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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.
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There lacked for no manner of Meats or Drinks, that could be had for Money.
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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.
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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.
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A Daughter of Mr. Crumwell Christned.
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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.]
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Clarencieux's Daughter Christned.
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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.]
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The Generosity of Citizens.
J. S.
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"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,
"
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The modest Matrons that have been, and ought to
be.
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"
Territa quæsitis ostendit terga Britannis.
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"
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"
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.]
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Worthiness of Men, Citizens of London.
Constantine the Emperor born in London.
Tho. Becket.
J. S.
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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.
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A Sheriffs Clerk of London became Chancellor of
England, and Archbishop of Canterbury.
Honourable Actions done by the worthy Citizens
of London.
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The Citizens of London, time out of Mind, founded an Hospital at St. James in
the
Fields, for Leprous Women of their City.
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Hospital of St. James in the Fields.
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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.
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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.
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Walter Brune.
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In the Year 1247, Simon Fitzmary, one of the Sheriffs of London, founded the
Hospital of St. Mary, called Bethlem, also without Bishopsgate.
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Simon Fitzmary.
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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.
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Henry Wallis.
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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.
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William Elsing.
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Sir John Poultney, Draper, four Times Maior, 1337 builded a fair Chapel in St.
Pauls
Church,
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Sir J. Poultney.
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