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.

Augustine Fryers.

* 1.1This religious house was founded (in the well meaning deuotion of for∣mer times) by Humphrey Bohun the fift of that name, Earle of Hereford and Essex, 1253. and was afterward reedified by Humphrey Bohun, the ninth of that name, Earle of Hereford and Essex, Lord of Brecknocke, and Consta∣ble of England, who died Anno 1361. and was buried in the Quire of this Church. This Frierie (dedicated to the honour of Saint Augustine) was valued vpon the surrender to King Henry the eight, to 57 l. 4 s. per annum.

* 1.2Here sometime did lie entombed the body of Richard Fitz-Alan, the fourth of that name, Earle of Arundell and Surrey, who with Thomas Duke of Glocester, Thomas Earle of Warwicke, Henry Earle of Derby, after∣wards King of England, and others, combined and sware each to other, against Robert Vere, Duke of Ireland, and Michael de la Pole Duke of Suf∣folke, for abusing and misleading the King; for which and some other cau∣ses which Richard the second obiected against them, some of them were banished, others condemned to perpetuall imprisonment: and this Richard beheaded on the Tower hill, Septemb. Anno 1397. the constancie of whose carriage at his arraignement, passage and execution (in all which he did not once discolour the honour of his bloud with any degenerous word, looke, or action) encreased the enuy of his death vpon his prosecutors.

* 1.3Here likewise lay sumptuously interred, Iohn Vere the xii. Earle of Ox∣ford, and Aubrey his eldest sonne, who with Sir Thomas Tudensa knight, (who was also here buried) and others their Councellors (either through malice of their enemies, or some offence conceiued by King Edward the fourth) were attainted by Act of Parliament, anno primo Edward 4, and put to Execution vpon the Tower hill, the 26 of February, 1461.

William Lord Berkeley of Berkeley Castle;* 1.4 honoured with the t••t••es of Viscount, and Marquesse Berkely, Earle of Nottingham, and Earle Mar∣shall of England, was here inhumed; who died, Ann. 1492.

This William (as I had it from my deceased friend,* 1.5 Aug. Vincent) by his deed dated the third of Nouember, Ann. 6. Hen. 7 gaue one hundre•• pounds to the Prior of this house, for two Masses to be said presently, and for euer, at the Altar of our Lady, and Saint Iames. Betweene which Al∣tars the body of his wife Ioan (who liued but a few dayes with him, and is not at all mentioned in the Catalogues of Honour) was buried, who was the widow of Sir William Willoughbie, before the marriage with the Mar∣quesse. And to pray for the prosperous estate of the said Marquesse, and of Anne his then wife, and of Edward Willoughby, Richard Willoughby, Anne Beauchampe, and Elisabeth Willoughbie, with all the issue of the said William and Ioane; and especially for the soules health of the said Ioane, and of Katherine her mother, Duchesse of Norfolke.

Here sometime lay sumptuously entombed,* 1.6 the body of Edward Staf¦ford, Duke of Buckingham; who by the sleights and practises of Cardinall Wolsey, fell into displeasure with king Henry the eight; and being condem∣ned of high Treason, for that (among other matters) hee had consulted with a Monke (or wizard) about succession of the Crowne, was beheaded on the Tower hill, May the 17. 1521. He was a noble Gentleman, excee∣dingly much lamented of good men. Of whose death, when the Emperour Charles the fifth heard, he said that a Butchers dogge (meaning the Car∣dinall, a Butchers sonne) had deuoured the fairest Buck (alluding to the name of Buckingham) in all England.

Here was interred the bodie of Edward,* 1.7 the eldest sonne of Edward the blacke Prince, by Ioan his wife, surnamed the faire Maide of Kent; who was borne at Angolesme, Ann. 1375. and died at 7. yeares of age.

Many of the Barons slaine at Barnet-field, vpon Easterday, 1471. were buried here in the bodie of the Church; but now their bodies, with these before remembred, and the bodies of an hundred more (mentioned by Stow) of exemplarie note and knights degree, are not onely despoiled of all outward funerall ornaments, but digged vp out of their Requietories, and dwelling houses raised in the place, which was appointed for their eternall rest. Some part of this Church is at this day yet standing, but in that no monument of this kinde is remaining; for it is conuerted into a Church for the Duch-Inhabitants of this Citie: who, in that kinde, can hardly brooke any reuerend Antiquitie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The foundati∣on of the Au∣gustine Friers.
• * 1.2

  Ri••hard Earle of A••undell.
• * 1.3

  Iohn Vere Earle of Ox∣ford▪ and Au∣brey his sonne.
• * 1.4

  〈…〉〈…〉 his wife
• * 1.5

  Mss.
• * 1.6

  〈…〉〈…〉 Duke 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.7

  Edward the eldest sonne of Edward the black Prince