" if not the only Cause, of lowering it. That they had never concerned themselves in the Election of any one Member of Parliament; nor never advanced a single Penny to influence any Election. Neither could any Man complain, that he did not receive his Money on demand, that called for it. In short, that notwithstanding the Clamour and Noise their Adversaries made against them, they had not brought any Instance, that they had been guilty of any base or unworthy Action, in any one Fact committed by them, since their first Establishment. So that all the Clamour of their Ill-Willers, had been raised upon a bare Suspicion of what their Successors might do hereafter." But now to return to the Grocers.]

About the Year 1429. the Grocers had license to purchase 500 Marks Land. Since the which time, near adjoyning unto the Grocers Hall, the said Company hath builded seven Alms Houses, for seven aged poor Alms People. Thomas Knowles, Grocer, Maior, gave his Tenement in St. Anthonines Church-yard to the Grocers, towards the Relief of the poor Brethren in that Company. Also Henry Keble, Grocer, Maior, gave to the seven Alms People, six Pence the piece, weekly for ever; which Pension is now increased by the Masters, to some of them, two Shillings apiece weekly, and to some of them less, &c. Henry Ady, Grocer, 1563. gave a Thousand Marks to the Grocers, to purchase Lands. And Sir Henry Pechy, Kt. Bart. free of that Company, gave them Five hundred Pound to certain Uses: He builded Alms-houses at Ludingstone in Kent, and was there buried.

West from this Cony hope lane, is the Old Jury; whereof some portion is of Cheape Ward, as afore is shewed.

At the South end of this Lane, is the Parish Church of St. Mary Colechurch, named of one Cole that builded it. This Church is builded upon a Vault above Ground, so that Men are forced to ascend up thereunto by certain Steps.

This Church was repiared and beautified at the Charge of the Parishioners, in February 1623.

      Church-wardens.
William Shamrock,
Thomas Pulcher,

I find no Monuments of this Church, more than that Henry the IVth granted License to William Marshall, and others, to found a Brotherhood of St. Katharine therein; because Thomas Becket, and St. Edmond were baptized there.

Thus expressed in the Record in the Tower: In Eccles. de S. Maria de Colechurch, juxta magnum Aqueduct. in qua Ecclesia S. Thomas de Cantuar. & S. Edmund. Rex baptizati fuerunt. This foresaid Guild or Fraternity, was founded 1 H. IV. and confirmed again 25 H. VI.

The Living of St. Mary Colechurch was but a Curacy. The Impropriators are the Mercers; who, before the Fire, gave the whole Benefit to the Incumbent. It had no Scite, but was all vested in the Mercers by Act of Parliament. When the Church stood, it was built above Stairs. It is not rebuilt, but the Parish is laid to St. Mildred Poultry.

To this Parish belonged a Gift Sermon, to be preached on the 17th Day of November: The Benefit of which, the Rector of St. Mildred enjoys.

No House for an Incumbent.]

Bardhawe Lane in the Parish of St. Mary Colechurch.]

More I read of Bordhangly Lane to be of that Parish. And thus much for the North side of the Poultry.

The South side of the said Poultry, beginning on the Bank of the said Brook [of Walbrook] over-against the Parish Church of St. Mildred, passing up to that geat Conduit, hath divers fair Houses, which were sometime inhabited by the Poulters; but now by Grocers, Haberdashers, and Upholsters.

At the West end of this Poultry, and also of Buckles bury, beginneth the large Street of West Cheaping, a Market Place so called; which Street stretcheth West, till ye come to the little Conduit by Pauls Gate, but not all of Cheape Ward. In the East part of this Street, standeth the great Conduit of sweet Water, conveyed by Pipes of Lead under Ground from Paddington, for service of this City, castellated with Stone, and cisterned in Lead, about the Year 1285. And again new builded and enlarged by Thoms Ilam, one of the Sheriffs, 1479.

About the midst of this Street, without Hony lane, is the Standard in Cheape; which John Wells, Grocer, Maior, 1430. caused to be made with a small Cistern with fresh Water; having one Cock continually running, when the same is not turned nor locked.. This was finished by his Executors, Thomas Knowles and John Chichely; who purchased License of King Henry IV. to convey Water, to make the Conduit.

The said King, by his Patent dated at Windsor, the 21st of his Reign, (which Patent was confirmed by Parliament, 1442.) granted License to Thomas Knolles, John Chichley, and others, Executors to the said John Wells, with his Goods to make new the High-way, which leadeth from the City of London, towards the Palace of Westminster, before and nigh the Manour of Savoy, parcel of the Duchy of Lancaster; a Way then very ruinous, and the Pavement broken, to the Hurt and Mischief of the Subjects. "Which old Pavement, then remaining in that Way, within the length of Five hundred Foot, and all the breadth of the same, before and nigh the site of the Manour aforesaid; they to break up, and with Stone, Gravel, and other Stuff, one other good and sufficient Way there to make, for the Commodity of the Subjects. And further, that the Standard in Cheape, where divers Executions of the Law, before time, had been performed, which Standard, at that present, was very ruinous with Age; in which there was a Conduit, should be taken down, and another competent Standard of Stone, together with a Conduit in the same, of new, strongly to be builded, for the Commodity and Honour of the City, with the Goods of the said Testator, without interruption, &c."

Now, whether the Standard in West Cheape, so oft spoken of in former times, be the same, and stood just in the same place, or elsewhere, or that the same were removeable, were some question. For it is manifest, that in the Reign of Edward the IIId, and at other times, when the great Justings, and their Runnings on Horseback, were practised between the great