Langborne warde, and Fennie about.

Langborne warde, and Fennie about.; Shareborne or southborne lane.; Culuer Alley. Lane stopped vp.

Langborne warde, so called of a long borne of sweete water, which of olde time breaking out into Fenchurch streete, ranne downe the same streete, and Lombard street, to the West end of S. Mary Woolnothes Church, where turning south, and breaking into smal shares, rils or streams, it left the name of Share borne lane, or South borne lane (as I haue read) because it ran south to the Riuer of Thames. This Warde beginneth at the West ende of Aldgate warde, in Fenne church streete, by the Ironmongers hall, which is on the North side of that streete, at a place called Culuer alley, where sometime was a lane, through the which men went into Limestreete, but that being long since stopped vp for suspition of theeues, that lurked there by night, as is shewed in Limestreete warde, there is now this said, alley, a tennis court, &c.

Fen church streete.

Fenne-church streete tooke that name of a Fennie or Moorish ground, so made by means of this borne which passed through it, and therefore vntill this day in the Guildhall of this citie, that ward is called by the name of Langborne, and fennie about and not otherwise: yet others be of opinion that it tooke that name of Faenum, that is hey solde there, as Grasse street tooke the name of Grasse or hearbes there solde.

Parish church of S. Mary, & S. Gabriel.

In the midst of this streete standeth a small parish Church called S. Gabriel Fenchurch, corruptly Fan church.

Helming Legget Esquire, by license of Edward the third, in the 49. of his raigne, gaue one tenement, with a curtelarge (fn. 1) thereto belonging, and a Garden with an entrie thereto leading vnto sir Iohn Hariot parson of Fenchurch, and to his suc cessors for euer, the house to be a Parsonage house, the garden to be a churchyard, or burying place for the parish.

Lombard street so called before E. 2.

Then haue ye Lombardstreete, so called of the Longobards, and other Marchants, strangers of diuerse nations assembling there twise euery day, of what originall, or continuance, I haue not read of record, more then that Edward the second, in the 12. of his raigne, confirmed a messuage, sometime belonging to Robert Turke,abutting on Lombard streete toward the South, and toward Cornehill on the North, for the Marchants of Florence, which proueth that street to haue had the name of Lombard street before the raigne of Edwardthe second. The meeting of which Marchants and others, there continued until the 22 of December, in the yeare, 1568. on the which day, the said Marchants began to make their meetings at the Bursse, a place then new builded for that purpose in the warde of Cornehill, and was since by her Maiestie, Queene Elizabeth,named the Royall Exchange.

Limestreet.; Pewterers hall.

On the North side of this Warde, is Limestreete, one halfe whereof on both the sides is of this Langborne Warde, and therein on the West side, is the Pewterers Hall, which companie were admitted to bee a brotherhoode, in the 13. of Edward the fourth.

Parish church of S. Dionis.

At the Southwest corner of Limestreete, standeth a fayre Parish Church of Saint Dionys called Backe church, lately new builded in the raigne of Henrie the sixt, Iohn Bugge Esquire was a great benefactor to that worke, as appeareth by his armes three water Budgets, and his crest a Morians head, grauen in the stone work of the Quire, the vpper end on the north side, where he was buried. Also Iohn Darby Alderman, added thereunto a fayre Isle or Chapple on the Southside, and was there buried, about the yeare 1466. He gaue (besides sundrie ornaments) his dwelling house and others vnto the said church. The Ladie Wich widow to Hugh Wich, sometimes Maior of London, was there buried, and gaue lands for Sermons, &c. Iohn Master Gentleman, was by his children buried there, 1444, Thomas Britaine, Henrie Trauers of Maidstone in Kent Marchant, 1501. Iohn Bond about 1504. Robert Paget marchant Tayler, one of the Shiriffes 1536. Sir Thomas Curteis Pewterer, then Fish monger, Maior, 1557, Sir Iames Haruie Ironmonger, Maior, 1581. William Peterson Esquire, William Sherington, Sir Edward Osborne Clothworker, Maior, &c.

The foure corners, a place so called of foure wayes meeting.; Parish church of Alhallowes in Lombard streete.; Lib. Trinitate.

Then by the foure corners (so called of Fen church streete in the East, Bridgestreete on the South, Grasse streete on the North and Lombard streete on the West.) In Lombard streete is one faire Parish church, called Alhallowes Grasse church in Lombard streete, I do so reade it in Euidences of Record, for that the Grasse Market went downe that way, when that streete was farre broder then now it is, being streightened by incrochments.

Lombard street so called 1175.

This Church was lately new builded. Iohn Warner armorer, and then Grocer, Shiriffe, 1494. builded the south Ile, his sonne Robert Warner Esquire finished it, in the yere 1516. The Pewterers were benefactors towards the north Isle, &c. The Steeple or Bell tower thereof was finished in the yeare 1544. about the thirtie and sixt of Henrie the eight. The faire stone porch of this church was brought from the late dissolued Priorie of S. Iohn of Ierusalem by Smithfield, so was the frame for their belles, but the belles being bought, were neuer brought thither, by reason that one old Warner Draper, of that Parish deceasing, his sonne Marke Warner would not performe what his father had begunne, and appoynted, so that faire steeple hath but one Bell, as Friers were wont to use. The monuments of this church be these. The said Warners, and Iohn Walden Draper. Next is a common Osterie for trauellers, called the George, of such a signe. This is said to haue perteyned to the Earle Ferrers, and was his London lodging in Lombard street, and that in the yeare, 1175. a brother of the said Earle, being there priuily slaine in the night, was there throwne downe into the dirtie streete, as I haue afore shewed in the Chapter of night watches.

Parish church of S. Edmond in Lombard streete.

Next to this is the parish church of S. Edmond the king and Martyr in Lombard street, by the south corner of Birchouer lane.

This Church is also called S. Edmond Grasse church, because the said Grasse Market came downe so low. The monuments in this Church are these: Sir Iohn Milborne, Draper, Maior, deceased 1535. buried there by Dame Ioan and Dame Mar garet his wiues, vnder a tombe of Touch, Humfrey Heyford, Goldsmith, Maior, 1477, Sir William Chester, Draper, Maior, 1560, with his wiues, amongst his predecessors, Sir George Barne, Maior, 1536, Matilde at Vine (fn. 2) founded a Chaunterie there, &c.

Noble men of this realme, of olde time, as also of late yeares, haue delt in marchandises.

From this Church downe Lombard streete, by Birchouers lane (the one halfe of which lane is of this warde) and so downe, be diuerse faire houses, namely one with a verie faire forefront towards the streete, builded by sir Martin Bowes Goldsmith since Maior of London, and then one other, sometime belonging to William de la Pole Knight banaret, and yet the Kings marchant in the 14. of Edward the third, and after him to Michael de la Pole Earle of Suffolke, in the 14. of Richard the second, and was his Marchants house, and so downe toward the Stocks Market, lacking but some three houses thereof.

Philpot lane.

The Southside of this Ward beginneth in the East, at the chaine to be drawne thwart Mart lane, vp into Fen church street, and so West, by the North end of Minchen lane to S. Margarets Pattens street, or Roode lane, and down that street to the midway towards S. Margarets Church: then by Philpot lane, (So called of sir Iohn Philpot that dwelled there, and was owner thereof) and downe that lane some sixe or eight houses on each side, is all of this warde.

S. Clements lane.

Then by Grasse Church corner into Lombard streete, to S. Clements lane, and downe the same to S. Clements church: then downe S. Nicholas lane, and downe the same to Saint Nicholas church, and the same Church is of this ward. Then to Abchurch lane, and downe some small portion thereof: then down Sherborne lane, a part thereof, and a part of Bearebinder lane bee of this warde: and then downe Lombardstreete to the signe of the Angell almost to the corner ouer against the Stockes market.

Parish Church of Alballowes Stane church.

On the Southside of this ward, somewhat within Mart lane, haue yee the Parish Church of Alhallowes, commonly called Stane Church (as may bee supposed) for a difference from other Churches of that name in this Citie which of old time were builded of timber, and since were builded of stone. In this church haue beene diuerse fayre monuments of the dead, namely of Iohn Costin, Girdler, a great benefactor: he deceased, 1244. His name remaineth painted in the church roofe: if it had beene set in Brasse, it would haue beene fetched downe. He gaue out of certaine tenements to the poore of that parish, an hundred quarters of Charcoales yearely for euer. Sir Robert Test knight of the holy Sepulchre, and Dame Ioan his wife, about 1486. Robert Stone, sir Iohn Stiward, and Dame Alice his wife, Iohn Bostocke Esquire, Christopher Holt, sir Richard Tate knight, Ambassador to king Henrie the eight, buried there, 1554. His monument remaineth yet, the rest being all pulled downe, and swept out of the Church, the Church wardens were forced to make a large account, 12. shillings that yeare for Broomes, besides the carriage away of stone, and brasse of their owne charge. And here I am to note, that being informed of the Writhsleys to be buried there, I haue since found them and other to be buried at S. Giles without Cripplegate, where I minde to leaue them.

Cradocks lane.

By this Church sometime passed a lane, called Cradocks lane, from Mart lane, winding by the North side of the said Church into Fen church streete, the which lane being streightned by incrochments, is now called Church alley.

Parish church of S. Nicholas Hacon.; Langborne ward discharged of fifteens.

Then is the Parish church of Saint Nicholas Acon, or Hacon, (for so haue I read it in Recordes) in Lombardstreete. Sir Iohn Bridges Draper, Maior 1520. newly repayred this church, and imbatailed it, and was there buried: Francis Boyer Grocer, one of the Shiriffes, was buried there 1580. with other of the Boyers. So was Iulian, wife to Iohn Lambart Alderman. Then is there in the high streete a proper parish Church of Saint Marie Woolnoth, of the Natiuitie, the reason of which name I haue not yet learned. This Church is lately new builded, Sir Hugh Brice Goldsmith, Maior in the first yeare of Henrie the seuenth, keeper of the kings Exchange at London, and one of the gouernors of the kings Mint in the Tower of London, vnder William L. Hastings, the fifth of Edward the fourth, deceased 1496. He builded in this church a Chappell, called the charnell, as also part of the bodie of the Church and of the Steeple, and gaue money towarde the finishing thereof, besides the stone which he had prepared: hee was buried in the bodie of the Church, Guy Brice or Boys was buried there, Dame Ioan wife to sir William Peach, Thomas Nocket Draper, 1396. he founded a Chanterie there, Simon Eyre 1459. he gaue the Tauerne called the Cardinals Hat in Lombardstreete, with a tenement annexed on the East part of the Tauerne, and a mansion behind the East tenement, togither with an Alley from Lombard streete to Cornhill, with the appurtenances, all which were by him new builded, toward a brotherhoode of our Ladie in S. Marie Woolnoths church. Iohn Moager Pewterer, and Emme his wife in saint Iohns Chappell: Sir Iohn Perciuall Marchant tayler, Maior, about 1504, Thomas Roch, and Andrew Michael Vinteners, and Ioan their wife: William Hilton Marchant tayler, and tayler to king Henrie the eight, was buried there, 1519. Vnder the Chappell of S. George, which Chappell was builded by George Lufken, sometime tayler to the Prince. Robert Amades Goldsmith, master of the Kings iewels, Sir Martin Bowes Maior, buried about 1569. he gaue lands for the discharge of that Langborn ward, of all fifteenes to be granted to the king by Parliament: George Hasken, sir Thomas Ramsey late Maior, &c. Thus haue ye seuen Parish Churches in this ward, one Hall of a companie, diuerse faire houses for marchants, and other monuments none. It hath an Alderman, his Deputie, common Counsellors 8. Constables 15. Scauengers 9. men of the Wardmote inquest 17. and a Beedle. It is taxed to the fifteene in the Exchequer at 20.l. 9.s. 8.d.

Footnotes