St Clement Danes

St Clement Danes is in Westminster [Map].

John of Worcester. 1040. Harold (age 24), king of England, died at London, and was buried at Westminster. After his funeral, the nobles of almost the whole of England sent envoys to Hardicanute (age 22) at Bruges, where he was staying with his mother (age 55), and, thinking it was for the best, invited him to come to England and ascend the throne. Thereupon, he fitted out fifty ships, and embarking Danish troops, before midsummer sailed over to England, where he was received with universal joy, and shortly afterwards crowned; but during his government he did nothing worthy his royal power. For as soon as he began to reign, calling to mind the injuries which both he and his mother had suffered at the hands of his predecessor, and reputed brother, king Harold (age 24), he despatched to London, Ælfric, archbishop of York, and earl Godwin (age 39), with Stor, the master of his household, Edric, his steward, Thrond, captain of his guards, and other men of high rank, with orders to dig up the body of Harold (age 24) and throw it into a sewer; and when it was thrown there, he caused it to be dragged out and cast into the river Thames. Shortly afterwards, it was picked up by a fisherman, and being immediately brought to the Danes, was honourably buried by them in a cemetery they possessed at London.60 After this, he ordered that eight marks should be paid to every rower in his fleet, and twelve to each steersman, to be levied from the whole of England; a tax so burthensome, that scarcely any one would pay it, and he became thoroughly detested by those who at first were most anxious for his coming. Besides, he was greatly incensed against earl Godwin (age 39), and Living, bishop of Worcester, for the death of his brother Alfred, of which they were accused by Ælfric, archbishop of York, and some others. In consequence, he took the bishopric of Worcester from Living and gave it to Ælfric; but the following year, he ejected Ælfric and graciously restored Living, who had made his peace with him.

Note 60. The cemetery of St Clement-Danes, where the Northmen had a settlement on the bank of the Thames, outside the walls of London. The Saxon Chronicle is silent as to Harold's corpse being thrown into the Thames and fished up, but Henry of Huntingdon gives the same account as our author.

In or before 1516 Edward Grey died. He was buried at St Clement Danes.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 28 Aug 1557. The xxviij day of August begane to sett up the herse at sant Clementes with-owt Tempull-bare for my yonge duches of Northfoke (deceased), the wyffe to the yonge duke of Northfoke (deceased).

Henry Machyn's Diary. 26 Oct 1557. The xxvj day of October was a goodly hers sett up in sant Clementes parryche with-owt Tempylle-bare, of v pryncepalles, and with viij baner-rolles, and a x dosen penselles, and iiij grett skochyons of armes at the iiij corners.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 06 Apr 1559. The vj day of Aprell was bered at [saint Clement's] withowt Tempyll-bare my lade Gray (age 52) [Note. Carey not Gray], the wife of sir John Gray [Note. Carey not Gray], and the wyff was of master Walsyngham, .... with ij whyt branchys and iiij grett tapurs, and fo[ur] staff-]torchys, and ij dosen and d' [a half] of skochyons of armes ... masse and or communyon.

Note. P. 193. Funeral of lady Cary (misnamed by the diarist Gray). Joyce, sister of sir Anthony Denny, knt. privy councillor to Henry VIII. was born 24 July, 21 Hen. VII. married first to William Walsingham, of Scadbury in Chiselhurst, Kent, by whom she had three sons, of whom the illustrious secretary (age 27) was third and youngest; and secondly to sir John Cary of Plashey, co. . . . made a knight of the carpet in 1 Edw. VI. by whom she was mother of sir Edward Cary (age 19), father of the first viscount Falkland and sir Adolphus Cary (see Clutterbuck's Hertfordshire, vol. i. p. 129, vol. ii. p. 107).

On or before 17 Sep 1581 John Warner Bishop was born. He was baptised at St Clement Danes on 17 Sep 1586.

In Apr 1657 Edward Peyton 2nd Baronet (age 77) died at Wicken. He was buried at St Clement Danes. His son John Peyton 3rd Baronet (age 49) succeeded 3rd Baronet Peyton of Isleham.

Pepy's Diary. 21 Oct 1667. Thus this business ended to-day, having kept them till almost two o'clock; and then I by coach with Sir W. Pen (age 46) as far as St. Clement's, talking of this matter, and there set down; and I walked to Sir G. Carteret's (age 57), and there dined with him and several Parliament-men, who, I perceive, do all look upon it as a thing certain that the Parliament will enquire into every thing, and will be very severe where they can find any fault. Sir W. Coventry (age 39), I hear, did this day make a speech, in apology for his reading the letter of the Duke of Albemarle (age 58), concerning the good condition which Chatham, Kent [Map] was in before the enemy come thither: declaring his simple intention therein, without prejudice to my Lord. And I am told that he was also with the Duke of Albemarle (age 58) yesterday to excuse it; but this day I do hear, by some of Sir W. Coventry's (age 39) friends, that they think he hath done himself much injury by making this man, and his interest, so much his enemy.

Evelyn's Diary. 28 Oct 1684. I went to St. Clement's, that pretty built and contriv'd church, where a young divine gave us an eloquent Sermon on 1 Cor. 6. 20 inciting to gratitude and glorifying God for the fabriq of our bodys & the dignitie of our nature.

On 16 Apr 1685 Thomas Otway (deceased) was buried at St Clement Danes.

Europe, British Isles, England, London, Westminster, St Clement Danes, Clement's Inn

After 1565 Thomas Harries aka Harris 1st Baronet (age 15) educated at Clement's Inn.

Pepy's Diary. 21 Nov 1667. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and at noon home, where my wife not very well, but is to go to Mr. Mills's child's christening, where she is godmother, Sir J. Minnes (age 68) and Sir R. Brookes (age 30) her companions. I left her after dinner (my clerks dining with me) to go with Sir J. Minnes (age 68), and I to the office, where did much business till after candlelight, and then my eyes beginning to fail me, I out and took coach to Arundell House [Map], where the meeting of Gresham College was broke up; but there meeting Creed, I with him to the taverne in St. Clement's Churchyard, where was Deane Wilkins (age 53), Dr. Whistler, Dr. Floyd (age 40), a divine admitted, I perceive, this day, and other brave men; and there, among other things of news, I do hear, that upon the reading of the House of Commons's Reasons of the manner of their proceedings in the business of my Chancellor (age 58), the Reasons were so bad, that my Lord Bristoll (age 55) himself did declare that he would not stand to what he had, and did still, advise the Lords to concur to, upon any of the Reasons of the House of Commons; but if it was put to the question whether it should be done on their Reasons, he would be against them; and indeed it seems the Reasons-however they come to escape the House of Commons, which shews how slightly the greatest matters are done in this world, and even in Parliaments were none of them of strength, but the principle of them untrue; they saying, that where any man is brought before a judge, accused of Treason in general, without specifying the particular, the judge do there constantly and is obliged to commit him. Whereas the question being put by the Lords to my Lord Keeper, he said that quite the contrary was true: and then, in the Sixth Article (I will get a copy of them if I can) there are two or three things strangely asserted to the diminishing of the King's power, as is said, at least things that heretofore would not have been heard of. But then the question being put among the Lords, as my Lord Bristoll (age 55) advised, whether, upon the whole matter and Reasons that had been laid before them, they would commit my Lord Clarendon (age 58), it was carried five to one against it; there being but three Bishops against him, of whom Cosens (age 72) and Dr. Reynolds were two, and I know not the third. This made the opposite Lords, as Bristoll (age 55) and Buckingham (age 39), so mad, that they declared and protested against it, speaking very broad that there was mutiny and rebellion in the hearts of the Lords, and that they desired they might enter their dissents, which they did do, in great fury.