as many years before, all apprentices wore blue cloaks in the
summer, and blue gowns in the winter. But it was not lawful for any
man, either servant or other, to wear their gowns lower than the
calves of their legs, except they were above threescore years of
age; but, the length of cloaks being not limited, they made them
down to their shoes. Their breeches and stockings were usually of
white broad cloth, viz. round slops, and their stockings sewed up
close thereto, as if they were all but one piece. They also wore
flat caps both then and many years after, as well apprentices as
journey-men and others, both at home and abroad; whom the pages of
the court in derision called flat-caps.
When apprentices and journeymen attended upon their masters and
mistresses in the night they went before them carrying a lanthorn
and candle in their hands and a great long club on their necks; and
many well-grown sturdy apprentices used to wear long daggers in the
day time on their backs or sides.
Anciently it was the general use and custom of all apprentices in
London (Mercers only excepted, being commonly merchants, and of
better rank, as it seems) to carry water tankards, to serve their
masters' houses with water, fetched either from the Thames, or the
common conduits of London.
It was a great matter, in former Times, to give £10 to bind a youth
apprentice; but, in King James the First's time, they gave 20, 40,
60 and sometimes £100 with an apprentice; but now these prices are
vastly enhanced, to 500, 600, or £800.
A WATER PAGEANT (1533).
The reign of Henry VIII. is famous for the number and splendour of its
pageants. The Field of Cloth of Gold is familiar to all, and every event
of any importance was made the occasion of a display of splendid
clothing, tapestry, jewels, and allegorical groups. The fashion of
extravagance and love of show, which was set by the King, was followed
by all who could afford, and the City was in no way behindhand in taking
part in these functions. The coronation in 1509, the reception of the
French ambassadors in 1518, that of the Legate Campeggio, that of the
Emperor Charles, the coronation of Anne Boleyn—all these afforded an
occasion for a pageant, and the opportunity was never lost. The
following description is of a water pageant in honour of Anne Boleyn.
=Source.=—Grafton's _Chronicles_, vol. ii., p. 448.
The xix day of May the Mayor and his brethren all in scarlet, and
such as were knights had collars of Esses and the remnant having
good chains, and the council of the City with them assembled at
Saint Mary Hill, and at one of the clock descended to the New stair
to their barge, which was garnished with many goodly banners and
instruments, which continually made good harmony. After that the
Mayor and his brethren were in their barge seeing that all the
companies to the number of fifty barges were ready to wait upon
them. They gave commandment to the companies that no barge should
row nearer to another than twice the length of the barge upon a
great pain. And to see the order kept, there were three light
wherries prepared, and in every one of them two officers to call on
them to keep their order, after which commandment given they set
forth in order as hereafter is described. First before the Mayor's
barge was a foyst or wafter full of ordinance, in which foyst was a
great dragon continually moving, and casting wild fire: and round
about the said foyst stood terrible monsters and wild men casting
fire, and making hideous noises: next after the foyst a good
distance came the Mayor's barge, on whose right hand was the
Batchelors' barge, in the which were trumpets and divers other
melodious instruments. The decks of the said barge and the sailyards
and the top castels were hanged with rich cloth of gold and silk. At
the foreship and the stern were two great banners rich beaten with
the arms of the King and Queen, and on the top castell also was a
long streamer newly beaten with the said arms.
At three of the clock the Queen appeared in rich cloth of gold and
entered into her barge accompanied with divers ladies and
gentlewomen, and incontinent the citizens set forwards in their
order, their musicians continually playing and the batchelors' barge
going on the Queen's right hand, which she took great pleasure to
behold. About the Queen's barge were many noblemen, as the Duke of
Suffolk, the Marquis Dorset, the Earl of Wiltshire her father, the
Earls of Arundel, Derby, Rutland, Worcester, Huntington, Sussex,
Oxford, and many Bishops and noblemen, every one in his barge which
was a goodly sight to behold. She thus being accompanied rowed
toward the Tower, and in the mean way the ships which were commanded
to lie on the shore for letting of the barges shot divers peals of
guns, and ere she landed there was a marvellous shot out of the
Tower as ever was heard there. And at her landing there met with her
the Lord Chamberlain with the officers of arms and brought her to
the King, which received her with loving countenance at the postern
by the waterside, and kissed her, and then she turned back again and
thanked the Mayor and the citizens with many goodly words and so
entered the Tower.
LATIMER'S EXHORTATION TO LONDON (1549).
Quite early in his career Latimer earned considerable fame as an
eloquent preacher, but the boldness with which he proclaimed his
religious views, and his denunciations of ecclesiastical abuses,
frequently placed him in difficult positions. He lost favour towards the
end of the reign of Henry VIII., but on the accession of Edward VI. he
regained his old position of importance, and devoted himself to the work
of an itinerant preacher. In this character his popular preaching
talents exerted a much wider and more permanent influence in the spread
of his opinions than his work as Bishop of Worcester could have done;
and it is certain that his labours contributed very largely to fix the
doctrines of the Reformation in the minds of the people.
=Source.=—Latimer's _Sermon on the Ploughers_.
Now what shall we say of these rich artisans of London? What shall I
say of them? Shall I call them proud men of London, malicious men of
London, merciless men of London? No, no, I may not say so, they will
be offended with me then. Yet must I speak. For is there reigning in
London as much pride, as much covetousness, as much cruelty, as much
oppression, as much superstition, as was in Nebo? Yes, I think so
and much more too. Therefore I say, repent, O London! repent,
repent! Thou hearest thy faults told thee; amend them, amend them.
And you rulers and officers, be wise and circumspect, look to your
charge and see you do your duties and rather be glad to amend your
ill living than to be angry when you are warned or told of your
fault.... But London cannot abide to be rebuked; such is the nature
of men. If they be pricked, they will kick. If they be rubbed on the
gall, they will wince. But yet they will not amend their faults,
they will not be ill spoken of. But how shall I speak well of them?
If you could be content to receive and follow the word of God and
favour good preachers, if you could bear to be told of your faults,
if you could amend when you hear of them: if you would be glad to
reform what is amiss: if I might see any such inclination in you,
that leave to be merciless and begin to be charitable, I would then
hope well of you, I would speak well of you. But London was never so
ill as it is now. In times past men were full of pity and compassion
but now there is no pity; for in London their brother shall die in
the streets for cold, he shall lie sick at the door between stock
and stock, I cannot tell what to call it, and perish there for
hunger. In times past when any rich men died in London, they were
wont to help the poor scholars of the university with exhibitions.
When any man died, they would bequeath great sums of money towards
the relief of the poor. When I was a scholar at Cambridge myself, I
heard very good report of London and knew many that had relief of
the rich men of London; but now I can hear no such good report and
yet I inquire of it and hearken for it; but now charity is waxed
cold, none help the scholar nor yet the poor. And in those days what
did they when they helped the scholars? Many they maintained and
gave them living that were very papists and professed the pope's
doctrines; and now that the knowledge of God's word is brought to
light, and many earnestly study and labour to set it forth, now
almost no man helpeth to maintain them. Oh! London! London! repent,
repent, for I think God is more displeased with London than ever he
was with the city of Nebo. Amend therefore; and ye that be prelates,
look well to your office, for right prelating is busy labouring and
not lording. Therefore preach and teach, and let your plough be
doing; ye lords, I say, that live like loiterers, look well to your
office; the plough is your office and charge. If you live idle and
loiter, you do not your duty, you follow not your vocation; let your
plough therefore be going and not cease, that true ground may bring
forth good fruit.
MARY'S SPEECH TO THE CITIZENS (1553).
The project of the marriage between Mary and Philip of Spain caused
profound uneasiness throughout England, and the fear of persecution and
the anxiety of the nobles for their possessions brought about a
formidable conspiracy. The standard of revolt was raised in many parts
of the country, but only Sir Thomas Wyatt achieved any success. He was
soon at the head of fifteen hundred Kentish men, and his avowed object
was to save England from Spain. A force of soldiers sent against him
deserted to his side, and he marched upon London. The situation was
saved by Mary's coolness and courage; she showed no signs of fear,
refused to take refuge in flight, and addressed the citizens of London
assembled in the Guildhall. Her resolute bearing and discreet promises
aroused enthusiasm among her hearers, who had heard of Jack Cade, and
did not wish to see their city in the hands of an armed mob. Men were
hastily enrolled, the drawbridge on London Bridge was raised, and Wyatt
was unable to enter the City. He crossed the river at Kingston, but his
men began to drop away, and he surrendered at Temple Bar. He was
executed shortly afterwards.
This incident, like many others, illustrates the immense importance of
London in connection with political affairs; over and over again the
destinies of the kingdom have been settled by the attitude of the
citizens of London.
=Source.=—Speed's _History_, book ix., chap. xxiii.
In my own person I am come unto you, to tell you that which
yourselves already do see and know; I mean, the traitorous and
seditious number of the Kentish Rebels, that are assembled against
us and you. Their pretence, as they say, is to resist a marriage
between us and the Prince of Spain. Of all their plots, pretended
quarrels and evil-contrived articles, you have been made privy;
since which time our Council have resorted to the rebels, demanding
the cause of their continued enterprise; by whose answers the
marriage is found to be the reason of their quarrel; or rather, a
cloak to cover their pretended purposes against our religion; for
swerving from their former articles, they now manifestly betray the
inward treason of their hearts, most arrogantly demanding the
possession of our person, the keeping of our Tower, and not only the
placing and displacing of our Counsellors, but also to use them and
us at their pleasures: what I am, loving Subjects, you right well
know—your Queen, to whom at my Coronation, when I was wedded to the
Realm, and to the laws of the same, (the spousal ring whereof I have
on my finger, which never hitherto was, nor hereafter shall be left
off) ye promised your allegiance and obedience unto me; and that I
am the right and true inheritor to the English Crown, I not only
take all Christendom to witness, but also your Acts of Parliament
confirming the same.
My Father, as you all know, possessed the Regal estate by right of
inheritance, which now by the same right, is descended unto me: to
him you always shewed yourselves both faithful and loving subjects,
as to your liege Lord and King, and therefore I doubt not, but you
will shew yourselves so to me his Daughter which if you do, then may
you not suffer any rebel to usurp the government of our person, or
interpose our estate, especially so presumptuous a traitor as this
Wyat hath shewed himself to be; who most certainly, as he hath
abused our ignorant subjects to be adherents to his traitorous
quarrel, so doth he intend by the colour of the same to subdue the
laws to his will, and to give scope to the rascal and forlorn
persons, to make general havoc and spoil of your goods.
And this I say further unto you in the word of a Prince, I cannot
tell how naturally a mother loveth her children, for I was never the
mother of any; but certainly, if a Prince and Governour may as
naturally love their subjects, as the mother doth her child, then
assure yourselves, that I, being your Sovereign Lady and Queen, do
as earnestly and tenderly love and favour you; and I, thus loving
you, cannot but think, that you as heartily and faithfully love me
again; and so, this love bound together in the knot of concord, we
shall be able, I doubt not, to give these rebels a short and speedy
overthrow.
Now, as concerning my intended marriage, you shall understand, that
I entered not into the Treaty thereof without the advice of our
Privy Council, yea, and by the assent of those to whom my Father
committed his trust, who have so considered the great commodities
that may thereof ensue, as they not only have thought it very
honourable, but also expedient both for the wealth of our realm, and
also to our loving subjects.
But as touching myself, I assure you, I am not so desirous of
wedding, neither am I so precisely wedded to my will, that either
for mine own pleasure I will choose where I list, or else so
amorous, as needs I must have one; for I thank God, to whom be the
praise, I have hitherto lived a Virgin, and doubt not but, with
God's grace to be able to live so still.
But if, as my progenitors have done before, it might please God that
I might leave some fruit of my body to be your governour, I trust,
you would not only rejoice thereat, but also I know, it would be to
your great comfort; and certainly, if I either did know or think,
that this marriage should either turn to the danger or loss of any
of you, my loving subjects, or to the detriment of any part of the
Royal estate of the English realm, I would never consent thereunto,
neither would I ever marry, whilst I lived; and in the word of a
Queen, I promise and assure you, if it shall not probably appear
before the nobility and commons in the High Court of Parliament,
that this marriage shall be for the singular benefit and commodity
of the whole realm, that then I will abstain, not only from this
marriage, but also from any other.
Wherefore, good subjects, pluck up your hearts, and, like true men,
stand fast with your lawful Prince against these rebels, both ours
and yours, and fear them not, for I assure you, I do not, and will
leave with you my Lord Howard and my Lord Treasurer, to be assistant
with my Lord Mayor, for the safeguard of the City from spoil and
sackage, which is the only scope of this rebellious company.
SORANZO'S REPORT ON LONDON (1554).
The following is the impression of a Venetian Ambassador, contained in
his report to the Senate:
=Source.=—_Calendar of State Papers, Venetian, 1534-1554_, No. 934.
The principal cities of the kingdom are London and York, but London
is the most noble, both on account of its being the royal residence,
and because the river Thames runs through it, very much to the
convenience and profit of the inhabitants, as it ebbs and flows
every six hours like the sea, scarcely ever causing inundation or
any extraordinary floods; and up to London Bridge it is navigable
for ships of 400 butts burden, of which a great plenty arrive with
every sort of merchandise. This bridge connects the city with the
borough, and is built of stone with twenty arches, and shops on both
sides. On the banks of the river there are many large palaces,
making a very fine show, but the city is much disfigured by the
ruins of a multitude of churches and monasteries belonging
heretofore to friars and nuns. It has a dense population, said to
number 180,000 souls; and is beyond measure commercial, the
merchants of the entire kingdom flocking thither, as, by a privilege
conceded to the citizens of London, from them alone can they
purchase merchandise, so they soon became very wealthy; and the same
privileges placed in their hands the government of the city of
London, which is divided into 24 trades or crafts, each of which
elects a certain individual, styled alderman, the election being
made solely in the persons of those who are considered the most
wealthy, and the office is for life; the which aldermen, after
assembling these trades, create annually a person as their head for
the current year entitled Mayor.
THE ROYAL EXCHANGE (1566).
Sir Thomas Gresham, a wealthy and munificent London merchant, offered in
1563 to build, at his own expense, a Bourse or Exchange, if the City
would provide the ground. The need for some such building was becoming
rather serious; the commerce of the country was growing very rapidly,
and Lombard Street had long been too small for the business of London.
Men were exposed there to all weathers, and had to crowd into small
shops. For twenty or thirty years there had been talk of making a new
place of resort for the merchants, and the example of Antwerp, London's
great rival in trade, inspired Gresham to make his magnificent gift to
his fellow-citizens.
Gresham's building was destroyed in the Fire of 1666, and its successor
was burned down in 1838.
=Source.=—Stow's _Survey_, p. 193.
Then next is the Royal Exchange, erected in the year 1566, after
this order, viz., certain houses upon Cornhill, and the like upon
the back thereof, in the ward of Broad street, with three alleys,
the first called Swan Alley, opening into Cornhill, the second New
Alley, passing throughout of Cornhill into Broad-street ward, over
against Saint Bartholomew lane, the third Saint Christophers Alley,
opening into Broad street ward, and into Saint Christophers parish,
containing in all fourscore households: were first purchased by the
Citizens of London, for more than £3532, and were sold for £478, to
such persons as should take them down and carry them thence, also
the ground or plot was made plain at the charges of the City, and
then possession thereof was by certain Aldermen, in name of the
whole Citizens, given to Sir Thomas Gresham, Knight, Agent to the
Queen's Highness, thereupon to build a Bourse, or place for
merchants to assemble in, at his own proper charges: and he on the
seventh of June laying the first stone of the foundation, being
brick, accompanied with some Aldermen, everyone of them laid a piece
of gold, which the workmen took up, and forthwith followed upon the
same with such diligence, that by the month of November, in the year
1567, the same was covered with slate, and shortly after fully
finished.
In the year 1570, on the 23. of January, the Queen's Majesty,
attended with her nobility, came from her house at the Strand called
Somerset house, and entered the City by Temple Bar, through Fleet
Street, Cheap, and so by the north side of the Bourse through
Threadneedle Street, to Sir Thomas Gresham's in Bishopsgate Street,
where she dined. After dinner her Majesty returning through
Cornhill, entered the Bourse on the south side, and after that she
had viewed every part thereof above the ground, especially the pawn,
which was richly furnished with all sorts of the finest wares in the
City: she caused the same Bourse by an herald and a trumpet, to be
proclaimed the Royal Exchange, and so to be called from thenceforth,
and not otherwise.
A LORD MAYOR'S SHOW (1575).
It is supposed that the annual pageant connected with the election of
the Mayor had its origin in an old custom that the newly-elected officer
should be presented to the King or his justiciar; we have, however,
little information concerning the earlier processions, and they are
hardly noticed by chroniclers until the fifteenth century. It appears
that the practice of proceeding to Westminster on horseback was started
in 1415, but an infirm Mayor in 1453 introduced the custom of making the
progress by barge on the river; this lasted until the middle of the
seventeenth century, but there was, in addition, always the ride on
horseback from the Guildhall to the point of embarkation. The fashion
for pageantry and display, which was so prominent a feature of Henry
VIII.'s reign, influenced this annual function, which tended to become
more and more elaborate.
=Source.=—William Smith's _Brief Description of London_ (1575).