Thy famous Maire by sure governaunce Above all Maires as maister most worthy BUCKLESBURY; AND CORNET's tower. BUCKLESBURY, which commencing on the south side of Cheapside, proceeds in an oblique direction behind the Poultry into Walbrook, was "so called," says Stow," of a mannor and tenements pertaining to one Buckle, who there dwelt and kept his courts.* His mansion is supposed to have been the great stone building yet in part remaining on the south side of the streete ;-which hath of long time been divided, and letten out into many tenements and it hath been a common speech, that when Walbrooke did lye open, barges were rowed out of the Thames, or towed up so farre; and therefore the place hath ever since been called the Old Barge,-of such a Signe hanged out over the gate thereof."† Directly opposite to Buckle's mansion was an ancient and strong Tower, of stone, which Edward III., by the name of the King's House, or Cornet's Tower, "did appoint to be his Exchange of Money, there to * "Survey of London," p. 477; edit. 1618. bid.-In Barge-yard, an inclosed court on the south side icklesbury, the well-known Sir Theodore Jansen, Knt. a house in George the First's reign. be kept.' * Pennant says, this was "possibly a watch tower, from the summit of which, signals might have been given by the blowing of a horn;" in which conjecture he is probably right, and hence the origin of the name. But it is remarkable that that careless writer has committed no fewer than four errors in almost the same number of lines, in his brief account from Stow, of this Tower.t Edward III., in his 32d year, (anno 1358) granted Cornet's Tower to his newly-built Chapel of St. Stephen, at Westminster. Stow informs us that it was: taken down" of late yeeres," by Buckle, a grocer, (probably a descendant of the first mentioned owner of this manor,) who meant, in place thereof," to have. set up and builded, a goodly frame of timber," that. is, a handsome house of wood; but whilst he was greedily labouring" to "demolish the old Tower, a part fell upon him, and bruised him so sore, that his life was thereby shortened; and another, who married his widow, set up the new prepared frame of timber, and finished the worke.” Bucklesbury was, for a long period, chiefly inhabited by grocers and apothecaries, (or as we now call them, druggists,) who sold all kinds of herbs, "green as well as dry;" and it has been observed, that their houses, during the occurrence of the plague, were generally free from the visitations of that dreadful scourge. To smell like Bucklesbury in simpletime," is a phrase used by Shakspeare, in his "Mer *Ibid. + Vide "London," p. 443; edit. 1793. ry Wives of Windsor;" and Decker, in his comedy of "Westward Hoe," published in 1607, has twice mentioned this street. In the first passage he says, "Go into Bucklesbury, and fetch me two ounces of preserved melonnes: look there be no tobacco taken in the shop when he weighs it :"-his words in the second are, "" Run into Bucklesbury for two ounces of dragon-water, some spermaceti, and treacle."* Pennant states, that he had heard Bucklesbury was noted for the great resort of ladies of fashion to purchase tea, fans, and other Indian goods, there, in the time of King William, who, in some of his letters, appeared to be angry with his Queen for visiting those shops; which, as appears from the following lines of Prior, were sometimes perverted to places of intrigue. Speaking of Hans Carvel's wife, the poet says,"She, first of all the town, was told Where newest Indian things were sold; So in a morning, without boddice, Slipt sometimes out to Mrs. Thody's, To cheapen tea, or buy a screen ;— What else could so much virtue mean?" *Moufet, in his " Health's Improvement," &c. written in Queen Elizabeth's reign, calls upon the druggists and apothecaries to decide, whether sweet smells correct pestilent air. He adds, that Bucklesbury being replete with physic, drugs, and spicery, and being perfumed, in the time of the Plague, with the pounding of spices, melting of jam, and making perfumes for others, escaped that great Plague whereof such multitudes died, that scarce any house was left unvisited. Pennant's " London," p. 444; edit. 1793. DUCK LANE, NOW DUKE STREET, WEST-SMITHField. It would seem, from the following passage in one of Oldham's Satires, written about 1680, that Duck Lane, which, for many years past, has been exalted into Duke Street, was once famous for refuse bookshops; and a few of that description are still remaining there. "And so may'st thou, perchance, pass up and down, This avenue leads into Little Britain, which, also, was formerly celebrated for its booksellers. OLD BETHLEHEM, OR BETHLEM HOSPITAL, WITHOUT BISHOPSGATE. BETHLEHEM, or Bethlem Hospital, vulgarly called Bedlam, derived its origin from a religious Community, instituted and settled" without Bishopsgate," (on the west side of the high street), by Simon Fitz-Mary, Sheriff of London, in the years 1246 and 1247.* “ He *In Strype's Stow, Vol. I. B. ii. pp. 91, 95, is a copy of the original deed of foundation, by which Fitz-Mary grants all his houses, land, &c. between the High Street and the great ditch, called Deep Ditch, westward, "to the church of the glorious Virgin at Bethlem, (where the same Virgin brought forth our Saviour incarnate, and lying in the cratch, with her own milk nourished,”) iu free and perpetual alms, and to found there a priory for brethren and sisters, as stated above. They were to wear a Star on their copes and mantles in honour of the Star of Bethlem, and to be subject to the visitation of the Bishop of Bethlem, to whom, in token of obedience, they were to pay one mark sterling, annually at Easter. founded it," says Stow," to have beene a Priorie of Canons, with brethren and sisters; and King Edward the Third granted a protection, which I have seene; for the brethren, Milicia beatæ Mariæ de Bethlem, within the City of London, the 14 yeere of his reigne It was an Hospitall for distracted people.-The Maior and Commonalty purchased the patronage thereof, with al the lands and tenements thereunto belonging, in the yeere 1546," from Henry the VIIIth; at which period, the hospital and its appurtenances were valued at £404. 12s. 11d. After the City had thus obtained the patronage, this hospital was opened for the more general recep tion of lunatics than before; and in Edward the VIths reign, several " protections" were issued by the King in Council, to different Proctors of the establishment, authorizing them to solicit alms for the maintenance of the patients during one year.* In the 5th year of the same reign, the precinct of Bethlem was annexed to the parish of St. Botolph, without Bishopsgate. In Queen Elizabeth's time, the Hospital "Church and Chappel," Stow says, 66 were taken downe, and houses builded there, by the governors of Christ's Hospital. In this place, people that be distraight in their wits, are (by the suite of their friends,) received and kept as afore, but not without charges to *These were the kind of Proctors who were forbidden to be entertained in Watt's House for poor Travellers at Rochester, hich so much ridiculous argument has been employed. |