In a niche in the vestry of St. Gregory's Church, Sudbury, Suffolk, is
preserved the skull of the murdered archbishop: beneath the niche is
placed the following inscription, which appears to me worthy of a place
in your pages:--
"The head of Simon Theobald, who was born at Sudbury, and thence
called Simon of Sudbury; he was sent when but a youth into foreign
parts to study the civil law, whereof he was made doctor: he
visited most of the universities of France, was made chaplain to
Pope Innocent, and auditor rotæ, or judge of the Roman court. By
the interest of this Pope he was made Chancellor of Salisbury. In
the year 1361, he was consecrated Bishop of London; and in the
year 1375 was translated to the see of Canterbury, and made
Chancellor of England. While he was Bishop of London he built the
upper part of St. Gregory's in Sudbury; and where his father's
house stood he erected a college of secular priests, and endowed
it with the yearly revenue of one hundred and twenty-two pounds
eighteen shillings, and was at length barbarously beheaded upon
Tower Hill, in London, by the rabble in Wat Tyler's Rebellion, in
the reign of Richard II. 1382."
This inscription is written in an old hand on a piece of parchment. On
turning to Stow's _Annales_ for an account of these transactions, I find
a very interesting relation of the circumstances above mentioned. I
trust to be excused if I add a few brief extracts. King Richard had
ordered the Tower gates to be opened to the rebels, though--
"There was the same time in the Tower 600 warlike men, furnished
with armour and weapon, expert men in armes, and 600 archers, all
which did quaile in stomacke."
Stow's _Annales_ (edit. 1601, 4to.), p. 457.
The rebels having entered, conducted themselves with unbridled license,
and "with terrible noyse and fury" laid hands on the archbishop, "drew
him out of the chappell," and proceeded at once to put him to death:
"He, kneeling downe, offered his necke to him that should strike
it off; being stricken in the necke, but not deadly, he putting
his hande to his necke, said thus, _a ha_, it is the hand of God:
he had not removed his hand from the place where the payne was,
but that being sodainly stricken, his fingers ends being cut off,
and part of the arteries, he fell downe; but yet he died not, till
being mangled with eight strokes in the necke, and in the heade,
he fulfilled most worthy martyrdome."
Stow's _Annales_, p. 458.
Thus "barbarously" was the prelate murdered; the rebels then took his
head, fastened it "on a pole, and set it on London bridge, in place
where-before stood the head of Sir _John_ Minstarworth." (_Ibid._) Stow
proceeds to relate some more particulars relative to the archbishop's
history, stating that "he builded the upper end," that is, I conceive,
the chancel "of _St. Gregorie's_ Church at Sudbury;" and concludes his
account by saying:
"He was slaine as ye haue heard, and afterwards buried in the
Cathedral Church of Canterbury."
_Ibid._
Now Godwin, in his valuable work _De Presulibus_, states, that his body
was buried under the high altar of St. Dunstan's, Canterbury. But in
Winkle's _Cathedrals_ (London, 1836), vol. i. p. 38., we find Stow's
account corroborated; for--
"The monument of Archbishop Sudbury, who was beheaded in 1381
[1382], is in the northern aisle, nearly parallel with the altar;
it bears no effigy, but is surmounted by a sumptuous canopy of
very elegant architectural design, but now much mutilated."
Of course, the fact that his monument is in the cathedral, does not
_prove_ that his body was buried there. I shall be glad to learn from
any of your correspondents, what evidence there is for Godwin's
assertion. Gostling, in his _Walk in and about the City of Canterbury_
(5th edit. Cant. 1804), though he mentions the prelate's benefactions to
the cathedral (pp. 12. 79.), and his tomb (p. 220.), does not state his
place of sepulture. At p. 60., however (note [++]), in a brief notice of
St. Dunstan's Church, he says:
"In a vault under the family chancel of Roper _here_ is kept a
skull, said to be that of the great Sir Thomas More; it is in a
niche of the wall, secured with an iron grate, though some say his
favourite daughter, Margaret Roper, who lies here, desired to be
buried with it in her arms. The vault being full, was closed up
not many years since."
This curious coincidence is at least worth noting.
I trust that the interest necessarily attaching to any remains of so
celebrated an historical personage, will prove a sufficient apology to
your readers for the length of this note.