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A44732 Londinopolis an historicall discourse or perlustration of the city of London, the imperial chamber, and chief emporium of Great Britain : whereunto is added another of the city of Westminster, with the courts of justice, antiquities, and new buildings thereunto belonging / by Jam. Howel Esq. Howell, James, 1594?-1666. 1657 (1657) Wing H3091; ESTC R13420 281,998 260

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that it may seem sufficient to receive any multitudes of people whatsoever Because therefore Bishop Maurice carried a mind beyond all measure in this project he transmitted the cost and charge of so laborious a piece of work unto those that came after In the end when B. Richard his Successor had made over all the Revenues belonging unto the B●shoprick to the building of this Cathedrall Church sustaining himself and his family otherwise in the mean while he seemed in a manner to have done just nothing notwithstanding that he spent his whole substance thereabout and yet small effects came thereof The West part as also the Cross Isle are very spacious high built and goodly to be seen by reason of such huge Columns and are marvellously beautified with an arch'd roo● of stone Where these four parts crosse one another meet in one there ariseth up a mighty large lofty Tower upon which stood a spire Steeple cover'd with lead mounting up to a wonderful altitude for it was no less than five hundred and five and thirty foot high from the ground which in the year 1087 was set on fire by lightning and burnt with a great part of the City but being rebuilt was afterwards fi'rd again with lightening about an hundred and fifty years ago and was not perfectly repair'd ever since The measure and proportion of this stately structure shall be here set down out of an old authentick Writer who saith that Saint Pauls Church containeth in length 690 foot the breadth thereof is 130 foot the height of the West arch'd roof from the ground carrieth 102 foot and the new fabrique from the ground is 88 foot high c. The ground belonging to this great Temple in nature of a Coemitery or Church yard was of vast expansion for it reach'd North as far as St. Nicholas market place West almost as far as Ludgate and South near to Baynards Castle Now as they say that Rome was not built in a day no more was this great and glorious Sanctuary but a long tract of time and some Ages pass'd before it came to be entirely compleated and made a perfect Crosse which is the exact shape of it Nor did there want many advantages according to the Genius of those times to advance the work for persons of good rank besides pecuniary Contributions did labour themselves therein in their own persons thinking to do God Almighty good service to have a hand in rearing up his Temple Besides It was an ordinary thing for the ghostly Father to lay penances upon some penitentiaries as Masons Carpenters Bricklayers Playsterers and others to work so many daies gratis in the building before they could get an absolution Insomuch that it may be said that as Pauls Church was partly ●ailt by the sinnes of the people so it is now destroyed by the sins of the people That there stood in old time a Fane or Pagan Temple to Diana in this place as before was hinted some have more than only conjectur'd for there are Arguments to make this conjecture good Certain old houses adjoyning are in the ancient Records of the Church call'd Diana's Chamber and in the Church-yard while Edward the first raign'd an incredible number of Ox-heads were found as we find in our Annals which the common sort at that time wondred at as the sacrifices of the Gentiles and the learned know that Taurapolia were celebrated to the honour of Diana But ever since this Temple was erected it hath been the See of the Bishops of London and the first Bishop it had under the English some hundred years after Theon the Br●t●sh Bishop was Melitus a Roman consecrated by Austin Archbishop of Canterbury in honour of which Austin though flat against the Decree of Pope Gregory the great the Ensigns of the Archbishoprick and the Metropolitan See were translated from London to Canterbury Within this grand Cathedral there lieth Saint Erkenwald as also Sebba King of the East Saxons who gave over his Kingdom to serve Christ King Etheldred who was an oppresser rather than a Ruler of this Kingdom cruel in the beginning wretched in the middle and shameful in his end so outragious he was in connivency to parricides so infamous in his flight and effeminacy and so disastrrous in his death Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Sir Simon de Burlie a right noble Knight of the Garter executed by encroch'd authority without the Kings assent Sir Iohn de Beauchamp Lord VVarden of the Cinque-ports Iohn Lord Latimer Sir Iohn Mason Knight William Harbert Earl of Pembrook Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the great Seal of England a man of a deep reach and exquisite judgement Sir Philip Sid●ey Sir Francis Walsingham two famous Knights Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chancellor of England and a great many Worthies more lodge there until the Resurrection Besides this Church there is not any other work of the English Saxons extant in London for why they continued not long in perfect peace considering that the VVest Saxons subdued the East Saxons and London began to be tributary to the Mercians Scarcely were these civil Wars hush'd when a new tempest brake out of the North I mean the Danes who pitiously tore in pieces this whole Countrey and shook this City very sore for the Danes brought her under subjection but Alfred recover'd her out of their hands and after he had repair'd her he gave her unto Ethelred Earl of the Mercians who had married his daughter yet those wastful depopulators did what they could afterwards to win her by siege but Canutus who specially by digging a new Channel attempted to turn away the Thames from her though the labour was lost the Citizens did still manfully repel the force of the enemy yet were they alarm'd and terrified ever and anon by them until they lovingly receiv'd and admitted as their King VVilliam Duke of Normandy whom God design'd to be born for the good of England against those so many spoilers presently whereupon the winds were layed the clouds dispell'd and golden daies shone upon her since which time she never sustain'd any signal calamity but through the special favour and indulgence of Heaven and bounty of Princes obtain'd very large and great immunities for she began to be call'd the Kings Chamber and so flourished anew with fresh Trade and concourse of Marchants that William of Malmsbury who liv'd nere those times term'd it A noble and wealthy City replenish'd with rich Citizens and frequented with the Commerce of Occupiers and Factors coming from all parts Fitz-Stephen living also in those daies hath left in writing that London at that time counted 122 Parish Churches and thirteen Convents or Monasteries of Religious Orders Moreover he relates that when a Muster was made of able men to bear Arms they brought into the field under divers Colours 40000 Foot and 20000 Horsemen London about this time began to display h●r wings and spread her train very wide
Buildings did much increase and the Suburbs strerch'd forth from the Gates a great way on every side but Westward especially which may be said to be best peopled and the civillest part For there all the twelve Inns of Court are situate for the Students of the Law whereof fower being very fait and large belong to the Iudicial Courts the rest to the Chancery Besides two Inns more for the Servientes ad legem or the Sargeants at Law ●ere such a number of young Gentlemen do so ply their Studies in all kind of Sciences and other civilities besides the Law that for a choyse way of Education and Gallantry Sir Iohn Fortescue in his Treatise of the Lawes of England doth affirm It is not inferior to any place of Christendom The said four principal Houses are the Inner Temple the middle Temple Graies Inne and Lincolns Iune The two former stand in the very same place where in times pass'd during the Raign of King Henry the second Heraclius Patriark of Ierusalem consecrated a Church for the Knight-Templers which they had newly built according to the form of the Temple neer unto the Sepulcher of our Saviour at Ierusalem for at their first Institution about the yeer of our Lord 1113. they dwelt in part of the Temple hard by the Holy Sepulcher whereof they were so named and vow'd to defend Christian Religion the Holy Land and Pilgrims going to visit the holy Sepulcher against all Mahumetans and Infidels professing to live in chastity and obedience whereupon all men voluntarily and with candid Christian hearts embrac'd and honor'd them so that through the royal munificence of Princes and other devout people having got very fair possessions and exceeding great wealth they flourish'd in a high reputation for piety and devotion yea out of an opinion of the holiness of the men and of the Place King Henry the third and many Noblemen desired much to be buried in their Church among them where some of their Statues are to be seen crosse-legd to this day for so they were used to be buried in that Age having taken upon them the Crosse to serve in the holy Warres and vow'd the same accordingly among whom was William Marshall the elder a powerful man in his time VVilliam and Gilbert his Sonnes Marshals of England and Earls of Pembroke Upon VVilliam the Elder there were in the upper part engraven these words Comes Pembrochiae and upon one side this Verse Miles eram Martis Mars multos vicerat armis But in process of time when with insatiable greediness they had hoarded up much wealth by withdrawing Tithes from many Churches and appropriating spiritual Livings unto themselves and by other meanes their riches turn●d to their ruine which may be one day the fortune of the Jesuites as I heard Count Gondamar once say For thereby their former innocence and piety began to be stifled they sell a clashing with other Religious Orders their professed obedience to the Patriark of Ierusalem was rejected they dr●w daily more envy upon themselves and an ill repute insomuch-that in the yeer 1312. this Order was condemned of impiety other hainous crimes all this by the Popes Authority but specially by the instigation of the French King they were utte●ly abolished Nevertheless their possessions here were by Authority of Parliament assigned unto the Knights Hospitalers of St. Iohn of Ierusalem lest that such Lands given to Religious and good uses should be alienated against the pious Donors Wills Yet it appeares in ancient writings that this place after the expulsion of the Templers was the Seat and Habitation of Thomas Earl of Lancaster and Sir Hugh Spencer King Edward the seconds Minion afterwards of Sir Aimer de Valence Earl of Pembrook and in the end turned to two Colleges or Inns of Court for the study of the Lawes The other two great Inns were also the mansions of Noble men Grayes Inne of the Lord Grey of Wilton and the other of the Earls of Lincoln Neer unto this Henry the third erected between the two Temples a House for Converts as they call'd it for the maintenance of those that were con●erted from Iudaisme to Christianity which Edward the third afterwards made an Archive to keep Rolls and Records in and therefore 't is called to this day The Rolls In the yeer 1381. the Rebels of Essex and Kent among other places destroyed and pulled down the Lodgings and Houses of this Temple took out of the Church the Books and Records that were in hutches of the Apprentices of the Law carried them out into the street and burnt them The House they spoiled and burnt also out of an hatred they bore to Sir Robert Hales Lord Prior of St. Iohn of Jerusalem which was a place of so high a Dignity that the Prior of St. John's was accounted the first Parliamentary Peer of England But the said House at sundry times was repaired again and touching the Gate-house of the middle Temple Sir Amias Paulet did build it up while he remained Prisoner having incur'd the indignation of Cardinal Wolsey for an old grudge The great Hall in the middle Temple was built about the yeer 1572. in the Raign of Queen Elizabeth The Temple-Church had of old a Master and four stipendary Priests with a Clerk for the ministration of divine service who had allowance given them out of the Revenues of St. John of Jerusalem and that Hospital but now by the revolution of time and Ecclesiastical alterations they have but one Minister to serve them Of fresh water Rivers Aqueducts Conduits and Fountains that belong to the City of LONDON AS the principal thing that conduceth to the health of humane bodies is the blood that runneth through their Veins so the chiefest thing that tends to the welfare of a City is to have Springs and Conduits of fresh water run within her therefore we will proceed now to give an account of those ancient and present Rivers Brooks Boorns Pools Wells Conduits and Aqueducts which serve to refresh the City of London In former Ages until the Conquerors time and long after the City of London was watred besides the River of Thames on the South part with the River of Wells as it was then call'd and on the West with water call'd Wallbrook running through the midst of the City to pay Tribute unto the Thames There was another water or boorn which run within the City through Langborn Ward watring the East part In the West Suburbs was also another great Water call'd Oldborn which had its fall into the River of Wells Then were there 3. principal Fountains or Wells in the other Suburbs to wit Holy Well Clements Well and Clarks Well Near unto this last named Fountain were divers other Wells viz. Fags well Skinners well Tode well Loders well and Rad well All which Wells having the fall of their over-flowings into the said River much encreased the stream and in that place gave it the name of Well In West-Smithfield
Company by Sir VVilliam Bridges Knight first Garter King at Arms in Blazon are thus Three Sun Beams issuing out of three Clouds of flame crowned with three Crowns Imperials of Gold upon a Shield Azure From this Hall on the same side down to the Grates and course of VVallbrooke have ye divers fair houses for Marchants and other from the which Grates back again on the other side in Lotisbury so called in Record of Edward the third the thirty eighth year and now corruptly called Lothbury are Candlestick founders placed till ye come to Bartholmew Lane so called of Saint Bartholmew's Church at the South-east corner thereof In this Lane also are divers fair builded Houses on both sides and so likewise have ye in the other street which stretcheth from the Fryers Augustines South gate to the corner over against Saint Bennets Church In this street amongst other fair buildings the most ancient was of old time an house pertaining to the Abbot of Saint Albans Iohn Catcher Alderman after dwelled there Then is the free School pertaining to the late dissolved Hospital of Saint Anthony whereof more shall be shewed in another place and so up to Thred-needle-street On the South part of which street beginning at the East by the Well with two Buckets now turned to a Pump is the Parish Church of Saint Martin called Oteswitch of Martin de Oteswitch Nicholas de Oteswich William Oteswich and Iohn Oteswich Founders thereof and all buried there as appeareth by their Monuments There is also there a fair engraven Stone with a Latine Epitaph upon the Lord Iames Fulkes Treasurer of Holland and Ambassador for the States of the united Provinces here in England Sir Thomas Row gave 5 l. to perpetuity to this Parish to buy Bread and Coals for the poor Some small distance from thence is the Merchant-Taylors Hall pertaining to the Guild and Fraternity of Saint Iohn Baptist time out of mind called of Taylors and Linnen Armorers of London For we find that King Edward the first in the eight and twentieth of his Reign confirmed this Guild by the name of Taylors and Linnen Armorers and also gave to the Brethren thereof authority every year at Mid-summer to hold a feast and to choose unto them a Governour or Master with Wardens whereupon the same year one thousand three hundred on the Feast day of the Nativity of Saint John Baptist they chose Henry de Ryall to be their P●lgrim For the Master of this Mystery as one that travelled for the whole Company was then so called untill the eleventh year of Richard the second and the four Wardens were then called Purveyers of Alms now called Quartredge of the said Fraternity This Merchant-Taylors Hall sometime perteining to a worthy Gentleman named Edmund Crepin Dominus Creep●ng after some Record he in the year of Christ 1331 the sixth of Edward the third for a certain sum of money to him paid made this grant thereof by the name of his principal Messuage in the Wards of Cornhill and Broad-street which Sir Oliver Ingham Knight did then hold to John of Yakeley the Kings Pavilion-maker This was called the New Hall or Taylors Inne for a difference from their old Hall which was about the back side of the Red Lion in Basing Lane and in the Ward of Cordwayner street The one and twentieth of Edward the fourth Thomas Holm aliàs Clarentiaux King of Armes for the South part of England granted by his Pa●ents to the said Fraternity and Guild of Saint John Baptist of Taylors and Linnen Armorers to beat in a field Silver a Pavilion between two Mantles Imperial Purple garnished with Gold in a chief Azure a holy Lamb set within a Sun the Crest upon the Helm a Pavilion purp●e garnished with Gold c. After this King Henry the seventh was himself a Brother of this Fraternity or Guild of S. Iohn Baptist of Taylors or Linnen Armorers as divers others of his Predecessors Kings had been to wit R●ohard the third Edward the fourth Henry the sixth Henry the fifth Henry the fourth and Richard the second And for that divers of that Fraternity had time out of mi●e been great Merchants and had frequented all sorts of Merchandizes into most parts of the world to the honour of the Kings Realm and to the great profit of his Subjects and of his Progenitors and the men of the said Mystery during the time aforesaid had exercised the buying and selling of all Wares and Merchandizes especially of Woollen Cloth as well in grosse as by retaile throughout all this Realm of England and chiefly within the said City therefore ●e of his especial grace did change transfer and translate the Guild aforesaid and did incorporate them into the name of the Master and Wardens of the Merchant-Taylors of the Fraternity of S. John Baptist in the City of London Some distance West from this Merchant-Taylors Hall is Finkes Lane so called of Robert Finke and Robert Finke his son James Finke and Rosamond Finke Robert Finke the elder new builded the Parish Church of Saint Bennet commonly called Finke of the Founder his Tenements were both of St. Benuets parish and Saint Martins Oteswich Parish the one half of this Finke Lane is of Broad-street ward to wit on the West side up to the great and principal house wherein the said Finke dwelled But on the other side namely the East not so much towards Cornhil Then without this Lane in the aforesaid Threed-Needle street is the said Parish Church of Saint Bennet a handsome Church in which are sundry old Monuments There happened lately a great fire in Threed-Needle street over against Merchant-Taylors Hall which rag●d as far as Saint Bennets Church Walls and there the fury was s●opped otherwi●e it might have destroyed all this City The French Reformers have their Sermons in this Church and the exercise of Calv●n● Religion On the North side of this street from over against the East corner of St. Martins Osteswich Church have ye divers fair and large houses till you come to the Hospital of St. Anthony sometime a Cell of St. Anthonies of Vienna For we read that King Henry the third granted to the Brother-hood of St. Anthony of Vienna a place amongst the Jewes which was sometime their Synagogue and had been builded by them about the year 1231. But the Christians obtained of the King that it should be dedicated to our blessed Lady and since an Hospital being there builded was called St. Anthonies in London It was founded in the Parish of St. Bennet Finke for a Master two Priests one School-master and twelve poor men after which foundation amongst other things was given to this Hospital one Messuage and Garden whereon was builded the fair large Free-School and one other parcel of ground containing thirty seven foot in length and eighteen foot in breadth whereon were builded the Alms-Houses of hard Stone and Timber in the Reign of Henry the sixth Which said Henry the sixth in the twentieth of
to the roof of Timber well and surely covered with Lead But after an hundred and threescore years King Henry the third subverted this Fabrick of King Edwards and built from the very foundation a new Church of very rare Workmanship supported with sundry rowes of Marble Pillars and the roofe covered over with sheets of Lead a piece of work that cost fifty years labour in building which Church the Abbots enlarged very much toward the West end and King Henry the seventh for the burial of himself and his Children adjoyned thereto in the East end a Chappel of admirable artificial elegancy The Wonder of the Worlde as Leland calleth it for a man would say that all the curious and exquisite work that can be devised is there compacted wherein is to be seen his own most stately magnificial Monument all of solid and mass●e Copper This Church when the Monks were driven thence from time to time was altered to and fro with sundry changes First of all it had a Dean and Preb●ndaries soon after one Bishop and no more namely T. Thurlbey who having wasted the Church Patrimony surrendred it to the spoil of Courtiers and shortly after were the Monks with their Abbot ●et in possession again by Queen Mary and when they also within a while after were by authority of Parliament cast out Queen Elizabeth converted it into a Collegiate Church or rather into a Seminary and Nurse-Garden of the Church appointing twelve Prebendaries there and as many old Souldiers past service for Alms-men fourty Schollars who in their due time are preferred to the Universities and from thence sent forth into the Church and Common-weale c. Over these they placed D. B●ll Dean whose Successor was Gabriel Goodman a right good man indeed and of singular integrity and an especial Patron of Literature Within this Church are intombed that I may note them according to their dignity and time wherein they died Sebert the first of that name and first Christian King of the East-Saxons Harold the bastard Son of Canutus the Dane King of England Edward King and Confessour with his Wife Ed●th Maud Wife to King Henry the first the Daughter of Malcolme King of Scots King Henry the third and his Son King Edward the first with Eleanor his Wife Daughter to Ferdinando the first King of Castile and of Leon King Edward the third and Philippa of Henault his Wife King Richard the second and his Wife Anne Sister to VVencelaus the Emperour King Henry the fifth with Katherine his Wife Daughter to Charles the sixth King of France Anne Wife to King Richard the third Daughter to Richard Nevil Earl of VVarwick King Henry the seaventh with his Wife Elizabeth Daughter to Ki●g Edward the fourth and his Mother Margaret Countesse of Richmond King Edward the sixth Anne of Cleave the fourth Wife of King Henry the eighth Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth Prince Henry eldest Son of King Iames the sixth of Scotland and first of England who lies there also interred with Queen Anne his Wife and lastly the first male born of Charles the first dying an Infant Of Dukes and Earls Degree there lie here buried Edmund Earl of Lancaster second Son of King Henry the third and his Wife Aveline de Fortibus Countesse of Albemarle William and Audomar of Valence of the Family of Lusignian Earls of Pembrooke Alphonsus Iohn and other Children of King Edward the first Iohn of Eltham Earl of Cornwall Son to King Edward the second Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester the youngest Son of King Edward the third with other of his Children Eleanor Daughter and Heir of Humphrey Bohun Earl of Hereford and of Essex Wife to Thomas of VVoodstock the young Daughter of Edward the fourth and King Henry the seventh Henry a Child two Months old Son o● King Henry the eighth Sophia the Daughter of King Iames who died as it were in the very first day-dawning of her age Phill●ppa Mohun Dutches of Yorke Robert of Hexault in right of his Wife Lord Bourchier Anne the young Daughter and Heir of Iohn Mowbray Duke of Norfolk promised in marriage unto Richard Duke of York younger Son to K. Edward the 4th Sir Giles Daubeny Lord Chamberlain to King Henry the 7th and his Wife of the house of the Arundels in Cornwal I. Viscount VVells Farnces Brandon Dutchess of Suffolk Marry her Daughter Margaret Douglasse Countesse of Lennox Grandmother to Iames King of great Britain with Charles her Sonne VVinifred Bruges Marchionesse of V●inchestèr Anne Stanhope Dutchess of Sommerset and Iane her Daughter Anne Cecill Countesse of Oxford Daughter to the Lord Burleigh Lord High Treasure of England with Mildred Burghley her Mother Elizabeth Berkeley Countesse of Ormond ●Frances Sidney Countess of Sussex Iames Butler Vicount Thurles Son and Heir to the Earl of Ormond Besides these Humphrey Lord Bourchier of Cromwall Sir Humphrey Bourchier Son and Heir to the Lord Bourchier of Beruers both slain at Bernet field Sir Nicholas Carew Baronesse Powisse T. Lord Wentworth Thomas Lord Wharton John Lord Russel Sir T. Bromley Lord Chancellour of England Douglas Howard Daughter and Heir general of H. Vicount Howard of Bindon Wife to Sir Arthur Gorges Elizabeth Daughter and Heir of Edward Earl of Rutland Wife to William Cecill Sir John Puckering Lord Keeper of the great Seal of England Francis Howard Countesse of Hertford Henry and George Cary the Father and Son Barons of Hundsdon both Lords Chamberlains to Queen Elizabeth the Heart of Anne Sophia the tender Daughter of Christopher Harley Count Beaumont Embassador for the King of France in England bestowed within a small gilt Urne over a Pyramid Sir Charles Blunt Earl of Devonshire Lord Livetenant General of Ireland And whom in no wise we must forget the Prince of English Poets Geoffrey Chaucer as also he that for pregnant wit and an excellent gift in Poetry of all English Poets came nearest unto him Edmund Spencer William Cambden Clarencieux King of Arms Causabon the grea● French Writer Michael Drayton Then there is George Villers Duke Marquiss and Earl of Buckingham favorite to King James and Charles the first The late Earl of Essex with divers other during the Reign of the long Parliament There was also another Colledge or Free-Chappel hard by consisting of a Dean and twelve Chanons Dedicated to St. Stephen which King Edward the third in his princely Magnificence repaired with curious Workmanship and endowed with fair possessions so as he may seem to have built it new the time as he had with his Victories over-run and subdued all France recalling to mind as we read the Charter of the Foundation and pondering in a due weighty devout consideration the exceeding benefits of Christ whereby of his own sweet mercy and pitty he preventeth us in all occasions delivering us although without desert from sundry p●ills and defending us gloriously with his powerful right Hand against the violent assaults of our adversaries with victorious successes and in other
shall be sadled with a saddle of the Arms of the said Bannerer and shall be covered with ●indalls of the said Arms. Moreover they shall present unto him twenty pounds Starling money and deliver it to the Chamberlain of the said Bannerer for his expences that day Then the said Bannerer shall mount on Horseback with the Banner in his hand and as soon as he is up he shall say to the Lord Maior that he cause a Marshal to be chosen for the Host one of the City which Marshal being nam'd the said Bannerer shall command the Maior and Burgesses of the City to warn the Commons to assemble and they shall all go under the Banner of St. Paul and the said Bannerer shall bear it himself unto Ealdgate and there the said Bannerer and the Maior shall deliver the said Banner from thence to whom they shall assent and think good And in case they make any issue out of the City then the said Bannerer ought to choose two out of every Ward the most sage Personages to foresee and look to the safe keeping of the City after they be gone forth And this Councel shall be taken in the priory of the holy Trinity near unto Aldgate And also before every Town or Castle they shall besiege if the siege continue a whole year the said Bannerer shall have for every siege one hundred shillings and no more of the Comminalty of London These be the Rights that the said Bannerer shall have in time of War But the Rights that belong unto the said Bannerer Sir Rob Fitzwater in time of peace are these that is to say The said Robert hath a Soke or Ward in the City that is to say a Wall of the Canonry of St. Paul unto the Thames so to the side of the Mill which is in the water that cometh from Fleet bridge so goeth by London walls betwixt the Fryars Preachers Ludgate so returneth back by the house of the said Fryrs unto the said Walls of the said Canonry of St. Pauls viz. all the Parish of St. Andrews which is in the gift of his Ancestors by the said Signority And so the said Robert hath appendant unto the said Soke all these things under-written if any of the Sokemanry be impleaded in Guild-hall of any thing that toucheth not the Body of the Lord Mayor or the Sheriffs for the time being it is not lawful for the Sokeman of the Sokmanry of the said Robert to demand a Court of the said Robert And the Mayor and the Citizens of London ought to grant him a Court and in his Court he ought to bring his Judgments as it is assented and agreed upon in the Guild-hall that shall be given him If any therefore be taken in his Sokemanry he ought to have his stocks and imprisonment in his Soke and he shall be brought thence to the Guild-hall before the Mayor and there they shall provide him his judgement that ought to be given of him but his judgement shall not be publish'd till he come unto the Court of the said Robert and in his Liberty And the Judgement shall be such that if he have deserved death for Treason he is to be tied to a Post in the Thames at a good Wharf where Boats are fastened two ebbings and two flowings of the water And if he be condemn'd for a common thief he ought to be led to the Elmes and there suffer his judgement as other thieves So the said Robert and his Heirs hath the honour that he holdeth a great Franchise within the City that the Mayor of the City and the Cittizens are bound to do him of Right viz. that when the Mayor will hold a great Councel he ought to call the said Robert and his Heir to be with him in the Councel of the said City and the said Robert ought to be sworn of the Councell of the said City against all people saving the King and his Heirs And when the said Robert comes to the Hustings in the Guild-hall of the said City the Mayor or his Livetenant ought to rise and set him down to sit neer him and so long as he is in the Guild-hall all the judgements ought to be given by his mouth according to the Records of the Recorders of the said Guildhall And so many Waifes as come while he he is there he ought to give them to the Bayliffs of the said Town or to whom he will by the Councel of the City These are the ancient Franchises that belong to the Bannerer of London as they stand upon ancient authentick Records But when this honor fell from the Fitzwaters and from Baynards Castle 't is incertain Now that Castle fell afterwards to the Earl of March who was Crown'd there by the Title of Edward the fourth to whom this City stuck very close But in the seventh year of King Edward's Reign many of the greatest men of London were attach'd for Treason with divers Aldermen whereof though they were acquitted yet they did forfeit their goods to the value of 40000 marks among whom Sir Thomas Coke Sir Iohn Plummer and Humfrey Howard were of the number And the said Coke Lord Mayor a little before was committed to the Tower with one Hawkins nor could Coke be acquitted until he had paied 8000 Marks to the King Henry the seventh rode in Majesty through the City with all the Knights of St. George from the Tower to St. Pauls Church where they heard Vespers and so the King lodg'd that night at Baynards Castle which he had newly repair'd before Queen Mary was also proclaim'd there notwithstanding that the Lady Jane had been proclaim'd a little before There was also another Tower or Castle near adioyning unto Baynards Castle which was call'd Legates Inne but now there is no trace of it le●t There was also another Castle call'd the Tower of Monfiquet spoken of a little before upon the River of Thames more Westward where afterwards a Monastery of Fryars was erected call'd to this day the Black fryars first built by Kelwarby Archbishop of Canterbury to whom the Mayor of London gave two Lanes or wayes adjoyning to Baynards Castle There was also another Tower stood there above 300 years which was demolished by Iohn Sha Lord Mayor of London Anno 1502 the King giving leave to do it There was another Tower or Castle that stood in the same place that Bride-well now stands which being demolished yet notwithstanding there was a Royal Palace stood still where the Kings of England kept their Courts and call'd Parliaments and among others it stands upon good Record that King Iohn summoned a Parliament thither where he exacted of the Clergy in a Parliament held at Saint Brides in London 100000 Marks and besides this the white Monks were compelled to cancel their Priviledges and pay the King 40000 Marks This House of Saint Brides of later time being left and not used or inhabited fell to ruine yet the Platform still remained
only in English Moreover there is in and about the City of London a whole University as it were of Students Practisers or Pleaders and Judges of the Lawes of England not living of common Salaries as is used in other Academies but of their private maintenance as being supported by their own means or practise or exhibition from their friends In so much that most of them are Sons younger Brothers to wealthy Parents where besides the knowledge of the Laws they learn all other civilities and exercises besides Of these Nurseries or Societies there are fourteen whereof nine do stand within the Liberties of the City and five without Those that stand within the Liberties are Sargeants Inne in Fleet-street Sargeants Inne in Chancery Lane the two Temples which are called Inns of Court The other are Cliffords Inne Thavies Inne in Holborn Furnevals Inne Barnards Inne and Staples Inne which are termd Inns of Chancery Without the Liberties there is Grayes Inne in Holburn Lincolns Inne which are Inns of Court Clements Inne New Inne and Lions Inne which are houses of Chancery In former time there was in Scroops Court in Holborn an Inne of Sargeants also There was likewise where Somerset House now stands Chesters Inne or Strand Inne in the liberty of the Dutchy of Lancaster which was pull'd down with many other Buildings to make room for Somerset House who had also his materials from St. John of Ierusalem which some held to be no better than Sacr●●edge and therefore that fatal death to be beheaded befell the Duke of Somerset who with his Councel were it seems so infatuated that they forgot to call for his Clergy whereby by the Lawes of England he might have bin saved Justice Fortescue makes mention also of a tenth house of Chancery but he names not the place The choisest gentliest most ingenious wi●s of the Land are founds among these Students of the Inns of Court having cōmonly bin graduates before in one of the Universities But the Inns of Chancery being as it were Provinces subjected severally to the Inns of Court be chiefly made up of Attorneys Sollicitors and Clerks that follow the Courts of Westminster Hall yet many of them remove to one of the great Inns of Court where continuing seven years and frequenting Readings Mootings Boltings and other learned Exercises they improve themselves in the knowledge of the Lawes they are then by the consent of the Benchers who are most commonly of the grave and learned sort selected call'd to the degree of Utter Barristers and so enabled to be Practitioners in the Law both in their Chamber and at the Barre in open Court Of these after they be call'd to a further step of preferment 2. were used to be chosen every year to be Readers who make two Readings every year out of some choise hard points in the Law one in Lent the other in August Out of these Benchers and Readers Sergeants at Law are made and of them the Judges unlesse it be that some by special favour of the Prince are chosen otherwise But being made Sergeants they leave the Inns of Court and remove to one of the Sergeants Inns where they only and the reverend Judges are admitted Touching the two Temples they are discoursed of here in another place But concerning Grayes Inne and Lincolns Inne they took their denominations from two noble Lords who had formerly Palaces in those places where those two Innes now stand The one is singular for a curious Chappel it hath the other for choise delicate Walks high and low with a large delightful prospect that carrieth the optiques very far where the choisest beauties both of City and Suburbs use to resort in the Summer to solace themselves and breath fresh aire Thus have we rambled through the City of London and waded hitherto through universals wherein there is not alwaies plain-dealing we will now hunt dry foot after particulars and find out the Primitive mode method of Government which London had with the Titles of her chief Magistrates We will then Muster her twelve prime Companies with all the rest of her Corporations Then a Perambulation shall be made through all her Precincts Aldermanries and Wards as far as the point of the Lord Mayors Sword doth reach Then shall there be a Parallel 'twixt London and other the greatest Cities in the world wherein it will appear to the impartial discerning Reader that if consideration be had to the Prerogatives and power of her chiefest Magistrates to their plenty magnificence and hospitality to the security of Passengers up and down her streets at midnight as well as at noon daies The City of London admits no Parallel Of the Political Government and Civil Sway of the City of London IT is no incongruous allusion that some Polititians make when they compare a City to a great Ship whereof Government is the Healm and Rudder which regulate and guide her course Good Lawes and Constitutions are the Cables and Ligaments The Main-Mast is Religion and the Standard of the Crosse the Foremast is Honour and Renown the Mise● Mast is Trade and Wealth Iudgement and Prudence is the Ballast Authority and strength the Artillery This Comparison may quadrat with London as much as with any other City on the surface of the Earth The Lord Maior is as the Pilot and Master the Aldermen his Mates the Recorder and Sheriffs the chief Gunners the Scavengers the Swabbers other inferior Officers are the Mariners to weigh Anchors to hoise and furle the Sails c. Touching the primitive Government of London in the time of the Britains Antiquity scarce affords us any light whereby to discern what it was Caesar gives us most when he writes that Mandrubacius was King of the Londoners or the Trinobants which last word extends also to some of the Counties adjacent But it may be wondred that Iulius Caesar should know so much in regard that He never took firm footing in Great Britain but by way of exploration did only d'scover Her Augustus and Tiberius may be said to conceal Her Caligula intending an Invasion was diverted by his Warres with the Germans Claudi●s Caesar from whom Glocester takes her name being no other then Castrum Claud●● the Castle of Claudius was the first that fixt here and he sent over Publius Agriola for his Lieutenant who took great pains to civilize the Nation and as he was about the work he sent notice to Rome that he preferred the British wits before the Gallic Then was London made a Praefectura and the Magistrate in chief was called Praefect as he of Rome is called to this day this Title continued all the time that the Romans had dominion here which was above 300 years Afterwards the Romans having so many great Irons in the fire by Warres they had against divers Nations who had revolted from them they drain'd this Iland not only of great numbers of the British Youth to serve them in their Warres abroad but drew
away at last their own Legions whereupon the Iland being thus grown weak much depopulated and to a long de●uetude of Arms the Saxons who are now the English yet keep still their first denomination of Saxons both in the British and Irish Tongues to this day came over with a considerable strength and having in a Parly on Salsbury Plains musiered most of the British Nobility by a stratagem and taken Vortiger the King Prisoner He for his ransom was forc'd to give not only London but most part of the Iland to the Saxons And the chief Magistrate of London they call'd Portreve which is a Gardian or Governour of a Port and that name is yet used in England in some places The Saxons then changed their names into Englishmen yet they continued Pagans a long time after but at last the Britains converted them to Christianity and then the City of London flourished exceedingly for many Ages till there came over a swarm of Danes who proved more fatal to London then any other Nation for by fire and sword they had almost utterly destroyed Her had not the Londoners at last rowz'd up their spirits who making vertue of necessity did fall upon King Swein the insulting Enemy with such a resolution that by a mighty slaughter and extraordinary prowesse they utterly repel'd him The City having recovered her former lustre though 't was a good while first she continued under the English Government and the Magistracy of a Portreve till the Norman rush'd in yet the Title was not alter'd a good while after when at last he came to be call'd Bayliffe and sometimes Provost Richard the first for supporting the Croy sada and his Warres in the Holy Land got great Contributions of monies from the Londoners in lieu whereof he gave them leave to choose two Bayliffs annually King Iohn after him chang'd their Bayliffs into a Maior and two Sheriffs To these Henry the third adds some Aldermen who though yeerly Elegible at first grew afterwards Perpetual Now this Word Alderman is consonant to Senator being both derived from old Age and Gravity The first Alderman we read of in England was in the time of King Edgar about 800 years agoe whose name was Ailwine and was descended of the blood Royal as appeares by his Epitaph in that goodly Monastery in the I le of Ely whereof he was founder himself which Epitaph runs thus Hic requiescit Dom. Ailwinus inclyti Regis Edgari Cognatus totius Angliae Aldermannus hujus Sacri coenobii miraculosus Fundator Here resteth the Lord Ailwine Cousin to Noble King Edgar Alderman of all England which some interpret chief Justice miraculous Founder of this holy Abbey Hence it may be infer'd that the appellation of Alderman is not only venerable but ancient honourable And from this Lord Ailwine it seemes the first Maior of London descended who was Henry Fitz-Alwin Anno 1191. who continued many years in the Office lies buried in St. Mary Bothaw near London-stone and the next Maior to him was Roger Fitz-Alwin after whom he Office grew annual The City being thus in tract of time come to a fixed and setled Government she began to flourish exceedingly And as she increased in Men Manufactures and Merchandizing so the Kings did enlarge their royal favours unto Her Anno 1226. Henry the third confirmed unto the Citizens of London free Warren or liberty to hunt about the City and in the Warren of Stanes Moreover that the Citizens of London should passe Toll-free throughout all England and that the Keddles and Weres in the Rivers of Thames and Medway should be plucked up and destroyed for ever because Navigation to London might be more free Roger Renger was Maior when these Patents were granted A few years after the liberties and franchises of London were ratified by the same King who granted that either Sheriff should have two Clarks and two Sargeants and that the Citizens should have a Common Seal A little after the same King granted that the Maior Elect should be presented to the Barons of the Exchequer and they should admit him Moreover he gave way that the City should be fortified with Pos●s and Iron Chains drawn athwart over the streets Anno 1326. Edward the third much increased the Immunities of the City and the Authority of the Maior for he granted that the Maior should be Iustice for the Gaol delivery at Newgate and have power to reprieve Prisoners That the Citizens of London should not be constrained to go out of the City of London to any Warre He granted also that the liberties and franchises of the City should not after that time be taken into the Kings hands as it had bin often before when a Custos was put in Moreover He granted by Letters Patents that there should be no other Eschetor in the City but the Maior Anno 1338. He granted that the Sargeants attending the Maior and the Sheriffs should bear Maces silver and gilt with the Royal Arms engraven Anno 1356. The same King ordained that whereas the Aldermen were used to be chang'd yeerly they should not be removed without special cause for the future Then for the higher honour and Authority of the Office the Sword was added with the Cap of Maintenance Thus in proce●s of time the Government of London grew to be more and more established Anno 1415. Sir Henry Barton being Maior ordained Lanthorns and Lights to be hang'd out on the Winter Evenings betwixt Alhollontide and Candlemas Sir Iohn Norman being Maior was the first who went upon the River to Westminster having made a stately Barge to that purpose Anno 1453. And the rest of the Companies followed that laudable Example with their Barges also Anno 1473. Sir Iohn Tate being Maior the Sheriffs of London were appointed each of them to have sixteen Serjeants and every Serjeant to have his Yeoman Moreover they were to have six Clerks a Secondary a Clark of the Papers with fower other Clarks besides the Under Sheriffs Clark Anno 1484. It happened that there was successively one after the other three Mayors and three Sheriffs of London in the compasse of one year by reason of the sweating sickness which rag'd so extreamly Anno 1501. Sir John Sha being Maior added some state to the Office for it was ordered that the Aldermen his Brethren should attend him on Horseback from Guild-hall to the Rivers side when he took Barge for Westminster Besides he was the first who kept Court in his own House for redressing of such matters that came before him Sir William Capel being Maior of London caus'd Cages to be set up in every Ward for the punishments of Vagabends and Rogues Anno 1556. Sir Thomas Ossley being Mayor the Night Bel-man was first ordained Queen Elizabeth did much favour the City of London and for the better Government thereof gave way for a Provost Marshal to be appointed Thus have we observed that the Governours in chief of the City of
was added and given by John VVhitwell Isabel his Wife and William Rus or Rous Alderman and Goldsmith about the year 1430 which Bell named Rus nightly at eight of the clock and otherwise for Knels and in Peals rung by one man by the space of 160 years of late over-haled by four or five at once hath been thrice broken and new cast within the space of ten years to the charges of that Parish more than 100 marks And here note of this Steeple Upon St. James night certain men in the loft next under the Bell● ringing of a peal a tempest of Lightning and Thunder did arise and an ugly-shapen sight appeared to them coming in at the South Window and lighted on the North for fear whereof they all fell down and lay as dead for the time letting the Bells ring and cease of their own accord When the Ringers came to themselves they found certain stones o the North Window to be raised and scratched as if they had been so much Butter printed with a Lions claw The same stones were fastned there again and so remain till this day they may be seen to this day together with the holes where the claws had entred three or four inches deep At the same time certain main Timber posts at Queen-Hith were scratched and cleft from top to the bottome and the Pulpit-crosse in Pauls Church-yard was likewise scratcht cleft and overturned One of the Ringers lived in Queen Elizabeths time who would verifie the same to be true to his knowledge Robert Fabian Alderman and Chronicler of England lieth buried in this Church with divers others persons of note This Parish Church hath on the South side thereof a handsome Cloyster and a fair Church-yard with a Pulpit-cross not much unlike to that in Pauls Church-yard Sir John Rudstone Mayor caused the same Pulpit-crosse in his life time to be builded the Church-yard to be enlarged by ground purchased of the next Parish and also hansome Houses to be raised for lodging of Quire men such as at that time were assitants to Divine Service then daily sung by note in that Church Then have ye Burchover Lane so called of Burchover the first builder and owner thereof now corruptly called Birchin Lane the North half whereof is the said Cornhill Ward the other half is of Langborn Ward This Lane and the High-street neer adjoyning hath been of old inhabited for the most part with wealthy Drapers in whose room now Mercers and Silkmen are come from Birchover Lane on that side the street down to the Stocks in the Reign of Henry the sixth had ye for the most part dwelling there Frippers or Upholders that sold Apparrel and old houshold stuff The Popes-head Taverne with other Houses adjoyning strongly builded of Stone hath of old time been all in one appertaining to some great Estate or rather to the King of this Realm as may be supposed both by largenesse thereof and by the Armes to wit three Leopards passant gardant which was the whole Arms of England before the Reign of Edward the Third that quartered them with the Armes of France the three Flower de Luces Of the Eighth Ward or Aldermanry of the City of LONDON called Langborn Ward VVE are now by discourse and degrees of observation come to Langbourn Ward so called of a long Bourn of sweet water which of old time breaking out into Fenne Church-street ran down the same street and Lom●ard street to the West end of St. Mary Woolnoths Church where turning South and breaking into small floares rills or streams it gave the name of Share-borne Lane or South-borne Lane as we read because it ran South to the River of of Thames This Ward beginneth at the West end of Ealdgate Ward in Fen-Church street by the Ironmongers Hall which is on the North side of that street at a place called Culver Alley where sometime was a Lane through which men went into Lime-street but that being long since stopped up for suspition of Theeves that lurked there by night as is shewed in Lime-street Ward there is now in this said Alley a Tennis-Court c. Fen-Church-street took that name of Fenny or Moorish ground so made by means of this Bourne which passed through it And therefore until this day in the Guild-Hall of this City that Ward is called by the name of Langbourne and Fenny about and not otherwise yet others be of opinion that it took that name of Faenum that is Hay sold there as Grass-street took the name of Grasse or Herbs there sold. In the midst of this street standeth a small Parish Church called S. Gabriel Fen-Church corruptly Fan-Church Helming Legget Esquire by Licence of Edward the third in the fourty ninth of his Reign gave one Tenement with a cur●elarge thereto belonging and a Garden with an entrey thereto leading unto Sir Iohn Hariot Parson of Fen-Church and to his Successors for ever the House to be a Parsonage House the Garden to be a Church-yard or burying place for the Parish Then have ye Lombard street so called of the Longobards and other Merchants strangers of divers Nations assembling there twice every day of what original or continuance it hath been ther 's no Record more than that Edward the second in the twelfth of his Reign confirmed a Messuage sometime belonging to Robert Turk abutting on Lombard street toward the South and toward Cornhill on the North for the Marchants of Florence which proveth that street to have had the name of of Lombard street before the Reign of Edward the second The meeting of which Merchants and others there continued until the 22th of December in the year 1568 on the which day the said Merchants began to make their Meetings at the Burse a place then new builded for that purpose in the Ward of Cornhill and was since by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth named the Royal Exchange On the North side of this Ward is Lime street one half whereof on both sides is of this Langbourne Ward and therein on the West side is the Pewterers Hall which Company were admitted to be a Brotherhood in the thirteenth of Edward the fourth At the South West corner of Limestreet standeth a fair Parish Church of St. Dionys called Back-Church new builded in the Reign of Henry the sixth John Bugge Esquire was a great Benefactor to that work as appeareth by his Arms three water-Budgets and his Crest a Morions head graven in the stone-work of the Quire at the upper and end on the North side where he was buried Also John Darby Alderman added thereunto a fair Ile or Chappel on the South side and was there buried about the year 1466. He gave besides sundry Ornaments his dwelling House and others unto the said Church The Lady Wich Sir Edward Osborn Sir James Harvey with divers other persons and Benefactors to that Church lie interred there Then by the four Corners so called of Fen-Church-street in the East Bridge-street on the South Grasse-street on
Ward Then higher in Grasse-street is the Parish Church of St. Bennet called Grass-Church of the Herbe Market there kept this Church also is of the Bridge Ward and the farthest North end thereof The Customes of Grasse-Church Market in the Reign of Edward the third as appears in a Book of Customes were these every forreign Cart laden with Corn or Malt coming thither to be sold was to pay one half penny every Forreign Cart bringing Chee●e two pence every Cart of Corn and Chee●e together if the Cheese be more worth than the Corn two pence and if the Corn be more worth than the Cheese it was to pay a half-penny of two Horses laden with Corn o● Malt the Bayliff had one farthing The Carts of the Franchi●e of the Temple and of Saint Mary Le Grand paid afarching the Carr of the Hospitall of St. Iohn of Ierusalem paid nothing of their proper goods and if the Corn were brought by Merchants to sell again the load paid a half penny c. On the West side of this Ward at the North end of London Bridge is a part of Thames street which is also of this Ward to wit so much as of old time was called Stock-Fishmonger Row of the Stock-Fish-mongers dwelling t●ere down West to a Wa●er-gate of old time called Ebgate since Ebgate Lane and now the Old Swan which is a common stair on the Thames but the passage is very ●arrow by means of encroachments On the South side of Thames street about the Mid-way betwixt the Bridge foot and Ebgate Lane standeth the Fishmongers Hall and divers other fair Houses for Merchants These Fishmongers were sometimes of two several Companies to wit Stock-Fishmongers and Salt-Fishmongers Of who●e antiquity we read that by the name of Fishmongers of London they were for fore-stalling c. contrary to the Laws and constitutions of the City fined to the King at 500 Marks the eighteenth of King Edward the first Moreover that the said Fishmongers hearing of the great victory obtained by the same King against the Scots in the six twentieth of his Reign made a Triumphant and solemn Shew through the City with divers Pageants and more than a thousand Horsemen c. These two Companies of Stock-Fishmongers and Salt-Fishmongers of old time had their severall Halls to wit in Thames street twain in New Fish-street twai● in Old Fish-street twain in each place one for either Company in all six several Halls the Company was so great that it lies upon Records that these Fishmongers have been jolly Citizens and six Mayors have been of their Company in the space of four and twenty years to wit Walter Turk 1350 John Lofkin 1359 John Wreth 1361 John Pechie 1362 Simon Morden 1369 and William Wallworth 1374. It followed that in the year 1382 through the Counsel of John North hampton Draper then being Mayor VVilliam Essex John More Mercer and Richard Northbury the said Fishmongers were greatly troubled hindred of their Liberties and almost destroyed by combinations made against them so that in a Parliament at London the controversie depending between the Mayor and Aldermen of London and the Fishmongers Nic. Exton Speaker for the Fishmongers prayeth the King to receive him and his Company into his protection for fear of corporal hurt whereupon it was commanded either part to keep the peace upon pain of losing all they had Hereupon a Fishmonger starting up replyed that the complain brought against them by the movers c. was but matter of malice for that the Fishmongers in the Reign of Edward the 3d. being chief Officers of the City had for their misdemeanors then done committed the chief exhibitors of those Petitions to prison In this Parliament the Fishmongers by the Kings Charter Patents were restored to their Liberties Notwithstanding in the year next following 1383 John Cavendish Fishmong●r craveth the peace against the Chancellour of England which was granted and he put in Sureties the Earls of Stafford and Salisbury and challengeth the Chancellour for taking a bribe of ten pounds for favour of Cavendish Case which the Chancellour by Oath upon the Sacrament avoideth In further triall it was found that the Chancellours man without his Masters privity had taken it whereupon Cavendish was Judged to prison and to pay the Chancellour 1000 Marks for slandering him After this many of the Nobles assembled at Reading to supprese the seditious Sheirs of the said John Northampion or Combarton late Mayor that had attempted great and hainous enterprises of the which he was convict and when he stood mute nor would utter one word it was Decreed that he should be committed to perpetual prison his goods confiscate to the Kings use and that he should not come within a hundred miles of London during his life He was therefore sent to the Castle of Fintegall in the Confines of Cornwall and in the mean space the Kings Servants spoiled his goods John Moore Richard Northbury and others were likewise there Convict and condemned to perpetual prison and their good● confiscate for certain Congregations by them made against the Fishmongers in the City of London as is aforesaid but they● obtained and had the Kings pardon in the fourteenth of his Reign as appeareth upon Record and thus were all these troubles appealed Those Stock-Fishmongers and Salt-Fishmongers were united in the year 1536 the eight and twentieth of Henry the eighth their Hall to be but one in the House given unto them by Sir Iohn Cornwall Lord Fanhope and of Ampthull in the Parish of Saint Michael in Crooked Lane in the Reign of Henry the sixth Thus much was thought remarkable to be spoken of the Fishmongers men ignorant of their Antiquities and not able to shew a reason why or when they were in amity with the Goldsmiths do give part of their Arms c. Neither to say ought of Sir William Walworth the Glory of their Company more than that he slew Jack Straw which some do question for the said Straw was after the overthrow of the Rebels taken and by judgement of the Mayor beheaded whose confession at the Gallows is extant in Mr. Stows Annales where also is set down the most valiant and praise-worthy act of Sir William Walworth against the principal Rebel Wat Tyler On that South side of Thames street have ye Drink-water Wharf and Fish Wharf in the Parish of Saint Magnus On the North side of Thames street is Saint Martins Lane a part of which Lane is also of this Ward to wit on the one side to a Well of water and on the other side as far up as against the said Well Then is St. Michaels Lane part whereof is also of this Ward up to a Well there c. Then at the upper end of New Fish-street is a Lane turning towards St. Michaels Lane and is called Crooked-Lane of the crooked windings thereof Above this Lanes end upon Fish-street Hill is one great House for the most p●rt builded with stone which pertained sometime to
Lawrence Church-yard and so down again and to the West corner of St. Martin Orgar lane and over against Ebgate-lane and this is all of Downgate-vvard the thirteenth in number lying East from the Water-course of VVallbrooke and hat hnot any one House on the West side of the said Brook This Dowgate vvard is more considerable then others in divers things for it hath more Halls then any other it hath also the Great Hans or the Teutonique Guild call'd now the Stil-yard Mr. John Robinson who hath his House in Milk-street is lately made the Alderman of this VVard a generous discreet and worthy Gentleman being of the Company of the Turkie or Levantine Marchants Of the Fourteenth Ward or Aldermanry of the City of London called Vintry Ward THe Wards spoken of hitherto may besaid to lye on the East Now I am to treat of the other Ward● twelve in number all lying on the West side of the course of Wallbrook and first of the Vintry Ward so called of Vintners and of the Vintry a part of the Bank of the River of Thames where the Merchants of Bourdeaux craned their Wines out of Lighters and other Vessels and there landed and made sale of them within forty daies after until the twenty eighth of Edward the first at which time the said Merchants complained that they could not fell their Wines paying poundage neither hire Houses or Cellars to lay them in and it was redressed by virtue of the Kings Writ directed to the Mayor and Sheriffs of London dated at Carlaveroke or Carlile since the which time many fair and large houses with Vaults and Cellars for stowage of Wines and lodging of Burdeaux Merchants have been builded in place where before time were Cooks houses for F●tz Stephen in the Reign of Henry the second writeth that upon the Rivers side between the Wine in Ships and the Wine to be sold in Taverns was a common Cooks row c. as in another place I have set down Whereby it appears that in those daies and till of late times every man lived according to his own professed Trade not any one interrupting another The Cooks dressed meat and sold no Wine and the Taverner sold Wine but dressed ●o meat for sale c. This Ward beginneth in the East at the West end of Downgate Ward at the Water-course of Walbrook which parteth them to wit at Granthams Lane on the Thames side and at Elbow-Lane on the Lands side it runneth along in Thames street West some three houses beyond the Old Swan a Brew-house and on the Land side some three Houses West beyond Saint Iames at Garlick Hithe In breadth this Ward stretcheth from the Vintry North to the Wall of the West gate of the Tower Royal the other North part is of Cordwainer-street Ward Out of this Royal street by the South gate of Tower Royal runneth a small street East to St. Iohns upon Walbrook which street is called Horseshooe-Bridge of such a Bridge sometime over the Brook there which is now vaulted over and pav●d Then from the South gate West runneth one other street called Knight-riders street by Saint Thomas Apostles Church on the North side and Wr●●gwren Lare by the said Church at the West end thereof and to the East end of Trinity Church in the said Knight-riders street where this Ward endeth on that South side the street but on the North side it runneth no farther than the corner against the new builded Taverne and other Houses in a plot of ground where sometime stood Ormond place yet have ye one other Lane lower down in Royall-street stretching forth from over against Saint Michaels Church to and by the North side of Saint Iames Church by Garlick Hithe this is called Kerion Lane and thus much for the bounds of the Vintry Ward Now on the Thames side West from Granthams Lane have ye Herbert Lane or Brickles Lane so called of Iohn Brickles sometimes owner thereof Then is Simpsons Lane of one Simpson or Emperours head Lane of such a Sign then the Three Cranes Lane so called not only of a Sign of three Cranes at a Taverne door but rather of three strong Cranes of Timber placed on the Vintry Wharf by the Thames side to Crane up Wines there as is aforesaid this Lane wa● of old time to wit the ninth of Richard the second called the Painted Tavern Lane of the Tavern being painted Then next over against St. Martins Church is a large House builded of Stone and Timber with Vaults for the stowage of Wines and is called the Vintry There dwelled John Gisers Vintner Mayor of London and Constable of the Tower and then was Henry Picard Vintner Mayor In this house Henry Picard feasted four Kings in one day as is shewed before Then next is Vanners Lane so called of Vanner that was owner thereof it is now called Church Lane of the coming up from St. Martins Church Next is Proad-Lane for that the same is broader for the passage of Carts from the Vintry Wharf than be the other Lanes At the Northwest corner of this Lane is the Parish Clarkes Hall by them purchased since they lost their old Hall in Bishopsgate-street Next is Spittle-Lane of old time so called since Stodies-Lane of the owner thereof named Stodie Sir John Stodie Vintner and Mayor in the year 1357 gave it with all the Quadrant wherein Vintners Hall now standeth with the Tenements round about unto the Vintners The Vintners builded for themselves a fair Hall and also thirteen Alms-houses there for thirteen poor people which are kept of Charity Rent-free The Vintners in London were of old time called Marchant Vintners of Gascoyne and so I read them in the Records of Edward the second the eleventh year a●d Edward the third the ninth year they were as well English-men as strangers born beyond the Seas but then subjects to the King of England great Burdeaux Merchants of Gascoyne French Wines divers of them were Mayors of this City namely John Adrian Vintner Reignold at Conduit John Oxenford Henry Picard that feasted the Kings of England France Scotl and and Cypres John Stodie that gave Stodies Lane to the Vintners which four last named were Mayors in the Reign of Edward the third and yet Gascoyne Wines were then to be sold at London not above fourpence nor Rhenish Wines above six pence the Gallon I read of Sweet Wines that in the fiftieth of Edward the third Iohn Peachie Fishmonger was accused of for that he procured a License for the only sale of them in London which he endeavoured to justifie by Law yet he was imprisoned and fined More I read that in the sixth of Henry the sixth the Lombards corrupted their Sweet Wines when knowledge thereof came to Iohn Raynwel Mayor of London he in divers places of the City commanded the heads of the Buts and other Vessells in the open streets to be broken to the number of a hundred and fifty so that the liquour running forth
Edmonds bury Lincoln Stanford and Lyn were robbed and spoyled and at York to the number of five hundred besides Women and Children entred a Tower of the Castle profered money to be in surety of their lives but the Christians would not take it whereupon they ●●t the throats of their own Wives and Children and cast them over the Walls on the Christian● heads and then entring the Kings Lodging they burned both the House and themselves King John in the 11th of his Reign commanded all the Jews both Men and Women to be imprisoned and grievously punished because he would have all their Money some of them gave all they had and promised more to escape so many kinds of torments for every one of them had one of their eyes at the least plucked o●t Amongst whom there was one which being tormented many wayes would not ransome himself till the King had caused every day one of his great teeth to be plucked out by the space of seven dayes and then he gave the King ten thousand Marks of silver to the end they should pull out no more the said King at that time spoyl●d the Jews of sixty six thousand Marks The 17th of this King the Barons brake into the Jews Houses rifled their Coffers and with the Stone of their Houses repaired the Gates and Walls of London King Henry the third in the 11th of his Reign granted to Semaine or Ballaster the house of Benomie Mittun the Jew in the Parish of St. Michael Bassing-hanghe in which the said Benomy dwelt with the fourth part of all his Land in that Parish which VVilliam Elie held of the Fee of Hugh Nevel and all the Land in Colemanstreet belonging to the said Benomy and the fourth part of the Land in the Parish of St. Lawrence which was the Fee of Thomas Buckerel and were excheted to the King for the murther which the said Benomy committed in the City of London to hold to the said Semaine and his Heires of the King paying at Easter a pair of gilt Spurs and to do the servi●e thereof due unto the Lords Court In the like manner and for like services the King granted to Guso for his Homage the other part of the Lands of the said Benomye in St. Michaels Parish which Law the Painter held and was the Kings Excheter and the Lands of the said Benomye in the said Parish which VValter Turner held and fifteen foot of Land which H●gh Harman held with fifteen Iron Ells of Land and an half in the front of Iron-monger-lane in the Parish of St. Martin which were the said Benomyes of the Fee of the Hospital of St. Giles and which Adam the Smith held with two Stone-Houses which were Moses the Jew of Canterbury in the Parish of St. Olave and which are of the Fee of Arnold de Reus and are the Kings Exchetes as aforesaid The 16th of the said Henry the Jews in London builded a Synagogue but the King commanded it should be dedicated to our blessed Lady and after gave it to the Brethren of St. Anthonies of Vienna and so was it called St. Anthonies Hospital This King Henry founded a Church and House for converted Jews in a new street by the Temple whereby it came to passe that in short time there was gathered a great number of Converts The twentieth of this King Henry seven Jews were brought from Norwich vvhich had stolen a christened Child had circumcised and minded to have cruci●●ed him at Easter vvherefore their Bodies and Goods vvere at the Kings pleasure The six and twentieth the Jews vvere constrained to pay to the King twenty thousand Marks at two Termes in the year or else to be kept in perpetual Prison The five and thirtieth He taketh inestimable sums of money of all rich men namely of Aaron a Jew born at York fourteen thousand Marks for himself and ten thousand Marks for the Queen and before he had taken of the same Jew as much as in all amounted to thirty thousand Marks of Silver and two hund●red Marks of Gold to the Queen In the fortieth year vvere brought up to VVestminster two hundred Jews from Lincoln for crucifying a Child named Hugh eighteen of them were hang'd The forty third a Jew at Tewksbury fell into a Privie on the Saturday and would not that day be taken out for reverence of his Sabbath wherefore Richard Clare Earl of Gloucester kept him there till Monday that he was dead The forty seven the Barons slew of the Jews at London seven hundred the rest were spoiled and thei●r Synagogue defaced because one Jew would have forced a Christian to have payd more than two shillings for the lone of twenty shillings a week The third of Edward the first in a Parliament at London usury was forbidden to the Jews and that all Usurers might be known the King commanded that every Usurer should weare a Table on his brest the breadth of a Paveline or else to avoid the Realm The sixth of the said King Edward a Reformation was made for clipping of the Kings Coyn for which offence two hundred sixty seven Jews were drawn and hanged three were English Christians and other were English Jews The same year the Jews crucified a child at Northampton for the which fact many Jews at London were drawn at Horses Tayls and hanged The 11th of Edward the first Iohn Perkham Arch Bishop of Canterbury commanded the Bishop of London to destroy all the Jewes Synagogues in his Diocese The 16th of the said Edward all the Jews in England were in one day apprehended by precept from the King but they redeemed themselves for twelve thousand pounds of silver notwithstanding in the nineteenth of his Reign he banished them all out of England giving them only to bear their Charge till they were out of this Realm the number of Jews then expulsed were fifteen thousand and sixty persons the King made a mighty masse of money of their Houses which he sold and yet the Commons of England had granted and gave him a fifteenth of all their Goods to banish them and thus much for the Jewes In this street called the Old Iewry is a proper Parish-Church of St. Olave Upwell so called in Record 1320 John Brian Parson of St. Olave Upwell in the Iewry founded there a Chauncery and gave two Messuages to that Parish the sixteenth of Edward the second and was by the said King confirmed In this Church to the commendations of the Parsons and Parishioners the Monuments of the dead remain lesse defaced than in many other From this Parish Church of St. Olave to the North end of the Old Iewry and from thence West to the North end of Ironmonger-lane almost to the Parish Church of St. Martin was of old time one large building of stone very ancient made in place of Jews Houses but of what antiquity or by whom the same was builded or for what use is not known more than that King Henry the sixth in the sixteenth of his
where the Abbot of Garendon had an house or Cell called Saint Iames in the wall by Cripple-gate and certain Monks of their house were Chaplains there wherefore the Well belonging to that Cell or Hermitage was called Monks-well and the street of the well Monks-well street The East side of this street down against London wall and the South side thereof to Cripple-gate be of Cripple-gate Ward as is afore-shewed In this street by the corner of Monks-well street is the Bowyers Hall On the East side of Monks-well street be convenient Alms-houses twelve in number founded by Sir Ambrose Nicholas Salter Maior 1575. wherein he placed twelve poor and aged people rent-free having each of them seven pence the week and once the yeer each of them five sacks of Charcoals and one quartem of one hundred of Faggots of his gift for ever On the North side of the way turning towards Cripple-gate and even upon or close to London wall as it were are certain new erected Almes-houses six in number of the cost and gift of Mr. Robert Rogers Leather-Seller and very good maintenance allowed for ever to such people as are appointed to dwell in them Then in little VVood-street be seven proper Chambers in an Alley on the West side founded for seven poor people therein to dwell rent-free by Henry Barton Skinner Maior 1516. Now without the Postern of Cripple-gate first is the Parish Church of Saint Giles a very fair and large Church lately repaired after that the same was burned in the yeer 1545 the thirty seventh of Henry the Eighth by which mischance the Monuments of the dead in this Church are very few In VVhite Crosse-street King Henry the Fifth builded a fair house and founded there a Brotherhood of S. Giles to be kept which house had sometime been an Hospitall of the French Order by the name of Saint Giles without Cripple-gate In the reign of Edward the First the King having the Jurisdiction and pointing a Custos thereof for the Precinct of the Parish of Saint Giles c. which Hospitall being suppressed the lands were given to the Brotherhood for relief of the poor One Alley of divers Tenements over against the North wall of Saint Giles Church-yard was appointed to be Alms-houses for the poor wherein they dwelled rent-free and otherwise were releeved but the said Brotherhood was suppressed by Henry the Eighth since which time Sir Iohn Gresham Maior purchased the lands and gave part thereof to the maintenance of a Free School which he had founded at Holt a Market-town in Norfolk In Red Crosse-street on the West side from S. Giles Church-yard up to the said Crosse be many fair houses builded outward with divers Alleys turning into a large plot of ground of old time called the Iews Garden as being the only place appointed them in England wherein to bury their dead till the year 1177 the twenty fourth of Henry the Second that it was permitted them after long suit to the King and Parliament at Oxford to have a speciall place assigned them in every quarter where they dwelled On the East side of this Red Crosse-street be also divers fair houses up to the Crosse and there is Beech-lane peradventure so called of Nicholas de la Beech Lievtenant of the Tower of London put out of that office in the thirteenth of Edward the Third This Lane stretcheth from Red Crosse-street to VVhite Crosse-street replenished not with Beech trees but with beautifull houses of Stone Brick and Timber Amongst the which was of old time a great house pertaining to the Abbot of Ramsey for his lodging when he repaired to the City it is now called Drewry House of Sir Drew Drewry who dwelt there On the North side of this Beech-lane towards VVhite Crosse street the Drapers of London have lately builded eight Alms-houses of Brick and Timber for eight poor widows of their own Company whom they placed there rent-free Then is Golding-lane Richard Gallard of Islington Esquire Citizen and Painter-Stainer of London founded thirteen Alms-houses for so many poor people placed in them rent-free He gave to the poor of the same Alms-houses two pence the peece weekly and a load of Charcoals among them yeerly for ever He left fair lands about Islington to maintain his Foundation T. Hayes sometime Chamberlain of London in the latter time of Henry the Eighth married Elizabeth his daughter and heir which Hayes and Elizabeth had a daughter named Elizabeth married to Iohn Ironmonger of London Mercer who had the ordering of the Alms-people On the West side of Red Crosse-street is a street called the Barbican because sometime there stood on the North side thereof a Burghkenning or VVatch-tower of the City called in some language a Barbican as a Bikening is called Beacon This Burgh-kenning by the name of the Mannour of Base Court was given by Edward the Third to Robert Ufford Earl of Suffolk and was afterward pertaining to Peregrine Barty Lord VVilloughby of Ersby Next adjoyning to this is one other great house called Garter Place sometime builded by Sir Thomas VVrithe or VVrithesly Knight aliàs Garter principall King of Arms second son of Sir Iohn VVrithe Knight aliàs Garter and was Uncle to the first Thomas Earl of Southampton Knight of the Garter and Chancellor of England He built this house and in the top thereof a Chappell which he dedicated by the name of S. Trinitatis in Alto. Of the Twentieth Ward or Aldermanry of the City of LONDON call●d Aldersgate Ward THe Next is Aldersgate Ward taking name of that North Gate of the City this Ward also consisteth o● divers Streets and Lanes lying as well within the Gate and Wall as without And first to speak of that part within the Gate thus it is the East part thereof joyneth unto the West part of Cripplegate Ward in Engain lane or Maiden lane It beginneth on the North side of that Lane at Staining lane End runneth up from the Haberdashers Hall to St. Mary Staining Church and by the Church East winding almost to Wood Street and West through Oate lane and then by the South side of Bacon house in Noble-Street back again by Lilipot lane which is also of that ward to Maiden lane and so on that North side West to Saint Iohn Zacharies Church and to Foster lane Now on the south side of Engain or Maiden lane is the West side of Gutherons lane to Kery lane and Kery lane it self which is of this ward and back again into Engain lane by the North side of the Goldsmiths Hall to Foster lane are almost wholly of this Ward which beginneth in the South toward Cheap on the East side by the North side of Saint Fosters Church and runneth down North West by the East end of Engain lane by Lilipot lane and Oate lane to Noble-Street and through that by Shelly house of old time so called as belonging to the Shellies Sir Thomas Shelley Knight was owner thereof in the first of Henry the fourth It
three hundred foot of the feet of St. Paul in breadth eighty nine foot and in heighth from the ground to the roof sixty four foot and two inches c. It was consecrated 1325 and at the Generall suppression was valued at thirty two pound nineteen shillings and surrendred the twelfth of November 1538 the thirty of Henry the eighth the Ornaments and goods being taken to the Kings use the Church was shut up for a time and used as a Store-house of goods taken prizes from the French but in the year 1546 on the third of January it was again set open on the which day preached at Pauls Crosse the Bishop of Rochester where he declared the Kings gift thereof to the City for the relieving of the poor which gift was inroll'd by Patents St. Bartholmews Spittle in Smithfield lately valued at three hundred five pounds six shillings seven pence and surrendred to the King was of the said Church of the Gray Fryars and of two Parish Churches the one of St. Nicholas in the Shambles and the other of St. Ewins in Newgate-Market they were to be made one Parish Church in the said Fryers Church In Lands he gave for maintenance of the said Church with Divine Service reparations c. five hundred Marks by year for ever The thirteenth of January the thirty eighth of Henry the eighth an agreement was made betwixt the King and the Mayor and Communalty of London dated the twenty seven of December by which the said gift of the Gray Fryers Church with all the Edifices and ground the Fratrie the Library the Portar and Chapter House the great Cloistry and the lesser Tenements Gardens and vacant grounds Lead Stone Iron c. The Hospitall of St. Bartholmew in West Smithfield the Church of the same the Lead Bells and Ornaments of the same Hospitall with all the Messuages Tenements and appurtenances The Parishes of Saint Nicholas and of Saint Ewin and so much of Saint Sepulchres Parish as is within Newgate were made one Parish Church in the Grey Fryers Church and called Christs Church founded by King Henry the eighth In the year 1552 began the repairing of the Gray Fryars House for the poor fatherlesse Children and in the Month of November the children were taken into the same to the number of almost four hundred On Christmas day in the afternoon while the Lord Mayor and Aldermen rod to Pauls the Children of Christs Hospital stood from Saint Lawrence Lane end in Cheap towards Pauls all in one Livery of Russet Cotton three hundred and forty in Number and in the Easter next they were in Blue at the Spittle and so have continued ever since For these sorts of poor three several Houses were provided First for the innocent and fatherlesse which is the Beggars Child they provided the House that was the late Gray Fryers in London and called it by the name of Christs Hospitall where poor Children are trained up in the Knowledge of God and some vertuous exercises to the overthrow of beggary For the second degree was provided the Hospitals of Saint Thomas in Southwark and Saint Bartholmew in West Smithfield where are continually at least two hundred diseased persons which are not only there lodged and cured but also fed and nourished For the third degree they provided Bridewell where the Vagabond and idle Strumpet is chastised and compelled to labour to the overthrow of the vicious life of idlenesse They provided also for the honest decayed housholder that he should be relieved at home at his House and in the Parish where he dwelled by weekly relief and Pension And in like manner they provided for the Lazer to keep him out of the City from clapping of dishes and ringing of Bells to the great trouble of the Citizens also to the dangerous infection of many that they should be relieved at home at their Houses by several Pensions St. Bartholmewes Hospital is incorporated by the name of Mayor Communalty and Citizens of the City of London Governours of the Hospital for the poor called little St. Bartholmews near to West Smithfield of the Foundation of King Henry the eighth Christs Hospitall Bridewell and Saint Thomas the Apostle in Southwarke are incorporated by the names of the Mayor Communalty and Citizens of London Governours of the Possessions Revenues a●d Goods of the Hospitals of Edward King of England the sixth of Christ Bridewell and Saint Thomas the Apostle c. This Church was full of many great Monuments as of the Lady Margaret Daughter to Philip of France and Wife to Edward the first Of Queen Isabel Wife to Edward the second Of Joane Queen of the Scots Wife to David Bruce Of Isabel Daughter to Edward the third Of Eleanor Dutchesse of Britain Of the Lady Beatrix Dutchesse of Britain Daughter to Henry the third Of Roger Mortimer Earl of March Of John Hastings Earl of Pembrook Of John Duke of Bourton who had been taken Prisoner at Agencourt with divers other great Personages There is lately erected there in the South end of the Chancel and extraordinary hansome Monument to the Lady Venetia Stanley Wife to the noble Knight Sir Kenelme Digby Now for the South side of this Ward beginning again at the Crosse in Cheap from thence to Fryday-street and down that street on the West side till over against the North-west corner of Saint Matthewes Church And on the West side to the South corner of the said Church is wholly in the Ward of Faringdon From this Fryday-street West to the old Exchange a street so called of Kings Exchange there kept which was for the receipt of Bullion to be coyned For Henry the third in the sixth year of his Reign wrote to the Scahines and men of Ipre● that he and his Councel had given prohibition that no Englishmen or other should make change of Plate or other Masse of Silver but only in his Exchange at London or at Canterbury Andrew Bukerel then had to ●arm the Exchange of England was Maior of London in the Reign of Henry the third Iohn Somercote had the keeping of the Kings Exchange overall England In the eighth of Edward the first Gregory Rock●ley was Keeper of the said Exchange for the King● in the fi●th of Edward the second William Hausted was Keeper thereof And in the eighteenth Roger de Frowick c. These received the old stamps or Coyning-Irons from time to time as the same were worn and delivered new to all the Mints in England This street beginneth by VVest-Cheap in the North and runneth down South to Knight-rider-street that part thereof which is called Old Fish-street But the very Housing and Office of the Exchange and Coynage was about the midst thereof South from the East Gate that entreth Pauls Church-yard and on the West side in Baynards-Castle Ward On the East side of this Lane betwixt West-Cheap and the Church of St. Augustine Henry VValleis Mayor by Licence of Edward the first builded one row of Houses
West end of this Iesus Chappel under the Quire of Pauls also was and is a Parish-Church of St. Faith commonly called St. Faith under Pauls which served as still it doth for the Stationers and others dwelling in Pauls Church-yard Pater Noster Rowe and the places near adjoyning The said Chappel of Jesus being suppressed in the Reign of Edward the sixth the Parishioners of St. Faiths Church were removed into the same as to a place more sufficient for largeness and lightsomness in the year 1551. and so it remaineth In the East part of this Church-yard standeth Pauls School lately new builded and endowed in the year 1512. by John Collet Doctor of Divinity and Dean of Pauls for a hundred fifty three poor mens Children to be taught free in the same School for which he appointed a Master a Sub-master or Usher and a Chaplain with large stipends for ever committing the over-sight thereof to the Masters Wardens and Assistants of the Mercers in London because he was Son to Henry Collet Mercer sometime Maior Near unto this School on the North side thereof was of old time a great and high Clochier or Bell-house foure square builded of stone and in the same a most strong frame of Timber with four Bells the greatest of England these were called Jesus Bells and belonging to Jesus Chappel The same had a great spire of Timber covered with Lead with the Image of St. Paul on the top but was pulled down by Sir Miles Partridge Knight in the Reign of Henry the eighth the common speech then was that he did set one hundred pounds upon a cast at Dice against it so won the said Clochier and Bells of the King then causing the Bells to be broken as they hung the rest was pulled down This man was afterward executed on the Tower-Hill for matters concerning the Duke of Summerset the fifth of Edward the sixth In the year 1561. the fourth of June betwixt the houres of three and four of the Clock in the Afternoon the great Spire of the Steeple of St. Pauls Church was fired by lightening which brake forth as it seemed two or three yards beneath the foot of the Crosse and from thence it burnt downward the spire to the Battlements Stone-work and Bells so furiously that within the space of four houres the same Steeple with all the roofs of the Church were consumed to the great sorrow and perpetual remembrance of the beholders After this mischance the Queen Elizabeth directed her Letters to the Maior willing him to take order for speedy repairing of the same And she of her gracious disposition for the furtherance thereof did presently give and deliver in gold one thousand Marks with a Warrant for a thousand Loads of Timber to be taken out of her Woods or else-where The Citizens also gave first a great Benevolence and after that three fifteens to be speedily paid The Clergy of England within the Province of Canterbury granted the fortieth part of the value of their Benefices charged with first fruits the thirtieth part of such as were not so charged but the Clergy of London Dioces granted the thirtieth part of all that payd first fruits and the twentieth part of such as had paid their fruits Six Citizens of London and two Petty Canons of Pauls Church had charge to further and oversee the work wherein such expedition was used that within one Moneth next following the burning thereof the Church was covered with boards and Lead in manner of a false roof against the Weather and before the end of the said year all the said Iles of the Church were framed out of new Timber covered with Lead and fully finished Pauls Church was full of great Monuments the ancientest are of King Sibba and King Ethelred two Saxon K●ngs There are two ancient Bishops of London viz. Erkenvald and William Norman who being of the privy Councel to William the Conqueror not only preserved by his Mediation the old pri●iledges of London but got them inlarged whereupon it was the Custom of the Lord Maior and Aldermen upon solemn dayes when they came to Pauls to walk to the Graves stone where this Bishop lay and Sir Edward Barkham caused a Table to be hung up there with Verses thereupon called the Monument of Gratitude Touching other remarkable peeces of Antiquity which belong to St. Pauls Church I leave them to such a Person of knowledge and industry who may haply make it his sole task to preserve the memory of so stately a Temple from the injury of time Without the North Gate of Pauls Church from the end of the old Exchange West up Pater Noster Rowe by the two Lanes out of Pauls Church the first out of the Crosse Isle of Pauls the other out of the body of the Church about the midst thereof and so West to the Golden Lyon be all of this Ward as is aforesaid The Houses in this street from the first North Gate of Pauls Church-yard unto the next Gate were first builded without the Wall of the Church-yard by Henry Walleis Mayor in the year 1282. the rest of those Houses go to the maintenance of London-Bridge This street is now called Pater Noster Rowe because of Stationers or Text-Writers that dwelled there who wrote and sold all sorts of Books then in use namely A. B. C. with the Pater Noster Ave Creed Graces c. There dwelled also Turners of Beads and they were called Pater Noster makers At the end of this Pater Noster Rowe is Ave-mary lane so called upon the like occasion of Text-writers and Bead-makers then dwelling there And at the end of that Lane is likewise Creed-lane lately so called but sometime Spurrier Rowe of Spurriers dwelling there And Amen-lane is added thereunto betwixt the South end of Warwick-lane and the North end of Ave Mary Lane At the North end of Ave Mary Lane is one great House builded of Stone and Timber of old time pertaining to Iohn Duke of Britain Earl of Richmond as appeareth by the Records of Edward the second since that it was called Pembrooks Inne near unto Ludgate as belonging to the Earls of Pembrooke in the times of Richard the second the eighteenth year and of Henry the sixth in the fourteenth year it was after called Aburgaveny House and belonged to Henry late Lord of Aburgaveny but the Company of Stationers have since purchased it and made it the Hall for the Meeting of their Society converting the Stone-work into a new fair Frame of Timber and applying it to such serviceable use as themselves have thought convenient Betwixt the South end of Ave Mary Lane and the North end of Creed-lane is the comming out of Pauls Church-yard on the East and the high street on the West towards Ludgate and this was called Bowyer Roue of Bowyers dwelling there in old time now worn out by Mercers and others In this street on the North side is the Parish Church of St. Martin wherein there
these new buildings is Cow-bridge street or Cow-lane which turneth toward Holdbourn in vvhich Lane the Prior of Semperingham had his Inne or London Lodging The rest of that West side of Smithfield hath divers fair Inns and other comely Buildings up to Hosier-lane which also turneth down to Houldbourn till it meet with Cowbridge-street from this Lane to Cock-lane over against Pie-Corner In the year 1362 the thirty sixth of Edward the third on the first five dayes of May in Smithfield were Justs holden the King and Queen being present with the most part of the Chivalry of England and of France and of other Nation to the which came Spaniards Cyprians and Armenians Knightly requesting aid of the King of England against the Pagans that invaded their Confines The 48. of Edward the third Dame Alice Perrers or Pierce the Kings Concubine as Lady of the Sun rode from the Tower of London through Cheape accompanied by many Lords and Ladies every Lady leading a Lord by his Horse Bridle till they came into West Smithfield and then began a great Just vvhich endured seven dayes after In the year 1393. the 17th of Richard the second certain Lords of Scotland came into England to get vvorship by force of Arms the Earl of Marre chalenged the Earl of Nottingham to Just vvith him and so they rode together certain Courses but not the full Challenge for the Earl of Marre was cast both Horse and Man and two of his Ribs broken vvith the fall so that he vvas conveighed out of Smithfield and so towards Scotland but dyed by the vvay at York Sir VVilliam Darel Knight the Kings Banner-bearer of Scotland challenged Sir Percey Courtney Knight the Kings Banner-bearer of England and vvhen they had run certain Courses gave over vvithout conclusion of Victory Then Cookborne Esquire of Scotland challenged Sir Nicholas Hawberke Knight and rode five Courses but Cookborne vvas born over Horse and Man Now to return through Gilt-spur-street by Newgate vvhere I first began there standeth the fair Parish Church called St. Sepulchers in the Bayly or by Chamberlain Gate in a fair Church-yard though not so large as of old time for the same is letten out for buildings and a Garden plot This Church vvas newly re-edified or builded about the Reign of Henry the sixth or of Edward the fourth one of the Popham's vvas a great builder there and 't is lately also vvashed over and furbish'd Next to this Church is a fair and large Inne for the receipt of Travellers and hath to signe the Sarasens Head vvhere Oxford men resort There lyeth a street from Newgate West to the end of Turn again-lane and winding North to Oldbourne Conduit but of late a new Conduit vvas there builded in place of the old namely in the year 1577. by VVilliam Lambe sometime a Gentleman of the Chappel to King Henry the eighth and afterward a Citizen and Clothworker of London From the West side of this Conduit is the high way there called Snow-hill stretching out by Oldbourne-bridge over the oft-named Water of Turn-mill-Brook and so up to Old-bourn-hill all replenished with fair Buildings Without Ould-bourn-bridge on the right hand is Gold-lane as is before shewed up higher on the Hill be certain Inns and other fair Buildings amongst the which of old time was a Messuage called Scroops Inne for so we finde the same recorded in the 37. of Henry the sixth This House was sometime letten out to Sergeants at the Law as appeareth and was found by Inquisition taken in the Guild-hall of London before William Purchase Mayor and Escheater for King Henry the 7th in the 14th of his Reign Then is the Bishop of Elies Inne so called of belonging and pertaining to the Bishops of Ely Will de Luda Bishop of Ely deceased 1297 and gave this House by the name of his Mannor with the Appurrenances in Holdbourne to his Successors with condition that his next Successor should pay a thousand Marks towards the finding of three Chaglains in the Chappel there The first in the year 1464. the fourth of Edward the fourth in Michaelmas Terme the Sergeants at Law held their Feast in this House to the which amongst other Estates Matthew Philip Mayor of London with the Aldermen Sheriffs and Commons of divers Crafts being invited did repair but when the Mayor looked to keep the state in the Hall as it had bin used in all places within the City and Liberties out of the Kings presence the Lord Gray of Ruthen then Lord Treasurer of England unwitting the Sergeants and against their wills as they said was first placed whereupon the Mayor Aldermen and Commons departed home and the Mayor made the Aldermen to dine with him howbeit he and all the Citizens were wonderfully displeased that he was so dealt with and the new Sergeants and others were right o●ry therefore and had rather then much good as they said it had not so happened Next beyond this Mannor of Ely-house is Lither-lane turning into the Fields Then is Furnivals Inne now an Inne of Chancery but sometime belonging to Sir William Furnival Knight and Thomasin his Wife who had in Holdbourne two Messuages and thirteen Shops as appeareth by Record of Richard the second in the sixth of his Reign Now again from Newgate on the left hand or South side lyeth the Old Baylay which runneth down by the Wall upon the Ditch of the City called Houndsditch to Ludgate we have not read how this street took that name but it is like to have risen of some Court of old time there kept and we finde that in the year 1356. the thirty four of Edward the third the Tenement and ground upon Houndsditch between Ludgate on the South and Newgate on the North was appointed to Iohn Cambridge Fishmonger Chamberlain of London whereby it seemeth that the Chamberlains of London have there kept their Courts as now they do in the Guild-hall and till this day the Mayor and Justices of this City keep their Sessions in a part thereof now called the Sessions Hall both for the City of London and Shire of Middlesex over again● the which House on the right hand turneth down St. Georges Lane towards Fleet Lane In this St. Georges Lane on the North side thereof remaineth yet an old wall of stone inclosing a peece of ground up Sea-cole-Lane wherein by report sometime stood an Inne of Chancery which House being greatly decayed and standing remote from other Houses of that Profession the Company removed to a Common Hostery called of the signe out Lady Inne not far from Clements Inne which they procured from Sir Iohn Fineox Lord chief Justice of the Kings Bench and since have held it of the owners by the name of the New Inne paying therefore six pounds Rent by the year as Tenants at their own will for more as is said cannot be gotten of them and much lesse will they be put from it Beneath this Saint Georges Lane is the Lane called Fleet-lane winding
the field one of the fairest rising street in the World From Newgate on the left hand lyeth the Old Bayley and so down by Sea-cole and Fleet-lane we passe then over the common Sewer up to Shooe-lane and so to Fewter-lane now vulgarly called Fetter-lane but betwixt these two Lanes there is another new street butted out by the Company of Goldsmiths called Newstreet where there is a knot of very handsome Buildings Above the Barres there was a House of the Templers but they removed thence to Fleetstreet There was also adjoyning thereunto the Bishop of Lincolns House which was very ancient for the Records say 't was built Anno 1147. But of late years it hath belonged to the Noble Earls of Southhampton And lately it hath bin quite taken down and turned to several private Tenements as Durham House is in the Strand Insomuch that if one should ask what God Almighty doth now in London he might as the pulse of the 〈◊〉 beats give the same answer that was given by the Pagan Philosopher who being demanded what Iupiter did in Heaven he said Magnas ollas rump●t ex frustis earum parvas componit Jupiter breaks great Vessels and makes small ones of their peeces Side long of this ancient House of the Bishop of Lincoln is Newstreet for so it was called at first but now 't is called Chancery-lane where Edward the third annexed the House of converted Jews to the Office of Custos Rotulorum Here the Cursitors Office was built by Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the great Seal Here also is the six Clarks Office which is a fair convenient peece of stone and Brick Building newly erected the old being consumed by a casual fire of late years The Bishop of Chicester Ralph Nevil had much ground given him thereabouts by Henry the third which now is become all Tenements thick built and quite alienated Then is Lincolns Inne very much encreased in building it appertained sometimes to the said Ralph Nevil Bishop of Chicester Lord Chancellor of England having bin before the House of the Black-Fryers and after the decease of the said Bishop Nevil Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln Constable of Chester and Custos of England added much building to this place and Sir Thomas Lovel did also add much thereunto in Henry the eighth's time but now it is one of the foure Inns of Court for the Students in the Law Behind Lincolns Inne Westward is a spacious field where many fair Houses or rather Palaces are taken up by the Gentry Then is there towards Drewry Lane a new Market called Clare Market then is there a street and Palace of the same name built by the Earl of Clare who lives there in a princely manner having a House a street and a Market both for flesh and fish all bearing his name There was something omitted which should have bin spoken of the Church of St. Giles of the Field which is that being a very ancient Church and so decayed that it could not be repaired a new one was erected partly out of the ruines of the old which work was begun and finished in two years and a while after the fair Brick Wall that encompasseth it There were divers well disposed persons who contributed to so pious a work but specially the Lady Alice Duddeley according to that which is engraven upon the North door in pure and ponderous Latine which I thought therefore worthy to be here inserted Quod faelix faustumque sit posteris Hoc Templum loco Veteris ex Annosa vetustate Collapsi mole et splendore auctum multa Paraecorum Charitas Restauravit In quibus pientissimae Heroinae Dom. Aliciae Duddeley Munificentia gratum marmoris hujus meretur eloquium Huc etiam accessit aliorum pletas Quibus provisae sunt grates In Coelo Heus viator an effaetum est bon●s Operibus Hoc Saeculum From the North end of Chancery Lane is High Holborn which extends up to St. Giles in the Field where the famous devout Queen Matilda did found an Hospital as she did Eastward St. Katherines beyond the Tower At this Hospital the Prisoners conveyed from London to Tyborn were used to be presented with a Bowl of Ale for their last refreshment in this life and it was commonly called St. Giles's Bowl Then is there a spacious fair street called Long Acre and then Pickadilly full of fair Houses round about Thus have we as succinctly as we could avoiding superfluities and unnecessary trivial things spoken of the Skirts of London and the places thereunto annexed without the Gates and now Navige● hinc al●● jam mihi linter aqua I mean let us steer now to the City of VVestminster Of the Savoy the Dutchy and City of Westminster with the Antiquities the Tribunals of Iustice and Liberties thereunto belonging HAving taken so fair a Prospect and finished the perlustration of London It were a high Incivility and a soloecism in good manners or rather a Piacle not to give VVestminster also a visit being so near and contiguous a Neighborr It is true that they were once above a mile asunder but by insen●●b●e coalition and recruit of people they came at last to be united and incorporated into one continued peece in point of posture though not of Government And the Union with Scotland did not a little conduce to make this Union ●twixt London and VVestminster For the Scots multiplying here mightily neas●ed themse●ves about the Court so that the Strand from mud Walls and thatched Houses came to that perfection of Buildings as now we see Moreover the City of VVestminster hath divers Magnalia's which may deserve as exact a view as any within London for if London of old had her Temple of Diana VVestm●nster had one to a greater Deity which was Apollo And since in those very places is St. Paul hath his Church in London St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles hath his in VVestminster which was used to keep the Regalia's and the Crown Add hereunto that if London hath her Guild-hall and the Hustings VVestminster hath the great Praetorian or common Hall where the chief Courts and general Tribunals of Justice do make their Sessions though to her high pray●e be it spoken London hath a far more expedite way of doing Justice and determination of cau●es then Westminster hath besides in point of safety and strength if London hath her Artillery Garden Westminster hath her Military And in point of Extent and Government if London hath her six and twenty Wards and so many Aldermen Westminster also hath her Twelve Burgesses and so many distinct Wards but for the quality of Inhabitants London mu●t vayl to her most of the Nobility and Gentry residing in or about her Precincts Moreover in one particular Westminster may claim a great advantage of London in regard as the Royal Court once was so the residence of the Soveraign Magistrate is still there Insomuch that Westminster may well glory of three things That she hath the chiefest
Courts of Justice the chiefest Court of the Prince and the chiefest Court of the King of Heaven for every Temple is his Hou●e and Court Now the Abbey of Westminster hath bin alwayes held the greatest Sanctuary and randevouze of devotion of the whole Iland w●ereunto the scituation of the very place seemes to contribute much and to strike a holy kind of Reverence and sweetness of melting piety in the hearts of the beho●ders But before we steer our course to Westminster we must visit the Dutchy o● Lancaster and the Savoy which are liberties of themselves and lie as a Parenthesis 'twixt London and Westminster Without Temple-barre Westward is a liberty pertaining to the Dutchy of Lancaster which beginneth on the North side of the Thames and stretcheth West to Ivy-bridge where it terminates And again on the North side some small distance without Temple-Barre in the High street there stretcheth one large middle row or troop of small Tenements partly opening to the South and partly towards the North up West to a Stone Crosse over against the Strand and this is the bounds of the liberty which first belonged to Brian Lisle after to Peter of Savoy and then to the House of Lancaster Henry the third did grant to his Uncle Peter of Savoy all those Houses upon the Thames which pertained to Brian Lisle or de Insula in the way or the street called the Strand to hold to him and his Heires yielding three gilded Arrowes every year in the Exchequer This Peter Earl of Savoy and Richmond Son to Thomas Earl of Savoy Brother to Boniface Arch Bishop of Canterbury and Uncle unto Eleanor Wife to Henry the third was the first Founder of the Savoy Anno 1245. which he gave afterwards to the Fraternity of Monjoy Queen Eleanor did purchase it for Edmund Duke of Lancaster her Son of the Fraternity which Duke did much augment and improve the structure Iohn the French King was lodged there being then the fairest Mannor of England Anno 1381. The Rebels of Kent and Essex did most barbarously burn this House with many Vessels of Gold and Silver which they threw into the River all which they did out of a popular malice to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster It came afterwards to the Kings hands and Henry the seventh did re-edifie and raise it up again but converted it to the Hospital of St. Iohn Baptist yet was he content that it should be still called the Savoy and bestowed Lands for maintenance of 100. poor men But afterwards it was suppressed by his Granchild Edward the sixth the Beds and Bedding with other Furniture were given to the City of London together with Bridewell to be a Work-house for idle persons and some of Savoy Furniture was given also to furnish St. Thomas Hospital in Southwark But afterwards the Savoy Hospital was refounded and endowed with Lands by Queen Mary who made one Iackson first Master thereof And it is memorable how the Mayds of Honour and Ladies of the Court in those times did much contribute for storing it again with new Beds and Furniture and so it hath continued ever since the Chappel of this Hospital serving for a Parish Church to the Neighbors thereof near adjoyning and others Now touching the Prerogatives and enfranchisements of the Dutchy of Lancaster let the Reader know that Henry the fourth by his Royal Charter and concurrence of Parliament did sever the possessions of the said Dutchy from the Crown And that which Iohn of Gaunt held for term of life was established to perpetuity by the Statutes of Edward the fourth and Henry the seventh which separation was made by Henry the fourth in regard he well knew that he had the Dutchy o Lancaster par Regno by sure and indefesble Title whereas his Title to the Crown was not so assured because that after the death of Richard the second the Royal right was in the Heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence second Son of Edward the third And John of Gaunt who was Father to Henry the fourth was the fourth Son therefore his policy was to make it a distinct thing from the Crown for fear of after-claps It was Edward the third who erected the County of Lancaster to a County Palatine and honoured the Duke of Lancaster therewith giving him Jura Regalia having a particular Court The Officers whereof were the Chancellor the Attorney the Receiver General Clark of the Court the Auditors Surveyors the Messenger The Seal of the Dutchy of Lancaster remains with the Chancellor but the Seal of the County Palatine remains alwayes in a Chest in the County Palatine under the safe custody of a Keeper Now all Grants and Leases of Lands Tenements and Offices in the County Palatine of Lancaster should passe under that Seal and no other but all Grants and Leases out of the County Palatine and within the Survey of the Dutchy should passe under the Seal of the Dutchy and no other otherwise such Grants are voyd Ipso facto Though this County Palatine was a younger Brother yet it had more honours mannors and Lands annexed unto it th●n any of the rest and all this by Acts of Parliament whereby all the Franchises Priviledges Immunities Quittances and Freedoms which the Duke of Lancaster had for Himself and his Men and Tenants were confirmed The Liberty of the Dutchy was used to be governed by the Chancellor who had under him a Steward that kept Court Le●t with an Attorney of the Dutchy There were also four Burgesses and four Assistants a Bayliffe who had others under him four Constables four Wardens that kept the stock for the poor four Wardens for high wayes a Jury of 14. Ale-cunners which looked to the assise of measures four Scavengers and a Beadle and the common Prison is Newgate And now we must make a step back towards Temple-barre and so by degrees to Westminster all along we will begin with the right hand or the Northside and so pas●e up West through a back lane or street wherein do stand as was touched before three Inns of Chancery The first called Clements Inne in regard it is near St. Clements Church and Clements Well The second New Inne which was made of a common Hostery about the beginning of the Reign of Henry 7. The third is Lions Inne This street stretcheth up unto Drury lane which lane extends Northward towards St. Giles in the Field But now we must go back as was said before towards Temple-barre and so by taking the Strand all along return by degrees to Westminster it self in a direct line I have heard often of a British Prophecy which came from an old Bard viz. The Church man was the Lawyer is and the Soul●ier shall be True it is that Bishops lived in the Equipage of Princes in former times and among other in●●ar●es one is the goodly Palaces they had in and about London and Westminster for from Dorset House in Fleetstreet as far as White-hall all the great Houses which were built
businessse aforesaid so that the business may not by any means remain undone for want of such power or by reason of the unprovident Election of the foresaid Knights Burgesses and Citizens But we will not in any case that you or any other Sheriff of our said Kingdom shall be elected And at the day and place aforesaid the said Election being made in a full County Court you shall certifie without delay unto us in our Chancery under your Seal and the Seals of them who shall be present at the Election sending back unto us the other part of the Indenture aforesaid affil'd to these presents ogether with the Writ Witness our Self at Westminster This Commission or Writ is the foundation whereon the whole fabrick of the power and duty of both Houses of Parliament is grounded The first House is to parley or have conference and to treat and consult with the King the other House is to do and consent only unto what the other shall ordain This was the Law and usage in former times but what is the power of the Commons in these dayes now that the Government is altred and cast into another mould the House of Peers being dissolved it is not the intent of this Discourse to determine At the return of the Writs aforesaid the Parliament could not begin but by the Royal presence of the King either in Per●on or by Representation By Representation two wayes either by a Gardian of England by Letters Patenrs under the Great Seal when the King was in remotis out of the Realm or by Commission under the Great Seal to certain Lords of Parliament representing the Person of the King he being within the Realm but absent in respect of some infirmity On the first day of the Parliament the King himself or most commonly the Lord Chancellor or Keeper in the presence of the Lords and Commons did shew the causes of the calling of High Court of Parliament but the King might have appointed any other to be his Prolocutor in this case Then the Commons are to choose their Speaker but in regard that after their choyce the King might refuse him for avoiding of time and contestation the use was as in the Congè deslire of a Bishop that the King doth recommend a discreet and learned man whom the Commons elect but without their Election no Speaker can be appointed for them because he is their mouth and intrusted by them and so necessary that the House of Commons cannot sit without him therefore a grievous sickness is a good cause to remove him as in Henry the 4th Raign Iohn Chervy Speaker was for sickness discharged and Sir Iohn Dorewoold chosen in his place but sickness is no cause to remove any Knight Citizen or Burgesse The Speaker being voted in the House was presented to the King where being allowed he made a supplication consisting of three parts First That the Commons in Parliament might have free speech Secondly That in any thing he should deliver in the name of the Commons if he should commit any error no fault should be imputed to the Commons Thirdly That as often as necessity for his Majesties service and the good of the Common-wealth shall require he may by the directions of the House have access to his Royal Person Any of the Pee●s by the Kings leave may absent himself and make a proxy to another Lord but a Knight Citizen or Burgess cannot make a Proxy because he is elected and intrusted by multitudes of people And it is to be observed though one be chosen for one particular County or City yet when he is returned and sits in Parliament he serveth for the whole Common-wealth There belongs to Parliament a Prorogation or adjournment which differ in this A Prorogation presupposeth a Session and then such Bills as passed in either House or by both Houses and had no Royal assent unto them must at the next Assembly begin again for every Session in Parliament is in Law a several Parliament but if it be but adjourned then there is no Session When a Parliament is called and doth sit and is dissolved without any Act passed or judgement given it is no Session of Parliament but a Convention Touching the Power and Jurisdiction of Parliament for making of Lawes in proceeding by Bill it is so transcendent and absolute as it cannot be confined within any bounds No Alien is capable to be chosen a Parliament-man nor can any of the Judges of the Kings Bench or Common Pleas or Barons of the Exchequer that have Judicial places or any Church-man that hath care of souls be chosen a member of the House of Parliament For others the King cannot grant a Charter of Exemption to any man to be freed from Election of Knight or Burgesse of the Parliament because the Elections of them ought to be free for the publique service OF THE COVRT OF THE KINGS-BENCH THE Royallest Court in the Land Now called The Upper Bench. THe Lawes of England presuppose the King to be the Fountain and Oracle of Justice and to have special inspirations from Heaven to that purpose therefore all the Tribunals of Judicature were used to be ambulatory with his Court and He was wont to sit in Person in the Upper Bench which is the Supreme Tribunal of the Land The Justices in this Court are the soveraign Justices of Oyer and Terminer Goal-delivery Conservation of the Peace c. in the Realm In this Court the Kings of this Realm have sat as being the highest Bench and the Judges of that Court on the lower Bench at his Feet but Judicature only belongeth to the Judges of that Court and in his presence they answer all Motions c. The Justices of this Court are the soveraign Coroners of the Land and therefore where the Sheriffs and Coroners may receive appeals by Bill à fortiori the Justices of this Court may do it so High is the authority of this Court that when it comes and sits in any County the Justices of Eire of Oier and Terminer Coal-delivery they which have conusance c. do cease without any writing to them But if any Indictment of Treason or Felony in a Forain County be removed before certain Commissioners of Oier and Terminer in the County where this Court sits yet they may proceed because this Court for that this Indictment was not removed before them cannot proceed for that offence But if any Indictment be taken in Midd in the vacation and after this Court sit in the next Term in the same County if this Court be adjourned then may special Commissioners of Oier and Terminer c. in the interim proceed upon that Indictment but the more usual way is by special Commission And this was resolved by all the Judges of England at Winchester Anno 1 ' Iacobi Regis in the Case of Sir Everard Digby and others and so had it been resolved Mich. 25 and 26 Eliz. in the Case of Arden and Somervile for