On the Top of all is the Figure of the Earl kneeling: His Hands clasped, his Sword by his Side, with his Robes of the Garter on. It is placedon the South Side of the Communion Table. There is an Inscription on the Side, viz.

Inclytus hic Comes tria Hospitalia fundavit, & latifundiis dotavit, unum Greenwici in Cantio: In quo xx egeni, & Præfectus: Alterum Cluni in Comitat. Salopiæ, in quo xii egeni cum Præfecto: Tertium ad Castrum Rising in Comitat. Norfolciæ, in quo xii pauperculæ cum Gubernatrice in perpetuum aluntur.

On the Wall South, by the Tomb:

Deo Patri Domini nostri Jhesu Christi, Omnipotenti, Glorioso, sempiterno, & Primæ Trinitatis individuæ Personæ, HENRICUS HOWARDUS trinæ & unius Majestatis Cultor obsequentissimus Festo quo natus erat B. Matthiæ Apostoli, devotissimè sua manu posuit, Anno Domini 1613. Februarii die 25o.

Upon the West Side is this Inscription.

Johanne Griffitho huic Comiti ab Epistolis curante, Positum.

On the North Side of the Chapel is another Inscription, shewing the Removal of this Monument and the Body of the Earl from the Chapel of Dover Castle (of which he was Constable) to this Chapel, by the Company of Mercers, William Ivat, Esq; Master.

Upon a flat Stone in this Chapel.

Here lyeth buried the Body of Robert Gilbert Citizen and Mercer of London: Who was the Son of Thomas Gilbert of West Beer in East Kent, Gent. And Anne his Wife, who was the eldest Sister unto George Fitz-Gerald Earl of Kildare in Ireland. Which Robert was late Warden of this College several Years, and dyed May 28, 1689. Aged 63. In Memory of whom, his Son Robert Gilbert caused this Stone to be laid.]

KING William the Third, Founder of this Hospital, directed a Subscription to be made for the said Hospital. In the Preamble to which he declared his Desire to promote and advance the Trade, Navigation, and Naval Strength of this Kingdom, and invite greater Numbers of his Subjects to betake themselves to the Sea. And therefore did determine to erect and establish this Hospital: And that for this peculiar Use, viz. For such English Seamen and their Children, as by Age, Wounds, or other Accidents, should be disabled from farther Service at Sea: And for the Widows and Children of such as happened to be slain in Sea-Service.

His said Majesty, and Queen Mary his Royal Consort, by Letters Patents under the Great Seal, dated the 5th of Octob. 1694, did give and grant unto several Trusts, for the Use of that intended Hospital, a Parcel of Ground in the Parish of East Greenwich in Kent, with their Royal Palace in Greenwich thereon erected by King Charles the Second, and several other Edifices, Buildings, and other Things in the same Grant particularly mentioned.

And the said King William, by Letters Patents dated Mar. 12, 1694, appointed Commissioners for the better carrying on his pious Intentions. And therein desired the Assistance of his good Subjects; the Necessity of his Affairs not permitting him to advance so considerable a Sum towards the said Work as he had desired.

July, 1, 1708. This Hopsital had now in it poor Seamen to the Number of 350. The Incomes of it are computed at 12000l. per Ann. whereof 6000l. goes yearly towards the Maintenance of the poor Men placed there; and the other 6000l. towards the Buildings.

John de la Fountain, a Gentleman of Lincolnshire, lately deceased, gave by his last Will 2000l. to the publick Charity; that is, one thousand Pounds to this Hospital of Greenwich, and one other thousand Pounds to that of Chelsey]

TO this Parish of St. Dunstan Stepney belonged a Rector and a Vicar. The Rectory was of considerable Value; and the Patronage seems to have been in the Bishop of London. The Rector had the Right of presenting the Vicar. In Richard the Third's Time, one William Kemp Deacon, was Rector: Related, ?tis like, to Tho. Kemp, then Bishop of London, who had preferred him to a Prebend in St. Paul's. The said Rector had granted the next Presentation of the Vicarage to one Nicolas Sudbury of London, Haberdasher. Who, upon the next Voidance, presented one Degory Watur. But the Bishop, it seems, delayed his Institution: And at length one Richard Fox was presented. Which Richard was afterwards a great Man, and Bishop of Winchester, and the Founder of a College in Oxford: But now with the Earl of Richmond. Who at that Time was actually in Arms against K. Richard. The Wrong done to Degory was complained of to the King. And he espousing his Cause, after some Messages sent to the Bishop of London, for declining the Person that was truly and rightly presented, the Matter at length was on both Sides referred to the King, (especially Fox being at this Juncture in Rebellion) and the King gave it for Degory, requiring the Bishop forthwith to admit him.

And these were his Letters to the Bishop, declaring the Cause, and his Determination of the Business: Which having met with, I insert here, as a Thing relating to this Parish, worthy to be preserved.

RICHARDUS Dei gratia, &c. Reverendo in Christo Patri, Dno. THOMÆ divinâ Providentia Lond. Episcopo, seu ejus Vicario in Spiritualib. Generali.

Cum Dns. Wilhelmus Kemp, Diaconus & Rector Eccles. Parochialis Sti. Dunstani de Stepnethe vre. Diocesios, & verus Patronus Vicarie humoi. Ecclesie concessit dilecto nro. Nicolao Sudbury, Haberdasher Civitat. nre. London. proximam Advocation. sive Jus Patronatus, Vicarie Eccles. Parochialis dict. Dunstani predict. Cum ipsa Vicaria primo & proximè vacare contigerit, pro unica vice tantum: prout per diversa Script. & Instrumenta de actib. notariat. inde confect. evidentius apparet. Et cum tempore humoi. Scriptor. & Instrumentorum confectionis eid. Nicolao, ut premittitur, quidam Magister Ricus. Luke Clericus dictam vicariam cum suis juribus & pertinen. universis canonicè assecutus fuit, & ultimus inde Vicarius, & sic inde legitimè assecutus naturali morte obiit.