except impediment, would walk into the sweet meadows and green woods,
there to rejoice their spirits with the beauty and savour of sweet
flowers, and with the harmony of birds, praising God in their kind; and
for example hereof, Edward Hall hath noted, that King Henry VIII., as
in the 3rd of his reign, and divers other years, so namely, in the 7th
of his reign, on May-day in the morning, with Queen Katherine his wife,
accompanied with many lords and ladies, rode a-maying from Greenwitch
to the high ground of Shooter’s hill, where, as they passed by the way,
they espied a company of tall yeomen, clothed all in green, with green
hoods, and bows and arrows, to the number of two hundred; one being
their chieftain, was called Robin Hoode, who required the king and his
company to stay and see his men shoot; whereunto the king granting,
Robin Hoode whistled, and all the two hundred archers shot off, loosing
all at once; and when he whistled again they likewise shot again; their
arrows whistled by craft of the head, so that the noise was strange
and loud, which greatly delighted the king, queen, and their company.
Moreover, this Robin Hoode desired the king and queen, with their
retinue, to enter the green wood, where, in harbours made of boughs, and
decked with flowers, they were set and served plentifully with venison
and wine by Robin Hoode and his men, to their great contentment, and had
other pageants and pastimes, as ye may read in my said author.
I find also, that in the month of May, the citizens of London of all
estates, lightly in every parish, or sometimes two or three parishes
joining together, had their several mayings, and did fetch in May-poles,
with divers warlike shows, with good archers, morris dancers, and other
devices, for pastime all the day long; and toward the evening they had
stage plays, and bonfires in the streets. Of these mayings we read,
in the reign of Henry VI., that the aldermen and sheriffs of London,
being on May-day at the Bishop of London’s wood, in the parish of
Stebunheath,[114] and having there a worshipful dinner for themselves
and other commoners, Lydgate the poet, that was a monk of Bury, sent to
them, by a pursuivant, a joyful commendation of that season, containing
sixteen staves of metre royal, beginning thus:--
“Mightie Flora! goddess of fresh flowers,--
Which clothed hath the soyle in lustie greene,
Made buds spring, with her sweete showers,
By the influence of the sunne shine.
To doe pleasance of intent full cleane,
Unto the States which now sit here,
Hath Vere downe sent her owne daughter deare.
Making the vertue, that dared in the roote,
Called of clarkes the vertue vegitable,
For to transcend, most holsome and most soote,
Into the crop, this season so agreeable,
The bawmy liquor is so commendable,
That it rejoyceth with his fresh moysture,
Man, beast, and fowle, and every creature,” etc.
These great Mayings and May-games, made by the governors and masters
of this city, with the triumphant setting up of the great shaft (a
principal May-pole in Cornehill, before the parish church of St.
Andrew), therefore called Undershaft, by means of an insurrection of
youths against aliens on May-day, 1517, the 9th of Henry VIII., have
not been so freely used as afore, and therefore I leave them, and will
somewhat touch of watches, as also of shows in the night.[115]
FOOTNOTES:
[109] “As the Theater, the Curtine,” etc.--_1st edition._
[110] Matthew Paris.
[111] The Bear garden on the Bankside is not mentioned in the first
edition.
[112] Matthew Paris.
[113] In the edition of Brand’s _Popular Antiquities_, edited by Sir
Henry Ellis, vol. i. 272-278, will be found a very large and curious
collection of materials illustrative of this ancient custom.
[114] Stepney.
OF WATCHES IN THIS CITY, AND OTHER MATTERS COMMANDED, AND THE CAUSE WHY
William Conqueror commanded that in every town and village, a bell
should be nightly rung at eight o’clock, and that all people should then
put out their fire and candle, and take their rest; which order was
observed through this realm during his reign, and the reign of William
Rufus. But Henry I., restoring to his subjects the use of fire and
lights, as afore; it followeth, by reason of wars within the realm, that
many men also gave themselves to robbery and murders in the night; for
example whereof in this city Roger Hoveden writeth thus:--“In the year
1175, council was kept at Nottingham; in time of which council a brother
of the Earl Ferrers being in the night privily slain at London, and
thrown out of his inn into the dirty street, when the king understood
thereof, he swore that he would be avenged on the citizens. For it was
then (saith mine author) a common practice in the city, that a hundred
or more in a company, young and old, would make nightly invasions upon
houses of the wealthy, to the intent to rob them; and if they found any
man stirring in the city within the night that were not of their crew,
they would presently murder him, insomuch that when night was come no
man durst adventure to walk in the streets. When this had continued
long, it fortuned that as a crew of young and wealthy citizens,
assembling together in the night, assaulted a stone house of a certain
rich man, and breaking through the wall, the good man of that house,
having prepared himself with others in a corner, when he perceived one
of the thieves named Andrew Bucquint to lead the way, with a burning
brand in the one hand, and a pot of coals in the other, which he essayed
to kindle with the brand, he flew upon him, and smote off his right
hand, and then with a loud voice cried ‘Thieves!’ at the hearing whereof
the thieves took their flight, all saving he that had lost his hand,
whom the good man in the next morning delivered to Richard de Lucie,
the king’s justice. This thief, upon warrant of his life, appeached his
confederates, of whom many were taken, and many were fled. Among the
rest that were apprehended, a certain citizen of great countenance,
credit, and wealth, named John Senex,[116] who forasmuch as he could not
acquit himself by the water dome, as that law was then, he offered to
the king five hundred pounds of silver for his life; but forasmuch as
he was condemned by judgment of the water, the king would not take the
offer, but commanded him to be hanged on the gallows, which was done,
and then the city became more quiet for a long time after.” But for a
full remedy of enormities in the night I read, that in the year 1253,
Henry III. commanded watches in the cities and borough towns to be kept,
for the better observing of peace and quietness amongst his people.
And further, by the advice of them of Savoy, he ordained, that if any
man chanced to be robbed, or by any means damnified by any thief or
robber, he to whom the charge of keeping that country, city, or borough,
chiefly appertained, where the robbery was done, should competently
restore the loss. And this was after the use of Savoy, but yet thought
more hard to be observed here than in those parts; and, therefore,
leaving those laborious watches, I will speak of our pleasures and
pastimes in watching by night.
In the months of June and July, on the vigils of festival days, and on
the same festival days in the evenings after the sun setting, there were
usually made bonfires in the streets, every man bestowing wood or labour
towards them; the wealthier sort also, before their doors near to the
said bonfires, would set out tables on the vigils, furnished with sweet
bread and good drink, and on the festival days with meats and drinks
plentifully, whereunto they would invite their neighbours and passengers
also to sit and be merry with them in great familiarity, praising God
for his benefits bestowed on them. These were called bonfires as well
of good amity amongst neighbours that being before at controversy, were
there, by the labour of others, reconciled, and made of bitter enemies
loving friends; and also for the virtue that a great fire hath to purge
the infection of the air. On the vigil of St. John the Baptist, and on
St. Peter and Paul the apostles, every man’s door being shadowed with
green birch, long fennel, St. John’s wort, orpin, white lilies, and
such like, garnished upon with garlands of beautiful flowers, had also
lamps of glass, with oil burning in them all the night; some hung out
branches of iron curiously wrought, containing hundreds of lamps alight
at once, which made a goodly show, namely in New Fish street, Thames
street, etc. Then had ye besides the standing watches all in bright
harness, in every ward and street of this city and suburbs, a marching
watch, that passed through the principal streets thereof, to wit, from
the little conduit by Paule’s gate to West Cheape, by the stocks through
Cornhill, by Leaden hall to Aldgate, then back down Fenchurch street, by
Grasse church, about Grasse church conduit, and up Grasse church street
into Cornhill, and through it into West Cheape again. The whole way for
this marching watch extendeth to three thousand two hundred tailor’s
yards of assize; for the furniture whereof with lights, there were
appointed seven hundred cressets, five hundred of them being found by
the companies, the other two hundred by the chamber of London. Besides
the which lights every constable in London, in number more than two
hundred and forty,[117] had his cresset: the charge of every cresset
was in light two shillings and four pence, and every cresset had two
men, one to bear or hold it, another to bear a bag with light, and to
serve it, so that the poor men pertaining to the cressets, taking wages,
besides that every one had a straw hat, with a badge painted, and his
breakfast in the mornings amounted in number to almost two thousand.
The marching watch contained in number about two thousand men, part of
them being old soldiers of skill, to be captains, lieutenants,
serjeants, corporals, etc., wiflers, drummers, and fifes, standard and
ensign bearers, sword players, trumpeters on horseback, demilances on
great horses, gunners with hand guns, or half hakes, archers in coats
of white fustian, signed on the breast and back with the arms of the
city, their bows bent in their hands, with sheaves of arrows by their
sides, pike-men in bright corslets, burganets, etc., halberds, the like
bill-men in almaine rivets, and apernes of mail in great number; there
were also divers pageants, morris dancers, constables, the one-half,
which was one hundred and twenty, on St. John’s eve, the other half
on St. Peter’s eve, in bright harness, some overgilt, and every one a
jornet[118] of scarlet thereupon, and a chain of gold, his henchman
following him, his minstrels before him, and his cresset light passing
by him, the waits of the city, the mayor’s officers for his guard before
him, all in a livery of worsted, or say jackets party-coloured, the
mayor himself well mounted on horseback, the swordbearer before him in
fair armour well mounted also, the mayor’s footmen, and the like torch
bearers about him, henchmen twain upon great stirring horses, following
him. The sheriffs’ watches came one after the other in like order, but
not so large in number as the mayor’s; for where the mayor had besides
his giant three pageants, each of the sheriffs had besides their giants
but two pageants, each their morris dance, and one henchman, their
officers in jackets of worsted or say, party-coloured, differing from
the mayor’s, and each from other, but having harnessed men a great many,
etc.
This midsummer watch was thus accustomed yearly, time out of mind, until
the year 1539, the 31st of Henry VIII., in which year, on the 8th of
May, a great muster was made by the citizens at the Mile’s end, all
in bright harness, with coats of white silk, or cloth and chains of
gold, in three great battles, to the number of fifteen thousand, which
passed through London to Westminster, and so through the Sanctuary, and
round about the park of St. James, and returned home through Oldborne.
King Henry, then considering the great charges of the citizens for the
furniture of this unusual muster, forbad the marching watch provided for
at Midsummer for that year, which being once laid down, was not raised
again till the year 1548, the 2nd of Edward VI., Sir John Gresham then
being mayor, who caused the marching watch, both on the eve of St.
John the Baptist and of St. Peter the Apostle, to be revived and set
forth in as comely order as it hath been accustomed, which watch was
also beautified by the number of more than three hundred demilances and
light horsemen, prepared by the citizens to be sent into Scotland for
the rescue of the town of Hadington, and others kept by the Englishmen.
Since this mayor’s time, the like marching watch in this city hath not
been used, though some attempts have been made thereunto; as in the year
1585, a book was drawn by a grave citizen,[119] and by him dedicated to
Sir Thomas Pullison, then lord mayor, and his brethren the aldermen,
containing the manner and order of a marching watch in the city upon the
evens accustomed; in commendation whereof, namely, in times of peace
to be used, he hath words to this effect: “The artificers of sundry
sorts were thereby well set a-work, none but rich men charged, poor men
helped, old soldiers, trumpeters, drummers, fifes, and ensign-bearers,
with such like men, meet for princes’ service, kept in ure, wherein the
safety and defence of every common weal consisteth. Armour and weapon
being yearly occupied in this wise, the citizens had of their own
readily prepared for any need; whereas by intermission hereof, armourers
are out of work, soldiers out of pay, weapons overgrown with foulness,
few or none good being provided,” etc.
In the month of August, about the feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle,
before the Lord Mayor, aldermen, and sheriffs of London, placed in a
large tent near unto Clarkenwell, of old time, were divers days spent
in the pastime of wrestling, where the officers of the city, namely,
the sheriffs, sergeants, and yeomen, the porters of the king’s beam or
weigh-house, now no such men, and other of the city, were challengers
of all men in the suburbs, to wrestle for games appointed, and on other
days, before the said mayor, aldermen, and sheriffs, in Fensburie
field, to shoot the standard, broad arrow, and flight, for games; but
now of late years the wrestling is only practised on Bartholomew’s day
in the afternoon, and the shooting some three or four days after, in
one afternoon, and no more. What should I speak of the ancient daily
exercises in the long bow by citizens of this city, now almost clean
left off and forsaken?--I overpass it; for by the mean of closing in the
common grounds, our archers, for want of room to shoot abroad, creep
into bowling alleys, and ordinary dicing houses, nearer home, where
they have room enough to hazard their money at unlawful games; and there
I leave them to take their pleasures.
FOOTNOTES:
[115] A paper by Mr. Saunders, in Knight’s _London_, i. 169, entitled,
“The Old Spring Time in London,” forms a very agreeable commentary on
this section of our author’s work.
[116] Rich thieves most worthy to be hanged. The judgment of fire and
water, called _ordalii_, was condemned by Pope Innocent III. 1203.
Decretal. lib. 5.--_Stow._
[117] More than two hundred and forty constables in London, the one half
of them each night went in the marching watch, the other half kept their
standing watch in every street and lane.--_Stow._
[118] A large coat or cloak, from the French “journade.”--See
Roquefort’s _Glossaire_, s. v.
[119] John Mountgomery.
HONOUR OF CITIZENS, AND WORTHINESS OF MEN IN THE SAME
“This city,” saith Fitzstephen, “is glorious in manhood: furnished with
munitions, populous with inhabitants; insomuch, that in the troublesome
time of King Stephen, it hath showed at a muster twenty thousand armed
horsemen, and threescore thousand footmen, serviceable for the wars.
Moreover (saith he), the citizens of London, wheresoever they become,
are notable before all other citizens in civility of manners, attire,
table, and talk. The matrons of this city are the very modest Sabine
ladies of Italy. The Londoners, sometime called Trinobantes, repelled
Cæsar, which always made his passage by shedding blood; whereupon Lucan
sung:
‘Territa quæsitis ostendit terga Britannis.’
“The city of London hath bred some which have subdued many kingdoms,
and also the Roman empire. It hath also brought forth many others, whom
virtue and valour hath highly advanced; according to Apollo, in his
Oracle to Brute, ‘_Sub occasu solis_,’ etc. In the time of Christianity,
it brought forth that noble emperor, Constantine, which gave the city of
Rome and all the imperial ensigns to God, St. Peter, and Pope Silvester;
choosing rather to be called a defender of the church than an emperor;
and, lest peace might be violated, and their eyes troubled by his
presence, he retired from Rome, and built the city of Constantinople.
London also in late time hath brought forth famous kings: Maude the
empress, King Henry, son to Henry II., and Thomas the Archbishop,” etc.
This Thomas, surnamed Becket, born in London, brought up in the priory
of Marton, student at Paris, became the sheriff’s clerk of London for
a time, then parson of St. Mary hill, had a prebend at London, another
at Lincoln, studied the law at Bononie, etc., was made Chancellor of
England, and Archbishop of Canterbury, etc. Unto this might be added
innumerable persons of honour, wisdom, and virtue, born in London; but
of actions done by worthy citizens I will only note a few, and so to
other matters.
The citizens of London, time out of mind, founded an hospital of St.
James in the fields for leprous women of their city.
In the year 1197, Walter Brune, a citizen of London, and Rosia, his
wife, founded the hospital of our Lady, called Domus Dei, or St. Marie
Spittle, without Bishopsgate of London; a house of such relief to the
needy, that there was found standing at the surrender thereof nine score
beds, well furnished for receipt of poor people.
In the year 1216, the Londoners sending out a navy, took ninety-five
ships of pirates and sea-robbers; besides innumerable others that they
drowned, which had robbed on the river of Thames.
In the year 1247, Simon Fitzmary, one of the sheriffs of London, founded
the hospital of St. Mary called Bethlem, and without Bishopsgate.
In the year 1283, Henry Wallice, then mayor, built the Tun upon
Cornhill, to be a prison for night-walkers, and a market-house called
the Stocks, both for fish and flesh, standing in the midst of the city.
He also built divers houses on the west and north side of Paule’s
churchyard; the profits of all which buildings are to the maintenance of
London Bridge.
In the year 1332, William Elsing, mercer of London, founded Elsing
Spittle within Cripplegate, for sustentation of an hundred poor blind
men, and became himself the first prior of that hospital.
Sir John Poultney, draper, four times mayor, in 1337 built a fair chapel
in Paule’s church, wherein he was buried. He founded a college in the
parish church of St. Laurence, called Poultney: he built the parish
church called Little Alhallowes, in Thames street; the Carmelite friars
church in Coventry: he gave relief to prisoners in Newgate and in the
Fleet, and ten shillings a-year to St. Giles’ hospital by Oldborne for
ever, and other legacies long to rehearse.
John Stodie, vintner, mayor 1358, gave to the vintners all the quadrant
wherein the Vintners’ hall now standeth, with all the tenements round
about, from Stadies lane, wherein is founded thirteen alms houses for so
many poor people, etc.
Henry Picard, vintner, mayor 1357, in the year 1363, did in one day
sumptuously feast Edward III., king of England, John, king of France,
David, king of Scots, the king of Cyprus, then all in England, Edward,
prince of Wales, with many other noblemen, and after kept his hall
for all comers that were willing to play at dice and hazard. The Lady
Margaret, his wife, kept her chamber to the same effect, etc.
John Lofken, fishmonger, four times mayor, 1367, built an hospital
called Magdalen’s, in Kingstone upon Thames; gave thereunto nine
tenements, ten shops, one mill, one hundred and twenty-five acres of
land, ten acres of meadow, one hundred and twenty acres of pasture,
etc.; more, in London, he built the fair parish church of St. Michael in
Crooked lane, and was there buried.
John Barnes, mayor 1371, gave a chest with three locks, and one thousand
marks therein, to be lent to young men upon sufficient pawn, and for
the use thereof, to say _De profundis_, or _Pater noster_, and no more:
he also was a great builder of St. Thomas Apostle’s parish church, as
appeareth by his arms there, both in stone and glass.
In the year 1378, John Filpot, sometime mayor, hired with his own
money one thousand soldiers, and defended the realm from incursions
of the enemy, so that in small time his hired men took John Mercer,
a sea-rover, with all his ships, which he before had taken from
Scarborrow, and fifteen Spanish ships, laden with great riches.
In the year 1380, Thomas of Woodstocke, Thomas Percie, Hugh Calverley,
Robert Knoles, and others, being sent with a great power to aid the
duke of Brytaine, the said John Filpot hired ships for them of his
own charges, and released the armour, which the soldiers had pawned
for their battles, more than a thousand in number. “This most noble
citizen,” saith Thomas Walsingham, “that had travailed for the commodity
of the whole realm, more than all other of his time, had often relieved
the king by lending him great sums of money and otherwise, deceased in
A.D. 1384, after that he had assured lands to the city for the relief of
thirteen poor people for ever.”
In the year 1381, William Walworth, then mayor, a most provident,
valiant, and learned citizen, did by his arrest of Wat Tyler (a
presumptuous rebel, upon whom no man durst lay hands), deliver the king
and kingdom from the danger of most wicked traitors, and was for his
service knighted in the field.
Nicholas Brembar, John Filpot, Robert Laund, Nicholas Twiford, and Adam
Francis, aldermen, were then for their service likewise knighted; and
Sir Robert Knoles, for assisting of the mayor, was made free of this
city.
This Sir Robert Knoles, thus worthily infranchised a citizen, founded a
college with an hospital at Pontefract: he also built the great stone
bridge at Rochester, over the river of Medway, etc.
John Churchman, grocer, one of the sheriffs, 1386, for the quiet
of merchants, built a certain house upon Wool wharf, in Tower ward,
to serve for tronage or weighing of wools, and for the customer,
comptroller, clerks, and other officers to sit, etc.
Adam Bamme, goldsmith, mayor 1391, in a great dearth, procured corn
from parts beyond the seas, to be brought hither in such abundance as
sufficed to serve the city, and the countries near adjoining; to the
furtherance of which good work he took out of the orphans’ chest in the
Guildhall two thousand marks to buy the said corn, and each alderman
laid out twenty pounds to the like purpose.
Thomas Knoles, grocer, mayor 1400, with his brethren the aldermen, began
to new build the Guildhall in London, and instead of an old little
cottage in Aldermanberie street, made a fair and goodly house, more
near unto St. Laurence church in the Jurie: he re-edified St. Anthony’s
church, and gave to the grocers his house near unto the same, for relief
of the poor for ever. More, he caused sweet water to be conveyed to the
gates of Newgate and Ludgate, for relief of the prisoners there.
John Hinde, draper, mayor 1405, newly built his parish church of St.
Swithen by London stone: his monument is defaced, save only his arms in
the glass windows.
Thomas Falconar, mercer, mayor 1414, lent to King Henry VI., towards
maintenance of his wars in France, ten thousand marks upon jewels. More,
he made the postern called Mooregate, caused the ditches of the city to
be cleansed, and did many other things for good of the same city.
William Sevenoke, grocer, mayor 1419, founded in the town of Sevenoke,
in Kent, a free school for poor men’s children, and thirteen alms
houses: his testament saith, twenty poor men and women.