carrieth. privity and consent of a great prelate, (not so safe to be named as easy to be guessed,) with whom he consulted in all church matters. But it mis- But when the foresaid prelate was informed that the earl had applied to his majesty before addresses to himself, he dashed the design, so that poor Waltham church must still be contented with her weak walls and worse roof, till Providence procure her some better benefactors. As for the arms of Waltham abbey, being loath to set them alone, I have joined them in the following draught with the arms of the other mitred abbeys, as far as my industry could recover them. High time to knock off. James earl of Carlisle present Waltham. But day begins to dawn, and the light of our age to appear, matters coming within the memory of many alive. We will therefore break off, Waltham since affording no peculiar observables. Only will add that sir Edward (grandchild to sir Anthony) Denny, was created by king James baron of Waltham, and since made by king Charles earl of Norwich. A noble person, who settled on the curate of Waltham (to whom before a bare stipend of eight pound did belong) one hundred pound per annum, with some other considerable accommodations, tying good land for the true performance thereof. The abbey is now the inheritance of (this earl's grandchild by Honora his daughter) James Hay owner of earl of Carlisle, who married Margaret, daughter to Francis earl of Bedford, by whom as yet he hath no issue, for the continuance of whose happiness my prayers shall never be wanting. The reader may justly expect from me a catalogue of all the abbots of this monastery. But to do it falsely, I dare not; lamely, I would not; perfectly I cannot; and therefore must crave to be excused. Nicholas Only let me observe, that Nicholas abbot of Waltham was most triumphant in power of any in his place; he flourished in the reign of king Richard the second, and was one of the fourteen commissioners chosen by parliament to examine the miscarriages in that king's reign since the death of his grandfather'. the most eminent abbot of John de Amongst the natives of Waltham for statesmen, Waltham. John de Waltham bears away the bell. He was k Camden's Brit. in Essex. 1 Hen. de Knighton de Eventibus Angl. lib. v. p. 2685. keeper of the privy seal in the reign of king Richard the second, being the third in number, chosen amongst the fourteen commissioners aforesaid, impowered to examine all misdemeanours of state. And now was not Waltham highly honoured with more than a single share, when amongst those fourteen two were her gremials, the forenamed Nicholas living in Waltham, and this John having his name thence, because birth therein m? tham a writer. But amongst scholars in our town, Roger Wal- Roger Waltham must not be forgotten, canon of St. Paul's in learned London, and a great favourite to Fulk Basset, bishop thereof. He wrote many learned books, whereof two especially (one called "Compendium Morale, the other Imagines Oratorum) commend his parts and pains to posterity. buried in Pass we from those who were born to eminent Hugh Nevil persons buried therein. Here we first meet with Waltham. Hugh Nevil, a minion of king Richard the first; he was interred in Waltham church, saith my author, in nobili sarcophago marmoreo et insculpto, in a noble coffin of marble engraved. If a coffin be called sarcophagus (from consuming the corpse), surely sacrilege may be named sarcophago-phagus, which at this day hath devoured that coffin, and all belonging thereunto. Robert We spoil all, if we forget Robert Passellew, And also who was dominus fac totum in the middle, and fac Passellew. nihil towards the end of the reign of Henry the third. Some parasites extolled him by allusion to his name Pass-le-eau, (that is, passing the pure A heap of difficulties cast together. water) the wits of those days thus descanting upon him: Est aqua lenis, et est aqua dulcis, et est aqua clara, Dulci dulcior es tu, clara clarior es tu, Mente quidem lenis, re dulcis, sanguine clarus P. But such who flattered him the fastest whilst in favour, mocked him the most in misery, and at last he died in his own house in Waltham, and was buried in the abbey church thereina. And now because we have so often cited Matthew Paris, I never met with more difficulties in six lines than what I find in him; which, because nearly relating to this present subject, I thought fit to exemplify. Matthew Paris in anno 1242, p. 595. And in the same year, namely the morrow after St. Michael's day, the conventual church of the canons at Waltham was dedicated by William bishop of Norwich very solemnly, many other bishops, prelates, and venerable peers assisting him : presently after the dedication of St. Paul's in London, that pilgrims and travellers up and down might indistantly return. It is clear our church of Waltham abbey is intended herein, England affording no other conventual church r. P Collection of Camden's MSS. in sir Tho. Cotton's library. q Matt. Paris anno 1252. [p. 840.] See Speed his catalogue of religious houses. |