other comely buildings, up to Hosiar lane, which also turneth down to
Oldborne till it meet with Cowbridge street. From this lane to Cocke
lane, over against Pie corner.
And thus much for encroachments and enclosure of this Smithfield,
whereby remaineth but a small portion for the old uses; to wit, for
markets of horses and cattle, neither for military exercises, as
joustings, turnings, and great triumphs, which have been there performed
before the princes and nobility both of this realm and foreign countries.
For example to note:--In the year 1357, the 31st of Edward III., great
and royal jousts were there holden in Smithfield; there being present,
the Kings of England, France, and Scotland, with many other nobles and
great estates of divers lands.
1362, the 36th of Edward III., on the first five days of May, in
Smithfield, were jousts holden, the king and queen being present, with
the most part of the chivalry of England, and of France, and of other
nations, to the which came Spaniards, Cyprians and Arminians, knightly
requesting the king of England against the pagans that invaded their
confines.
The 48th of Edward III., Dame Alice Perrers (the king’s concubine),
as Lady of the Sun, rode from the Tower of London, through Cheape,
accompanied of many lords and ladies, every lady leading a lord by his
horse-bridle, till they came into West Smithfield, and then began a
great joust, which endured seven days after.
Also, the 9th of Richard II., was the like great riding from the Tower
to Westminster, and every lord led a lady’s horse-bridle; and on the
morrow began the joust in Smithfield, which lasted two days: there
bare them well, Henry of Darby, the Duke of Lankester’s son, the Lord
Beaumont, Sir Simon Burley, and Sir Paris Courtney.
In the 14th of Richard II., after Froisart, royal jousts and tournaments
were proclaimed to be done in Smithfield, to begin on Sunday next
after the feast of St. Michael. Many strangers came forth of other
countries, namely, Valarian, Earl of St. Paul, that had married King
Richard’s sister, the Lady Maud Courtney, and William, the young Earl
of Ostervant, son to Albart of Baviere, Earl of Holland and Henault.
At the day appointed there issued forth of the Tower, about the third
hour of the day, sixty coursers, apparelled for the jousts, and upon
every one an esquire of honour, riding a soft pace; then came forth
sixty ladies of honour, mounted upon palfreys, riding on the one side,
richly apparelled, and every lady led a knight with a chain of gold,
those knights being on the king’s party, had their harness and apparel
garnished with white harts, and crowns of gold about the harts’ necks,
and so they came riding through the streets of London to Smithfield,
with a great number of trumpets, and other instruments of music before
them. The king and queen, who were lodged in the bishop’s palace of
London, were come from thence, with many great estates, and placed in
chambers to see the jousts; the ladies that led the knights were taken
down from their palfreys, and went up to chambers prepared for them.
Then alighted the esquires of honour from their coursers, and the
knights in good order mounted upon them; and after their helmets were
set on their heads, and being ready in all points, proclamation made by
the heralds, the jousts began, and many commendable courses were run, to
the great pleasure of the beholders. These jousts continued many days,
with great feasting, as ye may read in Froisart.
In the year 1393, the 17th of Richard II., certain lords of Scotland
came into England to get worship by force of arms; the Earl of Mare
challenged the Earl of Notingham to joust with him, and so they rode
together certain courses, but not the full challenge, for the Earl
of Mare was cast both horse and man, and two of his ribs broken with
the fall, so that he was conveyed out of Smithfield, and so towards
Scotland, but died by the way at Yorke. Sir William Darell, knight,
the king’s banner-bearer of Scotland, challenged Sir Percie Courtney,
knight, the king’s banner-bearer of England; and when they had run
certain courses, gave over without conclusion of victory. Then
Cookeborne, esquire, of Scotland, challenged Sir Nicholas Hawberke,
knight, and rode five courses, but Cookeborne was borne over horse and
man, etc.
In the year 1409, the 10th of Henry IV., a great play was played at the
Skinners’ well, which lasted eight days, where were to see the same the
most part of the nobles and gentles in England. And forthwith began
a royal jousting in Smithfield between the Earl of Somerset, and the
Seneschal of Henalt, Sir John Cornwall, Sir Richard Arrundell, and the
son of Sir John Cheiney, against certain Frenchmen. And the same year
a battle was fought in Smithfield between two esquires, the one called
Glaucester, appellant, and the other Arthure, defendant; they fought
valiantly, but the king took up the quarrel into his hands, and pardoned
them both.
In the year 1430, the 8th of Henry VI., the 14th of January, a battle
was done in Smithfield, within the lists, before the king, between two
men of Feversham in Kent, John Upton, notary, appellant, and John Downe,
gentleman, defendant; John Upton put upon John Downe, that he and his
compeers should imagine the king’s death the day of his coronation. When
these had fought long, the king took up the matter, and forgave both the
parties.
In the year 1442, the 20th of Henry VI., the 30th of January, a
challenge was done in Smithfield, within lists, before the king, there
being Sir Philip la Beaufe of Aragon, knight, the other an esquire of
the king’s house, called John Ansley or Anstley; they came to the field
all armed, the knight with his sword drawn, and the esquire with his
spear, which spear he cast against the knight, but the knight avoided
it with his sword, and cast it to the ground; then the esquire took his
axe, and smote many blows on the knight, and made him let fall his axe,
and brake up his uniber three times, and would have smote him on the
face with his dagger, for to have slain him, but then the king cried
hold, and so they were departed. The king made John Ansley, knight, and
the knight of Aragon offered his harness at Windsor.
In the year 1446, the 24th of Henry VI., John David appeached his
master, Wil. Catur, of treason, and a day being assigned them to fight
in Smithfield; the master being well-beloved, was so cherished by
his friends, and plied with wine, that being therewith overcome, was
also unluckily slain by his servant; but that false servant (for he
falsely accused his master) lived not long unpunished, for he was after
hanged at Teyborne for felony. Let such false accusers note this for
example,[266] and look for no better end without speedy repentance.
The same year Thomas Fitz-Thomas Prior of Kilmaine appeached Sir James
Butlar, Earl of Ormond, of treasons; which had a day assigned them to
fight in Smithfield, the lists were made, and the field prepared; but
when it came to the point, the king commanded they should not fight, and
took the quarrel into his hands.
In the year 1467, the 7th of Edward IV., the Bastard of Burgoine
challenged the Lord Scales, brother to the queen, to fight with him
both on horseback and on foot; the king, therefore, caused lists to be
prepared in Smithfield, the length of one hundred and twenty tailors’
yards and ten feet, and in breadth eighty yards and twenty feet,
double-barred, five feet between the bars, the timber-work whereof
cost two hundred marks, besides the fair and costly galleries prepared
for the ladies and other, at the which martial enterprise the king and
nobility were present. The first day they ran together with spears, and
departed with equal honour. The next day they tourneyed on horseback,
the Lord Scales horse having on his chafron, a long spear pike of
steel; and as the two champions coped together, the same horse thrust
his pike into the nostrils of the Bastard’s horse, so that for very
pain he mounted so high that he fell on the one side with his master,
and the Lord Scales rode about him with his sword drawn, till the king
commanded the marshal to help up the Bastard, who said, I cannot hold me
by the clouds; for though my horse fail me, I will not fail an encounter
companion; but the king would not suffer them to do any more that day.
The next morrow they came into the lists on foot with two pole-axes, and
fought valiantly; but at the last the point of the pole-axe of the Lord
Scales entered into the side of the Bastard’s helm, and by force might
have placed him on his knees; but the king cast down his warder, and the
marshal severed them. The Bastard required that he might perform his
enterprise; but the king gave judgment as the Bastard relinquished his
challenge, etc. And this may suffice for jousts in Smithfield.
Now to return through Giltspur street by Newgate, where I first began,
there standeth the fair parish church called St. Sepulchers in the
Bayly, or by Chamberlain gate, in a fair churchyard, though not so
large as of old time, for the same is letten out for buildings and a
garden-plot.
This church was newly re-edified or built about the reign of Henry VI.
or of Edward IV. One of the Pophames was a great builder there, namely,
of one fair chapel on the south side of the choir, as appeareth by his
arms and other monuments in the glass windows thereof, and also the fair
porch of the same church towards the south; his image, fair graven in
stone, was fixed over the said porch, but defaced and beaten down; his
title by offices was this, Chancellor of Normandy, Captain of Vernoyle,
Pearch, Susan, and Bayon, and treasurer of the king’s household: he died
rich, leaving great treasure of strange coins, and was buried in the
Charterhouse church by West Smithfield. The first nobilitating of these
Pophames was by Matilda the empress, daughter to Henry I., and by Henry
her son: one Pophame, gentleman, of very fair lands in Southamptonshire,
died without issue male, about Henry VI., and leaving four daughters,
they were married to Fostar, Barentine, Wodham, and Hamden. Popham Deane
(distant three miles from Clarendon, and three miles from Mortisham) was
sometime the chief lordship or manor-house of these Pophames.
There lie buried in this church, William Andrew, Stephen Clamparde,
Lawrence Warcam, John Dagworth, William Porter, Robert Scarlet, esquires.
Next to this church is a fair and large inn for receipt of travellers,
and hath to sign the Sarasen’s head.
There lieth a street from Newgate west to the end of Turnagaine lane,
and winding north to Oldborne conduit. This conduit by Oldborne cross
was first built 1498. Thomasin, widow to John Percival, mayor, gave to
the second making thereof twenty marks, Richard Shore ten pounds. Thomas
Knesworth and others also did give towards it.
But of late a new conduit was there built in place of the old, namely,
in the year 1577, by William Lamb, sometime a gentleman of the chapel
to King Henry VIII., and afterward a citizen and clothworker of London;
the water thereof he caused to be conveyed in lead, from divers springs
to one head, and from thence to the said conduit, and waste of one cock
at Oldborne bridge, more than two thousand yards in length; all of which
was by him performed at his own charges, amounting to the sum of fifteen
hundred pounds.
From the west side of this conduit is the high way, there called Snor
hill; it stretcheth out by Oldborne bridge over the oft-named water of
Turmill brook, and so up to Oldborne hill, all replenished with fair
building.
Without Oldborne bridge, on the right hand, is Gold lane, as is before
shown; up higher on the hill be certain inns, and other fair buildings,
amongst the which of old time was a messuage called Scropes inn, for so
I find the same recorded in the 37th of Henry VI.
This house was sometime letten out to serjeants-at-the-law, as
appeareth, and was found by inquisition taken in the Guild hall of
London, before William Purchase, mayor, and escheator for the king,
Henry VII., in the 14th of his reign, after the death of John Lord
Scrope, that he died deceased in his demesne of fee, by the feoffment
of Guy Fairfax, knight, one of the king’s justices, made in the 9th of
the same king, unto the said John Scrope, knight. Lord Scrope of Bolton,
and Robert Wingfield, esquire, of one house or tenement, late called
Sergeants’ inn, situate against the church of St. Andrew in Oldborne,
in the city of London, with two gardens and two messuages to the same
tenement belonging in the said city, to hold in burgage, valued by the
year in all reprises ten shillings.
Then is the bishop of Elie’s inn,[267] so called of belonging and
pertaining to the bishops of Elie. William de Luda, bishop of Elie,
deceased 1297, gave this house by the name of his manor, with the
appurtenances in Oldborne, to his successors, with condition his
next successor should pay one thousand marks to the finding of three
chaplains in the chapel there. More, John Hotham, bishop of Elie, did
give by the name of six messuages, two cellars, and forty acres of land,
in the suburbs of London, in the parish of St. Andrew in Oldborne, to
the prior and convent of Elie, as appeareth by patent, the 9th of Edward
III.: this man was bishop of Elie twenty years, and deceased 1336.
Thomas Arundell, bishop of Elie, beautifully built of new his palace
at Elie, and likewise his manors in divers places, especially this
in Oldborne, which he did not only repair, but rather new-built, and
augmented it with a large port, gate-house, or front, towards the street
or highway; his arms are yet to be discerned in the stone-work thereof:
he sat bishop of Elie fourteen years, and was translated to Yorke.
In this house, for the large and commodious rooms thereof,
divers great and solemn feasts have been kept, especially by the
serjeants-at-the-law, whereof twain are to be noted for posterity.
The first in the year 1464, the 4th of Edward IV., in Michaelmas term,
the serjeants-at-law held their feast in this house, to the which,
amongst other estates, Matthew Phillip, mayor of London, with the
aldermen, sheriffs, and commons, of divers crafts, being invited, did
repair; but when the mayor looked to keep the state in the hall, as
it had been used in all places within the city and liberties (out of
the king’s presence), the Lord Gray of Ruthen, then lord treasurer of
England, unwitting the Serjeants, and against their wills (as they
said), was first placed; whereupon the mayor, aldermen, and commons,
departed home, and the mayor made the aldermen to dine with him; howbeit
he and all the citizens were wonderfully displeased, that he was so
dealt with; and the new serjeants and others were right sorry therefore,
and had rather then much good (as they said) it had not so happened.
One other feast was likewise there kept in the year 1531, the 23rd of
King Henry VIII.: the serjeants then made were in number eleven; namely,
Thomas Audeley, Walter Luke, I. Bawdwine, I. Hinde, Christopher Jennie,
John Dowsell, Edward Mervine, Edmond Knightley, Roger Chomley, Edward
Montague, and Robert Yorke.
These also held their feast in this Elie house for five days, to wit,
Friday the 10th of November, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. On
Monday (which was their principal day) King Henry and Queen Katherine
dined there (but in two chambers), and the foreign ambassadors in a
third chamber. In the hall, at the high table, sat Sir Nicholas Lambard,
Mayor of London, the judges, the barons of the exchequer, with certain
aldermen of the city. At the board on the south side sat the master
of the rolls, the master of the chancery, and worshipful citizens. On
the north side of the hall certain aldermen began the board, and then
followed merchants of the city; in the cloister, chapel, and gallery,
knights, esquires, and gentlemen, were placed; in the halls the crafts
of London; the serjeants-of-law and their wives, kept in their own
chambers.
It were tedious to set down the preparation of fish, flesh, and other
victuals, spent in this feast, and would seem almost incredible,
and, as to me it seemeth, wanted little of a feast at a coronation;
nevertheless, a little I will touch, for declaration of the change of
prices. There were brought to the slaughter-house twenty-four great
beefs at twenty-six shillings and eight pence the piece from the
shambles, one carcass of an ox at twenty-four shillings, one hundred
fat muttons, two shillings and ten pence the piece, fifty-one great
veals at four shillings and eight pence the piece, thirty-four porks
three shillings and eight pence the piece, ninety-one pigs, sixpence the
piece, capons of grese, of one poulter (for they had three) ten dozens
at twenty pence the piece, capons of Kent, nine dozens and six at twelve
pence the piece, capons coarse, nineteen dozen at six pence the piece,
cocks of grose, seven dozen and nine at eight pence the piece, cocks
coarse, fourteen dozen and eight at three pence the piece, pullets, the
best, two pence halfpenny, other pullets two pence, pigeons thirty-seven
dozen at ten pence the dozen, swans fourteen dozen, larks three hundred
and forty dozen at five pence the dozen, etc. Edward Nevill was
seneschal or steward, Thomas Ratcliffe, comptroller, Thomas Wildon,
clerk of the kitchen.
Next beyond this manor of Ely house is Lither lane, turning into the
field. Then is Furnivalles inn, now an inn of chancery, but sometime
belonging to Sir William Furnivall, knight, and Thomesin his wife, who
had in Oldborne two messuages and thirteen shops, as appeareth by record
of Richard II., in the 6th of his reign.
Then is the Earl of Bathes inn, now called Bath place, of late for the
most part new built, and so to the bars.
Now again, from Newgate, on the left hand, or south side, lieth the Old
Bayly, which runneth down by the wall upon the ditch of the city, called
Houndes ditch, to Ludgate. I have not read how this street took that
name, but is like to have risen of some court, of old time there kept;
and I find, that in the year 1356, the 34th of Edward III., the tenement
and ground upon Houndes ditch, between Ludgate on the south, and Newgate
on the north, was appointed to John Cambridge, fishmonger, Chamberlain
of London, whereby it seemeth that the chamberlains of London have
there kept their courts, as now they do by the Guildhall, and till this
day the mayor and justices of this city kept their sessions in a part
thereof, now called the Sessions hall, both for the city of London and
shire of Middlesex. Over against the which house, on the right hand,
turneth down St. George’s lane towards Fleet lane.
In this St. George’s lane, on the north side thereof, remaineth yet an
old wall of stone, enclosing a piece of ground up Seacole lane, wherein
by report sometime stood an inn of chancery; which house being greatly
decayed, and standing remote from other houses of that profession, the
company removed to a common hostelry, called of the sign Our Lady inn,
not far from Clement’s inn, which they procured from Sir John Fineox,
lord chief justice of the king’s bench, and since have held it of the
owners by the name of the New inn, paying therefore six pounds rent by
the year, as tenants at their own will, for more (as is said) cannot be
gotten of them, and much less will they be put from it. Beneath this St.
George’s lane, the lane called Fleet lane, winding south by the prison
of the Fleet into Fleet street by Fleet bridge. Lower down in the Old
Bayly is at this present a standard of timber, with a cock or cocks,
delivering fair spring water to the inhabitants, and is the waste of the
water serving the prisoners in Ludgate.
Next out of the high street turneth down a lane called the Little
Bayly, which runneth down to the east end of St. George’s lane. The next
is Seacole lane, I think called Limeburner’s lane, of burning lime there
with seacole. For I read in record of such a lane to have been in the
parish of St. Sepulcher, and there yet remaineth in this lane an alley
called Limeburner’s alley. Near unto this Seacole lane, in the turning
towards Oldborne conduit is Turnagain lane, or rather, as in a record
of the 5th of Edward III., Windagain lane, for that it goeth down west
to Fleet dike, from whence men must turn again the same way they came,
for there it stopped. Then the high street turneth down Snore hill to
Oldborne conduit, and from thence to Oldborne bridge, beyond the which
bridge, on the left hand, is Shoe lane, by the which men pass from
Oldborne to Fleet street, by the conduit there. In this Shoe lane, on
the left hand, is one old house called Oldborne hall, it is now letten
out into divers tenements.
On the other side, at the very corner, standeth the parish church of
St. Andrew, in the which church, or near thereunto, was sometime kept
a grammar school, as appeareth in another place by a patent made, as
I have shown, for the erection of schools. There be monuments in this
church of Thomas Lord Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, buried 1550;
Ralph Rokeby of Lincoln’s inn, esquire, Master of St. Katherine’s and
one of the masters of requests to the queen’s majesty, who deceased the
14th of June, 1596. He gave by his testament to Christ’s Hospital in
London one hundred pounds, to the college of the poor of Queen Elizabeth
in East Greenwich one hundred pounds, to the poor scholars in Cambridge
one hundred pounds, to the poor scholars in Oxford one hundred pounds,
to the prisoners in the two compters in London two hundred pounds, to
the prisoners in the Fleet one hundred pounds, to the prisoners in
Ludgate one hundred pounds, to the prisoners in Newgate one hundred
pounds, to the prisoners in the King’s Bench one hundred pounds, to the
prisoners in the Marshalsea one hundred pounds, to the prisoners in the
White Lion twenty pounds, to the poor of St. Katherine’s twenty pounds,
and to every brother and sister there forty shillings; William Sydnam
founded a chantry there. There was also of old time (as I have read
in the 3rd of Henry V.) an hospital for the poor, which was a cell to
the house of Cluny in France, and was, therefore, suppressed among the
priories aliens.
From this church of St. Andrew, up Oldborne hill be divers fair built
houses, amongst the which, on the left hand, there standeth three inns
of Chancery, whereof the first adjoining unto Crookhorn alley is called
Thaves inn, and standeth opposite, or over against the said Elyhouse.
Then is Fewter lane, which stretcheth south into Fleet street, by the
east end of St. Dunstone’s church, and is so called of Fewters’[268] (or
idle people) lying there, as in a way leading to gardens; but the same
is now of latter years on both sides built through with many fair houses.
Beyond this Fewter lane is Barnard’s inn, _alias_ Mackworth’s inn, which
is of Chancery, belonging to the dean and chapter of Lincoln, as saith
the record of Henry VI., the 32nd of his reign, and was founded by
inquisition in the Guildhall of London, before John Norman, mayor, the
king’s escheator; the jury said, that it was not hurtful for the king to
license T. Atkens, citizen of London, and one of the executors to John
Mackworth, Dean of Lincoln, to give one messuage in Holborn in London,
with the appurtenances called Mackworth’s inn, but now commonly known by
the name of Barnardes inn, to the dean and chapter of Lincoln, to find
one sufficient chaplain to celebrate Divine service in the chapel of St.
George, in the cathedral church of Lincoln, where the body of the said
John is buried, to have and to hold the said messuage to the said dean
and chapter, and to their successors for ever, in part of satisfaction
of twenty pounds lands and rents, which Edward III. licensed the said
dean and chapter to purchase to their own use, either of their own fee
or tenor, or of any other, so the lands were not holden of the king _in
capite_.
Then is Staple inn, also of Chancery, but whereof so named I am
ignorant; the same of late is for a great part thereof fair built, and
not a little augmented. And then at the bar endeth this ward without
Newgate.