^ / // ,. -^ mi,^' i^^iA^'' 'Jx i.o-:f/- U-//L^i^/jhi7//if /vt^^e-t^ /c^7 a^ U^mali^ ©JF ^t iWarg 4©brr|i; 9^ WiMovital anil ?3r0crtptibr Hcrount ©if ^t ^abtour'0 (Jffturrft WITB NUMSROUS II.X.USTRATZONS. W. TAYLOR LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR UY MESSRS. NICHOLS k SON, 2.'). PARLIAMENT STREET; ANI> 301,1) n\ 1. 4c A. ARCH, 61, COUNHILL, AM) R. HILL, HOOKSKLLER, HIGH STREET, SOUTHWARK 1833. LONDON : J. T. NORRIS, Albion Printing Office, 138, Aldersgate StrPet. PREFACE. In ofl'ering these Annals to the Public, I feel that I shall have to draw largely on the good nature of the critical reader, being conscious of many defects ; but trust that he will ingenuously place in the balance the few redeeming qualities the work may possess ; no pains having been spared to render the narration as correct as possible, by recording, after a careful examination, every fact that appeared well attested. If I may lay claim to any merit it is on the score of perseverance, in overcoming the numerous difficulties with which such a work is beset, when undertaken in all its branches by one individual. The first idea of the following work originated in a desire to perpetuate, by graphic illustration, the remembrance of some of the interesting remains of antiquity in Southwark, ere the encroachments of time, and modern improvements, had swept them away for ever : this pursuit naturally led to another no less interesting, — the collection of an historical ac- count of them ; for though much had been done in this department, much unexplored ground remained to invite to industrious research, in the unpublished records, and interesting facts which yet lay scattered abroad. The perfecting of History is usually a work of time, and seldom accomplished by individual labour, but rather by the exertions of successive w riters, each adding his share to the stock of information ; so in the present instance, I have laboured to supply the omissions of former works, and doubtless much yet remains behind to give interest to future accounts. I have purposely omitted the description of the gifts and charities connected with the Church, on account of the locality of their interest, the details of such matters usually requiring a larger space to do justice to them, than can be spared in a work professing to trace the Antiquities of the Parish ; and however interesting tiiey may be to those locally connected, they are rarely of sufficient importance to excite the attention of general readers. I have been the more induced to pursue this course, from a knowledge that the parishioners are promised an authorized work, devoted expressly to the subject. I embrace the present opportunity of thanking the Subscribers to this work for their support, and particularly of acknowledging the kindness of the following Gentlemen : the Rev. S. Benson, Dr. Severn, G. G wilt, Esq. F. S. A., T. Saunders, Esq. F. S. A., R. \yallacc, Esq., and J. Caley, Esq. F. S. A. — if there be any others, whose attentions have not been ac- knowledged in the body of the work, I trust the omission of their names will not be deemed disrespectful. WILLIAM TAYLOR. 48, QUEEN'S ROW, WALWOKllI. !li$t of ^iH)$cril)er]£i* HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. THE RIGHT REV. LORD BISHOP OF WINCHESTER THE RIGHT HON. LORD EVELYN STUART. REV. WILLIAM MANX, M.A. ^ Chaplains of REV. WILLIAM HARRISON, D.D. i St. Savioui's. SIR RICHARD COLT HOARE, BART. F.E.S. REV. S. BENSON, St. Saviour's, Southwark. WILLIAM BROUGHAM, ESQ. M. P. JOHN IVATT BRISCOE, ESQ. M. P. F.S.A. Addekley, T. Esq. Upper Clapton Adlard, Mr. H. Hatton Garden Arpthorp, Mr. E. Southwark Allen, G. Esq. Toolev Street, Soutliwark Alford, Mr. R. Bridge Street, Southwark Akerman, J. V. Esq. Walworth Blundell, James, Esq. M. D. George Street, Westminster Burkitt, Mr. M. High Street, Southwark Blundy, Mr. C. Basinghall Street Brown, John, Esq. Cousins Lane Burbidge, T. B. Esq. Southwark Bradley, Mr. N. Blackham, Mr. J. R. 26, Aldgate Beloe, Miss, Callierine Wheel Inn, Boro' Burgess, Esq. Goulden Terrace, Penton- ville Barwood, Mr. J. St. Saviour's Baily, Mr. C. Dulwich Billings, Mr. Barker, ilrs. Speen, Berks Barton, Mr. W. Jun. Barnes, J. Esq. Glass House Fields, Radcliffe CniPMAN, Able, Esq. Treasurer of St. ihomas's Hospital Callaway, T. Esq. Southwark Crawford, Mr. J. Redcross Street Cutress, Mr. W. 17, Southwark Bridge Road— 2 copies Careless, Mr. W. Southwark Chaplin, J. G. Esq. Carter, Mr. S. Blackman Street Cope, Mr. Organist of St. Saviours Chappell, Mr. S. Kennington Corner, R. Esq. Canterbury Square Complin, Jlrs. Bishopsgate Covinffton, Mr. T. 12, Paragon Place, New Kent Road Cottinghain, L. N. Esq. F.S.A. Water- loo Bridge Road Cotton, C. R. Esq. Bermondsey Carlos, E. I. Esq. New Kent Road Cull, Mr. W. Strand Croome, Mr. W. Bow Lane, Cheapside Carter, F. W. Esq. Southwark C'aley, J. Esq. F. S. A. Coote, Mr. R. Southwark DoMELow, C. Esq. Bedford Davis, W. Esq. High Street, Southwark Dodgson, T. Esq. Cheapsiii" Drewett, Mr. W. St. Saviour's Denbigh, Mr. W. Jun. Evans, jMr. T. Jun. Guildford Street Embleton, Mr. L. Bridge St Southwark Edmonds, Mr. A. Casile Si. Southwark Farueh, T. W. Esq. Southi\?rk Foord, Mr. G. W. Dover Un.i • Fleet, Mr. R. Alders; v Green, Philip, Esq. 1). Goodchild, J. Esq. St.Olave's, Southwark Gaitskell, J. Esq. Bermondsey Street Greening, Mr. R. Clink St. Southwark CJwilt, G. Esq. F.S.A. Southwark Gilman, W. A. Esq. Walworth Gregory, S. Esq. Lord Mayor's Court Office Heuger, W. Esq. West Square Harrison, B. Esq. F. A.S. Treasurer of Guy's Hospital — 2 copies Hankts, H. Esq. Islington Houlder, 3Ir. W. Counter Street, Boro' Hussey, Mr. J. Church Street, Borough Howe, Mr. J. Bridge Street, Southwark Holwell, Mr. W. Blackman Street Hart, Mr. H. 3, Union Street, Borough Hart, Mr. F. 61, Mount Street, Grosve- nor Squaie Hopwood, Mr. R. F. Southwark Hill, Mr. R. High St. Boro'^10 copies Hill, Mr. Clarence Place, Camberwell Higginbotham, Mr.T. 12, Park St. Boro' Hurlbatt, F. Esq. Xewineton I^NEs, I. M. Esq. New Court, Swithins Lane Ingledew, Mr. Borough Market Jerningham, C. E. Esq. 2, Lincolns Inn Fields Jones, Mr. J. 46. Hijh Street, Southwark Johnson, iMr. New Hoad Kempe, a. J. Esq. F.S.A. New Kent Rd. LiDLow, E. Esq. Union St. Southwark LightfoDt, Mr. L. Walworth Lowne, T. Esq. Walworth Lethe, P. H. Esq. Peckham Mi'RiEi, C. Esq. St. Thomas's, South- wark Marsh, Mr. C. Gt. St. Thomas Apostle Newman, J. Esq. Bridge House, St. Olave's Nicholson, Mr. J. 218, Borough Newsom, Mr. R. Southwark Neale, Mr. I. B. Union Street, Borough Nash, Mr. Edwin Norris, Mr. J. T. Aldersgate Street Odling, Mr. G. Southwark Perkins, Frederick, Esq. Southwark Pope, Rev. R. Mersham, Kent Peache, Ciemeat, Esq. Lambeth Pott, Arthur, Esq. Southwark Pott, William, Esq. Southwark Pouget, F. Esq. 'J'nnity Square Paty, J. Esq. Bouverie St. Fleet Street Paine, Mr. J. 57, Borough Pink, Mr. G. 6.5, High Street, Borough Pouget, Mr. J. Lant Street, Southwark Poynter, Mr. C. 70, Paradise Street, Rotherhithe Pugh, .Mr. W. Jun., Dover Road Pratt, J. Esq. Palmer, G. Esq. Temple Parr, Mr. F. Walworth Roberts, C. J. Esq. M. D. New Bridg& Street Rowley, R. Esq. M. D. Southwark Rouse, Mr. B. Southwark Rideal, Mr. T. Union Street, Southwark Richards, Mr. R. New Park Street Rider, Mr. T. Union St. Boro', — 2 cop. Rose, H. Esq. Great Guildford St. Boro' Rokes, Mr. Blackman Street, Southwark Ramsdale, 3Ir. Church St., St. Saviour's Roberts, Mr. R. R. New Kent Road Rich, 5Ir. G. Bankside, Southwark Rowland, Mr. J. 62, Borough South, Rev. R. Grammar School Severn, C. Esq. M. D. ■Saunders, T. Esq. F.S.A. Great Surrey Street, — 3 copies Saunders, J. Esq. 57, Cannon Street Sniales, Holbert, Esq. Walbrook Bldngs. Sells, Edward, Esq. Southwark Sentance, Mr. W. Blackraau Street South, J. F. Esq. St. Thomas's Smith, Mr. J. 36, Hosier Lane Savory, Mr. H. J. King Street, Borough, Scholefield, Mr. W. George Inn Smith, Mr. R. Borough Market Shadbolt, Mr. W. Bankside, Southwark Smith, Mr. N. New Park Street Smith, Mr. W. St. Thomas's, Southwark Senior, Mr. J. King Street, Southwark Spencer, E. Esq. F. G. S. Highgate Savage, James, Esq. Essex Street, Strand Sandell, Mr. E. 107, Borough TwEMLow, J. Esq. Hatherton, Cheshire Thornton, E. N. Esq. Southwark Trapp, Mr. T. P. Church Street Tatjyer, Mr. G. Redcross Street, Boro Turner, Mr. W. Union Street Taylor, Mr. C. Great Dover Street Taylor, Mr. W. B. S. Catherine Street, Strand Thomas, Mr. L. Union Street, Borough Thredder, Mr. Blackman Street A'ickers, Joseph, Esq. Southwark \'ickeis, John, Esq. Southwark Whiting, J. Esq. M. D. Southwark Whiting, G. Esq. Southwark Woolloton, Mr. R. C. Brixton Willmott, Mr. W. Southwark Williams, Allen, Esq. St. Thomas's Williams, F. Esq. Williams, Miss, Oxford Wallace, R. Esq. Carlton Chambers Weslake, Mr. J. Bridge Street Woolven, Mr. R. High Street, Boro' Wild. Mr. J. Jun. Union Street Whitby, T. Esq. Thames Street Whitehead, J. Esq. Park Sueet LIST OF PLATES Page. South East View, to face the Title Page Roman Remains, plate 1 9 Ditto „ „ 2 13 Remains of the Priory 19 Seals of the Priory 32 Priory Remains, Architectural Fragments, Sjc 44 Interior View of St. Saviour's Church 45 Anglo-Norman Door-way .............. 46 Chapel of the Virgin Mary or " Ladye Chapel " 51 Chapels, East end of St. Saviours Church ........... 54 South West View of St. Saviour's Church 68 Elevation of South Transept 69 Elevation of North Transept 72 East End of St. Saviour's Church 71 Monuments in St. Saviour's Church 82 Sepulchral Remains 88 Stained Glass. 92 Coffin, &c. of Bishop Andrews 101 Monumental Remains St. Saviour's Church 116 Ancient Houses Southwark 134. Snticjc* PAGE Altar Screen, description of 49 Andrews, Lancelot, Bishop of Winchester, account of 102 his Coffin found 101 original Epitaph to 107 Monument of, described 107 Monument of, as it now appears. . 132 Works of 108 Portraits of 109 Arms of Warren, Earl of Surrey 92—93 Clare, Earl of Gloucester 93 England «^- Dodo or Doun Badolf ib. Saye ib. Monceux ib. Maudut, Earl of Warwick ib. Stapleton or Welles ib. Fitzwalter ib. Blount ib. De Vere, Earl of Oxford ib. Eyncourt ib. Gower ib. Hugh de Albeni ih. Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk ib. Cardinal Beaufort, wlio probably con- tributed to the restoration of the Church 26 the Priory 35 Arms, Royal, in King Street, formerly on London Bridge 66 Audrey, Mary 20 Andre, St. Account of 21 Augustine, St. Rules of 34 Austin's Monument 81 Works, extract from 84 BucKLANT, Robert, Gifts of 114 PAGE Bankside, Notices of 140 Borough, its name of Saxon derivation .... 16 earliest mention of ib. Bear Garden 1 42 Hentzner's description of ib. Belfry 62 Bells, notable Peals on 63 names of ib. were baptized ih. curious Prayer used at the baptism of, 64 legend relative to ib. superstitions relating to ib. Bull Papal, Seal of one found 114 Brass Plate, monumental 116 Boy Bishop 24 Chapel of St. Mary Magdalen 24 — 61 of " Our Ladye" .51 Bishops 54 of St. John 80 Chest, ancient, for records 97 Clink Prison, Martyrs sent to 41 Chantry in St. John's Chapel 77 Cobham, Lady Joan, buried 25 Cure's College, rules of 96 Monumental Inscription ib. Communion Table the gift of Lady Clark . . 1 32 Plate, gifts of ib. Church, body of built by Bishop Giffard. ... 22 destroyed by Fire 23 Nave of, described 43 Choir 47 Transept, South 59 Transept, North 60 Tower 72 Tower, view from 65 Norman Door-way 46 INDEX. PAGE Canons, procession of -'^ Coffin of Bishop Andrews I'H Stone lOy a chalk one found 1 1 4 Chaucer, Pilgrimage of 1 34 Dole, accident at the giving of one 28 Effigy, Monumental 112 Tradition of ^^• Fletcher, John, buried 130 Fox, Richard, Bishop of Winchester, supposed to have built the Altar Screen 49 Godwin, Earl of Kent, insurrection of ... . 16 Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester SG Gower the Poet, marriage of 26 Tomb of 73 his Wife buried here 75 account of «i. Will of 77 a contributor to the re-building of the Church il>. his Monument restored 119 Glass, Stained, formerly in the Church .... 92 Globe Theatre, Bankside 141 HousE-s, Ancient, in Southwark 1 34 Hollar's Prints illustrative of St. Saviour's . . ib. Indulgence granted to contributors to the Church 35 Inn, the Talbot 134 Falcon 143 King Charles, Statue of 1 37 LiNSTED, the last Prior, his tradition of the Priory 20 London Bridge burnt 23 accident at 27 arms in King St. removed from GO VAiiE Martyrs tried at St. Mary Overy II Montague Close 18 — 13'2 Montacute, Lady 1 33 Monteagle, Lord '''• Margaret's Church, St. notices of 1 3(< Marriage of Edmund Holland, Earl of Kent, to the Princess of Milan 27 other particulars of 131 Ceremony, note on >(>. of King James of Scotland 27 Mummies, two natural ones found 110 Massenger, Philip, buried here 131 Monument of Bishop Andrews 107 — 132 Adams, Mr. Robert 101 Austin 81 Bliss 94 Broadley, Peter, Esq 1 00 Brook, Mr. Joseph 101 Bingham, John, Esq 121 Benefield, Richard 123 Bradford, Mrs 115 Butler, Mr. William 116 Emerson, William 119 Farmer, Mr. Richard 115 Gower ••o. •••••• / o — 119 Golding, William 120 Goulding, James 121 Golding, William 124 How, Sir Richard 81 Humble 98 Holditch !!•'' Harris, J. R. Esq. M.P 120 Hare, William '23 Jones, Rev. T H7 Lockyer, Dr ^7 Morgan, Aaron, Esq 94 Mayhew, William 114 Maynard, Mrs 1'9 Morton, Rev. John i . • • 123 Norman, Nicholas '13 NewVand, Abraham 115 Pearson, William 100 Paine, John "' INDEX. PAGE Monument of Roberts, Elizabeth 100 Richards, Mrs. Mary 115 Sedgewick, Thomas 87 Symons, Jolin 97 Shaw, Mr. James 118 Trehearne, John 94 Willmott, Mr. James 100 Winkworth, Rev. William 115 NoBMAN Knight, effigy of 88 — 89 Organ 124 Overy, John, legendary story of 110 Pbiohv, Remains of 18 origin of its name 21 re-founded for Canons regular ... - 22 damaged by Fire 26 Temporalities of 30 Spiritualities of 31 grants to the Canons of 88 — 89 dissolution of 29 possessions of 30 records relating to 37 — 1 44 site of, granted to Sir Anthony Brown 31 common Seal of 32 Seals of ih. Priors, list of if>. pensions of ib. Piscina, one found in the Lady Chapel 113 Plot, Gunpowder 133 Plague, notices of 131 Pike Garden, Bankside 143 QiEEN Elizabeth avisitor to theBearGarden 142 Ro.MAx Antiquities 9 to 15 Cemetery in Southwark 9 Sepulchral Lamps 12 Tesselated Pavements 9 — 15 Amuleta 15 Coins 10—15 H\-pocaust8, note on 10 PAGE Roman Remains, discoveryof, by Sir William Dugdale 9 Pottery, note on 15 Retro-Choir, Lady Chapel formerly so called 52 Records of the Priory 32, 37, 1 44 Registries, Parish 125 of Marriages 129 of Burials 1.30 Rood-lofts, note on 126 Relicks of St. Thomas 131 Rochester House, notices of 139 Rose Theatre 142 Southwark, its name of Saxon derivation . . 16 burnt by Wm. the Conqueror 16 Fair 17 formerly noted for strong Ale. 13.3 Fair, Hogarth's print of , 17 early represented in Parliament 1 7 great part of, destroyed by fire 18 Queen Mary's visit to 40 Shepy, John de, consecration of 25 Sandall, John de, Bp. of Winchester, burial of 35 Stews or Bordello, Bankside 140 Stained Glass formerly in the Church 92 Transepts, restoration of -. 58 Traffic over London Bridge 66 Tombs, two not known to whom erected .... 95 Town Hall 137 Vault, Great 116 Wengham, Henry de, Bishop of London, con- secration of 3-5 Wyat, insurrection of 39 Warren, gifts of the Family of, to the Priory of St. Mary Overy 89 Reginald, buried there ib. pedigree of 90 Wickham, Wm. Bishop of Winchester, buried 122 Winchester Hall, notices of 1 38 used as a Prison 1 39 ANNALS OF TOWARD the close of the summer of 1830, I was engaged sketching some of the last existing remams of Southwark in " Ol0£tt ti?IUC," impressed with some such feelings as would perhaps be expe- rienced by an artist, while pourtraying the features of an old friend from whom he was soon to be separated for ever ; when I observed near me an elderly gentleman, who appeared to look with more than common interest at the object of my sketch. His general appearance bespoke him one of the old school, his countenance fjeamed with good nature, and ahhough he had at least seen three-score years, he still appeared to retain much of youthful vigour. He looked towards me as though he would have solicited some information relative to the subject of our mutual attention. I wished to speak to him, but was prevented by that awkward feeling too common among the English, a disinclination to be the first to break silence. At length the old gentleman approached me, and after apologizing for the interruj>tion, spoke as follows : — 6 ANNALS OP SAINT MARY OVERY. " Jt gives me much pleasure to find that in this age of improve- ment, and in your generation, there are yet some to be found who do not look with contempt on the works of our ancestors; I had almost begun to fear that with our antiquities, antiquarian feeling was on the decline." " I hope. Sir," I replied, " that I shall ever be above that species of modern foppery, which can see no beauty in other productions than those of the present day." " May I take the liberty," said he, " of enquiring what is your ultimate object in the work which now occupies your attention ?" " It is my wish. Sir, should the attempt meet with encourage- ment, to publish these sketches, with as good an historical account as my humble ability can furnish." The good old gentleman heartily wished me success in the undertaking, adding at the same time, " such works should be patronised ; and to assure you of the reality of my good wishes, have the goodness to place my name on your list of subscribers for a copy of the work." I thanked him, and enquired whom I had the plea- sure of addressing. " My name, Sir, is Antiquarius, I have travelled over most part of England, have seen all its cathedrals, and there are few of its churches of any note, in which I have not spent some agreeable moments. My first visit to the Metropolis was early in life, and I have now determined on spending a few days in its vicinity, for the purpose of refreshing my memory on the various interesting objects which at that time attracted my notice." " Indeed, Sir," I exclaimed, " I am right glad to have the pleasure of meeting a gaitleman with whose name I am already familiar : I have read with pleasure many of your interesting comnmnications to various periodical works, and shall feel most happy, if agreeable, to ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 7 accompany you round our parish ; — in our venerable church I can promise you considerable entertainment." The old gentleman thanked me poljtely, and we appointed the next day for our perambulation. On the morrow, agreeably with our arrangement, Antiquarius paid me an early visit, and having a long day before us, we entered into a conversation on the early history of Southwark. " If my memory be correct," said he, " this spot has claims to high anti(|uity, I iiave at ilitferent times read much relating to it, but as you are now directing your attention to this subject in particular, shall feel obliged with any information you can give me." " I cannot expect, Sir, to tell you much that you have not already heard, but the little that I have been enabled to collect, I will most willingly communicate. " That Southwark was a place of importance with the Rcmians, is a point in which most historians agree : its history previous to that time being, at best, but mere conjecture, I shall commence with that period when (according to Bagford, a zealous and industrious antiquarian,) the Romans passed through Southwark ; which opinion he maintains, by tracing their route through Kent to this spot, demonstrating it by th<- various discoveries of Roman remains. " He says, * a Roman camp was found at Farnborough, a village within a few miles of Bromley in Kent ; and a famuus Roman urn of glass, dug up at Peckham ; several Roman remains, at Blackheath, &c." These, he considers, could not have been left by any of the Roman armies, which at a later period traversed, or were stationed in the country. " The probability, is, that Caesar's army crossed the river from • In a letter to Hearne, pub. 1714. 8 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. about the situation of Stoney Street, near St. Saviour's church in Southwark, landed at Dowgate, and were encamped near that spot. Southwark, at that time, a marshy, swampy situation, would offer but few inducements for a permanent stay to the Roman army, especially as the beautiful country of the opposite shore was spread temptingly before them. It was not, I think, 'till the industry of the Romans in forming embankments and drains, had rendered Southwark habitable, that they had residences here. Maitland denies that the ford was here, or at any of the places that other historians have named ; he supposes it to have been near Chelsea College Gardens, and founds his hypothesis on having sounded the river in an actual survey to find the spot. But, certainly, the circumstance of a fordable situation having been found there, is not sufficient reason for disputing the correctness of other opinions, borne out. as they are, by more recent discoveries of remains, calculated at least to strengthen the con- jecture; particularly, if we take into consideration the probable alterations that may have taken place in the river, by embankments and improvements from the time of the Romans crossing it, to that in which Maitland sounded it. Much argument has been produced by the learned Dr. Gale, dean i)f York, and Mr. Salmon, to prove that London was first erected on the South side of the River; the first in support of his opinion, mentions the various discoveries of Roman Antiquities in St. George's Fields, such as Coins, Bricks, and Tesselated Pavements, also an Urn full of Bones ; this idea is decidedly opposed by Maitland, who considers the last mentioned discovery jiither as an argument against, than for the Doctor's position, considering that it went to prove that the place was a Cemetery, and therefore not a station, for by the first, in the tenth table of the Roman laws, it is expressly forbidden to Inny in Cities, in these words — " let no person be interred, nor body burnt. [=1 C < ^ ''I I J.. 1 Qi ^ ^ ^' ^ tx r- ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. if within the city," which useful law the Romans ever religiously observed ; for their burial grounds were by the side of the highways, such as the Watling Street was in that neighbourhood : subsequent discoveries have proved the correctness of Mr. Maitland's opinion. — ^That an extensive cemeterie was in Southwark, has been fully proved by the numerous inter- esting discoveries since made, during the progress of the excavation in 1818, for the grand sewers then constructed. The tesselated pavement foimd is no argument in favour of the above named theory, as it appears to have been tlie practice of the Roman army to carry materials for forming such pavements with them, with which they paved the place where the praitorium or general's tent was erected ; and this on occasions when there was no intention of a permanent stay. Dismissing the idea of London having l)een originally on the south side of the River, I shall endeavour to shew, that although Southwark could not have been a Roman city, it was nevertheless a very important place at that time ; this T shall do by enumerating some of the most interesting discoveries made in these parts, which description shall be accompanied with representations of several of the objects named, now in the collection of George Gwilt, Esq. F. S. A. who has kindly permitted me to take sketches of them for my work. One of the earliest discoveries recorded, is that by Sir William Dugdale, who in 1658 saw a beautiful tesselated pavement wrought in various colours, in the centre was the foruj of a serpent, surrounded l)y borders of wreathed columns; this, with another of commoner materials, was found about two feet below the level of the ground in the park behind Winchester House. In 178C, the vessel No. 2, plate 1 , was discovered in digging a well for a steam engine on the premises of Messrs. Barclay and Perkins, B 10 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. in Park Street, near the spot where the Globe Theatre formerly stood ; it contained several Roman coins, is composed of coarse red earth, and the exterior glazed with a brown glazing, the dimensions are six inches in height by four and a quarter in diameter. No. 3, plate 1, is one of the two hypocaust flues * found in 1806, in digging for the foundation of a store-house for Messrs. Barclaj' and Perkins, at which time some other Roman fragments were discovered. Mr. Gwilt considers the inscription not likely to meet with a successful solution. " This brings me, Sir, in the order of time, to the very important discoveries made toward the close of the year 1818. — Before entering more particularly on the subject allow me to read a paragraph from the New Times, 9th of January, 1819. " During the progress of constructing the Grand Sewer in Southwark, in driving the tunnel along King Street, toward the Borough end, many articles of Roman antiquity have been brought to light within the last three weeks, viz. fragments of cinerary urns without number, some of which, if entire, would have measured nearly two feet in diameter, while others occur not above two inches ; Roman paterae or dishes, which being filled with odorous oil, and other fragrant combustibles, were pro- bably used in feeding the funeral pile : it is remarkable that in many instances these combustible substances still adhere to the fragments in a concrete form ; fragments likewise of glass vessels and lachrymatories have been raised ; but few have been found entire, except the sepulchral terra-cotta lamps, of which considerable numbers have been found, generally of a plain character. * Hypoeausts were subterraneous apartments in which a fire was made, the heat being communicated over the house by means of flues. — Fosbrook's Euc. of Antiquities. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 11 But a more detailed account of these discoveries was given by Mr. Gwilt at a meeting of the society of antiquaries; in his papers read the 20th of May, 1819, wherein he states, that his attention was first drawn to the Roman antiijuities of Southwark while sinking a well on his own ground in 1814, about eight yards eastward of the burial ground in Red Cross Street, known by the name of the Cross Bones ; when at the depth of six or eight feet below the level of the adjoining street, many remains of Roman antiquities, accompanied with bones of animals, tusks of boars, and other articles were found, and continued to be thrown up with the earth until the men had attained the depth of sixteen feet, the natural soil then appeared, and a strong spring arose which prevented further investigation. " I everdeem it a fortunate circumstance," said Antiquarius, " when such discoveries are made on the premises ofpersons capable of investigating them, and at the same time willing to communicate the result of such in- vestigation." " Indeed, Sir, I heartily concur in the justice of your remark, and often regret the little attention given to these subjects, even by gentlemen who have at once the opportunity and the ability, to communicate interest- ing accounts of such occurrences." In 1818, an opportunity occurred of further examination, when in the course of excavations necessary for the grand sewer then constructed, numenms Roman remains were discovered. The first indication of a Cemetery, occurred nearly opposite the Red Cross public house, No, 200, in the Borough High Street, where was found a quantity of bones, Roman utensils usually interred with the dead, cinerary and other urns, patera*, and other vessels of various ware, among which the Samian* Pottery abounds, a ftw coins of little value, and other * In the Island of Samos was a famous manufactory, the works yf which were dispersed over Asia, and almost all Europe. — Fosbrook's Enc. of Antiquities. 12 ANNALS OP SAINT MARY OVERY. remains continued to appear at intervals, until the works bad extended to seven hundred and fifty feet eastwani in King- Street ; probably the extent of the Cemetery. One of the shafts necessary in the progress of the work was fortunately sunk in the middle of King Street, about eighty feet from the Borough entrance, where it appeared that a body had been depo- sited, surrounded on all sides by Roman remains, answering the descrip- tion of those already mentioned, such as cinerary and other urns, dishes of Samian ware (almost all broken,) and in addition, glass vessels like- wise fractured, several sepulchral terra-cotta lamps were found here, and here only ; other articles, apparently of dress or ornament, accom- panied these deposits, but little could be made out with the excep- tion of soles of shoes or sandals, many of which were found here and in other parts during the progress of the works, in an excellent state of preservation. " Now Sir, if you will again refer to the sketches, I will enter more minutely into the description of some of the most interesting of the articles discovered at that period." Nos. 6 and 7, plate 2, are usually denominated lachrymatories, they appear to be a compound of clay with a small proportion of sand, these were found in the King Street excavation. One of a similar nature was found in the Borough. No. 8, on the same plate, is an elegantly formed cinerary vase, found in the pit in King Street ; the late Mr. G. Gwilt, Jun. who was at that time present, extricated and preserved it ; but not before it had received some injury by the forcible attempts of the workmen to detach it from the soil in which it was embedded ; with it were taken up a few Roman lamps, which were placed promiscuously around the vase, it contained ashes, sand, char- coal, small broken flints, wood, &:c. and one small bone; it was coated [K®i^i\Kl l^EiMl AO NS Plate Lonaon Published bj the Author. 1831 'aa^c/»i^. ANNALS OP SAINT MARY OVERY. 13 interiiiilly with a resinous substance much used in the specimens found in tijat part, with which it was also hermetically sealed, the urn is composed of clay and sand, somewhat analogous to our stoneware, it is nine inches in heia:hth and its lari^est diameter is' six inches. No. G, on plate 1, is one of the sepulchral lamps * just named, tins is drawn the full size of the original, which is considerably smaller than they are usually found ; the rest were of larger dimensions. The vessel, No. 1, on the first plate, was found in King Street, about one hundred and ten yards eastward of the Borough entrance, it is supposed to be sepulchral, and is coated on the inside with the resinous sul^ stance before mentioned, it measures six inches in heighth and is three and a half inches in diameter, the composition is of coarse red earth, highly glazed on the exterior, with an intense brown glazing. Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, plate 2, are vessels of glass, excavated from a depth of seven or eight feet in the carriage way of Union Street, they were found with the skeleton of a human Ixtdy, which had been laid upon oak planks, having narrow ledges on each side and at the ends. The vessels were filled with soil like that by which they were surrounded ; and with the exception of the square one, which has a small piece broken at one corner, they are all perfect. This is a particularly interesting discovery, as throwing a light upon the ancient mode of Sepulture. " These," said Antiquarius, " are doubtless the lachrymatories, or vessels, in which it was the custom of the Romans to deposit the tears of the mourners, collected at the funeral of the deceased." " I know Sir, that this has been the prevalent opinion, but • Lamps were very commonly in use with the Romans at their Marriages, Rejoicings, and Festivals held at night ; those found in Southwark are doubtless Sepulchral, and were probably used at the funeral ceremony. 14 ANNALS OP SAINT MARY OVERY. Antiquaries now differ on the subject : I suppose you have seen Dr. Fos- brook's definition of the word lachrymatories, in his Encyclopedia of An- tiquities, he there describes them as small bottles of glass or pottery in general with a long neck, intended for perfumes used in sprinkling the funeral pile, and not for holding tears, an absurd idea first started by Chiff- \at in his " Lachrymae prisco ritu diffusoe." " However absurd this notion may seem," said Antiquarius, " it is not so visionary as it may at first appear, and this, 1 think I shall have no difficulty in shewing ; first, I would remark, that these vessels have been found with the figure of an eye impressed thereon, which figure, supposing it an hieroglyphic, may have indicated the purpose for which they were used; and that such a practice is of high antiquity, appears very probable to me, otherwise I am at a loss how to understand that passage in the Psalms of David,* wherein he says, ' thou tellest my wanderings : put thou my tears in thy bottle : are they not in thy book ?' as if it had been said let my tears testify the abundance of my grief, have thou them in remembrance ; evidently alluding to some practice then in use. Of course, if the Romans had such a custom as part of their funeral rites, it would be intended thereby to show their sorrow for the departed. With these vessels are frequently found small brass instruments said to have been used for collecting the tears." " Such an Instrument, Sir, was found among the sepulchral re- mains of Southwark, and is represented on the second plate, figure 5; this is drawn the full size, and certainly might have been applied to such a pur- pose. — But I fear I shall exhaust your patience with this lengthened account, I will therefore conclude this part of our history with a brief enumeration of a few other discoveries of more recent date." * Psalm 56, verse 8. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 15 Oil the south side of St. Saviour's Churcli, near the grammar school, was found a tesselated pavement, a small portion of which only could be removed, and at the same time a number of Roman coins, chiefly of the lower empire. Roman coins are frequently found in the burial ground of St. Saviour's Church, * several were likewise found during the progress of the New London Bridge f works, mostly of the lower empire ; and very recently (luring the progress of the same works, nearly opposite the gate of St. Thomas's Hospital, two fragments of vases of a remarkable form, one of which is represented on the first plate of Roman remains, figure 4, and with them a beautiful specimen of Samian pottery, + of the finest texture, being the larger portion of an elegantly formed vessel of a fine coral colour, highly ornamented on the exterior with various devices, exhibiting foliage, medal- lions, birds, dogs, hares, &c. these last named are in my own possession, the rest are in the collection of Mr. Gwilt. No, 5, plate 1, is one of four beads recently found in the Borough, these are generally considered to be Druidical remains, and are supposed to have been worn l)y the superstitious Romans as amulets. § " Having I hope, clearly shewn the high antiquity of this spot, I shall proceed with my narration." From the time of the departure of the Romans in the year 426, * Mr. Gwilt has one of Antoninus, with a Britannia on the reverse. t I have seen one, now in the possession of Mr. Spencer, of Ilighgate, found near Tool^y Street, a Second Brass Hadrian, in good preservation, inscription— CAESAR TBA.TANl^S HADRIANUS, reverse, the figure of Britannia, inscription — PONT. MAX. COS. III. and under the figure BRITANNIA. X It was part of the Roman ritual to use earthenware at their sacrifices, the Red Samian ware was most in repute. § Pliny mentions a Roman Knight who was put to death by Claudius, for "caring one of these amulets during his attendance on a law suit. 16 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. to tlie tenth century, it is probable that Southwark was a place of little or no importance. It may be reasonably supposed that the Saxons on their establish- ing themselves in this island, would select those spots which the Romans, durino- their industrious occupancy, had rendered most habitable. The -.ame of Southwark appears to be derived from their language, supposed to be from some military work or fortification on the south of London ; the word Burgh, or Borough, is derived from the same source, and implies a strong place. The learned Dr. Whitaker asserts, that Southwark began with London Bridge ; but there having been a ferry here prior to that time, it is most probable there would be also a town or village : certain it is, however, that Southwark has gradually risen to its present importance, from the time of the construction of that edifice. In the first mention made of the Borough by our early historians, we are told that in the Sixth year of the Reign of Edward the Confessor, and in the year 1047, Godwin, Earl of Kent, having incurred the King's displeasure was banished the kingdom, that being determined to provide for his own security, he raised a considerable army, (having engaged many prin- cipal citizens in his cause,) with this army and a powerful fleet, he sailed to London ; and meeting with no opposition, passed the arches of London Bridace, with a design to attack the Royal Navy, which then consisted of fifty sail, and lay at Westminster, and that his army made a formidable appearance on the South Bank. " Mr. Harrison's history relates, that in the year 1066, on the marching of William the Conqueror to London, finding the people not disposed to submission, to impress a stronger sense of terror on their minds, he laid Southwark in ashes. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. l7 It appears, that for a number of years after this event, Sontlnvark remained a very inconsiderable spot, and tliat as it increased in popularity, it became a receptacle for persons of the worst cliaracter; for, notwithstand- ing the various steps that have been taken, at tlitierent periods, to effect a reformation, the last century has principally contributed to raise it to what it now is, one of the most poj)ulous, flourishing, and interesting towns in England. Southwark has sent members to Parliament ever since the 2tid of Edward I. In the Fourth year of the reign of Edward VI. the city of London obtained a charter, by which the Corporation became entitled to divers lands and tenements in Southwark; the manor and appurtenances thereof* the assize of bread, wine, beer, and ale ; and a fair for three days ;* more- over, the offices of Coroner, Escheator, and Clerk to the market, are for ever vested in the Lord Mayor for the time being. f * A fair was held here in the same manner as the Bartholomew fair at Smithfield, havine players, mountebanks, lope-danceis, &c. In 1733, Ilogaiih published a print exhibiting its humours in which he has introduced I'igg, the prize-fighter, and most of the enterprizing heroes of the day, from the monarch of the drama, to Cadnian flying on a rope from the steeple of a church. The heroine of the piece, a tall, handsome woman, beating a drum, is one of whom Mrs. Hogarth gave Mr. Ireland this account :— that Mr. Hogarth, going through the fair, seeing the master of the company strike her and use her ill, took her part, and gave the fellow a good drubbing. In Sept. 1743, the fair was confined to three days, and public notice given, that any persons will) should offer any interludes, &r. should be taken up as vagrants. It had been a custom for many years, that those who kept booths, or interludes, made a collection for debtors in the Marshalsea, but in consequence of these regulations, they could not afford to send money. This was so much resented by the prisoners, that they got together a parcel of stones, and threw them over the prison-wall upon the bowling-green, by which a child was killed, and several persons wounded or bruised. So restrained, the performers removed to that la\vle.ss place the Mint, or Suffolk-place; and it was not till 1703, the nuisance was wholly put an end to; when, on the 19th of September, the High Constable, with upwards of one hundred petty constables, by an order from the Justices of Southwark, went to Suffolk-place, adjoining to St. Goorgc's-fields, and caused all those who had erected booths &c. to pull them down ; they having no authority for keeping any fair. t Northouck's History of London, &c. p, 125. 18 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. In 1647, during- the civil war, the Borough of Southwark peti- tioned to be left to defend themselves. Many thousands in the city petitioned for measures of accommodation ; at which Colonel Poyntz and other officers of the new list, were so exasperated, as to fall upon the naked petitioners, sword in hand, killing and wounding several. The inhabitants were induced afterwards to make a separate agreement with the anny under Cromwell and Fairfax.* In the year 1676, a great part of Southwark was destroyed by fire; being as yet, like old London, chiefly built of timber, lath, and plaster. Commissioners were appointed by Act of Parliament for the rebuilding it regularly and substantially with brick. But, Sir, I must bear in mind, that the parish of St. Saviour particularly claims our notice ; I vtdll, therefore, confine my account to those occurrences more immediately relating to it. These remarks shall, if you please, form the subject of conversation during our walk. " I anticipate much pleasure," said Antiquarius, " and shall feel most happy, if in return for your attention, I can communicate any information that will either amuse you, or be serviceable in your contem- plated work.— Now let us be going, for I am anxious to visit your church." I proposed that we should first proceed to view the These are situated on the north side of the church ; and, (notwith- standing the various uses to which for many years they have been applied, all tending to hasten on their destruction,) they yet retain enough that is interesting, to amply repay a visit from the curious. What is now called Montague Close, was formerly the conventual * Northouck's History of London, p. 188. KEMAINS OF THE PKIORY OJ ST MART OVEKY, SOUTHWARK. ANNALS OP SAINT MARY OVERY. 19 pttrtion of the Priory of St. Mary Overy. At the north-west angle of the church is the gateway, a gothic arch in the Tudor style, and not very rich ; passing through which, we arrive at an open space, round wliich may be traced remains of the cloisters ; of the north side, only a portion of the wall remains; in the east wall is a window, probably of the dormitory, and nearly hid from view by the accumulation of rubbish, two door-ways, which once led to the interesting part of the conventual remains represented in the annexed engravings; to view which, we passed round the north side of the close, and through a modem gateway (under which, however, may be seen remains of the ancient one), and arrived at a crypt-like portion of the Priory, extending about one hundred feet northward of the north trancept of the church, in breadth about twenty-five feet; this is in two aisles, with short octangular columns, and groined roof. These aisles are now divided into several portions by walls, and are used as coal-cellars; they were kindly thrown open for our inspection. My friend Antiqnarius, appeared highly delighted; particularly with that part nearest the church. The accumulation on this side, is by no means so considerable as on the western or cloister side; we entered by a descent of three or four steps that part of the crypt which forms the subject of the first plate. The second, represents more in detail, the door-way and cell shewn in the first. This has also a groined roof, and receives its light from two small windows, one of which is in tolerable preservation. Above this crypt was the dormitory, but little of which now remains. In 1795, there were more extensive remains ;rtainly be easily corrupted into Overy. Pennant and others assert, that it was at one time written Overee, which meant over the ree, or over the river. Perhaps Stow's account is neai'est the mark, but the lady he names was never canonized ; and as it was the custom then, as in the present day, to dedicate religious edifices to patron saints, I cannot but think that its name may be traced to another, and a more probable source. About the latter part of the .seventh century, there lived (according to Bede) a St. Audre : she was daughter to Anna, King of East Angles, and remarkably eminent for her chastity, as also for the severity of her personal habits and restrictions. She lived a nun in the monastery <»f Ely, which .she built and endowed ; at last she died of a .swelling in lu r throat, and was buried in a private grave near her own convent sixteen yeans, when Bishop Wilfridt; and her friends bestowed on her a more costly burial, in a toml) said to have been miraculojisly found for her reception, at Cambridge. Our author tells us further, that in memory of this siiint, our English women were wont to wear a chain about their necks, made of fine small silk, which they called Ethelreds, or Audre's chani. Now, if we may credit Linsted's tradition, it would seem that the house of sisters above named, was founded about the period when this saint was in high repute all over England ; and it and people sinking together; nearly three thousand persons perished by the accident,! partly by water, and partly by fire." " You shall have it in the words of the chronicler," said Antiqua- nus (referring again to his papers) ; " but I see we have here a little varia- tion in the date." ^mtO 1214. "And in this yere, on seyn Bennette's day, S(»uthwerk, Lon- done brigge, and the moost part of London was }>rent." • Chronicle of London, liarl. MSS. t Trusler, in his Chronology, says, and with greater probability, three hundred. 24 ANNALS OF ST. MARY OVERY. ^miO 1238. 23 ^m. III. Peter de la Roach, Lord Chief Justice, and Bishop of Win- chester, from this year to 1243, founded the chapel on the south side of the church, dedicating it to the honour of God, and St. Mary Magdalen. My friend, said Antiquarius, as your annals have only reached the thirteenth century, and really I have no great inclination to stay in this cellar for the next four or five, let us therefore adjourn to the good old Tabai'd* inn, where I have taken up my temporary residence ; there I shall with pleasure hear your succeeding annals, and there, (as we need refreshment) you shall be welcome to a cup of the best ale mine host can fiirnish. We shall then be in better condition to enjoy our walk round the church. " I find, Sir, you are a consistent antiquary, even to choice of your hostelrie, ere we part, this inn will claim a little of our notice ; and by the way, that we may lose no time, I will continue my story. ^nno 1337. 2 IStliM* III. A statute of the collegiate church of St. Mary Overy, this year, restrained the Boy Bishop to the limits of his own parish.* " I must confess, Sir, I do not clearly understand the office of this popish dignitar}^ ; parhaps you, being better versed in such matters, can explain it." " Oh yes," said Antiquarius.. — " In the Romish church, a child was instituted to the office and work of a Bishop on St. Nicholas' day (Dec. 6). He was connnonly chosen from among the choristers, the rest preferring him to that honour ; which title he bore until Innocents' day, with all the * Talbot. t Hone on Ancient Mysteries. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 25 diiinity of the office, wearina^ the mitre, and bearinir tlie pastoral staff: he likewise exercised some of the most important of the episcopal fnnctions; and in the event of his death durin*;- his prelacy, was bnried with all the honour and pomp diw to his hiuh station. The other ehiltlren of the choir, assumed the style and dignity of prebends, and performed every service of the cathedral, with the exception of the mass. Upon the eve of Innocents day the chorister bishop and his little prebends, walked in j)rocession to the church, preceded by the dean and canons, and the chaplains. While he went his procession, he was much feasted by the people, who it seems hii-hly esteemed his blessing. Most cathedral and collegiate churches had a choral liishop at that time of the year.* On our arrival at tlie Inn, (wliich my friend approached with al- most as much veneration as the pilgrims who once lodged there evinced at the shrine of their favorite saint, at Canterbury,) I contnnied my annals. ^n!TO*1.3.V2. 2()|5tliJLn III. John de Shepy, IJiohop of Rochester, was consecrated by the Bisliop of Winchester, in St. 31arv Overee's Priory, on the 10th of March.f Joan Lady Cobliam, wife «»f Reginald de Cobham, and daughter of Maurice de Berkley, by will, betjueathed her body to be bnried in the Churchyard of Saint Mary Overy in Sonthwark, before the church door, where the image of the blessed virgin, sittelh on high over that d •. ;i|)- pointing a ]dain mnr])le stone to be laid over her grave, with a cross of metal • A curious moDumeiit to the memory of one of these boy Bishops, was discovered in .Salisbury Cathedral, in 1C80. It consists of a shil) of stone supporting the effigy of a lioy, habited in episcopal robes : at his feet is the figure of a dragon, witli his head reflexed to his tail. t Register Islip. — Godwin de Prorsul, p. 532. — During the restoration of Rochester Catli'-drat, a few years since, a heaullfiii .Monument of Bishop Shepy was discovered, which lias since been carefully restored by Mr. Cotlinghani,and forms t most interesting feature of the building. — See Gents. Mag. .Sep.lS2> O 26 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. thereon ; and in the circumference, these words in french, to be cut: " Vous qui per ice passietz, pur 1' ahne Johane de Cobham prietz," that forthwith after her death 7000 masses should be celebrated for her soul, by the canons of Fauconbrio ire and Tanrigge, and the four orders of friars at London : that upon her funeral day, twelve poor people should carry twelve torches.* ^mto* 1397. 21 mtlh n. John Go\^ er and Alice Groundolf were married (by licence from Bishop Wykeham, to William, chaplain of St. Maiy Magdalen, Southwark, y the alliance, and was probabl}' conducted with much pomp. mmo. 1429. 8 |[?cn. vr. " The viij day of Novembre, the duke of Norfolkf with many a gentilman stjuyer and yoman, tok his barge at . Steven Byssetur vj.i> Wittm Man vj.''i Edmunde Alston vj.i' Jamez Drynker vj.'' Thorns Lyttlewoorthe vj.'' Robt Goodman vj.'' Thorns Kendall vj.'' Alyne Blande vj." Sm of pencones appoynted clxx.'i It'm, the seid late pryor is appoynted by the seid comyssioners to haue a howse wythin the close wherein Doctor Mychell nowe dwellith for term of his lyff. Thoffis Crumwell. Willyam Petre. John Mores. Will'm Cavendyssh. It has been before stated that this was a Monastery of Canons regular of the order of St. Augustine, they were a less stiict sort of religious than the Monks, yet lived under some rule,* they resided together under * The following are the heads of the first rule said to have been prescribed to his Canons by St. Augustine, 1. That no man call any thing his own, but all be in common. 2. That whosoever be admitted sell all he has, and give'to the poor, and take no care for food or raiment. 3. That none be admitted without trial. 4. If any depart the Monastery, to carry nothing with him, &c. In the second rule is prescribed the Church Service ; that they should work from the morning to the 6ixth hour, (12 o'Clock) and read from the sixth to the ninth, (3 o'Clock,) when they must go abroad, it must be two and two, not to have any idle discourse ; those who are refractory to be chastised. The third rule enjoins the love of God and their neighbour ; that they be all of one mind ; that all be distributed to them according to their wants ; that those who were poor abroad do not grow haughty ; nor those who were wealthy despise the poor ; to be present at prayer the appointed times ; to subdue the flesh with fasting ; to listen to what is read at dinner ; not to grudge what is allowed to others more sickly, or of a weaker constitution ; not to be affected in apparel ; not to do anything that may give oflfence ; not to gaze on women ; not to conceal anything that is given them ; care to be taken of the sick ; if any revile another to beg pardon; the person offended to forgive; obedience enjoined to superiors; the superiors not to be presumptuous. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 35 one roof, had a coinmoii Donnitoiy and Refectoiy, and were obliged to serve the Statutes of their order. They were liut little known till the tenth or eleventh century. Their costume was a white tunick with a linen gown under a black cloak, with a hood covering the head, neck, and shoulders. The Arms of the Priory were Argent, a Cross dancette, in the first quarter a cinquefoil, gules. There are yet two or three events, which, in the strict order of time, should have been sooner noticed: with these I shall close this part of our history. " Henry de Wengham, Bishop of London, was consecrated in the (•hurch of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Southwark, Ann. 1200. Feb. 15. by Boniface, Acb. of Canterbury." " In 1273, Walter, Aichbishop of York, granted thirty days in- dulurence to all who should contribute to the fabric of the church."* " John de Sandall, dean of St. Paid's, and afterwards Bishop of Winchester, died in 1319, and was buried in the Church of St. Mary Overies. He was master of St. Catherine's Hospital near the Tower.f " The heart of Matilda de Hastings, first wife of Gilbert de Peche lord of Barnwell, was buried in plumbco IocuIhs,% before the high altar of that priory, near her children; the reason assigned for which is that her body could not l)e brought from St. J\Ian/ Oceri/, where she died, to be buried there as she desired, because of the then troubles, by which must be meant the Barons Wars.§ The remains of Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, (u ho 5AI\T MARY OVERY. 37 applied for a corrotly or allowance, as was then common, for one of his aged servants, named William Fisher, to the prior and convent of St. Mar}' Overies, in Southwark, they returned the following answer, stating their willingness, but utter inability. The chief reason they assign is the dilapi- dated state of the convent, of which this record affords at that early period a remarkable picture. I have attempted a translation, but as the original is a curious specimen of the Latin of the middle ages, I shall give you that also. " To the most serene Prince and their revered Lord ^^^At^t by the Grace of " God, King of England, &c. his humble and devoted priests, the Prior and Convent of the " Blessed Mary in Southwark, oflter all they can to their Sovereign, the suffrages of their " prayers. $t tliltf) pleased your Excellency to command that we should make provision " as to living and necessaries for 21SEiUt(llU IC ,if iSfjf Vf your servant, during his " life, by our Letters patents to be to him therefore granted by us, and sealed with our " Chapter Seal. We should be induced for the accomplishing of this object to issue our " said letters accordingly, but they would only more fully prove our condition, as the most " high (Prince) has known that we would with all humbleness obey his commands, if our " abilities were equal to the task. But noble prince, ought not our poverty to excuse us to " your majesty, from undertaking this burden ; inasmuch as the whole of our goods, rents, " and possessions, cannot afford sufficient for our own maintenance, except through the " grace of God, in .supply of our necessities, the pious bounties of the Faithful aid us in this " behalf. (JDUt Clt)Ul'ft) too, which now for thirty years last past (oh! shame) has been " a ruin, we have laboured our utmost about the repairs of, since the beginning of that time, " yet we have only been able so far to proceed in its restoration — hindered by vexatious and " burdensome exactions, as well in Spirituals as in Temporals, — as to build our Campanile.* " ii^OXtO\)tYf through the continual resistance, which without ceasing, wc attempt against " the violence of the River Thames, (on whose banks our little house is situated,) and for " the safety of our church, our strength would not suffice even for our own security, were tiie " danger not lessened, happily on the one hand by a subsidy, on the otlier by our being • Campanilt's are Towers on purpose for the Bclb, as at Salisbury, Tewkesbury, &c. 38 AWALS OF SAINT MARY OVERV. " immediately furnished by ourselves. — I'll J^tXltf (most excellent Lord) Let your own " magnificence be brought to the subject, in that, in your provisions of this kind for servants, " your court hath always been wont to write to my lords of the rich, great, and superabound- " ing manors, and other possessions of the sumptuous princes your progenitors Kings of " England, the fragments and crumbs falling from whose tables, are likely to be more than " our whole substance, — not from the issues and petty cells of brethren, which have been " founded from the simple generosity of good men out of their small portions, — of which kind " is your very little (convent) our house. For in reality if we should, (as it hath pleased you " to write to us) take such an one into our society, it would be necessary to remove one of " our own brethren ; to do which, we appeal to you whether it would not be grievous, — " indeed, inhuman ? Hence, ready as we are to comply with your w ill, we lament, religious " prince, if we are not able to obey, as we would, your commands. For truly not without " blushing, we have ventured to make you acquainted with the smallness of our temporal '• means. May the most high preserve you long and prosperous. &c." * * " Serenissimo Principi and Domino suo Reverendo E (Edwardo) Dei Gratia Regi Anglia?, kc. siil " humiles & devoli sacerdotes Prior and C'onventus bealse Maii» de Suthwark, ca quae poleruiit pro " suo Domino orationum suflragia apud Demn Placuit Excellentise vestise nobis, praecipere, quod Jfi/- " lielmo le Fishere, servienti vestro, quoad viveret faceremus in victu k necessariis provideii, Literas " nostras patentes inde sibi faciendo Sigilli nostri Capitali consignatas; quodque inde faciendum ducere- *' nus, vos efficeremus nostris liJeris magis certos : — Quibus mandaiis, vovit ultissiinus huniili anims " pareremus, si nostra' ad hoc sitjjicerent facultates. Sed apud Majestatem vestiam, a praedicto onere " subcundo, excusare non debet (Princeps inclyte) snnima paupertas, (jua uos deprimimur: cum omuis " res, redditus et possessioncs nostras ad sustenfationem nosliam sufficere non valeant, nisi gratia Dei qu* " ad supplimentum ngit, pise fidelium iargitiones nobis succurerent in hoc casu. Ecclesiu etiam nostra " quae jam triginta annis elapsis passa (proh dolor !) est ruinam, circa cujus releTationem ab eo tempore " toto laboravimus nostro posse, necdum tantum potuimus in ipsius r^levatioue invalescere, variis &c " onerosis esactionibus tarn in spiritualibus quam in temporalibus prtepediti, quod nostrum ex toto " --B-i). j/ia»i rri /'•^Utt efPnorj Memn-ins /'../■/uhtJ ly ■A-Tny,^' ^' Qu^nt A» iVtU.rtJ, OfUMi w BESFECTFULLY INSCRIBED TO THE REV W HARRISON D D C HAPLAIN OF S'SAVIOURS CHURCH BY puiluhed ly h'TmlcrJJ Qutcnt JUu,- }y^» tri), M} AWALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 4o In the third or window story, called the clerestory, the mullions and tracery of them, are of a subsequent date. The groins of the ceiling are elaborate, but of later date; at the intersections are bosses, exhibiting various devices, carved in a bold effective style, such as coats of arms, foliage, grotesque faces, rebuses, &c. this ceiling which is of wood, was placed here after the falling in of the original stone one in 1469, the groins spring from corbel heads or bustos, some of them holding shields.* The accompanying plate of the interior of the church, is inserted to convey a better idea of what has been attempted in words. Here we have a clear view of this magnificent pile disencumbered of all those unsightly objects, (such as the organ, galleries, staircases, pews, &c.) which, however necessary to the convenience of a parish church, greatly disfigure the build- ing. In this view the arches of the first story of the tower, (which are now shut out by a painted ceiling,) are shown as at York, Durham, &c.— but to proceed with our description. of the Nave will next claim our notice: at the west end isa window blocked up; in the first division of the north wall of the aisle is a pointed window nia most eccentric form, the short columns on either side have Norman rapitals, the gothic arches which they support, aj)pear to have ])een addt-d at the time when the circular Norman arch gave way to the pointed stylt\ Beneath this window is an arch filled up, described by other writers as a and pelican, as in the upper one, but the foliage is varied, consisting of roses, lilies, and fwisted thorns, these are interspersed with heads of our bles.sed Saviour and Saint John, of the most exquisite workmanship; the ])lacid countenance of the one on the right might almost inspire a dev(»tional feeling; the whole H 50 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. are in the highest state of preservation, and appear as if fresh from the sculptor's hands. In the lower division is a large space, where formerly stood the high altar ; on either side of this space is a rich doorway, with a depressed arch of the ogee form, the mouldings terminating in a figure of a monk, from vvliicli springs an angular buttress corresponding with those before mentioned ; in the spandrils are carvings representing the Easter games. Right and left of these doorways are canopied niches, with elegant pedestals having capitals highly enriched with foliage. All the more prominent parts of this admirable production of art, have been intentionally mutilated ; this act of spoliation was probably the work of that period, when the dawning rays of our reformed religion break- ing through the clouds of papal superstition, first beamed on our favored land. Thankful as we ought to be for the blessings of the reformation, every man of taste must feel regret at the sad havoc then made among the various works of art which decorated our ancient ecclesiastical buildings;* mankind, alas ! too seldom choose that middle way were truth is found ; so in this instance, disgusted perhaps with the enormities of the popish religion, as exemplified in Mary's reign, when the oppressive conduct of the clergy had attained its greatest height, they would be apt to run into the opposite extreme, and that which commenced with a laudable zeal, would degenerate into acts of fanatacism; for we can hardly conceive that a feeling short of this could have prompted the mutilation of a work so ex- quisitely beautiful as the Altar Screen just described.! » Our Churches were much defaced in the reign of Heury VIII. and throughout the whole reign of lidward VI. when certain persons in every County were appointed to destroy the Popish relics, such as loods, graven images, shrines, kc. which might have a tendency to promote idolatry and superstition. t It is gratifying to know that there is an intention of restoring this beautiful work of art, a liberal subscription has been commenced for this purpose, and I hope the work will soon be in progress; EnA^redirv-Wravlor from a drawmfi Isrthelat* J.Carter£sq.FS.A '-'v- AKCHSISHOP if CANTSRU URY. ^/uj Jz^^ yUl /m£af-ylvith, or more time to study the peculiarities of the building ; he has however obtained great credit in the parish, for the manner in which this valuable improvement has been carried into effect; these transepts were both restored for the verj^ moderate sum of £3500. that being the sum originally contemplated. It is worthy of remark, that the pillars supporting the grand arch on which the tower rests, are not carried down to tlie ground here, as on the south side, but have their bases on a level with the tops of the pillars of the basement story of the transepts; apparently indicating that at some period this transept had been separated by a screen, and was perhaps a chapel. Prior to the repairs, the north transept had a groined ceiling of oak, like that of the nave. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 61 Several early fragments of sculpture were discovered in reniovini; [»arts of the old work, which had been built in, in niakinij repairs at ditfertiit times. No. 5 on the plate of architectural fragments, is a beautifully carved capital of a triple wall column, of a very early character; and No. 4, on the .same plate, is the head of a dog or lion, from the north transept. Here was formerly a door-way which led to the vestry, and near it a niche where stood the Aqua Benedicta, or holy-water. The vestry, which has been improperly called the Chapel of St. John, is situated on the east side of the north transej)t, and is entered by a door-way recently constru(;ted in the north aisle of the choir : it is a spacious apartment, but retains none of its original character; it receives light from a large window on the east side, in which are the arms of Queen Elizabeth. The parish records are here deposited in a handsome iron Siife, designed in the gothic .style by Mr. Gwilt, and round the walls are exhibited plans (»f the parish estates. On the east side of the south transept, until within a few years of the present time, .stood the ^ (Kfjapel of ^u iBaci) iHajjtialm* This structure was of more modern date than the Church, exhibit- ing the architecture of the IGth Century. Whatever beauties it may have formerly had, it had been so often repaired and heautijied, that but few f»f its original features remahied. The roof, which was without groins, was supported by four pillars, with slender colunms attached to the cardinal points, and the arches were of unequal dimensions; the plain timbers of its simply constructed roof were visible from the interior. At the east end was a huge window blocked up, with mullions and tracery in the perpendicuhir style, the arches having trefoil heads ; and near it a small arched door-way, by the side of which was a niche for holy-water; an interior view of this 62 AXXALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. ohapel was published in Moss's History of St. Saviour's. The exterior as shown in Hollar's south view of the church ; has a modern door-way and three original windows. By the remov al of this chapel the cruciform figure of the church has been restored, and the additions having been made with so much good taste, its loss is scarcely to l^e regretted. The monuments which formerly stood here will ]ie described in the respective places to which they have been removed. In the north aisle of the choir is a little door-way leading through a winding .stone staircase, (built in one of the great pillars which support the Tower,) to what is called the Old Belfry; here we are surrounded by the arches and columns of a beautiful gallery, which should be seen from the body of the church, as in some of our Cathedrals ; the painted ceiling which now shuts it out from view is an absurd kind of decoration, much in fashion at one period, but not at all in harmony with the general style of the building. From tjiis part, door-ways lead to the roofs of the nave, choir, and transepts. Above the arches just named may be traced the forms of others now built up, and which like them were probably once seen from the body of the church. From this story we ascend by a wooden staircase of modern construction to the which is a spacious apartment receiving light from eight large windows, having muUions and tracery. Here are the massy works of the clock, which powerfiilly remind the visitor of the mechanism of some gigantic crane ; the weights pass through the floor to the apartment below, where also the im - raense pendulum vibrates. The walls of the Belfry are decorated with or- namental tablets, on which are recorded several noted peals rung in this s ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. (»•'} Tower, with the names of tlie ringers. The following- account of them may be acceptable to those who have a taste in such matters. " The Society of College Youths rung in this steeple, on March 12, 17o8, a complete peal of 5040 tripple bob twelve in — in four hours thirteen miimtes, being the greatest performance ever done on twelve bells." " On Monday, April 10, 1758, the Society of Old London Youth* rung in this steeple a complete peal of 6336 bob maximus, in five houi-s and thirteen minutes, being the most ever rung in this method." " The Society of Cumberland Youths did ring in this steeple, on Monday, November 10, 1766, a complete peal of Oxford tripi>le bob max- imus, (Containing 5136 changes, in four hours eight minutes, being the greatest performance ever done on twelve bells." " The Society of College Youths rung in this steeple, on Wednes- day, March 10, 1784, a complete peal of 7008 tripple bol) twelve in — in six hours five minutes, being the greatest performance ever done on twelve bells." Leaving this room we ascend by another flight of wooden stairs to the next story in which are the bells, twelve in number, and .said to he an excellent peal. In 1424, in the time of Prior Werkeworth, there were but seven bells, of which the weights and names* were as follow : Tons. Cut, lbs. The largest, called Augustine 38 7 Maria 27J 13 Steplicn V.hl 7 Anna Alaria l.j li) St. Lawrence 13 H Vincent 12 21; St. Nicholas Oi 9 • The Bt;lls in Catholic times wtre baptized with much form, and the following ceremonies were used. 1. The bell must be baptized before it may bi; hung in the steeple. 2. The bell must be baptized by a Bishop or his deputy. 64 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. Afterwards in the same year, this Prior caused other bells to be made of greater weight, and added an 8th and altered the names, as is seen by the following extract from the Leiger Book. Cwt. lbs. St. Trinity Miiu ... 9 Mary 3 M . . 7^ 10 AiiRustine 2 M . . 2f 21 St. Lawrence 19 4 score 13 Gabriel 12 35 All Saints 10 4 St. John the Evangelist 6 4 score 9 Christ 5 28 The bells were new cast in the year 1735, and made a peal of twelve.— The following are the comparative weights of the old and new peals, 3. In. the baptism of the bell there is used holy-water, oil, salt, cream, &c. 4. The bell must have god-fathers, and they must be persons of high rank. 5. The bell must be washed by the hand of the Bishop. 6. The bell must be solemnly crossed by the Bishop. 7. The bell must be anointed by the Bishop. S. The bell must be washed and anointed in the name of the Trinity. 9. At the baptism of the bell they pray literally for the bell. The following is part of the curious prayer used at the above ceremony. " Lord grant that whensoever this holy bell, thus washed and baptized and blessed, shall sound, all deceits of Satan, all danger of whirlwind, thunder and lightning and tempests, may be driven away, and that devotion may increase in christian men when they hear it: O Lord pour upon it thy heavenly blessing, that when it sounds in thy peoples ears, they may adore thee ; may their faith and devotion in- crease; the devil be afraid and tremble, and fly at the sound of it: Lord sanctify it by thy Holy Spirit, that the fiery darts of the devil may be made to fly backwards at the sound thereof; that it may deliver us from the danger of wind, thunder, kc. and grant, Lord, that all that come to the church at the sound of it, may be free from all temptations of the devil." In the Golden Legend by Wynkep de Worde, is a curious passage relating to bells. " It is said, the evil spirytes, that ben in the regon of thayre, doubte moche when they here the belles rougen ; and this is the cause why the belles ben rongen whan it thondreth, and whan grete tempests and outrages of wether happen ; to the ende, that the fiends and wyched spirytes shold be abashed and flee, and cease of the niovynge of tempeste." To enumerate all the superstitions connected in former limes with bells, would occupy more room than the limits of this work will admit, but we have a fair sample of them in the above extracts. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY 6.5 ®Rr 9tal Cwt. qrs. lbs. jlctD ^cal. Treble 8 2 2 2 9 2 18 8 9 2 10 4 11 I 7 5 15 2 21 6 23 4 7 30 2 21 Tenor 46 3 21 Allowed 31b. per Cwt. for waste in melting, taking off . . . To new Metal to make the new peal 155 1 20 4 18 151 1 2 64 7 Treble 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Tenor 51 Cwt. . 7 . 7 . 7 . 9 . 10 . 11 . 13 . 17 . 19 . 25 . 34 qrs. lbs. 1 20 3 20 3 10 14 16 2 4 1 21 21 3 21 1 2 2 Total— 215 Total— 215 1 9 Tlie 4th Bell was dated Mcccccxciv. The 5th Bell had this inscription to the memory of its founder, — " Consonat ecce pia campana, vocata Maria, " Quam Prior Henricus Wentworth sibi fecit amicam." Another short flight of wooden steps brings us to the roof of tlie Tower, from which we have on all sides a magnificent and extended pros- pect; here Hollar took his views of London, before and after the great tire in 1666. — The vast metropolis, " — London — opulent, enlarged, and still Increasing, London ! " with its many spires and turrets, forms the northern prospect : westward, the river winds its sinuous track : and on the east are seen in crowded tiers, fair source of London's wealth, the numerous vessels trading to its port : southward, the spreading hills of Kent and Surrey bound the prospect. But the most attractive objects in the view from the tower at the time of writing this article, are the old and new London bridges ; the ancient struc- tiue, reluctantly yielding its post to its successor, seems almost to defy the 66 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. sturdy stroke of the labourer's mattock, while the new one proudly spanning the Thames with its five bold arches, seems to reproach its neighbour with the loss of life occasioned by its ill-construction. London Bridge has many claims to the notice of the Historian and the Antiquary, but to enumerate them here would be foreign to our purpose, particularly as its history is now the subject of an ably written volume,* the result of much careful research, and which ought to be found on the book- shelf of every topographical collector. The royal arms now on the front of a public house in King Street, in this parish, are from the south gate of London Bridge, taken down in the year 1760. An idea of the immense traffic over this bridge, may be formed from the following account.— When the Southwark Bridge was projected, the directors attended one day in July, 1811, in order to ascertain the extent of this thoroughfare. On that day 89,640 foot passengers, 769 waggons, 2,924 carts and drays, 1,240 coaches, 485 gigs and taxed carts, and 764 horses passed over it.f We will now descend and resume our description with a survey of the (2?xterwr of ttit ©i^urrij4 The exterior of this Church, like that of most of the larger churches, shows the workmanship of various periods, although the archi- tecture is almost wholly in the pointed style. The materials of the walls ajjpear to be rubble, faced with ashlar and flint work.— The western front even in its present state, retains many of its original features ; the elevation assumes a square form, being so made by facade walls built above the aisles; * The Chronicles of London Bridge. f Percy Hist. London. ^ For this description of the exterior I am mainly indebted to Mr. Carlos. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 67 at the extreme angles are buttresses, square in plan, to the height of the aisles, where they assume an octangular form, which is continued to the termination. The door-way in the centre is in the style of the fifteenth century, consisting of a noble pointed arch, the mouldings of which rest on small columns attached to the jambs; the soffite is pannelled, and the exterior lines are worked into mouldings, which also spring from small columns. The spandrils are pannelled, and the whole is bounded by a small moulding, which gives the square form common to door-ways of this period. The door is oak, richly pannelled with perpendicular tracery, and cinf(ue-foil arches, in high relief The window above this door-way, is of a more recent period; the arch is obtuse, divided by mullions into six lights, which are again sub- divided by a transom into two stories; the tracery has been tastelessly mo- (lernized. At the west end of the south aisle is a window of three lights, with unaltered tracery, the corresponding one in the north aisle is destroyed, but its outline may be traced in the interior. The south side of the church, was, until a very recent period, the only porti(m of the structure not concealed by adjacent buildings. Tiic Nave has suffered much from injudicious repairs, and now needs a careful restoration to render it worthy of the choir and transepts. The south aisle is made by buttresses into seven divisions, in the first is a window blocked up, and hid by a wooden erection ; the second is occupied by a porch, which, when perfect, presented a rich and elegxmt example of the earliest architec- ture in the ])ointed style ; as .shown in Hollar's view it terminated with a high pitched gable, enriched with niches and circles, and, as a whole, po.s- sessed that boldness of design which is almost peculiar to works of this early period ; the gable has been removed, and the termination is now, a tame 68 ANNALS OP SAINT MARY OVERY. parapet ; the entrance is double, consisting of two trefoil arches resting on clustered columns, the capitals of which are exceedingly bold, being enriched with foliage and figures. Above this is a row of niches varying in height, and accommodated to the form of the arch under which they are seen, the central one has a bracket on which the statue of the blessed virgin, mentioned in the will of Lady Cobham,* undoubtedly stood. The whole is within a large acutely pointed arch, deeply recessed, the jambs enriched with co- lumns insulated from the walls, and attached by moulded belts, these columns are in two rows, one a little in advance of the other. The archivolt mouhl- ings were very rich, but the whole of the flowers and other ornaments have been destroyed by bungling attempts at reparation : let us hope that a day is fast dawning, when these matters will be managed with taste more in ac- cordance with that which originally designed these beautiful structures. The next four divisions contain windows of two lights, w ith quatre- foil tracery in the heads, in the style of the early part of the 15th century. The last division nearest to the Transept, contains one of an earlier form ; this was probably a \Aork of tlie time of Edward I. when, as may be collected from a curious record printed at page 37, the building aj)})ears to have un- dergone considerable repairs; this window is shown in the plate of the south transept. The clerestory is faced with brick, it contains six pointed windows, the mullions destroyed and modem architraves added ; on a stone tablet inserted in the wall, is the date of this mutilation (1703) called a repair; Hollar's view shows these windows with tracery, and the parapets embattled. The west wall of the south transept, has three lofty windows of three lights, with exquisite tracery in the best style of the 14th century, in the head of the arch, the windows of the east side correspond with these, but it is much to * Vide page 25. m^ ^ "^^ ■ 1 i i^ S ■^ ^ ■^ V ^ J> ■y * ^; 63 ^ ,_ fA li^. 'ii^^: RWallacc Est, ArcK' WTaylor Sculp ELEVATION OF THE SOUTH THAN SEPT Saint Saviours ChurcVi . /.-/ ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 09 be regretted that they have been injured by reducing the lengtli of the inullions. The south front of the transept, until x'ecently restored by Mr. Wiilhice, presented tlie same unsightly appearance as the brick-cased nave, the flat parapet is now however restored to the original form of a gable end, the niullions and tracery of the great south window restored, as described at page 0.9, and shown in the accompanying plate (which is reduced from a drawing obligingly lent to the Author by Mr. Wallace) ; this window is bounded by a sweeping cornice, resting on corbels of bold execution, repre- senting regal heads. Above this window in the gable is a circle enclosing a starred quatre-foil. A raking cornice enriched with foliage, and a para- pet, on the apex of which is a cross, complete the elevation. The buttresses at the angles have been finished with a capping and octangular pinnacles. At the time of restoring the south transept, the remains of a beau- tiful little door-way were discovered beneath the great south window, agreeing in situation with the one shown with a porch in Hollar's view.* The Chapel of St. Mary Magdalen, described at page (>1, (till its removal in 1822) occupied the angle fonned by the east side of the south transept, and the south side of the choir ; and in its original state must have contributed much to the picturesque variety, and cathedral-like appearance of the whole;— on its removal, the south aisle of the choir was restored by Mr. Gwilt to its present appearance, the windows have been described with the interior, but a beautiful little door-way of a bold character, inserted at that period remains to be noticed ; the mouldings of the arch spring from co- liumis with elegant foliated capitals, which are attached to the jambs; the inner columns as they now ap{)ear have lost the beautiful character of Mr. Gwilt's design, they then formed a sort of perpendicular moulding, enriched * See plate of arclutettural fragments, fig. C. 'J'O ANNALS OF SAfNT MARY OVERY. with a fillet peculiar to the architecture of the period, this fillet has been chipped off, and the moulding made to assume the appearance of a column, which is neither round nor oval. Two lofty and massive flying buttresses rise above the aisles for the support of the choir, these have been much admired for the boldness of their proportions, the pannelled shafts were copied from those remaining on the opposite side, the crocketted pinnacles were added by Mr. Gwilt, the whole is in a more recent style of architecture than the main building, but as the existing buttresses on the north side afforded an authority, and this finish is in itself exceedingly elegant it cannot but be admired. The east front of the church is an entirely new design by Mr. Gwilt, and deserves great attention for the elegance of the architecture, and the general correctness of the detail. At the angles are square buttresses containing .staircases, the sides relieved by niches, the finish is very graceful, consisting of a turret formed by an open arcade, surmounted with a dwarf .spire ; between these buttresses is a triple lancet window, and in the gable (which finishes the elevation) a rose window within a circle. On the apex of the gable is a very elegant foliated cross, on the pedestal of which is the following inscription : — THIS CROSS, THE LAST STONE TOWARDS THE REBUILDING OF THE EAST END OF THE CHOIR OF THE CHURCH, WAS LAID IN THE PRESENCE OF THE WARDENS AND GENTLE- MEN COMPOSING THE COMMITTEE OF CHURCH REPAIRS, BY GEORGE SADLER, ESQ. WARDEN OF THE GREAT ACCOUNT. SEPT. 17. 1824. GEORGE GWILT, ARCHITECT. The accompanying engraving shows the restored east end of the choir, with the Lady Chapel as it appeared prior to the commencement of the restoration now in progress, the first stone of which was laid the 28th of July, 1832; within this stone is deposited a bottle containing coins of the reign, the coronation medal, a print showing the state of the Chapel prior to 3AS^ m^m ©IP s? SA.VEeiffiRS canffiaeiai. 1Mb. l«31.1yW.T«;jaor CIukSi S! S! SiTiours W.TayU ar. ANXALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 71 the restoijition, and a copper-plate with the following inscription :— AFTER A LAPSE OF MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED YEARS FROM ITS ORIGINAL FOUNDATION THE FIRST STONE FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE LADYE CHAPEL WAS LAID JULY 28th. 1832 IJV THE CONCURRING HANDS OF JOHN IVATT BRISCOE ESQ. M. P. GEOKGIANA- MATILDA AND ADELINE DAUGHTERS OF GEORGE GWILT F. S. A. ARCHITECT TO RESCUE FROM IMPENDING DESTRUCTION AND TO PRESERVE THE VENERABLE FABRICK A CONTRIBUTION AMONG PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS WAS SUCCESSFULLY PROMOTED DURING THE WARDENSHIP OF WILLIAM DAVIS ESQ. BY THOMAS SAUNDERS F. S. A. DEO FAVENTE REGE GULIELMO QUARTO WI.NTONIiE CAROLO RICARDO EPISCOPO MUNIFICENTISSIHE ADJUVANTE This Chapel will be strictly restored to its oiiginal state, with fonr high pitched gables, terminating in elegant crosses, and a staircase tnrret at the north east angle, the four triple lancet windows lighting the chapel at the east end, have been described with the interior, above them are four smaller ones of a similar figure, giving light to the roofs, a remarkable feature in these is a carved head in the crown of the arch, one of these win- dows having been finely preserved by the Bishops chapel which stood against it, will alford a valualde example for the restoration of the others. The win- dows are separated by bold buttresses, adding much to the strength an»' %.V!g^>, ■■.'^'^f''' -^t^ ^^f-^-^ CLFVATION or THE NORTH TRANSEPT AND PARTS ADJOINING S^ Saviuuis Church . V ,•? ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 73 The whole exterior of the Iniildiiia; has a tine cathedral -like effect, and will form, when the neighbouring improvements are completed, one of the noblest objects of the metropolis. Tlie following day we paid our promised visit to the Church, to examine the monumental remains; I was pleased to find m\ friend Anti- quarius in a communicative hvunour.— On applying at the Sexton's oflice we were readily admitted, and on entering the Nave, I had stopped, as I al« ays do, to admire the fine remains which time, and the destructive hands of innovators have yet spared of this interesting portion of the building, when I observed my companion, who was a few paces in advance, contem- plating with intense interest a monument in the north aisle of the Nave; it was the Zomh Of €fOlMCt%* This consists of a canopy of three gothic arches, highly enriched with cinquefoil tracery, and carved foliage, supported on either side by angular buttresses, which terminate with pinnacles ; the canopy is embellished on the underside with fan-work springing from columns and corbels of angels heads at the back ; on the upper part of the monument, I)e- hind the arches of the canopy, is a screen consisting of two rows of trefoil niches ; against the wall, under the arclies, were painted three female figures crowned with ducal coronets, witli their names superscribed and scrolls wreathed round them, inscribed formerly in black letter, but these have fallen into decay. Beneath the canopy, on an altar tomb, on the front of which are seven trefoil niches, is tiie eflTigy of the ancient bard, in a recumbent posture, his head reclining on three volumes of his works, incribed witii their respective titles: "Vox Clamantis," "Speculim Meditantis," and " Confessio Amantis," the hair falls in large curls on his shoulders, a long robe closely buttoned down the front, extends from the neck to the feet, which are t ntirely covered. A collar of SS, from which is suspended a small swan chained, the badge ol IJenry IV. hangs from his neck ; on Ids iiead is a wreatjj with roses, and an inscription which seems to have escaped the notice of former writers ; this inscription I discovered on • This interesting monument has, with a view to its better preservation, been recently removed III :t recess iu the south transept, at the expense of Lord Francis Leveson Govvek. Tlie motive is highly creditable to his lordship, yet it is much to be regretted that it should have been removed from this spot, selected by the bard himself as the resting place for his remains; and to which the reading of his will must ever attach so lively an interest. (See Gower"s will printed in another part of this work.) 74 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. the recent removal of the monument, but so clogged with numerous coats of paint, as not to be legible till they were removed, when the words £^tXCi 3lftu became visible in raised letters ; his feet rest on a lion, over which on the side of the monument, are the arms of the deceased on a shield hanging by the dexter corner, from an ancient French chapeau, bearing his crest. Beneath the figures just named, is the following epitaph on a plain tablet : — Arraigeri scutum nihil a modo fert tibi tutum, Reddidit immolutum, morti generali tributum, Spiritus exutum se gaudeat esse solutum, Est ubi virtutum, Regnum sine labe statutum. Which has been thus translated : — • Mis shield lienceforth is useless grown, To pay death's tribute slain ; His soul's Kith joyous freedom flown. Where spotless sjnrits reign. Below the effigy, on the margin of the tomb, runs the following,— " Hie jacet Johannes Gower, Armiger, Anglorum Poeta celeberrimus, ac huic sacro Edificio Benefactor insignis temporibus Edw. III. et Rich. II." Here I'leth John Gower, Esq. a celebrated English Poet, also a benefactor to this sacred edifice, in the time of Edward III. and Richard II. Gower's arms are, argent on a cheveron, azure, three leopard's heads, or, crest, on a chapeau turned up with ermine, a talbot, serjant, proper. " I was endeavouring," said Antiquarius, " to compare this monu- ment with an ancient description of it, copied from the preface to his printed book, it is curious, and quite at your service." " John Gower prepared for his bones a resting place in the Monasterie of St. Mary Overes, where somewhat after the old facion he lieth right sumptuousely buried, with a gar- Icinde on his head, in token that he in his life dales flourished freshely in literature and science. And the same monumente in remembrance of liym erected, is on the north side of the foresaide churche, in the chapell of St. John : and moreover he hath an obite yearly done for hym, within the same, on fridaie after the feast of the blessed Pope Saynte Gregorie; beside on the wall where he lieth, there be painted three virgins with crownes on their heades, one of the which is written CTfjatttif, and she holdeth this device in hir honde. — \orkmen employed in erecting the ])eautiful iiXomuucnt of tlje ^ujstiitjsf, Which has been removed to this spot from its original situation in the south aisle of the Choir : This is a rich mural monument of most exquisitely beautiful workmanship, consist- ing of an allegorical device from scripture. In the hope that all the inscriptions will be carefully restored, and to guard against innovation, I shall describe it as it originally stood. — It is composed of stone adorned with M 82 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. two pilasters, with cornice and pediment ; between the pilasters is a rock, whereon stands an angel, holding in his left hand a sickle, and pointing with his right hand towards the sun over his head, with this motto, Sol Justitia (The Sun of Righteousness). On the cornice on the right hand under the angel are these words, Vos estis dei (Ye are God's husbandry). And on the left hand, on the cornice, Agricultura. Out of the rock issues a stream, near which is a snake; and at the bottom standing corn, bound with a scroll, on which is written Si noH moriatur, non reviviscit, (Except it die it reviveth not,) alluding to St. Paul's remark, used in the sublime burial service of the church. The snake is an emblem of the serpent lifted up by Moses in the Wilderness (Numbers, chap. xxi.). Round the rock, Petru erat Xtits (That rock was Christ). Under these, Nos sevit, fovit, lavit, cogit renovabit, (He hath sown, cherished us, and shall gather us together and renew us,) — all this between two angels, in a reposing posture, placed lower down, one having a pitch-fork and the other a rake. By each is placed the crest of the Austins with a motto scroll : under the angel with the fork is written, Mossores ; and under that with the rake, Congregabunt. These two angels and the other before mentioned, allude to Revelations, chap, xiv., where it is said, "The earth is reaped by them." Under the standing corn is a winnowing fan with this inscription : — " Arvum hoc Sepulchrale Exuvtarum opt. matris Jacosce Domhue Clerke, sui ipsius lectissimceqtie uxoris consisiioni destinatum, Gidklmus Augustinus Arm'iger viviis sacramt. Anna conjux clarissbna primo inseritur, Qua post de^imum partum (An. 1623, Jan. 21, Alarito ac Uberis quinque SuperstitibusJ Tricenaria valedicens : In reflorescendi diem et spem, hac terra tegitur, sequimur cceteri : Sati corruptibiles, suscitandi incor- ruptibilis, Secundam fecit sc mentem. " Domina Jacosa Matrona spectatiss. nupta Jacobo Augustino, per An. 22, deinde Roberto Clerke, Equiti Aurati, Saccarii J3aroni per An. 4. Viduata permansit An. 20. bonis opertbus intenta devixit,An. ^tat. 66. Salutis 1626. et hie tnature iti Christo Begerminandi vicem earpectat." " Postretno ipse Gidielmus, eadem spe hie conditus Alonumentum hoc conchtsit, An. ./Etat- 47, Salut 1633. This monument was repaired at the charge of the family of the Austins, in 1706, and again at the charge of the parish in 17G4. The Arms (which are scultured on a corn shovel) are. Or, on a fess, between two cheverons, sable, three cross crosslets of the first. Motto, " Nemo sine Cruce Beatus." Under the monument is a small slab of black marble, with the following inscription : " Requietorium GuUebni Austin Amtigeri qui in Contemplandis fuit pro angelo in agendis pro dedalo in itinere pro vehicido in niensapro convivio in morbo, patiens pro miraculo in morte, Jidelis pro exemplo, Obijt 16 Die Jan. 1633. Aitatis suce 47." On another slab, which I hope will be carefully replaced in its original situation near the family vault, is the following : ^-^^ Austin BINGHAM '^^r^^= MONUMtNTS IN S"^ SAVIOUKS CHUKCll SOUTHW* /I ,y«y/rT / ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 83 "Here lies the body of Mrs. Elizabeth Austin, wife of Mr. Thomas Austin, of this Parish, who departed this life tlie 2nd of January, 1773, aged 59 years. Also the body of the abovesaid Mr. Thomas Austin, who departed this life the 20th of March, 1777, aged G8 years." On a grave stone in the south aisle of the Choir, wliere the monu- ment formerly stood, is this inscription : "Here lyeth William Avstin,Esqvire, of Gray's Inn, who erected y' monvment, and his Mother, Joyce, with his Wife, Anne, and his two Sons, Sir James Avstin, Knight, then of this Parish, and AVilliam Avstin, Esq. of Lincoln's Inn. Likewise, Anthony, second son of Sir James Avstin, Knight. And lately Goldesborovgh Avstin, who died y* 10th of April, 1704, in y"^ l)th year of his age; he was yovngest of 14 Children of James Avstin, Esq. eldest son to Sir James, which James, Esq. died the Gth of Avgvst, 1699, aged 47 ; and was bvried near his wife Frances, in the Chancel att Ingerstone in Essex." The Arms of the Austins are on the stone. William Austin, Esq. of Lincoln's Inn, who died Jan. IG, 1633, was author of a Book entitled " Certayne Deuout, Godly, and Learned Me- ditations." " Set forth " (as is stated on the title page) " after his decease, by his deare Wife and Executrix, Mrs. Anne Austin ; as a suruiuing Monu- ment of some part of the great worth of her euer honoured Husband." This work has an elaborately engraved frontispiece, illustrative of its contents, and in one compartment is a portrait of the author.— It con- tains his funeral sermon, written by himself, on Isaiah, chap, xxxviii. ver. 12, " 3Tij habitation is departed, and is removed from me, like a shep- herds tent : I have cut off (like a weaver J my life : he will cut me off from the height : from day to night, thou wilt make an end of me."* In this discourse is the following beautiful passage, (speaking of his wife and children, he says,)—" The fellow of my bed, the company of my table, the playfellows of my house, the joy of my heart, and comforts of my life are either clean gone or much impaired : I am indeed but half alive and half dead, for (like a blasted tree) half my body (the more loved part) is dead ; and half my branches (the youngest and tenderest) are withered, cut off, ^ and buried with her." ♦. Old Translatiou. 84 ANNALS OP SAINT MARY OVERY. A copy of this very rare work, is in Sion College Library ; the in- troduction of the following curious specimen of the author's style, will need no apology (on account of the scarcity of the book). "THE AUTHORS EPICEDIUM MADE BY HIMSELE UPON HIMSELF." Job, chap. xvii. ver. 1 and 13. SEPULCHRUM, MIHI SOLUM SUPER EST. SEPULCHRUM, DOMUS MEA EST. Shall there be Nothing left me, but a Grave "? Shall I (at last) no other Dwellmg have '? let not Flesh, and Blood take note of this ! For if she doe, 'twill poyson all her Blisse. Covdd she but meditate on such a thing, She vi^ould have little lust to Laugh, or Sing ; It is a Death to her, to think on Death, How she shall rot, and lose her loved breath. Yet that great Jew (that wisely could descry, What things were not, and what were Vanity, What pleased the Soule ; and what the Flesh did paine,) Did never thinke the thought of this was vaine. Then let my soule (though Flesh and Blood re- pine) Ponder on that, shall make them both divine. But why (0 foolish Flesh) shak'st thou at this ? Shrink'st thou from that, which thy best Physicke is? Thou art earth-borne ; from thence thou did'st de- scend. And here (grown sicke by sinne) thou canst not mend; Till, toward thy native Country, thou repaire. And draw (by Meditation) that cold Aire, Change but this aire, and thinke upon thy end. Thy sinne will lessen, and thy soule will mend. For as at sea, (when clouds put out the stars. When winds from heaven, and waves from earth, make wars. And mad-brain'd saylors, all the decks orewhelme. The Pilot (sadly sitting at the helme,) Better directs the ship, where it should goe. Than all their wilde endeavours can, Ev'n so (When through the world's darke storms, to lieaveu we tend, One quiet Pilot sitting at the end) One thought of death, our course more right doth guide. Than all the vaine workes of our life beside, These tlioughts will make those (which our soules- blood quaff,) Like (liorse-leeches) strow'd ore with dust, fall off. If then to thinke on death, be good. Oh why Should any thinke, It is not good to die ? That (of all things, that mortals feare and shun.) Doth hurt or grieve us least, when it is done. This is the Port : This is sinnes perfect cure. Till our grave cover us, we ne'er are sure. This only last remains ; Thither let's hast, Since flesh and blood still longs to know what's last ; It ever hath belongd to mortal wights. That severall heads take severall delights. Some have to good, and some to bad have will. But leaving that which I delight in (111,) I joy in these, which few can discommend. And most desire, next to a constant friend, And these are they, that draw me most along, A well writ Booke, a Picture, and a Song. As for my wealth, (in which some take delight.) I got it not, nor doe I of it write. But of those things endeavour brought me to, I somewhat know, and somewhat can I doe. And these I love, and they doe love to be With such as love and seek tlieir company. But will they stay with me ? Oh, no, alas. They were belovd long time before I was. AXNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 8.> And when their lovers di'de, they thriv'd and spread, Nor will they goe with me when I am dead. Sfjme learned friend perhaps may, on my Hearse, Scatter some lines, and strew the Cloth with Verse. Painting (perchance) may gild some Flag or Banner, And stick it on my Coffin for my Honour. Musicke may sing my Dirge, (and tell all eares) I loved that art which now their senses heares. But when 'tis done and I no more can have. Nothing tm/l tarry with me but my grace. And 'tis most just ; For here I did receive them, I found them when I came and here I leave them. But will the things I want and others have, Accompany their owners to the grave ? Will Beauty goe'? will Strength in Death appear? Will honour or proud Riches tarry there? They all say No, for let grim death draw neare. Beauty looks pale, and Strength doth faint for fear; There's little wealth or pride in naked hones, And Honour sits on cushions, not cold stones. Nay ask our friends (That when we are in health,) Would die for love of us (or for our wealth,) Marke what they set their hands to ; view it well, [Your friend till Death :] But once dead : Fare you well. Nought then will tarry, but the grave, for Note, How of a man new dead men talke by rote ; This was his wife (says one), that was his land, This was his friend, that was his building, and This was his wealth : that was his chiefest blLsse ; And thus they talk awhile of what was his. But walke the church-yard, and thou there slialt have, Report ('till Doomesday) say ; This is his grave. If Kings and Queens (then) can no more procure, Nought but mv grave will tarry with me (sure) ; Why should I therefore strive, to get such things ? Since what the world contains, no surety brings ? Like men that claspe at spirits, catch but aire ; So while we here look after things seeme faire. And gripe at all the world, to serve our lust, It through our fingers slips, and leaves but dust. Yet still tlie neerer death we grow in yeares, Tliis scraping humour in us, more appeares. And drownes not, till we sinke. So must it be, For dying men will grasp at all they see. While they can see : when sense failes farewell all. The world's too heavie then ; they let it fall. Though we are borne, clutch fisted ; when we die. We spread our Palmes, and let the world slip by. And then, (when nothing else, will with us stay) We must ourselves remaine with earth and clay. Since all I want here, God gives, and I have, (What can I more expect now) but my grave. Oh ! cease my flesh, for aught else to contest. Sepulchrum mihi solum super est. FINIS. T''erse 13/7t. SEPULCHRUM DOMUS MEA EST. Here we miist rest ; and where else should we rest? Is not a man's owne house (to sleepe in) best? If this be all our house, they are to blame. That brag of tlie great houses, whence they came. And ever-more tiieir Speech, thus intcr-lace, I and my Fathers house ? Alas ! alas T What is my Father's house ? And svhat am I ? My Father's house is earth, where I must lye. And I a worme ; no man ; that fit no roome, Till (like a worme) I crawle into my tombe, Tliis is my dwelling ; This my truest home, A house of clay, best fits a guest of lome. Nay 'tis my house, for I perceive I h,ive. In all my life, ne'er dwelt out of a grave. The womb was (first) my Grave; whence since I rose My body (Grave-like) doth my sovd enclose. That body (like a Corpse, with sheets o'erspred,) Dying each night lies buried in my bed ; Ore which, my spreading Tester's large extent. Borne with carved anticjues makes my Monument. And ore my head (perchance) such things may stand. When I am quite run o\it in dust and sand. My close low bnilded chamber, to my eye, Showes like a little chappell where I lye. 86' ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. While at my window pretty tirds doe ring My knell ; and with their notes my Obiits sing. Thus when the days vaine Toile, my soule hath weari'd, I in my body, bed, and house, lye buried. Then have I little cause to fear my Tombe, When this wherein I live my graves become. Nay we not onely doe ourselves entomb, But make (for others) Graves in our owne wombe; Creatures of sea and land we in us bury ; And at their Funeralls, are bl^-the and merry. •Who groane to serve us thus, and dye unwilling, How can we then live long, that live by killing ? Me thinkes, that we should neither eate nor drinke, But straight to dig our graves we should betliinke ; For since by their dead bodies we are fed, I wonder (all this while) we are not dead. It is an old said saw, yet in request,) When belly's full then bones would be at rest ; Well have we fed the flesh ; and from sinnes cup. Have drunke iniquity (like water) up ; The creatures we have eaten flea'd and shome, The fruits from earth (to feed us) we have tome. Are we not satisfied ! sure 'tis best, That after all we get us home to rest. And no where can the flesh true slumbers have, But in our truest home, or homely grave. There we sleepe sound. There let the tempest roar. The world's proud waves shall dash on us no more. We are at home, and safe, what ever comes, Let them fight on, we shall not heare their drums. Let those we doated on, now love, or hate. It shall not grieve us, though they prove ingrate. Yea ; let them praise, or raile, we lye aloofe Out of their reache, our sleepe is cannon proofe. And we but sleepe, For, as we cloze our eyes Each night we goe to bed, in hope to rise, So doe we dye, For, when the trump doth blow, We shall as easily awake, we know. And as we (after sleepe) our bodies finde More fresh in strength, and cheerfully inclin'd, So (after death) our flesh (heere dead, and dry'd,) Shall rise immortall, new, and purifi'd. If this be true, Why make we no more hast? 'Tis time to sleepe, day failes, night drawes on fast, Lets get us home. For as the evening sunne, (Looking us in the face, when day is done,) Makes us cast longer shadows, so, (when death Lookes in our face, through age, and claims our breath,) We cast liis shadow long off from our sight. Yet may we thereby know "tis almost night. And, when we see night come in frowning skies, What man will not goe home, if he be wise ? Heere let him come. This house is of such fashion, The Tenant ne'er shall pay for reparation. There shall the dew, not wet him, cold not harme him. There shall no simne, nor weather over-warm him. From thence hee'U finde (when thither he is gone,) A private walke to heaven, for one alone, Why doe we (then) not goe"? Are flesh and blood, The hinderers, that clog us from this good. ! rid thyself at home, and cast off those, What wise man ever went to bed in's cloathes. Shall we (that know how after this life's end An everlasting one, for us doth tend,) Grieve to lay do^vne these rags, for earth to keep, That we, awhile may take a nap of sleepe ? Then were we worse than children, For but say. That they (to-morrow) shall have holij-day. They'll straight to bed, and put off all apparell, Then cease (my flesh) with heaven's decree to quar- rell. And, with these words, reduce thy thoughts that roame. He that dyes first, shall onely first goe home. But when thy flesh (hither) to sleepe repajTes, Say (as when to thy bed thou go'st) thy prayers. Since he most oft forgets himselfe, in death. That thinkes not of his God, that gives him breath, Invoke his Mercy, ere thy rest thou take, For, as thou fal'st asleep, so thou shalt wake. This house, of which we have (before) beene tell- ing, Is but a sleeping chamber, not a dwelling ; • Romans, chap. viii. ver. 20, 21, 22. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 87 For when thou wak'st, this house no more shall hold thee, But that whereof the bless'd Apostle told thee, tSaying, if this our earthly house decay. We have a house, not made with hands of clay, *But in the heavens eternal. Blest is hee. Whom thou, O Lord, admittest there to bee; He in thy courts shall dwell, thy temple's store Shall in thy house fill him for ever-more. But staye, my soule, Thou canst not (yet) come Thither, Thy wings are clog"d, and thou more strength must gather. Mean time ('till from this earth, thou get'st free scope) §Even in thy grave, thy flesh shall rest, in hope. So fare well world. Here in my house i'll rest; Scpulchrum enim domus mea est. Finis. On the north wall of the transept, is a monument ni the form of an antique .shield, surrounded with a profusion of drapery, liaving this in- scription : " In the great vault, near this place,* is interred the body of Thomas Sedgewick, Gent., of the Bishopric of Durham, who departed this life the 30th day of March, Anno Domine, 1724, in the 73rd year of his age. Tliis monument was erected by Mary his wife, daughter of Christopher Dering Esq. of Wicking at Charing in Kent, in memory of his great affection to her, and also of his constant practice in the virtues of truth and honesty." Above the shield is the Arms of the deceased, he bears Argent, on a cross gules, live bells Or, impaling Or, a saltiere sable. Crest broken off. Beneath this monument is one of larger dimensions in memory of Dr. Lockykr, whose efligy arrayed in flowing robes and copious wig, reposes in a reclining attitude, on a massive sarcophagus of marble : This monument is enriched with Ionic columns, entabla- ture, and arclied pediment. At the back of the monument are the following arms: Azure a cheveron, between three grypiion's licads erased. Or. " Who have we here?" said Antiquariu.s, (endeavouring- to read the inscription on the tomb.) " All that is known Sir, (I replied,) of this august personage, may I believe be collected from his epitaph." " Here Lockyur lies interr'd, enough; his name, " Speaks one liath few competitors in fame ; " A name so great, so gen'ral it may scorn, " In.scriptions which do vulgar tombs adorn. " A diminution 'tis to write in verse, " His eulogies, which most men s mouths rehearse : t 2 Corinthiaat, chap. v.,vcrsc 1. J Psalm Ixv., verse 4. ^ P'alm x»i. * This Monument formerly stood in the Magdaie>i ChaptL 88 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. " His virtues and his pills are so well known, " That envy can't confine them under stone ; " But they'll survive his dust and not expire, " Till all things else, at th' universal fire. " This verse is lost, his pills embalm him safe, " To future times without an Epitaph." Deceased AprU 26, A. D. 1672, Aged 72. " Tut ! " said Antiquarius, and turned to a monument on the right, (more in accordance with his own taste,) where " Along a tomb, which painted sculpture dress'd, " Arm'd as for tourney, the Kuight warrior lay, " His crossing legs, a couching lion press'd, " A helmet was his head's supporting stay, " His limbs were mail'd in battailous array." Fosbroke's Econ. of Mon. Life. This is a monumental effigy of a Norman Knight, without any inscription, to indicate the personage represented : tradition says that it is one of the Earls of Surrey, and Stow enumerates among the monuments in the church in his time, one of William, Earl of Surrey : that it is one of the Warren family is very probable, but I think honest master Stow is in error when he states that an Earl William is buried here ; there were five Earls of Surrey of that name. William, the 1st Earl, was buried in the priory of Lewes. William, 2nd Earl, in the same place at his father's feet. Wil- liam, 3rd Earl, was slain in a crusade against the Turks, his heart was brought to England and buried at Lewes. William, 4th Earl, attended King Henry toThoulouse, where he died and was buried ; and William, 6th Earl, was buried at Lewes. Reginald de Warren, who died without issue during his father's life time, was buried here, as may be collected from one of the following deeds. " Ego Reginaldus de Warenna dedi cajionicis de Suthwerke ecclesiam de Plumbton cum assensu Aliciae uxoris mete, & Willielmi filii mei pro salute mea & Aliciae uxoris meae & liberorum meorum & pro salute Isabellae comitissas Dominae meae & pro animabus patris & matris meaj & pro anima Willielmi comitis Warennae fratris mei & pro anima Willielmi de Wormengay patris Aliciae uxoris meae. .,iSMmmttiiwitiiiriiia»;'iMmniiiiiimilimfi«iinii»mMM f- ' ^-t^ ft, A ^-UJiiC^- i^/V.w.^^*^''- S' Snv tours CfiunJt Ml br WTaylor.ll.Chuivh St' S'Savioiirs AXXALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 89 " I, Reginald of Warren, have panted to the Canons of Southwark, with the con- sent of my wife Alice and my son NVilliam, the Church of Plumliton, for the health (of the souls) of me, my wife Alice, and my children, and for the health (of the soul) of the Lady Countess Isabella. And for the souls of my father and mother, and for the soul of William, Earl Warren, my brother, and for the soul of William of Wormengay, the father of my wife Alice." " Ego Willielmus de M^arcnna, dcdi Canonicis de Suthwerke una cum corpore meo 60 acras terra; in Fortiscrea dictas Wadeland pro animabus patris mfl Reginaldi &, matris meae Aliciae & Beatricis uxoris meae & Reginald! filii nostri & Beatricis & Isabellae filiarum nostrarum." " I, William of Warren, have given to the Canons of Southwark, together with my body, GO acres of laud in Fortiscrea, called Wadeland, for the health (of the souls) of my father Reginald, my mother Alice, and my wife Beatrix, and our son Reginald, and our daughters Beatrix and Isabella." " Ego Beatrix filia Willielmi de Warenna post mortem viri Domini mci Radulphi dum essem in viduitate mea concessi & confirmavi donationem qiiam pater mens Williel- mus de Warenna fecit canonicis de Suthwerke (pro salute avi mei Reginaldi de Warenna & Aliciae aviae meae & patris mei Willielmi & matris meae Beatricis & fratris mei Reginaldi cujus corpus ibi requiescit & Isabellaj sororis meae) &meae de 60 acris terrae in Fortiscreea, viz. in Wadeland cum pert, suis." " I, Beatrix, daughter of William of Warren, after the death of my husband Ralph, have during my w idow hood, confirmed the gift which my father William of Warren, gave to the canons of Southwark, (for the health of the souls of my grandfather Reginald of Warren, and my grandmother Alice, and my fither William, and my mother Beatrix, and my brother Reginald (whose body Iks iliere), and my sister Isabella.) And my GO acres of land in Fortiscrea, viz. in Wadeland with its appurtenances." From the deed of Beatrix it appears decidedly that Ueginald de >\'arren was buried here, and it has been shown that Wilham, Earl of Surrey, was not buried here as stated by Stow, the probability is therefore th:it this is the effig:y of Reginald de ^yarren, which conjecture is borne out hy the style of the costume, wliich is the knightly harness of the Norman era. The figure being clad in the mail armour of that period, over which is a tuni(*k, and wearing the conical helmet, on the feet may be traced re- mains of (he spurs, important articles in the costume of a knight; the shield is gone, but the left arm shows decisive evidence of there having been one : 90 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. the handle of the sword Is also wanting.— The pedigree of Reginald de Warren is as follows : William, I st Earl of Surrey Gundred 5th, Daughter of William the Con. Reginald de Warren, 2nd Son of William ' Alice, Daughter of William de Wormgay. William de Warren, Beatrix, Daughter of Hugh de Pierpont. 1 1 Beatrix Reginald Isabella William, 2nd Earl of Warren, also gave to the Church of St. Mary Southwark, as appears from the following entry in a MS. in the Herald's office ; the ratification of this charter was accompanied with the remarkable ceremony of placing a knife on the Altar of the Church. •' Ego Willielmus comes filius Willielmi de Warenna, concessi ecclesiam de Kir- cesfield, cum omnibus rebus quae ad cam pertinent, Deo, & ecclesiae S. Mariae de Southwark, unde donavi de manu mea per quendam cultellum super altare ejusdem ecclesiae posituni, prinio anno quo in eadem ecclesia canonici regulares effecti sunt, viz. pro remedio aninia- mea?, & patris & matris, & regis, &c." " I, Earl William, son of William of Warren, have granted the church of Kirces- field, with every thing belonging to it, to God and the church of St. Mary of Southwark, whence I have given by my hand, (writing) placing a certain small knife* on the altar of the same church, during the first year in which canons regular were admitted into the same church, viz. for the health of my soul, and the souls of my father, mother, the king, &c." * The Cultellus was as its name expresses, a small knife, it was used also as a dagger. Chaucer speaks of it in his Reve's Tale, " A Shefild thwitil bare he in his hose." Conveyances were made in early times by the grantor delivering to the grantee some moveable which was known to belong to him. The knife placed on the altar by the Earl, was doubtless known as his from his wearing it in common. Many instances are on record of deeds, with small knives attached, as we now do a seal to authenticate them : at this early period private seals were not in common use which may account for the above curious custom. AWALS OF SAINT MARY CVERY. 91 In the same MS. is the following extract of a charter, said to have been taken out of the book of the Monastery of St. Mary de Overy. " Ego Willielmus de Warenna, & Isabel Comitissa uxor mea, cum filiis nostris, pro amore, & honore Dei, & beate Marie, & omnium Sanctorum, & pro anima regis Willielmi primi, & secundi, & pro salute regis Henrici, &c. Et pro anima patris mei Willielmi, & Giindrede Matris, & pro salute nostra, &c. Concessimus in perpetuum ecclesie Marie de Sutliwark, & canonicis ejusdem, ecclesiam de Churgesfield, cum ecclcsia de Begesurde, 8c ecclesiam de Haleghe." " I, William of Warren, and the Countess Isabel my wife, with our son, for the honour and love of God, and the blessed Mary and all the Saints, and for the souls of King William the first and second, and for the health of King Henry, &c. And for the souls of my father William, and my mother Gundred, and for our safety, &c. have granted for ever to the Church of Mary of Southwark, and its canons, the Church of Churgesfield, with the Church of Begesurde, and the Church of Haleghe." This deed was confirmed by the two succeeding earls, William and Ilanielin. There is also a religious grant by Hamelin, Earl of Warren, to St. Mary's in Southwark, of the Churches of Crechesfield (or rather Cher- chefelle), Bechesword, and Leghe, which appears to be a confirmation deed of the gift of ^Villiam, ^nd Earl of Warren, to the same. In a MS. in the Herald's office is the following entry : " Ego Isabella Comitissa Warennae, assensu Domini mei Hamelini Comitis Waren- na", & filii heredis nostri Willielmi, dedi, & concessi Deo, & ecclesiae de Southwerke, & canonicis ibidem Deo servientibus, 107 acras terrae, viz. totum Wordham & residuum in Wodechcrt, in puram elccmosinam, pro animabus Henrici regis fratris Domini mei, & Gal fredi Comitis Andegavensis patris Domini mei, & matris Domini mei, & fratrum suorum, & pro animabus Willielmi Comitis patris mei, & omnium aliorum Comitum Warennomm, & pro animabus Willielmi, Patricii, & Philippi fratrum meorum, &, pro anima Alae matrix meae, & iiliarum Comitissarum Warennarum." " I, Isabella, Countess of Warren, with the consent of my husband Hamelin, Earl of Warren, and of our son and heir William, have given and granted to God and the Church of Southwark, and the canons there serving God, 107 acres of land, viz. the whole of Word- ham and the residuary in Wodechcrt , as a pure gift for the health of the souls of my Lord King Henry, and of my Lord tlie fatlier of Earl Galfred of Andegavensis, and the mother of my Lord and her brothers, and for tiic souls of Earl William my fatiicr, and all other Earls of 92 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. Warren, and for the souls of William Patricias, and Philip my brother, and for the souls of Al(e my mother, and all other Countesses of Warren." And in Madox's Formulare Anglicanum, is tlie following confir- mation of this Earl, by way of mandate : " H. Comes Warenna?, R. Archidiacono Surreia;, and P. Decano, Salutem. Mando vobis, atque precor, quatenus dimittatis Priorem, & Canonicos sanctae Mari^ de Suwrch (Southwark) in pace tenere eleniosinam meam, & antecessorum meorum, scilicet capellara de Niudegat ; & priori interdico ne inde placitum intret sine me ; quia praedictam elemosinam eis garentizare debeo." " H. Earl of Warren, to R. Archdeacon of Surrey and P. Dean, health, I command and entreat you, that you henceforth suffer the Prior and Canons of the church of St. Mary Southwark, to hold in peace the almsgift of me and my ancestors ; to wit the chapel of New- digate. And I forbid the Prior, that he should enter any plea thereon, without my permission, because 1 am bound to warrant the said almsgift to them." From these interesting documents we may collect, that the noble family of the Warrens were liberal contributors to this priory. Their Ar- morial bearings were formerly emblazoned in the windows of the church, which brings me to speak more particularly of the Stainetr ^la^js formerly there. In the library of the British Museum is a MS. collection of heraldic matters, by Nicholas Charles, Herald, 1610,* containing drawings of various coats, which once enriched this venerable structure, and of which not a vestage is now left. In a window of the South Transept was painted three Norman Knights, as shown on the accompanying plate of stained glass (fig. 1). The first is Marshall, Earl of Pembroke ; the second bears the arms of Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, he has on his lance a vane or pennon, which (says Dr. Fosbroke) distinguished a knight batchelor from a knight bannaret, who displayed the square banner. The third knight bears the Warren Anns, with a bar gules in medio ; a MS. in the Herald's office says this coat was borne by Reginald, second son of William first Earl of Warren. * Nicholas Charles' Heraldic Collections, Lansdown MS. 874. g S3 > © > '^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ c;< ri i^ ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. JKi Above the first kuiij^lit is a sliield \vith the arms of Clare, Earl of Ghdicester, on a shield over the second knight, the arms oi England, and over the third the Warren arms. The figures are separated by borders of arms; in the first border are, alternately, the arms oi Dodo, or Doun Jiar- do/f'iuu\ Sat/e. Bardolf married Beatrix, daughter of William de Warren and sister of Reginald, who was buried here. In the second border are, alternately the arms oi Monceux (Or, a bend sable), and Maudut, Earl of Warwick; Monceux was connected by marriage with the Warren family. The third and fourth borders have, alternately, the arms of Sta- plcton or Welles, and Fitzwalter. Under the first knight is a shield, Barry, argent and sable, name ; under the second knight a shield, gules, a fess argent between three martlets of the same, name ; under the third knight a sliield, charged with the arms oi lilount. Fig. 2, is the arms of De Vere, Earl of Oxford. Fig. 3, the War- ren arms; 4, Eyncourt; 5, Gower. In the .same collection are the arms of Hugh de Albeni ; De Va- lence; Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk ; and three other shields, all of which were in windows of this Church. And most of the families appear to have been connected with the Warrens. Before we leave the efligy of the Norman knight, it may be well to remark, that Stow says he has been .several times removed ; I have some- where read, that at one time it lay at the west end of the north aisle of the nave, from which place it was removed to the north transept, where I re- member to have .seen it, placed upright as a convenient log (being made of wood) to support the stairs of a gallery : the figure now lies in the attitude »»f repose proper to such monuments. 94 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. Above this figure is a mural monument to the memory of Richard Blisse, it consists of a beautifully executed bust of the deceased, of most ad- mirable workmanship, between two pilasters and a pediment, which pedi- ment is sunnounted by a shield with the family arms, and two sepulchral lamps : under the pediment is a canopy, the curtains of which are tied up, beneath this is the bust, on either side of which are cherub-like figures, one in a weeping and the other in a suppliant attitude. In the lower compartment is a tablet with the inscription, sup- ported by cherubim, and winged death's-heads, and enriched with festoons of laurel. The inscription is as follows: " To the Memory of Richard Blisse, of this Parish, a faithful friend, and most aifectionate husband, his wife, Elizabeth, out of a just sense of her loss, hath caused this monument to be erected as the last testimony of her love; he died suddenly the 4th of August, and was buried underneath, the 12th of the same month, A.D. 1703, JEtat. 67. Conjug. 29. Also, Dame Elizabeth Mathews, wife of the aforesaid Richard Blisse, and relict of Sir George Mathews, Knight, who departed this life the 10th of January, 1729-30, in the 79th year of her age." The Arms are impaled with those of his wife ; Argent, on a bend cottised Azure, three garbs, Or. Argent. Crest : a garb. Or, as in the arms. Over the vestry door is a monument consisting of a neat tablet with ornamental pilasters and a bust of the deceased, inscribed, " Sacred to the memory of Aaron Morgan, Esq. late of Savage Gardens, London ; who died at Dulwicli, the 13th of October, 1818, in the 71st year of his age. He was many years an inhabitant of this parish, and one of the Authors of its History and Antiquities. " Also, Margaret Morgan, wife of the above, who died the 31st of October, 1810, Aged G8 years. Their mortal remains are deposited in the family vault in the middle aisle, and near them seven of their children who died in infancy." Eastward of Morgan's monument is one of considerable interest, but shamefully nnitilated, in memory of John Trehearne: It consists of two square columns and a corinthian entablature surmounted by a death's-head. The figures which are carved in stone, represent half-length statues of a man and woman, supporting a black marble tablet with the following inscription : — ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 9-3 " An Epitaph upon John Tkehearne, Gentleman Porter to King James the First" '■ Had Kings a power to lend their subjects breath, " Trehearne thou sliould'st not be cast down by death ; " Thy royal master still would keep the then, " But length of days are beyond reach of men. " Nor wealth, nor strength, nor great men's love can ease, " The wound death's arrows make, for thou hast these. " In thy king's court good place to tliee is given, " Whence thou shalt go to the King's court in heaven." Behind the statues, emblazoned on tlie wall is the Arms of Trehearne, which appear to be a punning illusion to the name : the Arms are. Azure, a cheveron between three herons. Or, on a canton of the second, three bars surmounted of a lion rampant, Gules. Crest on a wreath of his colours, a demi-gryphon liolding a fleur-de-lis, Or. Trehearue's amis appear again emblazoned on a small shield in the right hand corner at the back of the monument, and on a shield which is broken off from the opposite corner, was the arms of Trehearne impaled with Gules, a less between three lozenges. Or. On the base of the monument, which is enclosed within an iron railing, are basso- relievos of two men, two women, and two children, all in devotional attitudes. This monument is a good specimen of the peiiod in which it was erected, the heraldry well painted, and the figures are interesting illustra- tions of the costume of the time, the right hand of the male figure is gone, and the whole is in a state of rapid decay ; but I trust that the spirit of im- provement shown in this building will go on, and that Trehearne's monu- ment will in its turn undergo a judicious restoration. Under this monument was formerly a gravestone with the follow- ing inscription : " Under this marble doth the body rest of John Traherno, that served Queen Elizabeth, and died chief gentleman porter to King James, the 22nd daie of October, Anno D'ni 1G18. Here also resteth Margaret, the wife of the said John Trahernc, who lived together man and wife 50 years, and died the 22 of January, Anno D'ni, 1045. Here also lieth John Trahernc, eldest son of the .said John and Margaret, who died cliief clcrke of the kitchen to King James the First, 22nd of August, Anno Dni, 1G45." Continuing our walk eastward we observed tAvo tombs in obtuse arched recesses in the wall, on one which has been removed was an impres- 96 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. sioii and studs, showing that at some period there had been a monumental effigy in brass. Over the other tomb within the recess lias been placed, very im- jiroperly, a plain white marble slab, totally unconnected with it, and bearing the following inscription: " THOMAS CURE, Esq. of Southwark, Obiit 24 May, 1588. Elizabetha tibi Princeps, sen'ibit Equorum A sellis Gurus q^iem lapis iste tegit Serviit Edwardo Regi Marieeque Sorori Principibus magna est laus placuisse tubus Convi.\it cuuftis charus. Respublica Curae Semper erat Curo comnioda plebis erant Dum vixit tribui senibus aleudis Nummorum in sumptus Annua dona Demos. Obiit 24 Die Mali An. Dom. 1588.' From the above description it appears that Mr. Cure was Saddler to King Edward the VI., Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth. He was a great benefactor to this parish, being the founder of the alms houses known by the name of the College, in Park Street: the nature of this charity will be best collected from the following abbreviation of the statutes by which it is governed : these are contained at length in an elegant volume beautifully written on vellum, the particular capital letters being done in gold, the leaves gilt on the edges, and the volume bonnd in red morocco. It is usually deposited in the hands of the College Warden, to whose dnties it more particularly relates. It commences with the usual invocation : " In the name of God, Amen. Anno Domini, one thousande five hundereth eaightie loure ; " and is entitled " eautiful, which I cannot refrain from the pleasure of insertini;:, though they do not form part of the monumental inscription. — * It is thought to be the production of Quarf.f.s, and with some probability. There is also a striking similarity in the style of this poem and the following lines by Beaumont, — " Like the falling of a star, Or as the flights of eagles are, Or like the fresh spring's gaudy hue, Or silver drops of morning dew, Or like a wind that chafes the flood, Or bubbles which on water stood, — " E'en such is man, — whose borrow'd light Is straight call'd in, and paid to night. Tlie wind blows out, the bubble dies, The spring entom'd in autumn lies, The dew's dried up, the star is shot, The flight is pass'd, — and man forgot." 100 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. " Like to the grass that's newly sprung, " Or Hke the tale that's just begun, " Or Hke a bird that's here to day, '• Or Hke the pearled dew of May, '• Or Hke an hour, or Hke a span, " Or Hke the singing of a Swan ; " E'en such is Man, who Uves by breath, " Is here ; is there ; in Hfe ; in death ! " The grass decays, the tale doth end, " The bird is flown, the dews ascend, " The hour is short, the span not long, " The swan's near death ! man's life is done."' " Like to a bubble on a brook, " Or (in a mirror) Hke a look, " Or like a shuttle in the hand, " Or Hke a writing on the sand, " Or like a thought, or like a dream, " Or Hke the gliding of a stream ; '■ E'en such is Man, whose Ufe is breath, '• Is here : is there ; in Hfe ; in death ! " The bubble's burst ; the look's forgot ; " The shuttle's flung ; the writing's blot ; " The thought is pass't ; the dream is gone ; " The water glides, — man's life is done ! " Richard Humble, and Peter Humble his Son, in 1617, by will, ratified by deed, gave to the general poor, and for cleaning the tomb of the said Richard Humble, £5. 8s., a rent charge on messuages near Crown Square, formerly Crown Court, Southwark. The Morning Herald of January 5th, 1829, says. Humble was an ancestor of the present Lord Dudley and Ward.* Arms : sable, a buck trippant or, and a chief indented of the second ; a demi-buck's head or, collared sable. In this ai.sle are also Monuments to the memory of— " William Pearson, who was 35 years Vestry Clerk of this Parish, and re-- ceived in a public Vestry a valuable piece of plate, presented by them in acknowledgment of his long and faithful services. He died the 4th of August, 1811, in the 86lh year of his age. And, Susanna Mary, his daughter, wife of Christopher Edmonds, Esq. of St. Mary Newington; she died 24th of July, 1812, aged 39 years." "Peter Broadley, Esq. a Magistrate of Surrey, and 50 years an inhabitant of this Parish ; he closed an active and useful life, the 3rd of January, 1816, in the 82nd year of his age. Also, Sarah Broadley, relict of the above, who died February the 9th, 1829, aged 78 years." "Elizabeth Roberts, died April the 7th, 1747, aet. 77. John Voice died August the 3rd, 1750, aet. 70 years. Thomas Roberts, son of the above Elizabeth Roberts died February the 9th, 1754, aet. 59 years. Catherine Voice, wife of John Voice, and daughter of Elizabeth Roberts, died March the 9th, 1768." (This monument formerly stood in the nave.) " Mr: Ja.mes Wilmott, died the 31st of August, 1818, aet. 48 years. Mrs. Judith Ann Wilmoti) his Wife, died the 12th of May, 1804, aet. 26 years. Mary Ann his daughter, died the 16th of February, 1800, aet. 2 months. Also, Eliza his daughter." This Nobleman died early io the present month (March, 1S33). r~ iskmmmmm§i:'i^^^L^^ UjiuJil SECTION OF THE INTERIOR OF THE TOMB A ^^ FACSIMILE OF THE INITIALS CROSS OF BRICK WORK ON WHICH THE COFFIN RESTED -^ rcuun ^ itched Inf l^S^', 30FFIN OF LAUNCELOT ANHREWS BISHOP OF W I N CHE S T E R . D I S C O VERE U ON REMOVING THE TOMB !N o' SAVIOURS CHtlRCH PutbjW Taylor, 11, Church S? S! Sairioura. AWALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. KM " Mr. Joseph Brook, died the 25th of December, 1794, act. 36 years. Eliza Ann Brook, died the 12th of July, 1796, aet. 4 years." " Mrs. Ann Smethurst, died the 2nd of December, 1802, aet. 36 years." " Mr. Robert Adams, died the 4th of November, 1798, aet. 66 years. Mrs. Elizabeth Peake, his daughter, died July the 8th, 1806, aet. 29 years." We next entered the " Ladye Chapel " where we found several persons assembled, who were examining with considerable interest the re- cently di.scovered coffin of Bishop Andrewes. " How fortunate," said my companion, " tliat our visit .should have been paid at so interestinij a moment ; admiring, as I do, the character and writings of this excellent prelate, I would not on any account have missed the op})ortunity of seeing this last home of his mortality. A rude casket this to contain so bright a gem ! But, I have seen the velvet coffin with its glittering studs, surrounded by the costly tiappings of funereal splendour, the sable plumes, and blazoned heraldry, with le.ss emotion far, than that which now I feel." The accompanying sketch was made at the time, together with the following memoranda: The removal of the little chapel which stood eastward of the Lady Chapel, having been determined on, the workmen commenced their labour l)y taking down the monument of Bishop Andrews; entombed in which they found the [irelate's coffin, in an excellent state of preservation, it having been closely bricked up in an arch, as shewn on the plate. It is formed of lead, and bears the initials " L A" on the lid ; attached to it is a iiKissive iron frame work with large rings at the head antl foot. It rested on a cross of brick-work, the foot of the coffin, on the upper part of the cross, which was placed eastward. The whole has been carefully removed and re-erected in the Lalace of much credit but little benefit, on which he spent more than he received by it. He was Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth, who was so much deliglited with his piety and zeal, that she first made him Prebend and afterwards Dean of Westminster. Her successor, King James, selected him as his choicest advocate to vindicate his regality again.st his adversaries, and be- stowed upon him the Bishopric of Chichester, which he held about four years, he also made him Lord Almoner, and soon after added the Parsonage of Cheam, in Surrey, to his commendam. He was afterwards Bishop of Ely during nine years, in which time he was made Privy Counsellor, first of England, then of Scotland in his 104 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. attendance npmi the King thither. He was aftenvards preferred to the Bishopric of Winchester and the Deanery' of the King's Chapel, which pre- ferments he held to his death, which happened abont eight years after, in the reign of King Charles, with whom he was as great a favourite as with his father before him : all these honours having been conferred on him without any effort on his part for their attainment. He was singularly pious and devout both in liis private prayers and public services : so reverend and holy was his deportment, and that of his family, at the monthly communions held in his chapel, that those who were accidentally present at the service, often expressed a desire to end their days in the Bishop of Ely's Chapel. He was eminently charitable during his life, clothing the poor, relieving the sick, and administering to the various wants of suffering hu- manity; and at his death, leaving by his will various sums for similar pur- poses. He left Four thousand pounds to purchase Two hundred pounds, land per Ann., for ever, to be distributed by fifty pounds quarterly, as follows : — To aged poor men and decayed, especially sea-faring men, fifty pounds ; to poor widows, the wives of one husband, fifty pounds ; to the binding of poor orphans apprentices, fifty pounds ; and to the relief of poor prisoners, fifty pounds. He also left Two hundred pounds to be distributed immediately after his decease, among maid-servants of honest re}>ort who had served one master or mistress seven years. In all the offices which he filled, he evidently conducted himself as the steward of God, and as one who was to give an account of the im- portant trust committed to him. He was careful to keep in good repair the houses of all his spiritual preferments, and spent much money in that way. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERV. 10-5 He was exceeding!}' anxious tliat the ministerial offices should be filled by men eminent for piety and learning, and to effect this, sought for and patronized humble merit : such persons he would send for without their know ing why, entertain them at his house and confer the preferment upon them, defraying all the incivard of the Lady Chapel, the entrance to which is shown in the interior view of the Lady Chapel ; at his funeral, he having been a great benefactor to the Parish, the inhabitants honoured the solem- nity by hanging the Church and Chancel with 165 yards of baize. The house mourners made an oftering, and Mr. Archer one of the chaplains re- ceived £11. 17s. 7d., which he paid to the wardens as their due, but they handsomely returned it to him and Mr. Micklethwaite (the other chaplain). It is worthy of passing remark that his lordship's steward was also buried here on the same day, as appears by an entry in the parish registry. AXXALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 107 His Funeral Sermon was preached in St. Saviour's Church, by the Right Rev. John, Lord Bishop of Ely, on Saturday the 11th of November, 1G26, from Hebrews, 13th chapter and 16th verse: "To do good, and to distribute forget not : for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." This was six weeks after his death, and from an expression in the sermon we may collect that it was preached over the remains of the Bishop : it has already been stated that the coffin was found entombed in the monument, not buried ; the time necessarj^ for preparing the moniiment for the reception of the re- mains, may probably account for the unusual length of the intervening space between the time of his death, and the preaching of his funeral sermon.* The monument of the Bishop as it now appears is in fact but a part of the original erection ; there was then a fair canopy supported by black marble pillars, and an elegant epitaph written by his lordship's domes'tic chaplain, these were destroyed by the falling in of the roof in 1676, when the chapel received considerable injury by a fire. The restoration of the canopy and original epitaph, whether we view it as a matter of taste, or as a mark of respect for the memory of this virtuous prelate, would be highly creditable to the parish. The epitaph was as follows : " LECTOR. SI CHRISTI.ASUS ES, SISTE: MOR.« PUETIUM ERIT, NON NESCIRE TE, QUI VIR HIC SHTS SIT. EJUSDEM TECUM C.^THOLIC.* ECCLESI.E MEMIiRUM, SUH EADEM FELICIS HESUIUIECTIONIS .SPE, EANDEM D. JE.su PR.ESTOLAN.S EI'IPllANIAM, SACRATISSIMUS ANTISTE.S, LANCEI.OTUS ANDIIEWE.S, I.ONDIM OIllUX- DUS, EDCCATUS CANTABRIGIiK AUL.S PEMBROCH: ALUMNORUM, SOCIOUUM, PR^PECTORUM UNUS, ET NKMIM SECUNDVS . LINGUARUM, ARTIUM, SCIENTIAUUM, IIUMAXORUM, DIVINORIM OMNIUM INKIXITU.S TIIESAIUUS, STUPENDUM ORACULU.M; ORTIIODOX.fi CHRISTI ECCLESI.E UICTIS, SCIUPTLS, PKECIIiUS, EXKMI'LO. INCOM- PARABILE PROPAGNACULUM : REGIN^E ELIZABETH.E A SACRIS, T). PAULI LONDINI RE.siDENTIa'riUS, D. PETRI WESTMONAST. DECASUS, EPISCOPUS CICESTRENSIS, ELIEN.SIS, WIXTONIEN.SI.S, REGKjUE JACOnO TIM AB ELEEMO.syNLS, TUM AH UTRIUSQUE REGXI COX.SILIIS, DECAXUS DENIQUE SACEI.LI REGII . lUEM ♦ In Mos.s' History of St. Saviour's Church, it is stated that " he was buried the 27ih of Sop- lember, six days after his decease," this is ceitaiiiiy an error ; Henry Isaacson, his friend and amanuensis, who wrote his life, says he died tlie2')lh of September, and his funeral sermon it appears was preached the lllh of November, as above stated, which agrees wiiii the enlry in the parisii registry, which states that he was buried llie 11th of November, 1C26. 108 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. EX ISDEFESSA OPERA IN STUDIIS, SUHMA SAPIENTIA IN REBUS, ASSIDOA PIETATE IN DEUM, PROFUSA LARGITATE IN EGENOS, RARA AMiENITATE IN SUOS, SPECTATA PROBITATE IN OMXES, jETERKUM ADMI- RANDUS : ANNORUM PARITER, ET PUBLICjE FAM^ SATUR, SED HOKORUM PASSIM OMNIUM CUM LUCTU DE- NATUS, CCELEBS HINC MIGRAVIT Al> AUREOLAM CCELESTEM, ANKO REGIS CAROLI 11°. iETATIS SU^ LXXl"". CHRISTI MDCXXVI". TANTUM EST, LECTOR, QUOD TE MOERENTES POSTERI NUNC VOLEBAKT, ATQUE UT EX VOTO TUO VALEAS DICTO SIT DEO GLORIA." (Cranslation.) " Reader, if thou art a Christian, stay ; it will be worth thy tarrying, to know hew great a man lies here. A member of the same Catholic Church with thyself, under the same hope of a happy resur- rection, and in expectation of the same appearance of our Lord Jesus, the most holy Bishop Lancelot Andrewes ; born at London, educated at Cambridge, at Pembroke Hall, one of the Scholars, Fellows, and Masters of that Society, and inferior to none : an infinite treasure, an amazing oracle of languages, arts and sciences, and every branch of human and divine learning : an incomparable bulwark of the Orthodox Church of Christ, by his conversation, writings, prayers and example. " He was Chaplain in ordinary to Queen Elizabeth ; Eesidentiary of St. Paul's, in London ; Dean of St. Peters, Westminster ; Bishop, first of Chichester, then of Ely, and lastly of Winchester ; Almoner to King James, Privy Counsellor of both kingdoms, and Dean of the Eoyal Chapel. He merits eternal admiration, for his indefatigable application to his studies, his consummate experience and skill in business, his constant piety towards God, his liberality and charity to the poor, his uncommon aSa- bility and humanity to those about him, and his unshaken integrity towards all. Full of years and re- putation, to the regret of all good men, he died a bachelor,^ and exchanged this life for a crown of glory, in the second year of King Charles, the seventy-fijst of his age, and that of Christ, 1626. Reader,, farewell, and give glory to God." He has left abundant evidence of his industrious application and study in his numerous works, among which are the following : " Ninety-six Sermons on various occasions, chiefly suited to the festivals and fasts of the Church of England. " A Manual of Private Devotions, and Meditations for every day in the Week. " A Manual of directions for the Visitation of the Sick. — An Ex- position of the Ten Commandments. — Posthumous and Orphan Lectures preached in St. Giles' and St. Paul's Church.— Holy Devotions, with direc- tions to pray. — His Opera Posthuma. Concioad Clerum pro gradu Doctoris. Ad Clerum in Synodo Provincial! coram Rege habita V° August, 1606. In discessu Palatini XIII° April, 1613. Theologica detenninatio de Jurejurando. De Usuris. De Decimis.— Responsiones ad 3 Epistolas Petri Molieni.— An ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERV. lOfl Answer to the 18 an(l20cc. of Cardinal Perous' reply. — A Speech in the Star Chamber against Master Thaske. — Another there concerning Vows, in the Countess of Shrewsbury's Case. — Responsioad Forti libruin, ad Apologiani Cardinalis Bellarmini." There are also several controversial tracts of this learned Pre- late's extant. He had also a part in the translation of the Bible, from Genesis to the second book of Kings. In the introduction to the Archaeologia is the name of Lancelot Andrews, as one of the earliest members of the Anticpiarian Society, he was elected a member in 1G04. In the hall of Pembroke College, Cambridge, there is a painting- of Bisho|) Andrewes, with his armorial bearings: date 1618, and several portraits of him have been engraved; but by far the best is that which ap- peared as a frontispiece to his sermons, J. Payne Fecit, 1G35, the others appear to be copies of this. Before quitting this subject, I feel it a duty to contradict a state- ment which appears in " Cassan's Lives of the Bishops of Winchester," and also in a modern edition of " Bishop Andrewes' Meditations, &c." it is as follows, " JVoi many years ogo, his (the Bishop's) hones were dispersed to make room for some corpse : and the hair of his beard and a silken cap uere found, undccai/ed, in the remains of the coffin." That remains were discovered as above described, is very probable, but certainly they were not the remains of Bishop Andrewes, whose coffin was found unchsfurbed when the tomb was removed, and has been very properly replaced without mo- lestation, in its little cell as before. In this Chapel stand the two Stone (JToffiius engraved on the plate of " Priory Remains, ^-c." figures J) and JO. They iippear to be of considerable anticpiity, but as the lids are wanting, it Ls 110 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY, difficult to form an opinion as to their age, the shallo\vness of them would suggest the idea that tlie lids were hollow, so that they were probably of the prismatic fonn, which would carry them back to a very early period. We have no account of the discovery of them, but they were probably found when the church was paved, as they were seldom placed at any great depth. Stone coffins occur as early as the year 695, and were not quite obsolete before the reign of Henry VIIT. " Memento mori," said Antiquarius, (whose attention was arrested by the cadaverous figure represented on the plate of Sepulchral Remains, fig. 2,) " now were we not in the church, I would venture a wager that you have some marvellous legend concerning this grim personage." " You are right," quoth I, " for tradition says this is the veritable effigy of ©fij ^Ofjn ©berg, the father of the foundress of the Church ; though unfortunately for the story, such monuments were not in fashion till some centuries after the time that gentleman lived, if such a being ever existed. There is a curious tract in the British Museum entitled ' The true History of the Life and sudden Death of Old John Ovei's, the rich Ferry- man of London, shewing how he lost his Life by his own Covetonsness. And of his Daughter Mary, who caused the Church of St. Mary Overs in South warh to be built ; and of the Building of London Bridge.' and a rare story it is, believe me." " I see" said the old gentleman "you long to tell it, so let's have it ?" and he seated himself with all the composure of a genuine antiquary, to hear it patiently. " The tract opens at considerable length with a statement of the nature of the sin of covetousness, and an exhortation to the reader to avoid tliat error. It then proceeds to illustrate the subject by the case of ' ^Of)n ill^tlfriS ' a ferry-man, who, before there was any bridge, ferryed the good ANNALS OF SAINT MARV OVERY. Ill folks of old ' betwixt Southwark and Churclv-yard alley, that being the high road way betwixt Middlesex and Sussex, and London : ' it then goes on to state how he gat marvellous riches thereby ; that he kept many servants, ' yet was of so covetous a mind, that lie would not even in his old age, spare his own weak body, nor abate anything of his unnecessary labour, only to save the charges.' Having described his character, it proceeds to relate that he had an only Daughter, 'ofa beautiful aspect, and pious disposi- tion, that he had care to see her xvell and liberally educated, though at the cheapest rate, that he would not allow any man, of what condition or t/ualify soever, (by his good will) to have a sight of her, much less the least access to her ; that a young- gallant took the advantage of the oppor- tunity when he was picking up his penny fares, to be admitted into her company ; that the first interview pleased well, the second better, and the third concluded the match ; and how in all this interim, the poor silly old fei'ry-man, not dreaming of any such passages as are before spoken of but thinking alt things as secure by land as he knew they were by water, continued in his former course, f which was as near as I can relate to you J in this manner following.' It then goes on to state a variety of his penu- rious habits, such as feeding his servants on black puddings, when that coinniodity was sold at a penny a yard London measure, yet even begrudging that, saying when he gave them their allowance, ' here you hungry rogues, you will undo me with eating,' — That he kept no cats, as the rats and mice vohmtarily left the house, for there were no fragments or crumbs left by the servants to feed them, &c. — But now comes the tragedy: it occurred to him, (carefid soul) that if he could for one day counterfeit himself to lie sick, and llie next day to die, his loving family would not, of course, be so iniman- nerly or unnatural as to taste any food 'till they had consigned him to his parent earth, purposing however to revive, and recover the next morning ; 112 ANNALS OP SAINT MARY OVERY. his amiable daughter Hke a good child, consented to her father's scheme, and so he was laid out for dead . but alas ! how are our best plans often frustrated ; no sooner had the old gentleman screwed his countenance into a decent sort of a sepulchral aspect, and a light been placed at his head and another at his feet, as was the custom of those days, than his 'prentices and servants rejoiced at the event, began to caper and dance about the corpse • and worse than all, that one ran into the kitchen and brought the brown loaf, a second brought the ' Essex Cheese,' a third drew a ' Black Jack of the Four Shilling Beer,' &c.— but flesh and blood could not endure all this, he rose up in his sheet with a candle in each hand, and would have rated them for their boldness, when one of them supposing it to be his ghost, or some other supernatural visitant, seized a broken oar and sent him who had so often ferry ed others, himself a fare for old Charon. " His daughter's lover who was in the country, hearing the news hastened, to come to London, but alas ! with more haste than good speed, for riding post, in his hurry he brake his neck : poor Mary, overpowered vith the accumulation of ills, would fain have gone mad, but altering her plans, all the good folks being comfortably buried, (though by the way, her father was taken up again and dropt into an imconsecrated hole beneath the gallows at St. Thomas-a-Watering,) she betook herself to a religious life, and founded the famous church in which we now stand dedicating it to the honor of the blessed Virgin Mary." " Marvellous ! " said Antiquarius, " I have heard many traditions but this indeed out-herod's Herod." I begged the antiquary's pardon, as I now do that of my reader, for the intrusion of so light a subject, but really the tradition and the figure, and the church, have now become so united, that they appear to claim a passing notice even from the most rigid historian. AWALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 113 This fijriire is probably only a part of a monument, there is a similar one in Clerkenwell Chur< h. Mr. Lethieullier, who is quoted by Gough in his Sepulchral Monuments, says he has observed a figure of this make in almost all the cathedral and conventual churches in England, and scarcely ever more than one. There were several other monuments in this chapel, which will be described in the respective places to which they have been removed. Since the period of our visit, this beautiful portion of the church has undergone a most careful restoration, at a cost of £2,500. raised by a public subscription; the work has been conducted under the superintendence of G. Gwilt, Esq. F.S.A. whose valuable services it is but justice to record, were given gratuitously to this laudable undertaking: nothing can exceed the care bestowed on the work by that gf Architectural Fragments, fig. 8, was discovered at the N. E. corner of the chapel, where it has been before conjectured the altar for the service of " Our Ladye" probably stood, which oj>inion this discovery has a tendency to confirm. Under the floor of the wooden enclosure at this corner of the chapel, where the sittings of the Consistorial Court were formerly lu^ld, a slab was found on which is the following inscription rudely engraved : — " Nicholas Norman, Waterman, late Servante to the King's Maiestie, and Elizabeth his Wife, were here bvrycd, hee the 25 of May, 1629, and shec the 15 of Janvarie followcinge, who lived 16 yearcs together in the holie state of matrimonie, and do here rest in hope of a ioyfvll resvrrection." 114 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. Near this stone, at a short distance from the surface, was dis- covered at the same time, a little coffin rudely formed in chalk, in which were remains of " Some happy babe, who privileg'd by fate To shorter labour, and a lighter weight. Received but yesterday the gift of breath, Ordered to-morrow to return to death." On the same spot was found the leaden seal of a Papal Bull, ex- hibiting (as was usual with those of latter times) the heads of St. Paul and St. Peter on one side, with the inscription " spaspe," and on the other side, which is much obliterated, appears to have been the following " innocetivs P P VI." Against one of the pillars of the chapel there is a small tablet with the following inscription, — " The Gift of Robert Buckland, Glover," it seems probable, as he was a donor to the parish, that this was placed over a tablet on which the nature of his bequests were inscribed. " In 1628, by deed, he gave to eight pensioners 9jd. per week each, payable out of Marden Farm, at Harcsfield, Kent. " In 1639, by deed, he gave to ten poor men 10s. each, on Christmas day, £100. for an annuity. " In 1647, by deed, he gave to the poor in general, a messuage or tenement at Dartford in Kent, £20. yearly, two pounds of which are payable to the Wardens for their trouble." Leaving the Chapel of "OurLadye" we next entered the south aisle of the choir, where are monuments inscribed with the following names :* — On a very small black tablet with a gilt border, near the altar screen, " William Mayhew, who deceased the 16th of April, 1609." A plain white marble monument by Soane, with the folloAving inscription, — * To have printed the inscriptions at length would have occupied too much space, but as church histories have sometimes been produced as evidence in courts of law, when time had obliterated the monu- mental record, 1 have deemed it a duty to print names and dates. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. llo " In the Bishop's Vault are deposited the remains of Abraham Newland, late Chief Cashier to the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, whom he served with fidelity from the year 1747, to the 17th of September, 1807, when, under tlie pressure of age and intirmity, he availed himself of an honourable retirement, having for thirty years sedu- lously employed the powers of an unusually energetic mind to the various and important duties of the office of Chief Cashier. He was born in this parish, on the 4th of May, 1730, and he died at Highbury, on the 21st of November, 1807." " John Paine, died 5th March, 1820, aged 13 months." " RicHARu HoLDiTCH and Ann his wife. Also, Anna Howell, daughter of the above Richard Holditch, died January 22nd, 1789, aged 42. Anna Howell died May lllh, 1799, aged 32 years. Ann Holditch died May 10th, 1817, aged 71." A very neat mural monument of marble — " To the Memory of Mrs. Betty Farmer, died 12th May, 1808, aged 49. Mr. Richard Farmer died 9tli May, 1819, aged 79. Richard Fanner their son, died 16th April, I82j, aged 38. John Farmer their eldest son, died 28th December, 182G, aged 47 years." " Mrs. Mary Richards, wife of Richard Richards, died May llth, 1821, aged 49. Also their cliildren : John died in infancy ; Thomas died September 22nd 1810, aged 2 years ; Phfiebe died August 1st, 1814, aged 21 years; Anna Maria died December 2nd, 1814, aged 3 years ; Joseph died February llth, 1819, aged 24. Also Sarah, his second wife, died May 12th, 1630, aged 61." Painted on a framed panel, is the following inscription, — " Here lyeth buried the body of Mr. John Gawen, Citizen and Clothworker of London, who died the 4th of March, 1647, aged 71 ." Arms : Ermine, on a saltiere engrailed, live fleur-de-lis. Or. " Mrs. Jane Brauiorij, died 17th January, 1825, aged 54 years. Mr. James Bradford died 7th February, 1829, aged 45 years." Oil a plain white marl>le tablet is the following inscription, — " Sacred to the memory of William Winkworth, late Chaplain of tliis Parish. Pious without ostentation ; zealous with discretion ; active in the cause of distress ; humble and laborious in the ministry of the word; he fell asleep in Jesus, a debtor to grace, -August 22nd, 1804, in his Mth year." Mr. Winkworth was born at Blcwbcrry, near Wallingford, August 22nd, 1750. O.S. He was ordained Deacon at Oxford, June 10, 1781: and Priest at Winchester House, Chelsea, the 14tli of July, 1782, to the parish of Morden, in this County, the Rev. J. W. Peers, D.D. being then Rector. He was elected Chaplain to the County Gaol of Surry, in December, 1778; and to this Church, 30th of April, 1794. Tliese appointments, together with the Lectureship of St. Paul's, Shadwell, in Middlesex, he held at the time of his death.* • Moss's History of St. Saviour's Church. 116 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. A plain white marble slab — "Sacred to the Memory of Mr. William Butler; died October 17th, 1815, aged 77." Buried in the Bishop's Vault. *' Joseph Devey, Esq. died March 1st, 1816, aged G4 years. Mrs. Martha Devey, died March 12th, 1827, aged 68 years." In this aisle is the entrance to the Great Vault, a murky cave, where death seems to hold his court amid solemn heaps of mouldering re- mains that speak volumes on mortality. A few years since two bodies were found here in a wonderful state of preservation, apparently without any attempt having- been made by art to keep them from that decay which is the common lot of humankind.f It is supposed that they had lain for upwards of seventy years, but tho' time had so long spared them, he has since seizeil his victims, the bodies being now in a rapid state of decomposition. Attached to one of the great pillars which support the tower, is the brass plate engraven on the plate of Monumental Remains ; it was for- merly on the floor of the Lady Chapel, but, being the last of these interest- ing records, it has been placed here with a view to its preservation. J The monuments in the South Transept next engaged our attention ; this portion of the church is rich in sculptured tributes to the memory of the dead, many of the monuments having been removed to this spot from other parts of the building in consequence of necessary alterations and repairs : f Such instances are by no means uucommon, bat have occurred in several other Churches of tl»e Metropolis ; the probable cause may be some property in the wood of the coffins in which they were deposited, of rapidly imbibing the moisture of the bodies. There have been found in Poland a kind of natural mummy, or liuinan bodies preserved without the assistance of art : these lie in considerable num- bers in some of the vast caverns in that country. Mr. Elardy in his notices of Bourdeaux, says, that in the vault under the Tower of St. Michael, are nearly sixty bodies placed standing or sitting against the wall, some near three hundred years old, the skin having the appearance of leather. * The conduct of those Collectors, whose sacrilegious pilferings have removed so many of these useful links from the chain of history, cannot be too severely censured : I say collectors, for the Antiquary who studies with a view to illustrate history, knows too well the value of an arms or monumental legend to wish it anywhere but on the tomb to which it belongs. o o SVSANN^^ liARKORD DEPARTED FHIS LIFE THE2():"oF AvGvsT J'^.?^ Aged JO yEAR.? J5 Weekes, thi nont SVCH OF THE WORLD FOR PlEtY AND VERTVE IN SOJE TENDER YEARES. AlSi3 DEATH AND ENVYE BorHMVST Sxy TWAS TfTT Her memory SHovio thvs in brasse bee writt/, Here LYES interRd within Tms bed of dvst O A VIRGIN PVRE not STAIN'd BY CARNALL LV.ST : svch grace the king of kings bestowd vpon her That now shee lfves with him a. maid of honovr^ Her stage was short her thiead av\s avicFa.Y spvnw Dravne ovt, and cvt Go'ir' hca/ek, w-^r worke was mm.'/ This world to her was bvt a traged play SeEE came AND' SAW'T DLSLIEfT AND PASSED AWAY. Ulft ^gmtAOj '' /. I'lilt hvWTnvlorll Church Si' S*. onvioupji ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVEIIV. 117 e\ery man of taste must feel indebted to the present Warden of the Great Account, Etlward Sells, Esq. for his care in preserving them from destruc- tion, and rendering them by the most economical expenditure highly orna- mental to the fabric. In the first recess on the east side of the south transept is a most beautifully executed marble monument, removed from the Magdalen Chapel, " Sacred to the Memory of the Rev. T. Jones, A.M. late of Queen's College, Cam- bridge, and Chaplain of tliis Parish, who died June (5th, 17G2, aged 3.3. This monument is erected by John and Joseph Street, Gent., as a memorial of the edification they received from his faithful labours in the ministry, A. D. 1770. — Also Mrs. Jane Jones, relict of the above Mr. Thomas Jones, died, April 30th, 1782, in the 54th year of her age." The above inscription is on the front of the tomb encircled liy a wreath; on the tomb is a bust of the deceased between two cherubs, one having in his left hand a book, entitled Articles of Religion, the other hand pointing to the bust ; the other holding a torch reversed : inider the bu.st are two books, one the Holy Bil)le, in the other which is opened, is written "John V. 39, Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me." At the back of the monument are the arms of the family, — Gules on a fess Or, three mascles sable, between three cincjuefoils argent. The Rev. T. Jones was one of the Chaplains of St. Saviour's Church, ami admired for the zeal with which he enforced the gospel truths ; prefixed to a volume of his works published a year after liis decease, is a brief memoir (»f him by his friend the Rev. \V. Romaine, who say.s, speaking of him in connection with this parish, — " There is an alms-lumsc in the parish, called tlio college, and some small stipend for doing duty in it. Mr. Jones thought it was not right to take the money unless he did tlie duty, accordingly he began to read prayers, and to expound the scripture in the college chapel, and went on for some time. The congregation used to be very large, and the success was very great. Many souls were in this place first awakened, wlio are now walking in the faith and fear of God, adorning the gospel of our Saviour. Hut here he was stopped and 118 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVEUY. refused the use of the chapel. After this he set up a weekly lecture in his church, but he had not preached it long, before he was denied the use of the pulpit. However he was not discouraged, he went on giving away good books, some of which he carried in person to every house in the parish ; catechising the children, who came weekly to his house for that pur- pose ; and paying religious visits among his parishioners, when they used to talk freely of the state of their souls. By these methods he tried to win his people to Christ, besides the stated duties of his office ; in performing of which he seemed to set God always before him, and to be greatly drawn out in love to his hearers, of whom a very great number I trust did frequent his ministry, not led thither by the ease of his delivery, the sweetness of his voice, or the smoothness of his periods, but because they felt the weight and importance of the doctrines preached. Several I am myself acquainted with, who will I hope be his joy and crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus." He was for some years afflicted with a disorder, which his bio- Uiapher states " kept him low, and often brought him near death's door :" he died young, and to the last was anxious for the spiritual welfare of his riock, during a long illness borne with patience, he was always studying and contriving something for their welfare, and his frequent ejaculatory prayer was "Lord feed thy sheep, Lord feed thy sheep." His sermons were not written, as he himself states, with studied elegance of style, being frequently betrun on the Saturday in the afternoon and preached on the following day, so numerous were his avocations that he had not time to embellish them with pretty conceits ; in his preface to his .sermons he says, " I do not desire to please the fancies, but to atfect the hearts of all my readers." Over Jones' monument is placed a neat monumental tablet with the following inscription, — " Within the rails, by the communion table, lyeth interred the body of Mr. James Shaw, and his wife Mrs. Alice Shaw, who departed this life the 1.3th day of November, 1()9:3, aged 84 years. Also the body of lier nephew, Captain Joseph Williams, and his daughter Alice Shaw Overman, wife of William Overman, Gent., who departed this life the •2>^th day of December, 1097, aged 26 years and 10 days." On the frieze of the monument is the following: "Mr. James Shaw, departed this life the 18th day of February, 1070." On the base " Memento Mori." The monument is surmounted by the family arms : (viz.) Or, a ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVKRV. llf) cheveron between three lozenges ermines. Crest, on a helmet and wreatfj of his colours, six arrows in saltiere gules, feathered and headed, or, tier Master John Maynard, Minister of Mayfered in Svssex, who departed this life March the 14th, l()r>:3, being aged 13 years, 10 monthes, and 14 dayes." On the right of Jones's is the curious little monument engraved ou th«^ ])late of Monumental Itemains, it consists of a diminutive effigy of a man in a winding sheet, an emaciated figure, lying on a marble sarcophagus, at the back is a black tablet, on which is the following inscription, in letters of gold, — " Here vnder lyeth the body of William Emkkson, who lived and died an honest man. He departed ovt of this life the 27th of Ivne, Anno 1575, in the year of his age 92. VT SVM SIC ERIS. " It is not easy to account for these monuments of diminutive pro- portions, they are not very connnonly met with ; Gough mentions a few among his funeral monuments ; this was brought here from the Magdalen Chapel, prior to which it was placed against one of the great pillars sup- porting the tower. The name of William Emerson, with that of Thomas Cure, occurs among the first vestrymen of this parish. In the second recess on the east side of this transept stands Gower's Monument, as restored by Mr. Willement, this has been described in its original situation in the nave. In the restoration, the figures at the back have been omitted, they being considered comparatively modem : that the recently removed figures, which were painted on canvass, were modern, there can be no doubt, but there is as little doubt that they supplied the place of others (painted on a ground of plaster), as ancient as the monument itself 120 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. The inscriptions however, have been carefully restored in an ancient cha- racter, the arms and effigy of the poet, with the other part of the monument, have also been restored in a style highly creditable to the well known taste of the gentleman under whose superintendence the work has been conducted. On the south side of this transept, occupying the spandril of the two blank arches under the great window, is a monument, beautifully exe- cuted in statuary marble from a design by Mr. Wallace, in memory of John Kawlinson Harris, Esq. whose melancholy death, shortly after his election to represent this Borough in Parliament, is of recent occurrence. It con- sists of a gothic shield, supported by two angels with expanded wings ; round the shield is Mr. Harris's motto in Saxon characters; "vbique PATRiAM REMiNisci," and ou the shield is the following inscription, — "Sacred to the memory of John Rawlinson Harris, Esq. of Winchester House, Southwark Bridge Road, M.P. for this Borough, who died the 27th day of August, MDCCCXXX. aged 55. And of his sons, William Quincy, who died April 26th, 1829, aged 12; George Frederick, who died April 27th, 1829, aged 20 months." Near the Angels are two shields, the first is emblazoned Azure, a cheveron ermine, between three hedge-hogs. Or, for Harris. The second is gides, seven mascles conjoined, three, three and one, Or, for Quincy. Under the inscribed shield is Mr. Harris's crest, a Pelican. Beneath this is a small gothic tablet inscribed to the memory of " William Golding, who died July 23rd, 1807, aged 59. Elizabeth Golding, died April 4th, 1773, aged 10 years. Henry Golding, died January 27th, 1829, aged 70 years." Under an arch on the left of Harris's Monument, is a neat marble monument surmounted by a sepulchral urn, and inscribed to the memory of " Mr. William Clarke, died 22nd June, 1819, aged 74 years." He was an old and respected inhabitant of St. Saviour's parish, to the charities of which he was a most munificent donor. On the right of Mr. Harris's monument is one inscribed with the following names : — ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 121 " Mr. James Goulding died 14th September, 1819, aged 60 years. Mrs. Ann Goulding died 6th June, 1779, aged 64 years. Mr. John Goulding died 5th February, 1780, aged 56. Mr. Thomas Goulding died 29th July, 1812, aged 63. Jane Goulding Saunders died 24th December, 1817, aged 4 months. Susanna Goulding Saunders died 23rd August, 1828, aged 14 years. James John Goulding Saunders died 1st January 1829, aged 1 year." On the west .side of this transept is the monument of ^oi)n i3tngi)am, ©jsa^* This is designed in the composite order, and is arranged into two divisions. The basement consists of two pilasters, from which, and a corbel head in the centre, spring two semi-circular arches, forming a recess in which is an inscribed tablet supported by two grotesque figures which Heralds call Harpys,t having the head and neck of a woman, and the claws of an eagle • on the tablet is the following, — " This monvment is dedicated to the memory of John Bingham, Esq. Sadler to Qveene Elizabeth and King James, who was a good benefactor to this parrish, and free schole, he departed this life in September, 1625, in the 75th year of his age ; and his bodie lyes bvried in a vavlt before this monvment,:|: where it expects the resvrection of the jvst." Above the inscription are two shields, one under each arch, on which are the following arms : The family arms impaling, argent, on a cross moline sable, five mullets, Or. — The family arms impaling, party per bend Or, and sable, charged on the dexter side with three pellets : sinister three bezants. The upper portion of the monument consists of an arched rece.ss, in which is a demi-statue of the deceased in thecostimie of the reign of King James; in the spandrils of the arch are two shields, one is charged argent, a cross gules, in the first quarter a dagger, being the arms of London. The * There is a tradition in Islington, that tlie Old Queen's Head Inn there situated, was formerly the residence of a saddler to Queen Elizabeth ; whether Cure or Bingham does not appear. — Nelson's Islington. f Morgan calls them Sphinxes, which have the head and neck of a wuuiau with the body and claws of a lion. ^ This monument formerly stood iu the Chapel of St. Mary Magdalen. R 122 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. Other shield is charged witli the arms of the Saddlers' Company. The whole is surmounted by the family arms : Or, on a fess gules, three water boujets of the first : Crest, a lion's head couped. In consequence of the removal of the Magdalen Chapel, what is called Bingham's Vault now stands in the churchyard, where it may be seen covered witli a large slab which was formerly inlaid with brass, this stone is engraven on the plate oi Sepulchral Remains, fig. 1, the impression shows the form of a gothic canopy enriched with lofty pinnacles, under the canopy is a figure apparently clothed in the vestments of the Romish church : near the head is an impression probably of a label with a sentence issuing from the mouth, as frequently seen on monumental brasses of this period (perhaps the latter part of the 15th Century). Judging from the general style of the design, it seems probable that this vault (which is somewhat capacious) originally belonged to one of the Priors, and was afterwards used as Bing- hams ; it is now a public vault. It has been thought by some that this is the tombstone of William Wickham, Bishop of Winchester, who lies buried here ; but those acquainted with monumental brasses know that a bishop of that period would have been very differently represented. The grave-stone of this bishop was for- merly near the altar, but was not found in Mr. Aubrey's time ; it had this inscription : — " GuLiELMus Wickham, translatus a Sede Lincoln, et mense Martii 1595, existens Episcopus Winton. Obiit 11 Junii prox. sequent. Reliquit uxorem laudatiss-quse sepelitur in Awkenbury (Aiconbury) com. Huntingdon. Doctrina Antistes prsestans, et moribus sequis Eloquio et pietate gravis, mensaque maiiuque Non parcus, justi neglectus honore sepulchri Hie jacet. O seculum insipiens, verum equior illi Dum moritur, Deus aligeros dat cernere missos, Qui migrantem animain celi ad sublimia ferrent. F. M. posuit 10 Junii, Anno Domini, 1600." ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 123 William Wickham, was son of John Wickham of Endeld, in Middlesex, son of Thomas Wickham of Swaclive, in Oxfordshire, by Joice Sandbury his wife. William was born at Enfield, and educated at Eton ; was afterwards of King's College, Cambridge, Fellow of Eton College, Prebendary of Westminster in 1570, Canon of Windsor 1571, Dean of Lincoln 1577, Bishop thereof, and preached at the burial of tlie Queen of Scots* at Peter- borough, in 1587; translated from Lincoln to Winchester, 1595, and died at Winchester House in St. Mary Overies Parish.f We will now return to our description of the existing monuments in the church. On the right of Bingham's is a mural monument with a bust of the deceased, supported by clierubs, under which is the following inscrip- tion, — " RiCHARDi Benefeldii, Hospitii Graiensis socii cineritia sita svnt hie lipsana quibvs Pietatis thvre, probitatis nardo, fidelitatis electro, charitatis oleo, privs per-pollinc- tis." — " Cognafi Aniici Pauperes omnes redolentem, lavdis myrrham recenso lachrimarvm opobalsamvm addiderunt." Arms : sable, a cheveron between three martlets, argent. Under this is a tabular monument in memory of the Rev. John Morton, M. A . The tablet is surmounted by the arms of the deceased, (viz.) Quarterly, first and fourth sable, a goat's head, erased, argent, attired and bearded Or. Second and third ermine. Crest, a dove with wings displayed Or. The following is the in.scription, — " Donee redeat Dominns Jesvs Christvs svbest qvod. reliqvvm Joiiannis Morton in Artibus Magistri, qvi qvvm singvlare cvni pietatis turn ervditionis exhibverat specimen, literatam Ivuentvtis ambitionem gemens, vniciqve saluatoris Jesv Christi Aduentvm anhe- lans expirauit Die 17 Septeral). Ann" Salvtis, 1()31. Annvm. yEtatis agens 25. V. M. Graecis Musis Ivgentibvs." At the entrance to the .south aisle of the nave from the south tran- sept, is a tablet inscribed with the following nanus, — " William IIari:, Grocer, of this Parish, died l!)th August, 1(598, aged 42, Mary his Wife, died 25th December, 1714, aged 55. Mr. John Ilarc died 5th June, 1721, in the • The remains of Mary Queen of Scots were first buried at Peterborough, and about twenty years after removed to Westminster. f Hacket's Select Epitupiis, *cc. 124 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 38th year of his age. Edward Hare died 25th September, 1722, aged 28. Ann Scott died 12th September, 172-3, aged 37. William Hare died 10th September, 1728, aged 39. Mrs. Mary Trye died 9th November, 1770, aged 55." This is surmounted by a sepulchral urn : below are the Anns, Or, two bars, and a chef-dancette. Gules. Opposite Hare's is a mural monument of wliite marble in memory of " William Golding died February 1781, aged 75 years. Jane Golding died 2nd May, 1783, aged 62." At the top is a vase of neat execution, and below the tablet the family arms : Arg:ent a cross voided and four lions passant, guardant Gules, impaling Argent, an Orle, and three martlets, Gules. Grest, a lion serjent, holding in the dexter paw a shield Or. Having completed our survey of the Monuments, our attention was next drawn to 'Ef)t ©rgan, and most agreeably so, for the organist happening to be present, we had an opportunity of hearing its rich melodious tones. My friend Antiquarius being desirous of making some enquiries relative to its qualities, we repaired to the organ loft and were politely favored with the following description.. " It is not known to whom the credit of constructing this splendid instrument belongs, but judging by comparison with others known to have been built by the elder Harris, it is thought to be his. It has two rows of keys of full compass, (viz.) from double G to F in alt, called respectively Choir, and Great Organs; with a third set denominated the Swell, the compass of which is from C above Gamut G to F in alt; couplet movements unite the Swell and Great, or Choir and Great Organ keys, together with an octave and a half of German Pedals which act on the keys and Pedal Pipes ; and composition Pedals (lately added) shut olf and draw the reed stops in the Swell and Great Organ respectively. The wind is supplied by two pairs of large iiorizontal bellows. The Choir Organ contains stop and open Diapasons, Principal, Flute, Fifteenth, Mixture, and Cremona (the latter pre- sented by Mr. Bishop the Organ Builder). The Swell contains stop and open Diapasons, Principal, Comet, Trumpet, Hautboy, and Clarion. The Great Organ consists of stop and two open Diapasons, an octave of metal Double Diapason Pipes, Principal, Twelfth, Fif- teeuUi, Flute, Clarabella, a four rank Sexquaeltra, three rank Mixture, Trumpet and Clarion. ANNALS OP SAINT MARY OVERY. 125 The Pedals are connected with the Double Diapason pipes, which rank among the largest in London, that which gives double G (the lowest note), being upwards of 19 feet in length and 2? feet in diameter. " Perhaps the most prominent beauty in this instrument is its Diapasons, which arc of a rich, even, pure, and breathing quality. The reed stops in the Swell are also of a peculiarly grateful and agreeable tone ; but the Trumpet in the Great Organ is considered one of the most melodious in existence. " The prevailing character of this Organ is its sublimity, few instruments in all their details, speaking of quality of tone, mixing and uniting with such consentaneous dignity. " Though not wanting in power, the addition of a double Diapason throughout, together with a set of Unison Pipes and Composition Pedals, would certainly be a consider- able improvement, and perhaps render it the first Organ of its kind in the kingdom." There is an order in the vestry books relative to the purchase of the present Organ,, dated January 31st, 1704, but it will be seen by the Registries that there was one in 1562, as Laurence the Sexton, among other duties of his office (by no means a sinecure), was to blow the Organ. We repaired to the Choir to hear its tones to better advantage, the piece selected was the opening of the Dettingen Te Deum, notl»ing couhl Iiave been better chosen, tlie peaUng notes of that sublime production, echo- ing through the vaulted roofs of the venerable building, in sweet alternation with its more melodious passages, haimonized well with the surrounding scene. " My friend," said Antiquarius, " as our meeting was pleasant, so our parting seems likely to be in harmony, I have been highly gratified with this day's visit, and shall feel hap[)y should I ever have the opportunity of returning your attention ; as I hope soon to see your Annals in print, I will not trouble you to relate them now." T accompanied the Old Gentle- man to the church door, where we parted, the Antiquary heartily wishing success to the restoration of the building. We will now continue our Annals from the entries in the The.se valuable documents, which are carefully kept, abound in. 126 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. interesting and curious information ; they frequently exhibit beautiful spe- cimens of penmanship, the title pages and many of the capital letters being richly decorated in inks of various colours. The vestry books commence in 1557, with an order from the vestry of the 25th of July, for punishing the Clerk and Sexton for disobedience in serving God. " And so they dyd conclude accordynge unto ther order affore sayde, and dyd send one John Sadler, Clarke, and Lawransse the Sexton, unto the Counter, for ther dysebedynes in Sarvynge of God w"'In the quire." August 31st, 1559. — Ordered, " That the new School House shall be erected upon the old Church House, late in the parish of St. Margaret, and that the old Chapel behind the Chancel be let for the benefit of the said school. — Sir Thomas and Sir William Engelby to have Six Pounds a year for their wages : and the Sexton, Thomas Noble, £3. Gs. 8d." September 18th, 1559. — An order for the sale of certain popish ornaments, towards defray- ing the expence of repairing the Church, &c. Among the items we find — " 2 altar cloths, and a vestment of green velvet and crimson satin, with lyans of silver and knots of gold ; a Deacon's and Sub-Deacon's cope and vestment of green velvet and crimson with flowers of gold ; 13 pair of ... . and other unintelligible things to the amount of £14. 6s. 8d., besides all the copper and brass utensils, except such as were wanted at the communion, with the articles following : — a painted cloth which was before the rood, 7s. ; 2 altar cloths of white fustian, 16s. ; 2 altar cloths of white damask, with flowers of green and gold, 21s. ; 2 ditto pea green and white damask, 17s. ; 2 ditto of green and white satin, with letters of gold, 58s. ; 1 satin ditto, 17s. ; 3 vestments of blue damask, with crimson velvet crosses, 42s. ; a little white damask cope ; a little narrow thing like a valance, with the name of Jesus in gold, sold for 8d. ; candlesticks, snufi'ers, &c." 25th March, 1561.— Ordered, " That the 3 hearse cloths be used by the inhabitants of the parish freely, only paying the Sexton 2d. for carrying of them." 31st May, 1561.— Ordered, " That all the church books in latin be defaced and cut accord- ing to the injunctions of the Bishop." 1st June, 1561. — The Rood-loft* to be taken down and made decent and comely, as in the other Churches in the City. * The Rood-loft, with the Crucifix, usually stood over the entrance to the chancel ; in the 1st year of the reign of Edward VI. such images and their shrines were ordered to be taken down, but they were restored again on the accession of Queen Mary. Fuller speaking of them says, " and wot you what ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 127 29th September, 1562.— Laurence Robiuson, the Sexton, to be allowed to take care of the Church, to keep the clock and chimes, to blow tiie organ, to clean the church, the gutters, walls and windows, when need shall rc(iuire, for 44s. per Ann. ; to have besides for his perquisites the tolling of the bell and digging the graves, to have likewise all the profits of the pigeons resorting to the church steeple, paying the first year 2 dozen of pigeons, and every year afterwards 4 dozen of ditto. November 7tli, 1562.— Richard Palmer, and William Pike for his wife, to pay to Thomas Osborn for the use of the poor, 4s., for the said Richard Palmer and Mrs. Pike speaking slanderous words to the reproach of the Churchwardens. March, 1563. — The three keys of the chest were delivered to William Emerson, when the late Wardens' accounts were audited, it was found that the Church owed Christo- pher Campbell £6. 17s. 8d., for which he had in pawn a wedding pall and a chain of gold. 1563.— Ordered, " That Rowland Jones, Baker, being very angry with the arbitrators ap- pointed to judge between him and William Turner, another baker, shall cease his evil will against them, and in the presence of the vestry shake hands and be friends, and likewise give them at the Tavern a gallon of wine." 1563, May 28. — The Clerk in the Choir to be allowed 6d. at the festivals of Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, and All Saints. 1564, January 2. — Mr. Kittle the Minister of the Church, refusing to conform to the order ot Church Service, according to the Queen's proceedings, by wearing a surplice at the administration of the Sacrament, has warning given him to quit the service of the Parish. 1564, November 14. — Mr. James Hollyland elected Minister, to have £20. a year for his wages. 1565, July 22. — Mr. Harman elected Minister, to have £20. a year for his wages and not the christenings : — to have liberty to leave his benefice giving a fortnight's warning. 1565, October 11. — Thomas Redding and Thomas Guyne reconciled and made friends. 15(i5, January. — Ordered, "That the Choir be removed higher in tiie Church." 1.56.5, February 14th. — A controversy between William Pike and Margaret his Wife, against Richard Frentham and Elizabeth his Wife, heard and debated. 1.5(i7, March 2. — Remaining in the chest £3. 18s. lOd. ; £3. to be paid for amending the high-ways, and the residue to the poor " at the Gyft of Mother Everson, tiie Cobler's Wyfc." itpiritual mystery was couciied in this position tliercof ? The Church (forsooth) typifud the church mili- tant ; the chancel represents the church triumphant, and all who will pass out of the former into the latter, must go under the Rood-loft, i. e. cany the cioss aud be acquainted with alHiclion." 128 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY 1569, April 5. — The calf's head which was was wont to be put in a pye and eat in the Ves- try as yesterday, to be with the charges thereof spent at some other time when the Vestry shall have to do in the aflairs of the Church. 1569, April 25. — Ordered, " That only one Vestry -man speak at once, and the rest be silent,* under a penalty of 4d., and 2s. 6d. for speaking or behaving irreverently in the Vestry." — ^Another controversy settled. 1.570.— Four persons were appointed to follow the business of the Commonwealth of the Borough of Southwark. 1571, March 3. — The Wardens to give the Clerk warning, and to provide another who shall be a good Bass and Tenor that the Choir may be better served. 1572, July 3. — Unexpended money collected for providing warlike implements at the rebel- lion in the North, 15G9, ordered to be applied towards building 4 houses in Chequer Alley, on a piece of ground given by Thomas Cure, the money afterwards repayed to the parishioners. 1572. — Three Vestrymen expelled for disobedience and froward minds (William Pike one of them). Anotlier fined for unseemly words. 1575, March 24. — £20. taken out of the bag and delivered to Mr. Pattinson to pay the Quire. 1576, May 16. — Warning given to John Peacock the Baker, by the Wardens, and to remove the filthy nuisance out of the Chapel behind the High Altar, of which he had a lease, and to mend the windows according to his agreement. 1576. — The Choir again paid, 1.576, December 21. — Fourteen vestrymen visit the Lady Chapel, and finding their order not attended to, are empowered to proceed by law against the baker. They found it used as a stable, in it were hogs, a dung heap, and other filth. 1577, October 15.^ — John Trehearne of Bankside, pays double for withholding his tythes. 1S77. — John Peacock the Baker, delivers up the lease of the Lady Chapel. 1578, June 9. — Mr. Styles, the preacher, to read the lecture on Sunday Morning, to have £6- a year. 1578, June 9. — ^Vestrymen to come in their gowns to the Vestry. To attend the Funerals of all their bretheren under penalty of 4d. 1579, May 26. — The first procession round the boundaries of the parish. 1580. — The Alms Houses (Cure's) were first inhabited by Father Wrigge, Mother Noble, Father Wright, Mother Mase, Father Rhodes. Mother Buglesse. Allowed 20d. per week each. Qy. — Has this order of Vestry been rescinded ? ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 129 The second book commences in 1581, and exhibits some beautiful specimens of ornamental penmanship in the title page and first letters, some of which are very large and curiously formed, of dragons, foliage, &c. exe- cuted in various coloured inks. 1588. — The parish provided towards the Armament against the Spaniards, 13 pick-axes, 13 spades, and 13 black bills. 1594, June 6. — The name of John Bingham occurs, as having been nominated a Vestryman. 1599. — An entry this year mentions a windmill standing in the church-yard.* 1600.— An order is entered, " that at any future dinner for the vestry-men and their wives, at the eating of Sir Edward Dyer's buck, no more should be expended than five marks beyond the 20s. which Sir Edward used to give." 1603. — During the plague the vestry received £50. from the Corporation of London, towards the relief of the afflicted. 1613, February 21. — Ordered, " That the Minister be turned out at the pleasure of the Ves- try, and that he shall not baptize any bastard without half a day's notice to be given to the Wardens." 1676, February 21.— Ordered, " That the roof of the East part of ihe Chapel burnt and de- molished by the late fire, be new made, laid and covered with plain tiles, and all works thereunto belonging to be done. 1670, November 6. — Ordered, " That a now Sun dial be made on the top of the South-east end of the Church, over against the Free School." 1680, December 10. — Certain of the Wardens were ordered to inspect the North side of the Church, which was very defective and likely to fall. A volume might be formed of these interesting extracts, but our space will only allow of the above selection from the first books. will next occupy our attention ; among the Btiptisms are the names ©f seve- ral children of players, a circumstance easily accounted for by the vicinity of tlie Globe Theatre, &c. at Bankside. The following from the Marriage Registries, are selected to .show the difference in the mode of conducting such matters during Cromwell's • Manning' and Bray's Surry, S ];30 ANXALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. usurpation, at which time the banns of marriage were published in Towns upon market days, and the marriage ceremony was performed by a justice of the peace ; but in 1657 ministers were again empowered to marry. 1654, Nouember 8. — John Bugie, a Barber Chyrurgion, and Susan Baitman, both of the P'^'' of Sauior Southvvark, wer Married this day by the Worp" Mr. Sarauell Hyland Esq. — signed Sam : Hyland. 1654, February 19. — Roger Youings, a Seaman, and Mary Scott, both of St. Thomases Hospetall in Southwark, wer Married this day by the Worpp" Robert Wallcup, Esq. — Signed Robert Warcupp. 1656, June 8. — Mr. fFrances Sumers, a Gentleman, to Mrs. Mary Hyland, daughter to Samuell Hyland, all of the p^"* of Savior Southwark. — Signed Sam: Hyland. Other entries of this period are signed by the following Magistrates — Geo: Potte. ffran : Allein. Tho : Lee. Peter de Lannoy. Jno : Walker. Christoph*: Searle. Bancs, Esq. Among the Burial Registries are the following, — 1572, August 17. — Mr. Randal Oge, Sergeant at Arms to the Earl of Desmond. 1579, Julye 26. — And the same daye for the buryinge of the bowells of Robt. Home, Byshoppe of Winchester, in the quire. ...... 26s. 8d. 1595, June 13.— William Wickham, B. of Winchest. 1597, Dec. 10. — Mr. Graye, a Priest, from the olde Ladye Montacute's house. 1603, Dec— Alice Pinke buried, aged 112. 1605, October 31. — Mr. Francis Dacres, son to my Lord Dacres, in the church. 1607. — Edraond Shakespear, player, in y* church. 1609, November 16. — Richard Johnson, Gent. Coroner of his Majesty's Household and of the Verge. 1614, January 3. — Sir George Brown, Knt. 1625, Auguste, 29. — Mr. John ffletcher a man in the church. The above named John Fletcher, the dramatic poet, died of the Plague in 1625, his name is distinguished from the hundreds by which it is surrounded by the addition of Mr. Of his death we have the following memorandum from the Aubrey MSS. " In the great plague, 1625, a knight of Norfolk or Suifolk, invited him into the country, he staid but to make himself a suit of cloaths, and while it was making fell sick of the plague and died ; this I had from his Tailor, who is now a very old man and Clerk of St. Mary Overy's." Edward Philips, speaking of this author, says " he was one of the happy triumvi- rate of the chief dramatic poets of our nation in the last foregoing age, among whom there might be said to be a symmetry of perfection, each excelling in his peculiar way ; Shakes- pear in wit; Fletcher in courtly elegance, wit, and invention, qualities which he possessed AWALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 131 in so great a degree that it is said to have been part of the business of liis contemporary Beaumont, to lop the luxuriance of the branches thereof; and Ben Jonson in his elaborate pains and knowledge of authors." 1(52(5, August 12. — Mr. Nicholas Andrewcs, the Bp^ Brother. 1U2({, Nov. 11. — Lancelott Andrewcs, L"* Bis'' of Winton. Raphe Henrie, the Bisp. Stuarde. 1G39, March 18. — Philip Massenger, Stranger. This great dramatic poet, who in the opinion of several able criticks, ranks imme- diately under Shakespeare, died in his own house on the Bankside, he went to bed in good liealth (says Langbaine), and was found dead in the morning : thus us he had passed through life with but few friends to endear it, in death he had none to administer consolation or even close his eyes : he was followed to the grave by a few comedians, and the event is simply registered in the parisli annals as above. His writings were perfectly free from the licen- tiousness and impiety of the age in which he wrote, and which were so great at that period that new regulations were constantly necessary for the restraining of them. The registries bear awful testimony of the dire ravages of disease in this parish, during the Plagues of 1G25 and 1GG5: and it is a remarkable fact, that at that period (when he that wrote must liave felt that in a few hours his own name might be added to the dismal list) the registries are kept with the greatest care, and the entries appear minutely accurate. In the month of August, 1G25, the number buried was 7G4, the number in the corresponding period of the preceding years averaging about 40 ; but in the great Plague of 1GG.5, tlie num- ber of burials was 1124 in the month of September, that of the corresponding month of 1GG4 being but .54. " From plague pestilence and famine, good Lord deliver us." There are a few facts yet remaining to be noticed in connection with the Cliurch. At page 27 mention has been made of the marriage of the Princess of Milan to Edmund Holland, Earl of Kent; from another account we add that the King himself gave away this lady at the church door,* and afterwards conducted her to the Ijanquot at Win- chester Hall. The Princess remembered the scene of her espousals in her will whitli was dated 2 Henry VI. bequeathing to this convent, with others, GOOO crowns for masses after her death, to be said for the souls of her husband and herself. Like most of our great churches this appears not to have been wanting in relicks ; during the recent repairs a stone corbel was found witii remains of a Latin inscription which has been translated " Relics of St. Thomas. ' • Formerly part of tlif niarri.nge ceremony wns performed at the rliurch door, the parlies did not enter the cliun.h till that part of the olfice where the Minister now goes up to ihe altar and repeats the psalm. Chaucer in his prologue to the Canterbury Tales, describing the Wife of Bath, says — " Ilousbondes at the chirche dore had ahe had five." 132 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. In a former part of the work I have omitted the description of the present state of the Tomb of Bishop Andrewes : all that now remains is the effigy of the deceased, recum- bent on an Altar Tomb, at the head is placed the following inscription, — " Sep. 21. Die Lunae, Hora matutina fere quarta, Lancelotus Andrews, Episcopus Wintoniensis, Meritissimum Lumen Orbis Christiani mortuus est, (Ephemeris Laudiana) Anno Domini, 1626, ^Etatis suae, 71." Above this the Arms of the see impaled with argent, on a bend, engrailed cottised, sable, three mullets, Or. The shield supported by two figures in sitting postures, represent- ing Justice and Fortitude. In the new view of London (1708) among the benefactors to this parish it is stated that the Lady Clerk gave the Communion Table railed about, and carpets ; that Mr. Austin gave a silver chalice and dish for the bread ; and his Wife two silver flagons ; the whole amounting to near £80. — and among the Wardens' accounts I find the following entry, 2 March, 170f , Mrs. Elizabeth Bliss, Widow, made a present of a large flagon for the use of the Communion Table. >#'#8»#><^J APPENDIX. In this portion of our work it is proposed hriefly to describe the principal objects of interest formerly or now standing in the parish, commencing A\ith the Borough division. i^flotttague ®Io$e occupies the site of the ancient cloisters of the Priory, the origin of its name will be traced in the following account. At the Dissolution of Monasteries the site of the priory was granted by Henry VIII. to Sir Anthony Brown, Knt. who was Master of the Horse both to him and Edward VI. Sir Anthony died May 6, 1548, leaving Anthony his son and heir, who was created Viscount Montague, and died seised hereof, 19 Oct. 1629, and was suc- ceeded by his son Francis. Either the first Sir Anthony or his son built a house here, and from him the site of the priory received and has retained the name of Montague Close. In 1593 it was ordered, as appears by an entry in the parish books, " that a new door should be made in the church wall entering into My Lord Montacute's house, in place of the old door stopped up." And in 1597, as appears by the registries, " Mr. Graye, a priest, was buried from the olde Ladye Montacute's hotise." b ANNALS OP SAINT MARY OVERY. 133 This lady's house was a receptacle for all members of the Catholic priesthood pass- ing to or from England, and a refuge for them while remaining in London. Her principal residence however was at Battel, where she had a chapel in which the services of the Romish church were regularly performed, and she had constantly three priests residing with her; no priest ever called at her house without receiving an Angelot at his departure. She was a zealous catholic, but much esteemed by Queen Elizabeth for her loyalty and profound judgment. She was once under examination before the Archbishop of Canter- bury, and is said to have been the first illustrious person called in question under the law which imposed fines on those who absented themselves from their parish church, but appears to have been treated with the greatest respect and favoured with a general protection from the council, dated April 19, 1607, on account of her age and approved loyalty in everything but her religion. In person she was tall and very beautiful, but remarkable for her humility, dressing after the manner of the servants of her time, and never by a glass. She lived to an advan- ced age, retaining her faculties to the last. During her last illness she was patient and re- ligious, often contemplating a crucifix of silver-gilt which hung at the foot of her bed, and she died much lamented. Montague Close has also another claim to onr notice as the residence of Lord Monteagle, who received the anonymous letter which led to the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot. The letter however was not delivered at Lord Monteagle's house, but to a servant of his in the Strand, about 6 o'Clock in the evening. Mr. Lodge says that this was not the only communication King James received of the plot, but it is elsewhere stated that Lord Monteagle was rewarded for this discovery with the manor of Martock in Somersetshire, which was given him in fee. In the Archaeologia is a fac-simile of the letter, which appears written in a feigned hand, the following is a copy. " My Lord, " Out of the love I beare to some of youere frends, i have a caer of your preservation. Ther- " for I would advyse yowe, as yowe tender youer lyf, to devys some excuse to shift off youer attendance " at this parleament, for God and man hathe concurred to punish the wickednes of this tyme, and thinke " not slightelye of this advertisment, but retyere youre selfe into youre contri, where yowe mayc expect " the event in safeti, for thowghe there be no appearance of anni stir yet, i saye they shall not see who " hurts them. This cowncel is not to he contemned, because it may do yowe good, and can do j'owe " no harme, for the dangere is passed as soon as yowe have burnt the letter, and i hope God will give " yowe the grace to mak good use of it, to whose holy proteccion i commend yowe." " To the ryght honorable " The lord Mow'teagle." There is a tradition that in consequence of this discovery the Close enjoyed certain privileges; it is mentioned in the act of Queen Anne for administering justice in privileged 134 ANNALS OP SAINT MARY OVERY. places, but the privileges (if any) must have been derived from its having been a religious house. In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1808, p. 777, is a print of the remains of Mont- eagle House, it had a large handsome door-way, raised by a few steps and surmounted by an escallop shell, the apartments were spacious and lofty and the fireplaces large, and there were remains of rich mouldings and other indications of its former splendour. I have seen a beautiful painting by Hollar, (not less admirable as a specimen of art than as an illustration of the ancient state of this spot) where Montague Close is shown as a crowded neighbourhood, the houses appearing lofty and important, and built in the characteristic style of the period. Hollar's prints are carious illustrations of the parts adjacent to the church, one taken from the tower of the church shows the entrance to London Bridge, with the south tower and gateway, over which are seen the heads of traitors ; it also shows part of Long .Southwark (the space from London Bridge to the Town Hall) with the Market down the centre. A few years ago many houses in the High Street retained the form of building of the time of Queen Elizabeth, of which the accompanying engraving is a good specimen ; this has been divided into two houses, one of which was well known as Baxter's Wine Vaults ; but I am much inclined to think that they only formed a part of some more spacious build- ing; adjacent to them are premises (yet standing) last in the occupation of Solomon Davis, Esq. which I have no doubt once communicated with them, the apartments here have an air of grandeur, one room in particular being in high preservation, having oak pilasters and paneling, with a lofty and rich fireplace, but partly modernized ; the ceiling is particularly fine, being divided into numerous beautiful compartments which cannot be described without the aid of the pencil, in the centre is the Arms of Queen Elizabeth in a lozenge shaped shield, with the initials E. R. In olden times Southwark was noted for the accommodation afl'orded to Travellers at its numerous Inns ; in particular, has been celebrated by the mention which Chaucer makes of it in his Canter- bury Tales as the hostelrie of the nine-and-twenty pilgrims who rested there on their way to Canterbury. " The holy bhssful martyr for to seke, That hem liath holpen, whan that they were seke." From his description of them, and the comforts of the Inn, it would seem that they did not " wende ther way" with pease in their shoes, but preferred the good cheer of mine host to the austerities practised by some on such occasions: speaking of the Inn, Chaucer .says -..> .•.WA.l£ffi.. ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 135 " Befelle, that, in that seson on a day, In Southwerk at the Tabard* as I lay, ; ' Redy to wenden on my pilgrimage To Canterbury, with devoute corage, At night was come into that hostelrie Wei nine and twenty in a compagnie Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle In felawship, and pilgrimes were they alle, That toward Canterbury wolden ride. The chambres and the stables weren wide, And wel we weren esed atte beste, And shortly, whan the sonne was gon to reste, So hadde I spoken with hem everich on, That I was of hir felawship anon." The poet has also left us a portrait of our host of the Tabard, sketched ia the glow ing colours of his animated style, in the following lines ; " Gret chere made oure hoste everich on, And to the souper sette he us anon : And served us with vitaille of the beste, Strong was the win, and wel to drinke us leste. A semely man our hoste was with alle For to han ben a marshal in an halle. A large man he was with eyen stepe, A fairer burgeis is ther non in Chepe ; Bold of his speche, and wise and wel ytaught And of manhood him lacked righte naught." Just such a man as might be imagined to pride himself in furnishing the best of the ale for which Southwark was noted ; for be it known Southwark was then as noted for its Ale as it is now for Barclay & Perkins' Brown Stout, hence says the ancient proverb, " The nappy strong Ale of Southwirke Keeps many a gossip fra the kirke." The house remaining before the fire in 1G76, was an old timber house, probably coeval with Chaucer's timc.f Within this Inn the Abbot of Hyde had lodging for his use, when business called him to London. 36 Hen. VIII. 1545, eleven Messuages, called the Abbot's Place and Lc Tubbard, were held by John and Thomas Master, and the Abbot's stable and other messuages in the Parish of St. Margaret's. • This Inn is now called the Talbot, which is a corruption of the original name. The Tabard was a sleeveless coat such as is now worn by Heralds. f Aubrey. 136 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. Opposite to this Inn, on the site of the present Town Hall, stood which was formerly the parish church, the present church (St. Sa\iour's) being at that time the conventual church of the Canons of St. Mary Overy. The Chapel of St. Mary Magdalen was also a parish church for the inhabitants near adjoining ; at the time of the dissolution of Monasteries these parishes were united and called St. Saviours, the inhabitants purchas- ing the fine collegiate church for their use, for a trifling compensation paid to the King. St. Margaret's Church was then removed in consequence of the inconvenience occasioned by its situation in the centre of a great increasing thoroughfare, and the apprehended danger to the public health, from the crowded state of the burial ground by which it was surrounded ; the Act of Parliament passed at that time is a curious document, and is verbatim as follows, " An Acte for enlarging St. Margarett's Ch' Yard, in Southwerke." " Forasmuch as divrs 8c many of the King's most dradd sovreign Lords natural subjects & other, inhabytyng wythin the burgh of Suthwerk, in the countie of Surr', have encreased and dayly do augment into so great a nomber wythin the p'isshe of Seynt Marga- rett in Suthwerk aforesaid ; & the churche yard of the said p'isshe church lyeth & is situat in the common strefe and in the mydell of the King's highway there, and of late the chyrch- wardeynes of the said p'isshe have been compelled to cause fower dead bodyes to be buried in one sepulchre or pytt, at one tyme, because they hadd not, nor have any towme or place wythin the said p'sshe sufFycient to recey ve the deade bodyes of the inhabitants wythin the said p'isshe dwellyng at the tyme of their decease, to the right perillous daunger, and pestyferous infeccion of the heyre, which of all likelyhods, shall and may engender greate cornipc'on and mortalytie yf due remedy be not pr'vyded in that behalff. For reformacyon whereof, and at the humble supplicacion of the p'issh'rs of the said p'isshe of Seynt Margarett : Be it enacted by the King oure Sovereign Lord, &c. That the said wardyns of the said p'isshe of Seynt Margarett in Suthwerk and theyr successours, shall have a common scale to serve for the busyness of the said corp'acyon ; and that they by the nayme of wardeyns of the p'isshe church of Seynt Margarett Suthwerk, in the Countye of Surr', may impleade and sue all man'r of p'sons, and by the same name may defend & ymplede other and be ympleaded in all maner of courts and places afore all manner of justyces and ministers of justyce, and all other Avhatsoever ; and that the said wardeyns by the same name may purchase, have, take, and enjoye to them and theyr successours, all such landes and ten'ts, rents, rev'cyons, pos- sessions, and heredytaments wythin the say'd Boroghe of Suthwerk and p'cynct of the same, the whiche late were of Arthuro Urmesbye, Esq. deceased, and after Syr John Bourchier, Knyght,Lord Ferrers, and after that Thomas Onelye, gentleman, — conteyningebyestimacyon one acre of landc, or there aboute, upon parte whereof now remayning c'teyne olde bowses in veray extreme ruyne and decay, and dayly likely to fall downe to the grounde, whiche the sayde wardeyns intend to bring into due reparacyon, or ells the same newelye to edefye when tyme shall requyre ; whereafter for avoydyng of all corrupte and pestilent infeccyon ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 137 that myglit come to the King's mooste naturall and lovynge subjects, the seyd wardeyns and p'issh'rs of the said p'isshe churche, &c. or theyre successours, at theyre costes and charges, and after theire sadd dyscrec'ons, wythin and upon the residue of the same said acre of grounde wheresoever gardeyns be, frankely and freely at thcyr pleasures, may take, make, or cause a convenient churchyard for the savegard of all the King's subjects, ryding and passing by the said way, and all others repayring, inhabyting, or dwelling wythin the same parisshe." I have never seen or heard of a view of St. Margaret's Church, nor is much of its history known ; the following particulars however have claim to our notice. •' Ralph de Reygate was rector of St. Margaret's Church, when Peter Bishop of Winchester, granted the cemetery to St. Thomas's Hospital." " Philip was rector in 1245; in which year he acknowledged to have received of the Master and Bretheren of the Hospital of St. Thomas the Martyr of Southwark 10 marcs of silver " pro bono pacis, ratione litis motaj inter ipsum & eos," concerning the tithes of the Bishop of Winchester's Mills in Southwark." " In 149G, John Barkley, Parish Clerk of St. Margaret's, by his will gives to the High Altar for forgotten tithes 20d. to the mother church of Winchester 4d. to the fraternity of Our Ladye in the said church 5s. to pray for his soul ; and his second surplice. To the church, a book of" prickt songe," an Yumall, a book of Cariill sometime of Thomas Bas- sett, which he gave there during his dirige, and a masse and seven tapers of the Wax- chandler of 81b. the peece, during the time and the seson of his dirige, and a masse, and eight poor men to hold them ; to Sir Robert Barkley his brother, his best gowne of blewe, furred with black lamb, his best scrplice and a portuous covered with red leather; to his brother William Barkley, otherwise called William Hardy, his gowne of violet furred with white lamb, and 16s. 8d. in money; also to the said fraternity, two spoons of silver; and to the work of the church 3s. 4d."* The site of St. Margaret's Church is now occupied by a plain building .scarcely meriting description. There was a Hall here prior to lG7fl which was then burnt down ; rebuilt and finished in 1086 at the charge of the City of London : this edifice was adorned with a statue of King Charles the second, over tlie statue in a pedi- ment was the royal anns, and on the top of the pediment a sun dial with the following mottoes, " Dum Spectas fugis." — " Tempus edax reriim." This building (of which there is a print extant) stood till 171)3, when it was removed to make room for its successor, the present edifice. The above named statue was at that time removed to Three Crown Square, where it was placed on the top of a watch-house whicli occupied the centre of that spot, and at tlie same time the figure of Justice, wliich formerly (in conjunction witii that of M'isdom) • Clark's Collection of Wills. T 138 ANXAL9 OF SAINT MARY OVERY. supported tlie Lord Mayor's seat in the To\vn Hall, was placed near the bar of a neighbour- ing coffee-house, on which event Morgan has printed the following lines : " Justice and Charles have left the hill, The City claim'd their place, Justice resides at Dick West's still, But mark poor Charles's case : Justice safe from wind and weather, Keeps the Tavern score, But Charley turn'd out altogether. Keeps the Watch-house door." His Majesty has now resigned his guardianship of the watch-house, and is I believe quietly rusticating in a garden in the New Kent Road ; such are the vicissitudes of royalty. We will now turn our attention to the Clink Division of the Parish, called the Bishop of Winchester's Liberty ; the history of this spot presents many interesting facts for the contemplation of the curious ; indeed it is hardly possible to imagine a place more altered in its appearance than that of which we now speak. Westward of St. Saviour's Church, near the Dock, are the remains of Winchester Hall, formerly the residence of the Bishops of the diocese, a small portion of massive wall alone remains at this time, to point out the spot where formerly stood a magnificent building; Stow says that in his time it was " a very fair house well repaired, with a large wharf and landing" ; Hollar has left us a bird's-eye view of it taken from one of the western turrets of St. Saviour's Church, showing also a part of the Park, the extent of which was 60 or 70 acres ; in Howel's London is also a view of the Hall, which is there shown with a lanthorn light in the roof, and pinnacles at the apex of the gables. The decay of time and neglect, together with the encroachments of modern innovation, had almost hid this fine structure from view, till a destructive fire in 1814 gave an opportunity for investigation of the remains of its former splendour ; the most interesting feature then seen in its ruins was a most ex- quisitely wrought circular window, consisting of triangular compartments enriched with hio-hly finished tracery, so elaborate as to defy a clear description without the aid of the pencil, this occupied the gable of the west wall, giving light to the Hall. In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1815, will be found much curious information descriptive of the ruins, with conjectures as to its former state, to enter into which would occupy too much of our space. In a door-way which formerly led to a range of buildings (southward of the Hall) shown in Hollar's view, the Arms of Dr. Stephen Gardiner were found impaled with those of the See of Winchester : Azure on a cross Or, between four Gryphons heads erased Argent, a cinque-foil gules ; this is Gardiner's Arms as exemplified at the Heralds College, but the sculptured arms in the ruins are slightly different, having a quatre-foil instead of the ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 139 cinque-foil. No description of this building can possibly convey so clear an idea of its fonner appearance, as a collection of the ancient and modem prints of it, which may be obtained without difficulty. Winchester Hall was built by Bishop Gifford in 1107, on a piece of ground belong- ing to the Prior of Bermondsey, for which an annual payment was made. In 1366, the King's "Writ was directed to the Barons of the Exchequer, directing the payment of £&• on that account ; the Bishop's house being then in the King's hands on the vacancy by the death of Bishop Edindon. In 1291, the Bishop was rated for his Estate here, according to Pope Nicholas's Taxation, at £25. 5s. OJd. In the 27 Edward I. 1299, John de Pontissara, a Bishop who was put in by the Pope of his own authority, aliened to the Prior and Convent of St. Swithin, in Winchester, certain houses with a garden, &c. contiguous to his park here, which the Bishop had of the gift of William Wyselham, held of the King by the service of five Knights fees, of the value of 31s. S^d, This became afterwards the house of the Bishops of Rochester. In 1642 the Parliament resolved that the Hall should be used as a Prison, and that Sir. William Devenish should be the keeper ; and Mr. William RadclifFe was committed thereto during the pleasure of the house. In February following Devenish was authorized to provide some oxthodox and godly Minister to preach in tills house to the prisoners, and to prohibit any from preaching who were not so qualified, or that Avere not well affected to the King and Parliament.* Here Sir Kcnelm Digby wrote his book of Bodus, and diverted himself in Chymistry, and used to make artificial stones, as rubies, emeralds, &c. Sir Fran- cis Dodington was also prisoner with him. After the King's death this House and Park were sold, 26th September, 1649, to Thomas Walker, Gent, of Camberwell, for £4380. 8s. 3d. On the restoration it reverted to the See of Winchester, but was no longer made the Episcopal residence, being then let to various tenants agreeably to an Act passed 1601. stood southward of Winchester House. It was purchased by some Bishop of Rochester, of the Prior of St. Swithin, of Winchester, to whom it was aliened by John de Pontissara in 1299, as above stated .f In the 35th of Henry VIII., Nicholas Heath then Bishop of Rochester, granted to John Sturdevant the office of keeper of the House or Episcopal Mansion and Garden adjoin- ing the Bishop of Winchester's House : which house and garden formerly belonged to the Priory of St. Swithin in Winchester, lately dissolved.;}: • Journals of the House of Commons. t See account ofWiiichester Hall. * Register of the Uean and Chapter of Rochester. 140 AXXALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. Stow, speaking of it in his time, says "but well I wot the same hath not been frequented by any Bishoppe, and lyeth ruinous for lacke of reparations." In 1604 it was let on a lease for three lives at £8. a year, and afterwards divided into tenements. In 1663 it was let at £20. a year. It was sold by Parliament in 1649, with Winchester House, to Thomas Walker, but on the restoration reverted to its legitimate owner. When a new place was found for the Borough Market in 1756, part of the site of this house was taken for the purpose, at a rent of £14. 13s. 6d. This spot is alluded to in Doomsday ; speaking of Southwark, it says, " The men of Sudwerk testify that in the time of King Edward (the Confessor) no one received toll iu the Strand or Bank of the river (in le Strand vel in vico aque) except the King ; and if any committed a forfeiture and was there sued, his fine went to the King, the King's property in Sudwerc was then valued at xvi. pounds." In the 9th Edward II. 1316, a commission issued to empower Richard de Benham and Edmund de Passell to view and repair the banks between London Bridge and the Manor of Fauks-hall, " as also a certain Bank in the land of the Bishop of Winchester, in South- werk, which having been anciently made for the safeguard thereof, was then ruinous and broken ; and likewise certain ditches, whereby the fresh water had formerly descended into the Thames, which were then choaked up ; and to distrain all such persons for the repair of the walls and ditches, who, iu respect of any lands that they held, or otherwise, were obliged thereto." Difterent plans of London published during the reign of Elizabeth, and more par- ticularly one on vellum taken about that tune, show Baukside with houses ranged along it facing the water ; but the space behind them for a considerable extent appears to be open country, consisting of fields or gardens divided by ditches, which were filled by the flowing of the tide from the Thames. Among the earliest houses erected here were the 9eorlreno or ^teU)$, which were licensed houses of infamy for the reception of public women : these are men- tioned in the reign of Henry II. (1162) in certain ordinances for their government, referring " to the old customs" concerning them "time out of mind" showing them to have existed before the Conquest, they were then eighteen in number, and were under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Winchester, who published rules for their regulation, which were afterwards confirmed by Parliament, and further by the King, 19 Edw. III. 1354. These rules may be seen in Stow and Maitland. * By far the best account of Bankside yet published, is that which appears in a work entitled ' London before the Fire,' published by Messrs. Boydell, and of which Mr. Herbert of the City Library, was Editor, AWALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. 141 The breaking of the said rules subjected the Stcwholders to severe penalties, and there was a prison for the confinement of those who broke them called the Ci.ink, whicli originally stood at the comer of Maid Lane (now called New Park Street), leading out of Gravel Lane; old views show it as a sort of gate house, having circular towers at its sides and an embattled top. This was also the prison for the " Clink Liberty," but was ruinous and in disuse in 1745, at which time a dwelling house near Deadman Place was substituted for it : this latter was burnt in the riots of 1780. The Stews were plundered by Wat Tyler, in his insurrection in 1381, at which time they were occupied by Flemish women. In 2 Henry VI. an act was passed that no inhabi- tant ol' the Stew s should be empannelled on a jury, or keep an inn or tavern in any other place. Henry VII. shut them up in 1506, but they were opened again soon after, being re- duced in number to 12. Henry VIII. entirely suppressed them by a proclamation in 1.546. The women inhabiting these houses are said not to have been allowed christian burial unless reconciled to the church before their death, there is an unconsecrated burial ground known as the " Cross Bones" at the corner of Kedcross Street, formerly called the Single Women's burial ground, wliich is said to have been used for the purpose : •' A place of burial, for such dead As having died in mortal sin, Might not be laid the church within." — Walter Scott. Banksidc was also noted for the amusements there afforded to the votaries of plea- sure, at its Theatres and other places of amusement ; the situations of whicli are shown in the maps before referred to. stood on the site of the present brewery of Messrs. Barclay & Perkins, and was the only place of amusement on this spot used for dramatic entertainments ; as shown in the plans it is of an octangular form, but is generally described as being round, which was perhaps its fonn internally. The time of its erection is uncertain, but it is supposed to have been built between tiie years 1570-73 ; it was first an erection of wood, or as Stow calls it a frame of timber, and is mentioned by Taylor, the water poet, as having a thatched hide or roof, on which was a pole to which a flag was affixed, probably only during the hours of performance. Taylor mentions the Globe as almost the only Theatre lierc at which there were representations in 1630,* though he remembered all the others in a flourishing state : " I have knowne" says he " three companies besides the Beare Bay ting at once tiiere (Banksidc), to wit, the Rose, the Globe, and the Swan. And it is an infallible trutii that had they never played there it had been better for watermen by the one halfe of their living ; for they are increased more than one half by their meanes of plying there in former times, and now (in 1().30) the players have all except the king's menf left their usual residency on the Banksidc, * See his Works, ed. 1620. f His Mojesty's Servants at the Globe. 142 ANNALS OF SAINT MARY OVERY. and doe play in Middlesex, remote from the Thames." Aubrey says, speaking of the Globe, " Though here the best tragedies and comedies were performed, it could only be kept open during the summer months." In 160-3, King James granted his patent to Shakspeare and others to perform plays, as well within their usiiall howse called the Globe, in Surrey, as elsewhere. They continued performing till June 29, 1613, when the Theatre was accidentally burnt in consequence of the thatch catching fire during a performance ; Sir Henry Wotton who describes this event con- cludes thus, " only one man had his breeches set on fire, that would perhaps have broyled him, if he had not by the benefit of a provident wit put it out with bottle Ale." The Globe was rebuilt the following year, and afterwards possessed by the Black- friars Company, who played alternately at the two houses, until stopped by the ordinance of Parliament in 1648, after which the Globe sunk into oblivion as a Playhouse. stood next, on a spot which still retains its name : the nature of the amusements here will be best collected from the following account by Hentzner, the German Traveller, who was a spectator of them in 1598 ; having described the other Theatres, he says " there is yet another place, built in the form of a Theatre, which serves for the Baiting of Bulls and Bears. They are fastened behind, and then worried by great English bull dogs, but not without great risque to the dogs from the horns of the one and the teeth of the other ; as it sometimes happens that they are killed upon the spot ; fresh ones are immediately supplied in place of those that are wounded or tired. To this amusement often succeeds that of whipping a blinded bear; at these spectacles, and every where else, the English are constantly smoak- ing Tobacco, and in this manner, — they have pipes on purpose, made of clay, into the further end of which they put the herb, so dry that it may be rubbed into a powder, and putting fire to it they draw the smoke into their mouths, which they pufi" out again through their nostrils like funnels." Aubrey speaks of two Bear Gardens, the Old Bear Gardens and the New. It ap- pears that visitors paid one penny at the gate, another at the entry of the scaffold, and a third for quiet standing. One Sunday Afternoon, in the year 1582, the scafibld being overcharged with visitors fell down during the performance, and a great number of persons were killed or maimed by the accident. On the 26th of May, 1.599, Queen Elizabeth went by water with the French Am- bassador to Paris Gardens, where they saw a Baiting of Bulls and Bears. The Rose or smaller Theatre was erected in 1592, and is stated to have cost £103. 2s. 7d. Exclusive of the Theatres, there were other remarkable buildings at or near Bank- side : as the Unicorn Brewhouse or Inn, described by Stow as " a very neat and faire ANNALS OF SAINT MAIIV OVERY. 14^3 house, being adorned with carved figures, and sundry sorts of birds stuffed and set aboiit as if they were alive ; witli a small ship, such as are hung up in great halls." Here also \vere The Queen's Pikr Gardens, where Pike were bred for the royal table under the supcr- intendance of a purveyor, who had a house at Bankside ; an engraving published in the European Magazine, shows this building highly decorated (in the Elizabethian style of archi- tecture) with piscatory devices, emblematical of its appropriation ; its site is now corruptly called Pyc Gardens. Aubrey mentions a place on this spot called Asparagus Gardens and Pimlico Patli, where were fine walks, cool arbours, &,c. much used by the citizens of London, and their families. To walk in Pimlico became proverbial for a man handsomely drest, none others frequenting tliese walks. As late as 1720, Maiden Lane (now called New Park Street) was a long straggling place, with ditches on each side ; the passage to the houses being over little bridges, with little garden plots before them.* At the West end of the Bank stood the dFalcoii S"«; originally a large building, and the place from which coaches went to all parts of Kent and Sussex ; there was also a ferry to the opposite side of the water. At this Inn, once the most considerable in this part of the County of Surry, every travelling accommodation was, we are told, provided. It must have been very extensive, as the Iron Foundry adjoining once formed a part of it. It was sold among other possessions of the See of Winchester, in 1647, to Thomas Rawlinson, or RoUcsou as he is called in the deed, for £484. by the description of " All that tenement or inn, with the appurt'^''' commonly knowue by the name of the Faul- con, scituat, lying, and being upon the Stews Bank, in the county of Surry, now or late iti the possession of Edw, Russell, being part and parcel of the possessions of the late Bishop- ric of Winchester, and consisting of 29 rooms, 3 cellars, and 1 stable, with a liay-loft, yards, and a wharf belonging unto the said tenement, with a payre of stayres to land att from the river of Thames. Mentioned in the particular thereof to be of the value of £44. per Ann." This building formed the boundary of St. Saviour's Parish in this direction, it was foriiu-rly however much more extensive, Christchurch parish having been taken out of it in 1(172 by Act of Parliament. Here I shall bid my reader farewell, trustinij^ that he will pardon ail the inaccuracies of style, and errors that may have inadvertantly crept into my book, the production of which has not been accomplished without considerable exertion, and every wish to render it worthy of patronage. ♦ Strype's Stow. The foUoreing Copy of a Record in the Av-gmentation Office, (to which the common seal of the Priory is attached, seepage 32, y has been Tiindly sent for insertion hy J. Caley, Esq. F. S. A. Cart. Antiq. in Officio Augmentationum Q. 32. Omnibus Christi fidelibus presentem paglnam inspecturis vel audituris frater Henricus prior prioratus beate Marie de Suthwerk Wj-nton Dice & ejusdem loci conventus salutem cum ora- tionum suffragijs devotarum et quicquid hauriri valet duleius de latere crucifixi, devotionem quam ad vires religiosos domus Salutationis Matris Dei ordinis Cartusiensis prope London spiritualiter gerimus in visceribus Jesu Christi et ob Dei reverenciam ac majorem caritatis dilecionem et ani- marum salutem ut accepimus affectu sincere caritatis acceptantes Christoque acceptabUe fore credentes pijs ipsos beneficiorum spiritualium vicissitudinibus, compensari. Ipsos ad universa et singula nostre reUgionis tarn in vita quam in morte recepimus suffragia plenam ipsis tenora presentium participacionem omnium bonorum concedendo que per fratres nostre congregationis sub regulari habitu constitutos in missis vigilijs jejvmijs abstinencijs et orationibus ceterisque divinis e.xcercicijs operari dignabitur dementia salvatoris adicientes etiam de gratia special! quod cimi obitus alicujus monachi vel clerici redditi domus predicte in capitulo nostro per breve do- mus predicte fuerit nunciatus id pro eo devote fiet quod pro fratribus nostris defunctis in com- muni ibidem fieri consuevit videlicet unum plenarium sen'itium cum laudibus et vesperis et missa in conventu fiet unusquisque autem sacerdos triginta missas adeo cicius quam commode poterit celebrabit ceteri vero inferioris ordinis tria psalteria cum letania et orationibus — persolvent cum vero obitus alicujus conversi eorum in Capitulo nostro per breve domus predicte nobis nun- ciatus fuerit unvun commune servitium fiet pro eo in conventu videlicet cum placebo et dirige et tribus lectionibus et missa capitulari ad quam dicetur oracio Deus cui proprium. Deus venie largitor, et fidelium. Cum vero aliquid breve supradictorum monachorum redditorum sen con- versorum dirigi seu mandari contigerit prout moris est religiosorum in brevibus canonicorum nostre domus proxime post extunc abeuntium ad omnes domos nobis associatas et alias cujus- cunque-religionum in provincia Cantuariensi et Eboracensi constitutas nominatim discernimus inserend et universaliter per brevigerulum nostru-'i per presentes volumus mandari perpetuis temporibus duraturis. In cujus rei testimonium sigillum nostrum commune presentibus duximus apponendum. Dat. apud Suthwerk in domo nostra capitulari vicesimo die mensis Aprilis anno Domini MiUesimo Tricesimo Septuagesimo Sexto. r T2- THE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW. Series 9482 D 000 790 043 4