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was a grave and godly divine. Being very sickly, he was advised for his health to return into his native country, where, having the good hap to miss that which cureth all diseases, he died in his bed near London 1582.

HENRY HOLLAND, born in this county,* was bred fellow of Saint John's College in Oxford. Leaving the land, he fled over to Douay, where he took the degree of bachelor in divinity, and order of priesthood. Hence he removed to Rheims, where, saith my author,† "Traductioni Bibliorum Sacrorum astitit," (he assisted-I might say truly to the traducing, but let it bethe translating of the Bible.) Returning to Douay, he read divinity in a monastery hard by, wherein he was living 1611.

MASTERS OF MUSIC.

WALTER of EVESHAM was born thereabouts, and bred therein a Benedictine monk. His harmonious mind expressed itself in its love of music, wherein he attained to great eminency, and wrote a learned book in that faculty.

But here bilious Bale‡ lets fly without fear (though not without some wit); inveighing against all music in churches, pretending to produce a pair-royal of fathers for his own opinion; viz. Saint Jerome, calling such chanting "Theatrales modulos;" Gregory terming it "consuetudinem reprehensibilem ;" and Athanasius flatly forbidding it the church, for the vanity thereof. But, by Bale's leave, such speak not against the decent ornaments of wives, who reprove the garish attire of harlots;§ the abuse, not use of music, being taxed by the Fathers aforesaid. Our Walter flourished under king Henry the Third, anno

1240.

BENEFACTORS TO THE PUBLIC.

Reader, it may be disputed in me, whether I am more ashamed of or grieved for my mean intelligence of benefactions in this county, before and since the Reformation. But I comfort myself, that the Dugdales in this county, I mean the worthy future illustrators thereof, will supply my defect. Only I will add

RICHARD DUGARD, B. D. was born at Grafton Fliford in this county; bred, under Master Henry Bright, in the king's school at Worcester. I name him the rather, because never did Master Calvin mention his Master Corderius with more honour, than Master Dugard gratefully remembered Master Bright. He was chosen fellow of Sidney College, where in my time (for I had the honour of his intimate acquaintance) he had a moiety

*Pits, de Scriptoribus Angliæ, p. 804.
† Idem, ibidem.
Cent. xviii. num. 100.
§ Prov. vii. 10.
This was performed by the late Rev. Dr. Nash; who died in 1811.-ED.

MEMORABLE PERSONS.

375

of the most considerable pupils, whom he bred in learning and piety, in the golden mean betwixt superstition and faction. He held a gentle strict hand over them, so that none presumed on his lenity to offend, or were discouraged by his severity to amend. He was an excellent Grecian, and general scholar; old when young, such his gravity in behaviour; and young when old, such the quickness of his endowments. He bestowed on the college a hundred and twenty pounds for some perpetual use for the master and fellows: and ten pounds for books for the library. At last he was surprised with a presentation of the rectory of Fulleby in Lincolnshire, where, by his constant preaching and pious living, he procured his own security; a rare happiness in those, troublesome times. He died January 28, anno Domini 1653; and lies buried under a marble stone in his chancel.

MEMORABLE PERSONS.

JOHN FECKENHAM was born of poor parents in Feckenham forest in this shire. He was the last clergyman I find (and therefore memorable) who locally was surnamed; and was bred a Benedictine in Evesham, and at the dissolution thereof received an annual pension of a hundred florins, which (in my accounting) make up some twenty pounds. This maintained him when afterwards he went and studied in Oxford, attaining to eminent learning therein.

In the reign of king Edward the Sixth, he was imprisoned in the Tower, until Sir Philip Hobby (to use Feckenham's own words) "quasi mutuatum accepit," (borrowed him of the Tower.) Being at liberty, he had frequent disputations in the earnest yet modest defence of his religion.

By queen Mary he was made abbot of Westminster, being the last mitred abbot (and therefore more memorable) who sat in parliament. He was very gracious with the queen, and effectually laid out all his interest with her (sometime even to offend, but never to injure her,) to procure pardon of the faults, or mitigation of the punishments, for poor Protestants.

By queen Elizabeth he was highly honoured, and proffered (as is currently traditioned) the see of Canterbury, which he refused, and was kept in easy restraint; for, although he found not the same favour with Joseph, to whom the gaoler committed the care of all his family, making him superintendant of all other prisoners, yet had he always respective usage, and oft-times liberty on his parole. By his bounty to the poor, he gained the good will (saith Master Camden) of all persons; whilst I behold his bounty to others as the queen's bounty to him, enabling (because not disenabling) him for the same, and permitting him peaceably to possess his estate. He died, a very aged man, in Wisbeach castle, as I collect, anno 1585; and the

Reyner de Antiquitate Benedictinorum in Anglià, Tract. 1. Sect. 3. p. 233.

character which Pitseus giveth him may suffice for his epitaph: "Erat in eo insignis pietas in Deum, mira charitas in proximos, singularis observantia in majores, mitis affabilitas in inferiores, dulcis humanitas in omnes, multiplex doctrina, redundans facundia, incredibilis religionis catholicæ zelus."*

HENRY BRIGHT was born in the city of Worcester. No good man will grudge him under this title, who shall seriously peruse this his epitaph, composed by doctor Joseph Hall, then dean in the cathedral in Worcester:

"Mane, Hospes, et lege. Magister HENRICUS BRIGHT, celeberrimus Gymnasiarcha,

qui Scholæ Regiæ istic fundatæ

per totos quadraginta annos summâ cum laude præfuit :
Quo non alter magis sedulus fuit scitusve aut dexter
in Latinis, Græcis, Hebraicis Literis feliciter edocendis :
Teste utrâque Academiâ, quam instruxit affatim numerosâ pube literariâ :
Sed et totidem annis eoque amplius Theologiam professus,

et hujus Ecclesiæ per septennium Canonicus major,

sæpissimè hic et alibi sacrum Dei Præconem magno cum zelo et fructu egit. Vir pius, doctus, integer, frugi, de Republicâ deque Ecclesià optimè meritus, à laboribus perdiu pernoctuque ab anno 1562 ad 1626,

strenuè usque extant latis, 4to Martii suaviter requievit in Domino.”

For my own part, I behold this Master Bright placed by Divine Providence in this city, in the Marches, that he might equally communicate the lustre of grammar learning to youth both of England and Wales.

LORD MAYORS.

1. Richard Lee, son of Simon Lee, of Worcester, Grocer, 1460. 2. Richard a Lee, son of John a Lee, of Worcester, 1468. 3. Alexander Avenon, son of Robert Avenon, of King's Norton, Ironmonger, 1569.

This is one of the twelve pretermitted counties, the names of whose gentry were not returned into the Tower, by the Commissioners, in the reign of king Henry the Sixth.

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Anno

4 Idem.

5 Will. de Bello Campo. 6 Idem.

SHERIFFS.

7 Hen. de Longo Campo, for

three years.

10 Rad. de Grafton.

JOHAN.

1 Rad. de Grafton.

2 Idem.

3 Will. de Cantelu. et

Anno

377

19 Walt. de Bello Campo, et Hug. le Pohier.

20 Idem (sive Will.)

21 Will. de Bello Campo, et Will. de Blandhall.

22 Idem.

23 Will. de Bello Campo, et Laur. de Wandlesworth, for three years.

26 Will. de Bello Campo, et Simon de London.

Adam de Worcester, for 27 Will. de Bello Campo, for

three years.

6 Rob. de Cantelu.

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51

twenty-four years.

Will. de Bello Campo, et
Joh. de Hull.

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3. JOHANNES SAVAGE, Mil.-I behold him (and am sure

* General Monk.-ED.

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