mayor, about the year 1415, the third of Henry V., caused the wall
of the city to be broken near unto Coleman street, and there built a
postern, now called Moregate, upon the moor side where was never gate
before. This gate he made for ease of the citizens, that way to pass
upon causeys into the field for their recreation: for the same field
was at that time a parish. This postern was re-edified by William
Hampton, fishmonger, mayor, in the year 1472. In the year also, 1511,
the third of Henry VIII., Roger Acheley, mayor, caused dikes and bridges
to be made, and the ground to be levelled, and made more commodious for
passage, since which time the same hath been heightened. So much that
the ditches and bridges are covered, and seemeth to me that if it be
made level with the battlements of the city wall, yet will it be little
the drier, such is the moorish nature of that ground.
POSTERN OF CRIPPLEGATE
The next is the postern of Cripplegate, so called long before the
Conquest. For I read in the history of Edmond,[49] king of the East
Angles, written by Abbo Floriacensis, and by Burchard, sometime
secretary to Offa, king of Marcia, but since by John Lidgate, monk
of Bury, that in the year 1010, the Danes spoiling the kingdom of
the East Angles, Alwyne, bishop of Helmeham, caused the body of King
Edmond the Martyr to be brought from Bedrisworth (now called Bury St.
Edmondes), through the kingdom of the East Saxons, and so to London
in at Cripplegate; a place, saith mine author, so called of cripples
begging there: at which gate, it was said, the body entering, miracles
were wrought, as some of the lame to go upright, praising God. The body
of King Edmond rested for the space of three years in the parish church
of St. Gregorie, near unto the cathedral church of St. Paul. Moreover,
the charter of William the Conqueror, confirming the foundation of the
college in London, called St. Martin the Great, hath these words:[50] “I
do give and grant to the same church and canons, serving God therein,
all the land and the moore without the postern, which is called
Cripplegate, on either side the postern.” More I read, that Alfune built
the parish church of St. Giles, nigh a gate of the city, called Porta
Contractorum, or Cripplesgate, about the year 1099.
This postern was sometime a prison, whereunto such citizens and others,
as were arrested for debt or common trespasses, were committed, as they
be now, to the compters, which thing appeareth by a writ of Edward I.
in these words: “_Rex vic. London. salutem: ex graui querela B. capt. &
detent. in prisona nostra de Criples gate pro x. l. quas coram Radulpho
de Sandwico tunc custod. ciuitatis nostræ London. & I. de Blackwell
ciuis recognit. debit. etc._” This gate was new built by the brewers
of London in the year 1244, as saith Fabian’s manuscript. Edmond Shaw,
goldsmith, mayor in the year 1483, at his decease appointed by his
testament his executors, with the cost of four hundred marks, and the
stuff of the old gate, called Cripplesgate, to build the same gate of
new, which was performed and done in the year 1491.
ALDERSGATE
The next is Ældresgate, or Aldersgate,[51] so called not of Aldrich or
of Elders, that is to say, ancient men, builders thereof; not of Eldarne
trees, growing there more abundantly than in other places, as some have
fabled,[51] but for the very antiquity of the gate itself, as being one
of the first four gates of the city, and serving for the northern parts,
as Aldegate for the east; which two gates, being both old gates, are for
difference sake called, the one Ealdegate, and the other Aldersgate.
This is the fourth principal gate, and hath at sundry times been
increased with buildings, namely, on the south, or inner side, a great
frame of timber hath been added and set up, containing divers large
rooms and lodgings; also on the east side is the addition of one great
building of timber, with one large floor, paved with stone or tile, and
a well therein curbed with stone, of a great depth, and rising into the
said room, two stories high from the ground; which well is the only
peculiar note belonging to that gate, for I have not seen the like in
all this city to be raised so high. John Day, stationer, a late famous
printer of many good books, in our time dwelt in this gate, and built
much upon the wall of the city towards the parish church of St. Anne.
POSTERN OUT OF CHRIST’S HOSPITAL
Then is there also a postern gate, made out of the wall on the north
side of the late dissolved cloister of Friers minors, commonly of their
habit called Grey friars, now Christ’s church and hospital. This postern
was made in the first year of Edward VI. to pass from the said hospital
of Christ’s church unto the hospital of St. Bartlemew in Smithfield.
NEWGATE
The next gate on the west, and by north, is termed Newgate, as latelier
built than the rest, and is the fifth principal gate. This gate was
first erected about the reign of Henry I. or of King Stephen, upon this
occasion.[52] The cathedral church of St. Paul, being burnt about the
year 1086, in the reign of William the Conqueror, Mauritius, then bishop
of London, repaired not the old church, as some have supposed, but
began the foundation of a new work, such as men then judged would never
have been performed; it was to them so wonderful for height, length,
and breadth, as also in respect it was raised upon arches or vaults, a
kind of workmanship brought in by the Normans, and never known to the
artificers of this land before that time, etc. After Mauritius, Richard
Beamore did wonderfully advance the work of the said church, purchasing
the large streets and lanes round about, wherein were wont to dwell many
lay people, which grounds he began to compass about with a strong wall
of stone and gates. By means of this increase of the church territory,
but more by inclosing of ground for so large a cemetery or churchyard,
the high and large street stretching from Aldegate in the east until
Ludgate in the west, was in this place so crossed and stopped up, that
the carriage through the city westward was forced to pass without the
said churchyard wall on the north side, through Pater noster row; and
then south, down Ave Mary lane, and again west, through Bowyer row to
Ludgate; or else out of Cheepe, or Watheling street, to turn south,
through the old Exchange; then west through Carter lane, again north
by Creede lane, and then west to Ludgate: which passage, by reason of
so often turning, was very cumbersome and dangerous both for horse and
man; for remedy whereof a new gate was made, and so called, by which men
and cattle, with all manner of carriages, might pass more directly (as
afore) from Aldegate, through West Cheape by Paules, on the north side;
through St. Nicholas shambles and Newgate market to Newgate, and from
thence to any part westward over Oldborne bridge, or turning without
the gate into Smithfielde, and through Iseldon to any part north and
by west. This gate hath of long time been a gaol, or prison for felons
and trespassers, as appeareth by records[53] in the reign of King John,
and of other kings; amongst the which I find one testifying, that in
the year 1218, the 3rd of King Henry III., the king writeth unto the
sheriffs of London, commanding them to repair the gaol of Newgate for
the safe keeping of his prisoners, promising that the charges laid out
should be allowed unto them upon their account in the Exchequer.
Moreover, in the year 1241, the Jews of Norwich were hanged for
circumcising a Christian child; their house called the Thor was pulled
down and destroyed; Aron, the son of Abraham, a Jew, at London, and
the other Jews, were constrained to pay twenty thousand marks at two
terms in the year, or else to be kept perpetual prisoners in Newgate of
London, and in other prisons. In 1255, King Henry III. lodging in the
tower of London, upon displeasure conceived towards the city of London,
for the escape of John Offrem, a prisoner, being a clerk convict, out
of Newgate, which had killed a prior that was of alliance to the king,
as cousin to the queen: he sent for the mayor and sheriffs to come
before him to answer the matter; the mayor laid the fault from him to
the sheriffs, forasmuch as to them belonged the keeping of all prisoners
within the city; and so the mayor returned home, but the sheriffs
remained there prisoners by the space of a month and more; and yet they
excused themselves, in that the fault chiefly rested in the bishop’s
officers; for whereas the prisoner was under custody, they at his
request had granted license to imprison the offender within the gaol of
Newgate, but so as the bishop’s officers were charged to see him safely
kept. The king, notwithstanding all this, demanded of the city three
thousand marks for a fine.
In the year 1326, Robert Baldoke, the king’s chancellor, was put in
Newgate, the 3rd of Edward III. In the year 1337, Sir John Poultney
gave four marks by the year to the relief of prisoners in Newgate. In
the year 1385, William Walworth gave somewhat to relieve the prisoners
in Newgate, so have many others since. In the year 1414, the gaolers
of Newgate and Ludgate died, and prisoners in Newgate to the number
of sixty-four. In the year 1418, the parson of Wrotham, in Kent, was
imprisoned in Newgate. In the year 1422, the first of Henry VI., license
was granted to John Coventre, Jenken Carpenter, and William Grove,
executors to Richard Whittington, to re-edify the gaol of Newgate, which
they did with his goods.
Thomas Knowles, grocer, sometime mayor of London, by license of Reynold,
prior of St. Bartholomew’s in Smithfield, and also of John Wakering,
master of the hospital of St. Bartholomew, and his brethren, conveyed
the waste of water at the cistern near to the common fountain and chapel
of St. Nicholas (situate by the said hospital) to the gaols of Newgate,
and Ludgate, for the relief of the prisoners. Tuesday next after Palm
Sunday 1431, all the prisoners of Ludgate were removed into Newgate by
Walter Chartesey, and Robert Large, sheriffs of London; and on the
13th of April the same sheriffs (through the false suggestion of John
Kingesell, jailor of Newgate) set from thence eighteen persons free
men, and these were let to the compters, pinioned as if they had been
felons; but on the sixteenth of June, Ludgate was again appointed for
free men, prisoners for debt; and the same day the said free men entered
by ordinance of the mayor, aldermen, and commons, and by them Henry
Deane, tailor, was made keeper of Ludgate prison. In the year 1457, a
great fray was in the north country between Sir Thomas Percie, Lord
Egremond, and the Earl of Salisbury’s sons, whereby many were maimed
and slain; but, in the end, the Lord Egremond being taken, was by the
king’s counsel found in great default, and therefore condemned in great
sums of money, to be paid to the Earl of Salisbury, and in the meantime
committed to Newgate. Not long after, Sir Thomas Percie, Lord Egremond,
and Sir Richard Percie his brother, being in Newgate, broke out of
prison by night, and went to the king; the other prisoners took the
leads of the gate, and defended it a long while against the sheriffs and
all their officers, insomuch that they were forced to call more aid of
the citizens, whereby they lastly subdued them, and laid them in irons:
and this may suffice for Newgate.
LUDGATE
In the west is the next, and sixth principal gate, and is called
Ludgate, as first built (saith Geoffrey Monmouth) by King Lud, a Briton,
about the year before Christ’s nativity, 66. Of which building, and also
of the name, as Ludsgate, or Fludsgate, hath been of late some question
among the learned; wherefore I overpass it, as not to my purpose, only
referring the reader to that I have before written out of Cæsar’s
Commentaries, and other Roman writers, concerning a town or city amongst
the Britons. This gate I suppose to be one of the most ancient; and as
Aldgate was built for the east, so was this Ludsgate for the west. I
read,[54] as I told you, that in the year 1215, the 17th of King John,
the barons of the realm, being in arms against the king, entered this
city, and spoiled the Jews’ houses; which being done, Robert Fitzwater
and Geffrey de Magnavilla, Earl of Essex, and the Earl of Gloucester,
chief leaders of the army, applied all diligence to repair the gates
and walls of this city, with the stones of the Jews’ broken houses,
especially (as it seemeth) they then repaired, or rather new built
Ludgate. For in the year 1586, when the same gate was taken down to
be newly built, there was found couched within the wall thereof a
stone taken from one of the Jews’ houses, wherein was graven in Hebrew
characters these words following: _Hæc est statio Rabbi Mosis, filii
insignis Rabbi Isaac_: which is to say, this is the station or ward
of Rabbi Moyses, the son of the honourable Rabbi Isaac, and had been
fixed upon the front of one of the Jews’ houses, as a note or sign that
such a one dwelt there. In the year 1260, this Ludgate was repaired,
and beautified with images of Lud, and other kings, as appeareth by
letters patent of license given to the citizens of London, to take up
stone for that purpose, dated the 25th of Henry III. These images of
kings in the reign of Edward VI. had their heads smitten off, and were
otherwise defaced by[55] such as judged every image to be an idol; and
in the reign of Queen Mary were repaired, as by setting new heads on
their old bodies, etc. All which so remained until the year 1586, the
28th of Queen Elizabeth, when the same gate being sore decayed, was
clean taken down; the prisoners in the meantime remaining in the large
south-east quadrant to the same gate adjoining; and the same year the
whole gate was newly and beautifully built, with the images of Lud and
others, as afore, on the east side, and the picture of her majesty Queen
Elizabeth on the west side: all which was done at the common charges of
the citizens, amounting to fifteen hundred pounds or more.
This gate was made a free prison in the year 1378, the 1st of Richard
II., Nicholas Brembar being mayor.[56] The same was confirmed in the
year 1382, John Northampton being mayor, by a common council in the
Guildhall; by which it was ordained that all freemen of this city
should, for debt, trespasses, accounts, and contempts, be imprisoned
in Ludgate, and for treasons, felonies, and other criminal offences,
committed to Newgate, etc. In the year 1431, the 10th of King Henry VI.,
John Wells being mayor, a court of common council established ordinances
(as William Standon and Robert Chicheley, late mayors, before had done),
touching the guard and government of Ludgate and other prisons.
Also in the year 1463, the third of Edward IV., Mathew Philip, being
mayor, in a common council, at the request of the well-disposed,
blessed, and devout woman, Dame Agnes Forster, widow, late wife to
Stephen Forster, fishmonger, sometime mayor, for the comfort and relief
of all the poor prisoners, certain articles were established. Imprimis,
that the new works then late edified by the same Dame Agnes, for the
enlarging of the prison of Ludgate, from thenceforth should be had and
taken as a part and parcel of the said prison of Ludgate; so that both
the old and new work of Ludgate aforesaid be one prison, gaol keeping,
and charge for evermore.
The said quadrant, strongly built of stone by the beforenamed Stephen
Forster, and Agnes his wife, containeth a large walking-place by ground
of thirty-eight feet and a half in length, besides the thickness of the
walls, which are at the least six foot, makes altogether forty-four
feet and a half; the breadth within the walls is twenty-nine feet and a
half, so that the thickness of the walls maketh it thirty five feet and
a half in breadth. The like room it hath over it for lodgings, and over
it again fair leads to walk upon, well embattled, all for fresh air and
ease of prisoners, to the end they should have lodging and water free
without charge, as by certain verses graven in copper, and fixed on the
said quadrant, I have read in form following:--
“Devout souls that pass this way,
For Stephen Forster, late mayor, heartily pray;
And Dame Agnes his spouse to God consecrate,
That of pity this house made for Londoners in Ludgate.
So that for lodging and water prisoners here nought pay,
As their keepers shall all answer at dreadful doomsday.”
This place and one other of his arms, three broad arrow-heads, taken
down with the old gate, I caused to be fixed over the entry of the said
quadrant; but the verses being unhappily turned inward to the wall,
procured the like in effect to be graven outward in prose, declaring him
to be a fishmonger, because some upon a light occasion (as a maiden’s
head in a glass window) had fabled him to be a mercer, and to have
begged there at Ludgate, etc. Thus much for Ludgate.
Next this is there a breach in the wall of the city, and a bridge of
timber over the Fleet dike, betwixt Fleetebridge and Thames, directly
over against the house of Bridewel. Thus much for gates in the wall.
Water-gates on the banks of the river Thames have been many, which being
purchased by private men, are also put to private use, and the old names
of them forgotten; but of such as remain, from the west towards the
east, may be said as followeth:--
The Blacke-friers stairs, a free landing-place.
Then a water-gate at Puddle wharf, of one Puddle that kept a wharf on
the west side thereof, and now of Puddle water, by means of many horses
watered there.
Then Powle’s wharf, also a free landing-place with stairs, etc.
Then Broken wharf, and other such like.
But, Ripa Regina, the Queene’s bank, or Queene hithe may well be
accounted the very chief and principal water-gate of this city, being
a common strand or landing-place, yet equal with, and of old time far
exceeding, Belins gate, as shall be shown in the ward of Queene hithe.
The next is Downe gate, so called of the sudden descending or down-going
of that way from St. John’s church upon Walbrooke unto the river of
Thames, whereby the water in the channel there hath such a swift course,
that in the year 1574, on the fourth of September, after a strong shower
of rain, a lad, of the age of eighteen years, minding to have leapt over
the channel, was taken by the feet, and borne down with the violence of
that narrow stream, and carried toward the Thames with such a violent
swiftness, as no man could rescue or stay him, till he came against
a cart-wheel that stood in the water-gate, before which time he was
drowned and stark dead.
This was sometimes a large water-gate, frequented of ships and other
vessels, like as the Queene hithe, and was a part thereof, as doth
appear by an inquisition made in the 28th year of Henry III., wherein
was found, that as well corn as fish, and all other things coming to the
port of Downegate, were to be ordered after the customs of the Queene’s
hithe, for the king’s use; as also that the corn arriving between the
gate of the Guild hall of the merchants of Cullen (the Styleyard), which
is east from Downegate, and the house then pertaining to the Archbishop
of Canterbury, west from Baynarde’s Castle, was to be measured by the
measure, and measurer of the Queene’s soke, or Queene hithe. I read
also, in the 19th of Edward III., that customs were then to be paid for
ships and other vessels resting at Downegate, as if they rode at Queene
hithe, and as they now do at Belingsgate. And thus much for Downegate
may suffice.
The next was called Wolfes gate,[57] in the ropery in the parish of
Allhallowes the Lesse, of later time called Wolfes lane, but now out of
use; for the lower part was built on by the Earle of Shrewsburie, and
the other part was stopped up and built on by the chamberlain of London.
The next is Ebgate,[58] a water-gate, so called of old time, as
appeareth by divers records of tenements near unto the same adjoining.
It standeth near unto the church of St. Laurence Pountney, but is within
the parish of St. Marten Ordegare. In place of this gate is now a narrow
passage to the Thames, and is called Ebgate lane, but more commonly the
Old Swan.
Then is there a water-gate at the bridge foot, called Oyster gate, of
oysters that were there of old time, commonly to be sold, and was the
chiefest market for them and for other shell-fishes. There standeth now
an engine or forcier, for the winding up of water to serve the city,
whereof I have already spoken.
BRIDGE GATE
The next is the Bridge gate, so called of London Bridge, whereon it
standeth. This was one of the four first and principal gates of the
city, long before the Conquest, when there stood a bridge of timber,
and is the seventh and last principal gate mentioned by W. Fitzstephen;
which gate being new[59] made, when the bridge was built was built
of stone, hath been oftentimes since repaired. This gate, with the
tower upon it, in the year 1436 fell down, and two of the farthest
arches southwards also fell therewith, and no man perished or was hurt
therewith. To the repairing whereof, divers wealthy citizens gave large
sums of money; namely, Robert Large, sometime mayor, one hundred marks;
Stephen Forster, twenty pounds; Sir John Crosbye, alderman, one hundred
pounds, etc. But in the year 1471,[60] the Kentish mariners, under the
conduct of bastard Fauconbridge, burned the said gate and thirteen
houses on the bridge, besides the Beer houses at St. Katherine’s, and
many others in the suburbs.
The next is Buttolphe’s gate, so called of the parish church of St.
Buttolph, near adjoining. This gate was sometimes given or confirmed
by William Conqueror to the monks of Westminster in these words: “W.
rex Angliæ, etc., William, king of England, sendeth greeting to the
sheriffes, and all his ministers, as also to all his loving subjects,
French and English, of London: Know ye that I have granted to God and
St. Peter of Westminster, and to the abbot Vitalis, the gift which
Almundus of the port of S. Buttolph gave them, when he was there made
monke: that is to say, his Lords court with the houses, and one wharf,
which is at the head of London bridge, and all other his lands which he
had in the same city, in such sort as King Edward more beneficially and
amply granted the same; and I will and command that they shall enjoy
the same well and quietly and honourably, with sake and soke, etc.”
The next is Bellinsgate, used as an especial port, or harbour, for small
ships and boats coming thereto, and is now[61] most frequented, the
Queen’s hithe being almost forsaken. How this gate took that name, or of
what antiquity the same is, I must leave uncertain, as not having any
ancient record thereof, more than that Geoffrey Monmouth writeth, that
Belin, a king of the Britons, about four hundred years before Christ’s
nativity, built this gate, and named it Belin’s gate, after his own
calling; and that when he was dead, his body being burnt, the ashes, in
a vessel of brass, were set upon a high pinnacle of stone over the same
gate. But Cæsar and other Roman writers affirm, of cities, walls, and
gates, as ye have before heard; and therefore it seemeth to me not to be
so ancient, but rather to have taken that name of some later owner of
the place, happily named Beling, or Biling, as Somar’s key, Smart’s key,
Frosh wharf, and others, thereby took their names of their owners. Of
this gate more shall be said when we come to Belin’s gate ward.
Then have you a water-gate, on the west side of Wool wharf, or
Customers’ key,[62] which is commonly called the water-gate, at the
south end of Water lane.
One other water-gate there is by the bulwark of the Tower, and this is
the last and farthest water-gate eastward, on the river of Thames, so
far as the city of London extendeth within the walls; both which last
named water-gates be within the Tower ward.
Besides these common water-gates, were divers private wharfs and
keys, all along from the east to the west of this city, on the bank
of the river of Thames; merchants of all nations had landing-places,
warehouses, cellars, and stowage of their goods and merchandises, as
partly shall be touched in the wards adjoining to the said river. Now,
for the ordering and keeping these gates of this city in the night time,
it was appointed in the year of Christ 1258, by Henry III., the 42nd of
his reign,[63] that the ports of England should be strongly kept, and
that the gates of London should be new repaired, and diligently kept in
the night, for fear of French deceits, whereof one writeth these verses:
“Per noctem portæ clauduntur Londoniarum,
Mœnia ne forte fraus frangat Francigenarum.”
FOOTNOTES: