‘Forthermore, so as the Kyng ’gan ryde,Myddes of the Brigge ther was a toure on lofte;The Lord of Lordes beynge ay his gydeAs he hath be, and yit wil be full ofte:The toure araied with velwetty softe,Clothys of gold, silk, and tapicerie,As apperteynyth to his Regalye.And at his comyng, of excellent beautéBenygne of port, most womanly of chere,There issued out Emperesses thre,Ther hair displaied as Phebus in his sphere;With crownettys of gold, and stonés clere,At whos out comyng thei gaf swyche a lightThat the beholders were stonyed in there sight.Nature.The first of them was callyd Nature,As sche that hathé vndyr here demayneMan, beest, and foul, and euery creature,With jnne the bondys of here goldyn cheyne:Eke heuene, and erthe, and euery creature,This Emperesse of custum dothe embrace;Grace.And next her com her Suster callyd Grace.Passyng famous and of gret reuerence,Most desyryd in allé regiouns;For where that euere shewith here presenceShe bryngith gladnes to Citees and to townys;Of all well fare she halt the possessionys:For, y dar sey, prosperite in no placeNo while abidith, but if there be Grace.Jn tokene that Grace shal longe continue,Vn to the Kyng she shewyd here ful benygne;Fortune.And next here com the Emperesse Fortune,To hym aperyng with many a noble signeAnd Rialle tokenys, to shewe that he was digneOf God disposyd, as lust ordeygneVp on his hed to weré crownés tweyne.Natura, Gracia, et Fortuna.These thre Ladies, al of on entent,Thre goostly gyftés, heuynly and deuyne,Vn to the Kyng a non they dyd present,And to his hignesse they dyd a non enclyne:And what they weren pleynly to determyne,Grace gaf hym first at his comyngeTwo ryché gyftés, Sciens and Cunnynge.Nature gaf hym eke Strengthe and Fayrnesse,For to be louyd and dred of euery wight;Fortune gaf hym eke Prosperite and Richesse,With this scripture aperyng in ther sight,To hym applied of verey due right:—‘First vndirstonde, and wilfully procede,And longe to regne,’ the Scripture seide in dede.‘Intende prosperitate procede et regna.’‘This is to mene, who so vndirstondith a right,Thou schalt by Fortune haue long prosperité;And by Nature thou shalt have strenghthe and might,Forth to procede in long felicité;And Grace also hath grauntyd vn to the,Vertuosly long in thi Roialle CiteéWith Sceptre and crowne to regne in equyté.’On the right hand of these EmperessesStode vij madenys, very celestiall;Like Phebus bemys shone there golden tresses,Vp on there hedes ech hauyng a crownall:Of port and cheré semyng immortall,In sight transsendyng alle erthély creatures,So angelik they weren of there figures.All clad in white, in token of clennesse,Liche pure Virgynés as in there ententys,Schewynge outward an heuenly fresh brightnesse;Stremyd with sonnys weren alle there garmentys.A forum prouydyd for pure jnnocentys,Most columbyne of chere and of lokyng,Mekly roos vp at the comyng of the Kyng.They hadde on bawdrikes al on saphir heweGoynge outward, ’gan the kyng salúe;Hym presentyng with ther gyftés newe,Lik as thei thought it was to hym duwe:Whiche gostly giftés here in ordre ’suweDown descendyng as siluer dewe from heuene,Al grace includyd with jnne the giftés sewene.These riall giftés ben of vertu most,Goostly corages most soueraygnely delite;The giftés callyd of the Holy GoostOutward figuryd by seven dowys (doves) white;Seyenge to hym, lik as clerkés write,‘God the fulfille with intelligence,And with a spirit of goostly sapience.Impleat te Deus Spiritu sapientiæ, et intellectus,Spiritu consilii, et fortitudinis, scientiæ, et pietatis,et spiritu timoris Domini.’‘God sendé also, to thi moost availe,The to preserué from all heuynesse,A spirit of strenghthé, and of good counsaile,Of cunnyng, drede, pite, and of lownesse.’Thus thise ladies ’gan there gyftés dresse,Graciously at there out comyng,By influence light vp on the kyng.These Emperesses hadde on there left sydeOthere vij Virgines pure and clene;By accordaunce continually to a byde, (shining stars)Al clad in white samete, (satin) ful of sterres shene;And to declaré what they woldé meneVn to the Kyng with ful gret reuerence,These wreten there gyftes shortly in sentence:‘Induat te Dominus Coronâ Gloriæ, Sceptro Clementiæ,Gladio Justitiæ, Pallio Prudentiæ, Scuto Fidei,Galiâ Salutis, et Vinculo Pacis.’‘God the endue with a crowne of glorie,And with a Sceptre of clennesse and pité;And with a sheld of right and victorie,And with a mantel of prudence clad thou be:A shelde of feith for to defendé thee,An helme of helthé wrought to thine encres,Girt with a girdell of loue and perfect pees.’These vij Virgynes of sight most heuenlyWith herte, body, and handys reioysyng,And of there cheres aperid murely,For the Kynge’s gracious hom comyng:And for gladnesse they be gan to syngeMost angelik, with heuenly armonye,This same roundell which y shall now specifie.‘Souerayne lord wolcome to zoure Citee,Wolcome oure Joye, and our hertys plesaunce;Wolcome, wolcome, right wolcome mote ye be,Wolcome oure gladnes, wolcome oure suffisaunce:Syngyng to fore thi Rialle magesteWe saye of herte with oughten variaunceSouereign lord wolcome, wolcome oure Joye,Wolcome you be, vnto your owne newe Troye.’‘Mayr, Citezines, and al the commonté,At zoure hom comyng newé out of Fraunce,By grace releuyd of there olde greuaunce,Synge this day with gret solempnyté.’Thus resceyuyd, an esy paas rydyngThe King is entred in to yis Citee.’“The King next passed on to the Conduit in Cornhill, where he was awaited by other Pageants equally sumptuous and interesting; but as these are out of our province, we shall mention them no farther.“There seems to have gone abroad a singular conception, that the Chapel of St. Thomas on London Bridge did not exist beyond the time of King Henry the Sixth; in the 23rd year of whose reign,—1458,—there were four Chaplains serving in it; though it was originally founded but for two Priests, four Clerks, and their officers, independently of the several chantries, or revenues, left to the establishment, for the singing of daily mass for the souls of its benefactors. The income of the Chapel, however, more than ten years before that period, was considered as worthy of some inquiry on the part of a neighbouring ecclesiastic; for we find, in Newcourt’s‘Repertorium,’ which I have already cited, volume i., page 396, the following particulars concerning it. ‘In the year 1433,’ says this Author, ‘Sir John Brockle, then Mayor of London, upon a controversie that was then like to arise, between the said Mayor and Commonalty of London, and the Bridge-Masters on the one part, and Richard Morysby, Archdeacon of London, and Rector of St. Magnus Church, on the other, about the oblations and other spiritual profits, which were made in a certain Chapel, called the Chapel of St. Thomas on the Bridge, within the precincts of this parish; there was a composition, or agreement, then made, and confirmed by Robert Fitzhugh, then Bishop of London, whereby (inter alia) it was agreed, that the Chaplains of the Chapel, and their successors, should receive all the profits of the Chapel to the use of the same, and the Bridge, and should pay yearly at Michaelmas the sum of xxd.to the said Church of St. Magnus, and to the Rector of the same, and to his successors for ever.’“And now that we are speaking of the property appertaining to London Bridge, it will be a fit place to give you some idea whence it was in general derived; I say, in general, because the inquiry into all its sources would be not only difficult, but almost impossible. Stow tells you in his ‘Survey,’ volume i., page 59, that after the erection of buildings upon London Bridge,‘many charitable men gave lands, tenements, or sums of money, towards the maintenance thereof: all which was sometimes noted, and in a table fair written for posterity remaining in the Chapel, till the same Chapel was turned to a dwelling-house, and then removed to the Bridge-House.’ The honest old Antiquary states, however, that he would willingly have given a copy of this table of benefactors, but that he could not procure a sight of it; for, as he was known to be a notable restorer of decayed and dormant charities, he was occasionally refused admission to such records as would have enabled him to compile a lasting register of all the pious gifts and benefactions in London. He never hesitated to reprove unfaithful Executors, whether Corporations, or private persons, some of which he caused to perform the testaments which they proved; whilst the dishonesty of others he left on record to futurity. It is then not to be wondered at, if he often-times met with a repulse instead of information; ignorance opposed him in one quarter, and interest in another; and he might very well have taken up the significant, though homely complaint of Ames, when he was composing his History of Printing, ‘Some of those personstreatsfolks, as if they came as spies into their affairs.’ We have, however, some particulars of the Bridge property, as well collected by Stow, as gathered since his time; and, firstly, I must notice to you, that at page 60 of his ‘Survey,’ he states that ‘John Feckenham,Civis et Bracciator,’—Citizen and Brewer, or perhaps, Corn-Meter, ‘by his will, dated May 11th, 1436, bequeathed to the Mayor and Commonalty of the City of London, a Tenementwith a Shop and Garden, in the Parish of St. Augustine Pappey,’—that is to say in St. Mary at Axe,—‘between the tenement and lands of the Bridge of the City of London on the East, &c. To have to the Mayor and Commonalty of London,ad usum et sustentationem operis Pontis prædictis in perpetuum,’—for the use and support of the work of the aforesaid Bridge for ever,—‘on condition that the Chaplains of the Chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr, on the Bridge, celebrating, have his soul, and also the souls of the late Lord Richard II., King of England, Edward Boteler, knight, and the Lady Anne his wife, Richard Storme, and Alice his wife, and the soul of Joan, his’—the said Feckenham’s—‘wife, perpetually recommended in their prayers.’ You may see both the original and an authentic copy of this Will, and that which I shall hereafter mention, in the Bishop of London’s Registry in St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Chamber in which they are kept, is entered through the Vestry on the Northern side of the nave; whence a flight of dark winding stairs, lighted only by loop-holes, leads you to a small square room, surrounded by oaken presses containing the original Wills tied up in bundles. The Calendar, or Index to the Register Books, extends from 1418 to 1599; all after that year being kept at the Bishop’s Consistory Court in Great Knight-Ryder Street. It is a small folio volume, having a parchment cover, anciently tied with strings, and is written in a small neat black text upon parchment, though now much soiled by time and the continual dust of thechamber. If ever you visit this Registry, however, I would not have you trust too much to this Calendar; for in referring to the Will which I have now quoted, its volume and page are called ‘Moore, prima pars, folioiiij.;’ though the true reference is ‘3 Moore, foliocccclxij a.’ This volume,Moore, is so called from the first Will entered in it, and it contains registers of Wills from the year 1418 to 1438, beautifully written in a small black text upon parchment, in a very thick square folio.“Another benefactor to London Bridge mentioned by Stow, was one John Edwards, Citizen and Butcher, who ‘gave by his Will, dated the 8th of November, 1442, to John Hatherle, Mayor of the City of London, and to John Herst and Thomas Cook, Masters of the work of the Bridge of London, for ever, his tenement, with a garden, in the Parish of St. Botolph, Aldgate, situate between the tenement lately John Cornwallys’s on the South, &c., and extending from the King’s Street leading from Aldgate towards the Tower on the West, &c. towards the sustaining and reparation of the said Bridge.’ You will find this Will in the Register called 4Stacy, nowProwet, folio ciiij b, which extends from 1438 to 1449; though the Calendar marks it as entered at folio xxv. Both of these Wills are in Latin.“Without, at present, referring to the multitudes of books and records of Bridge property, which must exist in the office of the Comptroller of its Estates, I will give you an abstract of one of these volumes,of which a Manuscript copy is to be found in the Harleian Collection in the British Museum, No. 6016, folio 152. This book is entitled ‘A Repertory by way of Survey, of all the forren landes belonging to London Bridge, to geather with all the quitt rents due to, and other rents due from the same:’ and the industrious mortal who copied it out has added, ‘Borrowed the booke 21°. ffebr. 1653 of Captaine Richard Lee, Clarke of the Bridge-house.’ The Survey is written in corrupt and abbreviated Latin, which, from the expressions which are made use of, would appear like the language of the fifteenth century; and it contains many curious particulars of the names of persons and places, not elsewhere to be found. I purpose, however, giving you only a general statement of the amount of Bridge property in different places, with a few notices and extracts from the more interesting parts; reminding you, that these abstracts have never yet been printed.—In the Parish of St. Andrew the Bishop, London Bridge possessed 20 huts or cabins, occupied by the Brotherhood of Friars Minors, which were valued at £12. 3s.4d.Then follows an entry of ‘Lands and Meadows belonging to the Bridge of London without the bar of Southwark, at Le Loke, in Hattesham, Camerwelle, Lewesham, and Stratford.’ In Lambeth field without Southwark, or St. George’s bar, 19 acres of land, lying towards Newington and Lambeth, held of the Prior of Bermondsey, for the yearly rent of 14s.10d.At Le Loke,—that is to say, partly on the site of the New Kent Road, andon part of which was, doubtless, built that row of houses in Blackman Street, now called Bridge-house-Place,—4 acres of arable land, called Longland, and 2½ acres and 1 rood of meadow land, held by the yearly rent of 5s.10d., payable at the Feast of St. Michael. Also, on the South part of King Street, 2 acres of arable, and 2 acres of meadow land, called Carpenterishawe, held of the Archbishop of Canterbury, at the yearly rent of 6d., payable at the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. Also near St. Thomas Wateringgs, on the South part of King’s Street, 7 acres of arable, and 2 acres of meadow land, called Fourecrofts, by the yearly rent of 4s.8d., payable at the Feast of St. Michael, and at Easter; another piece of land lying towards Hattesham,—perhaps Hatcham Manor,—containing 10 acres of arable, and 2½ acres and 1 rood of meadow land, called Tevatree, was held for the same sum. At Le Steerte, near the wall of Bermondsey, one acre of meadow ground, for the rent of 2d.per annum; and at Hattesham, at the entrance of the Marsh, 6 acres of arable land enclosed by a ditch, were held of the heirs of Simon de Kyme, for the rent of one penny per annum. In Lewisham, London Bridge seems to have had large possessions, since they were let out to farm at the immense rent of £3. 4s.; and to the property of the Manor was attached the ancient feudal rights of heriot,—taking of the best beast, when a new tenant came on the estate; wardship,—the holding and enjoying the profits of a tenant’s land, who was a minor; marriage,—claimingassistance from all the tenants once, to furnish a dowry for the Lord’s eldest daughter; Reliefs and Escheats,—the payment of a certain sum on the entry of a new tenant, and the return of forfeited estates. The land itself was divided, and the original rents were as follow.“‘24 and 11 acres of arable land, called the Greggehouse, 5 acres of wood, in two groves, 42 acres of arable land, and 2 acres of meadow land, held of the Abbot of Gaunt, at the yearly rent of 14s.9½d.; 22 acres held of the heirs of Lord John de Backwell, Knight, at the yearly rent of 3s.; 10 acres, and 10 acres in the field called Edwinesfelde, held of the Abbot of Stratford, at the yearly rent of 10d.; 2 acres held of the heirs of Lord William Bonquer, Knight, at the yearly rent of 8d.; 1½ acre lying in the road near Depeford Bregge, held of the heirs of William Clekots, at the yearly rent of 1½d.; 3 acres in a croft near Leuesham Street, held of the heirs of Henry Boyding, and William Atteford, at the yearly rent of 2d.; 1½ acre at Rombeigh, for which nothing is paid; 10 acres in the field called Brodefelde, held of the heirs of William de Hinntingfeld, Knight, at the yearly rent of 1s.8d.Item.There is owing for the said Manor to the heirs of Nicholas de Farndon, the yearly rent of 1d.At Leuesham, a water-mill, with 2 acres of pasture belonging to it, held of divers persons for the rent of 1s.5d.and half a quarter of corn out of the tolls yearly, and the value of the tenths, from this time forth for ever.’“The possessions of London Bridge, at Stratford, have been already referred to, but for the sake of perspicuity, I repeat them, and they were as follow:—One water-mill, called ‘Saynesmelle,’ and four acres of meadow land belonging to the same; ‘whereof one acre lies within the close of the said mill, and four roods opposite to it on the East; and they are every where planted round with willows.’ One acre and one rood of meadow land lie near ‘Wyldemersh-bregge,’ and are called ‘Horslese.’ They are held of the heirs of the Lord Richard de Playz, Knight, for the yearly rent of £1. 17s.—Also at Stratford are ten acres of meadow-land held of the same, and for the same rent: whereof four acres are adjoining to the mill-pond called ‘Spileman’s Melle,’ and four acres are lying near to the meadow called ‘Gryggewyche’s Mead,’ and adjoin, in like manner, to the same mill-stream. And one acre lies near the Bridge called ‘Wildenmersshbregge,’ and is enclosed by willows; and three roods of the same meadow lie near ‘Golynant,’ and one acre and one rood of the same meadow are lying in one piece, adjoining to the mill-stream of ‘Saynesmelle.’ At Royeshope, is one acre of meadow land, formerly held by John Breggewrythe, at the yearly rent of 2s.which is held, &c. as aforesaid. Also there are of the same, 1½ rood near Horslese, originally bought by Roger Atte-vyne, and John Sterre, then Keepers of the Bridge, which are held of the heirs of Thomas le Belevere, for the annual rent of 1d.The Vicar of West-Ham also held one acre ofmeadow, assigned to him for his tythe for the whole meadow; and 13s.4d.were paid to him yearly, as tythe for the two mills. At Stratford, also, was another water-mill belonging to London Bridge, called ‘Spylemanne’s Melle,’ which was held of the heirs of Lawrance Stede, for the payment of 1d.yearly; which mill being of Sutler’s estate, tythes were paid for it by that estate, and it was therefore free for ever. There were also four acres of meadow and pasture belonging to it. All the foregoing were, at the time of this survey, let out to farm by London Bridge.“Such were some of its possessions out of the metropolis; and I now proceed to notice that more interesting part of the volume, entitled ‘Quit-rents of London Bridge, issuing from divers tenements of London and Southwark, according as they lie in different Parishes; and, firstly, of its property in the Parish of St. Magnus the Martyr.’“‘Three shops, with galleries built upon them, now held by Robert Kots and Lawrence Schrouesbury, Glovers, standing at the Bridge stairs towards London, with the houses belonging to London Bridge on the South side. They were formerly belonging to the Fraternity called ‘Le Salue,’ in the Church aforesaid. Two shops with galleries built thereupon, held by Peter Wydynton, Spicer, belonging to the same Fraternity, which are situated by the same stairs, between the way leading down to the common sewer on the South; the tenements belonging to the same Fraternity on the North, the tenements of JohnZakesle on the East, and the King’s road on the North; and they owe yearly to the Bridge of London, 3s.’ Another Tenement, held by Henry Ziuele, Mason, paid 5s.: and it was situate between the King’s Road on the East, and the Oyster Gate on the West. Another Tenement paid 5 marks,—£3. 6s.8d.;—it stood ‘at the corner opposite to St. Magnus’ Church,’ between the King’s Road towards ‘Byllyngesgate’ on the South, and the King’s Road, called ‘Brigge-streete,’ on the West. It belonged to a certain perpetual Chantry in St. Magnus’ Church, for the soul of Thomas le Bener; also belonging to the same Chantry, and standing about the same spot, was a tavern, which paid to the Bridge 2s.6d.yearly, and the shop of the same paid 1s.3d.Certain other shops and tenements belonging to Richard, the son of John Horne,—perhaps the eminent Town-Clerk of that name, whom I have already mentioned,—paid £2. of yearly rent; and they were lying near the narrow way called Rederes lane on the East, in the Parishes of St. Magnus and St. Roth’i. A house belonging to the Priory and Convent of St. Mary, in Southwark, paid 1s.: it stood between Oystergate on the East; and the houses belonging to St. Magnus’ Church on the West; and extended from the King’s Road called ‘Stokfissmongeres Rewe,’ on the North, down to the River Thames on the South. Another house in the Bridge Street, standing by that of John Somervyle, the Goldsmith, paid 8s.9d.to the Bridge; as did also an adjoining shop and house; thus making thewhole Bridge Rents in St. Magnus’ Parish amount to £7. 8s.11d.per annum. I have been the more particular in detailing the property of London Bridge in this part of City, because it in some measure illustrates the ancient state of it; but I shall be much more brief,—and, I dare say, much more to your content,—in speaking of its possessions in the other parishes mentioned in this Manuscript.“‘In the Parish of St. Botolph, near Byllyngesgate,’ the Bridge owned the following:“‘One Tenement in the King’s Street leading to ‘Byllyngesgate,’ 16s.One Tenement, a Granary, or Brewery, with two Shops in the same, 12d.Total 17s.“‘In the Parish of St. Mary atte Hulle.’ One Messuage on ‘Byllyngesgate’ Quay, called the ‘Boleheued,’ 11s.8d.The Priory and Convent of the Holy Trinity on the Quay called ‘Treyerswarfe,’ 6s.8d.The house of William Walworth in the narrow way leading to ‘Treyerswarfe,’ 3s.4d.Total £1. 1s.8d.“‘In the Parish of St. Dunstan the Bishop, towards the Tower of London.’ A Tenement called ‘Cokeden-halle,’ standing ‘at the corner of the narrow way called Martelane,’ on the East, and the Tenements belonging to St. Dunstan’s Church on the West, and the King’s Road called ‘le Tourstreete’ on the South, 8s.A Tenement adjoining the same, 7s.A Tenement belonging to John Atte Vyne, son and heir of William Atte Vyne, standing near ‘the narrow way called Mengehouslane,’ 3s.A Tenement belonging to ‘Gyhalle,’ standingbetween the corner of the narrow way called ‘le Chirchelane,’ Eastward, and the foregoing, 4s.8d.The House of Andrew the Canon, standing West of the foregoing, 4s.8d.Tenements of John Pyebaker, belonging to the same Canon, 2s.6d.; of Alie. Bemehoo, belonging to the same Canon, 2s.6d.; of John Morton, Clerk, in the corner of the Church-yard of St. Dunstan’s, near the narrow passage leading to the Tower, 4s.8d.; of Isabella Rotheryng and her sister, standing by the Thames, 2s.Total £1. 19s.“‘In the Parish of All Saints de Berkyngcherch.’ A Tenement of John Longe, the Fishmonger, standing between the Tenements of London Bridge, on the East, the Tenements of Walter Denny, the Fishmonger, on the West, and ‘le Tourstreete’ on the North, 3s.“‘In the Parish of St. Andrew Hubert in Estchepe.’ A corner Tenement held by Richard Croydon, standing by the said Church on the North, between the narrow way adjoining, and the King’s way called ‘Seyntandrewys-lane’ on the West, 12s.“‘In the Parish of St. Margaret in Brigge Streete.’ A Tenement of John Littele, the Fishmonger, standing in ‘le Crokedelane,’ 4s.“‘In the Parish of St. Leonard, the Abbot, in Estchepe.’ One Tenement in ‘Candelwykstreete,’ held by William Yuory, £1. 6s.8d.A Shop held by the same, between the Tenements of the Prior and Convent of ‘Cristecherche,’ on the North, andthe King’s road, called ‘Grascherchestrete,’ on the East, 8s.Another Tenement, 1s.Another Tenement standing by the corner Tenement of the Hospital of the Blessed Mary without ‘Busshopisgate,’ on the North, and the King’s road, called ‘Estchepe,’ on the East, 2s.A Tenement of the Prioress of St. Helen’s, having ‘Grascherchestrete’ on the West, 13s.4d.There was also another Tenement of 1s.rent, having Eastcheap on the East. Total £2. 12s.“‘In the Parish of St. Benedict de Grascherche.’ One Tenement, a Granary, or Brewery, with two Shops, of Benedict de Cornewayle, having the King’s road, called ‘Fancherchestreete’ to the South, 9s.4d.“‘In the Parish of All Saints de Grascherche.’ One Tenement with a forge and 4 Shops, standing between the corner Tenement of the Prior and Convent of Ely on the South, and the Tenement belonging to the Brethren of the Cross, called ‘le Cardinaleshat’ on the North, and the King’s road, called ‘Grascherchstrete’ on the West, 40s.A Granary, 5s.Total £2. 5s.“‘In the Parish of St. Katherine de Cricherch.’ A Granary standing in a corner between the narrow way called Bellezeterslane on the East, and the Tenement of Philip Page on the West, 8s.“‘In the Parish of St. Mary Attenaxe.’ Ten Shops, with Galleries built upon them, standing in a corner, between the King’s way, which is between London Wall and the aforesaid Shops, and the waythat leads from the Church of St. Mary Attenaxe, to the Church of ‘St. Augustine Papheye,’ on the West, 1s.“‘In the Parish of St. Augustine Papheye.’ The Tenement of Richard Schet, Fuller, standing by the Tenements of London Bridge on the East, and the King’s road under London Wall on the North, and the Garden of the Prior of Cricherch on the South, 12d.“‘In the Parish of St. Martin Otiswych.’ A Tenement with a large door, and a Shop on both sides of it, standing between the Church-yard on the North, and the King’s road, called ‘Bisshopisgatestreete,’ on the East, 3s.“In the Parish of St. Michael upon Cornhulle.’ A Tenement with two Shops, having Cornhill upon the South, 8s.“‘In the Parish of St. Edmund in Lumbardstrete.’ Certain Tenements with Shops, standing between the Tenements of St. Thomas’s Hospital in ‘Sothewarke,’ on the North, and the King’s way, called ‘Berchers-lane,’ on the West. They owe yearly to London Bridge, by the Will of Henry of Gloucester, Goldsmith, 5s.“‘In the Parish of St. Clement, near Candelwyk-stret.’ A tenement of the Abbot and Convent of Stratford, standing between the Tenement of Thomas Clench, Fishmonger, on the South, the Tenement of the perpetual Chantry of the said Church, which wasformerly John de Charteneys, on the North, and the narrow way called ‘Seyntclementslane’ on the West. It owes yearly to London Bridge, by the legacy of Henry of Gloucester, 2s.A Tenement with four Shops, 2s.Three Shops with galleries erected upon them, and a certain place called ‘Wodehagh,’ bounded on the South by Candlewick-street, 4s.Total 8s.“‘In the Parish of St. Michael in le Crokedelane.’ A Tenement in ‘Stokfisschmongeresrewe,’ belonging to the Chaplain of ‘Kyngeston,’ 5s.An ancient Tenement, having the Tenement of the perpetual Chantry of the said Church, which was formerly John Abel’s, on the West, and the narrow way called ‘Crokedelane’ on the North, 5s.Total 10s.“‘In the Parish of All Saints the Less.’ A Tenement having the Tenements of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital on the West, and the King’s way called ‘Tamystrete’ on the South, 4s.Certain Tenements standing in the short narrow way of St. Lawrence, between the Tenement of the Master of St. Lawrence’s College on the North, and Thames-street on the South, 10s.The Tenement of the said Master, 6s.Total 20s.“‘In the Parish of St. Lawrence, near Candelwyk-stret.’ A Tenement belonging to ‘Gyldhalde’ of London, having the College of the said Church on the East; the narrow way which goes from the Church-yard of the same Church to Candlewyck-street, on the West; the said Church-yard on theSouth; and a Tenement belonging to a perpetual Chantry in the Church of St. Swythin on the North, 19s.8d.“‘In the Parish of the Blessed Mary of Abbecherch.’ A Tenement, having the Tenement of the Hospital of St. Katherine, near the Tower, on the North, and the Burial-place of the aforesaid Church on the East, 10s.“‘In the Parish of St. Swythin the Bishop. A Tenement held by Solomon Faunt, standing between the Church aforesaid on the South; the Tenement of Henry Fyuyan, Draper, on the North, and the King’s way called ‘Swythynislane’ on the East, 2s.6d.The Tenement of the said Henry Fyuyan, standing by that of John Hende, Draper, 2s.Total 4s.6d.“‘In the Parish of St. Mary de Bothhaghe.’ A Tenement held by Lord Thomas de Salesbury, Knight, standing between the Tenement with the Great Gate also belonging to the same, on the East, and Candlewick-street on the South, 12d.“‘In the Parish of St. Stephen de Walbrok.’ Two Tenements under one edifice, standing by the Tenement of John Norwich, the Goldsmith, on the South, and the King’s way, called Walbrook, on the West, 2s.“‘In the Parish of St. Mary Woolnoth.’ A corner Tenement, which formerly was Hamon Lumbard’s, having the narrow street, called ‘Seyntswythinislane,’ to the East, and that called ‘Berebyndereslane,’ to the South, 13s.4d.Another Tenement standing in a corner in ‘Schytelboanelane,’ 2s.Total 15s.4d.“‘In the Parish of St. Bartholomew the Less. A Tenement, a Granary, or Brewery,’ having the King’s way called ‘Braddestrete’ on the North, 2s.6d.“‘In the Parish of St. Pancras.’ One Cell, called ‘le Brodecelde,’ of which one entrance is by the large open place towards ‘Soperslane’ on the East, and another is toward ‘Chepe,’ at the sign of the Key, on the North, 6s.8d.“‘In the Parish of St. Michael at Queen’s bank,’—or Wharf.—‘A Tenement, with its offices, which belongs to the Abbot and Convent of the Monastery of the Blessed Mary of Grace, near the Tower of London: it stands in a corner between the narrow way that leads to the Saltewarf on the East, and the Tenement of the Abbot of Jesus on the West, and it extends from the narrow way, called ‘Ratonneslane,’ on the North, down to the Thames Southward,’ 2s.“‘In the Parish of St. Martin at Ludgate.’ A Tenement with a forge standing in a corner without Ludgate, having the narrow street, called ‘Little-bayly,’ on the West, and the King’s way, called ‘Fletestrete,’ on the North, 9s.“‘In the Parish of St. Bridget, the Virgin, in Flet-strete.’ A Tenement, a Granary called ‘le Horsothehop,’ with two Shops, having Fleet-street on the North, and belonging to a certain Chantry in St. Paul’s Church, for celebrating Mass for the Soul of Walter Thorpe, 8s.“‘In the Parish of St. Alban de Wodestret.’ A Tenement, called ‘le Horsscho,’ 4s.Another Tenement,having the Tenement of the Hospital of the Blessed Mary without ‘Busschopesgate,’ on the South, and the King’s way, called ‘Wodestret,’ on the West, 2s.Total 6s.“‘In the Parish of the Blessed Mary of Athelmanbery.’ A Tenement standing in a corner between the narrow way called ‘Phylippeslane,’ on the West; that called ‘Paddelane’ on the South, and the Tenements of St. Paul’s Church on the North, 2s.“‘In the Parish of St. Michael de Bassyngeshawe.’ A Tenement with eight Shops, standing in a corner, towards London Wall, having the King’s way, called ‘Bassyngeshawe,’ on the West, 2s.Two other Tenements, 6s.6d.Total 8s.6d.“‘In the Parish of St. Olave at the Wall.’ A Tenement, formerly belonging to the Prior of the Hospital of the Blessed Mary without Bishopsgate, having the King’s way, called ‘Mugwelle stret,’ to the East, 3s.6d.“‘In the Parish of St. Stephen in Colmanstret.’ Certain vacant places, by the legacy of Henry of Gloucester, 2s.“‘In the Parishes of St. Faith and St. Gregory.’ Certain Shops standing in ‘Paternostrerewe,’ under the Palace of the Bishop of London, newly erected by the venerable Lord Michael de Northborough, formerly Bishop of London, 40s.“A Tenement in ‘Redecrouchstrete,’ which cannot be found, 4d.Also in ‘Est Smethfeld’ was formerly a Tenement, which is now the common Church-yard,4d.Another in ‘Blachynglegh,’ 12d.Also in Stratford, a piece of meadow land, formerly held to farm of the Bridge keepers, being the sixth part of a meadow called ‘Ruschope,’ 2s.Also at ‘Sabryschesworth,’ a Tenement, 3d.Total 3s.11d.“‘In the Parish of St. Olave of Sothewerk.’ Two Shops of the Hospital of St. Thomas of Sothewark, standing in a corner at the stairs of London Bridge towards Southwark, between the Tenements belonging to the said Bridge on the North, the King’s way of Southwark on the South, and the stairs aforesaid on the East, 8s.A corner Tenement, now belonging to the Church of St. Michael in ‘le Reole, which is called Paternostercherche,’ and standing at the aforesaid stairs, having the King’s way leading to ‘Bermundeseye,’ on the South; the Tenements of the Bridge aforesaid on the North, and the aforesaid stairs on the West, 13s.4d.Total 21s.4d.“‘In the Parish of St. Margaret in Sothewerk.’ One Tenement of the Hospital of St. Thomas of ‘Sothewark,’ having the King’s way of ‘Sothewerk’ on the East, 4s.“‘In the Parish of St. George in Sothewerk.’ A certain Tenement and Garden called ‘Exuuiwe,’ which the Prior and Convent of the Blessed Mary of Southwark now hold; standing in a corner at the Cross in ‘Kentestreete,’ between the King’s way which leads to Bermondsey on the North, the King’s way called Kent-street on the West, and a garden on the South, 13s.4d.A Tenement called ‘le Mote,’ having the Tenementof the Hospital of St. Thomas of Southwark on the North, a garden on the South, and Kent-street on the West, 8s.A Tenement standing at ‘Le Loke,’ near the Bridge Tenements, 2s.Total 23s.4d.’“Such, Mr. Barbican, were the gifts to London Bridge of Quit-rents, or small sums reserved by various landlords out of their charters and leases, for the support and improvement of this noble edifice. Their whole amount was £30. 0s.2d.per annum, a splendid revenue, if, as I imagine from several circumstances, this very curious survey was made about the middle of the thirteenth century. Several of these gifts are authenticated by references to the original grants, read and enrolled in the Court of Hustings at Guildhall, at various meetings held during the reign of King Edward I.: whilst another authority, often cited, is called ‘the Red Rental,’ which also makes mention of Godardus, a Chaplain, and his brethren of London Bridge. The light these very brief but curious notices shed upon Parochial history and antiquities, has made me give you a more particular account of them, than might be perfectly agreeable to you; though, as I have not quite finished the volume, I must request you patiently to hear me a little longer speak of the ancient landed property of London Bridge.”“Oh! go on, Sir, pray go on!” said I, in a tone of mock resignation,“take your own time, Mr. Barnaby; though, to be sure, there seems but little reason why I should say so. I had, indeed, fondly hoped, that when you could no longer plague me with a Patent Roll, I might rest secure from any thing more provoking; but I must certainly own I was a most short-sighted mortal for thinking so, since your genius can never want a weapon to be drowsy with: but, I suppose that you rarely meet with a hearer so quiet, so mild, so undoubting, and so easily satisfied as I have proved: and therefore, suffer I must.”“I have truly,” said he, in a short dry voice, “seldom met with a companion like you: but, I am sure, you will not think these extracts wearisome, when you remember that so little is known about the possessions of London Bridge; and that the fragments which I have repeated to you are all of the most undoubted authority, as yet unprinted, and almost locked up in a barbarous mixture of abbreviated and corrupt French, Saxon, and Latin. To return then to the Survey,—which, I assure you, I have very nearly concluded,—it next records the Bridge property at ‘Les Stocks,’ somewhat of which, you may remember, I have already spoken: and contains one of the most curious and ancient descriptions of that once-famous market now extant:—thus commences the entry.“‘Near the Church of the Blessed Mary of Wolcherchehawe, is a certaine Cattle-Fold calledles Stocks, ordained for Butchers and Fishmongers, where the same may sell flesh and fish; the rent of which is uncertain, because any greater or smaller value arises from the way in which places in it may be occupied by the Butchers upon Flesh-days, and bythe Fishmongers on Fish-days. Upon this Cattle-stall are three mansions, and one slaughter-house, built above it, the principal of which mansions is towards Cornhill, being now held by William Vale, Fishmonger, and it yields to London Bridge, yearly, 30s.Also, on the West side, towards the Conduit, is another mansion, held by John Louekyn, Fishmonger, which pays yearly 20s.Also there is another little mansion in the middle of the house upon the Stocks on the North side, paying 10s.Also on the South part of the Stocks is a slaughter-house, for which rent is not paid. Total 60s.And in the stalls aforesaid, called the Stocks, are places measured for the Fishmongers’ tables, namely four feet and a half and two thumbs breadth in length, and calledPoulisset, having legs, the which places are occupied by the Butchers on Flesh-days at the price of 4d.the week. And the same places are occupied by the Fishmongers on Fish-days, at the price of 3d.by the week. Of these places there are 19 on the South part next the Church; 18 on the North; 15, in one row, in the middle of the house on the South; and at the Eastern front of the said house are four places for Fishmongers, three of which are occupied by Butchers on the Flesh-days. In the West front of the said house are two places, occupied as well by Butchers as by Fishmongers; but the certain amount of the rents of these cannot be ascertained, because any of the aforesaid places may be occupied or not, and thus a larger or a smaller sum may appear upon theaccount-rolls of the gate-keepers of the place aforesaid, in different weeks and years. Without the Stocks, at the West front, are five places for Fishmongers, where, on Fish-days, they sell their fish; and, on Flesh-days, three of them are occupied by the Butchers. There are also 22 places and a half under the walls of the house, appointed for Butchers to sell flesh on Flesh-days; whereof 18 places are under the North wall, and 4 places and a half are under the wall of the Eastern front, of which places the value, when they are occupied, is 4d.per week: but now they are not fully engaged, and therefore no certain sum can be stated.’“‘Also, it is to be known that the gifts, legacies, and oblations of the Corbell-Chapel, standing on the Bridge, with’—the Pontage from—‘the carts carrying bread for sale crossing over it, and the passage of vessels under it, are uncertain in amount, because they may be greater or less in value, as they appear in the account-rolls of the Keepers of the said Bridge for different years.’“The Survey concludes with an abstracted list of rents paid by London Bridge for lands and tenements held in various places, both in, and out of, the City; but as I have already given you several particulars of these, and as they do not contain any great additional information, I shall but observe from them that their total amount appears to be £20. 0. 9¼d.; and as we are occasionally informed that the lands were let out to farm, we may conclude that the Bridge-keepers wereamply recompensed for the payment of a sum even so great as this. The disbursements of London Bridge were, indeed, always considerable, for Stow observes in his ‘Survey,’ page 59, that the account of William Mariner and Christopher Elliott, Wardens of that edifice, from Michaelmas, in the 22nd year of Henry VII.—1506,—to the Michaelmas ensuing, amounted to £815. 17s.2½d., all payments and allowances included.“We must now set sail again on the ocean of English History, as it is connected with London Bridge; and you are to remember that we are yet in the reign of King Henry VI., though we have mentioned a multitude of dates since the commencement of our digression: and the next event in its Chronicles, relates to the destruction of a considerable portion of it in the year 1437. I have already cited to you some of the writings of William of Worcester, and in another work of which he was also the author, entitled ‘Annales Rerum Anglicarum,’ he gives a slight notice of this event, which you will find in the edition printed in Hearne’s ‘Liber Niger,’ volume ii. page 458, taken from an autograph manuscript in the Library of the College of Arms. The best accounts, however, are furnished by Fabyan, on page 433, of his Chronicle, and by Stow in his ‘Annals,’ page 376. From these we learn that on Monday, January the 14th, the Great Stone Gate, and Tower standing upon it, next Southwark, fell suddenly down into the River, with two of the fairestarches of the same Bridge: ‘and yet,’ adds the habitually pious Stow, ‘no man perished in body, which was a great worke of God.’“In the year 1440, the Annals of London Bridge became again interwoven with the great historical events of the kingdom, which impart such dignity to its own records, inasmuch as the Bridge-Street, by which is meant as well the passage over the Thames as the main street beyond it on each side, was one scene of the public penance of Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester, for Witchcraft. The inflexible honesty of the Duke, who was Protector of England during the minority of Henry VI., and presumptive heir to the crown, had created a violent party against him, the heads of which were Cardinal Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester, and William de la Pole, first Duke of Suffolk. With regard to his Sovereign, however, not all the spies, which were placed about Humphrey Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester, by these powerful and inveterate enemies, could find even a pretence for the slightest charge; though that which they were unable to discover in him, they found in his Duchess, who was then accused of Witchcraft and High Treason: it being asserted that she had frequent conferences with one Sir Roger Bolinbroke, a Priest, who was supposed to be a necromancer, and Margaret Jourdain, a witch, of Eye, near Westminster; assisted and advised by John Hum, a Priest, and Thomas Southwell, Priest, and Canon of St. Stephen’s, Westminster. Shakspeare, in his‘Second Part of Henry the Sixth,’ Act i. Scenes 2 and 4, and Act ii. Scenes 1 and 4, has recorded several particulars of this circumstance; and makes the Duchess ask some questions concerning the King’s fate; though she was, in reality, charged with having his image made of wax, which, being placed before a slow fire, should cause his strength to decay as the wax melted. The result of the enquiry was, that Jourdain was burned in Smithfield; Southwell died before his execution, in the Tower; Bolingbroke was hanged, drawn, and quartered, at Tyburn; and, on November the 9th, the Duchess was sentenced to perform public penance at three open places in London. On Monday the 13th, therefore, she came by water from Westminster, and, landing at the Temple-bridge, walked, at noon-day, through Fleet-street, bearing a waxen taper of two pounds weight to St. Paul’s, where she offered it at the High Altar. On the Wednesday following she landed at the Old Swan, and passed through Bridge-street and Grace-Church-street to Leadenhall, and at Cree-Church, near Aldgate, made her second offering: and on the ensuing Friday, she was put on shore at Queen-Hythe, whence she proceeded to St. Michael’s Church, Cornhill, and so completed her penance. In each of these processions her head was covered only by a kerchief, her feet were bare; scrolls, containing a narrative of her crime, were affixed to her white dress, and she was received and attended by the Mayor, Sheriffs, and Companies of London.“The leading features of these events are of course in all the numerous volumes of English History, but for the more particular circumstances I must refer you to Stow’s ‘Annals,’ pages 381, 382; to folio lxiiii. a, of the Chronicle of Edward Hall, an eminent Lawyer who died in 1547, and whose work is entitled ‘The Vnion of the two Noble Houses of Lancastre and Yorke,’ London, 1550, folio; and, finally, to the Harleian Manuscript No. 565, page 96 a. Of which latter most curious work we now take leave, for soon after recording this event it terminates imperfectly; though I may observe, that when speaking of the fate of Roger Bolingbroke, on page 96 b, it adds, concerning him, that the same day on which he was condemned at Guildhall, he ‘was drawe fro yeTower of London to Tiborn and there hanged, hedyd, and quartered, and his heed set up on London Bridge.’ His quarters were disposed of at Hereford, Oxford, York, and Cambridge.“In 1444, William de la Pole, whom I have just mentioned, was one of the King’s Ambassadors in France, when, with his usual lofty and impetuous spirit, he suddenly proposed a marriage between Henry VI., and Margaret, daughter of Réné, Duke of Anjou, and titular King of Jerusalem, Sicily, Arragon, Valence, &c. without any instructions from his Sovereign, or even acquainting his fellow-commissioners with his design. Notwithstanding the Duke of Gloucester opposed this union at the Council Board in England, yet the Earl managed his proposal so skilfully,that he procured himself to be created a Duke, and despatched into France to bring over the Queen: and on Thursday, the 22nd of April, 1445, she was consequently married to Henry at Tichfield Abbey, Southwick, in the County of Southampton. It was, probably, in her way from Eltham Palace to Westminster, before her Coronation, that she was greeted by the famous pageants prepared for her on London Bridge, on Friday, the 28th of May; for you will remember that she was crowned at Westminster Abbey, on Sunday, the 30th of the month, by John Stafford, Archbishop of Canterbury. However it might be, she was met at several places by many persons of rank, with numerous attendants having their sleeves embroidered, or decorated in the most costly manner, with badges of beaten goldsmith’s work; and especially by the Duke of Gloucester, who received her with 500 men habited in one livery. At Blackheath, according to custom, the Mayor, Sheriffs, and Aldermen, clothed in scarlet, attended her with the several City companies, all mounted and dressed in blue gowns, having embroidered sleeves and red hoods: and in this manner Queen Margaret and her followers were conducted through Southwark and the City, ‘then beautified,’—says Stow in his ‘Annals,’ page 384, where he relates all these particulars,—‘with pageants of diuers histories, and other showes of welcome, maruellous costly and sumptuous.’ He gives, however, but a very brief statement of them in his printed book; though in his Manuscripts, several of whichare extant in the Harleian Collection in the British Museum, there are the very verses spoken to the Queen on the Bridge, composed, as he says, by John Lydgate. The Manuscript I allude to, is one to which I have already made a reference, being No. 542, a small quarto volume written on antique paper, in Stow’s own plain, but minute hand-writing. In this volume, therefore, article 16, on page 101 a, is entitled, ‘The speches in the pagiaunts at yecominge of Qwene Margaret wyfe to Henry the syxt of that name Kynge of England, the 28th of Maye, 1445, ye23rd of his reigne.’ The first pageant, which was an allegorical representation of Peace and Plenty, was erected at the foot of London Bridge, and the motto attached to it was ‘Ingredimini et replete Terram,’—Enter ye and replenish the earth,—taken from Genesis ix. according to the Vulgate Latin. The verses addressed to Queen Margaret were as follow:—
‘Forthermore, so as the Kyng ’gan ryde,Myddes of the Brigge ther was a toure on lofte;The Lord of Lordes beynge ay his gydeAs he hath be, and yit wil be full ofte:The toure araied with velwetty softe,Clothys of gold, silk, and tapicerie,As apperteynyth to his Regalye.And at his comyng, of excellent beautéBenygne of port, most womanly of chere,There issued out Emperesses thre,Ther hair displaied as Phebus in his sphere;With crownettys of gold, and stonés clere,At whos out comyng thei gaf swyche a lightThat the beholders were stonyed in there sight.
‘Forthermore, so as the Kyng ’gan ryde,Myddes of the Brigge ther was a toure on lofte;The Lord of Lordes beynge ay his gydeAs he hath be, and yit wil be full ofte:The toure araied with velwetty softe,Clothys of gold, silk, and tapicerie,As apperteynyth to his Regalye.
And at his comyng, of excellent beautéBenygne of port, most womanly of chere,There issued out Emperesses thre,Ther hair displaied as Phebus in his sphere;With crownettys of gold, and stonés clere,At whos out comyng thei gaf swyche a lightThat the beholders were stonyed in there sight.
Nature.The first of them was callyd Nature,As sche that hathé vndyr here demayneMan, beest, and foul, and euery creature,With jnne the bondys of here goldyn cheyne:Eke heuene, and erthe, and euery creature,This Emperesse of custum dothe embrace;Grace.And next her com her Suster callyd Grace.
Nature.The first of them was callyd Nature,As sche that hathé vndyr here demayneMan, beest, and foul, and euery creature,With jnne the bondys of here goldyn cheyne:Eke heuene, and erthe, and euery creature,This Emperesse of custum dothe embrace;Grace.And next her com her Suster callyd Grace.
Passyng famous and of gret reuerence,Most desyryd in allé regiouns;For where that euere shewith here presenceShe bryngith gladnes to Citees and to townys;Of all well fare she halt the possessionys:For, y dar sey, prosperite in no placeNo while abidith, but if there be Grace.
Passyng famous and of gret reuerence,Most desyryd in allé regiouns;For where that euere shewith here presenceShe bryngith gladnes to Citees and to townys;Of all well fare she halt the possessionys:For, y dar sey, prosperite in no placeNo while abidith, but if there be Grace.
Jn tokene that Grace shal longe continue,Vn to the Kyng she shewyd here ful benygne;Fortune.And next here com the Emperesse Fortune,To hym aperyng with many a noble signeAnd Rialle tokenys, to shewe that he was digneOf God disposyd, as lust ordeygneVp on his hed to weré crownés tweyne.
Jn tokene that Grace shal longe continue,Vn to the Kyng she shewyd here ful benygne;Fortune.And next here com the Emperesse Fortune,To hym aperyng with many a noble signeAnd Rialle tokenys, to shewe that he was digneOf God disposyd, as lust ordeygneVp on his hed to weré crownés tweyne.
Natura, Gracia, et Fortuna.These thre Ladies, al of on entent,Thre goostly gyftés, heuynly and deuyne,Vn to the Kyng a non they dyd present,And to his hignesse they dyd a non enclyne:And what they weren pleynly to determyne,Grace gaf hym first at his comyngeTwo ryché gyftés, Sciens and Cunnynge.Nature gaf hym eke Strengthe and Fayrnesse,For to be louyd and dred of euery wight;Fortune gaf hym eke Prosperite and Richesse,With this scripture aperyng in ther sight,To hym applied of verey due right:—‘First vndirstonde, and wilfully procede,And longe to regne,’ the Scripture seide in dede.‘Intende prosperitate procede et regna.’‘This is to mene, who so vndirstondith a right,Thou schalt by Fortune haue long prosperité;And by Nature thou shalt have strenghthe and might,Forth to procede in long felicité;And Grace also hath grauntyd vn to the,Vertuosly long in thi Roialle CiteéWith Sceptre and crowne to regne in equyté.’On the right hand of these EmperessesStode vij madenys, very celestiall;Like Phebus bemys shone there golden tresses,Vp on there hedes ech hauyng a crownall:Of port and cheré semyng immortall,In sight transsendyng alle erthély creatures,So angelik they weren of there figures.All clad in white, in token of clennesse,Liche pure Virgynés as in there ententys,Schewynge outward an heuenly fresh brightnesse;Stremyd with sonnys weren alle there garmentys.A forum prouydyd for pure jnnocentys,Most columbyne of chere and of lokyng,Mekly roos vp at the comyng of the Kyng.They hadde on bawdrikes al on saphir heweGoynge outward, ’gan the kyng salúe;Hym presentyng with ther gyftés newe,Lik as thei thought it was to hym duwe:Whiche gostly giftés here in ordre ’suweDown descendyng as siluer dewe from heuene,Al grace includyd with jnne the giftés sewene.These riall giftés ben of vertu most,Goostly corages most soueraygnely delite;The giftés callyd of the Holy GoostOutward figuryd by seven dowys (doves) white;Seyenge to hym, lik as clerkés write,‘God the fulfille with intelligence,And with a spirit of goostly sapience.Impleat te Deus Spiritu sapientiæ, et intellectus,Spiritu consilii, et fortitudinis, scientiæ, et pietatis,et spiritu timoris Domini.’‘God sendé also, to thi moost availe,The to preserué from all heuynesse,A spirit of strenghthé, and of good counsaile,Of cunnyng, drede, pite, and of lownesse.’Thus thise ladies ’gan there gyftés dresse,Graciously at there out comyng,By influence light vp on the kyng.These Emperesses hadde on there left sydeOthere vij Virgines pure and clene;By accordaunce continually to a byde, (shining stars)Al clad in white samete, (satin) ful of sterres shene;And to declaré what they woldé meneVn to the Kyng with ful gret reuerence,These wreten there gyftes shortly in sentence:‘Induat te Dominus Coronâ Gloriæ, Sceptro Clementiæ,Gladio Justitiæ, Pallio Prudentiæ, Scuto Fidei,Galiâ Salutis, et Vinculo Pacis.’‘God the endue with a crowne of glorie,And with a Sceptre of clennesse and pité;And with a sheld of right and victorie,And with a mantel of prudence clad thou be:A shelde of feith for to defendé thee,An helme of helthé wrought to thine encres,Girt with a girdell of loue and perfect pees.’These vij Virgynes of sight most heuenlyWith herte, body, and handys reioysyng,And of there cheres aperid murely,For the Kynge’s gracious hom comyng:And for gladnesse they be gan to syngeMost angelik, with heuenly armonye,This same roundell which y shall now specifie.‘Souerayne lord wolcome to zoure Citee,Wolcome oure Joye, and our hertys plesaunce;Wolcome, wolcome, right wolcome mote ye be,Wolcome oure gladnes, wolcome oure suffisaunce:Syngyng to fore thi Rialle magesteWe saye of herte with oughten variaunceSouereign lord wolcome, wolcome oure Joye,Wolcome you be, vnto your owne newe Troye.’‘Mayr, Citezines, and al the commonté,At zoure hom comyng newé out of Fraunce,By grace releuyd of there olde greuaunce,Synge this day with gret solempnyté.’Thus resceyuyd, an esy paas rydyngThe King is entred in to yis Citee.’
Natura, Gracia, et Fortuna.These thre Ladies, al of on entent,Thre goostly gyftés, heuynly and deuyne,Vn to the Kyng a non they dyd present,And to his hignesse they dyd a non enclyne:And what they weren pleynly to determyne,Grace gaf hym first at his comyngeTwo ryché gyftés, Sciens and Cunnynge.
Nature gaf hym eke Strengthe and Fayrnesse,For to be louyd and dred of euery wight;Fortune gaf hym eke Prosperite and Richesse,With this scripture aperyng in ther sight,To hym applied of verey due right:—‘First vndirstonde, and wilfully procede,And longe to regne,’ the Scripture seide in dede.
‘Intende prosperitate procede et regna.’
‘This is to mene, who so vndirstondith a right,Thou schalt by Fortune haue long prosperité;And by Nature thou shalt have strenghthe and might,Forth to procede in long felicité;And Grace also hath grauntyd vn to the,Vertuosly long in thi Roialle CiteéWith Sceptre and crowne to regne in equyté.’
On the right hand of these EmperessesStode vij madenys, very celestiall;Like Phebus bemys shone there golden tresses,Vp on there hedes ech hauyng a crownall:Of port and cheré semyng immortall,In sight transsendyng alle erthély creatures,So angelik they weren of there figures.
All clad in white, in token of clennesse,Liche pure Virgynés as in there ententys,Schewynge outward an heuenly fresh brightnesse;Stremyd with sonnys weren alle there garmentys.A forum prouydyd for pure jnnocentys,Most columbyne of chere and of lokyng,Mekly roos vp at the comyng of the Kyng.
They hadde on bawdrikes al on saphir heweGoynge outward, ’gan the kyng salúe;Hym presentyng with ther gyftés newe,Lik as thei thought it was to hym duwe:Whiche gostly giftés here in ordre ’suweDown descendyng as siluer dewe from heuene,Al grace includyd with jnne the giftés sewene.
These riall giftés ben of vertu most,Goostly corages most soueraygnely delite;The giftés callyd of the Holy GoostOutward figuryd by seven dowys (doves) white;Seyenge to hym, lik as clerkés write,‘God the fulfille with intelligence,And with a spirit of goostly sapience.Impleat te Deus Spiritu sapientiæ, et intellectus,Spiritu consilii, et fortitudinis, scientiæ, et pietatis,et spiritu timoris Domini.’
‘God sendé also, to thi moost availe,The to preserué from all heuynesse,A spirit of strenghthé, and of good counsaile,Of cunnyng, drede, pite, and of lownesse.’Thus thise ladies ’gan there gyftés dresse,Graciously at there out comyng,By influence light vp on the kyng.
These Emperesses hadde on there left sydeOthere vij Virgines pure and clene;By accordaunce continually to a byde, (shining stars)Al clad in white samete, (satin) ful of sterres shene;And to declaré what they woldé meneVn to the Kyng with ful gret reuerence,These wreten there gyftes shortly in sentence:
‘Induat te Dominus Coronâ Gloriæ, Sceptro Clementiæ,Gladio Justitiæ, Pallio Prudentiæ, Scuto Fidei,Galiâ Salutis, et Vinculo Pacis.’
‘God the endue with a crowne of glorie,And with a Sceptre of clennesse and pité;And with a sheld of right and victorie,And with a mantel of prudence clad thou be:A shelde of feith for to defendé thee,An helme of helthé wrought to thine encres,Girt with a girdell of loue and perfect pees.’
These vij Virgynes of sight most heuenlyWith herte, body, and handys reioysyng,And of there cheres aperid murely,For the Kynge’s gracious hom comyng:And for gladnesse they be gan to syngeMost angelik, with heuenly armonye,This same roundell which y shall now specifie.
‘Souerayne lord wolcome to zoure Citee,Wolcome oure Joye, and our hertys plesaunce;Wolcome, wolcome, right wolcome mote ye be,Wolcome oure gladnes, wolcome oure suffisaunce:Syngyng to fore thi Rialle magesteWe saye of herte with oughten variaunceSouereign lord wolcome, wolcome oure Joye,Wolcome you be, vnto your owne newe Troye.’‘Mayr, Citezines, and al the commonté,At zoure hom comyng newé out of Fraunce,By grace releuyd of there olde greuaunce,Synge this day with gret solempnyté.’
Thus resceyuyd, an esy paas rydyngThe King is entred in to yis Citee.’
“The King next passed on to the Conduit in Cornhill, where he was awaited by other Pageants equally sumptuous and interesting; but as these are out of our province, we shall mention them no farther.
“There seems to have gone abroad a singular conception, that the Chapel of St. Thomas on London Bridge did not exist beyond the time of King Henry the Sixth; in the 23rd year of whose reign,—1458,—there were four Chaplains serving in it; though it was originally founded but for two Priests, four Clerks, and their officers, independently of the several chantries, or revenues, left to the establishment, for the singing of daily mass for the souls of its benefactors. The income of the Chapel, however, more than ten years before that period, was considered as worthy of some inquiry on the part of a neighbouring ecclesiastic; for we find, in Newcourt’s‘Repertorium,’ which I have already cited, volume i., page 396, the following particulars concerning it. ‘In the year 1433,’ says this Author, ‘Sir John Brockle, then Mayor of London, upon a controversie that was then like to arise, between the said Mayor and Commonalty of London, and the Bridge-Masters on the one part, and Richard Morysby, Archdeacon of London, and Rector of St. Magnus Church, on the other, about the oblations and other spiritual profits, which were made in a certain Chapel, called the Chapel of St. Thomas on the Bridge, within the precincts of this parish; there was a composition, or agreement, then made, and confirmed by Robert Fitzhugh, then Bishop of London, whereby (inter alia) it was agreed, that the Chaplains of the Chapel, and their successors, should receive all the profits of the Chapel to the use of the same, and the Bridge, and should pay yearly at Michaelmas the sum of xxd.to the said Church of St. Magnus, and to the Rector of the same, and to his successors for ever.’
“And now that we are speaking of the property appertaining to London Bridge, it will be a fit place to give you some idea whence it was in general derived; I say, in general, because the inquiry into all its sources would be not only difficult, but almost impossible. Stow tells you in his ‘Survey,’ volume i., page 59, that after the erection of buildings upon London Bridge,‘many charitable men gave lands, tenements, or sums of money, towards the maintenance thereof: all which was sometimes noted, and in a table fair written for posterity remaining in the Chapel, till the same Chapel was turned to a dwelling-house, and then removed to the Bridge-House.’ The honest old Antiquary states, however, that he would willingly have given a copy of this table of benefactors, but that he could not procure a sight of it; for, as he was known to be a notable restorer of decayed and dormant charities, he was occasionally refused admission to such records as would have enabled him to compile a lasting register of all the pious gifts and benefactions in London. He never hesitated to reprove unfaithful Executors, whether Corporations, or private persons, some of which he caused to perform the testaments which they proved; whilst the dishonesty of others he left on record to futurity. It is then not to be wondered at, if he often-times met with a repulse instead of information; ignorance opposed him in one quarter, and interest in another; and he might very well have taken up the significant, though homely complaint of Ames, when he was composing his History of Printing, ‘Some of those personstreatsfolks, as if they came as spies into their affairs.’ We have, however, some particulars of the Bridge property, as well collected by Stow, as gathered since his time; and, firstly, I must notice to you, that at page 60 of his ‘Survey,’ he states that ‘John Feckenham,Civis et Bracciator,’—Citizen and Brewer, or perhaps, Corn-Meter, ‘by his will, dated May 11th, 1436, bequeathed to the Mayor and Commonalty of the City of London, a Tenementwith a Shop and Garden, in the Parish of St. Augustine Pappey,’—that is to say in St. Mary at Axe,—‘between the tenement and lands of the Bridge of the City of London on the East, &c. To have to the Mayor and Commonalty of London,ad usum et sustentationem operis Pontis prædictis in perpetuum,’—for the use and support of the work of the aforesaid Bridge for ever,—‘on condition that the Chaplains of the Chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr, on the Bridge, celebrating, have his soul, and also the souls of the late Lord Richard II., King of England, Edward Boteler, knight, and the Lady Anne his wife, Richard Storme, and Alice his wife, and the soul of Joan, his’—the said Feckenham’s—‘wife, perpetually recommended in their prayers.’ You may see both the original and an authentic copy of this Will, and that which I shall hereafter mention, in the Bishop of London’s Registry in St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Chamber in which they are kept, is entered through the Vestry on the Northern side of the nave; whence a flight of dark winding stairs, lighted only by loop-holes, leads you to a small square room, surrounded by oaken presses containing the original Wills tied up in bundles. The Calendar, or Index to the Register Books, extends from 1418 to 1599; all after that year being kept at the Bishop’s Consistory Court in Great Knight-Ryder Street. It is a small folio volume, having a parchment cover, anciently tied with strings, and is written in a small neat black text upon parchment, though now much soiled by time and the continual dust of thechamber. If ever you visit this Registry, however, I would not have you trust too much to this Calendar; for in referring to the Will which I have now quoted, its volume and page are called ‘Moore, prima pars, folioiiij.;’ though the true reference is ‘3 Moore, foliocccclxij a.’ This volume,Moore, is so called from the first Will entered in it, and it contains registers of Wills from the year 1418 to 1438, beautifully written in a small black text upon parchment, in a very thick square folio.
“Another benefactor to London Bridge mentioned by Stow, was one John Edwards, Citizen and Butcher, who ‘gave by his Will, dated the 8th of November, 1442, to John Hatherle, Mayor of the City of London, and to John Herst and Thomas Cook, Masters of the work of the Bridge of London, for ever, his tenement, with a garden, in the Parish of St. Botolph, Aldgate, situate between the tenement lately John Cornwallys’s on the South, &c., and extending from the King’s Street leading from Aldgate towards the Tower on the West, &c. towards the sustaining and reparation of the said Bridge.’ You will find this Will in the Register called 4Stacy, nowProwet, folio ciiij b, which extends from 1438 to 1449; though the Calendar marks it as entered at folio xxv. Both of these Wills are in Latin.
“Without, at present, referring to the multitudes of books and records of Bridge property, which must exist in the office of the Comptroller of its Estates, I will give you an abstract of one of these volumes,of which a Manuscript copy is to be found in the Harleian Collection in the British Museum, No. 6016, folio 152. This book is entitled ‘A Repertory by way of Survey, of all the forren landes belonging to London Bridge, to geather with all the quitt rents due to, and other rents due from the same:’ and the industrious mortal who copied it out has added, ‘Borrowed the booke 21°. ffebr. 1653 of Captaine Richard Lee, Clarke of the Bridge-house.’ The Survey is written in corrupt and abbreviated Latin, which, from the expressions which are made use of, would appear like the language of the fifteenth century; and it contains many curious particulars of the names of persons and places, not elsewhere to be found. I purpose, however, giving you only a general statement of the amount of Bridge property in different places, with a few notices and extracts from the more interesting parts; reminding you, that these abstracts have never yet been printed.—In the Parish of St. Andrew the Bishop, London Bridge possessed 20 huts or cabins, occupied by the Brotherhood of Friars Minors, which were valued at £12. 3s.4d.Then follows an entry of ‘Lands and Meadows belonging to the Bridge of London without the bar of Southwark, at Le Loke, in Hattesham, Camerwelle, Lewesham, and Stratford.’ In Lambeth field without Southwark, or St. George’s bar, 19 acres of land, lying towards Newington and Lambeth, held of the Prior of Bermondsey, for the yearly rent of 14s.10d.At Le Loke,—that is to say, partly on the site of the New Kent Road, andon part of which was, doubtless, built that row of houses in Blackman Street, now called Bridge-house-Place,—4 acres of arable land, called Longland, and 2½ acres and 1 rood of meadow land, held by the yearly rent of 5s.10d., payable at the Feast of St. Michael. Also, on the South part of King Street, 2 acres of arable, and 2 acres of meadow land, called Carpenterishawe, held of the Archbishop of Canterbury, at the yearly rent of 6d., payable at the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. Also near St. Thomas Wateringgs, on the South part of King’s Street, 7 acres of arable, and 2 acres of meadow land, called Fourecrofts, by the yearly rent of 4s.8d., payable at the Feast of St. Michael, and at Easter; another piece of land lying towards Hattesham,—perhaps Hatcham Manor,—containing 10 acres of arable, and 2½ acres and 1 rood of meadow land, called Tevatree, was held for the same sum. At Le Steerte, near the wall of Bermondsey, one acre of meadow ground, for the rent of 2d.per annum; and at Hattesham, at the entrance of the Marsh, 6 acres of arable land enclosed by a ditch, were held of the heirs of Simon de Kyme, for the rent of one penny per annum. In Lewisham, London Bridge seems to have had large possessions, since they were let out to farm at the immense rent of £3. 4s.; and to the property of the Manor was attached the ancient feudal rights of heriot,—taking of the best beast, when a new tenant came on the estate; wardship,—the holding and enjoying the profits of a tenant’s land, who was a minor; marriage,—claimingassistance from all the tenants once, to furnish a dowry for the Lord’s eldest daughter; Reliefs and Escheats,—the payment of a certain sum on the entry of a new tenant, and the return of forfeited estates. The land itself was divided, and the original rents were as follow.
“‘24 and 11 acres of arable land, called the Greggehouse, 5 acres of wood, in two groves, 42 acres of arable land, and 2 acres of meadow land, held of the Abbot of Gaunt, at the yearly rent of 14s.9½d.; 22 acres held of the heirs of Lord John de Backwell, Knight, at the yearly rent of 3s.; 10 acres, and 10 acres in the field called Edwinesfelde, held of the Abbot of Stratford, at the yearly rent of 10d.; 2 acres held of the heirs of Lord William Bonquer, Knight, at the yearly rent of 8d.; 1½ acre lying in the road near Depeford Bregge, held of the heirs of William Clekots, at the yearly rent of 1½d.; 3 acres in a croft near Leuesham Street, held of the heirs of Henry Boyding, and William Atteford, at the yearly rent of 2d.; 1½ acre at Rombeigh, for which nothing is paid; 10 acres in the field called Brodefelde, held of the heirs of William de Hinntingfeld, Knight, at the yearly rent of 1s.8d.Item.There is owing for the said Manor to the heirs of Nicholas de Farndon, the yearly rent of 1d.At Leuesham, a water-mill, with 2 acres of pasture belonging to it, held of divers persons for the rent of 1s.5d.and half a quarter of corn out of the tolls yearly, and the value of the tenths, from this time forth for ever.’
“The possessions of London Bridge, at Stratford, have been already referred to, but for the sake of perspicuity, I repeat them, and they were as follow:—One water-mill, called ‘Saynesmelle,’ and four acres of meadow land belonging to the same; ‘whereof one acre lies within the close of the said mill, and four roods opposite to it on the East; and they are every where planted round with willows.’ One acre and one rood of meadow land lie near ‘Wyldemersh-bregge,’ and are called ‘Horslese.’ They are held of the heirs of the Lord Richard de Playz, Knight, for the yearly rent of £1. 17s.—Also at Stratford are ten acres of meadow-land held of the same, and for the same rent: whereof four acres are adjoining to the mill-pond called ‘Spileman’s Melle,’ and four acres are lying near to the meadow called ‘Gryggewyche’s Mead,’ and adjoin, in like manner, to the same mill-stream. And one acre lies near the Bridge called ‘Wildenmersshbregge,’ and is enclosed by willows; and three roods of the same meadow lie near ‘Golynant,’ and one acre and one rood of the same meadow are lying in one piece, adjoining to the mill-stream of ‘Saynesmelle.’ At Royeshope, is one acre of meadow land, formerly held by John Breggewrythe, at the yearly rent of 2s.which is held, &c. as aforesaid. Also there are of the same, 1½ rood near Horslese, originally bought by Roger Atte-vyne, and John Sterre, then Keepers of the Bridge, which are held of the heirs of Thomas le Belevere, for the annual rent of 1d.The Vicar of West-Ham also held one acre ofmeadow, assigned to him for his tythe for the whole meadow; and 13s.4d.were paid to him yearly, as tythe for the two mills. At Stratford, also, was another water-mill belonging to London Bridge, called ‘Spylemanne’s Melle,’ which was held of the heirs of Lawrance Stede, for the payment of 1d.yearly; which mill being of Sutler’s estate, tythes were paid for it by that estate, and it was therefore free for ever. There were also four acres of meadow and pasture belonging to it. All the foregoing were, at the time of this survey, let out to farm by London Bridge.
“Such were some of its possessions out of the metropolis; and I now proceed to notice that more interesting part of the volume, entitled ‘Quit-rents of London Bridge, issuing from divers tenements of London and Southwark, according as they lie in different Parishes; and, firstly, of its property in the Parish of St. Magnus the Martyr.’
“‘Three shops, with galleries built upon them, now held by Robert Kots and Lawrence Schrouesbury, Glovers, standing at the Bridge stairs towards London, with the houses belonging to London Bridge on the South side. They were formerly belonging to the Fraternity called ‘Le Salue,’ in the Church aforesaid. Two shops with galleries built thereupon, held by Peter Wydynton, Spicer, belonging to the same Fraternity, which are situated by the same stairs, between the way leading down to the common sewer on the South; the tenements belonging to the same Fraternity on the North, the tenements of JohnZakesle on the East, and the King’s road on the North; and they owe yearly to the Bridge of London, 3s.’ Another Tenement, held by Henry Ziuele, Mason, paid 5s.: and it was situate between the King’s Road on the East, and the Oyster Gate on the West. Another Tenement paid 5 marks,—£3. 6s.8d.;—it stood ‘at the corner opposite to St. Magnus’ Church,’ between the King’s Road towards ‘Byllyngesgate’ on the South, and the King’s Road, called ‘Brigge-streete,’ on the West. It belonged to a certain perpetual Chantry in St. Magnus’ Church, for the soul of Thomas le Bener; also belonging to the same Chantry, and standing about the same spot, was a tavern, which paid to the Bridge 2s.6d.yearly, and the shop of the same paid 1s.3d.Certain other shops and tenements belonging to Richard, the son of John Horne,—perhaps the eminent Town-Clerk of that name, whom I have already mentioned,—paid £2. of yearly rent; and they were lying near the narrow way called Rederes lane on the East, in the Parishes of St. Magnus and St. Roth’i. A house belonging to the Priory and Convent of St. Mary, in Southwark, paid 1s.: it stood between Oystergate on the East; and the houses belonging to St. Magnus’ Church on the West; and extended from the King’s Road called ‘Stokfissmongeres Rewe,’ on the North, down to the River Thames on the South. Another house in the Bridge Street, standing by that of John Somervyle, the Goldsmith, paid 8s.9d.to the Bridge; as did also an adjoining shop and house; thus making thewhole Bridge Rents in St. Magnus’ Parish amount to £7. 8s.11d.per annum. I have been the more particular in detailing the property of London Bridge in this part of City, because it in some measure illustrates the ancient state of it; but I shall be much more brief,—and, I dare say, much more to your content,—in speaking of its possessions in the other parishes mentioned in this Manuscript.
“‘In the Parish of St. Botolph, near Byllyngesgate,’ the Bridge owned the following:
“‘One Tenement in the King’s Street leading to ‘Byllyngesgate,’ 16s.One Tenement, a Granary, or Brewery, with two Shops in the same, 12d.Total 17s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Mary atte Hulle.’ One Messuage on ‘Byllyngesgate’ Quay, called the ‘Boleheued,’ 11s.8d.The Priory and Convent of the Holy Trinity on the Quay called ‘Treyerswarfe,’ 6s.8d.The house of William Walworth in the narrow way leading to ‘Treyerswarfe,’ 3s.4d.Total £1. 1s.8d.
“‘In the Parish of St. Dunstan the Bishop, towards the Tower of London.’ A Tenement called ‘Cokeden-halle,’ standing ‘at the corner of the narrow way called Martelane,’ on the East, and the Tenements belonging to St. Dunstan’s Church on the West, and the King’s Road called ‘le Tourstreete’ on the South, 8s.A Tenement adjoining the same, 7s.A Tenement belonging to John Atte Vyne, son and heir of William Atte Vyne, standing near ‘the narrow way called Mengehouslane,’ 3s.A Tenement belonging to ‘Gyhalle,’ standingbetween the corner of the narrow way called ‘le Chirchelane,’ Eastward, and the foregoing, 4s.8d.The House of Andrew the Canon, standing West of the foregoing, 4s.8d.Tenements of John Pyebaker, belonging to the same Canon, 2s.6d.; of Alie. Bemehoo, belonging to the same Canon, 2s.6d.; of John Morton, Clerk, in the corner of the Church-yard of St. Dunstan’s, near the narrow passage leading to the Tower, 4s.8d.; of Isabella Rotheryng and her sister, standing by the Thames, 2s.Total £1. 19s.
“‘In the Parish of All Saints de Berkyngcherch.’ A Tenement of John Longe, the Fishmonger, standing between the Tenements of London Bridge, on the East, the Tenements of Walter Denny, the Fishmonger, on the West, and ‘le Tourstreete’ on the North, 3s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Andrew Hubert in Estchepe.’ A corner Tenement held by Richard Croydon, standing by the said Church on the North, between the narrow way adjoining, and the King’s way called ‘Seyntandrewys-lane’ on the West, 12s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Margaret in Brigge Streete.’ A Tenement of John Littele, the Fishmonger, standing in ‘le Crokedelane,’ 4s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Leonard, the Abbot, in Estchepe.’ One Tenement in ‘Candelwykstreete,’ held by William Yuory, £1. 6s.8d.A Shop held by the same, between the Tenements of the Prior and Convent of ‘Cristecherche,’ on the North, andthe King’s road, called ‘Grascherchestrete,’ on the East, 8s.Another Tenement, 1s.Another Tenement standing by the corner Tenement of the Hospital of the Blessed Mary without ‘Busshopisgate,’ on the North, and the King’s road, called ‘Estchepe,’ on the East, 2s.A Tenement of the Prioress of St. Helen’s, having ‘Grascherchestrete’ on the West, 13s.4d.There was also another Tenement of 1s.rent, having Eastcheap on the East. Total £2. 12s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Benedict de Grascherche.’ One Tenement, a Granary, or Brewery, with two Shops, of Benedict de Cornewayle, having the King’s road, called ‘Fancherchestreete’ to the South, 9s.4d.
“‘In the Parish of All Saints de Grascherche.’ One Tenement with a forge and 4 Shops, standing between the corner Tenement of the Prior and Convent of Ely on the South, and the Tenement belonging to the Brethren of the Cross, called ‘le Cardinaleshat’ on the North, and the King’s road, called ‘Grascherchstrete’ on the West, 40s.A Granary, 5s.Total £2. 5s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Katherine de Cricherch.’ A Granary standing in a corner between the narrow way called Bellezeterslane on the East, and the Tenement of Philip Page on the West, 8s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Mary Attenaxe.’ Ten Shops, with Galleries built upon them, standing in a corner, between the King’s way, which is between London Wall and the aforesaid Shops, and the waythat leads from the Church of St. Mary Attenaxe, to the Church of ‘St. Augustine Papheye,’ on the West, 1s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Augustine Papheye.’ The Tenement of Richard Schet, Fuller, standing by the Tenements of London Bridge on the East, and the King’s road under London Wall on the North, and the Garden of the Prior of Cricherch on the South, 12d.
“‘In the Parish of St. Martin Otiswych.’ A Tenement with a large door, and a Shop on both sides of it, standing between the Church-yard on the North, and the King’s road, called ‘Bisshopisgatestreete,’ on the East, 3s.
“In the Parish of St. Michael upon Cornhulle.’ A Tenement with two Shops, having Cornhill upon the South, 8s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Edmund in Lumbardstrete.’ Certain Tenements with Shops, standing between the Tenements of St. Thomas’s Hospital in ‘Sothewarke,’ on the North, and the King’s way, called ‘Berchers-lane,’ on the West. They owe yearly to London Bridge, by the Will of Henry of Gloucester, Goldsmith, 5s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Clement, near Candelwyk-stret.’ A tenement of the Abbot and Convent of Stratford, standing between the Tenement of Thomas Clench, Fishmonger, on the South, the Tenement of the perpetual Chantry of the said Church, which wasformerly John de Charteneys, on the North, and the narrow way called ‘Seyntclementslane’ on the West. It owes yearly to London Bridge, by the legacy of Henry of Gloucester, 2s.A Tenement with four Shops, 2s.Three Shops with galleries erected upon them, and a certain place called ‘Wodehagh,’ bounded on the South by Candlewick-street, 4s.Total 8s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Michael in le Crokedelane.’ A Tenement in ‘Stokfisschmongeresrewe,’ belonging to the Chaplain of ‘Kyngeston,’ 5s.An ancient Tenement, having the Tenement of the perpetual Chantry of the said Church, which was formerly John Abel’s, on the West, and the narrow way called ‘Crokedelane’ on the North, 5s.Total 10s.
“‘In the Parish of All Saints the Less.’ A Tenement having the Tenements of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital on the West, and the King’s way called ‘Tamystrete’ on the South, 4s.Certain Tenements standing in the short narrow way of St. Lawrence, between the Tenement of the Master of St. Lawrence’s College on the North, and Thames-street on the South, 10s.The Tenement of the said Master, 6s.Total 20s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Lawrence, near Candelwyk-stret.’ A Tenement belonging to ‘Gyldhalde’ of London, having the College of the said Church on the East; the narrow way which goes from the Church-yard of the same Church to Candlewyck-street, on the West; the said Church-yard on theSouth; and a Tenement belonging to a perpetual Chantry in the Church of St. Swythin on the North, 19s.8d.
“‘In the Parish of the Blessed Mary of Abbecherch.’ A Tenement, having the Tenement of the Hospital of St. Katherine, near the Tower, on the North, and the Burial-place of the aforesaid Church on the East, 10s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Swythin the Bishop. A Tenement held by Solomon Faunt, standing between the Church aforesaid on the South; the Tenement of Henry Fyuyan, Draper, on the North, and the King’s way called ‘Swythynislane’ on the East, 2s.6d.The Tenement of the said Henry Fyuyan, standing by that of John Hende, Draper, 2s.Total 4s.6d.
“‘In the Parish of St. Mary de Bothhaghe.’ A Tenement held by Lord Thomas de Salesbury, Knight, standing between the Tenement with the Great Gate also belonging to the same, on the East, and Candlewick-street on the South, 12d.
“‘In the Parish of St. Stephen de Walbrok.’ Two Tenements under one edifice, standing by the Tenement of John Norwich, the Goldsmith, on the South, and the King’s way, called Walbrook, on the West, 2s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Mary Woolnoth.’ A corner Tenement, which formerly was Hamon Lumbard’s, having the narrow street, called ‘Seyntswythinislane,’ to the East, and that called ‘Berebyndereslane,’ to the South, 13s.4d.Another Tenement standing in a corner in ‘Schytelboanelane,’ 2s.Total 15s.4d.
“‘In the Parish of St. Bartholomew the Less. A Tenement, a Granary, or Brewery,’ having the King’s way called ‘Braddestrete’ on the North, 2s.6d.
“‘In the Parish of St. Pancras.’ One Cell, called ‘le Brodecelde,’ of which one entrance is by the large open place towards ‘Soperslane’ on the East, and another is toward ‘Chepe,’ at the sign of the Key, on the North, 6s.8d.
“‘In the Parish of St. Michael at Queen’s bank,’—or Wharf.—‘A Tenement, with its offices, which belongs to the Abbot and Convent of the Monastery of the Blessed Mary of Grace, near the Tower of London: it stands in a corner between the narrow way that leads to the Saltewarf on the East, and the Tenement of the Abbot of Jesus on the West, and it extends from the narrow way, called ‘Ratonneslane,’ on the North, down to the Thames Southward,’ 2s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Martin at Ludgate.’ A Tenement with a forge standing in a corner without Ludgate, having the narrow street, called ‘Little-bayly,’ on the West, and the King’s way, called ‘Fletestrete,’ on the North, 9s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Bridget, the Virgin, in Flet-strete.’ A Tenement, a Granary called ‘le Horsothehop,’ with two Shops, having Fleet-street on the North, and belonging to a certain Chantry in St. Paul’s Church, for celebrating Mass for the Soul of Walter Thorpe, 8s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Alban de Wodestret.’ A Tenement, called ‘le Horsscho,’ 4s.Another Tenement,having the Tenement of the Hospital of the Blessed Mary without ‘Busschopesgate,’ on the South, and the King’s way, called ‘Wodestret,’ on the West, 2s.Total 6s.
“‘In the Parish of the Blessed Mary of Athelmanbery.’ A Tenement standing in a corner between the narrow way called ‘Phylippeslane,’ on the West; that called ‘Paddelane’ on the South, and the Tenements of St. Paul’s Church on the North, 2s.
“‘In the Parish of St. Michael de Bassyngeshawe.’ A Tenement with eight Shops, standing in a corner, towards London Wall, having the King’s way, called ‘Bassyngeshawe,’ on the West, 2s.Two other Tenements, 6s.6d.Total 8s.6d.
“‘In the Parish of St. Olave at the Wall.’ A Tenement, formerly belonging to the Prior of the Hospital of the Blessed Mary without Bishopsgate, having the King’s way, called ‘Mugwelle stret,’ to the East, 3s.6d.
“‘In the Parish of St. Stephen in Colmanstret.’ Certain vacant places, by the legacy of Henry of Gloucester, 2s.
“‘In the Parishes of St. Faith and St. Gregory.’ Certain Shops standing in ‘Paternostrerewe,’ under the Palace of the Bishop of London, newly erected by the venerable Lord Michael de Northborough, formerly Bishop of London, 40s.
“A Tenement in ‘Redecrouchstrete,’ which cannot be found, 4d.Also in ‘Est Smethfeld’ was formerly a Tenement, which is now the common Church-yard,4d.Another in ‘Blachynglegh,’ 12d.Also in Stratford, a piece of meadow land, formerly held to farm of the Bridge keepers, being the sixth part of a meadow called ‘Ruschope,’ 2s.Also at ‘Sabryschesworth,’ a Tenement, 3d.Total 3s.11d.
“‘In the Parish of St. Olave of Sothewerk.’ Two Shops of the Hospital of St. Thomas of Sothewark, standing in a corner at the stairs of London Bridge towards Southwark, between the Tenements belonging to the said Bridge on the North, the King’s way of Southwark on the South, and the stairs aforesaid on the East, 8s.A corner Tenement, now belonging to the Church of St. Michael in ‘le Reole, which is called Paternostercherche,’ and standing at the aforesaid stairs, having the King’s way leading to ‘Bermundeseye,’ on the South; the Tenements of the Bridge aforesaid on the North, and the aforesaid stairs on the West, 13s.4d.Total 21s.4d.
“‘In the Parish of St. Margaret in Sothewerk.’ One Tenement of the Hospital of St. Thomas of ‘Sothewark,’ having the King’s way of ‘Sothewerk’ on the East, 4s.
“‘In the Parish of St. George in Sothewerk.’ A certain Tenement and Garden called ‘Exuuiwe,’ which the Prior and Convent of the Blessed Mary of Southwark now hold; standing in a corner at the Cross in ‘Kentestreete,’ between the King’s way which leads to Bermondsey on the North, the King’s way called Kent-street on the West, and a garden on the South, 13s.4d.A Tenement called ‘le Mote,’ having the Tenementof the Hospital of St. Thomas of Southwark on the North, a garden on the South, and Kent-street on the West, 8s.A Tenement standing at ‘Le Loke,’ near the Bridge Tenements, 2s.Total 23s.4d.’
“Such, Mr. Barbican, were the gifts to London Bridge of Quit-rents, or small sums reserved by various landlords out of their charters and leases, for the support and improvement of this noble edifice. Their whole amount was £30. 0s.2d.per annum, a splendid revenue, if, as I imagine from several circumstances, this very curious survey was made about the middle of the thirteenth century. Several of these gifts are authenticated by references to the original grants, read and enrolled in the Court of Hustings at Guildhall, at various meetings held during the reign of King Edward I.: whilst another authority, often cited, is called ‘the Red Rental,’ which also makes mention of Godardus, a Chaplain, and his brethren of London Bridge. The light these very brief but curious notices shed upon Parochial history and antiquities, has made me give you a more particular account of them, than might be perfectly agreeable to you; though, as I have not quite finished the volume, I must request you patiently to hear me a little longer speak of the ancient landed property of London Bridge.”
“Oh! go on, Sir, pray go on!” said I, in a tone of mock resignation,“take your own time, Mr. Barnaby; though, to be sure, there seems but little reason why I should say so. I had, indeed, fondly hoped, that when you could no longer plague me with a Patent Roll, I might rest secure from any thing more provoking; but I must certainly own I was a most short-sighted mortal for thinking so, since your genius can never want a weapon to be drowsy with: but, I suppose that you rarely meet with a hearer so quiet, so mild, so undoubting, and so easily satisfied as I have proved: and therefore, suffer I must.”
“I have truly,” said he, in a short dry voice, “seldom met with a companion like you: but, I am sure, you will not think these extracts wearisome, when you remember that so little is known about the possessions of London Bridge; and that the fragments which I have repeated to you are all of the most undoubted authority, as yet unprinted, and almost locked up in a barbarous mixture of abbreviated and corrupt French, Saxon, and Latin. To return then to the Survey,—which, I assure you, I have very nearly concluded,—it next records the Bridge property at ‘Les Stocks,’ somewhat of which, you may remember, I have already spoken: and contains one of the most curious and ancient descriptions of that once-famous market now extant:—thus commences the entry.
“‘Near the Church of the Blessed Mary of Wolcherchehawe, is a certaine Cattle-Fold calledles Stocks, ordained for Butchers and Fishmongers, where the same may sell flesh and fish; the rent of which is uncertain, because any greater or smaller value arises from the way in which places in it may be occupied by the Butchers upon Flesh-days, and bythe Fishmongers on Fish-days. Upon this Cattle-stall are three mansions, and one slaughter-house, built above it, the principal of which mansions is towards Cornhill, being now held by William Vale, Fishmonger, and it yields to London Bridge, yearly, 30s.Also, on the West side, towards the Conduit, is another mansion, held by John Louekyn, Fishmonger, which pays yearly 20s.Also there is another little mansion in the middle of the house upon the Stocks on the North side, paying 10s.Also on the South part of the Stocks is a slaughter-house, for which rent is not paid. Total 60s.And in the stalls aforesaid, called the Stocks, are places measured for the Fishmongers’ tables, namely four feet and a half and two thumbs breadth in length, and calledPoulisset, having legs, the which places are occupied by the Butchers on Flesh-days at the price of 4d.the week. And the same places are occupied by the Fishmongers on Fish-days, at the price of 3d.by the week. Of these places there are 19 on the South part next the Church; 18 on the North; 15, in one row, in the middle of the house on the South; and at the Eastern front of the said house are four places for Fishmongers, three of which are occupied by Butchers on the Flesh-days. In the West front of the said house are two places, occupied as well by Butchers as by Fishmongers; but the certain amount of the rents of these cannot be ascertained, because any of the aforesaid places may be occupied or not, and thus a larger or a smaller sum may appear upon theaccount-rolls of the gate-keepers of the place aforesaid, in different weeks and years. Without the Stocks, at the West front, are five places for Fishmongers, where, on Fish-days, they sell their fish; and, on Flesh-days, three of them are occupied by the Butchers. There are also 22 places and a half under the walls of the house, appointed for Butchers to sell flesh on Flesh-days; whereof 18 places are under the North wall, and 4 places and a half are under the wall of the Eastern front, of which places the value, when they are occupied, is 4d.per week: but now they are not fully engaged, and therefore no certain sum can be stated.’
“‘Also, it is to be known that the gifts, legacies, and oblations of the Corbell-Chapel, standing on the Bridge, with’—the Pontage from—‘the carts carrying bread for sale crossing over it, and the passage of vessels under it, are uncertain in amount, because they may be greater or less in value, as they appear in the account-rolls of the Keepers of the said Bridge for different years.’
“The Survey concludes with an abstracted list of rents paid by London Bridge for lands and tenements held in various places, both in, and out of, the City; but as I have already given you several particulars of these, and as they do not contain any great additional information, I shall but observe from them that their total amount appears to be £20. 0. 9¼d.; and as we are occasionally informed that the lands were let out to farm, we may conclude that the Bridge-keepers wereamply recompensed for the payment of a sum even so great as this. The disbursements of London Bridge were, indeed, always considerable, for Stow observes in his ‘Survey,’ page 59, that the account of William Mariner and Christopher Elliott, Wardens of that edifice, from Michaelmas, in the 22nd year of Henry VII.—1506,—to the Michaelmas ensuing, amounted to £815. 17s.2½d., all payments and allowances included.
“We must now set sail again on the ocean of English History, as it is connected with London Bridge; and you are to remember that we are yet in the reign of King Henry VI., though we have mentioned a multitude of dates since the commencement of our digression: and the next event in its Chronicles, relates to the destruction of a considerable portion of it in the year 1437. I have already cited to you some of the writings of William of Worcester, and in another work of which he was also the author, entitled ‘Annales Rerum Anglicarum,’ he gives a slight notice of this event, which you will find in the edition printed in Hearne’s ‘Liber Niger,’ volume ii. page 458, taken from an autograph manuscript in the Library of the College of Arms. The best accounts, however, are furnished by Fabyan, on page 433, of his Chronicle, and by Stow in his ‘Annals,’ page 376. From these we learn that on Monday, January the 14th, the Great Stone Gate, and Tower standing upon it, next Southwark, fell suddenly down into the River, with two of the fairestarches of the same Bridge: ‘and yet,’ adds the habitually pious Stow, ‘no man perished in body, which was a great worke of God.’
“In the year 1440, the Annals of London Bridge became again interwoven with the great historical events of the kingdom, which impart such dignity to its own records, inasmuch as the Bridge-Street, by which is meant as well the passage over the Thames as the main street beyond it on each side, was one scene of the public penance of Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester, for Witchcraft. The inflexible honesty of the Duke, who was Protector of England during the minority of Henry VI., and presumptive heir to the crown, had created a violent party against him, the heads of which were Cardinal Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester, and William de la Pole, first Duke of Suffolk. With regard to his Sovereign, however, not all the spies, which were placed about Humphrey Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester, by these powerful and inveterate enemies, could find even a pretence for the slightest charge; though that which they were unable to discover in him, they found in his Duchess, who was then accused of Witchcraft and High Treason: it being asserted that she had frequent conferences with one Sir Roger Bolinbroke, a Priest, who was supposed to be a necromancer, and Margaret Jourdain, a witch, of Eye, near Westminster; assisted and advised by John Hum, a Priest, and Thomas Southwell, Priest, and Canon of St. Stephen’s, Westminster. Shakspeare, in his‘Second Part of Henry the Sixth,’ Act i. Scenes 2 and 4, and Act ii. Scenes 1 and 4, has recorded several particulars of this circumstance; and makes the Duchess ask some questions concerning the King’s fate; though she was, in reality, charged with having his image made of wax, which, being placed before a slow fire, should cause his strength to decay as the wax melted. The result of the enquiry was, that Jourdain was burned in Smithfield; Southwell died before his execution, in the Tower; Bolingbroke was hanged, drawn, and quartered, at Tyburn; and, on November the 9th, the Duchess was sentenced to perform public penance at three open places in London. On Monday the 13th, therefore, she came by water from Westminster, and, landing at the Temple-bridge, walked, at noon-day, through Fleet-street, bearing a waxen taper of two pounds weight to St. Paul’s, where she offered it at the High Altar. On the Wednesday following she landed at the Old Swan, and passed through Bridge-street and Grace-Church-street to Leadenhall, and at Cree-Church, near Aldgate, made her second offering: and on the ensuing Friday, she was put on shore at Queen-Hythe, whence she proceeded to St. Michael’s Church, Cornhill, and so completed her penance. In each of these processions her head was covered only by a kerchief, her feet were bare; scrolls, containing a narrative of her crime, were affixed to her white dress, and she was received and attended by the Mayor, Sheriffs, and Companies of London.
“The leading features of these events are of course in all the numerous volumes of English History, but for the more particular circumstances I must refer you to Stow’s ‘Annals,’ pages 381, 382; to folio lxiiii. a, of the Chronicle of Edward Hall, an eminent Lawyer who died in 1547, and whose work is entitled ‘The Vnion of the two Noble Houses of Lancastre and Yorke,’ London, 1550, folio; and, finally, to the Harleian Manuscript No. 565, page 96 a. Of which latter most curious work we now take leave, for soon after recording this event it terminates imperfectly; though I may observe, that when speaking of the fate of Roger Bolingbroke, on page 96 b, it adds, concerning him, that the same day on which he was condemned at Guildhall, he ‘was drawe fro yeTower of London to Tiborn and there hanged, hedyd, and quartered, and his heed set up on London Bridge.’ His quarters were disposed of at Hereford, Oxford, York, and Cambridge.
“In 1444, William de la Pole, whom I have just mentioned, was one of the King’s Ambassadors in France, when, with his usual lofty and impetuous spirit, he suddenly proposed a marriage between Henry VI., and Margaret, daughter of Réné, Duke of Anjou, and titular King of Jerusalem, Sicily, Arragon, Valence, &c. without any instructions from his Sovereign, or even acquainting his fellow-commissioners with his design. Notwithstanding the Duke of Gloucester opposed this union at the Council Board in England, yet the Earl managed his proposal so skilfully,that he procured himself to be created a Duke, and despatched into France to bring over the Queen: and on Thursday, the 22nd of April, 1445, she was consequently married to Henry at Tichfield Abbey, Southwick, in the County of Southampton. It was, probably, in her way from Eltham Palace to Westminster, before her Coronation, that she was greeted by the famous pageants prepared for her on London Bridge, on Friday, the 28th of May; for you will remember that she was crowned at Westminster Abbey, on Sunday, the 30th of the month, by John Stafford, Archbishop of Canterbury. However it might be, she was met at several places by many persons of rank, with numerous attendants having their sleeves embroidered, or decorated in the most costly manner, with badges of beaten goldsmith’s work; and especially by the Duke of Gloucester, who received her with 500 men habited in one livery. At Blackheath, according to custom, the Mayor, Sheriffs, and Aldermen, clothed in scarlet, attended her with the several City companies, all mounted and dressed in blue gowns, having embroidered sleeves and red hoods: and in this manner Queen Margaret and her followers were conducted through Southwark and the City, ‘then beautified,’—says Stow in his ‘Annals,’ page 384, where he relates all these particulars,—‘with pageants of diuers histories, and other showes of welcome, maruellous costly and sumptuous.’ He gives, however, but a very brief statement of them in his printed book; though in his Manuscripts, several of whichare extant in the Harleian Collection in the British Museum, there are the very verses spoken to the Queen on the Bridge, composed, as he says, by John Lydgate. The Manuscript I allude to, is one to which I have already made a reference, being No. 542, a small quarto volume written on antique paper, in Stow’s own plain, but minute hand-writing. In this volume, therefore, article 16, on page 101 a, is entitled, ‘The speches in the pagiaunts at yecominge of Qwene Margaret wyfe to Henry the syxt of that name Kynge of England, the 28th of Maye, 1445, ye23rd of his reigne.’ The first pageant, which was an allegorical representation of Peace and Plenty, was erected at the foot of London Bridge, and the motto attached to it was ‘Ingredimini et replete Terram,’—Enter ye and replenish the earth,—taken from Genesis ix. according to the Vulgate Latin. The verses addressed to Queen Margaret were as follow:—