THe next is Cordwainer ſtreet warde,Cordwainer ſtreete warde. taking that name of Cordwainers, or Shoemakers, Curriars, and workers of Leather dwelling there: for it appeareth in the records of H. the 6. the ninth of his raign, that an order was taken then for Cordwainers and curriars in O4 Corney 200 Cordwainer ſtreete Warde. Corney ſtreete, and Sopars lane.

This warde beginneth in the Eaſt, on the weſt ſide of Walbrook, & runneth weſt through Budge RowBudg Kow. (a ſtreet ſo called of the Budge Fur, and of Skinners dwelling there) then vp by Saint Anthonines church through Aetheling (or Noble ſtreete) as Leyland termeth it, commonly called Wathling ſtreete, to the Red Lyon, a place Watchling ſtreete.ſo called of a greate Lyon of Tymber placed there at a gate, entering to a large Court, wherein are diuers fayre and large ſhops well furniſhed with brode clothes, and other draperies of all ſortes to be ſolde, and this is the fartheſt weſt part of this warde.

On the South ſide of this ſtreete from Budge Row, lieth a lane turning downe by the weſt gate of the Tower Royall, and to the ſouth end of the ſtone wall, beyond the ſaid gate is of this ward, and is accounted a parte of the Royall ſtreete, againſt this weſtTurnebaſe lane. gate of the Tower Royall, is one other lane, that runneth weſt to Cordwainer ſtreete, and this is called Turnebaſe lane: on the ſouth ſide whereof is a peece of Wringwren lane to the northweſt corner of S. Thomas church the Apoſtle. Thē againe out of the high ſtreete called Wathling, is one other ſtreet which runneth thwart the ſame, and this is Cordwainer ſtreeteCordwainer ſtreete. whereof the whole warde taketh name, this ſtreete beginneth by weſt Cheape and Saint Mary Bow church is the head thereof on the weſt ſide, and it runneth down ſouth through that part which of later time was called Hoſiar lane, now Bow lane, and then by theHoſiar lane in Cordwainer ſtreete. weſt ende of Aldmary church, to the new builded houſes, in place of Ormond houſe, and ſo to Garlicke hill, or hith, to Saint Iames church, the vpper part of this ſtreete towardes Cheape was called Hoſiar lane of HoſiarsAccording to the Merchant Taylors’ Company’s website, the Hosiers merged with the Merchant Taylors’ Company in 1551 (Company History). dwelling there in place of Shoomakers: but now thoſe Hoſiars being worne out by men of other Trades (as the Hoſiars had worne out the Shomakers) theBaſſing lane. ſame is called Bow lane of Bow church. On the weſt ſide of Cordwainers ſtreete is Baſing lane, right ouer againſt Turne baſſe lane. This Baſing lane weſt to the backe gate of the Red Lion, in Wathling ſtreete, is of this Cordwainers ſtreete warde.

Now againe on the North ſide of the high ſtreet in Budge Row, by the Eaſt ende of S. Anthonines church, haue ye S. Sithis laneS. Sythes lane so Cordwayner ſtreet warde. 201 ſo called of S. Sithes church (which ſtandeth againſt that lanes end: and this place is wholly of Cordwayner ſtréet warde: and alſo the ſouth ſide of Needlers lane,Nedelers lane.which reacheth from the north end of S. Sithes lane, Weſt to Sopars lane. Then ſomewhat weſt from S. Anthonines church is that Sopars lane,Sopars lane. which took that name not of making ſope there, as ſome haue ſuppoſed, but of one Alleyne le Sopar, in the 9. of Edward the ſecond. Then in Bow lane (as they new call it) is Gooſe laneGooſe lane. by Bow church, W. Eſſex Mercer had tenemenies there in the 26. of Edward the 3.

Then from the ſouth end of Bow lane, vp Watheling ſtreete, till ouer againſt the red Lyon: And theſe bePariſh church of S. Anthonine. the bounds of Cordwayner ſtréet warde. Touching monuments therein, firſt you haue the faire pariſh church of S. Anthonines in Budge rowe, on the North ſide thereof. This church was lately reedified by Thomas Knowls Grocer Mayor, & by Thomas Knowles his ſonne, both buried there, with Epitaphes, of the father thus.

Thomas Holland Mercer was there buried 1456. Thomas Windent Mercer Alderman, and Katherine his wife, Thomas Hind Mercer, 1528. He was a benefactor to this church, to Aldemary church, and to Bow: Hugh Acton Merchantaylor buried 1520. He gaue 36. pounde to the repayring of the ſteeple of this church: Simon Streete Grocer lyeth in the Church wall toward the ſouth, his armes be thrée Colts, and his Epitaph thus.

William Dauntſey Mercer one of the Sheriffes buried 1542. Henry Collet Mercer Mayor, a great benefactor to this church, the pictures of him, his wife, ten ſonnes, and tenne daughters remaine in the glaſſe window on the North ſide of the church: but the ſaide Henry Collet was buried at Stebunhith. Henry Halton Grocer, one of the Sheriffes, deceaſed 1415. Thomas Spight Merchantaylor 1533. and Roger Martin Mercer Mayor deceaſed, 1573. Next on the ſouth ſide of Budge rowe by the Weſt corner therof, and on the Eaſt ſide of Cordwayner ſtréete, is one otherPariſh church of Aldmary. faire church, called Aldemary church, becauſe the ſame was very old, and elder then any church of Saint Mary in the cittie, till of late yeares the foundation of a very faire new church was laide there by Henry Keble Grocer, Mayor, who deceaſed 1518. and was there buried in a vault by him prepared, with a faire monument rayſed ouer ouer him on the North ſide the quire, now deſtroyed and gone, he gaue by his teſtament 1000. £. towards the building of that church, Richarde Chawcer Richard Chaucer father to Geffrey Chaucer the poet,, by Sir Harris Nicholas, notes the contentious nature of Geoffrey Chaucer’s parentage, particularly page 119. as may be ſuppoſed. Uintner gaue lands to that church, & was there buried, 1348. Iohn Briton, Raph Hollande Draper one of the Sheriffes deceaſed 1452. William Taylor Grocer Mayor deceaſed, 1483. He diſcharged that ward of fiftéenes to be paid by the poore, Thomas Hinde Mercer buried in S. Anthonines, gaue 10. fodar of lead to the couering of the middle Iſle of this Aldemary church, Charles Blunt Lord Montioy was buried there, about the yeare 1545. he made or glaſed the Eaſt window, as appeareth by his Armes: his Epitaph made by him in his life time thus.

Sir William Laxton Grocer Mayor, deceaſed 1556. was buried in the vault, prepared by Henry Keble principall founder of that church for himſelf but now his bones are vnkindly caſt out, his monuments pulled downe, and the bodies of the ſaid Sir Wil- liam Cordwayner ſtreet Ward. 199203 liam Laxton and of Sir Thomas Lodge Grocer Mayor, are laid in place, with monuments ouer them for the time, till an other giue money for their place, and then away with them.

At the vpper end of Hoſiar lane towards weſt chepe, is the fayre pariſh church of S. Mary Bow, Pariſh church of S. Mary Bowe. called de Arcubus, of the ſtone Arches or Bowes on the top of the ſtéeple, or bell Tower thereof, which arching was aſwell on the old ſtéeple, as on the new for no other part of the church ſéemeth to haue béene arched at any time, yet hath the ſaid church neuer beene knowne by any other name, then S. Mary Bow, or le Bow: neither is that church ſo called of the court there kept, but the ſaid Court taketh name of the place wherein it is kept, & is called the court of the arches, but of what antiquitie or continuation I cannot declare.

This church is of Cordwayner ſtréet ward, and for diuers accidents happening there hath beene made more famous then any other pariſh church of the whole Citie or ſuburbes. Firſt we reade that in the yeare 1090. and the thirde of VVilliam Rufus, by tempeſt of wind the roofe of the church of S. Mary Bow in Chepe was ouerturned,Roofe of Bow church ouerturned by tempeſt. wherewith ſome perſons were ſlaine, and foure of the Raſters of 26. foote in length with ſuch violence were pitched in the ground of the high ſtréete, that ſcantly foure foote of them remained aboue ground, which were faine to be cut euen with the ground, becauſe they coulde not bee plucked out (for the Citie of London was not then paued.)

In the yeare 1196. VVilliam Fitz Oſbert, a ſeditious traitor, tooke the ſteeple af Bow,Bow ſteéple fortified with munitions. and fortified it with munitions and victuailles, but it was aſſaulted, and William with his complices were taken, though not without bloodſhed, for heeA falſe accuſer of his elder brother in the end was hanged: God amend or ſhortly ſend ſuch an end to ſuch falſe brethren. was forced by fire and ſmoke to forſake the church, and then by the Iudges condemned, he was by the héeles drawne to the Elmes in Smith field and there hanged with nine of his fellowes. Such was the end of this deceauer, a man of an euill life, a ſecrete murtherer, a filthie fornicator, a polluter of concubines, and (amongſt other his deteſtable factes) a falſe accuſer of his elder brother, who had in his youth brought him vp in learning, and done many thinges for his preferment.Bow Steeple fell downe.

In the yeare 1271. a great part of the ſtéeple of Bow fel down and 204 Cordwayner ſtreet Warde. and ſlew many people men and women. In the yeare 1284. the 13. of Edward the firſt. Laurence Ducket Goldſmith, hauing grieuouſly wounded one Raffe Crepin in weſt Chepe, fledde into Bowe church, into the which in the night time entred certaine euill perſons, friendes to the ſaid Raffe, and ſlew the ſaid Laurence lying in theLaurence Ducket hanged in Bow ſteeple. ſtéeple, and then hanged him vp, placing him ſo by the window, as if he had hanged himſelf, and ſo was it found by inquiſition: for the which fact Laurence Ducket being drawne by the féete was buried in a ditch without the Citie, but ſhortly after by relation of a boy, who lay with the ſaid Laurence at the time of his death, and had hid him there for feare, the truth of the matter was diſcloſed, for the which cauſe a certain woman named Alice, that was chiefe cauſer of the ſaid miſchiefe was burned, and to the number of 16. men were drawne and hanged beſides others, that being richer, after long impriſonment were hanged by the purſe.

The church was interdicted,Bow Church interdicted. the dores and windowes were ſtopped vp with thornes, but Laurence was taken vp, and honeſtly buried in the churchyarde.

This pariſh church of S. Mary Bowe by meane of incrochment and building of houſes without, wanteth roome in their Church yard for burial of their dead. Iohn Rotham or Rodham citizen and Taylor, by his teſtament dated the yeare 1465. gaue to the Parſon and Church wardens there for euer, a certaine garden in Hoſiar lane, to be a churchyard, which ſo continued neare 100. yeares. But now is builded on and is a priuate mans houſe. The old ſtéeple of this church was by little and little reedified, and new builded vp, at the leaſt ſo much as was fallen downe, many men giuing ſummesBow bell to be rong nightly at nine of the clocke. of money to the furtherance thereof, ſo that at length, to wit, in the yeare 1469. it was ordayned by a common counſaile, that the Bowe bell ſhoulde bee nightly rong at nine of the clocke. Shortly after, Iohn Doune Mercer, by his teſtament dated 1472. according to the truſt of Reginald Longdon, gaue to the Parſon and churchwardens of S. Mary Bowe, two tenements with the apurtenances, ſince made into one, in Hoſiar lane, then ſo called, to the maintenance of Bowe bell, the ſame to bee rong as aforeſaid, and other things to be obſerued, as by the will appeareth. Robert Harding Goldſmith, one of the Sheriffes 1478 Cordwayner ſtreet Warde. 205 1478. gaue to the newe worke of that ſtéeple 40. £. Iohn Haw Mercer 10. £. Doctor Allen 4. £. Thomas Baldry 4. £. and other gaue other ſummes, ſo that the ſaid worke of the ſtéeple was finiſhed in the yeare 1512. The Arches or BowesBowe or Arches on Bow ſteeple. thereupon, with the lanthornes, fiue in number, to wit, one at each corner, and one on the top in the middle: vpon the arches were alſo afterward finiſhed of ſtone, brought from Cane in Normandy, deliuered at the Cuſtomers Key for iiij.s̃. vjď. the tunne, William Copland Taylor, the kings Merchant, and Andrew Fuller Mercer, being churchwardens, 1515. and 1516. It is ſaid that this Copland gaue the great Bell, which made the fift in the ring, and to be called the Bow bell, and ſo to bee vſed to bee rong nightly at nine of the clocke. I haue alſo beene informed, that this bell was firſt rong as a knell at the buriall of the ſame Copland. It ſéemeth that the lanthornes on the top of this ſtéeple, were meant to haue béene glaſed, and lights in them to haue béene placed nightly in the winter, whereby trauailers to the Cittie might haue the better ſight thereof, and not to miſſe of their wayes. In this pariſh alſo was a Grammer ſchooleGrammer ſchoole in Bow churchyarde. by commandement of king Henry the ſixt, which ſchoole was of olde time kept in an houſe for that purpoſe prepared in the churchyard, but that ſchoole being decayed as others about this cittie: the ſchoole houſe was let out for rent, in the raigne of Henry the eight, for iiij.s̃. the yeare, a ſellar belonging to the parſonage for ij.s̃. the yeare, and two vaults vnder the church for 15.s̃ both.

The monuments in this church be theſe: viz. of Sir Iohn Couentrie Mercer Mayor, 1425. Richard Lambert Alderman, Nicholas Alwine Mercer Mayor, 1499. deceaſed 1505. Robert Harding Goldſmith one of the Sheriffes 1478. Iohn Loke one of the Sheriffes 1461. Edward Bankes Alderman Haberdaſher 1566. Iohn Warde, VVilliam Pierſon Scriuener, and Atturney in the common place. In a proper Chappel on the ſouth ſide the church ſtandeth a tombe, eleuate & arched, of ſome vnknowne founder. Ade de Buke Hatter glaſed the chappell and moſt parte of the church, and was there buried: all otherA ſhed or ſtanding for the king called crowne ſilde. monuments be defaced. Without the North ſide of this church of S. Mary Bow, towards weſt Chepe ſtandeth one faire building of ſtone, called in record Seldam, a ſhed, which greatly darkeneth the ſaid church, for 206 Cordwayner ſtreet Warde. for by meanes thereof all the windowes and dores on that ſide are ſtopped vp: This building was made by K. Edward the third, vpon this occaſion. In the raigne of the ſayde king diuers iuſtings were made in London betwixt Sopars lane and the Croſſe in Chepe:Iuſting in weſt Cheape. for the ſtandard ſtoode not then in place where now it is, namely one great iuſting was there in the yeare 1330. the fourth of Edward the third, whereof is noted thus. About the feaſt of S. MichælCelebrated on the 29 September. there was a great and ſolemne iuſting of all the ſtout Earles, Barons and nobles of the realme, at London in Weſt Cheape, betwixt the great croſſe and the great conduit, nigh Sopars lane, which iuſting laſted thrée daies: where Quéene Philip with many Ladies fell from a ſtage of timber, notwithſtanding they were not hurt at all: wherfore the Quéene tooke great care to ſaue the Carpenters from puniſhment, and through her prayer (which ſhe made on her knées) ſhe pacified the king and counſaile, and thereby purchaſed great loue of the people. After which time the king cauſed this ſilde or ſhede to bee made, and ſtrongly to bee builded of ſtone, for himſelf, the Quéene, and other eſtates to ſtand in, and there to behold the iuſtings and other ſhewes at their pleaſure. And this houſe for a long time after ſerued to that vſe, namely in the raigne of Edward the third, and Richard the ſecond, but in the yeare 1410. Henry the fourth, in the 12. of his raigne, confirmed the ſaid ſhed, or building, with all ſhops, ſellers, and edifices whatſoeuer appertaining, called Crounſilde Croundſilde. (and in the 8. of the ſame H. called Tamarſide) ſituate in the Mercery in weſt Chepe, in the pariſh of S. Mary de Arcubus in London, and a certaine ſhop in the ſaid pariſh, betweene the ſame ſhed and the kings high way of weſt Cheape, annexed to the ſaid ſhed, with two ſhops, ſellers and edifices whatſoeuer, as well builded, or any way being ouer the ſaid ſhop, as ouer the entry of the ſaid ſhed, which were holden of him in burgage, as all the Cittie of London is, and which were worth by yeare in all iſſues, according to the true value of them, vij.pound xiij.s̃.iiijď. as was founde by inquiſition thereof before Thomas Knowles Mayor, and Eſchetor in the ſaid Citie. Notwithſtanding which graunt the kings of England, and other great eſtates, as wel of forrein countries repayring to this realme, as inhabitantes of the ſame, haue vſually repaired to this place, therein to behold the ſhewes of this Citie, paſſing through Weſt Cheape Cheape Ward. 207 Cheape, namely the great watches accuſtomed in the night, on the euen of S. Iohn Baptiſt, and S. Peter at Midſommer, the examples wherof were ouer long to recite, wherefore let it K. Henry the eight came in the likeneſſe of a yoman of his guard, to the kings head in Cheapſuffice briefly to touch one. In the yeare 1510. the 2. of Henry the eight, on S. Iohns euen at night, the king came to this place, then called the kings head in Cheape, in the liuerie of a yoman of the garde, with an halberd on his ſholder, (and there beholding the watch) departed priuily, when the watch was done, and was not knowne to any but to whom it pleaſed him, but on S. Peters night next following, hee and the Quéene came royally riding to the ſaid place, and there with their nobles beheld the watch of the Citie, and returned in the morning. This church of S. Mary, with the ſaide ſhede of ſtone, all the houſing in or about Bowe Church yard, & without on that ſide the high ſtréet of Cheape to the ſtandarde be of Cordwayner ſtréet warde. Theſe houſes were of old time but ſhedes: for I read of no houſing otherwiſe on that ſide the ſtréete, but of diuers ſhedes from Sopars lane to the ſtandard, &c. Amongſt other I reade of thrée ſhops or ſhedes, by Sopars lane pertaining to the Priorie of the holy Trinity within Aldegate: the one was let out for 28. s̃. one other for 20. s̃. and the third for xij. s̃. by the yeare: Moreouer that Richard Goodchepe Mercer, and Margery his wife, ſonne to Iordain Goodchepe, did let to Iohn Dalings the yonger Mercer, their ſhed and chamber in weſt Cheape, in the pariſh of S. Mary de Arches, for iij.s̃.iiijď.by the yeare. Alſo the men of Bredſtréete ward contended with the men of Cordwayner ſtreet ward, for a ſelde or ſhede, oppoſite to the ſtandard on the South ſide, and it was found to be of Cordwainer ſtreet ward, W. Waldorne being then Mayor, the 1. of Henry the 6. Thus much for Cordwainer ſtréet warde: which hath an Alderman, his Deputie, Common Counſellors 8. Conſtables 8. Scauengers 8. Wardemote inqueſt men 14. & a Beadle. It ſtandeth taxed to the fiftéene in London at 72. £. 16. s̃. in the Exchequer at 72. pound.