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Bridewell Palace was a royal palace acquired by the crown in
The Fleet, known as "Fleet River", "Fleet Ditch", "Fleet Dike", and the "River of Wells" due to the numerous wells along its banks, was London’s largest subterranean river (Stow 1598, sig. C4r). It flowed down from Hampstead and Kenwood ponds in the north, bisecting the Ward of Farringdon Without, as it wended southward into the Thames (Weinreb, Hibbert, Keay, and Keay 298).
Thames Street was the longest street in early modern London, running east-west from the ditch around the Tower of London in the east to St. Andrew’s Hill and Puddle Wharf in the west, almost the complete span of the city within the walls.
The city of London, not to be confused with the allegorical character (
Westminster Abbey was and continues to be a historically significant church. One of its many notable features is "Poets’ Corner". Located in the south transept of the church, it is the final resting place of
Whitehall Palace, the Palace of Whitehall or simply Whitehall, was one of the most complex and sizeable locations in the entirety of early modern Europe. As the primary place of residence for monarchs from [i]t lay on the left bank of the Thames, and extended from nearly the point where Westminster Bdge. now crosses the river to Scotland Yard, and from the river back to St. James’s Park
(Sugden 564-565).
Savoy Hospital was located along the Strand in Westminster.
for the
reliefe of one hundreth poore people
(Stow 1598, sig. 2D7r). The hospital was suppressed by
St. Thomas Hospital was a hospital and parish church dedicated to
The gaol at Newgate, a western gate in the Roman Wall of London, was constructed in the twelfth century specifically to detain fellons and trespassors
awaiting trial by royal judges (Durston 470; O’Donnell 25; Stow 1598, sig. C8r). The gradual centralisation of the English criminal justice system meant that by the
Bridewell was a prison and hospital. The site was originally a royal palace (Bridewell Palace) but was transferred to the
Bride Well
.
The Julian calendar, in use in the British Empire until September 1752. This calendar is used for dates where the date of the beginning of the year is ambigious.
The Julian calendar with the calendar year regularized to beginning on 1 January.
The Julian calendar with the calendar year beginning on 25 March. This was the calendar used in the British Empire until September 1752.
The Gregorian calendar, used in the British Empire from September 1752. Sometimes
referred to as New Style (NS). Years run from January 1 through December 31.
The Anno Mundi (year of the world
) calendar is based on the supposed date of the
creation of the world, which is calculated from Biblical sources. At least two different
creation dates are in common use. See Anno Mundi (Wikipedia).
Regnal dates are given as the number of years into the reign of a particular monarch. Our practice is to tag such dates with @calendar="regnal", and provide an equivalent date using a more systematic calendar (usually Julian) in a custom dating attribute.
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Bridewell, once a palace, later a prison, was an intriguing site in the early modern period. It changed hands several times before falling into the possession of the BrideWell.
The building was originally a palace built for
Saint Brides in Fleetstreet
(Stow 1:69). St. Bride’s Church was one of the oldest churches in London, taking its name from the house called Bridewell
(Stow 1:69). This house fell into ruin, but the property was acquired by Cardinal builded for the entertainement of the
(Stow 1:70). In
In the begynning of the springe time, The emperour taketh shippinge in Spaine to sayle into Englande, where he was royally receiued of
kynge Henry the eight , who had maried hys AunteKatherine , which amonges other kyndes of his princelike liberalite builded a goodlye lodginge purposely for him vpon the Riuer of Themse, called Bridewell, and from thens he sayled into Flaunders, where he was ioyefully receyued of almen.
kyng and many young gentlemen with hym, came to Bridewell, & there put hym, and .xv. other, al in Maskyng apparel
(Hall sig. Cliij) before taking the royal barge down the Thames for a large there he & his nobles put on there robes of parliament, and so came to the blacke Freers church, where a Masse of the holy ghost was solemplie song by the kynges Chappell
(Hall sig. Clxxxvii). In the yeare
(Stow 2:44).
Bridewell was also a site where
when he was .vi. yere of age, the kyng made hym knight, and called hym
lorde Henry Fitz Roy , andat the Manor or place of Bridewell, the saied Lorde ledde by twoo Erles, was created Erle of Notyngham, and then he was brought backe again by the saied twoo Erles: then the Dukes of Norffolke and Suffolk, led hym into the great chamber again and the kyng created hym, Duke of Richemond and Somerset.
of twoo yere old
who was given the title of Earle of Lincolne
(Hall sig. CXliij).
In
The
tenth of Aprill ,Sir George Baron (being Maior of this Citie) was sent for to the Court at White hall, and there at that time the king gaue vnto him, for the Comminaltie and Citizens to bee a Workehouse for the poore and idle persons of the Citie, his house of Bridewell.
However,
it had to be confirmed by
(Stow 2:45). Bridewell would become one of the most famous prisons of the early modern period, and its fame persisted into the Victorian era.
Bridewell vnto my memory comes next; Where idleneſſe and lechery is vext: This is a royall houſe, of ſtate and port, Which the eighth King Henry built, and there kept CourtKing Edward ſomewhat ere his timeleſſe fall,Gaue it away to be an Hoſpitall: Which vſe the City puts it well vnto, And many pious deeds they there doe doo: But yet for Vagabonds and Runnagates, For Whores, and idle knaues, and ſuchlike mates, ’Tis little better than a Iayle to thoſe, Where they chop chalke, for meat and drinke and blowes In this houſe thoſe that ’gainſt their wils doe dwell, Loue well a Bride (perhaps) but not Bridewell.
What was once a royal palace would now be known as the Bridewell Royal Hospital
and Bridewell Prison
. Bridewell, along with other prisons and hospitals, would be funded by the rents of Savoy lands. 700. Markes land late of the possessions of the house of the Sauoy
(Stow 2:45). The institute of Bridewell began operating only on Royal Charter; while it did not have the endorsement of a Parliamentary act, as pointed out by Griffiths in
Bridewell was one of London’s first prisons, and thus the term "bridewell" became synonymous with prison and punishment. In Ille send you to Bridewell
in
selected Latine and English phrases wherein the purity and propriety of both languages is expressed(Clarke 46). In his
Seruant, or slaue kept in person, & forced to worke: a Bridwell birde(
A prison, a jail; esp. a house of correction in which inmates are put to work(
I think you were broght vp in the vniuersitie of bridewell, you haue your rhetorick so ready at your toongs end(W.S. sig. F2v).
Most early modern literary texts depict Bridewell negatively; the prison is often the dwelling place for the morally unsound. For instance, in the ballad
be trydein Bridewell, including an
old Maltmanwho drinks while he works; a
Carrier that travels by night very latewho steals ale and rides boats on the Thames; and a
wench of plaine dealingwho practices prostitution (
beating hemp in Bridewell to choke theeues,likely put away for prostitution and put to work while serving her sentence (Dekker sig. L4v).
lash’d, and slash’d(Jonson sig. I4v). Being sent to Bridewell for punishment, as Griffths argues, was a common fate for women prosecuted in the
However, not all references to Bridewell were wholly negative. In
Your Bridewell? that the name? for beauty, strength, Capacity and forme of ancient building, (Beſides the Riuers neighbourhood) few houſes Wherein we keepe our Court can better it. This play depicts the institution in a favorable light.
In
Pilkington sig. O7rLooke into London, and see what hospitals be there founded in the Gospell time, and the poore in dede releued, youth godly brought vppe, and the idls set to worke. Poperye would some time fede the hungry, but seldome correct the vnprofitable drones that sucked the honye from the labouring bees, nor bring vp children in the feare of God, but to fill the bellye, and not to teache vertue is to encrease vice. Wel worth Bridewell therfore, for it is a good schole.
Accordingly, religious tracts held seemingly ambivalent views of Bridewell. While
broad Hell(Adams 7), in
To cure the Idle(Adams 22—23). While this remedy prescribed for idle persons might shock modern audiences, it was regarded as a likely sentence in the early modern period. In a didactic tract published by an anonymous writer titledthere is no medicine like a good whips, to let out his lazy bloud; and a good dyet of daily labour, which some skilfull Bedle must see him take; put him into the bath at Bridewell, to take away the numnesse of his joynts and scowre off his ruse, and so he may be recovered
would wrong no man sacretly, but in the streets kill them openly, and the loyalist replies,
Why truly it is the general report of the City, especially for these thrée v v v, Vice, Villany, and Vani[t]y, and for thrée b b b, Bloody, Base, and Busie, and for thrée t t t, Trouble, Treason, and Treachery, whereby you may search Bedlam, Bridewell and Newgate, and hardly find any to exceed them(
Bridewell was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in
Research Assistant, 2018-2021. Lucas Simpson was a student at the University of Victoria.
Research Assistant, 2018-2020. Chris Horne was an honours student in the Department of English at the University of Victoria. His primary research interests included American modernism, affect studies, cultural studies, and digital humanities.
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Student contributor enrolled in
Clergyman.
Queen consort of England
King of Britain and founder of London. Husband of
Holy Roman Emperor
Playwright, poet, and author.
King of England
Lawyer and historian. Not to be confused with
King of England and Ireland
Poet and playwright.
Queen of England and Ireland
Historian and author of
Poet.
Archbishop of York
Sheriff of London
Patron saint of Kildare. Known for her generosity to the poor.
Luxembourgeois historian. Author of
Duke of Richmond and Earl of Nottingham. Illegitimate son of
Bishop of Durham
Daughter of
Sheriff of London
Dramatic character in
Printer and lexicographer.
The