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.

The White Friers.

These Friers were called Fratres beatae Mariae de monte Carmeli: first founded by Sir Richard Grey knight, ancestor to the Lord Grey of Codnor, in the yeare 1241. King Edward the first gaue to the Prior and brethren of that house, a plot of ground here in Fleetstreet, whereupon to build their house: which was afterwards new builded by Hugh Courtney (the third of that Christian name Earle of Deuonshire) the yeare before he died, which was Aun. 1350. Sir Robert Knolles knight, was a great builder here also, in the raigne of Richard the second, and of Henry the fourth: who (being borne but of meane parentage in the County of Chester) was by his valiant behauiour aduanced from a common Souldier (in the French warres vnder Edward the third) to a great Commander; and being sent Generall of an Armie into France, in despite of their power, he draue their people before him like Sheepe, destroying Townes, Castles, and Cities, in such a manner and number, that long after in memory of this act, the sharpe points and gable ends of ouerthrowne houses and Minsters, were called Knolles Mi∣ters. After which minding to make himselfe as welbeloued of his countrey, as he was feared of forraine nations, hee built the goodly faire Bridge at Rochester, ouer the Riuer of Medway, with a Chappell and a Chantrie at the East end thereof. He founded a Colledge, with an Hospitall adioyning thereunto; in the Towne of Pontefract in Yorkeshire, of which hereafter. He founded also an Hospitall in the Citie of Rome, for entertainment of

English trauellers, or pilgrimes, to that Citie, in place where Thomas Bec∣ket, Archbishop of Canterbury, had builded a Chappell of the holy Tri∣nity, which to this day retaines the name, and is a Seminarie for our Eng¦lish Fugitiues. He deceased at his Mannor of Scone Thorpe in Norfolke, was brought to London, and honourably buried by the Lady Constance his wife, in the body of this Church; which he had newly builded. Ann. 1407. the 15. of August. Of whom in his life, saith Stow, were made verses in Latine, thus by him put into English.

O Robert Knowles, most worthy of Fame, By thy Prowesse France was made tame. Thy manhood made the French to yeeld, By dint of sword in towne and feeld.

Here sometime lay entombed in a goodly Monument of Alabaster, the body of Robert Mascall, Bishop of Hereford, a man for his good learning and good life admired, and beloued of all men: He was often employed by Henry the fourth (to whom he was Confessor) vpon Embasies to forraine Princes; and in the yeare 1415. sent with two other Bishops to the Coun∣cell of Constance. Hee built the Quier, Presbytery, and Steeple of this Church; and gaue many rich ornaments to this religious house, wherein he died, 22. Decemb. 1416.

William Lord Montacute Earle of Salisbury, and king of the Isle of Man, was here entombed. Whose noble Acts (saith Walsingham) to write wor∣thily were a commendable matter. He founded the Abbey of Bisham Mon∣tague in Barkshire, and died at a Iusts and Turney at Windsore, in the yeare 1343.

For the rest here interred, I referre my Reader to the Suruay of London.

This house was valued at 26. l. 7. s. 3. d. and was surrendred the tenth of Nouember, the 30. of king Hen. the eight.

Since the writing of the premisses, I chanced to haue the perusall of a Manuscript, penned in the praise of this religious Order; out of which I collected diuers Epitaphs, which in times past had beene engrauen vpon the Sepulchers of certaine Carmelites, here in the Church of this Priory in∣terred. And first, I finde that Stephen Patrington, vir omnibus praestantio∣ribus animi dotibus, omnibus virtutibus preditus, et multiplici doctrinae va∣rietate instructus, was here buried in the body of the Quire. He was borne in the County of Yorke, and brought vp in the Vniuersitie of Oxford, where he proceeded Doctor of Diuinitie. He writ many learned bookes, and was an admirable Preacher, to whose Sermons alwayes came an incre∣dible concurse of people, saith Leland. Hee was for the space of fifteene yeares Prouinciall of the Carmelites: Confessor he was to king Henry the fourth, and held of him in great estimation, as also to his Queene, and his eldest sonne Henry Prince of Wales; who when he came to the Crowne, preferred him to the Bishopricke of Saint Dauids in Wales. Being at the Councell of Constance, he was, by the Pope, translated to Chichester; not long after which he departed this world: and as it is in the Records in the Tower before his translation could be perfected: in the yeare 1417. the 22.

of September. But I will come to the Inscription vpon his Tombe, in verse and prose as followeth.

Hic Frater Stephanus de Patrington requiescit, Nomine reque fuit norma, corona, Pater. Ens Carmelitis Rector Doctor Prior Anglis; Confessor celebris Regis et ipse manens, Henrici Quinti, Meneuensis quoque Presul C••ristus in aureolam pillea mutet ei. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Magister Frater Stephanus Patrington, sacre Theologie venerabilis Doctor et Prior Prouincialis Fratrum Carmelitarum in Prouincia Anglie annis xv. Confessor Domini Regis Henrici quinti. Episcopus Meneuens. et Postulatus Cicestriens. obijt Londonijs in Conuentu. Ann. Dom. M.cccc.xvij.xxij. die Mens. Septembris.

Hic varia scripsit opuscula vtilitati Studentium.

Here somtime lay buried the bodie of Nicholas Kenton; borne in Kenton a village in Suffolke, about ten miles from Ipsewich; he was matriculated and instructed in the rudiments of learning amongst the Carmelites at Ipswich. From whence he went to Cambridge, where he attained to the full perfe∣ction of all solide discipline. In poesie and Rhetoricke hee was exquisitely well exercised, an acute Philosopher he was, and a singular diuine. He writ many learned Comments vpon sundrie places of the Scripture; and many other workes mentioned by Bale; He was Prouinciall of his order in Eng∣land for the space of twelue yeares; and had vnder his gouernment aboue a thousand and fiue hundred Carmelites. Hee desired, not long before his death, to giue ouer his Prouinciallship, saying, Se iam malle precibus et Deo liberè vacare, quam praxi attendere, parere potius deinceps velle quam pre∣esse. Which was granted after much earnest suite made to all his Couents. He died in the Dormitorie of this house, the fourth day of September, in the yeare of our Lord, 1468. to whose honour this riming Epitaph was an∣nexed to his funerall Monument.

Kenton Doctoris Carmilite Nicholai, Sic Peccatricis anime miserens Adonai. Carmeli gentis curam qui rexit in Anglis Ipsa bis senis fungens summus Prior annis. Huic sibi propitius veniam prestet pater almus; Cuius spiramen scandens supra astra sit. Amen.

Iohn Miluerton, a Carmelite Frier of Bristow, was here entombed; hee was Doctor of Diuinitie, and of the Chaire, in the Vniuersitie of Oxford; from whence he was sent for to Paris, by Iohn Sorethe the Prouinciall of his Order, where by a generall Synode he was chosen Prouinciall of his order, through England, Scotland, and Ireland. At length (because he defended such of his order as preached against endowments of the Church with tem∣porall possessions) hee was brought into trouble, committed to prison in Castle S. Angelo in Rome, where he continued three yeares, and at length was deliuered through certaine of the Cardinals, that were appointed his

iudges; but in the meane time he lost the Bishopricke of Saint Dauids, to which he was elected. He writ diuers learned workes before, after, and du∣ring the time of his imprisonment, which are mentioned by Bale in his fift centurie. At the last, full of yeeres and cares, he here ended his life, the last day saue one of Ianuary in the yeare of our redemption, 1486. and was bu∣ried in the Quire of this monasterie, with these nicking Hexameters engra∣uen vpon his monument.

Clauditur hic subtus prudens veri reserator, Carmeli cultor, Doctrine firmus amator. Rite Iohannes Oxoniensis in ordine Doctor Sic orthodoxe sidei validus releuator. Post Prouinquecialis vixit pluribus annis, Mirifice crebro vexatus tempore dampnis Huic reus est sceleris annus magni tribulantis, Gaudeat ob meritum constans robur patientis, Ipsum turbauit vir fortis perniciose, Tandem Catholice trusus superat speciose. Aureolam Deus vt det Myluerton numerose, Optemus, fuerat plexus licet inuidiose.

Iohn Loneye Doctor of Diuinity, and a Carmelite Frier, was here inter∣red in the cloister of the Church, to whose memory this distich was made.

Clauditur hoc claustro Frater Loneye Iohannes Expertus mundo celo fruiturus vt heres.

This Loney, saith a late writer, was vir acu••i ingenij, magnae doctrinae, multae lectionis, boni zeli, multae industriae: A man of an acute wit, excel∣lent doctrine, much reading, ardent deuotion, great industrie. Hee with twelue other Doctors did condiscend to the decree (saith my Mss) of Ma∣ster William Barton, Chancellour of the vniuersitie of Oxford, for the con∣demning of the sixteene Articles of Iohn Wickliffe of the Sacrament of the Altar.

An Epitaph vpon Iohn Palgraue, Prior sometimes of this house.

Huius confratris grauis est instantia, causa Qua domus hec superest proceraque fabrica libris, Et murus validus excludit Tamesis vndas. Vestes dat sacras sibi det vestes Deus albas.

Of this Prior I finde no further; neither of any other of the Carmelites buried within this conuentuall Church.

Notes

• The founda∣tion of the white Friers Carmelites.
• Stow S••••••uay.
• Lamb peramb.
• Lamb. peramb.
• Rob Mascall Bishop of He¦reford.
• Will. Montag•••• Earle of Salis¦bury. Ypod••g 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• Penes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 T••••swell.
• Stephen Pa∣trington Bishop of S. Dauids.
• Nich. Kenton.
• Io. Miluerton.
• Iohn Loney.
• Pits. de illust. Aug. Scriptori∣bus.