The next is Old Fiſhſtreet hill, a paſſage ſo called,Old Fiſhſtreet hill. which alſo runneth down to Thames ſtreet. In this Lane, on the Eaſt ſide thereof, is the one end of Finimore, or Five foot lane.

On the weſt ſide of this Old Fiſhſtreet hill, Biſhop of Herefords houſe. is the Biſhop of Herefords Inne, or Lodging; an ancient Houſe, and large Roomes, builded of Stone and Timber, which ſometime belonged to the Mounthaunts in Norfolke. Radulphus de Maydenstone, Biſhop of Hereford, about 1234. bought it of the Mounthaunts, and gave it to the Biſhops of Hereford, his ſucceſſors. Charles, both Biſhop of Mm2Hereford, Queene Hith Ward. Hereford, and Chancellour of the Marches, about the yeere 1517. repaired it: Since the which time, the ſame is greatly ruinated, and is now divided into many ſmall Tenements: the Hall and principall roomes, are an houſe to make Suger-loaves, &c.

Next adjoyning is the Pariſh Church of Saint Mary de Monte alto, Pariſh Church of S. Mary Monte alto. or Mounthaunt, this is a very ſmall Church, and at the firſt builded, to bee a Chappell for the ſaid houſe of the Mounthaunts, and for Tenements thereunto belonging. The Biſhop of Hereford is Patron thereof.

Monuments in this Church of Iohn Glocester, Alderman, 1345. who gave Salt-wharfe, for two Chauntries there.

Iohn Skip, Biſhop of Hereford, 1539. ſate 12. yeeres, dyed at London in time of Parliament, and was buried in this Church.

There was ſometime a faire houſe in the ſaid Pariſh of Saint Mary Mounthaunt, belonging to Robert Belkenape, one of the Kings Iuſtices, Robert Belkenape his houſe given to VV. Wickham. but the ſaid Belkenape being baniſhed this Realme, King Richard the ſecond, in the twelfth of his reigne, gave it to William Wickham, Biſhop of Winchester.

On the Eaſt ſide of this Old Fiſhſtreet hill, One old Hall of the Fiſhmongers. is one great houſe, now letten out for rent, which houſe ſometime was one of the Hals pertaining to the Company of Fiſhmongers,Fiſhmonger Hall-motes, ſix in number. at ſuch time as they had ſixe Hall-motes or meeting places: namely, twaine in Bridgeſtreet, or New Fiſhſtreet, Patents. twaine in Old Fiſhſtreet, whereof this was one, and twaine in Stockfiſhmonger Rowe, or Thames ſtreet, as appeareth by a Record the 22. of Richard the ſecond.

Next Weſt-ward, is one other Lane, called Lambard hill, Lambard Hill. the Eaſt ſide whereof is wholly of this Ward, and but halfe the Weſt ſide, to wit, from the North end of the Black-ſmiths Hall.Black-ſmiths Hall.

Then in Thames ſtreet, of this Ward, and on the North ſide over-againſt the Queenes Hith, Pariſh Church of S. Michael at Queene Hith. is the Pariſh Church of S. Michael, a convenient Church, but all the Monuments therein are defaced.

I finde that Stephen Spilman, Gentleman, of that Family in Norfolke, ſometime Mercer, Chamberlaine of London, then one of the Sheriffes, and Alder-man, in the yeere 1404. deceaſing without iſſue, gave his Lands to his Family the Spilmans, and his goods to the making or repairing of Bridges, and other like godly uſes: and amongſt others, in this Church hee founded a Chauntry, and was buried in the Quire.

Alſo Richard Marlow, Ironmonger, Maior, 1409. gave twenty pounds to the poore of that Ward, and ten Marks to the Church.

Richard Gray, His Monument yet remaineth. Ironmonger, one of the Sheriffes, 1515. gave 40. l. to that Church, and was there buried.

At the Weſt end of that Church, goeth up a Lane, called Pyellane. Pyellane. Pariſh Church of S. Mary Summerſet. On the ſame North ſide, at the South end of S. Mary Mounthaunt lane, is the Pariſh Church of Saint Mary Summerſet, over-againſt the Broken Wharfe: it is a proper Church, but the Monuments are all defaced, except a Grave-ſtone lately there layed, with this inſcription:

I thinke the ſame to bee of old time called Summers Hith, Summer Hith. of ſome mans name, that was owner of the ground neere adjoyning, as Edreds Hith was ſo called of Edred, owner thereof, and ſince called Queene Hith, as pertaining to the Queene, &c.

Then is a ſmall Pariſh Church of St. Peter; Pariſh Church of S. Peter Parva by Pauls VVharfe. called Parva, or little, neere unto Pauls Wharfe: In this Church no Monuments doe remaine.

Queene Hith Ward. At the Weſt end thereof is a Lane, called St. Peters Hill: but two houſes up that Lane, on the Eaſt ſide, is of this Ward, and the reſt is of Caſtle Baynard VVard.

On the South ſide of Thames ſtreete, beginning againe in the Eaſt, among the Cookes; the firſt in this VVard is the ſigne of David the King.

Then is Towneſ-end lane, turning down to the Thames. Townes-end Lane.

Then is Queene Hith, a large Receptacle for Ships,Eldreds Hith or Queene Hith. Lighters, Barges, and ſuch other Veſſels. Touching the Antiquity and uſe of this Gate and Hith, firſt I finde, that the ſame belonged to one named Edred, & was then called Edreds Hith: which ſince falling to the hands of King Stephen, Lib. Trinitate. it was by his Charter confirmed to William de Ypre: the Farme thereof in Fee and in Heritage. William de Ypre gave it unto the Prior and Covent of the Holy Trinity within Ealdgate, as appeareth by this Charter.

To Theobald, by the grace of God, Archbiſhop of Canturbury, Primate of England, and Legate Apoſtolike to the Biſhop of London, and to all faithfull people, Clerkes and Lay-men, William de Ypre ſendeth greeting: Know ye me to have given and granted to God, and to the Church of the Holy Trinity of London, to the Prior and Canons there, ſerving God, in perpetuall Almes, Edreds Hith, with the appurtenances, with ſuch devotion, that they ſhall ſend every yeere twenty pounds, unto the maintenance of the Hoſpitall of Saint Katharines, which Hoſpitall they have in their hands, and an hundred ſhillings to the Monkes of Bermondſey, and threeſcore ſhillings to the Brethren of the Hoſpitall of Saint Giles, and that which remaineth, the ſaid Prior and Canons ſhall enjoy to themſelves. Witneſſes, Richard de Luce, Ralph Bigot, &c.

This Edreds Hith, Record. after the aforeſaid Grants, came again to the Kings hands, by what meanes I have not read: but it pertained unto the Queene; and therefore was called Ripa Reginæ, the Queens Banke, or Queenes Hith, and great profit thereof was made to her uſe, as may appeare by this which followeth.

King Henry the third, in the ninth of his reigne, commanded the Conſtables of the Tower of London, Ships of the Ports arreſted, and forced to bring their Corne to Queene Hith. to arreſt the ſhips of the Cinque-Ports on the River of Thames, & to compell them to bring their Corne to no other place, but to the Queenes Hith only. In the eleventh of his reigne, he charged the ſaid Conſtable, to diſtraine all Fiſh offered to be ſold in any place of this City, but at the Queenes Hith. Moreover, in the 28. of his reigne, an Inquiſition was made before William of Yorke, the Provoſt of Beverley, Henry of Bath, and Hierome of Caxton, Juſtices Itinerantes, ſitting in the Tower of London, touching the Cuſtomes of Queene Hith, obſerved in the yeere laſt before the warres betweene the King and his father, and the Barons of England, and of old cuſtomes of other times, and what cuſtomes had beene changed, at what time the taxe and payment of all things comming thither, and betweene Woorepath, and Anede Hith, were found and ſeized, according to the old order, aſwell Corne and Fiſh, as of other things.Liberty of the Queens Hith from the Steeleyard to the Blacke Friers. All which cuſtomes were as well to be obſerved in the part of Downegate, as in Queene Hith, for the Kings uſe. When alſo it was found, that the Corne arriving betweene the gate of the Guild Hall of the Merchants of Colleyne, and the Soke of the Archbiſhop of Canturbury (for he had a houſe neere unto the Blacke Friers) was not to be meaſured by any other quarter,Soke is Court. than by that of the Queenes Soke.

After this, the Bailiffes of the ſaid Hith complained, that ſince the ſaid Recognition, foureteene forraine Ships, laden with Fiſh, arrived at Belinſgate, which Ships ſhould have arrived at the ſaid Hith: And therefore it was ordered, that if any forraigne Ship laden with Fiſh, should in forme aforeſaid arive elſe-where than at this Hith, it ſhould be at the Kings pleaſure to amerce them at 40. s. Notwithſtanding, the Ships of the Citizens of London were at liberty, to arrive where the owners would appoint them.

After this, Queene Hith let to farme to the Maior and Communalty of London. the ſaid Henry the third confirmed the Grant of Richard Earle of Cornewall, for the Farme of Queene Hith, unto Iohn Giſors, then Maior, and to the Communalty of London, and their ſucceſſors for ever, as by this his Charter appeareth.

Queene Hith Ward. Henry by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Guien, and Earle of Anjou, to all Archbiſhops, &c. Be it knowne, that wee have ſeene the Covenant betweene our Brother Richard, Earle of Cornwall, of the one party, and the Maior and Communalty of London on the other party, which was in this ſort. In the thirtieth yeere of Henry, Lib. Trinit. Lon. the ſonne of King Iohn, upon the Feaſt of the Tranſlation of S. Edward at Weſtminſter, this Covenant was made betweene the Honourable Lord Richard, Earle of Cornwall, and Iohn Giſors, then Maior of London; and the Commons thereof, concerning certaine exactions and demands pertaining to the Queene Hith of London. The ſaid Earle granted for himſelfe and his heyres, that the ſaid Maior, and all Maiors enſuing, and all the Commons of the City, ſhould have and hold the Queene Hith, with all the Liberties, Cuſtomes, and other appurtenances, repaying yeerly to the ſaid Earle, his heires and aſſignes, fifty pounds, at Clarken-well, at two ſeverall termes; to wit, the Sunday after Eaſter 25. pounds, and at Michaelmas 25. pounds. And for more ſurety hereof, the ſaid Earle hath ſet thereunto his Seale, and left it with the Maior, and the Maior and Communalty have ſet to their Seale, and left it with the Earle. Wherefore We confirme and eſtabliſh the ſaid Covenant, for Vs and for our heires. Witneſſes, Ralph Fitz-Nichol, Richard Gray, Iohn and Will. Brithem, Paulin Painter, Ralph Wancia, Iohn Cumband, and other: At Windſor, the 26. of February, the 31. of our reigne.

The charge of this Queene Hith was then committed to the Sheriffes, and ſo hath continued ever ſince; the profits whereof are ſore diminiſhed; ſo that (as writeth Robert Fabian) it was worth (in his time) little above 20. Markes,Rob. Fabian Lib. Conſtit. or 15. pounds one yeere with another.

Now, for Cuſtomes of this Queene Hith: Cuſtome of Queene Hith. In the yeere 1302. the thirtieth of Edward the firſt, it was found by the oath of divers men, that Bakers, Brewers, and others, buying their Corne at Queen Hith, ſhould pay for Meaſuring, Portage, and Carriage, for every Quarter of Corne whatſoever, from thence to West Cheape, to S. Anthonies Church, to Horſe-ſhoo Bridge, and to Woolſey ſtreet, in the Pariſh of Alhallowes the leſſe, and ſuch like diſtances, one ob. q. to Fleetſtreet, to Newgate, Creplegate, to Birchovers lane, to East-Cheape, and Billinſgate, A Corne-Meater, 8 Maſter Porters, and 24. Porters under them, at Queene Hith. one penny. Alſo, that the Meaſurer (or the Meater) ought to have eight chiefe Maſter Porters, every Maſter to have three Porters under him, and every one of them to finde one Horſe, and ſeven Sackes, and hee that ſo did not, to looſe his Office. This Hith was then ſo frequented with Veſſels, bringing thither Corne (besides Fiſh, Salt, Fuell, and other Merchandizes) that all theſe men, to wit, the Meater, and Porters, thirty ſeven in number, for all their charge of Horſes and Sackes, and small ſtipend, lived well of their labours: but now the Bakers of London, and other Citizens, travell into the Countries, and buy their Corne of the Farmers, after the Farmers price.

King Edward the ſecond,Lib. Guild, in the firſt of his reigne, gave to Margaret, wife to Peter de Gaveſtone, forty three pounds, twelve ſhillings, nine pence halfe penny farthing, out of the Rent of London, to be received of the Queenes Hith. Certaine impoſitions were ſet upon Ships and other Veſſels comming thither, as upon Corne, Salt, and other things, toward the charge of cleanſing Roomeland there,Roomeland at Queene Hith. the 41. of Edward the third.

The third of Edward the fourth, the Market at Queene Hith being hindered by the ſlackneſſe of drawing up London Bridge, it was ordained, that all manner of Veſſels, Ships, or Boates, great or ſmall, reſorting to the City with victuall, ſhould be ſold by retaile, and that if there came but one Veſſell at a time, were it Salt, Wheate, Rie, or other Corne from beyond the Seas, or other Graines, Garlicke, Onions, Herrings, Sprats, Eeles, Whiting, Plaice, Cods, Mackarell, &c. then that one Veſſell ſhould come to Queene Hith, and there to make ſale. But if two Veſſels came, the one ſhould come to Queene Hith, the other to Billinſgate: Queene Hith to be more frequented of Ships & Boates than Billinſgate. if three, two of them ſhould come to Queene Hith, the third to Billinſgate, &c. alwaies the more to Queene Hith. If the Veſſell being great, comming with Salt from the Bay, and could not come to theſe Keyes, then the ſame Queene Hith Ward. ſame to be conveied by Lighters, as before is meant.

One large houſe,Garner for Corne at Queene Hith. for ſtowage of Corne, craned out of Lighters and Barges, is there lately builded. Sir Iohn Lion, Grocer, Maior 1554. by his Teſtament gave 100. l’. towards it: But ſince it hath beene increaſed and made larger, at the charges of the Citie, in the yeere 1565.

Againſt this Queenes Hith, on the River of Thames, of late yeeres was placed a Corne-Mill,A Corne Mill upon Barges or Lighters on the Thames. upon, or betwixt two Barges or Lighters, and there ground Corne, as Water-Mills in other places, to the wonder of many, that had not ſeene the like. But this laſted not long without decay: ſuch as cauſed the ſame Barges and Mill to be removed and taken aſunder, are ſoone forgotten. I read of the like to have been in former time, as thus:

In the yeere 1525. the 16. of Henry the 8. Sir William Bayly being Maior, Iohn Cooke of Gloceſter, Mercer, gave to the Maior and Communalty of London, and theirs for ever, one great Barge, in the which two great Corne-mills were made and placed;Two Corne Mils in one Barge given to this City, 1525. which Barge and Mills were ſet in and upon the ſtreame of the River of Thames, within the juriſdiction and libertie of the ſaid Citie of London. And alſo he gave to the Citie all ſuch Timber, Boords, Stones, Iron, &c. provided for making, mending, and repairing of the ſaid Barge and Mils: in reward whereof, the Maior gave him 50. l’. preſently, and 50. l’. yeerely, during his life: and if the ſaid Cooke deceaſed before Ioane his wife, then ſhee to have forty Markes the yeere during her life.

Next adjoyning to this Queene Hith, on the Weſt ſide thereof,Salt Wharfe is Salt Wharfe, named of Salt taken up, meaſured, and ſold there.

The next is Stew lane, Stew lane. of a Stew, or Hot-houſe there kept.

After that is Timber Hith, Timber Hith. or Timber ſtreet, ſo called, of Timber, or Boords, there taken up and wharfed: It is in the Pariſh of S. Mary Somers-Hith, as I read in the 56. of Henry the third, and in the ninth of Edward the ſecond.

Then is Brookes Wharfe, Brookes Wharfe. and Broken Wharfe, Broken Wharfe. a Water-gate or Key ſo called, of being broken, and falne downe into the Thames.

By this Broken Wharfe remaineth one large old building of ſtone,Bygots houſe by Broken Wharfe. with arched Gates; which Meſſage, as I find, in the reigne of Henry the third, the 43. yeere, pertained unto Hugh de Bygot; and in the 11. of Edward the third, to Thomas Brothertun, the Kings Brother, Earle of Norfolke, Marſhall of England. In the 11. of Henry the 6. to Iohn Mowbray, Duke of Norfolke, &c.

Within the Gate of this Houſe (now belonging to the Citie of London) is lately, An Engine for enforcing of Thames water. to wit, in the yeere 1594. and 1595 builded one large houſe, of great height, called an Engine, made by Bevis Bulmar, Gentleman, for the conveying and forcing of Thames water, to ſerve in the middle and Weſt parts of the Citie. The ancient great Hall of this Meſſuage is yet ſtanding, and pertaining to a great Brew-houſe for Beere.

Weſt from this is Trigge lane, Trigge lane. going downe to the Thames. Next is called Boſſe lane, Boſſe lane. of a Boſſe of water, like unto that of Belinſgate, there placed by the Executors of Richard Whitington.

Then is one great Meſſuage, ſometime belonging to the Abbots of Chartſey in Surrey, and was their Inne, wherin they were lodged when they repaired to the Citie: it is now called Sandie houſe, by what reaſon I have not heard: I thinke the Lord Sands hath been lodged there.

And this is an end of this Queen Hith Ward; which hath an Alderman, and his Deputy; Common-Counſell, ſixe; Conſtables, nine; Scavengers, eight; Ward-mote Inqueſt, thirteene, and a Beadle. It is taxed to the Fifteene in London, twenty pounds, and in the Exchequer, at nineteene pounds, ſixteene ſhillings, two pence.