Tower of London to arrest the ships of the Cinque Ports on the river of
Thames, and to compel them to bring their corne to no other place, but
to the Queen’s hithe only. In the eleventh of his reign, he charged the
said constable to distrain all fish offered to be sold in any place of
this city, but at the Queene hithe. Moreover, in the 28th of the said
king’s reign, an inquisition was made before William of Yorke, provost
of Beverley, Henry of Bath, and Hierome of Caxton, justices itinerant,
sitting in the Tower of London, touching the customs of Queen hithe,
observed in the year last before the wars between the king and his
father, and the barons of England, and of old customs of other times,
and what customs had been changed, at what time the tax and payment of
all things coming together, and between Woore path and Anedehithe,[259]
were found and ceased, according to the old order, as well corn and fish
as other things: all which customs were as well to be observed in the
part of Downegate, as in Queen hithe, for the king’s use. When also it
was found that the corn arriving between the gate of the Guildhall of
the merchants of Cologne, and the soke of the Archbishop of Canterbury
(for he had a house near unto the Blacke Fryers), was not to be measured
by any other quarter, than by that of the Queene’s soke.
After this, the bailiff of the said hithe complained that, since the
said recognition, fourteen foreign ships laden with fish, arrived at
Belinge’s gate, which ships should have arrived at the same hithe;
and, therefore, it was ordered, that if any foreign ship laden with
fish, should in form aforesaid, arrive elsewhere than at this hithe,
it should be at the king’s pleasure to amerce them at forty shillings.
Notwithstanding, the ships of the citizens of London were at liberty to
arrive where the owners would appoint them.
After this, the said Henry III. confirmed the grant of Richard Earl of
Cornwall for the farm of the Queen hithe unto John Gisors, then mayor,
and to the commonalty of London, and their successors for ever, as by
this his charter appeareth:
“Henry, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of
Guien, and Earl of Anjou, to all archbishops, etc. Be it known, that we
have seen the covenant between our brother, Richard Earl of Cornwall,
on the one part, and the mayor and commonalty on the other part, which
was in this sort. In the 30th year of Henry, the son of King John,[260]
upon the feast of the Translation of St. Edward, at Westminster, this
covenant was made between the honourable Lord Richard Earl of Cornwall,
and John Gisors, then mayor of London, and the commons thereof,
concerning certain exactions and demands pertaining to the Queen hithe
of London. The said earl granted for himself and his heirs, that the
said mayor, and all mayors ensuing, and all the commons of the city,
should have and hold the Queen hithe, with all the liberties, customs,
and other appurtenances, repaying yearly to the said earl, his heirs and
assigns, fifty pounds, at Clarkenwell, at two several terms; to wit, the
Sunday after Easter twenty-five pounds, and at Michaelmas twenty-five
pounds. And for more surety hereof the said earl hath set thereunto his
seal, and left it with the mayor, and the mayor and commonalty have
set to their seal, and left it with the earl. Wherefore we confirm and
establish the said covenant for us, and for our heirs. Witnesses, Raph
Fitz Nichol, Richard Gray, John and Wil. Brithem, Paulin Painter, Raph
Wancia, John Cumbaud, and other, at Windsor, 26th of February, in the
31st of our reign.”
The charge of this Queen hithe was then committed to the sheriffs, and
so hath continued ever since; the profits whereof are sore diminished,
so that (as writeth Robert Fabian) it was worth in his time little above
twenty marks, or fifteen pounds, one year with another. Now for customs
of this Queen hithe.[261] In the year 1302, the 30th of Edward I., it
was found by the oath of divers men, that bakers, brewers, and others,
buying their corn at Queen hithe, should pay for measuring, portage,
and carriage, for every quarter of corn whatsoever, from thence to West
Cheap, to St. Anthonie’s church, to Horshew bridge, and to Woolsey
street, in the parish of Allhallowes the Less, and such like distances,
one halfpenny farthing; to Fleet bridge, to Newgate, Cripplegate, to
Bircheovers lane, to Eastcheape, and Billingsgate, one penny. Also, that
the measure (or the meter) ought to have eight chief master-porters,
every master to have three porters under him, and every one of them
to find one horse, and seven sacks; and he that so did not, to lose
his office. This hithe was then so frequented with vessels, bringing
thither corn (besides fish, salt, fuel, and other merchandises), that
all these men, to wit, the meter, and porters, thirty-seven in number,
for all their charges of horses and sacks, and small stipend, lived well
of their labours; but now[262] the bakers of London, and other citizens,
travel into the countries, and buy their corn of the farmers, after the
farmers’ price.
King Edward II., in the 1st of his reign, gave to Margaret, wife to
Piers de Gavestone, forty-three pounds twelve shillings and nine pence
halfpenny farthing, out of the rent of London, to be received of the
Queen’s hithe. Certain impositions were set upon ships and other vessels
coming thither, as upon corn, salt, and other things, toward the charge
of cleansing Roome-land there, the 41st of Edward III.
The 3rd of Edward IV., the market at Queen hithe being hindered by the
slackness of drawing up London bridge, it was ordained, that all manner
of vessels, ships, or boats, great or small, resorting to the city with
victual, should be sold by retail; and that if there came but one vessel
at a time, were it salt, wheat, rye, or other corn, from beyond the
seas, or other grains, garlic, onions, herrings, sprats, eels, whiting,
plaice, cods, mackarel, etc., then that one vessel should come to Queen
hithe, and there to make sale; but if two vessels come, the one should
come to Queen hithe, the other to Billingsgate; if three, two of them
should come to Queen hithe, the third to Billingsgate, etc., always the
more to Queen hithe; if the vessel being great, coming with salt from
the Bay, and could not come to these keys, then the same to be conveyed
by lighters, as before is meant.
One large house for stowage of corn craned out of lighters and barges,
is there lately built; Sir John Lion, grocer, mayor 1554, by his
testament, gave a hundred pounds towards it; but since increased and
made larger at the charges of the city, in the year 1565.
Against this Queen’s hithe, on the river Thames, of late years, was
placed a corn mill, upon or betwixt two barges or lighters, and there
ground corn, as water mills in other places, to the wonder of many that
had not seen the like; but this lasted not long without decay, such as
caused the same barges and mill to be removed, taken asunder, and soon
forgotten. I read of the like to have been in former time, as thus:--In
the year 1525, the 16th of Henry VIII., Sir William Bayly being mayor,
John Cooke of Glocester, mercer, gave to the mayor and commonalty of
London, and theirs for ever, one great barge, in the which two corn
mills were made and placed, which barge and mills were set in and upon
the stream of the river of Thames, within the jurisdiction and liberty
of the said city of London.
And also he gave to the city all such timber, boards, stones, iron,
etc., provided for making, mending, and repairing of the said barge and
mills, in reward whereof the mayor gave him fifty pounds presently, and
fifty pounds yearly during his life; and if the said Cooke deceased
before Johan his wife, then she to have forty marks the year during her
life.
Next adjoining to this Queen hithe, on the west side thereof, is Salt
wharf, named of salt taken up, measured, and sold there. The next is
Stew lane, of a stew or hothouse there kept. After that is Timber hithe,
or Timber street, so called of timber or boards there taken up and
wharfed; it is in the parish of St. Mary Somershithe, as I read in the
56th of Henry III., and in the 9th of Edward II. Then is Brookes wharf,
and Broken wharf, a water gate or key, so called of being broken and
fallen down into the Thames. By this Broken wharf remaineth one large
old building of stone, with arched gates, which messuage, as I find,
in the reign of Henry III., the 43rd year, pertaining unto Hugh de
Bygot; and in the 11th of Edward III., to Thomas Brotherton, the king’s
brother, Earl of Norfolk, Marshal of England; in the 11th of Henry VI.
to John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, etc.
Within the gate of this house (now belonging to the city of London)
is lately, to wit, in the years 1594 and 1595, built one large house
of great height, called an engine, made by Bevis Bulmar, gentleman,
for the conveying and forcing of Thames water to serve in the middle
and west parts of the city. The ancient great hall of this messuage
is yet standing, and pertaining to a great brewhouse for beer. West
from this is Trigge lane, going down to Thames. Next is called Bosse
lane, of a bosse of water, like unto that of Billingsgate, there placed
by the executors of Richard Whittington. Then is one great messuage,
sometime belonging to the abbots of Chertsey in Surrey, and was their
inn, wherein they were lodged when they repaired to the city; it is now
called Sandie house, by what reason I have not heard: I think the Lord
Sands have been lodged there.
And this is an end of this Queen hithe ward; which hath an alderman and
his deputy, common council six, constables nine, scavengers eight,
wardmote inquest thirteen, and a beadle. It is taxed to the fifteen in
London twenty pounds, and in the Exchequer at nineteen pounds sixteen
shillings and two pence.
FOOTNOTES:
[255] “In the Exchequer thirty-six pounds, ten shillings.”--_1st
edition_, p. 285.
[256] “But I could never learne the cause why it should be so called,
and therefore I will let it passe.”--_1st edition_, p. 287.
[257] “There bee monumentes in this church of Andrew Awbery, grocer,
mayor, and Thomas Fryar, fishmonger, in the yeare 1351, who gave to this
church and parish one plot of ground, containing fiftie-six foote in
length, and fortie-three foote in breadth at both endes, to be a buriall
place for the dead of the said parish, the twenty-sixt of Edward the
third. Also Thomas Madefry, clarke, and John Pylot, gave to the wardens
of that parish one shop and a house in Distar lane, for the continual
repairing of the body of that church, the belles and ornaments, the
twentieth of Richard II.”--_1st edition_, p. 287.
[258] Liber Trinitate.
[259] It appears from Strype’s _Stow_ (i. p, 214, ed. 1720), that “Were
path or Wore path, is in the east part of the Flete of Barking, about
seven miles from London; and Anedeheth is near Westminster, on the west
part of London.”
[260] Liber Trinitate, Lon.
[261] Liber Constitut.
[262] “But now that case is altered.”--_1st edition_, p. 293.
CASTLE BAYNARD WARD
The next is Castle Baynard ward, so named of an old castle there.
This ward beginneth in the east on the Thames side, at a house called
Huntingdon house, and runneth west by Paule’s wharf, by Baynard’s
castle, Puddle wharf, and by the south side of Black Friers. Then
turning by the east wall of the said Friers to the south-west end of
Creed lane. Then, on the north side of Thames street, over against
Huntington house, by St. Peter’s church and lane, called Peter hill,
along till over against Puddle wharf, and then north up by the great
Wardrobe to the west end of Carter lane, then up Creed lane, Ave Mary
lane, and a piece of Pater Noster row, to the sign of the Golden Lion,
and back again up Warwicke lane, and all the east side thereof, to the
sign of the Crown by Newgate market; and this is the farthest north part
of this ward.
Then out of Thames street be lanes ascending north to Knightriders
street; the first is Peter hill lane, all of that ward (two houses
excepted, adjoining to St. Peter’s church). The next is Paule’s wharf
hill, which thwarting Knightriders street and Carter lane, goeth up to
the south chain of Paule’s churchyard.
Then in Adle street, over against the west part of Baynard’s castle,
going up by the west end of Knightriders street and to Carter lane. Thus
much for lanes out of Thames street. The one half of the west side of
Lambard hill lane being of this ward, at the north-west end thereof, on
the south side, and at the west end of St. Mary Magdalen’s church on the
north side beginneth Knightriders street to be of this ward, and runneth
west on both sides to the parish church of St. Andrew by the Wardrobe.
Then at the end of St. Mary Magdalen’s church goeth up the Old Exchange,
all the west side whereof up to the south-east gate of Paule’s
churchyard, and by St. Austen’s church, is of this ward. About the midst
of this Old Exchange, on the west side thereof is Carter lane, which
runneth west to the east entry of the Blacke Friers, and to the south
end of Creed lane, out of the which Carter lane descendeth a lane called
Do-little lane, and cometh into Knightriders street by the Boar’s head
tavern; and more west is Sermon lane, by an inn called the Paule head.
Then out of Carter lane, on the north side thereof, the south chain
of Paules churchyard, and the churchyard itself on that south side of
Paules church, and the church of St. Gregorie, the bishop’s palace,
and the dean’s lodging, be all of this ward; and such be the bounds
thereof. The ornaments in this ward be parish churches four. Of old time
a castle, divers noblemen’s houses, halls of companies twain, and such
others, as shall be shown.
In Thames street, at the south-east end, is an ancient messuage, of old
time called Beaumount’s inn, as belonging to that family of noblemen
of this realm in the 4th of Edward III. Edward IV., in the 5th of his
reign, gave it to W. Hastings, lord chamberlain, master of his mints. It
is now called Huntington house, as belonging to the earls of Huntington.
Next is Paul’s wharf, a large landing place, with a common stair upon
the river of Thames, at the end of a street called Paule’s wharf hill,
which runneth down from Paule’s chain. Next is a great messuage, called
Scropes inn, sometime belonging to Scropes, in the 31st of Henry VI.
Then is one other great messuage, sometime belonging to the abbey of
Fiscampe, beyond the sea, and by reason of the wars, it coming to the
hands of King Edward III., the same was given to Sir Simon Burley,
knight of the Garter, and, therefore, called Burley house in Thames
street, between Baynard’s castle and Paule’s wharf.
Then have you Baynard’s castle, whereof this whole ward taketh the
name. This castle banketh on the river Thames, and was called Baynard’s
castle, of Baynard, a nobleman that came in with William the Conqueror,
of the which castle, and of Baynard himself, I have spoken in another
place.
There was also another tower by Baynard’s castle, built by King Edward
II. Edward III., in the 2nd of his reign, gave it to William Duke of
Hamelake, in the county of York, and his heirs, for one rose yearly, to
be paid for all service, the same place (as seemeth to me) was since
called Legate’s inn, in the 7th of Edward IV., where be now divers wood
wharfs in place.
Then is there a great brewhouse, and Puddle wharf, a watergate into the
Thames, where horses use to water, and therefore being defiled with
their trampling, and made puddle, like as also of one Puddle dwelling
there, it is called Puddle wharf. Then is there a lane between the
Blacke Fryers and the Thames, called in the 26th of Edward III. Castle
lane.
In this lane also is one great messuage, of old time belonging to the
priory of Okeborne in Wiltshire, and was the prior’s lodging when
he repaired to London. This priory being of the French order, was
suppressed by Henry V., and with other lands and tenements pertaining
to the said priory, was by Henry VI. given to his college in Cambridge,
called now the King’s college. About this castle lane was sometime a
mill or mills belonging to the Templars of the New Temple, as appeareth
of record; for King John, in the 1st year of his reign, granted a place
in the Fleet, near unto Baynard’s castle, to make a mill, and the whole
course of water of the Fleet to serve the said mill.
I read also, that in the year 1247, the 2nd of Edward I., Ri. Raison,
and Atheline his wife, did give to Nicho. de Musely, clerk, ten
shillings of yearly free and quiet rent, out of all his tenements, with
the houses thereupon built, and their appurtenances, which they had of
the demise of the master and brethren of Knights Templars, in England,
next to their mill of Fleet, over against the houses of Laurence de
Brooke, in the parish of St. Andrew, next to Baynard’s castle, which
tenements lie between the way leading towards the said mill on the west
part. Also in the rights belonging to Robert Fitzwater, and to his
heirs, in the city of London, in the time of peace, it was declared
in the year 1303, that the said Robert, castellan of London, and
banner-bearer, had a soke (or ward) in the city, that was by the wall of
St. Paule, as men go down the street before the brewhouse of St. Paule
unto the Thames, and so to the side of the mill, which is in the water
that cometh down from Fleet bridge, and goeth by London wall, betwixt
Fryers preachers church and Ludgate; and so that ward turned back by the
house of the said Fryers unto the said common wall of the said canonry
of St. Paul; that is, all of the parish of St. Andrew, which is in the
gift of his ancestors by seniority, as more I have shown in the Castles.
Now here is to be noted, that the wall of London at that time went
straight south from Ludgate down to the river of Thames; but for
building of the Blacke Fryers church, the said wall in that place was by
commandment taken down, and a new wall made straight west from Ludgate
to Fleet bridge, and then by the water of Fleet to the river of Thames,
etc.
In the year 1307, the 35th of Edward I., in a parliament at Carlisle,
Henry Lacie, Earl of Lincoln, complained of noyances done to the water
of the Fleet; whereupon it was granted that the said mill should be
removed and destroyed.
This ward ascendeth up by the east wall of the Black Fryers to the
south-west end of Creed lane, where it endeth on that side.
Then to begin again on the north side of Thames street, over against
Huntington house, by St. Peter’s church and lane, called Peter hill, and
so to St. Benet Hude (or Hithe) over against Powle’s wharf, a proper
parish church, which hath the monuments of Sir William Cheiny, knight,
and Margaret his wife, 1442, buried there; Doctor Caldwell, physician;
Sir Gilbert Dethik, knight, _alias_ Garter king at arms. West from this
church, by the south end of Adle street, almost against Pudle wharf,
there is one ancient building of stone and timber, built by the lords
of Barkley, and therefore called Barklies inn. This house is all in
ruin, and letten out in several tenements, yet the arms of the Lord
Barkley remain in the stone work of an arched gate, gules, between a
cheveron, crosses ten--three, three, and four. Richard Beauchampe, Earl
of Warwicke, was lodged in this house, then called Barklies inn, in the
parish of St. Andrew, in the reign of Henry VI.
Then turning up towards the north is the parish church of St. Andrew in
the Wardrobe, a proper church, but few monuments hath it. John Parnt
founded a chantry there. Then is the king’s Great Wardrobe: Sir John
Beauchamp, knight of the Garter, Constable of Dover, Warden of the Sinke
ports (son to Guido de Beauchampe, Earl of Warwicke), built this house,
was lodged there, deceased in the year 1359, and was buried on the south
side of the middle aisle of Paule’s church. His executors sold the house
to King Edward III., unto whom the parson of St. Andrewe’s complaining
that the said Beauchampe had pulled down divers houses, in their place
to build the same house, where through he was hindered of his accustomed
tithes, paid by the tenants of old time, granted him forty shillings by
year out of that house for ever. King Richard III. was lodged there in
the second of his reign.
In this house of late years is lodged Sir John Fortescue, knight, master
of the wardrobe, chancellor and under-treasurer of the exchequer, and
one of her majesty’s most honourable privy council. The secret letters
and writings touching the estate of the realm were wont to be enrolled
in the king’s wardrobe, and not in the chancery, as appeareth by the
records. Claus. 18. E. 4. 1. Memb. 13. Claus. 33. E. 1. Memb. 3. Et
liberat. 1. E. 2. Memb. 4, etc. From this wardrobe, by the west end of
Carter lane, then up Creede lane, Ave Mary lane, a piece of Pater Noster
row, up Warwick lane, all the east side, to a brewhouse called the
Crown, as I said is of this ward. Touching lanes ascending out of Thames
street to Knightriders’ street, the first is Peter’s hill, wherein I
find no matter of note, more than certain alms houses, lately founded on
the west side thereof, by David Smith, embroiderer, for six poor widows,
whereof each to have twenty shillings by the year.
On the east side of this lane standeth a large house, of ancient
building, sometime belonging to the abbot of St. Mary in York, and was
his abiding house when he came to London; Thomas Randolfe, esquire, hath
lately augmented and repaired it.
At the upper end of this lane, towards the north, the corner-houses
there be called Peters key, but the reason thereof I have not heard.
Then is Paules wharf hill, on the east side whereof is Woodmongers’
hall. And next adjoining is Darby house, sometime belonging to the
Stanleys, for Thomas Stanley, first Earl of Derby of that name, who
married the Lady Margaret, Countess of Richmond, mother to Henry VII.,
in his time built it.
Queen Mary gave it to Gilbert Dethike, then Garter principal king of
arms of Englishmen; Thomas Hawley, Clarenceaux king of arms of the south
parts; William Harvy, _alias_ Norroy king of arms of the north parts,
and the other heralds and pursuivants of arms, and to their successors,
all the same capital messuage or house called Derby house, with the
appurtenances, situate in the parish of St. Benet and St. Peter, then
being in the tenure of Sir Richard Sackvile, knight, and lately parcel
of the lands of Edward, Earl of Derby, etc., to the end that the said
kings of arms, heralds, and pursuivants of arms, and their successors,
might at their liking dwell together, and at meet times to congregate,
speak, confer, and agree among themselves, for the good government of
their faculty, and their records might be more safely kept, etc. Dated
the 18th of July, 1555, Philip and Mary I., and third year.
Then higher up, near the south chain of Paules churchyard, is the Paule
Head tavern, which house, with the appurtenances, was of old time called
Paules brewhouse, for that the same was so employed, but been since left
off, and let out.
On the west side of this street, is one other great house, built of
stone, which belongeth to Paules church, and was sometime let to the
Blunts, Lords Mountjoy, but of latter time to a college in Cambridge,
and from them to the doctors of the civil law and Arches, who keep a
commons there; and many of them being there lodged, it is called the
Doctors’ Commons. Above this, on the same side, was one other great
building over-against Paules brewhouse, and this was called Paules
bakehouse, and was employed in baking of bread for the church of Paules.
In Addle street, or lane, I find no monuments.
In Lambart hill lane on the west side thereof, is the Blacksmiths’ hall,
and adjoining to the north side thereof have ye one plot of ground,
inclosed with a brick wall for a churchyard, or burying-plot for the
dead of St. Mary Magdalen’s by Old Fish street, which was given to that
use by John Iwarby, an officer in the receipt of the exchequer, in the
26th of King Henry VI., as appeareth by patent. John Iwarby, etc., gave
a piece of land lying void in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, nigh to
Old Fish street, between the tenement of John Philpot on the south,
and the tenement of Bartholomewe Burwash on the west, and the tenement
pertaining to the convent of the Holy Well on the north, and the way
upon Lambarde’s hill on the east, for a churchyard, to the parson, and
churchwardens, etc.