the West side but not so far on the East Then the aforesaid street from this Finkes Lane now Finch Lane runneth down by the Royal Exchange to the Stocks and to a place commonly called the Scalding-house or Scalding wicke but now Scalding Alley by the West side whereof under the Parish Church of St. Mildred runneth the course of VVallbrooke and these be the bounds of this Ward Here stands the Parish Church of Alhallowes in the Wall so called of standing close to the Wall of the City near Moorfields and over against Winchester house which was so vast and spacious a Mansion that it has been many years since cut into divers habitations For the Glasse-house stood in part of it the Spanish Ambassadour had another part And now of late the Excise Office hath bin kept in another part On the other side of the street among many proper Houses possessed for the most part by Curriers is the Carpenters Hall which Company was Incorporated in the seventeenth year of Edward the fourth Then East from the Curriers row is a long and high Wall of stone in the foresaid Winchester house enclosing the North side of a large Garden adioyning to as large an house builded in the Reigns of King Henry the eighth and of Edward the sixth by Sir William Powlet Lord Treasurer of England thorow his Garden which of old time consisted of divers parts now united was sometimes a fair foot way leading by the West end of the Augustine Fryars Church straight North and opened somewhat West from Alhallowes Church against London Wall towards Mooregate which foot-way had Gates at either end locked up every night but now the same way being taken into those Gardens the Gates are closed up with Stone whereby the people are enforced to go about by Saint Peters Church and the East end of the said Fryers Church and all the said great place and Garden of Sir William Pawlet to London Wall and so to Moorgate This great House adjoyning to the Garden aforesaid stretcheth to the North corner of Broad-street and then turneth up Broad-street all that side to and beyond the East end of the said Friers Church It was builded by the said Lord Treasurer in place of Augustine Fryers House Cloyster and Gardens c. The Fryars Church he pulled not down but the West end thereof enclosed from the Steeple and Quire was in the year 1550 granted to the Dutch Nation in London to be their preaching place The other part namely the Steeple Quire and side Iles to the Quire adjoyning he reserved to houshold uses as for Stowage of Corn Coal and other thingâ— his Son and Heir Marquiss of VVinchester sold the Monuments of Noble men there buried in great number Paving stone and whatsoever which cost many thousand pounds for one hundred pounds and in place thereof made fair sâ—abling for horses He caused the Lead to be taken from the roofs and laid Tyle in place which exchange proved not so profitable as he looked for but rather to his disadvantage for there have been some remarkable judgements upon that Family since On the East side of this Broad street amongst other buildings on the back part of Gresham House which is in Bishopsgate street there are placed eight Alms-houses builded of Brick and Timber by Sir Thomas Gresham Knight for eight Almes-men which be now there placed rent-free and receive each of them by his gift six pound thirteen shillings four pence yearly for ever Next unto Pawlet House is the Parish Church of Saint Peter the poor so called for a difference from other of that name sometime peradventure a poor Parish but at this present there be many fair Houses possessed by rich Marchants and others In this little Church there be some fair Monuments one of Sir Thomas Lowe and another of Sir VVilliam Garaway with Iohn Lucas Esquire of Colchester Then next have ye the Augustine Fryers Church and Church-yard the entring thereunto by a South gate to the West Porch a large Church having a most fine spired Steeple small high and streight that there are few the like founded by Humphrey Bohun Earl of Hereford and Essex in the year one thousand two hundred fifty three Râ—egnald Cobham gave this Messuage in London to the enlarging thereof in the year one thousand three hundred fourty four Humphrey Bohun Earl of Hereford and Essex re-edified this Church in the year 1354 whose Body was there buried in the Quire The small spired Steeple of this Church was overthrown by tempest of wind in the year one thousand three hundred sixty two but was raised of new as still it might have stood had not private benefit the only devourer of Antiquity pull'd it down Both that goodly Steeple and all that East part of the Church hath lately been taken down and Houses for one mans commodity raised in the place whereby London hath lost so goodly an ornament and times hereafter may more talk of it This House was valued at fifty seven pounds and was surrendred the twelfth of November the 13 of Henry the 8. There were many great Monuments in this Fryers Church one of Edmond first son to Ioan mother to Richard the second Guy de Meryke Earl of Saint Paul Lucie Countesse of Kent Richard the great Earl of Arundel Surrey VVarren Sir Francis Atcourt Earl of Pembrooke Iohn Vere Earle of Oxford with Aubery de Vere his son the Lady of Bedford with Edward Duke of Buckingham and very many more persons of quality On the South side and at West end of this Church many fair houses are builded namely in Throgmorton street one very large and spacious builded in the place of old and small Tenements by Thomas Cromwel Master of the Kings Jewel-house after that Master of the Rolls then Lord Cromwell Knight Lord Privie Seal Vicar General Earl of Essex high Chamberlain of England c. This house being finished and having some reasonable plot of ground left for a Garden he caused the pales of the Gardens adjoyning to the North part thereof on a sudden to be taken down two and tweâ—ty foot to be measured forth-right into the North of every mans ground a Line there to be drawn a Trench to be cast a foundation laid and an high Brick Wall to be builded and this was suddenly and no warning given nor other answer but when any spake to the Surveyers of that work they said their Master Sir Thomas commanded them so to do so that no man durst go to argue the matter but each man lost his Land Thus the sudden rising of some men causeth them to forget themselves The Company of Drapers in London bought this House and now the same is their Common Hall This Company obtained of King Henry the sixth in the seventeenth of his Reign to be incorporate Iohn Gedney was chosen to be their first Master and the four Wardens were Iohn VVotton I. Darby Robert Breton and T. Cooke The Armes granted to the said
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 Bâ—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 rooâ— 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 â—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 Brâ—tâ—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 Sidâ—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 hâ—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 â—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 turnâ—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 drâ—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 utteâ—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 conâ—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
eighths time the Tower was eâ—er and anon full of prisoners among others Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellor of England was clap'd there close Prisoner and at last they took away from him all his Books so he did shut up all his windows and liv'd afterwards in obscurity and being asked Why he answered 'T is time to shut up shop when the Ware is all gone At his first entrance to the Tower the Gentleman Porter ask'd for his fee which is the upper Garment whereupon Sir Thomas pull'd off his Cap to give him but that not suffâ—â—ing he pull'd out a handful of Angels end gave him a good many a Knight that was in his Company telling him that he was glad to see him so full of Angels yes answered he I love to carry my friends alwayes about me The young Lady Iane was beheaded there not long after and upon the Scaffold she made a most ingenious Speech and full of pity That she came thither to serve for an example to posterity that innocence cannot be any protection against greatness And that she was come thither not for aspiring to a Crown but for not refusing one when it was offered Her Queen Elizabeth was brought up many years in that School of affliction but afterwards she may be said to have gone from the Scaffold to the Throne For the truth is that the Scaffold had made an end of her had not King Philip her Brother in Law strongly interceded for her In her dayes Robert Earl of Essex lost his head in the Tower which he might have kept on many years longer had he not bin betrayed by the Lady Walsingham to whom after the sentence of condemnation he sent a Ring which the Queen had given him as a token that she would stick to him in any danger the Lady delivered not this Ring and being a little after upon her Death-bed she desired to speak with the Queen and having disburthened a great weight which lay upon her Conscience for that act the Queen flung away in a fury and never enjoyed her self perfectly after that time but she would break out often into passion and wring her hands crying O Essex-Essex And this Earl was the last who was executed within the walls of the Tower In King Iames's time for 22 years there was no blood spilt in the Tower or upon Tower-hill only Sir Gervase Elwayes was hanged there when he was Lieutenant and one remarkable passage there was in his Speech upon the Ladder that being in the low Countries and much addicted to gaming he made a vow that if ever he played more above such a value he might be hanged but he did violate the Oath and so the just Judgement of Heaven did fall upon him accordingly as he said The Earl of Castlehaven was brought from the Tower to be executed for horrid kinds of incontinencies in Charles the first time Afterwards in the raign of the long Parliament and ever since the Tower of London hath had more number of Prisoners then it had in the compasse of a hundred years before This stately Tower of London serves not only for a Gaol to detain prisoners but for many other uses It is a strong Fort or Cittadel which secures both City and River It serves not only to defend but to command either upon occasion It serves as a royal Randezvouz for Assemblies and Treaties It is the Treasury for the Jewels and Ornaments of the Crown The great Archive which conserves all the old Records of the Courts of Justice at Westminster It is the place for the Royal Mint and Coynage of Gold and Silver It is the chief Magazin and Armory or Arâ—enal of the whole Land for Martial Engines and Provision There only is the Brake or Rack usually call'd the Duke of Exceters Daughter because he was tâ—e first Inventer of it And lastly It is a great Ornament by the situation of it both to the River and City The City of London hath divers other inferior Towers as that on the North of the great Bridge At the South end over the Gate there is also another Tower over London-Bridge which hath suffered many accidents of firing and otherwise and was still made up by the care and charge of the City specially one time when it was under bastard Fawconbridge burnt by the Marriners and Saylers of Kent The Antiquaries speak of two Castles that were in the West part of London one call'd the Castle of Monfiquet which was built by a Baron of that name who came over with the Conqueror which was afterwards demolished and the Black Fryers risen up out of the ruines of it The second Castle is Baynards Castle by Pauls Wharf built also by one Baynard who came over with the Conqueror who being ennobled the honour of Baynards Castle succeeded from Father to Son a long time till it came to Sir Robert Fitzwater a valiant Cavalier who being fallen into the displeasure of King Iohn in the Barons Warres was banished and Baynards Castle destroyed But afterwards being restâ—red to the Kings favour by an exployt he did in France he was re-invested in all his Livings and so repair'd Baynards Castle again Moreover he was made chief Banner-bearer of the City of London whereof he had a Charter which ran to this sense That he said Robert Fitzwater and his Heirs ought to be and are chief Bannerers of London in fee for the Chastilary which he and his Ancestors had from Baynards Castle and the said City In time of War the said Robert and his Heires ought to serve the City as followeth The said Robert he being the twentieth man of Armes himself ought to come on Horseback covered with Cloth or Armor under the great West door of St. Paul with his Banner displayed before him and when he is come mounted to that door and apparreld as before is said The Maior with the Aldermen and Sheriffs in their Arms shall come out of the Church of St. Paul unto the said West door the Maior bearing a Banner in his hand all on foot which Banner shall be Gules the Image of St. Paul Gold the face hands feet and Sword Argent And as soon as the said Robert shall see the Maior Aldermen and Sheriffs come on foot out of the Church armed with such a Banner he shall alight off his Horse and salute the Maior and say to him Sir Maior I am come to do my service which I owe to the City whereunto the Maior and Aldermen shall answer We give to you as to our Bannerer of fee in this City the Banner of this City to beare and govern to the honour and profit of this City to your power And the said Robert and his Heires shall receive the said Banner in his hands and shall go on foot out of the Gate with the Banner in his hands and the Maior Aldermen and Sheriffs shall follow to the door and shall bring a Horse to the said Bannerer worth twenty pounds which Horse
prescribed its boundâ— which extended from Algate to the place where now the Barrs are Eastward on both sides of the street and Northward as far as Bishopsgate and Southward as far as the Thames and so far into the River that a horieman might ride at low water and throw his Spear These Knights continued their Châ—rter in the daies of Edgar Ethelred and Canutus which Edward the Confessor did not only ratifie but enlarge which deed remain'd a long time fairly written in the Saxon Letter Tongue in the Book of the late House of the holy Trinity after that VVilliam Rufus confirm'd the said Charter unto the Heirs of those Knights as followeth William King of England to Maurice Bishop and Godefroy de Magun and Richard de Parre and to his faithful people of London Greeting Know ye me to have granted to the men of Knighten Guild that belong'd to them and the Land that belong'd thereunto with all Customes as they were used to have the same in the time of my Predecessors c. Henry the first after him confirm'd the same But afterwards the Church of the Holy Trinity being founded by Queen Matilda within Aldgate such was the piety of those times that this Knighten Guild which was of such large extent that it reach'd unto the Thames was voluntarily given to the Canons of that Church And for better ratification of the Grant they offer'd upon the Altar Saint Edwards Charter with the rest which they had and put the Prior of the Holy Trinity in possession and saisin thereof by the Church of Saint Butolph which was built thereon being the head of the Land All which King Henry confirm'd by that famous Charter which runs thus Henry King of England to R. Bishop of London to the Sheriffs and Provost and all his Barons and faithful people French and English of London and Middlesex Greeting Know ye me to have granted and confirm'd to the Church Canons of the holy Church of the Trinity of London the Soke of the English Knighten Guild and the Land which pertaineth thereunto and to the Church of Saint Buttolph as the men of the same Guild have given and granted unto them And I will streightly command that they hold the same well and honourably and freely with Sack and Soke Toll and Thea Infangthefe and all Customs belonging to it as the men of the same Guild in the best sort had it in the time of King Edward and as King William my Father and Brother did grant it to them by their Writs Witnesse A. the Queen c. The Prior and Canons of the Holy Trinity beind thus seiz'd of the said Land and Soke of Knighten Guild being not only a part of the Suburbe without the Wall but also within the City the Prior was for him and his Successors admitted as one of the Aldermen of London And according to the Customs of the City he did sit in Court and rodeâ— with the Mayor and his brethren the Aldermen as one of them in Scarlet or other Livery as they then us'd until the year 1531 at which time the said Priory was surrendred to Henry the eighth by Act of Parliament who gave it to Sir Thomas Audley Lord Chancelour of England and he pull'd down the Church and dissolv'd the Priory since which dissolution the said Ward of Portsoken hath been govern'd by Temporal men one of the Aldermen of London Thus much for the out-bound Portsoken Ward or Knighten Guild touching the antiquity and Government thereof Now touching the Parts thereof it is to be observed that the East part of the Tower stands therein then an Hospital of Saint Katherine founded by the foresaid Queen Matilda wife to King Stephen by Licence of the Prior and Convent of the Holy Trinity in London on whose ground she built it Queen Elianor Wife to Edward the first was a second Foundresse there and appointed one Master three Brethren Chaplains and three Sisters ten poor women with six poor Clerks for the maintenance of whom she gave the Mannor of Clarton in VViltshiere and Upchurch in Kent c. Queen Philippa Wife to Edward the third founded a Chantry there and contributed to that Hospital ten pounds Land a year The Quiere there was not much inferior to that of Pauls which by one Doctor Wilson being Master there was afterwards dissolv'd On the East and by North of the Tower lieth East Smithfield and Tower hill two Plots of ground so call'd without the Walls of the City where sometimes flood a Monastery call'd New Abbey founded by Edward the 3d. upon the occasion following That having escaped a great danger in a tempest at Sea he made a vow to build a Monastery in sign of gratitude to heaven to the honor of God and our Lady of Grace which he perform'd accordingly But the said Monastery being afterwards pull'd down by Sir Arthur Darcy of late time in place thereof is built a large store-house for victual with convenient Ovens for baking of Bisket to serve the Navy Royal the rest of the ground is become into smal Tenements The Company of Marchant-Taylors have built thereabouts hard by Hog-street divers fair Alms-houses for 14 poor women and endow'd it with maintenance accordingly Westward hence from Tower hill towards Algate there was a Monastery of Nunns of the Order of Santa Clara call'd the Minories founded by Edmund Earl of Lancaster brother to Edward the first Anno 1293 which was demolished in Henry the eighths time Dame Elizabeth Savage being then Abbesse In the room of this Nunnery there are now store-houses for Armour and habillaments for war with divers Work-houses to that purpose and hard by there is is a small Church called Saint Trinity for the Inhabitants thereabouts We come now to the Church of Saint Bâ—ttolph which the Priors of the Holy Trinity did build being Patrons thereof In this Church among others there lies buried Thomas Lord Darcy of the North Knight of the Garter who was beheaded Anno 1537. And also Sir Nicholas Carew of Beddington in Surrey beheaded also Anno 1538. East from this Parish Church is Hog-lane that stretcheth towards St. Mary Spittle which within these sixty years had fair rows of Elm-trees all along which are turn'd now to Houses on both sides from Houndsditch to VVhite-Chappel Of the Third Ward or Aldermanry called Aldgate Ward WE will still look Eastward yet a good while and go to the third Ward within the Walls which is called Ealdgate Ward or Aldgate as taking name of the same gate The principal street of this Ward beginneth at Ealdgate stretching West to sometime a fair Well where now a Pump is placed From thence the way being divided into twain the first and principal street called Aldgate runneth on the South side to Lime-street corner and half that street down on the left hand is also of that Ward In the mid way on that South side betwixt Ealdgate and Lime-street is Hart-horn Alley a way that goeth
Redcrosse-street and Beech-lane with Golding-lane full of small Tenements Then is there Barbican anciently called Houndsditch all these populous places are within the Precincts of St. Giles Parish Aldersgate Suburb is next where the Parish of St. Buttolph stands and little Britain street on the one side then it stretcheth all along North with very handsome Edifices and a large street as far as Barbican on the one side and Long-lane on the other This street resembleth an Italian street more then any other in London by reason of the spaciousness uniformity of Buildings and streightness thereof with the convenient distance of the Houses on both sides whereof there are divers very fair ones as Peter-House the Palace now and Mansion of the most Noble Marquis of Dorchester Then is there the Earl of Tenets House with the Moon and Sun-Tavern very fair structures Then is there from about the middle of Aldersgate-street a handsome new street butted out and fairly built by the Company of Goldsmiths which reacheth athwart as far as Redcrosse-street At the furthest point of this Suburb Northward there was a Winde-Mill in times past which being blown down by a Tempest Queen Katherine of Aragon first Wife to Henry the 8th erected there a Chappel and named it Mount Calvary which was afterwards suppressed and the place came to be called Mount-mill whereof the Long-Parliament made much use for their fortifications We are going now to Newgate where towards Smithfield I meet with Gilt-spur and Knight-riders-street Then is Smithfield it self which hath bin spoken of before in Faringdon Ward Without Smithfield Barres there is St. Johns street on the right hand whereof stood the Charter-house founded by Sir Walter Manuy Knight of the Garter to Edward the third Hard by is Pardon Church-yard whereas the Annales record above fifty thousand souls were buried in one year who had dyed of a raging great sweeping Pestilence in the Reign of the foresaid Edward the third The Chievalrou and most devoâ—t Knight first buiâ—t a Chappel there then a Monastery of Carthusian Fryers which are the â—evereâ—â— one most rigid of all claustral Societies this Monastâ—ery was called at first the Salutation In this Charter-House was the Monument of the said Sir Walter Mâ—nny and above twenty Knights more besides Ladies and other perâ—ons of high Rank and at the suppression of Abbeys this Monastery had 642 l. yearly Rent a mighty sum in those dayes This demolish'd Charter-House came a while after to the possession of Thomas Earl of Suffolk Lord Treasurer of England in King James his Raign and the place being sweetly scituated with accommodations of spacious Walks Orchards and Gardens with sundry dependencies of Tenements and Lands thereunto belonging gave occasion to that worthy and well disposed Gentleman Mr. Thomas Sutton of Castâ—e Camps in the County of Cambridge Esquire but born at Knayth in Lincolnshire to alter his Resolution of erecting an Hospital at Hallingbury in Essex where he had first pitched his design and to purchase this place of the Earl for 13000 l. first peny payd before the sâ—aling of the Conveyance which charitable great and noble enterprize was countenanced by King James and his privy Councel So having in few years raised up that goodly Fabrique though it pleased God to take him to himself before it was quite finish'd and endowed it with competent allowance by passing away many goodly Mannors he had in Lincoln Wiltshire Middlesex Cambridge and Essex with other goodly possessions the work was compleated and nominated the Hospital of King James which Hospital consisted of a Master a Governor a Preacher a Free School with a Master and Usher 80. poor people and 40. Schollers maintained all by the Revenues of the House Anno 1614. on Munday next after Michaelmas day the Captains Gentlemen and Officers entred into this new Hospital Now there were by Letters Pattents under the great Seal of England divers Governors appointed of this Hospital whereof the Arch Bishop of Canterbury was chief The Lord Chancelor and Treasurer The Bishops of London and Ely the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas the Attorney General the Dean of Pauls the Dean of Westminster and divers others But the late long Parliament inverting the order and will of the founder did nominate others in their rooms A little without the Barres of West Smithfield is Charter-house Lane but in the large yard before there are many handsome Palaces as Rutland House and one where the Venetian Embassadors were used to lodge which yard hath lately bin conveniently raised and made more neat and comely Then is there St. Johns street with Turnmill-street which stretcheth up West to Clarken-well and it is vulgarly called Turnball-street There is another Lane called St. Peters Lane which turns from St. Johns street to Cow-Crosse The dissolved Priory of St. John of Jerusalem stood on the left hand founded almost 600. years since by Jorden Briset a pious brave man who had founded alâ—o a Priory of Nuns at Clarken-Well The Rebels and Rabble of Kent did much mischief to this House 1381. setting it on fire and letting it burn seven dayes At the suppression of Abbeys this House among the rest felt the fury of fare yet it was not quite demolished but employed as a Store-house for the Kings toyles and tents as well for hunting as for the Warres But in Edward the sixth's time that goodly Church for the most part I mean the body and side Iles with the great Bell-Tower a most curious peece of fabrick being engraven gilt and enamel'd to the great Ornament of City and Suburb was barbarously undermined and blown up with Gunpowder the stones whereof were carried to finish the then Protectors House in the Strand viz. the Duke of Somerset but strange Judgements fell afterwards upon him as is before mentioned Cardinal Pool in Queen Maries Raign closed up again part of the Quire and side Walls on the West side and made Sir Thomas Tresham Prior thereof but thinking to bring the place to its first principles it was suppressed again by Queen Elizabeth A great number of Knights of that Order had Monuments in that Church North from the said House of St. John's was the Priory of Clarken-Well which also was very ancient being built Anno 1100. We must now go back to Giltspur-street where this Suburb first begins where hard by standeth a comely fair Church called St. Sepulcher in the Baylie Hard by is Turnagain-lane Hosier-lane and Cow-lane then you come down Soreâ—hill now vulgarly called Snow-hill to Oldborne now called Holborn-Bridge then you go up by Chick-lane and Lither-lane but before you come thither you passe by the Bishop of Elies great Palace and Hatton-House and Brook-House beyond the Barres there is Postpool-lane and Grayes Inne Lane Southward of this Lane there is a row of small Houses which is a mighty hindrance to Holborn in point of prospect which if they were taken down there would be from Holborn Conduit to St. Giles in
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 massâ—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 Prebâ—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 â—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. Bâ—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 Edâ—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 Kiâ—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 oâ— King Henry the eighth Sophia the Daughter of King Iames who died as it were in the very first day-dawning of her age Phillâ—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 Vâ—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 â—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 greaâ— 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 pâ—ills and defending us gloriously with his powerful right Hand against the violent assaults of our adversaries with victorious successes and in other
Sheriffs and other Accounts keep their day of prefixion 6. The green Was is certified into this Office and by him delivered to the Clerk of the Estreats 7. There ought to be brought into this Office all the Accounts of Customers Controulers and all other to make an entry of Record in this Office to avoid delay and concealments The Oath of the Barons of the Exchequer consists of ten parts First That he shall well and truly serve in the Office of Baron 2. That truly he shall charge and discharge all manner of people as well poor as rich 3. That for Higness nor for Riches nor for hatred nor for any deed gift or promise of any person which is made unto him nor by craft engine he shall let the Kings right 4. He shall not let disturbe or respite contrary to the Lawes of the Land the Right of any other person 5. He shall not put in respite the Kings Debts where goodly they may be levied 6. That he shall speed the Kings need before others 7. That neither for gift wages nor good deed he shall layn disturb nor let the profit or reasonable advantage of the King in the advantage of any other Person nor of himself 8. That nothing he shall take of any Person to do wrong or right to delay or deliver or to delay the people that have to do before him that as hastily as he may them goodly to deliver without hurt of the King c. 9. Where he may know any wrong or prejudice to be done to the King he shall put and do all his power and diligence that to redresse 10. The Kings Counsel he shall keep and layne in all things In the Exchequer Chamber all cases of difficulty either in the Kings bench or the Common Pleas were used to be debated argued and resolved by all the Judges of England and the Exchequer Barons The Treasurer of the Kings Chamber and the Keeper of the privy purse with such domestick Offices of the Kings House are not subject to this Court of Exchequer This Court was first erected for the particular profit and service of the Soveraign Prince And this profit is mediat or immediat Immediat as of Lands Rents Franchises Hereditaments Debts Duties Accounts Goods Chatrels and other profits and benefits whatsoever due unto the Soveraign Prince Mediate as the priviledge of the Officers and Ministers of the Court for two things do principally support the jurisdiction of a Court as my Lord Coke hath it first the preservation of the dignity thereof and then the due attendance of the Officers and Ministers of the same The chief Baron is created by Letters Patents and the Office is granted Quamdiu se bene gesserit wherein he hath a more fixed estate it being an estate of life than the Justices of other Benches have who are durante beneplacito And in like manner are the rest of the Barons constituted with the Patents of the Attorney General and Solicitor There is a Court called the Court of Equity in the Exchequer Chamber The Iudges of this Court are the Lord Treasurer the Chancelor of the Exchequer and the Barons Their jurisdiction is as large for matter of Equity as the Barons of the Exchequer have for the benefit of the King by the common Law but if in either Court they hold any Plea that doth not concern the profit of the King there lieth a Prohibition To conclude there are seven Courts that belong to the Exchequer 1. The Court of Pleas or of the Barons 2. The Court of Accounts 3. The Court of Receits 4. The Court of the Exchequer Chamber being the Assembly of all the Iudges of England for matters in Law 5. The Court of Exchequer for Errors in the Court of Exchequer 6. A Court in the Exchequer Chamber for Errors in the Kings Bench. 7. The Court of Equity spoken of a little before But touching all the Officers either coordinate or inferior that belong to the Exchequer and the Revenues Customes perquisits of the Soveraign Prince they are very many far more in number than in any other Court as was touched before yet nothing so numerous as those Financiers and swarm of other Officers which belong to the Revenues of France which are so many that their fees being payed there comes not a Quardecu in every Crown clearly to the Kings Coffers which is but the fourth part But there is one publick advantage in it that thousands of younger Brothers and others have a handsome subsistance to carry themselves hereby in the garbe and equipage of men OF THE COURT OF ADMIRALTY HAving thus made some inspections into so many Courts we must not pretermit the Court of Admiralty for Great Britain being an Island which makes the Sea and Woodden Castles to be her chiefest Conservators the Court of Admiralty may be said to be more pertinent and necessary to her then to divers other States therefore the Lord High Admiral is by the Law of England one of the four Officers of the Crown with the Lord Chancelor the Lord Treasurer and Lord privy Seal Some hold the Etymology of Admirall to come from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Salsugo maris the saltness of the Sea others derive it from Ammir an Arabian word which signifieth a King or Emperor And some would have it to come from the low Dutch Aen-meer-all which signifie on the Sea all The Reader according as his own judgement leads him may adhere to which he please for I know of none that have positively asserted which is the truest But to know the nature and jurisdiction of this Court it will conduce very much if we insert here certain grievances which the Lord Admiral presented in the 8th year of K. Iames concerning Prohibitions granted by the Judges of the Courts of Westminster against the Jurisdiction and Prerogatives of this Court with the answer which the Judges returned to every point 1. The first Objection was that whereas the cognizance of all Contracts and other things done upon the Sea belongeth to the Admirals jurisdiction the same are made tryable at the common Law as if they had bin done in Cheapside and such places The Judges of Westminster-Hall answered that by the Lawes of the Realm the Court of the Admiral hath no cognizance power or jurisdiction of any manner of Contract plea or querele within any County of the Realm either upon the Land or the water but every Contract Plea or querele and all other things arising in any County of the Realm either upon the Land or the water and also Wrecks of the Sea ought to be tryed discussed determined and remedied by the common Lawes of the Land and not before or by the Admiral or his Lieutenant in any manner so that it is not material whether the place be upon the water intra fluxum refluxum aqua or whether it be upon any other water within the precincts of a County But the said
so to Windlestore or Winsore Eton and then to Chertsey where Erkenwald Bishop of London did erect a Religious house or Cell From Chertsey she directs her course to Stanes and receiving another stream by the way call'd the Cole whereupon Colebrook stands she goes by Kingstone Richmond Sheene Sion Brentford or Bregentford where she meets with the Brane or the Brenâ— another 〈◊〉 descending from Edgworth From Brentford she visits Morlach 〈…〉 Cheisoy Lambeth Westminster and so to London Having accompanied our gentle and smooth-gliding Riâ—â—r now to London she now makes great haste to meet with Neptune her lovely husband the first water she greets is the Brome on Kent side West of Greenwich whose spring is Bromis in Bromley Parish and so goeth thence to Lewshant taking 〈◊〉 from the East The next water she meets withal is on Essex side almost against Woolwich and that is the Lee And being pass'd that the Darwent also dischargeth her self into the Thames on Kent side two miles and more beneath Erith having its rising at Tunbridge or Tanridge The next River that disgorgeth her self into the Thames is West of the Wam Isles a rill of no great note or long course for rising about Coringham it rune not many miles East and by South till it falls into the mouth of this River Last of all the Thames takes acquaintance and mingleth with Medway a conâ—derable River watering all the South parts of Kent This noble navigable River flows and fills all her Channels twice ev'ry natural day by the flux and reflux of the Sea which holdeth on for the space of 70 miles within the main Land the stream or tyde being highest at London when the Moon doth exactly touch the Norh-east and South or West points or the Heavens whereof one is visible the other underneath us These rydes do also differ in their times each one coming later than the other by so many mâ—nutes as passe yet the revolution and natural course of the Heavens do reduce and bring about the said Planet to these her former places whereby the common difference 'twixt one tyde and another is sound to consist of 24 minutes which wanteth but twelve of a whole hour in 24 as experience doth confirm In like manner we daily find that each tyde is not of equal heighth and fulness For at the 〈◊〉 and the Change of the Moon we have the highest â—â—ouds and such is their extraordinary course that as they diminish from their Changes and Fulls unto their first and last Quarters so afterwards they encrease again until they come to the Fall and Change sometimes they rise also â—o high eâ—pecially if the wind be at the North or North-east which brings in the water with more vehemency because the tyde which fills the Channel cometh Northward that the Thames often inounds the bankes about London which happeneth most frequently in Ianuary and February which makes the grounds afterwards more fertiâ—e Neither do the tydes after a whit unlesse some impetuous winds from the West or South-west do keep back and check the stream as the East and North-East do hasten the coming in thereof or else some other extraordinary occasion put by the course of the German Seas which do fill the River by their nâ—tural 〈◊〉 and flowings And the probabiest reason why three or four tydes do chop in in one day is because the winds blowing more strong than ordinarily North or North-east make the Sea to rush in with more speed and abundance or water The Land streams or white waters do oftentimes thicken the finenesse of the River in so much that after a Land floud 't is usual to take up Haddocks with ones hâ—nd beneath the Bridge as they float aloft on the water their eyes being so blinded with the thicknesse of the water that they cannot see whither they swimme and how to make shift for themselves before the poor creaâ—â—re be surpriz'd otherwise the Thames water useth to be as clear and 〈◊〉 as any such great River in the world Having gone along so fat with this great goodly River even from her source until she diâ—â—mboques and payes Tribute to Nepume and cast her self into his imbraces It will be now expedient to go on further and acquaint the Reader with the jurisdiction and Prerogatives of the Thâ—mes with the extent thereof Which begins at a place call'd Colnie ditch a little above Stâ—nes-bridge Weâ—â—ward as far as London-bridge and â—rom thence to a place call'd Yendil 〈…〉 and the waters or Medmay all which extent is under the jurisdiction and conservancy of the Lord Mayor the Comminalty and Citizens of London True it is that there have been some Contests betwixt the Lord Mayor and the Lord high Admiral of England concerning the said Jurisdiction and power but after a fair and judicial Tryal in open Court the controversie was decided in favour of the City and the Lord Mayor adjudged to be Conservator of the Thames There were also some other controversial points about the Rivers of Thames and Medway but all differences were absolutely concluded Anno 1613 Sir Iohn Swinerton being then Lord Mayor and Mr. Sparry being then his Deputy or respective Bayliff for the execution of such a great trust repos'd in him Ever since is well as in former times the Lord Mayor of London hath been styl'd the Conservator of the said River within the forenamed limits and bounds having plenary power to inflict punishments upon all transgressors relating to the said Rivers the Water-Bayly of London being his substitute And whereas there are a company of Fishermen call'd Tinckermen frequenting the River of Thames Eastward who in times pass'd have been reported and found out to make an infinit destruction of the young brood or fry of fish by using unlawful Nets and other Engines feeding their Hoggs with them by the singular care and cost of the Lord Mayor and vigilance of the City those prohibited Engines and Nets are now quite suppress'd and a true and orderly manner of fishing brought into use that such a havock may not be made of the young fry Moreover there are a great number of other kind of Fishermen beside Tinckermen belonging to the Thames call'd Hebbermen Petermen and Trawlermen that had lived in former times by unlawful fishing on the said River to the destruction of the young fish as aforesaid but now they are restrain'd and regulated to a more orderly way of fishing There have bin other kind of abuses reformed herein as upon complaint made to the Lord Mayor concerning certain Timbers standing in Tilbury Hope a matter not only dangerous to the Passengers but a cause also to destroy the young brood of fish by the dammage those Timbers did to the Fishermens Nets in regard of their continual standing in the main course and curâ—ent of the River that great grievance was speedily redressed by the providence and prudence of the Lord Mayor and the Water-Bayly Furthermore there hath been care taken to clear
all that that our Constable of our Tower of London was wont to take of the said Weares Wherefore we will and steadfastly command that no Constable of the aforesaid Tower at any time from henceforth forward any thing ask nor any grievance do to any of the same City by enchesen of the same Weares It is to us known enough and by true men do us to understand that most privacy and most profit might fall into the same City and to the whole Realm by enchesen of the same weares which we make for ever firm and stable unto the same City as the Charter of our Lord King John our Fader which our Barons of London thereof have reasonably witnessed Witnesses Eustace of London Peter of Winchester c. At Westminster the 18. of February the year of our Reign eleven Besides these he produced divers others in this Kings Raign 4. This Jurisdiction belongs to the City of London by Acts of Parliament W. 2. ca. 47. An. 13. No Salmons to be taken from the Nativity of our Lady unto St. Martins day in all points Nor none to be taken in Mill-pools from the midst of April until Midsummer 1. Offence burning of Nets and Engines 2. Offence imprisonment for a quarter of a yeer 3. A whole year 13. R. 2. confirms the restraint of taking Salmons in many waters from the midst of April until Midsommer upon the same pain nor within that time to use any Nets call'd Stalkers nor any other Engine whereby the fry may be destroyed 1â— Eliz None shall with any manner of Net Wee le Butcaining Kepper limecreele rawfagnet trolnet trimnet scalboat weblister sturlamet or with any other device or Engine made of cheare woolbine or Canvas or shall by any heeling Nets or Trimbleboat or any other device Engines Cautâ—lles wayes or meanes soever heretofore made or devised or hereafter to be made or devised take or kill any young brood spawn or fry of Eeles Salmon Pike or Pickrel or of any other Fish or Flud-gate Pipe or tail of any Mill Weare or in any streights streams brooks Rivers salt or fresh 2. None shall take or kill any Salmon and Trouts not being in season being Kepper Salmons or Kepper Trouts or Shedder Salmons or Shedder Trouts c. The Mayor of London inter alia shall have full power and Authority by this Act to enquire of all offences committed contrary thereunto by the Othes of 12 men or more and to hear and determine all and every the same and inflict punishments and impose fines accordingly 5. Then he proceeds to assert the Cities Right to the conservation of the Thames and waters of Medway by way of Inquisition whereof there were two the one taken at Raynam in Essex the other at Gravesend in Kent 9. Hen. 5. before William Grocer then Lord Mayor of London where it was presented That whereas by the ancient Ordinances of London the Mesches of Nets should be two Inches in the forepart and one inch in the hinder part and it being found that the offences according to the said Inquisitions are contra libertates consuetudines Civitatis it was adjudged that the Nets should be burnt according to the ancient custom in that behalf provided 6. He goes on after to prove that this Right belongs to the City by Decrees In 8. Hen. 4. The Mayor and Aldermen did exhibit their humble Petition to the Kings Councel reciting That time out of minde they have had the conservation and correction of the River of Thames of all trinks nets and other Engines whatsoever in the River of Thames and Medway placed and have used to make a sub-Conservator under them and complaining that Alexander Bonner then sub-Conservator having discharg'd his duty in removing Kiddels he was ill entreated by the owners the same owners dwelling in Erith Putriferry Barking Woolwich and other places in the Counties of Kent and Essex and upon hearing of the matter in Camera stellata they were sound guilty and constrained to submit themselves to the Lord Mayor and ordered to bring alwayes their Nets unto him before they should use them And that the Kiddles then taken should be at the disposition of the Lord Mayor so the Offendors made their submission accordingly 7. He proceeds This right appertains to the City of London by Letters Patents which he proved by a grant made by Edward the 4th to the Earl of Pembroke for setting up a Weare in the River of Thames which grant was revok'd and annul'd at the instance of the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen upon shewing their right therefore alledg'd It was contrary to their ancient Customs At which time the Cities Title to the conservacy of the Thames and Medway was at large set forth and recited to have bin shewn to the Lord Chancellour and to the said Earl and his Councel which accordingly was allowed 8. He reinforceth the right of the City by Proclamations whereof one was made by Hen. 8. in 34. of his Raign wherein it is affirmed that the Lord Mayor and his Predecessors have had by divers grants of the Kings of England and by Acts of Parliament enjoyed alwayes the conservacy of the Thames without impediments or interruption By which Proclamation it was commanded that none should resist deny or impugne the Lord Mayor or his Deputy in doing or executing any thing that might conduce to the conservacy of the River and of the fish and fry within the same 9. He produceth Report for in a controversie 'twixt the Lord Admiral and the Lord Mayor for the measuring of Coles and other things upon the Thames it then fell into debate to whom the Conservacy of the River appertain'd which cause was referred by Queen Elizabeths Councel of State 1597. to the Atturney General and Solicitor who joyntly certified among other things that the Conservacy and care of the River did and ought to belong to the City of London 10. By quo Warranto 't was proved that the Conservacy of the Thames belongs to the City for 3. Jacobâ— a quo warranto was brought against the City in the Exchequer to know by what Title she claimed the Conservacy of the River of Thames the waters of Medway whereupon the City made her Title good thereunto by ancient prescription and otherwise so judgement was given in her favour 11. He goes on afterwards to confirm the right of the City by proof of usage in regard the Lord Mayor and Aldermen have time out of minde made Ordinances concerning the good Government of the River of Thames as well for the seasons and manner of fishing beneath London Bridge Eastward upon pain of penalties as it appears from time to time from the Raign of Hen. 3. and so downward the Lord Mayor hath removed Kiddels Weares Trinks and other unlawful Engines and hath reformed the disorders of such as have offended besides in the River of Thames and inflicted punishment upon Offendors accordingly The right of the City appeares also by the
Writs and Precepts under the teste of the Lord Mayor to the Sheriffs of Kent and Essex for the returning of Juries before him to enquire of Offences done in the River The same right of the City appeares also by Commissions whereof divers have bin directed to the Lord Mayor to put in execution the Acts of Parliament made for the Conservancie of the Thames and Medway and to enquire of all offences made or done in the said waters and to punish the Delinquents accordingly Lastly He makes good the Right and Title of the City by the continual claim she made thereunto as appears in those various contests she had with the Lord Admiral of England wherein after divers debates and bandings she kept still above water and made her Title good which moved King James Anno the 3d of his Raign to put a final determination to the business by the Letters Patents he passed unto the City wherein he saith that ad omnem controversiam in hac parte temporibus tam presentibus quà m futuris tollendam omne dubium amovendum that to cut off all controversies as well of the present times as of future and to remove all doubts he did confirm and ratifie the said right unto the City of London Thus was the Title Prerogative and right of the City of London stoutly and strongly asserted by eleven pregnant and convincing proofs to the conservation of her dearly beloved Minion the River of Thames both by prescription by allowance in Eire by ancient Charters by Acts of Parliament by Inquisitions by Decrees coram ipso Rege By Letters Patents by Proclamations by Report of the learned Councel by a quo Warranto And lastly by ancient usage custom and continual claim Mr. Stow in his survey of the City of London hath more about this business then here is inserted which made the last King Charles the first to command Sir John Coke his Secretary to write to Sir Henry Martin Judge of the Admiralty to this effect That His Majesty understanding that a second Edition of Stowes Survey of the City of London was put new to sale wherein there are some passages prejudicial to His Majesties Right in his Admiralty and derogatory to the just power belonging thereunto his Majesty did therefore require him his Iudge in that high Court to examine the said Boâ—k and to cause the said passages inserted in prejudice of the Admirals Iurisdiction and in support of any other pretence against the same to be left out or else to prohibite the publishing and sale of the said Book c. Sir Henry Martin having received this Letter after the Book was printed and publiquely sold all that he could do was to have Sir John Cokes Letter inserted in the last Folio of Stow to stand there for a Cautionary Reserve and Record for the future Now there be many things that concern the incumbency of the Conservator of so Noble a River it being an Office of no small extent His first duty is to preserve the currency of the stream and the banks on both sides Secondly He must preserve the Fish and Fry within the same He must prevent all Encroachments upon the River and the banks thereof as also he must enquire of all Flud-gates Mill-dams and such like annoyances and whether any do hurl in any soyl dust or rubbish or other filth whatsoever to choak her But for the strength and safety of the River against the invasion of an enemy by Block-houses Forts Bastions or Castles and the securing of the Merchant and Navigation to and fro that charge belongs to the Soveraign Prince and not to the City But indeed touching the former charge circumspection and care of the River of Thames it is most proper for the City of London who lies perpetually by her Beds side and therefore in a fit posture to be watchful of her for which vigilance the Thames rewards her abundantly by bringing her in the Spices of the South the Jewels of the East and Treasure of the West Insomuch that it may be well said this Office of Conservatorship or superintendency of so Noble and useful a River is as a fair flower or rich Jewel in the Cap of maintenance This famous River taking all her advantages together surpassing all other whatsoever that pay tribute to the Ocean if you regard the streightness of her course the stilness of her stream for her proportionable latitude as also her length for she comes sporting along from her first source above ninescore miles before she embosomes her self in the Arms of Neptune Add hereunto the great store and variety of Fish she abounds withall the most delectable and fertile soiles on both sides And lastly the conveniency of her scituation being towards the Center of England And then in her entrance to the Sea she opens upon France and Flanders having them both in her eye Besides she hath another advantagious property that to the knowing Native the entrance into the River is safe and easie but difficult and hazardous to strangers either to come in or go out Insomuch that the Thames may be said to be Londons best friend which puts me in minde of a passage of drollery that happened in the time of King James who being displeased with the City because she would not lend him such a sum of money and the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen attending him one day being somewhat transported he said that he would remove his own Court with all the Records of the Tower and the Courts of Westminster-Hall to another place with further expressions of his indignation The Lord Mayor calmly heard all and at last answered Your Majesty hath power to do what you please and your City of London will obey accordingly but she humbly desires that when your Majesty shall remove your Courts you would please to leave the Thames behind you Of the great and admirable BRIDGE In the City of LONDON over the Thames HAving bin thus long upon water and accompanied the Thames to Thetis lap 't is time now to land and take a view of her greatest Bridge which if the stupendious Site and structure thereof be well considered may be said to be one of the Wonders of the World though as some think it hath too many Arches so that it may be said If London Bridge had fewer eyes it would see far better Now as we ferch'd the Thames from her Spring so we will fetch her Bridge from its first foundation At first there was but a Ferry kept in the place where now the Bridge is built at length the Ferriman and his Wife deceasing left the said Ferry to their only Daughter a Mayden who with other goods left her by her Parents together with the profits arising from the said Ferry did build a holy House for Nuns in place whereof the East part of St. Mary Overies stands now above the Quire where she was buried and unto that House of Nuns she bequeathed the over-sight and benefit
Anno 1289 the Bridge was â—o sore decayed for want of reparations that people were afraiâ— to pass thereon and a subsidy was granted towards the amendment thereof Afterwards Sir Iohn Britain being then Custos of London Anno 1381 a great Collection was made by all the Clergy for the repair of London-Bridge In the year 1381 on St. Georges day was a great solemnity of Justs and Tournements upon London-Bridge between David Earl of Crawford of Scotland and the Lord Wells of England whereby one may infer that the houses were not there so thick at that time The Tower on London-bridge at the North end of the Draw-bridge which was then in a posture to be drawn up was built Anno 1426 in the Majoralty of Iohn Rainwell Anno 1471 a house call'd the Common siege on London-Bridge tumbled down into the Thames by death of diyers persons a little after But in the year sixteen hundred thirty three there happen'd a most raging dismal fire upon the North side of London-bridge which by computation consum'd above the third part of the Buildings thereof But by the commendable care of the City there are other goodly structures rais'd up in some of their rooms of a stronger and more stately way of building and pity it is that the work were not compleated there being no object after the Church of St. Pauls that can conduce more to the glory and Ornament of this renowned City Besides this Bridge that may be call'd the Bridge of the world there are other inferior Bridges which have still the names of Bridges that belong to the City of London the first is Fleet-bridge in the West fenc'd with iron Pikes on which towards the South there be certain Lanthorns of Stones for lights to be placed in Winter Evenings for commodity of passengers Under this Bridge runs a water sometimes call'd the River Wells but since Turn-hill brook and now Fleet Dike because it runs by the Fleet under ground to the River of Thames this Bridge hath been far greater in times pass'd but lessened as the water course hath been narrowed Over the sayd River of Wells northerly stands Oldenbridge now Holborn-bridge so call'd of a boorn that sometimes ran down Holborn hill into the River this Bridge like Fleet-bridge-serves for passage only Then comes Cow-bridge more Northerly over the same water near unto Cow-lane but this Bridge being decayed another of Timber is made more North towards Chicklane There are some other small Bridges over the Town-ditch viz. without Eald-gate without Bishopsgatâ— Mooregate the Postern of Cripplegate as also without Aldersgate the Postern of Christs Hospital Newgate and Ludgate which are now paved eaven with the streets only there remains one of Timber over the River of Wels or Fleet Dike There have 〈◊〉 informer ages divers Bridges in sundry places over the course of Wallbrook but 〈◊〉 they are made levell with the paâ—ements of the Streets so that the water-course can now be hardly discover'd being vaulted over with Brick Of the chief Fortresse or Tower of LONDON ANd now that we are come so near the famous and great Tower Palatine or Citâ—adel of London we will try whether we can get in thither without paying fees and take a view thereof as briefly as we can it being an ill-favoured and tedious thing to stay there long I know it is the current vulgar opinion that Julius Caesar the first Conquerour or rather indeed Discoverer of Britain was the Original Founder thereof but there is â—ery litle probability of truth in that for two Reasons The first is the little stay he made here during which he had other things to think on The second is that he himself who is so exact in his relations specially if they conduce to his honour nor any other Roman Author makes any mention of of such a work or Fabrique Therefore that opinion which approacheth truth the neerest is that William of Normandy the Conqueror was the first tracer and erector of the Tower of London as Edmond de Hadenham an old English Antiquary affirms The first part that was built was the great square and White Tower though black to some which was about the year 1078 whereof Gundulph Bishop of Rochester was principal Superviser and Surveyer who was log'd then in the house of Edmere a Burgesse of London as it stands upon Latine Record in the forenamed Author Now it is to be considered that at first the wall of the City was in many places furnish'd with sundry Bastions and Turrets in due distance one from the other and divers stood on the waters side where some of the said Wall extended at first but the Thames with her ebbings and flowings did as it were corrode and subverâ— those Buildings on the South side Wherefore the Conqueror for then the Art of fortification was come to a greater perfection for defence of the City and River pitch'd upon that place as most convenient to erect a Buâ—wark in the East part of the Wall The White square Tower as was formerly said was first erected and finished in the Conquerors time but stood naked and single without other Buildings a good while and the story â—aith that in William Rufus time it was by the injury of the Heavens and violence of tempest sore shaken and some part tumbled down which was repair'd by the said Rufus and Henry the first who also caused a Castle to be built under the said White Tower on the South side towards the Thames and he surrounded that also with a strong Wall Now Henry of Huntindon relates that VVill. Rufus challeng'd the inveâ—â—iture of Prelates and pill'd the people pitifully to spend the treasure about the Tower of London and the great Hall at VVestminster whereof he was Founder The first Keeper of the Tower of London was call'd Constable Ostowerus Acolinillus Otho and Geoffrey Magnaville were the first four Constables of the Tower of London by succession all which held a portion of Land that appertain'd to the Priory of the Holy Trinity near Algate viz. East Smithfield as belonging to that Office making thereof a Vineyard and would would not part with it till the second year of King Stephen when by judgment of the Court it was restored to the Church The foresaid Geoffery Magnaville was at one time Constable of the Tower Sherif of London Middlesex Essex Hartfordshire as the Chronicles relate He also fortified the Tower of London against King Stephen but the King took him at last at St. Albanes and would not free him till he had surrendred the Tower of London with the Castles of VValden and Plashey in Essex Richard de Lucie was Anno 1155 Constable of the Tower of London and also of Casâ—le the of VVinsore About the beginning of the Raign of Richard the first William Longshank Bishop of Ely and Chancellour of England for some dissentions 'twixt him and John the Kings Brother who was in Rebellion enclos'd the Tower of London with an outward
Wall of stone embattail'd and also caused a deep ditch to be cast about the same and thought to have environ'd it with the River of Thames The Lion Tower was built by Edward the fourth Frederick the Emperor having sent for a present three Leopards they were first kept at Woodstock which was the first Park of England seven miles about to the destruction of some Churches and Chappels adjacent by Henry the third but afterwards all such wild Beasts as Lions which are call'd the Beasts of the Royall Prerogative together with Leopards Linxes and Propentines have been kept in that part of the Tower which is called Lions Tower And we read that Edward the 2d commanded the Sheriff of London to pay 6d per diem to the Keeper oâ— the Lions and Leopards for their sustenance and three half pence a day for the Keeper's diet out of the Fee-farm of the City In former times there were persons of high quality that kept these Beasts whereof the Earl of Oxford was one and they had a Pension from the Crown belonging to the Office Mr. Robert Gill a very worthy Gentleman hath the place now and hath had it many years Noâ— was the Tower ever better furnish'd with Lions than it is now there being six in all young and old Edward the fourth fortified the Tower of London and enclosed with Brick a certain enclosure of ground taken from Tower-hill Westward now call'd the Bullwark His Officers also set up upon the said Hill a Gallowes and a Scaffold for the execution of offendors whereupon the Lord Mayor complaining to the King all the answer he had was that it was not done to the derogation of the City In the year 1216 the Tower of London was delivered to Lewis of France by the Barons of England who banded against the King Anno 1222. the Citizens of London having made an uprore against the Abbot of Westminster Huberâ— de Burgh chief Justice of England came to the Tower of London and summoned before him the Mayor and Aldermen of whom he enquired and demanded the principal Authors of that Insurrection Among whom one Constantine Fitzaeluphe confess'd that he was the man saying undauntedly that he was the man and that he had done much lesse than he had thought to have done Whereupon the Justice passed him over to Fulke de Brent who with a band of arm'd men brought him to the Gallowes where he was executed Anno 1244. Griffeth the eldest Son to Luellin Prince of Wales being kept prisoner in the Tower devised means to escape and having made a Line of the Sheets and Hangings he put himself down from the top of the Tower but in the sliding the weight of his Body he being a corpulent man brake the rope with his neck together King Hen. the 3d. imprisoned the Sheriffs of London Anno 1253. for the escape of a prisoner out of Newgate The same Henry with his Queen to secure himself from rebelling Barons kept his Court at the Tower sent for the Lords to hold a Parliament and the next year his Queen passing through London-Bridge the Londoners did outrage her as she pass'd hurling stones and dirt at her in so much that she was forc'd to return hereupon the Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs were sent to divers Prisons and a Custos was set over the City for the time ' viz. Othon Constable of the Tower until submission had bin made and other satisfaction given It is upon Record that Edw. 2. allowed a Knight 2d per diem and a Squire a peny for their Diet as long as they were prisoners in the Tower upon his Command Roger Mortimer being prisoner in the Tower gave his Watchmen a sleeping potion and so escaped but afterwards he was arraigned and condemned by his Peers without personal appearance and so executed at the Elmes where he hung two dayes The Londoners in the year 13â—6 seized upon the Tower wresting the keys out of the Constables hands they freed all the Prisoners and kept it in their hands for the use of Queen Isabel and her Son Edward both Tower and City The first gold that was coin'd in the Tower was in the raign of Edward the third and the peeces were call'd Florences of the value of 6s 8d Perceval de post being Master of the Mint at that time All great sums before were used to be payd by the weight as so many pounds or marks of silver or so many pounds or marks of gold but they bore no stamp the lesser payments were in Starlings which was the only coin then current and stamp'd which were pence so call'd And they had their antiquity no further then from the raign of King Henry the second Nevertheless the Saxon coines before the Conquest were pence of fine silver somewhat weightier and better then the latter starlings and the probablest Reason that is given why it was starling money was because in the ring or border of the peny there was a Starre stamped But to return to the Tower of London In the year 1360. Iohn the French King being Prisoner in the Tower King Edward the third being newly returned victoriously from France the first thing he did was to visit his Prisoner whose ransome was assessed afterwards at three millions of Florences or Nobles whereupon he was brought honourably to the Sea side Anno 1387. King Richard kept his Christmas in the Tower and the year after was clapt up Prisoner there In the year 1458. there were Justs and Tournements in the Tower wherein the chief Actor was the Duke of Somerset Anno 1465 Henry the sixth was brought Prisoner to the Tower where he remained many years of whom was given this Character that he was a good King but born in an ill time The Mayor of London Sir Richard Lee and the Aldermen freed the said King Henry once from his imprisonment but being sent thither again he was pittifully murthered Anno 1478. The Duke of Clarence was drowned in a But of Malmsey within the Tower and 5. years after young Edward the fifth with his Brother were by the practices of Richard the third stiâ—â—ed there betwixt two Fetherbeds as the current story goes Iohn Earl of Oxford Anno 1485. was made Constable of the Tower and he had also the keeping of the Lions and Leopards as the story makes mention Queen Elizabeth Wife to Henry the 7th died in the Tower Anno 1502. in Child-birth and the year before there was running at tilt and tourney there The Chappel in the high white Tower was burnt Anno 1512. Queen Anno Bullein was beheaded in the Tower 1541. and a little after the Lady Katherine Howard both Wifes to Henry the eighth Anno 1546. a strange accident happened in the Tower for one Foxley who was Pot-maker for the Mint being fallen asleep he could not be awakened by pinching cramping or burning for fourteen dayes at which time he awak'd as fresh as at the first day he began to sleep In Henry the
shall be sadled with a saddle of the Arms of the said Bannerer and shall be covered with â—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 leâ—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
away at last their own Legions whereupon the Iland being thus grown weak much depopulated and to a long deâ—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 Posâ—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 proceâ—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
London have had from time to time differing appellations Under the Britains they were call'd Kings The Romans stiled them Praefects The Saxons Portreves The Norman Kings at their first comming Bayliffs and sometimes Provosts Then came the Office to be established in the Title of Maior which hath continued any time these 467. years though it was interrupted sometimes by a Custos which some of the Kings as Henry the third and Edward the first upon a displeasure against the City were used to appoint This great Urban Magistrate the Maior of London useth to be chosen upon the feast of St. Michael the Archangel every year out of the six and twenty Aldermen who are his Brethren but he takes not his place until the 28. of October next following Touching the State and Authority of the Lord Maior of London there is no Oppidan Magistrate in Christendom all things well considered lives in a greater Let us examine the particulars and first go to his domestical attendance and the Officers thereunto belonging which are 1. A Sword-bearer 2. Common Hunt 3. Common Cryer And 4. Water Bayliffs all Esquires by their places Then is there the Coroner of London three Sergeant Carvers 3. Sargeants of the Chamber Sargeant of the Channel 4 Yeomen of the Water side The Under Water-Bayliffe two Yeomen of the Chamber three Meal-weighets two Yeomen of the Wood-Wharfs and most of these have their Servants allowed them but the common Huntsman and Water-Bayliffe have two a peece some of them have Liveries from the Lord Maior and the rest from the Chamber of London There be divers other great publick Officers belong to the Government of the City of London as the two Sherifâ—s which like the Lord Maior are but annual The Recorder the Chamberlain the Common Sergeant the Town-Clark or common Clark the Remembrancer all Esquires The Sheriffs are chosen upon Midsummer day they formerly were used to be elected out of the Commonalty and sometimes they came to be Aldermen as many Aldermen were made Maiors though not having bin Sheriffs But of latter years the Sheriffs have bin Aldermen before or presently after their Election And 't is remarkable that Nicolas Faringdon was 4 times Maior of London and yet never Sheriff Now touching the Election of these Officers we shall give a brief account the prime Magistrate the Lord Maior and the Aldermen met at Guild-hall at 8. in the morning in their Scarlet Gowns and their Cloaks fur'd riding on Horseback and having bin a while in the Councel Chamber they come forth into the Orphans Court whence they go in their Cloaks to the Chappel to hear Service and Sermon where the Lord Maior with some of the Aldermen take the Communion which being ended and Offrings delivered they return to the Councel Chamber and thence to the Hustings the highest Court where the Recorder makes a Speech touching the business in hand then they go back to the Lord Maiors Court where they remain the doors shut until the Election be brought unto them Then the common Sargeant having the Sheriffs on either side and the Sheriffs other Officers about them makes another Speech touching the Custom of the City in this kind whereupon they choose two whose names are brought up to the Lord Maior and the Aldermen who by scrutiny elect one of those two whom the Commons had nominated before Then the Lord Maior returns to the Hustings and he who is chosen goeth upon his left hand and sitteth next him Then the Recorder speaks again to the Commons nominating the person whom the Lord Maior and the Aldermen had admitted and demands whether it be their free choyce the commons affirming it the Sword-bearer goes to the Lord Maior Elect and taketh off his Tipper which he takes for his fee and puts on his Chain whereupon he making a short Speech of gratitude the Lord Maior and the new Elect go to the Eldest Sheriffs House to dinner After dinner the Lord Elect taking the Common Hunt and other Officers to attend him besides a Company of Aldermen goeth to the Lord Keeper of the great Seal of England where five or six Aldermen present him wearing their Violet Gowns The morrow after Michaelmas day the Lord Maior and the Aldermen go with the two new Sheriffs to the Exchequer-chamber in Westminster where they are presented and sworn and the old Sheriffs are sworn also to their account On Simon and Iudes day the Aldermen and Sheriffs attend the old Lord Maior at his House whence they come in their formalities to the Hustings where being sate the common Cryer commands silence then the Town-Clark exhibites an Oath to the Lord Maior Elect which being done the former Lord Maior giveth place to the New which being done the Chamberlain delivers him the Scepter next the Keyes of the Common Seal and lastly the Seal of the Majoralty Then the Sword-bearer delivers him the Sword On the morrow after all the Aldermen and Sheriffs solemnly meet at the new Lord Maiors House by 8. in the morning whence they go to the Guild-Hall and thence to the Vine-Tree where they take Barge and are rowed in state to Westminster-Hall the rest of the chief Companies attending in their several Barges with their Arms Colours and Streamers in a very gay manner Being come to the Hall they go round about and salute all the Tribunals of justice then they ascend to the Exchequer Chamber to the Barons where after the Recorder hath made a Speech the Oath is administer'd Then they come down to the Hall and go first to the Kings Bench then to the Common Pleas and so to Westminster Abbey where having walk'd about the Kings Tombs they return to their Barge and so to London again where being landed they go to the Guild-hall where a most plentifull dinner is prepared which lasts many hours being called the Lord Mayors feast The Lords of the privy Councel the Judges with other Lords and Ladies of the best quality are thither invited After dinner the Lord Mayor with all the Companies attending ride solemnly to Saint Pauls to do their devotions and so the Ceremony of that great day is concluded Touching the Election of the Sheriffs the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen meet at 8 in the morning at Guild-hall in their violet-colour'd Gowns and their Cloaks of Scarlet lin'd but without horses where from the Counsel-Chamber they go to the Orphans Court so to the Hustings where the Recorder having made a speech touching the present meeting the Mayor Aldermen go to the Mayors Court the dores shut upon them then the Commons fall to the Election of Sheriffs as also a Chamberlain two Bridg-masters the Auditors of the City and Bridg-house Accounts and the Surveyors for Beer and Ale which being done the Sheriffs with the other Officers the Common Cryer going before them with his Mace go up to the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen to cary up the report of what is done at the Hustings whither the Lord
Simon the Sonne of Mary sendeth greeting in our Lord where among other things and before other Lands the high Altitude of the Heavenly Councels marvellously wrought by some readier devotion it ought to be more worshipped of which things the mortal sickness after the fall of our first Father Adam hath taken the beginning of this new repairing therefore forsooth it beseemeth worthy that the place in which the Son of God is become Man and hath proceeded from the Virgins Womb which is increaser and beginning of Mans Redemption namely ought to be with Reverence worshipped and with beneficial Portions to be increased therefore it is that the said Simon Son of Mary having special and singular Devotion to the Church of the glorious Virgin at Bethelem where the same Virgin of Her brought forth our Saviour incarnate and lying in the Cratch and with her own milk nourished and where the same Child to us there born the Chivalry of the heavenly Company sang the new Hymne Gloria in Excelsis Deo The same time the increaser of our health as a King and his Mother a Queen willed to be worshipped of Kings a new Starre going before them as the Honour and Reverence of the same Child and his most meek Mother And to the exaltation of my most Noble Lord Henry King of England whose Wife and Child the foresaid Mother of God and her only Son have in their keeping and protection And to the manifold increase of this City of London in which I was born And also for the health of my soul and the souls of my Predecessors and Successors my Father Mother and my Friends And specially for the souls of Guy of Marlow Iohn Durant Ralph Ashwye Maud Margaret and Dennis Women Have given granted and by this my present Charter here have confirmed to God and to the Church of St. Mary of Bethelem all my Lands which I have in the Parish of St. Buttolph without Bishopsgate of London that is to say whatsoever I there now have or had or in time to come may have in Houses Gardens Pools Ponds Ditches and Pits and all their appurtenances as they be closed in by their bounds which now extend in length from the Kings high street East to the great Ditch in the West the which is called deep Ditch and in breadth to the Lands of Ralph Downing in the North and to the Land of the Church of St. Buttolph in the South To have and to hold the aforesaid Church of Bethelem in freâ— and perpetual Alms And also to make there a Priory and to ordain a Prior and Canons Brothers and also Sisters when Jesus Christ shall enlarge his grace upon it And in the same place the Rule and order of the said Church of Bethelem solemnly professing which shall bear the Token of a Starre openly in their Coapes and Mantles of profession and for to say Divine Service there for the souls aforesaid and all Christian souls and specially to receive there the Bishop of Bethelem Canons Brothers and Messengers of the Church of Bethelem for evermore as often as they shall come thither And that a Church or Oratory there shall be builded as soon as our Lord shall enlarge his grace under such form that the Order Institution of Priors Canons Brothers Sisters of the visitation correction and reformation of the said place to the Bishop of Bethelem and his Successors and to the Charter of his Church and of his Messengers as often as they shall come thither as shall seem them expedient no mans contradiction notwithstanding shall pertain for evermore saving alway the Services of the chief Lords as much as pertaineth to the said Land And to the more surety of this thing I have put my self out of this Land and all mine And Lord Godfrey then chosen of the Nobles of the City of Rome Bishop of Bethelem and of the Pope confirmed then by his name in England in his name and of his Successors and of his Chapter of his Church of Bethelem into bodily possession I have indented and given to his possession all the foresaid Lands which possession he hath received and entred in form abovesaid And in token of subjection and reverence the said place in London without Bishopsgate shall pay yearly in the said City a mark sterling at Easter to the Bishop of Bethelem his Successors or his Messengers in the name of a Pension and if the faculties or goods of the said place our Lord granting happen to grow more the said place shall pay more in the name of Pension at the said terme to the Mother Church of Bethelem This forsooth gift and confirmation of my Deed and the putting to of my Seal for me and mine Heires I have steadfastly made strong the year of our Lord God A thousand two hundred forty seven the VVednesday after the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist c. King Henry the 8th gave this Hospital unto the City The Church and Chappel were taken down in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and houses builded there by the Governours of Christs Hospital in London In this place people that be distraught in their wits are now by the suit of their friends received and kept as before but not without charges to their bringers in Then is there a fair House of late builded by Iohn Powlet Next to that a far more large and beautiful House with Gardens of pleasure Bowling Allies and such like builded by Iasper Fisher free of the Goldsmiths late one of the six-Clarks of the Chancery and a Justice of Peace It hath since for a time been the Earl of Oxfords place The late Queen Elizabeth hath lodged there it now belongeth to the Earl of Devonshire This House being so large and sumptuously builded by a man of no great Calling Possessions or VVealth for he was indebted to many was mockingly called Fishers folly and a Rithme was made of it and other the like in this manner Kirbyes Castle and Fishers Folly Spinilas pleasure and Megses glory And so of other like Buildings about the City by Citizens men have not forborn to speak their pleasure From Fishers Folly up to the West end of Berwards Lane of old time so called but now Hogge-Lane because it meeteth with Hogge-Lane which commeth from the Barres without Ealdgate as is afore shewed is a continual bnilding of Tenements with Allies of Cottages pestered c. Then is there a large close called Fazel Close sometime for that there were Zazels planted for the use of Cloth-workers since letten to the Crosse-bow Makers wherein they used to shoot for Games at the Popingey Now the same being inclosed with a Brick-wall serveth to be an Artillery-yard or Garden whereunto the Gunners of the Tower weekly do repair namely every Thursday and their levelling certain Bâ—asse-Pieces of great Artillery against a But of Earth made for that purpose they discharged them for their exercise present use is made thereof by divers worthy Citizens Gentlemen and
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 Pâ—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 Creepâ—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 alià s Clarentiaux King of Armes for the South part of England granted by his Paâ—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 purpâ—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 Râ—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 miâ—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 â—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 ragâ—d as far as Saint Bennets Church Walls and there the fury was sâ—opped otherwiâ—e it might have destroyed all this City The French Reformers have their Sermons in this Church and the exercise of Calvâ—nâ— 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
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 oâ—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 againâ— 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
was made one of the six and twenty Wards belonging to the City of London which was in this manner After the dissolution of the Monasteries Abbeys Priories and other Religious Houses in this Realm of England The Mayor Commonalty and Citizens of this City of London taking into their Considerations how commodious and convenient it would be unto the City to have the Burough of Southwark annexed thereunto and that the same Burough was in the Kings hands wholly they became humble suiters unto King Henry the eighth and unto the Lords of his Highness Privy Councel for the obtaining of the same Which suit not being granted unto them after the Decease of King Henry the eighth they renewed their Suit unto his Sonne and next Successour King Edward the sixth and to the Lords of his Privie Councel for the obtaining of the same Borough At the length after long suit and much labour it pleased King Edward the fixth by his Letters Parents sealed with the great Seal of England bearing date at VVestminster the three and twentieth day of April in the fourth year of his Reign as well in consideration of the sum of six hundred forty seven pounds two shillings and a penny of lawful money of England paid to his Highnesses use by the Mayor Communalty and Citizens of London as for divers other considerations him thereunto moving To give and grant unto the said Mayor and Communalty and Citizens of London divers Messuages Lands and Tenements lying near the Borough of Southwark in the said Letters Parents particularly expressed which were sometimes the Lands of Charles late Duke of Suffolk and of whom King Henry the eighth did buy and purchase the same But there was excepted out of the said grant and reserved unto the said King Edward the sixth his Heirs and Successors and all that his Capitall Messuage or Mansion Hoâ—se called Southwark place late of the said Duke of Suffolke and all Gardens and Land to the same adjoyning and all that his Park in Southwarke and all that his Messuage and all Edifices and ground called the Antelope there And the said King Edward the 6th did by his said Letters Patents give grant to the said Mayor Communalty and Citizens and their Successors all that his Lordship and Mannor of Southwarke with all and singular the Rights Members and Appurtenances thereof in the said County of Surrey then late belonging to the late Monastery of Bermondsey in the same County And also all that his Mannor and Borough of Southwarke with all and singular the Rights Members and Appurtenances thereof in the said County of Surrey then late parcel of the Possessions of the Arch-Bishop and Bishoprick of Canterbury together with divers yearly Rents issuing out of the divers Messuages or Tenements in the said Letters Patents particularly expressed But there was excepted and reserved out of the said Grant to the said King Edward the sixth his Heirs and Successors all his Rights Jurisdictions Liberties and Franchises whatsoever within the Walk Circuit and Precinct of his Capital Messuage Gardens and Park in Southwarke and in all Gardens Curtilages and Lands to the said Mansion House Gardens and Park belonging Also there was excepted and reserved out of the said Grant the House Messuage or lodging there called the Kings-Bench and the Gardens to the same belonging so long as it should be used as a Prison for prisoners as it was then used Also there was excepted and reserved out of the said Grant the House Messuage or Lodging there called the Marshalsey and the Gardens to the same belonging so long as it should be used as a Prison for prisoners as it was then used Also it was provided that the said Letters Patents should not be prejudicial to the Offices of the great Master or Steward of the Kings Houshold within the Borough and Precincts aforesaid to be executed while the same Borough and Precincts should be within the Verge Nor to Iohn Gates Knight one of the Gentlemen of the Kings Privy Chamber concerning any Lands Tenements Offices Profits Franchises or Liberties to him granted during his life by the said King Edward the sixth or by his Father King Henry the eighth About the space of a Month after the said Borough of Southwark was so granted by King Edward the sixth to the Mayor Communalty and Citizens of London and that they by force of the said Letters Patents stood charged with the Ordering Survey and Government of the same Borough and of all the Kings Subjects inhabiting therein and repairing thither At a Court holden before Sir Rowland Hill Knight then Lord Mayor of London and the Aldermen of the same City in the Guild-Hall of London on Tuesday the eight and twentieth of May in the said fourth year of the Reign of King Edward the sixth the said Town or Borough was named and called the Ward or Bridge VVard without Not long after it was enacted that besides the then ancient accustomed number of five and twenty Aldermen there should be one Alderman more elected to have the Rule Charge and Governance of the said Borough and Town And that four discreet persons or more being Freemen of London and dwelling within the said City or the Borough of Southwarke or in other the Liberties of the said City should from thenceforth as often as the Case shall require be from time to time nominated appointed and chosen by the Inhabitants of the said Borough for the time being before the Lord Mayor of London for the time being And that the said Lord Mayor for the time being should at the next Court of Aldermen to be holden at the Guild-Hall of the said City next after such election present the Names and Sirnames of all such persons as to should be named before him and put in the said Election And that the said Lord Mayor and Aldermen for the time being should of those four persons or mo so presented Elect and Chuse one by way of Scrutinie to be an Alderman of the said City and to have the peculiar Ordering Rule and Governance of the said Borough and Town of Southwarke and of the Inhabitants thereof and of all other the Kings liege people repairing to the same This Borough being in the County of Surrey consisteth of divers streets waies and winding Lanes all full of Buildings inhabited And first to begin at the West part thereof over against the West Suburbe of the City on the Bank of the River Thames there is now a continual building of Tenements about half a mile in length to the Bridge Then South a continual street called Long Southwark builded on both sides with divers Lanes and Alleys up to St. Georges Church and beyond it through Blackman street towards New Town or Newington the Liberties of which Borough extend almost to the Parish Church of New Town aforesaid distant one mile from London Bridge and also South-west a continual building almost to Lambeth more than one mile from the said Bridge Then from
founded a Chantry He lyeth under a Tombe of Stone with his Image also of Stone over him The Hair of his Head auburne long to his Shoulders but curling up and a small forked Beard on his Head a Chaplet like a Coronet of four Roses an habit of Purple damasked down to his feet a Collar of Esses of Gold about his Neck under his Feet the likenesse of three Books which he compiled The first named Speculum Meditantis written in French The second Vox clamantis penned in Latine The third Confessio Amantis written in English and this last is printed Vox Clamantis with his Chronica Tripartita other both in Latine and French were never printed Besides on the Wall where he lyeth there was painted three Virgins Crowned one of the which was named Charity holding this Device En Toy qui es Fitz de Dieu le pere Savâ—e soit qui gist soubs cest pierre In Thee who art the Son of God Be sav'd who lyes under this clod Now passing through St. Mary Overies Close once in possession of the Lord Montacute Pepper Alley into Long Southwark on the right hand thereof the Market Hill where the Leather is sold there stood the late named Parish Church of Saint Margaret given to St. Mary Overies by Henry the first put down and joyned with the Parish Church of St. Mary Magdalen and united to the late dissolved Priory Church of St. Mary Overy A part of this Parish Church of St. Margaret is now a Court wherein the Assizes and Sessions be kept and the Court of Admiralty is also there kept one other part of the same Church is now a prison called the Compter in Southwarke c. Farther up on that side almost directly over against St. Georges Church was sometime a large and most sumptuous house builded by Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke in the Reign of Henry the eighth which was called Suffolk House but coming afterwards into the Kings hands the same was called Southwark place and a Mint of Coynage was there kept for the King Queen Mary give this House to Nicholas Heth Archbishop of York and to his Successors for ever to be their Inne or Lodging for their repair to London in recompence of York House near to Westminster which King Henry her Father had taken from Cardinal Woolsey and from the See of York Then is the White Lion a Goal so called for that the same was a common Hoftery for the receit of Travellers by that Sign This â—ouse was first used as a Goal within these hundred years last since the which time the prisoners were once removed thence to an House in New-town where they remained for a short time and were returned again to the aforesaid White Lion there to remain as the appointed Goal for the Countey of Surrey Next is the Goal or Prison of the Kings-Bench but of what antiquity the same is it appears not We read that the Courts of the Kings-Bench and Chancery have oft times been removed from London to other places and so hath likewise the other Goals that serve those Courts as in the year 1304 Edward the first commanded the Courts of Kings-Bench the Exchequer which had remained seven years at York to be removed to their old places at London And in the year 1387 the eleaventh of Richard the second Robert Trisilian chief Justice came to the City of Coventry and there sat by the space of a Month as Justice of the Kings Bench and caused to be Indicted in that Court about the number of 2000 persons of that Country c. It seemeth therefore that for that time the Prison or Goale of that Court was not far off Also in the year 1392 the sixteenth of the same Richard the Archbishop of York being Lord Chancellor for good will that he bare to his City caused the Kings Bench and Chancery to be removed from London to York but ere long they were returned to London Then is the Marshalsey another Goal or Prison so called as pertaining to the Marshalls of England of what continuance kept in Southwark it appears not but likely it is that the same hath been removeable at the pleasure of the Marshalls And then Thieves Lane by St. Thomas Hospital first found by Richard Prior of Bermondsey in the Cellerers grounded against the Wall of the Monastery in the year 1213 He named it the Almery or house of Alms for Converts and poor Children In the year 1552 the Citizens of London having the void suppressed Hospital of St. Thomas in Southwark in the Month of Iuly began the reparations thereof for poor impotent lame and diseased people so that in the Month of November next following the sick and poor people were taken in And in the year 1553 on the tenth of April King Edward the sixth in the seventh of his Reign gave to the Mayor Communalty and Citizens of London to be a Work-House for the poor and idle persons of the City his House of Bridewell and seven hundred Marks Lands of the Savoy Rents which Hospital he had suppressed with all the Beds bedding and other furniture belonging to the same towards the maintenance of the said Work-house of Bridewell and of this Hospital of Saint Thomas in Southwark This gift the King confirmed by his Charter The Church of this Hospital which of old time served for the Tenements neer adjoyning and pertaining to the said Hospital remaineth as a Parish Church But now to come to St. Olaves street on the Bank of the River of Thames is the Parish Church of St. Olave a fair and meeâ—ly large Church but a far larger Parish especially of Aliens or strangers and poor people Next is the Bridge-House so called as being a Store-house for Stone Timber or whatsoever pertaining to the building or repairing of London Bridge This House seemeth to have taken beginning with the first founding of the Bridge either of Stone or Timber it is a large plot of ground on the Bank of the River of Thames containing divers large buildings for stowage of things necessary towards reparation of the said Bridge There are also divers Garners for laying up of Wheat and other Granaries for service of the City as need requireth Moreover there be certain Ovens builded in number ten of which six be very large the other four being but half so big these were purposely made to bake out the Bread Corn of the said Grayners to the best advantage for relief of the poor Cittizens when need should require Then is Battaile Bridge so called of Battaile Abbey for that it standeth on the ground over a Water-course flowing out of Thames pertaining to that Abbey and was therefore both builded and repaired by the Abbots of that House as being hard adjoyning to the Abbots Lodging Beyond this Bridge is Bermondsey street turning South in the South end whereof was sometime a Priory or Abby of St. Saviour called Bermonds Eye in Southwarke founded by Ailwin a
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 rumpâ—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 bonâ—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 Navigeâ— hinc alâ—â— 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 insenâ—â—bâ—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 â—twixt London and VVestminster For the Scots multiplying here mightily neasâ—ed themseâ—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 VVestmâ—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 prayâ—e be it spoken London hath a far more expedite way of doing Justice and determination of cauâ—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 muâ—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
upon the Banks of the Thames were all Episcopal Palaces except the Savoy and Suffolk-house The first for greatness was Excester House now called Essex whereof the chiefest Founder was Edward Stapleton Bishop of that See who was beheaded by the Londoners in Cheap-side and his Body was then brought and buried in a heap of Sand or rubbish in his own House near Temple-barre in the Raign of Edward the second Bishop Edmond Lâ—ey built the great Hall in the Raign of Henry the sixth The same was since called Paget-House being enlarged by William Lord Paget Then was it called Leicester-House of Robert Dudley who was the great Favorite to Queen Elizabeth and then it came to be called Essex-house from Robert Earl of Essex who was also a Favorite of Queen Elizabeth and beheaded in the Tower Opposite to this House standeth the Parish-Church of Saint Clement Danes so called because Harold a Danish King with other of that Nation were buried there Then was the Bishop of Baths Inne or City-House builded by the Lord Thomas Seamer Admiral of England which House came afterwards to be possessed by the Earl of Arundel so it beares the name of Arundel-house neer there adjoyning there was once a Parish-Church called the Nativity of our Lady or the Innocents of the Strand with a fair Coemitery or Church-yard wherein there was a Brother-hood kept called Saint Vrsula of the Strand Near adjoyning to the said Church betwixt it and the Thames there was an Inne of Chancery called Chesters Inne because it belonged to the Bishop of Chester and sometimes 't was called Strand Inne Then was there a House belonging to the Bishop of Landaff which one of those Bishops purchased of the Duke of Lancaster Then was there the Bishop of Chesters Inne or Palace which was first built by Walter Langhton Treasurer of England in the Reign of Edward the first And not far from that was the Bishop of Worcesters Inne or Palace All which viz. The Parish Church called Saint Mary of the Strand Strand Inne with the Bishop of Chester and Bishop of Worcesters Houses with all the Tenements adjoyning were by commandement of Edward Duke of Somerset Uncle to Edward the sixth Lord Protector pull'd down and laid level to the ground Anno 1549. In place whereof he erected that large and goodly House call'd now Somerset House which rose out of the ruines of the Church Therefore the Roman Catholiques observed that an apparent judgement from Heaven fell upon him afterwards being beheaded a little after and he and his Counsel were so infatuated that he forgot to call for his Clergy which he might have claimed by the Law and so sav'd his life Then is there Bedford House which was sometimes the Bishop of Carliles Inne It stretched from the Savoy to Ivie Bridge where Sir Robert Cecill Earl of Salisbury raysed a large and stately House of Brick and Timber Worcester House lies sideling of it and there being a great VValnut tree there growing which much hindred the prospect of Salisbury House Eastward the Earl bargained with one of the Lord Edward of VVorcesters servants that if he could get leave of his Lord to cut down that Tree he would give him 100 li the servanc told his Lord of it who bad him fell down the Tree and take the money but the old Earl there being no good correspondence 'twixt Salisbury and him caused presently a new Brick building to be there erected where the Tree stood We come now to Durham House built by Thomas Hatfield Bishop of that See a very capacious Edifice on the North side whereof stood a row of thatch'd Stables which the Earl of Salisbury purchased and pull'd down and erected in place thereof the New Exchange or Britains Burse which was built with wonderful celerity for the first Stone thereof was â—ayed on the tenth of Iune 1608 and it was fully finished the November next following The Earl did then invite King Iames with the Queen to see his new House where after a rich banquet the King named the place Britains Burse Next beyond Durham House and this new building is another great Palace belonging of old to the Bishop of Norwich but afterwards it came to the Archbishop of Yorke by this occasion When Cardinal Woolsey Arch Bishop of Yorke was Indicted in a premunire whereby the King was entitled to all his Goods and Possessions he among other things seazed upon the said Cardinals House where he then dwelled commonly called York Place and changed the name thereof to White-Hall The Arch-bishops of York having then no House in London or Westminster Queen Mary gave unto Nicholas Heath then Arch-bishop of Yorke Suffolke House in Southwark lately built by Charles Brandon which House the said Arch-bishop sold and in lieu thereof he purchased the Bishop of Norwich's House which ever since hath been called Yorke House though it came afterwards to the possession of the Duke of Buckingham George Villers who added much to the old Edifice and would have had it called Buckingham House which name is engraven upon the watergate in great Letters There was of old an Hospitall of St. Mary Rouncival an order which came from Navarre in Spain by Charing-Crosse where a Fraternity was founded in the fifteenth of Edward the fourth which was afterwards suppressed and turned to Tenements Near unto this Hospital was an Hermitage with a Chappel of St. Katherine over against Charing-Crosse which Crosse was erected by Edward the first to the honor of his Queen as is spoken else-where Eleanor and it was a goodly Monument which was utterly destroyed by the fury of the long Parlâ—ament West of this Crosse stood sometimes another Hospital called St. Iames consisting of two Hides of Land in the Parish of St. Margaret in VVestminster and 〈…〉 by the Citizens of London for 14 Sister-Maidens that were Lepâ—ous then were there added eight Brethren to minister Divine Service there Afterwards there was a great addition of Land made to this Hospital and Edward the first granted a Fair to be kept there every year This Hospital being surrendred to Henry 8. the Sisters were allowed Pensions during their 〈◊〉 and the King erected there a Mannor House with a Park annexed-encompassed about with a Brick Wall But before we advance further Northward towards Westminster we must make a slep backward to Saint Martins Church and Lane where on the West side there are many gentile fair Houses in a row built by the same Earl of Salisbury who built Britains Burse but somewhat before Then have we Bedford Berry commonly called the Coven â—arden because there was a large Convent or Monastery there in times pass'd where there are many good structures cloystered underneath some of them with a large Piazza or Market place and a Church that bears the name of Saint Paul which though within the Precincts of Saint Martins Parish yet by Act of Parliament it is now exempted The Founder who was the Earl of Bedford pâ—ying
the first general cause Peace is the Mother of Plenty which is the 2d general cause and Plenty the Nurse of Suits In particulars by the dissolution of Monasteries Chanteries c. and dispersing of them c. upon the Statutes made concerning the same there being such a confluence of Ecclesiastical possessions there aroâ—e many questions and doubts whereupon Suits were greatly increased 2. Informers and Relators raised many Suits by Informations Writs c. in the Kings Courts at Westminster upon penai Statutes many whereof were obsolete inconvenient and not fit for those daies and yet remained as snares upon the Subject so as the Subject might justly say with Tacitus Priùs vitiis laboravimus nunc legibus 3. Concealers Helluones that endeavoured to swallow up Cathedral Churches and the Ecclesiastical possessions of Church-men and the Livings of many others of the Kings Subjects Lastly the multitude of Atturneys more than is limited by Law is a great cause of encrease of Suits Touching the jurisdiction of this Court which was used to be called the King Bench it is of a larger extent of power and more incontroulable than any other Tribunal for the Law presums that the King is there still in Person He being the Lord Chief Justice of England himself as King James gave a check to one who call'd Lord Coke Lord Chief Justice of England saying that he was but Chief Justice of his Bench and that it was his own Office to be Chief Justice of England Yet it is observable that though the King be Chief Justice of England and that he personally sit upon the Bench yet he can passe no sentence of judgment but by the mouths and mediation of his Judges who did use to sit there at his Feet when he was present Of the Court of Chancery or Equity and Conscience IT is taken pro confesso by all Antiquaries that both the Brittish and Saxon Kings had their Chancellors and Court of Chancery the only Court out of which original and remedial Writs do issue as taking some few examples before the Conquest Edward the Confessor had Reinbald his Chancelor this Edward granted many Mannors Lands c. and Franchises to the Abbot of Westminster and endeth his Charter thus Adultâ—mum cartam istam sigillari jussi ipse manu meâ propriâ signum Crucis impressi idonâ—os testes annotari praecepi And amongst those Witnesse this you shall find Swardus Notarius ad vicem Reinbaldi regiae dignitatis Chancellarii hanc cartam scripsi c. subscripsi He had also Lefrick to his Chancelor King Etheldred also had a worthy name and a worthy man to his Chancelor Rex Etheldredus statuit atque concessit quatenus Ecclesiam de Elye ex tunc semper in regis curia Cancellariae ageret dignitatem c. This King began his Reign Anno Domini 978 which albeit it was void in Law to grant the Chancelorship of England in succession yet it proveth then there was a Court of Chancery King Edgar had Adulph King Edred had Thurkettle King Edmond the same King Athelstane Wolsine their Chancelors c. In the Chancery are two Courts one ordinary Coram Domino Rege in Cancellaria wherein the Lord Chancelor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal proceeds according to the right line of the Laws and Statutes of the Realm Secundum legem consuetudinem Angliae Another extraordinary according to the Rule of equity secundum aquum bonum And first of the former Court He hath power to hold Plea of Scire fac ' for repeal of the Kings Letters Patents of Petitions Monstrans de droite Traverses of office Partitions in Chancery of Scire fac ' upon recognizances in this Court Writs of Audita querela and Scire fac ' in the nature of an Audita querela to avoid Executions in this Court Dowments in Chancery the Writ De dote assignanda upon Offices found Executions upon the Statute Staple or Recognizance in nature of a Stature Staple upon the Act of 23. H. 8. but the Execution upon a Statute Merchant is retornable either into the Kings Bench or into the Common place and all personall actions by or against any Officer or Minister of this Court in respect of their service or attendance there In these if the parties descend to issue this Court cannot try it by Jury but the Lord Chancelor or the Lord Keeper delivereth the Record by his proper hands into the Kings Bench to be tried there because for that purpose both Courts are accounted but one and after trial had to be remanded into the Chancery and there Judgment to be given But if there be a Demurrer in Law it shall be argued and adjuged in this Court Nota the legal proceedings of this Court be not inrolled in Rolls but remain in Filaciis being filed up in the Office of the Peâ—y-bag upon a judgement given in this Court a Writ of Error doth lye retornable into the Kings Bench. The style of the Court of the Kings Bench is Coram Rege as hath been said and the style of this Court of Chancery is Coram domino Rege in Cancellaria and Additio probat minoritatem And in this Court the Lord Chancelor or the Lord Keeper is the sole Judge and in the Kings Bench there are four Judges at the least This Court is Officina Justiciae out of which all original Writs and all Commissions which passe under the Great Seal go forth which Great Seal is Clavis regni and for those ends this Court is ever open And this Court is the rather alwaies open for that if a man be wrongfully imprisoned in the Vacation the Lord Chancellor may grant a Habeas Corpus and do him Justice according to Law where neither the Kings Bench nor Common Pleas can grant that Writ but in the term time but this Court may grant it either in Term time or Vacation so likewise this Court may grant Prohibitions at any time either in Term or Vacation which Writs of Prohibition are not retornable but if they be not obeyed then may this Court grant an Attachment upon the Prohibition retornable either in the Kings Bench or Common Place The Officers and Ministers of this Court of Common Law do principally attend and do their service to the Great Seal as the twelve Masters of the Chanceâ—y whereof the Master of the Rolls is the chief who by their original institution as it is proved before should be expert in the Common Law to see the forming and framing of original Writs according to Law which are not of course whereupon such are called in our ancient Authors Brevia Magistralia Then you have the Clerk of the Crown the Clerk of the Hamper the Sealer the Chafe wax the Controuler of the Chancery twenty four Cursitors for making Writs of course or form'd Writs according to the Register of the Chancery The Clerk of the presentations the Clerk of the Faculties the Clerk Examiner of the Patents
the Clerks of the Petty-bag and the six Attorneys Having spoken somewhat of this Court 's ordinary Jurisdiction something shall be said of the extraordinary proceedings thereof according to the Rule of Equity secundum aquum et bonum or according to the dictates of Conscience for the Lord Chancelor or Keeper of the Great Seal of England may be said to be Keeper of the Kings Conscience for mitigation of the rigour of the Common Law Yet this Court of Equity proceeding by English Bill is no Court of Record therefore it can bind but the Person only and neither the State of the Defendants Lands nor property of his Goods and Chattles therefore if the Lord Chancelor impose any fine it is void in Law he having no power but on the Person only Yet the Lord Chancelor or Keeper is sole Judge both in this Court of Equity and in the Court concerning the Common Law but in cases of weight or difficulty he doth assist himself with some of the Judges and no greater exception can be taken hereunto than in case of the Lord Steward of England being sole Judge in tryal of the Nobility who also is assisted with some of the Judges Touching this Court of Equity the ancient Rule is that three things are to be considered in a Court of Conscience Covin Accident and Breach of confidence All Covins collusions frauds and deceits for which ther 's no remedy by the ordinary course of Law Accident as when the servant of an Obligor or Morgageor is sent to pay the money on the day and he is robb'd c. then remedy is to be had in this Court against the forâ—eiture The third is breach of tru't and confidence whereof there are plentiful examples The ancient Custome was when one was made Lord Chancellor for the King to hang the Great Seal about his Neck Cardinal Woolsey had the Chancelorship by Letters Patâ—ents during life but it was held void because an ancien Office must be granted as it was accustomed Henry the 〈◊〉 had two great Seals one of Gold which he delivered the Bishop of Durham and another oft Silver which he delivered the Bishop of London The Chancellors Oath consists of six parts 1. That well and trâ—ly he shall serve the King our Soveraign Lord and his People in the Office of Chancellor or Lord Keeper 2. That â—e shall do right to all manner of people poor and rich after the Laws and usages of the Realm 3. That he shall truly Counsel the King and his Counsel he shall layne or conceal and keep 4. That he shall not know nor suffer the hurt or disheriting of the King or that the Rights of the Crown be decreased by any means as far as he may let it 5. And in case he cannot let it he shall make it clearly and expresly to be known to the King with his true advice and counsel 6. He shall do and purchase the Kings profit in all that he reasonably may There be in this Court many Officers whereof mention is made before the principal whereof is the Master of the Rolls which is an ancient Office and grantable either for life or at will according to the Prince his pleasure Edward the third by Letters Patents annex'd the House of the converted Iews in Chancery Lane to this Office for keeping of the Records of the Chancery viz. Charters Letters Patents Commissions Deeds Recognizances which before the Reign of Henry the seventh were used to be transmitted to the Tower of London The Master of the Rolls used to have Iure Officii the gift of the Offices of the six Clerks in the Chancery and in the absence of the Lord Chancellor he heareth Causes and giveth Orders OF THE COVRT OF COMMON-PLEAS IN WESTMINSTER-Hall IN times pass'd the Courts and Benches or Banks of Justices as was touched before followed the Kings Person wheresoever he went as well since the Conquest as before which thing being found chargeable and cumbersome The ninth of Henry the third it was resolved that there should be a standing place appointed where matters should be heard and determined And the Court of the Common Pleas was the first that was fix'd wherein tenures of Lands and civil Actions used to be pleaded And it is one of the Statutes of Magna Charta Quod Communia placita non sequantur Curiam nostram sed teneantur loco certo That the Common Pleas follow not our Court but be kept in a certain place Now Pleas are distinguished into Pleas of the Crown as Treason and Felony with misprision of Treason and Felony which belong to the Upper Bench and to Common or Civil Pleas whereof this Court takes Cognizance This Court therefore is call'd the Lock and Key of the Common Law of England and the Judges there sitting had need to be more knowing and learned than any other for here all Reall Actions whereupon Fiâ—es and recoveries the common assurances of the Land do passe and all other reall Actions by original Writs are to be determined as also of all Common 〈◊〉 mixt or personal in divers of which the Kings Bench this Court have a concurrent authority But regularly this Court cannot hold Common 〈◊〉 in any Action real mix'd or personal but by Writ out of the Chancery and returnable to this Court yet this Court in some cases may hold Plea by Bill without any Writ in the Chancery as for or against any Officer 〈◊〉 or priviledged Person of this Court. This Court also without any Writ may upon a suggestion grant Prohibitions to keep Temporal as well as Ecclesiastical Courts within their bounds and jurisdictions without any Original or Plea depending for the Common Law which in those cases is a Prohibition of it self stands instead of an Original The Chief Justice of this Court is created by Letters Patents during the pleasure of the Prince and so are the rest of his Associats but none is capable to be constituted a Judge here unlesse he be a Sargeant at Law of the degree of the Coif The jurisdiction of this Court is general extendeth throughout England The Officers of this Court are many viz. Custos Brevium three Protonotaries Clerk of the Warrants Clerk of the Kings Silver four Exigenters fourteen Filazers Clerk of the Juries Clerk of the Essoins Clerk of the Outlaries which belongeth to the Attorney General who doth exercise it by Deputy In former times great abuses have been by Attorneys of this Court by suing out a Judicial Processe with any Original which when detected have been severely punished OF THE COVRT OF THE EXCHEQUER THe Authority of this Court is of Original Jurisdiction without any Commission In the chief place of account for the Revenues of the Crown The Hearers of the accounts have Auditors under them and they who are the chief for the accounts of the Prince are called Barons of the Exchequer whereof one is called Lord Chief Baron The greatest Officer of all is the Lord Treasurer In
this Court are heard those that are Delators or Informers in popular or penal Actions having thereby part of the profit assign'd unto them by the Law In this Court if any question be 't is determined by the Common Law of England by twelve men and all Subsidies Taxes and Customes by account For in this Office the Sheriffs of the Countries do attend upon the execution of the Commandements of the Judges If any Fines or Amercements be extracted out of any Court or any arrearages of accounts of such things as is of Customes Taxes Subsidies and other such like occasions the same the Sheriff of the Country doth gather and is answerable therefore to the Exchequer This Court is divided into two parts viz. Iudicial accounts called Scaccarum computorum And into the Receit of the Exchequer The prime Officer of this Court as was meâ—tioned before is the Lord high Treasurer of England who receives a White Staff from the King But in former time he had this Office by delivery of a Golden Key Then there is Cancellarius Scaccarii the Chancelor of the Exchequer who keepeth the Seal Then you have the chief Baron and his Associates whereof one though he sits there yet he hath no voice therefore he was used to be call'd by way of Drollery Baron Tell-clock yet he takes the same Oath that others do he hath a Fee of 100 Marks per annum At daies of prefixions he hath to do with the Sheriffs Accounts he can take Recognizances but he hath not the Robes nor any suffrage upon the Bench in point of Judicature And that nickname Baron Tellclock came up first in Baron Southertons time who when he felt the Chimes ring in his Stomach towards dinner he was us'd to tell chief Baron Tanfield My Lord 't is twelve a clock Then have you sundry other inferiour Officers more then in any other Court except the Kings House This Court is called Exchequer from a French word vne place quarree a four-square place because the Carpet that lay before the Judges is in the form of a Chess-board and of two colours thence the name of Exchequer was derived Now it is to be observe'd that albeit the Barons are the sole Judges of the Exchequer Court yet the Lord Treasurer is joyn'd with them in keeping of the Records The Lord Treasurer hath also granted him by Parent under the great Seal Thesaurarium Scaccarii Regis Angliae which of ancient time as the Lord Coke hath it was a distinct Office by it self Then is there the Pipe Office whereof the Chancelor of the Exchequer is Contrarotulator or Controuler The Original institution of the Pipe Office was taken from a Conduit of water which was conveyed by Pipes into a Cestern which lay in a Court for as water is derived from many Fountains Springs by Aquaeducts into a Cestern House and from thence into several Offices of the same so this golden and silver stream is drawn from sundry Courts as Fountains of Justice and other Springs of Revenue reduc'd and collected into one Pipe and thereby conveyed into the Grand Cestern of the Princes receit c. Therefore all Accounts and Debts to the Crown are delivered and collected out of the Offices of the Kings Remembrancer and Treasurers Remembrancer and so drawn and pâ—t in charge in the Pipe There be five Auditors of the Revenue Royal within the survey of this Court and their Office is to take Accounts of the Kings Receivers Sheriffs Escheators Collectors and Customers and to audite and perfect the Account But an Auditor cannot allow any Licence or Grant in regard he knoweth not whether it be good this belongs to the Barons Neither can the Auditor put any thing in Charge his Office being only to take and audite Accounts There is the Auditor of the Prests whose Office it is to take the Accounts of the Mint Ireland and Barwick and of all other imprested or moneys advanc'd before hand Then is there the Auditor of the Receits which is an Office very considerable and consisting of many parts For first he is a kind of Filazer for he fileth the Tellers Bills and entreth them Secondly he is a Remembrancer for he gives the Lord Treasurer a certificate of the money received the week before Then he is an Auditor for he makes Debenturs to every Teller before they pay any money and takes and audites their Accounts Besides all this he keepeth the black Book of Receits and the Lord Treasurers Key of the Treasury and seeth every Tellers money lock'd up in the new Treasury Of those Tellers there are four and their Office consists in four duties First to receive money due to the Soveraign Prince Secondly to pay all persons moneys by Warrant of the Auditor of the Receit Thirdly to make yearly and weekly Books of their Receits and payments which they deliver to the Lord Treasurer And lastly to give the Clerk of the Pell a Bill of what moneys they receive whereby he may be charged Now touching Clericus Pellis the Clerk of the Pell his duty is to enter every Tellers Bill into a Roll call'd Pellis Receptorum his Office also is to enter ino another Roll payments call'd Pellis exitus signifying by what Warrant the payment was made Concerning the Kings Remembrancer in the Exchequer his Office consists in eight Duties First to write Process against Collectors of Customs Subsidies and Fifteens 2. He entreth in his Office all Recognizances before the Barons and taketh Bond for any of the Kings Debts for observing of Order for appearances and his duty is to make out Process upon every of them 3. He maketh Process upon Informations upon penal Statutes all which Informations are entred into his Office 4 He maketh Bills of composition upon Informations upon penal Statutes 5. He taketh the stallment of Debts and entreth them 6. The Clerk of the Star-Chamber was us'd to certifie into his Office what fines were there set whereof he maketh a Record and draweth them down in the Pipe 7. In this Office ought to be kept all Assurances Conveyances and Evidences whereby any Lands Tenements Herediraments or other things are granted to the Soveraign Prince 8. There is a Court of Equity holden in the Exchequer Chamber by English Bill whereof all the proceedings and Bills are entred into this Office The Lord Treasurers Remembrancer is also an Office of trust and consequence which consisteth of seven Duties First To preserve the Royal tenures and to make out Process for the Revenues thereof 2. He maketh Process of Fierifacias to extend for Debts due to the Prince either in the Pipe or with the Auditors 3. He awards Process against all Sheriffs Escheators Receivers and Bayliffs to bring them to account 4. He is to make an entry of Record whereby it appears whether Sheriffs and other Accountants pay their proffers due at Easter and Michaelmas 5. He makes another entry of Record to the end that it may be known whether
Right and Prerogative due to the Crown in that they have seized and converted to their own use Goods and Chattels of infinite value taken at Sea and other Goods and Chattels which in no sort appertain unto his Lordship by his Letters Patents wherein the said Non obstante is contained and for which he and his Officers remain accountable to his Majesty And they now wanting in this time of peace causes appertaining to their natural jurisdiction do now encroach upon the jurisdiction of the common Law lest they should sit idle and reap no profit They added further That touching their proceedings in granting of Prohibitions concerning any of the said Articles two things were to be considered of first the matter then the manner touching the matter nothing hath bin done therein by the Court of Westminster but by good Warrant of Law and former judicial Precedents And for the manner they granted none in the Vacation time nor in their Terme time in any of their Chambers nor in the Court in the Terme-time ex officio but upon motion made in open Court by learned Councel and after a day prefixed and warning given to the adverse party c. Hereupon they proceeded to prove and confirm their answers by three kind of Authorities in Law First By Authority of High Court of Parliament Secondly By Judgement and judicial Precedents Thirdly By Book-Cases Concerning the Acts of Parliament they urged the Statute of Richard the second viz. That the Admiralls and their Deputies shall not meddle from henceforth with any thing done within the Realm of England but only with things done upon the Sea according to that which hath been duly used in the time of the Noble King Edward Grandfather to Richard the second Concerning the second proof by Judgements and Iudicial Precedents and the third by Book-Cases they alledged divers Cases which are to be seen in that great light and laborious Champion of the Common Law of England the Lord Coke in the third part of his Institutes But the Result of all which the Iudges of the Common Law driv ' at was that the Court of Admiralty was to take no Cognizance nor had power to determine any thing that had happened and should give occasion of Plea upon any Waters either fresh or salt that were within the Precincts of any County but it was tryable by the Common Law of England and by the Empanelment and Verdict of twelve men which is not the way of Tryal of the Civil Law by which the Admiralty is directed By this notable clash and contestation 'twixt the Iudges of Westminster-Hall and the Lord Admiral the Reader may learn what the extent of the Authority of that Court is and that the jurisdiction of the Admiral is confined to the high Sea In times past there were distinct Admirals in point of power as we read in Richard the seconds Raign the Earl of Northumberland was Admiral of the North and the Earl of Devonshire Admiral of the West who were to receive the Subsidy of Poundage and Tonnage for the garding of the Seas Among other Prerogatives which belonged to the Lord Admiral of England one was to erect Beacons upon the Maritim Coasts which word is derived from the old Saxon or Dutch Becnam which signifieth to give a signe as we use the word to becken at to this day Before the Reign of Edward the 3d there were but stakes of Wood set upon high places which were fired upon the discovery of any enemies but in his time pitched Barrels were set up and by the Law of the Land whosoever fired a Beacon commits Felony unless there were Authority and just cause for it In other Countries they are called Phares which are no other then speculatory or maritime monitory fires which serve for two ends as well to direct Seafaring men as to fore-warn the approach of an Enemy which with such wonderful celerity give the whole Land an Alarum and so puts them in a posture of defence But there are three main matters whereof the Lord Admiral is to take Cognizance which are Flotsan Ietsan and Lagan whereof the first is when a Ship is sunk and perished and the Goods floating upon the waters The second is Ietsan when in stresse of weather or other occasions the Goods are thrown over-board The third is when Goods are tyed to a Cork or Cable and may be found again But the Court of Admiralty hath not to do with Wrecks for then the Goods are deposited in the custody of the Officers of the next Town where if the Proprietor come within a twelve moneth and a day he may claim them by Law Henry the sixth did constitute by Charter Iohn Holland Duke of Exceter and Henry his Son to be Admirallos Angliae But the Iudges of the Common Law held that Charter to be invalid and the Reason they alledged was that that Charter being of a Iudicial Office it could not be granted to two When the former contestation happened 'twixt the Court of Admiralty and Westminster-Hall they were choyse powerful men at that time who swayed as Grandees of the Common Law as Sir Edward Coke the Lord Bacon Iudge Doddridge and Hubbard which made them carry the Bucklers from the Civilians at that time But there were some learned Treatises published afterward to vindicate the Right of the Civil Law which without controversie hath more in it of natural equity and reaches of pure Reason then any other It is the Product of that mighty Monarchy of the Romans who though they conquered by the Lance yet they conâ—erâ—ed by their Lawes so many vast distant Territories and Nations which they had subdued leading so many people Captive by their policy as much as by their Prowesse And indeed the Civil Law is fitted for the general Affaires of mankind and for all Nations For though every particular state hath some few municipal Lawes peculiar to it self yet no where beyond the Seas is there any profession or Science of Law but of the Civil nor are there any other studied in Vniversities Only in England there are Inns of Court which are equivalent to an Academy where lex Terrae or the common municipal Law of the Land is studied and Graduates proceed and are made therein accordingly which is no where else But the Civil Law extends to all man-kind And if regard be had to the University of humane Reason it is no where â—o narrowly discussed and eventilated and the judgement rectified by clear notions Moreover there is nothing of what nature soever it be but the Civil Law hath ordained a means to bring it to a Tryal either by giving a speciall action in the case or a general one releeving by ordinary remedies or if those fail by such as are extraordinary helping the Clyent Iure actionis or Officio Iudicis Yet there was one notable Example of one business that not only caused a clash 'twixt the Civilian and Common Lawyer but puzzel'd them both so that
neither could try it It was that one Peacock struck Lacy in alto Mari and the Ship landing at Scarborough Lacy dyed a little after of the stroke that was given at Sea there was a great contestation whether the Court of Admiralty or the common Lawyer should try Peacock but it was found that the cognisance hereof belonged to neither so the party escaped without condemnation But now we will resume the thred of our Survay of Westminster and add to that which hath bin already spoken of the Great Hall which as it hath bin and continueth still the usual place of pleadings and ministration of Justice so it was in former times the principal Seat and Palace of the Kings of England since the Conquest for here the Feasts of Coronation and other solemn Feasts as that of Christmas were kept It is recorded that at the day of Circumcision Henry the third commanded his Treasurer William de Haverhull to cause 6000. poor people to be fed at Westminster-Hall upon the Kings account Richard Earl of Cornwall the Kings Brother Anno 1243. being married to Cincia Daughter to the Countesse of Provence kept his Bridall Feast at Westminster-Hall where the story saith there were three thousand dishes of meat served in at dinner Rich. the second having repaired the Great Hall which had bin burnt by a pittiful fire kept his Christmas there in a most sumptuous manner with Justings and running at Tilt where there was such a huge confluence of People that for divers dayes there were spent 26. fat Oxen and 300 Sheep The King himself wore a Gown of Cloth of Gold garnished with precious stones which was valued at 3000 marks a mighty sum in those dayes Henry the 7th keeping his Christmas at Westminster-Hall invited Ralph Austry Lord Mayor of London with all the Aldermen to a Feast on Twelf-day The King the Queen and some Ambassadors sate at the Marble Table 60. Knights and Esquires served in the Kings meat which consisted of 60. dishes and the Queen as many The Mayor was served with 24. where after sundry sort of disports he supped also and it was break of day before He and the Aldermen returned by Barges to London Parliaments also were used to be kept frequently at Westminster-Hall and one was kept in Richard the seconds time which proved fatal unto him for he was deposed there notwithstanding that he had bin the greatest Repairer of that Hall when it had bin destroyed by fire For it hath bin the hard destiny of this Great Hall to suffer many times the fury of fire but the last that happened was in the beginning of Henry the eighths Raign Anno 1512. at which time a great part of the Palace was consumed which was never re-edified since so that the Kings Courts have bin from that time sometimes at Baynards Castle then at Bridewell and since at White-Hall called before York place as hath bin said before In this great Palace at Westminster there was St. Stephens Chappel which was built by King Stephen himself It was repaired and enlarged by Edward the third and 38. persons were appointed there to serve God viz. a Dean 12. secular Canons 13. Vicars 4. Clarks 6. Chorists a Verger and a Keeper of the Chappel who had endowments and Houses built them near the Thames there were also Lodgings assigned them 'twixt the Clock-house and the Wooll-Staple called the Weigh-house He also built for their use a strong Clochard in the little Sanctuary covered with Lead where there were three great Bells which usually rung at Coronations and Funeralls of Princes which gave such a huge sound that 't was commonly said they sowred all the drink in the Town but now there 's scarce any marks left of that Clochard This Chappel of St. Stephens at the suppression in Henry the eights time was valued to dispend one thousand eighty five pounds and in Edward the sixths time it was made to serve as a Parliament for the House of Commons who formerly were used to sit in the Chapter-house of the Abbot of Westminster Before the Great Hall there is a large Court called now the new Palace where there is a strong Tower of Stone containing a Clock which striketh on a great Bell every houre to give notice to the Judges how the time passeth when the wind is South South-West it may be heard into any part of London and commonly it presageth wet weather The Dean of St. Stephens was used to haâ—e the keeping of this Clock having six pence every day out of the Exchequer for keeping the Kings Clock or Great Tom of Westminster We must now make a step Southward before we leave Westminster and perform some further devotions to the old Abbey the prime Sanctuary of the Land whereunto belongs another very ancient priviledged place and Sanctuary of St. Martin le Grand hard by Aldersgate in London whereas formerly was said there was of old a fair and large Colledge of a Dean and secular Canons or Priests founded by Ingelricus 1056. and confirmed a little after by William the Conqueror as appeareth by that ample Charter he gave thereunto which in regard of the ancient Saxon Termes then used I thought worthy the inserting here and it runs thus Willimus Conquester per chartam suam corroborat confirmat Deo Ecclesiae Beati Martini intramuros London sitae quod sit quieta ab â—mni exactione inquietudine Episcoporum Archidiaconorum c. Et possessiones suas ab omni regali Iurisdictione liberari ab Exercitus expeditione Pontis restauratâ—one munitione Castelli auxilio quietas habent Secuam Toll Team Infangthese Blodwite Mundbrice Burghbrice Meskenning Seawing Alcesting Frithsorn Fleamina Finnithe Welgerthofe Vthleap forfeng fyhfeng Firdwite Firthwit Weardite Hengwite Hamsokne Forsteal si quas alias libertates consuetudines aliqua Ecclesiarum regni mei Anglie meliores habeat Si quis vero hoc in aliud quam concessimus transferre presumserit cum Iuda proditore Deiluat poenas Dat. Anno Dom. 1068. Annoque Regni mei secundo die Natalis Domini Et post modum in d'â— Pentecostes confirmo quando Matilda Conjux mea in Basilica Sancti Petri Westmonasterii in Reginam divino nutu est consecrata This priviledge of Sanctuary was confirmed and strictly enjoyned by divers succeeding Kings under the same Curse that the Infringers thereof should be eternally damned and suffer the like torments as Iudas the betrayer of God c. Touching the hard Saxons word of this Charter the Reader is referred to those worthy persons who made additionals to Mr. Stow where he shall find them explain'd For many Ages this Saint Martin le Grand continued by it self a place of as great priviledges as Westminster or Beverlay which were counted the chiefest in the whole Land But Henry the 7th annexed it at last to the Monastery of St. Peter of Westminster which claims Title ever since to the free Chappel the Priviledges and Sanctuary thereof
duties touching the execution of the Statute made for punishment of Rogues Vagabonds and sturdy Beggars c. They are to inquire if those to whom the execution of the Statute for the relief of the poor doth appertain be remisse in discharging their duties that way They are to inquire if any Executor or others keep in their hands any Legacy sum of money or other thing given to charitable uses They are to inquire if any that keep Horses in their Houses do lay their Stable dung or such kind of noysome filth in any streets or lanes of the City and do not cause the Dung-cart to be led to the Stable door The Ward-mote Inquest by vertue of their Office are bound to search into all these enormities and to meet once a moneth or oftner if need require to that purpose And whosoever doth judiciously observe these several heads will find there 's nothing wanting to preserve a City or the people thereof in the wayes of neatness safety and industry or for the advancement of Vertue and suppression of Vice By these particulars with what hath bin spoken of formerly in the Body of this Book the Reader may observe how exact the City of London is in her Urban Government 3. Now touching the magnificence gravity and state of the chief Magistrate neither the Pretor of Rome or the Prefect of Milan neither the Proctors of Saint Mark in Venice or their Podestas in other Cities neither the Provost of Paris the Markgrave of Antwerp can compare with the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London If one go to the variety of their Robes sometimes Scarlet richly fur'd sometimes Purple sometimes Violet and Puke What a goodly Spectacle it is to behold the Lord Mayor and the Companies attending him in so many dainty Barges when he goes to be sworn in Westminster-Hall and what brave shews there are attending him by Land at his return what a plentiful sumptuous Dinner consisting of so many huge Tables is provided for him what a variety of domestick Officers wait upon him perpetually whereof with the Remembrancer there are five of them Esquires by their places as was hinted before what a comely sight it is to see the Lord Mayor Sheriffs and Aldermen going in their Robes upon Festivals to the Cathedral Church of Saint Pauls though they who stand not so well affected to the present Government say that he goeth in now at the wrong end of the Church what a goodly sight it is when he goeth upon Easter Holidayes to the Spittle with the Sword and Cap of Maintenance going before him How his Robes are fitted for the season as from Michaelmas to Whitsontide he weares Violet fur'd from Whitsontide to Michaelmas Scarlet lined And for distinction among the Aldermen they who have bin Lord Mayors have their Cloaks lined with changeable Taffata but those that have not with green Taffata what great places of trust are committed to the Lord Mayor as the keeping of the great Bridge in repair which hath such large Revenues belonging unto it with a particular stately Seal which of old had the Effigies of Thomas of Becket a Londoner born upon it with this Inscription in the name of the City Me quae te peperi ne cesses Thoma tueri But the Seal was altered in Henry the eighths Raign what a great trust is it for the Lord Mayor to have the conservation of the Noble River of Thames from Stanes Bridge till She disgorgeth her self into the Sea How stately is he attended when he goes to take a view of the River or a Swan-hopping and lately what a Noble addition was it for the Lord Mayor to have a Park of Deer of his own so near the City to find him sport and furnish him with Venison what an Honour is it for the Lord Mayor to be accounted the first man of England upon the death of the Soveraign Prince As when King Iames was invited to come and take the Crown of England Robert Lee Lord Mayor of London was the first man who subscribed and then the Officers of the Crown with the chief Noblemen after him The Recorder of London also is primus Consiliarius Angliae and is priviledged to plead within the Barre The Lord Mayors of London have bin called sometime to sit at the Councel Table as Sir Iohn Allen was in Henry the eighths time with others which Allen gave that rich Collar of Gold which the Lord Mayors use to wear and the Aldermen his Brethren were used to be called Barons 4. We are come now to Regulation of Trade wherein London is not inferior to any City whatsoever witness among others what prudential Lawes Restraints and Cautions the Marchant Adventurers who trade in the Golden Fleece of England viz. in Woollen Manufactures have propos'd to themselves as likewise all other Corporations in like manner for the improvement of that particular Trade and preserving it from confusion 5. Touching variety of Artisans London yields to no other 't is true that mingling with Forreiners hath much advantag'd her in this kind but 't is observed and confessed by all Nations that though the Londoners be not so apt to invent yet when they have got the Invention they use alwayes to improve it and bring it to a greater perfection 6. Touching Corporations Halls Fraternities Guilds and Societies London hath not her Fellow witness the twelve Honourable Companies out of one of which the Lord Mayor is yearly chosen The several Societies of those who venter abroad in all parts of the habitable Earth as far as the Antipodes And threescore Companies of Citizens besides whereunto the new Company of Coachmen is lately added who have their Halls their regular Orders and Officers accordingly And touching all sorts of Artificers and variety of industrious wayes to improve all kind of Manufactures and thereby gain an honest Livelihood and so enrich the place London may be called a Hive of Bees as formerly was touched or a Hill of Ants which have bin alwayes made the Emblems of industry and providence 7. Touching plenty and abundance of all kinds of Provision as Flesh Fish Fowle Fruits Fuel variety of Drinks and Wines with any other Commodity that conduceth to pleasure and delight as well as necessity London may glory to be as well served as any City under Heaven A knowing Spaniard said that he thought Eastcheape Shambles alone vends more Flesh in the year then all the Court of Spain Gascon Wines drink better in London then in Bourdeaux and so do all other provided they be not sophisticated Nor doth London abound with all things so plentifully for the belly alone but also for the back either to keep it warm or make it gay what varieties of woollen Stuffs there are in every Shop with broad Cloth equal to the price of Silk being come to that heighth of perfection that some hath bin made of ten pounds a yard in price But the Hollanders and others have now got the art of
things both for Church and State in point of piety stately Structures of divers natures for the publick good and deeds of charity would make a large Volume of it self I will conclude for the present with a late worthy man one Mr. Iohn Walter who was Clark of Drapers Hall who having resolved with himself when he had attained a competent subsistence for himself and his Children to employ the rest every year for charitable uses which he did constantly for many years He built two Hospitals near London and it was a great while before the Founder of them was known He used to send a proportion of bread to be distributed among the poor to divers Churches and it was not known who sent it till he was dead and that he was missing It is thought by a computation that was made that he had employed above ten thousand pounds to charitable uses of all sorts private and publick and he was so free from vain-glory that his greatest care was to do them in such a manner that his left hand should not know what his right hand did And in his study after his death there was a bag of 800 l. in Gold with a label in paper upon it This is none of mine but the poor's Lastly for Prerogatives Enfranchisements Immunities Charters and Liberties for Hospitality and plentiful treatments as also for Antiquity the City of London comes not in the arrears to any Touching the last 't is true there are some Cities in the East that have the start of her in point of time yet London was built 354 years before Rome which is a fair Age. Touching the second some call London a lick-peny as Paris is called by some a pick-purse because of feastings with other occasions of expence and allurements which cause so many unthrifts among Countrey Gentlemen and others who flock into her in such excessive multitudes but this must be imputed not to the place but to the persons for one may live in London as frugally if he hath wit to make use of it as in any other City whatsoever T' is true that the prizes of all things use to be enhanc'd by confluences and swarms of people which a judicious Forreiner observing in London said that she bore no proportion with the Iland but might serve a Kingdom thrice as big and that England may be rather said to be in London then London in England which made some compare her to the spleen whose over-swelling make the rest of the body languish but it might be answered that London is rather like the stomack which digests the wealth of the Land and after a good concoction disperseth it again in wholsom nutriment to all parts Touching the third viz. freedom and immunities there 's no City hath more In the Raign of Richard the second it was enacted That the Citizens of London were to enjoy their priviledges and franchises licet usi non fuerint vel abusi fuerint whether they were not us'd or abus'd notwithstanding any Statute to the contrary as the Lord Coke hath it in his Institutes In the Lawes of the Land London is called sometimes Camera Regis Reipublicae Cor totius Regni Epitome the Kings Chamber the heart of the Common-wealth and compendium of the whole Kingdom sometimes she is called Caput Regum Legum The head of Kings and of Lawes nay some of the Roman Emperors in their Edicts called her Augusta which is a name alwayes of magnificence and State And now will I take leave of the Noble Augusta or City of London concluding with this hearty wish couch'd in these two Hexameters and relating to her proportion or shape which is a Laurel leaf as formerly was said Londinum Lauri folio non impare formâ Flore at Urbs sicut Laurus semperque virescat London is like a Laurel leaf may She Be verdant still and flourish like the Tree FINIS AN INDEX POINTING At the chief Passage throughout the whole Book A. fol. AUgusta a name given by the Roman Emperors to London 2. Appellations which forrain Authors give of London 2. Of Algate 5. Of Amwel River brought to London 11. The Lord Ailwine first Alderman in England Anno 851. 34. Of the Authority and State of the Lord Mayor of London 35. His Attendants and Officers with divers Prerogatives 35. Of the ancient Court of the Hustings 37. Austin the Monk the Englishmens Apostle 39. The Arms of all the Companies and Corporations of London blazon'd 41. The antiquity of all the Companies of London 41. Of Allhallowes Barking 48. Of Algate Ward 52. Of St. Andrew Undershaft 55. Of Augustine Fryers 72. St. Albanes a very ancient Church in London 301. Of Aldersgate Ward 306. Of the ancient great Monuments in Christs Church 311. The Antiquities of Southwark 137. An Alderman alotted to every Ward 340. The Abbey of Westminster ◠the greatest Sanctuary 346. Of the Court of Admiralty 373. A Contest 'twixt the Court of Admiralty and Westminster Hall 374. Of Amsterdam 339. Of Auspurg 389. B. fol. The Britains concreated with this Iland 2. The British Etymologies of London 2. The Britains were first Founders and God-fathers of London 3. Of Bainards Castle 5. Of the chief Banner-bearer of the City of London 27. The Black Fryers built of the ruines of the Tower of Monsiquet 29. Bishops have bin good Friends to London 40. Of Barking Church 48. The Bayliff of Rumford strangely executed 56. The common Burse at first in Lombard-street 63 Of Bishopsgate Ward 63 Of Bethlem now called Bedlam and the notable deed of gift that was made thereof 63 Of Broad-street Ward 71 Of Billingsgate Ward 84 Of Billingsgate some things remarkable 85 Of the Bridge-ward within 87 Of Backles-berry 113 Of Basings-Hall Ward 123 Of Backwell-Hall 123 The History of the Black-Fryers 316 Of Breadstreet Ward 318 Of Bridewell 332 Of St. Brides 333 Of the Bridge-House 339 A British Prophecy lately verified 348 Bishop of Chesters Inne 349 Of Bedford York Salisbury Worcester-House with others 349 Of Bedford Berry 350 Of Babylon 382 C. fol Cornelius Tacitus lived seven years in Britain the Epist. The Character which Tacitus gives of London 3 Constantine the Great first Builder of London Walls 4 Contests 'twixt the Lord Admiral and Lord Mayor about the Thames 14 The Conservancy of the Thames belongs de jure to the Lord Mayor 17 The Character of London Bridg in Latine and English verse 1 A City compared to a Ship 33 Of the several Courts belonging to the City of London 37 Ceremonies used in the Election of the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs 36 The Clashes 'twixt the City of London and divers Kings 40 No City without a Cathedral Church and a Bishops See 40 Of the several Companies and Corporations belonging to the City of London 41 Corporations prejudicial to Monarchy 46 The Custom-house Key called in former times Petty Wales 49 Of the Crouched Fryers 57 Of Cornhill-Ward 77 Of Candlewick-Ward 89 The Charter of the Styliard 98