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.

Cnobersburg or Burgh Castell.

Which as Camden saith out of venerable Bede, was a most pleasant Ca∣stle, by reason of the woods and sea together, wherein a Monastery was built by Furseus a holy Scot;* 1.1 by whose perswasions Sigebert king of the East Angles became a Monke, and resigned vp his kingdome: who after∣wards being drawne against his will out of this Monastery, to encourage his people in battell against the Mercians, together with his company, lost his life. In that place now there are onely ruinous walls, in forme as it were foure square, built of flint stone and British bricke. But the story of the Foundation of this Abbey will best appeare in the life of Furseus, written by Bede, and followed by Capgraue. Bede lib 3. cap. 19. Capgraue lit. F. fo∣lio 153 as followeth.

In the time that Sigebert yet gouerned the East parts of England, a holy

man,* 1.2 called Furseus, came thither out of Ireland, a man notable both for his sayings and doings, of great vertue, and much desiring to wander and trauell in Gods quarrell, wheresoever occasion serued. Comming there∣fore to the east coasts of England, hee was reuerently receiued of the said King, where pursuing his godly desire of Preaching the word of God, hee both conuerted many Infidels, and confirmed the faithfull in the faith and loue of Christ, by his painefull Preaching, and vertuous examples. Where falling into sicknesses, hee had from God a vision by the ministery of An∣gels, wherein he was warned to goe forward cheerefully in his painefull Preaching of the Gospell, and to perseuere in his accustomed watching and praying, because his end and death was certaine, though the houre thereof was most vncertaine, according to the saying of our Lord. Watch therefore, ye know not the day nor the houre. With this vision being much confirmed and encouraged, he hastened with all speed to build vp the Mo∣nasterie in the place king Sigebert had giuen vnto him, and to instruct it with regular discipline. This Monastery was pleasantly situated for the Woods and Sea adioyning, being erected in the village of Gnobersburg, and enriched afterwards by Anna, King of that prouince, and many other Noble men, with sundry faire houses, and other ornaments. This Mona∣stery was founded about the yeare of our Lord, 636. and demolished long before the violent deluge of such buildings, which happened in the raigne of King Henry the eight.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sigebert king of the East-Angles a Monke. His death.
• * 1.2

  The f••unda••••••on of the M••∣nasterie of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.