estate and office; and the next day following he goeth by water to
Westminster in most triumphlike manner. His barge being garnished
with the arms of the city; and near the said barge goeth a ship boat
of the Queen's Majesty, being trimmed up, and rigged like a ship of
war, with divers pieces of ordinance, standards, pennons, and
targets of the proper arms of the said Mayor, the arms of the City,
of his company; and of the merchants adventurers, or of the staple,
or of the company of the new trades; next before him goeth the barge
of the livery of his own company, decked with their own proper arms,
then the bachelors' barge, and so all the companies in London, in
order, every one having their own proper barge garnished with the
arms of their company. And so passing along the Thames, landeth at
Westminster, where he taketh his oath in the Exchequer, before the
judge there (which is one of the chief judges of England), which
done, he returneth by water as aforesaid, and landeth at Powles
wharf, where he and the rest of the Aldermen take their horses, and
in great pomp pass through the great street of the City, called
Cheapside. And first of all cometh two great standards, one having
the arms of the City, and the other the arms of the Mayor's Company;
next them two drums and a flute, then an ensign of the City, and
then about xx or xxx poor men marching two and two together in blue
gowns, with red sleeves and caps, with every one bearing a pike and
a target, whereon is painted the arms of all them that have been
Mayor of the same company that this new mayor is of. Then two
banners, one of the King's arms, the other of the Mayor's own proper
arms. Then a set of hautboys playing, and after them certain
wyfflers, in velvet coats, and chains of gold, with white staves in
their hands, then the pageant of triumph richly decked, whereupon by
certain figures and writings, some matter touching justice, and the
office of a magistrate is represented. Then sixteen trumpeters,
eight and eight in a company, having banners of the Mayor's company.
Then certain wyfflers in velvet coats and chains, with white staves
aforesaid. Then the bachelors two and two together, in long gowns
with crimson hoods on their shoulders of satin; which bachelors are
chosen every year of the same Company that the Mayor is of (but not
of the livery) and serve as gentlemen on that and other festival
days, to wait on the Mayor, being in number according to the
quantity of the company, sometimes sixty or one hundred. After them
twelve trumpeters more, with banners of the Mayor's Company, then
the drum and flute of the city, and an ensign of the Mayor's
company, and after, the waits of the city in blue gowns, red sleeves
and caps, every one having his silver collar about his neck. Then
they of the livery in their long gowns, every one having his hood on
his left shoulder, half black and half red, the number of them is
according to the greatness of the company whereof they are. After
them follow Sheriffs' officers, and then the Mayor's officers, with
other officers of the city, as the common serjeant, and the
chamberlain, next before the Mayor goeth the sword-bearer, having on
his head the cap of honour, and the sword of the city in his right
hand, in a rich scabard, set with pearl, and on his left hand goeth
the common crier of the city, with his great mace on his shoulder,
all gilt. The Mayor elect in a long gown of scarlet, and on his left
shoulder a hood of black velvet, and a rich collar of gold of SS.
about his neck, and with him rideth the old Mayor also, in his
scarlet gown, hood of velvet, and a chain of gold about his neck.
Then all the Aldermen two and two together (amongst whom is the
Recorder) all in scarlet gowns; and those that have been Mayors,
have chains of gold, the other have black velvet tippets. The two
Sheriffs come last of all, in their black and scarlet gowns and
chains of gold.
In this order they pass along through the city, to the Guildhall,
where they dine that day, to the number of 1000 persons, all at the
charge of the Mayor and the two Sheriffs. This feast costeth £400,
whereof the Mayor payeth £200 and each of the Sheriffs £100.
Immediately after dinner, they go to the church of St. Paul, every
one of the aforesaid poor men bearing staff torches and targets,
which torches are lighted when it is late, before they come from
evening prayer.
LONDON AND THE ARMADA (1587).
The threatened invasion by the "Grand Fleet" of Philip of Spain was the
occasion of a splendid manifestation of loyalty throughout the kingdom.
The royal fleet contained only thirty-four ships, but every seaport made
its contribution, and every man between the ages of eighteen and sixty
was enrolled for defence, in the event of the successful landing of the
enemy. The instructions conveyed in the Queen's letter to the citizens
of London are an indication of the friendly relations between the City
and the Sovereign, and serve also to show the wealth and power which
London possessed at the time.
=Source.=—Document quoted by Maitland, vol. i., p. 272.
Trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well.
Whereas upon information given unto us of great preparations made in
foreign parts with an intent to attempt somewhat against this our
realm, we gave present order that our said realm should be put in
order of defence; which we have caused to be performed in all parts
accordingly, saving in the City of London.
We therefore knowing your readiness, by former experience, to
perform any service that well-affected subjects ought to yield to
their Prince and Sovereign, do let you understand, that within our
said City our pleasure is, that there be forthwith put in a
readiness to serve for defence of our own person, upon such
occasions as may fall out, the number of ten thousand able men,
furnished with armour and weapons convenient; of which number, our
meaning is, that six thousand be enrolled under Captains and
Ensigns, and to be trained at times convenient, according to such
further direction as you shall receive from our Privy Council, under
six of their hands, which our pleasure is you do follow from time to
time in the ordering and training of the said numbers of men.
And these our letters shall be your sufficient warrant for the doing
of the same.
Given under our Signet at our Manor of Greenwich,
the 8th of March, 1587, in the thirtieth year of
our Reign.
THE CITY'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE STAGE
(1592).
The drama experienced an extraordinary development during the latter
half of the sixteenth century, and its growth was altogether
irresistible. In spite of the opposition of moralists and preachers the
theatre flourished more and more; and the mayors and aldermen of London
were faced with a somewhat serious problem. They looked upon the play
with disfavour; the actors were men of no trade or position, they were
merely vagabonds. All the idlers in the town would assemble to see a
play, and where there was a crowd there was danger to peace and order.
Brawls and disorders would frequently arise, and the thieves and rogues
of the city would take every advantage of the throng. Urged partly by
fear of disorder, partly by the spirit of Puritanism which was rapidly
gaining ground, the city officials did their best to drive out plays and
players from their boundaries; and the theatres had at first to be set
up outside the city jurisdiction. The ordinances of 1574 set forth in
lurid terms the evils which theatres were alleged to bring in their
train, and strict regulations were made, providing that only properly
licensed players should act, in such places as might be approved. The
following documents show how the trouble still continued, and was the
source of great anxiety.
=Source.=—Malone Society, _Collections_, 1., i., xviii, xxvi:
(_a_) The Lord Mayor to Archbishop Whitgift (1592);
(_b_) An Order of the Privy Council (1600).
(_a_) Our most humble duties to your Grace. Whereas by the daily and
disorderly exercise of a number of players and playing houses
erected within this City, the youth thereof is greatly corrupted and
their manners infected with many evil and ungodly qualities, by
reason of the wanton and profane devices represented on the stages
by the said players, the prentices and servants withdrawn from their
works and all sorts in general from the daily resort unto sermons
and other Christian exercises, to the great hindrance of the trades
and traders of this City, and profanation of the good and godly
religions established among us. To which places also do resort great
numbers of light and lewd disposed persons as cutpurses, cozeners,
pilferers and such like, and there under the colour of resort to
those places to hear the plays devise divers evil and ungodly
matches, confederacies, and conspiracies, which by means of the
opportunity of the place cannot be prevented nor discovered, as
otherwise they might be. In consideration whereof we most humbly
beseech your Grace for your godly care for the reforming of so great
abuses tending to the offence of Almighty God, the profanation and
slander of his true religion, and the corrupting of our youth, which
are the seed of the Church of God and the common wealth among us, to
vouchsafe us your good favour and help for the reforming and
banishing of so great evil out of this city, which ourselves of long
time though to small purpose have so earnestly desired and
endeavoured by all means that possibly we could. And because we
understand that the Queen's Majesty is and must be served at certain
times by this sort of people, for which purpose she hath granted her
Letters Patent to Mr. Tilney, Master of her Revels, by virtue
whereof he being authorised to reform, exercise, or suppress all
manner of players, plays and playing-houses whatsoever, did first
license the said playing-houses within the city for Her Majesty's
said service, which before that time lay open to all the statutes
for the punishing of these and such like disorders. We are most
humbly and earnestly to beseech your Grace to call unto you the said
Master of Her Majesty's Revels, with whom also we have conferred of
late to that purpose, and to treat with him, if by any means it may
be devised that Her Majesty may be served with these recreations as
hath been accustomed, which in our opinions may easily be done by
the private exercise of Her Majesty's own players in convenient
place, and the city freed from these continual disorders, which
thereby do grow and increase daily among us. Whereby your Grace
shall not only benefit and bind unto you the politic state and
government of this city, which by no one thing is so greatly annoyed
and disquieted as by players and plays and the disorders which
follow thereon, but also to take away a great offence from the
Church of God and hindrance to His gospel, to the great contentment
of all good Christians, specially the preachers and ministers of the
Word of God about this city, who have long time and yet do make
their earnest continual complaint unto us for the redress hereof.
And thus recommending our most humble duties and service to your
Grace we commit the same to the grace of the Almighty.
(_b_) An order set down by the Lords and others of Her Majesty's
Privy Council, the 22 of June 1600 to restrain the excessive number
of play-houses and the immoderate use of stage plays in and about
the city.
Whereas divers complaints have been heretofore made unto the Lords
and others of Her Majesty's Council of the manifold abuses and
disorders that have grown and do continue by occasion of many houses
erected and employed in and about the city of London for common
stage plays; and now very lately by reason of some complaint
exhibited by sundry persons against the building of the like house
in or near Golding Lane by one Edward Allen, a servant of the right
honourable the Lord Admiral, the matter as well in generality
touching all the said houses for stage plays and the use of playing
as in particular concerning the said house now in hand to be built
in or near Golding Lane hath been brought into question and
consultation among their Lordships; forasmuch as it is manifestly
known and granted that the multitude of the said houses and the
misgovernment of them hath been made and is daily occasion of the
idle, riotous and dissolute living of great numbers of people, who,
leaving all such honest and painful course of life as they should
follow, do meet and assemble there; and of many particular abuses
and disorders that do thereupon ensue. And yet nevertheless it is
considered that the use and exercise of such plays not being evil in
itself may with a good order and moderation be suffered in a
well-governed estate, and that Her Majesty being pleased at some
times to take delight and recreation in the sight and hearing of
them, some order is fit to be taken for the allowance and
maintenance, of such persons as are thought meetest in that kind, to
yield Her Majesty recreation and delight, and consequently of the
houses that must serve for public playing to keep them in exercise.
To the end therefore that both the greatest abuses of the plays and
playing houses may be redressed and the use and moderation of them
retained, the Lords and the rest of Her Majesty's Privy Council have
ordered in manner and form as followeth.
First, that there shall be about the city two houses and no more
allowed to serve for the use of the common stage plays; of the which
houses one shall be in Surrey, in that place which is commonly
called the Bankside, or thereabouts, and the other in Middlesex....
It is likewise ordered that the house of Allen shall be allowed to
be one of the two houses, and namely for the house to be allowed in
Middlesex. And for the other, allowed to be on Surrey side, their
Lordships are pleased to permit to the company of players that shall
play there, to make their own choice which they will have, choosing
one of them and no more. And especially is it forbidden that any
stage plays shall be played (as sometimes they have been) in any
common inn for public assembly in or near about the city.
Secondly, forasmuch as these stage plays by the multitude of houses
and company of players have been too frequent, not serving for
recreation, but inviting and calling the people daily from their
trade and work to misspend their time; it is likewise ordered that
the two several companies of players, assigned unto the two houses
allowed, may play each of them in their several house twice a week
and no oftener; and especially that they shall refrain to play on
the sabbath day, upon pain of imprisonment and further penalty; and
that they shall forbear altogether in the time of Lent and likewise
at such time and times as any extraordinary sickness or infection of
disease shall appear to be in or about the city.
Thirdly, because these orders will be of little force and effect
unless they be duly put into execution, it is ordered that several
copies shall be sent to the Lord Mayor of London and to the Justices
of the Peace of the counties of Middlesex and Surrey, and that
letters should be written to them straightly charging them to see
the execution of the same by committing to prison the owners of
playhouses and players who shall disobey and resist these orders.
A PLAGUE ORDER (1593).
Since the Great Plague of 1665 there has been no similar outbreak in
this country, but before that year plagues were of comparatively
frequent occurrence. Despite the enormous loss of life which these
pestilences caused, no effective measures were taken to prevent their
recurrence. Although the outbreaks were by no means confined to the
towns, they appear invariably to have commenced there, and the blame was
usually attached to immigrants, or to the importation of infected
foreign goods. The conditions in the towns, particularly London, were so
utterly insanitary that infectious diseases were positively encouraged,
and the annals of London contain periodical accounts of disastrous
visitations such as the one described by Stow as occurring in 1603. The
early literature concerning the Plague is not very illuminating, and we
get very few details as to treatment. The chief points of the
regulations which were issued on the occasion of every serious outbreak
appear to be isolation of infected persons and special attention to
sanitation. These measures, of course, are exactly those which are
adopted at the present day; but it seems that, excellent though the
regulations themselves might be, they were very imperfectly enforced,
and we are almost entirely in the dark as to the treatment accorded to
the sufferers and the remedies, if any, which were found to prove at all
effective.
=Sources.=—(_a_) Lansdowne MSS.,
Malone Society, _Collections_, 1., ii., xix;
(_b_) Stow,_Annals_, p. 857.
(_a_) 1593. Orders to be sett downe by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen
of London for taking awaie such enormities as be meanes not only to
continue but increase the plague and disorders of the Citie; being
taken out of the proclamations set out by the Citie and the articles
sett downe for providing for the poor and setting them to work.
_Aldermen or their Deputies._
1. To give charge to Churchwardens, Constables, Parish Clerks and
Bedells to enquire what houses be infected.
2. To visit the ward often to see orders observed, especially
touching cleanness in the streets.
3. The Aldermen or their deputies in their own persons to appoint
Surveyors monthly in every parishe.
4. To appoint that certificate may be made to them what houses be
infected.
5. To give charge to all teachers of children that (as nere as they
can) they permit no children to come to their scoles from infected
houses, especiallie till such houses have bene clere by the space of
28 daies, and that none kepe a greater number than their Roomes
shall be thought fit by the Aldermen or their deputies to conteyne.
_Surveyours._
1. To see the orders for the sick executed daylie and diligentlie,
upon knowledge from the Aldermen what houses be infected.
2. To appoint purveyours of necessaries for infected houses (being
of the same houses), and deliver them reed rods to carry, and see
that none other resort to their houses.
_Constables._
1. To bring every daie notice in writing to the Aldermen or their
deputies what houses be infected.
_Constable and Churchwarden._
1. To provyde to have in readiness women to be providers and
deliverers of necessaries to infected houses, and to attend the
infected persons, and they to bear reed wandes, so that the sicke
maie be kept from the whole, as nere as maie be, nedefull attendance
weighed.
_Constable and Bedell._
1. To inquire what houses be infected.
2. To view dailie that papers remaine upon doors xxviii daies or to
place newe.
_Clarkes and Sextons._
1. To understand what houses be infected.
2. To see bills set upon the doors of houses infected.
3. To suffer no corpses infected to be buried or remain in the
churche during prayer or sermon, and to keep children from coming
nere them.
_Scavengers and Rakers._
1. To see the streets made cleane every daie saving Sunday and the
soile to be carried away.
2. To warn all inhabitants, against their houses to keep channels
clere from fylth (by only turning it aside) that the water maie have
passage.
_Common Hunt._
1. To kyll dogs, etc., or to lose his place.
_Householders and Houses._
1. Houses having some sicke though none die, or from whence some
sicke have bene removed, are infected houses, and such are to be
shut up for a month.
2. The whole familie to tarry in xxviii days.
3. To keep shut the lower rooms for the like space.
4. One licensed to go for provision, etc.
5. No clothes hanged into the streets.
6. Such as have wells or pumpes, every morning by six and every
evening after eight a clocke, shall cause ten bucketts full to run
into the streets.
7. Every evening at that hour the streets and channels to be made
cleane, the water not swept out of the channell, nor the streets
overwett but sprinkled, etc.
8. The houses infected and things in them to be aired in the xxviii
days and no clothes or things about the infected persons to be given
awaie or sold, but either destroyed or sufficientlie purified.
9. Owners of houses infected with their familie, may within the
month depart to any their houses in the countrye, or to any other
house in the Cyttye without being shut up, so that they abstain from
returning to the Cyttye, or from going abroad out of house in the
Cyttye, for a month.
10. None shall keep dogg or bitche abroad unled nor within howling
or disturbing of their neighbours.
11. To have no assembly at funeral dynners or usual meeting in
houses infected.
12. None shall for a month come into infected houses but such as be
of the house and licensed to do service abroad.
13. No donghills out of stables, Bearhouses or other places to be
made in the strete.
14. To have double time of Restraint for consenting to pull down
bills, and the taker awaie to suffer imprisonement for viii days.
_Two Viewers of Dead Bodies,
Two Viewers of sick suspected_,
Shall be appointed and sworne.
These viewers to report to the Constable, he to the Clarke, and he
to the chief of Clarkes, all upon pain of imprisonment.
A pain of standing on the pillory for false reports by the viewers.
A loss of pension to such as shall refuse.
_Mendinge of Pavements._
That diligent care be had, that pavements be amended where nede is,
and that principall paviers be appointed to survey the wants of
paving, especiallie in Channels, and that the dwellers against such
may be forced to amend them.
_Interludes and Plaies._
If the increase of the sicknes be feared, that Interludes and plaies
be restrained within the libertyes of the Cyttye.
_Phisicions and Surgeons._
That skilful and learned physicions and surgeons may be provided to
minister to the sicke.
_Vagrant, Masterless, and poore people._
1. That all such as be diseased be sent to St. Thomas or St.
Bartylmewes hospitall, there to be first cured and made cleane, and
afterwards those which be not of the Cyttye to be sent awaie
according to the statute in that case provided, and the other to be
sett to worke, in such as are least used by the Inhabitants of the
Cyttye, for the avoyding of all such vagrant persons as well as
children male and female, soldiers lame and maymed, as other idle
and loytering persons that swarme in the streets and wander up and
downe begging to the great daunger and infecting of the Cyttye for
th' increase of the plague and annoyance to the same.
2. That all maisterless men who live idlie in the Cyttye without any
lawfull calling, frequenting places of common assemblies, as
Interludes, gaming houses, cockpitts, bowling allies, and such other
places, may be banished the Cyttye according to the laws in that
case provyded.
(_b_) In the former year, 1603, the plague of pestilence being great
in Ostend, and divers other parties of the Low countries, and many
soldiers returning thence into England, and many ships of war lying
long at Sea became also infected, who in their return, brought that
contagion into divers parts of this land, chiefly into the City of
London: by reason whereof many citizens, and other inhabitants
thereof, for their better safety went into most shires of this
kingdom, where in divers places they were kindly entertained, and
entreated, and in many places most unchristianly, and despitefully
reviled, and not suffered to have relief, neither for love, nor
money, saying God must needs plague you, for your monstrous
wickedness etc. many died in high-ways, fields and barns, near unto
good towns, and villages, where too many of them were let remain too
long unburied, but God whose mercy is above all his works, stayed
his visitation in London, to the honour of his own name, and
admiration of all men.
The City of London, the year ensuing viz. 1604, was cleared of all
infection, and the other cities of this kingdom, most villages, and
towns corporate, more extremely visited, and some by proclamation
prohibited from coming to London: and it was Christianly observed in
the year 1604, in the which it pleased Almighty God to visit the
whole land with pestilence (London only excepted) that all those
places were least, or not at all visited, which the year before had
relieved the distressed. There died in London, and the liberties
thereof, from the 23rd of December 1602, unto the 22nd of December
1603, of all diseases, 38,244, whereof of the plague, 30,578: the
next March following, against the time the King should ride in
triumph through London, to behold the state and beauty thereof
besides the Clergy, Nobility, and chief gentry, of every country,
and great numbers of strangers from beyond seas, there repaired
thither such great multitudes of people from all places, as the like
in London was never seen until that day, all which notwithstanding,
there died that year of all diseases within London, and the
liberties of London but 4,263.
LONDON SCHOOLS (1598).
During the Middle Ages there was little provision for education; the
monasteries and the Universities kept alive such learning as existed,
and it was not until the sixteenth century that the revival of learning
affected England and brought about a widespread interest in education
and the pursuit of knowledge. It is well known that Wolsey and Henry
VIII. at first proposed to divert some of the wealth of the monasteries
to educational purposes, such as the endowment of schools and colleges
in the Universities; and although this intention was not fully carried
out, the cause of education in London was advanced by some of the City
Companies and by private benefactions. The following passage from Stow
gives an entertaining description of the educational methods of his day.
=Source.=—Stow's _Survey_, p. 74.