THe originall foundation of London bridge, Londō bridge firſt of timber by report of Bartholomew Linſled, alias Fowle, laſt Prior of S. Marie Oueries, Church in Southwarke was this: a Ferrie being kept in place where now the BridgeI.e., London Bridge. is builded, at length the Ferrimar and his wife deceaſing,A fireI.e., ferry. ouer the Thames between London and Southwarke left the ſame Ferrie to their onely daughter, a maiden named Marie, which with the goods left by her Parents, as alſo with the profites riſing of the ſaid Ferrie, builded a houſe of Siſters in place where now ſtandeth the eaſt part of S. Marie Oueries church aboue the Quier, where ſhe was buried, vnto the which houſe ſhe gaue the ouerſight and profites of the Ferrie, but afterwardes the ſaide houſe of Siſters being conuerted into a colledge of Prieſtes, the Prieſtes builded the Bridge (of Tymber)Londō bridge builded of timber. as all other the greate bridges of this Land were, and from time to time kept the ſame in good reparations, till at length conſidering the greate charges of repayring the ſame there was by aide of the Citizens of London and others a bridge builded of ſtone as ſhal be ſhewed.

But firſt of the timber bridge, the antiquity thereof being vncertaine, but I remember to haue red,VVilliam Malmſebery. that in the yeare of Chriſt,994. Sweyn king of Denmark beſieging the city of London, both by water and by land, the Citizens manfully defended themſelues, and their king Ethelred, ſo as part of their ennemies were ſlaine in battaile, and parte of them were drouned in the Riuer of Thames, becauſe in their haſtie rage, they tooke no heede of the Bridge.I.e., London Bridge.

Moreouer in the yeare 1016. Canute the Dane with a greate nauie came vp to London, and on the ſouth of the Thames, cauſed a Trench to bee caſt, through the which his ſhips were towed into the weſt ſide of the bridge,I.e., London Bridge. and then with a deepe Trench and ſtreight ſiege he compaſſed the citie round aboute.

Alſo in the yeare 1052. Earle Godwin with the like nauie, taking his courſe vp the Riuer of Thames, and finding none that C2 offe- 20 Of London bridge and other in this Citie. offered to reſiſt on the bridge,I.e., London Bridge. he ſayled vp by the ſouthſide of the ſaid riuer. Furthermore aboute the yeare 1067. Wiliam the Conqueror in his Charter, to the church of S. Peter at weſtminſter, confirmed to the Monkes ſeruing God there, a gate in London, then called Buttolphes gate, with a wharfe which was at the heade of London bridge. Man went dScan cut off.ryſhod vnder Londō bridgeLiber barmond. We read likewiſe that in the yeare 1114. the 14. of Henry the firſt, the riuer of Thames was ſo dried vp, and ſuch want of water there was that betwéene the Tower of London, and the bridge,I.e., London Bridge. and vnder the bridge, not onely with horſe, but alſo a greate number of men, woemen and children, did wade ouer on foote. In the yeare 1122. the 22. of Henry the firſt. Thomas Arden gaue to the Monkes of Barmondſey, the church of S. George in Southwarke, and v.s̃. rent by the yere, out of the land perteyning to London bridge, I alſo haue ſeene a Charter vnder ſeale to the effect following. Henry king of England to Ralfe B. of Chicheſter. and all the Miniſters of Suſſex ſendeth greeting, know ye &c. I commande by my kingly authority that the Mannor called Alceſtone, which my Father gaue with other Landes, to the Abbey of Battle, be free and quiete from ſhieres and hundredes, and all other Cuſtomes of earthly ſeruitude, as my father helde the ſame, moſt freely and quietely, and namely from the worke of London bridge, and the worke of the Caſtle at Penanſey: and this I command vpon my forfeyture, witneſſe VVilliam de Pontlearche at Byrry, the which Charter with the Scale very fayre remaineth in the cuſtody of Ioſeph Holland Gentleman.

In the yeare 1136. the firſt of king Stephen, Liber barmond. Liber trinitate. a fire began, in the houſe of one Ailewarde, neare vnto Londonſtone which conſumed eaſt to Aldgate and weſt to S. Erkenwals ſhrine, in Powles Church: the bridge of timberI.e., London Bridge. ouer the riuer of Thames, was alſo burnt, &c but afterwards againe repayred. For Fitzſtephen writeth that in the raigne of king Stephen and of Henry the ſecond, when paſtimes were ſhewed on the riuer of Thames, men ſtoode in greate numbers on the bridge, wharfes, and houſes to beholde.

Now in the yeare 1163. the ſame bridge was not onely repayred London Bridge and other. 21 payred, but new made of Timber as afore by Peter of Colechurch, Prieſt and Chaplaine.

Thus much for the olde timber bridge maintainde partly by the proper landes thereof, and partly by the liberality of diuers perſons 215. yeares before the bridge of ſtone was finiſhed.

Now touching the foundation of the ſtone bridge,Londō bridge of ſtone founded. it followeth thus. Aboute the yeare 1176. the ſtone bridge ouer the riuer of Thames, at London, was begunne to be founded by the foreſaide Peter of ColeChurch, neare vnto the bridge of timber, but ſome what more towardes the weſt, for I reade that Buttolfe wharfe was in the Conquerors time,I.e., William I. at the head of London bridge. The king aſſiſted this worke: A Cardinal then being Legate here,Liber wauerley. and Richard Archbiſhop of Canterbury, gaue one thouſand markes, towardes the foundation, the courſe of the riuer for the time was turned an other way aboute by a Trench caſt for that purpoſe beginning as is ſuppoſed Eaſt, aboute Rodriffe, and ending in the Weſt about Patrickſey now tearmed Baterſey, this worke, to wit, the Arches and ſtone bridge ouer the riuer of Thames, at London, hauing beene 33. yeares in buildingLondō bridge 33. yeares in building. was in the yeare, 1209. finiſhed by the worthy Marchants of London, Serle Mercer, Wiliam Almaine, and Benedict Botewrite, principall maiſters of that worke, for Peter of Cole Church deceaſed foure yeares before this worke was finiſhed, and was buried in the Chappell builded on the ſame bridgeI.e., Chapel of St. Thomas on the Bridge. in the yeare 1205.

King Iohn gaue certaine voide places in London to builde vppon, the profites thereof to remaine towardes the charges of building and repayring of the ſame bridge: a Maſon being maiſter workemam of the bridge, builded from the foundation, the Chaple on London bridge, Chaple on Londō bridge of his owne proper expences, it was indowed for two Prieſtes, foure Clarkes and other. There was alſo a Chantrie for Iohn Hatfielde &c. So that in the yeare 23. of Henry the 6 .there was 4. Chaplens in the ſaide chappell, after that example ſundry houſes were thereupon ſhortly after erected, the firſt action on this bridge was lamentable, for within 3. yeres after the finiſhing thereof, to wit, in the yeare 1212. on the 10. of Iuly at night, a maruelous terrible chance happened, for the citie of London vpon the ſouth ſide of the riuer of Thames as alſo the C3 church 22 London bridge and other. church of our Ladie of the Canons in Southwarke being on fire,Liber dunmew. Gualter Couent. and an exceeding greate multitude of people paſſing the bridge, VV. packenton, London bridg periſhed with Fire. eyther to extinguiſh and quench it, or els to gaze at and behold it, ſuddenly the north part, by blowing of the ſouth winde was alſo ſet on fire, and the people which were euen now paſſing the bridge, perceiuing the ſame, woulde haue returned, but were ſtopped by fire, and it came to paſſe, that as they ſtayed, or protracted time, the other ende of the bridge alſo, namely the South ende, was fired, ſo that the people thronging themſelues betwéene the two fires, did nothing elſe but expect preſent death: then came there to aide them many ſhips and veſſels, into the which the multitude ſo vnaduiſedly ruſhed that the ſhips being drowned, they al periſhed: it was ſaid that through the fire and ſhipwracke there were deſtroyed about thrée thouſand perſons whoſe bodies were found in parte, or halfe burned, beſides thoſe that were wholy burnt to aſhes, and could not be found. Aboute the yeare 1282. through a greate froſt and deepe ſnow, 5. Arches of London bridge, were borne downe5. Arches of Londonbridg borne downe and carried away. In the yeare 1289. the bridge was ſo ſore decayed, for want of reparations, that men were afraid to paſſe thereon, and a Subſidy was graunted towardes the amendement thereof, Sir Iohn Britaine being Cuſtos of London. In the yeare 1395. on S. Georges day, was a greate iuſting on London bridge, betwixt Dauid Earle Craforde of Scotland, and the Lorde VVels of England: in the which, the Lord VVels was at the third courſe borne out of the ſaddle, which hiſtorie prooueth, that at that time the bridge being coaped on eyther ſide was not repleniſhed with houſes builded thereupon, as ſince it hath beene and now is. The next yeare on the 13. of Nouember, the young Queene Iſabell, commonly called the little, for ſhe was but 8. yeares olde, was conueyed from Kenington beſides Lamhith, through Southwarke to the Tower of London, and ſuch a multitude of people went out to ſee her, that on London bridge. 9. perſons were crowded to death,9. perſons crowded to death on London bridge Tower on Londonbridg builded. of whome the Prior of Tiptre a place in Eſſex was one, and a Matron on Cornhil was an other. The Tower on London bridge, at the north ende of the draw bridge, for that bridge was then readily to be drawne vp, aſwell to giue paſſage for ſhips to Queene hith, as for Of London bridge and other. 23 for the reſiſtance of any forraigne force, was begunne to bee builded in the yeare 1426. Iohn Reinwell being Maior.

An other tower there is on the ſaide Bridge ouer the gate at the South end towards Southwarke, whereof in an other place ſhalbe ſpoken.

In the yeare 1481. an houſe called the common ſtage on London bridge fell downeAn houſe on Londō bridge fel down. into the Thames: through the fall whereof 5. men were drouned: to conclude I affirme of this bridge ouer the ſaide riuer of Thames, as in other my deſcriptions, that it is a worke very rare, hauing with the drawe bridge, 20. Arches made of ſquared ſtone, of height 60. foote, and in breadth 30. foote diſtant, one from an other, 20. foote, compact and ioyned together with vaultes and ſellers: vpon both ſides bee houſes builded, ſo that it ſeemeth rather a continuall ſtreete then a bridge for the continuall fortifying, whereof againſt the inceſſant aſſaults of the riuer, it hath ouerſeers and Officers, vz.

Fleete bridge Fleete bridge in the weſt without Ludgate, a bridge of ſtone faire coaped, on eyther ſide with iron piked, on the which towards the ſouth be alſo certaine Lanthornes of ſtone, for lightes to bee placed in the winter eueninges, for commodity of trauellers. Under this bridge runneth a water ſometimes called (as I haue ſaid) the riuer of the VVels, ſince Turnemill brooke, now Fleete dike, becauſe it runneth by the Fleete, and ſo vnder Fleete bridge, into the riuer of Thames. This bridge hath beene far greater in times paſt, but hath beene leſſened, as the water courſe hath béene narrowed. It ſeemeth, this laſt bridge to bee made at the charges of Iohn VVels Mayor in the yeare, 1431. for on the coping is engrauen Wels imbraced by Angels, like as on the Standarde in Cheape, which he alſo builded: thus much of the Bridge: for of the water courſe and decay thereof I haue ſpoken in an other place.

Oldebourne bridge Oldbourne bridge. ouer the ſaide riuer of the VVels more towardes the North was ſo called, of a Bourne that ſometimes ranne downe Oldborne hill into the ſaide Riuer, this bridge of ſtone like as Fleet bridge, from Ludgate weſt, ſerueth for paſſengers with carriage or otherwiſe from Newgate toward the weſt and by North.