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 ORIGINAL AND UNPUBLISHED SOURCES, 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 
 
 c ?& (3 
 
 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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