Natural history -- England -- Wiltshire; Wiltshire (England) -- History
SAINTS.—St. Adelm. There was a great bell at Malmesbury Abbey, which
they called St. Adelm’s bell, which was accounted a telesman, and to
have the power, when it was rang, to drive away the thunder and
lightning. I remember there is such a great bell at St. Germain’s Abbey
at Paris, which they ring to the aforesayd purpose when it thunders and
lightens. Old Bartlemew and other old people of Malmesbury had by
tradition severall stories of miracles donn by St. Adelm some whereof I
wrott down heretofore; now with Mr. Anth. Wood at Oxford. [St. Adelm,
or more correctly Aldhelm, is mentioned in page 42, ante. His life was
written by William of Malmesbury, and published by the Rev. Henry
Wharton, in his “Anglia Sacra.” (fol. 1691.)—J. B.]
Methinkes it is pitie that Ela, daughter of [William] Longespe Earl of
Salisbury, should be here omitted. [See ante, p.70 ]
PRELATES.—Since the Reformation.—Alexander Hyde, LL.Dr., sonn of Sir
Laurence Hyde, and brother to Sir Robert Hyde, Lord Cheif Justice of
the King’s Bench, was born, I believe, at Hele, in this county. He was
made Bishop of Salisbury 1665.
STATESMEN.—William Earle of Pembroke [the second of that name]. In the
east windowe of the south aisle of the church at Wilton is this
following inscription in gothick black letter:-“… church was… by the
vertuose….. wife to the right…. Sir Henry Sidney, Knight of the Garter
and Lord President of the Marches of Wales, &c. In April 1580, the
eight day of that moneth, was born William Lord Herbert of Cardif, the
first-born child to the noble Henry Earle of Pembroke, by his most dear
wife Mary the Countesse, daughter to the forenamed Sir Henry and Lady
Mary, whose lives Almighty God long prosper in much happiness.”*
Memorandum, to insert his titles inscribed under his printed picture.
As I remember he was Lord High Steward of his Majesties Household,
Justice in Eire of all his Majesties Forrests, &c. on this side Trent,
Chancellor of the University of Oxford, one of his Majesties Privy
Councell, and Knight of the Garter. He was a most noble person, and the
glory of the court in the reignes of King James and King Charles. He
was handsome, and of an admirable presence-
* [This inscription is not mentioned in the account of Wilton Church in
Hoare’s Modern, Wiltshire, but the author notices a tablet recording
the birth and baptism of the Earl “over the south entrance.” He states
that the side aisles were added to the church “within the last two
centuries”—J. B.]
“Gratior et pulchro veniens a corpore virtus.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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