Cheapside

Cheapside

East from St. Paul's Cathedral to Poultry (P.O. Directory). In Cordwainer and Cheap Wards, Cripplegate Ward Within, Farringdon Ward Within, and Bread Street Ward.

First mention: "Chepsyde," temp. H. VIII. (H. MSS. Com. Var. Coll. ii. 49). "Chepesyde," 2 H. VIII. 1510 (Lond. I. p.m. I. 74).

Former name and forms (including earliest mention): "Westceape," 1067 (Cott. Ch. vi. 3). "Vico fori," c. 1125–30 (MS. D. and C. St. Paul's Liber L. ff. 47–50). "Foro de Westchep," c. 1214–22 (Ch. Harl. 43, A. 56). "Westcheph," H. III. (Anc. Deeds, A. 2156). "Chepe," 1291–4 (Cal. L. Bk. A. p. 190). "Great Street called Westchepe," 1249 (H. MSS. Com. 9th Rep. 25); "the chepe (foro) of London," 1257 (Ano. Deeds, A. 9656). "Vicum de Westchep," 10 Ed. I. 1282 (Cal. P.R. Ed. I. 1281–92, p. 24).

In the old days before the Fire it was a handsome street, and was ornamented by the Cross, the Standard, and the Conduit. It must have been of considerable width, as the market was held in the middle of the street, while justings also took place in it from time to time.

In process of time the street has been raised several feet, so that it is 28 ft. higher than when St. Paul's was first built, as appears by marks discovered when the new foundations were laid (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 198).

Some houses at the south-west corner, near St. Paul's Churchyard, were taken down c. 1760 to widen the street.

This was the site of the great market of London, and the several trades were represented by their selds in it. The street was named from the market, A.S. "ceap" = "barter," "purchase."

The name "Westcheap" was used to distinguish it from the market at the eastern end of the City, designated Eastcheap.

A chalk wall has been found crossing Cheapside diagonally from Bread Street to Wood Street, at a depth of 12 ft. (Arch. XXVII. 150).

To the north-east of its junction with St. Paul's Churchyard, a domestic building was found, the section at the depth of 18 ft. presenting a view of the hypocaust, with its pillars of tiles. Above these was a tessellated pavement. Roach Smith speaks of the building as a kiln, and says pottery was found there (pp. 79 and 110). Coins were also found (Arch. XXIX. 272).

Cheapside, by Stow, called West Cheap, one of the most Spacious, Publick, Beautiful and Rich streets, as also of the largest Buildings and greatest Trade in London, near the middle of the City, and lies betn the Poultry or the end of Bucklersbury, near E. and Blowbladder str. or Paternoster Row Wd. L. 450 Yds, and very broad, from P C. NEly 170 Yds.

Stow says this part of the City hath been very much Raised, and gives an instance to prove his Opinion of one Tomlinson making a Vault in Cheapside, at the corner of Breadstr. where was found at 15 Foot deep, a fair Pavement, and that it was 17 Food deep before they came to the main Ground.

This Ward is also called from the str. which he also says had its Name from a Market Place here, formerly called West Cheaping. There was also a Cross here made by Order of Edw. I. whose Queen Eleanor Dying at Hardelly, near Lincoln, her Body was bought from thence to Westminster, and at every place where it rested by the way, the King caused a stately Stone Cross to be Built, with the Queens Image and Arms on it, as at Grantham, Woborn, Northampton, Stonystratford, Dunstable, St. Albans, Waltham, West Cheap and Charing afterwards called Charing Cross. In this str. of Cheapside, was also where several were Executed. It is now a place of great Trade for (chiefly) Linen Drapers, Goldsmiths, Milliners and Taverns.

[Cheapside.] This Street of Cheapside, is spacious and large, graced with very lofty Buildings; which are well inhabited by Goldsmiths, Linnen Drapers, Haberdashers, Druggists, and other noted Tradesmen; being one of the chief high Streets in the City, and of a very great Resort, as leading to and from the Royal Exchange. This Street is seated in several Wards; as the part in this Ward goeth to Woodstreet, taking in St. Peters Cheap Churchyard. Then Cripplegate Ward begins, which goeth to Milk street; then Cheap Ward begins, which taketh in the rest of the Street to the Poultrey. And on the South side, this Ward runneth a little beyond Friday street; then Bread street Ward begins, and runs almost to St. Mary le Bow Church: And a little beyond the said Church, Cheap Ward begins, and runs into Poultry, and down Bucklersbury.

Cheapside, From St. Paul's church yard to the Poultry. It derives its name from there being a market there, or in the Saxon language a Cheap. In the year 1331, only the south side of this street was built, and there being a great opening on the other side King Edward III. held justs or tournaments there for three days together. Maitland. It is a spacioud street, adorned with lofty buildings, inhabited by goldsmiths, linendrapers, haberdashers, &c. extending from Paternoster row to the Poultry.

Cheapside,—extends from the N.E. corner of St. Paul's church-yard to the Old-Jewry, about ¼ of a mile in length, and is continued by the Poultry to the Mansion-house.

Cheapside, one of the principal streets and thoroughfares in the City, extends from the north-east corner of St. Paul's churchyard to the old Jewry, Bucklersbury and the Poultry. It derives its name from the Saxon word Cheap, which signifies a market, the street therefore is the Market-side; as in the year 1331, the south side only was built upon, and the north side was an open field, where jousts or tournaments were often held. One of these given by Edward III., lasted for three days together.

This market was called West Cheap, while that beyond Cannon-street was called East Cheap. In this street, nearly opposite the end of Wood-street, stood formerly Cheapside-cross, which was one of those erected in 1290, by Edward I., in token of his affection for his deceased Queen Eleanor. It was rebuilt in 1442, by John Hatherly, Mayor of London. After the reformation it was mutilated and its statues destroyed; and in 1643, it was entirely destroyed and removed as a relic of popery by the puritanical parliament.

This street gives its name to the ward wherein it is situated. The Ward of Cheap is bounded on the east by the wards of Broad-street and Walbrook, on the north by these of Bassishaw and Coleman-street, on the west by those of Queenhithe and Cripplegate, and on the south by that of the Cordwainers. It extends from the corner of St. Mildred's-court in the Poultry, to near the corner of Milk-street, Cheapside, and from the west corner of the Mansion House, to within thirty feet of Bow-lane. It includes the Poultry, the eastern end of Cheapside, Bucklersbury, part of Pancras lane, Queen-street and Bow-lane, on the south side of the ward; and Grocers'-hall-court, part of the Old Jewry, Ironmonger-lane, King-street, Lawrence-lane, Honey-lane Market, and the principal part of Cateaton-street, on the north. The principal buildings in this ward, are the parish churches of Mildred in the Poultry and St. Mary Colechurch, Guildhall, Mercers'-hall and chapel and Grocers'-hall.—[See these several streets and buildings.

It is divided into nine municipal precincts, and is under the government of an alderman (William Thompson, Esq., M.P.) a deputy and eleven other common-councilmen, and other ward officers.

Cheapside, originally Cheap, or West Cheap, a street between the Poultry and St. Paul's, a portion of the line from Charing Cross to the Royal Exchange, and from Holborn to the Bank of England.

At the west end of this Poultry and also of Bucklesbury, beginneth the large street of West Cheaping, a market-place so called, which street stretcheth west till ye come to the little Conduit by Paul's Gate.—Stow, p. 99.

As late as the 14th century the north side of Cheapside from the Guildhall was open ground reserved for jousts and other entertainments. The market was held in the middle of the street. Thus, in an article concerning markets of the time of Edward I. it is ordered that "All manner of victuals that are sold by persons in Chepe, upon Cornhulle, and elsewhere in the City, such as bread, cheese, poultry, fruit, hides and skins, onions and garlic, and all other small victuals, for sale as well by denizens as by strangers, shall stand midway between the kennels of the streets, so as to be a nuisance to no one, under pain of forfeiture of the article." While upon fair-days no market was to be held, "as well for pots, pans, hutches and coffers, as for other utensels of iron and brass."^l The taverns in Chepe, always numerous, were not to "have an alestake bearing the sign, or leaves [the well-known bush that good wine needs not] projecting or extending over the street more than 7 feet in length, at the utmost." The street and market regulations were in other respects equally stringent, and it is clear the Chepe was then the most frequented, as it was the central part of the City, and hence in all the out-door municipal ceremonials the Chepe figures prominently. Thus when the new Lord Mayor returns after having taken his oath of office at the Exchequer, he is to be "accompanied through the middle of the market of West-Chepe" by the livery of the company to which he belongs, the serjeant-at-arms, the mace-bearers and the sword-bearer going before him, a sheriff bearing a white wand on each side, and the recorder and aldermen following in order.² On the other hand it was the common place of public exposure. Thus, if for the second time "any default shall be found in the bread of a baker of the City," he is to be "drawn upon a hurdle from the Guildhall through the great street of Chepe, in manner aforesaid [that is where 'the streets are most dirty, with the faulty loaf hanging from his neck'] to the pillory; and to be put upon the pillory and remain there at least one hour in the day."³ So, when in 1311, an examination was made throughout the City "as to false hats" it was alleged were being sold, "and it was found upon the oath of the said examiners that forty gray and white hats and fifteen black hats ... were of false workmanship and a mixture of wool and flocks; therefore it was adjudged that they should be burnt in the street of Chepe." False kidels and nets with meshes below the standard size; caps there were insufficiently filled, and moreover were "oiled with grease that was rank and putrid," such caps being "false and made in deceit of the commonalty;" "false and vamped up" gloves and braels (or girdles); hucksters' "chopyns" (or pint measures) short in quantity; dorsers (the baskets in which fish were brought to market) which were "not of rightful measure," and other false and deceitful commodities, are to be "burnt in the strete of the Chepe and their makers or vendors find," and in the case of the dorsers "the fish which they contain is to be forfeited to the use of the sheriffs."

By the foundation charter of the Goldsmiths' Company, I Edward III. (1327), all of the trade were directed to "sit in their shops in the High Street of Chepe, and that no silver in plate, nor vessel of gold or silver, should be sold in the City of London, except in the said street of Chepe or in the King's Exchange."⁴

At that time [1563] Cheapside, which is worthily called the Beauty of London, was on the north side, very meanely furnished, in comparison of the present estate.—Howes, ed. 1631, p. 869.

Thomas Wood [goldsmith], one of the sheriffs in the year 1491, dwelt there [Wood Street, Cheapside]; he was an especial benefactor towards the building of St. Peter's Church at Wood Street End; he also built the beautiful front of houses in Cheape over against Wood Street End, which is called Goldsmiths' Row, garnished with the likeness of woodmen.—Stow, pp. 111, 129.

October 26, 1622.—It was remembered how impoverished [the City] is since the last loan; and it is a strange sight to see the meaner trades creep into Goldsmiths' Row, the glory and beauty of Cheapside.—Chamberlain to Carleton, Cal. State Papers, 1619–1623, p. 457.

... the golden Cheapside, where the earth
Of Julian Herrick gave to me my birth.
Herrick, Tears to Thamysis.

At this time [1630] and for diuers yeares past, the Goldsmiths' Roe in Cheapside was and is much abated of her wonted store of Goldsmiths which was the beauty of that famous streete, for the young Goldsmiths, for cheapnesse of dwelling, take them houses in Fleet Street, Holborne, and the Strand, and in other streets and suburbs; and in the place Goldsmiths' shops were turned to Milliners, Booke-sellers, Linen-drapers, and others.—Howes, ed. 1631, p. 1045.

Cheapside was long in repute for its silk-mercers, linen-drapers, and hosiers.

Paid for damaske in Chepe Syde xxxiij^s. iij^d.—Expenses of Sir John Howard, first Duke of Norfolk of that name.

Then to the Chepe I began me drawne,
Where mutch people I saw for to stande:
One ofred me velvet, sylke, and lawne,
An other he taketh me by the hande,
"Here is Parys thred, the fynest in the land;"
I never was used to such thyngs indede,
And wantyng mony I myght not spede.
Lydgate's London Lykpenny.

The common soldiers, disdaining bags of pepper, sugar, and wine, and such gross commodities, were seen by the space of four or five days, with their arms full of silk and cloth of gold, in as ample a manner as if they had been in Cheapside.—MS. (1596) quoted in Edwards's Raleigh, vol. i. p. 229.

Cheapside is a very stately spacious street, adorned with lofty buildings; well inhabited by Goldsmiths, Linen-drapers, Haberdashers, and other great dealers.—Strype, B. iii. p. 49.

Charles I., in 1635, dined at Bradborne's, the great silkman in Cheapside.⁵

You are as arrant a cockney as any hosier in Cheapside.—Swift to Gay, September 10, 1731.

In early days the tallow-chandlers settled here pretty numerously, but they were not allowed to continue. In 1283 there were seventeen candle-makers' selds or shops, who all received notice to clear out "before the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist" (June 24) of that year, but were told that they have "liberty to provide themselves elsewhere if they see fit."⁶ This street, one of the most frequented thoroughfares in London, was famous in former times for its "Ridings," its "Cross," its "Conduit," and its "Standard."

Ridings in Cheap.—In the reign of Edward III. divers joustings were made in this street, betwixt Soper's Lane and the Great Cross, namely, one in the year 1331, the 21st of September, as I find noted by divers writers of that time. In the middle of the city of London (say they), in a street called Cheape, the stone pavement being covered with sand, that the horses might not slide when they strongly set their feet to the ground, the king held a tournament three days together, with the nobility, valiant men of the realm, and other some strange knights. And to the end the beholders might with the better ease see the same, there was a wooden scaffold erected across the street, like unto a tower, wherein Queen Philippa, and many other ladies, richly attired and assembled from all parts of the realm, did stand to behold the jousts; but the higher frame in which the ladies were placed, brake in sunder, whereby they were with some shame forced to fall down, by reason whereof the knights, and such as were underneath, were grievously hurt; wherefore the queen took great care to save the carpenters from punishment, and through her prayers (which she made upon her knees) pacified the king and council, and thereby purchased great love of the people. After which time the king caused a shed to be strongly made of stone, for himself, the queen, and other estates to stand on, and there to behold the joustings and other shows, at their pleasure, by the church of St. Mary Bow.—Stow, p. 101.

Without the north side of this church of St. Mary Bow, towards West Cheape, standeth one fair building of stone, called in record Seldam, a shed, which greatly darkeneth the said church; for by means thereof all the windows and doors on that side are stopped up. King Edward III. caused this sild or shed to be made and to be strongly built of stone, for himself, the queen, and other estates to stand in, there to behold the joustings and other shows at their pleasures. And this house for a long time after served for that use, viz. in the reign of Edward III. and Richard II.; but, in the year 1410 Henry IV. confirmed the said shed or building to Stephen Spilman, William Marchford, and John Whateley, mercers, by the name of one New Seldam, shed, or building, with shops, cellars, and edifices whatsoever appertaining, called Crounsilde or Tamersilde, situate in the mercery in West Cheape, and in the parish of St. Mary de Arcubus in London, etc. Notwithstanding which grant, the kings of England and other great estates, as well of foreign countries repairing to this realm, as inhabitants of the same, have usually repaired to this place, therein to behold the shows of this city passing through West Cheape, viz. the great Watches, accustomed in the night, on the Even of St. John Baptist, and St. Peter at Midsummer, the examples whereof were over long to recite, wherefore let it suffice briefly to touch one. In the year 1510, on St. John's Even, at night, King Henry VIII. came to this place, then called the King's Head in Cheape, in the livery of a yeoman of the guard, with an halbert on his shoulder (and there beholding the watch) departed privily when the watch was done, and was not known to any but to whom it pleased him; but on St. Peter's night next following, he and the queen came royally riding to the said place, and there with their nobles beheld the watch of the city, and returned in the morning.—Stow, p. 97.

A prentis dwelled whilom in our citee,—
At every bridale would he sing and hoppe;
He loved bet the taverne than the shoppe;
For whan ther eny Riding was in Chepe,
Out of the shoppe thider wold he lepe;
And til that he had all the sight ysein,
And danced wel, he wold not come agen.
Chaucer, The Coke's Tale.

The balcony in Bow Church [St. Mary-le-Bow] is a pleasing memorial of this old seldam or shed. King James II., in his Memoirs, refers to the civic processions in this street.

September, 1677.—The King [Charles II.] had advice at Newmarket of the fifth monarchy-men's design to murder him and the Duke of York there or at London on the Lord Mayor's Day in a balcony.—Macpherson, vol. i. p. 84.

The last Lord Mayor's pageant, devised by the City poet, and publicly performed (Elkanah Settle was this last City poet), was seen by Queen Anne in the first year of her reign (1702) "from a balcony in Cheapside."⁷ The concluding plate of Hogarth's "Industry and Idleness" represents the City procession entering Cheapside—the seats erected on the occasion and the canopied balcony, hung with tapestry, containing Frederick, Prince of Wales, and his Princess, as spectators of the scene. [See Saddlers' Hall.] It appears, from Trusler, that formerly it was usual in a London lease to insert a clause, giving a right to the landlord and his friends to stand in the balcony during the time of the shows or pastimes upon the day called Lord Mayor's Day. The last celebrated Riding was performed by Cowper's John Gilpin:—

Smack went the whip, round went the wheel,
     Were never folk so glad;
The stones did rattle underneath
     As if Cheapside were mad.

Cheapside Cross⁸ (one of the twelve crosses [see Charing Cross] erected by Edward I. to Eleanor, his queen) stood in the middle of the street, facing Wood Street End. Eleanor died at Hardeby, near Lincoln, in 1290, and the King caused a cross to be set up in every place where her body rested on its way to Westminster Abbey. Cheapside was the intermediate resting-place between Waltham and Charing Cross, and "Magister Michael de Cantuariâ, cementarius," was the mason employed in the erection of the cross. Its after history is interesting. John Hatherly, mayor, "re-edified the same in more beautiful manner" in 1441. It was new gilt over in 1522 against the coming of the Emperor Charles V., and again in 1533 against the coronation of Henry and Anne Boleyn; new burnished against the coronation of Edward VI.; new gilt in 1554 against the coming in of King Philip; "broken and defaced" June 21, 1581; "fastened and repaired" in 1595–1596, when, "under the image of Christ's Resurrection, defaced, was set up a curious wrought tabernacle of gray marble, and in the same an alabaster image of Diana, for the most part naked, and water conveyed from the Thames prilling from her naked breast;"⁹ again defaced in 1600, the image of the Virgin being greatly damaged. The Cross seems to have been especially obnoxious to the Puritans of this period. In Randolph's Muses' Looking Glass, 1638, a Puritan speaks of it as an idol:—

She looketh like the Idol of Cheapside.

After this most valiant and excellent king had built me in forme, answerable in beauty and proportion to the rest, I fell to decay, at which time one John Hatherly, Maior of London, having first obtained a licence of King Henry the Sixt, anno 1441, I was repaired in a beautiful manner. John Fisher, a mercer, after that gave 600 markes to my new erecting or building, which was finished anno 1484, and after in the second yeare of Henry the Eighth I was gilded over against the comming in of Charles the Fift Emperor, and newly then gilded against the coronation of King Edward the Sixt, and gilded againe anno 1554 against the coronation of King Philip. Lord, how often have I been presented by juries of the guest for incombrance of the street, and hindring of cartes and carriages, yet I have kept my standing: I shall never forget how upon the 21st of June, anno 1581, my lower statues were in the night with ropes pulled and rent down, as in the resurrection of Christ—the image of the Virgin Mary, Edward the Confessor, and the rest. ... My crosse should have beene taken quite away, and a Piramis errected in the place, but Queen Elizabeth (that queen of blessed memory) commanded some of her privie councell in her Majesties name, to write unto Sir Nicholas Moseley, then Maior, to have me againe repaired with a crosse; yet for all this I stood bare for a yeare or two after: Her Highness being very angry, sent expresse word she would not endure their contempt, but expressly commanded forthwith the cross should be set up, and sent a strict command to Sir William Rider, Lord Maior, and bade him to respect my antiquity. ... This letter was dated December 24 anno 1600. Last of all I was marvellously beautified and adorned against the comming in of King James, and fenced about with sharp pointed barres of iron, against the rude and villainous hands of such as upon condition as they might have the pulling me downe, would be bound to rifle all Cheapside.—Henry Peacham's Dialogue between the Crosse in Cheap and Charing Cross, 1641.

The cross was finally demolished, Tuesday, May 2, 1643, in the mayoralty of Isaac Pennington, the regicide; "and while the thing was a doing," says Howell, "there was a noyse of trumpets blew all the while."¹⁰

On Tuesday, May 2, 1643, the Cross in Cheapside was taken down to cleanse that great street of superstition.—Archbishop Laud's Troubles, etc., ed. 1695, p. 203.

May 2, 1643.—I went to London, where I saw the furious and zealous people demolish that stately Crosse in Cheapside.—Evelyn.

Upon the utter demolition of this so ancient and visible a monument, or ornament, of the city of London, as all foreigners esteemed it, it fortuned that there was another new one popp'd up in Cheapside, hard by the Standard, viz., a high square table of stone, left in legacy by one Russell, a Porter and well-minded man, with this distich engraven:—

God blesse the Porter, who great pains doth take,
Rest here, and welcome when thy back doth ake.
Howell's Londinopolis, fol. 1657, p. 115.

July 22, 1645.—In the afternoon divers Crucifixes, Popish Pictures, and Books, were burnt in Cheapside, where the Cross formerly stood.—Whitelocke, ed. 1732, p. 162.

The Conduits.¹¹—The Great Conduit in Cheap stood in the middle of the street, near its junction with the Poultry; the Little Conduit in the middle of the street at the west end, facing Foster Lane and Old 'Change. On great occasions "the Conduits in Chepe ran with nothing but wine for all who chose to drink there."

In the east part of this street standeth the Great Conduit of sweet water, conveyed by pipes of lead under-ground from Paddington for the service of this city, castellated with stone and cisterned in lead about the year 1285, and again new built and enlarged by Thomas Ilam, one of the sheriffs, 1479.—Stow, p. 99.¹²

In 1559, when Elizabeth in her first visit to the City, the day before her coronation, came to the Little Conduit in Cheapside, where a stately pageant had been prepared, after various Latin speeches had been delivered, a Bible in English, richly covered, was let down unto her by a silk lace from a child that represented Truth. "Shee kissed both her hands, with both her hands shee received it, then shee kissed it; afterwards applied it to her breast; and lastly held it up, thanking the City especially for that gift, and promising to be a diligent reader thereof."¹³

The Standard in Cheap stood "about the midst of this street,"¹⁴ probably not far from Bow Church. It was the usual place of punishment for weighty offences, and for the burning of seditious books.

In the year 1293 three men had their right hands smitten off there, for rescuing of a prisoner arrested by an officer of the City. In the year 1326 the burgesses of London caused Walter Stapleton, Bishop of Excester, Treasurer to Edward II., and other to be beheaded at the Standard in Cheape (but this was by Paul's Gate); in the year 1351, the 26th of Edward III., two fishmongers were beheaded at the Standard in Cheape, but I read not of their offence; 1381, Wat Tyler beheaded Richard Lions and other there. In the year 1399 Henry IV. caused the blanch charters made by Richard II. to be burnt there. In the year 1450 Jack Cade, Captain of the Kentish rebels, beheaded the Lord Say there. In the year 1461, John Davy had his hand stricken off there, because he had stricken a man before the judges at Westminster, etc.—Stow, p. 100.

Observe.—Church of St. Mary-le-Bow; Saddlers' Hall, No. 141, here Sir Richard Blackmore, the poet, followed the profession of a physician. Mercers' Hall and Chapel, No. 87. No. 90, corner of Ironmonger Lane (where the Atlas Assurance Office now stands), was the shop of Alderman John Boydell (d. 1804). Before he removed here he lived "at the Unicorn, the corner of Queen Street in Cheapside, London." Before the present Mansion House was built in 1737, No. 73 (formerly Mr. Tegg, the bookseller's) was used occasionally as the Lord Mayor's Mansion House. Sir John Bennett's shop, Nos. 65–66, with the figures of Gog and Magog striking the hours on a great bell, and other "allegorical personages," as the knight calls them, striking hours and quarters, appears to be as attractive to wondering crowds in our day as the famous figures at St. Dunstan's were in the past times. The bronze statue of Sir Robert Peel, by William Behnes, at the west end of Cheapside, was unveiled July 21, 1855. It is 11 feet high, and stands on a block of Peterhead granite, 12 feet high. The St. Paul's corner of Cheapside is carefully represented in Plate 12 of Hogarth's "Industry and Idleness." Sir C. Wren is said to have lived in Cheapside. "Sir William Blackstone was born, July 10, 1723, in Cheapside, in the parish of St. Mildred-le-Querne, at the house of his father, Mr. Charles Blackstone, a silkman, citizen and bowyer of London." George Morley, Bishop of Winchester (1597–1684), was born in this street. Banks, whose dancing-horse Morocco is so often alluded to by the old dramatists, was a vintner in Cheapside.

During the past few years Cheapside has been improved by the setting back of some houses and the erection of large and costly blocks of chambers, offices, warehouses and shops. Cheapside may be said to be in course of transformation.

---

¹ Liber Albus, p. 228.

² Liber Albus, p. 23.

³ Ibid. p. 232.

⁴ Herbert's History of the Twelve Great Livery Companies of London, vol. ii. p. 128; Nichols's Pageants, p. 12, note.

⁵ Stratford Letters, vol. i. p. 468, and sec p. 525.

⁶ Riley Memorials, p. 22.

⁷ Fairholt's Lord Mayors Pageants, vol. i. p. 118.

⁸ Of this celebrated cross there are four interesting views in Wilkinson's Londinia Illustrata, one "from a painting of the time lately at Cowdry in Sussex," representing part of the coronation procession of Edward VI.; a second representing the cross as it appeared in 1606, from a drawing in the Pepysian library, Cambridge; a third representing part of the procession of the Queen mother, Mary de Medicis, to visit Charles I. and Henrietta Maria; and fourth, the demolition of the cross in 1643, from a woodcut of the time, in La Serre's Entrée Royalle, fol. 1639.

⁹ Stow, p. 100.

¹⁰ Londinopolis, p. 115. A portion of the Cheapside Cross is preserved in the Guildhall Museum.

¹¹ The background of Hollar's full-length figure of Winter contains a view of the conduit and shops in Cheapside before the Fire.

¹² See also a Chronicle of London, 4to, 1827, p. 31.

¹³ Sir John Hayward's, Annuals p. 17, and comp. Nichols's Progresses of Queen Elizabeth, vol. i. pp. 50, 60.

¹⁴ Stow, p. 99.