sometimes to sit in person in the King’s Bench; namely, King Edward IV.,
in the year 1462, in Michaelmas term, sat in the King’s Bench three days
together, in the open court, to understand how his laws were ministered
and executed.
Within the port, or entry into the hall, on either side are ascendings
up into large chambers, without the hall adjoining thereunto, wherein
certain courts be kept, namely, on the right hand, is the court of the
Exchequer, a place of account for the revenues of the crown: the hearers
of the account have auditors under them; but they which are the chief
for accounts of the prince, are called barons of the Exchequer, whereof
one is called the chief baron. The greatest officer of all is called the
high treasurer.[298] In this court be heard those that are delators,
or informers, in popular and penal actions, having thereby part of the
profit by the law assigned unto them.
In this court, if any question be, it is determined after the order of
the common law of England by twelve men, and all subsidies, taxes, and
customs, by account; for in this office the sheriffs of the shire do
attend upon the execution of the commandments of the judges, which the
earl should do, if he were not attending upon the princes in the wars,
or otherwise about him; for the chief office of the earl was to see the
king’s justice to have course, and to be well executed in the shire, and
the prince’s revenues to be well answered and brought into the treasury.
If any fines or amerciaments be extracted out of any of the said courts
upon any man, or any arrerages of accounts of such things as is of
customs, taxes, and subsidies, or other such like occasions, the same
the sheriff of the shire doth gather, and is answerable therefore in
the Exchequer: as for other ordinary rents of patrimonial lands, and
most commonly of taxes, customs, and subsidies, there be particular
receivers and collectors, which do answer it into the Exchequer. This
court of the Exchequer hath of old time, and, as I think, since the
Conquest, been kept at Westminster, notwithstanding sometimes removed
thence by commandment of the king, and after restored again, as, namely,
in the year 1209, King John commanded the Exchequer to be removed from
Westminster to Northampton, etc.
On the left hand above the stair is the Duchy chamber, wherein is kept
the court for the duchy of Lancaster by a chancellor of that duchy, and
other officers under him. Then is there in another chamber the office of
the receipts of the queen’s revenues for the crown: then is there also
the Star chamber, where in the term time, every week once at the least,
which is commonly on Fridays and Wednesdays, and on the next day after
the term endeth, the lord chancellor, and the lords, and other of the
privy council, and the chief justices of England, from nine of the clock
till it be eleven, do sit.
This place is called the Star chamber, because the roof thereof is
decked with the likeness of stars gilt: there be plaints heard of riots,
routs, and other misdemeanors; which if they be found by the king’s
council, the party offender shall be censured by these persons, which
speak one after another, and he shall be both fined and commanded to
prison.
Then at the upper end of the great hall, by the King’s Bench, is a going
up to a great chamber, called the White hall, wherein is now kept the
court of Wards and Liveries, and adjoining thereunto is the Court of
Requests. Then is St. Stephen’s chapel, of old time founded by King
Stephen. King John, in the 7th of his reign, granted to Baldwinus de
London, clerk of his Exchequer, the chapelship of St. Stephen’s at
Westminster, etc. This chapel was again since, of a far more curious
workmanship, new built by King Edward III. in the year 1347, for
thirty-eight persons in that church to serve God; to wit, a dean,
twelve secular canons, thirteen vicars, four clerks, five choristers,
two servitors, to wit, a verger and a keeper of the chapel. He built
for those from the house of Receipt, along nigh to the Thames, within
the same palace, there to inhabit; and since that there was also built
for them, betwixt the clock-house and the wool staple, called the Wey
house. He also built to the use of this chapel (though out of the palace
court), some distance west, in the little sanctuary, a strong clochard
of stone and timber, covered with lead, and placed therein three great
bells, since usually rung at coronations, triumphs, funeral of princes,
and their obits. Of those bells men fabuled that their ringing soured
all the drink in the town: more, that about the biggest bell was
written,--
“King Edward made me,
Thirtie thousand and three;
Take me downe and wey me,
And more shall ye find me.”
But these bells being taken down indeed, were found all three not
to weigh twenty thousand. True it is, that in the city of Rouen, in
Normandie, there is one great bell, that hath such inscription as
followeth:--
“Je suis George de Ambois,
Qui trente cinq mil a pois,
Mes lui qui me pesera,
Trente six mil me trouera.
“I am George of Ambois,
Thirty-five thousand in pois;
But he that shall weigh me,
Thirty-six thousand shall find me.”
The said King Edward endowed this chapel with lands to the yearly value
of five hundred pounds. Doctor John Chambers, the king’s physician,
the last dean of this college, built thereunto a cloister of curious
workmanship, to the charges of eleven thousand marks. This chapel, or
college, at the suppression, was valued to dispend in lands by the year
one thousand and eighty-five pounds ten shillings and five pence, and
was surrendered to Edward VI.; since the which time the same chapel hath
served as a parliament house.
By this chapel of St. Stephen was sometime one other smaller chapel,
called our Lady of the Pew, to the which lady great offerings were
used to be made: amongst other things, I have read, that Richard II.,
after the overthrow of Wat Tyler and other his rebels, in the 4th of
his reign, went to Westminster, and there giving thanks to God for his
victory, made his offering in this chapel; but as divers have noted,
namely, John Piggot, in the year 1252, on the 17th of February, by
negligence of a scholar appointed by his schoolmaster to put forth
the lights of this chapel, the image of our lady, richly decked with
jewels, precious stones, pearls, and rings, more than any jeweller could
judge the price for, so saith mine author, was, with all this apparel,
ornaments, and chapel itself, burnt; but since again re-edified by
Anthonie, Earl Rivers, Lord Scales, and of the Isle of Wight, uncle and
governor to the Prince of Wales, that should have been King Edward V.,
etc.
The said palace, before the entry thereunto, hath a large court, and
in the same a tower of stone, containing a clock, which striketh every
hour on a great bell, to be heard into the hall in sitting time of the
courts, or otherwise; for the same clock, in a calm, will be heard into
the city of London. King Henry VI. gave the keeping of this clock,
with the tower called the clock-house, and the appurtenances, unto
William Walsby, dean of St. Stephen’s, with the wages of six pence the
day out of his Exchequer. By this tower standeth a fountain, which at
coronations and great triumphs is made to run with wine out of divers
spouts.
On the east side of this court is an arched gate to the river of Thames,
with a fair bridge and landing-place for all men that have occasion. On
the north side is the south end of St. Stephen’s alley, or Canon row,
and also a way into the old wool staple; and on the west side is a very
fair gate, begun by Richard III. in the year 1484, and was by him built
a great height, and many fair lodgings in it, but left unfinished, and
is called the high tower of Westminster. Thus much for the monastery
and palace may suffice. And now will I speak of the gate-house, and of
Totehill street, stretching from the west part of the close.
The gate-house is so called of two gates, the one out of the College
court towards the north, on the east side whereof was the bishop of
London’s prison for clerks’ convict; and the other gate, adjoining to
the first, but towards the west, is a gaol or prison for offenders
thither committed. Walter Warfield, cellarer to the monastery, caused
both these gates, with the appurtenances, to be built in the reign of
Edward III.
On the south side of this gate, King Henry VII. founded an alms-house
for thirteen poor men; one of them to be a priest, aged forty-five
years, a good grammarian, the other twelve to be aged fifty years,
without wives: every Saturday the priest to receive of the abbot, or
prior, four pence by the day, and each other two pence halfpenny by the
day for ever, for their sustenance, and every year to each one a gown
and a hood ready made; and to three women that dressed their meat, and
kept them in their sickness, each to have every Saturday sixteen pence,
and every year a gown ready made. More, to the thirteen poor men yearly
eighty quarters of coal and one thousand of good faggots to their use,
in the hall and kitchen of their mansion; a discreet monk to be overseer
of them, and he to have forty shillings by the year, etc.; and hereunto
was every abbot and prior sworn.
Near unto this house westward was an old chapel of St. Anne; over
against the which the Lady Margaret, mother to King Henry VII., erected
an alms-house for poor women, which is now turned into lodgings for the
singing men of the college. The place wherein this chapel and alms-house
standeth was called the Elemosinary, or Almonry, now corruptly the
Ambry,[299] for that the alms of the abbey were there distributed to
the poor. And therein Islip, abbot of Westminster, erected the first
press of book printing that ever was in England, about the year of
Christ 1471. William Caxton, citizen of London, mercer, brought it into
England, and was the first that practised it in the said abbey; after
which time, the like was practised in the abbeys of St. Augustine at
Canterbury, St. Alban’s, and other monasteries.
From the west gate runneth along Totehil street, wherein is a house
of the Lord Gray of Wilton; and on the other side, at the entry into
Totehill field, Stourton house, which Gyles, the last Lord Dacre of
the south, purchased and built new, whose lady and wife Anne, sister
to Thomas, the Lord Buckhurst, left money to her executors to build an
hospital for twenty poor women, and so many children, to be brought up
under them, for whose maintenance she assigned lands to the value of one
hundred pounds by the year, which hospital her executors have new begun
in the field adjoining. From the entry into Totehill field the street is
called Petty France, in which, and upon St. Hermit’s hill, on the south
side thereof, Cornelius Van Dun (a Brabander born, yeoman of the guard
to King Henry VIII., King Edward VI., Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth,)
built twenty houses for poor women to dwell rent-free: and near hereunto
was a chapel of Mary Magdalen, now wholly ruinated.
In the year of Christ 1256, the 40th of Henry III., John Mansell, the
king’s councillor and priest, did invite to a stately dinner the kings
and queens of England and Scotland, Edward the king’s son, earls,
barons, and knights, the Bishop of London, and divers citizens, whereby
his guests did grow to such a number, that his house at Totehill could
not receive them, but that he was forced to set up tents and pavilions
to receive his guests, whereof there was such a multitude that seven
hundred messes of meat did not serve for the first dinner.
The city of Westminster for civil government is divided into twelve
several wards; for the which the dean of the collegiate church of
Westminster, or the high-steward, do elect twelve burgesses, and as
many assistants; that is, one burgess, and one assistant, for every
ward; out of the which twelve burgesses two are nominated yearly, upon
Thursday in Easter week, for chief burgesses to continue for one year
next following, who have authority given them by the act of parliament,
27th Elizabeth, to hear, examine, determine, and punish, according to
the laws of the realm, and lawful customs of the city of London, matters
of incontinency, common scolds, inmates, and common annoyances; and
likewise, to commit such persons as shall offend against the peace, and
thereof to give knowledge within four-and-twenty hours to some justice
of peace, in the county of Middlesex.
FOOTNOTES:
[291] “Which is a goodly house, lately builded nigh to Ivy bridge, over
against the old Bedforde house, namely, called Russell house and Dacres
house, now the house of Sir Thomas Cecile, Lorde Burghley; and so on the
north side to a lane that turneth to the parish church of St. Martin in
the Fielde, and stretcheth to St. Giles in the Fielde.”--_1st edition_,
pp. 370-1.
[292] “I thinke custome.”--_1st edition_, p. 376.
[293] “Foundation of Westminster by Sebert, a Christian king, not onely
in word, but in deed.”--_Stow._
[294] “One of her majesties chaplens.”--_1st edition_, p. 381.
[295] “Earle of Bridgewater.”--_1st edition_, p. 382.
[296] In the first edition, the passage relative to Henry II.’s command
to Hugh Gifford and William Browne, to distribute alms “according to
the weight and measure of the king’s children” (see ante, page 83), is
inserted in this place.
[297] “I find of record, the 50th of Edward III., that the chapter-house
of the abbot of Westminster was then the usual house for the commons in
parliament.”--_Stow._
[298] “Of England.”--_1st edition_, p. 387.
[299] The corruption alluded to by Stow exists to the present day--the
Almonry being styled by the lower classes in Westminster, the Ambry. The
house said to have been Caxton’s is also, we believe, still remaining,
though in a state of great dilapidation.
GOVERNORS OF THE CITY OF LONDON; AND FIRST OF ECCLESIASTICAL BISHOPS AND
OTHER MINISTERS THERE
Having thus run through the description of these cities of London
and Westminster, as well in their original foundations, as in their
increases of buildings and ornaments, together with such incidents of
sundry sorts as are before, both generally and particularly discoursed,
it remaineth that somewhat be noted by me touching the policy and
government, both ecclesiastical and civil, of London, as I have already
done for Westminster, the order whereof is appointed by the late
statute, even as that of London is maintained by the customs thereof,
most laudably used before all the time of memory.
And first, to begin with the ecclesiastical jurisdiction: I read that
the Christian faith was first preached in this island (then called
Britaine) by Joseph of Arimathea, and his brethren, disciples of Christ,
in the time of Aruiragus, then governor here under the Roman emperor;
after which time, Lucius, king of the Britaines, sent his ambassadors,
Eluanus and Meduvanus, two men learned in the Scriptures, with letters
to Eleutherius,[300] bishop of Rome, desiring him to send some devout
and learned men, by whose instruction he and his people might be taught
the faith and religion of Christ. Eleutherius baptised those messengers,
making Eluanus a bishop, and Meduvius a teacher, and sent over with
them into Britain two other famous clerks, Faganus and Deruvianus, by
whose diligence Lucius, and his people of Britaine, were instructed in
the faith of Christ, and baptized, the temples of idols were converted
into cathedral churches, and bishops were placed where Flammines
before had been; at London, Yorke, and Carleon upon Uske, were placed
archbishops, saith some. The epistle said to be sent by Eleutherius
to king Lucius, for the establishing of the faith, ye may read in my
_Annals_, _Summaries_, and _Chronicles_, truly translated and set down
as mine author hath it, for some have curtailed and corrupted it, and
then fathered it upon reverend Bede, who never wrote word thereof, or
otherwise to that effect, more than this as followeth.
In the year 156, Marcus Aurelius Verus, the fourteenth emperor after
Augustus, governed the empire with his brother Aurelius Comodus;
in whose time, Glutherius, a holy man, being pope of the church of
Rome, Lucius, king of Britaines, wrote unto him, desiring that by his
commandment he might be made Christian; which his request was granted
him; whereby the Britaines receiving then the faith, kept it sound and
undefiled in rest and peace until Dioclesian the emperor’s time. Thus
far Bede, which may suffice to prove the Christian faith there to be
received here. And now of the London bishops as I find them.
There remaineth in the parish church of St. Peter upon Cornhill in
London a table, wherein is written, that Lucius founded the same church
to be an archbishop’s see, and metropolitan or chief church of his
kingdom, and that it so endured the space of four hundred years, until
the coming of Augustine the monk, and others, from Rome, in the reign
of the Saxons. The archbishops’ names I find only to be set down by
Joceline of Furnes, in his book of British bishops, and not elsewhere.
Thean (saith he) was the first archbishop of London, in the time of
Lucius, who built the said church of St. Peter, in a place called
Cornhill in London, by the aid of Ciran, chief butler to King Lucius.
2. Eluanus was the second, and he built a library to the same church
adjoining, and converted many of the Druids (learned men in the Pagan
law) to the Christian faith.
3. Cadar was the third; then followed,
4. Obinus.
5. Conan.
6. Paludius.
7. Stephen.
8. Iltute.
9. Dedwin.
10. Thedred.
11. Hillary.
12. Guidelium.
13. Vodimus, slain by the Saxons.
14. Theanus, the fourteenth, fled with the Britaines into Wales, about
the year of Christ 587.
Thus much out of Joceline of the archbishops; the credit whereof I leave
to the judgment of the learned; for I read of a bishop of London (not
before named) in the year of Christ 326, to be present at the second
council, holden at Arles, in the time of Constantine the Great, who
subscribed thereunto in these words: _Ex provinciæ Britaniæ Civitate
Londiniensi Restitutus Episcopus_, as plainly appeareth in the first
tome of the councils, he writeth not himself archbishop, and therefore
maketh the matter of archbishops doubtful, or rather, overthroweth that
opinion.
The Saxons being pagans, having chased the Britons, with the Christian
preachers, into the mountains of Wales and Cornewall; and having divided
this kingdom of the Britons amongst themselves, at the length, to wit,
in the year 596, Pope Gregory, moved of a godly instinction (sayeth
Bede), in the 147th year after the arrival of the Angles or Saxons in
Britaine, sent Augustine, Miletus, Justus, and John, with other monks,
to preach the Gospel to the said nation of the Angles: these landed
in the isle of Thanet, and were first received by Ethelbert, king of
Kent, whom they converted to the faith of Christ, with divers other of
his people, in the 34th year of his reign, which Ethelbert gave unto
Augustine the city of Canterbury.
This Augustine, in the year of Christ 604, consecrated Miletus and
Justus bishops, appointing Miletus to preach unto the East Saxons, whose
chief city was London; and there King Sebert, nephew to Ethelbert, by
preaching of Miletus, received the Word of Life: and then Ethelbert king
of Kent, built in the city of London St. Paul’s church, wherein Miletus
began to be bishop in the year 619, and sat five years. Ethelbert, by
his charter, gave lands to this church of St. Paul, so did other kings
after him. King Sebert, through the good life, and like preaching of
Miletus, having received baptism, to show himself a Christian, built a
church to the honour of God and St. Peter, on the west side of London,
which church is called Westminster; but the successors of Sebert being
pagans, expelled Miletus out of their kingdoms.
Justus, the second bishop for a time, and then Miletus again; after
whose decease the seat was void for a time. At length Sigebert, son to
Sigebert, brother to Sebert, ruled in Essex; he became a Christian,
and took to him a holy man named Cedde, or Chadde, who won many by
preaching, and good life, to the Christian religion.
Cedde, or Chad, was by Finan consecrated bishop of the East Saxons, and
he ordered priests and deacons in all the parts of Essex, but especially
at Ithancaster and Tilberie.
This city of Ithancaster (saith Raph Cogshall) stood on the bank of the
river Pante, that runneth by Maldun, in the hundred of Danesey, but now
is drowned in Pante, so that nothing remaineth but the ruin of the city
in the river Tilberie (both the west and east) standeth on the Thames
side, nigh over against Gravesend.
Wina, expelled from the church of Winchester by Cenewalche the king, was
adopted to be the fourth bishop of London, in the reign of Wolferus king
of Mercia, and sat nine years.
Erkenwalde, born in the castle or town of Stallingborough in Lindsey,
first abbot of Crotesey, was by Theodore archbishop of Canterbury
appointed to be bishop of the East Saxons, in the city of London. This
Erkenwalde, in the year of Christ 677, before he was made bishop, had
built two monasteries, one for himself, being a monk, in the isle of
Crote in Surrey, by the river of Thames, and another for his sister
Edilburge, being a nun, in a certain place called Berching in Essex;
he deceased at Berching in the year 697, and was then buried in Paul’s
church, and translated into the new church of St. Paul in the year 1148.
Waldhere was bishop of London. Sebba king of the East Saxons at his
hands received the habit of monk, for at that time there were monks
in Paul’s church, as writeth Radulphus de Diceto, and others. To this
bishop he brought a great sum of money, to be bestowed and given to the
poor, reserving nothing to himself, but rather desired to remain poor
in goods as in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven. When he had reigned
thirty years he deceased at Paul’s, and was there buried, and lieth now
in a coffin of stone, on the north side of the aisle next the choir.
Ingwaldus bishop of London was at the consecration of Tatwine archbishop
of Canterbury; he confirmed the foundation of Crowland in the year 716,
saith Ingulfus, and deceased in the year 744, as saith Hoveden.
746. Engulfe bishop of London.
754. Wichet, or Wigerus, bishop of London.
761. Eaderightus, or Edbrithe, bishop of London.
768. Eadgain, or Eadgarus, bishop of London.
773. Kenewallth bishop of London.
784. Eadbaldus bishop of London.
795. Heatbright bishop of London, deceased 802, saith Hoveden.
813. Osmond bishop of London; he was witness to a charter made to
Crowland in the year 833, saith Ingulphus.
835. Ethelmothe bishop of London.
838. Elbertus, or Celbertus, bishop of London.
841. Caulfe bishop of London.
850. Swithulfus bishop of London; he likewise was witness to a charter
of Crowland 851.
860. Edstanus bishop of London; witness to a charter to Crowland 860.
870. Ulsius bishop of London.
878. Ethelwardus bishop of London.
886. Elstanus bishop of London, died in the year 900, saith Asser; and
all these, saith the author of _Flores Historiarum_, were buried in the
old church of St. Paul, but there remaineth now no memory of them.
900. Theodricus bishop of London; this man confirmed King Edred’s
charter made to Winchester in the year 947, whereby it seemeth that he
was bishop of London of a later time than is here placed.
922. Welstanus bishop of London.
941. Brithelme bishop of London.
958. Dunstanus, abbot of Glastonberie, then bishop of Worcester, and
then bishop of London; he was afterwards translated to Canterbury 960.
960. Ealfstanus bishop of London; the 28th in number.
981. Edgare bishop of London; he confirmed the grants made to Winchester
and to Crowland 966, and again to Crowland 970, the charter of Ethelred,
concerning Ulfrunhampton, 996.
1004. Elphinus bishop of London.
1010. Alwinus bishop of London; he was sent into Normandy in the year
1013, saith Asser.
1044. Robert, a monk of Gemerisins in Normandy, bishop of London seven
years, afterwards translated from London to Canterbury.
1050. Specgasius, elected, but rejected by the king.