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 Helens.

This was the Church to the Nunnerie,* 1.1 founded first by William Basing, Deane of Pauls (who lieth here buried) about the yeare 1212. and after∣wards by another William Basing (one of the Sheriffes of London, in the second yeare of Edward the second) augmented both in building and re∣uenue. For which he is also holden to bee a Founder. This religious house was dedicated to the honour of Saint Helen, and replenished with blacke Nunnes. There was a partition betwixt the Nunnes Church, and the Pa∣rish-Church, but now the whole Church belongeth to the Parish. It was surrendred the 25. of Nouember, the 30. of Henry the 8. being valued at 314. l. 2. s. 6. d. of yearely reuenues.

Orate pro animabus Iohannis Crosby Militis Ald. atque tempore vite Ma∣ioris Staple ville Caleis;* 1.2 & Agnetis vxoris sue, ac Thome, Richardi Iohannis, Iohannis, Margarete, & Iohanne liberorum eiusdem Iohannis Crosby militis ille obiit, 1475 & illa 1466. quorum animabus propitietur Deus.

This Crosby was Sheriffe of London, the yeare 1470. He was the buil∣der of Crosby house. He gaue fiue hundred Markes towards the reforming of this Church, which was bestowed (saith Stow) with the better. As ap∣peareth by his Armes both in the stone-worke, roofe of timber, and gla∣sing; it is a fable said of him, to be named Crosby, of being found by a Crosse.

Not long after the second foundation of this house, by William Basing the second, I finde one Henry Gloucester, Citizen and Goldsmith of London (descended by the mothers side from the second Founder) to be here in∣terred, approued by his last Will and Testament, written in the Latine tongue (which was vsuall in former times) with which, for forme and An∣tiquities sake, I thinke it not much amisse to acquaint my Reader.

In nomine patris & silij & Spiritus sancti,* 1.3 Amen. Ego Henricus de Glou∣cestre, ciuis & Aurifaber London, condo Testamentum meum in hunc mo∣dum. Lego corpus meum ad sepeliendum apud Sanctam Elenam London; vbi priorissa et conuentus eiusdem domus ibidem eligere voluerint. Item lego Eli∣sabeth filie mee, Moniali eiusdem domus, Sancte Elene, sex solid. Item lego Priorisse et Conuentui Sancte Elene vndecim Marcas Argenti annuatim ad inueniend. duos Capellanos Diuina celebrare in eadem Ecclesia Sancte Elene, pro anima mea, et anima Margarete quondam vxoris mee, ac pro animabus Wille••mi patris mei, et Willelme matris mee, sil. Thome de Basings, fratris Willelmi de Basings Fundatoris, &c. Residuum vero lego ad sustentationem Iohannis filij mei. Et si idem Iohannes filius meus sine prole obierit, integre remaneat Iohanne filie mee et heredibus de corpore suo legitime procreatis. Item lego Elisabeth silie me duas Schopas ahenas. Item lego Iohanne Adynet nepte mee quinque solidos. Dat. et act. London. die Iouis prox. post festum Sancti Andree Apostoli, Ann. Dom. 1332. Reg. Regis, Ed. 3.6.

Probatum fuit hoc presens Testamentum, xv. Kal. Ianuarij, Ann. Dom. 1332. Ann. 6. Ed. 3.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The foundati∣on of the Nunnery of S. Helen.
• * 1.2

  Sir Io. Crosby Maior of the Staple.
• * 1.3

  Mss. in bib. Cot