till ye come to the stone wall which incloseth a garden plot before
the wall of the city, on the west side of Noble street, and is of
this Faringdon ward. This garden-plot, containing ninety-five ells in
length, nine ells and a half in breadth, was by Adam de Burie, mayor,
the alderman, and citizens of London, letten to John de Nevill, Lord of
Raby, Radulph and Thomas his sons, for sixty years, paying 6_s._ 8_d._
the year, dated the 48th of Edward III., having in a seal pendant on
the one side, the figure of a walled city and of St. Paul, a sword in
his right hand, and in the left a banner; three leopards about that
seal, on the same side, written, _Sigillum Baronium Londoniarum_. On the
other side, the like figure of a city, a bishop sitting on an arch; the
inscription, _Me : que : te : peperi : ne : Cesses : Thoma : tueri_.
Thus much for the barons of London, their common seal at that time. At
the north end of this garden-plot is one great house built of stone and
timber, now called the Lord Windsor’s house, of old time belonging to
the Nevils; as in the 19th of Richard II. it was found by inquisition
of a jury, that Elizabeth Nevil died, seised of a great messuage in the
parish of St. Olave, in Monk’s well street in London, holden of the
king in free burgage, which she held of the gift of John Nevell of Raby
her husband, and that John Latimer was next son and heir to the said
Elizabeth.
In this west side is the Barbers-Chirurgeons’ hall. This company was
incorporated by means of Thomas Morestede, esquire, one of the sheriffs
of London 1436, chirurgeon to the kings of England, Henry IV., V., and
VI.: he deceased 1450. Then Jaques Fries, physician to Edward IV.,
and William Hobbs, physician and chirurgeon for the same king’s body,
continuing the suit the full time of twenty years, Edward IV., in the
2nd of his reign, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester, became founders of
the same corporation in the name of St. Cosme and St. Damiane. The first
assembly of that craft was Roger Strippe, W. Hobbs, T. Goddard, and
Richard Kent; since the which time they built their hall in that street,
etc.
At the north corner of this street, on the same side, was sometime an
hermitage, or chapel of St. James, called in the wall, near Cripplegate:
it belonged to the abbey and convent of Garadon, as appeareth by a
record, the 27th of Edward I., and also the 16th of Edward III. William
de Lions was hermit there, and the abbot and convent of Geredon found
two chaplains, Cistercian monks of their house, in this hermitage; one
of them for Aymor de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, and Mary de Saint Paule,
his countess.
Of these monks, and of a well pertaining to them, the street took
that name, and is called Monks’ well street. This hermitage, with the
appurtenances, was in the reign of Edward VI. purchased from the said
king by William Lambe, one of the gentlemen of the king’s chapel,
citizen and cloth-worker of London: he deceased in the year 1577, and
then gave it to the clothworkers of London, with other tenements, to the
value of fifty pounds the year, to the intent they shall hire a minister
to say divine service there, etc.
Again to the high street of Cheape, from Fauster lane end to St.
Martin’s, and by that lane to the shambles or flesh-market, on the north
side whereof is Penticost lane, containing divers slaughter-houses for
the butchers.
Then was there of old time a proper parish church of St. Nicholas,
whereof the said flesh-market took the name, and was called St.
Nicholas’ shambles. This church, with the tenements and ornaments, was
by Henry VIII. given to the mayor and commonalty of the city, towards
the maintenance of the new parish church then to be erected in the late
dissolved church of the Grey Friars; so was this church dissolved and
pulled down. In place whereof, and of the churchyard, many fair houses
are now built in a court with a well, in the midst whereof the church
stood.
Then is Stinking lane, so called, or Chick lane, at the east end of the
Grey Friars church, and there is the Butchers’ hall.
In the 3rd of Richard II. motion was made that no butcher should kill
no flesh within London, but at Knightsbridge, or such like distance of
place from the walls of the city.
Then the late dissolved church of the Grey Friars; the original whereof
was this:
The first of this order of friars in England, nine in number, arrived
at Dover; five of them remained at Canterburie, the other four came to
London, were lodged at the preaching friars in Oldborne for the space of
fifteen days, and then they hired a house in Cornhill of John Trevers,
one of the sheriffs of London. They built there little cells, wherein
they inhabited; but shortly after, the devotion of citizens towards
them, and the number of the friars so increased, that they were by the
citizens removed to a place in St. Nicholas’ shambles; which John Ewin,
mercer, appropriated unto the commonalty, to the use of the said friars,
and himself became a lay brother amongst them. About the year 1225,
William Joyner built their choir, Henry Walles the body of the church,
Walter Potter, alderman, the chapter house, Gregorie Rokesley their
dorter; Bartholomew of the Castle made the refectory, Peter de Heliland
made the infirmitory, Bevis Bond, king of heralds, made the study, etc.
Margaret, queen, second wife to Edward I., began the choir of their
new church in the year 1306; to the building whereof, in her lifetime,
she gave two thousand marks, and one hundred marks by her testament.
John Britaine, Earl of Richmond, built the body of the church to the
charges of three hundred pounds, and gave many rich jewels and ornaments
to be used in the same; Marie, Countess of Pembroke, seventy pounds.
Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, bestowed twenty great beams out of
his forest of Tunbridge, and twenty pounds sterling. Lady Helianor le
Spencer, Lady Elizabeth de Burgh, sister to Gilbert de Clare, gave sums
of money; and so did divers citizens; as Arnald de Tolinea, one hundred
pounds; Robert, Baron Lisle, who became a friar there, three hundred
pounds; Bartholomew de Almaine, fifty pounds. Also Philippa, queen,
wife to Edward III., gave sixty-two pounds; Isabell, queen, mother to
Edward III., gave threescore and ten pounds. And so the work was done
within the space of twenty-one years, 1337. This church was furnished
with windows made at the charges of divers persons. The Lady Margaret
Segrave, Countess of Norfolk, bare the charges of making the stalls in
the choir, to the value of three hundred and fifty marks, about the
year 1380. Richard Whittington, in the year 1429, founded the library,
which was in length one hundred and twenty-nine feet, and in breadth
thirty-one, all sealed with wainscot, having twenty-eight desks and
eight double settles of wainscot; which in the next year following was
altogether finished in building, and within three years after furnished
with books, to the charges of five hundred and fifty-six pounds ten
shillings; whereof Richard Whittington bare four hundred pounds; the
rest was borne by Doctor Thomas Winchelsey, a friar there; and for
the writing out of D. Nicholas de Lira, his works, in two volumes, to
be chained there, one hundred marks, etc. The ceiling of the choir at
divers men’s charges, two hundred marks, and the painting at fifty
marks; their conduit head and water-course given them by William Tailor,
tailor to Henry III., etc.
This whole church containeth in length three hundred feet, of the feet
of St. Paule; in breadth eighty-nine feet, and in height from the ground
to the roof sixty-four feet and two inches, etc. It was consecrated
1325, and at the general suppression was valued at thirty-two pounds
nineteen shillings, surrendered the 12th of November 1538, the 30th of
Henry VIII., the ornaments and goods being taken to the king’s use. The
church was shut up for a time, and used as a storehouse for goods taken
prizes from the French; but in the year 1546, on the 3rd of January, was
again set open. On the which day preached at Paule’s cross the Bishop of
Rochester, where he declared the king’s gift thereof to the city for the
relieving of the poor. Which gift was by patent--of St. Bartholomew’s
Spittle, lately valued at three hundred and five pounds six shillings
and seven pence, and surrendered to the king; of the said church of
the Grey Friars, and of two parish churches, the one of St. Nicholas
in the shambles, and the other of St. Ewines in Newgate market, which
were to be made one parish church in the said Friars church; and in
lands he gave for maintenance for the said church, with divine service,
reparations, etc., five hundred marks by year for ever.
The 13th of January, the 38th of Henry VIII., an agreement was made
betwixt the king and the mayor[236] and commonalty of London, dated the
27th of December, by which the said gift of the Grey Friars church, with
all the edifices and ground, the fratry, the library, the dortor, and
chapter-house, the great cloister and the lesser, tenements, gardens,
and vacant grounds, lead, stone, iron, etc., the hospital of St.
Bartholomew in West Smithfield, the church of the same, the lead, bells,
and ornaments of the same hospital, with all the messuages, tenements,
and appurtenances; the parishes of St. Nicholas and of St. Ewin, and
so much of St. Sepulcher’s parish as is within Newgate, were made one
parish church in the Gray Friars church, and called Christ’s church,
founded by Henry VIII.
The vicar of Christ’s church was to have twenty-six pounds thirteen
shillings and four pence the year; the vicar of St. Bartholomew thirteen
pounds six shillings and eight pence; the visitor of Newgate (being
a priest), ten pounds; and other five priests in Christ’s church,
all to be helping in Divine service, ministering the sacraments and
sacramentals; the five priests to have eight pounds the piece, two
clerks six pounds each, a sexton four pounds. Moreover, he gave them
the hospital of Bethelem; with the laver of brass in the cloister, by
estimation eighteen feet in length, and two feet and a half in depth;
and the water-course of lead, to the said Friar house belonging,
containing by estimation in length eighteen acres.
In the year 1552 began the repairing of the Grey Friars house for the
poor fatherless children; and in the month of November the children were
taken into the same, to the number of almost four hundred. On Christmas
day, in the afternoon, while the lord mayor and aldermen rode to Paules,
the children of Christ’s hospital stood, from St. Lawrence lane end
in Cheape towards Paules, all in one livery of russet cotton, three
hundred and forty in number; and in Easter next they were in blue at the
Spittle, and so have continued ever since.
The defaced monuments in this church were these; First in the choir,
of the Lady Margaret, daughter to Philip, king of France, and wife to
Edward I., foundress of this new church, 1317; of Isabel, queen, wife
to Edward II., daughter to Philip, king of France, 1358; John of the
Tower; Queen of Scots, wife to David Bruce, daughter to Edward II.,
died in Hartford castle, and was buried by Isabel her mother 1362;
William Fitzwarren, baron, and Isabel his wife, sometime Queen of Man;
Isabel, daughter to Edward III., wedded to the Lord Courcy of France,
after created Earl of Bedford; Elianor, wife to John, Duke of Britaine:
Beatrix, Duchess of Britaine, daughter to Henry III.; Sir Robert Lisle,
baron; the Lady Lisle, and Margaret de Rivers, Countess of Devon, all
under one stone; Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, beheaded 1329; Peter,
Bishop of Carbon in Hungary, 1331; Gregory Rocksley, mayor, 1282; Sir
John Devereux, knight, 1385; John Hastings, Earl of Pembroke, 1389;
Margaret, daughter to Thomas Brotharton, Earl Marshal; she was Duchess
of Norfolk, and Countess Marshal and Lady Segrave, 1389; Richard
Havering, knight, 1388; Robert Trisilian, knight justice, 1308; Geffrey
Lucy, son of Geffrey Lucy; John Anbry, son to John, mayor of Norwich,
1368; John Philpot, knight, mayor of London, and the Lady Jane Samford
his wife, 1384; John, Duke of Bourbon and Anjou, Earl of Claremond,
Montpensier, and Baron Beaujeu, who was taken prisoner at Agincourt,
kept prisoner eighteen years, and deceased 1433; Robert Chalons, knight,
1439; John Chalons; Margaret, daughter to Sir John Philpot, first
married to T. Santlor, esquire, and after to John Neyband, esquire;
Sir Nicholas Brimbar, mayor of London, buried 1386; Elizabeth Nevel,
wife to John, son and heir to Ralph, Earl of Westmoreland, and mother
to Ralph, Earl of Westmoreland, and daughter to Thomas Holland, Earl
of Kent, 1423; Edward Burnell, son to the Lord Burnell. In Allhallows
chapel: James Fines, Lord Say, 1450, and Helinor his wife, 1452; John
Smith, Bishop of Landafe, 1478; John, Baron Hilton; John, Baron Clinton;
Richard Hastings, knight, Lord of Willowby and Welles; Thomas Burdet,
esquire, beheaded 1477; Robert Lisle, son and heir to the Lord Lisle.
In our Lady’s chapel: John Gisors, of London, knight; Hunfrey Stafford,
esquire, of Worcestershire, 1486; Robert Bartram, Baron of Bothell;
Ralph Barons, knight; William Apleton, knight; Reynold de Cambrey,
knight; Thomas Beaumont, son and heir to Henry Lord Beaumont; John
Butler, knight; Adam de Howton, knight, 1417; Bartholomew Caster, knight
of London; Reinfride Arundele, knight, 1460; Thomas Covil, esquire,
1422. In the ’Postles chapel: Walter Blunt, knight of the Garter,
and Lord Mountjoy, treasurer of England, son and heir to T. Blunt,
knight, treasurer of Normandy,[237] 1474; E. Blunt, Lord Mountjoy,
1475; Alice Blunt Mountjoy, sometime wife to William Brown, mayor of
London, and daughter to H. Kebel, mayor 1521; Anne Blunt, daughter to
John Blunt, knight; Lord Mountjoy, 1480; Sir Allen Cheinie, knight, and
Sir T. Greene, knight; William Blunt, esquire, son and heir to Walter
Blunt,[238] captain of Gwynes, 1492; Elizabeth Blunt, wife to Robert
Curson, knight, 1494; Bartholomew Burwashe, and John Burwashe his
son; John Blunt, Lord Mountjoy, captain of Gwins and Hams, 1485; John
Dinham, baron, sometime treasurer of England, knight of the Garter,
1501; Elianor, Duchess of Buckingham, 1530; John Blunt, knight, 1531;
Rowland Blunt, esquire, 1509; Robert Bradbury, 1489; Nicholas Clifton,
knight; Francis Chape; two sons of Allayne Lord Cheiney, and John, son
and heir to the same; Lord Allaine Cheinie, knight; John Robsart, knight
of the Garter, 1450; Alleyne Cheiney, knight; Thomas Malory, knight,
1470; Thomas Young, a justice of the bench, 1476; John Baldwin, fellow
of Gray’s inn, and common sergeant of London, 1469; Walter Wrotsley,
knight of Warwickshire, 1473; Steven Jenins, mayor, 1523; Thomas a Par,
and John Wiltwater, slain at Barnet, 1471; Nicholas Poynes, esquire,
1512; Robert Elkenton, knight, 1460; John Water, alias Yorke herald,
1520; John More, alias Norroy king of arms, 1491; George Hopton, knight,
1489. Between the choir and the altar: Ralph Spiganel, knight; John
Moyle, gentleman, of Gray’s inn, 1495; William Huddy, knight, 1501;
John Cobham, a baron of Kent; John Mortain, knight; John Deyncort,
knight; John Norbery, esquire, high treasurer of England; Henry Norbery,
his son, esquire; John Southlee, knight; Thomas Sakvile; Thomas Lucy,
knight; 1525; Robert de la Rivar, son to Mauricius de la Rivar, Lord of
Tormerton, 1457; John Malmaynas, esquire, and Thomas Malmaynas, knight;
Hugh Acton, tailor, 1530; Nicholas Malmains; Hugh Parsal, knight, 1490;
Alexander Kirketon, knight, etc. In the body of the church: William
Paulet, esquire of Somersetshire, 1482; John Moyle, gentleman, 1530;
Peter Champion, esquire, 1511; John Hart, gentleman, 1449; Alice Lat
Hungerford, hanged at Tiborne for murdering her husband, 1523; Edward
Hall, gentleman, of Gray’s inn, 1470; Richard Churchyard, gentleman,
fellow of Gray’s inn, 1498; John Bramre, gentleman, of Gray’s inn,
1498; John Mortimar, knight, beheaded 1423; Henry Frowike, alderman;
Renauld Frowike; Philip Pats, 1518; William Porter, sergeant at arms,
1515; Thomas Grantham, gentleman, 1511; Edmond Rotheley, gentleman,
1470; Henry Roston, gentleman, of Gray’s inn, 1485; Nicholas Montgomery,
gentleman, son to John Montgomery, of Northamptonshire, 1485; Sir
Bartholomew Emfield, knight; Sir Barnard St. Peter, knight; Sir Ralph
Sandwich, knight, custos of London; Sir Andrew Sakevile, knight; John
Treszawall, gentleman and tailor of London, 1520. All these and five
times so many more have been buried there, whose monuments are wholly
defaced; for there were nine tombs of alabaster and marble, environed
with strikes of iron in the choir, and one tomb in the body of the
church, also coped with iron, all pulled down, besides sevenscore
grave-stones of marble, all sold for fifty pounds, or thereabouts, by
Sir Martin Bowes, goldsmith and alderman of London. Of late time buried
there, Walter Hadden, doctor, etc. From this church west to Newgate is
of this ward.
Now for the south side of this ward, beginning again at the cross in
Cheape, from thence to Friday street, and down that street on the west
side, till over against the north-west corner of St. Matthew’s church;
and on the west side, to the south corner of the said church, which is
wholly in the ward of Faringdon. This church hath these few monuments:
Thomas Pole, goldsmith, 1395; Robert Johnson, goldsmith, alderman;
John Twiselton, goldsmith, alderman, 1525; Ralph Allen, grocer, one
of the sheriffs, deceased 1546; Anthony Gamage, ironmonger, one of
the sheriffs, deceased 1579; Anthony Cage; John Mabbe, chamberlain of
London, etc. Allen at Condit, and Thomas Warlingworth, founded a chantry
there. Sir Nicholas Twiford, goldsmith, mayor, gave to that church a
house, with the appurtenances, called the Griffon on the Hope, in the
same street.[239]
From this Friday street, west to the Old Exchange, a street so called
of the king’s exchange there kept, which was for the receipt of bullion
to be coined. For Henry III., in the 6th of his reign, wrote to the
Scabines and men of Ipre, that he and his council had given prohibition,
that none, Englishmen or other, should make change of plate or other
mass of silver, but only in his Exchange at London, or at Canterbury.
Andrew Buckerell then had to farm the Exchange of England, and was mayor
of London in the reign of Henry III. John Somercote had the keeping of
the king’s Exchange over all England. In the 8th of Edward I., Gregory
Rockesly was keeper of the said Exchange for the king. In the 5th of
Edward II., William Hausted was keeper thereof; and in the 18th, Roger
de Frowicke, etc.
These received the old stamps, or coining-irons, from time to time, as
the same were worn, and delivered new to all the mints in London, as
more at large in another place I have noted.
This street beginneth by West Cheape in the north, and runneth down
south to Knightriders street; that part thereof which is called Old Fish
street, but the very housing and office of the Exchange and coinage was
about the midst thereof, south from the east gate that entereth Paules
churchyard, and on the west side in Baynard’s castle ward.
On the east side of this lane, betwixt West Cheape and the church of St.
Augustine, Henry Walles, mayor (by license of Edward I.), built one row
of houses, the profits rising of them to be employed on London bridge.
The parish church of St. Augustine, and one house next adjoining in
Watheling street, is of this ward called Faringdon. This is a fair
church, and lately well repaired, wherein be monuments remaining--of
H. Reade, armourer, one of the sheriffs 1450; Robert Bellesdon,
haberdasher, mayor 1491; Sir Townley William Dere, one of the sheriffs
1450; Robert Raven, haberdasher, 1500; Thomas Apleyard, gentleman,
1515; William Moncaster, merchant-tailor, 1524; William Holte,
merchant-tailor, 1544, etc.
Then is the north churchyard of Paules, in the which standeth the
cathedral church, first founded by Ethelbert, king of Kent, about the
year of Christ 610: he gave thereto lands as appeareth:
“_Ædelbertus Rex, Deo inspirante, pro animæ suæ remedio dedit episcopo
Melito terram quæ appellatur Tillingeham ad monasterii sui solatium,
scilicet monasterium Sancti Pauli: et ego Rex Æthelbertus ita firmiter
concedo tibi presuli Melito potestatem ejus habendi & possidendi ut in
perpetuum in monasterii utilitate permaneat_,” etc. Athelstan, Edgar,
Edward the Confessor, and others, also gave lands thereunto. William
the Conqueror gave to the church of St. Paule, and to Mauricius,
then bishop, and his successors, the castle of Stortford, with the
appurtenances, etc. He also confirmed the gifts of his predecessors in
these words: “_W. Rex Angl. concedo Deo et S. Paulo in perpetuum, 24
Hidas quas Rex Æthelbert dedit S. Paulo juxta London_,” etc. The charter
of King William the Conqueror, exemplified in the Tower, englished thus:
“William, by the grace of God, king of Englishmen, to all his welbeloued
French and English people, greeting: Know ye that I do giue vnto God
and the church of S. Paule of London, and to the rectors and seruitors
of the same, in all their lands which the church hath, or shall have,
within borough and without, sack and sock, thole and theam, infangthefe
and grithbriche, and all freeships, by strand and by land, on tide
and off tide, and all the rights that into them christendome byrath,
on morth sprake, and on unright hamed, and on unright work, of all
that bishoprick on mine land, and on each other man’s land. For I will
that the church in all things be as free as I would my soul to be in
the day of judgement. Witnesses: Osmund, our Chancellor; Lanfrank,
the Archbishop of Canterbury; and T. Archbishop of York; Roger, Earle
of Shrewesbury; Alane, the county; Geffrey de Magnavilla; and Ralph
Peuerel.”
In the year 1087, this church of St. Paule was burnt with fire, and
therewith the most part of the city; which fire began at the entry of
the west gate, and consumed the east gate. Mauricius the bishop began
therefore the foundation of a new church of St. Paule, a work that men
of that time judged would never have been finished, it was to them so
wonderful for length and breadth; and also the same was built upon
arches (or vaults) of stone, for defence of fire, which was a manner
of work before that time unknown to the people of this nation, and
then brought in by the French; and the stone was fetched from Caen in
Normandy.
This Mauricius deceased in the year 1107. Richard Beamor succeeded
him in the bishopric, who did wonderfully increase the said church,
purchasing of his own cost the large streets and lanes about it, wherein
were wont to dwell many lay people; which ground he began to compass
about with a strong wall of stone and gates. King Henry I. gave to the
said Richard so much of the moat (or wall) of the castle, on the Thames
side, to the south, as should be needful to make the said wall of the
church, and so much as should suffice to make a wall without the way on
the north side, etc.
It should seem that this Richard inclosed but two sides of the said
church or cemetery of St. Paule, to wit, the south and north side;
for King Edward II., in the 10th of his reign, granted that the said
churchyard should be inclosed with a wall where it wanted, for the
murders and robberies that were there committed. But the citizens then
claimed the east part of the churchyard to be the place of assembly to
their folkemotes, and that the great steeple there situate was to that
use, their common bell, which being there rung, all the inhabitants of
the city might hear and come together. They also claimed the west side,
that they might there assemble themselves together, with the lord of
Baynard’s castle, for view of their armour, in defence of the city. This
matter was in the Tower of London referred to Harvius de Stanton, and
his fellow justices itinerants; but I find not the decision or judgment
of that controversy.
True it is, that Edward III., in the 17th of his reign, gave commandment
for the finishing of that wall, which was then performed, and to this
day it continueth; although now on both the sides (to wit, within and
without) it be hidden with dwelling-houses. Richard Beamer deceased in
the year 1127, and his successors in process of time performed the work
begun.
The steeple of this church was built and finished in the year 1222; the
cross on the said steeple fell down, and a new was set up in the year
1314. The new work of Pauls (so called) at the east end above the choir,
was begun in the year 1251.