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A40672 The history of the worthies of England who for parts and learning have been eminent in the several counties : together with an historical narrative of the native commodities and rarities in each county / endeavoured by Thomas Fuller.; History of the worthies of England Fuller, Thomas, 1608-1661.; Fuller, John, b. 1640 or 41. 1662 (1662) Wing F2441; ESTC R6196 1,376,474 1,013

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ar   Arg. on a Bend ingr S. 3 dexter handsof the first 12 Bri. Iohnson ar Beaconfield Quarterly Azure G. a Cross Patoncee a Chief Or. 13 Edm. Wheeler mi. Riding-Co Or. a Chev. between 3 Leopards-heads 〈◊〉 14 Th. Temple m. B. ut prius   15 Ioh. Laurence mi. Iver Arg. a Cross knotted G. on a Chief Az. 3 Leopards-heads Or. 16 Fra. Duncombe a.   Party per Chev. counter-Flore G. Arg. 3 Talbots-heads Erazed countercharged 17 Be. Winchombe a. See our Notes   18 Hen. Lee m. ba. Quarrendō Arg. a Fess betwixt 3 Cressants Sable 19 Ioh. Denham mil.   Gules 3 〈◊〉 Erm. 20 Will. Fleetwood ut prius * Per pale Or G. a Lion Ramp 〈◊〉 three flower de luces counterchanged 21 Fra. Goodwin * m.     22 Will. Pen † ar Pen † Arg. on a Fess S. 3 Plates REG. CARO     Anno     1 Edw. Coke mil. Stoke Partee per pale G. Az. 3 Eagles Argent 2 Gil. Gerrard bar   Quarterly the 1 4 Arg. a Sal. G. the 2 3 Az. a Lion Ramp Erm. Crowned Or. 3 Tho. Darel a. ut prius   3 F. Catesby a. Northamp Ar. 2 Lions passant S. crowned Or. 4 The. Lee ar ut prius   5 Will. 〈◊〉 m. ut prius   6 Tho. Hide baro   Or a Chev. betwixt 3 〈◊〉 Az. in Chief an Eagle of the first 7 〈◊〉 Dupper ar     8 Rob. Dormer ar ut prius   9 Fran. 〈◊〉 mi. ut prius   10 Pet. Temple mil. ut prius   11 Heneage Proby a.   Erm. on a Fess G a Lion Passant the tail extended Or. 12 Anth. Chester ba. ut prius   13     14     15 Tho. Archdale ar     16     17 Rich Grevile mi.   Sable a border Cross engrailed Or thereon 5 Pellets 18     19     20 Hen. Beak ar     21     22 Will. Collier ar     Queen Elizabeth 17 JOHN CROKE Ar. Being afterwards Knighted he was the son of Sir John Crook a Six-clerk in Chancery and therefore restrained marriage untill enabled by a statute of the 14. of Henry the eighth His 〈◊〉 in the Civil warres between York and Lancaster concealed their proper name Le Blount under the assumed one of Croke As for this Sir John Croke first Sheriff of Buckingham after the division of Bedfordshire he was most fortunate in an issue happy in the knowledge of our municipall Law Of whom Sir John Croke his eldest son Speaker of the Parliament in the 43. of Queen Elizabeth He received this Eulogium from Her Majesty That he had proceeded therein with such wisdome and discretion that none before him had deserved better As for Sir George his second son we have spoken of him before 26 ROBERT DORMER Ar. He was on the 10. of June 1615. made Baronet by King James and on the 30. day of the same Month was by him Created Baron Dormer of Wing in this County His grand-child Robert Dormer was by K. Charles in the 4. of his reign Created Viscount Ascot and Earl of Carnarvan He lost his life fighting for him who gave him his Honour at the first battle of Newbury Being sore wounded he was desired by a Lord to know of him what suit he would have to his Majesty in his behalf the said Lord promising to discharge his trust in presenting his request and assuring him that his Majesty would be willing to 〈◊〉 him to the utmost of his power To whom the Earl replied I will not dye with a suit in my mouth to any King save to the King of Heaven By Anne daughter to Philip Earl of Pembrook and Montgomery He had Charles now 〈◊〉 of Carnarvan 27 EDWARD BULSTROD Ar. I have not met with so ancient a Coat for such it appeareth beyond all exception so voluminous in the Blazon thereof viz. Sable a Bucks head Argent attired Or shot the Nose with an Arrow of the third headed and feathered of the second a Cross Patee fitchee betwixt the Attire Or. 34 HEN. LONGVILE Ar. He had to his fourth son Sir Michael Longvile who married Susan sole daughter to Hen. Earl of Kent Now when the issue in a direct line of that Earldome failed in our memory Mr. Selden was no less active then able to prove that the Barony of 〈◊〉 was dividable from the Earldome and descended to the son of the said Sir Michael and thereupon he sate as Baron Ruthyn in our late long Parliament Since his death his sole daughter and heir hath been married unto Sir Henry Yelverton of Easton in the County of Northampton Baronet a worthy Gent. of fair estate so that that Honour is likely to continue in an equipage of breadth proportionable to the height thereof King James 17 BENEDICT WINCHCOMBE Ar. His armes too large for the little space allotted them I here fully represent in gratitude to the Memory of his Ancestor so well deserving of Newbury viz. Azure on a Chev. engrailed between three Birds Or as many Cinque foiles of the first on a Chief of the second a Flower the Luce between two spears heads of the first King Charles 1 EDWARD COKE Kt. This was our English 〈◊〉 so famous for his Comments on our common-Common-law This year a Parliament was called and the Court-party was jealous of Sir Edwards activity against them as who had not digested his discontentments Hereupon to prevent his election as a member and confine him to this County he was prick'd Sheriff thereof He scrupuled to take the oath pretending many things against it and particularly that the Sheriff is bound thereby to prosecute Lollards wherein the best Christians may be included It was answered that he had often seen the Oath given to others without any regreet and knew full well that Lollard in the modern sense imported the opposers of the present Religion as established by Law in the Land No excuses would serve 〈◊〉 turn but he must undertake this office However his friends beheld it as an injurious degradation of him who had been Lord Chief-justice to attend onthe Judges at the Assises 9 FRANCIS CHENEY Mil. It is an Epidemical disease to which many ancient Names are subject to be variously disguised in writing How many names is it Chesney Chedney Cheyne Chyne Cheney c. And all de Casineto A name so Noble and so diffused in the Catalogue of Sheriffs it is harder to miss then find it any County Here Reader let me amend and insert what I omitted in the last County There was a fair Family of the Cheneys flourishing in Kent but landed also in other Counties giving for their Armes Azure six Lions Rampant Argent a Canton Ermin Of this house was Henry Chency High sheriffe of this County and Bedford shire in the 7. of Q. Elizabeth and not long after by her created Baron of Tuddington in Bedford-shire In his youth he
like being said not to be seen in all England no nor in all Europe again The Buildings Saint Werburges Church is a fair structure and had been more beautifull if the tower thereof intended some say for a steeple the first stone whereof was laid 1508. had been finished It was built long before the Conquest and being much ruined was afterward repaired by Hugh Lupus first Earl of Chester It was afterward made by King Henry the eighth one of his five Royal Bishopricks Oxford Gloucester Bristol and Peterborough being the other four I say Royal Bishopricks as whose Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions were never confirmed by the Pope nor Baronies by the Parliament The first is plain King Henry the eighth erecting them after he had disclaimed the Popes Supremacy and in the days of Queen Mary when England was in some sort reconciled to Rome the Pope thought not fit to contest with the Queen about that Criticismē because these five Bishopricks were erected without his consent but suffer'd them to be even as he found them Their Baronries also were not though their Bishopricks were ever confirmed by Act of Parliament so that they owed their beings solely to the Kings Prerogative who might as well Create Spiritual as Temporal Peers by his own Authority And therefore when some Anti-praelatists in the late Long Parliament 1641. endeavoured to overthrow their Baronries as an Ess●…y and Preludium to the rest of the Bishopricks for want of Parliamentary Confirmation they desisted from that design as fond and unfeisable on better consideration Proverbs When the daughter is stoln shut Pepper-gate Pepper-gate was a postern of this City on the East-side as I take it thereof but in times past closed up and shut upon this occasion The Mayor of the City had his daughter as she was playing at ball with other Maidens in Pepper-street stoln away by a Young-man through the same gate whereupon in revenge he caused it to be shut up though I see not why the City should suffer in her conveniences for the Mayor his want of Care or his Daughter her lack of Obedience But what shall we say Love will make the whole Walla Gate to procure its own Escape Parallel to this Proverb is the Latine Serò sapiunt Phryges when men instead of preventing postvide against dangers Martyrs GEORGE MARSH was condemned by Bishop Coats and cruelly burnt without this City near unto Spittle Boughton but because he was born elsewhere see his character in Lancashire Prelates GEORGE DOUNHAM D. D. son to John Dounham Bishop of Chester was born in this City as by proportion of time may most probably be collected He was bred in Christs-colledge in Cambridge elected Fellow thereof 1585. and chosen Logick-professor in the University No man was then and there better skill'd in Aristotle or a greater Follower of Ramus so that he may be termed the Top-twig of that Branch It is seldome seen that the Clunch-fist of Logick good to knock a man down at a blow can so open it self as to smooth and stroak one with the Palme thereof Our Dounham could doe both witness the Oration made by him at Cambridge preposed to his book of Logick full of Flowers of the choicest eloquence He preached the Sermon April 17. 160●… at the Consecration of James Mountague Bishop of Bath and Wells irrefragably proving therein Episcopacy jure Divino He that receiveth a Bishop in the Name of a Bishop shall receive a Bishops reward It was not long before Doctor Dounham was made Bishop of Derry in Ireland then newly augmented with the addition of London-Derry because so planted with English it was easy to find London in Derry but not Derry in Derry so much disguised from itself with new buildings But this Learned Bishop was the greatest beauty thereof indeavouring by gentleness to Cicurate and Civillize the wild-Irish and proved very successfull therein The certain date of his death I cannot attain Sea men DAVID MIDDLETON was born in this City as his Kinsman and my Friend hath informed me He was one of those who effectually contributed his assistance to the making of Through lights in the World I mean New Discoveries in the East and West-Indies as we may read at large in his own Printed relation The tender-hearted Reader whose affections go along with his eye will sadly sympathize with his sufferings so many and great his dangers with Caniballs and Portugals Crocodiles and Hollanders till at last he accomplished his intentions and setled the English trade at Bantam I meet with no mention of him after 1610. Sir HENRY MIDDLETON Knight was younger brother as I take it to the former deservedly knighted for his great pains and perills in advancing the English trade Amongst many most remarkable is his Voyage into the Red-sea which had like to have proved the Dead sea unto him I mean cost him his life Here he was tolled to land at Moha by the treacherous Aga and then had eight of his men barbarously sl●…in himself and seven more chained up by the Necks The pretence was because that Port was the Door of the Holy City which though it be Jerusalem in the language of the Scripture is Mecca in the Phrase of the Alcaron and it is Capitoll for any Christian to come so near thereunto Then was he sent eightscore miles and upwards to the Bashaw at Zenan in Arabia in the Month of January 1611. This City of Zenan lyeth but sixteen degrees and fifteen minutes of Northern latitude from the Equator and yet was so cold that there was Ice of a Fingers thickness in one night as the said Sir Henry did relate This confuteth the Character of these Countries misapprehended by Antiquity not to be habitable for the excess of heat therein At last the Turkish Bashaw gave him leave to depart and sailing Eastwards he repaired himself by a gainfull composition with the Indians for the losses he had sustained by the Turkes His ship called the Trades increase well answered the name thereof untill it pleased God to visit his men therein with a strange disease whereof one hundred English deceased the grief whereat was conceived the cause of this worthy Knights death May 24. 1613. whose name will ever survive whilst Middletons Bay from him so called appeareth in the Dutch Cards Writers ROGER of CHESTER was born and bred therein a Benedictine Monke in Saint Werburges In obedience to the Bishop of Chester he wrot a Brittish Chronicle from the beginning of the World This was the fashion of all Historians of that age running to take a long rise from the Creation it self that so it seems they might leap the further with the greater force Our Rogers Chronicle was like a ship with double decks first onely continuing it to the year 1314. and then resuming his subject he superadded five and twenty year more thereunto entitling it Polycratica Temporum Both Bale and Pitz praise him for pure latine a rarity in
resurgeret olim Effoderet Tumulum non puto Drake tuum Non est quod metuas ne te combusserit ulla Posteritas in aqua tutus ab igne manes Though Romes Religion should in time return Drake none thy Body will ungrave again There is no fear Posterity should burn Those bones which free from fire in Sea remain He died as I am informed unmarried but there is of his Alliance a Worshipful Family extant in this County in the condition of a Baronet Sir WALTER RAWLEIGH The sons of Heth said unto Abraham thou art a great ●…rince amongst us In the choice of our Sepulchres bury thy dead none shall withold them from thee So may we say to the memory of this worthy Knight repose your self in this our Catalogue underwhat Topick you please of States-man Sea-man Souldier Learned Wrirer and what not His worth unlocks our closest Cabinets and provides both room and wellcome to entertain him He was born at Budeley in this County of an Ancient Family but decaied in Estate and he the youngest brother thereof He was bred in Oriel Colledg in Oxford and thence comming to Court found some hopes of the Queens favours reflecting upon him This made him write in a glasse Window obvious to the Queens eye Fain wauld I climb yet fear I to fall Her Majesty either espying or being shown it did under-write If thy heart fails thee climb not at all However he at last climbed up by the stairs of his own 〈◊〉 But his Introduction into the Court bare an elder date From this occasion This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming cut of Ireland to the English Court in good habit his 〈◊〉 being then a considerable part of his estate found the Queen walking till meeting with a Plashy place she seemed to scruple going thereon Presently Raleigh cast and spred his new Plush Cloak on the ground whereon the Q●…een trod gently rewarding him afterwards with many Suits for his so free and seasonable tender of so fair a foot 〈◊〉 Thus an advantagious admission into the first notice of a Prince is more than half a degree to 〈◊〉 It is reported of the Women in the Balear Islands that to 〈◊〉 their Sons expert archers they will not when children give them their break-fast before they had hit the mark Such the dealing of the Queen with this Knight making him to earn his Honour and by pain and peril to purchase what places of credit or profit were bestowed upon him 〈◊〉 it was true of him what was said of Cato 〈◊〉 That he seemed to be born to that onely which he went about So dexterous was he in all his undertakings In Court in Camp by Sea by Land with Sword with Pen witnesse in the last his History of the World wherein the onely default or defect rather that it wanteth one half thereof Yet had he many enemies which worth never wanteth at Court his cowardly Detractors of whom Sir Walter was wont to say If any man accuseth me to my face I will answer him with my mouth but my tail is good enough to return an answer to such who 〈◊〉 me behind my ba●…k Civilians JOHN COWEL was born at Yarnesborow in this County bred first at Eaton then in Kings-Colledg in Cambridg He was Proctor thereof 1586. Doctor of the Law Master of Trinity Hall Vice-Chancellour in the year 1603 and 1614 Doctor of the Arches Vicar General to Archbishop Bancroft Though Civil was his Profession such his skill in Common Law he was as well able to practice in Westminster Hall as Doctors Commons In his time the contest was heightned betwixt the Civilians and Common Lawyers Cowell being the Champion of the former whom King James countenanced as far as he could with conveniency Indeed great were his abilities though a grand Oracle of the Common Law was pleased in derision to call him Doctor Cow-heele and a Cow-heele I assure you well dress'd is good meat that a Cook when hungry may lick his fingers after it Two chief Monuments he hath left to Posterity his Book intituled Institutiones 〈◊〉 Anglicani and his Interprerer of the hard words in the Common-Law Indeed he had both the essentials of an Interpreter who was both gnarus and sidus Many slighted his Book who used it it being questionable whether it gave more information or offence Common Lawyers beheld it as a double trespasse against them first pedibus ambulando that a Civillian should walk in a Profession several to themselves Secondly that he should pluck up the Pales of the bard terms wherewith it was inclosed and lay it open and obvious to common capacities But an higher offence was charged upon him that he made the King to have a double Prerogative the one limited by Law the other 〈◊〉 which being complained of in Parliament his Book was called in and condemned Some other advantages they got against him the grief whereof hearts sunk down are not to be boyed up hastened his death Anno Domini 1611. and he lieth buried in Trinity-Hall Chappel ARTHVR DVCK was born of wealthy parentage at Heavy-tree in this County He was bred in Oxford Fellow of All-souls-Colledge and wrote the life of Arch Bishop Chicheley the Founder thereof in most elegant Latine Proceeding Doctor of Law he became Chancellour of Wells and London and Master of the 〈◊〉 designed also Master of the Roles had not an intervening accident diverted it One of most smooth Language but rough speech So that what the Comedian faith of a fair 〈◊〉 in Mean Apparel was true of him In ipsa inesset forma vestes formam 〈◊〉 Had there not been a masculine strength in his matter it had been marred with the disadvantage of his utterance He died on the Lords Day and in effect in the Church about 1648 Leaving a great estate to two Daughters since married to two of his Name and Kindred Writers ROGER the CISTERTIAN Lived neer the place of his birth at Ford Abbey in this County Here the judicious Reader will please himself to climb up the two following Mountains of extreams onely with his eye and then descend into the Vale of Truth which lieth betwixt them Leland Bale Cent. 3. Num. 23. Doctis artibus 〈◊〉 insolito quodam animi ardore noctes atque dies invigilavit Invigilavit fallaciis atque imposturis Diabolicis ut Christi gloriam obscuraret I believe that Bilius Bale would have been sick of the yellow Jaundies if not venting his choller in such expressions But to speak impartially the works of this Roger concerning the Revelations of Elizabeth Abbesse of Schonaugh and the Legend that he wrote of St. Ursula with her Thousands of Maids kill'd at Colen are full to say no worse of many fond falsities He lived mostly in the Low Countries and flourished 1180 under King Henry the Second JOHN de FORD was probably born at certainly Abbot of Ford in this County esteemed insignis Theologus in his age following the foot-steps of
Perin in Cornwall The Angel Gabriel was very much beholding to him for instituting an Annual Festival unto Him observed as I humbly conceive only in his own Cathedral or own Diocesse at the most and least people sho●…ld complain of the dearnesse of their Devotion he left good Land to defray the cost of that Solemnity He is much blamed for compassing the Mannour of Bishops-Clift to his Church by indirect means to which I can say nothing but only observe that this small City within eighty Years did afford three eminent Prelates whereof two Episcopi in Patria the Natives thereof which will scarcely be paralell'd in any Place of the same proportion He died Anno 12. Writers JOSEPHUS ISCANUS was born at this City anciently called Isca from the River Isk now named Eske running thereby A golden Po●…t in a leaden Age so terse and elegant were his Conceipts and expressions This our English Maro had for his Mecenas Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury But I revoke my words and desire to turn Maro into Cornelius Nepos under whose name the Dutch-men have lately printed a Poem made by this Josephus debello Trojano It soundeth much to a Mans honour even to be mistaken for another Man of eminency for though there may be much of error in the mistake there must be something of truth in the error especially with the judicious Yea in such case a general conformity betwixt the Persons is not enough to build the mistake on without some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here the affinity of phrase and fancy betwixt these two Poets This 〈◊〉 Nepos under whose name the Poems of this Josephus were printed flourished in the time of Tully Indeed I finde not any Poems made by him though having to that purpose perused all Scaliger de Arte 〈◊〉 as a most probable Authour But most sure it is that this Corn●…lius was most judicious in that Art because Valerius Catullus dedicated his Poem unto him as best able to p●…sse a learned censure thereon this Josephus Iscanus flourished under King John Anno 1210 being Arch-Bishop of Burdeaux I have nothing more to observe of him save what with the Readers pardon I cannot omit viz. that this Josephus alwayes minded me of another Josephus Iscanus I mean Joseph Hall lately Bishop of Exeter a witty Poet when young a painfull Preacher and solid Divine in his middle a patient Sufferer in his old age of whom God willing more in due place WILLIAM of Exeter was born in this City bred a Doctor of Divinity in Oxford and afterwards became 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 in the place of his nativity Now in his age fome Franciscan Friers so praised the perfectiou of Poverty that they touched the Popes Coppy-hold of Inheritance For if Poverty was so essential to Piety Papal pomp and plenty must needs argue prophaneness In confutation hereof this William of Exeter undertook William of Ockam though indeed impar congressus betwixt them for Exeter a fair City did not more exceed Ockam a smal village in Surrey in beauty and building than that Ockam William excelled this Exeter William in parts and Learning however what he wanted in brains he had in a good back to assist him and William of Exeter with John the three and twentieth Pope of Rome was able to undertake any Authour of that age He flourished in the Year of our Lord 1330. under the Raign of King Edward the third Since the Reformation RICHARD MARTYN was born in this City and bred partly in the Court partly in the Inns of Court and at last ●…etook himself to the Study of the Law He was accounted one of the highest Witts of our Age and his Nation King James being much delighted with his facetiousnesse a quality which with other of his Abilities commended him to be chosen Recorder of London He is eminent as for many Speeches so especially for that he made in Parliament in the tenth year of King James when account was taken of Forty Gentlemen in the House which were not twenty and some of them not sixteen years of age Formerly said this R●…order Martyn it was the custome of Old men to make Lawes for Young ones But now Nature is invaded and inverted seeing Young men enact Lawes to govern their Fathers He had an excellent Pen and wrote very much and the more the pitty that they are suppressed from publick use his death happened about the year 1616. WILLIAM MARTIN Kinsman to the aforesaid Recorder was born in this City and bred a Student in the Lawes of the Land He wrote a short and clear of the Kings of England since the conquest I have been credlbly informed that King James took some exceptions at a Passage therein sounding either to the derogation of his own Family or of the Scotch Nation which he took so tenderly that Mr. Martin was brought into trouble for the same and though he wethered out the Kings displeasure and was reconciled to his Majesty yet he never r●…covered his former chearfulnesse It seems that a Princes Anger is a disease which though cured is not cured grief for the same being conceived to hasten his death which happened about the year 1616. WILLIAM TUCKER was born in this City bred fellow of New-Colledge in Oxford and after became Doctor in Divinity Canon of Sarisbury Arch-deacon of Barnstable and Dean of Lichfield The purity of his Latine Pen procured his preferment writing and dedicating a Book to Queen Elizabeth de Charismate of our Kings of England their gracious healing the Evil being the best that I have seen on that Subject vindicating such cures from all imposture unlawfull Magick and from some French Writers bold usurpations who lay claim to it as originally belonging to their Kings alone Whereas under correction I conceive that the word Soveraign which properly importeth the Supream Majesty doth also in our English Tongue in a secondary sence signi●…ie what is cordial to cure and heal Diseases or sores ever since such sanative power hath been annexed to the Crown of England This Doctor may be said to have worn half a Miter seeing his Congee de-lire was signed if not sent to elect him Bishop of Glocester but afterwards by Order f●…om King James it was revoked on what occasion I list not to enquire I conjecture the date of his death was much about the Year 1617. JOHN BARKHAM born in this City was bred in Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford whereof he was Fellow Chaplain afterwards to Archbishop Bancroft and Parson of Bocking in Essex Much his Modesty and no lesse his Learning who though never the publique Parent of any was the carefull Nurse of many Books who otherwise had expired in their Infancy had not his care preserved them He set forth D. Crackenchorp his Posthume Book against Spalato and was helpfull to John Speed in the composing of his English History yea he wrote the whole Life of the Raign of King John which is the King of all the
of the Sea c. I confesse the modern mystery of Watch-making is much completed men never being more curious to divide more carelesse to imploy their time but surely this was accounted a master-peece in that age His Sermons so indeared him to King Edward 6. that he preferred him whilst as yet scarce thirty six yeares of age to the Bishoprick of Rochester then of Winchester But alas these honor 's soon got were as soon lost being forced to fly into high Germany in the first of Queen Mary Where before he was fully fourty and before he had finished his Book begun against Thomas Martin in defence of Ministers marriage he died at Strasburg the 2. August 1556. And was buried there with great Lamentation RICHARD FLETCHER was born in this County Brother to Doctor Giles Fletcher the Civilian and Embassadour in Russia and bred in Bennet Colledge in Cambridge He was afterwards Dean of Peterborough at what time Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded at Fotheringhay to whom he made saith my Authour Verbosam Orationem a Wordy speech of her past present and future condition wherein he took more pains that he received thanks from her who therein was most concerned Hence he was preferred Bishop of Peterborough and at last of London my Authour saith he was Presul Splendidus and indeed he was of a comly presence and Queen Elizabeth knew full well Gratior est pulcro veniens è corpore virtus The Iewel vertue is more Grac'd When in a proper person Cas'd Which made her alwayes on an equality of Desert to reflect favourably on such who were of Graceful countenance and stature In one respect this Bishop may well be resembled to John Peckham Archbishop of Canterbury of whom I find this Character Quanquam gestu incessu saepeetiami n Sermone gloriosus videretur elatus animo tamen fuit benignissimo perquam comi Although he seemed a boaster and puffed up both in gesture and ga●…e and sometimes in his speech also yet was he of a loving disposition exceeding courteous Such a one was Bishop Fletcher whose pride was rather on him than in him as only gate and gesture-deep not sinking to his heart though causelesly condemned for a proud man as who was a good Hypocrite and far more humble than he appeared He married a Lady of this County who one commendeth for very vertuous which i●… so the more happy she in her self though unhappy that the world did not believe it Sure I am that Queen Elizabeth who hardly held the second matches of Bishops excusable accounted his marriage a trespasse on his gravity whereupon he fell into her deep displeasure Hereof this Bishop was sadly sensible and seeking to lose his sorrow in a mist of smoak died of the immoderate taking thereof June the fifteenth 1596. BRIAN DUPPA D. D. the worthy Bishop of Winchester was born at Lewsham in in this County staying for farther instructions I am forced to deferre his life to our Additions States-Men Sir EDWARD POYNINGS Knight was in martial performances inferiour to none of his age and a Native of this County as from the Catalogue of the Sheriffs therein may be collected We will insist only on his Irish Action being employed by King Henry the seventh to conjure down the last walking Spirit of the House of York which haunted that King I mean Perkin Warbeck Having ferreted him out of Ireland he seriously set him self to reclaim that barbarous Nation to civility and in order thereunto passed an Act in Parliament whereby all the Statutes made in England b●…fore that time were enacted established and made of force in Ireland He caused also another Law to be made that no Act should be propounded in any Parliament in Ireland till first it had been transmitted into England approved there by the King and returned thence under his broad Seal Now though this Act seemeth prima facie prejudicial to the liberty of the Irish Subjects yet was it made at the request of the Commons upon just important cause being so sensible of the oppression and Laws imposed by private Lords for their particular ends that they rather referred themselves to the Kings Justice than to the merciless mercy of so many Masters Also to conform Ireland to England he procured the passing of an Act that the Irish Barons should appear in Parliament in their Robes which put a face of Grandeur and State on their Convention And indeed formalities are more than Formalities in matters of this nature essentiall to beget a veneration in barbarous people who carry much of their Brain in their Eyes He thriftily improved the Kings Revenues and obtained a Subsidy of twenty six shillings eight pence payable yearly for five years out of every six score Acres manured The worst was the burden fell on their backs whose Islands were most industrious whereby the Soveraign became not more wealthy but the Subjects more lazy the mischief being as apparent as the remedy impossible Many more large Laws of his making found but narrow performance viz. only within the Pale Nor was Henry the seventh though in title in tr●…th Lord of all Ireland but by the favour of a Figure and large Synechdeche of a part for the whole These things thus ordered Sir Edward was recalled in to England created a Baron and dying in the beginning of King Henry the eight left a numerous natural but no legitimate issue Sir ANTHONY St. LEGER is rationally reputed a Kentish man though he had also a Devonshire Relation as will appear to such who peruse the Sheriffs of this County He was properly the first Vice-Roy of Ireland seeing shadows cannot be before their substance and in his Deputy-ship Henry the eight in the 33. year of his reign assumed the Title of King and Supream Head of the Church of Ireland To him all the Irish Nobility made their solemn submission falling down at his feet upon their knees laying aside their Girdles Skeines and Caps This was the fourth solemn submission of the Irish to the Kings of England and most true it is such seeming submissions have been the bane of their serious subjection For out of the Pale our Kings had not power either to Punish or Protect where those Irish Lords notwithstanding their Complemental Loyalty made their list the law to such whom they could over-power He caused also certain Ordinances of State to be made not altogether agreeable with the Rules of the Law of England a satisfactory reason hereof being given in the Preamble to them Quia nondum sic sapiunt leges Jura ut secundum ea jam immediate vivere regi possint Because the Irish as yet do not so savour the Laws of England as immediately to live after and be ruled by them Thus the greatest Statesmen must sometimes say by your leave to such as are under them not acting alway according to their own ability but others capacity He seized all
may be said to have ushered him to the English Court whilest the Lady Lucy Countess of Bedford led him by the one hand and William Earl of Pembroke by the other supplying him with a support far above his patrimonial income The truth is Sommersets growing daily more wearisome made Villiers hourly more welcome to K. James Soon after he was knighted created successively Baron Viscount Villiers Earl Marquess Duke of Buckingham and to bind all his honours the better together the noble Garter was bestowed upon him And now Offices at Court not being already void were voided for him The Earl of Worcester was perswaded to part with his place of Master of the horse as the Earl of Nottingham with his Office of Admiral and both conferred on the Duke He had a numerous and beautiful female kindred so that there was hardly a noble Stock in England into which one of these his Cients was not grafted Most of his Neices were matched with little more portion then their Uncles smiles the forerunner of some good Office or Honour to follow on their Husbands Thus with the same act did he both gratifie his kindred and fortifie himself with noble alliance It is seldome seen that two Kings father and Son tread successively in the same Tract as to a Favourite but here King Charles had as high a kindness for the Duke as K. James Thenceforward he became the Plenipotentiary in the English Court some of the Scottish Nobility making room for him by their seasonable departure out of this Life The Earl of Bristoll was justled out the Bishop of Lincoln cast flat on the Floor the Earls of Pembroke and Carlisle content to shine beneath him Holland behind him none even with much lesse before him But it is generally given to him who is the little God at the Court to be the great Devil in the Countrey The Commonalty hated him with a perfect hatred and all miscarriages in Church and 〈◊〉 at Home Abroad at Sea and Land were 〈◊〉 on his want of Wisdom Valour or Loyalty John ●…elton a melancholy malecontented Gentleman and a sullen Souldier apprehending himself injured could find no other way to revenge his conceived wrongs then by writing them with a point of a Knife in the heart of the Duke whom he stabbed at Portsmouth Anno Dom. 1620. It is hard to say how many of this Nation were guilty of this murther either by publick praising or private approving thereof His person from head to foot could not be charged with any blemish save that some Hypercriticks conceived his Brows somewhat over pendulous a cloud which in the judgement of others was by the beams of his Eyes sufficiently dispelled The Reader is remitted for the rest of his Character to the exquisite Epitaph on his magnificent Monument in the Chappel of Henry the Seventh Capital Judges Sir ROBERT BELKNAP Being bred in the Study of the Laws he became Chief Justice of the Common Pleas October the 8. in the 48. of King Edward the third and so continued till the general Rout of the Judges in the wonder-working Parliament the eleventh of Richard the second when he was displaced on this occasion The King had a mind to make away certain Lords viz. His Unkle the Duke of Glocester the Earls of Arundel Warwick Darby Nottingham c. Who in the former Parliament had been appointed Governors of the Kingdome For this purpose he called all the Judges before him to Nottingham where the Kings many Questions in fine were resolved into this Whether he might by His Regal power revoke what was acted in Parliament To this all the Judges Sir VVilliam Skipwith alone excepted answered affirmatively and subscribed it This Belknap underwrote unwillingly as foreseeing the danger and putting to his seal said these words There wants nothing but an hurdle an horse and an halter to carry me where I may suffer the Death I deserve for if I had not done this I should have dyed for it and because I have done it I deserve death for betraying the Lords Yet it had been more for his credit and conscience to have adventured a Martyrdome in the defence of the Laws then to hazzard the death of a Malefactour in the breach therof But Judges are but men and most desire to decline that danger which they apprehend nearest unto them In the next Parliament all the Judges were arrested in VVestminster-hall of high treason when there was a Vacation in Term time till their places were resupplied Sir R. Tresilian Cheif Justice of the Kings Bench was executed The rest thus named and reckoned up in the printed Statutes Robert Belknap John Holt John Cray William Burgh Roger Fulthorp all Judges and Knights with J. Locktan Serjeant at Law had their lands save what were intailed with their goods and chattels forfeited to the King their persons being banished and they by the importunate intercession of the Queen hardly escaping with their lives Belknap is placed in this County only because I find a worshipful family of his name fixed therein whereof one was High Sheriff in the 17. of K. Henry the 7. Provided this be no prejudice to Sussex the same Name being very ancient therein Sir ROBERT CATELIN descended from the ancient Family of the Catelins of Raunds in Northampton shire as doth appear by the Heralds visitation was born at Biby in this County He was bred in the Study of the Municipal Laws profiting so well therein that in the first of Q. Elizabeth he was made Lord Cheif Justice of the Kings Bench. His Name hath some allusion to the Roman Senator who was the Incendiary of that State though in Nature far different as who by his Wisdom and Gravity was a great support to his Nation One point of Law I have learned from him at the Tryall of Thomas Duke of Norfolk who pleaded out of Bracton that the Testimonies of Forreigners the most pungent that were brought against him were of no Validity Here Sir Robert delivered it for Law that in case of Treason they might be given in for evidence and that it rested in the Brest of the Peers whether or no to afford credit unto them He had one as what man hath not many Fancy that he had a prejudice against all those who write their Names with an alias and took exceptions at one in this respect saying that no honest man had a double name or came in with an alias The party asked him what exceptions his Lordship could take at Jesus Christ alias Jesus of Nazareth He dyed in the Sixteenth year of Queen Elizabeth and his Coat of Arms viz. Party per Cheveron Azure and Or 3 Lions passant Guardant counterchanged a Cheif Pearl is quartered by the Right Honourable the Lord Spencer Earl of Sunderland this Judges Daughter and Sole Heir being married to his Ancestor Some forty years since a Gentleman of his name and kindred had a Cause in the Upper-Bench to
returned For your Masters sake I will stoop but not for the King of Spains This worthy Patriot departed this life in the seventy seventh year of his Age August the 4th 1598. Capitall Judges Sr. WILLIAM de SKIPVVITH was bred in the study of the Laws profiting so well therein that he was made in Trinity Terme Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in the thirty fifth continuing therein untill the fortieth of the Reign of King Edward the third I meet not with any thing memorable of him in our English Histories except this may pass for a thing remarkable that at the importunity of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster this Sr. William condemned William Wichkam Bish. of Winchester of Crimes rather powerfully objected then plainly proved against him whereupon the Bishops Temporalls were taken from him and he denied access within twenty miles of the Kings Court. I confess there is a Village in the East riding of Yorkshire called SKIPWITH but I have no assurance of this Judge his Nativity therein though ready to remove him thither upon clearer information Sr. WILLIAM SKIPVVITH Junior He was inferior to the former in place whom I behold as a Puisne Judge but herein remarkable to all posterity That he would not complie neither for the importunity of King Richard the second nor the example of his fellow Judges in the 10th year of that Kings Reign to allow that the King by his own power might rescinde an Act of Parliament Solus inter impios mansit integer Gulielmus Skipwith * Miles Clarus ideo apud Posteros And * shined the brighter for living in the midst of a crooked Generation bowed with fear and favour into Corruption I know well that the Collar of S. S. S. or Esses worn about the necks of Judges and other persons of Honor is wreathed into that form whence it receiveth its name Chiefly from Sanctus Simon Simplicius an uncorrupted Judge in the Primitive Times May I move that every fourth link thereof when worn may mind them of this SKIPVVITH so upright in his judgment in a matter of the highest importance Having no certainty of his Nativity I place him in this County where his name at Ormesby hath flourished ever since his time in a very worshipfull equipage Sr. WILLIAM HUSE●… Knight was born as I have cause to believe in this County where his name and Familie flourish in a right worshipfull equipage He was bred in the study of our Municipall Law and attained to such eminencie therein that by King Edward the fourth in the one and twentieth of his Reign he was made Lord Chief Justice of the Kings Bench. King HENRY the seventh who in point of policy was onely directed by himself in point of Law was chiefly ruled by this Judge especially in this question of importance It hapned that in his first Parliament many Members thereof were returned who being formerly of this Kings partie were attainted and thereby not legal to sit in Parliament being disabled in the highest degree it being incongruous that they should make Laws for others who themselves were not Inlawed The King not a little troubled therewith remitted it as a case in Law to the Judges The Judges assembled in the Exchequer Chamber agreed all with Sr. VVilliam Husee their Speaker to the King upon this Grave and safe opinion mixed with Law and convenience that the Knights and Burgesses attainted by the course of Law should forbear to come into the House till a Law were passed for the reversall of their attainders which was done accordingly When at the same time it was incidently moved in their Consultation what should be done for the King himself who likewise was attainted the rest unanimously agreed with Sr. VVilliam Husee that the Crown takes away all defects and stops in blood and that by the Assumption thereof the fountain was cleared from all attainders and Corruptions He died in Trinity Term in the tenth year of King Henry the 7th Sr. EDMUND ANDERSON Knight was born a younger brother of a Gentile extract at Flixborough in this County and bred in the Inner Temple I have been informed that his Father left him 1000 l. for his portion which this our Sr. Edmund multiplyed into many by his great proficiency in the Common Law being made in the twenty fourth of Queen Elizabeth Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. When Secretary Davison was sentenced in the Star Chamber for the business of the Queen of Scots Judge Anderson said of him that therein he had done * justum non juste and so acquitting him of all malice censured him with the rest for his indiscretion When H. ●…uff was arraigned about the Rising of the Earl of Essex and when Sr. Edward Coke the Queens Solicitor opposed him and the other answered Syllogistically our Anderson sitting there as Judge of Law not Logick checked both Pleader and Prisoner ob stolidos Syllogismos for their foolish Syllogismes appointing the former to press the Statute of King Edward the third His stern countenance well became his place being a great promoter of the established Church-discipline and very severe against all Brownists when he met them in his Circuit He dyed in the third of King James leaving great Estates to several sons of whom I behold Sr. Francis Anderson of Euworth in Bedfordshire the eldest whose son Sr. John by a second Wife Audrey Butler Neece to the Duke of Buckingham and afterwards married to the Lord Dunsmore in VVarwickshire was according to some conditions in his Patent to succeed his Father in Law in that honour if surviving him This I thought fit to insert to vindicate his memory from obl●…vion who being an hopefull Gentleman my fellow Colleague in Sidney Colledge was taken away in the prime of his youth Souldiers Sr. FREDERICK TILNEY Knight had his chief Residence at Bostone in this County He was a man of mighty stature and strength above the Proportion of ordinary persons He attended King Richard the first Anno Dom. 1190. to the Seidge of Acon in the Holy Land where his Atcheivements were such that he struk terror into the Infidels Returning home in safety he lived and died at Terington nigh Tilney in Norfolk where the measure of his incredible stature was for many 〈◊〉 preserved Sixteen Knights flourished from him successively in the Male line till at last their Heir generall being married to the Duke of Norfolk put a period to the Lustre of that ancient family PEREGRINE BERTY Lord Willoughby Son of Richard Berty and Katharine Dutchess of Suffolk Reader I crave a dispensation that I may with thy good leave trespass on the Premised Laws of this Book his name speaking his foraign Nativity born nigh Hidleberg in the Palatinate Indeed I am loath to omit so worthy a Person Our Histories fully report his valiant Atcheivements in France and the Netherlands and how at last he was made Governour of
the Chancellour by Act of Parliament We have begun our Catalogue of Chancellours at Sir Thomas More before whose time that place was generally discharged by Clergy men entered in our Book under the Title of Eminent Prelates If any demand why such Clergy-men who have been Lord Chancellours are not rather ranked under the Title of Statesmen than under the Topick of Prelates Let such know that seeing Episcopacy is challenged to be jure Divino and the Chancellours place confessed to be of Humane Institution I conceive them most properly placed and to their best advantage If any ask why the Lord Chancellours who meddle so much in matters of Law are not rather digested under the Title of Lawyers then under that of Statesmen Let such know it is done because some Chancellours were never Lawyers ex professo studying the Laws of the Land for their intended Function taking them only in order to their own private accomplishment Whereof Sir Christopher Hatton was an eminent instance As we begin our Catalogue with Sir Thomas More we close it with Sir Thomas Coventry it being hard to●…ay whether the Former were more Witty and Facetious or the Later more Wise and Judicious Lord Treasurers Kings without Treasure will not be suitably obeyed and Treasure without a Treasurer will not be safely preserved Hence it was that the Crowns and Scepters of Kings were made of gold not only because it is the most pure and precious of metalls but to show that wealth doth effectually evidence and maintain the strength and state of Majesty We may therefore observe not only in prophane but holy writ not only in Old but New Testnment signal notice taken of those who were over the Treasury in which great place of Trust the Eunuch served Candace Queen of Ethiopia The Office of Lord Treasurers was ever beheld as a Place of great charge and profit One well skilled in the Perquisits thereof being demanded what he conceived the yearly value of the place was worth made this Return That it might be worth some thousands of pounds to him who after death would go instantly to Heaven twice as much to him who would go to Purgatory and a Nemo Scit to him who would adventure to go to a worse place But the plain truth is He that is a Bad Husband for himself will never be a good one for his Soveraign and therefore no wonder if they have advanced fair Estates to themselves whose Office was so Advantagious and they so judicious and prudent persons without any prejudice to their Master and for ought I know Injury to his Subjects We have begun our Catalogue at William Lord Powlett Marquess of Winchester For although before him here and there Lay-Lords were Intrusted with that Office Yet generally they were Bishops and so anticipated under our Topick of Eminent Prelates and blame me not if in this particular I have made the Lustrè of the Lords Spiritual to Eclipse the Lords Temporal drowning their Civil Office in their Ecclesiastical Employment We close our Catalogue of Lord Treasurers with Francis Lord Cottington Secretaries of State There were but two of these at once in the Kings time whereof the one was styled the Principal Secretary the other the Secretary of Estate Some have said that the first in the Senioritie of Admition was accounted the Principall but the Exceptions in this kind being as many as the Regularities the Younger being often brought over the head of the elder to be Principal Their chiefnesse was Penes Regis Arbitrium Nor was the one confined to Forreign Negotiations the other to domestick businesse as some have believed but promiscuously ordered all affaires though the Genius of some Secretaries did incline them most to forreign Transactions Their Power was on the matter alike and Petitioners might make their Applications indifferently to either though most addressed themselves to him in whom they had the greatest Interest Their Salaries were some Two hundred pounds a piece and five hundred pounds a piece more for Intelligence and Secret Service Before the Reformation Clergy-men who almost were all things were generally Secretaries of Estate as Oliver King Secretary to Edward 4. Edward 5. and Henry the 7. and those came under our Pen in the Notion of Eminent Prelates We therefore begin our Catalogue of Secretaries from Sir Thomas Cromwell in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth because from him until our Time a continued Series of Lay-men ha●…e discharged that Office We ●…onclude our Secretaries of State with Sir John Cook who perceiving his aged body not so fit for such Active times resigned his Place about the beginning of the Long Parliament though surviving some years after in a private condition We will for the more safety follow the Pattern of so wise a States-man and where he gave over his Office we will give over writing of those Officers for fear we tread too neere on the Toes of the Times and touch too much on our Modern distempers Amiralls or Admiralls Much difference there is about the Original of this word whilst most probable their Opinion who make it of Eastern Extraction borrowed by the Christians from the Saracens These derive it from Amir in Arabick a Prince and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Belonging to the Sea in the Greek Language such mixture being precedented in other words Besides seeing the Sultans Dominions in the Time of the Holy War extended from Sinus Arabius to the North Eastern part of the Midland-Sea where a barbarous kind of Greek was spoken by many Amirall thus compounded was significatively comprehensive of his Jurisdiction Admirall is but a Depraving of Amirall in vulgar mouths However it will never be beaten out of the Heads of the Common sort that seeing the Sea is Scene of Wonders something of Wonderment hath incorporated it self in this Word and that it hath a Glimps Cast or Eye of Admiration therein Our English Kings following the Precedent of the Politick Romans who very seldome entrusted places of great importance especially during life in a single person as also that they might gratifie more and trust less divided the Over-sight of sea-matters betwixt a Triumvirate of Amiralls and like wary Merchants ventured the charge in several bottoms for the more Safety 1. The North Amirall 2. The South Amirall 3. The West Amirall His jurisdiction reached from the Mouth of Thames to the outmost Orcades though often opposed by the Scots and had Yarmouth for his prime Residence His Bounds stretched from the Thames Mouth to the Lands end having his station generally at Portsmouth His power extended from the lands end to the Hebrides having Ireland under his Inspection Milford Haven the chief Stable for his Wooden Horses I find that Richard Fitz-alin Earl of Arundell was by King Richard the second made the first Amirall of all England yet so that if Three Co-Admiralls were restored as formerly his Charter expired John Vere Earl of Oxford was the sirst of Hen. the seventh
the Returns do not answer to the extent of those Shires 4. Not done Which I sadly confess and cannot help being Twelve in number as hereafter will appear I dare not conjecture the cause of this Casualty whether in such Shires the Oaths were never Tendred or tendred and not taken or taken and not returned or returned and not recorded or recorded and not preserved or preserved but misplaced in some Roll which hitherto it hath not been my hap to lite upon It is possible that some disgusted the Kings Design as who under the pretence of keeping the peace indevoured to smother and suppress such who should appear for the Title of York whereof more in the Respective Countyes May the Reader be pleased to take notice that in the Reign of Henry the Sixth de such a place began then to be left off and the addition of Knight and Squire to be assumed Yet because no Fashion can be generally followed at first such additions are used in the Returns of some Shires and neglected in others In some Counties we have the Names of a few Mechanicks returned with their Trades Brasier Smith Ironmonger c. Who no doubt were considerable either in themselves as Robustious Persons or in their Servants as Numerous or in their popular and tumultuous Influence of others And grant these passing under the name of Valecti whereof formerly it appears by the penalty imposed on their Recusancy of the Oath that they were substantial 〈◊〉 which stood and propably could make others go on their own Account Some Clergymen not only Regular as Abbots and Priors but secular Parochial priests are inserted in some Returns These some will say might well be omitted as nothing Informative to the Gentry of the Land because dead Stakes in the Hedge then unconcerned in posterity because forbidden marriage However I have here presented as I found them intending neither to mingle nor mangle conceiving that if I were found guilty either of Omissions or Alterations it might justly shake the credit of the whole Catalogue Indeed if the word Superstition importeth not Trespassing on Religion and if the bare signification be adequate to the Etymology thereof a Super Stando for standing in his own opinion too curiously on a thing which in the Judgement of others may not Merit so much Exquisitenesse I here voluntarily confess my self Superstitious in observing every Punctillo according to the Original May the Reader be pleased to take notice that in mens proper names some letters of like sound are confounded in vulgar pronunciation as V for F. Fenner and Venner K. and C. Kary and Cary F. and Ph. as Purfrey and Purphrey though the name be the same in both Sometimes the name is spelled not truly according to Orthography but according to the common speaking thereof which melteth out some essential Letters as Becham for Beauchamp Again there is such an allusion betwixt the forms of some letters nothing symbolyzing in sound that as they are written though not in ordinary in Record-hand they may easily be mistaken by Writer or Reader through the similitude of their Character as m e n f n l g w o u s r t y This hath put us many times to a stand and sometimes to a loss what letter it hath been But we have in all particulars conformed our Transcript to the original in all possible exactness though afterwards taking the boldness to interpose our opinion in our observations A later List might be presented of the English Gentry towards the end of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth but such would be subject to just exception For as the Gibeonites though by their mouldy bread and clouted Shooes pretending to a long peregrination were but of the Vicinage So most of those Gentry notwithstanding their specious claim to Antiquity will be found to be but of one Descent low enough in themselves did they not stand on the vantage ground heightned on the Rubbish of the Ruines of Monasteries CHAP. XV. Of SHIRE-REEVES or SHIRIFFES REEVE which hath much Affinity with the Dutch Grave signifieth an Officer to oversee and order being chief in the Shire In Latin Vice-comes or Vicecount And seeing shadows in effect are as ancient as the bodies they may be beleived as old as Counts and Counts as Counties and Counties as King Alfred who first divided England into Shires about the year of our Lord 888. The late fashion was that the Clerk of the Peace for each County in Michaelmas-Term presented to the Lord Cheif Justice of the Kings Bench sixe or more names of able persons for that Office The Lord Chief Justice calling the other Judges into the Exchequer Chamber where the Attorney General and the Sollicitour attends presented three out of that number unto the King out of which the King pricks one who stands Sheriffe of the County His Power is sufficiently known to suppress Riots secure Prisoners distrain for Debts execute Writs return the choice of Knights and Burgesses for Parliament empannel Juries attend the Jud●… 〈◊〉 the Execution of Malefactors c. Several Statutes have provided that no man should be Sheriffe in any County except he hath land sufficient in the same County to answer the King and his people And it is remarkable that since the beginning of that Office it appeareth not upon any Record that ever any Sheriffe pro tempore failed in his Estate but was responsible in his place Whereas it is too plain by sad Precedents that some Receivers being men of meaner estates have Sheriffes are bound to abide in their proper persons within the County that they may the more effectually attend their Office And in our Remembrance some great persons whose Activity in Parliament was suspected have been made Sheriffes to keep them out of harms way and confine them at home But later years have dispenced with such critical Niceties unreasonable that the Sheriffe himself should be a Prisoner in his own County allowing him more liberty on the providing of an able Deputy in his absence Though I will not avouch it true there may be somewhat of truth in their spiteful observation who maintain that the Shrevalty in ancient times was Honos sine Onere in the middle times Honos cum onere and in our days little better than Onus sine honore though ●… trust the Office will now be restored to its former honour Honos sine onere An honour without a burden As when Prince Edward the first was for many years together High-Sheriffe of Bedford and Buckingham-shire and many prime Peers of the Land were Honorary Sheriffes gracing the place with accepting it living where they pleased themselves and appointing their Substitutes to transact the businesse of the County Honos cum onere An Honour with a burden From King Edward the Third till within our Remembrance For the principal Gentry in every shire of most ancient extractions and best Estates were deputed for that place keeping great Attendance and Hospitality
So that as some transcripts hath for the fairness of their Character not only evened but exceeded the Original the Vice-comes have pro tempore equalled the Count himself and greatest Lords in the Land for their Magnificence Onus sine honore A Burden without Honour when it was obtruded on many as a punishment for the trouble and charge thereof and laid as a burden not on the back of that horse which was best able to carry it but who was least able to cast it off great persons by friends and favour easily escaping it whilst it was charged on those of meaner estates Though I do beleive it found all them Esquires and did not make any so as some will suggest Hence was it that many Sheriffs were forced to consult principles of Thrift not being bound so to serve their Country as to disserve themselves and ruine their estates and instead of keeping open houses as formerly at the Assises began to latch though not lock their dores providently reducing it to an ORDINARY expence and no wise man will conclude them to be the less loyal Subjects for being the more Provident Fathers At the end of every Shire after the forenamed Catalogue of the Gentry in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth I have set down a List of the Sheriffes from the Beginning of King Henry the Second untill the end of King Charles carefully collected out of the Records For I hope that by the former which I call my Broad representing the Gentry of one Generation all over England and this which I term my Long Catalogue extending it self successively through many Ages I hope I say both being put together may square out the most eminent of the Antient Gentry in some tolerable proportion Most eminent seeing I confess neither can reach all the Gentry of the land For as in the Catalogue of King Henry the Sixth many antient Gentlemen were omitted who were Minors in age and so uncapable of taking an Oath so doth not the List of Sheriffs comprehend all the Gentry in the Shire finding three sorts of people excluded out of the same Such who were 1. Above Discharging the Office 2. Besides 3 Beneath Above Such were all of the Peerage in the Land which since the Reign of King Edward the third were excused I am sure de facto not imployed in that place as Inconsistent with their Attendance in Parliament Secondly Such who were Besides the Place priviledged by their profession from that Office which may be subdivided into 1. Swordmen Imployed in Wars beyond the Seas thus Sir Oliver Ingham and Sir John Fastoffe both great men and richly landed in Norfolk were never Sheriffes thereof because imployed in the French Wars the one under King Edward the Third the other under King Henry the Fifth 2. Gownmen as Iudges Sergeants at Law Barristers Auditors and other Officers in the Exchequer c. 3. Cloakmen Such Courtiers as were the Kings Servants and in ordinary attendance about his Person Lastly Such as were Beneath the Place as men of too narrow Estates to discharge that Office especially as it was formerly in the magnificent expensivenesse thereof though such persons might be Esquires of right ancient Extraction And here under favour I conceive that if a strict Enquiry should be made after the Ancient Gentry of England most of them would be found amongst such middle-sized Persons as are above two hundred and beneath a Thousand pounds of Annual Revenue It was the Motto of wise Sir Nicholas Bacon Mediocria firma Moderate things are most lasting Men of great Estates in National Broiles have smarted deeply for their Visible Engagements to the Ruine of their Families whereof we have had too many sad Experiments whilest such persons who are moderately mounted above the level of Common people into a Competency above want and beneath Envy have by Gods blessing on their frugality continued longest in their Conditions entertaining all alterations in the State with the less destructive change unto themselves Let me add that I conceive it impossible for any man and difficult for a Corporation of men to make a true Catalogue of the English Gentry Because what Mathematicians say of a Line that it is Divisibilis in semper divisibilia is true hereof if the Latine were which for ought I know if as usuall is as Elegant Addibilis in semper addibilia Not only because New Gentry will every day be added and that as I conceive justly too for why should the Fountain of Honour be stopped if the Channel of desert be running but because ancient Gentry will dayly be newly discovered though some of them perchance for the present but in a poor and mean condition as may appear by this particular It happened in the Reign of King James when Henry Earl of Huntington was Lieutenant of Leicester-shire that a Labourers son in that County was pressed into the Wars as I take it to go over with Count Mansfield The Old man at Leicester requested his Son might be discharged as being the only Staff of his Age who by his Industry maintained him and his Mother The Earl demanded his name which the man for a long time was loth to tell as suspecting it a fault for so poor a man to confess a Truth at last he told his name was Hastings Cosen Hastings said the Earl we cannot all be Top Branches of the Tree though we all spring from the same Root Your Son my Kinsman shall not be pressed So good was the meeting of Modesty in a poor with Courtesie in an Honourable Person and Gentry I believe in Both. And I have reason to beleive that some who justly own the Sirnames and blood of Bohuns Mortimers and Plantagenets though ignorant of their own extractions are hid in the heap of Common-people where they find that under a Thatched Cottage which some of their Ancestors could not enjoy in a Leaded Castle contentment with quiet and security To return to our Catalogue of Sheriffs I have been bold to make some breif historical Observations upon them which I hope will not be unpleasing to the Reader whom I request first to peruse our Notes on Bark-shire because of their publick Influence on the rest facilitating some Difficulties which return in the Sheriffes of other Counties After we have presented the Sheriffs names we have annexed their addition either of estate as Esquire or degree as Knight Baronet c. and this we have done always after sometimes before K. Henry the Sixth For although the Statute of Additions was made in the first of King Henry the fifth to Individuifie as I may say and separate persons from those of the same name And although it took present effect in such Suits and Actions where processe of Utlary lieth yet was it not universally practiced in other Writings till the End of the Reign of King Henry the Sixth After their additions we have in a distinct Columel assigned the places of their Habitation where we
Per ipsum Regem The King to the Sheriff health c. Because there are divers men as we are informed which before these times in the Voyages made by us have assumed to themselves Arms and Coat-Armors where neither they nor their Ancestors in times past used such Arms or Coat Armours and propound with themselves to use and exercise the same in this present Voyage which God willing we shortly in●…end to make And although the Omnipotent disposeth his favours in things Natural as he pleaseth equally to the Rich and Poor yet We willing that every one of our Leige Subjects should be had and Handled in due manner according to the Exigence of his State and Condition We command thee that in every place within thy Bailiwick where by Our Writ we have lately shewn you cause to be proclaimed that no man of what State Degree or Condition soever he be shall take upon him such Arms or Coats of Arms save he alone who doth possesse or ought to possesse the same by the right of his Ancestors or by Donation and Grant of some who had sufficient power to assign him the same And that he that useth such Arms or Coats of Arms shall on the day of his Muster manifestly shew to such persons assigned or to be assigned by us for that purpose by virtue of whose gift he enjoyeth the same Those only excepted who carried Arms with us at the Battle of Agincourt uuder the penalties not to be admitted to go with us in Our foresaid Voyage under His Command by whom he is for the present retained and of the loss of his wages as also of the rasing out and breaking off the said Arms called Coat-Armours at the time of his Muster aforesaid if they shall be shewed upon him or found about him And this you shall in no case omit Witnesse the King at the City of New Sarum June the second Consimilia Brevia diriguntur Vicecom Wilts Sussex Dors. sub eadem data I could wish a reviving of this Instrument in our Age many Up-starts in our late Civil wars having injuriously invaded the Arms of ancient Families CHAP. XVII Of the often Altering of Sirnames and the Various Writing thereof HAving dealt so largely in Sirnames it is necessary to observe that Sirnames of Families have been frequently altered some Families deposing their Old and assuming new names on several occasions But cheifly for 1. Concealment in time of Civil Wars A Name is a kind of Face whereby one is known Wherefore taking a false name is a Vizard whereby men disguise themselves and that lawfully enough when not fradulently done to deceive others but discreetly in danger to secure themselves Thus during the Contest 'twixt York and Lancaster Carington in Warwick-shire took the name of Smith La Blunt the Name of Croke in Buckingham-shire with many others 2. For Advancement when adopted into an estate as Newport the Name of Hatton in Northampton-shire Throckmorton the Name of Carew at Beddington in Surrey as long before Westcoat the Name of Littleton in Stafford-shire Besides the same Sirname continued hath been variously altered in Writing First because Time teacheth New Orthography altering spelling as well as speaking Secondly the best Gentlemen anciently were not the best Scholars and minding matters of more moment were some what too incurious in their Names Besides Writers ingrossing Deeds were not over critical in spelling of Names knowing well where the person appeared the same the Simplicity of that age would not fall out about Misnomer Lastly Ancient Families have been often removed into several Counties where several Writings follow the several pronunciations What Scholar knoweth not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Greek Name for Jupiter is by their seven Dialects written ten several wayes and though not so many Dialects in England there is a real difference betwixt our Southern Western and Northern Pronunciations Hence it is that the same Name hath been so often disguised unto the Staggering of many who have mistook them for different Idem non Idem quaeruntque in Nomine Nomen The same they thought was not the same And in their Name they sought their Name Thus I am informed that the Honourable Name of Villiers is written fourteen several ways in their own Evidences and the like though not so many Variations may be observed in others And the Name of Roper in Darby-shire changed from Musard to Rubra-Spatha Rospear Rouspee Rooper Roper I insist the longer on this point because in our Catalogue of Sheriffs the same Sirname is variously written which some without cause may impute to my carelesnesse being the effect of my care conforming the Orthography exactly to the Original where such variation doth plainly appear and however such Diversity appeareth in the Eye of others I dare profess that I am delighted with the Prospect thereof CHAP. XVIII Of Modern Battels IMmediately before our Farewell to the Respective Counties we have inserted a Breviate of Modern Battels since our Civil Distempers I need here premise nothing of the difference betwixt a Skirmish being only the Ingagement of Parties and a Battle being an incounter betwixt Generals with their Armies Nor yet of the difference betwixt Praelium a Fight or Battel and Bellum a War the former being a Fight in Field the later the continuance of Hostility which may be for many years whilst the difference dependeth undecided Peracto Pr●…lio manet Bellum And though a Truce may give a Comma or Colon to the War nothing under a Peace can put a perfect Period thereunto In describing these Battels I am for distinction sake necessitated to use the word Parliament improperly according to the Abusive acception thereof for these latter years Let us think and judge with the Wise but if we do not speak with the Vulgar we shall be Dumb to the Vulgar Otherwise I know a Parliament properly is a compleat Syllogisme the Lords and Commons being the two Propositions the King the Conclusion thereof and our English Tongue wanteth one word to express the dissenting part of a Parliament and I trust in God as our Language doth not afford the Name so our Land shall not hereafter behold the Nature thereof These Battels are here inserted not with any intent God knows my heart to perpetuate the odious Remembrance of our mutual Animosities that Heart burnings may remain when House burnings are removed but cheifly to raise our Gratitude to God that so many Battels should be fought in the bosome of so little a Land and so few Scars and Signs thereof extant in their visible Impressions Such who consider how many men we have lost would wonder we have any left and such who see how many we have left that we had any lost In a word as it is said of the best Oyl that it hath no Tast that is no Tang but the pure Natural Gust of Oyl therein so I have indevoured to present these Battels according to plain Historical truth without any
Earl of Essex so lately stript out of all his Infantry in Cornwall so soon reinvested Himselfe with more Foot save that London is the Shop-general of all Commodities recruited with fresh but not fresh-water Souldiers he gave the King battle This fight was as long and fierce as the former but the conquest more clear on the Parliaments side The Cornish though behaving themselves valiantly were conceived not to doe so well because expected to have done better The Royalists were at night fain to hang lighted matches on the Hedges so to similate their aboad thereabouts whilst they drew of securing their Canon in Dunnington-castle the Governour whereof Sir J. Bois did the King Knights service and so in a pace slower then a flight and faster then a retreat returned in as good order as their condition was capable of Many here lost their lives as if Newberry were so named by a sad Prolepsis fore-signifying that that Town should afford a new-burying place to many slain in two bloody Battles The Farewell Being to take my leave of this Shire I seriously considered what want there was therein that so I might wish the supply thereof But I can discover no naturall defect and I therefore wish the inhabitants a thankfull heart to that God who hath given them a Country so perfect in profit and pleasure Withal it is observed that the lands in Barkshire are very skittish and often cast their Owners which yet I impute not so much to the unruliness of the Beasts as to the unskilfullness of the Riders I desire heartily that heareafter the Barkshire Gentry may be better settled in their Saddles so that the sweet places in this County may not be subject to so many mutations BEDFORD-SHIRE BEDFORD-SHIRE hath Northampton-shire on the North Huntington and Cambridge-shires on the East Hartford-shire on the South Buckingham shire on the West thereof It lieth from North to South in an ovall form and may be allowed two and twenty miles in length though the generall breadth thereof extendeth not to full fifteen The soil consisteth of a deep clay yet so that this County may be said to wear a belt or girdle of sand about or rather athwart the body thereof from Woburne to Potton affording fair and pleasant as the other part doth fruitfull and profitable places for habitation which partakes plentifully in the partage of all English conveniencies Here let this Caveate be entred to preserve its due but invaded right to much grain growing in this County For Corne-Chandlers the most avouchable Authors in this Point will inform you that when Hartford-shire Wheat and Barley carries the Credit in London thereby much is meant though miscalled which is immediately bought in and brought out of Hartford-shire but Originally growing in Bedford shire about Dunstable and else where But let not the dry Nurse which onely carried the Child in her Armes and dandled it in her Lap lay claime to that Babe which the true Mother did breed and bear in her body Naturall Commodities Barley White large plump and full of flower The Country man will tell you that of all our grains this is most nice and must be most observed in the severall seasons thereof It doth not onely allay hunger but also in a manner quencheth thirst when ordered into Malt. It is though not so t oothsome as wholesome as Wheat it self and was all the Staff of Bread which Christs body leaned on in this life Eating to attest his Humanity Ba●…ly-loaves to evidence his Humility Malt. This is Barley with the property thereof much altered having passed both water and fire ste●…ped and dried on a kilne That the use hereof was known to the Greeks plainly appears by the proper word wherewith they expresse it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and no Maltster of Bedford can better describe the manner thereof then is done by Aetius Est hordeum madefactum quod germen emisit deinde cum ligulis enatis tostum est Besides we read of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Athenaeus maketh mention of such who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drinkers of Barley-wine A liquor probably more wholesome for Northern bodies then that which groweth in grapes What great estates Maltsters got formerly in this County may be collected from the wealth of the Ale-brewers therein there being so near a relation betwixt the two Callings For I read in the reign of King Henry the fifth of William Murfley an Ale-brewer of Dunstable accounted I confe●…s a Lollard and follower of the Lord Cobham who when taken had two horses trapped with gilt armour led after him and had a pair of gilt-spurs in his bosome expecting say they Knight-hood from the Lord Cobham And although I believe not the report in full habitude it is enough to intimate unto us that in that age it was a wealthy imployment Fullers-Earth Great store of this is digged up not far from Woburne in this County whence it is commonly called Woburne-earth Such the use thereof in Drapery that good cloth can hardly be made without it forreign parts affording neither so much nor so good of this kind No wonder then if our Statutes strictly forbid the transportation thereof to preserve the perfection of clothing amongst our selves But were this Fullers-earth like Terra Lemnia or Sigillata and all the parcells thereof lock'd up under a seal yet the Dutch so long as they are so cunning and we so careless will stock themselves hence with plentifull proportions thereof Larks The most and best of these are caught and well dressed about Dunstable in this Shire A harmless bird whilst living not trespassing on grain and wholesome when dead then filling the stomack with meat as formerly the Ear with Musick In winter they fly in flocks probably the reason why Alauda signifieth in Latins both a Lark and a Legion of Souldiers except any will say a Legion is so called because Helmetted on their heads and crested like a Lark therefore also called in Latine Galerita If men would imitate the early rising of this bird it would conduce much unto their healthfu●…ness The Manufactures Fat folke whose Collops stick to their sides are generally Lasie whilst leaner people are of more activity Thus fruitfull Countries as this is for the generality thereof take to themselves a Writ of Ease the principall cause why Bedford shire affords not any trades peculiar to it self The Buildings This County affordeth no Cathedral and the Parochial Churches intitle not themselves to any eminency Onely I hear such high commendations of a Chappel and Monument erected at Maldon by Thomas Earl of Elgin to the memory of his deceased Lady Diana Cecil that I am impatient till I have beheld it to satisfie my self whether it answereth that Character of curiosity which credible persons have given thereof Taddington Amphtill and Wobourn carry away the credit amongst the houses of the Nobility in this County Wonders At Hareles-wood commonly called Harold in this County
was very wild and venturous witness his playing at Dice with Henry the second King of France from whom he won a Diamond of great worth at a Cast And being demanded by the King what shift he would have made to repair himself in case he had lost the cast I have said young Chency in an hyperbolical brave SHEEPS TAILS enough in Kent with their Wool to buy a better Diamond then this His reduced Age afforded the befitting fruits of Gravity and Wisdome and this Lord deceased without Issue As for Sir Francis Cheney Sheriff for this present year we formerly observed the distinct Armes of his Family This worthy Knight was father to Charles Cheney Esq. who by his exquisite Travelling hath Naturalized foreign perfections into himself and is exemplarily happy in a vertuous Lady Jane Daughter to the truly Noble William Marquis of New-castle and by her of hopefull Posterity The Farewell On serious consideration I was at a loss to wish to this County what it wanted God and the Kings of England have so favoured it with naturall perfections and civil priviledges In avowance of the latter it sheweth more Burrow-towns sending Burgesses no fewer then twelve to the Parliament then any Shire though thrice as big lying in the Kingdome of Mercia Now seeing at the instant writing hereof the generall News of the Nation is of a Parliament to be called after his Majesties Coronation my prayers shall be that the Freehoulders of this County shall amongst many therein so qualified chuse good Servants to God Subjects to the King Patriots to the County effectually to advance a happiness to the Church and Common-wealth CAMBRIDGE-SHIRE CAMBRIDGE-SHRE hath Lincoln shire on the North Northfolk and Suffold on the East Essex and Hartford-shire on the South Huntington and Bedford-shires on the West being in length thirty five in breadth not fully twenty miles The Tables therein as well furnished as any the South-part affording bread and beer and the North the Isle of Ely meat thereunto So good the grain growing here that it out-selleth others some pence in the Bushel The North-part of this County is lately much improved by drayning though the poorest sort of people will not be sensible thereof Tell them of the great benefit to the publick because where a Pike or Duck fed formerly now a Bullock or Sheep is fatted they will be ready to return that if they be taken in taking that Bullock or Sheep the rich Owner ●…indicteth them for Felons whereas that Pike or Duck were their own goods only for their pains of catching of them So impossible it is that the best project though perfectly performed should please all interests and affections It happened in the year 1657. upon the dissolution of the great Snow their banks were assaulted above their strength of resistance to the great loss of much Cattle Corn and some Christians But soon after the seasonable industry of the Undertakers did recover all by degrees and confute their jealousies who suspected the relapsing of these lands into their former condition This Northern part is called the Isle of Eelie which one will have so named from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fenny or Marish-ground But our Saxon Ancestors were not so good Grecians and it is plain that plenty of Eels gave it its denomination Here I hope I shall not trespass on gravity in mentioning a passage observed by the Reverend Professour of Oxford Doctor Prideaux referring the Reader to him for the Authours attesting the same When the Priests in this part of the County would still retain their wives in despight of whatever the Pope and Monks could doe to the contrary their wives and children were miraculously turned all into Eels surely the greater into Congers the less into Griggs whence it had the name of EELY I understand him a LIE of EELS No doubt the first founder of so damnable an untruth hath long since received his reward However for this cause we take first notice amongst this Counties Naturall Commodities Of Eels Which though they be found in all Shires in England yet are most properly treated of here as most first and best the Courts of the Kings of England being thence therewith anciently supplyed I will not ingage in the controversy whether they be bred by generation as other fish or aequivocally out of Putrefaction or both ways which is most probable Seeing some have adventured to know the distinguishing marks betwixt the one and other I know the Silver Eels are generally preferred and I could wish they loved men but as well as men love them that I my self might be comprised within the compass of that desire They are observed to be never out of season whilst other fishes have their set times and the biggest Eels are ever esteemed the best I know not whether the Italian proverb be here worth the remembring Give Eels without wine to your Enemies Hares Though these are found in all Counties yet because lately there was in this Shire an Hare-park nigh New-market preserved for the Kings game let them here be particularly mentioned Some prefer their sport in hunting before their flesh for eating as accounting it melancholick meat and hard to be digested though others think all the hardness is how to come by it All the might of this silly creature is in the flight thereof and remember the answer which a school-boy returned in a latine distick being demanded the reason why Hares where so fearfull Cur metuunt lepores Terrestris nempe marinus Aethereus quod sit tartareusque canis Whether or no they change their sex every year as some have reported let Huntsmen decide These late years of our civil wars have been very destructive unto them and no wonder if no law hath been given to hares when so little hath been observed toward men Saffron Though plenty hereof in this County yet because I conceive it first planted in Essex we thither refer our description thereof Willows A sad Tree whereof such who have lost their love make their mourning garlands and we know what Exiles hung up their Harps upon such dolefull Supporters The twiggs hereof are Physick to drive out the folly of children This Tree delighteth in moist places and is triumphant in the Isle of Ely where the roots strengthen their Banks and lop affords fuell for their fire It groweth incredibly fast it being a by-word in this County that the profit by Willows will buy the Owner a Horse before that by other Trees will pay for his Saddle Let me adde that if green Ash may burn before a Queen withered Willows may be allowed to burn before a Lady Manufactures Paper Expect not I should by way of Preface enumerate the several inventions whereby the ancients did communicate and continue their Notions to Posterity First by writing in Leaves of Trees still remembred when we call such a Scantling of Paper a Folio or Leafe Hence from Leaves men proceeded to the
laid to his charge He was buried in Leonard Shorditch where this remains of his Epitaph Orate pro Animabus Humphredi Starkey Militis nuper Capitalis Baronis de Scaccario Domini Regis Henrici septimi Isabellae Uxoris ejus omnium amicorum suo●…um c. The date of his death defaced on his Tombe appeareth elsewhere to be at the end of K. Henry the seventh so that his on the Bench was parallel with his Soveraigns sitting on the Throne begun in the first and ended in the last of his raign Sir HENRY BRADSHAW Knight This Surname being diffused in Darbyshire and Lancashire aswell as in this County his Nativity advantaged by the Alphabet first come first served is fixed herein He became so noted for his skill in our Common Law that in the sixth of K. Edward the sixth in Hillary terme he was made Chief Baron of the Exchequer demeaning himself therein to his great commendation Pity it is that Demetrius who is well reported of all* men should suffer for his name sake Demetrius the Silver Smith who made the Shrines for Diana and raised persecution against Saint Paul And as unjust it is that this good Judge of whom nothing ill is reported should fare the worse for one of the same Surname of Execrable Memory of whom nothing good is remembred I have cause to conceive that this Judge was outed of his place for Protestant inclination 1. Mariae finding no more mention of him Sir RANDAL CREW was born in this County bred in the study of our Municipal Law wherein such his proficiency that after some steps in his way thereunto in the 22. of K. James he was made Lord Chief Justice of the Upper Bench and therein served two Kings though scarce two years in his Office with great integrity King Charles his occasions calling for speedy supplies of Money some Great-Ones adjudged it unsafe to adventure on a Parliament for fear in those distempered Times the Physick would side with the Disease and put the King to furnish his necessities by way of Loan Sir Randal being demanded his Judgement of that Design and the Consequence thereof the imprisoning of R●…usants to pay it openly manifested his dislike of such Preter-legal Courses and thereupon November 9. 1626. was commanded to forbear his sitting in the Court and the next day was by Writ discharged from his Office whereat he discovered no more Discontentment then the weary Travailer is offended when told that he is arrived at his journies end The Country hath constantly a Smile for him for whom the Court hath a Frown this Knight was out of Office not out of Honour living long after at his house in Westminster much praised for his Hospitality Indeed he may the better put off his Gown though before he goeth to bed who hath a warm Suit under it and this learned Judge by Gods blessing on his endeavours had purchased a fair Estate and particularly Crew-hall in Cheshire for some ages formerly the possession of the Falshursts but which probably was the Inheritance of his Ancestors Nor must it be forgotten that Sir Randal first brought the Model of excellent Building into these remorter parts yea brought London into Cheshire in the Loftiness Sightliness and Pleasantness of their Stuctures One word of his Lady a virtuous wife being very essential to the integrity of a Married Judge lest what Westminster-hall doth conclude Westminster Bed-chamber doth revoke He married Julian Daughter and Co-heir of John Clipsby of Clipsby in Northfolk Esq. with whom he had a fair Inheritance She died at Que in Surry 1623. and lieth buried in the Chancell of Richmond with this Epitaph Antiquâ fuit orta Domo pia vixit inivit Virgo pudica thorum sponsa pudica polum I saw this worthy Judge in health 1642. but he survived not long after and be it remembred he had a Younger Brother Sir Thomas Crew a most honest and learned Ser●…eant in the same Profession Whose Son John Crew Esquire of his Majesties Privy-Councel having been so instrumental to the happy change in our Nation is in Generall report which no doubt will be effected before these my paines be publick designed for some Title of Honour Sir HUMFREY DAVENPORT His Surname is sufficient to intitle this County unto him but I will not be peremtory till better information He was bred in the Temple had the reputation of a Studied Lawyer and upright person qualities which commended him to be chosen Chief Baron of the Exchequer How he behaved himself in the case of the Ship-money is fresh in many mens memories The Reader cannot be more angry with me then I am grieved in my self that for want of intelligence I cannot doe the right which I would and ought to this worthy Judges Memory who died about the beginning of our Civil distempers Souldiers Sir HUGH CALVELY born at Calvely in this County Tradition makes him a man of Teeth and Hands who would Feed as much as two and Fight as much as ten men his quick and strong Appetite could disgest any thing but an Injury so that killing a man is reported the cause of his quitting this County making hence for London then for France Here he became a most eminent Souldier answering the Character our great Antiquary hath given him Arte militari ita in Galliâ inc●…ruit ut vivide ejus virtuti nihil fuit impervium I find five of his principall A●…hievements 1. When he was one of the thirty English in France who in a duel encountred as many Britans 2. When in the last of King Edward the third being Governour of Calice he looked on his hands being tyed behind him by a Truce yet in force for a Month and saw the English slain before his eyes whose bloud he soon after revenged 3. When in the first of King Richard the second after an unfortunate voyage of our English Nobility beaten home with a Tempest he took Bark bulloigne and five and twenty other French-ships besides the Castle of Mark lately lost by negligence which he recovered 4. When in the next year he spoiled Estaples at a Fair-time bringing thence so much Plunder as enriched the Calicians for many years after 5. When he married the Queen of Aragon which is most certain her Armes being quartered on his Tomb though I cannot satisfy the Reader in the Particularities thereof The certain date of his death is unknown which by proportion may be collected about the year 1388. After which time no mention of him and it was as impossible for such a spirit not to be as not to be active Sir ROBERT KNOWLES Knight was born of mean parentage in this County yet did not the weight of his low extraction depress the wings of his Martial mind who by his valour wrought his own advancement He was Another of the thirty English who for the honour of the Nation undertook to duel with as many Britons and came off
Judgment in his many Treatises King James 2 FRANCIS GODOLPHIN Mil. Master Carew confesseth in his Survey of this County that from him he gathered sticks to build that nest who was assistant unto him in that playing labour as he termeth it This ingenious Gentleman entertained a Dutch Mineral-man and taking light from his experience built thereon far more profitable conclusions from his own invention practicing a more saving way to make Tinn of what was rejected for refuse before And here the mention of his Ingenuity minds me how Hereditary Abilities are often intailed on Families seeing he was Ancestor unto Sidney Godolphin slain at ....... in Devonshire valiantly fighting for his Lord and Master His Christian and Sur-name divisim signifie much but how high do they amount in conjunction There fell wit and valour never sufficiently to be bemoaned 10 WILLIAM WREY Mil. He was direct Ancestor to Sir Chichester Wrey Knight and Baronet who though scarce a Youth in Age was more then a Man in Valour in his loyall service He married Anne one of the Daughters and Co-heirs of Will. Bourchier Earl of Bath whose son Bourchier Chichester shall ever have my prayers that he may answer the nobleness of his Extraction 12 RICHARD ROBERTS He was afterwards created a Baron and was Father unto the Right Honourable the Lord Roberts one of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council lately designed Deputy of Ireland as a Person of singular ability and integrity The Battles I shall inlarge my self the rather on this subject because building my discourse therein not on the floting sands of uncertaine relations but the Rock of reall Intelligence Having gotten a Manuscript of Sir Ralph Hoptons courteously communicated unto me by his Secretary Master Tredui interpolated with his own hand being a Memoriall of the Remarkables in the West at which that Worthy Knight was present in person I begin with that which is called the Battle of Liskerd taking the name from the next Town of note thereunto otherwise Bradock-Downe was the particular place thereof Before the Fight began the Kings Side took it into their seasonable consideration that seeing by the Commission the Lord Mohun brought from Oxford four Persons viz. the said Lord Mohun Sir Ralph Hopton Sir John Berkeley and Colonel Ashburn ham were equally impowered in the managing of all Military matters and seeing such equality might prove inconvenient which hitherto had been prevented with the extraordinary moderation of all Parties in ordering a Battle it was fittest to fix the power in One Chief and generall consent setled it in Sir Ralph Hopton He first gave order that publick Prayers should be had in the Head of every Squadron and it was done accordingly and the Enemy observing it did stile it saying of Mass as some of their Prisoners afterwards did confess Then he caused the Foot to be drawn up in the best order they could placed a Forelorn of Musketiers in the little Inclosures winging them with the few Horse and Dragoons he had This done two small Mynion Drakes speedily and secretly fetched from the Lord Mohuns house were planted on a little Barrough within Randome-shot of the Enemy yet so that they were covered from their sight with small Parties of Horse about them These concealed Mynions were twice discharged with such success that the Enemy quickly quitted their ground and all their Army being put into a Rout the Kings Forces had the execution of them which they performed very sparingly They took Twelve Hundred and Fifty Prisoners most of their Colours all their Cannon being four Brass-guns upon Carriages whereof Two were Twelve-pounders and One Iron ●…aker all their Ammunition most of their Armes and marching that night to Liskard the Kings Forces first gave God Publick thanks and then took their own Private repose STRATTON fight succeeds on Tuesday 16. May 1643. But first let us take a true account of the two Armies respectively with the visible Inequality betwixt them The Kings Forces were in want of Ammunition and were to hew out their own way up a Steep-hill with their Valour exposed to all Disadvantages and Dangers Their Horse and Dragoons exceeded not five hun dred their ●…oot about two thousand four hundred in number The Parliament Army had plenty of all Provisions and had Advantagiously Barocadoed themselves on the top of a Hill Their Horse indeed were not many having lately sent away twelve hundred to surprizethe Sheriff and Commissioners at Bodmin but Foot were five thousand four hundred by Pole as their Major Generall did acknowledge As for the Kings Forces order was given that by four severall Avenues they should force their Passage to the top of the Hill which was very steep the Enemy as obstinately indeavouring to keep them down as the other did valiantly strive to ascend The fight continued doubtfull with many countenances of various events from 5. of the Clock in the Morning till 3. in the Afternoon amongst which most remarkable the smart Charge made by M. G. Chudeleigh with a Stand of Pikes on Sir Bevill Greenfield so that the Knight was in Person overthrown and his Party put into disorder which would have proved destructive unto it had not Sir John Berkeley who led up the Musketiers on each side of Sir Bevill Greenfield seasonably relieved it so re-inforcing the Charge that Major General Chudelegh was taken Prisoner Betwixt three and four of the Clock the Commanders of the Kings Forces who embraced those four severall ways of Ascent met to their mutuall joy almost at the top of the Hill which the routed Enemy confusedly forsook In this Service though they were Assaylants they lost very few men and no considerable Officer killing of the Enemy about three hundred and taking Seventeen hundred Prisoners all their Cannon being thirteen pieces of Brass-ordnance and Ammunition Seventy Barrels of pouder with a Magazin of Bisket and other provisions proportionable For this Victory Publick Prayer and Thanksgiving was made on the Hill and then the Army was disposed of to improve their success to their best advantage For this good Service Sir Ralph Hopton was afterwards at Oxford created Baron of Stratton in form as followeth CAROLUS Dei gratia Angliae c. Cum Nominis nostri Posteritatis interest ad clara exempla propaganda utilissimè compertum palam fieri omnibus premia apud nos vertuti sita nec perire fidelium Subditorum officia sed memori benevolo pectore fixissimè insidere his praesertim temporibus cum plurimorum quibus antehac nimium indulsimus temerata aut suspecta fides pretium aliorum constantiae addidit Cumque nobis certò constat Radulphum Hopton militem de Balneo Splendidis Antiquis Natalibus tum in caetera sua vita integritatis morum eximium tum in hac novissima tempestate fatalique Regni rebelli motu rari animi fideique exemplum edidisti Regiae dignitatis in eaque publice contra utriusque Adversarios
bountifull in such cases though our Nation be most concerned therein Let all ships passing thereby be fore-armed because fore-warned thereof seeing this Rock can no otherwise be resisted than by avoiding EXETER EXETER It is of a circular and therefore most capable form sited on the top of an Hill having an easie assent on every side thereunto This 〈◊〉 much to the cleannesse of this City Nature being the chief Scavenger thereof so that the Rain that falleth there falleth thence by the declivity of the place The Houses stand sidewaies backward into their Yards and onely 〈◊〉 with their Gables towards the Street the City therefore is greater in content than appearance being bigger than it presenteth it self to 〈◊〉 through the same Manufactures Cloathing is plyed in this City with great Industry and Judgment It is hardly to be believed what credible Persons attest for truth that the return for Serges alone in this City amounteth weekly even now when Trading though not dead is sick to three Thousand Pounds not to ascend to a higher proportion But the highest commendation of this City is for the Loyalty thereof presenting us with a pair-Royal of Services herein when besieged by 1 Perkin Werbeck in the Reign of King Henry the seventh 2 The Western Rebels in the Raign of King Edward the sixth 3 The Parliament Forces in the Raign of King Charles the first There Valour was invincible in the two first and their Loyalty unstained in the last rewarded by their Enemies with the best made and best kept Articles yea in the very worst of times a depressed party therein were so true to their Principles that I meet with this epitaph in the Chancell of St. Sidwells Hic jacet Hugo Grove in Comitatu Wilts Armiger in restituendo Ecclesiam in asserendo Regem in propugnando Legem ac Libertatem Anglicanam captus decollatus 6 Maii 1655. The Buildings The Cathedrall dedicated to St. Peter is most beautifull having the West end thereof adorned with so lively Statues of stone that they plainly speak the Art of those who erected them There is in this City a Castle whitherto King Richard the Usurper repaired and for some dayes reposed himself therein He demanded of the Inhabitants how they called their Castle who returned the name thereof was RUGEMONT though I confesse it a Rarity that the castle in a City should be called by any other name than a Castle Hereat the Vsurper was much abashed having been informed by Wizards that he should never prosper after he had met a thing called Rugemont It seems Sathan either spoke this Oracle low or lisping desirous to palliate his fallacy and ignorance or that King Richard a guilty conscience will be frighted with little mistook the word seeing not Rugemont but Richmond the title of King Henry the seventh proved so formidable to this Vsurper As for Parish-Churches in this City at my return thither this year I found them fewer than I left them at my departure thence 15 years ago But the Demolishers of them can give the clearest Account how the plucking down of Churches conduceth to the setting up of Religion besides I understand that thirteen Churches were exposed to sale by the publick Cryer and bought by well-affected Persons who preserved them from destruction The Wonders When the City of Exeter was besieged by the Parliaments Forces so that only the southside thereof towards the Sea was open unto it incredible number of Larks were found in that open quarter for multitude like Quails in the Wildernesse though blessed be God unlike them both in cause and effect as not desired with Mans destruction nor ●…ent with Gods anger as appeared by their safe digestion into wholesome nourishment hereof I was an eye and mouth witnesse I will save my credit in not conjecturing any number knowing that herein though I should stoop beneath the truth I should mount above belief they were as fat as plentifull so that being sold for two Pence a dozen and under the Poor who could have no cheaper as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meat used to make pottage of them boyling them down therein Seve●…al natural Causes were assigned hereof 1. That these Fowl frighted with much shooting on the Land 〈◊〉 to the Sea-side for their Refuge 2. That it is familiar with them in cold winters as that was to shelter themselves in the most 〈◊〉 parts 3. That some sortes of Seed were lately fown in those parts which invited them thither for their own repast However the Cause of causes was Divine 〈◊〉 thereby providing a Feast for many poor people who otherwise had been pinched for provision Princes HENRIETTA youngest Childe of King Charles and Queen Mary was born at BedfordHouse in this City Anno 1644. on the sixteenth day of June After her long and sad night of Affliction the day dawn'd with her in her Brothers happy returne Since she is marryed to the Duke of Orleance I hope that I once related unto her as a Chaplain may ever pray for her that her soul may be sanctified with true Grace and she enjoy both the Blessings of this and a Better life Prelates BARTHOLOMEUS ISCANUS born in this * City was accounted in that age the Oracle of Learning and Religion so that in all Conventions to that purpose his suffrage clearly carried it He became afterwards Bishop in the place of his nativity being intimate with his City-man whose Character next followeth Baldwin of Devonshire then but Abbot of Ford afterwards advanced to higher preferment These mutually dedicated Books each to others Commendation so that neither wanted praise nor praised himself This Leland calleth pulcherimum certamen Indeed this Alternation of reciprocal Encomiums became them the better because it was merit in both flattery in neither This Bartholomew was an opposer of Becket his insolence and having sate Bishop 14 Years ended his life Anno 1185. BALDVINUS DEVONIUS was born in this City of poor Parentage save that in some sort a worthy man may be said to be Father to himself His preferment encreased with his Learning and deserts being first a School-master then an Arch-deacon then Abbot of Ford afterwards Bishop of Worcester and lastly Arch-bishop of Canterbury An eloquent Man and a pious Preacher according to the Devotion of those dayes so that the errours which he maintained may justly be accounted the Faults of the tim●…s and in him but infirmities When King Richard the first went to Palestine he conceived himself bound both in conscience and credit to partake of the pains and perils of his Soveraign whom he attended thither but not thence dying there and being buried at Tyre Anno Dom. 1190. WALTER BRONSCOMBE was Son to a very mean * man in this City and therefore the more remarkable that taking no rise from his extraction he raised himself by his own industry to be Bishop of Exeter Here he built and endowed an Hospital for poor people and also founded a fair Colledge at
that is Give all kind kind signifying a Child in the low Dutch This practice as it appeares in Tacitus was derived to our Saxons from the ancient Germans Teutonibus priscis patrios succedit in agros Mascula stirps omnis ne foret ulla potens 'Mongst the old Teuch lest one o'retop his breed To his Sire's land doth every son succeed It appeareth that in the eighteenth year of King Henry the sixth there were not above fourty persons in Kent but all their land was held in this tenure But on the petition of divers Gentlemen this custome was altered by Act of Parliament in the 31. of King Henry the eighth and Kentish-lands for the most part reduced to an uniformitie with the rest in England DOVER-COURT All speakers and no hearers There is a Village in Essex not far from Harwich called Dover-Court formerly famous for a Rood burnt in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth But I take it here to be taken for some Tumultuous Court kept at Dover the Consluence of many Blustering Sea-men who are not easily ordered into awful attention The Proverb is applyed to such irregular conferences wherein the People are all Tongue and no Eares parallel to the Latine Proverb Cyclopum Respublica being thus charactered that therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father to the Bough The Son to the Plough That is though the Father be executed for his Offence the Son shall neverthelesse succeed to his Inheritance In this County if a Tenant in Fee-simple of Lands in Gavel-kind commit Felony and suffer the judgement of Death therefore the Prince shall have all his Chattels for a forfeiture But as touching the Land he shall neither have the Escheat of it though it be immediately holden of himself nor the Day year and Wast if it be holden of any other for in that case the Heir notwithstanding the offence of his Ancestor shall enter immediately and enjoy the lands after the same Customes and services by which they were holden before In assurance whereof the former Proverb is become Currant in this County But this Rule holdeth in case of Felony and of Murther onely and not in case of Treason nor peradventure in Piracy and other Felonies made by Statutes of later times because the custome cannot take hold of that which then was not in being It holdeth moreover in case where the offender is justiced by Order of Law and not where he withdraws himself after the fault cōmitted and will not abide his lawful trial TENTERDENS Steeple is the Cause of the Breac●… in Goodwyn Sands It is used Commonly in derision of such who being demanded to render a reason of some inportant Accident assign Non causam pro causa or a Ridiculous and improbable cause thereof and hereon a story depends When the Vicinage in Kent met to consult about the Inundation of Goodwyn sands and what might be the Cause thereof an Old man imputed it to the building of Tenterden Steeple in this County for those sands said he were firme Lands before that steeple was built which ever since were overflown with Sea-water Hereupon all heartily laughed at his unlogical Reason making that the effect in Nature which was only the consequent in time not flowing from but following after the building of that steeple But One story is good till another is heard Though this be all whereon this Proverb is generally grounded I met since with a * supplement thereunto It is this Time out of mind mony was constantly collected out of this County to fence the East bancks thereof against the eruption of the Seas And such Sums were deposited in the hands of the Bishop of Rochester But because the Sea had been very quiet for many years without any encroachings The Bishop commuted that money to the building of a Steeple and endowing of a Church in Tenterden By this diversion of the Collection for the maintenance of the Banks the Sea afterwards brake in upon Goodwyn Sands And now the old man had told a rational tale had he found but the due favour to finish it And thus sometimes that is causelesly accounted ignorance in the speaker which is nothing but impatience in the Auditors unwilling to attend the end of the discourse A Jack of Dover I find the first mention of this Proverb in our English Ennius Chaucer in his Proeme to the Cook And many a Jack of Dover he had sold Which had been two times hot and two times cold This is no Fallacy but good Policy in an houshould to lengthen out the Provision thereof and though lesse toothsome may be wholsome enough But what is no false Logick in a Family is false Ethicks in an Inn or Cooks-shop to make the abused Guest to pay after the rate of New and Fresh for meat at the second and third hand Parallel to this is the Latine Proverb crambe bis cocta crambe being a kind of Colewort which with vinegar being raw is good boiled better twice boiled noysome to the Palat and nauceous to the stomach Both Proverbs are appliable to such who grate the ears of their Auditors with ungratefull Tautologies of what is worthlesse in it selse tolerable as once uttered in the notion of Novelty but abominable if repeated for the tediousnesse thereof Princes JOHN of ELTHAM Second Son to King Edward the Second by Isabell his Queen was born at Eltham in this County He was afterwards created Earle of Cornwal A spritely Gentleman and who would have given greater evidence of abilities if not prevented by death in the prime of his age He dyed in Scotland in the tenth yeare of the reign of King Edward the Third Be it observed that hitherto the younger Sons to our English Kings were never advanced Higher than Earls Thus Richard Second son to King Iohn never had higher English Honour then the Earle of Cornwel though at the same time he were King of the Romans But this Iohn of Eltham was the last Son of an English King who dyed a plain Earl the Title of Duke coming a●…erwards into fashion Hence it was that all the younger Sons of Kings were from this time forwards Created Dukes except expiring in their infancy BRIDGET of ELTHAM fourth Daughter of K Edward the fourth and Elizabeth his Q. was born at Eltham in this County Observing her three eldest Sisters not over happy in their husbands she resolved to wed a Monastical life and no whit ambitious of the place of an Abbess became an ordinary votary in the Nunnery at Dartford in this County founded by K. Edward the 3. The time of her death is uncertain but this is certain that her dissolution hapned some competent time before the dissolution of that Nunnerie EDMUND youngest Son to King Henry the 7. and Elizabeth his Queen bearing the name of his Grand-father Edmund of Haddam was born at Greenwich in this County 1495. He was by his Father created Duke of Somerset and he dyed before he was full
interfectis eundem Regem captivavit ipsum potenter in Angliam ductum Patri suo praesentavit Henricum etiam intrusorem Hispaniae potentissime in bello devicit Petrum Hispaniae Regem dudum à regno suo expulsum potenti virtute in regnum-suum restituit Unde propter ingentem sibi probitatem actus ipsius triumphales memoratum Principem inter regales Regum memorias dignum duximus commendandum Thus have I not kill'd two Birds with one bolt but revived two mens memories with one Record presenting the Reader according to my promise with the Character of this Prin●… and Style of this Writer speaking him in my conjecture to have lived about the raign of King Richard the second Since the Reformation Sir THOMAS WIAT Knight commonly called the Elder to distingish him from Sir Thomas Wiat raiser of the Rebellion so all call it for it did not succeed in the raign of Queen Mary was born at Allyngton Castle in this County which afterwards he repaired with most beautiful buildings He was servant to King Henry the eight and fell as I have heard into his disfavour about the business of Queen Anna Bollen till by his innocence industry and discretion he extricated himself He was one of admirable ingenuity and truly answered his Anagram Wiat A Wit Cambden saith he was Eques auratus splendide doctus It is evidence enough of his Protestant Inclination because he translated Davids Psalms into English meter and though he be lost both to Bale and Pits in the Catalogue of Writers yet he is plentifully found by Leland giving him this large Commendation Bella suum merito jactet Florenti●… Dantem Regia Petrarchae carmina Roma probat His non inferior Patrio Sermone Viattus Eloquii secum qui decus omne tulit Let Florence fair her Dante 's justly boast And Royal Rome her Petrarchs numbred feet In English Wiat both of them doth coast In whom all graceful eloquence doth meet This Knight being sent Embassador by King Henry the eight to Charles the fifth Emperour then residing in Spain before he took shipping died of the Pestilence in the West Country Anno 1541. LEONARD DIGGS Esquire was born in this County one of excellent Learning and deep judgement His mind most inclined him to Mathematicks and he was the best Architect in that age for all manner of buildings for conveniency pleasure state strength being excellent at fortifications Lest his learning should die with him for the publick profit he Printed his Tectonicon Prognostick general Stratiotick about the ordering of an Army and other works He flourished Anno Dom. 1556. and died I believe about the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth Nothing else have I to observe of his name save that heredita●…y learning may seem to run in the veins of his family witnesse Sir Dudley Diggs of Chilham Castle in this County made Master of the Rolls 1636. whose abilities will not be forgotten whilest our age hath any remembrance This Knight had a younger son Fellow of All Souls in Oxford who in the beginning of our Civil Wars wrote so subtile and solid a Treatise of the difference betwixt King and Parliament that such Royalists who have since handled that Controversie have written plura non plus yea aliter rather than alia of that subject THOMAS CHARNOCK was born in the Isle of Thanet in this County as by his own words doth appear He discovereth in himself a modest Pride modest stiling himself and truly enough the uNLETTERED SCHOLAR Pride thus immoderately boasting of his Book discovering the mysteries of the Philosophers Stone For satisfying the minds of the Students in this Art Then thou art worthy as many Books as will lie in a Cart. However herein he is to be commended that he ingeniously confesseth the Persons viz. William Byrd Prior of Bath and Sir James a Priest of Sarisbury who imparted their skill unto him This Charnock in the pursuance of the said Stone which so many do touch few catch and none keep met with two very sad disasters One on New-years day the omen worse than the accident Anno 1555. when his work unhappily fell on fire The other three years after when a Gentleman long owing him a grudge paid him to purpose and pressed him a Souldier for the relieving of Calice Whence we observe two things first that this Charnock was no man of estate seeing seldom if ever a Subsidy man is pressed for a Souldier Secondly that though he practised Surgery yet he was not free of that Society who by the Statute 32 Hen. 8. are exempted from bearing armour But the spight of the spight was that this was done within a Month according to his own computation which none con confute of the time wherein certainly he had been made master of so great a treasure Such miscarriages frequent in this kind the friends of this Art impute to the envy of evil spirits maligning mankind so much happinesse the foes thereof conceive that Chymists pretend yea sometimes cause such casualties to save their credits thereby He was fifty years old Anno 1574. and the time of his death is unknown FRANCIS THINNE was born in this County and from his infancy had an ingenuous inclination to the Study of Antiquity and especially of Pedignees Herein hee made such proficiency that he was prefer ROBERT GLOVER Son to Thomas Glover Mildred his Wife was born at Ashford in this County He addicted himself to the Study of Heraldry and in the reward of his pains was first made a Pursuivant Porcul THO. MILLES Sisters Son to Robert Glover aforesaid was born at Ashford in this County and following his Uncles direction applyed himself to be eminent in the Genealogies of our English Nobility JOHN PHILPOT was born at Faulkston in this County and from his child-hood had a genius enclining him to the love of Antiquity He first was made a Pursuivant Extraordinary by the Title of Blanch-Lion then red towards the end of the raign of Q. Elizabeth to be an Herald by the Title of Lancaster A Gentleman painful and well deserving not only of his own Office but all the English Nation Whosoever shall peruse the Voluminous Works of Raphael Hollinshed will find how much he was assisted therein by the help of Mr. Thinne seeing the Shoulders of Atlas himselfe may bee weary if sometime not beholding to Hercules to relieve him He died 15. lis and then Somerset Herald When the Earle of Derby was sent into France to carry the Garter to K. Henry the third Mr. Glover attended the Embassage and was as he deserved well rewarded for his pains He by himselfe in Latine began a Book called the Catalogue of Honour of our English Nobility with their Arms and Matches Being the first Work in that kind He therein traced untrodden paths and therefore no wonder if such who since succeeded him in that subject have found a nearer way
same morning he was elected Bishop of Ely made him his Chaplain and Dr. Featly chose him his second in one of his Disputations against Father Fisher yea Mr. Walker alone had many encounters with the subtillest of the Jesuitical party He was a man of an holy life humble heart and bountiful hand who deserved well of Sion Colledge Library and by his example and perswasion advanced about a thousand pounds towards the maintenance of preaching-Ministers in this his Native County He ever wrote all his Sermons though making no other use of his Notes in the Pulpit than keeping them in his pocket being wont to say that he thought he should be out if he had them not about him His Sermons since printed against the prophanation of the Sabboth and other practises and opinions procured him much trouble and two years Imprisonment till he was released by the Parliament He dyed in the seventy year of his Age Anno Dom. 1651. Romish Exile Writers EDWARD RISHTON was born in this * County and bred some short time in Oxford till he fled over to Doway where he was made Master of Arts. Hence he removed to Rome and having studyed Divinity four years in the English Colledge there was ordained Preist 1580. Then was he sent over into England to gain Proselites in prosecution whereof he was taken and kept Prisoner three years Yet was the Severity of the State so mercifull unto him as to spare his Life and only condemn him to Banishment He was carried over into France whence he went to the University of Pontmuss in Loraine to plye his Studies During his abode there the place was infected with the Plague Here Rishton for●…ate the Physicians Rule Cit●… Procul Longe Tarde flye away soon live away far s●…ay away long come again slowly For he remained so long in the Town till he carried away the infection with him and going thence dyed at St. Manhow 1585. I presume no Ingenuous Papist will be censorious on our Painful Munster Learned Junius Godly Greenham all dying of the Pestilence seeing the most conscientious of their own Perswasion subject to the same and indeed neither Love nor Hatred can be collected from such Casualties THOMAS WORTHINGTON was born in this * County of a Gentile Family was bred in the English Colledge at Doway where he proceeded Bachelour in Divinity and a little before the Eighty Eight was sent over into England as an Harvinger for the Spanish Invasion to prepare his Party thereunto Here he was caught and cast into the Tower of London yet found such favour that he escaped with his life being banished beyond the Seas At Triers he commenced Doctor in Divinity and in process of time was made President of the English Colledge at Rhemes When after long expectation the Old Testament came out in English at Rhemes permitted with some cautions for our Lay-Catholicks to read this Worthington wrote his notes thereupon which few Protestants have seen and fewer have regarded He was alive in 1611. but how long after is to me unknown If not the same which for his vivaciousness is improbable there was a Father Worthington certainly his Kinsman and Countryman very busie to promote the Catholick cause in England about the beginning of King Charles He Dining some thirty years since with a Person of Honour in this Land at whose Table I have often eaten was very obstreperous in arguing the case for Transubstantiation and the Ubiquitariness of Christs body Suppose said he Christ were here To whom the Noble Master of the House who till then was silent returned If you were away I beleive he would be here Worthington perceiving his Room more wellcome then his Company embraced the next opportunity of Departure ANDERTON whose christian name I cannot recover was born in this County and brought up at Blackborne School therein and as I have been informed he was bred in Christs Colledge in Cambridge where for his Eloquence he was commonly called Golden Mouth Anderton afterwards he went beyond the Seas and became a Popish preist and one of the learnedst amongst them This is he who improving himself on the poverty of Mr. Robert Bolton sometimes his School-Fellow but then not fixed in his Religion and Fellow of Brazenose colledge perswaded him to be reconciled to the Church of Rome and go over with him to the English Seminary promising him gold enough a good argument to allure an unstable mind to popery and they both appointed ●… meeting But it pleased the God of Heaven who holdeth both an Hour-glass and reed in his hand to measure both time and place so to order the matter that though Mr. Bolton came Mr. Anderton came not accordingly So that Rome lost and England gain'd an able Instrument But now I have lost J. Pitz to guide me and therefore it is time to knock off having no direction for the date of his Death Benefactors to the publick WILLIAM SMITH was born at * Farmeworth in this County bred Fellow in Pembroke hall in Cambridge and at last by King Henry the Eighth preferred Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry That Politick Prince to ease and honour his Native Country of Wales erected a Court of Presidency conformable to the Parliaments of France in the Marshes thereof and made this Bishop first President those Parts lying partly in his Diocesse He discharged the place with singular Integrity and general contentment retaining that Office till the day of his Death when he was removed to be Bishop of Lincoln A good name is an Ointment poured out saith Solomon and this man wheresoever he went may be followed by the perfume of charity he left behind him 1. At Lichfield he founded an Hospital for a Master two preists and ten poor people 2. In the same place he founded a School procuring from King Henry the seventh that the Hospital of Downholl in Cheshire with the Lands there unto belonging should be bestowed upon it Say not this was Robbing the Spittle or at the best Robbing Peter to pay Paul seeing we may presume so charitable a Prelate would do nothing unjust though at this distance of time we cannot clear the particulars of his proceedings At Farmeworth where he was born he founded a school allowing ten pounds annually in that age no mean salary for the Master thereof The University of Oxford discreetly chose him Oxford being in his Diocesse of Lincoln their Chancellour and lost nothing thereby for he proved a more loving Nephew than Son so bountiful to his Aunt Oxford that therein he founded Brazen Nosecolledge but dyed 1513 before his Foundation was finished Molineux a famous preacher about Henry the Eigths time descended of the house of Sefton in the County of Lancaster builded the Church at Sefton anew and houses for Schools about the Church-yard and made the great Wall about Magdalen Colledge in Oxford EDVVARD HALSALL in the County of Lancaster Esquire sometimes Chamberlain of the Exchequer at Chester
Thomae Malton Iohannis Drayton Willielmi Swanlond Willielmi Norton Iohannis Barnvile Richardi Richmond Roberti Oliver Willielmi Bray Roberti Foster Henrici Filingsley Iohannis Bronn Roberti Charyngworth Richardi Skarburgh Richardi Bronn Iohannis e Elryngton VVillielmi Brokherst Iohannis Danyell What is generally true of the Gentry in all Counties that being in continuo fluxu Labitur labetur in omne volubilis aevum is most true in this County where the Stream thereof runneth most rapid to make more speedy room for Succession so that the Gentry in Middlesex seem Sojourners rather then Inhabitants therein Is it not strange that of the thirty three forenamed Families not three of them were extant in the Shire one hundred and sixty years after viz. anno Dom. 1593. as appeareth by the alphabetical Collection set forth by Mr. Norden in that year I impute the brevity as I may term it of such Gentry in this County to the Vicinity of London to them or rather of them to it and hope that Worshipful Families now fixed in Middlesex will hereafter have longer continuance THOMAE a CHALETON Militis I can hardly believe him of the same Family R. being slipped out in the Writing thereof with Thomas Carleton who dyed anno Domini 1447. being buryed under a much defaced Monument in EdmontonChurch and whom the Inhabitants deliver by Tradition to have been a man of great command in this County THOMAE b FROVVYK He was Owner of Gunners-Bury in the Parish of Great Eling wherein he lyes buryed and was Father of famous Judge Frowyk of whom before WILLIELMI c WROTH Ancestor to Sir Henry VVrot●… still living at Durance whose great Grandfather Sir Thomas VVroth fled over for his Religion into Germany in the Reign of Queen Mary and it is observable that he who then went away for his Conscience hath alone of all this Catalogne his name remaining in this County As for VVilliam VVroth mentioned in this Catalogue he was Son to VVill. VVroth Esquire who dyed the 20. of March the Ninth of Henry the Fourth who was the Son of Iohn VVroth who married Maud sole Daughter unto Thomas Durand by whom the house of Durands was devolved unto him JOHN SHORDYCHE So called from Shorditch on the North of Bishops Gate in London whereof he was Owner as also of the Mannor of Hackney I say Shorditch so named here in the twelfth of King Henry the Sixth and some hundred years before quasi Shorditch or the Ditch that was the Sewer or publick Drain to the North-East part of the City Hereby appeareth the Vanity of their Conceits who will have it so called from Iane Shore the Minion of Edward the Fourth reported to dye here pitifully as much pitied though not relieved in the Reign of King Richard the Third Reader Be pleased to take notice that though Mr. Norden in his Survey of this County passeth over this Sirname in Silence yet the Progeny of this Iohn Shorditch hath still a confiderable estate at Icknam therein JOHANNIS e ELRYNGTON These had an house sometimes at Neusdon in this County but are since extinct and the last that I find of the name was Iohn Elryngton Filycer of the City of London and Keeper of the Records of the Common Pleas who dying 1504. is buryed with an Inscription in Hackney Church The Sheriffs Some perchance may expect that in conformity to other Counties I should here insert the Sheriffs of Middlesex reserving those of London to the Descr●…ption of that City These proceed on an old vulgar error that the Sheriffs aforesaid have their several Jurisdictions divided accordingly Whereas indeed both are jointly and equally Sheriffs of London and Middlesex having not only concurrent but united power in all places Nor know I any difference betwixt them save that he who is first chosen taketh place and he who liveth the neerest to the Tower hath the Poultrie the other VVood street-Counter assigned to his Service But more of them in London All I will add is this the Gentry in Middlesex have herein a priviledge above any County in England that they are not Eligible except also they be Freemen of London to be Sheriffes of this Shire which doth cut off from them the occasion of much expences The Battells Brandford Fight 1642. November the 12. It began on the South west side of the Town near Zion house some execution being done by Great Guns and a Boat on the Thames with many therein sunk and Capt. Quarles an active Citizen on the Parliament side drowned before he could recover the Shore Soon was the Scene of this Tragedy removed to the North of the Town near Acton and the Kings Forces fell fiercely on the Regiment of Collonel Denzil Hollis then present in Parliament and put them to the Worst Here the Welsh under Sir ....... Salisbury their Leader made true the Greek Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that Flyeth will fight again 〈◊〉 These who shewed swift heels at Edgehill ●…attle use as stout Arms as any in this Fight For formerly they were little better then Naked whereas since they had recovered armour to fence their bodies and Resolutions to arme their Minds Next day being Sunday marched out the Militia of London but both Armies may be said to have kept the Sabboth faceing each other without any considerable action It is incredible how many Cart Loads of Victuals were carried out from London enough to have feasted their Souldiers for some days and fed them for some Weeks In the Evening the Kings Forces drew off towards Kings Town The Number of the slain on both sides amounted not to a thousand and the Reputation of the Victory on the Kings Side was more then the effect thereof for then the Royalists did Nose and Beard the Populous City of London and did Triumphare though not In sub Hostico Indeed the accession of Citizens to the King answered not Rational expectation Wealth though Loyal being always Fearful and Loath to hazzard a certain Estate This is most sure that many Scores of Prisoners taken by the King were by him freely dismissed without other Ransome then a strict Oath to serve no more against him Now what Oath office is kept in London I know not nor what Pope therein had power to dispence with so sacred an Obligation But these met with such Confessors who seemingly satisfied them in the Violation of this Oath so that some Weeks after they appeared on the same side as fierce as before The Farewell This County is much infested with the Mildew That it is I know to my Cost but could not purchase the knowledge what it is much lesse how it might be prevented at the same Price though having diligently enquired into the Name and Nature thereof Some will have it called Mildew quasi Maldew or Illdew others Meldew or Hony-dew as being very sweet oh how lushious and noxious is Flattery with the Astringency thereof causing an Atrophy a Consumption in the Grain His
I remember are buryed in Lichfield and not in the Vault under the Church of Drayton in Middlesex where the rest of that Family I cannot say lye as whose Coffins are erected but are very compleatly reposed in a peculiar posture which I meet not with elsewhere the horrour of a Vault being much abated with the Lightnesse and Sweetnesse thereof THOMAS WENTVVORTH was born his Mother coming casually to London in Chancery Lane in the Parish of St. Dunstans in the West Yet no reason Yorkshire should be deprived of the honour of him whose Ancestors long flourished in great esteem at VVent-worth-VVoodhouse in that County He was bred in St. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge and afterwards became a Champion Patriot on all occasions He might seem to have a casting voice in the House of Commons for where he was pleased to dispose his Yea or Nay there went the affirmative or negative It was not long before the Court gained him from the Country and then Honours and Offices were heaped on him created Baron and Viscount Wentworth Earl of Strafford and Lord Deputy of Ireland When he went over into Ireland all will confesse he laid down to himself this noble foundation vigorously to endevour the Reduction of the Irish to perfect obedience to the King and profit to the Exchequer But many do deny the Superstructure which he built thereon was done by legal line and Plummet A Parliament was called in England and many Crimes were by prime persons of England Scotland and Ireland charged upon him He fenced skilfully for his Life and his Grand-guard was this that though confessing some Misdemeanors all proved against him amounted not to Treason And indeed Number cannot create a new kind so that many Trespasses cannot make a Riot many Riots one Treason no more then many Frogs can make one Toad But here the D●…stinction of Acumulative and Constructive Treason was coyned and caused his Destruction Yet his Adversaries politickly brake off the Edge of the Axe which cut off his head by providing his Condemnation should not passe into Precedent to Posterity so that his Death was remarkable but not exemplary Happy had it been if as it made no Precedent on Earth so no Remembrance thereof had been kept in Heaven Some hours before his Suffering he fell fast asleep alledged by his friends as an Evidence of the Clearnesse of his Conscience and hardly to be parallel'd save in St. Peter in a dead sleep the Night before he was to dye condemned by Herod His death happened 1641. He hath an eternal Monument in the matchlesse Meditations of King Charles the First and an everlasting Epitaph in that weighty Character * there given him I looked upon my Lord of Strafford as a Gentleman whose abilites might make a Prince rather afraid than ashamed in the greatest Affairs of State c. God alone can revive the dead all that Princes can perform is to honour their Memory and Posterity as our Gracious Soveraign King Charles hath made his worthy Son Knight of the Garter LYONEL CRANFIELD Son to Randal Cranfield Citizen and Martha his Wife Daughter to the Lady Dennis of Gloucester-shire who by her will which I have perused bequeathed a fair estate unto her was born in Bassing-hall street and bred a Merchant much conversant in the Custome-House He may be said to have been his own Tutor and his own University King Iames being highly affected with the clear brief strong yea and profitable sense he spake preferred him Lord Treasurer 1621. Baron of Cranfield and Earl of Middlesex Under him it began to be young flood in the Exchequer wherein there was a very low Ebb when he entred on that Office and he possessed his Treasurers place some four years till he fell into the Duke of Bucks the best of Friends and worst of Foes displeasure Some say this Lord who rose cheifly by the Duke whose near Kinswoman he married endevoured to stand without yea in some cases for the Kings profit against him which Independency and opposition that Duke would not endure Flaws may soon be found and easily be made Breaches in great Officers who being active in many cannot be exact in all matters However this Lord by losing his Office saved himself departing from his Treasurers place which in that age was hard to keep Insomuch that one asking what was good to preserve Life was answered Get to be Lord Treasurer of England for they never do dye in their place which indeed was true for four Successions Retiring to his magnificent House at Copt-hall he there enjoyed himself contentedly entertained his friends bountifully neighbours hospitably poor charitably He was a proper person of comely presence chearful yet grave countenance and surely a solid and wise man And though their Soul be the fattest who only suck the sweet Milk they are the healthfullest who to use the Latine Phrase have tasted of both the Breasts of fortune He dyed as I collect anno 1644 and lyeth interred in a stately Monument in the Abby at Westminster Writers on the Law FLETA or FLEET We have spoken formerly of the Fleet as a Prison but here it importeth a person disguised under that name who it seems being committed to the Fleet therein wrote a Book of the Common Laws of England and other Antiquities There is some difference concerning the Time when this Learned Book of Fleta was set forth but it may be demonstrated done before the fourteenth of the Reign of King Edward the Third for he saith that it is no Murder except it be proved that the Party slain was English and no Stranger whereas this was altered in the fourteenth year of the said King when the killing of any though a Forreigner living under the Kings protection out of prepensed Malice was made Murder He seemeth to have lived about the End of King Edward the Second and beginning of King Edward the Third Seeing in that Juncture of Time two Kings in effect were in being the Father in right the Son in might a small contempt might cause a confinement to that place and as Loyal ubjects be within it as without it Sure it is that notwithstanding the confinement of the Author his Book hath had a good passage and is reputed Law to posterity CHRISTOPHER St. GERMAN Reader wipe thine eyes and let mine smart if thou readest not what richly deserves thine observation seeing he was a person remarkable for his Gentility Piety Chastity Charity Ability Industry and Vivacity 1. Gentility descended from a right ancient Family born as I have cause to believe in London and bred in the Inner Temple in the Study of our Laws 2. Piety he carried Saint in his nature as well as in his Surname constantly reading and expounding every night to his Family a Chapter in the Bible 3. Chastity living and dying unmarried without the least spot on his Reputation 4. Charity giving consilia and auxilia to all his People gratis
Master Aylmer sate in the hind part whilst the Searchers drank of the Wine which they saw drawn out of the head or other end thereof Returning into England he was made Arch-Deacon of Lincoln and at last Bishop of London He was happy in a meet Yoke-fellow having a gratious Matron to his wife by whom he had many children and one son to which Arch-bishop Whitgift was Godfather and named him Tob-el that is The Lord is good in memorial of a great deliverance bestowed on this childs mother For when she was cast out of her Coach in London by a Mastiff casually seising upon the Horses she received no harm at all though very near to the time of her Travail Bishop Aylmer was well learned in the Languages a ready Disputant and deep Divine He was eighteen years Bishop of London and dying Anno 1594. in the 73. year of his age had this for part of his Epitaph which Bishop Vaugham sometimes his Chaplain afterwards his Successor made upon him Ter senos Annos Praesul semul Exul idem Bis Pugil in causa religionis erat Eighteen years Bishop and once Banish'd hence And twice a Champion in the Truths defence I understand it thus once a Champion in suffering when an Exile for religion and again in doing when chosen one of the disputants at Westminster against the Popish Bishops Primo Elizabethae except any expound it thus once Champion of the Doctrine against Papists and afterwards against the Discipline of the Non-Confromists none more stoutly opposing or more fouly belibelled of them God blessed him with a great estate the main whereof he left unto Samuel Aylmer his eldest son High-sheriff of Suffolk in the reign of King Charles and amongst his youngest sons all well provided for Doctor Aylmer Rector of Haddam in Hartfordshire was one of the most learned and reverend Divines in his generation JOHN TOWERS was born in this County bred Fellow of Queens-colledge in Cambridge and became Chaplain to William Earl of Northampton who bestowed on him the Benefice of Castle-Ashby in Northampton-shire He was preferred Dean and at last Bishop of Peterborough He was a good actor when he was young and a great sufferour when he was old dying about the year 1650. rich onely in Children and Patience Nothing but sin is a shame in it self and poverty as poverty especially since our Saviour hath sanctified it by suffering it is no disgrace Capital Judges and Writers on the Law RALPH DE-HENGHAM so named from a fair Market-town in this County was made Lord Chief-justice of the Kings-bench in Michaelmas term in the second year of King Edward the first when the King was newly returned from the Holy-land He sate 16. years in that place saving that one Winborne was for a year or two interposed and at the general purging and garbling of the Judges which happened in the 18. year of the aforesaid King when all the Judges except two John de Metingham and Elias de Bekingham were cast out by the Parliament for their corruption fined banished and imprisoned then this Ralph was merced in seven thousand marks for bribery and ejected out of his place Some will say let him wither in silence why do you mention him amongst the Worthies of our Nation I answer Penitence is the second part of Innocence and we find this Ralph after his fine payed made Chief-justice of the Common-pleas sub recipiscendi fiducia under the confidence generally conceived of his amendment He died the next being the 19. year of the raign of King Edward the first he lies buried in the Church of Saint Paul where he hath or had this Epitaph Per versus patet hos Anglorum quod jacet hic flos Legum qui tuta dictavit vera statuta Ex Hengham dictus Radulphus vir benedictus One must charitably believe that he played a good after-game of integrity and if injoying longer life he would have given a clearer testimony thereof WILLIAM PASTON Esq. son of Clement Paston Esq. and Beatrix his wife sister and heir to Jeffry Sommerton Esq. was born at Paston in this County He was learned in the laws of this Realm and first was Serjeant to King Henry the sixth and was after by him preferred second Judge of the Common-pleas I confess having confined our Catalogue to Capital Judges or Writers on the Law he falls not under our method in the strictness thereof But I appeal to the Reader himself whether he would not have been highly offended with me had I in silence passed over a person so deserving his observation He was highly in favour with King Henry the sixth who allowed him besides the ordinary salary assigned to other Judges one hundred and ten marks Reader behold the Standard of money in that age and admire with two Gowns to be taken yearly out of the Exchequer as by the ensuing letters Patents will appear Henricus Dei gratia Rex Angliae Franciae Dominus Hiberniae Omnibus ad quos Praesentes literae pervenerint Salutem Sciatis quod de gratia nostra speciali ut dilectus fidelis noster Willielmus Paston unus Justiti nostrorum de com Banco Statum suum decentius manu tenere expensas quas ipsum in officio pradicto facere oportebit sustinere valeat concessimus ei centum decem marcas percipiendum singulis annis ad scaccarium nostrum ad terminos Pasche Sancti Michaelis per equales Portiones duas robas per annum percipiendum unam videlicet cum Pellura ad festum Natalis Domini aliam cum Limra ad festum Pentecostes ultra feodum consuetum quamdiu ipsum Stare contigerit in officio supradicto In cujus rei Testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus patentes teste meipso apud Westminst XV. die Octobris anno regni nostri octavo What Pellura is I understand Furr but what Limra is if rightly written I would willingly learn from another though some are confident it is Taffata I wonder the less at these noble favours conferred on the said William Paston Judge for I find him in grace with the two former Kings being made Serjeant by King Henry the fourth and of ●…is counsel for the Dutchie of Lancaster and in the reign of King Henry the fifth he was in such esteem with Sir John Falstofe Knight that he appointed him one of his Feoffees whom he enabled by a writing under his hand to recover debts from the Executors of King Henry the fifth This William Paston married Agnes daughter and heir of Sir Edmond Berrey by which marriage the Pastons rightly quarter at this day the several Coats of Hetherset Wachesham Craven Gerbredge Hemgrave and Kerdeston and received both advancement in bloud and accession in estate This said VVilliam Paston died at London August 14. 1444. and lies buryed in Norwich so that his corps by a peculiar exception do straggle from the Sepulture of their Ancestors who
after their removal Let his works witness the rest of his worth some of whose books are published others prepared for the Press and I wish them a happy nativity for the publique good Coming to take his Farewell of his friends he Preached on the Fore-noon of the Lords-day sickned on the After-noon and was buried with his wife in the same grave in Warton Chancell the week following 1657. Romish Exile Writers MATTHEW KELLISON was born in this County at Harrowden his father being a Servant and Tenant of the Lord Vaux in whose family his infancy did suck in the Romish Perswasions He afterwards went beyond the Seas and was very much in motion 1. He first fixed himself at the Colledge of Rhemes in France 2. Thence removed to the English-colledge at Rome where he studied in Phylosophy and Divinity 3. Returned to Rhemes where he took the Degree of Doctor 4. Removed to Doway where for many years he read School-Divinity 5. Re-returned to Rhemes where he became Kings Professor and Rector of the University So much for the travails of his Feet now for the labours of his Hands the pains of his Pen those of his own opinion can give the best account of them He wrote a book to King James which his Majesty never saw and another against Sutliff with many more and was living 1611. Benefactors to the Publick HENRY CHICHELY Son of Thomas and Agnes Chichely was born at Higham-Ferrers in this County bred in Oxford and designed by Wickham himself yet surviving to be one of the Fellows of New-colledge he afterwards became Chaplain to R. Metford Bishop of Sarum who made him Arch-Deacon which he exchanged for the Chancelours place of that Cathedral This Bishop at his death made him his chief Executor and bequeathed him a fair gilt Cup for a Legacy By King Henry the fourth he was sent to the Council of Risa 1409. and by the Popes own hands was Consecrated Bishop of Saint Davids at Vienna and thence was advanced Arch-bishop of Canterbury by King Henry the fifth During his reign in the Parliament at Leicester a shrude thrust was made at all Abbies not with a R●…bated point but with sharps indeed which this Arch-bishop as a skilful Fencer fairly put by though others will say he guarded that blow with a silver Buckler the Clergy paying to the King vast sums of money to maintain his Wars in France and so made a forreign diversion for such active spirits which otherwise in all probability would have Antidated the dissolution of Monasteries Under King Henry the sixth he sat sure in his See though often affronted by the rich Cardinal Beaufort of Winchester whom he discreetly thanked for many injuries A Cardinals Cap was proferred to and declined by him some putting the refusal on the account of his humility others of his pride loath to be junior to the foresaid Cardinal others of his policy unwilling to be more engaged to the Court of Rome Indeed he was thorough-paced in all Spiritual Popery which concerned religion which made him so cruel against the VVicklevites but in secular Popery as I may term it touching the interest of Princes he did not so much as rack and was a zealous assertor of the English Liberties against Romish Usurpation Great his zeal to promote learning as appears by three Colledges erected and endowed at his expence and procurement 1. One with an Hospital for the poor at Higham-Ferrers the place of his Nativity 2. Saint Bernards in Oxford afterwards altered and bettered by Sir Thomas VVhite into Saint Johns colledge 3. All-souls in Oxford the fruitful Nursery of so many Learned Men. He continued in his Arch-bishoprick longer then any of his Predecessors for 500. years full 29. years and died April 12. 1443. WILLIAM LAXTON Son to John Laxton of Oundle in this County was bred a Grocer in London where he so prospered by his painful endeavours that he was chosen Lord Mayor Anno Domini 1544. He founded a fair School and Almeshouse at Oundle in this County with convenient maintenance well maintained at this day by the Worshipful Company of Grocers and hath been to my knowledge the Nursery of many Scholars most eminent in the University These Latine Verses are inscribed in the Front of the building Oundellae natus Londini parta labore Laxtonus posuit Senibus p●…erisque levamen At Oundle born what he did get In London with great pain Laxton to young and old hath set A comfort to remain He died Anno Domini 1556. the 29. of July and lyeth buried under a fair Tombe in the Chancel of Saint Antonies London Since the Reformation NICHOLAS LATHAM was born at Brigtock in this County and afterwards became Minister of Al-saints Church in Barn-wells This man had no considerable Estate left him from his father nor eminent addition of wealth from his friends nor injoyed any Dignity in the Church of England nor ever held more then one moderate Benefice And yet by Gods blessing on his vivacious frugality he got so great an Estate that he told a friend he could have left his son had he had one land to the value of five hundred pounds by the year But though he had no Issue yet making the Poor his heirs he left the far greatest part of his Estate to pious uses Founded several small Schools with salaries in Country Villages and Founded a most beautiful Almes-house at Oundale in this County and I could wish that all houses of the like nature were but continued and ordered so well as this is according to the Will of the Founder He died Anno Domini 1620. and lyeth buried in the Chancel of his own Parish having lived 72. years EDWARD MONTAGUE Baron of Boughton and eldest son to Sir Edward Montague Knight was born in this County a Pious Peaceable and Hospitable Patriot It was not the least part of his outward happiness that having no male issue by his first wife and marrying when past fifty years of age he lived to see his son inriched with hopeful children I behold him as bountiful Barsillai superannuated for courtly pleasures and therefore preferring to live honorably in his own Country wherein he was generally beloved so that popularity may be said to have affected him who never affected it For in evidence of the vanity thereof he used to say Do the common sort of people nineteen courtesies together and yet you may loose their love if you do but go over the stile before them He was a bountiful Benefactor to Sidney-colledge and builded and endowed an Almes-house at VVeekley in this County To have no bands in their death is an outward favour many VVicked have many Godly men want amongst whom this good Lord who dyed in restraint in the Savoy on the account of his Loyalty to his Sovereign Let none grudge him the injoying of his judgement a purchase he so dearly bought and truly paid for whose death happened in the year of our Lord
he was condemned for siding with Queen Jane but pardoned his life and restored to his lands as by Queen Elizabeth to his honour Much was he given to Musick and Poetry and wanted not personal valour not unskillful though unsuccessful in Military Conduct as in the imployment against Ket He died Anno Domini 1571. without Issue Queen MARY 1 THOMAS TRESSAM Mil. He was a person of great command in this County and was zealous against the Court Faction in proclaiming and promoting Q. Mary to the Crown She therefore in gratitude made him the first and last Lord Prior of the re-erected Order of Saint Johns of Jerusalem Dying without Issue and being buried in Rushton Church his large lands descended to his Kinsman and Heir Thomas Tressam of whom hereafter Queen ELIZABETH 6 EDMUND BRUDENELL Arm. This is that worthy person of whom afterwards Knighted Master Camden entereth this honorable memorial Equibus Edmundus Brudenel Eques auratus non ita pridem defunctus venerandae antiquitatis summis fuit cultor admirator He may seem to have entailed his learned and liberal inclinations and abilities on his though not son heir Thomas Lord Brudenell of Stoughton then whom none of our Nobility more able in the English Antiquities 15 THOMAS TRESSAM Arm. The Queen Knighted him in the 18. year of her reign at Kenelworth Hard to say whether greater his delight or skill in buildings though more forward in beginning then fortunate in finishing his fabricks Amongst which the Market-house at Rothwell adorned with the armes of the Gentry of the County was highly commendable Having many daughters and being a great house-keeper he matched most of them into Honorable the rest of them into Worshipful and Wealthy Families He was zealous in the Romish perswasion though as yet not convicted which afterwards cost him a long confinement in Wisbich-Castle 20 THOMAS CECILL Mil. He was eldest son to Sir William Cecill then Baron of Burghley who would not have him by favour excused from serving his Country He afterwards was Earl of Exeter and married Dorothy one of the Co-heirs of the Lord Latimer These joyntly bestowed one hundred and eight pounds per annum on Clare-hall in Cambridge 24 THOMAS ANDREWS Arm. He attended the Execution of the Queen of Scots at Fotheringhay-Castle demeaning himself with much gravity to his great commendation 34 ANTHONY MILEMAY Esq. He was son to Sir Walter Privy-Councellor and Founder of Emanuel-colledge this Anthony was by Queen Elizabeth Knighted and sent over into France on an Embassy upon the same token he was at Geneva the same time Reader I have it from uncontrolable intelligence when Theodore Beza their Minister was convented before their Consistory and publiquely checqu'd for peaching too eloquently He pleaded that what they called eloquence in him was not affected but natural and promised to endeavour more plainness for the future Sir Anthony by Grace Co-heir to Sir Henry Sherington had one daughter Mary married to Sir Francis Fane afterwards Earl of Westmerland 43 ROBERT SPENCER Mil. He was the fifth Knight of his Family in an immediate succession well allied and extracted being a branch descended from the Spencers Earls of Gloucester and Winchester By King James in the first of his reign he was Created Baron Spencer of VVormeleiton in the County of VVarwick He was a good Patriot of a quick and clear spirit as by one passage may appear Speaking in Parliament of the valour of their English ancestors in defending the liberties of the Nation Your ancestours said the Earl of Arundel were keeping of sheep that Lord and his predecessours being known for the greatest Sheep-masters in England when those liberties were defended If they were in keeping of sheep return'd the other Yours were then in plotting of Treason Whose animosities for the present cost both of them a confinement yet so that afterwards the Upper House Ordered reparations to this Lord Spencer as first and causelesly provoked This Lord was also he who in the first of King James was sent with Sir VVilliam Dethick principal King of Armes to Frederick Duke of VVirtenberge elected into the Order of the Garter to present and invest him with the robes and ornaments thereof which were accordingly with great solemnity performed in the Cathedral of Studgard King JAMES 2 ARTHUR THROGKMORTON Mil. He was son to that eminent Knight Sir Nicholas Throgkmorton of whom in VVarwick shire and his Sister was married to Sir VValter Raleigh This Sir Arthur was a most ingenious Gentleman and dying without Issue-male his large estate was parted amongst his four daughters married to the Lord Dacres the Lord VVotton Sir Peter Temple of Stow Baronet and Sir Edward Partridge 3 JOHN FREEMAN Arm. He died without Issue and was a most bountiful Benefactour to Clare hall in Cambridge giving two thousand pounds to the founding of Fellowships and Scholarships therein 12 WILLIAM WILLMER Arm. He was the first Pensioner as Doctor James Mountague the first Master and Sir John Brewerton first Scholar of the House in Sidney-colledge being all three of them but in several proportions Benefactours to that Foundation 22 WILLIAM CHAUNCY Mil. These have been very but I know not how antient in this County but far antienter in Yorkshire For I meet with this Inscriptiou on a Monument at Sabridgeworth in Hertfordshire Hic jacent Johannes Chancy Ar. filius heres Johannis Chancy Ar. filii heredis Willielmi Chancy Mil. quondam Baronis de Shorpenbek in Com. Ebor. Anna uxor ejus una filiarum Johannis Leventhorpe Ar. qui quidem Johannes obiit VII Maii MCCCCLXXIX Annaii Decemb. MCCCCLXXVII quorum animabus It appeareth to me by a well proved pedegree that Henry Chancy Esq. of Yardlebury in Hertfordshire is the direct descendant from the aforesaid John Chancy whose Epitaph we have inserted King CHARLES 7 JOHN HEWET Baronet He had not one foot of land nor house hiring Hemington of the Lord Mountague in the whole County though several Statutes have provided that the Sheriffe should have sufficient land in the same Shire to answer the King and his people The best is this Baronet had a very fair estate elsewhere And as our English proverb saith VVhat is lost in the Hundred will be found in the Shire so what was lost in the Shire would be found in the Land However this was generally beheld as an injury that because he had offended a great Courtier the Sherivalty was by power imposed upon him The Farewell The worst I wish this my Native County is that Nine a River which some will have so term'd from Nine Tributary Rivolets were Ten I mean made navigable from Peterburg to Northampton A design which hath always met with many back-friends as private profit is though a secret a Sworn enemy to the general good Sure I am the Hollanders the best copy of thrift in Christendome teach their little ditches to bear Boats Not that their waters are more docible
in Sussex thence removed into this County I find this remarkable passage recorded of Henry de Perpoint who flourished in those parts in the beginning of King Edward the First Claus. 8 Edvardi 1. membrana tertia in dorso in Tur. Londin Memorandum quod Henricus de 〈◊〉 die Lunae in 〈◊〉 Octab. Sancti Michaelis venit in 〈◊〉 apud Lincol●…iam publicè dixit quod sigillum suum amisit protestabatur quod si aliquod instrumentum cum sigillo illo post tempus illud inveniretur consignatum illud nullius esse valoris vel momenti Memorand That Henry de 〈◊〉 on Munday the day after the Octaves of St. Michael came into the Chancery at Lincoln and said publickly that he had lost his Seal and protested that if any instrument were found sealed with that Seal after that time the same should be of no value or effect He appeareth a person of prime quality that great prejudice might arise by the false use of his true Seal if found by a dishonest person so that so solemn a protest was conceived necessary for the prevention thereof Robert Perpoint a Descendent from this Henry was by King Edward the third summoned as a Baron to Parliament but died as I am informed before he sate therein which hindered the honour of Peerage from descending to his posterity But this Robert Perpoint was Robert the younger in distinction from his Name-sakeAncestor who lived in great dignity under King Edward the Third as by the following Record will appear Claus. 49 Hon. 3. in dorso memb 6. Rex Priori S. Johannis Jerusalem in Anglia salutem Cum dilectus fidelis noster Robertus de Petroponte qui fidei nostrae Edwardi primogent●…i nostri hactenus constanter adhaesit in conflictu habito apud Lewes captus esset ab inimicis nostris detentus in prisona Hugonis le Despenser donec per septingentas marcas finem fecisset cum eodem pro ●…edemptione sua unde Walerandus de Munceaus se praefato Hugoni pro praedicto Roberto obligavit per quandam chartam de feoffamento scripta obligatoria inter ipsos confecta quae vobis liberata fuerant custodienda ut dicitur Nos ipsorum Roberti Walerandi indempnitatt prospicere eidem Roberto gratiam facere volentes specialem vobis mandamus firmiter injungentes quod cartas scripta praedicta eidem Roberto Walerando vel eorum alteri sine morae dispendio deliberari faciatis nos inde versus vos servabimus indempnes In cujus c. Teste Rege apud Westmonasterium 15. die Octobris The King to the Prior of St. John Jerusalem in England greeting Whereas our beloved and faithful Robert Perpoint who hitherto hath constantly adher'd to our trust and of our first born Edward was taken by our enemies in a skirmish at Lewes and kept in the prison of Hugh le Dispenser untill by seven hundred marks he had made an end with him for his ransoming whereupon Walerand of Munceaus bound himself to the forenamed Hugh for the foresaid Robert by a certain charter of feoffment and obligatory writings made betwixt them which as is said were delivered to you to be kept We willing to provide for the safety of the said Robert and Walerand and to do a special favour to the same Robert do command you firmly injoyning that ye cause the foresaid charters and writings without any delay to be delivered to the same Robert and Walerand or to one of them and we shall thenceforth save you harmless Witness the King at Westminster the 15. day of October Whoso seriously considereth how much the Mark and how little the Silver of our Land was in that Age will conclude seven hundred marks a ransom more proportionable for a Prince than private person The best was that was not paid in effect which by command from the King was restored again The Farewell There is in this County a small Market Town called Blithe which my Author will have so named à jucunditate from the mirth and good fellowship of the Inhabitants therein If so I desire that both the name and the thing may be extended all over the Shire as being confident that an Ounce of mirth with the same degree of grace will serve God more and more acceptably than a pound of sorrow OXFORD-SHIRE hath Bark-shire divided first by the Isis then by the Thames on the South Glocester-shire on the West Buckingham-shire on the East Warwick and Northampton Shires on the North. It aboundeth with all things necessary for mans life and I understand that Hunters and Falconers are no where better pleas'd Nor needeth there more pregnant proof of plenty in this place than that lately Oxford was for some years together a Court a Garrison and an University during which time it was well furnished with provisions on reasonable rates Natural Commodities Fallow Deer And why of these in Oxford shire why not rather in Northampton-shire where there be the most or in York shire where there be the greatest Parks in England It is because John Rous of Warwick telleth me that at Woodstock in this County was the most ancient Park in the whole Land encompassed with a Stone-wall by King Henry the First Let us premise a line or two concerning Parks the case before we come to wha t is contained therein 1. The word Parcus appears in Varro derivd no doubt à parcendo to spare or save for a place wherein such Cattle are preserved 2. There is mention once or twice in Dooms-day Book of Parcus silvestris bestiarum which proveth Parks in England before the Conquest 3. Probably such ancient Parks to keep J. Rous in credit and countenance were onely paled and Woodstock the first that was walled about 4. Parks are since so multiplyed that there be more in England than in all Europe besides The Deer therein when living raise the stomachs of Gentlemen with their sport and when dead allay them again with their flesh The fat of Venison is conceived to be but I would not have Deer-stealers hear it of all flesh the most vigorous nourishment especially if attended with that essential addition which Virgil coupleth therewith Implentur veteris Bacchi pinguisque ferinae Old Wine did their thirst allay fat Venison hunger But Deer are daily diminished in England since the Gentry are necessitated into thrift and forced to turn their pleasure into profit Jam seges est ubi Parcus erat and since the sale of Bucks hath become ordinary I believe in pro●…ess of time the best stored Park will be found in a Cooks shop in London Wood. Plenty hereof do●…h more hath grown in this County being daily diminished And indeed the Woods therein are put to too hard a task in their daily duty viz. To find fewel and timber for all the houses in and many out of the Shire and they cannot hold out if not seasonably relieved by Pit-cole found
could not enter except going sidelong at any ordinary door which gave the occasion to this Proverb But these Verdingales have been disused this fourty years whether because Women were convinced in their consciences of the va●…ity of this or allured in their fancies with the novelty of other fashions I will not determine Chronica si penses cum pugnent Oxonienses Post aliquot mēses volat ira per Angliginenses Mark the Chronicles aright When Oxford Scholars fall to fight Before many months expir'd England will with wa●… be fir'd I confesse Oxoniensis may import the broils betwixt the Townsmen of Oxford or Towns men and Scholars but I conceive it properly to intend the contests betwixt Scholars and Scholars which were observed predictional as if their animosities were the Index of the Volume of the Land Such who have time may exactly trace the truth hereof through our English Histories Sure I am there were shrewd bickerings betwixt the Southern and Northern men in Oxford in the reign of King Henry the third not long before the bloody War of the Barons did begin The like happened twice under King Richard the second which seemed to be the Van-curreer of the fatal fights betwixt Lancaster and York However this observation holds not negatively all being peaceable in that place and no broils at Oxford sounding the al●…rum to our late civil dissentions Princes RICHARD Son to King Henry the second and Queen Eleanor was the sixth King since the Conquest but second Native of England born in the City of Oxford Anno 1157. Whilest a Prince he was undutiful to his Father or to qualifie the matter over-dutiful to his Mother whose domestick quarrels he always espoused To expia●…e his offence when King he with Philip King of France undertook a voyage to the Holy Land where thorough the Treachery of Templary cowardize of the Greeks diversity of the Climate distance of the place and differences betwixt Christian Princes much time was spent a mass of money expended many lives lost some honour atchieved but little profit produced Going to Palestine he suffered ship-wrack and many mischiefs on the coasts of Cyprus coming for England thorow Germany he was tost with a worse Land-Tempest being in pursuance of an old grudge betwixt them taken prisoner by Leopaldu●… Duke of Austria Yet this Coeur de Lion or Lion-hearted King for so was he commonly called was no less Lion though now in a Grate than when at liberty abating nothing of his high spirit in his behaviour The Duke did not undervalue this his Royal Prisoner prizing his person at ten years purchase according to the then yearly revenue of the English Crown This ransome of an hundred thousand pounds being paid he came home first reformed himself and then mended many abuses in the Land and had done more had not an unfortunate Arrow shot out of a besieged Castle in France put a period to his life Anno Dom. 1199. EDMUND youngest Son to King Edward the first by Queen Margaret was born at Woodstock Aug. 5. 1301. he was afterwards created Earl of Kent and was Tutor to his Nephew King Edward the third In whose raign falling into the tempest of false injurious and wicked envy he was beheaded for that he never dissembled his natural brotherly affection toward his Brother deposed and went about when he was God wot murdered before not knowing so much to enlarge him out of prison perswaded thereunto by such as covertly practised his destruction He suffered at Winchester the ninteenth of March in the fourth of Edward the third EDWARD Eldest Son of King Edward the third was born at Woodstock in this County and bred under his Father never abler Teacher met with an apter Scholar in Marshal Discipline He was afterwards termed the Black Prince not so called from his complexion which was fair enough save when Sun-burnt in his Spanish expedition nor from his conditions which were courteous the constant attender of Valour but from his atchievements dismal and black as they appeared to the eyes of his enemies whom he constantly overcame But grant him black in himself he had the fairest Lady to his Wife this Land and that age did afford viz. Joane Countess of Salisbury and Kent which though formerly twice a Widow was the third time married unto him This is she whose Ga●…ter which now flourisheth again hath lasted longer than all the Wardrobes of the Kings and Queens in England since the Conquest continued in the Knighthood of that Order This Prince died before his Father at Canterbury in the 46. year of his age Anno Dom. 1376. whose Maiden success attended him to the grave as never foyled in any undertakings Had he survived to old age in all probabilities the Wars between York and Lancaster had been ended before begun I mean prevented in him being a person of merit and spirit and in Seniority before any suspicion of such divisions He left two Sons Edward who died at seven years of age and Richard afterwards King second of that name both born in France and therefore not coming within the compass of our Catalogue THOMAS of Woodstock youngest Son of King Edward the third and Queen Philippa was sirnamed of Woodstock from the place of his Nativity He was afterward Earl of Buckingham and Duke of Gloucester created by his Nephew King Richard the second who summoned him to the Parliament by the Title of the Kings loving Uncle He married Isabel one of the Co-heirs of Humphrey Bohun Earl of Essex in whose right he became Constable of England a dangerous place when it met with an unruly manager thereof But this Thomas was only guilty of ill tempered Loyalty loving the King well but his own humors better rather wilful than hurtful and presuming on the old maxime Patruus est loco Parentis An Uncle is in the place of a Father He observed the King too nearly and checked him too sharply whereupon he was conveyed to Calis and there strangled By whose death King Richard being freed from the causeless fear of an Uncle became exposed to the cunning Plots of his Cousin German Henry Duke of Lancaster who at last deposed him This Thomas founded a fair Colledge at Playsie in Essex where his body was first buried with all Solemnity and afterward translated to Westminster ANNE BEAUCHAMP was born at Cavesham in this County Let her pass for a Princess though not formally reductively seeing so much of History dependeth on her as Elevated Depressed 1. Being Daughter and in fine sole Heir to Richard Beaucamp that most Martial Earl of Warwick 2. Married to Richard Nevil Earl of Sarisbury and Warwick commonly called the Make-King and may not she then by a courteous proportion be termed the Make-Queen 3. In her own and Husbands right she was possessed of one hundred and fourteen Manors in several Shires 4. Isabell her eldest daughter was married to George Duke of Clarence and Anne her younger to Edward Prince of Wales son of
Henry the sixth and afterwards to King Richard the third 1. Her Husband being killed at Barnet fight all her land by Act of Parliament was setled on her two Daughters as if she had been dead in Nature 2. Being attainted on her Husbands score she was forced to flye to the Sanctuary at Beauly in Hant-shire 3. Hence she got her self privately into the North and there lived a long time in a mean condition 4. Her want was increased after the death of her two daughters who may be presumed formerly to have secretly supplyed her I am not certainly informed when a full period was put by death to these her sad calamities Saints St. FRIDESWIDE was born in the City of Oxford being daughter to Didan the Duke thereof It happened that one Algarus a noble young man sollicited her to yield to his lust from whom she miraculously escaped he being of a sudden struck blind If so she had better success than as good a Virgin the daughter to a greater and better father I mean Thamar daughter of King David not so strangely secured from the lust of her brother She was afterward made Abbess of a Monastery erected by her father in the same City which since is become part of Christ-church where her body lyeth buried It happened in the first of Queen Elizabeth that the Scholars of Oxford took up the body of the wife of Peter Martyr who formerly had been disgracefully buried in a dunghill and interred it in the Tomb with the dust of St. Frideswide Sanders addeth that they wrote this Inscription which he calleth Impium Epitaphium Hic requiescit Religio cum ●…uperstitione though the words being capable of a favourable sense on his side he need not have been so angry However we will rub up our old Poetry and bestow another upon them In tumulo fuerat Petri quae Martyris uxor Hic cum Frideswida virgine jure jacet Virginis intactae nihilum cum cedat honori Conjugis in thalamo non temerata fides Si facer Angligenis cultus mutetur at absit Ossa suum ●…ervent mutua tuta locum Intom'd with Frideswide deem'd a Sainted maid The Wife of Peter Martyr here is laid And reason good for Women chaste in mind The best of Virgins come no whit behind Should Popery return which God forefend Their blended dust each other would de●…end Yet was there more than eight hundred years betwixt their several deaths Saint Frideswide dying Anno 739. and is remembred in the Romish Calendar on the nineteenth day of October St. EDWOLD was younger Brother to St. Edmund King of the East-Angles so cruelly martyred by the Danes and after his death that Kingdom not onely descended to him by right but also by his Subjects importunity was pressed upon him But he declined both preferring rather a sollitary life and heavenly contemplation In pursuance whereof he retired to Dorcester in this County and to a Monastery called Corn-house therein where he was interred and had in great veneration for his reputed miracles after his death which happened Anno Dom. 871. St. EDWARD the CONFESSOR was born at I slip in this County and became afterwards King of England sitting on the Throne for many years with much peace and prosperity Famous for the first founding of Westminster Abby and many other worthy a●…hievements By Bale he is called Edvardus simplex which may signifie either shallow or single but in what sense soever he gave it we take it in the later Sole and single he lived and dyed never carnally conversing with St. Edith his Queen which is beheld by different persons according to their different judgments coloured eyes make coloured objects some pitying him for defect or natural Impotence others condemning him as affecting singelness for want of Conjugal affection others applauding it as an high p●…ece of 〈◊〉 and perfection Sure I am it opened a dore for forreign Competitors and occasioned the Conquest of this Nation He dyed Anno Dom. 1065. and lyeth buryed in Westminster Abby Cardinals ROBERT PULLEN or Pullain or Pulley or Puley or Bullen or Pully for thus variously is he found written Thus the same name passing many mouths seems in some sort to be declined into several Cases whereas indeed it still remaineth one and the same word though differently spelled and pronounced In his youth ●…e studied at Paris whence he came over into England in the reign of King Henry the Fi●…st when learning ran very low in Oxford the university there being first much affl●…cted by Herald the Dane afterwards almost extinguished by the cruelty of ●…he Conqueror Our Pullen improved his utmost power with the King and Prelates for the restoring thereof and by his praying preaching and publick reading gave a great advancement thereunto Remarkable is his character in the Chronicle of Osny Robertus Pulenius scriptur as divin as quae in Anglia obsolverant apud Oxoniam legere c●…pit Robert Pullen began to read at Oxford the holy scriptures which were grown out of fashion in England The fame of his le●…rning commended him beyond the Seas and it is remarkable that whereas it is usual with Popes in policy to unravel what such weaved who were before them three successive Popes continued their love to and increased honours upon him 1. Innocent courteously sent for him to Rome 2. Celestine created him Cardinal of St. Eusebius Anno 1144. 3. Lucius the second made him Chancellor of the Church of Rome He lived at Rome in great respect and although the certain date of his death cannot be collected it happened about the year of our Lord 1150. THOMAS JOYCE or Jorce a Dominican proceeded Doctor of Divinity in Oxford and living there he became Provincial of his Order both of England and Wales From this place without ever having any other preferment Pope Clement the fifth created him Cardinal of St. Sabine though some conceive he wanted breadth proportionable to such an height of dignity having no other revenue to maintain it Cardinals being accounted Kings fellow in that Age. Others admire at the contradiction betwixt Fryers p●…ofession and practice that persons so low should be so high so poor so rich which makes the same men to 〈◊〉 that so chaste might be so wanton He is remarkable on this account that he had six brethren all Dominicans I will not listen to their compa●…ison who resemble them to the seven sons of Sceva which were Exorcists but may term them a week of brethren whereof this Rubricated Cardinal was the Dominical letter There want not those who conceive great vertue in the youngest son of these seven and that his Touch was able to cure the Popes Evil. This Thomas as he had for the most time lived in Oxford so his Corps by his own desire were buried in his Convent therein He flourished Anno Dom. 1310. Prelates HERBERT LOSING was born in Oxford his father being an Abbot
Rex     Anno     1 Edw. Rogers arm ut prius   2 Ioh. Windham mil. Orchard Azure a Cheveron betwixt 3 Lions ●…ds erased Or. 3 Tho. Horner arm ut prius   4 Ioh. Por●…man arm ut prius   5 Edw. Hext miles Ham Or a Castle betwixt 3 Pole-Axes Sable 6 Edw. Gorges mil. Wraxal Masculy Or and Azure 7 Geo. Lutterel arm ut prius   8 Francis Baber arm Chew Mag. Arg. on a Fess Gules 3 Falcons heads erased of the first 9 Io. Rodney mil. Hugo Smith miles ut pr●…s     As●…ton Gules on a Cheveron betwixt 3 Cinquefoil●…s Or pierced as many Leopa●…ds heads Sable 10 Rob. Hendley ar Leigh Az●…a Lion Ramp Arg. crowned Or within a border of the second Entoy●…e of 8 Torteauxes 11 Nat. Still arm     12 Ioh. Horner mil. ut prius   13 Barth Michel m. Ioh. Colls ar   Partee per Fess G. S. a C●…v Ar. betwixt 3 Swans proper 14 Ioh. Paulet arm Hinton S. Geor. Soble 3 Swords in py●… A●…gent 15 Rob. Hopton arm ut prius   16 Theod Newton m. ut prius   17 Io. Trevilian arm Ne●…combe Gu●…s a Demi-ho●…se Arg●…nt ill●…ing out of the ●…aves of the Sea 18 Hen. Hendley ar ut prius   16 Marmad Gēnings a ut prius   20 Edw. Popham ar   Argent on a chief Gul●…s 2 Bu●…ks heads Or. 21 VVill. ●…ancis ar ut prius   22 Th. VVindham ar ut prius   CAR. Rex     Anno     1 Rob. Philip●… mil. Montacute Arg. a Ch●…veron btween 3 〈◊〉 G●…s 2 Ioh. Symmes arm Pounsford Azure 3 Scallops in Base Or. 3 Ioh. Latch a●…m Langford ●…r on a fess Wavy 3 〈◊〉 Or between as many 〈◊〉 G. 4 Ioh. Stowel miles ut prius   5 Tho. Thynne mil. WILT-Sh Barree of 10 Or and S●…ble 6 Fr. Dodington m. Loxton Sable 3 Hunters horns Arg●… 7 Th. Lutter●…l arm ut prius   8 VVill. VValrond ar ut prius   9 Ioh. Carew miles   Or 3 Lions passant Sable ar-med and Lang●… Gul. 10 Hen. Hodges arm Hasilbe●…e Or 3 Cressants and in a Canton 11 Ioh. Baster arm AMP. Sa. a D●…cal Crown of the first 12     13     14 VVill. Evvens ar   Sable a Fess between 2 flower de Luces Or. 15     16     17 Bellum nobis     18 haec Otia     19 fecit     20     21     22 Rich. Cole arm Nailsle Partee per Pale Ar. G a Bull pass countrechanged King JAMES 14 JOHN PAULET Armiger He was son to Sr. Anthony Paulet Governour of Jersey by the sole daughter of Henry Lord Norrice being the sole sister to the Brood of many Martial Brethren A very accomplisht Gentleman of quick and clear parts a bountiful housekeeper so that King Charles consigned Monsieur Soubize unto him who gave him and his retinue many months liberal entertainment The said King afterwards created him Baron Paulet of Hinton St. George in this County descended to him from the Denbaudes the ancient owners thereof He married Elizabeth the daughter and sole Heir of Christopher Ken of Ken-Castle in the same Shire Esquire whose right honourable son and heir John Lord Paulet now succeedeth in that Barony Modern Battles None have been fought in this County which come properly under this Notion Indeed the Skirmish at Martials Elm something military and ominous in the name thereof fought 1642 made much Noise in mens eares a Musket gave then a greater Report than a Canon since And is remembred the more because conceived first to break the Peace of this Nation long restive and rusty in ease and quiet As for the encounter at Lang-port where the Kings Forces under the Lord Goring were defeated by the Parliaments July 12 1645 It was rather a Flight than a Fight like the Battle of Spurres fought many years since the Horse by their speed well saving themselves whilst the poor Foot pawned in the place paid dearly for it And hence forward the Sun of the Kings cause declined verging more more Westward till at last it set in Cornwal and since after a long and dark night rose again by Gods goodness in the East when our Gracious Sovereign arrived at Dover The Farewel May he who bindeth the Sea in a girdle of sand confine it within the proper limits thereof that Somerset-shire may never see that sad accident return which hap'ned here 1607. When by the irruption of the Severn-Sea much mischief was more had been done if the West-wind had continued longer with the like violence The Country was overflown almost 20 mil. in length and 4 in breadth and yet but 80 persons drowned therein It was then observeable that creatures of contrary natures Dogs Hares Foxes Conies Cats Mice getting up to the tops of some hills dispensed at that time with their antipathies remaining peaceably together without sign of fear or violence one towards another To lesson men in publick dangers to depose private differences and prefer their safety before their revenge BRISTOL more truly Bright-Stow that is Illustrious or Bright dwelling answers its Name in many respects Bright in the situation thereof conspicuous on the rising of a Hill Bright in the Buildings fair and firm Bright in the Streets so cleanly kept as if scoured where no Carts but sledges are used but chiefly Bright for the Inhabitants thereof having bred so many eminent Persons It standeth both in Somerset and Glocest●…-shires and yet in neither it being a Liberty of it self divided into two parts by the River Avon conjoyned with a Bridge which being built on both sides counterfeiteth a continued street for which strangers at the first sight do mistake it The houses of the Merchants herein are generally very fair and their Entries though little and narrow l●…ad into high and spatious Halls which Form may mind the Inhabitants thereof of their passage to a better place Naturall Commodities Diamonds These are the Stars of the Earth though such but dimme ones which St. Vincents Rock near to this City doth produce Their Price is abated by their paleness and softnesse to which we may add their Number and Nearness For were they but few and far fetched their value would be advanced They are not those Unions Pearles so called because thrifty Nature only affordeth them by one and one seeing that not only Twins but Bunches and Clusters of these are found together Were this Rock of raw Diamonds removed into the East-Indies and placed where the Beams of the Sun might sufficiently concoct them probably in some hundreds of years they would be ripened into an Orient perfection All I will add is this a Lady in the reign of Queen Elizabeth would have as patiently digested the Lye as the wearing of False Stones or Pendants of counterfeit Pearl so common in our Age and I could wish it were the worst piece of hypocrisy in Fashion Manufactures Gray-Sope I
  16 Ioh. Agard arm     17 Ed. Mosely Bar.   Sable on a Cheveron betwixt 3 Mallets Argent as many Mullets Gules 18     19 Simon* Rudgeley     20   * Argent on a Chev●… Sable 3 Mullets of the first 21     22 Th. Kynnersley armiger   Azure 〈◊〉 de crosses croslet a lion rampant Argent RICHARD the Second 1 BRIAN CORNWAL He 〈◊〉 also this year Sheriff of Shrop-shire so that the two adjacent Counties were under his inspection 4 ROGER de WIRLEY When I observe how this Gentleman is fixed in his Generation I cannot satisfie my self whether he lived nearer unto his Ancestor Rober●… de Wirley who flourished in this County under King Henry the 2d if not before or whether he approached nearer unto his Descendent S●… John Wirley that learned Knight now living at Hampsteade In my Arithmetick he is equally distanced from them both HENRY the Sixth 12 THOMAS STANLEY His true name was Audley For after that Adam youngest Brother to James Lord 〈◊〉 had married the daughter and heir of Henry de Stanley William their son assumed the sir-name of Stanley transmitted it to his posterity As for this Thomas Stanley till I be clearly convinced to the contrary he shall pass with me for the same person whom King Henry the Sixth made Lord Stanley Knight of the Garter Lord Deputy of Ireland and Lord Chamberlain of his Household and father unto Thomas Stanley whom King Henry the Seventh created the first Earle of Derby 34 JOHN DELVES Esq. He is the last of that Ancient Family appearing in this Catalogue who were fixed in this County in the reign of King Edward the Third This Sir John Delves for he was afterwards Knighted left one daughter and sole heir called Helene married unto Sir Robert Sheffield Knight and Recorder of London Ancestor unto the present Earl of Moulgrave EDWARD the Fourth 1 WALTER WROTESLEY He was lineally descended from S●… Hugh Wrotesley one of the first Founder of the most Noble Order of the Garter HENRY the Eighth 28 JOHN DUDLEY I had thought his Ambition had been too high to come under the Roof of such an Office and discharge the place of a Sheriff But know that as yet Sir John Dudley was but Sir John Dudley a Plain but powerful Knight who not long afterwards viz. the 38th of King Henry the Eighth was created Viscount Lisley and then Earl of Warwick in the first of King Edward the sixth and in the fifth of the said King Duke of Northumberland However now he waited at Assizes on the Itinerant Judges who afterwards made all the Judges of the Land Justice Hales alone excepted attend on him and dance after the Pipe of his pleasure when the Instrument was drawn up Testament I can hardly term it whereby the two Sisters of King Edward the sixth were dis-inherited King CHARLES 3 WILLIAM BOWYER Knight Thomas Bowyer his Ancestor from whom he is lineally descended did in the reign of King Richard the Second marry Katharine daughter and heir of Robert Knipersley of Knipersley in this County with whom he had a fair Inheritance The Bowyers of Sussex invited thither some 200 years since by an Earl of Northumberland are a younger Branch from these in Stafford-shire BATTLES At Hopton Heath in this County in March 1643 a fierce fight happened betwixt the Kings and Parliaments Forces on a ground full of Cony-borroughs therefore affording ill footing for the Horse But an equal disadvantage on both sides is no disadvantage on either The Royalists may be said to have got the Day and lost the Sun which made it I mean the truly Loyal and Valiant Spencer Earl of Northampton though still surviving as in his grateful memory so in his Noble and Numerous Issue no less deservedly honoured by others then mutually loving amongst themselves The Farewel To take our Vale of Stafford-shire I wish that the Pit-coal wherewith it aboundeth may seasonably and safely be burnt in their Chimnies and not have their burning antedated before they be digg'd out the Bowels of the Earth The rather because I have read how in the year 1622 there was found a Coal-mine actually on fire between Willingsworth and Weddesbury in this County I find not by what casualty this English Aetna was kindled nor how long it did continue And although such combustions be not so terrible here as in the South of Italy where the sulphureous matter more inrageth the fury of the fire yet it could not but cause much fright and fear to the people thereabouts SUFFOLK hath Norfolk on the North divided with the Rivers of Little Ouse and Waveny Cambridge-shire on the West the German Ocean on the East and Essex parted with the River Stoure on the South thereof From East to West it stretcheth fourty five miles though the general breadth be but twenty saving by the Sea-side where it runneth out more by the advantage of a Corner The Air thereof generally is sweet and by the best Physicians esteemed the best in England often prescribing the Receit thereof to the Consumptionish-Patients I say generally sweet there being a smal parcel nigh the Sea-side not so excellent which may seem left there by Nature on purpose to advance the purity of the rest Naturall Commodities Cheese Most excellent are made herein whereof the finest are very thin as intended not for food but digestion I remember when living in Cambridge the Cheese of this County was preferred as the best If any say that Scholars palates are incompetent Judges whose hungry appetites make course Diet seem delicates unto them let them know that Pantaleon the Learned Dutch Physician counted them equal at least with them of Parma in Italy Butter For Quantity and Quality this County doth excel and venteth it at London and elsewhere The Child not yet come to and the old Man who is past the use of Teeth eateth no softer the Poor Man no cheaper in this Shire the Rich no wholesomer food I mean in the morning It was half of our Saviours Bill of Fare in his Infancy Butter and Hony shall he eat It is of a Cordial or if I may say Antidotal Nature The story is well known of a Wife which desiring to be a Widow incorporated Poison in the Butter whereon her Husband had his principal repast The poor man finding himself strangely affected repaired to a Physician who by some Symptomes suspecting poison demanded of his Patient which was his chiefest Diet. The sick man told him that he fed most constantly on Butter Eat Butter still return'd the Physician which hitherto hath saved your Life for it corrected the poison that neither the malignity thereof nor the malice of the wife could have their full operation Manufactures Cloathing Here it will not be amiss to insert a passage which I meet with in an Industrious Antiquary as relating to the present subject The Manufacture of Cloathing in this
Stutvile 〈◊〉 Dallam 〈◊〉 Argent and Gules a Lion rampant Sable Nicol. Bacon miles ut prius   Reg. JACO     Anno     1 〈◊〉 Bacon miles ut prius   2 Edm. Bokemham armiger     〈◊〉 Tho. Playters arm 〈◊〉 Bendy Wavy of six Argent and Azure 4 Antho. Penning ar     I●…oho Wentworth armiger   Sable a Cheveron between 3 Leopa●…ds heads Or. 6 Lionel Talmarsh ar ut prius   7 Geo. le Hunt miles     8 Thom. Tilney arm ut prius   9 Calthorp Parker mil. ut prius   10 Martin Stutevil ut prius   11 Rob. Brook miles   AMP. 12 Rob. Barker mil.   Perfess embatt'led Or and Azure 3 martlets counterchanged 13 Tho. Clench arm     14 Lio. Ialmarsh m. B. ut prius Azure a Cheveron Argent 15 Edw. Lewkenor m.     16 Io. Wentworth m. ut prius   17 Hen. North miles   Azure a Lion passant Or between 3 Flower de 〈◊〉 Ar. 18 Will. Spring miles ut prius   19 Will. Wetle arm     20 Rob. Brook arm     21 N●… Bernardiston m ut prius   22 Galf. Pittman arm     Reg. CAROL     1 Sam. Aylemer arm Cleydon Argent a Cross Sable betwixt 4 Cornish 〈◊〉 proper 2 Joha Prescot mil.   S. a Chev. betwixt 3 〈◊〉 Ar. 3 Maur. Barrowe ar   S. 2 swords in Saltire Ar. 〈◊〉 betw 4 flowers de luce Or within a Bordure compone of the second and 〈◊〉 4 Brampt Gourden a. ut prius   5 Hen Hookenham a.     6 Iohan Acton arm     7 Rob. Crane miles Chyston Ar. a Fess betw 3 Cross 〈◊〉 fitchee Gu. 8 Will. * Some miles     9 Edw. Bacon miles ut prius Gules a Cheveron betwixt 3 Mallets Or. 10 Ioha Barker arm ut prius   11 Ioha Rouse miles ut prius   12 Phil. Parker mil. ut prius   13 Ed. Duke armiger Brampton Az a Cheveron betwixt 3 〈◊〉 Argent membred Gules 14 Ioh. Clench arm     15 Sim. Dewes miles Stow-Hall Or 3 Quatersoil●…s Gules 16 VVill. Spring arm ut prius   17 Will. 〈◊〉 a●…     18 Maur. Barrowe ar●… ut prius   19     20 Ioha Cotton arm     21     22 Tho. Blosse arm     Queen ELIZABETH 18 JOHN HIGHAM Arm. I find this passage in the Ingenious Michael Lord Montaigne in France in his Essay * of Glory I have no name which is sufficiently mine Of two I have the one common to all my Race yea and also to others There is a Family at Paris and another at Montpellier called Montaigne another in Brittanny and one in Zantoigne surnamed de la Montaigne The removing of one only syllable may so confound our Web as I shall have a share in their Glory and they perhaps a part of my shame And my Ancestors have heretofore been surnamed HEIGHAM or HIQUEM a surname which also belongs to an House well known in England Indeed the Highams so * named from a Village in this County were for I suspect them extinct a right Ancient Family and Sr Clement Heigham Ancestor to this John our Sheriff who was a Potent Knight in his Generation lies buried under a fair Tomb in Thorning-Church in Northfolk 20 ROBERT JERMIN Miles He was a Person of singular Piety a bountiful Benefactor to Emanuel-Colledge and a man of great command in this County He was Father to Sir Tho. Jermin Privy Concellour and Vice-Chamberlain to King Charles the First Grandfather to Thomas and Henry Jermin Esquires The younger of these being Lord Chamberlain to our present Queen Mary and sharing in her Majesties sufferings during her long Exile in France was by King Charles the Second deservedly advanced Baron and Earl of St. Albans 23 NICHOLAS BACON Miles He was son to Sir Nicholas and elder Brother to Sir Francis Bacon both Lord Chancellors of England and afterward by King James in the ninth of his reign on the 22 of May created the first Baronet of England 36 THOMAS CROFTS Armiger He was a Man of Remark in his generation Father to Sir John Crofts Grand-father to .... Crofts who for his Fidelity to his Sovereign during his suffering condition and for several Embassies worthily performed to the King of Poland and other Princes was created Baron Crofts by King Charles the Second CHARLES the First 15 SIMONDS DEWES Miles This Sir Simonds was Grand-child unto Adrian D●…wes descended of the Ancient Stem of Des Ewes Dynasts or Lords of the Dition of Kessel in the Dutchy of Gelderland who came first thence when that Province was wasted with Civil War in the beginning of King Henry the Eighth He was bred in Cambridge as appeared by his printed speech made in the long Parliament wherein he indeavoured to prove it more Ancient than Oxford His Genious addicted him to the study of Antiquity Preferring Rust before Brightness and more conforming his mind to the Garbe of the former than mode of the moderne times He was studious in Roman Coin to discriminate true ones from such as were cast and counterfeit He passed not for Price to procure a choice piece and was no less careful in conserving than curious in culling many rare Records He had plenty of pretious Medals out of which a methodical Architect might contrive a fair Fabrick for the benefit of posterity His Treasury afforded things as well new as old on the token that he much admired that the Ordinances and Orders of the late Long Parliament did in Bulks and number exceed all the Statutes made since the Conquest He was loving to Learned Men to whom he desired to do all good offices and died about the year of our Lord 1653. The Fare-wel To conclude our description of Suffolk I wish that therein Grain of all kinds may be had at so reasonable rates that rich and poor may be contented therewith But if a Famine should happen here let the poor not distrust Divine providence whereof their Grand-fathers had so admirable a testimony 15. When in a general dearth all over England plenty of Pease did grow on the Sea-shore near Dunwi●…h never set or sown by humane industry which being gathered in full ripeness much abated the high prices in the Markets and preserved many hundreds of hungry Families from famishing SURREY hath Middlesex divided by the Thames on the North Kent on the East Sussex on the South ●…ant Bark-shires on the West It may be allowed to be a Square besides its Angular expatiation in the South-west of two and twenty miles and is not unproperly compared to a Cynamon-tree whose Bark is far better than the Body thereof For the skirts and borders bounding this Shire are rich and fruitful whilst the ground in the inward parts thereof is very hungry and barren though by reason of the clear Air and clean wayes full of many gentile habitations Naturall Commodities Fullers-Earth The most and best of this
Majestie who will build their Name a Story Higher to Posterity HENRY the Sixth 29. JOHN LEWKENOR He was afterwards knighted by this King and was a Cordial Zealote for the Lancastrian Title at last paying dear for his Affections thereunto For in the Raign of King Edward the Fourth Anno 1471. He with three Thousand others was slain in the Battle at Teuksbury valiantly fighting under Prince Edward Son to King Henry the sixth HENRY the Seventh 12 MATTHEW BROWN Armiger I would be highly thankfull to him Gratitude is the Gold wherewith Schollars honestly discharge their Debts in this kinde who would inform me how Sr. Anthony Brown a younger Branch of this Family stood related to this Sheriffe I mean that Sr. Anthony Standard-bearer of England second Husband to Lucy fourth Daughter to John Nevell Marquess Montacute and Grandfather to Sr. Anthony Brown whom Queen Mary created Viscount Montacute He was a zealous Romanist for which Queen Mary loved him much the more and Queen Elizabeth no whit the less trusting and employing him in Embassies of High Consequence as knowing he embraced his Religion not out of politick Designe but pure Devotion He was direct Ancestour to the Right Honourable the present Viscount Mountacute This Viscount is eminently but not formally a Baron of the Land having a Place and Vote in Parliament by an express clause in his Patent but otherwise no particular Title of a Baron This I observe for the unparallel'd rarity thereof and also to confute the peremptory Position of such who maintain that only actual Barons sit as Peers in Parliament HENRY the Eighth 10 NICHOLAS CAREW Miles He was a jolly Gentleman fit for the favour of King Henry the Eighth who loved active Spirits as could keep pace with him in all Atchievements and made him Knight of the Garter and Master of his Horse This Sr. Nicholas built the fair House or Pala●…e rather at Beddington in this County which by the advantage of the Water is a Paradice of Pleasure Tradition in this Family reporteth how King HENRY then at Bowles gave this Knight opprobrious Language betwixt jest and earnest to which the other returned an Answer rather True than Discreet as more consulting therein his own Animosity than Allegiance The King who in this kind would give and not take being no Good Fellow in tart Repartees was so highly offended thereat that Sr. Nicholas fell from the top of his Favour to the bottome of his Displeasure and was bruised to Death thereby This was the true Cause of his Execution though in our Chronicles all is scored on his complying in a Plot with HENRY Marquess of Exeter and HENRY Lord Mountague We must not forget how in the Memory of our Fathers the last of this Surname adopted his near Kinsman a Throck-morton to be his Heir on condition to assume the Name and Armes of C●…rew From him is lineally descended Sr. Nicholas Carew Knight who I confidently hope will continue and encrease the Honour of his Ancient Family EDWARD the Sixth 1 THOMAS CARDEN Miles Some five Years before this Knight was improbable to be Sheriffe of this or any other County when cunning Gardiner got him into his clutches within the compass of the six Articles being with a Lady and some others of the Kings Privy Chamber indited for Heresie and for aiding and abetting Anthony Persons burnt at WINSOR as is above mentioned But King HENRY coming to the notice hereof of his special Goodness without the suit of any man defeated their Foes preserved their Lives and confirmed their Pardon ELIZABETHA Regina 20 GEORGE GORING He would do me an High Favour who would satisfie me how Sr. George Goring Knight bred in Sydney Colledge in Cambridge to which he was a Benefactor referred in kindred to this present Sheriffe This our Sr. George was by King Charles the first created Baron of Hurst Per-point in Sussex and after the death of his Mothers Brother Edward Lord Denny Earle of Norwich He is a Phaenix sole and single by himself vestigia sola retrorsum the onely Instance in a Person of Honour who found Pardon for no Offence his Loyalty to his Soveraign Afterwards going beyond the Seas He was happily instrumental in advancing the Peace betwixt Spain and Holland I remember how the Nobility of Bohemia who fided with Frederick Prince Palatine gave for their Motto COMPASSI CONREGNA●…IMUS meaning that such who had suffered with him in his Adversity should share with him in his Prosperity when settled in his Kingdome But alas their hopes failed them But blessed be God this Worthy Lord as he patiently bare his part in his Majesties Afflictions so he now partaketh in his Restitution being Captain of his Guard To the Reader May ●…e be pleased to behold this my b●…ief Description of 〈◊〉 as a Running Collation to stay his Stomack no set meal to Sati●…fie his hunger But to tell him good News I hear that a Plentifull Feast in this kinde is providing for his Entertainment by Edward Bish Esq. a Native of SVRREY intending a particular Survey thereof Now as when the Sun a●…iseth the Moon 〈◊〉 down obscurely without any observation so when the pains of this worthy Gentleman shall be publick I am not only contented but desirous that my weak Endeavours without further Noise or Notice should sink in Silence The Farewell I have been credibly 〈◊〉 that one Mr. CLARKE some seven score Years since built at his Charges the Market-House of Fa●…nham in this County Once rep●…oving his Workmen for going on so slowly they excused themselves that they were hindred with much people pressing upon them some liking some disliking the Model of the Fabri●…k Hereupon Mr. Clarke caused this Distich hardly extant at this day to be written in that House You who do like me give 〈◊〉 to end me You who dislike me give mony to mend me I wish this Advice practised all over this County by those who vent their various Verdicts in praising or reproving 〈◊〉 erected gratis for the General Good SUSSEX SUSSEX hath Surrey on the North Kent on the East the Sea on the South and Hant-shire on the West It is extended along the Sea-side threescore miles in length but is contented with a third of those miles in the breadth thereof A fruitfull County though very durty for the travellers therein so that it may be better measured to its advantage by days-journeys then by miles Hence it is that in the late Order for regulating the wages of Coach-men at such a price a day and distance from London Sussex alone was excepted as wherein shorter way or better pay was allowed Yet the Gentry of this County well content themselves 〈◊〉 the very badness of passage therein as which secureth their provisions at 〈◊〉 prices which if mended Higglers would mount as bajulating them to London It is peculiar to this County that all the rivers and those I assure you are very many have their fountains and falls
King Edward the second regaining his Good will by the intercession of Arch-bishop Mepham and being a Subject not to the Prosperity but person of his Prince he forsooke him not in his greatest Extremity This cost him the Displeasure of the Queen Mother and King Edward the third till at last Converted by his Constancy they turned their frowns into smiles upon him When Arch-bishop of Canterbury he perswaded King Edward the third to invade France promising to supply him with competent provisions for the purpose A promise not so proportionable to his Archiepiscopal Capacity as to him as he had been twice Treasurer of England and skilfull in the collecting and advancing of money so that he furnished the King with great sums at his first setting forth for France These being spent before the year ended the King sends over for a supply Stratford instead of Coin returns Counsell advising him to alter his Officers otherwise if so much was spent at a Breakfast the whole wealth of the land would not suffice him for Dinner Over comes the angry King from whose fury Stratford was forc'd to conceal himself untill publickly passing his purgation in Parliament he was restored to the reputation of his Innocence and rectified in the Kings esteem He built and bountifully endowed a Beautifull Colledge in the Town of his Nativity and having set Archbishop fifteen years dyed Anno 1348. leaving a perfumed memory behind him for his Bounty to his Servants Charity to the Poor Meekness and Moderation to all persons RALPH STRATFORD kinsman to the foresaid Arch-bishop was born in the Town of Stratford on Avon where he built a Chappel to the honour of Saint Thomas He was first Cannon of Saint Pauls and afterwards May 12. 1339. was consecrated at Canterbury Bishop of London During his sitting in that See there happened so grievous a Pestilence in London that hardly the Tenth Person in some places did escape Then each Church-yard was indeed a Polyandrum so that the Dead might seem to Justle one another for room therein Yea the Dead did kill the Living so shallowly were their heaped Corps interred Whereupon this Bishop Charitably bought a Piece of Ground nigh Smithfield It was called No Mans-Land not à parte Ante as formerly without an Owner seeing it had a Proprictary of whom it was legally purchased but de futuro none having a particular interest therein though indeed it was All-Mens-Land as designed and consecrated for the Generall Sepulture of the Deceased This Bishop having continued about 14. years in his See he died at Stepney 1355. ROBERT STRATFORD brother to the Arch-bishop aforesaid was in the reign of King Edward the third made Bishop of Chichester He was at the same time Chancellour of Oxford wherein he was bred and of all England Honorable Offices which sometimes have met in the same Person though never more deservedly then in the Present Enjoyer of them both In his time there was a tough contest betwixt the South and Northern-men in that University They fell from their Pens to their Hands using the contracted fist of Mar●…ial Logick bloody blows passing betwixt them Th s Bishop did wisely and fortunately bestirre himself an Arbitrator in this Controversy being a proper Person for such a performance born in this County in the very Navil of England so that his Nativity was a Naturall Expedient betwixt them and his Judgement was unpartiall in compremising the difference He was accused to the King for favouring the French with his Brother Archbishop contented patiently to attend till Pregnant Time was delivered of Truth her Daughter and then this Brace of Prelates appeared Brethren in Integrity He died at Allingbourn April 9. 1362. JOHN VESTY alias HARMAN Doctor of Law was born at Sutton Colefield in this County bred in Oxford A most vivacious person if the Date of these Remarks be seriously considered 1. In the twentieth year of King Henry the sixth he was appointed to celebrate the Divine-service in the Free-Chappell of Saint Blase of Sutton aforesaid 2. In the twentie third year of Henry the seventh he was made Vicar of Saint Michaells Church in Coventry 3. Under K. Henry the eighth he was made Dean of the Chappell Royall Tutor to the Lady Mary and President of Wales 4. In the Eleventh of K. Henry the eighth 1519. he was advanced to be Bishop of Exeter Which Bishoprick he destroyed not onely shaving the Hairs with long leases but cutting away the limbs with sales outright in so much that Bishop Hall his successor in that See complaineth in print that the following Bishops were Barons but Bare-ones indeed Some have Confidently affirmed in my hearing that the word to Veize that is in the West to drive away with a Witness had its Originall from his Profligating of the lands of his Bishoprick but I yet demurre to the truth thereof He robbed his own Cathedrall to pay a Parish Church Sutton in this County where he was born wheron he bestowed many Benefactions and built fifty one houses To inrich this his Native Town he brought out of Devonshire many Clothiers with Desire and Hope to fix the Manufacture of Cloathing there All in vaine for as Bishop Godwin observeth Non omnis fert omnia tellus Which though true conjunctively that all Countrys put together bring forth all things to be Mutually bartered by a Reciprocation of Trade is false disjunctively no one place affording all Commodities so that the Cloath-workers here had their pains for their labour and sold for their lost It seems though he brought out of Devon-shire the Fiddle and Fiddlestick he brought not the Rosen therewith to make Good Musick and every Country is innated with a Peculiar Genius and is left handed to those trades which are against their Inclinations He quitted his Bishoprick not worth keeping in the reign of King Edward the sixth and no wonder he resumed it not in the reign of Queen Mary the Bone not being worth the taking the Marrow being knocked out before He died being 103. years old in the reign of Q. Mary and was buried in his Native Town with his Statue Mitred and Vested Since the Reformation JOHN BIRD was born in the City of Coventry bred a Carmelite at Oxford and became afterwards the 31. the head-game and last Provinciall of his Order He Preached some smart Sermons before King Henry the eighth against the Primacy of the Pope for which he was preferred saith Bishop Godwin to be successively Bishop of Ossery in Ireland Bangor in Wales and Chester in England To the two last we concur but dissent to the former because John Bale contemporary with this John Bird and also Bishop of Ossery who therefore must be presumed skilfull in his Predecessors in that See nameth him not Bishop of Ossery but Episcopum Pennecensem in Hiberniâ the same Bale saith of him Audivi eum ad Papismi vomitum reversum I have heard that in the reign of Queen M●…ry he returned to
the vomit of Popery which my charity will not believe Indeed in the first of Queen Mary he was outed of his Bishoprick for being married and all that we can recover of his carriage a●…terwards is this passage at the examination of Master Thomas Hauke Martyr When John Bird then very old brought Boner a bottle of Wine and a dish of Apples probably a present unto him for a Ne noceat and therefore not enough to speak him a Papist in his perswasion Bishop Boner desired him to take Haukes into his Chamber and to try if he could convert him whereupon after Boners departure out of the room the quondam Bishop accosted Haukes as followeth I would to God I could do you some good you are a young man and I would not wish you to go to far but learn of the elders to bear somewhat He enforced him no further but being a thorough old man even fell fast asleep All this in my computation amounts but to a passive compliance and is not evidence enough to make him a thorough paced Papist the rather because John Pitts omitteth him in the Catalogue of English-writers which no doubt he would not have done had he any assurance that he had been a radicated Romanist Nothing else have I to observe of him but onely that he was a little man and had a pearl in his eyes and dying 1556. was buried in Chester States men Sir NICHOLAS THROCKMORTON Knight fourth Son of Sir George Throckmorton of Coughton in this County was bred beyond the Seas where he attained to great experience Under Queen Mary he was in Guild-Hall arraigned for Treason compliance with Wyat and by his own warie pleading and the Jurie's upright verdict hardly escaped Queen Elizabeth employed him Her Leiger a long time first in France then in Scotland finding him a most able Minister of State yet got he no great wealth and no wonder being ever of the opposite party to Burleigh Lord Treasurer Chamberlain of the Exchequer and Chief Butler of England were his highest preferments I say Chief Butler which office like an empty covered cup pretendeth to some state but affordeth no considerable profit He died at supper with eating of salates not without suspicion of poison the rather because hapning in the house of one no mean artist in that faculty R. Earl of Leicester His death as it was sudden was seasonable for him and his whose active others will call it turbulent spirit had brought him into such trouble as might have cost him at least the loss of his personal estate He died in the fifty seventh year of his age February the 12. 1570. and lyeth buryed in the South-side of the Chancel of St. Katharine Cree-Church London EDWARD CONWAY Knight Son to Sir John Conway Knight Lord and Owner of Ragleigh in this County This Sir John being a Person of Great skill in Military affaires was made by Robert Earl of Leicester Generall of the English Auxiliaries in the united Provinces Governour of Ostend His Son Sir Edward succeeded to his Fathers Martial skill and valour and twisted therewith peaceable policy in State-affaires so that the Gown and the Sword met in him in most Eminent Proportion and thereupon King James made Him one of the Principal Secretaries of State For these his good services he was by him created Lord Conway of Ragleigh in this County and afterwards by King Charles Viscount Killultagh in the County of Antrim And lastly in the third of King Charles Viscount Conway of Conway in Carnarvanshire England Ireland and Wales mutually embracing themselves in His Honours He dyed January the third Anno 1630. JOHN DIGBY Baron of Sherborn and Earl of Bristol was born in this County a younger Son of an ancient family long flourish●…ng at Coleshull therein To pass by his Infancy all Children being alike in their long Coats his Youth gave pregnant hopes of that Eminency which his mature age did produce He didken the Emhassador-Craft as well as any in his age employed by King James in several services to frreign Princes recited in his Patent which I have perused as the main motives of the Honors conferr'd upon him But his managing the Matchless Match with Spain was his Master-piece wherein a Good I mean a Great number of State-Traverses were used on both sides His contest with the Duke of Buckingham is fresh in many mens Memories charges of High Treason mutually flying about But this Lord fearing the Dukes Power as the Duke this Lor●…s policy it at last became a Drawn Battail betwixt them yet so that this Earl lost the love of King Charles living many years in his Dis-favour But such as are in a Court-Cloud have commonly the Countries Sun-shine and this Peer during his Eclyps was very Popular with most of the Nation It is seldom seen that a favorite once Broken at Court sets up again for himself the hap rather then happiness of this Lord the King graciously reflecting on him at the beginning of the long-Long-Parliament as one Best able to give him the safest Counsell in those dangerous Times But how he incensed the Parliament so far as to be excepted Pardon I neither do know nor dare enquire Sure I am after the surrender of Exeter he went over into France where he met with that due respect in forraign which he missed in his Native Country The worst I wish such who causelesly suspect him of Popish inclinations is that I may hear from them but half so many strong Arguments for the Protestant Religion as I have heard from him who was to his commendation a Cordial Champion for the Church of England He dyed in France about the year 1650. Writers WALTER of COVENTRIE was born and bred a Benedictine therein Bale saith he was Immortali vir dignus Memoria and much commended by Leland though not of set purpose but sparsim as occasion is offered He excelled in the two Essential Qualities of an Historian Faith and Method writing truly and orderly onely guilty of Coursness of style This may better be dispenced with in him because Historia est res veritatis non Eloquentiae because bad Latin was a catching disease in that age From the beginning of the Britons he wrote a Chronicle extant in Bennet Colledge Library to his own time He flourished Anno 1217. VINCENT of COVENTRIE was born in the chief City in this shire and bred a Franciscan though Learned Leland mistakes him a Carmelite in the University of Cambridg His order at their first entrance into England looked upon learning as a thing beneath them so totally were they taken up with their Devotion This Vincent was the first who brake the Ice and then others of his order drank of the same water first applyed himself to Academicall studies and became a publick Professor in Cambridge he set a Coppy for the Carmelites therein to imitate who not long after began their publick Lectures in the same place he
I will therefore crave leave to transcribe what followeth out of a short but worthy work of my honoured friend confident of the Authenticall truth thereof The Fight was very terrible for the time no fewer then five thousand men slain upon the place the Prologue to a greater slaughter if the dark night had not put an end unto that dispute Each part pretended to the victory but it went clearly on the Kings side who though ●…e lost his Generall yet he kept the Field and possessed himself of the dead bodies and not so o●…ely but he made his way open unto London and in his way forced Banbury Castle in the very sight as it were of the Earl of Essex who with his flying Army made all the hast he could towards the City that he might be there before the King to secure the Parliament More certain signs there could not be of an abs●…lute victory In the Battel of Taro between the Confederates of Italy and Charles the eight of France it happened so that the Confederates kept the Field possest themselves of the Camp Baggage and Artillery which the French in their breaking through had left behind them Hereupon a dispute was raised to whom the Honour of that day did of right belong which all knowing an●… impartiall men gave unto the French For though they lost the Field their Camp Artillery and Baggage yet they obtained what they fought for which was the opening of their way to France and which the Confederates did intend to deprive them of Which resolution in that case may be a ruling case to this the King having not onely kept the Field possest himself of the dead bodies pillaged the carriages of the enemy but forcibly opened his way towards London which the enemy endeavoured to hinder and finally entred triumphantly into Oxford with no fewer then an hundred and twenty Co●…ours taken in the Fight Thus far my friend Let me adde that what Salust observeth of the Conspirators with Cateline that where they stood in the Fight whilst living they covered the same place with their Corpes when dead was as true of the Loyal Gentry of Lincoln-shire with the Earl of Linsey their Country man Know also that the over-soon and over-far pursuit of a flying Party with Pillaging of the Carriages by some who prefer the snatching of wealth before the Securing of Victory hath often been the Cause why the Conquest hath slipped out of their fingers who had it in their hands and had not some such miscarriage happened here the Royalists had totally in all probability routed their Enemies The Farewell I cannot but congratulate the happiness of this County in having Master William Dugdale now Norrey my wrothy Friend a Native thereof Whose Illustrations are so great a work no Young Man could be so bold to begin or Old Man hope to finish it whilst one of Middle-Age fitted the Performance A well chosen County for such a Subject because lying in the Center of the Land whose Lustre diffuseth the Light and darteth Beames to the Circumference of the Kingdome It were a wild wish that all the Shires in England where described to an equall degree of per●…ection as which will be accomplished when each Star is as big and bright as the Sun However one may desire them done quoad speciem though not quoad gradum in imitation of Warwickshire Yet is this hopeless to come to pass till mens Pains may meet with Proportionable Incouragement and then the Poets Prediction will be true Sint Maecenates non desint Flacce Marones Virgiliumque tibi vel tua Rura dabunt Let not Maece●…asses be Scant And Maroes we shall newer Wan●… For. Flaccus then thy Country-field Shall unto thee a Virgil yield And then would our Little divided World be better described then the Great World by all the Geographers who have written thereof VVESTMERLAND WESTMERLAND hath Cumberland on the West and North Lancashire on the South Bishoprick and Yorkshire on the East thereof From North to South it extendeth thirty miles in length but is contented in the breadth with twenty four As for the soil thereof to prevent exceptions take its description from the pen of a credible Author It is not commended either for plenty of Corn or Cattle being neither stored with arable grounds to bring forth the one nor pasturage to breed up the other the principal profit that the people of this Province raise unto themselves is by clothing Here is cold comfort from nature but somewhat of warmth from industry that the land is barren is Gods pleasure the people painfull their praise that thereby they grow wealthy shews Gods goodn●…ss and calls for their gratefulness However though this County be sterile by general Rule it is fruitfull by some few exceptions having some pleasant vales though such ware be too fine to have much measure thereof In so much that some Back-friends to this County will say that though Westmerland hath much of Eden running clean through it yet hath little of Delight therein I behold the barrenness of this County as the cause why so few Frieries and Convents therein Master Speed so curious in his Catalogue in this kind mentioning but one Religious house therein Such lazy-folk did hate labour as a house of Correction and knew there was nothing to be had here but what Art with Industry wrested from Nature The Reader perchance will smile at my curiosity in observing that this small County having but four Market Towns three of them are Kirkby-Stephens Kirkby-Lonsdale Kirkby-Kendale so that so much of Kirk or Church argueth not a little Devotion of the Ancestors in these parts judiciously expressing it self not in building Convents for the ease of Monks but Churches for the worship of God The Manufacture Kendall Cottons are famous all over England and Master Camden termeth that Town Lanificii gloria industria praecellens I hope the Town●…men thereof a word is enough to the wise will make their commodities so substantiall that no Southern Town shall take an advantage to gain that Trading away from them I speak not this out of the least distrust of their honesty but the great desire of their happiness who being a Cambridge-man out of Sympathy wish well to the Clothiers of Kendall as the first founder of our Sturbridge-fair Proverbs Let Uter-Pendragon do what he can The River Eden will run as it ran Tradition reporteth that this Uter-Pendragon had a design to fortifie the Castle of Pen-Dragon in this County In order whereunto with much art and industry he invited and tempted the River of Eden to forsake his old chanell and all to no purpose The Proverb is appliable to such who offer a rape to Nature indeavouring what is cross and contrary thereunto Naturam expellas Furcâ licet usque recurret Beat Nature back 't is all in vain With Tines of Fork 't will come again However Christians have not onely some hope but comfortable assurance that they
the most marvellous It groweth ordinarily fifteen foot in length yea I read of one four and twenty foot long which may be true because as there are Giants amongst men so there are Giants amongst Giants which even exceed them in proportion The place whereon it groweth is low lying some Winters under water having hills round about it and a spacious sheep common adjoyning The soyl whereof by every hasty showre is brought down into this little medow which makes it so incredibly fruitfull This Grasse being built so many stories high from knot to knot lyeth matted on the ground whence it is cut up with sickles and bound into sheaves It is both Hay and Provender the joint-like knots whereof will fat swine Some conceive that the seed thereof transplanted would prosper plentifully though not to the same degree of Length in other places from whose judgement other husband-men dissent conceiving it so peculiar to this place that Ground and Grass must be removed both together Or else it mrst be set in a Parellel'd position for all the particuler advantages aforesaid which England will hardly afford So that nature may seem mutually to have made this Plant and this Place one for another Proverbs It is done secundum usum Sarum This Proverb coming out of the Church hath since inlarged it self into a civil use It began on this occasion Many Offices or forms of service were used in severall Churches in England as the Office of York Hereford Bangor c. which caused a deal of Confusion in Gods Worship untill Osmond Bishop of Sarum about the year of our Lord 1090. made that Ordinall or Office which was generally received all over England so that Churches thence forward easily understood one another all speaking the same words in their Liturgy It is now applyed to those persons which do and Actions which are formally and solemnly done in so Regular a way by Authentick Precedents and Paterns of unquestionable Authority that no just exception can be taken thereat Princes MARGARET PLANTAGENET Daughter to George Duke of Clarence and Isabel Nevile Eldest Daughter and Co-heir of Richard Nevile Earl of Warwick was born August 14. 1473. at Farrley-Castle in this County Reader I pray thee let her pass for a Princesse because Daughter to a Duke Neece to two Kings Edward the fourth and Richard the third Mother to Cardinal Reginale Poole But chiefly because she was the last liver of all that Royall Race which from their birth wore the names of Plantagenets By Sir Richard Poole a Knight of Wales and Cozen-Jerman to King Henry the seventh she had divers children whereof Henry Lord Mountague was the eldest he was Accused of Treason and this Lady his Mother Charged to be Privy thereunto by King Henry the eighth who as his father was something too slow was somewhat too quick in discovering Treasons as soon as if not before they were On the Scaffold as she stood she would not gratify the Executioner with a Prostrate Posture of her body Some beheld this her action as an argument of an erected soul disdaining pulingly to submit to an infamous death showing her mind free though her body might be forc'd and that also it was a demonstration of her innocence But others condemn'd it as a needless and unseasonable animosity in her who though suppos'd innocent before man for this fact must grant her self guilty before God whose Justice was the supreme Judge condemning her Besides it was indiscreet to contend where it was impossible to prevail there being no guard against the edge of such an axe but patience and it is ill for a soul to goe recking with anger out of this world Here happened an unequall contest betwixt Weakness and Strength Age and Youth Nakedness and Weapons Nobility and Baseness a Princess and an Executioner who at last draging her by the hair gray with age may truly be said to have took off her head seeing she would neither give it him nor forgive him the doing thereof Thus dyed this Lady Margaret Heir to the name and stout nature of Margaret Dutchess of Burgundy her Aunt and God-mother whose spirits were better proportioned to her Extraction then Estate for though by special Patent she was created Countess of Sarisbury she was restored but to a small part of the inheritance she was born unto She suffered in 23. year of the raign of K. Henry the eighth JANE SEYMORE Daughter to Sir John Seymoure Knight honourably descended from the Lords Beauchamps was as by all concurring probabilities is collected born at Wulfall in this County and after was married to King Henry the eight It is currantly traditioned that at her first coming to Court Queen Anne Bollen espying a Jewell pendant about her neck snatched thereat desirous to see the other unwilling to show it and causually hurt her hand with her own violence but it greived her heart more when she perceived it the Kings Picture by himself bestowed upon her who from this day forward dated her own declining and the others ascending in her husbands affection It appeareth plainly by a passage in the Act of Parliament that the King was not onely invited to his marriage by his own affections but by the Humble Petition and intercession of most of the Nobles of his Realme moved thereunto as well by the conveniency of her years as in respect that by her Excellent Beauty and Pureness of Flesh and Bloud I speak the very words of the Act it self she was apt God willing to Conceive Issue And so it proved accordingly This Queen dyed some days after the birth of Prince Edward her son on whom this Epitaph Phoenix Jana jacet nato Phoenice dolendum Saecula Phoenices nulla tulisse duas Soon as her Phoenix Bud was blown Root-Phoenix Jane did wither Sad that no age a brace had shown Of Phoenixes together Of all the Wives of King Henry she only had the happiness to dye in his full favour the 14. of Octob. 1337. and is buried in the quire of Windsor Chappel the King continuing in real mourning for her even all the Festival of Christmas Saints ADELME Son to Kenred Nephew to Ina King of the West-Saxons was bred in Forraign parts and returning home was Abbot of Malmesbury Thirty years a Person Memorable on severall Accounts 1. He was the first Englishman who ever wrote in Latine 2. He was the first that ever brought Poetry into England 3. The first Bishop of the See of Sherburn Bede giveth him a large commendation for his Learning the rather because he wrot a book for the reducing the Britons to observe Easter according to the Church of Rome Impudent Monkes have much abused his Memory with Shameless lyes and amongst the rest with a Wooden Miracle that a Carpenter having cut a Beam for his Church too short he by his Prayers stretched it out to the full proportion To this I may add another lye as clear as the Sun it self on whose
King James 9 HENRY SLINGSBY Mil. The Armes of this Antient and Numerous Family to large too be inserted in our List are as followeth Quarterly the First and Fourth Gules a Cheveron between two Leopards-heads and a Hutchet or Bugle Argent The Second and Third Argent a Griffon Surgeant Sable supprest by a Fess Gules 11 GEORGE SAVILL Mil. Bar. This is the last mention of this Numerous Wealthy and Antient Family which I find in this Catalogue and here Reader to confess my self unto thee my expectation is defeated hoping to find that vigorous Knight Sir John Savill in this Catalogue of Sheriffs But it seems that his constant Court-attendance being Privy-Councellour to King Charles priviledged him from that imployment untill by the same King he was Created Baron Savill of Pomfraict as his Son since was made Earl of Sussex I hear so high commendation of his house at Houley that it disdaineth to yield precedency to any in this Shire King Charles 12 JOHN RAMSDEN Mil. The Reader will pardon my Untimely and Abrupt breaking of this Catalogue for a reason formerly rendred Onely let me adde that the Renowned Knight Sir Marmaduke Langdale was Sheriff 1641. He without the least Self-attribution may say as to the Kings side of Northern Actions Pars Ego magna fui But as for his Raising the Siege of Pomfraict felt before seen by the Enemy it will sound Romanza-like to Posterity with whom it will find Plus famae quam fidei No wonder therefore if K. Charles the second Created him a Baron the Temple of Honour being of due open to him who hath passed through the Temple of Vertue The Battles Many Ingagements as much above Skirmshes as beneath Battles happened in this Shire But that at Marston-moor July 2. 1644. was our English Pharsalian Fight or rather the Fatall Battle of Cannae to the Loyal Cavaliers Indeed it is Difficult and Dangerous to present the Particulars thereof For one may easier doe right to the Memories of the Dead then save the Credits of some Living However things past may better be found fault with then amended and when God will have an Army Defeated Mistakes tending thereto will be multiplied in despite of the greatest care and diligence Know then that Prince Rupert having fortunately raised the Siege at York drew out his Men into the Moor with full intention to fight the Enemy Discreet Persons beholding the Countenance of the present affairs with an unpartiall Eye found out many Disswasives for the Prince to hazard a Battle 1. He had done his Work by relieving York let him Digest the Honour thereof and grasp at no more 2. His wearied Souldiers wanted refreshing 3. Considerable Recruits were daily expected out of the North under Colonel Clavering Adde to all these that such were the present Animosities in the Parliament Army and so great their Mutuall Disatisfactions when they drew off from York that as a prime Person since freely confest if let alone they would have fallen foul amongst themselves had not the Prince preparing to fight them Cemented their Differences to agree against a Generall Enemy But a Blot is no Blot if not hit and an Advantage no Advantage if unknown though this was true the Prince was not informed of the differences aforesaid However he did not so much run out of his own Ambition of Honour as answer the Spur of the Kings Command from whom he had lately received a Letter still safe in his Custody speedily to fight the Enemy if he had any Advantage that so he might spare and send back some Supplies to his Majesties perplexed occasions at Oxford Besides the Prince had received certain Intelligence that the Enemy had the Day before sent away seven thousand Men now so far distanced that they were past possibility of returning that day The former part hereof was true the latter false confuted by the great Shout given this day in the Parliaments Army at the return of such forces unto them But now it was too late to draw off the Parliament forces necessitating them to fight A Summers Evening is a Winters Day and about 4. a Clock the Battle began Some causelesly complain on the Marquess of New-castle that he drew not his men soon enough according to his Orders out of York to the Prince his seasonable succour Such consider not that Souldiers newly relieved from a Nine weeks Siege will a little Indulge themselves Nor is it in the power of a General to make them at such times to March at a Minutes warning but that such a Minute will be more then an Hour in the length thereof The Lord Generall Gor●…ng so valiantly charged the left Wing of the Enemy that they fairly forsooke the Field Generall L●…slie with his Scottish ran away more then an York-shire mile and a Wee-bit Fame with her Trumpet sounded their flight as far as Oxford the Royalists rejoycing with Bonfires for the Victory But within few days their Bays by a mournfull Metamorphosis were turned into Willow and they sunk the lower in true sorrow for being mounted so high in Causeless Gladness For Cromwell with his Curassires did the work of that Day Some suspected Colonel Hurry lately converted to the Kings party for foul play herein for he divided the Kings Old Horse so valiant and victorious in former fights into small Bodies alledging this was the best way to break the Scottish Lanciers But those Horse always used to charge together in whole Regiments or greater Bodies were much discomposed with this new Mode so that they could not find themselves in themselves Besides a right valiant Lord severed and in some sort secured with a Ditch from the Enemy did not attend till the foe forced their way unto him but gave his men the trouble to pass over that Ditch the occasion of much disorder The Van of the Kings foot being led up by the truely honorable Colonel John Russell impressed with unequall numbers and distanced from seasonable succour became a Prey to their Enemy The Marquess of New-castles White-coats who were said to bring their Winding sheet about them into the field after thrice firing ●…ell to it with the But ends of their Muskets and were invincible till mowed down by Cromwells Carassires with Jobs Servants they were all almost slain few escaping to bring the Tidings of their overthrow Great was the Execution on that Day Cromwell commanding his Men to give no quarter Various the numbering of the slain of both sides yet I meet with none mounting them above six or sinking them beneath three thousand I remember no Person of honour slain on the Kings side save the hopefull Lord Cary eldest Son to the E. of Monmouth But on the Parliaments side the Lord Didup a lately created Baron was slain on the same Token that when King Charles said that he hardly remembred that he had such a Lord in Scotland one returned that the Lord had wholly forgotten that he had such a King in England
for many years by past were of any Eminency but either immediately or mediately were Apprentices unto him He was bred in York school where he was School-fellow with Guy Faux which I note partly to shew that Loyalty and Treason may be educated under the same Roof partly to give a check to the received opinion that Faux was a Fleming no Native English-man He was bred in Saint Johns-colledge in Cambridge and chosen Fellow thereof to a Fellowship to which he had no more Propriety then his own Merit before Eight Comp●…titors for the place equally capable with himself and better befriended Commencing Doctor in Divinity he made his Position which though unusuall was Arbitrary and in his own power on his second Question which much defeated the expectatio●… of Doctor Playfere replying upon him with some passion Commos●…i mihi stomachum To whom Morton return'd Gratulor tibi Reverende professor de bono tuo stomacho caenabis apud me hac nocte He was successively preferr'd Dean of Gloucester Winchester Bishop of Chester Coventry and Lichfield and Durham The Foundation which he laid of Forraign corre spondency with eminent persons of different perswasions when he attended as Chaplain to the Lord Evers sent by King James Embassadour to the King of Denmark and many Princes of Germany he built upon unto the Day of his Death In the late Long Parliament the displeasure of the House of Commons fell heavy upon him partly for subscribing the Bishops Protestation for their Votes in Parliament partly for refusing to resign the seal of his Bishoprick and baptizing a Daughter of John Earl of Rutland with the sign of the Cross two faults which compounded together in the judgement of honest and wise-men amounted to a High Innocence Yet the Parliament allowed him eight hundred pounds a year a proportion above any of his Brethren for his maintenance But alass the Trumpet of their Charity gave an uncertain sound not assigning by whom or whence this summe should be paid Indeed the severe Votes of the Parliament ever took full effect according to his observation who did Anagram it VOTED OUTED But their mercifull Votes found not so free performance However this good Bishop got a thousand pounds out of Goldsmiths-hall which afforded him his support in his old Age. The Neb of his Pen was unpartially divided into two equall Moyeties the one writing against Faction in defence of three Innocent Ceremonies the other against Superstition witness the Grand Impostor and other worthy works He solemnly proffered unto me pardon me Reader if I desire politiquely to twist my own with his Memory that they may both survive together in these sad times to maintain me to live with him which Courteous Offer as I could not conveniently accept I did thankfully 〈◊〉 Many of the Nobility deservedly honoured him though none more then John Earl of Rutland to whose Kinsman Roger Earl of Rutland he formerly 〈◊〉 been Chaplain But let not two worthy Baronets be forgotten Sir George Savill who so civilly paid him his purchased Annuity of two hundred pounds withall Proffered advantages and Sir Henry Yelve●…ton at whose house he dyed aged 95. at Easton-Manduit in Northampton shire 1659. For the rest the Reader is remitted to his life written largely and learnedly by Doctor John Barwick Dean of Durham States-men Sir ROBERT CAR was born in this City on this occasion Thomas Car his father Laird of Furnihurst a man of great lands and power in the South of Scotland was very active for Mary Queen of Scots and on that accompt forced to fly his land came to York Now although he had been a great inroder of England yet for some secret reason of State here he was permitted safe shelter du●…ing which time Robert his son was born this was the reason why the said Robert refused to be Naturalized by Act of our Parliament as needless for him born in the English Dominions I have read how his first making at Court was by breaking of his leg at a Tilting in London whereby he came first to the Cognizance of King James Thus a fair starting with advantage in the notice of a Prince is more then half the way in the race to his favour King James reflected on him whose Father was a kind of Conf●…ssor for the cause of the Queen his Mother besides the Young Gentleman had a handsome person and a conveniency of desert Honors were crowded upon him made Baron Viscount Earl of Sommerset Knight of the Garter Warden of the Cinque-Ports c. He was a well natured man not mischievous with his might doing himself more hurt then any man else For abate one foul fact with the appendance and consequences thereof notoriously known and he will appear deserving no foul Character to posterity but for the same he was banished the Court lived and dyed very privately about the year of our Lord 1638. Writers JOHN WALBYE was born in this City of honest Parentage He was bred an Augustinian Provinciall of his Order and Doctor of Divinity in Oxford A Placentious Person gaining the good-will of all with whom he conversed being also Ingenious Industrious Learned Eloquent Pious and Prudent Pitz writeth that after Alexander Nevell he was Chosen but never Confirmed Arch bishop of York an Honour reserved for Robert his Younger Brother of whom before But Bishop Godwin maketh no mention hereof which rendreth it suspicious The said Pitz maketh him actuall Arch-bishop of Dublin whilst Bale who being an Irish Bishop had the advantage of exacter Intelligence hath no such thing whence we may conclude it a Mistake The rather because this John is allowed by all to have died in this place of his Nativity 1393. Also I will adde this that though sharp at first against the Wickliffites he soon abated his own Edge and though present at a Council kept at Stanford by the King against them was not well pleased with all things transacted therein JOHN ERGHOM was born in this City an Augustinian by his profession Leaving York he went to Oxford where passing thorough the Arts he fixed at last in Divinity proving an admirable Preacher My Author tells me that sometimes he would utter nova inaudita whereat one may well wonder seeing Solomon hath said There is no n●…w thing under the Sun The truth is he renewed the custome of expounding Scripture in a typicall way which crouded his Church with Auditors seeing such 〈◊〉 preaching break 's no bones much pleased their fancy and little cross'd or curb'd their corruptions Indeed some but not all Scripture is capable of such comments and because metalls are found in Mountains it is madness to Mine for them in every rich Meadow But in expounding of Scripture when mens inventions out-run the Spirits intentions their swiftness is not to be praised but sawcyness to be punished This Erghom wrote many books and dedicated them to the Earl of Hereford the same with Edward Duke of Buckingham and flourished
Wales is therefore placed in this because the first County thereof Prelates GUIDO de MONA was so sir-named from his Birth-place in Anglesey Some suspect that Filius insulae may be as bad as Filius populi no place being particularized for his birth whiles others conceive this sounding to his greater dignity to be denominated from a whole Island the Village of his nativity being probably obscure long and hard to be pronounced He was afterwards Bishop of Saint Davids and Lord Treasurer of England under King Henry the fourth who highly hono●…ed him for when the Parliament moved that no Welsh-man should be a State Officer in England the King excepted the Bishops as confident of their faithful service Indeed T. Wallingham makes this Gui the Author of much trouble but is the lesse to be believed therein because of the known Antipathy betwixt Fryers and Secular 〈◊〉 the former being as faulty in their lafie speculation as the other often offending in the practical over-activity This Bishop died ●…nno 1407. ARTHUR BULKLEY Bishop of Bangor was born either in Cheshire or more probably in this County But it matters not much had he never been born who being bred Doctor of the Laws had either never read or wholly forgotten or wilfully would not remember the Chapter De sacrilegio for he spoyled the Bishoprick and sold the five Bells being so over-officious that he would go down to the Sea to see them shipped which in my mind amounted to a second selling of them We have an English Proverb of him who maketh a detrimental bargain to himself That he may put all the gains gotten thereby into his eye and see nothing the worse But Bishop Bulkley saw much more the worse by what he had gotten being himself suddenly deprived of his sight who had deprived the Tower of Bangor of the tongue thereof Thus having ended his credit before his days and his days before his life and having sate in that See fourteen years he died 1555. WILLIAM GLYN D. D. Was bo●…n at 〈◊〉 in this County bred in Queens Colledge in Cambridge whereof he was Master until in the second of Queen Mary he was preferred Bishop of Bangor An excellent Scholar and I have been assured by judicious Persons who have seriously perused the solemn Disputations printed in Master Fox betwixt the Papists and Protestants that of the former none pressed his Arguments with more strength and lesse passion than Doctor Glyn though const●…t to his own he was not cruel to opposite judgements as appeareth by the appearing of no persecution in his Diocesse and his mild Nature must be allowed at least Causa socia or the fellow-cause thereof He died in the first of Queen Elizabeth and I have been informed that Jeoffry Glyn his Brother Doctor of Laws built and endowed a Free-Schoole at Bangor Since the Reformation ROULAND MERRICK Doctor of Laws was born at Boding án in this County bred in Oxford where he became Principal of New Inne-Hall and afterwards a Dignitary in the Church of Saint Davids Here he with others in the reign of King Edward the sixth violently prosecuted Robert Farrar his Diocesan with intention as they made their boast to pull him from his Bishoprick and bring him into a premunire and prevailed so far that he was impris●…ned This Bishop Farrar was afterwards martyred in the raign of Queen Mary I find not the least appearance that his former adversaries violented any thing against him under that Queen But it is suspicious that advantage against him I say not with their will was grafted on the stock of his former accusation However it is my judgement that they ought to have been I can be so charitable to believe that Dr. Merrick was penitent for his causelesse vexing so good a person Otherwise many more besides my self will proclaim him unworthy to be who had been a Persecutor of a Bishop He was consecrated Bishop of Bangor December 21. in the second of Q●…een Elizabeth 1559. and sate six years in his See I have nothing to adde save that he was Father to Sir Gilly Merrick Knight who lost his life for engaging with the Earl of Essex 1600. LANCELOT BULKLEY was born in this County of a then right Worshipful since Honourable Family who have a fair habitation besides others near Beumaris He was bred in Brasen nose Colledg in Oxford and afterwards became first Arch-Deacon then Archbishop in Dublin He was consecrated the third of October 1619. by Christopher Archbishop of Armagh Soon after he was made by King James one of his Privy Councel in Ireland where he lived in good reputation till the day of his death which happened some ten years since Seamen MADOC Son to Owen Gwineth ap Gruffyth ap Conan and brother to David ap Owen Gwineth Prince of North Wales was born probably at Aberfraw in this County now a mean Town then the principal Palace of their royal Residence He made a Sea-voyage westward and by all probability those names of Cape de Breton in Noruinberg Pengwin in part of the northern America for a white Rock and a white headed bird according to the British were reliques of this discovery If so then let the Genoveses and Spaniards demean themselves as younger Brethren and get their Portions in Pensions in those parts paid as well as they may owning us Britons so may the Welsh and English as an united Nation style themselves for the Heirs to whom the solid inheritance of America doth belong for the first discovery thereof The truth is a good Navy with a strong Land-Army therein will make these probabilities of Madoc evident Demonstrations and without these in cases of this kind the strongest Arguments are of no validity This Sea voyage was undertaken by Madoc about the year 1170. The Sheriffs Expect not my description should conform this Principality to England in presenting the respective Sheriffs with their Arms. For as to Heraldry I confesse my self Luscum in Anglia Caecum in Walliâ Besides I question whether out Rules in Blazonry calculated for the East will serve on the West of Severne and suspect that my venial mistakes may meet with mortal anger I am also sensible of the prodigious Antiquity of Welsh Pedegrees so that what Zalmana said of the Israelites slain by him at Tabor Each of them resembleth the children of a King all the Gentry here derive themselves from a Prince at least I quit therefore the Catalogue os Sheriffs to abler Pens and proceed to The Farewell I understand there is in this Island a kind of Allumenous Earth out of which some fifty years since began to make Allum and Copperess until they to use my Authors phrase like unflesht Souldiers gave over their enterprise without further hope because at first they saw it not answer their over-hasty expectations If this Project was sirst founded on rational probability which I have cause to believe I desire the seasonable
Creature of absolute and common Concernment without which we should be burnt with the thirst and buried with the filth of our own bodies GABRIEL GOODMAN Son of Edward Goodman Esq was born at Rythin in th●…s County afterwards Doctor of Divinity in Saint Johns Colledge in Cambridge and Dean of VVestminster where he was fixed for full forty years though by his own parts and his friends power he might have been what he would have been in the Church of England Abigail said of her Husband Nabal is his name and folly is with him But it may be said of this worthy Dean Goodman was his name and goodness was in his nature as by the ensuing Testimonies will appear 1. The Bible was translated into VVelsh on his cost as by a note in the Preface thereof doth appear 2. He founded a Schoole-house with a competent salary in the Town of his Nativity as also erected and endowed an Almes-House therein for twelve poore people 3. He repaired the House for the Minister there called the Warden of Rythin furnishing it with Plate and other Utensils which were to descend to his Successors 4. He purchased a fair House with Land thereunto at Chiswick in Middlesex where with his own hands he set a fair Row of Elmes now grown up to great beauty and height for a retiring place for the Masters and Scholars at Westminster in the heat of Summer or any time of Infection If these Lands at this Day be not so profitably employed as they were by the Donor piously intended it is safer to bemoan the sad effect than accuse the causers thereof There needs no other Testimony of his Honesty and Ability than that our English Nestor the Lord Treasurer Cecil made him one of the Executors of his Will to dispose of great sums to charitable uses which Trust he most faithfully discharged He died in the year 1601. and is buried in the Collegiate Church of Westminster whereof he so well deserved as of all England Mr. Cambden performing his Perambulation about it on his expences Sir HUGH MIDDLETON Son of Richard Middleton was born at Denbigh in this County and bred in London This is that worthy Knight who hath deserved well of London and in it of all England If those be recounted amongst Davids worthies who breaking through the Army of the Philistines fetcht water from the Well of Bethlehem to satisfie the longing of David founded more on fancy than necessity how meritorious a work did this worthy man perform who to quench the thirst of thousands in the populous City of London fetcht water on his own cost more than 24. miles encountering all the way with an Army of oppositions grapling with Hills strugling with Rocks fighting with Forrests till in defiance of difficulties he had brought his project to perfection But Oh wha●… an injury was it unto him that a potent Person and idle Spectator should strike in Reader I could heartily wish it were a falsho●…d what I report and by his greatness possess a moity of the profit which the unwearied endeavours of the foresaid Knight had purchased to himself The Farewell I heartily wish this County may find many like Robert Eari of Leicester by his bounty much advancing the building of a new Church in Denbigh who may willingly contribute their Charity for the repairing of all decayed Churches therein Yea may it be happy in faithful and able Ministers that by their pains they may be built up in the Faith of the Lord. FLINT-SHIRE FLINT-SHIRE It taketh the name from Flint formerly an eminent place therein But why Flint was so named will deservedly bear an enquiry the rather because I am informed there is scarce a Flint stone to be found in the whole shire An eminent Antiquary well known in these parts Reader I must carry my Author at my back when I write that which otherwise will not be believed hath informed me it was first called Flit-Town because the people Flitted or removed their habitations from a smal Village hard by to and under a Castle built there by King Edward the first Afterwards it was called Flint Town or Flint to make it more sollid in the prononciation Now although sometimes Liquids are melted out of a word to supple it to turn the better on the tongues end It will hardly be presidented that ever the sturdy Letter N. was on that or any account interjected into the middle of an original word But it is infidelity not to believe what is thus traditioned unto us It hath the Sea on the North Shropshire on the South Cheshire on the East and Denbigh-shire on the west thereof the smallest County in Wales whereof the Natives render this reason That it was not handsomly in the power of King Edward the first who made it a Shire to enlarge the Limits thereof For the English Shires Shropshire and Cheshire he would not discompose and on the Welsh side he could not well extend it without prejudice to the Lord Marchers who had Potestatem vitae necis in the adjacent Territories the King being unwilling to resume and they more unwilling to resign their respective Territories If any ask why so small a parcel of ground was made a Shire let them know that every foot therein in Content was ten in Concernment because it was the passage into North Wales Indeed it may seem strange that Flint the Shire Town is no Market Town no nor Saint Asaph a City qua sedes Episcopi till made so very late But this is the reason partly the vicinity of Chester the Market genera●… of these parts partly that every village hath a Market in it self as affording all necessary Commodities Nor must we forget that this County was parcel of the Pallatinate of Chester paying two thousand Marks called a Mize at the change of every Earl of Chester until the year of our Lord 1568. For then upon the occasion of one Thomas Radford committed to prison by the Chamberlain of Chester Flint-shire saith my Author revolted I dare say disjoyned it self from that County Pallatine and united it self to the Principalities of Wales as conceiving the same the more advantagious Proverbs Mwy nag ●…n bwa yro Ynghaer That is more then one Yugh-Bow in Chester Modern use applieth this Proverb to such who seize on other folks goods not with intent to steal but mistaken with the similitude thereof to their own goods But give me leave to conjecture the original hereof seeing Cheshire-men have been so famous for Archery Princes ELIZABETH the seventh Daughter of King Edward the first and Queen Elenor was born at Ruthland Castle in this County a place which some unwarily confound with Rythin Town in Denbigh shire This Castle was anciently of such receipt that the King and his Court were lodged therein yea a Parliament or something equivalent was kept here or hereabouts seeing we have the Statutes of Ruthland on the same token the year erroneously printed in the
prius   14 Nich. Moor ar     The Farewell I understand that in January 1607. part of this County which they call the Moore sustained a great loss by the breaking in of the Severn sea caused by a violent South-west wind continuing for three dayes together I heartily desire the Inhabitants thereof may for the future be secured from all such dangerous inundations water being a good servant but bad master by his Providence who bindeth the sea in a girdle of sands and saith to the waves thereof Thus far shall ye go and no further PEMBROKE-SHIRE is surrounded on all sides with the Sea save on the North-East where it boundeth on Cardigan and East where it butteth on Carmarthen-shire A County abounding with all things necessary for mans livelihood and the East part thereof is the pleasantest place in all VVales which I durst not have said for fear of offence had not Giraldus their own Country-man affirmed it Nor is it less happy in Sea than in Land affording plenty of Fish especially about Tenby therefore commonly called Tenby-y-Piscoid which I rather observe for the vicinity of the British piscoid with the Latine piscosus for fishfull though never any pretended an affinity between the two Languages A part of this Country is peopled by Flemmings placed there by King Henry the first who was no less politick than charitable therein For such Flemmings being driven out of their own Country by an irruption of the Ocean were fixed here to defend the land given them against the Welsh and their Country is called little England beyond Wales This mindeth me of a passage betwixt a Welsh and English man the former boasting Wales in all respects beyond England to whom the other returned he had heard of an England beyond Wales but never of a Wales beyond England Natural Commodities Faulcons Very good are bred in this County of that kind they call Peregrines which very name speaks them to be no Indeginae but Forraigners at first lighting here by some casualty King Henry the second passing hence into Ireland cast off a Norway Goshawk at one of these but the Gos-hawk taken at the source by the Faulcon soon fell down at the Kings foot which performance in this ramage made him yearly afterward send hither for Eyesses These Hawkes Aeries not so called from building in the Air but from the French word Aire an Egge are many in the Rocks in this Shire Buildings For a sacred structure the Cathedral of Saint David is most eminent began by Bishop Peter in the raign of King John and finished by his Successors though having never seen it I can say little thereof But in one respect the roof thereof is higher than any in England and as high as any in Europe if the ancient absolute independent jurisdiction thereof be considered thus stated by an Authentick Author Episcopi Walliae à Menevensi Antistite sunt consecrati ipse similiter ab aliis tanquam suffraganeis est consecratus nulla penitus alii Ecclesiae facta professione vel subjectione The generality of which words must be construed to have reference as well to Rome as to Canterbury Saint Davids acknowledging subjection to neither till the reign of King Henry the first Princes HENRY TUTHAR Son to Edmund Earl of Richmond and Margaret his Lady was born at Pembroke in this County Anno Dom. In the reign of King Henry the sixth he was bred a Child at Court when a young man he lived an Exile in France where he so learned to live of a little that he contracted a habit of frugality which he did not depose till the day of his death Having vanquished King Richard the third in the battel of Bosorsth and married Elizabeth eldest Daughter to King Edward the fourth he reigned King of England by the name of Henry the seventh He is generally esteemed the wisest of our English Kings and yet many conceive that the Lord Bacon writing his life made him much wiser than he was picking more prudence out of his actions than the King himself was privy to therein and not content to allow him politick endeavoured to make him policy it self Yet many thi●…k h●…s judgemen●… 〈◊〉 him when refusing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Columbus for the discovery of America who might therein have made a secret adven●…e without any prejudice to the r●…putation of his wisdom But such his wa●…ss he would not tamper with costly Cont●…s though never ●…o probable to be gainful nor would he hazard a hook of Silver to catch a fish of Gold He was the first King who secretly sought to aba●…e the formidable greatness the Parent of many former Rebellions in the English ●…earage lessening their Dependencies countena●…cing the Commons and encouraging the Yeomandry with provisions against Depopulations However ●…ereby he did not free his Successors from fear but only exchanged their care making the Commons who because more numerous less manageble more absolute and able in time to con●…est with Soveraignty He survived his Queen by whom he had the true Title to the Crown about five years Some will say that all that time he was King only by the Courtesie of England which I am sure he was loth to acknowledge Others say he held the Crown by Conquest which his Subjects were as unwilling to confess But let none dispute how h●… h●…ld seeing he held it having Pope Parliament Power Purse Success and some shadow of Succession on his side His greatest fault was grinding his Subjects with grievous exactions he was most magnificent in those Structures he hath left to posterity Amongst w●…ich his ●…evotion to God is most seen in two Chappels the one at Cambridge the other at Westminster his charity to the poor in the Hospital of the Savoy his Magnificence to himself in his own Monument of guilded Copper and his vanity to the World in building a Ship called the Great Harry of equal cost saith some with his Chappel which asterwards sunk into the Sea and vanished away in a moment He much imployed Bishops in his service finding them honest and able And here I request the judicious and learned Reader to help me at a dead li●… being posed with this passage written in his life by the Lord Verulam He did use to raise Bishops by steps that he might not lose the profits of the First fruits which by that course of gradation was multiplied Now I humbly conceive that the First fruits in the common acception of the word were in that age paid to the Pope and would fain be informed what By-FirstFruits these were the emolument whereof accrued to the Crown This politick King at his Palace of Richmond April 22. 1509. ended his life and was buried in the Magnificent Chappel aforesaid On the same token that he ordered by his last Will and Testament that none save such of the Blood Royal who should descend from his Loyns should be buried in that place
of Honour Pag. 855. * Cambd. Brit. in Hartford sh. Bale de Script Brit. Cent. 7. n. 1. Pits in Anno 532. * Mills Catal. Pag. 256. * Bale de scrip Brit. Cent. 9. n. 95. * Sam. Clerk in his Lives of English Divines p. 367. * Sam. Cleark pag. 399. * In his Comment on Prov. 1633. * Sam. Cleark pag. 272. * Sr. G. Paul in his Life of 〈◊〉 p. 54. * VVere not that O. thography Pseudography which altereth the Original Copy I had writ ●…edat with an S for so it ought to be written * S●…owes survey of London page 569. * Idem Ibid. * Weavers Fun. Mon. p. 550. * 〈◊〉 Brit. in Hartford shire * Ruth 4. 4. * Probatum fuit hoc Testamentum cor VVilliam Cooke Leg. Doct. in cur prerog 17. July 1557. * S●…ow Cronicle p. 822. * Stow Cron. in 10. Jaco * In the Commodities of Glocester-shire * Revel 1. 14. * Cited by H. Stevens in his De of Herodotus * Psal. 147. 16. 4 Moscovy Poland Norway * Var de re 〈◊〉 2 cap. 2. Columell l. 7. c. 4. * Camden Brit. in Herefordshire * Quoted by Speed in his Maps of England in Hereford-shire * This kind of Earthquake is called Brasmatias Camdens Eliz. An. 1575. * Psal. 46. 2. * Camd. B rit in Hereford-sh * Deut. 8. 8. * Ezek. 27. 17. * Camd. Brit. in Middlesex * English Mar. October 2. * 1 Kin. 18. 19. * Eng. Martyr ut prius * Brit. in Hereford-shire * Acts 23. 6. * Three Eatons there are in this County * Bish. Godwin in his Catal. of Cardinals p. 173. out of whom this is collected * S. N. † In his Catalogue of the Bishops of Hereford * Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops * Godwin in his Catalogue of the Bishops of Ex●…ter * So Master Stephens his Secretary informed me * See their names in our Church-Hist * See the preface of his works written by Mr. Stephens * Thomas Mils in his Catal. of Honours page 863. * Bale de scri Brit. Cent. 3. Numb 13. Anno 1170. * In Appendice Ang. Script * See J. Davis of Hereford challenging him for his Countryman his Verses on his Display of Heraldry * Sir W. Segar in his Verse before his Book * So informed by Master Cox Draper in London his Executor * Pits●…tate 17 Numero 1053. * Mr. Richard Henchman of S. Mary 〈◊〉 * Above Ten Thousand pounds * Luke 1. 24. * Ver●…egan Decayed Intellig. pag. 269. * Matth. Paris Anno Dom. 1100. * Monast. Anglicanum pag. 113. * Idem p. 115. * Stows Chro pag. 471. * Selden in his Titles of Hon. pag. 700. ex Manuscripto * Lord Herbert in the Life of King Henry the Eighth pag. 151. Camdens Eliz in apparatu * Idem anno 1560. * In the beginning of the long Parliament 1 Tim. 5. 14. * Gamden's Brit. in Dorsetshire * James 3. 11. * I. Speed or Sir Robert Cotton rather in the description of Huntingtonshire * Camdens Brit. in Hunting tonshire * Speeds Catalogue of Relig●…ous Houses folio 809. * Proverbs 30. 8. * R. Buckland in Vitis Sanctarum Mulier Anglic. page 242. M. S●… Sc●… Cant. in the Masters ●…f Peter H. * Antiquit. Brit. pag. 254. * John 8. 2. * By Master Holmes his Secretary being himself deceived without intent to deceive * Mr. White Druggist in Lumbard-street * J. Bale and J. Pitz. De script Brit. * Pitz. De script Brit. Cent. 4 Num. 22. * Vide infra Jo. Yong in the Writers since the Reformation † Pitz. de Ang. scrip in Anno 1255. * Bale de script Brit. Cent 5. Num. 28. * Bale Cent. 3. Numb 9. * Pittz de script Britt Anno 1180. * I. Bale de scrip Britt Cent. 2. Num. 92. Pitz. in Anno 1148 * Anno 1420. AMP. * De script Britt Cent. 9. Num. 9. * So I am informed by his son Mr. White a Druggist living in ●…bard-street * Weavers funeral Monuments in the Preface * Rom. 12. 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * In the preface of his Church History * Pits de Script Aug. pag. 815. * Deut. 23. 2. * Reckoned by Mr. Stow in his Survey of London * Camdens Brit. in Cambridge-shire * Judges 5. 6. * Hartlibs Leg. pag. 170. * In his Chron. pag. 845. parag 30. * Hartlibs Legacy pag. 15. * In Bark-shire * By Sir George Hastings Mr. Waltham in his compleat Angler pag. 94. * Prov. 30. 28. * Gen. 14. 23. * Hartlib in his Legacy page 32. * Camden Brit. in Kent * Villare Cantianum page 136. 2 Sam. 18. 8. * Verstegan in his restoring of decayed Intelligence * Fitz. Herbert 15. in Title of Villanage * Thus cited for hitherto I have not read the Original by Mr. Selden in his Notes on Poliolbion page 303. * Hierome●… Porter in the Flowers of the lives of the Saints p. 515. * W. Lambert his perambulation of Kent page 550. and 551. G. Sandys on on his notes of the 13. of Ovids Metamorph p. 282. * Vincent in his Discovery of Brook his errors p. 481. * Stow his Chronicle pag. 862. * Stow in his Survey of London continued by How p. 512. * Godwin in his Catalogue of Archbishops of Ca●…terbury * Weaver Fun. Sermon p. 301. * Cowel's Interp in the word Dean * VVeaver ut prius * 2 Chr. 36. 3. * Bale de script Brit. pag. 564. * Idem Ibidem * Luk. 10. 7. * Matt. 10. 23. * Fox Acts and Monuments * J. Bale in his Book titled Scriptores nostri temporis pag. 102. * Acts and Monuments p. 1014. * Made by Thomas Kemp his Kins-man Bishop of London * Villare Gant p. 24. * All collected out of Godwin his Bishops of London * Lord be thou my strong Rock Ps. 31. 3. a Tho. Wike in his chron of Osney b Godwin in the Bishops of Hereford * Godwin in the Bishop of London c Godwin in the bishops of VVinchester * So was also his Countrey-man Benedict of Gravesend Bishop of Lincoln otherwise not to be remembred † Godwin in his Catalogue of the bishops of London * W. Lambert in his perambulation of Kent * Godwin in his Bishops of Rochester * Villare Cantianum p. 321 * Godwin in the Bishops of Chichester * Baleus * Godwin in his Bishops of London * Weavers Fun. Mo●… p. 296. * Villare Cantianum p. 145. * Bishop God win in his Bishops of VVinchester ●… J. Bale de Script Brit. cent 8. Numb 62. * Bishop Godwin ut prius * So his near relation informed me * Gamdens Eliz. Anno 1589. * Idem im Anno 1596. * Bishop Godwyn in his Catalogue of the Arch-●… of Cant. and the life of J. Pe●…kham * Sir Richard Baker in his Ch●…on * Cambdens Eliz. in Anno 1596. * In the Councel Book of