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Portsoken Ward. Houndsditch. | 23 |
Portsoken Ward. Houndsditch.
So much for the Outside of the Gate, with the two Roman Coins
before remembred.
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Westward, or within, highest of all, standeth Fortune, ingeniously
carved and guilded, standing upon her Globe, or Mound, with her
Sail spreading over her Head, and looking with a graceful and
auspicious Countenance upon the City.
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Westward.
Fortune.
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Beneath her, in a large Square, are placed the King's Arms, richly
wrought and engraven, bearing the Motto,
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Somewhat lower, and to grace each Side of the Gate, are set two
feminine Personages, the one Southward, appearing to be Peace,
with a silver Dove upon her one Hand, and a guilded Wreath or
Garland in the other. On the North Side standeth Charity, with a
Child at her Breast, and another led in her hand: Implying (as I
conceive) that where Peace, and Love, or Charity, do prosper, and
are truly embraced, that City shall be for ever blessed.
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Peace.
Charity.
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Over the Arch of the Gate is thus fairly engraven:
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Senatus Populusq; Londinens. secit, 1609.
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The Charge of this Gate in Building was reputed to amount to
4000l. and upwards.
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Over the Postern of this Gate, where the People pass on Foot, is
this Inscription: This Postern was made at the Care and Cost of the
honourable City of London in the Maioralty of Sir Anthony
Bateman, Anno Dom. 1663.]
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J. S.
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From Aldgate North West to Bishopsgate lyeth the Ditch of the
City, in that Part called Houndsditch, because that in old time,
when the same lay open, much Filth (conveyed forth of the City,
especially dead Dogs) was there laid or cast.
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Houndsditch.
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Into this filthy Ditch King Canutus commanded Edrick, a noble
Saxon, who had basely slain his King and Lord Edmund Ironside,
to be drawn by the Heels from Bainards Castle through the City,
and cast in there, after he had first been tormented to Death by
lighted Torches. Rich. of Ciciter.]
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Edrick for Treachery thrown into this Ditch.
J. S.
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Of later Time a Mud Wall was made, enclosing the Ditch, to keep
out the laying of such Filth as had been accustomed.
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A Mud Wall against Houndsditch.
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Over against this mud Wall, on the other Side of the Street, was a
fair Field, sometime belonging to the Priory of the Trinity, and
since, by Sir Tho. Awdley, given to Magdalen College in Cambridge.
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A Field on the East Side.
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This Ground contained a Messuage, a Dove House, and a Garden of
about seven Acres. There was also adjoining to this Garden a
great Gate, and a Building over, and a Street or Lane leading from
Houndsditch thither. For all this Sir Tho. Audley obtained of King
Henry special Letters Patents, dated March 23. in the 25th of his
Reign, as belonging to the Priory, to this Tenor:
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A Messuage and seven Acres in Houndsditch.
J. S.
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Henricus Octavus Dei gratia, &c. Omnibus ad quos, &c. Sciatis quod
nos, &c. Dedidmus & concessimus, &c. i.e.
"Know ye, that we
have given and granted to the said Thomas, one Messuage, one
Dovecoat, and one Garden or Parcel of Land, with the
Appurtenances, containing by Estimation seven Acres of Land,
whether more or less, as they lay and are in the Parish of St.
Botolph without Aldgate, London, viz. Between a certain Street or
Lane, called Hog Lane on one part, and divers Messuages by the
King's High Way, called Houndsditch, adjoining and built on the
other part. He gave also and granted to the said Thomas a certain
great Gate, with an Edifice built upon it, and adjacent; and a
certain Street or Lane, extending from the aforesaid King's High
Way called Houndsditch, to, in and as far as the said Garden or
Parcel of Land, containing seven Acres; withal Edifices, Walls,
Ditches and Closes, in and about the said Garden, or Parcel of the
Lands there being: Which Messuage, Dovecoat, Garden, Gate, Street
or Lane, and the other Premisses, with their Appurtenances, lately
belonged to the Prior and Convent of the Monastery or Priory of
the Holy Trinity, London, by the Right of that Monastery; and
which, among others, is come to our Hands by the Authority of
Parliament, as well on the account of the Gift of Nicholas Hancock,
late Prior, as on the account of the Dissolution of the said
Monastery."
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Ex MSS. Dris. Kennet. nunc D. Episc. Petriburg.
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The next Year, that is, the 26th of the King's Reign, the same Sir
Thomas Audley obtained of the King other Letters Patents, dated
Decemb. 29. Wherein, among other Gifts, he granted him Licence
to give and grant lawfully the said Messuage, Dove House and
Garden, to Henry Parker Knt. Tho. Barnardiston Kt. John Christmas
Esq; Tho. Pope, Arthur Clerk, and Tho. Spilman, Gentlemen. Yet is
seems these Persons possessed not the Premisses, at least not the
Garden of seven Acres, since Mr. Stow (as above) writeth, that Sir
Tho. Audley gave it ro Magdalen College, of which he was
Founder.]
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This Field (as all other about the City) was enclosed, reserving
open Passage thereinto for such as were disposed. Towards the
Street were some small Cottages, of two Stories high, and little
Garden Plots backward, for poor bedrid People, (for in that Street
dwelt none other) builded by some Prior of the Holy Trinity, to
whom that Ground belonged.
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In my Youth, I remember, devout People, as well Men as Women
of the City, were accustomed oftentimes (especially on Fridays
weekly, to walk that way purposely, and there to bestow their
charitable Alms, every poor Man or Woman lying in their Bed
within their Window, which was towards the Street open so low,
that every Man might see them; a clean linen Cloth lying in their
Window, and a Pair of Beads; to shew that there lay a bedrid
Body, unable but to pray only: This Street was first paved in the
Year 1503.
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Bedrid People in Houndsditch.
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About the latter end of the Reign of King Hen. 8. three Brethren
that were Gun Founders, sirnamed Owens, gat Ground there to
build upon, and to enclose for casting of brass Ordnance. These
occupied a good Part of the Street on the Field side, and in short
time divers others also builded there; so that the poor bedrid
People were worn out, and in place of their homely Cottages, such
Houses builded as do rather want Room than Rent. [Which Houses
be for the most part possessed by Brokers, Sellers of old Apparel,
and such like.] The Residue of the Field was for the most part
made into a Garden, by a Gardiner named Cawsway, one that
served the Markets with Herbs and Roots. And in the last Year of
King Edward VI. the same was parcelled into Gardens, wherein are
now many fair Houses of Pleasure builded.
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Brass Ordnance cast in Houndsditch by the Owens.
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But as it is fatal to the Suburbs of every great City to be infected
with some foul and unclean Birds, that there build their Nests,
although not
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A Matter greatly deserving Reformation in Houndsditch.
A. M.
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The Stuart London Project, Humanities Research Institute, The University of Sheffield,
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