NExt without the barre and libertie of the citie of London and the liberties of the Dutchy of Lancaſter, Without the barre of the Citie, called Temple barre, and firſt of the Dutchy of Lancaſter. on the ſaid ſouth ſide or left hande neere vnto the Riuer of Thames, amongſt other buildings memorable for greatneſſe, the firſt was Exceſter houſe, ſo called for that the ſame belonged to the Biſhop of Exceſter, and was their Inne or London lodging: the ſame hath béene ſithence called Paget houſe, becauſe the Lord William Paget enlarged and poſſeſſed it. Then is Leyceſter houſe ſo named becauſe Robert Dudley late Earle of Leyceſter, of late new builded there. And now Eſſex houſe,Exceſter houſe ſince Leyceſter houſe, now Eſſex houſe. of the late Earle of Eſſex there inhabiting.

Then weſt was a Chappell dedicate to the Holy Ghoſt, called S. Spirit, Chapell of S. Spirit. vpon what occaſion founded I haue not read.

Then is Milford laneMilford lane. downe to the Thames, why ſo called I haue not heard nor can coniecture.

Then was the Biſhop of Bathes Inne,Biſhop of Bathes Inne, or Arundell houſe. lately new builded, for a great parte thereof by the Lorde Thomas Seamer Admirall, which came ſithence to be poſſeſſed by the Earle of Arondell,I.e., Henry fitz-Alan. and thereof called Arundell houſe.

Next beyond the which on the ſtréet ſide, was ſometime a faire Cemitorie (or Churchyard) and in the ſame a pariſh Church,Pariſh church of S. Mary at the ſtrand. called of the natiuitie of our Ladie, and the innocents at the Strand, and of ſome, by meane of a brotherhood kept there, called of S. Vrſula at the Strand.

And 366 Suburbes without the walles. And neere adioyning to the ſaid church, betwixt it and the riuer of Thames, was an Inne of Chauncery, commonly called Choſters InneCheſters Inne or Strand Inne an Inne of Chauncery. (becauſe it belonged to the Biſhoppe of Cheſter) by others named of the ſituation Strand Inne.

Then had yee in the high ſtréete a faire bridge called Strande bridge,Strand bridge. and vnder it a lane or way downe to the landing place on the banke of the Thames.

Then was the Biſhoppe of Cheſters Inne,The Biſhop of Cheſters Inne. or his London lodging. And next adioyning to it the Biſhoppe of Worceſters Inne:The Biſhop of Worceſters Inne. all which to wit, the parriſh of Saint Mary at Strande, Strand Inne, Strand bridge, with the lane vnder it, the Biſhop of Cheſters Inne, the Biſhoppe of Worceſters Inne, with all the tenementes adioyning were by commandement of Edwarde Duke of Sommerſet vncle to Edward the ſixt, and Lord Protector, pulled downe, and made leuell ground, in the yeare 1549. In this place whereof he builded that large and goodly houſe, now called Somerſet houſe.Sommerſet houſe.

In the high ſtréete néere vnto the Strande ſometime ſtoode a croſſe of ſtone againſt the Biſhoppe of Couentrie or Cheſter his houſe, whereof I reade, that in the yeare 1294. and diuers other times, the Iuſtices Itinerantes, ſate without London, at the ſtone croſſe ouer againſt the Biſhop of Couentries houſe, and ſometime they ſate in the Biſhops houſe, which was hard by the Strand.Stone croſſe at Strand.

Then next is the Sauoy ſo called of Peter Earle of Sauoy, and Richmond, Sauoy houſe firſt builded by Peter Earle of Sauoy & Richmond. ſonne to Thomas Earle of Sauoy, brother to Boniface Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and vncle vnto Helenor wife to king Henry the third.

He firſt builded this houſe in the yeare 1245. and here is ſome occaſion offered to proue that this Peter of Sauoy was alſo Earle of Sauoy. Wherefore out of a booke of the Genealogies of all the whole houſe of Sauoy, compiled by Phillebert Pingonio, Baron of Guzani, remaining in the hands of W. Smith, alias Ronugedragon officer of armes, I haue gathered this. Thomas Earle of Sauoy Thomas Earle of Sauoy his pedegrie by occaſion. had iſſue by Beatrix daughter to Aimon Earle of Geneua 9. ſons, & 3. daughters: Amades his firſt ſon ſucceeded Earle of Sauoy in the yere 1253. Peter his ſecond ſon, Earle of Sauoy, and of Richmond Suburbes without the walles. 367 Richmond, in 1268. Philip his third ſonne Earle of Sauoy and Burgundie, 1284. Thomas the 4. Earle of Flaunders and prince of Piemon, Boniface the eight, Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Beatrix Beatrix ſiſter to Peter Earle of Sauoy, mother to fiue Queenes. his daughter maried to Reymond Beringarius of Aragon, Earle of Prouince and Narbone, had iſſue, & was mother to fiue Quéenes: The firſt Margaret wife to Lewes king of Fraunce, 2. Elianor wife to Henry the 3. King of England: 3. Sanctia, wife to Richard king of Romaines. 4. Beatrix, wife to Charles king of Naples. 5. Iohanna, wife to Philip king of Nauarre.Stow is mistaken in his belief that Joan II of Navarre was the daughter of Beatrice of Savoy. To returne againe to the houſe of Sauoy, Quéene Eleanor wife to king Heury the third, purchaſed this place afterwardes of the fraternitieFratres de mōte Iouis or Priory de Cornuto by hauering at the boowre. or brethren of Montioy (vnto whome Peter as it ſéemeth gaue it) for her ſonne Edmond Earle of Lancaſter (as M. Camden hath noted out of a regiſter booke, of the Dukes of Lancaſter, H. Knighton Henry Duke of Lancaſter repaired or rather new builded it with the charges of 52000. Markes, which money hee had gathered together at the towne of Bridgerike.

Iohn the French King was lodged there, in the yeare 1357. and alſo in the yeare 1363. for it was at that time the fayreſt Mannor in England.

In the yeare 1381.H. Knighton. the rebelles of Kent and Eſſex burnt this houſe, vnto the which there was none in the realme to be compared in beauty, and ſtatelineſſe (ſaith mine Author.) They ſet fire oun it round about, and made Proclamation that none (on payne to loſe his head) ſhould conuert to his own vſe any thing that there was,Sauoy brent blowne vp with Gun powder. but that they ſhould breake ſuch plate and veſſell of Gold and ſiluer, as was found in that houſe, (which was in great plentie) into ſmall peeces and throwe the ſame into the riuer of Thames:Rebels more malicious thē couetous, ſpoile all before them. Precious ſtones they ſhoulde bruſe in morters that the ſame might bee to no vſe: and ſo it was done by them: One of their companiens they burned in the fire, becauſe he minded to haue reſerued one goodly péece of plate.

They found there certaine barrels of Gunpowder, which they thought had béene Gold or ſiluer,Liber mane ſcript, french. and throwing them into the fire, more ſuddenly then they thought, the Hall was blowne vppe, the houſes deſtroyed, and themſelues verie hardly eſcaped away.

This 368 Suburbes in libertie of the Dutchie. This houſe being thus defaced and almoſt ouerthrown by theſe rebelles for malice they bare to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaſter of later time came to the Kings hands, and was againe raiſed and beautifully builded, for an Hoſpitall of S. Iohn Baptiſt, by king Henry the ſeuenth, about the yeare 1509, for the which Hoſpitall (retayning ſtill the old name of SauoyI.e., Savoy Hospital. Sauoy builded for an Hoſpitall.) he purchaſed landes to be imploied vpon the relleuing of an hundred poore people: This Hoſpitall being valued to diſpend 529. pound, fifteene ſhillings &c. by yeare, was ſuppreſſed the tenth of Iune, the ſeuenth of Edward the ſixt: the beddes, bedding and other furniture belonging thereunto, with ſeuen hundred marks of the ſaid landes by yeare, he gaue, to the Citizens of Londō, with his houſe of Bridewell, to the furniſhing thereof, to be a workehouſe for the poore and idle perſons, and towardes the furniſhing of the Hoſpitall of S. Thomas in Southwarke lately ſuppreſſed.Hoſpitall of Sauoy ſuppreſſed.

This Hoſpitall of Sauoy Hoſpitall of Sauoy a new foundation thereof. was againe new founded, erected, corporated and endowed with landes by Queene Mary, the thirde of Nouember: in the fourth of her raigne one Iackſon tooke poſſeſſion, and was made maiſter thereof in the ſame Moneth of Nouember. The Ladies of the Court, and Maidens of honour (a thing not to be forgotten) ſtored the ſame of new with beddes, bedding and other furniture, in very ample manner &c. and it was by pattent ſo confirmed at Weſtminſter the ninth of May the fourth and fift of Phillip and Mary.

The Chappell of this Hoſpital ſerueth now as a Pariſh church to the tenements thereof neere adioyning and others.

The next was ſometime the Biſhoppe of Carliles his Inne, which now belongeth to the Earle of Bedford, & is called Ruſſell or Bedford houſe.Pariſh church of S. Iohn in the Sauoy. B. of Carlile his Inne or Bedford houſe It ſtretcheth from the Hoſpitall of Sauoy, Weſt to Iuie bridge. And thus farre on this South ſide the high ſtréete is of the libertie of the Dutchy of Lancaſter.

Iuie bridgeIuie bridge. in the high ſtreete hath a way or low going downe vnder it, ſtretching to the Thames: the like as ſometime had the Strand bridge before ſpoken of.

This whole ſtreeteThe ſtreet betwixt Temple Barre and the Sauoy firſt paued the 24. of Henry the 6. from Temple Bar to the Sauoy was commanded to be paued, and Tole to bee taken towards the charges thereof in the 24. yeare of Henry the ſixt.

Now Suburbes in libertie of the Dutchie. 369 Now to beginne againe at Temple Barre ouer againſt it. In the high ſtreete ſtandeth a payre of Stockes, and then one large middle Row of houſes and ſmall Tenements builded partly opening to the ſouth, partly towardes the North. Amongſt the which ſtandeth the Pariſh church of S, Clement Danes Pariſh church of S. Clement Danes. ſo called becauſe Harolde a Daniſh king and other Danes were buried there, and in that Churchyarde, This Harolde whome king Canutus had by a Concubine, raigned three yeares and was buried at Weſtminſter, but afterwarde Hardicanutus the lawfull ſonne of Canutus, in reuenge of a diſpleaſure done to his mother by expelling her out of the Realme, and the murder of his Brother Allured, commanded the body of Harold to be digged out of the earth and to be throwne into the Thames, where it was by a Fiſherman taken vp, and buried in this Churchyarde. This ſaide Middle Row of houſes ſtretching weſt to a ſtone Croſſe now headleſſe,Hedleſſe croſſe by the Strand by or againſt the Strand including the ſaide pariſh Church of S. Clement, is wholy of the libertie of Dutchie of Lancaſter, which libertie is gouerned by the Chancelor of that ſaide Dutchie,Chancelor of the Dutchie of Lancaſter. now at this preſent, Sir Robert Cecill knight principall Secretarie to her Maieſtie, and one of her Maieſties moſt Honorable priuie Councellors, there is vnder him a Stewarde that keepeth court and Leete for the Queene, giueth the charge and taketh the othes of euery vnder Officer, then is there foure Burgeſſes, and 4. Aſſiſtantes to take vp Controuerſies, a Bayliffe which hath two or three vnder Bayliffes that make Areſts within that libertie, 4. Conſtables, foure Wardens that keepe the Lands and Stocke for the poore, foure Wardens, for high wayes, a Iury or Inqueſt of foureteene or ſixteene to preſent defaultes, foure Alecunners which loke to aſſiſſe of weightes and meaſures, &c. foure Scauengers and a Beadle, and their common Priſon is Newgate.

Thus much for the Suburbe in the Libertie of the Dutchie of Lancaſter.