| PAGE | ||
| Extract from Letter-Book E, dated 1316, relating to the Grocers’ Company | [5] | |
| Obverse and Original Reverse of the Seal of the City of London, showing Figure of St. Thomas à Becket | [13] | |
| Old Mayoralty Seal, Thirteenth Century | [15] | |
| King John signing Magna Charta | Facing [20] | |
| Aldgate House, Bethnal Green | [25] | |
| Parts of the South and West Walls of a Convent | [30] | |
| The Tower of London about 1480 | [39] | |
| The Crown offered to Richard III. at Baynard’s Castle | Facing [56] | |
| King Richard holding a Council of Nobles and Prelates | [61] | |
| Henry of Bolingbroke challenges the Crown | [62] | |
| Richard II. consulting with his Friends in Conway Castle | [63] | |
| Richard II. and his Patron Saints | [69] | |
| Whittington and his Cat | [73] | |
| Death of Whittington | [74] | |
| Crossbowman | [77] | |
| The Morning of Agincourt | [81] | |
| Facsimile of Heading of Account, 1575-1576, showing Cooper at Work | [85] | |
| South-East View of the Old House lately standing in Sweedon’s Passage, Grub Street | [91] | |
| South-West View of Gerrard’s Hall | Facing [100] | |
| Facsimile of Surgeons’ Arms, 1492, with St. Cosmo and St. Damian supporting | [101] | |
| Interior of the Guildhall | [103] | |
| A Tally for 6s. 8d. issued by Edward I.’s Treasurer to the Sheriff of Lincolnshire | [105] | |
| Election Garland given by Robert and Cicely Chamberlayn, 1463 | [105] | |
| A Bagpipe-Player | [110] | |
| Illustration from Zeller’s La France Anglaise et Charles VII. | [111] | |
| The Seal of the Vintners’ Company, 1437 | [112] | |
| Tombstone of William Warrington, Master Mason, at Croyland Abbey, 1427 | [113] | |
| Coopers’ Marks, A.D. 1420 | [114] | |
| Part of Facsimile of the Original Charter granted by King Richard III. to the Worshipful Company ofWax Chandlers of the City of London (16th February, 1 Richard III.) | [116] | |
| Liverymen of London | [117] | |
| Frontispiece to the Grangerised Edition of Brayley’s London and Middlesex | Facing [118] | |
| William Smallwood, Master of the Pewterers’ Company | [121] | |
| St. Ethelburga’s Church, Bishopsgate Street | [129] | |
| The Prioress | [131] | |
| The Monk and his Greyhounds | [131] | |
| Chantry Chapel of Henry V. in Westminster Abbey | [133] | |
| Earl of Northumberland receiving Mass | [135] | |
| Interesting Antiquities in Westminster Abbey | Facing [138] | |
| Savoy Chapel and Palace | [141] | |
| The Lollard’s Tower, Lambeth Palace | [149] | |
| Knights of the Holy Ghost embarking for the Crusades | [151] | |
| A Priest called John Ball stirs up great Commotion in England | [155] | |
| Embroidery of the Fourteenth Century, supposed to be part of a Frontal or Antependium | [160] | |
| Archbishop of Canterbury preaching on behalf of Henry, Duke of Lancaster | [161] | |
| Queen Margaret, Wife of Henry VI., at Prayers | [168] | |
| All Hallows, London Wall | [175] | |
| Wilsdon, Middlesex | [181] | |
| The Tabard Inn, Borough | [187] | |
| Boss from the Ruins of the East Cloister of St. Bartholomew’s Priory | [195] | |
| Sanctuary Knocker, Durham Cathedral | [202] | |
| The Martyrdom of St. Thomas | [203] | |
| Brasses in St. Bartholomew the Less, Smithfield | [207] | |
| The Sanctuary Church at Westminster | [209] | |
| North-West View of the Ruins of the Bishop of Winchester’s Palace, Southwark | [215] | |
| Torments of Hell | [219] | |
| The Chapel of the Hospital for Lepers in Kent Street, Southwark, called Le Lock | Facing [220] | |
| Funeral Service | [223] | |
| North View of the Oratory of the Ancient Inn situated in Tooley Street, Southwark, and formerlybelonging to the Priors of Lewes in Sussex | [229] | |
| The Sanctuary of St. Martin’s-le-Grand | [235] | |
| Plan of Holy Trinity Priory (Ground Floor Story) |  | Between [244] and[245] |
| Plan of Holy Trinity Priory (Second Floor Story) | ||
| The Charter House | [246] | |
| Conjectural Restoration of the Buildings of the Priory Church of St. Bartholomew the Great as existingin Prior Bolton’s time (about A.D. 1530) | [251] | |
| Part of the Choir, with the Remains of the South Transept, of the Church of St. Bartholomew the Great | [252] | |
| Tomb of Prior Rahere | [253] | |
| The Gate of St. Bartholomew’s Priory | [255] | |
| St. Bartholomew the Less | [257] | |
| Interior of St. Bartholomew the Great | [259] | |
| Eastern Cloister of St. Bartholomew’s Priory | [261] | |
| Seal of the Hospital of St. Thomas of Acon | [263] | |
| Becket receiving a letter from Henry II. constituting him Chancellor. Consecration of Becket to theSee of Canterbury. Becket approaching the King with Disapprobation | [265] | |
| The Priory of St. John of Jerusalem, London | [271] | |
| Crypt of St. John’s Church, Clerkenwell | [273] | |
| “The Templars”: an Ancient House at Hackney | [275] | |
| Knight Templar | [276] | |
| Knight Templar: Temple Church | [276] | |
| An Effigy at the Temple Church, erroneously described as that of Sir Geoffrey de Mandeville | [277] | |
| Interior of the Temple Church | [279] | |
| Ancient Cloisters in Clerkenwell | [285] | |
| The Arms and Seals of the Prior and Convent of St. Saviour at Bermondsey | [289] | |
| Bermondsey Abbey | [293] | |
| A General View of the Remains of Bermondsey Abbey, Surrey | Facing [294] | |
| Figure of a Knight Templar | | [298] |
| Traditional Figure of Old Overie | ||
| Gower’s Monument, St. Mary Overies | [299] | |
| Bishop Andrewes’ Tomb, St. Mary Overies | [301] | |
| Gateway of St. Mary’s Priory, Southwark | [303] | |
| Ancient Crypt, Southwark | [305] | |
| North-East View of St. Saviour’s Church | [307] | |
| South-West View of the Interior of the Church of St. Helen, Bishopsgate Street | [314] | |
| South-East View of the Nunnery of St. Helen, Bishopsgate Street | [315] | |
| The Crypt of the Nunnery of St. Helen, in Bishopsgate Street | [317] | |
| Seals of St. Helen’s Nunnery | [319] | |
| The Gothic Altar-piece in the Collegiate Church of St. Katherine, with the Monuments of the Duke ofExeter and of the Hon. G. Montague | [335] | |
| The Church of Austin Friars | [345] | |
| Arms of Sir R. Whittington, Grey Friars, now Christ’s Hospital | [348] | |
| Christ’s Hospital, from the Cloisters | [349] | |
| “Ye Plat of Ye Graye Friers,” A.D. 1617 | [351] | |
| Blackfriars’ Priory | [355] | |
| A Column of the Hall of Blackfriars’ Priory | [357] | |
| Crypt of Old Whitefriars’ Priory | [361] | |
| Flagellants | [367] | |
| Interior of Old Lambe’s Chapel, Monkwell Street | [369] | |
| Exterior of the South Side of Old Lambe’s Chapel | [371] | |
| North-East View of the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, Leadenhall, in the Parish of St. Peter-upon-Cornhill,London | [375] | |
| Hall of the Brotherhood of the Holy Trinity | [383] | |
| Page of the Roll containing the names of the “Brethren and Sisters” of the Guild of Fraternity ofCorpus Christi, 1485, 1486, 1488 | Facing [384] | |
| North-West View of the Chapel and Part of the Great Staircase leading to the Hall of BridewellHospital, London | [386] | |
PART I
THE GOVERNMENT OF LONDON
CHAPTER I
THE RECORDS
Before entering upon the government of London under the Plantagenet Kings, let us first ask what are the documents in which we shall find information at first hand.
No city in the world possesses a collection of archives so ancient and so complete as the collection at the Guildhall. Riley, in his Introduction to the Liber Albus, begins his list of those who have consulted the archives with John Stow. Surely, however, the compiler of the Liber Albus itself, John Carpenter, also consulted archives even in his day valuable and ancient. Strype, in the preparation of his Edition of Stow, also consulted the City archives:—
“Again,” he says, “another Thing, that Labour and Diligence hath been bestowed in, relates to the Laws, Customs and Usages of the City. Wherein the Liberties and Privileges, as well as the Duties of the Citizens, are contained. And therefore ought to be known by them, and in that regard necessary to be set down, as accurately and largely as might be; being Things so material for them to be advised of. This was laudably begun by A. M. in the last Edition: but very much improved and enlarged in this. And to enable me the better in the doing the same, it was not only necessary to gather up, and present the many and most important Acts of Parliament and Common Council, relating to the City and its Affairs; but also to have recourse to the authentick Books and Records belonging to the Chamber of London: Where many ancient and curious Matters of this nature might be found. But this seemed to be somewhat difficult to be obtained. Yet by the Help of some friends of Quality and good Account, and making the Court of Aldermen acquainted with my Design, and requesting their Leave and Licence, I obtained an Order from them to Mr. Ashhurst, then Town Clerk, to give me Access to some of their Books, that might be most to my Purpose, and their Allowance to transcribe what I thought convenient out of them: but withal I was enjoined by the Court to leave in Mr. Town Clerk’s hands all my Notes that I should so collect thence, to be reviewed and examined; lest some things published from them might seem prejudicial some way or other to the City, or be judged not so convenient to be known; or lest any Mistakes might be made by me in transcribing. Which (as was fit), I readily complied with. Many Remarks I took out thence, respecting both the ancient State of the City, and also of the Courts, the Customs, the Magistrates, the Officers, &c. The Chief Books I conversed with, were those two famous ancient Volumes, the one called Liber Horne, from the Writer, the other called Liber Albus, i.e. the White Book. Both so often made use of and cited by Mr. Stow. This last mentioned Book was composed in Latin, An. 1419. 7. H. 5. mense Novembris. And what it contains is known by what is writ in one of the First Pages, viz. Continens tam laudabiles Observantias, non scriptas, in dict. Civitate fieri solitas, quam notabilia memoranda, &c., sparsim et inordinate scripta. That is, ‘Containing as well laudable Customs, not written, wont to be observed in the said City, as other notable things worthy remembering, here and there scatteringly, not in any Order written.’ The Compiler of this White Book was one Carpenter: whose Name fairly and largely writ fronts the first page. Who I suppose may be that J. Carpenter, sometime Town Clark in the Reign of Henry V., mentioned by Stow in his Survey among the worthy Benefactors of the City: and whose Gifts are there set down. In this Volume are inserted Memorials of the Maiors, Sheriffs, Recorders, Chamberlains, and the other chief officers of the City: likewise all the Charters granted by the several Kings of England from William the Conqueror: and the Confirmations thereof. There is also a Tract of the Manner and Order, ‘How Barones & Universitas Civitat. London, &c. That is, the Barons (i.e. the Freemen) and Commonality of the City of London, ought to behave and carry themselves towards the King and his Justitiaries Itinerants in the Time it pleaseth the King to hold Pleas of the Crown at the Tower of London: Together with many other Matters and Subjects, contained in this Choice MS.’
The other Book, which I had also the favour of perusing, namely Horne, was near an Hundred Years older, so named from Andrew Horne, sometime Chamberlain of the City, viz. in the time of King Edward the Second. What this Book contains, is told by this Inscription in one place of it, viz. ‘Iste Liber restat Andreae Horne Piscenario London, de Breggestrete. In quo continentur Cartae, & aliae Consuetudines predict. Civitat. Angliae & Statuta per Henricum Regem, & Edwardum Regem fil. predict. Regis Henrici edita.’ And again, ‘In isto Libro continentur tota Statuta, & Ordinationes & Cartae & Libertates, & Consuetudines Civitat. London & Ordo Justitiorum itinerantium apud Turrim Lond. & ipsum iter.’