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.

Iohannes Leylandus Antiquarius.

Iohn Bale, in his declaration vpon this Treatise, saith that the next yeare after that Leyland presented this New-yeares Gift to king Henry, the said king deceased, and Leyland by a most pitifull accident fell besides his wits;

which was the cause (belike) that these his workes were neuer imprinted; howsoeuer at this day, the written copies thereof are in some priuate mens custody; which learned Camden saw, as he himselfe acknowledgeth, when hee compiled that matchlesse Chorographicall description of Great Bri∣taine.

But those learned Authors which Leyland gathered together in his iour∣ney, and which hee conserued to augment the Kings Libraries and his owne; are, I doubt, by the iniquitie of times, quite lost and perished. And here I might take occasion to speake of the great spoile of old Bookes, and all other reuerend Antiquities at and vpon the suppression of Abbeyes, and reformation of Religion. As also of the due praise belonging to such men in these dayes, who like Sir Robert Cotton with labour and charges,* 1.1 collect, and safely preserue these ancient Monuments of learning for the publique good and commodity of the whole kingdome. But of this when I come to that inestimable rich Treasurie,* 1.2 that famous and renowned Library in the Vniuersitie of Oxford, whose principall Founder was Sir Thomas Bodley knight, deceased.

To returne then to our Antiquarie Leyland; Many other workes, (saith Bale, in the foresaid declaration) hath Leyland written, of whom some are emprinted, as the Assertion of king Arthure, the Birth of Prince Edward, the Song of the Swanne, the decease of Sir Thomas Wiet, the winning of Bullein, and the commendation of Peace. Some are not yet printed, as his Colleccyons of the Byshoppes of Brytayne, of the Vniuersytees of the same, of the orygynoll and increase of good learnynges there: Of his Epi∣grammes and Epitaphs, and the lyfe of kynge Sygebert, with many other more.

He died franticke the 18. day of Aprill, Anno redemptionis humanae, 1552. Of whom this Ogdoasticke following was composed, either by himselfe, as the stile sheweth, or by some other in his name, saith Pitseus.

* 1.3Quantum Rhenano debet Germania docto, Tantum debebit terra Britanna mihi. Ille suae gentis ritus, & nomina prisca, Aestiuo fecit lucidiora die. Ipse antiquarum rerum quoque magnus amator, Ornabo patriae lumina clara meae. Quae cum prodierint niueis inscripta tabellis, Tum testes nostrae sedulitatis erunt:

These verses were annexed to his Monument, as I haue it by tradi∣tion.

* 1.4This our Leland is called by writers Lelandus iunior, in regard of ano∣ther Iohn Leland, who flourished in the time of king Henry the sixth; taught a Schoole in Oxford, and writ certaine Treatises of the Art of Grammer. Which Leland, saith Pits, was tum in versu, tum in prosa multo elegantior, & in omni Latinitate purior, tersior, nitidior, quam ferebat illius at at is com∣munis consuetudo: As well in verse as prose, much more elegant, and in all the Latine tongue more pure, polisht, and neate, then the custome of that

age did commonly affoard. Whereupon this riming Hexameter was made to his commendation.

Vt Rosa slos slorum, sic Leland Grammaticorum.

But to take my leaue of both these Lelands, and go forward to what an∣cient Inscriptions I haue sometime found in this Church.

Blessyd Lady moder and Virgyn,* 1.5 have mercy and pety on ye soul of yowr powere mayd Elisabyth West, yat here lyeth beryed, ye whych de∣cessyd ye yere of owr Lord, M.ccccc.vii. ye vii of Octobre.

O mater Dei miserere mei. Amen.

Hic.....Rogerus Woodcocke ciuis et Hat. London,* 1.6 & Ioanna vxor eius .... M.ccccxxii.

Qui venisti redimere perditos, noli dampnare redemptos.

Epitaphs and Inscriptions within certaine Churches of this Cittie, col∣••••cted about some thirtie seuen yeares since, by Robert Treswell Esquire, somerset Herald, lately deceased. Of which few or none are to be found at this present time.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sir Rob. Cotton knight and Baronet.
• * 1.2

  Sir Tho. Bodley knights.
• * 1.3

  Pit. Aetas 16.
• * 1.4

  Io. Leland the Elder.
• * 1.5

  Elis. West.
• * 1.6

  Rog. Woodcocke and Ioane his wife.