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.

Earles Colne.

So called of the Sepulture of the Earles of Oxford,* 1.1 which deriue their descent (saith Camden) from the Earles of Guines in France, and haue the surname of Vere from Vere a Towne in Zeland. In this parish Church are two Monuments of this familie of the Veres, the one lieth crosse-legd, with a Sarasins head vpon his tombe, which Sarasin (say the Inhabitants) this Earle slew in the holy Land. The other of them with his wife, lieth en∣tombed; at her feet is the Talbot, at his feet the Boare: they are both shamefully defaced. They were remooued out of the Priory neare adioi∣ning at the suppression, as I was told.

This Priorie was first founded by Aubrey de Vere soone after the Con∣quest,* 1.2 which he dedicated to the honour of God and Saint Andrew; and

placed therein black Monks, translated from Abingdon, to which Abbey he made this Priory to be subiect vpon this occasion,* 1.3 as I haue it out of the booke of Abingdon.

Godfrey de Vere the sonne and heire of the foresaid Aubrey by Beatrice his wife, dying in his fathers life time, was buried in the Monastery of A∣bingdon, to which he had beene a benefactor, whereupon, saith the Story, Aubrey his father and Beatrice his mother were determined to choose A∣bingdon for their buriall place, in respect of the tender affection they bore to their child. But their Lands lying here in Essex farre off, they procured a Grant from King Henry the first to build a religious House at Colne in Essex, for their soules health, their Sonnes, and others, as also for their Se∣pultures; et hanc domum Sancto Andr••e Apostolo dedicatam, subiectam et coher••ntem Ecclesie Abingdonen si faciebant. Not long after the finishing of this worke, and a little before his death, Aubrey the Founder tooke vpon him the habite of Religion in this his owne house, wherein hee died, and was here buried by a younger sonne of his, named William, in whose re∣membrance this Epitaph was engrauen vpon their Monument.

Cedunt a vita votis animisque cupita,* 1.4 Barbarus, et Scita, Gentilis, et lsraelita: Has pariter metas habet omnis sexus et et aes, En puer, en senior, Pater alter, filius alter, Legem, fortunam, terram venere sub unam Non iuvenie ••ote quas epotavit Athene Non v••tulo vote vires velopes valuere. Sed valuere fides, et predia quae memoramus. Vt valeant, valeant per secula cuncta precamus.

* 1.5For the said Aubrey de Vere and Beatrice his wife, I found this Inscrip∣tion to be engrauen vpon their Monument, in the booke of Colne Priory.

Here lyeth Aulbery de Veer, the first Erle of Guisnes, the sonne of Al∣phonsus de Veer, the whyche Aulbery was the fownder of this place, and Bettrys hys wyf syster of kyng Wylliam the Conquerour.

This Priorie was valued at the fatall ouerthrow of such like buildings to be yearely worth 175. l. 14. s. 8▪ d ob. The house is standing at this day, conuerted into a priuate dwelling place, as also the old Chappell to it, wherein are diuers Monuments, vnder which lie buried many of this thrice honourable Familie of the Veres, but they are all gone to decay, and their Inscriptions by time and stealth quite taken away. Vpon one Tombe of Ala∣baster which is thought to bee the ancientest, is the pourtraiture of a man lying in his armour, crosse-legged, but what was carued at his feet cannot be discerned. Vpon another, is one lying armed wtih the blew Bore vnder his head, which was also crosse-legged, as I was informed; but now is no∣thing remaining from the middle downeward. A third of wood armed crosse-legged, on his Target the Armes of the house of Oxford; and there lieth by him a woman made of wood, which is thought to haue beene his Lady, and Countesse. Here are two more likewise in wood armed, and crosse-legged, the one hath an Hound or Talbot vnder his feet: the cote

Armour of the other is quite broken away with his Target. Here is one in Alabaster not crosse-legged, the Garter about one of his legges; what is vn∣der his feet cannot be discerned. A woman pourtrayed in Alabaster with a Falcon vnder her feet, and a little Monument of Alabaster, vpon which is the image of one in a Gowne, with a purse hanging at his girdle: hee is in length about foure foot. But I will shew the Reader the names of such Earles and others of this house which by supposition and certainty are said to haue beene heere interred; which may giue some light to the further knowledge of these, in this manner intombed.

Aubrey de Vere the sonne of Aubrey,* 1.6 Chamberlaine vnder King Henry the first, or Camerarius Anglie, as I finde it in old Cartularies, hauing lost this his Office of great Chamberlaine, and other dignities, in the turmoiles betweene King Stephen and Maude the Empresse, was by the said Empresse and Henry the second (as you may haue it more fully in Vincents discouery of errours) restored to all his former honours, and withall created Earle of Oxford. He died in the yeare 1194. the sixth of king Richard the first, and was here buried by his father.* 1.7 His wife Agnes or Adeliza lieth buried by him, who was the daughter of Henry of Essex, Baron of Ralegh, the Kings Constable.

Such was the Epitaph or inscription vpon his Tombe, as it is in the book of Colne Priory.* 1.8

Hic iacet Albericus de Vere, silius Alberici de Veer, Comes de Guisney & primus Comes Oxonie magnus Camerarius Anglie qui propter summam audatiam, & effrenatam prauitatem Grymme Aubrey vocabatur, obiit 26. die Decembris, anno Christi, 1194. Richardi ••. sexto.

Aubrey de Vere, the sonne of the foresaid Aubrey, succeeded his father in all his dignities; I finde little written of him in our Histories, saue that out of his Christian pietie he did confirme the gift of septem librat. terre which Aubrey his father gaue to the Chanons of Saint O sith here in Essex, adding thereto something of his owne. He dyed in the yeare of our Lord, 1214. and sleepeth now in the same Bed, with three other Aubreyes his Ancestors. To whom this Epitaph vpon Conrad the Emperour at Spires in Germany may be fitly applied.

Filius hic, Pater hic, Auus hic, Proauus iacet istie. The great Belsire, the Grandsire, Sire, and Sonne Lie here interred vnder this Grauestone.

Hugh de Vere the sonne of Robert the first of that Christian name,* 1.9 Earle of Oxford, and Lord great Chamberlaine of England, was here entombed with his Ancestors, who died in the yeare 1263. He had the title of Lord Bolebeck, which came by his mother Isabell de Bolebeck, daughter and heire of Hugh de Bolebeck, a Baron, who was Lord of Bolebeck Castle in Whitechurch within Buckinghamshire, and of Swaffam Bolebeck in Cam∣bridgeshire. Hee had to wife Hawisia the daughter of Saier de Quin∣cy, Earle of Winchester, as appeares by this Inscription sometime insculpt vpon their Tombe.

Hic iacent Hugo de Veer eius nominis primus: Comes Oxonie quartus, magnus Camerarius Anglie, filius & heres Roberti Comitis, & Hawisua

vxor cius, filia Saeri de Quincy comitis Wintonie, qui quidem Hugo obiit 1263. Quorum animabus propitietur altissimus.

* 1.10Robert de Vere, the sonne of Hugh aforesaid, Earle of Oxford, who en∣ioyed his fathers inheritances and honours the space of thirtie and two yeares, lieth here entombed with his ancestours: who died in the yeare 1295. Alice his wife, the daughter and heire of Gilbert Lord Samford, Lord of Hormead in Hertfordshire was interred by him, who died at Caufeld house neare Dunmow, the ninth day of September, 1312.

* 1.11Here lieth buried the body of Robert de Vere, sonne and successour to the foresaid Robert, whose gouernment both in peace and warre was so pru∣dent, his hospitalitie and other workes of charitie so wisely abundant; and his Temperance with a religious zeale so admirablie conioyned, that he was of all surnamed the good Earle of Oxford; and the vulgar esteemed him as a Saint. He died the 19. of Aprill, 1331.

* 1.12Here lyeth entombed Robert de Vere, Richard the seconds Mignion; who to adde to his honours created him Marquesse of Dublin, a title not knowne before that time in England, and in the yeare following Duke of Ireland, with commission to execute most inseparable prerogatiues royall. These Stiles were of too high a nature, and therefore infinitely subiected to enuy. Whereupon, like a second Gaueston, he was hated of the Nobilitie; especially for that he was a man nec prudentia, caeteris proceribus, nec armis valentior, as Walsingham saith, 9. R. 2. But it was not long before he was banished England by the Barons, for abusing the Kings eare to the hurt of the State. He had to wife a young, faire, and noble Lady, and the Kings neare kinswoman (for she was grandchilde to King Edward by his daugh∣ter Isabell) he put her away, and tooke one of Queene Annes women, a Bo∣hemian of base birth, Sellarij filia, saith Walsingham, a Sadlers daughter, some say a Ioyners, an act full of wickednesse and indignitie. Yet this in∣tollerable villanie offered to the bloud-royall,* 1.13 King Richard did not en∣counter, neither had the power, some say, who deemed that by witchcrafts and forceries (practised vpon him by one of the Dukes followers) his iudge∣ment was so seduced and captiuated, that he could not see what was honest or si•• to doe. But where Princes are wilfull or slothfull, and their Fauorites flatterers or time-seruers, there needs no other enchantments to infatuate, yea and ruinate the greatest Monarch. Vpon his banishment he went into France, where he liued about fiue yeares, and there being a hunting, he was slaine by a wilde Boare, in the yeare 1392. King Richard hearing thereof, out of his loue, caused his body to be brought into England, and to be ap∣parrelled in Princely ornaments and robes, and put about his neck a chaine of gold, and Rings vpon his fingers, and so was buried in this Priory; the King being there present, and wearing blackes.

* 1.14After the death of Robert Duke of Ireland, who died without issue, his Nephew Aubrey de Vere succeeded him in the Earledome of Oxford; he enioyed his honours not passing eight yeares, but dyed die Veneris in festo Sancti Georgij, Ann. primo Hen. quarti, 1400. and lieth here entombed with his worthie Ancestors.

* 1.15Here lieth buried in this Priorie Iohn de Vere, the third of that Christian name, and the thirteenth Earle of Oxford, Lord Bolebecke, Samford, and

Scales, great Chamberlaine, and Lord high Admirall of England. Who died the fourth of Henry the eight, 1512. hauing beene Earle of Oxford full fifty yeares; a long time to tugge out, in the troublesome raignes of so many kings, especially for men of eminent places and high spirits, euer apt to take any occasion to shew their manly prowesse: which fire of honour flamed in this Earles breast, at Barnet field, where (in a mist) the great Earle of Warwickes men, not able to distinguish betwixt the Sun with streames vpon King Edwards liuery, and the Starre with streames on this Earles li∣uery, shot at this Earles followers; and by that misprision the battell was lost. After which he fled into Cornwall, and seized vpon Saint Michaels Mount. But Edward the fourth got him in his power, and committed him prisoner to the Castle of Hames beyond the Seas, where he remained for the space of twelue yeares, vntill the first of King Henry the seuenth, with whom he came into England, and by whom he was made Captaine of the Archers at Bosworth-field, where after a short resistance hee discomfited the Foreward of King Richard, whereof a great number were slaine in the chase, and no small number fell vnder the victors sword. This Earle gaue a great contribution to the finishing of Saint Maries Church in Cambridge; His hospitalitie, and the great port he carried here in his country, may be gathered out of a discourse, in that exquisite History of Henry the seuenth, penned by that learned and iudicious Statesman, Sir Francis Bacon, Viscount Saint Alban, lately deceased.

The last Earle that I finde to be here entombed of ancient times,* 1.16 is Iohn de Vere, the fourth of that christian name, Earle of Oxford, Lord Bulbeck Samford and Scales, Lord great Chamberlaine of England, and Knight of the Garter; he was commonly called little Iohn of Campes, Castle Cam∣pes, in Cambridgeshire, being the ancient seate of the Veres, where this Earle vsed much to reside; He married Anne, daughter of Thomas How∣ard Duke of Norfolke, and died without issue the 14 of July, 1526.

I finde in a booke of Dunmow,* 1.17 in bib. Cot. that Maud, the wife of Iohn de Vere the seuenth Earle of Oxford, lyeth here intombed: shee was the daughter of Bartholomew, Lord Badelismere, Baron of Leedes in Kent; and one of the heires of Giles Lord Badelismere her brother. She was first married to Robert, sonne of Robert Fitz-Paine. She outliued her later hus∣band some few yeares, and died the 24. of May, 1365.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Camd. in Ox∣ford.
• * 1.2

  The founda∣tion of Colne Prio••ie.
• * 1.3

  In Rib. Cott.
• * 1.4

  Aubrey de Vere and William his sonne.
• * 1.5

  M••••. in bib. Co••▪
• * 1.6

  Aubrey de Vere the first Earle of Oxford, surnamed the grimme.
• * 1.7

  Lib. Alb. de Colne.
• * 1.8

  Aubrey de Vere the second Earle of Ox∣ford.
• * 1.9

  Hugh de Vere Earle of Ox∣ford.
• * 1.10

  Robert de Vere 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Ox∣ford.
• * 1.11

  Robert de Vere the sonne of Robert Earle of Oxford.
• * 1.12

  Robert de Vere Earle of Oxford, and Duke of Ireland
• * 1.13

  Speed in vita R. 2.
• * 1.14

  Aubrey de Vere Earle of Ox∣ford.
• * 1.15

  Iohn de Vere Earle of Ox∣ford.
• * 1.16

  Io de Vere E. of Oxford.
• * 1.17

  Maud, Coun∣tesse of Oxford