who makes the date “twice thirty and ten,” _i.e._ 1370 (which is
certainly the date of Chichester’s mayoralty), instead of “twice twenty
and ten,” _i.e._ 1350, which is the reading of the MSS. and of the two
early printed editions.
[147] “Cornhill street, in some place raysed two fadome higher than of
olde time, as appeared by buildings found so deepe.”--_Stow._
[148] “As they call it.”--_1st edition_, p. 123.
[149] “Reserving the churchyard for a garden plot.”--_1st edition_, p.
124.
[150] Liber Papie.
BISHOPSGATE WARD
The next is Bishopsgate ward; whereof a part is without the gate and of
the suburbs, from the bars by St. Mary Spittle to Bishopsgate, and a
part of Houndsditch; almost half thereof, also without the wall, is of
the same ward. Then within the gate is Bishopsgate street, so called of
the gate, to a pump, where sometimes was a fair well, with two buckets,
by the east end of the parish church of St. Martin Oteswich, and then
winding by the west corner of Leaden hall down Grass street to the
corner over against Grass church; and this is the bounds of that ward.
Monuments most to be noted are these: The parish church of St. Buttolph
without Bishopsgate, in a fair churchyard, adjoining to the town ditch,
upon the very bank thereof, but of old time inclosed with a comely wall
of brick, lately repaired by Sir William Allen, mayor, in the year
1571, because he was born in that parish, where also he was buried. An
anchoress received 40_s._ the year of the sheriffs of London.
Now without this churchyard wall is a causeye, leading to a quadrant,
called Petty France, of Frenchmen dwelling there, and to other
dwelling-houses, lately built on the bank of the said ditch by some
citizens of London, that more regarded their own private gain than the
common good of the city; for by means of this causeye raised on the
bank, and soilage of houses, with other filthiness cast into the ditch,
the same is now forced to a narrow channel, and almost filled up with
unsavoury things, to the danger of impoisoning the whole city.
Next unto the parish church of St. Buttolph is a fair inn for receipt of
travellers; then an hospital of St. Mary of Bethelem, founded by Simon
Fitz Mary, one of the sheriffs of London, in the year 1246: he founded
it to have been a priory of canons, with brethren and sisters; and King
Edward III. granted a protection, which I have seen, for the brethren,
_Miliciæ beatæ Mariæ de Bethlem_, within the city of London, the 14th
year of his reign. It was an hospital for distracted people: Stephen
Geninges, merchant-tailor, gave £40 towards purchase of the patronage by
his testament, 1523; the mayor and commonalty purchased the patronage
thereof, with all the lands and tenements thereunto belonging, in the
year 1546: the same year King Henry VIII. gave this hospital unto the
city; the church and chapel whereof were taken down in the reign of
Queen Elizabeth, and houses built there by the governors of Christ’s
hospital in London. In this place people that be distraight in wits
are, by the suit of their friends, received and kept as afore, but not
without charges to their bringers in. In the year 1569, Sir Thomas Roe,
merchant-tailor, mayor, caused to be inclosed with a wall of brick
about one acre of ground, being part of the said hospital of Bethelem;
to wit, on the west, on the bank of Deep Ditch, so called, parting the
said hospital of Bethelem from the More field: this he did for burial
and ease of such parishes in London as wanted ground convenient within
their parishes. The lady his wife was there buried (by whose persuasion
he inclosed it), but himself, born in London, was buried in the parish
church of Hackney.
From this hospital northward, upon the street’s side, many houses have
been built with alleys backward, of late time too much pestered with
people (a great cause of infection) up to the bars.
The other side of this high street from Bishopsgate and Hounds ditch,
the first building a large inn for receipt of travellers, and is called
the Dolphin, of such a sign. In the year 1513, Margaret Ricroft, widow,
gave this house, with the gardens and appurtenances, unto William Gam,
R. Clye, their wives, her daughters, and to their heirs, with condition
they yearly do give to the warden or governors of the Grey friers church
within Newgate forty shillings, to find a student of divinity in the
University for ever. Then is there a fair house, of late built by John
Powlet. Next to that, a far more large and beautiful house, with gardens
of pleasure, bowling alleys, and such like, built by Jasper Fisher, free
of the goldsmiths, late one of the six clerks of the chauncerie and a
justice of the peace. It hath since for a time been the Earl of Oxford’s
place. The queen’s majesty Elizabeth hath lodged there. It now belongeth
to Sir Roger Manars.[151] This house, being so large and sumptuously
built by a man of no greater calling, possessions, or wealth (for he was
indebted to many) was mockingly called Fisher’s folly, and a rhythm was
made of it, and other the like, in this manner:
“Kirkebyes Castell, and Fishers Follie,
Spinilas pleasure, and Megses glorie.”
And so of other like buildings about the city by citizens, men have not
letted to speak their pleasure.
From Fisher’s Folly up to the west end of Berward’s lane, of old time
so called, but now Hogge lane, because it meeteth with Hogge lane,
which cometh from the bars without Aldgate, as is afore showed, is a
continual building of tenements, with alleys of cottages, pestered,
etc. Then is there a large close, called Tasel close, sometime for that
there were tassels planted for the use of cloth-workers, since letten
to the cross-bow makers, wherein they used to shoot for games at the
popinjay: now the same being inclosed with a brick wall, serveth to be
an artillery yard, whereunto the gunners of the Tower do weekly repair,
namely, every Thursday; and there levelling certain brass pieces of
great artillery against a butt of earth, made for that purpose, they
discharge them for their exercise.
Then have you the late dissolved priory and hospital,[152] commonly
called St. Mary Spittle, founded by Walter Brune and Rosia his wife,
for canons regular. Walter, archdeacon of London, laid the first
stone in the year 1197, William, of St. Mary church, then bishop of
London, dedicated to the honour of Jesus Christ and his mother, the
perpetual Virgin Mary, by the name of _Domus Dei_, and _Beatæ Mariæ_,
extra Bishopsgate, in the parish of St. Buttolph; the bounds whereof,
as appeareth by composition betwixt the parson and prior of the
said hospital concerning tithes, beginneth at Berward’s lane toward
the south, and extendeth in breadth to the parish of St. Leonard of
Shoreditch towards the north; and in length, from the King’s street
on the west to the bishop of London’s field, called Lollesworth, on
the east. The prior of this St. Mary Spittle, for the emortising
and propriation of Bikenacar, in Essex, to his said house of St.
Mary Spittle, gave to Henry VII. £400 in the 22nd of his reign. This
hospital, surrendered to Henry VIII., was valued to dispend £478;
wherein was found, besides ornaments of the church, and other goods
pertaining to the hospital, one hundred and eighty beds, well furnished,
for receipt of the poor; for it was an hospital of great relief. Sir
Henry Plesington, knight, was buried there 1452.
In place of this hospital, and near adjoining, are now many fair houses
built for receipt and lodging of worshipful persons. A part of the large
churchyard pertaining to this hospital, and severed from the rest with a
brick wall, yet remaineth as of old time, with a pulpit cross therein,
somewhat like to that in Paules churchyard. And against the said pulpit
on the south side, before the charnel and chapel of St. Edmond the
Bishop and Mary Magdalen, which chapel was founded about the year 1391
by William Eneshan, citizen and paperer of London, who was there buried,
remaineth also one fair built house, of two stories in height, for the
mayor and other honourable persons, with the aldermen and sheriffs to
sit in, there to hear the sermons preached in the Easter holidays. In
the loft over them stood the bishop of London, and other prelates; now
the ladies and aldermen’s wives do there stand at a fair window, or sit
at their pleasure. And here is to be noted, that, time out of mind, it
hath been a laudable custom, that on Good Friday, in the afternoon, some
especial learned man, by appointment of the prelates, hath preached a
sermon at Paules cross, treating of Christ’s Passion; and upon the three
next Easter holidays, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the like learned
men, by the like appointment, have used to preach on the forenoons at
the said Spittle, to persuade the article of Christ’s Resurrection;
and then on Low Sunday, one other learned man at Paules cross, to
make rehearsal of those four former sermons, either commending or
reproving them, as to him by judgment of the learned divines was thought
convenient. And that done, he was to make a sermon of his own study,
which in all were five sermons in one. At these sermons, so severally
preached, the mayor, with his brethren the aldermen, were accustomed
to be present in their violets at Paules on Good Friday, and in their
scarlets at the Spittle in the holidays, except Wednesday in violet, and
the mayor with his brethren on Low Sunday in scarlet, at Paules cross,
continued until this day.
Touching the antiquity of this custom, I find, that in the year 1398,
King Richard having procured from Rome confirmation of such statutes
and ordinances as were made in the parliament, begun at Westminster and
ended at Shrewsbury, he caused the same confirmation to be read and
pronounced at Paules cross, and at St. Mary Spittle, in the sermons
before all the people. Philip Malpas, one of the sheriffs in the year
1439, gave twenty shillings by the year to the three preachers at the
Spittle. Stephen Forster, mayor in the year 1454, gave forty pounds
to the preachers at Paules cross and Spittle. I find also that the
aforesaid house, wherein the mayor and aldermen do sit at the Spittle,
was built for that purpose of the goods and by the executors of Richard
Lawson, alderman, and Isabell his wife, in the year 1488. In the year
1594, this pulpit being old was taken down, and a new set up; the
preacher’s face turned towards the south, which was before toward the
west; also a large house, on the east side of the said pulpit, was then
built for the governors and children of Christ’s hospital to sit in, and
this was done of the goods of William Elkens, alderman, late deceased;
but within the first year the same house decaying, and like to have
fallen, was again with great cost repaired at the city’s charge.
On the east side of this churchyard lieth a large field, of old time
called Lolesworth, now Spittle field; which about the year 1576 was
broken up for clay to make brick; in the digging whereof many earthen
pots, called _urnæ_, were found full of ashes, and burnt bones of men,
to wit, of the Romans that inhabited here; for it was the custom of the
Romans to burn their dead, to put their ashes in an urn, and then bury
the same, with certain ceremonies, in some field appointed for that
purpose near unto their city. Every of these pots had in them with the
ashes of the dead one piece of copper money, with the inscription of the
emperor then reigning: some of them were of Claudius, some of Vespasian,
some of Nero, of Anthoninus Pius, of Trajanus, and others. Besides those
urns, many other pots were there found, made of a white earth with
long necks and handles, like to our stone jugs: these were empty, but
seemed to be buried full of some liquid matter long since consumed and
soked through; for there were found divers phials and other fashioned
glasses, some most cunningly wrought, such as I have not seen the like,
and some of crystal; all which had water in them, nothing differing in
clearness, taste, or savour from common spring water, whatsoever it was
at the first: some of these glasses had oil in them very thick, and
earthy in savour; some were supposed to have balm in them, but had lost
the virtue; many of those pots and glasses were broken in cutting of
the clay, so that few were taken up whole. There were also found divers
dishes and cups of a fine red-coloured earth, which showed outwardly
such a shining smoothness as if they had been of coral; those had in the
bottoms Roman letters printed: there were also lamps of white earth and
red, artificially wrought with divers antiques about them, some three
or four images made of white earth, about a span long each of them: one
I remember was of Pallas, the rest I have forgotten. I myself have
reserved, among divers of those antiquities there, one urn, with the
ashes and bones, and one pot of white earth very small, not exceeding
the quantity of a quarter of a wine pint, made in shape of a hare
squatted upon her legs, and between her ears is the mouth of the pot.
There hath also been found in the same field divers coffins of stone,
containing the bones of men: these I suppose to be the burials of some
especial persons in time of the Britons or Saxons, after that the Romans
had left to govern here. Moreover, there were also found the skulls and
bones of men without coffins, or rather whose coffins (being of great
timber) were consumed. Divers great nails of iron were there found,
such as are used in the wheels of shod carts, being each of them as big
as a man’s finger, and a quarter of a yard long, the heads two inches
over; those nails were more wondered at than the rest of things there
found, and many opinions of men were there uttered of them; namely,
that the men there buried were murdered by driving those nails into
their heads; a thing unlikely, for a smaller nail would more aptly serve
to so bad a purpose, and a more secret place would likely be employed
for their burial. But to set down what I have observed concerning this
matter, I there beheld the bones of a man lying (as I noted), the head
north, the feet south, and round about him, as thwart his head, along
both his sides, and thwart his feet, such nails were found, wherefore I
conceived them to be the nails of his coffin, which had been a trough
cut out of some great tree, and the same covered with a plank, of a
great thickness, fastened with such nails; and therefore I caused some
of the nails to be reached up to me, and found under the broad heads of
them the old wood, skant turned into earth, but still retaining both
the grain and proper colour: of these nails, with the wood under the
head thereof, I reserved one, as also the nether jaw-bone of the man,
the teeth being great, sound, and fast fixed, which, among other many
monuments there found, I have yet to show; but the nail lying dry, is
by scaling greatly wasted. And thus much for this part of Bishopsgate
ward, without the gate; for I have in another place spoken of the gate,
and therefore I am to speak of that other part of this ward which lieth
within the gate.
And first to begin on the left hand of Bishopsgate street, from the gate
you have certain tenements of old time pertaining to a brotherhood of
St. Nicholas, granted to the parish clerks of London, for two chaplains,
to be kept in the chapel of St. Mary Magdalen, near unto the Guildhall
of London, in the 27th of Henry VI. The first of these houses towards
the north, and against the wall of the city, was sometime a large inn
or court called the Wrestlers, of such a sign, and the last in the high
street towards the south was sometime also a fair inn called the Angel,
of such a sign. Among these said tenements was on the same street side
a fair entry, or court, to the common hall of the said parish clerks,
with proper alms houses, seven in number, adjoining, for poor parish
clerks, and their wives and their widows, such as were in great years
not able to labour. One of these, by the said brotherhood of parish
clerks, was allowed sixteen pence the week; the other six had each of
them nine pence the week, according to the patent thereof granted. This
brotherhood, amongst other, being suppressed, in the reign of Edward
VI. the said hall, with the other buildings there, was given to Sir
Robert Chester, a knight of Cambridgeshire; against whom the parish
clerks commencing suit, in the reign of Queen Mary, and being like to
have prevailed, the said Sir Robert Chester pulled down the hall, sold
the timber, stone, and lead, and thereupon the suit was ended. The alms
houses remain in the queen’s hands, and people are there placed, such as
can make best friends; some of them, taking the pension appointed, have
let forth their houses for great rent, giving occasion to the parson of
the parish to challenge tithes of the poor, etc.
Next unto this is the small parish church of St. Ethelburge Virgin,
and from thence some small distance is a large court called Little St.
Helen’s, because it pertained to the nuns of St. Helen’s, and was their
house: there are seven alms rooms or houses for the poor, belonging to
the company of Leathersellers. Then, somewhat more west, is another
court with a winding lane, which cometh out against the west end of
St. Andrew Undershaft church. In this court standeth the church of St.
Helen, sometime a priory of black nuns, and in the same a parish church
of St. Helen.
This priory was founded before the reign of Henry III. William Basing,
dean of Paules, was the first founder, and was there buried; and William
Basing, one of the sheriffs of London, in the 2nd year of Edward II. was
holden also to be a founder, or rather a helper there. This priory being
valued at £314 2_s._ 6_d._ was surrendered the 25th of November, the
30th of Henry VIII.; the whole church, the partition betwixt the nuns’
church and parish church being taken down, remaineth now to the parish,
and is a fair parish church, but wanteth such a steeple as Sir Thomas
Gresham promised to have built, in recompense of ground in their church
filled up with his monument. The nuns’ hall, and other houses thereunto
appertaining, was since purchased by the company of the Leathersellers,
and is their common hall; which company was incorporate in the 21st year
of Richard II.
In the church of St. Helen have you these monuments of the dead:--Thomas
Langton, chaplain, buried in the choir 1350; Adam Frances, mayor, 1354;
Elizabeth Vennar, wife to William Vennar, alderman, one of the sheriffs
of London, 1401; Joan, daughter to Henry Seamer, wife to Richard, son
and heir to Robert Lord Poynings, died a virgin 1420; John Swinflat,
1420; Nicholas Marshall, ironmonger, alderman, 1474; Sir John Crosby,
alderman, 1475, and Ann his wife; Thomas Williams, gentleman, 1495;
Joan Cocken, wife to John Cocken, esquire, 1509; Marie Orrell, wife
to Sir Lewes Orrell, knight; Henry Sommer, and Katherine his wife;
Walter Huntington, esquire; John Langthorpe, esquire, 1510; John Gower,
steward of St. Helen’s, 1512; Robert Rochester, esquire, sergeant of the
pantry to Henry VIII.; Sir William Sanctlo, and Sir William Sanctlo,
father and son; Eleanor, daughter to Sir Thomas Butler; Lord Sudley;
John Southworth; Nicholas Harpsfield, esquire; Thomas Sanderford,
or Sommerford, alderman; Alexander Cheyney; Walter Dawbeney; George
Fastolph, son to Hugh Fastolph; Robert Liade; Thomas Benolt, alias
Clarenciaulx, king at arms, 1534; William Hollis, mayor, 1540; John
Fauconbridge, esquire, 1545; Hacket, gentleman of the king’s chapel;
Sir Andrew Jud, mayor, 1551; Sir William Pickering, and Sir William
Pickering, father and son; William Bond, alderman, 1567; Sir Thomas
Gresham, mercer, 1579; William Skegges, sergeant poulter; Richard
Gresham, son to Sir Thomas Gresham, 1564.
Then have you one great house called Crosby place, because the same
was built by Sir John Crosby, grocer and woolman, in place of certain
tenements, with their appurtenances, letten to him by Alice Ashfed,
prioress of St. Helen’s, and the convent for ninety-nine years, from the
year 1466 unto the year 1565, for the annual rent of £11 6_s._ 8_d._
This house he built of stone and timber, very large and beautiful, and
the highest at that time in London. He was one of the sheriffs, and an
alderman in the year 1470, knighted by Edward IV. in the year 1471, and
deceased in the year 1475; so short a time enjoyed he that his large and
sumptuous building; he was buried in St. Helen’s, the parish church; a
fair monument of him and his lady is raised there. He gave towards the
reforming of that church five hundred marks, which was bestowed with
the better, as appeareth by his arms, both in the stone work, roof of
timber, and glazing. I hold it a fable said of him to be named Crosbie,
of being found by a cross, for I have read of other to have that name
of Crosbie before him; namely, in the year 1406, the 7th of Henry IV.,
the said king gave to his servant John Crosbie the wardship of Joan,
daughter and sole heir to John Jordaine, fishmonger, etc. This Crosbie
might be the father or grandfather to Sir John Crosbie.
Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and lord protector, afterward king, by
the name of Richard III., was lodged in this house; since the which
time, among other, Anthonie Bonvice, a rich merchant of Italy, dwelt
there; after him, Germain Cioll, then William Bond, alderman, increased
this house in height, with building of a turret on the top thereof: he
deceased in the year 1576, and was buried in St. Helen’s church. Divers
ambassadors have been lodged there; namely, in the year 1586, Henry
Ramelius, chancellor of Denmark, ambassador unto the queen’s majesty
of England from Frederick II., the king of Denmark; an ambassador of
France, etc. Sir John Spencer, alderman, lately purchased this house,
made great reparations, kept his mayoralty there, and since built a most
large warehouse near thereunto.
From this Crosbie place up to Leaden hall corner, and so down Grass
street, amongst other tenements, are divers fair and large built houses
for merchants, and such like.
Now for the other side of this ward, namely, the right hand, hard by
within the gate, is one fair water conduit, which Thomas Knesworth,
mayor, in the year 1505, founded: he gave £60, the rest was furnished
at the common charges of the city. This conduit hath since been taken
down and new built. David Woodrooffe, alderman, gave £20 towards the
conveyance of more water thereunto. From this conduit have you, amongst
many fair tenements, divers fair inns, large for receipt of travellers,
and some houses for men of worship; namely, one most spacious of all
other thereabout, built of brick and timber by Sir Thomas Gresham,
knight, who deceased in the year 1579, and was buried in St. Helen’s
church, under a fair monument, by him prepared in his life: he appointed
by his testament this house to be made a college of readers, as before
is said in the chapter of schools and houses of learning.
Somewhat west from this house is one other very fair house, wherein
Sir William Hollies kept his mayoralty, and was buried in the parish
church of St. Helen. Sir Andrew Jud also kept his mayoralty there, and
was buried at St. Helen’s: he built alms houses for six poor alms people
near to the said parish church, and gave lands to the Skinners, out of
the which they are to give 4_s._ every week to the six poor alms people,
8_d._ the piece, and 25_s._ 4_d._ the year, in coals amongst them for
ever.
Alice Smith, of London, widow, late wife of Thomas Smith, of the same
city, esquire, and customer of the port of London, in her last will
and testament, bequeathed lands to the value of £15 by the year for
ever, to the company of Skinners, for the augmenting of the pensions
of certain poor, inhabiting in eight alms houses, erected by Sir
Andrew Jud, knight, her father, in the parish of Great St. Helen’s, in
Bishopsgate street, in London. She hath also given in her said last will
and testament, in other charitable uses, as to the hospitals and to the
poor of other parishes and good preachers, the sum of £300. As also to
the poor scholars in the two universities of Oxford and Cambridge the
sum of £200; of which, her last will and testament, she made her sons,
Thomas Smith, late sheriff of London, and Richard and Robert Smith,
her executors, who have performed the same according to her godly and
charitable mind.