Ancient funerall monuments within the vnited monarchie of Great Britaine, Ireland, and the islands adiacent with the dissolued monasteries therein contained: their founders, and what eminent persons haue beene in the same interred. As also the death and buriall of certaine of the bloud royall; the nobilitie and gentrie of these kingdomes entombed in forraine nations. A worke reuiuing the dead memory of the royall progenie, the nobilitie, gentrie, and communaltie, of these his Maiesties dominions. Intermixed and illustrated with variety of historicall obseruations, annotations, and briefe notes, extracted out of approued authors ... Whereunto is prefixed a discourse of funerall monuments ... Composed by the studie and trauels of Iohn Weeuer.

Saint Michaels at Queene-Hithe.

The Monuments in this Church are all defaced; onely I finde that Ste∣phen Spilman,* 1.1 or Spelman, as appeareth by his Will, was here buried di∣rectly against the high Altar, vnder a faire Monument, no Inscription thereupon now remaining. This Stephens Armes are amongst the Maiors and Sheriffes of London, vpon a field sables, six besants, 2.1.1.2. betweene two slayks argent. Sometimes Mercer, Chamberlaine of London, then one of the Sheriffes, and Alderman of the said Citie, in the yeare, 1404. He de∣ceased without issue, gaue his lands to his Familie, the Spilmans, and his goods to the making or repairing of Bridges, and other like godly vses. He repaired this Church, and therein founded a Chantry. He died about the last yeare of the raigne of king Henry the fifth.* 1.2

Richard Grey Iron-monger, one of the Sheriffes likewise of this Citie, in

the yeare, 1515. lieth here buried. He gaue 40. pound to the repairing of this Church.

Orate pro animabus Richardi Marloi quondam venerabilis Maioris Ci∣uitatis London,* 1.3 & Agnetis consortis sue. Qui ....... ob......

This Marlow was Lord Maior in the yeare 1409. in whose Maioraltie there was a Play at Skinners Hall,* 1.4 which lasted eight dayes (saith Stow) to heare which, most of the greatest Estates of England were present. The Subiect of the play was the sacred Scriptures, from the creation of the world▪ They call this, Corpus Christi Play in my countrey, which I haue seene acted at Preston, and Lancaster, and last of all at Kendall, in the be∣ginning of the raigne of King Iames; for which the Townesmen were sore troubled; and vpon good reasons the play finally supprest, not onely there, but in all other Townes of the kingdome.

Richardo Hill potentissimi Regis Henrici octaui,* 1.5 celle vinarie Prefectus. Elisabetha coniux mestissima facta iam, vndecimorum liberorum mater, Marito optimo; immatura tandem morte sublato. Quod solum potuit po∣steritati commendaturum cupiens hoc Monumentum posuit. Obijt. An. Dom. 1539. die mens. Maij 12.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Stephen Spilman Sheriffe of London.
• * 1.2

  Ric. Grey Sheriffe of London.
• * 1.3

  R. Marlow Lord Maior.
• * 1.4

  Corpus Christi play.
• * 1.5

  Ric. Hill, Ma∣ster or Serge∣ant of the kings c••ller.