every great ship landing there paid for standage two-pence, every
little ship with orelockes a penny, the lesser boat called a Battle a
halfpenny; of two quarters of corn measured the king was to have one
farthing, of a combe of corn a penny, of every weight going out of the
city a halfpenny, of two quarters of sea coal measured a farthing, and
of every tun of ale going out of England beyond the seas, by merchant
strangers, four-pence, of every thousand herrings a farthing, except
franchises, etc.
Next to this is Sommer’s key, which likewise took that name of one
Sommer dwelling there, as did Lion key of one Lion, owner thereof, and
since of the sign of a Lion.
Then is there a fair wharf, or key, called Buttolph’s gate, by that
name so called in the times of William the Conqueror, and of Edward the
Confessor, as I have shown already in the description of the gates.
Next is the parish church of St. Buttolphs, a proper church, and hath
had many fair monuments therein, now defaced and gone: notwithstanding I
find, by testimonies abroad, that these were buried there; to wit, Roger
Coggar, 1384; Andrew Pikeman, and Joan his wife, 1391; Nicholas James,
ironmonger, one of the sheriffs, 1423; William Rainwell, fishmonger,
and John Rainwell, his son, fishmonger, mayor 1426, and deceasing 1445,
buried there with this epitaph:
“Citizens of London, call to your remembrance,
The famous John Rainwell, sometime your Maior.
Of the staple of Callis, so was his chance.
Here lieth now his corps; his soule bright and faire,
Is taken to heaven’s blisse, thereof is no dispaire.
His acts beare witnes, by matters of recorde,
How charitable he was, and of what accorde,
No man hath beene so beneficiall as hee,
Unto the Citie in giving liberallie,” etc.
He gave a stone house to be a revestrie to that church for ever; more,
he gave lands and tenements to the use of the commonalty, that the
mayor and chamberlain should satisfy unto the discharge of all persons
inhabiting the wards of Belinsgate, Downegate, and Aldgate, as oft as it
shall happen any fifteen, by parliament of the king to be granted, also
to the Exchequer, in discharge of the sheriffs, ten pounds yearly, which
the sheriffs used to pay for the farm of Southwark, so that all men of
the realm, coming or passing with carriage, should be free quitted and
discharged of all toll and other payments, aforetime claimed by the
sheriffs. Further, that the mayor and chamberlain shall pay yearly to
the sheriffs eight pounds, so that the said sheriffs take no manner of
toll or money of any person of this realm for their goods, merchandises,
victuals, and carriages, for their passages at the great gate of the
bridge of the city, nor at the gate called the Drawbridge, etc. The
overplus of money coming of the said lands and tenements, divided into
even portions; the one part to be employed to instore the granaries of
the city with wheat for the release of the poor commonalty, and the
other moiety to clear and cleanse the shelves, and other stoppages of
the river of Thames, etc.
Stephen Forstar, fishmonger, mayor in the year 1454, and Dame Agnes his
wife, lie buried there. William Bacon, haberdasher, one of the sheriffs
1480, was there buried, besides many other persons of good worship,
whose monuments are all destroyed by bad and greedy men of spoil.
This parish of St. Buttolph is no great thing, notwithstanding divers
strangers are there harboured, as may appear by a presentment, not many
years since made of strangers, inhabitants in the ward of Billingsgate,
in these words: “In Billingsgate ward were one and fifty households of
strangers, whereof thirty of these households inhabited in the parish
of St. Buttolph, in the chief and principal houses, where they give
twenty pounds the year for a house lately letten for four marks; the
nearer they dwell to the water-side the more they give for houses, and
within thirty years before there was not in the whole ward above three
Netherlanders; at which time there was within the said parish levied,
for the help of the poor, seven and twenty pounds by the year; but since
they came so plentifully thither, there cannot be gathered above eleven
pounds, for the stranger will not contribute to such charges as other
citizens do.” Thus much for that south side of this ward.
On the north side is Bosse alley, so called of a boss of spring water
continually running, which standeth by Billingsgate against this alley,
and was sometime made by the executors of Richard Whittington.
Then is St. Marie hill lane, which runneth up north from Billingsgate
to the end of St. Margaret Pattens, commonly called Roode lane, and the
greatest half of that lane is also of Belinsgate ward. In this St. Marie
hill lane is the fair parish church of St. Marie, called on the hill,
because of the ascent from Billingsgate.
This church hath been lately built, as may appear by this that
followeth. Richard Hackney, one of the sheriff’s in the year 1322, and
Alice his wife, were there buried, as Robert Fabian writeth, saying
thus:--“In the year 1497, in the month of April, as labourers digged for
the foundation of a wall, within the church of St. Marie hill, near unto
Belinsgate, they found a coffin of rotten timber, and therein the corpse
of a woman whole of skin, and of bones undissevered, and the joints of
her arms pliable, without breaking of the skin, upon whose sepulchre
this was engraven:--‘Here lieth the bodies of Richard Hackney,
fishmonger, and Alice his wife.’”[174] The which Richard was sheriff
in the 15th of Edward II. Her body was kept above ground three or four
days without nuisance, but then it waxed unsavoury, and so was again
buried. John Mordand, stock-fishmonger, was buried there, 1387; Nicholas
Exton, fishmonger, mayor 1387; William Cambridge, mayor, 1420; Richard
Goslin, sheriff, 1422; William Philip, sergeant-at-arms, 1473; Robert
Reuell, one of the sheriffs 1490, gave liberally toward the new building
of this church and steeple, and was there buried; William Remington,
mayor, 1500; Sir Thomas Blanke, mayor, 1582; William Holstocke, esquire,
comptroller of the king’s ships; Sir Cuthbert Buckle, mayor, 1594.
This lane on both sides is furnished with many fair houses for
merchants; and hath at the north end thereof one other lane, called
St. Margaret Pattens, because of old time pattens were there usually
made and sold; but of latter time this is called Roode lane, of a roode
there placed in the churchyard of St. Margaret, whilst the old church
was taken down, and again newly built; during which time the oblations
made to this rood were employed towards building of the church; but in
the year 1538, about the 23rd of May, in the morning, the said rood was
found to have been in the night preceding, by people unknown, broken
all to pieces, together with the tabernacle wherein it had been placed.
Also, on the 27th of the same month, in the same parish, amongst the
basket makers, a great and sudden fire happened in the night season,
which within the space of three hours consumed more than a dozen houses,
and nine persons were burnt to death there: and thus ceased that work of
this church, being at that time nigh finished to the steeple.
The lane on both sides beyond the same church to the midway towards
Fenchurch street, is of Bellinsgate ward.
Then again out of Thames street, by the west end of St. Mary hill
church, runneth up one other lane, of old time called Roape lane, since
called Lucas lane, of one Lucas, owner of some part thereof, and now
corruptly called Love lane; it runneth up by the east end of a parish
church of St. Andrew Hubbert, or St. Andrew in East Cheap. This church,
and all the whole lane called Lucas lane, is of this Belinsgate ward.
Then have ye one other lane out of Thames street, called Buttolph lane,
because it riseth over against the parish church of St. Buttolph, and
runneth up north by the east end of St. George’s church to the west end
of St. Andrew’s church, and to the south end of Philpot lane.
This parish church of St. George in Buttolph lane is small, but the
monuments for two hundred years past are well preserved from spoil,
whereof one is of Adam Bamme, mayor 1397; Richard Bamme, esquire,
his son, of Gillingham in Kent, 1452; John Walton, gentleman, 1401;
Marpor, a gentleman, 1400; John St. John, merchant of Levant, and Agnes
his wife, 1400; Hugh Spencer, esquire, 1424; William Combes, stock
fishmonger, one of the sheriffs 1452, who gave forty pounds towards the
works of that church; John Stokar, draper, one of the sheriffs, 1477;
Richard Dryland, esquire, and Katherine his wife, daughter of Morrice
Brune, knight, of Southuckenton in Essex, steward of household to
Humfrey Duke of Glocester, 1487; Nicholas Patrich, one of the sheriffs,
1519. In the churchyard: William Forman, mayor, 1538; James Mumford,
esquire, surgeon to King Henry VIII., buried 1544; Thomas Gayle,
haberdasher, 1340; Nicholas Wilford, merchant-tailor, and Elizabeth his
wife, about the year 1551; Edward Heyward, 1573, etc. Roger Delakere
founded a chantry there.
Then have ye one other lane called Rother lane, or Red Rose lane,
of such a sign there, now commonly called Pudding lane, because the
butchers of Eastcheap have their scalding house for hogs there, and
their puddings, with other filth of beasts, are voided down that way to
their dung boats on the Thames.
This lane stretcheth from Thames street to Little East Cheape,
chiefly inhabited by basket-makers, turners, and butchers, and is all
of Billinsgate ward. The Garland in Little East Cheape, sometime a
brewhouse, with a garden on the back side, adjoining to the garden of
Sir John Philpot, was the chief house in this East Cheape; it is now
divided into sundry small tenements, etc.
This ward hath an alderman, and his deputy, common councillors,
constables eleven, scavengers six, for the wardmote inquest fourteen,
and a beadle; it is taxed to the fifteen in London at thirty-two pounds,
and in the Exchequer at thirty-one pounds ten shillings.
FOOTNOTE:
[174] “Alice Hackney found uncorrupted more than one hundred and seventy
yeres after she was buried.”--_Stow._
BRIDGE WARD WITHIN
Bridge ward within, so called of London bridge, which bridge is a
principal part of that ward, and beginneth at the stulpes on the south
end by Southwark, runneth along the bridge, and north up Bridge street,
commonly called (of the fish market) New Fish street, from Fish street
hill, up Grasse street, to the north corner of Grasse church; all the
bridge is replenished on both the sides with large, fair, and beautiful
buildings, inhabitants for the most part rich merchants, and other
wealthy citizens, mercers, and haberdashers.
In New Fish street be fishmongers and fair taverns on Fish street hill
and Grasse street, men of divers trades, grocers and haberdashers.
In Grasse street have ye one fair conduit of sweet water castellated
with crest and vent, made by the appointment of Thomas Hill, mayor,
1484, who gave by his testament one hundred marks towards the conveyance
of water to this place. It was begun by his executors in the year 1491,
and finished of his goods whatsoever it cost.
On the east side of this bridge ward have ye the fair parish church
of St. Magnus; in the which church have been buried many men of good
worship, whose monuments are now for the most part utterly defaced.
I find John Blund, mayor, 1307; Henry Yeuele, freemason to Edward
III., Richard II., and Henry IV., who deceased 1400; his monument
yet remaineth; William Brampton; John Michell, mayor, 1436; John
French, baker, yeoman of the crown to Henry VII., 1510; Robert Clarke,
fishmonger, 1521; Richard Turke, one of the sheriffs, 1549; William
Steede, alderman; Richard Morgan, knight, chief justice of the common
pleas, 1556; Mauritius Griffeth, Bishop of Rochester, 1559; Robert
Blanch, girdler, 1567; Robert Belgrave, girdler; William Brame, John
Couper, fishmonger, alderman, who was put by his turn of mayoralty
1584; Sir William Garrard, haberdasher, mayor 1555; a grave, wise, and
discreet citizen, equal with the best and inferior to none of our time,
deceased 1571 in the parish of St. Christopher, but was buried in this
church of St. Magnus as in the parish where he was born; a fair monument
is there raised on him; Robert Harding, salter, one of the sheriffs,
1568; Simon Low, merchant-tailor, esquire, etc.
Then is the parish church of St. Margaret on Fish street hill, a proper
church, but monuments it hath none: a footway passeth by the south side
of this church from Fish street hill unto Rother lane.
Up higher on this hill is the parish church of St. Leonard, Milke
church, so termed of one William Melker, an especial builder thereof,
but commonly called St. Leonard’s in East Cheape, because it standeth at
East Cheape corner. Monuments there be of the Doggets, namely, Walter
Dogget, vintner, one of the sheriffs, 1380; John Dogget, vintner, and
Alice his wife, about 1456; this John Dogget gave lands to that church;
William Dogget, etc.
This church, and from thence into Little East Cheape to the east end of
the said church, is of the Bridge ward.
Then higher in Grasse street is the parish church of St. Bennet, called
Grasse church, of the herb-market there kept: this church also is of
the Bridge ward, and the farthest north end thereof. Some monuments
remain there undefaced, as of John Harding, salter, 1576; John Sturgeon,
haberdasher, chamberlain of London; Philip Cushen, Florentine, a famous
merchant, 1600.
The customs of Grass church market, in the reign of Edward III., as
I have read in a book of customs, were these: Every foreign cart
laden with corn or malt, coming thither to be sold, was to pay one
halfpenny, every foreign cart bringing cheese two-pence, every cart of
corn and cheese together (if the cheese be more worth than the corn)
two-pence, and if the corn be more worth than the cheese, it was to pay
a halfpenny; of two horses laden with corn or malt the bailiff had one
farthing; the cart of the franchise of the Temple and of St. Martin le
Grand paid a farthing; the cart of the hospital of St. John of Jerusalem
paid nothing for their proper goods, and if the corn were brought by
merchants to sell again, the load paid a halfpenny, etc.
On the west side of this ward, at the north end of London bridge, is a
part of Thames street, which is also of this ward, to wit, so much as
of old time was called Stocke Fishmonger row, of the stock fishmongers
dwelling there, down west to a watergate, of old time called Ebgate,
since Ebgate lane, and now the Old Swan, which is a common stair on the
Thames, but the passage is very narrow by means of encroachments. On the
south side of Thames street, about the midway betwixt the bridge foot
and Ebgate lane, standeth the Fishmongers’ hall, and divers other fair
houses for merchants.
These fishmongers were sometimes of two several companies, to wit,
Stock-fishmongers and Salt-fishmongers, of whose antiquity I read, that
by the name of fishmongers of London, they were, for forestalling,
etc., contrary to the laws and constitutions of the city, fined to the
king at five hundred marks, the 18th of King Edward I. More, that the
said fishmongers, hearing of the great victory obtained by the same
king against the Scots, in the 26th of his reign, made a triumphant
and solemn show through the city, with divers pageants, and more than
one thousand horsemen, etc., as in the chapter of sports and pastimes.
These two companies of stock-fishmongers and salt-fishmongers of old
time had their several halls; to wit, in Thames street twain, in New
Fish street twain, and in Old Fish street twain: in each place one for
either company, in all six several halls, the company was so great, as I
have read, and can prove by records. These fishmongers having been jolly
citizens, and six mayors of their company in the space of twenty-four
years; to wit, Walter Turke, 1350; John Lofkin, 1359; John Wroth, 1361;
John Pechie, 1362; Simon Morden, 1369; and William Walworth, 1374. It
followed that in the year 1382, through the counsel of John Northampton,
draper, then being mayor, William Essex, John More, mercer, and Richard
Northburie, the said fishmongers were greatly troubled, hindered of
their liberties, and almost destroyed by congregations made against
them, so that in a parliament at London the controversy depending
between the mayor and aldermen of London, and the fishmongers there,
Nicholas Exton, speaker for the fishmongers, prayeth the king to receive
him and his company into his protection, for fear of corporal hurt:
whereupon it was commanded, either part to keep the peace, on pain
of losing all they had; hereupon, a fishmonger, starting up, replied
that the complaint brought against them by the movers, etc., was but
matter of malice, for that the fishmongers, in the reign of Edward
III., being chief officers of the city, had for their misdemeanors then
done, committed the chief exhibitors of those petitions to prison. In
this parliament the fishmongers, by the king’s charter patents, were
restored to their liberties; notwithstanding in the year next following,
to wit, 1383, John Cavendish, fishmonger, craveth the peace against the
chancellor of England, which was granted, and he put in sureties the
Earls of Stafford and Salisburie. Cavendish challengeth the chancellor
for taking of a bribe of ten pounds for favour of his case, which the
chancellor by oath upon the sacrament avoideth. In further trial it
was found that the chancellor’s man, without his master’s privity, had
taken it; whereupon Cavendish was adjudged to prison, and to pay the
chancellor one thousand marks for slandering him.
After this, many of the nobles assembled at Reading to suppress the
seditious stirs of the said John Northampton, or Combarton, late
mayor, that had attempted great and heinous enterprises, of the which
he was convicted; and when he stood mute, nor would utter one word, it
was decreed that he should be committed to perpetual prison, his goods
confiscate to the king’s use, and that he should not come within one
hundred miles of London during his life. He was therefore sent to the
castle of Tintegall in the confines of Cornewall, and in the mean space
the king’s servants spoiled his goods. John More, Richard Northbery,
and other, were likewise there convicted, and condemned to perpetual
prison, and their goods confiscate, for certain congregations by them
made against the fishmongers in the city of London, as is aforesaid;
but they obtained and had the king’s pardon, in the 14th of his reign,
as appeareth of record; and thus were all these troubles quieted. Those
stock-fishmongers and salt-fishmongers were united in the year 1536, the
28th of Henry VIII.; their hall to be but one, in the house given unto
them by Sir John Cornwall, Lord Fanhope, and of Ampthull, in the parish
of St. Michael in Crooked lane, in the reign of Henry VI. Thus much
have I thought good to note of the fishmongers, men ignorant of their
antiquities, not able to show a reason why or when they were joined in
amity with the goldsmiths, do give part of their arms, etc. Neither,
to say aught of Sir William Walworth,[175] the glory of their company,
more than that he slew Jack Straw, which is a mere fable, for the said
Straw was after overthrowing of the rebels, taken, and by judgment of
the mayor beheaded; whose confession at the gallows is extant in my
_Annals_, where also is set down the most valiant and praiseworthy act
of William Walworth against the principal rebel Waltar Tighlar. As in
reproof of Walworth’s monument in St. Michael’s church, I have declared,
and wished to be reformed there, as in other places.
On that south side of Thames street have ye Drinkwater wharf and Fish
wharf, in the parish of St. Magnus. On the north side of Thames street
is St. Martin’s lane; a part of which lane is also of this ward, to wit,
on the one side to a well of water, and on the other side as far up
as against the said well. Then is St. Michael’s lane, part whereof is
also of this ward up to a well there, etc. Then at the upper end of New
Fish street is a lane turning towards St. Michael’s lane, and is called
Crooked lane, of the crooked windings thereof.
Above this lane’s end, upon Fish street hill, is one great house, for
the most part built of stone, which pertained sometime to Edward the
Black Prince, son to Edward III., who was in his lifetime lodged there.
It is now altered to a common hostelry, having the Black Bell for a sign.
Above this house, at the top of Fish street hill, is a turning into
Great Eastcheape, and so to the corner of Lombard street, over against
the north-west corner of Grasse church; and these be the whole bounds of
this Bridge ward within: the which hath an alderman and his deputy, for
the common council sixteen, constables fifteen, scavengers six, for the
wardmote inquest sixteen, and a beadle. It is taxed to the fifteen in
London at forty-seven pounds.[176]
FOOTNOTE:
[175] “W. Walworth slandered by a fable of Jack Straw.”--_Stow._
CANDLEWICK STREET WARD
Candlewick street, or Candlewright street ward, beginneth at the
east end of Great Eastcheape; it passeth west through Eastcheape to
Candlewright street, and through the same, down to the north end of
Suffolk lane on the south side, and down that lane by the west end of
St. Laurence churchyard, which is the farthest west part of that ward.
The street of Great Eastcheape is so called of the market there kept in
the east part of the city, as Westcheape is a market so called of being
in the west.
This Eastcheape is now a flesh market of butchers there dwelling on
both sides of the street: it had sometime also cooks mixed amongst the
butchers, and such other as sold victuals ready dressed of all sorts.
For of old time, when friends did meet, and were disposed to be merry,
they went not to dine and sup in taverns, but to the cooks, where they
called for meat what they liked, which they always found ready dressed
at a reasonable rate, as I have before showed.
In the year 1410, the 11th of Henry IV., upon the even of St. John
Baptist, the king’s sons,[177] Thomas and John, being in Eastcheape at
supper (or rather at breakfast, for it was after the watch was broken
up, betwixt two and three of the clock after midnight), a great debate
happened between their men and other of the court, which lasted one
hour, till the mayor and sheriffs with other citizens, appeased the
same; for the which afterwards the said mayor, aldermen, and sheriffs
were called to answer before the king, his sons, and divers lords,
being highly moved against the city. At which time, William Gascoyne,
chief justice, required the mayor and aldermen, for the citizens, to put
them in the king’s grace; whereunto they answered, that they had not
offended, but (according to the law) had done their best in stinting
debate and maintaining of the peace; upon which answer the king remitted
all his ire, and dismissed them. And to prove this Eastcheape to be a
place replenished with cooks, it may appear by a song called London
Lickepennie, made by Lidgate, a monk of Berrie, in the reign of Henry
V., in the person of a countryman coming to London, and travelling
through the same. In Westcheape (saith the song) he was called on to
buy fine lawn, Paris thread, cotton umble, and other linen clothes,
and such like (he speaketh of no silks),[178] in Cornhill, to buy old
apparel[179] and household stuff, where he was forced to buy his own
hood, which he had lost in Westminster hall: in Candlewright street
drapers proffered him cheap cloth, in Eastcheape the cooks cried hot
ribs of beef roasted, pies well baked, and other victuals: there was
clattering of pewter-pots, harp, pipe, and sawtry, yea by cock, nay by
cock, for greater oaths were spared: some sang of Jenken, and Julian,
etc.; all which melody liked well the passenger, but he wanted money to
abide by it, and therefore gat him into Gravesend barge, and home into
Kent.