The History of the Worthies of England, Part 2 · County 21
CANTERBURY.
CANTERBURY is a right ancient City, and whilest the Saxon H…ptar chy flourished, was the chief seat of the Kings of Kent. Here Thomas Becket had his death, Edward surnamed the Black Prince and King Henry the Fourth their Interment. The Metropolitan Dignity first conferred by Gregory the Great on London, was for the Honour of Augustine afterwards bestowed on this*Camb. Brit. de Cant. City. It is much commended by William of Malmesbury for its pleasant scituation, being surrounded with a fertile soil, well wooded, and commodiously watered by the River Stoure, from whence it is *By Mr. Somner in his Description of Canterbury, pag. 37.said to have had its name Durwhern, in British, a swift River. It is happy in the vicinity of the Sea, which affordeth plenty of good Fish.
Buildings.
CHRIST CHURCH, First dedicated, and (after 300. years intermission to Saint Thomas Becket) restored to the honour of our Saviour, is a stately structure, being the performance of several successive Arch-Bishops. It is much adorned with glasse Windows. Here they will tell you of a foraign Embassador, who proffered a vast price to transport the East Window of the Quire beyond the Seas. Yet Artists who commend the Colours, condemn the Figures therein, as wherein proportion is not exactly observed.
According to the Maxime, Pictures are the Books, painted windows were in the time of Popery the Library of Lay men; and after the Conquest grew in general use in England. It is much suspected Aneyling of Glass (which answereth to Dying in grain in Drapery) especially of Yellow, is lost in our age, as to the perfection thereof. Anciently Colours were so incorporated in Windows, that both of them lasted and faded together: Whereas our modern Painting (being rather on than in the Glass) is fixed so faintly, that it often changeth, and sometimes falleth away. Now, though some being only for the innocent White, are equal enemies to the painting of Windows as Faces, conceiving the one as great a Pander to superstition, as the other to wantonnesse; Yet others of as much zeal and more knowledge, allow the Historical uses of them in Churches.
Proverbs.
Canterbury-Tales.]
So Chaucer calleth his Book, being a collection of several Tales, pretended to be told by Pilgrims in their passage to the Shrine of Saint Thomas in Canterbury. But since that time Canterbury-Tales are parallel to Fabulae Milestae, which are Charactered, Nec verae, nec verisimiles, meerly made to marre precious time, and please fanciful people. Such are the many miracles of Thomas Becket; some helpful (though but narrow, as only for private conveniency) as when perceiving his old Palace at Otford to want water, he struck his staff into the dry ground (still called Saint Thomas his well) whence water runneth plentifully to serve that house (lately re-built) unto this day. Others spightful: as when (because a Smith dwelling in that Town had clogged his Horse) he ordered, that *Lambert in his Perambulation of Kent; pag. 37.no Smith afterwards should thrive within that Parish. But he, who shall go about seriously to confute these Tales, is as very a Fool, as he was somewhat else, who first impudently invented and vented them.
Prelates.
STEPHEN LANGTON. Here we are at a perfect losse for the place of his birth,S. N. his surname affording us so much direction, in effect it is none at all. Inopes nos copia fecit, finding no fewer than twelve Langtons (though none very near to this place) which makes us fly to our marginal refuge herein. Stephen, born in England, was bred in Paris, where he became one of the greatest Scholars of the Christian world, in his age. He was afterwards consecrated Cardinal of Saint Chrysogone, and then by Papal power intruded Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, in defiance of all opposition which King John could make against him.
Many are his learned Works, writing Comments on all the Old, and on some of the New Testament. He was the *Bale de scrip. Brit. Cent. 3. Num. 87. & Math. Panker in the Life of Langton.first that divided the whole Bible into Chapters, as Robert Stephens a French-man, that curious Critick and painful Printer, so ne six score years since, first subdivided into Verses.
A worthy Work, making Scripture more managable in mens memories, and the passages therein the sooner to be turned to, as any person who is …ooner found out in the most populous City, if methodized into Streets and Houses with signs, to which the Figures affixed do fitly allude.
Say not this was a presumption, incurring the curse denounced to such, who adde to Scripture, it being no Addition but an Illustration thereof. Besides, God set the first pattern to mens industry herein, seeing the distinction of some Verses may be said to be Jure Divino, as those in the Lamentations and elsewhere, which are Alphabetically modelled.
As causless their complaint, who cavil at the inequality of Chapters, the eighth of the first of Kings, being sixty six, the last of Malachy but six verses, seeing the entireness of the sense is the standard of their length, or shortness. It is confessed some few Chapters end, and others begin obruptly: and yet, it is questionable, whether the ateration thereof would prove advantageous, seeing the reforming of a small fault, with a great change, doth often hurt more than amend: and such alterations would discompose Millions of Quotations, in excellent Authors conformed to the aforesaid received divisions.
Here it must not be concealed, that notwithstanding this general tradition of Langtons chaptering the Bible, some learned men make that design of far ancienter date, and particularly that able Antiquary *In Glossario v…rbo Heptateuchus.Sir Henry Spelman. This I am confident of, that Stephen Langton did something much material in order thereunto, and the Improver is usually called the Inventor, by a complemental mistake.
However, though I believe Langton well employed in dividing the Bible, he was ill bus…ed in rending asunder the Church and Kingdom of England, reducing King Iohn to sad extremities. He died, and was buried at Canterbury Anno Dom. 1228.
Souldiers.
WILLIAM PRUDE, Esquire, (vulgarly called Proud) was born in this City, where his stock have continued for some hundreds of years, bred a Souldier in the Low Countreys, where he attained to be Lieutenant Colonel. He was slain Iuly 12. 1632. at the siege of Mastrich. His body (which I assure you was no usual honour) was brought over into England, and buried in the Cathedral of Canterbury, in Saint Michaels Chappel on the South side of the Quire, with this Inscription on his Monument;
Stand Souldiers; ere you march (by way of charge)
Take an example here, that may enlarge
Your minds to noble Action▪ Here in peace
Rests one whose Life was War, whose rich encrease
Of Fame and Honour from his Valour grew,
Unbegg'd, unbought, for what he won he drew
By just desert: having in service been
A Souldier, till near sixty from sixteen
Years of his active Life, continually
Fearless of Death; yet still prepar'd to die
In his Religious Thoughts: for ▪midd'st all harmes
He bare as much of Piety as Armes.
Now Souldiers on, and fear not to intrude
The Gates of Death by th' example of this Prude.
He married Mary Daughter of Sir Adam Sprackling, Knight, and had Issue by her four Sons and three Daughters; to whose memory his surviving Son Searles Prude hath erected this Monument.
Writers.
OSBERN of CANTERBURY, so called, because there he had his first birth, or best Being, as Chanter of the Cathedral Church therein. An admirable Musitian, which quality endeared him (though an Englishman) to Lankfrank, the Lordly Lombard, and Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. He was the English *Gen. 4. 22.Jubal, as to the curiosity thereof in our Churches. An Art, which never any spake against who understood it; otherwise Apollo is in a sad case, if Midas his ears must be his Judges. However in Divine Service all Musick ought to be tuned to edification (that all who hear may understand it) otherwise it may tend to delight not devotion, and true zeal cannot be raised where knowledge is depressed. This Osbern wrote the life of Saint Dunstan in pure Latine, according to that age, flourishing under William the Conquerer, Anno 1070.
SIMON LANGTON, was by his Brother Stephen Langton the Arch-Bishop, preferredS. N. Arch-Deacon of Canterbury; who, Carne & sanguine revelante (saith the *Somner in his Catalogue of the Arch-Deacons of Cant.Record) made the place much better, both to him and his successors, in revenue and jurisdiction. A troublesome man he was, and, on his Brothers score, a great adversary to King Iohn, even after that King had altered his Copy, and became, of a fierce Foe, a Son-Servant to the Pope, by resigning his Crown unto him. But our Simon could not knock off when he should, having contracted such an habit of hatred against K. Iohn, that he could not depose it, though commanded under the pain of excommunication. This caused him to trudge to the Court of Rome, where he found little favour. For, such who will be the Popes white Boyes, must watchfully observe his signals, and not only charge when he chargeth, but retreat when he retreateth. This Simon (beside others) wrote a Book of the penitence of Magdalene, in relation (it seems) to himself, though she found more favour in the Court of Heaven, than he at Rome. He died Anno Dom. 12—
Benefactors to the Publick.
JOHN EASDAY, was Alderman and Mayor of this City, Anno 1585. He found the Walls thereof much ruined, and being a man but of an *Somner in his Survey of Cant. pag. 15.indifferent estate, began the reparation thereof at Ridingate, and therein proceeded so far as his name is inscribed on the Wall; whose exemplary endeavours have since met with some to commend, none to imitate them.
THOMAS NEVILE, born in this City of most honourable extraction, as his name is enough to notifie and avouch. He was bred in Cambridge, and Master first of Mag dalen, then of Trinity Colledge, and Dean of Canterbury. He was the first Clergy man (sent by Arch-Bishop Whitgift) who carried to King James tidings of the English Crown; and it is questionable whether he brought thither or thence more welcome news (especially to the Clergy) acquainting them with the Kings full *Sir George Paul in the Life of ArchBishop Whitgift.intentions to maintain Church-Discipline, as he found it established.
But the main matter commending his memory is his magnificency to Trinity College, whose Court he reduced to a spacious and beautiful Quadrangle. Indeed he plucked down as good building as any erected, but such as was irregular intercepting the sight, disturbing the intended uniformity of the Court, whereby the beauty at this day is much advanced. For as the Intuitive knowledge is more perfect, than that which insinuates it self into the Soul Gradually by discourse, so more beautiful the prospect of that Building, which is all visible at one view, than what discovers it self to the sight by parcels and degrees. Nor was this Doctor like those Poets, good only at Translation, and bad at Invention, all for altering, nothing for adding of his own, who contributed to this Colledge (I will not say a Widows Mite, but) a Batchelours Bounty: a stately new Court of his own expence, which cost him three thousand pounds and upwards. Much enfeebled with the Palsie, he died an aged man Anno Dom. 161—
The Farewell.
I am heartily sorry that the many laudable endeavours for the scouring and enlargement of the River Stoure (advantagious for this City) have been so often defeated, and the Contributions given by well-disposed Benefactors (amongst whom Mr. Rose, once an Alderman of Canterbury gave three hundred pounds) have missed their ends, praying that their future enterprises in this kind may be crowned with success.
For the rest I refer the Reader to the pains of my worthy Friend Mr. William Somner, who hath written justum volumen of the Antiquities of this City. I am sorry to see him Subject-bound (betrayed thereto by his own modesty) seeing otherwise, not the City, but Diocesse of Canterbury had been more adaequate to his abilities. I hope others, by his example will undertake their respective Counties; It being now with our age, the third and last time of asking the Banes, whether or no we may be wedded to skill in this kind, seeing now use, or for ever hold your Pens, all Church Monuments leading to knowledge in that nature, being daily irrecoverably imbezeled.