abroad, at Church, in State, and he had few equals, none superiours. He dyed anno Dom. 1378.

WILLIAM, sixth son of King Edward the Third and Queen Philippa, was born at Windsor. Indeed his second Son, born at Hatfield, was of the same name, who dyed in his infancy, and his Mother had a fond affection for another William, because her Father's, Brother's, and a Conquering name, till his short life also, dying in his cradle, weaned her from renewing her desire. As for King Edward's female children, Isabel, Joan, Blanch, Mary, and Margaret, there is much probability of their French, and no assurance of their English nativity.

HENRY the Sixth, son to Henry the Fifth, was born in Windsor-Castle, against the will of his Father, by the wilfullness of his Mother. He was fitter for a coul than a crown; of so easie a nature, that he might well have exchanged a pound of patience for an ounce of valour; being so innocent to others, that he was hurtful to himself. He was both oversubjected and over-wived; having marryed Margaret the daughter of Reinier King of Jerusalem, Sicily, and Arragon, a Prince only puissant in titles, otherwise little able to assist his Son-in-law. Through home-bred dissentions, he not onely lost the foreign acquisitions of his Father in France, but also his own inheritance in England to the House of York. His death, or murther rather, happened in 1471.

This Henry was twice crowned, twice deposed, and twice buryed (first at Chertsy, then at Windsor), and once half sainted. Our Henry the Seventh cheapened the price of his canonization (one may see for his love, and buy for his money, in the Court of Rome), but would not come up to the summe demanded. However, this Henry was a Saint (though not with the Pope) with the People, repairing to this Monument from the farthest part of the land, and fancying that they received much benefit thereby. He was the last Prince whom I find expressly born at Windsor. It seems that afterwards our English Queens grew out of conceit with that place, as unfortunate for Royal Nativities.

SAINTS.

MARGARET RICH were born at Abbington in this county, and were successively PrioALICE resses of Catesby in Northampton-shire. They were sisters to St. Edmund, whose life ensueth, and are placed before him by the courtesie of England, which alloweth the weaker sex the upper hand. So great the reputation of their holiness, that

The former dying anno

The latter

}

{

1257,

1270,

both were honoured for Saints, and many Miracles reported by crafty, were believed by credulous people, done at their shrine by their reliques.

St. EDMUND, son to Edward Rich and Mabel his wife, was born at Abbington in Barkshire, and bred in Oxford. Some will have Edmund's-Hall in that University built by his means, but others (more probably) nam'd in his memory. He became Canon of Salisbury, and from thence, by the joint consent of Pope, King, and Monkes (three cords seldom twisted in the same cable), advanced Arch-bishop of Canterbury, where he sate almost ten years, till he willingly deserted it; partly because offended at the power of the Pope's Legate, making him no more then a mere cypher, signifying onely in conjunction (when concurring with his pleasure); partly because, vexed at his polling and peeling of the English people, so grievous, he could not endure, so general, he could not avoid to behold it. For these reasons he left the land, went (or, shall I say, fled) into France, where he sighed out the remainder of his life, most at Pontiniack, but some at Soyssons, where he dyed

anno 1240.

Pope Innocent the Fourth canonized him six years after his death, whereat many much wondered, that he should so much honour one, a professed foe to Papal extortions. Some conceived he did it se defendendo, and for a ne noceat, that he might not be tormented with 'The English Martyrology, in the 15th and 24th of August. F. 4 Antiq. Brit. p. 165, his

Speed's Hist. p. 602.

3 Matthew Paris, in Hist. Majori. ad ann. Dom. 1217, & deinceps.

his Ghost'. But what hurt were it, if all the Enemies of his Holiness were sainted, on condition they took death in their way thereunto? Sure it is that Lewis King of France a year after translated his corps, and, three years after that, bestowed a most sumptuous shrine of gold, silver, and chrystal upon it; and the 16th of November is the Festival appointed for his memorial.

MARTYRS.

It appeareth by the confession of Thomas Man (martyred in the beginning of King Henry the Eighth) that there was at Newberry in this County a glorious and sweet society of faithful Favourers, who had continued the space of fifteen years together, till at last, by a certain lewd person, whom they trusted and made of their council, they were betrayed; and then many of them, to the number of six or seven score, were abjured, and three or four of them burnt. Now although we know not how to call these Martyrs who so suffered, "their names," no doubt, " are written in the Book of Life."

We see how the day of the Gospel dawned as soon in this County as in any place in England. Surely seniority in this kind ought to be respected, which made Paul a pusney in piety to " Andronicus" and "Junia," his kinsmen, to enter this caveat for their spiritual precedency," who were in Christ before me3." On which account, let other places give the honour to the town of Newberry, because it started the first (and I hope not tire for the earliness thereof) in the race of the Reformed Religion. Yea, Doctor William Twis, the painful Preacher in that Parish, was wont to use this as a motive to his flock, to quicken their pace, and strengthen their perseverance in piety, because that town appears the first-fruits. of the Gospel in England. And Windsor the next in the same County had the honour of Martyrs ashes therein, as by the ensuing list will appear.

There was in Windsor a company of right godly persons, who comfortably enjoyed themselves until their enemies designed their extirpation, though it cost them much to accomplish it, one of them confessing that for his share he expended an hundred marks, besides the killing of three geldings. These, suspecting that the Judges Itinerant in their Circuit would be too favourable unto them, procured a special Session, got four arraigned and condemned by the Commissioners, whereof the three following were put to death, on the Statute of the Six Articles.

1. Anthony Persons, a Priest and profitable Preacher, so that the great Clerks of Windsor thought their idleness upbraided by his industry. Being fastened to the stake, he laid a good deal of straw on the top of his head, saying, "This is God's hat; I am now arm'd like a souldier of Christ4."

2. Robert Testwood, a Singing-man in the Quire of Windsor. There hapned a contest betwixt him and another of that Society, singing an Anthem together to the Virgin Mary :

Robert Philips on the one side of the Quire.

Robert Testwood on the other side of the Quire. "Non Redemtrix, nec Salvatrix.

"Oh Redemtrix et Salvatrix!" I know not which sung the deepest base, or got the better for the present. Sure I am, that since, by God's goodness, the Nons have drowned the Ohs in England. Testwood was also accused for disswading people from Pilgrimages, and for striking off the nose of the Image of our Lady.

3. Henry Fillmer, Church-warden of Windsor, who had articled against their superstitious Vicar for heretical doctrine.

These three were burnt together at Windsor, anno 1544; and when account was given of their patient death to King Henry the Eighth, sitting on horse-back, the King, turning his horse's head, said, "Alas, poor innocents!" A better speech from a private person then

“Veritus, ne manes ipsius mortui Romanam sedem ob tot acceptas injurias vindicarent," M. Parker, Antiq. Brit. p. 173.

3 Rom. xvi. 7.

a Prince,

a Prince, bound by his place not only to pity, but protect oppressed innocence. However, by this occasion, other persecuted people were pardoned and preserved, of whom hereafter, under the ensuing Title of CONFESSORS.

This storm of persecution thus happily blown over, Bark-shire enjoyed peace and tranquillity for full twelve years together, viz. from the year of our Lord 1544 till 1556; when Dr. Jeffrey, the cruel Chancellour of Sarisbury, renewed the troubles at Newberry, and

caused the death of

JULIUS PALMER. See his Character (being born in Coventry) in Warwick-shire.
JOHN GWIN.

THOMAS ASKINE.

These three, July 16, 1556, were burnt in a place nigh Newberry called the Sandpits, enduring the pain of the fire with such incredible constancy, that it confounded their foes, and confirmed their friends in the truth'.

2

CONFESSORS.

JOHN MARBECK was an Organist in the Quire of Windsor, and very skilful therein; man of admirable industry and ingenuity, who, not perfectly understanding the Latin tongue, did, out of the Latin, with the help of the English Bible, make an English Concordance, which Bishop Gardiner himself could not but commend as a piece of singular industry; professing that there were no fewer then twelve learned men to make the first Latin Concordance. And King Henry the Eighth, hearing thereof, said that " he was better imployed, then those Priests which accused him." Let, therefore, our modern Concordances, of Cotton, Newman, Bernard, &c. as children and grand-children, do their duty to Marbeck's Concordance, as their Parent at first endeavour'd in our language.

This Marbeck was a very zealous Protestant, and of so sweet and amiable nature, that all good men did love, and few bad men did hate him. Yet was he condemned, anno 1544, on the Statute of the Six Articles, to be burnt at Windsor, had not his pardon been procured, divers assigning divers causes thereof;

1. That Bishop Gardiner bare him a speciall affection for his skill in the mystery of Musick.

2. That such who condemned him, procured his pardon out of remorse of conscience, because so slender the evidence against him, it being questionable whether his Concordance was made after the Statute of the Six Articles or before it; and, if before, he was freed by the King's general pardon.

3. That it was done out of design to reserve him for a discovery of the rest of his party. If so, their plot failed them: for, being as true as steel (whereof his fetters were made, which he ware in prison for a good time), he could not be frighted or flattered to make any detection.

Here a mistake was committed by Mr. Fox in his first Edition, whereon the Papists much insult, making this Marbeck burnt at Windsor for his Religion, with Anthony Persons, Robert Testwood, and Henry Fillmer. No doubt Mr. Fox rejoyced at his own mistake, thus far forth; both for Marbeck's sake who escaped with his life; and his enemies, who thereby drew the less guilt of bloud on their own consciences. But hear what he pleads for his mistake:

1. Marbeck was dead in Law, as condemned; whereon his errour was probably grounded. 2. He confessing that one of the four condemned was pardoned his life, misnaming him Fillmer instead of Marbeck.

3. Let Papists first purge their Lying Legend from manifest and intentionall untruths, before they censure others for casuall slips and un-meant mistakes.

Fox, Acts and Monuments, p. 1934.

To the musical talents of this eminent Organist, Sir John Hawkins bears frequent and honourable testimony. He was the original composer of the music to the Cathedral service in use to this day N.

4. Recog

4. Recognizing his Book in the next Edition, he with blushing amended his errour. And is not this penance enough, according to the principles of his accusers, confession, contrition, and satisfaction? All this will not content some morose Cavillers, whom I have heard jeeringly say, "that many who were burnt in Fox in the Reign of Queen Mary, drank sack in the days of Queen Elizabeth. But enough is said to any ingenuous person. And it is impossible for any Author of a voluminous book, consisting of several persons and circumstances (Reader, in pleading for Master Fox, I plead for my self) to have such ubiquitary intelligence, as to apply the same infallibly to every particular. When this Marbeck dyed, is to me unknown: he was alive at the second English Edition of the Book of Martyrs, 1583; thirty and nine years after the time of his condemnation.

ROBERT BENET was a Lawyer, living in Windsor, and a zealous professor of the true Religion. He drank as deep as any of the cup of affliction, and no doubt had been condemned, with Testwood, Persons, and the rest; had he not at the same time been sick of the plague sore, in the prison of the Bishop of London, which proved the means of preservation'. Thus," it is better to fall into the hands of God, then into the hands of men.' And thus, as "out of the devourer came food, out of the destroyer came life;" yea the plague-sore proved a cordial unto him: for, by the time that he was recovered thereof, a pardon was freely granted to him; as also to Sir Thomas Cardine, Sir Philip Hobby, (both of the King's Privy-chamber) with their Ladies, and many more designed to death by crafty Bishop Gardner, had not his Majesties mercy thus miraculously interposed.

CARDINALLS.

I have read of many, who would have been Cardinals, but might not. This County afforded one, who might have been one, but would not, viz. WILLAM LAUD; the place being no less freely profered to, then disdainfully refused by him, with words to this effect: "That the Church of Rome must be much mended, before he would accept any such Dignity." An expression which in my mind amounted to the emphaticall periphrasis of NEVER. But we shall meet with him hereafter under a more proper topick.

PRELATS.

WILLIAM OF READING, a learned Benedictine, imployed by King Henry the Second in many embassies, and by him preferred Arch-bishop of Bourdeaux, where he dyed in the reign of King Richard the First2.

[AMP. JOHN DE BRADFIELD, sive de Lato-campo. Finding fifteen villages of the name, I fixt his nativity at Bradfield in Berks, as (in my measuring) the nearest to Rochester, where he was Chanter and Bishop3, 1274. If mistaken, the matter is not much, seeing his sir-name is controverted, and otherwise written, John de HoE. However, being charactered "vir conversationis honestæ, decenter literatus, et in omnibus morigeratus," I was desirous to crowd him into our Book where I might with most probability.

RICHARD BEAUCHAMP was Brother, saith Bishop Godwin, to Walter Beauchamp (mistaken for William,' as may appear by Mr. Camden4) Baron of St. Amand, whose chief habitation was at Wydehay in this County. He was bred Doctor in the Laws, and became Bishop first of Hereford, then of Salisbury. He was Chancellour of the Garter, which office descended to his Successors; Windsor-Castle, the seat of that Order, being in the Dioces of Salisbury. He built a most beautiful Chappel (on the South-side of St. Maries Chappel) in his own Cathedral, wherein he lyeth buryed. His death happened anno Dom. 1482.

SINCE THE REFORMATION.

THOMAS GODWIN was born at Oakingham in this County, and first bred in the FreeSchool therein'. Hence he was sent to Magdalen Colledge in Oxford, maintained there for a time by the bounty of Doctor Layton, Dean of York, till at last he was chosen Fellow of the Colledge. This he exchanged on some terms for the School-master's place of Barkley in Gloucester-shire, where he also studied Physick, which afterwards proved beneficial unto him, when forbidden to teach school, in the reign of Queen Mary. Yea, Bonner threatened him with fire and faggot, which caused him often to obscure himself and remove his habitation. He was an eloquent Preacher, tall and comely in person; qualities which much indeared him to Queen Elizabeth, who loved good parts well, but better when in a goodly person. For 18 years together he never failed to be one of the select Chaplains which preached in the Lent before her Majesty. He was first Dean of Christ-church in Oxford, then Dean of Canterbury, and at last Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Being infirm with age, and deseased with the gout, he was necessitated, for a nurse, to marry a second wife, a matron of years proportionable to himself. But this was by his Court-Enemies (which no Bishop wanted in that age) represented to the Queen, to his great disgrace. Yea, they traduced him to have married a girl of twenty years of age, until the good Earl of Bedford, casually present at such discourse; "Madain," said he to her Majesty, "I know not how much the Woman is above twenty; but I know a Son of hers is but little under forty 2."

Being afflicted with a quartern feaver, he was advised by his Physicians to retire into this County, to Oakingham, the place of his birth, seeing in such cases native ayr may prove cordial to Patients, as Mother's milk to (and old men are twice) children. Here he dyed (breathing his first and last in the same place,) November 19, 1390; and lyeth buried under a Monument in the South-side of the Chancell.

THOMAS RAMME was born at Windsor in this County, and admitted in King's Colledge in Cambridge anno Dom. 1588, whence he was made Chaplain first to Robert Earl of Essex, then to Charles Lord Mountjoy, both Lord Lieutenants in Ireland. After many mediate preferments, he was made Bishop of Fernes and Laghlin in that Kingdom, both which he peaceably enjoyed in the year 16283.

WILLIAM LAUD was born at Reading in this County, of honest parentage, bred in Saint John's Colledge in Oxford, whereof he became President; successively Bishop of Saint David's, Bath and Wells, London, and at last Arch-bishop of Canterbury. One of low stature, but high parts; piercing eyes, chearfull countenance, wherein gravity and pleasantness were well compounded: admirable in his naturalls, unblameable in his morals, being very strict in his conversation. Of him I have written in my "Ecclesiastical History;" though I confess it was somewhat too soon for one with safety and truth to treat of such a subject. Indeed I could instance in some kind of course venison, not fit for food when first killed; and therefore cunning cooks bury it for some hours in the earth, till, the rankness thereof being mortified thereby, it makes most palatable meat. So the memory of some persons newly deceased are neither fit for a Writer's or Reader's repast, untill some competent time after their interment. However, I am confident that unpartial posterity, on a serious review of all passages, will allow his name to be reposed amongst the HEROES of our nation; seeing such as behold his expence on St. Paul's as but a cypher, will assign his other Benefactions a very valuable signification; viz. his erecting and endowing an Almeshouse in Reading, his increasing of Oxford Library with Books, and St. John's Colledge with beautiful buildings 4. He was beheaded Jan. 10, 1644.

Francis Godwin, his Son, in his Catalogue of the Bishops of Bath and Wells. F.

• Sir John Harrington, in his additional supply to Bishop Godwin, p. 115. F.

3 Sir James Ware, de Præsulibus Lageniæ, p. 67. [He died in 1635. N.]

Mr. Gutch, in his very accurate History of the Colleges in Oxford, p. 542, mentions Laud's legacy to this College of "500l. to be laid out in lands; besides what he had before laid out in building, and other matters." But what he built, is not mentioned. The building was a new Quadrangle in 1616; in which Dr. Laud, then president, was particularly active. See some letters on this subject in the "History of Leicestershire," vol. III. p. 153. N. STATES