of that order: John Botell; William Bagecore; Richard Barrow; John
Vanclay; Thomas Launcelen; John Mallory; William Turney; William
Hulles, Hils, or Hayles; John Weston; Redington; William Longstrother;
John Longstrother; William Tong; John Wakeline. Then of other: Thomas
Thornburgh, gentleman; William West, gentleman; John Fulling, and Adam
Gill, esquires; Sir John Mortimor, and Dame Elianor his wife; Nicholas
Silverston; William Plompton, esquire; Margaret Tong, and Isabel Tong;
Walter Bellingham, alias Ireland, king of arms of Ireland; Thomas Bedle,
gentleman; Katherine, daughter of William Plompton, esquire; Richard
Turpin, gentleman; Joan, wife to Alexander Dikes; John Bottle, and
Richard Bottle, esquires; Rowland Darcie; Richard Sutton, gentleman;
Richard Bottill, gentleman; Sir W. Harpden, knight; Robert Kingston,
esquire, and Margery his wife; John Roch; Richard Cednor, gentleman;
Simon Mallory, 1442; William Mallory, Robert Longstrother, Ralph
Asteley, William Marshall, Robert Savage, Robert Gondall, esquires, and
Margery his wife; William Bapthorpe, baron of the Exchequer, 1442.
North from the house of St. John’s was the priory of Clarkenwell, so
called of Clarkes well adjoining; which priory was also founded about
the year 1100 by Jorden Briset, baron, the son of Ralph, the son of
Brian Briset; who gave to Robert, a priest, fourteen acres of land lying
in the field next adjoining to the said Clarkes well, thereupon to
build a house of religious persons, which he founded to the honour of
God and the assumption of our lady, and placed therein black nuns. This
Jorden Briset gave also to that house one piece of ground, thereby to
build a windmill upon, etc. He and Muriall his wife were buried in the
Chapter-house there. More buried in this church: John Wikes, esquire,
and Isabel his wife; Dame Agnes Clifford; Ralph Timbleby, esquire; Dame
Jahan, baroness of Greystocke; Dame Jahan, Lady Ferrars. And of later
time in the parish church, Constances Bennet, a Greek born: he gave two
houses, the one in St. John’s street, the other in Turnmill street; the
rents of them to be distributed in coals every year against Christmas to
the poor of that parish.
William Herne, a master of defence, and yeoman of the guard, 1580,
gave lands and tenements to the clothworkers in London; they to pay
yearly for ever fourteen pounds to the churchwardens of Clarkenwell,
and fourteen pounds to the churchwardens of St. Sepulcher’s, towards
reparations of these churches, and relief of the poor men; more he gave
after the death of one man, yet living, eight pounds the year for ever
to the mending of highways.
Thomas Sackeford, esquire, one of the masters of requests, gave to
the poor of that parish forty shillings the year for ever, out of his
alms-house at Woodbridge in Suffolk, where he is buried. Henry Stoke,
gardener, buried there, gave twenty shillings the year for ever, towards
reparation of that church. This priory was valued to dispend two hundred
and sixty-two pounds nine shillings by the year, and was surrendered the
31st of Henry VIII. Many fair houses are now built about the priory,
namely, by the highway towards Iseldon.
So much of the church which remaineth (for one great aisle thereof fell
down) serveth as a parish church of St. John, not only for the tenements
and near inhabitants, but also (as is aforesaid) for all up to Highgate,
Muswell, etc.
Near unto this church, beside Clarke’s well lane, divers other wells,
namely, Skinners well, Fags well, Tode well, Loder’s well, Rede well,
etc., now dammed up.
Now to return again to Giltspurre street, where I first began with
this suburb, there standeth the parish church of St. Sepulchre in the
Bayly, as is before showed; from this street to Turnagaine lane, by
Hosiar lane, Cow lane, and Holdborn conduit, down Snore hill to Oldborne
bridge, and up Oldborne hill, by Gold lane on the right hand, and Lither
lane beyond it, to the bars; beyond the which bars on the same side is
Porte pool, or Grayes inn lane, so called of the inn of court, named
Grayes inn, a goodly house there situate, by whom built or first begun I
have not yet learned, but seemeth to be since Edward III.’s time, and is
a prebend to Paule’s church in London.
This lane is furnished with fair buildings and many tenements on both
the sides, leading to the fields towards Highgate and Hamsted.
On the high street have ye many fair houses built, and lodgings for
gentlemen, inns for travellers, and such like up almost (for it lacketh
but little) to St. Giles in the fields; amongst the which buildings,
for the most part being very new, one passeth the rest in largeness
of rooms, lately built by a widow, sometime wife to Richard Alington,
esquire; which Richard Alington deceased in the year 1561. And thus much
for that north side of Oldborne.
Now from Newgate, on the left hand or south side, lieth the Old Bayly,
and so down by Seacole lane end to Oldborne bridge, up Oldborne hill, by
Shoe lane and Fewters lane, to the bars.
Beyond the bars had ye in old time a temple built by the Templars, whose
order first began in the year of Christ 1118, in the 19th of Henry I.
This temple was left and fell to ruin since the year 1184, when the
Templars had built them a new temple in Fleet street, near to the river
of Thames. A great part of this old temple was pulled down, but of late
in the year 1595. Adjoining to this old Temple[285] was sometime the
bishop of Lincolne’s inn, wherein he lodged when he repaired to this
city. Robert de Curars, bishop of Lincoln, built it about the year 1147.
John Russell, bishop of Lincoln, chancellor of England, in the reign of
Richard III., was lodged there. It hath of late years belonged to the
earls of Southampton, and therefore called Southampton house. Master
Ropar hath of late built much there; by means whereof part of the ruins
of the old Temple were seen to remain built of Caen stone, round in form
as the new Temple, by Temple bar, and other temples in England. Beyond
this old Temple and the bishop of Lincoln’s house[286] is New street, so
called in the reign of Henry III., when he of a Jew’s house founded the
house of Converts, betwixt the old Temple and the new.
The same street hath since been called Chancery lane, by reason that
King Edward III. annexed the house of Converts by patent to the office
of Custos Rotulorum, or master of the rolls, in the 15th of his reign.
In this street the first fair building to be noted on the east side
is called the Coursitors’ office, built with divers fair lodgings for
gentlemen, all of brick and timber, by Sir Nicholas Bacon, late lord
keeper of the great seal.
Near unto this Coursitors’ office be divers fair houses and large
gardens, built and made in a ground sometime belonging to one great
house on the other side the street, there made by Ralph Nevel, bishop of
Chichester. This ground he had by the gift of Henry III., as appeareth.
The king granteth to Ralph, bishop of Chichester, chancellor, that
place, with the garden, which John Herlirum forfeited in that street,
called New street, over against the land of the said bishop in the same
street; which place, with the garden and appurtenance, was the king’s
escheat by the liberty of the city of London, as it was acknowledged
before the king in his court at the Tower of London, in the last pleas
of the crown of that city, cart. 11 Henry III.
Then was the house of Converts, wherein now the rolls of Chancery be
kept; then the Sergeants’ inn, etc.
On the west side of New street, towards the north end thereof, was
of old time the church and house of the Preaching Friers; concerning
the which house I find, that in the year of Christ 1221, the friars’
preachers, thirteen in number, came into England, and having to their
prior one named Gilbert de Fraxineto, in company of Peter de la Roche,
bishop of Winchester, came to Canterbury, where presenting themselves
before the archbishop Steven, he commanded the said prior to preach,
whose sermon he liked so well, that ever after he loved that order.
These friars came to London, and had their first house without the wall
of the city by Oldborne, near unto the old Temple.
Hubert de Burgh, earl of Kent, was a great benefactor unto these friars,
and deceasing at his manor of Bansted in Surrey, or, after some writers,
at his castle of Barkhamsted in Hartfordshire, in the year 1242, was
buried in their church; unto the which church he had given his place
at Westminster, which the said friars afterwards sold to Walter Grey,
archbishop of York; and he left it to his successors in that see for
ever, to be their house, when they should repair to the city of London.
And therefore the same was called York place; which name so continued
until the year 1529, that King Henry VIII. took it from Thomas Wolsey,
cardinal and archbishop of York, and then gave it to name White hall.
Margaret, sister to the king of Scots, widow to Geffrey, earl marshal,
deceased 1244, and was buried in this church.
In the year 1250, the friars of this order of preachers through
Christendom and from Jerusalem, were by a convocation assembled together
at this their house by Oldborne, to intreat of their estate, to the
number of four hundred, having meat and drink found them of alms,
because they had no possessions of their own. The first day, the king
came to their chapter, found them meat and drink, and dined with them.
Another day the queen found them meat and drink; afterward the bishop
of London, then the abbot of Westminster, of St. Alban’s, Waltham, and
others. In the year 1276, Gregory Rokesley, mayor, and the barons of
London, granted and gave to Robert Kilwarbie, archbishop of Canterbury,
two lanes or ways next the street of Baynard’s castle, and the tower of
Mountfichet, to be destroyed. On the which place the said Robert built
the late new church, with the rest of the stones that were left of
the said tower: and thus the black friars left their church and house
by Oldborne, and departed to their new. This old friar house (juxta
Holborne, saith the patent) was by King Edward I., in the 16th of his
reign, given to Henry Lacy, earl of Lincoln.
Next to this house of friars was one other great house, sometime
belonging to the bishop of Chichester, whereof Matthew Paris writeth
thus:--“Ralph de Nova Villa, or Nevill, bishop of Chichester and
chancellor of England, sometime built a noble house, even from the
ground, not far from the new Temple and house of Converts; in the which
place he deceased in the year 1244. In this place, after the decease
of the said bishop, and in place of the house of black friars before
spoken of, Henry Lacy, earl of Lincoln, constable of Chester, and custos
of England, built his inn, and for the most part was lodged there: he
deceased in this house in the year 1310, and was buried in the new work
(whereunto he had been a great benefactor) of St. Paul’s church betwixt
our Lady chapel and St. Dunstan’s chapel. This Lincoln’s inn, sometime
pertaining to the bishops of Chichester, as a part of the said great
house, is now an inn of court, retaining the name of Lincoln’s inn as
afore, but now lately increased with fair buildings, and replenished
with gentlemen studious in the common laws. In the reign of Henry VIII.
Sir Thomas Lovell was a great builder there; especially he built the
gate-house and fore front towards the east, placing thereon as well
the Lacies’ arms as his own: he caused the Lacies’ arms to be cast and
wrought in lead, on the louer of the hall of that house, which was in
the three escutcheons, a lion rampant for Lacie, seven mascules voided
for Quincie, and three wheatsheafs for Chester. This louer being of late
repaired, the said escutcheons were left out. The rest of that side,
even to Fleet street, is replenished with fair buildings.”
Now the High Oldborne street, from the north end of New street,
stretcheth on the left hand in building lately framed, up to St. Giles
in the field, which was an hospital founded by Matilda the queen, wife
to Henry I., about the year 1117. This hospital, said the record of
Edward III., the 19th year, was founded without the bar: _Veteris Templi
London, et conversorum_.
This hospital was founded as a cell to Burton Lager of Jerusalem, as may
appear by a deed dated the 24th of Henry VII. in these words:--“Thomas
Norton, knight, master of Burton Lager of Jerusalem in England, and
the brethren of the same place, keepers of the hospital of St. Giles,
without the bars of the old Temple of London, have sold to Geffrey
Kent, citizen and draper of London, a messuage or house, with two
cellars above, edified in the parish of Alhallowes, Hony lane, in West
Chepe, adjoining to the west part of a tenement called the Cote on the
Hope, pertaining to the drapers of London, for thirty-one pounds.”
At this hospital, the prisoners conveyed from the city of London
towards Teyborne, there to be executed for treasons, felonies, or other
trespasses, were presented with a great bowl of ale, thereof to drink at
their pleasure, as to be their last refreshing in this life.
Now without Ludgate lieth the south end of the Old Bayly, then down
Ludgate hill by Fleet lane, over Fleet bridge, up Fleet street, by Shoe
lane, Fewtar’s lane, New street, or Chauncerie lane, and to Shire lane,
by the bar on the right hand; and from Ludgate on the left hand, or
south side, by Bride lane, Water lane, Croker’s lane, Sergeants’ inn,
and the new Temple, by the bar; all which is of Faringdon ward, as is
afore showed.
FOOTNOTES:
[275] “To Wapping in the Wose, and Wapping itself, the usual place,
etc.”--_1st edition_, p. 347.
[276] “Fayre hedges, long rowes of elme, and other trees.”--_Ibid._
[277] “By encroachments for building of small tenements, and taking
in of garden-plots, timber-yards, or what they list. From this tower
hill towards Aldgate (being a long continuous street), amongst
other buildings, was that abbey of nunnes called the Minorities, or
Minories, whereof I have spoken. And on the other side of that streete
lyeth the ditche without the wall of the citie from the Tower unto
Aldegate.”--_1st edition_, pp. 347-8.
[278] “Brought up in Lincoln’s inn.”--_1st edition_, p. 349.
[279] “And neare thereunto are builded two publique houses for the
acting and shewe of comedies, tragedies, and histories, for recreation.
Whereof one is called the Courtein, the other the Theatre; both standing
on the south-west side towards the field.”--_Ibid._
[280] Shoreditch. In the first edition, it is called Sors ditch, or
Sewers ditch.
[281] “Over against the north end of Grub street.”--_1st edition_, p.
349.
[282] “Next to that a large house, with gardens of pleasure, builded by
Jasper Fisher, from this up to the west end of Hog lane, etc.”--_1st
edition_, p. 350.
[283] “Soerditch, so called more than four hundred yeares since, as I
can prove by record.”--_Stow._
[284] “Banqueting houses like banqueroutes, bearing great shew and
little worth.”--_Stow._
[285] “The same was after the bishop of Lincoln’s inn.”--_1st edition_,
p. 361.
[286] “Beyond this Southampton house.”--_Ibid._
LIBERTIES OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Next without the bar is the New Temple, and liberties of the city
of London, in the suburbs, is a liberty pertaining to the duchy of
Lancaster, which beginneth in the east, on the south side or left
hand, by the river Thames, and stretcheth west to Ivie bridge, where
it endeth; and again on the north side, or right hand, some small
distance without Temple bar, in the high street, from a pair of stocks
there standing, stretcheth one large Middle row, or troop of small
tenements, partly opening to the south, partly towards the north, up
west to a stone cross, now headless, over against the Strand; and this
is the bounds to that liberty, which sometime belonged to Briane Lisle,
since to Peter of Savoy, and then to the house of Lancaster, as shall
be showed. Henry III., in the 30th year of his reign, did grant to his
uncle Peter of Savoy all those houses upon the Thames, which sometimes
pertained to Briane de Insula, or Lisle, without the walls of his city
of London, in the way or street called the Strand, to hold to him and
to his heirs, yielding yearly in the Exchequer, at the feast of St.
Michaell the Archangell, three barbed arrows, for all services, dated at
Reding, etc. This Peter of Savoy built the Savoy.
But first amongst other buildings memorable for greatness, on the river
of Thames, Excester house, so called for that the same belonged to the
bishops of Excester, and was their inn or London lodging: who was first
builder thereof I have not read, but that Walter Stapleton was a great
builder there in the reign of Edward II. is manifest; for the citizens
of London, when they had beheaded him in Cheape, near unto the cathedral
church of St. Paule, they buried him in a heap of sand or rubbish in his
own house without Temple bar, where he had made great building. Edmond
Lacie, bishop of Excester, built the great hall in the reign of Henry
VI., etc. The same hath since been called Paget house, because William
Lord Paget enlarged and possessed it. Then Leycester house, because
Robert Dudley, earl of Leycester, of late new built there, and now Essex
house, of the earl of Essex lodging there.
Then west was a chapel dedicated to the Holy Ghost, called St. Sprite,
upon what occasion founded I have not read. Next is Milford lane down to
the Thames, but why so called I have not read as yet.
Then was the bishop of Bathes inn, lately new built, for a great part
thereof, by the Lord Thomas Seymour, admiral; which house came since to
be possessed by the earl of Arundel, and thereof called Arundel house.
Next beyond the which, on the street side, was sometime a fair cemetery
or churchyard, and in the same a parish church called of the Nativity
of our Lady, and the Innocents of the Strand, and of some by means of
a brotherhood kept there, called St. Ursula at the Strand. And near
adjoining to the said church, betwixt it and the river of Thames, was an
inn of Chancery commonly called Chester’s inn (because it belonged to
the bishop of Chester), by others, named of the situation, Strand inn.
Then was there a house belonging to the bishop of Landaff; for I find in
record, the 4th of Edward II., that a vacant place lying near the church
of our Lady at Strand, the said bishop procured it of Thomas, earl of
Lancaster, for the enlarging of this house. Then had ye in the high
street a fair bridge called Strand bridge, and under it a lane or way
down to the landing-place on the bank of Thames.
Then was the bishop of Chester’s (commonly called of Lichfield and
Coventrie), his inn or London lodging: this house was first built by
Walter Langton, bishop of Chester, treasurer of England in the reign of
Edward I.
And next unto it adjoining was the bishop of Worcester’s inn: all which,
to wit, the parish of St. Mary at Strand, Strand inn, Strand bridge,
with the lane under it, the bishop of Chester’s inn, the bishop of
Worcester’s inn, with all the tenements adjoining, were by commandment
of Edward, duke of Somerset, uncle to Edward VI., and lord protector,
pulled down, and made level ground in the year 1549; in place whereof he
built that large and goodly house, now called Somerset house.
In the high street, near unto the Strand, sometime stood a cross of
stone against the bishop of Coventrie or Chester his house; whereof
I read, that in the year 1294, and divers other times, the justices
itinerants sate without London, at the stone cross over against the
bishop of Coventrie’s house, and sometime they sate in the Bishop’s
house, which was hard by the Strand, as is aforesaid.
Then next is the Savoy, so called of Peter, earl of Savoy, and Richmond,
son to Thomas, earl of Savoy, brother to Boniface, archbishop of
Canterbury, and uncle unto Eleanor, wife to King Henry III.
He first built this house in the year 1245; and here is occasion
offered me for satisfying of some deniers thereof, to prove that this
Peter of Savoy was also earl of Savoy: wherefore, out of a book of the
genealogies of all the whole house of Savoy, compiled by Phillebert
Pingonio, baron of Guzani, remaining in the hands of W. Smith, alias
Rougedragon, officer of arms, I have gathered this:--Thomas, earl of
Savoy, had issue by Beatrix, daughter to Aimon, earl of Geneva, nine
sons and three daughters. Amades, his first son, succeeded earl of Savoy
in the year 1253; Peter, his second son, earl of Savoy and of Richmond,
in 1268; Philip, his third son, earl of Savoy and Burgundie, 1284;
Thomas, the fourth, earl of Flanders and prince of Piemont; Boniface,
the eighth, archbishop of Canterbury; Beatrix, his daughter, married to
Raymond Beringarius of Aragon, earl of Province and Narbone, had issue,
and was mother to five queens: the first, Margaret, wife to Lewes, king
of France; the second, Eleanor, wife to Henry III. king of England;
the third, Sanctia, wife to Richard, king of the Romans; the fourth,
Beatrix, wife to Charles, king of Naples; the fifth, Johanna, wife to
Philip, king of Navarre.
To return again to the house of Savoy: Queen Eleanor, wife to king Henry
III., purchased this place afterwards of the fraternity or brethren of
Montjoy;[287] unto whom Peter of Savoy, as it seemeth, had given it,
for her son, Edmond earl of Lancaster (as M. Camden hath noted out of
a register-book of the dukes of Lancaster). Henry, duke of Lancaster,
repaired or rather new built it, with the charges of fifty-two thousand
marks, which money he had gathered together at the town of Bridgerike.
John, the French king, was lodged there in the year 1357, and also in
the year 1363; for it was at that time the fairest manor in England.
In the year 1381, the rebels of Kent and Essex burnt this house; unto
the which there was none in the realm to be compared in beauty and
stateliness (saith mine author).[288] They set fire on it round about,
and made proclamation that none, on pain to lose his head, should
convert to his own use anything that there was, but that they should
break such plate and vessels of gold and silver as was found in that
house (which was in great plenty) into small pieces, and throw the same
into the river of Thames: precious stones they should bruise in mortars,
that the same might be to no use, and so it was done by them. One of
their companions they burnt in the fire, because he minded to have
reserved one goodly piece of plate.[289]
They found there certain barrels of gunpowder, which they thought had
been gold or silver, and throwing them into the fire more suddenly
than they thought, the hall was blown up, the houses destroyed, and
themselves very hardly escaped away.
This house being thus defaced, and almost overthrown by these rebels
for malice they bare to John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, of latter
time came to the king’s hands, and was again raised and beautifully
built for an hospital of St. John Baptist by King Henry VII. about
the year 1509, for the which hospital, retaining still the old name
of Savoy, he purchased lands to be employed upon the relieving of a
hundred poor people. This hospital being valued to dispend five hundred
and twenty-nine pounds fifteen shillings, etc. by year, was suppressed
the tenth of June, the 7th of Edward VI.: the beds, bedding, and other
furniture belonging thereunto, with seven hundred marks of the said
lands by year, he gave to the citizens of London, with his house of
Bridewell, to the furnishing thereof, to be a workhouse for the poor and
idle persons, and towards the furnishing of the hospital of St. Thomas
in Southwark, lately suppressed.
This hospital of Savoy was again new founded, erected, corporated, and
endowed with lands by Queen Mary, the third of November: in the 4th of
her reign, one Jackson took possession, and was made master thereof
in the same month of November. The ladies of the court and maidens of
honour (a thing not to be forgotten) stored the same of new with beds,
bedding, and other furniture, in very ample manner, etc.; and it was by
patent so confirmed at Westminster the 9th of May, the 4th and 5th of
Philip and Mary. The chapel of this hospital serveth now as a parish
church to the tenements thereof near adjoining, and others.
The next was sometime the bishop of Carlisle’s inn, which now belongeth
to the earl of Bedford, and is called Russell or Bedford house. It
stretcheth from the hospital of Savoy, west to Ivie bridge, where Sir
Robert Cecill, principal secretary to her majesty, hath lately raised a
large and stately house of brick and timber, as also levelled and paved
the highway near adjoining, to the great beautifying of that street and
commodity of passengers. Richard II., in the 8th of his reign, granted
license to pave with stone the highway called Strand street from Temple
bar to the Savoy, and toll to be taken towards the charges; and again
the like was granted in the 42nd of Henry VI.
Ivie bridge, in the high street, which had a way under it leading down
to the Thames, the like as sometime had the Strand bridge, is now taken
down, but the lane remaineth as afore, or better, and parteth the
liberty of the duchy and the city of Westminster on that south side.