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.

Of the Diocesse of London, the Battels therein fought, and of the Burialls of the Dead slaine in those terrible conflicts.

NOw as I haue before spoken somewhat of the Bishoprickes of Cant. and Rochester, so let me here speake a little of this Diocesse of Lon∣don, which extendeth so farre in circuit, as the Site of the East or Middle Saxons kingdome anciently comprised; which was bounded on the East with the Ocean; on the South with the Thames, on the West with the Colne, and on the North with the Riuer Stowre; within the limits where∣of, Midlesex, Essex, and a part of Hertfordshire are contained. The glory of which Diocesse is principally Midlesex, in regard of the far-famed City of London, the Metropolis of England (of which I haue spoken before) and the chiefe seat of her sacred Bishops: as also in regard of the Riuer of Thames, the king of all our Riuers. Of whom, and of the rare prospects he views in his passage betweene Windsore and London Bridge, a late Poet thus versifies.

* 1.1But now this mighty Flood, vpon his voiage prest (That found how with his strength, his beauties still increast, From where, braue Windsore stood on tiptoe to behold The faire and goodly Thames, so farre as ere he could, With kingly houses crownd, of more then earthly pride, Vpon his either Bankes as he along doth glide) With wonderfull delight, doth his long course pursue, Where Otlands, Hampton Court, and Richmond he doth view. Then Westminster the next great Tames doth entertaine, That vaunts her Pallace large, and her most sumptuous Fane: The Lands tribunall seate that challengeth for hers, The crowning of our kings, their famous Sepulchres. Then goes he on along by that more beautious Strand, Expressing both the wealth and brauery of the Land. (So many sumptuous Bowres, within so little space The All-beholding Sunne scarse sees in all his race) And on by London leads, which like a Crescent lies, * 1.2Whose windowes seeme to mocke the Star-befreckled skies. Besides her rising Spyres, so thicke themselues that show, As doe the bristling reedes, within her bankes that grow. There sees his crouded Wharfes, and people-pestred shores, * 1.3His bosome ouerspread with shoales of labouring ores: With that most costly Bridge, that doth him most renowne, By which he cleerely puts all other Riuers downe.

* 1.4Midlesex (saith Camden) is for aire passing temperate, and for soile fer∣tile, with sumptuous houses, and prety Townes on all sides pleasantly beau∣tified: and euery where offereth to the view many things memorable: Whereupon a Germane Poet thus versified.

Tot campos, syluas, tot regia tecta, tot hortos Artifici dextrâ excultos, tot vidimus arces, Vt nunc Ansonio Tamisis cum Tibride certet. So many fields, and pleasant woods, so many Princely Bowres, And Pallaces we saw besides, so many stately towres, So many Gardens trimly drest by curious hand which are, That now with Romane Tiberis, the Tames may well compare.

This County is comprised within short bounds, being in length, where it is the longest, not passing twenty miles, and in the narrowest place not passing twelue miles.

The length thereof (saith Speed) extended from Stratford in the East,* 1.5 to Morehall vpon Colne in the West, is by measure nineteene English miles; and from South Mims in the North to his Maiesties Mannour of Hamp∣ton Court in the South, are little aboue sixteene miles: the whole circum∣ference extending to ninety.

In forme it is almost square, for aire passing temperate, for soile abun∣dantly fertile; and for pasturage and graine of all kindes, yeelding the best, so that the wheat of this County hath serued a long time for the Manchet to our Princes table.

It lieth seated in a vale, most wholsome and rich, hauing some hills also, and them of good ascent; from whose tops the prospect of the whole is seene like vnto Zoar in Egypt,* 1.6 or rather like a Paradise and Garden of God.

Fiue Princely houses inheritable to the English Crowne, are seated in this Shire, which are, Enfield, Hanworth, Whitehall, S Iames, and Ham∣pton Court,* 1.7 a City rather in shew, then the Pallace of a Prince: and for stately port and gorgeous building not inferiour to any in Europe.

A worke of admirable magnificence (saith Camden) built out of the ground by Thomas Wolsey Cardinall,* 1.8 in ostentation of his riches, when for very pride, being otherwise a most prudent man, he was not able to manage his minde. But it was made an Honor, enlarged and finished by king Hen∣ry the eight so amply, as it containeth within it fiue seuerall inner Courts, passing large, enuironed with very faire buildings wrought right curiously, and goodly to behold. Of which Leyland writeth thus.

Est locus insolito rerum splendore superbus, Alluiturque vaga Tamisini fluminis vnda, Nomine ab antiquo iam tempore dictus Avona. Hic Rex Henricus taleis Octauius aedes Erexit, qualeis toto Sol aureus orbe Non vidit. A stately place for rare and glorious shew, There is which Tames with wandring streame doth dowsse; Times past, by name of Avon men it knew: Heere Henry th'Eight of that name built an house So sumptuous, as that on such an one (Seeke through the world) the bright Sunne neuer shone.

And another in the Nuptiall Poeme of Tame and Isis.

Alluit Hamptonum celebrem quae laxior vrbis Mentitur formam spacijs, hanc condidit Aulam Purpureus pater ille grauis, grauis ille Sacerdos Wolsaeus, fortuna sauos cui felle repletos Obtulit heu tandem fortunae dona dolores.

He runs by Hampton, which, for spatious seat Seemes Citie-like: Of this faire courtly Hall First founder was a Priest and Prelate great Wolsey, that graue and glorious Cardinall. Fortune on him had pour'd her gifts full fast, But Fortunes Blisse, Alas, prou'd Bale at last.

* 1.9The ancient Inhabitants of Middlesex, as also of Essex, were called by Caesar, the Trinobantes, whom hee nameth to be the most puissant in the Land, with whom he and his armie had many bloudie bickerings nere and vpon the bankes of the riuer of Tames,* 1.10 wherein many were slaine on ei∣ther side, which lie interred in the fields twixt Shepperton and Stanes.

* 1.11Some affirme Stanes (saith Norden) to be so called of the Stakes, called Goway Stakes, which were fixed in the Thames by the Britons, to preuent Iulius Caesar of passing his armie through the riuer.* 1.12 Of which, and of the conflicts and skirmishes betwixt the Britaines and Romanes, thus venera∣ble Bede writes.

Caesars Horsemen at the first encounter, were ouerthrowne of the Bri∣taines, and Labienus one of his Colonels slaine. At the second encounter, with great losse of his Army, he put the Britaines to flight. From thence he went vnto the riuer of Tames, which men say cannot bee waded ouer, but in one place: where on the farther side, a great number of the Britaines warded the bankes, vnder Cassibelan their Captaine, who had stucke the bottome of the riuer, and the bankes also thicke of great stakes, whereof certaine remnants vnto this day are to be seene, of Piles, of the bignesse of a mans thigh, couered with lead, sticking fast in the bottome of the riuer; which when the Romanes had espied, and escaped, the Britaines, not able to withstand the violence of the Roman Legions, hid themselues in the woods, out of the which they often breaking forth, greatly endamaged the Army of the Romanes.

* 1.13In and about Brainford or Brentford, the bodies of many a warlike Commander and expert Souldier lie inhumed, which were slaine in that fierce and terrible battaile, betwixt Edmund Ironside, and the Danes, which he had driuen from the siege of London; at a place now called Turn∣ham Greene, thereunto adioyning; in which battaile he gaue the Danes a bloudy ouerthrow, losing few of his armie, saue such as were drowned in the riner of Tames as they passed ouer.

In the yeare, 7141. and the day being the Paschall, whereon Christ rose from death, (which with due reuerence is celebrated in all the Christian world) vpon Gladmore heath, halfe a mile from Barnet, was foughten a

most fierce and cruell Battaile, betwixt King Edward the fourth, and Ri∣chard Neuill the great Earle of Warwicke, (the Mars and Make-King of England) contending to reestablish that holy, and yet vnfortunate, King Henry the sixt in his regall authoritie.

In this battaile vpon King Edwards part were slaine,* 1.14 Humfrey Bourchier Lord Cromwell, Henry Bourchier, sonne and heire to the Lord Barners, both buried at Westminster. In the quarrell of King Henry, were slaine the foresaid Richard Neuill Earle of Warwicke, and Iohn Neuill, Marquesse Montacute his brother, both buried at Bisham Abbey in Barkeshire; the bo∣dies of many others of the Nobilitie and Gentrie, on both parties which perished in this vnnaturall conflict, had Christian buriall in the Frier Au∣gustines Church London. The common Souldiers, as also many Comman∣ders, were buried vpon the same Plaine where the foresaid battaile was strucken: to whose memory a Chappell was built vpon the said Plaine, and a Priest appointed to say Masse for their soules, as the doctrine went in those daies.

Vpon both sides of common Souldiers, there died that holy Easter day, as then the 14. of Aprill, saith Ed. Hall, ten thousand: foure thousand, saith Io. Stow, and Rob. Fabian saith, (farre lesse) fifteene hundred, so vncer∣taine, as I haue said before, is the number of the dead slaine in battaile.

Howsoeuer a part onely of Hertfordshire is comprised within this Dio∣cesse, yet giue me leaue to say somewhat in this place,* 1.15 of the whole Coun∣ty: A rich Countrie (saith Clarencieux) in corne Fields, Pastures, Me∣dowes, Woods, Groues, and cleere riuerets. And for ancient townes it may contend with the neighbours, euen for the best. For, there is scarcely another in all England that can shew more good townes in so small a com∣passe; the whole circumference of the Shire being but about an hundred and thirtie miles.

In this County, and in the towne of S. Albans, two mortall and bloudy battels of Englands ciuill dissentions,* 1.16 haue beene fought. The first where∣of chanced the 24. of May, Anno 1455. by Richard, Duke of Yorke, with his associates, the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury, and Lords of Faw∣conbridge, and Cobham, against King Henry the sixt. In whose defence, Edmund, Duke of Somerset, Henry, Earle of Northumberland, and Iohn, Lord Clifford, with fiue thousand more, lost their liues, the King himselfe was wounded in the necke with an arrow, the Duke of Buckingham, and Lord Sudley, in their faces; Humfrey Earle Stafford in his right hand, and the Earle Dorset almost slaine. On the Dukes part, onely sixe hundred were slaine. Of which battell, and of the timerous flight of the Souldiers on the Kings partie, the learned Abbot of Saint Albans, Iohn Wheathamstead, who liued in those daies, writes thus.

Marcia splendiferum regerent cum sydera celum,* 1.17 Aspicerentque feros toruis aspectibus Angl••s, Albani Villam tranquilla pace vigentem Fedarunt multo violenter sanguine fuso. Rex aderat presens secumque cohors satis ingent De Dominis Regni: contrarius hijs Eboraci

Dux que duo comites Warwici et Sarsburiensis Venerunt, media fit grandis pugna platea. In qua corruerant qui nobilitate vigebant De patria Boree comes insignis Dominusque. Corruit ac ipse qui belli causa fuisse Fertur, Dux magnus de Somercethe vocitatus: Ac alij plures, satis asperasors fuit ipsis. Multi fugerunt, aliter se non properarunt Quin faciunt trepide visum fugiendo Columbe. Insultum ve Canis, Damus, Lepus ac fera queuis Dum fugiunt nemora pecierunt siue Frutecta; In quibus vt pueri virgam metuendo magistri Se pudet id ferre vecorditer occoluere. Qui fuerant nostra proprius penetralia tecta Ad nos fugerunt sub Stallis et latuerunt, Aut infra latebras; timor ingens duxerat ipsos. Sic imbecillis tergum dedit hostibus hostis; Non sine dedecore, nec nominis absque rubore. Mors est non vita sub turpi viuere fama. Et patet in paucis sors belli que fuit huius, Qualis & euentus Domini Ducis et comitatus: Ter deno trino Domini Regis fuit anno Henrici sexti, facies hec obuia celi, In Maio mense bis dena bis quoque luce.

M. semel. x quino, C quater fuit, I quoque quino, In Maio mense bis dena bis quoque luce. Hic strages procerum conflatus & hic populorum.

* 1.18The second battell fought in this towne of Saint Albans, was by Queene Margaret, against the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke, the Earles of Warwicke and Arundell, that by force kept with them, the King her hus∣band, with whom by constraint he held, and on their side fought vntill the field was lost, and Lords fled, when with great ioy he was receiued by his Queene, and yong sonne Prince Edward. This battell sell the 17. of February▪ being Shrouesunday.

Of this towne, and of these two battels, thus Camden writes in a more succinct and serious stile.

* 1.19As Antiquity consecrated this place (saith he) to be an Altar of Religi∣on: so Mars also may seeme to haue destined it for the very plot of bloudy battaile For, to let other particulars goe by, when England vnder the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke, bereft, as it were, of vitall breath, was rea∣dy through a ciuill warre to sinke downe and fall in a swoune: the chiefe Captaines on both sides ioyned battaile twise with reciprocall varietie of fortune in the very towne. First, Richard Duke of Yorke gaue the Lan∣castrians here a sore ouerthrow, tooke King Henry the sixt captiue, and slew many honourable personages. Foure yeares after, the Lancastrians vn∣der the conduct of Queene Margaret, wonne here the field, put the house

of Yorke to flight, and restored the King to his former liberty.

The bodies of such of the Nobility,* 1.20 and others of eminent ranke and qualitie which lost their liues in these mortall contentions, were buried in the Abbey Church, (as I haue partly touched before) in Saint Peters, and in other religious Structures, accordingly as they were befriended; the common Souldiers were buried in Church-yards, and vpon a little greene at the Townes end, called No mans land, which lies betwixt the two waies (as I take it) leading to Luton, and Sandridge.

Nere vnto the roade high way (saith Camden in this tract) betweene Stenenhaugh and Knebworth (the seat of the worshipfull house of the Lit∣tons,* 1.21 descended from Litton in Darbishire) I saw certaine round hils cast vp by mans hands, such as the old Romans were wont to reare for Souldi••ers slaine in the wars, of which the Captaine himselfe laid the first turse: and now for Essex.

Essex is a country large in compasse,* 1.22 (the circumference thereof being one hundred forty sixe miles) fruitfull of woods, plentifull of Saffron, and very wealthy.

A late writer hauing reckoned vp the commodities which this County doth affoard,* 1.23 concludes on this manner.

If you esteeme not these, as things aboue the ground, Looke vnder,* 1.24 where the Vrnes of ancient times are found: The Roman Emp••rours Coynes, oft digd out of the dust, And warlike weapons, now consum'd with cankring rust, And huge and massy bones of mighty fearefull men, To tell the worlds full strength, what creatures liued then, When in her height of youth, the lustie fruitfull earth Brought forth her big-lim'd brood, euen Gyants in their birth.

Neere to Showbery,* 1.25 in Rochford Hundred, are certaine hils, in which the bodies of the Danes there discomfited, and slaine in the raigne of Ed∣mund Ironside, lie buried in Essex.

What way (saith Camden in Essex) this country looketh toward Cam∣bridgeshire, Barklow sheweth itselfe, well knowne now, by reason of foure little hils or Burries cast vp by mans hand: such as in old time were wont to be raised,* 1.26 as Tombes for Souldiers slaine, whose reliques were not easie to be found. But when a fifth and sixth of them were not long since digged downe,* 1.27 three troughes of stone were found, and in them, broken bones of men, as I was informed. The country people say, that they were reared after a field there fought against the Danes, for, Dane wort, which with bloud-red berries, commeth vp here plenteously, they still call by no other name, then Danes-bloud, of the number of Danes that there were slaine, verily beleeuing that it bloometh from their bloud.

The parish Church of Ashdown, or Assandun, giues buriall to the slaughtered bodies of many braue English Souldiers:* 1.28 for Edmund, sirna∣med Ironside, King of England, hauing fought sixe battels with the Danes, within the compasse of one yeare, in which at the beginning hee had the better, putting them euer to rout, plaied here in this place his last prize,

where he was so defeyted (by the meanes of false Edrick his counsell) that he lost the flower of the English Nobilitie. In memoriall of which Battell, king Canutus the Danish Conquerour built this Church at such time, when as vpon remorse and repentance for the bloud which he had shed, he erected Chappels in what part soeuer he had foughten any field, and shed Christian bloud. Of which my old Rimer Robert of Glocester.

Knute moche louyd Eng••ysshmen, and the loud thertoo, And holy Chyrche susteyned as hym ought to doo. And restoryd Abbeyes stroyed that wer befor And Chyrches lette arere that allwer * 1.29 forlor And Chyrches now he lette arere in * 1.30 stedests most thar Where he had Battayles doo, and men yslaw ar As vpon Asshedonne and about ther Al for the * 1.31 soulygs of hem that sleyne ther were.

Certaine small hillocks are remayning neare to this Church at this day, out of which haue beene digged the bones of men; Armour, and the water chaines of horse bridles; as the Inhabitants told me.

Claudius the Emperour (saith S Danyel) had the honour of taking the whole Isle of Britaine to the Romane Empire,* 1.32 which though thus wonne, was not, till a long time after, ouercome. For now the Britaines (vnder∣standing the misery of their dissociation: how their submission brought but the more oppression) colleague themselues against the Romanes, taking their occasion vpon the outrages, committed on the person and state of Queene Vaodicia, or Boudicea, widow of Prasutagus king of the Icenians, (the Inhabitants of Norfolke, Suffolke, Cambridge, and Huntingtonshires) a great and rich Prince, who (at his death) had left Nero his heire, and two daughters, hoping thereby to free his house from iniuries. But it fell out contrary; for, no sooner was he dead, but his kingdome was spoiled by the Cen••urions, his house ransackt by slaues, his wife beaten, and his daughters rauished. Besides the chiefe men of the Icenians (as if all the region had beene giuen in prey) were rest of their goods, and the kings kinsmen estee∣med as captiues: with which contumely, and feare of greater mischiefe, they conspire with the Trinobants (the Inhabitants of Midlesex and Essex) and others (not yet inured to seruitude) to resume their liberty. And first set vpon the Garrisons of the Veteran Souldiers (whom they most hated) defeited the ninth Legion, whereof they slew all the foote, forced Cercalis the Legat, and leader to flight, and put to the sword seuenty thousand Ro∣manes and associates, inhabiting this municipall Towne Comolodunum, now Maldon, as also London and Verulam; before Suetonius the Gouer∣nour of the Prouince could assemble the rest of the dispersed forces, to make head against their armie, conducted by Vaodicia, who, (with her two daugh∣ter▪ brought into the field to moue compassion and reuenge) incites them to that noble and manly worke of liberty. Which to recouer, she protests to hold her selfe there but as one of the vulgar (without weighing her great honour and birth) resolued to winne, or dye. Many of their wiues were likewise there to be spectatours and incouragers of their husbands valour.

But in the end Suetonius got the victory with the slaughter of fourescore thousand Britaines: of the Romanes onely foure hundred were slaine, and not many moe hurt, saith Tacitus, lib. Annal. 14. ca. 11.

Vaodicia seeing the ouerthrow of her Army, was notwithstanding vnuan∣quished in her owne Noble Spirit, and scorning to be a spectacle in their Triumphs, or a vassall to their wills, after the example of Cleopatra, she made an end of her miseries and life by poyson: She was affoarded hono∣rable buriall, and so were the rest of her vanquished Armie there slaine ac∣cording to their qualitie, neare vnto the places where the battell was strucken.

Notes

• * 1.1

  M. Drayton, Pol. 17. Song.
• * 1.2

  London lying like a halfe moone.
• * 1.3

  London Bridge the Crowne of Tames.
• * 1.4

  Camd. in Mid.
• * 1.5

  Speed of Mi••.
• * 1.6

  Gen 14.10.
• * 1.7

  Hampton Court.
• * 1.8

  Camd in Mid.
• * 1.9

  C••sar. Comm••nt. lib. 5.
• * 1.10

  Burials neere Stanes.
• * 1.11

  Spec. Brit.
• * 1.12

  Lib. 1. cap. 2.
• * 1.13

  Burials neere Brainford.
• * 1.14

  Burials of the dead slaine at Barnet field.
• * 1.15

  Camd. in Hert.
• * 1.16

  The first battel of S. Albans.
• * 1.17

  Mss In bib. Co••
• * 1.18

  The second battell of S. Albans.
• * 1.19

  Camd. in Hert.
• * 1.20

  Burials of the dead slaine in the battels at S. Albans.
• * 1.21

  Burials of the dead betwixt Stenenhaugh, and Kneb∣worth.
• * 1.22

  Camd. in Essex.
• * 1.23

  M. Drayton. Song 19.
• * 1.24

  Roman burials, and the bones of Gyant-like found in Essex.
• * 1.25

  Burials neere Showbery.
• * 1.26

  Burials neere Barklow.
• * 1.27

  Ancient Tombes.
• * 1.28

  Danes-bloud. Burials of the dead, in, and a∣bout Ashdown
• * 1.29

  ••••••inous
• * 1.30

  places
• * 1.31

  soules.
• * 1.32

  Battels and burialls of the dead, •••• and about ••he an∣cient Ba••hg of Maldon.