His house was called Reed (Red) Pale, and was situated on the north side of the Almonry. A house traditionally called Caxton's was pointed out up to fifty years ago. It is described as being of red brick. In the library of Brasenose College, Oxford, there is a placard in Caxton's largest type inviting people to "come to Westminster in the Almonystrye at the Reed Pale."
Caxton died in 1491, and, with his wife, is buried in St. Margaret's Church. He left one daughter.
A copy of "The Royal Book," or "Book for a King," compiled for Philip of France in 1279, and translated and printed by Caxton at Westminster in 1487, was sold this year in England for £2,225. There are only five copies in existence, one of which was sold in 1901 for £1,550. The other three are in public libraries. Could Caxton have looked onward for 400 years, his astonishment and gratification at these prodigious prices would doubtless have been extreme.
The Almonry, or "Eleemosynary," as Stow calls it, was in two parts, of which the larger was again subdivided in two portions, parallel to the two Tothill Streets. The distribution of the Royal maundy which takes place in Westminster Abbey yearly, with much ceremony, is a reminder of the ancient almsgiving. The address of the present Royal Almonry is 6, Craigs Court.
Henry VII.'s almshouses were in the Little Almonry, and St. Ann's Chapel (p. [23]) was at the southern end. King Henry's mother, Margaret, erected an almshouse near the chapel for poor women, which "was afterwards turned into lodgings for the singing men of the College."
A great gatehouse formerly stood at the east end of Victoria Street, close by Dean's Yard. It was built by Richard II., and was very massive, resembling a square tower of stone, and it altogether lacked the architectural decoration of the other gateways near King Street to be spoken of presently. Well might it seem gloomy, for it fulfilled the functions of a prison. On one side was the Bishop of London's prison for "Clerks, convict," and in the other were confined prisoners from the City or Liberties of Westminster. Many distinguished prisoners were confined here. Sir Walter Raleigh passed the night before his execution within the solid walls, and wrote his farewell to life:
"Even such is Time! that takes on trust
Our youth, our joys, our all we have;
And pays us but with age and dust;
Who in the dark and silent grave,
When we have wandered all our ways,
Shuts up the story of our days."
Perhaps the most illustrious victim of all those who have perished on English scaffolds is Sir Walter Raleigh. He was brought out to die in Old Palace Yard at eight in the morning of October 29, 1618. The day chosen was Lord Mayor's Day, in the hope that the pageants of the day would draw away the people from witnessing the death of this great man. The story of his execution is well known. His last words have not been allowed to perish. "Now," he said, as he mounted the scaffold, "I am going to God." Then, touching the axe, he said: "This is a sharp medicine, but it will cure all diseases." Lady Raleigh herself waited near the scaffold in a coach. The head was placed in a leather bag, wrapped about with Sir Walter's gown, and so she carried it away. She preserved it in a case during the rest of her life, and her son Carew kept it afterwards. It is believed to have been buried at last at West Horsley, in Surrey. The body was buried in St. Margaret's, near the altar.
Here also was imprisoned Colonel Lovelace, who wrote within the gloomy walls the well-known lines:
"When, linnet-like, confinéd I
With shriller note shall sing
The mercye, sweetness, majesty,
And glories of my King;
When I shall voyce aloud how good
He is, how great should be,
Th' enlarged winds that curl the flood
Know no such liberty.