THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
^^ ^^d^^^p
__
AN
ARCHITECTURAL AND HISTORICAL
ACCOUNT OF
Ware, ft on) on,
COMPILED FROM
ORIGINAL AND UNPUBLISHED SOURCES,
APPENDIX OF ILLUSTRATIVE DOCUMENTS
AND FAC-SIMILE
OF SEVERAL OF ITS
ancient
BY
EDWARD L. BLACKBURN, ARCHITECT.
LONDON :
JOHN WILLIAMS,
I IBP ARY OF ARCHITECTURE AND THE FINE ARTS.
CHARLES STREET, SOHO SQUARE.
MDCCCXXX1V.
T. R. DECRY, PRINTER,
JOHNION'i COURT, FLEET STREET, tONDOK.
DA
687
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PREFACE.
The Author has been induced to offer
this Account of Crosby Place to the
Public,, for the purpose of supplying
several facts connected with its history,
which previous writers, more capable,
though less fortunate than himself, have
not had the means of ascertaining or of
making known. To the attention and
kindness of friends, which he begs thus
publicly to acknowledge, he is indebted
for the facilities which have stimulated
and enabled him to do this : to what
11.
extent remains to be seen ; time,, oppor-
tunity and a more able medium might
have done more. Such as it is, however,
the Author presents his History of Crosby
Place, in the hope that, though the addi-
tional information contained in it may
be but small, yet, being an addition, he
shall not have laboured in vain, but have
'" saved and recovered somewhat from
the deluge of time."
10, LANCASTER PLACE,
IMlt of December, 1833.
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* I do .lore these auncient ruines,
We nerer tread upon them, but we sett our foot
Upon some reverende historic. WEBSTER.
THE first reference to Crosby Place, or more
correctly speaking, to the site upon which that
building was afterwards erected, occurs in 1466,
the 6th of Edward IV., at which time, one John
Crosby,* an eminent citizen of London, obtained
of Dame Alice Ashfelde, " Pryoresse of. the house
or convent of St. Helene," a lease for 99 years,
of certain lands and tenements adjoining south-
west of the priory precinct, at a rent of 11. 6s. 8d.
per annum. Included in the lease was a house
wherein he then resided, and which he held
under the demise of the then " late Pryoresse,
Alice Wodehous." The original deed thus de-
scribes this house and the rest of the grant.
It commences as follows : " Hec indentura facta
For a brief Memoir of this John Crosby, see Appendix, No. 1.
B
infra Aliciam Ashfelde, priorissam domme prio-
ratus Sancte Helene infra Bisheoppgate, London,
et ejusdem loci domentum exparte una, et Johanis
Crosby, Civem et Grocerum, London, exparte
altera;*' and proceeds to witness that the said
Prioress and convent assented, consented, granted
and confirmed to the said John " All that great
tenement, with the appurtenances, formerly in the
possession of Catanei Pinelli, merchant of Genoa,*
and" then " in the tenure of the said John, and
which the said John held of the demise of Alice
Wodehous, late Pryoress of the said convent,
situate in JBisshoppesgate Strete, in the parish of
Saint Helene, London, together with a certain
lane (venella) extending in length from the east
gate of the said tenement unto the corner or
south end of a little lane (parve venella) turning
north into the close of the said pryory;" and
" nine messuages in the parish of Saint Helene, of
which six" were " situate by the King's highway,
called Bisshoppesgate Strete, in length between
the front of the aforesaid tenement and the front
of the Belfry appertaining to Saint Helene's
Church, and a certain messuage of the said
nine messuages, which Katherine Catesby, widow,
* Many merchants of Genoa and other states of Italy, were
located in London at this time ; the trade in Genoa velvets, and
other rich stufis, afforded extensive employment and profit to them.
lately held, situate within the gate under the belfry,
and annexed to the six messuages aforesaid ;
together with a certain waste piece of land in the
parish aforesaid, directly, and in aright line, ex-
tending in length towards the east by the said mes-
suage which the said Katherine Catesby lately held,
from the exterior part of the plat,* or belfry gate
aforesaid, abutting upon the north part of the said
six messuages, by the Kinge's Strete aforesaid, unto
the church-yard there, fifty-eight feet and a-half of
assize, f and from thence extending in breadth
towards the south, directly unto a certain tenement,"
then " late in the tenure of Robert Smyth ;''
which latter tenement, with another of " the said
nine messuages in the tenure of the said John ;"
* An old term for plan ; a variation of the word plot, has
continued in use to the present time.
t Stow, in describing the premises granted to Antonio Bonvisi,
by Henry VIII., gives this length as five feet and a-half; and he
has been followed by all the after writers on the subject. This
must be either a typographical error of the printer of " Stow's
Survey," or a mis- translation of Stow himself; for the words of the
original deed are as follow: " ab exteriore parte de la place sive
poste campanil predictus, abbuttante super partem borialem dictos
sex mesuagios per Regiam stratam predictus in limiterium ibidem
quinquaginta octo pedes et dimidium assize.'' Five feet and a-half
would not extend a third part of the depth of the houses in the
line of the street ; fifty-eight feet and a-half would about range
with the north-east angle of the hall, as it now appears towards
St. Helen's, which agrees with the old and present plans of the
property.
B 2
the description concludes with remarking, were
" jointly situate within the Priory Close."
By this it would appear that the ground leased
to John Crosby, extended from north to south, or
nearly in that direction, along the line of the
" Kinge'a Strete," as Bishopsgate Street was then
called, a distance of about one hundred and ten
feet, having the Foregate* of the great tenement in
which he then lived for its southern, and the house
immediately in front of the belfry, for its northern
boundary. This house projected towards the
street in front of the belfry, about ten feet,
occupying the site of the present White Lion
public-house, at the back of which, and, probably,
partly extending over the present opening to
St. Helen's, stood the belfry of St. Helen's
Church,t and the gate leading into the Priory
Close. From the outer angle of the belfry, the
line ran to the east, fifty-eight feet and a-half,
extending to a point nearly in a line with the north-
east angle of the present hall of Crosby Place,
* The Foregate, as it is called in the old deeds of the premises,
evidently stood at the present entrance to Crosby Square. It is
referred to in several of them as standing in that situation.
t This belfry, or bell-house, was detached from the church.
Several instances occur of these isolated bell- towers or campaniles,
as belonging to our old churches, more particularly where a
conventual and parochial church were conjoined. St. Helen's
appears to have been one among the number. The present belfry
is comparatively modern.
and from thence turned towards the south, home to
the tenement held by Robert Smyth, which would
thus appear to have stood on the site of the
erection, now attached to the north end of that
building. Whether from this point Crosby's
ground extended again eastward, or followed
the direction visible in the present plan of the
estate, which, it may be remarked, agrees ex-
actly with one which was drawn as a guide to
the formation of the present square about 1683. is
not, I imagine, to be with certainty now ascertained.
The latter seems to be its most probable inclina-
tion, for on both the plans referred to, the boundary
line is shown as taking an irregular course to a
point a little east of the north-east angle of the
modern Crosby Square, and from thence, nearly
due south, to the lane now leading to St. Mary-
Axe, which is without doubt the Venella de-
scribed in the demise, upon which the back gate
of the great tenement is represented to have
opened, nearly, if not exactly, in the situation
of the one now in use.* It may be added,
that the buildings of Crosby Place, as it ap-
* In the grant to Crosby, the right of way down this lane is
described as leading from the back gate to the church of St. Andrew,
Cornhill. This must refer to the church at the top of St. Mary-
Axe, to which point Cornhill must have in former times extended.
This church is dedicated to St. Andrew, and is the only one to that
saint near at hand.
pcarod in the time of Henry VIII., reached a
point, described in an old deed of that period, as
an " alley within the close of St. Helen ;" for, in
1538, Antonio Bonvisi, who at that time held
Crosby Place, obtained of Dame Mary Rollestey,
then " Pryoress of St. Helen's," a lease of a tene-
ment or chamber situate in this alley, which tene-
ment is described as joining on the larder-house and
cole-house of the said Antonio, and as being for-
merly in the possession of one Julian Fraunce.
It may be a matter of some difficulty, at this time,
to fix correctly the situation of this alley, owing to
the many alterations which this part of St. Helen's
has undergone ; but a supposition may be hazarded,
with some show of probability, that the passage
now leading through the house, No. 6, Great
St. Helen's, is the site of it. In Horwood's map
of London, published in 1799, this passage is shewn
as leading directly to the north-east angle of
the present square, above noticed as being the
point to which the boundary-line on that side
inclined, where formerly a gate opened, at the
back of the houses forming its eastern side.*
From the back or east gate it is probable
the original site returned nearly at right angles
* This gate was used, within memory, as a means of access to
the square in that direction.
to the west, about 43 feet, and then extended due
south, this being the evident direction of the whole
boundary-line on the east, and returning to the
west, included the garden at the back of the house,
now occupied by Mr. Salomon. Harrison* says,
the present square was formed upon the gardens
of Crosby Place ; but it may be questioned how
far, or whether at all, the latter extended before
the north front of the houses now erected on its
south side. The garden first mentioned was un-
doubtedly a portion of them in 1589, in which
year William Bonde, one of the sons of Al-
derman Bonde, who, with his brother, was pro-
prietor of Crosby Place, under the will of his
father, purchased of William Harrington, mer-
chant tailor of London, a house in the close of
St. Helen, with "a garden, garden-plot and
orchard," then in the occupation of his brother,
Nicholas Bonde, and a tenement in the occupation
of one Vaparlse ; which garden and orchard is
described in the deed of sale as " lying between the
garden, late called Crosbie's garden, belonging to
Crosbie's Place, f on the west part, and the garden
plot or orchard, with the said tenement on the east
part." The garden or orchard thus purchased, I
take it, was the ground on which the East India
* History of London.
t Then occupied by his mother, the widow Bonde,
Company's Baggage-warehouse now stands, abut-
ting on Mr. Salomon's garden, the original and
present eastern limit of the property. In the time
of Sir John Spencer, Knt., the piece of ground thus
referred to continued to be a portion of the estate,
and is probably the spot on which he afterwards
" builded a most large warehouse."
At the south-east corner of Mr. Salomon's gar-
den, the line would seem to have continued to the
south-west, nearly to the present Helmet Court,
and from thence returned in an irregular
course to the Foregate, excluding the houses in
the range of the street. One of these houses
now belongs to the estate, and is first made men-
tion of in the deed of sale from the Bondes to
Sir John Spencer, as the tenement to " the south of
the Foregate towards Leadenhall." The others,
I am inclined to think, were also, at some period,
part of the property, as when Germayn Cyoll, or
Cioll, second in possession after Bonvisi, sold
Crosby Place and its appurtenances to William
Bonde, in 1566, four tenements were reserved
for the use of his wife Ciceley, one of which
she occupied until her death, in 1608 or 1609,
and notices in her will as her " dwelling-house
in Bishopsgate Street." These four tenements
were, most likely, on the south of the Fore-
gate ; and, although two of them appear to have
been purchased of the executors of the Widow
Cioll, by Lord Compton,* about 1615; they seem to
have been afterwards alienated.
In this outline of the property great irregularity
is observable, a circumstance to be accounted for,
perhaps, by supposing that at that time valuable
and established property must otherwise have been
interfered with ; and which might, with greater
probability, have been the case as regards those
parts which abutted on the Priory grounds.
However this may have been, it is pretty clear that
the above was, as correctly as can now be ascer-
tained, the site on which Sir John Crosby f com-
menced the erection of that building, which then
took, and has since borne his name.
Of the character of this building we have no
cotemporary information. Stow says, " it was
built of stone and timber, very large and beautiful,
and the highest at that time in London;" and
this would appear to be the earliest descriptive
notice of it. In the absence, therefore, of any
other data, we must, in endeavouring to affix its
early character, be content with such evidence as
the existing remains afford ; to which may, perhaps,
* Sir Wm. Compton, Knt. Lord Compton, married Elizabeth,
daughter and heiress of Sir John Spencer, and thus became
possessed of Crosby Place.
t He was knighted by Edward IV., May 21st, 1470.
C
be added, the brief descriptions contained in the
old deeds and grants of the premises, to its after
possessors; and inferences drawn from the general
practice of the period in which it was built.
The description of house which, about the mid-
dle of the 15th century began to gain preference,
was the quadrangular, the earlier instances of
which seldom exceeded a single court.* Under
this appearance, they may be considered as a first
attempt to combine security with domestic com-
fort, a qualification in which the former irregular
piles, built principally for defence, were sadly de-
ficient. In the later periods, and probably nearer
to the age of Crosby Place, the double-courted
mansion f became to be used, particularly where any
grandeur of appearance was desired; indeed, in
houses either of extended or moderate capacity, this
seems, after its first introduction, on account of the
greater convenience its arrangement afforded, to
have been, in the absence of preventive circumstances,
the most approved plan. Indications of the double
court are very ev ident at Crosby Place ; a quadrangle
is still visible next Bishopsgate Street, having the
hall for its eastern, and a building, containing two
stories, for its northern boundary. On the south,
* Cotele House, Cornwall, is an example of this plan,
f Darlington, about A. D. 1430 ; Wingfield, A.D. 1440; and
Eltham, A. D. 1482, are all examples of this charactei.
11
the plinth of a range of building still rises about
two feet above the present level of the ground, while
an old wall, running up at the back of the houses
in the line of the street, appears to have enclosed
the court on the west; its southern termination
abutting on the Foregate. On the south-east of
this, the outer, was formerly an inner court, of
which, however, only three sides can now be
traced. Vaults, under the modern houses in
Crosby Square, extending to the south, in a line
with the hall, about 130 feet, point out the direction
and situation of the buildings which anciently
formed its west side. Its eastern was formed by a
corresponding range, abutting on the back or east
gate. Two sides of a quadrangle are thus estab-
lished ; the position of its third or northern being
pointed out by an old stone wall, under the front
part of the house in the north-east corner of the
square, now occupied by Mr. Capper, extending to
the east, at right angles, from the south end of the
hall. It may be here remarked, that it does not now
appear that any court ever existed on the east of the
hall, a feature observable in almost every instance ;
and it has been before queried, in identifying the
probable extent of the ground in this direction,
whether the line extended eastward, affording
the required space for it, or whether it followed
the direction apparent at present. Admitting the
c2
12
latter, Crosby Place would have been almost a
solitary exception to the general custom of the
time. In most of the early double quadrangular
mansions, the hall was placed in the line of division
between the two courts. It occurs, in this situation,
at Eltham, Darlington and others. The hall, also,
with the chapel and gatehouse, separates the
inner and outer quadrangles of Wingfield Manor-
house. Here, under the above admission, the
hall would have formed the east side of the first
court.
It might, however, be imagined that a corre-
sponding range of building to that projecting
at right angles to the west, at the north end of the
hall, also projected from the east, enclosing and
forming the north side of a court on the east of the
hall, which may have extended to the alley leading
into the close, in which the tenement, abutting on
the larder-house of Antonio Bonvisi, stood ; which
alley, as before noticed, is likely to have been a
continuation of that under the house, No. 6, Great
St. Helen's. In this case, the north-east boundary
of the supposed court would have been an extension
of that line, which, even now, forms the eastern limit
of the property.
To return ; we may notice that there is no
appearance of a fourth or southern side to
the inner court ; it was, most likely, only a wall,
13
separating it from the gardens, which, I am
inclined to think, were continued on the west of
the western range this space was unbuilt upon
until within the last fifteen or twenty years ; and
was used, up to that period, as gardens or yards to
the houses on that side of the present square, and
those in Bishopsgate Street. Another point is,
that an old window still remains in a portion of the
south wall of the range forming the south of the
outer court, looking out upon this spot. Light
has also been obtained for the vaults of the south
range from this direction ; and a cellar yet exists,
under the surface, at the back of the house held by
Messrs. Barton, in Bishopsgate Street, of a similar
description to those in other parts, but unattached,
though, no doubt, a portion of the original build-
ing.
There is at Crosby Place, a singular variation
in the arrangement of the two courts, which,
differing from the more general custom, are
placed, the one a little to the south-east of
the other. I do not at the moment recollect
a similar example;* but it may be remarked,
that our ancestors do not appear to have fol-
lowed, implicitly, any one given disposition, to
The nearest, in point of plan, which I can adduce, occurs in
an old house, called the " Abbey House," formerly % portion of
Lesnes Abbey, near Plumstead, Kent.
14
the exclusion of what might, under particular cir-
cumstances, have been deemed desirable on the
score of convenience. We seldom perceive, in their
erections, that attention to uniformity, as regards
either elevation or plan, which modern Architects
consider so necessary; and which is, in our times, too
frequently indulged in, to the destruction of that
picturesque effect so often observable in the absence
of it. Instances occur of the adoption of a plan
resembling the Roman H,* and, under peculiar
limitations, many varieties are discernable thus
far for any deviation from the more usual forms
apparent here.
The state apartments at Crosby Place sur-
rounded the first or outer court ; this, I
believe, was not a common practice, although
Mayfield Manor-house has the same peculiarity.
In most examples, the outer court was appro-
priated to the domestic offices.
Immediately in front of the entrance gateway, as
was most commonly the case, appeared the great
hall, and on the right and left ranges of building,
before referred to, as forming the south and north
boundaries of the court. The uses to which that
on the right was appropriated cannot now be with
certainty ascertained, but it will be noticed
Kingston Seymour, Rushton and Tickenham, are examples of
this plan.
15 '
hereafter as being likely to have resembled
generally that on the left, which contained
what was formerly called the Great Dining-
Parlour or Withdrawing-room, and a room over
it, anciently designated the Throne-room.* The
western boundary of this court was formed by a
wall,f still running up at the back of the houses in
the street, abutting on the gatehouse or foregate,
situated in the south-west angle. It is worthy of
remark, that the fashion of placing the gateway in
the angle of the court was a prevailing one ; it is
found in this situation at Eltham, Haddon-Hall,
&c.: the former not only agrees with Crosby Place
in this particular, but in that of having its gateway
* These are the names given to these rooms in the old descrip-
tions of the premises ; and it may be stated, in reference, that the
withdrawing-room usually attached to halls, was often, in the
latter periods, made the common dining-room of the family, as the
hall was of the rest of the household. This may have occasioned
the application of the two former terms to the lower room ;
but what can have given rise to that applied to the upper,
I am at a loss to determine, or why it should in more modern times
have been called the Council-room j unless, indeed, as regards the
former, it may be, the probability of its having been the room in
which the Crown wa offered to Richard, Duke of Gloucester, then
(1483) residing in Crosby Place.
t This wall runs in a parallel direction to the hall, at about 39
feet from it, and would appear also to have bounded the north and
south ranges : it siill goes up as high as the parapet of the hall,
and is faced with squared stone, of the same description as that
used in other external portions of the building, but shows no openings
towards the court.
immediately opposite or in front of the principal
entrance to the hall.
There are now no remains to show the pro-
bable character of the foregate, or any data to
prove that it did or did not vary from the usual
gatehouses of the time : yet it appears likely, from
its connexion with the houses on its north, and
the buildings of the south range, on its opposite
side, that it was not exactly the sort of erection
to which the term Gatehouse could with strict
attention to correctness be applied. The peculiar
expression " Foregate" also, may be thought to
affix something like a distinction.*
At Wingfield Manor-house, Derbyshire, nearly
a similarity of situation, as regards the
Gateway, occurs : both here and at Crosby Place
it is placed in the boundary-wall of a court, and
not in a range of building, as appears to have
been most common ; and nearly the only dif-
ference between the two is, that at Wingfield
it stands free and unconnected with any edifice,
but the Gatekeeper's Lodge to which it is
attached ; while in the latter, the houses in the
line of the " Kinge's Strete" would have abutted
against it. It is probable the Foregate of Crosby
* Buildings, to which the term Gatehouse would with greater
propriety apply, exist a* entrances to Nether Hall, Essex, Lambeth
Palace, Hampton Court, &c.
17
Place resembled that of Wingfield, and was
merely an arched Gateway, with, perhaps, a
smaller postern attached. I do not imagine
there were any apartments over it : any elevation
at this point, which was the only one from which,
during the existence of the houses before it, any
view of the hall could have been obtained, would
have completely shut out the edifice from the
street. Whether any Gatekeeper's Lodge, as at
Wingfield was attached, or whether rooms in the
south range answered this purpose, does not
appear ; though the existence of such a feature
is not improbable.
For the appearance, above ground, of the
buildings on the south of the outer court we
have no authority. The vaults which formed the
foundation of them are still perfect, but of a
very different character from any of those in
other parts of the edifice ; even those under the
great hall and withdrawing-room are of a much
plainer description, having only elliptical brick
arches, while the former are groined in chalk
with stone ribs. It has been suggested that this
vault formed the substructure or crypt of a chapel,
from the superior finish of its architecture, and
the fact of the discovery of several painted tiles
of a description similar to those found in ecclesias-
tical buildings. The correctness of this opinion
18
may, however, be questioned ; for, in a room now
used by Mr. Colley as a parlour, the south wall of
which is a portion of the original building, from
the foundation to nearly its whole present height,
is a singular double window, of a character, when
perfect, very unlikely to have been adopted in a
building used for religious purposes.* This win-
dow is now much modernized, by the introduction
of sashes and shutters, &c. ; and it would seem to
have been subjected to alteration at some no very
distant period. It measures, as it now appears, 11
feet 9 inches by 1 1 feet 6 inches, the former being
the height from the floor to the apex of the arch.
Its present arrangement shows two flat arches, in
square head-mouldings, dropping in the centre up-
on a corbel figure of an angel, holding a plain
shield, from the lower part of which a circular
shaft, about 4 inches in diameter, descends, until it
is stopped by a modern window-board. The shaft
appears to have once gone down to the base of the
window, which commenced at about three feet from
the original floor. The jaumbs show the singular
feature of a casing of more modern work, over the
original mouldings. The latter seem to have been
a cluster of angle shafts or beads, upon which
* It has been asserted that it was not usual to make a difference
in the Architecture of the Chapel and other parts of a domestic
building ; but many exceptions to this might be adduced.
19
the arch mouldings rested, with a large Hat hollow.*
The after addition consists of a semicircular shaft,
of a corresponding character to that described as
supporting the centre corbel, placed in the middle
of each hollow, which has been filled up to a plain
splay. These shafts have plain rude caps, similar
to those visible in Anglo-Norman erections, and
are evidently materials re-applied no bases are
visible. In its pristine state, this window evidently
exhibited the same arrangement as those in the
lower story of the north range. They are at about
the same level ; and, with the former, assimilate to
the square-headed window and doors, &c. still visi-
ble in the more strictly domestic portions of the
building.
It can hardly be attempted, at this time, to fix
correctly the appearance of this range, or the
uses to which the apartments in it were appropri-
ated. The remains strengthen the idea, that it had
a corresponding general elevation to the opposite
side, and the same internal arrangement of two
stories.f The height and level of the window, be-
* Similar to those of the Windows of the north range, though
less rich.
f Two stories in height, seems to have been a limit seldom
exceeded in domestic buildings. Buckler says (Eltham Palace,
p. 49) that, " in buildings of great or small extent, this judicious
rule was strictly followed."
D2
20
fore noticed, point out nearly the situation of the
floor of the upper rooms, which, apparently, did
not exceed two feet above the window head. This
would make the height of the lower room here,
about fourteen feet; a proportion nearly the same,
relatively speaking, as that of the lower room in
the opposite building. Indications of a bay or
oriel, similar to that of the north range, also occur ;
though it would here seem to have formed a stair-
case turret, from the fact that, at about its probable
situation, the two or three last steps of a stone
staircase leading to the vaults, underneath Mr.
Colley's house, were discovered during some late
alterations there. The bottom step was within a
small arched door-way, opening in the north wall
of the vault. It may be conjectured that this stair-
case led from the rooms on the upper floor to the
court-yard and foregate, and, downwards, to the
cellars.
On the east of the south range, the south end of
the hall abutted, having, as before noticed, the en-
trance to it immediately facing the foregate. The
arrangement of this entrance was similar to that at
Eltham, Penshurst, and the majority of examples ;
the door-way opening upon a passage, enclosed
from the lower end of the hall, by a screen, through
which access to the hall was obtained by one or
21
more doors of communication.* From this passage,
also, doors led to the butteries, which, at Crosby
Place, appear to have adjoined it on the south,
forming a portion of the west side of the inner
court. The communication with the ground-floor
rooms on the south of the fore-court, was, possibly,
from this passage ; the ancient appearance of which
has been much altered, although the entrance
to the inner court is still through it. In most
examples a direct thoroughfare is preserved across
this passage ; and the same method was, I imagine,
formerly adopted here, notwithstanding thatamodern
house now closes its eastern end. The foundation
of a wall, as before remarked, extends to the. east,
under the front of the modern house above spoken
of, in continuation of the south boundary of the
hall ; and this was, no doubt, the north wall of the
northern side of the inner court, as an area for light
to the vault under the hall appears at about 15 feet
from it to the north ; establishing the fact, that no
Mr. Hallam, in his " History of the Middle Ages," in reference
to the general plan and appearance of early English residences,
says, that, " the usual arrangement consisted of an entrance-
passage, running through the house, with a hall on one side, a
parlour beyond, and one or two chambers above ; and, on the
opposite side, a kitchen, a pantry, and other offices;" and I have a
note, but cannot recall to mind from what authority, that " the
bisection of the ground plot by an entrance-passage, was almost
universal, and a proof of antiquity."
erection could have stood within that distance of it
formerly. This was noticed in canvassing the like-
lihood of a court on the east side of the hall, toge-
ther with the existence of other contiguous areas
lighting the vaults from that direction. The proba-
bility is, that a direct thoroughfare was maintained
across the passage to an arched gateway, which
opened at the end of it into the inner court, in its
north-western angle.* This was, it may be infer-
red, the arrangement, even admitting the existence
of a court immediately on the east of the hall, for
the direct thoroughfare would still have been re-
tained, and the entrance to the south court still in
nearly the same situation. Any thing, however,
like uniformity in the disposition of the entrances
to the several courts is not observable until, com
paratively, a late period, when it became more usual
to place them in the centre of the sides. At Crosby
Place the earlier practice was evidently followed,
as regards the situation of the fore-gate and the
back-gate, both of which occupy an angle of their
respective courts.
The hall was, at Crosby Place, as in most other
instances, the main feature of the edifice; indeed,
The greater number of the earlier examples have the entrances
in the angles of a court. The quadrangles of Eltham Palace,
Haddon Hall and Berkeley Castle, are all entered by gateways
thus situated.
23
it often gave name to the whole structure,* and great
cost and labour seem to have been bestowed upon
it. Its west front exhibits a handsome range of six
windows, with a finely proportioned semi-octangular
Oriel or Bay-window. The southernmost of the
range, or that over the entrance is, in fact, a double
window, the pier, which separates each of the
others, being here worked or moulded into a bold
mullion. The windows have the description of
arch prevalent, tempo. Edward IV., with a label or
hood-mould returned square across the piers, and
are divided by a centre mullion, into two lights
each, with a peculiar extension of the outline of
the cusps, which include more than the usual por-
tions of a circle. Each face of the oriel has lights
of a similar general character, but continued down
to the level of the plinth, which formerly surrounded
the court on all its sides. The extra height is
crossed by transoms, crested with an embattled or-
nament, dividing the window horizontally into three
spaces, each containing two arch-headed lights.
The outer bead of the lights returns and mitres
throughout each division. The label which sur-
mounts the arch on each face of the oriel, is of the
Witness the number of mansions which pass under this name.
" The phrase, a ' Hall House,' as descriptive of the manorial resi-
dence, is still current among the peasantry of the north of England."
MitJ'ord's Principles of Design in Architecture.
24
same description, and ranges with those over the
other windows of the hall, springing from the upper
table or shelving of buttresses, which ornament the
angles of the octagon. These buttresses are of
three stages, each face of which is panelled, and
are the only ones apparent throughout the present
remains. A plain parapet finishes the elevation,
with the addition, round the oriel, of a frieze below
the lower moulding. The original door-way open-
ing on the passage behind the screen, is destroyed,
and a modern entrance to Crosby Square substi-
tuted. The east side of the hall now shows eight
windows, the oriel being here omitted; nor is there
any appearance of a repetition of the double win-
dow, at the south end, though it probably existed.
Time has been busy upon this part ; and much of it
is now of brick, the repair of different periods.
The contrivance for the ascent of the flue or chim-
ney of the hall fire-place, in this front, must have
been curious. Its direct ascent would have ob-
structed light from the windows, and to obviate this,
perhaps, the substance at a certain height below
them shelved or tabled, until it would rise without
interfering with them.
The alterations in the interior of this once splen-
did hall, occasioned by the different uses to which
it has been in more modern times applied, leaves
much to be inferred as to its probable appearance
25
in early times. Its ancient roof and lateral enclo-
sures are the most perfect portions. Its northern
and southern extremities have disappeared, and its
height is now intersected by two modern floors ;
while the present entrance is by means of an open-
ing, made about nineteen feet above the original
level of the floor ; cutting away the lower part of
one of the side windows* against the oriel. It is
to be regretted that circumstances should have
arisen to render this desecration (if the term may
be used) of the building necessary to the conveni-
ence of its later occupiers. When divested of these
encroachments upon its distribution, the effect of
its purity and correctness of proportion (which can
now only be appreciated or viewed, and then not
with the exactitude required, through the medium
of a drawing) can hardly have been excelled. The
rich flowing line of its arched roof, and the care
with which every necessary horizontal one has been
broken and diversified to keep the aspiring charac-
ter of the style, cannot be sufficiently commended ;
while, by the student in architecture, its principles
and component parts cannot be too often studied,
not only as an instance of a peculiar variation from
the more general roofs of its age, but as a specimen
These windows, as well as those of the oriel, were formerly
splendidly enriched with " roiall glasse,'' of whieh not a vestige
now remains.
E
2G
on account of such variation, more applicable to
modern uses, and more in accordance with modern
ideas ; the reconcilement of which with ancient
peculiarities so often puzzles the modern Architect
when adopting this style. The variation here more
particularly alluded to, is the union of the earlier
forms with an attempt to obtain the comfort of the
flat ceiling, which was generally used in rooms of
smaller dimensions. The length of the roof, as it
now appears, shows the original extent of the hall,
which was 54 feet long by 27 feet wide, and 40 feet
high, to the point of the highest arch. At its
southern end was a screen rising the whole height
of the room, similar corbels to those between the
lateral windows being repeated at the same level
between corresponding arched openings, and receiv-
ing the drop-lines of the smaller pendants of the
roof.- Behind this screen was the passage from
which, as before noticed, the hall was entered, above
which was, iu most halls of the period, the Minstrel's
Gallery, though in many instances this space was
enclosed entirely from the hall, and appropriated
as a chamber. To which of these uses the
space here was applied, or whether the two were
occasionally combined, as was often the case, it is
now no longer possible to decide ; the breadth be-
tween where it is evident the screen was situated,
and where the south end of the hall abutted on the
27
buildings of the inner court, is barely 12 feet,
hardly sufficient for a room or chamber ; while the
double window noticed in the description of the
exterior, bearing the same character as the other
windows, would almost lead to the opinion of the
existence of some opening through which it could
be seen from the hall,* which is only likely to have
been the case under the idea of this space having
been used for the former purpose. At the opposite
or north end of the hall was also a wall, which, to-
gether with its decorations, and all trace of the
method adopted to finish the roof against it, has
long disappeared ; a portion of its foundation in the
vault beneath only remaining. The extreme length
of the roof, as before stated, is 54 feet, divided into
eight spaces or bays by elliptical arches, which
spring from a cornice above the side windows, the
springing-lines being continued down to corbels
placed at the level of the rise of the window heads.
From these main arches smaller or intermediate
ones drop upon spherical octangular pendants,
which also receive similar arches, ornamenting three
longitudinal main ribs, that separate the roof trans-
* It may be conjectured that the floor of the counting-house,
formed at the south-end of the modern middle floor, ia the original
one of the Minstrel's Gallery, and shows the ancient division at
this point; it is 18 inches above the more modern one, and about
14 feet from the ancient level of the hall. The manner in which
the timbers are placed is evidently very ancient.
K2
28
versely into four principal divisions, disposed, by
the intersection of smaller longitudinal and cross
ribs, into four square spaces each, which are filled
in with narrow styles and panels crosswise to the
length of the hall. The mouldings of the main
ribs consist of two beads and a large hollow, and
two smaller hollows and fillets. Those of the
smaller ribs are similar, with the exception of the
lower hollow, which is omitted, and a bead substi-
tuted, the extremity being a cluster of three beads.
All the hollows are studded with pateras and knots
of foliage, and all the intersections and angles are
enriched in the same manner. The whole of the
hanging arches have their spandrils pierced with
trefoil-headed tracery, and the pendants upon which
they rest have, in their severalfaces, similarly pierced
niches. It is singular, that in the middle bay of
the ceiling, notwithstanding the existence of a fire-
place below, are indications of a louvre, a feature
observable more generally in the earlier and larger
halls, when the custom was to warm the apartment
by a fire, placed against the " Rere-dosse," in the
middle of the floor, the smoke from which escaped
through the louvre opening, for which purpose it
was first introduced. Fire-places occur, compara-
tively early, in halls of less size. That of Cotele
House, Cornwall, has one ; and there are other ex-
amples. The introduction of the two in Crosby
29
Hall it is difficult to account for. A louvre used
for its original purpose is, I think, very questiona-
ble. There is no appearance of a hearth in the
paving, which retains its original arrangement
nor docs the ancient roof-framing now show any
provision for it. Mr. Carlos * holds to the opinion,
that it was a feature in the ancient edifice, and
says, " that its aperture is now cjosed by the same
piece of wood-work which originally formed its
roof." In this case the erection of a turret on the
roof, by Alderman Bond, may possibly refer to
some repair of the louvre, which had become de-
cayed at the time he purchased. Its present ap-
pearance may, perhaps, be referred to Sir John
Spencer. The fire-place is situated at the north
end of the hall, and was formerly included in the
space for the high table : it exactly resembles that
in the great Dining-parlour, and is recessed 3 feet
7 inches, consequently must have had an ex-
ternal projection, the wall in which it is placed
being 3 feet 1 inch. The opening is 7 feet 8 inches
by 5 feet 6 inches, to the point of the arch ; the
mouldings increasing its exterior dimensions to JO
feet 6 inches by 6 feet 10 inches.
It has been previously observed, that a horizontal
cornice, broken by the descent of the main springers,
* " Historical and Antiquarian Notices of Crosby Hall."
30
terminates the roof above the lateral windows. This
cornice surmounts an open-panelled freize, filled in
with flowered quatrefoils ; and an appropriate finish
to the windows is obtained by the adoption of oaken
spandrils, enclosing similarly pierced arches to those
of the roof, which fill up the spaces over and be-
tween them. The curved lines of the spandrils go
down as low as the principal roof-corbels, and form,
as it were, the hood-mould of the window arches.
As an early specimen of this mode of decoration,
Crosby Hall is singular. Much ornament in wood
was not prevalent, until a late period, on the walls :
ami the general use of the drapery moulding or
cornice from which the arras was hung, Aubrey
says, is not older than tempo Henry VII. or VIII.
Ellham shows nothing of the kind below the upper
cornice, and the walls are all worked fair to
the level of the bases of the windows, from which
tapestry was suspended. This is also the case here;
and in both instances the plaster with which the
lower part of the walls was rendered, is still nearly
perfect.
On the west side, at the upper end of the hall,
stands the oriel, one of the most beautiful specimens
of the kind remaining. It occupies the space of
two windows, is 10 feet 10 inches wide, and 8 feet
5 inches recessed depth, from the face of the wall,
rising the whole height of the room. Its interior
31
plan shows five sides of an octagon, at the angles of
which, clustered shafts on bases and octangular
plinths, rise to the height of the springing of the
hall windows, where they are crowned by similar
capitals, from whence main arch-lines diverge into all
the ramifications of a richly-groined roof; the mi-
nor forming the interior mouldings of the lights.
That attention to inferior points, for which ancient
Architects were so remarkable, is here strongly in-
stanced ; the enriched character in the foliations of
the two lower divisions of the oriel lights is not re-
peated in the upper, which are finished after the
same fashion as those of the hall. The lower are
similar to those in the windows of the Throne-
room.* At every intersection of the ribs of the
roof are .bosses of sculptured fruit, flowers and ar-
morial bearings, the centre boss being much larger
than any of the others, and enriched with the crest
of Sir John Crosby a ram trippant, argent, armed
and hoofed, Or. Another smaller boss contains a
shield, the charges of which are too imperfect to be
recognized. These are the only heraldic remains
now discoverable.
The outer mouldings of the oriel, like the internal
The late Mr. Pugin, in his drawings of the Hall (see his
" Specimens," vol. 1.) has omitted to notice this difference. He
has represented the peculiar form and enrichment of the cusps as
atike in all the stages of the oriel.
32
arches of the Throne-room and Dining-parlour,
are inclosed in a square head, the spandrils beinir;
filled in with circles, cinque-foiled the whole formed
in stone:* and it is remarkable, that one of the
main trusses of the roof descends over the centre
of the oriel, before it reached the arch of which, it
must have been stopped by a corbel projecting from
below the cornice. This is also the case in the
Throne-room.
On the north of the oriel are the two end win-
dows of the hall, which, corresponding with similar
ones opposite, are at a much higher level than those
of the side ranges. This was probably for the pur-
pose of accommodating some kind of ornament on
the back and side walls of what was usually deno-
minated the Dais, or " haut pas," from its being
raised somewhat from the general level of the
hall floor. Considerable decoration was generally
apportioned to this part, from its being the spot
on which the Lords' Table was placed, f It is
singular that Crosby Hall shows no indication of
a raised Dais ; and the only instance I recollect of
a similar departure from the general custom, is to
* In the other windows of the hall, the square- head is formed
by the cornice and wood-panelling, before described as filling up
the spaces between the window heads.
t Aubrey says, " the Lords of Manours did eate in their greate
Gothicque Halls, at the high table or Oriele, the folk at the side
tables." Aubrey MS.
be met with at Sawston Hall, Cambridgeshire,
where it is likewise omitted. The date of this edi-
fice, however, cannot be referred to a period ante-
cedent to the reign of Mary.
The walls of the Dais in old halls were usually
hung with arras ; and this was, no doubt, the me-
thod adopted to decorate this part in Crosby Hall,
as it was at Eltham and Croydon.* In the latter
the tapestry depended from an enriched cornice ;
in the former, it is probable, from the great differ-
ence in the levels of the end and side windows,
that it hung from a canopy, extending round the
place of the high table, the ornaments of which,
being raised somewhat above the line of cornice
below the side windows, may have occupied and
filled up the space thus reserved. f
Nothing now remains, as previously mentioned,
of the finish at this end of the hall. In many ex-
amples a large window relieved the wall above the
* The decorations of the Daiz or Dais, are thus described by an
old writer : " Sa Majest6 estant revetue dautres tres somptueux
habillemens, se sied a table sur un haul daiz, prepare en la salle
episcopate, et ornee dexcellentes tapissenes soubs un grand daiz de
singuliere etoft'e." " Le Ceremonial de France, par Theodore
Godefroy."
f Several representations of the canopied Dais arc to be met
with in old drawings. Projecting canopies still adorn the halls
of Samlesbury and Bolton ; while something like a canopied
Dais, but with less than the usual projection, occurs at Guildhall,
London.
34
high-pace, as at Westminster, Winchester, Guild-
hall, and Hampton Court; in the former statues
are used in addition, to fill up the void space, and
in many heraldic carvings and sculpture appear.
The space appropriated for the situation of the
high table at Crosby Place, seems to have exceeded
the usual dimensions. It, no doubt, included the
oriel, as this was a rule strictly followed ; indeed,
we often hear of the Lords' dining in the oriel, in
which sense it referred to the relative situation or
connexion of that feature with the Dais ;* in this
case it must also have included the fire-place, situ-
ated nearly opposite, and have extended about 20
feet into the room from the north end.
From the north-west corner of the hall a richly
moulded door-way opened to the Withdrawing-room,
but whether any direct communication ever existed
with the room behind the Dais, must remain unde-
cided. An entrance still exists, which formerly
gave access to it from the " void piece of land"
next St. Helen's Church-yard, and which was
probably a small private garden or " Pleasaunce,"
annexed to the state-rooms. This entrance is simi-
lar to those in other parts of the building, with the
addition of a small window of three lights, of a
later character, over it. See Frontispiece.
* Aubrey uses it in this sense. See note 2.
35
On the north of the outer court stood, as before
observed, the great Dining-parlour and the Throne-
room, exhibiting in elevation, externally, two ranges
of windows, one above the other, of corresponding
general character to those of the hall, though more
elaborate in detail. An oriel or embayed window
was also a portion of the original design, differing
from that of the hall in size, and, by being divided
internally into two heights, forming a bay in each
floor. The bases and head of the upper one are
yet visible on the inside. In Wilkinson's * resto-
ration of the outer court, the oriel and the two
ranges of windows are shown, incorrectly, however,
inasmuch as that they are drawn far out of the real
proportion; and he omits a small postern-door,
which occupies the angle formed by the junction of
the wall of the Dining-parlour with that of the
Hall, as well as all notice of an old foundation,
which, running parallel to the north range, at about
6 feet from it, direct to the centre face of the Hall
oriel, now rises about 20 inches above the floor of
the parlour, and 3 inches above the present level
of the fore-court, which is 3 feet higher than that
of the Hall. I can only account for the singular
situation of this wall, by supposing it to have been
the lower part of an open screen, extending between
* " Londina Illustrate."
. F 2
the oriels of the Hall and Withdrawing-room, in-
closing and forming a cloistered porch before the
postern in the angle. A close wall of any height
would have interrupted the light to both the former
and latter at this point: the mouldings of an open
screen might have joined those of the centre mul-
lion in the oriel lights, a large portion of which in
the lower division has disappeared, while those of
the upper remain. The postern itself is very curi-
ously contrived. The passage is taken out of the
thickness of the wall of the Dining-parlour, com-
municating with that room by a small door-way in
its south-east angle, close to that leading into the
Hall, and, passing by the base of the Hall oriel,
opens upon the court by the side of one of the but-
tresses under an arched door-way within a square
label or cornice. Only about 18 inches of the label
and one jaumb is left, with a portion of the base of
the other. Its mouldings are similar to those of
the other smaller doors in the building, which are
principally a bold bead and fillet between two
curves. The passage-walls are fair-faced and
square- join ted, and the vaulting is formed by two
stones hollowed to a flat arch.
The interior of this building is much altered
from its ancient arrangement. Its height is now
divided into three stories; originally it contained,
as already observed, but two ; the floor of the
37
upper room being placed at about 17 feet from the
present line of the ground in the lower, which has
been raised about 9 inches. Of the upper floor
there are now no remains ; but it appears that, until
within a few years, it existed,* as well as the ceil-
ing of the lower room, which is described as having
been horizontal, richly panelled, and embellished
with painting and gilding. The principal entrance
to this room was from the upper end of the Hall by
a door-way opening upon the Dais, and, in the
north-east corner was another communicating with
some apartment in that direction. f It was formerly
lighted from the south by a bay and three other
windows, of which only one, that on the west of
the bay, is now to be seen. Tt differs from those of
the Hall by being richer in detail, and by having
the interior arch-lines inclosed in a square head,
with enriched spandrils.J The cusps of the lights
* Malcolm's Londinium Hedivivura.
t This latter door is without mouldings of any kind, and is now
inserted in a modern wnll, which encloses the entrance to the
vaults beneath, occupied by Mr. Moule. Its original situation is
indicated by the base of one of its jaumbs, which still remains by
the side of an opening in the old wall, occasioned, no doubt, by
the removal of the door.
I This is singular, the exterior showing a continued label,
following the inclination of the window arch, and running square,
at the springings, like those of the hall. This is ascertaiaable,
from an existing portion of the upper range of windows in the
angle against the hall.
are triplicated, similar to those in the lower divi-
sions of the Hall oriel. Of the bay, only a portion
of the plinth and foundation, projecting into the
kitchen of the house built in the fore-court, is now
standing;* between which, and to within about
feet of the wall separating this room from the Hall,
to which point the old stone-work is preserved ; all
is modern timbering, standing in the place of the
two corresponding windows to that on the west of
the bay.
The exterior and interior appearance of the lights
of this bay was the same as that of the windows
immediately adjoining ; but whether it had a flat
arch internally, and a groined roof, like that of the
upper room, is not to be determined. It is possible
that a continuation of the ribs and panels of the
room ceiling may have extended into, as they do
in the Withdrawing room at Hampton Court, and
have formed the roof of it. The groined ceiling
for the oriel, however, was the prevailing fashion of
the time, and the supposition of its adoption here
obtains from the existence of the old stone-work
in the lower part of the upper one.
Nearly opposite the bay, in the north wall, is a
similar fire-place to that in the Hall, the mouldings
of which are slightly varied from those of the door-
* This ha? been since removed.
39
way leading into the room. They consist of clus-
tered inner and outer angle-shafts, with two ogees
between them; a single bold ogee forming the outer
moulding, and being continued, as it is in most of
the doors and windows throughout this part, in a
square over the arch of the opening, which is re-
markably Hat. The angle-shafts form the principal
arch moulding, and descend upon bases resting on
octangular plinths, the spandrils being enriched
with a sculptured leaf.
The construction and situation of this fire-place,
the recess of which, like that of the Hall, consi-
derably exceeds the thickness of the wall in which
it is placed, causing a large projection on the exte-
rior, brings to mind a feature peculiar to the early
English residences ; in very many of which the
chimnies were projected from the external walls,
forming a break for the play of light and shade on
an otherwise unbroken line of elevation ; and often
giving character and effect to parts in which the
introduction of other than the useful, combined with
the ornamental, would have been inappropriate. At
Cheynes Hall the walls, in parts, are almost encum-
bered with these projections; and in many other in-
stances they form a distinguishing mark, whether
as rising in one continued vertical line from the
ground, or breaking out upon corbelled mouldings,
at different heights. Indeed, the practice does not
40
seem to have been departed from until a very late
date. Something like the peculiarity, exampled as
being near at hand, is still observable in the older
portions of Lincoln's Inn.
The projection of the chimney here stands out
from the wall 3 feet 1 inch, and appears to have-
extended from the ground to the top of tbe build-
ing, receiving the flue of a fire-place in the upper
room, and finishing, most probably, after the usual
manner, in a stack of ornamental chimnies. The
portion, however, now left, does not exceed 14 feet
in height, barely reaching to where the floor of the
upper room must have stood.
On the left of the fire-place was a window, light-
ing the room from the north, in which an exception
to the more general forms observed elsewhere in
the building is apparent. It appears to have been
arched, but the arch-line is the segment of a circle.
Most, if not all the other arches are what is called
four-centred. The soffit and jaumbs have sunk
panels, alternately square and parellogrammatic,
ornamented with quatrefoils. The arch of the
opening must have reached nearly to the ceiling,
but appears to have been unenclosed by the square
head of the others. I should almost imagine this
window to be of a later date than those on the op-
posite side, and that it may have been introduced
during the reparations by Alderman Bond.
Of the interior appearance, further of the great
Dining-parlour in its ancient state, but little evi-
dence remains. The principal rooms of houses of
corresponding character, in the same periods, were
hung with arras, strewed with rushes,* and furnished
with rude benches and tables. In some, stools or
fixed seats round the walls were the substitutes
for chairs. Arras, however, does not appear to
have been used in this room at Crosby Place, as
the walls, where any of the original stone-work is
left, are worked to a fair and smooth surface, and
square-jointed, as if intended to be uncovered. In
the Hall the walls below the windows are of rubble,
plastered over. This is likewise the case in the
Throne-room, in both of which tapestry was un-
doubtedly hung. The cornice from which it was
suspended is still apparent in the latter, and the
quoin-stones of the windows are evidently lessened
from their usual return, to accord with some deco-
ration of the kind. In some edifices wainscot was
* The use of this, in his time, was considered as one among the
many instances of the luxurious habits of Thomas a Becket.
Fitz-Stephen, his secretary and historian, speaks largely of the
pomp and sumptuousness of his master ; and, as an instance of it,
by no means then common, mentions, " that his apartments were
every day in winter covered with clean straw or hay, Hnd in summer
with green rushes or boughs ; lest the gentlemen who paid court
to him, and who could not, by reason of their great number, find a
place at table, shonM >oi1 their fine clothes by sitting on a dirty
floor."
G
42
made use of to line the walls ; but this, according
to Aubrey, was not in common use earlier than the
reign of Henry VII. or VIII. The Hall still
shows traces of wainscotting, but of very modern
character. Mr. Carlos thinks it was fitted at the
time the Hall was used us a chapel.
The north wall of the parlour is much mutilated ;
indeed the greater part of it is of brick, the conse-
quence, perhaps, of successive repairs, although
much of that material has evidently been used in
many of the more ancient parts of the building.*
I think it likely that the communication with the
upper room was through this wall. Indications of
a door still exist on the right of the fire-place, im-
mediately under which, in the vaults below, is an
original opening, forming the means of access to a
small oblong enclosed space, the walls of which
were probably the foundations of a corresponding
enclosure above-ground, containing a stair-case
leading to the upper rooms. Many of the stair-
cases of old houses were placed in turrets attached
to the external walls, similar to those of many old
pulpits still to be seen annexed to churches,t These
* A considerable portion of the walls of the Hall, both above
and below the windows, are of brick. About the middle of the
15th century this material began to be extensively used. Much
of Eltham Palace and the gateway of Nether Hall is entirely of it.
t Westwell Church, Kent, has one, though not now used.
43
. . !.,...
turret stair-cases very often communicated with
external galleries, though in many instances the
turret was omitted, or thought unnecessary, and an
unenclosed stair-case alone was attached to the ex-
terior. A small building at Fisherton-le-Mere,
Somersetshire, has a flight of stone steps ascending
externally to the upper story ; and some few other
examples might be named.
It is only by some contrivance of this sort that
the peculiar situation of a door in the north-east
angle of the upper room can be accounted for. This
door is at the line of the original floor, and was no
doubt the entrance to the Throne-room. It is,
however, singular that the mouldings of the arch
are on the inside, and only plain splays on the out-
side; the door is also hung to open outward. It at
present gives admission to the middle floor of a
small erection built in this situation, but which is
evidently altogether of modern origin.* Nothing
of this nature could apparently have stood here
formerly. The angle at the north termination of
the Hall is a perfectly quoined angle, and certainly
extended no further than 7 feet 9 inches from the
north wall of the Throne-room. It is still perfect
* The first notice of this room occurs in 1678, at which time,
it is described among the parcels of a lease granted by William
Freeman to Thomas Goodingr, as being then " newly enclosed
with brick -work."
G2
44
as high as any of the old work can be traced, which
is almost 32 feet; and openings appear near it,
looking westward, one of which seems to have been
a window,* and the other a door. Here again is
matter for speculation the latter door, and that of
the Throne-room, although within 3 feet of each
other, are at different levels, the springing of the
arch of the last being about even with the sill of
the first, on the outside of which are attached two
stone steps, apparently part of a stair-case descend-
ing from it. The mouldings of this door are also
on the inside, plain splays being outside ; and the
door is hung as in the other. Immediately conti-
guous to these doors the stone-work is evidently as
old, and of the same description as that in other
parts; and the doors themselves have every appear-
ance of standing in their original situations. I
must own I cannot satisfactorily account for these
incongruities. Even the idea of an external com-
municating gallery like those of our old Inns, which
was the most probable arrangement, receives some-
thing like a check from the difference in the levels,
* This window is only 8 inches from the exterior angle, at about
9 feet 6 inches from the original floor of the Throne-room. The
opening is 3 feet H inches wide, and 4 feet 5 inches high to the
under side of the arch, which is very flat. The stone work has no
moulding, externally, but is rebated out about j of an inch, and the
opening is tilled in with modern brick-work. Above this window
the old stone-work is discontinued.
45
and the unexampled appearance of the outside of
the doors, which would have opened upon it. We
often see, in the works of ancient Architects, the
same labour bestowed upon portions less as well
as more generally coming under observation -, and it
appears singular to find, that at Crosby Place this
was not, in the particular instance under considera-
tion, attended to. It may be added, that some
stair-cases had nioveable blocks at the foot of them.
At Wenlock Priory, a chamber, in the upper part
of the building, was ascended to from an external
gallery, at the end of which was a flight of stairs,
the first step of which was 2 feet from the floor.
Perhaps the same method was adopted in regard to
the upper floor here, the steps from which descended
on a gallery before the door of the Throne-room.
Dispensing with this question, it may be suffici-
ent to say, that so late as 1750 a stair-case existed
somewhere in this situation, for in that year Sam-
brooke Freeman, Esq. let to Joseph South and
others, for 17 years, the " Hall, Throne-room," and
" free egress up and down the back stairs,'' leading
out of St. Helen's into the " said Hall, Throne-
room, and Galleries thereto belonging." Whether
this was the original, or only a more modern stair-
case, does not appear.
The interior of the Throne-room was, with a few
exceptions, the same as that below. An oriel or
4<5
hay, and a fire-place, stood immediately over those
mentioned as existing in the room beneath. The
old fire-plaee has been removed, but its situation is
indicated by a modern one of extended dimensions.
Of the bay-window, the exterior arch and angle-
shafts remain, though the opening is filled up with
brick-work. The arch mouldings conjoin with those
of a square head, Similar to that of the Hall, en-
closing spandrils, ornamented with an enriched tre-
foil. On the east of the oriel were three windows
(in the lower room there were but two), and on the
west, as below, one. They are of the same cha-
racter, but of less elevation. Indeed the room it-
self might be thought to want height at the point
from which the roof rises. Immediately over the
windows a moulded cornice ran, apparently, round
the room, mitring with which, at certain distances,
were corbels, from which the main ribs of the ceil-
iiig sprang. There are seven of these corbels in
the present length of the room, the ceiling being
separated into six bays, the whole of them again
sub-divided by horizontal ribs intersecting the
principal ones into sixteen panels, formerly enriched
with trefoiled tracery.
In the construction of this roof, as well as that
of the Hall before noticed, we perceive a complete
departure from the usual methods and practice of
the time. In most buildings, or rooms of any size,
47
where stone was rejected as a covering, we find the
timher roof relieved only by the introduction of
arches and tracery, and left open to the rafters.
This kind of roof obtained, until ?. very late period,
in the halls and banquetting-rooms of the nobility
and gentry of England. The halls of Dartington,
Haddon, Eltham, Beddington, and Croydon, are
all specimens of its adoption. In most apartments
of moderate size, or those in more general use, we
find the horizontal panelled ceiling. This was
particularly the case in the later*periods, although
instances of the occurrence of a flat ceiling are to
be met with very early. The old Manor House of
Winwal, in Norfolk, has a room with a flat ceiling'
and a cornice of zigzag moulding round it, bearing
every mark of originality. The Painted Chamber
in the Palace of Henry III., at Westminster, had
a flat ceiling, divided by ribs into panels, and orna-
mented with painting and gilding. Returning to
more cotemporary periods, it may be observed, that
at the Parsonage House of Congresbury, Somerset-
shire, and in the Withdraw ing-room of Hampton
Court this feature is to be met with. The With-
drawing-room of Crosby Place had also a flat pa-
nelled ceiling; and the departure from this form, in
the upper room, may owe its origin to the necessity
for giving height to it internally, the exterior
48
elevation ranging with that of the hal) which it
adjoined.
The arch of the ceiling is inclined to an ellipse,
the rise being about 6 feet 4 inches, and the height,
from the original floor of the room to the top of the
cornice from which the curve commenced, about 12
feet. The timber couples of the roof correspond
in number to the main springers ; and the method
adopted in the framing of them is curious.
In viewipg the present state of this once guperb
room, we cannot help deprecating the feeling, or
rather the want of it, that has sanctioned the almost
unnecessary destruction of so many valuable por-
tions of it In the wall which separates it from
the hall, a large opening has been made, and two
corresponding windows to those on the east side of
the latter destroyed, with all trace of the former
finish of the room in that direction. By the way,
there does not seem to have ever been any access
to the space behind the high table of the Hall from
this room, though it is likely that the upper part of
it was appropriated to some use connected with it.
The whole of the ancient character is obliterated, in
the interior, here ; in fact, as previously observed,
all extending from the north-east to the south-west
of the edifice is, at lonst above the ground, entirely
modern. The back gate of the mansion was th<*
49
last portion in this situation that remained. When
Wilkinson published his book it would appear
to have been standing. He notices it as an ellip-
tical brick arch, occupying the position of the
present opening, and says that it " had stone piers
more ancient attached."
This part of the building seems to have been
subjected to vicissitudes which the other portions
escaped. The first encroachment upon its early
disposition bears date about the time of Sir John
Spenser, and much of it in this direction was de-
stroyed by fire during the residence of Sir John
Langham, or his son, Sir Stephen. Previous,
however, to more particularly noticing this, it may
not be uninteresting, having endeavoured, as far as
practicable, to establish its ancient character and
arrangement, to trace the building through the in-
tervening periods, from the time of Sir John Crosby
to when the first alteration, as above, is stated to
have taken place.
From the completion of Crosby Place, in 1472,
until the death of Sir John, which happened in
1475, it may be reasonably inferred it was occupied
by him and his family, and for some short time
after his decease, by his widow, Ann, to whom it
was bequeathed in his will. Subsequently, viz.
about 1483, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, after-
wards Richard III., is noticed in possession, pro-
H
bably as a tenant under Crosby's Executors, who
(see Memoir in Appendix) retained interest in it
until A. D. 1501. On the 4th of May, 1483,
Richard is described as arriving in London, from
York,* with a great retinue, soon after which,
Fabian f says, the " sayd Duke caused the Kynge
to be removed into the Tower, and hys brother with
hym j but the Queue,} for all fayre promyses to
her mayde, kept her and her doughters wythin the
foresayd Seyntuary"(the sanctuary at Westminster),
and the Duke lodged hymself in Crosbys s Place,
in Bishoppesgate Street" where it is recorded the
Mayor and citizens waited upon him with an offer
of the Crown. Holinshed also, referring to the
result of Richard's schemes and affectation of po-
pularity, states, that " by little and little all folke
* Hume's History of England.
t Fabian's Chronicle.
t Elizabeth, Widow of Edward IV., his Mother.
Sir Thomas Billesden, Haberdasher. Richard seems to have
been concerned in dealings with several of the citizens. To Sir
Edmund Shaw, Mayor in 1482, he sold much plate, viz. " four
pots of silver parcel gilt, weighing 281bs. 6ozs. ; three pots and five
bowls, with a cover, weighing 35!bs. ; twelve dishes, eleven
saucers, silver, with gilt borders, weighing 361bs. ; twelve plates,
silver, with gold borders, weighing 441bs. llozs. ; moreover, two
chargers, silver, with gilt borders ; two chargers, ten saucers, one
ewer parcel gilt ; four chargers, two with gilt borders, two without.
The weight of the said plate was 2751bs. 4ozs. of troy weight ;
and after 3*. 4d. per oz. came to 550. 13s.4d." Ledger Book of
Richard J1L, vide Strype't Stow, vol. 2.
51
withdrew from the Tower, and drew unto Crosbie's,
in Biskoppesgate Street, where the Protector kept
his household; so that the Protector had the Court,
and the King was, in a manner, left desolate."
How long Richard retained possession is not to be
exactly defined. Harrison says, that the Crown
was offered to him on the 25th of June, 1483 that
on the 27th he was proclaimed, and the next day
removed to Westminster.
In 1501 we find Crosby Place assigned, by the
Executor of John Easefloy, the representative of
the surviving Executor of Sir John Crosby, to one
Bartholomew Reed, whose wife, Elizabeth, held it
until 1507. Between this period and 1523 it had
devolved to John Best, Alderman of London, and
from him, by purchase, to Sir Thomas More, Under
Treasurer of England, and afterwards Lord High
Chancellor,* who, on the 20th of January in that
year, sold all his remaining term or interest in the
lease of the " great tenement, called Crosbie's
Place/' &c. to one Antonio Bonvixi, or Bonvisi,
merchant of Lucca. At this time forty-two years
of the original lease from the Prioress and Convent
had yet to run ; previous to the expiration of which
term, and after 1538, in which year Antonio Bon-
visi obtained of Dame Mary Rollestey the " eham-
* Beheaded, A. D. 1535. Fora fac-simile of his signature, from
the deed of purchase, see the plate attached to the Appendices.
H 2
.V2
her in the alley," the " Priory of St. Elyu," as it is
sometimes styled m the old Deeds, must have been
dissolved, and its possessions have become Crown
property ;* for, on the 28th of August, 34th of
Henry VIII. (1542).f Sir Edward Northe, Knt.
Treasurer of the revenues, " had received of said
Anthony 207. 18s. 4d. sterling,; due to the use of
the King's Majesty," for the " gift, grant, and clear
purchase of the house and site of the late Priory
of Blackfryars, in Chelmsford,'' with " all edifices.
orchards, houses, gardens, land, and soil of the said
late Priory, and for a croft of land, called Gravel
Pits," in the county of Essex, and " for divers
other crofts and parcels of land, late parcel of the
possessions of the late Blackfriars;" and " for one
tenement or messuage, called Crosbows Place, lying
and being in the parish of St. Ellen's, in London ;"
and " for divers other houses, messuages, &c. in
* Howell's History of London says it was surrendered Nov.
25th (he 30th of Henry VIII. Stevens, in hisadiiitionsto "Dug-
dale's Monaslicon, 1 ' gives the same date, and adds, " by Mary,,the
last Prioress, 1 ' (probably the Mary Rollestey mentioned above),
it was valued by Dugdale at 314. 2s. 6d., by Speed at 376. 6s.
t The King's Letters Patent, bear date tlie 9th of September,
1542.
| This sum must have been paid more strictly in reference to
the other portions of the grant; for the second section of the Act of
Parliament, which vested in the Crown the monastic edifices and
their possessions, provides for the rights of all parties holding
under the different dissolved houses.
53
*
the parish of St. Ellen and the parish of St. Mary-
Axe, in London, late parcel of the possessions of
the said late Priory of St. Ellen's."
From 1523 to 1547 Bonvisi continued to reside
in Crosby Place. On the lst,of April, in the lat-
ter year, he leases the same to William Hooper and
William Rastell,* who then succeeded him in the
occupation. f Two months previous to the date of
this lease, Bonvisi entailed Crosby Place, and his
other possessions, on Peter Crowle, or Growl, with
remainder, in failure of heirs by the said Peter, to
other parties named , upon like conditions ; but three
years after, viz. in the 3d Edward VI., 1550, he,
with his family, " against his allegiance," as the
inquisition taken shortly after recites, " went and
departed out of England into the parts beyond the
sea, without license, and against the force, form and
effect of a statute and certain proclamation in that
This Rastell was, probably, from the apparent connection of
the families, a near relative of John Rastell, the brother-in-law of
Sir Thomas More, and a celebrated writer of moralities and inter-
ludes about the latter end of Henry VII's reign. One of his
publications, and a very curious one, as evincing an attempt to
introduce subjects of science and natural philosophy as amuse-
ments on the stage, bears this title, " A new Interlude and a mery,
of the nature of the 1III Elements, declarynge many proper points
of Philosophy Naturall, and of dyvers strange Landys, &c." Ste
Percy Tteliques.
t This lease was granted for "4 score and 10 years," com-
mencing at Lady Day, 1547, at the yearly rent of 1). 14s. 8d.,
payable quarterly.
54
behalf made, published, and proclaimed.'' It would
appear also, that Rooper and Rastell, the lease-
holders under Bonvisi, as well as Peter Crowle and
the other parties interested in the property, were
likewise " departed beyond sea," by which means,
and in pursuance with the effect of the above-men-
tioned statute and inquisition, their estates and
effects became forfeited, and were afterwards granted
by the King to Sir Thomas Darcye, Knt., Lord
Darcye, of Chule.
The absence of Bonvisi, and those connected with
him, may be referred to the troubles occasioned by
the difference of opinion on religious subjects ; and
the persecutions against those who retained the ob-
servances of the former, or Catholic forms, which
took place about this time. We find, on reference
to the History of England, that about 1549, an Act
of Council, established a Commission, to search after
and examine " all heretics and contemners of the
Book of Common Prayer." In the execution of
this office, we are told by Hume, the Commission-
ers were invested with a power which extended
even to the repeal of any statute that might inter-
fere with their object, and that many tradesmen of
London were examined by these Commissioners.
This, with the fact that several executions followed
such examinations, is sufficient to account for the
abandonment of their property by the family of
55
Bonvisi, who, with the other parties mentioned as
connected with them, and interested in Crosby
Place, were evidently favourers of the old persua-
sion, from the circumstance of their re-appear-
ance in England immediately on the accession of
Queen Mary ; in the first year of whose reign (1553)
Anthony Bonvisi was, by Lord Darcye, " for divers
good causes and considerations," restored to the pos-
session of his former estates.* Soon after his re-
turn Bonvisi appears to have deceased ; and though
he had obtained a license to alienate, he does not
seem to have availed himself of it, for we find the
property descending, in the following month to that
in which he was himself re-possessed, to Peter
Crowle.
It would almost seem, that great anxiety existed
among the parties interested in Crosby Place,
under Bonvisi'swill, on the accession of this Peter
" The Deed of Grant is dated the 10th of May, 1553, and com-
mences by reciting that, by an inquisition taken in 1 550, Anthony
Bonvisi was found possessed of (inter alia) Crosbye Place, and
nine tenements to the same belonging ; and goes on stating the
entailment to Peter Crowle, the lease from Bonvisi to Rooper and
Rastell, and an under lease from them to Benedict Bonvisi and
Germayne Cioll, with the fact that all these several parties had
" went and departed out of England unto the parts beyond the sea,
without license ;" as well as the grant by King Edward VI. to Lord
Darcye : concluding by witnessing, " that Sir Thomas Darcye,
Lord Darcye, for divers good causes and considerations," did grant
to Bonvisi, and the other parties, all his right, title and interest in
the premises, to hold in as ample manner as he held.
56
Crowle, and something like an impression obtains,
that he was of wild and unsettled habits, from the
circumstance of the precautions which were appa-
rently taken to secure the after provided for suc-
cession. In June, 1553, immediately on his acces-
sion, we find him entering into a bond of 1,000,
and covenanting with William Bonvisi, of Elthm
(Eltham, Kent), father of an Anthony Bonvix,*
mentioned in the elder Anthony Bonvisi's will, as
next in reversion after Crowle, William Rastell,
and Richard Heywood, of London; and John Webb,
of Feversham, Kentjf and Germayne Cyoll, se-
cond in succession after Crowle ; the third, one
John Ryther, " Cofferer of the King's Majestie's
household," having most likely died in the mean-
time, that he would not, without their consent,
" directly or indirectly bargain, sell, give, or alien,
by any ways or means, the said great messuage or
tenement, called Crosby's Place, and its appurte-
nances." Between this period and 1560, various
other arrangements were entered into between the
parties, and Anthony Bonvix, the younger, would
appear to have died ; for, in February of the latter
year, Crosby Place reverted to Germayne Cioll,
" Probably the brother and nephew of the proprietor of Crosby
Place.
t All parties to the deed of entailment by Antonio Bonvix or
Bonviai, the elder.
57
and Cycylie his wife,* Peter Crowle having pre-
viously covenanted, for certain considerations, to suf-
fer a recovery of the premises. Cyoll and his wife re-
tained possession, and resided here from the date
of this transaction, last day of February, 1560, until
15th May, 1566. when the whole of the property
as granted to Antonio Bonvisi, excepting four tene-
ments in the line of the street, and " a foot and a-
half of breadth of void ground, continuing in length
by the brick wall on the east side of one of the said
tenements, late in the tenure of Agnes Bigget,
widow, "passed by purchase to William Bonde, alder-
man and citizen of London ;f during whose propri-
etorship, it is said, Crosby Place underwent con-
siderable repair and addition. He is represented
as having increased the house in height, by building
a turret on the top thereof. This feature does not,
however, now appear ; and it is probable that the
repairs by him had reference principally to those
parts of the edifice which no longer exist.
From the Alderman, who died in 1576,J the pro-
* The daughter of Sir John Gresham, Knight, uncle of Sir
Thomas Gresham, the founder of the Royal Exchange.
f The purchase-money, paid by Alderman Bonde, was 1,500.
{ Stowe mentions the existence of a monument to his memory,
in the north wall of the choir of St. Helen's Church, and gives the
following as the inscription upon it: " Here lieth the bodie of
William Ponde, Alderman, and some time Shrieve of London ;
a marchant adventurer, andmoste famous in his age for his greate
adventures, bothe by >ea and lande." Ohiit, 30, die Maie, 1576.
I
perty descended to his second and younger sons,
William, Nicholas, and Martyn Bonde; his first
son, Daniel, mentioned in his will, probably dying
before his father, and subsequent to the date of
that instrument, which was made two years before
the elder Bonde's death. After his father's decease,
William Bonde, the younger, continued to reside
with his mother at Crosby Place, in accordance
with the wish of his father, expressed in the will ;
his brother Nicholas occupied a tenement adjoining,
which William afterwards purchased of Harring-
ton, with a garden and orchard, &c. before alluded
to, and attached to Crosby Place.* The property
would, however, appear to have been added to pre-
viously to this, as nine tenements are mentioned in
the first grant to Crosby, in that from Bonvisi to
Rooper and Rastell, and in the re-grant from Lord
Darcye, beside the " Chamber in the alley ;" while
ten messuages appear, in the deed of sale from Cioll
to Bonde, exclusive of the " Chamber bounded or
edified upon the Larder House," with one garden,
three curtilages, and one lane.
From 1576 to 1594, a period of 18 years, the
title to Crosby Place remained in the family of Al-
* Martyn Bonde was, in 1568, a Captain of the Train Hands, in
the Camp at Tilbury. He lived to the age of 85 years, dying in
May, 1643, and was buried in St. Helen's Church, where a monu-
ment to his memory still exists.
59
tlerman Bonde, of whose sons, William and Martyn,
it was, in the 36th of Elizabeth, purchased by Sir
John Spencer, Knight, for 2,560,* who in that
year kept his mayoralty there.
During the occupancy of it by Sir John, Crosby
Place underwent " great reparation ;" and it would
seem, that about this time its ancient appearance
became to be destroyed, first by the, erection of the
" most large warehouse," which Sir John " builded
neare thereunto," and after by other alterations.
In 1606, Sir John Spencer purchased of Sir Edward
Stanhope, Knt., D.L., one of the Masters in Chan-
cery, the Rectory, Church, and Parsonage of St.
Helen's, adding this to his other possessions here.
In 1609 he died,f when Crosby Place and appurte-
nances, with the Rectory of St. Helen's, descended
to the Right Hon. Sir William Compton, Knt.
' This shews a considerable increase in the value of the pro-
perty during the lapse of 34 years, even allowing for the additions
made to it.
t Howell's History of London says, he lived in Crosby Place
in 1612 ; but this must be an error. He was buried in St. Helen's
Church, where his monument is still to be seen, bearing a corres-
ponding date to that mentioned above, as the period of his death.
The following is the inscription : " Hie situs est Johannes Spen-
cer, Eques Auratus Civis et Senator Londinensis ejusdem Civitatis
Praetor, Anno Domini, 1594. Qui ex Alicia Bromfieldia Uxore
unlearn reliquit Flliam Elizabeth Gulielmo Baroni Compton
ennptiam. Gbrit 30, die Marlie, Anno Salutis, 1609."
" Socero bene merito Gulielmus
Baro Compton gener possuit."
00
Lord Compton, in right of his wife Elizabeth, the
daughter and heiress of Sir John.
The first notice of Lord Compton's possession
occurs in July, 1609, four months after Sir John
Spencer's death, when he and his son, Spencer
Compton, thus named, probably, in compliment to
his grandfather, purchased two of the four messu-
ages reserved in the sale from Cyoll to Honde,
which had reverted, on the death of the widow
Cyoll, to the parties of whom they purchased, by
virtue of a Deed of Feoffment.* William Lord
Compton's residence would seem to have been but
brief, as in 1615 he leases it for 21 years to Wil-
liam Russel, of London, f describing the " Capital
messuage or mansion-house, called Crosbye House,"
as being " then or late in the tenure of the Dowager
Countess of Pembroke."
From Lord Compton, otherwise William, Earl of
Northampton,! the property, which, with the ex-
ception of the two tenements before referred to,
* The parties were, one Masham and Coppin. and they were
Executors of the Widow Cyoll, as well as Feoffees. Widow
Cyoll's will is dated the 25th of August, 1608.
t The rent covenanted to be paid by Russel was 200 per an-
num, a considerable rent in those days and such, probably, as
but few houses in London, at that time, produced.
t He was created Earl of Northampton, August 2d, 16th of
James I., was Lord President of Wales, and died 14th of June
1630.
appears to have been nearly, it not the same, as the
possessions of Bonvisi, descended to his son Spencer,
Earl of Northampton, who, in 1638, resided with
his Lady* in Croshye House, as a curious deed or
lease, dated 26th November in that year proves. f
* Mary, daughter of Sir Henry Beaumont, brother of Mary,
Countess ofBuckingbam. Hasted's Hist, of Kent.
t This deed gives an insight into the manner and terms on which
the Governor and Company of the New River transacted their
business at that time. Instead of a mere payment for the use of
the water, as now usually practised, a lease of the water, or rather
the pipe containing the water, seems to have been granted. The
Indenture is made " between the Governor and Company of the
New River brought from Chadwell and Amwell to London, on the
one part, and the Right Honourable Spenser, Earl of Nortbampton,
and the Lady Mary, his wife, on tbe other part ;" and recites,
" that the said Governors and Company, in consideration of 3,
paid in the name of a fine or income > did demise and grant unto
the said Earl and his Lady, a quill or branch of lead, containing
half an Inch of water, or thereabouts ; the said branch to be laid
from the main pipe that lyeth in Great St. Ellen's, and from thence
to be conveyed to the aforesaid pipe of lead by two of the smaller
swan-necked cocks, for that purpose then already employed, into
the kitchen and wash-house of the then dwelling-house of the said
Earl and his Lady, at his or their own costs. To hold the said
branch and water-course, unto the sui<l Earl and his Lady, for the
term of 21 years, then next ensuing (time of needful reparations
and mischance and casualty by fire only excepted), if the said Earl
and his Lady should so long live, dwell, and continue in the said
house, and use it not otherwise than they then did foi greater ex-
penses of water, at the yearly rent of 4, payable quarterly."
There is also in the Deed some of the covenants usual in leases of
houses, viz. a covenant for " quiet enjoyment (time of needful re-
paration and casualties by fire excepted), covenant on the part of
Lessees, that the Governor and Company, or their officers and ser-
The period of his occupation did not, however,
exceed four years, commencing, probably, at the
expiration of the lease from his father to Russell,
as in June, 1640, we find Sir John Langham, Knt.
in possession, under a lease of that date, for " four
score and nineteen years." The fee simple remained
in him until his death, and in the hands of his son
James until 1678, when it passed to the Cranfields.
The shortness of Earl Spencer's residence here
may be referred to the commencement of the trou-
bles which at this period began to distract the
kingdom. The city of London is represented as
strenuously supporting the measures of the Parlia-
ment, and, as such, would be no proper place for
the adherents of the King, among whom the Earl*
was one of the firmest ; and one among the first of
vants shall come into the house to view the said cock and pipe for
the said water-course, and to see that the said water shtill not run
to waste.'' Also a proviso for re-entry, if the rent should be unpaid
J 4 days after due ; or if water should be run to waste (excepting
time of frost), or if the cock and pipe should be altered, or taken
away, or any other water- course drawn out of it. Lessees not to
give any water out of the said pipe or cock to any persons but such
as did take water of the said Governor and Company, and that only
when by casual means their own pipe should be stopped or broken ;
and a covenant from Lessors for cessation of rent, if Lessees should
be " unserved \viih water by reason of any let or impediment,'' which
should not be mended within 14 days after notice, except in time
cf frost.
* He was slain in battle, on the King's side, at Hopton Heath,
Staffordshire, March 19, 1642.
63
the nobility who fell in the struggle which suc-
ceeded.
During Sir John Langham's tenancy, it has been
stated, that Crosby Place was used as a prison for
the Royalists. This included a period of 34 years,
at the end of which time his son, Sir Stephen
Langham, appears as residing in it. In 1674, he
let to Edward Felling, Clerk, for one year, the
tythes of the Rectory of St. Helen's, at 20 shillings,
reserving to himself, his children, or family, &c. free
burial-place in any part of the Chancel of St. Helen's
Church, and several pews in the Chancel for the use
of those who might, during the time of his lease,
occupy Crosby House. Edward Felling was to
officiate as Cure, and perform the ministerial offices,
and repair the Chancel of the Church.
It is probable that the fire, which is represented
to have destroyed so much of Crosby Place, occur-
red during the time of Sir Stephen's tenancy, be-
tween 1674 and 1678. The Fire of London, in 1666,
may possibly have reached and injured it, but Sir
Stephen evidently occupied it after that period,
probably until shortly previous to March, 1678 ; as
at that time, and just before the fee simple passed
from the Earl of Northampton, one William Free-
man, who had become entitled, by virtue of an
under lease from Sir Stephen, let " Crosbye's
Place," described as then in the occupation of
Granado Chester, grocer, to Thomas Goodinge,
Esq. Sir Stephen's leasehold interest was retained
by him so late as 1692, when he sold his remaining
term to the above-named William Freeman, who at
the same time purchased the fee simple of Crosby
Place, eight messuages and the Rectory, from the
Cranfields.
The lease to Goodinge gives the date of the en-
croachments upon the Hall and other parts of the
Edifice, as well as that of, or nearly, the first forma-
tion of Crosby Square. The parcels are thus de-
scribed, " All that great Warehov.se, then in the
occupation of Granado Chester, grocer, being part
of and then lately divided from the Great Hall,
belonging to and parcel of the great Mansion
House or tenement, then, or late, called or known
by the name of Crosbye's Place, theretofore in the
tenure of Sir John Langham ; which said ware-
house extended from the passage, leading out of
Bishopsgate Street unto the new square of buildinns
there, called Crosby's Square, backwards as far as
great St. Helen's. 1 ' The warehouse referred to
must have been the lower part of the Hall, between
a floor placed at the level of the original Minstrel's
Gallery, which, as before noticed, possibly yet
exists over the passages to Crosby Square, and the
original level of the Hall, the upper part of which
was at this time used as a Meeting-house, unen-
65
cumbered with the second floor, which was after-
wards inserted. The Hall is included in the grant
to Goodinge, as well as the other present portions ;
and is described as "all that great Hall and little
Room at the north end." The other parcels of the
grant were the rooms, formerly the Withdrawing-
room and Throne-room of the Mansion ; the
former of which was then used as a warehouse, and
in the occupation of the " Company of Merchants
of London, trading to the East Indies ;" the
latter being described as " the Great Room or
Chamber, lying over the said great warehouse, in
occupation of the said Companye." A room at the
south end of the Hall, over the passage leading to
the square, is also mentioned, probably used as a
Vestry, and the little room at the north-east cor-
ner of the Dining-room, is said to have been " then
newly enclosed with brick-work," and also in the
occupation of the East India Company.
The house, now occupied by Mr. Capper, was
built abont this time by one Edward Martin, plas-
terer, as well as one, on part of the yard, by John
Rossington, and one, on the site of that now rented
by Mr. Colley, by Clement Kettle, box-maker.
In 1083, the house beyond the Hall, on the north,
was erected on part of the " void piece of land j 1 '
and in 1722, we find part of Crosby Sqnnre occu-
pied by Stabling and Hay-lofts, while a privilege
66
was held by the tenants of such houses as were
there already built, to lay dung in such parts of the
Square as was assigned for that purpose.*
From this period Crosby Place has progressively
assumed its present appearance, and the site its
modern disposition ; and it only remains to remark,
that baring passed through one or two intermediate
tenancies, the proprietorship still remaining in
the Freemans, the last possessors of that portion of
the edifice which has remained to the present time,
were Messrs. Holmes and Hall, packers ; during
whose use of the Hall, for the purposes of their
business, much of the interior ornament and ar-
rangement, which until that period had existed,
was unfortunately, necessarily to their convenience,
destroyed. It is to be hoped, however, that the
efforts of the Committee for the restoration, which
has lately been formed, may meet with that success
which the nature of their object deserves ; and that
Crosby Hall, one of the last remaining relics of the
Ancient Domestic Architecture of London, may
long remain a feature of the Metropolis, and not be
numbered, like many others, victims to the march
of innovation, among " the things that were."
So late as 1752, a cistern is mentioned as standing, for watering
horses, which would almost fix a later date to the completion of
the square, than that assigned by Strype, viz. 1720.
ML
X
w
I
i
.1
. i.
MEMOIR OF SIR JOHN CROSBY.
OF the early part of the life of Sir John Crosby
we have no certain record. It would appear that,
in Stow's time, something like a tradition existed of
his having been a foundling, and that he derived
his name from the circumstance of his being dis-
covered near a Cross (Cross-by). Stow rejects this,
and "holds it as a fable,"* from his having read of
others of the same name previously, and among the
number, one John Crosby, to whom, in 1406, Henry
IV. granted the wardship of Joan, the daughter of
one Jordaine, a wealthy fishmonger of London. He
supposes this John to have been the father, or grand-
father, of the founder of Crosby Place. Strypef
adds, in continuation, that there was a Sir John Cros-
bie, Knight, and Alderman of London, tempore Ed-
ward III., to the executor of whom, Thomas Rigby,J
* Survey, 4to. edit. 1603, p. 174.
t Strype's Stow, 1720, vol. 1. book II. p. 105.
I A curious coincidence here occurs, both in the names and
possessions of the two Crosbies, as well as the names of their Ex-
ecutors. They each possessed the Manor of Hanworth, and each
devised their property in trust to a Rigby.
K 2
(J8
Edward Prince of Wales granted the custody of tin
Manor of Hauv/ortb, during the minority of the
heir of this Sir John, by name also John.
The name of Crosby was by no means uncommon
about this period. One Richard Crosby was Prior
of St. Mary's, Coventry, from 1399 to 1436. His
likeness, from a painting on glass in St. Mary's
Hall, Coventry, is given in Smith's Ancient Cos-
tume ; and a Crosby appears as Gentleman of the
Chamber to King Henry IV. in 1414, who is
stated to have been dismissed, with the King's Con-
fessor and one Durham, the court of the King, in
consequence of thejr having become obnoxious to
the Commons, and not, as the King expressed him-
self at the time, " that he knew any cause why they
should be removed, but only because they were
hated by the people." The Crosby here mentioned
may, however, have been the one alluded to above
us the guardian of Joan Jordaine.
The first authentic notice of Sir John Crosby, of
Crosby Place, who appears to have been intimately
connected with all the principal events of the bust-
ling period in which he lived, not only in his civil
and official capacity, but as an active and zealous
partizan of the Yorkists, occurs in 1461 ; at which
time he represented the city of London in Parlia-
ment was Alderman Warden of the Grocers'
Company and Mayor of the Staple of Calais.
60
The estimation in which he was held, and his
consequence as an influential person, may be in-
ferred from the various commissions, both public
and private, with which he was entrusted. In
1466 he obtained a Lease of the site of Crosby
Place, for 99 years, at the yearly Rent of
11. 6s. 8d.; in 1470 he served the office of Sheriff,
in conjunction with John Warde ;* and in 1471 he
appears among the number of those who were
knighted by Edward IV., on his approach to Lon-
don^ after his landing at Ravenspur ; at which
time the Lord MayorJ and Aldewnen, with a great
number of the Citizens, went forth to meet him be-
tween Shoreditch and Islington. This honour
would appear to have been bestowed upon Sir John
and the other Citizens by Edward, in reward for
their devotion to his cause, and for the assistance
they collectively and individually had rendered
him in his attempts. The bastard, Falconbridge,
had, only a short time previously, been, by the gal-
lantry of the Citizens, defeated in his attack upon
London, on behalf of the Lancastrian party; and
Son of Richard Warde, of Howden, in the County of York,
and Mayor of London in 1484, 2nd Richard III.
t May 21st, 1471. Stow's Chion.
J Fabian says the Mayor, Sir John Stocton, when he heard of
Edward's landing at Kavenspur, to avoid the difficulties attendant
upon the peculiar situation in which he was placed by the conten-
tion of the two kings, feigned himself sick, and that his office was
executed by deputy.
70
Hume* says, that several of the Citizens had lent
him money. Probably Sir John was among the
number.
In 1472, he was appointed one of the Commis-
sioners for arranging the matters in dispute between
Edward IV. and the Duke of Burgundy,! which
office he again held in the following year.J
Sir John died in 1475, and was buried near the
chapel of the Holy Ghost, in the Church of St.
Helen's, under a rich altar tomb, which he directs
in his will, to be laid over him and his first wife
Agnes or Anneys. His second wife, Anne, sur-
Hist England.
t Stow's Chron. p. 739.
$ These differences, probably, related to the loan by the Duke to
Edward, which the former is represented to hare taken such pains
to conceal from the Lancastrian party, previous to the certainty of
Edward's success.
This tomb is still to be seen : it is composed of freestone,
and is the usual table monument of the time. The upper part is
enriched, or corniced, by a cluster of mouldings, and the sides are
divided by eight buttresses, of two stages each, into seven bays or
compartments, alternately of a greater and less dimension. The
larger compartments are filled in with square sunk panels, orna-
mented with a quatrefoil enrichment, in the centre of which are
shields of arms ; the middle ones appear to be charged with the
Crosby arms ; viz. Sable, a chevron Ermine, between three rams,
trippant, Argent, armed and hoofed, Or the others are defaced so
much as to prevent recognition. Over these panels is a kind of
frieze, the depth of the upper shelving or tabling of the but-
tresses, in which are other sunk panels without ornament. These
latter panels are repeated in the frieze over the smaller compart-
ments, the lower parts of which are filled in with two tiers of foliated
71
vived him, but by her he would appear to hare
left no issue. By his first wife* he had several
children, who all, apparently, died during his life-
time. A daughter, whom he styles " Johanne
Crosby, otherwise Johanne Talbot," seems to have
been living at the date of his will, 6th March, 1471,
four years before his death, which must have oc-
curred previous to February 6th, 1475 ; on which
day his will was proved in the Prerogative Court, f
To this daughter he bequeathed his estates, in de-
arches, separated at the level of the lower tabling of the buttresses.
A panelled plinth, twelve inches deep, with a step, six inches high,
forms the base, which is now partly buried beneath the pavement
of the church. On the ledger of the monument lie alabaster
figures of Sir John, and his wife Agnes. He is represented in
plate armour, his head resting on his helmet, his feet on a griffin ;
he has a mantle and a collar of roses and suns, supposed to have
some allusion to the badge of Edward IV., and a dagger at his
right side, but no sword. The female figure is attired in a long
gown, enveloping her feet ; with tight sleeves, a long mantle, and a
girdle with dependent tassels. On her head is a close cap, and a
veil, which falls on the cushion, or'pillow, on which the head rests.
The hair seems to have been tucked up under the cap, and an or-
nament, or collar of roses, adorns her neck. Her feet rest upon
two dogs. The inscription, which formerly existed on this tomb,
is given by Weever, as follows : Orate pro animabus Johannis
Crosbie, Militis, Aid. atque tempore vite Majoris Staple ville Ca-
lies, et Agnetis uxoris sue. ac Thomae, Richardi, Johanni, Mar-
garette et Johanne, liberorum ejusdem Johannis Crosbie, Militis
Ille obiit 1475, et ilia 1466. Quorum animabus propicietur Deus.
By the inscription formerly extant on the tomb, this lady
appears to have deceased in 1 466.
t Gough's Sepulchral Monuments. Appendix, No. IV.
72
fault of issue by his wife Anne, hut a .lofianne or
Joan was buried in the same tomb with him, which
may perhaps be the daughter here mentioned, who
may have died previous to her father, and after thr
date of his will. Be this as it may, I am inclined
to think no issue of Sir John succeeded him ;
neither did any of his cousin Peter Christemas,
to whom the remainder was to have reverted on
failure of heirs by Sir John's wife, Anne, and his
daughter Joan ; for, in 1501, the Executor of tin-
surviving representative of William Bracebridge,
one of Crosby's Executors, assigned the original
Lease of Crosby Place to one Bartholomew Reed.
I can hardly reconcile the contradiction between
this fact, and the statement of an author before
noticed,* to the effect, that a John Crosby, whom
he supposes was the son of Sir John, presented to
the Rectory of Hanworth in 1498. Twenty-throe
years had at this time elapsed since the death of
Sir John Crosby, and yet, in 1501, three years later,
his Estates were in the possession of the represent-
ative of his surviving Executor. I should be
inclined to accept the evidence of the latter fact,
in preference to the authority! quoted for the
former assertion. Again, about this time a distri-
Carlos' Historical and Antiquarian Notices of Crosby Hall,
London.
t Newcourt's Repertorium, vol. 1, 6-29.
73
bution of Sir John's effects, in accordance with the
provisions in the latter part of his will, appears to
have taken place, for Gough* notices the existence
of an inscription in Theydon Gernon Church,
Essex, commemorating the gift of a sum of money,
portion of his "godys," towards the building of the
steeple of that church. The inscription is repre-
sented as being engraved on a stone, 6 feet 5 inches
by 4 feet, in raised letters, having at the head of the
first line the arms of Sir John, and at the end
those of the Grocers' Company. From the circum-
stance of the introduction of the latter, it is more than
probable that the possessions of Sir John were ap-
propriated, as it was directed they should be, in de-
fault of heirs by Christemas, among the Grocers'
Company, and by them in certain charitable uses,
of which that gift was parcel. Crosby Place pro-
baby fell to the share of the before-mentioned Bar-
tholomew Reed, to whom it was assigned by Crosby's
representatives in consequence.
* Sepul. Monuments. To this inscription the date 1520 is
affixed ; but it is considered to b a modern introduction.
tK, ilo, II.
ORIGINAL LEASE OF THE SITE OF
CROSBY PLACE TO JOHN CROSBY.
facta int' Aliciam Ashfelde
Priorissam domus sive Prioratus See Helene infra
Bisshoppesgate London & eju^dm loci Conventum
ex pte una et Johem Crosby Civem & Grocerum
London ex pte altera testatur qd p'dict' Priorissa &
Conventus unanhni assensu & consensu tocius Ca-
pituli sui coucesserunt tradiderunt & ad firmam di-
miserunt p'fato Johi totum illud tentum cum do-
mibz solar celaf gardino adjacen eidem tento spectan
& alijs suis ptin quondam in tenura Catanei Pinelli
M'catoris de Janua & modo in tenura dci Johis Ac
quod & que idm Johes nup huit ex dimissione Ali-
cie Wodehous nup Priorisse domus sive ecclie p'dict'
& ejusdem loci Conventus situat' & jacen in Bis-
shoppesgatestrete in Pochia Sancte Helene p'dict'
London simul cum quadam Venella que se extendit
in Longitudine ab Oriental! porta dci tenti usq' ad
Cornerum sive finem australem cujusdam pvevenelle
borialiter diverten in clausum Prioratus p'dCi Et
76
cum novetn messuagijsquos sex messuag situat' sunt
& jacentp vicum Regum vocat' Bisshoppesgatestretc
p'dict' in longitudine int' frontem p'dci tenti & fron-
tem campanil ibm ecclie p'dce ptin et quoddani
mesuag dcos noveni mesuagios quod Katerina
Catesby Vidua nup tenuit situat' est infra portam
subtus campanile p'dict' et sex mesuagijs p'dcis
annex una cum quadam vacua placea terre directu
& linialit' extenden in lougitudine versus orientem
p dcffi mesuag quod dca Katerina Catesby nup te-
nuit ab exteriore parte de la place she poste cam-
panil p'dict' abuttante sup partem borialem dcos
sex mesuagios p Regiam stratam predict' in Cimite-
i iuin ihni quinquaginta octo pedes & dimid assise
et abinde extenden in latitudine versus Austrum
directe usq' quoddam ten ibm nup in tenura Roberti
Smyth Et duo mesuag dictos noveni mesuagioa con-
junctim situat' sunt infra clausum dee Priorisse
quos unu nup fuit in tenura dci Johis Crosby ex
diinissione prefate Alicie Wodehous nup Priorisse
et aliud mesuag ipos duos mesuag nup fuit in tenura
dicti Roberti Smyth l^cuU & tencna totum p'dcin
tentum cum domibz celaf solar gardino adjacen eidm
tento spectan & alijs suis ptin adeo plene & integre
sicut dcus Johes Crosby ill ante dat' p'sentiu hint
& tenuit sinml cum venella noveni mesuag & vacua
placea terre p'dict' ac alijs suis ptin p'fato Johi
Crosby cxecut' & assign suis a festo Nativitatis
L 2
7
Sci Johis Hapte anno Dni Milliiuo quadringentesi-
mo sexagesimo sexto Et anno regni llegis Ed ward i
quarti post conqiii sexto usq' ad finem termi nona-
ginta & novem annos extunc px. sequen & plenaf
complend Reddendo inde annuatim durante termio
p'dco p'fatis Priorisse & Conventui & successoribz
suis undecim libras sex solid & octo denaf bone &
legalis Monete Anglie ad quatuor anni termios in
Civitate London usuales p equales portiones Et si
p'dicta aiiua firma aretro fu'it in pte vel in toto non
solut' p unu mensem post aliquem terini p'dcos qua-
tuor terminos quo solir debeat ut p'dcm est tune
bene liceat prefatis Priorisse <fe Conventui & Succ
suis in p'dict' ten mesuag & venella cum ptin in-
trare & distringeredistriccionesq'sic capt' licite as-
portare abducere effugare & penes se retinere quo-
usq' de p'dca annua firma una cum arrerag ejusdiii
sique fuersibi plenaf fuef satisfact' & psolut' Et si
p'dca annua firma aretro fu'it in pte vel in toto non
solut' p dimidiu annu post aliquem lerminu dcos
terminos quout prefertur solvi debeat & interim ad
tentum p'dcm petatur qdtunc p'dcus Johes concedit
p'fatis Priorisse & Coven tui p p'sentes ad solvend
eisdem Priorisse & Conventui ac Succ suis tresde-
cim solid & quatuor denaf legalis monete Anglie
nomine pene ultra p'dcam annuam firmam & inde
arrerag et hoc tociens quociens dca annua firma
aretro fu'it non solut' in pte vel in toto p dimidiu
77
mini ultra aliquem terminu solut' inde supius him-
tat' si in forma p'dca petal 1 ", et qd tune bn liceat
p'fatis Priorisse & Conventui & succ suis tarn pro
p'dca annua firma sic aretro existen & pro omibz in-
de arrerag qm pro non solutione dcos tresdecim
solid & quatuor denaf nomine pene p'dce & arrerag
inde in omibz p'dict' ten mesuag vacuis placeis &
renell p'dict' cum ptin distringere et districtiones
sic capt' asportare abducere & penes se retinere
quousq' de firma & pena p'dcis & eos arrerag sique
fuef eis plenaf fuef satisfact' & psolut' Et si p'dicta
annua firma aretro fu'it in pte vel in toto non solut'
p unu annu integrum post aliquem termi quo ut
p'fertur solir debeat et ad tentum p'dcm petaf. et
sufficiens districtio pro arrerag dee annue firme ibm
tune non inveniat' extunc bn liceat & licebit p'fatis
Priorisse & Conventui & succ suis in oinia p'dca
tenta & mesuag cum ceteris p'missis & suis ptin
reintrare etitt ut in eos pristine statu rehere & pos-
sidere Dcmq' Johem Crosby execut' & assign suos
inde totalit' expellere & ammovere p'senti dimis-
sione in aliquo non obstant' Et p'dict' Johannes
Crosby execut' & assign sui predict' ten & mesuag
cum domibz solar & celaf supradict' Ac cum ofiiibz
edificijs infra diet' ten messuag vacuam placeam terre
& venellam fiend sive edificand una cum pavimento
in Vico Regio p'dco exoppoito ten et mesuag p'dict'
ac cum pavimento Venelle p'dce bene & competent'
78
repabunt sustentabunt pavebunt & manutenebunt
sumpt' suis proprijs & expeiis durante termino
p'dicto Et p'dict' Priorissa & Conventus concedunt
p se & succ suis p'fato Johi p presentes qd bn lice-
bit eidin Johi execut' & assign suis oinia & singula
edificia quecunq' in & sup diet' ten & mesuag cum
vacua placea terre & venell p'dict ac ceteris p'mis-
sis ad presens fact' & construct' ac imposterum fa-
ciend & construend depon'e amiuovere removere
transpou'e transmutare & repon'e reficere sive re-
edificare infra diet' ten messuag vac plac terre &
venell ad libitum suu proprium ubicumq' & quan-
documq' sibi placu'it Itaqdhmoi edificia sic depoita
& dcponend in repositione sive reedificatioue eosdifi
in & sup p 'missis fiant in adeo bono statu quo nunc
sunt seu meliori Et qd ulterius bii licebit p'fato
Johi Crosby execut' & assign suis omnia et singula
alia edificia quecumq' de & sup oiuia & singula
p'dimissa ad libitum suum proprium de novo edifi-
care cum quociens et quando eis seu eos alicui pla-
cu'it termino p'dicto durante Salvis seiup & reser-
vatis p'fatis Priorisse & Conventui & succ suis pro
se tenentibz servientibz & firmaf suis in & p venel-
lam p'dcam p'fato Johanni p'dimissam libis ingressu
& egressu in & p venell p'dcam durante termino
p'dco Et ulterius concedunt p'dict' Priorissa &
Conventus pro se & succ suis p'fato Johi Crosby
execut' & assign suis p p'sentes p se & servientib/
79
suis libum egressum & ingressum ad cariand reca-
riand tain in plaustris sive bigis q'm equestf seu
pedestf omia & singula sibi neeessaf Ac eund rede-
und & equitand p diet' Venellam a dicto ten directe
usq' in quandam viam austral it' div'tentem p ecetiam
Sci Andree in Cornehill London et ab eadin ira usq'
& in venellam & ten p'dca oinibz tempibz p'dco ter-
mino durante Et p'dict' Priorissa & Conventus &
succ sui totu p'dcm ten cum domibz solar celar gar-
dino adjacen eidm ten spectant' & alijs suis ptiri
siinul cum venella novem mesuag & vacua placea
terre p'dict' ac alijs suis ptin sub condictione &
forma supradiot' una cum liber ingressu & egreisu
p'dict' p'fato Johi Crosby execut' & assign suis con-
tra omnes gentes warrantizabunt acquietabunt &
defendent p p'sentes usq' ad finem termini nonaginta
& novem annos supradictos In cujus rei testimoniu
tarn p'dict' Priorissa & Conventus sigilluin eos co-
inune qm p'dcus Johannes Crosby sigillum suu hijs
Indenturis alternatim apposuerunt Dat' London in
domo Capitulari dcos Priorisse & Conventus domus
sive Prioratus eos p'dict' in festo & annis supra-
dictis.
BERNARD.
was ensealed by the
Prioresse and Covent w'ynne writen in their
Chaptrehous w'ynne writen vnder their covene scale
80
tbe day and yere w*ynne writen in the p'sence of
Maist' Simond Bevynton pety Chanon of Poules,
the pson of Seint Alburghes w'ynne Bisshoppes-
gate Hankford Gentilman Willm
fitz-Water Gentilman Thomas Payne Carpenter
WHm Hyll Robt Beynam and Thomas Folby. Alle
these nonnes whose names here followen thanne
there beyng p'sent atte same ensealying and con-
sentyng therto that is to wite. Dame Alice Assh-
feld Prioresse Dame Alice Wodehous Dame
Johane Organ Dame Margarete Clerk Dame Eli-
zabeth Harpynden Dame Elizabeth Hede Dame
Rose Narburgh Dame Margarete Seyward Dame
Alice Truthale Dame Johane Maby Dame Julian*.
Norman and Dame Elizabeth Boteller.
&wprnttt'v, ilo, in.
WILL OF ALDERMAN BONDE.
In the name of God hereafter
followeth the last Will and
testament of William Bonde,
Alderman of London ; written
the xxth daye of October, 1574.
In the name of God. I Wyllyam Bond, Alder-
man of London, being of perfecte mynde and good
remembrauuce, doe make my last Wyll and Testa-
ment in manner and forme following. ffyrst, I
bequeatlie my sowle unto Allmightie God, not-
withestanding though I be an offender, uerie gre-
uous, yet nowe repenting, and bewaylinge my
wyckednes, yelding my self wholly to liis mercie,
do not mistrust but stedfastly do beleue that he shall
receaue me according to his promisses, not for any
worthines of my owne parte, but onely for the
worthy meritte of his owne and onelye sonne my
sauiour and only redemer Jesus Christe, who for
my synnes hath su fired death uppon the Crosse,
and for my wyckednes hath shedd his most pre-
cious blood. In this faith and belefe I committe
my sowle unto the liuingc God ; and my uyle
M
82
bodye to the yearth, when ami where yt shall please
God to call me, at his most pleasure out of this
worlde. Secondarely, I bequeath to my welbe-
loued wief, according to the custome of the Cittie,
the third e parte of my substance : the other thirde
part to my children; to say, Daniell Bond,
William Bond, Nicholas Bond, and Martyn Bond.
And forasmuch as my sonne William Whytmore
hath with my daughter a thousande pounde of
money sterling, my promyse ys that each of my
children hauing somoche, then my daughter Whyt-
more to haue as the rest of my children shall haue,
reseruing my heire, unto whom and to my other
three sonnes I giue and bequeath my place, garden
and Tenemente thereunto belonging, and that the
suruiuor of them shall enjoye yt, and so the heires
of their bodyes for euer. Item, my mynde ys that
my wief shall continewe there and joyntly contin-
ewe in the trade of marchandise. And if my
wief do continewe a Widowe, then I give her two
hundreth pounde of my parte and porcoii (por-
tion) ; yf she refuse yt and marrye, then yf the
lawe will permitte yt, my mynde ys she shall
departe out of that mansyon howse, lest that by
marrying of such a one shall defeate my sonnes of
the said place. Item, I bequeathe and giue to my
louing brother George Bond the some of two
hundreth pounde, and to each Childe of his, at the
83
daye of their mariage, twentie marke a pece. Item,
I bequeath to John Howghe two hundreth poundes
of money. Item, [ bequeath to Symon Bowreman
a hundreth marke. Item, to Thomas Marwell,
Walter Ead, John Auster, Richard Thompson,
Valentyne Palmer, Richard Flox, Fraunce Tyrrell,
Symon Smyth, Andrew flbrsland, to each of them
fortie poundes of lawful money a pece. Item, to
my other seruannte, as Desy, the purser, Abraham
Kynge, Jeffery, William Randall, Thomas Pottell,
John Grene, twenty nobles a pece. And each of all
my seruannte to haue black cloath for gownes or
cloake, and they that haue fortie pounde a pece to
haue a ringe of gold of fortie shillinge a pece, and
my name written on yt. So God blesse them all.
Yf there be any more that maye perchannce come
to my seruice, I give them also twenty nobles. I
say six pounde thirtene shillinge foure pence a
pece. And to Besse, my mayde, one hundreth
pounde to her mariage : to the rest of my mayde
twentie nobles a pece. Item, to William Godwyn,
fiue marke. Item, to each of my Cosyn Turke
children, twentie nobles a pece, to be paid at the
day of their mariage, so as they marrye with their
parente goodwill. Item, I giue to each of them, I saye,
my cosyn Turke and his wief two blacke gownes, and
two ringe of fortie shillinge a pece. Item, I be-
queath to my sonne Whytmore and daughter, two
M 2
blacke gownes, and two -ringe of fortie shillinge
a pece. Item, to my daughter children, fortie
poande a pece, that are lining at the hower of my
deathe, to be paid at their mariage. Item, I be-
queath to my syster Catharyne Palmer twentie
marke, and to each of her children fiue marc
a pece. Item, I bequeath to Walter Welkome
children, and William Jefforde children, and Crede
children, that they had by my three Sisters, fiue
marke a pece. Item, to Mother Wuluer and John
Dyer, fortie shillinge a pece, and blacke gownes.
Item, to Byrkelle wief and Byrkelle fiue marke a
pece, and each of them a black coate or gowne. To
Alice Goodladd, fiue marke. To my Godson there,
tine pounde, to be paid to the Scolemaiester that
shall teache him. To Gylbert Thrunston and his
wief, fiue marke to make them ringe, besyde blacke
gownes. Item, I forgiue Bond of Yngston, that as
he owethe me. Item, I bequeath to euerie godson,
not before specifyed, twentie shillinge a pece. Item,
to my cosen William Bowman Is. (50s.) for a ringe.
To Harry Bowman, Lewes and Christopher Bow-
man, fortie shilling a pece, to buy them a ringe. Item,
I giue to my brother Edward Bond children fiue
marke a pece when they come to age. Item, I be-
queathe to John ffoxall and Nicholas Parkynson fiue
pounde, to be made in ringe. Item, to the maiesters,
as to to the maister of the barke Bond, the Valen-
85
tyne, the Prymrose, the Jonas and Fortune,* fortie
shillinge a pece,to be made in ringe : I say to such
as shall be maisters of them at the houre of my
deathe. Item, I giue to Davy Howgh, twentie
nobles and a blacke coate. Item, to the ij Sisters
in Kent, fiue marke a pece, yf they be lining : to
her mayde that cometh to London, fiue marke.
[tern, I forgiue Bullock all that he oweth to me.
Item, I bequeath and giue to my deputy and his
wief fiue pounde to make them ringe, and to each
of them black gownes, and to each of his children
twentie shillinge a pece. Item, to fortie mayde
marriages, to be given to them that hath dwelte
fiue yeare in a howse, either in St. Margarette
parrishe, St. Dunstan parrishe, or in my ward,
nine and twenty shillinge a pece. Item, to Richard
Brabam a blacke gowne and a ringe of fortie
shillinge, and so to his wief. Item, I bequeath and
giue to the poore of St. Margarette parrishe. in
coles, fiue pounde, and as much at St. Dunstans in
the easte, and in this parrishe at St. Ellens, also in
coales the ualue of fiue pouude to be distributed in
two yeare. Item, to have twelue sermonde preached
for me in iij yeare, f and the preacher, at my buriall
* The names of vessels of which he was the owner.
t The traces of the prejudice in favour of ancient religious
custom is here apparent. This, no doubt, is a relic of the old
masses for the repose of the soul, clothed in a new dress to suit
the then modern innovations.
86
to haue a blacke gowne and xs. for a sermon.
Item, I bequeath and giue to the poore for the
maintenaunce of their learninge at Oxford, for tie
pounde, to be payd in a yeare after my decease.
Item, I bequeath to Christe Hospitall, St. Thomas
Hospitall, fortie marke a pece. Item, I bequeath
fortie pounde to the poore prisoners which shall be
in Ludgate, under fiue marke a pece, my mynde ys
they may be deliuered from time to time until that
be paid. Item, to John Jefforde, now in Rysby,
twentie marke. Item, to Mr. Burd and his wief,
Mr. Saunders and his wief, Lerring Lambert, black
gownes. Item, to all the tenaunte, being englishe,
to dwell one yeare, rente free, after my decease.
Item, I giue to fortie poore men fortie black gownes
of Bristowe (Bristol) frise, to be giuen in my ward,
and this ward, St. Margarete parishe, or St. Dun-
stans parrishe. Item, I giue to the haberdasshers
twentie marke to make them a dynner.* Item, the
lease of the howse to be deliuered that longe to
the Crowne in newe fishe-streate, and they to enioye
the benefitte thereojf according to my late Mr.
Essex meaninge. Item, I bequeath and giue to the
companye of the mysterye of haberdasshers, that
twelue honest poore young men beinge free of the
* Good living among the Aldermen, does not appear by this to
be at all of modern origin.
87
mysterye of the haberdasshers and having serued
theire whole apprentisshippe in that misterye.
Item, one hundreth and three score pounde which
I will haue diuided to the foresaid twelue, to say,
twenty marke a pece for two yeares, for them to
haue yt in occupyinge without payinge any thing
for interest, and to putt in three suertyes a pece,
to repay e at the two yeares ende, and so to be
re-deliuered to others for other two yeares, and so
for ij yeares, to two yeares for euer. And for as-
much as this may be a treble to the wardens to see
this accomplisshed. Item, I giue to the Hall the
some of fortie pounde that some parte thereof may
be giuen to some such use, as maye the goner pro-
uoke the wardens to take paines therein, and no
man to be at any more charges of those that shall
receaue the money, but to paye for the obligacons.
Prouided, yf any thing should be taken in reward,
then I desire the Mastr. and Wardens that some
fyne be sett upon such as should offend, for my
mynde ys they should haue yt free without any
interest. And for the better performaunce thereof
I would haue the haberdasshers bound to the Cham-
ber of London, before the Lord Maior, to see yt
accomplisshed. Item, I bequeath and giae for
a stocke to be layed out forwheate, for the mayn-
tenaunce of this noble Cittee, and that good ac-
88
coinpte therof, and the stocke well loked unto, and
also uppon condicons that each of my children
stock of my lyuing (leaving) shall be founde that yl
fall out to be two thousand pounde sterling a pece,
then my mynde ys that they shall haue fine hun-
dreth pounde sterling, to be paid in one year after
my decease to serue for the onely use to be em-
ployed in buyinge of corne for the use of the
Citizens. QHu Hestfcue of all my goode not
bequeathed I giue unto my Children equally to be
diuided, and constitute and ordeine for my execu-
tors my wellbeloued wief and my sonne Sir
Daniell Bond, and they to haue for their paynes
twentie pounde a pece, and my ouerseers I consti-
tude my wellbeloued brother George Bond and my
sonne William Whytmore, and they to haue for
their paynes twentie marke a pece. And this my
trust ys they will see this my last Will and Testament
dewly performed and accomplished, as my trust is
in them, desiringe God to forgiue me and all the
world ; and that I hope and stedfastly beleue, that
by the meritte of Christie passion and by the
sheddinge of his most precious bloode to be saued,
and to rise againe the last day ; thus besechinge
God, for his mercy sake, to forgiue and preserue
my sowle in his tuission, (tuition) and to take me
to his mercie, when and where yt shall please God
89
to call me ; and my trust and hope ys to be one
of Gode ellecte, into whose hands I commytte me.
And for as much as this ys my last Will and Testa-
ment, and that it maye the rather (be) taken for
a troth, I haue written it euerie word with my
owne hand, and haue setto (set to it) my sealle,
and doe entend to cause others to setto their hande,
and thus to Gode tuyssion I committe me. By
me William Bond, Alderman, by me Thomas*
Gresham. by me Blase Saunders. by me William
Hagar.
And as concernige the order and disposition of
my lande, I doe declare my last Will and Testa-
ment of the same in mannere and forme as insueth
(ensueth): ffirst, I deuise and bequeath Mar-
* This was, no doubt, Sir Thomas Gresham, the founder of the
Royal Exchange. A very intimate connexion is apparent be-
tween the Ciolls, the Bonds, and the Greshams. Ciceley Cioll
was the daughter of Sir John Gresham, the uncle of Sir Thomas,
as observed in a former note ; and the names, both of Sir John and
Sir Thomas, appear in several transactions between the parties.
The connexion here mentioned, seems to have been preceded also
by an equally intimate one between Sir Thomas More, and Wm.
Rooper, or Roper, and Wm. Rastell, former possessors of Crosby
Place. Roper was one of the sons-in-law, and Rastell, as pre-
viously intimated, was nearly related, if he was not the brother-
in-law of Sir Thomas More. The well-known saying of Sir
Thomas, " That if his head would win the King (Henry VIII.) a
town in France, albeit he was a gracious prince, it would not re-
main long on his shoulders,'' was made to this Roper.
N
90
garet, my well beloued wief, all that my now dwell-
inge-house, called Crosbye Place, in the parrishe of
St. Ellens, within the Cittie of London. To haue
and to holde to her for and duringe so long tyme
as she shall liue sole and unmaryed, for and in
lewe and recompence of her dower she may haue
of in or to any other my Lande and Tenemente in
London. And imediately that she shall marie, I
will and bequeath the same, my said dwellinge-
howse, unto William Bond, my second sonne, for
and duringe his naturall life, payinge out of the
same to my sonne Nicholas Bond xiij/i. xiijs. iiijc/.
yearely duringe the naturall life of the said Wil-
liam Bond, at the feaste of the natiuitie of St.
John Baptiste, and the birth of our Lord God, by
equall porcons, or within \ntie dayes nexte, after
euerie of the said feaste. And also payinge unto
ray sonne Martyn Bond other xiij/i. xiijs. iiijd. at
the like feaste or dayes, and by like porcons duringe
the naturall life of the said William Bond. And
after the decease of the said William Bond, then
I deuise the same, my said house, unto Nicholas
Bond, for terme of his life, payinge to my said son
Martyn Bond, twentie pounde by yeare, at the said
feaste or dayes by equall porcons. And after his
decease, I will and bequeath the same unto my said
sonne Martyn, for terme of his naturall life. And
91
after his decease, I will and bequeath the same
unto Daniell Bond, my sonne and heire apparante,
and to the heires males of his bodye, lawfully be-
gotton. And for defaulte of such yssue, I will and
bequeath the same to my said sonne William Bond
and to the heires males of his bodye lawfully begot-
ten. And for want of such yssue, I will and be-
queath the same to my said sonne Nicholas, and to
the heires males of his bodye, lawfully begotten.
And for want of such yssue, I will and bequeath the
same to my sonne Martyn, and to the heires males
of his bodye lawfully begotten. And for want of
such yssue, I will and bequeath the same to my
nephewe William Bond, sonne of my brother
George Bond, and to the heires males of his bodye
lawfully begotton. And for want of such yssue,
I will and deuise the same to the right heires of
my said sonne Daniell Bond for euer. And I
leaue to discende all my other Lande and Tene-
mente in the said parrishe of St. Ellyns aforesaid,
or elle (else) where within the Citie of London, to
my said sonne Daniell Bond, accordinge to the
lawes of this realme for a full third part excedinge
and beinge more than a third parte. And further
I will, charge, and louingely require my said chil-
dren, that they nor any of them, doe not alter, in-
fringe or chaunge, this my deuise of my lande to
N 2
02
them made, but suffer the same to remain and be
in forme as I haue before by this my last will and
Testament lymitted and appointed the same. In
witness whereof I have subscribed this my will
and Testament for and concerning my lande, the
xxxthofmaye 1576. The eighteenth year of our
Sovereign Lady Elizabeth, Regine. By me Wil-
liam Bonde; Teste Willino Bowreman, Thomas
Gresham, William Whytmore, George Bond. By
me John Howghe. By me Thomas Pottell. By
me Blase Saunders. By me William Hagar.
This Will was proved in the Jirst year of the
translation of Edmund Grindal, Archb. of Cantuar.
who wa* confirmed in the sec, February 15f/t, 1575.
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T. R. DBURY, PRINTER,
JOHNSON'S COURT, FLEET STREET, LONDON.
ERRATA.
Page 2, line \, for infra, read inter.
Page 2, line 3, for domentum, read Conventum.
Page 31, line 22, for heraldic, read heraldric.
Page 34, line 4, for heraldic, read heraldric.
Page 34, note, for see note 2, read see note, page 32.
In Plate of Autographs, under that of Pembroke, for from
Counterpart lease from Sir John Spencer, read from Counter-
part lease from William, Earl of Northampton.
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