Beside all these, we haue another bishoprike yet in England almost
slipped out of my remembrance, because it is verie obscure, for that
the bishop thereof hath not wherewith to mainteine his countenance
sufficientlie, and that is the see of Mona or Man, somtime named
Episcopatus Sodorensis, whereof one Wimundus was ordeined the first
bishop, and Iohn the second, in the troublesome time of king Stephan.
The gift of this prelacie resteth in the earles of Darbie, who
nominate such a one from time to time therto as to them dooth séeme
conuenient. Howbeit if that sée did know and might reape hir owne
commodities, and discerne them from other mens possessions (for it is
supposed that the mother hath deuoured the daughter) I doubt not but
the state of hir bishop would quicklie be amended. Hauing therefore
called this later sée after this maner vnto mind, I suppose that I
haue sufficientlie discharged my dutie concerning the state of our
bishoprike, and maner how the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of the
church of England is diuided among the shires and counties of this
realme. Whose bishops as they haue béene heretofore of lesse learning,
and yet of greater port & dooings in the common-wealth, than at this
present, so are they now for the most part the best learned that are
to be found in anie countrie of Europe, sith neither high parentage,
nor great riches (as in other countries) but onelie learning and
vertue, commended somewhat by fréendship, doo bring them to this
honour.
I might here haue spoken more at large of diuerse other bishopriks,
sometime in this part of the Iland, as of that of Caerlheon tofore
ouerthrowen by Edelfred in the behalfe of Augustine the moonke (as
Malmesburie saith) where Dubritius gouerned, which was afterward
translated to S. Dauids, and taken for an archbishoprike: secondlie of
the bishoprike of Leircester called Legerensis, whose fourth bishop
(Vnwon) went to Rome with Offa king of Mercia: thirdlie of Ramsbirie
[Sidenote: Gloucester's verie ancient bishoprike.]
or Wiltun, and of Glocester (of which you shall read in Matth. Westm.
489) where the bishop was called Eldad: also of Hagulstade, one of the
members whereinto the see of Yorke was diuided after the expulsion of
Wilfrid. For (as I read) when Egfrid the king had driuen him awaie, he
diuided his see into two parts, making Bosa ouer the Deiranes that
held his sée at Hagulstade, or Lindfarne: and Eatta ouer the
Bernicians, who sate at Yorke: and thereto placing Edhedus ouer
Lindseie (as is afore noted) whose successors were Ethelwine, Edgar,
and Kinibert, notwithstanding that one Sexulfus was ouer Lindseie
before Edhedus, who was bishop of the Mercians and middle England,
till he was banished from Lindseie, and came into those quarters to
séeke his refuge and succour.
I could likewise intreat of the bishops of Whiteherne, or Ad Candidam
Casam, an house with the countrie wherein it stood belonging to the
prouince of Northumberland, but now a parcell of Scotland; also of the
erection of the late sée at Westminster by Henrie the eight. But as
the one so the other is ceased, and the lands of this later either so
diuided or exchanged for worse tenures, that except a man should sée
it with his eies, & point out with his finger where euerie parcell of
them is bestowed, but a few men would beléeue what is become of the
same. I might likewise and with like ease also haue added the
successors of the bishops of euerie sée to this discourse of their
cathedrall churches and places of abode, but it would haue extended
this treatise to an vnprofitable length. Neuerthelesse I will remember
the fame of London my natiue citie, after I haue added one word more
of the house called Ad Candidam Casam, in English Whiteherne, which
taketh denomination of the white stone wherwith it was builded, and
was séene far off as standing vpon an hill to such as did behold it.
THE NAMES AND SUCCESSIONS OF SO MANIE ARCHBISHOPS AND BISHOPS OF
LONDON, AS ARE EXTANT, AND TO BE HAD, FROM THE FAITH FIRST RECEIUED.
_Archbishops._
Theon.
Eluanus.
Cadocus.
Ouinus.
Conanus.
Palladius.
Stephanus.
Iltutus.
Restitutus, who liued 350 of grace.
Tadwinus aliàs Theodwinus, some doo write
him Tacwinus & Tatwinus.
Tidredus aliàs Theodred.
Hilarius.
Fastidius liued Anno Dom. 430.
Vodinus, slaine by the Saxons.
Theonus.
_The see void manie yeares._
Augustine the moonke, sent ouer by Gregorie the great, till
he remooued his sée to Canturburie, to the intent he might
the sooner flée, if persecution should be raised by the
infidels, or heare from, or send more spéedilie vnto Rome,
without anie great feare of the interception of his letters.
_Bishops._
Melitus.
_The see void for a season._
Wina.
Erkenwaldus.
Waldherus.
Ingaldus.
Egulphus.
Wigotus.
Eadbricus.
Edgarus.
Kiniwalchus.
Eadbaldus.
Eadbertus.
Oswinus.
Ethelnothus.
Cedbertus.
Cernulphus.
Suiduiphus
Eadstanus.
Wulffinus.
Ethelwaldus.
Elstanus.
Brithelmus.
Dunstanus.
Tidricus.
Alwijnus.
Elswoldus.
Robertus a Norman.
Wilhelmus a Norman.
Hugo a Norman.
I read also of a bishop of London called Elsward, or Ailward, who was
abbat of Eouesham, and bishop of London at one time, and buried at
length in Ramseie, howbeit in what order of succession he liued I can
not tell, more than of diuerse other aboue remembred, but in this
order doo I find them.
_The see void twelue yeares._
1 Mauricius.
2 Richardus Beaumis.
3 Gilbertus vniuersalis a notable man for thrée things,
auarice, riches, and learning.
4 Robertus de Sigillo.
5 Richardus Beaumis.
6 Gilbertus Folioth.
7 Richardus.
8 Wilhelmus de sancta Maria.
9 Eustathius Falconberg.
10 Rogerus Niger.
11 Fulco Bascet.
12 Henricus Wingham.
Richardus Talbot electus.
15 Richard. Grauesend.
16 Radulfus Gandacensis.
17 Gilbertus Segraue.
18 Richardus de Newport.
19 Stephanus Grauesend.
20 Richard. Bintworth.
21 Radulfus Baldoc who made the tables
hanging in the vesterie of Paules.
22 Michael.
23 Simon.
24 Robertus.
25 Thomas.
26 Richardus.
27 Thomas Sauagius.
28 Wilhelmus.
29 Wilhelm. Warham.
30 Wihelmus Barnes.
31 Cuthbertus Tunstall.
32 Iohannes Stokesleie.
33 Richardus fitz Iames.
34 Edmundus Boner, remooued, imprisoned.
35 Nicholas Ridleie remooued and burned.
Edm. Boner, restored, remooued, & imprisoned.
36 Edmundus Grindall.
37 Edwinus Sandes.
38 Iohannes Elmer.
Hauing gotten and set downe thus much of the bishops, I will
deliuer in like sort the names of the deanes, vntill I come
to the time of mine old master now liuing in this present
yeare 1586, who is none of the least ornaments that haue
béene in that seat.
_Deanes._
1 Wulmannus, who made a distribution of the psalmes
conteined in the whole psalter, and appointed the
same dailie to be read amongst the prebendaries.
2 Radulfus de Diceto, whose noble historie
is yet extant in their librarie.
3 Alardus Bucham.
4 Robertus Watford.
5 Martinus Patteshull.
6 Hugo de Marinis.
7 Radulfus Langfort.
8 Galfridus de Berie.
9 Wilhelmus St[=a]man.
10 Henricus Cornell.
11 Walterus de Salerne.
12 Robertus Barton.
13 Petrus de Newport.
14 Richardus Talbot.
15 Galfredus de Fering.
16 Iohannes Chishull.
17 Herueus de Boreham.
18 Thomas Eglesthorpe.
19 Rogerus de Lalleie.
20 Wilhelmus de Montfort.
21 Radulfus de Baldoc postea episcopus.
22 Alanus de Cantilup postea cardinalis.
Iohan. Sandulfe electus.
Richardus de Newport electus.
23 Magister Vitalis.
24 Iohannes Euerisdon.
25 Wilhelmus Brewer.
26 Richardus Kilmingdon.
27 Thomas Trullocke.
28 Iohannes Appulbie.
29 Thomas Euer.
30 Thomas Stow.
31 Thomas More.
32 Reginaldus Kenton.
33 Thomas Lisieux aliàs Leseux.
34 Leonardus de Bath.
35 Wilhelmus Saie.
36 Rogerus Ratcliffe.
37 Thom. Winterburne.
38 Wilhelmus Wolseie.
39 Robert Sherebroke.
40 Ioh[=a]nes Collet, founder of Paules schoole.
Richardus Paceus.
Richardus Sampson.
Iohannes Incent.
Wilhelmus Maius resignauit.
Iohannes Fakenham aliàs Howman resignauit.
Henricus Colus, remooued, imprisoned.
Wilhelmus Maius, restored.
Alexander Nouellus.
And thus much of the archbishops, bishops, and deanes of that
honorable sée. I call it honorable, because it hath had a succession
for the most part of learned and wise men, albeit that otherwise it be
the most troublesome seat in England, not onelie for that it is néere
vnto checke, but also the prelats thereof are much troubled with
sutors, and no lesse subiect to the reproches of the common sort,
whose mouthes are alwaies wide open vnto reprehension, and eies readie
to espie anie thing that they may reprooue and carpe at. I would haue
doone so much for euerie see in England, if I had not had
consideration of the greatnesse of the volume, and small benefit
rising by the same, vnto the commoditie of the readers: neuerthelesse
I haue reserued them vnto the publication of my great chronologie, if
(while I liue) it happen to come abrode.
OF VNIUERSITIES.
CHAP. III.
[Sidenote: Manie vniuersities somtime in England.]
There haue béene heretofore, and at sundrie times, diuerse famous
vniuersities in this Iland, and those euen in my daies not altogither
forgotten, as one at Bangor, erected by Lucius, and afterward
conuerted into a monasterie, not by Congellus (as some write) but by
Pelagius the monke. The second at Carlheon vpon Vske, neere to the
place where the riuer dooth fall into the Seuerne, founded by king
Arthur. The third at Theodford, wherein were 600 students, in the time
of one Rond sometime king of that region. The fourth at Stanford,
suppressed by Augustine the monke, and likewise other in other places,
as Salisburie, Eridon or Criclade, Lachlade, Reading, and Northampton;
albeit that the two last rehearsed were not authorised, but onelie
arose to that name by the departure of the students from Oxford in
time of ciuill dissention vnto the said townes, where also they
continued but for a little season. When that of Salisburie began, I
can not tell; but that it flourished most vnder Henrie the third, and
Edward the first, I find good testimonie by the writers, as also by
the discord which fell 1278, betwéene the chancellor for the scholers
there on the one part, and William the archdeacon on the other,
whereof you shall sée more in the chronologie here following. In my
[Sidenote: Thrée vniuersities in England.]
time there are thrée noble vniuersities in England, to wit, one at
Oxford, the second at Cambridge, and the third in London; of which,
the first two are the most famous, I meane Cambridge and Oxford, for
that in them the vse of the toongs, philosophie, and the liberall
sciences, besides the profound studies of the ciuill law, physicke,
and theologie, are dailie taught and had: whereas in the later, the
laws of the realme are onelie read and learned, by such as giue their
minds vnto the knowledge of the same. In the first there are not
onelie diuerse goodlie houses builded foure square for the most part
of hard fréestone or bricke, with great numbers of lodgings and
chambers in the same for students, after a sumptuous sort, through the
excéeding liberalitie of kings, quéenes, bishops, noblemen and ladies
of the land: but also large liuings and great reuenues bestowed vpon
them (the like whereof is not to be séene in anie other region, as
Peter Martyr did oft affirme) to the maintenance onelie of such
conuenient numbers of poore mens sonnes as the seuerall stipends
bestowed vpon the said houses are able to support.
[Sidenote: When the vniuersities were builded vncerteine.]
When these two schooles should be first builded, & who were their
originall founders, as yet it is vncerteine: neuerthelesse, as there
is great likelihood that Cambridge was begun by one Cantaber a
Spaniard (as I haue noted in my chronologie) so Alfred is said to be
the first beginner of the vniuersitie at Oxford, albeit that I cannot
warrant the same to be so yong, sith I find by good authoritie, that
Iohn of Beuerleie studied in the vniuersitie hall at Oxford, which was
long before Alfred was either borne or gotten. Some are of the opinion
that Cantabrigia was not so called of Cantaber, but Cair Grant of the
finisher of the worke, or at the leastwise of the riuer that runneth
by the same, and afterward by the Saxons Grantcester. An other sort
affirme that the riuer is better written Canta than Granta, &c: but
whie then is not the towne called Canta, Cantium, or Cantodunum,
according to the same? All this is said onlie (as I thinke) to deface
the memorie of Cantaber, who comming from the Brigants, or out of
Biscaie, called the said towne after his owne and the name of the
region from whence he came. Neither hath it béene a rare thing for the
Spaniards heretofore to come first into Ireland, and from thense ouer
into England, sith the chronologie shall declare that it hath béene
often seene, and that out of Britaine, they haue gotten ouer also into
Scithia, and contrariwise: coasting still through Yorkeshire, which of
them also was called Brigantium, as by good testimonie appeareth.
[Sidenote: Oxford fiftie miles from London.]
Of these two, that of Oxford (which lieth west and by north from
London) standeth most pleasantlie, being inuironed in maner round
about with woods on the hilles aloft, and goodlie riuers in the
bottoms and vallies beneath, whose courses would bréed no small
commoditie to that citie and countrie about, if such impediments were
remooued as greatlie annoie the same, and hinder the cariage which
might be made thither also from London.
[Sidenote: Cambridge six and fortie miles from London.]
That of Cambridge is distant from London about fortie and six miles
north and by east, and standeth verie well, sauing that it is somewhat
néere vnto the fens, whereby the wholesomenesse of the aire there is
not a little corrupted. It is excellentlie well serued with all kinds
of prouision, but especiallie of freshwater fish and wildfoule, by
reason of the riuer that passeth thereby; and thereto the Ile of Elie,
which is so néere at hand. Onlie wood is the chéefe want to such as
studie there, wherefore this kind of prouision is brought them either
from Essex, and other places thereabouts, as is also their cole; or
otherwise the necessitie thereof is supplied with gall (a bastard kind
of Mirtus as I take it) and seacole, whereof they haue great plentie
led thither by the Grant. Moreouer it hath not such store of medow
ground as may suffice for the ordinarie expenses of the towne and
vniuersitie, wherefore the inhabitants are inforced in like sort to
prouide their haie from other villages about, which minister the same
vnto them in verie great aboundance.
[Sidenote: Longitude & latitude of both.]
Oxford is supposed to conteine in longitude eightéene degrees and
eight and twentie minuts, and in latitude one and fiftie degrées and
fiftie minuts; whereas that of Cambridge standing more northerlie,
hath twentie degrees and twentie minuts in longitude, and therevnto
fiftie and two degrées and fifteene minuts in latitude, as by exact
supputation is easie to be found.
The colleges of Oxford, for curious workemanship and priuat
commodities, are much more statelie, magnificent, & commodious than
those of Cambridge: and therevnto the stréets of the towne for the
most part more large and comelie. But for vniformitie of building,
[Sidenote: Cambridge burned not long since.]
orderlie compaction, and politike regiment, the towne of Cambridge, as
the newer workmanship, excéedeth that of Oxford (which otherwise is
and hath béene the greater of the two) by manie a fold (as I gesse)
although I know diuerse that are of the contrarie opinion. This also
is certeine, that whatsoeuer the difference be in building of the
towne stréets, the townesmen of both are glad when they may match and
annoie the students, by incroching vpon their liberties, and kéepe
them bare by extreame sale of their wares, whereby manie of them
become rich for a time, but afterward fall againe into pouertie,
bicause that goods euill gotten doo seldome long indure.
Castels also they haue both, and in my iudgement is hard to be said,
whether of them would be the stronger, if ech were accordinglie
repared: howbeit that of Cambridge is the higher, both for maner of
building and situation of ground, sith Oxford castell standeth low and
is not so apparant to our sight. That of Cambridge was builded (as
they saie) by Gurguintus, sometime king of Britaine, but the other by
the lord Robert de Oilie, a noble man which came in with the
conqueror, whose wife Editha, a woman giuen to no lesse superstition
than credulitie, began also the abbeie of Oseneie neere vnto the same,
vpon a fond (but yet a rare) occasion, which we will héere remember,
though it be beside my purpose, to the end that the reader may see how
readie the simple people of that time were to be abused by the
practise of the cleargie. It happened on a time as this ladie walked
about the fields, néere vnto the aforesaid castell, to recreate hir
selfe with certeine of hir maidens, that a number of pies sat
chattering vpon the elmes, which had beene planted in the hedgerowes,
and in fine so troubled hir with their noise, that she wished them all
further off, or else hir selfe at home againe, and this happened
diuerse times. In the end being wearie of hir walke, she demanded of
hir chapleine the cause wherefore these pies did so molest & vexe hir.
Oh madam (saith he) the wiliest pie of all, these are no pies but
soules in purgatorie that craue reléefe. And is it so in déed quoth
she? Now De pardieux, if old Robert will giue me leaue, I will doo
what I can to bring these soules to rest. Herevpon she consulted,
craued, wept, and became so importunate with hir husband, that he
ioined with hir, and they both began that synagog 1120, which
afterward prooued to be a notable den. In that church also lieth this
ladie buried with hir image, hauing an heart in hir hand couched vpon
the same, in the habit of a vowesse, and yet to be séene, except the
weather haue worne out the memoriall. But to procéed with my purpose.
In each of these vniuersities also is likewise a church dedicated to
the virgin Marie, wherein once in the yeare, to wit, in Iulie, the
scholers are holden, and in which such as haue béene called to anie
degrée in the yeare precedent, doo there receiue the accomplishment of
the same, in solemne and sumptuous maner. In Oxford this solemnitie is
called an Act, but in Cambridge they vse the French word Commensement;
and such resort is made yearelie vnto the same from all parts of the
land, by the fréends of those which doo procéed, that all the towne is
hardlie able to receiue and lodge those gests. When and by whome the
churches aforesaid were builded, I haue elsewhere made relation. That
of Oxford also was repared in the time of Edward the fourth, and
Henrie the seuenth, when doctor Fitz Iames a great helper in that
worke was warden of Merton college, but yer long after it was
finished, one tempest in a night so defaced the same, that it left few
pinacles standing about the church and stéeple, which since that time
haue neuer béene repared. There were sometime foure and twentie parish
churches in the towne and suburbes, but now there are scarselie
sixtéene. There haue béene also 1200 burgesses, of which 400 dwelled
in the suburbes, and so manie students were there in the time of
Henrie the third, that he allowed them twentie miles compasse about
the towne, for their prouision of vittels.
The common schooles of Cambridge also are farre more beautifull than
those of Oxford, onelie the diuinitie schoole at Oxford excepted,
which for fine and excellent workemanship, commeth next the moold of
the kings chappell in Cambridge, than the which two with the chappell
that king Henrie the seauenth did build at Westminster, there are not
(in mine opinion) made of lime & stone thrée more notable piles within
the compasse of Europe.
In all other things there is so great equalitie betwéene these two
vniuersities, as no man can imagin how to set downe any greater; so
that they séeme to be the bodie of one well ordered common wealth,
onlie diuided by distance of place, and not in fréendlie consent and
orders. In speaking therefore of the one, I can not but describe the
other; and in commendation of the first, I can not but extoll the
latter; and so much the rather, for that they are both so déere vnto
me, as that I can not readilie tell vnto whether of them I owe the
most good will. Would to God my knowledge were such, as that neither
of them might haue cause to be ashamed of their pupill; or my power so
great, that I might woorthilie requite them both for those manifold
kindnesses that I haue receiued of them. But to leaue these things,
and procéed with other more conuenient for my purpose. The manner to
liue in these vniuersities, is not as in some other of forren
countries we sée dailie to happen, where the students are inforced for
want of such houses, to dwell in common innes, and tauerns, without
all order or discipline. But in these our colleges we liue in such
exact order, and vnder so precise rules of gouernement, as that the
famous learned man Erasmus of Roterodame being here among vs 50 yeres
passed, did not let to compare the trades in liuing of students in
these two places, euen with the verie rules and orders of the ancient
moonks: affirming moreouer in flat words, our orders to be such as not
onlie came néere vnto, but rather far exceeded all the monastical
instituti[=o]s that euer were deuised.
In most of our colleges there are also great numbers of students, of
which manie are found by the reuenues of the houses, and other by the
purueiances and helpe of their rich fréends; whereby in some one
college you shall haue two hundred scholers, in others an hundred and
fiftie, in diuerse a hundred and fortie, and in the rest lesse
numbers; as the capacitie of the said houses is able to receiue: so
that at this present, of one sort and other, there are about thrée
thousand students nourished in them both (as by a late surueie it
manifestlie appeared.) They were erected by their founders at the
first, onelie for poore mens sons, whose parents were not able to
bring them vp vnto learning: but now they haue the least benefit of
them, by reason the rich doo so incroch vpon them. And so farre hath
this inconuenience spread it selfe, that it is in my time an hard
matter for a poore mans child to come by a felowship (though he be
neuer so good a scholar & woorthie of that roome.) Such packing also
is vsed at elections, that not he which best deserueth, but he that
hath most friends, though he be the woorst scholer, is alwaies surest
to spéed; which will turne in the end to the ouerthrow of learning.
That some gentlemen also, whose friends haue beene in times past
benefactors to certeine of those houses, doo intrude into the
disposition of their estates, without all respect of order or
estatutes deuised by the founders, onelie thereby to place whome they
thinke good (and not without some hope of gaine) the case is too too
euident: and their attempt would soone take place, if their superiors
did not prouide to bridle their indeuors. In some grammar schooles
likewise, which send scholers to these vniuersities, it is lamentable
to see what briberie is vsed; for yer the scholer can be preferred,
such bribage is made, that poore mens children are commonlie shut out,
and the richer sort receiued (who in time past thought it dishonor to
liue as it were vpon almes) and yet being placed, most of them studie
little other than histories, tables, dice, and trifles, as men that
make not the liuing by their studie the end of their purposes, which
is a lamentable hearing. Beside this, being for the most part either
gentlemen, or rich mens sonnes, they oft bring the vniuersities into
much slander. For standing vpon their reputation and libertie, they
ruffle and roist it out, excéeding in apparell, and hanting riotous
companie (which draweth them from their bookes vnto an other trade.)
And for excuse when they are charged with breach of all good order,
thinke it sufficient to saie, that they be gentlemen, which gréeueth
manie not a litle. But to proceed with the rest.
[Sidenote: Readers in priuat houses.]
Euerie one of these colleges haue in like maner their professors or
readers of the toongs and seuerall sciences, as they call them, which
dailie trade vp the youth there abiding priuatlie in their halles, to
the end they may be able afterward (when their turne commeth about,
which is after twelue termes) to shew themselues abroad, by going from
thence into the common schooles and publike disputations (as it were
"In aream") there to trie their skilles, and declare how they haue
profited since their comming thither.