wherein of late Sir Richard Baker, a knight of Kent, was lodged, and
wherein dwelt Master Thomas Gore, a merchant famous for hospitality.
On the west side of this Walbrooke street, over against the Stocks’
market, is a part of the high street called the Poultrie, on the south
side west till over against St. Mildrede’s church, and the Skalding wike
is of this ward. Then down again Walbrooke street some small distance,
is Buckles bury, a street so called of Buckle, that sometime was owner
thereof, part of which street on both sides, three or four houses,
to the course of the brook, is of this ward, and so down Walbrooke
street to the south corner; from thence west down Budge row some small
distance, to an alley, and through that alley south by the west end of
St. John’s church upon Walbrooke, by the south side and east end of the
same again to Walbrooke corner.
This parish church is called St. John upon Walbrooke, because the west
end thereof is on the very bank of Walbrooke, by Horseshew bridge, in
Horseshew bridge street. This church was also lately new built; for
about the year 1412, license was granted by the mayor and commonalty to
the parson and parish, for enlarging thereof, with a piece of ground on
the north part of the choir, twenty-one feet in length, seventeen feet
and three inches in breadth, and on the south side of the choir one
foot of the common soil. There be no monuments in this church of any
account, only I have learned, William Cobarton, skinner, who gave lands
to that church, was there buried 1410, and John Stone, tailor, one of
the sheriffs 1464, was likewise buried there.
On the south side of Walbrooke ward, from Candlewicke street, in the
mid way betwixt London stone and Walbrooke corner, is a little lane
with a turnpike in the midst thereof, and in the same a proper parish
church, called St. Mary Bothaw, or Boatehaw by the Erber; this church
being near unto the Downegate on the river of Thames, hath the addition
of Boathaw or Boat haw, of near adjoining to a haw or yard, wherein of
old time boats were made, and landed from Downegate to be mended, as may
be supposed, for other reason I find none why it should be so called.
Within this church, and the small cloister adjoining, divers noblemen
and persons of worship have been buried, as appeareth by arms in the
windows, the defaced tombs, and print of plates torn up and carried
away: there remain only of John West, esquire, buried in the year 1408;
Thomas Huytley, esquire, 1539, but his monument is defaced since;
Lancelot Bathurst, etc.
The Erbar is an ancient place so called, but not of Walbrooke ward, and
therefore out of that lane to Walbrooke corner, and then down till over
against the south corner of St. John’s church upon Walbrooke. And this
is all that I can say of Walbrooke ward. It hath an alderman, and his
deputy, common councillors eleven, constables nine, scavengers six, for
the wardmote inquest thirteen, and a beadle. It is taxed to the fifteen
in London to £33 5_s._[186]
FOOTNOTE:
[185] Liber Trinitate.
DOWNEGATE WARD
Downegate ward beginneth at the south end of Walbrooke ward over against
the east corner of St. John’s church upon Walbrooke, and descendeth on
both the sides to Downegate on the Thames, and is so called of that down
going or descending thereunto; and of this Downgate the ward taketh
name. This ward turneth into Thames street westward, some ten houses on
a side to the course of Walbrooke, but east in Thames street on both
sides to Ebgate lane, or Old Swan, the land side whereof hath many lanes
turning up, as shall be shown when I come to them.
But first to begin with the high street called Dowgate; at the upper
end thereof is a fair conduit of Thames water, castellated, and made in
the year 1568, at charges of the citizens, and is called the conduit
upon Downegate. The descent of this street is such, that in the year
1574, on the 4th of September, in the afternoon, there fell a storm of
rain, where through the channels suddenly arose, and ran with such a
swift course towards the common shores, that a lad of eighteen years
old, minding to have leapt over the channel near unto the said conduit,
was taken with the stream, and carried from thence towards the Thames
with such a violence, that no man with staves or otherwise could stay
him, till he came against a cart wheel that stood in the said watergate,
before which time he was drowned, and stark dead.
On the west side of this street is the Tallow-chandlers’ hall, a proper
house, which company was incorporated in the 2nd year of Edward IV.
Somewhat lower standeth the Skinners’ hall, a fair house, which was
sometime called Copped hall, by Downegate, in the parish of St. John
upon Walbrooke. In the 19th year of Edward II., Ralph Cobham possessed
it with five shops, etc.
This company of Skinners in London were incorporate by Edward III. in
the 1st of his reign; they had two brotherhoods of Corpus Christi,
viz. one at St. Mary Spittle, the other at St. Mary Bethlem without
Bishopsgate. Richard II., in the 18th of his reign, granted them to make
their two brotherhoods one, by the name of the fraternity of Corpus
Christi. Of Skinners, divers royal persons were named to be founders
and brethren of this fraternity, to wit, kings six, dukes nine, earls
two, lords one. Kings, Edward III., Richard II., Henry IV., Henry V.,
Henry VI., and Edward IV. This fraternity had also once every year, on
Corpus Christi day afternoon, a procession passed through the principal
streets of the city, wherein was borne more than one hundred torches
of wax (costly garnished) burning light, and above two hundred clerks
and priests, in surplices and copes, singing. After the which were
the sheriffs’ servants, the clerks of the compters, chaplains for the
sheriffs, the mayor’s sergeants, the counsel of the city, the mayor and
aldermen in scarlet, and then the Skinners in their best liveries. Thus
much to stop the tongues of unthankful men, such as used to ask, Why
have ye not noted this, or that? and give no thanks for what is done.
Then lower down was a challenge of priests, called Jesus’ Commons, a
house well furnished with brass, pewter, napery, plate, etc., besides a
fair library well stored with books, all which of old time was given to
a number of priests that should keep commons there, and as one left his
place, by death or otherwise, another should be admitted into his room,
but this order within this thirty years being discontinued, the said
house was dissolved and turned to tenements.
Down lower have ye Elbow lane; and at the corner thereof was one
great stone house, called Olde hall; it is now taken down, and divers
fair houses of timber placed there. This was sometime pertaining to
William de Pont le Arch, and by him given to the priory of St. Mary
Overy in Southwark, in the reign of Henry I. In this Elbow lane is
the Innholders’ hall, and other fair houses; this lane runneth west,
and suddenly turneth south into Thames street, and therefore of that
bending is called Elbow lane. On the east side of this Downegate street
is the great old house before spoken of, called the Erber, near to
the church of St. Mary Bothaw; Geffrey Scroope held it by the gift of
Edward III., in the 14th of his reign; it belonged since to John Nevell,
Lord of Rabie, then to Richard Nevell, Earl of Warwick; Nevell, Earl
of Salisburie, was lodged there 1457; then it came to George Duke of
Clarence, and his heirs male, by the gift of Edward IV., in the 14th of
his reign. It was lately new built by Sir Thomas Pullison, mayor, and
was afterward inhabited by Sir Francis Drake, that famous mariner. Next
to this great house is a lane turning to Bush lane (of old time called
Carter lane, of carts and carmen having stables there), and now called
Chequer lane, or Chequer alley, of an inn called the Chequer.
In Thames street, on the Thames side, west from Downegate, is Greenewich
lane, of old time so called, and now Frier lane, of such a sign there
set up. In this lane is the Joiners’ hall, and other fair houses.
Then is Grantham’s lane, so called of John Grantham, sometime mayor, and
owner thereof, whose house was very large and strong, built of stone, as
appeareth by gates arched, yet remaining. Ralph Dodmer, first a brewer,
then a mercer, mayor 1529, dwelt there, and kept his mayoralty in that
house; it is now a brewhouse as it was afore.
Then is Dowgate, whereof is spoken in another place. East from this
Dowgate is Cosin lane, named of William Cosin that dwelt there in the
4th of Richard II., as divers his predecessors, father, grandfather,
etc. had done before him. William Cosin was one of the sheriffs in the
year 1306. That house standeth at the south end of the lane, having an
old and artificial conveyance of Thames water into it, and is now a
dyehouse called Lambard’s messuage. Adjoining to that house there was
lately erected an engine to convey Thames water unto Downegate conduit
aforesaid.
Next to this lane, on the east, is the Steelyard, as they term it, a
place for merchants of Almaine, that used to bring hither as well wheat,
rye, and other grain, as cables, ropes, masts, pitch, tar, flax, hemp,
linen cloth, wainscots, wax, steel, and other profitable merchandises.
Unto these merchants, in the year 1259, Henry III., at the request of
his brother Richard, Earl of Cornewell, king of Almaine, granted that
all and singular the merchants, having a house in the city of London,
commonly called _Guilda Aula Theutonicorum_, should be maintained
and upholden through the whole realm, by all such freedoms, and free
usages, or liberties, as by the king and his noble progenitors’ time
they had and enjoyed, etc. Edward I. renewed and confirmed that charter
of liberties granted by his father. And in the 10th year of the same
Edward, Henry Wales being mayor, a great controversy did arise between
the said mayor, and the merchants of the Haunce of Almaine, about the
reparations of Bishopsgate, then likely to fall, for that the said
merchants enjoyed divers privileges in respect of maintaining the said
gate, which they now denied to repair; for the appeasing of which
controversy the king sent his writ to the treasurer and barons of his
Exchequer, commanding that they should make inquisition thereof; before
whom the merchants being called, when they were not able to discharge
themselves, sith they enjoyed the liberties to them granted for the
same, a precept was sent to the mayor and sheriffs to distrain the
said merchants to make reparations, namely, Gerard Marbod, alderman of
the Haunce, Ralph de Cussarde, a citizen of Colen, Ludero de Denevar,
a burgess of Trivar, John of Aras, a burgess of Trivon, Bartram of
Hamburdge, Godestalke of Hundondale, a burgess of Trivon, John de Dele,
a burgess of Munstar, then remaining in the said city of London, for
themselves and all other merchants of the Haunce, and so they granted
two hundred and ten marks sterling to the mayor and citizens, and
undertook that they and their successors should from time to time repair
the said gate, and bear the third part of the charges in money and men
to defend it when need were. And for this agreement the said mayor and
citizens granted to the said merchants their liberties, which till of
late they have enjoyed, as namely, amongst other, that they might lay
up their grain which they brought into this realm in inns, and sell it
in their garners, by the space of forty days after they had laid it
up, except by the mayor and citizens they were expressly forbidden,
because of dearth, or other reasonable occasions. Also they might have
their aldermen as they had been accustomed, foreseeing always that he
were of the city, and presented to the mayor and aldermen of the city,
so oft as any should be chosen, and should take an oath before them to
maintain justice in their courts, and to behave themselves in their
office according to law, and as it stood with the customs of the city.
Thus much for their privileges; whereby it appeareth that they were
great merchants of corn brought out of the east parts hither, insomuch
that the occupiers of husbandry in this land were inforced to complain
of them for bringing in such abundance when the corn of this realm was
at such an easy price; whereupon it was ordained by parliament, that no
person should bring into any part of this realm, by way of merchandise,
wheat, rye, or barley, growing out of the said realm, when the quarter
of wheat exceed not the price of 6_s._ 8_d._, rye 4_s._ the quarter, and
barley 3_s._ the quarter, upon forfeiture the one half to the king, the
other half to the seizor thereof. These merchants of Haunce had their
Guildhall in Thames street in place aforesaid by the said Cosin lane.
Their hall is large built of stone, with three arched gates towards the
street, the middlemost whereof is far bigger than the other, and is
seldom opened, the other two be mured up; the same is now called the
old hall.
Of later time, to wit, in the 6th of Richard II., they hired one house
next adjoining to their old hall, which sometime belonged to Richard
Lions, a famous lapidary, one of the sheriffs of London in the 49th of
Edward III., and in the 4th of Richard II., by the rebels of Kent, drawn
out of that house and beheaded in West Cheap. This also was a great
house with a large wharf on the Thames, and the way thereunto was called
Windgoose, or Wildgoose lane, which is now called Windgoose alley,
for that the same alley is for the most part built on by the stilyard
merchants.
The abbot of St. Alban’s had a messuage here with a key, given to him
in the 34th of Henry VI. Then is one other great house, which sometime
pertained to John Rainwell, stockfish-monger, mayor, and it was by
him given to the mayor and commonalty, to the end that the profits
thereof should be disposed in deeds of piety; which house, in the
15th of Edward IV., was confirmed unto the said merchants, in manner
following, namely:--“It is ordayned by our soveraigne lord and his
parliament, that the said marchants of Almaine, being of the companie
called the _Guildhall Teutonicorum_ (or the Flemish gild), that now be,
or hereafter shall be, shall have, hold, and enjoy, to them and their
successors for ever, the said place called the Steel house, yeelding to
the said mayor and communaltie an annuall rent of £70 3_s._ 4_d._ etc.”
In the year 1551, and the 5th of Edward VI., through complaint of the
English merchants, the liberty of the steelyard merchants was seized
into the king’s hands, and so it resteth.
Then is Church lane, at the west end of Alhallowes church, called
Alhallowes the More in Thames street, for a difference from Alhallowes
the Less in the same street; it is also called Alhallowes _ad fœnum_ in
the Ropery, because hay sold near thereunto at Hay wharf, and ropes of
old time made and sold in the high street. This is a fair church, with
a large cloister on the south side thereof about their churchyard, but
foully defaced and ruinated.
The church also hath had many fair monuments, but now defaced. There
remaineth in the choir some plates on grave stones--namely, of William
Lichfield, D.D., who deceased the year 1447: he was a great student,
and compiled many books, both moral and divine, in prose and in verse,
namely, one intituled _The Complaint of God unto Sinful Man_. He made
in his time three thousand and eighty-three sermons, as appeared by
his own handwriting, and were found when he was dead. One other plate
there is of John Brickles, draper, who deceased in the year 1451; he was
a great benefactor to that church, and gave by his testament certain
tenements to the relief of the poor, etc. Nicholas Loven and William
Peston founded chantries there.
At the east end of this church goeth down a lane called Hay wharf lane,
now lately a great brewhouse, built there by one Pot; Henry Campion,
esquire, a beer-brewer, used it, and Abraham his son now possesseth it.
Then was there one other lane, sometime called Woolfe’s gate, now out of
use; for the lower part thereof upon the bank of Thames is built by the
late Earl of Shrewsburie, and the other end is built on and stopped up
by the chamberlain of London. John Butler, draper, one of the sheriffs
in the year 1420, dwelt there; he appointed his house to be sold, and
the price thereof to be given to the poor: it was of Alhallowes parish
the less. Then is there the said parish church of Alhallowes called the
Less, and by some Alhallowes on the Cellars, for it standeth on vaults;
it is said to be built by Sir John Poultney, sometime mayor. The steeple
and choir of this church standeth on an arched gate, being the entry
to a great house called Cold Harbrough. The choir of late being fallen
down, is now again at length, in the year 1594, by the parishioners new
built. Touching this Cold Harbrough, I find, that in the 13th of Edward
II., Sir John Abel, knight, demised or let unto Henry Stow, draper, all
that his capital messuage called the Cold Harbrough, in the parish of
All Saints _ad fœnum_, and all the appurtenances within the gate, with
the key which Robert Hartford, citizen, son to William Hartford, had,
and ought; and the foresaid Robert paid for it the rent of thirty-three
shillings the year. This Robert Hartford being owner thereof, as also
of other lands in Surrey, deceasing without issue male, left two
daughters his coheirs, to wit, Idonia, married to Sir Ralph Bigot, and
Maude, married to Sir Stephen Cosenton, knights, between whom the said
house and lands were parted. After the which, John Bigot, son to the
said Sir Ralph, and Sir John Cosenton, did sell their moieties of Cold
Harbrough unto John Poultney, son of Adam Poultney, the 8th of Edward
III. This Sir John Poultney dwelling in this house, and being four times
mayor, the said house took the name of Poultney’s inn. Notwithstanding
this, Sir John Poultney, the 21st of Edward III., by his charter, gave
and confirmed to Humfrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Essex, his
whole tenement called Cold Harbrough, with all the tenements and key
adjoining, and appurtenances, sometime pertaining to Robert de Hereford,
on the way called Hay wharf lane, etc., for one rose at Midsummer, to
him and to his heirs for all services, if the same were demanded. This
Sir John Poultney, deceased 1349, and left issue, by Margaret his wife,
William Poultney, who died without issue, and Margaret his mother was
married to Sir Nicholas Lovel, knight, etc. Philip S. Cleare gave two
messuages pertaining to this Cold Harbrough in the Roperie, towards the
enlarging of the parish church and churchyard of All Saints, called the
Less, in the 20th of Richard II.
In the year 1397, the 21st of Richard II., John Holland, Earl of
Huntingdon, was lodged there, and Richard II., his brother dined with
him: it was then counted a right fair and stately house; but in the next
year following I find that Edmond, Earl of Cambridge, was there lodged,
notwithstanding the said house still retained the name of Poultney’s
inn, in the reign of Henry VI., the 26th of his reign. It belonged since
to H. Holland, Duke of Excester, and he was lodged there in the year
1472. In the year 1485, Richard III., by his letters patent, granted and
gave to John Writh, alias Garter, principal king of arms of Englishmen,
and to the rest of the king’s heralds and pursuivants of arms, all that
messuage, with the appurtenances, called Cold Harbrough, in the parish
of All Saints the Little in London, and their successors for ever. Dated
at Westminster the 2nd of March, _anno regni primo_, without fine or
fee. How the said heralds departed therewith I have not read; but in the
reign of Henry VIII. the Bishop of Durham’s house near Charing cross,
being taken into the king’s hand, Cuthbert Tunstal, Bishop of Durham,
was lodged in this Cold Harbrough; since the which time it hath belonged
to the Earls of Shrewsburie, by composition (as is supposed) from the
said Cuthbert Tunstall. The last deceased earl took it down, and in
place thereof built a great number of small tenements, now letten out
for great rents to people of all sorts.
Then is the Dyers’ hall, which company was made a brotherhood or guild,
in the 4th of Henry VI., and appointed to consist of a guardian or
warden, and a commonalty, the 12th of Edward IV. Then be there divers
large brewhouses and others, till you come to Ebgate lane, where that
ward endeth in the east. On the north side of Thames street be divers
lanes also; the first is at the south end of Elbow lane, before spoken
of, west from Downegate, over against Greenwich lane: then be divers
fair houses for merchants and others all along that side. The next lane
east from Downegate is called Bush lane, which turneth up to Candlewicke
street, and is of Downegate ward. Next is Suffolke lane, likewise
turning up to Candlewicke street. In this lane is one notable grammar
school, founded in the year 1561 by the master, wardens, and assistants
of the Merchant-Tailors, in the parish of St. Laurence Poultney; Richard
Hilles, sometime master of that company, having before given £500
towards the purchase of a house, called the manor of the Rose, sometime
belonging to the Duke of Buckingham, wherein the said school is kept.
Then is there one other lane which turneth up to St. Laurence hill, and
to the south-west corner of St. Laurence churchyard; then one other
lane called Poultney lane, that goeth up of this ward to the south-east
corner of St. Laurence churchyard, and so down again, and to the west
corner of St. Martin Orgar lane, and over against Ebgate lane; and this
is all of Downgate ward, the thirteenth in number lying east from the
water-course of Walbrook, and hath not any one house on the west side
of the said brook. It hath an alderman, his deputy, common councillors
nine, constables eight, scavengers five, for the wardmote inquest
fourteen, and a beadle. It is taxed to the fifteen eight-and-twenty
pounds.[187]
FOOTNOTE:
[186] “In London to forty pound, and in the Exchequer to thirty-nine
pound.”--_1st edition_, p. 181.
WARDS ON THE WEST SIDE OF WALBROOKE, AND FIRST OF VINTRY WARD
Now I am to speak of the other wards, twelve in number, all lying on
the west side of the course of Walbrooke. And first of Vintry ward, so
called of vintners, and of the vintry, a part of the bank of the river
of Thames, where the merchants of Burdeaux craned their wines out of
lighters and other vessels, and there landed and made sale of them
within forty days after, until the 28th of Edward I., at which time
the said merchants complained that they could not sell their wines,
paying poundage, neither hire houses or cellars to lay them in; and it
was redressed by virtue of the king’s writ, directed to the mayor and
sheriffs of London, dated at Carlaveroke, or Carlisle, since the which
time many fair and large houses, with vaults and cellars for stowage of
wines, and lodging of the Burdeaux merchants have been built in place
where before time were cooks’ houses; for Fitzstephen, in the reign
of Henry II., writeth, that upon the river’s side, between the wine
in ships, and the wine to be sold in taverns, was a common cookery
or cooks’ row, etc., as in another place I have set down; whereby it
appeareth, that in those days (and till of late time) every man lived by
his professed trade, not any one interrupting another: the cooks dressed
meat, and sold no wine, and the taverner sold wine, but dressed no meat
for sale, etc.
This ward beginneth in the east at the west end of Downegate ward, as
the water-course of Walbrooke parteth them, to wit, at Grantham’s lane,
on the Thames side, and at Elbow lane on the land side; it runneth
along in Thames street west some three houses beyond the Old Swanne, a
brewhouse, and on the land side some three houses west beyond St. James’
at Garlicke Hith. In breadth this ward stretcheth from the Vintry, north
to the wall of the west gate of the Tower Royall; the other north part
is of Cordwayner street ward. Out of this Royal street, by the south
gate of Tower Royall, runneth a small street east to St. John’s upon
Walbrooke, which street is called Horshew bridge, of such a bridge
sometime over the brook there, which is now vaulted over. Then from the
said south gate west, runneth one other street, called Knightriders’
street, by St. Thomas Apostle’s church on the north side, and Wringwren
lane by the said church, at the west end thereof, and to the east end
of the Trinitie church in the said Knightriders’ street, where this
ward endeth on that south side the street; but on the north side it
runneth no further than the corner against the new built tavern and
other houses, in a plot of ground where sometime stood Ormond place;
yet have ye one other lane lower down in Royall street, stretching from
over against St. Michael’s church, to, and by the north side of St.
James’ church by Garlicke Hith; this is called Kerion lane. And thus
much for the bounds of Vintry ward. Now, on the Thames’ side, west from
Grantham’s lane, have ye Herber lane, or Brikels’ lane, so called of
John Brikels, sometime owner thereof.