And therefore to ſpeake of watchesWatches in the night commanded. and ſhewes in the nightes: Firſt I reade that in the yeare of Chriſt, 1253. watches in Cities and Borough towns were commanded by king Henry the thirde, for the better obſeruing of peace and quietneſſe amongſt his people: And farther by the aduice of them of Sauoy: hee ordayned that if any man chanced to bee robbed, or by any meanes damnified, by any theefe or robber, hee to whome the charge of keeping that country, Citie or Borough chifely appertained where the robbery was don, ſhould competently reſtore the loſſe: And this was after the vſe of Sauoy, but yet thought more harde to bee obſerued, here, then in thoſe partes: and therefore leauing thoſe laborious watches, I will ſpeake of our pleaſures and paſtimes in watching by night. In the monethes of Iune, and Iuly, on the Uigiles or Feſtiuall daies, and on the ſame Feſtiuall daies in the eueninges, after the Sunne Bonefiers and banqueting in the ſtreetes.ſetting, there were vſually made Bonefiers in the ſtreetes, euery man beſtowing wood or labour towardes them: the welthier ſorte alſo before their dores neare to the ſaide Bonefires would, ſet out tables on the Uigiles furniſhed with ſweete breade, and good drinke, and on the Feſtiuall daies with meates and drinkes plentifully, whereunto they woulde inuite their neighboures and Paſſengers alſo to ſit, and be merry with them in greate familiarity, praiſing God for his benefites beſtowed on them: Theſe were called Bonefires aſwell of good amity amongſt neighbours that being before at controuerſie, (were there by the labour of others) reconciled, and made of bitter enemies, louing frendes: as alſo for the vertue that a great Of watches in London. 75 greate fire hath to purge Watches at Midſommer.the infection of the aire. On the vigils of S. Iohn Baptiſt, and of S. Peter, and Paul the Apoſtles, beſides the ſtanding watches all in bright harneſſe in euery warde, and ſtreete of this Citie, there was alſo a marching watch, that paſſed through the principall ſtreetes thereof, to wit from the little Conduite by Paules gate through weſt Cheape, by the Stocks, throgh Cornhill, by Leaden hall to Aldegate, then backe downe Fenchurchſtreete, by Graſſe church, aboute Graſſe church Conduite, and vp Graſſe church ſtreete into Cornhill, and through it into weſt Cheape, againe, and ſo broke vp, the whole way ordered for this marching watch, extended to 3200. Taylors yards of aſſize, for the furniture whereof with lightes there were appointed 700. Creſſetes, 500. of them being founde by the Companies, the other 200. by the Chamber of London: beſides the which lights euery Conſtable in London) in number more then 240. had his Creſſet: the charge of euery Creſſet was in light two ſhillinges foure pence, and euery Creſſet had two men, one to beare or hold it, an other to beare a bag with light, and to ſerue it, ſo that the poore men perteyning to the Creſſets, taking wages, beſides that euery one had a ſtrawne hat, with a badge painted, and his breakfaſt amounted in number to almoſt 2000. The marching watch conteyned in number aboute 2000. men, parte of them being olde ſouldiers, of skill to bee captaines, Lieutenantes, Sergeantes, Corporals, &c. Wiflers, Drommers, and Fifes, Standard and Enſigne bearers, Sworde players, Trompiters on Horſebacke, Demilaunces on greate horſes, Gunners with hand Guns, or halfe hakes Archers in coates of white ſuſtian ſigned on the breſt and backe with the armes of the citie, their bowes bent in their handes, with ſheafes of arrowes by their ſides, Pike men in bright corſlets, Burganets, &c. Holbarders, like the Bilmen, in Almaine Riuetes, and Aperns of Mayle in greate number, there were alſo diuers Pageantes, Morris dancers, Conſtables the one halfe (which was 120. on S. Iohns Eue,Celebrated on 23 June. the other halfe on S. Peters EueCelebrated on 29 June. in bright harneſſe ſome ouergilte, and euery one a Iornet of Scarlet thereupon, and his hench man following him, his minſtrels before him, and his creſſet light paſſing by him, the Wayts of the citie, the Mayors Officers, for his guarde before him, all in 76 Of watches in London. in a Liuery of wolſted or Say Iacquetes party coloured, the Mayor him ſelfe well mounted on horſebacke, the Sword bearer before him in fayre Armour well mounted alſo, the Mayors footmen, and the like Torch bearers aboute him, Hench men twaine, vpon great ſtirring horſes following him. The Shiriffes watches came one after the other in like order, but not ſo large in number as the Mayors: for where the Mayor had beſides his Giant thrée Pageantes, each of the Shiriffes had beſides their Giantes but two Pageants, ech their Morris Dance, and one hench man, their Officers in Iacquetes of wolſted, or Say, party coloured, differing from the Mayors and each from other, but hauing harniſed men a greate many, &c.

This Midſommer watch was thus accuſtomed yearely, time out of minde, vntill the yeare 1539. the 31. of Henry the 8. in which yere on the eight of May, a great muſter was made by the Citizens, at the Miles ende, all in bright harneſſe, with coates of white ſilke,A greate muſter at Londō. or cloth, and chaynes of gold, in three great battailes, to the number of 15000. which paſſed through London to Weſtminſter, and ſo through the Sanctuarie, and round about the Parke of S. Iames, and returned home through Oldbourne. King Henry then conſidering the greate charges of the Citizens for the furniture of this vnuſuall Muſter, forbad the marching watch prouided for, at Midſommer, for that yeare, which being once laide downe, was not raiſed againe till the yeare 1548. the ſecond of Edwarde the ſixt, Sir Iohn Greſham, then being Maior, who cauſed the marching watch, both on the Eue of S. Iohn Baptiſt,Celebrated on 23 June. and of S. Peter the Apoſtle,Celebrated on 29 June. to bee reuiued and ſet foorth, in as comely order as it had beene accuſtomed, which watch was alſo beutified by the number of more then 300. Demilances, and light horſemen, prepared by the Citizens to bee ſent into Scotland for the reſcue of the towne of Hadington, and others kept by the Engliſh men, ſince this Maiors time, the like marching watch in this Citie hath not been vſed, though ſome attempts haue beene made thereunto, as in the yere 1585.Iohn Mountgomery. a booke was drawn by a graue Citizen, & by him dedicated to Sir Thomas Pulliſon, then Lord Maior and his Brethren the Aldermen: conteyning the manner and order of a marching watch in the cittie vpon Of Watches in London. 77 vpon the Euens accuſtomed, in commendation whereof (namely in time of peace to be vſed) he hath wordes to this effect. The Artificers of ſondrie ſortes were thereby well ſet a worke, none but rich men charged: poore men helped: olde Souldiers, Trompiters, Drommers, Fifes, and enſigne bearers, with ſuch like men, meet for Princes ſeruice kept in vre, wherein the ſafety and defence of euery common weale conſiſteth. Armonur and Weapon being yearely occupied in this wiſe: the Citizens had of their owne redily prepared for any neede, whereas by intermiſſion hereof, Armorers are out of worke, Souldiers out of vre, weapons ouergrown with foulenes, few or none good being prouided. &c.

In the moneth of Auguſt aboute the feaſt of S. Bartlemew the Apoſtle,Celebrated on 24 August. before the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Shiriffes of London placed in a large Tent neare vnto Clarken well, of old time were diuers daies ſpent in the paſtime of wreſtling, where the Officers of the Citie: namely the Shiriffes, Serieantes and Yeomen, the Portars of the kinges beame, or weigh houſe, and other of the Citie were challengers of all men, in the ſuburbes ʿto wreſtle for games appointed: and on other daies, before the ſaide Maior, Aldermen and Shiriffes, in Fenſbery fielde, to ſhoote the Standarde, broade arrow, and flight, for games: but now of late yeares the wreſtling is onely practiſed on Bartilmew dayCelebrated on 24 August. in the after noone, and the ſhooting ſome three or foure dayes after, in one after noone and no more. What ſhoulde I ſpeake of the auncient dayly exerciſes in the long bow by Citizens of this cittie, now almoſt cleane left of and forſaken. I ouer paſſe it: for by the meane of cloſing in the common groundes, our Archers for want of roome to ſhoote abroade, creepe into bowling Allies, and ordinary dicing houſes, nearer home, where they haue roome enough to hazard their money at vnlawfull games: where I leaue them to take their pleaſures.