Honourable Acts of Citizens. 260

Honourable Acts of Citizens.

was as good Cheer as ever was known, with all manner of Musick and Dancing all the Remainder of the Day: And at Night a goodly Supper; and then followed a Masque till Midnight.

There lacked for no manner of Meats or Drinks, that could be had for Money.

The next Day the Wedding was kept at the Bridge House, with great Cheer: And after Supper came in Masquers. One was in Cloth of Gold. The next Masque consisted of Friars, and the Third of Nuns. And after, they danced by Times: And lastly, the Friars and the Nuns danced together.

In the Year 1561, in February, was Christned a Daugther of Mr. Crumwell, who married a Daughter of Sir Ralph Warren, Knight and Alderman. A fair Maid carried the Child to the Church, in a white Sattin Gown; the Mantle of Crimson Sattin, fringed with Gold, of four Inches broad. The Master of the Rolls [Sir William Cordel] Godfather, and my Lady White [Wife of Sir Thomas White] Godmother. And afterwards a splendid Banquet at home.

A Daughter of Mr. Crumwell Christned.

In the Year 1562, was Christned Mildred Hervey, Daughter of William Hervey, alias Clarencieux King at Arms, in the Parish of St. Bride's. The Godfather was the Master of the Rolls: Godmothers, Lady Bacon and Lady Cecil, Sisters; one, Wife to the Lord Keeper, the other to the Queen's Secretary. It was concluded with a great Banquet, consisting of Wafers and Hypocras; French, Gascoign, and Rhenish Wines, with great Plenty. And all their Servants had a Banquet in the Hall, with divers Dishes.]

Clarencieux's Daughter Christned.



260

CHAP. XXX.

A Rehearsal of many Honourable Acts of the City and Citizens.

FROM these old Customs of the City we proceed to a particular Remembrance of some Honourable and Worthy old Citizens, who have made themselves famous to Posterity, not only for their great Riches, but for the liberal Erogation and Distribution of them, either for the Service of their Prince and Country, or the adorning of the City, or the Relief of the Poor, or the furthering of Religion and Learning.]

The Generosity of Citizens.

J. S.

"This City (saith Fitzstephen) is glorious in Manhood, furnished with Munitions, populous with Inhabitants. Insomuch, that in the troublesome time of King Stephen, it hath shewed at a Muster 20000 Armed Horsemen, and 60000 Footmen, serviceable for the Wars. Moreover (saith he) the Citizens of London, wheresoever they be come, are notable before all other Citizens, in Civility of Manners, Attire, Table, and Talk. The Matrons of this City are the very modest Sabine Ladies of Italy. The Londoners, sometime called Trinobantes, repelled Cæsar, who always made his Passage by shedding Blood; whereupon Lucan sung, "

The modest Matrons that have been, and ought to be.

"


Territa quæsitis ostendit terga Britannis.

"

" The City of London hath bred some, which have subdued many Kingdoms, and also the Roman Empire. It hath also brought forth many others, whom Virtue and Valour hath highly advanced, according to Apollo in his Oracle to Brute, sub occasu Solis, &c. In the time of Christianity it brought forth that Noble Emperor Constantine, which gave the City of Rome, and all the Imperial Ensigns, to God, St. Peter, and Pope Sylvester, to whom he performed the Office of a Soldier, chusing rather to be called a Defender of the Church than an Emperor. And lest the Peace of the Pope might be violated by occasion of his secular Presence, he retired from Rome, and built the City of Bizantium, called from him Constantinople. London also in later times hath brought forth Kings, Illustrious and Noble Persons, viz. Kings, Maud the Empress, King Henry Son to Henry the Second, and St. Thomas the Archbishop, the glorious Martyr of Christ, than whom a more innocent one it never bare, nor by whom any could be more bound for all the good Things of the whole Latin World." [Such Language as this in the Praise of Thomas Becket is now long since out of Date, known to be a Traitor and not a Saint. But it is no wonder that this should fall from the Pen of a devout Monk of Canterbury, where, in those Days he was worshipped, and had a Shrine.]

Worthiness of Men, Citizens of London.

Constantine the Emperor born in London.

Tho. Becket.

J. S.

This Thomas, surnamed Becket, born in London, brought up in the Priory of Marton, and a Student at Paris, became the Sheriffs Clerk of London for a time, then Parson of St. Mary Hill, he had a Prebend at London, another at Lincoln, studied the Law at Bononie, &c. was made Chancellor of England, and Archbishop of Canterbury, &c. Whereunto may be added innumerable Persons of Honour, Wisdom and Vertue, born in London, and Actions done by worthy Citizens; whereof I will only note a few, best known to the Commonalty.

A Sheriffs Clerk of London became Chancellor of England, and Archbishop of Canterbury.

Honourable Actions done by the worthy Citizens of London.

The Citizens of London, time out of Mind, founded an Hospital at St. James in the Fields, for Leprous Women of their City.

Hospital of St. James in the Fields.

In the Year 1216, the Londoners sending out a Navy, took 95 Ships of Pirates and Sea Robbers, besides innumerable others that they drowned which had robbed on the River of Thames. Now from the good Acts of Citizens in general to come to particular Citizens, and their worthy Deeds.

In the Year 1197, Walter Brune, a Citizen of London, and Rosia his Wife, founded the Hospital of our Lady, called Domus Dei, or St. Mary the Spittle, without Bishopsgate in London, an House of such Relief to the Needy, that there was found standing at the surrender thereof Ninescore Beds well furnished for Receipt of poor People.

Walter Brune.

In the Year 1247, Simon Fitzmary, one of the Sheriffs of London, founded the Hospital of St. Mary, called Bethlem, also without Bishopsgate.

Simon Fitzmary.

In the Year 1283, Henry Wallis, then Maior, builded the Tun upon Cornhill to be a Prison for Night Walkers; and a Market House called the Stocks, both for Fish and Flesh, standing in the midst of the City. He also builded divers Houses on the West and Northside of St. Pauls Church Yard, the Profits of all which Buildings are to the Maintenance of London Bridge.

Henry Wallis.

In the Year 1332, William Elsing, Mercer of London, founded Elsing Spittle, within Creplegate, for sustentation of an Hundred poor blind Men, and became himself the first Prior of that Hospital.

William Elsing.

Sir John Poultney, Draper, four Times Maior, 1337 builded a fair Chapel in St. Pauls Church,

Sir J. Poultney.

wherein