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.

... Coggeshall.

....... Coggeshale ...... mil. .... M. ccc. ..... For which of the name, this broken inscription should be engrauen, I can∣not learne; but I finde that these Coggeshals in foregoing ages, were Gen∣tlemen of exemplarie regard and knightly degree, whose ancient habitation was in this Towne; one of which familie was knighted by King Edward the third, the same day that hee created Edward his eldest sonne Earle of Chester, and Duke of Cornwall, Anno 1336.

Hic iacet Thomas Paycocke quondam Carnifex de Coggeshal qui obijt 21 Maij,* 1.1 1461. et Christiana vxor eius, quorum animabus.

Prey for the sowl of Robert Paycock of Coggeshale cloth-maker, for Eli∣zabeth and Ioan his wyfs,* 1.2 who died 21. Octob. 1520. on whos soul.

Here lyeth Thomas Paycock cloth-worker, Margaret and Ann his wyfs: which Tho. died the 4. of September,* 1.3 1518.

Orate pro anima Iohannis Paycock et Iohanne vxoris eius, qui quidem Io∣hannes obijt 2 Aprilis 1533.* 1.4 The Creede in Latine is all curiously inlaid with brasse, round about the Tombestone, Credo in Deum patrem, &c.

* 1.5Orate pro animabus Iohannis Kebulet Isabelle et Iohanne vx. eius Quo∣rum, &c.

About the verge of the stone in brasse, a Pater noster inlaid. Pater Noster qui es in celis sanctificetur nomen tuum, and so to the end of the praier.

Vpon the middest of the marble this Aue Maria.

Aue Maria, gratia plena; Dominus tecum: Benedicta tu: in mulieribus; et benedictus sit fructus ventris tui. Iesus Amen.

* 1.6I haue not seene such rich monuments, for so meane persons.

Orate pro anima Gulielmi Goldwyre, et Isabelle et Christiane vxorum, qui quidem Gulielmus obijt.... 1514.

Mary Moder mayden clere Prey for me William Goldwyre. And for me Isabel his wyf. Lady for thy Ioyes fyf. Hav mercy on Christian his second wyf, Swete Iesu for thy wowndys fyf.

* 1.7Here in this towne of Cogshal was sometime an Abbey built, and en∣dowed by King Stephen, and Maud his Queene, in the yeare 1140. the fift of his raigne, according to the booke of Saint Austins in Canterbury, An∣no M. c. xl. facta est Abbathia de Cogeshal a Rege Stephano et Matilde Re∣gina, qui primo fundauerunt Abbathiam de Furnesse, Abbatiam de Longe∣leyrs, et postea Abbathiam de Feuersham, &c. this house was dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary, wherein were placed white Monkes ••luniackes; the reuenues of which were valued to be yearely worth 298. l. 8. s. it was surrendred the 18. of March, 29. Hen. 8.

Adioyning to the Rode called Coccill-way, which to this towne lea∣deth, was lately found an arched Vault of bricke, and therein a burning lampe of glasse couered with a Romane Tyle some 14 inches square, and one Vrne with ashes and bones, besides two sacrificing dishes of smooth and pollished red earth, hauing the bottome of one of them with faire Ro∣mane letters inscribed, COCCILLI.M. I may probably coniecture this to haue beene the sepulchrall monument of the Lord of this towne, who liued about the time of Antoninus Pius, (as by the coyne there like∣wise found appeareth) the affinitie betweene his and the now townes name being almost one and the same. These remaine in the custody of that iudi∣cious great Statesman Sir Richard Weston Knight, Baron Weston of Nea∣land, Lord Treasurer of England, and of the most honourable Order of the Garter companion. Who for his approued vertues and industrie, both

vnder father and sonne, doth to the publique good fully answere the place and dignity.

Before these times, in a place called Westfield, three quarters of a mile distant from this towne, and belonging to the Abbey there, was found by touching of a plough,* 1.8 a great brasen pot: The ploughmen supposing to haue beene hid treasure, sent for the Abbot of Cogeshall to see the taking vp of it; and he going thither, met with Sir Clement Harleston, and desired him also to accompany him thither. The mouth of the pot was closed with a white substance, like past or clay, as hard as burned bricke: when that by force was remoued, there was found within it another pot, but that was of earth; that being opened, there was found in it a lesser pot of earth, of the quantity of a gallon, couered with a matter like Veluet, and fastened at the mouth with a silke lace; in it they found some whole bones, and ma∣ny pieces of small bones wrapped vp in fine silke, of fresh colour, which the Abbot tooke for the reliques of some Saints, and laid vp in his Vestuary.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tho. Paycock Butcher, and Christian his wife.
• * 1.2

  Robert Paycock, Elis and Ioan his wiues.
• * 1.3

  Tho. Paycock, Marg and Anne his wiues.
• * 1.4

  Iohn Paycock and Ioan his wife.
• * 1.5

  Io. Kebull, Isabel and Ioan his wiues
• * 1.6

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Goldwyre, Isabel and Christian his wife.
• * 1.7

  Foundation of Coggeshall Abbey. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in bib. Cott
• * 1.8

  Camd. in Essex