clerk: these for the ministration of Divine service there have stipends
allowed unto them out of the possessions and revenues of the late
hospital and house of St. John’s of Jerusalem in England, as it had
been in the reign of Edward VI.; and thus much for the said new Temple,
the farthest west part of this ward, and also of this city for the
liberties thereof; which ward hath an alderman, and his deputies three.
In Sepulchre’s parish, common council six, constables four, scavengers
four, wardmote inquest twelve; St. Bridgetes parish, common councillors
eight, constables eight, scavengers eight, wardmote inquest twenty; in
St. Andrewes, common council two, constables two, scavengers three,
wardmote inquest twelve. It is taxed to the fifteen at thirty-five
pounds one shilling.[271]
FOOTNOTES:
[264] With the following inscription: “_Hic jacet Raherus primus
canonicus, et primus prior istius Ecclesiæ_.”
[265] “The forrens were licensed for three dayes; the freemen so long as
they would, which was sixe or seven dayes.”--_Stow._
[266] “John Davy, a false accuser of his master, of him was raised the
by-word,--If ye serve me so, I will call you Davy.”--_Stow._
[267] “Commonly called Ely place.”--_1st edition_, p. 323.
[268] Fewters, idle people, probably from the old French _Fautier_,
which Roquefort, _Glossaire de la Langue Romane_, defines “_Criminel
Coupable_,” or from _Fautteur_, “_rempli de défauts et de mauvaises
habitudes_.”
[269] Matthew Paris.
[270] “And others in other places.”--_1st edition_, p. 325.
BRIDGE WARDE WITHOUT, THE TWENTY-SIXTH IN NUMBER; CONSISTING OF THE
BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARKE, IN THE COUNTY OF SURREY.
Having treated of wards in London, on the north side of the Thames (in
number twenty-five), I am now to cross over the said river into the
borough of Southwark, which is also a ward of London without the walls,
on the south side thereof, as is Portsoken on the east, and Farringdon
extra on the west.
This borough being in the county of Surrey, consisteth of divers
streets, ways, and winding lanes, all full of buildings, inhabited; and,
first, to begin at the west part thereof, over against the west suburb
of the city.
On the bank of the river Thames there is now a continual building of
tenements, about half a mile in length to the bridge. Then from the
bridge, straight towards the south, a continual street, called Long
Southwark, built on both sides with divers lanes and alleys up to St.
George’s church, and beyond it through Blackman street towards New
town (or Newington); the liberties of which borough extend almost to
the parish church of New town aforesaid, distant one mile from London
Bridge, and also south-west a continual building almost to Lambeth, more
than one mile from the said bridge.
Then from the bridge along by the Thames eastward is St. Olave’s street,
having continual building on both the sides, with lanes and alleys, up
to Battle bridge, to Horsedowne, and towards Rother hithe; also some
good half mile in length from London Bridge.
So that I account the whole continual buildings on the bank of the said
river, from the west towards the east, to be more than a large mile in
length.
Then have ye, from the entering towards the said Horsedown, one other
continual street called Bermondes high street, which stretcheth south,
likewise furnished with buildings on both sides, almost half a mile
in length, up to the late dissolved monastery of St. Saviour called
Bermondsey. And from thence is one Long lane (so called of the length),
turning west to St. George’s church afore named. Out of the which lane
mentioned Long lane breaketh one other street towards the south and by
east, and this is called Kentish street, for that is the way leading
into that country: and so have you the bounds of this borough.
The antiquities most notable in this borough are these: First, for
ecclesiastical, there was Bermondsey, an abbey of black monks, St. Mary
Overies, a priory of canons regular, St. Thomas, a college or hospital
for the poor, and the Loke, a lazar house in Kent street. Parish
churches there have been six, whereof five do remain; viz., St. Mary
Magdalen, in the priory of St. Mary Overy, now the same St. Mary Overy
is the parish church for the said Mary Magdalen, and for St. Margaret on
the hill, and is called St. Saviour.
St. Margaret on the hill being put down is now a court for justice;
St. Thomas in the hospital serveth for a parish church as before; St.
George a parish church as before it did; so doth St. Olave and St. Mary
Magdalen, by the abbey of Bermondsey.
There be also these five prisons or gaols:
The Clinke on the Banke.
The Compter, in the late parish church of St. Margaret.
The Marshalsey.
The Kinges Bench.
And the White Lion, all in Long Southwarke.
Houses most notable be these:
The Bishop of Winchester’s house.
The Bishop of Rochester’s house.
The Duke of Suffolk’s house, or Southwark place.
The Tabard, an hostery or inn.
The Abbot of Hyde, his house.
The Prior of Lewes, his house.
The Abbot of St. Augustine, his house.
The Bridge house.
The Abbot of Battaile, his house.
Battaile bridge.
The Stewes on the bank of Thames.
And the Bear gardens there.
Now, to return to the west bank, there be two bear gardens, the old
and new places, wherein be kept bears, bulls, and other beasts, to be
baited; as also mastiffs in several kennels, nourished to bait them.
These bears and other beasts are there baited in plots of ground,
scaffolded about for the beholders to stand safe.
Next on this bank was sometime the Bordello, or Stewes, a place so
called of certain stew-houses privileged there, for the repair of
incontinent men to the like women; of the which privilege I have read
thus:
In a parliament holden at Westminster, the 8th of Henry II., it was
ordained by the commons, and confirmed by the king and lords, that
divers constitutions for ever should be kept within that lordship or
franchise, according to the old customs that had been there used time
out of mind: amongst the which these following were some, viz.
“That no stew-holder or his wife should let or stay any single woman, to
go and come freely at all times when they listed.
“No stew-holder to keep any woman to board, but she to board abroad at
her pleasure.
“To take no more for the woman’s chamber in the week than fourteen pence.
“Not to keep open his doors upon the holidays.
“Not to keep any single woman in his house on the holidays, but the
bailiff to see them voided out of the lordship.
“No single woman to be kept against her will that would leave her sin.
“No stew-holder to receive any woman of religion, or any man’s wife.
“No single woman to take money to lie with any man, but she lie with him
all night till the morrow.
“No man to be drawn or enticed into any stew-house.
“The constables, bailiff, and others, every week to search every
stew-house.
“No stew-holder to keep any woman that hath the perilous infirmity
of burning, not to sell bread, ale, flesh, fish, wood, coal, or any
victuals, etc.”
These and many more orders were to be observed upon great pain and
punishment. I have also seen divers patents of confirmation, namely, one
dated 1345, the 19th of Edward III.[272] Also I find, that in the 4th
of Richard II., these stew-houses belonging to William Walworth, then
mayor of London, were farmed by Froes of Flanders, and spoiled by Walter
Tyler, and other rebels of Kent: notwithstanding, I find that ordinances
for the same place and houses were again confirmed in the reign of Henry
VI., to be continued as before. Also, Robert Fabian writeth, that in the
year 1506, the 21st of Henry VII., the said stew-houses in Southwarke
were for a season inhibited, and the doors closed up, but it was not
long (saith he) ere the houses there were set open again, so many as
were permitted, for (as it was said) whereas before were eighteen
houses, from thenceforth were appointed to be used but twelve only.
These allowed stew-houses had signs on their fronts, towards the Thames,
not hanged out, but painted on the walls, as a Boar’s head, the Cross
keys, the Gun, the Castle, the Crane, the Cardinal’s hat, the Bell,
the Swan, etc. I have heard of ancient men, of good credit, report,
that these single women were forbidden the rites of the church, so long
as they continued that sinful life, and were excluded from Christian
burial, if they were not reconciled before their death. And therefore
there was a plot of ground called the Single Woman’s churchyard,
appointed for them far from the parish church.
In the year of Christ 1546, the 37th of Henry VIII., this row of
stews in Southwarke was put down by the king’s commandment, which was
proclaimed by sound of trumpet, no more to be privileged, and used as a
common brothel, but the inhabitants of the same to keep good and honest
rule as in other places of this realm, etc.
Then next is the Clinke, a gaol or prison for the trespassers in those
parts; namely, in old time, for such as should brabble, frey, or break
the peace on the said bank, or in the brothel houses, they were by the
inhabitants thereabout apprehended and committed to this gaol, where
they were straitly imprisoned.
Next is the bishop of Winchester’s house, or lodging, when he cometh to
this city; which house was first built by William Gifford, bishop of
Winchester, about the year 1107, the 7th of Henry I., upon a plot of
ground pertaining to the prior of Bermondsey, as appeareth by a writ
directed unto the barons of the Exchequer, in the year 1366, the 41st of
Edward III. (the bishop’s see being void), for eight pounds, due to the
monks of Bermondsey for the bishop of Winchester’s lodging in Southwark.
This is a very fair house, well repaired, and hath a large wharf and
landing-place, called the bishop of Winchester’s stairs.
Adjoining to this, on the south side the roof, is the bishop of
Rochester’s inn or lodging, by whom first erected I do not now remember
me to have read; but well I wot the same of long time hath not been
frequented by any bishop, and lieth ruinous for any lack of reparations.
The abbot of Maverley had a house there.
East from the bishop of Winchester’s house, directly over against it,
standeth a fair church called St. Mary over the Rie, or Overie, that
is over the water. This church, or some other in place thereof, was
of old time, long before the Conquest, a house of sisters, founded by
a maiden named Mary; unto the which house and sisters she left (as
was left to her by her parents) the oversight and profits of a cross
ferry, or traverse ferry over the Thames, there kept before that any
bridge was built. This house of sisters was after by Swithen, a noble
lady, converted into a college of priests, who in place of the ferry
built a bridge of timber, and from time to time kept the same in good
reparations, but lastly the same bridge was built of stone; and then
in the year 1106 was this church again founded for canons regulars by
William Pont de la Arche and William Dauncy, knights, Normans.
William Gifford, bishop of Winchester, was a good benefactor also, for
he, as some have noted, built the body of that church in the year 1106,
the 7th of Henry I.
The canons first entered the said church then; Algodus was the first
prior.
King Henry I. by his charter gave them the church of St. Margaret in
Southwarke.
King Stephen confirmed the gift of King Henry, and also gave the
stone-house, which was William Pont de le Arche’s, by Downegate.
This priory was burnt about the year 1207, wherefore the canons did
found a hospital near unto their priory, where they celebrated until the
priory was repaired; which hospital was after, by consent of Peter de la
Roch, bishop of Winchester, removed into the land of Anicius, archdeacon
of Surrey, in the year 1228, a place where the water was more plentiful,
and the air more wholesome, and was dedicated to St. Thomas.
This Peter de Rupibus, or de la Roch, founded a large chapel of St. Mary
Magdalen, in the said church of St. Mary Overie; which chapel was after
appointed to be the parish church for the inhabitants near adjoining.
This church was again newly built in the reign of Richard II. and King
Henry IV.
John Gower, esquire, a famous poet,[273] was then an especial benefactor
to that work, and was there buried on the north side of the said church,
in the chapel of St. John, where he founded a chantry: he lieth under a
tomb of stone, with his image, also of stone, over him: the hair of his
head, auburn, long to his shoulders, but curling up, and a small forked
beard; on his head a chaplet, like a coronet of four roses; a habit of
purple, damasked down to his feet; a collar of esses gold about his
neck; under his head the likeness of three books, which he compiled. The
first, named _Speculum Meditantis_, written in French; the second, _Vox
Clamantis_, penned in Latin; the third, _Confessio Amantis_, written in
English, and this last is printed. _Vox Clamantis_, with his _Cronica
Tripartita_, and other, both in Latin and French, never printed, I have
and do possess, but _Speculum Meditantis_ I never saw, though heard
thereof to be in Kent. Beside on the wall where he lieth, there was
painted three virgins crowned; one of the which was named Charity,
holding this device:
“En toy qui es Fitz de dieu le pere,
Sauve soit, que gist souz cest piere.”
The second writing, Mercy, with this device:
“O bone Jesu, fait ta mercie,
Al alme, dont le corps gist icy.”
The third writing, Pity, with this device:
“Pur ta pité Jesu regarde,
Et met cest alme en sauve garde.”
His arms a field argent, on a cheveron azure, three leopards’ heads
gold, their tongues gules; two angels supporters, on the crest a talbot:
his epitaph,
“Armigeri scutum nihil a modo fert sibi tutum,
Reddidit immolutum morti generale tributum,
Spiritus exutum se gaudeat esse solutum,
Est ubi virtutum regnum sine labe statutum,”
The roof of the middle west aisle fell down in the year 1469. This
priory was surrendered to Henry VIII., the 31st of his reign, the 27th
of October, the year of Christ 1539, valued at £624 6_s._ 6_d._ by the
year.
About Christmas next following, the church of the said priory was
purchased of the king by the inhabitants of the borough, Doctor Stephen
Gardner, bishop of Winchester, putting to his helping hand; they made
thereof a parish church for the parish church of St. Mary Magdalen, on
the south side of the said choir, and of St. Margaret on the hill, which
were made one parish of St. Saviour.
There be monuments in this church,--of Robert Liliarde, or Hiliarde,
esquire; Margaret, daughter to the Lady Audley, wife to Sir Thomas
Audley; William Grevill, esquire, and Margaret his wife; one of the
heirs of William Spershut, esquire; Dame Katherine, wife to John Stoke,
alderman; Robert Merfin, esquire; William Undall, esquire; Lord Ospay
Ferar; Sir George Brewes, knight; John Browne; Lady Brandon, wife to
Sir Thomas Brandon; William, Lord Scales; William, Earl Warren; Dame
Maude, wife to Sir John Peach; Lewknor; Dame Margaret Elrington, one
of the heirs of Sir Thomas Elrington; John Bowden, esquire; Robert St.
Magil; John Sandhurst; John Gower; John Duncell, merchant-tailor, 1516;
John Sturton, esquire; Robert Rouse; Thomas Tong, first Norroy, and
after Clarenceaux king of arms; William Wickham, translated from the
see of Lincoln to the bishopric of Winchester in the month of March,
1595, deceased the 11th of June next following, and was buried here;
Thomas Cure, esquire, saddler to King Edward VI., Queen Mary, and Queen
Elizabeth, deceased the 24th of May, 1598, etc.
Now passing through St. Mary Over’s close (in possession of the Lord
Mountacute), and Pepper alley, into Long Southwark, on the right hand
thereof the market-hill, where the leather is sold, there stood the late
named parish church of St. Margaret, given to St. Mary Overies by Henry
I., put down and joined with the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, and united
to the late dissolved priory church of St. Mary Overy.
A part of this parish church of St. Margaret is now a court, wherein the
assizes and sessions be kept, and the court of admiralty is also there
kept. One other part of the same church is now a prison, called the
Compter in Southwark, etc.
Farther up on that side, almost directly over against St. George’s
church, was sometime a large and most sumptuous house, built by Charles
Brandon, late Duke of Suffolk, in the reign of Henry VIII., which was
called Suffolk house, but coming afterwards into the king’s hands, the
same was called Southwarke place, and a mint of coinage was there kept
for the king.
To this place came King Edward VI., in the second of his reign, from
Hampton Court, and dined in it. He at that time made John Yorke, one
of the sheriffs of London, knight, and then rode through the city to
Westminster.
Queen Mary gave this house to Nicholas Heath, Archbishop of Yorke, and
to his successors, for ever, to be their inn or lodging for their repair
to London, in recompense of Yorke house near to Westminster, which King
Henry her father had taken from Cardinal Wolsey, and from the see of
Yorke.
Archbishop Heath sold the same house to a merchant, or to merchants,
that pulled it down, sold the lead, stone, iron, etc.; and in place
thereof built many small cottages of great rents, to the increasing
of beggars in that borough. The archbishop bought Norwich house, or
Suffolke place, near unto Charing cross, because it was near unto the
court, and left it to his successors.
Now on the south side to return back again towards the bridge, over
against this Suffolke place, is the parish church of St. George,
sometime pertaining to the priory of Barmondsey, by the gift of Thomas
Arderne and Thomas his son, in the year 1122. There lie buried in this
church, William Kirton, esquire, and his wives, 1464.
Then is the White Lion, a gaol so called, for that the same was a common
hosterie for the receipt of travellers by that sign. This house was
first used as a gaol within these forty years last, since the which time
the prisoners were once removed thence to a house in Newtowne, where
they remained for a short time, and were returned back again to the
foresaid White Lion, there to remain as in the appointed gaol for the
county of Surrey.
Next is the gaol or prison of the King’s Bench, but of what antiquity
the same is I know not. For I have read that the courts of the King’s
Bench and Chancery have ofttimes been removed from London to other
places, and so hath likewise the gaols that serve those courts; as in
the year 1304, Edward I. commanded the courts of the King’s Bench and
the Exchequer, which had remained seven years at Yorke, to be removed to
their old places at London. And in the year 1387, the 11th of Richard
II., Robert Tresilian, chief justice, came to the city of Coventrie, and
there sate by the space of a month, as justice of the Kinge’s benches,
and caused to be indited in that court, about the number of two thousand
persons of that country, etc.
It seemeth, therefore, that for that time, the prison or gaol of that
court was not far off. Also in the year 1392, the 16th of the same
Richard, the Archbishop of York being Lord Chancellor, for good will
that he bare to his city, caused the King’s Bench and Chancery to be
removed from London to York, but ere long they were returned to London.
Then is the Marshalsey, another gaol or prison, so called, as pertaining
to the marshals of England. Of what continuance kept in Southwark I have
not learned; but like it is, that the same hath been removable, at the
pleasure of the marshals: for I find that in the year 1376, the 50th
of Edward III., Henry Percie (being marshal) kept his prisoners in the
city of London, where having committed one John Prendergast, of Norwich,
contrary to the liberties of the city of London, the citizens, by
persuasion of the Lord Fitzwalter their standard-bearer, took armour and
ran with great rage to the marshal’s inn, brake up the gates, brought
out the prisoner, and conveyed him away, minding to have burnt the
stocks in the midst of their city, but they first sought for Sir Henry
Percy to have punished him, as I have noted in my _Annales_.
More about the feast of Easter next following, John, Duke of Lancaster,
having caused all the whole navy of England to be gathered together at
London: it chanced a certain esquire to kill one of the shipmen, which
act the other shipmen taking in ill part, they brought their suit into
the king’s court of the Marshalsey, which then as chanced (saith mine
author) was kept in Southwark: but when they perceived that court to be
so favourable to the murderer, and further that the king’s warrant was
also gotten for his pardon, they in great fury ran to the house wherein
the murderer was imprisoned, brake into it, and brought forth the
prisoner with his gyves on his legs, they thrust a knife to his heart,
and sticked him as if he had been a dog; after this they tied a rope
to his gyves, and drew him to the gallows, where when they had hanged
him, as though they had done a great act, they caused the trumpets to
be sounded before them to their ships, and there in great triumph they
spent the rest of the day.
Also the rebels of Kent, in the year 1381, brake down the houses of
the Marshalsey and King’s Bench in Southwark, took from thence the
prisoners, brake down the house of Sir John Immorth, then marshal of the
Marshalsey and King’s Bench, etc. After this, in the year 1387, the 11th
of Richard II., the morrow after Bartholomew day, the king kept a great
council in the castle of Nottingham, and the Marshalsey of the king was
then kept at Loughborrow by the space of five days or more. In the year
1443, Sir Walter Manny was marshal of the Marshalsey, the 22nd of Henry
VI. William Brandon, esquire, was marshal in the 8th of Edward IV. In
the year 1504 the prisoners of the Marshalsey, then in Southwark, brake
out, and many of them being taken were executed, especially such as had
been committed for felony or treason.
From thence towards London bridge, on the same side, be many fair inns,
for recepit of travellers, by these signs, the Spurre, Christopher,
Bull, Queene’s Head, Tabarde, George, Hart, Kinge’s Head, etc. Amongst
the which, the most ancient is the Tabard, so called of the sign, which,
as we now term it, is of a jacket, or sleeveless coat, whole before,
open on both sides, with a square collar, winged at the shoulders; a
stately garment of old time, commonly worn of noblemen and others, both
at home and abroad in the wars, but then (to wit in the wars) their arms
embroidered, or otherwise depict upon them, that every man by his coat
of arms might be known from others: but now these tabards are only worn
by the heralds, and be called their coats of arms in service; for the
inn of the tabard, Geffrey Chaucer, esquire, the most famous poet of
England, in commendation thereof, writeth thus:--
“Befell that in that season, on a day,
In Southwarke at the Tabard, as I lay,
Readie to wenden on my Pilgrimage
To Canterburie with devout courage,
At night was come into that hosterie,
Well nine-and-twentie in a companie,
Of sundrie folke, by adventure yfall,
In fellowship, and pilgrimes were they all,
That toward Canterburie woulden ride,
The chambers and the stables weren wide,
And well we weren eased at the best,” etc.
Within this inn was also the lodging of the abbot of Hide (by the city
of Winchester), a fair house for him and his train, when he came to that
city to parliament, etc.
And then Theeves lane, by St. Thomas’ hospital. The hospital of St.
Thomas, first founded by Richard Prior of Bermondsey, in the Selerers
ground against the wall of the monastery, in the year 1213, he named
it the Almerie, or house of alms for converts and poor children; for
the which ground the prior ordained that the almoner should pay ten
shillings and four pence yearly to the Selerer at Michaelmas.
But Peter de Rupibus,[274] Bishop of Winchester, in the year 1215,
founded the same again more fully for canons regular in place of the
first hospital; he increased the rent thereof to three hundred and
forty-four pounds in the year. Thus was this hospital holden of the
prior and abbot of Bermondsey till the year 1428, at which time a
composition was made between Thomas Thetford, abbot of Bermondsey, and
Nicholas Buckland, master of the said hospital of St. Thomas, for all
the lands and tenements which were holden of the said abbot and convent
in Southwark, or elsewhere, for the old rent to be paid unto the said
abbot.