The City of WESTMINSTER.56

The City of WESTMINSTER.

Fleet. This Place Edmund de Cheny had granted to him, with the Fee, the 5. & 13. Edw. 3.]

Thus much for the Monastery and Palace may suffice. And now will I speak of the Gatehouse, and of Totehill Street, stretching from the West Part of the Close.

The Gatehouse is so called of two Gates, the one out of the College Court toward the North, on the East Side whereof was the Bishop of London's Prison, for Clerks Convict: And the other Gate adjoining to the first; but towards the West, is a Goal or Prison, for Offenders thither committed. Walter Warfield, Celerer to the Monastery, caused both these Gates (with the Appurtenances) to be builded in the Reign of Edward the Third.

Gate-house at Westminster.

On the South Side of this Gate, King Henry the Seventh founded an Alms-house for thirteen poor Men: One of them to be a Priest aged five and forty Years, a good Grammarian; the other 12 to be aged fifty Years, without Wives. Every Saturday the Priest to receive of the Abbot, or Prior, four Pence by the Day, and each other two Pence Half-penny by the Day for ever, for their Sustenance: And every Year to each one a Gown and a Hood ready made. And to three Women that dressed their Meat, and kept them in their Sickness, each to have every Saturday sixteen Pence, and every Year a Gown ready made. More to the thirteen poor Men yearly fourscore Quarters of Coals, and one thousand of good Faggots to their Use. In the Hall and Kitchin of their Mansion, a discreet Monk to be Overseer of them, and he to have forty Shillings by the Year, &c. And hereunto was every Abbot and Prior sworn.

Alms-houses of Henry the Seventh.

And the said King in his last Will mentioning this Hospital, assured to the Abbot and Convent of Westminster, for the Maintenance thereof, in Lands, to the yearly Value of one thousand Marks.]

How endowed.

J. S.

Near unto this House Westward, was an old Chapel of St. Anne, over against which the Lady Margaret, Mother to King Henry the Seventh, erected an Alms-house for poor Women. Which is now turned into Lodgings for the singing Men of the College. The Place wherein this Chapel and Alms-house standeth, was called the Eleemosinary and Almory, now corruptly the Ambry; for that the Alms of the Abbey are there distributed to the Poor.

Chapel of St. Anne.

Alms-house founded by Lady Margaret.

Almory at Westminster.

And therein Islip, Abbot of Westminster, first practised, and erected the first Press of Book-Printing that ever was in England, about the Year of Christ 1471. W. Caxton, Citizen of London, Mercer, brought it into England, and was the first that practised it in the said Abbey. After which Time, the like was practised in the Abbeys of St. Augustine at Canterbury, St. Alban's, and other Monasteries.

Printing of Books at Westminster, the first in England.

A. M.

From the West Gate runneth along Totehill Street. Wherein is a House of the Lord Gray of Wilton; and on the other Side, at the Entry into Totehill Field, Stourton House, which Giles, the last Dacre of the South, purchased and built new. Whose Lady and Wife Anne, (Sister to Thomas Lord Buckhurst) left Money to her Executors, to build an Hospital for 20 poor Women, and so many Children to be brought up under them; for whose Maintenance she assigned Lands, to the Value of one hundred Pounds by the Year. Which Hospital her Executors have since begun in the Field adjoining.

Totehill Street.

Hospital founded by Lady Anne Dacre.

From the Entry into Totehill Field, the Street is called Petty France: In which, and upon St. Hermit's Hill, on the South Side thereof, Cornelius van Dun (a Brabander born, Yeoman of the Guard to King Henry the Eighth, King Edward the Sixth, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth) built twenty Houses for poor Women to dwell, Rent-free: And near hereunto was a Chapel of Mary Magdalen, now wholly ruinated.

Petty France.

Alms-houses for poor Women.

Chapel of Mary Magdalen.

In the Year of Christ 1256, the 40th of Henry the Third, John Mansell, the King's Counsellor, and a Priest, did invite to a stately Dinner the Kings and Queens of England and Scotland, Edward the King's Son, Earls, Barons, and Knights, the Bishop of London, and divers Citizens. Whereby his Guests did grow to such a Number, that his House at Totehill could not receive them, but that he was forced to set up Tents and Pavilions, to receive his Guests; whereof there was such a Multitude, that seven hundred Messes of Meat did not serve for the first Dinner.

Mansel, a Priest, his great Feast at his House at Totehill.

Mat. Paris.

There was anciently an House in Westminster, called The Mote, (but where it stood I know not) termed in the Records Le Mote in Villa de Westminster, granted to John Stonere, 13. Rich. 2.]

Le Mote.

J. S.

Rec. Turr.



56

CHAP. IV.

The Government of this City. The Burgesses and Assistants. The twelve Wards. Other Officers. Orders for Butchers and Poulterers of Westminster. What Meal Weekly sold by the Bakers. The Poor of Westminster. A Work-house for poor and idle Persons. Lord Dacre's Hospital. Act of Parliament for the Government of this City.

THE City of Westminster, for Civil Government, is divided into 12 several Wards. For the which, the Dean of the Collegiate Church of Westminster, or the High Steward, do elect 12 Burgesses,. and as many Assistants, that is, one Burgess, and one Assistant, for every Ward. Out of the which twelve Burgesses, two are nominated Yearly, upon Thursday in Easter Week, for Chief Burgesses, to continue for one Year next following. Who have Authority given them by the Act of Parliament in the 27th of Queen Elizabeth, to hear, examine, determine, and punish, according to the Laws of the Realm, and lawful Customes of the City of London, Matters of Incontinency, common Scolds, Inmates, and common Annoyances; and likewise to commit such Persons as shall offend against the Peace, and thereof to give Notice within 24 Hours, to some Justice of Peace within the County of Middlesex.

This City hath 12 Wards, each governed by a Burgess.

I shall give some farther Acount of this Government, particularly as it was in the Days of Q. Elizabeth: The Burgesses, which were also called Headboroughs, and their Assistants, Answer to the Aldermen of the Wards of London, and their respective Deputies. The Wards be-

These Wards how called.

J. S.

longing