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Walbrook Ward. London Stone. | 193 |
Walbrook Ward. London Stone.
Nil opis hos cineres,
florum decorare corollis:
Flos, hic compositus
qui jacet, ipse fuit.
Moribus, Ingenio,
Naturâ suavis, aperto
Pectore, cui niveus
nil nisi Candor, erat.
Quem Sidneiani spatiis,
umbraque lycæi,
Artibus excoluit
Granta diserta suis.
Bis denos vitæ nondum
numeraverat Annos,
Cum brevis extremum
clauderet hora diem.
O quantos gemitusque suis
luctusque reliquit,
Tam properè Angelicas
dum sitit ire domos.
Euge beate, tuo cum Christo
sorte fruaris,
Sentiat & similem,
qui legit ista sitim.
Ri. Dugard, Mœrens composuit.]
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The modern MONUMENTS here in this Church of St. Swithen, are these.
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On the North side of the Table. Michael Godfrey, of London, Merchant, the
eleventh
Son of Tho. Godfrey of Hoddiford, in the County of Kent, Esq; deceased Decemb.
3.
1689. And his Daughter Elizabeth, 1691. And Hester his other Daughter, married
to
Hugh Smithson of Tottenham, Esq; dying in Childbed, 1698.
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Modern Monuments.
J. S.
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Upon a Pillar near the Gallery, a Monument for Michael Godfrey, Merchant, Son of
the
abovesaid Michael Godfrey. He was a memorable and very worthy Man; being
elected
the first Deputy Governor of the Bank of England. Attending his Majesty King
William
encamped befored Namur was slain by a Canon Ball from the Works of the besieged,
17. July, 1695. His Body was brought over, and here buried.
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On a blue Stone before the Communion Rail.
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Here lyeth the Body of Mrs Agnes Reid, Daughter of the Honourable John Reid Esq;
one of his Majesties Judges in the Island of Barbadoes who departed this Life
the first
day of January, in the Year of our Lord, 1685.
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Virtue and Beauty here doth lye,
All her Sexes sole Epitomie,
They must have Musick; all the Arts
Judgments to use or want her Parts.
When such vanish; then what can save
The most ingenious from the Grave.
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On the North side over the Communion Table hangs a Hatchment with the Arms of
the
Holworthys.
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On the South near the Communion Table, another with this Inscription.
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Sir John Bolle, Baronet, dyed March the Third, 1685. He lyes underneath in the
Vault
belonging to his Family.
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CHARITIES belonging to this Parish are as follow:
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The Poor have 12d. per Week in Bread. 50s. per ann. allowed then in Coals; the
Gift of
Henry Hobener.
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Charities.
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A weekly Lecture formerly 14l. per ann. now reduced to 10l. 10s. being the Gift
of
Tho. Wetnal, in the reign of K. James I. It is in the Hands of Trustees.
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There was a Parsonage House before the Fire: But burnt down; rebuilt by Henry
Whisler of S. Mary Abchurch, on a Lease for forty Years, commencing March the
25th
1675. Ground Rent 4l. per ann. The Dimensions in front 13 Foot, in length 30
Foot,
in breadth backward 10 Foot 9 Inches, little more or less.]
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Parsonage.
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On the North side of this Church and Churchyard, is one fair and large builded
House,
sometime pertaining to the Prior of Tortington in Sussex, since that to the
Earls of
Oxford, Anno 1598. to Sir John Hart, Alderman [after him to Mr. Humfrey Smith,
Alderman of this City, who married a Daughter of the said Hart.] Which House
hath a
fair Garden belonging thereunto, lying on the West side thereof. On the
backside two
other fair Houses in Walbrook. In the Reign of King Henry VII. Sir Richard
Empson,
Knt. [Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster] dwelled in one of them, and Edmond
Dudley Esq; in the other: Either of them had a Door of entercourse into this
Garden,
wherein they met, and consulted on Matters at their pleasures. In this Oxford
Place Sir
Ambrose Nicolas kept his Maioralty: Since him, the said John Hart did likewise.
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Prior of Tortington's Inn.
Oxford Place by London Stone.
Empson and Dudley dwelt hereabouts.
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On the South side of this high Street, near unto the Chanel, is pirched upright
a great
Stone, called London Stone, fixed in the Ground very deep, fastned with Bars of
Iron,
and otherwise so strongly set, that if Carts do run against it through
negligence, the
Wheels be broken, and the Stone it self unshaken.
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London Stone.
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The cause why this Stone was there set, the very time When, or other Memory
hereof is
there none. But that the same hath long continued there, is manifest, namely,
since (or
rather before) the time of the Conquest. For in the end of a fair written
Gospel Book,
given to Christ's Church in Canterbury, by Ethelstane, King of the West Saxons,
I find
noted of Lands or Rents in London belonging to the said Church, whereof one
Parcel is
described to lye near unto London Stone. Of later time we read, that in the
year of
Christ, 1135. the first of King Stephen, a Fire, which began in the House of one
Ailward, near unto London Stone, consumed all East to Ealdgate. In which fire
the
Priory of the holy Trinity was burnt, and West to S. Erkenwald's Shrine in S.
Paul's
Church: And these be the eldest Notes that I read thereof.
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Lib. Trin.
Antiquity of London Stone.
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Some have said, this Stone to have been set as a Mark in the middle of the City
within
the Wall: But in truth it standeth far nearer to the River of Thames, than to
the Wall of
the City.
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Read Mr. John Speed, what he saith thereof, and of the like Stones.
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Some others have said, the same to be set, for the tendering and making of
payment by
Debtors to their Creditors, at their appointed days and times, till of later
time, payments
were more usually made at the Font in Ponts *
Church, and now most commonly at
the
Royal Exchange. Some again have imagined, the same to be set up by one John or
Thomas Londonstone, dwelling there against it. But more likely it is, that such
Men
have taken Name of the Stone, than the Stone of them; as did John at Noke,
Thomas at
Stile, William at Wall, or Well, &c.
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*So writ in all the Editions, for Pauls undoubtedly.
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Methinks, some of our Forefathers had a Conceit, that London Stone was set up in
signification of the City's Devotion towards Christ and his Care and Protection
of the
City; under the Notion of a Stone, on which it was founded, and by his Favour so
long
preserved. For that Way
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J. S.
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