A Tale of Tyranny and War
Below the pavement of the Priory Church many dead sleep. Four graves
only are marked by stones. One resting-place, supposed to be that of
the Lady Juga, the foundress of the Priory, is covered by a slab of
grey marble "coffin-fashioned, with a cross flory." Over three other
tombs are mutilated alabaster effigies, once "heedlessly thrown among
heaps of bricks and rubbish."
Begun, Dugdale and Morant say, in 1104, the Priory was more than a
century a-building. Indeed, it was as late as 1501 that "five bells
were blessed in Dunmow steeple." Only thirty-four years were to pass
before the Dissolution of the Monasteries. It is doubtful if the
Priory was even then finished. In fact, in the expenses of the
Priory for 1534 are payments to two men "for making of ix foote of
the stepull." (_See_ Appendix.)
We have seen how much now remains of the scene whereon the Prior and
his dozen Augustinian monks prayed and ruled on revenues drawn from
holdings of land in four counties.
The Lady Juga was sister to one Ralph Baynard who came over from
Normandy with William. Among the twenty-five Essex lordships which
his sovereign gave him were those of Great and Little Dunmow. When
the grandson of this Baynard fell out with Henry I, it was not long
before that energetic monarch had a Fitzwalter enjoying the
advantages of the lordships.
Fitzwalters followed one another for ten generations. The family is
notable for the "Sir Reginald Fitzwalter" of Harrison Ainsworth's
ballad. Tradition has long declared him to be old Dugdale's Lord
Robert who "re-edified the decayed Priory of Dunmow." He had the
generalship of that "Army of God and Holy Church" which wrung Magna
Charta from John in 1215, and was "the first champion of English
liberty."
This knight (says Newcourt) lived in all affluence of Riches and
Honour, 16y and ob. 1234, 19 Hen. III, and was buried before the High
Altar in this Priory Church near his said daughter, the Fair Matilda.
The battered and chopped effigy of the Fitzwalter now lying by the
side of his wife in the church is no longer said to be, however, but
rather the bearer of the name who died in 1432.
The remaining figure in the church may or may not represent the "Fair
Matilda." A stern archæologist has suggested, indeed, that it is the
effigy of the wife of the second of the Fitzwalters. But the
touching and beautiful expression of the alabaster face goes well
with what history and tradition tell us of the lovely Matilda, and
with the tale originally told in the _Dunmow Chronicle_.
Legend has made her the "Maid Marian" whom Friar Tuck united to Robin
Hood, and the story is set forth in a novel by the author of the
once-esteemed _Proverbial Philosophy_.
"Maid Marian" is, however, as Dr. Brewer points out, the boy in the
Morris dance, and is so called from the morion which he wore on his
head. ("A set of morrice dancers," says Temple, "danced a maid
marian.")
But the story of the pursuit of the beautiful daughter of Fitzwalter
by John has been thought to be well founded. Upon her father
resisting the King he was dispossessed of all his property. Other
barons took sides against the sovereign, and Newcourt writes that
Fitzwalter fled into France. John, having spoiled the castles of
those who resisted him,
sent a messenger to the fair Matilda now remaining here in Dunmow
about hie old suit in love, and because she would not agree to his
wicked motion, the messenger poison'd a boil'd or poch'd egg against
she was hungry and gave it to her, whereof she died, and was buried
here in the choir at Dunmow, between two pillars in the S. side
thereof.
Another story is that the King sent Matilda a pair of poisoned
gloves. (_See_ Appendix.)
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[Illustration: THE ANCIENT CHAIR AND THE "SHARP-POINTED STONES."]
THE ANCIENT CHAIR AND THE "SHARP-POINTED STONES."--Both are in the
Priory Church, the former within the altar rails, the latter just
outside.
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[Illustration: THE EFFIGIES IN THE PRIORY CHURCH.]
THE EFFIGIES IN THE PRIORY CHURCH.--Traditionally regarded as
representing the founder of the Flitch custom and his wife, and the
"Fair Matilda" poisoned by King John. There is no doubt that the
knight is one of the Fitzwalters, and that the female figure lying by
itself represents a member of the same house. An interment in 1627
recorded in the Register of the Church is described as "next to the
tomb of Matilda."
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Then the King of France (Newcourt goes on) also began to waste his
(King John's) dominions, but a day of reconciliation being appointed
between the two Kings, King John passed over into France, and the two
Armies were parted by an arm of the sea.
Then an English knight went out and challenged any to break a spear
for his mistress's sake. Robert Fitzwalter came over, and,
encountering with his great Lance, overthrew both the Knight and the
Horse, and so returned to the King of France.
Then said King John, by God's Troth, he were a King indeed who had
such a Knight in his Retinue. His friends, hearing this, knelt
before the King and said, Sir, he is your Own Knight, and ready at
your command, Robert Fitzwalter. The next day he restored to him his
Barony with all appurtenances, and the two Kings were reconciled by
the interposition of Robert, and all the banished persons were
recalled, with leave to rebuild their castles.
"The death of Robin Hood with the lamentable Tragedie of Chaste
Matilda, his faire Maid Marian poisoned at Dunmowe by King John,"
printed in 1601, is one of two plays on the subject, and is reprinted
by Hazlitt. Michael Drayton wrote poetical accounts of the story,
and in 1639 Robert Davenport produced a third play, "King John and
Matilda."