m t , . Three-fold Discourse betweer three Neighbours, Algate, Bishopsgate, and John Hey den the late Cobler of Hounsditck, a professed Brownist. Whereunto is added a true Relation (by way ( Dittie) of a lamentable fire which happened 2 Oxford 'two nights before Christ-tide\2&\> in a religious brothers shop, knowne by the name of Io/m\ of All-trades. LONDON, Printed for F. Cowles, T. Bates, and 7. Wright. MDCXLII. INTRODUCTION. SALE OF THE OLD GATES OF LONDON, &c. SALE of three of the City gates, on the 3Oth of July 1760, marked, in a singular way, a dividing-point between the old and modern history of London. The English metropolis, like most large and important cities in the middle ages, was bounded by a wall and a ditch ; and in this wall were openings or gates for the passage of foot and vehicle traffic. Beginning from the east, this fortified boundary commenced with the famous Tower of London, itself a vast assemblage of gates and fortified posts. Advancing thence nearly northward, the wall extended to ^Eldgate or Aldgate, which defended the approach by the great highway from Essex. This was probably the oldest of all the City gates. In 1215, during the civil war between King John and the barons, the citizens aided the latter in entering London by Aldgate ; and soon afterwards, the gate, being very ruinous and dilapidated, was replaced by one strongly built of stone. This new one (a double gate with portcullis) remained till the time of Queen Elizabeth, when it was replaced by another more ornamental than warlike. This was one of the three gates finally removed in 1760. The wall extended nearly north-west from Aldgate to Bishopsgate, which guarded the great road from Cambridge. This gate was not among the oldest of the series, but is supposed to have been built about the reign of Henry II. At first there were no means of exit from the City between Aldgate and Alders- gate ; and this extra gate was opened rather to furnish additional accommo- dation, than for any defensive purpose. The gate was in a ruinous state from the time of Edward VI. to that of James I., when it was replaced by a new one ; and this latter was finally removed early in the last century. The wall stretched westward from Bishopsgate to Moor gate ; of which Stow says : "I find that Thomas Falconer, mayor about the year 1415, the third of Henry V., caused the wall of the city to be broken near unto Coleman Street, and there builded a postern, now called Moorgate, upon the moor-side, where was never gate before. This gate he made for ease of the citizens that way to pass upon 2019986 iv INTRODUCTION. causeys [causeways] into the fields for their recreation ; for the same field was at that time a marsh." Indeed, all the country immediately outside the city, from Bishopsgate to Aldersgate, was very fenny and marshy, giving rise to the names Moorfields and Finsbury (Fensbury). Moorgate was rebuilt in 1472, and pulled down about the middle of the last century, the stones being used to repair the piers of London Bridge. The next gate was Cripplegate, a postern or minor gate like Moorgate, but much more ancient ; it was many times rebuilt, and was, like the other gates, used as a prison. The name, Stow says, "so called of cripples begging there." This was one of the three gates finally pulled down in 1760. The city wall extended thence to Elders-gate or Aldersgate, one of the oldest of the series, and also one of the largest The ancient structure, crumbling with age, was replaced by a new and very ornamental one in the time of James I. ; and this latter gave way to the street improvers early in the last century. The next gate was Newgate. In the Anglo-Norman times, there wereonly three City gates Aldgate, Aldersgate, and Ludgate , and no person could leave the city westward at any point between the two last-named gates. To remedy this inconvenience, Newgate was built about the time of Henry I., the designation " new " being, of course, only comparative. After being rebuilt and repaired several times, Newgate and its prison were burned down by Lord George Gordon's mob in 1780 ; the prison was replaced by a much larger and stronger one, but the gate was not rebuilt. 1 he City wall extended from Newgate to Lvdgate, which was the- oldest of the series except Aldgate and Aldersgate, and the one with which the greatest number of historical events was connected. After many re- buildings and repairings, Ludgate was one of the three which were pulled down in 1760. It must not be supposed that Don-gate, Bill'tngtgate, and St. Johns Gate were necessarily City gates ; the first and second were landing-places on the river side, the third was the gate belonging to the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. As to the Bars such as Temple Bar, Holborn Bar, and Smith- field Bar they were subsidiary or exterior barriers, bearing some such relation to "the City without the walls," as the gates bore to "the City within the walls," but smaller, and of inferior strength. The announcement in the public journals, concerning the destruction of three of the gates on the 3oth of July 1760, was simply to the effect that Mr. Blagden, a carpenter of Coleman Street, gave ^91 for the old materials of Cripplegate, ,148 for Ludgate, and .177 los. for Aldgate ; undertaking to have all the rubbish removed by the end of September. Thus ended our old City gates, except Newgate, which the rioters put an end to twenty years later. A Threefold Discourse between three Neighbours, Aldgate, Bishops^ate, and John Heyden the late Cobbler of Houndsditch, a professed Brownist Aldgate. ISTER of Bishopsgate, what disastrous times are we fallen into, did you ever know the like ? Bishopsgate. Sister be content, you are not yet fallen, you were but lately built by the City, Senatus Populusque Lon- dinensis, in the Mayoralty of ^'vc Humphrey Weld\pn\\ but I and my friends are like to come to ruin. Cobbler. Truly Landlady, the matter is not great, yet I confess I have kept a Cobbler's shop under your nose these two and twenty years, yet I never saw any great hurt in you, but that you bear the profane and idolatrous name of a Bishop. Bish. Truly Neighbour, it hath not been accounted so in times past, nor (I hope) neither is or will be in these our times, 2 A Threefold Discourse Cob. Well, battle-headed Mistress, I heard a Sermon within these few days in Moor-fields, the best of your Bishops in the Land might throw his cap at it. Alg. I John, that is the way never to see it again, among such fellows as you : but are Moor- fields your walks, where you and your fellows prate to no purpose. Cob. Yes : and verily my new white painted Mistress, and we have better teaching there, than you have at your dull Botolphs, or his brother by you, Mistress Bishopsgate. Bisk. Nay, that of my knowledge is false; ours is an honourable and a great Parish, neither is there such a famine of pious and learned Divines amongst us, like the famine of Samaria, where we (as you and your Brownists) must ^alue an Asses head at fourscore pieces of silver (that is ten pounds English) for every piece which was a Shekel, is half a Crown of our money. How many of your Sermons have been burned, their Authors hanged, what ridiculous divisions have you of your Texts ? what blasphe- mous and detorted expositions, absurd applications? and amongst you the Text is no sooner read ; but presently you fly from it, as wild beasts from fire, and fall a railing against rails, tell the people Surplices are smocks of the Whore (and I believe John you are acquainted with some of them) and between three Neighbours. 3 how our Bishops are like Andirons of State, stand- ing in a Chimney but for a show ; but if an heavy block, or sad billets are brought to the fire, there are poor little iron Creepers or Cobirons underneath, that must bear all the weight, and those you resem- ble to the inferior Clergy that take all the pains : and thus in your Tubs, like Augustus in his Throne, you tax all the world. Truly now you were speaking of Moor-fields, I am persuaded never cost was better bestowed, I never saw them, but I have heard as much. Why sister Aldgate (or Eldgate, if you please) they are the most necessary, pleasant, and the sweetest walks, that can lye by the side of any city in Europe : they say those are goodly walks, with four or five distinct rows of trees, which are upon the walls of Antwerp. Alg. There is a Dutch candle-maker dwelling in White-Chapel hath oftentimes told me as much, and that those walls were five and thirty strides or paces broad. Bish. He spake the truth, th'ey are so indeed. Cob. Talk no more : Moor-fields of itself is a most profane place, they never get my good word, and except upon the Lords day to a teaching or exercise I never mean to come thither again. Bish. It may be John, you are in debt at some of the Ale-houses and dare not shew your head but 4 A Threefold Discourse upon a Lords day, when their doors are shut, and all are gone to Church. Cob. I confess my leather hath been well liquored at Burwels Bable, where Mr. Geffreson sells the excellent Ale and Cakes ; but since my conver- sion I say, Go, I know you not. Alg. And why I pray you neighbour, are Moor-fields become so odious in your sight ? Cob. For the great offence they give to us the godly and sober-minded ; first, they are receptacles of unclean beasts. Bish. That's true indeed, for horses graze there. Cob. They carry the mark of the Beast. Alg. As how John ? Cob. Do you not see how the walks are laid out, and made in the form of a cross, which is execrable, abominable, and intolerable ? Bish. Why John, are not you yourself made in the form of a cross ? spread but your arms abroad and see. Cob. Verily I am, and it is more than ever I knew before, one I see may live and learn, but I shall like myself the worse for it as long as I live. Cob. No I profess, their four quarters are railed about in abominable manner, like a Com- munion Table ; if some parishes and Churchwardens between three Neighbours. 5 I know had. the fingering of them, I know what would quickly become of them. Alg. You have now done, have you any more to say ? Cob. Yes verily, the Popes head is there nail'd up for a sign and makes as fair a show as Pope- Joan did with her great belly in Red-street Bish. Redcross-street you mean, but what of that ? Cob. It is a burning shame it should be toler- ated, when all Papists in England are denied tolerated. Alg. It is suffered it may be for some especial end which you know not, as perhaps many Papists and Popish Priests belonging to outlandish Ambas- sadors which lie there about walking to take the air, for the signs sake will rather go thither to drink a Pint or a quart of wine, then to another place, and so perhaps will you and your brethren do sometime. Cob. You are deceived Mrs. we never go for the signs sake, but for the wines sake. Bish. I believe you John, but what say you to the great. Turks head hanging out a little beyond ? Cob. I say, from Turk and Pope defend us Lord. Bish. That was a Psalm, added to the singing Psalms, long since, by one Robert Wisedome. Cob. I believe it, it was long since Robert Wisedome was seen amongst us, he lived in the time 6 A Threefold Discourse of Q. Eliz. And since I have not heard of any or very few of that name, it was a Psalm in my opinion that put down all the rest, beside it had been an excellent tune, my father when he lived in Goose-toft, would often whistle it at plough. Alg. But what say you John to the trees, so evenly planted and thriving, which with their eye- pleasing green and cool shadow in the hot Summer give so great delight and content to the whole Gity. Cob. They look (me thinks) like so many of your Bishops Standing about the Communion rails to defend them. Alg. Against such as you are it may be. Cob. Nay they look like Bishops for all the world for there are Some poor underling trees besides them which cannot thrive and Prosper, because those greater over-drop them, keep the sun from them, or suck from the earth the Juice which should nourish them, to themselves. Bish. But what is the reason they are called Moorfields, can you tell me John with all the wit you have ? Cobler. Because it may be there are more fields in England beside these. Alg. That is without doubt. Cob. Or rather because more learned and godly teaching by us and our brethren is here exercised than in the City or the whole land beside, or it may between three Neighbours. 7 be they are so called from a Blackamoor set over an Alley gate in these fields. Bish. Nay John now you have overshot your- self. Cob. I talk of Moorfields and not of Finsbury : there indeed is shooting and no preaching. Bish. But neighbour John Cobbler let me tell you in good earnest, when I was built new in the time of K. Richard the second, (whose statue in stone holding his unfortune and broken Sceptre in his hand, I bear upon my Frontispiece, on the other side Wenceslaus his wives father the Emperor, yet many say it was K. Edward the 3.) certain calves tied about the necks with withs 1 being brought for a present to Wat Tyler and his Rebels then in Smith- field, whom, (let me tell you by the way) K. Richard could plainly discern from Long Acre, so rare were houses and buildings in the Suburbs in those days) were all stifled and drowned in those fields, which were nothing else but a Moor or Quagmire whence they took their name, nay it was such within these 40. or 50. years. Sister Algate had they brought by your way, (the common road of calves) they had been out of danger. Cob. Verily Mrs. Aldgate I have known of late years many calves to have been brought out of Essex and other places unto your Gate, where when they should have entered, their simple country drivers i WITHS .Twigs of willow ; twisted flexible rods, 8 A Threefold Discourse would not suffer them, but drave them home again. Alg. They were simple indeed, but what was their meaning so to do ? Cob. Why, I will tell you, you carry upon your top two huge Giants in Armour, holding up and ready as it were to throw down mighty bullets, who affright both the calves and the Countrymen, that I have heard some protest that for their lives they could not persuade the driver to venture them through, this was at their first setting up, and I well remember in that year Veal wes so scarce at Leaden Hall, that hardly any could be got for money. Bisk. John they were placed there to shew the ancient defence of Ports, which when the enemy offered to assail or break open, Armed men stood aloft and threw down huge stones, piece of timber and such like, to kill or knock them down, but I hear John Cobbler you are a pretender to Divinity, and are ready to turn Preacher. Cob. Why not I as well as Walker the Iron- monger. 1 Alg. I think you never come to any of our Churches io the City. Cob. Very seldom ; yes, I was half a year since at Annes within Aldersgate, and once a fortnight ago at Margets in Westminster. 'WALKER, THE IRONMONGER. See John Taylor's Tract on this person. betwee'i three Neighbours. 9 Bish. St. Margarets you should say. Cob. The matter is not great, they were built by the Papists and smell of superstition to this day, for name any Church about the City that was built in time of the Gospel, Cree-church 1 excepted, and that by Tuttle-street 2 in Westminster not yet execrated, as they call it. Alg. Consecrated thou wouldst say, that indeed is new, but Cree-Church was new built upon an old foundation, if we should be all of your opinion : we should come to no Church at all, but hear Sermons in woods as you do. Cob. Did not John Baptist preach in the desert or wilderness ? And multitudes of people followed to hear him. Bish. John you are much deceived, that was no obscure place like St. Johns wood whether you and your fellows go, but a woody Country wherein were many Towns and Cities, like the forest of Sherwood in Nottinghamshire inhabited with many people. Cob. I will never believe that, for all I am a Translator 3 myself. 'CREE CHURCH. St. Catherine Cree or Christ Church, a church on the north side of Leadenhall-street, and in Aldgate Ward. The church described by Stow was taken down 1628, and the present building consecrated by Laud (when Bishop of London) on the l6th January, 1630-1. " August i8th, 1667. To Cree Church, to see it how it is, but I find no alteration there, as they say there was, for my Lord Mayor and Aldermen to come to sermon, as they do every Sunday, as they did formerly to Pauls." Pepys 1 Diary. "TURTLE-STREET. i.e., Tothill-street. "TRANSLATOR, a cobbler. io A 1 hreefold Discourse Alg. But John I pray thee tell me how earnest them to be a Brownist 1 at the first. Bish. I have heard that the first beginner of Sect was a miserable Doctor in the University who sold his commons and seized away his part of white- bread and liv'd all the week with a sixpenny brown loaf, which occasion gave you all your names. Cob. No our first father was Mr. Browne parson of a church in Northamptonshire where he died after his many persecutions among the wicked. Alg. So he that would have no Church was afterwards parson of a Church. Bish. But I assure you John he recanted his opinions, and died an Orthodox Protestant and an honest man, it is true he was persecuted in all places, he fled into Scotland, and had been hanged, had he not been near a kin unto the L. Treasurer Cecil y (for he was a Gentleman born, and of an ancient family of the Brownes of Tolthorpe) besides he was endued with many good and gentle qualities, among the rest he was a singular good Lutenist, and he made his Son Timothy usually on Sundays bring his Viol to Church and play the Bass to the Psalms that were sung, so far as he (like you and your fellows) from being an enemy to Church Music. "BROWN ISTS. A name given to the disciples of Robert Brown, a celebrated Noconformist and schoolmaster in Southwark about 1580; they were in those days the constant objects of popular satire and persecution. Brown, after 32 imprisonments, eventually conformed to the Established Church. " I had as lief be a Brownist as a politician." Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Act iii., sc. 2. between three Neighbours. 1 1 Cob. I would have given all the Shoes in my shop I had known so much before. But Landlady Bishopsgate, and Mrs. Aldgate, time calls me away, I have three pair of boots to mend for the Norwich foot-post, and a pair of shoes for honest Mr. Sacchar of Botolphs, and I hope ere long we shall meet, and then 'yfaith I will have a fling at you and your name-sake the Bishops. Bisk. Well John I shall defend those Bishops well enough, and will Petition that those Reverend men may have their liberty to go abroad in the days, and repair to their Brother in the Tower again at night, Farewell. Zeal over-heated: A Relation of a lamentable fire which happened at Oxford two nights before Christ-tide, in a religious Brothers shop, who though he laboured in all men's trades, yet his trades were fewer than his tricks, to fetch over the wicked, that he might afford the godly a better Penny-worth. To the Tune of Chivey Chace. A Tte'd you brethren, every one, (There dwells in Oxon near the place *^^^ And listen with a itflir - mltpvp. Itnl.ti PVmmisVi //?///?///*/ //. Of swaggering ears, which have outgrown By many an inch the hair : Of 'Popish Jiames I mill relate to you a doleful story , Which turned a zealous shop of late into a Purgatory. <;here holy Chornish teacheth, One that in, all trades hath such grace, the wicked he o'er-reaches. This brother first a Ktoich was Peripateticall; For 'bout the world as he did pass, his wealth he carried all. 12 A Threefold Discourse, But when his sins had made his pack Too heavy for his shoulder, I' th' foresaid 'place lie eased-his back, and turned a staid householder. In all occasions by and by He grew so great a Meddler, That if th' Exchange his shop stood nigh, you'd take him for no Pedlar. By slight of tongue he could fetch, o'er all Sparks that came unto him, Except those which two nights before Christ-tide had like to undo him. When he to sleep himself had set, and dreamed of no more fire, Than those his zeal and little Pet kindled in his desire. 'He heard some cry. Fire, fire, amain, I and said that mere he slack, [Great John of All trades would again be brought to his first pack : Then hasting down to see what burned, the smoke did- almost stop His breath: the new Exchange was turned to a Tobacco shop. His wife came down at that report, her clothes hung in gtich pickle, As she were new come from the sport &fter a Conventicle : And first in these flames she espied a pure Geneva Bible, With gilded leaves, and strings beside, that were not contemptible. The Second Part to the Same Tune. Had but the Apocrypha been in't, and Prayers that we call Common: The Practice there of Piety, and good St. Katherine Stubs Were martyr'd, which oft quoted he had heard in several Tubs. Then being of his Dods bereft, and Cleavers all and some, You may presume that there was left of comforts never a Crum. A chest of Cambricks and Holland was turned to a box of tinder, Hi$ virgins tapers out were brand, th' Extinguishers could not hinder. ~D UTwith less grief he could have seen't Of Canes there smoaking lay great store, _ as he then said to some one, his eyes had soon espi'd them, They never wer_- fire canes before, though he had oft beli'd them : Mirrors and Prospect ires then might be burning glasses call'd : The fever grew so hot that night, the periwigs grew bald. The Mouse-traps, Fly-traps, and whol; shelves of whips, with other some Such dreadful instruments themselves suffer' d a martyrdom : But to conclude, the flame being done, some that were there did swear, TJiough Christ-tide were not yet begun, Yet ?ras Ash-Wednesday there. Dear brethren, be not then too hot, for if unto your harm Yoi/r real like this take fire, I what, They that hit TafRtics did gee, and variant Ribbonds straight Concluded t/int in burnt silhs he was richly worth his /reight : His Hobby-horses erst so tame, gome babes of grace might run A race upon them, nw became but as the Steeds o' th' Sun. you'll wish 'twere but 'ivkc-warm , God bit-as the Kilty, the Queen ami I. , A'obles and Parliament And may allsuch affright ments mus y-a *of the furious element. And hccp all from disasters, A '/ atn-h ttx now good serranfs (ire, MIIIJ nccer prove bad masters. FINIS. University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. ULOCT07 19! O iUl JRl CIRC UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY .FACILITY A 000027127 o ' Jk-