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.

A TABLE OF THE DISCOVRSE summed into certaine Chapters or Heads, bea∣ring these following Contents

The first Chapter, Fol. 1.

DIscusses and treates of Monuments in generall.

Chap. 2. fol. 5.

Of Funerall Monuments, Graues, Tombes, or Sepulchers▪ of the an∣cient custome of Burials: of Epitaphs and other Funerall Honours.

Chap. 3. fol. 10.

Of Sepulchers answerable to the degree of the person deceased. The diuers manner of bearing man and woman to the graue. When both sexes began to be borne alike.

Chap. 4. fol. 12.

Of the excessiue expences bestowed vpon Funerals in former times.

Chap. 5. fol. 18.

The reasons wherefore so many haue made their own Sepulchers or Tombes, in their life time. Of the care that all or most of all men, haue of decent buriall. The burying of the dead, a worke acceptable vnto God. A Funerall Hymne of Aurelius Prudentius to the like purpose.

Chap. 6. fol. 29.

Of the care and cost anciently vsed in the preseruing whole and entire, the bodies of the dead. Strange waies, customes and fashions of buriall.

Chap. 7. fol. 32.

Of Cenotaphs Honorarie, and Religious: of the reuerence attributed to these emptie Monuments.

Chap. 8. fol. 37.

Of the sanctitie ascribed sometimes to ancient Funerall Monuments, and of the ardent desire most men haue and euer had to visite the Tombes and Se∣pulchres of eminent and worthy persons.

Chap. 9. fol. 42.

Of the punishments both by humane lawes, and Gods seuere iustice, inflicted vpon such malefactors in foregoing ages; who violated Sepulchers. Of Church-Robbers.

Chap. 10. fol. 50.

Of the rooting vp, taking away, erazing and defacing of Funerall Monu∣ments in the seuerall raignes of K. Henry the eight, and Edward the sixt. Of the care Queene Elizabeth, of famous memory, had for the preseruati∣on of the same, Her proclamation in the second yeare of her raigne against breaking or defacing of Monuments of Antiquity, being set vp in Churches,

Chap. 11. fol. 57.

The conuersion of this our Nation from Paganisine to Christianitie, inclu∣ding generally the Foundations of Religious Structures in the same. The pie∣ty in the primitiue times, both of Religious and Lay persons.

Chap. 12. fol. 66.

Of the fall or backsliding, as well of Religious Votaries, as of Lay people from the foresaid zealous ardour of pietie.

Chap. 13. fol. 78

Of the abrogation, abolition and extinguishment of the Popes supreame and exorbitant authoritie within the King of Englands dominions.

Chap. 14. fol. 89.

The policie vsed by Henry the eight, and his Councell in the expelling of the Popes foresaid authoritie out of his dominions.

Chap. 15. fol. 104.

The policie vsed by the King and his Councell for the dissolution and extir∣pation of Religious foundations, and religious orders within this Realme of England and Wales, the reformation of religion, of Inscriptions in Churches; the Kings warrant for the surrender of Religious Houses: an information to Queene Elizabeth, of the seuerall abuses done vnto the state generall and Crowne, by the corruption of such as were imployed by her Father vpon the suppression of Abbeyes.

Chap. 16. fol. 127.

The time of the institution of Religious Orders, their seuerall Names and Authors, and the infinite increase of their Fraternities and Sisterhoods.

Chap. 17. fol. 157.

Of the sundry wayes and meanes by which Religious Votaries, and others of the Clergie enriched themselues and other Churches: of Pardons, Pilgrima∣ges, and Romescot.

Chap. 18. fol. 176.

Of Parishes, Bishoprickes, Sanctuaries, and of the Ecclesiasticall estate of England and Wales.