Knightriders’ street, is the parish church of St. Mary Magdalen, a small
church, having but few monuments, Richard Woodroffe, merchant tailor,
1519; Barnard Randolph, esquire, 1583.
On the west side of this church, by the porch thereof, is placed a
conduit or cistern of lead, castellated with stone, for receipt of
Thames water, conveyed at the charges of the before-named Barnard
Randolph, esquire. By the east end of St. Mary Magdalen’s church,
runneth up the Old Exchange lane, by the west end of Carter lane, to
the south-east gate or chain of Paule’s churchyard, as is before shown.
And in this part was the Exchange kept, and bullion was received for
coinage, as is noted in Faringdon ward within.
In this parish church of St. Mary Magdalen, out of Knightriders’ street
up to Carter lane, be two small lanes, the one of them called Do Little
lane, as a place not inhabited by artificers or open shopkeepers, but
serving for a near passage from Knightriders’ street to Carter lane.
The other, corruptly called Sermon lane, for Sheremoniers’ lane, for
I find it by that name recorded in the 14th of Edward I., and in that
lane, a place to be called the Blacke loft (of melting silver) with four
shops adjoining. It may, therefore, be well supposed that lane to take
name of Sheremonyars, such as cut and rounded the plates to be coined
or stamped into sterling pence; for the place of coining was the Old
Exchange, near unto the said Sheremoniars’ lane. Also I find that in the
13th of Richard II. William de la Pole had a house there.
In Knightriders’ street is the College of Physicians, wherein was
founded in the year 1582 a public lecture in surgery, to be read twice
every week, etc., as is shown elsewhere.
In the south churchyard of Paules, is the south side and west end of the
said church; in the which west end be three stately gates or entries,
curiously wrought of stone: namely, the middle gate, in the midst
whereof is placed a massy pillar of brass, whereunto the leaves of the
said great gate are closed and fastened with locks, bolts, and bars of
iron; all which, notwithstanding, on the 24th of December in the year
1565, by a tempest of wind then rising from the west, these gates were
blown open, the bars, bolts, and locks broken in sunder, or greatly
bended. Also on the 5th of January in the year 1589, by a like tempest
of wind, then in the south-west, the lesser west gate of the said
church, next to the bishop’s palace, was broken, both bolts, bars, and
locks, so that the same was blown over.
At either corner of this west end is, also of ancient building, a strong
tower of stone, made for bell towers: the one of them, to wit, next to
the palace, is at this present to the use of the same palace; the other,
towards the south, is called the Lowlardes’ tower,[263] and hath been
used as the bishop’s prison, for such as were detected for opinions in
religion, contrary to the faith of the Church.
The last prisoner which I have known committed thereto, was in the
year 1573, one Peter Burcher, gentleman, of the Middle Temple, for
having desperately wounded, and minding to have murdered, a serviceable
gentleman named John Hawkins, esquire, in the high street near unto the
Strand, who being taken and examined, was found to hold certain opinions
erroneous, and therefore committed thither, and convicted; but in the
end, by persuasion, he promised to abjure his heresies; and was, by
commandment of the council, removed from thence to the Tower of London,
etc., where he committed as in my _Annales_ I have expressed.
Adjoining to this Lowlardes’ tower is the parish-church of St. Gregory,
appointed to the petty canons of Paules. Monuments of note I know none
there.
The rest of that south side of St. Paules church, with the chapter-house
(a beautiful piece of work, built about the reign of Edward III.) is
now defaced by means of licenses granted to cutlers, budget-makers, and
others, first to build low sheds, but now high houses, which do hide
that beautiful side of the church, save only the top and south gate.
On the north-west side of this churchyard is the bishop’s palace, a
large thing for receipt, wherein divers kings have been lodged, and
great household hath been kept, as appeareth by the great hall, which
of late years, since the rebatement of bishops’ livings, hath not been
furnished with household menie and guests, as was meant by the builders
thereof, and was of old time used.
The dean’s lodging on the other side, directly against the palace,
is a fair old house, and also divers large houses are on the same
side builded, which yet remain, and of old time were the lodgings of
prebendaries and residentiaries, which kept great households and liberal
hospitality, but now either decayed, or otherwise converted.
Then is the Stationers’ hall on the same side, lately built for them in
place of Peter College, where in the year 1549, the 4th of January, five
men were slain by the fall of earth upon them, digging for a well. And
let this be an end of Baynardes Castle ward, which hath an alderman, his
deputy, common council nine, constables ten, scavengers seven, wardmote
inquest fourteen, and a beadle. And to the fifteen is taxed at £12, in
the exchequer £11 13_s._
FOOTNOTE:
[263] For Lowlardes’ Tower, read M. Foxe.--_Stow._
THE WARD OF FARINGDON EXTRA, OR WITHOUT
The farthest west ward of this city, being the twenty-fifth ward of
London, but without the walls, is called Faringdon Without, and was of
old time part of the other Faringdon Within, until the 17th of Richard
II., that it was divided and made twain, by the names of Faringdon
_infra_ and Faringdon _extra_, as is afore shown.
The bounds of which ward without Newgate and Ludgate are these: first,
on the east part thereof, is the whole precinct of the late priory
of St. Bartholomew, and a part of Long lane on the north, towards
Aldersgate street and Ducke lane, with the hospital of St. Bartholomew
on the west, and all Smithfield to the bars in St. John Street. Then
out of Smithfield, Chicke lane toward Turmile brook, and over that
brook by a bridge of timber into the field, then back again by the
pens (or folds) in Smithfield, by Smithfield pond to Cow lane, which
turneth toward Oldborne, and then Hosiar lane out of Smithfield, also
toward Oldborne, till it meet with a part of Cow lane. Then Cocke
lane out of Smithfield, over-against Pie corner, then also is Giltspur
street, out of Smithfield to Newgate, then from Newgate west by St.
Sepulchres church to Turnagaine lane, to Oldborne conduit, on Snow hill,
to Oldborne bridge, up Oldborne hill to the bars on both sides. On the
right hand or north side, at the bottom of Oldborne hill, is Gold lane,
sometime a filthy passage into the fields, now both sides built with
small tenements. Then higher is Lither lane, turning also to the field,
lately replenished with houses built, and so to the bar.
Now on the left hand or south side from Newgate lieth a street called
the Old Bayly, or court of the chamberlain of this city; this stretcheth
down by the wall of the city unto Ludgate, on the west side of which
street breaketh out one other lane, called St. Georges lane, till ye
come to the south end of Seacole lane, and then turning towards Fleet
street it is called Fleet lane. The next out of the high street from
Newgate turning down south, is called the Little Bayly, and runneth down
to the east of St. George’s lane. Then is Seacole lane which turneth
down into Fleet lane; near unto this Seacole lane, in the turning
towards Oldborne conduit, is another lane, called in records Wind Againe
lane, it turneth down to Turnemill brook, and from thence back again,
for there is no way over. Then beyond Oldborne bridge to Shoe lane,
which runneth out of Oldborne unto the Conduit in Fleet street. Then
also is Fewtars lane, which likewise stretcheth south into Fleet street
by the east end of St. Dunstans church, and from this lane to the bars
be the bounds without Newgate.
Now without Ludgate, this ward runneth by from the said gate to Temple
bar, and hath on the right hand or north side the south end of the Old
Bayly, then down Ludgate hill to the Fleet lane over Fleet bridge, and
by Shoe lane and Fewters lane, and so to New street (or Chancery lane),
and up that lane to the house of the Rolles, which house is also of this
ward, and on the other side to a lane over against the Rolles, which
entereth Ficquets’ field.
Then hard by the bar is one other lane called Shyre lane, because it
divideth the city from the shire, and this turneth into Ficquets’ field.
From Ludgate again on the left hand, or south side to Fleet bridge, to
Bride lane, which runneth south by Bridewell, then to Water lane, which
runneth down to the Thames.
Then by the White Fryers and by the Temple, even to the bar aforesaid,
be the bounds of this Faringdon Ward without.
Touching ornaments and antiquities in this ward, first betwixt the said
Newgate and the parish church of St. Sepulchre’s, is a way towards
Smithfield, called Gilt Spurre, or Knightriders’ street, of the knights
and others riding that way into Smithfield, replenished with buildings
on both sides up to Pie corner, a place so called of such a sign,
sometimes a fair inn for receipt of travellers, but now divided into
tenements, and over against the said Pie corner lieth Cocke lane, which
runneth down to Oldborne conduit.
Beyond this Pie corner lieth West Smithfield, compassed about with
buildings, as first on the south side following the right hand, standeth
the fair parish church and large hospital of St. Bartilmew, founded by
Rahere, the first prior of St. Bartilmewes thereto near adjoining, in
the year 1102.
Alfune, that had not long before built the parish church of St. Giles
without Criplegate, became the first hospitaller, or proctor, for the
poor of the house, and went himself daily to the shambles and other
markets, where he begged the charity of devout people for their relief,
promising to the liberal givers (and that by alleging testimonies of
the holy scripture) reward at the hands of God. Henry III. granted
to Katherine, late wife to W. Hardell, twenty feet of land in length
and breadth in Smithfield, next to the chapel of the hospital of St.
Bartilmew, to build her a recluse or anchorage, commanding the mayor and
sheriffs of London to assign the said twenty feet to the said Katherine,
Carta II of Henry III. The foundation of this hospital, for the poor
and diseased their special sustentation, was confirmed by Edward III.
the 26th of his reign: it was governed by a master and eight brethren,
being priests, for the church, and four sisters to see the poor served.
The executors of R. Whitington, sometime mayor of London, of his goods
repaired this hospital, about the year 1423.
Sir John Wakering, priest, master of this house in the year 1463,
amongst other books, gave to their common library the fairest Bible that
I have seen, written in large vellum by a brother of that house named
John Coke, at the age of sixty-eight years, when he had been priest
forty-three years: since the spoil of that library, I have seen this
book in the custody of my worshipful friend, Master Walter Cope.
Monuments in this church of the dead, benefactors thereunto, be these:
Elizabeth, wife to Adam Hone, gentleman; Bartilmew Bildington; Jane,
wife to John Cooke; Dame Alis, wife to Sir Richarde Isham; Alice, wife
to Nicholas Bayly; John Woodhouse, esquire; Robert Palmar, gentleman;
Idona, wife to John Walden, lying by her husband on the north side,
late newly built, 1424; Sir Thomas Malifant, or Nanfant, Baron of
Winnow, Lord St. George in Glamorgan, and Lord Ockeneton and Pile in the
county of Pembroke, 1438; Dame Margaret his wife, daughter to Thomas
Astley, esquire, with Edmond and Henry his children; William Markeby,
gentleman, 1438; Richard Shepley, and Alice his wife; Thomas Savill,
serjeant-at-arms; Edward Beastby, gentleman, and Margaret his wife;
Waltar Ingham, and Alienar his wife; Robert Warnar, and Alice Lady
Carne; Robert Caldset, Johan and Agnes his wives; Sir Robert Danvars,
and Dame Agnes his wife, daughter to Sir Richard Delaber; William
Brookes, esquire; John Shirley, esquire, and Margaret his wife, having
their pictures of brass, in the habit of pilgrims, on a fair flat stone,
with an epitaph thus:--
“Beholde how ended is our poore pilgrimage,
Of John Shirley, esquier, with Margaret his wife,
That xii. children had together in marriage,
Eight sonnes and foure daughters withouten strife,
That in honor, nurtur, and labour flowed in fame,
His pen reporteth his lives occupation,
Since Pier his life time, John Shirley by name,
Of his degree, that was in Brutes Albion,
That in the yeare of grace deceased from hen,
Fourteene hundred winter, and sixe and fiftie.
In the yeare of his age, fourescore and ten,
Of October moneth, the day one and twenty.”
This gentleman, a great traveller in divers countries, amongst other
his labours, painfully collected the works of Geffrey Chaucer, John
Lidgate, and other learned writers, which works he wrote in sundry
volumes to remain for posterity; I have seen them, and partly do possess
them. Jane, Lady Clinton, gave ten pounds to the poor of this house,
was there buried, 1458; Agnes, daughter to Sir William St. George;
John Rogerbrooke, esquire; Richard Sturgeon; Thomas Burgan, gentleman;
Elizabeth, wife to Henry Skinard, daughter to Chincroft, esquire;
William Mackley, gentleman, and Alice his wife; W. Fitzwater, gentleman,
1466.
This hospital was valued at the suppression in the year 1539, the
31st of Henry VIII., to thirty-five pounds five shillings and seven
pence yearly. The church remaineth a parish church to the tenants
dwelling in the precinct of the hospital; but in the year 1546, on the
13th of January, the bishop of Rochester, preaching at Paules cross,
declared the gift of the said king to the citizens for relieving of
the poor, which contained the church of the Gray Fryers, the church of
St. Bartilmew, with the hospital, the messuages, and appurtenances in
Giltspurre _alias_ Knightriders’ street, Breton street, Petar quay,
in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, in Old Fish street, and in the
parish of St. Benet Buda, Lymehurst, or Limehost, in the parish of
Stebunheth, etc. Then also were orders devised for relief of the poor,
the inhabitants were all called to their parish churches, whereby Sir
Richard Dobbes, then mayor, their several aldermen, or other grave
citizens, they were by eloquent orations persuaded how great and how
many commodities would ensue unto them and their city, if the poor of
divers sorts, which they named, were taken from out their streets,
lanes, and alleys, and were bestowed and provided for in hospitals
abroad, etc. Therefore was every man moved liberally to grant, what they
would impart towards the preparing and furnishing of such hospitals, and
also what they would contribute weekly towards their maintenance for a
time, which they said should not be past one year, or twain, until they
were better furnished of endowment: to make short, every man granted
liberally, according to his ability; books were drawn of the relief in
every ward of the city, towards the new hospitals, and were delivered
by the mayor to the king’s commissioners, on the 17th of February, and
order was taken therein; so as the 26th of July in the year 1552, the
repairing of the Gray Fryers’ house, for poor fatherless children, was
taken in hand; and also in the latter end of the same month, began the
repairing of this hospital of St. Bartilmew, and was of new endowed, and
furnished at the charges of the citizens.
On the east side of this hospital lieth Ducke lane, which runneth out
of Smithfield south to the north end of Little Britaine street. On the
east side of this Ducke lane, and also of Smithfield, lieth the late
dissolved priory of St. Bartilmew, founded also by Rahere, a pleasant
witted gentleman, and therefore in his time called the king’s minstrel,
about the year of Christ 1102; he founded it in a part of the oft
before-named morish ground, which was therefore a common laystall of all
filth that was to be voided out of the city; he placed canons there,
himself became their first prior, and so continued till his dying day,
and was there buried in a fair monument,[264] of late renewed by Prior
Bolton.
Amongst other memorable matters touching this priory, one is of an
archbishop’s visitation, which Matthew Paris hath thus:--Boniface
(saith he) Archbishop of Canterbury, in his visitation came to this
priory, where being received with procession in the most solemn wise,
he said, that he passed not upon the honour, but came to visit them;
to whom the canons answered, that they having a learned bishop, ought
not in contempt of him to be visited by any other: which answer so
much offended the archbishop, that he forthwith fell on the subprior,
and smote him on the face, saying, “Indeed, indeed, doth it become you
English traitors so to answer me.” Thus raging, with oaths not to be
recited, he rent in pieces the rich cope of the subprior, and trod it
under his feet, and thrust him against a pillar of the chancel with such
violence, that he had almost killed him; but the canons seeing their
subprior thus almost slain, came and plucked off the archbishop with
such force that they overthrew him backwards, whereby they might see
that he was armed and prepared to fight; the archbishop’s men seeing
their master down, being all strangers, and their master’s countrymen,
born at Provence, fell upon the canons, beat them, tare them, and trod
them under feet; at length the canons getting away as well as they
could, ran bloody and miry, rent and torn, to the bishop of London to
complain, who bade them go to the king at Westminster, and tell him
thereof; whereupon four of them went thither, the rest were not able,
they were so sore hurt; but when they came to Westminster, the king
would neither hear nor see them, so they returned without redress. In
the mean season the whole city was in an uproar, and ready to have rung
the common bell, and to have hewn the archbishop into small pieces, who
was secretly crept to Lambhith, where they sought him, and not knowing
him by sight, said to themselves, Where is this ruffian? that cruel
smiter! he is no winner of souls, but an exactor of money, whom neither
God, nor any lawful or free election did bring to this promotion, but
the king did unlawfully intrude him, being utterly unlearned, a stranger
born, and having a wife, etc. But the archbishop conveyed himself over,
and went to the king with a great complaint against the canons, whereas
himself was guilty. This priory of St. Bartholomew was again new built
in the year 1410.
Bolton was the last prior of this house, a great builder there; for
he repaired the priory church, with the parish church adjoining, the
offices and lodgings to the said priory belonging, and near adjoining;
he built anew the manor of Canonbery at Islington, which belonged to the
canons of this house, and is situate in a low ground, somewhat north
from the parish church there; but he built no house at Harrow on the
Hill, as Edward Hall hath written, following a fable then on foot. The
people (saith he) being feared by prognostications, which declared,
that in the year of Christ 1524 there should be such eclipses in watery
signs, and such conjunctions, that by waters and floods many people
should perish, people victualled themselves, and went to high grounds
for fear of drowning, and especially one Bolton, which was prior of St.
Bartholomewes in Smithfield, built him a house upon Harrow on the Hill,
only for fear of this flood; thither he went, and made provision of all
things necessary within him for the space of two months, etc.; but this
was not so indeed, as I have been credibly informed. True it is, that
this Bolton was also parson of Harrow, and therefore bestowed some small
reparations on the parsonage-house, and built nothing there more than a
dove-house, to serve him when he had forgone his priory.
To this priory King Henry II. granted the privilege of fair, to be kept
yearly at Bartholomew tide for three days, to wit, the eve, the day,
and next morrow, to the which the clothiers of all England, and drapers
of London, repaired,[265] and had their booths and standings within the
churchyard of this priory, closed in with walls, and gates locked every
night, and watched, for safety of men’s goods and wares; a court of
pie powders was daily during the fair holden for debts and contracts.
But now, notwithstanding all proclamations of the prince, and also the
act of parliament, in place of booths within this churchyard (only let
out in the fair-time, and closed up all the year after), be many large
houses built, and the north wall towards Long lane taken down, a number
of tenements are there erected for such as will give great rents.
Monuments of the dead in this priory are these: of Rahere, the first
founder; Roger Walden, Bishop of London, 1406; John Wharton, gentleman,
and Elizabeth his wife, daughter to William Scot, esquire; John Louth,
gentleman; Robert Shikeld, gentleman; Sir ---- Bacon, knight; John
Ludlow and Alice his wife; W. Thirlewall, esquire; Richard Lancaster,
herald-at-arms; Thomas Torald; John Royston; John Watforde; John
Carleton; Robert, son to Sir Robert Willowby; Gilbert Halstocke;
Eleanor, wife to Sir Hugh Fen, mother to Margaret Lady Burgavenie;
William Essex, esquire; Richard Vancke, baron of the exchequer, and
Margaret his wife, daughter to William de la Rivar; John Winderhall;
John Duram, esquire, and Elizabeth his wife; John Malwaine; Alice, wife
to Balstred, daughter to Kniffe; William Scarlet, esquire; John Golding;
Hugh Waltar, gentleman; and the late Sir Waltar Mildmay, knight,
chancellor of the exchequer, etc.
This priory at the late surrender, the 30th of Henry VIII., was valued
at £653 15_s._ by year.
This church having in the bell-tower six bells in a tune, those bells
were sold to the parish of St. Sepulchre’s; and then the church being
pulled down to the choir, the choir was, by the king’s order, annexed
for the enlarging of the old parish church thereto adjoining, and so was
used till the reign of Queen Mary, who gave the remnant of the priory
church to the Friers preachers, or Black Friers, and was used as their
conventual church until, the 1st of our sovereign lady Queen Elizabeth,
those friars were put out, and all the said church, with the old parish
church, was wholly as it stood in the last year of Edward VI., given by
parliament to remain for ever a parish church to the inhabitants within
the close called Great St. Bartholomewes. Since the which time that old
parish church is pulled down, except the steeple of rotten timber ready
to fall of itself. I have oft heard it reported, that a new steeple
should be built with the stone, lead, and timber of the old parish
church, but no such thing was performed. The parish have lately repaired
the old wooden steeple to serve their turn. On the north side of this
priory is the lane truly called Long, which reacheth from Smithfield to
Aldersgate street. This lane is now lately built on both the sides with
tenements for brokers, tipplers, and such like; the rest of Smithfield
from Long lane end to the bars is enclosed with inns, brewhouses, and
large tenements; on the west side is Chicken lane down to Cowbridge.
Then be the pens or folds, so called, of sheep there parted, and penned
up to be sold on the market-days.
Then is Smithfield pond, which of old time in records was called
Horse-pool, for that men watered horses there, and was a great water.
In the 6th of Henry V. a new building was made in this west part of
Smithfield betwixt the said pool and the river of the Wels, or Turnemill
brooke, in a place then called the Elmes, for that there grew many
elm-trees; and this had been the place of execution for offenders; since
the which time the building there hath been so increased, that now
remaineth not one tree growing.
Amongst these new buildings is Cowbridge street, or Cow lane, which
turneth toward Oldborne, in which lane the prior of Semperingham had his
inn, or London lodging.