[In Laud's Diary it is written, "1643 Maii 2 Tuesday The cross in Cheapside taken down.">[
See an Account of the pulling down Cheapside Cross, in the Supplement to Gent. Mag. 1764.
[Charing Cross was the largest and most beautiful of the series of Eleanor crosses, and the architects employed in the construction of it were paid £450. The work was formerly attributed to Cavalini, but that artist was not born until the year 1279, and was therefore about eleven years old when the Queen died. Since the publication of the very interesting rolls of payments made by the executors of Queen Eleanor (Manners and Household Expenses of England in the 13th and 15th centuries. Roxburghe Club, 1841), it has been known that Charing Cross was commenced by Richard de Crundale and completed, after his death, by Roger de Crundale.
The site of the old cross was made use of as a place of execution, and several of the regicides were put to death there.
The Cheapside cross, which was taken down in 1643, was the third which occupied the site, and it had only been erected in 1600. The original cross was found to be in a bad condition in 1441, and a new one was therefore commenced, which was not finished until 1486. This was replaced in 1600 by the third cross.
Dr. Rimbault informs us that this ballad is printed with the music for three voices by "Mr. F. Farmeloe" in "The Second Book of the Pleasant Musical Companion," 1687.]
