Jurisdiction and power to Reform Annoyances and Offences there and to inflict due punishments upon the Offendors nor of the Nature of the Service to be by them performed in the Course of their Inquiry therefore he thought it convenient to make both the one and the other known unto them Hereupon he shewed them that the Jurisdiction of the Court of London in the River of Thames from Stanes Bridge Westward unto the points of the River next unto the Sea Eastward appeared to belong to the City in manner and form following I. First in point of Right by prescription as appears by an ancient Book called Dunâ—horp That Civitatis fundationis aedificationis constructionis causa erat Thamesis Flâ—vâ—us quorum vero Civitatis fluminis gubernationem tam duces Majores Custodes Vicecomites Aldr. Magnates Civitatis Memoratae hucusque obtinuerunt habuerunt Whence he inferr'd that the Government of the River hath belonged to the City time out of mind In 21. H. 3. Jorden Coventry one of the Sheriffs of the City was sent by the Mayor and Aldermen to remove certain Kiddles that Annoyed the Rivers of Thames and Medway who ultra Yenland versus mare did take divers persons that were Offenders and imprisoned them Whereupon complaint being made to the King he took the matter ill at the first and sent for the Lord Mayor and Citizens to Kennington Where upon hearing of the Matter before the said King the Cities Jurisdiction over the said River was set forth and allowed and the Complainants convinced and every one of them Amerced at 10 l. and the Amercements adjudged to the City And afterward their Nets were burnt by Judgment given by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen in the Hustings 1. R. 2. Writs were directed to the Sheriffs of Essex and Kent Reciting the Cities Title with Command not to suffer the Citizens of London to be molested contrary to the Liberties formerly granted and allowed unto them II. Secondly In point of Right by Allowance in Eire the Conservation of the Thames belongs to the City For it was produced that 1 R. 2. before Hugh Bigot Justice Iâ—enerant the Sheriffs and Citizens of London were called in Question for their Jurisdiction exercis'd on the Thames before whom it was found by a Jury in Southwark Quod nullus habet aliquid Juris in Thamisia usque ad Novum Gurgitem nisi Civis London In the 14 E. 2. The Constable of the Tower was Indicted by Divers Wards of London before the Justices in Eire at the Tower De muneris recep Cove pro Kedellis in Thamisiis Constabularius ad Kidellas respondet quod Justic non habent Jurisdictionem extra London prolitum inde cognoscere cum praedict Kidelli sunt in aliis Comitatibus Justic. dixerunt aqua Thamisiae pertinet ad Civitatem London usque Mare si velit respondeat Who then Pleaded Not Guilty III. He went further in point of Right that this Jurisdiction belonged to the City by antient Charters 8 R. 1. that is 480 and odd Years ago Dominus Richardus Rex Filius Regis Henrici secundi concessit firmiter praecepit ut omnes Kidelli qui sunt in Thamisia amoveantur ubicunque fuerint in Thamisia 1. Joh. Rex concessit firmiter praecepit ut omnes Kidelli qui sunt in Thamisia vel in Medway amoveantur ne caeteri Kidelli alicubi ponantur in Thamisia vel in Medway super forf 10 1. sterlingorum Then he urged the Famous Charter of King Henry the III. which ran thus Henry by the Grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Normandy and Aquitain and Earl of Anjou unto all Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Earls Barons Justices Sheriffs Stewards Ministers and to all Bayliffs and to all his True Men Greeting wotteth well that we for the health of our Soul and the health of the Soul of King John our Fader and the Souls of our Ancestors and also for the Common profit of our City of London and of all our Realms have Granted and stedfastly Commanded That all the Weares that be in Thames or in Medway be done away and that from henceforth no Weares be set in Thames or Medway upon the forfeiture of 10 1. Also we claim quit to our Citizens of London all that that our Constable of our Tower of London was wont to take of the said Weares Wherefore we will and stedfastly Command that no Constable of the aforesaid Tower at any time from henceforth forward any thing ask nor any Grievance do to any of the same City by Eâ—cheson of the same Weares it is to us known enough and by our true Men do us to understand that most privacy and least profit might fall unto the same City and to the whole Realm by Enchesen of the same Weares which we make for ever firm and stable unto the same City as the Charter of our Lord King John our Fader which our Barons of London thereof have reasonably Witnessed Witnesses Eustace of London Peter of Westminster c. at Westminster the 18th of February in the Year of our Reign Eleven Besides these he produced divers others in this King ' s Reign to the purpose aforesaid and the 7th of E. III. IV. This Jurisdiction belongs to the City of London by Acts of Parliament W. 2. cap. 47. an 13. No Salmons to be taken from the Nativity of our Lady unto St. Martins Day in all points nor none to be taken in Mill-Pools from the midst of April until Midsummer under penalty for the first Offence of burning of Nets and Engines the second Offence Imprisonment for a Quarter of a Year the third Offence for a whole Year 13. R. II. confirms the restraint of taking Salmons in many Waters from the midst of April until Midsummer upon the same pain nor within that time to use any Nets called Stalkers nor any other Engine whereby the Fry may be destroyed He urged likewise 17 R. II. cap. 9. and the 11. H. VII cap. 15. 1 Eliz. cap. 17. Against Nets Wheeles and other Engines for destroying the Fish against killing of Salmon and Trouts out of season against killing Pike or Pickerel not ten Inches long or Salmon not 16 Inches long or Trout not 8 Inches long or Barbel 12 Inches and more nor to Fish with any Nets but such whereof every Meash or Mash shall be two Inches and a half broad Angling excepted This not to extend to Smelts Roches Minoes Bullhead Gudgeons or Eâ—les in place where the same have been used to be taken The Offender to lose for every Offence 20 â—s and the Fish also the unlawful Nets Engines and Instruments The Mayor of London Inter alia hath full Power and Authority by this Act to Inquire of all Offences Committed contrary thereunto by the Oaths of 12 Men or more and to Hear and Determine all and every the same and inflict Punishments and impose Fines accordingly V. He proceeds to assert the Cities
tres plus compleverat annis Nam tribus octensis Regia Sceptra tulit Quindecies Domini centenus fluxerat annus Currebat nonus cum venit atra Dies Septima termensis lux tunc fulgebat Aprilis Cum Clausit summam tanta Corona Diem Nulla Dedere prius tantum tibi saecula Regem Anglia vix similem posteriora Dabunt This Church is famous for the Monuments and Tombs of our Kings Queens Nobility and other eminent Men as Sebert the first Christian King of the Eastâ— Saxons Harold the Bastard Son of Canutus the Dane King of England King Edward the Confessor and his Queen Edith Maud Wife to King Henry the First the Daughter of Malcolm King of Scots Henry the 3. and his Son King Edward the 1. with Eleanor his Wife daughter to Ferdinando the first King of Castile and Leon. King Edward the 3. and Philippa of Henault his Wife King Henry the 5. with Katherine his Wife Daughter to King Charles the 6. of France Anne Wife to King Richard 3. Daughter to Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick King Henry the 7. with his Wife Elizabeth Daughter to King Edward the 4. and his Mother Margaret Countess of Richmond King Edward the sixth that most Religious and truly Vertuous Prince who lyeth under the Brass richly Gilded Altar most curiously wrought with Excellent Workmanship Anne of Cleave the 4 th Wife of King Henry the Eight Queen Mary and the Renowned Queen Elizabeth upon the Remove of whose Body from Richmond where She Dyed to White-Hall by Water these Lines were Written which may for their Elegancy and in Remembrance of that most Illustrious Protestant Queen be inserted The Queen was brought by Water to White-Hall At every stroake the Oars their tears let fall More clung about the Barge Fish under water Wept out their Eyes of Pearl swam blindly after I think the Barge-men might with easier Thighs Have row'd her thither in her Peoples Eyes For howsoe'er thus much my thoughts have scann'd Sh 'ad come by Water had she come by Land Prince Henry eldest Son of King James the First Monarch of Great Britain King James Himself and Queen Ann his Wife and the first Male born of King Charles the First dying an Infant Of Dukes and Earls and Lords Degree Edmund Earl of Lancaster second Son of King Henry the Third and his Lady Aveline de fortibus Countess of Albemarle William and Andomar of Valente of the Family of Lusignian Earls of Pembrooke Alphonsus John and other Children of King Edward the first John of Eltham Earl of Cornwall Son to King Edward the Second Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester the youngest Son of Edward the Third with other of his Children Eleanor Daughter and Heir of Humphry Bâ—hun Earl of Hereford and of Essex Wife to Thomas of Woodstock The young Daughter of Edward the Fourth And King Henry the Seventh Henry a Child of two months old Son of King Henry the Eighth Sâ—phia the Daughter of King James who died as it were in the first Day-dawning of her Age. Philippa Mohun Dutchess of York Robert of Henault in right of his Wife Lord Bourchier Ann the young Daughter and Heir of John Mowbraâ— Duke of Norfolk promised in Marriage unto Richard Duke of York younger Son to King Edward the Fourth Sir Giles Dawbny Lord Chamberlain to King Henry the Seventh and his Wife of the House of the Arundels in Cornwall John Viscount Wells Frances Brandon Dutchess of Suffolk Mary her Daughter Margaret Douglas Countess of Lenex Grandmother to James King of Great Britain with Charles her Son Winefrid Bruges Marchioness of Winchester Ann Stanhope Dutchess of Somerset and Jane her Daughter Ann Cecil Countess of Oxford Daughter to the Lord Burleigh Lord High-Treasurer of England with Mildred Burghley her Mother Elizabeth Berkly Countess of Ormond Frances Sidney Countess of Sussex James Butler Viscount Thurles Son and Heir to the Earl of Ormond Besides these Humphry Lord Bourchier of Cornwall Sir Humphry Bourchier Son and Heir to the Lord Bourchier of Berners both slain at Barnetfield Sir Nicholas Carew Baron Powis Thomas Lord Wentworth Thomas Lord Wharton John Lord Russel Sir Thomas Bromley Lord Chancellor of England Douglas Howard Daughter and Heir General of Henry Viscount Howard of Bindon Wife to Sir Arthur Gorges Elizabeth Daughter and Heir of Edward Earl of Rutland Wife to William Cecil Sir John Puckering Lord-Keeper of the Great Seal of England Frances Howard Countess of Hartford Henry and George Cary the Father and Son Barons of Hunsdon both Lords Chamberlains to Queen Elizabeth The Heart of Ann Sophia the Daughter of Christopher Harley Count Beaumont Ambassador for the King of France in England bestowed within a small Gilt Urn over a Pyramid Sir Charles Blunt Earl of Devonshire Lord-Lieutenant-General of Ireland Geoffrey Chaucer the Prince of English Poets in his time Edmund Spencer an eminent Poet. William Cambden Clarencieux King of Arms. Causabon the Famous French Writer Michael Drayton c. Then there is George Villiers Duke Marquiss and Earl of Buckingham Favourite to King James and King Charles the First Also the Earl of Essex and several others Interr'd there during His present Majesties Absence from His Government There is also Interr'd George Duke of Albemarle Father to his Grace the present Duke whose Funerals were Solemnly performed the Thirtieth of April 1670. The Dutchess of Albemarle was also Interr'd in King Henry the Sevenths Chappel the twenty eighth of February 1669. in Westminster Church There is likewise Interr'd that Celebrated Poet Mr. Abraham Cowley under a Monument of Exquisite Curiosity at the Charges of his Grace the Noble Duke of Buckingham Having done with Westminster-Abby we shall give a Brief account of the other Churches Alphabetically as they were before the Fire And of such as are Re-built which are now far more Durable and Stately than before the Reader may expect an Account hereafter I. St. Albans Church in Woodstreet is of great Antiquity being Dedicated to St. Albans the first Martyr of England Another mark of Antiquity was to be seen in the manner of the turning the Arches in the Windows and heads of the Pillars There were also Roman Bricks found inlay'd here and there among the Stones of the Building it was Anno 1632. being wonderfully decay'd pull'd down in order to be Re-built In it were diverse Monuments which for brevity sake are omitted II. On the North side of the East end of Tower-street is the Parish-Church called All-hallows Barkin a very fair Church standing in a large Church-Yard on the North side whereof was built a fair Chappel by King Richard the first whose heart 't is said was buryed there under the high Altar This Chappel was Augmented by King Edward the first And a fraternity setled there by King Edward the fourth King Richard the third new Built it and founded therein a Colledge of Priests which was suppressed in the Year 1548. in the Second of Edward the sixth and the Ground made
the City in Ancient Times The first Passage I shall produce shall be out of Polydore Virgil Printed at Basil 1534. 147 years ago He saith thus Hoc 〈◊〉 successâ— Danus ferocior effectus Londinum quo 〈…〉 Etheldredum se recepisse mâ—tuâ— causa aggrediendum â—â—â—stituit Itaque c. Which in English is to this sence The Dane being grown more fierce by the success of his Affairs resolved to make his Approaches to London where he understood that Ethelred had retired having therefore prepared all things necessary for his Expedition he proceeds to beleaguer the City and begirt it round by this perillous Attempt either to terrifie the Enemy or try their Strength and Courage On the other side the Citizens although somewhat fearing the effect of so great a Storm yet considering that upon their case depended the General Fate of their Countrey and that this was the Principal City defended themselves bravely some sally out and others annoy the Besiegers from the Walls every one in all places striving to excel others in Bravery of Courage and Gallantry of Action At last though the Danes gave many stout and sharp Assaults yet the Valiant Londoners in Defence of their King notwithstanding the peril of such an Enterprize gather into a Body and set open the Gates and ran upon the Enemy with great Fury and Courage But the Dane whilst he encourages his men and was striving to compleat the Victory which he thought he was almost in possession of is incompassed and beset on all sides and his men slain in great numbers yet he breaks out through his Enemies Weapons and with the residue of his before huge but now Routed Army marching night and day arrives at Bath in two days c. So far he This happened almost sixty years before the Conquest in the days of Ethelred King Sweyne being then King of Denmark After the death of this Sweyne his Son Canutus afterwards King of England besieged London both by Land and Water but after much dangerous labour judging it impregnable by the obstinate Valour of the Defendants he departed but returned with greater Forces the same year and besieged the City again but the Citizens behaved themselves so gallantly and destroyed so many of his Souldiers that he was forced to betake himself to a shameful flight In the dissention between King Edward the Coâ—fessor and his Father-in-law Earl Godwyn which was the mightiest Subject within this Realm the Earl with great Army came to London yet was by the Citizens resisted till by means of the Nobility they were reconciled Seventy years after the Conquest Maud the Empress made War upon King Stephen for the Right of the Crown and had taken his Person Prisoner but by the Strength of the Londoners and Kentish-men she was routed at Winchester and her Brother Robert Earl of Glocester was taken in exchange for whom King Stephen was delivered In the year 1383 but Polidore Virgil says Anno 1581. about 4 R. II. and 298 years ago there fell out an Accident which created much disturbance in the Kingdom and particularly in London occasioned as I find Recorded in several Chronicles through the Rudeness of a Poll-money Collector who coming into the house of one John Tyler at Deptford in Kent demanded of his Wife Poll-money for her Husband her Self their Servants and Daughter the Woman alledges that the Daughter was not of Age to pay The rude Fellow said he would try that and by force immodestly turns up her Coats having in several places as was reported used the same trial the Mother makes an Out-cry and Neighbours run in her Husband being at work hard by and hearing the noise comes in with his Lathing-Staff in his hand for he was a Tyler with which after he had reasoned a while with the Collector who gave him provoking Language and strook at him he knock'd his Brains out and making his Appeal to the People who were apt to receive any occasion of Tumult he so incensed them with the help of a Factious Clergy-man one John Ball that the Commons from divers parts drew together and whether beginning in Kent or Essex they drew into their Faction the Commons of Sussex Hertfordshire Cambridgeshire Suffolk Norfolk and other Shires and apprehending all Passengers made them swear to be true to K. Richard and never to receive any King that should be called John which they did for the Envy they bore to John Duke of Lancaster Thus their Number still increased that by that time they were come so far as Black-Heath they were esteemed to be One hundred thousand They took upon them to cut off the Heads of all that professed the Law Justices of the Peace the Countrey Jarors and any person that they thought to be learned especially if they found any to have Pen and Ink they pull'd off his Hood and with one voice cry'd Hale him out and cut off his Head and it was immediately done They resolved to burn all Court-Rolls and Records with all old Monuments Their Chaplain John Ball a wicked Priest advised them to destroy all the Nobility and Clergy so that there should be no Bishop in England but one Archbishop which should be himself and that there should not be above two Religious persons in one house but that their Possessions should be divided among the Laity for which Doctrine they held him as a Prophet The King was at this time at Windsor but removed in all haste to the Tower of London to whom repaired the Archbishop of Canterbury Chancellor the Bishop of London the Prior of St. John Treasurer the Earls of Buckingham Kent Arundel Warwick Suffolk Oxford and Salisbury and others of the Nobility and Gentlemen to the number of 600. The Commons of Essex came on the other part of the River Thames From Black-Heath the Kentish Rebels came to Southwark and broke open the Prisons of the Marshalsea and the Kings-Bench with other Prisons and let out the Prisoners The Essex Rebels spoiled the Archbishop's house at Lambeth and burnt all the Goods with the Books Registers and Remembrances of the Chancery with several other Outrages Then they came to London over the Bridge and sent for one Richard Lyon a grave Citizen who had been Tyler's Master and struck off his Head carrying it upon a Pole in Triumph before them The next day they came to the Savoy the Duke of Lancaster's House which they set on Fire burning all the rich Furniture breaking in pieces Plate and Jewels to an extraordinary value and then throwing them into the Thames saying They were men of Justice and would not like Robbers enrich themselves with any mans Goods And when one of their Fellows was seen to convey a fair piece of Plate into his bosom they took him and threw him and that into the Fire Thirty two of them were got into the Dukes Wine-Cellar where they stay'd Drinking so long that they were not able to come out in time but were shut in with Wood and