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John Foxe the Martyrologist and his Family

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2009

William Winters
William Winters
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Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
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Extract

From the commencement of the reign of Queen Elizabeth down to the middle of the last century, several members of the Foxe family, descendants of the great martyrologist, resided in the parish of Waltham Holy Cross. And it is asserted by several local writers that the justly celebrated John Foxe himself resided in this ancient town, where he uninterruptedly pursued his literary labours during the early part of the latter half of the sixteenth century. Tradition even points to the house in “Sun Street,” then called “East Street” in which he compiled the “Book of Martyrs.” Some have supposed that John Foxe visited the house of Mr. Cressey in the Romeland with Stephen Gardner and Henry the Eighth to consult about the king's divorce from Catherine of Arragon, but that is a mistake which the writer has pleasure in correcting. It was Dr. Edward Fox (afterwards Bishop of Hereford) that figured in that scene, and not the martyrologist.

Type
Research Article
Information
Transactions of the Royal Historical Society , Volume 5 , December 1877 , pp. 28 - 82
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Historical Society 1877

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References

page 28 note * Waltham Holy Cross is the correct name of the town, although it is more frequently called Waltham Abbey.

page 28 note † In the summer of 1871 some necessary improvements were being made in this house when a fine Gothic chimney-piece was discovered. It was in an excellent state of preservation, consisting of Reigate stone, six feet in height and five feet in width, carved with variaus floral devices, and coloured with vermilion, green, and gold. Near the spring of the arch on the left shield were the letters “I.V.,” and on the surface of the arch above the initial letters “F.” and “F.S.”

page 28 note ‡ They were married at Charlecote. Persons of the name of Randall possessed property at Waltham in the seventeenth century.

page 29 note * A translation was made by John Day, son of the great printer, and published 1579.

page 29 note † If In the “Stationers' Register” the following is recorded:—“Rychard Adams for Prynting the Register of all them that ware burned without lycense was fyned at Vs. ….Vs. The editor notes that this compendious register in metre of the Marian martyrs was written by Thomas Brice, and was doubtless of considerable use to John Foxe in the preparation of the first English edition of his ‘Acts and Monuments.’”—1558–9.

page 30 note * Ames, , Typog. Antiq., vol. iv., p. 82Google Scholar.

page 31 note * “Church Historians,” Seeley, , vol. i., 1870Google Scholar. Also, “Book of Compositions,” Pub. Rec Off.

page 32 note * Queen Elizabeth, on the 3rd of August, 1564, granted, by letters patent, Copt Hall, in the parish of Waltham Abbey, to Sir Thomas Heneage and Anne his wife, to be held of her the Duchy of Lancaster by the service of a knight's fee. Sir Thomas Heneage, the son of Robert Heneage, Esq., was Knight of the Shire for the county of Lincoln in the Parliament held at Westminster in the 8th of Queen Elizabeth. He was also captain of her guard, treasurer of her chamber, vice-chamberlain of her household, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and one of her privy council. He was owner of Copt Hall—at that time the noblest house in Essex—and Brightlingsea, in the same county, and married Anne, daughter of Sir Nicholas Poyntz, of Acton Poyntz, co. Gloucester, by whom he had issue Elizabeth, who became the wife of Sir Moyle Finch. Lady Anne Heneage died November 30th, 1594, and Sir Thomas, her husband, died 17th October, 1595, owning the Copt Hall estate, then valued at £24 6s. 8d. per annum. This estate passed to his daughter Elizabeth, wife of Sir Moyle Finch; who by letters patent bearing date July 8, 1623, was in 1628 created Viscountess of Maidstone and Countess of Winchester. “The purchase of this peer-age raised at the time much talk. The price is said to have been the lady's fine seat at Copt Hall as a bribe to Lord Treasurer Craufield.” Lionel Craufield possessed the estate in 1622, and died August 6, 1645.

page 35 note * Harl. MSS., 416, f. 146.

page 36 note * Fuller's, “Abel Redivivus,” vol. ii., p. 87Google Scholar.

page 36 note † In 1592 Mrs. Foxe was living in Grub Street. See Lansd. MSS., 819.

page 37 note * Annals, Vol. III., p. 503.

page 37 note † This edition was published 1632. Athence Oxon, vol. i. 531.

page 38 note * At the dissolution of the Abbey of Waltham, temp. Hen. VIII., this church possessed “two Gospels in the Saxon tongue.”

page 38 note † See Ogbourn's Hist. Essex, 191.

page 39 note * In the church of Waltham Abbey the marks of the chain are still to be seen on the pillar near the South entrance, where the books were fastened for people to read. The Book of Martyrs was then called “Monumenta Martyrum.”

page 40 note * The Princess Mary (afterwards Queen) resided for some time at Copt Hall. She writes to King Edward VI. from her “poore howse at Copped Hall, 19th August, 1551.”

page 42 note * Harl MSS., 416 to 426.

page 42 note † See Camden Society Publications.

page 42 note ‡ See “Narratives of the Reformers,” Camden Society.

page 42 note § In this letter he mentions his cousin Isaac Foxe of Lincolnshire.

page 43 note * Lansd. MSS., 679.

page 43 note † He was sent to Merchant Taylors' School. See Wilson's history of that school.

page 44 note * A fuller account of this journey is given by Foxe in another part of the MS.

page 44 note † “A note of the particulers of certen parcells of land, parcell of the Mannor and Priori of St. James, neare the cittie of Exon, to be procured from Mr. Fox, Mr. Vichamberlyn's man, whose intrest is for 17 yeres, to begyne at Michelmasse next.”—Lansd. MSS., 819, fol. 72.

page 48 note * Lands. MSS. 819, fol. 32.

page 49 note * The farm is still tenanted. It joins Warlies Park.

page 49 note † In fol. 20 of the same MS. occurs the following entry:—“The ij daye of October, Anno Domini 1593, Received of Mr. Samuell foxe my mayster the some of V£, for my halfe yeares wages due to me at Mycaellmas last. Be me, Jhon Deabant, curat of Ascot.

page 51 note * Harl. MSS. 416, fol. 222.

page 52 note * In Lands. MSS. 819, fol. 72, is a brief account of “The demayne lands belonginge unto the Manor and Lordshipp of Swyneshed, in the countie of Lincolne.”

page 54 note * Sir William Twysden, of East Peckham, married Anne, daughter of Sir Moyle Finch. They had two sons, very learned men; the elder was editor of the ‘Decent Scriptorts,’ and the other was the celebrated Judge Twysden.

page 54 note † Probably Sir William Rowe, Lord Mayor of London, 34 Elizabeth. He had estates at Epping. There was a William Rowe, of whom O Rare Ben Jonson sang. See Epigrams, cxxviii., “To William Roe.” According to the poem Rowe was a traveller. The first four lines run thus:—

“Roe, and my joy to name, thou'rt now to go

Countries and climes, manners and men to know,

T' extract and choose the best of all these known,

And those to turn to blood, and make thine own.”

page 55 note * Probably Robert Lee, Sheriff of London, 1594.

page 55 note † Owen Wood was of Jesus College, Oxford, Master of Arts in 1584, and afterwards Dean of Armagh, in Ireland, March 17, 1596. He was the second son of Hugh Wood, of Tallylyn, in the Isle of Anglesey—second son of William Wood, descended from Wood Hall, in Lancashire—by his wife Jane, the daughter of Hugh Prys ap Howell, of Mossoglen; descended paternally from Lloworch ab Bran, one of the fifteen tribes. Dean Wood's wife was Joywan, daughter of Richard Cledden, Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth, and Justice of the Peace for the county of Middlesex. Anthony A. Wood says that Owen Wood was made Dean of Armagh by the favour of Robert, Earl of Essex, in whose treasons he was engaged in 1600, See “Fasti Oxoniensis,” vol. ii., 226.

page 55 note ‡ Robert Hall, probably son of Robert Hall, Justice of the Peace in Waltham in the reign of Elizabeth, and grandson of Robert Hall of Ely, who was buried in Waltham June 11, 1579. The Justice of the Peace was buried Sept. 13, 1583. This family of Halls resided at Claverhambury, in the parish of Waltham. Robert Hall, the friend of Dr. Fox, died here, and was buried September 8, 1615,—“Buried Mr. Robt. Hall de Claverbury.”

page 55 note § Roger Dod, D.D., Dean of Salop, and afterwards Bishop of Meath.

page 56 note * Christopher Boteler was the fourth son of Sir Philip Boteler, Knt., of Watton-at-Stone, Herts.

page 56 note † Edward Denny, second son of Henry Denny. This Edward was born August 14, 1569, knighted in 1589, Sheriff of Herts 1602–3, summoned to Parliament October 27, 1604, as Baron Denny of Waltham, and advanced, by patent 24th of October, 1626, to the dignity of Earl of Norwich. Died 20th December, 1630.

page 56 note † “Grisild Leueson” was buried at Waltham. The Parish Register records that “Misteris Grisill levison, a mayd of 80 yeares of age, buried Dec. 22, 1648.”

page 58 note * The son of Robert, and Elizabeth Honywood. He “was borne uppon Saturday the xiiij of July, 1593, at one of ye clock in ye morning, at Pet, and christened at, Charing Church ye Sonday following; my sonnes-in-law Henry Thomson and John Moyle godfathers, and Mrs. Anthony Deering, of Charing towne, godmother.”

page 58 note † “Anna Honiwood was borne at Pett, in Charinge, uppon Tewesday the 26 of November, 1588, and ther baptized, my brother Richard Browne, Mrs. Dorrell, of Calehill, and my dowghter Thomson being witnesses.”—Nichols' Top. et Gen., vol. ii., p. 171.

page 58 note ‡ The name and date has been scratched out, and Dr. Tho. Foxe inserted as the writer.

page 60 note * The Bassano family were noted for their musical skill.

page 62 note * Roll of the Royal College of Physicians, vol. ii., p. 138.

page 63 note * Harl. MSS. 416.

page 64 note * Fuller's, “Worthies of Kent” p. 86Google Scholar.

page 64 note † Top, Nichol's. et Gen., vol. ii, p. 174Google Scholar.

page 64 note ‡ Probably a relative of the Martyrologist on his wife's side.

page 64 note § Sir Edward Denny, son of Sir Anthony Denny, was buried in Waltham Church. The following entry occurs in the parish register, 1599–1600. “Sir Edwarde Dennye, Knight, the Elder, was buried the xiiii daye of feburarii, Anno ut supra”. His effigy, in the costume of the period, lies under a canopy at the south-east end of the church.

page 66 note * Harl. MSS. 416, fol: 226.

page 66 note † Probably Sir Thomas Roe, nephew of Sir John Roe. He was knighted by James I., and appointed ambassador to the Mogul at the instance of the East India Company, to whom he rendered valuable services during the four years he held the appointment. He died in 1644. Of him Ben Jonson sang, — “Thou hast begun well, Roe, which stand well to, And I know nothing more thou hast to do.”

page 69 note * An estate was left in trust to Thomas Foxe, Esq., for the repair of Waltham Church; the document bears date Dec. 5, 1637.–Farmer's Hist. Waltham, p. 163. (1735.)

page 70 note * Harl. MSS. 419, fol. 171.

page 70 note † Edward Denny, Earl of Norwich.

page 70 note ‡ Lansd. MSS. 819, fol. 46.

page 72 note * A very good portrait of this gentleman is preserved in Nichol's “Progress of James I.” Taken from a rare print.

page 73 note * Probably host of the “Cock Inn,” near the church now standing. “Jesper necoll married Jane bruet” at Waltham Church, July 4, 1568.

page 73 note † “Geasper” may have been son of “host Nicoles”.

page 74 note * Most likely a branch of the Wake family, Lords of the Manor of Waltham.

page 74 note † These relate to the Wollastones and Botelers.

page 74 note ‡ Lansd. MSS., 115.

page 75 note * Public Record Office.

page 79 note * Situate in Holyfield, in Waltham, now in the occupation of Mr. Green. It is the property of the Trustees of Fuller's Charity, London.

page 79 note † The son of Richard Willys of Horningsey and Fen Ditton, co. Cambridge

Page 82 note * “Memoirs and Reflections upon the government of King Charles I. and II.,” vol. i., p. 129.