The History of Waltham Abby in Essex, Part 2
The Extraction, Charter, Death and Iſſue of Sir Anthony Dennie, on whom King Henry the Eighth beſtowed WALTHAM-ABBY.
AT the Diſſolution, King Henry beſtowed the Site of this Abby, with A Leaſe of Waltham-Abby given to Sir Anthony Denny.many large and rich Lands belonging thereunto, on Sr Anthony Dennie, for the terme of Thirty one years. Let us a little enquire into his extraction and diſcent.
I finde the name very Ancient at aSpeed, or rather Sr Rob. Cotton in Huntingdon-ſhire.Cheſterton in Huntington-ſhire, where John Denny the great ſould…er in France.the Heir-general was long ſince married, to the worſhipful and Ancient Family of the Bevils. It ſeems, a branch of the Male-line afterwards fixed in Hertford-ſhire; Whereof John Denny, Eſquire, valiantly ſerved Henry the fifth in France, where he was ſlain, and buried with Thomas, his ſecond Son, in St Dionys his Chappel; their interment in ſo noble a place ſpeaking their worthy performances. In the Reign of Queen Mary, a Frier ſhewed their Tombes to Sr Matthew Carew, together with their Coates and differences. Henry, eldeſt ſon of this John Denny, begat William Denny of Cheſthunt in Hertford-ſhire, which William was High Sheriff of the County in the year 1480. leaving Edmond Denny to inherit his estate.
Edmond Denny was one of the Barons of the Exchequer, in credit and favour Edm. Denny Baron of the Exchequer.with King Edward the Fourth, and Henry the Seventh. He Married Mary, the Daughter and Heir of Robert Troutbeck Eſquire, on whom he begat Thomas Denny, from whom the Dennies in Norfolk are deſcended.
Anthony Denny, ſecond Son to Baron Denny, was Knighted by King Henry Anthony Denny his high commendations.the Eighth, made Gentleman of his Bed-chamber, Privy-Councellour, and one of his Executors. I cannot ſay he was bred any great Scholar, but finde him a Mecaenas, and grand favourer of Learned men. For, when the School of bAſcham, Commend. Epiſt. fol. 210. Idem. fol. 208.Sedbury in the North, belonging to St Johns in Cambridg, was run to ruine, the Lands thereof being ſold and embezeled, Sr Anthony procured the reparation of the Schoole, and reſtitution of their means, firmly ſetling them to prevent future alienation. Hear what character c Mr Aſcham gives of him; Religio, Doctrina, Respublica, omnes curas tuas ſic occupant, ut extra has tres res nullum tempus conſumas; Religion, Learning, Common-wealth, ſo employ all thy cares, that beſides theſe three things you ſpend no other time. Let then the enemies (if any) of his memory abate of this character to what proportion they pleaſe (pretending it but the Orators Rhetorical Hyperbole) the very remainder thereof, which their malice muſt leave, will be ſufficient to ſpeak Sr Anthony a worthy and meriting Gentleman.
I finde an excellent Epitaph made on him by one the Learned'ſt of Noblemen, His Epitaph made by the Lord Howard.and Nobleſt of Learned men in his age, viz. Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, and eldeſt ſon to the Duke of Norfolk, worthy the Reader his peruſal.
Ʋpon the Death of Sir Anthony aWeavers Funeral Monuments, p. 852.Denny.
Death, and the King, did, as it were, contend,
Which of them two bare Denny greateſt love:
The King, to ſhew his love 'gan far extend,
Did him advance his betters far above.
Neer place, much wealth, great honour eke him gave,
To make it known what power Princes have.
But when Death came with his triumphant gift,
From worldly cark he quit his wearied ghoſt
Free from the corps, and ſtraight to Heaven it lift.
Now deem that can, who did for Denny moſt.
The King gave wealth, but fading and unſure:
Death brought him bliſs that ever ſhall endure.
Know Reader, that this Lord made this Epitaph by a Poetical Prolepſis; otherwiſe, at the reading thereof who would not conceive, that the Author ſurviv'd the ſubject of his Poem? Whereas indeed this Lord died (beheaded 1546.) in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, whom Sr Anthony out-lived, being one of the Executors of his Will. Nor was it the worſt piece of ſervice he performed to his Maſter, when (all other Courtiers declining the employment) he truly acquainted him with his dying-condition, to diſpoſe of his ſoul for another world.
Sr Anthony died about the ſecond of Edward the ſixth, Dame Joan his His iſſue by Dame Joan his wife.Wife, ſurviving him. Daughter ſhe was to Sr Philip Champernoon of Modbury in Devon-ſhire: a Lady of great beauty and parts, a favourer of the Reformed Religion when the times were moſt dangerous. She ſent eight ſhillings by her man, in a Violet coat, to Anne bFox, Acts & Monuments, fol. 1239.Aſchough when impriſoned in the Counter; a ſmall ſum, yet a great gift, ſo hazardous it was to help any in her condition. This Lady Joan bought the Reverſion in Fee of Waltham, from King Edward the Sixth, paying three thouſand and hundred pounds for the ſame, purchaſing therewith large priviledges in Waltham-Foreſt, as by the Letters Patents doth appear. She bare two Sons to Sr Anthony, Henry Denny, Eſquire, of whom hereafter: the ſecond Sr Edward, who, by Gods bleſſing, Queen Elizabeths bounty, and his own valour, atchieved a fair eſtate in the County of Kerry in Ireland, which at this day is (if any thing in that woful war-wasted Countrey can be) enjoyed by his great Grandchild, Arthur Denny Eſq; of Tralleigh.