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Gates, and Posterns.
The white Part, which hath only Streets, Lanes, Churches, and some remarkable
Places, and Things described in it, is that Part which was consumed by the
dreadful
Fire, Sept. 2d, 3d, 4th, Anno 1666, both within and without the Walls.
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That Part both within, and without the Walls, which is but faintly shadowed, is
that
Part which escaped the Fire.
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But forasmuch as the Map is but small, yet significant enough for what it is
intended,
and be-
cause the Names of such Things as are contained in it, could not be express'd in
Words, therefore I have marked all Churches with Numerical Figures, as 1, 2, 3,
4, 5,
and the like. Other eminent Things, or Places, I have noted by Capital Letters,
as A B
C D E, and the like. And other Things or Places of lesser moment, with small
Italick
Letters, as a b c d e, &c, denoting what they signify by this following
Table.]
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CHAP. IV.
The Gates made through the Walls of the
City .
I. The Postern-Gate by the Tower .
II. Aldgate .
III. Bishopsgate .
IV. Moregate .
V. Creplegate .
VI. Aldersgate .
VII. The Postern-Gate out of
Christ's-Hospital .
VIII. Newgate .
IX. Ludgate .
The Water-Gates .
Queenhith ,
Downgate ,
Wolfs-Gate ,
Ebgate ,
Oister-Gate ,
Bridge-Gate ,
Belingsgate .
Wharfs and Keys .
GATES in the Wall of this City of old Time were Four; to
wit, Aldgate for the East; Aldersgate for the North; Ludgate for the West; and
the
Bridge-gate, over the River of Thames for the South: But of later Times for the
Ease of
Citizens and Passengers, divers other Gates and Posterns have been made, as
shall be
shewed.
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Gates of the City, Four, East, West, North, and South.
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In the Reign of Henry the Second (saith Fitz-Stephen) there were seven double
Gates in
the Wall of this City: But he nameth them not. It may therefore be supposed, he
meant
for the First the Gate next the Tower of London; [which then served as a
Postern, (and
now so commonly called for Passengers out of the East. From thence through
Towerstreet, Eastcheap, and Candlewickstreet, to Londonstone, the middle Point
of
that Highway. Then through Budge-row, Watlingstreet; and leaving St. Paul's
Church
on the Right Hand to Ludgate, in the West;] the next to be Aldgate; Bishopsgate,
Creplegate, Aldersgate, Ludgate; and [the Seventh] the Bridgegate over the
Thames.
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Seven double Gates in the Wall of the City.
So in the First Edition, omitted in the Later.
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Since the which Time hath been Builded Newgate, the Postern called Moregate, a
Postern from Christ's Hospital towards St. Bartholomew's Hospital in Smithfield,
&c.
Now of every of these Gates, and Posterns in the Wall, and also of certain
Water-Gates
on the River of Thames, severally somewhat may, and shall be noted, as I find
Authority, or reasonable Conjecture to warrant me.
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Other Gates Builded besides.
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The First was the Postern-gate next unto the Tower of London, [which at the
length fell
down in the Year 1440, the 18th of Henry VIth, and was never Re-edified again of
Stone, but an homely Cottage, with a narrow Passage, made of Timber, Lath and
Loam, hath been in Place thereof set up, and so remaineth.] It sheweth by that
Part,
which yet remaineth, to have been a fair and strong Arched Gate, partly builded
of hard
Stone of Kent, and partly of Stone brought from Caen in Normandy, since the
Conquest, and Foundation of the High Tower, and served for Passengers on Foot
out
of the East, from thence through the City to Ludgate in the West.
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Postern by the Tower.
So in the First Edition: omitted in the Later.
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The Ruin and Overthrow of this Gate began, in the Year MCXC, the Second of
Richard
I. when William Longshampe [or Long-champ,] Bishop of Ely, and Chancellor of
England, caused a Part of the City Wall; to wit, from the said
Gate toward the River of Thames to the White-Tower, to be broken down, for the
enlarging of the said Tower; which he then compassed far wide about with a Wall
Embattelled; and is now the Outer-Wall of the Tower. He also caused a broad and
deep
Ditch to be made without the same Wall, intending to have derived the River of
Thames, with her Tides, to have flowed about it, which would not be. But the
Southside of this Gate being then, by undermining at the Foundation loosed and
greatly
weakened; at length, to wit, after 200 Years and odd, the same fell down in the
Year
1440 (as was mentioned before.)
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The Ruin of this Gate.
Wall embattelled about the Tower of London. Ditch made about the Tower.
The Postern falls down:
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This was reckoned among the Faults or Follies of that Bishop and Lord
Chancellor, and
procured him the Hatred of the Citizens. Of which Matter thus did our Historian
of the
Bishops write: which he gathered from Records.
"Among other his Follies, it
is
remembred, that he built the outer Wall about the Tower of London, and spent an
infinite deal of Money in making a deep Ditch about the same, thinking he could
have
caused the River of Thames to go round about it. Those and many other his
Misbehaviours, incited the People and Nobility wonderfully against him.
Insomuch as
he feared greatly lest some Sedition being raised, Force would be offered unto
him."
]
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Occasioned by Walling and Ditching about the Tower.
J. S.
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This Postern-Gate was never since by the Citizens Re-edified, such was their
Negligence then, and hath bred some Trouble to their Successors, since they
suffered a
weak and wooden Building to be there made, inhabited by Persons of Lewd Lives;
oftentimes by Inquest of Portsoken Ward presented; but not reformed. Whereas in
former Times the said Postern was accounted of as other Gates of the City, and
was
appointed to Men of good Credit. Among other I have read, that in the 49 of
Edward
III. John Cobbe was admitted Custos of the said Postern, and all the Habitation
thereof
for Term of his Life, by William Walworth then Maior of London.
Anno 1374, being
the first time of his Maioralty, for he was Lord-Maior again Anno 1380.] More,
that
John Credy, Esq; in the 21st of Richard II. was admitted Custos of the said
Postern and
Appurtenances, by Richard Whittington, Maior, the Aldermen, and Commonalty,
&c.
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Never Rebuilded.
Custos of this Postern.
A. M.
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Near the End of London-Wall, South, over-against the Tower, this Postern-Gate is
now all taken down, and in the room thereof a few Posts are set to keep off Carts
and Coaches; there being only a narrow Passage left for Foot-passengers there.
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The Postern Gate now taken down.
J. S.
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