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The Preface.
QUIA Labilitas humane memorie, brevitasque vite de singulis rebus
memorandis, licet
Scriptis, presertim irregulariter & confusè & multo magis de non
scriptis,
certum herè notitiam, non permittunt: Cúmque per frequentes
prestilentias, subtractis velut insimul cunctis Gubernatoribus longevis, magis
expertis &
discretioribus Civitatis Regal. London; Juniores eis in Civitatis regimine
succedentes in
varijs casibus, pro defectu scripture nimirum, sepius ambigebant; unde super
judicijs
reddendis controversia & perplexitas inter eos pluries causabantur;
Necessarium
videbatur adeo tam superioribus quam subditis dct. Civitatis, quoddam Volumen,
quod
Repertorium a contento in eo Civitatis regimine, diceretur, ex notabilibus
memorandis,
tam in Libris, Rotulis, quam in cartis dct. Civitatis, inordinatè
diffuséque positis, compilari. Et quia dict. propositum, qua de causa
nescitur,
nisi propter laborem nimium, huctenus non fuerit executum, tempore Maioratus
nobilis
viri Richardi Whityngton Maioris dct. Civitatis, An. viz. Incarnationis Domini
Millimo.
quadringentesimo decimo nono, Regno vero Regis Hen. Quinti post Conquestum 7mo.
mense Novembris, hujusmodi Volumen, annuente Dno. compilatur; Continens in se
tam laudabiles Observancias, non scriptas, in dict. Civitate fieri solitas,
& approbatas;
Ne posterius deleat ipsas Oblivio; quàm notabilia memoranda, modo quo
predicitur, sparsim & inordinatè scripta: ut securius per ea cognita,
sciant tam
superiores quam subditi dct. Civitatis, quid in casibus raris & insolitis de
cetero sit
agendum, &c.
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Et ut facilius inveniatur quod a Lectoribus queritur in hoc Libro presens
Volumen in 4
Libros, & quilibet Liber in certas partes per suos Articulos & Capitula
distinguetur,
quæ per separalia Tabulas & Kalendaria ante cujuslibet librorum
predictorum
initium titulata, manisfestius apparebit, &c.
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This is a Short Account of the Liber Albus. The other Book, which I had also
the Favour of perusing, namely Horne, was near an Hundred Years older, so
named from Andrew Horne, sometime Chamberlain of the City, viz. in the Time of
King Edward II. What this Book contains, is told by this Inscription in one
Place of it,
viz. Iste Liber restat
Andreæ Horne Piscenario London. de Breggestrete. In quo
continentur Cartæ, & aliæ Consuetudines predict. Civitat.
Angliæ & Statuta per Henricum Regem, & Edwardum Regem fil.
predict. Regis
Henrici edita. And again,
In isto Libro continentur tota Statuta, & Ordinationes
& Cartæ & Libertates, & Consuetudines Civitat. London &
Ordo Justitiorum
itinerantium apud Turrim Lond. & ipsum iter.
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Fo. CCVI.
Fol. VIII.
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Another Book also there was in the Chamber, which I also perused for the same
Purpose, called Liber Custumorum. The First Tract whereof is, de Laudibus
Nobilitatis Insulæ
Britanniæ. It is in old French, and consisteth of thirteen Chapters;
Beginning
thus,
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"De Britaigne, que ore est appele Engleterre, & qui est si benure sur
toutes autres
Isles; & qui est si plentiuous de blez & des arbres, & large de boys
& de rivers & de
veneisons & de oisiaus covenables, & noble de mout de maneres bons
chiens. Citees y
ad mont belles et bien assises, & belles guámeries de terre amyable;
close de
mere & de douces Ewes delitables: ceo est asavoir, de fluvies, de beaus
undes, de clers
fountaynes & de douces, &c. Un Sage Home fait ces vers a Loenge
D'Engleterre:"
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Illa quidem longe celebri splendore beata
Glebis, Lacte, favis, supereminet Insula cunctis,
Quas regit ille Deus, spumanti cujus ab ore
Testes LONDONIE Ratibus, Wyntonia Baccho,
Hereforda grege, Wyrecestria fruge redundans;
Batha Lacu, Saresbiria feris, Cantuaria pisce,
Eboracum Sylvis, Excestria clara metallis,
Norvycum Satis, hybernis Cestria gallis,
Cicestrum Norwageniis, Dunelmia Principatis.
Testes Lincolnie, gens infinita decore
Testis Ely, formosa situ, Roucestria visu, &c.
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And then after this Flourish for England, the Writer applies himself to treat of
London;
as, the several Charters, the Wards, and the Streets, Passages and Places there,
Privileges of Maiors, & c.
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To which I add the Calendarium Cameræ London. Which was also
another Book in the Chamber, of use to me also in my Searches.
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My Extracts from these Books in the Chamber, were very large, as being of divers
and
various Matters; such as I thought proper for my Use, in order to a further
Improvement of this SURVEY. My next Business was to digest these my Collections
into their suitable Places throughout the whole Book. And in order to that, to
obtain
leave that my Papers, which remained in the Town Clerks Hand, might be restored
to
me. Which at length by an Order of the Court of Aldermen, Sir Sam. Dashwood
Lord
Maior, was granted. Which was in this Tenor.
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Dashwood Maior.
Martis XXVII. die Aprilis 1703.
Annóque R. Reginæ ANNæ
Angl. &c. Secundo.
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"Mr. Strype having, pursuant to a former Order of this Court, dated the
Nineteenth
Day of May, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Two, taken several Notes out of some
of the Cities Books, in order to his revising of Stow's SURVEY of this City;
which
were by the said Order to continue in Mr. Town Clerks Hands, till perused by
this
Court: And the said Mr. Strype now making Application into this Court, that he
might
have the said Notes from Mr. Town Clerk; It is now ordered, that for the quicker
Dispath ctherein, Mr. Recorder, Mr. Commmon Serjeant, and Mr. Town "
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