THE Pleasant Walkes OF Moore-fields Being the guift of two Sisters now beautified to the continuing fame of this worthy Citty Printed at London for Henry Gosson and are to be sold at the Signe of the Sun in Pater noster Row 1607. To the Right Worshipfull the Knights and Aldermen of this Honorable Citty of London THose sweet and delightfull walks of More fields right Worshipfull as it seemes a Garden to this Citty and a pleasurable place of sweet ayres for Cittizens to walke in now made most beautiful by your good vvorships appointment hath emboldened me to search for the true antiquity thereof and furthermore to satisfie the desires of many I haue giuen here a true light of the late glorie doone vnto the same and withall briefly set downe a fewe notes of ancient recordes of their beeing a kinde of morish ground in times past and by whome and in what maner they were brought to this beneficial vse togither with manie other Honors done to this citty If your vvorships vouchsafe to thinke vvel of my labors I attaine my vvished hopes So ending I commit you all to the ioy of your ovvne harts By your Worships to be commanded Rich Iohnson The pleasant walkes of Moore Fields The Speakers names in this discourse a Countrey Gentleman and a London Citizen Gentleman THis Citty of London sir in my mind both for antiquity and scituation may challenge glory with any Citty in the World Cit. Most true sir for it is reported that Brute lineally descended from the Demy-god Aeneas son of Venus daughter of Iupiter about the yeare of the world 2855 and 1108. before the Natiuity of Christ builded this citty and named it Troynouant But in processe of time K. Lud not onely repayred it but also increased the same with faire buildings towers and wals and after his own name called it Luds towne and by corruption of spéech it is now called London which king lyeth buried at a gate in the West part of the Citty which hee likewise built in the honor of his name caling it Ludgate Gent. Since that time I perceiue in euery Princes raigne it hath bin much beautified but of all pleasurs that contents me these swéet walkes of Moore fieldes are the chiefest and the causers thereof deserue much commendations Citi. Those be the worthy Aldermen and Common-counsell of London who seeing the disorder vsed in these fieldes haue bestowed this cost and as occasion requires intends further to beautifie the same Gent. In so dooing they purchase same after Death and much pleasure to posterity But to what vse are these Fieldes reserued Citi. Only for Cittizens to walke in to take the ayre and for Merchants maides to dry clothes in which want necessary gardens at their dwellings gent. By whom was these fields giuen to the citty Cit. Marry sir by two mayds the only daughters to Sir William Fines a knight of the Rhodes in the time of Edward the Confessor who dying left these Fieldes of Fines-berry after his owne name to his two daughters Mary and Katharine who refusing the pleasures of this world betooke themselues to a deuout kind of life and became two Nuns in the Monastery of Bedlem wher hauing spent their daies in the seruice of God at their death gaue these aforesaid fieldes to the Citty of London for an ease to the Cittizens and a place for their seruants to dry clothes in and likewise builded the two Crosses the one at Bedlem gate the other at Shoredich Gent. These walkes Sir as it seemes beares the fashion of a crosse equally diuided foure wayes and like wise squared about with pleasant wals the trees thereof makes a gallant shew and yeelds vnto mine eye much delight Citizen They may well for the like border of trees are not at this day in al the land again for they be in number within these walles two Hundred foure-score and eleauen beside those other standing west-ward without to the number of some foure or fiue and thirtie Gent. I haue heard that many of these trees doe carry proper names Citiz. According to the planting thereof they doe and those which I remember so called now stand on the the west side within these walles the first of them at the corner of the middle walke west-ward was first of all placed by Sir Leonard Hollyday then Lord Maior the next on the corner north-ward at the steppes comming downe by a Captaine being a Gentleman of good reputation the third by a Citizen and Sonne to Sir Leonard Hollyday which standeth next to his Fathers trée There standeth néere vnto that a trée called the two brothers planted by two little boyes and sonnes to a Citizen here in London there is likewise a trée called the thrée sisters by the name of thrée maydens that set it and another the thrée brothers there is a trée likewise on the north-west corner which I saw set vp called Stubs his trée by one Christopher Stubs one of the principal Porters of Black-well hall a man well beloued and of good credit Many others were set vp by our Citizens which I thinke néedlesse to speake of nor tell of the bountie they shewed to the worke-men at the planting of these same trées Gent. The charges hereof shew their liberall mindes and no doubt but this field will be maintained time out of minds in as good order as it is nowe kept for what you Citizens meane to giue glory too neither cost nor care can be wanting But I pray you how many Akars may this plot of ground containe Citiz. Marry Sir within the walles some ten Akars which was so measured out and by a Plough made leuell as it is now a thing that neuer hath béen séene before to goe so néere London Gent. But why are these stockes of wood here prouided with such a huge chaine of yron lockt to the wall Citiz. Onely as a punishment for those that lay any filthy thing within these fields or make water in the same to the annoyance of those that walke therein which euill sauors in times past haue much corrupted mans sences and supposed to be a great nourisher of diseases Gent That beares good reason and the maner of this punishment I like well and pitie it were but it should be maintained for it is one of the best things that euer your Citie bestowed cost vpon Citiz. The cost hereof they regard not and the more they bestow hereon the more honour they tye vnto our Citie and the causers of these walkes hath deserued high commendations making their posterities famous by these their déeds Gent. It séemes they intend a further grace to these fields Citiz. Their purpose is not fully knowne but surely their intents are inclined to bountifull procéedings as I heare the building of certaine houses for shelters for maidens hauing their clothes lying there a drying if at any time it should chance to raine Gent. All England may take example at your London Citizens who not onely séeke for
their owne benefites but striue to profit others shewing themselues good common-wealths men and as they be called the Fathers of the Citie so be they cherishers of the poore and succourlesse Citiz. If I should shew you the charitable déeds of all our Citizens now liuing as of those in times pass from one kings raigne to another I should fill a large volume with antiquities but I will briefly touch but onely such as concernes this our discourse of these walkes of Moorefieldes and things pertinent to the same purpose Gent. But I pray you shewe me sir haue they neuer bin otherwise vsed Citi. Yes that they haue for time is often the ouerthrower of lawdable customes for Halles Chronicle setteth downe that the inhabitants about London as Isling ton Hogsdon Shoreditch and others before the raign of Henry the eight had so enclosed these fields with hedges and ditches that neyther the young men of this Citty might shoote nor the ancient persons walke for pleasure in these fields but that either their bowes and arrowes were taken away or broken or the Citizens arested for walking saying that no Londoner ought to go out of the Citie but in the hye wayes This so gréeued the Londoners that in the sixt yeare of King Henrie the Eight a great number of the Citie assembled themselues in a morning and a Turner in a Fooles coat ran crying therough the Citie Shouels and spades Shouels spades by which meanes followed so many people that it was a wonder to behold and within lesse than thrée houres all the hedges about the Citie were cast downe the ditches filled vp and euery thing made plaine such was the quicknesse of these diligent workemen after this the fields were neuer more hedged in Gent. The Citizens I perceiue euer carried gallant mindes and to this day I sée they continually striue to beautifie this famous Citie for what faire summer houses with loftie towers and turrets are here builded in these fields and in other places the suburbes of the Citie not so much for vse and profite as for shewe and pleasure bewraying the noblenesse of their mindes Citiz. Many of our ancient Citizens sir haue far more worthyer dispositions and chiefely delights in the repayring of Hospitals and building almes houses for the poore and therein employ their wits spending their wealths to the common commoditis of this our Citie Gent. You speake but truth for London Cittizens are the Lawes mirrour for charitable guifts but of all other stately buildings neere vnto these fields this beares the greatest shew called Fishers folly Citiz. It is sir a verie faire house indéede large and beautifull incompast with many walkes and gardens of pleasure builded by one Iasper Fisher frée of the Goldsmithes late one of the sixe Clarkes of the Chancerie and a Iustice of peace it hath since for a time béene the Earle of Oxfords place our late Queene hath lodged there and now it belongeth to Sir William Cornewallis Gent. This house as I haue heard being so large and sumptuously builded by a man of no greater calling was mockingly named Fishers Folly and a rime hath beene lately made of it and others the like not farre off builded in this manner Kirkebyes Castle and Fishers folly Spynylas pleasure and Megses glorie Citiz. Indéed of such like houses builded by Citizens men will report their pleasures but if I should speake of the true glorie of our Citizens Gresham house with the Royall Exchange builded by one man Whittington Colledge Newgate part of Christ church by another with diuers other monuments which I omit as the charge of London bridge builded at the first by two Sisters of Saint Marie Oueryes and such like but of all other memorable déedes maintained to this day by our Citizens there is thrée which deserue immortall commendations the Orphants Court in Guild hall where couetous executors are preuented Christs Hospitall where fatherlesse children are well brought vp and the prison of Bridewell where vice is iustly corrected Gent. Thrée things in my minde that your Citizens winne heauen by but for what Offenders is that Bridewell chiefely reserued Citiz. For 〈◊〉 persons as vagabonds and for those that are obstinate and will not liue in the feare of God but abuse their bodies with lewd vices as whoredome and such like Gent. That place I thinke néedlesse sir to speake of in these walkes therefore I pray you shew the of the antiquitie of this Monasterie of Bedlem where these two charitable sisters were buried Citiz. The Monasterie now ruinated was builded by their Father Sir William Fines the chiefe owner of the rich Farme of Finesburie house the which to this day holds priuiledges of good estéeme Likewise here in Bedlem is now scituated an Hospital for the cure of distracted people which in former times about the yeare 1246 was founded by Simon Fitz-marie one of the Sheriffes of London of the same house and kindred naming it the priory of Saint Marie de Bethlem after the elder of the two Sisters to which King Edward the third graunted a protection but after in the time tune of King Henrie the 8. in the beginning of his raigne there was one Sir Walter Gennings one of the Kings Chamber who being distract of his wits got helpe in that place by the meanes of that holy Prior in regard of which King Henrie at the suppression of this religious Monasterie gaue it to the Citie for Hospitall for that vse the Chappell whereof was taken downe in the raigne of Quéene Elizabeth and houses builded there by the Gouernors of Christs Hospitall in in London and now in this place people that be distract of wits are by the suite of their fréends receiued and kept but not without chargers to their bringers in Gent. Here is Sir as it seemes a burying place walled in with bricke which surely is the deuotion of some charitable Citizen Citiz. It is sir for in the yeare 1569 sir Thomas Roe Marchant taylor and Maior of this Citie caused to bèe inclosed within this wall about one akar of ground being part of this Hospitall of the Hospitall of Bethlem this he appointed for a burying place as an ease for such Parishes in London as wanteth a conuenient ground within their Parishes The â—â—die his wife was there buried by whose perswasions he enclosed it but himselfe borne in London was buried at Hackney Gent. But now sir let vs returne by the walke néere this Ditch fide where I am willing to vnderstand howe those fields came so beautified being in times past as I haue heard a Fen or moorish kinde of ground Citiz. To begin first after it was giuen by these two sisters to this Citie I find that in the time of William the Conquerour it was continually in winter as you say a great Fen or moore of water stretching all along betwixt Crippie-gate and Bishops-gate but not in such good manner as it now doth for all these whole fields of Finsburie from Hollow
well to this place was a wast and vnprofitable ground a long time so that in the raigne of Edward the second it was let to farme for foure Markes by the yeare but in the yeare 1415 the 3. yere of Henrie the fift Thomas Falnet Maior caused the wall of the Citie to bée broken toward this Moore and builded here the posterne called Moore-gate for the case of the Citizens to walk this way vpon causâ— as was theÌ„ towards Isllington Hogsdon such like Moreouer he caused the ditches of the Citie from Shoreditch to Houndsditch and so to this Moore ditch along by Bedlem to bee newe cast and clensed by meanes whereof this Fen or Moore was greatly drayned and dryed so shortly after it grew such hard ground that Raph loselin Maior for repayring the Citie wall caused this Moore to be searched for clay here in this place brick to be burnt Gent. But sir here is stones set vpright what is the meaning of them Citiz. Marry where they stand tunnes vnderneath the common shore from a spring called dame Annis de Cleare called by the name of a rich London widow called Annis Claâ—e who matching her selfe with a riotous Courtier in the time of Edward the first who vainely consumed all her wealth and leauing her in much pouertie there drowned she herself being then but a shallow ditch or running water since which as I said before turneth by sluces arched ouer all along by these stones here standing which sluces or bridges was made in the yere 1512 by Roger Atchley Maior who likewise caused the grounds to be leauelled as they were this last yeare by Sir Leonard Holliday Maior and the other worshipfull Aldermen his brethren whereby these fields were made something more commodious but not so pleasant and drye as now they are for many times they stood still full of noisome waters which afterward in the yeare 1527. was by the meanes of sir Thomas Semor Mayor made dry who repairing the sluces conuayed the sayd waters ouer this Towne Ditch into the course of Wall-brooke shoare and so into the Thames and by these degrées was this Fen or Moore at length made maine and hard ground which before being ouergrowne with flags sedges and Rushes serued for no vse since the which time all the further and higher grounds beyond Finesbury court haue beene so heightned with leastals and dung that now thrée Windmils are set thereon the ditches being filled vp and the bridges ouerwhelmed Gen. But now I pray you let vs walke backe againe to Moore gate go into this narrow lans called the posterne betwéene Moore-gate and Criple-gate because it hath at either end a doore to be shut in the night season Cit. This is a posterne belonging to Criple-gate so called long before the conquest only to kéepe night-walkers out of the subberbs but now I haue named Criple-gate I thinke it not amisse to shew the antiquity thereof and why it was so called at the first Gen That would I gladly vnderstand for I haue heard diuers reports thereof Cit. I haue read in the history of Edmond King of England written by Iohn Lydgate Munke of Berry that when the Danes spotled part of his kingdome a reuerent bishop of this land caused that body of king Edmond martyr to be brought froÌ„ S. Edmonds bury to London in at Cripplegate a place saith he so called of cripples begging ther at which gate it was saide the body entering Mirracles were wrought as some of the Lame to goe away praising God This Gate was sometimes a Prison whereunto such Cittizens and others as were arested for debt or common trespasses were committed as they be now to the Counters This Gate was new builded by the Brewers of London 1244. Gent. This hath much contented my desires and considering it is yet far to night I will request you to turne back into the walkes and there to discourse of further antiquities Citiz. Withall my heart Sir I cannot spend my time better Gent. Then I pray you tell what course Sir hath this common shoare thorough the Citty into the Thames Citiz. This Citty in old time as I finde it recorded was deuided the one halfs from the other which is East from West by a faire brooke of swéete Water which ran froÌ„ these fields thorough this wal into the riuer of thames which diuision to this day is maintained without charge which water is called Wall-brooke The course froÌ„ hence runneth directly first to Saint Margrets Church in Loathbury from thence from the lower part of the Gracers hall about the East of their Kitchin vnder Saint Mildreds Church somewhat West from the stockes Market from thence thorough Bucklers-bury by a great House built of stone and Timber called the old Barge because in times past Barges out of the Thames were rowed vp so far into this brooke on the backeside of the Houses on Wall-brooke stréete which streete taketh the name of this saide brooke then by the west end of Saint Iohns Church vpon Wall-brooke vnder Horshee bridge by the West side of Tallow Chandlers Hall and of the Skinners Hall and so behinde the other houses to Elbow lane and by a part thereof downe Gréenwitch lane into the riuer of thames this is the right course of this water which of olde time was bridged ouer in diuers places for passage of Horses men as need required but since by the means of increasement on the bankes thereof much annoyances bee done therein But at length the same by a common consent of this Citty was arched ouer with Brick and paued with stone equall with the ground whence it passed thorough and is now in most places builded vpon that no man may deserue it and therefore the trace thereof is hardly known to the common sort of people gen Now I pray you let me know how this vaute or Riuer is made cleane considering so much Channell durt runnes therein Citi. Where these stones stand as I said before there is a long hollow Cesterne or shoare arched ouer reaching into the Citty into the which once a yeare as it is the custome of our Citty to sée it made cleane there entereth diuers labouring men with Links and Torches lighted with a Taber and a pipe or other such Mellody that the Merchants whose Uautes and Houses of offices stand ouer may hear them and by such meanes they may know what is amisse and wanteth mending and still when this busines is effecting the owners of those houses spare not for cost which they giue downe at the Grates as they passe along Gent. This is a good order and an incouragement to such an intricate businesse but to let that passe and shew me the antiquity of your Aldermens going to the Sermons to the Spittle neare Soreditch in Easter wéeke which in my mind is a most memorable custome Citi. First to shew you the first antiquity thereof that place was in times past an Hospitall commonly called Saint Mary Spittle