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.

And first, The Succession of the principall Kings of Armes.

GArter is the principall King of Armes (as I haue written before) and goeth first as the onely ring-leader of them all:* 1.1 not so much for the an∣tiquitie of his Creation, as for the supereminence of the Order of the Gar∣ter: for he was but instituted by King Henry the fifth. His peculiar Office is (which partly you may reade in his oath) with all dutifull seruice to attend vpon the Knights of the Garter at their Solemnities: To aduertise them which are chosen of their new election, to call them to bee enstaulled at Windsore; To cause their Armes to be hanged vp vpon their Seates, and to marshall the Funerall Rites and Ceremonies of them, as also of the grea∣ter Nobilitie, as of Princes, Dukes, Marquesses, Earles, Viscounts, and Ba∣rons: and to do many other seruices vnto the King and State.

The priuiledges of Garter King of Armes, his goods and Seruants as ap∣peareth in the Black▪booke of the most honourable Order of the Garter. Whereof this ancient institution following is enregistred.

Hij tres hujus ordinis officiales Scriba, videlicet, Garterus Rex Armorum, & Hostiarius ab atra virga nuncupatus; ipsi cum suis tam rebus quam mi∣nistris in suis officijs permanentibus sub perpetua supremi protectione ac pro∣pugnaculo securè durabunt. Vnde si quaevis injuria seu violentia ipsis infera∣tur, vel ab eis qui supremo subjecti sunt, vel externis quoties causas suas arbi∣trio supremi submittent, ipse cū Sodalibus exhibebit eis iusticiam aut exhibē∣dam ex aequo et congruo procurabit. Si vero pars aduersa causam suam su∣premo submittere detractabit ipse cum Commilitonibus eum erga Officiales hos animum habebit, vt ipsorum causam quoad iustum at que aequum erit cum debito fauore tueri velit.

Sir William Brugge or Brugges knight,* 1.2 was the first King of the name Garter, in the raigne of Henry the fifth, as aforesaid; His Patent was confir∣med by Henry the sixth in the foure and twentieth yeare of his raigne, as it is in the Patent Rolls of that yeare, the eleuenth membrane.

Iohn Smert succeeded Sir William Brugge in the said Office Patent, Ann. 39. Hen. 6. Member 14. In the fourteenth of Edward the fourth, he was imployed with a defiance to the French King Lewis the eleuenth; The which no little abashed the said King. Yet neuerthelesse following the said Officer of Armes directions, obtained by that meanes a Peace which he much coueted. And Edward the fourth as willingly assented, because he was deceiued by the Duke of Burgundy and the Constable of France, who failed him in their promised aides. The French King gaue vnto the said King of Armes vpon his returne three hundred French Crownes, and a peece of Veluet of thirty yard•• long.

The next was Sir Iohn Wrythe or Wriothesley, here interred, and created as aforesaid.

This Sir Iohn Wriothesley, Ann. 23. Edwardi quarti, was imployed into Scotland, and with him Northumberland Herauld, with letters of procu∣racie signed, and sealed by the King his master to redemand diuers great summes of money which had beene disbursed to Iames the third, King of Scots, vpon a promise of marriage entended to haue beene made betweene the Prince of Scotland, and Lady Cicily, daughter of King Edw. the fourth, who in that Treatie hauing the libertie of refusall, thereupon redemanded the foresaid summes by his said procuratours.

Next to him Sir Thomas Wriothesley created in the time of Henry the seuenth.

This Sir Tho. Wriothesley in the 19. of H. 8. was ioyned Embassadour with Viscount Lisle (the naturall sonne to King Edward the fourth) and others which carried the Garter to the French King Francis the first.

He that succeeded him was Sir Thomas Wall, Knight, created Ann. 26. Hen. 8.

Sir Christopher Baker Knight of the Bathe created Garter, Ann. 28. Hen. 8. 1536.

Sir Gilbert Dethick Knight, was preferred to the Office of Garter, the fourth of Edward the sixth. He died in the yeare 1584.

This Sir Gilbert Dethick was ioyned Embassadour with the Marquesse of Northampton, to carry the Garter to the French King Henry the second, Ann. 5. E. 6. And the like for the same purpose to the Prince of Pymont, with Edward Lord Clynton; And also with the Lord Hunsden to the French King Charles the ninth: and with the Earle of Sussex) to the Empe∣rour Maximilian; and likewise with the Lord Willoughby to Fredericke King of Denmarke.

Sir William Dethick Knight, was crowned Garter in the eight and twen∣tieth yeare of Queene Elizabeth; he was deposed the first yeare of King Iames. This Sir William Dethick lieth buried in Pauls, neare vnto Sir Payne Roet, vnder a large marble-stone. Whereupon this Inscription fol∣lowing is engrauen.

Hic.....in Domino, Gulielmus Dethick Eques Auratus filius & heres Gilberti Dethick Equitis aurati. Qui ambo fuerunt Garterij Principales Re∣ges Armorum Anglicorum. Hic Anno 1584. aetat. 84. Ille anno 1612. etat. suae 70. in Domino obdormierunt.

And after his deposing Sir William Segar Knight (now liuing, Ann. 1631.) was created Garter: he hath written a learned booke called Honour Militarie and Ciuill.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Garter princi∣pall King of Armes.
• * 1.2

  In Arch. Turr. Lond.