Humphery Duke of Glocester was that day overseer and stood before the Queen bareheaded, Sir Richard Newel was carver and the Earl of Suffolk’s brother cup-bearer, Sir John Stewart, Sewer, the Lord Clifford (instead of the Earl of Warwick) Pantler, the Lord Willoby (instead of the Earl of Arundel) chief Butler, the Lord Gray Caterer, Naperer, the Lord Audley (in the stead of the Earl of Cambridge) Almner, the Earl of Worcester was Lord high Marshal, who rode about the Hall on a great courser, with many tip-staves about him to make room in the Hall. In the which Hall next after the Queen, the Barons of the Cinque Ports began the table, upon the right hand towards St. Steven’s Capel (sic), and beneath them at the table sat the Vouchers of the Chancery, and upon the left hand next to the cupboard sat Sir Richard Whittington (now the third time Lord Mayor) and his brethren the Aldermen of London. The rest of the Bishops began the table over against the Baron of the Cinque Ports, and the ladies and chief noble-women the table against the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen, at which two tables of the Bishops the Bishop of London and the Bishop of Durham sat highest at the one and the Countess of Stafford and the Countess of March on the other. And for ordering of the service divers chief lords were appointed officers as Steward, Controuler, Surveyor, and the like, which places were supplyed by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland, the Lord Fizmur, the Lord Farneval, the Lord Gray of Wilton, the Lord Feres of Groby, the Lord Poynings, the Lord Harrington, the Lord Ducy, the Lord Daker, the Lord Delaware, &c.
I have shewed you onely the ordering of this rich feast, but the cost and sumptuousness of the fare would ask too long and large a circumstance to discourse; what I have hitherto done was onely to show to the world that at those high solemnities inaugurations and coronations the Lord Mayor of the City of London and the Aldermen have place, and their presence is still required; the City being the King’s Chamber and in an interregnum he the first and prime officer in the kingdom. But I fear I have dwelt too long on the premises which I hope none will hold for an unnecessary deviation. I come now to discourse unto you of Sir Richard Whittington’s invitation of the King and Queen into the City when he bountifully feasted them in his own house at his own proper charge.
How great and magnificent the Londoners feasts be even amongst themselves especially at that high and pompous festival at Guild-Hall the day after Simon and Jude, at the solemn inauguration of his Lordship who but knows, as also the ordinary Tables of the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs where there is free and generous entertainment for all men of fashion and quality, the like both for plenty of dishes and order of service is not elsewhere to be or found through Europe. If then their daily provision be so curious and costly, what may we think their variety and rarity was at the invitation and entertainment of two such great majesties? I must therefore leave it to the Readers imagination being so far transcending my expression. Let it therefore give satisfaction to any one that shall doubt thereof, that it was performed to the everlasting reputation of the honour of the city and great content of these royal personages invited. The bounty of the table not to be question’d. I come now to the fire that he made in the Presence chamber where the King and Queen then dined, which was only of sweet and odoriferious (sic) wood, far exceeding the smell of juniper, for it was mixed with mace, cinnamon, and other rare and costly spices, which did cast such a pleasant and delightful savor through the room that it pleased his majesty to call him unto him and say, my good Lord Mayor, though your fare be choice, costly and abundant, yet above all things I have observed in your noble entertainment this fire which you have provided for me gives me more content. To whom Sir Richard Whittington making a low obeysance made answer, It much rejoyceth me dread Soveraign that any that remaineth in my power can give your highness the least cause to be pleased, but since you praise this fire already made I purpose ere your sacred majesty depart the house to entertain you with one (I hope) that shall content you much better. The King not thinking it could be possible desired him to make a proof thereof, when he (having before provided himself for that purpose) brought a great bundle of Bonds, Indentures and Covenants under his arm, said thus to the King, Royal Soveraign to whom I owe both my fortunes and my life, I have here a faggot of purpose left for this fire, which I hope will smell much more sweetly than the first in your nostrils, for saith he, here is first your Highness security for ten thousand marks, lent you for the maintainance of your royal wars in France, by the Right Worshipful Company of the Mercers, which I here cancel and cast into the fire, fifteen hundred lent by the City to your Majesty I send after the former, two thousand marks borrowed of the Grocers Company, three thousand of the Merchant Taylors, one thousand of the Drapers, one thousand of the Skinners, one thousand of the Ironmongers, one thousand of the Merchant Staplers, of the Goldsmiths three thousand, of the Haberdashers as much, of the Vintners, Brewers and Brown Bakers three thousand marks. All these you see are cancel’d and burnt, saith he, with divers other bonds for money lent by my father in law Aldermen Fitzwarren for the payment of your souldiers in France, which coming unto me by executorship I have taken in and discharged.
Others there likewise due to me of no small sums by divers of your nobility here present, all which with the former I have sacrificed to the love and honour of my dread sovereign, amounting to the sum of three score thousand pounds sterling, and can your Majesty (saith he) desire to sit by a fire of more sweet scent and savour? At this the King was much extasi’d and the rather because it came unexpectedly and from so free a spirit, and embracing him in his arms said unto him that he thought never King had such a subject, and at his departure did him all the grace and honour that could descend from a King to a subject, promising him moreover that he should ever stand in the first rank of those whom he favoured. And so the Lord Mayor bearing the sword before their two most sacred Majesties as far as Temple Bar the King for his former service and his most kind and loving entertainment at that time, and the noble men for that extraordinary courtesie offered them all unitely (sic) and unanimously commended his goodness, applauded his bounty and wished that he might live to perpetual memory and so bid both him and the City for that time adieu.
To omit all other circumstances having acquainted you with the poor and mean estate of this Sir Richard Whittington when he came first into the City of London, and by what means he was relieved in his miserable poverty, as also the fortunate success of his small adventure whereby he was raised unto so great honour, that he became the Cities Governour, and how discreetly and wisely he behaved in his authority and office, gaining thereby the love and probation (sic) of all men. And further having shewed you what goodly buildings have been raised by his great cost and charge, as one church, two colledges, and certain almshouses, with yearly means left for the maintenance of all such as shall be admitted into them, and many other charitable acts performed by him which are before related, to the great good and benefit of the City, and what things of note happened in his time, I will now conclude with Master Stow, O that London had a Park near adjoining to it, stored with such Deer (as doubtless it hath, though not easily known) for some build Alms houses, free schools, causies and Bridges in needful and necessary places, others repair ruinated and decayed churches, relieving Hospitals in a bountiful manner, and are weekly benefactors to Prisons and those performed by such agents faithfully, that the true bestowers are not publicly noted, howsoever they may be easily supposed. But the glory they seek to invade here will (no doubt) for ever shine on them elsewhere. And that great God who hath created us, and plentifully distributed in his great bounty all things to men, and yet not given all things to any one man, lest it might take away that necessary commerce and mutual society which ought to be amongst us, stir up the minds of more of them to imitate at least, though not to exceed them in their bounty and liberality.
FINIS.
FOOTNOTES:
[A] Catalogue of Chap Books, Garlands, &c. 1849, p. 69.
[B] Riley’s Memorials of London and London Life, p. 534 (note).