with a churchyard, and cloister adjoining; in the which cloister is
hanged and fastened a shank-bone of a man (as is said), very great,
and larger by three inches and a half than that which hangeth in St.
Lawrence church in the Jury, for it is in length twenty-eight inches
and a half of assise, but not so hard and steele-like as the other,
for the same is light, and somewhat pory and spongy. This bone is said
to be found amongst the bones of men removed from the charnel-house of
Powles, or rather from the cloister of Powles church; of both which
reports I doubt, for that the late Reyne Wolfe, stationer (who paid for
the carriage of those bones from the charnel to the Morefields), told
me of some thousands of carrie loads and more to be conveyed, whereof
he wondered, but never told me of any such bone in either place to be
found; neither would the same have been easily gotten from him if he
had heard thereof, except he had reserved the like for himself, being
the greatest preserver of antiquities in those parts for his time.[219]
True it is, that this bone (from whence soever it came) being of a man
(as the form showeth), must needs be monstrous, and more than after the
proportion of five shank-bones of any man now living amongst us.
There lie buried in this church--Simon Winchcombe, esquire, 1391; Robert
Combarton, 1422; John Wheatley, mercer, 1428; Sir William Estfild,
knight of the bath, mayor 1438, a great benefactor to that church, under
a fair monument: he also built their steeple, changed their old bells
into five tuneable bells, and gave one hundred pounds to other works of
that church. Moreover, he caused the Conduit in Aldermanbury, which he
had begun, to be performed at his charges, and water to be conveyed by
pipes of lead from Tyborne to Fleet street, as I have said: and also
from High Berie to the parish of St. Giles without Cripplegate, where
the inhabitants of those parts incastellated the same in sufficient
cisterns. John Midleton, mercer, mayor 1472; John Tomes, draper, 1486;
William Bucke, tailor, 1501; Sir William Browne, mayor 1507; Dame
Margaret Jeninges, wife to Stephen Jeninges, mayor 1515; a widow named
Starkey, sometime wife to Modie; Raffe Woodcock, grocer, one of the
sheriffs 1586; Dame Mary Gresham, wife to Sir John Gresham, 1538; Thomas
Godfrey, remembrancer of the office of the first fruits, 1577.
Beneath this church have ye Gay spur lane, which runneth down to London
wall, as is afore showed. In this lane, at the north end thereof, was
of old time a house of nuns; which house being in great decay, William
Elsing, mercer, in the year of Christ 1329, the 3rd of Edward III.,
began in place thereof the foundation of an hospital for sustentation
of one hundred blind men; towards the erection whereof he gave his
two houses in the parishes of St. Alphage, and our Blessed Lady in
Aldermanbury, near Cripplegate.[220] This house was after called a
priory, or hospital, of St. Mary the Virgin, founded in the year 1332 by
W. Elsing, for canons regular; the which William became the first prior
there. Robert Elsing, son to the said William, gave to the hospital
twelve pounds by the year, for the finding of three priests: he also
gave one hundred shillings towards the inclosing of the new churchyard
without Aldgate, and one hundred shillings to the inclosing of the new
churchyard without Aldersgate; to Thomas Elsing, his son, eighty pounds,
the rest of his goods to be sold and given to the poor. This house,
valued £193 15_s._ 5_d._, was surrendered the eleventh of May, the 22nd
of Henry VIII.
The monuments that were in this church defaced:--Thomas Cheney, son to
William Cheney; Thomas, John, and William Cheney; John Northampton,
draper, mayor 1381; Edmond Hungerford; Henry Frowike; Joan, daughter to
Sir William Cheney, wife to William Stoke; Robert Eldarbroke, esquire,
1460; Dame Joan Ratcliffe; William Fowler; William Kingstone; Thomas
Swineley, and Helen his wife, etc. The principal aisle of this church
towards the north was pulled down, and a frame of four houses set up
in place: the other part, from the steeple upward, was converted into
a parish church of St. Alphage; and the parish church which stood
near unto the wall of the city by Cripplesgate was pulled down, the
plot thereof made a carpenter’s yard, with saw-pits. The hospital
itself, the prior and canons’ house, with other lodgings, were made a
dwelling-house; the churchyard is a garden plot, and a fair gallery on
the cloister; the lodgings for the poor are translated into stabling for
horses.
In the year 1541, Sir John Williams, master of the king’s jewels,
dwelling in this house on Christmas even at night, about seven of the
clock, a great fire began in the gallery thereof, which burned so sore,
that the flame firing the whole house, and consuming it, was seen all
the city over, and was hardly quenched, whereby many of the king’s
jewels were burnt, and more embezzled (as was said).[221] Sir Rowland
Heyward, mayor, dwelt in this Spittle, and was buried there 1593;
Richard Lee, _alias_ Clarenciaux king of arms, 1597.
Now to return to Milk street, so called of milk sold there,[222] there
be many fair houses for wealthy merchants and other; amongst the which
I read, that Gregory Rokesley, chief assay master of the king’s mints,
and mayor of London in the year 1275, dwelt in this Milk street, in a
house belonging to the priory of Lewes in Sussex, whereof he was tenant
at will, paying twenty shillings by the year, without[223] other charge:
such were the rents of those times.
In this Milke street is a small parish church of St. Marie Magdalen,
which hath of late years been repaired. William Browne, mayor 1513, gave
to this church forty pounds, and was buried there; Thomas Exmew, mayor
1528, gave forty pounds, and was buried there; so was John Milford, one
of the sheriffs, 1375; John Olney, mayor 1475; Richard Rawson, one of
the sheriffs 1476; Henry Kelsey; Sir John Browne, mayor 1497; Thomas
Muschampe, one of the sheriffs 1463; Sir William Cantilo, knight,
mercer, 1462; Henry Cantlow, mercer, merchant of the Staple, who built
a chapel, and was buried there 1495; John West, alderman, 1517; John
Machell, alderman, 1558; Thomas Skinner, clothworker, mayor 1596.
Then next is Wood street, by what reason so called I know not. True it
is, that of old time, according to a decree made in the reign of Richard
I., the houses in London were built of stone for defence of fire; which
kind of building was used for two hundred years or more, but of later
time for the winning of ground taken down, and houses of timber set up
in place. It seemeth therefore that this street hath been of the latter
building, all of timber (for not one house of stone hath been known
there), and therefore called Wood street; otherwise it might take the
name of some builder or owner thereof.
Thomas Wood, one of the sheriffs in the year 1491, dwelt there; he was
an especial benefactor towards the building of St. Peter’s church at
Wood street end; he also built the beautiful front of houses in Cheape
over against Wood street end, which is called Goldsmiths’ row, garnished
with the likeness of woodmen; his predecessors might be the first
builders, owners, and namers of this street after their own name.
On the east side of this street is one of the prison houses pertaining
to the sheriffs of London, and is called the Compter in Wood street,
which was prepared to be a prison house in the year 1555; and on the eve
of St. Michael the Archangel, the prisoners that lay in the Compter in
Bread street were removed to this Compter in Wood street. Beneath this
Compter is Lad lane, or Ladle lane, for so I find it of record in the
parish of St. Michaell Wood street; and beneath that is Love lane, so
called of wantons.
By this lane is the parish church of St. Alban, which hath the monuments
of Sir Richard Illingworth, baron of the exchequer; Thomas Chatworth,
grocer, mayor 1443; John Woodcocke, mayor 1405; John Collet, and Alice
his wife; Ralph Thomas; Ralph and Richard, sons of Ralph Illingworth,
which was son to Sir Richard Illingworth, baron of the exchequer;
Thomas, son of Sir Thomas Fitzwilliams; Thomas Halton, mercer, mayor
1450; Thomas Ostrich, haberdasher, 1483; Richard Swetenham, esquire; and
William Dunthorne, town-clerk of London, with this epitaph:
“_Fœlix prima dies postquam mortalibus ævi
Cesserit, hic morbus subit, atque repente senectus
Tum mors, qua nostrum Dunthorn cecidisse Wilelmum.
Haud cuiquam latuisse reor, dignissimus (inquam),
Artibus hic Doctor, nec non celeberrimus hujus,
Clericus Urbis erat, primus, nullique secundus,
Moribus, ingenio, studio, nil dixeris illi,
Quin dederit natura boni, pius ipse modestus,
Longanimus, solers, patiens, super omnia gratus,
Quique sub immensas curas variosque labores,
Anxius atteritur vitæ, dum carpserit auras,
Hoc tetro in tumulo, compostus pace quiescit._”
Simon Morsted; Thomas Pikehurst, esquire; Richard Take; Robert
Ashcombe; Thomas Lovet, esquire, sheriff of Northamptonshire 1491; John
Spare; Katheren, daughter to Sir Thomas Mirley, knight;[224] William
Linchdale, mercer, 1392; John Penie, mercer, 1450; John Thomas, mercer,
1485; Christopher Hawse, mercer, one of the sheriffs 1503; William
Skarborough, vintner; Simon de Berching; Sir John Cheke, knight,
schoolmaster to King Edward VI., deceased 1557; do lie here.
Then is Adle street, the reason of which name I know not, for at this
present it is replenished with fair buildings on both sides; amongst
the which there was sometime the Pinners’ hall, but that company being
decayed, it is now the Plaisterers’ hall.
Not far from thence is the Brewers’ hall, a fair house, which company of
Brewers was incorporated by King Henry VI., in the 16th of his reign,
confirmed by the name of St. Mary and St. Thomas the Martyr, the 19th of
Edward IV.
From the West end of this Adle street, Little Wood street runneth down
to Cripplesgate: and somewhat east from the Sun tavern, against the wall
of the city, is the Curriers’ hall.
Now, on the west side of Wood street, have ye Huggen lane, so called of
one Hugan that of old time dwelt there: he was called Hugan in the lane,
as I have read in the 34th of Edward I. This lane runneth down by the
south side of St. Michael’s church in Wood street, and so growing very
narrow by means of late encroachments to Guthuron’s lane.
The parish church of St. Michael in Wood street is a proper thing, and
lately well repaired. John Ive, parson of this church, John Forster,
goldsmith, and Peter Fikelden, tailor, gave two messuages, and two
shops, with solars, cellars, and other edifices, in the same parish and
street, and in Ladle lane, to the reparations of the church, chancel,
and other works of charity, the 16th of Richard II.
The monuments here be of William Bambrough, the son of Henry Bambrough
of Skardborough, 1392; William Turner, waxchandler, 1400; John Peke,
goldsmith, 1441; William Taverner, girdler, 1454; William Mancer,
ironmonger, 1465; John Nash, 1466, with an epitaph; John Allen,
timbermonger, 1441; Robert Draper, 1500; John Lamberde, draper,
alderman, one of the sheriffs of London, who deceased 1554, and was
father to[225] William Lambarde, esquire, well known by sundry learned
books that he hath published; John Medley, chamberlain of London; John
Marsh, esquire, mercer, and common sergeant of London, etc. There is
also (but without any outward monument) the head of James, the fourth
king of Scots of that name, slain at Flodden field, and buried here by
this occasion: After the battle the body of the said king being found,
was enclosed in lead, and conveyed from thence to London, and so to the
monastery of Shene in Surrey, where it remained for a time, in what
order I am not certain; but since the dissolution of that house, in the
reign of Edward VI., Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, being lodged, and
keeping house there, I have been shown the same body so lapped in lead,
close to the head and body, thrown into a waste room amongst the old
timber, lead, and other rubble. Since the which time workmen there, for
their foolish pleasure, hewed off his head; and Launcelot Young,[226]
master glazier to her majesty, feeling a sweet savour to come from
thence, and seeing the same dried from all moisture, and yet the form
remaining, with the hair of the head, and beard red, brought it to
London to his house in Wood street, where for a time he kept it for the
sweetness, but in the end caused the sexton of that church to bury it
amongst other bones taken out of their charnel, etc.
I read in divers records of a house in Wood street, then called Black
hall, but no man at this day can tell thereof.
On the north side of this St. Michael’s church is Mayden lane, now so
called, but of old time Ingene lane, or Ing lane. In this lane the
Waxchandlers have their common hall, on the south side thereof; and
the Haberdashers have their like hall on the north side, at Stayning
lane end. This company of the Haberdashers, or Hurrers, of old time so
called, were incorporated a brotherhood of St. Katherine, the 26th of
Henry VI., and so confirmed by Henry VII., the 17th of his reign, the
Cappers and Hat merchants, or Hurrers, being one company of Haberdashers.
Down lower in Wood street is Silver street (I think of silversmiths
dwelling there), in which be divers fair houses.
And on the north side thereof is Monkeswell street, so called of a well
at the north end thereof, where the Abbot of Garendon had a house, or
cell, called St. James in the wall by Cripplesgate, and certain monks of
their house were the chaplains there, wherefore the well (belonging to
that cell, or hermitage) was called Monks’ well, and the street, of the
well, Monkswell street.
The east side of this street, down against London wall, and the south
side thereof to Cripplesgate, be of Cripplesgate ward, as is afore
shown. In this street, by the corner of Monkswell street, is the
Bowyers’ hall. On the east side of Monkswell street be proper alms
houses, twelve in number founded by Sir Ambrose Nicholas, salter, mayor
1575, wherein be placed twelve poor and aged people rent free, having
each of them seven pence the week, and once the year, each of them five
sacks of charcoal, and one quarter of a hundred fagots, of his gift, for
ever.
Then, in Little Wood street be seven proper chambers in an alley on the
west side, founded for seven poor people therein to dwell rent free, by
Henry Barton, skinner, mayor 1416. Thus much for the monuments of this
ward within the walls.
Now, without the postern of Cripplesgate, first is the parish church
of St. Giles, a very fair and large church, lately repaired, after
that the same was burnt in the year 1545, the 37th of Henry VIII., by
which mischance the monuments of the dead in this church are very few:
notwithstanding I have read of these following:--Alice, William, and
John, wife and sons to T. Clarell; Agnes, daughter to Thomas Niter,
gentleman; William Atwell; Felix, daughter to Sir Thomas Gisors, and
wife to Thomas Travars; Thomas Mason, esquire; Edmond Wartar, esquire;
Joan, wife to John Chamberlaine, esquire, daughter to Roger Lewkner;
William Fryer; John Hamberger, esquire; Hugh Moresbye; Gilbert Prince,
alderman; Oliver Cherley, gentleman; Sir John Wright or Writhesley,
_alias_ Garter king-at-arms; Joan, wife to Thomas Writhesley, Garter,
daughter and heir to William Hal, esquire; John Writhesley, the younger,
son to Sir John Writhesley and Alianor; Alianor, second wife to John
Writhesley, daughter and heir to Thomas Arnold, sister and heir to
Richard Arnold, esquire; John, her son and heir; Margaret, with her
daughter; John Brigget; Thomas Ruston, gentleman; John Talbot, esquire,
and Katheren his wife; Thomas Warfle, and Isabel his wife; Thomas
Lucie, gentleman, 1447; Ralph Rochford, knight, 1409; Edmond Watar,
esquire; Elizabeth, wife to Richard Barnes, sister and heir to Richard
Malgrave, esquire, of Essex; Richard Gowre, and John Gowre, esquires;
John Baronie, of Millain, 1546; Sir Henry Grey, knight, son and heir to
George Grey, Earl of Kent, 1562; Reginald Grey, Earl of Kent; Richard
Choppin, tallowchandler, one of the sheriffs 1530; John Hamber, esquire,
1573; Thomas Hanley, _alias_ Clarenciaux king-at-arms; Thomas Busby,
cooper, who gave the Queen’s Head tavern to the relief of the poor in
the parish, 1575; John Whelar, goldsmith, 1575; Richard Bolene, 1563;
William Bolene, 1575; W. Bolene, physician, 1587; Robert Crowley, vicar
there--all these four under one old stone in the choir; the learned John
Foxe, writer of the _Acts and Monuments of the English Church_, 1587;
the skilful Robert Glover, _alias_ Sommerset herald, 1588.
There was in this church of old time a fraternity, or brotherhood, of
Our Blessed Lady, or Corpus Christi, and St. Giles, founded by John
Belancer, in the reign of Edward III., the 35th year of his reign.
Some small distance from the east end of this church is a water conduit,
brought in pipes of lead from Highbery, by John Middleton, one of the
executors to Sir William Eastfield, and of his goods; the inhabitants
adjoining castellated it of their own cost and charges about the year
1483.
There was also a bosse of clear water in the wall of the churchyard,
made at the charges of Richard Whitington, sometimes mayor, and was like
to that of Bilinsgate: of late the same was turned into an evil pump,
and so is clean decayed.
There was also a fair pool of clear water near unto the parsonage, on
the west side thereof, which was filled up in the reign of Henry VI.,
the spring was coped in, and arched over with hard stone, and stairs of
stone to go down to the spring on the bank of the town ditch: and this
was also done of the goods, and by the executors of Richard Whitington.
In White Crosse street King Henry V. built one fair house, and founded
there a brotherhood of St. Giles, to be kept, which house had sometime
been an hospital of the French order, by the name of St. Giles
without Cripplesgate, in the reign of Edward I., the king having the
jurisdiction, and appointing a custos thereof for the precinct of the
parish of St. Giles, etc. patent Richard II., the 15th year; which
hospital being suppressed, the lands were given to the brotherhood for
the relief of the poor.
One alley of divers tenements over against the north wall of St. Giles’
churchyard, was appointed to be alms houses for the poor, wherein they
dwelt rent free, and otherwise were relieved; but the said brotherhood
was suppressed by Henry VIII.; since which time Sir John Gresham, mayor,
purchased the lands, and gave part thereof to the maintenance of a free
school which he had founded at Holt, a market town in Norfolk.
In Red Cross street, on the west side from St. Giles’ churchyard up to
the said cross, be many fair houses built outward, with divers alleys
turning into a large plot of ground, called the Jews’ Garden, as being
the only place appointed them in England, wherein to bury their dead,
till the year 1177, the 24th of Henry II., that it was permitted to
them (after long suit to the king and parliament at Oxford) to have a
special place assigned them in every quarter where they dwelt. This
plot of ground remained to the said Jews till the time of their final
banishment out of England, and is now turned into fair garden plots and
summer-houses for pleasure.
On the east side of this Red Cross street be also divers fair houses,
up to the cross. And there is Beech lane, peradventure so called of
Nicholas de la Beech, lieutenant of the Tower of London, put out of that
office in the 13th of Edward III. This lane stretcheth from the Red
Cross street to White Cross street, replenished, not with beech trees,
but with beautiful houses of stone, brick, and timber. Amongst the which
was of old time a great house, pertaining to the Abbot of Ramsey, for
his lodging when he repaired to the city: it is now called Drewry house,
of Sir Drewe Drewrie, a worshipful owner thereof.
On the north side of this Beech lane, towards White Cross street, the
Drapers of London have lately built eight alms houses of brick and
timber, for eight poor widows of their own company, whom they have
placed there rent free, according to the gift of Lady Askew, widow to
Sir Christopher Askew, sometime draper, and mayor 1533.
Then in Golding lane, Richard Gallard of Islington, esquire, citizen
and painter-stainer of London, founded thirteen alms houses for so many
poor people placed in them rent free; he gave to the poor of the same
alms houses two pence the piece weekly, and a load of charcoal amongst
them yearly for ever: he left fair lands about Islington to maintain
his foundation. Thomas Hayes, sometime chamberlain of London, in the
latter time of Henry VIII., married Elizabeth, his daughter and heir;
which Hayes and Elizabeth had a daughter named Elizabeth, married to
John Ironmonger, of London, mercer, who now hath the order of the alms
people.
On the west side of the Red Cross is a street, called the Barbican,
because sometime there stood, on the north side thereof, a burgh-kenin,
or watch-tower, of the city, called in some language a barbican, as a
bikening is called a beacon; this burgh-kenning, by the name of the
Manor of Base court, was given by Edward III. to Robert Ufford, Earl
of Suffolk, and was lately appertaining to Peregrine Bartie, Lord
Willoughby of Ersby.
Next adjoining to this is one other great house, called Garter house,
sometime built by Sir Thomas Writhe, or Writhesley, knight, _alias_
Garter principal king-of-arms, second son of Sir John Writhe, knight,
_alias_ Garter, and was uncle to the first Thomas, Earl of Southampton,
knight of the Garter, and chancellor of England; he built this house,
and in the top thereof a chapel, which is dedicated by the name of St.
Trinitatis in Alto.
Thus much for that part of Cripplegate ward without the wall, whereof
more shall be spoken in the suburb of that part. This ward hath an
alderman, and his deputy, within the gate, common council eight,
constables nine, scavengers twelve, for wardmote inquest fifteen, and
a beadle. Without the gate it hath also a deputy, common council two,
constables four, scavengers four, wardmote inquest seventeen, and a
beadle. It is taxed in London to the fifteen at forty pound.[227]
FOOTNOTES:
[219] “Reyne Wolf, a grave antiquary, collected the great chronicles,
increased and published by his executors, under the name of Ralph
Holonshead.”--_Stow._
The first edition of Holinshed’s _Chronicles of England, Scotland,
and Ireland_, was printed for John Harrison the elder in 1577. From
Holinshed’s dedicatory epistle to Lord Burleigh, it would seem that
Reginald Wolfe projected and even executed the greater part of the
work, it having “pleased God to call him to his mercie after xxv.
years travail spent therein.” Wolfe, in fact, intended to make these
Chronicles the foundation of “_An Universall Cosmographie of the Whole
World_.”
[220] “Obtaining first the king’s licence of mortmain under the great
seal of England.”--_1st edition_, p. 234.
[221] “The Lord William of Thame was buried in this church, and so was
his successor in that house, Sir Rowland Heyward.”--_1st edition_, p.
235.
[222] “As is supposed.”--_Ibid._
[223] “Without being bounden to reparations or other charge.”--_Ibid._
[224] “John Collet.”--_1st edition_, p. 257.
[225] “My loving friend.”--_1st edition_, p. 238.
[226] “At this present.”--_Ibid._
ALDERSGATE WARD
The next is Aldersgate ward, taking name of that north gate of the city.
This ward also consisteth of divers streets and lanes, lying as well
within the gate and wall as without. And first to speak of that part
within the gate, thus it is.
The east part thereof joineth unto the west part of Cripplegate ward
in Engain lane, or Maiden lane. It beginneth on the north side of that
lane, at Stayning lane end, and runneth up from the Haberdashers’ hall
to St. Mary Staining church, and by the church, east, winding almost to
Wood street; and west through Oate lane, and then by the south side of
Bacon house in Noble street, back again by Lilipot lane, which is also
of that ward, to Maiden lane, and so on that north side west to St. John
Zacharies church, and to Foster lane.