terra Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hibernicae supremum caput In the English tongue by these Henry the eight by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland defendour of the faith and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in earth the supreme head Which stile was enacted to bee vnited and annexed for euer to the imperiall Crowne of this his Highnesse Realme of England Vpon the first expulsion of the Popes authoritie and King Henries vndertaking of the Supremacie the Priests both religious and secular did openly in their Pulpits so farre extoll the Popes iurisdiction and authority that they preferred his lawes before the kings yea and before the holy precepts of God Almighty Whereupon the King sent his mandatory letters to certaine of his Nobilitie and others in especiall office thinking thereby to restraine their seditious false doctrine and exorbitancie And here let me tell you that amongst many letters of important affaires which I found in certaine Chandlers shops of our Parish allotted to light Tobacco pipes and wrap vp peniworths of their commodities all which I gaue to Sir Robert Cotton Knight and Baronet the onely repairer of ruined antiquirie whom I knew the contents therof shewing some passages of former times would preserue them for better vses I happened vpon certaine letters following tending to the same purpose of which I haue already spoken Henry R. By the King RIght trusty and right welbiloued Cousin we grete you well And wher it is commen to our knowlaige that sundry persons aswell religious as seculer Priests and curats in their peroches and dâ—ueâ—se places within this our Realme do dailly asmoche as in them is set foâ—the and extolle the iurisdiction and auctoritie of the Bishop of Rome ortherwyse called Pope sowing their sediciouse pestylent and false doctryne praying for him in the Pulpit and makyng hym a God to the greate deceyte illudyng and seducyng of our subgietts bryngyng them into errors sedicyon and euyll opynyons more preferryng the power lawes and Iurisdictyon of the said Bishop of Rome then the most holly lawes and precepts of almighty God We therfore myndyng not only to prouide for an vnitie and quietnes to be had and contynued among our said subgietts but also greatly couâ—tyng and desyryng them to be brought to a perfectyon and knawlege of the mere veritie and truth and no longer to be seduced nor blynded with any suche superstitiouse and false doctryne of any erthly vsurper of godds lawes will therfore and commaund you that wher and whensoeuer ye shall fynde apperceyve know or heretell of any such sedicious personnes that in suche wise do spreade teche and preache or otherwise set forth any suâ—he opynyons and perniciouse doctryne to the exaltatyon of the power of the bishop of Rome bryngyng therby our subgietts into error gruge and murmuracyon that ye indelaydly doo apprehend and take them or cause them to be apprehended and taken and so commytted to Ward ther to remayne without bayle or mayneprise vntill vpon your aduertisement therof vnto vs or our Councell ye shall know our further pleasure in that behalfe Ye uen vndre our Signet at our Manor of Grenwich the xvii day of Aprill This letter was thus endorsed To our right trusty and welbiloued cousin and Counsellor Th erle of Sussex In Iune or Iuly following these maiesticall commanding Epistles were seconded and made more strong by an Act of Parliament called An Act extinguishing the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome Of which I hold it not amisse to set downe so much as principally tends to the purpose To begin then at the beginning For as much as notwithstanding the good and wholesome lawes ordinances and statutes heretofore made enacted
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
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
haue to the seyd Iohn and to his heyres beryng therfor a certayn yerly rent specyfyd in yowr seyd indentures and afterwards the seyd Iohn and Bryan his son hadd of yowr graunt the same londes and tenements with othyr by yowr othyr indentures yervpon made betwex yow tham whych endentures wer seald by yow and the seyd Iohn in thabsens of his seyd son delyuered and left in yowr kepyng of trust and soon aftyr fortuned him to be sleyne at the lamentable conflyct of Wakfeld in the seruice of the ryghte noble and famous Prynce owr fader whom God rest And now as we hear ye labor and entend to put owr seyd servant hys son from the seyd londes and tenements contrary to yowr fyrst and latyr graunte a for expressyd and agenst ryght and good conscyens yf hit be as is surmysed We therfor exhort and desyr yow to suffre owr seyd servant to have and enioy the seyd londs and tenements according to yowr forseyd couenants and graunts and to delyuer vnto him the seyd later endentures concerning the same as his fader so left of trust in yowr kepyng And beside that to shew to owr seyd servant in any othyr matyrs lawfull and reasonable that he shall a have adoo with yow yowr beneuolences and herty fauors and the rathyr and mor especyally at owr instance and contemplacyon of theys owr letters wherin ye shall not only doo vs a singular plasur but caus vs for the sam to have yow and yowr plas in the mor herty fauor and recomendacyon of owr good grase Yeuen vndre owr Signet at owr palas of Westminstre the xix day of Iun. To ouerpasse the short time during the Protectorship and raigne of King Richard the third let vs come vnto Henry the seuenth in whose dayes religious persons did wallow in all kindes of voluptuousnesse to the Kings no little griefe who by his breeding vnder a deuout mother as also in his owne nature was euer a zealous obseruer of religious formes To bridle whose incontinent liues he caused an Act to be made bearing this title An Act to punish Priests for their incontinencie Of which so much as will serue for this purpose Item For the more sure and likely reformation of Priests Clerks and religious men culpable or by their demerits openly reported of incontinent liuing in their bodies contrary to their Order It is enacted ordained and stablished by the aduice and assent of the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in the said Parliament assembled and by authority of the same That it be lawfull to all Archbishops and Bishops and other Ordinaries hauing Episcopall iurisdiction to punish and chastice Priests Clerks and religious men being within the bounds of their iurisdiction as shall be conuicted before them by examination and other lawfull profe requisite by the Law of the Church of Aduoutrie Fornication Incest or any other fleshly incontinencie by committing them to ward and prison there to abide for such time as shall be thought to their discretions conuenient for the qualitie and quantitie of their trespasse And that none of the said Archbishops Bishops or other Ordinaries aforesaid be thereof chargeable of to or vpon any Action of false or wrongfull imprisonment but that they be vtterly thereof discharged in any of the cases aforesaid by vertue of this Act. In his sonnes raigne the Pope being here in England at the point verticall of his all-commanding power and religious Orders growne to the height of their abominable sinnes both of them had a sudden downfall as will appeare in the subsequent Chapters But of the pietie and impuritie of Monkes and other religious Votaries of the first and latter times take for a conclusion of this as also of the precedent Chapter these riming Hexameters as I haue them out of the booke of Rufford Abbey in Nottinghamshire a Manuscript in Sir Robert Cottons Librarie Inuectio Walonis Britonis in Monachos Sacrilegis Monachis emptoribus Ecclesiarum Composui Satyram Ordo Monasticus Ecclesiasticus esse solebat Dura cibaria dum per agrestia rura colebat Nulla pecunia nulla negocia prepediebant Sobria copia parua colonia sufficiebant Pro venialibus capitalibus inuigilabant Tam venalia quam capitalia nostra placebant Ordo Monasticus Ecclesiasticus est violenter Ecclesiastica comparat omna dona potenter Ordo Monasticus Ecclesiasticus est sine fructu Intrat ouilia desuper ostia non sine luctu Ordo Monasticus Ecclesiasticus est sine causa Clamat ad ostia spiritualia iam sibi clausa Ordo Monasticus Ecclesiasticus inde vocatur Quando rapacibus atque tenacibus assimulatur Terra pecunia magna Palatia templa parantur Vnde potencia siue superbia magnificantur Desunt caetera CHAP. XIII Of the abrogation abolition and extinguishment of the Popes supreme and exorbitant authoritie within the King of Englands Dominions KIng Henry the eighth vpon occasion of delay made by Pope Clement the seuenth in the controuersie of diuorcement betwixt him and Queene Katherine and through displeasure of such reports as hee heard had beene made of him to the Court of Rome or else pricked forward by some of his Counsellours to follow the example of the Germanes caused Proclamation to be made on the eighteenth day of September Anno reg 22. forbidding all his subiects to purchase or attempt to purchase any manner of thing from the Court of Rome containing matter preiudiciall to the high authoritie iurisdiction and prerogatiue Royall of this Realme or to the hinderance and impeachment of the Kings Maiesties noble and vertuous intended purposes Vpon paine of incurring his Highnesse indignation and imprisonment and further punishment of their bodies for their so doing at his Graces pleasure to the dreadfull example of all other Not long after it was enacted that appealeâ— such as had been vsed to be pursued to the See of Rome should not be from thenceforth had neither vsed but within this Realme and that euerie person offending against this Act should runne into the dangers paines and penalties of the Estatute of the Prouision and Premunire made in the fiue and twentieth yeare of the raigne of King Edward the third and in the sixteenth yeare of King Richard the second And shortly after this it being thought by the ignorant vulgar people that to speake against any of the lawes decrees ordinances and constitutions of the Popes made for the aduancement of their worldly glorie and ambition was damnable heresie it was enacted that no manner of speaking doing communication or holding against the Bishop of Rome called the Pope or his pretensed authoritie or power made or giuen by humane lawes or policies and not by holy Scripture nor any speaking doing communication or holding against any Lawes called Spirituall Lawes made by authoritie of the See of Rome by the policie of men which were repugnant and contrariant to the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme or the Kings Prerogatiue royall
the Prior and Couent of the White Friers Carmelites in Stanford the â—bboâ— and Couent of our blessed Lady of Bidlesden the Warden and brethren of the grey Friers of Couentrie Bedford and Alesbury surrendred vp them houses into the kings hands Battaile Abbey in Sussex Martine Abbey in Surrey Straâ—ford Abbey in Essex Lewis in Suffex Saint Austines in Canterbury the new Abbey at the Tower hill the Minories without Aldgate the Nunnery at Clerken well The Hospitall of Saint Thomas Akers the Blacke-Friers the White-Friers the grey Friers and the Charterhouse Monks in London with the most or all other were surrendred after the same manner In September the same yeare Viz. An. 30. Hen. 8. by the speciall motion of great Cromwell all the notable images vnto the which were made any especiall pilgrimages and offerings as the images of our Lady of Walsingham Ipswich Worcester the Lady of Wilsdon the rood of Grace of our Ladie of Boxley and the image of the rood of Saint Sauiour at Bermondsey with all the rest were brought vp to London and burnt at Chelsey at the commandement of the foresaid Cromwell all the Iewels and other rich offerings to these and to the Shrines which were all likewise taken away or beaten to peeces of other Saints throughout both England and Wales were brought into the Kings Treasurie In the same yeare also the Abbey of Westminster was surrendred being valued to dispend by the yeare three thousand foure hundred and seuenty pound or by some 3977. l. 6. s. 4. d. ob q. as in the Catalogue of religious houses the Monkes being expelled King Henry placed therein a Deane and Prebendaries and made the last Abbot whose name was Benson the first Deane in the time of Edward the sixth it was made a Bishops See shortly after the benefits of the Church being abridged it came againe to a Deane and Prebends Againe Queene Marie ordained there an Abbot and his Monkes who continued not many yeares but were againe cut off by Act of Parliament And lastly Queene Elizabeth that wonder of the world made it a collegiate Church or rather a Nursery for the Church saith Norden for there she ordained to the glory of God the propagation of true Religion and good literature a Deane twelue Prebendaries an vpper master and an Vsher for the Schoole fourtie Schollers called the Queenes or Kings Schollers who as they become worthie are preferred to the Vniuersities besides Ministers Singers and Organists ten Quiristers and twelue well deseruing Souldiers Thus you see the interchangeable vicissitude of her foundacion and if it had not beene for the reuerend regard they had of the Sepulchres inauguration and vnction here of their famous Ancestors these forenamed Kings if I may ground my reason vpon the passages of those times had taken her commings in to haue inrichâ— their owne coffers despoiled her oâ— her vnualuable wealth and ornaments and battered downe to the ground her sacred Edâ—fice The fifth of December â—n the soresaid yeare the Abbey of Saint Albaâ—s was surrendred by the Abbot and Monkes there by deliuering the Couent Seale into the hands of Tho. Pope D. Peter Master Canendish and others the Kings visiters Now all or the most of all the religious houses in England and Wales being thus surrendred the King summoned another Parliament at Westâ—minster for howsoeuer these forenamed religious orders and other more of their owne free and voluntary mindes good wills and assents without constraâ—â—t â—oactâ—on or compulsion as are the words in the Statute of any manner of person or persons by due order of law and by their sufficient writings of Record vnder their Couent and common Seales had alreadie gâ—uen granted and confirmed renounced left and forsaken all their religious hâ—uâ—â—s with their lands and all other the appurtenances to the same belongingâ— vnto the King his heires and successors for euer Yet it was thought necessarie by the King and his Councell that these their â—o uâ—taâ—ic donations should bee further ratified by authoritie of that high 〈◊〉 whereupon it was enacted that all Monasteries with their Scites circuits and precincts laâ—ds Lordships and all othâ—r franchises not onely those which were surrendred or dissolued before the session of this Parliament but also such as were to bee surrendred or dissolued hereafter shouâ—d bee vested deemed and adiudged to be in the very actuall and reall season and possession of the King his heires and successors for euer The religious Order of Saint Iohns of Ierusalem whose chiefe mansion house was in the precincts of Clerkenwell Parish within the Country of Middlesex consisting of gentlemen and souldiers of ancient families and high spirits could by no means be brought in to present to his Maiestie any of these puling petitions and publike recognitions of their errors thereby like the rest to giue a loafe and beg a shiue to turne themselues out of actuall possession and lie at the Kings mercie for some poore yearely pension But like stoâ—â—â— fellowes stood out against any that thought to enrich themselues with their ample reuenues vntill they were cast out of their glorious structures and all other their estates for these causes following alledged aâ—gainst them in open Parliament as appeares by the statute beginning thus The Lords Spirituall and Temporall and the Commons of this present Parliament assembled hauing credible knowledge that diuers and sundrie the kings subiects called the Knights of the Rhodes otherwise called Knights of Saint Iohns otherwise called Friers of the religion of S. Iohn of Ierusalem in England and of a like house being in Ireland abiding in the parties of beyond the sea and hauing aswell out of this Realme as out of Ireland and other the Kings dominions yearely great summes of money for maintenance of their liuings Haue vnnaturally and contrary to the dutie of their alleageances sustained and maintained 〈…〉 power and authoritie of the Bishop of Rome lately vsed and 〈◊〉 within this Realme and other the Kings dominions and haue not onely adhered themselues to the said Bishop being common enemy to the King our soueraigne Lord and to this his Realme vntruely vpholding knowledging and affirming maliciously and traiterously the same Bishop to bee supreme and chiefe head of Christs Church by Gods holy word Entending thereby to subuert and ouerthrow the good and godly laws and statutes of this realme for the abolishing expulsing and vtter extincting of the said vsurped power and authoritie but also haue defamed and slandered as well the Kings Maiestie as the Noblemen Prelates and other the Kings true and louing subiects of this Realme for their good and godly proceeding in that behalfe Vpon these causes and other considerations it was enacted That the Corporation of the said Religion as well within this Realme as within the Kings dominion and Land of Ireland should be vtterly dissolued and void to all entents and purposes And that Sir William Weston Knight as then Prior of the said Religion of this Realme of
Amen This Thomas Kempe was Nephew to Iohn Kempe Archbishop of Canterbury at whose hands hee receiued Consecration at Yorke place now called White hall Ann. 1449. Febr. 8. his Vnkle being as then Archbishop of Yorke This Bishop and not Duke Vmphrey as it is commonly beleeued by report built for the most part the Diuinitie Schooles in Oxford as they stood before Bodleyes foundation with walls Arches Vaults doores towers and pinnacles all of square smooth polisht stone and artificially depainted the Doctors Chaire to the liuely representation of the glorious frame of the celestiall globle He built also Pauls Crosse in forme as as it now standeth Here lieth Iohn Stokesley Bishop of this Church brought vp at Magdelene Colledge in Oxford and here enthronized Iuly 19. 1530. Who died Septemb. 8. 1539. A part of his Epitaph as yet remaines inlaid in brasse which approues him to haue beene a good Linguist and a great Schollar Huius in obscuro tumuli interiore recessit Stokesley cineres ossaque tecta iacent Cuius fama patens vite decus ingenijque Dexteritas ..... luce tamen Iste Deo Regique suo populoque fideli Viueret vt charus perpetuo studuit Exterius siquidem potuit regionibus .... .................... Qui Latias lustrauit opes intrauit hebreas Huic grecorum palma parata fuit Artes quid memorem vanas ad quas penetrauit Quum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 auctus honore fuit .............. Virginis matris cultori certa supremum Natalem Marie fata dedere diem I reade in the Catalogue of Bishops and other writers for all the Inscriptions of any Antiquitie made to the memory of other Bishops here interred are altogether erazed or stolne away that William a Norman who enioyed this Bishopricke in the Conquerours time lieth here interred in the body of the Church Vnto whom the City of London acknowledgeth it selfe greatly beholding for that the king by his meanes and instant suite granted vnto them all kinde of liberties in as ample manner as they enioyed them in the time of his predecessour Ed. the Confessour These are the words of the Conquerours grant written in the Saxon tongue and sealed with greene waxe Williem king grets Williem Bisceop and Godfred Porterefan and ealle ya Burghwarn binnen London Frencisce and Englise frendlice and ickiden eoy yeet ic wille yeet git ben ealra weera lagay weore ye get weeran on Eadwards daege kings And ic will yeet aelc child by his fader yrfnume aefter his faders daege And i◠nelle ge wolian yeet aenig man coy aenis wrang beode God coy heald Which in English is to this effect following William king greetes William Bishop and Godfrey Portgraue and all the Burrow of London French and English friendly And I make knowne to you that ye be worthy to enioy all that Law and priuiledge which ye did in the dayes of King Edward And I will that euery childe bee his fathers heire after his fathers decease And I will not suffer that any man doe vnto you any iniurie God you keepe In thankfulnesse hereof the Citizens caused to bee engrauen an Epitaph vpon his Tombe in Latine thus Englished by Iohn Stow. To William a man famous in wisedome and holinesse of life who first with Saint Edward the king and Confessour being familiar of late preferred to be Bishop of London and not long after for his prudencie and sincere fidelitie admitted to be of Councell with the most victorious Prince William king of England of that name the first who obtained of the same great and large priuiledges to this famous City The Senate and Citizens of London to him hauing well deserued haue made this Hee continued Bishop twenty yeares and dyed in the yeare after Christ his natiuitie 1070. These marble Monuments to thee thy Citizens assigne Rewards O father farre vnfit to those deserts of thine Thee vnto them a faithfull friend thy London people found And to this Towne of no small weight a stay both sure and sound Their liberties restorde to them by meanes of thee haue beene Their publike weale by meanes of thee large gifts haue felt and seene Thy riches stocke and beauty braue one houre hath them supprest Yet these thy vertues and good deeds with vs for euer rest But this Tombe was long since either destroyed by time or taken away vpon some occasion yet howsoeuer the Lord Maior of London and the Aldermen his brethren vpon those solemne dayes of their resort to Pauls do still vse to walke to the grauestone where this Bishop lyeth buried in remembrance of their priuiledges by him obtained And now of late yeares an Inscription fastened to the pillar next adioyning to his graue called The reuiuall of a most worthy Prelates remembrance erected at the sole cost and charges of the right honourable and nobly affected Sir Edward Barkham knight Lord Maior of the Citie of London Ann. 1622. thus speakes to the walkers in Pauls Walkers whosoere you be If it proue your chance to see Vpon a solemnes skarlet day The Citie Senate passe this way Their gratefull memory for to show Which they the reuerend ashes owe Of Bishop Norman here inhum'd By whom this Citie hath assum'd Large priuiledges Those obtain'd By him when Conquerour William raign'd This being by thankfull Barkhams mynd renewd Call it the Monument of Gratitude Here lieth buried Fulk Basset Bishop of this Church preferred hither from the Deanrie of Yorke a Gentleman of an ancient great family second brother of that Gilbert Basset who through the stumbling of his horse fell in a certaine wood as hee went a hunting in the haruest time Ann. 1241. and brake so his bones and sinewes that within a few dayes after he dyed and shortly after euen in the same moneth the onely sonne of this Gilbert being a childe died whereby that lordlie inheritance came to this Fulk Basset who as he was a man of great linage and also of ample both temporall and Ecclesiasticall possessions so was hee a Prelate of an inuincible high spirit stout and couragious to resist those insupportable exactions which the Popes Legate Rustandus went about to lay vpon the Clergie and at such a time when the Pope and the king like the Shepheard and the Woolfe ioyned both together to destroy the Sheepfold Much what about which time to the same effect certaine rimes were scattered abroad as I haue before set downe in the Diocesse of Canterbury Such were the Popes rapines and enormous proceedings in those dayes all which this stout Bishop withstood to the vttermost of his power Hee died of the plague here in London Ann. 1258. hauing gouerned this See 14. yeares odde moneths A Monument was made to his eternall memory whereupon this Distich was inlaid in brasse Prudens fortis iacet hac Episcopus arca Bone Iesu. Bassettis ortus cui parcas summe Hierarcha Bone Iesu. Here lieth entombed in the
obliuion Absolon in his life time erected a pillar to retaine the memory of his name in that his issue male failed Will you heare the Text. Now Absolon in his life-time had taken and reared him vp a pillar which is in the Kings dale for hee said I haue no sonne to keepe my name in remembrance and hee called the pillar after his owne name and it is called vnto this day Absolons place This pillar which Absolon intended for the place of his sepulture hewne and framed out of the rocke or growing stone is to bee seene at this day saith Sandys all entire and of a goodly fabricke But to returne euery man like Absolon desires a perpetuity after death by these monuments or by other meanes according to that of Tertullian in his booke De Testimonio animae Quis non hodie saith hee memoriae post mortem frequentandae ita studet vt vel literaturae operibus vel simplici laude morum vel ipsorum sepulchrorum ambitione nomen suum seruet These that in their life time do thus build their owne sepulchres and take care in the ceremonious disposing of their funeralls would no question lay this charge vpon those which they must of necessity trust in the performance of their Wills and Testaments and employ their last dayes and houres in more heauenly designes if they did not oftentimes see in their course of life that as well heires as executours interre both the honour and memory of the defunct together with his corps perfidiously forgetting their fidelity to the deceased Of which will it please you reade this old inscription depicted vpon a wall within S. Edmunds Church in Lumbard-street London Man the behovyth oft to haue yis in mind Yat thow geueth wyth yin hond yat sall thow fynd For widowes be sloful and chyldren beth vnkynd Executors beth couetos and kep al yat yey fynd If eny body esk wher the deddys goodys becam Yey ansquer So God me help and halidam he died a poor man Yink on yis Io. Gower in his additions to his booke called Vox clamantis hath these verses contra mortuorum Executores much what to the same effect Dicunt Scripture memorare nouissima vite Pauper ab hoc mundo transiet omnis homo Dat Fortuna status varios Natura sed omnes Fine suo claudit cunctaque morte rapit Post mortem pauci qui nunc reputantur amici Sunt memores anime sis memor ipse tue Da dum tempus habes tibi propria sit manus heres Auferet hoc nemo quod dabis ipse Deo Vpon these and the like considerations they vsed as they now doe to inscribe or engraue these kinde of monuments with certaine sentences to this effect Fallax saepe fides testataque vota peribunt Constitues tumulum si sapis ipse tuum Or thus Certa dies nulli mors certa incerta sequentum Cura locet tumulum qui sapit ipse sibi Concluding most commonly with these words Viuus fecit Viuus faciendum curauit Viuus sibi posuit Se vino fecit Viuus hoc sibi fecit monumentum and the like Some erected their sepulchres whilst they were liuing concluding their inscriptions thus Sibi coniugi Sibi coniugi Liberis Sibi posteris And some that would not haue their wiues heires nor any other entombed therein thus Hoc monumentum heredes non sequuntur Or thus Rogo per deos superos inferosque ossa nostra ne violes This care of buriall moued Augustus Caesar to build his funerall monument in the sixth yeare of his Consulship for himselfe and the succeeding Emperours The like reason moued Hadrian to build his Tombe or Sepulchre neare vnto the bridge Aelium for the Mausoleum of Augustus was full as Xiphilinus writes in the life of Hadrian And to bring you this honie example the like consideration moued King Henry the seuenth in the eighteenth yeare of his raigne to build that glorious faire Chappell at Westminster for an house of buriall for himselfe his children and such onely of the bloud-royall as should descend from his Ioynes forbidding that any other of what degree or qualitie soeâ—uer should euer be interred in that sacred mould as appeares by his last Will and Testament Saint Augustine saith that the Funerals of the righteous in the times of old were performed with a zealous care their burials celebrated and their Monuments prouided in their life time Great hath been the care of buriall saith Camden euer since the first times insomuch that Fathers would lay charges vpon their children concerning the buriall and translating of their bodies euery one being desirous to returne in Sepulchra maiorum into the sepulchres of their Ancestours Iacob at his death charged his sonne Ioseph to carry his body into the sepulchre of his fathers And Ioseph himselfe commanded his brethren that they should remember and tell their posâ—eritie that when they went away into the land of promise they should carry his bones thither with them Abraham Isaac Iacob Sarah Rebecca Leah and Ioseph were buried together in one Sepulchre The kings of Aegypt accustomed to awe their subiects by threatning to depriue them of buriall And it was a penaltie of the law amongst the Romanes He that doth this or that let him be cast forth vnburied and so in the declamations He that forsakes his parents in their necessities let him be cast forth vnburied An Homicide let him be cast forth vnburied And so speakes Cicero to the peoples humour for Milo when hee affirmes his carcase to be more wretched because it wanted the solemne rites of funerall Commanders in warres vsed to terrifie their enemies with the want of buriall according to this speech of Hector in the fifteenth booke of Homers Iliads Then Hector cri'd out take no spoile but rush on to the fleete From whose assault for spoile nor flight if any man I meete He meetes his death nor in the fire of holy funerall His brothers nor his sisters hands shall cast within our wall His lothed body but without the throtes of dogs shall graue His manlesse limbes The people of Israel crying vnto God against the barbarous tyranny of the Babylonians who spoiled Gods inheritance polluted his Temple destroyed his religion and murdered his chosen Nation amongst other calamities thus they complaine for the want of sepulture The dead bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to be meat vnto fowles of the heauen and the flesh of thy Saints vnto the beasts of the earth Their bloud haue they shed like waters round about Ierusalem and there was none to bury them God commands Elias to tell Iezebel that for her wickednesse the dogs should eate vp her flesh in the field of Iesreel and that her carcase should be as doung vpon the ground in the said field of Iesreel so that none should say this is Iezebel The seduced Prophet because he
Abbey of Rufford I finde these verses following of the constant sufferings of certaine virgine martyrs Quid de virginibus dignum loquere aspice fidem Fides ob veram sert mala multa sidem Huic ardens lectus solidum subuertere fidem Nec mors ipsa potest cui Deus ardor inest Tecla fer as Agathes Ergastula vulnera vicit Margarita truces virgo Lucia duces Balnea Cecilie feruentia nil nocuere Agneti nocuit flamma furorque nichil Nil etas nil mundus eis nil obfuit hostis Cuncta domant superant infima summa tenent His ornamentis fulget Domus Omnipotentis But I will conclude this Chapter with the words of Camden speaking of the Monasticall life and profession The profession of this Monasticall life saith he began when Pagan Tyrants enraged against Christians pursued them with bloudy persecutions For then good deuout men that they might serue God in more safety and security withdrew themselues into the vast wildernesses of Egypt and not as the Painims are wont with open mouth to giue it out for to enwrap themselues willingly in more miseries because they would not be in miserie Where they scattered themselues among mountaines and desarts liuing in caues and little cells here and there in holy meditations At first solitary and alone whereupon in Greeke they were called Monachi that is Monkes but after they thought it better as the sociable nature of mankinde required to meete together at certaine times to serue God and at length they began to cohabite and liue together for mutuall comfort rather then like wilde beasts to walke vp and downe in the desarts Their profession was to pray and by the labour of their owne hands to get liuing for themselues and maintenance for the poore and withall they vowed pouerty obedience and chastitie Athanasius first brought this kinde of Monkes consisting of lay-men into the West-Church Whereunto after that Saint Austen in Afrike Saint Martin in France and Congell one of the Colledge of Bangor in Britaine and Ireland had adioyned the function of regular Clergie It is incredible how farre and wide they spread how many and how great Coenobies were built for them so called of their communion of life as also Monasteries for that they kept still a certaine shew of solitarie liuing and in those dayes none were more sacred and holy then they and accordingly they were reputed considering how by their prayers to God by their example doctrine labour and industrie they did exceeding much good not onely to themselues but also to all mankinde But as the world grew worse and worse so those their holy manners as one said rebus cessere secundis that is Gaue backward in time of prosperitie But of the pietie of religious professours in the Primitiue times of the sanctitie of British and Saxon Kings of their Queenes and issue royall as also of other persons of exemplarie zeale and holy conuersation I doe speake hereafter in particular as I come to the places of their interments CHAP. XII Of the fall or backsliding as well of religious persons as of lay-people from the foresaid zealous ardour of pietie THis heate of deuotion which I haue spoken of continued not long in this Island For as the Clergie and other religious orders grew rich in faire buildings proud furniture and ample reuenues so they daily increased in all kindes of disorders which was no sooner perceiued but put in practise by the Laitie our kings declined from their former sanctitie and which the worst was after their examples many others especially of the Nobilitie did follow their licentious traces Examples of Princes being alwayes of greater force then other lawes to induce the people to good or to euill Nam haec conditio Principum vt quicquid faciant praecipere videantur To proue as much as I haue spoken In the yeare of Grace 747 Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterbury by the counsell of Boniface Bishop of Mentz called a Conuocation at Cliffe beside Rochester to reforme the manifold enormities wherewith the Church of England at that time was ouergrowne Our kings forsaking the companie of their owne wiues in those dayes delighted altogether in harlots which were for the most part Nunnes The rest of the Nobilitie following their example trode also the same trace The Bishops likewise and other of the Clergie that should haue beene a meanes of the reforming these faults in others were themselues no lesse faultie spending their times either in contentions and brables or else in luxurie and voluptuousnesse hauing no care of study and seldome or neuer preaching Whereby it came to passe that the whole land was ouerwhelmed with a most darke and palpable mist of ignorance and polluted with all kinde of wickednesse and impietie in all sorts of people In which Conuocation after long consultation with those his Bishops or Suffraganes and the rest of the Clergie which were holden in greatest esteeme for their learning in number thirtie for the reformation of these horrible abuses endeauouring thereby like a good Pastour to turne away the wrath of God which seemed to hang ouer this land and to threaten those plagues which not long after fell vpon it when the Danes inuaded the same Edgar surnamed the peaceable King of England in the yeare 969. called together his Bishops and other of his Clergie to whom hee made this or the like Oration as followeth Forsomuch as our Lord hath magnified his mercy to worke with vs it is meete most reuerend Fathers that with worthy workes we answer his innumerable benefits for neither by our owne sword possesse we the earth and our owne armes hath not saued vs but his right hand and his holy arme for that he hath beene pleased with vs. Meete therefore it is that we submit both our selues and our soules to him that hath put all things vnder our feet and that we diligently labour that they whom he hath made subiect vnto vs may bee made subiect vnto his lawes And truly it is my part to rule the Laitie with the law of equitie to doe iust iudgement betwixt man and his neighbours to punish Church-robbers to represse rebels to deliuer the weake from the hands of his stronger the poore and needie from them that spoile them And it also belongeth to my care to haue consideration to the health quietnesse or peace of the Ministers of the Church the flocke of Monkes the companies of Virgines and to prouide the things needfull for them The examining of whose manners belongeth vnto you if they liue chastly if they behaue themselues honestly towards them which bee abroad if in diuine seruice they bee carefull if in teaching the people diligent if in feeding sober if moderate in apparell if in iudgement they be discreet If you had cured these things by prudent scrutinie by your licence I speake O reuerend Fathers such horrible and abhominable things of the Clerkes had not come to our eares I omit
principally regarding and tendring the quiet rest prosperite and tranquillite of our Nobles and Commons and their conservacion no lesse then our own directed lately our letters vnto you and other Iustices of our Peace throughout this our Realme conteyning our admonicion and gentill warenyng to haue such speciall regard to the dewties of your offices accordyng to the trust we haue in yow that not only for thymportance it is both vnto vs and our common welth ye shuld see our high dignite of Supremacie of our Church wherwith it hath pleased almighty God by his most certain and vndoubted word to endowe and adorne our auchtorite and Corone imperiall of this our Realme to be set forth and impressed in all our Subiects harts and mynds and to forsee that the mayntenors of the Bisshop of Roomes vsurped and fayned auctorite with all his Papisticall supersticions and abuses wherwith he hath in times past abused the multitud of our subgiects of whose yoke tyranny and skornefull illusion we haue by Gods porveiaunce deliuered this our realme and of other his Satellites whiche secretly did vphold his faction shuld be by yow diligently serched enqwired and tried owt and so broughte to our Iustices to receaue condigne punyshement according to their demerits but also that tale tellers about the cuntriee and spraders of rumours and false inventors of newes to put owr people to feare and stirr them to sedicyon shulde be apprehended and punyshed to the terrible example of others Also that vagabonds and valiant Beggers shal be avoyded and haue worthy corrections And for the same purpose to kepe watches and to see commen Iustice with indifferency and without corrupcion to be obserued and ministred vnto all owr Subgiects like as by the porporte and contents of our said Letters ye may more amplie perceiue We haue thervpon ben credably enformed that sondry of yow haue for a time so well done yowr dewties and endeuoired your selues in fulfilling our admonitions and caused the euill doers to be punyshed according to their demerites that our louing Subgiects haue not ben disquieted of a long season vntill now of late that sum vngracious cankred and maliciouse persons haue taken boldnes to attempt with sondry diuelish persuasions to moue and seduce our trewe subgiects vsing false lies and most vntrewe rumors And amonst them we vnderstand sondry Parsons Vicars and Curats of this our Realme to be chieffe which to bring our people to darkenes of their own perverse mynde not only to blynde our Commons do rede so confusely hemming and hacking the word of God and soche our Iniunctions as we haue lately set forthe that almost no man can vnderstand the trewe meanyng of the said Iniunctions but also secretly haue suborned certeyne spreders of Rumors and false tales in corners which doo interpreat and wrast our trewe meanyng and intention of owr said Iniunctions to an vntrewe sense For wheras we haue ordeyned by owr said Iniunctions for thavoyding of sondry striues processis and contentions risyng vpon aege vpon lineall discents vpon title of Inheritances vpon legittimation or Bastardie and for knowlege whither any person is our subiect borne or no Also for sondry other causes that the names of all childer christened from hensforth with ther birth ther fathers and mothers names and likewise all mariages and burialls with the time and date thereof shuld be registred from time to time in a boke in euery Parish Church surely and safeâ—y to be kept They haue bruted and blowen abrode most falsely and vntrewely that we doo entende to make some new exactions at all christenyngs weddings and burials The whiche in no wise we euer meaned or thought vpon aâ—leging for to fortefy and color there false and manifâ—st lies that therin we go abowt to take away the liberties of the realme For conservacion wherof they fayne that Bisshop Beckett of Canterbury which they haue to fore called Saynt Thomas died for where in dede there was neuer soch thing done nor ment in that time nor sithens For the said Beckett neuer swarved nor contended with owr progenitor Kyng Henry the second but only to lett that those of the Clergie shuld not be punyshed for their offences nor iustyfyed by the Courts and lawes of this Realme but only at the Bisshops pleaser and after the decrees of Roome And the causes why he died was vpon a wilfull reskewe and a fray by him made and begon at Canterbury Which was neuerthelesse afterward alleged to be for soche liberties of the Churche which he contendyd for during his life with tharchbisshop of Yorke chiefly to haue soche priuiledge that no Kyng of England ought euer to be crowned by any other Bisshop but oonly by the Bishops of Canterbury Yea and in case he shuld be absent or fugitiue out of the Realme the Kyng shuld neuer be coroned by any other but constrayned to abide his retorne These and soche other detestable and vnlawfull liberties of the Church nothing concerning the common weale but only the partie of the Clergie the said Thomas Becket most arrogantly desyred and trayterouslye sewyd to haue contrary to the law of this our Realme To the which most false interpretacions and wrasting of our trewe meanyng they haue ioyned such myscheuous lyes and false tales for markyng of catals and like seditious devises wherevpon owr people were lately stirred to sedition and insurrection to ther vtter ruyne and destruction onles almighty God who by his diuine prouidence gaue vnto vs habundance of force as he alwaies dothe vnto rightfull Princes had so with clemencie illumyned vs that where as we with th edge of the swerde and by our lawes might haue ouerthrowen and destroyed them there wyues children and posterite for euer we neuerthelesse as ye can right well remember extended vpon them at that time our benigne and mercifull pardon These miserable and Papisticall superstitious wretches nothing regarding the same nor caring what danger and myschiefe our people shuld incurre haue both raysed the said olde rumors and forged new sedicious tales intendyng asmoche as in them lyeth a new commotion and all to satisfye there cankred harts Wherfore and for the imminent daunger to yow and all our good subgiects and the troble that might ensewe onlesse good and ernest prouision to represse them be taken thervpon We desyre and pray yow and neuerthelesse straytly charge and commaund yow that within the Precinct and lymyts of yowr charge ye shall not only endeuor your self and employ your most diligence to inquyre and fynd owt such cankerd Parsons Vicars and Curats which doo not trewly and substancially declare our said Iniunctions and the very worde of God but momble confusely seying that they be compelled to rede them and bydd ther Parishens neuerthelesse to doo as they did in times past to lyue as ther fathers and that the olde fashion is the best and other crafty sedicious parables But also with your most effectuall vigilancy doo enserche and trie owt such sedicious tale tellers
the King And in case they shall by him or otherwise lerne and knowe that Melanchton is there arryued then his grace wold that the said Haynes and Mount shall in such sort as they be not moche noted resorte vnto him and for the disuading of his continuance there or alteration of his opinion and alluring of him hither to vse suche reasons and persuasions as be before written with suche other as they can further deuise for that purpose To the which Haynes and Mount the Kings pleasure is ye shall deliuer like copies of the said Deanes booke and Bishops Sermons to be shewed vnto the said Melanchton or otherwise vsed as may be most expedient for thachyeuement of the Kings purpose in that behaulfe Ye shall also vnderstande that the kings pleasure is ye shall write to Sir Iohn Wallop and send vnto him therwith like copies willing him in case he shall haue certain knowledge that tharticles be true written in these his letters concernyng the French Kings sending into Germany for the continuance of the Bishop of Romes pretended supremacie to repaire with the said copies to the French King and not only to set the same furth with such reasons as he can deuise in that part shewing how moche it shal be against his honour both to geue himselfe subiect to the said Bishop and moue other to doo the semblable but also to declare vnto him that the Kings highnes remembring his old frendly promises concernyng the mayntenance of his cause and of his procedyngs touching the same cannot thinke it a litle strange that the said French King seing his Maiestie hath in his doings touching the said Bishop of Rome moued neyther his nor any Princes subiects will mâ—ue and styr the Germayns to condescende vpon a contrary opinion both to themselfs and to his grace in this behalfe And that his Maiestie must nedes thinke this Amytie moche touched in that he shuld moue any state or cuntrie to doo that thing whiche is so moche against the Kings highnes and his owne promes vsing all the waies to disuade him from the dishonorable obedience of the said Bishops See mouing him to inclyne to the Kings iust opinion touching the same Finally the Kings pleasure is ye shall write an other letter to the Bishop of Aberden signifying that the Kings Maiestie taketh it very vnkindly that the King his Nephieu wold now embrace without his aduise or counsail being his derest frend and Vncle and now in liege and Amytie with him the mariage of Mounsieur de vandous daughter wherevnto he wold geue non eare at his graces ouerture hertofore made of the same In your seid letter imputing a great negligence therein to the said Bishop and other of his Masters counsail seing their Master sheweth not in the doing therof suche amytie towards the Kings highnes as the frendship betwene them doth require And to make an end his grace will in no wise that Barnes of Haynes shall tarry for any further instruction of the Bishop of Canterbury or any other his grace hauing determyned to sende the same after by Master Almoner and Heth but that he Master Haynes and Mount shal with all possible diligence departe immediatly in post without lenger tarying thenne for this their depeche shal be necessary soo as their abode empeche not the Kings purpose touching the said Melanchton And thus fare youe most hartly well From Langley in moche hast this Monday at iiii of the clocke at after none Your louyng Frends T. Norffolk George Rocâ—ford Also before the beginning of that Parliament wherin the Popes supreme authoritie here in England was abolished these remarkable Inductions following were set downe and commanded by the King and his Councell to be suddenly put in execution First to send for all the Bishops of this realme and speciallie for suche as be nerest to the Courte and to examine them a parte whether they by the law of God can proue and iustifie that he that now is called the Pope of Rome is aboue the generall Counsaile or the generall Counsail aboue him Or whether he hath gyuen vnto him by the law of God any more auctority within the realme then any other foreyn Bishop Item to deuise with all the Bishoppes of this realme to set furth preach and cause to be preched to the Kings people that the said Bishop of Rome called the Pope is not in auctoryte aboue the generall Counsell but the generall Counsell is aboue him and all Bishpos And that he hathe not by Goddes law any more iurisdiction within this realme then an other forraine Bishop being of any other realme hath And that such auctority as he before this hath vsurped within this realme is both against Gods law and also against the generall Counsalles Which vsurpation of auctoritie onely hath growen to him by the sufferance of Prynces of this realme and by none auctority from God Item therefore that order be taken for such as shall preach at Paules Crosse from henceforth shall continually from Sonday to Sonday preach there and also teach and declare to the people that hee that now calleth himselfe Pope nether any of his Predecessours is and were but onely the Bishops of Rome and hath no more authoritie and iurisdiction by Gods law within this realme then any other forraine Bishop hath which is nothing at all And that such authoritie as hee hath claimed heretofore hath been onely by vsurpation and sufferance of Princes of this realme And that the Bishop of London may bee bound to suffer none other to preach at Paules Crosse as hee will answer but such as will preach and set forth the same Item that all the Bishops within this realme bee bound and ordered in the same wise and cause the same to bee preached throughout all their Diocesses Item that a speciall practise be made and a straight commandement giuen to all Prouincialls Ministers and rulers of all the foure Orders of Friers within this realme commanding them to cause the same to be preached by all the Preachers of their religions and through the whole realme Item to practise with all the Friers Obseruants of this realme and to command them to preach likewise or else that they may be stayed and noâ— suffered to preach in no place of the realme Item that euery Abbot Prior and other heads of religious houses within this realme shall in like manner teach their Conuents and brethren to teach and declare the same Item that euery Bishop shall make speciall commandements to euerie Parson Vicar and Curate within his Diocesse to preach and declare to his Parishoners in likewise Item Proclamations to be made throughout the realme containing the whole Act of Appeales And that the same Act may bee impressed transumed and set vp on euery Church doore in England to the intent that no Parson Vicar Curate nor any other of the Kings subiects shall make themselues ignorant thereof Item the Kings prouocations and appellations made from the Bishop
of Rome vnto the generall Councell may also be transumed impressed published and set vp on euery Church-doore in England to the intent that if any censures should be fulminate against the king or his realme that then it may appeare to all the world that the censures be of none effect considering that the king hath already and also before any censures promulged both prouoked and appealed Item like transumpts to bee made and sent into all other realmes and dominions and specially into Flanders concerning the kings said prouocations and appellations to the intent falsehood iniquitie malice and iniustice of the Bishop of Rome may thereby appeare to all the world And also to the intent that all the world may know that the Kings highnes standing vnder those appeales no censures can preuaile neither take any effect against him and his realme Item a letter to be conceiued from all the Nobles as well Spirituall as Temporall of this Realme vnto the Bishop of Rome declaring the wrongs iniuries and vsurpations vsed against the kings highnes and this realme Item to send exploratours and espies into Scotland and to see and perceiue their practises and what they intend there And whether they will confederate themselues with any other outward Princes Item to send letters for that purpose to the Earle of Northumberland my Lord Daves and Sir Thomas Clyfford Item certaine discreete and graue persons to bee appointed to repaire into the parts of Germany to practise and conclude some lege or amitie with the Princes and Potentates of Germany that is to say the King of Pole Iohn of Hungary the Duke of Saxony the Duke of Bauyere Duke Fredericke the Landegraue Van Hesse the Bishop of Magous Bishop of Treuers the Bishop of Collene and other the Potentates of Germany and also to ensearch of what inclination the said Princes and Potentates be of towards the King and this realme Item like practise to be made and practised with the Cities of Lubeke Danske Hambourgh Bromeswicke and all other the steads of the Haunse Tuâ—onyk and to ensearch of what inclination they bee towards the King and this realme Item like practise to be made and practised with the Cities of Norimbourgh and Aughsbrough Item to remember the Merchants aduenturers haunting the dominions of Braband and to speake with them Item to set order and establishment of the Princes Dowagers house with all celeritie and also of my Lady Maryes house To these or some of these purposes the King dispatched messengers to all his Embassadours and Agents beyond seas hauing before that sent the Duke of Norfolke Viscount Rocheford Sir William Pawlet afterwards Marquesse of Winchester and others to the Pope the Emperour and the French King being all three together at Nice He also caused his Secretarie to write in this manner to Iames the fifth King of Scotland Moste excellent myghtye and victorious Prynce Pleâ—sâ—th your Magestie that by the commaundment of my most dread Lord and Soueraigne Kyng of England your graces moste dere Vncle I haue in charge vndre commyssion certeyn specyall maters concernyng his highnes pleasure secreatly to be signyfyed vnto your grace wherein not only as a naturall Cousyne of your royall consanguinity but as a moste loueing Father entierly tendryng your worthye honor no lesse desirous hereof then regardyng his owne peculyer prosperyte vnfaynedly accomptyng your graces aduancement his moste conformable consolacion In consideracyon whereof sith it hath so pleasyd God of his infynyte fauour to revele vnto his highnes as well by studyous endeuor of good letters as by erudyte consultacyon of famous estemyde Clerke Also by long attempted experience ensearchyng truyth chyeflye in Christs doctryne who saith Iohn the fourteenth Ego sum veritas now clerely to perceive the thrall captyvyte vndre the vsurpyd power of the Busshop of Rome and his vngodly lawes Wherein his highnes and other many of his noble progenitors were moste wyckedly abusyde to their intollerable calamity and excedyng molestacion of their Subiects ouer whom God had yeuon them auctoryte and gouernaunce to rule as by all storyes of the olde testament and informacyon of the new playnely apperith Which groundly knowen to his highnes wisshith lykewise the same to be persuadyd vnto your grace wherby your honorable renoune and royall auctoryte shuld be moche enlargyd with no lesse felycitye of soule pryncipally to be regardyd then with aboundant comoditie of riches and vnfayned obeysaunce of faythfull Subiects ferr from the comeberous calamyte of the Popysshe myserable molestacyon What more intollerable calamyte may ther be to a Christian Prynce than vniustlye to be defeatyd of his righteous iurisdiction within his realme to be a King by name and not indede to be a ruler without regyment ouer his owne liege people what more greuous molestacion can chaunce to true harted Subiects than to be seuerâ—d from the alliegiaunce due to their naturall Soueraigne ther annoyntyd King grauntyd by Gods lawes and to become servile slaues to a foreyn Potentat vsurpyng to reigne ouer them agaynste the lawe of God as by the violent tyrannye of the Bushop of Rome hathe many yeres hitherto bene practysed throughout all regions to the ruynous desolacyon of the hole Christentie what Realme is ther but that the Busâ—shop of Rome hath planted therein his kingdome and established his regiment after soche a subtiell way that he and his craâ—tye creatures were obeyd of Prynces to whome of dutye they ought to haue bene subiect 1. Pet. 2. siue Regi tanquam praecellenti c. of whome all Romayn Busshops haue presumyd to be successors but not folowers contrarye to his example Qui non venit ministrari sed ministrare In all Realmes the Popisshe practise hath had soche confederacye of false forsworne factious and trayterous Titinylks vntrue to ther Soueraigne that nothyng was so secreatly in counsaill of any Prynce but forthwith it was caried by relacion to the Popes care And if ought were attemptyd agaynste his owne person or any crookyd creature of his creation in restraynyng of ther extortionate claymes as ther was nothyng but they claymed to haue auctoryte vpon incontynent they bouncyd out their thunderbolts and currsyng fulminations with soche intollerable force of vnmercyfull crudelyte that they made the greatiste personages of the world to trymble and quake for feare For by the negligente soufferaunce of Prynces thrughe dâ—faute of knowlege of Goddes worde the Popisshe pride was so haught his auctoryte so preemynent his power so puisaunte his strengthe so myghtye his displeasure so daungerous his Tyrrannye so terrible that scarse any durst resiste to coutrevaill none was able Example of many excellente Prynces as Iohn the furst and Henry the second of gracyous memory Kings of England here in their liffe times moste cruelly vexyd and after there disseas by forged leasyngs and slaunderous ympechements mysreportyd and faulselye belied with dispitfull dishonor of ther excellent progenye After like fasshion the victorious Emperor Lodovicus enterprysing
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
aboue to the summe of ccccl. exclusive must pay for themselfs c. xiii s. iiii d. Item all thos that haue londes and rentes c. to the yerely valour of one cl or aboue to the yerely valour of ccl exclusiue must pay for themseâ—fs c. vi s. viii d. Item all thos that haue londes and rentes c. to the yerely valour of xl l. or aboue to the summe of one cl exclusive must pay for themselfs c. ii s. vi d. Item all thos that haue londes and rentes c. to the yerely valour of xx l. or above to the summe of xl l. exclusive must pay for themselfs c. xvi d. Item men of Religion havyng londes Rents and Tenements to the yerely valour of ii M. l. or aboue must pay for themselfs and their Couent xl Item thos that hath londes and rents c. to the yerely valour of one M. l. or aboue to the yerely valour exclusive must pay for themselfs and their Couent vl iiii s. Item all thos that have londes and rentes c to the yerely valour of cccccl or aboue to the valour of one M. l. exclusive must pay for them and their Couent iii l. vi s. viii d. Item all thos that hath londes and rentes to the yerely valour of iicl or aboue to the summe of ccccl. exclusive must pay for themselfs and their Couent xx s. Item thos that hath londes and rents to the yerely valour of xl l. and aboue to the summe of on cl must pay for themselfs and their Couent x s. Item seculer men and wemen which hath londes and rents to the yerely valour of xl l. or vndre whose mouable goodes extendyth to the valour of on M l. must pay for themselfs and their wyfes xl s. Item thos whos goodes mouable extendyth to ccccl. or aboue to the summe of one M. l. exclusive must pay for themselfs and their wyfes vi s. viii d. Item thos whos goods mouable extendyth to the valour of ccl or aboue to the summe of ccccl. must pay for themselfs and ther wyfes vii s. vi d. Item thos whos goodes mouable be within the valour of ccl and not vndre xx l. must pay for themselfs ther wyfes and children not married xii d. Item thos whos goodes mouable extendyth nott to the valour of xx l shall pay for themselfs ther wyfes and children as it shall please them of their devocyon The Articles of the Bull of dispensacyon with Simony Vsury and of goodes wrongfully keped reserued to the Commissary only Moreouer ower seid holy Fader the Pope willynge more largely to prouide for the helth and welfar of the sowles of all cristen pepull dwellyng or abyding in the Relme and places aboue written hath geuen and graunted full auctorite and power to the sayd Venerable Fader in God Gaspar Powâ— his Orator and Commissary to absolue and dispence with all manner of persones dwellyng or abidyng within the seyd Relme or places aboue rehersyd men or wemen of what degre or condicyon so euer thei be spirytuall or temporall seculer or reguler whiche hath commytted Symony in gevyng or recevyng holy Orders or Benefices spiritual or any other waiâ—s that thei may notwithstondyng the seyd Simony so commyttid ministre in the orders so receyved And the Benefices so obteyned lawfully kepe and occupye and the frutes or to be receyved occupie and despose at their plesure And yf the seyd persones by reason therof have runne into irregularite as ther apon syngyng Masse or oder wyse ministryng the holy Sacramentys of the Chirche The seyd Commissary hath full power to despence with that irregularite and to take away all infamye and vnablenes whiche thei be in by reason of the same Alway prouyded that the seyd persones make a composytyon herof with the seyd Commissarie and soche money as thei compownd for effectually to pay to the seyd Commissarie to be spent in this holy vse for the relefe and defence of our feith Also the seyd Commissarie hath power to compownd absolue and dispence with all thos that occupye evill goten goods all vsurers and all soche that wrongfully and vnlefully occupieth or witholdeth oder mennys goods by fyndyng or goods hidde not knowyng or dowtyng who be the owners of the seyd goods or to whom thei shulde mak restitucyon that thei lefully kepe and occupie the same goods Furst makyng composycyon for the same with the seyd Commyssarie of some certeyne summe of money to be spent in the foreseyd holy vse that is to sey for the relefe and defence of ower Feith ayenst the most cruell and bitter enemys of the same the Turkes Also yf ther be any willing to be created Doctour in both Lawes or in one of them the seyd Commissarie hath power to doe it as well as if he were created in any Vniuersitie And so of oder degrees c. Also this Pope by his Buls imparted this his blessing and benefit of the Iubeley to all other kingdomes and territories vnder his spirituall Iurisâ—iction and obeysance and to all in like manner and vpon the like condicions By which you may gather that this beneuolent liberalitie of pardon and heauenly Grace was not altogether freely giuen by the Pope neither was that masse of money thus coâ—gested together spent in any warres against the Turkes as he promised but conueied to Rome and there laid vp in his owne Treasurie whilest the enemies of the faith did greatly infest the Christians But this Pope of all other in my iudgement had the most shamefull and cunning shifâ—s to get money withall and was more opprobrious in all his actions then any other either before or since But as he liued wickedly so hee died miserably being poysoned with the same bane which hee had prepared for another Actius Sannazarius and other writers of that age made certaine Epitaphs of him to his eternall inâ—amie Which I finde thus translated into English out of Io. Bale in his Pageant of Popes Perhaps whose Tombe this is my friend ye do not know Then pause a while if that ye haue no haste to go Though Alexanders name vpon the stone be grauen T is not that great but he that late was Prelate shorne and shauen Who thirsting after bloud deuour'd so many a noble Towne Who tost and turn'd the ruthfull states of kingdomes vpside downe Who to enrich his sonnes so many Nobles slew And wast the world with fire and sword and spoyling to him drew Defying lawes of earth and heauen and God himselfe erewhile So that the sinfull Father did the Daughters bed defile And could not from the bands of wicked wedlock once refrayne And yet this pestilent Prelate did in Rome tenne yeeres remaine Now friend remember Nero or els Caligula his vice Or Heliogabalus enough the rest ye may surmise For shame I dare not vtter all Away my friend with this Another The Spaniard liethe here that did all honestie defie To speake it briefely in this Tombe all villanie
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
repaire to â—ee instructed in good literature and in the Catholicke faith lest that any thing in the English Church might be sinâ—steâ—ly expounded contrary to the vniuersall vnitie and so being established in the orthodoxall and right receiued Faith they might returne backe againe into their owne countrey For the doctrine and Schooles of the English Nation since the time of Archbishop Austin had beene interdicted by diuers Romish Bishops for certaine heresies which daily appeared after the comming in of the Saxons into Britaine by reason of the commixture of the misbeleeuing wicked Pagans with the Christians of holy conuersation Hee also caused a Church to be erected neare to the foresaid house or Colledge which he dedicated to the honour of the blessed Virgine Mary in which such of the English as came to Rome might celebrate dâ—uine Seruice and that therein if any of the said English there happened to depart this world they might be inâ—erred And all these that they might for euer be more firmly corroborated it was ordained by a generall decree throughout all the kingdome of the West-Saxons that in euerie familie one pennie should be yearely collected and sent ouer to blessed Saint Peter and the Church of Rome which in English Saxons was called Romescot that the English there abiding migâ—t by that meane haue sufficient to liue vpon Thus â—aâ—re Mathew of Westminsteâ— surnamed the Flower-gatherer The which in substance is thus deliuerâ—d by a late writer yet in a different manner He meaning Ina instituted also a certaine yearely payment to the See of Rome enioyning euery one of his Subiects that possesâ—ed in his house of one kinde of goods to the value of twentie pence that he should pay a pâ—ny to the Pope yearely vpon Lammas day which at that time was contributed vnder the name of the Kings Almes but afterwards was called and challenged by the name of Peter-pence Another of the same gift by the said King hath these times He gaue to Rome eche yere The Rome pence thorrow West sex all about Perpetually to be well payd and clere For vnto Rome he went without all doubt After the example and with the like zeale of Ina Offa the most magnificent king of the Mercias in great deuotion went also to Rome and made euery house within his territories subiect to this payment of Romescot Ossa gaue through Mers the Rome penny Vnto the Church of Rome Afterwards about the yeare eight hundred and fiftie this tribute was confirmed and made further payable throughout all England For Ethelwolfe as then being sole Monarch of the Englishmen hauing beene sometimes for certaine yeares as Haneden and Brampton write Bishop of Winchester remembring his Ecclesiasticke profession and ordaining first that tithes and lands due to holy Church should be free from all tributes and Regall seruices in the nineteenth yeare of his raigne with the like deuotion of the two former kings went in pilgrimage taking with him his youngest sonne Alfred or Elfred to the foresaid chiefe Citie of the Romanes where he was both honourablie receiued and entertained by the Bishop of Rome and the whole Senate for the space of one yeare and vpwards in which time he rebuilt the English Schoole before remembred which lately had beene almost quite consumed with fire And in lieu of his kinde entertainment confirmed the former grant of Peter-pence causing it to bee payed throughout all his Dominions and further couenanted to pay yearely to Rome three hundred Markes thus to be employed one hundred to Saint Peters Church another hundred to Saint Pauls light and the third to the Pope a Saint that euermore will haue his share to the entent saith one that no Englishmen should doe penance in bounds as he saw some do before his face This Athilwolfe to Rome toke his way In pilgramage with him his sonne Aelfrede To Peter and Pole he graunted infenitife The Rome pence of all Englond As Flores saith as I con vnderstond Saith Harding cap. 105. And further to confirme the premisses may it please you to trouble your patience in the reading of these following hard rimes transcribed out of a namelesse old Author Adelwolfe his sonne att Chester his cite For al hys kyngs and Barons of estate Sent forth anone at hys parlament to be Whycheatte Chester was than preordynate To whyche al cam both Kyngs Duks and Prelat And odar al of honor or Empryse Hym for to do obeysaunce and servysse anon to Roome he went In pylgrymage wythe hooly good entent Wher he was so abydyng full too yer In hooly lyff and full perfactyon In ryall wyse as to a pryns afer And to the Pope wythe ful affectyon Hys comonyng ay had at hys electyon He gaue to Peter lyght And to Sent Poule whaâ— is ful gret repayr Too thowsand mark of Venyse gold ful ryght For sustenaunce of the Chyrches ryght He Busschopp was in hys Fadars day And for defaut of heyr was crownyd kyng Wharfor whan he hys lond in good aray Fre of servysse had set above all thyng He grauntyd tythe of all hys lond ofspryng Tyll thre persones dwelling in vnyte Why charr on God dwellyng in Trynite And Roome pens he graunte vnto the Pope Perpetuelly to haue of al Englond So perfytt was hys mynd who couth hit grope In al goodnes growndyd I vndyrstond Thrugh al hys myght in al hys noble lond The Pece he kepte and in his Se iudicyall The common Law among hys peple all Edgar king of England made sharpe constitutions for the payment of this Tribute And it was one of the lawes of Edward the Confessour that euery householder which had triginta denariatas viuae pecuniae in domo sua de proprio suo Thirtie pence of ready money or of any kinde of cattell in his house of his owne proper should by the Law of the English giue a pennie to Saint Peter and by the Law of the Danes halfe a marke which pennie was to be demanded at or vpon the feast of Saint Peter and Paul and to be collected before the feast of Saint Peter ad vincula and not to be deferred to any further day And if any withheld the payment thereof any longer time complaint was to be made to the Kings Officers for that this penny was the Kings Almes And that the partie so offending should hee constrained by iustice to make payment thereof on paine of forfeiting his goods Now if any man had more dwelling houses then one hee was to pay onely for that house where he should happen to be resiant at the said feast of Saint Peter and Paul Henry the second vpon his conquest of Ireland imposed this tribute vpon that kingdome onely to curry fauour with the Pope who as then was Adrian the fourth called before his inthronization Nicholas Breakespeare borne at Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire For hee saith Speed in the life of the said Henry knowing how great and dangerous tumults the Popes had
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
arriuall here in England and was married to king Ethelbert with these conditions made by her parents That it should be lawfull for her to keepe inuiolable the rites of her Religion and enioy the presence and instructions of her learned Bishop Luitharde whom they appointed to assist and helpe her in matters of her faith She was a woman of vertuous and holy inclination spending much of her time in prayer almes-deeds and other workes of charitie frequenting daily her Oratorie within Saint Martins a Church built in former times by the beleeuing Romanes wherein her reuerend assistant Luitardus vsed also to instruct and exhort the people to newnesse of life and Religion so that by her example and his preaching many of the Kentish Paynims were brought in to beleeue the glad tydings of the Gospell These proceedings with his wiues perswasions wrought so effectually with good king Ethelbert that his heart was softned and his eares already opened to receiue and embrace the doctrine of S. Austine Whereupon some do gather that the happinesse of his and his Subiects conuersion may as well be attributed to Berta and her French attendants as to Austine and his fellow-disciples Of which an old namelesse Rimer very ancient Whan Ethilbert hadde regned bot a yer Sent Awstyn hym to Cristen feyth conuert Thrughe goddys grase as clerly dyd apere Who hadde to wyffe Berta that was advert To Cristen feyth in Fraunce afore convert That helpt therto wyth all hur dylygens As Awstyn dyd wythe all benyvolens She was likewise an earnest parswader and a pertaker with her husband Ethelbert in and for the propagating and erecting of Religion and religious structures as I obserue out of the same Authour Kynge Ethilbert wythe ryall gret expens Gret Mynsters made of hyghe reuyrens In Rochestre and eke in Canterbery For Bysschoppys sees that wer ful necessary Atte London eke sent Pawles edyfyed In whyche so then shuld be the Bysschoppys Se Thus hely Câ—yrch tha Pâ—yns ther fortyfyed Wythe alle kynde thynge that was necessary For sustenauns of the Christyante So dydde hys wyff hur part wythe all hur myght To fortefy the cristen in thâ—yr ryght This blessed Queene died before her husband neare vnto whom he desired to be buried ann 622. for whom this Distich was composed Moribus ornata iacet hic Regina beata Berta Deo grata fuit ac homini peramata Here sometime lay the body of Edbald entombed king of Kent the sonne and heire of the before named Ethelbert by his Queene Berta who began his raigne as wickedly as his father ended his worthily for hee refused to entertaine the doctrine of Christ and polluted himselfe by the marriage of his mother in law his owne fathers second wife but at length being conuerted by Archbishop Lawrence from his idolatrie and incestuous matrimonie hee endeuoured by all meanes possible to propagate and maintaine the state of the Gospell The king of Kent Edbald his furst wyf forsoke And held hym to hys Christendom yat he furst toke And built a Chappell within this Monasterie in honour of Mary the blessed mother of God endowing it with sufficient maintenance wherein after the continuance of 24. yeares raigne hee was buried ann 640. His wife Emma the daughter of Theodebert king of Lorraine was buryed by him Here lieth Ercombert the sonne of the said Edbald king of Kent a religious king who suppressed all the Temples of the heathen Idols and commanded the fast of Lent to be obserued His wife Sexburgh daughter of Anna king of the East Angles was layed by him This King hauing raigned foure and twentie yeares and odde monethes finished his dayes ann 664. Egbert succeeded his father Ercombert and if the murther of his two cosin-Germans had not much blemished his peaceable gouernment he might well haue holden place with the worthiest of the Kentish kings He died in the tenth yeare of his raigne anno 673. and was buried here by his predecessours And so in like manner this Church was honoured with the sepulchres of Lothaire Withred Edelbert and other Kentish kings and also with the shrines of many English Saints whose sacred Reliques as they were then esteemed brought both great veâ—â—ration and bencht to this religâ—ouâ— Structure The first man of eminencie that I finde to haue bâ—ene eâ—shrined in this Abbey was Saint Augustine the first Archbishop of this See of Canterbury a Romane borre and a Monke of Saint Benets order who with others was sent hither out of Italie by Gregory the great Pope of Rome to preach the word of God to this our English nation hee with his fellowes to the number of fourty persons landed in the Isle of Tenet within this County where they were shortly after visited of king Ethelbert But the story is frequent and I shall be often touching vpon it by the way and hiâ— Legend is too long for my intended short discourse therefore I hope the Reader will rest contented with this abbreuiation for both Whils Ethelbert was reignyng kyng of Kent Sainct Austin sent by Gregory of R. bishop Landed in Tenet with Clerkes of his assent And many Monkes to teache the saith I hope That clothed were vnder a blacke cope Whiche in Procession with crosses and Bells came The Latinies syngyng in Iesus his name In the yere of Chryst his incarnacion Fiue hundreth fourescore and sixtene King Ethelbert had in his dominacion Alâ— Kent throughout with greate ioy as was seen Were baptised then in holy water clene To whome Gregory sent Mellito and Iusto With other Clerkes and Doctors many mo Gregory him made Archbishop of Canterbury Of all Englande hiest then Primate And had the Paule with hiest legacye By Gregory sent to him and ordinate Fro London then thus was that tyme translate To Canterbury the sea Metropolitan And London sette as for his suffrigan Saynt Augustine then with helpe of Ethelbert Saynt Augustines made and Christes Church also That Christes Church hight as it was adverte And sacred so by hym and halowed tho For the chiefe Sea Metropolitan so Of all England by Gregory ordinate And Saynt Augustine of all England Primate This man was of an exceeding tall stature well fauoured of a very amiable countenance but of his learning I finde little worthy of remembrance sine doctrina sana docebat saith one ac sine perceptibili lingua ignotae praedicabat genti He died the 26. of May in the thirteenth yeare of his first entrance into England and was buried first without doores neare to the Church of this Monastery because the Church was not finished and afterwards his body was remoued into the North Porch of the said Church in which place fiue of his Successours were likewise interred Vpon the Tombe of this Austine this Epitaph was insculped in Latine thus translated Here resteth the body of Augustine the first Archbishop of Canterbury that was sent into this Land by Saint
with Sir Raph Ioccline and Sir Henry Weeuer and after that with other Aldermen was knighted in the field Ann. 1471. Hic iacet Wilhelmus Fineux sil et heres Iohannis Fineux militis qui obijt Regis Henrici 7. Others of that name lye here entombed but without any inscription to preserue their memorie Braborne Hic iacet Wilhelmus Scot de Braborne Aâ— qui obijt 5. Febr. 1433. cuius anime Sis testis Christe quod non tacet hic Lapis iste Corpus vt ornetur sed spiritus vt memoretur Quisquis eris qui transieris sic perlege plora Sum quod eris sucramque quod es pro me precor ora Hic iacet magnificus ac insignis miles Iohannes Scot quondam Regis domus inuictissimi Principis Edwardi quarti Controll et nobilissima integerrimaque Agnes vxor eius Qui quidem Iohannes obijt Ann. 1485. die mens Octob. 17. This Sir Iohn Scot was also of the priuy Councell and knight Marshall of Caleis who with others was sent vpon an Embasie Ann. Reg. Ed. 4.12 to the Dukes of Burgundy and Britaine to bring backe againe the Earles of Pembroke and Richmund whose escape did much perplexe their kings suspitious thoughts Iohannes Scot miles cum CC. soldariis ex mandato Domini Regis apud Sandwicum pro salua custodia eiusdem inter Bund Indent de Guerra apud pelles West Hic ... Wilhelmus Scot myles ob 1350. I take this man to be that William Scot who with others of eminent degree and qualitie was knighted by Edward the third the tenth of his raigne vpon the creation of Edward his sonne Earle of Chester and Duke of Cornwall Of your ... Dame Elisabeth Poynings late wife of Sir Edward Poynings which Dame Elisabeth deceased Aug. 12. 1524. This Elisabeth was the daughter of Sir Iohn Scot of Scots Hall where the family of these Scots haue so long flourished in worshipfull estimation Hac necis in cella iacet hic prudens Isabella Que nulli nocuit sed Domino placuit Sponsa fuit fata venerabilis et peramata Clifton Geruasij militis egregij Ante fuit dicta Wilhelmi Scotti relicta Harbard vocata vel Fynche certe scies Dicitur hic alias .... mille quater centum Petit L. cum septem ... monumentum Nouembris deca bis hijs numerando dabis Geruasium Clifton istam genuisse Iohannam Sta lege cui Iohn Digge sociatus erat Morte .... cadit corpus sequitur cito mater Filia preuenit hanc cui solet esse sequax Christetuas famulas fac post te scandere celos Et post coniugia regna tenere tua Subiacet hac Petra Dionisia nunc caro tetra Que fuerat nata Fynche aut Harbard vocitata Vincent Armigeri cui parce Iesu mulieri Dormit non moritur licet hic terra sepelitur Qui bene pensetur qui credit non morietur Anno milleno C. quater .... cape pleno Bis quater appone .... celi iunge corone .......... Cui sit saluamen Deus omnipotens precor Amen Hic iacet expertus sub marmore miles opertus Gower Robertus anime sis Christe misertus From this familie Iohn Gower the Poet was descended One of the Pasheleis lyeth here interred the Lord of Halle and Mote in Sussex From whom the Scots deriue a descent Iohanna Pashlee filia Iohannis de sole secunda vxor Edmundi Pashlee Folkston A Towne famous in times past and much frequented by the English Saxons for religion sake by reason of a Monastery which Eauswide the daughter of Eadbald king of Kent erected for religious women of which she became the first Prioresse She dedicated her Church to the honour of Saint Peter and replenished her house with blacke Nunnes she continued herein Abbesse a long time and so dyed a vailed Virgin about the yeare 673. This foundation was long ago swallowed vp with the sea and another built by Iohn Segraue and Iulian his wife the daughter and heire of Iohn Sandwich who was Lord of this Towne together with Iohn Clinton in the raigne of king Henry the third who consecrated this their holy fabricke to the honour of Saint Peter and S. Eauswid Whose reliques they translated into their new built Church there they were gloriously enâ—â—â—rined and she honoured for a Saint Of whom the credulous common people did report many strange wonders As that shee lengthened a beanâ—â— of this her religious building three foot when the Carpenters missing their measure had made it so much too short That shee haled and drew water ouer the hills against nature That shee forbad certaine rauenous birds the countrey which before did much hurt thereabouts That she restored the blinde cast out the deuill and healed innumerable folkes of their infirmities And therefore after her death she was by the policie of the Church of Rome and the Popish Priests canonized and by the folly of the common people saith Lambard honoured for a Saint And no maruell at all saith hee for it was vsuall amongst the Clergie-men in those dayes not onely to magnifie their Benefactours of all sorts but to deifie also so many of them at the least as were of noble parentage knowing that thereby triple commoditie ensued the first for as much as by that meanes they assured many great Personages vnto them secondly they drew by the awe of their example infinite numbers of the common people after them and lastly they aduentured the more boldly vnder those honourable and glorious names and titles to publish their fained miracles And this surely was the cause that Sexburga in Shepie Mildred in Tanet Etheldred at Elye Edith at Wilton and sundrie other such women of royall bloud in each quarter were canonized Saints for generally the Religious of those times were as thankfull to their Benefactours as euer were the heathen nations to their first Kings and Founders The one for sanctifying such as did either build them houses or deuise them Orders and the other deifying such as had made them Cities or prescribed them lawes and gouernment This was it that made Saturne Hercules Romulus and others moe to haue place in common opinion with the Gods aboue the starres and this caused Dunstan Edgar Ethelwold and others first to bee shrined here in earth and then to sit amongst the Saints in heauen This Nunnery was valued at the fatall ouerthrow of all such edifices at 63. l. 7. s. per annum It was surrendred 15. Nouemb. 27. H. 8. Lidde In this Church are the pictures of a man and his wife inlayed in brasse vpon a goodly Monument thus inscribed Hic iacet Thomas Godfray quondam de veteri Rumney qui obijt 5. dic mens Aug. Ann. Dom. 1430. a familie of knights not farre from Iâ—dde and neare vnto Stonend In the beach is to bee seene an heape of great stones which the neighbour inhabitants call S. Crispins
To whose memory Sir Henry Savill that rare Grecian and exact reuiuer of Antiquities now deceased late Warden of the said Colledge and Prouost of Eaton with the fellowes of the same taking downe an old marble Tombe haue erected another Monument ouer him of Touch and Alabaster bearing this Inscription Waltero de Merton Cancellario Angliae sub Henrico tertio Episcopo Roffensi sub Edwardo primo Rege vnius exemplo omnium quotquot extant Collegiorum Fundatori maximorum Europae totius ingeniorum faelicissimo parenti Custos Scholares domus Scholarium de Merton in Vniuersitate de Oxon. communibus Collegij impensis debitum pietatis Monumentum posuere Ann. Dom. 1598. Henrico Savile Custode Obijt in vigilia Simonis Iudae Ann. Dom. 1277. Edwardi primi quinto Inchoauerat Collegium Maldoniae in agro Surr. Ann. Dom. 1264. Hen. tertij 48. cui dein salubri consilio Oxonium Anno 1270. trans extrema manus faelicissimis vt credi par est auspicijs accessit anno 1274. ipsis Cal. Aug. anno Regni Regis Edwardi primi secundo Magne senex titulis Musarum sede sacrata Maior Mertonidum maxime progenie Haec tibi gratantes post saecula sera nepotes En votiua locant marmora sancte parens Haymo de Heath or Hythe so named of Hithe a Towne in this tract where he was borne lyeth buried by the North wall he was Confessour to King Edward the second This man built much at his Mannor houses of Troscliffe and Hawling In the Towne of Hithe before named he founded the Hospitall of Saint Bartholomew for reliefe of ten poore people endowing the same with twenty Markes of yearely reuenue He resigned his Bishopricke into the Popes hands of whom he had receiued consecration in the Court at Rome Ann. 1352. and liued about some six yeares after that a priuate life with the Monkes in this Priory This Bishop saith the booke of Rochester bought a precious Miter which was Thomas Beckets of the Executours of the Bishop of Norwich which hee offered at the high Altar on S. Pauls day 1327. Iohn de Shepey so likewise surnamed from the place of his birth vpon Haymo his resignation was by the Pope elected to this Bishoprick hee was Lord Treasurer of England in the two and thirtieth yeere of King Edward the third in which office he continued about three yeeres euen vntill his death which happened the nineteenth of October 1360. His portraiture is in the wall ouer his place of Buriall Here ouer against Bishop Merton lieth buried vnder a faire Marble Tombe the body of Iohn Lowe Bishop of this Diocesse borne in Worcestershire and brought vp in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Diuinitie He liued for a time in the Abbey of the Friers Augustines in Worcester of which order he was Prouinciall Vir aetate sua ab omni parte doctus So that in regard of his great learning and painfulnes in preaching he was preferred first to the Bishoprick of Saint Asaph by King Henry the sixt and after that translated to this of Rochester hee writ diuers learned works and was a carefull searcher after good bookes so as diuers copies of some ancient Fathers had vtterly perished but for his diligence Hee died the yeere 1467. hauing gouerned the See of Saint Asaph foure yeeres and and this of Rochester foure and twenty The inscription vpon his Tombe is almost all gone only these words remayning ...... Iohannis Low Epis ...... ...... miserere mei Domine Credo videre Dominum in terra viventium O quam breve spatium huius mundi sicomp ..... Sic mundi gloria transit Sancte Andree Augustine orate prop nobis I doe not finde the certainty of any other of the Bishops of this Diocesse to haue bin buried in this Cathedrall Church for most commonly in ancient times as now they departed from this place before they departed from the world this Ecclesiasticall preferment being but a step to some higher aduancement A word therefore or two of Saint William here enshrined and the like of the Priory and so I will take my leaue of this most ancient and no lesse reuerend Episcopall Chaire and goe to Gillingham for the rest of the funerall Monuments in this Church are of later times which I reserue for another Volume This Priory erected by Gundulph and the number of her religious Votaries encreased by him from sixe secular Priests to threescore blacke Canons or Monkes with ample reuenues for their maintenance was within the compasse of one hundred yeares what by casuall fire what by the falling out of the Monkes and Bishop Glanvill and what by the calamities it sustained in the warres of King Iohn brought to that ruine and pouerty that the beauty of all her goodly buildings was altogether defaced her Church burned her sacred Vtensiles by robbery and suites in law embezelled mispent and consumed and the whole Couent greatly indebted Anno 1179.3 Id. Aprilis Rofensis Ecclesia cum omnibus officinis cum tota vrbe infra extra muros combusta est anno 97. ex quo Monachi in eadem Ecclesia instituti sunt It was now therefore high time saith Master Lambard to deuise some way whereby this Priory and Church of Rochester might be if not altogether restored to the ancient wealth and estimation yet at the least somewhat relieued from this penury nakednesse and abiection Therefore Laurence of Saint Martins Bishop of this Church and Councellour of King Henry the third perceiuing the common people to bee somewhat drawne by the fraud of the Monkes to thinke reuerently of one William that lay buried in the Church and knowing well that there was no one way so compendious to gaine as the aduancement of a Pilgramage procured at the Popes Court the canonization of the said William with Indulgence to all such as would offer at his Tombe vnderpropping by meanes of this new Saint some manner of reuerend opinion of the Church which before through the defacing of the old Bishop Paulinus his Shrine was declined to naught This Saint William was by birth a Scot of Perthe by trade of life a Baker of bread in charitie so abundant that hee gaue to the poore the tenth loafe of his workmanship in zeale so feruent that in vow he promised and in deed attempted to visit the holy Land and the places where Christ was conuersant on earth In which iourney as he passed through Kent he made Rochester his way where after that he had rested two or three dayes he departed toward Canterbury but ere he had gone farre from the Citie his seruant that waited on him led him of purpose out of the high-way and spoyled him both of his money and life This done the seruant escaped and the Master because he dyed in so holy a purpose of minde was by the Monkes conueyed hither to Saint Andrewes laid in the Quire and promoted by the
And besides Geruasius Dorobernens or Geruis a Monke in Canterbury who flourished in the raigne of king Henry the first affirmeth that the fore-ward in all battels belongeth to them by a certaine preheminence in right of their manhood And it is agreed by all men that there were neuer any bondmen or villaines as the law calleth them in Kent Neither bee they here so much bounden to the Gentrie by Copyhold or customarie tenures as the Inhabitants of the westerne Countries of the Realme be nor at all indangered by the feeble hold of Tenant Right which is but a descent of a tenancie at will as the Common people in the Northerne parts be for Copyhold tenure is rare in Kent and Tenant Right not heard of at all But in place of these the custome of Gauelkinde that is Giue all Kinne preuailing euery where in manner euery man is a Free-holder and hath some part of his owne to liue vpon And in this their estate they please themselues and ioy exceedingly in so much as a man may finde sundrie Yeomen although otherwise for wealth comparable with many of the gentile sort that will not yet for all that change their condition nor desire to be apparrelled with the titles of Gentrie Neither is this any cause of disdaine or of alienation of the good minds of the one sort from the other For no where else in all this Realme is the common people more willingly gouerned To be short they be most commonly ciuill iust and bountifull so that the estate of the old Franklyns and Yeomen of England either yet liueth in Kent or else it is quite dead and departed out of the Realme for altogether Thus farre in effect out of Lambard Briefly saith Selden it had the first English King in it was the first Christianity among the English and Canterbury then honoured with the Metropolitique See all which giue note of Honourable Prerogatiue But I will conclude this commendation of Kent with these verses following taken out of the foresaid Author of Polyolbion in the same Song When as the pliant Muse straight turning her about And comming to the Land as Medway goeth out Saluting the deare soyle O famous Kent quoth she What countrey hath this Isle that can compare with thee Which hast within thy selfe as much as thou canst wish Thy conies Venson Fruit thy sorts of Fowle and Fish And what with strength comports thy hay thy corne thy wood Nor any thing doth want that any where is good Now here before I take my leaue of this little See of Rochester it shall not seeme impertinent I hope to shew with what great courage and happinesse this Church hath euer vpholden her rights and priuiledges not onely against the Monkes of Canterbury which laboured much to bring it vnder but also against the See it selfe of the Archbishops For example in the raigne of king Henry the third and after the death of Benedict the Bishop of Rochester the Monkes made choise of one Henry Sanford that great wise Clerke which preached at Sittingbourne that such a day the soules of king Richard the first Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury and another Priest were deliuered out of Purgatory and no more soules that day but onely they three as God had reuealed it vnto him three seuerall times whereof when the Monkes of Christ-Church had intelligence they resisted the election challenging that the Pastorall staffe or Crosyer of Rochester ought of very right to be brought to their house after the decease of the Bishop and that the election ought to be made in their Chapiter The Monkes of Rochester maintained their owne choise and so the matter waxing warme betweene them it was at the length referred to the determination of the Archbishop he againe posted it ouer to certaine Delegates who hearing the parties and weighing the proofes gaue sentence with the Monkes of Rochester and yet lost as they thought good loue and amity among them But as the Poet saith Male sarta gratia nequicquam coit sed rescinditur Fauour that is euill peeced will not ioyne close but falleth asunder And therefore this their opinion failed them and their cure proued but to be patched for soone after the sore brake out anew and the Canterbury Monkes reuiued their displeasure with such a heat that Hubert of Burgh Earle of Kent and chiefe Iustice of England was driuen to come into the Chapter house and coole it and to worke a second reconciliation betweene them Neither for all that as it may seeme was that flame quite extinguished For not long after viz. Ann. 1238. the Monkes of Christ-Church seeing that they themselues could not preuaile intituled their Archbishop Edmund with whom also the Rochester Monkes waged law at Rome before the holy Father as touching the election of Richard Wendeouer whom they would haue had Bishop by the space of three whole yeares together and at the length either through the equitie of the cause or the weight of their purse saith my Author ouerthrew him vpon Saint Cuthberts day in ioy whereof they returned home with all hast and enacted in their Chapter house that from thenceforth for euer Saint Cuthberts feast as a Trophey of their victory should be holden double both in their Church and Kitchin And not thus onely but otherwise also hath the See at Rochester well holden her owne for during the whole succession of fourescore Bishops and one as I haue said before which in right line haue followed Iustus she hath continually maintained her chaire at this one place whereas in most parts of the Realme besides the Sees of the Bishops haue suffered sundrie translations by reason that in the Conquerours time order was taken that such Bishops as before had their Churches in countrey Townes and Villages should forthwith remoue and from thenceforth remaine in walled Townes and Cities which ordinance could not by any meanes touch Rochester that was a walled Citie long time before king Williams gouernment Here endeth the Diocesse of Rochester ANCIENT FVNERALL MONVMENTS WITHIN THE Diocesse of LONDON AS before I haue said somewhat of the Cities of Canterbury and Rochester so giue me leaue to speak a little of this great Citie of London collected out of as well ancient as moderne writers And first I will borrow a few lines from Iohn Iohnston before remembred sometimes Professour of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of S. Andrewes in Scotland who in a graue note and serious stile compiled certaine Latine verses in praise of this our Metropolis or soueraigne Citie of this Island Which I finde to be translated by Philemon Holland thus This Citie well Augusta call'd to which a truth to say Aire Land Sea and all Elements shew fauour euery way The weather no where milder is the ground most rich to see Doth yeeld all fruits of fertile soile that neuer spent will be And Ocean that with Tams streame his flowing tide doth blend Conueyes to it commodities all that
Brute farre by West beyond the Gallike land is found An Isle which with the ocean seas inclosed is about Where Giants dwelt sometime but now is desart ground Most meet where thou maiest plant thy selfe with all thy rout Make thitherwards with speed for there thou shalt finde out An euer-during seat and Troy shall rise anew Vnto thy race of whom shall kings be borne no doubt That with their mighty power the world shall whole subdew Brute was no sooner awaked then that he related this his dreame or vision to such of his companie as he thought requisite to be acquainted with such a matter of importance after great reioycing and ceremonious thanksgiuing they ioyntly resolued to seeke out this fortunate Island and so returned to their ships with great ioy and gladnesse as men put in comfort to finde out the wished seats for their firme and sure habitations prophesied and promised vnto them by the Oracle not long after Per varios casus per tot discrimina rerum Passing through many dangers by sea by land 'mongst strangers They landed at Totnes in Deuonshire about the yeare of the world 2855. and before Christs natiuitie 1108. Of which M. Drayton Polyol Song 1. Mye Britaine-sounding Brute when with his puissant fleete At Totnesse first he toucht Brute hauing taken a view of this Island and destroyed all such as stood against him commanded that the Isle should be called Brutaine which before was called Albion peopled with gyants and the inhabitants thereof Britaines or Brutaines allusiuely after his owne name Within a short time after his arriuall he laid the foundation of a Citie which he named Troynouant or new Troy now London vpon a plot of ground lying on the North side of the riuer of Thames which he built in remembrance of that noble City of Troy from whence hee and his people were descended as also to bee the seat Royall and chiefe Chamber of his imperiall kingdome He also built a Temple to the honour of his Pagan Gods and Goddesses Which stood by coniecture in the same place where now this Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul is erected in which idolatrous Archflamen he bequeathed his body to be buried Here in his new Citie when he had established certaine lawes teaching his people to liue after a ciuill order and fashion also to build townes and villages to worship the Gods to till and plow the earth to weare apparrell to anoint and trimme their bodies and to be short to liue after an humane manner and had holden the regiment of this kingdome right nobly the space of twenty and foure yeares hee departed the world Hauing parted his dominions into three parts amongst his three sonnes Locrine Camber and Albanact with condition that the two younger brethren should hold of the eldest and to him doe homage and fealtie Brute tooke shippe and arriued in Albion Where Diane said should been his habitation And when he came the coasts of it vpon He was full glad and made great exultacion And afterwards vpon the alteration of the name of Albion the building of London the establishing of his lawes the diuision of his Empire as also of his death and buriall the same Author hath these verses This Brutus thus was king in regalite And after his name he called this Ile Briteyn And all his menne by that same egalite He called Briteynes as croniclers all saine So was the name of this ilke Albion All sette on side in Kalandes of a change And putte awaye with great confusion And Briteyn hight so furth by new exchange After Brutus The citee great of Troynouaunt so faire He buylded then on Thamys for his delite Vnto the North for his dwellyng and for his most repaire Whiche is to saie in our language perfite New Troy In whiche throughout his peace and law he sette Whiche been the floures of all regalite With out whiche but if thei twoo be mette There may no Prince hold principalite Ne endure long in worthy dignite For if those twoo be nought vpholden than What is a kyng more worth then his liege man This kyng Brute kepte well this Isle in peace And sette his lawes of Troye with orders rites And consuetudes that might the land encreace Such as in Troye was most profittes Vnto the folke and the common profettes He made theim wryten for long rememory To rule the Isle by theim perpetually His menne he did rewarde full royally With lands and rentes that with hym suffred pain And Troynouaunt he made full specially An Archflaume his sea Cathedrall certain A Temple thereof Apolyne to opteyne By Troyane lawe of all such dignite As Archbyshop hath now in his degre This kyng Brutus made people faste to tylle The land aboute in places both farre and nere And sowe with sede and get them corne full wele To liue vpon and haue the sustenaunce clere And so in fields both farre and nere By his wysdome and his sapience He sette the lande in all suffycience And as the fate of death doth assigne That nedes he muste his ghoost awaye relees To his goddas Dyane he did resigne His corps to be buryed withouten lees In the Temple of Apolline to encreace His soule amonge the goddes euerychone After his merites tronized high in trone It is said saith Sir Edward Coke to the Reader of the third part of his Reports that Brutus the first king of this land as soone as hee had setled himselfe in his kingdome for the safe and peaceable gouernment of his people wrote a booke in the Greeke tongue calling it The Lawes of the Britanes and he collected the same out of the Lawes of the Troianes Brute died after the Creation 2806. yeares before the Incarnation 1103. Samuel then Iudge of Israel Robert of Glocester my old Mss. hath these rimes touching some passages in this History of Brute Brute wende fory in ye lond and espied vp and doun For to seche a fair plas to mak an heued toun He com and fond vpe Temese a place fair ynough A good contre and plenteuous and yuder his herte drough Yat shippes out of eche londe myght bryng good ywys Yer he rerd hys chefe toun yat London cleped ys Yet so ne cleped he it nought but for honour and ioye Yat he from Troie comen was he cleped it new Troye Bruit yis ilke noble Prince Sones had thre By his wyff Ignogent noble men and fre Locryn and Camber and Albanack also Atte last diede Brut. Yo thys was ydo Aftur yat he com into Engelond ye xxiiii yere I buryed he was at London yat he lette furst arere Thus much of king Brute as the brute of him goes and as the vulgar receiued opinion is the maine points of his story being brought into queâ—stion by many of our learned authenticall writers The Conquerour William brought with him from Roane in Normandy certaine Iewes whose posterity here inhabiting within the prime Cities of the kingdome
Noster and an Aue. The pictures of Robert Agnes and Ioan inlaid in brasse seeme thus to speake Sancta Trinitas vnus Deus miserere nobis Et Ancillis tuis sperantibus in te O mater Dei memento mei Iesu mercy Lady help Robert Traps died the yeare 1526. this Robert had a daughter by Ioan his second wife married to one Frankland whose name was Iodoca I thinke Ioice an especiall Benefactour to Brasen-nose Colledge in Oxford as the principall the Fellowes and Schollars of that house do thankfully acknowledge by a faire Monument in the Northwall of the Chancell of this Church thus inscribed Felici piae et munificentissimae foeminae Iodocae Frankland viduatae filiae Roberti et Ioannae Trappes Londinensium Gratitudinis hoc officij et pietatis Monumentum adoptione filij Principalis et Scholares Collegij de Brasennose apud Oxoniens exhibuere Dilecti cineres non sic requiescitis vrnae In tenui vt vobis sola haec monumenta parantur Quae tandem vel sera dies pessundare possit Aenea vos monumenta â—egunt viuumque Trophaeum Aeternum meruistis enim viuumque Trophaeum Vobis vestra dedit Iodoca paerennius aere Nos etenim aeternumque omnes quos postera nobis Secla dabunt voces sumus immortale Sepulchrum Nomen Elisa tuum fama super aethera notum Aeâ—ternum magis atque magis post funera floret Vt Mater Patriae vicinis gentibus hospes Hostibus infestis terror pietatis Asylum Mitrati mastix Papae celebraris vbique Semper erit Britones inter clarissima Elisa Gloria dum Britonum atque Gens Angla vigebit Without this Church on the East end is engrauen this name Iohn Brokeitwell an especiall founder or new builder of the same and these rimes following Al yat wil gud warks wurch Prey for yem yat help thys Church Geuyng almys for cherite Pater Noster and Aue Saint Margaret Moses Prey for ye sowlygs of Michiel Forlace and Mary his wyf and in ye worschypp of God and our Lady for theyr Faders and Moders wyth ye sowlygs of al Christen of yowr cherite sey a Pater Noster and an Ave Maria Body I Mary Pawson ly below slepyng Soule I Mary Pawson sit aboue waking Both. Wee hope to meete againe wyth glory clothed Then Mary Pawson for euer blessed Saint Albons Woodstreet Here lyeth marmorate vndyr thys hepe of stoan Syr Harry Weuer Aldyrman and his Lady Dame Ioan. Thus worldly worschypp and honor wyth Fauour and fortun passyth day by day Who may wythstand deathys schorne when rych and por sche closyth in clay Wherfor to God hertelie we pray To pardon vs of our misdeed And help vs now in our most need Hic iacet in requie Woodcock Ion vir generosus Maior Londonie Mercerus valde morosus Miles qui fuerat ............. M. Domini mille centum quater ruit ille Cum x bis This Iohn Woodcock was Lord Maior Ann. Dom. 1405. in which his office he caused all the Weres in the Riuer of Thames from Stanes to the Riuer of Medway to be destroyed and the Trinks to be burned Saint Michaels Woodstreet Here lieth buried saith Stow the head of Iames the fourth King of Scots whose body bowelled rebollowed embalmed and inclosed in lead was conuayed from Flodden Field where he was slaine in battell the ninth of September being Friday 1513. by Thomas Howard Earle of Surry Lieutenant Generall of the English Army to this Citie of London presented to Queene Katherine and from hence sent to the Monastery of Shine in Surrey where it was regally interred Since the dissolution of which house in the dayes of king Edward the sixth I haue beene shewed saith hee the same body so wrapped in lead throwne into a waste roome amongst old timber stone lead and other rubble and further to shew the occasion of the buriall of his head here in this Church he declareth that the seruants of Lancelot Young Glasier to the late Queene Elizabeth being at Shine in new glasing the windowes either vpon a foolish pleasure or desire of the lead cut the head from the rest but smelling the sweete perfumes of the balmes gaue it to their Master who opening the head found therein the head of a man retaining fauour though the moysture were cleane dried vp whose haire both of Head and Beard was red which after he had well viewed and a while kept he caused to bee buried in Saint Michaels Woodstreet London the Church of the Parish wherein himselfe dwelled That the Head of this valorous King lieth here inhumed wee must beleeue the words of the Relator for I finde no Monument or outward apparance of it in the Church That his body not found till the day after the battell and then not knowne or descried because of his many wounds saue onely by the Lord Dacres was interred amongst the Carthusians in the Priory of Shine at Richmond I haue out of an old Manuscript the testimony of a man which saw his Sepulchre the same yeare of his death in the said religious house these are his words out of the Lieger booke of Whalley Abbey Anno Domini M. VC.XIII Hoc anno Iacobus Scotie Rex in Borea triumphaliter ab Anglis Rege Henrico valido exercitu contra Gallos vltra Mare debellante interemptus est Cuius corpus quom hec scripserim quoniam membrum ab Ecclesia euulsum de hoc mundo abcesserit huc vsque in domo Cartusiensium apud Rychmund mortalibus miserandum spectaculum inhumatum iacet Qui vidit testimonium perhibuit Et verum est testimonium eius Yet notwithstanding all this Iohn Lesley Bishop of Rosse affirmeth that it was held for certaine that the body thus found by the Lord Dacres was the body of the Laird Bonehard then slaine in the battell and that King Iames was seene aliue the same night at Kelso whence he passed to Ierusalem and there spent the rest of his dayes in holy contemplation And another of later times also affirmeth the place of this kings buriall to bee as yet vnknowne King Henry the eight saith hee who subuerted so many Churches Monuments and Tombes lyeth inglorious at Windsor and neuer had the honour either of the Tombe which hee had prepared or of any Epitaph that I now remember But his Brother in law King Iames the fourth of Scotland slaine at Flodden though the place of his buriall is vnknowne yet had this honourable Epitaph Fama orbem replet mortem sors occulit at tu Desine scrutari quod tegit ossa solum Si mihi dent animo non impar fata Sepulchrum Augusta est tumulo terra Britanna meo And Iohn Ionston in his Historicall Inscriptions of the Scottish Kings confirmes the same opinion of the vncertaintie of the place of this Kings interrement Reade if you please the verses of that worthy man Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Saint
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
none and ye wolde turne therto Me seeth a bond mannes sone somtym a knyght bycome And of a grom a Squyer and aftur knyghts some And such ye haueth the forme of men beth men in alle wise And torneth yow to Manhede and kepeth youre Franchise So it followes how this Bishop went into little Britaine and entreated Aldroennus the king there to send ouer Constantine his brother with a certaine number of men by whose helpe the enemie might bee expelled which was granted and performed accordingly Fastidius Priscus succeeded him in the gouernement of this See who writ diuers bookes of diuine learning mentioned by Bale Hee was a sincere expositor of the sacred Scriptures and a painefull Preacher throughout the whole kingdome Cui abunde suppeditebant cum perbenigno ingenio excellens memoria morum integritas et vita incorrupta quibus cumulatissime caeteros suae gentis praecedebat verbi Praecones He flourished vnder Honorius and Theodosius Emperours 420. By an old namelesse Chronicle which I haue read one Ternekine succeeded Fastidius a piercing wise Prelate into matters of state and in speciall fauour with Aurelius Ambrose King of great Britaine but Vodinus followeth next in the catalogue a man of singular deuotion and good life who for reprehending King Vortigers vnlawfull marriage with Rowenna Hengists daughter his lawfull wife being then liuing was barbarously murdered by the said Hengist and with him many other Priests and religious Persons circa an 452. After the comming of the Saxons the succession of Archbishops was still continued in London for the space of many yeares but secretly euen vntill the time that S. Gregorie sent Augustine hither I finde onely one of them named to wit Theonus who with Thadiocus or Tadiacus of which I haue spoken before in Rochester Bishop of Yorke taking their Clergie with them got them into Wales and Cornewall to the rest of their countrimen whom the Saxons had lately driuen thither this man did not write himselfe Archbishop which is one cause of some controuersie amongst our Historiographers Saint Michaels Cornehill Here lyeth Robert Fabian Alderman and Sheriffe of London who composed a laborious Chronicle of England and France with the monuments and the succession of the Lord Maiors of London and died Anno Dom. 1511. for whom this Epitaph was made now altogether defaced Like as the day his course doth consume And the new morrow springeth againe as fast So man and woman by Natures custome This life to passe at last in earth are cast In ioy and sorrow which here their time doe wast Neuer in one state but in course transitorie So full of change is of this world the glory Hic iacet in tumulo Doctor venerabilis Hugo Dauset olim Rector vere fideique protector M C quater .x. ter ix sit et I sex Aprilisque die ter I V semel I migrat ille Here vndyr was beryed Robart Barnes by name Citizon of London and Mercer of the same And this is written that others may remembyr How godly he departed the twentyth on of Nouembyr ................... Here lyth the body of Iohn Bootes wiff Dissoluyd by deth to her fyrst matter dust Who from the cares of this world departyd her liff The twenty third day of the monyth of August On thowsand fyue hundryd and seuen beyng threescore yeerys old iust Saint Benets Grasse Church Prey for the saulygs of Henry Denne and Ioan his wyf theyr fadyrs theyr modyrs Bredyrs and good frendys and of al Christian saulygs Iesu haue mercy Amen who departyd this lif .... M. cccc.lxxxxi Saint Bartholomewes exchange Vpon an old Tombe the defunct thus seemeth to pray Exte vite principium per te vite remedium In te vite solatium da nobis vite premium Genitor ineffabilis ipsius prolis Paracliti consimilis memento vite fragilis This monument by relation was made to the memorie of Thomas Pike Alderman who with the assistance of Nicholas Yoo one of the Sheriffes of this Citie about the yeare 1438. new builded this Church Hic ..... Willielmus Capel .... Maior Lon ... fil Iohannis Capel ... Neyland in com ... ob ... 1509. Out of this broken Inscription I fynde this whole history how that Sir Richard Empson Knight a Sieue-makers sonne in Tocester and Edmund Dudley Esquire both Lawiers were two instruments for King Henry the seuenth to enrich his and their owne coffers and to empouerâ—sh the subiects by way of calling the richer sort into question for breach of old moth eaten vnreuiued penall Lawes amongst many others whom they most treacherously abused by a false packt Iurie they scruzed from this Sir William Capell aboue sixteene hundred pounds and some twelue or thirteene yeeres after they were at him againe afresh for two thousand pounds more which because he would not pay he was commanded by Dudley Prisoner to the Tower but by the death of the said King which happened the same yeere he was released both of imprisonment and payment in which yeere he also departed this world in the loue of all good men leauing a great inheritance and an honourable remembrance to his posteritie and not long after Empson and Dudley cater-pillers of the common-wealth hatefull to all good people were beheaded on the Tower hill the 17. of August 1510. leauing behinde them nothing they could dispose of for their heires saue the staine of euerlasting infamie He lyeth here entombed in a Chappell of his owne Foundation he was the sonne of Iohn Capell of Stoke Neyland in the county of Suffolke Saint Bennets Finke O God the father of heauyn which art the euerlastyng lyght Haue mercy on the sowl of me poor Water Knyght Who departyd this lyf the monyth of Ianuary In the yere of my Redemer on M .... and fifty Borne I was in Canterbery in the County of Kent Sonne to on Iohn Knyght and Alyse his wife this is verament And to be short all worldly things to confound Of the Earth I was made and to the Earth I am retournd Within this Parish was the Hospitall of Saint Anthony sometime a cell belonging to Saint Anthonies of Vienna founded by King Henry the third for a Master two Priests one Schoolemaster and twelue poore men the reuenewes of this house were much augmented and the number of the houshold increased by King Henry the sixt and Edward the fourth to which Iohn Tate Mercer was a right bountifull benefactor who was here entombed vnder a faire monument he died Anno 1514. and so was VVater Champion Sheriffe of London 1529. who was here buried The lands by yeare of this Hospitall were valued in the 37. yeare of Henry the eight to be 55 l. sixe shillings 8 d. Stow in his Suruay saith that one Iohnson Schoole-master of this Hospitall and Prebend of Windsor spoiled both the Schoole and Hospitall and the Quire of the Church conuayed away the Plate and ornaments then the Bels
house of Conuerts in Chancerie lane anciently called New-streete now knowne by the name of the Rolles Henry the third about the twentieth yeare of his raigne built this house for the Iewes conuerted to be conuerted to the faith of Christ these are the words in his grant Rex Archiepiscopis c. Sciatis nos intuitu Dei et pro salute anime nostre et animarum antecessorum et heredum meorum concessisse et hac charia nostra consirmasse pro nobis et heredibus nostris domum quam fundari fecimus in vico qui vocatur New-streete inter vetus Templum et nouum London ad sustentationem Fratrum conuersorum et conuertendorum de Iudaismo ad fidem catholicam c. hijs Testibus venerabilibus patribus W. Kaerl et W. exon episcopis H. de Burgo Comite Kantiâ— Radulpho filio Nicholai Godfrido de Crancumbe Iohanne filio Philip Amaurico de sancto Aumundo Willielmo de Picheford Galfrido de Cauz et alijs dat per manum ve P. R cicestrens Cancellar nostri apud Westminst 19. die April But this Foundation did not continue long for Edward the first his sonne in the eighteenth yeare of his raigne banished all the Iewes out of England confiscating all their goods and leauing them nothing but money barely to beare their charges King Edward the third appointed this house for the custody of the Rolles and Records of the Chancerie giuing the same by his charter to one William Burstall as then master of that Office and his Successors In the Chappell of this house Iohn Yong Doctor of both Lawes and master of the Rolles lieth entombed with this Inscription Io. Yong. LL. Doctori sacror scrinior ac hius Domus custodi Decano olin Ebor vita defuncto xxv Aprilis sui fideles Executores hoc posuerunt M.D.xvj. Besides which vpon an old table hanging by are written in text hand these verses following Dominus firmamentum meum Hic iacet ille Iohannes Yong cognomine dignus Tali quod nunquam marcesceret vtpote charus Omnibus apprime summo testante dolore Quem neque celabant neque dissimulare valebant Dum sternit iuuenem mors immatura labentem Quis non defleret iuuenis miserabile fatum Ex quo multorum pendebat vita salusque Horum inquam inprimis quos ille benignus alebat Impensis donec vitales carperet auras Nec satis illi erat hoc priuatis consuluisse Rebus quinetiam prudenter publica gessit Munia siue forensia siue etiam extera summa Cum laude illa quidem dum sacris presuit olim Scrinijs haec vero Legati functus honore Saint Stephens Chappell This was a religious Structure first begun by King Stephen and afterwards finished and her reuenewes greatly augmented by King Edward the third in which he placed a Deane twelue Canons secular as many Vicars and other Ministers who had their lodgings in Canon Row now the habitations of diuers Noblemen and Gentlemen These are the words of King Edwards Grant In dei nomine Amen Edwardus dei gratia c. Salutem Capellam quandam speciosam in Palatio nostro apud Westmonasterium situatam in honorem beati Stephani Prothomartyris per progenitores nostros nobiliter inchoatam nostris sumptibus regijs fecimus consummari in qua ad honorem omnipotentis dei et specialiter beatissime Genetricis eius Marie et dicti Martyris ordinamus volumus constituimus et aucthoritate nostra regia perpeiou stabilimus Quod sint exeuntes Decanus vnus et duodecim canonici seculares cum tuum Hospitium nostrum magnum in strata de Lumbard-street ciuitatis nostre London situatum vna cum Patronatibus et aduocationibus Ecclesiarum Perochialium de Dewesburie et Wakefeeld Ebor. Dioces assignamus donemus c. Teste meipso apud VVestmonaster sexto die Augusti An. Regni nostri vicesimo secundo Regni vero nostri Francie nono The reuenewes wherewith King Edward endowed this couent amounted to the value of fiue hundred pounds by yeare and at the suppression the whole foundation was rated to be yeerely worth as I haue it in the catalogue of Religious houses one thousand fourescore and fiue pound ten shillings fiue pence This Chappell serueth now for the lower house of Parliament Westminster Abbey CAmden out of Sulcardus reporteth that here sometime stood an Idoll Temple dedicated to Apollo ouerthrowne by an earthquake about the yeare of grace 153. Of the ruines of which Sebert King of the East Saxons erected another Temple for the seruice of the liuing God and consecrated the same to Saint Peter about the yeare 610. neere about the time of the building of Paules Mellitus as then being Bishop of London and Austin of Canterbury which agrees with these words in the charter of Edward the Confessor Basilica sancti Petri VVestmon edificata fuit antiquitus sub Mellito Londonie primo Episcopo socio et contemporaneo Sancti Augustini primi Cantuar Archiepiscopi et per ipsum beatum Petrum Angelico famulante seruicio sancte crucis impressione et sacre Trinitatis perunctione dedicata to which effect will it please you peruse these verses following King Ethelbert Sainct Poules edefied And King Sebert Westminster founded Mellito theim both halowed and blessified Austin then made Clerke full well grounded Afterwards this Church being destroyed by the Danes Dunstan Bishop of London reedified it about the yeare of Christ 960. and made here a monastery for twelue Monkes After him Edward the confessor with the tenth penny of all his reuenewes built it new for to be his owne Sepulture and a Monastery for Benedictin Monkes endowing it with liuings and â—ands lying disperst in diuers parts of England But after an hundred and threescore yeeres King Henry the third subuerted this Fabricke of King Edwards and built from the very Foundation a new Church of very faire workemanship supported with sundry rowes of Pillars The new erke atte UUestmynster the Kyng tho gauune anon Aftur his coronyng and leyd the ferst ston which the Abbots enlarged very much toward the west end and King Henry the seauenth for the buriall onely of himselfe his children and their posterity adioyned thereunto a Chappell which in regard of the beauty and curious contriued worke thereof is called of Leland Orbis miraculum the wonder of the world The first stone of this admirable Structure consecrated to the honour of the blessed Virgine was laid by the hands of Iohn Islip Abbot of this monastery Sir Reginald Bray Knight of the Garter and others in the 18 yeare of his raigne the 24 day of Ianuary vpon which stone this Inscription was engrauen Illustrissimus Henricus Septimus Rex Anglie et Francie et Dominus Hibernie posuit hanc Petram in honore beate virginis Marie xxiiij die Ianâ—aarij anno Domini M. ccccc 11 et anno dicti Regis Henrici septimi decimo octauo Harpsfeeld sometime Archdeacon
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
Regi Scotie centum sexaginta et quindecim libras pro expensis suis per quinque Septimanas viz. singulis diebus centum solidos in veniendo ad nos vsque Westmonaster ad mandatum nostrum et inde ad partes suas redeundo Et nosea vobis ad Scaccarium nostrum saciemus allocari Teste meipso apud Windesore 26 die Augusti Anno Regni nostri 2. Claus. An. 2. Ed 1. Memb. 44. The said King Alexander comes accordingly to his Brothers Coronation which was in September 1275 guarded with a goodly troupe of Knights and Gentlemen at which solemnity also were present Iohn Duke of Britaine who had married Beatrice his second sister Eleanor his mother with multitudes of Peeres and others and for the more royall celebration of this great Feast and honour of so martiall a King there were fiue hundreth great horses let loose euery one to take them for his owne who could Of which out of an old oreworne Manuscript a piece as followeth King Edward was coronyd and anoyntyd as ryghte heyre of Engelond withe moche honor and worsschyp And aftur Masse the Kyng went to hys Paleys for to holde a ryall feste amonges them that hym had doon seruyse and worsschyp And whanne he was set at hys mete Kyng Alexandre of Scotland come to doo hym seruyse and worsschyp wyth a queyntyse and an hondryd knyghtes with hym horsed and arayd And whanne they weren lyght of theyr horse they let theyr horse goon whether they wolde and they that wolde take them hadde them to their owne behofe wythoute any chalange And aftyr that come Syr Edmond King Edwardes Broder a curtayse Knyght and a gentyll of renâ—on and the Erle of Cornwayle and the Erle of Glowcesire And aftyr theym come the Erle of Penbroke and the Erle of Warren and eche of them ledde on theyr hondes be them selfe an hordryd knights disgyse in their armes And whan they weren alyght of their horse they lete them goo whedyr they wolde and they that cowde them take hadde them stylle at theyr owne lyking And whanne all this was doon Kyng Edward dyd hys dyligens and hys myght to amende the Relme and redresse the wronges in the best maner to the honor of God and profyte to the crowne and to holy cherche and to amende the anoyance of the comon peple The worthiest knyght he was of alle the world of honor and worsschyp for the grace of God was in hym and euer hadde the vyctory of hys enemyes Expugnauit Saracenos Francos Scotos Wallenses et perfidos christianos et quicquid regale glorie et honori tam in actibus quam in moribus competit in ipso potuit reperiri He vanquished the Sarasines the French the Scots the Welsh and perfidious Christians and whatsoeuer appertained to Regall glory and honour as well in actions as in condition state and princely deportment was in him to be found Dum viâ—it Rex et valuit sua magna potestas Fraus latuit pax magna fuit regnauit honestas Saith an old Latin Rimer of this King which is thus translated into the like English While lyued thys Kynge By hys powre all thynge Was in good plyghte For gyle was hydde Great peace was kydde And honeste had myghte Scotos Edward dum vixit suppeditauit Tenuit afflixit depressit dilaniauit Whilst Edward liu'd the Scots he still kept vnder Bridled deprest debased rent asunder Yet here giue me leaue to tell my Reader maugre this our English Rimer that the valiant Scots did not alwaies suffer King Edward to scape scotfree for hee laying siege to the strong Towne of Berwicke they defended it manfully bet the English men backe and burnt some of the English Ships vpon which their fortunate enterprise in derision of our King they made this mockish rime doggerell Wenyth kyng Edward with the long shankys To haue goten Berwyk all oure vnthankys Goos Pyke hym And aftyr that Gas dyke him This scornefull dittie came no sooner to king Edwards eares then that through his mighty strength he passed dikes assailed the Towne and wan it with the death of fifteene thousand Scots our writers report more but nothing is more vncertaine then the number of the slaine in battaile and after that the Castles of Dunbarre Roxborough Edenborough Sterling and Saint Iohns Towne wonne or yeelded vnto him vpon the winning of the Castle of Dunbarre by a fierce and cruell battaile some Ballad maker or other in the Armie made these meeters in reproach of the Scots These scaterynge Scottes We holde for sottes Of wrenkes vnware Erly in a morwenynge In an euyll tymynge Went they from Dunbarre Another bloudy battaile he had with the Scots at Foukirke wherein are reported to be slaine two hundred knights and forty thousand foote of the Scots Some haue threescore and ten thousand some threescore thousand the scottish footmen valorously fighting as it were to the last man Vpon these victories king Edward endeauours to extinguish if it were possible the very memory of the Nation abolishing all their ancient lawes traducing their Ecclesiasticall rites to the custome of England dispoiling them of their Histories their instruments of State their antique monuments left either by the Romanes or erected by themselues transporting all their Bookes and Bookemen into England Sending to Westminster the marble stone wherein as the vulgar were perswaded the Fate of the kingdome consisted of which will you please to take this Stanza out of Harding And as he came homewarde by Skone awaye The Regall thereof Scotlande then he brought And sent it forth to Westmynster for aye To be there in a cheire clenely wrought For a masse preast to sytte in when he ought Whiche there was standyng besyde the shryne In a cheire of olde time made full fyne A litle more of this marble stone out of Robert of Glocester Scottes ycâ—upyd wer Aftur a woman that Scote hyghte the dawter of Pharaon Yat broghte into Scotlond a whyte marble ston Yat was ordeyned for hure kyng whan he coroned wer And for a grete Iewyll long hit was yholde ther Kyng Edward wyth the lang Shankes fro Scotland hit fette Besyde the Shryne of Seynt Edward at Westminstre 〈◊〉 hâ—â—te sâ—tte Vpon the Chaire wherein the stone is inclosed this famous propheticall Distichon is inscribed Ni fallat vatum Scoti hunc quocunque locatum Invenient lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem If Fates goe right where ere this stone is pight The Regall race of Scots shall rule that place Which by whomsoeuer it was written we who now liue finde it happily accomplished Of the worthinesse of this our matchlesse King will it please you heare a little from a late Writer namely M. Drayton in the seuenteenth Song of Polyolbion This long-liu'd Prince expyr'd the next succeeded he Of vs that for a God might well related be Our Longshanks Scotlands scourge who to the Orcads taught His Scepter and with him from
the very Prime and flower of his age inured to many a warre and exercised in most dangerous troubles of the state whiles she framed and fitted him for the Empire of Britaine which he being once crowned King mannaged and gouerned in such wise that hauing subdued the Welsh and vanquished the Scots hee may most iustly bee counted a chiefe ornament and honour of Britaine Amongst other admonitions and precepts which he gaue to his sonne Edward after him king of England vpon his death bed he charged him that he should carry his Fathers bones about with him in some Coffin till he had marched through all Scotland and subdued all his enemies for that none should bee able to ouercome him while his Skeleton marched with him thinking belike that the care to preserue them from enemies would make a Sonne fight nobly Moreouer he commanded the said Prince That whereas himselfe by the continuall new attempts of Bruce king of Scotland could not in person according to his vow make warre in the Holy-land therefore he should send his Heart thither accompanied with seuenscore knights and their retinues for whose support he had prouided thirty and two thousand pounds of siluer That his Heart being so by them conuayed he did hope in God that all things there would prosper with them Lastly That vpon paine of eternall damnation the said money should not be expended vpon any other vses Sed filius immorigerus patris mandata negligit But the disobedient Sonne little regarded the commandement of his Father He died the seuenth of Iuly the yeare aforesaid his body was conuayed to this Abbey and accompanied most of the way with the Popes Legate the reuerend Bishops and most of the English Nobilitie where it was interred with that state as became the person of so potent a Prince And such was the care of his Successours to keepe his body from corruption as that the Searecloth wherein his embalmed body was enwrapt was often renewed as doth appeare vpon Record thus Rex Thesaurario Camerarijs suis Salutem Mandamus vobis quod Ceram existentem circa corpus celebris memorie Domini Edwardi nuper Regis Anglie progenitoris nostri filij Regis Henrici in Ecclesia beati Petri Westm. humatum de denarijs nostris renovari facietis prout hactenus fieri constituit Teste Rege apud Westm. xi die Iulij Claus. 1. Ric. 2. Memb. 41 Certaine rimes or verses are annexed to his Tombe as followeth Mors est inesta nimis magnos que iungit in imis Maxima mors minimis coniungens vltima primis Nullus in orbe fuit homo viuens nec valet esse Qui non morte ruit est hinc exire necesse Nobilis fortis tibi tu considere noli Omnia sunt mortis sibi subdit singula soli De mundi medio magnum mors impia mouit Anglia pre tedio satis anxia plangere novit Corruit Edwardus vario veneratus honore Rex nuper vt Nardus fragrans virtutis odore Corde Leopardus invictus absque pauore Ad rixam tardus discretus eucharis ore Viribus armorum quasi Gigas ardua gessit Colla superborum prudens per prelia pressit Inter Flandrenses fortuna sibi bene fauit Vt quoque Wallenses Scotos suppeditauit Rex bonus absque pari strenue sua regna regebat Quod natura dari potuit bonitatis habebat Actio iustitie pax regni sanctio legis Et fuga nequitie premunt precordia Regis Gloria tota ruit Regem capit hec modo fossa Rex quandoque fuit nunc nil nisi puluis et ossa Filius ipse Dei quem corde colebat et ore Gaudia fecit ei nullo permista dolore The which verses saith Fabian to the entent that they should be had in minde and also that the reader might haue the more desire to ouer-reade them I haue therefore set them out in Baladde Royall after my rude making as followeth This sorrowfull deth which bryngeth great full low And moost and leest he ioyneth into one Thys man to whome his pere was not y knowe Hath now subdued nat sparyng hym alone Whyche of all order thys world to ouergone None was to be spared of so great equyte As he yf any for noblesse spared shuld be Therfore thou noble or myghty trust none oder grace But thou shalt pay to deth thy naturall dette And lyke as he from thys world did chace Thys mighty Prynce and from his frendys fette For whome all Englond loude mourned and grette So shalt thou and oder in deths snare fall None shall escape to reckyn kyndes all Edward wyth many and dyuers graces endowed And like as Nardus most sweetest of odoure In smellynge passyth and moost he is allowed Of all swete odours so dyd this knyghtly floure By vertuous artes surmounte in honoure All oder Prynces whose hert was Lybar delyke And without fere were he hole or syke Thys Prynce was slowe to all maner of stryfe Discrete and wise and trewe of his worde In armys a Geaunt terme of all his lyfe Excelling actes doing by dynte of the sworde Subduyd the proud of prudence he bore the horde Of Flaunders by fate he had great amyte And Walshe and Scottes by strength subduyd he This good King perelesse his landes firmly gyded What nature might giue he failed in nothynge No parte of bounte from his was discided He was iustice and peace and of lawe stablishyng And chaser of iniquyte by his vertuous liuyng In whome these graces with innumerable mo Fermly were roted that deth hath tane vs fro That whylom was a Kyng now is but duste and bone All glory is fallen and this pitte kepeth the kynge But he that yeldeth all thing by his one The Sonne of God to whom aboue all thynge With herte and mouth he did all worsshyppyng That Lord of his ioy perdurable to laste Graunt him sorrowlesse euermore to taste All Kings haue long hands alluding to the extensure of their Regall gouernement of which Ouid in one of his Epistles thus An nescis longas Regibus esse manus This King had also long legges and a longis tibijs surnamed hee was Longshankes But I stray beyond my limits his vertues haue taken me prisoner and detained me much longer then I expected let me take liberty to conclude with these verses in commendation of his valour out of the fore-remembred additions to Robert of Glocester Edward the furst reguyd than truly The son he was of Kyng Harry He conquered than all Scotlond Ano toke Irlond into hys hond And was callyd that tym Conqueror God yiue hys soul mych honor In hys tym he made subiecte Alwalys and put them vndre yecke He behedyd thilke sam tym The Prynce of UUalys Lewellyn Iewes that tym withouten doute Of this lond wer clere put oute Atte Westmynstre he had hy burying xxxv yere he reguyd kyng Here lieth entombed Eleanor his first wife Queene
than to Henauld for a wife A Bishop and other Lordes temporall Wher in Chaumbre prevy and secretife At discouerit dischenely also in all As semyng was to estate Virginall Emong theim selfes our lordes for hie prudence Of the Bishop asked counsaill and sentence Whiche daughter of fiue should be the Queene Who counsailled thus with sad auisement Wee will haue hir with good hippis I mene For she will bere good soonnes at myne entent To which thei all accorded by one assent And chase Philip that was full feminine As the Bishop moost wise did determine But then emong theim selfes thei laugh fast ay The lordes than saied the Bishop couth Full mekill skill of a woman al way That so couth chese a lady that was vncouth And for the mery woordes that came of his mouth Thei trowed he had right great experience Of womanes rule and hir conuenience Now what experience this Bishop had in womens conueniency of bringing forth children I know not but it so fell out that she had issue by her said husband King Edward seuen sonnes and fiue daughters borne for the glory of our Nation 1. Edward Prince of Wales borne at Woodstocke 2. William borne at Hatfield in the County of Hertford 3. Lionell borne at the Citie of Antwerpe Duke of Clarence 4. Iohn borne at Gaunt the chiefe Towne of Flanders Duke of Lancaster 5. Edmond surnamed of Langley Duke of Yorke 6. William another of their Sonnes surnamed of Windsore where he was borne 7. Thomas the youngest sonne of King Edward and Queene Philip surnamed of Woodstocke the place of his birth Duke of Glocester Daughters 1. Isabell the eldest Daughter was married with great pompe at Windsore to Ingelram of Guisnes Lord of Coucy Earle of Soissoms and after Archduke of Austria whom king Edward his Father in law created also Earle of Bedford 2. Ioane desired in marriage by solemne Embassage from Alphons king of Castile and Leon sonne of king Ferdinando the fourth was espoused by Proxie intituled Queene of Spaine conueyed into that countrey where she presently deceased of a great plague that then raigned 3. Blanch the third daughter died young and lieth buried in this Abbey Church 4. Mary the fourth daughter was married to Iohn Montford Duke of Britaine 5. Margaret their youngest daughter was the first wife of Iohn de Hastings Earle of Penbroke It is reported of this Queene saith Milles that when she perceiued her life would enâ— she requested to speake with the King her husband who accordingly came to her in great heauinesse being come she tooke him by the hand and after a few words of induction shee prayed him that hee would in no wise deny her in three requests First that all Merchants and others to whom she ought any debt whether on this side or beyond the seas might be payd and discharged Secondly that all such promises as she had made to Churches as well within the realme as without might be performed Thirdly that hee would be pleased whensoeuer God should call him to chuse none other Sepulchre but that wherein her body should be layed all which were performed and so I leaue them both lying in one Graue expecting a ioyfull resurrection Richard the second King of England and France Lord of Ireland sonne to Edward Prince of Wales by Ioane daughter to the Earle of Kent being depriued both of liuing and life by that popular vsurper Henry the 〈…〉 by his commandement obscurely buried at Langley in Hertfortshire in the Church of the Friers Predicants was by the appointment of Henry the fift remoued from thence with great honour in a Chaire royall himselfe and his nobilitie attending the sacred reliques of this annointed King which he solemnly here enterred amongst his ancestors and founded perpetually one day euery weeke a Dirge with nine Lessons and a morning masse to be celebrated for the soule of the said King Richard and vpon each of those daies sixe shillings eight pence to be giuen to the poore people and once euery yeare vpon the same day of his Anniuerse twentie pounds in pence to be distributed to the most needfull He made for him a glorious Tombe and this glosing Epitaph deciphering the lineaments of his body and qualities of mind which to any who knowes vpon what points he was put out of Maiestie and State may seeme strange if not ridiculous thus it runnes Prudens et mundus Richardus iure secundus Per fatum victus iacet hic sub marmore pictus Verax sermone prudens suit et ratione Corpore procerus animo prudens vt Homerus Ecclesie fauit elatos suppeditauit Quemuis prostrauit Regalia qui violauit O bruit hereticos et eorum strauit amicos O clemens christe tibi deuotus suit iste Votis Baptiste salues quem protulit iste Hic iacet immiti consumptus morte Richardus fuisse felicem miserrimum Fabian who translated this Epitaph into English desirous as it seemes to extenuate the force of such palpable grosse flattery annexeth this stanza But yet alas although this meter or ryme Thus doth embellish this noble Princes fame And that some Clerke which fauored him somtyme Lâ—st by his cunnyng thus to enhanse his name Yet by his story appereth in him some blame Wherfore to Princes is surest memory Their lyues to exercyse in vertuous constancy But Iohn Harding speaking of the greatnesse of his houshold and the pride and whoredome therein as well amongst the Clergie as Laitie is more inuectiue in his rimes which to reade I hope will not be troublesome thus he begins Truly I herd Robert Ireleffe saye Clerke of the Grenecloth and that to the Houshold Came euery daye forthe most partie alwaye Ten thousand folke by his messis told That folowed the hous aye as thei wold And in the Kechin three hundred Seruitours And in eche office many occupiours And Ladies faire with their gentlewomen Chamberers also and lauenders Three hundred of theim were occupied then There was greate pride emong the Officers And of all men far passyng their compeers Of rich araye and much more costious Then was before or sith and more pretious In his Chappell were Bishoppes then of Beame Some of Irelond and some also of France Some of Englond and clerkes of many a realme That litill connyng had or conisance In musike honorably God his seruice to auance In the Chappell or in holy Scripture On mater of Goddis to refigure Lewed menne thei were in clerkes clothyng Disguysed faire in fourme of clerkes wise Their Perishyns full litill enfourmyng In Lawe diuine or else in God his seruise But right practyfe they were in couetise Eche yere to make full greate collection At home in stede of soules correction Greate Lechery and fornication Was in that house and also greate aduoutree Of Paramours was great consolacion Of ech degre well more of Prelacie Then of the temporall or of the chiualrie Greate taxe ay the kyng tooke through all the lond
septimi nec non Thesaurarius Hospitij reuerendissimi Patris domini huius regni Cancellarij titulo Sancte Cecilie trans Tiberim sacro sancte Romane Ecclesie Presbyteri Cardinalis ordinati Qui quidem Willelmus ob 3. Iulij 1518. Here is an Epitaph cut in Brasse vpon a marble stone now almost worne out which was made to the memory of one Robert Haule Esquire murdered in this Church the manner whereof our Chronicles doe thus briefely relate In the battell of Nazers in Spaine this Robert Haule or Hawley and Iohn Schakell Esquires tooke the Earle of Dene prisoner who deliuered vnto them his sonne and heire as a pledge for assurance of performances Not long after this their Hostage was demanded by Iohn Duke of Lancaster in the Kings name whom they denyed to deliuer for which they were clapt in the Tower from whence escaping here they tooke Sanctuary to whom Sir Raph Ferreis and Sir Alan Buxhull with fifty armed men were secretly sent to doe this mischiefe who finding them at high Masse first drew Schakell by a wile out of the priuiledge of the Church then offering to lay hands on Hawley he manfully resisting with his short sword made them all flie off But in the end he was slaine in the Chancell commending himselfe in his last words to God the reuenger of such iniuries and to the liberty of our holy mother the Church With him was slaine a seruant of his thrust into the backe with a Iauelin and a Monke who intreated for him in respect of the holinesse of the place This wicked act was perpetrated the 11. of August 1378. the second of Richard the second These words following now onely remaining vpon his Monument Me dolus ira furor multorum militis atque ................... ..... in hoc gladijs celebri pietatis asylo Dum leuita Dei sermonis legit ad aram Proh dolor ipse meo Monachorum sanguine vultus Aspersi moriens chorus est mihi testis in evum Et me nunc retinet sacer is locus Haule Robertum Hic quia pestiferos male sensi primitus enses .................. Hic iacet Thomas Ruthal Episcopus Dunelmensis Regis Henrici septimi Secretarius qui obijt 1524. To this short Inscription Godwin in his Catalogue addeth a long story of the life and death of this Bishop Who was borne in Cicester saith he in the County of Glocester and brought vp in Cambridge where he proceeded Doctor of Law He was preferred to the Bishopricke of Durham by King Henry the seuenth after whose death hee was made one of the priuie Councell vnto the young King Henry the eight who esteemed greatly of him for his wisedome and learning and imployed him often in ambassages and other businesses of importance Amongst the rest it pleased the king one time to require him to set downe his iudgement in writing concerning the estate of his kingdome in generall and particularly to enforme him in certaine things by him specified This discourse the Bishop writ very carefully and caused it to be bound in Velime gilt and otherwise adorned in the best manner Now you shall vnderstand that it chanced himselfe about the same time to set downe a note of his owne priuate estate which in goods and ready money amounted to the summe of one hundred thousand pounds This account was written in a paper booke of the same fashion and binding that the other was which was prouided for the king Whereby it happened that the king sending Cardinall Wolsey for the other draught which he had so long before required of him the Bishop mistaking deliuered that which contained an estimate of his owne infinite Treasure This the Cardinall soone espying and willing to doe the Bishop a displeasure deliuered it as he had receiued it vnto the King shewing withall how the Bishop had very happily mistaken himselfe for now quoth he you see where you may at any time command a great masse of money if you need it As soone as the Bishop vnderstood his errour the conceit thereof touched him so neare that within a short spaâ—â— after hee died at his house here in the Strand His intention was to haue repaired the Church of Cicester to haue built Bridges as he had begun that ouer the Riuer of Tyne and to haue done many other deeds of charitie if hee had not beene preuented by death Here lieth the body of Sir William Trussell knight and speaker of that Parliament wherein Edward the second king of England resigned his Diadâ—me and all ensignes of Maiestie to Edward his eldest Sonne This Trussell saith an ancient Author was a Iudge who could fit the house with quirks of Law to colour so lawlesse and treasonable an act as the deposing of a lawfull king And thereupon was chosen in the behalfe of the whole Realme to renounce all homage and obedience to the Lord Edward of Carnarvon his Soueraigne Lord and King The forme of which renunciation was by him the said Trussell pronounced at Kenelworth Castle the 20. of Ianuary 1326. in these disgracefull words which you may finde in Polychronicon I William Trussel in the name of al men of the lond of Engelond and of the Parliament Prolocutor resigne to the Edward the homage that was made to the somtym and from this tym forward now folowyng I defye the and priue the of al royal Powyr and shal neuer be tendant to the as for Kyng aftyr this tyme. The time of this Trussels death I cannot learne Here lieth interred before the Communion Table the body of Richard de Ware or Warren Abbot of this Monastery and sometime Lord Treasurer of England Who going to Rome for his consecration brought from thence certaine workmen and rich Porphery stones whereof and by whom hee made that curious singular rare pauement before the high Altar in which are circulary written in letters of brasse these ten verses following containing a discourse as one saith of the worlds continuance Si Lector posita prudenter cuncta reuoluat Hic finem primi mobilis inveniet Sepes trina canes equos homines super addas Ceruos coruos aquilas immania cete Mundi quodque sequens pereuntis triplicat annos Sphericus Archetypum globus hic monstrat Macrocosmum Christi milleno bis centeno duodeno Cum sexageno subductis quatuor anno Tertius Henricus Rex vrbs Odoricus Abbas Hos compegere Porphyreos lapides With these stones and workmen he did also frame the Shrine of Edward the Confessor with these verses Anno milleno Domini cum septuageno Et bis centeno cum completo quasi deno Hoc opus est factum quod Petrus duxit in actum Romanus ciuis Homo causam noscere si vis Rex fuit Henricus Sancti presentis amicus This Abbot died the second day of December 1283. after he had gouerned this Monastery three and twenty yeares and more Vpon whose grauestone this briefe
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.
God and then after vnto me Vpon which religious and Princely lesson he grounds a reason and pleads a libertie to vse his owne proper conscience in the Kings most weightie affaires as you may perceiue by this part of a letter following written to Cromwell Right worshipfull c. it pleased the Kyngs highnes to send me in the companie of my Lord of London now of Duresme in embassiate aboute the Peace that at our being there was concluded at Cameray betwene his highnes and themperour and the French Kyng And after my comyng home his highnes of his onely goodnes as far my vnworthy I was thereto made me as you well knowe his Chauncelor of this Realme sone after which time his grace moued me agayne yit-eftsonys to loke and considre his great matter and well and indifferently to pondre such things as I should fynde therin And if it so were that therevpon it shoulde happen me to se such things as sholde persuade me to that parte hee wolde gladly vse me among other of his Counsailors in that matter neuerthelesse gracyousely declared vnto me that he wolde in no wise that I sholde other thing do or say therin than vpon that that I shold perceiue myn owne conscience shold serue me and that I sholde fyrst loke vnto God and after God vnto hym Which moost gratiouse wordys was the fyrst lesson also that euer his grace gaue me at my fyrst comyng into his noble servyce c. This learned Chancellour with much labour and earnest suite to the King got leaue to leaue his office before hee had continued therein fully three yeares Vpon his last speech to his three daughters and to the people present at his decollation thus one writes Ne lugete meo confusae funere natae Ipse ego mutari non mea fata velim Truncum terra teget si Rex non abnuet vrnam Et mea iam terris nomina nota volant Libera mens superos repetet neque seruiet vnquam In partem hanc quod agat nulla securis habet Tu quoque spectator tranquillum si cupis aeâ—um Exigere letho fortior esse tuo Qui tibi membra cadanâ— nullo in discrimine pone Quum sint naturae lege caduca suae Another of his death by way of Dialogue thus Hospes Quis iacet hic truncus cuius caput ense rescissum est Quae natat in tetro sanguine canities Ciuis Hic est ille Thomas Morus sic fata rependunt Tristia multa bonis bona multa malis Hospes Quae circumsistunt Diuae lugubre cadauer Diua tenax veri sancta Fides Nemesis Ciuis Harum prima odij caussa fuit altera mortis Vltrix iniustae tertia caedis erat Anno Domini M. D.XXXV.vi Non. Iulij Thus much of Sir Thomas More in this place you may know more of him hereafter by his Epitaph in Chelsey Church Cromwell surnamed the great whom Wolsey first raised from the forge to eminent good fortunes whom Henry the eight vsed as his instrument to suppresse the Popes supremacie and to dissolue religious Structures whom he aduanced to the highest pitch of honour and authoritie whom he cast downe suddenly and bereft both of life and dignitie lies here interred He followed the same steps to the same Stage vpon the said Tower-hill and acted there the same part which his two friends More and Fisher had done before him and that within fiue yeares after This Cromwell this pillar of the State was borne in Putney a Village in Surrey by Thames side foure miles distant from London hee was sonne to a Blacksmith in his later dayes a Bruer Whose mother after his fathers decease was remarried to a Shereman Of whose birth a late writer thus sings Putney the place made blessed by my birth Whose meanest cottage simply me did shrowd To me as dearest of the English Earth So of my bringing that poore village proud Though in a time when neuer lesse the dearth Of happie wits yet mine so well allow'd That with the best she boldlie durst prefer Me that my breath acknowledged from her He was a man of an actiue and forward ripenesse of nature ready and pregnant of wit discreet and well aduised in iudgement eloquent of tongue faithfull and diligent in seruice of an incomparable memory of a reaching politicke head and of a noble and vndaunted spirit Whose good parts being perceiued by Cardinal Wolsey he took him straight into his seruice made him his Sollicitor and emploied him in matters of great importance after whose fall hee was presently aduanced to the Kings seruice wherein he so industriously and wisely demeaned himselfe as that he was thought worthie by the said King to haue the ordering of all weightie affaires Whereupon at seuerall times he heaped these seuerall offices and honours vpon him he made him Master of his Iewell-house Baron Cromwell of Okeham principall Secretarie Master of the Rolles Chancellour of the Exchequer Keeper of the priuie Seale Iustice of the Forrests and Chases from the Riuer of Trent Northward great Chamberlaine of England Earle of Essex Knight of the Garter Vicegerent or Vicar generall Of which my fore remembred friend thus writes For first from knighthood rising in degree The Office of the Iewell-house my lot After the Rolles he frankly gaue to me From whence a priuie Counsellor I got Then of the Garter and then Earle to be Of Essex yet sufficient these were not But to the great Vicegerencie I grew Being a title as supreme as new Thus Fortune raised him a short time for a sudden fall For vpon the eighteenth day of Aprill 1540. hee was inuested with the honour of the Earledome of Essex and high Chamberlainship of England vpon which day the King also made his sonne Gregory Lord Cromwell Vpon the ninth of Iuly next and immediately following being enuied of many for his honour and authoritie he was suddenly arrested in the Councell-chamber and committed to the Tower vpon the nineteenth of the said moneth he was attainted by Parliament of heresie and high Treason and vpon the 28. of the said moneth hee was beheaded on the Tower-hill More succinctly thus his precipitate downfall is versified The Councell-chamber place of my arrest Where chiefe I was when greatest was the store And had my speeches noted of the best That did them as high Oracles adore A Parliament was lastly my Enquest That was my selfe a Parliament before The Tower hill Scaffold last I did ascend Thus the great'st man of England made his end And such bloudie ends most men haue who are busie managers of the greatest matters He was condemned to death and yet neuer came to his answere by an act as it is said which he himselfe caused to be made of which my fore-remembred Author M. Drayton Those lawes I made my selfe alone to please To giue me power more freely to my will Euen to my equals hurtfull sundrie waies Forced
to things that most doe say were ill Vpon me now as violently seize By which I lastly perish by my skill On mine owne necke returning as my due That heauie yoke wherein by me they drew Thus whilst we striue too suddenly to rise By flatt'ring Princes with a seruile tong And being soothers to their tirannies Worke our much woes by what doth many wrong And vnto others tending iniuries Vnto our selues it hapning oft among In our owne snares vnluckily are caught Whilst our attempts fall instantly to naught Many lamented this great mans fall but more reioiced especially such as had beene religious men or fauoured religious persons of the Clergie he was much hated for that he was an enemy to Poperie and could neuer indure the snuffing pride of the Prelates Thankefull hee was and liberall neuer forgetting former benefits as appeares by his requitall of the kindenesse he had receiued from Friscolald the Italian Merchant carefull he was of his seruants for whom hee had prouided a competencie of liuing notwithstanding his sodaine fall faithfull and forward hee was to doe his friends good and amongst them More and Fisher if we may beleeue their owne letters of which some part Right worshipfull after my moost hartie commendations it may please you to vnderstand that I haue perceiued by the relation of my Sonne Rooper for which I beseche almightie God reward yow your moost cheritable labour taken for me toward the Kings graciouse highnesse in the procuring at his moost graciouse hand the reliefe and comfort of this wofull heuinesse in which myn harte standeth c. concluding in these words And thus good Master Cromwell I make an end of my long troublouse processe beseching the blessed Trinitie for the great goodnesse ye shew me and the great cumfort ye do me both bodelie and ghostlie to prospere yow and in heauen to reward yow At Chelcith the v. day of March by Your deepely bounden Tho. More Knight Bishop Fisher acknowledgeth the like kindenesse from him in many of his letters And howsoeuer these two famous schollers after some hard imprisonment lost both their liues yet was hee not wanting by his best endeuours and his all-potencie with the King to haue saued their neckes from the stroke of the Axe which we may verily beleeue when we consider that King Henries command was a Law of which Cromwell had a triall being conuicted and executed without triall Seruices done by the foresaid Cromwell vnto King Henry the eight within a few yeares after his first comming into the fauour and seruice of the said King copied out of the Originall written with his owne hand and now remaining in the Treasury of the Exchequer Imprimis the King purchased Hampton Court Item the King purchased the Manore of Moye Item the King purchased Saint Iameses in the fields and all the grounds whereof the new Parke of Westminster is made Item his highnesse hath purchased all the old Tenements in Westminstre whereas now is builded the new garden the Tenesplaies and Cock-fights Item his highnesse hath purchased the Manore of Pisowe of the Lord Scroope Item his highnesse hath purchased the Manore of Weston Baldock Item his highnesse hath purchased the Manore and Parke of Copped-hall Item his Maiestie hath purchased lands to a great value of the Earle of Northumberland Item his Maiestie hath purchased certaine lands of Thomas Robarts the Auditore lying besides Waltham Item his Highnesse hath purchased of the Lord Audley the Mannor of Lanamuerye and Keymes in Walles Item his Highnesse hath purchased the Mannor and certaine other lands in Chombham whereof a Parke is made of the Abbot of Chensey Item his Highnesse hath purchased the Mannor of Alderbrooke in the Forrest of Waltham of one Monoke Item the King hath purchased the Mannor of Edmonton in the Country of Middlesex Item his Highnesse hath repaired the Tower of London to his great charges Item his Highnesse hath newly made the Ship called the Mary Rose the Peter Pomgarnete the Lyon the Katherine Galley the Barke the Minione the Sweepestake Item his Highnesse hath purchased the Mannor of Cogeshall and Estorford of master Southwell Item his highnesse hath purchased the woods besides Portesmouthe in Hampshire sufficient for the new making of Henry-grace a dieu and the great Galley Item his Highnesse hath bought and made within the Tower of new Bowes for a M. l. Item his Highnesse with a great and chargeable traine passed the Seas in his owne person to Callis and Bullen Item his Highnesse hath newly builded Hampton Court Item his Highnesse hath newly builded the place at Westminstre with all the Tenesplaies and Cockfights and walled in the Parke there with a sumptuous wall Item he hath new builded Saint Iameses in the fields a magnificent and goodly house Item his Highnesse hath purchased the Mannors of Dunmington Ewelme Hookenorton and others of the Duke of Suffolke Item his Highnesse hath made a great deale of new Ordenance of brasse here in England Item his Highnesse hath newly edified a great part of the walls of Calles Item his Highnesse hath made a great quantitie of new Ordenance within the Towne of Calles Item his Highnesse hath most costly warres in Scotland Item he hath most costly warres in Ireland Item he hath been at a most costly charge for the Coronation of Queen Anne Item his Highnesse hath maintained the great and sumptuous house of the Lady Katherine Dowager Besides these he did many other seruices for the King his master but I will insist onely vpon two by which he greatly enriched his Coffers The one was vpon the Coronation of Queene Anne Bullen against which solemnitie the King sent writings to all Sheriffes to certifie the names of men of fortie pounds lands to receiue the order of Knighthood or else to make fine for the same The asseasement of which saith my Author was appointed to Thomas Cromwell then master of the Kings Iewell-house who so vsed the matter that a great summe of money was leuied to the Kings vse by those fines The other was his paines and pollicie in the suppressing of Religious Foundations This great man gaue great reliefe to the poore two hundred poore people were serued at his gates twise euery day with bread meat and drinke sufficient He had 220. men and aboue in checke roll he gaue liueries garded with veluet to his Getlemen and garded with the same cloth to his Yeomen saith Iohn Stow in the Suruay of London in the chapter of orders and customes Within the Quire of this Chappell lieth buried the body of Anne Bollein Marchionesse of Penbroke eldest daughter and coheire of Thomas Bollein Viscount Rochford Earle of Wiltshire and Ormond second wife to King Henry the eight to whom shee bare into the world that most renowned Princesse Elizabeth our late Queene who proued not onely the mirrour of the world for vertue wisedome piety and iustice but also a patterne for gouernment to all the Princes in
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
thowsand fyve hundryd and seuentene Master of the ordnance or Artillery is a great Officer to whose care all the Kings ordnance and Artillery is committed and most commonly that Office is executed by some eminent great man of the kingdome His fee is 151. l. 11. s. 8. d. per annum Orate pro anima Iohannis Thorley Armigeri qui obiit penultimo die men Febr. Ann. Dom. 1445 ..... Hic iacet Magister Willelmus Harvy nuper vicarius istius Ecclesie qui ob 5. die Nouemb. 1471 ..... Hic iacet Georgius Chauncy quondam Receptor generalis Reuerendi Patris Domini Ric. Fitz-Iames London Episcopi qui obiit decimo nono die Decembris Ann. Dom. 1520. Hic iacet Domicilla Margareta Suanden nat Gandauii Flandrii que ex Magistro Gerardo Hornebolt Gandauensi Pretori nominatissmo peperit Domicillam Susannam vxorem Iohannis Parker Arch. Regis que obiit Ann. Dom. 1529. 26. Nouembris Hic iacet Anna Sturton filia Iohannis Sturton Domini de Sturton Domine Katherine vxoris eius Que quidem Anna obiit in Assumptionem beate Marie Virginis Ann. Dom. 1533. Hic iacet Lora filia Iohannis Blount militis Domini Mountioy Lore vxoris eius que obiit 6. die mens Febr. Ann. Dom. 1480. Cuius anime Deus sis propitius Lora is a name deriued from the Saxon word Lore which signifies learning or vnderstanding A word often vsed by Chaucer in that sense to expresse learning As in the Squiers Prologue I see well that ye learned men in lore Can muckle good Or as Camden doth coniecture a name corrupted from Laura which is Bay and is agreeable to the Greeke name Daphne Cheswicke Orate pro anima Mathildis Salueyne vxoris Richardi Salueyne Militis Thesaurar Eccl ..... que ob 1432. Hic iacet Will. Boydale principalis vicarius huius Ecclesie et fundator Campanilis eiusdem qui ob 15. Octob. 1435. Braineforde Here lyeth the body of Christopher Carhill alias Norrey king at Armes who died ...... 1510. Here lyeth Henry Redmane and Ione his wife .... 1528. Here lyeth Richard Parker seruant in the Botre to Henry the seuenth and Hen. the eight and Margery his wyf late .... to the Lady Maryes Grace ...... daughter to king Henry the eight by Katherin his first wyf daughter of Ferdinando the sixt king of Spayne Which Richard died ..... 1545. Hic iacet Wilielmus Clauel Agnes et Clementia vx eius qui quidem Wilielmus obijt 1496. The Monastery of Sion So named of the most holy Mount Sion which King Henry the fift when he had expelled thence the Monkes Aliens built for religious Virgins to the honour of our Sauiour the Virgin Mary and Saint Bridget of Sion In which house he appointed to the glory of God so many Nunnes Priests and lay Brethren as were in number equall to Christ his Apostles and Disciples namely of Virgines sixtie Priests thirteene Deanes foure and lay Brethren eight These two Couents had but one Church in common the Nunnes had their Church aloft in the roofe and the brethren beneath vpon the ground each Couent seuerally inclosed and neuer allowed to come out except by the Popes speciall licence Vpon whom when this godly and glorious King had bestowed sufficient liuing taken from the Priories Aliens all which he vtterly suppressed he prouided by a law that contenting themselues therewith they should take no more of any man but what ouerplus soeuer remained of their yearely reuenue they should bestow it vpon the poore Their commings in were valued at the suppression to be worth 1944 l. 11 s. 8 d. q. by yeare A Lettore certefyinge the incontynensye of the Nunnes of Syon with the Friores and aftere the acte done the Friores reconsile them to God Endorsed To the right honourable Master Thomas Cromwell chiefe Secretary to the Kyngs highnesse It maye plese your goodnesse to vnderstand that Bushope this daye preched and declared the Kynges tytelle very well and hade a grete Audyense the Chorche full of people one of the Focaces in his said declaration openly called him false knaue with other foolish words it was that foolish fellow with the corled head that kneeled in your waye when you came foorth of the Confessores Chamber I can noe lese doe but set him in prisone vt pena eius sit metus alioram yesterday I learned many enormeous things against Bushope in the examinacion of the lay Brederen first that Bushop perswaded towe of the Brederene to haue gone their wayes by night and he himselfe with them and to the accomplishment of that they lacked but money to buy them seculere apparell Forther that Bushope would haue perswaded one of his laye Brederen a Smithe to haue made a keaye for the doare to haue in the night time receiued in Wenches for him and his fellowes and specially a wyffe of Vxebridge now dwelling not farre from the old Lady Derby nigh Vxbridge which wyffe his old customer hath byne many tymes here at the grates communyng with the said and â—e was desirous to haue her conuoyed in to him The said Bushope also perswaded a Nunne to whom he was Confessor Ad libidinem corporis perimplend And thus he perswaded her in Confession making her beleeue that whensoeuer and as ofte as they shold medle together if she were iâ—mediately after confessed by him and tooke of him absolution shee shold be cleere forgeuen of God and it shold be none offence vnto her before God And she writte diueres and sundrye lettores vnto him of such their foolishnesse and vnthriâ—tynesse and wold haue had his Broder the Smith to haue polled out a barre of iron of that window whereas ye examyned the Ladye Abbas that he might haue gone in to her by night And that same window was their commoning place by night He perswaded the Sextene that he wold be in his contemplacion in the Chorche by night and by that meanes was many nightes in the Chorche talkyng with her at the said grate of the Nunnes Quire and there was ther meeting place by night besides their day communications as in confession it were too long to declare all things of him that I haue hard which I suppos is true This afternoone I intend to make forder serche both of some of the Brederen and some also of the Sisters for such like matteres if I fynde any thing apparent to be true I shall God wyllynge therof sertefy your Mastorshipe to morowe by vii in the mornyng And aftor this daye I suppos there will be no other things to be knowne as yet here for I haue already examined all the Brederen and many of them wold gladly departe hense and be righte weary of their habbyte such Religion and fained sancterye God saue me froe If Master Bedle had byne here a Frior and of Bushopes Counsell hee wold right welle haue helped him to haue
sleightie trickes for his owne disports He liued and died in the raigne of Henry the seuenth saith the booke of his merry pranks Hic iacent corpora Thome Carleton quondam Domini istius ville qui obiit 21. Feb. 1447. et Elisabethe vxoris eius silie Ade Francis Militis per quam habuit Dominium .... This Tombe as most of the Monuments in this Church is shamefully defaced the Inhabitants deliuer by tradition that this Carleton was a man of great command in this Countie and that Sir Adam Francis his father in law here nominated was Lord Maior of London about the yeare 1353. and one of the Founders of Guild Hall Chappell or Colledge to the said Hall adioyning Adam et Elisabeth les Infants Mounsieur Adam Franceys iesent icy Dieu de son almes eit mercy Of your cherite .... of Iohn Kirton Esquyre and Iohn Kirton the sonne of Iohn Kirton and Anne his wyf and all Christian sowlys ..... Here lyeth one whose name is worne out of his Monument his Tombe couered with a faire marble stone his bodie figured in brasse armed with a gorget of Maile vnder his feet a Lion cowchant His wife lieth portrayed by him he is thought by some to haue beene one of that ancient and honourable familie of the Mandeuills by others to be one of that noble familie of the Darcies These verses remaining Erth goyth vpon erth as mold vpon mold Erth goyth vpon erth al glysteryng in gold As thogh erth to erth ner turne shold And yet must erth to erth soner then he wold Ista Sacerdotis Innocent est tumba Iohannis Vicerat Octobris quem nece quarta dies A Quadringentis vno quoque mille sub annis Christi post ortum terra recepit eum Hunc bini Reges Henricus et ante Richardus Subthe saurarium Regni statuere sidelem Donet Rex celi gaudia Christe sibi Here lyeth Nicholas Borne and Elizabeth his wyf ......... Of death we haue tastyd the mortall rage Now lying both togeddir vndyr this ston That somtym wer knytt in bond of Maryage For term of lyff too bodys in on Therfor good peple to God in thron Prey from the on body too sowlys proceed The temporal maryage euerlastyng succeed Honor Altissimo Hic iacent Iohannes Daniel Ioanna et Alicia vxores eius ............. 1444. Newington Hic iacet Matilda vxor Iohannis Ekington quondam cofferarij Hospitij Domini Regis Ed. quarti que ob 1473. Tottenham Here lieth entombed Thomas Hynningham Esquire who died Anno 1499. on whos ..... Here lieth George Hynningham Esquire sometime seruant and greatly fauoured of King Henry the eight who founded here an Hospitall or Almes-house for three poore widdowes and died Anno 1536. Orate ...... Elizabethe Turnant vxoris Richardi Turnant Ari que ob ..... 1457. Here lieth Margaret Compton late daughter of Sir William Compton Knight who died 17 Iune 1517. on whose c. The noble and ancient family of the Comptons haue beene for a long time owners of the Mansion house here standing not farre from the Church Pray for the soules of Thomas Billington Esquire for his wiues soules Agnes and Margerie which Tho. died 1539. Orate pro ...... Gredney ....... These Gredneyes held the Manour of Pembrocke here in Tottenham as of the honour of Huntingdon by an honourable Tenure which our Lawiers terme Grand Sergeanty namely to giue vnto the King a paire of Spurs of siluer gilded when as the King should take vpon him the order of Knighthood Kilborne Here sometime was a Nunnery dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary but by whom founded I cannot learne valued at the suppression to bee worth fourescore and sixe pounds seuen shillings sixe pence by yeare Hackeney Here lieth interred Henry Lord Percy Earle of Northumberland Knight of the most honourable order of the Garter who died in this Towne the last of lune 1537. the 29 of Hen. the 8. I shall haue occasion hereafter to speake more fully of this thrice-noble family of the Percies when I come to the Abbey of Whitby in Yorkeshire of which they were founders for this time I will conclude with these words out of Camden concerning these high-borne Earles of Northumberland A family saith he I assure you very ancient and right noble which deriueth their pedegree from Charles the great more directly and with a race of Ancestors lesse interrupted then either the Duke of Loraine or of Guise that so highly vaunt themselues thereupon Dormit Alexander anne hic sub marmore magnus Dum vixit genio maior et ingenio Maximus et merito sacer Ecclesieque Deique Cultor et in populo pacificator erat Hunâ— seruum Legis elegit septima Iulij Lux Octobris et hunc prima deo rapuit Seno ter deno bis centeno quater anno Milleno Domini qui pius assit ei Pro quo defunctisque fidelibus omnibus aue Sit quicunque Pater Noster ait vel Aue. It appeares by this Epitaph for I finde no further of him in any other writings that this Lawier was a very honest man for those times wherein Iudges Sergeants and many other eminent officers to the law werefound guilty and fined of bribery and extortion Here lyeth Ione Only the onely most faithfull wyf of Iohn Only of Warwickeshire Esquire to whose soule the onely Trinity be mercifull Amen she died the yeare 1525. For the sowl of Allis Ryder of your cherite Say a Pater Noster and an Aue .... 1517. Her portraiture is in brasse with a milke pale vpon her head shee was by relation a liberall benefactor to this Church Here lieth entombed without any Inscription the body of one ...... Heron Esquire the founder of this Church as I take it by the pictures of Herons engrauen in stone vpon euery piller of the Church Subiacet hic strictus hoc marmore nunc homo pictus Thomas Hert dictus hic vicarius benedictus O Cambrig per te fuit ille magister in Arte C. quater et mille sex x quarto ruit ille Et Iulij plena septena luce serena Here lyeth Ione Curteys the daughter of ..... Shordyche .... 1399. Here lyeth Roger Ford 1453. Here lieth Iohn Butterfield ..... 1454. Here lyeth Thomas Symond who died xi day of May ... M. cccccxlii Here lyeth Iohn Catcher who died the ix of May .... M. cccclxxxvii Here lyeth the body of Henry Therket .... M. ccccciii Here lyeth the body of William Henneage the sonne of Robert Henneage one of the Kings Auditors who died the 5. day of August An. Dom. 1535. on whos soul .... Auditor in our Law saith the Interpreter signifieth an Officer of the King or some other great personage which yeerely by examining the Accompts of all vnder Officers Accomptable make vp a generall Booke that sheweth the
vestimentorum asperitate disciplinarum que assiduitate corpus suum extenuauit vt fere simul cum Iob sanctissimo pelli sue consumptis carnibus os suum adhereret Et hec talis tantaque sublata est et hec omnia simul Migrauit autem ad illum qui sibi fructuum decimas persolui voluit qui etiam Decalogum constituit mandatorum Miseremini igitur nostri miseremini nostri saltem vos amici nostri et vobis miseris compatiamini fluentes lacrimas per orationum suffragia desiccantes quia pium est saluberrimum pro defunctis exorare vt à peccatis solvantur Subuenite igitur benigni Monachi subuenite venerabiles Canonici vos sancte virgines in conspectu Altissimi preces bostias offerentes vt ipsius pie misercatur qui abstergit omnem lacrimam ab oculis Sanctorum quatenus que ei macule de terrenis contagijs adheserunt remissionis eius remedio deleantur Amen To this Supplication the religious of all houses answer in this forme Titulus Ecclesie Apostolorum Petri Pauli sancte Osithe Virginis Matris de Chich. Anima Domine Lucie Priorisse de Hengeham et anime omnium sidelium defunctorum per Dei miserecordiam requiescant in pace Amen Concedimus ei commune beneficium Ecclesie nostre Oranimus pro vestris orate pro nostris Some againe do answer thus Preter autem commune beneficium et orationes communes Ecclesie nostre concedimus ei ab vnoquoque Sacerdote vnam Missam inferioris ordinis vnum Psalterium et diem ipsius obitus in Martyrilogio nostro annotari fecimus All concluding euer with Oranimus pro vestris orate pro nostris Vnder the picture of the Crucifix the blessed Virgine and vpon her portraiture drawne vpon her Tombe these nicking nice allusiue verses were cut and engrauen Crux bona crux digna lignum super omnia ligna Me tibi consigna redimens a peste maligna Stella Maris candoris ebur speculum Paradysi Fons venie vite ianua Virgo vale Hec Virgo vite mitis super astra locatur Et sic Lucie lux sine fine datur Transijt ad superos venerabilis hec Monialis Vix succedit ei virtutum munere talis Luci lucie prece lux mediente Marie Luceat eterna quia floruit vt rosa verna Ad lucem Lucia venit sine fine manentem Et sic quem coluit patrem videt omnipotentem Tres tibi gemmate lucent Lucia coronâ— Insuper aurate dic lector qua rationâ— Mater virgo tamen Martir fuit ergo inu Amen Cernat ad examen districti Iudicis Amen Subueniant anime Lucie celica queque Ad quorum laudes dapsilis vrna fâ—it Sible Heueningham In this Parish Church sometime stood a Tombe arched ouer and engrauen to the likenesse of Hawkes flying in a wood which was raised to the remembrance of Sir Iohn Hawkewood knight borne in this village the sonne of Gilbert Hawkewood Tanner bound an apprentice to a Tailor in the Citie of London from whence he was prest in the seruice of King Edward the third in the warres of France Of whom for his admired valour he was honoured with the order of knighthood and in the like regard of his notable demerits Barnabie the warlicke brother of Galeasius Lord of Millaine father to Iohn the first Duke of Millaine gaue him his daughter Domnia in marriage by whom he had a sonne named Iohn borne in Italie made knight and naturalized in the seuenth yeare of King Hon. the fourth as I haue it out of a Manuscript in these words Iohannes silius Iohannis Haukewood Miles natus in partibus Italie factus indigena Ann. viii Hen. iiij mater eius nata in partibus transmarinis The Florentines in testimony of his surpassing valour and singular faithfull seruice to their state adorned him with the statue of a man of armes and a sumptuous Monument wherein his ashes remaine honoured at this present day The Italian writers both Historians and Poets resound his worthie acts with full mouth But for my part to vse M. Camdens words it may suffice to adde vnto the rest these foure verses of Iulius Feroldus Hawkwood Anglorum decus et decus addite genti Italicae Italico praesidiumque solo Vt tumuli quondam Florentia sic simulacri Virtutem Iouius donat honore tuam The glorie prime of Englishmen then of Italians bold O Hawkwood and to Italie a sure defensiue hold Thy vertue Florence honored sometime with costly Graue And Iouius adornes the same now with a Statue braue He died an aged man in the yeare of our redemption 1394. and in the eighteenth of King Richard the second His friends here in England who erected for him the foresaid Monument in this Church which were Robert Rokeden senior Robert Rokeden iunior and Iohn Coe founded here also for him a Chantrie and another in the Priorie of Heningham Castle to pray for his soule and the soules of Iohn Oliuer and Thomas Newenton Esquires his militarie companions Chesterford Here ly the bodyes of William Holden and Agnes his wyf whych William dyed ... 1532. on whos sowlys and al Christian sowlys ... Here ly William Holden and Katherin his wyf ...... 1524. This familie as I was told is now extinct here is an old ruinous house still remaining called Holdens Saffron Walden So called of the great plentie of Saffron growing in the fields round about the Towne a commoditie brought into England in the time of King Edward the third But I digresse and am quite off my Subiect being out of the Parish Church wherein Sir Thomas Audley knight of the Garter Baron Audley of this Towne sometime Sergeant at Law Attourney of the Duchie of Lancaster and Lord Chancellour of England lieth entombed with this seeli Epitaph The stroke of deaths ineuitable dart Hath now alas of life bereft the hart Of Sir Thomas Audley of the Garter knight Later Chancellor of England vnder our Prince of might Henry the eight worthie of high renowne And made by him Lord Audley of this Towne Obijt vltimo Aprilu Ann. Dom. 1544. Henrici 36. Cancelleriatus sui 13. aetatis 56. Haue mercy good Lord on the soul of Thomas Holden That hit may rest wyth God good neyghbors say Amen He gave the new Organs wheron hys name is set For bycause only yee shold not hym forget In yowr good preyers to God he took hys wey On thowsand fyve hundryd and eleuin in Nouembyr the fourth dey Hic iacet his stratus West Matheus tumulatus Qui fuit hic gratus vicarius ciueque natus M. Dominiter C .... terris sit remeatus Huic ...... existit propiciatus Of yowr cherite prey for the soulys of Ion Nichols Alys Ione Alys and Ione his wyfs Iohannes Pater Noster miserere nobis Alisia Fili redemptor mundi miserere nobis Ioanna Spiritus sancte miserere nobis Alisia Sancta
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
peicked after a strange fashion and a paire of Challices of course mettall lying vpon his breast the which was thought to be one of the Bishops of Donwiche but when they touched and stirred the same dead body it fell and went all to powder and dust And although these aforesaid three old Churches were not sumptuous great very faire after the manner fashion of Cathedral Churches now vsed yet it seemeth they might serue in those daies very well for it plainely appeareth in the book of the description of England and in the title of Bishoprickes and their Sees the thirteenth chapter whereas these words following are said Take heede for in the beginning of holy Church in England Bishops ordained and had their Sees in low places and simple that were conueniable and meete for contemplation and deuotion c. But in King William the Conquerours time by doome of Law Canon it was otherwise ordained that Bishops should remoue and come out of small townes and to haue their Sees in great Cities By meanes whereof it seemeth that the towne of Donwiche being then greatly decayed and also then likely more and more to decay as it hath done indeed from a great citie as some doe say or at the least from a very great ancient Towne to a little small Towne the Bishops seat of Donwich was remoued from Donwich to Elmham and Thetford and afterward to the Citie of Norwich whereas it yet remaineth There was a Mint in Dunwich for one Master Holliday told mee that he had a grote whose superscription on the one side was Ciuitas Donwic Diuers other things he told me of to make it a citie The Treatise is much longer but enough is already deliuered The succession of the Bishops of Dunwich is set downe by Bishop Godwin to which I refer my Reader The foundation of the Blacke Friers in Dunwich This religious Structure was founded by Sir Roger de Holishe Knight of the order you haue heard before of the time dedication value or surrender I finde not any thing Persons of note buried in the Church of this Monastery were as followeth Sir Roger de Holishe Knight the foresaid founder Sir Raufe Vfford and Dame Ione his wife Sir Henry Laxiffeld Knight Dame Ione de Harâ—ile Dame Ada Crauene Dame Ione Weyland Sister of the Earle of Suffolke Iohn Weyland and Ione his wife Thomas sonne of Richard Brews Knight Dame Alice wife of Sir Walter Hardishall Sir Walkin Hardesfield Austin Valeyus Raph Wingfeld Knight Richard Bokyll of Leston and Alice and Alice his wiues Sir Henry Harnold Knight and Fryer The grey Friers of Dunwich was founded first by Richard Fitz-Iohn and Alice his wife and after by King Henry the third of which I haue no further knowledge Herein lay interred the bodies of Sir Robert Valence the Heart of Dame Hawise Ponyngs Dame Ideu of Ylketishall Sir Peter Mellis and Dame Anne his wife Dame Dunne his mother Iohn Francans and Margaret his wife Dame Bert of Furniuall .... Austin of Cales and Ione his wife Iohn Falleyâ— and Beatrix his wife Augustine his sonne .... Wilexâ—es Sir Hubert Dernford Katherine wife of William Phellip Margaret wife of Richard Phellip Peter Codum I had the notes of these buried in these Monasteries as also of diuers other Monasteries in Suffolke and Norfolke out of the painefull collections of William le Neue Esquire Yorke Herauld truely copied out of the ancient originals thereof remaining in his custody Bury Saint Edmunds or Saint Edmundsbury This Town seemeth saith Camden to haue been of famous memory considering that when Christian Religion began to spring vp in this tract king Sigebert here founded a Church and it was called Villam Regiam that is a royall towne But after that the people had translated hither the body of Edmund that most christian King whom the Danes with exquisite torments had put to death and built in honour of him a very great Church wrought with a wonderfull frame of timber it began to be called Edmundi Burgus commonly Saint Edmundsbury and more shortly Bury But especially since that King Canutus for to expiate the sacrilegious impietie of his Father Suenus against this Church being often affrighted with a vision of the seeming-ghost of Saint Edmund built it againe of a new worke enriched it offered his owne Crowne vnto the holy Martyr brought vnto it Monkes with their Abbot and gaue vnto it many faire and large Mannors and among other things the Towne it selfe full and whole ouer which the Monkes themselues by their Seneschall had rule and iurisdiction Thus Knuts Charter began In nomine Poliarchie Iesu Christi saluatoris Ego Knut Rex totius Albionis Insule aliarumque nationum plurimarum in Cathedra regali promotus cum concilio decreto Archiepiscoporum Episcoporum Abbatum Comitum aliorumque omnium fidelium meorum elegisanciendum perpeti stabilimento ab omnibus confirmandum vt Monasterium quod Budrices Yurthe nuncupatur sit per omne euum Monachorum gregibus deputatum ad inhabitandum c. After a long recitall of his many donations corroborations priuiledges and confirmations of former grants he ends with an Additament of fish and fishing Huic libertati concedo additamentum scilicet maritimos pisces qui mihi contingere debent annualiter per Thelonei lucrum et Piscationem quam Vlskitel habuit in Pilla et omnia iura c. These gifts to this Abbey as to the most of all others were finally concluded with a fearefull curse to the infringers thereof and a blessing to all such that did any way better her ample endowments the Charter is signed with the marke which is the crosse and the consent of thirty and fiue witnesses of which a few as followeth ✚ Ego Knut Rex c. hoc priuilegium iussi componere compositum cum signo Dominice crucis confirmando impressi ✚ Ego Aelgifa Regina omni alacritate mentis hoc confirmaui ✚ Ego Wulsâ—anus Archiepiscopus consensi ✚ Ego Adelnodus confirmaâ—i c. After Knut one Haruey the Sacrist comming of the Norman bloud compassed the Burgh round about with a wall whereof there remaine still some few reliques and Abbot Newport walled the Abbey The Bishop of Rome endowed it with very great immunities and among other things granted That the said place should be subiect to no Bishop in any matter and in matters lawfull to depend vpon the pleasure and direction of the Archbishop which is yet obserued at this day And now by this time the Monkes abounding in wealth erected a new Church of a sumptuous and stately building enlarging it euery day more then other with new workes and whiles they laid the Foundation of a new Chappell in the raigne of Edward the first There were found as Euersden a Monke of this place writeth the walles of a certaine old Church built round so as that the Altar stood as it were in the mids
Dominus Hibernie dilect is sibi in Christo Priori Conuentui Monasterij de Bury Sancti Edmundi Salutem Ex parte vestra nobis est humiliter supplicatum vt cum Monasterium vestrum predict per mortem bone memorie Iohannis Boon nuper Abbatis ibidem Pastoris solacio sit destitut alium vobis eligendi in Abbatem Pastorem eiusdem Monasterij licenciam vobis concedere dignaremus Nos precibus vestris in hac parte fauorabiliter inclinati licenciam illam vobis tenore presencium duximus concedend Mondantes quod talem vobis eligatis in Abbatem Pastorem qui Deo deuotus Ecclesie vestre predict necessarius nobisque regno nostro vtilis et fidelis existat In cuius rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus patentes Teste me ipso apud Westmonast nono die Februarij Anno regni nostri nono Per breue de Priuato Sigillo de dat predict auctoritate Parliamenti Fryston Now heare a word or two of the word Conged'eslire out of the Interpreter Conged'eslire id est venia eligendi leaue to chuse is a meere French word and signifieth in our Common Law the Kings permission royall to a Deane and Chapter in time of vacation to chuse a Bishop or to an Abbey or Priorie to chuse their Abbot or Prior. Fitz. nat br fol. 169. B. 170. B C c. Touching this matter M. Gwin in the Preface to his Readings saith That the king of England as Soueraigne Patron of all Archbishoprickes Bishoprickes and other Ecclesiasticall Benefices had of ancient time free appointment of all Ecclesiasticall Dignities whensoeuer they chanced to be voide inuesting them per Baculum et Annulum id est with a Staffe and a Ring and afterward by his Letters Patents And that in processe of time he made the election ouer to others vnder certaine formes and conditions as namely that they should at euery vacation before they chuse demand of the king Gonged'eslire that is licence and leaue to proceed to election and then after the election to craue his royall assent c. And further he affirmeth by good proofe out of Common Law bookes that king Iohn was the first that granted this and that it was afterward confirmed by Westm. pri cap. which Statute was made Anno 3. Ed. primi And againe by the Statute Articuli Clerica 2. which was ordained Anno 25. Ed. 3. Statuto tertio Sir William Elmham Sir William Spencer Sir William Fresill qui obijt Anno 1357. William Lee Esquire and his wife daughter of Harlestone lay here interred The famous Poet and the most learned Monke of this monasterie was here interred I meane Iohn Lidgate so called of a small village not farre off where he was borne A village saith Camden though small yet in this respect not to be passed ouer in silence because it brought into the world Iohn Lidgate the Monke whose wit may seeme to haue beene framed and shapen by the very muses themselues so brightly reshine in his English verses all the pleasant graces and elegancie of speech according to that age hauing trauelled through France and Italy to learne the languages and Arts. Erat autem non solum elegans Poeta et Rhetor disertus verum etiam Mathematicus expertus Philosophus acutus et Theologus non contemnendus For he was not onely an elegant Poet and an eloquent Rhetorician but also an expert Mathematician an acute Philosopher and no meane Diuine saith Pitseus you may know further of him in his Prologue to the storie of Thebes a Tale as his fiction is which or some other hee was constrained to tell at the command of mine Host of the Tabard in Southwarke whom he found in Canterbury with the rest of the Pilgrims which went to visite Saint Thomas Shrine This story was first written in Latine by Geffrey Chaucer and translated by Lidgate into English verse but of the Prologue of his owne making so much as concernes himselfe thus ....... while that the pilgrimes ley At Canterbury well lodged one and all I not in sooth what I may it call Hap or Fortune in conclusioun That me befell to enter into the toun The holy Sainct plainely to visite After my sicknesse vowes to acquite In a cope of blacke and not of greene On a Palfrey slender long and lene With rusty bridle made not for the sale My man to forne with a voyd male That by Fortune tooke mine Inne anone Where the Pilgrimes were lodged euerichone The same time her gouernour the host Stonding in Hall full of wind and bost Liche to a man wonder sterne and fers Which spake to me and saied anon dan Pers Dan Dominicke dan Godfray or Clement Ye be welcome newly into Kent Thogh your bridle haue nother boos ne bell Beseeching you that ye will tell First of your name and what cuntre Without more shortly that ye be That looke so pale all deuoid of bloud Vpon your head a wonder thredbare hood Well arrayed for to ride late I answered my name was Lidgate Monke of Bury me fifty yeare of age Come to this toune to do my pilgrimage As I haue hight I haue thereof no shame Dan Iohn qd he well brouke ye your name Thogh ye be sole beeth right glad and light Praying you to soupe with vs this night And ye shall haue made at your deuis A great pudding or a round hagis A franche moile a tanse or a froise To been a Monke slender is your coise Ye haue beene sicke I dare mine head assure Or let feed in a faint pasture Lift vp your head be glad take no sorrow And ye should home ride with vs to morrow I say when ye rested haue your fill After supper sleepe will doen none ill Wrap well your head clothes round about Strong nottie ale will make a man to rout Take a pillow that ye lye not low If need be spare not to blow To hold wind by mine opinion Will engender colles passion And make men to greuen on her rops When they haue filled her mawes and her crops But toward night eat some Fennell rede Annis Commin or Coriander sede And like as I haue power and might I charge you rise not at midnight Thogh it be so the Moone shine clere I will my selfe be your Orlogere To morrow earely when I see my time For we will forth parcell afore prime Accompanie parde shall doe you good Thus when the Host had cheared vp Lidgate with these faire promises and wholesome admonitions for his health hee laies his commands vpon him in these termes following What looke vp Monke for by Cockes bloud Thou shalt be merry who so that say nay For to morrow anone as it is day And that it ginne in the East to daw Thou shalt be bound to a new law At going out of Canterbury toun And lien aside thy professioun Thou shalt not chese nor
Orat ... Tho. Wyndham militis et Elisabethe vxoris eius ... vnus constabul ... Domini Regis Hen. 8. ac vn ... militum pro corpore ... This Knight with others went with Sir Edward Howard Admirall into Biâ—cay the fourth of King Henry the eight Here lieth Dame Elisabeth Calthrop wife of Sir Francis Calthrop and after of Iohn Culpeper Esquire ... Calâ—hrops sometime a familie of great account in these parts Here lieth buried the body of Ione the wise of Sir Thomas Erpingham Knight of the Garter as appeareth by her Will made by licence of her husband the last of May 1404 and proued 14 of Iuly next following Orate pro animabus Thome Windham militis Eleanore et domine Elisabethe vxorum eius Qui quidem Thomas fuit unus consiliariorum Domini Regis Heâ—rici octauâ— ac vnus militum pro corpore eiusdem Domini Regis 〈◊〉 non vice admirallus ........... ............... This Knight lieth buried in the Chapter house vnder a goodly faire monument if it were not so much defaced He receiued the order of knighthood from the hands of Sir Edward Howard Lord Admirall of England the fourth of King Henry the eight at Croiton Bay in France He did good seruice at the winning of Turney and Turwin as also in other places this hath beene a name of exemplarie note and knights degree at Cowtherke in this Tract for many descent Hic iacet Richardus Brome Armiger cuius anime propitietur Deus On the wall by him is a monument with his atchieuement cut with helme coate mantle and creast his Creast is a bonch of broome greene with golden flowers on a wreath Next him lies vnder an arched monument the body of one Bosuile or Boswell sometime Prior of this Church with this Inscription on the vpper part of the Arch. O tu qui transis vir aut mulier puer an sis Respice picturas apices lege cerne figuras Et memor esto tui sic bene disce mori Vnder it are three pictures of dead mens skuls one with teeth another without an vpper chappe and onely two teeth in the nether and the third without either chaps or teeth betweene each of which is written O morieris O morieris O morieris The Familie of Bosvile is very ancient farre branched and of knightly degree as it will appeare in many places of these my ensuing labours of which in this place and vpon this occasion I will onely giue a little touch In the Church of Seuenoke within the County of Kent remaine the achiuements and Funerall rights of Raphe Bosvile of Bradburne in the said Parish of Seuenok Esquire Clerk of her late Maiesties Court of Wards and Liueries Grandsier of Sir Raphe Bosvile now of Bradburne and Sir Henry Bosvile of Eynsford in the foresaid County Knights descended lineally from the Bosviles of Erdsley and Newhall in the County of Yorke The inhabitants of Seuenoke say that whilst the said Raph Boswell liued being employed vpon many occasions for the publique hee deserued and had the reputation of a most worthie Patriot and out of his particular to their Towne hee procured of Queene Elizabeth a Charter of Incorporation for the setling and gouernment of Lands formerly giuen for the maintenance of a Free-schoole and thirteene Almes-people in the said Parish For the more entire establishment whereof Sir Raph his Grand-childe cooperating with other noble friends in so charitable a suite obtained an Act of Parliament in the 39. of Queene Elizabeth besides other benefites procured by him in behalfe of this Corporation and Parish Whereupon a well wishing versifier alluding to the Creste of this Familie which is an Oxe comming out of a Groue of Oakes tooke occasion to expresse his affection in this Distich Dij tibi dent Bosville boues villasque Radulphe Nec Villâ careat Bosue vel Illa boùe Here lieth vnder a faire marble stone one of the ancient Familie of the Cleres and his wife as appeares by their Armes thereupon engrauen for the brasse is quite taken away Of which worthy Familie I speake hereafter Pray for the soule of Elisabeth Waters and Iohn Waters Alderman and for the soule of Iohn Waminge Alderman and Maior of Norwich and husbands vnto the said Elisabeth .... Vpon the wall of a Chappell next to the Chapter house this Inscription In honore beate Marie Virginis omnium Sanctorum Willelmus Beauchampe Capellam hanc ordinauit ex proprijs sumptibus construxit Herein he lies buried vnder the Arch in the wall richly gilt as also the roofe Orate pro anima Fratris Symonis Folkard nuper Prioris Lenne .... qui obijt ... M. ccccci Vnder a monument in the South Crosse Isle lieth one Baconthorp a Prior of this Church the Inscription is worne or torne out of the stone I will not say that this Prior was Iohn Baconthorp the Resolute Doctor who flourished in the raigne of King Edward the third For I finde that he was buried amongst the Carmelites at London howsoeuer he was borne at Blackney in this County brought vp at Oxford and Paris in France and so exceeding deeply learned he was as well in Diuinitie as in both the Ciuill and Canon Lawes that he proceeded Doctor in either faculty in both the said Vniuersities and got the surname Doctoris resoluti or Resolute or Resoluing Doctor Nemo doctius consundebat Iudaos nemo neruosius consutabat Turcos vel quoscunque infideles nemo falicius ex pugnabat haereticos nemo solidiùs Christi veritatem dilucidabat nemo manifestius Antichrists falsitatem imposturas detegebat suisque coloribus depingâ—bat nemo subtiliùs difficiles nodos soluebat nemo clariùs obscura sacrae scripturae loca explanabat sensus reconditos arcana mysteria dilucidius apperiebat No man more learnedly confounded the Iewes no man more pithilie confuted the Turkes or any other Infidels no man more prosperously conuinced the Heretickes no man more solidly declared the truth of Christ no man more manifestly discouered the deceits and iuglings of Antichrist nor so painted him out in his proper colours No man more subtilly resolued hard questions and neuer any man more clearly expounded explaned or laid more apertly open the hidden sense the secret mysteries and the obscure places of the sacred Scripture saith Pitseus He was like another Zacheus little of stature but immense in wit and vnderstanding insomuch as it was a wonder to know so many vertues inhabite together in so small a mansion He writ so many exact learned Volumes that his bodie could not beare what his wit brought forth Nam si moles librorum cius composita sarcina auctoris humeris imposita fuisset homulum sine dubio comprimere suffecisset For if the bulke or pile of the bookes which he writ had beene put into a bagge and laid vpon his shoulders questionlesse it would haue prest the slender short
Essex He died in the first yeare of King Edward the fourth Iohn Mowbray sonne of Iohn aforesaid who in his Fathers dayes was created Earle Warren and Surrey and hauing enioyed these and his fathers Honours for the space dyed without issue at his Castle of Framingham in Suffolke in the fifteenth yeare of King Edward the fourth and was here entombed Sir Iohn Howard knight sonne of Sir Robert Howard knight and of Margaret his wife daughter and coheire of Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke first made Baron by king Edward the fourth 1461. Quia postea constituit eum Capitaneum Armate potentie super mare Test. Rege apud West Pat. anno 10. Ed. 4. M. 13. was here interred as I finde in the Collections of Francis Thinne Lancaster Herald In the yeare 1483. he was created Duke of Norfolke by King Richard the third in whose aide he was slaine at Bosworth field on Monday the two and twentieth of Aug. 1485. He was warned by diuers to refraine from the field insomuch that the night before he should set forward toward the King one wrote this rime vpon his gate Iack of Norffolk be not too bold For Dikon thy Master is boght and sold. Yet all this notwithstanding he regarding more his oath his honour and promise made to King Richard like a gentleman and as a faithfull subiect to his Prince absented not himselfe from his master but as he faithfully liued vnder him so he manfully died with him to his great fame and laud. And therefore though his seruice was ill employed in aide of a Tyrant whom it had beene more honourable to haue suppressed then supported yet because he had vpon his fealtie vndertaken to fight in his quarrell he thought it lesse losse of life and liuing then of glory and honour so that he might haue said in respect of his loyaltie and promised truth testified with constancie to the death Est mihi supplicium causa fuisse pium This passage is wondrously well deliuered to vs in verse by an honourable late writer thus Long since the King had thought it time to send For trustie Norfolke his vndaunted friend Who hasting from the place of his abode Found at the doore a world of papers strow'd Some would affright him from the Tyrants aide Affirming that his Master was betraide Some laid before him all those bloudy deeds From which a line of sharpe reuenge proceeds With much compassion that so braue a Knight Should serue a Lord against whom Angels fight And others put suspitions in his minde That Richard most obseru'd was most vnkinde The Duke a while these cautious words reuolues With serious thoughts and thus at last resolues If all the Campe proue traytors to my Lord Shall spotlesse Norfolke falsifie his word Mine oath is past I swore t'vphold his Crowne And that shall swimme or I with it will drowne It is too late now to dispute the right Dare any tongue since Yorke spread forth his light Nortâ—umberland or Buckingham defame Two valiant Cliffords Roos or Beaumonts name Because they in the weaker quarrell die They had the King with them and so haue I. But euery eye the face of Richard shunnes For that foule murder of his brothers sonnes Yet lawes of Knighthood gaue me not a sword To strike at him whom all with ioynt accord Haue made my Prince to whom I tribute bring I hate his vices but adore the King Victorious Edward if thy soule can heare Thy seruant Howard I deuoutly sweare That to haue sau'd thy children from that day My hopes on earth should willingly decay Would Glouster then my perfect faith had tried And made two graues when Noble Hastings died This said his troopes he into order brings A little after he giues vs a touch of the Dukes valour and deciphers the manner of his death in these matchlesse numbers which follow Here valiant Oxford and fierce Norfolke meete And with their speares each other rudely greete About the aire the shiuer'd peeces play Then on their swords their Noble hands they lay And Norfolke first a blow directly guides To Oxfords head which from his helmet slides Vpon his arme and biting through the steele Inflicts a wound which Vere disdaines to feele He lifts his Fauchion with a threatning grace And hewes the Beuer off from Howards face This being done he with compassion charm'd Retires asham'd to strike a man disarm'd But straight a deadly shaft sent from a bow Whose master though far off the Duke could know Vntimely brought this combat to an end And pierc'd the braine of Richards constant friend When Oxford saw him sinke his noble soule Was full of griefe which made him thus condole Farewell true Knight to whom no costly graue Can giue due honour would my teares might saue Those streames of blood deseruing to be spilt In better seruice had not Richards guilt Such heauie weight vpon his fortune laid Thy glorious vertues had his sinnes outwaighd Sir Thomas Howard Knight of the Garter Earle of Surrey and Duke of Norfolke sonne and heire of the foresaid Iohn thus slaine was here likewise entombed who died in the sixteenth yeare of the raigne of King Henry the eight 1524. This Thomas was with his father in the forefront of the foresaid Battell where he had the leading of the Archers which King Richard so placed as a bulwarke to defend the rest The martiall prowesse of this Earle in the pight field and his resolute braue carriage being taken prisoner are delineated to the life by my said Author Sir Iohn Beaumont the particulars wherof if they may seeme as pleasing to you in the reading as they were to me in the writing cannot be any way tedious here to set downe for they are sinnewy strong liues and will draw you no doubt with them along Couragious Talbot had with Surrey met And after many blowes begins to fret That one so yong in Armes should thus vnmoou'd Resist his strength so oft in warre approou'd And now the Earle beholds his fathers fall Whose death like horrid darkenesse frighted all Some giue themselues as captiues others flie But this yong Lion casts his gen'rous eye On Mowbrayes Lion painted in his shield And with that King of beasts repines to yeeld The field saith he in which the Lyon stands Is blood and blood I offer to the hands Of daring foes but neuer shall my flight Dye blacke my Lyon which as yet is white His enemies like cunning Huntsmen striue In binding snares to take their prey aliue While he desires t' expose his naked brest And thinkes the sword that deepest strikes is best Yong Howard single with an Army fights When mou'd with pitie two renowned knights Strong Clarindon and valiant Coniers trye To rescue him in which attempt they dye Now Surrey fainting scarse his sword can hold Which made a common souldier grow so bold To lay rude hands vpon that noble flower Which he disdaining anger giues him power Erects his
Iohns In Lib. Colt Iordan and Robert Sackvile Foundation of the Hospitall for Lepâ—â—s Foundation of the Friery of the holy Crosse Foundation of the Minories In bib Cott. Mss. in bib Cotâ— Camd. in Oxford The foundation of Colne Prioâ—ie In Rib. Cott. Aubrey de Vere and William his sonne Mâ—â— in bib Coâ— Aubrey de Vere the first Earle of Oxford surnamed the grimme Lib. Alb. de Colne Aubrey de Vere the second Earle of Oxford Hugh de Vere Earle of Oxford Robert de Vere 〈◊〉 of Oxford Robert de Vere the sonne of Robert Earle of Oxford Robert de Vere Earle of Oxford and Duke of Ireland Speed in vita R. 2. Aubrey de Vere Earle of Oxford Iohn de Vere Earle of Oxford Io de Vere E. of Oxford Maud Countesse of Oxford Tho. Paycock Butcher and Christian his wife Robert Paycock Elis and Ioan his wiues Tho. Paycock Marg and Anne his wiues Iohn Paycock and Ioan his wife Io. Kebull Isabel and Ioan his wiues 〈◊〉 Goldwyre Isabel and Christian his wife Foundation of Coggeshall Abbey 〈◊〉 in bib Cott Camd. in Essex Io. Doreward and Isab. his wife Bartholomew Lord Bourchier Marg. and Idonea his wiues Rob. Bourchier Lo Chancelor Camd. in Essex Agnes Lady Gate Peter Wood. Io. Vere Earle of Oxford In the Catalogue of honour Brooke Dorothie Scroope The foundation of a Priorie in Heueningham Lucie Lady Prioresse of Heningham Vpon the Crucifiâ—e Vpon the vergine Mary Vpon the image of Lucie Sir Io. Hawkewood knight Stow Annal. In bib Cot in Arch Tuâ—â— Lonâ— 1 Pars 〈◊〉 Ann. 8. H. 4. m. â—0 * Paul Ioâ—â—us in Eâ—g Camd. in Essex Stow Annal. William Holden and Agnes his wife Tho. Lord Audley Tho. Holden Mathew West Priest Rector Io. Nichols and his foure wiues Lechec The like before in Feuersham Hugh Price Abbot Io. Chynt Priest Rector Robert Wyld Priest Rector The foundation of Walden Abbey In Arch. Tuâ—r 〈◊〉 Camd. in 〈◊〉 * The Duke of Glocester because the Swan was his cognisance Abstract 〈…〉 An 41. Ed. 3. An â— Rich. 2. Leez Abbey Humfrey Waiden Hen Langley and Mar. his wife Tho. Langley Hen Langley and Lady Katherine his wife Ric. Dammary and Alice his wife Sir Walter Clarke Priest Rich. Large and Alice his wife Will. Bourchier 〈…〉 Earle of Ewe Hen. Bourchier E. of Essex Hen. Bourchier E. of Essex Stow Annal. Out of certaine ancient collections in Essex Sir Tho. Lovaine knight Camd. in Essex Robert Northburnt In the window The foundation of Tiltey Abbey Des. Leicest lit B. Gerard Dannet 〈◊〉 Mary his wife Tho de Thakley Abbot Will. Moigne Ann 2â— Ed. 1. The foundation of the Priorie Ex Mss. in bib Colt Robert de Vere Earle of Oxford Tho. Barington and Anne has wife Camd. in Essex Miiles Catal. Walter Bigod Simon Regham Io. Ienone and Alice his wife The foundation of the Priory of Dunmow Out of an abstract of the Chronicle of Dunmow in bâ—b Cott. Matilda surnamed the faire Ex predict lib Dunmow Stow Annal. Stow. Annal. Sir Rob. Fitz-water knight Extract lib. Dunmow in saepe dict bib Cott. Walter of Clare or Walter Fitz-Robert Extract lib. de Dâ—â— perdâ—ct The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Dunmowe now cast and christenâ—d Io Blakemore Prior. Radcliffe Patron of the Priory of little Dunmow Newton Hall Ro. Radcliffe Earle of Sussex Shee tooke the title of Supremacy vpon her in the beginning of her raigne which she relinquished before her death Tho. Coggeshall and Ioane his wife Tho. Browne The Hospitall in Newport The Foundation of the Colledge at 〈◊〉 Io. Holland Earle of Exceter Camd. in Essex Sir Ed. Holland Earle of Mortaigne and his wife Io. Scot the first Master of this Colledge Robert Freuyt Tho. Plantagines Duke of Glocester Hollins p. 489. Catal. of Hon. Brooke Elianor Duchesse of Gloucester Cronie tripart in bib Cot. The Swanne the Duke of Gloc. cognisance Histor Ang. l. 20. Camd. in Essex The foundation 〈◊〉 Hatfield Colledge â—ob Symond â—eraâ—â— Braybroke and his wife Darcies Hollins 〈…〉 Annal The Deuill of Danbury Ro. Tendering Tho. â—ille and Margâ—ry his wife Abstract â—eâ— in Scaccar Iohn Biglon Butcher and Florance his wife Io. Rochford Gertrude Lady Petre. The foundation of Waltham Abbey Waltham Crosse. Cart. Ant. Litur R.R. Stow Annal. speed The death of king Harold The buriall of King Harold Girth and Leoâ—win King Harolds brethren Camd Remaines Sir Io. Hayward in vita Will. 1. The Charter of K. Harold Rob. Glocest. Hugh Nevill cheefe Forrester of England Mat 〈◊〉 ad an 12â—0 〈◊〉 eodem an 〈…〉 Paris ad an 1145. Iohn Nevill In bib Col. Robert Passelew Dannil in vil Hen 3. Paris Paris eod an Remaines pa. 16. Iohn and Ioan Cressy Sir Edward Denny knight and Ioan his wife Cart. Antiq. liâ— M. * A little Couent of Friers subiect to the Chanons and their Rules Priorie de cornuto Stow Suruay Hore-Church Hen. Arundell Will. Ailiffe Iulian Lady Roche Suruay Katherine Fermor Tho. Seargill Elis. his wife Rob. Glocest. * poore * readie for God Auery Cornburgh Beatrice his wife and Doctor Crowland Elis. Hannys Taleworth Ab. Rel. in Scac. Rich. Ballard and Margerie his wife 〈…〉 his wife 〈…〉 wife 〈…〉 Hall * Ex Autographo eiusdem carie dat an 2 Eâ— 1. penes Radulphum Lathum Aâ—mâ—g dominum Mancrie eiusdem * Escaetr de a. 41. E. 3. * Ex Autographo eiusdem cartae dat 10. Iulij a. 15. E. 1. penes R. L. praedictum * Rot Pat. de a. 3. R. 2. parte 3. * Penes Rad. Lath praedict * In this place t is probable the words to be supplied are Pro animabus filiorum suorum et * She was the daughter of Sir Wiâ—liam Roche Knight William Cook Elis. his wife Tho. Alderton and Alice his wife Camd. in Essex Rog. Lancaster In his Crono descrip of Essex a Mss. Iordan le Brune Rich. Chirche Butler Staple Sir Giles Chanceux Scot Sir Io. Greyton Lamberne Sir Lucas Tâ—anye Sâ—ow â—alsing History of Wales Thomasia Tho. 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Heâ—â—ngham Tho. Fige Ioan Wyborne Iohn Pinchon and Ioan his wife Margaret Barners Iohn Barners Constance Barners Io. Barners and Elis. his wife Nic. Barners Marg his wife Catal. of Honour title Essex Isabell Tyrell Elis. Tyrell Sir Io Tâ—rell and Alice his wife Their children Tho. Tirell Catherine Tirrell Edward Mackwilliams his sonne Henry and Anne his wife Sir Wil. Clopton Sir Tho. Clopton Ed. Clopton Penes Simonds Dâ— Ewes Equit. aurat Autographum vidi penes S. D' Ewes Eq. aurat William Clopton Margery Clopton Abstract Releuior de Scaccar Regis termino Hill a. 37. Ed. 3. Sir Will. Clopton Knight and Ioane his wife Sir Payne Roet King of Armes Geffrey Chaucer Brother in Law by marriage to Iohn Duke of Lancaster Ex Arch. Turr. Lond. * Wryothesley Garter principall King of Armes In Arch. Turr. Lond. Kings of Armes in the raigne of King H. the 5. Hen. the Sixt. Ed. the fourth Riâ—h the third Kings in the