(For the _Mirror_.)
The name of Holborn is derived from an ancient village, built upon the
bank of the rivulet, or _bourne_, of the same name.--Stowe says,
"_Oldborne_, or _Hilborne_, was the water, breaking out about
the place where now the Barres doe stand; and it ranne downe the whole
street to _Oldborne Bridge_, and into the river of the _Wels_,
or _Turne-mill Brooke_. This _Boorne_ was long since stopped
up at the head, and other places, where the same hath broken out; but
yet till this day, the said street is there called high, _Oldborne_
hill, and both sides thereof, (together with all the grounds adjoining,
that lye betwixt it and the River of Thames,) remaine full of springs,
so that water is there found at hand, and hard to be stopped in every
house."
"Oldborne Conduit, which stood by Oldborne Crosse, was first builded
1498. Thomasin, widow to John Percival, maior, gave to the second making
thereof twenty markes; Richard Shore, ten pounds; Thomas Knesworth, and
others also, did give towards it.--But of late, a new conduit was there
builded, in place of the old, namely, in the yeere 1577; by William
Lambe, sometime a gentleman of the chappell to King Henry the Eighth,
and afterwards a citizen and clothworker of London, which amounted to
the sum of 1,500_l_.
"Scroops' Inne,[2] sometime Sergeant's Inne, was situate against the
church of St. Andrew, in Oldborne, in the city of London, with two
gardens.
"On the High-streete of Oldborne (says Stowe) have ye many fair houses
builded, and lodgings for gentlemen, innes for travellers, and such
like, up almost (for it lacketh but little) to St. Giles's in the
Fields."
Gerard, the famous herbalist, lived in Holborn, and had there a large
botanic garden. Holborn was then in the outskirts of the town on that
side. Richard the Third asked the Bishop of Ely to send for some of the
good strawberries which he heard the bishop had in his garden in
Holborn.
"In 1417, Lower Holborn (says Brayley) one of the great inlets to the
city, was first paved, it being then described as a highway, so deep and
miry, that many perils and hazards were thereby occasioned; and the
King, at his own expense, is recorded to have employed two vessels,
each of twenty tons burthen, for bringing stones for that purpose.
"In 1534 an act was passed for paving with stone the street between
Holborn Bridge and Holborn Bars, at the west end thereof, and also the
streets of Southwark; and every person was made liable to maintain the
pavement before his door, under the forfeiture of sixpence to the king
for every square yard."
On the south side of Holborn Hill was St. Andrew's Church, of
considerable antiquity; but rebuilt in a plain, neat manner. Here was
buried Thomas Wriothesley, lord chancellor in the latter part of the
life of Henry the Eighth: a fiery zealot, who (says Pennant) not content
with seeing the amiable Anne Askew put to the torture, for no other
crime than difference of faith, flung off his gown, degraded the
chancellor into the bureau, and with his own hands gave force to the
rack.
"Furnival's Inn was one of the hosteries belonging to Lincoln's Inn, in
old times the town abode of the Lords of Furnivals.
"Thaive's Inn was another, old as the time of Edward the Third. It took
its name from John Tavye.
"Staples Inn; so called from its having been a staple in which the
wool-merchants were used to assemble.
"Barnard's Inn, originally Mackworth's Inn, having been given by the
executors of John Mackworth, dean of Lincoln, to the dean and chapter of
Lincoln, on condition that they should find a pious priest to perform
divine service in the cathedral of Lincoln--in which John Mackworth lies
interred.
"Hatton Garden was the town house and gardens of the Lord Hatton, founded
by Sir Christopher Hatton, lord-keeper in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
The place he built his house on was the orchard and garden belonging to
Ely House.
"Brook House was the residence of Sir Fulke Greville, Lord Brooke.
"Southampton Buildings, built on the site of Southampton House, the
mansion of the Wriothesleys, earls of Southampton. When Lord Russel
passed by this house, on his way to execution, he felt a momentary
bitterness of death, in recollecting the happy moments of the place. He
looked (says Pennant) towards Southampton House, the tear started into
his eye, but he instantly wiped it away.
"Gray's Inn is a place of great antiquity: it was originally the
residence of the Lord Grays, from the year 1315, when John, the son of
Reginold de Grey, resided here, till the latter end of the reign of Henry
the Seventh, when it was sold, by Edmund Lord Grey, of Wilton, to Hugh
Dennys, Esq., by the name of Portpole; and in eight years afterwards it
was disposed of to the prior and convent of Shene, who again, disposed
of it to the students of the law; not but that they were seated here
much earlier, it appearing that they had leased a residence here from
the Lord Grays, as early as the reign of Edward the Third. Chancery Lane
gapes on the opposite side, to receive the numberless _malheureuses_
who plunge unwarily on the rocks and shelves with which it abounds."