Church of blessed Mary, called Matfellon, without Aldgate of London, &c.

And therefore it was a more probable Account of the Name Matfelon, ascribed to St. Mary the Patroness of this Parish Church, which I once heard given by a Reverend Minister in Essex, viz. that the Word was of an Hebrew or Syriac Extraction; xxx or xxx i.e. Matfel or Matfelon, signifying as much as, Quæ nuper enixa est, i.e. She that hath lately brought forth a Son: and so the Word is fitly applied to St. Mary; and it is as much as, St. Mary lately delivered of her holy Child. And it is probable her Image anciently stood in that Church with a Babe in her Arms, as sometimes she was wont to be figured or depainted. Nor ought any to say, that this is a far fetch'd Notion of the Word, to fetch it as far as Syria; considering that formerly such great Numbers of People of out these Western Parts, and particularly out of England, went to the Holy Land, to visit the Holy Sepulcher, and to fight against the Infidels. And that these Pilgrims and Holy Warriors brought home some smatterings of the Language with them. And that divers Oriental Words were used in England in former Times, appears from some old Epitaphs. In St. Faiths under Pauls was this upon one John Abny, a Learned Preacher belonging to the Queen; Archilevita Dei Rabi Abnus alme Joannes, &c. where he is stiled Rabi or Rabbi, and Archilevita; Titles given to the Jewish Masters and Priests. And in the same Church, on another Monument, the Hebrew Word Adar for the Month of March is made use of:

X bis cum quinis in Adar bonus est sibi Finis.

So that, in short, it is not unlikely (since in these Matters we can only conjecture) but that some Knight, that had dwelt in the Holy Land, was the Founder of this Church of Whitechapel, and dedicated it to St. Mary with the Babe in her Arms, which in those Eastern Countries was called Matfelon.]

This Church, in many Parts of it greatly decayed, was repaired, and within, without, and in every Part of it richly and worthily beautified, at the Cost and Charge of the Parishioners, in the Year of our Lord 1633.

      Churchwardens for Whitechapel side.
Thomas Farrar,
John Wood,
John Mannering,

      Churchwardens for Wappin side.
Captain Hatch,
Master Allen,

The Cost of this Repair amounting to 300l. and upwards.

The Ground of the South Ile was added to the Church, and the new Ile built in the Year 1591, and in the thirty fourth Year of Queen Elizabeth. Mr. Richard Gardiner, Parson.

[This Church hath been lately new built with smoothed Brick, and Galleried round.]

To shew the never dying Love of these Parishioners, to their deceased Pastor Mr. William Crashawe, take this Inscription from a very fair Gallery in the South Ile.

To the Honour of God, the Advancement of Religion, and in Thankfulness to God for the safe Return of our hopeful and gracious Prince CHARLES, from the Dangers of his Spanish Journey, this Gallery was erected at the Charge of this Parish Anno 1623. and the seventh Year of Master Crashaw's Residence.

As here, so in many other Places, his Name is remembred.

A fair Monument on the North Wall.

A handsome Monument with Iron Grates in the Churchyard.

To the Memory of Alice Shelton, Daughter of Sir Ralph Shelton, of Shelton Hall in Norfolk, Kt. who had Issue by her first Husband, Thomas Waller, Esq; nine Sons and nine Daughters: And by her second Husband, William Wrove, of London, Merchantaylor, had Issue two Sons and one Daughter. But had no Issue by her third and last Husband, Tobias Wilkinson, 1630.

Another close by the former.