Clement's Inn

Clements Inn. An Inn of Chancery, situate near, tho' somewhat Nd from St. Clement's Church (not so called from the Well, but both the Church, Inn and Well from the Pope, to whom the Church was dedicated, (vid. Sect. the 2d. St. Clement's Church). Here Students of the Law had their Inns or Lodging about Anno 1478. It is said to have descended to the Earls of Clare from Sir William Hollis, Ld Mayor of London, Anno 1539, who had it from one Cantlows about the Year 1528.

Here is a Hall and many handsome Chambers built round 3 Courts, thro' which is a Passage from St. Clement's Church to Clare Market in the Day time, when the Gates are open.

It is governed by 1 Principal and 14 Ancients. The Gent. are to be a Fortnight in commons every Term, and longer in Michaelmas Term, and pay 5 s. per Week tho' absent; they have Mootings sometimes twice a Term.

Their Armorial Ensigns are, Argent, an Anchor (without a Stock) in Pale proper, and a C. sable passing through the middle.

Clement's Inn. Now touching this City of Westminster, I will begin at Temple-bar, on the right Hand or North Side, and so pass up West, thro' a back Lane or Street, wherein do stand three Inns of Chancery. The First called Clement's-Inn, because it standeth near to St. Clement's Church; but nearer to the fair Fountain, called Clement's-Well. The second is New Inn, so called, as latelier made (of a common Hostery, and the Sign of our Lady) an Inn of Chancery, for Students than the other, namely, about the Beginning of the Reign of Henry VII, and not so late as some have supposed, to wit, at the pulling down of Strand Inn, in the Reign of King Edward VI. For I read, that Sir Thomas More, sometime Lord Chancellor, was a Student in this New Inn, and went from thence to Lincoln's-Inn, &c.

The third is Lyons Inn, and an Inn of Chancery also.

[Clement's Inn.] Near unto [St. Clements Church], on the North side is St. Clements Inn, being one of the Inns of Chancery. It hath three Courts one within another, all old Buildings, except a Row in the Garden, which is well built with a Prospect into the Garden, as also into that of New Inn adjoining to it, with a Door to open into the said Inn a Days, but shut at Nights; and here is a back Door which gives Passage into Clare Market.

Clement's, or St. Clement's Inn, on the north side of Wyche street, is thus called from its being near St. Clement's church. It is one of the inns of chancery, and has three courts one within another, which consists of old buildings, except a rowin the garden, which is well built.

Clement's Inn, Strand,—entrance op. the N. side St. Clement's church, a few doors on the R. from Temple-bar, leading to New-inn.

Clement's-Inn, Strand. The entrance to this inn is in Pickett-street, opposite the north side of St. Clement's church, a few houses on the right hand from Temple-bar, and leads to New-inn. It is an Inn of Chancery, belonging to the Inner Temple, and named from its contiguity to St. Clement's.

The antiquity of this inn is not at present known, but it is mentioned in a book of entries, dated in the nineteenth year of Edward IV. Shakspeare, however, if he could be relied on as a chronologist, makes it of much older date, for Justice Shallow, in the second part of Henry IV. speaks two or three times of his freaks, and of his acting in the shows, when he was a member of this inn, and boasts, "I was once of Clement's-inn, where, I think, they will talk of Mad Shallow yet." In the second year of Henry VII., Sir John Cantelow demised this inn to John and William Elliott, in trust for the students; and in 1538, it descended to Sir William Holles, then Lord Mayor, and from him, to the Earl of Clare, in whose family it still remains.

Clement's Inn, Strand, an Inn of Chancery, appertaining to the Inner Temple, and so called "because it standeth near to St. Clement's Church, but nearer to the fair fountain called Clement's Well;"¹ hence Holywell Street adjoining.

Clement's Inne was a messuage belonging to the parish of Saint Clement Dane; the deuise whereof is an anchor without a stocke, with a capital C couchant upon it, and this is grauen in stone over the gate of Clement's Inne. It seemeth to be a Hieroglyphike or Rebus (as some coniecture) figuring herein Saint Clement, who having bin Pope, and so reputed head of the Church (and the Church being resembled to a shippe), both his name and office are expressed in this deuise of the C and the anchor.—Sir George Buc, in Howes, ed. 1631, p. 1075.

This Inn is described in a Lease from Sir John Cantlow Knt. to Will. Elyot Clerk and John Elyot gent, dated 2 H. 7 (1486–1487), and enrolled in Chancery that year, viz. "All that Inn called Clements Inn and six Chambers without and near the South gate of the sd. Inn and two gardens adjoining in one of which is a Dovehouse and in the other a Barn with Stables. A House called a Gate House and a Close called Clement's Inn Close. All which are scituate in the Parish of S^t Clement Danes in the County of Middx. between the tenem^t of the said S^r John Cantlow in the tenure of John Elyot and Tykettsfield on the East and a Tenant of the said Sir John Cantlow in the tenure of the sd. Will, and Jno. Elyot and the Inn and Garden of the New Inn and the Inn and Garden of Sir John Fortescue Knight on the West and between the Highway opposite the Parish Church of St. Clement on the South and a Close or pasture belonging to the chapter of St. Giles's Hospital on the North. Habendum for 80 years at 4^l 6^s 8 per ann." The fine paid for this Lease was 40 merks sterling.

Shallow. I was once of Clement's Inn; where I think they will talk of mad Shallow yet.

Silence. You were called lusty Shallow then, cousin.

Shallow. By the mass, I was called anything; and I would have done anything indeed, and roundly too. There was I and Little John Doit of Staffordshire, and Black George Barnes of Staffordshire, and Francis Pickbone and Will Squele, a Cotswold man; you had not four such swinge-bucklers in all the Inns of Court again.

Shallow. I remember at Mile-end-green (when I lay at Clement's Inn) I was then Sir Dagonet in Arthur's show.—Shakespeare, Second part of Henry IV.

About the year 1528 (20 Henry VIII.) Cantlowe's right and interest was passed to William Holies, citizen of London, afterwards Knight and Lord Mayor of that city, and ancestor of the Dukes of Newcastle, John, Earl of Clare, son and successor of Sir John Holies, the first earl, and whose residence was on the site of the present Clare Market, demised it to the then principal and fellows.—Herbert's Inns of Court and Chancery, 1804, p. 278.

Myselfe doe lodge withowt St. Clement's Inn back dore, as soon as you come up the steps and owt of that house and dore on your left-hand two payre of stayres, into a little passage right before you. If you have occasion to ask for me, then you must say the Frenchman limner, for the people of the house know not my name perfectly for reasons' sake.—Hollar, the Engraver, to Aubrey, August 1661.

Robert Paltock, the author of Peter Wilkins, was of Clement's Inn. The hall was built in 1715. The black figure kneeling in the garden was presented to the inn by Holles, Earl of Clare, but when or by what earl no one has told us. It was brought from Italy, and is said to be of bronze. It was taken away a few years ago, and having been presented to the Society of the Inner Temple, it is now re-erected in the Inner Temple Gardens. An often quoted epigram was said to have been found stuck upon this figure:—

In vain, poor sable son of woe,
     Thou seek'st the tender tear:
From thee in vain with pangs they flow,
     For mercy dwells not here.
From cannibals thou fled'st in vain;
     Lawyers less quarter give;
The first won't eat you till you're slain,
     The last will do 't alive.

Clement's Inn has shared in the recent changes which have been made in its vicinity. In 1868 the former entrance and a portion of the buildings were swept away for the New Law Courts. On the other hand extensive new buildings were erected, the most important being a picturesque range of Gothic chambers, 130 feet long, constructed from the designs of Mr. Raphael Brandon, architect, on the site of the old burial-ground and almshouses. The hall was at the same time refaced and embellished.

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¹ Stow, p. 166.