of St. Olave Upwell, so called in record, 1320. John Brian, parson of
St. Olave Upwell, in the Jury, founded there a chantry, and gave two
messuages to that parish, the 16th of Edward II., and was by the said
king confirmed. In this church,[211] to the commendation of the parsons
and parishioners, the monuments of the dead remain less defaced than in
many other: first, of William Dikman, fereno or ironmonger, one of the
sheriffs of London 1367; Robert Haveloke, ironmonger, 1390; John Organ,
mercer, one of the sheriffs 1385; John Forest, vicar of St. Olave’s, and
of St. Stephen, at that time as a chapel annexed to St. Olave, 1399;
H. Friole, tailor, 1400; T. Morsted, esquire, chirurgeon to Henry IV.,
V., and VI., one of the sheriffs, 1436: he built a fair new aisle to
the enlargement of this church, on the north side thereof, wherein he
lieth buried, 1450; Adam Breakspeare, chaplain, 1411; William Kerkbie,
mercer, 1465; Robert Large, mercer, mayor 1440; he gave to that church
two hundred pounds; John Belwine, founder, 1467; Gabriel Rave, fuller,
1511; Wentworth, esquire, 1510; Thomas Michell, ironmonger, 1527;
Giles Dewes, servant to Henry VII. and to Henry VIII., clerk of their
libraries, and schoolmaster for the French tongue to Prince Arthur and
to the Lady Mary, 1535; Richard Chamberlaine, ironmonger, one of the
sheriffs, 1562; Edmond Burlacy, mercer, 1583; John Brian, etc.
From this parish church of St. Olave, to the north end of the Old Jewry,
and from thence west to the north end of Ironmongers’ lane, and from
the said corner into Ironmongers’ lane, almost to the parish church of
St. Martin, was of old time one large building of stone, very ancient,
made in place of Jews’ houses, but of what antiquity, or by whom the
same was built, or for what use, I have not learnt, more than that King
Henry VI., in the 16th of his reign, gave the office of being porter or
keeper thereof unto John Stent for term of his life, by the name of his
principal palace in the Old Jury: this was in my youth called the old
Wardrobe, but of later time the outward stone wall hath been by little
and little taken down, and divers fair houses built thereupon, even
round about.
Now for the north side of this Lothburie, beginning again at the east
end thereof, upon the water-course of Walbrooke, have ye a proper parish
church called St. Margaret, which seemeth to be newly re-edified and
built about the year 1440; for Robert Large gave to the choir of that
church one hundred shillings and twenty pounds for ornaments; more, to
the vaulting over the water-course of Walbrook by the said church, for
the enlarging thereof two hundred marks.
There be monuments in this church,--of Reginald Coleman, son to Robert
Coleman, buried there 1483: this said Robert Coleman may be supposed
the first builder or owner of Coleman street, and that St. Stephen’s
church, then built in Coleman street, was but a chapel belonging to the
parish church of St. Olave in the Jury; for we read (as afore) that John
Forest, vicar of St. Olave’s, and of the chapel annexed of St. Stephen,
deceased in the year 1399.[212] Hugh Clopton, mercer, mayor, deceased
1496; John Dimocke, Anselme Becker, John Julian, and William Ilford,
chantries there; Sir Brian Tewke, knight, treasurer of the chamber to
King Henry VIII., and Dame Grisilde his wife, that deceased after him,
were there buried 1536; John Fetiplace, draper, esquire, 1464, and Joan
his wife; Sir Hugh Witch, mercer, mayor, son to Richard Witch, entombed
there 1466: he gave to his third wife three thousand pounds, and to
maids’ marriages five hundred marks; Sir John Leigh, 1564, with this
epitaph:
“No wealth, no prayse, no bright renowne, no skill,
No force, no fame, no princes loue, no toyle,
Though forraigne land by trauell search ye will,
No faithfull seruice of the country soyle,
Can life prolong one minute of an houre,
But death at length will execute his power;
For Sir John Leigh to sundry countries knowne,
A worthy knight well of his prince esteemde,
By seeing much, to great experience growne,
Though safe on seas, though sure on land he seemde,
Yet here he lyes too soone by death opprest,
His fame yet liues, his soule in heauen doth rest.”
By the west end of this parish church have ye a fair water conduit,
built at the charges of the city in the year 1546. Sir Martin Bowes
being mayor, two fifteens were levied of the citizens toward the charges
thereof. This water is conveyed in great abundance from divers springs
lying betwixt Hoxton and Iseldon.
Next is the Founders’ hall, a proper house, and so to the south-west
corner of Bassinges hall street, have ye fair and large houses for
merchants; namely, the corner house at the end of Bassinges hall street;
an old piece of work, built of stone, sometime belonging to a certain
Jew named Mansere, the son of Aaron, the son of Coke the Jew, the 7th
of Edward I.; since to Rahere de Sopar’s lane, then to Simon Francis.
Thomas Bradbery, mercer, kept his mayoralty there; deceased 1509. Part
of this house hath been lately employed as a market-house for the sale
of woollen bays, watmols, flannels, and such like. Alderman Bennet now
possesseth it.
On this north side against the Old Jury is Coleman street, so called of
Coleman, the first builder and owner thereof; as also of Colechurch,
or Coleman church, against the great conduit in Cheape. This is a fair
and large street, on both sides built with divers fair houses, besides
alleys, with small tenements in great number. On the east side of this
street, almost at the north end thereof, is the Armourers’ hall, which
company of armourers were made a fraternity or guild of St George, with
a chantry in the chapel of St. Thomas in Paule’s church, in the 1st of
Henry VI. Also on the same side is King’s alley and Love lane, both
containing many tenements; and on the west side, towards the south end,
is the parish church of St. Stephen, wherein the monuments are defaced:
notwithstanding, I find that William Crayhag founded a chantry there in
the reign of Edward II., and was buried there:[213] also John Essex,
the 35th of Edward III.; Adam Goodman, the 37th of Edward III.; William
King, draper, sometime owner of King’s alley, the 18th of Richard II.;
John Stokeling, the 10th of Henry VI.; John Arnold, leather-seller, the
17th of Henry VI.; Thomas Bradberie, mercer, mayor, the 1st of Henry
VIII.; his tomb remaineth on the north side the choir; Richard Hamney,
1418; Kirnigham, 1468; Sir John Garme; Richard Colsel; Edmond Harbeke,
currier; all these were benefactors, and buried there. This church was
sometime a synagogue of the Jews, then a parish church, then a chapel
to St. Olave’s in the Jury, until the 7th of Edward IV., and was then
incorporated a parish church.
By the east end of this church is placed a cock of sweet water, taken of
the main pipe that goeth into Lothberie. Also in London wall, directly
against the north end of Coleman street, is a conduit of water, made
at the charges of Thomas Exmew, goldsmith, mayor 1517. And let here
be the end of this ward, which hath an alderman, his deputy, common
councillors four, constables four, scavengers four, of the wardmote
inquest thirteen, and a beadle. It is taxed to the fifteen at £15 16_s._
9_d._[214]
FOOTNOTES:
[211] “A well was under the east end of this church, late turned to a
pumpe, but decayed.”--_Stow._
[212] “This may be some argument which I overpasse.”--_1st edition_, p.
223.
BASSINGS HALL WARD
The next adjoining to Coleman street, on the west side thereof, is
Bassings hall ward, a small thing, and consisteth of one street called
Bassings hall street, of Bassings hall, the most principal house whereof
the ward taketh name. It beginneth in the south by the late spoken
market-house called the Bay hall, which is the last house of Coleman
street ward. This street runneth from thence north down to London wall,
and some little distance, both east and west, against the said hall; and
this is the bound of Bassings hall ward.
Monuments on the east side thereof, amongst divers fair houses for
merchants, have ye three halls of companies; namely, the Masons’
hall for the first, but of what antiquity that company is I have not
read. The next is the Weavers’ hall, which company hath been of great
antiquity in this city, as appeareth by a charter of Henry II., in these
words, _Rex omnibus ad quos_, etc., to be Englished thus:--“Henrie,
king of England, duke of Normandie, and of Guian, Earl of Anjou, to
the bishop, justices, shiriffes, barons, ministers, and all his true
lieges of London, sendeth greeting: Know ye that we have granted to the
weavers in London their guild, with all the freedomes and customes that
they had in the time of King Henrie my grandfather, so that none but
they intermit within the citie of their craft but he be of their guild,
neither in Southwark, or other places pertaining to London, otherwise
than it was done in the time of King Henrie my grandfather; wherefore
I will and straightly commaund that over all lawfully they may treate,
and have all aforesaid, as well in peace, free, worshipfull, and wholy,
as they had it, freer, better, worshipfullier, and wholier, than in
the time of King Henrie my grandfather, so that they yeeld yearely
to mee two markes of gold at the feast of St. Michaell; and I forbid
that any man to them do any unright, or disseise, upon paine of ten
pound. Witnes, Thomas of Canterburie, Warwicke fili Gar, Chamberlaine
at Winchester.”[215] Also I read, that the same Henry II., in the 31st
of his reign, made a confirmation to the weavers that had a guild or
fraternity in London, wherein it appeareth that the said weavers made
woollen cloth, and that they had the correction thereof; but amongst
other articles in that patent, it was decreed, that if any man made
cloth of Spanish wool, mixed with English wool, the portgrave, or
principal magistrate of London, ought to burn it, etc.
Moreover, in the year 1197,[216] King Richard I., at the instance of
Hubert, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Justicier of England, ordained
that the woollen cloths in every part of this realm should be in breadth
two yards within the lists, and as good in the midst as in the sides,
etc. King Henry III. granted that they should not be vexed, for the
burels, or cloth listed, according to the constitution made for breadth
of cloth the 9th of his reign, etc. Richard II., in the 3rd of his
reign, granted an order of agreement between the weavers of London,
Englishmen, and aliens, or strangers born, brought in by Edward III.
Lower down is the Girdlers’[217] hall, and this is all touching the east
side of this ward.
On the west side, almost at the south end thereof, is Bakewell hall,
corruptly called Blackewall hall: concerning the original whereof I
have heard divers opinions, which I overpass as fables without colour
of truth; for though the same seemed a building of great antiquity,
yet in mine opinion the foundation thereof was first laid since the
conquest of William, Duke of Normandie; for the same was built upon
vaults of stone, which stone was brought from Caen in Normandie, the
like of that of Paule’s church, built by Mauritius and his successors,
bishops of London; but that this house hath been a temple or Jewish
synagogue (as some have fantasied) I allow not, seeing that it had no
such form of roundness, or other likeness, neither had it the form of a
church, for the assembly of Christians, which are built east and west,
but contrariwise the same was built north and south, and in form of a
nobleman’s house; and therefore the best opinion in my judgment is,
that it was of old time belonging to the family of the Bassings, which
was in this realm a name of great antiquity and renown, and that it
bare also the name of that family, and was called therefore Bassings
haugh, or hall; whereunto I am the rather induced, for that the arms of
that family were of old time so abundantly placed in sundry parts of
that house, even in the stone-work, but more especially on the walls
of the hall, which carried a continual painting of them on every side,
so close together as one escutcheon could be placed by another, which
I myself have often seen and noted before the old building was taken
down: these arms were a gyronny of twelve points, gold and azure. Of the
Bassinges therefore, builders of this house and owners of the ground
near adjoining, that ward taketh the name, as Coleman street ward of
Coleman, and Faringden ward of William and Nicholas Faringden, men that
were principal owners of those places.
And of old time the most noble persons that inhabited this city were
appointed to be principal magistrates there, as was Godfrey de Magun (or
Magnavile), portgrave, or sheriff, in the reign of William Conqueror,
and of William Rufus; Hugh de Buch, in the reign of Henry I.; Auberie de
Vere, Earl of Oxford; after him, Gilbert Becket, in the reign of King
Stephen; after that, Godfrey de Magnavile, the son of William, the son
of Godfrey de Magnavile, Earls of Essex, were portgraves or sheriffs of
London and Middlesex. In the reign of Henry II., Peter Fitzwalter; after
him, John Fitznigel, etc.; so likewise in the reign of King John, the
16th of his reign, a time of great troubles, in the year 1214, Salomon
Bassing and Hugh Bassing, barons of this realm, as may be supposed, were
sheriffs; and the said Salomon Bassing was mayor in the year 1216,
which was the 1st of Henry III. Also Adam Bassing, son to Salomon (as it
seemeth), was one of the sheriffs in the year 1243, the 28th of Henry
III.
Unto this Adam de Bassing King Henry III., in the 31st of his reign,
gave and confirmed certain messuages in Aldermanbury, and in Milke
street (places not far from Bassinges hall), the advowson of the church
at Bassinges hall, with sundry liberties and privileges.
This man was afterwards mayor in the year 1251, the 36th of Henry III.;
moreover, Thomas Bassing was one of the sheriffs 1269; Robert Bassing,
sheriff, 1279; and William Bassing was sheriff 1308, etc.; for more of
the Bassings in this city I need not note, only I read of this family
of Bassinges in Cambridgeshire,[218] called Bassing at the bourn, and
more shortly Bassing bourn, and gave arms, as is afore showed, and was
painted about this old hall. But this family is worn out, and hath left
the name to the place where they dwelt. Thus much for this Bassings hall.
Now how Blakewell hall took that name is another question; for which
I read that Thomas Bakewell dwelt in this house in the 36th of Edward
III.; and that in the 20th of Richard II., the said king, for the sum
of fifty pounds, which the mayor and commonalty had paid into the
hanaper, granted licence so much as was in him to John Frosh, William
Parker, and Stephen Spilman (citizens and mercers), that they, the said
messuage called Bakewell hall, and one garden, with the appurtenances,
in the parish of St. Michael of Bassings haugh, and of St. Laurence
in the Jurie of London, and one messuage, two shops, and one garden,
in the said parish of St. Michael, which they held of the king in
burghage, might give and assign to the mayor and commonalty for ever.
This Bakewell hall, thus established, hath been long since employed as a
weekly market-place for all sorts of woollen cloths, broad and narrow,
brought from all parts of this realm, there to be sold. In the 21st of
Richard II., R. Whittington, mayor, and in the 22nd, Drengh Barringtine
being mayor, it was decreed that no foreigner or stranger should sell
any woollen cloth but in the Bakewell hall, upon pain of forfeiture
thereof.
This house of late years growing ruinous, and in danger of falling,
Richard May, merchant-tailor, at his decease gave towards the new
building of the outward part thereof three hundred pounds, upon
condition that the same should be performed within three years after
his decease; whereupon the old Bakewell hall was taken down, and in the
month of February next following, the foundation of a new, strong, and
beautiful storehouse being laid, the work thereof was so diligently
applied, that within the space of ten months after, to the charges of
two thousand five hundred pounds, the same was finished in the year 1588.
Next beyond this house be placed divers fair houses for merchants and
others, till ye come to the back gate of Guildhall, which gate and part
of the building within the same is of this ward. Some small distance
beyond this gate the coopers have their common hall. Then is the parish
church of St. Michaell, called St. Michaell at Bassings hall, a proper
church lately re-edified or new built, whereto John Barton, mercer, and
Agnes his wife, were great benefactors, as appeareth by his mark placed
throughout the whole roof of the choir and middle aisle of the church:
he deceased in the year 1460, and was buried in the choir, with this
epitaph:
“John Barton lyeth vnder here,
Sometimes of London, citizen and mercer,
And Ienet his wife, with their progenie,
Beene turned to earth as ye may see:
Friends free what so ye bee,
Pray for vs we you pray,
As you see vs in this degree,
So shall you be another day.”
Frances Cooke, John Martin, Edward Bromflit, esquire, of Warwickshire,
1460; Richard Barnes, Sir Roger Roe, Roger Velden, 1479; Sir James
Yarford, mercer, mayor, deceased 1526, buried under a fair tomb with
his lady in a special chapel by him built on the north side of the
choir; Sir John Gresham, mercer, mayor, deceased 1554; Sir John Ailife,
chirurgeon, then a grocer, one of the sheriffs 1548; Nicholas Bakhurst,
one of the sheriffs 1577; Wolston Dixi, skinner, mayor, 1585, etc.
Thus have you noted one parish church of St. Michaell, Bakewell hall,
a market-place for woollen cloths; the Masons’ hall, Weavers’ hall,
Cordellers’ hall, and Coopers’ hall. And thus I end this ward, which
hath an alderman, his deputy, for common council four, constables two,
scavengers two, for the wardmote inquest seventeen, and a beadle. It
is taxed to the fifteen in London at seven pounds, and likewise in the
Exchequer at seven pounds.
FOOTNOTES:
[213] “There is one tomb on the south side the quire, but without
inscription.”--_1st edition_, p. 225.
[214] “It is taxed to the fifteen in London at nineteen pound, and in
the Exchequer at nineteen pound”--_Ibid._
[215] Patent.
[216] Matthew Paris.
[217] The Girdlers were incorporated by letters patent of 27th Henry
VI. 6th Aug. 1449, which were confirmed by Elizabeth in 1568, when the
pinners and wire-drawers were incorporated with them. Strype says they
seem to have been a fraternity of St. Lawrence, because of the three
gridirons their arms; but those north country readers, who know what a
_girdle iron_ is, will probably agree with me in thinking the gridirons
or girdle irons are borne with reference to the name of the company.
[218] “Only I read of a branch of this family of Bassinges to have
spread itself into Cambridgeshire, near unto a water or bourne, and was
therefore, for a difference from other of that name, called Bassing
at the bourn, and more shortly Bassing borne. But this family is also
worne out, and hath left the name to the place where they dwell.”--_1st
edition_, p. 228.
CRIPPLESGATE WARD
The next ward is called of Cripplesgate, and consisteth of divers
streets and lanes, lying as well without the gate and wall of the city
as within: first within the wall, on the east part thereof, towards the
north, it runneth to the west side of Bassings hall ward, and towards
the south it joineth to the ward of Cheape. It beginneth at the west
end of St. Laurence church in the Jurie, on the north side, and runneth
west to a pump, where sometime was a well with two buckets, at the
south corner of Aldermanburie street; which street runneth down north
to Gayspurre lane, and so to London wall, which street and lane are
wholly on both sides of this ward, and so be some few houses on both
the sides from Gayspurre lane, by and against the wall of the city,
east to the grates made for the water-course of the channels, and west
to Cripplesgate. Now on the south side, from over against the west end
of St. Laurence church to the pump, and then by Milke street south unto
Cheape, which Milke street is wholly on both the sides of Cripplegate
ward, as also without the south end of Milke street, a part of West
Cheape, to wit, from the Standard to the Cross, is all of Cripplegate
ward. Then down Great Wood street, which is wholly of this ward on both
the sides thereof; so is Little Wood street, which runneth down to
Cripplegate.
Out of this Wood street be divers lanes; namely, on the east side is
Lad lane, which runneth east to Milke street corner; down lower in Wood
street is Love lane, which lieth by the south side of St. Alban’s church
in Wood street, and runneth down to the Conduit in Aldermanburie street.
Lower down in Wood street is Addle street, out of the which runneth
Phillip lane down to London wall. These be the lanes on the east side.
On the west side of Wood street is Huggen lane, by the south side of St.
Michael’s church, and goeth through to Guthuruns lane. Then lower is
Maiden lane, which runneth west to the north end of Gutherons lane, and
up the said lane on the east side thereof, till against Kery lane, and
back again: then the said Maiden lane, on the north side, goeth up to
Staining lane, and up a part thereof, on the east side, to the farthest
north part of Haberdashers’ hall, and back again to Wood street; and
there lower down to Silver street, which is of this ward, till ye come
to the east end of St. Olave’s church, on the south side, and to Munkes
well street on the north side; then down the said Munkes well street on
the east side thereof, and so to Cripplegate, do make the bounds of this
ward within the walls.
Without Cripplegate, Fore street runneth thwart before the gate, from
against the north side of St. Giles church, along to More lane end,
and to a Postern lane end, that runneth betwixt the town ditch on the
south, and certain gardens on the north, almost to Moregate; at the
east of which lane is a pot-maker’s house, which house, with all other
the gardens, houses, and alleys, on that side the Morefields, till ye
come to a bridge and cow-house near unto Fensburie court, is all of
Cripplegate ward; then to turn back again through the said Postern lane
to More lane, which More lane, with all the alleys and buildings there,
is of this ward; after that is Grub street, more than half thereof to
the straitening of the street; next is Whitecrosse street, up to the end
of Bech lane, and then Redcrosse street wholly, with a part of Golding
lane, even to the posts there placed, as a bounder.
Then is Bech lane before spoken of, on the east side of the Red Crosse
and the Barbican street, more than half thereof toward Aldersgate
street; and so have you all the bounds of Cripplegate ward without the
walls.
Now for antiquities and ornaments in this ward to be noted: I find
first, at the meeting of the corners of the Old Jurie, Milke street,
Lad lane, and Aldermanburie, there was of old time a fair well with two
buckets, of late years converted to a pump. How Aldermanbury street
took that name many fables have been bruited, all which I overpass as
not worthy the counting; but to be short, I say, this street took the
name of Alderman’s burie (which is to say a court), there kept in their
bery, or court, but now called the Guildhall; which hall of old time
stood on the east side of the same street, not far from the west end of
Guildhall, now used. Touching the antiquity of this old Alderman’s burie
or court, I have not read other than that Richard Renery, one of the
sheriffs of London in the 1st of Richard I., which was in the year of
Christ 1189, gave to the church of St. Mary at Osney, by Oxford, certain
ground and rents in Aldermanbery of London, as appeareth by the register
of that church, as is also entered into the hoistinges of the Guildhall
in London. This old bery court or hall continued, and the courts of the
mayor and aldermen were continually holden there, until the new bery
court, or Guildhall that now is, was built and finished; which hall was
first begun to be founded in the year 1411, and was not fully finished
in twenty years after. I myself have seen the ruins of the old court
hall in Aldermanbery street, which of late hath been employed as a
carpenter’s yard, etc.
In this Aldermanbery street be divers fair houses on both the sides,
meet for merchants or men of worship, and in the midst thereof is a fair
conduit, made at the charges of William Eastfield, sometime mayor, who
took order as well for water to be conveyed from Teyborne, and for the
building of this Conduit, not far distant from his dwelling-house, as
also for a Standard of sweet water, to be erected in Fleet street, all
which was done by his executors, as in another place I have showed.