The History of the Worthies of England, Part 2 · County 29
NORWICH is (as you please) either a City in an Orchard, or an Orchard in a City, so equally are Houses and Trees blendid in it, so that the pleasure of the Country, and populousness of the City meet here together. Yet in this mixture, the inhabitants participate, nothing of the rusticalness of the one, but altogether of the urbanity and civility of the other.
Natural Commodities.
Flowers.
The Dutch brought hither with them, not onelyonly their profitable crafts, but pleasurable cur…osities. They were the first who advanced the use and reputation of Flowers in this City. A Flower is the best complexioned grass, (as a Pearl is the best coloured clay,) and daily it weareth Gods Livery, for*Mar. 6. 30. He cloatheth the Grass in the Field. Solomon himself is out-braved therewith, as whose gallantry onelyonly was adopted, and on him, theirs innate and in them. In the morning (when it groweth up) it is a Lecture of Divine Providence; In the evening, (when it is cut down withered) it is a Lecture of Humane Mortality.
Single flowers are observed much sweeter then the double ones, (poor may be more fragrant in Gods nostrils then the rich) and let Florists assign the cause thereof, whether because the Sun doth not so much dry the Intricacies of such flowers which are Duplicated.
Great the Art in meliorating of flowers, and the Rose of Roses [Rosa Mundi] had its first being in this City. As Jacob used an ingenious*Gen. 3. 37. invention to make Laban's cattle speckled or ring-straked, so, much the skil in making Tulips feathered and variegated, with stripes of divers colours.
In my judgement those flowers carry it clearly, which acquit themselves to a double sense, sight and smel, for though in some thing it may be true, Optime quae minime olent, yet in flowers (besides a negation of an ill) the position of a good sent, is justly required.
Manufactures.
Stuffs.
It is an ill wind which bloweth no man good, even Storms bring VVrecks to the Admiral. The cruelty of Duke D'Alva, as it blew the Dutch out off their own, brought them into this City, and with them their Manufactures, which the English quickly learned from them, until Norwich became the Staple of such Commodities for the whole Land. For the nimble wooffe its artificial dancing in several postures about the standing warpe, produceth infinite varieties in this kind.
Expect not I should reckon up their several names, because daily increasing, and many of them are binominous, as which, when they begin to tire in sale, are quickned with a new name. In my child-hood there was one called Stand-far-of, (the embleme of Hypocrisie) which seemed pretty at competent distance, but discovered its coursness, when nearer to the eye. Also Perpetuano, so called from the lasting thereof, (though but a counterfeit of the cloaths of the Israelites, which endured in the VVillderness 40.*Deur. 29. 5. years,) Satinisco, Bombicino, Italiano, &c. Comineus saith, that a Favorite must have an handsome name, which his Prince may easily call on all occasions; so a pretty pleasing name, complying with the Byers fancy, much befriendeth a Stuffe in the sale thereof.
By these means Norwich hath beaten Sudbury out of distance in the race of Trading. Indeed in the starting, (the South having the better of the North, and Bury or City, being before VVich or Vicus a Village,) Sudbury had the advantage, but now Norwich is come first to their Mark.
The Buildings.
The Cathedral therein is large and spacious, though the roof in the Cloysters be most commended. When some twenty years since, I was there, the top of the Steeple was blown down, and an Officer of the Churce told me, That the wind had done them much wrong, but they meant not to put it up, whether the wrong or the steeple, he did not declare.
Amongst private houses, the Duke of Norfolks palace is the greatest I ever saw in a City out of London. Here a covered Bowling-alley (the first I believe of that kind in England,) on the same token, that when Thomas, last Duke of Norfolk, was taxed for aspiring (by marriage of the Q to the Crown of Scotland,) he protested to Queen Elizabeth, that, when he was in his Bowling-alley at*Camdens Eliz. Anno 1569. Norwich, he accounted himself as a King in Scotland.
As for the Bishops Palace, it was formerly a very fair structure, but lately unleaded, and new covered with tyle by the purchasers thereof. Whereon a wag not unwittily,
Thus Palaces are altered, we saw
John Leyden, now Wat Tyler, next Jack Straw.
Indeed there be many thatch'd houses in the City, so that Luther (if summoned by the Emperour to appear in this place) would have altered his expression, and said instead of Tyles of the house, that if every Straw on the roof of the houses were a Divel, notwithstanding he would make his appearance. However, such thatch is so artificially done (even sometimes on their Chancels) that it is no eye-sore at all to the City.
Physicians.
JOHN GOSLIN born in this*Parker Sceletos Cantabr. manusc. City, was first Fellow, and afterwards Master of Caius-colledge in Cambridge, Proctor of the University, and twice Vice-chancellour thereof: a general Scholar, eloquent Latinist, a rare Physician, in which faculty he was Regius Professor. A strict man in keeping, and Magistrate in pressing the Statutes of Colledge and University, and a severe punisher of the infringers thereof. And here, courteous Reader, let me insert this pleasant passage (seeing Cato himself may sometimes smile) without offence.
I remember when this Doctor was last Vice-chancellour, it was highly penal for any Scholar to appear in boots, as having more of the Gallant, then Civil Student therein. Now a Scholar undertook for a small wager, much beneath the penalty, to address himself ocreated unto the Vice-chancellour, which was beheld by others as a desperate adventure. Carrying his state in his Urinal, he craved his advise for an hereditary numness in his legs, (and something of truth therein) which made him in his habite to trespass on the Universities Statutes, to keep them warme. The Vicechancellour pitying instead of pun…shing him, prefcribed him his best receipts, and so by this fraus honesta, he effected his desires.
This Doctor was a worthy Benefactour to Katharine-hall (to which he had no relalion, save what his bounty created,) bestowing thereon the fair Bull-inn, of considerable value. If he who giveth a nights lodging to a servant of God, shall not lose his reward, certainly he that bestoweth Inn and all upon the sons of the Prophets, shall find full compensation. The rather, because that Hall pent formerly for lack of ground, and complaining with the sons*2 King. 6. 1. of the Prophets,—the place where we dwell, is too strait for us; may now say with*Gen. 26. … Isaac, The Lord hath made room for us; by this convenient addition. He died in his Vice-chancellour ship Anno 1625.
JOHN CAIUS born in this City, son to Robert Caius, was bred Fellow in Gonvile hall in Cambridge. Hence he travailed into Italy, where he studied much and wrote several learned Treatises. Returned home, became Physician to Queen Mary, and improved Gunvile-hall into a Colledge. He bestowed good land on, erected fair buildings in, bequeathed thrifty statutes to, produced a proper Coat of Arms for, and imposed a new name on this Foundation, Gonvile and Caius Colledge. He wrote an excellent book of the Antiquity of Cambridge. When King James passed thorough this Colledge, the Master thereof presented him A Caius de antiquate Cantabridgiae, fairly bound; to whom the King said, What shall I do with this book, give me rather Caius de Canibus, a work of the same Author very highly praised, but very hardly procured. Few men might have had a longer, none ever had a shorter Epitaph,
FUI CAIUS.
Writers since the Reformation.
ROBERT WATSON born in this City, was excellently well skilled in the Laws, and (saith Bale) à Dispensatione sive Administratione domesticâ, (English it as you please) to Arcsh-bishop Cranmer. *Bale de scrip. Brit. Cent. 9. Num. 81.Being imprisoned for his Religion, he often disputed during his Restraint with several Papists, concerning Transubstantiation, and at length having gained his enlargement, wrote a Treatise in elegant Latine, (dedicating the same to such who with him suffered banishment for their Religion,) wherein he relateth the accidents of his life. I cannot attain to any certainty in the date of his death.
Benefactors to the Publique.
WILLIAM BAITMAN was born in this *…. Catalogue of the Bishops of Norwich.City, bred in Cambridge, and afterwards became first Arch-deacon; and then by King Edward the third made Bishop of this his Native See. One of an high spirit to maintain the profit and priviledges of his place, and I charitably presume him watchful over his sheep, (souls subjected to his charge) because he was so careful of his Deer, for the stealing whereof, he enjoyned *Idem ibidem.penance to Robert Lord Morley, and making him perform them, in the Cathedral of Norwich, notwithstanding the Kings threatning Letters to the contrary.
This Prelate in his travails beyond the Seas, perceiving that our English Commonlaw was Out-lawed in those parts, and apprehending the absolute necessity that the English should have skill in the Cannon and Civil-laws, (for the managing of foreign Negotiations) erected a Colledge in Cambridge, called Trinity-hall, for the Study thereof. As he was Father to Trinity, he was Foster-father to Gonvil-hall, in the same University, removing it to a more convenient place, building, and setling the Revenues thereof, according to the Will of the Founder. King Edward the third, resolving to follow his Title to the Crown of France, sent this Bishop to the Pope, to acquaint him with his intentions, in which Embassage he died at Avenion 1354.
Since the Reformation.
THOMAS LEGG was born in this *Ex Annalibus Coll. Gonv. & Caii.City, bred first Fellow in Trinity, then Jesus-colledge in Cambridge, until he was chosen by Doctor Caius (then surviving) the nineteenth *In scelet C…nt. he is accounted but the 17.Master of Gonvil-hall, and the second of Gonvil and Caius-colledge. He was Doctor of the Law, and Arches, one of the Masters of the Chancery, twice Vice-chancellour of the University, and thirty four years Master of his Colledge therein. There needeth no other testimony for to avouch his great learning, then the Character given him by J. Lipsius, in his (hitherto unprinted) Epistle,
In Antiquitatis studio, tam egregie, versatus es, ut id de Teipso potes quod de se Apollo Enni.
A me omnes Cantabrigienses consilium expetunt in literis incerti, quos, ego, mea ope, ex incertis certos, compotesque consilii dimitto.
This Doctor, though himself a serious man, used to recreate himself with delightful studies, observing gravity in his very pleasures. He composed a Tragedy of the Destruction of Jerusalem, and having at last refined it to the purity of the Publique Standard some Plageary filched it from him, just as it was to be acted. He formerly had made a Tragedy of the life of King Richard the third, presented with great Applause (Queen Elizabeth I suppose being a beholder thereof) in Saint Johns-colledge-hall. On the same token that John Palmer (afterwards Dean of Peterburough) who acted King Richard therein, had his head so possest with a Princelike humor, that ever after, he did what then he acted, in his Prodigal Expences, so that (the Cost of a Sovereign ill befiting the Purse of a Subject,) he died Poor in Prison, notwithstanding his great preferment.
Great the bounty of Doctor Legg unto his Colledge, bequeathing 600. pounds for the building the East-part thereof; besides, several lesser liberalities. Yea, be it remembred, that after Thomas Bacon, fifteenth Master of the Colledge, had been a Malefactour thereunto, leaving it much indebted, the four succeeding Masters (ill examples avoided do good) Doctor Caius, Legg, Branthwaite, Gosling, (all natives of Norwich) were signall Benefactours, though Masters of, but Stewards for the House; making it, for the main, their Heir, at their decease. Doctor Legg died July 12. 1607. in the 72. year of his age.
The Farewell.
I heartily wish that this City may long flourish in its full lustre. In tendency whereunto may the Thatch of all their houses by Divine Providence, be effectually secured from the merciless Element of fire, (as which knoweth not to be a King, but must be a Tyrant,) whose furious raging is seldome bounded, unless by the want of fewel to feed on. Yea, may their Straw in due time advance into Tyle, that thereby their houses may for the future be better fenced against an other Element, I mean the injury of Wind and Rain.