A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government, Regnal history 13 · Part 4
Workes of Piety done by him or others in his time.
UPon the suppressing of Abbeys, King Henry instituted six new Bishopricks …nd six Cathedrall Churches, endowing them with convenient mainte…ance, he also gave competent Pensions during their lives, to such Riligious Persons as were turned out of their Cloysters; he also insti…uted in both the Universities, Professors of the Hebrew and Greek tongues, of Divinity, Civil-law and Physick, allowing to each of them forty pound a yeer: he also founded a Colledge at Cambridge; he gave at his death a thousand markes to the poor, and to twelve poore Knights of Windsore, each of them twelve pence a day for ever, and every yeere a long gowne of white cloath: in the fifth yeer of this Kings reigne, George Monor Major of London, re-edified the decayed steeple of the Church of Waltham-stow in Essex, adding thereunto a side Isle with a Chappel where he lieth buried; on the North side of the Church-yard there he founded a faire Alms-house, for a Priest and thirteen poor men and women, giving them a weekly maintenance; he also for the commodity of Travelours made a cawsey of timber over the marshes, from Waltham-stow to Lock-bridg towards London. In this Kings eighth yeer Richard Foxe Bishop of Winchester founded Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford, minding to have made it a house for Monkes, but Hugh Oldham Bishop of Exceter, perswaded him to make it rather a Colledge for Schollars, and joyned with him in it, contributing great sums of money towards it, contenting himselfe with the name onelyonly of a Benefactour. In his seventh ye…r King Henry builded the town of Greenwich. In this Kings time, Cardinall Woolsey Founded two Colledges, one at Oxford, another at Ipswich; to his Colledge at Oxford he had given foure thousand pounds Land a yeere, but his Lands being all confiscate to the King, the King tooke the Lands, but yet gave to the Colledge a competent maintenance for a Deane, eight Prebends, and a hundred Fellowes; which Colledge is now called Christ-Church, and accounts King Henry for their Founder. His Colledge at Ipswich was demolished. This Cardinall also built Hampton-Court, the chiefest at this day of all the Kings houses, and built or enlarged White-hall, called then Yorke-Place. King Henry in his foure and twentieth yeer, built his Mansio… House of Saint Iames, where also he made a faire Parke. This place before had …eene an Hospitall of Sisters, with whom the King compounded, giving them Pensions during their lives. In his thirtieth yeere, Nicholas Gibson Gro…er, then Sheriffe of London, builded … Free-School at Ratcliffe nere London with maintenance for a Master and an Usher; …e also builded an Alms-house there for fourteen poor and aged people. In his one and thirtieth yeer, Thomas Huntlow the then Sheriff of London, gave certain tenements to the Haberdashers, for finding of ten Almes-men of the same company. In his six and thirtieth yeer, Sir Iohn All…n who had been twice Major … London, and of the Kings Counsaile, gave at his death, to the Citty of London, a rich Coller of Gold, to be worn by the Major: which Collor was first wor…e by S…r William Laxton on Saint Edwards day, at the Election of the new Major, who gave to every Ward in London twenty pounds, to be distributed amongst poore Housholders, besides to sixscore persons, whereof threescore men to every one a gowne of broad-cloth and a black cap; and threescore women, to every one a gowne of the like cloath …nd a white Kerchiffe. In his eight and thirtieth yeer, King Henry gave to the Citty of London, for reliefe of poore people Saint Barthalomews Spittle, the Church of the Gray-Friers, and two Parish Churches, the one at Saint Nicholas in the …hambles, the other Saint Ewins in Newgate-Marke…, all to be made one Parish Church of the Gray-Fryers; and in Lands he gave for the maintenance of the same five hundred markes a yeere for ever: and this Church to be named Christ-Church; founded by King Henry the eighth.