Lady Ellen, Minorissa Domus Sanctæ Claræ, extra Aldgate, Lond. Anno 1388. Sister to L. John de Nevyl, Lord of Raby.]

In place of this House of Nuns, is now builded divers fair and large Storehouses for Armour, and Habiliments of War, with divers Workhouses serving to the same Purpose.

While England was called a Commonwealth, in the Minoress was a great Workhouse set up, belonging to a Corporation, being a Corporation for the Poor of the City of London and Liberties thereof; which had a President and Governors: To which also belonged a small Parcel of Ground, which the said President and Governors intended to improve by building, for the Encrease of the Revenue, to be employed for the Education of poor Children, and employing and relieving the Poor belonging to the said Corporation: For the allowing of which there was a Proviso in the Act made Anno 1656. against multiplying Buildings in and about the Suburbs.]

There is a small Parish Church for Inhabitants of the Close, called St. Trinity.

This Church greatly decayed in the Roof, (the Timber repaired and mended) was new tyled in the Year of our Lord God 1618. In the Year 1620. the Steeple, that before (as the Church) was covered with Tyles, was untiled; and (the Timber repaired and strengthened) was covered again with Lead. In the Year 1628. all the Inside of the Church was well and very commendably beautified.

Also in the Year 1623. the Churchyard, that before was only paled in with Boards, was (to the better Defence and Grace of it) encompassed about with Brick, with a very handsome Entrance into it: This, as all the Repairs beforenamed, being the sole Cost and Charge of the Parishoners.

A handsome Monument on the North Wall of the Chancel, with two Figures of a Man and Woman kneeling, and a Child behind the Man, thus inscribed,

Death first did strike Sir John, here tomb'd in Clay,
And then enforc'd his Son to follow fast:
Of PELHAM'S Line this Knight was Chief and Stay:
By this, behold! all Flesh must die at last.
But BLETSOW Lord, thy Sister most may moan:
Both Mate and Son hath left her here alone.

Sir John Pelham died Octob. 13. 1580.
Oliver Pelham his Son died Jan. 19. 1584.

About a fair marble Stone in the Chancel, close by the Communion Table, were these Words, [engraven in Brass, most of which is now gone.]

CONSTANTIA LUCY, D. Thomæ Lucy Junioris, Militis Aurati, & D. Constantiæ Uxoris [selectæ] Fœminæ Filia, natu maxima, Annum agens plus minus undecimum, pridie Idus Februarii in Domino, quàm felicissimè, hic posita, fato fungitur. An. Dom. 1596.

On the midst of the Stone in the Effigies of a Woman in Brass, praying, and these Verses,

Nascimur & Morimur: Non exorabile Fatum.     
Vita fugax, fragilis, lubruca, vana, brevis.
Ocyus in Campis flos formosissimus aret:     
Optima prætereunt, deteriora manent.
Rapta immaturo fato CONSTANTIA LUCY     
Nunc jacet; &, quondam lucida, Luce caret.
Ante annos Constans, humilis, mansueta, modesta,     
Dixeris, & Paphia membra polita manu.
In vere ætatis persensit frigora brumæ:     
Sic, sic præ properè præcoqua poma cadunt.

On another Stone, near unto the last, is this Inscription,

Hic jacet Corpus Frausis Martuni Generosi; qui obiit 14. die Septembris, Anno Dom. 1606.
Hæc Verba sæpissimè in ore illius viventis, O Domine,
secundum merita mea, noli me judicare. Deprecor Majestatem tuam, ut misericorditer deleat iniquitates meas.
Credo Videre bona Domini in Terra Viventium.

In the Body of the Church is a Monument with this Inscription,

Vivere Cornices multos dicuntur in annos:
Cur nos angustà conditione sumus? The Figure of a Child. HENRICUS NOWELUS, filius D. Johannis Noweli Doctoris Medici, Optimæ Indolis puerulus, unicum patris solatium. Natus 23. Julii 1598. & mortuus ex Atrophia 4. Augusti 1599. hic sepultus jacet. Melioribus utere Fatis.

More lately here are buried, and have Monuments, or Gravestones.

George L. Darmouth, who died Oct. 25. 1691. Also his Lordship's Father, Colonel Leg, and his Mother: And Philip Musgrave Esq; who married his eldest Daughter; and deceased Aug. 2. 1688.

Also Elhana, the Son of Elhana, the Son of Elhana and Katharine Downs; died Oct. 18. 1651.

Dr. Elkanah Downes was some time Incumbent of this Parish, and of Ashted in Surrey.

These buried in the Chancel.

In the Body of the Church, Will. Hanway, Jan. 19. 1686. and two of his Children, William and Margaret.

Katharine Davenport Widow, An. 1634.]

Near adjoining to this Abby, called the Minories, on the South Side thereof, was some time a Farm belonging to the said Nunnery; at the which Farm, I my self (in my Youth) have fetched many a Halfpenny worth of Milk, and never had less than three Ale Pints for a Halfpenny in the Summer, nor less than one Ale Quart for a Halfpenny in the Winter, always hot from the Cow, as the same was milked and strained. One Trolop, and afterwards Goodman, were the Farmers there, and had 30 or 40 Kine to the Pail. Goodman's Son being Heir thereof, let out the Ground, first for grazing of Horses, and then for Garden Plots, and lived like a Gentleman thereby. He lieth buried in St. Botolph's Church.

But now Goodman's Fields are no longer Fields and Gardens, but Buildings, consisting of many fair Streets, as Maunsel Street, Pescod or Prescot Street, Leman Street, &c. and Tenters for Clothworkers, and a large Passage for Carts and Horses out of Whitechapel into Wellclose; besides many other Lanes.]

On the other side of that Street lieth the Ditch without the Walls of the City, which of old time was used to lie open, and was always (from time to time) cleansed from Filth and Mud, as need required; and was of great breadth, and so deep, that divers watering Horses, where they thought it shallowest, were drowned both Horse and Man. But now of later time the same Ditch is enclosed, and the Banks thereof let out for Garden Plots, Carpenters Yards, Bowling Alleys, and divers Houses be thereon builded. Whereby