The History of the Worthies of England, Part 2 · County 20 · Section 9 – Section 12
Saints.
EALPHAGE born of good parentage, had his education during his youth in Glocestershire, then he became a Monk at Glastenbury. But, that place not sufficiently suiting the severity of his solitary soul, removing thence he built himself a Hut at Bath, which smal Cel in process of time (the longest line proceedeth from a little point at first) proved the beautiful Priory in that place. Hence by Dunstan he was preferred Bishop of Winchester continuing therein twenty two years; And at last became Bishop of Canterbury.
It happeneth that the cruel Danes seizing on that City put it under Decimation. Start not, loyal reader, at the word, if in the late Tyranny of the times thou thy self hast been* Godwin in his Catalogue of Archbishops of Ca…terbury. against all right and reason Decimated in thy Purse, as now the poor Citizens of Canterbury were in their Persons. For the Danes, under pretence of Tribute detained,
| Saved the tenth part of the Citizens alive amounting unto eight hundred and four | Destroyed the other nine parts, no fewer than seven thousand two hundred & thirty six. |
As for Arch-Bishop Alphage, they demanded of him a greater summe, than he could pay or procure, whose wealth consisted chie…y in his Piety, no currant Coin with the Pagan Danes; So that after seven moneths imprisonment they barbarously murthered him near Greenwich about the year 1013.
His Corps was first buried in Saint Pauls, and then removed by the command of King Canutus to Canterbury. Impudent Monks have almost as much wronged his memory, as the Danes did his Person, farcing his life with such abominable lies, that thereby the very truth therein is rendred suspected.
AGELNOTH Son to Count Agelmar, was a *Weaver Fun. Sermon. p. 301.Calendred Saint in this County being Elected Archbishop of Canterbury from being Dean over the Canons in that Convent.
This is the first time I find the Dignity of Decanus or Dean in England so called from foreign, Ten, having (it seemeth at the first) Inspection just over that Number, though since* Cowel's Interp. in the word Dean. an Heteroclite in England, as, either over fewer, but Six in Norwich, Bristol, &c. or many more in other Cathedrals.
He was so pious in his Life, that he was commonly called the GOOD. And here one may justly wonder, God having two Grand Epithets OPTIMUS and MAXIMUS most give the former the go-by, and strive onelyonly for the latter, to be the Greatest, though Greatnesse without Goodnesse is both Destructive to him that hath it, and Dangerous to all others about him.
Going to Rome to get his Pall from the Pope, by him he was courteously entertained, and deserved his welcome, who gave him (saith my *VVeaver ut prius.Author) for the Arm of Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo) one hundred Talents of Silver, and one Talent of Gold, citing Bishop Godwin for his author; But indeed that Bishop though reporting the hundred Talents of Silver, mentioneth not at all that of Gold.
Perchance Mr. Weaver had lately read (still obversing his fancy) how *2 Chr. 36. 3.Pharaoh K. of Egypt having taken away King Jehoahash, condemned the land in An Hundred Talents of Silver, and A Talent of Gold; and to me it is a double wonder; First, that this Archbishop would give; Secondly, that he could give, living in a harraged Land, (wherein so much Misery and little Money) so vast a sum.
However this mindeth me of a passage in Saint Augustine speaking of the Reliques of the deceased, Si tamen Martyrum, if so they be of Martyrs; and let me chuse the words of this Father on this Father, Si tamen Augustini, If this were the arm of Saint Augustine and not of some other Ordinary (not to say Infamous) person.
Well, were one as good a Mathematician, as He, who collected the Stature of Hercules from the length of his Foot, it were easie to proportion the Price of Saint Augustines whole body, from this valuation of his arme. And now having so dearly bought it, let him dispose thereof as he pleaseth, and let no man grudge if he gave it to Coventry rather than Canterbury.
He expended much in repairing (or rather renewing) of his Cathedral of Canterbury lately destroyed by the Danes, assisted therein by the bounty of King Canutus, who at the instance and by the advice of this Prelate, did many worthy works. Our Agelnoth, after he had set 17. years in his See, died October 29. in the year 1038.
Martyrs.
WILLIAM WHITE was born in this *Bale de script. Brit. pag. 564.County, and entering into Orders, became a great maintainer of the Opinions of Wicliffe. He was the first married Priest in England, since the Popes solemn prohibition thereof. I find Johan his wife, commended for her modesty and patience, and that she was *Idem Ibidem.conjux talidigna marito. Indeed she shared very deep in her husbands sufferings, hardly coming off with her life at the last. For he, though leaving his living (as unsafe to hold) still kept his calling, and preached about all the Eastern parts of the Land. The same mouth which commanded the Disciples in time of Peace, *Luk. 10. 7.Goe not from house to house, so to avoid the censure of Levity, advised them also, when *Matt. 10. 23.ye are persecuted in one City fly to another, so to provide for their own security. Such the constant practice of this W. VVhite, who was as a Partridge dayly on the wing, removing from place to place. At last he was seised on at Norwich, by VVilliam Alnwick the cruel Bishop thereof, and charged with 30 Articles, for which he was condemned and burnt at Norwich in September *Fox Acts and Monuments.1428. He was the Protomartyr of all born in this County, and had not five before him in all England, who suffered merely for Religion, without any mixture of matter of State charged upon them.
As for MARIAN Martyrs, we meet with many in this County though not to be charged on Cardinal Pool Arch-bishop of Canterbury further then his bare permission thereof.
It is observed of Bears, that they love to kill their own Prey, and (except forced by Famine) will not feed on what was dead before. Such a Bear was bloody Bonner, who was all for the quick and not for the dead, whilest clean contrary Cardinal Pool let the living alone, and vented his spleen onelyonly on the dead (whom he could wrong, but not hurt) burning the bones of Martin Bucer and Paulus Phagius at Cambridge. Such Martyrs therefore, as suffered in this Shire, were either by the cruelty of Griffin Bishop of Rochester, or of Thornton Suffragan of Dover.
Confessors.
SIMON FISH Esquire, was born in this*J. Bale in his Book titled Scriptores nostri temporis, pag. 102. County, bred a Lawyer in Graies-Inn London. Here he acted that part in a Tragedy, wherein the pride of Cardinal Wolsey was personated, and wherewith that Prelate was so offended, that Fish was fain to fly, and live two years beyond the Seas. There he made, and thence sent over into England, a small but sharp Treatise, called The Supplication of Beggars, termed by*Acts and Monuments. p. 1014. Master Fox a Libel, understand him a little Book; Otherwise prizing and praising it for a Master-piece of Wit-learning and Religion, discovering the Superstition of that age. This by Queen Anna Bollen was presented to King Henry the Eighth, who therewith was so highly affected, that he sent for the Author home, and favoured him in great proportion.
However, many nets were laid by the Popish party against him, especially by Sir Thomas More his implacable Enemy, yet Fish had the happinesse to escape the hands of Men, and to fall into the hand of God more immediately, Dying of the Plague, 1531. and lieth buried at St. Dunstan in London.
Sir JAM. HALES was born, did live & was richly landed in this county, one of the Justices of the Common-Pleas, a man of most signal Integrity. When the rest of the Judges (frighted at the frowns of the Duke of Northumberland) subscribed the disinheriting of the Lady Mary, and Lady Elizabeth, he onelyonly refused, as against both Law and Conscience.
Yet afterwards in the first of Queen Mary he fell into the displeasure of Bishop Gardiner, (which like Juniper coals once kindled hardly quenched) for urging the observation of some Lawes of King Edward the Sixth. For this he was imprisoned, hardly used, and so threatned by his Keeper, that he endeavoured to have killed himself, which being after let at liberty he afterwards effected, drowning himself in a small water near his house, fear and melancholly so much prevailing upon him; Mr. Fox concludeth the sad Poem of his final estate with this Distich.
Cū nihil ipse vides, propria quin labe laboret,
Tu tua fac cures, caetera mitte Deo.
Seing nought thou …eest but faling in the best,
Mind thy own matters & leave God the rest.
We must look on his foul Deed with anger, and yet with pity on the doer thereof, Frown on the one, and weep for the other. For seeing he had led a right godly life, and had suffered so much on the account of his Conscience, I hope that his station in this place, will not be cavilled at by any charitable persons. He died Anno Dom. 1555.
Cardinals.
JOHN KEMP son to Thomas, Grand-child to Sir John Kemp Nephew to Sir Roger Kemp both Knights, was born at Wie in this County, (where he built a fair Colledge for Seculars) bred also in Merton Colledge in Oxford, successively Bishop of Rochester, Chichester and London; afterwards Arch-Bishop of York and Canterbury, Cardinal first by the Title of Saint Balbine, then of Saint Rufine in Rome; all his preferments are comprehended in the old following*Made by Thomas Kemp his Kins-man Bishop of London. verse.
Bis Primas, ter Praesul erat, …is Cardine functus.
He had another honour to make up the Distich, being twice Lord Chancellour of England, so that I may add;
Et dixit Legem bis Cancellari us Anglis.
Such are mistaken, who report him the first raiser of his Family to a Knightly degree, which he found in that Equipage, as is aforesaid, though he left it much improved in Estate by his bounty, and some of his name and bloud flourish in Kent at this day. He died a very old man, March the 22. Anno 1453.
RICHARD CLIFFORD. His Nativity may bear some debate Herefordshire pretending unto him. But because Robert Clifford was his *Villare Gant. p. 24.brother (in the first of King Henry the Fourth High Sheriff of this County, and richly landed therein) I adjudge him a Cantian and assign Bobbing as the most probable place of his birth. His worth preferred him Bishop of London 1407. and he was sent by King Henry the Fourth as his Embassadour to the Council of Constance. I could hold my hand from ranking him under the Topick of Cardinals, confident that no ingenious person would take exception thereat. For first he was one in Merit and Desert. Secondly, in general Desire and Designation. Thirdly, (though no actual Cardinal) he acted as a *All collected out of Godwin his Bishops of London.Cardinal when joyned to their Conclave to see fair play amongst them at the choosing of a new Pope. Yea some mentioned him for the place, who (counting it more credit to make, than be a Pope) first nominated Cardinal Columna, and he clearly carried it by the name of Martin. During his abode at Constance he preached a Latine Sermon before the Emperour and Pope. He answered his name de clivo forti, or of the strong Rock indeed, viz. *Lord be thou my strong Rock. Ps. 31. 3.Davids; being a most pious person, returning home he lived in good esteem, with Prince and People, until his death, which happened 1421. being buried nigh the present Monument of Sr. Christopher Hatton.