Colemanstreete warde

A Survey of London. Reprinted From the Text of 1603. Originally published by Clarendon, Oxford, 1908.

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Citation:

John Stow, 'Colemanstreete warde', in A Survey of London. Reprinted From the Text of 1603, ed. C L Kingsford( Oxford, 1908), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/survey-of-london-stow/1603/pp276-285 [accessed 8 November 2024].

John Stow, 'Colemanstreete warde', in A Survey of London. Reprinted From the Text of 1603. Edited by C L Kingsford( Oxford, 1908), British History Online, accessed November 8, 2024, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/survey-of-london-stow/1603/pp276-285.

John Stow. "Colemanstreete warde". A Survey of London. Reprinted From the Text of 1603. Ed. C L Kingsford(Oxford, 1908), , British History Online. Web. 8 November 2024. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/survey-of-london-stow/1603/pp276-285.

Coleman street warde.

Next to Chepe Warde on the North side thereof is Colemanstreete Ward, and beginneth also in the East, on the course of Walbrooke in Lothbury, and runneth west on the South side to the end of Ironmongers lane, and on the North side to the West corner of Bassinges hall streete. On the South side of Lothbury is the streete called the old Iury, the one half and better on both sides towardes Cheape is of this Warde. On the north side lyeth Colemanstreete, whereof the Ward taketh name, wholy on both sides North to London wall, and from that north ende along by the Wall, and Moregate East to the course of Walbrook. And again from Coleman streete west to the Iron grates: and these bee the boundes of this Warde.

Lothbery.; The lewes Sinagogue.; Fratres de sacca or de penitentia.; Cole church street, or Olde lury.; Robert Fitzwalter his house.; The windmill Tauerne in the old Iurie.

Antiquities to be noted therein are these: First the streete of Lothberie, Lathberie, or Loadberie (for by all these names haue I read it) tooke the name (as it seemeth) of Berie, or Court of olde time there kept, but by whom is growne out of memorie. This streete is possessed for the most part by Founders, that cast Candlestickes, Chafingdishes, Spice mortars, and such like Copper or Laton workes, and do afterwarde turne them with the foot & not with the wheele, to make them smooth and bright with turning and scrating (as some do tearme it) making a loathsome noice to the by-passers, that haue not been vsed to the like, and therefore by them disdainedly (fn. 1) called Lothberie. On the south side of this street, amongst the Founders, be some faire houses and large for marchantes, namely, one that of old time was the Iews Sinagogue, which was defaced by the Cittizens of London, after that they had slaine 700. Iewes, and spoyled the residue of their goods in the yeare 1262. the 47. of Henry the third. And not long after in the yeare 1291. King Edward the 1. banished the remnant of the Iewes out of England, as is afore shewed. The said sinagogue being so suppressed certaine Fryers got possession thereof: For in the yeare 1257. (sayth Mathew Paris) there were seene in London a new order of Fryers, called de pænitentia Iesu, or Fratres de sacca, because they were apparrelled in sackecloth, who had their house in London, neare vnto Aldersgate without the gate, and had licence of Henry the third, in the 54. of his raigne, to remoue from thence to any other place: and in the 56. hee gaue vnto them this Iewes Sinagogue: after which time Elianor the Queene, wife to Edward the first, tooke into her protection and warranted vnto the Prior, & brethren de Penitentia Iesu Christi of London, the said land and building in Colechurch street in the parish of S. Olaue in the Iury, and S.Margaret in Lothbery by her graunted, with consent of Stephen de Fulborne, vnder-Warden of the Bridge house, & other brethren of that house, for lx. marks of siluer, which they had receiued of the said prior and brethren of repentance to the building of the said bridge. This order of friers gathered many good schollers, & multiplied in number exceedingly vntill the counsell at Lyons, by the which it was decreede, that from that time forth there should be no more orders of begging friers be permitted, but onely the 4. orders, to wit, the Dominicke or preachers, the Minorites or Gray Fryers, the Carmelites or white Fryers, and the Augustines: and so from that time the begging Fryers decreased, and fell to nothing. Now it followed that in the yeare 1305. Robert Fitzwalter requested and obtayned of the said king Edward the first, that the same Fryers of the Sacke might assigne to the said Robert their chappell or church, of olde time called the Synagogue of the Iewes, neare adioyning to the then mansion place of the same Robert, which was in place where now standeth the Grocers hall: and the saide Sinagogue was at the north Corner of the old Iury. Robert Large Mercer, Mayor in the yeare 1439. kept his Mayoralty in this house, and dwelled there vntill his dying day. This house standeth and is of two parrishes, as opening into Lothberie, of S. Margarets parrish, and opening into the Old Iury of S. Olaues parrish. The said Robert Large gaue liberally to both these parrishes, but was buried at S. Olaues. Hugh Clopton Mercer, Mayor 1492. dwelled in this house, and kept his Mayoralty there: it is now a Tauerne, and hath to signe a Windmill. And thus much for this house, sometime the Iewes Synagogue, since a house of Fryers, then a Noble mans house, after that a Marchauntes house, wherein Mayoralties haue beene kept, and now a Wine Tauerne.

The olde Iury.; The Iewes brought from Rone by W. Duke of Normandy.

Then is the olde Iurie, a streete so called of Iewes sometime dwelling there, and neare adioyning, in the parrishes of S. Olaue, S. Michaell Bassings Hall, S. Martin Ironmonger lane, S. Lawrence called the Iury, and so West to Wodstreete. William Duke of Normandy first brought them from Rone, to inhabite here.

W. Rufus fauored them.

William Rufus fauoured them so farre, that hee sware by Luks face his common oath, if they could ouercome the Christians he would be one of their sect.

H. the 2. punished them.

Henry the second grieuously punished them for corrupting his coyne.

Richard the I. forbad them to come to his coronation.

Richard the first forbad Iewes and women to bee present at his coronation for feare of inchantments, for breaking of which commaundement many Iewes were slayne, who being assembled to present the king with some gifte, one of them was stricken by a Christian, which some vnruly people perceyuing, fell vpon them, bet them to their houses, and brent them therein, or slewe them at their comming out: Also the Iewes at Norwich, Saint Edmondsbury, Lincolne, Stanford, and Lynne, were robbed and spoyled, and at Yorke to the number of 500. besides women and Children, entered a Tower of the Castle, proffered money to be in suretie of their liues, but the christians would not take it, whervpon they cut the throtes of their wiues & children, and cast them ouer the wals on the christians heads, and then entering the kings lodging, they brent both the house and themselues.

King Iohn tormented the Iewes.

King Iohn in the eleuenth of his raigne, commaunded all the Iewes both men and women to be imprisoned and grieuously punished, because he would haue all their money, some of them gaue all they had, and promised more to escape so many kindes of tormentes, for euery one of them had one of their eyes at the least plucked out, amongest whome there was one which being tormented many wayes would not ransome himselfe, till the king had caused euery day one of his great teeth to bee plucked out by the space of seuen dayes, and then gaue the king 10000. markes of siluer, to the end they should pull out no more: the sayde king at that time spoyled the Iewes of 66000. markes.

The Barons rifled the Iews.

The 17. of this king, the Barons broke into the Iews houses, rifeled their coffers, and with the stone of their houses repaired the gates and walles of London.

Charta II. of H. 3. H. 3. excheted the lands and goods of the Iewes.

King Henry the third in the eleuenth of his raign graunted to Semayne or Balaster the house of Benomye Mittun the Iew in the parrish of S. Michaell Bassinghaughe in which the saide Benomy dwelt, with the fourth part of all his land in that parrish which William Elie held of the Fee of Hugh Neuell, and all the land in Coleman streete, belonging to the said Benomye, and the fourth parte of the land in the parrish of S. Lawrence, which was the fee of T. Buckerell, and were excheted to the king for the murder which the saide Benomye committed in the Cittie of London, to hold to the sayde Semaine, and his heyres of the king, paying at Easter a payre of gilt spurres, and to doe the seruice thereof due vnto the Lords Court. In like manner and for like seruices the king graunted to Guso for his homage, the other parte of the lands of the said Benomye in S. Michaels parrish, which Lawes the Paynter held, and was the kinges Exchete, and the lands of the saide Benomye in the sayde parrish, which Walter Turnar held, and xv. foote of land which Hugh Harman held, with xv. yron elles of land and halfe in the front of Ironmongar lane, in the parrish of S. Martin, which were the said Benomies of the fee of the Hospitall of S. Giles, and which Adam the smith held, with two stone houses, which were Moses the Iewe of Canterbury, in the parrish of S. Olaue, and which are the fee of Arnold le Reus, and are the kinges exchetes as before said.

The Iewes builded them a Synagogue in London. H. the third founded an house for conuerted Iewes.; Iewes stale a child and circumcised him, and minded to haue crucified him.; H. the third exacteth money of the Iewes.; Iewes hanged for crucifying of a child.; 700. Iewes slayn at London.

The 16. of the saide Henrie the Iewes in London builded a Synagogue, but the king commaunded it should bee dedicated to our blessed Lady, and after gaue it to the Brethren of S. Anthonie of Vienna, and so was it called S. Anthonies Hospitall: this Henry founded a Church and house for conuerted Iewes, in new streete by the Temple, whereby it came to passe that in shorte time there was gathered a great number of Conuertes: the 20. of this Henry seuen Iewes were brought from Norwich, which had stolne a Christened child, had circumcised, and minded to haue crucified him at Easter, wherefore their bodies and goodes were at the kinges pleasure: the 26. the Iewes were constrayned to pay to the king 20000. markes at two termes in the yeare, or else to bee kept in perpetuall prison: the 35. hee taketh inestimable summes of money of all rich men, namely of Aaron a Iewe, borne at Yorke, 14000. markes for himselfe, and ten thousande markes for the Queene, and before hee had taken of the same Iewe as much as in all amounted to 30000. markes of siluer, and 200. markes of gold to the Queene. In the 40. were brought vp to Westminster 202. Iewes from Lincolne, for crucifying of a child named Hugh, eightteene of them were hanged: the 43. a Iewe at Tewkesbery fell into a Priuie on the Saturday and would not that day bee taken out for reuerence of his sabboth, wherefore Richard Clare Earle of Glocester kepte him there till munday that he was dead: the 47. the Barons slew the Iews at London 700, the rest were spoyled and their Syna gogue defaced, because one Iew would haue forced a Christian to haue paide more then 2. d. for the lone of xx. s. a weeke.

Vsury forbiden.; English Iewes hanged.; Iewes hanged at London for crucifying a child at Northampton.; All the Iewes in England apprehended and redeemed for money.; All the Iewes banished this Realme.

The third of Edward the first, in a Parliament at London, vsury was forbidden to the Iewes, and that all Vsurers might be knowne, the king commaunded that euery Vsurer should weare a Table on their breast, the bredth of a paueline, or else to auoyde the Realme: the 6. of the said king Edward a reformation was made for clipping of the kings coyne, for which offence 267. Iewes were drawne and hanged, three were English Christians, and other were English Iewes: the same yeare the Iewes crucified a child at Northampton, for the which fact many Iewes at London were drawn at Horse tayles and hanged: the II. of Edward the first, Iohn Peckham Archbishoppe of Canterbury commanded the Bishop of London to destroy all the Iewes Sinagogues in his Dioces. The 16. of the said Edward all the Iewes in England were in one day apprehended by precept from the king, but they redeemed themselues for 12000. poundes of siluer: notwithstanding in the 19. of his raigne, he banished them all out of England, giuing them onely to beare their charge, till they were out of his Realm, the number of Iews then expulsed were 15060. persons: the king made a mighty masse of money of their houses, which he sold, and yet the Commons of England had graunted & gaue him a fifteenth of all their goods to banish them: and thus much for the Iewes.

Parish church of S. Olaue Vpwell in the Iewry.; A well was vnder the east end of this Church, late turned to a pumpe but decayed.

In this sayde streete, called the olde Iury, is a proper parrish Church of S. Olaue Vpwell, so called in Record, 1320. Iohn Brian Parson of Saint Olaue Vpwell, in the Iury, founded there a Chauntrie, and gaue two messuages to that Parrish the 16. of Edward the second, and was by the said King confirmed: In this Church, to the commendation of the Parsons and Parishioners, the monumentes of the deade remayne lesse defaced then in many other: first of William Dikman Fereno or Ironmonger, one of the Shiriffes of London, 1367. Roberte Haueloke Ironmonger, 1390. Iohn Organ Mercer one of the Shiriffes, 1385. Iohn Forest Vicker of Saint Olaues, and of S. Stephen, at that time as a Chappell annexed to S. Olaue, 1399. H. Friole Taylor, 1400. T. Morsted Esquire, Chirurgion to Henry the fourth, fift and sixt, one of the shiriffes, 1436. hee builded a faire new Ile to the enlargement of this church, on the North side thereof, wherein he lyeth buried, 1450. Adam Breakspeare, Chaplen, 1411. William Kerkbie Mercer, 1465. Robert Large Mercer, Mayor 1440. He gaue to that Church 200 pound. Iohn Belwine Founder, 1467. Gabriell Raue Fuller, 1511. Wentworth, Esquier, 1510. Thomas Michell Ironmonger, 1527. Giles Dewes, seruant to Henry the seuenth, and to Henry the eight, Cleark of their Libraries, and schoolemaister for the French tongue to Prince Arthur, and to the Lady Mary, 1535. Richard Chamberlaine Ironmonger, one of the shiriffes, 1562. Edmond Burlacy Mercer, 1583. Iohn Brian, &c.

Kings pallace in the old Iewry.

From this parrish church of S. Olaue, to the north ende of the Old Iurie, and from thence west to the north end of Ironmongers lane, and from the said corner into Ironmongers lane, almost to the parrish Church of saint Martin, was of olde time one large building of stone, very ancient, made in place of Iewes houses, but of what antiquitie, or by whom the same was builded, or for what vse I haue not lerned, more then that king Henry the 6. in the 16. of his raign, gaue the office of being Porter or keeper thereof, vnto Iohn Stent for terme of his life, by the name of his principall palace in the olde Iurie: this was in my youth called the old Wardrope: but of later time the outward stone wall hath been by little and little taken downe, and diuers fayre houses builded therevpon, euen round about.

Parish church of S. Margaret in Lothbery.

Now for the North side of this Lothburie, beginning again at the East end thereof, vppon the water course of Walbrooke haue yee a proper Parrish Church, called saint Margaret, which seemeth to bee newly reedified and builded aboute the yeare 1440. For Robert Large gaue to the Quire of that Church one hundred shillinges, and twentie pounde for ornamentes, more, to the vaulting ouer the Watercourse of Walbrooke by the saide church, for the inlarging thereof, two hundred markes.

There be monuments in this church, of Reginald Coleman sonne to Robert Coleman buried there, 1383. This said Robert Coleman may bee supposed the first builder or owner (fn. 2) of Coleman streete, and that saint Stephens church then builded in Coleman streete was but a chappell belonging to the parrish Church of saint Olaue in the Iury: for we reade (as afore) that Iohn Forest Vicker of saint Olaues, and of the chappell annexed of saint Stephen, deceased in the yeare 1399. Hugh Clopton Mercer, Mayor, deceased 1496. Iohn Dimocke, Anselme Becket, Iohn Iulian and William Ilford <had> Chaunteries there. Sir Brian Tewke knight, Treasurer of the Chamber to King Henrie the eight, and Dame Grisilde his wife, that deceased after him, were there buried, 1536. Iohn Fetiplace, Draper, Esquier, 1464, and Ioan his wife, sir Hugh Witch Mercer, Mayor, sonne to Richard Witch, intombed there, 1466. He gaue to his third wife three thousand pound, and to maides marriages fiue hundred marks: Sir Iohn Leigh 1564. with this Epitaph.

No wealth, no prayse, no bright renowne, no skill,
No force, no fame, no princes loue, no toyle,
Though forraigne land by trauell search ye will,
No faithfull seruice of the country soyle,
Can life prolong one minute of an houre,
But death at length will execute his power.
For Sir Iohn Leigh to sundry countries knowne,
A worthy Knight well of his prince esteemde,
By seeing much to great experience growne,
Though safe on seas, though sure on land he seemde
Yet here he lyes too soone by death opprest,
His fame yet liues, his soule in heauen doth rest.

Conduit in Lothbery.

By the West end of this parrish church haue ye a fayre water Conduit, builded at the charges of the cittie in the yeare 1546. Sir Martin Bowes being Mayor: two fifteenes were leuied of the Cittizens toward the charges thereof: this water is conueyed in great aboundance from diuers springes lying betwixt Hoxton and Iseldon.

The Founders hall.;Bay Hall.; Coleman street.; Armorers Hal.; Kings alley. Loue lane. Parish Church of S. Stenen sometime a Sinagogue of the Iewes.

Next is the Founders Hall, a proper House, and so to the Southwest Corner of Bassinges Hall streete, haue yee fayre and large houses for Marchauntes: namely the Corner house, at the ende of Bassings hall streete, an olde peece of worke builded of stone, sometime belonging to a certaine Iew named Mansere, the sonne of Aron, the sonne of Coke the Iew, the 7. of Edward the first: since to Rahere de Sopars lane, then to Simon Francis. Thomas Bradbery mercer kept his Maioraltie there, deceased 1509. Part of this house hath beene lately imployed as a Market house for the sale of woollen bayes, Watmols (fn. 3), Flanels, and such like: Alderman Bennet now possesseth it. On this North side against the old Iurie, is Coleman streete, so called of Coleman the first builder and owner thereof, as also of Colechurch, or Coleman church agaynst the great Conduit in Cheape. This is a faire and large street, on both sides builded with diuerse faire houses, besides Allies, with small tenements in great number. On the East side of this streete, almost at the North end thereof, is the Armourers Hall, which companie of Armourers were made a fraternitie or Guild of Saint George, with a Chantrie in the Chapple of saint Thomas in Paules Church, in the first of Henrie the sixt. Also on the same side, is kings Alley, and Loue lane, both containing many tenements. And on the west side towards the south end, is the parish church of Saint Stephen, wherein the Monuments are defaced: notwithstanding, I find that William Crayhag founded a Chantrie there, in the raigne of Edward the second, and was buried there. Also Iohn Essex the 35. of Edward the third, Adam Goodman the 37. of Edward the third, William King Draper, sometime owner of Kings Alley, the 18. of Richard the second, Iohn Sokeling the 10. of Henrie the sixt, Iohn Arnold Leatherseller, the 17. of Henrie the eight, his tombe remaineth on the north side the Quire. Richard Hamney 1418. Kirnigham 1468. Sir Iohn Garme, Richard Colsel, Edmond Harbeke Currier, all these were benefactors, and buried there. This Church was sometime a Synagogue of the Iewes, then a Parish church, then a chappell to saint Olaues in the Iurie, vntill the seuenth of Edward the fourth, and was then incorporated a parish church.

Cocke of water by S. Stephens church.;Conduit at London wall.

By the East ende of this Church is placed a cocke of sweete water, taken of the maine pipe that goeth into Lothberie. Also in London wall directly against the north end of Colman street, is a Conduit of water, made at the charges of Thomas Exmew goldsmith, Maior 1517. And let here be the ende of this warde, which hath an Alderman, his Deputie, common Counsellers foure, Constables foure, Scauengers foure, of the Wardmote inquest 13. and a Beedle. It is taxed to the fifteene xv. l. xvi. s. ix. d.

Footnotes

  • 1. disdainedly] 1633; disdainely 1603
  • 2. owner] 1633; Honor 1598, 1603
  • 3. Watmols] Wodmels 1598