In this Fryday ſtréete on the Weſt ſide thereof, is a Lane, commonly called Mayden Lane, or Diſtaffe Lane, corruptly for Diſtar Lane, which runneth Weſt into the olde Exchange: and in this lane is alſo one other Lane, on the South ſide thereof, likewiſe called Diſtar Lane, which runneth downe to Knightriders Stréete, or olde Fiſhſtréete: and ſo be the boundes of this whole Warde. The Monuments to bee noted here, are firſt, the moſt bewtifull frame and front of faire houſes and ſhops, that be within all the walles of London, or elſewhere in England, commonly called Godſmithes rowe,The Goldſmithes rowe in Cheape. betwixt Breadſtréet end, and the Croſſe in Cheape, but is within this Breadſtréete Warde: the ſame was builded by Thomas Wood Goldſmith, one of the Sheriffes, in the yeare 1491. It continueth in number, tenne faire dwelling houſes, and fouretéene ſhops, all in one frame vniformely builded, foure ſtories high, bewtified towards the ſtréete, with the Goldſmithes Armes, and the likeneſſe of woodmen (in memorie of his name) riding on monſtrous beaſts, all which is caſt in Leade, richly painted ouer, and guilt: theſe hee gaue to the Goldſmithes, with ſtockes of money to be lent to young men, hauing thoſe ſhops &c.

This ſaid Front was againe new painted and guilt ouer, in the yeare 1594. Sir Richard Martin being then Maior, and kéeping his Maioraltie in one of them, and ſeruing out the time of Cutbert Buckle in that office, from the ſecond of Iulie, til the 28. of October. Then for Watheling Stréete,Watheling ſtreete. which Leyland calleth Atheling or Noble ſtréet: but ſince he ſheweth no reaſon why it was ſo called, I rather take it ſo named of the great high way of the ſame calling. True it is, that at this preſent as of olde time alſo, the inhabitants thereof were and are, wealthy Drapers, retailors of woollen cloathes both broad and narrowe, of all ſortes, more then in any one ſtréete of this Citie.Knightriders Streete. Of the olde Exchange, heere I haue noted in Faringdon Warde: wherfore I paſſe downe to Knightriders ſtréet, wherof I haue alſo ſpoken in Cordwainer ſtréete Ward, but in this part of the ſaid Knightriders ſtréete, is a fiſhmarket kept, and therefore called olde Fiſhſtréete, for a difference from new Fiſhſtréete.

In this olde Fiſhſtréete,Fiſhmarket called olde Fiſhſtreete. is one rowe of ſmall houſes, placed along in the middeſt of Knightriders ſtréete, which rowe is alſo of Bredſtréete Warde, theſe houſes now poſſeſſed of Fiſhmoongers, were at the first Bredeſtreete Warde. 281 firſt but mooueable boordes (or ſtables) ſette out on market dayes, to ſhewe their fiſh there to be ſold: but procuring licenſe to ſet vp ſheads, they grewe to ſhops, and by litle and litle, to tall houſes, of thrée or 4. ſtories in heigth, and now are called Fiſhſtréete. Bredeſtréet,Bredeſtreete. ſo called of bread ſolde there (as I ſayd) is now wholely inhabited by rich Marchants, and diuers faire Innes be there for good receipt of carriers, and other trauellers to the citie. On the Eaſt ſide of this ſtréet, at the corner of Watheling Stréete, is the proper church of Alhallowes in Bred ſtreet,Pariſh church of Alhallowes in Bredſtreet. wherin are the monuments of Iames Thame Goldſmith, Iohn Walpole Goldſmith 1349. Thomas Beamount Alderman, one of yͤ Sheriffes, 1442. Sir Richard Chaury Salter Maior, 1509. Sir Thomas Pargitar Salter Maior, 1530. Henry Sucley Marchantailor, one of the Sheriffes 1541. Richard Reade Alderman, that ſerued & was taken priſoner in Scotland, 1545 Robert Houſe one of the Sheriffes, 1586. William Albany: Richard May, and Roger Abde Marchantaylors. The ſtéeple of this church had ſometime a faire ſpéere of ſtone, but taken downe vpon this occaſion. In the yeare 1559. the fifth of September, about noone or midday, fell a great tempeſt at London, in the ende whereof, happenedSpeare of Alhallowes ſteeple taken downe. a great lightening, with a terrible clap of thunder, which ſtrooke the ſaid ſpeere about nine or tenne foote beneath the top thereof: out of the which place fell a ſtone, that ſlew a dogge, and ouerthrew a man that was playing with the dogge: the ſame ſpeere being but litle damnified hereby, was ſhortly after taken downe, for ſparing the charges of reparation. On the ſame ſide is Salters Hall,Salters Hall. with ſixe almes houſes in number, builded for poore decayed brethren of that company: This Hall was burned in the yeare 1539. and againe reedified.

Lower downe on the ſame ſide, is the pariſh church of Saint Mildred the Uirgine.Pariſh church of S. Mildred in Bredſtreet. The monuments in this Church bee of the Lord Trenchaunt, of Saint Albons knight, who was ſuppoſed to be eyther the new builder of this Church, or beſt benefactor to the works therof, about the year 1300. & odde. Corniſh gentleman 1312. William Palmer Blader a great benefactor alſo 1356. Iohn Shadworth Mayor, 1401. who gaue the parſonate houſe, a reueſtry, and Churchyard, in the yeare 1428. and his monument is pulled down. Stephen 282 Bredſtreete Warde. Stephen Bugge Gentleman, his Armes be 3. water bugges, 1419 Roger Forde Uintoner, 1440. Thomas Barnwell Fiſhmonger, one of the Sheriffes, 1434. Sir Iohn Hawlen Clarke, Parſon of that Church, who built the Parſonage houſe newly, after the ſame hadParſon of S. Mildred and his man burned. bene burned to the ground, togither with the Parſon and his man alſo, burned in that fire, 1485. Iohn Pranell 1510. William Hurſtwaight Pewterer to the King, 1526. Chriſtopher Turner Chirurgian to King Henry the 8. 1530. Raphe Simonds Fiſhmonger, one of the Sheriffes, in the yeare 1527. Thomas Laugham gaue to the poore of that Pariſh foure Tenements, 1575. Thomas Hall Salter, 1582. Thomas Collins Salter, Alderman. Sir Ambroſe Nicholas Salter, Maior, 1575. was buried in Sir Iohn Chadworths Uault.

Out of this Bredſtréet, on the ſame Eaſt ſide, is a Baſing lane, a part whereof (as is afore ſhewed) is of this Warde, but howe it tooke theBaſing Lane called the Bakehouſe. name I haue not read: other then that in the 20. yeare of Richard the ſecond, the ſame was called the Bakehouſe: whetherment for the Kings Bakehouſe, or of Bakers dwelling there, and baking bread to ſerue the Market in Bredſtréete, where the bread was ſolde, I knowe not: but ſure I am, I haue not reade yet of any Baſing, or of Gerrarde the Gyant, to haue any thing there to doo.

On the South ſide of this Lane, is one great houſe, of old time builded vpon Arched Uaultes of ſtone, and with Arched Gates, now a common Oſtrey for receit of Trauellers, commonly and corruptly called Gerardes Hall, of a Gyaunt ſaide to haue dwelled there.A Pole of 40. foote long, and 1Unclear; context obvious.5. inches about, fabuled to be the iuſting ſtaffe of Gerarde a Giant. In the high Rooffed Hall of this houſe, ſometime ſtood a large Firre Pole, which reached to the roofe therof, and was ſaid to be one of the ſtaues that Gerarde the Gyant vſed in the warres, to runne withall. There ſtoode alſo a Ladder of the ſame length, which (as they ſay) ſerued to aſcende to the toppe of the Staffe. Of later yeares this Hall is altered in building, and diuers roomes are made in it. Notwithſtanding the Pole is remoued to one corner of the Hall, and the Ladder hanged broken vp on a Wall in the yarde. The Hoſtelar of that houſe ſaide to me, the Pole lacked halfe a foote of fortie in length: I meaſured the compaſſe, the Bredſtreete Warde. 283 and founde it to bee fiftéene inches. Reaſon of the Pole, coulde the maiſter of the Hoſtrey giue me none, but badde me reade the great Chronicles, for there he had heard of it. Which aunſwere ſéemed to me inſufficient, for hée meant the deſcription of Brittaine, before Reinwoolfes Chronicle, wherein the Authour writing a Chapter of Gyaunts, and hauing béene deceiued by ſome Authours, too much crediting their ſmoothe ſpéeche, hath ſet downe more matter then troth, as partly (and alſo againſt my will) I am enforced to touch. R.G. R.G. A ſtone ſaid to be a toothe, and ſo by coniecture, a man to be 28. foote of height. in this briefe collection of Hiſtories hath theſe wordes. I the writer hereof, did ſée the tenth day of March, in the yeare of our Lord 1564. and had the ſame in my hande, the Toothe of a man, which waighed tenne Ounces of Troy waight. And the ſkull of the ſame man is extant and to be ſeene, which will holde fiue Peckes of wheate. And the ſhinne bone of the ſame man is ſixe foote in length, and of a maruellous greatneſſe. Thus farre of R.G. Wherevnto is added in the ſaide diſcription, that by coniecturall ſimetrie of thoſe partes, the bodie to be twentie eight foote long or more. From this hee goeth to an other matter, and ſo to Gerard the Gyant and his ſtaffe. But to leaue theſe fictions and to return where I left, I will note what my ſelfe haue obſerued concerning that houſe.

I reade, that Iohn Giſors Giſors Hall reſtored to his old name. Mayor of London, in the yeare 1245. was owner thereof, and that Sir Iohn Giſors Knight Mayor of London, and Conſtable of the Tower, one thouſand thrée hundreth and eleuen. And diuers others of that name and family ſince that time owed it. For I reade that William GiſorsStow is here incorrectly referring to Henry de Gisors as William Gisors. Henry de Gisors was Sheriff of London from 1329-1330. was one of the Sheriffes, one thouſand thrée hundreth twentie nine. More, that Iohn Giſors had iſſue, Henry and Iohn. Which Iohn had iſſue, Thomas.Stow may be incorrectly referring to John de Gisors as Thomas. According to Sir John Gisor’s ODNB article, his eldest son John de Gisors bequeathed ownership of Gerrards Hall to his son also named John de Gisors who was Mayor of London and died in 1351. Which Thomas deceaſing in the yeare one thouſand thrée hundreth and fiftie, left vnto his ſonne Thomas, his Meſſuage called Gyſors Hall, in theGerards Hall ouerthrowne with Gerard the Giant, and his great ſpear. Pariſh of Saint Mildred in Bredſtréete: Iohn GiſorsJohn Gisors died in 1351. See Kingsford (1908) 349, l. 36 for a note about this transaction. made a Feofment thereof, one thouſand thrée hundreth eightie ſixe, &c. So that it appeareth that this Giſors Hall of late time by corruption hath bin called Gerards Hall, for Giſors Hall, as Boſomes Inne for Bloſſoms In. Beuis 284 Bredſtreete Warde. Beuis Markes, for Buries Marke. Marke Lane, for Marte Lane: Belliter Lane, for Belſetters Lane: Gutter Lane, for Guthuruns Lane: Cry church, for Chriſtes church: S. Mihell in the Querne, for Saint Mihell at Corne, and ſundrie ſuch others. Out of this Giſors Hall, at the firſt building thereof, were made diuers Arched doores, yet to be ſéene, which ſéeme not ſufficient for any great monſture, or other then men of common ſtature to paſſe through, the Pole in the Hall might be vſed of olde time (as then the cuſtome was in euery pariſh) to be ſet vp in the ſtreete, in the Summer as a Maypole,Euery mans houſe of olde time was decked with holly and Iuie in the winter, eſpecially at Chriſtmas. before the principall Hall, or houſe in the pariſh, or ſtreete, and to ſtand in the Hall before the ſcrine, decked with Holme & Iuie, all the feaſt of Chriſtmas. The lader ſerued for decking of the Maypole, & Roofe of the Hall. Thus much for Giſors Hal & for yͤ ſide of Bredſtreet, may ſuffice. Now on yͤ Weſt ſide of Bredſtréet, amongſt diuers fayre and large houſes for merchants, and faire Innes for paſſengers, had yee one priſon houſe pertaining to the Sheriffes of London, called the compter in Bredſtréete: but in the yeare 1555 the priſones were remooued from thence, to one other new Compter Coumpter in Bredſtreete. in Woodſtréete, prouided by the cities purchaſe, and builded for that purpoſe: the cauſe of which remooue was this. Richard Husband Paſtelar, kéeper of this Coumpter in Bredſtréet, being a wilful and headſtrong man, dealt for his owne aduantage, hardly with the priſonersPriſoners remoued from the Coumpter in Bredſtreete to a new coumter in Woodſtreete. Keeper of the counter ſēt to Newgate. vnder his charge, hauing alſo ſernuants ſuch as himſelfe liked beſt for their bad vſage, and woulde not for any complaint bee reformed: whereupon in the yeare 1550. Sir Rowland Hill beeing Mayor, by the aſſent of a court of Aldermen, he was ſent to the gayle of Newgate,for the cruell handling of his priſoners: and it was cōmaunded to the kéeper to ſet thoſe irons on his legges, which are called the widows almes: Theſe he ware from Thurſday, till Sunday in the afternoone, and being by a court of Aldermen releaſed, on the Tueſday, was bound in an hundred markes, to obſerue from thenceforthQueſt of inquirie indight the keepers of the gayles for dealing hardly with their priſoners. an act made by the common councell, for the ordering of priſoners in the Compters: all which notwithſtanding, hee continued as afore: whereof my ſelfe am partly a witneſſe: for being of a Iurie to enquire againſt a Seſſions of Gayle deliuerie, in the yeare one thouſand fiue hundred fiftie two, wee found the priſoners hardly dealt withall, for theyr achates and otherwiſe, and that Bredſtreete Warde. 285 that théeues and ſtrumpets were there lodged for foure penceThey indighted the bowling Allies, &c. the night, whereby they might be ſafe from ſearches that were made abroad: for the which enormities, and other not néedfull to bee recited, he was indighted at that Seſſion, but did rubbe it out, and could not be reformed, til this remoue of yͤ priſoners for the houſe in Bredſtreete was his owne by Leaſe, or otherwiſe, ſo that he could not bee put from it. Such Gaylors buying their offices, will deale hardly with pittifull priſoners. Now in Fryday ſtréete,Friday ſtreete. ſo called of Fiſhmoongers dwelling there, and ſeruing frydayes market, on the Eaſt ſide, is a ſmall pariſh church, commonlyPariſh church of S. Iohn Euangeliſt. called S. Iohn Euangeliſt, the monuments therein, be of Iohn Dogget Marchantaylor, one of the Sheriffes, in the yeare 1509. Sir Chriſtoper Aſkew Draper, Mayor, 1533. Then lower downe, Pariſh church of S. Margaret Moyſes. is one other pariſh church of S. Margaret Moyſes, ſo called (as ſéemeth) of one Moyſes, that was founder, or new builder thereof. The monuments there, bee of ſir Richard Dobbet Skinner, Mayor, 1551. William Dane Ironmoonger, one of the Sheriffes, 1569. Sir Iohn Allet Fiſhmoonger, Mayor 1591.

On the Weſt ſide ofMaiden Lane or Diſtarlane. this Fryday ſtréete, is Mayden Lane, ſo named of ſuch a ſigne, or Diſtaffe Lane, for Diſtar Lane, as I reade in record of a Brew-houſe, called the Lambe in Diſtar Lane, the ſixtéenth of Henry the ſixt. In this Diſtar Lane, on theCordwayners Hall. North ſide thereof, is the Cord-wayners, or Shoomakers Hall, which company were made a brotherhood or fraternitie, in the eleuenth of Henry the fourth. On the South ſide of this Diſtar Lane, is alſo one other Lane, called Diſtar Lane: which runneth downe to Knightriders ſtréete, or olde Fiſhſtréete, and this is the ende of Bredſtréete Warde: which hath an Alderman, his Deputie, Common Councell tenne. Conſtables ten. Skauengers eight. Wardmote Inqueſt thirtéene, and a Beadle. In ſtandeth taxed to the fiftéene in London, at thirtie ſeuen pound, and in the Exchequer at thirtie ſixe pound tenne ſhillings.