YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

From the Library of
Charles H. Tovmshend
1917

AN HISTORIC AL
AND
DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT
Of the Ancient Town qf
ST. EDMUND'S BURY,
IN THE COUNTY OF SUFFOLK.
Adorned with Plates..
iim~ii«i«ii»iiwi1i— — — — — ^^— in—— I iTfnnTii ~
[price six shillings.]

Abwx-GVate, STZxxmii^d^ "Btcrt

TO THE WORSHIPFUL
THE
ALDERMAN AND RECORDER,
THE TWELVE CAPITAL BURGESSES,
AND
TWENTY-FOUR COMMON-COUNCIL MEN,
OF THE CORPORATION OF
ST. EDMUND'S BURY,
IN THE COUNTY OF SUFFOLK ;
THE FOLLOWING
HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT
OF THAT ANCIENT TOWN,
IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,
BY THEIR OBEDIENT,
AND
VERY HUMBLE SERVANT,
THE PUBLISHER.

PREFACE.
TOPOGRAPHICAL -researches, from the in
formation and amusement which they seldom
fail of communicating, have always excited the
attention and esteem ofevery lover of antiquity,
and may be ranked amongst the most favorite
and fashionable pursuits of the present age. —
The traveller, the stranger, and the inquisitive
antiquary, whose inclination for investigating
the venerable remains of former ages, may dis
pose them to visit the ancient Town of St.
Edmund's Bury, will here find themselves
amply rewarded, and their taste for examining
the works of the ancient artists of this country,
extremely gratified. With this view it is, that
we have exerted our utmost endeavours in fur
nishing them with the most authentic 'and ac
curate accounts that we have been able to pro
cure, of this celebrated Town and Abbey.
Respecting the origin and etymology of the
Town of Bury, those very obscure and dis
putable points, and which have so laboriously
exercised the pens and abilities of preceding

8 PREFACE.
writers, we have carefully endeavoured to in
vestigate, and trace/ to their respective sources.
The ancient, as well as present state of the
Town, we have minutely and impartially repre
sented ; and that noble monument.' of ancient
grandeur and magnificence, the once famous
Abbey of this place, as it has attracted our
especial notice and admiration, so consequently
we have endeavoured to convey the most ample
account in our power respecting the origin,
splendor, and dissolution, of this large and richly
endowed Monastery. To bur account of this
Abbey we^'have subjoined a: list of its Abbots,
its numerous relics, and the many extraordinary
miracles reported to have been wrought by them
in the dark and credulous ages of ignorance and
superstition. Other remarkable circumstances
relative to the History and Antiquities of the
Town of Bury, might have been mentioned,
but as they will occur in the future progress of
this work, it might be deemed superfluous per
haps to have enumerated them here ; to those
places, therefore, we must refer the curious
reader for that information, which the confined
limits of this preface will not permit us to com
municate.

AN
HISTORICAL AND
DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT
o r
&t» Cimrntto's 3$utp,
IN THE COUNTY OF SUFFOLK :
Comprising an ample Detail of the
ORIGIN, DISSOLUTION, AND VENERABLE REMAINS
OF THE ABBEY,
AND OTHER PLACES OF ANTIQUITY IN THAT
ANCIENT TOWN.

Any Traveller that has a veneration for Antiqnity, Gothic
Architecture, or Monastic History, will find himself highly
gratified were he to stop and survey the ancient Town ui
St. Edmund's Bury. tub balnea.

BY EDMUND GILLINGWATER,
Author of the History of Lowestoft, &c.

Saint 4£6rmin&'jJ 9Bur]» :
Printed by and for J. RACKHAM, Angel Hill :
Sold by CROSBY and Co. London; I.ODER,
Woodbkidcb; and by all Booksellers.
180 4.

AN
HISTORICAL AND
DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT
01?
ST. EDMUND'S, BURT.
OF THE ORIGIN AND ETYMQL.OSY.

JL HIS large and populous town derived its
orig'n moft p.obably, from the superior hap
piness and nu r.erous benefits that muftr un»
avoidably attend the delightful spot on which
it is situated; for a gradually rising ground,
extensive prospects, with a pure and salubrious
air, must have been irresistible recommenda-
B

[2]
tions of a place to those persons who were
making choice of a situation which they in
tended for their constant residence during
the remainder of their lives ; for the excellence
of the air which is so peculiar to this town and
district, has recommended it so strongly to in
valids of various desci lptions, both in ancient
and modern times, as to procure for the town
of Bury, the juftly acquired appellation of
c«THr Montpelier of England;' con
sequently these invaluable properties and ad
vantages accompanying a situation designed
for the future residence of a numerous body of
people, we may reasonably suppose gave rise
to the town, and evidently point out the wis
dom and sagacityof our predecessors in choosing
this very suitable place for so important a pur
pose as they had then in view, and in which the
happiness and prosperity both of themselves and
their posterity, were so materially concerned*.
* Although the town of Bury, in consequence of the sup
pression of its rich and various ecclesiastical establishments,
has much declined from its ancient greatness, yet it is able,

[3]
Respecting the etymology of the original
name of this ancient town, the mo?t inquisitive
and learned antiquarians have formed various
conjectures, and consequently, appear to be
much divided in their opinions concerning this
very obscure, and perhaps at present, not ab
solutely decided point; some pronouncing it
to be the Villa Faustini of the Romans, signi
fying, a seat or vill, or the seat of prosperity,
whilst others as confidently affirm, that it was
the Beoderic-weord, or Beoderici-cortis, or
villa of Beodericus's court, vill, or farm f the
Saxons, which Cambden informs us, denotes
the same, namely, a viii abounding with hap-
* piness and prosperity, ft appears to some
writers to have been a Roa;?.a station f, and
even now, well to sustain a rank not inferior to any amongst
the provincial capitals of England, in which the gentry an J
persons of affluent fortune frequently fix themielves for the
numerous opportunities of enjoying elegant society, and of
procuring for their offspring the invaluable blessings resulting
from a good education, united at the same time with the
happiness arising from paternaj intercourse and protection.
f But it is advanced by other writers, that few or none «1#
B 2

[4]
of considerable consequence when the Saxons

now believe Bury to have been a Roman station, as there are
no ruins to be seen to indicate such a circumstance, nor any
coins found here that might confirm it ; and consequently,
the idea of its having been the Villa Faustini of the Romans,
seems in this present age, not to be very strongly insisted upon,
notwithstanding Ives, in his ' Remarks on the Garianonum of
the Romans,' describes the Itinerary of Antoninus (who re
lates this circumstance) as the great guide which leads through
Britannia Romans; from hence we are strongly- persuaded
that Bury was not a Roman station, but probably derived its.
origin from the Saxons.
Cambden was at first Inclined to fix the Vill a Faustini, at
ChesterfQi'd, in Essex, but afterwards determined in favour of
this, place ; Gale adopts the same sentiment, for he says, ' that ¦
Faustina had a vi.lja at Bajaei described by Martial, and why
should he not have one in Britain ? a more pleasant and de
lightful country cannot be than about St. Edmund's, Burt.*
But this must appear to be a very weak, argument indeed !
for, because a foreigner of rank happens to have a country
house, pleasantly situated in Italy, must he also necessarily
have one where similar circumstances occur, either in Britain,-
or any other country in Europe? — Salmon makes 'the Villa
Faustini to be at Maldon, in Essex.-rfHorseley fixes it at Dun-
mow, in that County, and Reynolds has placed it at Woolpit,
in Suffolk, and who is thought by some persons conversant in
the subject, to be probably right ; nevertheless, others think
differently. From hence we may conclude, that it is ia vain- to affirm

C 5]
got footing in this island: for AbbbFloriacensis
that the Villa Faustini must have been a place of consequence
from its appearing in the Itineraiy of Antoninus, unless we
knew for what purpose the Itinerary was drawn up ; and it is
remarkable that Villa doth not occur in Antoninus, as a
town's name, except only once in Africa, where it stands
thus very oddly, villa magna, villa pri vatje, &c.
Villa Faustini seems to signify Faustinus's Seat, or Vill,
but who Fauatinus Was, is unknown ; probably he was some
very eminent Roman of that name, who had fixed upon this
place for his residence, and in consequence of its being such a
pleasant and delightful spot, built a country seat here, which,
from his own name, might be called the Villa Faustini.
These seats Or villas were used most probably for the
eonvenience of soldiers marching through *a country not fully
inhabited ;. such places were extremely useful for the accom
modation of the soldiery; and if Faustinus was a military man,
and it is not unlikely but be Was, it tends to strengthen the
conjecture, that this was the use of the place at the time when
the Romans were in Britain 5 and as a farther confirmation of
this opinion, we apprehend that that necessary appendage to it
Bear Bury, called" «THE GRlMRLB,' was originally in
tended as a place of security for cattle and other necessaries,
wanted for the subsistence and refreshment of soldiers on their1
march against the incursions of the incensed and inveterate
Britons. The name of this remarkable" Hold, the Grindle, appears to.
be derived from Grinn, a fortress; Grirtneal, depths in the
ground:; and Gtinaiol, the" b'edof a river or a caaalj andac'

£ 6 1
tells us, % it became soon after their arrival,

cording to the Saxon etypology, we are informed, that it sig
nifies a barrier.
One circumstance which Reynold'3 mentions m proof of
Woolpit being the Villa Faustiniy is, ' the number oi Roman
coins which are frequently f'a.nd at that place;' from hence it
is evident, that according to the opinion of this writer, the find
ing of E.oman coins in any particular place . -ted for its an
tiquity, is an indubitable proof of its having formerly been a
Roman station, but no Roman coins have ever been found at
Bury, consequently Bury was neither the Villa Faustini nor
a Roman station; besides, the obscurity of the subject, the di
versity of opinions, ar(-! the numerous contradictions concern
ing this point,give us the strongest reasons not only for doubt
ing the truth of those assertions, which endeavour to fin the
Villa Faustini at Bury, but greatly incline us, for want of suf
ficient evidence, wholly to reject them.
t Abbo Floriaccnsis was a venerable and learned monk of
the famous monastery of Fleury, in France; he was invited
into this kingdom, by Oswald, archbishop of York, who placed
him in the monastery of Ramsey, where he both instructed
his disciples in learning, and the young religious ir monastical
discipline. He afterwards returned to his abbey of Fleury, butr
in a mtw-lay in the south of France, in endeavouring to sup
press a violent dispute in the court belonging to the same, he
was run through the body with a lance; accordingly, he was
celebrated as a Mattyr, In a book which he addressed to
Robert, king of Fiance, he speaks of the times about the
year iooi, as a new age, wheicin it was expected that the

[7 3
Villa Regis, tha,t is, a Royal Will, for so the
French, and other nations on the continent,
still call their greatest cities, as Ville de Paris .
and these Vills, as it is further alledged, the
Saxons frequently placed where the most emi
nent stations of the Romans had been.
The Villa Faustini of Antoninus, whose
Itinerary was compiled a little before the final
overthrow of queen Boadicea, in the time of
the emperor Claudian, is asserted by some
writers, we find to be the Roman name of the
place now called St. Edmund's, Bury; never
theless, this circumstance is doubted by others;
indeed, that great father of our national an
tiquities, the venerable Cambden, seems to
have adopted this opinion, and in support of it
cites the authority of Talbot, a prebendary of
Norwich, and a learned antiquarian; and arch
deacon Battely, another writer of eminence,

world would be at an end, and in consequence of this notion,
building and repairing of houses, and also the cultivation af
land, were neglected, as no longer necessary.

[8]
and very conversant in antiquities, appears ta
have entertained the same sentiment; but not
withstanding these greatauthof ities, the opinion
is held as extremely doubtful by others who are
unwilling to allow it even the weight of pro
bability .
No doubt, however, appears to be enter
tained but that the Saxon name of this place
was Beodenic-weord, or Beoderic -worth ; for
P.tigdale informs us, that till the establishment
of the Benedictine Abbey, by Canute, the
Danish king, it was denominated the monastery
Qf St. Mary, at Beoderic-worth; and here it
may be further observed, that both these names
express the same meaning, signifying, ^full of
happiness and prosperity;" for as Faustinus, in-
Latin, implies prosperity,, so also does Beo-
deiick, ia German, as the learned Hadrianus
Junius, says Cambden, has informed us.
Others again are of opinion, that the word
Bury, is a certain indication of the scite of a

[9]
British fortification, or hold; Berig or Bury*,
* The termination of Bury is affixed to seats in Hertford
shire, and also in other places. Thus Cashio-BURY means the
chief detached seat in Cashio Hundred, and Gorham-
buk v, the seat of Robert de Gorham, abbot of St. Alban's.
That the termination of bury was sometimes derived from
bur, appears In an old Monkish writer, Galfridus de Fon-
tibus, quoted in Battely's Antiquitates S. Edmundi Burgi,
p. 24. — M. Review, June, 1796.
Burgh signifies a fortified place, and the Burghers those that
dwelt in such a place ; -they generally took their name from
Some remarkable Saxon who settled there, and raised a for
tification of some sort or other, to defend himself and his ad
herents against the insults of the Danes; for burgh originally
signifies a fortified place, or a place of defence, and is pro
nounced differently in diflerent parts ; in the southern parts,
Bury, in others Burgh and Brough, and often Berry and Bar
row ; the reason why we meet with so many places thus called,
in all parts, may be this, because the-Saxons were obliged to
assemble together in bodies under their leaders, and to fortify
themselves in the best manner they could, against the con
tinual incursions of the Danes ; and in honour of their first
leaders that raised these fortifications, they commonly called
them after their names : thus Dickleburgh, in Norfolk, de
rived its name from Diccles-burc, or Burgh, that is, from
Diccles, a noted Saxon; Burgh, in Lothingland, is another
instance of this kind, being anciently called Crober's-burgh,
from Croberus ; from hence it is evident, that all places that
retain this name have been of considerable note in early ages,
— Bloomfield's Hist, of Norfolk, vol. i. p. 135.
C

[ 10]
being always the Saxon appellation for distin
guishing the British strong hold, from the
Roman castrum or ceastpe; but this termina
tion is not to be confounded with Borg, Borh}
Burgh, or Burough, which originally meant a
sodality or fellowship of those who were sure
ties and pledges for each other, and for their
community, and from which we derived the
name and nature of our prescriptive and* an
cient borough. The British Hold was fre
quently a woody place surrounded by a ditch
and a rampart, and Csesar bears testimony to
the judgment of the Britons in the choice of
those places, where the Roman soldiers fre
quently experienced great annoyance, and af
terwards not unfrequently adopted them as
places of greater security. Hence probably
from the latter instance, is derived Beoderic-
worth, and also Edmund's Burg.
Amongst the ancient Britons their woods
were their places of worship, and the Romans
who had as little repugnance- to enrol amongst
their deities, those of other nations, as they

[ » ]
had to subdue the nations themselves, would
necessarily erect their altars within the pale
of the station ; but after the introduction of
Christianity, it was an especial policy to sup
plant the pagan worship, upon its own altars.
Hence the places of most ancient religious
foundation in the time of the Saxons, are those
which had before been places eminent for the
sacred respect and reverence traditionally paid
to them. The piety of Sigcbert, * in founding a
house for instruction and worship, would na
turally lead him to prefer a place already cele
brated for its sanctity; and for the maintenance
of the institution, and for his own residence,
he would also appropriate some domain f.

* Respecting Sigebert we shall speak more fully after
wards. f This was in all probability, the origin of the rich and
extensive liberty of St. Edmund's, afterwards much enlarged
by bishop Ayllwin.
c a

r 12 i
In the Saxon language BEDE, * signifies
prayer or worship; and PIC, or RIKE, do
minion ; when annexed to names of men it
denotes strength, power, and opulence. Re
tained in the word Bishoprick, it means the
place or district of the Bishop's dominion; for
the vill or town of the district of prayer, wor
ship, or holiness, appears to some writers, to
be the more just etymology, as it more strictly
accords with the high idea of sacred pre-emi
nence attached to the place.
Abbo Floriacensis, however, chuses to de
rive the appellation from the name of a person
called Beodericus, who, he tells us, gave the
place to king Edmund; yet it plainly appears,
that for more than two centuries before the
death of that king, it had held the name of
Beoderic-worth, and we may add, frequently
afterwards that of Edmund's Burgh f.
* No doubt is entertained, as it is observed afterwards, but
that its saxon name was Beoderic-worth.
f The ancient accounts, as well as those. given by the

Hairing thus laid before our readers, the
Monks, conciu- in placing the scite of the habitation of the lord
of this vill, near the abbey; and probably it was situated near
the east gate, where the very ancient houses on the north side
of the bottom of Mustow-street, rtataairi: for the east was
always in the peculiar power of the Abbot.
The Liber Albus, p. 117, i written, we apprehend, before
the end of the 13th century, probably in the reign of Henry III.
agrees with other authorities, in fixing the court of one of
the principal bfficers of the abbey, on the scite of this mansion,
where that officer had a messuage, together with eight other
houses adjoining, also barns, and a garden contiguous to his
place of residence, situated near the Scur fountain, where the
infirmary was kept; and this place was the mansion of Beo-
dric, who was in former agesj lord of this vill or town, and
from whence it was called beodrices-worth, ahd was so
denominated during the greater part of the time of the Saxons'!.
It was in this place where an officer, whoever he was, though
probably the steward, used solemnly to hold his court, touch
ing robberies, and all pleadings and complaints. Here also he
used to summon his men, and renew pledges every year, and
thence receive his profits, as had befbre been done 3.
We are further informed that, < Master, or Lord Beodricu's,
or Beodrkius, (from which name that of Beodrickesworth is
derived) gave Bury to St. Edmund ;' and it is elsewhere
1 No. 498, 1005, in the Harleian Libfary,
a Register, in the Register Office, Bury,
3 See Harleian MS,

C h 3
different opinions of learned and ingenious

stated, ' That it is known that certain lands of the said officer
in the fields of St. Edmund, are of the ancient demesne, for
merly of Beodricus, though of subsequent acquisition, whence,
a different mode of tything.' Of similar construction are the
charters 4 of the Monastery secured by inspeximus under the
seal of Philip and Mary, in which we read, ' That the Abbot
of St. Edmund's was seized of the Burgh aforesaid, in his de
mesne as of fee, in right of his Monastery of Bury St. Ed
mund's, from all the time aforesaid; for that the Lord Beo-
dric, before the conquest of England, lord of the aforesaid
town, was seized of the same town, in his demesne as of fee,
and being so seized long before the said conquest, and before
the death and martyrdom of the Said Edmund, king and martyr,
constituted the same Edmund his heir, and died; after whose
death, Edmund, saint and king, was thereupon seized in his
demesne, as of the fee, &c. &c 5. Thus deducing a pre
scriptive and regular tide from the possession of Beodricus, as
immediately antecedent to the seizin of king Edmund, it will
appear, on considering the state of St. Edmund's, Bury, in the
angelic times, (notwithstanding the objections that may be
made against it, from the partiality of the Monks, in affairs
wherein their own interest is so materially concerned,) that
common consent and tradition had united in giving to Beo-

4 In the Archieves of Bury.
5 Hence we may easily learn the reason, why Beodrickeswortb be-
came the burial place of king Edmund, in preference to any other, when
his body was removed from Iloxne,

t 15 J
writers on this intricate and much-disputed
point, the etymology of the original name of
of this town, we shall forbear to enlarge any
further respecting the discussion of it, but
leaving every one to the free exercise of his
own judgment upon what has been already
advanced upon the subject, to determine with
himself, concerning the opinion which shall
appear to him most probable and admis
sible.

dricus the ancient possession of this place. Dr. Battely also
is inclined to adopt this opinion. 8 The dominion, there
fore, of Beodricus being so implicitly acquiesced in, was the
very best as well as most certain foundation on which to build
the monarchial claims to grounds and possessions which might
not, neither were they wanted to be found, in specific gifts,,
bequests or endowments, conferred subsequent to the accession
of the Normans.
From this circumstance, we apprehend, the town of Bury
derived its ancient name of Edmund's Burgh, (as Beodrickes-
worth arose from Beodricius) 7, and that it was from its be
coming the burial place of that king, that it was after
wards called st. edmvnd's bury.
6 In his ' AntiquitatesS. Edmundi Burgi.*
7 See Note, page 4,

[ 16 J
As the town of St. Edmund's, Bury, is si
tuated in that part of England anciently deno
minated the Iceni, or kingdom of the East
Angles, we think it necessary to subjoin the
following brief account of that nation which
makes so conspicuous a figure in the early
annals of the History of Britain, and is so
closely connected with the subject of this
work. The nation of Britons, distinguished by the
name of Iceni, inhabited the country now com
prised in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk,
Cambridge, and Huntingdon. The etymology
of this name seems to be satisfactorily given
by Cambden, who derives it from the British
term, Iken, a wedge, in allusion to the shape
and situation of the country.. Dr. Gale, *
(who wrote a Commentary on Antoninus)
is inclined t to derive the appellation from
the British term, Yeken, the Ouse ; and the
* Bloomfield's Norfolk, vol. i. p. 528.

[ 17 ]
learned Sir Henry Spelman, seems to have
entertained the same opinion; for he observes,
" that the Iceni (by which name this part of
the Heptarchy was distinguished in the time of
the Saxons,) is a British term, derived from
the river Ise or Ichen, and this conjecture is
highly probable, for most of the rivers in
Norfolk, still retain (tho'ugh varying a little)
the same names, as the Ouse Magna and
the Ouse Parva; the name, however dedu-
cible, is still preserved in all those appel
latives of places beginning with Ike, such
as Ikensworth, Ikenthorpe, Ickburgh, Iken,
&c. &c.
Of this nation, the queen Boadicea, the
widow of Prasatugus, was the brave, though
unfortunate, chief. Her husband had hoped
for safety to his family by giving them for a
coheir the emperor Nero. The baseness of
the Roman citizens, who, (after becoming, in
the reproachful language of the poet, ** Tes-
tamenti Captatares," one to another,) sought
D

r in
to secure, in participation with an imperial
legatte, a protection and permissive enjoyment
of their accumulated possessions, created this
degenerate and unworthy practice.
By this bequest, instead of Being protected
as tributary, the Iceni found themselves en
slaved. The cruel and scandalous outrages
committed by the Roman tribunes on the
persons of Boadicea and her daughters, added
the fury of revenge to the stimulations of
patriotism. Whilft the Iceni were robbed of their pos
sessions by the presumed operation of the
Roman law under the donation of Prasatugus,
other nations had under its real operation, to
suffer a slavery inflicted from another cause,
tht practice of lending on unreasonable, and
therefore usurious considerations. Amongst
the Romans most addicted to this trade, we
find the famous Seneca; and the philosopher
who could imitate in his morals the life of

[19 I
jSocrates, who could rival that hero of be
nevolence in the manner of his death, became
by his avarice, an eminent promoter of the
miseries of the Britons. The creditor who
was able to lend 400,000 sesterces^ upon more
than decimal usury, must soon have subjected
to coercion and slavery, many, even amongst
the noblest provincials, and as acting in con
formity to law, and having no principle to
lead him to respect .the inviolability of the
' persons of his fellow creatures, he might, with
out suspecting his own virtue, juftify himself
in inflicting upon them the last of human
misfortunes. Urged by the oppressions suffered, and by
the apprehensions of greater sufferings, the
Trinobantes and other nations confederated
under the intrepid Boadicea; and it was not
till the destruction of nearly 100,000 Romans,
and a no less number of Britons had been
doomed to the same fate by her resistance,
that the heroine resigned her command, and
D %

[ao]
her life, in the time of the emperor Claudian.
With her fell the independence and power of
the Iceni, until the retreat of the Romans
from the British Isles, in the middle of the
fifth century.

OF THE
ABBEY OF
ST. EDMUND'S, BURT.

ITS ORIGIN, MAGNIFICENCE, AND
DISSOLUTION.

Jt HE history of a place made eminent by
the operation of religion, is greatly elucidated
by an inveftigation of the different systems of
religion which have been prevalent at distant
periods amongst its inhabitants. The labours
of the antiquarian, and the histories of remark
able events, are in all cases valuable only as
they afford materials for the history of man

[" ]
himself; and of that history, religion, of what
ever kind it is, forms a most materially consti-
tuant part; the reader, therefore, must expect
to have passed in succession before him, the
several persuasions operating upon the pros
perity or adver: ity of the place described. In
this point of view the history of an Abbey, is
the history of a Province, or a Kingdom.
The religion of the Iceni, in common with
the other British or Celtic nations, was that
of which the Druids were the priests, the un-
controulable dispensers; and of all the enor
mities with which superstition has enchained
the human mind, no one, perhaps, has ex
ceeded those of the ancient Druids. Human
Beings offered in living sacrifices by fire, with
horrible solemnity, in the deep recesses of their
gloomy forests, were to render propitious the
Deity presiding over battles. The vengeance
of the queen of the Iceni, is said, to have been
more than usually lavish of human Jives thus
sacrificed; and this gave pretext with the ap-

[23]
pearance of justice, for retaliations severely
inflicted by the victorious Romans. Thus
did the followers of Cortez vainly pretend to
find justification of Spanish severity in the
examples of Mexican barbarities ; from hence
it is evident, that cruelty, when, and by whom
soever exercised, is finally its own chastiser.
It is much to be regretted, that in the
ample supply of materials for history, wars
have always furnished the principal portion.
The ravages of the Picts and Scots in the
northern and midland parts of England, and
the resistance of the unconquered Britons in
the west, called forth all the energies of the
Romans, and the Brito-Roman citizens; and
the most industrious antiquarian researches
have not, respecting those parts of England,
even now, exhausted the treasures of Roman
and British antiquities. It is otherwise in
the country of the Iceni Magni. Remote
and protected by situation, from the ravages
of Caledonia, it enjoyed a long period of quiet,

[24]
and it was not till the approaching fall of the
Roman empire, that their country began to
suffer under the piratical descents of the wor
shippers of Odin. Roman coercion had con
strained the remaining Britons to abandon the
most horrible rites of their awful and cruel
religion;* and in acquiring the citizenship
and civilization of Romans, they were na
turally led to become with them, partakers of
the Christian faith, and to take a new tone
and character from its humane and peaceful
doctrines; and from this cause it is, that so
little occurs to be noted during the later
history of the Iceni f.
* Suetonius.
+ It is not to be supposed, that the predatory descents of th«
Germanic tribes under the general name of Saxons, were sus
pended till after the evacuation of Britain by the Romans; the
inva ions of the Saxons, in full foice, did not indeed, take
place previously to that event, but as almost every exterior part
of the Roman empire, was assailed by barbaric sensuality, it is
not to be doubted, but that the poor and ferocious tribes of the
north of Germany, would often, from the opposite shore, visit
for temporary plunder, the civilized Britons, and would direct
their views to the acquisition of dominion, now made more

[25]
Sigebert, one of the Heptarilical kings,
and fifth monarch of the East-Angles, having
being banished into France by his half-brother
and predecessor Erpenwald,- on a suspicion of
aspiring to the crown, during his , exile, em
braced Christianity; and after an interregnum
of three years from the death of his brother,
ascended the East-Anglian throne, in the year
636. The Christian faith had made some
faint progrefs in his dominions, during the
reign of his father, Redwald, who though he
permitted it to be taught in some measure,
yet himself never embraced it, but greatly
discouraged the progress of it. Tojeinstate
some of his subjects in their belief of the
easy by the absence of the forces which the Romans found it
necessary to withdraw from Britain, and by the renewed and
formidable attacks of the Picts. The appointment of an
officer called ' comes litonis saxonici,' i e. count of
the saxon shore, was the last arrangement made to repress
the depredations of the Germanic tribes, and having repaired
and fortified the wall of Severus, [the Romans, under Otitis,
finally evacuated the province of Britain, about the 448th year
of the Christian sera E

[26]
Christian religion, and to convert others, were
the great objects of Sigebert's ambition: and
to assist him in this design, he brought over
with him from France, a priest of Burgundy,
named Felix, whom he procured to be con
secrated bishop of the East-Angles, by Ho-
norius, archbishop of Canterbury, and fixed the
episcopal see at Dunwich. Whilst Felix, un
der the patronage of the king, was spreading
the gospel amongst the East- Angles, Furseus,
an Irish monk, came over to his assistance,
and collecting a cotnpany of religious persons,
under the Monastic rule, placed them at
Burgh, then called Cnobersburg.
Sigebert may be considered- as the founder
of this early monastery; and to the same prince,
that at St. Edmund's, Bury, then named Beo-
drickesworth *, owed its origin ; where he
* It was at the time probably, when the Romans weie in
Britain, that an eminent military commander amongst that
people, named Faustinus, attracted by the convenience and
pleasantness of the country where this town was afterwaids

[27]
joined himself to the religious, resigning his
erected, might from thence be induced, as we observed before,
see note p. 5, to fix upon it for his residence and to form a
camp near his seat, now called, 'the grindle,' as a re
pository for cattle and other necessaries, for the use of such
Roman soldiers, as might be obliged to march that way ; this
camp does not appear to have been strongly fortified, but only
of sufficient strength to protect what was lodged therein, from
the attacks of the Britons ; at that time, we apprehend, no re
gular town had been built here; and therefore, we are strongly
inclined to believe, that the town of Bury is of saxon origin,
and that its original name was not Villa Faustini, but b e-
DERIC-WEORD, EEDERlCI-COK.TIS,Or BEODI RI C-WOK.TH,
which probably have all of them the same meaning; and
it was generally called by that name afterwards by the
Danes, for Canute, the Danish king, as was observed before,
p. 8. denominated the religious establishment which he founded
here, by the ancient name of '.The Monastery of St. Mary, at
beoderic-worth;' but with respect to the supposition
that bury was originally the Villa Faustini of the Romans,
there are no ruins discernible as there are in other places where
the Romans have resided, nor any coins found here to confirm
the conjectute.
Reynold's, the late editor of 'Antonini Itenerarium', will
not allow that the Roman high road, and the Villa Faustini
standing upon it, was at all nearer to the present town of
Bury, than Woolpit. See note, page 4 and 6. But has that
place or its neighbourhood (except coins) exhibited any
Roman remains ? Btiry has certainly no pretence to either,
see note, page 6, But on this point, perhaps, Reynolds's
£ 2

[28]
crown, and renouncing the world. Egric, his
successor, being attacked by Penda, king of
Mercia, and obliged to hazard the fate of a
battle, intreated him to leave his retirement,
and command the East- Anglian troops, in per
son, from a presumption that Heaven would
crown the Royal Votary with success. 
Yielding to the importunities of Egric, the
abdicated Monkish king met the Mercian,
victory declared for the latter, and Sigebert
and Egric were numbered with the slain.
To Furseus and his monks, the walls of the
Roman camp, at Burgh, afforded a comfortable
assylum; and where, like the Roman soldiers,
they lived in tents and huts within the area ;
several of our historians have confounded this
monastery, at Burgh, with that of Bury, where
opinon, who does not seem much acquainted with these parts,
deserves, (as has been suggested to us) to be carefully examined,
and either wholly confuted or fully established. Battely, also,
see page 7, who could not think of giving up Bury, as not
being classical ground, has in his MS. varied the beginning of
his elegant essay several times: this looks as if he could not
easily satisfy himself that what he said was perfectly true.

[29]
Sigebert took the cowl, and have thought
Cnobersburgh and Beoderic-worth, to have
been the same, but without sufficient reason
for the conjecture. In the distracted state of
affairs during the heptarchy, when every prince
was the avowed enemy of his neighbour, the
religious were not exempt from the common
calamities of the times ; and their profession
so far from affording them protection, often
exposed them to greater hardships. The love of
power, and the desire of conquest, frequently
assumed the garb of religion, with our early
Saxon monarchs. In such wars, upon such
motives, and with such a pretext, the difficulties
attending their conquests, were revenged by
the severity with which they treated their cap
tives ; each party triumphed in their turn, and
whoever were victors, the monks and their
adherents were generally the first sacrifices.
The death of Sigebert deprived Furseus of
a great and zealous patron; and to avoid
the troubles which succeeded it, he left
his monastery, at Burgh, and retired into

[3o]
France*; the Monks, however, appear to
have had much more constancy and resolution,
for by the favours granted to that religious
society, by some of the latter kings of the
East- Angles, we find they continued there for
several years, but how long is uncertain^ .
Leaving therefore to the investigation of
the learned and indefatiguable antiquary, the
* Ives's Remarks on the Garianonum of the Romans.
•b The greatest benefactors to mankind have been, and to all
ages will be those, who have sought for human happiness in
the progressive improvement of the human mind. With all
gratitude due to those generous benefactors, we unavoidably
assimilate a veneration for the remains of their local insti
tutions, and though we may have to regret that superstition
should ever be erected on the basis laid for instruction, yet
as there is, however impeded, an irresistible impulse in the hu
man mind, to discover the truth, to that impulse, and therefore,
to our improvement, the abodes even of superstition have been
favourable, by preserving for our benefit, through the ages of
war and barbarism, the recorded instruction and examples of
ancient times. Amongst such benefactors we are to reckon
Sigebert, who by planting on this spot a place of worship and
instruction, became in the first instance the founder of the
Abbey,_and the greatness of the town of st. ebmvnd's,

[3i ]
numerous doubts and obscurities which too
often accompany remarkable transactions, as
related in ancient, and frequently uncertain
history, we shall now proceed to tread more
substantial ground, and endeavour to shew from
historical evidence of the most indisputable
authority, that the town of Bury derived its
present name from its being the burial place of
that royal martyr to the Christian faith, Ed
mund, king of the East-Angles, who reigned
about the time of the 9th century, when the
Danes made such frequent and dreadful irrup
tions into this country; and who was bar
barously murdered by those cruel invaders, at
Hoxne, in this County; he was first buried in
an obscure wooden chapel in that village, but
afterwards his body being taken up again, was
re-interred in this town, and from this circum
stance it has ever since retained the name of
st. Edmund's, bury *.

* Amongst the most remarkable circdmstances attending
this cruel transaction, we shall relate the following :
King Edmund after being unsuccessful in his last encounter

[32 ]
After king Edmund had been cruelly
slain by being shot to death with arrows by
the Danes, his head was instantly severed
from his body, and contemptuously thrown
amongst some thick bushes that grew con
tiguous to the place of his execution. Re
specting this barbarous catastrophe, Lidgate, a
with the Danes, and having relinquished every intention of
opposing them any farther, fled for safety to the village of
Eglesdune, (now Hoxne, in this county), where, finding him
self closely pursued by the invaders, he was under the neces
sity through the hope of escaping the sanguinary designs of his
implacable enemies, of concealing himself uuder a bridge in
that parish, now called ' Gold Bridge,' so named from the
brilliant appearance of the gilt spurs which the king at that
time happpened to have on, and was the means of discovering
him; for a newly-married couple that were returning home in
the evening, seeing by moon-light, the spurs glitter in the water,
immediately betrayed him to the Danes, who, after endeavour
ing in vain to prevail upon him to renounce the Christian faith,
first scourged him with whips, then bound him to a stake, and
afterwards shot him to death with arrows. The king was first
buried in an obscure wooden chapel at Eglesdune, but being
afterwards esteemed a martyr to the Christian religion, and
canonized for it by the church, his bones were removed to
Bury, which was his own Burgh, where a large and magnificent
abbey was shortly after erected to his memory.

[ 33 1
monk of Bury abbey, and a very distinguished
It may be further observed respecting this fatal event, that
the king, in consequence of his being delivered up in this
treacherous manner into the hands of his enemies, pronounced
in the warmth of his resentment, a most dreadful curse upon
every couple that should afterwards pass over this bridge in
their way to the parish church to be married ; a superstitious
regard is still paid in he village to this alarming denunciation,
for not one couple will, even to this day, pass over this bridge
m proceeding to the church on that occasion, but will, if ne
cessary, in order to avoid it, take a more circuitous path. It
is now about a thousand years since the unhappy circum
stance which gave rise to this singular custom, took place, and
which furnishes a remarkable instance of the amazing length of
time through which traditions in parishes, are transmitted to
very distant posterity .— — [History of Lowestoft.
And here we cannot help, observing a little further respect-
illg this truly melancholy affair, that whenever we happen to
pass over this bridge, we have been compelled by a kind of
involuntary restraint, just to stop a few minutes in order to
ruminate on the agonizing pains which once tortured the mind
of the unfortunate Monarch, on this very spot, and the cruel
death which he so shortly after experienced ; nevertheless, how
distressing soever, these reflections may now be to the humane
and benevolent mind, yet they are not wholly destitute of con
solation; for whenever we seriously consider the cruel and
ferocious practices, which formerly characterized the martial
proceedings of that barbarous and uncivilized people the
Danes, we have the greatest reason most heartily to rejoice in
F

[34]
poet of the time in which he lived, thus ex ¦
presses himself.
O Gloryous Martir which of devout humblenesse.
For Chrystis sake were bound to a tre.
An invocation more comprehensive, can
scarcely be conceived.
Amongst the many fabulous circumstances
which, according to thelegendsry tales of those
dark and ignorant ages, are related concerning
the decollation of this unfortunate monarch,
was this; that after the head of the king was
severed from the body, and thrown amongst
the bushes, a wolf took charge of it, and
miraculously preserved it.
*
When their cruel ravages were abated,
diligent search was made for this principal part
of the body of the martyr ; but after centinuing
their anxious pursuits for some time without
the innumerable blessings which we now enjoy under our
present mild, indulgent, and happy form of government.

C 35]
effect, they at last invoked the saint himself,
upon which the head immediately answers
them, * Here, here, here;' and as Lidgate,
the old monk at Bury, informs us,
And never ceased of s! that longe tlaye,
S.p for to crye tyl they k»m where he laye.
And having found the head, he says—
Thus was ther wepyng medly'd" with gladnessc,
And ther was gladnesse medly'd with wepyog;
And hertly sobbing meynt with ther swetncsse,
And soote compley ntes medly'd with sobbyng,
Accord diseordyng and discord accordyng;
For for his deth though they fele smarts,
This sodeyn myracle rejois'd ageyn theit i.c-jrte.
But we further learn, that another extra
ordinary miracle immediately succeeded the
discovery of the head of the martyr ; for the
head was found so closely joined to the body,
that no juncture was visible, except, when
closely examined, a small cicatrize about the
breadth of 3 purple thread. In order to com
plete the miracle, the wojf during the time of
this investigation, continued perfectly harm-
F 2

[36]
less, ahd at last, after peaceably attending the
funeral of the body, at Hoxne, retired to his
native woods*.

* We should not have fatigued our readers with the tiresome
relation of the particulars of this absurd fiction, had we not
found that the belief of it prevailed even down to the 16th
century, about the time of the reformation. For to a lease
granted by the abbey, dated a8th of April, 1553, and to which
the seal of the monastery is appendant, on one side is repre
sented St. Edmund, with his crown and sceptre, seated under
a Gothic canopy, with a bishop standing on each side of him,
with this legend, ' Agmine stipatus sedet hie rex pontificatus.'
On the other side, the same king appears, in the upper part, as
tied to a tree, and transfixed with numerous darts from several
persons armed with these weapons ; in the lower part he is
kneeling down, and a man is represented, who has just cut
off the martyr's head, close to which sits a wolf: the legend is
' Signum secretum cap' li sancti Edmundi regis et martirisV
In short, this part of the history of St. Edmund, respecting the
story of the wolf, seems to have been a favourite subject with
artists, and is still extant both in the wood, stone, and glass. Of
the jalter, till lately, a curious specimen remained in a window
of the old chapel, at the Risby-gate: it represented St. Ed-
mund'shead ciowned, lying in a wood, and a wolf sitting
close by it ; over them is written, ' pro salute omnium fidelium' .
below, ' Here, hete, here.'— ;We cannot wonder that this very
singular event should be so often represented in works of art,
as it is to this day the crest of the arms of the corporation

[37]
- Sigebert, the fifth king of the East-
Angles, who brought Christianity first into
granted them by William Cambden, Clarencieux in 1606, and
is also on the font both of St. Mary's and St. James's church,
'and other places in Buty .
Edmund was nephew of Off a , king of the East- Angles, and
was adopted by him. He was murdered in the year 870,
after a reign of 15 years, in the 30th year of his age. For the
old poet Lidgate, informs us, that the martyrdom of the king
was upon a Monday, in the month of December :
On which day the Moone was of age
Too-and-twenty by computation ;
Indication twente rekay 'd in our language,
Eyhte hundrid year from the Incarnation,
And seventye over as maud is mencion;
When the holy martyr was by accounts cleer,
Day of his passion, of age thertty yeer.
This prince was a very devout and pious Christian. This •
virtuous and religious king, fought the Danes a little before
his death, near Thetford, for seven hours, and was so shocked
at the prodigious effusion of human blopd, that he offered to
decide the contest by single combat, but the proposal was re
jected, and the unhappy monarch fell a victim to the fury of
his enemies; but who could expect mercy would be shewn by
Hubba, one of the king's principal antagonists, who had or
dered Ella to be flayed alive! This shews the difference be
tween Christianity and Paganism,

[3* J
his dominions, built a church hers, (which
was the first conventual church) about the
year 673, and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary;
it continued in a flourishing condition during
the greater part of the reigns of his successors,
though the Danes terribly harrassed pther parts,
of this county. This church which was built
for secular monks, was particularly favoured
by this king, a prpof of its baying been a
monastery of very great antiquity, and that it
was equally eminent for its extensive pri
vileges*. * This building was formed, most probably of wood, as
was also the chapel at Hegiesdune, (Hoxne) where the body
of St. Edmund was first interred, as likewise were the two-
succeeding conventual churches, at Bury; the first church for
the use of the abbey, built with stone, was the structure
creeled by Baldwin, who was abbot here from about the year
1065 to 1097; probably most of ourchurches that were erected
in those early ages, were of the same materials. For as Ives
observes, in hi-. Remarks on the G.nriononum of the Romans
when speaking of the infant state of Christianity, in this part
of Britain, say*, ' At this early period, regular edifices for the
service of religion weie unknown; churches were erected
with hurdles, and- covered with straw; and such, buildings

[ 39 ]
After an exemption from those dreadful
cruelties and oppressions which the other parts
of this county had so bitterly experienced for
many years from the merciless Danes, a re
solution was formed by the converts to Chris*
tianity, of removing the body of king Edmund
from the obscure wooden chapel atHoxne, to
a stately structure that was erected at Bury, by
Allywin, about the year 903, for the more
honourable reception of the remains of the
royal martyr; this building was upon a larger
scale than the church erected by Sigebert,
though built with the same kind of materials.
were fully sufficient foi the devotion -of a people, who in com
pliment to their next prince, might return to paganism 1' so
also with respect to the fifties of which we are now treating .
if we consider the numerous dangers and distresses the nation
was then subject to, both from the principles and cruelties of
the Danes ; for as they had an inveterate hatred to the Chris
tian faith, wooden buildings for the purpose of .religion might
be well adapted to the very uncertain state of the Christian
religion in those turbulent and unhappy times, and which
might also deprive them of the means of furnishing themselves
with others that were more durable and commodious King
Edmund, the elder, much respecting the saint of his name,
gave several lands to this church, in the year 94a.

[ 40 ]
The Danes, after the death of king Ed-
mund, became absolute lords of all this part
of the island, and maintained their dominion
about fifty years, but notwithstanding the pro
mises of safety and protection that might be
given to the monastery, by them, it appears
that the members of that society, entertained
very strong suspicions of their sincerity, and
were extremely cautious how far they might
trust to the plausible assurances of such mer
ciless invaders, especially in affairs which the
abbot and convent regarded as the most sacred
and important, as they were perfectly sensible
of their implacable animosity against the
Christian faith. These considerations seem
to have furnished matter of serious alarm to
the abbot and monks belonging to this mo
nastery, and excited in them the most painful
apprehensions for the safety of the body of the
royal martyr, St. Edmund, lest it should fall
into the hands of those irreligious and profane
infidels. In Consequence, therefore, of these
very alarming fears, a resolution appears to

[4i ]
have been formed of removing the body to
some considerable distance from the abbeyj
and accordingly we find that in the year ioio,
when this part of the county was again much
infested by the Danes, the body of St. Edmund,
which had been deposited in this place, in 903,
was conveyed to London, in order the better
to secure it from that barbarous people, where
it continued three years, when it was again
restored to the abbey.
The great sanctity and virtue that was at
tributed to the body of St. Edmund, occasioned
it to be treated with the most profound re
verence and respect, during its progress from
the abbey to London, and many miracles were
reported to have been wrought by it; as for
instance: — ¦
When Ayllwin, -who was lying with St.
Edmund's body, came to the town of Ead-
bright, in Essex, and was allowed to rest with
the holy martyr all night, in an outhouse, the
G

[42]
place was miraculously illuminated during the
whole time, and heavenly music was heard.
Ayllwin, with the body, came next to a
river, which seemed to be at a place called
Stratford. Here another miracle was perform
ed; for the bridge at that place being found too
narrow, one whole wheel only of the carriage
in which the body was conveyed, went on
the bridge, while the other revolved on the
surface of the water. This marvellous cir
cumstance could not fail of attracting the no
tice of Lidgate, the ancient poet of the abbey,
who says,—
To forme a Stratforde cally'd at the horse,
His litel cane, whan it sholde passe
The bregge, broke the deep strain unknowne;
Harwe was the plawne, ther was no waye but Grace ;
Aboff the flood, and litel wheel gan glace,
The tother wheel glod on the boord a loffte,
And Ayllawn went aSorn ful soffte.
The body then with great solemnity, en
ters the city of London, curing the blind: and

[43]
at Cripplegate, it restored a lame man to the
use of his limbs; afterwards it was lodged in
St. Gregory's church, in St. Paul's church
yard; here many gifts were brought and pre
sented to the venerable martyr, and a man
was struck blind for attempting to inspect the
body of the saint: but, on his repentance, hlsr
sight was restored to him again, and he pre
sented his bracelet.
CEilfrun, bishop of London, at that time,
perceiving the numerous offerings that were
presented to the remains of St. Edmund, was
extremely desirous of having the body con
tinued at London, in St. Paul's church, if it
could possibly be obtained from the little
church of St. Gregory's ; but Ayllwin seems
to have been aware of the bishop's intentions,
and consequently, solicited him to grant him
his licence, to convey the body of St. Edmund
back again to Bury. Thus, says Lidgate}
again:—-
0 2

[44]
Three neer the martyr heel'd ther resydance,
Tyl Ayllewyn by revclacionj
Took off the bishop upon a day lycence,
To lead king Edmund ageyn to Bury town.
But the bishop, notwithstanding his licence,
had formed a design of embracing this oppor
tunity of seizing the king's body, and convey
ing it to St. Paul's cathedral ; 'thus Lidgate
again : — Gan werche,
Hym to translate into Powley 's cherche.
And in order to effect his purpose, he took
with him three clerks, intending thereby to
carry off the body of the martyr more pri
vately; but the attempt was made to no pur
pose, for the saint not choosing to go with
them, the shrine remained as fast as " at a
great hill of stone," and the body was as im
moveable " as a mountain."
To Ayllwin, however, who implored the
king not to forsake his own country, there
was no resistance; he advances to the shrine,.

[45]
invokes the martyr, and desires to know his
pleasure, whether he would like to continue
in his present situation, or remove to his pro
per abode, at Bury. The martyr having
heard the invocation, suffers himself to be re
moved back to his former place of residence.—
The shrine was accompanied by the bishop
himself, in the procession, as far as the sub
urbs. — As the body proceeded, the sick were
restored to health, and the people in their
zeal repaired the bridges, strewed the way
with flowers, and hung the walls with cloth;
during the journey, they lodged one night at
Stapylisforde, at the chief manor of that little
town, where the lord lay sick of an inveterate
disease, but was made perfectly whole again,
by the presence of the royal martyr; in gra
titude for which extraordinary miracle, he
gave that manor to the church at Bury*,
* Abbo Floriacensis, on the life and passion of St. Edmund,
with a continuation of miracles by Hermanus. There is a cu
rious manuscript by Hermanus,. in the Harleian catalogue,
maiked Tiberius, b. ll. It is a copy of Abbo Floriacensis,,

[46]
When he arrived at Beodrickes-worth,
they who had dispaired of his ever coming
there again, greeted him with joyful offerings,
devoutly praying him, as Lidgate tells us,—
With hem to byde, and never parte away*:
with relations respecting the abbey of Bury, down to the year
1070, containing 84 parchment leaves: the rest of the manu
script, containing above 100 leaves, respects the affairs and
possessions of Ely.
* Amongst the many eminent persons buried in the abbey
chin ch, at Bury, was this celebrated poet, John Lidgate, who
was a monk in this monastery, about the year 1440. On his
tomb a latin epitaph is said to have been written, which in
English is as follows: —
Dead to the world, yet living in the sky,
Intombed in this urn doth Lidgate lye, !
In former times famed for his poetry
All over England.
But this, and most of the other ancient monuments, perished
with the abbey.
Amongst the several poetical pieces of Lidgate, we met with
the following:
The life and martyrdom of St. Edmund, king of the East-
Angles, written in a poem, by John Lydgate, monk of St,
Edmund's, Bury.
The life of St>. Fromund, cousin to St. Edmund,
The legend of St. Margaret.
The Pilgrim.

[47 ]
But unfortunately, the kingdom of the
East-Angles, did not continue any consider
able length of time, in this tranquil state ; for
in the year 993, Sweyn, king of Denmark, in
vaded this country, under Ethelred, and again
in the year 1003; ne to°k uPon himself the
regal power, and to support his dignity and
London lick-penny.
A poem concerning the Banner and Standard of St. Edmund.
A ballad Royal of invocation to St. Edmund, at the instance
of king Henry VI. '
Strut, in his royal and ecclesiastical antiquities, p. 8 1, has
given, us a plate which represents William Curtis, abbot of
Bury, presenting to king Henry VI. a book ' translated out of
Latin, by John Lidgate, a monk there,' which the king re
ceives seated on his throne. This book contains the life of
Edmund,, king of the East- Angles. — [Harleian Library, 2278.
Also, the earl of Salisbury and John Lidgate, presented a
book to the king, called ' The Pilgrim.'— ibid 4826.
Lidgate appears to have been a poe t endued with considerable
natural abilities, and probably was a distinguished character
in the age in which he lived.
In the archeologia there is another epitaph for a Lidgate:
probably several members of the society bore this name. Lid
gate is a village of considerable size in this county, and the
natives of the place might assume that name, on entering into
any religious community.

[48]
army, imposed very heavy taxes upon the
English, which, if they refused to pay, he
burnt their towns. The town of Bury being
then famous for its conventual church and
other buildings, he required a large sum to
insure their preservation, which, because the
people refused to pay, he in his fury, set fire to
both, and entirely consumed them; but soon
after he was punished very severely for his
rashness and impiety; for, according to the
legendary tales that were propagated and so
generally received in that dark and credulous
age, we learn that Sweyn, while in the midst
of his principal nobles and commanders, was
exceedingly alarmed and terrified (like Bel
shazzar when he saw the hand-writing upon
the wall*), and immediately exclaimed, " that
he was stricken by St. Edmund with a sword."
* Dan. v. f>. Where, in the strong and beautiful language
"of holy writ, the horrors which Belshazzar experienced on that
alarming occasion are thus described. ' Then the king's coun
tenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that
the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one
against another.'

[ 49 ]
and after languishing three days, in great tor
ment of body, and horror of mind, he expired.
Canute, his son, succeeded him: and after he
had been settled a considerable time on the
throne, he also is said to have seen a vision of
St. Edmund, which so exceedingly alarmed
him, that to appease the resentment of the in
censed martyr, he resolved to rebuild the abbey
church which his father had so wantonly de
stroyed, and to restore the town to greater
splendor than it ever possessed before, hoping
thereby to atone for his father's offence, for he
not only rebuilt the church (which was the
third conventual structure,) but also changed
the seculars into monks of the order of St,
Benedict*. The chuich and monastery was
We may here just observe further respecting king Edmund,.
that in the year 855, he was a witness with Bernhed, king of
Mercia, to the charter of tithes granted to Ethelwolf, as Ingul-
phues informs us ; and that Ethelwolf, after his return from
Rome, gave the tithes to the" churches ; which, in general, con-
tinuesto this day.
* This town seems to have held the general name of Beo-
drickworth, till the time of Canute, though sometimes from
H

[S°]
thus rebuilt in the year 1020, and made a
royal abbey; Canute, offering up at St. Ed
mund's shrine, his crown, as did many of the
English kings, his successors. The conven
tual church was consecrated on St. Luke's
day, anno 1032, by Agelnothus, archbishop of
Canterbury, in honour of Christ, his Virgin
Beodricus's gift of it to Edmund, Edmund's Burgh, for the
religious house here before the time of Canute, was called the
Monastery of St. Mary, of Beodrickworth. This church,
erected by Canute, was built on the same spot on which king
Sigebert had founded his monastery for secular monks, but
Canute expelled these ancient monks, and introduced the re
gulars of the Benedictine order; this mode of proceeding was
recommended by St. Austin, and enforced by St. Dunstan, and
by Canute, with a view of destroying the power of the secular
clergy and the Saxons. The number of these secular priests at
first were only seven or eight, and were brought from Hulm;
afterwards they increased to nineteen, namely fou; teen priests,
and five deacons; but Canute, when he introduced the regular
monks of the order of St. Benedict, strictly prohibited for
ever, the return of the monastery to the secular clergy.
It appears, that the most implacable animosity between the
secular and regular clergy subsisted in various parts of the
kingdom about this time, and terminated at length, in the ex
pulsion of the regulars ; for the regulars, where churches
formed part of their endowment, engrossed almost all the
emoluments atising from them to their own use, allowing to

[Si ]
Mother, and St. Edmund. From this time
the church came into great repute, and as in
the former, which was burnt down by Sweyn,
divers of the East-Anglain kings, as Sigebert,
Anna*, and his son Furminus, and many
the seculars for performing the d.ity, only a scanty stipend"
This mode of proceeding, as it .ery much oppresssed , so it also
very much exasperated the seculars, and greatly disposed them
to ridicule, and expose the indolent and luxurious manner of
living in which the regulars indulged themselves in their mo
nastic teti.ements; and one method which the seculars had
recourse to, was, that of placing on, the outside of churches,
figures of goats, monkeys, fo:.es, lion;, wolves, &c. playing
on fiddles and oth:r musical instruments, in allusion to the
luxury and indolence in which the regulars indulged them
selves; and also in affixing with'n^ide the roofs of churches
human faces, with diitorted features, and painted with florid,
bacchanalian countenances : remains of which are still to be
seen in several of our pari h churches.
* The East-Anglian kings, after the re-interment of St.
Edmund's body, at Bury, appears to have had a special regard
to this church, (although this third st ucture, which was also
of wood, was no more than a re-building of the edifice firs t
erected by Sigebert, afterwards by Ayllwin, and now rendered
by Canute, more fit for the more honourable reception of the
remains of the royal martyr) for Anna, and his eldest son,
Firminus, who were slain in battle with Penda, king of
Mercia, and at first were buried at Bliburgh, in this county,
were removed thence and buried in this chuich.
H 2

[52 ]
other eminent persons, were interred, so also
great numbers of the highest rank and quality,
chose to be buried in the new one, erected
by Canute, as Alan, earl of Britain, founder
of Richmond castle; his lady, and cousin-
german ; Constantia, the Conqueror's daugh
ter; and Alan Niger, his brother; Alan Fer-
ganut, earl of Richmond; Thomas de Bro-
therton, earl of Norfolk, half-brother to king
Edmund II. ; Thomas Beaufort, son of John
of Gaunt*, (by the lady Catherine Swincford)
* We cannot forbear relating the following very singular
circumstance, respecting this noble personage :
On the 20th of February, 1772, as some 1 ibourers were em
ployed in breaking up pai t of the ruins of the old abbey church,
they discoverei a leaden coffin which contained an embalmed
body, as completely entire as at the time of its death; the
features and lineaments of the face were perfect, having been
covered over with a kind of mask of embalming materials,
which came off whole; the very colour of the eyes was dis
tinguishable, the hairs of the head, brown, intermixed with some
few grey onts, and the nails as fast upon the fingers anvl toes as
in the living subj ect. The body measured about six feet, and
seemed genteelly formed. The labourers, for the sake of the
lead which they sold for about fifteen shillings, Jtript the body
of its coffin, and threw it out among the rubbish, Agentleman

[S3 ]
and duke of Exeter, in the reign of king
in the town, hearing of the wonderful preservation in which
this corpse was found, was induced to make some observations
¦on it, in ordei to discover the method of embalming, formerly
used; for which purpose he made several incisions in different
parts of the body and limbs, all which he found to be amazingly
perfect, considering the length of time it had been interred.
The brain, in particular, was very little wasted or decayed,
and contained in it its proper mem branes, not being extracted,
as was the custom among the Egyptian emhalmers. After
these experiments, the remains were put into a strong oak
coffin, and buried eight feet dcejp, close to the noith-east pillar,
which formerly assisted to support the abbey belfry. From
the place where this body was found, and the expence and
care evidently employed for its preservation, it was judged to
be the remains of Thomas Beaufert, third son to John of
Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, by his third Dutchess, Lady Ca
therine Swinelbrd, relict of Sir Otho de Swineford, of Lincoln
shire. He took the name of Beaufort from the place of his
birth, acastle inFranceso named, belonging to the Duke, his
father. He was half-brother to king Henry IV. and was, anno
1410, created Duke of Exeter, and Knight of the Garter. In
1410, appointed Lord Chancellor, and in 1412,'High Admira
•of England, and Captain of Calais.
At the battle of Agincourt, fought the 25th of October, 1415,
-he commanded the rear guard of the army of his nephew,
Henry the V. and on the death of that king, was jointly with
his brother, Henry, the Cardinal and Bishop of Winchester,
-appointed^ by the parliament, to the government, care, and

[ 54]
Henry V. ; Mary, queen of France, widow
education of the royal infant Henry VI. He married Mar
garet, daughter of Sir Thomas Nevil, by whom he had issue
only one son, who died young. He was a great benefactor to
this church, and died at East Greenwich, anno 1427, whence
he was removed hither in obedience to his last will, and buried
near his dutchess, close to the wall at the entrance into the
chapel of our Lady.
It was reported, that the body of the above-mentioned lady,
was also fo nd about the same time.
To the afore-mentioaed particulars respecting the state of
the body o'f Thomas Beaufort, Duke uf Exeter, interred in the
conventual church, in this town, may be added the following
curious account concerning the opening of the tomb of King
Edward I. in Westminster Abbey, and of the state in which
they found the royal body ; as it ten«ls to convey an accurate
idea of the methods made use of many ages since, both of pre
serving the bodies of illustrious personages, and also of orna
menting them after their decease. Respecting the remains o_
this monarch, and how they were adorned; the circumstances
ire thus related :
On lifting up the lid of the tomb, the royal body was found
wrapped in a strong thick linen cloth, waxed on the inside,
the head and face were covered with a surdarium or face
cloth of crimson sarcenet, wrapped isto three folds, conform
able to the napkin used by our Saviour in his way to his cru
cifixion, as we are assured by the church of Rome. On throw
ing open the external mantle, the corpse was discovei ed in al,
the ensigns of majesty, richly habited. The body was wrapped

[ 55 ]
of Lewis XII. and sister of king Henry VIII.;
John Boon, abbot of this monastery, who died
in the 9th year of king Edward IV. ; Robert,
in a fine linen cere-cloth, closely fitted to every part, even to
the very fingers and face. Over the cere-cloth was a tunic of
red silk damask; above that, a stole of thick white tissue
crossed the breast; and on this, at six inches distant from
each other, quatre-foils of philhgree work, of gill metal set with
false stones, imitating rubies, sapphires, amethysts, &c. and
the intervals between the quatie-foils on the stole, powdered
with minute white beads, tacked down into a most elegant
embroidery, inform not unlike what is called, the true-lovers
knot. Above these habits was the royal mantle of rich crimson
sattin fastened on the left shoulder, with a magnificent fibula
of gilt metal richly chased, and ornamented with four pieces of
red and four of blue transparent paste, and' twen.ty-four more
pearls. The corpse, from the waist downwards, was covered
with a rich cloth of figured gold, which falls down to the feet,
and is tucked beneath them. On the back of each hand was a
quatre-foil like those on the stole. In his right hand is a
sceptre, with a cross, gilt, and of elegant workmanship, reach
ing to the right shoulder. In the left hand is the rod and dove,
which passes over the shoulder, and reaches the royal ear. The
dove stands on a ball, placed in three ranges of oak leaves, of
enamelled green: the dove is of white enamel. On the head
is a crown charged with trefoils made of gilt metal. The
head is lodged in the cavity of the stone coffin, always observ
able in those receptacles of the dead. The royal corpse was

[ 56 ]
the Martyr, a child crucified by the Jews,
dressed in conformity to ancient usage, even as early as the
time of the Saxon Sigebert*. [Pennant's Account of London, 3rd edit.
The use of the cere-cloth in preserving human bodies, is con
tinued down even to our days, we having an instance of it re
specting his late Majesty, George II. when the two Serjeant-
Surgeons had 122I. 8s. o,d each, for opening and embalming;
and the Apothecary 152I. for a fine double cere-cloth, and a
due quantity of rich perfumed aromatic powders.
[Archaslogia iii. 402.
Archbishop Parker, who died in 1575, and was interred in
the chapel, at Lambeth, was taken up again in the time of the
Usurpation, after he had been buried neat 100 years. The
body was found to be in great preservation, not only the flesh
of it, but even the intestines, seemingly from the effects of the
cere-cloth with which it was covered, and which consisted of'
many doubles, in a coffin of lead. This coffin was sold to a
Plumber, after the cere-cloth had been cut open to the flesh;
which, as we have just observed, was found as fresh asif newly
dead. [Blom. Hist. Norwich, p. 219, and Cole's Hist. Cantei bury]
Mary, queen of France, buried first in the abbey church, in
Bury ; and afterwards, at the dissolution, removed into St.
Mary's, was found covered with thin plated lead, laid close to
* This tomb of king Edward I. was opened in 1770, by the Antiquarian
Society, in order 19 inspect the remain, of his .Majesty, and to discover,
if possible, the composition which gave such duration to the human body.
Pennant,

[ 57 ]
about the year 1 179* ; Sir William Elmham ;
Sir William Spencer; Sir William Tresil;
and also twelve of the ancient Royal Family,
were interred in this Abbey Church, and in
that afterwards rebuilt with stone, by Abbot
Baldwyn. Canute not being satisfied in thus
merely rebuilding the conventual Church of
Bury, enriched it also with money, .valuable
gifts and privileges, confirmed all its former
Grants, gave it his tribute, of all sea fish
brought into Bury, and changing the secu
lar clergy into Regulars, made them with the
Abbot, absolute Lords of the Town.
the body, in order to preserve it ; but the body of Humphrey,
the good Duke of Gloucester, who was mutdered at Bury,
and afterwards buried at St. Alhan's, was discovered there
about the beginning of the 17th Century, immersed in a
sort of pickle which had preserved it, almost perfect for
many years.
* The Jews, when they came first into England, in the
reign of William the couqueror, were very numerous, and
in the time of Henry II. made this town one of their chief
places of residence. In the year 11 79 they murdered a
I

[58 ]
These gifts were settled on the Abbey,
with a dreadful anathema on all such as
should attempt in any respect to alienate them,
ahd a blessing also on every one that should
preserve or improve them : and the Charter
being signed by the King, was attested by
above thirty of his Nobles, who every one,
for the greater solemnity, put a cross before
his name.
The Abbey being thus firmly established,
the Bishop of Rome, endowed it with very
boy here by crucifying him in derision of the manner of
our Saviour's death. His name was Robert, and from
this circumstauce he was canonized, and afterwards called
St. Robert. The crucifixion of this boy which happened
in the time of Joceltnes's being a monk of the house, is as
gravely attested by him, as any other fact.
The Jews had formerly a Synagogue in this town, which
is now the common iBiidewell, and was anciently called
Moses's Hall, but these people being guilty of most enor
mous oftences in many places in the Kingdom, they were
in general banished the Realm, but afterwards such of them
as remained, underwent a severe persecution amounting eve»
to massacre.

[59]
great Immunities, and amongst other import
ant privileges, it was granted that the Abbey
should not be subject to any Bishop of the
Diocese in any matter, but in all things of con
troversy, or order, should depend upon the
Archbishop only ; it is for this reason, there
fore we find, that in the year 1296, when
Robert, Archbishop of Canterbury, made
his entry into the Town and Abbey, in order
to attend the Parliament then to be held at
Bury, he was obliged to make a solemn pro
testation in the presence pf a notary and wit
ness, that during his abode there, he would
not do any thing r,o,prejudice the privileges
or Immunities of the Abbot*.
Signed, > John the Abbot,
also by J Richard De Brunn, Sacrisfc
John De Eversdenf.

* InLibroNigre.Fol48.
¦f This John Eversden, was Monk of Bury. He wrote Dei
Episcopis Angliae, et De Regibus.
I 2

[60]
From hence it is evident, that so very jea
lous were the Abbot and Monks, of any in
fringement being made on the rights and
privileges of the Abbey, by any episcopal
innovations, that they thought this precau
tion extremely necessary.
In 1 02 1, the inhabitants of Suffolk, and
Norfolk, gave four pence yearly out of every
Carucate* of land, towards building the
Church, erected by Canute, f which structure
(as we observed before) was consecrated
in 1032, but the Church now erected for
the third time, still continued of wood,
it being reserved for Abbot Baldwyn, who
died in 1097, to erect it of stone, which
was brought from Bernack, in Northampton
shire. J
* A Carucate is as much land as a plough could till in a
year. f There was also a heavy contribution demanded, when
the body of St. Edmnnd was restored to Bury, whenever
the inhabitants offered their devotions at the sepulchre, and
begged the Martyr's assistance.
% We are Informed, that about this time, Abbot Newport*

[61 ]
This structure of Baldwyn's, was the
fourth and last Church belonging to the Ab
bey, that was ever erected here; which
beautiful edifice, together with the Abbey
itself, the Gates, and various other noble
buildings belonging to this monastery, dis
played such a scene of Magnificence and
grandeur, as was not to be equalled in any
other Abbey in the Kingdom, and seems to
walled in the Abbey, as Harvey, the sacrist had done the
Town. And Malmsbury , tells us, that Canute caused a deep ditch
or trench to be made, surrounding all the lands belonging to
the Abbey, to prevent any infringement being made on the
rights and possessious of it. There was also a ditch against
the Abbey-Gate, made undoubtedly, for the better security of
the Abbey, during their numerous and violent disputes with
' the townsmen, and others.
Respecting the wall inclosing the Abbey, being built by
Abbot Newport, we meet with no Abbot of that name j
therefore, in the list of Abbots, he must be mentioned under
some other name; part of this wall is now remaining.
The wall surrounding the town, is here said to have been
erected by Harvey ihe sacrist ; but concerning this person,
we meet with nothing further. The gates in Bury, lately
taken down denote that there were walls formerly adjoining
to them.

; 62 ]
have continued so, probably with increasing
elegance and splendor, till the tinie of its
dissolution. Leland, the great antiquarian
Royal of England, and who flourished about
that time*, and saw this magnificent Abbey,
in all its glory, has given us the following
description of it; 'A Monastery more noble,
whether one consid ers the endowments, large
ness, or unparalleled magnificence, the sun
never saw; One might even think the mo
nastery alone a City ; it has three grand gates

There was also the ditch, or trench above mentioned, made
by Canute, inclosing all the Abbey lands and grounds, this
ditch took in probably, Habberden, and parts contiguous.
To these may be added, the ditch alluded to above, as be
ing formed against the Abbey-Gate only, but without doub
it was the ditch which surrounded the whole Abbey, as far
as the river, and seems to have run from East-gate Bridge,
along Mustow Street, the Angel-Hill, Church Govel Street,
Honey-Hill, and part of School-Hall Street, to Shire-Hall,
in a line down to the river Lark.
* Leland lived in the reign of Henry VIII. and Edward
VI. and died in 1 5 5*,

[ 63]
for entrances, some whereof are brass, many
towers, high walls, and a church, than which
nothing can be more magnificent ; as appen
dages to which, there are three more of admi
rable beauty and workmanship, in the same
Churchyard, St. Mary's, St. James's arid St.
Margaret's. To these may be added the
Abbot's Palace, the Chapter house, and many
other elegant structures.
This account of the ancient grandeur of
this Abbey, appears to correspond with the
following description of the town and monas
tery, when they were in high prosperity, as
we meet with itin old English verse, that was
placed in a curious window in the Cellerar's
office, belonging to the Abbey.

'There is a place among th' Icenian Towns,
With fruitful Fields, and verdant pleasant Downs,
St. Edmund's Monast'iy stands in the same,
And from that Saint the Town doth lake its 'Name,
In it the Royal Bounty much appears,
Set off with th' art of best Artificers,

[64]
At this present time there are only^two
Churches here, viz. St: Mary's, and St.
James's; St. Margaret's being demolished, and
the ruins of St. Edmund's, which was the
conventual Church, belonging to the monas
tery, and is supposed, to have been one of the

In Polished Stone, and Marble Pillar3 shewn* ,
And Roof like Starry Sky, as all must own;
Pinnacl'd Towers, and Walls with folding Gates,
Many large Rooms, contrivance Delicate;
Such lofty Tops as seem to touch the Skies,
You'd say it doth a small City comprize' ¦}-.

# The polished stone, and marble pillars mentioned here,
seem to confirm what was before observed, namely, 'that
the more elegant and ornamental parts of this structure, were
of polished marble *; for it seems from hence, that the pillars
belonging to this noble building, were faced with marble,
and probably many of the external parts of it were of the
same matetials.
f We think that from the description which Leland has
given us of the Abbey, we may infer that he had seen these
old verses.

[6S]
grandest Gothic Structures in Europe*.
It is very easy to conceive, that from the
upper part of the street facing the portal gate,
called Church-gate street, could be seen nu
merous lights, burning on the high Altar
of the Abbey Church, at the time of the ce
lebration of her most solemn festivals; if so,

-* A very curious Model of this church was to be seem
some yaars ago, at Mr. Tillot's, on the Angel-Hill ; it was
ten feet long, five feet wide, and of a proportionate heigh*, con-i
taining 300 nitches and zfSo windows, adorned with images,
and other Gothic figures. The Model of St. Edmund's shrine,
was ornamented with images and crowns, gilt, as in its
original state, and there were also twelve chapels, which be
longed to this once magnificent church. A model of the
Abbey, was likewise to "be seen at Newmarket, about
fifty years ago, but whether this be the same as that above
mentioned, we ate not able to say.
At Strawberry Hill, the^ seat of the late Eari of Orford'
are four pannels of wood, taken from this Abbey, and are
placed there in the fron^f the chapel, containing the portraits
of Cardinal Beaufort, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and
Archbishop Kemp. K

[66]
the prospect must have been splendid and
magnificent, in the highest degree.
In all probability, the ruins yet remaining. .
will continue for ages, striking monuments
of the ancient greatness of this noble stcuc-*
ture, for the ruins of .this Monasticai Church
which are now standing so proudly preemi
nent over the neighbouring and adjoining
modern buildings, will in all probability,
continue with great solidity and' strength fgr
ages yet to come, and afford the most convinc
ing evidences of the former magnificence
and grandeur of this stately, and once most
beautiful Pile;
The materials made use of by Abbot
Baldwyn, in rebuilding this Church aud Ab?
bey, were in the more substantial, parts, of
stone, but in the more elegant and Orna
mental, they seem to have been of polished
marble; the former, as we observed, before,

[6* 3
was procured at Bernack, in Northampton*
shire, the latter, most probably, was brought
from Italy; but the conveyance of these ma
terials from places, so very distant from the
scite of the Abbey, must have been attended
with prodigious labour and expence, the im
pediments to safe and expeditious travelling,
in those early ages, being very great; in
comparison with what they are in the
present more improved state of the public
roads. If we carefully examine the present ruins of
the pillars of this great Monastical Church,
we may easily perceive that the free stone,
and all the exterior polished marble, have
almost totally disappeared by dilapidation, and
we are informed that the interior parts of
them, which are now become visible, dis
cover tiles, excellently compounded, and ex
actly such as are apprehended to be of Ro-
K %

[68]
man, and Brito-Roman workmanship*, tiles
similar to these, are also found in other parts
of the abbatical ruinsf; but as the offices
* But admitting this to be true, it does aot follow from
thence that a Roman station was ever established at Bury,
for the ancient tiles made use of in rebuilding this church,
were collected, probably, from the ruins of some distant struc
ture, that originally belonged to the Romans, with the design
of mixing them with other materials, since it is very well
known, that in former ages, it was usual in erecting'
churches and monasteries, to procure such materials as
Were thought best adapted for these purposes, from very
distant parts of the country; in the present case, the bring
ing the stone from Bemack, in Northamptonshire, is a stiking
instance. j- These other parts of the abbatical ruins that are be,;
alluded to, are the remains of some of the arches of the
great church, whrerein these tiles are found to have been
numerously intermixed with the other materials ; these are
in one respect different from the tiles that have been dis
covered in the floor of this church; for the latter as appears
from some specimens that have been produced, were glazed ,
in imitation of the ancients, who sometimes used even po
lished marble for this purpose; and Dr. Shaw, informs us,
that pavements formed of painted tiles, or bricks, were com*

1'69 3
and many parts of the Abbey, have been in
the middle ages since the time of Abbot Bald
wyn, according to different accounts, wholly
thrown down and destroyed, and rebuilt with
various materials, in which common bricks
are to be seen, it has been deemed more satis
factory to refer to the self authenticated remains.
of the conventual chuich itself*.

mon in his time in the East; these curious materials were so
inely glazed, that when the sun shined upon them, the eye
was perfectly dazzled with their lustre, brilliancy and mag
nificence, therefore were the objects chiefly in view, in pav
ing the floor of this conventual church, with glazed tiles or
bricks. * It is further alledged by those writers, who are for mak
ing Bury, to have been originally a Roman station, 'that
tiles were of Roman construction, they being very little ma
nufactured in the Anglic times, and that the monastical church
built by Canute, and which preceded the abbatical church,
erected by Abbot Baldwyn, was covered with thatch only,
(a gothic practice, not even yet entirely disused;) and there
fore they might reasonably entertain an opinion that the bro
ken tiles which are seen throughout this vast mass of ruins,

[ 7° J
To the before mentioned particulars re
specting the materials of which this church
and monastery were constructed, we shall
here subjoin the following account of the
dimensions Of that grand ' and venerable edi
fice, the conventual church at Bury, as taken
in the year, 1790.
sow knit together, and rendered almost inseparable by human
exertions, belonged to the Area of some Roman Domicil,
in this part of the country, and were furnished by a Roman!
Vill' ; but we meet with nO account where this Domicil, or
Roman Vill, was situated, or that the scite of it was at Bury,
or if it was, it is not likely that one Domicil should be
able to produce the prodigious quantity of tiles made use of,
in the construction of the numerous pillars belonging to this
vast stupendous building; at least it is no proof of there
Kavihg beta a Roman station here, as nothing of thai kind
was ever discovered' at Bury, either from coins or ruihs; the
materials found in the pillars and other parts of this church,
called tiles', ahd said to be of Roman manufacture, we appre
hend were not really tiles, but more accurately speaking,"
Roman bricks, as the description of them here given, seems
to correspond with the accounts we meet with in other place*
OTiifcernihj; ute' Roman bricks, with rtgirt to their Wing very

[7* 3
From the west door of the mid • "l Feet.
die aisle, to the centre of the west > 305.
pillars at the foot of the belfry. J
From the centre of the west%
pillars, at the foot, of the belfry, (
to the centre of the east pillars of f
the belfry. J
long, broad, and exceedingly thin, something of the form of
our common roof tiles, hut which are of smaller dimensions.
Thus Ives, in his Garianonum of the Romans, describes- the
bricks maae use of, in erecting that fortress. 'The Roman
bricks, (says this, writer) made use of at Burgh, are of a fine
red colour, and very close texture, probably of that sort called;.,
by the Romans, Crudus, from being baked by the JieaJ.of;
the sun, as those, which are burnt in the furnace, were deno»
m'mated, Coctus. Their measurement answers exactly to the
brick, called by Pliny, the Lydion, being one, foot and a half
long, one foot broad, and an inch and an half thick. It docs
not however appear, that the Romans had any exact standard.
for the size of their bricks ; in different stations, their dimen
sions are considerably varied, namely, from 24 inches long,
24 broad, and 3'thick., toylqng, 7. broad,, and.i thick. We
ought however to observe, that the Romans, both in the

[ 7* 3
Frem the centre of one of the^ * eet*
east pillars of the foot of the belfry, I
to the skreen, or pillar which di- \ 25
vided the choir from the nave of the i
church. j
From the west door to the l
skreen at the choir V

372

•hoice of their materials, and also their method of preparing
them, far excelled the builders of later days, for the Roman
bricks ape found to have been much harder and less porous
than ours, and for durablencss, more resembling stone, fop
which they were undoubtedly substituted". From hence we
conclude, that the materials made use of in the pillars of this
church, and are called tiles, were more probably, ancient
Roman bricks, or fragments of them, brought from some
distant place ; that as the Roman bricks were in colour of
a fine red, were very hard, and extremely durable, so als»
those that have been discovered in these pillars, are repre
sented as being very red, exceedingly compact, and respect
ing their durability, we apprehend that evident proof of it
is clearly given, by their continuing in the same texture and
firmness to this day.

[ 73 J
From the skreen which divided
the choir from the nave, to the en
trance into the building at the east
end of the choir, called the sacristy.
The length of the sacristy.
From the north door of the north
transept to the corner pillar of the
north aisle.
From the centre of the corner
pillar of the north aisle, to the cen
tre of the next pillar of the belfrey
between the aisles.

From thence to the opposite pil
lars.

of the south transept,
From thence to the south door 1
of south transept as before. f

22 i

40.

}
From thence to the corner pillars 7 „, ,
the south transept. C
64.

24.

[74 3
The length of the cross tran- y Feet
septs of the Church, from north tov 213
south. )
The whole length of the Church. 502.
The height of the pillars, from ]
the ground to the top. '
Dimensions relative to the Abbey,
taken by actual measurement.
From the end of the wall leading
from the ruins of the Abbot's Palace
down to the dove- house, to the
end of the wall leading from the \ 354.
ruinated house adjoining to the gate
opening into east-gate street, on
that side next the river, is
From the end of the wall leading
from the bowling green to the ru
ins of the Abbot's palace, to the
end of the wall leading from the / 540.
Angel-Hill towards the river, is in
breadth,

[ 75 3
The space between the arches* 7 Feet.
and the river, is 3 "*'
The space between the Abbey ? -^
gate, to the pillar of the arches, is J
Other dimensions that have been taken re
specting this Abbey, are as follow.
The length of the great court ) Paces,
(which contained four acres) r 240.
within the precints of the Priory. J

* The arches in the East wall of the Monastery and also
the East gales, are now demolished. These arches were of
considerable antiquity, being evidently as old as the wall
itself, which was erected before the year 1221, by Abbot
Sampson, to inclose a parcel of ground which he hid pur
chased there for a vineyard. The use of them was, to serve
as a water course, and perhaps to form an occasional foot
bridge, by means of planks, laid from one projecting buttress
to the other, ih'ere being an aichcd passage left between them
. and the wall ; West of which was another bridge for foot pass
engers. The East gate was always in the custody of the Ab
bott Antiq. Repert. Vol. III. No. XI.
L2

[76]
The length of St. Mary's Chapel
on the north side of the choir,
where Thomas Beaufort is bu
ried. *

Pacest 40.

* Without doubt the number of Chapels in this celebrated
Church, was considerable, but to asceitain that number exactly
would perhaps, at this distant period, be attended with great
difficulty. - Thjs Chapel of St. Vary's, we are informed was
situated on the north side of the choir, and at the East end of
the north transept, it was 80 feet long, and 42 feet broad, and
was built by Abbot Simon de Cotton ; St. Edmund's bones
had been deposited in a round Chapel, which prior to this time,
had been erected on this spot, and was now taken down ; some
have conjectured, that the remains of the Royal Martyr, were
first interred on being brought to Bury, till the Church was
made fit for their reception, in a Chapel which stood between
St. James's Church, and St Mary's, some of the ruins of which
may now be seen. • -The shrine of St. Edmund was in an apsis
or semicular Chapel, at the east end of the choir ; St. Andrew's
Chapel was placed on the south side of the choir, and at the
east end of the south transept. It was erected by Abbot An-
sclm, about the year n 30.
St. Mary"s Chapel in Crypts, was like St. Faith's, under
St. Paul's, London, on the south side of the Church, and at the

[77 3 Paces.
The breadth of the same. 2 1.
The length of the crypt, of St. 7 -Q
Mary, under St. Edmuni's shrine. J
The bteadth of the same. 40.

east end of the south aisle, this building was 100 feet in length
and 80 feet in breadth, and was supported by 24 pillars.
It was an observation made by a foreign gentleman who vi
sited the ruins of tin's noble' conventual Church, tliat it was
buiit after the model of the great Church at Caen, in Nor
mandy; where the crypt, as in this Church at Bury, was be
tween the south pillars of the campanile,
Alan Ear! of Richmond, who died in 1093, was buried near
the south door of this Church, before the Altar of St. Ni
cholas. Sir William de Elmham, Knt. who died :n 1419, was buried
inoneof the Chapels in this Church; and in 1419, Elizabeth
his relict, who died al Westhorpe, was buried by him.
We also meet with the chapels of St. Laurence, St. Mar
garet, St. Anne, and St. Botolph, in this conventual Church,
but in what part they were situated, is now uncertain.

[7« 3
The length and breadth of the
cloyster square. *
The length of the chapter house
The breadth of the same
The length of the trayter
The breadth of the same
The length of the nave
The length of the choir from the
east foot of the campanile, f
The length of the south transept
from the pillar of the campanile to
the south gate. J

* John Gorford, prior, built the cloyster both at the Abbey
Church, and at the Infirmary.
•(; John of Lavenham, made a new tower for the bells, over
the Abbey Church, which was 26 years in building, and cost
8661. 13s. 4d. a very large sum in those days.
J Tradition says, that the monastical 'Church at Bury, was
built after the manner of the gteat Chuich at Caen, in Nor
mandy ; if so, probably it was through the influence of William

}

Paces. 80.

50.

40.

80.

20.
150.
I
70.
}
43-
[79 ] Paces.
The length of the campanile 20.

the conqueror, who was a gteat benefactor to the Church at
Bury; at his decease, his body was dep»sited in the Church
at Caen, which he himself had founded ; and to the Abbey of
St. Stepcien, at that place, he presented his crown snd sceptre,
also the precious stone chalice, the golden candlesticks, and
other regalia used at his coronation. * Smollett.
It has been the opinion op some emiment antiquarians, that
the foundation of Shaftesbury Abbey, in the county of Dorset)
greatly resembles the Abbey of Bury. The story runs thu»,
'It is said, that King Edwaid the martyr was buried in that
town; for his body having been clandestinely buried at Ware-
ham, in that county, in hopes that his murder might have been
concealed, but on its being afterwards discovered, as Malms-
bury says, by a miraculous blaze of light hanging over his
tomb, his corpse was remo\ed to Shaftesbury, and there royally
.entombed. The King being after his death, reputed * saint
and martyr, a shrine was erectrd to him in the Church, which
was so greatly frequented by the superstitious pilgrims of the
age, that the town had almost lost its old name, .and began
10 assume lhat of St^Edward's town.' It is further reported
that Canute the first King of England, of the Danish line,
died here, and was buried in this place.'
Read's Eng. Travel, Vol. I. p. 340

[ So j
There was also belonging to this Abbey a fine
fountain, with 24 columns, a vinery, (contain
ing six acres,) a bowling green, fish ponds,
&c; * this shews that the monks, although
secluded from the worid, could notwithstanding
relish its pleasures and amusements, f One of
But this latter c'ncumstance seems to be erroneous, for some
writers inform us that Canute died at Gainsborough ; and from
a work of established reputation, we learn, that, in'the
year 1766, the body of Canute was found, in repairing of
Winchester college, remarkably fresh ; it had a wreath round
its head and several other ornaments, of gold, aho silver
bands. Annual Register, 1766. p. 107.
"What the actual measure of these paces mentioned in the
preceding pages was, we cannot positively determine, but it is
evident that it must have been something considci able, as the
length of the nave consisted of only 150 of them.
* The exchequer room belonging to the Abbey, is the house
where Messdms. Wood and Green's boarding school is now
kept. It was to this house that John Reeve, the last Abbot of
Bury, retired at the dissolution of the Abbey.
f Whatever may be said in praise of the monastic life, as
tending to promote longevity, yet Sir John Sinclair, informs

[81 ]
the principal objects that strike the attention
of a stranger in visiting the ruins of this once

us 'that a large proportion of the long-lived have preferred a
married to a single state ; for it is certain, that the number of
single persons who live long, bear no proportion to the married.
This (says he) applies to both sexes, and particularly the male ;
and Dr. Rush of Philadelphia, asserts, that he never saw bul
one unmarried man exceed fourscore years.'
'The list of 96 men in Greenwich hospital, then alive, in
extreme old age, is uncommonly great ; and it appears, that
there is one man living about 100 years old, and 13 above
90 years of age, and that they were almost all mariied; and
John Moore, aged 102 years, was married 60 years ; John
Jackson, aged 95 years was married 50 years ; John Garvis,
aged 94 years was married 40 years; and that Daniel M. Neal,
aged 98 years, was married 22 years.
Essays on Miscellaneous Subjects,. p. 436. &c. 1802.
And here we cannot help observing, that amongst our nu»
merous public charities, a subscription has never yet been
opened for raising small marriage portions for virtuous and in.
dustrious young maidens, belonging to the lower class of
people ; for an institution of this nature, we apprehend,
many benefits would accrue, both to private individuals, as
well as to the community at large. .
M

[ta]
venerable pile, is that beautiful structure, the
Abbey-gate, or principal entrance to the ab
bot's palace; the approach to this palace, was
through the grand court of the Abbey, which
court, William of Worcester informs us, con
sisted of 240 of his paces. This gate is not
only a most noble, as well as curious piece of
ancient workmanship, but is also a consider
able ornament to the town. *
It was erected in the reign of Richard II.
about the year 1 37 7, f and has received but
little injury at present, either from time, or
the revolutions of upwards of four centuries. It
is a master piece of gothic architecture ; is 72
feet in height, forty feet in front, and 62 feet
* It is much to be wished, that proper care may be taken
to prevent this precious relic of antiquity from crumbling inte
dust, which it must inevitably do before many ages have ex-
pired, if proper means ate not used to keep it in repair.
¦f- The former gate having been demolished by the towns
men, in the time of his grandfather, upon a quarrel with
:he monks.

[§3]
in depth. The turrets, when standing, were
about 14 feet above the top of the gate. The
inside of the gate had many curious groined
arches, and was adorned with the arms of
King Edward the confessor, the favorite saint
of Richard II. three lions; Holland, Duke of
Exeter, cross, and five mullets ; also the
arms of England, Westminster, and Brother-
ton, which rendered the entrance to this por
tal extremely beautiful.
In the front arch of the gate, is a groove for
a portcullis, and in the internal arch within
the gate is also a groove, in which was placed
another ponderous and very formidable port
cullis, which shews that the gate was origin
ally a place of considerable strength ; and in
deed this precaution was absolutely necessary,
as in consequence of the many disputes be
tween the monks and the townsmen, the for
mer gate had been demolished; and upon ac
count of these quarrels most probably, it was,
that there are no windows on that side of the
M 2

o

[

gate next the town. The large strong hinges
on which formerly hung the gates in this
arch, are now remaining there. The whole
inside of the Abbey- gate, as well as the out-
Side, displays a profusion of beautiful and ele
gant workmanship. Almost the whole of the
Western front of the gate is filled with large
niches ; there are eleven in the upper part of
it, eight in the lower part, and four on each
side of the entrance ; over the centre of the
Western side of the gate, are three niches
rather smaller than the others, in these were
placed, we apprehend, the images of our Sa
viour, the virgin Mary, and St; Edmund, to
whom the Abbey church was dedicated. But
when this noble structure was first erected,
when every part of it was beautiful and clean
and when all the niches were filled with ele
gant figures, of various saints, this Abbey -gate
must have been a most grand and magnificent
object, and have filled the mind of every be
holder with admiration and wonder.

[»5]
The Eastern side also of the Abbey-gate,
was exceedingly beautiful ; on each side , of
the entrance are three niches cne above the
other, for images of saints; and it is likewise
ornamented with much curious workmanship.
On this Eastern side of the gate, is a fine large
window, which belonged to a spacious chamber
or upper room, about 28 feet square, which
commanded a most delightful prospect of the
whole Western side of the Abbey, and of the
country beyond it ; there were also two small
er windows, on the North and South sides of
this structure. The broader floor of this
room was supported by stone arch work,
which is now all taken down, and only the
side pillars which belonged to them are now
left. In the gate way, on the South side, is a
circular stone stair-case, which led to this
room; on the North side is another stair-case,
which led to a private recess ; and in the room
itself on the south side, is now to be seen a
large fire-place and chimney ; these circum-

[ 86 ]
stances point out to us, that some b usiness of
importance used formerly to be transacted
here. The author oi the ancient and pre
sent state of Bury * acknowledges, 'that it is
not easy to determine what the use of this
room was, but conjectures that it was the
scriptorium or writing room, where books were
transcribed, and Lr the su. port of which, two
mills in Stow were appropriated', but our
opinion concerning it is different ; for that
learned and ingenious gentleman, the Rev. Mr.
Harmer, late of Wattisfield in this county, in
forms us, from a curious paper of that eminent
antiquary, Mr. King, relating to our old Bri
tish castles, that piobably this place' was a
magnificent state-room, it being usual to have
one of these rooms formed in every one of
these kind of towers of entrance.' This ac
count he says, relates more immediately to a
noble room over the gate-way of the castle
of Tunbridge, in Kent, in which place the
state-room appears to have been very mag-
* A work, long since out of print.

i 8; j
nificent, and of great dimensions; it contained
a large fire hearth and . chimney, two very
fine large windows, highly ornamented in the
style that began to be introduced in the time
of king John, and Henry III. but thev appear
to have had no glass, and to have been fenced
only with iron bars, and wooden shutters, as
was usual in those times ; here was also (as
in that at Bury,) a private recess.
See Harmer's observations, vol. III. p, 113.
Also, Archaeologia. vol. VI.
This state room, or chamber over the gate
way, at Bury Abbey, we apprehend was a
large elegant room, where the lord abbot, the
prior and other principal persons belonging to
the Abbey, used to meet and to grant au-
diencies, perhaps to administer justice, and
to transact the more important business re
specting this monastery; * lesser concerns
being settled at the chapter house.
* This is the most accurate account of this remarkable room,
that we are able to procure.; and have only to observe further,

[88 ]
The two pair of large strong gates, probably
of iron, in this gate-way, were used most like
ly, but at the time of an actual attack on the
Abbey, or under the apprehension of one be
ing made ; at other times they used only the
elegant brazen gates, so often and so highly
spoken of, formed of curious and beautiful
workmanship. Upon entering the precincts of the Abbey,
on the ncrth side of the great court, were situ
ated the bake-houses, brewing-offices, grana
ries, and stables, belonging to the abbot and
the Abbey ; further on, was the refectory, dor
mitory, and dove-house ; and on the rising
grounds at the east end, was the vinery. Ho-
lingshead mentions the almonry, as being
situated on the south side of the great court

that this mode of proceeding, is extremely ancient, and ori
ginated, most probably, from the Eastern practice,' of s I T ri n s
in the gate, so often mentioned in the old testament.

mi
and that St. Laurence's chapel, and St An
drew's, were at that time destroyed.
, There is also another ancient gate in diis
town, which formerly belonged to the Ab
bey, and though it may not be equal to the
former in point of elegance and grandeur, yet
far exceeds it with respect to its antiquity; this
is the entrance called Church-gate, or the por
tal, which in former ages led to the grand con
ventual church. This tower, which now serves
as a steeple to St. James's church, * is of
Saxon origin, and is a very strong building,
the East and West sides of it, are supported by
two large semicircular arches, which admit of
a free passage for carriages to pass through
them. From the top battlement of this 7 Ft, Inu
gate to.the first water table, is J 7 *
* It is evident that this tower was not originally intended
as a steeple to St. James's church, on accouat of its distance
from that building. N

[ go J
Ft. Inss
From the first to the second; 15
From the second to the third. 20 6
From the third to the fourth. 14
From the fourth to the level on ?
the ground. $ 23
That this gate was formerly a portal to the
Abbey-church, is supposed to be -evident
from several emblematical figures, which were
formerly upon the Western side of it; the
first of which (on the left hand side, and near
the foundation) represented mankind, in their
fallen state, under the dominion of satan ; the
other figures which were over the arch, their
deliverance from his bondage ; the former
was very aptly represented, (though very
much defaced,) by the figures of our first
parents, with a serpant twined round them,
and the evil spirit on the back ground, in
sulting Adam; but the latter, by our Saviour
silting in a circle, in a triumphant posture, and

[9i J
supported by two angels; and although this
strongly confirms the opinion of its haying
been a portal to the Abbey-church, *yet, (says
a late author,*) it seems "to carry in it some
thing of greater antiquity, than any other build
ing in Bury, and was there any probability, (says
this writer,^ that this town was once the Villa
Faustini of the Romans, we might reasonably
believe that this gate was erected by some of
those flourishing, and warlike people.'
This i. another instance of the improbabi
lity of the idea, that the Villi Faustini was at
Bury; and the absurdity of the supposition,.
that the ancient Romans (who were immersed
in all the absurdity, sensuality and impiety,,
that disgraced the pagan world) would, if they
ever really had a station in this place, have em
bellished one of their principal structures with
sculptures and ornaments which bear the

* Josh. Kirby 's, Historical Account of Monastic &c. ip
Suffolk.
N %

C 9* ]
strongest allusions to the fundamental doctrines
if the christian religion!
It seems to be generally believed, that the
Angel-inn in this town, the rising grounds
jcalled the Angel-Hill, together with the pre
mises on the south side contiguous thereto, did
all of them originally belong to the Abbey, and
were appendages to that religious foundation,
and some circumstances which have occurred
in these more modern times, have tended to
strengthen the conjecture ; for instance, as
some workmen a few years since, were em
ployed in repairing an old house, on the South
side of the Angel-Hill, they struck an iron
bar through the floor, in making a small wine
Cellar, under what was then Anderson's coffee
house. The place below was very spacious,
had a plain arch, was more than 20 feet long,
and there appeared to be a subterraneous pas
sage from it to the Abbey. This place was
thought by some to have been a buttery to the
Abbey; by others, offices belonging to the stew-

[ 93 J
ard ; and it was also said, that the last Abbot
resided there; but if this latter circumstance was
the case we apprehend it must have been immedi
ately after he had resigned the Abbey, and before
he was able to furnish himself with a more suita
ble habitation, which he afterwards did in Bury.*
[t is further said, that several persons went
down into this passage, and passed a considerable
way in it ; one man in particular, who having
ventured too far, was lost ; probably he was
instantly suffocated by some unwholesome va
pours, which he there met with. He went
along playing on a violin, as a signal of his
safety, and was heard to a considerable dis
tance, but the music suddenly stopping, he was=
heard of no more. Part of a stair-case was
discovered here, formed of free-stone, probably
it led to this passage. The North Side also
of the Angel-Hill, the Cook- row, &c. exhibit
* Sea Note. p. So.

[94]
evident signs of their having been used for
merly for some purposes or other, belonging
to the Abbey, particularly the house at th
corner of the Cook-row, where there are se
veral very singular cellars, from whence yo>
descend six steps, into a place like a kitcher
in which is a chimney, and several ovens
having a large arch at the end, where you
ascend up a flight of steps to the Angel-Hil!
There are six different departments here now
though probably at first they were only one
The door leads to the Abbey-gate, and is op
posite to it. Over the door is a grotesqut
head. These cellars seem (as is supposed,
to have served as kitchens, to the Abbey.
All the space from the Angel-inn to the
Abbey-gate, over the plain, was made use ol
during the prosperous state of the Abbey, for
carriages, kennels, hawks, harses, &c. be
longing to the same; the Angel-Hill therefore
at that time, wag not, we apprehend, commot

r 95 3
to the public in general, but private property
belonging to the Abbey, and confined solely
to the use of tbe monastery.
It may be further observed in this place, re
specting the bones of such eminent persons
as were buried in this Abbey, as those of
royal personages, nobility, or Abbots, that
whenever any of these boues happened to be
taken up, thej were conveyed to the crypt
in the conventual church, (after they had been
cleaned)' and there carefully placed in reguUr
order; adjoining to the crypt, was a place cal
led thecharnel chapel, having an altar dedicated
to some saint, and here a priest, at certain
times used to resort, and sing mass for the
souls of those people whose bones were depo
sited in that charnel..
The bodies of the inferior members of this
society, were interred in their common bury
ing ground, which we apprehend was in some
part of the present churchyard, as being within

C 9« 3
the precincts of the Abbey ; whenever any of
their bones were taken up, they also were
scraped and cleaned, and then carried to the
charnel, where they were arranged in rows of
sculls, arm-bones, and thigh-bones, in regular
order. The charnel appropriated to these
members of the Abbey, was, we apprehend,
in those singular vaults, which are situated un
der the Angel- inn, and that the charnel cha
pel belonged to it, was one of those curious
vaults there * covered with arch work, and
supported indeed by low, but very substantial
gothic pillars; in this chapel also, as in that
under the Abbey-church, it was usual for a
priest to attend very frequently, to pray for
the souls of those persons whose bones had

* Sir James Burrough, was also of the same opinion. Sir
James was master of Caius college, Cambridge. In 1764)
lie bequeathed to the library of St. James's in Bury, a M.S.
folio, and quarto, relative to this town, which are of use.

[97]
been lodged in this place. * By some means
or other, a subterraneous communication had
subsisted formerly between this charnel and
the Abbey, the endsof'the arches which point
to that place, and are now filled tip with
masonry, evidently denotes the same.
It was no unusual thing to have somp consi
derable places belonging to the Abbeyj situ
ated beyond the boundaries of its precincts ;
thus we find the ancient infirmary was placed
in St. Edmund's fields, on the North side of
East-gate street, and also the exchequer-house,
(now Messdms. Wood and Green's.. boarding
school,) which formerly belonged to; the Ab-:
bey,' is situated in Crown-street, some dis
tance from the monastery ; therefore the char
nel, under the Angel-inn, being at that dis
tance from the Abbey, is easily accounted for ;

* See one of these crypts and charnel chapels, at Norwich,
described in Hist, of Lowestoft. P. 277.

o

[9*3
instances of places belonging to that founda
tion being so situated, we find were not un
usual The whole of the Angel- hill appears to have
been raised and levelled by filling up the ditch
near the Abbey-gate, where the ground was
so low, that people ascended the houses on
the opposite side, by several steps.
The ground near the gate is now much
raised, it is said three feet. The ditch was
open at the beginning of the last century.
The Abbey at Bury, was one of the most
celebrated monasteries in England, the beau
ty and magnitude of which, may partly be
discerned by the numerous and extensive
walls still standing; these venerable re
mains, in some instances indeed, are converted
into several good dwelling-houses, but one
part of them, we are sorry to observe, is ap
plied to no better purpose, than that of a
common stable, and an odious receptacle
for dung; such are the alterations which

r 99 3
time, and the vicissitudes attendant on all
human affairs, make even in the most sacred
institutions, and most splendid and religi
ous structures.
It is painful also to mention, that the ruins
of this once eminent and dignified Abbey*
exhibit at this time, only a mournful spec
tacle of decayed magnificence ; and though
few persons perhaps, would wish to see these
noble buildings repaired, restored to their for*
mer grandeur, and applied again to their
original purposes; yet we cannot help la
menting the destruction of such beautiful
and stately edifices, and that their ancient
and still very respectable remains, should now,
even in this more liberal and enlightened age,
be prostituted to the vilest and most profane
uses. Charity, and a decent respect to our
common Christianity, we should hope would be
sufficient inducements, either to remove or
conceal from the public view, those disgust
ing nuisances, which unavoidably strike the
O 2

[ ICO j
eye of every person who passes through the
sacred precincts of this, though ruinated, yet
still awful pile of ancient splendor; for we
are -persuaded that buildings, or whatever
else that have once been dedicated to the
service of God, and the duties of our most
holy religion, ought never to be applied af
terwards to any unholy or profane pur
poses *
This monastery consisted of a lord abbot,
a prior, sub-prior, eighty, mouks, and fifteen
chaplains ; there was a decanus chri.tianitatis,
and an arch-deacon; also a sacrist, or sexteyn
of the monastery, above forty clergy, and one
hundred and eleven servants attendant, within
the walls of the Abbey.

* We meet with a remarkable instance of the indecency
and impropriety of this mode of proceeding, in the sacred
writings, and also of its being prohibited, as in the case of
the rebellion of Korah and his company; where we are
informed, that although the 250 men who offeted incense,
weie destroyed by fire, yet express orders were given by

[ ioi ]
The Abbot was mitred, and exempt from
all jurisdiction episcopal, archiepiscopal, and
legati, except that of a legate de latere. Wills
were proved in his court, and in most cases
he acted as episcopus loci. He held synods
in his own chapter-house, of the clergy under
him, and made synolical constitutions. The
high steward, or seneneschallus lib.-rtatis, and
all other officers, judges, justices, &c. were
appointed by him. He had also the nomination,
or approbation, of the alderman, or senescal,

Moses, to preserve the censers, and to make plates of them
for a covering for the altar, assigning this reason for his com
mand, 'because they are hallowed.' Numb. XVI. 38. that
is, they had been devoted to an holy purpose, and therefore
they were not to be applied afterwards to any ordinary uses.
Probably, by some means or other, these noble structures
might have been rendered useful, as their remaining frag
ments still continue so firm and hard, that it is with difficulty
a small piece can be broken from them; and consequently,
we cannot but wonder at the furious and laborious zeal ex
cited in their destruction.

Who, with the other magistrates, bailiffs, &e,
took ah oath of obedience and fealty. *

* The form uf this ancient oath, was this.
'Ye schall swere that ye schall bere yow trewly and feth-
fully in the office of the alderman script- of this towne of Bury ;
a yens the abbot and the conent of this place, and all her my-
nistris, ye schall bere, kepe, and maintaine pees to yowre
powere, and ye schall northyng appropre, nor accroche thai
tehgyth to the saide abbot and conent; nor take upon the
thyugis that long onto the office of the baylifhchipp of the
seyd towne. Alsoo that ye schall not procure be yow, no be
lioon dthir, privyly, nor openly any thyng vnlawl'ull, that
myght be harme or damage onto the seyd abbot and conent,
norsuffre to be don, but that ye schall be redy to raeymeyn
and dcfende them, and bere mynystris yn all' the ryghtis and
customs, that ol dew long on to them, inasmoche as ye may
leyfullydo. Thees artycles and poyntis ye schall observe
and kepe the tym that ye stand in this office; so help yow
God, and all hys seynts, and be this boke.'
The abbot and convent of the monastery governed the
townsmen, and atl within the circuit of a mile from the
town by their steward, who always administered the above
oath to the new elect alderman.
But notwithstanding this oath, the townsmen of Bury,
would sometimes attack the abbot and convent, in the most
outrageous manner. The violent broils and. cantests whicb

[ io3]
Every opulent district comprised in the
franchise of St. Edmund, formed the civil

the Abbey was so frequently involved in, were of two dif
ferent kinds, one was the disputes which so often occurred
between the monastery and the bishop of the see, in conse
quence of bishop Ayllwin's grant of an exemption to the Ab
bey, from all episcopal jurisdiction ; the other was, the
quarrels between the Abbey and the townsmen, respecting
the grant made to this monastery, of the tolls of the fair, cal
led St. Matthews', the sole government of it by his steward,
the inspectson of the weights and measures used there, and
the licensing of the booths, by which grant the townsmen
and all within a mile round the town, became subject to the
abbot. This grant was made to the Abbey, by King Henry
III. For that monarch having been at Norwich, in order to
suppress a violent disturbance there, between the citizens
and the monks, in his return to London, passed through
Bury, to pay his devotions at the shrine of St. Edmund, at
the request of Simon de Cotton, then abbot and lord
of Bury ; and because the abbot and monks, had pre
sented his Majesty with 110 marks towards the marriage of
his sister Isabella, with Frederic, Emperor of Germany, the
King granted to the abbot and convent of this town, the
said charter for St Matthews' fair, and all the other privi
leges abovementioned ; but the tyranny of the abbot, and
his officers, occasioned many disturbances between them and
the townsmen, particularly that dreadful commotion in the

[ ich ]
dominion of the abbot; to whose courts, and
to whose justices, the inhabitants of the fran-

I Edward III. 1327- raised and headed by Richard Draytoa
and Robert Foxton, when they committed the most, violent
depredations on the church and Abbey; for these insurgents
not only beat and wounded the monks, bailiffs, and officer*
belonging to the same, but actually imprisoned the abbot.
They also burnta manor belonging to the abbot, called Hal-
demess barn, with two other manors, called the Almonets
barn, also Haherden, and the Granges that stood within the
South gate, and also the manor of Westlie, in all which
places they bun.t, in. corn and grain to the value of 1000 1; they
also burnt the.Mote-b.all, and Bradfield-hall, with the new-
liall, and divers chambers and cellars, annexed to the said halls,
together with the chapel of St. Lawrence, at the end of hos
pital-hall; also the manor of Horringer, with all the, corn,
and grain within, and about the same. .
The townsmen after committing these desperate outrages
assembled together in mat tial order, and attacked the Abbey
itself, forced the gates, windows and doors; set them on fire,
and burnt them, together with several houses near adjoining
that belonged to the monastery. Then they entered into the
great court of the Abbey, and burnt all the houses on the
North side of it, such as the stables, bake-houses, brewing
offices, &c. they then entered the Abbey, and bioke. ope*

[ 105 ]
chise were amenable, in all cases not excepting

a great number of chests, coffers, and forssets, taking out of
them, chalices of gold, and silver, books, vestments, and di
vers other ornaments of the church, exclusive of a great quan
tity of rich plate, household furniture, armour, and nume
rous other things ; also 500I. of current money, and 3000
florins in gold. All these valuable articles the townsmen
took, and carried away, together with divers charters, and wri
tings, particularly three chaiters of Canute, four charters of
Hardicanute, one charter of Edward the confessor, two chatters
of Henry I. two charters of Heniy III. ten bulls of exemptions
and immunities granted by the Popes, and'divers writings,
obligatory for the payment of large sums of money; which
charters and deeds, related not only to the foundation of the
said Abbey, but also to the several grants, and confirma
tions of the respective endowments, privileges and liberties
thereunto belonging. Weever.
The insurgents not being satisfied with the enormous depre
dations already committed upon the Abbey, proceeded still
further, and compelled the prior, Peter Clopton, to execute
a writing, wherein the Abbot and convent acknowledged
themselves to be bound in the sum of io,oool. to be paid to
Oliver Kemp, and others therein named, and that they re
leased the said Oliver and others, from .all actions, quarrels,
suits, and demands whatsoever, which the abbot and con
vent had or might have against them, or any of them. They
also forced the abbot and monks to sign a charter, containing:
P

[ io6 1
those especially affecting the person of the
sovereign; for during the reign of King

a grant to the town of Bury, empowering them to be a cor
poration of themselves, and to have a common seal, with a
.guild of merchants and aldermen, also to have the custody
of the townrgatcs, and wardship of all pupils, and or
phans. The King (Edward III.) and his council, being fulIySn-
-formed of these riotous disorders and outrages, sent down
¦four of his Majesty's judges to enquiie into the nature of
their crimes; and they sitting at this town, and proceeding
upon the indictment of felony, the jury found them guilty,
and accordingly nineteen were executed, divers tied, and
returning afterwards , were fined, and one was pressed to
death, because he refused to put himself upon his trial. The
town was fined 60, oool. but 2000 marks were accepted; all
writings were made void, which had been extorted from ilic
abbot and monks;, and to maKe the agreement valid, the
King was pleased to put his own seal to it.
From the above account it appears, that the present Ab
bey-gate, at Bury, is not the original one ; for this last
gate was erected in the reign of Richard II. wheieas that
¦which we have now been speaking of, was destroyed in the
first year of the reign of his grandfather, Edward III. in con
sequence of the tumultuous commotions which prevailed at that
time, between the.monks and the townsmen ; and these furious
encounters will explain the reason why the present gate was

[ »°r 3
Stephen, abbot Ording claimed cognizance of
treason, at Norwich, before William Mattel,
the King's sewer, attended by the prelate,

built as a place of considerable strength, as well as beauty;
why it was provided with a ponderous portcullis, two strong
ga^s; no windows next the town, and its flat roof fur
nished (most likely) with various warlike engines for the
defence and security of the Abbey, in case of any future
attacks from the townsmen.
With regard to the exemption^above mentioned, granted by
Bishop Ayllwin, in favor of the Abbey, we may just observe
a little further here, that Herfast, consecrated the first bishop
ofThetford, in 1370, attacked the abbot of Bury, in relation
to his exemption from his episcopal jurisdiction, -and not
only endeavoured to set Ayllwiri's exemption aside, but, re
lying on his interest with the King, would have removed his
see, and fixed it at Bury ; gre2t part of the revenues of that
monaster/y being alienated, as he alledged, by his predecessors
from the see; but the contest was determined by the King and
h is nobles, against the bishop, in 1081. See the deed by which
this dispute was settled in favor of the abbot and monks of
Bury, in Blomfield's History of Norwich, p. 328. The real
motive which made Herfast so desirous of removing the
see from Thetford to Bury, was, that he might be nearer
the Abbey, and thereby embrace the first favourable oppoi-
P 2

[ io8 ]
touching certain persons here, who had con
trived the death of the King, and the claim was
allowed.

tunity of recovering the authority which Ayllwin had taken
from the see, and given to the monastery.
This claim of the bishop on this Abbey, was renewed again
shortly after, by bishop Bateman, and became a very seri
ous affair, as will be shewn hereaftei ; nevertheles, the Abbey
preserved its possession of the exemption, to the time of its
dissolution.

A L I S T
OF THE
ABBOTS OF THE MONASTERY
OF
ST. EDMUND'S BURT,
FROM THE YEAR, ioio,
TO ITS DISSOLUTION,
IN THE REIGN OF
KING HENRY VIII. *

I. Uvius, also written Wyus. He was a
monk, and also prior of Hulm, and was made
the first abbot of Bury, by Canute, A.D. 1020.
In his time, it is said, the town was surround
ed with an entrenchment of earth, part of
* The abbot of Bury Abbey, was one of those distinguished •
abbots that were entitled by their dignity, to sit among the
Peers in parliament.

[ "0 J
which is still visible on the South side of the
Abbey grounds.
He died in ----- - 1044.
II. Leofstanus, or LeofFston succeeded himr
and died in - - - - - 1065.
This abbot came with Uvius from Hulmy
and received his confirmation from the bishop,
ofWinton. The bishop reported of this ab
bot, 'that he doubted of the incorruptibility of
St. Edmund's body, therefore, to satisfy his cu
riosity, he opened his coffin, when he found his
glorious body without the least mark or indica
tion of corruption*'. There was also a young
man whom Leofstanus greatly loved, and who
was for trying too bold an experiment on the

-* There is a pleasant circumstance concerning St. Edmund,
related in the fabulous legends of the Romish saints, which is,
that Theodred, the first bishop of Elmham, (after the first
union of the sees of Norfolk and Suffolk,) was an eye witness
of St. Edmund's body being uncorrupted; for having fasted
three days, he opened the coffin, and not only touched, but
washed the saint's body, and putting him on new garments-
replaced him in his coffin.

I 1" j
martyr's body, by pulling it by the feet and
liead, that he might know whether the head
was really united to the body, or not; but he was
soon convinced of the truth of it, by finding it
so well joined as if it had never been separa
ted from it, and that there was only round
his neck, a small red cicatrice, no bigger than
a thread, at which he was much astonished ;
but as a punishment for so great a presumption'
he was immediately seized with a contraction of
his nerves as long as he lived, which gave oc
casion to a witty monk to say of him — ¦
For drawing of the body of the Martyr,
¦Contracted were his Nerves for ever after. *
Likewise Osgothus, a lord of Denmark,
and next to the King (St. Edward) in dignity,
for disparaging the miracles of St. Edmund,
and by walking round his shrine with great
* Malmsbury informs us, that Leoffston, abbot of Bury
was also punished in 1050, for exposing the body of St. Ed .
*nund,

[ "2 ]
¦disdain, was accordingly struck to the ground j
and afterwards, like a demoniac, or as the story
goes, like a person terrified with the appear
ance of a ghost, went strolling about in the
utmost fear.
Tyl the rumour of crying here and there,
.Kara by ropoa to the King'is ere,
Which tho' like time, in chapital was present,
Off his grace and royal dignitie,
With the Abbot and trool al the Covent,
Tentresse* ther franchise and thelibertie,
Off his lonygre and mercyful bounte,
Gaff e'm' the Manor Mildenlule and the Town,
With eighte hundredisin pocession.
Edward requested abbot Leoffston, and the
convent, to pray to the holy martyr. The
King joins the procession, and by the advice
of Ayllwin, the sick man was brought to tha
fertress,t where, after lying some time, he was
restored to health, and became all his life after,
very devout and peaceable.
* To interest.
•J- That is, as we apprehend, 'the shrine'.

C»3]
III. Baldwinus, who was the successor to
Leofstanus, or Leoffston. He presided in the
Abbey 32 years ; and having rebuilt the church
of stone, after taking down that built of wood,
by Ayllwin, bishop of the East Angles, he died
in the year ------- 1097.
This Baldwinus, otherwise Baldwyn, was a
monk of St. Denys' in France.
We are told that he was expert in the craft
of medicine, and was chosen third abbot of
Bury. Respecting his rebuilding the Abbey
church, Litigate, our old English poet, thus
adverts to him —
To Seynt Edward* he was Phesecion
To many sickness he did remedye ;
¦(¦ In nyne and twentye wynters ye may see»
A newe Cherche he dyee edefye
J Ston brought from Kane out of Normandye
By the Se, and set up on the Strande,
At, Ratlysdene, and carried forth be lande.
* Edward the confessor, who granted to abbot Baldwyn,
the liberty of coinage, as did also William the conqueror;
a privilege enjoyed by many other AbDeys, cities, and
great men.

[ "4 1
IV. Robert, son of Hugh, Earl of Qhes-
ter, succeeded Baldwyn. He was abbot about
five years, and was deposed in 1 102.
f Not that this church was 40 years in rebuilding, fot it
was rebuilt in about 1 z years, but, that it refers to nearly the
number of years which Baldwyn continued abbot, during pait
of which time, this church was re-edified.
J This shews, that all the stone made use of by abbot
Baldwyn, in rebuilding this church, was not brought from
Bemack, in Northamptonshire, but that some part of it came
from Caen, in Normandy ; probably the gift of William the
conqueror. The Stone from Caen, without doubt was mar
ble, originally from Italy.
Not only the external part of this church was exceedingly
grand and magnificent, but the internal pat t also was^ex-
tremely ornamental and beautiful. It conrained three very
lofty aisles, and its inside was enriched with a profusion
of beautiful carving and gilding, exclusive of the many
stately monuments which were erected over the remains of
royal and noble personages ; the roof was . decoratedjvith^
starsj mjmitation of th« L£°ncaye ^hemi§pfeere.fif the heayenSj
""and among" the "other splendid and ornamental parts of this
noble -edifice must not be passed over unnoticed, the antique
and beautiful font of gethic work, which once adorned the
church belonging to this Abbey. Th,is font was preserved
in the general wreck, which took place at the dissolution of
the Abbey, it is n6w standing in Worlingham church, in this

["5]
He gave to the Abbey-church the largest
bell at that time in England.

connty, has undergone a thorough repair, and is also much
beautified at the expence of Henniker Major, Esq. A plate
of it was engraved in 1753. by G. Vertue, and impressions
were lately to be had of Mr. R. Loder, Printer, Woodbridge,
price is. 6d.
We shall here endeavour to give the best account we are able
of the Western, or principal front of this once grand conven
tual church ; the precise height of this noble front, extend
ing to the top of the towers over the side aisles, we are not
able to ascertain, but the breadth of it, including the two large
octagon towers, on the North and South sides, was 240 feet. In
this front were the principal entrances to the threespacious aisles
of this church, and over the centre one, was a large noble
window, as is usual in buildings of this kind. Over the
two side aisles, were noble towers, something like those which
formerly stood "on the top cf the Abbey-gate, the ruins of
one of them are r.ow remaining ; between these towers, arose
in grand majestic form, a noble lofty tower, erected over the
middle aisle, exclusive of a fine stately dome, which was
placed over the choir. Respecting the height of this tower,
we are not able to form any judgment, we can only observe,
that it was not the original one, for as we mentioned before,
p. 78. that a new tower had been erected over the Abbey-
churcb, which was 26 years in building^ and cost 8661, 133'
4d.
Q.3

r »6]
V. Robert, prior of Westminster, succeed
ed Robert. He died in - - - 1107.

There were also in the Western front of this chui'ch, two
very fine side chapels, St. Faith's and St. Catherine's ; the
former on the South-West side of the aisles, the latter on the
North-West side, between the said aisles and the two large
octagon towers at the Northern and Southern extremeties of
this front. Tne principal entrances into these chapels, were
in this Western front, the arch which formed one of them,
thjt on the North side, is still remaining ; the other, on the
South side, is no longer visible, the entrance being now occu
pied by brick-work.
On the North and South sides of this front, weie two very
fine large octagon towers, one at each end; these towers be
ing 40 feet in diameter, and of a proportionable height, must
have had a fine effect, and have given a noble appearance to
this Western front of the church. A Considerable part of
ore of these towers (that on the South side) is still remaining,
having the lowet part turned into a stable ; the other tower is
entiiely demolished.
The fine arches which formed the entrances into the three
aisles of the church, are now remaining, but wholly filled up
with modern buildings.
Upon the whole, this entire structure was equal to, if not in
some respects (as in the length of the building, and the state-
liness and grandeur of this Western front) more magnificent
than old St. Peter's, at Rome.

[ »7]
VI. Aldboldus followed him. He was ab
bot twelve years, and died in - iiio>

Pope Alexander II. by bis bull, dated in 1071. in the
time of William the conqueror, granted to abbot Baldwyn,
a porphyry altar for his new erected church at Buiy, which
grant had also this uncommon privilege that, when all the
rest of the Kingdom were under an interdict, mass should
there be celebrated, unless expressly and by name prohibited
by the pope.
Abbot Baldwyn had a brother of the name of Joceline,
whom this abbot enfeoffed in the conqueror's time, in many
great possessions both m Suffolk and Norfolk, as we learn
from the White Register of this Abbey, fo 97 and we may fur
ther observe, that this abbot about the same time, enfeoffed
almost all tbe Knights that held of this Abbey. This Joceline
was not the author of the Chronicle in the Cotton library,
. for the author of that work was Joceline, chaplain to abbot
Sampson, the tenth abbot of this Abbey, who died in 1211.
See Blomfield. vol. 1. p. i6r.
Amongst the many instances of the opulence of the abbots
of Bury, we meet with the following one, which is, that the
abbot had a house in London, called his place, situated beyond
the church, in Aldgate; and whenever the abbot made a
lease of it, he always reserved twelve beds, &c. for himself
and his retinue. Sir James ' Burrough, from Sir Heniy
Spelman's, M. S,

r »8 1
VII. Anselm, who was nephew to Anselm*
aYthbishop of Canterbury, succeeded Aldbbldus.
He built St. Andrew's chapel, in the Abbey-
church, and leaded it ; he also built St. James'

The valuable stone above mentioned, said to be given by
William the conqueror, to abbot Baldwyn, for an altar, was
undoubtedly for a font ; the porphyry stone, being used in
the ancient baptisteries, for we meet with an account of *
most astonis'hing baptistery, erected by Constantine the great
of porphyry stone, thebasonin the middle being of silver, from
the centre of which, a porphyry pillar rising up, supported *
golderi cup of fifty pounds weight, filled always, with fragrant
perfumes. The reason why porphyry ( a kind of fine and red
dish marble) was preferred for this purpose, to any other sort
of stone, was on account or the solidity and firmness of its tex
ture ; forthe ancient christians were desirous of having their fonts
made of the most hard and solid stone, and not of a brittle
and spungy one, not only that it might not be so liable to
break, but also that it might not suck up the consecrated wa
ter. See Nicholls on Com. prayer, under public Baptism.
Whoever examine the fonts in our parish churches, even at
this present time, will readily perceiVe that they are not only
extremely ancient, but formed of stone, of a firm and very
close texture, resembling tUeret'y, as far as it was possible, the
porphyry of the very early christians.

f »9 J
church, to which place he translated the parish
church, which was formerly in the nave of the
Abbey church, it having been usual fey the
Abbey church, or part pf it at least, to serve as
a parish church for the townsmen of Bury*.
In 1 123. abbof Anselm went to Rome, re'
specting the dispute, between Henry I, an,d
the monks ; and we also fjnd, that in the year
1101. Herbert, the first bishop of Norwich,
went to Rome respecting the difference be
tween Henry I. and archbishop Anselm, uni
cle to this abbot, respecting the recovery qf
the jurisdictipn of his see over the Abbey,
which Ayllwyn his predecessor, bad so urjr.
justly given to this placef . Herbert carried

* But this practice was oftentimes so disagreeable, to the
monks, that they were willing to build them a parish church
at their own expence, to get rid of them, they not being upon
good terms, with each other;
f Of which transaction an account will' be given af
terwards.

[ 12° ]
forty marks of silver with him to Rome, in
order, as he thought, thereby to promote his
cause there, but he found himself much mis
taken, for, happening to be deprived of his
money, during the course of his journey, he
was obliged to return home again as he went,
fulfilling the old proverb, as blomfield says,
*no penny, no pater-noster *.'
Anselm was chosen bishop of London, in
1 138. but not being accepted there, he conti
nued abbot here till his death, which happened
in -------- 1 148.
VIII. Ordingus succeeded Anselm. In
his time the Abbey was consumed by fire, but
the chuich escaped.
He died in ------ 1156.
IX. Hugh, prior of Westminster, obtained
this Abbacy after Ordingus. f
He died in ----- 1180.
* See Blomfield. vol. I. p. 333.
-f- There appears to be some obscurity in the account given
of this Hugh, and the Hugh that followed Sampson; some

[ "I ]
X. Sampson, the tenth abbot, succeeded
him. He gave to the church a golden cross,
also the aqueduct of our Saviour's hospital,
adorned St. Edmund's shrine with gold and
gems, and built four halls of curious stone

are of opinion, that they are confounded. Joceline says ex
pressly, that the first Hugh was prior, but not abbot, and
deposed in 1173. the year in which the great battle at Forn-
ham, was fought. Joceline adds that Sampson was abbot
afterwards, and it appears from our succession of the abbots,
that Sampson follows this Hugh ; nevertheless this does not
prove to the contrary, but that another abbot of the name of
Hugh, might succeed Sampson. It is evident from the state
of publie affairs at this time, that the minds of mankind in
general mast have been extremely agitated, the proceedings
which led to the battle at Fornham, was one great source
of disturbance to the Nation at large, and the violent com.
motions both in the town and Abbey, respecting the Jews
crucifying a boy named Robert, (afterwards Saint Robert
the roaityr, see p. 58.) was another. From these disturb
ances , arising about this time, both within the Abbey, and
without it, we may easily account for a vacancy of two years
taking place in the election of an abbot, and that some irregu
larity and confusion might attend their proceedings respect
ing it. R

[ "2 ]
work; in his time Robert de Gravele, the sa
crist, purchased the vineyard for the benefit of
invalids, and of his friends, ad Solatium infir-
morum et amicorum, and inclosed it with a
stone wall. It was a delightful spot, well
adapted to the recovery of convalescents, and
to the growth of vines, the soil being remark
ably ligjjr. and dry ; the vestages of the par
terres may still be easily traced, and the herb
alexanders, that was always cultivated in an
cient gardens, still maintains its place. He
was abbot thirty one years, and died the 3d.
of the calends of January, - - 121 1.
XI. Hugh succeeded Sampson, an,: was
chosen abbot after a vacancy of two years, in
121 3. He was abbot Sixteen years, but be
ing consecrated bishop of Ely, he was removed
from the Abbacy of Bury, in the year 1229.
XII Richard de Insula or Lisle, who had
been abbot of Burton, in Staffordshire, Dur
ing his continuance in the Abbacy, a silver
table was made for the use of the high altar

[ "3 3
in this church. He died the fourth of the
calends of September - - - 1233.
XIII. Henry succeeded him, and was ab
bot fifteen years.
He died in ----- 1244.
XIV. Edmund de Walpole, Dr. in the de
cretals, obtained this Abbacy, and died in
1256.
XV. Simon de Cutton, who, after a short
vacancy, was elected abbot, in 1257. He
obtained of the pope a benediction more epis
copal, he taking down the round chapel, in
whith St. Edmund's bones were buried before
his translation, and built in its place, from
the foundation, St. Mary's chapel.
He died in ----- 1279.
XVI. John de Norwold, the sixteenth ab
bot, was elected in the year 1279. In his
time the charnel chapel was built*.
He died in ----- 1301.
* We apprehend this to be the charnel belonging to the
R2

[ »24 3
XVII. Thomas Tottington succeeded
John de Norwold. He was abbot eleven
years, and procured divers silver vessels to
his church.
He died in ----- 1312.
XVIII. Richard de Draughton was abbot
after Tottington. He held the Abbacy twen
ty five years, and died in - - 1 337.
XIX. William de Burnham succeeded him,
and died in ----- 1361*
XX. Henry de Hunstanton was elected,

Abbey, with the chapel annexed, and which now fo-m the
vaults under the Angetinn. Seep. 96
The extraordinary wisdom and piety which so eminently
distinguished Wickliff, and others among the first reformers
of the church, enabled them to perceive, and to be fully sen
sible of the enormous corruptions which had at that time been
introduced and blended with religion; and they not only
beheld this depraved state of the chuich with the utmost anx
iety and concern, but exerted every effort in their power to
reform it ; but unhappily for the welfare of Christianity, all
their endeavours proved, in that age at least, wholly ineffec-

but died before his confirmation, in the year
1361.
XXI. John de Brinkele became abbot, and
held his office eighteen years.
He died in ----- J379«
XXH. John de Tinmouth was made abbot
7 Richard II. 1384. and died in 1386.
XXIII. William of Cratfield was created
abbot 9 Richard II. 1386. and died in
1427.

tual towards the accomplishment of a general reformation.
Although it may possbily be known to some of our readers,.
yet probably not to every one, that one of the first sparks of
the glorious reformation of the church, which has enlightened
all Europe, as well as many other parts of the world, was
struck at the small village of Stradbrook, in this county ; for
Dr. Grosthead, afterwards bishop of Lincoln, a divine of
great courage, learning and piety, and who was contemporary
with Wickliff, and assisted him in his writings against the
reigning superstitions and corruptions of the Romish church,
was a native of that parish 3 and tbe above John de Norwold,
(so called, from his being born at Northwold, in Norfolk)
who wrote the Annals of this Kingdom, wrote also an account

[ "6 3
XXIV. William of Exeter was made ab
bot 5 Henry VI. 1427. and died in 1429.
XXV. William Babington, occurs be
tween the years 1447 an^ I453- *>ut we meet
with no further account of him.
XXVI. William Curteys was raised to
the Abbacy 17 Henry VI. and died in 1457.
XXVII. John Boon was made abbot in
1457. and died in - - - - 1475.
XXVIII. Richard Hengham succeeded
him in -_-_-_. H75'

of the dispute between bishop Grosthead, and pope Innocent
IV. The theological writers of that age, in theb attacks on
the papal power, and corruptions of the chu'h, confined
themselves chiefly to true religion, learning and close argu
ment ; whilst another class of writers who flourished about
the same period, displaying their abilities on the same sub
ject, in work*s of wit and pleasantry ; amongst these latter
sort may be reckoned the father1 of our English poets, the
celebrated Chaucer, and his contemporary, Robert Lange-
jnde, better known by the name of Piers Plowman.

r "7 3
XXIX. Thomas Raclesden followed him,
but held the Abbacy only three years.
He died in ----- ^S.
XXX. William Codenham succeeded him.
He died in ------ 1508.
XXXI. William Bunting succeeded. He
died in ------- 151 1.
XXXII. John Reeve, alias Melford,
was the last Abbot ; for he and forty four
monks, surrendered the Abbey to King Hen
ry VIII. on the 4th. of November, 1539. and
he had an annuity of five hundred marks as
signed him. Chagrin and vexation probably
shortened his days, as he died on the 31st. of
March, following. He had retired to a large
house at the South- West corner of the c^own
street; which has to this day suffered less alter
ation than any house of that age, now standing
in this town. In 1 768. the arms of this abbot
were extant in a large South window, namely,
Arg. on a Fess. Sab. between 3 Escallops.

[ 128]
Gul. 3 Eagles. Or. On a scroll beneath,
Dominus Johanes Melford Abbas.*
Amongst the numerous monuments and
ancient grave-stones, in St. Mary's church,
in this town, though many of them are de
faced, (which are of the greatest antiquity)
is that of the last lord abbot Reeve above
mentioned. He lieth interred in the middle
of the chancel, and had originally a very large
flat stone of marble laid over him, embel
lished with the arms of the Abbey, impaling
those of his own family, and also with his
own portraiture in his pontificals ; but this
ancient stone was broken in the year 1717,
to make room for a new one to cover one
Mr. Sutton, who was buried in the same

* In the same window, were also the arms of Drury, im
paling Calthorpe ; Heigham impaling Waldegrave, and some
others ; but now they are all gone. This house, as we ob.
served before, was die exchequer room belonging to the Ab
bey. See p, 80.

[ I29]
grave, upon the old stone was the following
inscription, in Latin. — ¦
'Here lies the Bones of the Man whom
Bury formerly own'd its Lord and Abbot j
his Name JoH n, born at Melford, in Suffolk,
his Family and Father called Kemis*; He
was Intrepid, Prudent, Learned, and Affable^
Upright, and a Lover of his Vow and his Reli
gion: Who, when he had seen the 31st, of
the Reign of Henry VIII. died the 31st. of
March following. May God spare his
Soul J 1540.' '
This pious, learned, and very worthy abr
bot, appears to have died, as was intimated

* Thus we find it in Weever, but he was certainly mista-
kenhere, for undoubtedly it should have been Reeve, arid
not Kemis, as his family, which afterwaras flourished in this
County, and other parts of the Kingdom, (as will ¦ be shjwn
very soon,) always wrote their name Reeve.

f 130 J
before*, of a broken heartf. The havock and
devastation made in his church and Abbey,
the overthrow of the religion to which he
was so firmly attached, and the necessity he
was under of resigning his house and church,
seem to have operated so strongly upon his
mind, as to produce the most melancholy
effects, respecting the peace and happiness
of this good abbot |
* See p. 127.
-f This very respectable abbot was reduced to the most
humiliating resignation of his Abbey, that ever was made;
declaring that, 'The abbot and coment acknowledged the su
preme ecclesiastical authority of Henry VIII. aud settle a
pension for his and his son's life, on that excellent person,
Thomas Cromwell, his principal secretary, from whom, (they
say) they had received many favors'; although at the very
same time they were reading a dissolution from the rapacity
of that overbearing monarch, and the vigilence of his minis
ter. X Abbot Reeve, seems to have been one of the ancestors
of the family of that name, that resided lately at Harleston,
in Norfolk, if we may judge from the almost exact similarity

C'30
It may be observed here, that as this Ab
bey was one of the richest, so also it had the
reputation of being one of the best regu
lated houses in the Kingdom; and we also
learn, that at the visitation of the religious
houses, made by order of government, pre
vious to their dissolution, that no irregula
rity was discovered here, and that the only
charge brought against this Abbey was, 'that
the abbot spent too much of his time at his

of the arms of both of them, excepting perhaps, a little differ
ence in the blazoning. The arms of Reeve of Harleston, be
ing Arg. on a Fess. engrail'd Sab. between 3 Escallops. Gul. 3
Eagles, Arg. The small difference in the abbot's arms, seems
to arise from the mistake of the person who copied them.
The family of the Reeves, appears to have been situated ia
London at the time of the restoration, but how long before
that period, is uncertain, though probably for a consider
able time previous thereto. In the church of St. Sepulchre,
we have been told, some memorials of the family may still
be seen. The family was burnt out of London, by the
great fire which happened in that City, in the year 1667
and with the remains of their fortune, one branch of the family
purchased the inn at Stonham, in this county, called Ston '
S *

[ i32 ]
country seats!*' Trifling indeed, when com
pared with the heavy charges alledged agairist
many other monasteries in this Kingdom.
At the dissolution of the monasteries, King
Henry VIII. intended to have converted this
Abbey into a bishoprick, as appears under his
own hand in the Cotton Library; but the ava-

ham-Pie, where they resided many years; from thence the
descendants came to Harleston, Norfolk, where lately resi
ded Mr. William Reeve, an eminent Surgeon, and of consi
derable property; the Rev. William Reeve, his only son, vi
car of Hoxne and Denham, in this county, a person of
great learning, charity and .generosity, died in 1786. and in
him this branch of the family became extinct. There was
a few years ago an eminent physician in London, of the name
of Reeve, and who was of this family ; and another branch
lived at Bildeston, in Suffolk, a descendant of whom, Mr.
Read Reeve, was lately living at Lavenham, in this
county- ' * Jlojjuagilieajyiall, . 'Redgrave-hall, Melford-hall, and
*Elmswell-hall, were all of them country seats, or pleasure
houses, belonging to the abbot of Bury.

f 133 3
rice of the courtiers, and the King's unbound -
ed liberality to them, disabled him for carrying
bis design into execution. King Charles I;
is also reported to have designed this place
the same honour, and to have settled in it a
dean, chapter, and arch- deacon, with suitable
revenues; as a thousand pounds a year at
least on the bishop, with the -patronage of ail
the livings in his own and the chancellor's
gift, as also those in the arch-bishqp's, near
adjoining, in Suffolk, Norfolk, and Essex ;
but the distraction of the Kingdom in that
unfortunate reign, coming on So fast, his
good intentions never took place*.

* There was alio -formerly the Chorepiscopi, or titular
bishops, and co-operations or vicars in the episcopal func
tions, who lived in the couutry at a great distance from the
city church. These suffragan bishops were ¦ introduced
into England, about the year 1.325, and were commissioned
by such bishops as were infirm, or otherwise engaged, to
assist them in their episcopal offices. There was one of
these of Norwich, one -of St. Edmund's Bury, and several
'ethcr.places, Gent. Mag. 1785. p. -37Z.-3.

[13+3
It was also the great design and earnest
endeavour of Herbert, the first bishop of Nor
wich, as well as that of his predecessors, to
have fixed the see at Bury, but these desires
and intentions proceeded [from different mo
tives than those which actuated the former,
for the sole design of these latter, seems to
have been, to recover the jurisdiction of the
see over the Abbey, which Ayllwyn, a pre
ceding 'bishop, had unjustly given away.
These attempts to fix the bishoprick at Bury,
shew the high opinion they entertained of its
antiquity and importance.
In the high and flourishing state of eccle
siastical power in Britain, the abbot of St.
Edmund's Bury, ranked among the most emi
nent of those who were entitled to rear the
mitred head in courts and palaces. The ab
bots of St. Alban's and Glastonbury, might in
deed take precedence, and the abbot and con
vent of Ramsey, might exceed in wealth, but in
the aggregation of ecclesiastical and territorial

C«35 3
possessions and privileges, the abbot and con
vent of Bury yielded not to any in the kingdom*
This Abbey was endowed with such a pro
digious number of estates, royalties, and im
munities, by Canute, Theodred bishop of
London, the bishops of Rome, and others,
that it was inferior to very few monasteries in
England, with respect to revenues; and to
none as to situation, buildings, ecclesiastical
exemptions, and civil franchises and -liber
ties. *
Canute not only confirmed all the former
grants, made to this Abbey, but also enriched it
with three charters granted by himself; four
were granted by King Hardicanute, on: by
Edward the confessor, two by King Henry
I. and three by Henry III. ten bulls con
taining exemptions and immunities were also
granted them by several different Popes, to
gether with other privileges, exclucive of
* Tanner's, Nut, Monast,

[ *36 3
private benefactors, as UJ|ketel^Eari of the
East-angles, Stephen, Earl of Britanny and,
Richmond, and many other persons of qua
lity of both sexes, and several bishops, whose
gifts so enriched this monastery, that it flou
rished for many years with increasing wealth
and power, and an immense quantity of gifts
and oblations also were hung upon the tomb of
St. Edmund; for the richness of this Abbey
was so great, that according to the valua
tion made 26 Henry VIII. its yearly income
was computed at 16591. 13s. ud.byDugdale*,

* Dugdale speaks but little concerning this Abbey, nor
does any other monastical writer; but perhaps this silence
may proceed from their want of proper records, many of
which were destroyed at the dissolution of the monastery ;
and also, in the violent commotions that arose between the
monks and the inhabitants, and particularly in that violent
assault made upon the Abbey by the townsmen, in the
year 1337. when vamongst many other outrages, committed
by the latter, they carried away the charters, bulls, exemp
tions, and writings, belonging to this society; these invaluable
deeds would have afforded the most authentic as well as

C »37 3
but! by Speed, at 2336I. 16s.* a .very large
sum indeed in those days, so extremely greal>
that it has been calculated, that the estates
of this Abbey, would, at this present time,
let at a sum not less than 200,000 pounds
per annumf. There was also taken away from
the Abbey, at the dissolution, five thousand
marks of gold and silver, besides vestments
ahd jewels of great value, and the plate, bells,
lead, timber, &c. of the same, yielded also five
thousand marks to the king.
circumstantial information respecting this celebrated town and
monastery ; for it is much to be lamented, and it must also be
regarded as an irreparable misfortune to the curious antiquary
who takes pleasure in making researches of this natuie, that
no more of the History of this Abbey hajs been preserved,
especially as there are so many visible and striking marks
of antiquity to be found here, which denotes its ancient con
sequence and grandeur. See Balnea. 1799.
* J. Kirby's Historical Account of the Monasteries, &c.
in Suffolk.
+ We must not forget to mention respecting the endow*
ment of this Abbey, that King Richard I. out of pure devotiaa

[ 138 3
As one of the principal sources of the
immense wealth and endowments which
enriched this great and opulent Abbey, ori
ginated from the high estimation that was
entertained of the numerous, and, as was
then thought, valuable relics that were pre
served there, together with the extraordinary
reputation which the monastery had acquired
from the astonishing miracles reported to have
been wrought by them ; we shall here subjoin
as ample and accurate an account of both of
them, as we have been able to procure.
In this list of relics, the first object that
presents itself to our notice, as we might na
turally suppose it would, is the body of Ed
mund the royal martyr, who was buried here,
and gave rise to this Abbey, and whose sa-

to the martyr, gave fifteen marks per annum, to find two wax
tapers, which he afterwards doubled, and gave ten oxgangs of
land at Aylsham, that four wax tapers might be continually
turning at the altar of St. Edmund; and about the year 1193,

[ J39 3
CTed remains were most magnificently en
shrined in that noble pile, the conventual
church belonging to this monastery, where
they performed most wonderful cures, and
consequently, ,were held in the highest esti
mation. II. The shirt of St. Edmund, a piece of
which was preserved in a box of chrystai, and
was so renowned, that it was visited in those
days with the utmost reverence.
III. A sinew of St. Edaiund, preserved
in a box. \
IV. The sword of St. Edmund.
V. The parings of St. Edmund's toes.
VI. Certain drops of St. Stephen's blood,
which sprang from him when he was stoned.

when he returned from the Holy Land, he offered up at the
same shi ine, the rich standard of Isaac, King of Cyprus. And
King John gave a saphire of great virtue, saphyrum virtuosum,
and a large ruby, set in gold, to the same shrine, reserving
the use of them for his own life. He also gave six marks
annually towards the repairs of the shrine.
ta

[ 140 3
VII. A large quantity of the real cross.
Robert of Gloucester says, that 'In this
Abbey, is a pece of ye hely Croys, whych
Godfrey Boylon, for kyndred, had sent to
Kyng Stephene.
VIII. Some of the coals on which St. Lau
rence was broiled.
IX. Certain parings of .the flesh of divers
holy virgins.
X. The boots of St. Thomas de Becket,
of Canterbury. m
XI. The pen-knife of ditto
XII. St. Botolph's bones in a coffin, which
was said tp procure rain when it was carried
in procession in time of drought.
The revenues also of 51 knights fees, and three qnarters
of a fee, with eight hundreds and an half temporal jurisdiction,
formed part of the endowment of this Abbey; there were also
a great number of towns and parishes in Suffolk and other
parts of the Kingdom, which belonged to this monastery, and
such readers as may wish to be further informed respecting
those placet which were connected with it, as lay in this
county, may consult Kitty's Suffolk Traveller, wherein they

r hi j
XIII. Several sculls of ancient saints and
martyrs, amongst which, was that of St. Pe-
tronill, or Pernell, to which the country peo
ple were taught to lay their heads, thereby to
be cured of agues, and all kinds of* diseases
there. XIV. Certain wax candles, which being
carried light round their com fields in seed
time, no darnel, tares, or any other noisome
weeds, would grow among the corn that year.
There were also many other precious relics
in this Abbey, which were deemed of inesti
mable value, for their extraordinary efficacy
and virtue, and by whose very singular virtues,
we are told, many surprising miracles were
performed. But amongst the many singular miraculous-
are mentioned, and consequently, a repetition of them here
would be superfluous.
To these immense possessions, weie annexed the. exemp
tion from all ecclesiastical supremacy, except that of the sec
of Rome.

[ H* 3
operations pretended to have been wrought
at this Abbey, and are recorded in its Annals,
none perhaps are more ricrfciulous and absurd,
than that of the ceremony of the white bull.
The religious fathers of this monastery had
propogated an opinion, that if any married wo
man that had no children, and wished to be
come a mother, would but come with a white
bull to the shrine of St. Edmund, and make
her offerings and vows, she would presently
after obtain her desire; and as it was usual
for processions to give great dignity and so
lemnity to any ceremony, therefore it was
thought necessary to have a very public one
on this important occasion, and for this pur
pose a white bull was provided, elegantly a-
dorned with garlands of flowers, ribbons, &c.
which being led by one of the monks, the
lady or woman at the same time following
him, and often stroking his milk-white side,
the procession thus proceeded through Church.
gate and Guild-hall streets, and along the

I *43 3

Cook -row, down to the great West-gate of
the Abbey, attended by all the monks singing,
accompanied with a prodigious concourse of
people, forming a very numerous cavalcade j
the bull being dismissed, the lady entered the
church, advanced to St. Edmund's shrine,
said her prayers, made her offerings at his
altar, kissing the stone, and intreating with
tears, the blessing of a child, she then returned
from the Abbey with full assurance of speedy
success*.

* In order that a white bull for this sacred purpose might
not be wanting,thet enants of the Abbey lands, were obliged
to keep one always in teadincss for this use, as appears by
several of their leases, as follow.
This Indenture Witnesses that Mr. John Swafiham, sacrist
of the Monastery of St. Edmund of Bury, with the assent
and will of the Prior, and Convent of that Place, has granted
and to Farm Let to Simons Lolepeke of Bury aforesaid, yeo
man, the Manor called Habyrdon, in Bury aforesaid, &c.
To Hold, &c. for the Term of seven Years, &c. Yielding
therefore Yearly, &c. And the said Simon, his Executors and
Assigns, shall find or cause to be found, On* White Bull
every year of his said Term, as often as it shall hnppen that

[ »4*J
This ridiculous custom invented by the
crafty monks b elonging to this monastery,
had obtained so much Credit in many parts of
the world, that not only many eminent women
of this country had recourse to it, but even
several ladies belonging to foreign parts, fol
lowed their example. But as it would be

any Gentlewoman or any other woman, fr6m Devotion or
Vows by them made, shall visit the Tomb of the glorious
King and Martyr St. Edmund, and make the oblation of
the said White Bull, &c. In Witness whereof, to one part
the seal of the Sacrist is affixed, &c. Dated the 4th. day of
June, in the 2d. year of the Reigri of King Henry, King' of
England, the seventh since the conquest.*
Another Register of the said Monastery.
'This Indenture made the 12th. Day of September, in
the 12th. year of the Reign of King Henry the Vill. Be
tween Master John Eye, Sacrist of the Monastery, of St. Ed
mund's Bury, and Richard Skinner, of Bury aforesaid,
Husbandman, Witnesses that the aforesaid John Eye, with
the consent, &c. Hath Demised arid to Farm Lctten to the
aforesaid Richard, the Manrior of Habyrdorr, Sit. for the
term of ten years, &c. And the said Richard stiaHfind One
White Bull as often as it shall happen, &c. as in the for
mer Deed.'

[ »45 3
very inconvenient for those distant ladies to
come in.person to perform i these ceremonies,
it was pronounced to be equally efficacious
for them, if they caused to be offered by any
other means, one of these wonder-working
animals, at St. Edmund's shrine. We have
a copy pf a deed which was formerly, and
probably now is, preserved in the augmenta
tion office, to the following effect. 'That
John Swaffham sacrist of the monastery of
£t. Edmund's Bury, certifies to all christian

A Third. Register of thjs Monastery.
ThisIndenture Witnesses, that we Jqhn,-by Divine
permission, Abbot of the Monastery of St. Edmund's Bury,
with tbe,cansent and permission ,of jhe Prior and Convent of
the same, have Demised and to Farm Let to Robert Wright,
Glazier, and to John Anable, Pewterer, of Bury aforesaid,
our Mannor of Habyrdon, with the Appurtenancies pertain
ing lo the Office of Sacrist of our said Monastery, &c. To
Hold, &c. for the Term of 20 years, &c- Yielding yearly to
tlie said Abbot, St c. for the use of the Office of Sacrist 20I. 4s,
&c. And the said Robert and John Shall find One Whiti
Bull every year of the aforesaid' Term, as often as it shall
happen that any gentlewoman, or any other women, from

People, that on the 2d. of June, 1474, three
religious persons (whom he names) tof the
City of Ghent, came and offered as had been
accustomed of old time, in the presence of
several reputable people, at the shrine of the
blessed king, virgin, and martyr St; Edmund,
to the honour of God, and of the said glorious
martyr, one white bull for the accomplish-

Devotion or Vows by them made, shall visit the shrine of
the glorious King and Martyr, St. Edmund, to make tlie obla-'
tions of the said white bull, &c. In Witness whereof, to one
part of this Indenture remaining with the above named Abbot,
Prior and Convent, the said Robert and John have affixed their
Seals, and to the other part remaining with the said Robert
and John, we the above named Abbot, Prior and Convent,
have caused the common Seal of our Chapter to be affixed.
Given in our Chapter-house the 28th. Day of April, in the
45th. year of King Henry VIII. and in the year of our Lord
1533- The waxen Impression, still perfect, has on the face St.
Edmund sitting on a royal Throne, with a bishop standing on
each side ; on the reverse, he is bound to a Tree, and trans
fixed with arrows. Below, in another Compartment, is the
body of St. Edmund, headless; and near it, a wolf, bringing

[H7 3
ment of the longing of a certain noble la
dy*. . The origin of this, as well as several other
popish ceremonies, seem to have been sto
len from the . superstitious practices of the
ancient pagans ; and the classical reader will
easily recognize the rudiments of them in
some of the earliest writers, where we find,
that the ancient heathens had a festival called
lupercalia, at which time some goats being
killed, whips were made of their skins, and
with these' instruments, boys, almost naked,
ran through the streets, and therewith scourg-

back the royal Head to restore it to the Body. The instru
ment is thus indorsed. 'Irrotulatur perme, \V alteram, Mil-
demey.' A transcript of this sealed indenture remains in the
court of augmentations. -'
* The original deed runs in this manner.
To all Faithful Christian People that shall inspect these
Presents. John Swaffham sacrist of the monastery of St.
Edmund of Bury, an exempt Jurisdiction appertaining imme
diately to the Apostolic See, and Arch Deacon of the same
Ua

r i48 3
ed tho women they met, who offered them
selves to those lashes, as fancying the same
would promote the effects abovementioned ;
but let this be as it will, this ridiculous cere
mony is highly contemptable, and is a fla
grant instance- of that extreme ignorance
and superstition which characterize the age
in which such gross absurdities were suffered
th be practised, and; afterwards to offend the
good sense of a more enlightened and discern
ing public.
, The white bull that was kept in reserve
by the Abbey, forthe use of such persons a$"
stood in need of his assistance, always en
joyed full ease and plenty in the fields of

place, Health on the Author of Health: We made known
to you all by these Presents, that Father Peter Minhebode,
Licentiate in Holy Theology, and Father Peter Brune, toge
ther with Father Carmelites, a lay Brother of the Order of
Carmelites, of the City of Gaunt, on the second day of the
Month of June, in the year of our Lord 1474, did. in the
presence of many credible persohs, offer at the Bier of the
Glorious King, Virgin, and Martyr St. Edmund, of Bury,

[ H9 3
Habberdon, 2nd was never meanly yoked to
the plough, nor ever cruelly, baited at the
stake. Before we take our final leave of the -exten
sive ruins of this once beautiful structure,
we cannot help- observing, that even in our
age, there appears to be something extremely
awful in passing through the stately portal of
the ancient and venerable gate belonging to
this noble Abbey. To behold the mutilated
remains of fallen greatness, to view the ru
inated abodes of piety and learning, lying ig-
nominiouslv scattered over a late beauiiful,
but now disfigured area; to tread that sacred
ground that had for ages past been devoted to
the holiest of purposes ; and to crush, per
chance, under our rude and unhallowed feet)

aforesaid, One White bull, according to the ancient cus
tom, to the honour of God, and the said glorious Martyr, in
relief of the desire' of a certain Noble Lady. Sealed with the
Seal of our office. Dated the Day, Place, and Year above-
said. — See many of these laughable stories in Dr. Middleiori'j
letter from Rome.

[i50 3
the crumbling ashes of some holy father, are
circumstances truly affecting. For who can
rove amidst the fragments of those massy walls
that formerly resounded with the great Crea
tor's praise, and by fancy's aid, listen to the
deeply»-sweHing organ, or other solemn and
melodious sounds, that used to fill the vast
capacious dome; or hear the choral harmony
that once reverberated from wall to wall
throughout the grand ¦ and long'- extended
aisle; without the most impressive thoughts,
or drop, perhap?, the secret tear of sympa
thizing pity;
Here now, by visionary 'fancy led,
I view the place where the high altar stood;
But ev'ry vestige is for ever fled,
Wheie once have knelt the holy brother-hood.
Heie too, perhaps, with step profane I tread,
Upon some father's deeply vaulted grave;
Or where some sacred abbot rests his head,
And fancy touch' d, hear his funereal stave.
Poetical Magazine. No. VI.
Let us therefore venerate these sacred re-

r 151 3
mains of piety, learning, and antiquity.; and
should they still happen tq retain any remain
ing vestiges of that gross superstition and
corruption which formeily debased them, let
us remember the holy purposes to which they
were originally appropriated, and let this se
rious consideration induce us to cover them
with the veil of charity, or even destroy, ra
ther than pollute them by those degrading
usages, which probably have subjected them
for many years, to the ridicule and contempt
of an unfeeling and unthinking world. See
Note. p. 10 f
We shall finish our account of the origin,
magnificence, and dissolution, of the highly
celebrated Abbey of St. Edmund's Bury, with
the two following reports respecting the
charges brought against it by persons ap
pointed to visit the same, previous to its' dis
solution; and also an account of the treasure
that was found there at that time, and carried
away.

C »5* 3
John Ap Rice's Report concerning the
Misrule of Bury Abbey.
Pleace it .your Mship. For as moche as I sup
pose ye shal have Sute made unto you touch*
ing Bure, er we reforme, I thought conveni
ent to advertise you of or pceding there, and
also of the Captes (Complaints) of the same.
As for the abbot, we fmde nothing to suspect
as touching hys livyng, but it was detected
that he laye moche forth in hys Granges; that
he delited moche in playing at Dice and
Cardes, and therein spent moche Money, and
in buyldinge for his pleasure. He did not
Pche openly. Also that he converted divers
Fermes into Copieholdes, whereof poore Men
doth complayne. Also be seemeth to be ad
dicted to the meynteyning of such superstitious
ceremonies, as hathe ben used heretofur. As
touching the Convent we could geate litle or
no Capte (Complaint) among thym, although
we did use moche diligence in or. examcon.
And thereby with some other Arguments ge-

C 153 J
thered of their examcons, I fermely beleve
and suppose that they had confedered and
compacted before our coming, that they
should disclose nothing. And yet it is con
fessed and proved, that there was here suche
frequence of women, comyng and reason
ing; to this Monast. as at no place more.
Amongest the reliques we founde moche va-
nitie and superstition, as the coles that St.
Laurence was rosted withal ; the parings of
St. Edmund's naylls ; St. Thorn, of Cant.
pen-knyff, and hys hootes; and divers skulls
for. the headache; pieces of the holie crosse,
able to make a hole crosse of; other reliques
for rayne; and certain other superstitious
usages for avoyding wedes growing in come;
with such other. Heve desmyssed of theym that
be under age, aboute an eighth, and of theym
that be above age, aboute a five wolde departe
if they might, and they be of the best sorte
in the house, and of best lyvyin;-, and judg
ment. The hole number of the Covent be
fore we cam was Lx saving one, beside iij.
X

r ^54 3
that were at Oxforde. Of Elie I have written
to your Mship by my Felowe Richard a lee*.
from Burie, i Nov.
Your Svnt most bounden
John Ap Rice.
The report of the Visitors respecting the
valuable effects which they found in Bury Ab
bey just before it was dissolved, and other
matters. Pleasith it your Lordship to be adveysed,
That wee have ben at Saynt Edmund's
Bury, where we founde ariche Shryne which
was very cumberous to deface. Wee have
takyn in the seyd Monasty, in gold and silv.
11,11 marksf, and above; ovr. and be-
SI TT) IU D] Dl
syde, as well as a rich crosse, with emerald,
as also dyvers and sundry stones of great va
lue. And yet wee have lefte the churche,
Abbot, and Convent, very well furneshed,
wyth plate and silvr. necessary for the same.
* Taken from the bookintitled ' Suppresis Monaster ionmv
in the Cotton Library.
f Five thousand marks.

L 155 3
And for as muche as wee be credably inform
ed, that there dyed of late, ij Monks at Ely,
whether they dyed of the sykenes or no, wee
knowe not as yet, and there hathe ben greate
deathe in the towne, notwithstanding wee
intend to make further serche therein, so
that if wee fynde not the mater to moche
dangerous, we wyll prosede, and els not un-
tyll yor. pleasure be knowyn therein. And
this present day, wee departe from Bury to
ward Ely. And wee assure yor. Lordship,
the Abbot andCoventbe very well contented
with evy thyng that we have done there as
knowith God.  God preserve yor.
Loidship*. Your Lordshipp most bounden
X. Kn. Williame.
Richard Pollard.
Phylyph Parys
John Smyth.
* Taken from the same book intitled 'Suppresis Monas-
teriorum' in the Cotton Library,
X2

f <5& 3
A grant of Queen Elizabeth, of the Abbey
of St Edmund's Bury, and Lands, &c. there
unto belonging, to John Eyre, Esq.
Elizabeth, &c. To all, &c. Whereas our
dearest Brother, Edward the Sixth, late King
of England, by his Letters Patent under his
Great Seal, lately made to the Court of Aug
mentation of the Revenues of his Crown,
bearing date at Westminster, the 28th Day of
May, in the Fourth Year of the Reign of the
said Edward the Sixth, reciting, that whereas
the late Abbot and Convent of the late Mo-.
nastery of Bury, in the county of Suffolk,
by their Indenture sealed with their common
Seal, bearing date the 28th Day of April, in
the 25th Year of the Reign cf our dearest
Father, Henry ' the Eighth, late King, did
demise, and to farm lett, to Robert Wright,
Glazier, and John Hannable, Pewterer, of
Bury, for the term of twenty years from St.
Michael next after, all that his Manor of Ha-
berdon, in the taid county cf Suffolk, and

[ r57 3
four acres of land in the Vine-field, which
Margary Hunton late held ; and all other the
lands, meadows, pastures, and other here
ditaments to the said Manor belonging, ex
cept the zabula and stones in Haberdon Close.
And whereas our said father under, &c. did,
in the Thirty-third year of his Reign, demise
unto Sir Anthony Wingfield, Knight of the
Garter, and Comptroller of the Household,
one meadow called Nomair's Meadow, with
the lipp amongst other things, to the said An
thony Wingfield, from annunciation then last
past for twenty-one years, paying for No-
man's meadow, one hundred and twelve shil
lings and four-pence, the reversion of the
same belonging to our said brother; and also
did demise to the said Sir Anthony Wing
field, Haberdon and four acres; and all the
aforesaid demised premises to the said Robert
Wright, and John Hannable, and Noman's,
and all the scite of the late Monastery of
Bury, and all the Mansion House in the te-

C »S8 J
nure of John Eyre, Esq. within the scite of
the said Monastery. And all that parcel of
the house called the Dorter*, containing in
length fifty feet, to the said house adjoining,
and two houses and buildings called Garners,
on the East part pf the said mansion house,
and one stable, called the Abbot's Stable;
and one house, called the Hey House, to the
said stable annexed ; and all the house called
the Gate House of the said Monastery.
And all the land, ground, and soil, within
the walls and precincts of the said scite; and
one piece cf land called the Great Court,
containing four acres f ; and one garden,
called the Polly's Garden J; and two small
closes of land on the back side of the hall,
* The Dormitory.
f From this grant it is evident, that the quantity of ground
which formed the great Couit of the Abbey, was four acres;
and that the vineyard consisted of six acres.
J Probably the palace garden, or the garden belonging to
the abbot's palace.

C 159 3
called the King's Hall ; and two small gar
dens next the Chamberer's Office of the said
late Monastery; and one garden called the
Lectury Yard ; and all those small gardens
next Bradfield Hall, within the aforesaid scite;
and all those four gardens within the afore
said scite, lying between Bradfield Hall, the
Walnut-Tree, and the Walnut -Tree Close
within the scite aforesaid ; and all the church
yard of the said late Monastery of Bury ; and
one piece of land called the Pond-yard ; and
all the ponds within the same between the
rivers there; and the earth of one piece of
ground called the Vyne, containing six acres ;
and one close called the Walnut-Tree Close,
containing six acres ; which said premises did
belong to the said Monastery, and were part of
the possessions thereof. Except to our great
Brother all great trees. To hold to the said
Sir Anthony Wingfield, for twenty-two years,
from the end of the said Robert Wright's and
John Hanhablc's term, paying four pounds

[ i6o3
seventeen shillings and four-pence per an
num, and paying for Noman's* one hun
dred and twelve shillings ; and all and singu
lar the walls, pillars, wells, messuages, wind
mills, houses, buildings, toft-moors, marshes,
zabula, fishery, fishings, rivers, fountains,
conduits heads, and all things whatsoever to
the conduits belonging. Except to us and our
Heirs 'and Successors, all bells and lead of
and in the premises ; and except the lead in
the windows, gutters, spouts, channels, con
duits, and conduits heads, to the said scite
belonging. And also except all advowsons
and rights of patronage of the churches or
vicarages; all which extend to the yearly
value, that is to say, the scite one hun
dred and fourteen shillings ; the meadow,
one shilling ; and Haberdon, five shillings
and four-pence. To hold to the said John
Eyre, Esq. and his Heirs and Assigns tor
+ Noman's Meadow contained twenty-two acres.

r i«« 3
ever, by fealty only in free socage as of the
manor of East Greenwich*.
Exclusive of the scite of the Abbey, with
two meadows and a manor or farm in Bury,
¦called Haldons, (probably Haberdon), which
were granted to the said John Eyre, 2 Eli
zabeth, there were ceitain lands and te
nements, called Hencotes, near Bury, with
pasture for 360 sheep, which belonged to the
Abbey, and were granted, 1 Mary, to Sir Wil
liam Drury, Knt. ; and a meadow in Bury,
Nowton, and Whelnetham-parva, called Sic-
ksmere, which also belonged to the Abbey,
which was granted, 1 Mary, to Ambrose Jer-
myn ; likewise a parcel of tithes, the mar
kets and fairs, and toll cf the same, and
the toll- house, the butchers stalls, gaol and
gaol-house, and market-cross, which were
granted to the alderman and burgesses of
* Some further particulars respecting this Abbey will ac-/
cur in the sabseguent part of this w»rk,
Y

[ i62 j
Bury, 6 James i, as parcel of the possessions
of the Abbot and Convent*. Much other
valuable property belonging to this Abbey
was, at the dissolution, granted to various
eminent persons among the laity.
Arms of Bury Abbey.
Az. 3 Crowns, Or; each transfixed with
2 Arrows, saltier wise, Arg.
Crest. On an Helmet on a wreath, Or and
Az. a wolf seiant, proper, holding a King's
head, couped proper, crowned Or, mantled
Gules and Arg.
This Crest (which alludes to the story of
St. Edmund's head being found by a wolf,
in the wood at Hoxne) is on the font both
in St. James's and St. Mary's church, and
ether places in this town.
* Suffolk Traveller.

OF THE TOWN OF
ST. EDMUND'S, BURT.

ITS CIVIL GOVERNMENT, CHURCHES, CHAPELS,
HOSPITALS, COLLEGE, SCHOOLS, FAIRS, &c.

JL HE Civil Government of the Town of
Bury is now lodged in the hands of an alder
man, (who is the chief magistrate,) a recor
der, twelve capital burgesses, and twenty-four
burgesses of the common council; these have
the sole right of chusing their own burgesses
in parliament; the town therefore always sends
two members to parliament, which at pre
sent (1804) are Lord Charles Fitzroy and
Lord Templetown.
Ya

[ »&4 J
The town, with its suburbs, extends in
length, from North to South, about one mile
and a half ; in breadth, a mile and quarter ;
and is three miles in circumference. It is
divided into five wards, and contains thirty-
four streets, which are in general straight,
spacious, well paved, and intersect each other at
right angles; several new houses have been
built here of late years, and others have re
ceived-considerable additions in modern ele
gance ; and as an instance of the great im
provement of this place, ( which seems to
keep pace in some measure with the general
refinement of the age) it. may be remarked,
that between the years 1740 and 1750, there
was scarcely a shop in the Cook Row that
.was not partly or entirely open to all the in
clemencies of the weather, whereas at this
time, and for several years past, there is
not one but what Is elegantly sashed*.
» In the year 1791 the Cook Row, Butter Market, Church-
gate Street, Guildhall Street, and many others, were new
paved by voluntary subscription.

. £ ios 3
In the preceding part of this work we gave
a full and circumstantial account of the un
happy fate of the unfortunate King Edmund,
mentioning his being buried first at Hoxne,
afterwards removed to Bury, and being re-
interred in a church there*, rebuilt on pur
pose for the reception ofhis body, by Ayllwin,
rifft monk of Bury, and in 102 1 bifhop of
Eimham, in Norfolk, on the fame fpot on
which the firft church at Bury had been erected
by Sigebert, king of the Eaft Angles ; how
this iecond church was deftroyed by Sweyn,,
king of Denmark, and a third ftruiture fooa
after built there by Canute his fon ; and huw
the fourth church belonging to Bury Abbey

* That our readers may be enabled to form some idea at
our English chutches erected soon after the introduction of
Christianity into this part of England, we have to inform:
them, that the original church or chapel, as it is called, built
over St. Edmund's grave at Hoxne, was made by sawing
trees down the middle, and fixing them in the ground, the-
rough or back side outermost, and the interstices filled uo.
with mud or mortar, and over this was a thatched 100C

C 166}
was rebuilt by Abbot Baldwyn, in the time of
William the Conqueror, of (tone, in the moft
elegant and magnificent manner, the three
former buildings being constructed of wood*.
* Hunstanton, in Norfolk, being at first a royal tower only,
and built by St. Edmund, was rendered famous for having
been the residence, or rather retirement of the king at that
place, for near a whole year, in order that this pious monarch -
might get the whole Book of Psalms by heart, in the Saxon
language. This very book, as we are assured, was religiously
preserved by the monks of this Abbey, till the geneial disso
lution of the monasteries : all this may be true, but as we
have never yet been able to procure a sight of this ancient
manuscript, nor heard of any person that ever did, we cannot
vouch for the truth of what is here asserted.
King Edmund was crowned at Briers, a village on the Stour
in this county, as we are informed by Jeffery Defont, and not
at Bury, according to Brampton. We learn also from Gal-
fridus de Fontibus, who wrote about the year 1156, that King
Edmund (who was cruelly murdered by the Danes at Hoxne)
was crowned at Buers ; his words are, * being unanimously
approved of they brought him to Suffolk, and, in the village
called Burum, made him king. Now Burum is an ancient
royal hill, the known bound between Eafi Sexe and Suffolk,
and situate upon the Stour, a river most rapid both in sum
mer and winter j* which passage is the more observable
because it shews what we are to understand by Burea, in
Asserius's Life of Alfred, that it is nut Bury, as the Chionicle

¦ [ i67 3
The church-yard belonging to this town
forms an extensive area of several acres,
which is divided by two spacious walks, hav
ing rows of trees on each side. The tombs,
and other memorials for the dead, are here
extremely numerous, and contain various an
cient inscriptions ; among others, the two fol
lowing epitaphs have been taken notice of for
their remarkable singularity, though now
much defaced.
The first is upon Charles Granger, a shoe
maker, who died about 80 years of age. He
had been a soldier, and probably had acquitted
himself valiantly in battle, as hence appears.
Brave Hero, whose attempts in martial camp,
Such radiant lustre on your name enstamp ;
That though you're dead, your trophies live to be,
•Sacred monuments to all posterity.
Your triple debt in Christian duty own,
To the King, and Country, and Religion,
You paid ; and taking flight, exchanged soon
This dungeon Earth, for a celestial Throne.
under Brampton's name supposes, nor yet Burne in Lincoln
shire as hath been asserted ; but this Bures or Buers, as Mat
thew of Westminster calls it.

r 1 68 3
The second epitaph.rs on one Joan Kitchen.
Here lies Joan Kitchen, when her glass was spent,
She kick'd up her heels, and away she went*.
While the Abbey was in its prosperity,
there were standing within the precincts of
it three churches, besides the Abbey churth;
namely, St. Margaret's, St. Mary"s, and St.
James's; St. Margaret's no longer exists as a
place appropriated to religious purposes, but is
•now made rise of as the shire ball, at Bury;
the other two churches, St. Mary's and St.
James's, are both of them -deservedly esteemed
for their exact and beautiful symmetry, their
large and elegant windows, neat pillars, and
.noble roofs. As ttiese two magnificent and
stately edifices are the only churches now
left standing in this -town, we shall endea
vour to give our readers the most circum-
* We cannot pass over unnoticed the memorials here for
stwo remarkable persons who had both been midwives j the
one had brought into the world 2,237, and the other 4,? 23
living children !

[ i6o ]
¦stantial account of them we are able; and
first of St. MARY's CHURCH.
This structure is much older than that of
St. James's ; being firs: erected in the year
1005, was begun to be rebuilt, as it now
stands, in 1424, and finished in about nine
years. This beautiful building is 1 39 feet in length,
(exclusive of the chancel,) and 67 feet and
an half in breadth; the chancel is 74 feet by
68. It is divided into three aisles, which
have ever been distinguished by the names
of St. Peter's on the North side, Jesus in
the middle, and St. Mary's on the South
side of the church. These aisles are separated
from each other by two rows of slender
and very elegant pillars ; the lofty Gothic
columns are extremely beautiful, and scarcely
to be equalled, in symmetry and neatness, in
any other church in this kingdom. The roof of.
Z

[ '7° ]
trie nave of the church is truly magnificent;
it was made in France, was put together after
it was brought into this country, and has a
very light and elegant effect. The fine carved
figures of angels that support the principals of
the roof, have happily escaped the instruments
of the reformers of the seventeenth century,
being secured by their inconvenient height. '
St. Mary's church seems to have been much
distinguished in the ages before the reforma
tion for its numerous altars, images, and pic
tures. Thus we meet with an account of
Trinity altar, the resurrection altar, our lady's
altar *, St. Peter's altar, St. James's altar, St.
Martin's altar, and St. Thomas the Martyr's
altar. Also the picture of our lady of pity in the
* Our ladY'saltar,oraltarofthe blessed virgin Mary, some
part of which seems to be still remaining against the wall
on the South side of the church, at the foot of the tomb be
longing to that devout but greatly mistaken man, who abso
lutely destroyed himself by attempting to fast forty days suc
cessively. His effigy, exhibiting the appearance of an emaci
ated skeleton, lies now on the tomb.

r '7* J
South aisle, the image of St. Michael stand
ing in Jesus's aisle, and the image of St. John
in the North aisle, as people used to enter into
the chapel, which we apprehend was the chapel
of St. John, for mention is made of a chapel
here, called St. John's on the Hill, (Serjeant's
Hill, ) contiguous to the church ; as there
is some account also of the charnel in the
church-yard, in the way to St. Margaret's
gate, which gate was an entrance leading to
that church, and also the Southern entrance
to me precincts of the Abbey*.

* We likewise meet with an account of a new church-yard
(in the South side of the chu.ch, in 1530, now called the little
church-yard. Also the pa. don-grave in St. Mary's church
yard, near the charnel ; the new. font in this church, erected
about the year 1506; the new porch belonging to this church,
built about the year 1520 ; and Serjeant's-hill in the church
yard, eoncerning which hill we meet with nothing further
than its name.
Z 2

I 172 3
By an Inquisition taken the 12th November,/
2 Edw. VI. by Poger Gosnold, Esq. Nicholas
Bacon, Esq. Ambrose Gibert, Esq. Charles
Peyton, Efq. fifty-two parishioners of Saint
Mary's parish, in Bury, and the four church
wardens, an account is given, that on the 26th
of August, 1 Edward VI. there were here
two crosses, three censers, one holy water
stoup, three pair of . . . 2 basons, seven
pair of chalices, two candlesticks, one bell,
two paxes, one ship, one monster, one boxe,
one sceptre, a certain quantity of broken silver
of the garnishing of a cross, stuff off a pax,
itnd two crosses cf wood, weighing together
forty stone, and four pounds and an half; ard
were ordered to be employed by the church-
Wardens, and forty parishioners, in repairs of
the church.
In this church are many monuments and
ancient tomb-stones, but those of the greatest
anfquity are much defaced ; in both churches
there were formerly great numbers of inscrip
tions and effigies engraved on brass, but they

i *73 J
were sacrilegiously torn off and sold in 1644,
for private emolument, by the churchwardens*.
Nor at the dissolution of the Abbey could
these churches escape the plunder of the great
men who were in authority under that excellent
prince, King Edward VI. for they swept from
the altars belonging to th^m, about £480
worth of plate and other valuable ornaments.
On the North side of the communion table
was fcrmerly a plain altar monument for Mary
Tudor, third daughter of King H«nry VII.. ;
first marijied to Lewis XII. King of France,,
and afterwards to Charles Brandon, Duke cf
Suffolk. She died at the manor-house of
Westhorpe, in this county, in 1533, and was
buried first in the great church of the Monas
tery here ; upon the dissolution of which, a
few years afterwards, her corpse was removed
into this church. Her tomb here was not only
simple and unadorned, but was at one time
supposed to be only a cenotaph ; but upon
* As appears by the town books.

f *74 ]
opening it in 1731, her body covered with
lead, resembling an human shape, was dis
covered ; and on her breast was inscribed,
« MARY QUEEN OF FRANCE, 1533.'
This tomb was, for a long series of years,
entirely neglected, but was evidently the same
monument that was raised over her in the con
ventual church ; for the slab that covered it
was marked with crosses, which shews, that
it served also as an alta* at which masses we:e
celebrated. This tomb was even without any
inscription till the year 1758, when a gentle
man of the town, cut of a laudable regard for
antiquity, and also for so valuable a possession,
had the tomb repaired at his own expence,
and a marble tablet inserted on it, having the
following inscription, containing an additional
account of the illustrious lady here deposited :

[ 175 J
feacwto ta tlje jNUmurn
OF MARY TUDOR,
Third Daughter of Henry VII. King of England,
AND QUEEN OF FRANCE;
who was first married, in 1514, to
LEWIS Xllth, KING OF FRANCE;
and afterwards, in 1517, to
CHARLES BRANDON, DUKE OF SUFFOLK.
She died in his Life-time, 1533,
at the Manor of Westhorpe, in this County;
and was interred in the same Year in the
MONASTERY OF St. EDMUND'S, BURY,'
and was removed into this Church
after the Dissolution of the Abbey.
At the East end of the South aisle is another
altar monument, well executed, for John Baret,
who died in 146.3. This is mentioned as ex
hibiting a striking proof of the superior skill
or care of some of our old artists ; for the let
ters engraven on different parts of it were
filled up with red and black substances, that

. f 176 3
are still entire; whereas the present materials
used for that purpose, scarcely last an hundred
years. — The wooden ceiling above this mo
nument is adorned with his motto, namely,
grace me govern*; also the initials of his
name, and other painted embellishments, the
colours of which (to the disgrace of some of
our best modern artists J remain fresh and un-
faded, after a lapse of more than three cen
turies. At the West, end of the monument is
this inscription :
He that wil sadly beholde me withliis ie,
J011' May se hysowyn Merowr, and leme for to die. Bar*1
In this church are also very stately tombs
for Roger Drury, Esq. who died in 1472, and
Sir William Carew, who died in 1501, and
their ladies ; which are palisaded round with
wood, having their effigies upon them, and
their trophies above their heads f. Archdeacon
* An arch wag once reading Baret's motto, ' grace me
govern,' asked whether grace was the r.ame of his wife?
f 26 January 1413, Roger Drury, of Hawsted, gave te»
marks for a scholar in divinity to preach once a year at Bury
and Hawsted.

f 177 ]
Finers's stone, at the East end of the North
aisle, has a brass plate with his effigies upon
it; and underneath, this inscription:
Subjacet hie stratus, John Finers, sic vocitatus.
Archidiaconus quondam Sudhurix fatus *.
In the vestry, at the East end of the South
aisle, is the figure of the great Benefactor
of Bury, Juhn Smith, commonly called Jan
kyn Smith, and also of his wife; they are
engraved in brass, on a flat stone ; her head
dress is evidently of the reign of Edward IV.
and at one corner of the stone there was
lately an escutcheon of his arms; namely,
A Bend between six Billets.
Contiguous to this memorial is another
flat stonev to the memory of John Smith, of
the Middle Temple, who died in 1650, and is
said to be the last of the family of Jankyn
Smith. His arms are the same as those above
mentioned. * He was constituted wchdeacon 14 December I497, and
held (he office about 12 years.
A a

r 178 3
The late archdeacon Clag'et lies buried in
the chancel ; and John Reeve, the last abbot
of this Monastery, who was also interred
in this church, we have mentioned before*.
The North porch of this church (on which
is, Orate pro animabus Johannis Notyngham,
et Isabelle uxoris sua?) is of curious work
manship, particularly the cui -de- lam pe ; this,
or the South porch, was not built till the year
1520: and it was usual, we believe, for the
builders of churches, in those early ages, to
trust these additional buildings to the piety
of future generationsf . We shall now pro
ceed to treat, secondly, on
St. JAMES's CHURCH.
This church" was originally built by Abbot
Sampson, about the year 1200, who intended
* See page 127.
+ The church register mentions a bishop- of Laghlin in
Ireland to have been buried in St. Mary's church, about the
same time with Abbot Reeve, but we learn nothing further
concerning him.
There happened, August I, 1766, a violent storm of thun
der and lightning, by which a large crack was made in the,

C *79 3
going on a pilgrimage to St. James, of Com-
postella ; but the more discreet brethren of
the Abbey thought it more adviseable for him
to found a church in honour of that saint, and
accordingly he consented to their recom
mendation, and erected St. James's church
at Bury. The present edifice was begun and
far advanced in 1500, but was not entirely
finished till the reformation, when King Ed
ward VI. gave ,£.200 to complete it, as ap
pears from the following inscription over
the West door in the inside of the buildings
Our most Noble Sovereign Lord,
EDWARD the VI. by the grace
of God, Kyng of England, France,
and Ireland, Defender of the Faith,
and in Earth of the Churche of
England, and also of Ireland, the
wall of this church. Several large stones were driven through
tlie wall into the church, and so great was the explosion, that
the destruction of the whole building was apprehended. ¦
A. a 2

C 180]
supreme hed, of his Godly devotion,
gave to the finishing of this churche,
cc/. and also, xxi. yerlye,
for the maintenance of iFre
gramere Schole within this
Town, at the humble Suite of
John Eyre, arid Xtopher Peyton,
1 5 5 1 . Long Lyfe and bly'Sse to
our Kyig.
This church is built of free-stone, and is
a very fine Gothic building, particularly the
West end of it, which is extremely beautiful;
the North windows possess, even at this time,
considerable remains of painted glass, exe-'
cuted in such a manner as to make the inju
ries they have received the more regretted*.
* The windows of this chuich are large, numerous, and
handsome, and were originally filled with painted glass, part
of which still continues in the windows utr the North side.
One of these windows contained formerly the portraitures
of several of the anc ent kings of Judah, of which there are
now left, David, Joram, and Jehoshaphatj there was also
formerly in this win ow the representation of King Asa, of
which there remains now only the name.

r 181 3
The length of this structure is 137 feet, and
the breadth of it 60, feet ; and the length of
the chancel is 56 feet, 8 inches, and the
breadth of it 27 feet, 5 inches*. The chan
cel, galleries, pulpit, and reading dssk, are
In another window, contiguous to the above, are figures of
the two elders, observing Susanna; also Su anna being judged
by those elders ; and it is a singular circumstance, that the
elders are habited in a dress that was usualty worn by the
monies. — A remarkable oversight indeed !
In the large West window of this church is another por
traiture of some eminent personage, but the figure is now
without any head, therefore probably it represented a bishop,
or some saint, and was decapitated through the furious zeal
of the officers appointed to visit ihe churches during the civil
wars of Charles I. who apprehended that the m st effectual way
f demolishing the same, was to knock off their heads.
, But for a pretended reason for this absurd mode of proceeding,
ice Hist, of Lowestoft, p. 336.
* Further dimensions of St. James's church :
1 Ptet.
From the level of the street to the top of the battlements 51
Beadth betweeneach of the buttresses - - - - - 28
Buttresses, each in h ckness -- - - - - . %
The side aisles, each in width - ----... j<,
One Thomas Gray, Bricklayer, rebuilt this chancel in 1711.

[ i8a]
peculiarly neat and elegant. The steeple now
belonging to this church stands above thirty
feet detached from it, and was formerly, as
we observed before, the grand portal to the
Abbey church.
This church also, like St. Mary's, appears
to have been held in high estimation formerly
for its numerous altars and chapels ; accord
ingly we meet with accounts of there having
been here, before the dissolution, St. Tho
mas's altar, St. Mary's altar, St. Michael's
altar, St. Stephen's altar, Jesus's altar, St.
John's altar, St. - Lawrence's altar, and St.
Anne's altar. Also the chapel of Jesus, built
about the year 1500, and our lady's chapel, situ
ated in the porch of this church. There
seems to have been in the North aisle here,
a picture of the salutation of our lady*.

* We meet likewise with an account of a brazen door being
formerly in this church ; of the procession way, in the church
yard of St. James, and of a new steeple at the West door of
the Monasteiy, built about the year 1490, but can give no
iaither account of them.

C «83]
We observed before,* that in this church,
and also that of St. Mary's, were formerly a
great number of brass inscriptions and effigies,
which, in 1644, were stripped off and sold
for the sake of the emolument arising from
them, to the great regret of every lover of
antiquities; and so large a quantity of plate
was swept from the altars, that for a long
time there was scarce a sufficient quantity for
necessary purposes in either church.
Against the wall in the South aisle are
two elegant monuments, inclosed with iron.
palisades, one of them to the memory of the
right honourable James Reynolds, Esq. late
Chief Baron of his Majesty's Court of Ex
chequer, and the other to Mary his wife. He
is represented sitting in his robes' of justice >
on each side is a weeping figure, and above is
his coat of arms, with other embellishments-}- .
On the pedestal is the following inscription:
* See Page 172.
f There are also in this church other handsome monuments
belonging to different eminent families.

I »»4 J
Propter jacet
Predion. Ja. Reynolds Arm. Capitalis Baro Scaccarij,
Alter ohm e Duumviris hujus Municipij et Proprxtor,
Qua facie fuerit, ut potuit, Sculptor, indicavit ;
Animi dotes, Probitatem, Candorem, Munificcntiam,
Doctrinam, E.'oquium exarare, Opus magis arduum.
Heu corporis fragilitate vinci posse Ingenium 1
Cum serviret ad legem, aeerrima correptus Paralysi,
Fractis omnibus et solutis nervis,
Mente, motu, vita aliquandiu, annum oculis carebat.
Per tot tamen eluctatus impedimenta,
In earn Dignitatis, Severn Populo plaudente, ascendit,
Quam demum, vi morbi veteris oppressus, deseruit;
Dein pedc celeri ad Hanc quretior em properavit.
Conjugi priori Marias Ipsa; a dextra monumentum,
Hoc Illi Alicia posterior, vere pia, posuit.
Obijt 9° Feb. A. D. 17380. Mat. $3°.
We also find, that before the reformation,
there were in the several churches and chapels
of this town, fourteen guilds. These guilds
were religious, as well as trading compa
nies ; foi what was called founding a guild in a
particular church or chapei, was the resorting
to it on certain days, appointed by the rules
of the fraternity, to perform their devotions;
where they had a separate altar, decorated at

C 185 J
their own expence, and were bound to main
tain lights burning upon it, either for the day,
or perpetually, and make the usual offerings.
The Guilds in Bury were as follow:
The Aldermen and Brethren of the Guild
of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin; this
was also called « The Candlemas Guild.'
The Guild of the Assumption of the Blessed
Virgin Mary* this Guild was holden in East-
gate Street, and was founded about the year
1506. The Guild of the holy name of Jesus, in the
College of Bury; there was also the Priest and
Chapel of Jesus College.
The Guild of the Blessed Trinity.
The Guild of St. Edmund.
The Guild of the Translation of St. Ni
cholas, or Del's Guild in St. Mary's church.
The Guild of C. Christi.
The Guild of All Saints.
The Guild of St. Botolph, in St. James's
church.
Bb

[ 186 J
The Guild of St. Anne.
The Guild of the Decollation of St. John
the Baptist
The Guild of St. Peter at the Guildhall, in
the East gate Street.
The Guild of St. James.
The Guild of St. Saviour, without the
North gate. To which may be added,
The Revel on St. Edmund's night*.
* St. Edmund's day, November ao, seems to have been a
most joyous anniversary in this Abbey; and the noisy, turbu-
lenrrevel at night, was of the same kind with the former. We
find that upon this festival, 150 tapers of lib. weight or more,
illuminated the Abbey church, its altars, andwmdo.vs; con
sequently it must exhibit to people as they descended Church-
gate Street, (as we before observed, page 65,) a most brilliant
and magnificent appearance. We cannot help observing here,
that Thomas de Blumville, Bishop of Norwich, was, in the
year 1*26, present at the grand feast held on St. Edmund's
day, in this Monastery, and submitted so far (in order to
ihew the exemption of the Abbey from episcopal power) that
the Abbot, in the hnod belonging to the secular clergy, gave
the blessing, after evening service, to the people, and not the
Bishop, though present, as the register of the Monastery in
forms us. Blomfield's Not w. p. 343.

C '87 ]
After having recounted the numerous su
perstitions and corruptions which prevailed in
this Abbey, during the dark ages of popery,
and inveighing perhaps with some degree of
severity against them, we cannot forbear
taking notice of some remarkable absurdities
that were formerly practised in this town, and
which must have appealed to every rational
spectator as equally offensive as the former,
especially if we consider the more liberal and
enlightened sentiments which succeeded the
dissolution of the religious houses, and cha
racterized the happy period of the reforma-
ticn. But alas! it is too well known, that en
thusiasm has its absurdities, as well as super
stition; and as an instance of it, we shall have
recourse to that' ridiculous, though now justly
exrkd'd notion, respecting witchcraft^ which
in the 17th century so exceedingly prevailed
in this part of the nation; and, absurd as it
may new appear, yet we meet with a very re-
markiibie trial of two poor old widows, which
Lib 2

I 188]
took place in this town, in the year 1664, be
fore that pious and learned judge, Sir Matthew
Hale, Knight, on a charge of being guilty of
witchcraft; and for which imaginary crime
these two unfortunate women, whose only
offence arose, most probably, either from the
deformity of their bodies, or the weakness of
their understandings, were condemned, and on
the 17 th of March, in the same year, shame
fully executed at Bury *.
It was in consequence of this ridiculous
notion, that one Matthew Hopkins, of Man-
ningtree, in Essex, with some others, were
commissioned by Parliament, in 1644, and the
two following years, to perform a circuit, in
* This very extraordinary trial was published during the
life of Judge Hale, as an appeal to the world; tor Sir Mat
thew was so far from being satisfied with the evidence, thatt
on the contrary, be was extremely doubtful concerning it,
and was under such distressing fears and apprehensions during
the trial, and proceeded with such extreme precaution therein,
that he forbore summing up the evidence, but left it to the
jury, with prayers to Cod to direct their hearts in so weighty
a, matter.

[ '«9 3
order to discover witches. By virtue of this
commission they went from town to town,
through many parts of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk,
and Huntingdonshire, for the purpose of de
tecting them ; and caused 1 6 to be hanged at
Yarmouth, 40 at Bury, and others in dif
ferent parts of the country, amounting in the
whole to 60 persons. Our facetious English
poet, Butler, makes himself very merry on this
occasion ; and it is to this absurd commission
that he alludes in his Hudibras ; when he
says  Has not this present Parliament,
A Ledger* to the Devil sent;
Fully empowered to treat about
Finding revolted witches out ?
And has he not within a year,
Hang'd three-score of them in a shire ?
Part II. Canto p
This Hopkins used to call himself witch-
finder general, and had twenty shillings for
* A Ledger, that is, Ambassador Hopkins, as Butler ludi
crously calls him.

r 1-9° 3
every town he visited. He used many arts to
extort confession from suspected persons, and
when they failed he had recourse to swimming
them, which was done by tying their thumbs
and toes across each other, and then throwing
them into the water*. Thus he went on
searching and swimming the poor creatures,
till some gentleman, out of indignation at the
barbarity of it, took Hopkins, and tied his own
thumb* and toes as he had used to tie others,
and when put into the water, he himself swam
as others had done before him. Tnis method
soon cleared the country of him, and it was a
great pity the experiment had not been thought
of sooner. This circumstance is aiso alluded

* There is a place in the river, on the border of this
County, neai Harleston, in Norlolk, called the Witch-pool,
so named Irum the t.se that had been made of it lor this pur
pose. See mo e on this subiect and tri.il by Dr. Hutchinsun,
Minister of St. James's Pari.sh, Bury, and atterwads \ icar
of Hoxne, in Suftolk, in his Historical Esssy concerning
Wilehcra.t. Also, in History ol Lowestoft, p. 369 The
names of the two \i idows above mentioned were Rose Cuk
lender, and Amy Duny, both of Lowestott.

r *9* 3
to in Hudibras, who, speaking of Hopkins,
says, Who after provM himself a witch,
And made a rod for his own bieech.
The author of the Annual Register* informs
us, that among the criminal prosecutions
again t witches and wizards, in the 17th cen
tury, We find one respecting Mr. Lawes, an
innocent aged clergyman, of Brandeston; a
cooper and his wife, and fifteen other women,
who were all condemned, and executed at
Bury. This is a striking addition to the many
other instances that might be produced of tne
credulity of that age.
Other absurd practices formerly prevailing
in this town were, what was called the pil-
loreum and tumberellam ; that is, the pillory
for men, and the cucking-stool, or ducking-
stool for women. Shameful customs ! for
though we have no objection to the pilloreum
being made use of for every man that may
justly deserve it, yet we must enter our caveat
* For the year 1800, pa. 406.

L »92 3
against exercising the disgraceful and bar
barous punishment of the tumberellam* upon
the female sex, especially when it is for no
other crime than that of a little, and perhaps
harmless vociferation*. We meet with the
following instances of inflicting this cruel and
unbecoming punishment, more adapted to the
times of the Goths and Vandals, than to ages
that have the smallest pretensions to humanity
and civilization. Thus Blomfield informs us,
that among the ancient customs at Fyebridge
Staith, Norwich, was the following, namely,
that the owners thereof were obliged to find a
coke-stool there ; consequently, in the Court
Book belonging to the same, we find the fol
lowing entries :
1 597. Margaret Grove, a common skould,
to be carried, with a bason rung before her,
* By the tumberellam is meant the cucking-stool, the duck
ing-stool, or coke-stool, which was a machine made use of
formerly in chastising women that were addicted to notorious
scolding ; they were first fastened into a large chair, and then
with a sort ol crane swung over, p lunged into a piece of water
and then crawn through it.— Horrid practice I

C »93 3
to the coke -stool, at Fyebridge, and there to
be three times ducked*.
1562. A woman for being unchaste, to ride
in a cart, with a paper in her hand, and tinkled
with a bason ; and so at one o'clock to be had
to the coking-stool, and ducked in the water.
We also find that this ridiculous practice
was used about this time in other parts of
England : thus we are told, that a woman was
ducked in the Thames, at Kingston, in Surry,
in a chair preserved in the town for that pur
pose, pursuant to sentence, on an indictment
for being a common scold.
The same punishment was also inflicted
formerly in France, especially in those parts
which were in possession of the English, in the
* There was one of these machines or chairs formerly at
Harleston, Norfolk, near a piece of water there, still called
the coke-stool, which chair has been long since totally decayed
and gone ; the humanity and good sense of the present en
lightened age, having entirely abolished this and many other
barbarous' customs, though much still remains to be done.
Cc

[ 194 ]
reign of P ichard Cceur de Lion. The law
runs in these words:
c If a woman be convicted of scolding, or
abuse, she shall have a cord fastened under her
arm- pits, and be cast three times into the
water ; and if any cne upbraid her with it,
such person shall pay ten-pence ; and if it be
a woman that upbraids, the woman shall pay
fen-pence, or be ducked three times; and the
same shall be for the use of the public.'*
Hudibras adverts also to another very divert?
ing circumstance which occurred in this town
about the year 1650, respecting a termagant
lady, who, because her husband discovered
an inclination to forsake the Oliverean cause,
tied bim fast tp a bed-post, and with a rod
gave him a good hearty flogging, by which
means he became so sensible of his fault as to
ask pardon, and promised to behave belter for
the future; for which salutary discipline the
lady had thanks given her in open court.
* See Monthly Mag. Aug. i?or.

[ '95 3
Did not a certain lady whip
Of late her husband's own lordship >
And though a grandee of the house *,
Claw'd him with fundamental blows;
Ty'd him uncover'd to a bed post :
And flogg'd his hide as if sh'had rid post. ,
PART II. CANTO I.
Though we cannot forbear laughing most
heartily at these ridiculous follies, yet we seri
ously lament the weakness and phrenzy of that
absurd and enthusiastic age which gave lise
to them.
But to return from this digression, and con
fine ourselves, during the remainder of the
work, more particularly to the town of Bury,
subjoining some incidental circumstances re
lative to the Abbey.
* He was a nobleman. The above account of this lady was
communicated, with other notes, to Dr. Grey, the learned
editor of Butter's Hudibras, by the Rev. William Smith, of
Mendham, neai- Harleston, Norfolk, reader at the chapel in
that town, and rector ol Home is fie Ll and St. Cross, in Suffolk,
This ingenious gentleman assisted Sir Thomas Hanmer also
in his edition of Shakespeare. The Rev John Smith, Iris
youngest son, the law worthy sector of Maltishall, Nsr&ik,
died April, 1803.
C C 2

C 196 3
It is very clear from historical evidence, that
formerly many of our English monarchs, as
well as other distinguished personages, re
sorted to this Monastery, some from a prin
ciple of devotion, others from motives of plea
sure and amusement; thus we find that King
Edward the Confessor, Henry I. Henry III.
Edward III. and Henry VI. continued here
several weeks; and that in the year 1326,
Edward II. kept his birth day here; and also
that in 1383, Richard II. and his queen were
entertained at this Abbey ten days, which cost
the Monastery eight hundred marks.
King Hen. I. having met Pope Innocent III*
at Chartees, where he promised the pope his
assistance against his numerous enemies, was
upon returning into England, in the most im
minent danger of his life, in a violent tem
pest at sea, which occasioned such remorse in
the mind of that prince for his former mis
conduct, that he made a resolution of altering
the manner of life he had pursued before ; and
as a prccf of the sincerity of his intentions, he

r 197 3
came to this town, in order to perform his
devotions at the shrine of St. Edmund.
Prince Eustace, heir to his father Stephen,
being extremely displeased at the treaty be
tween his father, and Henry Fitz-EmDresse,
duke of Noimandy, whereby he was deprived
of all hopes of succession to the crown, left
the court in great disgust, and came to Bury,
where he demanded of the convent a large sum
to carry on his violent designs. The Abbot
received him with all imaginable respect, but
being unwilling to have the kingdom embroiled
again with civil wars, refused his request as
civilly as he possibly coulr1. The pi nice not
being able to acquiesce in this reasonable de
nial, ordered the soldiers, to seize th? corn in
their granaries, set their fields on fire, &c.
but he lived not to see his unjustifiable com
mands carried into execution ; for, sitting
down soon after to dinner, he was seized with
a most outrageous phrenzy*, in which he in
stantly expired, at the age of 18 years, and
* Poisoned, probably, by the monks.

i '98 3
was buried with Maud his mother, at Fever-
sham, and where his father soon after followed
him. In that unnatural contest for the crown, be
tween King Henry II. and his son, this town
became twice the rendezvous of the father's
army. For before the famous and decisive
battle of Fornham, Richard Lucy, Lord Chief
Justice ; Humphry de Bohun, H.gh Constable
of England ; Reginald, Earl of Cornwall, the
king's uncle ; Robert Earl of Gloucester, and
William Earl of Arundel), assembled at Bury,
with the king's army, to watch the motions of
the Earl of Leicester, who having received a
large body of Flemings on the part of the
king's son, in addition to those that were here
before in the interest of that prince; but as
these forces were marching near this town un
der the command of the earl, on their way into
Leicestershire, they were attacked by the
king's army, at Fomham afoieSaid, a village
about two miles from Bury, where the army

C T99 3
obtained a compleat victory over tbe earl's
forces, slaying about 10,000 meo, most of
them Flemings.
In the 17th year of the reign of King John,
the barons, who by the king's arbitrary pro
ceedings were provoked to rebel again-* him,
had reduced that monarch to such difficulties,
that he was under the necessity of submitting
to their terms; and, in order to establish their
authority the more firmly, they assembled at
this town, and took the most solemn oaths at
the high altar, declaring, that if the king would
not confirm the laws and liberties anciently
granted by Edward the Confessor, they would
Withdraw their allegiance from him, and seize
his castles ; accordingly the king thought pro
per to confirm those ancient laws.
King Henry III. returning from Norwich,
where he had been to suppress a very dangerous
riot which happened there between the citizens
and the monks, returned by this town on his
way home, in order that he might pay his de
votions at St. Edmund's shrine.

[ 200 3
King Edward I.* upon his return from a
successful expedition against Scotland, called,
a Parliament at this town, when the citizens
and burgesses granted him an eighth part of
their goods, and the residue of the people a
twelfth part ; but the clergy, by virtue of a
constitution made the same year by Pope Boni
face, prohibiting:, under pain of excommuni
cation, that any taxes or tolls should be levied
or exacted ot the clergy in any manner by se
cular princes, or to be paid to them out of
things pertaining to the church, utterly re
fused to grant any aid to the king towards the
maintenance of his wars. The king being ex
tremely displeased at their refusal, excluded
them out of his protection. The clergy, thus

* It may be observed here, that King Edward I. and Ed
ward II. had Mints in Bury, and some of their pennies coined
here, are yet remaining. Stow says, that here was also a
Mint in King John's time ; and we also learn, that King
Stephen, in the 17th year of his reign, gave authority for two
Mints more than were before, to be set-up within the pre
cincts of St. Edmund's Burg.

[ 201 ]
abandoned, suffered many injuries and wrongs,
and could obtain no redress ; at length, by a
sacrifice of a fifth part of their goods and reve
nues, they were restored to the king's protec
tion, and settled again in their ancient rights
and privileges."
In the reign of Edward II. Queen Isabel,
(with the prince) being sent into France con
cerning affairs of state, was banished out of
that kingdom by the procurement of the Spen
cers, whose influence prevailed at the English
court ; and being obliged to fly into Hainault,
she entered into a confederacy with several dis
affected English lords, to remove the Spencers
from about the king, and place the Prince of
Wales on the throne ; to effect this design,
they obtained of the prince of Hainault an
armed force of 2,757 men, landed at Orwell-
Haven, in this county, and from thence marched
lo this town; and having refreshed themselves
here, proceeded forwards to seek the enemies
of the realm. As soon as the queen landed, she
Dd

' 202 j
was joined by many lords and knights, and ac
complishing their intenti:sns, they deposed the
king, and set his son the prince on the throne.
In the 1 8th year of the reign of Edward III.
William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich*, having
visited the prior and chapter, and the whole dio
cese, insisted also upon visiting the Abbey of
Bury, notwithstanding their exemptions ; upon
which the Abbot impleaded him in the king's
court, setting forth, that contrary to the pri
vileges granted by Canute, Hardicanute, and

* He was the son of William Bateman, of Norwich, and
Margeiy his wife, who was no less than eleven times one of
the bailiffs of that.city, between the years 1301 and 1326, in
which year he served in Parliament as Burgess for Norwich.
Sir Bartholomew Bateman, of Fliston, in this county, Knt.
was his eldest son, and heir to his brother the bishop, as well
as to his father. From him the Batemans of Mendham, in Suf
folk, are descended in a direct line, the family being seated
there, and at Flixton, (near Bungay,) ever since the bishop's
time, (till within a few years past, but are now extinct,) who
chose to purchase much in those parts, it being near his palace
of St. Margaret's, South fclmham, which place he much de
lighted in, and chiefly resided at,
blomfield's norw. r. 359,

[203 J
many other kings of England, confirmed by
divers popes, archbishops of Canterbury, and
the grant of Ayllwin, bishop of Norwich, yet
the present bishop of this see had cited him to
appear in his ordinary visitation, and continued
his prosecution for non-appearance, contrary
to the king's prohibition, obtained to stop all
ptoceedings, knowing at the same time that the
charter of Hardicanute subjects any one that
endeavours to violate the privileges of St. Ed
mund, to the penalty of thirty talents of gold
for so doing ; to which the bishop answered,
that it was not to the detriment of the crown,
because he continued the suit in relation to
spirituals only ; but it was found by the jury,
that he was culpable for so doing, and conse
quently incurred a premunire, and a writ was
issued to the sheriff to seize all his temporali
ties ; and though for such contempt the king
might seize the body of any archbishop or
bishop, yet out of reverence tp the church,
the caption of his body was respited to the oc-
Dda

{ 2*4 3
caves of St. Hilaryj and his temporalities ad
judged to remain in the sheriffs hands till the
thirty' talents were paid into the Exchequer ;
and John de Lincoln, the king's attorney ge
neral, moving to know how much the thirty
talents i amounted to, they were found to be
jT 10,000, and accordingly the king recovered
that sum. The .judgment being confirmed,
on its being declared that he incurred the pre-
munire, for continuing the proceedings in his .
spiritual court, after the king's prohibition was.
served, and for excommunicating Ric. Freysel,
the Abbot's attorney who served it*;, it being.
resolved that those proceedings were, in de
fiance of, and to- the lessening of the king, the-
i.njury of-his royal authority, and open con
tempt of his crown and dignity f.
* It appeared, that he both threatened and insulted the
bishop, and behaved very improperly when he delivered it.
blomfield's norw. p. 360.
f See an account of the violent commotion between the
townsmen and the Abbot and Monks, p. 37, (note.)

[ 205 3
The said Freysel also (the Abbot's attorney)
brought his action against- the Bishop, the
Prior of Kersey, Master Hamon Belers, Master
Simon de Sudbury, Doctors of Law, JohnO.
Canon, of Hartford, Master James, Rector of
Wrabnese and Lodowic, Official to the Arch
deacon of Suffolk, and the Bishop's Clerks,
for excommunicating him} he recovered iooo
marks damages, which not being immedi
ately paid, Master James was imprisoned at
Bury, and the others either concealed them
selves, or left the kingdom, till the Bishop paid
the money for them. But though judgment
was given for the Bishop to pay the £io,oob,.
and his temporalities were seized till he should
actually pay it, and also absolve Freysel from
his excommunication, and a day was assigned
for his body to be seized on non-compliance,
yet he moved by writ of error to hinder it ; but
on a full discussion of the matter,, thejudgment
was confirmed. Howevei, the Bishop would
not pay it, nor absolve Freysel, neither did
they seize his body, but assigned day after day

[ 206 ]
vtill the year 1347, and then the archbishop
calling a council at London, in St. Paul's
church, September 25, where his Grace and 12
Bishops being present, the Bishop of Norwich
complained, that the immunities of the clergy
were daily infringed by temporal officers ; and,
iii particular, set forth the great injuries done
to the temporalities of his bishoprick, his cattle,
corn, and other things on his manors being
carried away ; declaring that they went even
beyond this very judgment, by seizing on do
nations to preferments merely spiritual, as
archdeaconries, rural deanries, &c, and above
all, he expatiated on the 'contempt cffeed his
body, which was then liable to be seized by
judgment confirmed in the King's Bench, con
trary to the express liberties of archbishops,
bishop.", and other ordinaries.
Upcn the whole we apprehend, that although
the bishop did not succeed in the great point
which he had in view, the regaining the epis
copal jurisdiction over the Abbey, (and which
had betn alienated from the see by the impru-

C 2°7 3
dence of Bishop Ayliwin, and had been the
cause of numerous di, putes and severe contests
between the Abbey and the townsmen, as well
as disagreeable altercatk.ns between the bishops
and the abbots) yet he appears to have been so
far successful, as to escape having the heavy
penalties, and other punishments so seriously
threatened against him, being carried into exe
cution. This worthy prelate appears to have been a
person well qualified for undertaking this grand
attack upon the Abbey, in order to recover
those rights which certainly did originally be
long to his bishoprick ; for, exclusive of the
most eminent piety and integrity, he possessed
great natural abilities, had acquired much
knowledge in the civil law, and in many other
branches of useful literature ; he was also a
man of undaunted spirit, and a strenuous and
laudable assertor of the rights of his church * ;
« * Respecting his strictness in preserving the liberties of his
church, it was so great, that he would not suffer any of them
to be infringed, through fear of the king, or any great man

I 2°8 j
yet his constant affability, generosity, morality,
and extensive charity, were such, that he was
always admired and beloved by the generality of
those who knew him. With so formidable an
opponent as this, probably the lawyers of that
age did not wish to encounter, and therefore
chose silently an d quietly to withdraw from
the Contest* .
whatever, of wliich we meet with the following remarkable
instance : When Lord Morley, a great favourite, and at that
time lieutenant of Norfolk, taking advantage of the aforesaid
judgment, and of the seizure of the bishop's temporalities,
had, on pretence thereof, committed waste upon his manors,
killed his deer in his parks, and abused his servants, wko op -
..posed him in so doing, he openly excommunicated him ; and
although the king and many nobles earnestly interceded for
him, at one time Requesting, and at other times threatening
him, yet so resolute was the bishop, that he obliged Lord
Morley, by way of penance, to walk through the public
streets of the city of Norwich to the cathedral church, bare
headed and bare footed, holding a wax taper of six pounds
weight in his hand, and there, in the midst of a great concourse
of people, offer it at the high altar, and beg pardon for his
vfl'ence. blomfield's norw. p. 361.
* See Blomfield's Hist, of Norwich, under Bishop Bate
man, p. 359.

t ao9 3
When Wat Tyler, in the preceding reign,
rose up in rebellion in Kent, John Straw and
his mob assembled in Suffolk, and came to this
town, with a rabble of 50,000 men, and having
apprehended the Lord Chief Justice Caven
dish, Sir John de Cambridge, the Prior, and
Sir John Lakenheaththe keeper of the Barony,
beheaded them, and having set their heads
upon the pillory, compelled the monks to
grant the townsmen new charters ; but they
were soon defeated and dispersed by Henry
Spencer, the martial bishop of Norwich.
Several conventions of the nobility, and
Parliaments, have been held at Bury. Thus
we find that in the reign of King John, 12 16,
the barons met here, as we mentioned before,
and, entered into a league against him.
In the reign of Henry III. 1240, a Parlia
ment was convened here ; and again in the
same reign, anno 1266.
In the reign of Edward I. 1297, the Parlia
ment assembled here, and granted the king a
Ee

£ 210 ]
fifteenth of every man's moveable goods.
Many compounded, and the Abbot of Bury
paid £666. 13 s. 4^. fine to discharge his
lands and tenements, and the town from it, as
did Henry the Prior, and Richard the Sacrist,
for all the rents and corn, paying £200. The
Abbot was also fined 50 marks for an inqui
sition, to attempt putting down the market at
Lakenheatb, if found by the jurors not to be
prejudicial to the market at Bury.
In the reign of Edward III. 1338, another
Parliament was held at Bury, to consider of a
war against France.
And in the reign of Henry VI. 1446, a
Parliament was held in this town ; it was
in this Parliament, that Humphry, the good
Duke of Gloucester, (as he was very justly
called,) withthe rest of the nobies, appear
ing according to summons, was, on the se
cond day of the session, arrested ; all his ser
vants sequestered from him, and thirty-two
of the principal part of his retinue, sent to dif-

[2" ]
ferent prisons. The duke, from his wise ad
ministration of public affairs during the mi
nority of his nephew King Henry VI. became
the favorite of the people ; and because, after
the king was of age to govern, he would not
suffer him to be imposed upon, or the nation
injured, but opposed the designs of some of
the leading men about the court, who regarded
their own benefit and advantage, more than
the welfare and prosperity of the nation, he
had by these proceedings created himself, as
is too often the case, both numerous and for
midable enemies, of which the principal ones
were, Henry de Beaufort, Cardinal and Bishop
of Winchester, William de la Pole, Marquis
of Suffolk, and Humphry Duke of Bucking
ham, who exciting the ambition of the queen
to govern the whole kingdom by these her
chief confidants, contrived, with her concur
rence, to accomplish the destruction of this
excellent minister ; and fearing that a public
execution of a prince, who in general was so
E e 2

[ 214 j
beloved by the people, would excite a commo
tion, therefore, as soon as they had gotten him
into their custody, they immediately executed
their design upon him ; for in the very same
night that they committed him to prison, he was
found dead in his bed ; and though his body
was soon after shewn to the Lords and Com
mons, as if he died of a fit of an apoplexy or
palsy, yet all indifferent persons were per
suaded that he died of some violent death,
though of what kind was never certainly
known*. His body was conveyed to St.
Alban's, and there buried ; and about the be
ginning of the last century, his tomb was dis
covered in the Abbey church of that ancient
town, and upon opening the coffin, his corpse
appeared almost perfect, having been pre
served, for some centuries, in a sort of
pickle, formerly used for that purpose.
* Lambard reports, that he was murdered at Bury, by the
hand of Pole, then Duke of Suffolk. Kirby's Suff. Trav. p. 214.

C 213 3
Respecting the pleasant and delightful situa
tion of this Town and Abbey, we cannot for
bear making a few additional observations to
those already mentioned * ; namely, that as we
approach this place from Saxham on the West,
along the ridge of the declivity on which it is
built, the tops of the houses are not seen till
you have advanced very near the town ; and
a stranger viewing before him only the beau
tiful object of St. Edmund's Hill, without the
intervening valley, is both astonished and de
lighted to see the numerous and elegant build
ings of the town, rising by degrees, as it were
by enchantment, before him, even to the very
boundaries of the Lark, descending through
the Abbey grounds, where the declivity
finally terminates in an almost imperceptible
level, which was, in the times of abbatical
prosperity, well guarded against the rising of
the winter floods, by facings of stone. On
the South, towards Haberdon, were the fish
See page 1.

t 214 3
ponds. These, together with the river's bed,
as enlarged within the inclosure ground of the
Abbey, must have afforded an accumulation of
water, not only sufficient for use and luxury,
but .highly capable of being expanded into
magnificence. In short, every advantage con
curred to point out this peculiar spot, as the
most favourable and attractive both for literary-
retirement, and religious retreat ; and thougl*
Sigebert, the royal and virtuous founder of
the Saxon Monastery of Bederisworth, might
not have it in contemplation, yet by his judg
ment in selection, fixed here the future great
ness and grandeur of St. Edmund's Bury.
The approach to the Town and Abbey
from the East, is both grand and interesting.
Passing over the Lark, (whose divided waters
are, with others, collected within the Abbey
grounds into one stream,) the eye is at first
struck with the rude and awful ruins of the
great conventual church, the churches of
St. Mary and St. James, all situated in the
same yard ; p,.rt of the ancient pillars and

1215]
cemetery of the Abbey, are prominent and
commanding objects, yielding only lo the pre
eminence of the great gate of the Monastery;
the majesty, simplicity, and elegance of which
noble structure, cannot be adequately de
scribed either by pen or pencil. Beyond these
venerable relics of antiquity, appear, uprising
on the western ridge, the houses and public
edifices of the town, ancient and modern, and
the picture at length terminates in a rich
horizon of hill and dale, of wood and corn
fields, just admitting of an indistinct sight of
the superb, but unfinished seat of the Earl of
Bristol, at Ickw°rth.
The environs of Bury, though not abound
ing perhaps with those great and striking fea
tures of picturesque beauty, which may be
met with in some other parts of the kingdom,
are yet on the whole so extremely pleasing,
that there is not a place in England, round
which can be found a greater number of seats
of gentlemen of rank and fortune, than in the

r a** 3
vicinity of this town ; so that a traveller or
stranger visiting Bury, may pass a day or two
very agreeably, by taking the circuit of its
neighbourhood, to the extent of about six or
seven miles.
Exclusive of the Abbey, and other reli
gious foundations, in this town, already men
tioned and described, there -were also fifteen
chapels and oratories, whose names, and places
where they stood, are still known, though
several of the buildings themselves have been
immemoriably destroyed ; here were also thir
teen other chapels, whose situations are not
known, in consequence of the many altera
tions that time, fire, and other accidents,
during a long succession of years, have made
in the town ; and we further learn, that in the
whole there were, in the town of Bury, above
forty churches and chapels, and most of them
amply endowed, as appears from the value of
the first-fruits and tenths, which afforded main
tenance, as well as employment, for forty or

I 217 3
fifty clergymen, under a dean and archdeacon,
who officiated in the severaj churches, chapels,
and hospitals here*. Amongst the several
chapels, whose names, and places where they
stood, are yet known, we find St. Michael's
in the Infirmary ; St. Andrew's in Cosmeterio
Fratrum ; St. John's on the Hill ; St. John's
ad Fontem ; St. Anne's in Cryptisf; St.

* The number of the clergymen that officiated in these.
places were about forty or fifty, exclusive of those that more
immediately belonged to the Abbey ; and consequently they
could upon any occasion, when required, assemble and form
processions and celebrations of all kinds.
We also find that in the 1 Edward III. no less than thirty-
two of the clergy here, with several townsmen of Bury,
were convicted of a most daring assault upon the Abbey ; for
the mutual hatred between the seculars and regulars during
those violent commotions, was excessive. — See note, p. 57,
King Henry VII. paid a visit to Bury in i486.
•)• Crypts seem to be places formed underneath larger
liuildings, or churches; Shey were originally charnel .houses,
with their annexed chapels, some of which have, since
Ff

C «* 3
Laurence's in the Coiirt-yard of the Abbey;
St. Giles's near the nave of the church ; and
also St. Denis's chapel; besides several others
either already, or still to be mentioned.
From credible authority we have it, that at
the time when Bury Abbey was in-high pros
perity, there was either an hospital, or some
religious foundation, at every gate belonging
to the town ; and some had both, as East
Gate, South Gate, Risby Gate. Respecting
the gates of Bury, and the hospitals and cha
pels either contiguous, or not far distant from
them, together with some other circumstances

the reformation, been converted into parish churches, as
St. Faith's, which is situated beneath St. Paul's cathedral,
London. There was also Crypts under the conventual
church at Bury. — See note, p. 30.
Here was also a place named Batwell, or the Toil-Gate, now
called the Friary, (as above mentioned) situated about half a
mile out of the North Gate ruins. These were the Grey Friars,
and were first settled near the Abbey, — They were very
popular, and used to make wills, and retired to this plaee
after they wet e driven but of the town by the Abbot.

C 219 3
relative thereto, we shall insert the following
particulars; and first concerning
NORTH GATE.
Proceeding towards this gate, along St.
Andrew's Street, we meet with a circular
ruin; part of its walls remain, having five wide
battlements; but we find no further account
of this building. Advancing from this gate
on the Thetfcrd Road, on the right hand side
of it, are the remains of St. Saviour's Hospital.
The entrance to this hospital seems to have
been ornamented, originally, with a stately
portal ; the door-space belonging to it still re
maining, with the ruins also of a spacious
window over it. The tower appears to have
been at first of considerable altitude as well as
magnitude. This hospital was situated on the
East side of the road, and close adjoining, as
does also a long tract of wall, being part of
that which inclosed an extensive area, of an
oblong form, which contained both the hos
pital and its appurtenances. This was the
most noted hospital in Bury. It was in this
F f 2 •

I 22D ]
buiMihg that the Parliament assembled ia
the reign of Henry VI. 1446, (as before
mentioned;) and it was also here that Hum
phry, the virtuous Duke of Gloucester, was
murdered ; some writers say, at the instigation
of the monks j others, through the procure
ment of the De la Poles, then in high authority;
On this road also, on the left hand side, and
not far from the gate, stood St. Thomas's
Hospital, or Chapel, now (at the time I
am writing,.) the residence of Mrs. Sul-
yard; and about half a mile beyond St.
Saviour's Hospital, on the same road, stood
the Friary, part of the surrounding Walls of
which are the only remains now left.  In
the .North Gate Street, on the West side of
k, and just before you arrive at the gate-
space, is an ancient brick gateway, supposed to
have been formerly a parsonage house ; within
the cottage here were many coats of arms, but
to whom they belonged is not mentioned, nor
any account of the building to which this en
trance formerly led, is now to be met with..

C 221 J
SOUTH GATE.
Beyond this gate, inclining to the left, is
Haberdon, with its intrenchment and ditch.
In the street leading to this gateway, ahd called
South-Gate Street, are the rains of a chantry,
now a blacksmith's shop ; and in the yard be
longing to the. White Hart public house in
this Street, not far from the gateway, stood
St. Botolph's Chapel ; this building was stand
ing about three yearssince, but is now (1804)
wholly taken down and demolished. Immedi
ately after passing beyond this gateway, we
come to St. Petronell's Chapel ; also God's
House, or St. John's Hospital. This chapel
seems to have belonged to the hospital, being
contiguous to it ; considerable remains of it
are now standing, but extremely decayed and-
ruinous. On the North side of it, next the
road, is a small door-space, the original en
trance for strangers ; the ruins of a large hand
some window are still standing at the East
end ; and on the South side, next the hospital,
is another large window,, and also the prin-

[ 222 J
cipal entrance from the hospital to the chapel.
At a small distance from the chapel, and on
the South side of it, stood the before-men
tioned hospital; and from the dimensions of
the piece of ground on which it was situated,
it appears to have been an extensive building;
a considerable part of the walls, serving as
fences, are still remaining. There is a small
piece of ground, lying between the hospital
and the chapel, (now a garden) which seems
to have been used formerly as the cemetery to
the hospital, many human bones having been
dug up there. There was also, before the re
formation, another chapel here, close adjoin
ing to the gate; but respecting the use of it,
or to whom it was dedicated, we can give no
information ; we find it was wholly down in
1505, soon after the reformation.
EASTGATE.
The arches near this gate were erected in
the year 1 148, and the bridge near the same
place belonged to the Abbey. Just over this

[ 223 3
bridge, as we pass from the town, and on the
South side of the road leading to Ixworth,
stands an old building formerly a school, now
a currier's shop, but was originally a chapel,
dedicated to St. Mary. Advancing about a
quarter of a mile further on the same road,
from East-Gate Street, and inclining a little
to the left, we come to St. Nicholas's Hos
pital, situated at the angle which divides the
two roads, one leading to Ixworth, the other
to Fornham. Many remains of this hospital
are still to he seen, although the building it
self is now converted into a farm house ; such
as the original entrance, and one window
(now filled up) on the North side. In the
garden are to be seen many other fragments
of this ancient structure ; and at the West
end stand the remains of the old chapel which,
formerly belonged to this hospital, but de
tached a small distance from it. This chapel
is rather an extensive building, having seven
buttresses on each side, but now a low ordinary
structure, and seems never to have been re-

1 224 3
markable either for beauty or elegance j it is
now transformed into a barn and stable, and is
in a very ruinous condition. There was also
formerly a rood light in this hospital. St.
Stephen's Hospital seems to have been situated
on the North side of the road, lying between
East Bridge and St. Nicholas's Hospital ; a
few pieces of old wall are the only remains of
it now to be discerned.
WEST GATE.
Here was also formerly a chapel, called our
Lady's Chapel, of which there are now no
visible remains. Near the gate-space stood,
(before the reformation) an hermitage, which
is now made use of as a cow-house.
RISBY GATE.
The materials which formed this gate were
stone; the upper part of it was Granite; the
lower part white Purbeck. John Baret, who
died in 1463, and was buried in St. Mary's

C«2S3
Church*, greatly beautified this gate, and set
up the image of our Lady over the arch, and
the niche wherein it was placed was to be
seen till within a few years past. Close ad
joining to this gate was formerly a chantry,
called Stone Chapel, the curious flint-stone
walls whereof are now remaining, and worthy
the notice of the antiquary, the stones being
so very closely and neatly cemented to each
other, as to excite both our notice and admi
ration. It is at this time the sign of the Cock,
a public house. At some considerable distance
beyond this gate, and adjoining to the left-
hand side of the road, is the piece of ground on
which was situated St. Peter's hospital, for the
maintenance of infirm and leperous priests f.
A Barn only, called St. Peter's barn, stands
* See pa. 61.
f It is said by some writers, that not far from the cross
nearRisby Gate, stood the spital house, for lepers, by which
place is meant, we apprehend, St. Peter's. Hospital. — See
p. S5 ; also Guildhall Feoffment.
Gg

[ 2& 3
now (1804) on the premises, which are still
partly inclosed with the remains of the old
walls that originally belonged to the hospital.
At a small distance from this gate is a curious
octangular stone, or pedestal, which before the
reformation supported a cross. The cavity or
hollow place whereon the cross was erected,
formed a sort of bason, which being filled with
water, the people -from Bury, about the year
1677, who resorted to the market, held out of
this gate, in consequence of the small pox
raging at that time very violently in this town,
used to dip their money, with the view of pre
venting any infection being conveyed to the
neighbouring towns and villages. This stone,
probably, supported one of those four crosses
which pointed out the liberty of this town,
which extended a mile in circumference
frcm it, and was exempt from all spiritual
jurisdiction of the bishop of the diocese, it be
longing solely to the Abbot, who always ap
pointed a decanus christianitatis, or dean of
that spiritual jurisdiction ; but since it was

[ 227 J
*
annexed, as it now is, to the archdeaconry of
Sudbury, the patent of the commissary of that
archdeaconry runs, to the archdeaconry of
Sudbury, and town of Bury St. Edmund *.
- There were, before the reformation, five
hospitals contiguous to the town of Bury,
namely, St. Saviour's, at North Gate; St.
John's, at South Gate ; St. Nicholas's, and
St. Stephen's, at East Gate ; and St. Peter's,
•at Risby Gate, as already observed.
The gates of this town were all standing
about the year 1766, but soon after that
time were all taken down by order of the
•Corporation, for the more convenient passing
of carriages, &c.f.
* Blomfield's Norwich.
¦(¦ The gates of this town were shut against the Countess of
Rivers, when she fled from her house at St. Osith's, in Essex,
by the Anti Royalists.— angli a itr/ini, p. 14.
The chapel in the gaol, the bren of the chapel of St. Thomas
near Bury, and the cross in the Horse-Market, may be als*
added to the number of religious structures already men
tioned. — See Money left to the Gaol Chapel iu 1474, p. 84.
Gg2

r «i 3
There was also, at the time of the re
formation, a college in this town*, named
Jesus College, and was situated in College
Street ; it had, a guild annexed to it, and con
sisted of a warden, and six associates or
priests. This building is now converted into
a workhouse. The college was founded by
King Edward IV f.
* In the early ages of Christianity, Collegium et Monasti-
cum were words of the same import, but not founded on
monastic rule. There were then colleges for secular clergy,
others for education of youth, where they might retire and
employ themselves, either in study or devotion, accompanied
with such others as professed a stricter discipline, and which
many of those youths might afterwards be inclined to adopt.
Of these mrxt characters must the Sason Monasteries be un
derstood to consist ; and for this reason it is, that the enormous
irregularities in what were called Monasteries, and were com
plained of in Bede's time, may be accounted for; for these
institutions were often private property, belonging to some
eminent family, and the same men were sometimes Abbots,
and military officers. Thus we find that Sigebert, King of the
East Angles, founded schools or places of instruction through.
eut his kingdom, for youth, and the improvement of morals,
so early as the year 640.
+ The charter of Edward IV. for the founding of a college
in the town of St. Edmund's, Bury.

C 229 3
Having thus particularly mentioned and
described the numerous ancient hospitals that
Edvardus Dei gratia Rex Angliae et Francire, et Dominus
Hiberniz, omnibus ad quod prxsentes literae peruenerint,
salutem. Sciatis quod nos de gratia nostra speciali, et ob-
sinceram devotionem quam ad sanctam et individuam Trini-
tatem, ac dulcissimum nomen Jesu, glorrosissimamquc Dei
genitricem Mariam, nec non omnes sanctos, gerimus, et
habemus ; concessimus et licentiam dedimus, ac per praesentes
concedimus et licentiam damus, pro nobis et hcredibus nos
tris, quantum in nobis est, dilectis nostris Henrico Hardman
Clerico, Thomae Ampae Clerico, Richardo Yaxleo, Willelmo
Thewts, Clementi Clerk, Ada: Newhave, et Radulpho Duke,
quod ipsi, aut eorum aliqui, ad laudem, gloriam, et honorem
Dei ac dicti dulcissimi nominis Jesu, quandam Cantariam ac
Gildam perpetuam de uno custode et societate Capellanorum,
ac Fratribus et Sororibus de Gilda ilia esse volentibus divina
singulis diebus in villa de Bury Sancti Edmundi, in Com. SutT.
ad specialiter exorand. prosalubri statu nostro, etpraecarissimse
consortis nostras Elisabeths Reginae Angliae, et prxcarissi-
morum filiorum nostrorum Edwardi p imogenrti Principis
Wallias et Richardi Ducis Ebor. casterorumque liberorum nos
trorum, necnon dictorum Henrici, Thomae, Richardi, Wil-
lelmi, dementis, Adas, et Radulphi, dum vixerimus, et pro
anhnabus nostris cum ab hac luce migraverimus ; ac pro ani
mates Willelmi Cote Clerici, Johannis Smyth, nuper deBury
Sancti Edmundi Armigeri, et Annas uxoris eius; ac pro ani-
mabus parentum, "benefactorum, ct quasumcunque Fratrum,

f 230 1
were formerly in the town ;©f Bury, we shall
new take notice of one of a more modern date?

tt Sororum de Gilda predicts existentium seu esse volentium,
et luccessorum suorum, et animabus omnium fidclium defunc
ts, rum in perpetuum celebratur, aliaque pietatis et misericor-
dix opera, juxta ordinaliones, stabilimenta, et constitutions
per praesentes, Hen. Tho. Rich. Will. Clem. Adam, et Ra-
dulph. seu eorum aliquem hxredes, execu. sive assignatos suos
praedict. seu eorumaliquos, vel aliquem in hac parte faciend.
factor ac subitur ac quandam mansionera pro eisdem custode
etCapellanis infra dictam villain de Bury Sancti Edmundi,
facere, fundarc, erigere, creare, et stabilire possint. Etquod
Cantaria et Gilda ills, cum sic facta:, fundatx, erects, creats
et stabilits fuerint Cantaria et Gilda dulcissimi nominis Jesu
infra villain de Bury Sancti Edmundi in Com. Suff. perpetuis
futuris temporibus nuncupentur, et appellentur.' Et quod
custos et societas Capellanorum, ac fratrcs et soroies Can-
taris et Gilda praedict. et successores sui, custos et societas
Capellanorum, ac fratres et sorores Cantaris et Gilds prsdict.
et successores sui, custos et societas Capellanorum, ac fratres
et sororps Cantaris et Gilds dulcissimi nomi/iis Jesu infra
villam de Bury Sancti Edmundi in perpetuum voccntur, ha-
beantque successioncm perpetuam, ac commune Sigillum sibi
et succesoribus suis, custodibus, et societati Capellanorum, ac
fj-atribus et sororibus Cantaris el Gilds pi sdictarum, &c.
The said King Edward IV. gave liberty to the aforesaid
Henry, Thomas, Richard, William, Clement, Adam, and
Ralph, to endow the said college wilt lands to the value af

r*3' 3
namely, that founded here in the year- 1 730,
by Mr. Poley Clop ton, M.D. and from thence
called Clopton's Hospital ; it is situated in the
church -yard, and is an uniform handsome
building, well adapted for the comfortable
maintenance of six men and six women, three
of each out of each parish; they must be
widowers and widows, upwards of sixty years

twenty pounds per annum, ultra teprisas, and such lands, as
were not holden of the king in capite. — He also granted many
privileges and immunities tc. this college.
In cuius rei Testimonium has literas nostras fieri feci mi! s
patentes. T. meipsoapud Westmonasterium, quinto die No-
vembris, anno regni nostri vicesimo primo. Per ipsum Regem
et de dat. prxdict. aucto.itate Parliament'!, et pro sexaginta et
undecim libris solicitis in Hanaparis.
This religious foundation, as it is in the charter, was called a>
Chantry, and a Guild. A chantry, says Sir Henry Spelman,
' is a sacred edifice, instituted and endowed with possessions,
that mass might be sung there, for the soul of the founder and
bis relations; and a guild is a society of certain persons, as
sociated or living together, for ihe only purposes of charity,
religion, or the trade of merchandize ; it is a college, society,
or fellowship j a brotherhood or company incarporate, gathered-
into one combination, supporting their common charge By *
aiuturfl consent,' Wkever.

C 23« ]
of age; and none but such as have lived with
credit and reputation, and have paid scot and
Jot, can be admitted. In the front of this,
hospital, over the door, are the donor's arms,
and below them is the following inscription oa
marble. In Honorem Dei O. M. et Rcipublicx Commodum, ¦
Hoc jfiQOVTOKOUZlOV, Testament, suo jussit extrui,
Et Fundo sat amplo in perpetuum ditavit
POLEY CLOPTON, M D.
Ut in hisce ^dibus, prope acta, jam jEtate decureaque,
Otio et Victu perfruantur Egeni Sexagenarii.
Anno Salutis Humans M DCC XXX *.
* An Extract of the Will of Foley Clopton, M. D.
In the name of god, amen. I POLEY CLOPTOJT,
of Bury St. Edmunds, in the County of Suffolk, Doctor in
Physick, resigning my soul into the hands of the father of
mercies, hoping for the forgiveness of my sins through the
merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, Do make, publish, and
declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following,
(viz.) Imprimis, I give and devise unto James Reynolds,
Esq. Lord Chief Baron of his Majesty's Court of Exchequer
at Westminster; Thomas' D'Gray, Thomas Barnardiston,
Baptist Lee and John Moyle, Esqrs. John Turner, Esq. the
present Recorder of Bury aforesaid, my brother-in-law Mr.
Edward Crispe, Mr, William Turner and Mr. Henry Turner

1 233 1
We shall here subjoin the following list of
the several benefactors to this town, with
his son, Mr. Waler R«ye, Mr. Samuel Raye, Mr. Edward
Isaack Jackson, and Mr. Joshua Grigby, all of Bury afore
said, and to their heirs, such part and so much of my manors,
messuages, lands, tenements, rents, woods, wood-grounds,
hereditaments and premises in Suffolk and Essex, (other
than and except my seat or capital messuage called Lyston
Hall) as they or the major part of them shall think fit, not
exceeding the yearly value of three hundred pounds, upon
and under the trusts, and to the uses, intents and purposes
hereinafter expressed and declared concerning the same, (that
is to say,) upon trust that they the said Lord Chief Baron and
'the rest of the trustees aforesaid, do and shall, out of the rents
and profits of the premises hereby devised them, ei ect and
build a convenient house in Riry aforesaid, in such place and
in such manner as they or the major part of them shall think
most proper, for the reception and maintenance of twelve poor
people, inhabitants of Bury aforesaid, (viz,) six men and six
women, of the age of sixty years and upwards, one half of
them to be of the parish of St. Mary, and the other of the
"parish of St. James: And after the said house shall be builr,
and the twelve poor people by them placed therein, shall em
ploy and dispose of all the clear rents, issues, and profits of
the said premises so devised to them my said Trustees, in
the maintenance of the said poor people with apparel, meat,
drink, and all other necessaries of life, in such manner as the
Hh

[ 234 3
their respective donations, as disposed of by
the Feoffees of the Guild-Hall, the Alderman
and Burgesses, the Governors of the School-
Hall, and others.
GUILD-HALL FEOFFMENTS.
I. John Smyth, Esq. commonly called Jan
kyn Smith, an inhabitant of this town, in the
said trustees, or the major part of them, for the time bejng,
shall think fit, for ever. And also I will and direct, that
when the said trustees shall be reduced, to five, then those five
surviving shall convey all and every the premises hereinbefore
devised to them, to eight other pei sons, inhabitants of Bui y
aforesaid, to the use of themselves and those eight, upon and
under the trust hereinbefore expressed and declared concerning
the same, and so toties quoties for ever, as there shall be oc
casion, for the perpetual support and maintenance of this my
charity, &c. &c. &c. In witness, &c.
(Signed) P. CLOPTON.
WITNESSES, RICHARD CHILD, M. D.
JOSHUA GRIGBV.
JOHN BOLTON.
THOMAS TALBOTT, Juw.
Dated 30th October, 1730.

C 235 3
reign of Edward IV. gave several lands in'
Bury, Barton, Rougham, Hepworth, and other
places, by will, dated in 14.70, improved since
to the annual value of £200 and upwards, for
the celebration of his anniversary, and the
overplus for the benefit of the inhabitants of
this town. His portrait, on board, is still pre
served in an upper room at the Guild-Hall ;
on the frame of which is written, * John
Smyth, Esquyer, commonly called Jankyn
Smith, a memorable benefactor, who gave
lands to the yearly value of £200 for the pay
ment of the taske,. and other impositions and
charges to be layed upon the burgesses and
cominaltie of this towne, for ever. 1473.'
II. Mrs. Margaret Odeham, widow, an in
habitant also of this town, in the reign of
Edward II. gave by will, dated in 1474, divers
houses and lands in Bury, and elsewhere, for
the payment of taxes and tasks, and other
town charges; fjr the relief of the poor, and
the prisoners in the gaol, and for divine ser-
Hh2

C 236 3
vice to be performed for the benefit of the
prisoners there*;
III. And whereas in both these former do
nations some things being appointed to super
stitious uses, Sir Nicholas Bacon, Knt. Lord
Keeper of the Great Seal of England f ; Sir-
Clement Heigham, Knt. % ; Sir Ambrose Jer-
myn, Knt. §, and other gentlemen of the
feoffment, used means to procure a better con
veyance of those houses and lands, which
otherwise might have been lost ; and therefore
they are likewise deservedly commemorated
amongst the worthy benefactors to this town.
IV. Thomas Bradby, Esq, gave the Shire-
House, with a piece of ground thereto be
longing, for the assizes and sessions to be
kept there ; and the remaining profit thence
* See the Gaol Chapel mentioned pa. .80, 217.
¦f Who resided at Redgrave Hall, near Botesdale.
1 Of the parish of Barrow, near Buiy.
§ Of Rushbraok, formerly the seat of the Jenny n family.

f «37 3
arising, to be employed for the benefit of the
inhabitants. V. John Frenze, by deed, bearing date
in 1494, gave the land belonging to the
Spital house, in Risby-gate Street, for the
use of lepers *.

* The leprosy is a disease which at this time seems to bS
but little known in these parts of the world. The pious and
learned Bishop of London informs us, * that it is a disorder of
the most malignant and disgusting nature. It was once com
mon in Europe. Those infected with it were called Lazars,
who were separated from all human society (the disease being
highly contagious) and confined in hospitals called Lazarettos,
of which there were nine thousand at one time in Europe. For
the last two hundred years this distemper has almost entirely
vanished from this and other countries in Europe, and an in
stance of it is now but seldom to be met with. In the East it
still exists to a certain degree ; and there in former ages it had
its source and origin, and raged for a great length of time
with extraordinary violence.' — See the excellent Lectures of
this incomparable writer, Vol. I. p. 198, 3d Edit.
We are now happy to find, that the Supreme Being, in
his great goodness, has been pleased to deliver mankind, ia : -
a gteat measure, from t syc< of the most dreadful scourges ever

[238 3
VI. Adam NewhanO All these gave several
VII. William Fish, ) lands for the relief
VIII. Ellen Fish, \ of the poor inhabiting
IX. John Salter, I this town, together
X. Catherine Cage. J with several sums of
money ; with part of the money estates were
purchased to the amount cf £191. igs. ^d.
and X2oo are expended annually in the repairs
of 93 alms-houses and other estates*.
XI. Bartholomew Brooksby gave the alms
houses in Church-govel Street, a tenement in
inflicted upon the human tace, the leprosy and the small pox;
and we further hope, that through his blessing upon the be
nevolent endeavours of the numerous humane and ingenious
medical gentlemen who adorn the present age, that that other
terrible disorder, the plague, will, in a few years, be as nearly
extirpated also — Another Jenner may yet arise, and bless
more distant realms as well as Britain !
* Also for stock to set the poor to work, and other uses of
the poor, as well as the ease and benefit of the inhabitants, in
compliance with the intentions of the respective donors, and
according to the Schedule of Uses enrolled in tlie High Court
of Chancery. — See likewise, the account delivered to Parlia
ment, 27 Geo. III.

C *39 3
North-gate Street, and two acres of land in
Risby-gate Field.
XII. Francis Boldero7 gave the alms-houses
and > in the
XIII. Robert Parker,] North. gate Street;
XIV. William Barnaby gave the alms
houses in the College Street.
XV. William Tassell, Esq. by deed, dated
in 1558, gave the Angel, and some other
small tenements, and little pieces of ground,
partly towards the maintenance of the minis
ters, partly in repairing the churches, and
partly for the ease of the inhabitants.
XVI. Thomas Brewse ^ gave the alms-
and v houses in Gar-
XVII. Thomas Beriffe, 3 land Street and
Burmaw's Lane, by deed, dated in 1558.
XVIH. Edmund Jermyn, Esq. by will,
dated in 1673, gave an annuity of £40 per
annum, out of the Manor of Torksey, in Lin
colnshire, for the relief the poor of this town*.
* There is a good portrait of this gentleman at Rushbrook
Hall, in. a black strait- waisted doublet, and a round bonnet,

1 240 j
XIX. Thos. Kitson, Knt. -jgaveeachof
XX. Francis Boldero, Gent, /them £40 for
XXI. Wm. Markant, Gent, f the relief of
XXII. John Boldero, Gent. J the poor, and
for stock to set them on work.
XXIII. Thomas Bright the elder, by will,
dated in 1587, gave a portion of tithes, about
the value ot-£i2 per annum, payable out of
the Manor of Brook Hall, in Foxearth, in the
county of Essex, for the yearly payment of
forty shillings for the relief of the poor, twenty
shillings to the prisoners in the gaol, and the
residue to be employed to such good uses as
the feoffees fhali think fit. He also gave ^300
out of his moveables (which was as much
as any one of his children should have) to
continue in stock for ever, for the relief of the
poor. It is employed in cloathing them.
XXIV. Peter Kembold gave £100 for land
to be purchased, and the profit thereof to
adorned with flowers and jewels. Mutis suae 50, annoDom.
T567. His benefaction to this town is recorded on the
painting.

[ 241 ]
be given to the poor of East and North,
wards. XXV. Mr. John Gipps, some time alder
man of this town, gave £20 for a stock to set
the poor on work.
XXVI. Richard Walker, Gent, some time
alderman here, gave £.20 for a stock to be
employed to the annual benefit of the poor ;
also he gave a house in the Church-gate Street
for the same purpose.
XXVII. Mr. Francis Pinner, Jun. by will,
dated in 1640, gave £20 to remain in stock
towards the maintenance of the market lec
ture *.
XXVIII. Mr. Roger Lowdell, one of the
burgesses of this town, gave £10 to remain
in stock for the poor.
* The market lecture at Bury, the same as in many other
places, as Dedham, Lavenham, &c. seems to have been de
signed for the benefit of the country people. who resort to the
market j but as there is little reason to believe that they now
avail themselves much of this pious intention, it is rather to be
wished, that some other day were fixed on, when the inhabitants
-of the town might find themselves more at leisure to attend.
Ii

r 242 3
XXIX. Mr. Stephen Ashwell, one of the
chief burgesses of this town, gave £200 to
remain in stock for the poor for ever ; the
yearly profits whereof to be expended in cloath-
ing them. He also gave the alms-house in the
South gate Street, for six poor men to dwell
in, each paying twelve-pence yearly rent,
which, together with the yearly rent of an
orchard by him likewise given, is to be em
ployed towards the repairing of the said alms
house. XXX. Mr. Baxter gave an acre of land in
Spinton-Mill Field, towards keeping the'li-
brary in repair*.
XXXI. Thomas Bright, eldest son of the
before-mentioned Thomas Bright, and alder
man of this borough, by deed, dated in it 45,
gave h'ls houses in the Neat Market, with the
intention, that out of the rents thereof, five
pounds should be annually expended in putting
out four poor children belonging to St. Mary's
parish, and taken out of the work-house, or
* The books are kept in St. James's church.

f 2+3 3
house of correction ; forty shillings yearly to
wards the repairing of the two churches, and
twenty shillings yearly to the prisoners in the
common gaol.
XXXII. William Deynes, of Barrow, gave
thirteen shillings and four-pence, to be paid
yearly (in May) to the poor impotent people
in the spital-house.
, XXXIII. Peter Ling, burgess of this cor-
poratibn, gave two houses in the Short Brake-
land, of the yearly value of four pounds, forv
the cloathing of the poor in St. James's parish ;
also a house in the West-gate Street, of the
yearly value of foity shillings, for the cloathing
of the poor of St. Mary's parish.
XXXIV. Edward Darley, Gent, gave £300
for the purchasing of land to the yearly value
£17. fcj. 2d. to be employed for the catechis
ing, once every fortnight, of the poor people
in St. James's parish, 13s. 4</. being allowed
every time they were catechised, whereof ten
groats shall be given-to the Minister, and the
Ii 2

[ 2~44 J
other fen shillings shall be given for seventy
loaves of wheaten bread ; sixty-five to be given
to as many poor people as were catechised,.
and the remaining five loaves to the clerk and
sexton. XXXV. John Sharp, formerly of this town,
gave the profits of £200 for the yearly pay
ment of twenty shillings to the poor prisoners
of the town gaol ; for the poor prisoners qf
the county gaol, twenty shillings ; to the
people of bridewell, ten shillings; and the
overplus of the profits he willed to be yearly,
distributed amongst the poor of the East and
North wards of this town.
XXXVI. Dame Eliza Kitson gave out of
her manor ahd lands of Lackford, an annuity
or rent, charge of £10 per annum, for the
relief of ancient impottnt people with food,
firing, cloathing, or otherwise.
X XXVI I. Dame Carey, daughter of the
first-named Thomas Bright, gave £100 f°r
the purchasing of lands to the yearly value of-
£5, to be equally distributed every year be-

t *4* 3
tween five poor widows. With this £100
the feoffees purchased lands to the yearly
value of £6 ; wherewith six poor widows are
yearly relieved with twenty shillings each.
XXXVIII. Edward Bourne, alderman,. gave
£20 stock to set the poor on work ; he also
gave one copyhold' close of ground, of about
eight acres, lying at Hepworth, for the annual
binding of four boys apprentices, two out of
each parish, to honest and able tradesmen.
XXXIX. Francis Pinner, Sen. alderman,
gave a tenement in the Whiting Street for
charitable uses.
XL, John Hill. Gent, alderman, gave cer
tain houses in the West-gate Stieet, near
•the Horse Market, for the habitation of four
poor aged widows, every one of them paying
yearly two shillings and eight- pence towards
reparations. XLI. Anthony Smith, Gent, by deed dated
in 1654, gave a tenement in the Neat Market,,
for the yearly cloathing of twelve of the
most aged poor of this town; namely, three

[2+6 3
men and three women of each parish. Mr.
Smith was alderman of this borough.
XL1I. Martha Cobbs, by will, dated 1697,
gave £100 for purchasing freehold lands
within four miles of this town; and willed,
that such land- rents should every year be dis
tributed equally amongst five poor old widows
of this town, to be chosen by the trustees of
the Guild-Hall Feoffment. Freehold lands
were purchased accordingly.
Note. All monies heretofore mentioned,
are laid cut in purchasing lands.

CORPORATION FEOFFMENTS.
XLHI. King James I. in the 4th year of his
reign, in hngland, incorporated this town, anrl
granted it divers privileges. In the 6th year of
his rei^n he gave to the corporation the rever
sion of the houses, tythes, and glebes, called
Amner's barns; and of the fairs and markets
of this lown, in tee farm; and the reversion
cf the ^aol, with the office of gaoler, belong-

L 247 3
ing to the liberty of Bury; also the toll
house then in possession. Afterwards, in the
12th year of his reign, he was further pleased
to give to the said corporation, the churches,
with the bells, libraries, and other things there •
to belonging, and the rectories, oblations, and
profits of the same churches, not. formerly,
granted ; and very much enlarged the liberties
of the corporation, for the better government-
of the town. And his Majesty did then also
grant and confirm unto the feoffees of this
town, all lands and possessions aforetime
given by former benefactors ; which was not
the least part of this princely favour.
, XL1V. Sir Robert Drtlry, of Hawsted, Knt.
upon the sale of his lease of Amner's bams,
tythes, fairs and markets of this town, did
give unto' the purchasers thereof £iOD to re
main in stock for a yearly provision of fir
ing for the poor. He also founded an alms
house, at a place called Hard wick, for six poor
women, unmarried, with an annual income of
£5 for every ons of the said poor women,

[248]
whereof two are to be taken out of this
town. XLV. John Nunne, Esq. one of the assist
ants of this town, gave £100 towards pur
chasing the lease of Sir Robert Driiry, to
which many other inhabitants also contri
buted. XLVI. William Cropley, one of the chief
burgesses of this town, gave an annuity of
.£5. 4s. out of the North- East corner house,
between the Cook Row and Hatter Street, to
be paid quarterly to two poor and aged widows
•of decayed tradesmen, one to be of St James's
¦parish, the other to be of St Mary's.

SCHOOL HALL FEOFFMENTS.
XLVII. King Edward VI. founded the
free grammar school, and endowed it with
lands which have since been improved to near
200 marks per annum. And did also, give
200 towards finishing of St. James's church*.
* See page 63.

C 249 3
XLVIII. John Sudbury, D. D. by deed,
dated in ,1670, gave certain lands in Hep-.
worth, to the intent that £30 of the profits
thereof should yearly be expended in binding
three or more poor children as apprentices to
some trade, and the overplus of the said yearly
profits, were to be for the benefit of the free
grammar school. — Dr. Sudbury was Dean of
Durham.

OTHER BENEFACTORS TO THIS TOWN.,
XLIX. Holofernes Allen, of Barrow, at
the request of his daughter Frances, the wife
of Edmund Friend, gave by will a rent charge
of 20s. per annum, out of his two houses in
Risby-gate Street, and other lands in Bury,
to. be distributed yearly amongst the aged,
impotent, and honest needy poor people, in
habiting the North side of the said street.;
with this condition, that no bastard, or
person vehemently suspected of incontinency,
should be partaker of this charitable gift*.'
* This donation, like the flitch of bacon at Dunmow, in
Essex, had, we apprehend, but few claimants .properly qua-
'irfied.
Kk

t2S<* J
"The same Holofernes Allen gave also atr-
other rent charge of 20s. per annum, out of
Henry Paman's lands in Chevington, called
Seburghes, to be distributed yearly amongst?
the aged, impotent^ honest, needy people in
habiting the North side of the Risby-gate
Street, with the same condition as before.
L. William Lause, a dyer in this town,.
gave the great bell in St. Mary's church.
LI. John Parffey, by will, gave the Bell
Meadows for the constant raising of the said
great bell every morning at four o'clock, and
every night in winter at eighty and in sum
mer at nine o'clock, and also for repairing the-
bells in the belfry of St. JMary's church; also
a gift of £4. per annum towards repairing
the said church.
LIL Mrs. Agatha Borowdale, gave out
of the South- West corner house in Crown
Street, a rent charged of 10s per annum, for
the poor in St. Mary's parish.
LIU. Penelope, Countess of Rivers, gave
a rent charge or annuity, out of the lands

C2513
in Fornhsm All Saints, of £B per annfun,
for the support of a sermon to be preached
at Bury, four times in every year, against
popery*. LIV. Edward Bourne, afore-mentionedf,
gave three tenements without the West
Gate, to the intent that three honest poor
widows* aged at least fifty years, should dwell
rent free in those houses, two of which open
towards the South, and the third towards the
East; and should be let by the said widows,
if they like, to their only use and benefit,
they the said widows keeping the same in
good and sufficient repair. And he did like
wise give to the said three tenements, one
chaldron of coals, or one load of wood, to be
delivered to them yearly, on or before the
8th day of September.
# There is a beau tiful portrait of this lady at Hengrave Hall.
She had three husbands, but had children only by her second,
Sir John Gage, of Firle, in Sussex. She left the Hengraae
estate to her second son Edward, from whom Sir Thojmw
Gage the present possessor inherits it. See page ^%^.
+ Seepage 345.
Kk2

r 252 3
LV. Mr. Jasper Sharp, sometime assistant
justice of this corporation, gave £300 to be
employed in catechising the poor of St. Mary's
parish, once every fortnight, according to the,
distribution of money and bread appointed by
Mr. Edward Darley before named*, for cate
chising poor people in St. James's parish.
LVI. John Clarke, Esq. by deeds bearing
'date 168 1, gave a rent charge of eleven
pounds per annum to be paid annually, upon
the 5th day of November, to 20 poor wi
dows, inhabitants of Bury, namely, ten of the
parish of St. James, and ten of the parish of
St. Mary, to be paid out of an inn called the
Three Cranes, in the Guildhall Street, and to
continue for ever.
LV1I. Mrs. Dorothy Calthorpe, a maiden
lady, by will, dated in 1693, gave to this town
(in consideration of her having formerly lived
here) thVsum of £500, to be put out to use,
or laid out in a purchase, and the product
thereof employed in binding out every year,
* See page 243.

r a53 3
to handycraft trades, poor boys whose parents *
ire not able to do it for them ; and that the
Alderman, and the two Ministers of Bury,-
should see to the faithful and careful per
formance of her said will: which said £500,
felling short by reason of losses in her estate,
and by bad debts owing to the same, it is to
be presumed that she directed her charity at
Ampton to be first provided for — For on the
front of a considerable alms-house in that
parish, appears
MDCXCIIL
Dorothea Calthorpe
Hospitium hoc fundavit
Virgo in Virginum Solamen.
LVIII. William Granger, by will, gave out
of a tenement and orchard, and piece of mea
dow, one annuity, or rent charge of fifty
shillings per annum, to be paid to two aged
men, born in this town, and living in St.
Mary's parish ; and one poor aged woman,
horn also in this town, and living in St. James's
parish, that is to say, to the two men twenty

r *54 3
shillings each, and to the woman ten shillings,
to be .thosen annually by the trustees in his
will named; which said tenement and pre
mises lie in Bradfield St. Clare.
LIX. John Sutton, of Staples-Inn, London,
Gent, did, by his last will, dated July 1696,
give out of his estate at Brockley, in Suffolk,
and elsewhere, one annuity or rent charge of
twenty pounds per annum to one of his sisters,
and one other annuity or rent charge of twelve
pounds per annum to another of his sisters, to
be paid quarterly ; and after the decease of
either of his said sisters, the like annuities to
them given, should be duly and constantly paid
for ever to the trustees in his will named, to
be applied towards the maintenance and relief
of six poor, religious, sober, well-inclined
men of the town of Bury, (where he was born)
who are fallen into decay and poverty byage,
or any common, or unavoidable calamity, and
not by idleness, debauchery, or other extra
vagances ; which said poor shall be nominated
and chosen by the said trustees, or the major

C*ss3
part of them, for the time being; and as any
of the said poor men shall depart this life, the
number of six shall be 'filled up by the nomi
nation of the said trustees ; each of the poor
men to have a yearly-portion or allowance of
£4, to be paid them quarterly, by even and
equal portions, on the four usual feasts, and to
have a cloth gown of dark grey, or some other
grave colour, with an edge of cloth or list
in every seam, and a small cape faced with
green. And further, by the said will, imme*
iiately after the death of his wife, and the
death of his nephew Thomas Sutton without
issue male, or after the death of such issue
male, he gave a mefliiage, tenement, or inn,
called the Chequer, in the parish of St. Andrew,
Holborn, in London ; and all his lands and
tenements in the county of Suffolk, to cha
ritable uses; the greatest part of. .which were
for the benefit of this town.
LX. Edmund Bright, by will, gave out of
his house in Cook-Row, a rent or charge of
£4 per annum to be paid to the Ministers,,

C2S6 3
Churchwardens, and Overseers of the Poor of
the parish of St. Mary, the first forty shillings
thereof upon Easter evej and the other forty
shillings upon Christmas eve, in every year for
ever, and by them to be distributed as fbl-
loweth : £3 thereof to thirty poor, impotent,
and aged people, living in the alms-houses,
near Jarnegoes, in the said parish, and the re
maining twenty shillings to such other infirm
people inhabiting the same parish, at the dis
cretion of the said Ministers, Churchwardens,
and Overseers.
LXI. Roger Kedington, of Rougham, Esq.
by will, dated in 1702, gave £200 forthe
binding out apprentices ; one poor boy of
Rougham, and one of Bury, alternately *.

* Extract from the will of the said Roger Kedington.
' I direct two hundred pounds to be laid out by my Exe:u-
tors in purchasing freehold lands or tenements to be vested
in such persons and their heirs as my executors shall
nominate, upon trust to receive the profits to be applied..
to the binding out poor children apprentices in the manner
following, viz. one' poor male child born in the parish of

C 257 3
' LXII. Joseph Weld, Esq. Serjeant at Law,
and some time Recorder of this town, gave
j£200 towards the rebuilding of St. James's
chancel. He died a bachelor, in 171-1, aged
60, and is buried in the crypt, at the East end
of St. Mary's chancel, a spot, says the epitaph,
which he had in his life-time chosen for his
interment. LXIII. The Right Honourable John Lord
Hervey gave £500 towards the discharging
the debts of this corporation.
Rougham, at the end of two years after my death , and one
poor male child born in the parish of St. Mary's, Bury, at
the end of the next two years following, and so alternis vi-
cibus, at the end of two years successively for ever, to bind
out such boys to some honest trade or employment. And
my will is, that the owner or owners of Rougham Hall, shall
always be trustees with others, to see this part of my will
duly performed, and he or they shall always nominate such
boys both in Bary and Rougham, to be put out according
to this my ditection. And my will is, that my executors
shall pay interest for the two hundred pounds at the yearly
rate of four pounds per cent, until the purchase can be made,
tq be employed as the rents of the lands are to be. Dated the
19th day of December 1702'. He died May the 4th 1703.
Ll

C258 3
LXIV. Mr. Matthew Lancaster, late ajder-
man of this town, gave £%0 to remain in
stock for ever, far the benefit of the poor.
LXV. Sir Robert Clarke, and Mary his
wife, by deed, dated in 1730, gave laqds to the
value of £28 per annum, for die use of tho
inhabitants. LXV I. Mrs. Chamberlayne, and A. TJp-
cher, Clerk, by deed, dated in 1769, gave
£2000 for the relief of poor women, in equal
quarterly payments.
LXVII. Jacob Johnson, by will, dated in
1708, gave a rent charge, and house, of the
annual value of thirty- eight shillings; charged
with ten shillings for coals for eight poor
men, for gowns for eight poor women, and
for apprenticing two boys £5 each.
LXVIH. Dr. Battley, by will, dated 1708,
gave land of the annual value oi £^o towards
the maintenance of two poor men.
LX I X. Samuel Battley, Gent, by will, gave
the interest of £100 for the instruction of poor
children, and for books.

t*$9]
L&X. Thomas Fletcher, by will, dated in
17 18, gave rent charge for teaching five poor
boy*. LXXI. John Gibbon* by will, dated In
*7I7*gave a bouse of the yearly Value of
£8 for cloathing poor men arid women.
LXX1I. William Cooke, by will, dated
in 1706, gave a house and land* of the an
nual value of £12, for cloathing poor meA
and wQlneti.
LXXIII. Thomas Sarke, by will,- dated
in 1659, gave one half of a house of .£8 yearly
value, to the poor widows in Bury.
LXXIV. Edward Badby gave houses of
the annual value of £h to four men and two
women; LXXV. John Corder, by will, dated in
1636, gave a rent charge of the yearly value
of££ for bread for the poor.
LXXVL Sir John James, by will, gave
£1000, the annual value of which is £30, for
medicines, &c. to the poor.
LXXVI1. Mrs. Bowes, by will>. dated in
Ll 2

[ 2&> 3
1 7 1 2,- gave £ i oo for the benefit of the charity
schools. LXXVIII. Mrs. Webb, by will, dated in
17 1 2, gave £10 to the same use.
LXXIX. T. Crask, M. D. by will, dated
1718, gave for the support cf the charity
schools £100, £15 were added by the trus
tees, and lands purchased in Wetherden, of
the annual value of £%.
LXXX. An Indian bond has been given
to the said scbools, value £100, which pro
duces £5 annually, but the donor is unknown.
LXXXI. Guild- hal{ feoffment pays towards
the repairs of St. Mary's'church £2 per an
num, formerly it was £15 per annum.
LXXX1I. There was formerly a school
or hospital, kept in a room under the bride
well, but bow it was supported, is now un
known; it was afterwards on the union 6f the
two parishes* removed to the workhouse,
* The two parishes of St. Mary and St. James were con*
solidated by act of. pailiament about the year 1740 respecting
air parochial affairs.

£26i 3
lo which workhouse the trustees of the Guild
hall feoffment pay annually £102. 10s. and, as
we suppose, in consideration of the said school.
We have also heard of 13 acres of land, called
Poor Man's Land, which it is suspected from
the name, was given to charitable uses; but
we cannot find any application of them, or
what the produce of them amounts to.

THE FREE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
This school was founded by Edward VL
and was situated originally in the East-gate
Street, but the situation there being found
inconvenient, it was removed into the North*
gate Street, and rebuilt by .contributions, the
said King Edward still bearing the name of
the founder of it. His bust stands over the
door, in front; and under his arms at the up
per end of the school is this inscription :
Edvardus Sextus posuit, virtutis alumnis.
Gratis ducc puer, regia namque schola est.
This school is free for all the sons of trades-

£ 2fe J
men, or inhabitants of the town, witfe sala*.
ries for an upper and under master j adjoining
to it is a genteel new built house, in which.
the bead master resides*.
Here is also a settled fund of £j&per an
num, besides collections and occasional giftsj
for the support of the charity school? in this
town ; the limited number-is forty boys at one
school, and fifty girls, at the other, who are all
cloathed and instructed in the English lan
guage. The Manor of Haberdon belongs to tike' re
venues of the free grammar school.

THE GUILD-HALL.
This building gives name to the street ire
which it stands. lit was erected at an early
* This town seems very early to have enjoyed the advan
tage of a free school ; for Abbot Sampson, in tlie year 1198^
Built a school house here, and settled a stipend on tlie mas
ter, directing that forty poor boys should be exempt from
every demand from the master, with respect to their learn
ing. This building was near the present -shire house, the
street still retaining the name of School Hall Street.

c 263 3
period, and its ancient porch of flint, brick,
and stone, seems silently to reprobate the
modern alterations which the body of the
structure has suffered. Pointed windows,
and an embattled parapet, would have given
consistency to the whole. In the chamber.
over the entrance, the town archives are kept
under three keys, which are in the custody of
the Recorder, the Town Clerk, and the
Alderman for the time being. The town
sessions are held here, corporation members,
chosen, &c.

THE SHIRE-HALL, OR SESSIONS-HOUSE.
This structure, rebuilt but a few years
since, was formerly the church dedicated to
St. Margaret; here are held the assizes for the
county, for which purpose it consists of two
convenient courts, for the trying of felons and
causes, which are now (1804.) undergoing
great improvements, as will render them as
commodious as any. courts in the kingdom.
There are two grand juries empanneled on

1 264 3
these occasions, viz. one for the franchise, or
liberty of St. Edmund's Bfury j the other for
the Geldables, or what is called High Suffolk,
being the other division of the county.— The
liberty of St. Edmund's contains the western
part of the county, the geldable lands the
eastern.

THE-WOOL-HALLS.
These buildings are situated on the upper
side of the market, and the lower end of
St. Andrew's Street. To these places great
quantities of wool are brought every year, for
the use of the staple trade of this county, and
is useful in employing the poor in combing,
spinning, &c*.
* Bury was anciently the greatest wool-staple in the east
ern part of England, and is still veiy considerable. The wool
halls in St. Andrew's Stieetare very small in comparison to
the spacious warehouses where all the wool in the county was
deposited. Some of the Flemings brought hither by the Earl
of Leicester, and several artificers who came over wi'.h Queen
Isabel, consort to Edward II. established at Bury very con
siderable woollen manufactures. .

[265]
MEETING-HOUSES.
In the street facing St. James's steeple
(from thence called Church -gate Street,) is
the Dissenters' meeting-house, a modern-
built structure. In the Whiting Street is
one for the Independants ; in Lower Baxter
Street is one newly erected for Baptists ;
and the Society of Friends, commonly called
Quakers, have a neat meeting-house in the
Long Brakeland.

SUBSCRIPTION ROOMS.
This elegant structure, so highly ornamental
to the town, and affording so many rational
amusements to its inhabitants, the neigh
bourhood, and the public, is now, (1804)
nearly finished in all its parts, and in a style
of superior taste and convenience.
Nearly £5000 have (it. is reported) been
expended upon it, which have been advanced
by twelve highly distinguished and public spi
rited noblemen arid gentlemen of the county*.
* The Earl of Bristol — Lord Vise Brome— Lord -Charles
Fitzroy — Sir Charles Bunbury, B;irt — John Vernon, Esa,.
Mm

[ 266 ]
The public rooms consist of a coffee room,
28 feet by 18; a billiard-room, 29 feet by 18;
a supper-room, 37 feet by 24; and the ball
room, 73 feet by 37, and 29 feet high: there is
also a library- room, several card- rooms, &c.
&c. &c. in short, a more complete and taste
ful assemblage of public rooms is scarcely to
be paralleled in any part of this kingdom.
The outgoings of this expensive concern
are provided for by an annual subscription of
two guineas for such gentlemen as. reside in
the town, or within ten miles of it ; and one
guinea for such as live at a greaterdistance. —
Subscribers are chosen by ballot, and the whole
business of the coffee and billiard- rooms are
under admirable rules and regulations, and
the siiperintendance of a committee of five
gentlemen, chosen yearly from the body of
subscribers, the number of which, it is said,
amounts to nearly one hundred and fifty.
Thomas Cocksedge, Esq. — Thomas Mills, Esq. — Charles
Blachley, Esq.— James Oakes, Esq.— Martin Cocksedge,
Esq -rO, R, Oakes, Esq.— William Dalton, Esrj.

r 2673
There are three balls during the great
week of the fair, which are attended by all
the nobility and fashion of the county, as well
as by many others from different parts of the
kingdom; there are likewise four or five win
ter balls, with suppers, which are always par
ticularly well supported;

THE THEATRE.

This elegant structure (which was origi
nally the old market-cross) was erected in
the year 1780, from a design of Mr. Adams,
and is a very beautiful specimen of that gen
tleman's skill and taste in architecture. It is
built of white brick, the ornaments, &c. of
free-stone. As it stands detached from all
other buildings, it is a great ornament to the
spot on which it is situated, and its own
beautiful construction may be surveyed with
the greater ease and advantage by the curious
observer. As theatres are large and expensive
buildings, there are few in Europe, which,
Mm2

[268]
like this at Bury, exhibit a view of four re
gular fronts. It is used only during the great
fair, by the Norwich company of comedians.
Under this theatre the market- cross is still
continued.

THE BUTCHE R Y,
AND THE
NEW SHAMBLES.
Opposite to the market-cross and theatre,
and in the same square, stand the butchery and
the new shambles ; they are built of free-stone,
with columns of the same. George, these*
cond Earl of Bristol, contributed £400 towards
the finishing of them, which was completed
in the year 1761. His Lordship gave also^oo
towards building the theatre. He was his late
Majesty's ambassador at the court of Spain.

THE BRIDEWELL.

On the Hog-Hill, or Beast-Market, stands
the common Bridewell, formerly a Jewish

[a69 3
synagogue, built of flint and free-stone ; in old
writings it is called Moyse-Hall, as one at
Norwich was called Abraham's-Hall. Its di
mensions are 36 feet by 27. The walls of
this building are of great solidity, they are
faced with stone, and the whole structure is
erected on very strong arches. Its circular
windows bespeak its great antiquity, perhaps
not much less than the time of the Norman
conquest, soon after which period the Jews
settled at Bury ; and it is to be esteemed the
more worthy of notice, because, as all their
synagogues were ordered to be destroyed, in
in the nth of Edward III. this happened to
escape the general destruction.

THE GAOL.
Near the new shambles stood the gaol, a
very old building, which was taken down and
rebuilt in the year 1770. — There is likewise
a new gaol now building without the South
Gate, on a very extensive scale, and after the
plan of the celebrated Mr. Howard.

t 270 J'
BURY FAIRS, AND MARKETS.
There are three annual fairs held in this
town. The first is on Easter-Tuesdayf ; the
second, for three days before the feast of St;
Matthew, Sept. 21, and three days after, but
this, is usually protracted to an uncertain
, lengthf, for the advantage of the traders that
frequent it, and the amusement of the public
who on this occasion resort hither ; and the
third fair is on the 2d of December, for cattle,
butter, and cheese, which lasts two or three
days. The principal, and probably the most
ancient of these fairs, is that of St. Matthew.
* This is the Charter-fair, granted by King James I. to be
held annually in the great market place, -on Tuesday, Wed
nesday and Thursday in Easter-week, and was for some years
totally neglected, but was endeavoured, by public advertise
ment in the news-paper, to be tevived in 1781. The far
mers, and the dealers in hemp and leather, were particularly
desired to attend it.
f The alderman for the time being is lord of the fairs,
&c. and has a right to hold them as long as he pleases. It
usually continues three weeks. It was Henry III, that granted
the charter for this fair.

C27I]
It was granted as early as the year 1272, in
the latter part of the reign of King Henry II[.
and -was formerly one of the most frequented
marts in the kingdom. Its origin was as
follows : Henry III. returning from Norwich,
where he had been to suppress a violent com
motion that had arisen there between the Citi
zens and Monks, passed through Bury in his
way to London. Here he paid his devotions at
the shrine of St. Edmund, and at the request of
Simon de Cutton, Abbot and Lord of Bury,
he granted him a charter for a fair to be kept
anhually without the precincts of the Monas
tery, in the manner just before mentioned
by this charter ; the Abbot had the tolls of
the fair, and the sole government of it by his
steward, with the oversight of the weights and
measures, and the licensing of all the booths
thereof. The townsmen, and all within a mile
round the town, were then subject to the
Abbot ; and the alderman at his entering upon
his office was obliged to swear before the
steward of the Abbey, that he would main-

C 272 3
tain the peace of the borough, and in nothing
injure or hurt the Abbot or Convent, in any
of their rights and privileges*.
But the tyranny of the Abbot, and the op
pressions of his officers, occasioned many in
surrections of the townsmen, particularly in
one of them, which was headed by Richard
Drayton, and Robert Foxton, iu the first
year of the reign of Edward III. 1327, when
they plundered the church and the Abbey, and
carried away their charters, one of which was
the charter for St. Matthew's fair, granted by
Henry III. The insurgents extorted a char
ter from Richard de Draughton, Abbot of
Bury, whom they kept prisoner, with some
of his Monks, till they had sealed a grant of
the tolls, and government of this fair, to the
guild of merchants and aldermen ; but this
instrument, drawn up by compulsion, was de
clared void by the king's manual seal, and the
Abbot was restored to his privileges. This
* See the oath, page 102. See also page 103 for Henry III.
being at Bury.

r 273 3
fair, after this transaction, was kept by pre
scription, and the monks taking advantage of
the credulous superstition of the times, de
rived considerable advantages from vows,
masses, and offerings made at St. Edmund's
shrine, by his numerous votaries, which at
that time resorted to the Abbey*.
It was usual at this fair, to have different
rows of booths assigned to the several manu
facturers of Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester,
London, &c. and even some foreigners, par
ticularly the Dutch. The fair was then kept
(as it is now) on that spacious plain, Angel-
hill, betwixt the gate of the Abbey and the
town, and occupied all the avenues leading
to the Abbot's palace. Here were also min
strels, jugglers, mountebanks, &c. who were
commonly allowed to perform their feats of
dexterity during the fair, where used to
* During the fair, the abbot kept an open table for his"ho-
ble guests ; and such persons as were of inferior rank, were
daily entertained in the fefectory, by the monks
N n

I 274 3
assemble a great concourse of ladies and gen
tlemen from various parts of England. We
meet with a remarkable instance of this re
sort of genteel company in Mary Tudor,
queen of France*, who came every year from
her manor of Westhorpe, in Suffolk, to this
fair, where she had a magnificent tent erected
for her reception with a splendid retinue, and
a band of music to attend, in order to recre
ate and divert the numerous persons of dis
tinction who resorted hither to pay their re
spects to her Majesty-)-. The duke of Suffolk
used also to attend personally at this, fair, as
did likewise several others of the no^fiity, and
consequently the place was frequented for
* Being married to Lewis XII. of that kingdom ; she was
also sister to Henry VIII. of England. She died at Westhorpe
in this county, and was buried in the Abbey-church, at Bury,
but at the dissolution of that monastery, her remains were
removed into St. Mary's church, where' they still continue.
See St. Mary's church, page 169.
•b John Lidgate the famous poet, who was a monk of Bury
wrote an elegant Latin poem upon Bury fair in 1435 and
wc have a modern dramatic piece also entitled 'Bury Fair.'

C 275 3
many years by a consderable number of the
most noble personages of the kingdom*.
There are two market days in this town,
viz. Wednesday and Saturday, the principal
of which is on the Wednesday ; it is much the
largest, and is well supplied with all kinds, of
provisions, &c.

The number of houses in 1775 was 1294;
land-tax £2,oSo; assessed taxes £2,540.
* John Reeve, the last Abbot that presided in this monas
tery, surrendering the Abbey at the dissolution of tljcreji.
gious houses, the alderman of Bury received the tolls, and
assumed the government of this fair. King James I. in
the sixth year of his reign, gave the "reversion of the fairs
and markets of Bury, in fee farm to the corporation. It
may also be further observed, that although the Abbot of
Bury was a parliamentary baron, yet it is to be remembered,
that this borough made no return, though it had a precept
issued to it in the 30 Edward I. (except to a council, ii Ed
ward III.) before the time of king James I. who made it
a parliamentary borough, about the 12th year of his reign.
This fair has been considerably upon the decline for half a
century past, and is now become rather a place of amuse
ment and fashionable resorst, than a temporary mart, as
most of the merchandizes and other goods now brought
hither, are articles of luxury and fancy.

1 276 ]
The following is an exact Account of the
Population of Bury.
In 1377, the numberof inhabitants was 3,500
1757* ditto ditto 5,819
1775 ditto ditto 7,135
1 801 ditto ditto 7,65;
St: Mary's parish 4,090
St. James's ditto 3,565
 7,6;5

St. Mary's (Males) 1,754
Ditto (Females) 2,336
¦  4»c9°
St. James's (Males) 1,645
L)itto (Females) 1,920
 3.S65

St. Mary's (Families) 85 5
St. James's ditto 793
 1,648

7.6J5

From hence it appears, that there has been a
gradual increase of population in this town for
the last four centuries.
* St. Maiy's parish 3,1 22
St. James's ditto 2,697
 5,819

C 277 3
An account of the marriages, baptisms,
and burials, in the parishes of St. Mary and
St. James, in St. Edmund's Bury, from
Easter-day, 1794, to Easter-day 1804.
ST. MARY'S PARISH.

1794 Marriages — 47
to Baptisms ' — 73
1795. Burials — 91
1795 Marriages — 51
to Baptisms — 79
1796. Burials — 82
1796 Marriages — ¦ 40
'to Baptisms — 60
1797: Burials — 132
1797 Marriages — 42
to Baptisms — ¦ 96
1798. Burials — 94
1798 Marriages — .53
to Baptisms — 98
1799. Burials — 88

Increase — iz
Decrease — . 4
Decrease — 20
Increase — 4
Increase — 6
Decrease — 9
Decrease — ir
Decrease — 19
Increase — 50
Increase — 2
Increase — 36
Decrease — 38
Increase — . 11
Increase — 2
Decrease — 6

[278]

1799

Marriages

—

54  Increase—

1

to

Baptisms

—

93  Decrease —

5

1800.

Burials

• —

105  Increase — •

17

1800

Marriages

—

31  Decrease —

23

to

Baptisms

—

86 — Decrease —

7

1801.

Burials

—

90  Decrease —

15

1801

Marriages

—

32  Increase —

1

to

Baptisms

—

56  Decrease —

30

1S02.

Burials

—

122  Increase — .

3*

1802

Marriages

—

35  Increase —

3

to

Baptisms

—

86  Increase —

30

1803.

Burials

—

116  Decrease — .

6

1803

Marriages

— i

44  Increase —

9

to

Baptisms

—

97 — r— Increase —

11

1804.

Burials

— "

150  Increase —

34

ST.

JAMES'S PARISH.

1794

Marriages

—

46  Increase —

12

to

Baptisms

—

70  Decrease —

3

I/9S-

Burials

—

83  Decrease —

35

C279 ]

1795 Marriages — 43 -
to Baptisms — . 78 ¦
1796. Burials — 67 -
1796 Marriages — . 46
to Baptisms — 87 •
1797. Burials — 95 ¦
1797 Marriages — 36 •
to Baptisms — 113
1798. Burials — 72
1798 Marriages — 29
to Baptisms — 59
1799. Burials — > 67
1799 Marriages — 53
to Baptisms — 84
1800. Burials — 79
. 1800 Marriages — 33
to Baptisms — 73
1801. Burials — 68

Decrease — 3
Increase — 8
Decrease— 16
¦ Increase — 3
Increase — 9
Increase — 28
Decrease — 10
Increase — 26
Decrease — . 23
¦ Decrease — 7
¦ Decrease — 54
¦ Decrease — 5
¦ Increase — 24
• Increase — 25
¦ Increase — iz
¦ Decrease — • 20
• Increase — ¦ n
¦ Decrease — 1 r

180I Marriages — 23
to Baptisms — 69 —
1802. Burials — 92 —

Decrease — 10
— Increase -r- 4
Increase — 24

E «8d )
r?02 Marriages — 39 — — Increase — 16
to Baptisms — 84  Increase — 15
1803. Burials — ' 70 — — Decrease — 22
1803 Marriages — 35  Decrease — 4
to Baptisms — ' 87  Increase — 3
1804 Burials — 109  Increase — 39

Bury has not only suffered considerably from
the intestine broils and commotions which at
different periods it has been subj' ect to, from
its frequent disputes with the Abbots. and
Monks belonging to the Abbey, but, like
many other places, it has experienced great
distresses from two of the greatest calamities
that can possibly befal mankind, pestilence
and fire; concerning these misfortunes we
shall mention the following instances, though
probably many more might be added to them.
First, the plague. By a brief, 13 Charles I.
November, 17, 1638, it appears, that almost
all the principal inhabitants and tradesmen of
St. Edmund's Bury, had withdrawn them
selves into the country, through fear of the

[*8i]
infection of the plague ; notwithstanding
which, there were still remaining in the town
4000 persons who had not been attacked with
(hat .grievous disease. Nevertheless, there
were at that time 103 families closely shut
up; 117 sick with sores, and under cure}
exclusive of 439 persons that had been cured j
upwards of 600 persons had died of this ca
lamity, and 263 families were then infected.
All of them were supported at the common
charge of the said town, at the expence of
above £200 per week, and they had previously
disbursed above £2000 when the above fami
lies first applied for relief*,
Secondly, fire. In the year 1608, April
1 ith , the quarter sessions was held at St. Ed
mund's Bury, and through negligence an out
malt-house was set on fire, from whence in
a most extraordinary sudden manner, through
the violence of the wind, the fire extended
* Nichol.'s, in his History of Leicestershire, informs us,
that in the year 1257, one thousand persons died of the plague, '
in Bury..
Oo

[282]
to the farthest part of the town ; nevertheless,
as it proceeded, it left some streets and houses
safe and untouched. The flames flew di
rectly over many houses near them, and did
great damage to many elegant buildings far
thest off, and ceased not to rage till there were
consumed 160 dwelling houses besides others,
and in the destruction of wares, and house
hold stuff, to the fujl value of 60,000 pounds.
This terrible accident, however dreadful and
distressing in itself, might possibly occasion
in some measure one agreeable circumstance,
which is, the great regularity of the streets
in future, which are now in general very spa
cious, and made to intersect each other at
right angles, and by that means contribute
much to the beauty and elegance of the town*.

* Robert Bernard, of Framsden, in this county, labourer;
Adam Fosler, of Mendlesham, i n the said county, and Robert
Lawson, linen draper, were all three chained to a stake, and
Suffered martyrdom at Bury, June 30, 1556.

[*83]
A very able and ingenious Botanist has
lately favoured us with the following
CATALOGUE OF PLANTS
GROWING IN AND NEAR THE TOWN OF
¦ST. EDMUND'S BURY.

WHEN Ihe science of botany was but little
understood, and the knowledge then possessed,
confined to a few persons, a list of plants, sup
posed to be peculiar to a county, has not un
frequently been thought worthy of insertion in
books of great value: the study, however, of
botany in England, from the time of the illus
trious Mr. Ray, (who spent much of his time
and finished his life at Black Notley, near Brain-
tree in Essex, in January 1706,) has so much-
increased, that there is little occasion in the
present enlarged and improved state of botany,
to give a list of plants growing in this (Suffolk)
or any other county. ,
Mr. Hudson's Flora Anglica, and Dr.Wither-
ing's Botanical Arrangement, contain nearly all
the more perfect plants which are indigenous
O02

of Great Britain, and in their works mention
is likewise made of the places of growth of the
more rare plants.
While we may lament the loss of those illus
trious botanists, Ray, Hudson, Curtis, and
Withering, we have now to boast of the pos
session of the valuable Herbarium & Musseum
of the celebrated Lmnasus irk the hands of Dr.
Smith of Norwich, the learned and respected
president of the society lately established by
Royal Charter.
English Botany, and Flora Britannica, now
nearly completed by Dr. Smith, will hereafter
amply supply and render useless, local cata
logues. In the county of Suffolk there are a
few plants which may be said to be almost pe
culiar to it, or at least not common in other
counties, those most peculiar to Bury and its
neighbourhood are marked; more might have
been added, particularly in tlie class Crypto-
gamia (Ferns Mosses, Fuci or sea weeds, and
Fungusses) had the compiler of this list pos
sessed the opportunity and abilities of the wri
ters of some valuable papers on the genus Ly-
coperdon and British Fuci, in the Linrtead

r 285 j
Transactions, or of the learned author of the
Synopsis of British Fuci lately published.
Adoxa moschatellina
Althaea officinalis
Anagallis arvensis flore cceruleo
Ancbusa sempervirens (1)
Anemone Pulsatilla (2}
Anthyllis vulneraria /
Antirrhinum elatine
Antirrhinum spurium
Arenaria tenuifolia
Artemisia campestris (3)
Asperula cynatichica
Asplenium ruta muraria
Astragalus glycyphyllos
Astragalus hypoglottis
Atropa belladonna (4)
Bupleurum rotundifolium (5}
Campanula hybrids
.ft). In Bury, in the lanes near Haberdon.
(2) In a chalk-bank in Cavenham Severals.
(3) Near Icklingham, seven miles from Bury.
(4) In the old Abbey, Bury, and in a hedge near FIempt,on.
(5) Wheat fields, Saxham, live miles from Bury.

£286 ]
Campanula glomerata
Cardamine amara
Carduus eriophorus
Carum carui (6)
Centaurea calcitrapa
Cerastium arvense
Chenopodium hybridum
Chlora perforata
Cicuta v'rosa (7)
Colchicum autumnale (8)
Convallaria majalis (9)
Conyza squarrosa
Crepis foetid a (10)
Crepis biennis (n)
Cuscuta epithymum
Delphinium cousolida
Dianthus deltoides (12)
(6) In Westley Bottom, near Buiy.
(7) In the bogs and water cuts near Temple-bridge, Ca-
venham. (8) Great Barton and Hawsted
(9) Woolpit wood.
(10) On fallows near the 6 miles stone from Bury to New
market, and Greai Saxham.
(11) In Westley Bottom near Bury.
(12) Culford and West Stow Heaths

[ «87 3
Erodium cicutarium (13)
Erysimum cheiranthoides
Fri till aria meleagris (14)
Galium tricorne (15)
—  Anglicum (16)
Genista pilosa(i7)
Gentiana campestris (18)
Gentiana amarella More pleno vel mon-
stroso (19)
Geum rivale
Hej'niaria glabra (20)
Hieracium sabaudum
Hieracium umbellatnm
Hippocrepis comosa
(13) Amongst turnips near Bury.
(14) Meadow in Hawsted, in April,
(15) In sandy corn fields.
(16) In sandy corn fields.
(17) On Culford, Cavenham, Lackford and Tuddenharo
Heaths, in flower from the- middle of May to the middle of
June, and again in September.
(18) On Thurston Heath, Cavenham Severals, and Dead-
man's Green near Hardwick, in September.
(19) On the heath near Barrow Bottom, in a chalk pit
little Saxham, &c. September and October.
(10) On fallows, near Barrow Bottom. ,

1 288 3
Hippuris vulgaris
Holosteum umlie'Iatum (21^
Hyacinthus raremosus (22J
Hydrocotyle inundatum
Hyoseris minima (23)
Hypericum pulcnrum
Hypericum elodes
Hypochaeris maculata (*4'J-
Hypochaeris glabra (25)
t. .
Iberis nudicaulis (26}
Inula pulicaria
Iris fcetidissima
Lactuca virosa
Lathyrus aphaca (27)

(21) Walls, and thatches of bouses, Bury, in March and
April. (22) Fields at Hengrave, and the plantations at Cavenham.
(23) Sandy corn fields, and turnips, Fornham, Tim worth,
ice. &c.
(24) At the end of Risby Heath, on a chalky bank close .
by the plantation of firs, middle of June and the month of
July. .
(25) Amongst turnips at Great Barton, &c.
(26) Culford and West Stow Heaths.
1*27) in a crave) pit near Sicklesmere. See..

t289 J
Latliyrus sylvestris (28)
Leonurus cardiaca (29)
Linum perenne (30)
Littorella Iacustris (31)
Lysimachia vulgaris (32)
Lysimachia nemorum (33)
Lythrum hyssopifolium (34)
Medicago falcata floribus Iuteis (35)
Medicago falcata floribus violaceo Iuteis
et virescentibus (36)
Medicago polymorpha (37)
Melampyrum cristatum
(28) In the woods of Mr. Mills, of Great Saxham,
(29) In a lane near the toll-gate, Bary.
(30) Near the windmill on the hill, near the North-gate,
Bury, Ixworth, &c.
(31) Bogs in Cavenham Seveials.
(32I On the banks of the liver hear Icklingham.
(33) In Sir Charles Davers's Wood near Rushbrook, and
Wuolpit Wood.
(34) In a wheat field just beyond Barton Mere, near the
direction-post, the road leading to Pakenham, 28th July, and
Barrow Bottom.
(35) Common by the road side round Bury.
(36) On the bank on the roadside, a little beyend the New
Bridewell, Bury, and between Bjry and Saxham.
(37) Lane near Mayne Water, B'uy, Wordwell Heath, &c.
PP

C 290 3
Myrlophyllum spicatum (38)
Myriophyllum verticillatum (39)
Mentha sylvestris
Mentha vividis
Mentha piperita
Mentha pulegium
Menyanthes tiifoliata
Nymphasa alba
(Enanthe peucedanifolia (40)
Ophioglossum vulgatum
Ophrys nidus avis (41)
Ophrys spiralis (42)
Ophrys lceselii (43)
Ophrys menorchis (44)
(38) In the moat of the old house of Little Saxham Hall. .
(39) In the ditches near Bury.
'40) In a large wet meadow, near Westley Bottom, about
one mile and a half from Bury.
(41) In Sir Charle.s Davers' wood called the Link, and a
wood in Little Saxham, in June.
(44) On the turf on the road-side between Hawsted and
Whepsted, in September.
(43) In tlie bogs near Tuddenham, in July.
(44) In a chalk-pit nearSicklesmere, and at Little Saxham,
in July.

f 291 3
Ophrys anthropophora (45)
Ophrys muscifera (46)
Ophrys r-ifera
Ophrys arafiifera (47)
Orchis bifolia major
Orchis bifolia minor (48)
Orchis ustulata (49)
Omithogalum umbellatum *
Ornithogalum nutans f
Orobanche major
Orobanche elatior
Osmunda lunaria (50)
Fapaver hybridum
Papaver argemone
Papaver dubium
(45) In meadows, Little Saxham, and at Hawsted, in June.
(46) In woods near Buiy, in May.
(47) Westley Bottom, Great and Little Saxham, and near
Sicklesmere, In April and May.
(48) Near Barton Mere, and Bryar's Wood, Hawsted.
(49) Chalk Bank, Risby Heath.
* In corn fields near Barton Shrubbery.
t In the meadow nearly opposite the chalk ,'pitSj in th©
Risby-gate Street, Buiy, latter end of April.
(50) Chalk pits, near Bury.
' Pa

i *9* 3
Paris quadrifolia (51)
Parnassia palustris
Phalaris arenaria (;2)_
Picris hieracioides
Pimpinella magna (53)
Pinguicula vulgaris
Plantago coronopus
Polygonum bistorta ($4)
Potentilla verna (55)
Pyrus communis
Radiola millegrana (56)
Ranunculus lingua ($7)
Rhamnus catharticus (58)
Rhamnus frangula ($9)
Rosa spinosissima (60)
(51) Woods of Rushbrook, and Great Saxham.
(52) Culford, Wordwell, and Ickiingham Heaths.
(53) In woods at Hawsted, Great Saxham, &c.
(54) In the low meadows near the pest-house, Bury.
(55) On the chalk bank, Cavenham Severals.
(56) On the heaths near Culford and Tim worth.
(57) In the ditches near Timwoith, Cavenham, &c.
(58) In the hedges near Nowton, Great Barton, &c.
(59) Woolpit Wood
(60) Cavenham Severals.

C 293 j
Rosa rubiginosa (61)
Rumex maritimiis (62)
Rumex palustris (63)
Sambucus nigra foliis laciniatis (64)
Salix helix (6;)
— — lambertiana
 forbyana
 rubra
 lanceolata
 fragilis
 repens
-(61) Cavenham Severals.
(62) Fornham Heath, near Hengrave Park.
(63) Fornham Heath, near Hengrave Park.
(64) Near the lime-kilns, East-gate Street, Bury.
(65) Salix Helix, Lambertiana, Forbyana, Rubra & Lan
ceolata, all glow by the side of the river, near Icklingham
Bridge; the rest, with several others, are not uncommon in
the osier grounds near Bury, and elsewhere. From the au
thority of Dr. J. E. Smith's Flora Britannica, and the inde
fatigable attention of Mr. Crowe, of Lakenham, it is ascer
tained that we have at least forty-five distinct species of wil
lows, natives of Great Britain; it is difficult, however, at
present to ascertain to what species the Huntingdon willow
and several others belong ; which, as Mr. Evelyn says, abound
in Suffolk, and arc known only by names given to them by
Basket-makers.

C 294 3
Salix caprea
 stipularis
— — mollfssima
— — vimin alis
Samolus valerandi
Santolinamaritima (65*)
Sclerauthus perennis (66)
Scrophularia vernalis (67)
Sedum telephium*
Senecio paludosus (68)
Serapias palustris
Serratula tinctoria
Silene anglica (69)
Silene otites (70).
Silene noctiflora (71)
<6j*) LandguardFort, in August and September.
.(66) Culford, West Stow, and Icklingham Heaths.
(67) Fornham St. Genoveve
* In hedges near Nowton and Rougham. 1
,(68) Lakenheath Fen, near Wangford.
{69) In corn fields near Westley, Barrow Bottom, &c.
(70) Fornham St. Martin, Risby, &c. &c.
(71) In turnip fields round Bury.

C 29s 3
Sison amomum
Sisymbrium polyceratium (72)
{See Gerard s Em. page 2 54, tt. 2. J
Smyrnium olusatrum
Solidago virgaurea
Spergula arvensis
Spergula nodosa
Spiraea filipendula
Stellark glauca (73)
Tamarix'gallica (74)
Teucrium Scorodonia
Thalictrum minus (7;)
Thalictrum flavum
Thesium linophyllum (76)
Thlaspi arvense (77)
(72) Under garden walls in the North-gate Street and
several lanes adjacent, thrown out of the garden of the late
Rev. Mr. Laurents, near twenty years ago.
(73) In the fen ditches, Cavenham, &c.
(74)' Languard Fort.
(75) In Field Lane, and chalk-pit near St. Peter's Barn,
Risby-gate Street, Bury.
(76) Chalk Bank, near the Plantation of Firs, Risby
Heath, &c.
(77) Corn fields, near Fornham Wood, about the grounds
of Haughley Park, Badwell Ash, &c;

£ a96 3
Thymus acinos (78)
 nepeta (79)
Tillaea muscosa (80)
Trifolium "subterraneum (81)
Trifolium suffocatum (82)
Trifolium medium
Trifolium scabrum
Trifolium fragiferilm
Tulipa sylvestris (83)
Turritis glabra (84)
Turritis hirsuta
Utricularia vulgaris
Utricularia minor (85)
Verbascum pulverulentum (86)
(78) Risby and Cavenham.
(79) In the hedge on the right, just beyond Kennet Bell.
(80) West Stow, Icklingham and Cavenham Heaths, in
blossom from the middle of April to the middle of May.
(81) Fornham, and othei heaths round Bury.
(82) Languard Fort.
(83) Chalk-pit, near St. Peter's Barn, Risby-gate Street
in the month of April, produces flowers very sparingly.
(84) Thurston Church-yard.
(85 ) Tuddenham Bogs. '
(88) Environs of Bury, common.

r 297 3
Verbascum nigrum
Veronica spicata (87)
Veronica officinalis
Veronica montana (88)
Veronica triphyllos (8.9)
Veronica verna (90)
Vicia Iutea (91)
Vicia lathyroides
Vinca minor 92
•Vinca major 93 -r
(87) Chalk-bank oh Cavenham, Severals, Culford, and
Risby Heaths.
(83) Woods near Rushbrook.
(89) On the fallows, and amongst turnips and tares, with
the veronica hederifoli a, the latter end of March, and
ill the month of April.
(96) On the sandy heath, between West Stow and Ickling
ham, but more luxuriant in the rye at Wordwell, West Stow,
and Icklingham, in April and May, and even June.
(91) At Orford and Aldborough.
(92) Near Great Welnetham church.
(93) Near Hawsted Green, &c.

cu

APPENDIX.

SAINT EDMUND, (p. 41.)
BLOMEFIELD informs us, that in one of the
South windows, in Mertori Church, was the effigy
of .St. Edmund in ;'his\ princely robes, holding
in his left hand an arrow ; and beneath him, in the
same window, was the figWfe of 'Sir Robert Clifton,
Knt. kneeling, with his hands lifted [up, in armour,
with his mantle and coat of arms thereon, quartered.
with Caily's, having a book before him; and a scrowl
proceeding from his mouth, containing, in. eld cha
racters, Sancte Edmunde ora pro nobis.
ON THE REMOVAL OF ST. EDMUND'S
BODY TO BURY, AND CONSTRUCTION
OF ANCIENT CHURCHES, (p. 45 and 165.)
The church of Greensted, near Chipping Ongar,
in Essex, is much celebrated as one of the most
remarkable ancient structures in Great Britain. It
is entirely composed of wood, the sides being formed
of the trunks of large chesnut treses, split or sawn
asunder. These arc set. upright, close to each other,
and let into a rill and plate; at the top they are
fastened with wooden pins. On the South side are
sixteen, and two door posts ; on the North, twenty-
one, and two vacancies filled up with plaister. The
tower and porch arc of wood.
There is a tradition among the inhabitants of this
village, that the corpse of a king once rested in this

•APPENDDt. S99
church. In a manuscript preserved in Lambeth
¦library, it is said, that, " in 1010, St. Edmund was
.taken by Bishop Aylwln to London; but in the;
third year following, was carried back < to St: Ed
mund's Bury, and that a certain person, at Staple-
ford, received his body on its feftirn." Another
manuscript, cited in the Mdnasticon, relates this
circumstance : " St. Edmund's body was received
at Ongar, where a wooden chapel, erected to his
memory, remains to this day." It is to be observed,
that the ancient road from London into Suffolk,
lay through Greensted and- Stapleford. It seems
not improbable, therefore, that this rough and un
polished fabric was first erected as assort of shrine
for the reception of the body of St Edmund, in its
return from London to Bury ; which, as Lidgate
says, was carried in a chest ; and as tiie above ma
nuscript in the Monasticon informs us, that this
iChest remained afterwards in memory of that re
moval, so it might, in process of time, with proper
additions made to it^be converted into a parish
church. ,"** Beauties of England. Essex.
BATWELL, OR THE TOLL-GATE.
f(p.21Sand220.)
In the year 1257, the Grey Friers began to fix
themselves in the North-west .part of fheitown;
and notwithstanding the utmost effortsof themonks,
went on for some years to build their church and
offices, being protected by the bulls of Pope Alex
ander IV. and by writs from King Henry III. (who
styled himself, their founder*, and supported by the
interest of several very eminent person's, .when,
*'But Weever makes Master Adam de Lincoln to be the
founder of this house. *' Cic-3 '

$09 APPENDIX,
after a contest cf aboye six years coiatii)uan#3, and
the expenditure of,, immense syms of money at
Rome, Pope Urbaw IV. revoked the bulls, of his
predecessor, and sent a peremptory order tp fjbe
Provincial, t6 remove them out of the town and
jurisdiction. of Bury, which was done on the eve of
St. Edmund, 1363, when they rq tired, to a place
just without the bounds, beyo.nd the ^orthrga^e,
called Badwell, now the Toll-gate, which theAJbbot
!»nd Convent generously. gave them to build on,
p-nd here they continued till the dissolutipn. The
scite of their, Ijouse was granted S3 Hen-ry Vljl. tp
Anthony Harvey. Tanner.
GOD'S HOUSE, OR ST. JOHN'S HOSPITAL.
(Page 221.)
¦ In the beginning of the reign of King Edward' I.
there was an hospital' without the South-gate of
Bury, dedicated to St; John the Evengelist, which
was often called Domus Dei. Tanner.
ST. NICHOLAS' HOSPITAL. (Page 223.)
' Without the East-gate of this town was an hos
pital consisting of a master and. . several brethren,
dedicated to St. Nicholas ; the founder of which
was an Abbot of Bury. It was valued, 26 Hen. VIII.
at £6. 19*. llrf. per annum. Tanner.

ERRATA.
' Page 81, line 22, (note) /or for, read from ; p. 90,
1. 17, for serpant, -read serpent \ p. 204, (note)jfiir
page 37, read page 136; p. 217, (note) for page 37,
read page 104 ; p. 218, (note) for page 30, read
page 76 ; p. 225, (note) _/br page 62, read page 175;
p. 225, (note) for page 85, read page 237.

I N D E X.

A. Page
ABBEY, BURY, Origin of — it
 Precincts- — — 88
— ¦-  when walledin — 6r
 eourts, where held — 13
— — ¦¦ — ¦ how govef nedT — • 100
t-;  Grant to it — — ¦ 103
 Oath of Obedience to it 102
 its Magnificence — • 62
-  r» Ruins of, as melancholy object 99
— '.  Violent Commotions there 104
 -plundered — '•¦ — 105
 Claims on, by Bp of Norwich 107, 1 19
 one of the richest Houses 131
-  Amusements there — 80
 ; — few Irregularities there 172
 numerous Relics — 139
 Value at its Dissolution 136
1  — Grant of it to J. Eyre, Esq. 1 56
-=  Arms of — • — 162

Abbots of Bury, List of •¦- — 109
 made Lords of Bury — 57
 sit in Parliament — 109
¦ had Liberty of Coinage 113
—  their Opulence — 117
— -— — Country Seats, where — 132
 the last there — 127

3P2 INDEX. Page.
Abbey Gate, beautiful Relic of Antiquity 82
— :  "when built — 82
 — — described — — 84
 — — Upper Room there, Conjectures
fsxf ( about .'— — 85
Ayllwin, Bp. rebuilds the second churdr.f 39
Apgel-HilLdescribei. — . ' , — , _'  .93
—  _subterraneous'Passage — _„__9A
¦p  . CharneJ tftere —  96
¦:— t  .now much altered — .94,-98.
Arches at.East Gate.described — ¦.. . .. ..7.5.

BuRY,:Origin of — — — 1
 Delightful Situation — 213
 MoFrtpelier of England — 2-
¦ surrounded with elegant Seats 21*
 fine approach to it _ — -214
 Etymology of its Name — 3, 27
 not the Villa Faustini — ¦ 6
 why-called St.. Edmund's Bury 15, 31
 of Saxon Origin. — 27
 Boundaiies of ^- — 164
 Mints there- — — 200
 Termination explained —*- 9
 Civil Government — 163
 heavily fined - — — 106
 numerous Churches, &c. there for
merly — — 216
 Number of Clergymen there formerly 217
 intended for a bishop's bee — 132

I:NID[EX 303
' Page
Baldwin, -Abbot, rebuUds'the, ;lasi Abbey 'n -, ,'">
v • church, -•'¦'.; 1 ' — ;¦ ¦ 1 , ' • 1 — • ' v,k; 66
Baptistry, a magtrificenb one i ,• ¦¦«•: 1 -n4S
Baret, John, his Monurrient ; j,. i— • ,! i-yj
Bateman, Bp. of Norwich; Acconntof ,. ,203
-, . ! "; . , his shafpCon!test'with4he;Albbey203
¦^  excommunicates.Ldrd.Mdjley!;1 208
— rt  -bis worthy Character '• — •.-¦, 407
Batwell, or-Toll-gaBsjwfiat M."i ¦ — ¦* , 2-1-8-
Baptist Meeting-house: i .:-..-¦ • '.'¦ -~- ... !< ¦ 265
Beodricus* gives the Burgh toKirigiEdmund^
Beoderie-worth, the anqient Name, of Bury 8
- — :  -derived its name from Lord Beo-
-dricus — ; — 13-
Bpadicea, Queen, Account of -i— i — 1 7
— -.  ;  her marfial Exploits Z1 -1- 19
Bishop of London attempts to steal StsJ Ed
mund's body >-¦- 44
Body embalmed, discovered at Bury .' > —52-
Brideweil, Account of ". . — 268
Bricks, Roman, described -*- 71
Burgh, its meaning, what —• o\
Butchery at Bury, Account of — 268'

Canute succeeds Sweyn his father "' 49
— — saw a'vision of St. Edmund" 49'
 resolves to rebuild {he Abbey church 49
Caracute of Land, what — 60
Carew, Sir William, his fine tomb — 176
Cere-cloth, the use of — 56

3©4 INDEX Page
Church, the fourth, when built — fife
Churches; number or> in Bury. — 64
—*- old «nes, how constructed *— 38,165
Church-yard at Bury, described 167
Church -gate street, fornaeriyvVery fine 65
Church, conventual, 4th, its dimensions- 71, 79
— — like- that at Caen *— 78
— — extremely beautiful — 114
<-^— Western front described — 115
¦f— — the second when built — 39
«  the third ditto — 50
¦* — Chapels there — 76
Chapel, St. Bo toi ph's — 22 r
¦ ¦ » St. Petronell's — — 221
— — St. Mary's . . *— 223
 our -Lady's: — 2*4
— — at the Gaol — 227,23$
 Stone one — - 22
 Charnel - —

Chantry irr South-gate Street . « — 221
Charitable Donations, Account of • — 234, 26 r
Christianity, precarious State of — 39
Clopton, Foley, his will — 232
Cloy&ter, by whom built — . -jS
Cook-row, singular Cellars there — 94
Count of the Saxon Shore j. — 2;
Crypts, what '.;' — 217
D.

Deeds, remarkable ones
Druids, their Religion

H3 22

INDEX. 305
Page
Drury, Roger, Esq. his fine Tomb 1 76
Ducking-stool, an Account of — 192
— —  abolished, and why - — 193
— —  formerly used in France 194
E.
East-gate, Account of — • 222
Edmund, St. some Account of — 37
 crowned at Buers — 66
 got the Book of Psalms by Heart 166
 crueMy murdered by the Danes 32, 33
— — buried first at Hoxne — 31
 removed to Bury — 3 r
'  conveyed to London • — 41
 brought again to Bury — 45
 his Body found uncorrupted — no
Edward I. State of his embalmed Body 54
Ethelwolf, his Grant to the Church 49
Exchequer*room, where 80, 97, 128
" F.
Faustinus, who — 26
Fairs at Bury — 270
Felix, Bishop of the East- Angles 26
Feoffment, Guild-Hall — 234
 Corporation -•- — 246
 School-Hall — — 248
Fire, great one at Bury — 28r
Finers, Archdeacon, Effigies of — 177
Flemings brought into England — J9S
Floriacensis Abbo, Account of — 6
R r

3Q6 INDEX. Page
Fornham, great Battle there — 198
Furseus, an Irish Monk — 26
G.
Gage, Sir John, Firle, Sussex — 251
 Sir Thomas, Hengrave — 251
Gate-way, an ancient brick one — 220
Gaol, Account of — — 269
Gold-bridge, Hoxne, why so called 32
Grammar School, Account of 261.
Grindle, what — — 5, 27
Guilds in Bury, Number of — 185
Guild-Hall, Account of — — 262
H.
Hale, Sir Matthew, his scruples well founded 1 88
Hermitage at Bury — . — 224
Hospital, St. Saviour's — — 219
¦ St. Thomas's — — 220
 St. John's — — 221
 St. Nicholas's — — 223
 St. Stephen's — — 224
 St. Peter's — — . 225
— — Clopton's — — 231
Houses in Bury, number of — 375
Humphrey, Duke of, Gloucester mur
dered at Bury — — 57
— — preserved in Pickle — xj
I- — J.
James, St. Church when built — 178
 Edward VI. gave £zoo to it 179

INDEX. 307
Page
James, St. Church, Dimensions of it 181.
—. — numerous Altars — — 181
 a beautiful Structure — 1 80
 Judge Reynolds, his Monument 183
— — First Church, when built — 118
 Chancel, when built ¦ — 181
James I. his Grants to Bury — 246
Iceni, where situated -— 16
- — Name whence derived — 17
 Jesus College, Account of — * 228
 Jews crucify a Boy — 5^'
- — had a Synagogue here — r,8
Independant Meeting-house - — 265
Inhabitants of Bury, Number of — 276
K.
Kitehen, Joan, her singular Epitaph 168"
Kings, many visit Bury ' — 196
Kedington, Roger, Esq. his Will — 356

Lady chastises her Husband — 194
Lease, a curious one — — 36
Leprosy, Account of — — 237
Liberty of St. Edmund's, its Origin n
Lidgate, Monk of Bury, a rioted Poet 34
 List *>f his Works — 46
Longevity, remarkable Instances of 81
Ludicrous Figures on Churches, why 51
Rr 2

308 INDEX. M. Page
Mary's, St. Church, when built — 169
 described — — 169
 damaged by a Thunder Storm 178
 Roof brought from France 1 70
 numerous Altars there — 1 70
 Figure of Skeleton there — 170
 Sacred Utensils there formerly 172
 Tomb of Mary Queen of France 173
¦  North Porch described — 178
Margaret's, St. Church, its present Use 168
Markets at Bury — — 270
Market Lecture there — — 241
Marble used about the Abbey Church . 64
Martyrs burnt at Bury — . 282
Maidens, poor ones, for their Benefit 8r
Meeting-house, Dissenters — 26;
Mid wives, two remarkable ones 168
Miracles wrought by relics here — 140
 in conveying St. Edmund's Body 42
Model of the Abbey-church,' a curious one 65
Monks of Bury, changed to Regulars 49
N.
North-gate, Account of — . 219
Nuisances near the Abbey Ruins 98
O.
Octangular Stone, a curious one — 226
P.
Painted Glass at St. James's Church 181
 at Risby-gate Chapel — 36

INDEX. 309
Page
Painted Glass at the Exchequer-room r 2 7
— — why Figures without Heads 181
Parker, Archbishop, his Body embalmed $6
Parliaments held at Bury — 209
Persons, eminent ones, buriedhere 52
Pilloreum, a punishment, what 191
Plague at Bury — 2B0
Plants in and near Bury, Botanical Account
of them — — 283
Procession of the White Bull, ridiculous
one — — 142
Q.
Quakers, their neat Meeting-house 265
Queen of France, her Body removed 1 73
R.
Bay, Rev. John, a great Botanist 283
Reeve, John, the last Abbot of Bury 127
Reeves of Harleston, of the same Family 1,30
Report on the Government of the Abbey 152
 of its Effects — — ¦ 154
Revel on St. Edmund's Night — 186
Reflections on the Ruins of the Abbey 149
Register of Bury, Extracts from — 277
Rivers, Countess of, comes to Bury 227
Risby Gate, Account of — 224
S.
Saxons, their first Descents — 24
Saxon Tower, near St. James's Church 89, 9.2

3io I N D E X. Page
Scolding Women, inhumanly treated 192
Sigebert, an Account of him — 25
— — original Founder of Bury Abbey rr, 26
 becomes a Monk — 29
 slain in Battle — • — • 28
Shaftesbury Abbey resembled Bury 72
Smith, John, great Benefactor to Bury 23;
¦  an Account of him — 177
Smith, Dr. J. E. of Norwich, a great
Botanist — — s 284
— — the learned President of the Lin-
nean Society — — 284
Smith, Rev. William, Mendham, Norfolk 195
Shire-hall, at Bury 263
Sitting in the Gate explained — 88
Spencer, Henry, Martial, Bp. of Norwich 209
Spital-house -at Bury. ' . — 225.
Small-pox, rage in this Town — 226
South-gate, Account of — 221
Stradbrook Reformation partly began there 1 24
Subscription Rooms at Bury — 265,
Sweyn, King of Denmark burns Bury 48
 struck with the Sword by St. Edmund 48
 — his Death — — 49
 succeeded by Canute his Son 49
T.
Theatre at Bury, Account of — • 267
Tiles, ancient ones, described — 68
 glazed ones — '68
 extremely beautiful — 69
Tower, a new one at the Abbey-chuich 78

INDEX. 311
Page
Tradition, a very ancient one — 33
Tumberellam, what — 191
Tyler, Wat, Rebellion and Defeat 209
U.
Uvius, first Abbot of Bury — - 109
V.
Villa Faustini, Account of — - 6, 27
W."
West -gate, Account of — 224
White Bull, wonders performed by him 142
Willows, 4; distinct Species of, Natives of
Great Britain — 293
 aboundin Suffolk — 293
Witchcraft, two Women executed for 188
 Absurdity of it — 187
 Cruelties, Account of — 189, 19c
 justly ridiculed' in Hudibras 189
Witchfiuder General, who — 1 89
Witch-pool, near Harleston, Norfolk 190
Wolf, a very sagacious one — . 34
 attends St. Edmund's Funeral at
Hoxne — — 36
Worship, ancient Places of — 10
Workhouse at Bury, formerly Jesus College 228
Wool-halls, Account of — 264
Y.
Yarmouth, Witches hanged.there 189
F.I N I S.

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